Thank you all for your posts and creative reasonings why one poster should be the one. It has given us a little insight to the workings of the minds of our friends and kodoks. More stuff will be coming your way, for example our first teaser trailer is ready for viewing. Our technicians are currently fighting over what is the best way to deliver it to you guys. But trust me kodoks it will be worth the wait. Ong gedeg gedeg gedeg!!
Last weekend i graduated from the Asiaworks Mastery course and i feel my paradigm shifting again. For those of you not in the know, Asiaworks is involved in self-development training programmes for the public and corporate sector all over the world. it is also involved in the character building modules for our national service programme.
Never before have i been around a group of people, so dedicated in creating a better society than these people; regardless of race, religion or creed.
You know, we go thru life thinking that we know what the world is about, what our life is about but due to our experiences and armed with this knowledge we build judgements and boundries that define who we think we are. Many a times we are so fixed with 'what we know' that no new knowledge or information can filter through. The problem is how much we know (or think we know) and what we let ourselves experience is just a speck compared to the actual knowledge that could be gathered out there.
Why do i care for some people and hate others?, why do i care for certain things and not others? Why do i entertain certain notions and not others? Why can't we take a little time off to care for the underprivilledge or the needy? Why do we not love ourselves, eventhough we say we do? Why some of us preach religion but are not practising what we preach? Why don't we challenge ourselves, to make us more balanced human being through ie religion , love, commitment to peace and justice etc?
Why do we judge people by their appearances? or even by what people say?... Must a Muslim be a terrorist? Are all Americans evil?..... Most of us in this world form our own conclusions and judgements based on information that are fed to us because we either don't have the capacity or are too lazy to get off our butts to actually experience it ourselves.
A Mongolian model gets murdered in our country... what do our internal voices say "thank god she's not Malaysian?... thank god its nobody i know?... thank god it wasn't me?".... Personally i was very disturbed that something like this can happen here in our country because i have always believed the propaganda that "Ini bukan budaya kita!". Agreed, the actions of a few does not constitute the sentiments of a nation but how the nation is reacting to this incident, is. It doesn't have to be just this incident but any other incident where public reaction is warranted.
So what is happening to our budaya? Obviously all the public service announcement ads are not working. So we go on with our lives saying.... "tulah siapa suruh reporter tu pakai seksi?" (different incident). Maybe we should start to care more about our fellow human beings regardless, maybe we should start living our slogans rather than just saying them, Maybe? it's just an idea. I don't assume to know all, only god knows all but we all have the ability to choose.
I am a Malay and proud of it but more so, i am Prouder to be Malaysian and i am commited to making this country a better, safer place to live in. Yes, i am but one person, but imagine if everyone started saying it. Imagine yourself saying it and then put to action your intention in whatever way no matter how miniscule. Wouldn't we just have ammassed an army of people who are committed to a better world, for us living now and our loved ones in the future.
YOU CAN CHOOSE TO LIVE YOUR LIFE OR YOU CAN WATCH IT FROM YOUR COMFORTABLE SOFA.
YOU CHOOSE.
LOVE
AFDLIN SHAUKI
Pelikat Pants Designer
Number 1 Pelikat Pants Maker in the World!
49 comments:
We're afraid to see ourselves in the mirror. we're afraid differences. we're afraid of similarities. we're afraid to go forward. we're afraid to stay put. we're afraid to look back.
we're afraid of so many things
But we forgot to be afraid to Him that we should be, fo He can bring wrath to those who forgets Him.
and so, we do as we think is best for us, but failing to ponder on is it really the best thing to do?
Err... I choose to watch Life from the monitor of my notebook.. (and sometimes from behind the steering wheel..)
Hey, at least I've made a choice..
You're doing great bro.. Keep it up..
"Yes, i am but one person, but imagine if everyone started saying it."
A great thought. Something I fully subscribe to.
peace for all, amin...
Not sure if you know that Asiaworks has been reported/blogged by many to be a cause for concern, it being a spinoff of Lifespring, a widely criticised movement which has in the past been sued for wrongful death and been found liable.
You can read more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifespring/
My husband and I had been invited before but we have always been wary of attending group events. It is easy to get swept away, particularly when one is in a very confusing part of one's life, where progress may be slow or things are just not working out.
