Married and loving it!

I've quit writing serious stuff

2010-11-29T12:05:00.002+08:00

Hi I've quit writing serious stuiff. Life's too depressing

Go HERE instead

Tony Blair, the War Criminal, Should Not Be Allowed on Malaysian Soil. Petition

2010-03-22T14:40:00.000+08:00

Tony Blair, the War Criminal, Should Not Be Allowed on Malaysian Soil. Petition

Sign this petition for your support. Some joker just invited Tony Blair for lecture to our youth.

Nak jadi kah atau hanya mimpi dan retorik?

2009-03-25T09:26:00.000+08:00

Saya baca ucapan TPM semalam:-

"... kita mesti mengubah cara UMNO menentukan pemimpin termasuklah sistem kuota. Kita perlu memberikan hak memilih ke tangan kumpulan yang lebih besar. Sekarang ini, sebagai contoh pemilih bagi perhimpunan Agung UMNO hanya di kalangan hampir 2,600 orang yang terdiri daripada perwakilan dari 191 bahagian.

Sudah tentu keputusan yang dibuat oleh perwakilan sejumlah itu tidak mencerminkan sepenuhnya hasrat lebih tiga juta ahli UMNO di peringkat akar umbi di seluruh negara. Pada hemat saya, telah tiba masanya untuk kita mengkaji semula perlembagaan UMNO daripada aspek ini agar proses pemilihan kepimpinan UMNO dapat disertai oleh lebih ramai ahli dari semua peringkat.

Inilah jalan yang akan dapat membendung masalah politik wang dan salah guna kuasa. Inilah juga jalan, jika kita ingin parti ini terus kekal kuat dengan sewajarnya mengembalikan semula mandat pemilih kepada akar umbi."

Teringat cadangan dari tahun lepas ... yang dah diilhamkan dari tahun 2000 lagi ...
http://kayown.blogspot.com/2008/04/cadangan-usul-umno-merubah-sistem.html

Nak jadi ka?

Perak Politics - New Sitcom

2009-02-02T20:41:00.000+08:00

If it wasn’t so tragic I would be laughing my head off.

On one side you have people who had just completed a coup of getting someone to change their spots and come across suddenly being in the shoes of having their leopards changing their spots…

Actually I agree on ONE main principle, If you are elected under a label, if you wish to change, RESIGN. That goes for both sides. It’s a matter of honor, unfortunately something completely foreign to not only Malaysian politicians but all politicians as well.

But the sad thing about all of this is the state of Perak politics. Being a Perakian entitles me I guess to say a couple of words about this. Perak politician are among the most mediocre of all politicians in Malaysia. Let me back this up with some observations.

We have consistently got ourselves mediocre MB since the late 60s. The problem is the complete lack of talent among the resident ADUN and division heads. While you can see some of the other states having representation at the highest level of UMNO and the wings … Perak has precious few. One notable in the top 3 tier is a woman, Dato Seri Rafidah. The other ‘notable’ is also questionable to me … Nazri. Thanks for throwing up ... I threw up too

Why this dearth of talent? Is it because Perakians are themselves devoid of talent?
I’ve heard of many reasons.

Among the biggest is the suppression of those with talent and integrity. Mediocrity is looked upon as acceptable because it makes most of us not feel bad about ourselves. Tall weeds get cut down fast.

Another popular reasons is a lot of notable perakians tend to be in the educational field. Look it up. So they tend to be more idealistic and shy away from the sleaze of what passes as normal politics as usual.

Another reason put forward is that Perak politics is too much a politic of patronage. Thus you cannot be better than your patron. That puts a crimp on any up and coming.

I don’t know if this is the same everywhere else… I guess it is … because we also see this kind of crap in the US. Maybe Perak is like Chicago. Too sleazy. Guess who’s our Rod Blagojevich then? Sorry … whatever your guess is you’re wrong … it’s practically every single politician in Perak … Our very own Chicago…

But the thing is Chicago did produce one Barack Hussein Obama … Is there any hidden in Perak …?

Boycott

2009-01-21T15:25:00.002+08:00

McDonalds looks lengang in the morning now. I guess the boycott is on now. Hardly any queue

Don't know about Starbucks ....

But this is an alternate for those who need some kind of Mc...

Sense of helplessness

2009-01-08T12:16:00.003+08:00

As the days go by and we watch again and again the images of dead Palestinian children in rows of white shrouds, we ask (again), what can we do?

What else can we do beyond boycotting US products, as suggested by former Malaysian PM, Tun Dr. Mahathir? Would anyone notice? How can we do that? I am using Microsoft Word to do this. It’s a US product. Please help me find an alternative. Maybe try Open Office that even though it is also a US product, it’s free, thus not contributing to the US income.

Maybe that will help in curtailing the USD3 billion that the US sends DIRECT to Israel and the multitude of billions that it spends buying off Arab Saudi, Egypt, UAE, Kuwait to lie quietly and let Israel run wild. You think that would do it… hmmpf … then you must be less of a skeptic that I am.

What else can we do? Do we get into a chemistry lab and start building bombs and throw them at the nearest US embassy or any business that have the name American? Would that help the children of Gaza? You think? I don’t think so, because in my books two wrongs definitely don’t make a right. I will be committing a sin by killing innocent non-combatants in ‘war’. I do think that Al Qaeda have completely got it wrong by 9/11.

What else can we do? Donate to the funds that assist in humanitarian aids? That would assuage our guilt of letting this happen. Maybe some percentage of that assistance does get to the Palestinians. I do hope no one skim off the top of these aids. May Allah curse them if they do that. But with the blockade, can they get it through.

I guess this sense of helplessness comes from the fact that whatever we do may not make a difference. Evil will triumph as it has for these many years, at least 61 years for the Palestinians. We still buy American goods, still use Google and still watch American programs on TV. We are not prepared to suffer discomfort or inconvenience.

In the end our prayers to Allah to help the Palestinians, to strengthen the Muslim ummah so that it can fight this is the best possible way, to strengthen ourselves so that we are willing to experience discomfort a little bit so that we can make a dent, no matter how big, in the US economy, for Allah to make the people who actually make decisions in the US to see the light, for Allah to punish those that perpetrated these injustice.

In the end as in the beginning, there is only Allah that we can rest all our hopes and prayers.

BTW, I’m switching to Open Office. And this ... probably will be last blog on www.blogger.com until I can figure out where to send this.

Well they completely don't get it ....

2008-11-10T10:37:00.002+08:00

I was laughing my head off at the barber yesterday while reading this at The Star. Got a few raised eyebrows from the other patrons. Shared the article with another guy sitting next to me, and he laughed as well. Well shows me that that I am not the only one that found this funny.

I’ll reproduce this just in case the link gets deleted after 7 days.

“Sunday November 9, 2008
Don’t get carried away with Obama, says Annuar

KOTA BARU: Kelantan Umno liaison chairman Tan Sri Annuar Musa has urged Malaysians not to get carried away with Barrack Obama, as “we have our own leaders to admire and our issues to resolve”.

“I see people wearing Obama T-shirts. While it is good, let us not get carried away with what happened in other nations.

“I also prefer if people could wear T-shirts bearing Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, soon to be our next Prime Minister and Umno president,” he said at the opening of the Ketereh Umno division delegates meeting yesterday.

Annuar, who was returned unopposed as the division head, said Najib had displayed traits of nationalism of Umno founder Tun Onn Jaafar and the long-term foresight of his late father, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein.”

C’mon, go ahead … laugh your head off. I did … just barely managed to put my head back on after that serious laugh.

Oh puhleeez, it’s not just because I am one of those possibly tagged as “carried away by Obama”, which I may be, that I found that statement funny. But it just points out the fact that Annuar completely lost the point, as he often does. It’s one of those statements that imply if we have more interest in politics of other countries we cease to be patriotic. This is one of those self-righteous crap often yelled at us that really throws us off the local politicos.

To most I’ve talked to, what fascinates us about this year’s Presidential race is due to a couple of possibilities.

Maybe the fact that the United States actually chose whomever they want as President irrespective of “the colour if his skin, but the content of his character” (to paraphrase Martin Luther King). Maybe to some the ‘novelty’ of actually selecting the leader of your country as opposed to someone some party selects as the one to be your leader, is much more attractive and therefore attracts more attention. Maybe due to the fact that the person in question did not have to resort to making money on commissions and kickbacks from contracts to build his ‘war chest’ to campaign for this position, but just from getting ordinary people to believe in him (ultimately to be proven rightly or otherwise). Maybe its due to the fact that what impressed them in the fact that in making this choice, they actually felt good about making that choice, as opposed to making a choice simply because we need to punish the one in power like what we did in March 2008. Maybe it’s due to the fact that banal “support at all cost”, stupid statements are ridiculed over there as opposed to being carried on Page 1 in most mainstreams down here.

Whatever the reason, the biggest mistake UMNO is making is belittling the ‘interest’. In not recognising what is good in a successful campaign, it closes its eyes to what is needed by the citizen of a State. It shuts out what people are really hungry for. Basically, they simply are asking for a chance to make a difference in their lives. Something unfortunately the present leadership (if you can call it that) completely do not understand.

Yes We Can ... Boleh

2008-11-06T09:34:00.002+08:00

President-elect Barack Hussein Obama ended his victory speech yesterday with this paragraph:

"This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we cant, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

“Yes We Can.”

The chant ringing from Grant Park, Chicago yesterday and at all of President-elect Obama’s rallies reminded all and sundry that faith in our own abilities to effect changes actually does bring change that we need.

It is kind of telling that self-confidence is not necessarily always misplaced as often told by those whose lives are spent being cynic and sceptics. I am not a complete optimistic person but sometimes I realised the lack of optimism is the one thing that most of time causes us to fail even before we start.

This picture in the New Straits Times struck me today,
Yes we can was rather interestingly translated as simply Boleh.

I guess then what our former PM, Tun Dr Mahathir was telling us is to have confidence in our abilities to make changes and do what needs to be done. All these years of the opposition making fun of ‘bolehland’ is probably simply a way of sapping our hope and our confidence to make a difference, to make the change that we need to make in our lives, our race and our nation.

We have been told that we cannot make these changes on the status quo, but one of the many things that the Mahathir era has told us, the status quo keeps changing as suited the times. I am not saying everything that was done in those 22 years was right but a large percentage was right for this country at that point in time.

Now is the time to make changes. We can’t allow for things to go the same way ever again. Not if care for our children. If we ever have any doubts, just keep whispering, Yes we can … or better still “memang BOLEH”. After all we had that earlier ... much earlier.

Terkenang Raya dulu-dulu

2008-09-18T14:05:00.000+08:00

Salam all, after the various sandiwara murah and the 'make you throw up' news and snippets it would be nice to look forward to Raya. This year spending it in Kuala Kangsar is definitely something to look forward to.

It's always a special moment to spend Raya balik kampung. Somehow Raya in KL doesn't feel like Raya all that much. The atmosphere is too sterile. Pergi Masjid pun sebab besar sangat (Shah Alam), I end up catching only a few faces yang selalu jumpa masa tarawikh or those 'kampung-less" crowd or yang kampung dia kat KL (... "hang beranak kat Chow Kit ka" is my usual comment). But as the years go by, the usual faces yang kita selalu nampak kat masjid kampung pun dah makin tak ada. Yang pergi dulu dah tak nampak ... (kalau nampak haru jugak). Member-member yang kalah dengan bini pasal nak raya kat kampung pun tak nampak, come to think of it, ada le dekat bertahun-tahun tak nampak batang hidung depa.

