Ini Kali Lah (This is the Time)

My country is boiling hot now. Hot with heated discussion on which political party is better for the country; hot with rallies that colored every single townships and villages with colorful political party flags and banners; hot with political seminars and talks organized by different poll running candidates; hot with active netizens busy facebooking and you-tubing on their political views and affiliations; hot with artists and composers composing and creating songs and clips that stir the emotion of the general public; and last but not least, hot with the politicians propagating their manifestoes and promises if they win the next Malaysia General Election.
Majority of our countryman are roughly divided into 2 major camps, the National Camp and the Opposition Camp. Everyone voice their affiliation with one camp or another. Many feel exited about the day when we can make a change in the political history of Malaysia by ruling out the current government. While the ruling party is trying their best to maintain and defend their 56-year of status quo.
General public think the ruling party is using dirty tricks to ensure their position now and there are countless rumors being spread via Facebook, sms and many other alternative means of media. The society is filled with excitement and anxiety at the same time. Majority of the public yearning for a total CHANGE for a better future.
Everyone thinks this is the Time, Ini Kali Lah! We will have to make the change this time or it will never ever going to happen in the future! And consequently, the country is going to bankrupt and the people is domed.
Some friends that I met showed their overwhelming concerns. What if the ruling party unscrupulously manipulated their dirty trick during the polling day? What if the Opposition party loss this time? Will there be a future for our nation? Should we start thinking of migration? What should we do now to ensure there is a clean election?
Instead of being swayed by this emotional sentiment that pervades the atmosphere of the society now, I strongly urge the people to see deep into the cause of the reason why we want a CHANGE so badly?
It lies in the people. It is the people who has deteriorated in their integrity and trustworthiness when they become the elected government servants in their office.
In order to change for a better future, we need to recognize it is the people's quality, people's mentality, people's believe, people's character and attitude we need to change. In a nutshell, the one thing we need to change is the people's hearts. A beautiful heart that is willing to serve the people and the nation wholeheartedly is the one we should be aiming for. It is one's heart that matters most!
Hence, I would say,
Ini Kali Lah, we shall look deep into the root cause that causes today's deteriorated condition in our country.
Ini Kali Lah, we shall treat the root cause with the most effective measures.
Ini Kali Lah, we shall bring the light of Human Revolution to the society.
Ini Kali Lah, we shall spread the compassion of Nichiren Buddhism to more people.
Ini Kali Lah, we shall Rissho Ankoku!

Truely 1 Malaysia

I joined our country's biggest ever street rally of Bersih 3.0 on April 28, the day Nichiren Daishonin chanted his first Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. I read so much about Bersih 2.0 on both main stream media and alternative media, I wanted to experience it myself. 

For those non-Malaysian who read this blog, Bersih campaign is a campaign where the people is asking for a clean government via fair election. Knowing very well a rally like that will never be able to change things overnight, but I went ahead to state my determination on wanting to see a change in my country for a better tomorrow. 

Frankly speaking I wasn't worried on the authority will do something silly and rough towards its own citizen especially after its mishandling of Bersih 2.0 using violence and force, the international media will be watching closely on what Malaysian government is going to do this time. Furthermore, from a rational point of view, as the general election is so close at the corner, the government will not do anything drastic to agitate the citizen's emotion. In fact, I will say they may even want to take this opportunity to win more supporters through their open and democratic policy. I went to the rally with a fairly light heart.

Even though the authority has got an injunction to prevent the rally supporters to enter the Dataran; the destination where the rally organizer planned to have all the supporters from all over places to gather; things were all well at the beginning, as the Bersih supporters were all having some fun by the street, near the Dataran. It was truly a peaceful rally on the street. All people smiles and greets each other for being part of the crowd to come to voice our stance. People from all walks of life sitting side-by-side wearing our official yellow and green t-shirt chatting and some, I would say, partying. It was like a carnival after all. 

However, half and hour before the official time for the rally end, we saw a commotion of crowd moving towards us. People was passing words saying "tear gas! tear gas!" Never had any tear gas experience before, we all charged forward instead to see what is going on. Holding my camera high, trying to film and capture everything possible. Along the way, we saw people are running with their teary eyes and trying to catch their breath. 

