A I S E H M A N . O R G

Nazri is the ring master but then there are many others aspiring for his post!

I was in JB recently and I believe Danga Bay is showing promise. It is still growing and being developed, of course, and the true mark of good management and business acumen is sustaining Danga Bay's value as a top-notch entertainment venue.

It is not uncommon for many such projects to fall into ruins due to poor management where the signs of wear and tear began to show.

Back to your question on the need for a circus academy, I do not really see any issue there. Sincerely, whether as a form of trade or performing arts, there is a need to acquire skills. While one can argue that perhaps such initiatives could have prioritized our local art forms, I must point out that a private enterprise is free to choose its poison.

Maybe the circus academy can start confering honorary degrees to some of our more well known and more established local "clowns".

:D agree with you that our parliament is already a circus... hahahaha

I agree with you. The parliament is already the biggest circus and have so many well-trained monkeys around. In fact, the parliamentarians should go round the world to perform their hilarious acts.

I was part of the crew that made a documentary on the children of Royal London Circus performers many years back, and was genuinely touched by the entire circus community and especially Mr Paul Lee's relationship with them.

Mr. Lee offered me a costume job and I almost ran away with the circus.

Circus troups have moved away from using animals these days, like the extremely successful Cirque du Soleil of Canada. I sincerely wish Mr. Lee and company well, and bring us some glam like the CDS does to the Canadians.

And yeah, let make our parliament the freak sideshow.

Circus is a sunset industry. If one has attended the Royal London Circus fare, one could see how true this is.

Yes we do need one. Especially to train monkey MPs such as Jasin's Said Yusof, Kinabatangan's Bung Mokhtar, Kayveas, Nazri Aziz etc. etc.

How I wish that Lim Kit Siang or Karpal Singh can be the trainer and whiplash them into discipline.

Back on the topic, the ROI is too slow, too little. Performers need to be trained at a very young age, and that means it takes a long time. And circus performances, its not something you go to every other month. Another white elephant and some crappy idea to boost up somebody's pocket and coffers.

Highly unnecessary. It will be another fiasco. Hansac is right, it is a sunset industry. This whole thing will only make some morons richer, nothing more than that.

haha. i was thinking the same when i first saw the topic and read further - there is already a circus in parliament, why we need one now? :)

seriously now. i think it is not a bad idea. a training academy, college whatever is usually a good idea but... a big BUT one have to study first is there a real need for it? is the demand there? no use opening it then only a handful signing up for it. also, are there enough qualified trainers? do these trainers have to be paid a huge sum? many other things to study before they decide to go ahead.

btw i had met paul lee before when his circus was in penang years back, when he decided to donate a certain percentage of his circus ticket earning (for one day) to our church (but only if we help to sell the tickets!). he's a nice, friendly, god-fearing (same religion as me) man.

I had the same thought on reading that report and have blogged on it. Check it out: Circus Academy May Be Set Up At Danga Bay, Johor. Can Our Politicians Join?

Hansaac

There are many sunset industries.
It's what you do beyond that to creates new markets.
Cirque du Soleil is one of the best examples of Blue Ocean Strategy.

I just have to say these:

ONE
If we are going to do it, then do it to the very best. And not blame God if it doesn't work out. It has been too tiresome reminding that good or bad outcomes are in your own hands. The same with the our national status is the outcome of the government policies.

TWO
The parliment must be the best parliment. And not try to do side income as a ring-a-ling circus. And even if it is a circus, it doesn't have a concept.

Aiyahman!

Love, Malaysia

Parliament a circus? I beg to differ, sir. There used to be a decent-sized circus that came to town annually and held, what was to some people, one hell of a side show at its venue. Remember Aisehman, Balai Budaya of Dewan Bahasa? Then in '73, or was it '74, the venue went posh (what with the clowns and jokers providing the side shows arriving in beemers, mercedeses, jaguars and range rovers) and moved to Nirvana Ballroom (I suppose they needed to meet in Varhala to decide the fates of mortals like you and me!) along Treachers Road. But now the circus permanently puts up its annual show at Dewan Merdeka, PWTC during which time the clowns and jokers try to convince themselves that they are God's gift as the Malaysian ruling elites. Why, the circus's ringmaster-in-chief even shed croc tears at one time so as to ensure that us idiots would continue to gawk in awe and accept him and his ilk as our slave masters!

I think not long ago there was a suggestion(?) to have a casino in Danga Bay, and it was rightly rejected.

