Close encounter

Last Saturday morning, I had a meeting with someone from GBSB at KLCC. We decided to have an informal discussion, so we headed to the food court at level 4. As we were discussing over a cup of milo and a cup of coffee, suddenly there was a huge crowd. I wondered whether there was an artiste around. Instead, we found out it was Tun Dr. Mahathir strolling at the food court. His presence surely caught the attention of everyone there. I was pleased to see passers-by coming up to him to shake his hands and wish him well.

This was my first encounter with the Tun up close and personal since he retired, and the first time I saw him in public since he was discharged from IJN recently. I have met him a number of times before when he was still Prime Minister. While it was good to see him out and about, I was surprised to see how thin he is now.

Whatever it is, I pray for his good health and well-being.

The little things in life

Sometimes, we tend to forget the little things we have in life. I was up north in my hometown for almost a week during the first week of the school holidays. It has been almost half a year since I was there, and I seem to have forgotten certain little pleasures that are there.

Just imagine, nasi lemak sold at RM0.60 and teh tarik at RM0.70 a glass. You know, I had to ask the mak cik selling the nasi lemak twice, just to be sure that I heard the price right. Tell me, where can you get that kind of pricing here in KL? It's not just the prices are low, they taste better too.

And the life there is so relaxed compared to the fast-paced hectic life in KL. I am not complaining about my life here in the city, but I do miss these little things from my hometown.

Courting problems

I like the following quote:

Justice must not only be done but seen to be done.

At last, now I have the answer as to why the prosecuting team in the Altantuya murder case was changed at the eleventh hour, resulting in the postponement of the trial. But after reading the Attorney-General's statement released yesterday, the removal makes sense.

And personally, I think the A-G made a correct call in this one. It's better to remove them when he did, rather than creating a negative perception to the already high profile case.

I wonder what they were actually thinking when they played badminton together? Anyone can tell you that such action would certainly court problems. It's embarassing to have a report like this in the international media. And The Star's title for this news report is just simply spot-on. All this just highlights our lackadaisal attitude and lack of professionalism.

Vanishing act

I had wanted to blog about this for quite some time. But before I go further, a disclaimer: Please note that I am not in any way putting down any brand or product. My comment here is just my personal observation on how this particular product is advertised on tv.

The product I refer to is Vanish. The commercial on Vanish has been on for quite a while, and is usually aired during prime time. What the commercial is trying to put across is that this detergent/softener called Vanish does not ruin your clothes like some other products. Okay, that's fine by me. I don't have any qualms about this.

However, what I find ridiculously absurd is that during the course of the commercial, the guy poured a lot - and I mean, a lot - of the liquid into the washing machine to prove his point. Personally, I will not buy this product if you have to use a lot of the liquid as portrayed in the commercial. What's the point if you need to pour half the liquid from its container into the washing machine each time you do your laundry? If this is so, then to me the product is not effective in getting out stains and cleaning your clothes. What's more, it wouldn't be economical to the consumers. After two or three washes, you'd have to get a new bottle.

I know I may just be nitpicking the commercial, but really, if I were the owner of the company producing the product, I would be more sensitive to the way my product is being portrayed in the commercial. And as a consumer, I would want value for money. Otherwise, my money will just vanish into thin air.

Congratulations, Mr Prime Minister

I spent part of the afternoon with Ned Akechi somewhere near his office in Taman Desa. The visit was unscheduled on my part, but it was good talking to him face-to-face rather than the usual YM messages. We talked about a lot of things, among other things, marriage and politics.

Therefore, it was a pleasant surprise to find out that these two topics that Ned and I talked about actually come together today. When I got back to the office, I read that the Prime Minister is going to remarry this Saturday. Personally, I think running a country as a widower is not healthy. Perhaps, with this turn of events, things will get a lot better, insya-Allah.

Congratulations, Dato' Seri.

Wasted reload

My one week away from KL was indeed refreshing. I felt like as if I was recharged, rejuvenated and raring to go. If I were a web browser, it's like someone had just hit the 'reload' or 'refresh' button on the screen.

I came back on Sunday, and traffic was smooth all the way - which made for a pleasant cruise along the E1 highway. [Note: I prefer the numbering system to our highways, as opposed to naming them after the toll concessionaires - PLUS, ELITE, LITRAK, GCE, etc.]. For those who may not be aware, E1 refers to the North-South Expressway.

