The unsung heroes of Malaysia

Originally posted on The Malaysian Insider under the title “Reconnecting with one’s identity” on 24 April 2011.

The year was 1996.

I was 15 years younger and also 15kg lighter (if only they are both inversely related).

My only worries were to pass my examinations and for the boy whom I had a huge crush on to give me his time of the day. In my mind, we would have beautiful babies together.

The thought of returning home never occurred to me but it didn’t stop me from being an active member of the Malaysian Student Society. United Kingdom seemed far better off then.

Although it has been 15 years, I still think about the days when we, the Malaysian students, put up a swashbuckling performance at the annual Malaysian Evening gala. We did Malaysia proud by being hospitable, warm and friendly ambassadors. Our enthusiasm and solidarity were infectious and we built friendships that transcend ethnicity and religious affiliations through those years.

I miss the days when the Malay-Boys-Who-Can-Sing-And-Play-Music living downtown would invite my friend and I for home-cooked fish head curries. Apparently the fishmonger next door were selling the discarded heads for peanuts and like monkeys, we devoured every single morsel with much gusto and appreciation.

We also had a Malay friend who could measure the saltiness of his girlfriend’s satay sauce just by sniffing at it. Hers was the best satay sauce I have ever tasted. To reciprocate, my friend and I would make popiah and to our great surprise, they were well-received.

I mustn’t forget our one and only Indian Malaysian student. He was known as the quiet and shy guy who was joined at the hips by two other Chinese Malaysian students. They were really nice because they never forget to celebrate my birthday when I was alone during Easter holiday.

That was the only time when I remember being Malaysian.

15 years later, I am older and the questions running through my mind are of a different nature.

Would my marriage survive? Will I become a mother? Have I done enough for my ageing parents? Would I be able to afford a vacation in the North Pole so that I can see the polar bears? Would I die for my country? Would Malaysia ever change?

At 35, I have become cynical and resentful of so many things in life. What is certain is that the years gone by have served as a cruel reminder of how brutal time and poor eating habit can be.

Having worked and lived in four war-torn countries has somehow contributed a lot to my increasing lack of faith and respect for humankind. Although Malaysia is not at war, apathetic Malaysians combined with a morally corrupted government do very little to change my perception of human beings.

At the end of the day, I deduce we’re all just the same.

That changed on 2 April 2011 at Fort Cornwallis, Penang.

Perhaps it’s true that everything does happen for a reason. What happened for me was to leave my cushy life as an expatriate’s wife and to accept the challenging task of helping Malaysians understand the Federal Constitution. And the reason? I desperately needed to restore my faith as a Malaysian again.

The “Rock for Rights” concert organised by Bar Council’s MyConstitution Campaign, Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia and Frinjan on 2 April, reminded me of the semangat Malaysia I felt 15 years ago, but only better as I didn’t have to be in a foreign land to feel that I belong.

While working on this project, I got to know many Malaysians from very different walks of life and was privileged to learn from them. Many of them are either students or hold regular jobs such as teaching, marketing, public relations, writing, computer programming, event planning, environmentalist and lawyer.

Being an amateur who struggled to put together a concert, the bands and those involved were understanding, patient and forgiving. Many of them were just grateful that they had this rare opportunity to share their artistic talent as musicians and message as Malaysians. They are clearly no ordinary bands as they were not driven by monetary gain but only by their passion as musicians and Malaysians.

I asked Darren Teh from An Honest Mistake why they had decided to participate in this project.

He replied “We want to bring our music to the next level which is to cause change in someone’s life. Being part of this project helps us achieve that. When people listen to our song and knowing the reason behind the lyrics, it helps them connect with us ‘emotionally’. Besides that, knowing that we are adding value to the community, raising awareness of our rights and educating them through music – we are going beyond the boundaries of music, beyond just simple listening pleasure. We are proud to have been part of this entire project.”

I asked Petak Daud, an 18 year-old musician who stunned the crowd with his soft acoustic renditions of songs that speak loudly against the abuse of power by the police and government, what gave him the courage to sing such songs. He said, “The situation surrounding us is becoming worse. We’re like decomposing fleshes which in a matter of time will disappear altogether. This is my mission. I want to wake Malaysians up so that they can see the abuse taking place in this country.”

If a seemingly shy 18 year-old boy who unwittingly scratches his hair while he speaks on stage has the courage to sing such songs, why are most of us still keeping silent?

Azmyl Yunor has a theory – shopping malls and capitalism. According to him, Malaysia’s rapid economic growth over the last three decades has metamorphosised us from being Malaysians to creatures who are continuously motivated by economic gain above everything else. Before we could truly understand who we are as a nation, we occupy our time by shopping.

I told Azmyl that I was shocked by how passive the crowd was at Fort Cornwallis. While some of us cheered and danced to the music, many kept their seats warm by just watching without any expression on their faces. He smiled at my observation and shared his other theory of self-censorship.

Decades of living in a country where preventive laws and religious teachings are imposed have taught us that freedom of expression is vulgar and wrong. He said music is a form of escape. He wouldn’t be caught dead screaming on top of his lungs and rolling on the floor under normal circumstances.

The night was high when Barcode got everyone up to sing the Negaraku. I was exhilarated and I sang our anthem like how most kids would sing to Justin Bieber these days. And like the cool night breeze that provided us with much comfort, the affirmation that I love Malaysia came.

Ammar Khairi from Maharajah Commission shared similar sentiments. He said, “I sincerely hope that there will be many more patriotic souls in Malaysia as opposed to nationalists or even worse, haters. The difference is, a patriotic person would give out his heart and soul for the country and yet continually criticise constructively for a better Malaysia, whereas nationalistic pride is nothing more than waving the flag and declare your allegiance blindly and accepting everything that is told to you by the powers-that-be as the supreme truth.”

Later that night, the party continued. We, the Malaysians, shared and celebrated our identity by laughing and dancing the night away. Fellow columnist, June Rubis who flew in all the way from Sarawak to be our emcee (and to be starved as she emceed for 12 hours straight), screamed on top of her lungs, “I love you, you and you!” She whispered to me and said she would do it all over again.

I stayed high for the next couple of days. 15 years is a long wait after all.

Technorati Tags: Rock for Rights,Bar Council,MyConstitution Campaign,Frinjan,Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia,Azmyl Yunor,An Honest Mistake,Maharajah Commission,Petak Daud,Barcode,Fort Cornwallis,Penang,June Rubis

Rocking for rights

This was first posted at The Malaysian Insider under the title “The message is in the song” on 13 March 2011.

