The Haunting of West Edmonton Mall (2)

How cruel the world
where a weak soul is the hunter's prey
and the sick silenced the lambs
Never to face justice as the cases go cold ... and colder ...
Oh who am I you ask
Why must I haunt the hollow halls of WEM
when darkness falls
Why may I ask you, perhaps the self-righteous reader
who has and will judge me for what I was when I was amongst you in the land of the living ...
a mere existence, a lonely desolete free-spirited woman
cast in the world's stage as an ill-fortunate lady of the night
serving the wickedly sick pleasures of weak men ...
and yet these men lack the understanding, compassion and humanity to leave me alone to be free in what I do ...Show all

To be continued as the medium dozes off ...

Camera Defect in a "Haunted" Place

It was a former Japanese Kempeti (equivalent to the German Gestapo) interrogation centre back in the late 30's during WWII ... and many of those who were forcibly brought here were summarily executed nearby.

Here is a pic I snapped to see if this place could be haunted at daytime ... Can you see anything?

Miri Theartre

Click pic to enlarge!


Any Mirian recall those memorable moments when we watched movies in the old cinema right in front of the Police Station? The station is still there but instead of the theartre at the prime location, we have an impressive beautiful tall building today!

I also recall the day a young man by the surname of Tan was fatally stabbed to death while he was watching a horror movie, "Return from the Dead" (By the way, someone said the title was "Ghost's Revenge" ... What I do recall is the word "dead') ! He was seated somewhere at the front row, just a few rows from us.

Halfway through the flick, we heard some screams and shouts. Then all hell broke loose as everyone ran helter-skelter for their dear lives out of the place! We ran out as well without a clue as to what was happening. There were rumors of a police operation, gang fight and a murder.

It was only sometime in the following day that we heard the gory details about the murder that was splashed in the local papers.

David Marshall: What is Justice?

Continuation of extracts from Alex Josey's The David Marshall Trails (Singapore: Times Books International, 1981) pages 246-7:

They found out about him pestering Mei-lin*. They were not surprised: in Johore, Bellows* had a reputation for manhandling girls whenever he had had a drop too much. He had been involved in several nasty fights over bargirls in some of the more disreputable night haunts.

Altogether they seemed to be plenty of evidence that Ah Tong* might have a good cause for assaulting Bellows but hardly enough to suggest murder. In any case was Ah Tong strong enough to swing a heavy parang (long sharp knife) with such murderous intent? It must have been a very determined blow that struck Bellows, a blow that needed considerable effort and strength. Hatred brings strength, sometimes. The evidence in the diary could not be ignored.

When the police told Ah Tong that they might have to arrest him in connection with Bellows' murder, two things happened very suddenly.

Firstly, a young man stepped forward and confessed to the murder. His name was Foo Chan*. Second, the village headman telephoned the Old Man's (David Marshall's) office to retain his services, "no matter what the cost", he said.

The Old Man hurried to the village, talked to the headman and to the young man who had confessed to killing Bellows.

Then the Old Man inspected the scene of the crime. He was puzzled by the young man's attitude. He seemed not the slightest bit worried. He had no remorse. When the Old Man asked him why he killed Bellows, the young man said, in translation, that he'd picked up the parang in the store, followed Bellows and struck him.

"Yes, yes," said the Old Man. "That was how you killed him. But why?"

"Why?"

"Yes, why did you kill him?"

For a moment Foo Chan hesitated. Then he said, as though remembering his lines in a play: "Oh yes. Because he was a bad man."

"That hardly seems sufficient reason for you to crease his skull with a parang." muttered the Old Man.

No man looked less like a murderer than Foo Chan. He did not look like a peasant. He looked more like a studious student, a research student. What was he doing in this village? His place was in the classroom, or a laboratory in a university, not in the padi fields. Short, plumb, gentle, he wore wore large spectacles, clean white shirt, creased white trousers. His nails were short and clean. Try as he could the lawyer could not visualise Foo Chan creeping up behind the taller Bellows and summoning enough rage and strength to plunge a parang into Bellow's head. He didn't look capable of swatting a fly.

