Memberku Hawa - A Malaysian Series on Feminism

 Interframe: I was supposed to find a suitable topic for my literature assignment but  my efforts were to no avail - so I ended up here *sigh*

MEMBERKU HAWA

 Kay (Nad Zainal) and Hawa (Faezah Elai)

 Anybody watched the not-so-new series on TV3 - Memberku Hawa?

I am now an avid fan of this series. This series is something that women around Malaysia can relate to - it's somewhat like a fiction version of 3R.

First time I knew about this series was through Hanis Zalikha's tweet - so I wanted to check it out just to watch Hanis on TV. I wanted to see her act so there I went, hovering in front of the TV on a Sunday night. The first episode, there was no Hanis, but I continued to watch it because I was charmed by one of the main characters - Kay - who was played by Nad Zainal - and her acting was really good! Natural! (unlike the acting of the actors and actresses in the overrated Malaysian series Vanilla Coklat *yawn*)  The dialogues were funny and witty. And there was Hawa, the other main character, played by Faezah Elai. This character reminds me of my own bestie - Hawa, and yeah, even some of the characteristics - such as independent, outgoing, and doing things as good as men resembles my bestie's attitude. ;)

And oh, not only that - there are hotties alert too! 

 Err, not this picture. This is Hawa disguising herself as a man - with the name Adam, but this picture below!

 Sharnaaz Ahmad (left) and Dazrin Kamarudin (centre) in the picture above.

Well, girls, feast your eyes on Sharnaaz Ahmad (who happens to be Shila Amzah's boyfriend in real life) and also Dazrin Kamarudin (whose status I am not sure of) - they are both the characters who appeared in Hawa's working place. Sharnaaz plays the character of Hawa's boss in this series and he's a self-made successful businessman. And Dazrin stars as Sharnaaz's best buddy here (his identity was not really clarified as he only appeared twice in the last six series).

And not to forget Hanis - the reason I started watching this series. She's really good in portraying Tish - a snobbish model whom Kay had issue with at her workplace. 

Actually I should've known from the title of this series - Memberku Hawa - that it hints the element of feminism in it. The name Hawa itself represents women, as in kaum Hawa - a Malay term which is usually used to refer to women. 

The issues faced by women in Malaysia was portrayed by a scene where Hawa, who came for her job interview as an engineer, was rejected by her boss (Sharnaaz) at first just because she's a woman and these people somewhat have some prejudice against female engineer. She had to prove herself and fight for the spot to work in the company by performing a task which was a actually challenge from her boss. And voila, of course she made it, if not Sharnaaz would not become her boss. 

Even when she was accepted in the company and already started working, Hawa faced another problem because one of her clients would not accept a female engineer to service the computer at his company. To tackle this problem, Hawa disguised herself as man (Adam, ah what a surprise she chose this name! *rolls eyes*) when going to the company.

For Kay, her problem will be with another woman (like what my lecturer said, women oppressing women) where Tish (played by Hanis) who could not let her work in peace and always find fault with her.

So if you're a feminist, you would like this story. It's a light chic-lit, something for you to laugh and somewhat think over too. 

Don't forget to watch it on TV3, 10.30 pm, every Sunday! 

Lame words about life..

Have you ever experienced that moment... that moment after you went through some events in your life, and you made a conclusion about each experience? 

And the conclusion sometimes turn out to be some meaningful random thoughts which are worth keeping for? (at least for myself).

I guess, sometimes I experienced that. Or most of the times. Especially when I am emotional. 

I would make a conclusion about certain things and then I will put up the words at the corner this blog and label them as 'words of lamehood by lameleftygirl'. 

And I would change these 'so-called wise words' every week or every month.

Well, to me, life is like a series of experiments. Everytime after I experienced something, I would make a either an inference, hypothesis and conclusion out of it.

I used to type down my random thoughts and saved them in my laptop, but after my hard disk was spoiled, I could not trust my laptop, external hard disk without any back up anymore. So here I would like to introduce all of you to my new baby blog (aww agugugugu kuchi kuchi baby eh?)

which I named as 

"WORDS OF LAMEHOOD". 

 (yeah lame name I know )

And yeah, this is where I keep my random lame thoughts. 
Or the remaining of it which I can still remember after my hard disk died. T_T

So if you guys have time, do check it out yea. 

That's all.  

 

He Came, He Looked, and He Asked for Money...

Date: 2nd April 2010
Location: In front of Our Lady of Sorrows Church
Time: Around 7.45 pm or later, after Good Friday service.

The rain was pouring down heavily. Each one of us who just attended the Good Friday service was very hungry. Step, Man Lee, me and several of our juniors were deciding which cafe or restaurant to go to during that rainy day.

