33 Anniversary Review

TODAY IS 26TH APRIL, 2010, 33rd anniversary of my birth.In other words, I have been arriving in this planet for 33 years exactly and I review myself what I have done so far for my country, family, relatives and of course my fellow citizen. Sound quite great? Yes it is.

In fact, I am nothing after 33 years old in life. 33 years time is really good enough to make something new or to turn around some situations to even upside down. During my life time, I have passed a lot experience through my child life following a young single man. I found almost civil war in August,1988.I suffered some disruption through my school days as well as college days. I sat exams through changing system. I tasted a new curriculum being first batch. I enjoyed government controlled last exam tests when I was standard 4, 8 and entrance to GTI. Luckily I became a science student and more fortunately became a civil engineer without scoring a good result in matriculation exam. What the wonderful life to me? It may be rare case to everybody but it happened to me luckily.

Then being an engineer can guarantee my life? answer is definitely "No". There are so many engineers who are not working as engineers and horribly significant percentage are jobless. Probably my country able to produce a lot of professional such as Doctor, Engineer, Economist, etc. To be honest, I don't know what is my level now. How do I measure my rank? Should I measure it by the job I am working, my income, quality of family life, possession of value asset, famous, high position, healthy, etc. Definitely there would be template to measure somebody's success but I don't know it clearly.

During my past 33 years, I allocate as follow
first 5 years : I enjoy my life as an infant/baby/preschool child
second 12 years: I spent in school basic education (including 1 year overlap due to politic)
third 2 years: I spent for institutional education (my engineering foundation)
fourth 3 years: I entered to working life and serve my country by someway through company.
fifth 3 years: I spent for further education for engineering degree
sixth 2 years: I re-join construction industry to apply theory I learned.
seventh 3 years: I worked for Malaysia
eighth over 2 years: working in Singapore

Where got life's pleasure? I have spent my time without slacking time. It is really critical path. No slack time was allowed. Being a man from poor family, I can't expect to get some oasis in going through life time I understand. I am luckily found somebody who want to marry me and I surrendered my bachelor stage one year ago. I am, at the age of 33, now already become expectant father and looking forward to possess a very own family within few months time in future. Thanks for all fakes that make my life still alive and meaningful despite some nightmare times are still haunting.

My 33th Birthday's solely wish? I would like to see my first ever child as a healthy infant togetherness with his/her mother. I sincerely hope my will would be fulfilled sooner.

Alien Cent & A curious child

IT IS FUNNY to experience in getting some unwanted item for balance money when we shop in Yangon. The reason by seller is that they don't have small change to return shopper's balance. Then confusing about small change amount? OK how small is called small change? It can be as much as 200Ks and I was so upsetting to accept this unfair shopping experience but accept. Because if I don't want want this option, I would have to lose my balance money to retailer or vendor. As JFK said, "Things do not happen, they are made to happen". Likewise, we, people, are accepting this new experience without able to complain and it automatically change to shopper's practice. These days, people won't be surprise to get back a tissue pack or sweets or candle for their balance money. Finally this practice become by-law or what some people call sweet revolution or tissue revolution.

We basically understood that small change mean cents what we call "pya" in burmese. In fact, it has been disappearing from the market for long long ago and you will find it difficult if you want to see it nowaday. As a result, children who were born after 1990 won't know how does is it. One fine day, 5 years old child from my neighbour found a 5 cents coin infront of house and he didn't know what is it but interest in it. He picked it up and rush back to home and asked his mother