Remember that these groups work best only because OF the grouping. The techniques are based on regular, increasing doses of duress, undue influence and peer pressure.
Don't forget your individualism. Don't give up YOURSELF. You are a wonderful, talented human being who does not feed on codependence.
Do with this what u will.
Yeah cip kodok..
Inspired on how you see your surroundings. I wish I have that sensitivity too..
people who have never experienced something make so many assumptions kan. Its really funny you said this thing about the grouping because in the development course we get that..." Only I" (the individual) can change my life. We don't need peer pressure to get things done. If you want things to happen in your life, you choose. My friend, Islam also say the religion is between you and god. Not the group and god. And if there are many people telling you to jump off a bridge, are you telling me you'll jump off that bridge? Are you saying that our government is wrong to employ this people to educate and character build our future leaders in the national service?
What exactly do you guys fear? . . There is nothing mystical about Asia works, its t just raining that works fou you, IF you choose for it to work for you.
If you want to be right... you will be right.
Afdlin
I say to humanity "Open your heart and do the world a favor. Love the world as how each soul is your kin. For we are all the same regardless of whatever boundaries that humanity has put unto itself".
I know that each individual has their own identity regardless good or bad. But isn't it true that if u love thy neighbour as though they are family, then how can the bad ever exist?
The answer is...the bad is born from the heart. Somehow we have to battle the bad in our own heart to be better people(as individuals) and a better society.
I salute u!
Like it or not, many of us forget one thing -- the other person is human too..
If you can feel anger, the next guy can (and have the right to) feel and react the same way too.. because we forget, we cut queues, we cheat & we 'hurt' others.. we only consider about ourselves.. if this stops, InsyaAllah our beloved Malaysia will be a GREAT nation.. regardless of who WE are.. :)
hear, hear!
i think that's a well spoken piece! well though out. well written and definitely made an impact on me.
so how's the oink oink doing :) my battle with my oink oink is whats keeping me alive thank god!! :)a love hate relationship that i could possibly never live without. didnt make it to your graduation.. but i bet it was one fantabulous event.. xoxo.
Very inspiring..and it went straight to my head & my heart.. thanks cip..
You said it well, bro.
Nobody else could have voiced it out better than you do, honest.
But all in all, to some, it may just be a wishful thinking, in the manner of speaking the Malaysian way.
nice piece...
i was thinking bout the same few things the last days..
hope to read me about stuff like that in the future..
rock on!
p/s: mind if i link ur page on mine, more ppl should read things u write, u know..
a person wha label a community, a class of people, a group of believer as one is a dumber.
a muslim mean a person. how could be a muslim become a crowd of muslim?
oh, even this entry posted in english, i still have question to you afdlin?
do you have your next movie is about toad ninja, such as kodokman? i hope to see KODOKman and CICAKman go along like Batman and Robin.
Batman and Robin both can fly.
Kodokman and Cicakman both have elastic tongue.
No need to get personal, just friendly advice. Just be careful, Afdlin, that's all I'm saying. Look at the facts. Can you operate independently of Asiworks, using what you've learned? Or need you return to your Asiaworks family that relies SOLELY on this codependence to survive?
Just don't forget your old friends and your family. If you want to choose, choose them.
Bro, that's inspiring.
For many reasons, one should be proud to be Malaysian. We have a multiracial citizens, different religions,a few politics parties but the bottomline, we can live in one country,peacefully.But for unknown reasons,malays are 'losing' more and more in this sharing..
why is thaat?
We have our own opinion and reason to share here.. So, don’t forget to respect each other. Open your eyes to see, open your ears to hear, open your mind to think, and open your heart to accept..
“ Easy to criticize others, difficult to improve oneself..
Easy to think about improving, difficult to stop thinking it and put it into action..
Easy to think bad of others, difficult to give them the benefit of the doubt..
Easy..and difficult…”
Cip.. kodokmu ini amat2 impress la ngan poster baru tuh.. cam bessstt sgt.. kiut miut.. cam kodokmu ini gak.. zul dah letak kat blog zul.. big fanz harus letak citer2 pasal afdlin kat blog dieorg.. doa zul semoga filem2 cip berjaya.. berjaya dan berjaya... cipp.. bile nak add my url dlm blog awk cipp..
