'Good Lord Boyet, my beauty, though but mean,
Needs not the painted flourish of your praise:
Beauty is bought by judgement of the eye,
Not utter'd by base sale of chapmen's tongues'
(Shakespeare in Love's Labours Lost, 1588)

People say 'Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder' and that is why there is a phrase 'love is blind'. I remember my university days in IIUM. I have many friends from foreign countries especially Myanmar and Indonesia. In one outing days in the KL city with my friends Habib from Myanmar and Caman an Indonesian, we saw one odd couple passed us by in front of the Central Market's bus station. A good looking chap and a lady whom we thought to be out of that man's league. I don't know how to explain it but enough if I quote 'Beauty & the Beast' in a reversed version.

In one light argument, Caman and I were in a diplomatic agreement that 'love is blind' and that 'love feeling' is the utmost element and not the look. Habib simply replied 'I know love is blind...but shouldn't be that blind'. With that, it left us no more room to argue further but to concur instead. In another story, a friend of mine told me that there was one time when one huge ugly rich man and a beautiful young and sexy lady entered a pub hand in hand. One man inside the pub shouted 'Beauty & the Beast' and the boyfriend confronted the man and yelling at him 'How dare you call my girlfriend a beast?!' that man was taken a back and so as the people inside the pub.

Back to the Woman Rights group and the governmental Women's Development Department plans to ask the Parliament to ban "emotional violence" against women to include a husband who "tells his wife she is ugly or humiliates her until she feels emotionally pressured, the move seems to criminalize emotional abuse and will put all the husband on alert mode. One single mistake or slip of the tongue, he will end up in the court of law and jail.

I believe this move is a little bit too harsh to the husbands. To criminalise the husband's freedom of expression is 'unconstitutional'. They can be blamed but should not be penalized simply because 'his love is no longer blind'.


************************************


http://sg.news.yahoo.com/ap/20090528/tap-as-malaysia-belittling-wives-1st-ld-b3c65ae.html

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - It soon could be a crime for Malaysian men to call their wives ugly, a women's rights group and a news report said Thursday.

The governmental Women's Development Department plans to ask Parliament to ban "emotional violence" against women, who currently have legal protection against physical assault only, The Star newspaper reported.

Women's groups told the department that husbands who "demonstrate a pattern of causing mental and psychological damage" should face counseling, fines and jail terms, Ivy Josiah, director of the Women's Aid Organization, told The Associated Press.

Offenders include a husband who "tells his wife she is ugly or humiliates her until she feels emotionally pressured," the government department's head, Noorul Ainur Mohamad Nur, said during a conference on violence against women, the newspaper reported.

Noorul Ainur said there was a need to criminalize emotional abuse because it could deeply scar a woman's dignity and self-confidence, the report said.

There were no immediate details about when Parliament would discuss the plan.

About 90 percent of some 800 women who called the Women's Aid Organization for help last year reported being psychologically abused, though some were also physically assaulted, Josiah said.

A government representative said Noorul Ainur and other officials familiar with the plan could not immediately be contacted Thursday.

Everyday I am proud to tell people that I am indeed a Man Utd die hard fan. One of the reasons I opted for Leeds University mainly because of it is just a stone throw away from Manchester. Old Trafford is not an old dream but more like a revolving day to day dream.

I’ve been eagerly anticipating the 6th August 2008 with excitement. A friendly match between Man Utd v Juventus at the Theatre of Dream. As the day approaching, I bought a used Man Utd Shirt 96/98 ‘SHARP’ logo from ebay just to grace that special moment with perfection. Yes, I want to be a bit fashionable and stylish to be in the Old Trafford stadium. I’ve never been this fashion conscious before in my life, not even when attending official functions and the Penerimaan Bintang ceremony at the Istana Negeri last year. During my wedding, it is a bit different since everything was aken care by my then fiance (now Mrs. Rocky Julkarnain) and my role was just to say OK. I always believe in one thing ‘once you are a good looking chap, you will look good in whatever attire!!!...’

