Viva Palestina Malaysia Created

At the entrance of Grand Ballroom MOKL

Finally Viva Palestina - the Malaysian chapter was launched on 22 January 2010, last Saturday nite at MOKL.  It was launched by Tun Mahathir Mohamad.  The special guest of honor that night is Lauren Booth, Tony Blair's sis in law (Cherie's sis) who converted to Islam after a length of stay in Palestine as a journalist.  Tun Mahathir is a staunch supporter and the only few brave man standing for the cause of criminalising the war and he is againts the conduct of zionist.  His sharp tounge againts zioninst always resulted to uproar from international community especially those pro-Zionist.  One that I best remembered is his statement that America is the proxy of Israel, and for a while create a certain sentiment that Malaysia is anti-semitic (dia tuduh kita balik pulak).  As if what Zionist do is politically correct... It is well known fact that America (and in fact the strong-west-world) sort of 'run' by the jewish, but admit to it they will not.  With America and its alliances rule, everything done by Zionist is OK.  So when two days ago Israel declared that the attack of the flotilla of Marvi Marmara is legal, I can just sigh.. I mean what would you think Israel decision would be?.  Dia yang serang, dia yang 'siasat', mestilah dia kata dia tak salah.  Doesn't matter Marvi Marmara just carry medicine and basic neccesities for Palestinian. I can see red face from Turkish PM in the news last night.  Ya la, dia punya citizens yang kena tembak... Anyway, expectedy, this is how things will be going on in the coming years.  The rule of the world..

With the launch of Viva Palestina Malaysia, I'm sure Malaysia participation will be enhanced.  There are already many NGOs in Malaysia fighting for the same cause.  The more the better.  Let us contribute to the succesful of the initiatives by these NGOs by contributing money, how little it is, it is the least we can do.

Souviner Book

Me and Mahathir

Lauren Booth - convert to Islam during her charity visit to Palestine

Dimsum - one of dish in the series

Message from the children of Palestine to Malaysian

 All the best to Viva Palestina Malaysia in fighting for the good cause of Palestinian people..

To Shake or Not to Shake

Beberapa hari kebelakangan aku jadi bengang sebab akhbar2 dok sibuk cakap nak pasal isu Cik Gu Mala yang tak nak bersalam.  Adakah dia orang ni tak faham atau buat2 tak faham.  Isu bersalam ni sebenarnya salah satu perkara yang sangat common dalam Islam.  Dan aku sendiri tidak menghulur tangan, cuma ada masa menyambut sekadar menjaga air muka orang yang menghulur (semuga Allah ampunkan dosa ku). Yang aku sedihnya bila dekat pilihanraya perkara macam ni pun nak di politikkan.  Aku rasa cukup2lah berkisar kepada isu2 besar saja.  Antara kata-kata orang2 berpangkat..

"Kita rasa terhina kerana dia tidak sanbut salaman kita"

"Saya hanya ceritakan perasaan pengundi yang rasa tidak senang kerana dia tidak bersalam, seperti pilih orang jika bersalam"

"Pakatan kata dia tak nak buat negara Islam.  Calon PAS tak bersalam dengan lelaki menunjukkan PAS ingin membentuk negara Islam"

Sebenarnya banyak lagi kata2 masih stuck kat telinga aku ni yang buat dada aku ketat.  Statement balas dari sekutunya lagi sakit hati... Maklumlah orang Islam sendiri yang cakap, ala-ala buat tak tahu, bukan nak tolong explain and clarify.  Tapi jawapan selamat ala-ala no-comment.

Nota tambahan, tak berkenaan tajuk di atas tapi hati tetap sakit:

Nak tambah sikit kata-kata Kuan Yew semalam semasa dia lancar buku yang dia baru published 'Orang Islam di Singapura sepatutnya lebih liberal (or less-observance) dalam menghayati hukum Islam untuk memudahkan integrasi kaum.  Semua kaum lain dah boleh integrate kecuali orang Islam'. 