I think a circus, or circus academy, especially recruiting Malaysians, is a wonderful idea! There would be racially indiscriminate fun and joy and mateship, much like the sports arena.

They can also have short courses for careerpeople on basic skills such as jugling and hoola-hooping, for example. Excellent stress reliever and good exercise =).

It's a great alternative for career route than the typical engineer/accountant/doctor routes. This might be a start to world renowned performing arts scene incorporating ballet, plays, and circus. Plus, a strong arts scene is a sign of a developed country, in my opinion.

It could also be a way to keep the youngsters off the street from doing bad things. They would be occupied, and develop self confidence and discipline.

Danga Bay shows promise day by day, and Kamarul Ariffin would be good to ignore snide,unconstructive and pessimist statements!

I'm from JB. Frankly, I don't know if the circus academy will have a market here as I'm skeptical there are enough people who likes to perform will enrol with the academy.

Maybe I'll visit the academy when it opens to see the people's response.

Whether the circus is necessary or otherwise depends on whose money are we talking about...if it is from the public purse, then it better be known that there are some people who totally against it, me included. If it is from private investors who think there is return from it apart from the goodwill, by all means go ahead.

my worst fears....most of malaysians only fit for jokers.....heheheh..at least we are good at it.

Circuses suck my friends.

Animals get a really bad deal.

aisehman + all those who agree that our Parliament is a circus,

to equate the Malaysian Parliament with circus is an INSULT TO CIRCUSES EVERYWHERE. at least, the circus performers - INCLUDING THE ANIMALS - train with blood n sweat, perform professionally with all seriousness n honestly n aim for perfection. it's worth every penny watching them. but u cant say our BN MPs have done even 10% of that.

so, i honestly think u lot owe a deep APOLOGY to the circus industry worldwide, including all the honest, hardworking n adorable animals...

senyumsayang,

our politicians can join the circus but NOT as performers because that would b an appalling waste of talent - they should become the trainers n impart their precious, invaluable expertise.

Not sustainable. Cirque du Soleil, maybe. But something like a permanent Cirque would still need other big-name attractions to form an entertainment cluster which has to be built in Johor without the keystone that a casino is in anything such as this. And that exclusion would be a stiff challenge even for Vegas planners, let alone the small-thinkers who at this very moment are again bludgeoning the future of Johor.

If local planners and administrators would only stop refering to the B-list or 2nd division playbook of economic development - and focus on the statistical, empirical or at the very least logical aspects of their jobs instead of surrendering to whim and the charm of every character that comes through their doors with an idea and words like "Royal!" and "London!", we'd be a wholly different country.

I'd rather see Johor spend USD100 million building a supercomputer and become a data-crunching slut for any willing Johnny if it means a few locals get the opportunity to build and run machines that simulate pharmaceutical, aeronautical or biological applications. Because those few locals would eventually head other data-crunching centers that Johor could additionally build. And the ancillary economic effect would produce IT, Biotech and Pharmaceutical or even CGI professionals...instead of jugglers and clowns.

It's the attendant industries around big-ass, infrastuctures that provide meaningful development. What supporting economic entities could possibly orbit around the Big Top?

Street vendor, jostling among other scruffy vendors: "Tuan mahu cat kah... kapur?"

Local Professional Clown, in a hurry: "Bedak. Hantar kan ke bilik saya, cepat!"

Street vendor, beaming: "Syukur, syukurnya... seringgit aku punya!"

Don't choose yesterday when a better tomorrow is also on the table.

Our country is not yet developed, things that are already built are already breaking down and our economy have been surviving on credit for a very long time.

And they're wet about a circus? Sunnaffabitch!

There goes my puasa.

I agree with Juslo.
Our BN parliment members cannot compare with the circus performers. They are worst than monkeys! Cannot take instrutions from the trainers/masters. They just shout and yell in Parliment.

As other bloggers have pointed out, our Parliament has circus performers but they only suit the category of 'Clowns'- & they are real good at that no doubt.

Brother, I think you have done an injustice. I demand that you apologise to all the circus animals and circus performers. How dare you insult them by equating them to Malaysian Parliament!!! They demand that they are respected as better than the Malaysian Parliament.

Most of our MPs invariably qualify.....they have the necessary prerequisites....effortlessly monkeying. In most circuses there are those menial jobs like collecting animal dung, feeding the animals...You dont need any qualifications, only appointments. Our town councillors fit admirably. For this latter group there must be a mandor....again the job fits our Mentri Besars like a glove. I am waiting for them to graduate.