The shirt did not come easy. The day it was delivered to my place on 5th August, no one was available to receive since it is a ’signature required’ parcel. Thus, I decided to go to the Royal Mail delivery office on the next day (6th August)before heading to the Leeds Train Station in the afternoon. Fortunately, when I called a friend to show off that I will be in the stadium with that Retro Man Utd shirt, he told me the delivery office will be closed at 12pm and it was already 11.44 am then. Without a shower, I just grabbed whatever things necessary and took a bus to that place. I should say the bus timing was so perfect that day and then, I had to run as fast as I can from the bus stop to the delivery office but I felt my run was in a slow motion mode maybe due to the excess baggage. I reached the place by 11.59am just in the nick of time in with heavy breathing. Alhamdulillah, the shirt is just perfect and worth all the troubles. Old Trafford…here I come in style.

By the time I reached outside the Old Trafford stadium with a friend Bro. Nasri, I was feeling like a small child who eagerly excited to enter a ‘Fun Fair’ for the first time. That was surely the same feeling. I was smiling and giggling all the
way as I walk inside. I used to see some girls in Malaysia jumping and shouting
‘haaaahhhh!!! before…and I kind of menyampah to see those mengada-ngada attitude. But the time I walked inside the stadium, I was mesmerized and I felt like wanting to jump and shout like those girls, ironically speaking. Maybe now I know what the meaning of excitement is. I used to say winning court cases always give me some kind of relief and excitement, but this one is different, very different as it was something more than that. The environment inside the stadium especially the fans, the players on the pitch and most of all the “Mexican Wave” moving around the stadium were hard to describe. I can’t really illustrate those feelings into words, I wish I could but I really have no idea how to describe those. Simply amazing!!!

I wished the time move slower that day so that I can enjoy that moment a little bit more. I remember wishing the same thing when ‘keluar dating’ with my girlfriend then (now Mrs. Rocky Julkarnain) just to share more the beautiful moments with her. Surely, most people experienced the same moments in their lives and wish the same wish too.

Walking out from the Theatre of Dream was shattering bit and bit of my beautiful dream. As I am typing this story, I can still feel that electrifying one moment in time that surely will remain immortally my Old Trafford Theatre of Dream...a never fading dream.

Regards,
Rocky Julkarnain Esq.
Beeston, Leeds.
9.08.08
23:28pm

this is something that i jotted down when i was in Leeds...i've got nothing to do then...so, here is one of them...


Definitely tomorrow will be the Hari Raya Aidilfitri here in Leeds UK and so as in Malaysia I believe and because of such important day is approaching, I’m feeling a little bit emotional and sentimental tonight of not having my wife, my nata, my kyra and my family celebrate the hari raya together. Imagine, I don’t have the benefit of kissing my wife’s forehead as a symbol of my love towards her, kissing and hugging my nata and my kyra, kissing mommy’s hand, daddy’s hand, aunty ammong’s hand other aunties and uncles, my siblings, my cousins, my anak-anak buah and my other family members during hari raya and the most important of all, visiting and reciting doa at my Arwah Grandmother’s grave.. Imagine, imagine and imagine and nobody knows it but me.

I really hate to unveil my sentimental feelings at this very moment and I guess I better finish off my story in ‘A life I never dream’ which has been left hanging for quite some time and thru this sleepless night, I’ll try to somehow do my level best to continue the sequence of the story.

I still remember very well the moment when I tried to convey the message to my wife pertaining to that crazy idea of mine and she was a bit puzzled noticing me behaving strangely as I was struggling to find the right moment and the gesture to tell her once and for all. Finally, as I explained to her line by line and word by word, she got the message clearly. Surprisingly, she was not surprise at all and not even a word of protest or ‘what if’ question. She gave me her full support instead and suggested that I should apply for chevening scholarship so that I can pursue my little dream without having to crack my head on how to finance my studies. And yes, that little dream of mine is to pursue my studies in Master Degree in Criminal Law in the UK so that I can push myself a little further to acquire such detailed knowledge and expertise in order have various options in life. After all, no harm for a small time kampung boy like me to dream a little bit bigger.