Hi Afdlin,
Congrats to you. Really proud that another person is aware about what life really is. Cheers to you. I am LP55 from Singapore. Would love to catch up with you!!! Anyway i may be coming in to KL in Jan to meet up with Harith etc... you take care and a big "4" to you bro!! (If you knoe what i mean)
Cheers
Lorna Nur Natasha
Jenn, how can you be so sure about what Asiaworks is about? You yourself say you have managed to avoid getting taken in by it. Do you realise you are making judgments of something you cannot possibly know anything about (your own admission)?
On top of that, you have completely ignored the most important point about Afdlin's post and reacted to his passing mention of the company.
What does that say about you?
"You know, we go thru life thinking that we know what the world is about, what our life is about but due to our experiences and armed with this knowledge we build judgements and boundries that define who we think we are. Many a times we are so fixed with 'what we know' that no new knowledge or information can filter through. The problem is how much we know (or think we know) and what we let ourselves experience is just a speck compared to the actual knowledge that could be gathered out there." Afdlin SHauki.
Please stop making baseless accusations. I have been through the courses myself. People react to it in many different ways and are free to choose their way. Perhaps if you are unwilling to understand you might at least be willing to reserve judgment.
Especially since your tone implies that Afdlin has "lost" himself to Asiaworks and therefore that he is lost the capacity to think for himself.
Just feedback.
C
i have been through the training and i have to say that i agree with jen to some extent. I personally do not agree with some of their training methods and the constant need to recruit people. Money must be the main driving force?
However, some people I know have benefited from it in different ways. I think you have to be a strong person to come out of it with your sense of individuality intact. I guess it's a bit unfair to presume that afdlin has lost the ability to do things and think for himself.
Mamasan, I think my 'accusations' have SOME base, in that I've posted some information of how groups such as Asiaworks begin. I'm not a 'cult expert' per se but I have personal experience, the details of which I won't bore u with. Don't think they matter in any case because I'm sure LGATs discuss at length about the negative press they get, including how certain individuals take things to extreme and should not be used to reflect badly on these movements. It is only natural - and good business.
Your willingness to defend Afdlin, Asiworks and freedom of choice is admirable, but far from unbiased. I have nothing to gain from telling him, or you, to exercise some caution. That is all. I certainly have not judged or insulted either of you in any of my posts. Far too few people exercise their civic duty to look out for another. Simply consider this a public service.
hmmmm, all i can say is..... great entry :).
I've no knowledge about Asiaworks or any movements.... just want to post my cents worth about this saga (no puns intended hahaha)....
I personally think that one thing that's good to some ppl, doesn't mean will be good to others... and vice versa. Ultimately, it's our own mentality that will safeguard ourselves from manipulation...
I believe Afdlin are mentally well-equipped, enough to discover himself with the movement, and enough not to be manipulated for the wrong reasons....
I applaud his entry as it's a wake up call to everyone who reads it.... Based on the the sad facts that's been around for a while..
I just think, we, as the readers, should keep an open mind to each and every person's individuality... and learn how to respect each other despite our differences...
I have no comment about asiaworks.
I'm just going to put my 2 sen in thoughts about the brutal murder case of the Mongolian. After 2 decades being away from Malaysia, on the first day when I returned, I was shaken by the news which was revealed to the public. We all have read the details of the reported case, so I'm not going to repeat it again. I am sure everyone agreed crimes are everywhere all over the world, but to understand that someone from my own people could be so "mentally ganas" is very disturbing indeed....I always thought malays are the breed of race who are compassionate, generous, tinggi budi perkerti, jujur, sopan and sangat tertib?
(sigh) what is happening? how can someone treat another person like a katak? Is it so easy now to get rid of somebody whom one dislikes? How will I know if my neighbour has a C4 bomb stored somewhere in his underwear drawer just waiting for the day to detonate it? How dangerous is that? How can I tell if someone has the capacity to bertindak ganas when the overall outlook is so muslimatly alim looking.
Has human lives lost it value? This is very sad. Very disturbing.
I am an Asiaworks grad too! ;)
I must say, great entry !