Being melancholy ni macam teringat cerita Abdulla Rafi berHari Raya (karya Abang Mamat Khalid). Rasa macam Abdulla Rafi bila dah tua pulak.

Beraya lepas ke kubur pun dah start to run out of houses nak visit. Dulu kalau balik kubur dengan Tok, ada route compulsory yang kena lalu. Kena pergi rumah kawan2 Tok, adik beradik MakTok, great grand auntie dsb. Bila dah ramai tak ada ... lepas balik kubur ada drop by 3 rumah dah sampai rumah balik.

This might sound cruel, but one of the things I do not miss is budak sekolah Talang datang beraya. Dulu sebab Ayah jadi cikgu kat sana (yang agak popular jugak, if I do say so myself), tak berenti renti budak datang sampai rasa macam kita ni kena ikat kat sinki basuh pinggan. My brother pulak kerja jaga duit raya ... used to be 20sen dah 50 sen by end of 1982 (last raya sebelum belah ke Melbourne). He was good at jaga duit raya ... ingat muka sapa yang datang dua kali.

I have to apologise again to my brother (every Raya ... part ini jadi wajib), for completely finishing his stock of bunga api in 1982 yang dia simpan sebab sayang nak main. Just imagine how I completely finished it playing with my friends from Kulim sebab boring maut malam tu sebelum balik maktab. Nak make it up susah dah sikit sebab takut masuk lokap beli bunga api.

But nothing stays the same ... As it should not anyway. But sometimes ... I just wish a little bit of good old days remains. Maybe it's time to make this memorable for the kids so that they can remember 'their' good old days.

31st August or 16 September ... Why does it matter?

2008-09-03T11:36:00.002+08:00

All these talk raised by the recently annointed leader of the PR and the debate that arises ... actually makes my blood rise, and the food that I ate during 'sahur' rise up as well.

On 31st August 1957 the Federated States of Malaya was formed. 11 states in all. We didn't have Sabah, Sarawak, Wilayah Persekutuan (KL, Labuan or Putrajaya) then. Neither did we (or we eventually) have Singapore. But that was the beginning of this independent country and the parliament and the government that forms this country of ours.

Now it can be argued (and incessantly argued until I feel like throwing up...) that Malaysia was not formed until 16 September 1963. Well actually there are other issues as well, the Malaysia that was formed on that date didn't last past 1965 when Singapore left. So do we celebrate the date that Singapore left as the date that Malaysia is truly formed. But what about Wilayah Persekutuan? It wasn't created until 1 February 1970. The citizens of Wilayah would cry foul then. What about WP Labuan and Putrajaya ... don't they count?

The above just demonstrate how silly this argument is. To the leader of the PR, the much looked upon (by you!) united States of America (note the uncapitalised 'u') was declared on 4th July 1776. But there was a war of Independence that went on until 1785 (and actually was started in 1775, when the revolutionaries seized control of these states from the British). Then. there were only 13 colonies (states) that went to form "these united States of America". The other states (some from France, Mexico, Spain) formed the union of 50 states by joining in one by one until the last one on August 21st, 1959 (after Malaysia was independent). That state being the former Republic of Hawaii. Maybe the leader of PR might consider asking his good friend to make 21/8 the National Day of USA.

The operative word in our celebration on 31 August is that it is the National Day / Hari Kebangsaan. Not Independence Day. Why can't we celebrate that day as all our National Day ... irrespective of actual time. It is after all a symbol?

The leader of PR has better things to do than this ... it reeks too much of political grandstanding for votes. Get to work, man!

Malaysian Sports

2008-08-18T17:26:00.001+08:00

After the deflating moment in Malaysian sports, watching Lee Chong Wei get swept aside, sets me thinking, why countries which are so obscure , dirt poor like Erithrea (which was formerly a state of another dirt poor country) can still win medals?

Malaysians spend more than 100million on sports in this country. With the exception of squash and badminton ... we are not world class in most.

Cant help but think maybe we don't breally care about sports beyond a hobby, and beyond watching. Take or schools as an example.

No one takes the athletics seriously anymore... Sports Day is viewed as a burden and most of the times it's the male teachers' job to handle it. Wonder why ... panas is it? It's no wonder I cant seem to get hold of any male teachers coz inevitably they get sent to the padang. Usually under the excuse that they are not teriffic teachers anyway.

Sports facilities will more often than not fall into disrepair and abandoned at schools due to the fact there is no teacher to supervise a particular sports. We dont even have a dedicated Phys Ed teacher in our schools. So don' be surprise when we are mediocre in our performance.

In football, arguably the most popular of all sports in Malaysia, we have among the most rediculously overfunded and underqualified team and managers in the region. We even shake in our boots against countries like Laos. Myanmar scares the shit out us.

Frankly ever since we had the current president of FAM, the state of Malaysian football has gone in the crapper. No one can stand up. Even the late Presiden of Kedah FA was suspended for voicing out his satisfaction in the football development program. That was despite him being lauded as most successful in building a team from next to nothing.

Maybe Brunei had the right idea, realising they have mediocre team .... didnt submit any name at all.

My daughter in the papers!

2008-08-15T09:29:00.002+08:00

My daughter picture came out in Utusan Malaysia yesterday (14/8/08)... under some article about Family projects undertaken by Nural, the company that makes the new NUgrow milk. Taken during the launch where she performed.

Not bad huh ... she's the one in pink... (what else...). The other celebrity in my family other than my brother.

Malaysians at the Olympics

2008-08-12T14:20:00.001+08:00

Seeing Wong Choon Han take out Taufik Hidayat (albeit some said he was just recovering from dengue fever...) was a wonderful moment in badminton. Hoping that Malaysia can go over the next hurdles ... CHINA. Also knowing that Lee Chong Wah & Wong Mei Choo made it through was also exciting.

Was disappointed with Astro coverage of Malaysians at the Olympics. The Archery team was not covered live and Wong Mei Choo's match was not even shown but instead anothe match involving China was shown. Had to resort to seeing the scores tick over in the Olyimpics website, point by point.Some other sports have hardly any major interest is also shown to great detail.

I know Astro are taking feed from the Aussie broadcaster but c'mon ... is it to the extent that we can't even ask to be shown Malaysians in action. Irrespective of how they fare at the very least we can see how the play / fight. That may inspire some of our young to take some of these sports and excel.

Can't wait for squash to be in the Olympics... but with our luck it would likely be when Nicole retired.

Guts .... some do have it

2008-08-11T16:53:00.003+08:00

Looking at what UMNO cawangan Sungai Buloh Country Resort, Bhg Kuala Selangor, approved during their last AGM, I was proud to see that there are UMNO members (at the grassroots level) that have more guts than all of the Majlis Tertinggi put together.

I guess this level of courage is likely to be rare, as most of ahli UMNO prefer jadi lembu dari jadi orang. Especially among the heads of Bahagian and some of the cawangan. It is a pity.

I would ask all those ahli UMNO yang parents nya dulu UMNO, to ask themselves, would their parents, grandparents, great grandparents approve of what they have done to UMNO and the Malay race? How would they answer this question?

Can they sleep well knowing they just condemn this race to mediocrity once again?

Unfortunately for most of us, they can. And we ... nonUMNO members and non political party members suffer greatly for the actions of these bunch of leeches and traitors to the dreams of our Fathers and Mothers.

Our Politicians: The Absurd and The Ridiculous

2008-08-08T15:36:00.000+08:00

Daily I find it practically impossible to read any newspaper. It's all so tainted with complete lack of obejctivity and tinted by the whatever colored glass that the editorial team looks through. No only that, the worst is that no one seems to discuss or report on what is important to most Malaysians as opposed to only those that affects these small obnoxious, self centered, creepy lots called POLITICIANS.

When basic needs are not being met, and when no one seems to care, the ppl will lash out at whoever is seen as the authority. Happened in 1969, in 1997/8 and now. It's not that ppl expects handouts mostly but they do expect the leaders that they select to care more about the ppl than about themselves. Despite the appearance of distrust in politicians Malaysians still go out and vote. just compare the voter turnout percentage in Malaysia compared with US / UK. That in itself kind of implies there is some "trust" that whoever they choose will do their damndest in making things better for them and their children.

The politician work for us, and it not a permanent job, and as Dave said in the movie "Dave) "...it's a temp" job. So if their interested in making this temp job last longer they should be doing great work for their employer, which is us. But most don't think they are.

This goes back to the party system of selecting leaders among them to become our leaders. The party selection system is so fraught with crap that we end up choosing among the various crap that floated through the various party selection system.

Ever since I left UMNO, the only political party I signed on since age 21, I felt liberated. Yet at the same time I felt depressed same as most Malaysians who do not belong to any political party in the 'circus' of the various political parties. These 'leaders' (I am pushing the definition waaay to far on this) do not go pondering beyong their belly button. If they do .. hardly any one of them will be able to sleep. (yet some do sleep very well indeed).

UMNO contains such hilarious bunch of stupid cows, and I say that applies to both men and women, as the men mostly have completely cut off their balls and handed them over to whoever leaders they happen to support.

PAS is concerned about Islam but seems not have a real idea of true Islam. All skin and no heart kind of situation.

PKR is about Anwar, still is despite being put in power in one of teh richest state in teh country, and still sitting on their ass not making a difference even in the state.

DAP seems to start well but instead of moving on their own program, seems intent on revenge on the MCA/GERAKAN predecessors rather than focusing on their job.

MCA/GERAKAN/MIC .... I havent figured what they are trying to do ... and generally most of their members are clueless as well.

So my recommendation. ABOLISH ALL PARTIES! Elect our PM and DPM ... forget about the parliamentary system. Let's go back to Ancient Greek based democracy. Ha ha (only half joking). But seriously ... if the way leaders are selected is faulty, let's change that. Why not ... it's our country isn't it ... well ... actually I'm not too sure about that anymore. Some of our leaders might have sold us off without us knowing.

Stay amazing!

An Amazing Country

2008-08-07T11:18:00.004+08:00

Inspired by this article by Garrison Keillor

Malaysia is such an amazing country.

It's an amazing country that we continue to be blind to what's important but is focused on the trivialities. It's amazing that a leader which is totally clueless continues to get support from the
party that he brought down to its knees while at the same time attacking his predecessor. It's an amazing party that sees greatness in their leader that is 'much appreciated by the opposition (maybe not for long).

It's an amazing country that those entrusted to make changes they have been saying they will make when they are voted in power; in fact does precisely nothing substantial or any different.

It's an amazing country that leaders who obviously have enemies of Islam supporting him are supported by muslims themselves as saviour. Moreover having someone who have been proven to practise deviant acts to be lauded as an example of Muslim leadership.

It's an amazing country, that we allow roads to fall on our head but we're more worried about the traffic jam caused by closure.

It's an amazing country when today traffic jams was a result of roadblocks to identify supporters (how the heck were they going to do that... ?) of someone going to court to be charged on some deviant act. It's amazing that they believe the guy after so many lies told.

It's an amazing country when you invite former leader who is proven to be a liar that causes deaths and war to come to this country to talk about rule of law. It's further amazing that we actually send soldiers to this former colonial master to guard their Queen and consider it an honor. Should have been the other way around.

Good luck to this amazing country .... YOU never cease to amaze me.... (THAT is not a compliment)

Alternative Energy x-Prize

2008-06-09T09:44:00.006+08:00

Comments made at Tun's page as well.

The recent increase in petrol / diesel prices and re-structuring of the oil prices have left most reeling with shock. Even though expected, Malaysians being largely insulated from the petrol price increase in other countries took it for granted that we will be continuously protected. Kind of foolish perception on our part.

