Ingat ke laki je leh kencing berdiri?

GoGirl

Kat Twitter tadi, my preng Kareem duk tweet suh member dia kencing dalam cawan sebab stuck dalam traffic jam dan dah tak tahan nak kencing. Then aku pon respond, "Perempuan takda corong. Bersepah nanti." Then aku teringatlah pernah terlihat kat mana tah pasal corong yang boleh membantu perempuan kencing berdiri. So aku pun googlelah tuk carik gambar. Dan jumpalah salah satu product, yang ni kot yang paling cantik antara yang lain.

Explanation dalam salah satu website produk-produk (Shewee) ni katanya sesuai untuk:

walkers, campers, skiers, golfers, cyclists, canoeists, mountaineers, horsewomen, gliders, pilots, bird watchers, festival and concert goers, dog walkers, long-distance truck drivers, scuba divers, back-packers and holiday makers, landscape architects, anglers and fly fisher women, joggers, runners and athletes, windsurfers, yachtswomen, women in the Armed Forces

Sesuai jugak untuk:

hospital inpatients, wheelchair bound, disabled and mobility impaired women, those with, continence concerns, pregnant women (yang ni aku paham sangat), elderly women, those who give regular urine samples, those with a broken leg, those who suffer from arthritis, those who have been affected by cancer of the vulva

Setelah aku membaca explanation ni, aku pon macam oooh, okay bermanfaat jugakla. Memang kalau time mengandung tu sangat-sangat berguna lagi-lagi kalau time gi jenjalan kat shopping mall. Adalah satu cabaran untuk membuang air besar atau kecil kalau di tempat awam. Kalau yang rasa geli nak guna toilet jenis duduk tu memang sangat payah. Tapi macam geli jugak nak guna simpan balik, walaupun dah cuci kan? Tapi ada jugak yang jenis pakai buang, macam dalam video kat bawah ni.

Tapi aku share tu bukan sebab tu, sebab dia tunjuk boleh kencing berdiri atas snow sambil tulis nama. Yang ni dari produk lain, iaitu P-Mate.

Gila kentang. Bolehla lepas ni try kencing kat longkang ke, pokok ke macam anjing, erk. Tapikan, yang kat longkang tu, ayah Anna sendiri pernah tengok dekat salah sebuah negara yang dia pernah lawat (tanak mention sebab nanti kalau ada pembaca dari negara tu terasa plak), sebab taklah semua orang buat, cuma kebetulan kot. Ha, ceritanya, ayah nampaklah ada seorang minah ni duk kangkang atas longkang, masa tu dia pakai kain, lepas tu shrruuuu kencing. Ish.

Anyway, pasal kencing berdiri ni ada yang kata makruh, ni ditujukan pada lelaki, sebab lelaki lah yang kebiasaan kencing berdiri ni kan. So Anna pon mengooglelah lagi, dan jumpalah explanation dari Ustaz Nor Amin:

Tidak dibolehkan kencing berdiri, kerana ia bercanggah dengan sopan dan etika yang mulia, di samping mengelakkan diri daripada percikannya. Namun jika diyakini air kencing itu tidak memercik dan dapat dipastikan tidak akan terkena dirinya, maka tidak menjadi halangan baginya untuk kencing berdiri. Diriwayatkan dari Huzaifah ra yang menceritakan :

“Suatu ketika Nabi SAW singgah di suatu tempat pembuangan sampah berhampiran dengan daerah suatu kaum. Di situ, beliau membuang air kecil sambil berdiri. Melihat itu, aku segera pergi menjauh, tetapi beliau malah berkata : Mendekatlah ke mari Aku pun segera menghampirinya hingga berdiri berhampiran dengan tumitnya. Kemudian aku melihatnya berwuduk dan menyapu kedua-dua khufnya.” (Riwayat Imam Bukhari dan Muslim)

Petikan hadis di atas ini adalah untuk menunjukkan bahawa harus kencing sambil berdiri. Tetapi ia bukan untuk menunjukkan kebiasaan Rasulullah SAW kencing sambil berdiri. Kebiasaan Rasulullah ialah kencing secara duduk.

Imam An-Nawawi mengatakan kencing dalam keadaan duduk adalah lebih baik mengikutnya pandanganku, namun jika seseorang kencing dalam keadaan berdiri, maka itu juga tetap di bolehkan. Kedua-dua keadaan ini pernah dilakukan oleh Rasulullah SAW.

Panjang lagi explanation dia. So kalau nak baca boleh baca di blognya.

Then pernah lah duk borak ngan Pitt, pasal hal kencing kat tandas awam ni. Katanya dia memang tak akan kencing dekat toilet berdiri tu, bukan soal malu tapi soal kebersihan. Aku pon tanya kenapa? Dia katalah, kalau kencing kat mangkuk tandas berdiri tu, akan terpercik-percik. Habisla terkena seluar. Euuwww, betul jugak kan? Ugh.