Anyhow, I came back to KL welcomed by news of flash floods. Fortunately, the route that I took wasn't affected. But watching and reading news about the floods wasn't the kind of welcome I expected when returning to the city.

I came into the office yesterday, armed with renewed energy and vigour to get all my tasks done. But to my horror, more than half of my room at the office was drenched and soaked. Not because of the flash floods as my room is on the top floor. Rather, it was caused by the already leaking roof made worse by the heavy rain over the past few days. Suddenly this story is starting to sound like the leak at the Parliament.

As a result, instead of doing actual work yesterday, I had to spend my time moving my things to another room (a dry one, thank goodness).

What a waste to being recharged and reloaded over the last week.

Oh, and a note to the boss. It's time to look for a new office space.

Taking a break

I know that I wrote in my previous entry that I don't think I'll be retiring. But that doesn't mean that I can't take a few days off.

And that's exactly what I'll be doing. Beginning tomorrow until the end of the week, I'll be returning to my hometown with my family. It has been quite a while since we went up north, so this will be a good trip, insya-Allah. Hopefully, we can catch up with our family and relatives, and possibly some friends too.

Believe it or not, this is my first break since I joined my current outfit in December 2005!

I don't think I'll be retiring

Today's front page headline in Sunday Star posed a question that has been, more or less, in my head over the past few years. I know that some people say that I am worrying too much because I am only in my early 30s. But whether we like it or not, we have to plan for the future. After all, as the cliched saying goes, time flies.

Consider this. I am not a civil servant, so I don't have any pension benefit. All that I can rely on are my EPF and whatever savings that I may have stashed in various places such as Tabung Haji, ASB, takaful, mutual funds and personal accounts. And suffice to say, with the forecasted purchasing power 30 years down the line, what I can save will not translate into much. Also, don't forget that I have to think about my children's education. That will certainly be expensive in the years to come. At least, I have started saving for that.

Sometimes, when you think about the future, you'll feel that you haven't actually done enough preparation. At the end of the day, I feel that in all probability, I'll continue to work till I draw my last breath.

Road to fame and fortune

Remember when we were in school, and we were asked what we wanted to be when we grow up? How simple things were then. The education system back then was straight forward, and more or less, all of us have an idea which route we want to take to realise our ambitions.

Now, however, things are very much complicated. By complicated, I mean, students today have so many choices and options to choose from. They can choose to do STPM, matriculation, diploma, foundation studies, A-level, twinning programmes, and they can even enrol into courses offered by private institutions.

Apparently, I forgot another option that will make your ambition true and give you fame and fortune. Have a look at the chart below.

I'm not sure whether I want to laugh or cry.

Major makeover

As stated in one of my previous posts, I would give TeropongSkop a makeover. Well, I finally got around to having it done tonight. While the major changes have been completed, there may still be some minor adjustments that require my attention later on, but I'll tackle this from time to time.

In the meantime, I hope that this new look gives a refreshing feel to my regular visitors.

Keep on coming, and I'll keep on blogging!

Twists and turns

A school friend whom I haven't seen since 1991 took the trouble of finding my handphone's number, just to get my advice. I have to hand it to him for being resourceful in getting my number, and it was indeed good to meet him after all these years. But after hearing his story, I honestly didn't know what to say, nor do I have any sound advice to give.

He was married in the late 1990s, then got a divorce, because his wife cheated on him. He has two children from his first marriage, who are looked after by his ex-wife. After the divorce, things became very difficult for him. Fortunately, he was introduced to his current wife, who has managed to make him a much better person. They got married last year, and are expecting their first child soon.

You would think that's the end of the story. But like a twisted plot from a Latin telenovela, the story doesn't end there. My friend has, earlier this year, met a divorcee and fell for her. The feeling was mutual, according to him. But things got complicated soon after, with the lady playing hard to get, and him not willing to give up, and all that.

Anyway, after several weeks of - what I call - soap opera courting, they are finally getting married. But what irked me is the need to tie the knot in Thailand. If everyone is okay with the marriage, why Thailand?

What about the current wife? Apparently, she knows about this as the husband has told her. Of course she was devastated, but I got the impression that she is a strong woman who puts the family first. I can only pray that my friend's family life will get better, and not get more complicated as it already is. I have a nagging headache trying to understand his life story as it is. Really, it's like watching one of those Latin soaps with its unpredictable twists and turns.

Speaking of twists and turns, I got a kick reading this story posted at a friend's blog. I'm not sure whether the story is real or not, but it'd certainly make a good story for Cerekarama.