But the thing is the most important crisis in this time will not go away so long as the energy demand stays. So why havent everyone been talking about the most obvious? Alternative energy sources?

Can Malaysia take a lead in getting the research for alternative energy source instead of saying it's someone else's problem. No one is willing to take the lead. Why not try something like what the Ansari X Prize did in getting private commercial space flight a reality?

This is what I suggest.

Malaysia take the lead and offer to buy alternative non fossil fuel technology from any inventor for EUR 1billion (since we cant trust dollars). Frankly we probably wont have to pay up as I am sure that other countries (see Japan / China) will up the ante to a couple more billion.

Either that or Malaysia lead in setting up the alternative Energy prize. Other countries can contribute and the intellectual property for the invention once bought from the inventor will be set on the world as free to download and use. Freeware!

How's that for having a role in saving the mankind from its excesses. For sure world recognition.

Would Malaysian leaders have the courage to do this? The need is obvious but the courage to execute is always lacking.

TDM facebook page deleted!

2008-04-11T16:11:00.004+08:00

The facebook page for the fans of the Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed this morning. The page have been gathering support and I pointed out once that Tun was ranked at no 17 (as at this morning no 14) out of all politician facebook page topped by Barack Obama. He was the only Asian in the top 20 and his facebook fan page only started about a couple of weeks ago.

Facebook's admin comments was this:-

"Hello,

You created a Page that has violated our Terms of Use, and this Page has been removed. Facebook Pages are special profiles used solely for commercial, political, or charitable purposes. Among other things, Pages that are hateful, threatening, or obscene are not allowed. We also take down Pages that attack an individual or group, or that are set up by an unauthorized individual. Continued misuse of Facebook's features could result in your account being disabled.

If you have any questions or concerns, you can visit the Terms applicable to Facebook Pages at http://www.facebook.com/terms_pages.php. "

One of the ways the facebook can be deleted if there are complaints made that the page is abusive etc. It's cyber-terrorism or just plain hate ... no one knows.

But honestly .... I have followed all of the discussions in facebook and have not notice a single vulgar word or message of hate. Some complaints have been saying that Tun is a tyrant. I really would like to facebook doing that to George W Bush's page.

Compared to mykmu.net ... Tun's facebook page can simpley be called tame!

Many theories ... ranging from domestic enemies of Tun to possibly those who are uncomfortable with his message about doing the right thing and his exposure during the OIC 2003 that is still being quoted as being anti-semitic.

facebook is about to learn something next couple of days ... something interesting. Just hope they learn from it.

Even as we speak ... new Tun's fan site (unfortunately tagged as celebrities / public figure) has popped up .... Try going there and see how long we last ... even if that gets shut down the spirit will never die.

Cadangan Usul UMNO - Merubah sistem pemilihan

2008-04-08T00:00:00.003+08:00

Ini adalah cadangan usul yang saya minta mana-mana ahli UMNO yang ingin nak bawa di peringkat cawangan dan bahagian untuk gunakan jika dirasakan sesuai.

Saya telah menyuarakan ini di Forum Pasca PRU 12 - Peniliaian yang diadakan pada 1 April 2008 di Petaling Jaya.

Online Petition pun disediakan

Walaupun tidak begitu spesifik ini adalah peringkat pertama dalam inisiatif ini. Untuk megwujudkan kesedaran dikalangan ahli dan penerimaan konsep di kalangan ahli.

UPDATED VERSION 8 March 2008
==========================

28 MAC 2008

CADANGAN USUL UMNO CAWANGAN

CAWANGAN :

BAHAGIAN :

KEPIMPINAN BERCOGANKAN BERSATU – BERSETIA - BERKHIDMAT

USUL:-

Dengan ini, Kami, menyedari bahawa berdirinya kami di tahap ini adalah hasil gigih usaha kerajaan BN dan UMNO khususnya, maka usul ini kami bentangkan atas perasaan menghargai usaha dan jasa pucuk pimpinan sebelum ini yang telah ‘melahirkan’ kami. Pemilihan untuk memastikan kita akan mempunyai kepimpinan selaras dengan cogan kata keramat BERSATU-BERSETIA-BERKHIDMAT amat diperlukan untuk meniup nafas baru ke dalam UMNO. Kami berdoa dan berharap agar suara semua ahli UMNO tanpa mengira peringkat tidak dipinggirkan.

Sejajar dengan hak ahli yang dimeterai dalam Fasal 6.2.2 Perlembagaan UMNO menjamin hak bagi Ahli UMNO untuk “memilih, dipilih dan dilantik untuk sebarang jawatan di dalam parti”, maka dengan ini, kami mencadangkan usul supaya pindaan perlembagaan UMNO dan juga tatacara yang berkaitan dengan pemilihan dilakukan dalam tempoh yang terdekat ini, dan dengan itu membolehkan ahli UMNO memilih pemimpin mereka di bahagian dan seterusnya di peringkat Majlis Tertinggi UMNO, secara terus. Proses ini hendaklah sempurna untuk dilaksanakan menjelang tahun 2010.

Asas Usul:-

Pilihanraya Umum 12 telah memberi maklum balas yang jelas bahawa satu anjakan ketara dan drastik telah berlaku dalam hati dan minda rakyat Malaysia. Tema yang asyik panas diketengahkan di kebanyakan negeri tika ini, adalah betapa rakyat Malaysia telah bosan dengan mainan politik Barisan Nasional dan parti-parti komponennya. Fakta menunjukkan bahawa jentera pilihanraya BN (yang sebelum ini digeruni) gagal menelah “Mood swing” para pengundi, satu petanda jelas peri tidak pekanya BN tentang realiti persekitarannya. Akibat kegagalan ini BN terpaksa berhadapan dengan beban kesan ketara dan negatif yang perlu digalasnya.

Lantaran itu, sudah tibalah waktu dan ketikanya bagi UMNO selaku parti induk BN, untuk membuktikan keupayaannya bertindak balas dan mengambil iktibar dari keputusan tersebut untuk ‘mencipta semula’ (re-invent) BN,dalam kadar segera.

Pucuk pimpinan komponen lain telah berundur dari Kabinet kerana ingin menumpukan perhatian dan masa mereka sepenuhnya kepada proses cipta-semula parti masing-masing. Komitmen dan kesungguhan pucuk pimpinan MCA dalam proses cipta-semula ini, jelas terserlah melalui kesediaan mereka untuk meneruskan proses pemilihan pimpinan tahun ini, meskipun mereka berdepan dengan ‘malapetaka’ yang hampir pasti memunahkan mereka . AlhamduLillah, UMNO juga turut meneruskan pemilihan di semua peringkat pada tahun ini. Namun dalam pada itu, kita harus sedah bahawa salah satu punca yang dikatakan menjadi penyebab kekalahan tersebut ialah isu kepincangan kepimpinan.

Acap kali terusainya proses pemilihan kepimpinan UMNO, suara-suara ahli UMNO yang ‘terkejut’ dengan keputusannya,menjadi sesuatu yang hampir wajib didengari, seolah-olah keputusan yang tercapai tidak mencerminkan keinginan sebenar ahli akar umbi. Malah proses pencalonan dan cadangan untuk bahagian dan Majlis Tertinggi UMNO seolah-olah telah di rancang dan diputuskan oleh kepimpinan cawangan. Lantaran itu, demi kejayaan proses 'cipta semula' ini, soalan yang wajib dijawab adalah: mungkinkah sistem pemilihan pemimpin ini sendiri menjadi salah satu punca kepincangan ini.

Mungkinkah pemilihan yang perlu melalui proses saringan di beberapa peringkat ini, menjadi punca utama kepincangan yang kita alami tika ini?

Seperti yang kita tahu, UMNO mempunyai empat peringkat pentadbiran, PUSAT, PERHUBUNGAN (negeri dan wilayah), BAHAGIAN dan CAWANGAN. Pemilihan cuma diadakan di peringkat PUSAT, BAHAGIAN dan CAWANGAN dan tidak di peringkat PERHUBUNGAN.

Peringkat Pertama – Ahli UMNO cawangan memilih perwakilan untuk menghadiri mesyuarat agung Bahagian, iaitu tidak melebihi 5 wakil daripada setiap cawangan. (Fasal 14.4.4 dan 17.5.6)

Peringkat Kedua – Perwakilan yang dipilih termasuk ketua cawangan berhak memilih perwakilan bahagian ke mesyuarat agung tahunan UMNO (Fasal 14.5.2) dan mencadangkan calon MT (Fasal 14.5.4) . Berdasarkan perlembagaan UMNO, wakil dipilih oleh Perwakilan Tahunan Bahagian, iaitu seorang wakil bagi tiap-tiap lima ratus orang ahli tetapi tidak melebihi tujuh orang daripada sesuatu Bahagian. Ini tidak termasuk Ketua, Timbalan Ketua, Naib Ketua, Ketua Pergerakan Pemuda, Ketua Pergerakan Wanita dan Ketua Pergerakan Puteri Bahagian.

Peringkat Ketiga – Perwakilan ke MAT memilih Ahli Majlis Tertinggi UMNO yang hadir. Selain daripada perwakilan bahagian tadi, Pengerusi dan Timbalan Pengerusi, Ahli Majlis Tertinggi dan perwakilan pergerakan Wanita, Pemuda dan Puteri juga hadir.

Lazimnya proses pemeringkatan dan penapisan dalam industri menghasilkan produk yang lebih tinggi kualitinya, seperti yang berlaku dalam pemerosesan kelapa sawit. Malangnya ‘pemeringkatan’ perwakilan dan penapisan keinginan ahli untuk memilih pucuk pimpinan tidak semestinya memastikan peningkatan kualiti. Bahkan, yang nyata berlaku adalah yang sebaliknya, kerana keinginan ahli hampir selalu tak kesampaian.

Mesyuarat Agung Tahunan menyaksikan lebih kurang 2200 ahli UMNO memilih Ahli Majlis Tertinggi. Daftar ahli UMNO terkini menunjukkan ahli berjumlah kira-kira 3.2 juta. Justeru itu, setiap seorang daripada perwakilan yang berjaya ke Mesyuarat Agung Tahunan ini memikul di atas bahu mereka, amanah dan harapan milik hampir 1400 ahli yang tidak terpilih untuk menghadiri acara kemuncak tahunan ini. Dengan yang demikian, jika dinyatakan dalam bentuk peratusan, hanya 0.07% ahli UMNO berpeluang dan bertanggungjawab untuk memilih ahli MT ini. Malangnya juga 2200 adalah satu angka yang kecil, bahkan terlalu kecil yang memudahkan calon MT untuk ‘berjumpa’ dan ‘berbincang’ dengan mereka. Suatu angka yang cukup kecil untuk ‘dipengaruhi’.

Bukankah kita sering mendengar betapa politik wang begitu berbahaya hingga mampu menghancurkan parti? Namun, bukankah proses pemilihan MT yang kita bina dengan tangan kita sendiri ini, memudahkan politik wang? Cuba bayangkan, berapa agaknya bilangan perwakilan di peringkat 190 bahagian yang ada. Bukankah ia satu angka yang hampir mencecah 25,000? Dan bayangkan pula jika angka tersebut satu angka sebesar 3.2 juta ahli UMNO yang ada. Bukankah ini bakal menyukarkan proses ‘mempengaruhi’ dan ‘berbincang’, yang dinyatakan tadi? Nyata lebih mudah ‘berkempen’ kepada 2200 orang berbanding 3.2 juta ahli.