Aku sebenarnya tak tahu taraf penghayatan Islam di Singapura, cuma kejadian depan mata aku,  melayu Singapura yang aku jumpa di Marriot Hong Kong hari tu, makan semua makanan kat hotel tu kecuali babi.  Dan yang seorang lagi, tu kawan dia datang cakap kat dia 'if you want to order ommelette, you can take any filling except ham ye..' Aih..yang tu pun nak kena cakap juga ke...

I rest my case..

The Other Alternatives

I just like to continue a bit on the cancer topic.  It is a serious desease and top killer in Malaysia, so I think its worth to just read through this article that I copy from http://norzailina.blogspot.com/ which she get it form John Hopins website/mail circulation.  Happy reading...

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AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY ('TRY', BEING THE KEY WORD) TO ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY.

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins :

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, to environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.  CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses, but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer..

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells.. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer fighting properties. Best water to drink is purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the bodies own killer cells to destroy cancer cells.. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, un-forgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

MORE TIPS:

1. No plastic containers in micro.

2. No water bottles in freezer.

3. No plastic wrap in microwave.

Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital , was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat.. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.

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Hopefully we can all benefits from those tips af avoiding cancer and alternatives to chemotherapy...

My Sister's Keeper

My Sister's Keeper is a movie that just rolled-on HBO.  I have waited for sometime for this touching movie to be aired.  It revolves around a journey of a family with a cancer (or leukemia to be exact) patient.  Movie like this wouldn't reach the malaysian cinema for a reason we know - no demand for this type movie.  Malay movie goers love haunted and slapstick comedy, while english movie goers love action pack and romantic/matinee comedy.  So this kind of movie will not sell in malaysia cinema.  Lucky me, HBO airs it at last.  The movie is loosely adapted from novel of the same title by Judy Picoult.  It's about the survival of the family with leukemia children name Kate.  At the age of 3, Kate was diagnosed with leukemia.  Kate's life can only be prolong with numerous medical procedure that requires a compatible donor for the bio portion.  With little brother Jesse, who is biologically not suitable, Anna then was conceived via IVF and 'designed' to be compatible donor to Kate.  Anna had since undergone all kinds of medical procedure to ensure longevity of Kate.  When the major operation need to be carried to take her kidney for Kate, when Anna is 11, Anna is suing her parents for forcing her to again be the donor.  This time its a do or die situation for Kate as both her kidneys are totally malfunction.  The movie heart-wrenching moment started here - from mother-daughter fight in the court, to Kate's struggling to live, with flashing back and forth of their sweet and sad moment.  Of course, my soppy heart brings tears like a dwelling river of Brisbane.  In the end of the court proceedings it was discovered that Anna do it because she was forced by Kate who thinks its time  for her to go.  With Anna's confession in the final session of dramatic court room proceedings, mom Sara who is just too overprotective, too much cannot let go of Kate suddenly come to her senses. Kate died during sleep hugging mummy who at last let her go.  Indeed it is a touching story... 

Mom Sara and Anna on top, cheerful but ready to go Kate playing bubbles below

This movie deeply touched my heart not just because it is so beautifully crafted with superb performance by Cameron Diaz (Mom Sara) and Abigail Breslin (plays Anna), but because my nephew also was diagnosed with a similar desease.  My nephew Amsyar who is my brother's 6th and last child was dignosed of leukemia just before his second birthday.   Although the storyline is somewhat different then My Sister's Keeper, but I can say that the journey that the whole family have to go through is similar.  Amsyar's mom can called Hospital USM her second home.  There are sacrifices made by the father and other siblings because all the attention goes to Amsyar.  Have to.  No choice.  In general, cancer is like a death sentence with indefinite time frame.  However, leukemia has a good chance of recovery, but the chance of relapse also great and it all depends on the response by leukemia's patients. You just dont know.  How strong can a mom be when watching her boy, day in and day out suffering from side-effect illness due to his weak immune system.  Endurance that she need to go through seeing the terrible side-effect of chemo is un-imaginable - vomitting, extreme diarhea, overshoot of body temperature that required the little body to be stored in a large refrigerator as cold as winter in London. Chemo treatment knows no discrimination - it destroys everything it hits whether good guy or bad guy.  So huge the pain after chemo, it's the pain that I can only imagine. 