The Old Man was experienced: he had defended many men accused of murder. Murder was usually a one-time affair, unpremeditated, emotion playing the predominant part. Most murderers look unlike the conception of a killer. But Foo Chan! He appeared entirely without emotion. He treated the Old Man with respect, having apparently no fear that in this man's hands rested his future existence. He sought no assurances. He seemed perfectly satisfied that he was in no danger.

The Old Man went back to the headman and told him that he could only take the case and defend the young man on the distinct understanding that Foo Chan permitted him to decide the method and form of defence. Willingly, the headman at once agreed. Any conditions the Old Man laid down would be faithfully carried out. The village had absolute confidence in him.

"You realise, of course, that if I fail, this young man will hang?"

"Because you are defending him, we know that he won't," replied the headman with a bland smile.

"Let us not carry trust too far," warned the Old Man, a little shaken.


TO BE CONTINUED


*fictitious names but real persons

A Barbaric Execution

The following quotations made by DSP (Deputy Superintendent of police) Muhammad Koey Abdullah, are taken from Bernama in the ongoing Altantuya murder trial.

It would be the 65th day of the trial of the two police personnel, Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 31 and Corporal Sirul Azhar, 36 of the Special Action Unit. They are charged with murdering Atantuya, 28, between 10 p.m. on October 19 last year and 1 a.m. the following day in a secondary jungle in Bukit Raja in Malaysia.

A prominent political analyst, Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda, 47 is charged with abetting them.

The victim, Altantuya Sharariibuu, a Mongolian translator was allegedly murdered by the Malaysian elite police force specialists with C-4 explosives.

"I discussed it with with Dr. Mohammad Shah Mahmood (a pathologist) at the scene. He told me that he found the largest skull piece about the same size of of a 50-sen (cent) coin; hair blown off to the south-east. So, an explosive substance had been placed on the hairless part of the head, probably the forehead or face, mouth and so on.

As the upper part of the spine column was intact, I assumed there was an explosive substance placed at the upper limbs. And no leg bone was found; so it was possible that an explosive was placed on the lower abdomen".

"Skull fragments, bones, hair and spinal column were found. If a large quantity (of explosive) had been used, probably no bones would be found".

"The discovery of RDX-a secondary high-powered explosive substance (indicates PE may be used in the murder incident)". RDX can be found in PE of PP01 and PE-N12B1 types".

"In my opinion it was a simple electric firing command".

David Marshall Trials (5)

Continuation of excerpt from Alex Josey's The David Marshall Trials (page 246):

It was not until they found Bellows' diary, and the entry about the threat by Ah Tong, that the police began to probe.

The parang (long knife)certainly came from Ah Tong's general store. There were no fingerprints on the handle. Somebody had wiped them off.

The police soon discovered that Ah Tong and Bellows* frequently quarrelled. They found out about him pestering Mei-lin. They were not surprised: in Johore, Bellows had a reputation for manhandling girls whenever he had had a drop too much. He had been involved in several nasty fights over bar girls in some of the more disreputable night haunts. Altogether they seemed to be plenty of evidence that Ah Tong might have a good cause for assaulting Bellows but hardly enough to suggest murder. In any case was Ah Tong strong enough to swing a heavy parang with such murderous intent? It must have been a very determined blow that struck Bellows, a blow that needed considerable effort and strength. Hatred brings strength, sometimes. The evidence in the diary could not be ignored.

When the police told Ah Tong that they might have to arrest him in connection with Bellows, two things happened very suddenly. Firstly, a young man stepped forward and confessed to killing Bellows. His name was Foo Chan. Second, the village headman telephoned the Old Man's (David Marshall's) office to retain his services, "no matter what the cost", he said.

