Televisions are usually known as a box-shaped object that displays coloured images and emits sound. Televisions were once a luxurious item, however in this age and time it has become a common item. I can still remember that my father once told me that when he was young, he had to go to his friend’s house to watch a television show and television programmes then were not in colours. The only colours that were displayed were black and white. During this modern era, it is not surprising to see that a house has two or more televisions. Television certainly has its pros and cons.

Televisions are our main source of entertainment. By switching channels from one to the other, we are sure to find a variety of shows that are aired. When we watch comedies or cartoons, we can reduce our stress. This is because when we laugh, our body releases a certain type of hormone that counteract against our stress. As the saying goes, “laughter is the best medicine”, thus it is good for us to watch television when we are feeling down or when we are stressed up.

Besides, watching television keeps us updated on the latest happenings and news. When we turn to the news channel, we are able to know the latest happenings and news in our countries and overseas. We can watch an event or a sports game that is happening live in other parts of the world. For example, I am certain that many of us watched the badminton competition which took place in China in the comfort of our home.

We can gain extra knowledge by watching television programmes. Watching documentary films is certainly the best way to gain information. These information that we gain cannot be found in our textbooks. Good television programmes can be found in Discovery Channel and The History Channel.

Every good thing in the world will certainly have some bad effects on us. Some will say that watching television is a waste of time. Time spent watching television programmes should be spent on reading a book instead. Besides, watching too many television programmes will certainly affect our vision. Statistics have shown that there is a sharp rise of people in our country that are putting on glasses.

We could get carried away when we watch television programmes. Television programmes are getting more and more interesting. We tend to watch every television programme which we enjoy. This will reach a point where we will start to neglect our studies and responsibilities.

Violence, sex, and profanity are elements that are usually present in television programmes. This Western culture is not suitable for the Asian viewers. These elements will certainly corrupt a young viewer. Albeit precautions had been done to ensure that shows with these elements does not go on air, it is not enough. Some shows with these elements are still being aired for the public.

There are pros and cons when we watch television programmes. The only way to maximize the benefits of watching telelvison programmes is to know when to watch and when to stop watching.

Written by:

James Lee 4P (2009)

“Kenny, wake that boy sitting next to you up,” said the teacher in the class.

The boy got up, rubbed his eyes and felt sleepy. He looked at the clock and thought, “It’s almost time for recess.”

The teacher then asked Jimmy a question when he was still gazing at the clock, waiting for 11 o’ clock to come. Surprisingly, Jimmy, who was not paying attention in class or perhaps, never paid any attention in class before, managed to answer the question accurately, correctly and confidently.

Many of his classmates were jealous because he has a genius’ mind. Sleeping in class so often but still a top student in school. What an irony! Lazy yet smart. That’s Jimmy! He has white and shiny teeth, cool-looking hairstyle and mesmerizing eyes. Girls would have fallen in love with this god-like creature easily.

The school bell rang at 2 o’ clock and Jimmy was ready to walk home but he decided to drop by at Kenny’s house to teach him Additional Math since the exam is just around the corner. After that, he headed home with a sense of satisfaction because he managed to help his friend.

When he got home, his parents were not in the house. His dad was probably working at that time but he wondered where his mother went. He then took a shower, headed downstairs and tried finding something to eat. Usually, his mother would prepare lunch for him and leave it on the table so that if she is not around, Jimmy gets to eat lunch when he is back from school.

So, impatiently, Jimmy gave his mother a call. When his mother picked up the phone, Jimmy said, “Mom, where are you? I’m hungry now. Did you leave any food for my lunch?”

Jimmy’s mother replied, “I’m getting some food for your lunch now Jimmy. I’ll be back in ten minutes.”

Jimmy hung up the phone and went into his room. He cleaned his room while waiting for his mother to come back. Suddenly he paused and stared at the empty table in his room. He asked himself in curiosity, “Where did this table came from?”

After finish cleaning, his mother was still not back. He gave his mother another call in frustration.

