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International Conference on Gold Dinar Economy

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A blue print for the Ummah

Tun’s opening speech

That’s the word for it. In fact, that’s the tagline. Nevertheless, this highly controversial subject with the current Prime Minister Abdullah Haji Ahmad declared illegal has been going into such an intelligence discussion with economic experts and professor from all over the world coming together calling for Petronas to handle it’s trade in Gold Dinar. It is sad not to see at least the second Minister of Finance attending the conference on behalf of the Malaysian Government which The Deputy Prime Minister claimed to be an Islamic Country.

The Dinar is not just important for the muslim as it reflect from the conference which also attracted non muslim participants from all corner of the world.

Dinar is the subject that always close to my heart

A matter close to my heart

That was the word uttered by Tun Dr. Mahathir in his opening speech on the 24^th July 2007. In Malaysia, Tun was seen as the pioneer of developing the idea of Dinar Economy, which he proposed to be used for trading between the Islamic Country during the end of his tenure. For the record, it was Professor Umar Ibrahim Vadillo who mooted out the idea to Tun.

Dato’ Husam with Professor Umar Ibrahim Vadillo

Professor Umar Ibrahim Vadillo proposed the idea to Dato’ Husam in early nineties. During the economic downturn in late nineties, Husam proposed for Vadillo to meet Tun which he did. But only after the fourth time he managed to influence Tun of the strength and logic of going back to Dinar and Dirham.

Since then, it was no turning back for Tun. However, the current Prime Minister Abdullah Haji Ahmad whom portrayed himself as a pious person and view by many as a very religious Prime Minister cannot comprehend the idea. This shows that the Dinar Economy Model is not a matter of just religion but also intelligence. So, the not brainy Pak Lah will never able to see why we should push the Dinar Economic Model back into the civilisation.

I bet, once the campaign to explain the Dinar Economic to the public of the advantages and benefits, there will be more non muslim than the muslim who going to invest into the Gold Dinar and Silver Dirham.

A small step for a man, a giant leap for …

The historical step

Around 8.40pm, Tuan Guru Dato’ Nik Abdul Aziz, the Menteri Besar of Kelantan, for the first time steps into the PWTC which for years being the symbol of liabilities for UMNO. Tuan Guru attended the dinner in conjunction with the conference.

 

Kelantan TV and live streaming

Kelantan.TV has been handling the live video streaming of the two days seminar to all over the world. The genius behind the webcast business is non other than Mr. Mohd Roslan Mohd Zain whom for many years now has been the pillar of live streaming activities from Kelantan which amongst others includes the State Assembly sitting. This coming 30^th July, Kelantan.TV will again handle the live video streaming for the launching of Dinar Keputeraan by the DYMM Al Sultan Kelantan.

The man behind the live streaming

Readers can view all the recorded version of the International Conference on Dinar Economy from http://www.kelantan.tv and for the presentation papers and news of Dinar Conference at http://www.husammusa.com

The Economist

Sheih on Sheih: Walking Tall With Pete

Got the news about RPK around noon while having lunch with Bro Sallahudin Ayub, PAS Youth Chief in PWTC, Blogger Amin and Wan Joe. For the past few days we were making Putra World Trade Centre as PAS World Trade Centre. Immediately after the closing ceremony of the International Gold Dinar Economy Conference, Dato’ Husam and us jump into the car and headed for Dang Wangi Police Station only to arrive one and a half hour later due to heavy traffic.

Happy to be there as it given me the chance to meet my lost brothers and sisters from the blogosphere.

About fifteen minutes after we left, we got the good news and RPK has walked out unscathed.

Photos courtesy of MSO.

 

Sheih on Sheih: The Film Festival and The Mosquitoes

The 20^th Malaysian Film Festival will be held in Penang, from the 3^rd till the 5^th of August 2007. The whole of last week I was occupied watching film after film since I was the Head of Jury for the Digital Film category. 10 films participated under the category. Mostly are the works of our Indies Filmmakers.

When Ms. Nancie Foo, the Head of the Participation and Jury Committee offered me to come on board, I seek Dato’ Husam’s advise. His original answer was a simple “Rasanya OK”. But minutes later we kept on exchanging smses and it got sentimental, as Dato’ Husam finally revealed that it has been his dream for the past 20 years to hold a Film Festival in Kelantan.

