1/2000s | f4.5 | 27mm | Kuala Lumpur's skyline from Berjaya Time Square taken 2 years ago. Similar photo here.

So, a few days ago, I got an email which linked to an old and not-so-flattering article about Malaysia. The guy who wrote it was Michael Backman, best-selling author and columnist (or so he claims). He's apparently famous, but don't ask me who he is because the only columnist whose column I read was myself back when I was a crowd-grabbing (or so I claim) writer in the papers.

The patient needed help and the "Boleh" (can) or "Bodoh" (stupid) article was awful tasting medicine. But it was hardly the right one. Hey Michael Backman; remember when Dr. Foreman from House MD (great show btw!) gave this patient a full blast of immunosuppressing radiation therapy only to find out, a tad too late, that she actually had a simple infection caused by really sharp bra hooks? The radiation treatment totaled her immune system which could have fought off the infection. Yea, that's what you did with that hope-dashing, joy-killing article of yours.

The good thing is that not that many Malaysians have read your article; honestly, we're generally quite satisfied with the government-fawning opinion columns in our government-owned newspapers. So, yea, with all due respect, take your unsolicited opinion and shove it up your arse.

Who are you to disapprove of us sending one of our great men to play traditional games in space? I, for one, liked those games as a kid and had often wondered how fun it would be if I could play them without pesky gravity in the way. Besides, it's our taxpayers hard-earned money and like I've always said, you can't bring it to grave anyway, so spending on frivolous things like giving Russian cosmonauts a few millions of our Ringgit is the right thing to do before we waste millions on our education system and its unmotivated students. Like American kids back in the 60s, students will definitely want to study hard after seeing our first ever astronaut being conferred the Datukship.

Backman, the last straw was that you called our new capital city along with other mega projects we Malaysians take pride in, "an orgy of nonsense". Have you seen how squalid-looking Kuala Lumpur is? I've been to Putrajaya and love it to no end! Had it not been for its unnecessarily grand and expensive buildings, how else would I have gotten shots like these? Backman, think about what I've said; take back your words and apologize. I'm a forgiving man.