After some exchanges of emails, I found out that he claimed he is the victim. Initially, I gave him some ideas what can be done to it:

1) Seek experts like the Women Crisis Centre for counselling and what to do;

2) Get a medical report and make a police report;

3) Ask a senior relative so that he/she can help to mediate;

I also asked him if he is a Christian because I am about to preach some faith. He said he is not so I stopped offering the last option, i.e. to pray for guidance and protection.

He kept insisting that I am a citizen journalist and I should help him to highlight it. I told him I do not want to get involve.

Today, he approached me personally with police report/court order (some interim) and also a letter to the state government to to apply for job.

I told him there are two things :
1) Re the domestic violence, I am not going to risk myself because if the relative can hit him till he is injured, I would get it too if I expose that relative. Moreover, he is 27 years old and there is nothing in the law that can protect him. After all, he said he depended on the relative for study funds. What else is there to say? I told him, he has to take it to the court and the police. Or ask the politicians.

2) His application for training. He asked me to take his case to the leaders. I told him I am not in anyway know any leaders so I cannot help. He said I am a citizen journalist. Yea..right…

He wasn’t happy and grumbled that as citizen journalist, I can video him to help him to get a job. I told him I am not going to do it because I just do not want to risk myself.

I had involved once with a case of domestic violence. Out of sympathy, I was being nice to a young man. In the end, the abusive father, the abused son and the uncle gave me so much problems.

I swear I won’t put my nose into issues that I know is risky. Even if people claimed I did not carry out my citizen journalist’s duty. What duty? I am not a saint, ok?

I was really, really in a rush because my hubby and kids were waiting. So, what he said did not manage to get into my skull because I was dead tired after filming in the hot sun, rushed back in noon day sun to edit the video and wait for it to upload using KL free wireless line.

It is just only I realised what sort of twisted mind this fella has. He was thinking only of the money? Is that all? Is that what he thinks I am doing? Desperate for money, so much so that I actually forego the programs?

Well, I don’t mind that insinuation that I am doing it for the money. Because many are obviously too naive to understand the bigger picture.

I was privileged to work along with another guy. We make a great team. I was holding the camera without the tripod (because it will draw less attention from the super paranoid KLCC guards and Special Branch) while he was holding the mike. Both of us were attached to each other like a mother and a newborn baby with the umbilical cord. I run, he runs. He chases, I chase.

We were lucky that our producer told us about the event at KLCC. We check our program and know it is ok to skip it because writing is not our strong forte. Video journalism is. We asked our trainer’s permission and he let us go.

After filming, I thought I can bring back the clips and edit them in Penang. But our producer asked if I have downloaded the clips when I was in the middle of a dead boring talk by someone who actually underestimated our CJ skills. So, what a great escape!

I ran off to edit the video. Asked Mr. Producer how long he wants the video to be? And I got down to work. Editing is not so tough for me. But the encoding and uploading time are because I have nothing to do but to wait to see that the thing goes smoothly.

All the time, there was something going on in the room. But hey, my policy is – If the producer or editor asks, we give our very best, fastest work. Nothing else matters.

I also had this good opportunity to work under pressure when an editor asked for the Kugan’s video clip last time. He was really breathing down my neck and said, ‘chop, chop, chop, keep it under 3, I want that part, you sure Surendran said it is ok to publish? give it to me by 5pm’.

So, yeah, it is an opportunity to be put under pressure to produce my work. I love it.

And for the idiot who actually think I am doing it for the money, can I remind you that no one promises us any payment in the early stage? Inspite of that, I produced over 50 videos. You can calculate how much I was rewarded. I never ask for it, I get it without expectations.

You know what? We Christians had been reminded by Jesus Christ – If you want to give a gift to a person, do not give it to the one who can repay you. Instead, give it to someone who is not capable of doing so, for great is your reward in Heaven.

Of course, I didn’t do it for that ticket to Heaven. I did the videos, all my videos for the greater good. One needs a bigger brain to see the big picture, you know?

I got there early and took some photos of the development going on at the Botanical Gardens. We have to take the jeep ride from the gardens. I do not like the broken paths, steel jutting out and the big mess caused by development.

However, I am glad to see that the original main entrance of the Botanical Gardens and the huge trees plus those lovely cannon ball trees remain intact.

I had once made a video call Not a stroll in the park , showing the problems faced by the hawkers.

I also made another video on the presentation by the Botanic Gardens to press members and the state government on the expansion plans.

The above is a photo of the main gate.

After taking a few quick photos, I went up to Penang Hill. I went to a broken but magnificent building which was formerly Uplands School and then, changed to Craig Hotel. I am shocked that such beautiful building which is under the MPPP had been left to rot since 1972.

