Badminton brings out the Malaysian in us

The Star: Tuesday August 31, 2010

Esprit de corps

By MICHAEL CHEANG
cschuin@thestar.com.my

Badminton brings out the Malaysian in us.

WHERE were you when we last won the Thomas Cup?

Most Malaysians old enough to remember that famous win will be able to tell you exactly where they were when Cheah Soon Kit and Soo Beng Kiang clinched that final point against their Indonesian opponents at exactly 12.36am on May 17, 1992.

On that historic day, it didn’t matter who was playing – whether it was Rashid Sidek, Foo Kok Keong or Cheah Soon Kit – Malaysians got behind the team that day, and every single one of us felt the exhilaration of winning the most prestigious prize in badminton.

And that spirit of unity isn’t confined to just that moment in time. Even today, Malaysians still turn up in droves at the stadium with our kompangs and drums to support the national team, regardless of who is playing.

There’s just something about badminton that flows through our Malaysian veins. It is a sport that transcends race, religion, age and gender, one that anyone and almost everyone can play. We’ve played the game with our neighbours across the front gate of their house. We’ve got more badminton halls than football fields. Whether you play the game or not, chances are if you are Malaysian, you will have at least one memory of a flying shuttlecock.

Smashing success

Home support: Malaysians turned up in full force for the semi-final between Lee Chong Wei (left) and China’s Lin Dan in this year’s Thomas Cup at Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

Historically, Malaysia has always competed at the very top of the game. After all, we did win the inaugural Thomas Cup way back in 1949, and successfully defended the title until 1958 when Indonesia emerged as a badminton powerhouse. Even then, our players are still among the world’s best.

But just what is it about badminton that brings Malaysians together so? Perhaps the best people to answer this question are the ones who brought us together in the first place – the players themselves.

According to Datuk Eddy Choong, arguably our greatest player ever, Malaysians’ love affair with badminton goes back all the way to post-World War II times.

Cheerleading squad: Fans showing their support for the national badminton team.

“Back then, badminton was the cheapest sport we could play, because we could play it outdoors. We didn’t even need a proper court – just a sheet of cloth for the net, and shuttles!” he recalled. “It was more convenient than playing tennis or football. I remember in Penang, there would be over 100 badminton courts along a single street!”

Choong, who won the All England Open men’s singles title four times between 1953 and 1957 and was part of the 1955 Malayan Thomas Cup-winning team, said that as a result, Malaysia has always been strong in badminton. “Even before we won the first ever Thomas Cup in 1949, we already had a reputation for being very good at badminton. Top players from other countries would come to Malaysia and be soundly beaten,” he said.

No.1 sport: Badminton fans come from all walks of life and will gather anywhere to watch the game together.

Malaysia has always enjoyed consistent success in the world badminton arena. Choong and other players such as Tan Aik Huang, Ng Boon Bee, and Ooi Teck Hock have racked up All England and Thomas Cup wins by the dozen in the past, while the 80s were memorable for the rise of the legendary Sidek brothers. Even today, despite China’s dominance, Malaysia still has quite a formidable roster of players, led by world No.1 Lee Chong Wei, who won the All England singles this year.

Datuk Punch Gunalan reckons that it is this success through the years that has ensured Malaysians’ constant support in the sport.

A former high-ranking official in the Malaysian Badminton Association (BAM) who also held positions in the International Badminton Federation (now Badminton World Federation), Punch was no pushover during his playing days either. He won the All England doubles title with Ng Boon Bee in 1971, finished runner-up to Rudy Hartono in the 1974 All England singles final, and was team manager of the 1992 Thomas Cup winning team.

According to him, Malaysians love watching badminton because it is one of the few sports that have produced world champions for the country.

“Malaysians love to watch only the best (in a sport), and badminton is one of the only sports where we are actually of world-class standard. It is one of the only sports we know we can win!” he said.

Drop shots

Unfortunately, as in all sports, support for the team tends to wane whenever the players don’t win. However, for every fair-weather fan who jeered when Lee Chong Wei crumbled to Lin Dan in the 2008 Olympic final, there are hundreds more who applauded him for giving his all, despite facing a vastly superior opponent – such is the support and passion Malaysians have for the sport.

According to Punch, the passion for badminton here is much greater than in any other country he has ever visited.

“Badminton really brings everybody together in Malaysia. It is a relatively easy game to learn and play, and many of us have been playing since we were young,” he said.

In droves: The crowd who came to Stadium Putra Bukit Jalil to watch the Thomas Cup semi-final between Malaysia and China. Badminton is a sport that transcends race, religion, age and gender, one that anyone and almost everyone can play.