Spending time in the cancer's children ward is like living in the death row.  I've been there a few times and the look of the children with cancer in the ward always haunted me days after.  As for my sis, she watch one children go after another.  Being there for more than a year, she lost count of how many have losing the battles. But being a muslim, we have to concede to qada & qadar.  You do not know what's written in the Luh Mahfuz for you.  You only have the slightest idea of what's going to happen to the little boy who carry the illness of blood eating blood that does not know when to stop.  I got her SMS full of sadness and high tense about two weeks ago when Amsyar's best buddy, about his age, return to his Creator.  I can only grieved in silence.  Little Amsyar never understand why his friends go and never return. He never understands why he has to go through all the painful procedure over and over again.  Nor he understands why his fine hair come and go..

As for me, I can only watch and imagining those pains from far.  I can only send Amsyar my prayer everyday so Allah giving him the best.  I can only give my sis, Amsyar's mom, little word of advise to keep the spirit high and keep praying for the best to Allah.  I can only provide minor financial assistance to lift a bit of burden.  Nevertheless, I cannot take away the illness from Amsyar.  Nor the challenging life that those around him have to endure.  The movie of My Sister's Keeper ended in 1 hour 40 minutes.  The movie of real life Amsyar is still rolling on the reel.  And only Allah knows what's the best for this cute korean-look little boy.. Amsyar.. my prayer goes to you.

Amsyar - one week after he was disgnosed with leukemia.  One and half year later, he grew-up to a handsome boy, but with thinning hair and pale look. 

Melebur Takabbur..

Dalam aku membelek majalah2 lama Solusi untuk berinspirasi, aku tertarik dengan tema yang dikupas oleh majalah ilmiah ini untuk isu ke 21.  Melebur Takabur.  Ringkas namun tepat untuk mendapat sedilkit inspirasi bagi memotivasi diri.  Takabur dalam bahasa mudah hanya boleh diterjemahkan kepada satu rasa yang terbit di dalam diri manusia iaitu 'AKU LEBIH BAIK DARI KAMU' samada perasaan itu datang dengan sengaja atau tidak.  Sekadar mengambil ringkasan mengenai takabbur dari majalah Solusi untuk ingatan pada diri dan sahabat2:

Takabbur sebenarnya hak mutlak dan ekslusif Allah s.w.t.  Tidak ada sesiapa pun boleh mencabar Nya.  Orang yang takabbur pasti lebur.  Ini seperti yang ditegaskan hadis kudsi - Allah berfirman: 'Kesombongan adalah selendang Ku dan kebesaran adalah sarung Ku.  Dan sesiapa yang bersaing dengan Ku pada salah satu daripada kedua-duanya, maka pasti aku akan lemparkan ke dalam jahannam' (Abu Daud 4092/Ibn Majah 4147)

Ciri2 takabbur:

1. Tidak suka berdoa - merasa diri hebat dan tidak perlu pertolongan Tuhan
2. Mudah terluka - mudah rasa tersindir, rasa dipekecil dan dipinggir orang lain
3. Melukakan hati orang lain - Bercakap dengan bangga dan suka melecehkan orang lain
4. Sukar memberi dan meminta maaf - Tiada istilah forgive and forget pada org takabbur.
5. Memotong cakap orang lain - suka menjuarai perbualan, mengangkat diri, lebih suka menjadi pencerita dari pendengar, pendapat orang semua tak betul.
6. Gila kuasa dan jawatan - Sentiasa ingin jadi pemimpin dan jadi pemimpin yang susah. Dan jika dia pula jadi pengikut, pengikut yang tidak disukai.
7. Cara berpakaian dan berjalan angkuh - berpakaian dan berjalan dengan rasa ingin menunjuk2
8. Gila pujian - Sentiasa ingin dipuji
9. Gembira bila bencana menimpa orang lain - merasakan bencana yang menimpa pesaingnya kerana kehebatannya
10. Tidak suka berziarah - merasakan berziarah orang yang lebih susah dan duduk bersama2 hanya akan menjatuhkan darjatnya

