At about 1.45 yesterday, I started to pack my stuff to leave for the day. I laid out the flag across my filing shelf, put the clip-on koalas back on the edge of my monitor and put the kangaroo with a boomerang and the kookaburra next to the keyboard, as close as possible to the positions they were in when I got in earlier that morning. I had to catch the 1.55 tram to get to Glen Iris at 2.20, where I have to then catch the 2.23 train back to

Mount
Waverley and wait for Theresa. We were supposed to wait there by about 3pm, where we would drive to the Dandenong regional office of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, hopefully in time for the ceremony. I was going to take the pledge and be officially declared an Australian Citizen. When I got in to work in the morning, the boss and some other colleagues had laid out all these native animals and a huge flag at my desk. Almost everyone on the floor had known I was going to be “made”. It only started with an innocent request from the boss for the afternoon off to attend the ceremony but it then struck me how significant this event was, as everyone who heard came around to congratulate me and the ladies brought in lamington and other Aussie grub in the morning for the occasion. It was a pity that kiddo had gone to a school camp on Tuesday, as it would have been really nice to have her with us yesterday. Anyway, Theresa and I made our way there and joined the other 41 pledging parties and their guests as we waited for the ceremony to begin. We were all seated in a few rows of chairs, with a portrait of the queen in front, next to a lectern. There were little Aussie flags hanging across the ceiling and framed photos of the official crest/coats of arms, in various spots. Someone sounding like John Williamson was singing songs like Waltzing Matilda in the background, until the Minister of Immigration, Kevin Andrews, had this template speech read out by a valium pumped bureaucrat who then lead us in our pledges. One pledge for God fearing soon-to-be citizens and another for the poor atheists. We were then presented with our certificates, and then all joined in the anthem singing. After the ceremony, we were invited to sign up for the electoral register and on the way out, we were each given a native shrub to plant for commemoration. Hopefully our citizenship lasts longer than the plant as in my hands, that poor shrub is likely to suffer a short, poor life.We went home and as the weather got suddenly a lot colder, we went out to this restaurant in
Vermont, for a mini celebratory dinner. My VB wasn’t due to the occasion earlier in the day; I had genuinely acquired a taste for this stuff. I still thought Tiger Beer is the best tasting beer but that stuff is now in the imported category whereas Victoria Bitter remains the working class – read: cheap – beer. Theresa, not having decided to become a citizen, ordered a satay chicken and I frowned not because I didn’t like satay chicken, but thought you’d order it only in a Malaysian restaurant, not an Aussie one badly named “What’s a Name”. I had the restaurant specialty, a breast of chicken rolled up with salmon and crab meat, with a white sauce with pepper corns. It didn’t go well with the VB but I was hungry, so it tasted great. Theresa’s satay chicken turned out well too, so dinner was very nice.

**************************************************We headed for church after that, for the prayer meeting. There were some prayers for some members who were ill but the strange bit was most of the prayers concentrated on “claiming victory” and having the blood of Jesus cleansing the sick, and having his stripes heal our wounds. I couldn’t understand that and told Theresa so, on the way home. Those people had physical illness. One of them was going to see a specialist the next day. Why hadn’t we prayed for healing, for that specialist and for God’s presence and peace to abound, more than those other prayers? When someone is ill, does it mean he is living in a state of defeat, so that the victory won by Christ on the cross is somehow less real in that person’s life? Does it mean he sinned, as why then was it prayed for that person to have the blood of Jesus on him for cleansing? Isn’t that person forgiven in any event, without requiring a prayer to that effect? Didn’t Jesus’ wounds heal us of the result of sins, instead of healing us of our physical ailments? I still don’t get our church as far as these things go. By the time we got home it was almost 10pm. We changed, stretched out in front of the heater and television, and I poured myself a nice glass of red (Aussie of course) as I end an extraordinary day in the ordinary way. I missed Kiddo, and am looking forward for her to get back tomorrow.  

Kiddo and Theresa left home about half an hour ago, both headed for the city. Kiddo’s having her music exam. She seemed calm so that was good.

Church

Theresa and I attended the church prayer meeting last night, after a hiatus of almost 3 months. I was put off then, as increasingly, praying in tongues overwhelmed me. Those praying in tongues were so loud I couldnt concentrate. And, I couldnt understand what they were saying so I couldnt follow and join in their prayers either. That gave me the excuse to stop attending.