"Let's go to Prangin Mall," was the final decision that we made. While waiting for the others to join us, suddenly a man of about 50 year old appeared and talked to us with his fluent English.

"Hello, I am a Catholic too, I just attended the Good Friday service," he started to introduce himself. " I came to Penang to attend this service from my hometown in Perak, and I needed to go back tonight. But the bus fare is RM8, and I only have RM5," he elaborated, while sheltering himself with his right hand. He looked quite in a pitiful state, but that time, I was sceptical, and quite annoyed, because he was using the tactic to create a dilemma in us for being a Christian who just came back from church. It was as if, since we were going to church, we should be good enough to show some sympathy and do some good deeds to him. The hidden premise is that, if we do not help him, what's the use of us going to church then?

"I need some money to go back home, " he continued.

I was thinking, okay, maybe I would help to contribute only RM1 in case if he really needed the cash. But before I could say or do anything, my junior, Joe, took out his RM 10 note and gave it to the man without saying much.

The man, of course, was very happy, and responded with "God bless you!!" and walked away in the downpouring rain.

Most of us were looking at Joe with our wide-eyed expressions.

"Joe~" was the only word that came out from our mouths during our speechless moment.

"Mana tau kalau dia benar-benar perlu duit tu," was his answer. Then we agreed with him.

"Ya, betul, " Man Lee agreed with Joe's decision. It is because, if he really needed the money, we would be committing sins of omissions for not helping him, but if he was lying to us, well, he was the one sinning, and we were not to bear the guilt of not helping him. But still deep down in me, I wouldn't offer that much to the person whom I still doubted, but since Joe was generous and all that, maybe it was okay. God bless him.


FAST FORWARD TO THE FOLLOWING SATURDAY...
Date: 10th April 2010
Location: the hawker stall area at Sunway Hotel, near Our Lady of Sorrows Church
Time: Around 8 pm or later, after Sunset Mass

We were sitting at our usual place before having our dinner. Me, Claire, Natalia, Mike, Deidre and Mike's future girlfriend, ahem, V*v**n, were trying to decide what to eat before we order the food. Suddenly, a man appeared at our table, he somewhat looked kinda familiar to me, and he spoke in English. He was greeting us with some "Hi Christian " thingy and tried to remind us of our responsibility as Christians, or precisely, Catholic. He was asking for money to go back to his hometown, and this rang a bell in me.

No wonder he looked familiar! He was the same guy who asked for money from us when we finish our Good Friday service a week earlier. OMG, and he was still using the same old crappy story to gain our sympathy, but too bad you're busted, fraud~! Checkmate! The same old Why-you-Christian should-help-me crap and talking about how good if he could go back to his hometown now. Gosh, he wasn't creative for a fraud, huh?

I interrupted him and told him that "Weren't you the same guy who asked for money last week? Hadn't you got your money to go back to your hometown already? My junior gave you the money, and it was RM10!" My words were more or less like that, based on my weak memory. The mean gene inside me was pouring out.

He looked at me, then he said something like this "You must be mistaken! I just came here today," he tried to fool me. What did he think I am? A cow?

"No, no, no! I am sure it was you! You told the same story, going back to your home town, you're a Catholic," I said and at the same time he was talking continually to Mike and V*v**n, maybe trying his luck? Lol.. We were not born yesterday, my dear fraud. Before he went away, he said "God bless you!" and I replied "God bless you too," with a goofy smile.

In my heart, I was thinking, "Oh, no Joe... Too bad your good deed was wasted on a fraud like him." But I guess it's the intention that matters, no matter to whom the help was offered to, even for a fraud..


I guess, to be fooled once, is okay, but to be fooled twice, no way. I wouldn't give in to that. I know maybe he really needed the money, but why did he need to lie to get them? By the way, he's healthy, and he could probably get a job, but I guess, with his reputation as a fraud, it was hard for him to get any. To help a parasite is also a sin, at least for me. So, next time, to be fooled by a person once, it's his fault. But to be fooled twice by the same person, it could be your fault.

Moral of the story: Next time, make a deal with people whom you are helping. If he/she wants the money from you, the condition is this: THEY HAVE TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH YOU! HEHE. SEE IF THEY WILL STILL WANT TO FOOL YOU IN THE FUTURE?

Warning: Don't do this to your helpless friend...

[Interframe: I seriously need to focus now, but what i did was just watching Desperate Housewives season 4 and doing the laundry, but wait, Desperate Housewives is an English-speaking series, so they do help my revision, don't they?]

It was during the night of 11th April, and I was walking back from Bali Bali after having a Milo ais and a sesi suap-menyuap Tiramisu birthday cake with my beloved seniors. The time was 8 p.m. I walked and arrived at the Sungai Dua USM bus stop and saw the back of my friend, my only former school mate here in USM, his name is X, and I saw him carrying a really large package, all by himself. I called him from the back, and he finally stopped and replied my greeting.