Summon up my courage, I went forward with my face mask on. I even went to the front row to take photos of those tear-gas firing squad. I was worried they could fire the second round of tear gas towards us anytime. After a few shots I retreated. Before I could go far, the second round of shooting starts. Everyone was running for shelter as the stinking gas gets into our eyes and nose. I raised my camera to start shooting. But I couldn't hold it for long. One tear gas canister landed probably 3m away from me, and the next thing I know, there was a guy ran towards the canister, picked it up and threw it back to the firing squad. Deep down in me, that is a truly heroic act. I was tearing non-stop and choking for breath. I coughed non-stop and find it hard to breathe. That moment of feeling was like I was trapped in a vacuum and trying to catch a breath. Being such an unexperienced person there, I wanted to squat down for a moment to take a break. A gentlemen behind me pulled me up, yelling at me telling me to keep moving, don't stop, to get out of this smokey zone. Eventually I managed to run out from that, and along the way, many others offering everybody water and salt to help each other from the tear gas effects. 

Besides being really annoyed by the authority's despicable behavior, I was more touched by the behavior demonstrated by our fellow Malaysian especially during the moment everyone was running for their lives from the tear gas firing squad.

While everyone was running for shelter after the second round of tear gas, my sister and her friend who had one leg stuck into the drain cover got a helping hand from 3 other gentlemen who managed to block the in-coming running crowd from clashing into her and pull her out from the drain. 

Another incident was my colleague who had no choice but to climb down a ledge to escape from the tear gas canisters firing at them got the help from everyone down there. Instead of running for their life, they stopped to help others to escape. 

These are only three touching stories from what I experienced and from those people I know. I bet there are many more touching stories where we see the true spirit of humanity in this rally. They helped each other irregardless of race, color, religion and culture. That moment, I see the time we recognize each other as Malaysian has come. Even in this blog, I refrain myself from mentioning which races is helping which races. We are all 1 Malaysia after all.

10th Anniversary of 911

Today marks the 10th Anniversary of the infamous 911 terrorist attack in USA.
Remembering Sep 11, 10 years ago I was with friends having tea at "mamak" stalls when LH called me on my mobile saying the world is going into another war. I rushed home to catch the live telecast on TV. I can still remember vividly the image of NYC WTC Twin Towers bellowing with inferno of the two plane crashes. It was like a Hollywood production to me, but deep in my heart I start to chant to the people who perished, injured and trapped in there. I was stuck with the TV screen the whole night and witness the collapse of the once famous landmarks of NYC. I can truly feel how great the destruction was like because i was there for a conference a year ago. I can remembered the crowd in the subway station located at the basement of the WTC during the rush hours.
Today, I looked back at the same images of the WTC and look back how much we have learned from this lesson. The world has definitely seen a great tightening of aviation security and a few wars raged against the "suspicious" nations like Afghanistan and Iraq led by the "police" of the world, the America. We also witnessed the execution of the head of the enemy of America, Saddam Hussien & Osama bin Ladin.
Have we solved the terrorist problems? The answer is clearly No! The moment we killed a Saddam, we created a hundred more; the moment we killed a Bin Ladin, we created a thousand more! It is not going to end this way.
Haven't we learned from our past history the revengeful method of "an eye for an eye" can never solve the problem of humankind? In fact there are analysis reporting America is the greatest loser after 911, whereby thousands of American were sent to battle field and today's America's growing deficits was also due to its big military budget spent against terrorism. Has American won or has the terrorist won?
We have to recognize the terrorism is not a solely American problem. It is a problem to humankind at large. Terrorism is not confined to Islam fundamentalist alone, they are potentially everywhere we could perceive.
Buddhism of Nichiren has a solution to this. And Soka Gakkai is the one inherited this solution with the true spirit of this teachings founder, Nichiren. Based on this great teaching, SGI President Ikeda has been calling for a revolution of mankind to change this world. A revolution that shed no blood and everyone of us can involve to change the current situation for a better world we want to be. A revolution called the Human Revolution. For those who believe in this revolution shall join Soka Gakkai and start making this world a better world to live in. 

Rissho Ankoku

My country witnessed a "peaceful" street demonstration yesterday on the streets of our capital city. The demonstrators wanted a cleaner government in the coming General Election and a better country for everyone. The country ruler allowed the demonstration to be carried out in the stadium to ensure there is minimal disturbance to the peace and security of the nation. However, the government betrayed the people by eventually banning the assembly totally and declaring the gathering as illegal. Despite the layers of roadblocks and obstacles setup at all major and minor entry points into the city by the police force, tens of thousands of people who feel the responsible to exercise their rights for a better future came to the capital city. In return, these peaceful protesters were treated with authority's water cannons and tear gases, not to mention the kicking, dragging, banishing and shouted with abusive words.