Then, Anna ni memang jenis geli nak guna toilet duduk sebab yelah pikir yang toilet seat tu berapa ramai yang dah duduk. Tapi kawan Anna kata dia geli nak guna toilet cangkung tu. Anna pon berkenapalah lagi. Dia kata sebab percik-percik. Then pikir-pikir balik, ha'ah la. Memang pon! Sebab permukaan tandas cangkuk tu dekat dengan kita, so memang senang terpercik, lagi-lagi time nak basuh. Erk. Sekarang boleh paham kenapa ada yang sanggup tahan sebab tak nak guna public toilet. Eih. Tapi bahaya weh tahan-tahan kencing ni. Argh, dilema!

{ANNA}

Angry Birds silalah serang babi di Ikea! (update III)

Aku tak tau la sejauh mana kebenaran tentang Ikea's Swedish Meatballs a.k.a Ikea Porkballs itu benar atau tidak. Apa yang aku terbaca semua melalui Twitter. Katanya Ikea nya foodcourt kena tutup sebab kena samak? Haaa? Kelakar gak la. But I remember once upon a time ago, hotdogs dekat Ikea (not the one at the foodcourt) pon dikata ada unsur babi. Usually kalau sausages ni, dia punya 'sarung' luar tu, lapisan luar sausage tu menggunakan usus babi. Tahla dude.

So, I don't know whether it is true, the rumors of the famous Ikea meatballs being made up of pork. Eek. Susahla macam ni, nama je negara Islam, tapi hal makan minum, yang halal dan haram masih belum dapat dijaga dan dipantau dengan lebih teliti. Anyway the foodcourt could be temporarily closed to due many other reasons, aku harap ura-ura meatballs oink-oink tu hanyalah gossip hangat. Sebab aku rasa di samping aku ramai kot yang duk layan dengan gumbiranya bebola yang enak itu.

In my opinion, semua premis makanan yang tidak halal wajib menayangkan logo NON-HALAL juga sepertimana premis yang menayangkan logo HALAL. Kalau perlu nyatakan satu-satu dalam menu yang mana halal dan non-halal lagi bagus. It's understandable that we live in a country with different faiths, so to have 100% halal premises is obviously unattainable.

Come on la kerajaan Malaysia. Ni isu yang besar. Pasal makan kot yang mana kita perlukan, dan lakukan tiap-tiap hari dan waktu. And being a so called Islamic country, I am utterly disappointed that cases like this is still happening. Dahla tempat makan yang ada high volume of customers. Kalau kat ceruk pekan mana tu, pahamla jugak. Macam manalah boleh terlepas? Hal lubang pungkok orang bukan main lagi nak highlight, tapi hal makan yang semua orang memang buat tak pulak terjaga.

UPDATE I

So sebab aku macam tak puas hati sama ada hal ni rumors ke tak, google lagila carik info, then I found this:

Ambik dari sini (post tersebut dah kena buang, original image tak tau dari siapa)

Haish, awat sampai kena 'samak' ni? Okay scary, lepas ni mesti dah rasa was-was nak gi makan sana. Hmm, ni ada peluang bisnes ni, bukak gerai jual Ikeanna Not So Swedish Meatballs. Depa letak jem strawberi, ni aku letak cicah budu dan belacan. Sapa mau?

UPDATE II

From my friend's tweet, he personally called up JAKIM and says it has been verified by JAKIM that IKEA Restaurant did not apply for halal certificate. In fact sometime ago, another friend, also called up JAKIM and she received the same answer.

Okay, tak semestinya yang takda pengiktirafan halal tu jadi haram, but dah jatuh dalam kategori 'was-was' and the possibility of the food, how it is prepared, etc could after all be haram. So sebagai seorang Muslim, we should wake up and be more aware of these things, lagi-lagi perihal makan dan minum. Jangan asal boleh je, asal nampak ramai Melayu duk pi makan, kita pon belasah. This is why it is essential that the NON-HALAL recognition should be regulated as well.

UPDATE III

IKEA Meatball adalah HALAL.

"Baru sebentar tadi, Yan call Ikea 03-77267777 sendiri dan tanya pasal status sijil halal meatballs, sebab terlalu ramai yang kata Haram dan ada jugak kata halal, tak puas hati terus sahaja buat panggilan ke ikea dan bercakap sendiri dengan En.Roslan.

Merujuk kepada perbualan kami tentang status Ikea Meatballs yang dikatakan haram, En.Roslan berkata bahawa produk tersebut adalah halal dan mempunyai sijil halal dari jakim. Ikea Meatball menggunakan produk dari Malaysia."

For more info please head on over to the source at yanmieonline.com.

{ANNA}

Peduli atau tidak peduli.

It would be great if I can be ignorant. Because ignorance is indeed bliss. Caring what people say is troublesome. But at times it's necessary to listen what other have to say. Nak ikut ke tak, ikut sukala, but at least dengar je lah apa yang dikata, jangan terus 'mute'kan volume walaupun it's something that we don't like or want to hear, it just maybe the truth and the right thing. Lagi-lagi, bila ramai yang keep on saying the same thing over and over.

