AMIR HJ. OMAR : THE BLOG

Besame Mucho

2012-01-24T22:59:00.002+08:00

Bang Ngah on his 18th birthday.

2012-01-04T13:12:00.002+08:00

Ahmad Azharuddin Azhari - 3 Jan

Terlalu amat aku mencintaimu: Buat bungaku

2011-11-01T13:28:00.004+08:00

Saat pertama wajahmu kujumpa

Resah terpana menusuk jiwa

Lalu aku terus jatuh cinta

Serupa tiada beza dari yang ku uja

Malah seakan mimpi kini nyata

Menjelma di hadapan mata

Mengisi ruang kosong yang lama terbuka

Terlalu amat aku mencintaimu

Rongga jasad kini penuh menyayangimu

Terlalu amat aku mencintaimu

Hembusan nafas hanya ada aku dan kamu

Terlalu amat aku mencintaimu

Malam siangku hany ada kamu bertamu

Kasih, cinta hatiku

Menyeri taman kalbuku

Terlalu amat aku mencintaimu

Kau kekasih pelengkap nyawaku.

17 Oct 2011

Penajaan RM50,000 kepada Akademi Bolasepak Darul Naim

2011-07-14T19:40:00.002+08:00

Kami mengambil keputusan untuk menaja Akademi Bolasepak Darul Naim sebanyak RM50,000 setahun, selain dari perbelanjaan penganjuran Karnival Bolasepak Piala Amir-Husin sebanyak RM25,000 dan Pestabola Akademi-Akademi Bolasepak Malaysia yang sedang dirancang. Ada beberapa sebab kenapa kami membuat keputusan ini.

1. Selama hampir 6 tahun kami beroperasi di Kelantan, kami rasakan bertanggungjawab untuk mengembalikan sedikit keuntungan kami kepada penduduk Kelantan yang telah banyak memberi sokongan kepada kami.

2. Pejabat kami di Kelantan, 100% warga kerja berasal dari Kelantan. Mereka bertungkus lumus bekerja tanpa mengira waktu bagi memajukan dan menjaga nama baik syarikat. Syarikat percaya mereka ingin memberi sumbangan yang lebih kepada negeri kesayangan mereka. Jadi, bagi pihak seluruh warga kerja Amir-Husin yang berasal dari Kelantan, pihak syarikat menaja 1,300 orang kanak-kanak dari seluruh negeri Kelantan di bawah Akademi Bolasepak Darul Naim, mendapatkan latihan teknikal bermain bolasepak. Sumbangan ini sebenarnya datang dari warga kerja ini.

3. Kami percaya kepada kesungguhan barisan Exco Akademi Bolasepak Darul Naim yang diketuai oleh Sdr. Azman Ismail untuk mencungkil bakat-bakat baru diperingkat bawah 15 tahun untuk bakal diketengahkan. Barisan exco yang terdiri dari bekas-bekas pemain kebangsaan, pemain negeri, jurulatih-jurulatih bertauliah dan berlesen sangat komited dengan iltizam membangunkan bolasepak negeri Kelantan khasnya dan Malaysia amnya. Kami membuka ruang untuk mereka bergerak lebih selesa.

4. Kami melihat ini peluang untuk Amir-Husin memantapkan lagi jenama kami di pantai timur.

Insyaallah, tahun hadapan, kita ke Terengganu.

10 Years of Sharing

2011-07-14T19:26:00.004+08:00

Tahun ini kami meraikan 10 tahun kehadiran Amir-Husin. Alhamdulillah, sepanjang 10 tahun pembabitan kami dalam dunia perniagaan, kami amat dipermudahkan dalam urusan kami. It is a smooth journey throughout. Insyaallah, jasa semua wargakerja Amir-Husin akan tetap saya ingat dan hargai. To be exact, our anniversary is 26 January. Tahun ini kita raikan bersama kaum keluarga di Pantai Cahaya Bulan Resort, Kota Bharu. Kami juga melancarkan Elaun Kasih Sayang sempena 10 tahun kehadiran kami. Tanpa kedua ibu bapa, kami tidak akan lahir ke dunia ini. Sebagai penghargaan, Amir-Husin memberi elaun khas kepada ibu atau bapa masing-masing sebanyak RM100 sebulan setiap bulan selama mana anaknya masih bekerja dengan Amir-Husin. Saya harap, dengan insentif ini akan membakar semangat warga kerja Amir-Husin untuk lebih kuat berbakti kepada kedua ibu bapa masing-masing.

2011-07-13T17:44:00.003+08:00

Tak dapat melelapkan mata terkenangkan kata-kata yang terlempar. Cuma cuba bersabar sambil melihat kembali ke dalam diri supaya bencana bertukar menjadi kifarah.

Aidil Fitri 2010

2010-09-24T16:21:00.004+08:00

Alhamdulillah. Kita selamat menjalani ibadat puasa dan menyambut hari raya aidil fitri bagi tahun 2010 ini. Kami sekeluarga berjaya menjalani ibadat kali ini dengan penuh rasa kesyukuran dan sedikit sebanyak dapat mengimarahkan Ramadhan sebaik yang kami mampu. Hari ini sudah masuk 15 Shawal. Baru dapat men'download' gambar-gambar Aidil Fitri 2010 untuk kenangan dihari tua.

(Maaf Zahir Bathin dari kami sekeluarga)

(My six apples - reasons for my being)

(Ceria di pagi raya)

(With my other half)

(The Bachelors Club)

Building Another Dream

2010-08-12T13:27:00.001+08:00

Dreams come and go, and this time, I am building another dream. May Allah eased my way.

Hello Again

2010-08-12T13:19:00.002+08:00

It looks like Facebook has taken over blogspot, at least for my case. I feel much at ease writing in FB, instant, spontaneous, friendlier and happening. With a few words, I can already rest my case. Best jugak, jumpa kawan lama through FB! Geligalah otak pencipta FB ni.

Me and my Mamu

2010-04-20T20:55:00.006+08:00

I have to post this... woohoo! Percubaan berani mati Kassim Tak Selamat! My first song played on saxo. Memang luka luka bibiaq tapi kena post sebab nanti boleh compare after 2 months or 2 years. He he. Ni baru 2 minggu.

Notis Kebangkrapan No. 29-168-2003

2010-04-16T14:46:00.005+08:00

The above image I posted in my facebook creates quiet a curiosity among my friends. Ada yg sampai call tanya apa dah jadi and etc. Tak larat nak jawab satu persatu, I posted the situation kat sini.

Kes berkenaan dengan my hire purchase loan with MBf Finance in 1996. I drove a Proton Saga 1.5i kaler merun masa tu, auto lagi. Nombor pendaftaran RC 373. He he. At that time, anak nak masuk 3 orang and I can feel that I will need a bigger car. Nak beli Toyota Estima, tak mampu, so belilah Toyota Premio. Toyota jugak! So, ambik loan dengan MBf Finance. Masa tu my good friend Ms. Beh yang jadi Branch Manager kat Alor Star, so, ambik loan from her branch. Since I like the old car number so much, I requested to maintain the number to my new van. So, the old car will get the new number, that is RD 272. Segala urusan pendaftaran diuruskan oleh finance company. So, I was driving a brand new Toyota Premio 1.8 kaler terkois (hijau taik kerbau!). Kereta lama bertukar tangan kepada my brother and later sold to other people. Yusman yang tolong drivekan kereta ni balik ke Kuala Pilah masa tu. Focus on the number - now the old car is RD 272 and the new van is RC 373. Installment was paid via 1 year post dated cheque to be kept by the finance company.

That was in 1996. Fine and good until year 2000. Lepas post dated cheque dah habis kat finance company after a year, I pay the loan through cheque posted snail mail to them. Tahun tahun mcm tu, pos surat ni biasa lagi, tak macam la, my children do not know what is a post office! Ok, back to my story. One day, jeng..jeng...jeng... a branch manager of MBf Finance kat one branch in Johor call me, tanya why am I paying to someone else's car? I said no, I am paying to my RC 373. He said no, I was paying to RD 272's account, and that RD 272 belongs to someone by the name of .... kita introduce sebagai Mr. John Doe sahaja di sini. I pun tak tau how this manager can trace this payment. I pun apa lagi, monkey surprise lah I tell you! So, meaning entah sejak bila I was paying for someones else's car! The good manager promise to investigate the matter. So, times goes by. I pun dah stop bayar to that finance company (apa lagi...ambik kesempatan lah...) Tak lama lepas tu, MBf Finance was taken over by Arab-Malaysian Group, jadi AMFinance. Pernah dua kali van nak kena tarik by the reposessor tapi entah kenapa, after explaining to them and them checking with whoever I don't know, depa tak jadik tarik. So the situation was like, wah.... macam nak dapat kereta free nih! He he.

Tiba-tiba, tup tup, in August 2005, masa nak pegi withdraw duit from Maybank ATM, the card was decline. Tried few tellers from different outlet and different banks (pakai MEPS), masih decline. Heran bin ajaib sebab duit baru masuk, banyak jugek lah. Hehe. Masa tu kat kampong. I call the Maybank customer service, tapi macam biasalah, hampeh tak berjawab. (Sampai sekarang, Maybank masih macam hampeh lagi. CIMB Click cuma charge RM1 for interbank Giro transfer. M2U charge RM2. Korang kalau ada option, pakai CIMB aja)So, bila balik KL, I pun call lah ke Maybank, tanya what happen to my card. Sekali, bila dia kata my account was frozen sebab ada bankruptcy case, terus pucat gigi...

Actually, that bankruptcy notice was served to me in February 2005 but I did not received it as they were posted to my old address. Mungkin my neighbour masa tu, En. Nazri tahu tapi he cannot contact me. The Maybank Officer gave the reference and bila advertised dalam paper. Kelam kabut cari old paper, nasib baiklah jumpa jugak. Baru tahu rupanya I was almost a bankrupt. When I knew it, the mentioned date was already very near. Masa tulah mintak pandangan dari Lawyer Halim kat Kangaq, tanya pendapat dan apa nak buat, maklumlah, tak pernah bercita-cita nak jadi bengkrap ni, so tak ada persediaan langsung. Dengan bekalan nasihat dari Halim, I went to AmFinance and present my case. Ceritalah semua yang terjadi dari mula beli kereta tu, tukar nombor pendaftaran sampailah cerita the branch manager spotted the irregularities. Officer tu pun pening kepala. My contest is that the finance company cannot prove beyond reasonable doubt that I defaulted in my payment. Masa negotiation ni, it was already end of August 2005. Gedebak gedebuk, I pun tak nak panjangkan cerita (sebab memang I tak bayar finance sejak tahun 2000 pun, itu kena jujur diakui) kami pun agree to a certain reasonable amount that I have to pay to settle the case. I think it was a win-win situation and I paid the whole amount. Case was close in September 2005. Release letter pun dikeluarkan. Tapi yang hangin satu badan, rekod dalam CTOS masih ada sampai sekarang.

So, kengkawan, that posting kat fesbuk tu dibuat masa kemas-kemas office. The paper cutting of that notice was pasted on a white board in my office, sebagai peringatan supaya berhemah dan berhati-hati dalam menjalankan urusan perniagaan. It was there since August 2005. I was thinking to archive it somewhere and FB is the best place. Terima kasihlah atas kerisauan kengkawan semua..... Perkara ni dah selesai... I hope I answered to you all punya curiosity.

A reminder to myself...

2010-04-08T13:57:00.002+08:00

Kejayaan dunia hanyalah untuk sementara. Boleh dirai tapi jangan diriakkan. Sehebat-hebat kita, masih ada ramai lagi orang yang lebih hebat dari kita. Selemah-lemah kita, masih banyak lagi peluang untuk kita perbaiki diri. Move forward!

Birthday Presents

2010-04-05T00:51:00.003+08:00

I have not been blogging for many months. I just don't feel like doing it. Many things happening along the way which I hope I can write them down as milestones of my life. However, I have to document this feeling today, a feeling indescribable with other words other than TERIMA KASIH.

Terima kasih Abang Shaik. Birthday present comes a month earlier.

Roslan Nordin, Azman Asmoi and I - 29 years ago and Now

2010-01-11T16:35:00.006+08:00

Last Christmas day, I attended the wedding of my very very good friend's son. We were very close when we were at King George V School in Seremban. Three of us the Three Stooges. After SPM, Roslan (the father of the groom) went to Kalamazoo to do his Computer Science, Azman and I met again at ITM. He did Engineering and I did my Accountancy. After a while, we went our own way. I met Roslan again when he came back, and again sometimes back in 1996. The last time I met Azman was in 1998 during Old Georgian Dinner Night.

(Firdaus - saling tak tumpah macam bapak dia!)

But this occassion is very special. It is the wedding of Firdaus, Roslan's eldest son. And it quickly became a reunion to the three of us!

(Showing off the sign of prosperity! Ha ha ha)

(Once upon a time, 29 years ago)

School Re-Open

2010-01-06T18:08:00.006+08:00

Sekolah dah buka semula on the 4th January haritu. So, our mornings dah mula sibuk dan full of dramas balik.

(First batch is Sekolah Kebangsaan - Kakak, Kak Uda and Anek)

(Second batch is Sekolah Menengah - Bang Ngah and Bang Teh)

(And third batch is College - Bang Long on his first day in college)

Belajar rajin-rajin ya Nak ... Papa doakan anak-anak Papa berjaya mencapai cita-cita masing-masing.

My New Baby!

2010-01-06T17:44:00.009+08:00

Finally, lepas bertungkus lumus realign my priorities, tercapai jugak impian untuk menggenggam my first DSLR - Nikon D90. Wooohooo! Telah tergoda untuk membelinya masa PC Fair kat KLCC Convention Centre, 4 December 2009, hasil godaan Ann dan Bard. Pendam cita-cita to own D90 sejak 25 December 2008 (posting here). Last last dapat jugak walaupun Mark II mengancam jiwa. And I bet, dalam setiap camera, mesti ada gambar kucing (unless dia tak ada kucing).
My Fuzzy - cuba perhatikan dalam mata Fuzzy, nampak reflection of me tengah shoot gambar dia! Pro habis!

Happy Birthday Bang Ngah - 3 January

2010-01-06T17:42:00.002+08:00

Birthday Bang Ngah yang ke 16. Dah bujang anak Papa.

Beijing Family Vacation.

2009-12-31T17:03:00.022+08:00

Alhamdulillah, I managed to fulfill my promise to my children, to take them holiday to Beijing. It was an event they have been looking forward to. So, on the 14th December, we departed KUL to BJS via SIN on SQ119/800.

(The happiness I would trade my life for)

We arrive in BJS early morning, our guide, Mr. Liu was already there waiting for us. It was winter with temperature at -5C, we already prepared for it. With some borrowed jacket from Pak Da and Mak Da, some we bought anew, it was a totally new experience for us, especially to Anek since she was the only one who never experience winter before. On arrival, we were taken to our hotel to refresh ourself. I designed this holiday myself, my own choice of hotel. I made quiet an extensive research before deciding on Crowne Plaza Hotel at Wangfujing and it turn out to be the perfect choice for my family. They love every inch of the hotel.

(Unique Omni Door at Crowne Plaza)

It was a leisure holiday, we do not plan to hurry. We want to enjoy the Beijing's offerings. The fact that the children are now grown ups and understand the meaning of a vacation makes the trip more enjoyable and fun.

(Frozen lake at The Summer Palace)

(From outside The Forbidden City)

(The Great Wall of China)

(One whole day skiing at Nanshan Ski Village)

(Ladies of my life)

(The happiest father on earth!)

The vacation was a very memorable one. New experience, new exposure. Beijing, a very clean city, friendly people, exotic places to visit and relatively affordable for a very nice vacation. As for us, I can see the satisfaction in my children faces - Bang Long, Bang Ngah, Bang Teh, Kakak, Kak Uda and Anek. And especially to my other half, she deserves this holiday. Mission accomplished - Skiing experience is awesome and The Great Wall of China is now already in my collection of 100 Places To Visit Before I Die.

Rome is next!

More pic in my FB, here.

Coretan Hari Natal

2009-12-25T14:40:00.000+08:00

Merry Christmas to all, especially to Benny, Daniel, Michael, Arthur, Dr. David, Alex, Andrew, Geoff, Mark and especially to my dearest friend, Richard. In Bahasa Malaysia, Christmas disebut sebagai Hari Natal. Tak tahu dari mana asalnya.

It is already the end of the year. Many things happened since the last time I updated this journal, mostly happened to challenge my sincerity and thankfulness to the life I am leading. I realized something was not right on 21 September, that was on the first Hari Raya. However, I just chided them away as ‘it’ never happened to me before. Mak kata, penyakit kalau nak datang, kejap aja. Kalau nak pergi bukan main susah. Memang betul. I was ‘disabled’ for 10 days starting from 5 November, a day before Maxis IPO closing date. On that day, memang dah maximum. Balik aja terus rebah tak boleh bangun. But I couldn’t sleep for the next 3 days. I cannot switch off my mind, it kept spinning and rolling. Sepanjang 10 hari terlantar atas katil, sokongan keluarga sangat mengharukan. Mak datang dari kampong. Adik beradik sentiasa datang menziarahi. Anak-anak sangat memahami. Paling mengharukan is that, Bang Long will start his SPM on the 8th. I tried to calm myself, not to show the pain in front of him. Tak nak bagi dia risau sangat. I know he is very worried and sedikit sebanyak mengganggu ketenangan yang dia perlukan untuk menghadapi SPM. Dalam waktu demikian, bukan setakat keluarga yang memberi sokongan, kawan-kawan juga turut bimbang. Bob dan Jaidi sering menghubungi, bertanya khabar. Warga kerja Amir-Husin turut sama bimbang. Berkat doa semua, ubat yang diberi oleh Abang Shaik dan Mat Tarzan, penyakit beransur sembuh. Eventhough I still feel the pain until now but it is not as painful as before. Kena jaga makan.

