The Triple Global Crises - Finance, Development and Climate: Can we kill three birds with one stone

The Chevening Alumni of Malaysia is delighted to inform you that economics
supremo, *Dr Jomo KS*, will deliver the *Third Chevening 25th Anniversary
Public Lecture*.



Details of the lecture are as follows:

Title: *The Triple Global Crises - Finance, Development and Climate:
Can we kill three birds with one stone?*

*Date*: Wednesday, December 9, 2009

*Time*: 7.45pm - 10.00pm

*Venue*: Auditorium, Securities Commission, 3, Persiaran Bukit Kiara,
Bukit Kiara, 50490 Kuala Lumpur

*Admission*: Free



Additonal details are provided in the attached flyer.



Dr Jomo, who is Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development of the
United Nations, is a brilliant speaker with a huge following in Malaysia.



The Chevening Alumni cordially invites you to attend the lecture.



Due to the expected huge response, we urge you to register early at
info@cheveningalumni.org.my to reserve your place.

Feel free to circulate this invitation and notice to your colleagues and
friends.

Who is the real cow

You did not arrest the 50 'cows' in Shah Alam for humiliating the entire Indian community nor you were there to stop them. All you could saw was "We are sorry". Like that is going to do any good.

You have shown your race tag and your "pussy" attitude by arresting those who held a candlelight vigil against the 50 'cows'. Where is the justice in that ?

Something about "GOD"

WHY DO PEOPLE BELIEVE IN GOD

People believe in God simply because of "faith" and aslo "beliefs". Humans need to place their hopes and beliefs to  someone/something in the higher stat. There is also where in this community others are  reinforcing this belief, and the religious texts. Also add peer pressure- conformity within our social group, and just wanting to believe in order to give life a purpose or meaning

Most of us feel the existence of God is just too big an issue for puny human beings like ourselves to try to decide. After all, we don't have the greatest minds in the world - there are other people more intelligent than we are.

 "My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior Spirit who reveals Himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble minds. That deeply emotional conviction of the presence of a superior reasoning power, which is revealed in the incomprehensible universe, forms my idea of God." - EINSTEIN

 "The Origin of Species": "There is a grandeur in this view of life with its several powers, having been originally breathed by the Creator into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being evolved." - Darwin

For Darwin, as for Einstein, evolution of an ordered universe was only feasible if some intelligent Mind designed the evolutionary program. But why then don't all the great intellectuals believe in the existence of God? Because other irrational presuppositions interfere with the mind's logical working. Here's the frank confession of the agnostic,

Obviously, another factor besides reason can influence the human mind as it ponders whether there is a God or not - that factor is the will.It becomes shockingly obvious that, if we conclude there is a God, we are logically bound to submit the control of our lives to His will, and most of us do not want to do that.

So, it is fair to note that intellectual giants of our era have come to the conclusion that there is a Supreme Being, and that emotional and volitional implications of the conclusion have prejudiced some of the intellectuals who deny the existence of a God.

WHY IS THERE ORDER AND DESIGN IN THE UNIVERSE?

Why is this belief in the existence of a Supreme Being who created the universe so general and natural in mankind? Because human beings, whether they are intellectuals like Einstein or primitive tribesmen, all have the same response when they see an object like a mountain or a planet - they immediately wonder: "Who put it there?" Indeed, they have to be brainwashed or taught not to ask that question. Otherwise, their minds will operate with the same kind of simple cause-and-effect reasoning that they use in everyday-life situations. In other words, people believe that the existence of a Creator is the most likely and most probable explanation for the existence of the universe.

 They are simple hypotheses of how something might have exploded once there was something to explode, or how spontaneous generation might have taken place once there was a substance to decompose, or how something might have evolved once there was something to evolve from, but none of these theories removes the need to answer the basic question: "Who or what is the original, first cause of the universe?"

IS GOD "IT" , "HE" OR "SHE" ?

