Life is but a dream ……

Credit is where credit is due. First of all, congratulation to our U-23 Football Team who beat Myanmar 3-1 and win back the Merdeka Cup after 14 years lapse. Your achievement has uplifted the spirit of us all. As if this is a gift to Malaysian two days before our country celebrate 50^th anniversary of nationhood.

Well, despite the current lack of inspiration (all in auto-pilot mode) and lackadaisical attitude in the country leadership, this will prove something. We, the rakyat of Malaysia will strive hard within our capacity, within our means, in our own ways, to ensure that this beloved country of ours, our tanahair, will stand proud and be a shining beacon of multi ethnic, multi culture, multi religious believes, stand united and forever progressive. We also will exercise our power in the next election. So beware you filthy scoundrels who rob the wealth (along with our potential, and our pride) of Malaysia.

Bumi ini bumi bertuah, bumi ini bumi keramat. Perjuangan kami belum tamat. There’s something rotten in the state of Denmark, quoted Shakespeare. And you, don’t have the capacity to understand. If you are unfit, you’ll be ousted.

Tanggal 31, bulan lapan, lima puluh tujuh … MERDEKA!

News No.1

Hey, what’s better news than having to see Chelsea managed to equalise the mighty Reds at Anfield with a penalty kick (a stupid one, said the commentator … he’s obviously a Liverpool fan I guessed). The Reds first scored a wonderful goal through 20M pounds Fernando Torres, than …

… seeing United beaten by City in the local derby. Padan muka hangpa.

News No.2

We almost had a wonderful cricket match at UKM oval in Bangi, if not due to the rain in the afternoon, where the match has to be abandoned.

Yours truly (being more than 3 months resting) batted at one-down and managed to score 8 runs, but have stayed for more than 7 overs to create 50 run partnership. Being the second opening bowler, yours truly did bowled quit well. But alas … here comes the rain again.

Hopefully before Ramadhan we’ll have another match with them. My dear wife promised to bring along her delicious nasi lemak (or laksa Utara, SOCC members … you vote) at the scenic oval, with lots of greenery and lush foliage.

Here’s a confession. Despite how some of you look at me (yes, even you my dear wife), the real thing is, I’m not at all that confident. The storm in the teacup of my heart is like tempest.

And when comes to the real thing, I seem to lost my words. Words, they don’t come easy to me, how can I find a way to make you see. And you think that I don’t even mean a single word I say. But alas it’s only words and words are all I have …

Well, well. What could I say? It’s brilliantly nostalgic, to be able to be with thousands of former students from the three reputable schools in Malaysia: STAR, STF & SDAR.

With the loudest voice and full of awe, we sang to our hearts content the Ilmu Panduan Hidup school song. Those hallowed words, those revered lyrics, seems like only yesterday we were at the Big Hall every cool Friday morning for assembly.

‘Education, according to Tun Razak, makes the character and personality of a person.’ The Penyata Razak 1956 has enabled the establishment of Malay Secondary Schools (MSS) just like STAR (and STF & SDAR) fifty years ago. Schools to us are not just schools. Schools were our lives. Where we all began. We kampung boys and girls came to the big cities far away from our parents, far away from the discomforts of life. We managed to become professionals and experts in our fields. We owe to our schools that much.

Ok, enough of melodramatic me. Anyway, right. Good to see my batch like Ajak (last seen 23 odd years ago), Nik (long live our President), Midi, Kamalul, Raja (thanks for the free Haru Biru movie passes), Memanda, Ajay (wow, banyak awek STF hang!), Usop, Haja, Kamcheng (lesen besar tak dapat la malam tu), Berg & Khiziaq.

Wonderfully great to see Cruden & Saad, our hostel prefects when we were Form 1. Eh, you guys looks, not so big, like what we remembered. Few Datuk Seris & Datuks, and our former teachers and seniors/juniors. And those from SDAR (duh, balak) & STF (emm …) as well.

Everybody enjoys French fries (chips to some of you UK-bred). I personally love the thicker-cut variant than the shoestring, the curly or the crinkle versions. Normally I like to eat when it’s hot, without any dip. Unlike my dear wife, fries’ not fries without chilly sauce.

Anyway, my princess Ayra just invented one more way how to enjoy the fries, i.e. with syrup (maple?). How it’s done, follow these simple steps.

Step 1: Take your fries

Step 2: Dip into the syrup

Step 3: Put in your mouth

Yummy!!

Malaysians, most of us know the so-called sacred acronym R-A-H-M-A-N. It stands for the names of our past, current and future prime ministers.

I wish that the N is for Nazrin.

I’m the newest member of an exclusive amateur golf club. To be a member, first you must be at least with golf handicap 20 or more. Golf idiots are welcome. You must be a male (nearly male, will be kicked-out) and by year end of 2007 AD, must be at least 40 years old and most importantly have studied in a school called STAR.

Members have its privileges. Golf lessons are free. There are currently 2 in-house coaches. One is Aji a.k.a. sifu (ex-school hockey player) and a Green-House-2-year-our-junior who has a single digit handicap. You don’t have to be a stylo. Second hand golf clubs are normal. Normally, after the driving range session, it will be followed up by teh tarik session.

The plan for the next ‘going to the green’ is by end of the month. Currently limited at UPM golf range, but eventually (ultimately) we’ll be going to Klub Golf Bogor Raya, where we heard golf buggies gone missing for no apparent reason.

More on the teh tarik session, during this time a lot of tips for golfers and non-golfers (goofers) will be shared. For golfers, always remember to always check your clubs. Make sure they are shiny and safely kept in your car boot. Else, there are cases where the clubs were replaced by brooms (ada ke patut?), and if you said that ‘Dear, I had wonderful time golfing’, whereas you’re not, then you’ll end up in deep s#%&!

Obviously there are others like promotion of books and ubat kuat lelaki (with active ingredients viz. tribulus), IT cum hacking advises (moodle?), how not to commemorate any achievement by buying canned drinks, and recycle the cans, and still keep the money.

We need more members. Please contact any one of the KEGAS84 (Kelab Golf Amal Staroba84) affiliates for further details.