Community Service 2014 - Felda Air Tawar 3, Kota Tinggi, Johor

Honestly, I really dislike this 'subject' which is compulsory for all UPM students (I am not sure whether it is still compulsory for the following batch). Because of this 'subject', I lost my chance to participate in many events that I was interested in during Saturdays and I completed tasks because I had to, not because I wanted to. Community service is a good cause that encourages students to contribute to the community, but it is not good when students don't get to make their own decisions as in choosing the village that they want to go and activities that they want to carry out there to improve the community's living condition and awareness there. I had been hoping that this semester flew past, so that I can spend quality time doing things I like on weekends, and finally, it did.

Kampung Felda Air Tawar 3 (I didn't manage to see this view though)
(photo taken from Felda Air Tawar 3 blog)

However, there is one thing that I appreciate deeply, even after I left the place - our foster family, I believe all of us feel the same towards them. For two and a half days in Johor, we spent less than half of the time with them but still we could feel their tender loving care towards us. It was already school holidays when we went to Felda Air Tawar 3. There were weddings going on and villagers were busy doing the preparation (they have the rewang tradition where everyone in the village volunteerily participates in the cooking preparation for the wedding) but still they accepted our arrival. As a result, one family was willing to foster up to 11 students so that all 62 of us could joined this 'community service'! My foster family took 6 students, including me, Faa, Kogi, Mary, Idah and Mira who made up of 5 races: Malay, Chinese, India, Iban and Melanau.

At the beginning I was kinda worried. Firstly, I am not close to my foster-mates (we were not even acquaintances). Secondly, I am not really good in speaking daily Malay (writing is not a problem to me). Thirdly, I am shy and this was the first time I got adopted (LOL). My ayah angkat and mak angkat are orang Jawa and they are from the same generation as my grandparents. Ayah angkat is talkative and humourous, I really didn't expect an old man to keep making fun of me with language (ok he was just joking with me hahaha). Mak angkat is just like my grandmother who is always busy in the kitchen to prepare food for us. We felt her caring towards us through three meals that we had there. As soon as we reached our home (Kak Chombi, our foster sister fetched us), we were greeted with chilling ice bars (childhood!), drinks and a traditional Indonesian snack called Tampi which is made of dhal (food is really something that connects people together!). We chatted with ayah angkat to get to know each other more (and also among the foster-mates, hahaha) while munching on the snacks (mak angkat was cooking our lunch at the kitchen).  

Me and my lovely foster-mates!
(from left: Kogi, Faa, me, Mira, Idah and Mary)

After having eaten-with-hand lunch (I know it sounds weird, it feels weird too, to me, hehe), we headed back to the Wisma (the place where we had all the ceremonies and activities) for the preparation of station games for all the villagers especially children. I was surprised by the trust existed among the villagers. We went door to door to ask the children come out and join the station games and they did! They were happy and cheerful, unlike many children living in the city, unlike many of us there. I was somehow taken aback when a 9-year-old girl asked me my name and my age, and told me she had an older brother studying in university just like me. It was easy to feel close with them because of the trust they gave us. For the second day, many mak cik who were supposed to be busying in the kitchen joined the talk we held because they understood our situation and how awkward would it be if there was no audience (not many people attended because there were weddings going on).

They are just so sweet together!

At the night before we went back to UPM, we made currypuffs with mak angkat. We had lots of laughters due to our unskillfulness (except Mira who has such a gift!) and ugly currypuffs. Mak angkat felt just like my grandmother who cooks our meals and makes all the delicacies to feed our tummy. Grandma knows how to make currypuffs too, but I never helped out. I feel really ashamed for not spending quality time with grandma and suddenly I miss her very much. The next morning, we had to leave at noon. There was just not much time for us to mingle around. We walked around the village for awhile (the houses are quite far apart with hills going up and down) and headed back home to 'help out' in making baskets out of old newspapers. Yes we really wanted to help in making those baskets which will be given away as gift during our foster brother's wedding next year but we ended up messing around with the newspapers. The newspapers need to be rolled around thin stick which will be removed and the rolled newspapers will be used to make the basket. The basket will then be painted using lacquer as final touch. Before I managed to learn the waving skills, it's time to pack our luggage.

Us with our mak angkat and ayah angkat. Behind these smiling faces, there was sorrow. We have no idea whether we would ever meet again in future. Kota Tinggi is not really far away, I hope that one day we can gather again in this warm family.