I have attended only few film festivals during my 13 years in the industry and I received some not worth mentioning recognition internationally and locally. In 1993, my feature film shot on 16mm was selected and screen in Tokyo. The festival was The 3^rd Film Festival of International Cinema Students, held in Shibuya, and my work, Karamnya Bahtera Merdeka a.k.a The Cries of An Independent Child was nominated. Amongst the juries were Lord David Putnam, the Producer for Chariots of Fire and British actor, Colin Firth. My last film festival was Asia-Pacific Film Festival in Taipei, in 2006 and my work, Persona Non Grata was amongst the five films chosen to represent Malaysia. During the Gala Night, action director, John Woo was there and touched many of us in his speech, in a very humble mood; he said this, “Thank you for accepting me here. I am glad to have the chance to learn from all of you”.

My first collection of memento came in Tokyo, where Karamnya Bahtera Merdeka was selected as top ten films out of 169 films from more than 50 countries. I received a scroll for that but I left it hanging in The Communication School in Penang. In 1999, I, in absentee received The Best Story award, followed by Jury Award for Most Promising Director seven years later. Both the trophies are in the IKEA box on top of my closet.

A friend chided me for my action. He claimed that I think those recognition were not good enough to be on display in our house. In my explanation, I told him, I always honoured and cherished those recognitions nevertheless, I never worked for recognition. I enjoyed attending those festivals because it gave you the opportunity to meet lots of nice people whom inspired you during your growing years. But, glory is not for me. Glory is only for the almighty.

God have given me 5 awards which I will not change with anything in life. Those awards are my three sons, a daughter and a wife. What more could I asked?

I love my work and I can never thank Him enough for those wonderful years I had, sitting on the director’s chair and staring at those talented people. It is always a good feeling when you were given the chance to do something you love and get paid for it. I love my moment in UTAR while sharing my ‘donkey’ years with my students. Today, I love serving my position and my bosses.

That is what I call passion.

Passion is what I see in Dato’ Husam and his dream of organising a Film Festival in Kelantan. A Film Festival in a state that does not has evena single cinema?. Many blame the state policies for the dying cinema. But what about other states like Terengganu and Perlis? Cinema has been wiped out in basically all small towns in Malaysia. Giants like GSC and TGV with their distribution networks played an important role in determining the survival of the independent cinemas. Creating the theatre hall is not a problem but to survive the business with the booming cost is the major factor. For only RM5 you can buy a pirated DVD but you will not able to even get a ticket at a decent cinema. A trip to the cinema to watch Harry Porter for my kids and me will cost us almost RM100 inclusive of the pop corns, cokes and Twisties. Another RM50 if you need to have a session to discuss the aesthetics element of the movie at McDonalds. A visit to the cinema is fast becoming a luxurious trip for many.

Many argued that the downfall of the local film industry is the fault of the Censorship Board. For many years I have been against it. Censorship is a must and filmmakers need to accept censorship especially in a multiracial and multi-religious society like us. Censorship will help filmmakers to be more creative. Censorship is not about stopping an artist to express themselves. But with, censorship, an artist must learn to be creative in expressing what they want to highlights without hurting the viewers sensitivities.

For almost a decade now, the Censorship Board is facing intensify criticism and under Rais Yatim, the censorship board started to give way. I trust the main reason for it is to help the producer to make more bucks by putting more sexual and controversial elements into their movie. Yes, we could do without the rigid and obsolete ideologies under the previous regime of Censorship Board. But are we ready to let go our values for the sake of giving some artist the chance of becoming less artistic and more documenting life as it is?

Almost all the movies that being submitted under the digital film category publicised free sex with openly showing couples in a steamy moment under the banner that cried out loud, this is the reality of new generation of Malaysians. Half of the movies submitted openly criticised the social contract that help our fathers to live in harmony. While most of the movies by the new breed filmmakers are much better than Malay movie that filled the cinema, it has lost the Malaysian values and showing no social responsibilities towards the society.

As a filmmaker myself, I am not arguing on the reality they are trying to portray but questioning the manner it is being portray. It should be done creatively rather than taking an easy route that can jeopardise the sensitivity of certain viewers. Aren’t creative people a bunch of sensitive blokes? Is it because these category bypass the Censorship Board so that they can be less careful and less creative?

If previously the Malaysian cinema is facing a generation of filmmakers that lack of honesty and intelligence in their product, are we now ready for the new group of local filmmakers that you can hardly doubt their sincerity in the subject they tackle but lost it values and identities along the route they taken.

Is the freedom of having illicit sex in a car park is what we wanted to live and fight for? Is the freedom of saying the Malays are the lazy buggers, the Chinese is systematically being discriminate and the Indians are bunch of jokers is worth a can of the expensive Kodak? Is it worth winning international recognition by portraying our nation as nothing but acres of junkyard? Aren’t filmmaking is a work of visual art? Is there only one way of portraying those things? Or is there a creative way in portraying it?

