A collection of my paintings themed Poetic Mood Artistic Expressions, most of which have been exhibited and/or donated to charity for fundraising: 

幽情 Listening to the rain:

晨曦 Rhapsody at dawn:

晨露 Morning dew:

出浴 Solitaire:

温柔的耳语 Tender whisper:

秋雨的节奏 Rhythm of the rain: 

Please Support Fund-raising Cantonese Opera Performance in KL

 

粤剧演出-筹款单位 - 吉隆坡中国小学 和 狮子会洗肾中心
Cantonese Opera Performances - Fund raising for Chung Kwo Chinese Primary School & Renal Centre Foundation of Lions Club

 

Yik Sang Amateur Musical Society, 54th Anniversary & Charity Performance

Sunday 18 August 2013, Buffet 12 noon; Performance 1.30 pm - 6 pm

Temple of Fine Arts, Brickfields (beside the Buddhist Temple)

Tickets RM 50 & RM 100

Charity for SJK(C) Chung Kwo and Renal of Lion's Club

Ticket Booking:  Lim 016-2988410

 

Program as follows:
 

粤剧折子戏 - 红菱巧破无头案之对花鞋（娇俏，调情戏），凤阁恩仇未了情之投亲骗婚与读番书（诙谐爆笑剧），梨花罪子（大锣大鼓古腔粤剧传统戏），娱乐昇平 （大团圆喜剧）
折子戏演出时附有中文和英文字幕

粤曲妙韵 - 天涯合璧庆月圆，火网梵宫十四年之庵堂诉情，楚江情之西楼错梦，胭脂巷口故人来之孤雁再还巢，火凤凰


Cantonese Opera Performances Excerpts - Matching the Embroidered Shoes, Endless Love-Marriage Cheat & Translating the Foreign Letter, Li Hua's Punishment of Her Son, Celebration of Happiness
Both Chinese and English subtitles are available for during the excerpts' performances

Cantonese Opera Songs - Reunion Under the Full Moon, Love Recount at the Temple, The Dream of West Chamber, Returning to the Yanzhi Alley, The Sacrificing Lovely Couple

 

 

The Magical Power of a Flying Carpet

The following is what I translated from an article by the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Sin Chew Daily, published on 8 January 2012:  

I am not sure if Deepak is a carpet merchant, or a businessman who flies in on a carpet. (Gan SL: Maybe a carpetbagger from somewhere?) 

On the surface, he appears to be a carpet merchant, involved with the import and sale of carpets from the Middle East, nothing unusual.

However, his “experiences” are quite extraordinary, as manifested by exceptional maneuvering achievable only if one rides on a flying carpet!  

He admitted to his involvement in the Mongolian woman case, even claimed to have influenced investigator Bala in his second statutory affidavit, with the latter overthrowing his own first affidavit. To date, the exact whereabouts of Bala is still unknown.  

Deepak claimed to have close ties with certain "powerful people", enjoying and maintaining such contacts because of some mutual business interests.   

He also said he wanted to publish a book to expose BIG secrets. The result was an e-book titled "The Black Rose". (Gan SL: Ask me and I shall send an e-copy to you.)  

This eBook did not live up to expectations, as there is no real big expose or insider story. (Gan SL: At least not stuff that most people don’t already know). Perhaps he lacks the skill of a writer? But the more likely reason is: He only wanted to create a smoke screen, holding back something with the intention of just conveying a veiled message, a cliffhanger of sorts, for better and bigger show to come…..

Deepak’s efforts so far have not been in vain. He gained fame (Gan SL: Or infamy?) overnight, enough to hog the Malaysia New Year's Eve spotlight for a while.  

In fact, his words and actions have been well-planned. Letting go and withdrawing them at will, just like maneuvering a flying carpet: He disappeared after throwing a shocker, waited for the message to “ferment”; then he re-appeared to throw another shocker, creating another fresh topic for more speculations.  

Media were all drawn to him, with no shortage of online publications keen to co-operate with and support him. In addition, he also attracted the interest of the opposition parties, all in hot pursuit of him. Yes, Deepak is certainly useful to all of them!   

