Malaysia's Foreign Students

It is distressing to read that four students from Botswana died in Malaysia this year, two from car accidents and two from suicide. What led them to commit suicide? It has even prompted a visit from Botswana's Education Minister to meet with his students to find out more.

According to a recent news report, there are about 850 Botswana students studying in the Lim Kok Wing Institute, and that is a huge number, while there are around 7000 African students studying in the various institutions in the country.

Some students who were interviewed said that they were being treated unfairly and some even had to put up with racial slurs on a daily basis.

Malaysians are known for their hospitality and these revelations seem to go against the grain. However, there are occasional reports on fights that broke out between the locals and African students. The trouble is Malaysians lump all students from the African continent as Africans, even though Africa is ethnically diverse.

We live in a condominium which used to be popular with African students studying in various institutions in the vicinity, and residents have often complained about how rowdy and noisy they were particularly late at night. But as I said, it is hard to distinguish which part of Africa they come from. Whatever, it is, these suicide cases have dented the image of our country as an education hub.

Moreover, the nonsensical suggestion by the Director General of the Malaysian Immigration Department that foreign students should be segregated in a special area has not helped the country in its drive to promote its attractiveness to foreign students. An invaluable experience in studying abroad is the wealth of cultural experience that foreign students are exposed to, and to suggest that they be 'quarantined' because they "possess clashing cultures with that of the locals" is ludicrous to say the least.

More should be done by the Ministry of Higher Education to ensure that not only African students, but other foreign students as well, are made to feel at home in Malaysia. Private institutions that have the licence to enrol foreign students should ensure that they adapt to the local conditions, particularly the neighbourhood which they reside in as soon as possible so that the locals do not view them as a 'threat'.

Students from Botswana

Be Careful When Eating Apples

It has been recently proven that the adage "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" does keep a person healthy. The skin also provides a good source of anti-oxidant, and fibre to cleanse the intestinal system. But what about the wax used to coat them to keep them fresh? There have been many warnings in email advising consumers to peel off the skin of an apple before biting into it. In fact, one email provided graphic images of 'toxic' wax coating on apples and advise consumers to remove the skin of an apple.


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A website has addressed this issue by disputing the danger of consuming wax (which is from Mother Nature) on apples or other fruits:

Are apples and other fruits coated with wax okay to eat? Yes! According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the wax is natural, non-petroleum based, and approved for use on all kinds of foods.

Just-picked produce, including apples, are coated with wax by Mother Nature to help prevent them from drying out and becoming mushy. Before these products are delivered to markets for sale, they are washed and rinsed of dust and chemical residues, but about half of the original wax coating is lost during this cleaning process. As a result, FDA-approved natural wax is added to make sure that produce is protected during transport, storage, and sale, as well as to make them look more appealing and appetizing. Your apples may seem smothered in wax, but about one to two drops of natural wax is all that's added to each apple. Amazingly, one pound of the wax used in this process may actually cover up to 160,000 pieces of fruit.

Wiping and washing produce before eating or cooking it is recommended to help remove dirt, a certain amount of bacteria, and, yes, some of the wax. You can use regular tap water to accomplish this task, or you could even try one of several new fruit and vegetable wash products on the market.

If you are still squeamish about the skin, by all means remove it although it would have robbed you of that all important anti-oxidant and fibre.

The Huashan Tea House.