Kita tolak ke tepi yang orang tu mungkin dengki, jealous, anon ke tak anon. Shove your ego aside, tarik napas dalam-dalam, and try to think, 'kenapa orang tu cakap macam tu'? Takkan pokok bergoyang kalau tak ada angin yang tiup, kecuali ada beruk yang duk atas tu tengah goyang. Lagi-lagi kalau komen itu lebih pada negatif dan berbaur kritik. Kita akan kata 'ah peduli apa, ikut suka hati aku la, janji niat aku baik, etc.. etc..' Yes they don't really know us, especially if it's just through our online presence. Bagi sesetengah orang, what is portrayed online is totally different than you meet them in reality, or ada yang maintain sama, atau ia hanyalah cebisan atau mungkin alter egonya.

Humans are complicated creatures. Perangai berubah dan ada banyak lapisan dan dimensi. This is why, all individuals have their goods and bads. Jadi adalah tidak adil untuk kita terus anggap orang tu itu dan ini, sebab apa yang kita lihat dan assume tu hanyalah sebahagian sahaja dari perwatakan orang tersebut. And to really know someone inside out will take years and years, sometimes, sampai sudah kita tak akan betul-betul mengenali peribadi orang tersebut. It all depends on the willingness of that person to open him/herself. Dan juga bergantung pada response kita, sometimes orang tu nak open, tapi kita pulak yang tak bagi can, dan terus 'chop' orang tu poyo, sombong, berlagak, dan sebagainya. Terlalu cepat buat andaian.

Tapi, kalaulah satu perihal tu diulang beberapa kali, dan dari orang yang berbeza-beza, kita perlu pikir jab, dan cuba menganalisa diri kita balik. Macam orang yang duk kata Anna 'sombong', banyak kali jugaklah dapat ni, tapi kalau yang betul-betul kenal Anna pernah borak, lepak sama-sama biasanya akan menyangkal istilah sombong tu. Tapi pikir balik, berapa ramai yang ada peluang untuk lepak dan borak sama dan ambil masa untuk kenali lebih dekat?

Memanglah, why should we waste time on people yang tak ambil inisiatif untuk kenal kita kan, but, if we can change this negative perception into something yang positive, why not? See it as improving yourself, dan bukan lihat ia buat sebab nak puaskan hati orang, walaupun ia terdetik dari apa yang orang kata.

As I always try to remind myself, take the negative and turn it into something positive. Memanglah mustahil nak puaskan hati semua orang, sebab tu kita buat perubahan itu untuk diri sendiri kita berdasarkan 'review' orang lain. Sebab bila kita cermin diri sendiri, kita hanya nampak apa yang depan, yang belakang kita tak nampak, kecuali kita letak lagi satu cermin kat belakang. Itupun mungkin tak dapat lihat the whole view, kalau nak tengok ambik gambar, but ingat, ambik gambar tu pon melalui objek luaran, yang terasing dari kita. Jadi suka atau tidak, apa yang orang kata tentang kita MUNGKIN ada benarnya.

So anyway, since before this I have received some comments about me being sombong, Anna lately dah cubalah untuk jadi lebih friendly dan murahkan sket ngan senyuman. Alasan dulu sebab Anna ni agak pemalu orangnya di luar, lagi-lagi di kalangan orang yang tak dikenali, tapi kalau disebabkan rasa malu ni orang anggap 'sombong' that's not good. Tapi tulah, kadang-kadang bila senyum kat orang, diorang tak senyum balik rasa macam erk, mesti dia ingat minah ni psycho ke apa.

But so farlah, dalam 10 orang Anna jumpa dan terpandang mata ke mata dan Anna senyum, 9 akan senyum balik dan 1 orang je yang tak. Tapi kat perempuan je lah, kat laki erkk, jalan pandang bawah je kot. Bahaya kang aku senyum, lain pulak jadinya. Tak pasal-pasal kena perintah berkurung oleh encik suami.

Jadi kesimpulangnya, bagus juga kita pedulikan apa yang dikata orang jika kita boleh guna apa yang dikata tu untuk perbaiki diri. Sekian saja motivasi dari saya untuk entri kali ini.

{ANNA}

Wikipedia takleh guna? + What is theory?

Ha, ni first assignment tuk subject Theories of Communication. Lecturer mintak suh define 'theories' with your own understanding, lepas tu ngan real life example. Anyway 'theories' dari segi communication ni berbeza ngan theories dari segi sains. Anna saja lah tunjuk paper ni kat ayah nak tau opinion dia, skali boleh dia cakap salah. Dia pun bagitau lah maksud theory tapi yang tu from the science perspective. Tak puas hati Anna ambik text book tunjuk dia. Lepas ni dah tanak tunjuk assignment kat ayah dah. Hehe.

Before I continue posting the assignment of mine, nak cerita sket pasal referencing. Anna dari dulu memang lemah bab referencing, sebab memang tak suka formality, leceh. Tapi suka tak suka, kena buat jugak.

