The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion
The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion |
| Posted: 06 Aug 2011 04:06 PM PDT AUG 7 — Seriously, have the authorities not yet removed their blinkers? And this disease seems to be rapidly spreading. The misguided 8TV Ramadan public service announcements, and now, a raid on a church as a bunch of people was eating, occurred days of each other. The overzealousness displayed by a religious body and officers of the law is terribly frustrating. They decide to conduct a raid and not furnish any evidence of the "complaint" to the people they were raiding? Is there no limit to such bullying? I am continuously puzzled by the actions of people in government, the police and religious bodies. This is NOT democracy. This is NOT respecting each other's rights. This is arrogance on two legs. Or 30. Whoever ordered this raid should have employed a little bit more thought. Considering the sensitivities flailing about recently, do you seriously think you can barge into a church compound, and say, "Oh, I'm here because someone complained", not furnish proof, continue to take pictures and then, order the Muslim guests to give their statements? While some quarters are justifying Jais and the police's actions, and others condemning it, I am wondering why the raid was ordered in the first place. At the time I am writing this, neither the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) nor the police have given an answer as to why they did such a thing. Multiple demands have been made that they do; yet both outfits' inability to respond to calls for justification as swiftly as it can organise a raid is curious. Instead of accosting a church for throwing an appreciation dinner for Harapan Komuniti, a NGO that reportedly works with marginalised communities, we should be applauding the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC). The number of religious organisations willing to associate themselves with the HIV cause is too few and very far between. Which brings me to my next point: Is this what we are good for? Perpetuating a continuous division among our people? Continuously victimising sectors of society? It physically, emotionally and mentally drains me when I hear the rubbish people in power keep on doing, without a second thought to the amount of responsibility and impact their duties have to the rest of us. If there was a legitimate reason to raid a church, then say it. If you found that the church members were telling their Muslim guests "Accept Christ, or else!", then say it. If you found that someone had given the Muslim guests Bibles with the words "For non-Muslims only" printed on the inside front cover, say it. If Bersih 2.0, the detention of PSM 6, the allegations of a bracelet and a ring worth millions of ringgit — just a few things that of late have caused us to shake with anger — have not enlightened the authorities to the limit of BS we can stomach, I guess the blinkers are stuck on much harder than I thought. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by Used Car Search. |
| Off the beaten track retail therapy Posted: 06 Aug 2011 04:00 PM PDT AUG 7 — When you've tired of traipsing round shopping malls, there are some pretty cool Hong Kong originals to be had. Here are some on my hot list, in no particular order: Something to read  Lovely to have and to hold. Children's books set in Hong Kong.—Pictures by Anita Anandarajah "Portraits from Above: Hong Kong's Informal Rooftop Communities" by Rufina Wu and Stefan Canham is a shock to the system for those of us used to TVB's portrayal of spacious, modern apartments. "Portraits" helps us remember that there is another side to this glitzy city. For the little ones, Miroslav Sasek's beautifully illustrated hardcover children's book titled "This is Hong Kong" (HK180) first published in 1965 remains a classic while "Chopsticks" by Jon Berkeley (HK$68) is a contemporary story about a mouse who brings to life a wooden carved dragon aboard a floating restaurant in the waters of Aberdeen. All books are available at major bookstores in Hong Kong. Something that ticks Here's something that can stand the test of time — a flip clock, made right here in Kowloon. The flip clock came to fame in the 1970s and has regained its popularity in recent years with many reproductions available today. My favourite is the perpetual calendar table clock that features the day, date, month and time. A Twemco clock costs almost double of a model made in China but if you were to make that trek to the factory's premises on Larch Street, you will be taking home a piece of history.  Retro is here to stay. Twemco flip clocks, also available in a range of colours. I had to catch a bus, a train and a taxi to get to the factory in Tai Kok Tsui (or a 15-minute walk from the Olympic MTR station). You will be rewarded with factory prices, which is about 20 per cent cheaper than buying retail. The Twemco factory itself is a feast for the senses. It is housed on the second floor of a 1960s industrial building surrounded by metal workshops and crumbling buildings. The corridor leading to the factory is dark, with heavy green wrought iron gates leading into individual rooms or smallish "factories." Inside, a worker sits hunched over an ancient-looking stamping machine. He presses numbers and letters onto plastic strips with a foot pedal. These will form the day, date and time on the clock face. Twemco makes wall clocks for commercial, office and home use. A limited number of designs (available in white only) are sold at Wing On Department Store in Sheung Wan. Visit the website to view the full range. A word of warning though: the company entertains only wholesale orders outside of Hong Kong. (www.twemco.com) Something to hold and cherish I found the third item while wandering the streets of Sheung Wan. It is an iPad (HK$150) case made from weaved strips of local newspapers. The weaved pattern is also found on purses, business card holders and even the shop's signboard. The man behind Recycled is bag designer Max Wong, who saw a niche in the market for affordable recycled bags three years ago.  Recycled shop facade on Gage Street. Look carefully and you will find a mosaic of interesting pictures, words and dates appearing on your bag. The items are coated with polyurethane to make them water resistant. Browsing round the functional shop, I spotted coin purses made with colourful comic strips and lined with foil recycled from drink packets. Prices are kept reasonable as each item is handmade in Hong Kong by families in the New Territories. Wong employs about 100 people, mostly housewives who are able to produce two to three items a day. Besides the woven newspapers, there are also iPhone holders, cosmetic pouches and shopping totes made from colourful rice sacks sourced from the mainland. Also worth a look are the backpacks made from motorcycle tyres. Another Hong Kong-based designer who makes attractive accessories from rice sacks is Bez and Oho's Annalisa Ryle whom I previously wrote about. Ryle employs local women to see her creations to fruition. The workmanship is second to none ensuring a quality product. Bez and Oho's shopping totes and messenger bags are guaranteed conversation pieces that will also take you from the market to the mall. Recycled 50 Gage Street, Central, Hong Kong. (852)21916865 Bez and Oho (bezandoho.com) So if you find yourself in this part of the world, do take the time out to explore some of the lesser-known shopping trails. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by Used Car Search. |
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