The Old Man hurried to the village, talked to the headman and to the young man who had confessed to killing Bellows.

Then the Old Man inspected the scene of the crime. He was puzzled by the young man's attitude. He seemed not the slightest bit worried. He had no remorse. When the Old Man asked him why he killed Bellows, the young man said, in translation, that he'd picked up the parang, followed Bellows and struck him.

TO BE CONTINUED

*fictitious name but real person

That haunting Spirit...

The haunting begins ...
Those killers who cheat them of their happiness amongst the living
will see the horror of their broken forms and be haunted forever by them;
When evening falls and there's darkness all round us
they will appear and reach out to all the perpetrators of heinous murderous crimes...
Justice on this corrupted Earth is hard to find...but there is justice from beyond the grave
Be it Macbeth with his nightly nightmarish bloody hands or many, many others throughout history with tormented souls...
THEY WILL RETURN for vengeance is theirs...

DAY 9: Haunting Voices...

In fact... Azilah was head of Najib’s personal security team. In an affidavit filed in December in his defense, Abdul Razak said he had contacted Azilah through Musa Safri, Najib’s aide-de-camp, to ask for help in dealing with Altantuya, who by that time was demanding money to care for a baby she said Abdul Razak had fathered.

Another mysterious figure in the case was a woman constable who was mentioned in earlier news reports as “helping police in the investigation into the murder.” She was described as a lance corporal, in her mid-20s, from the Petaling Jaya District Police Headquarters who had been in remand. News reports aid the woman helped to put Altantuya into the red Proton Saga car that drove her away for the last time.

The rumor mill has it that the policewoman is a bodyguard for Najib’s wife, Rosmah Mansor, although she was never named. The police woman dropped completely out of the case, however, and was never arrested or identified; the local papers have stopped mentioning her. The private investigator hired by Razak, P. Balasubramaniam, testified that that a man and a woman were with Azilah when Azilah drove Altantuya away. However, he said he could not recognize the two other individuals.

-The Asian sentinel, 28/6/07

I know why she wanted to see Razak Baginda-I have seen pictures of Altantuya with Razak and a government official.

-Burmaa Oyunchimeg (Left), ( Malaysiakini, 29/6/07 )

Don't hide things in this court.

-Watching brief counsel, Karpal Singh (Left) to prosecution team when they appeared reluctant to pursue further enquires into a certain VVIP's involvement in case (Malaysiakini, 29/6/07)

I remember the name Najib Razak, they had the same name, 'Razak". I thought they were brothers. I asked her (Altantuya) if they were brothers.

-Burmaa, (Malaysiakini, 29/6/07)

The relevancy is this: we must not hide anything. It was the ADC (aide- de-camp) of the Deputy Prime Minister who had directed his personnel to go in front of Razak's house to take the deceased away. That is the purpose.

-Karpal Singh, responding to query by judge, following objection by the prosecuting team. (Malaysiakini , 29/6/07)

Why can't you just have faith in the system?

-Tun Majid, leading prosecutor to a brilliant Karpal Singh's probing queries put to witnesses.

(Malaysiakini, 28/6/07)

Latest Altantuya Murder Haunting Voices

Left: detonated C-4 explosive.

You have been very arrogant, Tun Majid from day one ... Shut up and sit down.
-Karpal Singh, acting counsel for Athantuya's father in expressing his objection to the lead prosecutor's interruption of his request to ask questions.
(The Star, 23/6/07)

You have no right to tell me to sit down. Only the court can tell me to sit down. You shut up. -Tun Majid, in responding to Karpal Singh. (The Star, 23/6/07)
Holding briefs also has rights. I won't take nonsense from DPPs either. -Karpal Singh, in responding back. (The Star, 23/6/07)

I have not checked what her religion was. It's a possibility that sometimes the children tell their parents and sometimes they don't. -Dr. Shaariibuu answering Karpal Singh's question about the possible conversion of Altantuya. (The Star, 23/6/07)