So, Bang Long menghadapi SPM nya dengan tabah. Papa harap Long boleh jawab peperiksaan dengan baik dan berharap Long akan mendapat kejayaan yang cemerlang.

I came back for work on 17 November. Biasalah, after 10 days being grounded, kerja bertimbun-timbun. Tambahan pulak my Head of Support Service, Sarimah, pergi perform the Haj. Dan paling mengerikan, I came to know that no payment is anticipated until the end of the year! This is disaster! How to fund our projects? How about those commitments that I have already made earlier? What about our overhead? What if new project coming in? Jawapannya – terpaksa korek from here and there. All the savings is now back into the business. We are back at square-one. Aduuuuhhhh… Ingat nak enjoy sikit bila hujung tahun. Dah janji pulak dengan anak-anak, nak bawak pergi holiday masa year end nanti.

Gitu gini gitu gini, we managed! Dalam keadaan yang sangat daif, all projects was well-funded. New jobs was also undertaken well. Cuma projek holiday to Beijing aja yang semput-semput sikit. Cuma until the last minute, baru confirm to Beijing. I will blog separately about our holiday to Beijing.

(Skiing at Beijing)

Result PMR Bang Ngah was announced on 24 December, 2 days after we came back from Beijing. Alhamdulillah, Bang Ngah berjaya dengan cemerlang. Thank you Bang Ngah for giving me this hadiah yang sangat bermakna. Memang Papa dah agak Ngah akan dapat 7A, that is your standard. Tapi I thought the B will come from Sejarah. Rupa-rupanya, BM. Anyway, syukur pada Allah. Kita hanya boleh merancang, perancangan Allah yang akan prevailed. You have done your very best. Cuma ingatlah, kejayaan dunia hanyalah untuk sementara. Boleh dirai tapi jangan diriakkan. Sehebat-hebat kita, masih ada ramai lagi orang yang lebih hebat dari kita. Selemah-lemah kita, masih banyak lagi peluang untuk kita perbaiki diri. Move forward!

(Extract from Papa's Diary)

Penjual air tebu dituduh bunuh pembantu rumah.

2009-10-31T09:48:00.007+08:00

Buat tatapan anak-anak papa,
Baru beberapa hari lepas papa mencoretkan di dalam FB papa tentang "Perbuatan racial/religion/nation profiling adalah sangat tidak adil. Semua perkara, samada baik atau buruk boleh berlaku kepada sesiapa sahaja, tidak mengira dia orang Malaysia atau orang Indonesia atau orang Jerman atau orang Melayu atau orang Inggeris atau orang Cina atau orang Arab atau orang Kristian atau orang Islam. Melalui tourism, kita boleh menjadikan manusia saling memahami antara satu dengan yang lain." Mungkin secara lateral, papa mempromosikan keamanan melalui tourism. Tetapi secara intrinsiknya, papa mahu anak-anak papa supaya sentiasa menerima apa sahaja perbezaan sebagai keunikan. Keunikan sesuatu bangsa dan agama. Tidak ada dua orang manusia di dunia ini yang sama, malah telinga kanan dan telinga kiri kita sendiri pun berbeza bentuk dan saiznya. Dan hendaklah kita jadikan perbezaan-perbezaan itu sebagai asas kepada kekuatan kita. Apa yang kurang kepada kita ditambah-baikan oleh kelebihan orang lain. Begitu juga sebaliknya.

Hari ini, awal pagi papa membaca berita di akhbar tentang "Penjual air tebu dituduh bunuh pembantu rumah". Dalam fikiran papa "Ah, jadi kecoh lagi kalau pembantu rumah itu orang Indonesia". Ternyata telahan papa betul. Malah, Menteri Kounselor , Informasi, Sosial dan Budaya Kedutaan Besar Indonesia, Widyarka Ryananta, telah pun memberi komen bahawa langkah mempercepatkan siasatan dan pendakwaan mampu meredakan kemarahan rakyat republik berkenaan. Ini, papa nak pesan pada anak-anak papa, jangan berkelakuan seperti ini. Yang pertama sekali, mati itu pasti akan kita temui bila sampai saat dan waktunya. Allah telah tuliskan bila dan bagaimana cara kematian kita. Menyesali waktu dan cara kematian adalah menyesali takdir Allah. Apa hukumnya menyesali takdir Allah? Kan papa dah ajarkan ilmu-ilmu agama yang elok-elok pada anak-anak papa? Yang keduanya, kenapa mesti marah? Marah pada kematian? Masyaallah. Yang ketiganya, cuba lihat nasib pembantu rumah itu (yang kebetulan orang Indonesia). Tentu dia tidak berpendidikan tinggi, kalau tidak, dia tidak akan jadi pembantu rumah. Begitulah jadinya kalau kita tidak memperkasakan diri kita dengan ilmu pengetahuan. Papa tak mahu anak-anak papa merempat sehingga terpaksa menagih pekerjaan jauh dari tanah air kita. Jadi, bila anak-anak papa dah besar nanti, papa mahu anak-anak papa bukan sahaja bekerja kuat untuk diri dan keluarga anak-anak papa, tapi cubalah berjimat cermat dan membantu keluarga kita yang lain. Jangan pentingkan diri sendiri.

Akhabar juga memetik Menteri itu sebagai berkata "ia juga langkah terbaik mengelak sentimen negatif terhadap Malaysia yang disebabkan beberapa isu sebelum ini". Sekali lagi papa nak pesan pada anak-anak papa, jangan memandang sesuatu perkara cuma dari sudut negatif. Cuba kita positifkan pemikiran kita baru kita boleh maju. Anak-anak papa cuba fikir, kalau tak ada orang yang baik, yang membawa pembantu rumah ini keluar dari tempat kurungan, masakan dia ditemui? Tidak kah kita perlu ucapkan terima kasih kepada orang ini (dia mungkin orang Malaysia, mungkin orang Vietnam, mungkin orang Indonesia, mungkin beragama Hindu, mungkin beragama Islam) yang membantu ini? Pembantu rumah ini (yang namanya Mantik) telah di selamatkan oleh pasukan polis yang membawa beliau ke hospital. Tidakkah kita harus berterima kasih kepada pasukan polis Malaysia ini? Tapi lapuran akhbar tidak ada menyebut Menteri ini berterimakasih. Bukan semua orang jahat dan bukan semua orang baik. Inilah yang papa nak pesan. Mungkin akhbar tidak menyebut tetapi Menteri ini mungkin telah berterima kasih. Anak-anak papa mesti ada sifat berterimakasuh dan bersyukur. Terimakasih kepada orang yang membantu walau sekecil mana sekalipun bantuan yang diberi (walau sekadar mengembalikan senyuman ke wajah kita) . Malangnya (sebenarnya dengan kehendak Allah), Mantik telah kembali ke rahmatullah, dipanggil Illahi beberapa hari kemudian. Kita boleh merancang, sesiapa pun boleh buat planning. Plan untuk bekerja di mana-mana, plan untuk menambah baik taraf hidup dan sebagainya. Tetapi papa nak pesan pada anak-anak papa, perancangan Allah mengatasi segala-galanya. Kita wajib berusaha tetapi jangan kita menyesali takdir.

In the nutshell (papa dah nak pergi office ni), sekali lagi papa nak pesan pada anak-anak papa, jangan memandang sesuatu perkara yang terjadi itu berdasarkan racial/nation/religion profiling. Semua perkara (baik dan buruk) boleh terjadi kepada sesiapa sahaja dan di mana sahaja. Jangan menyalahkan takdir jika sesuatu buruk terjadi kepada kita dan wajib kita bersyukur jika kita mendapat sesuatu yang menyenangkan. Harap-harap, apa yang terjadi kepada Mantik, akan sama-sama kita mengambil iktibarnya. Kenang betapa pengorbanan Mantik sanggup meninggalkan keluarga demi mencari rezeki, kenang betapa ada manusia yang berhatikan binatang sanggup melakukan sesuatu pada tahap binatang, kenang betapa ada manusia yang berjiwa suci sanggup membantu Mantik yang dalam kesusahan. Yang bersalah tetap harus dihukum.

Papa sayang anak-anak papa.

p/s walaupun begitu, sebagai rakyat Malaysia, anak-anak papa wajib berkelakuan baik. Jagalah nama baik keluarga, bangsa dan negara. Ingat, bukan semua orang sama. Walaupun kita boleh berfikiran positif, ada orang lain yang tidak dapat berbuat demikian disebabkan banyak faktor seperti kemarahan, tahap pendidikan dan latarbelakang keluarga. Kita perlu punya perasaan ehsan. (Ehsan is empathy)

60 days without cigarette.

2009-10-21T16:55:00.003+08:00

(21 August 2009 - 21 October 2009)

The good son always returns home.

2009-10-15T16:54:00.002+08:00

That is how a saying in Dominican goes. I wanted to write something about this but I do not know where and how to start. I just know how it feels. I'll leave it this way, leaving it unexpressed.

Misi Bantuan ke Padang bersama ASPPI

2009-10-12T12:05:00.013+08:00

Saya sampai ke Padang pada hari Sabtu dengan beberapa objektif:
1. Untuk memberi sokongan moral kepada kawan-kawan di sana
2. Untuk melihat dengan mata kepala sendiri kesan bencana kekuasaan Allah
3. Untuk menjernihkan fikiran saya tentang berita-berita sensasi mainan media
4. Untuk menghulurkan sedikit bantuan tenaga dan barangan lain
5. Untuk menguji sejauh mana kekuatan mental saya 'mengembara tanpa rokok'

Sesampai saya di Airport Minangkabau, sahabat saya Pak Joni sudah menunggu bersama dengan Pak Rudolf. Kami berpelukan, gembira bercampur sedih. Suasana di bandara sangat sibuk, menurut kawan-kawan travel agent di sana, lebih sibuk dari mana-mana peak season termasuk hari raya. Tujuan kami ialah ke Pariaman, bersama dengan ASPPI (Asosiasi Professional Pariwisata Indonesia). Kedatangan para sukarelawan dari seluruh dunia, disambut dengan kata-kata semangat oleh masyarakat Padang. Pegawai imigresen juga menyambut kami dengan penuh mesra dan semangat sambil mengucapkan terimakasih tidak terhingga atas kesudian kami bersimpati dengan nasib mereka. Semua pemberian dan bantuan diterima dengan hati terbuka. Keadaan di airport memang betul-betul mencerminkan kebesaran hati mereka menerima tetamu, terasa keikhlasan dan rasa terimakasih mereka, walau tidak diucapkan.

(Semangat warga Padang)

Perjalanan kami ke Pariaman diiringi dengan kereta polis, mempercepatkan perjalanan. Pak Romi menerangkan, kami akan terus membawa bantuan sendiri ke kawasan bencana kerana terdapat bantuan yang tidak sampai, malah ada juga bantuan yang berakhir dikedai-kedai sebagai stok untuk jualan. Ini adalah lumrah manusia, ada segelintir yang mengambil kesempatan atas kesusahan orang lain. Sepanjang perjalanan, kami melalui runtuhan-runtuhan rumah dan bangunan di kiri dan kanan jalan. Gabungan ASPPI terdiri dari mereka-mereka yang terlibat secara langsung dan tidak langsung dalam parawisata Indonesia. Turut bersama kami adalah wartawan TV dari Metro TV Indonesia.

(Bersama sebahagian dari pasukan Tourism Soldier ASPPI)

Setiba kami di sebuah kampong pedalaman di Pariaman, kami bergabung bersama pasukan sukarelawan dari Malaysia, iaitu Yayasan Amal Malaysia dan wakil sukarelawan dari IMI iaitu Dr. Maria (dari Brazil) dan Pedro (a male nurse dari Portugal). Saya terkejut kerana berjumpa dengan YB Dr. Mohd Hayati bersama dengan sukarelawan Amal di sana.

(Pasukan Bantuan Perubatan Amal Malaysia)

Penduduk kampong seramai 900 orang mendapat bantuan dari para sukarelawan. Sedih melihat suasana di perkampongan, dengan runtuhan rumah di mana-mana. Lebih menyedihkan lagi apabila mendengan cerita dari Pak Joni, pada hari kejadian gempa itu, setelah rumah mereka hancur, malam itu pula hujan turun dengan lebatnya. Saya tidak dapat bayangkan bagaimana seksanya mereka, dengan anak-anak menangis kesejukan dan kelaparan, pakaian basah kuyup sehelai sepinggang sambil menahan kesakitan akibat kecederaan.

(Seorang ibu sayu di tengah runtuhan rumahnya)

Ada juga suara-suara sinis dari masyarakat setempat mengatakan bahawa kalau tidak kerana gempa, mungkin mereka tidak pernah berjumpa dengan doktor seumur hidup mereka. Ya, Allah mencipta sesuatu kejadian bagi mereka-mereka yang ingin berfikir. Namun, memang mereka bersyukur dengan bantuan yang diberikan kepada mereka. Saya sempat berborak-borak dengan penduduk setempat bertanyakan perasaan dan pendapat mereka sebagai orang biasa (yang sudah semestinya tidak dipengaruhi oleh provokasi media dan internet). Sangat memeranjatkan kerana mereka langsung tidak tahu tentang isu 'hubungan dingin' antara Malaysia dan Indonesia. Isu seperti bekalan yang ditolak, isu pasukan bantuan dari Malaysia yang dilempar batu, isu pasukan Malaysia dipanggil maling, semuanya tidak pernah mereka dengari. Malah wartawan Metro TV yang bersama saya juga tidak tahu isu-isu tersebut! Mereka ada mendengar isu tentang bahan makanan yang dihantar tamat tempoh tetapi mereka tidak melihat itu sebagai isu yang perlu dilihat walau dengan sebelah mata, sehingga mampu menutup fakta bahawa mereka sangat berterima kasih dengan bantuan dari Malaysia. Nampaknya, isu-isu tersebut sangat nyata mainan pihak yang berniat jahat - di Indonesia dan di Malaysia!

(Mengagihkan bantuan makanan dan pakaian)

Seharian kami di Pariaman. Baju yang dipakai sudah basah kuyup dek peluh. Cuaca amat panas. Kami dijamu dengan air kelapa muda. Best! Setelah seharian di Pariaman, kami pulang ke Padang. Hari kami rasanya tidak cukup lengkap kalau tak pekena teh tarik di Restoran Malabar. He he. Saya berharap, tidak ada sesiapa yang akan claim teh tarik sebagai budaya mereka. Nanti saya kempunan.

(Teh Tarik - tetap sedap walau dibuat di Indonesia)

Malam itu, saya bermalam di rumah Pak Joni. Alhamdulillah, terasa kemesraan sesama saudara serumpun. Sepanjang bersama Pak Joni dan Pak Rudolf, banyak ilmu-ilmu dapat kami kongsi bersama. Topik-topik perbincangan meliputi hal-hal perniagaan, pengurusan, sosialogi, agama, budaya dan sikap. Kami bersepakat untuk sama-sama menolak propaganda-propaganda jahat yang sengaja mahu melihat persaudaraan antara dua negara menjadi berantakan.

Sehari bersama pasukan bantuan memberi kepuasan kepada saya. Puas kerana dapat memberikan walau sedikit senyuman pada wajah mereka. Puas kerana banyak persoalan sudah terjawab. Puas kerana melihat kawan-kawan berganding bahu bertungkus lumus membantu sedaya mungkin. Puas melihat kemesraan antara yang membantu dan yang dibantu. Dan puas kerana berjaya membuktikan kepada diri saya sendiri bahawa saya semakin kuat mengharungi hari-hari tanpa rokok.

Bantuan makanan ke Padang

2009-10-08T15:09:00.006+08:00

I've got news from friends in Padang that a lot of bantuan makanan yang Malaysia hantar ke Padang dah expired. Kenapa jadi macam ni? Just ask ourself, are we sincere in giving our help? Ingatlah, hari ini hari mereka dalam kesusahan. Esok lusa siapa yang tahu. I am leaving for Padang on Saturday. Some of the things that I am bringing are Mee Segera, Milo, chocolate and biscuits. Anybody wants to join me?

Who cares?

2009-10-08T11:19:00.007+08:00

On one hand:
In collaboration with the Indonesian Embassy Kuala Lumpur, together with many other organisations in Malaysia, an account have been set up to properly channel aid to our friends in Padang. Those who wish to contribute, please bank in to the following account;

Bank: CIMB Bank
A/C Number: 1453 0001 5180 51
A/C Name: The Embassy of The Republic of Indonesia

The above is for those who cares.

And on the other hand:
Today, 8 October 2009, a new breed of terrorist in Indonesia, called Bendera is ' leaving for Malaysia by air, land and sea' to 'invade Malaysia and wage war and to kill Malaysians'. Ironically, the movement was established during this year's Indonesia presidential election.

And for the above, who cares?

Human Development Report 2009

2009-10-07T11:29:00.003+08:00

Malaysia stands at number 66 (out of 182) in the United Nation's latest Human Development Index (HDI) released yesterday. The HDI is a regular feature of the UN Human Development Report which is published annually. The HDI is a composit index covering education, health and income aspects of well being in a country. It is a measurement of a country's ability to offer its people opportunities to improve their lives based on economic opportunities, and access to healthcare and education. To determine a country's HDI, the study takes into consideration its per capita GDP, illiteracy, school enrollment rates and life expectancy indicator. The 2009 HDR explores how better policies towards human mobility can enhance human developement, hence the theme for 2009 is Overcoming Barriers: Human Mobility and Development.