Malang sekali kalau kita memiliki sifat takabbur tetapi masih tidak menyedarinya kerana tidak mengenali cirinya.  Akibatnya, ramai orang menganggap orang lain takabbur, bukan dirinya.  Padahal dengan menganggap sedemikian, dialah sebenarnya memiliki ciri takabbur.  Bukankah orang yang takabbur itu merasakan bahawa 'ana khairun minhu' - aku lebih baik daripadanya.

Semuga Allah jauhkan aku dari ciri-ciri orang takabbur...

Hey..We Are in the Newspaper

Yesterday 9 Jan 2011, we visited the Star Education Fair at KL Convention Center to get better understanding on what would be the next step for Neesa after SPM.  There are quite a good number of exhibitors most of which were private colleges.  For private colleges, in terms of cost, is so expensive and if we were to pay, we just cannot afford.  Majority of the visitors were chinese - they are known for getting quality education for their kids and they started early to have fund set aside for higher education.  On the other hand, most malays depend very much on IPTA enrolment, even for such a cheap education at IPTA, they still need PTPTN assistance.    Put affordability aside, the visit did served our objective as we are looking for information on pre-requisite/requirements and path on the selected courses for Neesa.  Neesa is basically undecided on what she want to do, nevertheless she narrow down her choice to pharmaceutical.  Or perhaps doing Accounting.  Whatever it is, it will be very much depending on her result.  We were interviewed by reporter from the Star and they even take our pic. Nevertheless no pic in todays newpaper.  I would say that we were the only few malay parents who brought everbody in the family for the fair.

So here's the extraction from The Star dated 10 Jan 2011.
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KUALA LUMPUR: Bigger, better and extremely busy – that’s how some visitors and exhibitors described the two-day fair which ended yesterday.


Taylor’s University national marketing vice-president Susan Ooi said the institution received approximately 20% to 25% more enquiries compared to last year.

“The timing is very good as this is the first week after Christmas and New Year’s break. The floor plan is also neater,” she said.

Asia Pacific University College of Technology and Innovation marketing operations manager Chong Sau Mun said the response from visitors was very good.

“We have been extremely busy the last two days as many students expressed interest in our programmes,” he said.

Close to 60,000 people attended the fair.

The talks on Options after SPM and Funding Higher Education attracted hundreds of students and their parents with standing room only in Conference 1 and 2 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

Star Publications (M) Bhd marketing services (Promotions and Star Education Fund) manager Susanna Kuan spoke about the 215 scholarships offered by the Star Education Fund and its 29 partners in education.

Many students and their parents later visited the Star Education Fund booth seeking more information and picking up application forms.

Teenager Maanoj Thanabalasingam was among the thousands of students at the fair.

Despite suffering from a torn ligaments in his right leg after playing football, the 18-year-old did not want to waste the chance of meeting exhibitors.

“I wanted to meet them face to face to ask questions about studying engineering or business in France,” he said.

It was a family affair for Vaneetha Dharshini, 21, as she accompanied her mother Devaki Kesavan and younger sister Jiveetha to the fair.

Vaneetha enrolled at Kolej Tunku Abdul Rahman (TARC) when she visited the fair three years ago and Jiveetha intended to follow suit.

“Coming to the Fair is like a family tradition for us,” said Vaneetha.