Bob Marley once sang these famous words:

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery

None but ourselves can free our minds

Have no fear for atomic energy

Cause none of them can stop the time

I wonder whether he was high on weed when he was writing those words. Whether he was or wasn’t, this song went on to become one of the most iconic songs for those who value freedom, particularly of the mind.

This article is about political expression in music. But before anyone jumps into conclusion that this is going to be an anti-government propaganda, here’s an interesting fact. Politics and music are not just about anti-establishment, anti-war or peaceful expression of protest against any form of government or political ideology. It can also be pro-establishment such as seen in the national anthem or patriotic songs.

So, if anyone starts criticising that music with political theme is evil, let’s be reminded that the Negaraku, which contains the lyrics Raja kita selamat bertakhta, is a song that all primary and secondary school students are compelled to sing first thing in the morning in schools.

I’ve always thought that political expression in music is a fairly recent phenomenon. When I think about music and politics, I usually picture half a million demonstrators gathered at Washington D.C and sang Give Peace a Chance by John Lennon in peaceful protest of the Vietnam War in 1969.

I was, of course proven wrong when I google searched and discovered that classical composers such as Beethoven, Verdi, Shostakovich, Stravinsky, just to name a few, have been known to compose music that had either abhorred foreign domination or venerated a particular regime. We, who live in this modern era, tend to identify more with singers and bands such as Bob Dylan, John Lennon, The Clash, U2, Rage Against the Machine, Bob Marley, Sex Pistols and many others when it comes to expressing political messages through music.

When it comes to spreading and sharing messages, nothing has been quite as effective as music, which explains why Christians still sing praises to God and the Taliban banned it in Afghanistan.

Music can either reinforce a message, or destroy it; depending on which side you’re looking from. After all, music is a manifestation of freedom and for some, this is something to be feared of.

In 1990, a non-profit and non-partisan organisation called Rock the Vote emerged in the United States of America to attract the seriously declining youth population to register as voters and to vote in the election. Its modus operandi is none other than music, popular culture and new technologies. The campaign was so successful that the percentage of registered young voters increased by 20% within 2 years since its inception. In 2004, more than 1.2 million youths registered as voters on its website. I believe wide participation by celebrity spokesperson such as Christina Aguilera, Robert Downey Jr., Leonardo DiCaprio and Justine Timberlake plays a part in making this campaign a major hit.

In 2004, rapper Sean “P Diddy” Combs, led a not-for-profit organisation called Citizen Change responsibled for the campaign called Vote or Die. In the 2004 US elections, the campaign attracted 20.9 million young voters from the age of 18 to 29; a staggering change from the 16.2 million young voters in 2000. This inevitably helped to raise the overall percentage of voters in America in 2004.

Today, I want to write about a somewhat similar campaign in Malaysia but without the violence. Nobody is going to die but hopefully many will start to vote.

I learn that there are 27 million Malaysians, 11 million voters, 4 million more eligible Malaysians who haven’t registered to vote. I also learn that we have a Federal Constitution that guarantees all of us rights, freedoms and a democratic system of government that answers to us. But the question is: how many Malaysians know this?

The information above can be found on the CD inlay of Radio Demokratika, a music album produced by the Bar Council’s MyConstitution Campaign in conjunction with its Elections and Democracy theme. Some of you may have seen the eye-catching pocket-sized booklets that contain a wealth of information pertaining to the Federal Constitution produced by the Campaign, but this music album has only been making its debut just recently.

Last Saturday, amidst a decent crowd of more than 200 people, the album was launched at Pekan Frinjan 18, a regular event organised by Frinjan at Dataran Shah Alam. Close to 100 copies of the album was sold within that couple of hours, especially after an electrifying live performances by some of the bands.

Radio Demokratika features 12 original songs written and performed by 12 local independent bands. I was told that names such as Azmyl Yunor, Carburetor Dung, amongst others, are infamous in the underground music scene and no strangers to many urban youths since more than two decades ago.

There are many strong qualities about this album. Apart from the obvious fact that the songs are mainly about the Federal Constitution and socio-political issues that concern Malaysian youths such as inter-racial relationships, freedom of expression and political responsibilities, it has huge potential to unite youths from all racial divide and in so doing, encourage them to play a role in making Malaysia a better place to live.

As I listen to the lyrics of one of the songs that goes like this:

We’ll be the change that our nation needs to see

We’ll turn the dream into reality to be

A land that’s peaceful and strong

Which fights for right against wrong

And all of its people united and free!

I’ve begun to realise that this is precisely what this Campaign has hoped for.

There is no doubt that this Campaign can never achieve the same kind of magnitude that Rock the Vote or Vote or Die have achieved but make no mistake that it has great potential, with your support.

There is nothing more refreshing than this campaign as you flip through the morning headlines that write about nothing but what Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat have or have not done. The Campaign does not speak about political parties but only political issues.

Mahatma Gandhi once said: "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."

I’ll say that the greatness of a truly democratic nation can be judged by how well we have emancipated ourselves from mental slavery.

Many days and weeks later: Silence of the Lim

I blame it on the hotel suite at the Residence Inn, Marriott and the Office of License Collector in St. Louis. The day I moved into the suite, unpacked my 2 suitcases and began to make myself feel at home, that was the day when I stopped blogging.

It’s like when I saw all my clothes hanging on the wardrobe rack, arranged in the order of warm, formal, work and casual; and the rest folded neatly away in the countless of drawers in the bedroom, I kind of sub-consciously told myself that there is no urgency to pen down my daily journal as religiously as when I was in Washington DC.

Yeah, a bedroom suite with ample of storage space and living out of a suitcase is bad.

Picture above: The St. Louis City Hall

On top of that, living the unaccustomed life-style of a “foreign dignitary” (believe me, I wouldn’t like to be referred to as that but for Michael and Charlotte who insist on calling us that), courtesy of our hosts at the Office of License Collector, has made it impossible for me to keep track of what had happened in the last few weeks. By the time I wanted to blog about something new that had happened on the day before, it had become old news.