Let me share with my reader something about getting international recognition the easy way. Let us portray the Malay Ulamak, The Buddhist Sami and The Hindus Monk and the whole movie talks nothing but about their sexual desires, with the ending scene the ulamak was given a blow job by a transvestite under the shadow of Petronas Twin Tower. I bet the movie will take Europe by storm and critically acclaim in all nyamuk festival it participated.

Well, nyamuk deserves nyamuk recognition. There are various kinds of mosquitoes and most of them can be fatal.

It is time for Kelantan to take a leading role in developing the alternative talents that can uphold the identities and the values that used to make us proud of being a Malaysian. An annual Film Festival with its own agenda and characteristic should no more be a one man’s dreams; it should be a reality and benefits not just you and me, but the whole world.

Sheih on Sheih: March to Putrajaya but PM is on holiday to Melbourne

More photos from Black In Korea here.

Read Husam’s Statement here.

Sheih on Sheih: Parliament will be dissolved soon

Malaysian Parliament will be dissolved end of July or within the first week of August. While UMNO divisional chairmen and members strongly believed that Election will either be held early or by the end of first quarter of 2008, latest rumours (or it can be infos) on the ground are saying that election will not be called on the 26 August 2007 but a week earlier which is 18 August 2007.

Malaysian Prime Minister is not just going to catch the opposition by surprise but also Mahathir’s sympathisers and supporters within UMNO itself. According to same sources within UMNO, it is impossible for The Prime Minister to call for election by August because there is certain procedure’s has yet to be fulfilled. Upon checking with some veteran from UMNO, I however was told that there is no such written procedure but it is just the norms from the previous administration and Pak Lah, who is known not to be an organisation person, will choose not to follow the norms.

Meanwhile some of the civil servant will attend the compulsory election courses tomorrow, 17 July 2007. UMNO Secretary General meanwhile claimed that UMNO is all gear up and ready for election soon and ready to take over Kelantan. Khairy Jamaluddin meanwhile launched a personal attacked on Dato’ Husam Musa by claiming that Husam is enjoying too much power in Kelantan.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I pray that I am wrong and I am very happy if came August 2007, you all will post a comment and say “Aiyoo Sheih, mana itu Election? You banyak torak lah!”.

I cannot see the rational of having an early election. The Prime Minister economic policy yet to benefit the people. In fact he still to fulfil his last election promises. As much as I cannot see anymore election goodies the Prime Minister can announce in the Budget sitting, as he has already announced billions and billions of projects which yet to take off and benefit the people. So Pak Lah, if you are man enough, I challenged you to have the election after April 2008.

I believe Malaysians now are ready to give you an ample time to warm up and to up what ever left to up about. Enjoy your erection before the election Sir! Because when election comes, we hope you are prepared to lay to us all the report cards that you promised.

So, why call the election in August?

Email to Kang Chai Kee: Saving Nat from the Mobster

Dearest Chai Kee,

After 50 years of independent we became a very confuse nation. We have lost our mind and fail to recognise which is gangster and which is freedom fighter. Should we take an innocent young man into custody for having a document that might prove someone big is guilty? In those days, the police were formed to protect the people from the bad guys. Perhaps nowadays, the police are form to protect bad politician from the masses that voted them into power and in order to do so, the bad politician will go sleeping on the police so-called friendship with the gangster.

Well, maybe this is the deal between the police force with Malaysia Prime Minister for sleeping on the IPCMC proposal. IPCMC? How I am not surprised that it is all but forgotten. Did anyone still remember how the police representatives politely told The Prime Minister that they will not have ‘power’ to ‘help’ the (BN) politician if IPCMC is implemented? Remember that they ‘whisper’ that they will not vote for BN if PM carry on with the IPCMC? No. Because we are very forgetful lot.

Dearest Chai Kee,

Is Nat going to be joined by other bloggers under the custody of the mobster? Maybe. But first read this statement by the AG on a Corrupt Joe’s case

“Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail ordered the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) to cease its investigations on Johari.
He said the decision was made because the ACA was unable to find any statement to link Johari to the alleged offence.
Gani said the ACA opened five investigation papers after receiving information on the matter on March 5.
Statements were recorded from criminals detained under the Ordinance and related statements of accounts were also scrutinised.

“For the three investigation papers, the ACA investigation found that the said criminals had denied giving Datuk Johari Baharum money as a bribe.

“Two other investigation papers opened showed that several of the criminals who are important witnesses could not be traced after their release,” Gani said in a statement issued to Bernama (By Paul Gabriel, The Star, 12 July 2007).