“Ma, when are you coming home? I’m very hungry now! What took you so long just to buy me lunch?”

His mother said, “I’m sorry Jimmy, I’m coming home now.”

A few minutes later, Jimmy’s dad called him and told him, “Jimmy, your mother met an accident while driving home. She is now in the hospital. Take a bus to the hospital. I’ll rush there as soon as I’m done with my work.”

Immediately, Jimmy took a bus to the hospital and looked for his mother. When he found his mother’s room, he saw her lying on the bed. The doctor said she was paralyzed and death may occur anytime. Jimmy then saw a letter in his mother’s hand, gripped tightly. The letter has Jimmy’s name on it. Jimmy opened the letter and read it.

Jimmy, you’ll be surprised to get the television I bought you. I still remember how much you wanted a television in your room. I hope this television can make u happy.

With love,

Mother

Tears rolled down from Jimmy’s eyes. Now he knew the reason why the empty table in his room existed, why his mother took so long to buy him lunch and how much his mother loved him. A sense of regret filled Jimmy’s hear for rushing and scolding his mother for taking a long time to buy him lunch. His mother is now in a critical state, where death comes anytime. The television means a lot to Jimmy and he realized how much sacrifices his mother made just to fulfill his request, a television.

Written by:

Chan Fan Kiat 4P (2009)

The Khmer Rouge and the Ku Klux Klan or better known as the KKK are the few of the many groups or clans that enjoy torturing, abusing or even annihilating people who are not of their own kind. Even sometimes these days, racial issues and conflicts often occur in our own country which we call our home. What is worse is that these problems do not only happen within adults but even among the students. The numbers of group fights that involve racism between pupils are gradually increasing in school day by day. It seems like people do not seem to care anymore for each other’s well-being. What happened to the message that was delivered by the late Michael Jackson, fondly known as the King of Pop in the song ‘Black or White’ or the song that was sung by the Black Eyed Peas in ‘Where Is The Love?’. These are the songs that tried and failed to convey a message to the people who are carrying out these immoral and beastly acts. Fortunately, there are still ways to integrate the spirit of unity in our nation.

National unity can be integrated through the practice of equal rights. When this act is carried out, the majority and minority races will receive equal treatment in any form of help that is being given out. Supposedly that this practice fails to be carried out, unsatisfaction, anger and hurt that is felt by the marginalized groups or races will cause racial issues to surface and disrupt the country’s development. Should this action of treating people the way that they deserve to be, a feeling of euphoria will definitely be instilled in the hearts and minds of the multiracial citizens in Malaysia. National unity in Malaysia is definitely important as a country cannot progress without the co-operation of the people in the country.

On the other hand, the government should impose heavier punishments on those people who are executing their unruly acts which are connected to hate and racism. Punishments like putting the wrongdoer into a prison cell with people of the race he dislikes or jail him for trying to disrupt the peace in the country. It is essential for this action to be carried out because once these punishments are being executed; people who are attempting to carry out their future plans will think twice before they do it. The moment these acts of nonsense cease, peace will once again be in our beloved homeland.

Another way to integrate national unity in our country is by having politically stable country. The political groups in our country recently are being very competitive to form the government instead of having the people’s welfare at heart. Political parties in our land should be more concerned about the citizens’ trials and tribulations that they are facing every day. By doing that, not only the political party will contribute hugely to the integration of national unity, but it will also gain the trust of the citizens to elect the particular party to represent them as a nation. The particular party should also put their heart and soul into this as national unity is the backbone to our country’s stability and integrity.

Last but not least, national unity can be achieved when parents and guardians play their parts as role models and not turn a blind eye towards this epidemic that is plaguing most countries. Fathers, mothers and even people who greatly influence children should never criticize people of other races in front of their children. According to a study made by child experts, children usually follow the characteristics and attitude of their parents or guardians. This is the main reason why parents and guardians should always be an example to their children so that when their children grow up, they will no longer have the mentality that their ethnicity is always above the other races when it comes to studies, sports or personal abilities.

