A musical dedication....

This is just a daffy song from 1972 by American songwriter, folk singer, humourist and actor Loudon Snowden Wainwright III but it's a darn suitable song for any occasion. I'm dedicating it to all the racist politicians. They know who they are. To them, I'd just like to say this: please listen carefully to the words.

Penang Hill funicular railway

I'm presently in my "Penang Hill" mode, getting real excited for the day when the new coaches are deployed on the new rail tracks on the Penang Hill funicular system. I just managed to dig out these old digital pictures. Rather precious and historical, by the way.

Penang Hill - Bottom Station

Penang Hill - Bottom loop

Penang Hill - Middle Station

Penang Hill - Top loop

Penang Hill - Viaduct

Penang Hill - Tunnel

Penang Hill - Top Station

Penang Hill - Tea kiosk

Penang Hill - Playground

Self-strangulation 101

Malaysiakini has made an excerpt from the full video of the Teoh Beng Hock inquest, available at the Attorney-General's website, that shows the MACC lawyer making a fool of himself by demonstrating how to strangle oneself.

He must suffer the consequences

The Star newspaper today reported the arrest of a man believed to be notorious international wildlife trader Anson Wong at the Kuala Lumpur international airport following the seizure of 95 snakes of various species.

Well, it is about time that local authorities go after Wong, if it is really him behind the snakes. It is a disgrace that Perhilitan (Wildlife and Natio­nal Parks Department) had refused to take action on him all these years because of a filmsy excuse that he had not broken any law in Malaysia, despite him being a wanted man in several countries around the world because of his illegal trade.

Well, Perhilitan cannot overlook him this time because he has been caught redhanded while attempting to smuggle out these protected snakes. The luggage broke at the airport and the snakes were discovered. Perhaps in a way, Wong has become careless because he could have just stayed put in Penang and let his underlings do all the dirty work of moving between countries. Or perhaps, he thought that he would be safe travelling within this region where almost all the countries are, one way or another, guilty of involvement in this business of endangering protected animal species to some extent.

People like Wong has no regard for the environment or conservation. To them, wildlife trading is just a way of making a living. I feel this is wrong because the resources of this planet is not infinite. Everything exists and co-exists in a perfect harmony -- Ed Stafford, the man who completed walking the length of the Amazon river in South America, will tell you this -- and when Man goes against Nature by unbalancing this balance, it will have irreversible consequences on our lives. We may not feel it immediately but not let our children suffer later.

But other than illegal wildlife trading, what's wrong is also the legal and illegal logging activities that go on in the jungles and on our hillslopes. Just because there is approval for trees to be chopped down doesn't make it a correct decision. By cutting down the trees and indiscriminately clearing the land of vegetation, we are stripping the earth of a natural cover and adding to the irreversible unbalancing of nature. This, again, must be stopped but unfortunately, some of the biggest culprits behind these activities are the governments themselves. And there's nothing that can be done to stop them.

In the meantime, here's an excellent expose in the National Geographic about Asia's wildlife trade. It's quite a recent story, published in January 2010, with Wong taking centre stage.

Oh no, not the annual Mars hoax again

Sayyy....did you somehow manage to see the planet Mars through your windows last night? I have a confession: I missed it. Despite having been told about it late last week, despite getting an email from a well-meaning friend -- no, wait, TWO email messages -- and despite receiving a text message on my mobile several hours ago. 

I'll spare you the details of the email messages as they were quite long but similar. However, the text message, here it is: "Planet Mars will be brightest in the night sky starting August. It will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. This will cultivate (sic) on Aug 27 when Mars comes within 50km of Earth. Be sure to watch the sky on Aug 27 12.30am. It will look like the Earth has 2 moons. The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287. Share this with your friends as no one alive today will ever see it again." And in order to give some sense of credibility to the message, it was signed off "authoritatively" by the "Dept of Surveying Science & Geomatics, UiTM Perlis."

Listen, people, this is a hoax that has been making its way round and around the Internet every July and August since 2003, seven years ago. It is such a silly story that refuses to go away. It has become quite tiresome to see it repeated ad nauseam every year at about this time.

The last time that Mars was at its closest to Earth in the last 60,000 years was on 27 Aug 2003 and even then, it was 55.7 million km away.

You have to understand just a smattering of astronomical science to know that Mars and Earth move around the sun at different rates (speed) in their own orbital planes. Sometimes, the planets are on the same side relative to the sun and sometimes, the planets are on different sides of the sun. So there are times when Earth and Mars are close together and there are times when the two planets are far apart. Their closest approaches occur approximately every 26 months (what this means is that for every revolution that Mars makes around the sun, Earth makes about two revolutions or thereabouts) and therefore, their relative close proximity is not a rare event; it will happen again in March 2012. It was just that in Year 2003, the two planets had been at their relative closest in the last 60,000 years.

