Confinement - My Second Experience

My first confinement wasn't easy - I had post-partum blues, Daniel was admitted to the hospital for 4 days due to jaundice, I had difficulties eating the food my mum prepared and a long list of other issues.

Determined to have a better confinement this time, me and my mum made some slight changes to how things work. First, I dislike eating ginger, and you know for Chinese during confinement, ginger is a must. You practically eat, drink, bath with ginger - tons of eat. During my first time, my mum cut big pieces of ginger to cook with, and I was expected to eat that ginger, along with rice and others. Guess what I did - yup, I finished all the rice, and threw away those big pieces of ginger. This time, I asked my mum to slice the ginger and have it fried till golden brown. Its working coz I am finishing the entire plate - rice and ginger as well.

Second, during confinement, people normally cook using rice wine, which was what I had during my first time. And again, picky me, did not attempt to drink that rice wine that was cooked with the dishes, and into the dustbin those rice wine went. This time, my mum did not but any rice wine, but instead, she bought ginger wine, which I found taste better than rice wine. Again, this time, I finished all my food.

Thirdly, Chinse custom believed that we should avoid bathing as much as possible so that the "wind" won't be able to enter the body. Living in a hot and humid country with no bath was something unimaginable. But thanks to the advancement of technology, herbs that was needed to be picked are now readily available in simple packaging. One packet per day, with boiled water, was something which I looked forward to everyday.

Fourthly, I managed to find a lady to come to the house for "urut" session on the 2nd week of confinement. In a way, it helps alot to dispel wind that was already in the body. During my first confinement, I never thought of seeking one in the first place. Only after confinement, my mum's neighbour saw that I was very pale that she asked me to go for urut.

All in all, the second time was definately much better, and I have 3 more days to go before I officially can go jalan-jalan outside.

Rasuah orang susah

Oleh Maiamalina Mohamed Amin
maiamalina@hmetro.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: Tindakan gereja yang menggunakan pendekatan membantu golongan susah dan kemudian menarik mereka secara perlahan-lahan untuk menganut Kristian adalah rasuah yang tak bermoral.
Bekas Pengerusi Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (Yadim), Datuk Mohd Nakhaie Ahmad berkata, perbuatan itu yang dilaksana pendakwah Kristian jelas terkeluar daripada ajaran sebenar agama terbabit yang mengetengahkan pembentukan moraliti. “Tindakan gereja itu satu rasuah yang tak bermoral apabila menggunakan orang susah, membantu mereka dan kemudian menarik mereka perlahan-lahan menganut Kristian.

“Kita tahu cara itu bukan ajaran Kristian sebab didikannya sangat mementingkan pembentukan moral, tapi apa yang dibuat itu adalah daripada pendakwahnya yang tidak bermoral.

“Kalaupun mungkin terdesak untuk mendapatkan penganut, mereka (gereja) tak boleh melanggar moral, nilai Kristian...tetapi apa yang saya bimbang golongan ini gunakan Kristian untuk rosakkan negara kita,” katanya, semalam.

Ahli Majlis Pertubuhan Kebajikan Islam Malaysia (Perkim) itu menjelaskan, keamanan dalam Malaysia selaku negara Islam berkemungkinan besar dicemburui pihak tertentu yang cuba merosakkannya dengan pelbagai cara.

“Kami tahu negara Islam banyak yang bergolak disebabkan campur tangan negara asing, penjajah dan sebagainya, (jadi) saya bimbang ia berlaku di negara kita (menerusi pendekatan di gunakan gereja) sedangkan ajaran Kristian tidak membenarkan begitu.

“Tak ada masalah kalau mahu mengajar, ajarlah...tetapi jangan sampai menggunakan orang susah, konon membantu mereka dan tarik mereka untuk menukar agama.....tak wajar,” katanya.

Beliau juga bersetuju pembongkaran Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (Jais) terhadap perkara itu suatu yang perlu dilakukan bagi menyedarkan semua pihak sekali gus menggerakkan usaha mengekang penularan aktiviti itu.

Katanya, selain Jais, polis juga perlu sama menyiasat perkara terbabit sama ada wujud kemungkinan campur tangan pihak luar yang berselindung di sebalik gerakan gereja untuk mengucar-kacirkan keamanan negara.

“Perkara ini kalau tidak didedahkan akan berlaku krisis agama....lagi parah seperti yang berlaku di negara lain, mungkin akan ada orang Islam ekstrim yang bertindak membakar gereja, kita tak nak ia berlaku.