Former national singles player Misbun Sidek concurred, adding that badminton also benefits from good support from all sectors here – from the sponsors, the Government, and also the fans. “I don’t think there is any other country that loves the game as much as we do. Many parents encourage their children to take up badminton because they see the potential to go far in the sport.”

No article on Malaysian badminton can be complete without mentioning the Sidek family, which produced national singles players Misbun, Rashid and Rahman, as well as one of our greatest doubles pairs ever, Razif and Jailani.

Misbun, who now coaches Lee Chong Wei, reckons that Malaysia’s long history of success has helped cement badminton as Malaysia’s favourite sport.

“To me, badminton really is the No.1 sport in Malaysia. We are among the top-ranked countries in the world, and we have produced so many legends in the past as well.

“It is also the only sport that has produced medals in the Olympic Games,” he said.

Choong warned though, that while Malaysian badminton has been relatively successful so far, certain unsavoury elements could upset the shuttlecock cart.

“There should not be any politics and favouritism in badminton, or sports in general,” he said. “Administrators should not interfere with the coaches’ decisions, and there should be no favouritism when selecting players as well. If you allow that to happen, the sport is never going to improve. Right now, they have the support of the people, but will they still get it if they start losing?”

Misbun concurred, adding that equal opportunities should be given to everyone to participate. “I am grateful for what badminton has given me, and also proud to have been able to contribute to my country, both as a player and coach,” he said. “Even today, as a coach, I try to train anyone who is interested. Everyone should be given a chance to succeed and make the country proud.”

Moment of triumph

Back to the 1992 Thomas Cup final. I remember being 15 years old, reduced to watching the match on a tiny television set in a hostel in the middle of rural Pahang while attending a centralised sports training stint. I still remember vividly the exact layout of the living room, the colour of the sofa, and the number of people in the room.

Even in that little room, the atmosphere was electric, amplified by the loud roars emanating from the television set as the fans in the stadium cheered every shot the Malaysians made.

I remember the hope we felt when Rashid Sidek clinched victory in the first singles over Ardy Wiranata. I remember the despair when Razif and Jailani lost the first doubles to Rudy Gunawan and Eddy Hartono in rubber sets. I remember Foo Kok Keong’s never-say-die spirit – hurling himself all over the court to return Alan Budi Kusuma’s every shot and thrashing the Indonesian in straight sets.

And finally, there was the second, nail-biting doubles between Cheah Soon Kit/Soo Beng Kiang and Rexy Manaiky/Ricky Subagja, which ended with that final smash from Soo that won the title for Malaysia.

(And let’s not forget Kwan Yoke Meng, who was reduced to playing a dead rubber, but played his part in the famous victory nonetheless.)

It may not have been our first Thomas Cup victory, but it was definitely the sweetest, coming 25 years after our last win.

Even today, reliving the entire sequence of matches on YouTube still brings a tear to my eye. And the moment when the entire stadium was singing the national anthem as our flag was raised still sends a shiver down my spine. That glorious win marked one of the greatest moments in Malaysian sporting history, and above all, remains a moment when we were all cheering as one proud, united country.

What Malaysian badminton fans say....

Badminton really brings everybody together in Malaysia.

— Datuk Punch Gunalan

I remember watching the 1992 Thomas Cup final with my family at home, and after we had won, the feeling of pride was unbelievable. But it’s been frustrating that we could not sustain our standard after that. But nonetheless, I always tell my children that they have to support Malaysia, no matter what!

— Mazlan Abdul Rahman, 45, taxi driver

In Malaysia everyone plays badminton! Although the competition is more stiff now, the main thing is we are still top three in the world. But I feel there is a lot more we can do to improve our standard. We need to get the politics out of the sport, so that everyone gets an equal chance.

— Lesley V. Edison, business manager

Although Malaysian fans are supportive of the players, I hope they will continue to cheer the team on, even if we are losing.

— See Phui Leng, 26, civil servant, former national team player, part-time badminton coach

I’m not a badminton fan, but whenever badminton season comes around, such as during the Thomas Cup, everyone would be talking about it and I will also get caught up in it! Our badminton players make us proud. It doesn’t matter whether we are winning or losing, orang Malaysia mesti support Malaysia!

— Fahruddin Najumudeen, 27, assistant operations manager

Badminton has been our ‘national game’ since a long time ago. Badminton has so many good players from all the races. When it comes to the game we should not be talking about race – it should be all about the Malaysian national team!

— Seah Ah Buan, 52, businessman

Badminton gives Malaysians an avenue where everyone can support the team regardless of race or religion.

— Francis Ng, 43, lawyer

1992 ... those were the good old days.

— Intan Nahariah, 33, executive

END OF ARTICLES.

SOURCE:

1) http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/8/31/nation/6904687&sec=nation

2) http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/8/31/nation/6904689&sec=nation

That's all folks, thanks for having the time and patience to read this blog entry.

