All Is Fair In War and Love

We're back in the game. Infinatez is once more inducted into the GangStarz (GS) competition (as expected) and is up against 6 other previously elliminated groups for this week's GS concert [3 June 2007]. This is their last chance to proceed to the final event that will be held at Stadium Melawati, Shah Alam on the 17th of June 2007 and would then still be in the running for the prize money which amounts to USD100 000 (ceeeeh.. i feel like i'm giving a course called GS101 plak)

The voting line will only be open for an hour and half (starting at 9pm till right after the last performer performs).. So, set your messages to GS INFIN and send to 39003 without mercy this weekend.. Forget everything else, it's the music that counts :)

Emotions In Consonant and Vowels II

Ever wondered how another person can write and sing whatever you feel inside? It's a sign of how we are all the same beneath it all. Hardships come and go but the heartache and longing will always seem to stay. I still dwell in the same dreams, dreams that are not mine anymore, dreams that have never been mine in fact. I've cried myself a river but it leads nowhere, not even to myself...

I Still Cry... Every Night...

Emotions- Destiny's Child
It's over and done
But the heartache lives on inside......
And who's the one you're clinging to
Instead of me tonight..............

And where are you now, now that I need you?
Tears on my pillow wherever you go,go
I'll cry me a river that leads to your ocean
You'll never see me fall apart

In the words of a broken heart
It’s just emotions
Taking me over
I'm Caught up in sorrow
Lost in the song
But if you don't come back
Come home to me, darling
Don’t you know there's nobody left in this world to hold me tight?
And don't you know there's nobody left in this world to kiss goodnight
Goodnight, goodnight

I'm there at your side,
I'm part of all the things you are
But you've got a part of someone else
You've got to find your shining star

And where are you now, now that I need you?
Tears on my pillow wherever you go
I'll cry me a river that leads to your ocean
You'll never see me fall apart

In the words of a broken heart
It’s just emotions taking me over
I'm Caught up in sorrow
Lost in the song
But if you don't come back
Come home to me, darling
Don’t you know there's nobody left in this world to hold me tight?
Don't you know there's nobody left in this world to kiss goodnight
Goodnight, goodnight

And where are you now,
now that I need you?
Tears on my pillow wherever you go
I'll cry me a river that leads to your ocean
You'll never see me fall apart

In the words of a broken heart
It’s just emotions taking me over
I'm Caught up in sorrow
Lost in the song
But if you don't come back
Come home to me, darling
Don’t you know there's nobody left in this world to hold me tight?
And don't you know there's nobody left in this world to kiss goodnight
Goodnight, goodnight

Reality At Its Best

Put everything aside, it's the music that counts : )




For Love and More...

credits: Syai, Eizani dan Phizy (the men behind this)

Old School Style..

Remember the gooooooood old schooling days? The friends, the teachers, the pranks, the love, the drama, the classes, the bell that signposts the beginning and the end.. All of those things happening when you thought that life is so problematic and that you needed to break free from the existing world of yours? I bet that looking back now, you just can't help but to smile at all of the history you've been through and how you have changed a lot in just a few years.. Yup, we all change beyond our reproach, whether we like it or not, whether we realise it or not, whether we want it or not... yeah, life is not stagnant but hey, life can also be beautiful to reminisce upon.

Just on that note, I know some of us have been active member of the school team... What I meant is that you've represented your school in competitions, sports events etc. As a memorabilia, let's go through them eyh?? Come on, it won't cause you that much of a harm anyway... It's just some people rummaging through your closet and discovering that you were a possible nerd in those days (and might still be one today) :p

Primary school:
Story Telling competition (junior primary & upper primary)-state representative
Choral Speaking in Primary 5 (zone representative) and Primary 6
Sports Day's Marching Commandant (Primary 5)
Science and Kajian Tempatan Quiz (Primary 5 & 6)
Spelling Bee Primary 5 and 6 (we sucked big time in this.. haha)

Secondary School:
English Debate Team (Form 4 and 5)- 3rd place Hulu Langat District
Forum Bahasa Melayu (Form 5)- knew about the competition a day before it was held- 4th place in Hulu Langat District with Shah, Sumitha and Yasmin
Syarahan Perdana Program IWK (Form 4)- crapped the whole time but got 3rd Place
Choral Speaking (Form 2 & 3)-the best times of my life *sigh*
Drama Competition (Form 4)- i was a good narrator, ok?
History Quiz (Form 3 and 5)-yeah, yeah.. i was a nerd
Nasyid (Form 4 and 5)- i see you giggling

With this, I'm now tagging Tasha, Alin, Nisa, Syada (aktiviti tadika pun boleh include juge kalau sekolah rendah tak berapa aktif), Fariza and Nina to compile their record.. Selamat....

Most Wanted List

I find solace in shopping... I'm not surprised why Syada, Nisa and Durra all looked at me when Grant mentioned about the current generation being too concious about appearance at last Friday's lecture (and the correct term is brand savvy yeeee).. hahahahaha

1) A Guess hand held bag that suspiciously looks a lot like the Gwen Stefani's LeSportSac L.A.M.B collection.. Only available in QVB and Bondi Junction, though.
2) Marc Jacobs Stam Bag~saya mahu, saya mahu, saya mahu~
3) Spoylt's super skinny jeans at JeansWest.. cool stuff to go with the recently bought shoes : )
4) Versace Glam 50ml EDP
5) Nike Air Force One in gold and pink at GeneralPants Co.

