Eastern Asia youth chess championship 2024

 

8th EASTERN ASIA YOUTH CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

Pulau Pinang, Malaysia, 12 – 21 July 2024 

INVITATION

The Malaysian Chess Federation (MCF), under the auspices of the Asian Chess Federation (ACF) and World Chess Federation (FIDE), is inviting all National and Regional Chess Federations in Eastern Asia to participate in the 8th Eastern Asia Youth Chess Championship. The championship will take place from 12th to 21st July 2024, at CitiTel Hotel, located on the island of Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.

TOURNAMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS

1. ELIGIBILITY

Eligibility to participate in the event is as follows:

1.1. The Championship is open to chess players from the Eastern Asia Federations in FIDE Zone 3.3 and Zone 3.5. The participant must not have reached the respective ages before 1st January 2024.

1.2. There will be 12 categories, in case there are fewer than five (5) federations or eight (8) players in an age group, that group shall be merged with another age group.

i. Under 08 Open / Girls: Born on or after 1st January 2016

ii. Under 10 Open / Girls: Born on or after 1st January 2014

iii. Under 12 Open / Girls: Born on or after 1st January 2012

iv. Under 14 Open / Girls: Born on or after 1st January 2010

v. Under 16 Open / Girls: Born on or after 1st January 2008

vi. Under 18 Open / Girls: Born on or after 1st January 2006

1.3. Every Asian National Chess Federation can register only one Official Player in each category (maximum of 12 official players). No replacement from other categories can be made if there were no Official Player in one category. Playing in a higher age category for an official place shall be treated as an additional player.

1.4. For all official players – with a maximum of 12 official players per Federation, will be provided free board and lodging either on a double or a triple room basis. As and when necessary, a quad or a dormitory lodging may be arranged for the players, including arrangements at different hotels nearby.

1.5. Each federation may register any number of additional players. Additional players are subjected to payment of the entry fee, registration fee and fees for full board/lodging to the Organizing Committee.1.6. All participants must have a FIDE ID. For Malaysians, additional MCF ID will be required.

2. TOURNAMENT FORMAT

The tournament format shall be as follows:

2.1. Pairing System & Number of Rounds

The tournament will be conducted using Swiss System of 9 rounds, Swiss Manager Program for pairing and shall be in accordance with the Playing Rules of FIDE.

Note: Where there are fewer than five (5) federations or ten (10) players in a category, the organizer reserves the right to merge the group with another age group category according to FIDE Regulations for titles purposes

2.2. Time Control

Standard event – 90 minutes with increment of 30 seconds from move 1

Rapid event

– 15 minutes with increment of 5 seconds from move 1

Blitz event

– 3 minutes with increment of 2 seconds from move 1

2.3. Final Ranking & Tiebreak Systems

In the end of the tournament, the final ranking of the players will be determined according to the number of points obtained. If two or more players finish with equal points the final ranking shall be according to the tie-break results in the following order:

2.3.1. Direct Encounter

2.3.2. Greater number of wins (forfeit counted, byes are not forfeits)

2.3.3. Buchholz Cut 1

2.3.4. Buchholz Cut 2

2.3.5. Sonneborn Berger

2.4. Players from the same federation may play each other in the last round.

3. SCHEDULE

The tournament schedule is set as follows:

4. AWARD OF DIRECT TITLES

Eligibility for the Award of Direct Titles to event winners are as follows:

4.1. Direct titles may be awarded in accordance to FIDE Title Regulation (B01) effective from 1st January 2024 (Kindly refer to https://handbook.fide.com/chapter/B01DirectTitles2024)

4.2. U18 Open/Girl categories –

4.2.1. The Gold medalist shall be awarded the title of International Master (IM) / Women International Master (WIM).

4.2.2. 1st equal players (best 3 players after tiebreak) shall earn an IM/WIM norm.

4.2.3. The Silver & Bronze medalists shall be awarded the FIDE Master (FM) / Women FIDE Master (WFM).

4.3. U16 Open/Girl categories –

4.3.1. The Gold medalist shall be awarded the title of FM/WFM and an IM/WIM norm.

4.3.2. 1 st equal players (best 3 players after tiebreak) shall be awarded the title of FM/WFM.