I was sceptical when I first read an email on the Huashan hiking trail to a tea house on one of its peaks. Those people who attempted the hike were really nuts, I thought. An acrophobic like me would have quaked and peed in my pants. I believed the photos were doctored and no such trail existed. However, I came to the originator of the story which dispelled whatever lingering doubts I have had. The trail, consisting only of steep cliffs with linked chains and plank paths for support, and footholds in the rock surfaces to aid the climb, does not allow room for mistakes which could be fatal. Here are the pictures:

Huashan in the Shanxi Province is located close to the Himalayas. "Shan" means mountain

The start of the hike: a cable car ride to the starting point

Plank path and linked chains to aid hikers

It is definitely a popular activity judging from the number of people hiking

A close up shot of the trail

The faint-hearted would have collapsed with fear from the sheer cliff they have to cling to

Footholds in the rock surface to provide easier scaling of the cliff

A chain linked ladder

Linked chains and footholds

Closing in on the summit

Rock steps leading to the tea house

The tea house

Funny Singapore

Received an email on Singapore. I have been unable to trace the source of these cartoons. But due to their delightful depiction of Singaporeans, I have decided to take the risk of posting them.

SINGAPORE IS A PLACE WHERE...
...research has shown that its people
have the worst eyesight in the world.

(Myopic symptoms evident at MRT waiting lines)

SINGAPORE IS A PLACE WHERE...
...queueing is a national pastime

SINGAPORE IS A PLACE WHERE...

......schooling is a harrowing experience

(For the parents)

SINGAPORE IS A PLACE WHERE...
...93% of the population are literate.
The remaining 7% can be found in cinemas:

On public transport:

SINGAPORE IS A PLACE WHERE...
...social unrest is unheard of

(Except where Hello Kitty toys, $1 BreadTalk breads

and free M1 GSM handphones are involved)

YOU ARE SPECIAL!

Just what is a Singaporean?
How can a Singaporean be defined?
We proudly present the traits.

WE HAVE TO BE NUMBER 1
It's almost a prerequisite for us to be tops in everything.

WE ARE BIG-HEARTED
We don't think twice when donating fat cheques
to disaster victims abroad.
But it's a different story with Flag Days at home.

WE FEEL FOR OTHER SINGAPOREANS
We may not know each other;
but when disaster strikes our fellow men,
we share their anguish.

WE HAVE GREAT FORESIGHT
The authority says, "Plan early for retirement."
We always plan ahead...

WE LOVE FOOD
Brought about by the vast variety of grub
in our multi-cultural melting pot.

WE ARE LAW-ABIDING
Well, most of us are, anyway.
Those wayward few face a certain punishment
which is also unique to us...

Wedding Lunch at Skudai

Last Saturday, I went to a wedding lunch at Restaurant Pekin Sutera Utama, Skudai. It seems that Johor Bahru folks nowadays prefer to hold their wedding receptions at Skudai, which is about 20 minutes' drive from JB town, to get away from the perennial traffic jams and parking problems.

Chinese weddings have become elaborate affairs for those who can afford them. There were more than a hundred tables, which meant more than a thousand guests were invited. It was supposed to start at 1.00 pm, but like all Chinese wedding receptions, it only got moving at about 2.15 pm. Of course guests who came with empty stomachs could make a beeline to the lobby where light refreshments were served, if baked oysters, one of the items served, are considered light. They disappeared as fast as they appeared; only the empty shells littered the small tables.

The lobby of Restaurant Pekin Sutera Utama at Skudai

Posters of the newly weds adorned the lobby and the dining hall

No expense was spared to celebrate the union

Slide shows of the newly weds in their various poses in a studio were presented

The main table

A large poster of the newly weds forms the backdrop

The live band

An arch along the aisle

The bride smiling radiantly

It is a custom now to provide gifts of sweets or cakes to guests

Friends from Muar

Friends from Batu Pahat

The menu

The cold dish

I don't know what this is, but it is delicious

Now, this is special; it's called Hakka seafood pot. The first layer comprises prawns, broccoli topped with shark fin. The second layer contains braised sea cucumber, belly pork and duck legs. The third layer has dried oysters, and Chinese cabbage, dried scallops and black mushrooms

The Hakka seafood plate

Hongkong style steamed fish

Deep fried chicken with prawn crackers

In case you are still hungry, you can have the steamed lotus leaf rice

Lastly the dessert of longans and sea coconut

Longans and sea coconut in syrup