Of course, they are all being used by Deepak, too.   

Question is: Why is Deepak doing all this? Obviously, he is NOT advertising to sell carpets, neither is he aspiring to become a writer.   

The real story is gradually emerging…….  

Deepak and Wanita Umno Selangor Chairman Raja Ropiaah are business partners. Ropiaah’s company Awan Megah and the Department of Defense has a privatization deal. Awan Megah is responsible for the construction of a defense research center in Putrajaya, in exchange for 200 acres of land in Klang owned by the Ministry of Defence. (Gan SL: FYI, her mentor is said to be none other than the Cowgate scandal ex-minsiter.)

Deepak and Ropiaah had an agreement: Deepak’s company Astacanggih will develop this piece of land.     

For some reasons, this agreement later “turned sour”. Awan Megah did not give the development project to Astacanggih, but instead, sold the land to the listed company Boustead; whose major shareholder is the Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT).  

With this turn of event, Deepak saw the appetizing roast duck flying away! He threatened Ropiaah and her company with legal action for breach of contract. At the same time, he started blowing whistle on various political inside stories.  

So, the flying carpet magic comes from both political and economic connections.  

After some hullabaloo, Boustead proposed a business scheme: The company will pay 130 million ringgit to Awan Megah for the acquisition of that piece of land, and another 30 million ringgit for a 80% stake of Deepak’s Astacanggih share. 

If the three parties are all satisfied with the deal, Deepak will no longer blow the whistle or break BIG news. (Gan SL: So, not all whistle-blowers are selfless, public-spirited beings.)  

I am thinking aloud: Deepak has made use of the media and the opposition, but has he really achieved his original goal?   

Sharp observers, however, will ask: Where now is the much talked about National Defense Research Center? Will it still be built? If yes, it will be funded by whom?  

How come the government's privatization policy can be at the beck and call of the fairy tale flying carpet? And, obscured by so many clouds?  

Our bewilderment aside, shouldn’t the truth be told?  

More update here: http://www.mysinchew.com/node/81776?tid=12

DAP Fund-raising Dinner

Ooops! Sorry, I made a slip in my previous posting "Winnable Candidate": The three "frogs" which were won over by money politics to party-hop and change the Perak state government are ADUN's, not MP's.

Here's the info about the upocoming event:

Date: 19 January 2013

Time: 7.30pm

Venue: MBPJ Hockey Stadium, Jalan Selangor, Seksyen 3 Petaling Jaya 

The distinguished speakers at this fund-raising dinner will feature Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, Parliamentary Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and PAS Deputy President Mat Sabu. 

Other speakers include Tony Pua, Lau Weng San, Kasthuri Patto and Yeo Bee Yin. 

Silver tickets are available at RM60 each or RM600 per table. Gold and Platinum tables are also available at RM1,500 and RM3,000 respectively.

For tickets, please email dapdinner@gmail.com or call Chew (016-8782472).  

 

Alternatively, if you are not able to make the dinner but would like to donate to the cause, you may write the cheque to “DAP Damansara Branch” or deposit to “Maybank a/c: 514196342008”

 

Winnable Candidate?

What is a winnable candidate in Malaysia?

According to the New Straits Times, “The catch-phrase "winnable candidates" is gaining a lot of currency since it was first bandied about over a year ago by Umno leaders.” Frankly, I am not sure if I should be amused or annoyed by this strange usage of the adjective “winnable”. My hunch is that Simon Winchester may actually frown upon this new meaning UMNO politicians have assigned to "winnable".

In my humble opinion, it’s something of a misnomer to refer to someone as a “winnable candidate”. Winnable refers to something that can be won, not someone who can win. A war or a battle is winnable, an election or a parliamentary seat may be winnable, but a candidate who can win is not “winnable”, unless he is like the infamous three Perak MP’s: can be won over by money politics to change the government! J  

So, back to semantics, does UMNO want to field “winnable” candidates (who can be won over by money politics or even PKR?) or candidates who can win?  

 

 

Security Alert!

Security Alert! Is Crime Rate On the Up or Down in Malaysia?