4.3.3. The Silver & Bronze medalists shall be awarded the title of Candidate Master (CM) / Women Candidate Master (WCM).

4.4. U14 & U12 Open/Girl categories –

4.4.1. The Gold Medalist shall be awarded the title of FM/WFM.

4.4.2. The Silver & Bronze medalists shall be awarded the title of CM/WCM.

4.5. U10 & U08 Open/Girl categories –

4.5.1. The Gold, Silver & Bronze medalists shall be awarded the title of CM/WCM

4.6. For direct title to be awarded immediately an applicant has to achieved at some time a minimum rating published or interim as follows (see 0.6.2): IM 2200 / WIM 2000, FM 2100 / WFM 1900, CM 2000 / WCM 1800

4.7. Summary of Direct Titles Awards

5. TROPHIES, MEDALS & CERTIFICATES

Trophies, medals, certificates, and cash prizes offered to the winners and participants of the event are as follows:

5.1. Individual Prizes

Trophies, medals, and e-certificates will be awarded to the top three (3) in each category of Standard event, Rapid event & Blitz event. The fourth to tenth places will only be awarded medals and e-certificates in the Standard events.

5.2. Team Prizes

Trophies will be awarded to the top three (3) federations in each category of Standard event, Rapid event & Blitz event. The final ranking of the teams will be determined according to the number of points obtained by the top three players of each federation. Federations with less than 3 players (2 or 1 player/s) will not eligible for a team prize. In case of tie, the tie-break results of each top three (3) players of the federation shall apply.

5.3. Best Federation

Three best Federations, by ranking of medal collected in all categories in Standard event, will be awarded a trophy. The final ranking of the federations will be determined according to the number of gold medals. If there is a tie, then the number of silver medals, and if there is still a tie, then the number of bronze medals. If finally, this is still tied, then the number of medals in Standard, Rapid & Blitz shall apply.

5.4. Certificates of Participation

E-certificates of participation will be presented to all players after the event has concluded.

6. TECHNICAL DELEGATE, CHIEF ARBITER AND APPEALS COMMITTEE

The appointment of Officials for the event:

6.1. The Asian Chess Federation President, after consultation with the Malaysian Chess Federation (The Organizing Federation) shall appoint the Technical Delegate and the Chief Arbiter and the necessary assistant arbiters and other officials.

6.2. The Chairman of the Appeals Committee shall be nominated by the Asian Chess Federation President in consultation with the Malaysian Chess Federation. The Committee shall be composed of one chairman and two members and two reserves, all from different federations, chosen from among the representatives of national federations present.

7. APPEALS

Appeal process against the decision of Chief Arbiter or any of his assistant is as follows:

7.1. Any appeals of protest, including appeals against the decision of the Chief Arbiter or any of his assistants, must be submitted in writing to the Chairman of the Appeals Committee within fifteen (15) minutes after completion of the disputed game, accompanied by protest fee of 100 USD or RM470 in local currency. If the protest is upheld, the protest fee will be returned otherwise it shall be forfeited to the

Organizing Federation.

7.2. No protests or appeal will be entertained in the Rapid and Blitz events where the decision of the Chief Arbiter will be final.

8. REGISTRATION & FEES

Registration Process, Fees, and Procedures.

8.1. All OFFICIAL ENTRIES must be completed using the Official Registration Form and submitted by the respective federations via email to MCF official email at mcfsecretariat@malaysiachess.org with copy to syawal.chessworks@gmail.com before 23 June 2024 12 June 2024.

8.2. Please send copy of passports (in JPG file format with each file named as “Passport - Name Of Holder”) and ID Photos (in JPG file format with each file named as “ID – Name of Holder”) before the 17th of June 2024 to MCF official email at mcfsecretariat@malaysiachess.org with copy to syawal.chessworks@gmail.com

8.3. Registration Fee

All participants and all accompanying persons will have to pay a registration fee of USD110 per person. This Registration fee includes transportation from/to Penang International Airport, Accreditation Cards, Admittance to the event venue and banquet of Closing Ceremony.