It is interesting to note Malaysia's position which obtained an HDI value of 0.829 , made it to the High Human Development Bracket. Regionally, Singapore is leading at 23rd position, followed by Brunei (30), Malaysia (66) and Thailand (87). Trailing way behind are Philippines (105), Indonesia (111), Vietnam (116), Laos (133), Cambodia (137) and Myanmar (138). Reading the report expand the understanding of the effect of immigrant workers (legal and illegal) in Malaysia, and the cost and benefit to both home country and the migrants' countries of origin. While there is broad consensus about the value of skilled migration to destination countries, low skilled migrant workers generate much controversies, in Malaysia as a case. Other concerns include heightened risk of crime, added burdens on local services and the fear of losing social and cultural cohesion. Eventhough these concerns are often exaggerated, but superior-inferior perception between the two parties are often manipulated by politicians and media.

Moving forward, the report lays out a core package of reforms. Eventhough it sounded very idealistic - thats what reports are for :-) - they are all have important and complimentary contributions to make to human development. For origin countries, more systematic consideration of the profile of migration and its benefits, costs and risks would provide a better basis for integrating movement into national development strategies. For destination countries, the how and when of reforms will depends on a realistic look at economic and social conditions, taking into account public opinion and politcal constraints.

PMR Exam tomorrow

2009-10-06T20:17:00.004+08:00

Good luck to Bang Ngah for your PMR which starts tomorrow. Whatever the results will be, itu adalah yang terbaik untuk Ngah yang Tuhan telah tetapkan. Papa dan Mama nampak dan tahu kesungguhan Ngah untuk berjaya dalam peperiksaan ini. Walau apa sekalipun, kita harus ingat bahawa kita hanya merancang, sedang Allah juga memiliki perancangan-Nya, tapi perancangan Allah adalah yang terbaik. Papa dan Mama doakan Ngah mendapat yang terbaik. Restu Papa dan Mama mengiringi Ngah ke dewan peperiksaan.

Majlis Graduasi SMKTTDI

2009-10-03T23:17:00.014+08:00

Added 5 Oct:
The Sunday after Graduation Day, ramai Bang Long's friends datang beraya kat rumah sambil main Rockband 2. To anak-anak semua Uncle nak pesan, SPM tingal about 40 days aja lagi, so stay focus and concentrate. It is your choice. Nak susah sekarang (while you get full support from people around you) or nak susah kemudian (while you have to support other people around you). 40 days to determine YOUR FUTURE!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Stage backdrop)

Last night we attended Graduation Day for SMKTTDI, specially arranged for SPM and STPM classes. Imran was the Ketua Jawatankuasa dan Penyelaras and Bang Long was in the committee. Congratulations, it was a good and well organised event. Imran and the gang did a very well job. There are a few things that might be considered for improvements, I have conveyed to Long. I spent quiet a lot to bring the whole family to the event, to show our support to Bang Long. It's a family affair and we had good times.

(The Graduations)

(Imran the Ketua Jawatankuasa dan Penyelaras did a very good job)

(Photographers at work!)

(Bang Long and Luqman as MC)

(Friends Forever)

Entry by Ateh dalam blog Keluarga Kita here

Padang Earthquake

2009-10-01T12:24:00.005+08:00

How is Hadi and family? Pak Alex and family? Pak Herman and family? Febby and family? Joni and family? My smses were to no avail. I managed to talk to Ivan yesterday and he is safe. Awal was also safe. I am looking for any NGO going to Padang, to be a volunteer. Maybe we can be of some assistance.

(Emmmm... forget about their Ganyang Malaysia, Sweep Malaysia. Those are from the gobloks, the stupids, people with chronic inferiority complex, low IQ, frogs under the coconut shell. I am concern about my friends)

Eid 2009 - The Raya

2009-09-24T14:45:00.007+08:00

(My family with Mak during raya morning)

Pepagi lagi dah sibuk kejutkan anak-anak, nak pegi semayang raya. Last-last, Long was left behind. Lambat sangat bangun. I took the rest - Ngah, Teh, Kakak, DeDe and Anek. Mama dia tak boleh pegi. Best betul dapat jalan dengan anak-anak aja. He he. Sampai kat surau, I arrange the girls place and help them to put their telekong on. I proceed to the male prayer hall with the boys. Dah lama tak masuk surau ni. Abang Sani (the imam) is finalising the Takbir before leading the Eid Prayer. Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar Walillah Ilhamd. Masa dengar khutbah, teringat masa arwah Apak jadi imam dulu. He will practice reading the khutbah the day before raya. I will usually coach him with his pronunciation. At least he wont pronounce 'cyber' wrongly.

Lepas sembahyang raya, kami adik beradik berkumpul sambil makan-makan. This is the bestest part kalau raya. Hiruk pikuk dengan deraian tawa sambil bergurau senda. Last night after Isyak, we had our normal tradition of family takbir. Bang Ngah Zainol never fail to lead the takbir since apak passed away. So, this morning, everybody is fresh and clean. And the giving of duit raya is the most awaited event, especially by the kids. The general rule is those who hasn't work will entitle for the duit raya. So, beraturlah masing-masing nak dapatkan dut raya. It is not the money that matter most, especially to the bigger kids (like those final year degree students yang gedik terlebih beratur nak duit raya jugak-jugak). Buat heboh tu yang best. Lagi lah pulak bila Elli, Shazwan dan Baby (yang dah nak graduate with their degree) tersangatlah sportingnya. Itu yang buat lagi best! Anyway, kalau nak kira in average, the children is getting RM180 per person. Itu belum termasuk duit upah puasa.

(My Mother during Hari Raya)

Check out at KeluargaKita for more happennings!

Eid 2009 - The Balik Kampong

2009-09-23T17:50:00.015+08:00

(The Balik Kampong Luggage)

I thought it will be a jam-giler trip to balik kampong on Saturday, the eve of Hari Raya. But quite surprisingly, even my children noticed it, the journey was very smooth. Nothing held us back for the 2 1/2 hours journey.

The highway was boring, very monotonous. Only palm oil trees on the left and right of the road. Added with the puasa punya pukulan, the mengantuk was almost unbearable. Only after Seremban, passing through Bukit Putus, we felt rejuvenated, thanks to the virgin tropical reserved we were passing through. The smell of country leaves and cool breeze is so refreshing.

We arrived Kuala Pilah earlier than expected. The usually crazy traffic during festival and holiday was nowhere to be seen. Betul ke nak raya esok?

(Kalau bulih nak jadi cikgu sekolah, kek Kolo Pilah!)

5 kilometres away from the Kuala Pilah town is my kampong, Kampong Pulau Pandan. Located alongside Sungai Muar, the population is only about 30 people during normal days and swells into about 300 during festivals and long holidays. Greeting us on entrance is a surau where the village people will gather for prayer. The surau is very sentimental to me. Here is where I learn and grow a Muslim. Apak was the Imam for almost 13 years here before he passed away in 1998. This is the place where I learn to read Quran when I was kid, together with other kampong buddies - E'cha, Chunai, Apit, Abg Apa (arwah), Awang, Padey, Eidir, Alim (arwah) and Azam. We will prepare coconut-leaves torch to light our walk back after mengaji session, usually will finish at about 9pm. I will always be the favourite student for Tok Achik who tought us the Quran. Sometimes he will take me with him on his bicycle home. He influenced my life. On this surau also I practised my azan reciting. Ateh Kadir will usually corrected me whenever I went wrong. And on this surau also, Arwah Abang Udin thought me some basic Tarekat. But the old surau was not as 'modern' as this one. It only gets this look with the help of Abang Zainol (Tan Sri).

(Surau Kampong Pulau Pandan)

On approaching Mak's house, we can already see kepulan asap showing that Lemang and Rendang is cooking. Mak's house is the first house in the kampong located on the left side of the road. Prevously, the current 'front' of the house was actually the 'back' portion of the house. The original 'front' is facing Sungai Muar.

(Rumah Mak on the left of the road)

Apak and Mak save their money to build the house, little by little. Now the house has 5 sections. The original 'front' has 3 bedrooms (me and my 2 younger brothers, Chu and Hisham, share this area) and a living where the boys and anak bujang will sleep. Then the original 'rumah ibu' has 2 bedrooms (for Kak Cik and Dik Nor) and a bathroom. The extended 'rumah ibu' was built somewhere in 1971, when I started schooling, has 3 bedrooms (for Along, Ngah and Ateh) and a store room. Together, both old 'rumah ibu' and the new 'rumah ibu' share a big hall where usually the girls and anak-anak dara will sleep during gathering. So all 8 siblings are having our room there, a flight higher than the next section which is on ground level. This section is relatively new, renovated around 20 years ago. Here located Mak and Apak's room, and a small surau where Apak will spend most of his time reading and praying if he is alone. Normally, when I come back from boarding school or university, he will pray at the 'front' section so that Apak and I can pray together and he will teach me to read Quran (and understand it) - Soomm moomm book moomm umm yoummm fahoummm laa yar ji'oun.... he he he. I can still hear very clearly his dengung while teaching me that phrase! Together with this section is a big living area where we will gather around watching tv (and gossipping). But not very long ago, err.. like few weeks ago... Mak extended the house further, Section No 5. Hmmm... this area, according to her, is to be left empty. It is a lepak area, unwalled, open system. I just say, ok Mak, do whatever you wish, no question ask, we will obliged, as long as you are happy.

Whenever balik kampong, the memories of the past will surely linger in my head.

(to be continued with Eid 2009 - The Raya)

Eid Mubarak

2009-09-17T13:36:00.004+08:00

I received a very special Hari Raya card today from Amir-Husiners. Thank you. It touches my heart. Selamat Hari Raya to my dearest business partner, Tuan Haji Husin. We've been through thick and thin together not without disagreements and ill-feelings. To Sarimah the Support Service Head ,Chu the Event and Promotion Head , Khairul the Card Services Head , Along the Fleet Operations Head , Hasrin the Tour Marketing Head, Mat Tarzan the Tour Operation Head and the whole Amir-Husiners - Ish, Farah, Aznor, Hasni, Shahril, Hadi, Jai, Pok Nik, Epen, Duan, Bahi, Sagat, Kenit, Awal, Marzuhaimi, Nurul, Azhar, Mus, Firdaus, Ari, Pak Amir, Azlan and Shah. Not to forget ex-Amir-Husiners wherever you are now - some that I can remember - Zul, Faizal, Amin, Nasha, Nita, Azizi, Ija, Azwan, Anas, Yaton, Waheeda, Ujang, Khai, Wan. Maaf Zahir Batin.

I will be celebrating Raya at my mother's house at Kuala Pilah. The office will be closed from Saturday 19 Sept and to open back on Wednesday 23 Sept.

In approaching Aidil Fitri

2009-09-16T12:36:00.002+08:00

Today is 26 Ramadhan. The Ramadhan of this year brings a lot of personal meaning to me. A month full of challenges and yet full of Allah's bounty. Alhamdulillah, at Amir-Husin, we share some of the fruits we planted by distributing an interim bonus to all qualified staff. Yes, praise to Allah, despite some glitches in general world economy, we relished. All this is happening because of hard work and perseverance performance by all Amir-Husiners. We also enjoy RM500 Duit Raya, each and everyone of us. It comes from the bottom of my heart. It is satisfying to see smiles and happiness on faces of people that you love. I love all my people. It breaks my heart when I see their struggles and difficulties in fulfilling their tasks. And the satisfaction to be able to give something back to them is indescribable, only God knows.

26 Ramadhan - 25 days without cigarette. This is the best so far. I am determined to push further. For me and for my children.

But, Ramadhan is not without sorrow. It reminds me of some friends that used to share some part of my life. Wherever you are, peace be upon you.

Well, Aidil Fitri is around the corner. I am taking this opportunity to wish all Amir-Husiners and fellow friends a very happy Eid. Maaf Zahir dan Batin. Drive carefully, see you again after Raya with new semangat. God Bless!

Iklan Raya Petronas 2003

2009-09-10T18:54:00.001+08:00

09.09.09

2009-09-09T16:41:00.002+08:00

Taking the opportunity on this 'nice date' to sign S&P for my Apartment at B1-1-11, Banjaria Court.

16 Days.

2009-09-07T00:00:00.003+08:00

16 days and counting! Bakar has done 97 days. Jealous. Approach through The Power of Play angle. Last night was most challenging. Friends from Indonesia, Thailand and home country Malaysia sat together and cigeretting! Lemas dalam gumpalan asap, sambil menguatkan semangat untuk tidak menyertai mereka. Alhamdulillah, few hours yang sangat meyakinkan.

2009-09-03T15:48:00.002+08:00

I was looking at Referrer Report to my Traffic Counter. It shows some keyword used by visitor to arrive at my blog. Interestingly, the same keyword brings my blog and my niece's blog together. Hmmm... geniuses think alike.

2009-09-03T10:41:00.002+08:00

In reading and doing some research about what is the real situation in regards to 'the cow-head march', I came across the following statement by a reader.

"It does not matter if the temple is next to a drain, iwk or whatever. The greatest temple in hinduism is the parents heart & the steps to heaven are the parents feet."

Motivation to Quit No 1.

2009-09-02T13:38:00.000+08:00

11 Ramadhan - 11 Non Smoking Days

2009-09-01T17:19:00.002+08:00

Yay! Not as difficult as before. I can feel my chest is light and empty. I think I can do this but I am looking for a real motivation as I started all this just 'for the sake of doing it!' No real intention.

Hubungan Malaysia - Indonesia.

2009-09-01T15:01:00.004+08:00

Saya sangat kecewa dengan telatah teman-teman dari negara seberang, Indonesia, dalam respond beberapa isu kecil antara Malaysia dan Indonesia kebelakangan ini. Pada saya, isu-isu tersebut hanyalah isu kecil. Mungkin besar skalanya jika saya berada di tahap pemerintah (sudah semestinya untuk kepentingan politik, sama seperti di Malaysia). Berikut adalah nota yang di spam ke dalam email saya semalam.

"Today, August 31, 2009, an uncreative country, a country who likes to steal Indonesian culture, a country whose citizen is the mastermind of bombings in Indonesia, a country who has tortured many of our sisters — the migrant workers who worked there, a country who abused our national anthem, a country who harassed Indonesia on the Internet, a country that has stolen Sipadan and Ligitan islands, a country which has trespassed our water illegally, a country which received their independence from Britain, is celebrating its anniversary"

Jawaban saya cukup mudah:
1. Asal usul Malaysia dan Indonesia adalah serumpun. Pada waktu itu tidak ada Malaysia dan Indonesia, kedua-dua negara cuma terbentuk pada tahun 1965 apabila Malaysia ditubuhkan. 'Mencuri kebudayaan Indonesia' adalah fakta yang silap. Pada pandangan saya, ia lebih kepada penerusan kebudayaan turun temurun. Orang-orang berbangsa Jawa berhak meneruskan budaya mereka walau di mana mereka berada. Orang-orang berbangsa Cina, India, Arab, Minang dan lain-lain juga berhak meneruskan budaya mereka. Inilah yang uniknya tentang Malaysia. Pelbagai budaya dari pelbagai kaum diteruskan, mesra, tergabung dan terpelihara. Cuma disebabkan orang Melayu adalah majoriti dan menyerlah, maka budaya merekalah menjadi teras dan tunjang kepada kebudayaan Malaysia. Tidak pernah saya ketahui atau dengar, Malaysia mendakwa budaya Cina sebagai budaya Malaysia melainkan diperkenalkan sebagai budaya Cina yang dipelihara dan dipraktikkan oleh ORANG-ORANG CINA di Malaysia. Orang-orang Jawa, Bugis, Minang dan lain-lain bukan hanya tinggal di Indonesia. Mereka juga menetap di New York, Paris dan Kuala Lumpur. Kecuali Jawa, Minang dan Bugis Indonesia tidak mengiktiraf Jawa, Minang dan Bugis New York sebagai sebangsa dengan mereka.

2. Berkenaan dengan Nordin Mat Top yang dikatakan mastermind kepada peristiwa pengebomana di Jakarta. Saya tidak percaya Nordin bertindak berseorangan, tentu ada orang-orang beliau dari kalangan orang-orang Indonesia yang menderhaka kepada negara mereka sendiri. Orang Malaysia menjadi ketua dan orang Indonesia menjadi pencacai. Salah orang Malaysia?

3. Mendera tenaga kerja warga Indonesia? Apa kata kita banci berapa ramai tenaga kerja warga Indonesia yang mendatangkan masalah kepada Malaysia? Mari kita mudahkan cerita. Kerajaan Indonesia jangan benarkan rakyat Indonesia bekerja di Malaysia dan Kerajaan Malaysia tidak benarkan warga Indonesia bekerja di sini. Biar kedua-dua pihak susah. Jangan kita kaji siapa yang lebih susah dari siapa. Baru-baru ini kerajaan Indonesia menghentikan penghantaran pembantu rumah Indonesia ke Malaysia, disertai dengan kata-kata bersemangat dari pemimpin politik mereka membakar perasaan amarah kepada Malaysia. Tetapi apakah itu yang dimahukan oleh rakyatnya yang merempat? Pembatu rumah saya yang baru, Mia Agustina dari Tenggerang, Jawa baru mula bekerja 30 August yang lalu. 4 orang pembantu rumah saya yang lepas juga orang Indonesia. Mereka peduli? Saya juga tidak peduli!

4. Lagu Negaraku dikatakan berasal dari lagu Terang Bulan, dari Indonesia. Nasihat saya kepada Kerajaan Malaysia, kita tukar aja lagu kebangsaan kita. Walaupun telah terbukti Terang Bulan juga merupakan lagu saduran dari Perancis (atau mungkin dari Kepulauan Seycelles)

5. Isu lain kebanyakannya adalah isu persempadanan yang bukan tercapai oleh rakyat biasa seperti saya (dan kebanyakan orang Indonesia yang menjerit-jerit di dalam internet).

