A lot of my friends here in the UK have been asking me about the recent controversy over use of the word 'Allah' by Christians in Malaysia. I was not actually sure what it was all about myself and did some research.
It all started when the Government of Malaysia banned the use of the word "Allah" by non-Muslims. Apparently this issue was raised up by a few people who objected to the words being used in Bibles - most of them printed in Indonesia. Then recently Malaysia's high court overturned the ban following a lawsuit filed in 2007 by The Herald - a Catholic newspaper.
It then became a political issue and the debate even spilled onto the Blogosphere. A number of Christian bloggers blogged in support of the court's decision while other bloggers were against it - some claiming it to be a attack on Malay rights.
Following the court ruling, several churches in Malaysia have come under a spate of fire-bombings and vandalism attacks - nine at last count
Initially, I was wondering why Christians would want to use the word "Allah" - which is God in Arabic (not restricted to Muslims) when the Bahasa Malaysia word for God is actually Tuhan. However, I later found the word has been in use in Christian publications and church services for a number of years before this whole controversy and violence.
I totally disagree with people who claim that this would lead to confusion among Muslims and encourage them to convert to Christianity. Burning houses of worship is definitely not a very religious activity.
A lot of people don't see the positive side - everyone in Malaysia regardless of faith should be encouraged to use the word Allah to refer to God. Hopefully people will then come to realise that we are all praying to the same "God". Thus one less reason to fight over.
Just my opinion and you may disagree.
19 January 2010
18 January 2010
More Snow in Coventry 2010
me more pictures:
Our leaning snowman
In our backyard
WBS teaching centre, University of Warwick
At Jubilee Crescent, Radford
Our leaning snowman
In our backyard
WBS teaching centre, University of Warwick
At Jubilee Crescent, Radford
09 January 2010
06 January 2010
Story of the folding bike
A couple of my colleagues regularly cycle to the University and they have been tempting me to give it a go. Besides saving me loads of money on fuel, I should be able to get a regular workout as well. The only problem is the distance to the University from my house - a distance of 5.2 miles. Anyway, I am seriously considering it and I might try it out this summer.
Of course, the choice of the cycle is very important as well. On my frequent trips to London, I often see people carrying little folded cycles, getting off the tube and then riding off after unfolding them.
Andrew Ritchie
I was quite amazed at the engineering and ingenuity that goes behind the bike. Later found out that it was called the Brompton cycle. Andrew Ritchie, who was trained as an engineer, came up with the idea in the mid-70s while working as a landscape gardener. He wanted to design a bike so small “it could fit in your pocket”. He formed the Brompton Bicycle company in 1976, named after the Brompton Oratory church opposite his home.
The unique"Brompton fold" allowing you to fold the bicycle both vertically and lengthwise while keeping all of the parts attached together.
Like many Undiscovered Business Entrepreneurs, his idea was ignored by other bicycle manufacturers, many of which have disappeared today and he had to go into production for himself.
Starting off with just 50 bicycles in the beginning, the company now has a turnover of £10million and is growing about 25% a year. Though the bikes are still manufactured in London (the only bicycle company in fact to do so), it has a worldwide following with about 70% of the bikes being sold abroad. An amazing British manufacturing success story.
Of course, the choice of the cycle is very important as well. On my frequent trips to London, I often see people carrying little folded cycles, getting off the tube and then riding off after unfolding them.
I was quite amazed at the engineering and ingenuity that goes behind the bike. Later found out that it was called the Brompton cycle. Andrew Ritchie, who was trained as an engineer, came up with the idea in the mid-70s while working as a landscape gardener. He wanted to design a bike so small “it could fit in your pocket”. He formed the Brompton Bicycle company in 1976, named after the Brompton Oratory church opposite his home.
The unique"Brompton fold" allowing you to fold the bicycle both vertically and lengthwise while keeping all of the parts attached together.
Like many Undiscovered Business Entrepreneurs, his idea was ignored by other bicycle manufacturers, many of which have disappeared today and he had to go into production for himself.
Starting off with just 50 bicycles in the beginning, the company now has a turnover of £10million and is growing about 25% a year. Though the bikes are still manufactured in London (the only bicycle company in fact to do so), it has a worldwide following with about 70% of the bikes being sold abroad. An amazing British manufacturing success story.
01 January 2010
Moving house in London
New Year's eve. Helping my sis-in-law move to her new house in Greenwich.
Packed and ready to go
Loading up
Bye Elgin Mews
Toothy smil.e The kids like the new place,
Packed and ready to go
Loading up
Bye Elgin Mews
Toothy smil.e The kids like the new place,
11 December 2009
A day as an invigilator
Yesterday morning I was invigilating an exam at the Rootes building in the University of Warwick. It was a 3 hours long exam and yes, it was really boring. So I tried to pass time by observing the people.