Happy 53rd anniversary MERDEKA Malaysia! BUT...

Happy 53rd anniversary MERDEKA Malaysia! BUT...


Happy 53rd anniversary or Independence Malaysia. BUT it's a MOURNING day as well for me. Well, it's the 13th Memorial Anniversary of my "FORMER IDOL" Princess Diana (or rather Lady Diana) and Dodi Al Fayed. They were killed at a High speed crash in the Famous Paris tunnel on 31st August 1997.




Anyway, let's not dampen the Merdeka Spirit. I'll try my best to put the sad news behind by presenting you, readers this WELL WRITTEN song sang by the Late Sudirman.

Song Title: 31 Ogos

Tanggal 31 Bulan lapan lima puluh tujuh
Merdeka ! Merdeka ! Tetaplah merdeka
Ia pasti menjadi sejarah
Tanggal 31 Bulan lapan lima puluh tujuh
Hari yang mulia Hari bahagia
Sambut dengan jiwa yang merdeka

Mari kita seluruh warga negara
Ramai-ramai menyambut hari merdeka Merdeka !
Tiga satu bulan lapan lima puluh tujuh
Hari mulia negaraku merdeka
MERDEKA! MERDEKA! MERDEKA!

As I'm staying in Petaling Jaya (for 27 years of my 31 years old), which is part of Selangor, I'll post Selangor Flag as a Mark of Respect.


ONCE AGAIN, MERDEKA!

The Star Online: Published: Friday August 27, 2010 MYT 4:10:00 PM

Chinese man with no arms plays piano with toes

SHANGHAI (AP): Pianist Liu Wei sits quietly to compose himself before plunging into the music. Then he takes off a sock.

The 23-year-old, whose arms were amputated after a childhood accident, plays the piano with his toes.
Liu was thrust into the limelight earlier this month when he performed on "China's Got Talent," the Chinese version of the TV show that helped make Britain's Susan Boyle a singing star.

"Whatever other people do with their hands, I do with my feet. It's just that," says Liu,a tall, slender man who peers shyly from behind dark-rimmed glasses.

"China's Got Talent," which has also featured disabled modern dancers and break-dancing migrant workers, has been a hit since its launch in July, despite skepticism among some viewers about whether all the participants' stories are genuine.

The Dragon TV program is drawing attention to the hopes and challenges of the disabled and otherwise disadvantaged in China.

In his first appearance, Liu received a standing ovation from the audience, many of whom were moved to tears, for a performance of "Mariage D'amour" by Richard Clayderman.

During an interview with The Associated Press in Shanghai, where the show is filmed, he played a still unnamed, poignant piece he composed himself.  Sitting on a tallish red stool, he removed his shoes and right sock, carefully using his toes to place the sock in his right shoe. (He plays with his left sock on.) He wiped some of the keys with a tissue, and then rested his heels on a velvet-covered, narrow platform before the piano.

Time after time, he played the piece gently and flawlessly.

Liu, who was 10 when he lost his arms after getting electrocuted playing hide-and-seek, uses his feet to navigate online, eat, dress and brush his teeth.  "I wish I could go out driving to have fun. Apart from that, there is really nothing more I want to do," said Liu, who lives in Beijing. "Music has become a habit for me. It is just like breathing air."

He only began playing the piano in his late teens.  "Nobody ever decreed that to play the piano you must use your hands," he said.

Prosthetic limbs don't interest Liu. He has no need for special support, he said, though he conceded he has often met with discrimination. Disabled people in China, despite efforts to improve conditions, are often forced to beg on the sidewalks. Liu is able to support himself, though he wouldn't say how.
"I have food to eat and clothes to wear and many people caring about me. What is there to be dissatisfied about?" he said. "There are many people without enough to eat. I'm much more fortunate than them."
Sun Ganlu, a writer and arts critic in Shanghai, said that, whatever the commercial motives behind "China's Got Talent," the show is raising awareness in a positive way.

"The fact is that people are touched by these great performers, regardless of whether they are disabled or poor," he said. "They are struggling in life compared with others, but they also have hobbies and talents to get them through their tough lives."

"It helps people be more aware of whether we are doing too little to help these people," he added.
Liu's biggest beef is with people who insist on helping him without asking first.

"Here, if someone thinks you need help they will just do it. They assume you must want help," he said. "Foreigners will ask first if you want any help. They will first respect your wishes. In that way, China could make an improvement."

Liu would like to be seen just as a pianist. "Right now, everyone looks at me and says, 'Oh, Liu Wei has no arms and it's very difficult for him to play the piano,"' he said. "In the future, I want them to say, 'Oh he's good.' To first notice the work is great, and then say, 'Liu Wei did it.' ... What I demand is that my work be so good people won't notice that my arms are missing."