Last year was my wife’s turn to celebrate hari raya at her hometown Hulu Langat Selangor and bear in mind, unlike our hari raya in sabah, those orang Malaya’s way of celebrating hari raya is really what I view as ‘an intensive one week hari raya affair’ where each of every morning, afternoon and evening of that very week we have to visit all the saudara mara’s houses. And one thing that always make me smile when I come to think of it is when people posed one magic word and the most frequent question asked...‘mhay (my pet name) bila sampai Malaysia’? And that will be followed by another not so less popular phrase... ‘makan la ini masakan orang Malaysia rendang, ketupat, lemang etc’ (which I can have those every day in sabah) and normally I just smile and simply reply ‘dah lama dah’ (mcm Tun Dr Mahathir punya tone). But deep down I have to admit that orang Malaya punya hari raya celebration is more lively and much better compare to ours (this is my personal assessment and you can deny if you possibly wish to) and the best thing is my mother in law’s cooking where she cooks a very delicious Assam Laksa (sampai semua orang datang rumah just for the laksa). Oh ya the last year’s hari raya fall during the mid of October and the last day to submit the application form for the chevening was on 31st October 2006.

All that material time, I actually tried to forego that little crazy idea as I was not so ready to be far from my wife and nata (that time my wife was still expecting my kyra) and unfortunately (or should I say ‘fortunately’), my wife kept on reminding me of whether all my documents and papers are in order. Believe it or not, nothing was ready or in order until the day before the due date. I told her to forget the thing and no need to think of it. She was quite upset and told me to at least give a shot and decide later. I was speechless and laughed as she left me no room to refute. Maybe this the price I have to pay for marrying a lady who is smarter than me (she is a qualified lawyer as well) and for most of the time it took me lots of reasoning to outsmart her convincingly. Having no other option but to follow her so called instruction, I have to ring my brother Shah and Idroy to scan all my documents and send them by email the next morning.

Incidentally, my wife had to send my mother in law HUKM Cheras for her appointment together with my sister in law Kak Edy. While waiting for her turn, my wife and I had to look for a cyber cafe to print the scanned documents and to do so; we have to go as far as the Bandar Tasik Selatan. Subsequently, we have to drive all the way to Wisma Dredging opposite KLCC to submit the application form to the British Council in KL and my poor mother in law and sister in law had to catch a cab to Mydin KL to do some shopping while waiting for us. I have to admit that I really pity my pregnant wife coz she had to drive the car and rushed here and there in order to make sure that I can submit the application form before the closing time. In fact, it was her who helped me to fill up the application form and handed over the form and documents as I know she always have a good ‘fengshui’ and to get the scholarship surely I need an extra luck though most of the time I have to create my own luck in every tasks I do. Thereafter, I smiled to her and thanked her for everything she did and told her that if I were shortlisted for interview, I know I can make it. Somehow for unknown reason, Allah SWT blesses me with such a wonderful lady in my life and she completes me (now I know what Jerry Maguire meant by that line).

Alhamdulillah, I received an email from British Council congratulating me for being shortlisted and the interview date had been fixed. Honestly speaking, I had a mixed feeling when reading that mail coz if I go to interview, I have a strong itchy feeling that I will get it. Not because of my charm but because of something that I myself don’t know how to describe. My wife was so happy to hear that and reminded me of my pledge that ‘I can make it’ during interview and therefore, definitely I must walk the talk. During the interview date, my wife had accompanied me to the British Council office at Jalan Gaya and during the 45 minutes interview........ (whatever transpired during the interview cannot be revealed and remain classified) and thereafter, I told my wife that I had a feeling that I can get it. The news of that scholarship was published in the Daily Express Newspaper, and of course I received so many congratulatory remarks from family members and friends. However, some people seems to be in doubt on how I managed to get the scholarship and I simply answered them ‘I got it by fluke’. But deep down I firmly believe I got it based on merit and I don’t give a damn of what other people may think of. Obviously, this is not a case where a bumiputera can enjoy the affirmative action’s privilege i.e. to have a quota for such scholarship (only one Sabahan was selected for this year’s batch). Anyone may apply for the scholarship and it is up to them to show their merit if they think they are better. However, ‘I am the special one’ (pinjam kejap dari Mourinho) and it may sound too much and overboard but frankly speaking, I am too tired of being down to earth and apologetic to people most of the time. Being a Bumiputera and of course being a ‘SULUK’ should not be a reason for other people to look down on my little ability. Trust me, there is always a room to be a better man and much more better than what we actually can possibly think of.

