At last, I found the song

When I was very small, I still remember the first Malay tune hummed to me by my late father was a song called 'Sapu Tangan'. I never heard the original until much much later when I was in my twenties when I came across an album recorded by the late Dato' Hamzah Dolmat. Much to my delight, 'Sapu Tangan' was one of the tracks recorded by him, in typical keroncong beat. The entire album of 12 tracks was very culturalistic. It has since remain in my record collection albeit it is now a little mouldy and scratchy. Here is the version sung by the beautiful Indonesian songstress Sundari Soekotjo

The local artist that was making waves during the late fifties and early sixties was none other than the late Tan Sri P Ramlee. Although I love listening to his songs which were quite catchy, it was not until 1963 when I heard the song 'Selalu' by the Indonesian pair, Kus Bersaudara, that really got me hooked. The Kus Bersaudara was like The Everly Brothers of that time. Later on when I had my band and whenever we played at Malay weddings, this song became my staple diet.

For years (or should I say decades) I have been looking for this song and even told my friends who have businesses in Indonesia to check the local record shops for me. There were none. It was not until three days ago when I did a search on YouTube and unbelievably, someone has uploaded the song. Here it is, the first Malay/Indon song that I learned to sing from memory.

The interesting thing about Indonesian songs is that many of them are being played using major keys while songs written by Malay song writers tend to use minor keys. That is why I found it so refreshing to hear a different of chord work applied to a Malay song. In the 'Selalu' song, another interesting fact is the application of rotating chords, i.e. C/Am/F/G7, on half-bar tempo to give it that musical rhythm. Sadly, when the late President Soekarna launched his konfrontasi against Malaysia in 1963, this song together with many other Indonesian songs were removed from the air.

The PR states may do one on Najib to dampen his 'surprise' on the next GE

PAS central committee member Husam Musa today reminded Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak that he does not have the sole prerogative over election dates.

This is because Pakatan Rakyat is governing four states and can also choose the date to dissolve the state assembly and call a state election, he said in his blog.

"We can announce the date of the next state election now, before Najib dissolves Parliament. The state polls need not be that early, but the announcement of the date can be," he said.

Husam (right) was responding to the premier's statement in Tumpat on Wednesday, stating that he wants the next election date to be a surprise.

This, the Kelantan exco member said, was a strategic weapon used by the ruling coalition to trap the opposition parties into contesting during a downturn, making it an unlevel playing field.

"If Najib can so confidently show that he is in command, then what can we do to make him think twice?.. How about calling a snap election in the four Pakatan-ruled states?" he asked.

Husam, who is also Salor state assemblyperson, said that by announcing the state election dates before Najib calls for a general election, the PM is left with two options.

'BN will no longer have the upper hand'

"(He) can follow us and set it on the same date or negotiate a date with us in advance in a more open manner. This will mean that the date will no longer be a riddle and (BN) will no longer have the upper hand.

"Otherwise, they can stubbornly dissolve the Parliament on a different date," he said.

Either way, he said, both outcomes will "set a precedence for election dates being set openly" instead of being "the weapon to the ruling party's advantage".

He added that state polls can be called in 2013, five years after the last election, or earlier in 2012, after four years.

Alternatively, the election date can be set for early 2012 to avoid too much politicking, he said.

"What's important is that Najib should know he is not the only one who can spring a surprise," he said defiantly.

Hitler and the FIFA World Cup

The scene may seem familiar but the dialog, well. it's something else, ha ha

Et tu, Kesh(Cash)vinder Singh

Well, another defection. You might get the response of er, again? Then it continues with so? And then who cares?

The frequent defection of the politicians is not longer surprising for the public.

Malim Nawar state assemblyperson, Keshvinder Singh has successfully put himself as the fourth Perak Pakatan Rakyat assembly to quit the DAP and turns himself independent, joing Hee Yit Fong, and former PKR assemblymen Osman Jailu and Jamaluddin Radzi as BN-friendly independents in the state assembly.

He has apparently turns himself into a joke. Angry and dismay responses overwhelm the only portals since the news of the defection broken. He had previously claimed that he was being offered RM20 million to defect, and now he was reported as saying that only BN can help to develop the Malim Nawar area.

Why is that so?

He claimed that the state and the DAP did not help him to assist his people in his area and therefore he could not do anything to help his constituency. He also said that since he is now independent, the state should allocate him budget to help his constituency. In the end, it is about the MONEY. Isn't it?

Mr Keshvinder Singh, I have a question for you. As a state assemblyperson, isn't that you have the responsibility to source out the ways to help your constituency?

If this unhealthy political scenario continues, it seems that Malaysia will not be far from being a land of disgraceful politicians.

Where is your dignity, Mr Keshvinder Singh?