8.4. Entry Fee

The Entry Fee for all Official Players shall be USD75 and USD150 for all Official players and Additional Players respectively. The Entry Fee includes for Standard, Rapid & Blitz events.

8.5. Closing Date

The Official Closing date to register shall be on or before the 23rd 12th of June 2024. Submission of entries after the Official Closing date shall incur additional penalty fee of 50 USD per person, and subject to Organizers’ discretion/space limitations. No entries will be entertained after the 26th of June 2024.

8.6. Flight Information

All flight information shall be sent to MCF official email at mcfsecretariat@malaysiachess.org with copy to syawal.chessworks@gmail.com before the 17th of June 2024.

9. BOARD & LODGING

Official Venue: CitiTel Hotel Pulau Pinang

9.1. The Official Hotel and Venue for the tournament shall be the CitiTel Hotel Pulau Pinang located at No 66, Jalan Penang, George Town, 10000 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

9.2. For safety and logistic reasons, all players and accompanying persons, coaches, and captains are obligated to stay at the Official Hotel with reservations made and secured via the Malaysian Chess Federation. 

9.3. CitiTel Hotel, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

9.4. The Organizing Committee will provide free board and lodging at the Official Hotel to all Official players and one (1) Head of Delegate per federation on double or triple room sharing basis from 12 July (with dinner to be provided) to 21 July (with breakfast only) 2024.

9.5. The rate offered for all additional players and accompanying persons for accommodation and full boarding at the official hotel shall be as follows:

Single : 110 USD per night per person (990 USD for 10 days & 9 nights)

Double: 90 USD per night per person (810 USD for 10 days & 9 nights)

Triple : 80 USD per night per person (720 USD for 10 days & 9 nights)

Note: price includes: 9 nights of accommodation (12-20 July), 9 breakfasts (13-21 July), 8 lunches (13-20 July) and 8 dinners (12-19 July, 20 July Dinner will be provided during the closing ceremony)

9.6. The Organizing Committee reserves the right to rearrange the rooming arrangements according to the room availability as it deems appropriate. This includes arranging additional rooms at nearby hotels (within a 15-minute drive) as and when necessary and/or required.

10. PAYMENT

All payments must be made to the Malaysian Chess Federation official bank accounts as per following details. All bank commissions and/or charges must be managed and paid by the sender/sender themselves. After the closing date of 12th June 2024, no request for refund shall be entertained.

Account Name: PERSEKUTUAN CATUR MALAYSIA

Bank Name: CIMB

Bank Accoun: 8000649725

Swift Code: CIBBMYKL

Bank Address

CIMB Bank Berhad (Jalan TAR Branch)

Ground Floor, Bangunan Commerce Life,

No 338, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman,

50100 Kuala Lumpur

Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

11. CONTACT DETAILS

For further information or clarification with regards to the Championship, please contact the following:

I. Najib Abdul Wahab

Honorary Secretary, Malaysian Chess Federation

Email: mcfsecretariat@malaysiachess.org

Mobile: +6016.338.2542

II. Jonathan Chuah

Committee Member, Penang Chess Association

Email: jonathan.chuah@gmail.com

Mobile: +6012.457.3263

III. Syawal Aqmar Shahrir Ariff

Event Administrator/Secretariat

Email: syawal.chessworks@gmail.com

Mobile: +6017.275.7276

Malayan chess

A story written by Leong Chee Weng, a long-time chess friend from Singapore. He has been in the forefront of chess for decades, having held top positions both in the World Chess Federation (Fide) and Singapore Chess Federation (SCF). In this story which appeared on his facebook account in April, he wrote about the early days of chess in Singapore and Malaya/Malaysia. It's worth a read:

MALAYAN CHESS: Before SCF & MCF

The Singapore Chess Federation (SCF) originated from the Singapore Chess League (SCL) which was formed in 1949 to basically organise three main competitions: the Inter-Clubs Team, the Singapore Schoolboys (presently, the National Schools Individuals) and the Inter-Schools Team. The SCL was housed at the premises of the Singapore Chess Club (SCC) which was founded in 1896!