Parents Badrul Hisham Mohd Salleh and Rose Aida Salleh also made a second visit to the fair and this time, they brought along their four children – Badrul Syahmi, 20; Neesa Athirah, 18; Danial Hakim, 15; and Hannah Sofia, 12.

“I wanted to find out more about professional accounting qualifications like ACCA,” said Badrul Syahmi, a first-year Accounting student at International Islamic University Malaysia.

“But our trip is also for Neesa as she is undecided about studying Accounting or Pharmacy,” he said.

The Road Less Travelled..

For me..its the road less travelled.  Its the road with a mission to visit the less fortunate.  Actually there are many such mission conducted by my company's charity group.  I hardly follow because hubby don't really like time like weekends is spent outside so much, after full weekdays spent at the office.  Being treasurer to the charity group to me is already a contribution, although it is very small compare to those who tirelessly goes on the charity mission under our company's banner.  This time the destination is Kedah - to give some assistance for back to school.  We started the journey after office on Wednesday 23/12 and arrive Alor Setar at around midnite.  First thing in the morning, after we had our breakfast near Stadium Alor Star, we begun our mission - target to visit around 20 poor mostly single mothers.  

Baju terpakai donated by staff

We headed to Kuala Kedah and I would say the place we visited although not too far from Alor Star is rather deplorable.  This is what we call miskin bandar.  The first family really torn my heart.  Single mother of ten, whose husband died when  she was pregnant to a twins.  She earns a paltry RM4 per day for cleaning the fish to make salted fish.  She did received assistance from JKM, which barely enough to support the whole family.  The second family is a young family with two kids renting a place they call house, which only few of us can fit in.  We move on to the next few families most of which are single mom, or woman whose husband can't work.  Its heart wrenching to see how hard they have to work just to put the food on the table. The short visit to every house is really a humble journey to the life of the less fortunate and it is really good for keeping your feet stick to the ground.  How much Allah has given and bless us with the life that we have... Compare yourself not to one better than you, but to those less fortunate than you then you realised how blessed you are.  Alhamdulillah to the life I have and I ended the houses visit with doa that Allah will provide a better life for them...

Mom of 10 who still can smile despite the RM4 per day income

Only few of us can go in - a mall shack rented at RM70 pre month by this family

Single mother - strong will I see in her - work multiple jobs at restaurent, sewing, fish processing..you name it..

Our last destination is Maahad Derang located in Pokok Sena.  Its one of the worst affected religous school in Kedah due to flood with RM180K needed to restore the damage.

Maahad Derang in Pokok Sena lost significantly..only this building on the higher ground is safe from the disaster

On the way back, our local counterpart treated us for delicous lunch at a kampung called Hutan Kampung. The restaurant serves all things daging and it surely delicious.  There are kari daging, daging kicap, sup daging, fresfly fried ikan caru and kari ikan.

All dish daging at Hutan Kampung

In the afternoon, we attended the event of distributing money to staffs who were affected by the flood at TM Kedah.  Before we came back we took a quick shopping at Pekan Rabu.  Most items are almost similar to those found in KB.  But there's two favorite  local traditional kuih that I love so much.  They are kuih karas and kuih telinga keling also known as peniaram.  And the best thing is it is cooked on site...

Pekan Rabu - Deram, peneram, peniaram, telinga keling among the name this kuih is famous for

My favorite kuih karas - I borong a lot of them

Crispy yummy - thats how you describe this humble kuih

We left Pekan Rabu at around 5pm.  Before heading back to KL, someone wanted to test best laksa in Kedah, so we endup to this place that is full of crowd.

Kak Huda waiting to slam dunk - wait, picture first..

They say its the best laksa in AS, and judging from the crowd, I think it is.  Not being  great fan of laksa asam, I am in no position to provide a just view.. All laksa utara taste about the same to me...It does filled my hunger for the afternoon snack though..

After the laksa treat we headed back to KL in a rainy journey all the way.  I left this road which I less travelled on a high note.  Hopefully the little gestures goes a long way...