So, how can we be so sure that any Corrupt Joe is not corrupt after all? Do you think the said criminal whom we claimed to be released after paying huge sum to any Corrupt Joe will admit to ACA that they paid Corrupt Joe? What happen if they admitted? Aren’t they going straight back to where they were before the ‘transaction”.

So, how can we be so sure that our Corrupt Joe is not corrupt after all? Do you think the other said criminal will stay put and waited for ACA to come after them when the issue was made public. If they have so much money to ‘donate’ to certain Corrupt Joe, don’t you think they have nothing left to make a great escape when ACA searched for them? What a Kurap!

So, is this the achievement for our beloved Malaysia after 50 years under the rule of BN? Let’s be fair, I am proud of our 46 years achievement as a nation, but nothing to be proud of since the NaikLah became the PM (short form for Pi MampusLah).

Welcome to the wonderful world of Malaysia.

By the way, we have lost again in the Asia Cup. After 50 years, we are becoming too old to play football. In merely two games, we conceded 10 goals. If our goalkeeper received RM1k each for each goal, we can now be proud that he is at least RM10k richer. If ACA go and ask the bookie do they rasuah our player, do you think the bookie will admit it? So, before we waste so much of tax payers money, let us beg ACA not to investigate the matter.

Sheih on Sheih: Email to God

Artwork by Mob 1900

Dear God,

I’ve come to know a young man fondly called by the name Nat, few months ago. We were introduced by his girlfriend the lovely Tikus. Nat is a lovely bloke with great sense of humour, mild manner and very clean looking. Beyond that we share few drinks and mee rebus.

God,

This morning my wife informed me that a blogger who works with Keadilan was arrested by the police. Nat was never the suspect to me. Nat? Oh god. What have this Malaysia coming to? Putting a nice young man in the custody of Gangster Friendly Chief Police? Is that the milestone achievement of 50 years Merdeka?

God,

If Nat is an innocent chap, please show him the light. Please keep him strong, please accept our prayer and absorb the pain he has to go through.

God,

If Nat is the innocent chap, please curse those who betrayed the trust we gave them.

God,

Please accept our prayer.

THE INTERVIEW WITH GOD

I dreamed I had an interview with God.

 

So you would like to interview me? God asked.

 

If you have the time, I said.

 

God smiled. My time is eternity.
What questions do you have in mind for me?

 

What surprises you most about humankind?

 

God answered…
“That they get bored with childhood,
they rush to grow up, and then
long to be children again”.

 

“That they lose their health to make money…
and then lose their money to restore their health.”

 

“That by thinking anxiously about the future,
they forget the present,
such that they live in neither
the present nor the future.”

 

“That they live as if they will never die,
and die as though they had never lived”.

 

God touches my hand
and we were silent for a while.

 

And then I asked…
If you a parent, what are some of life’s lessons
you want your children to learn

 

“To learn they cannot make anyone
love them. All they can do
is let themselves be loved”.

 

“To learn that it is not good
to compare themselves to others”.

 

“To learn to forgive
by practicing forgiveness”.

 

“To learn that it only takes a few seconds
to open profound wounds in those they love,
and it can take many years to heal them”.

 

”To learn that a rich person
is not one who has the most,
but is one who needs the least”.

 

“To learn that there are people
who love them dearly,
but simply have not yet learned
how to express or show their feelings”.

 

”To learn that two people can
look at the same thing
and see it differently”.

 

To learn that it is not enough that they
forgive one another, but they must also forgive themselves”.

 

“Thank you for your time,” I said humbly.

 

“Is there anything else
you would like your children to know?”

 

God smiled and said,
“Just know that I am here… always”.

 

-author unknown

Sheih on Sheih: Election in August

August 3^rd, Prime Minister Abdullah Haji Ahmad will advise the YDP Agong to dissolve the Parliament. On the night the whole nation while be informed through RTM and Media Prima’s channels. It has been planned for everybody to be caught by surprise as majority are predicting election will be after Raya Aidil Fitri and before Aidil Adha.

By 6^th May (Actually 6th August, so sorry folks), election commission will announce the nomination day and the Election Day for all contested constituencies. Saturday, 25^th August and Sunday 26^th August will be the Election Day. A week later, Barisan Nasional will organise the mother of all celebration for BN as the government for Malaysia of the last 50 years. That day will be 31^st August 2007.