Right now, Mars is so far away, a very distant 318 million km from Earth, that it's hardly visible in the night sky. In all probability, you'd need a pair of binoculars to see the planet before it sinks below the horizon....IF you know at all exactly where to look for it.

And why only at 12.30am? Why not 11.30pm or 1.30am? It's crazy, illogical and a stretch of the imagination. The common heavenly bodies are not something that appear suddenly in the night sky, like the way you switch on a light bulb in the dark. Because of the vast distance of space, they creep up on you very slowly. Provided that the sky is clear, you would have time to see them slowly appear and disappear over a period of years, months or days, never instantaneously.

Another astronomical nonsense: if Mars is meant to appear as large as the full moon, it needs to come as close as 766,000 km to us, which will never happen. To put this into perspective, that's about twice the average distance between Earth and our own Moon. In fact, if any space object of Mars' dimension (except our own Moon) were to come this near to Earth, whether it be 50 km or 755,000 km, it would be time for us to panic and not marvel at its close proximity.

Note: Wikipedia has an entry dedicated to this Mars hoax. Read it here.

Language blooper

Despite Singapore's very cosmopolitan and well developed society, it cannot hide from the colourful languages that its residents are wont to use sometimes. For example along Serangoon Road recently, I struggled a little when trying to get to terms with this menu along a restaurant's five-foot way. At least two items on the menu stood out. No prize for guessing them correctly.

Going legit

While driving through Sitiawan recently, it struck me that this could possibly be the only legitimate Ahh Long business in the country!

Working on a railroad

I found these pictures from yesterday's issue of The Star to be pretty irresistible, seeing how workmen are going about to replace the old rail tracks at the Penang Hill funicular railway in order to accommodate the new coaches that arrived last Thursday. I don't suppose it includes widening the track's rail gauge.

Full story here.

Yellow striped millipede

It was rather coincidental that just as I was telling Stephen about the common, black, seven-inch millipedes that one could find on Penang Hill or the Bukit Mertajam Hill, that we came across this uncommon yellow-striped millipede curled up on a tree trunk along the BM Hill track.

New coaches for Penang Hill funicular railway

So it has finally been unveiled: the new coaches for the Penang Hill funicular railway. Quite a modern design, I should think, but I shall miss the old ones. And especially, the old world charm of a 30-minute trip that would take hill visitors from the bottom station to the top and vice versa, and the change of coaches at the middle station. All these will be gone when the new coaches are put into commission once the RM63mil upgrading work on the funicular system is completed in November this year. Full story here.

Well and good that the new coaches will add to Penang's attractions but the government -- whether the Ministry of Tourism or the Penang government -- must also look into improving the facilities and attractions up on the hill. Right now, apart from the train ride and the breath-taking view of George Town, what else is there for the average tourist to see, do or feel? The new coaches may carry 1,000 people up or down in an hour (compared to 250 previously) but what do tourists do once they get up there? I think at the very least there should be a well-maintained tourist information centre as well as decent places for people to dine and stay. That food court alone is not good enough and that Bellevue Hotel has too few rooms to cater to overnighting tourists. Finally, will our government be daring enough to learn from the Hong Kong government and see what they did with their Victoria Peak? No need to follow their style but whatever works for Hong Kong should be studied and maybe, adapted to work here too.

Singapore reunion

Had a swell time in Singapore last weekend touching base with many of my old schoolmates and classmates who are now residing there.

Picture taken at the Ah Yat Seafood Restaurant at Turf City somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Don't blame me; I wouldn't know one end of Singapore from the other. Anyway, the food was fabulous. We started off with suckling pig and ended up with drunken prawns and crabs. In the picture: myself, Kok Chuan, Nai Kwang, Cynthia, Teik Kooi, Derek and Evelyn

From dinner, we proceeded to so-called supper. No heavy food - we couldn't eat any more - but there were plenty of drinks and snacks. In the picture: Teik Kooi, Nai Kwang, myself, Leong Teik, Kheng Hock, Derek, Evelyn, Anna and birthday boy Daryl.

Right, Paul is a proud...."Englishman"

I couldn't help laughing when I heard the news. It was about Paul the octopus. Remember this England-hatched cephalopod? He achieved world-wide fame by predicting all of Germany's 2010 World Cup results. Although Paul couldn't have cared less about all the fuss, he has now been slated in to help England's bid to stage the 2018 tournament.