Unsurprisingly, we all cried. It was a super emotional moment to me as well. How could some complete strangers accept you with open arms and treat you just like their children? And what kind of 'service' we had given to them that we deserve such a warm welcome? We have certainly gained something from this 'community service', not experience in organising activities or formal ceremonies, but the giving of unconditional love towards others, even strangers. You won't know how much people will be touched with your kind act. Maybe just a smile, maybe just a helping hand. This could be a happier world to live in.

Mak dan ayah, kami akan sentiasa merindui detik-detik manis sepanjang dua hari setengah tersebut. Jaga diri baik-baik ya, inshaallah kita akan berjumpa lagi!

Dear Fellow University Students, It's Time to Get Up! Bangkitlah!

First and foremost I feel sorry that both of my blogs have been deserted for quite some time. I have to force myself to pick up the keyboard again after putting blogging at a less important priority and it became a habit. Before this, whenever I blog, inspiration kept flowing into my mind that I feel relaxed and confident in writing. But now... I have to slowly recover from the laziness to blog although the final examinations are just around the corner in less than two weeks time!

For this post I just want to update a bit to round up this whole third semester of my life here in UPM. This semester is a great leap for me, not in terms of achievement (I have somehow abandoned Wushu, boohoo...) but my ideology and determination in doing something I really want to do. All these happened after I went to a charity lunch organised by Baramkini which was held to raise fund besides raising public awareness on this issue. The whole issue is about the protest towards the building of mega dam at Baram, a place belongs to native people (orang asli). If the dam is built, villages will be submerged and people there will have nowhere to go. Activists built houses and barrage to block the way getting into Baram to stop the construction progress. I believe that not many people in Peninsular Malaysia have known about this issue which involves human rights and also the environment because we are living comfortably without the risk of getting chased away from our home. There must be someone who are willing to stand up for the people whose voice couldn't be heard. Not many people are willing to do so, risking their life for the welfare of others. But still, this group of people do. They are volunteers from all walks of life who fight for people's right.

The barrages which are rebuilt and rebuilt to protect the homes of indigenous people.
(photo taken from the Facebook page of Baramkini)

What have university students done for the community? Focusing on studies? Nah, everyone knows that is bu*****t! This is not about politics, this is social movement. University students need to have the awareness regarding human rights and do something when we see unrighteous things happening around us instead of isolating ourselves from all these current critical issues because the adults asked us not to do so, it's against the 'rules', 'rules' that restrict us to do the right thing, 'rules' that turn us into a mere working force for the 'ruling' force in the future, 'rules' that scare us from speaking up for our own welfare! Since we were young, an ideology was planted in our head - obey the rules and feel afraid of the rules. Yes, rules that keep the society in order such as the traffic laws need to be followed, however, unrighteous rules that erode our rights must be fought against! We have learnt in the history of Malaysia that all the pahlawan were once a 'traitor' in the eyes of the authority. They sacrifice their reputation or even life to uphold the people's right, to prevent their people from being further bullied by the colonizers! On the other hand, do you see what happen here? Who are the poor victims and who are big bullies?

The reason I wrote this post is not to provoke university students in creating chaos but to remind everyone regarding our dangerous state of ignorance and indifference. We might be young and inexperience, we have no income and power, but there must be something we can do to help the unfortunate ones. It is still not a culture here in Malaysia for students to be proactive in fulfilling social responsibility, however we can initiate it and be the re-pioneer to bring back the past where students are the conscience of the society, the eyes for the era（社会的良知，时代的眼睛）who stand up for justice. We can slowly pick up the pace by starting with something small:

• Make complaints to the authority whenever you encounter a leaking tap, a broken street lamp, damaged road or any facility which is not functioning.
• Report to the authority if you witness or discover any criminal case such as stealing and burglary, especially if it happens on you.
• Keep yourself updated regarding the current issues especially those happening in Malaysia.
• Lending those in need a helping hand. For example, join Community Kitchen (Dapur Komuniti) which distributes food to poor people or be a volunteer to give tuition classes for children from poor families.
• Educate others regarding social awareness like consumer rights through conversations or writing.
• Sign petition to against unrighteous policies and regulations.

Every small deed counts. We are weak and insignificant if we act alone. Together, we stand strong. Let's make a change, a change that can make our lives a better one.

Give me ten young man, I will rock the world.   

