It has now been nearly two weeks we are into the new year. Christmas last month, new year this month and Chinese New Year next month. Lots of holidays especially for us, Malaysians. The mega stores and malls are making big money during these festive seasons.
Talk about money, it got me thinking about the crazy price hike these days. Langkawi was known for it's beaches. Where there is beach, means there will be fishermen. Where there is fisherman, means we get to buy fresh fish from the market at a very compatible price. But no, Langkawi food is so damn expensive (for people like us) that one would think twice to enjoy an evening out with family. Maybe everybody is trying to get rich quick.
At times one get frustrated having to fork out the hard-earned money just to pay for goods or food at a ridiculous price. Taking into account, we have loads of other utility bills to be paid every month. Urghh...
Why am I complaining? Nothing. Just feeling like complaining because every time I thought of putting aside some money for travelling fund, something came up. Something like the car broke down or school fees or hospital bills and I can give a thousand and one other things that could flare up your temper.
But that brings me back to think again, what am I complaining about? It's LIFE. We work our a*?# off every day to live. Living means having to eat, work, facing problems etc. Thus, we all need money to live and this is when the money comes in. There won't be any fun if we work and bring home the money without utilizing it. Fun? Did I use the right word to summarize my thought?
Despite all the hitches and headaches, I am glad I live in this country. I am proud to announce I am Malaysian. Why? Because first and foremost, last year when I was undergoing my cancer treatment, I paid next to nothing to the hospital both for my chemotherapy and radiotherapy comparing to private hospital which could come up to a whopping amount of about RM 30,000.00 for chemo alone and radiotherapy was about the same ( estimation cost). It could be higher. Where do you think I will come up with that amount? That's why for a fleeting moment I thought of finding an accomplice for a grand bank heist. Imagine a headline the next day, " A dying woman robbed a bank to pay for her chemo treatment!" Doesn't sound that bad. Ehmm...Not a bad idea, not bad at all.
Secondly, the country is comparatively safe. Not wanting to be biased but most petty crimes,drug trafficking and murdering were committed by foreign workers who lives and works here.
Racism, now this is a very sensitive issue. Correct me if I am wrong but I've never heard of any country in this world that doesn't face this situation. Here in Malaysia, the Malays are jealous of the Chinese because they were better off economically. The Chinese and Indians were not happy that the Malays were given some priorities and privileges when it comes to educations or financial aids from the government (Malays are the natives of this country thus it is called the Malay Peninsula). To me, it's like a squabbles between siblings.
I think a little racism is healthy because that will initiate us to work harder to help our people. A little envious every here and there should be alright. It became dangerous when people become extreme. Anything extreme is bad.
Apart from that, I think we, Malaysian are doing alright. I wouldn't have it any other way. I like having the Chinese, Indian and other ethnic in this country. It brings out the color of it's own.
Geographically I love my country because it doesn't suffer much from natural disasters such as earth quake or any type of typhoon. Malaysia is located about 7 degree away from the equator line and outside The ring of Fire ( where a large number of earth quakes and volcanic eruptions occurs.) That makes us comparably safe than others.
There is another reason, unlike Singapore, we are naturally fun, friendly and helpful people. The country is not squeaky clean if compared to Singapore but this is how we live our lives. We live naturally in accordance to the law of nature ( I mean we still have some law to abide) whereas Singapore had to abide by their strict no-nonsense law, no littering, no spitting in public places and a banned on chewing gum! I don't know if this ban still valid but it sure sound ridiculous.
No wonder once they crossed the causeway ( a bridge between Singapore and Johore, a Southern Malaysia state) they became ugly, not all but most of them.
Again, that is why I love my country as we are one despite our differences. May God bless this country always and forever.
Politically, the country is stable and currently being led by Mr Najib Abd Razak. He may not be the greatest or smartest Prime Minister known but he is doing or taking the right path into making the country prosperous. Don't look at him as a person because each and everyone of us has flaws of our own. Look at him as someone we can use to make the country better. As long as we are living harmoniously, plenty of food on the table, job vacancies in abundance and walk freely without having to worry if a bullet might hit me, I am fine with it.
Last but the best is about food. I maybe a little over-board but I must say Malaysia is a food haven. With 3 different ethnic in this country, we have a variety of hard-to-resist food everywhere you go. I love Chinese food, and then we have Indian food and Malay food and don't you know it, Western food is everywhere you turn your head to. Don't believe what I am saying? Head over here and find it yourself. Hell, even my ex Japanese boss, partner and colleagues love Malaysian food that when they left this country, they said they missed the food more than they missed me. Sad but acceptable.
Okay lah..that's all for today. Too long and you might fall asleep.
Until then, have a great weekend!
Rose
12th.January '13
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Hidup Seharian
Salam semua!
Dah hampir dua minggu kita di dalam tahun baru. Bulan lepas Krismas, bulan ni tahun baru bulan depan pulak Raya Cina. Raya sakan kita orang Malaysia. Shopping mall dan supermarket juga merayakan keuntungan berlipat ganda mereka.
Bercakap tentang duit ni buat saya terfikir tentang harga barang yang melambung sekarang ni. Semua pun tahu, Langkawi adalah sebuah pulau. Pulau dah tentu dikelilingi oleh laut. Jadi bila ada laut, tentu ada nelayan, bila ada nelayan tentu senang nak dapat ikan dengan harga yang murah dan segar. Tapi tak! Di Langkawi ni kadang-kadang harganya sama juga macam kat luar. Baru-baru ni suami saya makan kat kedai dekat Pantai Cenang, dia ambik ikan keli goreng seekor ,sayur, terung sekeping, sikit daging merah dan teh o'ais harga dia sembilan ringgit. Mahal mengalahkan restaurant yang cantik-cantik tu.