Resipsa loquitor! (Latin: the fact speaks for itself) -Mazlinda Baginda, AR Baginda's wife, after seeing the 7-person show of support for her husband by his MSRI staff. (Malaysiakini, 26/6/07)

Three of us were under pressure. Suras (Kumar) and Bala (P. Balasubramaniam) threatened to throw us out of the window and wanted to kill us. Every night they came to our room and knocked on the door forcefully at 3:00, 4:00, 5:00 am. Suras and Bala said, 'Razak Baginda is going to kill you'. -Altantuya's cousin Namima Gerelmaa said via a translator. (Malaysiakini, 26/6/07)

On Nov 24, I left with Altantuya's father, Sharibuu but at the airport we had a problem because they (Immigration officials) did not have a record of Altantuya, Namiraa or me entering the country. They said they had no data of our records. The entry was deleted in the computer. I was still holding my air ticket so they asked me how I came to the country. [...] was it by sea or by air. So I showed them my ticket that had the date of when I flew into Malaysia. -Urinintuya Gol Ochir, when asked when she had returned to Malaysia. Malaysiakini, 26/6/07)

There was no record of our entry. At that time (Malaysian honorary consul-general for Mongolia) Syed Abdul Rahman Athabshi was also following us to Mongolia. Two police officers took me (away) saying I came into the country illegally. I was there (at the airport) for two hours before they let us leave. -Uriintuya (Malaysiakini, 26/6/07)
It had been deleted. I wonder why our immigration records for entering Malaysia had been deleted? -Uuriintuya (Malaysiakini, 26/6/07)
... I think the (diamond-studded) ring, I think she told me her boyfriend had bought it for her. i believe the boyfriend was (Abdul) Razak (Baginda). -Uuriintuya, in answering kapal Singh's query on her recognition of Athantuya's personal effects.

Other Past Haunting Voices:
Whoever is involved will be brought to book regardless of his stature. I am going to find out how and who authorized the issuance of the explosives used in the murder.
-Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan to reporters (The Asian Sentinel, 8/11/06)

... For more than a decade, Baginda has been the executive director of Malaysian Strategic Research Institute, which is technically a private think-tank but has close connections to the Malaysian armed forces and the United Malay National Organization, the largest party in the ruling coalition.
-The Asian Sentinel, 8/11/06)

Evidence will be adduced to show that the deceased's (Altantuya's) cause of death was 'probable blast-related injuries', which means she may have died the cruel death of being blown alive.
-Deputy Public Prosecutor Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah,
The Star, 18/6/07)

Intriguing quotation with unconfirmed source (presently) found in blogosphere:
I pray to Allah for right to be done. I don't want justice. I want right to be done.
-allegedly said by A.R's wife on the first day of the trial.

Early press image of 'Altantuya'. It is now claimed it is of a Korean model who bears a striking close resemblance to her.







Present real image of Altantuya.

Political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda in pink shirt


Accused killer, AR Baginda's Mysterious close Black pal, 'Mark'. He has been providing comfort to Baginda's family. Does anyone out there have more info about this huge dude other than he was said to be an old classmate of Baginda in the University of London and he claimed to have taken a month off from work just to be in Malaysia to support his friend. He is standing next to Baginda's daughter, Rowena.
He has refused to disclose his full name.

The Nerves of a Killer

The insanity of it all... Could a normal human being return to the scene of his crime and dig and then touch his murdered victim?

Here is the sickening proof a murderer could! The pics and story are from True Crime Detective, January, 1989.

Have a Break!

Like any smart Malaysian, I just had to keep up with my neighbours on the nail-biting Altantuya murder trial.

It drives me nuts that I have to fight for my copy of The Star paper in the shops!

Don't ask me why The Star is selling like hot cakes and The New Straits Times isn't...I'll just tell you now.