                                                 --- Soekarno, former president of Indonesia

suteF

(Image taken from Rotten Tater website)

SPOILER! This is no ordinary platform game...
For a good game (even if it is a platform game), the background story is important because it is something that drive you to overcome the obstacles level by level. However, for this game, I do not quite understand the whole storyline which is quite confusing to me. Even though I tried to understand the story by reading through the blog of suteF after I played the game but I still get no clue. All I want to do was to help Aramas (the name of the main character you are controlling) to get the hell out of the eerie place and back to the reality. And it is obvious that the boss is named 'Fetus' which does not seem to die no matter how many times you pierce it using the laser beam until a spirit-like creature that looks like you gorges its eye out (blood and gore!!!).

You can see heaps of carcasses in that game. A contrast of blue and red.
(Image taken from the Games is Art website)

The escaping screen and a 'I-don't-know-what-is-that' monster.
(Image taken from Volcod website)

The fetus (which will multiply in size each time you kill it).
(Image taken from Rock, Paper, Shotgun website)

Again it is a 2D pixellated game which successfully caught my attention (I swear it is not because of the bloody scenes!) that I cracked my head for hours to finish the whole game. You have to press on switch, move crates and reverse the gravity so that you can get to the screen to proceed to the next level (for the last chapter there is no more screen though, it changes into an upward force as you go after the Fetus). Sometimes you work alone, sometimes you have a backpack that allows you to use clamp, sometimes with some other blue man which looks like you. Actually I am not sure whether I have really completed it because although it showed 'end' at the end of the game, there seems to be one chapter left to be unlocked. Besides, I like the font and the sound effects used which give more bonus to this game.

It is a very old game published back in 2010 and people are still playing it! You can download it here. If you figure out what is going on, please do tell me in the comment! Warning: You might be driven crazy for getting stuck at some levels for a long time, hahaha...

Trailer:

Flash Games Recommendations [from Game Jolt, no download needed]

For almost twenty years I am not able to play 3D games without getting myself a nausea which would last for hours. Tomb Raider, Call of Duty, Counter Strike, Prince of Persia, Bio Shock etc. especially those action ones. And I believe even if I overcome the nausea problem I will still be unable to play the game because those games are simply too tough for me. I get frustrated easily when playing a game so a complicated one is definitely a no no. An awesome game in my opinion is either it has a very nice graphic (nice graphic does not exist in 3D only) or a very good and unexpected storyline. And overall it has to be clean and neat, nothing is overdone.

Platform games can be boring because they look universal. You have to avoid monsters (or kill them), pick up power-up and at the end reach the check point like Mario (legendary!). Here's some platform games from Game Jolt that require no downloading. They are pretty good in their unique ways. Enjoy!

Simple colour and nice soundtrack.
(Screenshot from Game Jolt)

1) Persist
So you are a while spirit-like thing who seeks forgiveness from a cruel goddess who slowly takes away your arms (ability to swim), your legs (ability to jump) and your body (you can barely see your own presence). You have to survive through all the trials handicapped (yeah this should be the right word) and at the end been forgiven as you give up your life for 'her' in the story.

Three of you move parallelly in a not parallel universe. LOL
(Screenshot from Game Jolt)

2) Parallel 2
So you have to control three tiny people at the same time with only one set of control towards the check point in three different surroundings. Multi-functioning of your brain is a must. You must have no bias towards anyone of them. Or I should put it this way, you should set your priority so that all of them can reach the check points at the same time.

I fell in love with the rabbit. Cute, right?
(Screenshot from Game Jolt)

3) Tim_
So this is a very cute platform game where you are a rabbit and there are lots of crocodiles. The angry ones are bad (who are overprotective over their eggs) while the smiley ones are good but annoying, haha. As the game progresses, I found out that actually the rabbit is the villain who kills the crocodile king and be the king. As overall, it is a cute game. (Psst. The rabbit can freeze time)

A cute love story like the one from Warm Bodies, haha.
(Screenshot from Game Jolt)

4) I saw her standing there
So you saw her standing there...and? Well you fell in love with a zombie girlfriend and you have to lure her and keep her in a cage when there are other zombies around trying to kill you. At the end...you got bitten by your girlfriend and you two carry on your life happily ever after. LOL. After you complete the game, you will unlock some 'cheats' which can make the game more challenging.

The hot air balloon.
(Image taken form Youtube)

5) Moky SOS
So this is quite a new game and it already got some 5/5 reviews. The concept is very simple. Blow at the hot air balloon so that it reaches some pity fellas on some deserted places and send them to the checkpoint platform. Those fellas cannot board the hot air balloon if the balloon lands on the group, it should be afloat so that they can climb the rope stair. Besides, don't let the balloon hit the obstacles, or else some of the fellas will fall out and die.