“Jadi sudah tiba masanya umat Islam bersatu atas dasar akidah walaupun berbeza fahaman politik. Kita kena tegasdalam soal akidah. Jangan ada ahli politik yang menggunakan isu ini dalam tawar menawar politik,” katanya.


This was another article that I read in Harian Metro today. Makes me even angrier. Makes me wonder whether these are those people who are trying their very best to create social disharmonious.

JAIS Barged In Into An Event Organized By The Christians

I am sure many of you all have heard about the recent news that some JAIS officers barged in into an dinner event organized by the Christians an NGOs, and attended by some Muslims (like some mafias or barbarians or what) because they said they have sources that the Christians are trying to convert those Muslims.

I duuno whether to laugh or cry when I read the news. Has Malaysia really became that bad where eating with one another was deemed trying to convert them ? Have we all lost our rationalization or even common understanding ?

We live in a multi-racial country. We can't be avoiding each other. Just because the dinner was organized by the Christian group, we do not stoop that low and try to convert people of other faith. Jesus never taught us like that.

If we were to reverse the situation and start saying that when we were invited to attend the Majlis Buka Puasa or some other event organized by the Muslims, are we saying that by attending those event, we are compelled to convert to their religion ? I am sure no sane human being would think that way. By why are those JAIS officers behaving like that ?

You may be the majority in this country, but once you start acting like that, every tiny bit of respect that the rest of us may have towards you will slowly disminish. How can we live as 1Malaysia if the very tolerence we used to enjoy with each other is slowly being ripped off ?

Killed, Burned and Ashes Thrown

I thought this would only happen in movies. Boy, how wrong I was.

Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya, together with three others, were killed, burned and her ashes thrown into river. How can people be so inhuman ? What the Bible said is true - 'No man shall have two masters'.

Looked at what money can make one person do. Since her dissapearance was higlighted in the newspaper, I don't doubt that I did harbored a small hope that she and the rest will be save and they will return home to their families. I guess the 'happy ending thinking' in me like to believe this way.

I can't believe man can be this cruel, but reality, again, has pointed me wrong. Is this the sign of 'The End of the World' ?

Norman & Memey

Today, in Harian Metro, published the news of engagement between Norman and Memey. While I felt that I should congratulate them, be happy for them, I couldnt find it in my heart at all to even wish them all the best. Why ? Because I felt that it is because of this woman that the happy family between Norman and Abby and their three children was torn apart. I hate the fact that he did not try to salvage his marriage hard enough. Perhaps new blood is better.

I still remembered in the tabloid when the husband was caught for close proximity with Memey, their third child was just barely 2 months old, and the wife had just finished her 'pantang'. How her dreams were shattered on the very day her husband chosed to side with Memey, defending this woman being naive, and accusing his own wife for not being considerate at all.

I guessed I felt very strongly of inteference from 3rd party. Suffice to say that I hate 3rd party who wrecked another couple's marriage.

The reality of this world. What a sad reality it is.

They Pisses Me Off !

I hate people who don't owe up that they have made a mistake. And I further dislike people who blames others without knowing the actual fact.

Most of all, I dislike people who threaten others.

I am offended with these behaviours shown by the local sub-contractor. They really pisses me off.

HCD Approval Status

Am still awaiting approval status of the long submitted HCD.
Da la lambat proses, now they are questioning me of being so active in submitting paper for conference. Since I went overseas last year 3 times, so this year they don't allow me to go so many times. Since there are two of my papers were reviewed for approval (mind you, those papers were already been accepted to be presented at the conference), they are asking me to choose only one.
The other one - "Ask your co-writer to go and present la" was their reply. I penat-penat tulis, senangnya you suruh orang lain untuk present kan ?

Sakitnya hati ku.

Masih Ada Bapa Yang Macam Ini Ke ?

Today Harian Metro reported this on their front page - Benci Dapat Bayi Perempuan

In an era as advance as it, you'll still find some men living in the era of neolitics where only boys are favoured and girls are meant to be tortured. I do hope the authorities will impose jail terms on this man for his unacceptable cruelty, both towards the wife and the baby.

I detest these kind of man totally !

PTPTN: Step Up Your Service, Please !

Me and syg submitted the form Pengesahan Lumpsum on the 9th feb 2010. Thinking we had a week holiday for CNY, we will settle our loans then. It requires 7 workings days to furnish us with that letter, stating the final amount.