The late Dr Yeoh Bok Choon from Johor (Malaysia) had graduated in Singapore and continued working there. In 1947, he was the SCC champion. It was through his persuasion and cooperation with the late Dr Lim Kok Ann that the Malayan Chess Association was also formed through the coordinated travel meetings made by Dr Lim to Penang and Kuala Lumpur. Hence the twin birth of SCL and MCA in 1949.

That year, the Malayan Championship was inaugurated in Penang and continued until the last edition in 1963 after which Singapore was separated from Malaysia. Richard Lim from Johor was the only Malaysian to have won the title of Malayan Champion.

In 1960, both Malaya and Singapore became members of FIDE. But what seemed strange was that in 1957, the national co-champion J C Hickey represented Singapore in the Zone Championship. In 1960, Malaya was represented by Choo Min Wang while Lee Chai Seng played for Singapore.  

When the Registry of Societies was established in Singapore in 1961, the SCL became re-constituted as SCF. In 1963, Tan Lian Ann became the first Singaporean to participate in a world-level event, the World Junior Championship. He also played in 1965. In 1968, Singapore competed at the Chess Olympiad for the first time. 

After separation, the MCA became rather inactive.  This could be that during the period 1949 to 1963, 12 editions of the Malayan Championships were held in Singapore with the exceptions of 1955 and 1961 in Kuala Lumpur. 

After a decade, in 1974, Dato Tan Chin Nam formed the Malaysian Chess Federation (MCF) and Malaysia played its first Olympiad as well as organised the first Asian Team Championship in Penang.

  

Name exploitation

As a committee member of The Dr Wu Lien-Teh Society in Penang, I want to say something about a recent development. Late last month, we hosted a group from Beijing consisting of publishers, supporters and researchers interested in the life and accomplishments of our local doctor, Dr Wu Lien-Teh. Through our interactions with them, we learnt that various individuals in China had been exploiting Wu Lien-Teh's name, especially during the COVID-19 epidemic. This exploitation has become increasingly problematic in recent years.

We couldn't help but wonder: how exactly was Wu Lien-Teh's name exploited? Well, it turned out his name and likeness were unlawfully used to establish companies and foundations, and even to bestow awards in his honour. Not only that, but trademarks were also registered, profits pocketed, funds raised through illegal means, and yes, fraud was committed. So, a group of individuals in Beijing took it upon themselves to safeguard Wu Lien-Teh's rights and legacy in China. 

(Now, why this specific group? Frankly, we're not entirely sure. Or at least, it's me alone who felt blurry as their conversations with us - our Society's main office-bearers - were all in Mandarin, and my poor understanding was based primarily on what they told me and what I could grasp. Anyhow, the only apparent link they have to Wu Lien-Teh was that a senior member of their clique claimed some distant kinship to the Wu Lien-Teh lineage. Furthermore, he had authored a recent biography on Wu Lien-Teh, published in China. But his appointment as the sole defender of Wu Lien-Teh's rights in China is lost on me. There are questions I'd rather not ask. And let's set the record straight: he's definitely not a grandson of Wu Lien-Teh, despite The Star newspaper's story. Makes you wonder if the reporter got their wires crossed, doesn't it?)

"We are committed to taking action against these dishonest groups to preserve (Wu Lien-Teh's) esteemed reputation," according to a brochure in my hands. Allegedly, these unethical entities enjoyed the protection of influential local factions in China, prompting the Beijing group to enlist the aid of legal and patent experts. Additionally, they garnered support from members of the National People's Congress and the Chinese Political Consultative Conference, resulting, they claimed, in some advancements in their efforts.

So alright, let's talk about Wu Lien-Teh now. The man's dead; he died more than 60 years ago in the land of his birth, where his story began and ended. Despite the flow of time, he remains a pretty big deal in China. Even though he hailed from Penang, he headed to China in 1907 at the request of the Manchu imperial government. Once there, he soon got caught up in a massive plague that ended up taking the lives of around 60,000 people in Harbin. He stuck around in China for three decades, during which he brought modern medical practices to the country and played a key role in establishing several hospitals across the land.

Now, China might want to claim Wu Lien-Teh as one of their own, but there's no denying that he was, first and foremost, an Anak Pulau Pinang or a Son of Penang through and through, not China's. I mean, why else would he have returned to Penang in 1937? Why not tough it out through the Sino-Japanese War? Well, for starters, he lost his home in Shanghai to enemy bombing. And besides, he figured the safest place for his family was back home in Penang.