END OF ARTICLE...

That's all folks, thanks for having the time and patience to read this blog entry...

A Letter from P1 Wimax CEO

Dear JEFF LIM,
Today, P1 is 2 years old!
We’ve grown from strength to strength in the last 2 years because of YOU.

From….
• a humble Malaysian start-up to the country’s largest and one of the world’s leading 4G WiMAX telco.
• zero customers to over 200,000 happy customers.
• zero to over 40% population coverage in Peninsular Malaysia
… because YOU believed in us.

P1’s journey in making broadband available for ALL has seen some challenging trenches and cliffs. Despite these challenges, YOU chose to stand by us, supporting us along the way.

For this, we can’t thank YOU enough.

Our promise to YOU is to continue to make it better and to serve YOU better than ever before. As P1 grows and flourish, we will continue to deliver the best experience YOU so rightfully deserve.

From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU for being part of this historical milestone in discovering the world of 4G broadband.

More importantly, TERIMA KASIH, XIE XIE, NANDRI and THANK YOU for being our valued customers.
Revolutionizing 4G Broadband together with YOU,

From:

Michael Lai
Chief Executive Officer

Racial remarks: Headmistress must be sacked

Racial remarks: Headmistress must be sacked

Friday, 20 August 2010 admin-s

We have this kind of people not only in schools - but those higher up are no better. The Director General of Education Tan Sri Alimuddin Mohd Dom did not do justice to himself or to his position when he referred to the offending alleged remarks made by Siti Inshah Mansor of Sekolah Menengah Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra as “just a misunderstanding.”

By P Ramakrishnan, President Aliran

It is difficult to reconcile how a principal of a secondary school could be so insensitive and dumb as to utter derogatory words to denigrate students under her care. She had shown utter contempt to the Chinese and Indians in this country.

It is unbelievable that she could have said, “Chinese students...can return to China.” It is amazing that she could have likened the prayer strings worn by Indians to a dog leash.

It is difficult to believe that she is a teacher and an educator. With this warped and distorted view of the Chinese and Indians, what kind of values can she impart to her students under her care? What kind of character can she inculcate among her students? She comes across as subhuman.

How she got promoted is a mystery. How she got selected to be a teacher is a wonder. Unfortunately, there are many of her ilk in the Teaching Service doing immense damage to this nation. Two years ago, we had one dumb discipline teacher in Anderson School who ordered Hindu students to remove their religious wristband and shave off their moustache and beards, which they had allowed to grow ahead of fulfilling their vows during Thaipusam

We have this kind of people not only in schools - but those higher up are no better. The Director General of Education Tan Sri Alimuddin Mohd Dom did not do justice to himself or to his position when he referred to the offending alleged remarks made by Siti Inshah Mansor of Sekolah Menengah Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra as “just a misunderstanding.”

It is extremely upsetting when he tries to trivialise a serious matter as trifle. Instead of viewing her remarks as something that can hurt the feelings and sensitivities of others to the extent of jeopardising our harmony and unity, he doesn’t seem capable of understanding what damage her remarks have caused to our frail unity. Her thoughtless, offending remarks have indeed further undermined the Prime Minister’s vision of 1Malaysia.

When so much damage had been done by this insensitive head, it is troubling that the PM and the Education Minister have not uttered a word to reprimand this head. They have a duty to land hard on those who threaten our harmony and create disunity among us. When they hold their silence, it can be construed as not viewing seriously what has happened. It is this attitude that is causing a lot of problems in this country.

In Aliran’s view, this head should not continue to remain in the Teaching Service. She does not have the aptitude to be a head; she doesn’t understand the cultures of the various communities; she does not have commom sense to discern what is right and wrong; she does not respect the rights of citizens of this country as evident when she stupidly told the Chinese students to return to China.

She should be either sacked or pensioned off. Keeping her in service will be viewed as condoning her conduct. Keeping her in service by transferring her to another school or department is not acceptable. This kind of action only encourages others to be bold in acting irresponsibly.

At times we wonder whether the government is truly interested in reining in these unscrupulous elements in positions of authority and weeding them out of the national life to preserve our harmony and unity. We have to ask this question simply because we have had so many instances of questionable characters disparaging the non-Malay communities without being properly disciplined.

The manner the instructor in the BTN had blamed and shamed the non-Malays as a group, the manner Datuk Nasir Safar from the Prime Minister’s Department had displayed his ignorance of our history by ridiculously claiming that the “Indians came to Malaysia as beggars and Chinese especially women came to sell their bodies” and got away scot-free without being severely punished - all of these have only encouraged others to go overboard with their insults.