At the risk of sounding as if I am having too much of a good time (although I insist on calling them socio-cultural activities), I’m just going to provide a very summarised version of some memorable events that had taken place, or will be taking place:

• Attend the St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) luncheon at the Renaissance Hotel;
• Field passes to watch the St. Louis RAMS versus San Diego CHARGES game at the Edward Jones Dome;
• Attend the 100 Black Men masquerade ball at the Hyatt River Front Hotel;
• Attend Sunday service at the Prince of Peace Church;
• Shopping at Macy’s, Saks @ 5th Avenue, the Mills, etc.
• Dining at various local eateries and soul food;
• Attend the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) gala at the Millennium Hotel;
• VIP seats for America’s Got Talent live show at the Fox Theater;
• Going up the Gateway Arch;
• St. Louis Zoo at Forest Park;
• St. Louis Science Centre;
• Live jazz and blues at BB’s, South Broadway;
• Trip to Jefferson City, capital of Missouri State;
• Trip to Chicago;
• Attend Friday Shabbat at the Temple of Emmanuel;
• Attend the Rally for Sanity, Gateway Arch.
• Halloween with the St. Louis BLUES hockey team against Atlanta THRASHERS at the Scottrade Centre;
• Visiting legendary baseball player Lou Brock at his home; and

the list can go on…..

Wonder whether I do any work or serious stuff at all? Of course, I do. Who am I kidding?

In addition to the countless of meetings with government and elected officials, non-profit and business communities, I have been working with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) for Eastern-Missouri on their campaign to push for the passing of a State Bill to bring the police from state to local control of what is known as Proposition L (Prop L). A referendum on Prop L will be carried out simultaneously at the mid-term election next Tuesday.

Above: A rally that was held outside the St. Louis City Hall in conjunction with National Day Against Police Brutality on 22 October 2010

Above: Doing some community work with Mission Continues, a non-profit organisation which aims to help former war veterans to find purpose and meaning in their lives again.

And if you think some of these activities are not serious enough, here’s a photo which will prove it.

Standing on the glass floor at the top of the Willis Tower (formerly known as Sears Tower), Chicago, has got to be some serious stuff, man!

Anyway, I’ve already got some articles planned for my TMI column. Do watch out for that.

 

 

 

 

 

Photo on the left, courtesy of CW Lim.

DAY 7 & 8: Leaving Washington DC to St. Louis, Missouri

 

DAY 7: Preparing for our fellowship

After nearly a week of orientation in Washington DC, it’s time for all of us to be deployed to our respective state hosts. The Indonesians are going to Mississippi, the Filipinos, Atlanta and Malaysians to St. Louis. Just as I was getting used to living in Washington DC (and of course with still so many more places to explore; the Smithsonian museums in particular, but who’s keeping count, eh?), it was time to leave and I was feeling rather melancholy. The good news is, we’re coming back after 4 weeks.

We spent half a morning with Kristin at the Club Quarters Hotel conference room. She briefed us on our respective fellowship schedules and miscellaneous assignments we’re expected to do during that period of time. Then, we were off to Capitol Hill for a quick tour.

Top left: On the way to Capitol Hill through an underground tunnel for staff.

Top right: The delegates taking pictures of Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s entrance to Congress.

As usual, I was not disappointed although it was crowded with visitors and we had to rush through the tour. The highlights were definitely the 15-minute video called E Pluribus Unum, Latin for “One From Many” (found on the US 1 dollar bill) and the inside of the Rotunda (see picture below) which took my breath away. The video seeks to illustrate the historical background of the American Congress (House of Representatives) and its significance.

I thought the video was insightful and inspiring at the same time. If there’s one thing I’m learning from the Americans; it’s that they do know how to run a fantastic campaign and to “sell their products”. By the end of the video, I was convinced that the American Congress is the greatest democratic institution and serves as a strong and proud model for the rest of the world despite being told by many, how disappointed and upset the Americans are with their present Congressmen and women. I believe their success lies in two main factors; lots of money and getting the best team to run the campaign.

I then went to the new US Supreme Court which was originally housed in Capitol Hill. Unfortunately, it was closing in 15 minutes and I had to rush through the whole building. I thought I could squeeze the national zoo on the way back but instead I went to watch a new documentary called Waiting for Superman by the same producer that did An Inconvenient Truth. The documentary is about the declining quality and standard of public schools in America.

Above: The US Supreme Court. On the top front of the Greco-Roman building, it’s written Equal Justice Under Law.

I could see that the American audience is more interactive than in Malaysia. They would respond to what’s being presented in front of them on the silver screen. For example, the audience applauded, expressed their disgust and sighed out loud at appropriate moments throughout the documentary. They were appalled to see thousands of children being entered into lottery  so that they would stand a chance, regardless of how remote it may be, of getting into a good school with very limited spaces. While I acknowledge that it’s sad state of an affair, I couldn’t help but think how Malaysians have been robbed of a good education for decades and nobody would have dared to make a documentary about it if they are not prepared of the possibility of government reprisal.

When I was waiting for my popcorn before entering the theater, the guy behind the counter asked what movie I was going to watch. As soon as I said “Waiting for Superman”, his reaction was, “Oh really? Why?!!” Taken aback, I asked whether there was something wrong with the documentary. He looked around and once he was satisfied that no one else was around, he slipped a printed piece of paper to me and urged me to read it. As it turned out, the paper is Rick Ayers’ criticism of the points asserted by the documentary. You can read it here. And this is what I call a healthy and robust democracy – allowing people to express their point of views and then to have others rebut it based on facts, research and study. And, nobody dies from this.

For our last night in Washington DC before we return again in 4 weeks’ time, Rajiv and I hit Adams Morgan. It is a vibrant area where the clubbing scene is. The roads were filled with people ready to party all night long. There was also a bunch of people protesting against the International Monetary Fund (IMF) while being observed by policemen. We went to have dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant. Since I lived in Ethiopia for almost a year, I can tell that the food is not as authentic or delicious as the real thing, but it was sufficient to remind me of a place I once loathed in the beginning and learned to love in the end. (The injera still looked like folded tea towels which made me laugh.)

Day 8: Living like a VIP in St. Louis

Upon arrival at the airport, we were greeted by a tall, handsome and well-dressed man, and a jovial and warm woman. Michael McMillan, License Collector for the City of St. Louis, and Charlotte Ottley, Michael’s assistant, will be our hosts for the next 4 weeks.

When we finally secured our luggage and stepped onto the tarmac, I was stunned to see a long black limousine waiting for us by the sidewalk across the street. The first thought that came to my mind was this: “How on earth are we ever going to live up to this?” You see, Michael, Charlotte and two more individuals from St. Louis who are yet to be identified, will be visiting Malaysia in December. This is part of the ACYPL exchange programme.

I was rather distracted by the whole “grand gestures” (Benedicto will smile if he reads this) that I failed to notice my surrounding. I definitely notice the number of whiskey carafe in front of me and the fact that Charlotte and Michael were sitting way at the back that it was probably impolite for me to raise my voice so that I could talk to them.

