Aid for Myanmar and China

The recent catastrophe that happened to Myanmar and China recently was indeed unfortunate and saddening. I was never aware that those 2 countries are prone to any natural disasters such as these.

Donation drives are on going and there was one organised recently by Federal Territories DAP and it was attended by all DAP Members of Parliament from the FT.

I urge members of the public to make contributions to aid the victims of the 2 nations.

YB Dr Tan Seng Giaw (MP - Kepong), YB Teresa Kok Suh Sim (MP - Seputeh), YB Tan Kok Wai (MP - Cheras), YB Fong Kui Lun (MP - Bukit Bintang), YB Lim Lip Eng (MP - Segambut)

DAP Thanksgiving Dinner -- 22nd March 2008

After assisting the DAP during the recent elections, I was invited to a Thanksgiving Dinner organised by them.

Got this cute mug as a souvenir:

And took a few pictures with a few Members of Parliament. Here are 2 of them:

Me with YB Tan Kok Wai (MP - Cheras)

YB Tony Pua Kiam Wee (MP - Petaling Jaya Utara) and I

Tony Pua is certainly a person that is highly respected by many.

He graduated from Keble College, Oxford University with a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics under a scholarship from the MTC Foundation in 1994. Prior to that, he received ASEAN and Shaw Foundation scholarships to pursue his "O" and "A"-Levels in Raffles Institution and Raffles Junior College in Singapore.

In February 2007, Tony Pua at 36, was made the Economic Advisor to DAP Secretary-General, Lim Guan Eng. Prior to the appointment, he was the CEO of a Malaysian e-business consulting firm listed on the Singapore Exchange. It was a company he founded 11 years ago. At 29 in 2001, he was then the youngest person to have listed a company in Singapore. However, as Tony wanted to serve the people full-time, he disposed of all his interests in the company prior to joining DAP. Tony comes from a small poultry farming family in the outskirts of Batu Pahat. He feels that he has been very blessed to date, and hence it is his wish to return the favour to the society and country.

During the elections campaign period, he was asked many times why is he so stupid to give up all and enter into politics with an Opposition party where there is no money to be made. He admitted that by selling his company, it has ensured that his family has been taken care of financially. But he certainly can go on and make more money. But he decided that sum of the good he can bring to the people by becoming their representative will be much more than the good that he can bring to himself by earning more money.

Wow...very noble indeed. A successful businessman turned politician.

All the best to the Yang Berhormats, and wishing you every success in carrying out your duties, and may the DAP flag fly high at all times!

A picture taken during my recent trip to Penang

Penang

Went back to Penang for about a week to attend a cousin's wedding.

Drove around a little, and also visited places that I've not been in years:

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)

Kek Lok Si Temple

My Chinese zodiac sign

Saw many of these at Penang Hill

Around Hanoi

This is my 3rd trip to Hanoi, and I decided that I must go to visit Ho Chi Minh (or Uncle Ho)...

Me in front of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

Thousands of locals and foreign tourist visit this place everyday. Every year, he takes a 2 months holiday to Russia for maintenance services for his body's preservation.

Also went to a few landmarks near the Mausoleum:

Ho Chi Minh Museum

A statue of Ho Chi Minh in the museum

Temple of Literature (which is the first University in Vietnam)


One Pillar Pagoda

Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad

He's one of the few world leaders that I respect. Served as our country's Prime Minister from 16 July 1981 to 31 October 2003 and will always be remembered for pulling Malaysia out from recession and defying international pressure to reject IMF's recovery package.

Finally I got the chance to take a picture with him, and its a picture that I will always treasure...

Ha Long Bay

Had a 1 day trip to Ha Long Bay during my recent trip to Vietnam. It was a beautiful experience, and if I am given a chance again, I will surely like to go there again...

Here are some pictures...

Behind me is one of the most famous landmarks of Ha Long Bay known as the "Fighting Cock Island" due to its shape

Also visited a well known cave which is supposedly the most beautiful and popular in Ha Long Bay. Here is how it looks like:

This is supposed to be the pillar that links earth and heaven

This is the pathway to heaven

And this is the main gate to heaven!!!

This represents a unicorn

This represents a tortoise. Similar to Chinese culture, it symbolises longivity

Very interesting place for a holiday!!!

Interesting food in Vietnam

My 2nd trip to Vietnam recently gave me the opportunity to walk around a little, and I found several types of food and fruits which I have never seen before in Malaysia.

Here are some of them:

Have you seen this fruit before?

Apparently, this fruit is cooked with rice, and the end result is this...

This is their ciku, and its the size of a person's clenched fist:

Here are some other fruits which I haven't seen in Malaysia before:

Looks like the banana, but its not...

I got no idea what this fruit is...

Wish for 2008

Well...2007 just passed, and it is now 2008. Chinese New Year is fast approaching and so is my birthday...just like most people, I have my wishes and hopes.

This year my wishes are simple. Just hope that my family and I will be blessed with love, care, understanding, happiness, good health and may we achieve our goals and aspirations.

In short:

This is a Chinese calligraphy writing I put up at home...Loosely translated to English as: May all dreams come true

Yang Berhomat Tan Kok Wai

Me together with YB. Tan Kok Wai (MP-Cheras)

He is a very nice gentleman, and is the Member of Parliament for the Cheras Parliamentary Constituency...

Had the chance to meet him on several occasions, and I must say that he is a very humble, helpful and hardworking guy.

So, to all registered voters of the Cheras constituency, please vote for him in the next General Election which is expected to be called anytime soon!!!

Vietnam!!

It had been a long time since I last updated my blog. With my recent conclusion of my Vietnam trip, I guess now is the right time to write an article.

Well, I was very excited about going over there, and the thought of becoming a millionaire got me even more excited....

Feels good to be a millionaire!!

Who wants to be a millionaire? Easy...just go to Vietnam

The flight was smooth, with nice scenes for viewing pleasure....

Mountains and Clouds...

As a whole, I would consider my trip there to be an eye opening experience. The difference in culture makes me feel that Malaysians are real lucky. In Vietnam, the rich are really rich, and they live in houses like these:

Rich man's house

On the other hand, we also see the hardcore poor....

This is a very common sight in Vietnam, and they sell everything from fruits, joss sticks, noodles to clothes...

They will sit on small stools by the roadside to have their meals...

And there are some who walk around like this:

There are also plenty of bikes and bicycles there...

Didn't go round too much due to the tight schedule. Just went around Hoan Kiem Lake...

Hoan Kiem Lake

At the end, besides souvenirs for colleagues and friends, I just couldn't resist having this photo taken for remembrance...