It is not a doubt that national unity is very important in our country. It is the one and only thing that keeps all of us bound together, allowing us to live with one another in peace and harmony. National unity is, of course, possible and achievable but it can only be obtained step by step and not and overnight achievement. Therefore, we should all work together as one to continue this effort that was started by our late Prime Minister Tun Hussien bin Onn for united we stand and divided we fall.

Written by

Isaiah Tan 4P (2009)

It was one fine morning when I received a mail from Messrs. Anderson and Noble, Advocates and Solicitors to be present at their office in New York for the reading of my Uncle John’s will. Enclosed in the letter were a key and a note. For the whole day, I could not forget the contents of the note. On the piece of paper, despite its old age, a message was clearly written on it. If it wasn’t for the message, I would have tossed the piece of paper into a garbage can. Written in a type of ink which clearly looked like blood, it carries instructions on the key’s usage. The only thing that troubled me was the language that was used to write the instructions. It was some strange and peculiar writings that were neatly scribbled onto the piece of paper. In fact, when I looked closely, the ‘paper’ turned out to be some kind of skin. Not just skin but human skin. One look at it made me turn away in disgust. I drove back home, thinking of ways to decipher the idiosyncratic scribbling.

When I arrived home, I ransacked my mammoth-sized collection of books that had to do with ancient runes. Leaving no stone unturned, I spent two hours in search of the particular book. My effort paid off when I stumbled upon a black, hard-covered book which my grandfather had passed down to me as an inheritance. I flipped through its pages and stopped at a page which held the same writings that the note possessed, together with its translation in English. I matched each word to its own meaning and the message that appeared looked as if a treasure hunt was being carried out. It pointed out directions, starting from my uncle’s home as the reference point. Feeling excited and with euphoria, I grabbed my car keys and immediately rushed to his residence. Upon my arrival, my uncle’s dogs barked, greeting me with friendly looks and showing no hostility towards me. I patted them on the head and went into Uncle John’s house to snatch a few treats for the dogs. Once I was done with them, I took out the note he had left for me and started to look for clues that would point me to the hidden location. After four grueling hours of searching, I finally found the place that the message pointed to.

I was standing in front of a stable, feeling annoyed because of the trouble that was caused by the note - just to locate a plain horse stable. I pushed the door open and walked into the building. Inside, it was just an ordinary sight. Stirrups, saddles and horseshoes were all over the place. Uncle John had sold off all his remaining horses and gained quite a profit from the sales. As I looked around, suddenly, I heard something that made my blood run cold. Distant screams of pain and agony could be heard in the barn. I rushed out of the stable, in search of the source but as I ran out, the shrieking stopped and could be heard no more. Confused, I walked back in, wondering what had caused that sound. I continued rummaging and paced around the room, hoping to find something valuable. Once again, I heard the same piercing scream. This time, I dashed out but I tripped on a stirrup and fell with a thud. Grimacing in pain, I rubbed my ankles, fearing that I may have sprained them but I did not have time to think about it for when I looked down, I saw something that should not be found in an ordinary stable – a trapdoor.

Heavy as it looked, it took me quite awhile to open it but finally, it creaked open and a flight of stairs were revealed to allow one person to go down. With a sense of curiosity, I took hold of a lamp, lighted it and was on my way down. A few minutes later, I reached the bottom and came face to face with a heavy wooden door. Remembering my uncle’s key, I immediately reached for it in my pocket and stuck it into the lock. It clicked open and the door swung forth, revealing a narrow path. It was so dark that it was impossible to see what was at the end of the road. I bravely took a step forward but I stopped dead in my tracks when I heard another scream. This time, it was louder, sharper, more piercing and agonizing than the previous screams. Praying to God that I would be safe, I continued walking until I came across a fork in the road. As the direction of the scream came from the left, I took the left turn and continued my exploration. When I finally arrived at the end of the road, I saw a sight that was so disturbing and gory that I almost fainted. A man, chained to the wall, was being sliced up, limb by limb while he was screaming in anguish. Before I knew it, he was screaming no more. A blade, as sharp as a razor, which was mechanically attached to a metal arm, swung towards the victim’s head and sliced it off thus ending his pain and suffering at the very moment. As his head rolled onto the floor, the chains automatically clicked open and the badly mutilated body fell into a puddle of blood. After the ordeal, I heard another click. A counter, which I did not notice when I entered the chamber, showed the number 97. It did not take me long enough to figure out what was going on. My late uncle was a sadistic man who had an insatiable hunger for blood. He was keeping count of the number of people that he had slain to satisfy his bloodlust. I also realized that the killing machines in the house of horror were all functioning on a motor in the house.

