this is asterix.

Today is a very significant day to me. Six years ago, today was the day where my life changed and brought me to where I am now. There were some regrets and mistakes, but that was what we all called, life. We did certain things and we learn from it and then we became a better person for each new day. Last term, I learnt about contract law in my Business Law course and I always wonder what the Quran says about contract law. Today, I found what did the Quran says in Surah Al-Baqarah verse 55. يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ إِذَا تَدَايَنتُم بِدَيْنٍ إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى فَاكْتُبُوهُ وَلْيَكْتُب بَّيْنَكُمْ كَاتِبٌ بِالْعَدْلِ وَلاَ يَأْبَ كَاتِبٌ أَنْ يَكْتُبَ كَمَا عَلَّمَهُ اللّهُ فَلْيَكْتُبْ وَلْيُمْلِلِ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ الْحَقُّ وَلْيَتَّقِ اللّهَ رَبَّهُ وَلاَ يَبْخَسْ مِنْهُ شَيْئاً فَإن كَانَ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ الْحَقُّ سَفِيهاً أَوْ ضَعِيفاً أَوْ لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُ أَن يُمِلَّ هُوَ فَلْيُمْلِلْ وَلِيُّهُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَاسْتَشْهِدُواْ شَهِيدَيْنِ من رِّجَالِكُمْ فَإِن لَّمْ يَكُونَا ...

Having a mother as a dean in one of Malaysia’s public universities and a father as a special officer to the minister really paid off for this girl when she was finally offered a place in one of the best residential school in the country. I don’t want to put any names here and besides, you all can read about her in the local newspapers. I have nothing against her, especially when she did achieve a very good result in the public examination last year. For all I know, based on her exam results, she deserved to get a place in all prestigious residential school. It is just that when she was offered the place after the news about her application to the school was unsuccessful came out in the newspaper that ticked me off. Seriously, I have nothing against her and I wish her all the best in her education, her life and all her future endeavours. If anyone is offended by this, I apologize in advance. “There is only one success – to be able to spend your life in your own way.” – Christopher Morle...

Since no one wants to answer my questions , I don’t feel there is any obligation on my side to reveal the answers. However, since Ijah ventured a try, I feel I have to give out the answers anyway. The picture was actually the first picture that I posted in this blog in my first entry . And the two songs are significant to me because Teratai Layu Di Tasik Madu and Janji Manismu were composed by a composer named Adam Ahmad. Both songs won Juara Lagu. In case you don’t know who Adam Ahmad is, the song sang by Dayang Nurfaizah titled Kau Pergi Jua was once sung by Adam Ahmad. On another note, congratulations to Adibah Noor and Azlan Abu Hassan for winning the recently concluded 21st Anugerah Juara Lagu in Kuala Lumpur. “A champion is afraid of losing. Everyone else is afraid of winning.” – Billy Jean King.

When I first started this blog January last year, I thought this is going to be just like my previous blogs, which ended after two or three months. I had never thought that this day would actually come. For your information, I started this blog on the 21st January 2006 with my first post at 9.57 p.m. And the first comment that I received was from Emirin. And now that with this 149th post, I wish asterix! a happy birthday! In conjunction with the one year anniversary of this blog and Anugerah Juara Lagu 21, I have a little competition for all of you. All you have to do is to tell me the answer to the two questions below by midnight of 22nd January 200 and I have a mystery gift waiting for you. This competition opens only to my friends and family. The first question is, why is the above picture significant to this blog? Teratai Layu Di Tasik Madu by Fauziah Latiff (Winner of Juara Lagu 1993) Janji Manismu by Aishah (Winner of Juara Lagu 1990) The second question is, why are the songs abo...

“Dengan nama Allah yang pemurah lagi penyayang, segala puji-pujian bagi Allah pentadbir sekalian alam, selawat dan salam ke atas semulia-mulia nabi dan Rasul iaitu penghulu kami nabi Muhammad s.a.w. dan di atas keluarganya dan para sahabat sekalian. Ya Allah! Engkaulah yang kekal, qadim lagi azali dan di atas kelebihan Engkau yang besar dan kemurahan Engkau yang melimpah dan ini adalah tahun baru yang sesungguhnya telah mendatangi kami, kami memohon kepada Engkau pemeliharaan padanya daripada syaitan yang direjam, pembantu-pembantunye dan tentera-tenteranya dan kami memohon pertolongan di atas nafsu yang banyak mendorong kepada kejahatan dan kami memohon kepada Engkau bagi melakukan sebarang pekerjaan yang boleh mendekatkan diri kami kepada Engkau. Ya Allah! Tuhan yang mengubahkan segala keadaan, ubahkanlah keadaan kami kepada sebaik-baik keadaan dengan kekuasaan dan kekuatan Engkau wahai Tuhan yang mengerasi lagi maha tinggi. Wahai Tuhan kami! Kurniakanlah kepada kami kebahagiaan di d...