We waited and waited, no letter came. Decided to go straight to PTPTN office at Damansara after spoken to the officer at Call Centre. She says we can always go to the office and get the calculation on the spot. Sad to say, when we arrive, the entire unit is away fora so-called emergency meeting and the officer can't supply us the letter for full settlement. Asked us to wait for 7 working days at least.

A week of holiday went by. The following week, again made a call to the PTPTN Call Centre, and they have yet to process my application. What the hell were they doing there ? Was it so difficult to generate the final sum ? Fortunately, this lady helped me to pushed the Unit Lejar to provide the letter. And they can actually generate the letter in a day. Typical service of the public. When public push for the service after waiting for soooo damn long, then only they decide to give. Real stupid !

And the letter they gave us was dated 24th Feb 2010, and had the gall to ask us to pay by 28 Feb 2010.

Real dumb right ? Not to mentioned, 26, 27 and 28th Feb are public holidays. I think the brain is missing somewhere. Or they are computerized is it ? No need thinking, just generate only. If that is the case, what took them so bloody long ? If not computerized, then have the same courtesy to the customer who is willing to do full settlement - provide 7 workings days as well. As simple as that. But that also cannot do. When asked about it, the reply was, "Oh, puan boleh bayar seminggu selepas itu pun. Sistem kami boleh buat update." What kind of answer is that ? So contradicting and downright stupid !

Urgghh, I am still so pissed off with the service. I think PTPTN should treat the payers with more courteous, especially the ones who are willing to do full settlement and is requesting for as much information as possible.

2nd Check Up

Went for my 2nd check up last sat. Baby is doing fine. Is already 12 weeks old, and 6cm in length and I am now officially into my 2nd trisemester.

Asked Dr a few questions - on delivery packages, jauntice, accelerated heart beat. Dr. BK Tan answered all my questions, giving into detail on terms & conditions for the delivery package here in Selangor Medical Centre, i.e. what other additional charges they will charge me, etc...

Now, Dr. BK Tan has actually given us an option - to go for blood test for risk of baby having down syndrome. The test does not confirm whether the baby will be a down syndrome baby. All it does is actually to say if it is high-risk or low-risk. If low-risk, then I am safe for the possibility is actually 1 in every 600 woman, especially women that are of older age. If high-risk, then I need to go for another test (that is to test the water in my uterus,I think) for a confirmation.

I am in a dilemma - Should I go for this test (which cost about RM 200) or should I just pray that my baby will be normal and wait till delivery ? I think I should go for the test. But I am afraid somehow... I dunno ....

Confuse, confuse ....

Cross oh Cross, Where Are Thou ?

**Update:

Hehehe.. I actually found my beloved cross that night itself, thanks to my syg... It was as if magic when he just came up behind me and "seluk" my back pocket, and there, on his hands, were the two missing pendants. Mind you, we did another search before that magical event.

I looked at him, stunned and I asked him how he did it because he was lying down on the bed just a minute before. He gave me a very suprising answer. He said a prayer while lying down and closing his eyes and he just allowed himself to be guided.

It made me reflect on myself - why didnt I trust in God's power ? "Ask, and you shall be given. Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and the door shall be open unto you." My syg even made a prayer the morn before when we sat down for our breakfast and sad to say, I find it amusing to request to God for helping me to find the pendants. In my heart, I wasthinking - "This matter is to trivial for God to handle." What a shame on me... I should have realized nothing is to trivial for God. I guessed this is a lesson for me.

Why have I not place God as 1st in my heart? Had I been so blissful nowadays that I forgotten about God ? Am I now a hyprocrite ? Only coming to God when I am in a "BIG" trouble ? Oh, so many questions, but yet to find an answer. One thing is certain though - I need to have a deeper relationship with God, to be able to confide in Him on all things.


**Previous Post:

I am referring to the cross pendant that I havd always wore, together with the "key" pendant that my mom gave and also the "monkey" pendant.

But this morn, when I woke up and take my bath, all my pendants are missing and my necklace was undone. I was thinking, "Ok, it should be on the bed." The minute I finished my bath, I went back to the room, switched on the lights and I saw the "monkey" pendant on the floor. It must be the one that I heard a "ting" sound earlier. Unfortunately, I couldn't find my cross and my key pendant. Is not underneath the pillow, is nowhere on the bed, nor was it hidden in the blacket.

Oh I do hope that it will appear again ... I am very sad coz it feels as though am I incomplete ... They said sad is not good for the baby, well, I can't help it ...

D**n.