Thinking Malaysians have a right to ask why the General Orders were not applied in these cases. Are they exempted from the provisions of the GO?

Source:

http://malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/letterssurat/33940-racial-remarks-headmistress-must-be-sacked

Punish ‘racist’ principal, not cover up, parents demand

By Debra Chong

August 19, 2010

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 — Denying that it was a “misunderstanding”, parents want the Education Ministry to take stern disciplinary action against the Johor school head accused of spouting racist slurs, claiming that it was not the first incident.

One parent even alleged the ministry was trying to “cover up” the case at SMK Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra in Kulai.

“Parents are very unhappy that the authorities are citing misinformation and misunderstanding that the headmistress had made the remarks.

“It wasn’t a misunderstanding. Even the teachers have given their statement to the police. The teachers confirmed what has been reported by the students,” a parent told The Malaysian Insider, refuting Education director-general Tan Sri Alimuddin Mohd Dom’s response yesterday that the case was just a misunderstanding and had been resolved.

“If it was, then why did the state Education Department tell her to make an open apology to the non-Malay students and teachers?” he asked, and related that principal Siti Inshah Mansor had been loudly booed by the student population in the attempt.

“The government is trying to cover it up,” claimed the 46-year-old business consultant, who asked not to be named, fearing repercussions to his job.

The father of two said parents were mulling setting up a formal parent action group to pressure Putrajaya into action.

“Some disciplinary action must be taken. Even if not dismissal, at least demote her. If just transfer her out, it won’t solve the problem.

“She has done in before. In her previous school, she called Indians Nigerians,” he said, claiming Siti Inshah, who was formerly the principal of SMK Kelapa Sawit — another school in the same Kulai district — had been transferred out following similar complaints.

The police are currently investigating the case under section 504 of the Penal Code for provocation which carries a maximum imprisonment of two years, a fine or both.

A total of 17 complaints have been lodged with the police against the principal so far.

A copy of one report made last week and recently put up on the Malaysia-Today website listed several racist and derogatory remarks allegedly made by Siti Inshah, including likening Indian students wearing prayer threads on their person to dogs and ordering dissatisfied ethnic Chinese and Indian students to “return to China or India”.

Part of the lengthy police report lodged by a 16-year-old student alleged: “She gave the example of owning a Proton Saga with two passengers who are Munusamy and Chong. Munusamy and Chong were only passengers. They cannot claim any right to the car. This is the same as Malaysia in which the non-Malay students are passengers.”

Similar “racist” allegations have been reported made by senior civil servants, most notably by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s then-political aide Datuk Nasir Safar in January this year at a 1 Malaysia event, and signal a rise in racial tensions among Malaysia’s multicultural society.

ALSO READ:

1) ‘Racist’ Headmistress in Johor issue a misunderstanding – Education DG

2) 'Racist' headmistress: DPM orders probe

Today is Friday the 13, which happens...

Today is Friday the 13th, which happens to be my 31st Birthday.  How I celebrate my birthday?

 It's a NOT BAD Birthday. Have Yong Tau Foo for breakfast with granny, Bak Kut Teh for lunch with my dad and Boss, Dominos pizza for Dinner with my family members then off to "Treasure Hunt" with my CG/LG members @ 1 Utama. Strange but true, my CGL/LGL is my younger sister, Tracy Lim Ee Chyn.

Happy 45th Birthday Singapore...

Happy 45th birthday Singapore... 

Here's fireworks:

Here's Singapore flag and the meaning behind it... 

Shocking but true, Some SIngaporean friends I know DID NOT KNOW THE MEANING BEHIND THIS FLAG...

Start of SOURCE:
Symbolic Meaning
The flag of Singapore consists of two equal horizontal sections, red above white. In the upper left canton is the white crescent moon beside five stars in a circle. The ratio of the width to the length of the flag is two to three.

Red symbolises universal brotherhood and equality of man. White signifies pervading and everlasting purity and virtue. The crescent moon represents a young nation on the ascendant, illuminated by the five ideals as symbolised by the five stars. The five stars represent the ideals of Singapore - democracy, peace, progress, equality and justice.
History
The committee under the leadership of Toh is credited for designing both the Singapore national flag and the state crest. The process of choosing a state flag began soon after Singapore became a self-governing state in 1959. Toh was then the Deputy Prime Minister when Lee Kuan Yew gave him this special assignment. The design was completed in two months. The key factors in deciding on the design, he noted were the colour of the flag and the emblem that would symbolise some of the beliefs of the new self-governing state.

Initially, Toh had envisaged a background that was totally red, but the Cabinet decided to have a red and white background as red was then regarded as a rallying point for communism.

