I'm starting to like accounting

I never liked business related topics, with accounting the only exception because it requires mathematics. Even though some other business needs knowledge on financial mathematics, anything that requires speculation, estimation and the analysis of stock market are out.

This July, my semester break, I worked part time at a tax agency in order to gain some knowledge on tax. It was the peak period for them as the submission for taxation was 15 July, and a lot of filings and paperwork were required and thus they were understaffed. I worked there doing mostly the paperwork, but after 15 July I got to learn a lot on taxes. Mostly on company taxation because individual and partnership business submission have closed.

Accounting is fun. The key knowledge in accounting is actually balancing. Debit and credit must be equal. My lack of familiarity in observing a balance has resulted a costly mistake for me because I filed wrong data. I don't know whether the customer realises that, my I hope if he/she does he/she would forgive me, because if he/she is caught for the wrong submission, it's he/she that will be imposed a penalty, not the tax agency I worked in.

Anyway accounting is actually fun. It's actually crucial for a company because accounting is the basis of everything. It measures the flow of money within an institution and if one were to mess up a record of even a mere 1 cent, the whole accounting is doomed. That's why I wanted to work in the firm. I get to see what is required in accounting and when I work as an engineer in the future I would know what needs attention. Everything involves money must be treated with precautions and great care because even though engineers are not taught accounting, they will be part of the audit and it's important they have a little knowledge about it.

In short, I did not learn a lot, but I learned enough to pique an interest.

Sing! China 中国新歌声

I never watched a single episode of this renamed singing competition show, but now I'm hooked.

I first watched it when I first listened to this guy singing this song on Facebook. He's a Singaporean, you can tell from his strong Singaporean English accent in his Mandarin, and he's a singer who has published albums. He sings it really nice.

 

Then I watch again when this Malaysian girl (a Penangite!) made it to the next round. A Chung Ling Private school student who has been showered with love sings one of the best songs so far that has captivated me.

 

And there's something oddly mesmerising with this athletic guy singing the song. It's a slow song that I do not normally enjoy listening, but he sings it with a soul that I do not think many people have.

 

One thing for sure, I am watching the third episode next week!

Ambition, or an interest, should be the centre of life

I don't look down on stupid people, or people who cannot get good academic grades. People often think I act that way because society dictates the people who are either academically inferior or dense are at the bottom of a saturated ladder.

I don't.

I think it's okay if people are not academically successful. Not everyone is brought to the world with their brain the sharpest tool. Some are meant to be a model. Some were born with artistic skills and an insatiable taste for designs. Some are good at socialising, and they are meant to drive business up. Some are good at acting and they provide entertainment. Some are gifted with sentimental souls that reach out to others and are meant to soothe the people. Some love sport, and live for sport.

I personally believe it is absolutely okay to be poor in academic.

But, I think it is very, very dangerous if one has no ambition, interest, or a sense of purpose of living. That being said, if you are poor in academics and yet have no other interests, then I think it is a very dangerous journey you are taking.

If your life is only about computer games, watching television dramas, and eating and sleeping, then I think it is time you wake up from your deep slumber, pick yourself up, and start to fight a sense of purpose for living.

We are now inching towards becoming a grown-up. As we grow it is natural we carry more responsibilities and some time in the coming years we would form the community that is keeping the world alive.

There will be a time when you will realise playing computer games is not going to contribute anything. It fills your time with entertainment but there shall be no illusion that a virtual reality can provide a physical satisfaction.

You should find an interest. Everybody has an interest. Before you have a boyfriend/girlfriend, find out what kind of person you are. You must know who you are before you attempt to have someone in your life.

You must understand what is keeping you alive every day. You must be able to visualise the future of which you hold. You must be able to see your ambition come true.

I think it is very dangerous if one depends on another person to give their life fulfilment. You are an individual with a soul. You need to exploit it.

Only when you soul is fully exploited, then only you should find a life partner.