Later on, I went back to Botanic Gardens. Some folks from the Penang Heritage Trust were distributing protest leaflets. They demanded the renovation be stopped. I didn’t meet them personally but other reporters gave me the leaflet. If I do see them, I know I would be spewing the facts I heard from the Botanic Gardens director, Cik Wahida. As what I understand, none of the old trees or old structures were demolished. Only new facade, fountain and other things are added.

That brings up the question. Come on, if you guys are so pro heritage conservation, why didn’t you guys do something to the conversation of that hotel before anything else? I know some NGOs or I call them tree huggers are whining about one of the spare part of the funicular train being planned to be sold off. The funicular train is no longer in service.

These heritage folks also made a lot of noise about Kampung Buah Pala being maintained as a heritage village. They made the noise loudest AFTER demolition started. Yet, the village head said that they had submitted the plans for 10 years.

Now, I am really puzzled with this whole thing call conservation. Are these people really passionate about heritage? If they are, why are so many genuine old buildings being left to rot? Or do they have their own construction company and there are businesses involved? I don’t know. I have heard rumours. I must find out one day.

I am not one who will get all excited and supportive with such corny stuffs. But as a mother, I will play along with my children and we did have the lights off in 2009. This year, we were not at home but were at some Chinese loud, noisy, all-we-care is our foods restaurant. So, we ate delicious sharksfin meal (hey, my bro-in-law ordered it and he paid for it) in bright fluorescent lights restaurants. Chinese have this fenghsui paranoia that eating places must be bright to attract good chi. So, don’t dare ask them to switch off their lights or they will sweep you off with their broomstick.

After our meal, it was about 9 pm. So, we headed to The Esplanade to join in the fun of playing with fire. I didn’t bring my video camera or press tag along. However, I did have my DSLR as it was meant for my food blogging. My DSLR can go up to ISO 1600 and above and it does take decent photos in darkness.

I had fun shooting those lights. But hey, it is damn contradicting to light up so many tealights and using so many plastic cups, you know? Of course,they may say the plastic cups can be recycled or reuse. But still….all I see is a sea of plastic and metal (from the tealights). Still, I think the organiser missed the point.

But I am too polite as a CJ to mention this in my video. I don’t want to spoil the corny, We are the World good mood of the folks at the event. It is really nice to see Penangites of all races gathered together in a candlelight vigil without the Special Branch officers and Light Strike Force on standby, you know?

I used Michael Jackson’s Heal The World song. I know it is copyrighted by Sony Music but hey, give me a break. I am sure MJ will be pleased I think of him when I think of Earth Hour.

I am surprised that our country’s name, Malaysia has been used by an insurance company to promote their MAA logo.

I personally feel it is a disrespect of our beloved country’s name. If MAA is allowed to use it, then, anyone can also do the same, isn’t it?

Why does our Prime Minister allowed his 1Malaysia to be abuse in such a way? Is there no governing body to monitor advertising companies? Is there no rules and guidelines to ‘copyright’ our country’s name?

How about the potato chips company, Lays using 1maLAYSia in their signature font?

It is distasteful when they overlooked the greater good in trying to garner attention and political mileage for themselves.

As a citizen journalist, I usually hear both sides of the stories. I gathered all the grouses from the opposing party. I bring them along in my quest for fair citizen journalism.

The other day, I parked myself at the senior citizen appreciation program registration. I asked permission first, of course. I parked myself there for close to three hours.

I observed, listened, watched closely and this is the video that I believe reflects the real people who are receiving the monies.

To me, I would never do anything that could mar the project. Therefore, it is sickening for the opposing political parties to keep using the issue like a piece of old shoe. Have mercy on those who are receiving it and show some grace.

I take that as a divine intervention to remind me of my main driving force. The reasons why I brave the muddy field full of cow dung, the hot, burning sun that gave me a dark complexion until today, the smell of cow dung stuck to my jeans and the verbal abuses hurl by stupid people against me.

The people of Kampung Buah Pala. I may not like some of them. I may find a few of their sons too stubborn to reason with. Some have sons who is so fickled. Some are so ignorant I just want to scream at them to ‘wake up already’.

But ultimately, we have a big group of old folks who are really attached to their kampung. That attachment is so deeply ingrained in them, they just won’t accept anything else but the soil they had stepped on for decades.

They may not get a house like the other 24 house owners. I had said my piece. I think I was out of my mind that day to dare to put forward my reasonings to the person whom I expect can make a difference.

