Saturday, 23rd April 2005, 5.23 pm

Just returned home after meeting Joan and playing an absolutely wonderful game of Cashflow. Like extended monopoly, but much more fun and challenging. Invented by Mr Robert Kiyosaki, the main purpose is to get out of the rat race, so to speak. Played with 3 other people, and only one of us got out of the rat race. I got an Engineer as a profession, and am still in debts after 10 years time (on the board). Keep on buying property and shares, and oat one time got quite a lot of returns from my investment, but blew it on bad decisions. Haih. Kesian la. Lucky I'm not intending to do engineering... :). Made me realize that life is so short and if we don't plan properly, half your lifetime can be gone in a blink and you're still not far away from where you begin. Have to plan la, now!

Tomorrow got church (yay). More to come la.

Kesian Anwar Robinson. Quite a fan, and am quite sad he's gone from AI. Extremely talented person. He could've won, but sometimes, weird things happen. Haha. Just ranting.

Christian Message...

Was at church today nearly half a day. Before 2005, I dread Sundays. Cos I know that I'm purposely missing church at CLC Setapak cos it's too far, and I don't have a car... :(

So, turn Jan 2005, finally decided that I don't want to regret anymore, so just hopped on the car ride wif my aunt back to my old church CCC, and rededicate my life lor. April is mission month, and the purpose is missions and evangelism, and CCC pretty much covered a lot of places really, sending teams to Sikkim, and some other places. Just on Sunday, we have a PURE Mongolian Christian, THE Christian pioneer in Mongolia, come to share and preach to us. Was pretty excited really, cos the only Mongolian upcloase I've seen is thru the screen - Genghis Khan. Haha. Anyway, at first when I saw him, I immediately thought of Khai Fatt. Cos when he smile, or talk, you can't see his eyes... hehe. I used to ask Khai Fatt : Eh, when you smile, you can see ha? ...Can....

He has an amazing documentary on Mongolia, which left everyone crying or stunned. Cos, Mongolia has 2.4 million people and not all has been served. Half the population is still nomadic, half below 16 years of age. This Mongolian brother, Bro. Tsogoo, was the first Mongolian Christian, and he actually went round villages to preach gospel, cos after communism fell, the people was turning to different places for HOPE. It was conquered by Communism, poverty, harsh climate. And 15 years later, there's over 200 churches, 35000 Christians. In 1990 there was no church, and only 5 non-Mongolian Christians. The Mongolian being preached was so excited, and told everyone about the new salvation. They were just hungry for the Lord. What struck me was the ending of the documentary. There was a line saying, : Mongolian Christians are few in numbers, but they are steadfast warriors of God. Though you are poor, I tell you that you are rich. My goodness, what stalwart people. Realy put me to shame, cos here we are in prosperous Malaysia, and Christianity is allowed and is preached, and yet many of us just don't really thirst for the Holy Spirit. And these people in Mongolia, in all their sufferings, still trust God completely, and praise Him all the time. The message struck me like lightning yesterday...kapoww....

Amazing Race X: Episode 2

Reported by Me

Departing the Pit Stop in first place (again) at 11.30am, Cze discovered that he had just lost his partner, and was given the clue that he must travel 16000 meters past the town of Cheras, and then walk 48 meters across Jln Silang to McDonalds Jln Silang, where his next clue waited under one of the many tables. Over the next hour, Cze got stuck in traffic jams, watching drivers bickering amidst the honking of vehicles.

Being the only team on the road, maintaining the lead, Cze quickly rush into McDonalds and quickly made a fool of himself searching tables underneath the patrons for the clues, only to realize that Chee Hwee, his ex-partner, was waiting near the washroom. With a new teammate, Cze hurriedly gulped down lunch with Chee Hwee, and opened their next clue, instructing them to travel via compass and a ciphered road map to an unknown location somewhere on the busy roads of Petaling Street.

" I don't think I know too much about roads and ciphers. I suppose it's OK, cos I'm just gonna let Cze do the thinking for now," commented Chee Hwee. Cze quickly did some fast accurate calculations and immediately deciphered the clue, which instructs them to travel by foot to the unknown building. Once at the building, they must take the elevator to the 14th floor to meet with a job consultant, and successfully receive a job offer, before they are given the next clue.