So I think kalau kat Malaysia, kita mostly guna MLA style of referencing kan? So ramai lah yang mention in my previous entry yang I post pasal Media & politics in Malaysia tu, termasuk one of my best buddies, Leila yang adalah seorang lecturer, yang as a student we should not refer to Wikipedia. Mainly because info dalam tu ditulis oleh sesapa je, jadi kesahihan information dalam tu memang boleh disangkal.

So it's best we stick to books senang cerita. Ada a few more good suggestions, salah satu dari Marissa. Refer journals. Ada gak notice journals kat library tu, tapi tak tengok plak. So nanti leh gak try to check it out. Huh, dah biasa sangat refer apa-apa guna google, so kena biasakan diri balik refer pada printed material ni. Punyalah lama tak masuk library ni baru nak menjinakkan diri.

Tapi, in this modern age, where info is easily accessible, we will always turn to the internet. Rasanya tak salah, sebab bukannya info kat internet completely tak boleh diterima pakai kan. Cuma we need to be more sensitive and aware of the source, tengok siapa author. And wajib juga refer pada buku dan bukan internet semata-mata.

Then Leila juga mention, kalau kat Wikipedia tu, scroll ke bawah dan refer pada links yang disenaraikan, links tu usually the source dari mana info tu dipetik, so hopefully it's a more solid source of information. Nak letak dalam reference link pon okaylah. Bak kata Leila & Marissa, kalau letak reference Wikipedia memang tidak terima. Tak pasal-pasal assignment kena reject!

Copy + paste of course haram sama skali, plagiarism la jadinya. Kalau nak either quote or paraphrase. And semua tu of course perlu reference. Kalau tak boleh juga jatuh dalam kategori plagiarism.

Anyway, assignment Anna yang ni tak buh reference list sebab memang sendiri punya. Dah tanya lecturer sebab cuak gak kan, tapi sebab tak refer mana-mana so okay, line clear. Huhu. Sebelum submit assignment ni, dah bagi lecturer tengok dulu the draft, dia tick setiap paragraph, angguk senyum, dan kata "Hey... I like this!". Wah wah kembang hidung makcik. Yipaaa. Tapi first assignment je kot, masih senang. Tunggulah semester-semester yang akan datang tengok apa yang kembang nanti. Hahaha.

Okay, inilah esemen saya:

Theory is a concept based on observation or own experience that helps us to dissect a situation. Theory can be used to understand the way a certain situation works. However, theories are not concrete, they are subjective. There is no fixed formula. It changes from one individual to another and can be affected by different elements such as time or even be altered due to the shift in weather. Even if a single tiny element involved in that theory is changed, it can significantly alter the results. Nevertheless, there is always a theory that one can rely on that seems to work every single time.

One does not need to be an expert in a certain field or a scientist to come up with a theory. It is not rocket science. In fact, without even realizing it, everyone has a theory of their own that is applicable and used in their daily lives. It’s an automated course of plan built in their minds on how to do certain things, that it has become a routine.

For example in my case, it takes me a very long time to get ready when going out. So my theory is, if I have an event to attend at 3:00pm, I should get ready two hours earlier, which would be at 1:00pm. When I do follow this theory, by 2:30pm I am ready to go, and by 3:00pm I will be there at the event. But, most of the time, I do not follow this theory. I get ready, an hour b efore the event, and I’ll most definitely reach there much later than the supposed time. In this case, I should perhaps make it as another theory and call it the Fashionably Late Theory.

Let’s put the jokes aside. If I were to follow the two hour earlier theory when getting ready, chances are I will reach there in time. However, theories can and always evolve. Say, in the midst of getting ready, the water supply gets cut off as I am about to take a shower. What should I do? I would either have to wait for the water supply to come back, search for another source, or not take a shower at all.

This then gives birth to another theory. If I choose the first two, I would not get ready in time and will be late. Instead, I choose not to shower, and spray myself with a lot of perfume, therefore I assume I will reach the event in time. Then, I discover a flat tire. I could get someone else to drive me there, or I’ll use a public transport, or have the tire fixed, either way I will be late. Or in the end I decide to just not to attend the event.

Therefore, theories are basically guidelines that help us to comprehend a situation and gives options on how to act upon it. It may not necessarily be accurate, but it is useful and effective when it does work.

Ha, korang pon mesti ada teori-teori sendiri. Ce citer ce citer.

{ANNA}

Media & Politics in Malaysia

Aku lately memang busy gila dengan kolej untuk semester yang pendek ni. Yelah, bayangkan sem biasa 14 weeks, ni 7 weeks saja. So memang pack tak hengat. Almost every week ada assignment nak kena submit, presentation dan kuiz. Hoh. Tapi walaupun sangat sibuk, rasa happy yang amat.

