Ideas ... Ideas ... Museum of Sciences and Arts

Hello again.

I am now at Orange County, of California. Irvine to be exact! Will be here until Dec 18. From time to time, I always have these crazy ideas on how to make my beutiful, lovely hometown, Johor Bahru, more interesting! And since I am nobody, and my ideas may be rubish for most people at Johor Bahru herself, I just jot them down in my blog! :). It is not a finish paper though! I will update it from time to time. It will be completed when it's complete!

Museum of Sciences and Arts.

For some people, it's really a waste of money (and land). The government of Johor can make more money by selling lands to private sectors (later develop more houses and more shopping complexes). And even money will be continue wasted by need to manage these Museums. But museums is something that are precious to the development of races and nations. It shows the progress and advancement of one race, and one nation. It also a point of attractions for the scienties and artist, or even simply tourists.

Yes, Johor Bahru is already have several museums. Is that right? We have Royal Abu Bakar Museum at Istana Negeri. Ohh I believe we also has "Kite" Museum at Pasir Gudang. Anything else? You know, I wish Johor Bahru becomes like San Diego. Do you know how many museums San Diego has? Let me list them down...

1. San Diego Natural History Museum
2. San Diego Air & Space Museum
3. Maritime Museum of San Diego
4. San Diego's Aircraft Carrier Museum
5. Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
6. San Deigo Museum of Arts
7. San Diego Automotive Museum
8. San Diego Railroad Museum
9. Mingei International Museum
10. Children's Museum/Museo de los Niños San Diego
11. The San Diego Firehouse Museum
12. The Museum of Photographic Arts
13. San Diego Museum of Man
14. Reuben H. Fleet Science Center - San Diego
15. San Dieogo Computer Museum
16. Veterans Museum & Memorial Center
17. San Diego Chinese Historical Museum
18. San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum
19. Women's History Museum and Education Center
20. San Diego County Sheriff's Museum

Wow... I manage to list them all. Did I miss anything? All these museum are under one administration, San Diego Museum Council. Following are some pictures on those museums:

sovereignty of Pulau Batu Putih (Pedra Branca island)

Will follow closely over next few weeks. This news taken from Yahoo!Singapore

THE HAGUE: The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has begun the hearing on the sovereignty of Pedra Branca island on Tuesday. And Singapore has argued that Malaysia has no evidence to show that it owns the island.

In fact, Singapore set out to prove that Malaysia never regarded Pedra Branca as its territory.

Ambassador—at—Large Professor Tommy Koh laid out the agenda as he opened the first day of hearing at the ICJ at The Hague.

The Singapore team of over 30 members was all prepared and armed with geographical maps, which were flashed periodically inside the courtroom for the judges to see as the team pleaded the case.

"In 1979, for the first time, Malaysia published a map purporting to place Pedra Branca within the Malaysian territorial sea, giving rise to the present dispute. The dispute has been an irritant in the bilateral relations between our two countries," said Prof Koh.

Singapore argued that Pedra Branca island and its two outcrops of Middle Rocks and South Ledge rightfully belong to the Lion City.

And Professor Koh stated that Singapore owns the island and has consistently maintained and exercised its sovereignty.

One example he brought up in court was a letter written by Johor in 1953 and was sent to Singapore then. The Johor government said Pedra Branca did not belong to them in the letter.

Professor Koh said Malaysia claims that the British sought permission from Johor to build the Horsborough Lighthouse, but it never provided any evidence to support that.

Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong also spoke on the first day of the hearing. He laid out facts and evidence to show that Malaysia has portrayed an inaccurate account of the history concerning the ownership of Pedra Branca.

He cited how Malaysia had argued that Pedra Branca was actually part of the Johor Sultanate from time immemorial. He said that such argument was "no more than clutching at straws without any evidence to proof".

Attorney—General Chao Hick Tin just spoke on the geographical setting and gave background of the dispute to the judges.

He also played an audio recording of Malaysia’s former prime minister Tun Hussein Onn from a news conference with Singapore’s then prime minister Lee Kuan Yew in May 1980. In that audio clip, Tun Hussein Onn then admitted that the question of sovereignty over Pedra Branca was not very clear to Malaysia.

Singapore’s international counsel Alain Pellet also made his arguments in French as the last speaker wrapping up Tuesday’s session. He rebutted Malaysia’s claim of an original historical title for Pedra Branca.

Professor Pellet will continue his arguments on Wednesday followed by the other international counsels for Singapore. — CNA/ac