The notoriety of Mat Rempits in Malaysia is infamous. Everyone knows that. Mess with one of them is like getting the Mafias putting a gun down your throat. Bunch of lousy troublemakers. Anyway, all you Malaysians out there who by chance stumbled upon this should read this article from Bernama. As we approach the country's 49th Merdeka, I think this is just one of the gahmen's rhetorics...

Rebranding Of 'Mat Rempit' On The Cards

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 (Bernama) -- Illegal motorcycle riders or "Mat Rempit" will be rebranded by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at an assembly in the Bukit Jalil National Stadium this November, says Putera Umno Chairman Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim.

He said the rebranding of Mat Rempit was to change the illegal race participants' image towards something better, and "we are thinking of a suitable name like Mat Cemerlang (Excellent Mat)."

"We are finding a proper direction for them. We could not stop them to continue with their interests but we can guide them to find a direction," he told reporters after officiating the Malaysian Pengasih Association's Eighth General Meeting here Sunday.

Abdul Azeez said they should not be perceived as a threat, adding that, "If we cannot stop them, we join them. We try to understand them because they are our youths."

At the three-day assembly starting from this Nov 12, several competitions would be held for the Mat Rempit with prizes including a Satria Neo and a motorcycle.

Abdul Azeez said several things that could be learnt from these illegal riders were their strong camaraderie and a large membership of at least 5,000 riders despite being an unregistered club.

"Due to this strong bond, 30 Mat Rempit will beat us if we cause trouble with its members," he added.

He said Putera Umno did not want the bond to be inclined towards negative elements but wanted to drive the youths away from drugs and encouraged them to pursue their studies.

He said for an example, a representative from a Honda motorcycle and car dealer was impressed with the riding skills of these Mat Rempit.

The representative was also amazed with the engineering skills of the Mat Rempit, boosting the speed of their motorcycles to 180 kilometres per hour considering that the company's engineers were having difficulties to achieve a speed of 120 kilometres per hour.

He said these Mat Rempit could actually be assets in building Malaysia if they were given the chance.

Abdul Azeez said this Aug 26, he and Umno Youth Vice Chief Khairy Jamaluddin would come down to the ground on their motorcycles to meet the Mat Rempit.

--BERNAMA

Mat Cemerlang, what the hell is that?? I would be ashamed to be called that if I'm a Mat Rempit.

Anyway, another piece of news that I think most of us are not aware of, it's what many people think will happen today, 22nd of August. Just Google "Iran" and "22nd August", you'll find it creepy and disturbing.

The days are slowly warming up but my spirit is still stuck in winter. Six months is a long time, the Garden City has been both good and bad to me, but I hold no grudges or feelings of being alienated.

The borderline between conciousness and dreams are pretty blur in the weeks after my sickness, lucid, vivid and surreal state of the mind. Waking up to what feels like a dream, a very bland and slow dream.

Or is it a nightmare?

The carpet needs vacuuming and the clothes are spinning in the machine. My throat is sore and my table's a tsunami-swept beach. Gotta get a grip on this reality that's slowly drifting away.

Sunny days and clear skies always bring the mood around. Walking on the bluestone sidewalk with hands in the pocket, breezing through the shady and dark streets.

The nights are quiet, the sound of cars omnipresent. Rowdy blokes and blondes having a break from their lives, drunken in their happiness. To the bed I return, taking leave from the daily life. Sleep...

I've never thought that KL's skyline was that impressive since our skyscrapers are so scattered and spread out, it's hard to get a view of the city's buildings in one snapshot, like New York City and Singapore.

But according to The World's Best Skylines website, we are ranked number 10 out of a hundred cities in the world to have the best skylines!

Wah.. And Singapore is just a notch above us at number 9 and Hong Kong gets the number 1 spot.

We even beat the fair city I'm in now!

But without the Twin Towers and KL Tower, I don't think we can even make it on the list though...

Bob Dylan was right when he said, "The times they are a-changin".

The internet is a powerful tool indeed, with millions surfing at an given moment, any form of information can spread out like dust blown away by the wind. But the internet is so widespread and limitless, I wonder how can one control it. Unlike newspapers or television, where one can control and spread propaganda easily by putting the right people and journalists, internet has no form of ownership. No bosses, no jurisdiction, restricting it will be autocratic (to some degree, of course).

And being in the generation when the internet was born, I find it hard to live without it. I'm not saying that the recent events that happened is a bad thing, there are some independent websites which are clearly biased made by stupid racist people, click here for a good example.

Whatever happens, I hope its for the good of the people and country. I leave you with these wise words from Bob Dylan..

Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won't come again
And don't speak too soon
For the wheel's still in spin
And there's no tellin' who
That it's namin'.
For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin'.

PS: I hope no one comes knocking on my door!! If you know what I mean....