I was also stunned when I saw our accommodation for the next 4 weeks. We were all placed in a double bedroom suite at the Marriott Residence Inn and since I’m the only woman, I get a whole suite to myself. Not only that, Charlotte had prepared a welcome pack for each of us and I must confess that tears came to my eyes as I opened the bag that is filled with all sorts of wonderful girlie stuff. I told Michael that I felt as if I’m in America’s Next Top Model and he laughed. All in all, Michael and Charlotte’s generosity  and hospitality were beyond comparison and nothing that I have quite experienced before.

We had a few hours of rest before being picked up by a polite and nice gentleman named McFarlene Duncan. McFarlene works in Michael’s office and he was to accompany us to a black tie fundraising event for the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity of the Epsilon Lambda Chapter of St. Louis at the Marriott Hotel at Union Station. I must confess that I was dreading it, especially when I was ill prepared in the wardrobe department. Thankfully, my turquoise silk kebaya was a huge success as I received appreciative comments by the women there. Everyone looked dignified and handsome in their tuxedos and evening gown. Michael of course, looked dashing and I smiled when I saw this video on You Tube.

Now, if you really know me, you’ll also know that I’m actually shy and uncomfortable in formal and high society-type events. I’m especially bad when it comes to striking up interesting conversations, networking with important people and putting a spotlight on myself so that I’ll get noticed. I tend to shy away from this but I’ll always remember what Mom tells me, “As an adult, you’ll need to learn to do all sorts of things which you don’t like. It’s called responsibility.” The other thing which I constantly tell myself is to always give something a chance before making any conclusion and as it turned out the night was fun, interesting and I was glad that we were invited to attend.

We were honoured to meet so many interesting people and with those who received awards for their contributions to their local communities. I learned a lot about the American culture of fraternity and sorority. I also learned about how people do fundraising event and above all, I learned that all African Americans can sing (not that it’s a secret if you watch American Idol but I just didn’t know how many they would be).

I don’t know what to expect come Tuesday when we finally start our fellowship. I must confess that I wait for it with great anticipation but not without trepidation. It seems that people here have such great expectations of us and I hope we won’t disappoint them.

Thank you Michael, Charlotte, McFarlene and everyone else who have welcomed us to St. Louis with style, warmth and kindness.

The Malaysian Invader Exclusive with Genie Cum Laude

Genie Cum Laude, famously known as just “Genie”, was first made popular by the book One Thousand and One Nights in the 9th century. Since then, he had made special appearances here and there. It wasn’t until a gazillion year later that he made a real come back as a female form in the American series I Dream of Jeannie in the 1960s. At that time, he adopted Barbara Eden as his stage name.

He once rubbed shoulders with iconic figures such as Aladdin, Ali Baba, Sinbad, Robin Williams (who did the voice over for his animated role in the 1992 Waltz Disney production of Aladdin) and of course, Larry Hagman.

Christina Aguilera is purportedly one of his biggest fans.

As Genie has the ability to appear in different shapes, sizes and forms, his real appearance remains as much a mystery as his real age today. What we do know for sure is his ability to grant his master 3 wishes (due to global recession, it was reduced to 1 in recent years). This ability made him the World’s 8 Most Powerful Personalities in history by Forbes magazine.

He shares this title with Julius Caesar, Qin Shi Huang, Peter the Great, Mahatma Gandhi, Napoleon Bonaparte, Mao Zedong and Teddy Roosevelt. However, his ability also earned him the title of World’s Most Beloved Person for 50 consecutive years (until Mother Teresa came along), which none of the other 7 achieved.

Last week, we saw a world in mourning. Genie announced his retirement at a press conference in Cairo. He was quoted as saying that he is no longer needed in this world and he is ready to retreat into his lamp forever.

The Malaysian Invader (TMI) was granted an exclusive interview with Genie.

Given the long history you have, could you give us a summary of the most significant things you’ve done in your life?

(Snorts) I’m a Genie. Most of the time, I did what my master asked of me. So, if I’ve ever done anything significant, it won’t be because of me. One may say that my decision to retire is perhaps the only significant thing I am doing. It’s my decision solely and that’s a very very rare thing for me.

Can you actually do that? I mean, do you have the power to retire?

After working as a slave for more than 12 centuries, granting an average of 3000 wishes a year, I think it’s reasonable that I’m calling it quits! Don’t you think? (Laughs out loud).

OK, if you mean whether I can actually do this, yes, I can. I just can’t tell you how.

Who were the most memorable personalities (not masters) you’ve worked with? Please keep it to two.

Wow, this is a tough question. After more than 1200 years, it’s hard to keep track of the people I’ve met or worked with.

If we’re talking about more recent times, I’ll say Robin Williams. He was interesting because he turned me into this funny and crazy character. I would love to be that Genie in Aladdin (winks).

I also like Bill Daily who played Roger Healey in I Dream of Jeannie. He didn’t allow Larry Hagman to pull any crap on him.

Speaking of I Dream of Jeannie. What was that all about? Were you in debt?

You don’t say! That was the most humiliating thing I had to do. I begged them for a stage name and they gave me “Barbara Eden.” It wasn’t easy since I hate the name “Barbara.” But what could I do? Master said he wanted to be famous.

Wait. You’re telling me that your master at that time was…

(Nods his head) Uh huh.

Rumours have been going around that one of your famous masters include Rosmah. Can you verify this, please?

(Looks around in a sheepish expression)

Rosmah? Who’s Rosmah? I don’t know anyone called Rosmah!

(Looks around and starts whistling)

How does it feel like to be in the same list as personalities like Napoleon Bonaparte, Mahatma Gandhi, etc.? Do you think Adolf Hitler should have been in the list?

Well, the list is for the World’s Most Powerful Personalities in History, not the World’s Most Congenial Personalities. So, I think Hitler should have been in the list. A man who was responsible for the death of 6 million Jews was definitely powerful, much more than Mahatma Gandhi. I think he had a more successful campaign than Gandhi.

Maybe you should ask Rosmah (whoever she is) this question. (Laughs out loud)

What are the most popular wishes that people ask for and what is the most bizarre wish that you’ve asked to perform?

Human beings are so boring. They always seem to ask for the same things. They lack imagination and this in many ways, has contributed to my retirement.

They often asked for immortality, wealth, power, love, fame, beauty and of course, the most popular of all, for more wishes.

(Yawns, yawns)

The most bizarre wish I had to perform was to ensure the death of a master’s nemesis. I think that’s more stupid than bizarre. I mean, she could have wished for invincibility or anything that could have effectively prevented her from being harmed by her nemesis, but no… death was the only solution she asked for.

Again, I’m often bored by the stupidity of human beings. Excuse me for being so brutally honest.