We had a little chat while walking. He told me he just came back from the PC fair which was going on at Penang International Sports Arena (PISA) and he bought something there. He went there alone, buying all these stuffs. I was impressed, and also kinda feel bad why he went there alone and buy these heavy things because he looked like he really needed some help with carrying the big package, so I forced myself to ask if he needed some help with carrying those item. I mean, I had to force myself that time, and sorry, honestly, I wasn't that sincere in offering the help that time because the thing looked so heavy and I was in a rush to meet my friend who was starving waiting for me, so to do or not to do, I had to follow my instinct to help him- though reluctantly. I am very sorry for being not really sincere that time, because one thing, I don't really like to offer help to guys, unless the guys are my juniors or my younger relatives like Aaron James and Aaron Ezra, and yeah, it's also because I am kinda of a sexist sometimes, but because this friend of mine had a little problem physically, so I could adjust my standard in helping people. Two, I was in a rush, and carrying heavy thing might slow me down. But all ye girls, don't worry, I am really sincere when helping you guys, err, girls.. lol..

So back to the story. I helped my friend to carry the heavy package and I was gasping for air while carrying it because I was walking fast while carrying heavy thing. I could imagine myself looking comical in this situation and I was glad nobody I knew passed-by us and witness this. lol. Then, I got quite annoyed when I found out from X that actually that heavy thing that I helped him to carry was not something he bought for himself, but the heavy printer was a thing his friend asked him to buy. I was like, saying what the heck under my mind or if I were meaner than I already am, I could be cursing wtf under my breath.

I couldn't help but to ask him "Why couldn't your friend buy this printer himself?"
He answered "Oh, he's not free. He wasn't free from 9th April till 10th April."
"Oh, but he's free on 11 right?" I asked.
"He's busy with church activities today. So, I helped him buy the printer."
What the heck? He was busy with church activity so he could go on bullying his friend to buy a heavy printer at PISA all by himself? The moment I heard that, my heart was screaming with these messages to X's so-called friend, Mr WTH..

A message from Mean Maureen to the selfish MR WTH:

"What the heck, church activity? You are busy 'noble' man who are active in church activities and here you contradict yourself by bullying your physically incapable friend to buy a DAMN HEAVY printer alone at PISA? Who the heck do you think you are??? I don't mind if you asked him to buy some printer's ink, or something which can be carried easily, but this, SHAME ON YOU MR BUSY WITH CHURCH ACTIVITY GUY, you took advantage of X who was going to PISA alone to buy you a damn heavy printer?? SHAME ON YOU!!! You better go back to kindy and learn about civic-mindedness or just don't go to church because you're bringing shame to the church you went to!"

Upon reaching X's hostel, he apologized profusely for having to let me carry that damn heavy printer for him.
"I'm really really sorry you have to carry this," he said to me.
"Don't be sorry. You are not supposed to be sorry. It's your friend who's supposed to be sorry..." I said it clearly so that he wouldn't miss the sarcasm I had dedicated to his so-called friend. Then, we bade each other farewell.

After that, I walked to find my friend, who was totally starving, waiting for me. While walking, I thought that I could only help him this time, but how about the other time? In the future? How can he endure with much more sufferings? He could be bullied again and he willl accept those favours asked though beyond his ability, maybe because that's the only way for him to gain friends.

So, for those of you out there, please do not do these things to others, especially your own friend. Friendship is a bond not for you to gain benefits, but friendship is journeying together with another person and share all the pain and joy together, and that's why it's called friendship. It's a ship where you journey with your friend, through good times or bad times. And yeah, you can ask for favour from your friends, but make sure it is something that is not beyond the ability or the convenience of your friend, because if it is, you will sink the ship that you built together with the person whom you are supposed to protect, and not exploit.

Jerat Valentine Day?

Semasa aku menaiki anak tangga di bangunan hostelku dengan innocentnya, lalulah aku di bahagian melekat poster dan iklan - dan sekeping poster yang dilekat menarik perhatianku. Tajuk poster berikut berbunyi begini "JERAT VALENTINE DAY" dan diikuti dengan bermacam-macam deskripsi "Valentine menjahanamkan negara, dll." Selepas membaca poster tersebut, aku tak rasa innocent lagi.. Rasa nak memaki hamun pun ada. Sedih pun ada. Rasa nak ketawa pun ada. Kenapa benda yang innocent macam Valentine Day dikaitkan dengan anasir-anasir negatif seperti kes-kes sosial mengandung entah apalagi benda? One thing for sure, Valentine Day bukan hari mengawan, sayang. Kenapa tiba-tiba pada masa ini disamakan dengan hari maksiat, disamakan dengan hari berzina seolah-olah pada hari Valentine semua orang dah tak boleh kawal nafsu dan secara automatiknya akan melakukan sesuatu yang akan mencemarkan maruah sendiri?