Alasan serampang dua mata yang sering digunakan untuk mempertahankan sistem pemilihan ahli MT yang sedia ada ini adalah

a) Ahli tidak mengenal calon. Bukan kerana mereka tidak mahu, namun calon sering tidak mendekati mereka kecuali semasa pemilihan.

b) Masa pemilihan agak singkat maka calon hanya mampu berjumpa ahli perwakilan sahaja. Mereka tiada masa untuk menemui ahli biasa.

Sebenarnya ada cara terbaik untuk memastikan yang calon bahagian atau MT dikenali oleh ahli biasa. Cara ini adalah satu proses yang dipanggil “BERKHIDMAT”. Satu proses yang memerlukan calon menyingsing lengan dan mengerah tenaga, yang rata-rata tidak popular dan agak sukar dilaksanakan, namun terbukti kaedah terbaik untuk memastikan yang ahli mengenali calon.

Pemilihan bukan sahaja masa untuk ahli menunjukkan kesetiaan kepada pemimpin, bahkan inilah peluang bagi pemimpin untuk menunjukkan kesetiaannya kepada ahli. Ahli akan memilih calon yang BERSETIA kepada mereka sebagai ahli parti, dan kepada prinsip parti. Ini bermakna calon hendaklah daripada kalangan mereka yang mendukung prinsip dan perjuangan, bukan sekadar ucapan dan retorik kosong, bahkan mampu menzahirkan kata-katanya melalui amalan.

Dengan pemilihan secara lebih terbuka ini, bolehlah kita memilih tanpa perlu berkempen dengan terlalu hebat dan dahsyat seperti yang telah menjadi resam dalam setiap pemilihan selama ini. Maka lontaran fitnah, kata-kata nista, mahupun lontaran ‘hadiah’ juga dapat dikurangkan. Ini kerana calon sudah dikenali dan 'dicintai’ melalui Khidmat yang telah mereka hulurkan. Tiada jalan lain untuk memastikan yang ahli akan memberi kesetiaan kepada pemimpin, melainkan pemimpin terlebih dahulu membuktikan kesetiaan kepada ahli dengan mencurahkan bakti kepada mereka. Kurangnya rasa sedih, marah dalam kalangan ahli semasa peringkat pemilihan akan membuahkah natijah yang cukup manis, iaitu BERSATU.

Inilah yang kita impikan; KETIGA-TIGA COGANKATA UMNO DIREALISASIKAN, dan tidak sekadar menjadi nyanyian dalam majlis-majlis UMNO.

Dari segi logistik, memang sukar untuk memastikan semua ahli UMNO mengundi. Namun bukankah sudah menjadi resam bahawa sesuatu yang berharga itu, lebih sukar diperolehi? Yang jelas dan pasti, menidakkan dan meminggirkan hasrat ahli UMNO menjadi satu penyebab parti menjadi lemah dan bukti paling mutakhir telah pun dapat kita saksikan melalui kepincangan prestasi BN dalam PRU12 tempoh hari.

Tanggapan bahawa politik adalah sesuatu yang melunturkan nilai kemanusiaan sudah menjadi lumrah dan bukan sesuatu yang dipersoalkan lagi. Namun, kita sudah terlupa bahawa ada satu lagi sudut tradisi politik yang telah sekian lama wujud dan menjadi asas dan api yang membakar semangat para pejuang Kemerdekaan bumi bertuah ini. Tradisi murni yang berasaskan pemikiran bahawa kita saling memiliki kepentingan antara satu dengan lain, dan justeru itu saling bertanggungjawab atas kesejahteraan kita bersama.

Yang lebih utama, kita harus menyedari bahawa aspek politik yang membawa kepada penyatuan ini, jauh lebih agung daripada karenah yang telah memecah belahkan kita. Cukuplah dengan hanya beberapa insan sahaja yang benar-benar yakin dengan realiti ini, dan atas keyakinan luhur ini, mengorak langkah untuk melakukan sesuatu untuk memperkasakan parti UMNO yang kita cintai. Meskipun kita mungkin tidak dapat menyelesaikan semua masalah, namun kita hampir pasti dapat menggerakkan sesuatu yang bakal memberi makna yang cukup mendalam untuk kita semua.

Dalam pilihanraya Umum Ke-12, UMNO telah menerima kejutan hebat, satu ‘wake-up call’, untuk bangun dari tidur yang lena, . Janganlah kita menghulurkan tangan untuk menekan butang Lelap (‘Snooze’) pula.

Sesuatu yang kita bina daripada rasa cinta adalah sesuatu yang pastinya lebih kekal dan bermakna. Umpama ibadat yang dilaksanakan atas dasar cinta kepada Allah swt, sudah pastilah lebih mendalam kesannya berbanding yang dilakukan kerana takut kepadaNya mahupun atas rasa benci terhadap agama lain. InsyaAllah usaha kita yang lahir daripada rasa cinta kepada agama, bangsa dan negara, yang ikhlas dan bebas daripada rasa benci dan dendam kesumat ini akan berkekalan, dan diredhai.

InsyaAllah

Get Something Meaningful Done

2008-04-02T10:46:00.002+08:00

In case you guys start giving up on politics, I'm sharing this passage from Barack Obama's book titled the 'Audacity of Hope'.

“... And then: “You seem like a nice enough guy. Why do you want to go into something dirty and nasty like politics?”

"I was familiar with the question, a variant on the questions asked of me years earlier, when I’d first arrived in Chicago to work in low-income neighborhoods. It signaled a cynicism not simply with politics but with the very notion of a public life, a cynicism that ... had been nourished by a generation of broken promises. In response, I would usually smile and nod and say that I understood the skepticism, but that there was—and always had been—another tradition to politics, a tradition that stretched from the days of the country’s founding to the glory of the civil rights movement, a tradition based on the simple idea that we have a stake in one another, and that what binds us together is greater than what drives us apart, and that if enough people believe in the truth of that proposition and act on it, then we might not solve every problem, but we can get something meaningful done.”

So lets us get something meaningful done. Believe in the change.

PS : It such an amazing book. He's not perfect (as no one is) but he writes something really amazing ...

It took guts!

2008-03-16T21:52:00.002+08:00

Datuk Mukhriz did what no leader in UMNO dared to do but hoped someone would do it anyway.

All the 'dogs' in UMNO is trying to kill him off, There's an online petition on this

If you believe that Mukhriz Mahathir did the right thing to write to the PM and ask him to step down, not for doing badly in the GE but for daring the People to defy him when they took on the streets to express their unhappiness [read Mukhriz's letter here], click the link below and put down your name and numbers.

Petition Against Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Not enough signatures have been collected. Mine is No 278.

What now Malaysia?

2008-03-11T15:35:00.005+08:00

Salam all,

I've rarely written about politics … maybe coz I am too disgusted. But I don't want my kids to live in a world in which all hope is lost. Because with Hope we can make things Real.

A couple of things can happen ...

1) In UMNO / MCA / MIC ... if there are some people with guts carrying the torch ... there will be those coming in to change the party ... Only a revolution the likes of which has happened to the country can happen. Make no mistake this is a revolution, the one in which six (no not a mistake .. I also count Wilayah) states / areas have voted BN out.

2) It will be BAU (Business as usual) for BN especially UMNO since they couldn't even have the guts to speak their mind with exception of Mukhriz, Ku Li and Shahrir Samad. If no one speaks and the butt kissing (forgive my language) and butt covering (sorry again) continues ... then the other 6 states will fall in PRU13.

3) Race politics perhaps is being shown the door. While meritocracy is being lauded, we cannot become like soul-less Singapore. I believe that NO ONE SHOULD BE LEFT BEHIND (just like Navy Seals) unless by their own choice.

4) BA might actually work. If most of BA starts to move away from extreme left or extreme right this might work. They have oversight and chance to do what they never able to do in the past ... form Shadow Government. A shadow minister and shadow deputy minister for EVERY ministry making sure each ministry is watched carefully. Then things might actually get better.

4) BA might actually disintegrate. They might find working together tougher and make a mess of things ... Then PRU13 will see BN coming back like PRU11 saw BN recovering Terengganu.

There are questions whether Pak lah should resign… Even call by Tun himself. Also about who's next. However I cant agree with TDM that Najib should be the one. Something about that just doesnt ring true. One thing about Tun ... a good leader but he one big flaw ... keep placing his trust of ppl who turned out to be creeps.

When Lim Guan Eng was asked whether he thinks Pak lah should step down, he paused for a long time before saying, "It's up to UMNO to decide". I don't think any PAS/PKR/DAP wants Pak Lah to resign ... he's the best thing that happened to them ever. It's easy to campaign if Pak Lah is around... they can say, "if you dont vote for PAS/PKR/DAP ... you get Pak Lah and KJ". They can't use Samy as a bogeyman now ... PakLah - KJ fits the profile.

Unfortunately for BN ... they don't admit that.

I don't know about other party. So cant speak for them but I think UMNO needs a real revolution. This wake up call needs a follow through action. An action that will stump the crap out of them.

This UMNO election in 2008, someone with guts must stand up and be the icon. At this stage ... seek out at grassroot level for them to select the right people at Bahagian and as representatives to the UMNO assembly. The grassroots that have been made fools in the past must wise up.
In the past members only select their branch AJK and delegates to the Division meeting. Division meeting attendees then selects those going to KL for UMNO election. These 2000 plus delegates selects who heads UMNO. So ... basically easy thing to pay off 2000 ppl (even 1000 enuf already

I had this idea long time ago (in 2000) right after Mat Taib/ Najib got re-elected as Naib Presiden UMNO. I got fairly disgusted and began typing away this proposal. BTW I had this idea way before some leaders starts spouting it in the papers.:-

What if UMNO practise this:

Members (all of them) choose not only their AJK cawangan but their ketua bahagian and delegates to UMNO central. Maybe even up to all members choose the Presiden and UMNO MT. Then UMNO will practice democracy. Now, they are saying that ordinary members ni bodoh sangat and tak tahu who to vote for. "So let us yang dah biasa hobnobbing dengan org besar2 ni pilih pemimpin". Crap!

There will be too many people to pay off… so money politics become not viable. To top it off they actually have to WORK to be recognised.

I hope I see before I die ... I hope my kids live the kind of life I hope they would be happy and safe in.

UMNO members ... take heed for this year's UMNO election, if the rest of the country can move mountains, so can YOU!

Depression... don't hang around!

2008-03-06T09:58:00.004+08:00

I read this wonderful new site that I have simply got to share

Creating Passionate User

which I found was so full of wonderful writeups that make you think ... naturally of course since it's by people who are passionate about brains, minds and science.

But I especially like this particular article...

Angry/negative people can be bad for your brain

It's no wonder I have been depressed, I have hanging around with with depressing people. Only time I have not been depressed is when I am back with my family and when I am with my MRSM Kulim bro and sis.

It's got to do with these stuff in our brain that causes us to empathise ... interesting stuff

So the trick now is to find those less depressing people to hang around with. ... okay that's going to be hard where I work ... hmmm ... there's one ... err nope ... that guy is on the verge of jumping out of the window...

Well got to look harder now...

The False Democracy of Globalisation

2008-02-25T17:55:00.004+08:00

Whew ... that was a serious looking topic.

I guess this must have struck many people but I have yet to read it like this yet :-

Democracy is a process by which the MAJORITY elects the winner and their leaders.

Globalisation (more the Wall Street Globalisation) is a process by which the FEW rich countries/individuals/corporates win by pure might of wealth over the majority.