But there's a point of agreement with the Chinese visitors. There is still much to learn about Wu Lien-Teh of his time in Malaya post-1937. What we do know comes from his autobiography, Plague Fighter. However, autobiographies and memoirs are only as good as what the author tells us. Beyond that, a lot of independent investigations will be needed. As time goes on, this becomes increasingly more difficult. As such, we may never get to learn the full story of this local doctor who got onto the world stage.

Chinese visitors

Several representatives from a Wu Lien-Teh research society based in Beijing, China, are currently visiting this region to learn more about Dr Wu Lien-Teh. Their travels had taken them to Singapore before they headed in Penang and from here, they will be proceeding to Ipoh and Kuala Lumpur in the next few days. Where else in Penang would they visit first but Penang Free School where Wu Lien-Teh (also known as Gnoh Lean Tuck during his schooldays) had his roots? He was the Head Prefect in 1894.

Having known of this visit more than a month ago from The Wu Lien-Teh Society Penang, I had arranged for the Free School Guiders to be available to show the Chinese visitors around the School. First stop was the Pinhorn Hall where they congregated at the back, careful not to disturb a school function taking place at the same time, contentedly paying attention to the wall plaques. Apart from the Head Boys plaque, a lot of their interest was also on the Queen's Scholars plaque where Gnoh Lean Tuck's name had featured.

From the Pinhorn Hall, they proceeded to the Archives Block to look at the precious Wu Lien-Teh books and photographs. They spent quite a while there and ended up exchanging souvenirs with the school's Senior Assistant, Leonard Selva. I have to thank the Free School Guiders and the School Prefects for spending some time with us. And also to the Headmaster, Syed Sultan, for permission to walk around the premises.

 

Testing Tidal

I kept hearing dealers at yesterday's Northern Internal AV Fair making constant reference to Tidal when it came to streaming services. I've been using Spotify for many years but the most that could be offered at their premium price was 320kbps sound. Tidal, on the other hand, was offering CD quality sound streamed to their subscribers as .wav or .flac files. My curiosity got the better of me today and I found that an individual subscription to Tidal's streaming services would cost only RM16.90 per month. By comparison, Spotify's rate was RM15.90 per month. It didn't require much thinking on my part to decide on a Tidal subscription. It's now like a new toy in my hands....

Talking about streaming, I've always been streaming music from the desktop computer to my modest hifi system since eons ago. My constant source of streamed content was BBC Sounds. This, apart from my on-and-off use of Spotify and sometimes TunedIn. There was this dealer at the exhibition who tried to interest me in his streaming box. "It's good for you since you stream so much," he tried to assure me as he demonstrated his RM4,000-plus box. I suppose it is because his box is also rather portable. Sorry, but no thanks. I get a decent enough sound from my present set-up: desktop computer > Panasonic integrated amplifier > Triangle bookshelf speakers / Bose AM5 speakers (sometimes). Good enough for me!

Is it music or sound?

Is it music or is it sound? The music enthusiast would tell you that the music is all-important, while the hifi dealers will tell you that it is the sound that matters. To resolve the issue, albeit temporarily, I made it a point to visit the northern international audio-visual exhibition at the Amari Spice in Bayan Baru yesterday. 

It was the second time that such an AV fair was held in Penang. I visited this one on the second day and quite enjoyed myself visiting all the dealers' exhibitions, sat in for some talks (that is, opinions) and listened to some live music along the way. But after having spent something like five hours at the exhibition centre, I was too tired to stay back for the evening's live performances.

The dealers brought in some of their best equipment for the fair. Read that to mean their highest-end models: amplifiers, pre-amps, speakers, streaming boxes, cables, etc. To be expected, the sound quality was superb. All of them. Maybe the discerning listener with a good pair of ears, and perhaps deep pockets, may be able to pick up (or believe to be able to pick up) some delicate nuances and differences in the sound but to my aging ears, I really cannot tell them apart. But what I could differentiate was that the sound emanating from their million-ringgit setup was far, far better than from my old own modest home hi-fi system. To me, all the high, mid and low range sounds came through the speakers flawlessly. 

