drag queen or crazy fan?

ho ho

Just saw sammyboy forum a few hours back and was actually pretty amused that someone posted as BishanBoy http://forums.delphiforums.com/sammyboymod/messages?msg=173314.1 and some of the people I knew thought it was me.

Remarked to my friends jokingly about it that I didn't know that I got a fan who wants to impersonate me... but some of my friends warned me that recently sammyboy has a "clone war" there where the dark side of the force are sending moles to disrupt and chase people from the forum.

So I better make it clear here that this BishanBoy is not me, in fact I will not like to post articles in Sammyboy talking to anonymous people (I have done so a few years back but I have gone past that). Now I wish that whoever wants to exchange information and hold a conversation with me, hope I can meet the person face to face. Anyway Sammyboy is still one of my favorite bed time forum I like to go to... to sniff out alternative information and also get a good laugh from some post... in fact this BishanBoy is making my day :P

Perhaps BishanBoy will visit my blog again and thus my recommendation to you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T1LIrzsgqA

Incidentally this movie is my favorite movie... enjoy it. it's your last chance. anyhow :)

Dare to Document, Dare to Talk, Dare to Blog etc etc

Hi Friends

I am encouraged by the good turn up by you guys for the political film screening :)

Yes finally my film 鸡蛋碰石头 or How My Favourite Opposition Party Fought the PAP
(and lost their pants, again) has a "world premiere" at a private function recently.

Nice to see 50 over people (academics, filmmakers, arts community, politicians from SDP, WP, human rights activists, TOC, bloggers, ex-ISD detainees, trouble-makers etc etc) coming down to watch my film and Martyn See's Speakers Cornered.

Will share my thots once I am not so busy as I am pre-occupied with the Singapore International Film Festival as Mr Ho-spitality Co-ordinator :P

However my activists friends and I are also going to organized another event soon... this April 10 :)

As you are aware IPS have a closed door forum with Mr Steven Gan, Mr Jeff Ooi, Mr Nathaniel Tan (Malaysian Bloggers who made an impact on the recent Malaysian Election)

However we feel that more people should get a chance to hear it and good news is that Mr Steven Gan and Mr Nathaniel Tan are agreeable to our invite to share their thoughts.

Thus You my dear friends are invited to the forum 'Cyber Activism : The Malaysian Experience' on Thursday, 10 April at 7.30pm in Jalan Besar

Confirmed speakers are Mr Steven Gan, the co-founder and editor of celebrated news portal Malaysiakini, and Mr Nathaniel Tan, an internet activist with the Malaysian opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat.

Local blogger/activist Mr Alex Au will moderate the discussion.

For details of the venue, please RSVP and state the name(s) of person(s) who wish to attend to: daretodocument@gmail.com

Please note that this event is billed as yet another "private function" :P

The forum is jointly organized and sponsored by Martyn See, Seelan Palay, Isrizal, Ho Choon Hiong and Muhammad Shafi'ie. (Our shining happy faces at the Dare to Document recently as we say screw you Film Act)



photo touch up by Alex Au :P

within a short span of three months

I can't remember much over what I have done during the first half of 2007... mainly work I guess, but wow within the last three months of 2007, alot of meaningful and memorable things happened to me... mainly because I got myself into human rights issues which at least for once, it is something that do not give me a lot of hangups or regrets... I can say I feel good about it as a person..... I feel that I am doing something meaningful, I feel that my time is well spent (beside playing Xbox and with my little niece), I do not really feel lonely without getting into a relationship (though I still wish one day I can get to know a special one :P), basically I just feel spiritual about it (like someone coming out from a church with a halo above his head). Ironically the last time I felt liberated was to abandon Christianity.

In fact I think throughout this post, I can only talk about my activism in human rights... and just to add I am glad that my film-making experience can be put to good use too... say within a short span of three months, I think I have contributed, shot and edit at least around 10 videos to youtube (all on human rights and social issues

Just to add, I just did a video coverage about my friend, Seelan Palay who staged a 5 days hunger strike outside the Malaysian High Commission to protest against the ISA detention of the five Hindraf leaders... and gee I spent my 2008 new year countdown outside the Malaysian High Comm... even if there were no parties or pubbing, it will be one of the most memorable experience; just camping on the sidewalk with Seelan and another human rights activist Kai Xiong.

But in the midst of all this, I wish for a long break soon, I am quite tired of my own work and really yearn to go America this year and I also wish to embark on my own personal documentary about finding my nanny... and to cut down smoking :P

Hopefully this 2008, I can fulfill all these...

