A Documentary

Among the Great Apes with Michelle Yeoh

Premiering on National Geographic Channel (ASTRO 553) on Wednesday December 9 2009 at 9.00pm.

A documentary highlighting the local community's efforts in Sepilok, Sabah, Malaysia, in orangutan conservation. Presented by Michelle Yeoh.

Produced by Novista Sdn Bhd for FINAS and National Geographic Channel.

Executive Producer & Co-Director: Lara Ariffin
Co-Director & Cameraman: Harun Rahman
Producer: Lina Teoh
Director of Photography: Brad Dillon
Second Camera: Wong Chin Hor
Photography: Cede Prudente
Sound Recordist: Jonathan Tan
Assistant Producer: Pam Heng
Production Manager: Effa Desa
Writer: Kathryn Pasternak
Editor: Daniel Sheire
Co-Producer: Sabrina Chen-Louie
Assistant to Michelle Yeoh: Kit Wong
Colorist: Lighthouse Post
Original Score: Farul Farid (Stereominer)
Audio Post: Addaudio

After more than 18months of work, the documentary finally makes it to the screen. I hope after you watch the documentary, it'll encourage you to support and help in whatever way you can, with the orangutans plight.

Visit Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre's website http://www.sabah.edu.my/srm012.wcdd/BM/menu1.html

The crew and Kopel - MESCOT at the tree climbing site

Difference of opinions

Just got home from watching the last movie of the FreedomFilmFest2009 at The Annexe, Central Market. The film was called A Jihad for Love, a film showing the discrimination against homosexual Muslims of different countries, and as a result of religious persecution they had to flee their own homeland. Personally, I found the film kinda boring. Only because halfway I realized i was seeing the same images over and over again. However, the issues that were highlighted were very real and includes the personal dilemma of being a homosexual and a Muslim too, while it is generally known that in Islam, homosexuality is haram.

There was a Q&A session that took place right after the show where several audience members gave their own views how sexuality fits into religion and vice versa. Generally, the sentiments that were shared suggested that people accepted homosexuality. There was this one chinese lady however who had a different opinion. Before I continue, let me just say that FFF has always believed in dialogue among the people, and they create this 'sharing' platform by engaging the audience to react to human rights films that are shown. Now in this case, this particular lady (who was a counselor who worked with kids that had sexuality issues) boldly stood up and shared her thoughts on why a person 'became' homosexual (based on her experience with the kids she counsels) and her reasons had to do with them having a traumatic childhood or who came from broken homes. She even referred to homosexuality as a 'disease'. At this point, most of the people in the hall were talking underneath their breaths clearly upset by her remarks. It seemed as if she was still living in the stone age. What happened next was predictable. A few ppl stood up and rebutted, and as a result, she and her fellow kawan quietly excused themselves from the room.

I was so upset. Because here we are trying to engage ppl to share their thoughts and opinions on the issues and it was obvious that this particular lady was the minority in the group and for her to feel uncomfortable, embarrassed, upset or even threatened by the ppl in the hall was totally uncalled for.

What I should've done was stand up and say to her and the rest of the crowd is this "Thank you for being bold enough to share your thoughts. I totally respect you and your opinions but I also totally disagree with it.

However, I know that you may feel uncomfortable or upset but the outlash of some of the folks here, but I sincerely hope that you stay til the end and hear what the others have to say and who knows, maybe you'll learn a new thing or two. And if you still believe that homosexuality is a disease that can be cured, then that's your right. I think its wrong, but it is your right."

Of course i didnt say this cuz by the time i was able to put my thoughts together, the Q&A was over and all I could do was go up to the facilitator and tell this to him instead.

Frankly, the point of having these discussions is so that everyone feels that they have a safe space to speak. Unfortunately that lady didn't feel safe and its a shame really.

Now if you ask me personally, what my feelings are about the movie, well, its a mix really. I am a Muslim and I was brought up to believe that if you are a homosexual, you will go to hell. However, it's really hard for me to accept that because what if you're a good human being, you pray 5 times a day, you give to charity, you help the poor, you are selfless and you contribute to society, and just because you prefer to love and make love to a person of the same sex, you are condemned to hell? I dunno, thats a tough one for me.

