Red Ribbon Gala 2008
Oct 26, 2008 Events
Last night was a very good night for R.AGE. Not only was the team presented with the Red Ribbon Award at the Malaysian AIDS Foundation Red Ribbon Gala 2008, but our R.AGE Debutante sparkled at the Viennese Ball 2008.
Ivy, the Youth Editor, and I attended the Red Ribbon Gala at Mandarin Oriental to receive the prize which included a beautiful trophy, a certificate and RM2,500 mock cheque (yes, we’ll be getting the real money too!). I am very happy with it, more so because we won it as a team and our names were all on the certificate - Ivy Soon, Niki Cheong, Melody L. Goh, Yam Phui Yee, Sharmila Nair and Nasa Maria Entaban.
It’s hard to imagine that it was three years ago when I was first contracted by The Star to help develop and set-up a new pullout dedicated to tertiary students and Sixth Formers which we called R.AGE. Then, it was only Phui Yee and me (with the help of many of our colleagues and contributors) manning the 8-page daily pullout. Today, we have have seven dedicated people in the team churning out 12-pages a day daily, one edition of Youth2 weekly and of course, help run the BRATs programme.
So, excuse me for gushing and being really happy - R.AGE is truly the love of my life.
Next door at the KL Convention Centre, our other colleague Ian Yee had a lot of fun dancing his feet off with his (better) half and the 10 R.AGE Debutantes at the Viennese Ball 2008. R.AGE had run a competition a couple of months ago asking readers to submit their videos to win a spot to “debut” at the Ball.
It was quite a night, out of all the debutantes, five pairs (10 people) were selected as best couple and three of those spots went to R.AGE Debutantes. Congrats to Sasha, Amir and Alicia.
Of course, Ian was beaming (amid running around getting work done!). If I was a happy daddy last night, Ian sure was a happy big brother.
Just wanted to share the good news! Oh, and congrats to Audrey Edwards from The Star too for also picking up the certificate of excellence at the Red Ribbon Gala.
1.30pm Malaysian time (+8 GMT)
Tags: debutantes, malaysian aids foundation, R.AGE, red ribbon gala 2008, The Star, Viennese Ball
Obama vs McCain = Mac vs PC
Oct 25, 2008 Sounds Like Pop
I came across this website the other day called Vote Smarter, and it basically features a series of ads which is kind of a spoof on the popular Mac vs PC ads. Except these ones feature “John McCain” and “Barack Obama” talking on various issues.
Here is one I liked.
There are many more at the website, and I thought that it was timely to share this since the US Presidential Elections is just over a week away.
The ads were created by an independent filmmaker named Lena Khan. Click here to find out more about the people behind the ads.
10.51am Malaysian time (+8 GMT)
Tags: Barack Obama, John McCain, Lena Khan, mac, pc, Vote Smarter 2008
Fatwa on tomboys
Oct 24, 2008 Rantings
In today’s Page 3 of The Star, a Bernama article headlined Fatwa on tomboys:
The National Fatwa Council has ruled that tomboyism, where a girl behaves or dresses in a boyish manner, is forbidden in Islam.
Its chairman Datuk Dr Abdul Shukor Husin said the decision was prompted by recent developments as there had been cases of young women inclined to behave like men and indulging in homosexuality.
Sigh. Let’s not even go into the studies that have found that being a tomboy does not indicate a person’s sexual identity.
But when you think about how crime is high, and corruption is rife. And the amount of cases of murder, rape and molestation - surely there are more important things to focus on.
12.38pm Malaysian time (+8 GMT)
Tags: fatwa, homosexuality, tomboy
Najib the magnanimous
Oct 23, 2008 Rantings
Is this a sign of the times to come? Or too early to tell?
Either way, kudos to Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for taking the high road and accepting the apology of online news site Malaysiakini after one of its editor’s ran a story pertaining to a purported “manifesto” which it received via email from a “Najib support group”. The Deputy Prime Minister had earlier condemned the report.
Today’s report in The Star indicated that Najib has indeed forgiven Malaysiakini, stating:
“The journalist who wrote the article has also resigned as a sign of accountability over a fake story. This shows professionalism on her part,” the Deputy Prime Minister said at a press conference at the Parliament lobby on Wednesday.
“I’m satisfied with the apology from the editor of Malaysiakini and also the journalist who has taken full responsibility over the story.”
I hope that with this, the issue would be laid to rest. After all, I think that mistakes happen and the news site was quick to remove the article, and publicly apologise. I really don’t think there was any malicious intention on Malaysiakini’s part. Of course, I am not condoning such methods of journalism (print/upload/broadcast first, then apologise later) but shit happens, and genuine incidents should be taken at face value.
I hope this means that the DPM will not be taking further action against the news site.
Najib’s reaction is a far cry (and fitting of a statesman) from Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar’s reaction in yesterday’s The Star.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said “somebody” should lodge a report against the article in Malaysiakini so that police could initiate investigations.
On whether Malaysiakini’s apology was enough, Syed Hamid replied: “They put in a false report and then apologise for it, that’s not good.
If that is not being a batu api, I don’t know what is. “Somebody” should lodge a report? Aiyah, you are Home Minister and since you love the ISA so much, just use it lah.
Yes, the perpetrators of the original email needs to be caught - and yes, perhaps even punished if it is indeed fake - but surely one can let nature take its course instead of adding fuel to the fire I think.
My two sens.
3pm Malaysian time (+8 GMT)
Tags: malaysiakini, manifesto, Najib Tun Razak, politics, syed hamid albar
Michael Jackson has the X-Factor
Oct 22, 2008 Sounds Like Pop
I woke up this morning to this tweet from BBC Entertainment. Apparently, the sales to Michael Jackson’s latest album - the compilation album released in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of thriller (and his 50th birthday I suppose) - have jumped back into the Top 10 in the UK charts. It was at #47.
This was because X-Factor - the reality competition - featured all of the competitors singing Michael Jackson songs.
I’m not a huge fan but I do love his music. And it was nice of the HMV spokesperson to say (with regards to the boost of the sales, and his songs being featured on the show):
“It just shows you the enduring appeal of Michael Jackson, reminding you of how brilliant his songs are…”
Then I remember that some time ago, I even blogged on Mr. Jackson. This was at the culmination of his child molestation trial. I always said that I wanted to share my old writings, so these are two of them - here and here.
It’s strange rereading your past works. For one, you sometimes don’t recognise your own style or writing, and secondly, you start questioning your values. And times when you stand by it, like I still do for those two articles, you feel good.
9.08am Malaysian time (+8 GMT)
Tags: King of Pop, Michael Jackson, X-Factor