The national anthem, Majulah Singapura, the state crest and the national flag were incorporated on 3 December 1959 during National Loyalty Week. This was also the day Yusof bin Ishak was installed as Yang di-Pertuan Negara. He was the first Malayan-born Yang di-Pertuan Negara.

The national flag replaced the Union Jack which for 140 years from 1819 to 1959 had flown over Singapore.

END OF SOURCE:
http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_488_2004-12-18.html

Here's a National Anthem of Singapore...


Official Version - Majulah Singapura
Mari kita rakyat Singapura
Sama-sama menuju bahagia
Cita-cita kita yang mulia
Berjaya Singapura
Marilah kita bersatu
Dengan semangat yang baru
Semua kita berseru
Majulah Singapura
Majulah Singapura

-END-

That's all folks, thanks for having the time and patience to read this blog entry.

Inspirational Stories: The Portrait of a Rich Man's Son

The Portrait of a Rich Man's Son  

Author Unknown

Years ago, there was a very wealthy man who, with his devoted young son, shared a passion for art collecting. Together they travelled around the world, adding only the finest art treasures to their collection. Priceless works by Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet and many others adorned the walls of the family estate. The widowed elder man looked on with satisfaction as his only child became an experienced art collector. The son's trained eye and sharp business mind caused his father to beam with pride as they dealt with art collectors around the world. 

As winter approached, war engulfed the nation, and the young man left to serve his country. After only a few short weeks, his father received a telegram. His beloved son was missing in action. The art collector anxiously awaited more news, fearing he would never see his son again. Within days, his fears were confirmed. The young man had died while rushing a fellow soldier to a medic. Distraught and lonely, the old man faced the upcoming Christmas holidays with anguish and sadness. The joy of the season  - a season that he and his son had so looked forward to - would visit his house no longer.

On Christmas morning, a knock on the door awakened the depressed old man.  As he walked to the door, the masterpieces of art on the walls only reminded him that his son was not coming home. As he opened the door, he was greeted by a soldier with a large package in his hand. He introduced himself to the man by saying, "I was a friend of your son. I was the one he was rescuing when he died. May I come in for a few moments? I have something to show you."

As the two began to talk, the solider told of how the man's son had told everyone of his not to mention his father's love of fine art. "I'm an artist," said the soldier, "and I want to give you this." As the old man unwrapped the package, the paper gave way to reveal a portrait of the man's son. Though the world would never consider it the work of a genius, the painting featured the young man's face in striking detail. 

Overcome with emotion, the man thanked the soldier, promising to hang the picture above the fireplace.

A few hours later, after the soldier had departed, the old man set about  his task. True to his word, the painting went above the fireplace, pushing aside thousands of dollars of paintings. And then the man sat in his chair and spent Christmas gazing at the gift he had been given.

During the days and weeks that followed, the man realized that even though his son was no longer with him, the boy's life would live on because of  those he had touched. He would soon learn that his son had rescued dozens of wounded soldiers before a bullet stilled his caring heart. As the stories of his son's gallantry continued to reach him, fatherly pride and satisfaction began to ease the grief. The painting of his son soon became his most prized possession, far eclipsing any interest in the pieces for which museums around the world clamoured. 

He told his neighbours it was the greatest gift he had ever received.

The following spring, the old man became ill and passed away. The art world was in anticipation. With the collector's passing, and his only son dead, those paintings would be sold at an auction. According to the will of the old man, all of the art works would be auctioned on Christmas day, the day he had received his greatest gift. The day soon arrived and art collectors from around the world gathered to bid on some of the world's most spectacular paintings. Dreams would be fulfilled this day; greatness would be achieved as many would claim "I have the greatest collection."

The auction began with a painting that was not on any museum's list. It was the painting of the man's son. 

The auctioneer asked for an opening bid.  The room was silent. "Who will open the bidding with $100?" he asked.

Minutes passed. No one spoke. From the back of the room came, "Who cares about that painting? It's just a picture of his son. Let's forget it and go on to the good stuff." More voices echoed in agreement. "No, we have to sell this one first," replied the auctioneer. "Now, who will take the son?" 

Finally, a friend of the old man spoke.
 

"Will you take ten dollars for the painting? That's all I have. I knew the boy, so I'd like to have it." "I have ten dollars. Will anyone go higher?" called the auctioneer. After more silence, the auctioneer said, "Going once, going twice. Gone." The gavel fell. Cheers filled the room and someone exclaimed, "Now we can get on with it and we can bid on these treasures!"

The auctioneer looked at the audience and announced the auction was over.  Stunned disbelief quieted the room. Someone spoke up and asked, "What do you mean it's over? We didn't come here for a picture of some old guy's son What about all of these paintings? There are millions of dollars of art here! I demand that you explain what's going on here!."

The auctioneer replied, "It's very simple. According to the will of the  father, whoever takes the son..gets it all."

