PHP & CGI

Move on to write a PHP script for accessing the IO in my board. I have previously done the same thing using the CGI script. I still don’t see any major different between these two scripts since I just did a really simple thing. Both of them can be incorporated into the tiny web-server, thttp. Yes, PHP has rich set of features but comes with heavy price. It consumes 4M of memory space compared to 66K of memory space by CGIC library. Need to further strip down the library size.

Asian Cup Quarter Final in Bukit Jalil

Went to Bukit Jalil Stadium to watch the match between Iran versus South Korea yesterday. The original ticket price is RM30 but I bought two for RM40 from a guy who claimed the he get the tickets from Astro. My girlfriend seems a little bit nervous when we entered the Korean camp due to a “big” turn out of Red Korean supporters and all sorts of noise created by them. It’s hard to feel such an environment during the matches involving Malaysia throughout this competition. Estimated 40,000 fans on match 1, then 20,000 fans on match 2 and then dramatically decreased to 2,000 fans. Malaysia Boleh! Yesterday, I saw different attitudes coming from both Iran and South Korea supporters. They kept on cheering their players, shouting their player names, even though they made mistakes or wasted a golden scoring opportunities. There is nothing wrong to give your players encouragement but why we Malaysians always boo our own players whenever they made mistakes. Perhaps, we are not so keen or so patriotic. No, easy, they lack fighting spirits!

A Korean supporter sat beside us offered us the yellow colour Kiwi fruit. He found out that we are Malaysian. He managed to speak one two simple sentences in English, “Malaysia plays very poor. However, they play very good last time, same as Korea. Such as, Soh Chin Aun”. Again, same old story, how long should we keep on memorize those golden days? Are we not competitive enough now compared to those old generation? I don’t think that the problem solely comes from the players and the coaches. Our government should take the blame with its inconsistent policies, not for the peoples, but policies to serve their own interests so that they keep on winning the next election.

Regarding the match, both teams are very cautious at the beginning. South Korea missing several key players from European leagues plays a counter attacking game with only one striker up front. Iran with its more senior and experienced player deployed a short passing game and attacked from right flank and from the middle. However, shoot on target in the game was really low although both set of players fought for almost every ball. A disappointed match! 120 minutes without any goals. If either team would score, probably we would have a change to see a more attacking and entertaining match. Iran coach brought in the substituted goalkeeper at last minute for penalty. I had a feeling that they will lose because I still remember that England brought in Carragher and he was eventually the one who missed the penalty. So, South Korea to the semifinal on Wednesday and we will see their supporters roaring out “Taehan Minguk” again. Felt sorry for Iranians that some of them have to travel back after more that one week stay in Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia, Boleh, Semua Boleh, Apa pun Boleh!

Did you hear any bloggers in this world ever been caught by police official under OSA? Yes, Malaysia has one ….. If we are the first to do this, then we probably can be proud of this! “Malaysia Boleh!”

Then, I heard the news that T.M.P. resigned from his post, but how about our FAM president?

Who should we blame?

“What a shameful display,” said the visibly upset Tengku Abdullah, according to the official Bernama news agency.

“I apologise to all the spectators and want to shake their hands. I am truly disappointed with their inept display.”

“The coach has the power to choose the players and he should know better.

“Only the coach and players will be able to say what happened that night. I was also a spectator,” said Tengku Abdullah.

So, who should we blame? Who appoint the coach? Who select the players? Who.....

I expect FAM to sack the coach, reform the team by temporary dumping the senior players and selecting youth players, prohibiting the foreign players from playing in local league, forcing the players to take the fitness test, changing rules again and again for local competition, at last…. still going nowhere…..

Whipping Boys

Sometimes, it just hard to believe, but you have to accept this. Originally, I planned to go to the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil, but ended up at Mamak stall near my home. Watching our national team played in Asian Cup Final, not upon merit, but as one of the co-hosts. Before the match, I had a strong feeling that we were going to do well in this match after Vietnam and Indonesia defeat their opponents and Thailand draw with mighty Iraq. I was wrong again!

Vietnam vs UAE 2 -1
Indonesia vs Bahrain 2-1
Thailand vs Iraq 1-1
Malaysia vs China 1-5

Before the start of the match, the Malay fellow who sits beside me said, “Selagi bapa dan anak Pahang tu menerajui FAM, bolasepak kita tak ke mana”, “MyTeam yang pilih anak kampung main lagi bagus”. Then, after China scored the 2^nd goal, he said, “itulah, ada pemain Cina kat Penang yang bagus, tapi tak pilih”. I considered it as a racist comment. After the 4^th goal, another Malay fellow said, “Itulah, semua Melayu kat padang, jurulatih itu pilih pemain tengok bulu”. Again, a racist comment…. Suddenly, Indra Putra scored a spectacular goal outside the penalty box. “Macam dah menang perlawanan”. Our coach actually brought in Nanthakumar as central defender after we conceded 4^th goal.

Agghhh, I could not hide my frustration that our players play very poor, especially our defense. We do not have enough quality to do well. Our central defenders are too short and physically very weak compared to our opponents. China is not tactically gifted team compared to Japan or South Korea, but they can trash us five goals. I wonder how are we going to survive from the remaining matches…..

What our coach said...

“This was not a good start for us. We tried to match the Chinese team, but there were times when the Chinese were able to keep possession and when they did we tended to lose our discipline in terms of keeping our shape.”

“The game plan tonight was to try and stop the crosses but as the game went on and China continued to move the ball, then we lost our shape and that is why there was room on the flanks.”

“With the quality players China have, we tried to have a positive approach and to match them not individually but as a team. As they progressed though, when one individual lost his concentration it impacted on the team.

“There were occasions in both halves when we attacked and we played more as a team. There was more urgency in the second period. Unfortunately though there were lapses of concentration.”

By the way, do you know our coach name?

Penang Bridge

Recently, travel back to Penang with my girlfriend. It was my first trip back after Chinese New Year. Entering the Penang Bridge, and all of sudden, wonder why I need to pay RM5.60. My mum said that if I don’t have Touch N Go card purchased near the bridge, I may pay RM7.00. I found out that the bridge is now under construction. I think that it is probably for expanding the bridge from tow lanes to three lanes. So, pay more after that??? I thought that as Penangities, we should pay less whenever we travel back to our hometown. Just curious for those who stay in Butterworth and work in Penang. I believe that paying RM7.00 is too much and how can you afford that everyday.... even in KL, I don't pay that much.