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What I Want For My Birthday: You’ll Be Shocked (Hopefully)

This Guardian video is just the tip of the iceberg. Thousands have died, hundreds more have been and remain in slavery, and thousands and thousands more are being persecuted, marginalised and unwanted by the countries the Rohingya straddle – Bangladesh, Myanmar – and because this crisis is growing as they put themselves to sea, the rest of ASEAN.

There’s an option on Facebook for not revealing how old you are or when your birthday is. But I love the attention, and so I leave it on.

For my birthday, I wish for all my friends to do something in your capacity to help the most unwanted people on the planet – the Rohingya. Watch the video below:

This Guardian video is just the tip of the iceberg. Thousands have died, hundreds more have been and remain in slavery, and thousands and thousands more are being persecuted, marginalised and unwanted by the countries the Rohingya straddle – Bangladesh, Myanmar – and because this crisis is growing as they put themselves to sea, the rest of ASEAN.

We need to do more as a leader within ASEAN, and not simply say, ‘we have no space for refugees, let’s donate money’, and then forget about this epic tragedy amidst the throes of our simisaialsoSG50.

So, if you’re thinking of getting me a present, do these things instead:

1. Share and spread the word – let people know about the Rohingya;

2. Donate to organisations helping the Rohingyas, either in the refugee camps in Malaysia or in Myanmar itself. In Singapore, Islamic-Relief is helping with food and housing for the Rohingya within Myanmar;

3. Make a list in the comments here on which other organization are helping, and suggest other ways we can help.

Updates:

Fixed the link to the Islamic Relief donation page

Links Contributed:

Boaz’s Fundraiser to Raise Awareness
Arakan Rohingya National Organisation
HumanSecurity.Org page for Rohingya

40 and a day

The Gado Gado is still Good Good

I was hoping to ease into my 40s, with no fanfare and no celebration, just a little acknowledgement that I’m heading towards new frontiers.

So it was good that the day was spent with my wife and son, with a hearty meal at Sanur that was just as good as it was back when my mum and dad used to bring us to eat after Sunday School.

Then we explored the new mall, Orchard Central and found a Gelaré, and found that it was Tuesday, which meant that all waffles were half price, which meant that I had everything I wanted for my birthday.

Happy Birthday to me indeed

I think I’m pretty easy to please as far as birthday presents are concerned. Just buy a really expensive computer and accessories from the same brand, and voila, Naomi (and the rest of the world) doesn’t see me for a few days because I’m holed up “setting it up”:

My Birthday Present From NaomiMy Birthday Present From Naomi
iMac!… No, I Mac… The… Dog.

My Birthday Present From Naomi

My Birthday Present From Naomi

My Birthday Present From Naomi
Made in China but don’t you worry…

My Birthday Present From Naomi
No, srsly, where’s the rest of the keyboard?

My Birthday Present From NaomiMy Birthday Present From Naomi
Looks good even in its wrapping

If you must know, the present comprised this, this and this. Oh, and here’s a tip if you’re thinking of getting the same things – get them from Sim Lim.