FREEDOM TO EXPRESS OUR VIEWS

Books like these are sold on the open shelves at major bookstores.

With technology breaking down barriers in communication and making information so readily accessible, it is quite pointless to ban any literature, or stop people from expressing their opinion.

Unlike many of our ASEAN neighbours, Malaysians do enjoy a good measure of freedom to speak, write or seek alternative news coverage. There's plenty to read and view, especially with so much happening in the country.

The Star

University Malaya has even revived Speaker's Corner. I recall listening to protest speeches by student activists like Anwar Ibrahim back in the 1960s.

Here's a sampling of the new freedom. Just remember not to insult royalty, whether living or deceased.

NO to Internal Security Act - YES to Anti-Terrorism Act

Saya anak bangsa Malaysia (SABM) roadshow

WOULD YOU WANT TO LIVE WITH YOUR ADULT CHILDREN?

Call it intergenerational, multi-generational or 3-generation, it is the new buzz word for housing developers, at least for those who have been keeping a watchful eye on demographic trends.

Many seniors today are used to being independent and living in their own homes. When they retire they are reluctant to move in with their adult children. Much as they love their children and grandchildren and enjoy their company, at the end of the day they want their own space and privacy. A home with boisterous children and noisy teenagers is not exactly a haven for older people looking for some peace and quiet to enjoy their twilight years.

Adult children, on the other hand, constantly worry about their ageing parents living on their own. What if the latter need medical care? Or provisions? What if there’s an emergency?

One solution is the intergenerational home – a single house with two separate self-contained units, the smaller unit for the elderly parents. In the US, more extended families are living together under one roof. For many, the move is to cut costs. In Malaysia, however, a more popular option is for the parents to sell off the family home and purchase a unit close to their children’s home.

A rich relative of mine has a house with a garden so big he could build an annexe in one corner for his parents. I also know of a couple, both professionals, who bought two adjacent apartment units, so they could have their parents live literally next door!

The benefits of intergenerational living are mutual. Adult children can look after their parents much more easily, and enjoy some peace of mind at work. Their parents can help to babysit and keep an eye on their home when the family is away on vacation.

An advertisement for a 3-generation home in Kuala Lumpur

Of course such ideal living arrangements don’t come cheap. For those of us who can’t afford the luxury of living in a two-in-one home, the next best thing is to have a home with two master bedrooms with attached bathrooms. A local property developer has already started building such homes. Time will tell if this trend catches on.

GOING UP THE COUNTRY...GOTTA GET AWAY

Enjoy such pristine countryside while we can. It may not be here for long.

Remember the lyrics of Canned Heat's "Going up the country....Gotta leave this city, Gotta get away"? That was how I felt yesterday as my family and I took a respite from the heat, dust and pressure-cooker atmosphere of the urban jungle.

A mere hour's drive up north and we were already out in the countryside, feeling invigorated by the cool air, clear skies and clean mountain water.

Great place to meditate, reflect or just be one with nature.

My grandson, Max, getting acquainted with a newborn puppy.

(Top) For a kid, nothing beats splashing around in a mountain stream. (Above) Refilling my bottle with natural mineral water straight from the ground.

If it's been ages since you visited the small towns and villages, plan a trip soon. It'll be a nostalgic one for those of us baby-boomers who grew up in the backwaters where life was leisurely, people were friendly and a bowl of noodles cost only a dollar fifty.

TRUE OR FALSE?

I am not a Muslim. If I were, I would be very confused. I would be at risk of converting to Christianity.

I am not a Christian. If I were, I would be even more confused. Who wouldn't be?

Mark the following statements True or False:

~ Christians can't use the word "Allah" for their God. Period.

~ Christians in Malaysia can't use the word.

~ Only Christians in Sabah and Sarawak can use the word.

~ Christians in Penang can also use it, as the head of state is not a Sultan.

~ Now Christians in the Federal Territory can use it too.

If you had marked all True, you would have scored 100%. Congrats! You have been paying attention to statements issued by Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department.