So, maybe it is closure to some. But I know it is like a wound festering and one day, the nasty pus will burst. Hopefully, it doesn’t. But if it did, at least I can look back and said, “I told you so.”

Oh ya, another note to self. Out of them, one family is Catholics. And my Catholic leader said he doesn’t want to be involved when out of desperation I phoned him to help the old man who was so distressed. That remark had been my driving force. If I cannot even rely on a religious leader to help a distressed old man, who else can I count on?

The other lesson I learned is the world is full of arrogant rats who call themselves politikus.

So, I need to rant today because I have seen so many videos edited by fellow CJs who just do not notice this very annoying, ear splitting and distracting point.

Putting many changing shots into one video make the video interesting. But for goodness sake, cut off all the audio first. Unlink the audio from video. Remove the audio. Add as many padding shots as you wish.

Then, find one pleasing background sound, be it music or the speech and use that in the soundtrack or narration.

This way, you do not subject your viewers to banging drums, clanging cymbals, music, traffic, talking heads and what nots in one single video. People can go insane, you know?

I just don’t get it why some people just don’t get it after watching other’s videos. Oh wait…maybe they think they are so terror-merror that other people videos, for e.g. mine, are without quality. So they don’t watch. Yeah, someone once bitched that I am only good in producing videos in quantities but with no quality.

Who the hell cares, man? I got a story or news to tell, I am not a creative person. I tell my story, move on and find more stories. Why would I want to waste my time trying to be OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) with the artsy-fartsy thing? I am a citizen journalist, not Yasmin Ahmad.

After this post, I hope CJs do not give 6 seconds shots with different audio anymore. Sigh…Lilian, you are a such a bitch, you know? *grins*

I attended the briefing by the Penang Botanic Gardens Director on the development of the gardens on November 18, 2009. After weighing the issue, I see it as yet another tussle between the previous government and the new government.

I do not wish to get entangled into yet another one of those ping-pong case. I had enough with Kampung Buah Pala. Moreover, from what I had gathered during the press conference and also site visit, it appears to me that the top leader is surrounded by some inefficient folks.

However, when I see some clueless, over egoistic, unknown folk talk about the Chief Minister with so much disrespect and self-centeredness, I decided to produce the videos. This chap is obviously being very naive, out of touch and doesn’t seem to know who and how to report his grouses.

As with every case, there are politics involved. Smart people will know that. You can’t run away from politics. You want to make life easy? Sit on the right side.

There was this one time when I attended a 3-hour long event and I made a less than 10 mins video of it with my questions in the video. Well, someone said this on my Youtube account :

This video by the egoistical Lilian should focus on the 3 hours forum yet it was made purposely to protect & defend herself.

She had also abused her privilege as a “citizen journalist” in KBP to provide insider information to DAP. It is time for her true colours to be exposed!!!!!

Of course, I find it soooo amusing that someone actually took offence with me and accused me of being a spy. I don’t blame them for thinking I am a spy because I was holding a 9-page Kampung Buah Pala chronology of events which I downloaded from the State Gov. official website and printed them. Then, I am not the kind of person who can sits and listens only. I can do many things at a time. So, I was busy texting, Facebooking and etc with my mobile phone. Naturally, people think I am feeding information and getting my instruction on what to question the Gerakan president.

But this post is about how much do we put ourselves in our citizen journalist video? For me, I think it is only right to put ourselves in there when necessary because the video is from our point of views. We are not representing a media company as a reporter. We are reporting our own news so we have to be part of the video.

The above video is a press conference by the Chief Minister. Again, the whole event took about 2 hours because the CM also visited the site. I have added my conversation into the video because it is about my concerns that I am addressing. I am not the mouthpiece of any party but representing the citizens in reporting. The Chief Minister has accepted that whenever he sees me in his press conferences, I am there not as part of Malaysiakini but the general citizens.

When I have been instructions by Malaysiakini to ask questions, then, I usually identify myself that I am there because my editor asked me to. Then, I clearly made it known that the questions are from Malaysiakini and not me.

But for the above Botanical Gardens project, I brought questions I have heard from people on the grounds and also picked up concerns voiced over the internet. I asked the CM and he replied to me as a leader to a citizen.

I wish people will learn what is citizen journalism before lumping me with the professional journalists and then, try to demean me by putting me down. I am not one of those who can be easily intimidated. I will tell them off that they are the noobs for not understanding the meaning of citizen journalism, not me. It usually pissed them off. Hehehehe.

The other thing is, if I am going to waste many hours of my time in pursuing a story, on a voluntary basis, with no fixed income, why should I hide myself? Moreover, people have heard thousands of news, serious ones, so why bother with more? Let’s chill and make news our way, the CJ way.