i've always stayed apolitical and i want to keep it that way. but reading the news this week has depressed me real bad, from humanistic point of view that is. the onslaught on the palestinians, the torturing of iraqi prisoners, the beheading of a captive ... but the straw that breaks this camel's back is the torture of a maid right here on my home land.

all this violence reminds me what the prime minister of malaysia said, "violence begets violence."

i've seen pictures of maids hurting babies under their care. i've seen pictures of maids abused by their employers. in this maid's case i don't know what triggered the rage in her employer. if the maid started the violence, she's got what she gave. if the employer, on the other hand, started this violence, then violence will befall the employer.

no, i'm not for violence. neither am i vengeful. i was constantly reminded by my master of self defence to flee from violence if i'm faced with it. but if under the circumstances that don't allow me to flee from violence, i will have no choice but to retort to violence.

the prime minister is right.