But why do we even consider asking "Who" instead of simply "What"? In other words, the order and design of the universe look like the product of a mind that is not only intelligent, but personal. Can an inanimate object like a stone make an animate object like a flower? Can a dog make a man? Can an impersonal elan' vital make three-and -a-half billion persons, each one different, with minds and emotions that we still cannot reproduce with all our technology? If you find a watch while walking along the beach, you conclude there must be a watchmaker - someone who understands the intricacies and fine tolerances necessary to design a watch. Similarly, when you perceive the complex attitudes and responses of the various personalities around you, you naturally conclude that the Creator that made us must be at least as personal as we are. Thus, there are certain clues in the order and design of the universe that suggest the strong probability that there is a Creator who is a person.

 HOW ABOUT HEAVEN ?

I am going to raise a final question regarding God. If you believe in God then you presumably believe in heaven. Here is the question based on the belief that only good people go to heaven, as per the  religious texts. Would someone born with a brain tumour that eventually caused them to become insane and commit murder be allowed into heaven.? If not, why not? They didn't chose to have a brain tumour. At what stage of development do we 'qualify' for judgment. At birth, before we have actually done anything? At one year of age or 22 weeks in the womb? Define 'bad'. It's all a bit arbitrary isn't it. Heaven is something that I just can not accept as a sensible concept.

WHAT ABOUT ME ?

There are times when can't help to have a little faith and hopes in order to get something in return. I’m not sure if the things I believe are true or even false. But most of the time I do believe and have respect for god, not only my religion but also others. If I was to look at the Quran, Bible and the Vedas to learn what are the teachings I am sure that I would find similar teachings. Ultimately, every religion teaches their believers to have MORAL. Unfortunately, humans tend to argue about other religion and have given many reasons for the separation in religion and beliefs but to me it is ONE.

Which one would be mine

Last week I was filling up fuel on the highway to Petaling Jaya and I saw a lamborghini.  I didnt bother to stare at the car cause I have been seeing lamborghini alot lately. Its like in a week I would see it and thats cause there is one near the place I stay. Hahaha. But what attracted me abt this car was the driver. He looked really young.I think he was nearly my age cause his voice was like a kid and he was short and face was rather young looking. He pull over to fill up fuel and thats how I got the chance to look at him. Since that day, I  started to think about the car I am going to get. I cant be getting it now cause I am still studying. Hopefully after 2 years working, I can get a car with my OWN money.

When I used to talk to my friends, they had a rough idea of what car they are going to get. When they were to ask me, I could not give them a right answer, I cant be saying I want a ferrari or a lambo cause those cars are just too expensive for me. I have to think of the budget and what car I would want to drive everyday. I have these 5 car on my mind which I think I can afford.  

1) Nissan Skyline R34

2)Nissan Skyline R33

3)Mitsubishi Evolution 9

4)Mitsubishi Evolution 8 MR edition

5)Mazda RX-8 (2009)

Internal Security Act !

I think the ISA should be in Malaysia. What is wrong with it? I don’t see anything wrong in having the act. The security act is just being misused by the government; you people are going after the wrong thing. Even without ISA there are many loop holes where certain politician will use other force to get what they want. Think rationally before doing something! Because of you "smart" people we others have to go with the flow even if we don’t really want to.

I do understand why you all want to get rid of the act, but to me I don’t think wanting to abolish it will do any good but it will make things worse. Be prepared to see more deaths under police custody and be prepared to get more missing people. All this could happen. I think its about time to think more rationally before doing something.

Quality of Language

Here we go again on having a say students do not need to pass their English papers in school exams. Arguments given saying English is not a compulsory subject to pass. I have to disagree. I know people love to speak in their mother tongue, don't say no, but try to digest this.

How many ppl in the world is familiar with ur mother tongue? How far can u go by talking and learning in ur mother tongue?

Not too far. If you are Malay, u probably may survive in Indonesia unless u speak Arabic languages. Chinese people, I have no idea, but I know China people hate you speaking mandarin or as matter of fact any other dialect, Taiwan perhaps, Hong Kong maybe. As for Indians, India is the only place where they can communicate with their mother tongue.