Why Pak Lah wants election so soon? Well he knows and he also has been advised that Barisan Nasional cannot bank in on Pak Lah popularity and achievements anymore to sustain huge majority in Parliament and to retain Terengganu. Having election in August itself will be a good way to diminish the possible challenge from Tengku Razaleigh. How is Pak Lah going to do that? Well, Tengku Razaleigh himself knew that Annuar Musa is eyeing for Parliamentary seat beside his state sit. The Parliamentary sit for Annuar Musa will be no other than in Gua Musang itself. The calendar of The New Malay with Annuar’s picture is everywhere in BN hardcore area in Gua Musang constituencies. Annuar Musa is the New King.

Having election after Aidil Fitri or after the New Year will be bad for Abdullah. That is the obvious time that the voters pockets are empty. Going to election with empty pocket will mean only one thing, people are not happy. When they are not happy, they will blame the government for it.

Having election in August will be banking on the feel good factors. The civil servant will start to receive their new salaries by the end of July. They will have extra money and they will feel very good indeed. For the rest of the voters, the patriotic sentiment will be sky-high. For months now they are being told on national TV and mainstream newspaper that the 50 years achievements are the worked of Barisan Nasional. Millions of Jalur Gemilang will be everywhere and for the first time we will see the nation going into election dressed up in Jalur Gemilang rather than in BN’s blue, Pas’s green and DAP’s red and white.

What is the indicator that can be considered as yardstick for election in August? Well, if you have outstanding payment for your utility services, don’t worry, it will not be disconnected yet. If you have default your loan, your credit card payment etc, no worries, your feel good feeling will not going to be chop off by the arrival of the reminder anymore, at least until end of August. Do not worry about financial institution sending crook to repossess your car. They will be on leave till end of August. Haven’t you realise it yet? Don’t you know that ’some’ sort of special instruction has been circulating out there?

If you are a headmaster, school teacher or in the civil service, you will realise a lot of your colleague received letter to attend courses with regard of the election. Basically, everything in the book about preparing for election is already happening.

One friend chided, “semua barang Pak Lah kasi naik, ‘barang’ Pak Lah, Jean kasi naik! Jadi Pak Lah feels good, apa lagi mau tunggu?”.

So, election in October or November? Well you think by then the civil service will still remember about the pay rise? Even if they are promised year end bonus, they will not receive it till year end and that will not be enough for parents to cover the expenses of buying new school books, uniforms, school fees etc etc which obviously those items are not going to be any cheaper neither it going to be at the same price with last year. Is that feel good?

Maybe you are waiting for the announcement of a lower fuel price? Well perhaps we are wishful thinking.

So, election in August? If you ask me, I will not say no and I will not say maybe. I will say yes.

 

Sheih On Sheih: The Last Supper

 

Telah berdiri seorang lelaki
Hidup berbekal kecekalan diri
Walau menghadapi sejuta cabaran
Terus berpaut pada kebenaran

Berkurun sudah kau merintis jalan
Bertahun sudah hasratmu terhalang
Tetap bersemarak api keazaman
Bara keramat doa dan harapan

Kau melangkah bermula dari lembah
Kau mendaki setangga ke setangga
Semakin hampir menjejaki puncak
Semakin sering kau ditikam onak

 

Namun kerana kau lelaki
Derita dapat diselindungi
Tangisanmu rahsia di hati

Kesepianlah teman nan sejati
Di dalamnya kau mengenal diri
Tenangnya wajah matangnya bicara
Kerana kau meyakini Tuhanlah yang maha ESA

(Siso Kopratasa / Habsah Hassan)

“The Last Supper specifically portrays the reaction given by each apostle when Jesus said one of them would betray him. All twelve apostles have different reactions to the news, with various degrees of anger and shock”, wikipedia

IGP, UTK and ….

You give us a bad name!

Is this the best Keadilan man can come with? This is a despicable act by who ever he is.

Read the comment below posted by Tian’s reader

“There is no doubt that the photo is a fake – even Tian Chua would acknowledge that and also know that anyone with common sense can figure that out. (But we live in a country with very little of that – if not Tengku Razaleigh who was felled with the pix of a cross on his Kadazan headgear would have been PM)

Why Tian indulges himself so stupidly is a mystery. Now when the real picture comes out – I’m sure Tian Chua’s doctored pix will be used to cause confusion and will get airtime in order to show that it was the work of the enemy and blur what might actually be the truth.

Stupid Boy Tian Chua ! Don’t be so amateurish. You once ran for parliament with good intentions !

Karpal has got the pix and it will come out in time. You have just spoilt his well-laid gambit !!” by Rawnsley 4^th July, 12:31 am here.

After shouting Altantunya! Altantunya! in Ijok and lost the election, the party might as well lose their head too.

Government in waiting? No wonder BN always win.