Only when two fully exploited souls come together can a partner be deeply bound.

Every human has a wish, an ambition or an interest in your life. If you live your life by only playing computer games and watching television, it's time you pick up your life, and start the arduous journey of finding what you really are, and what you really want.

You should be responsible for your own life, before you start to take the responsibility of providing one for another.

Horrible. Just Horrible

For two days I have woken up to sheer terror.

On Friday I woke up and realised there was another terrorist attack in France. A truck drove at high speed into a large crowd and killed up to 80 people. IS has not claimed responsibility, but the action has every element of a terrorist attack.

Today I woke up to the news of an attempted Turkish military coup. As much as I hate the clampdown done by the Turkish government, a coup can and will never be a solution. In a country where democracy is practised, if a government were to be toppled, it has to be done by the people, not the military.

2016 has proved a worse year than 2015.

Extroverted Introvert

What should I do?

I am an extroverted introvert. I don't get along with large groups of people but I am more than comfortable with a small group of no more than 5, generally.

I want social life, but simultaneously I crave personal spaces for personal interests.

I like a lot of things that do not require a companionship: reading storybooks, writing, fulfilling dreams, baking, cooking, watching televisions among others. I can get by very well without a partner.

But sometimes I want a company. A company that does not require maintenance and long term commitment.

Conflicts, sometimes are best kept at bay.

Supernatural

I still remember watching the first episode back in 2006, on TV3 at Sunday 10pm. I still remember it fondly because I thought it was gonna be a pathetic continuance of Charmed, a show that features three sisters who are witches that are destined to save the world from multiple evils. Initially there was so much similarities one would hard to shake off the idea that Supernatural is its brother. Charmed was about three witch sisters who rid demons while Supernatural is about two brothers who hunt down evils. The Halliwell sisters have a book of shadow as their guide while the Winchester brothers have their father's journal. Among the others.

But how wrong have I been! Supernatural turns out to be much better than Charmed, and much long-lived as well, as Supernatural derives lots of its stories from the bible while Charmed brews from overstretched fantasies. Season 1 and Season 2 of Supernatural was awesome. The show was meant to end at Season 2, but then it grew and was meant to stop at Season 5 by exploring the idea of apocalypse. Season 3 is about Lilith and Season 4 introduces a series-changing character - an angel, that is now a central of the series. Season 5 is undoubtedly the best season so far.

Probably because the views were overwhelming, the series was extended. Season 6 was...forced, and quite boring to be frank. Season 7 was okay. Season 8 and 9 grew dull but Season 10 picked up a bit of pace but the original flavour is still absent, and I have just begun watching Season 11 and so far it's the best since Season 5.

Most seasons have a central theme in which the entire season centres on, Season 4 is about preventing Lucifer from walking free, Season 5 about putting Lucifer away, Season 6 about finding Purgatory, Season 7 on putting Leviathons back to Purgatory, Season 8...I forgot, while Season 9 is about the angels finding their ways back to Heaven. Season 10 too lacks a solid theme besides trying to save Dean from the cursed Mark of Cain. Season 11 is about defeating the Darkness, apparently God's sister.

Supernatural is undoubtedly one of the best tv show out there that I will not cease watching until the show is axed. I love the show, but I must admit, the show has outlived its lifespan a little with Season 12, because Season 11 ends with the weakest cliffhanger. London branch of Men of Letters is not appealing at all, and Mary's return do not seem fascinating.

But let's give the benefit of the doubt and see how things turn. Season 12 will see a new showrunner, but I hope it's good.

Sarawak Independence?

Being in Sarawak the strongest sentiment brewing among Sarawakians is the rights to gain more autonomy and, in secret, to achieve independence. Openly voicing it has become seditious by law so people whisper instead of chant.

I'm going to say why I don't really care about what Sarawak wants. And it's not really because I'm a Peninsula Malaysian, some rational Sarawakians agree with me and I've shared it. But I'll explain it anyway.