School is the beginning where a child learns language and knows how to use the language for other subjects. The proper foundation of language learning is very important as later on student are the next generation leaders of this nation.

If they can’t even pass a English paper in the school level, how do we expect them to be able to use the language to communicate with other country leaders or as matter of fact doing business with others. Like it or not English has been a very useful language and has evolved a lot. English is widely spoken. 

I hate to say this but in Malaysia people are racist because they tend to think for themselves and for their own kind. They are willing to destroy the future of the students who have the possibility to lead the nation, then to make them better by learning and excel in English.

This is similar to the teaching of Math’s and Science in English, claiming that it should be stopped and teach it back in Malay. Once again, destroying the future of the nation but will be claiming that we will do whatever it takes to make our nation’s future leaders(students) excel in studies. 

Why say that? After all, changing it back would only make things worse. Well, Ego people and racist people are just saying BM is our language, BM is our blood. It’s a trend now for certain groups to use race and religion to gain support to go against something. These groups are made out of stupid and ignorance people and they live in their own cubical where everything is about them. There must not be room for other.

I really hope that the teaching of Math’s and Science stays on as it is be progress to having a better nation where students will be better in speaking and thinking. I just don’t get it on why BM,BM,BM .

Does Harvard use BM to teach Actuarial Science? I don’t think so. UITM uses BM to teach engineering students. I dont know now but back a few years it was in BM. Information technology courses was also in BM. How do they want to get a job and get higher education if they don’t understand in English? U tells me, Would u have ur son/daughter to learn in UITM and get a job locally or would u prefer them to get a quality education which uses International language?

ART FOR GRABS & KL ALTERNATIVE BOOKFEST

AT THE ANNEXE GALLERY: 7 TO 24 MAY 2009

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ART FOR GRABS

+ KL ALTERNATIVE BOOKFEST

Arts, Crafts & Books Fair

Sat 9 & Sun 10 May, 12pm to 8pm

Presented by The Annexe Gallery & Central Market

Admission Free, except where indicated

Art For Grabs, our arts and crafts bazaar, returns for yet another triumphant round of affordable artsy consumerism in a collision of coolness. That’s over 20 stalls selling art, photography, knick knacks, accessories, etc, all for under RM100 (per item, that is!).

This time we also have KL Alternative Bookfest, featuring over 20 stalls by local indie publishers (not always available at a bookstore near you).

Everytime we host Art For Grabs, we present a fringe program of exciting events. This time around, we have Bilik Panas. Our “hot room” is not literally sauna-like, it’s actually air-conditioned. The “panas” here refers to the artistic, intellectual and emotional heat that will be generated by the performances, lectures and book launches we’ve got planned. See you there!

BILIK PANAS

Admission Free except for Gostan Forward

SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

SATURDAY 9 MAY

12pm

THE CLOTH THAT CUTS: Re-Appraising Batik as a Trans-Cultural Signifier

Public Lecture by Dr Farish Noor

2.15pm

GOSTAN FORWARD – Solo Performance Lecture by Marion D’Cruz (Admission by RM10 donation)

3pm

BEYOND FEMINISM – The Woman as Metaphor for the Colonised

Talk by Chuah Guat Eng

4pm

KLAB Book Launch

TAXI TALES ON A CROOKED BRIDGE by Charlene Rajendran

5pm

KLAB BOOK Launch

NAJIB’S CHALLENGE: Glory or Oblivion? by Barry Wain & UNMASKING NAJIB by Lim Kit Siang

6pm

KLAB BOOK Launch

DEWANGGA SAKTI TERTINGGAL KAPAL ANGKASA DI HARI PELANCARAN BUKU 'KACIP' PIPIYAPONG

6.40pm

KLAB BOOK Launch

BERSERONOK DENGAN PEREMPUAN DALAM POKET

Pelancaran buku Puisi Poket 1: Akulah Perempuan Muda itu oleh Shaira Amira

8.30pm

GOSTAN FORWARD

SUNDAY 10 MAY

11am

MEDIA UNDER NAJIB: Hope or Disappointment?