So it is puzzling then why the supposed democratic government of the west supports globalisation religiously. And the wierdest thing is that the among the majority that suffers is the working people in the supposedly rich western countries. See issue in the Democratic primary in Ohio in 2008 and how Bill Clinton's NAFTA is boomeranging back on Hillary Clinton.

Increasingly we see governments giving the ARTIFICIAL and VIRTUAL corporate citizens ample way and leeway to make more money (or they call it increasing shareholder's value) by making the majority suffers.

Consider this, if your own citizen are expensive ('not competitive') find someone else who is. Likely that someone else is poorer and need it more and thus will be willing to do it cheaper of course. But the thing is the cycle doesn't end there ... they will go on and still search for cheaper places/people.

Somewhere down the line we've forgotten about increasing human value in life but about "increasing shareholders value". "Increasing shareholders value" means so little to those who is living from one paycheck to another to keep everyone in his/her family from starvation / lack of education / homelessness.

Democratic election counts for nothing much when if we choose those who will then 'elect' the rich minority over the 'barely surviving' majority.

Election Pictures ... Hah!

2008-02-20T16:52:00.004+08:00

I know I am being mean but honestly look at this picture

and tell me it doesn't remind you of this one ...

OK ... I admit Jack has better dress sense ...

Ooo ... I am being so mean ...

I'm Touched... Thanks Marsbatch!

2008-01-28T10:42:00.000+08:00

Salam all,

Last Saturday was our MRSM Kulim Marsbatch, reunion. We got to meet to many (about 80 turned up) ... that's more than half of us remaining. By far the biggest turnout on any reunion we've ever had.

But that's another story and will be delved into detail at the Marsbatch Blog.

Wnat I wanted to write about was that I was given an award which I totally did not have any idea about, the called it the Super Glue Award. I think the citation went on about how I helped getting Marsbatch together over the years with websites, email groups etc...

I was touched. I've got a few awards here and there but this one is special coz it meant more. It's coz it was done out of love, not out of duty. I didn't expect to be appreciated, but when this was given... well... sebak is one of the feeling that came to mind.

Thanks again Marsbatch, would not trade these brothers and sisters for anything else, ever.

Why we cant get the killers?

2008-01-17T09:54:00.001+08:00

Read this today Duo Held over Nurin's murder released

We keep hoping that the police will be able to catch the killers. It's scary that we cant get this killer (or killers) and it's the same case for a few murders of children over the years.

How did we get to this situation?

Maybe we don't care enough to make sure that when the govt spend our money, our security is included in the spending and not just to make things pretty and for overseas trips by the local govt councillors?

Maybe we ourselves don't care. If we ask ourselves wether we know the names or how our NEXT door neighbour's children, would we know? Don't blame the cops when they don't know when we even don't know who lives next door most of the time.

Astro flubs programming

2008-01-16T21:33:00.001+08:00

I was watching 'Stormbreaker' a moment ago and suddenly it switched to 'The Abyss' on Astro Star Movies.

Found myself hoping the switch is permanent as I'd rather be watching The Abyss.

I wonder what happened. Wouldn't want to be in the shoes of the poor sap that did this.

Well, sure broke up the monotony of same old movies cycle.

Here's hoping for more flubbies...

Oh teacher / parents ... where art thou?

2008-01-16T18:10:00.000+08:00

Hi all,

It's been almost 4 months ... havent touched this blog due to other commitments, kids exams, holiday, general laziness, and involved in the Alumni journal editing, which consumed time not taken for work and family.

I registered both my sons (12 and 15) to school earlier this year. Just to illustrate some difference.

At the Primary school I noted this:-

1) All arrangements for fees and classes done before the school year starts (at least a day before for the fees and books). Class assignment for returning students were given before school closed last year.

2) For UPSR parents, the school gave a program briefing and approval request on the UPSR program. There were 21 line items in the program for UPSR (including 2 for post UPSR). Unfortunately less than 25% parents turned up for that Saturday morning briefing. Where art thou o parents....?

3) UPSR program started last week. Additional classes for which teachers volunteered (whith NO payment!... maybe some nasi lemak bungkus if parents contribute...)

4) When my son forgot to bring his homework, the principal called to ask my wife. rest assured, mys son never forgot after this.

At the secondary school I noted this:-

1) On the 1st day, all the students havent the foggiest idea which class they belong. There was an assembly that had the teachers announcing names one by one for which class the student belong to .... It took 2 hours. Could have been simply done with posting on the board.

2) Fees to be paid only informed to student on 1st day. Almost no parents turned up but simply gave money to their kids to pay. Probably much preferable as then teachers don't have to explain what the fees are for

3) My son is sitting PMR, class teacher have ZERO information as to whether there will be any extra classes. Forget about any letters / announcement ... they havent figured that out too.

Why the difference? We have much more higher educated teacher supposedly in the secondary schools, but less of the dedication. What gives ...?

Anyway ... watch this space... I'm intending to chronicle changes I'm trying to garner up at the secondary school.

Later on I'll tell you what the school is.

Al Fatihah, Nurin may Allah bless you always.

2007-09-21T08:40:00.000+08:00

I started writing this on Tuesday 18th after reading about the dead girl found in the bag. I could not finish writing then as I kept breaking down.

Everytime I read this kind of news my heart breaks and the emotions overwhelms me about ho much I wish this did not happen. I keep thinking about the pain and suffering and terror that the child felt up to the last moments of her life. I can't face this anymore. Even as a spectator it's overwhelming.

We have to be prepared when bringing these children into the world. We are responsible for them being here to large degree and thus it is up to us to take care of them. Think of these 5 reasons why:-

These are Raising Children antibodies / reminders that Dr Norhayati once related in her lectures.

1. Children are our AMANAH. We are entrusted with these children so it is up to us to take care of them. They are counting on us. Allah's amanah on us to take care of these kids.

2. Taking care of children can be considered our IBADAH. LIke any Ibadah, do it proper, with the right nawaitu, and do it well. If you promise to teach , if cannot be done today, do qadha and do it the next available time.

3. Children are our UJIAN. Taking care of them tests us in all aspects. We are responsible to come out of this test with flying colours.

4. Children are our NIKMAT and not our azab. Every moment that they spent with us is an nikmat and as such needs to be treasured. Their loss is also soul wrenching like the loss of a gift from Allah swt.

5. Our Children are our JIHAD. Jihad means to some doing with best of ability and intent. And if mean it as jihad there is very little that can stop us.

May Allah place her among the chosen. I offer this prayer to all my children and all children in this world, what ever their race, religion, colour, shape. May Allah bless you all.

Vacation .... (or How I need another one) - Part 1

2007-09-05T11:49:00.000+08:00

Salam All,

Before I left for Melbourne, one of my colleagues said that "You know what you will need after a vacation? Another one". Yup but wrong on one part .. I actually need another two.

Well came back safely to Malaysia after leving for Melbourne with the family on 19th August.

It was the 1st time for me back to Melbourne after leaving it to come back to Malaysia after my studies. I never actually thought I would get to see it again. Somehow I thought I had left it for good.

When I landed at Melbourne Tullamarine the temperature showed 2 degrees Celsius. Happy giler after facing high 30's kat KL. My kids and wife were so happy to be reaching Melbourne. I was emotional too coming back after all these years.

One moment ... masa nak landing .... as the plane was flaring .... one Mat Salleh was commenting how smooth the landing was .... but of course it was followed with a bump as the plane tak le landing lagi ... bengap jugak.

OK ... one advise... when they ask you to declare food ... don't forget that powdered milk is food. I did not declare but managed to tell the officer before check that actually I had not registered in my my mind that powdered milk is considered dried food.... oh duuuh. But he let me off easy after I said it was for my daughter and since I had told him before the check.

Came out of Tullamarine it was cool and sunny. My kids happy dapat tengok wap kat mulut. He he.

The drive to Melbourne city was okay but mostly caught in a very minor jam (by KL Standard). Was happy seeing Melbourne skyline since you can actually catch sight of it form far as Melbourne is so flat.

Reached the hotel early and got our rooms early. Great. Time to settle down and unpack .... next we're going out.

.... sambung lagi .... banyak kerja

Yes! Vacation time!

2007-08-16T09:55:00.000+08:00

I'm going a looooong vacation (though I know by the end of that vacation I will feel that I wish it could be longer)!

I know I have been very tardy about this blog .... but I'm in a vacation mood so Tardy is IN!

I have to write something about this though. I went and helped my dear bro to buy Mac for his new business (producing drama, sitcoms and movies). Fell in 'love' with the new sleeker iMac, that for me seems to pack bigger punch than the desktop version.

Hope he has great fun working on it as much as I had drooling on it .... have a look ... it's totally worth it!

Okay .... got go pack, okay I know it's too early but what the heck ... might as well do something I am happy about.

G'day all .. Down Under HERE I COME!

No BBBS in Malaysia ... for now

2007-07-02T09:57:00.000+08:00

A couple of weeks ago I asked around for this initiative to develop the big brother big sister type of structed mentoring ... well I wrote to BBBS International and I am sharing with you their reply,

'

Dear Sir,

Thank you for contacting Big Brothers Big Sisters International. The email you sent to BBBS of America was also forwarded to us as we work with people and organizations outside of the United States.

Big Brothers Big Sisters International is a non-governmental organization whose mission is to help children around the world reach their potential through the Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) model of mentoring. Our new strategic focus is on the development of country-wide programs and our requirements to start new programs are rigorous. To insure the level of
excellence associated with our brand, we are limited to the number of programs we can start up each year.

At this time we are not planning to establish a program in Malaysia, but would like to keep your name and information on file should we decide to expand to your country in the future. We acknowledge this may disappoint you but do hope one day to establish programs throughout the region.

You should know that the BBBS model, including the name and logo, is proprietary and cannot be used without the permission of BBBSI. If you intend to develop a mentoring program, as you mentioned below, there are a variety of reputable resources on the Internet.

Thank You."

Well ..... now means I need to check up on other similar programs in Malaysia.

Coming back

2007-07-02T08:46:00.000+08:00

Hi y'all

Wow ... my 'sis' just reminded that I've been away far too long. almost 1.5 months. Thanks ... need to be more discipline ... I am NOT doing this place justice.

Well frankly there's just too many things happening. Work (which I can't talk about ... otherwise I have to kill you), Family ... oo there's so much to talk about .... so that I have no idea where to start.

Nice Stuff Interlude (much needed on Monday morning) : Oh yes ... my youngest (4yrs old) had her swimming lesson, and yesterday was her first day doing freestyle. Proud like crazy considering she's the smallest in her class and her teacher said the bravest. Hah ... what a big difference compared to the Dad. But the part of having other parents commenting she's so small but she's so brave and happy in the water is the ego-bursting part of being a Dad. So there ... I admit the little narcissistic element there.

I am so very tired nowadays ... perhaps maybe getting myself in a rut over work. It just seems that even though there are so many things at home, I dont' get as tired when I am at work. I guess doing things that you dont really like for people you kind of tolerate has a whole different dimension in energy (you can call it the Force) usage as compared to doing things for people that you love.

Well. Can't do this self pity stuff (too exhausting) ... have to start positive and get on with the work.

I am actually sick of reading newspapers ... 4-5 pages on the trial of the year (oh pleaaaze ) about some cheating husband, some goldiggers, some stupid / evil cops and a bunch of lawyers in between. And this is of national interest? What kind of brain do we have that we are so immensely fixated on this crap.

I have not heard anything anymore about the late Donny John Dion nor of any kids in poverty. I guess it's not as interesting. Actually I think that this is due to the fact that watching others parade or try to hide their guilt is much much preferable than considering our guilt for not facing facts of crappy things that happen around us Maybe because we don't care and have already spent our allotted newspaper reading time in the day poring over that 4-5 pages with pictures on the freaking trial of the Year. We'll forget about this .... as we do about others ... this only sustains our meagre and boring existence. When husbands and wife can't talk about anything else.