If Sarawak fails to get independence, well, they fail.

If Sarawak succeeds, let's predict the future by analysing what we have now

One thing people must realise is that with greater autonomy there comes a greater responsibility.

Their government has received resounding victory and enormous support from the people, but after 50 years of ruling what have they done? Have they fought back what was stolen? They always chant they will, but results are never produced. Is that a good sign of a good governance?

They have even started changing history - Sarawak was never granted independence in July 22, 1963. Even The Borneo Post, the local Sarawak paper has here reported on that matter. Sarawak was granted self-ruling and self-governance by the British but the British was still the ruler. It means Sarawak did not gain independence because the British presence was still there. The granting of self-governance was simply because Sarawak agreed to form Malaysia with the then-Malaya, and not because Sarawak is capable of standing independently. Sarawak was still under threat from the Communist and the grant was simply to allow Sarawak to prepare for an actual independence in September 16, 1963. A fact is a fact, your decision to not accept it does not render it invalid.

Sarawak has total autonomy over the state's immigration, land usage, labour and timber industry, among the examples. And the results?

1. The state immigration so far is good at expelling Peninsula-based politicians who are majority from the Opposition, but illegal labours and foreigners from Indonesia, and even North Korea, enter almost without hindrance. Need I elaborate on the consequences? If you are now a Sarawakian, how safe do you feel parking your car in an unsupervised area? Among the examples to show.
2. Native lands have been largely converted for industrial and road building purpose. Dayak groups have voiced concerns but what have transpired? 
3. Sarawak has lost so much on their timber industry because of the failure to regulate the industry, resulting in Sarawak almost being blacklisted by the international market a few years ago.

And most importantly, with the rich timber industry, what have the people enjoyed? 50 years later now and they still lag behind West Malaysians with little timber to produce.

Sarawak has a vast land area. With population of less than 3 million,

• and with such large land borders with Kalimantan and long sea borders on the South China Sea with China claiming the sea is theirs and potentially robbing all their oil from their shores, how is Sarawak going to protect their borders and fight with a world power on international ground? With 3 million people and population density of less than 1, and majority of places horribly underdeveloped, just, seriously, how?

• some people have voiced that with the regain of total oil royalty, Sarawak can be rich and stand strong and even surpass West Malaysia in economy. For those who make this kind of blatant ignorant comment, please be aware that a total oil-dependent country is risky and will not be able to go far. The price of oil depends on market value, not by the seller. When a barrel of oil plummeted from USD100 to below USD40, look at what happened to the Middle Eastern countries or the Latin American countries. Just take Venezuela for example.Venezuela has totally bankrupted, working days reduced, time brought forward half an hour to save electricity consumption. Go google it for more information yourself. Brunei is spared only because their money is pegged with Singapore dollar. The idea of gaining income entirely on oil is not safe and should be avoided because the risk of insolvency is a definite and irreversible. What matters is time. And your politicians are not stupid enough to fail to see that. That, I know.

• Coming to that, I'm sure your government is not stupid enough to wish to depend entirely on oil, so what happens is that the economy of Sarawak must be propelled and brought higher than it current stands. But with population of 3 million and much more responsibility due to independence and detachment from KL, it would produce a severe deficit of labour and man force. The direct consequence must be that labour forces must be brought in to fill the void and prepare Sarawak to stand strong. Singapore, a tiny nation that has no land border, brings in the number of labours almost equal the number of its population and yet it still is expanding and bringing in labours despite reaching 5 million population, because Singapore understands 5 million is not enough, even though they're dangerously stretching their limits. Sarawak, with such vast land, and population of less than 3 million, must bring in a few times higher than Singapore's figure in order to achieve self-sustenance. The consequence? There will be a significant demographic shift. Land usage will increase. Sarawakians, like those in Dubai, risk being the minority in a city that has to stand high, or be left behind. In short, the current relaxing, peaceful lifestyle Sarawakians enjoy will be completely buried and will be replaced with a busy and eventful lifestyle and that, taking lessons from every big cities in the world, comes with the potential of disruption and social disturbance, which Sarawak claims to have experienced none and are proud of it. I don't think it is bad, but I know Sarawakians dislike it. To risk becoming like KL, or worse than KL, a city they want to detach from, must have hurt. Sarawak can be really successful when there's good management and resources, and may surpass West Malaysia, I admit. But look at the price you need to pay. 

