Media, dialogue and mutual understanding ...

The potential of media in fostering dialogue, mutual understanding and reconciliation will be the topic of UNESCO World Press Freedom Day 2009 to be celebrated on 2 and 3 May 2009.
As the only UN agency with a mandate to defend freedom of expression and press freedom, UNESCO has placed mutual understanding, and dialogue through media at the core of its mission.
UNESCO’s Constitution, adopted in November 1945, states that the Organization will "collaborate in the work of advancing the mutual knowledge and understanding of all peoples, through all means of mass communication” and “promote the free flow of ideas by word and image".
At this year’s conference and celebrations, UNESCO invites participants to explore the enormous potential of media to serve as a platform for dialogue and a vehicle for understanding.

With age comes wisdom ...

A guy is 70 years old and loves to fish. He was sitting in his boat the other day when he heard a voice say, "Pick me up."
He looked around and couldn't see any one.
He thought he was dreaming when he heard the voice say again,"Pick me up."
He looked in the water and there, floating on the top, was a frog.
The man said: "Are you talking to me?"
The frog said: "Yes, I'm talking to you. Pick me up, then kiss me and I'll turn into the most beautiful woman you have ever seen. I'll make sure that all your friends are envious and jealous because I will be your bride!"
The man looked at the frog for a short time, reached over, picked it up carefully and placed it in his front breast pocket.
Then the frog said: "What, are you nuts? Didn't you hear what I said? I said kiss me and I will be your beautiful bride."
He opened his pocket, looked at the frog and said: "Nah, at my age I'd rather have a talking frog."
With age comes wisdom.

Of blogging and 1Malaysia ...

Information, Communications and Culture Minister Dr Rais Yatim has called on Malaysian bloggers to help inculcate the 1Malaysia concept and make it a success.
He said this genre of writing which had become increasingly popular via the Internet could spur members of society to work with sincerity and forge unity through responsible blogging.
Besides presenting critical views, he hoped that bloggers could also be positive of the right things being done by the government.
In his meeting with local bloggers in Kuala Lumpur last night, Dr Rais said that as the minister concerned, he wanted to extend friendship and not to cause difficulties to any group that could help develop a thinking society.

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak propagated the 1Malaysia concept when he took office on April 3, calling on the people to embark on a "great journey together" to transform the country.
He had promised the country that his administration would place priority on performance and the people. "One Malaysia. People First. Performance Now".

Dr Rais said while he was still searching for suitable Malay words for blogs and bloggers, Malaysian culture had changed with the advent of the Internet which created a borderless cyber world.
The young generation were becoming less interested in the print media but turning more to the blogs and Facebook through the Internet, he noted.
He hoped that bloggers would use accurate facts in their postings and not use their blogs to make baseless accusations and defame others.
"Their reputation will be eroded if they present untruths because as bloggers, their credibility is important," he said.

Work begins...

When I visited his workshop this morning, Awang had removed my MM's engine. The front compartment of the old car was literally bare to the floor. The 36 year-old mechanic says he will have to do some welding work before fitting in the replacement engine.
The old, worn-out engine which he had taken out, was lying on the floor. Instead of discarding it for good, Awang said he intend to restore the engine so that he could showcase it.

Malaysia's World Heritage Sites...

Eight stamps depicting World Heritage Sites in Malaysia were issued today. The stamps, valued at 50 sen each, reflect the country's pride to have the four sites being declared as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Melaka and George Town were declared as historic cities of the Straits of Melaka while the natural sites of Kinabalu Park and Mulu Natural Park earned the title because of their exceptional universal conservation values.


A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.
The goal of the programme is the conservation of sites considered to be of outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common heritage of humankind.

New lease of life ...

Going by record, my Morris Minor is 56 years old today.
It was registered on April 8, 1953 in the then Malaya. Originally in green, the 800 cc, petrol-powered beauty was registered as “JE 1143”.
After seeing the car at a workshop in Batu Pahat, I eventually bought it for RM2,500 on New Year’s day in 2001. It cost me another RM2,000 to have it painted in dark blue and tailored seat cover in light yellow.
Having scouted around for the car, it was a dream come true when I finally got to own one. I don’t know why I was so passionate about the car. Maybe because of it’s unique shape or the fact that the MM was no longer in production.
If at all there was a nostalgic feeling about the car for me it was because my late father had learnt to drive in a Morris Minor back in the 1960’s in the small town of Kuala Krai in Kelantan.
So having the chance to be behind the big steering wheel of the MM myself, I treasure every minute of the experience.
It was sheer excitement when I drove the car from Batu Pahat to Kuala Lumpur along the North-South Highway. It did not give me any problem at all although I was apprehensive at the start of the journey whether it could take me home to KL.
Fast forward, I remember the time when a motorcyclist flagged me to stop after trailing my MM. As I got to the side of the road, he came to me and and asked if I wanted to sell the car.
Then there was the time when my son, who was then in Primary One, was so embarrass to ride in the car when I went to pick him up from school. I saw from a distance how he tried to hide behind his friends when he saw the car coming. After waiting for a while, I had to get down and persuade Adam to get into the car.
As my dear MM turns a year older, it’s about time to give it a new breath of life.
I’m looking forward to drive the car again with a replacement engine that comes with an automatic gear and air-condition installed.
Awang, my new-found mechanic friend, is just as excited to get the ‘old guy’ up and running again