How about our chils' safety, does that interest us. I hope it does coz if it does not we in a load of crap.

Last week I read about this little Tadika girl lured away and was sexually molested. I shook and cried over this. How How How HOW can we let this happen. did no one see, did no one cared. What kind of walls and blinders that we have built that we dont care anymore.

I am so scared for my kids ... I see a future so bleak and awful UNLESS we change. Not simply blaming govt etc for not doing our job, but ourselves for not speaking and caring even though we think it might not make a difference. We have to care .. we have to give a damn .... we owe it to them after really screwing up their future ...

So there bro and sis .... help me be better.

Big Brother / Big Sister

2007-05-14T16:04:00.001+08:00

After the last article, we've got some responses from people who wants to help.

A couple of us got to discussing about Big Brother / Big Sister
association that they have set up in the States.

Can we set something like this up.

The way i'm seeing this is to have formal association that would have
the cooperation of various bodies like the Police (for background
check with consent of people volunteering), maybe Bank Negara (just to
make sure) we don't have any those that might use the the situation
for other than well-intentioned purposes.

Anyone interested or have any knowledge on this?

Living on the edge

2007-04-16T17:27:00.000+08:00

My good friend (more like a sista) showed this article in her email just moments after I read it (call it fate). I'm posting this here (wiothout permission from NST) in case it gets lost after awhile as NST refresh pages and this gets archived.

Please tell me what we can do to make a difference.....

Living on the edge (NST - 13/4/07)

About 16 children aged between 14 and 18 years old roam one of Johor Baru’s notable streets. They have been called a nuisance, an eyesore and even a threat to the tourism industry. JASSMINE SHADIQE finds out who they are and how they came to live in the shadows of the country’s second largest city

BOSOM buddies Zaini Khamis and Majmin Ali (not their real names) just could not take the ridicule and humiliation they faced at school every day. The two teenagers in Johor Baru were always on the receiving end — from teachers and students, who made fun of them because they were poor and could not afford brighter and cleaner school uniforms.

Another of their friends, Zainal Faisal, 14, was often the butt of jokes from teachers and school- mates because he was not good in his studies. Life at home was an endless cycle of hunger and scolding.

Ironically, the only comfort, care and companionship that these kids found came from living on the streets of Johor Baru.

As Zainal told the New Straits Times, "there’s money in these streets".

The three, along with 16-year-olds Shukri Moin and Sani Samad, are among the 16-odd urchins who have become a common sight along Jalan Wong Ah Fook, a thoroughfare of restaurants, shops and moneychangers, usually choked with locals and tourists.

Their tales of how they ended up sleeping on cardboard boxes on pavements and scrounging for restaurant leftovers bear the familiar theme of broken families, grinding poverty and the subsequent alienation from their better- off peers at school.

Zainal’s father is in prison for trafficking drugs and his mother has been so depressed that she can’t cook for herself, let alone her three children who live in a shack in Kampung Skudai Laut.

Zaini’s family could not afford to pay the 15-year-old’s RM24 school fees and because of this, his teacher made him stand out in the sun.

Sani and Shukri decided to quit school just before their Penilaian Menengah Rendah exams as they felt that it was pointless — they could never afford the costly books needed for the test.

The last straw that drove Majmin, 17, away from home and school came one day when a group of schoolgirls commented on his uniform, which was shabby because his family could not afford a new one.

For these five, life on the street is not as bad as it seems.

They affectionately refer to each other by nicknames, such as "Tree" (Zainal), "Buck" (Shukri) and "Arun" (Zaini).

They never steal, they claimed, but would wait around foreign currency traders to ask customers for small change .

Meals come from stall operators or restaurant owners in exchange for performing tasks like cleaning toilets, sweeping floors or helping to load things into vehicles.

For toilets, they just hop into public washrooms in shopping malls or restaurants.

But threats do come in the form of older boys, who extort money from the five. The boys also feel that they are unfairly treated by authorities, such as the Welfare Department and the police.

Shukri and Zainal said they were picked up one day by Welfare Department officers, who "swooped down" on them in a black police truck.

"The officers wore rubber gloves and blue vests, as though we had some disease," Zainal said.

"They hauled us into the truck with some drunks, beggars and illegal immigrants."

The two were taken to the department’s office in Jalan Air Molek, where their particulars were taken down.

"Realising that we were underage, they asked for our parents’ telephone numbers.

"Our families do not even have money for the electricity bill and they asked us for telephone numbers!" Shukri said.

When the officers asked them to wait while they made arrangements for a car to take them home, the two took the opportunity to slip away.

"At home, there is never enough food, no electricity. Only scolding.

"Here in the streets we get to do whatever we want. There is life, food, no angry parents. And we are happy," said Zainal. "
=========

Like my dear sista says they don't make teachers like they used to ..... I say same goes for the rest of the human race

Free Airtime

2007-04-16T17:21:00.000+08:00

Came across this today

"In fact," (Walter) Cronkite has pointed out, "of all the major nations worldwide that profess to have democracies, only seven -- just seven -- do not offer free airtime (to all politicians campaigning)", putting the United States on a list with Ecuador, Honduras, Malaysia, Taiwan, Tanzania, and Trinidad and Tobago. Cronkite concludes that "The failure to give free airtime for our political campaigns endangers our democracy.""

Sets me thinking ... we are so sure about being the lead for a lot of things but maybe being grouped together with the US of freaking A is list list of 7 nations is not too hot a deal.

Then it sets me thinking on another angle. What if there is no airtime for anybody and the politicans would actually have to be doing work and not just seen to be doing. That'll probably put us in the list of ONE nation not giving time of the day to ANY politician. That'll be nice... they have to work for a living.

Signing of ....

Swimming Lessons

2007-04-16T08:32:00.001+08:00

My baby girl (well actually not a baby anymore ..... going on 5 this year end) had her 1st swimming lesson last weekend at the Pusat Akuatik Darul Ehsan (PADE) conducted by the Supersharkz team. Was worried at first.

Turned out she was in her element. Did what she was supposed to and more. But the things that made me proud was .... " she's so brave!" by instructor and parents. Chest expanded for sure.

The problem always at the .... how to get her OUT of the water and go home. We were among the 1st in ... and as usual the last out.

Overall a thouroughly enjoyable experience. Highly recommended ....

Tadika trip

2007-04-05T15:46:00.001+08:00

My daughter went on her school trip yesterday.

Imagine this .... 66 kids aged 5-6 going on a bus trip .... Imagine us handling 2-3 kids on a shopping trip and with these tadika teachers handling average 5 kids each (5-6) on an outing. For once I realise how much most of us , your truly included have underrated the strength (and I guess love as well) that it takes to do this. Siap yang nak susu (in bottles), kain busuk nak tidor, incessant asking "bila nak sampai" .... I salute these Tadika teachers.

It was a bit strange seeing her on a bus, and going away with her friends. So used to havin her tag along with me or my wife or both of us. Seeing her going on a trip made me realise how big she's grown. Wow ... head rush. I just hope that I will be around when she needs me.
Well enuf feeling sorry for myself. Sure is good having family.

Oooh such a long time

2007-04-03T09:36:00.001+08:00

Hi again blog.... sorry haven't been around for a long time. Been bz. It's a little bit sad since I realised that dah nearly one year I haven't written. So many things have happened .

1. I lost two friends my age this past year. One was a hero to many for his exploits, one was a hero to us for being simply who he is. I missed both of them. I've known both of these guys for 28 years... that's a lifetime for most people and double the lifetime of my eldest son. A couple of months on, even thinking about these guys makes me sad cause I never had a chance to say how much I value them. But lessons learned ... don't forget to tell people that means a lot to me how I feel once in a while. The regrets is only for the living. those that have gone before us are beyond regrets.

2. We had a reunion for our Maktab ... I gave an opening address, and since it was a bout two weeks after one of my two friends left us .... I choked. My late friend told me not to choke during speech as I tend to get emotional. huh ... sorry bud, couldn't keep that promise, cause did not take into account that I will be losing you when I made that promise.

3. The place I work went through a merger and being in IT means that I'm stuck with tons of work. On the final day, ended up sleeping on the floor for a short nap of 2 hours in between straight 48 hours. Getting to be too old for this.

4. But.... among the sweetest landmark .... my baby, my youngest daughter entered Tadika this year. It's hard to explain the feelings that you have when your youngest (who still sleeps cium ketiak Ayah) gets up, with uniform and nicely braided hair (thanks to Mum of course) and waves goodbye as she enters the school gate.

She's gonna have friends and they're not going to be just me. She's going to talk about things I don't know and may can't appreciate / understand.

But she was most excited about the swimming pool. Actually that is her MAIN reason of going to TADIKA.

Well a lot has happened that I haven't got around to write down. Will do more justice to this blog..

Cheerio

Jamal @ Istana Budaya

2006-05-26T10:41:00.000+08:00

Hi all … lama tak menambah ….

Dapat peluang tengok Jamal semalam di Istana Budaya untuk debut performance beliau. 1st nite special la sikit sebab ada jemputan khas VIP dan ada M Nasir dan Adibah Noor, dan S Atan sebagai konduktor jemputan.

60 piece National Symphony Orchestra yang mengiringi so of course lah music nya best.

Overall bagus giler sebab the range of lagu sangat interesting. Selain lagu wajib macam Ghazal Untuk Rabiah (duet M Nasir) yang memang saaaangat menakjubkan (kalah AIM) , Kekasih Awal dan Akhir, Seroja (piono solo saje) dan Gadis Melayu; lagu unexpected macam Scorpion’s Still Loving You (orchestral version) saaaangat le bagus.

Macam biasa masa some lagu Jamal ada fudge the lyrics (masa lagu favourite saya Penghujung Rindu umpamanya), tetapi peminat dah expect dan tak kisah dengan itu. Vocal power memang tak ada tanding. Frasa lirik bila keluar aje meremang bulu roma. Gema seuara Jamal memang tak ada tolok banding nya. Walaupun teran ke apa ke but the soul in the music tu sangat tinggi dan menakjubkan.

Kalau ada peluang pergi la tengok … mungkin susah nak dapat tiket but insyaAllah ada lagi kot.

Better Crooked or Better None

2006-04-12T16:48:00.000+08:00

Salam all,

Just found out that Malaysian Govt have decided NOT to build or even discuss building the bridge to replace causeway coz of sensitivities etc. This is a personal opinion but I hope that this does not mean that Malaysia is kow towing to Singapore insistence not to build even though there is strong case (on Malaysia side anyway) to build one.

Maybe this is a ploy to get back Singapore to discuss as they need our sands and airspace more than we need the bridge? who knows.

I am praying that our PM is being guided to make the right decision as I dont want us to give up the opportunity to do right thing for the country simply because we are forced to capitulate. Be strong YAB PM and may Allah guide your decision and provide you the strength to do the right thing.

Some say why not demolish our side and let them keep their "nostalgic" side ... Previously I didn't agree ... now ... I dont mind having crooked bridge ... betther than not having one at all. At least for those yang dah sampai selat Teberau can testify ... the smell will improve and wont make you throw up.

Beaming off ...

The Kapt.

Ooo Mak lamanya tak blog

2006-04-10T15:24:00.000+08:00

Ooo Mak lamanya tak blog….