In any case, this story is a reminder for everyone - myself included - that marriage is not something that can be taken lightly. It takes two to tango. We cannot take each other for granted. We cannot just give and not receive. It is a two-way street. We cannot afford to overlook the other's needs and wants. Because it that happens, only Allah knows what comes next.

And as a blogger friend puts it, don't complicate matters. Perhaps that's the best advice for my school friend, and for us all.

Busy as a bee

What a morning! My maid's room was infested with some 30 bees, probably trying to find a new place for their hive. Yesterday, they came into her room via the window, but she managed to shoo them away. Today, the bees were determined not to leave. This, needless to say, is not good news because I don't want anybody in the household (especially my 2-year old son) to get stung by a bee, what more a swarm of bees.

So, after consulting several people, I was told that the best way to shoo away bees is to use smoke. Essentially, that took up my whole morning. First, trying to get the bees out of the house by burning rags tied at the end of a mop. The bees surely hated the smoke. They got out but there were some stubborn ones as well.

Then, after most of them are out, I had to make sure that there are no holes that they can use to enter again. So, I was busy covering all possible entrance to the room that could be used by the bees while making sure no bees were left in the room. All this took me about 3 hours or so. I only got into the office just after 12 o'clock.

This is perhaps the closest encounter I have had with a swarm of bees. Most definitely, it's not something that I'd like to go through again.

Finally done

It actually took longer than I thought it would. The upgrading process for my other two blogs have finally been completed. Feel free to have a look at the two blogs, i.e. Step By Step and Amir Husaini: Novelis.

With these two blogs' upgrade finally completed, I can theoretically now turn my eyes to upgrading TeropongSkop.

Now, if only I can find the time to do that...

Saturday at Aquaria

I try to make it a point to take my son out to places of interest at least once a month. As blogged last month, we visited the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park. This month's trip is to Aquaria at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

This was our first time at Aquaria. All in all, it was a good outing, although personally I imagined Aquaria to be a lot bigger than it actually is. Nonetheless, we had a good time, in particular my son who was excited to see all the marine life on display. More details on the visit at my son's blog.

Something to ponder upon

I saw an interesting poster at a shop in Taman Melawati a couple of nights ago. If my memory doesn't fail me, the following is the content of the poster:

Watch your thoughts, because thought becomes your action;
Watch your actions, because action becomes your habit;
Watch your habit, because habit becomes your character;
Watch your character, because character becomes your destiny.

Interesting point for us all to ponder. Have a nice weekend!

Conversation starter

How do you start a conversation with your spouse, or your family member, or your friend, or a colleague or a total stranger?

Back when I was in the UK, I remember how easy it was to start a conversation even with a total stranger. I remember chatting with elderly people at the bus stop waiting for the bus headed for the campus by just asking about the weather. Incredibly, in the UK, not only can you start a conversation by mentioning the weather, but the conversation about the weather can go on and on. Simply put, the weather is a topic for discussion in the UK.

What about us Malaysians? What gets us into a conversation? Weather would probably be a topic for a chat, especially with the unpredictable weather conditions of late. Politics would also probably be another topic. But I realised that there is another topic that is more popular than the weather and politics to start a conversation in Malaysia, especially in big cities such as Kuala Lumpur.

The topic is the traffic condition. People would talk about it when the traffic is bad. And people would talk about it enthusiastically when they got to work early because there is no heavy traffic!

Getting difficult these days

I find it increasingly difficult for me to blog down my thoughts these days. It's not that I don't have anything to blog, but I find difficulty in finding the time for blogging. I try as much as I could to at least be online, but more often than not, I have to prioritise. Work, as it should be, comes first. Blogging, however much I may enjoy it, is now a luxury.

Return of the stripes

When I blogged "when old is new again," I wasn't just talking about haircuts. After all these years, I notice that men are starting to wear striped shirts again. Personally, I haven't worn a striped shirt in close to a decade. Apparently, stripes are back in fashion.

In any case, I won't be wearing any striped shirts just as yet. Striped shirts still remind me of pyjamas though.

Speaking of pyjamas, check out this Wikipedia entry on the origin of the word. It's quite interesting.

Good things are hard to get

Sorry for the relatively long silence. Things are pretty much hectic at the office, so I've been tied up somewhat to work even after office hours. In any case, this is just a short entry to note down one little observation.