Hari tu saya ke Subang Jaya makan kat food court betul-betul dikawasan kolej yang sesak, saya ambik nasi, ikan seekor, sayur, sambal udang dan teh o semua RM 6.50. Macam mana pulak kat bandar besar harga lagi murah dari dalam pulau lagi. Mengkelan nak makan kat luar sekali sekala.
Semua nak kaya cepat.
Ada masa tu, frust jugak la nak kena keluarkan duit yang kita kerja siang malam cuma untuk nak beli barang-barang keperluan ataupun makan. Pulak tu bukan tak tahu, bil api, air, astro dan macam-macam bil lagi dok menunggu. Arghh..sakit jiwa!
Kenapa saya komplen? Tak ada sebab. Saja rasa nak luahkan perasaan sebab setiap kali saya nak simpan sikit duit untuk tabung bercuti ada saja benda yang mendatang. Kereta rosaklah, sekolah punya yuran lah, bil hospital lah dan seribu satu macam alasan yang boleh buat kita hilang arah.
Tapi itu membuatkan saya terfikir pulak, kenapa saya merungut ni? Inilah yang dinamakan kehidupan. Kita kerja setiap hari untuk meneruskan hidup. Hidup ertinya kita harus makan, bekerja, hadapi masalah dan sebagainya. Jadi, kita semua memerlukan duit untuk hidup dan disinilah duit memainkan peranan. Tak fun la kalau kita kerja dan bawa balik duit bertimbun tapi tak tau nak buat apa dengan duit tu.
Dengan segala masalah dan kekurangan, saya menyayangi negara ini. Saya bangga menjadi anak Malaysia. Kenapa? Pertama-tama nya, tahun lepas semasa menjalani rawatan kimoterapi dan radio terapi untuk kanser saya, saya hanya perlu membayar kos yang sangat minimal di hospital kerajaan. Kalau dibandingkan dengan hospital swasta, harganya boleh menjangkau lebih RM60,000 untuk kedua-dua rawatan tersebut. Manalah saya nak cari duit sebanyak tu. Sebab tu saya terfikir nak cari satu partner pi rompak bank. Bayangkan, esok tu keluar kat muka depan suratkhabar " wanita sakit tenat sanggup merompak untuk membayar rawatan barah". Ehmm macam okay jugak bunyi tu...
Walau bagaimanapun, saya amat bersyukur kerana mandapat peluang kedua untuk terus hidup.
Yang keduanya, negara kita masih agak selamat. Bukan nak bersifat tidak adil tapi selalunya kes-kes bunuh, rompakan, edar dadah banyak dilakukan oleh pendatang yang datang bekerja ke sini.
Perkauman, isu ni agak sensitif. Betulkan saya kalau saya tersilap tapi saya tak pernah lagi dengar negara yang tak ada masalah perkauman. Perkauman ni kalau sikit-sikit tak akan memudaratkan. Yang jadi huru hara ni bila ada yang jadi extremist. Apa-apa benda pun kalau ekstrem akan berbahaya dan merosakkan keadaan. Kita semua dah biasa dengan satu sama lain iaitu Cina, India dan Melayu juga etnik-etnik lain. Jadi seeloknya kita teruskan seperti biasa. Saya suka dengan keadaan yang kita ada sekarang ni.
Secara geografi nya pula, saya sayangkan negara ini sebab kita tak banyak bencana alam yang teruk teruk macam kat negara luar seperti gempa bumi ataupun ribut taufan. Negara kita terletak lebih kurang 7 darjah dari titik equator dan berada di "luar lingkaran api" ( banyak kejadian gempa bumi dan letusan gunung berapi terjadi sekiranya berada didalam lingkaran tersebut) Ini membuatkan kita agak selamat berbanding negara lain.
Ada lagi satu sebab, tidak seperti Singapura, orang kita lebih mesra alam, sentiasa riang dan saling tolong menolong. Negara kita tidaklah sebersih Singapura tapi ini lah cara hidup kita sementara orang Singapura terpaksa mengikut undang-undang atau peraturan yang tegas seperti tidak boleh membuang sampah merata-rata, tak boleh meludah di tempat awam dan di haramkan chewing gum. Saya tak pasti sekarang ni masih di haramkan ataupun tidak. Agak melampau jugak undang-undang macam ni.
Tak menghairankan sebaik saja mereka menyeberang tambak Johor, orang-orang Singapura ni akan jadi sebaliknya. Kenapa ya?
Kalau di ambil kira status politiknya pulak, negara kita boleh dicategorikan sebagai aman. P.M kita mungkin tak sehebat Perdana Menteri Perdana Menteri sebelum nya tapi dia sedang berusaha kearah negara yang lebih makmur. Selagi kita dapat hidup secara harmoni, makan pakai yang cukup, makanan yang terhidang dimeja setiap malam dan boleh bergerak ke sana kemari tanpa perlu risau untuk mengelak dari di tembusi peluru, saya dah bersyukur sangat sangat.
Yang terakhir adalah makanan kita. Mungkin saya agak keterlaluan tapi rasanya makanan kita kat Malaysia ni memang hebat. Ini disebabkan gabungan ketiga-tiga etnik terbesar menjadikan satu hidangan fusion yang hebat. Bos Jepun dan bekas partner Jepun saya dulu bila dah habis kontrak dan balik ke negara dia orang, bagitau saya yang paling dia orang rindu adalah makanan kita. Bukan saya tapi makanan kita. Hebat dak pukulan makan kita.
Okay lah sampai sini saja untuk hari ni. Lain kali kita berjump lagi.
Rose
12th.Jan '13