child: what is it, mum (showing a coin)
mum: It is called 5 cents, my dear
child: hmmm, what do you mean cent? can you explain me clearly?
mum: cents is one type of money, son
child: then can i use it to buy something I want?
mum: hmmm, cannot as it's value is too low.
child: I don't understand mum, you say it's money but cannot use it.
mum: yes, you are right, I could able to use when I was at your age.
child: ok, mum, then who is on this coin?
mum: he is our national hero, son
child: why he is printed on this?
mum: bcz our government honored him for his brave and contribution to our country.
child: I see, then where is he living now?
mum: he had been passed away for over 60 years
child: why he is disappearing on the money we used today?
mum: hmmmmmmm,, you'll know when you are grown up, my dear.
child: I thought money can only represent a lion, mum.
mum: immmm, it's true, now
child: why does it represent to our country?
mum: hoooo,,,do you see a couple of lion when you go pagoda?
child: yes, mum
mum: we, Burmese, are mostly buddhist and we admire these animal as a loyal & guard to our pagoda.
child: so, they deserve to be on our money?
mum: sorry, I'm not sure for this question, son.
child: alright, mum. let me go and play as my friends are waiting for me there.
mum: ok son, come back before dark.
child: ok mum.
mum: hmmmmmmmmmm,,,,,,,,thks frds of my son....

It's realistic case in our community and wish we can make some corrective action to make our younger generation out of confusion in basis things. If they can't find an ideal solution for a basis question, how can they compete with their peers of other countries? If they fail to compete with outside world, how can we expect a better country in future. As they said, " Our future is mainly depend on today's generation".

Thirty Three

THIRTY THREE (33) ? The queue number I got for my income tax to our country. No strange? I went there on night time about 9:00pm in order to secure my number is within allowable range for daily limit. Once I told my classmates from other country for going embassy at night, they are unbelievably star at me. Yes it is really happen to those who want to pay income tax to Myanmar in Singapore. I thought everything in Singapore goes in order and here most of people are very used to with the practice of queuing practice. I was surprising to see their patient regarding to a queuing. Some kind of queue can be as long as 100m or as last as overnight to reach a participant's turn. But they won't see bother for it if they think is worthy for their time.

Every public related office in Singapore normally use a queue machine for the attempt of easing its customer and people. It can be seen even at the private sector like a clinic or a restaurant. People will not necessarily need to argue for any unfair things. I don't know why our embassy don't have a queue machine to make our life easier and order. I don't think this machine is expensive and hard to buy. One machine can help in relief to not only tax payer but also staffs. It's value for money if our authority value in their time as well as its people's time. It's not easy to get a leave in here and it makes people rush and over-worry that add our life additional burden.

I went 3 days to pay my income tax. Believe it or not? First day, I carelessly went there and found it was Myanmar's public holiday. So I went again on 2 days later early morning and got my queue no at 132. I realized my number was useless when office open at 9:30am despite official operating hour start at 9:00am. Why? As soon as the office open, one counter staff announces that they will take into consideration for first 80 people only. It's mean my number 132 won't be entertained for the same day. I won't complain if they brought forward the number for consecutive day. But they insist I must restart again by coming another day. What a miserable experience? But it really happen to us. I frustratedly go back work and can't stop imagine of going another day and it looks a hell to me really. I was dead man walking on the return work. I don't know how to explain to my HR for another leave. They will probably think I am trying to cheat them. No choice but I will have to apply for another leave. That's why I needed to go 3 days to pay my income tax and it forced me to go on night time to take my queue number I dramatically grab "33". What a wonderful experience? No other citizen will have the same experience in life time, I believe.

In fact, we are not going our embassy to seek some helps. We are going there to pay our income tax and they are obliged to help us wherever possible. Why they don't want to take our money easily? Is there any daily limit amount to take for our country? There is another disappointing factor I heard that they are working until 12:00pm. What the hell is it? The official operating hour is 9:00am to 12:00pm and 1:00pm to 5:00pm. But they usually start work at 9:30am. How much are they working then? Working 2 and a half hour a day in the world's busiest country is really hilarious thing. I don't know if our authority from Myanmar really know this matter or not.