Back to my story, people may be under the impression that I must be very happy to have this beautiful opportunity but deep down, I was in a great reluctance to be happy as it was and still is, too heavy for me to leave my beautiful newborn second daughter Kyra so as my nata and wife. But again, it left me with no better option but to proceed with the original plan i.e. to do my LLM Criminal Law & Criminal Justice at University of Leeds because I believe there will be no more lady luck to knock my door and smile sweetly on me. It is like a beautiful dream that is too good to be true i.e. to do my Master Degree in a 5A rating university for criminal justice course and a worldly recognised prestigious scholarship. Indeed, I myself had never thought that a simple kampung boy, a trouble maker and a no hope high school student like me can have a dream which is beyond a dreamable dream. Tell me who can resist that golden opportunity? but then again, it comes with a price. The price that too heavy for me to pay even if a good discount is given.

And now, here I am too far away from home, my wife, my nata, my kyra and my family on this so called ‘silent night’. I have to sail thru this sentimental night with emptiness all around me and this is exactly a life that I never imagine thru all my days indeed... a life I never dream.

P/S- This story and blog are exclusively for my family members strict viewing and reading ONLY and therefore, I accept no liability if you feel offended or ridiculed in whatsoever circumstances.

P/S- I realised that writing a narrative story is much more difficult than preparing a legal submissions. I wish I have Echang’s skills and expertise in writing a column professionally and in a proper order.

Wassalam.
Warm Regards,
Muammar Julkarnain Esq.
Beeston Leeds 12 Oct 2007 (10.41pm)

I am not in the habit of reading all the news on the internet every morning. Now the Manik Urai seat in Kelantan is vacant due to the demised of its assemblyman, Allahyarham Ismail Yaacob. Salam Takziah to Allahyarham's family members. Unlike Penanti, i guess the reason for the vacancy is very much valid and BN must stand and give a fight by all means even though it is merely a by-election. If BN manage to wrist the seat, then it will be a good benchmark to be a yardstick to evaluate the acceptance of Kelantan's voters in relation to the new leadership of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

P/S: BN & UMNO, get up and fight one more round coz sometimes you have to fight when you are a man.!!

Taken from Staronline:

Kelantan’s Manik Urai assemblyman passes away
By SHAHANAAZ HABIB and SYED AZHAR MOHAMMED

KOTA BARU: Kelantan assemblyman for Manik Urai, Ismail Yaacob, 60, (PAS) passed away from complications arising from diabetes at 6am on Friday at the Raja Perempuan Zainab II hospital here.

PAS deputy commissioner II Datuk Nik Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said he would be buried at his home in Manik Urai after Friday prayers.

PAS Elections Director Datuk Nustafa Ali will hold a press conference at 11am at PAS headquarters in Jalan Raja Laut.

It is very much surprising that PAS can come with an unbecoming and contemptous remark on our judiciary system that the Court of Appeal judges who preside the hearing of Nizar's appeal has a 'tag price' on their neck and can be bought.

In the first place, it was Nizar who brought up the case to the court of law with a hope that he will be declared as the MB of Perak. Thus, it is untenable for PAS to come up with a wild and baseless allegation that the Court of Appeal judges are up for sale to BN. Be as it may, I hope the BN government and Pemuda UMNO under the stewardship of YB Khairy Jamaluddin to seriously look into this matter and lodge any necessary police report as soonest as possible!!!

Here is the Report:

Rayuan Nizar, Khamis ini - PAS bimbang BN beli hakim
Irwan Muhammad Zain
Tue | May 19, 09 | 2:22:40 pm MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, 19 Mei (Hrkh) - Ketua Dewan Pemuda PAS Pusat, Salahuddin Ayob menyokong penuh permohonan Dato' Seri Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin yang mahu mendapatkan panel lima hakim Mahkamah Rayuan untuk mendengar permohonannya.


Salahuddin juga mengesa agar lima hakim yang akan mendengar rayuan Nizar khamis nanti terdiri daripada mereka yang berintegriti.

Beliau menegaskan demikian sebagai respon kepada permohonan Nizar semalam yang mahu mendapatkan panel lima hakim Mahkamah Rayuan untuk mendengar permohonannya mengetepikan keputusan mahkamah itu minggu lepas yang membenarkan penangguhan pengisytiharan Mahkamah Tinggi bahawa beliau adalah Menteri Besar Perak yang sah.

"Bukan hanya lima hakim sebaliknya hakim-hakim tersebut perlulah mereka yang mempunyai intergriti dan juga telus dalam menjalankan tugas mereka.