The Star: 16 January 2010

The Star: 19 January 2010

I am a God-loving Malaysian, and I am just as confused.

Does the minister's personal opinion reflect the PM's stand (and the government's) on the matter? After all, he is supposed to represent the PM. Is it right for him to make public statements on the dispute when the court has yet to decide?

Does it mean that bibles imported from Indonesia can be used in the four states mentioned above? What about the states of Malacca and Negeri Sembilan? Both states do not have a Sultan. Does this imply that when Christians travel around Malaysia, they cannot bring along their bible depending on which state they are in?

I am from Johor. Can I use "Allah" on the Internet?

Perhaps in the coming days, the Honourable Minister might issue another statement: Now ALL states can use the word "Allah".

Let's wait and see. But I won't be holding my breath.

But the most ludicrous statement of all must surely be that issued by our former PM:

The Star: 21 January 2010

And his reasoning?

HOHO, HAHAHA!

LAUGHTER TRULY IS THE BEST MEDICINE

I've just received my certification as a Laughter Yoga leader of Dr Madan Kataria's School of Laughter Yoga.

What is Laughter Yoga? It's a "blend of yogic deep breathing, stretching, and laughter exercises that cultivate childlike playfulness". A typical laughter session lasts 30 minutes.

With natural disasters happening around us, and racial/religious tension simmering everywhere, this may not seem like the best of times to enjoy mirthful laughter. But perhaps that's exactly the medicine we need right now.

Indeed research reveals that children on average laugh 500 times a day, but adults only 18 times! Have we lost the ability to laugh, to feel good? Consider some of the many benefits of laughter:

~ it boosts the immune system

~ it is a natural pain killer

~ it energizes you

~ it relaxes you

~ it slows down the ageing process 

You can also practise laughter yoga to manage corporate stress and increase productivity. If only Parliament and Cabinet meetings started with a laughter yoga session! Laughter sessions have also been successfully introduced in hospitals, schools, senior citizens homes, prisons, factories and other workplaces. Below are video clips on Laughter Yoga from Discovery Channel and CNN.

   

 There is already a club in Johor Baru, and one in KL/PJ soon. Public laughter yoga sessions are conducted free of charge. World Laughter Day is celebrated on 2 May.

With Lee-Jean who was personally trained by Dr Kataria

Remember: You don't stop laughing when you grow old; you grow old when you stop laughing.

SIXTH SENSE: BRIDGING THE DIGITAL WORLD AND THE PHYSICAL WORLD

What a phenomenal technological breakthrough! Forget about Apple's much-anticipated i-tablet. Pranav Mistry's sixth sense device is THE ONE to watch. Viewing the video got me so excited that I simply had to post it here and share it with you. (Click on the screen image to enlarge.)

ARE WE BEING OVERLY (IN)SENSITIVE?

One man’s meat is another man’s poison. This is so true in a multi-racial country. Case in point: McDonald’s in Singapore recently introduced their Chinese New Year (CNY) toy promotion: a set of Doraemon collectibles depicting the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac calendar. With a food purchase, customers could collect a zodiac toy of their choice for only S$2.

Some customers were miffed when they discovered that the pig toy was omitted from the set. As a certified halal restaurant chain, the fast-food giant reasoned that offering a pig toy on the premises would offend their Muslim customers. As the first day of CNY this year coincides with Valentine’s Day, McDonald’s replaced the pig toy with a cupid toy.

Their decision upset many Chinese customers. They felt McDonald’s should not have tampered with a Chinese tradition that dates back thousands of years. For customers born in the Year of the Pig, collecting a cupid toy wouldn’t have the same significance.

Sometimes being sensitive to the customs of one ethnic group may mean being insensitive to those of another. That’s one of the challenges of doing business in a multi-racial, multi-cultural country. You just have to tread with extreme caution. A mis-step, no matter how small, can lead to a conflagration that neither side really wants.

Note: In Malaysia, the Year of the Pig is referred to as the Year of the Boar. And the Year of the Cock(erel) goes by the more polite Year of the Rooster.