My 2008

New Year means fresh resolution, but let me recap year 2008 that will be ending soon. Year 2008 was and has been an interesting year for me. It's the year when i had learned the meaning of hard work, through the exams that i had gone through. Malaysian Education System is such that people who had gone through hours of revision will succeed if only they had pumped the correct answers in the 3-hour paper (for each subject that is).

It does not matter whether you had experience the true meaning of chemical reactions through observation and test, the amazing anatomy of animal through disections and close-up with the building blocks of our life - cell. Our education system doesn't have the emphasis on the importance of producing an all-rounder, teach the beautiful rhythm and touch of poem, practice the most inspiring subject of all time, literature through Shakespeare's, Rupyard Kipling's, etc in more detail, the sight and sound than just through memorisation, getting rich or inovative through economics via practical programs or internship. Fortunately, every exams had been completed and i am now only awaiting for the result. Sadly, this year, the chemistry paper is so tough that getting an "A" in it is like the most impossible mission impossible.

The real purpose of exam is not to produce students who are brilliant in memorising or are able to regurgitate the facts only during exams. In my opinion, the greatest things that we can ever experience is failure, i had failed many times (not in exam la) but usually it is the greatest teacher in my life. By that, we learn not to repeat our mistakes and sometimes, it allows us to achieve the impossible feat or discover something that can revolutionise the world, all through failures and mistakes. I learned that the true values of exam has long gone all in the name of competition and "producing world-class students that are able to compete globally".. Something needs to be changed especially in the education system, it must not be exam-centric (like A-Level, our very own, beloved STPM, matriculation), mostly assignment based (South Australian Matriculation) but should be the one that instill first hand experience, contructive arguments and living skills.

This year, we witnessed the importance of responsibility. We learned the importance of what only one vote in the election can change the government. Our country needs people who are aware on the political scene as our country's path is determined by our decision, our mighty vote. For the first time, we had witnessed the loss of 2/3 majority in the parliment by the current governtment. We had seen the evil of discrimination through protests after the election or the opening up of a public university to the "other" citizens by only a mere 10-percent. In life, to progress, we must be confident in our own capabilities without fearing competitions or loss of advantages. Only then, we are able to look into each others' eyes confidently. 2008 also brings a gilmmer of hope, Barack Obama won the presidency by his "YES WE CAN" ray of hope. Colours of our skin, race or religion should not and never be the decider in deciding who should lead us. God had created us and make us different not for us to oppress each other but to learn from one another.

2008 is a year that greed does not pays off. The wealth of hedge funds, speculators all went down into the "ravine of failure" because they have no control on the volatility of trading. In greed, breeds hunger for more. Banks keep on lending money to people even though they have no capability to pay back, once it swells and the borrower could not pay back, subprime mortgage crisis strikes (jeng... jeng... jeng...). To recoup the loss, the bank desperately sells the properties at low price, this makes the bank make a loss. Then, credit-crunch happened... recession came... Oil price from above USD 140 per barrel dipped to USD 40 (increased after Israel-srike on Gaza) in the matter of months. Back home, after the increased in oil price, price of food went up and even McD (some did not notice it anyway, but i with the eye of eagle noticed) increased their price (they call it "revise" list). Strangely, the price never comes down after the "fall" in the oil price.

Lastly, year 2008 brings back my interest in economics and writing. Sometimes, to pursue our ambition, we had to sacrifice certain goals so that our ambition is achievable and at the same time, look into the many options that are available. The question is, have you ever know your true strength? My answer, not yet, but i am always willing to discover what my true strength lies and unlock it maybe one step at a time. I am never perfect and will never be, but through imperfection that we learn humility and the brotherhood of mankind. Our journey in life is continous and only death is the ending.

PS. quite a long post right?