"Jika tidak kita bimbang keputusan Khamis nanti akan berpihak kepada Barisan Nasional (BN) kerana hakim yang mendengar rayuan itu terdiri dari mereka yang boleh dibeli," tegas beliau.

Salahuddin turut menegaskan jika hakim yang dipilih tidak mempunyai integriti kepentingan awam tidak akan terbela dalam kes tersebut.

Semalam Peguam Leong Cheok Keng, yang mewakili Mohammad Nizar mengesahkan telah menghantar surat permohonan itu melalui faks ke pejabat Timbalan Pendaftar Mahkamah Rayuan.

Alasan permohonan itu ialah kerana kes tersebut, yang ditetapkan pendengarannya Khamis ini, membabitkan kepentingan awam, selain melibatkan isu dan persoalan perlembagaan, katanya.

Pada 11 Mei, Hakim Mahkamah Tinggi Dato' Abdul Aziz Ab Rahim mengisytiharkan Mohammad Nizar sebagai Menteri Besar Perak yang sah kerana mendapati Mohammad Nizar tidak pernah mengosongkan jawatan sebagai Menteri Besar kerana beliau tidak kehilangan kepercayaan majoriti anggota Dewan Undangan Negeri.

Berikutan keputusan itu, Dato' Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir mengemukakan permohonan penangguhan pelaksanaan pengisytiharan itu yang telah didengar dan dibenarkan Hakim Mahkamah Rayuan Dato' Ramly Ali.

Mohammad Nizar kemudian memfailkan permohonan Rabu lalu untuk mengetepikan keputusan Mahkamah Rayuan itu.

'Promise me, son, not to do the things Ive done.
Walk away from trouble if you can.
It wont mean youre weak if you turn the other cheek.
I hope youre old enough to understand:
Son, you dont have to fight to be a man'

That's the chorus line of my favourite song 'Cowards of the County' by Kenny Rogers. Sometimes, I wish i can sing that song to my sons one day, Insya Allah. At this moment, I don't even have a son but very much blessed with my three beautiful princesses, Alhamdulillah.

I was in the courthouse this morning and some friends asked me regarding BN's refusal to stand in Penanti. The most popular word is no other than 'BN is coward'. I don't really know whether they really meant it or they just want to tease me but I can sense some seriousness in that phrase.

My reply is simple. First, the PM had already stated in crystal clear manner that the BN government main concern is serving the people's need and to ensure economic recovery. It is in line with the '1Malaysia, People First, Performance Now' concept. Second, the main reason of the vacancy in Penanti is due to that PKR's man own problems and incompetency. That is not one of the valid grounds necessitate a by-election. I guess Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir's suggestion for punishment to be imposed on those who quit without valid reason must be given a due consideration so that the voters trust is not wasted unnecessarily. Third, it is Anwar Ibrahim's desired plan to have all those costly by-elections every 2-3 months or so to divert BN's main focus on country's economic recovery process. And finally, will Penanti's by-election outcome prove any significant point? I personally don't think so.

Life and politics are like Chess games. You need to be smart not to be outsmarted by others. So, when BN decided not to contest in Penanti, it is a big blow to Anwar Ibrahim. I am very sure that at all material times he never expect this 'move' that put him in a zugzwang position. Truly, BN's move in Penanti is a Novelty in our country's political landscape. Hails to the new PM!!

Indeed, it is a 'silent victory' to BN and UMNO. Again, you don't have to fight to be a man!.

Petikan dari MStar

(i) Anifah: Anwar pernah tawar jawatan TPM bentuk Kerajaan Persekutuan!!

(ii) Anwar nafi dakwaan Anifah, minta tarik balik kenyataan!!

Pagi ini adalah pagi Ahad yang amat menggembirakan. Manchester United sah Juara EPL untuk kali ke 18 Glory Glory Man Utd!!! Namun berita yang tidak kurang menarik adalah berkenaan kenyataan terbuka Datuk Anifah Aman berkenaan tawaran jawatan Timbalan Perdana Menteri oleh Anwar Ibrahim kepada beliau untuk lompat parti dan membentuk kerajaan pusat Pakatan Rakyat. Tindakan yang berani dan bertanggungjawab walaupun sebelum ini ada cerita kedai kopi mengenai perkara tersebut tapi tiada bukti yang sahih.