At the same time I think, when God created humans, he created Adam and Eve first. A male and a female. Not Adam and Bob.Or Eve and Lisa. He created this pair to reproduce and in turn start civilizations on earth. That is how humanity started. From my understanding. Lets not get into the whole theory of evolution as that will involve opening a huge can of worms. Anyway, I suppose along the way, Bob and Lisa turned up and well, humanity became more diverse.

At the end of it all, I believe that the universal values of love, compassion, kindness, understanding is what we should focus on. There's too much hate, anger, jealousy, greed in the world now. So why perpetuate it?

Duit Raya for DBKL workers?

I was at the office the other day when someone buzzed the front door and announced "Selamat hari raya, we're dbkl workers and we're here to collect duit raya. We do it every year. There are 6 of us here." I was stunned that such a practice took place in this area (Bukit Tunku).

It was not the first time that they've requested for duit raya. That particular day which I happen to answer the door was the 2nd time. I was given orders by my boss to make up some excuse and turn them away. In my heart, I was feeling a bit kesian for them cuz afterall, they are DBKL workers getting meager wages and whats the harm of asking duit raya from the neighborhood which they help to dispose of their garbage kan?

Not having the balls to tell em to go away, I asked the house keeper to help me do it. I was feeling a bit uneasy of the consequences of this action. Would they stop collecting our trash because we didnt give them duit raya? Would they do something even worse knowing that ppl work and live at this house? I started thinking, maybe i should just give them the duit raya from my own pocket. Five bucks for 6 ppl adds up to rm30. It wasn't that much, but it was all that I could afford. In the end, the house keeper successfully shoo'ed them away saying that the owners of the house are not around as they are away in Sabah.

I asked her if it was common for the DBKL workers to go up to ppl's houses in this area and ask for duit raya. She told me that they do it every year. I also discovered that rm10 duit raya was not 'enough' and they would request more than that. At this point, I thought "how dare they ask for money when it's meant to be a sincere gesture. this is not a negotiation." i was told that they were asking up to rm50 a person!! and 6 ppl would mean forking out rm300. Sounds more like extortion to me. I was pondering whether to report to DBKL about this but reconsidered.

Just because Bukit Tunku happens to be a 'wealthy' area, doesn't mean you can go around to ppl's houses asking duit raya from them, and summore upping the ante when you feel that the amount they give 'tak cukup'. At the same time, I can understand why they have to do it in the first place because the income they already get from their DBKL work is not enough.

So how can this dilemma be solved really? Perhaps if they got paid a decent amount of money by the government, they wouldn't need to go around to people's house asking for charity.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri

Maaf Zahir dan Batin.

Raya is a time to reflect things you have done in the past that you may or may not be proud of. You ask for forgiveness from the ones whom you've hurt, you forgive the ones who've hurt you (this is more challenging), you give thanks to those who've helped you in trying times, and you help those who are less fortunate.

I've never actually apologized or have ever asked forgiveness from my parents during raya. It wasn't something that was taught to us. When I was younger, I thought raya was just about celebrating the end of fasting and being with your family. Only recently, or maybe the past year, have I realized that asking forgiveness from your parents cleanses your soul. Your parents won't always be there for you, and one day they will pass on, and lets hope you do not have any regrets when the time comes.

I must admit that losing my parents scares the living daylights out of me. Yes, i've never been close to them like how I've always wanted, but I still love them with all my heart and just a mere thought of losing either of them will make my start crying like a baby.

I pray almost everyday for them to have good health and be around long enough to see my kids graduate university or even see them get married. Yes, it's selfish but I'm not ready to let them go.

Please forgive me mama and papa, for all the times I made you stay up late and made you worry, for all the times I caused you grief and sadness, for talking back and thinking I'm smarter and knew more than you because I was 'better'. I was wrong, disrespectful, and rude and I'm sorry.

Ampun maaf zahir dan batin.

