Chinese New Year!

It's getting sad really, this is the 3rd year I'm not home for CNY, and there's another 3 years to go. No!!

Anyway, this year there wasnt any reunion dinner on the night of the eve. Instead, I went to the EUSA General Meeting along with Ang just to experience it.



It.. made me feel smarter at the end of it. Now, let's use the Malaysian Parliamentary Debates to compare it with. The Parliamentary Debates make me laugh. These, make me pay serious attention.

They started off with a headcount of people who came (191 people!), and then proceeded with an introduction, then the motions came. Proposers had to say out their name and matriculation number, then several for and against speeches were called from the floor. At several times there were points of information and questions that were made. All this were done orderly with the raising of the hand along with the matriculation card.

The first 2 motions I thought were rather boring-ish. 1st was to mandate the sabbaticals to press MSPs for the passing of the Graduate Endowment Abolition (Scotland) Bill 2007. Next was the motion to fight for a fairer deal with the university's corporate arm Edinburgh First, which currently charges a high price for students to use university buildings.

The next 2 were probably the highlight of the night. As I found out beforehand, the university has a Fairtrade policy that maintains themselves as ethical investors. Before this, EUSA has been mandated to boycott Nestle products from union buildings. Now, they are pushing for the non-renewal of the contract of mineral water supplier, Eden Springs, whom supposedly is an Israeli company (Mayanot Eden) harvesting water resources in the Golan Heights which were in breach of several UN Security Council resolutions. It was clear that at one side was the Palestinian Society & ISoc members and the other was probably Jews. Against views were focusing on the issue of politicising the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while the For views were focusing on ethical investment policies like in the past with RBS and Total.

The 2nd one was better, it was to reallow The Journal newspaper to be distributed within Union buildings. To keep it short it was a combination of powerful speeches and counter-speeches from various parties including both the editors of The Journal and Student newspapers, and even the current and ex-EUSA President.

In total I voted Yes for the 1st three motions and abstented on the last. But seriously I'd go for the next GM, because I never knew there were such vocal individuals and it never felt so good taking part in student activism.

And today is.. the 1st day of CNY. I'm sitting in my room, compiling notes and touching up on the EMSA poster. There's probably a dinner later tonight but the weekend's bound to be fun. 988's eradio is playing up so much festivity I'm feeling envious of the folks back home. So all you people, I'd echo the Petronas ad that says,"Please go home for Reunion Dinner". Appreciate it a$$holes! There're probably 50,000 of us overseas in various countries that aren't able to go home for CNY for many years.

Anyway this year's theme is probably to treasure the moments with family and friends back home because it never feels the same outside of home. So Happy Chinese New Year 恭喜发财 Gong Xi Fa Cai Kong Hei Fatt Choy!!