Why do you feel you’re no longer needed? Are people finally happy with their lives?

Whether I like it or not, I’ve become redundant. People often think that I can perform miracle and that I’m the only one who can make the things they want come true. They think I can make them happy.

Take for example, an overweight 18-year-old girl once asked me to make her thin. She wasted her one wish for this when she could have taken control of her weight if she had wanted to.

Some people had asked me for world peace. I’ve always told them that this wouldn’t last for long because the next day, someone else would ask me to perform an evil deed that would inevitably affect the world adversely. For world peace to sustain, everyone must be united. It’s not an individual quest.

Women who asked for beauty often ended up cursing me. Their beauty sooner or later became an object of envy and hatred from others. Instead of being happy, they suffer from sexual harassment and isolation from other women.

It’s the same for those who asked for immortality, wealth and power. They often ended up being alone and questioned whether the people around them were indeed their true friends or not.

My long experience tells me that human beings have this innate nature of being unhappy and destructive. I no longer want to partake in their miseries.

Final question: We heard that you were *ahem* good friends with Larry Hagman after staring in I Dream of Jeannie with him for many years. He of course went on to appear on the soap opera Dallas. You don?t by any chance know whether J.R. did shoot himself in the final scene, do you?

(The Malaysian Invader was unable to obtain an answer for this question as Genie disappeared into thin air.)

For those who may have more questions or comments for Genie, please write in to us. He told us that with his new iPhone 4, he is reachable via email 24/7. Please do refrain from asking him for wishes.

This article was first posted on Loyar Burok on 25 June 2010.

Sex, Lies and Videotape by Steven Soderbergh

One of the first few lessons you learn when trying to market a product is to come up with a catchy name. If that doesn’t work, then aim for a provocative name such as this 1989 movie written and directed by Steven Soderbergh.

I’ve heard the accolades received by this movie and I’ve heard it being quoted in other movies. Naturally, I was intrigued and it wasn’t until tonight that I managed to watch it for the first time.

The verdict? Very interesting and thought-provoking. In fact, it was even better than I thought.

Confession. From the title itself, I first thought that it would be some kind of a raunchy erotica, starring James Spader. Hmm..interesting, right?

Truth be told, if I had watched it several years ago, the movie might have disturbed me as much as Last Tango in Paris is disturbing me now. But fortunately, I think it’s a daring, honest and original screenplay.

If you’re expecting to see Andie McDowell’s naked body in the movie, then you’ll be sorely disappointed. In fact, there is hardly any display of intimate scenes. At least not visually. Instead, you’ll be well compensated and stimulated by its script,  which makes it extremely clever.

I don’t really want to write about what the storyline is all about. Suffice to say that there’s a lot of emotional riddles waiting to be solved bit by bit as the movie progresses and it explores one of the most basic human needs, sex; and methods of self-preservation, lies. The videotape is just a means to get one of them and to expose the other.

I’ll leave with one scene I particularly like just to give you an idea of what I was talking about:

Ann: Did he touch you?
Cynthia: No.
Ann: Did you touch him?
Cynthia: No.
Ann: Did anybody touch anybody?
Cynthia: Well... yes.
Ann: Don't tell me... don't tell me... don't tell me. You didn't!
Cynthia: I did.
Ann: You didn't!
Cynthia: I did.
Ann: You didn't!
Cynthia: I did!

The World March for Peace and Non-Violence, Kuala Lumpur – 10 October 2009

The quiet and posh residential area in Jalan Bangkung, Bangsar, was hit by a tidal wave of loud music, vibrant live performances, piercing whistle blows and screams by throngs of people from all walks of life and (not forgetting) smoky scent of grilled meat, last night.

Sounds rowdy enough? Yes, but all for a good cause and it was done peacefully as well.

I usually go to Jalan Bangkung for two reasons; the restaurants and Bali Ayu spa. Last night was special because a group of NGOs; Voice of the Children, Women’s Aid Organization, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, NurSalam, World Without War and restaurant group Maxim Image (owners of Cava, Leonardo and Opus) came together to organize an event where Malaysians could gather in one place to express their solidarity and commitment to peace and non-violence. The night was marked by a candle-lighting ceremony and a not-so-solemn walk with lanterns around the strip of restaurants.

What I find interesting was how men, women and children from all ages and races were able to shed their cultural and political differences by holding hands and partying the night away. I smiled watching a man of about 60 years old with seemingly mild demeanour, clapping and dancing to the rhythm of hip drum beats. There were two men in the same age group; an Indian and a Sikh, waving the Jalur Gemilang at the front of the stage, while being observed by a foreigner who grinned with amusement.

Pet dogs of all shapes and sizes were not left out from the event as well. Many owners brought their furry friends to participate in the lantern march, much to the envy of neighbouring dogs, barking ruefully from the inside of gated residences. It was amusing observing some of them chastising their over-zealous pooches trying to sniff around the lower regions of those walking at the front.

It was also an expressive night where ordinary people displayed slogans on banners and T-shirts from “Stop violence against women”, “Are you a registered voter?” to “Love us, not eat us”. My favourite was, “An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind” by Mahatma Gandhi and one which says, “I am woman, hear me roar”.

The live performances were refreshing, energetic and pretty darn entertaining but nothing still touch the people quite as much as Michael Jackson’s Heal the World when it came on the loud speaker.

What I saw last night taught me one lesson. We can achieve unity and peace as a multi-cultural nation, if we want to. It was rare for me to see Malaysians of all races gathered together in a place where pork, beef and alcohol were served with the present of dogs, and non-Chinese children  took to the street with Chinese lanterns of all shapes and sizes. Nobody came out and accused anyone of being disrespectful of any particular religion but instead focussed on respecting each other’s diversity without compromising their own.

I wish everyday could be like this and not just during an annual event. We should remind ourselves each day that we need to heal the world and make it a better place.

Peace to everyone!

Alexis Bistro Live Performances @ Great Eastern Mall, KL

When I first knew that Alexis Bistro is going to run a series of live jazz performances (July – September 2009) at one of their branches in Great Eastern Mall, Jalan Ampang, I was thrilled. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw that Rachel Guerzo was going to perform a tribute to Cole Porter. (For those in the know, Cole Porter was a jazz legend in the 1930s-40s. He was famously known for his hit song Night and Day and countless other soundtracks for Hollywood cinema at that time.)

I must admit that I was first surprised to learn that there is actually a niche in Malaysia that appreciates refined Western entertainment to warrant such a performance but later on felt guilty for thinking so. However, after attending the performance, my initial thought was completely justified and my guilt immediately flew out the window.