Arriving at the office tower, Cze and partner Chee Hwee managed to secure a temp job, and opened their clue to (horror!) find a Detour. This Detour offered Teams the choice between two chores: “Walk It” or “Drive It.” To complete Walk It, team members must trek their way across town to Jln Sultan Ismail from Petaling Street. Next, they must look for an old team member CS at the foot of Menara Genting before 2.15pm. While the walking could be tiring, Teams are given the location, and the person to find, so the task could be easier, but endurance testing. For Drive It, Teams must choose to take any forms of mass transit avaiable to reach a marked building at Jln Sultan Ismail, to look for a person identified only by a photograph. While the task appeared simple, but looking around KL for a person in a million could be entirely frustruating. Finally, after much debating, the Team chose Walk It. Forging ahead through mud and water, Cze commented, “It's all OK. Stamina, my man, stamina.”  .

Arriving at Menara Genting, exhausted and about to fall flat, the team found CS grumbling at the foot of the Menara. "So slow la you guys," he replied. Given their next clue, the three of them were instructed to go and submit some (again) very late schoalrship forms to Yayasan Kuok at Wisma Jerneh, obtained from the previous episode. While CS had already submitted his a few days ago, Cze made a mistake to have not duly completed the forms, earning the ire of his team mate, CS, quoting, "Ha? Like that oso can ha?". However the tables are turned when CS found out that he didn't submit his MUET results slip, and they broke even. The secretary gave them their next clue, which is to travel to KLCC, and then to Wisma MCA to enquire about a certain Chang Ming Thien loan scheme.

As CS, Chee Hwee & Cze hop on to their Kancil parked ILLEGALLY at some coffee shop, they made their way to a parking lot opposite Menara UOA II, and ran to KLCC. There, CS informed the other two members that he's going to watch Hitch with three other friends. Shocked for not being told earlier, Cze and Chee Hwee contemplated of tipping CS over the railings from the third floor. After lunch (again), the three hurried to buy last minute tickets for the show and walked to Wisma MCA (After CS treated himself to a Cinnabon pastry of some sort, and refilling his kemeked cup from McD for the 5th time).

Arriving at MCA Tower just before the office closes at 4.30pm, Chee Hwee, CS & Cze received their copies of the Chang Ming Thien Foundation Loan Scheme forms, and hurried back to KLCC. Chee Hwee then decided to quit the race in frustruation, after the two refused to give him back his wretched envelope to contain his form. 

CS & Cze, with a person less, decided to mourn for a second, and quickly went to party at the Food Court, where the two binged on Iced Coke and Sprite refills. "It's not healthy la, drink so much. Then you'll get glaucoma, and eyesight problems, I tell you," Cze told CS who's happily sipping on his 7th cup of HIGH SUGAR COKE. "But, mmm... refreshing," CS starkedly replied to the assault, driving Cze to purchase a cup for himself. "Who say drinking no good one ha?" CS smirked. The three movie friends arrived in short succession at 6.30pm, (Khai Fatt, Shuk Fan and Reene) and watched the romantic movei Hitch. Finishing the movie at 9.30pm, poor CS had to ferry his friends to Selayang, then to Tmn Muda, and then to Tmn Minang. CS, complaing that he'll fire his boss until 10am the next day for work, drove them all home, amidst traffic accidents and mad drivers speeding to hell.

To be continued....

 

Now, for those who don't really know, this is a revised version of a mock court battle of the suppressed and allegedly ignored students vs a kind of strange system (don't ask if you don't know... I don't want to get thrown into jail without a reason, or get murdered. Anyway, think...um... matrix.) After much revision by my editorial staff, and as chief editor of this column, I have decided to remove the whole court battle transcripts. I have, however, included a drastically toned down excerpt of the original transcript for the intellectual consumption of the masses. This short excerpt does not represent the case as a whole. I believe that not many of us who reads it will find it mentally enlightening. In fact, I believe some inept readers who knows nuts might find it emotionally provoking, and decides to XYZ me, or whatever. Nevertheless, if anyone is interested in the whole transcript, I'd be glad to forward it to you (The choice lays on my own discretion).