After reading Yazid’s entry ‘Sadly Misunderstood’ , I also feel sad that many people misunderstood Islam as a violent religion. And the Pope’s statement last year certainly did not help to correct this misunderstanding. I’ve mentioned about the Pope’s statement here . Speaking of misunderstood about Islam, I have a video showing how a little history of Islam was systematically erased in Spain. This is actually a documentary which runs for approximately 1 hour and 42 minutes. I know it is quite long, but I seriously recommend you to watch it if you are on a broadband connection. You can still watch it with a dial-up connection, but it will take a while before it finishes uploading. You can watch it here . Thank you Farouk for the link. “In a world where people are surrounded by darkness, ignorance and fear, it is a sign of hope to be celebrating Islam’s message of peace and light, and the last great Messenger, born and chosen to deliver them to all mankind.” – Yusuf Islam.

I am not sure whether many of you know about this, but, I am pretty sure those in the UK will know. There is this show called Celebrity Big Brother, and honestly, I had never watched the show, hence, I know nothing about it except that I know that it exists. Anyway, since last week, I think, the show was hit with a controversy when a couple of people in the show were caught for being racists. They had been referring to Shilpa Shetty as ‘the Indian’. And making remarks on the fact that she used her hands to eat. Basically, everyone in the UK seems upset about this and the issue is now being debated in the House of Parliament. Some call for the show to be cancelled while some want a harsh warning is given to everyone in the show to avoid giving any kinds of racist comments. I had never watch it, so, I don’t really know about what was said in the show, other than what I read on the news. But I do think that although the comments made on the show sounded racists, those comments were not re...

I am going home in the first week June. Hello Malaysia! I am so happy. I also would like to wish Ms. Norfaeezah Sharifuddin a very happy birthday. May ALLAH bless you all the time. I have nothing else to write really, because I am still trying to write about the Indian and the Chinese economy, which now seems like it will take forever to write them. So, I guess I'll better get on with my work now. "A diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman's birthday but never remembers her age." - Robert Frost.

In the old days, dynasty who ruled the empire of China were said to have mandate from God. Hence, emperors were regarded as an extension of God. Whatever he said will be the words of God and his actions will be the actions of God. And a dynasty will end its rule when the mandate from God was withdrawn by – obviously – God himself. An end to a mandate will be when the empire is hit with a major natural disaster like a big earthquake or a big flood (sounds familiar?). If this whole mandate system applies to my country, Malaysia, it looks like the current government is losing its mandate. But, that if only the same system applies, so, there is nothing that the government should worry about. Speaking of big flood, I would like to express my deepest sympathy to those who are suffering from the big flood in Malaysia. This flood is regarded as one of the worst flood in the history of the country. I would also like to express my condolences to those whose families were involved in a boat capsi...

Ladies and gentlemen, Meet my new sidekick, Nokia 1100. "We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak." - Epictetus.

If you happened to be in Kuala Lumpur right now, why don’t spend some time at Lake Titiwangsa – not for morning or evening jog, but to ride on Malaysia’s version of London Eye. But in Malaysia, we call it Eye on Malaysia. For RM15 per person, you will be taken for a 12 minutes ride to gaze over the skyline of KL. When my brother told me last week about a big Ferris wheel in KL, I thought he was talking about a big funfair at Lake Titiwangsa. Boy I was wrong. He was actually talking about a 60 meter high gigantic Ferris wheel. This Ferris wheel looks exactly like The Wheel of Manchester. When I read about this Eye on Malaysia, I am torn between is this RM30million giant wheel really necessary and COOL! I think I will go with the latter. Ha-ha. I cannot wait to be home in June and to ride one of those gondolas. One interesting thing about this big Ferris wheel is, the project was approved, tendered and built in just three weeks! And here I am thinking the Malaysian government is slow wit...

Flying from Kuala Lumpur to London for RM9.99? That is an idea. Well, at least to Tony Fernandes, that is an idea which is about to be realized – by Air Asia X. For a start Air Asia X will rely heavily on students and die hard football fans because they are probably the most price-driven customers. And of course, the new airline will also rely heavily on return ticket sales rather than one-way ticket. This is because, Air Asia X can charge higher price for a return ticket than one-way ticket as demonstrated by Oasis Hong Kong (a low cost airline that operates Hong Kong-London route). One look at the pricing strategy of Oasis Hong Kong, one will notice that the price from Hong Kong to London is much cheaper than from London to Hong Kong. I can only assume that Air Asia X will use the same price strategy. OK, a Chelsea fan who wants to go to London to watch a match between Chelsea and Liverpool will buy a return ticket from KL to London. His one-way ticket from KL to London will cost him...

One thing I found interesting when I was in Switzerland was the fact that the Swiss speak three languages. Well, I supposed that fact was not a surprise since Switzerland does not have an official language. Basically, all new born Swiss grew up and learn all three languages – French, German and Italian. Since I did not have a chance to go the Italian part of the country, I could not possibly experiencing Italian experience in Switzerland. At first, I found it impossible to see how one country can speak three languages at the same time, but then, after spending 8 days there, I began to see that the country is actually divided into three (language wise). My first few days in Switzerland, which I spent in Geneva and Lausanne, I had to familiarize myself with words like ‘Bonjour’ (Hello), ‘Merci’ (Thank You), and ‘Gare’ (Station). And the rest of my trip, I had to familiarize with words like ‘Danke’ (Thank You), and ‘Bahnhoff’ (Station). In case you do not already know, the former is Frenc...