Jadi sebab terlalu sibuk sampai tak sempat nak update blog pong kan, apa kata aku update dengan berkongsi salah satu assignment. Yang ni tuk subjek Mass Media & Society. Sebenarnya lecturer bagi 2 topic, lagi satu dia suruh ambik dua program tv, dan ceritakan the 'content & morale value', tapi sebab aku ni ada minat jugaklah bab-bab politik ni, so rasa teruja nak tulis pasal ni. Huhu, kalau rajin, selamat membaca! Maaf lah ye, entri ni bukan ringan-ringan. Sedikit hardcore dari biasa :P

{ANNA}

THE MEDIA’S INFLUENCE ON THE POLITICAL PROCESS IN MALAYSIA

Since 1957, Malaysia has been practicing a democratic principle of government where general elections have been held every four or five years to elect the members of the parliament. This democratic system allows its citizen to choose the political party to form the ruling government. But what makes the citizen decide which party they want to vote? Where can one get information on the goals and missions of a certain party or of a particular leader? How does a political party secure two-thirds majority? This is where the media comes in and plays its role.

So what is media? There are various types of media which are printed media that includes magazine and newspapers, electronic media which would be the television and radio, and the new age media which is the internet. Media is basically a platform where people can access various types of information. The media can also be a source of entertainment. It all depends on the individuals need. However, let us just focus the media as a source of information. To be more specific, we narrow this down to information regarding politics.

Politics are essential to keep the country running. This is why political issues are always covered by the media as it is an effective platform to convey messages to the public. In fact, political parties utilize the media to highlight their ideologies and political campaigns, especially with regards to how they plan to use their power to administer the country and what they can provide to the citizens. By announcing their sentiments to the public, in return they would intend to win the hearts and minds of the citizens hoping that they would support their ideology and their political party.

In Malaysia it is widely believed that the mainstream media is controlled by certain gatekeepers. Meaning that whatever information that is published would have been somewhat filtered so that it would portray positive image of the government and the ruling party. Who are these gatekeepers? They would most likely be those involved in the government or directly have vested interest to be protected. Thus very naturally, they would want to protect themselves. Any attempts that would harm their reputation would be blocked out even if the information is true.

In Malaysia, The Printing Press and Publication Act 1984 (PPPA) is a tool for the Malaysian government to control the media specifically any printed media such as books, newspapers and magazines. This Act requires one to own a license that grants them the right to publish. This license is approved by the Home Minister as it is stated in Section 3 (3) of the Act:

(3) The Minister may in his absolute discretion grant to any person a licence to keep for use or use a printing press for such period as may be specified in the licence and he may in his absolute discretion refuse any application for such licence or may at any time revoke or suspend such licence for any period he considers desirable.

Hence, granted this power, the government would surely make use of this Act to ensure that whatever is published for the public in printed form does not go against or deviate from the government’s agenda or policy.

Party Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) has come up with its own news publication known as Harakah. The DAP publishes the Rocket and while the PKR produces the Keadilan. However, their circulations are not as widespread as the mainstream media. It is mainly circulated among their members. But still, this is an opportunity for the respective opposition parties to have a say and provide information and even defend themselves when the mainstream media publishes negative news about them.

Besides the newspapers, television stations which are under the direct control of government are TV1, TV2 and TV3. The contents of programmes produced by these stations are directly influenced by the policies of the government. It is normal for these stations to filter and censor those that could give negative views on the government. Their motive is very clear, that is to make the viewers favour the ruling party.

With this biasness in the mainstream media, particularly the printed media, a new era of media has emerged. This alternative media has been giving out information that has been suppressed from the public eye. Political interest groups have dabbled with the new media technology, namely the internet. The internet, reaches a wider range of audience and without any prior restriction or filtering. It is an immediate source to spread information as well as receiving information. More than half of Malaysia’s household have internet access. Any information is only a click away. So it’s not surprising that politicians are now communicating with the people through the internet.

My husband once told me during the wave of Reformation in 1998, internet had played a very important role in providing the latest information on the current political situation to the people in his hometown in Perlis. Every night his father’s colleagues would come flocking to his house because most of them did not have an internet connection in their own homes. They will gather in front of the computer and browse the internet looking for current news and reports at that time.

Since then, realizing the power of the internet, political parties be it pro-government or from the opposing parties use the internet as another way to gain supporters. On the other hand, the supporters too now have the power to spread information about their favoured party. Some even create smear campaigns, focusing on the negative side of the parties they do not support especially against the pro-government party. This is due to the fact that it is not possible for them to do so through the mainstream media. As mentioned earlier, the prime objective of the mainstream media is to protect the good image of the ruling party and at the same time to hide any negative information about them.

Blogging is favourably used among political activist and supporters to voice out their dissatisfaction against the government’s ruling coalition. Some would be considered radical and extreme to the point that these bloggers are caught as their ideologies might cause instability within the country. This has happened to a well-known political blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK) who started the Malaysia Today website which openly discusses the political developments in Malaysia. He was detained twice under the Internal Security Act (ISA), once for his commentary regarding Altantuya’s death which he linked to the current Prime Minister of Malaysia, who was at that time the Deputy Prime Minister, Dato’ Seri Najib.