6. Tindakan menggodam laman web dari Malaysia sempena sambutan kemerdekaan Malaysia semalam juga menjadi bahan tawa dan lawak rakyat Malaysia. Soalannya, itu sahaja yang anda mampu? Tindakan anak kecil hingusan yang lapar susu. Ya, mungkin anda hebat tetapi apa faedahnya? Anda hanya menyusahkan orang lain. Dan anda mahu orang Malaysia menghormati orang Indonesia dengan cara bertindak begini?

Banyak lagi isu-isu remeh yang menjadi igauan kepada orang Indonesia. Kenapa ya? Saya pernah ditanya oleh teman dari Palembang soalan itu. Jawaban ikhlas saya kepada beliau ialah, semuanya kerana perbezaan jurang ekonomi yang ternampak terlalu besar. Satu pihak merasakan lebih superior dari pihak yang lain, digandakan dengan perasaan inferior pihak yang satu lagi. Apabila perasaan superior-inferior ini meresap kedalam hati masing-masing, sikap-sikap positif seperti melihat kehadapan, berdaya saing, terbuka, berpengetahuan, maju dan semua sifat-sifat positif lain akan diterjemahkan dan dilihat sebagai sombong, bongkak, angkuh, menekan dan menghina oleh pihak yang berperasaan inferior. Sedangkan jurang ekonomi yang dikatakan besar itu, secara relatifnya tidak wujud. Mungkin taraf ekonomi di Malaysia lebih baik dari Indonesia, tetapi kos sara hidup lebih tinggi (ingat, saya terpaksa membayar pembantu rumah dari Indonesia?)

Kita buang jauh-jauh tanda aras dunia dan materialistik. Jadikan nilai budi dan ehsan hati sebagai tanda aras baru dalam mencari kesatuan dan kemurnian hidup.

5 Ramadhan 1430

2009-08-26T12:31:00.002+08:00

5 hari dalam bulan Ramadhan, I am approaching my 120th hour of my "Katakan Tak Nak" campaign. Tapi yang peliknya, I don't feel anything! I am still coughing. People say "Within 12 hours after you have your last cigarette, your body will begin to heal itself. The levels of carbon monoxide and nicotine in your system will decline rapidly, and your heart and lungs will begin to repair the damage caused by cigarette smoke." Oh yeah? Tak rasa apa-apa pun?

"Within a few days, you'll probably begin to notice some remarkable changes in your body. Your sense of smell and taste may improve. You'll breathe easier, and your smoker's hack will begin to disappear, although you may notice that you still cough for a while. And you'll be free from the mess, smell, inconvenience, expense, and dependence of cigarette smoking." Ooooo......

Tak pa lah... what ever... Just do it.

Air Asia flight makes emergency landing in Macao

2009-08-26T12:28:00.001+08:00

Is this the start of the beginning?

False Alarm: Air Asia flight makes emergency landing in Macao
Wednesday, 26 August 2009

An Air Asia plane carrying 148 passengers was forced to make an emergency landing Monday morning at Macau International Airport (MIA).

Flight No. AK50 began smoothly when it set off from Kuala Lumpur early Monday morning, it was only when the Airbus A320 aircraft was flying into Macao at 10:00am local time (GMT 0200) that a warning light was set off, signalling the aircraft’s emergency door was open.

The pilot immediately informed MIA of the aircrafts situation and proceeded to make a safe emergency landing.

None of the passengers on board the plane was injured, a spokeswoman from the MIA said.

Air Asia later confirmed that the warning light was falsely activated and the emergency door of the aircraft had been securely locked when the plane was airborne.
Air Asia has a fleet of 72 aircraft and operates over 400 flights every day from hubs located in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.

Source = e-Travel Blackboard: C.F

Haji Omar bin Yunus (1928 - 1998)

2009-08-20T15:36:00.003+08:00

Hari ini genap 11 tahun arwah apak pergi meninggalkan kami buat selama-lamanya. Terlalu banyak kenangan indah sepanjang 34 tahun membesar dibawah naungan arwah. Masa balik kampong minggu lepas, sempat berbual-bual dengan mak, mengimbau kenangan lalu semasa arwah masih bersama kami, mengenang harapan-harapan arwah yang ditinggalkan kepada kami. Sedikit sebanyak, saya telah berjaya memenuhi impian arwah. Kewujudan blog KELUARGA KITA adalah salah satu dari manifestasi harapan arwah.

Insyaallah Pak. Amir akan terus berusaha memegang amanah Apak.

Al-Fatehah.

Dalam hal Rohaizat Othman

2009-08-19T20:31:00.005+08:00

Dalam keadaan biasa, selalunya saya akan bersimpati dengan hal-hal yang melibatkan kesilapan masa lampau. Saya sering melakukan kesilapan dan saya juga sering mengharapkan agar orang lain dapat melihat saya sepertimana saya pada hari ini. Namun, tidak banyak, sedikit, pasti ada terselit di sanubari kepahitan menelan kesakitan akibat perbuatan lampau yang dikenakan ke atas kita. Itu manusia. Simpati itu, samada dizahirkan dalam bentuk kemaafan atau tidak, samada ditaklik kan atau terpendam, hanya empunya badan yang mengetahui.

Rohaizat Othman yang saya kenali, pernah membuat kesilapan. Seperti juga manusia lain. Saya cuba menilai Rohaizat Othman hari ini berdasarkan apa yang saya lihat Rohaizat Othman pada hari ini. Bukan sebagai Rohaizat Othman yang pernah membuat kesilapan pada suatu masa dahulu. Samada beliau layak memimpin penduduk Permatang Pasir sebagai wakil mereka, itu terpulang kepada penduduk Permatang Pasir sendiri. Apabila Rohaizat Othman bersedia menawarkan diri untuk diadili, Rohaizat Othman juga sewajibnya sudah bersedia ditelanjangi. Rohaizat Othman sudah pasti telah melihat diri ke dalam cermin, melihat supaya tidak ada parut yang bakal mengaibkan. Sekarang, beliau bukan lagi milik peribadi, sekurang-kurangnya dalam tempoh waktu berkempen. Selamat berjaya kepada Rohaizat Othman, walaupun saya agak pasti kemenangan itu terlalu jauh untuk dijangkau.

Fed up with DAP!

2009-08-10T21:49:00.003+08:00

I tried to stay away from the political scene for the last 10 years or so. My full concentration is on my family and business. Nevertheless, I still keep abreast with colleagues and friends in that circle. And my inclination is still on the left side. However, I became fed up and tired with the selfishness of DAP. Their tolerance level has deteriorating (or have they ever tolerated anything?). I thing, the next GE, Pakatan Rakyat will loose if DAP do not buck up! UMNO is racist, but they are the party for the Malays. They have all the reason to be racist. Same goes to MCA and MIC. But the DAPs are supposed to be democratic and multi-racial, similar to PKR. At least that is what their constitution says. Next GE will depends on how DAP and its supporters behave. If they still behave like gangsters, I say bye bye!

Anek's 7th Birthday

2009-08-03T17:58:00.015+08:00

Last Saturday we celebrated Anek's Birthday. Her birthday is actually on the 27th July but she decided to call her friends to party with her on the 1st August. It was a pool party at D'Shire Club.

Anek (adik, but she pronounce it Anek when she was small) is not so quiet as her name should meant - Nurul Najihah Najwa (pronounciation in Arabic should be Nuurun naajihatun najwa). Quite argumentative especially with the elder sisters because she knows the sisters will always give in. Being the youngest of the siblings doesn't mean she is the pet of the family (emmmm Fuzzy is! He he) She was born with G6PD deficiency, sama dengan Ngah - one of the reason why the brothers and sisters are so concern about her. I guess she must be very lucky being the youngest in the family - enjoy the don't-wants of the elders (a nicer term of trashes, comprises of old yellowish suppose-to-be-white dress, loose pyjama bottom that she got to roll at the waist, headless Barbie dolls, torn Barney then hand-stitched by Papa, used story books with missing pages)

So, the party was giler cool! Managed by The Power of Play for Kids team of Bang Long and Friends.

This picture taken on Anek's actual birthday we celebrated at home earlier.

With some of friends during Pool Party.

Special appearance of Cikgu Ganesan and Cikgu Rasul - two of the favourite teachers of my daughters.

And specially flown down from Penang, Marsha and Baby Najwa.

Event was managed by POP Team Bang Long and Friends. Tu yang best bila dah ada anak bujang, he can take over for events like this, and he managed it very well! Thank you to Yusof, Daniel and Fariz too for being very efficient. Nanti boleh kerja dengan Uncle!

And the birthday song (candle tertinggal kat rumah, so Long terpaksa guna lighter aja)

Happy Birthday darling! Papa loves you!

Selalu Mengalah

2009-07-31T22:36:00.003+08:00

I may not a sentimental guy who goes around carried away with sentimental songs. Maybe I was, (hehe) during school days. Tapi masa tu terikut ikut dengan kengkawan yang tangkap leleh. However, I am also not a stone hearted guy either. I listen to romantic sad songs, feel it and get influenced by it once in a while, but that doesn't mean I will get carried away with it. I consider myself as more pop and rock rather than ballad melancholic follower. I love this song, by an Indonesian group, Seventeen, titled Selalu Mengalah.

Jelaskan padaku isi hatimu
Seberapa besar kau yakin padaku
Untuk tetap bisa bertahan denganku
Menjaga cinta ini

Pertengkaran yg terjadi
Seperti semua salahku

Mengapa slalu aku yg mengalah
Tak pernahkah kau berfikir
Sedikit tentang hatiku
Mengapa ku yang harus slalu mengalah
Pantaskah hatiku masih bisa bersamamu

I am tired being a captain - Penat menjadi nakhoda.

Back to basic

2009-07-26T01:49:00.002+08:00

Location : Kg. Pulau Pandan, Mak’s house.

Quiet night. Cool. Serene. Only sounds of crickets and frogs from the dark. Once in a while, the sounds of cars passing by heard from afar. Sitting alone at the verandah, sweet old memories of old days creeping to my mind. I am looking at once a paddy field. I used to run and play by the bays, enjoying my childhood, no responsibilities.

I am taking time to access my business. Together with my partner, Haji Husin, we have developed this partnership into a quite steady trade. With the committments by the Heads of Business Units and Support Service staffs, we have build quite an unwavering organisation. Suddenly, I realized I have been too ambitious lately. Business books say, in business we should always think big. Aim high. If you get lower, it’s still good. Aim low. If you get lower, it’s really bad. But am I setting too large goals in such short period of times? Am I over-promised myself? Am I being realistic? I think, I have to go back to basic. Focus on consistencies. A consistent stream of successful business transactions will eventually lead closer to the intended goals. It is not just limited in term of profits. It could be how consistent the employees are at work, how consistent the sales have been, how good we run our customer services, how consistent we are on our line of actions, etc.

I have to go back to basic. Concentrate on the target markets. The customers and clients are my profit generators. We need to find out what these people really want from our business. Better product? Better service? Better price? I will look back into their needs – with respect and importance, and that the money they are spending is worth its prices.

I have to go back to basic. Look into ourselves, our organization, our company, our team. We need to work smoothly and in-sync to produce comprehensive and satisfactory results. Broken communication, unfocused staff and motivations issues are some kinks that can bring dooms to our organization.

I have to go back to basic. Look into our products. It can be tangible which people can hold, see, smell and touch, or intangible like well organized services. Introducing a new product is NOT going to improve our profit margin. I do not think we will need a ‘new’ product, I just need to improve on the current one that I already have. Apple iPod never really did add new products to this product until recently. They basically improved on their base model by following industry and customer trends.

I realized, the basics of my business should be the ones to be answered first before jumping into new product or so-called innovative ideas. I don’t want to lose direction!

Nota Hati Seorang Lelaki.

2009-07-21T21:20:00.003+08:00

It is my latest read by Pahrol Mohamad Juoi. He claimed that his book is just a 'biasa-biasa' book but he note "carilah sesuatu yang luar biasa di sebalik buku yang biasa-biasa ini". True to his word, it is just a 'biasa -biasa' book. But I found some common characteristic of a lelaki in him and the lelaki in me.

Izinkan lelaki itu pergi
Walau kakinya bagai terpasung luka
Walau hatinya tercalar bisa
Izinkan dia melangkah jua

Tangismu tidak dia lupakan
Bukan dia tega
Bukan dia rela
Tetapi dia terpaksa
Izinkan dia pergi jua

Di hatinya ada wahyu yang merayu
Di situ tidak pernah ada tunggu
Walau terjerat... walau terikat
Dia mesti pergi jua

Ah, genderang itu telah berbunyi
Dia terpaksa pergi
Jangan kau tunggu lagi
Mari pergi bersamanya
Walau terseksa, lelaki itu kan pergi jua!

Lelakis are unstoppable creature. He will do what he wills. Along the way, he will hurt his loved ones but that doesn't mean love is not in his heart. He will cry alone in the dark when nobody is watching, but that doesn't stop him from doing what he wants. Ah, men! Full of eccentricities! (or is it me?)

Rindu kat Mak

2009-07-21T18:16:00.002+08:00

Dah dekat 2 bulan I did not visit my mum. The last time (a month ago) was just a short 'drop by' which doesn't count as a visit. A visit must be at least minimum 1 night stay at her house, makan her cook dan sembang-sembang sampai tengah malam bercerita hal adik adik dan adik beradik. I admit, I am not a person who goes back balik kampong and tak tau duduk diam berkemas kawasan sekitar. That will be my younger brother, Chu. (By the way, today is Chu's 41st birthday. Happy birthday Chu!). My balik kampong means lepak-lepak kat rumah mak, baring-baring, tidur, makan, nganja-nganja dengan mak, borak-borak dengan mak, watch TV, lepak-lepak, baring-baring, lepak-lepak lagi, makan lagi, sampailah masa untuk balik KL balik. Eventhough I like that one, mak tetap sayang me one. Nantilah, I will try to balik kampong this weekend. Nak lepas rindu kat mak.

A very dangerous article by Zainul Arifin of NSTP

2009-07-19T23:23:00.000+08:00

A descent point of view at first, but later turn into a very dangerous racist article. How could a very senior journalist write something like this? Shame on you! So, are you suggesting that it is OK if you are a Malay, and later found dead after being interrogated by the authority, because the interrogator are Malays? Brainless. It is not about race, it is about the death of a non-suspect Malaysian who were found dead in a government agency's office after being interrogated for straight 10 hours (from 5pm). Allah has predetermined our death - when, where and how. Zainul Arifin keep that belief all the way, until when he wrote "Kenapa Menteri Besar Selangor, seorang Melayu, meragui kebolehan orang sebangsanya bertindak dengan tulus dan adil?" - he is already playing with racial flame. I don't share the same feel.

Kematian Teoh timbulkan pelbagai spekulasi politik
Oleh Zainul Ariffin
zainul@nstp.com.my
(online version here)

KEMATIAN Teoh dijadikan polemik dan isu politik tanpa mengambil kira kesedihan yang melanda anggota keluarganya.

Oportunisme boleh rampas kesedihan untuk jadi modal siasah

ADAKAH ahli dan penyokong Pakatan Rakyat saja yang berasa sedih ke atas kematian Teoh Beng Hock?

Tentu sekali jika dilihat dari muka-muka sama yang bergegas mengepalai tunjuk perasaan apabila saja ada kejadian seperti ini berlaku, beratur untuk perhatian jurugambar dan pemberita, dan di dalam kepala menghitung laba politik yang mungkin diperoleh.

Oportunisme politik boleh merampas kesedihan untuk dijadikan modal politik. Kematian boleh dijadikan pemangkin untuk naikkan kemarahan, dan juga batu hikmat menarik sokongan.

Terlalu sedikit cubaan untuk menenangkan keadaan. Di dalam kes Teoh setiap kenyataan seakan-akan berbau politik. Jika orang marah, apikan lagi. Jika bersedih, apa lagi, kenangkanlah nasib mereka dan paling penting, cari pihak yang perlu dipertanggungjawabkan.

Sudah tentulah Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) perlu bertanggungjawab kerana mendiang Teoh kali terakhir berada di pejabat berkenaan dan mayat beliau dijumpai berhampiran. SPRM juga menemuduga Teoh hingga awal pagi.

Tanggungjawab SPRM ialah untuk menyiasat sepenuhnya kejadian itu, dan jika ada kesilapan atau kelemahan, atau kecuaian dan salah laku di pihaknya, tindakan perlu diambil. Ia mesti telus dan tegas.

Tetapi ia sepatutnya tidak perlu dipertanggungjawabkan untuk menangkis tuduhan yang tidak berasas, menjawab tohmahan, dan melayan agenda politik orang lain. Segala keraguan dan persoalan mesti dijawab, tetapi mestilah tidak yang bermotifkan politik.

Yang lebih penting, tanggungjawab SPRM ialah supaya ia tertumpu kepada tugasnya. Siasatan yang masih ada, termasuk terhadap ahli politik yang bertempik dan berkumpul di luar pejabatnya, yang cuba menimbulkan syak dan wasangka terhadap integriti agensi itu, mestilah diteruskan.

Kita faham ramai yang marah. Kita juga tahu ramai yang bersedih dengan kematian Teoh. Semua orang ada abang, adik, anak, suami, kawan dan faham serta simpati kepada pemergian orang muda seperti Teoh yang masa hadapannya nampak cerah.

Bukan orang Cina atau penyokong Pakatan Rakyat saja yang tahu marah dan mahukan keadilan.

Namun, elemen perkauman dimasukkan oleh beberapa ahli Dewan Negeri Selangor apabila mereka disiasat sama ada menyalahgunakan peruntukan dan kuasa oleh SPRM, walaupun anggapan ini salah kerana ada Adun Melayu disiasat juga.

