Wednesday, July 15, 2009

The Wise Man spoke out the Words of Wisdom...(The latter)

Manik Urai by-election:
Tuan Aziz banking on his personal touch

2009/07/14

SHUHADA ELIS catches up with the two candidates in the by-election to get their take on several issues. 
TUAN AZIZ TUAN MAT, 39, (Barisan Nasional) Kuala Krai Umno Youth head. 

Q: You have a stern look and are perceived to be arrogant. How would you describe yourself? 

A: 
I cannot say anything if people judge me by my serious look. But those who know me would know that I am approachable and friendly although I have held a high position before (Kelantan Selatan Development Authority project monitoring division director). In fact, people can approach me anywhere and anytime, there is no protocol. I will answer phone calls even if at midnight. 

Q: What do you do during your free time? 

A: I meet up with my friends or go to places where I can meet people, usually Umno members.

Q: Who is your idol? 

A: 
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad because I grew up during his tenure as the fourth prime minister. I admire his capability and the development he brought to the country. I have been to a lot of places and the first thing people would mention when they hear about Malaysia is Dr Mahathir. 

Q: Is it true that the Manik Urai folk do not read newspapers? How are you going to educate them, especially on information technology? 

A: 
This is something that we need to address, especially to the youngsters. We need a personal touch and direct approach when dealing with them, and we cannot be too pushy.

Newspapers are hard to get here so the people watch television most of the time. And yes, the IT knowledge is still low so we hope to have cybercafes nearby. 

Q: What are the main issues here? 

A: 
There are no issues but the villagers want opportunities which can improve their lives. So with the promise of being an anak emas to the Federal Government, it is hoped that this will attract voters to support BN. 

Q: What is 1Malaysia to you? 

A: 
It is an excellent concept which will help Malaysians unite and live in harmony, besides creating a competitive community. Each Malaysian needs to play a role to develop the country but at the same time, they should not abandon their rights. 

Q: How do you see your relationship with Abe Uji (Pas candidate Mohd Fauzi Abdullah) in the future? 

A: 
I have no problems with Abe Uji, in fact we meet at coffee shops and have a good laugh sometimes. He is a soft-spoken person.


Fauzi's bid to follow in footsteps of his late mentor

MOHD FAUZI ABDULLAH, 50, (Pas) Kuala Krai Pas treasurer 

Q: You are perceived to be a quiet person and do not communicate well with people. How do you describe yourself? 

A: 
That is not true because as a politician, I cannot be quiet or things will be tough for me. People will not like me if I were unfriendly. I've been in politics for 30 years and I enjoy helping people. 

Q: What do you do in your free time? 

A: 
I usually play tennis at a club in Kuala Krai with my friends but I have been busy lately. At other times, I take my family sightseeing. 

Q: Who is your idol? 

A: 
Of course, Poksu Wel (the late Manik Urai assemblyman Ismail Yaacob). He was loved by the people and I would very much want to follow in his footsteps. We were very close as he was my mentor. 

Q: Is it true that Manik Urai folks do not read newspapers? How are you going to educate them, especially on information technology? 

A: 
Yes, many of them do not read because this is an agriculture community. But the younger generation are different. They go to school and they know about IT. 

Q: What are the main issues here? 

A: 
The villagers are only worried if the price of rubber goes down. This is what the majority do, they are rubber tappers. So the state government offers tailoring classes, especially for single mothers, to help them find additional income. 

Q: What is 1Malaysia to you? 

A: 
Each prime minister has his own concept. Pak Lah (former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) had his Islam Hadhari and now Najib (Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak) with his 1Malaysia. 

Q: How do you see your relationship with Tuan Aziz Tuan Mat (BN candidate) in the future? 

A: My relationship with Tuan Aziz will be the same.


taken from http://nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/6ten/Article/index_html

Friday, July 03, 2009

English is A Confusing Language

 

This humourous poem about the the inconsistencies in English grammar and vocabulary has to be one of the most forwarded emails. While it pokes fun at English and the English, the poem also captures the frustrations a student faces in the process of learning English as a foreign or second language. Does anyone have the answer to the question: 揑f you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it??Enjoy!

We'll begin with a box, and the plural is boxes,
But the plural of ox becomes oxen, not oxes.
One fowl is a goose, but two are called geese,
Yet the plural of moose should never be meese.
You may find a lone mouse or a nest full of mice,
Yet the plural of house is houses, not hice.

If the plural of man is always called men,
Then shouldn't the plural of pan be called pen?
If I speak of my foot and show you my feet,
And I give you a boot, would a pair be called beet?
If one is a tooth and a whole set are teeth,
Why shouldn't the plural of booth be called beeth?

Then one may be that, and three would be those,
Yet hat in the plural would never be hose,
And the plural of cat is cats, not cose.
We speak of a brother and also of brethren,
But though we say mother, we never say methren.
Then the masculine pronouns are he, his and him,
But imagine the feminine: she, shis and shim!

Let抯 face it - English is a crazy language.
There is no egg in eggplant nor ham in hamburger;
neither apple nor pine in pineapple.
English muffins weren抰 invented in England.
We take English for granted, but if we explore its paradoxes,
we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square,
and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing,
grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham?
Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend.
If you have a bunch of odds and ends
and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?

If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught?
If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?
Sometimes I think all the folks who grew up speaking English
should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane.

In what other language do people recite at a play and play at a recital?
We ship by truck but send cargo by ship.
We have noses that run and feet that smell.
We park in a driveway and drive in a parkway.
And how can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same,
while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites?

You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language
in which your house can burn up as it burns
down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out,
and in which an alarm goes off by going on.

And, in closing, if Father is Pop, how come Mother's not Mop?
AND IF PEOPLE FROM POLAND ARE CALLED POLES THEN PEOPLE FROM HOLLAND SHOULD BE HOLES AND THE GERMANS, GERMS