Of late, I begin to realise more and more that good things that you work for are hard to get or come by. When you thought that "the object of your desire" is already near, there'll always be hurdles and challenges to overcome. Overcoming these hurdles and challenges can sometimes be tiring, time-consuming and frustrating. But the catch is, unless and until these hurdles and challenges are overcome, "the object of your desire" will never be in your hands.

That's life for you.

And that's just my little observation.

Upgrading process

As some will probably have noticed, I maintain three different blogs. This blog is my first and main blog where my thoughts on stuff are expressed. My second blog is dedicated to my son, Shaikh Amir Husaini. While my third blog specialises on my creative writing stuff, which are written under the pseudonym, "Amir Husaini" (not to be confused with, but inspired by, my son's name).

I am slowly but surely upgrading all my blogs. I have made some minor changes (for the time being) to this blog. Usual visitors would probably have noticed these changes.

I have given the "Ombak Senja" blog (my third blog) an entirely different look and feel, and the blog has been renamed "Amir Husaini... Novelis" as of yesterday. Currently, I am still fine-tuning the new look of the said blog, and will probably be done in the next few days or so. But all are welcomed to have a look at this new and improved blog.

Insya-Allah, when time permits, I will upgrade the other two blogs as well. I am just starting to get the hang of some of the new tools that Blogger has to offer, and I intend to make full use of them.

So, keep your eyes peeled for some major changes to TeropongSkop in the near future.

731st day

Today, two years ago, Shaikh Amir Husaini was born.

We didn't throw a party or anything like that. We just bought a cake and have a small family treat. My son certainly enjoyed the cake. Coincidentally, today is a public holiday, and that contributed to a very nice quiet family moment.

Happy second birthday, son.

Books galore

The Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair has begun!

I went there twice - on Saturday (with my sister) and Sunday (with my wife and son). But I will definitely be going again. There are a lot of booths on three levels, and I need more time to have a thorough look. All in all, I had a good time there.

Only thing that bothered me were the "rather desperate" marketing executives of certain booths trying too hard to pull you to their booths. Come on guys, give the visitors some space. Let them roam freely and don't pester them too much. People like me get turned off quickly by these pestering salespeople. I know they earn commissions, but let the visitors make their own choices on which booth to visit.

Other than that, things were great at the KLIBF. Oh, and while we're on this topic, please remember to visit the following booths:

1. IKIM's booth - right at the entrance of Dewan Tun Razak. You can't miss it. Almost all of my books when I was with IKIM can be found here.
2. MPH's booth - located on the ground floor. You can find two books with my name on it published by MPH and a few of my books published by IKIM at this booth.
   
3. Utusan Publications and Distributors' booth - where you can find my novel "Ombak Senja" on sale (written under the pseudonym Amir Husaini).

Have a visit at the book fair - it's indeed worthwhile.

Earth Day

Maybe not many people realise that there are two dates whereby Earth Day is celebrated. The "official" date is 21st March, which is the first day of spring, and this is the date designated by the United Nations. Another date is 22nd April, which has its origins in the eco-activism of the 1960s in the United States. More on the background of these dates from this Wikipedia site. In Malaysia, not many people are aware of any of these dates. For that matter, not many people realise that there is even an Earth Day. This day does not figure prominently in Malaysia, as we have so many special events in the forms of festivities and holidays as it is already.

For me personally, I was first exposed to Earth Day when I was studying in the UK. It was then that I see the need to have a day to drive home the point of preserving and looking after our only home, that is the planet Earth. Environmental conservation is contigent, pertinent and crucial for our future survival.

In light of today's environmental problems we are facing in our country, it is perhaps very timely for us to designate a day to highlight the plight of our planet. To me, rather than focusing so much on entertainment programmes and self-indulgent award ceremonies, the media and corporate sector can play their roles in promoting environmental awareness - at least on Earth Day. However, kudos to Zoo Negara for highlighting the importance of Earth Day.

No doubt, the most important thing is for us as human beings to look after our planet. For Muslims, this is one of the many responsibilities under the task of khalifah or vicegerent of God on this planet. But looking after our planet is not just a task for one day, or just during Earth Day. Instead, it is a daily task.

Unless this is realised, we may have to look for another Earth-like planet to live on, which, coincidentally, scientists claimed may have been found. But we still need to figure out how to get to that distant planet if it is indeed habitable. So, at least for our generation and several generations after, we don't really have a choice, but to look after our planet.

Get real

I think we are being flooded by so-called reality programmes on television. Almost every channel that you turn to has its own reality programmes. A few are quite good, some are so-so, others are acquired tastes, while most unfortunately left a lot to be desired.