Namun keraguan timbul, terutama di kalangan bukan Melayu bahawa SPRM, yang semestinya seperti agensi kerajaan lain banyak pekerja Melayu, secara selektif memilih bukan Melayu untuk disiasat.

Apabila mangsa kemalangan pula orang bukan Melayu, yang sebelumnya disiasat orang Melayu, bertambah hebatlah spekulasinya. Di alam maya internet tidak susah mencari kesimpulan berunsur perkauman.

Adakah ini politik? Peduli apa kesannya kepada negara asalkan popular. Walau dihias dengan kata-kata manis seperti hak asasi ataupun ketelusan atau keadilan, yang jelas, kadang-kadang, agenda perkauman nyata.

Kenapa perlu menanam kebencian, meniup api kemarahan terhadap agensi kerajaan yang banyak juga penyokong mereka bekerja di dalamnya? Dengar sajalah perkataan kesat yang dilemparkan kepada polis dan sebagainya?

Keadilankah yang dituntut atau kebencian digalakkan?

Adakah strategi untuk menggalakkan syak terhadap agensi kerajaan. Dulunya kehakiman kemudian polis, kini SPRM?

Apakah nilai kepemimpinan politik jika apa yang digalakkan ialah membenci dan menghasut? Di manakah fahaman politik atau ideologi mulia?

Apabila saja ada perkara seperti ini, bergegas-gegas muka yang sama mengeluarkan kenyataan yang pada asasnya menanam syak kepada institusi.

Cukuplah dengan membenci pimpinan kerajaan. Mereka orang politik, mereka boleh terima semua ini. Tetapi pegawai kerajaan bukan orang politik; mereka jalankan tugas dan arahan.

Sedarlah jika setiap kali institusi kita dicerca dan dihina, lama-kelamaan akan ada yang terlekat. Makin lama semakin tipis kepercayaan kita.

Pepatah Inggeris berkata: 'You reap what you sow' � jika ada pihak yang mahu popular dengan menabur syak wasangka kepada orang lain, lama kelamaan dia juga akan menerima kesannya.

Katalah ditakdirkan pembangkang memerintah, tidak akan reputasi institusi dan agensi yang dipijak-pijak akan kembali pulih serta merta. Apa yang runtuh sukar dibina semula. Institusi akan terus dipandang serong, kepercayaan rakyat akan tetap menipis.

Adakah kehakiman atau polis yang sentiasa dikutuk akan jadi baik tiba-tiba dan terus diterima rakyat. Hakisan tidak boleh dipatah balik, malah ia selalu membawa kepada keruntuhan.

Kenapa, contohnya perlu kerajaan Selangor mahukan pakar bedah swasta untuk siasat kematian Teoh? Adakah pakar hospital kerajaan tidak layak? Atau tidak boleh dipercayai?

Kenapa Menteri Besar Selangor, seorang Melayu, meragui kebolehan orang sebangsanya bertindak dengan tulus dan adil?

Bukankah banyak pegawai agensi atau institusi kerajaan orang Melayu? Adakah polis, hakim, guru, penyiasat, doktor, pensyarah Melayu semuanya tidak boleh dipercayai?

Percayalah, inilah yang berlaku apabila kita sama naik menabur syak pada agensi dan institusi kerajaan. Layari sahaja laman internet untuk mengetahui apa yang dikatakan mengenai institusi-institusi yang kebanyakan diketuai dan dipenuhi oleh orang Melayu.

Bukan ahli dan penyokong parti politik saja yang mahukan keadilan. Orang lain pun begitu. Tetapi jangan semua institusi diruntuh. Janganlah termakan kata-kata orang, yang agendanya kadang-kadang hendak mempersoalkan kebolehan orang Melayu.

Michael Jackson

2009-07-08T14:11:00.006+08:00

It was Friday night, March 25, 1983. The place is Pasadena Civic Auditorium, California. And I was at Arau, busy preparing for my final year Diploma study (and enjoying every minute of my super senior status in college). Magic happened that night in Motown 25. Smokey Robinson was reunited with his group, The Miracles. Jackson 5 reunited to stage a show after 8 years for a medley. And the greatest magic was Michael Jackson's brilliant show of Billie Jean, showcasing a new direction in his dancing and debuting the now signature MJ's move - the Moonwalk. I wasn't really care at that time, until I came out from college and was introduced to the 'real world'. Atras, my disco buddy was a da*n good dancer. He impersonated the Moonwalk perfectly (to my standard). I will put on my socks, gliding across and all over my living hall just to get the glide right. But I was, and never a good dancer. I couldn't do it then, and even worse now.

Last night I stayed up late, to witness the Public Memorial Service to the Greatest Entertainer that Ever Lived - Michael Jackson. The ceremony took place at Staples Centre, LA. At the age of 50, his sudden death from cardiac arrest in Los Angeles on June 25 stunned me. I was shocked. I know nothing is permanent but he is just a few days to his come back tour, This Is It. Ok, I have to admit, tears ran down on my cheek listening to the messages offered by the speaker. My mother says, people were remembered most when he died, and last night was an exhibit. However, the word from The Reverend Al Sharpton really struck my mind. He says to MJ's children "There wasn't anything strange about your daddy. It was strange what your daddy had to deal with" Nicely put! Very positive!

It was a memorium, yes it was. But if it is for The King of Pop, it wouldn't be complete without performances. Last night, one of the best performances was from a 12 year old Iranian-Welsh boy from Swansea, Shaheen Jafargholi, Britains Got Talent finalist. He sang "Who's Loving You" by The Jackson 5. A very sweet rendition from a cute little boy.

Well MJ. You never fail to mesmerised me with your dance move. I grew up with your songs. Bilie Jean, Beat It, Thriller, Smooth Criminal, I'll Be There, those are some of the songs that brings magic to your fans including me. People says you died as a Moslem. I say From Allah We Hail, To Him We Shall Return.

Dream Revisit

2009-07-07T19:08:00.004+08:00

A revisit to my dream - Palm Kenyir Lodge.

The view is from the Lodge balcony. There are 3 islands across the resort - 1 big and 2 small islands. The big island is for recreational activity - horseback riding, cycling, BBQ Pit, jogging, camping, picnic or just relaxing. Shuttle boat will be provided from the lodge. The smaller islands is for a more adventurous activity. One for Paintball Island. Imagine playing paintball on an island, separated from the main land. Sounds like Falkland? The other one, no plan yet. Open for other ideas.

I am dreaming. Don't wake me up!

Cut and Paste from Malaysian Insider

2009-06-23T12:37:00.004+08:00

I find it very difficult to keep up with the work and at the same time doing things I like to do. One of it is updating my journal here. However, today I read a very interesting comment in The Malaysian Insider. Waterlily put it EXACTLY what I felt. Go read the following, uncut from The Malaysian Insider

written by waterlily, June 23, 2009

wkc, excuse me. Many of "us" crossed the racial lines to vote you last GE? Racial stand?

It works both ways. I can still see some elements in DAP that "we" dislike very much. Some elements that show disrespect towards "our" culture and boundaries.

My guess is that you're one of those who say things like "when will Malaysians be like the Americans and accept an 'Obama'". Not realizing that the only 'black' thing about Obama is his skin. His culture, his way of life is all American. Do you think they'd vote for him if he had an African accent, wore African clothes, by the life of me, if he were Muslim... or even had a beard for that matter?

We already have our own versions of 'Obama'. Nizar is half Chinese. DS Wan Azizah has mixed blood too. Dr Mahathir too. But you know what, they all live the way that makes all of us "one".

Can I imagine Karpal wearing a Malaysian traditional attire baju melayu? What's that? Baju Melayu not for non Malays? Oh, and what is the traditional clothes for 'Obama'? Go fly kites wkc. Karpal's group won't even wear a blooming songkok after the GE meet! If you want to be Malaysian, drop all this "us" talk and embrace the "local" way of life like Obama did.

It's Cuti Sekolah Again

2009-06-09T12:44:00.009+08:00

Has been a week now school is off. And another week to go for my children to enjoy the holiday. I try to take a few days off from my work (and flexi hours on the other days) just to spend time with them. It is crucial years, now and ahead. The children are at their teen age, and every one of them is achieving something, which I worry will make them presumptuous and high-nosed. It is my duty to always keep them on their feet, telling them whatever achievement they make, do not forget that all those are gifts (and tests) from Allah. He tests his loved ones with tests that we couldn't think off - during good times and during bad times.

Last week, my 3 grandchildren from Perlis - Afliayana, Afzal and Afif - came for a visit. So, Tok Wan (thaaaaat's me! :-) brought them to OU, spend time shopping, playing and watch movie. I had good times, and I know they, too.

Mean while, we managed to sneakout for a few movies and outings. Last week (together with my grands) we watched Monster Vs. Alien. Last night, we went again, to watch the most awaited movie Hannah Montana The Movie. I can see the satisfaction in my children's face after the movie. My feeling that moment is indescribable. Its so fulfilling.
Now, back to work!

After a month

2009-05-27T11:20:00.004+08:00

It has been a month since the last time I updated my journal. and it is my birthday month! Things has been going on interestingly crazy since then - new project, new tender, new contract, new ideas, new opinion, and many more that I can hardly breathe. No complaints, in fact I thank God for all this opportunity given to me. At the same time, I acknowledge that these chances and opportunities are actually tests to my team and I, whether we are thankful to all the blessings given to us. To Allah we pray and seek forgiveness! May we pass these tests.

To friends who keep on peeping into my 'private life' in this blog, I will write again ..... errrrrr.... when I write.

I love my mommy!

Back in Malaysia

2009-04-27T15:42:00.003+08:00

I am back in Malaysia, last Thursday actually. It was a successful trip. Many things happening since then. Came back with diarrhoea I seldom get whenever I travel. I had to be always in my sarong at home for 2 days, senang kalau melancul (hehe). My Fuzzy got herself all glued with rat glue (now she is almost like a New Zealand sheeps get shaved for their fur). Topsie turvie in the office. But most of all, I am glad to be back, back to my kids I missed so much!.

Fatehpur Sikri and Jaipur

2009-04-19T22:52:00.004+08:00

We depart for Jaipur after breakfast. On the way, we stop at Fatehpur Sikri, another world heritage in Agra. Fatehpur Sikri was Akbar's imperial capital, about 40 km from Taj Mahal.

(The ruins of Fatehpur Sikri)

(The entrance to Fatehpur Sikri Palace)

(Lonely!)

I arrive Jaipur, the Pink City at noon. Checked in into Holiday Inn, I am looking forward for my meetings here. I have arranged for a total of 36 meetings to be completed in 2 days.

(Room complimentary from Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerse and Industry)

After some rest, I have to rush to the City Palace for a Gala Dinner, put up by FICCI.

(The City Palace at night)

It was a fantastic dinner with traditional shows and delicious food. I tasted my first Vodka (I don't know they mixed Vodka into the juice until a friend told me). I don't feel good, I called Rajendra to pick me up and send me back to my hotel room before the event finished. They say Vodka doesn't make your head spins but I go back with spinning head, and vommitted! I guess it is a psychological effect,

Agra - Agra Fort and Taj Mahal

2009-04-18T21:31:00.001+08:00

We depart from Delhi around 9 am. Rashpal was already at the lobby when I finished my breakfast. It is going to be long 4 hours journey to Agra, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, the land of Taj Mahal. It is my dream to see Taj Mahal in my naked eye and this is the dream come true. Along the journey, we passed through Mathura, believed to be the birthplace of Lord Krisna. We arrive in Agra quiet late. Its funny, to compare Rashpal's wreckless driving while in Delhi against his too speed limit concious while on the expressway. He drove at 80km/hour!

On arrival Agra, I checked in into Pushp Villa Hotel, a nice 3 star hotel in Agra, with revolving restaurant at the top where ones can see Taj Mahal. The whether was so hot at 42 deg celcius, we decided to wait until 3.30pm for our tour. We first visited Agra Fort, on the banks of the River Yamuna. It was said that Agra Fort, "from top to bottom the fire-red stones, linked by iron rings, are joined so closely that even a hair cannot find a way into their joints". Shah Jahan was incarcerated here, until his death gazing out at the Taj Mahal.

(The Mussaman Burj of Agra Fort - the place where Shah Jahan lay on his deathbed looking out at the Taj Mahal)

(A glimpse of Taj Mahal at the background from Agra Fort)

Then, the moment of truth. I am going to touch Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world. Taj Mahal is actually just a tomb, a tomb to Mumtaz Mahal, wife of Emperor Shah Jahan. Built between 1631 and 1648, the four minarets, which lean slightly outward so as not to fall on the main building in the event of an earthquake.

(No, it is not a poster or a picture taken by some professionals. It is real!)

(On the upperdeck of Taj Mahal, facing to the entrance gate)

(The keepers of Taj Mahal)

(Another side of the Taj Mahal upper deck)

(Sunset at Taj Mahal)

Taj Mahal membuat hatiku sayu!

Delhi tour

2009-04-17T02:07:00.000+08:00

It was 9am and I was waiting for Sanjay at the hotel lobby. We planned to go around Delhi, visiting places of interest. So, I am a tourist today! Some of the pictures I managed to snap - myself!

(Jamek Mosque - commissioned by Shahjahan in 1644)

(India Gate)

(Rashtrapati Bhavan - Presidential Palace located across India Gate)

(Lal Qila, The Red Fort with Sanjay)

(Humayun's Tomb - prototype of Taj Mahal)

At night, I had a meeting over dinner with Ishfaq, a friend from Kashmir. He took me to a restaurant near Baghwali Mosque and we had a very delicious Tandoori. Original Tandoori. Tomorrow, Rashpal will take me to Agra! Wooohooo!

Delhi, here I come

2009-04-16T02:01:00.000+08:00

Finally, decision made. India, here I come again. Mat sent me to the airport after saying goodbye to my children. Sad to leave them but work requires me to make this trip. Reached KLIA at around 4.15pm and I proceed to self-check-in terminal. After handing over my luggage, together with Mat, we went to have the tarik at Chatterfield. Arrived back at KLIA at 5.20pm, ready for my departure at 6.20pm via MH190. However, flight was delayed until 7.10pm. I was already at boarding area when announcement was made (at 6.15pm!) What else to do, other than switch on to my laptop and replying emails.

The journey was a smooth one, but travelling with groups of Indians is a real challenge. They have their unique behavior that many might interpret as uncool. “Please put your seat upright and fasten your seatbelt” but you can see many will seems not hearing. While take off, someone will stand up and trying to get something from the overhead compartment, without ability to wait. A young couple seated a row in front of me pressed the assistance button, requesting for white wine when the plane’s engine is struggling pulling the aircraft upward. She is very important that her request must be attended whenever she feels like wanting something. After 40 minutes, food were served. I was seated at row 38A. The stewardess served food from front to back. After serving row 35, the stewardess move to row 36, then 37 then to my row. Just about to hand over my ration, the lady in row 36 pressed the assistance button. “Can I have another bun please” OMG! I haven’t got my ration and she is asking for another bun. But, emm, she said please.

It was a smooth journey, with a little turbulence every now and then. We were suppose to arrive Delhi at 10.20pm (Delhi time) but we made it at 11.00pm. Ting tong! “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. We have landed at Indra Gandhi International Airport bla…bla… You can only switch on your mobile phone once the seat belt light is switched off. Thank you for fl” The stewardess has not finished her announcement and you can hear kluk klak kluk klak everywhere, the sound of passengers unfasten their seat belt. Few moments later, toot toot and ta daa sounds is everywhere, the sound of handphone signal coming in! And the plane is still on taxi mode, moving slowly to the parking bay.

My friend, Khem was already at the arrival hall when I exit.

KJ ternyata bukan liabiliti

2009-04-08T10:18:00.006+08:00

Apa dah jadi di Bukit Selambau dan Bukit Gantang? Dari kacamata saya yang buta politik (tidak dalam turutan):

Tun M? Saya bersimpati dengan beliau. Ternyata, beliau tidak mendatangkan hasil kepada BN. Sepatutnya, faktor pleasant surprises yang beliau buat dengan berkempen disaat akhir untuk calun BN akan menjadi katalis kemenangan BN. Mungkin sangkaan beliau, bila beliau turun, PR di bawah DSAI akan tersepit dan tertekan. Ternyata, hanya angan-angan palsu beliau. DSAI lagi hebaaaat!
Tun M (lagi)? Kembalinya anda ke dalam UMNO tidak menguatkan parti. Tapi saya rasalah, anda mempunyai agenda tersembunyi, untuk menyekat KJ dari terus menyerlah selepas Mukriz tewas dengan teruknya semasa pemilihan Pemuda. Mukriz dah besar lah! Biarlah dia berdikari. Dan KJ ada kekuatan sendiri. Walau disekat, dia tetap akan mara. Take my word!
Siapa kata KJ menjadi penyebab kekalahan BN di Permatang Pauh dan Kuala Terengganu? On your face! KJ menjadi low profile di Bukits dan Batang, mungkin kerana desakan dalaman UMNO supaya beliau menjauhkan diri dari berkempen, supaya tidak menjadi liabiliti. KJ tak ada pun, BN kalah juga! So, Bukit Gantang dan Bukit Selambau membuktikan bahawa KJ BUKAN menjadi penyebab kekalahan BN di Permatang Pauh dan Kuala Terengganu.
Ezam and the Gang? Modus Operandi anda sudah tidak relevant lagi, bro! Cuba fikir cara lain pulak next time, itupun kalau masih tak malu lah!
DSAI? What shall I say. Tetap relevant, tetap berkarisma, tetap dihormati, tetap berkalibar, tetap bijak, tetap disanjung. Kalau orang kata tohmahan terhadap Najib cuma sekadar tohmahan, kenapa pula tohmahan terhadap DSAI dibenarkan? Anda tidak mendapat benefit dari DSAI? Anda adalah kawan kepada Najib? Tampi dan tenang sendiri.
Sultan Perak secara indirectly telah dimalukan.
Bigger majority in the 2 Bukits - kemusnahan total BN
Samy Veloo (betul ke spelling mcm ni?) - sudah laaaah!
HINDRAF - anda terbukti salah. Sifat perkauman anda sangat terserlah. Masyarakat India Malaysia bukan lagi masyarakat terpinggir. Mereka telah bersama-sama di dalam mainstream dan berfikiran terbuka. Mereka telah keluar dari kepompong MIC.