Firstly, in random order, everyone knows The Star is not connected to UMNO; secondly, as some NST board editorial staff is embroiled in a legal tussle with little David in blogosphere, the hugely popular independent objective (as perceived by many) Screenshots blog, The NST's UMNO connection and its objectivity is rightly or wrongly, questionable; thirdly, there are those who are imposing a ban on The NST in silent protest with the just mentioned court action by some of its staff; fourthly, The Star's coverage is more extensive on the trial with good color and black and white pics.

Personally, I think The NST's widely perceived strong ties with UMNO is the main reason for the less interest in purchasing that paper, say, in a place like Miri City's largest shopping mall, the Boulevard Shopping Complex where I eventually managed to get the last copy of The Star at RM1.90 from the very top floor, not too long after Miri received the West Malaysian newspapers on Tuesday. Yesterday, The Star was sold out even faster so I didn't read it!

It's just my guess, based on my survey conducted amongst buddies of 28 so far, that there's a strong suspicion (Again, I'm saying it's based on my own survey and reading all those comments in the many blogs in blogosphere) there is a conspiracy like the X-Files kind in this typically Malaysian way of down-playing (for whatever reasons???) this sorry state of affairs, involving one of the brightest stars in the corridors of power (This phrase has to be due to the good influence of the down to earth, crystal clear-headed well-respected, highly intelligent Malaysian prince, Raja Petra 'Pete' Kamaruddin), Abdul Razak Baginda.

Here, we're not talking about an ordinary Joe, some cheap ikan bilis, but an ex- star talk show host on T.V. on political developments which I used to enjoy watching. He's some big guy who started a Malaysian think-tank.

He had gone to some prestigious academic institutions in England...and even got involved in a huge submarine purchase worth millions of bucks which was mentioned in parliament along with his name and he was a close confidante to the Deputy Prime Minister ...

No, personally I don't wish to drag anyone as dignified as the DPM, Abdul Razak who comes across as a really charming guy and another Mr. Nice Guy like the Prime Minister, Abdullah Badawi into this unbelievable, totally unexpected heinous deplorable high society crime.

How then, many of them in my survey asked, as much as we know to date, could this murder have happened? Wasn't it senseless and unnecessary to kill this foreigner in such a callous blatant act using hard to obtain Special Forces C4 explosive with a private eye as a witness in her abduction by the two suspects in broad daylight, that offered little chance of escaping from justice for those implicated? Why were special elite police guys involved? How could they obtain the special C4 explosive so easily? Why were her immigration records gone? Why were there all the court actions (or maneuvers as alleged by some) by the attorney-general?

Then there were those other nagging questions: who misled everyone through the news media by giving the wrong pics of her and denigrating her as a part-time model and hooker?

Those are just a gist of the questions being asked around here and everyone is looking forward to them being answered in the days ahead as the trial progresses.

Anyway, it's laughing time to cheer up ourselves.

So the pic above shows what the women in our lives experience when they reach menopause and if it affects their lives, it would make some, if not many of us wish we could be hermits in an isolated serene and peaceful place.

p/s Thanks, once again, Ijau for sharing the funny cartoon with me and as you're of the opposite sex, you'll know what a reasonably good clean joke is, I guess! BTW, I still have lots of your other stuff which I may share in future with some self-censorship as much as I dislike doing so, of course!
Here's another hilarious one from Ijau I'm throwing in! Sorry, ladies, if it appears a bit sexist but then there's an overwhelming number of my fellow animals of the male species out there so I need to cater to their salivating hungry need for good laughs sometimes!!!

Haunting Altantuya Murder Voices

As the sensational murder trial continues today after its opening on the 16/11/06, I keep hearing these words that simply keep haunting me as an objective distance observer so far...