One of the popular radical political blogs is Tukar Tiub that writes satirical commentary about Malaysia’s political situation. It is created by Hishamuddin Rais who was a student activist during his younger days in the 70’s, filmmaker, ex-ISA detainee and an independent journalist. Another well-known political blogger is Dato’ Ahirudin Attan a former journalist and editor for New Straits Time Press known for his blog, Rocky’s Bru. Penarik Beca, The Unspinners, Cursing Malay, Screenshot by Jeff Ooi, and Kickdefella are among the blogs that are politically driven. These blogs are read by thousands of people every day. Seeing this popular feedback, politicians also come up with their own blogs such as our former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir who writes at chedet.co.cc, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim at anwaribrahimblog.com and Lim Kit Siang at blog.limkitsiang.com.

Other than blogs, social networking sites such as Facebook has become another tool in the political scene in Malaysia. Users create fan pages or groups either with or against a certain political figure or a situation which they feel strongly about. For example, when the government announced the 1Malaysia e-mail project, several groups and pages were created on Facebook that protested against this project, while there were others who created their own groups in show of support.

Another instance, if one were to browse Facebook with the keywords ‘Anwar Ibrahim’ under the group or pages category, the results would be very contradictory. One would find the ‘Anti Anwar Ibrahim Club’ and on the other hand the ‘Anwar Ibrahim Fan Club’. Both which have a large amount of followers. Members of these particular groups are able to openly share their opinions about the issues raised. However some of these opinions can be quite emotional and harsh using vulgar language. There is no immediate censorship unless reported or filtered by the administrator of the site.

Twitter is a newer technology that has become increasingly popular in the last two years. Users are able to inform their followers of their latest updates in an instant. They are also able to interact directly with one another. This comes in very handy for politicians to be in touch with their supporters by providing the latest news on their political activities. Malaysian citizens also have the chance to communicate directly with their leaders without having to go through certain protocols. It all can be done from the comfort of their own room.

Having this instant two way communication, Twitter allows politicians or political groups plan their meetings or announce their events and get immediate feedback in case any change is required. Of course this also can be done through email, or Facebook as well, but Twitter is simpler and immediate.

Another alternative media that people tune into these days is YouTube to watch videos related to the political scene in Malaysia that is unavailable on national television due to censorship. Malaysiakini has a dedicated channel on YouTube that cover important issues in Malaysia without any favouritism. Having that said, there are also some users who have YouTube accounts to share videos that are meant to bring down certain political figures.

The media plays an important role especially in this age of advance digital technology of the Internet. A significant event that happened recently was when the citizen of Egypt managed to force their President Hosni Mubarak to step down from his post. On 28 January 2010, the Egyptian government shut down the internet access after several facebook groups were created and messages on Twitter were spread to participate in a mass demonstration.

The current government of Malaysia under the Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Najib Razak is hoping that whatever uprisings that has happened in Egypt as well as in its neighbouring countries will not influence the people of this country.

In conclusion, it has been proven that the media does indeed play a crucial role on the political process in Malaysia especially in this modern age. It provides information that has the power to influence ones view on how they perceive the political situation in the country. This could possibly affect the choice of the citizens in deciding their leaders.

REFERENCES

2011 Egyptian Revolution. (7 May 2011). Retrieved 5 May 2011, from
http:/em.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Egyptian_Revolution from Wikipedia database.

Ahirudin Attan. (5 February 2011). Retrieved 5 May 2011, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahirudin_Attan from Wikipedia database.

Hishamuddin Rais. (3 November 2010). Retrieved 5 May 2011, from
http://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hishamuddin_Rais from Wikipedia database.

Mustafa K. Anuar. (2004). Politics and the Media in Malaysia. Kasarinlan: Philippine
Journal of Third World Studies 2005 20 (1): 25-4.

Printing Presses And Publications Act 1984, Section 3.

Cerita perut masuk paper + MC hammer.

Hari ni upacara baby shower Anna masuk dalam paper Utusan Malaysia ruangan Mega Fokus. Untuk bacaan lanjut bolehla baca di sini.

Anna sebenarnya MC hari ni, dari semalam tak berapa sihat, ikutkan dah nak skip class dah semalam sebab tak larat, tapi sebab dah ada kat sana paksa diri untuk bertahan. Nasib baik ayah Anna ni lecturer kat KLIUC jugak, jadi Anna tinggal je kereta kat sana, and ikut ayah balik. Memang kepala dah weng dah. Niat di hati nak datang kelas pagi ni, pon sebab ada kuiz. MC dah bagi dah, dan dah pesan kat classmate mintak tolong khabaq kat lecturer. Hopefully boleh ambik kuiz tu nanti. Carry mark tu, rugi sangat kalau tak dapat. Waaa.

So tadi bangun makan ubat untuk kali kedua. Ni dah rasa better. Kejap lagi nak kena siapkan assignment yang due besok. Baru semalam sedar yang assignment ni kena hantar besok! Bukan Anna je, classmates yang lain jugak. Pakat terkejut berukla. Kitorang tak ingat nak check jadual tu, padehal dah tulis. Yang boleh buat dek tu sebab last weeknya class cancel, kalau tak mesti lecturer pon tolong remind.