But was I listening to the (quality of) sound from their systems or should I just enjoy the sheer quality of the music? Before that is answered, I want to say that there were five or six talks arranged for the afternoon. I missed some of them as I had to share my time between attending the talks and walking through the exhibition. But I did catch Randy Messman who talked about affordable hi-fi. My takeaway from his talk was that an enthusiast does not need expensive hifi equipment to listen to music. His own musical journey began with only a walkman cassette player. As cheapaudioman, he runs a channel on YouTube dedicated to this stuff which he knows best. His mantra is to help other people fill their soul with happiness at all budgets with the healing power of music. 

The last speaker of the day, Sujesh Pavithran, brought home the same point, that one doesn't need to spend tens of thousands of ringgit on hifi equipment if one only wants to listen to, and enjoy, music. He could get by with perhaps RM3,000 or RM4,000 of equipment. During his days as a journalist with the Star newspaper, he ran the weekly Audiofile section of the newspaper.

  

Farewell to three old friends

Three old friends passed away within six days - Yeoh Eng Hin, Thomas Khor and Lee Keat Heng - all coming as a shock to me. 

It's no fun living to be 100 when you are frail of mind and body. But it is still an immense achievement and for that, I applaud Yeoh Eng Hin to have lived until this ripe old age. This senior Life Member of The Old Frees' Association passed away on 12 April having attained this centenarian landmark. Frailty of body was a definite given but I do not know whether it had affected him in any other way as I had not met Yeoh in the last few decades of his life. In the 1970s, I used to be a frequent visitor to his record shop, known as Hinson, in Penang Road. I used to spend hours browsing through the interesting records he had stocked up.

Another OFA Life Member that passed away this week, on the 15th, was Thomas Khor, my old class teacher from the Westlands Primary School. Eighty-six years old when he died, I was taught by him exactly 60 years ago in Standard Five. For many years we lost touch but happened to reconnect after 2012 when I was starting work on Let the Aisles Proclaim. He was from Ipoh but at the time during or after the Japanese Occupation, his family made their way to Penang. He was a devout Catholic but instead of enrolling in St Xavier's Institution, he somehow found himself in Penang Free School. With some old school friends, we took him to revisit the old Westlands Primary School which today is a centre for sports excellence. Thomas Khor loved that visit and I could see his old familiar, spritely swagger return to his steps. He walked the length of the main building, climbed the stairs to the upper floor and peeked into the old classrooms. My last time seeing him was in the middle of last year at the New World Park food court. He was there with one of his sons, enjoying a meal when my friends and I spied him. And naturally, I went up to say hello. Old teachers must be appreciated. We grow up to become their friends.

Yesterday too, I learnt of the passing of Lee Keat Heng on the 17th. He was another Life Member of The Old Frees' Association. Understandably shocked by this news as only on Monday he was celebrating his 70th birthday. He was my classmate from Primary schooldays. Both of us had been placed in Standard 1E at Westlands but we parted company come the following year. Although we did not know one another very well as I went into an express class and he did not, the parting of ways could not hide the fact that Lee was one of my oldest school friends. We only began touching base again after the Free School's Bicentenary celebrations.

The container and the content

I've been digging through my old books to search for a particular story from Ajahn Brahmavamso, the Abbot of the Bodhinyana Monastery in Western Australia. He has a big following worldwide due to his wisdom. He's also a regular visitor to our shores and at the end of the year, he is likely to be in Kuala Lumpur and Penang for short visits. Ajahn Brahm is also a prolific author of books in which he give insights into Buddhism in his own humorous way. The book I was trying to locate was this one titled Good? Bad? Who Knows? which was a sequel to his earlier book, Who Ordered This Truckload of Dung? 

In the past, I had reproduced a few interesting stories from Who Ordered This Truckload of Dung? in several of my earlier blog posts here but never from Good? Bad? Who Knows? However with this socks incident still impacting the minds of small people everywhere, I shall now reproduce the very first of Ajahn Brahm's stories from this book. Here it is:

The Container And The Content 

A local journalist called and asked me, "What would you do, Ajahn Brahm, if someone took a Buddhist Holy book and flushed it down your toilet?"