I'm waiting for June patiently : )

Speak Talk

Malaysia has about 27 million citizens in the country with the Malays making up 50.4% of the population. Being the main race and often acknowledged as the privileged ones in Malaysia, Malays are mainly the policy maker as they lead almost half of the Parliament seats ever since the emergence of independence. Thus, we have the position of the Malay language as the de facto and de jure language of the country. However, being a multilingual community, the citizens are actually mostly bilinguals or multilinguals with a **polyglossic practice of language with English Language gaining prominence in many fields. For example, let’s see the current scenario under the light of the Language Policy of Malaysia against the current Language Practice of the Malay-English bilingual speakers in the Malay community.

The Malaysian Language policy under the National Language Act 1967 indicates that Malay language is the Official and Legal language with English Language and the other ethnic languages coming in as second languages of the country. Malay language should be important as a language that facilitates ethnic integration and a multiethnic nation building tool. It also acts as a safeguard of the Malay people’s cultural practices and is said to capture the essence of being a Malay. A language policy is actually a conscious step taken to have language planning to fulfil demand of unification through language as the use of one common language playing the role of a unifying tool is common for any country that has just achieved independence and want to be known as a new unit. The Malaysian Language Policy is one of monolingual attitude where only one language is considered as official and others appear to be marginalised. Such policies would usually result in foreign language acquisition and diffusion among the speakers besides detailed corpus planning at the government level such as the development of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka as an instrument of standardising the language to achieve the sense of uniformity (as uniformity reflects unity).

Whereas the Language Practice of the Malay-English bilingual speakers would be something like this. We would use the Formal Malay Language in some official and legal domains, followed by the use of Formal English Language in knowledge acquisition, sciences and technology area and economy fields. Following in is the use of Colloquial Malaysian English (widely known as Manglish) and in the last place would be some Bazaar Malay Language (Bahasa Melayu Pasar), which are both used for communication and interaction purposes in the community. Please note that this is ranked on the scale of linear polyglossic distribution and is true for many bilingual speakers as until today. Yet, the boundaries of this distribution is not to be always compartmentalised as such because of the emergence of the English Language as the future universal utilitarian language. A few years ago, Manglish and, to a certain extent, even the Formal English Language would be used less than the Bazaar Malay Language. The realisation of modernity has definitely impacted on the importance of English Language as the Globalisation language and extended the use of English into more domains than imaginable about twenty years ago. The worrying thing is that these changes are undergone without much awareness and recognition among the Malay community despite the many alarming transformations.

It is crucial for us to observe the further change of the Malaysian community and ask a few fundamental questions in relation to the issue. Is the essential part of the Malaysian Constitution which defines a Malay as someone speaks the Malay Language still be relevant in the current scenario where we evidently have some who could not function in a basic situation with it? Would Krauss’ (1992) prediction that in 100 years from now, almost 50-90% of the world languages will be dead is becoming a reality??? Is it possible then for a majority language to disappear despite the quite evidently strong language policy??? What happens when representatives of the government themselves seem to contradict the Malaysian Language Policy and defies what it says? In the context of the defined community of Malay-English bilingual speakers, would they be encouraged to maintain their mother tongue to stay united or would they be more inclined towards further obtaining a new language as a reaction towards modernity??

These are questions that should be addressed by the responsible government administrative bodies as well as the Malay community as a whole. English is now being used in schools, financial sector and in things that seem to matter the most if we are to become a more developed nation. In many ways, it is also replacing the Malay language as a lingua franca for the multiethnic community which might reflect the failure of the Malay language in doing its main job. If the use of English Language continues to thrive in many domains after this (realised in the proposal of some politicians who have requested in 2002 to have the English Language used in Parliament- *note that it was declined after an ongoing feud between a few concerned parties*), it would not be impossible that one day, even the Malaysian Language Policy will have to be “unofficially” amended to meet the pre-requisite of being a modern nation. Loosely captured, that pre-requisite would be to blend with Globalisation and lose part of our identity to it. Please ask yourself now; is it worthwhile to become insignificant again after 50 years of independence? I doubt you would say YES with high enthusiasm :p


(if the topic interests you, I would recommend Language Policy and Modernity in Southeast Asia [2006] by Antonio L Rappa and Lionel Wee for further readings)

**polyglossic:having more than two language varities existing side by side in a geographical area (Fishman, 1972). They are used for different specific purposes although they can sometime overlap.

Lost In Millions

Have you been in a crowded place and realise that you've never felt more lonelier in your life? Been with the one person and realise that you've found all you need? Funny how life turn out to be not how it appears on the surface. Connection and relationships mean a greater deal than having a million acquaintances made in your life. Losing your inner self to any cause is somehow a default measure when you immerse in the life you live with the people around you. Everybody wants to be normal, yet no one wants to become average.. What's normal? And who is average? You might find yourself caught up in the web despite trying very hard not to... Funny how life is actually...