"Paul has spent the last two years of his life in Germany, but he is definitely a proud Englishman and is therefore delighted to put his support behind England 2018," said a spokesman of the Weymouth Sea Life Centre where he will now be based. "With his predicting days behind him, Paul is now concentrating on a number of new projects and the England 2018 campaign is something we are sure he feels passionately about. Becoming an official ambassador for the bid is an honour for Paul."

It may be an honour for the octopus but I wonder whether the other notable characters in the England 2018 campaign team -- Prince William, Robbie Williams, Sting, Noel Gallagher, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button -- feel the same stirrings, seeing that that they are now chunked into the same aquarium as Paul.

Mastering self-strangulation

Yesterday morning, I sat at my computer at home (yes, the new desktop!) watching intensely the twitter reports that were coming in, courtesy of The Malaysian Insider, from the Teoh Beng Hock Inquest in Kuala Lumpur. Yesterday was the most significant day of the Inquest for a long, long time. Possibly the most significant day of all because it was the day that Thai pathologist Dr Porntip Rojanasunand finally took the stand to present her findings on the second autopsy of Teoh Beng Hock.

The twitter reports were informative enough but it could not convey satisfactorily the full drama that unfolded at the Inquest, especially her cross-examination by no other than the MACC's prosecutor. I did expect that Abdul Razak Musa would try all means to discredit Dr Porntip's testimony but I did not expect (1) his level of pathetic intelligence to show, (2) the levels that he was prepared to stoop, and (3) that he would make a complete fool of himself.

Here is the report from Malaysiakini that I've just read through and through. If it's not for the fact that someone is already dead, having fallen down from the MACC building more than a year ago, Abdul Razak's antics at the Inquest yesterday could well have been a comedic turn. As it turned out, it simply uncovered how shallow his mind is.

But before I get to the report itself, here is a little digression. The Successful Self-Strangulation Salesman. Gobind Singh Deo, the lawyer representing Teoh's family, was moved enough to twitter about Abdul Razak:

Now Dato Razak says that TBH strangled himself. Demonstrates in court!
Yes. Demonstrated in court! Had to stop him when he was trying to strangle himself. He is safe now.
Well, put left hand round front of neck. Then put right hand around back of neck. Then press hard. That's what he demonstrated. 

So there you have it. On record, a step-by-step demonstration on self-strangulation. It was all very knowledgeable indeed to me. I'm sure that the Coroner would have learnt something new today and Dr Porntip would have been equally impressed by Abdul Razak's knowledge too. Okay then, on to the main item on today's menu...ta dah, the Malaysiakini report with the very enticing title:

'Have you ever jumped off a building?'

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) prosecutor Abdul Razak Musa left lawyers and the public gallery alternately bemused and frustrated as he cross-examined a Thai forensics expert at the Teoh Beng Hock inquest today.

At the same time, Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand stood her ground despite his incessant attacks on her expertise, observations and conclusions on the death of the DAP political aide in July last year.

Her unequivocal responses quickly prompted legal department head Abdul Razak to ask if she had come to “to attack the MACC".

Pornthip calmly said: "I am here to defend the rights of the dead. Not for the Selangor government or anyone."

The forensic expert received so many rounds of applause from those in the public gallery for her comebacks, that an announcement had to be made for those present to maintain decorum.

Pornthip was cross-examined after she told coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas she found no evidence to suggest suicide by Teoh.


Abdul Razak railed at her from the onset by raising doubts about her credibility as an expert witness.

"Did you know that the university that you graduated from is not recognised in Malaysia?" he asked, eliciting disgruntled murmurs from the gallery.

To that, Pornthip answered, "But it is in the top five in Asia."

Unsatisfied, Abdul Razak (left) sought to discredit her by claiming that she had "moved the goalposts" because what she said this morning had 'contradicted' her earlier testimony.

(Her testimony today was based on observation of a second post-mortem, while her initial conclusions were based on a report on the first post-mortem.)

Pornthip refuted Abdul Razak, saying she had conclusively answered the possibilities raised in her first testimony through scientific evidence obtained in the second autopsy.

"The other doctors made a mistake," she said, noting that there were procedures which should have been made but were not undertaken during the first autopsy.

Absurd questions
Abdul Razak next had the gallery groaning in disbelief when he suggested that Teoh had strangled himself and was "depressive".

Interestingly, when asked by Gobind Singh Deo (right), who is representing Teoh's family, how someone can strangle himself, the MACC representative went as far as to demonstrate this on himself.

If that was not enough, Abdul Razak riled up those in the gallery further by suggesting to Pornthip that her report was "based on her imagination".

In an effort to make his point, he asked if Pornthip has any experience jumping off a building.

Exasperated by the barrage of provocative questions Malik Imtiaz Sarwar - representing Pornthip and the Selangor government - stood up to say: “With questions like these, we would all want to jump off a building.”