Hunter X Hunter: The Chimera Ant - Review

Hunter X Hunter (manga author is Yoshihiro Togashi) is one of my favourite animes which I watched during my childhood time (although it clearly is not suitable for children, hahaha). Like Naruto, it is a still ongoing series so far ended with the Chimera Ant story arc and the 13th Hunter Association Election story arc is following. I didn't watch every single episode and left out some in the previous story arcs but this one, the Chimera Ant story arc is definitely an impressive one after the Yorknew City story arc where the story surrounds Kurapika, the only member in Kurta clan who survived brutal attack from the Phantom Troupe and wants to get back all the scarlet eyes of the died clan members. It may sound complicated for those who have not watch any of the story arcs but you are encouraged to watch starting from the first episode until the last one (anime marathon!).

The Queen Chimera Ant.
(Image taken from Next Generation Filipino website)

Spoiler Alert!

A very deep philosophy is embedded in the Chimera Ant story arc regarding humanity. It started with an injured Queen Chimera Ant being stranded on an island called Neo Green Life, a country which forbids the usage of modern technologies (despite of secret production of weapon by the government). The one characteristic of the Chimera Ants which is special and also deadly in long term is, they reproduce using the method of Phagogenesis, where the Queen will reproduce selectively by combining the genes of the animals eaten with her genes, that a more powerful offspring will be produced. This sounds like a genetic modified organism (GMO) and indeed it is. The disaster of mankind begins when the Queen first tasted human and she started to request her soldier ants to bring her humans only for her food in order for her to produce stronger soldiers and eventually the King as the ruler of the world.

The King Chimera Ant named Meruem. He looks like a character from Dragon Ball though.
(Image take from My Anime List website)

This story arc emphasizes how destructive humanity is. Yeah we have seen in the reality where there are wars, crimes, abuses etc. and certainly we do not need reminder of those kind of things which we have gotten used to as they often show up in news. So the author used another channel to deliver the message. The consequences of animals becoming more clever are being portrayed in many scientific horror movies such as the Deep Blue Sea. Thus having a human intelligence is beyond imagination. Upon obtaining human intelligences, the Chimera Ant colony grows stronger and stronger until they develop the ability to take over human on top of the food chain. Chimera Ant is a species of ants (fictional) which lives in colony just like other species of ants where they show unshaken loyalty towards the Queen or King. They live and die for the Queen (or King if there is any), carrying out any command given. Even before the interruption of human genes, a colony of Chimera Ants is able to wipe out the entire population of other species of organisms on Earth with their military-like system.

Dead original Chimera Ant soldiers.
(Image taken from Lost in America website)

Despite the human intelligence that makes them undefeatable, eventually humanity also causes the corruption of the whole colony. The ants develop human ego-ness that each of them want to have their own unique name which differentiate every individual. This ego-ness even generate thoughts of wanting to take over the throne of the Chimera Ant and be the King instead of merely being a soldier ant for the rest of their life. Selflessness fades among the ants and that is the beginning of the destruction of the colony when the loyalty towards the Queen shatters. Chimera Ant's nature is cruel that they will do anything to assist the King in concurring the world. Humans are only livestock to them, which will be slaughter as food just like what humans do to animals. So there is no empathy towards human lives. However, after the King's encounter with a blind girl named Komugi, he slowly developed a kind heart towards humans that he is willing to spare some humans' lives instead of killing everyone. This is a bad sign towards the Chimera Ant colony because that human personality should not exist in them especially the King.

The Poor Man's Rose.
(Image taken from hunterxhunter.wikia.com/)

The ending of this story arc is expected but yet unexpected. The Chimera Ant will be defeated of course, but how? The King survives the disastrous Poor Man's Rose explosion but he and his royal guards are infected by a poison without realising the explosion is actually a bioweapon which will ensure no survival of the victims. At the last moment of the King's life, he chooses to spend the time with Komugi, the only human that he cares of in the world and dies. Human is the reason of the rise of Chimera Ant, human is also the reason the fall of the colony. I found the ending beautiful, but am disgusted by the idea of bioweapon like what happened in the history.

Human, is human.

Blessing in Disguise!

Sometimes blessings come when you are too upset to be aware of their presence. Being optimistic is difficult for most people, including me. Here is a blessing in disguise that is worth sharing which happens to me since the starting of the semester. I used to look forward to the starting of the semester during last semester break, but this news broke the bubble - all the seniors have to stay in three blocks in the college only, the other two will be reserved for juniors. Why? There is a renovation going on around the college where all the wooden tables and wooden cupboards will be replaced with new ones! So what's the problem? The problem is all the old furnitures were sent away while the new ones have not arrived!