Tapi drama sebabak ini tetap mendebarkan.

A journey worth while.

2009-04-07T19:08:00.022+08:00

Balik kampong is always an event I am looking forward to. Last Saturday (lepas latihan kawad kaki Kakak and kak Uda), we, the whole family balik kampong - Kampong Pulau Pandan, Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan. It is my kampong, where I was born about 45 years ago. The objective to balik kampong is to visit my Mak (Mak Tok to my children). Walaupun kami baru aja berjumpa two weeks ago when we celebrated her birthday kat Seremban, tapi the feeling deep inside me rasa tak sedap hati. The meeting was a very unfulfilled one with so many people around. So, I decided to go balik kampong, that we would have her all by our own!

(Some of Mak's pets.)

Suasana kampong sangat mendamaikan. I don't think there is any other kampong that is so damai and nyaman. Mak was not at home when we arrived. She was at a kenduri at a house nearby. Eventhough she canot do much at the kenduri, tapi she is a compulsory figure for every kenduri at my kampong. Lepas my father passed away, the kampong people turn to her for advise, and she never fails to deliver. Since Mak is not at home, we cannot enter the house. Tapi...jeng...jeng...jeng... hey, I lived in this house before, remember? I go around to see if my secret path is still there, holy crap! It is! LOL! After sooooo many years, I again became that cute little naughty boy, sneeking into the house using my secret path. So, when Mak's home, she did not surprised AT ALL! She knows me very well. She always say I will find my own way to get myself into anything I want. Malam tu, we watched Akademi Fantasia 7 with Mak. (Hafiz Rocks!)

The next day was cleaning up day. (read: pembakaran terbuka) I get all the children to gotong royong cleaning up the compound of mak's house. It was tiring but fun! I took the opportunity to show my children around (for the umpteenth times, hehe!). I showed them the coconut tree I grow together with my late father. (There are three trees, one each for my younger brothers Chu and Icam, and one for me. Apak cakap sebagai tanda that the kampong also belongs to me) I showed my favourite mangosteen tree where I will climbed and spent many afternoons there reading (on the tree!)

(The Mosquito's Busters)

It was a trip worth while. I got to spend quality time with Mak. We chatted until late. And oh... I present her with a few combs made of buffalo horn, I ordered from my staff who went back to Padang, Sumatera for his holiday. She had wanted it for quiet sometimes. And the bestest (hehe) thing is that she cooked me (err... my wife cooked using my mum's kitchen) my favourite lauk - Telur Itik Pucuk Ubi Masak Lemak Cili Padi! Masyaallah!

Win together

2009-04-03T14:50:00.002+08:00

It is a very competitive life and full of challenge. In this situation, perseverance plays a very important role. However, many of us fail to realise that winning is not everything. I strongly believe, the purpose of life is not to win. The purpose is to share and to grow together. It should not be to win, but to share the win. When we look back on all we did in life, we will come to realise that we get more satisfaction from the pleasure we have brought to other people's life than we will from the times we outdid and defeated them. Familiar with the holy word win-win situation? The formula is to add value to other people - our spouse, our team mates, our co-worker, our supplier, our customer, our children, our friends and our boss (remember the word "make the boss looks good?") By adding value, we are actually enlarging them. We can see example of good enlargers in football players. Roberto Carlos and David Beckham are two examples. Their cross passes to the penalty area give opportunity for other player to strike goals. They make other people look good while at the same time they are remembered as a superb team player who add value to their team. So, people, do not be selfish. No man is more cheated than a selfish man. Amir-Husiners - enlarge people surrounding us then we will grow (and win) together!

Listen, or thy tounge will keep thee deaf.

2009-04-02T21:11:00.002+08:00

It is a native American proverb. It reminds me of Richard, a friend in New Orleans. We always eat Poboy along the Bourbon Street and sometimes hang around at Jacksonville area while listening to the super talented street jazz performer. I missed New Orleans. I don't know how New Orleans looks like now since Katrina hit her badly few years ago. By the way, I remembered Richard for his empathy. He will lend me his ears on whatever occasion - and understand it. Empathy is the word. It involves understanding another's heart, mind and spirit - including their motives, backgrounds and feelings. The more empathy we have on others, the more we come to appreciate and reverence who they are. But most people do not listen with the intent to understand, rather they listen with the intent to reply. People are busy filtering everything through their own perspectives rather than trying to understand another's frame of reference. Sometimes we just want company. True. But what we really prefer is a company who understands us, or who at least do their best to understand us. I have a friend in Richard.

Hujung minggu yang menyeronokkan.

2009-03-29T23:14:00.002+08:00

Kakak dah register to participate in Suka Ria Astro Ceria a few weeks ago and the event is today. She registered herself, Kak Uda and Anik fo Pakaian Beragam and Telematch. The program starts at 6:30am. So, lepas subuh sepi'e tu, kami pun pergilah ke Bukit Kiara Equastrian park, where the event is to be held. Orang tak lah ramai sangat so we manage a parking space near to the entrance.

Keseluruhannya, to me, the event is not a success (if not a failure). It was not properly organised. Tak ada orang yang explain how the event is supposed to be played - the rule, the procedure, where to start, where to end, what to do, where to gather, etc. The crew was standing around not helping, or rather not knowing what to do. My kids were so frustrated. They are so used to an organised event (especially those organised by Papa, hehe) that they decided to terminate earlier. It was not what they expect when they have to be up by 5:30 in the morning. To compensate their frustration, I promised to take them to Kids Club @ One Utama later that afternoon. Yeay! (Their tricks work on me!)

(Mengantuk!! Do not mistaken the bushes at the back as a real bush. It is a family of participant with 'bush costume' yang ambik bahagian untuk pakaian beragam. Yo yo oh betul!)

(Tengok parent lain, kiasu betul nak bagi anak mereka menang, tapi Anik did it on her own! wooo hoooo!)

So, later that afternoon, after some rest, we (Teh, Kakak, Kak Uda, Anik and I) went to Kids Club. Barulah depa (read: kami) nampak seronok! While waiting, I grab a book at the nearby bookstore, sat at a corner, ordered a basket of fried potato with a cup of hot chocolate and get drowned into my own world.

What a relaxing afternoon. This is the kind of life that I enjoyed so much - take the kids out during weekends, let them play, eat ice cream, shop, read, eat some more, shop some more and do nothing else, stay inside an air-conditioning mall, no cigarette smoke and no pollution. And for this relaxed and enjoyed afternoon, it cost us only RM100. But what is more precious is the time spent with the children and listening to their laughter. Food for every parent's soul!

Earth Hour 28 Mar 8:30pm

2009-03-29T12:24:00.000+08:00

The clock shows 8:15pm.
Kakak: Earth hour! Earth hour!
Me (from upstairs): Alaaaa.... Papa baru nak tengok Diari Akademi Fantasia! Nak tengok Che Mah Mulut Bernanah ni!

Time ticking

Kakak: Now! Now!
Long: Lagi 2 minit!
Teh: Sekarang lah! Tengok lah jam
Long: My time is the official time! (as usual, acting as the boss. He force the kids to call him The Coolest Brother Ever!)

Suddenly - all darkness! We clapped our hands. Its 8:30pm.

EARTH HOUR! EARTH HOUR!

A week wrap-up

2009-03-27T22:12:00.004+08:00

So many things happen in a week. Fast and furious! I am struggling to catch my breath. Business has been very busy. I am also cleaning up our back-office. Updating our reporting format. Cleaning up the backlog of claims and billing. Upgrading our data entry procedure and flow, etc. So, it's been hectic. I left a few entries in my draft box, not able to post pending my uploading of the photos. Finally, today in between Magrib and Isyak, alone in my office, I managed to post them all (Isyak? It's 10 pm now!). Summary as follows:

19 March: Happy Birthday, Teh!
20 March: Woman and Man
23 March: To my Mum, on her 76th birthday.
25 March: Ketua Pemuda UMNO: KJ

Ketua Pemuda UMNO: KJ

2009-03-25T22:16:00.003+08:00

Ramai yang mengeluh bila KJ diumumkan sebagai Ketua Pemuda UMNO yang baru. Saya bukan ahli UMNO tetapi saya mempunyai ramai kawan-kawan yang berada di barisan hadapan UMNO, terutama di dalam Pergerakan Pemuda dan Putri. Jadi, saya cuma mengambil tahu perkembangan kawan-kawan. Berbalik kepada kemenangan KJ, saya mengucapkan tahniah kepada beliau (saya tidak mengenali beliau secara dekat). Apa yang menarik ialah apabila kemenangan beliau di boo oleh perwakilan-perwakilan sendiri. Sesuatu yang tidak pernah terjadi di dalam sejarah UMNO. Bukan setakat di boo, malah di jerit dengan kata-kata "Rasuah! Rasuah! Rasuah!" yang sangat jelas kedengaran ketika saya menonton pengumuman kemenangan beliau melalui Astro Awani. Jadi lebih menarik, apabila bukan Pakatan Rakyat yang berbuat demikian, tetapi dari Pergerakan pemuda itu sendiri. Apa dah jadi?

Saya ditanya, apa komen saya? Pada saya cukup mudah. Ini adalah UMNO, parti yang memperjuangkan kelangsungan kekuasaan politik orang Melayu. Wajib bagi perwakilan memilih pemimpin yang boleh, mampu dan berani kehadapan sebagai orang Melayu. Pemimpin (terutama Pemuda) mestilah seorang Melayu yang vokal, aggresif dan nakal supaya ditakuti oleh orang bukan Melayu. Saya guna perkataan 'ditakuti', bukan 'dihormati' kerana itu yang orang Melayu perlukan. Untuk penghormatan, biarlah barisan kepimpinan UMNO yang senior uruskan. Pemuda harus kembali sebagai barisan pendesak. Pemimpin nombor wahid Pemuda mestilah seorang yang pandai bertutur kata dan berani berdebat. Dia mestilah seorang yang sanggup kehadapan di medan perang. Pemuda harus kembali ke zaman Harun Idris dan Anwar Ibrahim. Berani berdebat dan berani bertindak. Ini saya lihat dari ruang lingkup UMNO sebagai parti orang Melayu. Ia tidak sesuai diaplikasikan di dalam PKR atau PAS kerana kedua-dua parti itu bukan parti yang berteraskan Melayu. Jadi, pada saya pilihan 304 perwakilan pemuda adalah tepat. KJ adalah orangnya, berbanding MM yang dilihat terlalu diplomasi dan KT yang terlalu berperangai seperti orang tua.

Rasuah, politik wang, membolot kontrak..... well, sekarang politik adalah komersial. Itu sahaja yang saya boleh kata. Yang lain, fikir sendiri.

Sekali lagi, tahniah kepada Khairy, kepada Dato' Zaki, kepada Gasing, kepada Lokman, kepada Dato' Idris (caya lu!), Shahanim (tetap sweet seperti biasa) dan pemenang lain. Kepada Dato' Hasan, Dato' Noraini, Ijan, terus dengan keyakinan anda. Kepada Li Botak, apa wa nak cakap sama lu lagi, bro. Kena gantung terus! Sabau aje ler! Janji glamer! Nanti kita pegi Bandung lagi, shopping!

To my mum, on her 76th birthday.

2009-03-23T20:09:00.003+08:00

Never Enough
(23 March 2009)

Many times I wanted to say thanks for all you've done,
but then they fly away as quickly as they come.

If I could tell you what's deep in my heart.
There are so many things where do I start?

Words could never explain how I feel about,
when even prayer is not enough, I seek from God

How could I possibly thank you enough, the one who makes me whole,
the one to whom I owe my life, the forming of my soul.

The one who makes such sacrifices to always put me first,
who lets me test my broken wings, no matter how it hurts.

Are there really any words for this, I find this question tough,
anything I want to say just doesn't seem enough.

What way is there to thank you for your heart, your sweat, your tears,
for many thousand things you've done for me, for oh so many years.

For changing with me as I changed, for accepting all my flaws,
not loving cause you had to, but loving just because.

For never giving up on me when your wits had reached its end,
for always being proud of me, for being my best friend.

Who paints the world a rainbow when it's filled with broken dreams,
for trusting in me, when to care no one had even seems

Look at me now, what I've become,
do you see yourself in me, the job I am blessed that you have done

Thank you for everything you do, the whole world can see
but thank you Mak most of all for believing in me.

Happy Birthday, Mak!

Woman and Man

2009-03-20T11:59:00.001+08:00

I got this email from a friend the other day:

A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.
A successful woman is one who can find such a man.

A woman has the last word in any argument.
Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.

Betul ke?

Happy Birthday, Teh!

2009-03-19T23:07:00.001+08:00

Today is Teh aka Tomok's birthday. Pejam celik pejam celik, Teh dah 13 tahun! What is Teh's forte? Not like my other boys (and girls), he is the heaviest of all. Tapi cute. Perangai resembles me when I was his age. Kememe, cembeng but full of love and care. Misunderstood lot, Teh is very gentle at heart, impressionable, and receptive. He is a dreamer. The world of his imagination, feelings, and intuition is as real to him as anything in the outer world. He thought the underworld of Bikini Bottom is real! Very sentimental and usually keep to himself. Tapi, bila dia start bukak mulut.... laser! He told me he wanted to be a Chef when he grows up. (Just like SpongeBob who is a fry cook at the Krusty Krab restaurant) You should try his Maggi Goreng....sooooo yummy! Teh would make me his Maggi Goreng for my bekal to office some Saturdays. I seldom take lunch, but with his Maggi Goreng, I cannot resist!

Happy Birthday Teh. Papa love you!

(Ahmad Najmuddin Najmi - He insisted not to have cake on his birthday, too kiddy, he said. So, we have some fast food of his choice, and a REAL Candle!)

(Special appearance by Abg Ajiq on Teh's birthday)

(But the next day, the sisters baked him a cake)

RM60 billion stimulus.

2009-03-11T18:44:00.006+08:00

I read comments on the stimulus package. As usual, the backbenchers applaud the provisions and the critics, critics. I usually play the leftist, the rebellious one. But somehow, I just felt this time, I want to be in the mainstream. Suddenly I felt I am ready, able and willing to contribute to the shielding of our economic from drowning further. I believe I am in a position to assist, in my own small way. This time I want to believe that everybody is sincere enough to take us out from the so-called crisis. When this is over, I want to shout and say, I made it. Malaysians, let's do it together!

Perhimpunan Agung UMNO

2009-03-09T16:37:00.009+08:00

I seldom do this - commenting on other's idea or entry from other blog. I have my own opinion and I respect others. I always think that in regards to this particular subject matter, let others to comment, not me. But somehow or rather, I never came across comments that really similar to what I have in mind. Well, I don't read/surf much. So, here goes.

I read an entry in Datuk WCW here, commenting (or more correctly, wanting) what should be discussed in the coming UMNO General Assembly which should occur by end of the month. I believe, what he wants to see is also what other races in Malaysia expect to hear. In a summary, he wants to "hear speeches with substance on the economy and less on race from the delegates. That should be Umno's biggest agenda"

C'mmon Datuk (and other races). This is UMNO General Meeting. UMNO is no doubt the biggest political party (respect that!) but it also represents the Malay community. In fact, we should look at UMNO as the Malay political party FIRST, then followed by the realisation that it is the biggest political party in Malaysia. If we can do that, then we will see UMNO at the correct perspective. If we can understand that UMNO is the political party for the Malay, then the issue of keris shouldn't be a threat at all. The issue of Ketuanan Melayu shouldn't be misunderstood. There shouldn't be an issue about anti-PPSMI. Tell me, will MIC or MCA or Gerakan or PKR or even PAS will talk about Ketuanan Melayu? They are not a Malay-based party, I will die standing in shock and trauma if MCA approve a resolution to protect the Malay Supremacy. Eventhough I am not an UMNO member, sincerely and honestly, I will go straight to ICU if the MCA or MIC General Assembly is conducted in Bahasa Malaysia (however, I would like to see that to happen, or may be will remain in my dream for generations to come)

It is very unfair for anybody to expect UMNO to neglect the Malay related issue (remember, UMNO is the party representing the Malays, it is in their Perlembagaan, acceptance by the Malay is a different issue) or even to allocate more time on other matter rather than the Malay interest. Talking about how to save Malaysia economically will definitely in the agenda, no doubt about that. That is only because the Malays are also concern about the matter.

Datuk WCW also wants UMNO General Assembly to think how to "putting food on the table for all races". All races means the Malay, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, Ibans, etc. But UMNO is a Malay party. Is putting food on the Malay tables were also discussed during MIC or MCA General Assembly? I believe it does, as the UMNO General Assembly will definitely spare some time discussing about that too, I am sure.

To summarise, UMNO is a political party for the Malays. It is not a sin for them to talk 'anything and nothing but Malay' if they chosed to.

p/s At least, listening to their debate, ones will feel that things are happening in Malaysia, not in China, or Hong Kong or India.

