BLOGGER



Youngest kid of six with an inferiority and black sheep complex, but determined that God saves not just his soul to heaven but the remainder of his manic-depressive life, so others won't say he became a Christian and remained a jerk.


MAIN THEMES

On identity
i won't be transparent before i'm opaque. and you'll get to know me starting from the small things: who my favourite bands are. what kind of movies i like. who are my heroes.

On Christianity
I’m convinced that when confronted with sincere, real love, the Jesus factor will become obvious. But let’s not plant the cross before we carry it. I’m not trying to con you.

On dreams
Some dreams are meant to be achieved. I know that. But maybe other dreams are meant to drive us, privately. Never known to anyone but ourselves.


OTHER THEMES

On melancholy
It is a sadness that, when choosing between crying and sighing, will choose sighing. I'd almost say that melancholy is being sad about sadness itself.

On memory and nostalgia
It saddens me when life moves forward and people decide that certain things are worth forgetting.

On language
I've learnt that the word irregardless is filed as a non-standard word in the English language. That's a lexicographer's way of saying it's not a real word.

On politics
Crowds are fickle things. So when we stand in the thousands and cry against the present government, do we know who we're actually crying for?

On society
People always want the best for themselves. But I want to sometimes take second or third or fourth best, just so that the loser down the road doesn't always have to come in last. It must feel like shit to always come in last.

On growing old
Leasehold property make me feel sad. It doesn't matter how old the family photos are that you put on your wall. It's your family but it's not really your wall.

On philosophy
I ask you, if God loves everyone, and if God is also incapable of loving evil, how can there be such a thing as an evil man?

On a daily basis
One line quips, like this.


CHAT





Wednesday, December 12, 2007
OPEN LETTER TO CHELSEA LY NG ON HER ENDORSEMENT OF THE ISA

Local journalist for The Star, Chelsea Ng, wrote on Monday that our judiciary's leaving the dogs and headed for greener pastures. Towards the end of her story, though, she gives her personal thumbs up to the Internal Security Act. Here's an open letter to her.

Dear Chelsea,

I read your comment in Monday's papers, on your sunshine view of our judicial reforms. I'll come right off the bat and say that your story is cringe-worthy, and definitely shocking.

While your calm response to accelerated promotions in the justice system begs a raised brow (and your comment that "we should not be too troubled" because "many thought that both these top two judges were the best choice" begs for a whole lot more before it qualifies as credible commentary), it is your comment on the ISA that is most offensive.

I shall quote you on that. Talking about a former judge who endorsed the ISA, you said:

"How true. It may be a draconian legislation but it is sometimes necessary to bring peace and stability to a country during trying times."

Are these really your comments? Or are you toeing the party line on this? That paragraph, even when taken in context, is not only journalistically flimsy - which is the least of my worries now - it is morally hypocritical and it is on this platform where your story offends Malaysians.

It is shameful for you to be a card-carrying member of democracy, use that democracy to earn a living by expressing your views in the papers, and use that same democracy to endorse an Act that strips the democracy from some of your fellow citizens.

It is shameful for you to write a commentary about the increasing health of judiciary, and in the same story, endorse an Act that imprisons your people with no trial, no phonecall and no prospect of legal process.

It is shameful for you to sit in the comfort of your desk, steady employ and middle-class life and endorse an Act that right now detains Malaysian men and women in 3 square-foot cells with no sanitation, no clothes, no light and the constant threat of beating and rape.

Easy for you to say, Chelsea. It's so easy to endorse injustice when it's your neighbour and not you whose life is being torn down. It's so easy to get behind a word processor and say cushy things like "necessary to bring peace" and assume that peace should come by any means, including violence and injustice. And it's extra, extra embarrasing for a Malaysian to stamp that approval in the papers for the whole country to read.

I am ashamed for you. I am half-hoping that you were just toeing the party line when you wrote this piece because as undignified as it is to say something you don't mean, I sincerely believe it is the lesser indignity when compared to actually endorsing the ISA.

I hope you reply this email because I believe that journalists should be held accountable for their opinions.


with heartfelt regret,
Fergus Ong


You can email Chelsea at Chelsea@thestar.com.my

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Genusfrog [ 11:32 am ]

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