Rudyard Kipling"
“When you're left wounded on Afganistan's plains and
the women come out to cut up what remains, Just roll to your rifle
and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldier”
General Douglas MacArthur"
“We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.”
“It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.” “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.
“The soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and be the deepest wounds and scars of war.”
“May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't .” “The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.
“Nobody ever defended, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.
The Soldier stood and faced God
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as bright as his brass
"Step forward you Soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't
Because those of us who carry guns
Can't always be a saint."
I've had to work on Sundays
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep.
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep,
The Soldier squared his shoulders and said
And I never passed a cry for help
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here,
Lord, It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod
As the Soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you Soldier,
You've borne your burden well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."
Having faith in corruption in Malaysia - Commander S THAYAPARAN (Retired) Royal Malaysian Navy
Monday, September 21, 2020
Malaysiakini : "Each time if I have university matters to deal with when I went home, my Malay friends and I who also live on the plantation would have to go to the nearest housing area at Taman Kelisa Ria, about 5km from here. That was where we could get internet access." - V Barathidasa
COMMENT | Of late, social media has been awash with news stories of how some people live in this country. Whether it was the story of the student who had to take her exam on top of a tree or residents of a plantation with their improvised modem, the main theme running through all these stories is how the political system has failed them.
Also in the news are the ongoing corruption cases of political personalities and how they solicited bribes amounting to millions, paid bloggers to spruce up their reputations. And generally, how they allegedly used taxpayers' money to live lifestyles that are disgusting when you think of how the B40 group and others have to live in this country.
Corruption is one thing, but I have always said that religious extremism is the existential threat of this country. Here is the thing, though. Corruption and religious extremism are not mutually exclusive in this country.
During the movement control order, I wrote about a friend of mine who was so incensed that the government could steal so much money, but could not provide – at that time – free masks. He had said: "People are more interested in praying than seeing that the religious authorities help the rakyat."
This is the time when our religious leaders should be handing out face masks and hand sanitisers, and giving people proper information, he said in his stark Terengganu accent. "We have the money, Pakcik. See, they stole so much so, of course, there is money," he added. It sounds so simple when my friend puts it that way. This same friend was livid when he read about all this money from the corruption cases. Again in his stark Terengganu accent, he thundered late one night to a group of us (while I hastily scribbled down his comments ) "…what were they doing with all this money? They said it was for charity, but where did it all go?" Read it all here..........