Note: In reading this court  transcript, you must agree that although the battle in itself is purely fiction, but the basis of the discussion is fundamentally true.

Warning: Not for pure idiots who labels a different but truthful article sentiment provoking. The writer urges you to think and see for yourself, the real sentiment provoker of the whole issue. 

The Case of the Second-class Students vs The System.
 

Plaintiff: The ignored second-classed students, representing the suppressed.
Defendant: The alleged system, representing the ***CENSORED***

Problem: The sudden limit on places for students who wants to pursue a medical degree at Ukraine.

Results: This entry. This headache. This ranting. This fight for the truth...

Motion: What happened to the admissions to CSMU, for the semester of summer 2005?

The Case: A majority of the applicants (40/50) are 17-18 year olds sitting for pre-med starting January, ending September, just in time to further medicine at Crimea. Only a handful of us 'old geezers' nearing 20 y.o. had applied. Even those who had are considered very early. A sudden large group of students who are way younger had planned to enrol this early in the year, prompting a crisis in admissions for some other students whose results were out 3 weeks ago. Everyone was too busy to be not busy... So, who's to blame? Definitely not the large 17/18 year old students group. It wasn't their fault to have registered early. In fact, it's all a fair trade. Therein lies the crux of the issue: if the first group of students are blameless, then, did the system failed the other students, or had the students failed themselves?

The Catch: Last year, there as no such problem. Even students who came and registered on June had a fair chance of a spot. What was the reason that propelled that many students to enter? True, it was cheap, affordable, and recognized: definitely, it was a steal. A miracle in the favour of medic students. But then, ***CENSORED*** resulting in the inability to accept students more than a set limit.

Plaintiff: There was a change in student transfer. A system had been enacted that sets aside an undisclosed amount of seats for the XYZ (no prize for guessing the correct answer) from wherever, to study medicine. This change had thus created a problem for some very desperately ignored students who had both interest and capability to perform, yet purposefully denied ***CENSORED***. We need somewhere to run to. After all, no man, no woman should be denied the fundamental needs of education, right?

Defendant: Wrong! ***CENSORED***. The source of troubles are thus identified, the reason of the CSMU dilemma, the solution to the reduction in available places. But...

Points of Information: Is it within their power to make such an adjustment? ***CENSORED***. The court suggests that it's about time we take a critical look at some of OUR cherished institutions.

Second look: Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be much that we can do now, as the applications to CSMU from here must be verified ***CENSORED***. Fortunately, if some of us manage to graduate, our value goes up higher. I don't think much explanation is deemed necessary.

Seeing the future: Pure imbeciles abound in my crystal ball. The current situation leaves little to the imagination.

Contemplation: No other ***CENSORED*** in the whole good world would graciously send the intellectual, capable and successful people as gifts to others, just because they are ***CENSORED***. Then again, I believe not many other ***CENSORED*** in this good world can defeat this ***CENSORED*** in the international charts of stupidity. Not unlike killing the goose that lays the golden egg, I truly wonder, can ***CENSORED*** truly blossom as a society, and in advancement?

Verdict: Over much deliberation, the ***CENSORED*** is proven guilty of all charges discussed, guilty of unfanthomable stupidity and guilty of ***CENSORED*** our children. Therefore, this court sentence the ***CENSORED*** to eternal damnation. This court is adjourned.

So much for freedom of speech.

AARRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

I really really takut now la. Much more than before taking results. Donno what to do liao... Tot that I was quite early for registering into CSMU, but then, much to my horror, Dr Lau, the consultant for the uni entry told me that I might not get, cos too many people oredi. 50 you know! my goodness. Somehow, when I was at his office this morning, and he told me that, i lose mood oredi... like my insides turn to outsides, my outsides turn to no-side and my backside suicide di... Aiya. He say if I don manage to get in, he'll refund me... But I dont want REFUND. I want to GET IN!!! Wanna cry di... Cos, I don think I got anywhere else to go. Worse, is that last year, even when you register in June, still got place. What happened this year then? Some brainless idiot in the cabinet who had nothing better to accomplish than to flirt with the sexytary must have scared us potential students away that we can't pack fast enough to leave this hellhole.