We, being immigrant workers, have already been enough pressure in life and work. If we cannot find a comfort zone in our own embassy's premises, where can we find our oasis in oversea. What is the meaning of paying tax to them? No point, right? Finally no wonder we are degraded and treated by other when we can't expect a good relationship from our own authority. Wish they will know it sooner than later and make necessary corrective action in favor of those who faithfully pay tax to country. We always read a lot development in the domestic media as well as intention of leaders in going forward. How do we move forward with a 19th century method to catch up our neighbour developing countries? This is just a mere thing to be mind and I believe we have to accept in change if we really want to improve our country. Even if US needs to change as Obama said, why need not for a plight country like ours? Hope to see a positive change rather than a negative that can drag back our already far behind country.

Negligence

WHAT IS Negligence? It is one type of tort meaning civil wrong. There are some types of tort and some of them are

Trespass
Defamation
Nuisance and
Negligence.

Among them, negligence is the most likely to find in our society. There are 3 distinct elements of the tort of negligence and they are

-Duty of care
-Breach of the duty or standard of care
-Damage suffered as a result of that breach

It happen by this procedure. Once negligence occur, we will have to measure it as per above steps so that we can know how serious is it. OK, where can we find duty of care? It's easy and it can be found and happening for instance between-

Employer and employee
Government and people
Parent and childs
Teacher and pupil, etc

We might not need to sign on contract for some certain duties. It automatically assign on us in daily life.
If employer does not pay salary to his employees at the end of the month
If government do not protect the benefit of people
If the parent do not take responsibility to their childs
If the teacher do not show the proper way/ method to the pupil

It can be called negligence and it's punishable or if it is serous, entitled to imprisonment.

On the other hand, inferior's side has of course their own duties to comply. So once something goes wrong, there have been something wrong with either side unless it's due to both. We should realise and apply this basis law if we want a better and improved life style. What we see around in Singapore "be considerate" would be timely reminder to all people who are enjoying common properties of state. Did we ever think about our duties to fulfill? Some even yet to know it clearly and commit them oftenly unconsciously. I'll be glad if you can get something positive from this post and lets believe in law that can maintain our life in order.

Say as it is

RECENTLY I read an article named "Angry when people say Burmese are lousy" that was written by a well known writer from Myanmar. The title makes me interest to read and it's nothing wrong with his title. But I don't agree with the reasons he (writer) gave for why Burmese are not worthy to be called like that. Different people may have different idea and I have to respect in what he is thinking regarding to this matter.

Who want to be called lousy in this world? If somebody step forward and say "yes", probably he has been wrong with something and need to be given medical attention especially in psychology. The writer explained based on his personal experience and knowledge from history. In order to simplify this, he explained based on sport what he believe is most popular among his audience. Still OK to read until there.

He listed out a lot of famous athletes from Burma, but not present time, from a few decades ago if it is not for a century. He said, Myanmar was a king of south-east asia that time and it'll not take care any rival from the region. Sound is more than good enough if it is happening in the present days. Plus he insisted that Japanese didn't know how to play football when Myanmar's football is well developed and enjoy at the level of Asia. It is a wow and younger generation will laugh once they are told like that today. Some other area he highlighted are

When Burmese built a Bagan pagoda with highly rated aesthetic factors, US and Europe are struggling to survive from world and trying to construct their own.

When Burmese King Dynasty are inventing a bomb, some factories for coins, dying, etc, Europe is struggling from world war.

When Burmese are enjoying almost 100% educated, Europe hasn't got the same chance among gender viz European women are not getting a chance to educate properly.

When Myanmar are popular in the region if it is not for world, Singapore was not even existing in world map.

What a hilarious thing for today generation? He is pointing out a history and never paid attention to current. The past is, in fact, history and nothing to do with us today. We have to realize our current situation if we really want to improve our country as well as life style of our citizen. Nobody will deny if somebody say Myanmar is one of the poorest country in the world right now. Then some people like the writer still insist our country is good enough by proofing helpless past things.