Below are the video links of what I have done so far :)


Montage of Seelan's Five Days Fast

Singaporean fasting outside Malaysia High Comm

Singaporean started 5 days fasting against ISA on Hindraf 5

Singapore Democratic Party letter to Malaysian Government

SGHR celebrates Human Rights Day at speakers corner

SG Human Rights petition for Burma to ASEAN

Human Rights Day: Singapore Lawyers petition to Law Society

Charged for speaking in public without a permit

Burmese staged peaceful demonstration in Singapore

NUS International Students Vigil Walk

Free Burma, Free Singapore

Human Rights in Singapore... wtf?

I wish to see more freedom of expression, freedom of association and freedom of assembly in Singapore.

That said, I have this ideals for some years back partly due to the influence of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr Chee Soon Juan but for the longest of time, I prefer to sit on the fence and not bother myself with it too much cause I am afraid of certain unknown repercussions.

But it seem that when you have this yearning... you only need a catalyst to push you forward to join the cause and for better or worse, I am surprised how much enthusiasm and actions that I have partake in the pursuit of human rights in Singapore... with regards to how much to bear for the consequences, gee I really don't know.

I just told an academic researcher recently when he noticed a recent trend of young activist taking on the "route" of Dr Chee's method of civil disobedience and he asked me whether we have forgo the fear...

I guess I am still afraid, for the longest of time, I can't sleep well because of my coward inactions towards certain injustices and violations of human rights done to certain Singaporeans and people and yet despite my recent active participation to engage, I still can't sleep well due to the lingering fear that Big Brother is going to watch you :(

However I am comforted... deep inside you at least you know that between the discomfort of cowardice and courage, the latter one allows me to give a pat on my back knowing that you have fight the good fight even if you fail.

It also helps when you know that you are not alone... for a few years back, many people will think Dr Chee's actions are mad and out of touch but it acts like an exponential curve cause recently especially last year and this year, we suddenly witnessed a number of Singaporeans and people having the courage and the "madness" to do what Dr Chee has done... from the Mr Brown's protest, to the Gay picnic at Botanical Garden, the candelight vigil outside Burmese Embassy and recently within a short span of 48 hours from 19 to 20 NOV 2007, we witnessed from the International Students walk to one of the largest demonstration in Singapore since 1965 to protest against the Military Junta.

And we are not mad or gone kaput... speaking about myself, I am a sane Singaporean, have a good decent education, loves to play Xbox and with my little niece and I pride myself to know that I am a filmmaker (won SIFF awards and have films represented in film festivals) and gratefully I have just met and knew some Singaporeans who are talented and normal Singaporeans who shared the same line of actions to pursue human rights in Singapore.

One thing leads to another... because of the Military Junta's violent crackdown on Burmese monks and people, I was damn piss off and when Dr Chee organized a petition signing and vigil outside the Burmese Embassy in Singapore, I went there to show my support and I was glad to see so many concerned Singaporeans, foreigners and Burmese people going down to show their solidarity as well. From there I got to know some Singaporeans who stayed days and night outside the Burmese Embassy and I got to know them even better as we engage in small talks about the Human Rights in Singapore and from there I know I was not alone :)

We decided to form an informal group called the SG Human Rights and I will end here, it is only the beginning and let the actions speak for itself.

videos which I have recorded recently :)

18 NOVEMBER 2007 SG Human Rights Forum

19 NOVEMBER 2007 International Students Walk

20 NOVEMBER 2007 Burmese Peaceful Demonstration

Please use your liberty to promote ours.

SO FAR 400 PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED THE PETITION... YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED. THANKS

保母

Amsterdam was a good trip for me. In a way it is sort of a therapy for me. While there I thought of my nanny whom I have lost contact with her for 24 years. My nanny whom we called her "Ah Rua Jie Jie" came from Malaysia. She was hired by my mum to be a domestic servant and most importantly to take care of me and my twin brother when we were very little. However when we were 8 years old, my nanny decided to work in a factory and after one phone call a few months later to ask about our well being... I have not heard from her :(

I really missed her and I wondered how is she, is she happily married, have children and is she doing just fine?

Thus after my trip from Amsterdam, I am quite resolve to search for her. I hope to do so next year. In the meantime I went through some of my childhood photos and managed to find photos of her :)

Just want to share the photos to whoever that visits my blog and just a long shot... do you know her :)

Uppsala with Mr Cat

Been in London for a few days and then traveled to Uppsala, Sweden to meet up with my friend who is working in a research institute.

Quite a nice quiet place... heard it is an university town. Within half a day, my friend showed me all the attractions of Uppsala. Most memorable was the walk down a cemetery where an ex UN secretary general is buried. Gee cannot remember his name but heard he died in a plane clash and then we saw a cute furry fat cat.

Another strong impression I have of the place is the serenity and quietness of the town... what a good retreat to just walk around the town and garden and enjoy the scenery :)