Trip to Jaipur

2009-03-07T17:45:00.008+08:00

Ok, I have to play this psy-war again! I am scheduled to go to Jaipur on 10 April 2009. Not for vacation, it is a business trip. Everything has been confirmed. Flight ticket is confirmed. Hotel and ground transportation kaw-timmed. (its free, thanks to Federation of Chambers of Commerce, India). My friend in Jaipur, Rajendra Sharma, has pledged his readiness to take me anywhere I want to go - IF I MAKE IT THIS TIME! He knows my weakness, canceling my outstation trip (especially abroad) in the last minute. I have heavy baggage - who will send my 6 kids to school every morning, will Long went ponteng during my absence, what if he quarrel with Teh again and nobody will protect Teh, what happen if Ngah cannot sleep at night and nobody stays up with him, who will be at home when my wife send the elder kids for tuition, what if something bad happen at home while no adults around, who will membebel to the children if they don't do their homework, I am sure the house will be like a wrecked ship during my absence, who will pat-pat Anik to sleep, who will console DeDe if she is sad, can Kakak take care of herself, who will emphatised with the children's grouses, will they eat their lunch and dinner, will they brush their teeth every morning, who will tell Ngah to comb his hair, who will stop Teh from potato-couching, who will control Long's abuse of internet, who will make noise if the wet towels are laying all over the places, who will pump the clogged drain especially in the boy's toilet, my wife will wear that tight track bottom which I hate so much, who will remind the children to make their bed, and the list goes on. Not that I don't trust anyone but track record shows. It is like Accounting. It is historical basis. What happened in the past, you can project it to the future. I am an Accountant, don't blame me for taking my life as a Balance Sheet. It is a war, internally. I don't want to go but I have to go. To the last minute, wait and see, 'what' wins. It's the battle of the wits!

Life is tons of discipline

2009-03-07T13:49:00.010+08:00

It sounds very difficult and unfair. Think. Taking charge of our life requires discipline, yes, tons of it. Sounds like your headmaster giving his preach during school assembly? Think further. Discipline is neither readily attained nor easily maintained. It demands mental stamina to overcome empty passions and faulty habits. Emm... make sense? It also requires the fortitude and determination to resist the pull of so many temptations. And more than anything else, it demands a relentless focus on what matters most.It requires concentration until the goal line is crossed and the objective is achieved. I used to perceived discipline as the absence of freedom, especially during my younger days. However, I pushed myself forward knowing that I am the only one who must take control of my life, of what I want to be. It also requires luck (and rotan by my parents, once in a while. he he) to keep myself in between the discipline lines, lucky that I did not involved with 'things indiscipline'. As time passed by, I realised that discipline is infact, is the source of freedom. It's a kind of order that sets me free to fly (heard about this phrase, but couldn't remember from where). I can fly high. Everybody could. But the things that held us up to do so, is the absence of discipline. We need tons of it! I know I do!

Happy Birthday, Kak Uda!

2009-02-26T14:03:00.000+08:00

The lady of the house, my lovely Kak Uda. Happy birthday, sayang. Nurul Atikah Athirah - very kind and helpful, loves by many. That is you. We already celebrated her birthday together with Kakak's in U-Bowl last Saturday. Today is officially her birthday. Our lives change when she born. From a gloomy 1999, very bad recession, I was unemployed for 2 years, she came to bring in lights for us. Born today in 2000 (26 March 2000), second girl to the siblings, suddenly our lives change. From a total difficulty, to having some breathing room, to having bigger space to move. Nicked as DeDe, very huggable and oh... so many cute things about her. A very big fan of Hannah Montana! Bang Ngah kata, DeDe is the most characteristically suitable to take over my business when she grows up.

To be URBAN?

2009-02-24T22:19:00.011+08:00

Speaks and writes (read: blogging) in English, no matter how broken your English is, you are licensed to curse and use all types of 4 letter words without feeling guilty! That does not include the modified cursing words (darn, shoot, F you, etc). Just browse through any blog which uses English partly, brokenly, as a whole, intermittently or even one liner. If you cannot find any of the words, I will cut my finger nail short! Listen to our children converse. They use bad words freely. Words like stupid, darn, damn, bullshit, shit, whatde is like their breathing in and out.

When I was in Secondary 5, I remember a boy was held up in a DC (detention class) by Mr. Surjit Singh (my English language teacher) for saying 'damn' to him. It was a serious matter then, and it should also be now. We try to be more American than the Americans by imitating their culture, allowing such words to be in our platter. But why imitate the bad ones? To be URBAN?

Ada satu malam tu (cakap melayu pulak lah), I was at 7 Eleven Taman Tun. (I have to mention TAMAN TUN because orang kat situ memang berlagak konon-konon they are more civilised than other people residing in other area. Peeeerah!) Ada sorang 30 something mother, colored hair, pakai fit tee with pyjamas bottom, talking to her about 3 y.o son, inside the 7E, in a B# Major Scale (try play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star using that scale! Sounds horror, high pitch tapi ala-ala malu gitu) and in English! Anak dia selamba aja jawab dalam bahasa Melayu, (that proved that their language at home is Bahasa Melayu, kids tak pandai bohong) tapi she is trying very hard to impress to other people (by talking in B# Major Scale) that she is 'just like other Taman Tun residents', converse in English like-water-one, walaupun intonasinya sangat lah kelakar. Ahh... pllease lah! I am already 44 years old and wise enough to understand not only English language, but also body language and tone language. Apa masalahnya kalau cakap Bahasa Melayu? Oh, that makes you less Taman Tun than other Taman Tun-ers? However, not to discourage. Boleh lah converse in English (I mean broken Manglish) tapi DO NOT TRY TOO HARD! WHEN YOU TRY TOO HARD, JADI KELAKAR DAN SANGATLAH MENJENGKELKAN! And that lady, I know she is from Sungai Penchala.

By the way, English is NOT our mother tongue. Malaysian speaks and writes Bahasa Melayu. Shame on you if you cannot speak the language correctly.

Kalau nak jadi URBAN pun, janganlah sampai kelakar. Kalau dah kelakar macam tu, apa barang?

Bitten by the travel bug

2009-02-20T11:35:00.004+08:00

I have been very positive about this from the beginning. There's always opportunities in every crisis. Amir-Husiners, lets grab what we can!

February 19, 2009 Thursday

Carolyn Hong finds out why some M'sians are still holidaying this recession. IN KUALA LUMPUR, BUFFETED by endless political crises and dreary economic news, some Malaysians are seeing holidays as a much-needed respite despite having to tighten the belt.

Hard times or no, both Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia have both reported a sharp spike in bookings during their travel promotions this month. This comes amidst a stream of gloomy news as government data shows manufacturing sales sinking 21 per cent in December from a year earlier, exports down 15 per cent, and imports sliding 23 per cent.

Malaysia Airlines, which held a 10-day sale, said its online bookings tripled. It said the response has been "overwhelming" although it did not provide the exact number of sales. The top five destinations are Sydney, Melbourne, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing. AirAsia, which held a 500,000 free seats promotion, said it sold 279,000 seats on last Tuesday alone, its highest ever in a single day. About 40 per cent of these came from the promotion.

Times may be hard, but some travelers say they need the holiday to keep sane. A political aide, who does not want to be named (for obvious reasons!) said he recently booked a trip to two-week trip to New Zealand in May because "I need a break from the crazy politics of this country." "I need to get away, somewhere, anywere, it doesn't matter," he said. He felt that it would be money well spent, especially as fares are cheaper than last year.

The competition between Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia has driven prices down, while fuel surcharges have also been scrapped or lowered as global oil prices plunged. "It seems like a bargain to fly nowadays so it is very tempting to go on holidays all the time," said executive Ms Sarah Hussin, 32, who is going to Australia soon, and London in a few months. This is besides the short weekend hops to nearby destinations. Travelling with her husband and young daughter, she said she hasn't really been affected by the economy, and felt that she should travel while she could. "I may regret it later but I think I can still afford to treat myself for now," she said.

The travel bug is still biting, it seems.

Copyright Singapore Press Holdings Ltd.

My friend from Delhi, Ruchi.

2009-02-17T16:02:00.003+08:00

This quote is from Ruchi, a friend from New Delhi.

"Not all battle are meant to be fought and not all points are meant to be proven. Some things in life are just meant to be."

Thanks Ruchi.

Happy Birthday, Kakak!

2009-02-14T15:18:00.007+08:00

Its Friday the 13th and it's Kakak's birthday. Happy Birthday, Kak. Similar to other birthdays in the family, we celebrate Kakak's birthday just among us - 8 of us, and Eight is Enough. Just the normal thing - a cake, singing crazy birthday songs, making fun of each other and taking family picture.

No present, no invitees. We don't do that. If it happened someone come to our house during that time, then we might have guess. If not, its just us. We just love being us. Tengoklah video kat bawah masa nyanyi birthday song untuk Kakak.

As I said, no present for the birthday boy/girl. I regularly give presents to my children, doesn't matter what day it was. But she got her's. Not from anyone of us, but from herself. That make it more special and valuable. She got an award from the school in the school's Anugrah Pelajar Cemerlang today.

Kakak is my first child born outside Perlis, 4th in the family. The name is a combination of my name and the mother's name - Amirah. I know my wife loves this name very much, she even wrote that name as her's in her namecard EVEN before we got married. My first daughter before she got another 2 younger sisters. A very caring kakak, she takes care of the sisters especially on the education side. A very well respected kakak among the siblings (even by the elder brothers). Quick and smart, active and sporting.

She is now a teenager. My daughter is a teenager now. I pray she can take care of herself, I know she would. This morning, I attended the award ceremony, very proud to see her walk on stage to receive her award. Tears drooling when I took picture of her. She holds the record in the family - 4 consecutive years walking on stage during Hari Anugrah Pelajar Cemerlang. She almost did it all by herself. After the ceremony, there is makan-makan. I just don't feel like eating (I seldom take early breakfast, so it's too early for me) so I waited outside the school compound. Few minutes later, she came and pulled me inside. She said "Jom lah Pa kita minum. Tak best lah takda Papa. Orang lain semua ada Papa, kakak aja tak da. Jom lah!" Don't worry, my princess. I am always your Papa and Papa will always be there for you. I love you, kangkung!

And tonight, Kak Uda will be going for her first Scout Camping. It's gonna be the first night ever we would not have DeDe with us. Have fun, darling.

Kesian Minsha.

2009-02-10T21:58:00.008+08:00

Scenario:
1. I lost the credit card in Mumbai sometime back in February 2008
2. Reported it immediately from Mumbai, the call back home to the credit card centre cost me RM180 (talking time is 2 minute, the rest is for waiting time)
3. Transferred all outstanding balance of about RM430 to another card from the same bank.
4. Now, the lost card is reported, instruct to cancel the card (since I have transferred all outstanding to another card) and don't want replacement when the bank offered.
5. Fine and well from February 2008. No credit worry. No Credit Card Statement in the mailbox.
6. In October, bank call said I have RM4,800 outstanding balance. I explained that I have canceled the card in February. Explanation 'seemed' to be understood.
7. In December, legal department of the bank called. Saying I have an outstanding amount of RM9,000 to be settled. I re-explain about the situation, that I have canceled the card in February, I haven't heard anything about the account until October, contesting why the bank honor unauthorised charges and seeking their help to fax me what are the things I 'spent' on! The officer promised to call me back in 30 minutes, but never heard of him again.
8. Friday 6 February 2009, 11:30am : ring ring goes my handphone

Me: Hello

She: Amiruddin, saya Minsha dari legal department HLB. Awak tak bayar dah RM9,000 ni. Akaun awak dah tertunggak lama. Kalau awak tak bayar sebelum Selasa depan, akaun awak saya akan pass ke collection agency dan legal action akan start.

Me: (Cilaka gampang punya budak. Kurang hajar. Tak reti bahasa. Dahlah main terjah aja, panggil pun Amiruddin aja. If my name is Lim Chong Sia, will she call me Lim on the first instance or will she address me as Mr. Lim? Ba*i betul) Boleh tak you tolong check dulu akaun saya dan trace all the report yang saya dah buat. Saya dah report lost dah card ni, Februari 2008 lagi. Statement pun saya tak pernah dapat dah. Benda ni saya dah cakap kat officer you yang call saya haritu. Lagipun, kan all your call in is being recorded. Boleh tak you check dulu your fact sebelum terjah I macam tu?

She: Tapi Amiruddin, akaun awak dah tertunggak. Kalau awak tak mampu bayar semua, awak bayar lah RM280 dulu.

Me: (she is challenging me, challenging my pride, she got my weakest point..da*n) Bukan masalah mampu tak mampu. Masalahnya, I have disputed the account on the first occassion. Then again, you people did not act anything on it that the account was again being charged in November. Bla...Bla...Bla... Lain kali kalau nak cakap, get your facts right. You from legal department?

She: Yes

Me; You keja kat situ jadi klak (clerk) ke, manager ke, atau lawyer kat situ?

She: Saya officer.

Me: Then ask your Manager to speak to me! Itupun kalau his IQ is more than 110.

She: Tapi En. Amiruddin, akaun ni dah nak keluar surat saman. En. Amiruddin kena settlekan cepat.

Me; (hmmm... now you call me En. Amiruddin!)

The rest is just between the bank and I. Minsha, (dan yang seangkatan dengannya) lain kali cakap baik sikit. Kita orang Melayu, kaya dengan budi bahasa. dan kita orang Melayu, kaya juga dengan kata keji. You can find me the extreme of those twos. Awak berbudi bahasa dengan saya, saya sepuluh kali berbudi bahasa dengan awak. Awak berkata keji, saya sepuluh kali lagi keji. Jadi, berhati-hati! Kesian kat awak, kena free-free aja dengan saya.

Kiss My A**!

2009-02-09T19:38:00.009+08:00

I have many things already included in my Vibrational Bubble. One of it is a program called Man And Mercy Unfold (M.A.M.U) Yeah... I lost it today because of some untruthful demeanor. I am not going to cry even though I know it shouldn't happened that way. The truth will prevail. I got to be positive in life. I am an avid follower of Law of Attraction. The LOA does not care whether I am remembering, pretending, celebrating, playing, creating, complaining or worrying. It simply responds to what's in my Vibrational Bubble. I take time to appreciate anything that happened in my life because appreciation and gratitude helps to offer strong, positive vibrations. Its the feeling that's attached to it - that is important. I have sooooo many da*n good things that already included in my VB, and I am appreciating every each of them. The LOA responds to how I feel about what I say and how I feel about what I think. Negative thoughts is TOTALLY out of my way. Those who try to implant those negative things, by pouring negative feeling into my life (including hacking into my M.A.M.U), KISS MY A**! And if you do that just because you feel lonely and got nothing to do, GET A DOG! I am what I want to be (and give my M.A.M.U back!)

Tralala lali laley! Suwa suwey kemoning...Istimewa Rajaaaa! Woooooooooooo hoooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!

Kitorang makan orang!

2009-02-07T19:18:00.002+08:00

I have many friends – close and not so close. My approach in friendship is very simple. I do unto others as I want others do unto me. It is a simple concept of balancing. For every debit, there must be a credit, if not your Balance Sheet won’t get balance. That is not only an accounting equation thought to me by Autar Singh, it is very much applicable to our normal life, especially when friendship is concern. However, the ‘do unto others’ concept shall also be read as ‘do unto others as others do unto you’. Then, the equation is in a full cycle. I cannot be an apologetic much all the time. I will stand to my own pride (doesn’t matter I am right or wrong) most of the time. I am hard-headed person.  I can afford to take ‘wouldn’t care less’ approach if I want to. I am also a rebellious type whom will do the unthinkable to shoot back. It hurts a lot, cuts both ways. (Sometimes, I am the one who was cut deepest). Those who are not so good is being eliminated along the process. Emmm... I am also being eliminated from their list! Its fair and square. I guess, that is why I only have good friends.

Kitorang tak kacau orang, tapi kalau orang kacau kitorang, kitorang makan orang! - Usop Sontorian

p/s today, I eliminated 64 (out of 1023) numbers (and names) from my Nokia’s phone book as part of housekeeping process. 

Happy Birthday, Long!

2009-02-04T18:58:00.002+08:00

Today is Long's birthday. He wanted a coffee cake, and coffee cake I will buy. Happy birthday Long. Papa hope you will be successful in whatever future endeavor you undertake. I recall the day you were born 17 years ago, I was on cloud nine. It was the happiest moment. Remember everytime when Papa goes to the office, you will give me leaves or sticks or whatever within your reach, for me to take with me, because you said, "Papa ingat Jen". I never forget. In fact, from the day you were born until today, you and your brothers and sisters are my reasons for being. Remember those nights before sleep, you will be rubbing my shoulder. You just simply cute and adorable. Remember we played A Ayam, A Atas, A Arnab, and I will play a looser sometime? Remember moments when we played horse, I can still hear your laughter while riding on my back. Remember your first day in Kindergarten, I will be sitting outside the whole day for a week? Now you are 17. Not long before you will be independent. It is a long journey to go. But just remember, I will always be there for you. Papa love you.

What a relief!

2009-02-04T18:34:00.002+08:00

Finally I conveyed my new organisation structure to my first liners! Hesitated but what a relief!

Finally I agreed to the new Group Restructuring! Sad but what a relief!

Finally I fired ONLY one staff! Felt bad but what a relief!

Finally I approved the increment! Wooohooo, they deserve it!

To all kaki menempek!