Hopefully sembuh cepat-cepat, semester dah nak penghujung dah ni, banyak kena buat, assignments, kuiz, presentation lagi. Banyak yang due minggu depan. Arghh. Takuk.

Okaylah, tu je nak cakap. Nak rest kejap then kena buat assignment. Ikutkan rasa badan nak baring je sepanjang hari. Tapi tak bolehhh sebab esok kena submittttttt! Panik!!!

{ANNA}

Secara langsung dari computer lab

Itu beg saya, cermin mata saya, gula-gula sakit tekak dan Vicks VapoRub.

Okay, aku kini berada di computer lab KLIUC buat pertama kali. Waiting for the next class which is at 3pm. Ambik computer belakang sekali, so boleh stalk dan lihat apa orang lain tengah buat. Ramai jugak yang tengah buat assignment, bagus, dan ada seglintir yang sudah pasti melayari facebook, mamat kat depan ni tengah main game Treasure Island, lama jugak tengok nak loading tadi. Tapi dia menanti dengan penuh kesabaran. Okay dah tukar, dia duk main CityVille pulak. Lama gila aku tak bukak CityVille. Hmm. By the end of my studies, aku dah boleh graduate menjadi professional stalker.

So sekarang ni dah minggu yang ke uh 4. Memandangkan sem ini adalah short sem, tinggal lagi 3 minggu sahaja. That's less than a month, damn. Cepat sungguh masa berlalu. Setakat ni I'm really enjoying my classes. Sem ni, aku ambik 3 subjek, iaitu Theories of Communication, Mass Media dan Pengajian Malaysia. Aku paling risau subjek Pengajian Malaysia. It's basically History, yang mana aku memang sangat lemah. Aku teringin sangat score sem ni, tapi risau that Pengajian Malaysia will bring it down. So taktiknya, perlu rajin jumpa lecturer. Bolehla pancing markah kesian. Haha. Tapi Alhamdulillah, aku suka gila lecturer Pengajian Malaysia ni, dia sangat comel, siap bagi bintang lagi kalau aktif dalam klas. Setakat ni aku dah dapat tiga bintang! So takdalah rasa bosan.

Haaa. Comel tak bintang saya? Weeee. Katanya, siapa dapat paling banyak bintang akan dapat hadiah nanti akhir sem. Seperti salah satu ayat dari lagu tema KLIUC nyanyian Jacklyn Victor "reach out for the stars, that's your destination". Ya aku kini mengejar bintang. Apalah agaknya hadiah tu, kalau dapat extra marks tu syok jugak. Takpon iPad2 ke.

Okaylah, aku sebenarnya takda idea. Ni sekadar entri untuk mengisi masa lapang dan menghilangkan rasa bosan. Tak berapa ada mood nak study atau buat assignment. Kerana agak keletihan, ditambah dengan rasa sakit tekak dan selsema ni. Apa-apa pun tadi siang masa tengah break dari klas Theories of Communication aku sempat bercamwhore di toilet yang sangat old school. Bangunan ni dulu hostel, tu yang ada shower kat belakang tu.

Posing apa pesen la ni. Dahla elok-elok ada tompok putih kat bibir tu, kesan dari cermin. See tak perlu guna photoshop.

Sebelum aku mengkahiri entri yang tidak bermanfaat ini, aku kongsi lagi satu gambar yang kat atas ni. Gambar kasut saya! Doc Marts ni dah lama sebenarnya, rasanya dah dekat 7-8 tahun tapi masih macam baru. So ingat kalau boleh nak pakai hari-hari sebab kulit dia masih keras, siap bunyi nyitt nyitt bila berjalan. Nak bagi kulit dia lembut dan nampak dah worn out. Baru lah selesa dan paling penting nampak 'cool' haha. Ala macam sneakers converse lah, lagi buruk nampak lagi cantik. Lepas tu tetiba balik rumah carik kasut tu takda, tengok-tengok dah dibasuh, terus melolong dan meluru ke arah mak, "Maaaaakk kenapa basuh kasut niiiiiiii??!" Haih, ingat senang ke nak bagi nampak dirty dirty gitu, tak grunge langsung!!

Moral of the story: Tak baik melenting dengan mak bila dia basuh kasut kita yang kita sengaja peram. Biarlah tak cool di dunia, janji cool di akhirat.

{ANNA}

Kecik tapi annoying.

Ini adalah rententan dari entri 'Rasa geli'.

Sedang aku drive kereta ke KLIUC tadi, while tuning into my latest favourite radio station BFM 89.9, aku telah dikacau oleh makhluk kecil yang berterbangan dan lalu-lalang di depan muka aku, iaitu menatang nyamuk. Hilang konsentrasi aku untuk memandu. Aku berjaya untuk mengabaikannya dan kembalikan fokus ke arah jalan raya. Sebab aku pon dah lewat. Jam menunjukkan pukul 1:58pm, kelas aku adalah pada 2:00pm. Dan otak aku pon tengah multi tasking memikirkan kuiz yang sepatutnya diadakan tadi, atau mungkin aku yang salah info.