In order to exit the torture dungeon, one must continue walking to the end which I did for I could no longer watch another fellow human being cut up barbarously. I arrived at the next chamber. This time, I noticed a behemoth saw on my right, stained with blood. In front of me, there was a lady, clothed in a tattered and torn dress, screaming for help and begging for mercy. The saw was closing in. I ran forth and did all my best to release the lady form captivity but there was nothing I could do. Picking the lock of the chains was useless and there was not a single thing in the room that could be used to cut the chains. In my futile attempt, the saw came so close that I jumped aside to avoid it, forgetting the helpless victim that was restrained there. In a split second, the saw did its job. Her torso was brutally sawed off into two and her organs could be seen jutting out from her sawn off parts. Feeling extremely sick, I vomited at the sight of it. I could no longer hold back the disgust but still continued forward. It took me only five steps to discover what happened to another victim. I saw a body, pinned to a rotating circular tabletop on the wall. The body was nailed onto it. Knives of all sorts were plunged deep into its flesh, regardless of the body parts. The body was so badly dismembered that it was difficult to identify the shape and size of the body. Having seen the first two tortures, this was not as brutal and inhuman as the ones before. After studying the body, I realized the cause of its death. A knife, stuck into the head, delivered the coup de grâce. I stood there, not knowing what to do next. It took me quite awhile to regain my strength and courage to continue my journey.

I kept walking, ignoring the bloodstains that were all over the floor and walls. When I thought the first few chambers were bad, oh, how wrong I was. I remembered the type of material that was used to hold the instructions that brought me into this torture chamber. I shuddered at the thought of humans being skinned. Upon arriving, I saw bubbling, green liquid, stored in a cauldron. Above it, there was a suspended and transparent glass chamber. I saw a bucket, hovering above the glass chamber. Curiosity filled me once more but this time, curiosity killed the cat. As I approached the chamber, I felt a strong shove which caused me to enter the enclosure and the instant I was in it, the glass door slammed shut. There was no way I could escape. The walls of the glass were so slippery that not even a fly could climb it. I turned to look for the person who pushed me. Ironically, I saw my sadistic uncle, who should be dead. Words failed me for I was so shocked. Earlier today, he had already been proclaimed dead but now, he was sneering at me while standing in front of a lever.

It did not take me long to finally work out what was happening all this while. My bloodthirsty uncle had staged his own demise to allow his will to be carried out. Uncle John knew that the contents of his will would definitely entice me into coming to this slaughterhouse he had created. This glass chamber that I was in would now be my hearse. As he lowered the lever, the bucket above me was stirring and the chamber was lowering itself nearer and nearer towards the cauldron. The bucket overturned. What seemed like red coloured beads were falling over me. One of the beads landed on my arm and a sharp pain seared all over my body. When I looked closely, it was an ant – a fire ant. One bite would release pheromones thus causing the entire colony to attack me. Now it was too late. The ants were all over me. As I looked down, what used to be my legs were now bones. I stumbled onto the floor of the chamber. The ants were working their way up. My flesh was slowly disappearing as I saw bones. Suddenly, everything turned blissful. Before I closed my eyes, I saw my uncle laughing hysterically at his ultimate achievement. The counter had struck 100.

Written by:

Isaiah Tan 4P (2009)