In Memoriam of those who perished 23 years ago.

Today, is the 23rd anniversary of the Highland Towers tragedy that took 48 lives.

Let's remember those who have lost their lives.

Remembering the loved ones who were lost 14 years ago.

Remembering Punch Gunalan

In remembrance of our badminton icon, Punch Gunalan, who passed away three years ago today. RIP Punch. We will always remember you and the many skillful strokes you displayed on the courts.

The Punch Gunalan/Rudy Hartono All England Finals in 1974.

Quotable Quotes by Karpal Singh

A tribute to Malaysia's greatest musician - Paul Ponnudorai

Paul will always remind me of the contestant with the babyface look who appeared on the Bakat TV show in the early 70s.  After participating in the contest, he disappeared and was never heard of until the late 70s or early 80s when he started making the pub circuit.  During his many performances, I couldn't help but associate him with another local great, the late Terry Thadeuss, but then Terry was more into the heavy stuff while Paul's leanings were inclined towards unplugged pieces.  His audience was definitely captivated by his singing and guitar playing style which is so much Jose Feliciano-ish.

Read the rest, as it appeared in The Star today ...

Legendary Malaysian guitarist Paul Ponnudorai, 51, died early Saturday morning because of organ failure due to a latent infection.
Once described by Time magazine as “quite possibly the greatest musical interpreter of our time”, the Ipoh-born guitarist came to prominence in the 1980s as a sought-after club performer.

He has backed up a variety of local artists in the last three decades, including Sheila Majid and Sudirman, as well as played with a wide range of foreign stars such as Billy Cobham and Wynton Marsalis.

Right on Time, Ponnudorai's first album (of mostly covers but with a couple of originals), was released in 2005.

The guitarist's music ability was across the board and he was able to shine in all genres - from blues and rock to jazz and bluegrass and pop.

He was widely known in the regional live music scene and a highly respected performer.

The wake will be held Saturday from 2pm onwards at the Gui Yin Funeral Parlour at Jln 222, Petaling Jaya. The funeral is scheduled for Monday.

Ponnudorai leaves behind his 91-year-old mother Kamalam, four brothers, three sisters, nieces, nephews and a host of fans.

RIP Paul.  You will never be forgotten.

Happy 70th birthday, John!

So now it is a sin to honour our warriors?

As a result of UMNO's decision to re-locate the Warrior's Day remembrance to Putra Jaya due to religious reasons, I decided to google for comments by our military personnel and what they thought of the move. I found a blog belonging to the 7th Rangers [Mechanised], and this is what a certain Major (Rtd) D.Swami has to say.

Deicated To The Heroic Fighters In The Cause Of Peace and Freedom. May The Blessing Of Allah Be Upon Them. (Engraved in Stone)

Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori is a line from the Romanlyrical poet Horace's Odes, translated into English it means: "It is glorious and honourable to die for one's country." The current July 31 celebrations is only symbolic and a mark of respect, nothing to do with being unIslamic as stated by Islamic authorities who claim it should not be held at the site of statues or sculptures of human figures. It is an old military ceremony. We are not worshipping the monument as mentioned but it is just symbolic. What is important is our intention to give respect.

So who is Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who never served in the Army to give his views? What is important is for the people to know Warrior’s Day exists and for them to know the sacrifices and deeds of the country’s soldiers, a nation that deny's it's warriors will definitely sink into an abyss.Then there is this smart arse of a General, said retired Lt-Gen Zaini Mohamad Said, the so called hero of Sauk,surrounded and protected by snipers and commandos and riding in armoured vehicles. “That has been the comment for a very long time, there is some truth in it being unIslamic,” he was referring to the monument. This is the same General who when was the 3rd Division Commander, disallowed minority faiths from practicing their religion in camps. Inclusive of Seventh Rangers, when questioned in "Dewan Adnan" on his directive, by a Captain, he answered in all his arrogance,"Itu adalah dasar kerajaan." What a hypocrite!! He with his blinkered views wants to give his bigotted opinion. His rendering of his tale about Al Maunah is filled with controversy.

Who are the Muslim scholars? Have they ever carried an arm to defend this country.The decision to stop what the government believes to be unIslamic practices was announced jointly by Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Islamic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom last week. Ask Jamil Khir whether he treated Corporal Ghani anak Binjoi fairly who died alongside Staff Sergeant Azman Mohamad Tahir. Corporal Ghani anak Binjoi was a Christian, that will answer the question. Who is Zahid, an UMNO warlord! They do not care about traditions and sacrifices. No one is praying there, commemoration, rememberance and honoring your dead is a blessed act.