With this incident, I start to wonder can we trust the politicians? To me, whatever political parties or alliances they may be associated with, they are all politicians. Unless they are equipped with the great philosophy of humanity and truly respecting the dignity of lives that every living beings are equal, they are nothing more than a whole bunch of cunning jackals who only works for their personal interests as their top priority.

I truly feel the time to establish the correct teaching of the Law for the peace of the land is here. It is time to Rissho Ankoku. What other hopes can we have for our nation other than we foster our future generation youths to be a person a noble principles with correct philosophy of life? If the youth of SGM, Sensei's true disciple doesn't start this endeavor, who will? The youth are our future! The darker the night, the nearer the dawn. The time for people sovereignty is about to come!

Today, my perspective on shakubuku no longer confined within our organization, just to expand our membership, but a social responsibility to save our TanahAir!

Time to Rissho Ankoku is now! It start from me!

p/s: Somehow the song "Do You hear the People Sing" from Les Miserables keeps ringing in my ears.

Mentor's Great Compassion

I am truly lucky to be able to find a mentor in life. A mentor that shows me the way to lead a meaningful and creative life.

It is through mentor's great compassion that enable us to walk the path of Mentor and Disciple and eventually achieve things that otherwise seems impossible. It is through his great compassion that allows ordinary person like us to achieve extra ordinary endeavors.

Examples were obviously seen on the Human Revolution The Musical staged by our youth division. Nobody would ever imagine behind the touching musical script was an electrician who has zero experience in all sorts of playwrights. The main director of the musical was actually a freight forwarding agents that has nothing to do with any stage or theatre plays. The composer and lyricist of the beautiful theme song was another common working class who is busying with her 9 to 5 daily job.

If not because of his daily guidances and novel, we wouldn't be inspired to put up the musical in the first place. If not because of his great compassion that lead us to walk the path of Mentor & Disciple, we wouldn't be able to achieve what we have achieved thus far.

From the bottom of my heart, I thank you so much, Sensei. You have shown us the way to lead a fulfilled life, an enlightened living.

Sensei's Necktie

Being the emcee for our Mentor & Disciple Hall Soft Launch for the past 2 days was a truly turning-point to me. I renewed my vow to Sensei to pledge to become Sensei’s eternal disciple to carry out my mission as a real protagonist of kosen-rufu everywhere I go.

I have emceed numerous events, big and small, within Gakkai events and external public events before, however this time I really learned a lot from Mineo-san as well as Mr. Koh on how to become a real emcee. How to be an emcee that always put Sensei as my focus. That I have never thought about before.

Being an emcee for the Soft Launch for our Mentor & Disciple Hall brings me the opportunity to participate in all Mineo-san MDH explanation tour in details. Mineo-san explanation was really detail and touching. From the man who is closest to Sensei, I can feel his spirit is always one with Sensei. Thinking of how to make Sensei happy, how to make Sensei at ease, how to arrange activities for Sensei. His episode on Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata at Shizuoka was especially touching to me; his episode on Sensei’s resignation on 1979 truly make me feel the true disciple’s attitude towards one’s mentor; and he shared many more episodes he had for the past 40 years working besides Sensei.

Last night was their farewell dinner before leaving for KLIA. I had the opportunity to dine together with them (thanks to my YMD chief who had nominated me). After the dinner, Mineo-san presented every men attended the dinner with a piece of Sensei’s necktie. This necktie, which either Sensei used before, or being with Sensei before, had a deep significant to me. The moment I received it from Mineo-san hand, I pledge in my heart, I will give my life for the sake the Law, Gakkai and Sensei.

When I returned, I chanted an hour daimoku to thank Sensei for his great care and impartial love for a disciple like me.

Human Revolution The Musical Premier Show

Tonight is the first night of HRTM. It is going to run for 4 more shows on every Saturday night in SGMS. The audience response was good but I still find there are rooms for improvement. There is still scenes that we can trim and streamline. Probably I was having too high of a hope on our inexperience youth division on this musical. But somehow I find I cannot live on a mediocre musical especially on this one that we dedicated to the man who inspired us, Ikeda Sensei!

I am hoping this musical can be improved from day to day and it is eventually a prefect gift for Sensei in 2010.