Correct la Hen Hen... Stupid bloody XYZ...
Too much pent up frustration. There... much better. And you people can feel free to share my thoughts as well... kill 2 birds with a stone. Hehhehe!

Now, Alison and Melissa, I heard you guys are going to be orientating us freshies like Auntie Grace called us... Hope you guys pray enough for me, Khai Fatt and Shuk Fan that we may get in. Really pray. Thanks for being supportive la you guys, and I can't thank Aunty Grace enough. Cos when i told Dr Lau that I refer from Aunty Grace, he was like..." Hmmm... Grace ha...," a few times. Sound as if it's difficult to, but Grace'll kill me if I don't put you thru... so I'll try my best. Like wow, must try and get for me like that. But not sure la, cos might be full liao. Can't do much now - it's out of my hands. Outcome focused, all I can do now is to pray and with faith know that He will lead me to green pastures. Cos if He can lead me to it, He will lead me thru it. Thanks Monica for that advice...

Hope to see you guys there at CSMU soon, and really hope that Aunty Grace can make Dr Lau give us few a spot... pray harder! Will altar call tomoro la I think.

Oh ya, after meeting with Dr Lau, got a call from Joan. Ask me to see and meet up over lunch at her apt. and catch up a bit wo. At first reluctant, cos quite far away... need to take 3 times bus-train. But she very nice la, so ok lor... go go lor. Lots of tips to improve my self, my bisnes and to really believe that I can do it la in the biz. Need to thank her for bringing me back to the biz la, been quite busy still even now. Tired la. Need to rest, and pray hard afterwards, and even harder tomorrow. Good night people, and sweet dreams to you all!

Figured out that the family just went back a little early this year back kampung to avoid the masses. Even so, a small group had already intervened, much to my dismay. You won't believe the traffic there is up the hill to the graves... Kampar, as I had always believed, had more dead than living.

I had to follow my dad to 3 different graves: of my great grandparents and my grandfather, located at very different places along the hill. So, had to go up and down and up hills: great grandda was at the valley, greatgrandma at one side of a hill and grandfather at the middle of another hill. Sigh. With the sun beating down on us, and strangely, I had no idea why everyone (me, my dad and my two uncles who went together) wore black... Pretty stupid choice I must add.

Kind of wondering what to do; me being the only Christian in the whole family who believes that my grandda is some insect who flies into the house time and again, that the idols in my kampung house is starving cos we never chong heung (burn incense) since we're living in KL. I don't think that the gods are that powerless that they'll starve if we don't 'feed' them, right? What's the point then in being gods?

Every now and then, also kena burn incense at home or at kampung cos I'm the eldest of the Chin family grandchildren, barring my two other elder cousins cos they're always somewhere else but in the kampung. God forbids that I burn incense and eat food offered at the altar for idols, but that's exactly what was happening for quite some time. How to tell grandma that I can't? If I don't, she'll die of heartache, and grandda would squirm in his grave, she'd say. Stand up in dignity for Christ, and risk to kena ketuk from ALL my Buddhist family members? Donno la. Really want to, but grandma cannot tahan. One fine day, I just hope that I'd be able to stand up firm in my believes. One fine day.

Oh ya. Baru today kena sit in ambulance again for the umpteenth time. Call from the dialysis centre suddenly saying that my aunt in the centre pretty sakit. No one's at home, and dad just went out minutes before. No car. I can drive but no car. And the nurses all phone me 6 times already. Curses! Was pretty worried. So, because of my love for my family (isk isk.. wink wink..), I had to rush and taxi myself an 8 ringgit ride, and saw my aunt pretty sakit herself at Charis NKF. They got an ambulance to ferry her to HKL. The thing is, it's fun sitting in an ambulance and see the cars avoid the ambulance. Make way is a better word perhaps. like Parting of the Red Sea! but see my aunt at my side muntah like an open faucet... aih. Kesian. I was scared, and praying. So, she kena admit hospital. Tomoro, i'll se how she is doing, and hope she's feeling better.