Im very amazed about all the topics we wrote.. I think its very eye opening and useful for the soul.. Like a reflective corner for all of us.. Thank you for sharing with us yr knowledge and ideas.. Really find them useful and interesting..
You ar a man of wisdom my friend.. Thou I am not a Malaysian.. I am proud to have a fellow malay.. bangsa melayu kita sendiri berwawasan tinggi... Alrite ah brother..
:)
wassalam
A sophisticatedly vivid perspective of society laid out by a great comedian.. I look forward to reading more of your thoughts.. just so you know.. I agree with what you said and im sure many millions do so too...
respeklah abg Afdlin..
tgh bz bikin filem
still
concern
about us Malaysian..
Afdlin for malaysian Presiden!
wow i juz love the way u r so motivated by attending one course.seriously,as an ardent fan of yours from singapore,i find that your creativity and braveness in doing what you believe in,has brought the malaysian industry a brand new look..all the best,bro in whateva u do..u r one unique man..
take care..
Attended Asiaworks 8 years ago - i think - it was good - but did not willing to invest at tht point of time - but I know it can change people if they want to....
Afdlin - Pheeeeeeeewiiiiiiit - you go man!
ilmu is power, freedom, think out of box, be sensistive, but sometimes kita rasa kita betul, just to remind u bro, kadang-kadang kita tak boleh paksa orang ikut cakap kita... tht is reality.. hope u r da man bro.. keep it up..
i just wanna ask AFDLIN why no update Blog?
Bila you crita crita pasal commitment, peace, justice, religion.. macam terdengar dengar my country punya pledge. Member teringat baca pledge pagi-pagi buta depan tiang flag tu.. aisey...~
Hallo all!! I ni peminat setia Afdlin, tapi selalu tersalah spell nama dia.. terjadi ADFLIN pulak lah kan... heheh.. sorry lah my brother.. ampun bebanyak..!!
it has been that way for as long as i can remember...
I also had a brief self-realization of a more righteous way of thinking by calling, proclaiming, admitting and alas living a malay and then a malaysian. But both of that status is so indefinite and efforts to even enthrust my belief on certain things based on the fact that i'm malaysian is futile.
so I am a muslim. a muslim that practices moderation and strive for excellence. a muslim who does not elevate oneself and see everyone, no matter race and religion as equal.
proclaiming oneself a malaysian or malay is another proclation with the notion of tribalism.
This asiaworks sounds similar to kem binanegara...you come out of it all hyped up, semangat, wanting to be the best you can be. It's good cause you get motivated but how long can one keep the spirit up? Like me...heheheh...kejap je... After that, I'm back to my old, lazy, procrastinating self. Patheticnye aku niii!!!
huhu i'm Asiawork grad too..but basic ajer...x sanggup for advance & more
hi adflin
firstly, its gr8 to see such a wonderful response in singapore for PGL! the drama/ stage scene here has been quite good lately - quite good productions. maybe we can work together for that :)
am truly proud for PGL as a start to branding malaysia!
regards
quachee
oops realised i posted my msg for the other blog you wrote.. haha.. aniways, i just want to share that i too just graduated from Power Of Intimacy in Singapore here.. (from LP48)..
i have benefited from this course as well... learning how to connect & reconnect with ppl, especially myself.
regards
quachee
btw, congrats to you for going through mastery! its always nice to know another asiaworks mate!
kipitap bro ;p
*Baru grad basic last sunday.. ;)*
I am anon...
Bila nak produce filem yang mantap? Sebelum ni bukannya kata tak mantap tapi the meaning that you had brought into your films, tak melekat sangat dalam kepala. Malaysia ketandusan filem yang boleh membuka mata orang lain, apa kata you buat satu since I tgk dalam banyak2 director film kat Malaysia ni, you are the top. (Maybe). Please, make a film like Children of Heavan ataupun Always, In the 3rd Street.