The restaurant was fully packed that night. The ambience was nice and the space was small enough to allow a more intimate setting for the show. Thankfully, I managed to reserve a table in advance and had a lovely dinner with a friend prior to the performance which was scheduled to start at 10:30pm.

After being seated, I noticed that there was a small printed card that served to remind diners to switch off their mobile phones and remain silent throughout the performance on each table. I was glad that the organizer was smart enough to do that. They even announced the reminder right before the show in case some people had missed the notice on the table.

As soon as I thought my Friday night could not get any better than that; great meal with wonderful company proceeded by live jazz music, I was oh-so-wrong. Throughout the show, people continued to talk and laugh on top of their lungs. While Guerzo’s voice was powerful and warm enough, all I could hear was a cacophony of chatters coming from every direction. It was obvious that majority of people were there for the food and company, not the performance.

What I find disconcerting was that the organizer at that stage did not do anything to calm the diners down and I blamed them completely for this disgrace. I hate to say this but it isn’t that surprising anymore that Malaysians will continue to be Malaysians; rude, disrespectful and above all ignorant. But I expect the restaurant to take up the responsibility of crowd control. After all, they had organized the show and there were some people like me who wouldn’t have gone there, if not for the show.

As I sat there trying to drown the annoying noises around me, I felt angry and shameful at the same time. I was angry and embarrassed that people were not respectful enough to give their attention to the performers. They should have left their tables if they wanted to dine and chat only. At the end of each piece, Guerzo tried to interact with the audience by providing them with a trivia on Cole Porter and introducing the band members, but I could not hear anything because the chatters were louder than her voice on the microphone.

Needless to say, my friend and I left the show during half time. There wasn’t any point in staying if the organizer and diners  were going to behave like jerks and I was not interested to participate in such an initiative. I won’t attempt to dine or attend anything organized by Alexis Bistro again.

So, if anyone from Alexis is reading this (I hope through some miracle, you do), I would like to give you this advice. DO NOT organize such shows anymore if you can’t deliver. If you’re willing to sell your integrity as an organizer (who ideally should have protected the audience’s right to enjoy the performance without disruption as well as provided the performers the respect that they deserve) in order to keep your dining customers happy, then remain as a restaurant. Otherwise, have the courage to enforce rules by turning customers away if they’re not there for the show.

This whole thing about the “Malaysia Boleh” (Malaysia Can) mentality is not about how many things you can do, but by the things that you can do well.

A weekend filled with great dining and cultural events in Phnom Penh

There’s one thing which I will regret while living in Cambodia and that would be my failure to engage more in its rich cultural activities. Recently while having dinner with a friend, I told her that I wished I had seen more traditional performances in Cambodia. I was rather ashamed that I never made the time to do this, especially when I knew how captivating the dances are. The King is a huge patron and fan of the traditional Apsara dances, having mastered it himself.

So anyway, my friend planned a fun evening of dinner at the Khmer-Thai or more famously known as KT Restaurant and later on, traditional performances at the Sovanna Phum. She wanted to make my last few days in Cambodia memorable and indeed it was.

For those who would like to experience a truly fun and enjoyable cultural experience during the weekend in Phnom Penh, I would highly recommend these two places.

KT Restaurant (#26Eo, Street 135, Sangkat Boeung Trabek, Phnom Penh)

This restaurant serves an extensive variety of authentic Thai and Khmer cuisines. On the top level, there is an elegant and yet cozy dining area where you get to dine while sitting on plush silk cushions on the floor. Don’t worry if you think it would be uncomfortable because it’s not. The room is tastefully decorated and air conditioned.

We had the green mango salad (US$3.50/plate)for starter. I would say that it’s the best mango salad I had ever tasted. It came with huge pieces of crunchy salted fish, dried shrimps, cashew nuts and dried chillies. Before eating it, you should crush the salted fish into smaller pieces and mix them together with the green shredded mangoes. The taste was refreshing and slightly sour, sweet, salty and spicy all at the same time. So basically, it leaves a tingling sensation on your palate.

As usual, like most South East Asian dining experience, we had several main dishes to go with the rice. Soup was naturally essential to complement the dry rice, which coincidentally was really fragrant, soft and fluffy. We had the Khmer sweet and sour fish soup (US$4/bowl). A bowl will feed about 3 persons.

The soup was very different from the Thai tomyum soup with less spiciness (hotness) although as equally flavourful due to the generous amount of ingredients such as lemon grass, tamarind and a mixture of local herbs. The fish was fresh and tasty.

We also had the squid in peppercorn sauce (US$4/plate), Thai sausages (US$4/plate) and fried chicken wings (US$3.50/plate). Now, the Thai sausages were the most interesting since I had neither tried nor seen them before.

In the beginning, it was rather strange to see these tiny brown balls (see above right) and I didn’t know they were sausages. They looked like meatballs but with a glazy surface. The pork meat was spiced with some sort of herbs and probably lime, lemon or tamarind juice since they were a bit sour-ish. The sausages were accompanied with raw cabbage, peanuts, chopped up fresh chillies (the small kind and hence very hot. So watch out!), ginger and garlic. I didn’t know how to eat the sausage with these condiments and so I just ate it as it was. It was interesting but I thought the skin was a bit too thick and oily.

The squid was tasty and as usual, peppery and sweet. I noticed that the restaurants here often cooked with real peppercorns which gave it a really strong flavour. What was interesting about the chicken wings was the deep fried pieces of garlic laced with salt. I could eat them as snacks but of course, there won’t be any kissing after!

Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to have dessert since we had to catch the performances at 7:30pm.

The Sovanna Phum (#111, Street 360, Phnom Penh)

The Sovanna Phum performances are only available on Friday and Saturday evening, from 7:30pm to 8:30pm. However, the company offers a variety of fun classes such as classical music, Apsara dance and shadow puppet making, especially for children (well, adults will definitely enjoy it too) at other times during the weekdays. Each class usually charges a fee of US$5 per person, depending on the size of the class and complexity of the puppet design. The performances vary every night and charges an entrance fee of US$5 for adult and US$3 for children under the age of 12.

For information on classes and performance programme, you can call +855 (0) 23 221 932 or click on their website at http://www.shadow-puppets.org.

 

We managed to catch the Hanuman and Giant Drum performance and it was amazing. The musicians played several numbers of drum beats using different kinds of drums, including the giant drum and other percussions. I couldn’t help but move along with the uplifting and harmonious beats of the drums. The dancers were agile and graceful. I could see that such style takes a lot of discipline and training to perfect.