Abdul Razak also got his facts muddled, prompting Pornthip to repeatedly ask him to "remind (himself) of her report" and to "read the report".

But the lawyer was adamant, claiming he had "spent three days reading" the 11-page report.

His mix-ups led to representatives of the Bar Council and coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas to step in, to correct him.

Glaringly, the lawyer quizzed Pornthip on why she said Teoh was dead when he fell off Level 14, (where the MACC office is located in Plaza Masalam) but alive when he hit the landing on Level 5.

"I accept that he was alive. I never said that he was dead," said Pornthip who has offered her services on a pro bono basis.

Visibly amused, the coroner stepped in to clarify that issue was whether Teoh was conscious or otherwise, not if he was dead or alive. This was to no avail as Abdul Razak remained bewildered.

He then puzzled the court when he stated, "If (Teoh) was unconscious, his body would be heavier."

Retorted the pathologist: "There would be no difference. Scientifically, how could weight loss happen according to consciousness?"

Tired of explaining to Abdul Razak, who accused her of having "already made up her mind (against suicide)", Pornthip finally answered that she disagrees with his comments.

The court's amusement turned into frustration towards the end of Abdul Razak's line of questioning.

Members of the public sighed loudly when he finally wrapped up - and one even bellowed "Thank you!".

Abdul Razak later left the court complex in a huff, slamming shut his car door when questioned by reporters.

As his driver moved the car forward, it 'nudged' a Teoh supporter twice, as he tried to prevent the vehicle from leaving.

However, Ho Mun Chong - a DAP member who has attended every inquest hearing - was not injured.

Long distance golfer

A little sketch by the late British comedian, Marty Feldman, and it's dedicated to all my friends who play golf:

A credit to Changi airport

The time was about 1.30pm today. I was at Changi Airport's Terminal One to catch my flight back to Penang. It has been donkey's years since I last stepped foot into here, so much so that I needed help from the Information Counter.

There were two ladies at the counter, seated maybe four feet apart. I walked up to the nearer one to enquire about the ticketing counter for my flight. "Excuse me..." I began but before I could continue further, both the ladies were already on their feet, looking brightly, smiling broadly and giving me their fullest undivided attention. I asked about my flight and had all my questions answered immediately. And never a moment did their beaming smiles leave their faces.

I was greatly impressed. Clearly, this is the BEST customer service that I've come across in a very long while. And take it from me: if I say that something is good, I really mean it.

Unfortunately in my haste to check in, I had failed to note the names of the two ladies. I can only hope that there is someone from Changi Airport reading this and taking note of my feedback. They are a great credit to Singapore! Others will do well to emulate them.

Best banana leaf rice restaurant in George Town

Prices may have gone up but in my opinion, this is still the best place to experience South Indian banana leaf rice in George Town. I've been going to this restaurant since the early 1980s which means....something close to 30 years?

Monkeys are dangerous

I took this picture at the Penang Botanical Gardens about a year ago and had almost forgotten about it. Don't be fooled by all the talk that we are separated from monkeys by just a small strand of DNA. It doesn't mean anything! It doesn't mean that we can get up close and comfortable with them. At the end of the day, they are just wild animals.

It can be quite a shock when these animals turn vicious and it can happen in the twinkle of an eye. So, you just got to be careful when you are around these beasts. And it's important not to feed them or otherwise they become too familiar with humans.

Interim paint

I'm wondering whether "interim paint" is just a kind of "washable paint"?!

Spare arch for demolition practice

I visited the Penang Botanic Garden yesterday morning. Finally, work is in progress to bring down the two arches because this one nearest to the entrance into the Garden is the only one left standing. There was rubble all around but within the fenced up disaster area, no doubt the remains from the first arch.

 On Monday night, workers with their caterpillar crane had been busy demolishing the first arch. Actually, "busy" may not be the right term to use. The workers were hardly busy because after the initial jabs at the arch with a hydraulic breaker, the arch simply toppled over. This picture from Guang Ming was snapped at the critical moment that the arch came crashing down "almost in slow motion," according to witnesses. It was the last thing anyone expected to happen but it did, and it sent a shudder all around when the concrete smashed into the ground.

So much for Malaysia's famed feats of engineering when it was discovered that there was just three feet of concrete foundation. Three shallow feet to support tons of concrete rising 18 feet into the air raises questions about the planners and appointed contractors. No wonder the arch was leaning dangerously. I'm sure the other arch is also supported by only three feet of foundation. Why would it be any different? The sooner it is also brought down, the better.

Francis Light

Does anyone actually remember that today (11 Aug 2010) marks the 224th anniversary of Francis Light officially claiming Pulo Pinang as the first British settlement in the Far East??