We have all been ranting about how the increased in petrol price will affect our lives. It is depressing indeed to read Petaling Street where most pingers talk about nothing but the same issue and bashed no one except the government for putting Malaysians through such agony. We must give it to Putera MIC for brightening our day a little with this wonderful piece of news. I could not stop sniggering after reading it. We live in interesting times.

Thursday June 5, 2008 MYT 3:48:27 PM
Indian bloggers to be awarded by Putera MIC
By A. LETCHUMANAN

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Indian bloggers will be given recognition and honour through an award initiated by Putera MIC.

There are nine categories under the Manya Blogger Award which would be decided through online voting for a one-month period starting noon on Friday.

Putera MIC coordinator P. Kamalanathan said this is the first time such an award for the Malaysian Indian bloggers is being held.

“We want to encourage more Malaysian Indians to blog and share information on the Internet,” he said Thursday at a press conference here.

He said there were about 1,000 Malaysian Indians bloggers, mainly in the 20 to 24 age group actively giving their views on various issues.

Kamalanathan said they had already shortlisted the finalists for the nine categories. Sixty per cent of the votes would be taken from online voting while another 40% would be decided by a panel of three judges.

“The online voting would be on for one month and the judges would take two weeks to make a decision and we hope to have the award ceremony in August,” he said.

He said Putera MIC would also have an online readers’ award where the surfers would be required to submit their choice, irrespective of race.

“We have also created a Putera MIC award which would be given to a blogger whom we feel has created a longstanding following amongst the bloggers. It can be a disabled person or even an eight-year-old boy who is blogging,” he said.

Kamalanathan said each of the finalists would be given a certificate of participation while the winners would be given a trophy and cash prizes.

Those who want to vote can go to www.manyaawards.com to cast their votes.

Traffic was crawling from the Federal Highway heading to Petaling Jaya as Wuan and I left Mid Valley Megamall heading to Cheras at around 9.00pm just now. As soon as we reached the Istana Negara we were caught in another crawl all the way to Jalan Sungai Besi right up to Menara PGRM at Pudu Ulu. We reached home at 10.55pm in a journey that usually took 20 minutes only.

Photo by Wuan.

We noticed that there were long queues of cars and motorcycles at petrol stations. So, the pump price of RON 97 will be increased to RM2.70 from RM1.92 effective midnight tonight. The RM625 rebate per year for cars with engine capacity up to 2000cc will not be sufficient to cover the additional fuel cost we will incur for one year even if the price remains at RM2.70 for the entire period. The impending 18% raise in electricity rate will be another dent to our household expenses after the recent price increase in rice. We shudder in anticipation of the price increase of all essential goods that will rise in tandem in the immediate future.

The one good thing about being sick is that no matter how unhealthy I felt before that I would feel all hale and hearty after I got better. This is how I am feeling right now. It is a matter of perception but I am not complaining. I had fever last Friday. It went away on Saturday and I felt well enough to participate in an accessibility audit at Kuala Lumpur Sentral with a group of students from University Malaya. Early Monday morning, I had fever again. It consistently hovered above 39C. I was nauseous, light-headed and had abdominal pains. My body was burning hot.

Wuan decided that I had delayed enough seeing a doctor for the persistent fever that has been plaguing me for the past few weeks. She duly took a one-day emergency leave and dragged me to SJMC. I was already feeling better when I reached the hospital. The urologist prescribed a one-week course of antibiotics for urinary tract infection and paracetamol for the fever. I also had to provide urine specimens for culture and sensitivity test to identify the bacteria that is causing the infection. I took the opportunity to ask him about the lump in my scrotum. He said that it will take a while for it to disappear.

Today is the second day I am on the antibiotics. The fever has not returned. I feel a little weak but generally I am almost my normal self again - a matter of perception that is. I have not eaten much since yesterday due to the nausea. I am going to take it easy for now. Wuan and I will be making a trip up north again soon and I want to be at my best of health to endure the long journey there and back. Besides, there is a lot of packing up that we need to do while we are in Penang and a lot of food that I am looking forward to eating while there.