Another day has gone

I shall write an entry. Done.
Long weekend. Gonna try to get some sleep.
Gotta go to the tailor. Maybe will join the Anti-ISA march. Sleep over shobee's place.
Sunday will run the 11km in shah alam. Breakfast with fairuz and talk abt work.
Maybe go to bangi.
clean room.

arghhhhhhhhhh

I went to dataran merdeka at 3pm today to pick up my race number and my tshirt for the Siemens Run '09 happening tomorrow and to my utter annoyance the only size tshirt left was XXL. I was absolutely fuming inside. What is the point of me jotting down 'S' on the application form under the tshirt column when I'm gonna get an XXL sized tshirt during the pick-up point?!?!! Do you expect me to run tomorrow in an oversized tshirt that can literally fit two of me or it can even become my back-up parachute just incase i decide to jump off a building?!?!?! I just don't understand how the organizers make the tshirt order quantities. It's either they don't collate the info on the participants forms properly, or they just randomly choose an amount and you gotta be one of the first ppl to go claim ur tshirts or else you're stuck with a ridiculous size. The volunteer at the counter even had the nerve to ask me "is it okay?" OF COURSE ITS NOT OKAY. I replied "well i dont have much of a choice now do i? i mean, you wouldn't even fit into this tshirt, would you want it?" not trying to be curt, but dont' ask me stupid questions when i'm clearly not bloody okay.

I've noticed this happen plenty of times in previous runs i've signed up in... and i've always made it a point to go collect the stuff on the first day but it becomes almost impossible when the times they put down are during working hours. and the only free time left is like on a weekend which by then is already too late. ARGH!!!!

I'm so annoyed I'm almost in tears. I refuse to accept an XXL. yes call me petty or whatever, but its not about the tshirt, its about what the organizers promise participants and if you don't deliver that promise, then you'll have unhappy customers. like me.

FUCCCCCCCCCCKA;TNEWPRFASDFNWOAEFASOFOSEFOWOWFEOEFOEOFVNSASDFAQWRWEOFOFF

I HATE IT WHEN PPL/THINGS DON'T DELIVER.

packed weekend

as always. i'll try to make this a short one.

Saturday's list of things to do:
- do laundry
- do my accounts
- go to Imkeda and check out the driving courses
- pick up my Siemens run number from OCM
- go to the tailors in Tmn Desa with shobee
- check out the Times warehouse booksale at capsquare (open 11am-8pm)
- Meet Clarice's dad Uncle Wong who also happens to be an insurance agent. I need medical insurance. desperately. Cuz my medical financial security depends on it.


Sunday's list:
- Siemen's 10km run at 7am
- depending on how my body feels (i haven't trained the past 2 wks so i'm pretty sore and pray to GOD my limbs dont die on me) I may play bball and/or futsal or football
- attempt to clean my room
- do more laundry

I need a weekend for my weekend. bleh.

vroom vroom!

Bismllahirahmanirahim.

Alas, my mission to use only public transport ie. bus, lrt, ktm, has failed as I feel it is time for me to get my drivers license. boohoo. As much as I still wholeheartedly support the use of public transportation (except cabs cuz they can be pain in the bum), I realize that it will not get me to where I want, when I want. And I do not have the luxury to wait for a bus for an hour when i could've finished several activities during that time, like washing a load of laundry, cleaning my room, editing photos, working on proposals, etc.

So now i'm doing a bit of research of where I can take the driving classes and I've narrowed it to this academy near my place in AU3 called Imkeda. They've got their own lil driving track so I feel that the place is quite legit.

Gonna head there on Saturday to inquire a bit more about the classes and lessons and hopefully i'll be sitting for the 5 hour lecture the following weekend, insyaallah. yippee!

Very excited to be behind the wheels, but unsure of who's car to drive since i'm not financially ready to purchase my own vehicle. -_- can pinjam ah?

On a side note, will be running the Siemens Run 2009 (10km) this coming sunday and I confess i'm dreading it a bit since I haven't been training!! The last time I ran a 10km without prior training, my entire body felt like uncooked sausages after the run. I couldn't move any limb without wincing. and I promised myself never to do that (as in, no training) ever again. So must make time tomorrow and saturday for a light run.

Okay dokes, gonna head to Laundry tonight for Moonshine (haven't been to that side of town for ages!) especially to watch Rhapsody's comeback! woot! It's gonna be good.