Of Family, Friends and Foes - updated

20 February 2009

It's Friday night and I've just returned from a truly pleasant distraction in my, otherwise, rather dull life. So much effort is needed for me to drag my lazy self to anywhere! Those who understand me, know this is the story of my life. Homemaker, homebody and homely! Truth is, indeed, stranger than fiction.

When I was driving home, I gave some thought to the groups of people that revolve around my life. In my opinion, the three major categories would be (1) Family, (2) Friends and (3) Foes.

Family - We CAN'T choose them!

We are born into the family and we have no alternative but to accept that our blood contains the genes that bind us. Some of us have great relationships and some don't. However, no matter what the strength of those ties are, the fact remains that we belong to the same clan.

Then comes the extended family from divorce, re-marriage, death or whatever other reason. This group also forms an integral part of our life. I am very proud to say that, in general, I am fine with everyone. I am not always in touch with them all but the knowledge that we are family holds us together.

This photo collage is of my immediate family! It doesn’t go beyond two levels! I am very proud of the fact that there is love, acceptance and tolerance despite the racial and religious differences. This is what being an “Anak Bangsa Malaysia” is about.

Friends - We CAN choose them.

Somewhere I read that “friends” are the family we choose for ourselves. I smiled when I first saw that. I think it is a superb notion that our friends are quite like “family” too.

We make friends in different periods of our lives: kindergarten, school (primary and secondary), college, uni, work, parties, clubs, mamak stall, gyms, etc. We have different sets of friends and sometimes we are different with each group. It doesn’t mean we have split personalities. It just means that each group brings out a different side of us.

One group of friends whom I affectionately call my “vigil family” is growing from strength to strength. I can barely keep up with who is who sometimes. But you know what? It doesn’t matter if you know all of them or if they know you! When we are together, there’s love and trust and camaraderie.

These three collages truly speak for themselves. You can almost touch the feeling of unity that was generated in that place. I left early and I did not know the party had carried on with more merry-making and dancing. However, I was there for the show of solidarity, in the form of a prayer for RPK. It was a very magical moment. We all prayed in our own way!

Please note the collage is not photoshopped! These pictures are real! The “Anak Bangsa Malaysia”, from all walks of life, in all shapes and sizes, of different races and religions, stood united together and sent a loud message to God.

Dare we believe that the moment made God smile? Yes, we can!

More of the Anak Bangsa Malaysia!

A final collage where you can see how it was worth the effort to join them. Sadly, I missed the late fun. Snif snif

Finally Foes - They choose us!
I don't want to waste my time nor space on them. All I can say is "what goes around, comes around" and "It's not over, 'till it's over".


Signing off......
Anak Bangsa Malaysia
Credit: Some pictures in the collage were taken by Pahlawan Volunteer and The Whisperer.


See the whisperer and dawningeyes, pahlawan volunteer, delcapo, and beyond51 for more!

PJ Vigil 07/2009 (19th) Dedicated & Complicated

The vigilers are dedicated and the situation is complicated!

Tonight's vigil saw the dedicated Anak Bangsa Malaysia meeting again, to lend support to the anti-I.S.A. cause but having to abandon the idea of gathering at the tarmac of MBPJ.

Tonight's vigil saw the complicated situation that the Anak Bangsa Malaysia faces without any support from the pertinent authorities.

However, there are uppers :) and there are downers :(.

It's awful to make the effort to be there and then be turned away by the police because they are under orders to disallow any form of gathering.

However, it's always heart-warming to meet up with the "vigil family". It is my belief that we all share the same motivation and inspiration.

I used to think that most Malaysians just lived for themselves, until I met and got to know the "vigil family". Now I realise that I was wrong. There are very many caring people in Malaysia. People who are concerned for the future of this country. People who champion a cause because they believe that no human being should be locked up without trial. People who are standing up for their fellow Anak Bangsa Malaysia because it seems the right thing to do.

No photos today, folks! I don't know if I am tired or disappointed. Maybe a little of both! Anyway, I'll end with this quote

"What we think or what we know or what we believe is, in the end, of little consequence. The only consequence is what we do."
- John Ruskin

and this reminder

Yes, keep them (our Anak Bangsa Malaysia in Kamunting) in your heart with peace, faith, love and most of all, hope that the battle is not yet lost!

Happy Valentine's Day!

To the visitors of
STEEST

Friendship is a network
that needs no recharge,
no roaming,
no activation,
no signal problems,
Just make sure
you don't switch off your heart

Friendship is like standing
on a wet cement...
the longer you stay,
the harder it is to leave
and you can never go
without leaving your footprints...

And to those in Kamunting, a Valentine Candle!

PJ Vigil 06/2009 (18th) Dedicated to Markus Ng

Tonight's vigil is dedicated to the memory of Markus Ng. One of us! One of the vigil family members!

The vigil was short and sweet. Very much like the life of our dear Markus but what an impact he made on everyone who knew him. By that same token, so does our carrying on with the vigil. I think we make more than a statement. We also make an impact by our steadfast duty to gather for those who are without a voice or an avenue out of their predicament. As "anak-anak bangsa Malaysia", we follow our conscience to stand up for those held under the I.S.A.

The police came as always.

We have come to accept them as part of the vigil panorama. I am pleased that the lady officer was courteous and allowed us ten minutes to honour Syukree and Markus and finally to sing the national anthem.

Faithfully and true to our promise, we dispersed after the short get-together, and met for a cosy chat at the now famous Lotus restaurant. So many of us have become comfortable with each other. Where we began as strangers, we are now more than friends. We are the vigil family! I am proud to be one of them!

That's all for tonight, folks. We are all still sad and weary and the struggle goes on.

Read more here:
kkitsam
SanJiun (in mandarin)
DelCapo

Anak Bangsa Malaysia - Markus Ng

(Markus, M F Yeong, Duke and me)

I didn't know Markus Ng.

This picture was taken on 25 January 2009. It was a random shot taken because we were together, immortalising a brief moment in time, when our paths crossed!

If this picture had not been taken, I might not have given his death a second thought. As it turned out, I did. So I went through his memorial site and later the other blogs that paid tribute to the fine gentle person that he was.

I attended the wake tonight. I didn't know him but I felt compelled to offer my condolences to the family, to sit briefly in silence and to mourn the loss of an excellent specimen of the human race.

I don't have to imagine the grief. I know it.

In his life, Markus had touched the lives of so many. In his death, he continues to reach out and be a testimony of what goodness is all about. Markus was a rare mixture of youth and maturity, with a short-lived but full life.

Was his death in vain? I don't believe so. I think it stopped many of us, in our tracks, and caused us to reflect on where we are in our lives. Reality can be so painful and yet we, sometimes, need it to jolt us back to being the best that we can be.

He described himself as an "anak bangsa Malaysia". From everything that he stood for, I think he epitomized those three words perfectly!

May his soul rest in eternal peace!

Of Sundays and missing out!

It's Sunday again!

I should be at the MBPJ with my "vigil family". I feel like I have missed doing something. It's already dark outside and I'm still home!

When I didn't feel well enough to attend the evening mass at St Francis Xavier's, I knew that I probably would have to give the anti-I.S.A. vigil a miss too.

So here I am - coughing, sneezing and waiting for news that all is well and everyone is safe. I can close my eyes and see all the people there! I already know most of them, by sight!

I just got an sms that the vigil ended with the singing of the National Anthem at 8.16 pm. I doubt, very much, it has anything to do with the bad weather. Well, I'll have to wait for more news.

It really is annoying to be missing out on the camaraderie.

There's always next Sunday. I can look forward to that!