Forum by Centre For Independent Journalism (CIJ)

12.30pm

PENCERAHAN DAN KOSMOPOLITANISME

Talk by Khalid Jaafar, Director of Institut Kajian Dasar (IKD)

2.15pm

GOSTAN FORWARD

4.30pm

READING LOLITA IN KL

Reading by Sisters In Islam (SIS)

Please refer to events details & synopses at the end of this mailer

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GOSTAN FORWARD

Solo Performance Lecture by Marion D’Cruz

Fri 8 May, 8.30pm

Sat 9 May, 2.15pm & 8.30pm

Sun 10 May, 2.15pm

Presented by Five Arts Centre

Admission by RM10 donation

Gostan Forward will showcase Malaysia’s beloved “dance terrorist” Marion D’Cruz in her overlapping roles as a student, dancer, choreographer and educator. Celebrating her 35-year growth in this retrospective of sorts, she evolves from ground-breaking young dancer to boundary-blurring meta-choreographer. In a rare glance behind the artist, Marion will tell stories and perform excerpts of her favourite and most significant dances, including “Terinai”, “Swan Song”, “Urn Piece”, “Chilayu”, and more.

http://www.fiveartscentre.org

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KL PHOTO AWARDS 2009

Photography Exhibition & Workshops

Thu 7 to Sun 24 May, 11am to 7pm

Presented by Explorenation.net, Time Out Kuala Lumpur, Amarin Sdn Bhd & The Annexe Gallery

Admission Free

From family snaps to fashion spreads, and photojournalism to studio photography, the face remains the most photographed subject in the history of photography. Taking a portrait that retains its subject’s humanity while conveying a powerful commentary at the same time is truly the Holy Grail of photography.

The first KL Photoawards 2009 competition which called for submission between November 2008 and March 2009 attracted some 500 entries from overseas and Malaysia. Of the entries, 23 portraits in each category (Professional & have been shortlisted for considerations for the top prizes. These 46 portraits in total will be showcased in an exhibition of shortlisted works at The Annexe Gallery in conjunction with the awards presentation.

You are cordially invited to

Exhibition Opening

Winners Announcement & Prize Presentation Ceremony

Thu 7 May, 7.30pm

Admission Free

Find out which portraits win the coveted top prizes!

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ART FOR GRABS

+ KL ALTERNATIVE BOOK FEST

EVENTS DETAILS & SYNOPSES

Sat 12pm

THE CLOTH THAT CUTS: Re-Appraising Batik as a Trans-Cultural Signifier

Public Lecture by Dr Farish Noor

Presented by The Other Malaysia

Today Batik is seen and cast as something essentially linked to the (fixed and homogeneous) identity of nations like Malaysia and Indonesia. This lecture tries to explore the multifarious cultural, ethnic and historical origins of Batik as a form of art, and argues that in the designs of classical Batik we can see the overlapping of various cultural, ethnic and religious influences that cut across all of Southeast Asia and beyond. Batik is living proof of the cultural and ethnic hybridity of Southeast Asia.

Sat 2.15pm

GOSTAN FORWARD

Solo Performance Lecture by Marion D’Cruz

Directed by Mark Teh, Visual designs by Grey Yeoh

Presented by Five Arts Centre

*Admission by RM10 donation

Malaysia’s best known “dance terrorist” Marion D’Cruz celebrates her 35-year growth in this retrospective of sorts, from ground-breaking young dancer to boundary-blurring meta-choreographer. In a rare glance behind the artist, Marion will tell stories and perform excerpts of her favourite and most significant dances, including “Terinai”, “Swan Song”, “Urn Piece”, “Chilayu”, and more.

Sat 4pm

KLAB Book Launch

TAXI TALES ON A CROOKED BRIDGE

Book Launch and Reading by Charlene Rajendran & Friends

Presented by Matahari Books

Charlene Rajendran is a Malaysian teacher and theatre practitioner who has been living in Singapore for eight years, and she refuses to own a car. Taxi Tales On A Crooked Bridge chronicles her conversations with taxi drivers all over the island republic. Quirky and jaunty, this book shows that there's no telling what bridges can be built -- whether the journey is crooked or straight!