[Source: The MalaysianInsider]

There is nothing much we can do since the $$$ has done all the talking for us. What really amazes me is these frogs just couldn't resist jumping into a toxic infested pool of cut throats, murderers, adulterers, corrupt practitioners, rapists and what have you just to satisfy their personal greed. To say that he just found out about the living condition of his constituents is a load of BS. What was he doing all this time and more so, as a Perakian, he must have known of the conditions long before he even became an ADUN. To Keshvinder Singh, your political career is as good as over, period!

Et Tu, Brutus

The first 'casualty' of the World Cup; and Namewee

In his anger over Ghana's 1-0 victory over Serbia in a Group D World Cup match, a teenager kicked a ball towards a window which caused shards of glass to pierce his father's right ear in Ladang Chin Teck, last night.

The father, Rosli Mat Noor, 43, almost lost his ear after one of the main veins was severed by the glass.

Recounting the incident when met at the Gua Musang Hospital, Rosli said he was watching the 10pm game with his son, Mohd Rizal, 17.

"Suddenly, Mohd Rizal kicked the ball near his feet out of frustration and shattered our living-room window where I was sitting close to," he said.

Rosli said he did not realise he was bleeding until he felt a sting on his right ear and saw a lot of blood on his fingers after touching the ear.

"I called out to my wife for help and we got our neighbours to send us to hospital where I received three stitches," he said, adding his son who never thought his action would cause any harm, had apologised.

Rosli's wife Rosnani Daud, 49, said although there was excessive bleeding, she was glad her husband's ear was not damaged.

[Source: Bernama]

Monday Humour

Here are another four comedy videos to kick off your week .....

DJ "Smiley Face" De Souza

Me, You and SDU

Unchained Melody in Hokkien

Are you lonesome tonight? [A special dedication to the seniors]

Get your yellow T-shirt ready. BERSIH2 may just happen.

Tomorrow begins the 56th PAS convention in Kelantan, the political bastion of the oldest Islamic party in the country.

PAS has come a long way from the youthful days of spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat and president Hadi Abdul Awang.

From being a beacon of light and religion for the devout Muslims, it is now carving a vision of hope for multi-religious Malaysia. Leading this agenda is the new generation of women and youths and non-Muslim supporters.

PAS has formed its non-Muslim wing whose members will observe the proceedings this time around, while its Youth and women wings will chart the next course of action for the 13th general election.

Said PAS Youth convention chief Suhaizan Kaiat: “We will not wait. We will act, in a collective fashion, the way we have moved our people on the ground over the sports betting issue.”

Sports betting is expected to be the hottest and most exciting topic at the convention. PAS youths have been at the forefront of the campaign against gambling.

“We demand that the government revoke the licence legalising sports betting,” said Suhaizan, referring to the the permit issued to Berjaya Corporation Group (BCG) in time for the the World Cup football season which kicks off on Friday in South Africa.

The federal government is reportedly expected to rake in RM60 billion in tax revenue from a wide range of betting activities as the World Cup gets under way. BCG has said that apart from retail outlet sales, there will also be online and telephone betting facilities.

Both Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and BCG’s Vincent Tan have come under tremendous public pressure over the issue.

While during the day delegates will rip apart and dissect the federal government’s “socially destructive” decision, the nights will be a gathering of like-minded souls in sports and prayer in this Islamic state, which has been under PAS rule for over 20 years.

“Sports betting is only second to our top issue, which is the Bersih 2 gathering.

“In November 2007, our Bersih gathering had urged the Umno-Barisan Nasional government to fulfil our four demands. But to date nothing has happened.

‘In this convention, we will urge the PAS leadership to hold a Bersih 2 assembly,” said Suhaizan.

Land swap deal

Bersih is a coalition of NGOS for a clean and free election. Its four-point demand included the use of permanent ink, an electoral list clean-up, abolishing postal votes, and ensuring press freedom.

During Bersih’s first gathering on Nov 10, 2007 some 100,000 Malaysians had marched to Istana Negara to hand over a memorandum to the King.

It was a historic movement of people. This, together with the Hindraf rally, set the pace for an unprecedented shift in the country’s political landscape.

PAS together with PKR and DAP under the Pakatan Rakyat coalition banner wrested five states in the 2008 general election. However, within months of its victory the coalition lost Perak to BN in a reverse takeover.

Suhaizan said the other hot issue is the land swap deal with Singapore involving Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd's (KTMB) parcel of land in Tanjung Pagar.

Najib had last month agreed to shift KTMB from Tanjung Pagar to Woodlands.

Najib had reportedly said that KTMB’s railway land in Tanjung Pagar would be swapped for land parcels in two of Singapore's most expensive districts, including the site of the multibillion-dollar Marina Bay Sands casino complex which opened in April.

Said Suhaizan: “ The PM said he will discuss the matter with Singapore.

“We want to know what is going to be discussed since he has already made the deal. We don’t want Malaysia to lose out.

[Source : FMT]