Reflections – Page 2 – Winking at Life

Labour Day 2020 – Its lost meaning

The garbage collectors came around 4.00 this morning. While the truck waits at one end of the road, one worker goes round emptying garbage bins, taking out the plastic bags of household rubbish and putting them into a pile on the roadside. Continue reading “Labour Day 2020 – Its lost meaning”

The Plastics Dilemma

I sat staring at the single use plastic cup in which my iced tea was served and made a mental note to boycott such cafes or coffee shops that used these problematic and polluting implements. People were busy making money. I have nothing against the food business but realize how appalling the ubiquitous use of single use plastics has become. This planet has reached saturation point of plastics, even reusable, recyclable plastics. Continue reading “The Plastics Dilemma”

2019 on the horizon

19.5 hours to 2019. It’s about 4.30 am on the 31st December 2018. What have we done with our lives so far? We’ve changed our government but are still struggling to find elusive common sense in daily life. Elation at our ‘victory’, the ‘People’s victory’ is slowly settling down to reality. The reality of what we have become over 61+ years of being treated as doubtful stakeholders in this homeland, despite our birth right to have a homeland. (I speak from my point of view, one of the ‘un-chosen’ of migrant descent) There are leaders who want change for a more just, democratic and people caring nation, but there are also those who live to gang for power, self-interest and exhibitionist nationalism. They know who they are. The rosy veneers are peeling off to reveal the true color of each individual’s patriotism, if patriotism is what is practiced. Perhaps, people are starting to think about ‘patriotism’ and ‘nationalism’.

Malaysia’s new dawn?

It’s seven months since we (the Rakyat) decisively changed our government through the ballot box. 9th May 2018 goes down in history as the ‘re-birth’ of a truly independent Malaysia. The euphoria was real for most, but some like me, wondered where this ‘tsunami’ would take us.
Continue reading “Malaysia’s new dawn?”

Letting go with love

“It’s so hard”, the father shook his head, ” to let go of a beloved child”. “He’s grown up now and we don’t seem to matter as much as my wife and I did, when he was younger.” We’re all faced with letting go at some time in our lives. Continue reading “Letting go with love”

Rohingya – Where to Now?

The long standing tragedy of the Myanmar Rohingya community was brought into sharp focus with the initial find by Thai authorities of mass graves on the Thai-Malaysian border. Continue reading “Rohingya – Where to Now?”

Progress in degradation

This year so far has been like light years gone by as the country advances towards further deterioration in humanity, intelligence and a rise in unjustified authoritarian heavy-handedness. Continue reading “Progress in degradation”

Deeds always come home to roost

I am reading an interesting story set in 1960’s Louisiana, USA, on the political race for Governor of Louisiana. The central figure of the story is an ambitious woman who aims to attain wealth, power and status at any cost. Ambition is perhaps, the secondary driving force for her push to fame, fortune and power, as her main objective is to ‘get-back’ at those who have humiliated, insulted and overall belittled her in the past. This book was published in 1960, but its relevance to today’s dog-eat-dog social environment is so apt, I can’t help but relate to and identify with it.The story is presented through the eyes of people who knew her well on her climb up to the pinnacle of her ambition and begins at the end i.e. her funeral. As I have not yet come to the end of that story, I will not say more about it, but must put down the thoughts it has inspired so far. Continue reading “Deeds always come home to roost”

Odd but Realistic

Looking at the theme I’ve changed to from the last one, that solid row of houses by the shingle beach in Bray, Co. Wicklow, Ireland, I felt it was just too everyday and deceptively safe in contrast to some of the things I talk about. Continue reading “Odd but Realistic”

Criminalizing the innocent

An immigration round-up took place in a small suburban village near the harbour on the Penang mainland on the eve of a Muslim holiday. It was the 13th of October 2015, after 11.00pm when most families were settling down for the night. Immigration vans loaded with enforcement and RELA personnel arrived and surrounded a block of low-cost flats and were later joined by a convoy of lorries. Continue reading “Criminalizing the innocent”