Without hesitation I answered, "Sir, if someone took a Buddhist Holy book and flushed it down my toilet, the first thing I would do is to cal1 a plumber!"

When the journalist finished laughing, he confided in me that that was the first sensible answer that he had received.

Then I went further. I explained that someone may blow up many statues of the Buddha, burn down Buddhist temples or kill Buddhist monks and nuns; they may destroy all this but I witl never allow them to destroy Buddhism. You may flush a Holy Book down a toilet, but I will never let you flush forgiveness, peace and compassion down the toilet.

The Book is not the religion, nor is the statue, the building or the priest. These are only the 'containers'.

What does the book teach us? What does the statue represent? What qualities are the priests supposed to embody? This is the 'content'.

When we recognise the difference between the container and the contents, then we will preserve the contents even when the container is being destroyed.

We can print more books, build more temples and statues, and even train more monks and nuns, but when we lose our love and respect for others and ourselves and replace it with violence, then the whole religion has gone down the toilet.

Note: Good? Bad? Who Knows? was published in 2013. A year later, the contents were expanded to include several other new short stories and the revised book was published as Don't Worry, Be Grumpy. This same story, The Container and the Content, was given an expanded introduction:

There were riots in the streets some years ago after a guard at Guantanamo Bay was accused of taking a holy book and flushing it down the toilet. The next day, I took a call from a local journalist who told me he was writing an article about the outrage by asking leaders of all the major religions in Australia the same question he was about to ask me. “What would you do, Ajahn Brahm, if someone took a Buddhist holy book and flushed it down your toilet?”

 

Judge Dee

Judge Dee's Mystery is an unexpected gem on Netflix: an authentic portrayal of ancient China devoid of unnecessary Western storytelling and embellishments. However, the rapid pace of the subtitles was a challenge to me as it demanded quick reading to keep up with the dialogue while following the on-screen action. Many times, I had to rewind a few frames in order to finish rereading the subtitles.

Based on Robert Van Gulik's novels, Judge Dee's Mystery followed the titular magistrate's adventures in the Tang Dynasty court, played with finesse by Zhou Yi Wei. Appointed by Empress Wu Zetian, Judge Dee navigated a treacherous landscape of bandits and disillusioned citizens to uphold justice. While the focus remained on Dee's investigations, deeper exploration of secondary characters enriched the narrative tapestry.

The series succeeded in capturing the essence of Van Gulik's work and offered detailed insights into ancient Chinese society and governance. Zhou's portrayal of Judge Dee was a standout, blending quiet resolve with fiery determination to combat injustice. Despite occasional forays into exaggerated drama and unrealistic CGI, the series was engaging, driven by Dee's unwavering pursuit of truth.

Judge Dee's Mystery stood as a testament to the enduring appeal of historical detective dramas, weaving a captivating narrative across its 32 episodes. The commitment to authenticity was exemplary. Meticulous attention to detail in set design and costuming. The series stood as a testament to the heights that Chinese period dramas could achieve. A compelling exploration of justice and intrigue in ancient China; a blend of historical authenticity, gripping storytelling and compelling characters. A stellar ensemble cast, each bringing depth and authenticity to their respective roles. Wang Li Kun shone as Cao An, embodying infatuation and love amidst the backdrop of Tang Dynasty politics.

As a conclusion, Judge Dee's Mystery triumphed as an historical detective dramas with its commitment to authenticity, innovative narrative structure and standout performances. After having been treated to a visually stunning experience that solidified the series as a standout in its genre, I have to ask: will there be more to come than these 32 episodes?

Tolerance out the window?

Whatever happened to the virtues of tolerance? In the past few weeks, the country has been mired in farce as a politician-wannabe called on people of his race to boycott a certain mini-market chain on the pretext of the chain having insulted his religion by selling merchandise bearing the name of his god. I'm not saying whether the sale was right or wrong, whether it was intentional or inadvertent, or whether enough should be enough, but I found the whole episode so childish when this unrepentant nobody took his boycott call too far without considering the consequences to the economy and people's well-being. What was even more absurd was the emotional fervour he whipped up, making clueless people cause mischief outside other mini-market chains that had no connection with the original mini-market. Not to mention too the violence he brought on in the wake of his boycott call. 

