It was a great news on the recent Mobile Number Portability implementation in Malaysia.  I have been on Maxis since I got my first mobile phone, and I have been with the same number since.  I can’t remember how long I had this number, I believe it is almost 10 years.  I have got nothing from Maxis all this time, except for huge hefty bill and unreasonable roaming charges.  Their royalty program were mediocre, and it was off for some time, and now have this rewards program that give you discount coupon, which I need to spend more money instead of saving money.  It would be nice if Maxis would give a free phone for being with them for so long, but I guess that is wishful thinking.  The one thing holding me back was the news that Maxis was the telco carrier that will release iPhone in Malaysia and it would be less than RM1000.  Then again, after looking at their current myMaxis Phone deals, to get a Samsung Omnia i900, it would be RM2399 with Value Plus 150 with 24 month contract.  What a joke, a 24 month contract tied to RM150 per month, and still sell the phone at RM2399, its more insulting rather than a promotion.  So, when it comes to iPhone, which is up in the Omnia class, I don’t think there would be any sweet deal at all.  For < RM1000 price tag, I would bet Maxis to tie you down for years with their Value Plus 500 plan, which force you to spend RM500 a month.  This is my speculation, looking at the so called myMaxis phone deals that they are giving now. 

So, thanks to online billing, I cut and paste my calls for the past few months onto an excel and computed my call cost with different scenarios.  The two that I was thinking of was moving from current standard plan to Maxis value 50 or move to Digi DG20 plan, and guess what, DG20 came out as the winner by saving me up to 25% of total cost.  This is inclusive with two supplementary line.  With this much saving, I am no longer waiting for iPhone from Maxis, of which I predict it would be too expensive anyway.  I rather go for 25% savings on monthly basis, than to wait for something that I end up could not afford anyway.   So, in short, thank you and goodbye Maxis, I am moving over to Digi. 

There was an interesting song from the recent movie, Forgetting Sarah Marshall. It was right at the opening where a British rock artist Aldous Snow’s song “We got to do something” MTV was shown over the television.  What’s intriguing was that this song was from his latest album “Sodomize Intolerance”.  How interesting the title fit to current Malaysia political situation.  Firstly, we have the glorified Sodomize, where the UMNO lead government allegedly use to stop Anwar Ibrahim’s political career.  Then recently, we had an UMNO branch chief making insensitive remarks about the Chinese race in Malaysia, and re-iterated that he was right and did not make any mistake.  The remarks to me was sign of intolerance.  In one hand, we have Sodomize and the other we have intolerance, and both from the same political party.  Its so sad and disappointing that such things can be allowed in Malaysia, especially on views that a certain race is better than another.  Its almost institutional, and after 51 years of independence, this is what we are left with, and I believe, if no change are done, another 50 years, things will either be the same or worst.  Can we get much worst than this?  When Ahmad explain that his remarks were meant for those who have came here before the country’s independence.  Nevertheless, to have such view over those who came then who have also sacrificed for the country is also insensitive.  the first thing that came to my mind when he explains was what about those who have been born a Malaysian Citizen, can they be expected to have the same rights as the rest? or they too cannot expect to be treated equally just because of their race?  Well, I have news for Ahmad, and this is for him to think hard on.  The pendatang in this country will not go back, they have no other country to go to.  They are here to stay.  It is time to start thinking how all of us can work together to put this country forward, and not otherwise. 

“All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.”
  –  Edmund Burke

Do nothing is just what UMNO and Abdullah Badawi did after Ahmad Ismail, UMNO Leader of Bukit Bendera said that the Chinese are immigrants and squatting and therefore can expect the same treatment.  Today, Najib on the other hand apologizes to the Chinese community and said that a meeting will be called to decide the type of action to be taken on Ahmad.  More delay, and the longer they do nothing, the longer evil prevails. 

Zailnol Padzi from UMNO Perak Youth wing said that Ahmad’s comment was not representing the party, and it was Ahmad’s own opinion.  If this is so, why did Najib apologizes for Ahmad? And where is Ahmad? he has made the comment and then fled.  Is “I am Sorry!” so hard to say? His boss has obviously apologizes for him and owns up to the comment.  If Ahmad is not commenting on behalf of UMNO, then why did Najib apologizes for it.  Looks like UMNO is condoning it, they are not taking any immediate action, they want to discuss first.

Is this kind of language and thinking tolerable? Absolutely not, if we allow the seed of hatred to grow, then we shall all perish in our own anger.  Ahmad needs rehabilitation.  He first needs to be strip off his datukship.  Firstly a Datuk is not a racist, and certainly, the Datukship should not represent one.  Secondly, Ahmad needs to be rehabilitated.  He needs not apologize, he is hating the Chinese so much to make such remarks.  He has his reasons, we should all understand his reasons.  Maybe some Chinese guy have done him wrong in the past, maybe it was how the system have poison his mind about the Chinese.  What ever it is, he needs to understand that this is wrong, and this will only leads to he end of him or the all of us. 

So, how long do we have to wait for someone to step up and do something? So far, it is just all talk. 

Try saying that fast 10 times, bet you get your tongue twisted real good.  Well, I am ecstatic that the popular musical with the same title has finally come to the silver screen, and best yet, coming to Malaysia this Sept 22nd.  If you have missed the 70’s, then you must watch this movie.  It brings Abba (Angetha, Bjorn, Benny, Anni) to live with hits like Dancing Queen, Mamma Mia, SOS, and much more.  Don’t know Abba, that’s alrite, you dont have to know them to love their music.  But you must have heard of Dancing Queen, it has been featured in countless movies, especially 70’s theme movies.  Unlike other great groups of past, Abba have been keeping a tight grip on their music, and they were even heavily involved in the musical productions, ensuring their music were not being diluted by other creatives.  I am counting the days till the premier on Sept 22nd.  It would be such a treat. 

Not sure why, of late, the word Fuck seams to be so cool.  It was first triggered by the two movies I watched, Superbad and Forgetting Sarah Marshal.  Maybe it was the way it was said, the vulgarity seams non-existence and it sounds just like a fad word.  Maybe, it was not so much of the word, but more of the expression of the emotions within, and the word are just an illustrations of the feeling of the moment.  This has to be it, as lately, there are so much bullshit in the country’s political arena that built up the frustration.  And Fuck is just the right word to vent the frustration.  As much as I love to use the word, it does seams vulgar and not many can accept it, especially if you need to maintain  your professionalism in the office.  The whole persona where you want to express, and yet, can’t, makes it more repressive and I guess, this is why Fuck is so cool.