So I got a room at the corner of top floor. Moving from the group floor to the top floor is not a good thing, both mentally and physically. Last semester, I could just walk out of the block without going down the stairs, and walk back to my room without going up the staisr. I could hang my clothes beside the block where there is plenty of sunlight. I could get hot water and drinking water in less than 50m distance. But now I have to brave through flights of stairs to get up or go down, whenever I need to go to classes or meetings or just for a meal. It really felt like a lemon given to my life. However, eventually I found out the tiny blessings embedded in this unlucky life of staying in the room I am currently living in. First of all, my room locates at the corner of the block, where there will be no one passing by my room, giving me privacy and quietness which is a peace in mind. Secondly, I don't have to worry if my clothes hanging out there will get soaked by water dripping from clothes hanging upstairs since I am on the top floor (I might be the culprit who do that to others though). Thirdly, I get to do more exercises which are actually good for my health because I have sinus which needs good immunity to prevent it from happening. I walk the stairs, I cycle to classes and I do Wushu (if possible) to keep myself in good shape (and optimum weight too, hehe).

Here's the end of my first post after survived one month in my second years. There are lots of changes going on and I won't stop praying so that I can face every good things and bad things alike with a joyful heart!

See it at the correct angle. Everything can be beautiful.

Bad Dream: Hospital - Walkthrough [how to get another ending]

(Screenshot)

SPOILERS BELOW
Yeah I skipped the walkthrough of Bad Dream: Graveyard because I don't find it necessary to give any help in finishing the game since there is only one ending and you will have no problem in finishing it. Instead of losing your fingers in Bad Dream: Butcher, your teddy bear will lose its limbs and body and at the end...everyone will be beheaded and you stick your teddy bear's head on a dead body. I don't get what it means either, just enjoy the weirdness, hahaha. So for this episode, the background is a mental hospital (as expected) and you are required to do colouring on a picture. The normal ending people will get is by colouring the picture with poop, urine, blood, vomit etc. *eww* and realise that you will get a box of crayons at the end of the game actually *speechless*. You will be told that you can try to get another ending by colouring with crayons only. It's pretty easy to reach that ending as long as you behave normally. Don't touch the blood, don't touch the vomit, don't stab anyone. 

1) Look at the piece of paper beside the door

2) Go out of your room (it's room 15), go into WC

3) Touch everything EXCEPT the toilet

4) Go back to the corridor, go up the corridor, enter the cafeteria on your left

5) Get the empty bucket, go back to WC

6) Fill the bucket with water at the sink, flush the toilet

7) Pick up the key, go to room 14 (opposite of cafeteria)

8) Pick up the knife and dirty plate, don't do anything else

9) Go to cafeteria, put the knife and plate on the counter

10) Go back to corridor, go up the corridor, enter room 13

11) Take the sticker on the guy's tshirt, don't do anything else

12) Go back to WC, place the sticker over the eye on the wall

13) Fill the bucket at the sink again, go to cafeteria

14) Enter the previously locked door, pick up the rag on the crate

15) Go to room 13, clean up the vomit

16) Dispose of the dirty rag into any dustbin (there is one in the cafeteria, one in WC, you can find it somewhere else)

17) Go back to the corridor in front of room 13 (you will see a nurse there), go up the corridor

18) Enter room 12, pick up the needle on the floor, don't do anything else

19) Go back to corridor, go up the corridor, enter the room on the left

20) Pick up the key, enter the room opposite to room 12

21) Pick up the stethoscope on the table, the thread on top of the shelf, don't do anything else

22) Give the stethoscope to the nurse, go down the corridor until you see a vending machine

23) Get urine sample from the vending machine, flush it down the toilet

24) Go to the room inside cafeteria, fill the container up with poison

25) Go to the room where you get the last key, poison the snake-like monster

26) Get a thermometer from the dead body, go back to the corridor

27) Place the thermometer at the heater below the window, show the thermometer to the nurse

28) Go back to the room where you got the thermometer, give the nurse the needle and thread

29) Go back to the corridor, enter the Day Room

30) Pick up the crayons and go back to your room to finish the colouring

The mad doctor appears as soon as you finish colouring. Got this screenshot just in time.
(Screenshot)

I don't understand this...
(Screenshot)