Puts things into perspective, doesn't it? Just as those art collectors  discovered on that Christmas day, the message is still the same - the love of a Father - a Father whose greatest joy came from his son who went away and gave his life rescuing others. And because of that Father's  love..whoever takes the Son gets it all.

Dear friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, this story illustrated the love of our Father in Heaven, our GOD, for us. He sacrificed His beloved Son and whosoever would believe in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. The is the greatest gift of love to each one of us.
 
Bible Presbyterian Church of Western Australia.
Copyright 1997-1998. All Rights Reserved.

Date Added: 5/08/00
Inspiring Christian Stories

SOURCE:
http://www.christianstories.com

END OF AN INSPIRATIONAL and HEARTWARMING ARTICLE.  Hope you enjoyed this article as much as I did.

ARTICLE: Unforgetable Teresa Teng

Saturday August 7, 2010

Unforgetable Teresa Teng

By YIP YOKE TENG
teng@thestar.com.my

FIFTEEN years after she died of a severe asthma attack while holidaying in Thailand, Teresa Teng is still dearly remembered by her fans all over the world, even beyond the Chinese-speaking communities.
It is said that wherever there are Chinese, Taiwan-born Teng’s songs can be heard.
During the height of her popularity, it was said that Deng Xiaoping, the Communist leader ruled China by day while Teng ruled China by night.

In commemoration of the 15th anniversary of her passing, a concert will be held on Sept 4 at 8pm at the Plenary Hall, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, by three artistes who sound and even look like Teng for her fans to indulge in nostalgia.

Paying tribute: (from left) Hsieh and Ng at the press conference

The concert is organised by Dynamix Fantasy Events Sdn Bhd, produced by Heritage Performing Arts (Asia) Sdn Bhd and sponsored by Hai-O Enterprise.

The songs will be rendered by Tong Yao, Wang Jing and Michelle Hsieh to the accompaniment of an orchestra as well as Chinese traditional musical instruments including the erhu (Chinese violin) played by He Yun who has carved a name for herself with her exquisite renditions of Teng’s songs.
Tong Yao from Sichuan province, China, was the champion in the “Small Town Story” Singing Contest held in China that sought to discover the individual who sounded most like Teng.

Since then, she has been performing around Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, and received rave reviews. She has also bagged many awards with her sweet voice.

Wang Jing from Hebei province, China, is an ardent fan of Teng, even though she was born in 1991.
Wang was the champion in a singing contest that searched worldwide for Teng’s successor.
Joining the two is Michelle Hsieh, Taiwanese singer, who sounds so much like Teng, that she is dubbed “Little Teresa”.

“With Teng’s untimely death, the Chinese music industry lost a bright star but her music lives on deep in our hearts,” Hsieh said at a press conference recently.
She thanked the organisers for giving her the chance to again pay tribute to her idol, who had influenced her a lot.

She will belt out not only Mandarin numbers, but also songs in English and Japanese, in an effort to emulate Teng’s linguistic talent. Teng had recorded songs in Taiwanese, Cantonese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Indonesian, and English.

Concert producer Kok Kee Boon said the show promised to be an audio and visual indulgence.
Tickets are priced at RM598 (VVIP), RM398 (VIP), RM298, RM198, RM138 and RM98. Senior citizens aged 60 and above are entitled to 15% discount while group of 10 pax and above can enjoy 10% discount.

Both offers apply to tickets priced RM198 and above.
For enquiries or booking, call 03-7711 5000 or log on to www.axcess.com.my

END OF ARTICLE:
SOurce:
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2010/8/7/central/6791623&sec=central

 That's all folks, thanks for having the time and patience to read this article.

That's all

The Star Metro: Saturday August 7, 2010

Musang King lovers swear by its rich, creamy taste

By LIM CHIA YING and PRIYA MENON
metro@thestar.com.my
Photos by NORAFIFI EHSAN and CHAN TAK KONG

Durians, durians and more durians! It is the time of the season again where people would sit on stools, huddled over the thorny husks and taste the yellow-coloured pulp.
 
The smell can be offensive to those who despise it. But it is probably safe to say that the number of Malaysians who love this fruit outnumber those who don’t, and for this majority, the smell is fragrant!
There are many varieties, with names like Red Prawn, D101, D13, D24, XO, D2 and also Bamboo Leg (Thraka), but the one that is much in demand now, even rising above all is the Musang King (Mao San Wong in Chinese).

The taste of Malaysia’s Musang King had enamoured even Macau’s casino king Stanley Ho so much that he sent his personal jet to Singapore recently to buy 88 of this variety, worth about RM4,800!
While Ho’s worker had wanted to pick up 98 of the Musang King, however, he could only get 88 since the adverse weather had resulted in a shortage of supply.