Last night was a bit better. I had told a couple of leaders why I stopped attending and I dont know if that had anything to do with what happened last night. There were still some praying in tongues, but they were a lot less intrusive and distracting. I think the intensity was much lower. I came away feeling better, like I really have connected with God together with my fellow believers.

Work

As the meeting was about to start last night, my mobile rang (or rather, it vibrated…). I ignored it, and later, found out it was from that law firm I had turned down over 2 months ago. This was the third time they have called. I turned it down because it was an Asian firm, and typically, offered poor pay and long hours. They left a message to call back. Theresa thought I should, but I think it may be pointless. The gap between what was put on the table and what the industry rate is, is so wide I cant see how it can be bridged. I think I’d just call anyway, hear them out, and tell them no.

Klang, Malaysia

Kit Siang had this entry, which outlined the stupidity and/or corruption of the Klang Town Council. It wasnt written by him. It was written by a bloke called Z. Ibrahim. I doubt that person is Zaid Ibrahim the lawyer.

What Z. Ibrahim wrote was precisely how I felt when I was in Klang in December 2006. The traffic conditions, and my fears for the worsening prospects, confirmed my aversion to ever returning to live there. To my dismay, some Klang residents appeared to be pleased with all the mindless development taking place there. Cant they see it really is a case of killing the goose that lays the golden egg? Klang has been prosperous because it has the country’s premier port. All these “developments” would choke its role as such a port, no? I am both reliefed and sad at what’s taking place there. Here’s an extract from that piece:

The Berkeley section of the “highway” is now choked with not only incoming traffic from KL but also from hundreds of motorists and customers who attend functions and gatherings at the Hokkien Association Building and two Chinese seafood restaurants on either side of the highway which have been miraculously given licenses to operate.

In addition three completed condominium complexes, the Regency, Dynasty and Pelangi condominiums all exit at this section and worse still the “highway” now has to contend with the new but still not completely open giant Centro office complex. Shophouses and residential homes are being built at the old Chinese Maternity Hospital site over and above the already existing Government Clinic Complex – all still within this stretch. If you think this is incompetent town planning there is unfortunately more….

New Threat – Prima Klang Avenue Office Complex

As you crawl past the upgraded Jambatan Kota and pass the MPK building on your right and the Land Office Complex on your left, the “highway” suddenly takes an acute turn. On your left at this turn what used to be Bukit Kota has now been slashed to make way for Klang’s newest office complex – Prima Klang Avenue.

This complex spanning more then 4 acres and “perched on the highest point of Klang” with “four-storeys of shops and six-storeys of offices” apparently offers “an exciting mix of shops comprising food and beverage stores, entertainment outlets, fitness centre, banks and an entire level dedicated to automotive showrooms. Wide frontage and spacious corridors create a pleasant environment for leisure and relaxation.

All these come together to make Prima Klang Avenue an innovative one-stop hub, complemented by a scenic landscape with relaxing and majestic water features” …or so says the developer in his brochures.

The complex of course offers ” easy access via Jalan Jambatan Kota and Jalan Kota, the center of the business areas, putting it nearby the Klang Municipal Council, Klang District Office, banking institutions and PUAS, as well as a walk away from the upcoming new government administration offices.”

No doubt this will add up “to a steady traffic flow of some 400,000 people a day in this vibrant business area.” !! Scheduled for completion in mid-2008, Prima Klang Avenue promises to be the pulse of the heart of Klang town. Does the MPK know the consequences and ramifications of 400,000 people ending up at this critical part of the highway hardly a kilometer after Jambatan Kota and 300 meters before the Port Klang/Banting interchange?

You don’t have to be an Einstein to realize that traffic will virtually stall for motorists who slow down to gain entry into this new complex. Worse still the sharp curve is currently already a frequent site for traffic mishaps, what more with traffic flowing in and out.

Even if the developer had been overly optimistic and only 100,000 people converge at the complex and assuming that only 5% come in cars, that is 5,000 cars for the allocated 800 car park-lots the developer has reserved. The spillover to the highway will paralyze the KL-Klang Highway.

This would mean traffic which already now backs up to the Sungai Rasa toll gate will now be backing up to UITM. This would also mean that Klangites will either have to spend an additional hour or more on the road trying to get home or leave office two hours later just so this complex can be built at this spot where traffic is narrowed down?

You might just as well close the bridge down! Approving and building such a huge complex at this juncture of the highway is akin to building a pesticide factory next to the Klang Gates Dam!

James Cameron’s story on Jesus’ Tomb Find

Ben Witherington has come up with another piece to nail it even firmer. The tomb is not the one Jesus rose from.