Satu benda yang ingin aku ketengahkan - Jangan samakan Valentine day dengan musim mengawan binatang. Jika ada perkara maksiat yang dilakukan pada hari tersebut, itu merupakan salah individu dan pasangan tersebut sendiri. Dan siapa kata maksiat hanya dilakukan pada hari Valentine? Setahu saya, maksiat boleh dilakukan pada bila-bila sahaja, tak kira hari tersebut hari yang baik ataupun tak baik. Jadi generalisasi bahawa Valentine's Day merupakan jerat untuk maksiat adalah sangat tidak berasas. Dan adalah sangat keterlaluan. Satu sifat prejudis yang dilemparkan tanpa memikirkan perasaan orang yang menyambutnya. Bak kata pepatah "tak pandai menari, katakan lantai jongkang jongkit" maka dalam konteks ini, kepada sesiapa yang mengatakan Valentine Day membawa maksiat, saya cipta peribahasa ini untuk anda "Tak pandai jaga diri, salahkan hari bawa maksiat!" Jangan salahkan hari Valentine atas maksiat yang berlaku tetapi salahkanlah orang yang melakukan maksiat tersebut kerana tidak pandai mengawal nafsu dan tidak pandai menggunakan akal yang telah dikurniakan kepada mereka.

Saya bukannya ingin memaksa anda untuk menyambut Valentine, hahah, saya tidak pernah menyambutnya selama ini kerana diri ini masih ahem, single, tapi saya cuma tidak ingin anda mengejinya. Ok? Jika anda tak sambut, tak apa, cuma jangan mengeji hari tersebut, kerana mungkin perayaan ini adalah satu perayaan yang bermakna kepada sesetengah masyarakat. Bayangkanlah perasaan mereka jika hari ini dikaitkan dengan perbuatan hina sedangkan tidak terlintas di fikiran mereka untuk melakukannya! Bayangkanlah jika sesetengah pasangan perlu berasa malu kerana menyambut Valentine's day walaupun bagi mereka, masa Valentine itu mereka sekadar untuk menunjukkan rasa kasih sayang terhadap satu sama lain tanpa mempunyai niat tersembunyi.

Kita di Malaysia digalakkan untuk menghormati perayaan orang lain walaupun tidak menyambutnya, dan adalah satu sifat hipokrit untuk mengucapkan "Selamat hari Tahun Baru Cina, Selamat Hari Thaipusam, etc" sesama sendiri walaupun tidak menyambutnya dan apabila tibanya hari Valentine, seolah-olah anda akan diperlihatkan seperti menyokong maksiat jika mengucapkan perkataan "Selamat Hari Valentine."

Adakah hanya disebabkan Hari Valentine bersifat kebaratan kita menentangnya? Bukankah kita tidak digalakkan untuk bersifat RACIST kerana hidup dalam kalangan penduduk berbilang kaum? Tetapi apabila kita mengeji pihak Barat terutamanya penduduk Amerika, kita tidak dikatakan RACIST? Aku tak sedar yang ada konteks dan kelas-kelas tertentu dalam menyifatkan satu definisi. Aku tak tahu yang ada kelas-kelas subjektif untuk menyifatkan seseorang sebagai racist ataupun tidak, baik ataupun tidak, kerana pada hemat aku, racist adalah objektif dan tidak mengira dalam apa juga konteks. Jika anda anti-Barat, anda adalah racist walaupun anda baik dengan kaum-kaum lain di Malaysia. Kenapa? Kerana fakta menyatakan orang putih adalah satu bangsa juga. Jadi, jika anda anti mereka, maaf untuk memaklumkan kepada anda realitinya bahawa anda seorang yang RACIST!

Kesimpulannya, maksiat tidak memilih masa atau waktu. Dan Valentine's day adalah satu perayaan yang innocent tanpa agenda tertentu melainkan untuk menyambut kasih sayang antara pasangan kekasih, dan kini dapat disambut antara sahabat handai. Dan satu perkara lagi, jika anda benar-benar sayangkan seseorang, hormatilah maruah pasangan anda dan jangan gunakan pasangan anda sebagai medium untuk melepaskan nafsu anda.

Terakhir tetapi bukan yang paling kurang,

SELAMAT TAHUN BARU CINA DAN SELAMAT HARI VALENTINE in advance!!


Prejudice is sooo yesterday!!

PEACE!

;)