The Cenotaph for a moment of quiet contemplation for those who had sacrificed their lives in order that our country remains democratic and sovereign. The Cenotaph was created by the British administration to commemorate those who had lost their lives in World War I, World War II and the Malaysian Emergency. The inscription on the Cenotaph reads: “To Our Glorious Dead 1914-1918 (i.e. The First World War) 1939 – 1945 (The Second World War) and 1948 – 1960 (The Malaysian Emergency)

Passing the Cenotaph is the National Monument designed by American sculptor Felix de Weldon, the same architect who created the Iwo Jima Memorial Monument in Washington, this 15.54m high bronze monument was constructed in 1966 to honor the country's fallen heroes during the communist insurrection. Many members of the Malaysian Security Forces lost their lives during the Emergency, a 12-year struggle against communist insurgency that ended in 1960. The Malaysian Armed Forces were successful in crushing the armed rebellion and thus the communists failed in their attempt to set up a communist state in a very strategic point in Southeast Asia.

The National Monument, known in Bahasa Malaysia as ‘Tugu Peringatan Negara’, is one of the largest freestanding bronze sculptures in the world. The seven bronze soldiers represent seven noble qualities: Leadership, Unity, Strength, Vigilance, Suffering, Courage and Sacrifice. Is commemorating these values a sin?

Monuments, by their very nature, are designed to convey political or historical information. But the Tugu Peringatan Negara, to me, conveys a message of love for one's country and those gallant men who laid down their lives.

Tunku Abdul Rahman commissioned Wedon for a monument "to remember those who stood together in unity and national pride to defend democracy against those who would destroy the fundamental dignity of man and to keep faith with those who sacrificed themselves." More...

Who are Najib, Zahid and Jamil Khir, mere pipsqueaks, unpatriotic scumbags, destroyers of democracy and the fundamental dignity of man, who are hell bent on erasing the the legacy of the "Father of Merdeka", the Tunku ???????????

Malaysian of the Year 2009 goes to .....

See the other nominees here

The passing of Lucy O'Donnell

I wonder how many of you, especially the local Beatles fan, still remember that psychedelic album, Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band? The cover design was an art of the period and whoever possesses that album, hang on to it for it may be worth a fortune in the years to come. Quite frankly, they don't make album cover designs like that anymore.

One of the tracks in the album is "Lucy in the sky with diamonds" which has remained very popular till today. Because of the initials, "LSD", the conservatives said it was drug related song. Others said it represented "pound, shilling and pence" due to the devaluation of the sterling currency during that period. Whatever the case maybe, sad to say the person who inspired The Beatles to write the song has passed away. Her name was Lucy O'Donnell.

Beatles' 'Lucy in the sky' dies aged 46

The woman who inspired The Beatles' legendary song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds has died aged 46 from an autoimmune disease, the charity that supported her announced on Monday.

Lucy O'Donnell was at school with John Lennon's son, Julian, when she was three and it was his picture of her in 1966 that inspired the classic song.

According to various biographies of The Beatles and O'Donnell herself, the young Julian took the picture home to his father and explained: "It's Lucy in the sky with diamonds."

The song, which featured on the Fab Four's 1967 album Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, caused huge controversy at the time because of its psychedelic theme and supposed reference to the drug LSD though its initials, a charge always denied as pure coincidence by the songwriter Lennon.

Julian Lennon and O'Donnell - who became Lucy Vodden after her marriage - resumed their friendship in recent months after she became ill with lupus, the disease of the immune system that led to her death last Tuesday.

"Everyone at the Louise Coote Lupus Unit was dreadfully shocked by the death of Lucy," said Angie Davidson, campaign director of the St Thomas Lupus Trust that helped Vodden during her illness.

"She was a great supporter of ours and a real fighter. It's so sad that she has finally lost the battle she fought so bravely for so long."

The trust added that Lennon and his mother Cynthia were "shocked and saddened".

Footnote: If you have The Beatles white album, hold on to that too.

Yasmin Ahmad dies

When I was browsing through the internet this morning, I was shocked to learn from The Malaysian Insider that Yasmin Ahmad has passed away. There was that seconds of sadness to know that we have finally lost one of our best film-makers this country ever had. All of us knew she was in a critical stage from a stroke and many prayers were made with the hope that she would recover soon. Alas, that was not to be.

Her second major film "Sepet" was the only one "Malay" film I have watched after P Ramlee's. The film drove home the message that it was okay for a young couple of different races to falll in love. It really warmed the cockles of the Malaysian hearts to know that such thing is possible, and wonderful too.

Her PETRONAS commercials were something I looked forward to each year as we come close to Merdeka Day. My pick - the one about the three kids of different races who played together and to later meet up again many years on, this time much older and recollecting old times together. It just told us that it could happen to all of us if we allow that opportunity to happen.

Rest in Peace, Yasmin. You will never be forgotten. Thanks for letting us know that we have a sepet in all of us.

More from:

Malaysiakini

The Malaysian Insider

In Rememberance of Teoh Beng Hock

Photo of Teoh Beng Hock and fiance taken on his 29th birthday.

Monday Humour will return next week.