He is a good man. He is not the Prime Minister of this country. He doesn't want to be one. He is not interested in all that!
-Outburst by Mazlinda Makhzan, former magistrate & wife of Abdul Razak Baginda, the alleged mastermind of the murder conspiracy in the trial. (The Star, 17/11/06)

He just cannot understand and accept the fact that his daughter was murdered in such a gruesome murder.
-Honorary Mongolian Consul General in Malaysia, Dr. Syed Abdul Rahman Alhabshi about the murdered Altantuya's dad's Dr. Shaariibuu Seter state of mind. (The Star, 17/11/06)

They are fully satisfied with the police investigations so far and the court procedures on the case. They are still shocked with what has happened and cannot believed she was murdered in such a cruel manner.
-Syed Abdul Rahman about Altantuya's family members after they had made offerings to her at the murder site where she was blown to bits (The Star, 18/11/06)

What about the other two? Are they going to get bail?
-Johari Hadri, brother of one of the murder suspects, Chief Inspector Azilah, following the unusual bail at RM1 million allowed for Baginda. (The Star, 24/11/06)

I hope justice will be served he said adding that he would not hesitate to bring the matter to the international arena if he found the trial was not fair.
-Dr. Shaariibuu after Baginda was shockingly released on bail (The Star, 24/11/06)

This is the only tribute I can give to my beloved daughter and I promise myself to work hard in filming her life's journey. Altantuya will never return but her memory will never fade away either.
-Dr. Shaariibuu to Bernama (24/11/06)

Shaariibuu, who had already produced 16 episodes of Discovery Channel programmes about Mongolia a few years ago, expected the film to be completed in a year.

He said that he would add messages of love and compassion of family ties in the film.
He said that his heart was broken when he saw indecent pictures of models, claimed to be Altantuya's which were carried in a leading English paper here.
-Bernama 24/11/06

No one else was involved in the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu other than Abdul Razak Baginda and two policemen.
-Deputy Public Prosecutor Sakhuddin Saidin, making a surprise announcement at the High Court in KL.
-New Straits Times, 15.12/06

Can you please sit down? You have turned this court into a circus. This issue must be dealt with.
-Shaun Tan Kee Shaan, over who should represent the two policemen.
(The Star, 15/12/06)

Evidence will be adduced to show that the deceased's cause of death was 'probable blast-related injuries' which means she may have died the cruel death of being blown up alive.
-Deputy Public Prosecutor Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah in his opening remarks at yesterday's start of the Mongolian translator's murder trial. (The Star, 19/6/07)
Abdul Majid Tun Abdul Hamid


It's suicide, father. It's stupid.
-Rowena Baginda, Abdul Razak Bazinda's daughter was overheard after bursting into tears when she heard what her dad said to the family before the trial resumed. (The Star. 21/6/07)

Abdul Razak forwarded the SMS to me. He told me that he would contact a senior police officer he knew regarding the threat.
-Balasubramanian, private detective claiming he was hired by Abdul Razak Baginda to stop the harassment by someone called Amy. (The Star, 21/6/07)

I asked him (Abdul Razak Baginda) what had actually transpired. He said he himself did not know.
-Balasubramanium, responding to a question about Razak's response when asked about the missing Altantuya. (The Star, 21/6/07)

No, I did not say that. I never said those words.Those are not my words.
-Namiraa Gerelmaa, Altanuya's cousin, denying making parts of the police report. (Malaysiakini, 22/6/07)

I never said she is my friend. I always said she is my friend (when making the report).
-Namiraa (Malaysiakini, 22/6/07)

Other Past Haunting Voices:
Whoever is involved will be brought to book regardless of his stature. I am going to find out how and who authorized the issuance of the explosives used in the murder.
-Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan to reporters (The Asian Sentinel, 8/11/06)

... For more than a decade, Baginda has been the executive director of Malaysian Strategic Research Institute, which is technically a private think-tank but has close connections to the Malaysian armed forces and the United Malay National Organization, the largest party in the ruling coalition.
-The Asian Sentinel, 8/11/06)

Intriguing quotation with unconfirmed source (presently) found in blogosphere:
I pray to Allah for right to be done. I don't want justice. I want right to be done.
-allegedly said by A.R's wife on the first day of the trial.