Mungkin apa yang berlaku di Perak ada hikmah di sebalik kemelut politik yang sedia ada. Bayangkan jika khayalan Anwar Ibrahim untuk menjadi Perdana Menteri hasil daripada 'lompat parti' pada 16 September 2008 menjadi kenyataan? kemelut sama yang lebih buruk akan terjadi di seluruh Malaysia dan akhirnya rakyat Malaysia yang selama ini menikmati kestabilan politik dan keharmonian kaum akan menanggung musibah seperti yang pernah terjadi di negara-negara jiran.

Saya amat percaya Anwar Ibrahim dan konco-konco mempunyai kebolehan dan kebijaksanaan yang minima untuk mengandaikan atau 'predict' masa depan negara sekiranya dia mendapat mandat memerintah kerajaan pusat dengan cara tersebut. Namun, apabila khayalan Anwar Ibrahim tersebut di adaptasi di kerajaan negeri Perak (harus diingat ketiga-tiga ADUN tersebut tidak melompat ke dalam BN tetapi cuma menjadi ADUN Bebas yang menyokong BN), Anwar dan konco-konco dalam Pakatan Rakyat pulak menyanyi lagu yang sumbang dan cry foul.

Sebagai seorang rakyat kebanyakan negeri Sabah, saya amat berbanga dengan keberanian dan nekad Datuk Anifah Aman membongkar niat jahat dan nafsu Anwar Ibrahim untuk menjadi Perdana Menteri dengan cara yang jijik. Saya ingin meminjam kata-kata bekas Pengurus Chelsea Jose Mourinho '...you cannot make a good ommelette with bad eggs...'

Saya percaya semua orang amat berharap agar perkara ini akan dibawa oleh Anwar Ibrahim ke Mahkamah dan sekaligus memberi peluang terbuka agar rakyat dapat menilai siapa sebenarnya Anwar Ibrahim. Secara peribadi, Datuk Anifah Aman boleh membuatkan rakyat Sabah berbangga atas keberanian beliau 'melawan' Anwar Ibrahim secara bersemuka. Let's fight on the level ground.

‘Teachers are stupid...You don't learn anything in school. It's just a waste of time’...that is the expression made by the evergreen chess genius and the all time finest ever chess champion, the great Mr. Bobby Fischer (http://www.bobby-fischer.net/Bobby_Fischer_Articles4.html). In the first instance, that may sound a bit overboard but again, it came from the mouth of the well known legendary figure and surely he must have his own reason by saying that unwarranted line. Be as it may, I personally don’t agree with that phrase simply by reason of the ‘text book answer’ that I owe part of my success to all my teachers and again, out of respect to that noble and sacred profession.

I remember my high school time in SM All Saints way back in the late 80’s to early 90’s. I was one of those students regarded as the troublemakers by most of the teachers and students. Indeed, I admit that I may have directly or indirectly done some wrongdoings to the teachers and students in the school which I can’t specifically remember, if any. I really wish that I can extend my sincere apologies to all my teachers and my fellow SM All Saints friends for all sort of irritating conducts and in the name of Holy Teachers Day, I opted not write down any justification but offering my sincere apology instead. Having said all that, it is doesn’t need anyone to be a genius to conclude that I was and still am not in the teachers’ favourite list. Plus, I have never been in the best class before except during Form 4 and 5 where I was placed in the science stream class. In other words, I was just an ‘average Joe’ in the school cum troublemaker cum unofficial school joker. Sadly speaking, some teachers seem to have predicted what would these ‘average joe’ be in the future and I can only support this based on my own personal experience. One day, I met one of my high school teachers in front of the shophouses opposite SM All Saints school while on my way to ‘Seng Loong’ (our popular rendeszvouz) to meet most of my high school great friends. After the hello greeting, the teacher asked me what I am doing now. I answered shortly that I work in a legal firm business and she suddenly replied: ‘oh, so you work as a clerk in a legal firm. Good for you’. I just smiled and say ‘no, I am practising as a lawyer and a partner in that firm’. I remember she was having a kind of look…a sceptical smiling look and stressed her voice: ‘Are you sure?’ So I smiled back to her and say: ‘I guess so…’ followed with a light laugh. However, I don’t blame her for having such doubt since it was me who skipped her classes most of the time. Deep down, I thanked her for all her effort to make me a better man and regret the fact that it was my very own mistake not to make use of the opportunity to gain knowledge and the teachers’ love.