Salams all,

It has been ages since I managed to put finger on keyboard to blog. Not that not a lot have been happening but frankly running ragged a bit. Have been averaging 27 meetings a week for 3 straight weeks and reallly darn tired.

Just want to share sumthing. I went for this training by the company I work with and it’s very interesting. But you know lah with training by this type of experiential training … it’s sooo darn interesting but I CANT TELL you about it, coz it would just ruin the experience for you when you go through it. And here I am so incredibly enthusiastic about the whole thing but cant tell anyone about it. But I am going to share my thoughts about it without going into specifics.

At 1st I naturally though about this is another on of those training where they pumped your spirits up so that you work harder for the company this year. Yes, sure that’s what they do as well. But I guess, I have to put in something extra so that what I get is more than just working for the company more this year (that’ll happen anyway). It’s more about how I view myself … I feel better about me than I ever did before. One of the things I found that even though I sound confident, I am not. That’s coz I don’t believe in what I can do …. By believing I actually CAN. BIIIIG Difference to me.

I also learned a couple of interesting stuff BUT I CANT SHARE ! Dang. But ONE THING, if someone comes up to ask you to attend an EXPERIENTIAL type training, GO! Don’t care wether banyak kerja or what. Just go … you wont regret it.

Now I am back to my regualr 25++ meetings a week … but don’t feel too bad about it. In fact in some occasion actually feel great coming in and coming out of the meetings.

Give yourself some training time … don’t keep delaying it … might regret it.

Adios muchachos…

Welcome to a Blog Sis and photos

2006-02-14T11:45:00.000+08:00

Hi all,

Just visited my MRSM alumni mate blog (see http://shakirahnco.blogspot.com/ )
… impressed the bejeebers of me. You go sis! Have added you on my favourite bloggers list.

Please visit if you have the time coz it looks good and love the pictures. Me … cant take pictures worth a dang …except of the missus and kids … those ones pretty okay.

But I have one here of my daughter (3) sleeping ... looks so peaceful ... aint it nice to be able to sleep so soundly. Havent had that good a sleep for 25 years.

Oh yes ... this one of both hands ... me and my daughter's ... macam zebra..

Anyway ... these are my early attempts at "moments" photos ...

Man from UNCLE

2006-02-03T11:14:00.000+08:00

Man,

I just saw the new show on NTV7 ... Seekers ... pretty okay premise about ghost hunting as obviously most people like to get thrills on these horror stuff. But dang it ... the show is irritating. Mostly the guy who is the host, nicknamed UNCLE is really irritating. Bossy and know it all type that you would just like to &*&*^%$ his (*(*&.

C'mon lah NTV 7 .. tak kan macam ini pun nak masuk TV. Dah lah irritating, the format of the show pulak tu macam nak saja2 takut kan orang. Laki yang jadi volunteer tu ... , buat malu lelaki aje. Ada ke tengok anjing malam-malam pun terketar dan terjerit. Yang perempuan tu 2 kali tengok anjing lalu boleh cool lagi. And guys .... its only a DOG (or 2 DOGS).

I also heard that the UNCLE questioned Datuk Fadhilah Kamsah punya keislaman sebab kata "hantu yang selalu nampak Hantu". Elemen tahyul is always suspect and can cause kegelinciran akidah. Itu yang takut bila menyangkakan ada yang lain berkuasa tu...

I hope the show gets cancelled coz it's one show we can do without.

BTW Thurday Nite Live (TNL) with Harith looks promising.

MC 2 minggu

2006-01-05T12:56:00.000+08:00

Salam all

Fell down an open drain (sebab orang ambil manhole cover) dekat rumah kosong di Seksyen 8, Shah Alam. slight fracture to my last bone in the spine. So havcent been posting for a long time. Sebab nak buka computer kena baring macam Cleopatra pulak.

Happy New Year. May all of your dreams but one become a realiti (one so that you will be able to keep on hoping to achieve... otherwise mati)

Nothing much because spent most of my days in bed.

back to work... urghh

The Kapt

New School Year coming up

2005-12-14T10:22:00.000+08:00

Semalam baru habis shopping for my 2 sons for the new school year. Alhamdulillah got almost everything.

Discovered a trick to go shopping efficiently ….. DON’T BRING THE KIDS. Get all measurement (macam tailor) dengan tali tape. Bawak measurement and pergi kedai. Sampai kat sana peduli dengan stares from other customers and start measuring away. And kalau measure seluar jangan lupa measure cawat… nanti gelebeh ;-)

Boleh selesai shopping baju tak payah try in 30 mins. Beg we choose … older boys senang tak nak gambar cartoon. Cool looking ones will do. Yang susah kalau girls nak baru masuk sekolah. My wife pointed out ada satu girl tu sampai 1 jam kot dok select beg ada gambar Barbie, Princess Disney yang mana ntah …

Books … just get everything on the list at the school’s books store (other than reference books that you might already have anyway). Yang lain tu safe bet just get from the school’s books store. Sebab nak cari tempat lain pengsan. Again another tip, jangan beli masa dekat awal kedai buku sekolah buka. Ada can stok tak sampai. So wait 1-2 weeks after the date yang depa kata boleh start beli buku

So managed to do everything in one day. An achievement for us … now … balut buku.

BTW .. the little girl nak baju sekolah .. tough to tell a 2 year old she can't go to school yet. So bagi satu beg and isi dengan pencil box (and toy handphone , compact powder etc) … ;-)

Drama Raya

2005-11-21T13:05:00.000+08:00

Drama Raya

Do you notice tak drama Raya punya trend … lain dari cerita lawak yang obviously merepek (Cit-Cat Azwan mangkuk), mesti ada cerita sedih yang buat orang nak terjun tingkap. Dari Gitar Tua, Pondok Buruk, Tikar Buruk dan segala yang usang dan buruk… semua nak bagi orang teriak masa Raya.

Kalau lah orang tu keseorangan … aku rasa tiap-tiap time Raya tunjuk cerita cam ni, mau ada yang minum racun tikus atau spray terus Baygon / Ridsect / Mortein dalam mulut.

BTW, Raya baru ni keluar juga muka aku nyanyi satu rangkap lagu Jamal masa DS1 Astro . Habis kat ofis perli aku nyanyi sedap. Tapi aku pun tak tengok.

OK signing off.

Kapt

Salam Aidil Fitri

2005-11-07T15:23:00.000+08:00

Salam Aidil Fitri

Kepada semua … salam Aidilfitri dan pohon maaf dzahir dan batin.

Had a okay Raya… biasa ler Raya is more for the kids rather than the parents …

Okay …. Bored like hell with nothing to write about. At least Liverpool won … should have supported Wigan though … seronok sikit.

I think may have approached the dead in the water portion of this Banking career. Definitely need to look into something else as this is really crappy.

Appraching depression … (more like … it’s after Raya and I’m nearly broke kind of depression).

Wokay … have a good life

Kapt

AL FATIHAH

2005-10-20T10:37:00.000+08:00

AL FATIHAH : Datin Seri Endon Mahmood

Salam takziah dari kami sekeluarga untuk keluarga YAB Dato’ Seri Abdullah Hj Ahmad Badawi atas pemergian isteri tersayang. Semoga rohnya ditempatkan dikalangan yang baik.

2005-10-14T09:28:00.000+08:00

Nostalgia Melbourne (dari langit…)

My colleague baru beritahu yang Melbourne area Google Earth . Was fun travel around virtually in Melbourne as I have been banyak tempat lain tapi tak sampai Melbourne since 1989.

Found Malaysia Hall (I think… hope someone can confirm this) which I was there masa buka dulu in 1984/85. The new student masa baru datang ke Melbourne parked themselves there and aku punya kerja cari rumah for them. Most of them masa tu masuk Box Hill High School (sekolah lama aku gak tu sebelum ke Monash di Clayton).

Tapi Clayton dan Box Hill pulak tak clear (low res) so tak dapat nak cari rumah lama aku kat Kent Road, Box Hill 3128 and 2/4 Wright Street, Clayton 3168. Hope one of these days depa upload nice clear images of that area.

Wow … maybe one of these days nak bawa wife and kids pergi Melbourne. It’s about time.

Kapt.

Salam Ramadhan

2005-10-03T10:51:00.000+08:00

Alhamdulillah, 2 hari lagi dapat menyambut Ramadhan al Mubarak.

Seronok tak terhingga. The older I get the more I look forward to Ramadhan dan less to Hari Raya. Seronok Raya sebab budak-budak aje. Not really for myself.

Lain dari obvious benefits dan fadhilat Ramadhan (termasuk yang tak obvious) satu lagi perkara ... tak payah pikir nak makan apa pagi dan tengah hari (tak jugak selalu makan lunch pun...). For office workers yang office satu tempat dan tak dapat jalan-jalan cari makan, tak ada enjoyment bila lunch time sebab area nak makan sama aje, menu sama (tambah kat ofis ni ... TAK PERNAH TUKAR MENU 5 TAHUN), muka mamak / abang / kakak jual makan tu sama aje ... dia tengok kita pun dah naik jelak.

Tahun ni Insya Allah dapat my wife sama2 pergi Tarawikh sebab dah ada orang nak jaga our baby daughter. Kalau dulu nak kena gilir2. Kali dapat la kami pergi sama2. That's nice ... something I love to do together with my wife.

Anyway... harap semua dapat menghayati Ramadhan dan memperolehi Fadhilat dari bulan yang mulia ini. Jangan berbelanja berlebihan. Kalau beli apa pun biar makan habis. Jangan buang. Kalau kenyang punmakan jugak apa yang dah beli supaya esok beringat berapa rasa nak termuntah makan benda yang beli berlebih-lebih tu. Fortunately my wife is always around to remind me ... "Bang... beli tu makan ke???".

'Kay ... Salam Ramadhan from aboard NX-01 Enterprise.

Jamal ... 27 tahun berlalu

2005-09-24T08:52:00.000+08:00

Semalam saya berpeluang bersama isteri tersayang dan saudara menghadiri rakaman Dari Studio 1 : Jamal Abdillah di ASTRO.

Fuuyooo … selapas beberapa lama dan kali menonton akhirnya saya rasa betul-betul puas hati. Lain dari akhirnya dapat mendengar Perpisahan Tanpa Relaku live .. satu lagu yang jadi kenangan sejak di Melbourne…. Jamal have done so well. Tidur lena lepas tu … ngigau sekali kot.

Hampir semua lagu dinyanyikan dari jiwa dia. Boleh rasa dan sampai mesej, ‘feel’ dan apa jua yang dia nak sampaikan. Tone suaranya is verry near perfect dan on thespot for hampir semua lagu.

Mostly lagu dari album Aku Penghiburmu yang memaparkan cover version lagu dari 70’s dan sekarang. Yup, Seroja dan Gadis Melayu semestinya ada. Mawi FC jangan la marah but Jamal nyanyi …. Fuyoo … there is no other like Jamal.

Personally memang ada masalah yg dia hadapi … maybe that’s why the songs banyak sedih dan really “gut-wrenching” feel bila dia nyanyi. Jemputan pun okay … memang untuk yg otai macam aku , buat rasa macam 20’an balik.

Ohya … Kapt was interviewed at the end … kalau ada can keluar TV … kalau tak … tak ada rezeki. Dengar cerita lepas Raya baru siarkan.

Jamal still rulez!

Cerita dan Filem

2005-09-13T09:11:00.000+08:00

Malam Sabtu hari tu baru "tertengok" Cerekarama TV3. Sebabnya selepas tengok the best of the best macam Cinta Penggali Kubur punya sequel, saya tertarik dengan cerita yang ada. Maaaalangnya ... cerita hari Sabtu lepas was hampaeh. Dah ceritanya mengaruuut ... dialognya nya alamak. Why oh why!!!