2009-02-03T13:20:00.004+08:00

I don’t like traveling on Air Asia. The service is bad, very bad. But that doesn’t mean I will hate the CEO of Air Asia – Tony Fernandez. Or put it the other way around. I can hate Tony Fernandez but if the service of Air Asia is good, I would not hesitate to fly on it. It is two different things altogether. Tony, from my point of view is a very and pure entrepreneur. He change the conventional way of doing business to a more out-of-the-box kind of thing. The hoo-haahs about him and Air Asia lately is more political in nature rather than commercial. Which businessman on earth wouldn’t want to make as much profit possible? Bring in the social responsibility ‘rhetoric’, but the bottom line is still to make money – for the shareholders, for the staff and for themselves! Kalau tak untung, don’t talk about social responsibility. It is an open market, especially with the offerings of low cost traveling by Air Asia, the choice is with the consumers. How Tony Fernandez and his team maneuver Air Asia, that is their creativity. The risk is theirs. The repercussions are theirs. People say, he got his way through back door. People say he is a crony to some political figure. People say he is a puppet to some foreign investor. So many ‘people say’s about him. But, guys, he is a businessman! Ask yourself, if you have that opportunity, wouldn't you want to grab it? And tell me, how many people who know big people, but a total failure when come to business? I know a lot. I have few friends who called themselves ‘6 Budak Jahanam’ who claimed that they play big role in determining the top political party leadership. They claimed they know this Menteri and that Menteri. These people claimed, they not only know those Menteris, but close to them. I believe what they say. They have those Menteris handphone numbers in their phone book. They have ‘sms’es sent by those Menteris in their inbox, calling by names. I travel with them and the Menteris quiet often. But when come to Hari Raya, they will flock into my office, showing their tak malu face, asking for duit raya. When new year come, when school is about to start, they will flock again into my office, showing their muka tak malu, asking for help ‘sebab anak nak masuk sekolah’. Their business hancur. Dapat kontrak Kelas F, total sub kat orang lain. Sometimes, they didn't even know where their project site is. And these people yang mengutuk sangat kat Tony Fernandez. Ini semua pasal jealous lah! Fine, there are things that Tony does seems to be crooked, but hey, he is trying his luck! Kalau dia tak cuba, dia tak tahu. The problem with you people is that, you all tak nak mencuba, harap duit jatuh dari cucur atap. Knowing big people doesn't mean you can be successful. Kenal menteri tak ada makna kalau kita tak ada kekuatan sendiri. Kaki menempek. Upah dengar 25%! Grow up boys, so that you can think!

I know what I did during CNY.

2009-02-02T12:03:00.010+08:00

Economy slowdown has shown its face. Let it be... let it be... The slower it gets, the deeper it goes, the more opportunity to come. I am planning for a major restructure of my organisation. By this I hope to capture as much as I can market share in my business. And also to operate at the most effective and efficient level. So, during CNY holiday, I took the opportunity to think and plan. Amir-Husiners.... be aware! Non performers, moonlighters, should be scared... real scare! And some people will be enjoying promotion! We will play it hard this time!

I also took CNY holiday (school break for 10 days) to be with my children. Memang best giler. Dah lama tak lepak dengan anak-anak. I use to see them playing Rockband 2, look interesting but never had a chance to join. So, CNY holiday is the time. Baru mereka tahu siapa Papa mereka! Ex-Rocker 80an. Rock kapak. :-). I scored 97% on drum Expert Level and 232 longest streak for Livin' on the Prayer - Bon Jovi. (tak kisahlah walaupun level of difficulties drum tu cuma 0, but still...it is on expert level!) So, it was jamming session everyday from 9 - 11 pm. (err... sometimes until 2 in the morning. errrr... sometime starting from 3 pm. err... ok..ok... most of the time!) To those yang ada Rockband 2, search our team - 32LRK2 - online. Long usually on guitar (I'll beat you on perfect solo next time!), Ngah like a pro on drum, Teh singing and drum, Kakak singing, drum and bass, Kak Uda on drum (should see her drumming - she makes it look so simple), Anek singing and me - Papa Rock - on drum! Wooohoooo!

Another thing, every night during CNY, my youngest daughter, Anek, sleep with me! Wooohooo! Eventhough she regularly sleeps with me, but she already slept when I came home. I can smell her nice fruity smell hair. I can play with her silky soft hands. I can pat-pat on her back before she gets to sleep. I can tell her favourite bedtime stories - Intan. He he. (After this, Intan will go blind, lepas tu kan....)

Tapi, Ngah and Long tak sihat during CNY. At the same time, their tuition classes going on as usual. Kak Uda pulak kena demam campak, after kakak had it a week before. So, banyak program yang dah dibuat terpaksa cancel. (Nak duduk kampong lama-lama. Nak pegi Melaka for holiday. Etc etc)

January is over. My new hair look starts to get noticed. Fadzli influence me to keep this style. Abg Mamu said I lost my 'macho'ness. He he. My son said I look like a "Pak Cik pakai kain pelikat, datang batuk-batuk, nak join jamming". My daughters like it. Ibrahim (my barber) has come back after his long 2 months holiday. He has his first touch to my hair yesterday, trimming the unnecessaries. But most importantly, I feel good with myself. Below is my new look (after get trimmed by Ibrahim yesterday) My niece, Ene, is getting married soon. Keazaman berlipat kali ganda nak simpan rambut lain sikit masa wedding. He he.

CNY Holiday

2009-01-27T14:31:00.003+08:00

I received many 'sms's, wishing a Happy Chinese New Year. That is the spirit of the Malaysians. We celebrate festivals, doesn't matter whose. We celebrate Thaipusam eventhough it belongs to the Hindus. We celebrate CNY. We celebrate Christmas. Sounds weird? No, it isn't. We brought up in a multi racial and multi cultural society. However, the way we celebrate is different depends on what race you are. I am a Malay Muslim. The way I celebrate CNY or Thaipusam or Christmas is by visiting and wishing friends their very best. Nothing related to religion. I modify the celebration based on my religion. Some people might say that by following the other religion's celebration makes you part of them. (BTW, CNY is not a religion based celebration) I differ. I am wearing cloths the Indians, Chinese, English, Jewish, Arabs wears. That doesn't make me more like them. I celebrate because simply I respect my friends, and it is fun! Its fun to celebrate. I celebrate birthdays. I celebrate anniversaries. I celebrate wins. I celebrate successes. It doesn't make me a Hindu when I celebrate Thaipusam. It makes me feel closer with my Hindu staff and I think I get their respect. Few years ago, I brought back a bagful of prizes on the eve of Christmas. I put everything under a palm tree at a corner of my house, as if the palm tree was a christmas tree, hehe. The tree was decorated with lights and gadgets. The children was so happy. I played Santa Clause. He he. I am looking for opportunity to play the dragon head in Lion Dance. Must be fun! To all my Chinese friends (Arthur, Michael, YB LGE, YB Tian Chua, Wong, TMC, Ooi, PFH, Nam Kiong, Bruce, Wai Ling, Bee Suan, JE, Sim, Ah Pek, Lin, Dolly, Sam, Chin Ngor, Foo, .... many more...) a very happy Chinese New Year. Let us be Malaysians!

8th Anniversary

2009-01-26T07:00:00.001+08:00

Today is Amir-Husin Group of Companies 8th Anniversary. We have been through thick and thin, passing through difficulties in building what we have now. It is not a one man effort - it is team effort. The whole family of Amir-Husin. From Amir-Husin Holdings, Amir-Husin Corporation, Amir-Husin Holidays, Puncak Penchala Development, Mikraj Corporation, HMD Techology and Ethical Access. All of us. We are not going to stop here, we want to be here for as long as we can be. To all staff of Amir-Husin Group of Companies, thank you for making these years a wonderful years. I cannot be here without you. Thank you very much!

Go Bollywood!

2009-01-24T15:11:00.006+08:00

While surfing, I found this video clip. I like Hindustani songs, particularly the upbeat ones. I remember the time when Kuch Kuch Hota Hai was the in thing somewhere in 1997-98, I keep the cassette of the soundtrack in my car. I love all the songs. Then came Dil To Pagal Hai. I can memorise the lyric. He he. But after that, I loose track of Bollywood's whatabout.

This is Chaiya Chaiya from Dil Se, composed by A.R Rahman, sung by Sukhwinder Singh and Sapna Awasthi. The video was filmed on top of the Ooty train in mountainous area of Tamil Nadu. Amazing dance by who-else, Datuk Shah Rukh Khan.

The following is not an hindustani song. It is a Tamil song but produced also by A.R Rahman. (Ishwary, correct me if I am wrong :-) It is a soundtrack from En Swasa Kaatre. A very lively upbeat dance music. Love it!

What a good start!

2009-01-19T13:53:00.006+08:00

2009 starts good, well at least to me! He he. Last night, Meet Uncle Husain won AJL 23 (Indie Rocks!). On 20 Jan, Barrack Hussein Obama will be swearing in as the 44th President of the USA. And here I am, on 26 Jan, we will be celebrating the 8th year of Amir-Husin Group of Companies. Wooo hoooo!

The Power of Play concept

2009-01-09T02:16:00.002+08:00

This posting has been long overdue. I wanted to blog on this since we started to compose and design our Power of Play concept, but I was so busy on the ground. Maybe after reading this, people would say, ahh... nothing new. Yes, play is not new, but wait until you attend one of our team building program. You will see the new dimension in play. Most of us think of adult play as respite or indulgence, but having fun is no trivial pursuit. It is crucial to put mental creativity, health and happiness. A reality in the time-crunched, chaotic and competitive world today that somewhere along the way, “fun” seems to have become a four-letter word. Apparently, someone has decided that if employees are being spontaneous, creative, even playful, the real business at hand must not be getting accomplished.

At Power of Play, we see things a little differently. There is a growing mountain of evidence characterizing people who have fun at work as:
· more productive
· more creative
· healthier
· more motivated
· more flexible and resilient
· better able to meet job demands
· more adaptability
· better communication skill
· enthusiastic
· solution oriented

Why is ‘play’ such a wonderful learning tool
1. Involving. The best way to learn new skills is through action -- actually doing things.
2. Low Risk. Play offers participants a safe environment in which to explore, risk, try new ideas and make mistakes. Columbus was looking for India when he found America. Mistakes are simply an integral part of innovation.
3. Team Dynamics. Team play allows a group's dynamics to be examined and evaluated under controlled conditions.
4. Self-Awareness. Play gives team members the chance to view teammates in a new light. Greater awareness of ourselves, and of those around us, can dramatically improve team effectiveness.
5. Building Trust. Everyone within a group becomes more comfortable as members become familiar with teammates, sharpen their awareness of group dynamics, and begin to clearly understand where they fit in. Allowing people to work together in a play environment effectively builds trust within the team.
6. The Value of the Team. Play is an excellent tool for convincing the skeptics of teamwork's value. Fun team exercises afford skeptics the opportunity to see that sharing information and responsibilities can bring amazing results. Group play also affords participants an opportunity to discover the strong value of diversity.
7. Pleasure. The pleasure of learning through play can work wonders to revitalize a group and rebuild morale. Studies have shown that there is a direct correlation between pleasure and productivity.
8. Specific lessons. Each play delivers its own lessons, skills and experiences for participants. Many involve problem solving, while others tend to be more physical. Some are designed to enhance communication skills, with others focusing on organization. While some of these are group lessons, others are more individually targeted.

Play lift stress from us. It restores our optimism. It changes our perspective, stimulating creativity. It renews our ability to accomplish the work of the world. We are most human when we play, and just because we play. How we play is related, in myriad ways, to our core sense of self. We not only play because we are. We play the way we are. And the ways we could be. Play is our connection to pure possibilities.

Supplementary New Year Resolution

2009-01-08T16:22:00.003+08:00

I just thought about it. A supplementary new year resolution is to be at home before 7.30 pm (its pm, not am) everyday. I will bring home my work. Emm... no, that will defeat the purpose. When I go back, I am not suppose to work at home. Ok, i will leave my laptop in the office. But wait... what happen if I need to attend to something very urgently, replying to urgent request, from Morocco for example, when their day is night here in Malaysia. Emmm.... ok, I can always browse through my mobile and see if anything urgent and reply from it. But wait, all data and information are in my laptop. If I don't have my laptop, i cannot do my work. And I am not supposed to work at home. Never mind, I just bring my laptop home and check my email from my mobile. ONLY if there is urgent need, then I switch on my laptop. But what if everyday I receive urgent email, like usual? That means I will be back home by 7.30pm, been checking my mails from my mobile, then switch my laptop to do the necessaries (that usually will take about 20 minutes) and reply to the mails. No no no. That won't happen. I am going to be at home everyday before 7.30pm, spend my time with my children, I am not going to check my mails so that I won't switch on my laptop, and I am not going back to the office before 9.00am the next morning. I am determined!

Dedicated to Mubarek

2009-01-07T12:20:00.002+08:00

This posting is dedicated to fellow Arau friends. This one is during my visit to Mubarek's house on 30 December 2008, with Bute. And kebetulan juga, masa tu Yot call. Dapatlah dia cakap dengan Barek. Here goes.

Tony Fernandes and I

2009-01-06T22:18:00.005+08:00

He was born 1964, so was I. He is an ambitious young handsome man, I am equally young and handsome ambitious man (my wife says so). He is an Accountant by profession, so do I. He loves music and plays instruments, I do, too. Probably I sing better than him. He is a crazy CEO with motto 'believe the unbelievable, dare to dream and never take no for an answer', I am a crazy CEO with motto 'play life seriously' (well, at least I, too, have a motto). He has a knack for service industry, I am not that distance away. In 2007, Forbes Asia valued his personal wealth at USD230 million ranking him at number 24 on the Forbes list of Malaysia's Richest, I, errr....hello, you must have missed my name, Mr. Forbes!

But I have this dream, to bring myself and my team, soaring far and high to international stage, marking our name in the history to be among Malaysians who is well recognised by leaders of the world. Just like him.

p/s. I hate traveling on Air Asia! Read my posting here.

Faces of 2009

2009-01-06T12:42:00.005+08:00

Our latest family photo, to welcome 2009 and on Ngah's birthday.
Me - have a long list of ambition during school days - a pilot (fare my Physic badly during SPM), a police officer (errr... why is this traffic light still merah? honk honk from the car behind. oops, its alreadey green. Blame it on the gene carried in my X chromosome). Bang Teh - got the body from Ibu Chik, got the kememe from me. hehe. Bang Long - self proclaim metro, who spend 20 minutes before school every day to gel up his 'bachang kulum dek kobau' hair. Bang Ngah - a wizz, trying to be the youngest Law Of Attraction Trainer in the world. Mama - a full time home maker, driving around with an expired driving license. Kakak - my eldest kangkung, eying to go to Masterskill College for her study in medicine but wanted to be a farmer when she grows up. Kak Uda (front row, most left) - my very talented kangkung, second in her school in Best Hand Writing while she was in Primary 2, very calm and patient (I notice she swallows her tears whenever she is sad, but tears-come-out-alot-very-fast-one when I am the tutor). Anik - oh my little cute kangkung, talkative despite the name is Najwa (which means whisper is Arabic), so cute that the school bag is bigger than she is.

Happy Birthday Ngah!

2009-01-03T17:14:00.003+08:00

Today is Bang Ngah's birthday. He is today 15. I had kept his name - Ahmad Azharuddin Azhari few months before he was born. I remember, when he was born, he gave quiet a difficulties to the mother that I had to donor my blood. When he was small, he use to be very 'ketegaq'. I remember one day, I was so mad at him. He was only about 3 that time. I sent him out from the house (child abuse...hehe) but his reaction? He was just enjoying himself playing with shoes. Another day, we went to a relative house, he was sleeping in our van when we arrived. So, I left him inside, don't want to disturb him, with the door open. I parked right infront of the house and we were chatting just beside the van. When he woke up, he yelled and shouted. He threatened to burn the house down. He really made a scene. He simply will not listen to you. I (and all of us, including the Tok Ayah, Mak Tok, Tok Wan and Tok) was so concerned that he will grow up to become an uncontrollable temperamental person. One day, Apak went to see this wise religious guy, Cikgu Sulaiman, seeking his advise. Cikgu Sulaiman did his ritual (the Quran, the keris, the bowl with water, etc) and told us that Apak had made a 'nazar' (because of my wife difficulties while delivering Bang Ngah), if my wife gave birth safely, he will read a surah in the Quran - Yaasin. Immediately on returning home, Apak did just that - read the Yaasin. God is Great, not long after that, Bang Ngah is no more shouting and yelling without purpose. He turn out to be just like any other boy. Apak call him Yasin since then.

He was born with G6PD - a glucosade deficiency in his blood. But that doesn't make him a sick boy. He grow up well, to be such a handsome boy. In fact, we will feel something missing if he is not around. He is the joker of the family. He made jokes, intelligent jokes that sometimes I just feel he is too matured for his age. He even debating on issues with his Pak Ngah (who dares to debate with Pak Ngah?). Bang Ngah is also very responsible boy. He is very caring that sometimes I had to say it's ok to let someone down when we had done our very best to help.

Ngah, Papa love you very much. Happy Birthday, son!

2009 New Year Resolution

2009-01-02T15:09:00.004+08:00

Year in and year out, I have been renewing my solemn declaration of resolutions. Some, I have included in my 'vibrational bubble' and some still outside. I felt good with those which are already in my bubble. Isn't resolution is about making you feel good? You make achievable resolutions. You won't make one that is not within reach such as to be the next President of America (err... can a Malaysian be one?). One of the things that is still outside my bubble is aomething to do with tobacco - you can guess what. No, I don't chew tobacco! I love seeing myself free from it.

This year, 2 of my sons will be sitting for 2 major exams - SPM and PMR. My resolution is to assist them in preparing for the exams.

p/s. I will try to change my hare style. Oooops... I mean hair style. I have been with this stubble style since 2001. Pray to God I can stand the agony of waking up in the morning, rushing to the bathroom, do the normal bathroom errant, dress up and tidy the hare. Errr... hair. Tidy the what? Hair? Did I say that? Whoaaaa..! It has not been in my spell checker for many years! The thought of having to carry the hair-related stuff for my outstation traveling is already frightening. God, please help me to get through with this. Berilah aku kekuatan untuk mengahadapi ujian yang sangat getir ini. Amin...