Shape up or get lost

To be quite frank, I’m getting a bit tired of highlighting issues concerning the disabled community. It seems that nobody actually gives a shit.

Forget about the ministry, even those who proclaimed to be championing the OKU rights are guilty of not putting their words preached to where it matters.

But its ok, save yourself the trouble to come up with any excuses, the message is crystal clear- disability issue lacks sensationalism.

Ask people in the broadsheet business what’s boringly repetitive more than any opening speech in a government function. Even they will struggle to come up with an affirmative answer because they too, couldn’t give two hoots about it.

So you cant really blame the society. Issues brought up are basically the same old predicament that can be traced as far back as one thousand decades ago. To put it simply, nobody listens to broken record.

Then we have the really clever officers at JKM, the department that supposedly takes care of our well being since the beginning of human existence.

They are competent, alright. Time and energy are well spent hunting down disabled people subscribing to a freaking Astro.

For goodness sake, fine, we’ll skip the monetary aid. By all means the ministry can use all the money allocated from the country’s recent mini budget as long it is used to completely revamp the entire JKM body. The whole institution stinks and in dire need of a total facelift. Getting rid of the deadwoods would be a good start and down right necessary.

However I don’t expect the minister responsible, DS Sharizat Jalil to clean up the whole mess overnight. But I do hope she’ll make it right this time around, and all ears.

This second stint at the helm should cut the workload tasked on her into halve. Cliché as it may sound but she’s really got to shape things up.

I mean, second time failure can always put serious dent on one’s reputation, right?

Sorry DS Sharizat, never meant to scare you but now that the big boss has laid his wishes down, time is very much against you.

Performance has to be now.

Proud to be a G

So I had a miserable weekend. And as anticipated, the moment the final whistle blows, unwelcome text messages poured in from rival fans. Their intention was of course, to pile in more misery and nothing more.

This season alone I’ve lost count of the heartache I had to endure. If witnessing your team came out second best isn’t excruciating enough, you have asshole friends who are more than happy to stab a few more daggers up your already wounded heart.

Still, I’m proud to be a G.

But unlike always when I took every defeat in stride like real man usually does, this time I decided to try the method that chics normally go for when sorrow comes a knocking- shopping.

That’s right, Gs.

When you can’t think straight, you go have a ball and do something as therapeutic as shopping for clothes. After all Gunther, ehem…closets are meant for just that, clothes!

Kahkahhh…

Get it? Get it?

God I am so proud to be a G.

The G by the way, stands for Guy- forget about designer labels and Hawaiian shirt, I splashed a good hundred on a very manly (ehem ehem) imported black T with a Rancid-Let’s Go design proudly emblazoned across it.

And of course, G also stands for the Gunners.

I’m a Gooner through and through, and I am so Goddamn proud of that!
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Back to resuscitate?

She’s back.

The new cabinet line-up named earlier today saw Datuk Sharizat Jalil, the newly elected Wanita Chief back in ministerial business, taking over the Women, Family and Development portfolio, in which she’s not unfamiliar with.

It will be interesting to see how Sharizat perform this time around after being given another shot at proving her worth.

During her predecessor’s (and successor) time, Datuk Ng Yen Yen’s contribution towards the disabled community wasn’t something she can be proud of. Her decision to upgrade the JKM from the RM200 million allocated especially was a bad call. It should by right, channelled directly to the community as in these trying times every crips in the country could do very much with extra cash in hand.

Sharizat’s (re)appointment has renewed some hopes (at least to me). Najib’s agenda of ‘People First, Performance Now’ should be heeded by the new Madame minister if she wishes to kick it off with a good report card to gloat about.

For a start, she can look into the community’s age-old woe concerning the Disabled Working Allowance (EPC) and consider a 100% increment because apart from the economic slump, jacking it up is long overdue.

Re-branding the JKM is not urgently necessary. The exercise can always wait.

Stormy weekend

From a Tifosi’s point of view, the Sepang race was another letdown because the team have yet to chalk a single point after two races into this season’s F1 calendar.

But screw the unfavourable result; the experience of sitting literally next to the track tops the whole shebang.

While on our back, escorted by ehem ehem all the way to the city I told Mr MuteAudio, my driver of the day, that bragging about it was compulsory.

But I think I’ll spare you losers the details of the VIP treatment we received throughout. Suffice to say the organisers did an extremely good job.

And my initial worry of inaccessibility was unfounded. SIC, being the venue for international events is indeed, wheelchair-friendly.

Thanks to Celcom to have made it happen. I’d love to get one of those superb Storm BlackBerrys, but that may require me to break the bank, and end up living on a tight budget for the next, err… two years.

Pic stolen from Tony

Revving up

The F1 circus is in town yet again!

It will be interesting to see how Ferrari and McLaren, the two big guns fair this time around after a disastrous outing last week, that surprisingly saw the new team, Brawn GP conquering the top 2 podiums.

Also, it’d be equally interesting to see if the venue is wheelchair-accessible, and how the organisers will handle a fussy fellow on wheelchair tomorrow because yours truly will be there and all revved up to witness his first ever F1 race right before his eyes.

That’s right man, thanks to Celcom, I am so gonna be there.

So Grid Girls here I…

I mean, Kimi and Felipe here I come!

Gardening pt III

Sooooooooo…they've made it official.

Malaysians are now officially living in the new era, with a new chief captaining the ship.

We have just witnessed the swearing-in of our country’s sixth Prime Minister, Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak this morning.

Not by any measure however, will the new Perdana Menteri get to smell the fresh flowers surrounding Sri Perdana as he’s got one hell of a colossal task ahead of him. So be very afraid DS. Wooooo...

Well anyway, all the best to you, man.

Meanwhile, his predecessor can now continue his siesta, this time in peace.

Melayu lagi...dan Lain2

So the political slugfest is pretty much in the thick of action. Knowing our country, not that it has ever taken any break anyway. But the bouts have become official now after the nomination day last week, more the reason for both rivals to kick it up a notch.

Then broken record starts spinning and the usual shit commences.

Well…

Errm…

Err…

Stupid goons, give us something fresh la guys!

I read somewhere the battle for 2 of the seats up for grab will be determined by whoever’s better at enticing the hearts of Malay voters.

But what if they’ve made up their mind? Then too bad la, they’ve got only themselves to kick because politicians should look into people’s plight all the time, and not just during campaigning period.

But all is not quite lost. Since there’s every possibility another by-election will take place before the current term ends, they can start now by tackling the Malay mind not just in one or two constituencies but the whole country.

Buy a slot in between Akademi Fantasia concert because get this; that’s where the mind of the Malays is glued to on Saturday nights. You don’t trust me, take a drive around the Malay-populated area during primetime Saturday night, and it will be as empty as election promises itself.

Of course votes from other races play a vital role too.

Unfortunately the same approach is impractical to the Chinese community. They’re virtually everywhere. If you’re stuck in traffic congestion for instance, try kissing the bumper in front and chances are you just hit a certain Mr Wong’s car.

Get what I mean?

But don’t worry about the Indians. It’s the easiest of task, just head over to Bangsar.