assalamualaikum bro....first of all..nak ucapkan thank you pada bro...sebab ubah paradigma penonton terhadap filem filem melayu...yang palinng penting ubah paradigma pengarah filem melayu...actually i believe that the producers and film makaers have the power to change the ways of film making. i especially love the way you handle the actors in making Kelibat. Not only are they acting, infact by making them share partners in the film, you managed to bring out the best in them. what i like most about watching your films are the realistic " underbreath" scripts...these are what makes you "real". the inner or inaudible cuss that creates the illusion of reality.Dato RahimRazali is also one of my favourite actors. This is because both you and him are really playing your characters. Hopefully there will be more films that are as good as yours or Dato' Rahim Razali's. Maybe then, we can stop importing drama series from indonesia, korea or Spain. I believe that the money used to import these films should be reinvested in films or series produced in malaysia. it is hightime that we help our own industry. I also hope that viewers would choose to buy Original Malay films cds. I don't mind pirated cds from abroad but i do hate to see pirated malaysians cd. Help our own industry.
Bro Kodok...
i hope you and Dato' Rahim Razali would lead the way in making malaysians film known worldwide. KASI PECAH MONOPOLI BOLLYWOOD,HOLLYWOOD KOREANWOOD INDONESIANWOOD DAN MACAM MACAM WOOD LAGI. MALAYSIA BOLEH....KODOK PUN BOLEHHHH....wassalam
fatboy.. u better stick to what u do best.. bikin pilem komedi tu lah
dont intervene in filosofi, politik etc. it makes u look like stupid.
shiela penah pegi jepun buat rekording, ella penah so i tak nampak kehairanan u dan sapa2 pun pegi bulan sekali pun bikin pilem.
where u are is not as much important as the quality originality komedi itu.
bila saya nampak word SUMO, saya terpikir this very2 fat and huge person at least 6 kaki tinggi.
but urs is pendek and not SUMO's fat, u r ordinary fatboy. i think this film is just another spastic joke saja.
I attended Asiaworks last year. And I would like to offer the same advice as Jen to people out there.
Asiaworks mucks around with your brain and puts you in a state of vulnerability.
Lots of people wake up from the initial state of euphoria. Some continue to live in it. Some move on to Advanced and Mastery Levels, bridged in between with gatherings organised by volunteer facilitators.
Some exchange vows with fellow three fingered saluters to live the life of married Asiaworkers.
What small change you paid for Asiaworks, may not be so small at all as you may end up paying for an erratic change in character.
I went to Asiaworks 8 years ago. I am offering a word of caution as Jen. (Oh btw read a comment by someone who went there 8 years ago. . . you must'av gone to the same training with me.) I did the whole 9 yards, Basics, Advanced and Leadership. I Migrated to a different country shortly afterwards, thanks to the encouragement I got from da 'friends' in the training. I really shouldn't av done that. Sometimes 'Carpe Diem' is not all about happiness for yourself. I have forgotten to be practical in the persuit of happiness. Well, I was young then. . .
Nope, you can't practise what you've learn, ALONE. After the state of euphoria is gone, I find myself really2 confused and alone. Thank goodness I have God. I am not in contact with any one of the graduates now, of course when newly graduated from leadership, everyone promised to stay in touch bla, bla. . .slowly people change their jobs same as their phone nos and email addresses.
After a cross examine of the course, I find that there was too much peer preassure there. You succumb into group thinking. It takes a great character to be able to take whatever one's learned from Asiaworks and not having a drastic personality change.
However Bro Afdlin, I believe Asiaworks really worked for you. I have an inkling that most of your closest actors/ess friends also went there too, and it's great for the Malay film industry. There are more quality films out there now, thanks to you and your friends. Who knows maybe one day I'll do Senioring. . . and Mastery. . . and meet Mark the Jerk yet again.
Oink! oink!
hi fellow citizens of the world, i've read most of the comments and opinion posted in replies to bro afdlin's writing. One thing i've noticed is how people react to the writings as though its some kind of propaganda. Hmmmmm the blog is about something of someones experiences they have/had, asiaworks or not it doesnt really matters, as long as they are doing something in life, thats a plus factor. Personally i've done most of asiaworks programme and it worked for me, it wouldnt work for some people though, that i know but hey, the training or no training really does nothing to people. Its just me and my feelings that matters. If you like, then you like, if not then dont. just take the writings on the blog is about somebody's experience and at least respect the fact that they have a blog to write. That is effort for you.
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