Will be balik kampung for 2 days, today n tomoro, so I get to miss Easter Church Presentation :(
What to do, parents say must go back kampung to Ching Ming, so, it's weird, cos I din know it's so soon. But come to think of it, this might be the last time I get to balik kampung in 6 years, so, might as well.

Now, about to get into car oredi, so need to sign off and start packing.

Cze, out!

By now, I really resigned to the fact that the government's system has won yet again. I've already resigned to the stupid, yet accepted fact that idiots are going to fill up the few precious spots in our prestigious halls of learning, learning whatever and yet unemployed. When in one hand, they encourage excellence in education, and in the other hand, discharge your application without as much as a hoot into the common pool even when you've attained excellence. Yet, we have some people who definitely couldn't speak proper english, much less having the correct attitude, given the rare (and definitely wasted) opportunity to study courses meant for the more deserving. Point is, to give a pig a flower, is different to give a florist a flower: the two appreciates them differently, don't they?

In addition to Hen's disagreement, if the meritocracy system prides itself in equality in both STPM and Matric courses, and that we STPM students need nearly 2 years to study just about as much as the Matriculation takers do in a year, and still, we have only 300+ perfect gems to their 1800+ perfect CGPA 4.00 scorers, then for goodness gracious, WE MUST BE REALLY REALLY BLUNT STUPID!! I just do not get it. Hen doesn't get it either, and I'm sure many people just don't get it. Still, we are meant to stay silent and never question them, or their motives, or blatantly comment too much or you'll be branded trouble, stirring up senstive issues in the interest of national security. We're supposed to just keep silent, and be happy, like patriotic nationals do (like the matriculation students do, laying low happily with their 4.00). In the first place, if they are totally equal and comparable, why are there 2 courses, 2 opposingly different systems of pre-university education? I just don't get it...

Just exactly how many potential, intelligent achievers does the government plan to shoo away? Supposedly, if there happens to be an influx in top scorers, somebody should come up with a plan indicating methods to finance students to study abroad, with methods of repayment if deemed necessary. Yet we see no such actions being taken, not even close! Our plight just doesn't interest the officials much, does it? Our want, our need, our choice; to serve this country that has given us so much, yet not given as much as a chance to... is not a matter of importance, is it? I refuse to believe in a heartless system, but it's a conspiracy too great to keep silent upon.

What you get ha? Ooo... 3.75! Congrats congrats, very good. You want to do what? Medicine... Forget it. Not good...enough...

Want to cry already. How can you be very good and not good enough at the same time?? Chances of getting into local university to study a medicine course is nearly 0. According to my... ahem... vast experience in probabilities, 0, although not necessarily meaning 'no way', can mean 'yes way, IF the sun turns black, or the moon comes out at midday, or CS getting 5Es, or...'

SO now how? Depends lor... if local university disqualify me, then it's still alright. Like malay saying goes, talent macam I, sekali petik, 10 datang. Ngam not??? Mwahahaha. Their loss... (not). Like consoling myself only. So, luckily, I have really good friend's parents (who are also good friends by the way) to guide me, cos their daughters (my really good friends) are already in Ukraine studying medicine. Really, it's the Crimea State Medical University. Thanks Aunty Grace, Uncle How Chai!

Worth considering actually, if:
a) local university shortlisted you from the final selections.
b) you're quite poor, and can't afford the RM600k imposed by some private medical colleges.
c) do not wish to bond yourself with certain loan schemes or scholarships, cos you'll be stuck working while pursuing your 2nd degree.
d) Small classes of abt 10, if we enrol together, we get to be in the same class! :)
e) *most importantly* you really REALLY want to do medicine,

you definitely should consider Crimea. Because:
a) You do not have to fork out a huge lump sum at the beginning of the year. Some private colleges require a big sum at the beginning, or you can just balik kampung, tanam jagung...or something.

Ahem. Hear ye, hear ye: Important function coming for the week: Easter.