Some static show/ proof where is our country position. Basically a country is formed by people who live in. So the people are fully responsible for the country's progress or degress. A country's development level is usually measured by GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and we never know the exact figure of our country if it is revealed by government. We cannot rely on funny data that is not accurate. It must be realistic regarding to its economic performance. Here are some data I can consider with my tiny brain to proof we are still under-achievers:-

-I cannot find a single Myanmar University in top 200 Asia's University (not World's University)
-I always see Myanmar continent is positioned below half table in Asean Game.
-I cannot find Yangon in Asean City's weather report
-As a result of sanction, we have to sell our natural resource like timber,gas with cheap price to neighbouring countries
-I can able to read only bad news in oversea paper.
-Recent Nargis show how poverty deep among our fellow citizen.
-people are dying for starvation or lack of medication
-Educated people are leaving country to seek a low paid job (mostly)
-Our expensive degree/certificate become a piece of paper when we are out of mother land
-We need a visa even travelling within asean countries while other our asean counterpart don't need
-We are needed to pay for probably world's best rate of income tax.

My opinions can be wrong, but I pull it out from my personal experience. I am always itchy when my country is expelled from world's community. Of course we want to see our country as a success country with dignity. In real world, we don't even feel we are welcomed to stay and work in oversea. You may want to urge me to go back home and work in some place if I willing to see some improvement within our country. I don't say I am patriot who will give his life for country. But for sure is I will gladly serve my country when it needs me someday. Since I am a civilian now, it's likely my government won't need me now. Anyway as long as I am paying my tax correctly, I would able to feel comfortable as a dutiful citizen.

In the respect of our younger generation, let's say as it is. It is not for shame to tell truth if you are honest to your country. I believe that I'll not change my mind by time. Where we go? What is going to be happen? Everything not sure. Do we able to possess a secure and good life with a full of don't know in mind? I don't think so. Then what we can do for that? My answer would be again "I also don't know". Probably this can be called a life cycle of a lousy community. At least you might want to call me a lousy man. Hey!, be remember there is a burmese saying that "keeping don't know will never make you poor". Are you agree with that? Most likely your answer would be "yes" for now...:D

Dream Thingyan

TODAY there is Myanmar Thingyan 2010 celebration at the Padang Square nearby City Hall MRT station. Just like previous year, again M1 keep it role as a main sponsor together with Myanmar Business Association as co-sponsor to make it realistic. I don't know it's necessarily need to find a local sponsor to do such a kind of cultural celebration. At least there would be some relief in searching of permission by authority to do it. On the other hand, the fund would be added by coordinating with local telecommunication company.

I yesterday went to peninsular plaza and saw a ticket counter there for today show. What a funny me and my wife? We don't know who are sitting at the counter even we are given a broucher by one celebrity. After doing some thing at the shop, we return and noticed that there are some crowd infront of the counter and they are queuing for a photograph with the female celebrity. Then we realized that she is the one inside the broucher. It's great chance to see them personally for some fans who are working in here for some reasons. I didn't buy any ticket as it's not my interest to go a crowd place.

I see it is opportunity for our country to promote its cultural rich as well as tourism. I read some occasion done by Thai embassy for their cultural promotion in this country. They are selling ticket to its own people and also foreigners who interest in their cultural with cheap price. They arranged to bring in their local celebrities and sport stars to entertain their people as well as other visitors. Their programme includes some dance, music, foods, sport event like muay thai boxing, etc. They are doing it within the compound of their embassy at orchard. I like the way they promote their traditional cultural. Of course I expect my embassy to do such a kind of effort done by our neighbour country.

It'll be easier to make it a big event with attraction if our embassy manage and organize this show bcz they have some previlege in bringing celebrities from local as well as performer from cultural minister. Why don't we have such activities while we are paying our tax to country regularly? They might request to all myanmar people to wear in traditional dress and attend Thingyan celebration. I am sure everybody will come and join if they do like that including me. I know how Myanmar citizen are united if it is needed and right time come.