*cerita tambahan nak panjangkaan entri*

Anyway, kelas pon dah habis, so aku pun pergi ke cafe kejap, minum segelas teh tarik kurang manis. Kenalah kurang manis, sebab aku ni dah manis, bahaya terlebih manis, nanti dapat sweet urine pulak. Dahla hari ni aku lepak cafe sorang-sorang (macam tak biasa), sebab dua sahabat course mate aku yang dah jadi agak karib baru dapat exemption untuk subjek hari ni which is Pengajian Malaysia.

Seperti biasa aku meletakkan fail atas meja di kafeteria, untuk menandakan 'territory' konon aku chop tempat tu. Setelah meletakkan fail, aku pon menuju ke gerai mamak untuk memesan teh tarik yang aku sebut tadi. Lepas tu, dengan girangnya aku kembali ke tempat aku chop tadi, dan lihat dua pelajar perempuan India duduk kat situ, aku pon melihat ke mata mereka dengan penuh ganas dan berkata "HOI KAU TAK NAMPAK KE FAIL YANG AKU LETAK NI HA? NI MAKSUDNYA TEMPAT AKU DAH CHOP!" -- ehh, imaginasi je tu, aku lagi happy je sebenarnya, sebab takdalah nampak macam loser je duduk sorang-sorang. So aku pon belasah je duduk. Diorang mesti pikir "Uh, sapa plak minah ni? Tak nampak ke kita duduk sini...?" Orang lain yang nampak mungkin fikir, bagusnya diorang ni, multicultural sungguh! Hahaha.

Well, aku buat dono je, senyum sket, dan layan teh tarik. Malas nak pindah tempat. Tapi sebab rasa serba salah, rasa macam kacau diorang dengan kehadiran aku tu, aku tanyalah soalan konon nak small talk "So what course are you doing, bla bla bla..?" Dia pon senyum dan jawab dan tanya balik soalan yang sama. So takdalah rasa awkward sangat tetiba duk tempek kat situ. Tapi aku rasa mesti diorang rasa aku ni pelik. Sebab kalau orang lain buat macam tu pon aku akan rasa pelik. Sebab tempat duduk tu, meja khas untuk 4 orang. Kalau meja panjang tu, share-share tu memang perkara biasa. Tapi tak kisahlah, aku pun perabihkan air dan mengucapkan "Okay babaiii" macam member sendiri je. Hahaha.

*cerita tambahan tamat*

So dah babai tanpa malu tu, aku pon baliklah, memandu kereta bertemankan seekor nyamuk. Tetapi tidak lama selepas itu, tinggal aku sorang sahaja dalam kereta itu. Memandangkan aku dah tak rushing, aku pon bawak kereta slow sket, dan menggunakan sebelah tangan, memukul nyamuk itu semasa ia berlegar-legar di bahagian tingkap dan tinggallah kesan nyamuk tu kat tingkap. Mwahaha. Okay, dah leh bawak kereta dengan tenang.

Nyamuk ni memang sangatlah annoying. Lagi-lagi tengah lena tidur masa malam tu, boleh pulak nyamuk ni lalu kat tepi mendendangkan muziknya yang nyaring itu. Hoisshhh. Kekadang tu kalau tindakan pantas, sempat lah pukul nyamuk tu masa dia tengah bermain kat telinga menggunakan ilmu-ilmu ninja. Dengar je, tak perlu lihat. Haiyahhh. Lepas tu mulalah cari mana nyamuk tu, sebab mesti dia terlekat kat dalam rambut. -_-

Selain dari nyamuk, makhluk lain yang kecik tapi annoying adalah semut. Sebagai seorang pemakai cermin mata, adalah sangatlah irritating bila ada nyamuk yang berjalan di atas bingkai mata. Sampai juling mata duk tengok semut tu jalan kat bingkai sebab nak pastikan adakah itu sememangnya semut atau hanyalah bayangan semata-mata. Lepas tu, dia hilang kejap, aku pun ingat oh bayang je kot. Yelah kadang-kadang tu kan mata kita duk nampak floating objects. Sekali tengok, duk lalu lagi. Sah dah. Terus cuba memicit nyamuk tu tanpa mencabut spek, tak dapat, jentik pulak, konon nak bagi dia jatuh, tak dapat jugak, so terpaksa cabut dan menghapuskan semut itu sama sekali. Lepas tu pakai balik spek tu, tengok comot gila cermin tu sebab jari dah sentuh bahagian kanta, cabut balik dan lap menggunakan baju. Pakai balik, masih comot, Kesan jari ni memang susah nak hilangkan bila kena spek. Stress bertambah stress.

Itu belum masuk bab bila menatang kecik ni berjaya gigit. Dengan gatalnyalah, parut akibat menggarunya lah. Haish. Aq x sukewwwwwwwwww!!!!

Tapi kejadian-kejadian ini membuatkan aku tabik spring pada serangga-serangga kecil ni. Dorang punyalah kecik, tapi kuasa untuk mengucar-ngacirkan hidup sangatlah hebat. Bak kata pepatah Melayu, "kecik-kecik cili api beb".

{ANNA}