Nowadays, it takes so little for these politicians to take advantage of situations. These people should be locked up and the keys thrown away, but the government won't do that. So we have this perceived insult and that perceived insult, and people seeing demons when there are none. If a little levelheadedness and common sense had prevailed, we would not have wasted so much time attempting to defend mighty gods who don't require any defence at all. I mean, who are we to defend an impregnable god? If one's personal faith is steadfast enough, this incident should be like water off a duck's back.

Brain tumour symptoms

How coincidental it was for me to discover this image on facebook some days ago! 

Although it is part of a series of sponsored information from a leading private hospital in Penang, the message is important enough for me to share around. 

In recent weeks, I've a close friend - we've known one another since our primary school days - who had undergone a risky operation to remove a tumour in his brain. 

Some of his symptoms were identical to those shown: headaches and visual disturbances. He underwent an MRI scan that confirmed the tumour and necessitated an immediate removal. My friend is now in rehabilitation and undergoing therapy.

Berbuka puasa

Together with a few friends from the Nandaka Vihara, we attended a Buka Puasa function in Kampong Pisang here in Cherok Tokun. Also present at the function was the state assemblyman for Machang Bubok, Lee Kkai Loon. Earlier, the Nandaka Vihara had presented some RM5,000 worth of essential food stuff to the villagers. It was interesting to note that the Penghulu had urged the villagers to put the disruptive socks incident behind them and move along.

Unimpressed

What is real and what is fake? Netflix's 3 Body Problem had a brilliant portrayal of the Cultural Revolution which enveloped China for many years from 1966, but beyond that, the eight-episode series felt damp. I forced myself to finish watching the first episode but I doubt that I'll be watching the rest of the series. 

Khoo Tiong Poh's grave

This being the Cheng Beng season, I thought that it is appropriate for me to say something about a solitary grave which sits on a piece of private ground on the island. 

Now, if one is a frequent customer of The Gardens Banana Leaf Restaurant along Free School Road, I would believe that sooner or later one will discover that this restaurant is located next to a grave. A big grave, actually. An old but big grave. Just one grave, but it is big. and old. Dating back to 1892, which makes it 132 years old in 2024. The inscription on the head stone, however, is all in Chinese characters and for a very long time, I was wondering who was buried here. But its immense size could only mean that the occupant must have been someone rich and perhaps influential. And he was indeed rich and influential.

Khoo Tiong Poh (b 1830, d 1892) was a prominent business and social figure in mid- to late-19th century Penang and Singapore, as detailed in this book, Biographical Dictionary of Mercantile Personalities of Penang. He founded Bun Hin & Co (萬興公司), a leading shipping enterprise in the Straits Settlements. His ventures extended to trading, planting, revenue farming and tin mining. In Penang, he made substantial contributions to the two largest Hokkien cemeteries, namely, the Batu Lanchang and Batu Gantong cemeteries. Khoo Tiong Poh had three wives, from whom he had eight sons and four daughters. He passed away in Singapore, with his burial in Penang marking his legacy. His estate, including businesses and properties, underwent liquidation posthumously due to financial challenges and familial disputes, leaving only his grave as a final reminder of his life. No image of Khoo Tiong Poh is available in the public domain.

These pictures of Khoo Tiong Poh's grave were taken in January this year. The main entrance into the site is from the Free School Road roundabout, which one has to navigate slowly in order to notice it. Otherwise, come enjoy a meal of vegetarian banana leaf rice at The Gardens and then take a walk through the restaurant to the grave.

CPR and AED

Sudden cardiac arrest, according to Dr Goh Eng Leong, a cardiologist from Loh Guan Lye Hospital in Penang, can strike at anyone at any place and at any time. Chilling statement but it is true, if newspaper reports are anything to go by. He spoke at a a sharing session to some 50 people at the Nandaka Vihara Meditattion Society who later underwent training on CPR and the use of AED equipment. I couldn't attend the training but I lingered long enough at the Nandaka Vihara to hear everything that Goh said. Maybe one day, I shall get the opportunity to attend a similar training.