I liked how they incorporated short comedic scenes during the show which sent the audience in stitches. I could see why they are extremely popular with children. Unfortunately, there was only one scene with the Hanumans or monkeys, which disappointed the children, including myself.

The place is rather small with a room to exhibit shadow puppets and a small stage with several rows of wooden benches under a thatched roof. However, I really appreciated the size since you get a good view of the performances and at the same time have some sort of interaction with the performers. Do get there early because it was packed when I was there.

After the performances finished, the audience was asked to go onstage to try out the drums. Ironically, while all the performers had been men, it was the women who were really eager to try out the drums. It was definitely a rambunctious and disorderly affair!  Thankfully, the musicians provided some pointers to those who tried their hands on them, much to my ears’ relief!

I managed to take photos during the performances and it was probably the toughest time I ever had, without the help of a tripod and flash. Do make sure that you turn off your flash in order not to distract the performers.

The photos below were the best I could do and I do apologize as they didn’t really do much justice to the whole show.

 

Guilty of buying pirated DVDs?

Every time I read the legal warning on  intellectual property violation  or one of those anti-piracy advertisements which precedes a movie on a pirated DVD, I can’t help but smile with irony. I wonder how many people actually get frightened by the message and feel remorse soliciting such illegal products?

Recently, a friend posted an article on counterfeit designer goods about how high fashion designers like Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Gucci, Prada, etc. are losing billions of dollars a year to copy cats around the world. My conscience is clear in this case because I don’t buy counterfeit designer bags or any fashion item for that matter. It’s not because I can afford the real thing since I obviously can’t. I just don’t really care about labels.

However, I’m guilty of buying pirated DVDs. It’s the same kind of violation no doubt. Do I feel guilty or remorse? I guess I don’t. Otherwise I would stop buying them. Should I feel guilty? To a certain extent, I should. But to what extent should it be and why not completely?

As someone who studied law, I should know that intellectual property should be protected. Artists, photographers, designers, writers and those in the entertainment industry spend a lot of time, energy and money to produce the work we get to enjoy every single day. They totally deserve to be paid for the royalty and copyright of what they have worked so hard for.

Having understood this, why don’t I care when I walk into a pirated DVD shop and start browsing through the latest season of my favourite TV series or movies? Sometimes, I even pay with my credit card. That goes to show how easy it is to purchase these goods.

In Malaysia, an original DVD costs about MYR50 (about US$14); some cost more, depending on the category (God knows how they come up with the categories and I could never understand them) and some less, if they are on sale or what they call best buy (they are often B-grade movies that don’t sell. So it figures why they are so cheap).

A pirated DVD copy costs about MYR10 (slightly more than US$3). In some shops, when you buy five, you get one free. There are others where they give you one of those Starbucks or Coffeebean card that comes with a stamp each time you buy one and once you collect all 10, they throw in some free copies for you. This is how organized and attractive their marketing skills have become.

Not only that, customer service is usually great too. Some shops will tell you in advance whether a copy is of good quality (you know, not the ones where they are being filmed in the cinema and you get silhouettes of spectators walking about in front of the screen) and if you’re not pleased with the quality, you can always get it exchanged, without the need for the receipt because they usually remember you.

So, of course, you continue to see loyal customers flocking into the shop every single day. What the movie industry is losing, the “pirates” are gaining.

One day, I bumped into a reputable and highly respected senior lawyer in Malaysia in one of these DVD shops. I know for a fact that this lawyer has made a rather comfortable living from his practice. I was surprised and shocked to see him there simply for two reasons.

One, I know him as a man with high moral integrity. Two, he’s rich enough to buy thousands of original DVDs if he wants to. So, I was naturally curious to find out why he would allow himself to commit such a crime.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t ask him and instead, I ask myself the same question. If you’ve been to my apartment, you’ll see that I have a whole cupboard filled with DVDs. Many would assume that all of them are fake copies. On the contrary, I would say that 25% are originals; most of them from France and some are bought through Amazon.com. So in fact, I’ve spent considerably much more on these originals than the pirated ones since they are purchased in Euros or US dollars, in addition to the delivery and cargo charges.

So, can I afford to buy original DVDs and if yes, would I? Obviously I can and I would. But why is it then that I don’t buy original DVDs when I’m in Malaysia?

The answer is quite simple really. The fact that these pirated DVDs are so accessible, has made them the preferred choice. Of course for many people, the cost is an important factor but there are other people like that lawyer and myself who have chosen to participate in this illegal activity simply because we can. We get away with it because our law enforcement is so weak and corruption is so rampant that even people like us know that nothing will happen to us.

In all the developing countries I have been; Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Cambodia and Indonesia, pirated DVDs are as available as Malaysia. Here in Cambodia, the DVDs are even cheaper, selling at US$1.50 per copy. So it’s obvious that this illegal industry thrives in countries where the law enforcers are so corrupted that it makes it perfectly innocent to walk into a DVD shop without impunity.

I would take this further by saying that there is another reason for buying fake DVDs in Malaysia. Why would I pay for an original DVD when I know that any scene considered as violent, pornographic, vulgar or inappropriate by our Ministry of Information will be censored? Would you pay for a genuine Louis Vuitton knowing that the label is missing?

It’s completely ridiculous to watch a movie when the government has butchered its artistic, creative, political, cultural and religious integrity. Just imagine watching Schindler’s List without the scene of naked women in what was presumed to be the gas chamber, had the movie passed the censorship board. I wouldn’t have managed to watch great movies with some elements of eroticism like Betty Blue, Samsara and Fire (picture above) if I don’t get them in pirated copies.

OK, so I can still buy them from Amazon.com but would they get delivered to my door without the custom officer spying on them and confiscate what they understand as unsuitable pornographic materials? (In fact, this did happen once when some DVDs I ordered never arrive and since then I stopped buying them online.)

So yes, going back to my first question. To what extent should I feel guilty about buying these pirated DVDs when the government is too busy occupying themselves with frivolous matters like censorship than enforcing laws against piracy? You tell me.

The day Michael Jackson died

The recent demise of the King of Pop sent shockwaves throughout the entire world. I couldn’t believe it myself. I was woken up by a friend’s SMS on Friday morning with the words, “Michael Jackson is dead.” In my grogginess, I thought it was some kind of a joke (this friend has a knack of waking me up early in the morning with her SMS, knowing fully well that I’m not a morning person at all).

But seriously, not to be disrespectful or anything, someone as big as MJ is bound to get into some kind of trouble when it comes to their mortality. Look at Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, John Lennon and Bruce Lee. I just didn’t think that MJ would die of a cardiac arrest. Even Lady D’s death was more dramatic than the guy who had created all sorts of controversy throughout most parts of his life.