Early press image of 'Altantuya'. It is now claimed it is of a Korean model who bears a striking close resemblance to her.







Present real image of Altantuya.

LEFT: Political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda


Here's what Tom Harris in his website, How stuff works says about C-4 explosives;
Twenty years ago, most people didn't have any idea what C-4 was. Recently, it has become an all-too-familiar term, popping up in newspapers and on television all the time. In October 2000, terrorists used C-4 to attack the U.S.S. Cole, killing 17 sailors. In 1996, terrorists used C-4 to blow up the Khobar Towers U.S. military housing complex in Saudi Arabia. In December 2001, a man smuggled similar material, hidden in his shoes, onto a commercial airliner. C-4 has also been used in many of the Palestinian suicide bombings in Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories.

U.S. military placing the C-4 explosive on a bunker

The actual explosion itself.

To be continued soon...

Salute to the Courage of the Mongols!

Yesterday, in a court in Malaysia, the biggest trial, after Anwar Ibrahim's, in our Malaysian history began.

It was the perfectly Hollywood-scripted tragic high drama case of the brutal murder of a hapless foreigner, a highly intelligent Mongolian beauty who was callously shot and blown to pieces with special explosives by Malaysian Police commandos around October 19th and October 20th last year.

In the dock were three persons- two commandos, Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 31 and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, 36 and a civilian, Razak Baginda, 47 a well-known political consultant and adviser to Malaysia's, Deputy Prime Minister, Abdul Razak. Razak Baginda is accused of abatement in the crime. They face the death penalty if found guilty.

Amazingly, the opening session ended quickly!

At the eleventh hour, the prosecution team was changed!

The case was adjourned to two weeks' time.

Here are some small words of comfort found in the writings of my favorite poet, the late Patience Strong for the dear grief-stricken bereaved family of Altantuya Shaariibuu.

What do you do when your heart has been broken?
What do you do when there's nothing much left?
... What do you do when your world starts to crumble-leaving you lifeless, of all hope bereft?
What do you do? Do you drug your hurt spirit-by numbing the mind in your longing for peace? That way lie dead ends, despair and frustration. No comfort there-no relief or release.
What do you do? You face up to your trouble-believing that somewhere behind all the pain-there is a reason, a plan and a purpose-and strength you receive for beginning again.

This extract below is courtesy of bigdogdot.com

In War, Humans Become Barbarians...

The pic and story above come from the banned Sarawak Tribune, dated 8/19/95. It's all about the appalling ill-treatment and atrocities committed against captives by the WW2 Japanese Imperial Forces in the Far East, including Malaya.

Don't get me wrong: I'm not beating a dead horse (WW2 Japs & their sins) here. It's my belief that we must be reminded of the past or we'll be condemned to repeat it, to paraphrase George Santayana. Let's not hide the truth and bury the past, hoping everything will be better tomorrow. It won't be better tomorrow as history has shown us that the similar forms of bloody wars, strife, revolutions and so forth occur worldwide...

As for the Japs, the people of today are quite different from the WW2 ones and war does change humans, turning them into inhuman barbaric beasts. In every war, crimes against humanity have been and will be committed. This war may be as minuscule as the campaign against the communist terrorists, aka War of the Running Dogs in Malaysia and as widely awesome as World War 2.

I'm saying the Japs of today are different from the militant Japs 'cos I've personally been to modern Japan twice and experienced its warm Japanese hospitality. The people are polite and gracious towards visitors even though it is difficult to communicate with them due to their English language backwardness. In fact, the airport Japanese female staff in the postal outlet and elseway, despite their English handicap, were remarkably friendly, helpful and humble towards me at the Narita Airport on both occasions, giving me an excellent impression of the people there.