This afternoon I was eyewitness -- for the first and I hope the only time -- to a snatch theft in broad daylight, at the busy junction of Petaling Street, Sultan Street and Jalan Hang Jebat, pretty near to the Bali Polis Tun HS Lee. That is a place bustling with tourists, but in retrospect, how come we didn’t see any policeman on patrol?

My friend and I were walking towards YuYi Book store on Sultan Street, and mind you, we were walking on the wide pavement of the road shoulder, NOT on the road itself. As we walked, we were chatting, when suddenly I heard the loud vroom of a motorbike…..Before I knew it, this bike was already ON the pavement, and the rider was ripping and pulling off the chains from my friend’s neck! It all happened in a split second…we were both stunned as we watched the thief speeding away on Jalan Hang Jebat. However, I did catch a glimpse of the guy, he was dark, rather burly, and in his late 30’s, not the typical scrawny drug addict. I thought he is Indonesian, but the jaga kereta boys in the two parking lots nearby told us that he is a local “professional” who have already preyed on a few people in the past week. So, be very careful and alert if you are anywhere near that area.    

The financial loss was close to RM 6K, but my friend was more upset by the loss of some lockets of sentimental value. He also suffered a minor scratch and some redness on the neck that disappeared in nimutes. I on my part could only thank God that nothing worse happened, as I remember another snatch theft victime, a friend who is ex-principal of BBGS. In a snatch theft incident in February 2011, she was pushed, hit her head on the pavement and is now still under medical care and rehabilitation, unable to speak or walk. I am not even sure if her brain is functioning like before. L 

Fortunately, all is NOT lost. At the bookshop, my friend discovered that his treasured locket, pendant and talisman were still trapped and stuck between his belt and t-shirt! These were items that he has been wearing for the past 40 years or so, which explain why he never thought of taking off the gold chain. L I too wear a gold chain – which is flimsy and worth a few hundred ringgit only -- because of two pendants of sentimental value. This incident is reminder that I should probably replace the chain with a worthless black string! Who knows, when people are desperate, even a few hundred ringgit is good enough for them.  

We analysed the situation and concluded that the thief could have observed and stalked us. Or, he could be stationed there looking out for victims. At the right moment and place, he moved in and hit his target. He didn’t even need to have an accomplice as the pillion rider, he was so prepared that he could do it all by himself! We are usually very alert and wary when we walk by ourselves, but because we were with company today, we got distracted, thus becoming the easy target. [sigh] This is a costly but perhaps timely lesson for us. Times are really getting bad…..we must be more careful.  

I must commend my friend for his calmness, or perhaps nonchalance, “what has happened has happened….the chain can be replaced, the items of sentimental value are not lost….” So, in spite of this unfortunate incident, we were still able to go enjoy our wantan noodles at Koon Kee, and buy our favorite famous durian puffs down the road. His bonus was, of course, some delicious carrot muffins that a mutual friend has asked me to pass on to him! J  

Excerpt of A Cantonese Opera, a treat from PCCO  

For those of us who attended the MPO concert featuring PCCO (Professional Cultural Center Orchestra) on last Thursday 30^th August, we were given a treat and a pleasant surprise. Not only were we entertained with some really melodious Chinese music, there was a folk dance and an excerpt of Cantonese Opera to boot!  

The folk dance accompanied the musical piece “Harvest Drums”. The Cantonese Opera excerpt (fairly long, 20 minutes) was the very popular “Meeting of Yeung Chung-bo and Muk Kwai-ying” from the famous opera about the Yeung/Yang family of warriors in the Sung Dynasty. The costumes of the couple were beautiful, both the acting and singing were superb! It was an enjoyable evening well spent at the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas. J 

 

Another thing worthy of a special mention: While the orchestra was playing the piece “Jasmine Flower” (which Puccini included in Turandot), a narrator walked around the musicians on stage to give brief introductions about the various instruments used in the performance. It was very educational and informative, especially for the uninitiated. For me, I now know of this newly invented Chinese musical instrument called Wen Qing (文琴). I think it is probably easier to play than a lot of other Chinese musical instruments, especially the erhu. J

 

The next MPO concert I am looking forward to is the ever popular La Traviata....this coming weekend!