I never did think about it but looking at the guys, I realise how much I hate exams.
Anyway, students were not allowed to hang their jackets on their chairs for health and safety reasons and coat hangers were provided. However, there was this one lady who refused saying that "this is a cardigan not a jacket". Actually it was a fleece jacket and she looked like a feisty lady - one of those stubborn ones who stuck by their guns and I left her alone.
I couldn't believe it but some people had actually forgotten to bring their University identification cards - one lady told me that she had lost hers. Fortunately they had some kind of alternative ID.
During exams people do all kinds of things to remember the stuff they had crammed - one guy was scratching his head on the right side using his left hand. Another guy was staring at the lights for a long time. One lady with big hair do was moving her head back and forth and waving her hands around in front and many more.
The air conditioning suddenly came on around 11am with a loud swoosh and a few guys actually jumped in their seats. We never realise how loud these things are.
When it finally ended and after all the answer sheets for accounted for, we noticed that 6 people had left their mobile phones behind. They had been asked to hand it in when they started the exams. It's not surprising. Every exam, something always gets left behind and some people will never come back for them.
I never did think about it but looking at the guys, I realise how much I hate exams.
Anyway, students were not allowed to hang their jackets on their chairs for health and safety reasons and coat hangers were provided. However, there was this one lady who refused saying that "this is a cardigan not a jacket". Actually it was a fleece jacket and she looked like a feisty lady - one of those stubborn ones who stuck by their guns and I left her alone.
I couldn't believe it but some people had actually forgotten to bring their University identification cards - one lady told me that she had lost hers. Fortunately they had some kind of alternative ID.
During exams people do all kinds of things to remember the stuff they had crammed - one guy was scratching his head on the right side using his left hand. Another guy was staring at the lights for a long time. One lady with big hair do was moving her head back and forth and waving her hands around in front and many more.
The air conditioning suddenly came on around 11am with a loud swoosh and a few guys actually jumped in their seats. We never realise how loud these things are.
When it finally ended and after all the answer sheets for accounted for, we noticed that 6 people had left their mobile phones behind. They had been asked to hand it in when they started the exams. It's not surprising. Every exam, something always gets left behind and some people will never come back for them.
21 November 2009
Look at yourself before finding fault with others
Another great forwarded mail. It's really thought provoking..
A man feared his wife wasn’t hearing well as she used to and he thought she might need a hearing aid. Not quite sure how to approach her, he called his family doctor to discuss the problem. The doctor told him there is a simple, informal test; which he could perform and give them a better idea about her hearing loss.
“Here’s what you do,” said the doctor, “stand about 40 feet away from her, and in a normal conversational speaking tone, see if she hears you. If not, go to 30 feet, then 20 feet, and so on until you get a response.”
That evening, when his wife was in the kitchen, cooking dinner, he was in the drawing room, standing about 40 feet away from her.
“Honey, what’s for dinner?”, he asked in a normal tone. No response! So he moved closer to the kitchen, about 30 feet from his wife and repeated “Honey, what’s for dinner?” Still there was no response.
Next, he moved into the dining room where he was placed about 20 feet from his wife and asked the same question. Still further, he didn’t get his awaited response. He now walked up to the kitchen door which was another 10 feet away and asked “Honey, what’s for dinner?” Again no response! So he walks up and whispers behind her “Honey, what’s for dinner?”
“Steve, for the fifth time I’ve said, “Chicken”. “Do you have some hearing problem?”
Sometimes, the problem may not be with the other person as we always think; it could be within us. Let’s look within ourselves before we find fault with others.
A man feared his wife wasn’t hearing well as she used to and he thought she might need a hearing aid. Not quite sure how to approach her, he called his family doctor to discuss the problem. The doctor told him there is a simple, informal test; which he could perform and give them a better idea about her hearing loss.
“Here’s what you do,” said the doctor, “stand about 40 feet away from her, and in a normal conversational speaking tone, see if she hears you. If not, go to 30 feet, then 20 feet, and so on until you get a response.”
That evening, when his wife was in the kitchen, cooking dinner, he was in the drawing room, standing about 40 feet away from her.
“Honey, what’s for dinner?”, he asked in a normal tone. No response! So he moved closer to the kitchen, about 30 feet from his wife and repeated “Honey, what’s for dinner?” Still there was no response.
Next, he moved into the dining room where he was placed about 20 feet from his wife and asked the same question. Still further, he didn’t get his awaited response. He now walked up to the kitchen door which was another 10 feet away and asked “Honey, what’s for dinner?” Again no response! So he walks up and whispers behind her “Honey, what’s for dinner?”
“Steve, for the fifth time I’ve said, “Chicken”. “Do you have some hearing problem?”
Sometimes, the problem may not be with the other person as we always think; it could be within us. Let’s look within ourselves before we find fault with others.
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