Back to being an ‘average Joe’ in high school, such stigma plays a very important role in student’s interest in studies and the school itself. Every morning whether you are in the best of your mood or otherwise, you will still have to accept the fact that you are the same ‘average joe’ once you enter the school’s gate. In other words, you still have to be in the class which is grouped and classified as an average or below average whereas the smart ones flocked among themselves. From that angle you can see the double standard element in our country’s education system. They grouped the smart kids together and give the best of attention as they were tipped to be best students in PMR (SRP then) and SPM scorers whereas those in the other average and below average classes were not given much hope (my personal view). But don’t get me wrong, I don’t have any personal dissatisfaction towards my friends and fellow students who happened to be in the best class as they deserved to be the best among us then. The main point is that our system and policy have the tendency to create a double standard perspective. It is not incredible to assume that an average student may carry out his/her entire life under the pretext that he/she is merely an average joe/jane and that would never change!!!.

Someone popped up this question to me sometime ago on why our education system still favour ‘segregation’ between the smart kids and the average joe/jane? Well, I don’t really know but I guess the system is designed that way so that the teachers’ works become easy in terms of the pace and mode of teachings i.e. an average joe is a bit slow compare to a smart kid and the latter’s ability to consume the subjects taught compare to the former. But personally speaking, in this modern world and sophisticated techniques, there must be some reforms in terms of holistic approach. The system as a whole must be ‘Berani Berubah’ to cater the comprehensive needs of the new ‘Generasi-Y’ and fulfilling the new ‘One Malaysia’ concept. First, they must be no more ‘segregation’ between the smart and the average. The school must instead introduce the ‘pairing system’ among the students in the class where the best student to be paired with the one in the last ranked (in sabah they call it ‘nombor uncit’). Under the ‘pairing system’ (some may regard it as ‘mentor’ and ‘mentee’ method), the smart one will guide the average or below average students academically whereas in return the latter may help the former in the co-curricular activities. In other words, the favour between the two is reciprocal. In the end, this approach may relieve the teachers’ burden and will create a more ‘happenings’ and friendly environment in total.

Further, this pairing approach could teach our young generation the sense of responsibility and belongings at the young age. Some people may argue that this method could unnecessarily place an excess baggage to the smart students and may cost them their chance to obtain a perfect score in PMR or SPM. No doubt it could be true in a way but the main question is what we really expect from our young ones? Merely obtaining the perfect score or having all the right qualities that even enable them to be a Prime Minister one day? Further, this approach may strengthen social integration among the students right from the tender age and they will remember that values irrespective of their races. I believe there are more pros and cons to be discussed on this matter. In the name of the Holy Teachers’ Day, it is desirable if the government can conduct a survey or research whether this ‘segregation’ policy really works in comprehensive manner, how the smart kids and average joe fare in their real life, feedbacks from teachers and parents regarding that system and other relevant matters.

Finally, I have to admit that there were times where I enjoyed more spending time with friends outside the class during my Form 4 and 5. I was then placed in the science class and mixed around with all my smart classmates. Can you imagine that from Form 1 to orm 3, I was sent to the average class and mixed around with all my other average joe friends. And I’ve gotten used to it. Thus, when I was given an honour to be in the same class with the other best and top students in my school, I felt a bit ‘shaky’ to be in the class. I felt like a small fish in a big pond and at the end, I was battling against my own confidence crisis. That was why I skipped classes and enjoyed more to be outside. By fluke or co-incidence, I managed somehow to just pass my SPM but the result way below the satisfying benchmark. Even though I am never in the teachers’ favourite students list, I understand. I really wish one fine day I can have them say to other people ‘Oh, he used to be my student before’ (not for the wrong reason, I hope) and with just that I will be more than a happy man.

So, my greatest idol Mr. Bobby Fischer when you say ‘teachers are stupid’, I beg to differ. It could be the system or the policy that sometimes people wrongly translate them into hating teachers. I know the teachers themselves are struggling and under pressures to make sure all his/her students excel in life not by simply scoring perfect A’s in the exams. To all my dedicated teachers and lecturers in SK Likas, SM All Saints, International Islamic University Malaysia and University of Leeds…Happy Holy and Sacred Teachers Day.