You would think that growing up with MJ’s songs would leave me with extreme fondness and sentiments upon hearing his death. Strangely enough, I felt a momentary sense of sadness and pity for the loss of a person’s life; just as I would feel for anyone. I think what had really aroused my curiosity and concern about his death was how his fans would cope with his departure, having remember the images of fans breaking down and crying whenever they saw him in concert. I remember feeling disturbed witnessing how a human being could be worshipped and idolized in that way.

On the day when all the international news channel were broadcasting the news of his death, my husband blurted out in frustration, “Why must he die in such a bad timing, dammit!”

You see, just before his death, the political riot in Iran was occupying most of the headlines. Just when all the international community was giving attention to the uprising of Iranian youths against the allegedly foul play in the recent Presidential election, it sort of sizzled off as soon as MJ died. What would appear as another landmark political revolution in Iran since 1979, suddenly didn’t seem quite as interesting as the death of the King of Pop.

The thought of writing a tribute to MJ never crossed my mind. I think his long period of silence in the past few years had sort of diluted the magnitude of his popularity and influence in the music industry. He became more of a source for gossip columns rather than his artistic ingenuity. The other thing is, I am not that teenager who wished she could dance like Michael Jackson in his Smooth Criminal video anymore and I have also lost touch with the entertainment industry for a long while now.

But when I read David Segal’s article After Michael Jackson, Fame May Never be the Same in The New York Times, I felt the need to write what I thought is untrue in regards to some of the things he wrote.

According to Segal, the main reason why there will never be another celebrity as big as MJ is due to the unlimited access to online internet sources; YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Before such technological advancement, Hollywood superstars had to rely on the Ed Sullivan Show and MTV to make an appearance to generate publicity. It was easier to compete with each other due to smaller and exclusive pool of celebrities. The path to stardom relied very much on how much air time you gained on these popular TV shows and naturally, not everyone was invited to make an appearance.

Now, literally anyone can upload videos on YouTube or write about any particular personality on blogs, making competition that much tougher. Any Tom, Dick or Harriet can generate publicity with just a click of a button on the keyboard and hey presto, news will travel from one corner of the earth to the next in a matter of seconds.

I agree with Segal that it will be extremely difficult to have someone as phenomenal as MJ and the fame he generated will never be the same again. However, I would rather attribute this to two main factors, other than what he claimed.

First of all, MJ became as big as he was simply because he had that something many other musicians didn’t. He persistently rose to fame since he was a child with the Jackson Five. He wasn’t one of those types who was a child star and then hit rock bottom at the same time as puberty. Neither was he the type whose popularity dropped as soon as he became a solo artist. His talent and if I may say so, personality, were much bigger than his other brothers or sisters, and perhaps even himself.

MJ could do almost anything as an entertainer (short of acting). He could write songs, sing, choreograph and dance and he did it better than almost anyone in the history of modern music. His music was not mundane or carried that safe monotonous signature tune most singers often stick to.

MJ managed to reinvent his musical style (well, that and his physical appearance) which made him a truly creative and innovative artist. He revolutionized pop culture for crying out loud! Many artists tried to copy his moon walk and crotch grabbing movements but those movements, HELLO! will always belong to Michael Jackson. Thus, he created an immortalized image for himself.

His music videos were just stunning and phenomenal. Unfortunately, I can’t comment about his concert since I didn’t have the privilege to see one but I can bet they were as equally, if not more, astounding.

His unique voice was another strength of his. He could sing a sentimental ballad which made your heart wants to cry out loud and at the same time, made your feet do involuntary crazy little movements you never thought you could when he rocked you with his upbeat tunes.

So, Mr. Segal, sorry to say this but MJ owed his fame to his unprecedented and extraordinary talent, unblemished and unchallenged by any other musicians of our time. I even reckon that if YouTube and Facebook have existed then, it would have made him even bigger, not smaller.

You could have posted anyone on YouTube and if he or she has the talent of William Hung, I don’t think the fame would have lasted more than a year, give or take. Unless an artist is able to come back again and again with even more extraordinary treats, none of these media tools would have helped.

The second factor is, Segal is right about the increasing competition in the entertainment world today. However, I don’t think the competition comes from the unlimited access to online social network tools. During the past few years, we have seen the production of countless numbers of competitive talent shows on American TV; American Idol, America’s Got Talent, America’s Next Top Model, etc. The popularity of these shows have grown so much that many other countries have started their own version.

So yeah, what has made showbiz more competitive now than ever before, is that almost anyone has an opportunity to become a star, if you have the right talent for it. YouTubes are handy when it comes to publicizing the talents of those who have won the hearts of viewers such as Adam Lambert and Susan Boyle. I have a friend who is completely in love with Lambert and has persistently posted dozens of videos of him on Facebook. People don’t just post someone on YouTube and expect others to take notice  unless that someone has something extraordinary to offer or has appeared in one of those talent shows.

Having said this, I still don’t think anyone could have achieved the kind of fame that Michael Jackson had, with the exceptions of a few rare ones; The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Bruce Lee, Marilyn Monroe and my own personal pick, Madonna. What made these individuals truly unforgettable is how they have managed to win the hearts of the people, each in their own individual ways. It has nothing to do with the internet. I may see a certain someone with talent on my Facebook, but will it sustain my interest enough to want to see more of this person?

MJ was an identifying figure while I was growing up. Mom loved his Beat It and would rant on and on about it when she saw the video on TV. I was really scared when I watched his Thriller video when I was just nine years old and thought how crazy it was to have ghosts dancing like that on the streets.

Whose voice it was that strike your ears the most when you listen to We Are the World?  I loved dancing to the Jazz choreography of his song Billie Jean when I was taking my Jazz Dance examination at the age of 17.

We all talked about how bizarre he was when he got his skin tone altered and his facial features changed but yet were awe-stricken by his Black and White song and video. In university, we went crazy and synched our movements together when Blame It On the Boogie came on at the 70s and 80s music disco night. One of my housemates drove me insane when she kept playing You Are Not Alone over and over again.

Nobody could have made such a fantastic comeback again and again as MJ did. I bet that he would have successfully revived his career with that concert he was supposed to do before he died. Unfortunately he didn’t but I won’t be surprised if we continue to listen to his songs on the radio, TV and YouTube for many years to come. I’m only waiting to see whether my niece will one day come to me and asked, “Were you listening to Michael Jackson when you were younger?” as I have asked Mom about Elvis Presley.

Thanks to David Segal, I am able to see and understand why the world had mourned for someone like Michael Jackson on the day he died.