Unfortunately now the main sponsor and cosponsor are from business companies and they'll make it for their advertisement to the benefit of their business rather than promoting our cultural show. For instance, they bring in some modern singer and dancing model to magnet audience here rather than a classical music artiste and traditional dancing coupe. No wonder they will make it to meet the demand of market. They will not consider about the deep of our cultural and it's bad thing for our country. The way they (our actor & actress) wore and their performance would be more likely with western style and the audience from other countries will misunderstand our country's cultural. It's not good for us in deed. On the other hand the music they sing are not originated from Myanmar and it'ld be embarrassing performance when other people hear it. It's obvious there would be at least local authorities such as police or other around the padang square to make it in order.

I am not going there and I just imagine what is going to be there. So my thought would be wrong and hopefully the show goes on the right way in respect of our traditional culture in long term. Also want my fellow citizen to behave with a polite manner in cheering them. Wish them all the best happy without any problem in celebrating our happy new year in oversea and find it worthy for their money. :D

Parental diary

HOW ARE YOU, baby? Today we went to hospital and see OG as usual. With the prospect of knowing your gender, we both are happy and active to go there. Because a lot of our friends and relatives are asking your gender and we still can't answer that. Also we ourselves wanna know if you are baby boy or girl because we want to buy some clothes and dress for you to wear after u r delivery in home land. So we went to hospital this morning with fully excitement.

Your mum has been gaining a lot weight since she has been pregnancy for you. She never lost her appetite but a few earliest days. You are such a good baby, we know. You never demand for what your want to eat/drink. You accept whatever your mum eat. Unfortunately your mum much likes chilly especially these days. I don't know why and I, being your dad, always need to remind her to take it less even she can't stop it completely. So far you have been good to us since you arrive in our world without prior notice. I am happy to see your mum eat a lot without certain demand in foods. She eat even more than me. I believe she is eating for two including you of course. Seeing you both enjoy foods make me happy.

But today we didn't hear a good sound from our consultant doctor. She even confuse in some particular part. We, as an ordinary couple, can do nothing but take care you in what we can afford. We are worrying when we know from her. She was talking to us while measuring your dimension around your body. We can see you detail through computer monitor, the lung, the liver, the stomach, the leg, the hand, the head, the eye, ear,noise, etc from outside. We forgot to take a breath once she move around you. We want you a healthy baby and it makes us worry in what the doctor said. She generally told us it's rarely to be happen in default.

Meanwhile we are asked to acknowledge and signed on one piece of paper. The paper come with some terms and conditions read despite they are using the latest and advanced technology, the outcoming results of scanning machine can not be granted for 100%. They can say their finding is correct for 70% and the remaining 30% can be changed depend on you. We understand that we cannot afford to avoid risk when we are dealing with something special. Being a parent, we wants a perfect child, once the doctor tour on your body, we quietly see u through screen and excitedly listened what she told.

According to her, she can see a lot water around you and it's a strange to her. At this age, she should have able to see you quite clearly but she struggle to see u clearly through her magic ultra sound scanner. It make her difficult to classify ur gender. As a result we still don't know you are boy or girl. No matter what gender you are, you are welcome to our world. We'll gladly greet you with the open arm. We thought ur mum's gaining weight is bcz you are developing well. In fact it is due to water around you. We are quite annoying to know you are under such surrounding. Finally the doctor told us you are slightly smaller than normal/standard size of ur peers. We are not happy to learn that sound as we feed you the best in what we can afford. We go to the probably the best and expensive hospital for your safety. You mum always sleep side by side in order to give you comfort. She is such a good and caring mum for you. We hope you are coming to our world as a healthy baby.

On the return way, your mum was crying and she don't let me know what she is feeling at all. But I can understand what ur mum is feeling and thinking on d way. Oh my dear baby, please let us know by some way if you are not comfort there. Probably you can tell us through dream. We had heard a lot story like that. Every morning we exchanged about dreams and try to translate them. If our dreams are good, we are happy of course. If our dream are bad, we are sad and try to forget it. We are such a sensitive parent, baby. I hope you will understand us and help us by staying there properly. You are just few months away from this wonderful world and we can't wait to see you at all. Lets make our world a peaceful and enjoyable life.

Your beloving dad.