Bagi diri saya filem adalah media untuk bercerita. Kita boleh ada pelakon yang terbilang , gemilang dsb tetapi kalau cerita nya hampeh ... hampeh juga filem tu. Kebanyakan masalah kini ialah bercerita dan meletakkan cerita as sesuatu yang utama berbanding shot yang canggih dsb. Second is the screenplay / lakon layar. Perbezaan yang filem macam Sepet dah lakukan ialah tak jadikan pelakon pementas but audience ni jadi macam lalat/cicak/naymuk kat dinding sambil tengok apa yang berlaku. The approach yang saya suka ialah pabila kita masuk cerita tu tapi cerita dah start .... and kita akan melalui perjalanan sepanjang cerita dengan mengenali karektor tertentu .... as the story flow. Dekat nak akhir kita kan berkata ... aaaa that makes sense... or I get that.

Macam Lost .... cerita dia kita tak tahu siap depa tu tapi kita discover bit by bot siapa mereka itu dan menjadikan sesorang itu lebih "human" warts and all ... No one is perfect, tapi kalau kita sanggup melihat kemanusiaan seseorang itu lebih hari dari semalam, just makes us a better person today than yesterday.

Technical is nice sebab filem ni pun "eye-candy" jugak (I am still a Trekkie and a Jedi) ... but to a commoner macam saya ... I want the story. Maybe sebab tu I consume 10 books a month.... I need stories sebab itu cara I grow up when my parents/grand parents tell me stories.

Kapt ... rambling on as usual

UPSR 101, Reading 201….

2005-09-12T09:41:00.000+08:00

Alhamdulillah. My eldest child completed his UPSR exams. I am not sure how to describe the experience coz it will be premature anyways as the results is not out yet.

But one thing for sure … you can see relief and the following day he enjoyed practically the whole day at the public library, …. Reading what he likes.

I asked him how many of his friends at the library … one guy …. As most of his friends don't really like to read all that much. Habis kuat pun baca komik dan buku yang pendek-pendek saja. Kind of make me feel sad because through out my life, the most joy I have other than my family is actually reading. Curling up with a good book (macam tenggiling) is my kind of personal time. Macam dengar lagu Afdlin "WARAS" … so appropriate Bro!

I have always been a sucker for a good story. Used to start off with kids investigation. Hardy Boys was okay but kind of geeky. Anyone remembers Alfred Hitchcock's Three Investigators, those kids were cool with their own "office" and "NAME CARD" that says Private Investigator! I know! At age 10 that was the most amazing thing to have …. Your own name card. Sekarang bersepah … celah bangku office pun ada terselit name card.

Moved on to thrillers around 11… I still remember Day Of The Jackal by Frederick Forsyth. Well of course I do…. coz I read it for the 15 ^th time I think last month. After that every single FF books was consumed. I think that happened with good (for me)author I find out about. In the 80's and early 90's … I was consuming incredibly right wing authors like Clancy, Dale Brown. Then I wised up … as I was strating to throw up with new offering by those authors. Found some old books by people like Garrison Keillor that charmed the sock off me. I still read some right wing stuff like W.E.B Griffin's series on the (Marine) Corps. But a lot less.

I thought Jeff Archer did quite well for a while but seems to have tapered off. Not as good as he was before. Dan Brown's Angel and Demons was actually the one I prefer compared to Da Vinci's Code. Both improbable as crazy but kind of redefines page turner. Grisham's storyline is okay … most books with exception of Runaway Jury, Rainmaker seems to have fairly flat endings ….. ending that have you saying …. Huh?

J. K. Rowling? Read all 6 so far, the favourite is the early ones … the last couple is much more sombre and dark. The early ones were like boarding school books ( i.e. Blyton's Mallory Towers) meeting sorcery stuff. Interesting read and enjoyable. Great endings for the first three so that I end up the endings (last 30 pages or so) reading them again and again. Then the "Rowling death cycle" kicked in from HP4 onwards…. And there goes my escapism.

When I discovered eBooks I was so happy coz then I could bring 3-4 books in the PDA and read anywhere I want. I mean everywhere … NO Limits! Even at night as the PDA light means I don't have to switch on amy other lights. That is …. Until I dropped the PDA and broke it …. Need to buy another one….

But seeing my son pick up Timothy Zahn's Star Wars Heir to the Empire kind of remind me of … ME. Discovering my world and various people's imaginay world through these pages. I have 50 plus channels on ASTRO but between those pages is where I get "Waras" … (Afdlin … gua pinjam term you)

Anyway … enuf for now … rambling on as usual.

Will Post Soon

2005-09-07T16:31:00.000+08:00

Haven’t posted for a while …. Will do so as soon as I catch up on work. Cuti lama nak support my eldest child ambil UPSR. Dia yang ambil UPSR, father and mother dia yang nak pengsan …

Lama cuti....

2005-09-01T18:09:00.000+08:00

Hi all,

Dah lama tak tulis apa2 ... not for lack of material more lack of time. Been implementing systems for some customers (big ones!) and kecoh ... mengalahkan TV3 Karnival Sure Kecoh (sic.)

Basically it's just change management. Most are used to doing it one way. Once you take them out of their comfort zone, TV3 Sure Kecoh! Stability is great but sure kills souls like crazy. Sometimes I think being in this industry is challenging coz it's so resistant to change and being a change agent is in this type of industry boleh biol dibuatnya. Heck ... dah biol dah pun!

Selamat Menyambut Kemerdekaan .... Nice parade .. less mitilaristic anding dengan tahun lepas2. More kids ... which is always fun .. and the slip of tongue (with great recovery!) by the 9 year old Lufti, really puts in the reality in there. Everyone watching will remember and adore him for it. "Merdek....Daulat Tuanku!" Lufti rocks!

I was reading this bit about the Malayan Union.... it seems that part of the Malayan Union includes part of about centralising and reducing the powers of the States.... Maybe that part of Malayan Union is not that bad come to think of it. Wouldn't it be better not to have this ridiculous land / water management by the states which is creating nine types of hell. I am not certain wether it will be better at Federal but some is ... Corruption can be curtailed a bit by centralisation rather than decentralisation.

I guess maybe the Malayan Union wasnt all that bad ... some may need to be used. This is not controversial ... but could be interesting to pursue.

Dealing with stress and making it...

2005-08-25T18:16:00.000+08:00

Well what a day today has been .... had to dela with system live on Day one and Murphy's Law kicked in. Semua yang nak jadi jahannam .... jadi jahannam ... next time tak boleh hope for the best.

But at the end of the day realised that, I felt really alive for all the adrenaline. Have been a bit down sebab rasa boring .... haaa ambik .kena sebijik.

Manusia ni semua tak kena ... bila tak ada tension .... boring .... bila ada tension .... STRESSED. Nafsu beb. One thing I am very proud of, 2 months 22 days ago I would have caved and done a "chimney" ... tapi despite the highest level of stress ever faced past 5 years, no serombong kapal. I am sooooo coool.

"TAK NAK" rulesz!

Lelaki Malaysia tak Gentleman???

2005-08-24T11:58:00.000+08:00

Hari ni masa nak pergi komuter ada satu insiden yang buat pikir panjang….

One lady keluar kereta masa kereta jam sikit kat Shah Alam Komuter stesyen. Tapi dia tak tengok belakang so nasiblah ada satu motor (with a couple on board) terlanggar sikit pintu tu. Yang bengang nya … laki yang bawak kereta tu biar perempuan tu keluar dan terus belah tinggal kan perempuan tu deal dengan laki yang naik motor tu … Yg lady tadi pun tersengih-sengih nak settle dengan pakcik yang bawak motor tu.

What the heck was that all about? Kalau laki dia … memang tak patut, kalau abang/adik pun tak patut … kalu boyfren baik break aje … Apa nak jadi la dengan laki Melayu ni … malu betul aku dibuatnya. Nasib baik pakcik tu ok … kalau tak jenuh orang lain nak tolong . Sapa susah …. Akuuuu jugak.

Kekadang benda cam ni buat malu nak mengaku kita ni lelaki dari Malaysia. Bangladeshi pun gentleman sikit kekadang tu …. Walaupun part pegang tangan guys with guys tu euuuuuu sikit for me.

Afdlin's gone mad ... and so have we!

2005-08-23T17:14:00.000+08:00

Afdlin Shauki's blog on creativity being stifled is really opening my eyes to the crap that these people who have done so much have to endure.

So go and see how he's putting up the fight. You go Afdlin!

I've ordered ... so you go ahead and order...

And please lah bayar ... jangan le take up offer dia yang seposen tu ... bayar la yang substantial sikit ikut kemampuan you...

JB and Cat's IBS

2005-08-23T12:05:00.000+08:00

Hi,

Back from a long weekend …. Urggh! Spent most of the weekend kenduri in JB … didn’t realise how long the drive was… sakit pinggang den!

Stayed at M-Suite (yes… same hotel as where Siti , Mawi stayed) . Not too bad … it’s new but the smell from the sea was pretty awful. I don’t realise how polluted the Selat Tebrau was …. Memang patut replace the Causeway with a bridge (crooked or otherwise) … the water flow is just like a bad lake….. Bau macam something that came out from a cat’s rear end on the cat’s major case of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).

Went to the much recently popularised Danga Bay … okay but a bit narrow so it’s a long walk from one end to the other. Parking is also bloody murder on a Saturday nite… the funny thing is even when I asked the guard “ada parking ke kat depan?” … and he answered something along the lines of Good Luck. Nice of him to wish me luck but also depressing to know that I’m going to need luck which is pretty much not in sync with me past couple of weeks. Otherwise wasn’t that bad.

I don’t actually know how people can drive for so long …. Makes me reaaaally serious about investing in the private pilot license (PPL) and FLY! Anyone know how I can get this done in under RM12k?

Still loving it!

MS Word blogging

2005-08-18T17:36:00.000+08:00

Oh yeah … trying this Blog from MS Word, if it works fine … if it doesn’t no surprise what … microsoft kan?…. It works but the bugs is standard offering! Tapi kalau working well I’ll be happy ….

Sure lepas ni nampak sibuk habis tapi sepatah haram pun aku tak buat.

I have to think about next stage career … maybe open up that air service (Island to Island hopping) and maybe also lake to lake hopping with amphibian aircraft….

Ok gonna do the numbers now….

Frustation...

2005-08-18T13:42:00.000+08:00

Frustation!

Cant get the haloscans to work … and the frustrating things is I know they have made this idiot proof … I guess they don’t count on this idiot.

Thinking of getting in on a diet now that the SMOKE free zone has been in effect for 2 months 15 days. Gained 2kg coz of that … actually because of lack method to deal with the boredom.

Maybe will do the step exercise thingy … just have to dust it out from under the cabinet…

1st entry

2005-08-18T12:56:00.000+08:00

hi, I'm new at this so ... welcoming your help....

Hmmmph ... actually been some time since I put my thought on paper .... or web...

It's raining and I'm worried that my roof will leak due to the renovations being done by the neighbor. .... Hope the chinese guys fixed it before we start using the towels again.

Kind of bored and worried. My eldest exams is just around the corner. I think UPSR and these kids level exams is just ridiculous. I dont think anyone finds learning fun anymore? come to think of it ... was it ever fun. It was for me only at MRSM ... before that it was boring ... after that it was hell ...

How do we make learning fun again for the kids ... I wish I know coz .. the lights of fun learning is slowly and surely winking out from the eyes of my kids.