Sat 5pm

KLAB BOOK Launch

NAJIB’S CHALLENGE: Glory or Oblivion? by Barry Wain

& UNMASKING NAJIB by Lim Kit Siang

Presented by REFSA (Research For Social Advancement)

“Najib’s Challenge: Glory or Oblivion” is written by Barry Wain, a former editor of The Wall Street Journal Asia, is author of the forthcoming “Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times”. “Unmasking Najib” is a collection of articles written by Lim Kit Siang, who actively blogs since 2005 and has published 30 books since 1978. Both books are published by Research for Social Advancement (REFSA), an independent non-profit organization aimed at encouraging open discussion and input into public policy issues. Chairman of REFSA, Tunku Abdul Aziz (former president, Transparency International) will give his opinion on our Prime Minister and have a dialogue with the audience.

Sat 6pm

KLAB BOOK Launch

DEWANGGA SAKTI TERTINGGAL KAPAL ANGKASA DI HARI PELANCARAN BUKU 'KACIP' PIPIYAPONG

Presented by Sindiket Soljah

Dewangga Sakti terdiri daripada 6 orang pemuzik tradisional Melayu zaman sekarang yang melagukan karya-karya mistik dengan bunyian instrumen akustik. Manakala blogger hip Pipiyapong akan melancarkan karya beliau bertajuk Kacip yang lucu dan mencuit hati pembaca.

Sat 6.40pm

KLAB BOOK Launch

BERSERONOK DENGAN PEREMPUAN DALAM POKET

Pelancaran buku Puisi Poket 1: Akulah Perempuan Muda itu oleh Shaira Amira

Presented by Sang Freud Press

Puisi Poket adalah satu usaha untuk mengambalikan puisi kepada yang hak, yakni kau dan aku. Cukup kacip dan comel untuk disumbat di dalam kocek, ia sesuai dibawa dan dibaca di mana-mana; sewaktu menunggu teman di elarti, sewaktu naik elarti bersama teman dan selepas menyalakan rokok di belukar bawah landasan elarti setelah habis berbincang bahasa tubuh dengan teman.

Sat 8.30pm

GOSTAN FORWARD

Dance Lecture Performance by Marion D’Cruz

*Admission by RM10 donation

Sun 11am

MEDIA UNDER NAJIB: Hope or Disappointment?

Forum by Centre For Independent Journalism (CIJ)

Panel speakers include: Wong Chin Huat (political analyst and chairman of Writers Alliance for Media Independence), Tricia Yeoh (special assistant to Selangor state Chief Minister), Zaharom Nain (Associate Prof of Communication Studies, USM)

The forum will touch on:
i. Exploring the prime minister's options viz-a-viz clamours for reform on one side and calls for entrenchment of the status quo on another
ii. Current and future trends that may affect or involve the media and free expression.
iii. What Malaysia needs badly in terms of reform on press freedom and expression and whether Najib can deliver them

Sun 12.30pm

PENCERAHAN DAN KOSMOPOLITANISME

Talk by Khalid Jaafar, Director of Institut Kajian Dasar (Policy Research Institute)

Khalid Jaafar will be talking about IKD’s publications and the concept behind its publications. He will also be touching on the controversial issue raised by IKD’s publications that have been alleged as misleading for Muslims.

Sun 2.15pm

GOSTAN FORWARD

Dance Lecture Performance by Marion D’Cruz

*Admission by RM10 donation

Sun 4.30pm

READING LOLITA IN KL

Reading presented by Sisters In Islam (SIS)

Celebrate the freedom to read! Join Marina Mahathir, Cecil Rajendra, Kee Thuan Chye, Rahmat Haron, Shanon Shah, Aishah Hassan, Chi Too, and Priya K as they read poetry and excerpts from books, plays, scripts, etc that have been banned in other countries throughout history.

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The Annexe Gallery

1st & 2nd Floor, Central Market Annexe

Jalan Hang Kasturi

Kuala Lumpur

Tel: +603-2070 1137