Beautiful: Cheong showing the yellow flesh of the prized Musang King variety.

 

Ho gave 10 of the Musang King to his friend Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka Shing.

While Musang King is no doubt sold at many stalls for years, its popularity has increased by many folds now.
So what is the fuss about the Musang King, which is priced higher than the rest.

T.H. Tee, who runs his Durian Hartamas stall in Desa Sri Hartamas, said the best Musang King was from Pahang.

He gets his daily supply from Bentong and said it used to be much costlier but the price had dropped.

Costly: Packets of freshly-packaged Musang King at Tee’s stall in Desa Sri Hartamas, seen here going at a price of RM48 per packet while the smaller packets cost RM20

 

“The Musang King’s flesh is yellow,” said Tee as he cracked open one to show the contents.
“It’s creamy, too, and has a fragrance that lingers long in your mouth. The quality is consistent and you cannot find fault from one pulp to the other.”

The Musang King is originally known as Durian Kunyit, deriving its name from the yellow colour of the turmeric. Its place of origin is said to be Gua Musang, Kelantan.

Tee said the Musang King had been in Malaysia for more than 10 years but the bigger, better quality ones were often exported to Singapore.  “Singaporeans only need pay half of the Malaysian cost, given their stronger currency value. So they can well afford it,” said Tee, who hails from Johor and had sold the Musang King in Singapore for many years.

This is the first year that he is putting up a stall in Hartamas. For a start, Tee said he was charging his Musang King at a reasonable price, below the market rate although he declined to say how much.
“This way, I hope to build a steady stream of customers here.”

Tee said his durians were supplied fresh daily, as the taste would be less superior if kept overnight. His fruits arrive late in the afternoon after the morning pick.

Only the best: (From left) S. Arumugam, Tharma Kumaran, Pala Kumaran and Daljit Singh, 39, eating the Mau San King as stall owner Tee, offer the best of his wares

 

Cheong Yeow Choy, who sells only Pahang-supplied durians at his stall in SS2 behind the police station, said Musang King was expensive because of the big demand in Singapore.
“After Stanley Ho made his purchase and sent some to Li Ka Shing, the durian’s popularity shot up even more!

“But there are also people who do not like it,” said Cheong, 49, who is popularly called Kim Mao by his friends and customers for his gold-dyed hair.

Yet there are also people who have no idea what Musang King is.
“The real durian lovers are not likely to opt for Musang King because the flavour is quite standard and predictable, without much variation,” Cheong said.

But Cheong said Musang King was unique because of its distinct yellow colour, small seeds and almost flawless quality of its flesh.

“The reject rate is very small,” he added.

As a durian seller for 32 years, he spent 15 years working in Pahang, and admitted to aggressively promoting durians from the state. He gets his daily supply from Raub and Krau.
“I bring in about 7,500kg of various durians each day.
“Durians that are exposed to the sun tend to be more bitter, while those under the shade tend to be sweeter,” he said.

When asked how a buyer could identify the Musang King, Cheong could only say that there is a certain shape to look out for.  “You have to check the head and bottom of the fruit which has a distinct shape.”
He said there were different grades of the Musang King — the Super Grade or Grade 1 and Grade 2.
The Grade 1, he said, were those from the old trees and which grow higher up in the mountains, while the lower Grade 2 were usually grown on a flatter terrain.

He said he would be drastically reducing the Musang King’s price to make it affordable to all.
Durian lover Tharma Kumaran said the Musang King was the epitome of the durian family.
“We are always getting B and C grade durians in Malaysia because the best are usually sent to Singapore,” lamented Tharma, 36.

“But it’s the tastiest among all. Although the price is higher, I believe a good fruit is worth its value,” he added.
He attributed its good taste to the thicker and creamier flesh and the Musang King gave him lesser indigestion problems.

His brother, Pala Kumaran, agreed that the durian tasted better and was not sticky.
“It comes out neatly from the seed and melts in the mouth,” he said.
Two Taiwanese customers, who were eating at the stall, said the Musang King was their favoured variety.
“It’s the best (durian) for me,” said Hsiao Chih Jen, 61.

“The flavour and aftertaste is different from the other varieties,” Hsiao said.
His friend, Chen Chiu Tung, 60, said he did not mind forking out more money as long as the quality was good.
Both have been staying and working in Malaysia for more than 20 years. “We only learnt to eat the fruit upon coming to Malaysia.
“Now there are durians in Taiwan, but are imported from Thailand which doesn’t taste nice,” said Chen.
But as they say, taste is subjective and whether Musang King is really that good, you are your own judge.

END OF ARTICLE:

Source:
http://www.thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2010/8/7/central/6805195&sec=central