In short, Sarawak still fails, because they will lose what they have now and become what they hate.

And this is why I don't care what the outcome is. In either direction the result swings, there will be a change the people despise. And neither tells me it's worth the change.

And for those who want to silence us by purporting Malaysia Agreement 63 as the weapon, let me just attach the original agreement here so that you can actually read it instead of claiming to have read it but went on to display why you haven't.

And for Sarawakians who seem to insist that Sarawak is not a state but is an equal partner with the then-Malaya to form Malaysia, please also read the Malaysia Agreement attached above and tell me what the title of the agreement yells, and how it describes the federation and especially what it says in page 13, part II. Is Sarawak a state, or an equal partner? And there's a subpart that screams "The Constitution of the State of Sarawak". So is Sarawak a state?

A simple summary of the Malaysia Agreement has been basically given in the 20-point-agreement (18 for Sarawak) incorporated in the Cobbold Commission and now the Federal Constitution. I so far can't find an original copy but let me attach the list here.

Point number 7 clearly states that "there should be no secession from the Federation". Ambiguity exists here, obviously, due to the choice of word "should". But if "should" shall remain the point of controversy, virtually all 18-point agreement can be considered invalid and non-binding because almost all of them employ the word "should". By that logic Sarawak, by law, could have no autonomy in every regards spelt out in the agreements. In essence, your push for more autonomy hinging on the word "should" may backfire.

SUMMARY

If Sarawak wishes to get more autonomy, please fight for it. I will wish you well.

But I'll warn you to think hard on what you wish for. I wish you guys to get your rightful rights, but the question is, are you sure you are ready?

Are you sure you are fully aware of what would happen?

Are you sure you are fully aware of the consequence of your actions?

And finally, are you sure you can handle them? Because from what I see now, you are far from prepared.

Advice
The one thing Sarawakians continuously fail to realise is that their purported rights are repeatedly encroached by the federal government, not West Malaysians. West Malaysians and Sarawakians have not got along well recently, but West Malaysians generally treated Sarawakians with distinct nonchalance but Sarawakians recriprocated with extreme hatred and anger that stems from misunderstandings. You claim that your rights have been snatched, your oil has been stolen. But who did it? It's the federal government. Not the public. And who gave the federal government that power? Go see your latest state election.

You blame them for snatching your rights and stealing your oil, yet you still voted for them. You literally gave them the power to do what they want with what you have, and then you complain what they have done to you. Do you realise how stupid you would sound if you complain of this? Open the door widely and deliberately invite the robbers in then cry out loud that robbers rob you makes you stupid and silly and you will not ever be able to generate sympathies for your deliberate actions. You voted for them, it's your decision hence it's your responsibility. Don't blame it on us. And this is why the West Malaysians simply never care of your predicament - it's your decision. If you are truly angry, vote them out. The purpose of voting for an opposition is to send a fiercer representation to the Parliament to voice your disappointment. It's obvious why you need to vote for the opposition - 50 years ago, what have your current government done? They have glaringly failed, but you are generous enough to let them snatch your rights.

The West Malaysians have their own issues to deal with. KL has become an influential financial city, an alpha city that sits highly on the world. KL has contributed so much for Malaysia, but what have we got in return? Increased toll rates. Increased cost of living, among others. We have our own issues to deal with. You never wanted to care for us, don't expect us to care for you. If you do not want to work as a team, don't expect anything from your teammates. And we know that, but do you?