I don't get the chance to watch that much telly. There are a few reasons for this.

One, I don't have that much time for the idiot box. Whatever time I have in front of the television is spent watching either the news or cartoons with my son. On certain occasions, I do get the chance to watch some of my favourite programmes, which by the way are not reality programmes.

Two, I don't have Astro. So, my household is not spoilt for choice when it comes to television programming. Sure, I'd love to watch the programmes on Discovery or National Geographic, but unfortunately, after doing some math, it's just not worth it. We just don't watch that much television.

Three, with the terrestrial television that we do get at home, only TV3, ntv7 and 8TV have good receptions. The other three channels are quite bad in terms of reception, especially RTM1 and RTM2. So, our choice of programming is actually limited to the number of terrestrial channels watchable.

Okay, back to the issue of reality television. I do watch some of these shows when I'm free or if there's nothing better to watch. "Survivor" during its first couple of seasons was quite okay. So was "The Apprentice" in its early years. The "Idol" franchise and all its wannabes are over-rated however.

Sometimes these shows just try too hard to be real, that they themselves become unreal. I wonder oft-times whether the feelings shown in these shows are genuine and sincere. But then again, the emotions displayed in these shows is one of the main reasons why people watch reality programmes.

I do enjoy some of these shows, but my favourite reality programme has to be the grand-daddy of them all. The original reality programme on the small screen, and yet people tend to forget about this classic.

What else, but "Candid Camera"!

When old is new again

Apologies for the long pause in blogging. It's not that I have been busy, but rather there's nothing much to blog this past week. In any case, I am back with this new entry.

Notice how fashion is a recurring cycle? Something may be hip and trendy today, and after some time, it becomes outdated and unfashionable. Then suddenly, after people think that the said fashion has been relegated to mere footnotes in history books, it becomes the in-thing again.

Well, today I got myself a much deserved haircut. I usually go for the normal trim, but today, I decided to go back to the past for inspiration, in a manner of speaking. My school buddies would probably remember that I sported very short hair a la army recruits during my school days, so much so I was teased by certain schoolmates. But alas, that was my identity back then.

When I left for the UK, I decided to let my hair down a bit (literally). But not too long though, as I wasn't comfortable with long hair. The longest I went without a haircut was around six months.

After returning to Malaysia, I decided to take the middle path, i.e. not too long and not too short. Long enough to have my hair combed and short enough to look presentable. I noticed that when I kept my hair longer than usual, my friends would wonder whether I was facing some problems. Perhaps with the long hair, I look a bit unkempt.

Anyhow, with the weird weather we're having of late - the extra hot and wet weather - I decided that I should go back to the crew cut look of my school days. Even my usual barber was surprised. He asked me three times to check whether I was absolutely certain with my decision. I had indeed made up my mind. It felt quite good actually having rid the extra luggage on top of my head. I feel - for lack of a better phrase - lightheaded!

When I looked at the mirror, it's like looking back to the past. And today, what was old is new once more.

Launchpad

Yesterday, I was at Avenue K attending a book launch. One of the novels launched is written by my novelist/blogger friend, Izza Aripin. Another novelist/blogger, Rabiatul Adawiyah was also there with her family.

Also in attendance were Fikri and his family. It was good to see Fikri again. I'm happy to see him doing so well. Izza and I managed to sit down with Fikri and his mother to discuss about writing Fikri's experience as a heart recipient. We've talked about this a couple of times before, but I'm quite sure this time around, we'll actully get down to doing it. My personal hope is to see this book out by the time Fikri celebrates his second anniversary with a new heart this December.

As for Izza, congratulations on the launching of the new novel. I hope they will sell well, especially with the KL International Book Fair coming up soon. Izza's personal account of the launching can be read here.

Now, if only I could get my publisher to give my novel some publicity...

Fun with numbers

Ned Akechi in his blog listed some mathematical wonders. Have a look and I'm pretty sure that you'll be amazed, to say the least.

In any case, I'd like to share a story attributed to Sayyidina 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib, the fourth caliph of the Khulafa' al-Rashidin. It was said that there was an old man who died and left a strange will which was impossible to be carried out.

He had three sons and he also had 17 camels. In his will, he wanted his eldest son to get 1/2 of the camels, his middle son to get 1/3 of the camels, while his youngest son to get 1/9 of the camels.

Everyone was astounded. How could it be possible to divide the camels in such a way? As such, the matter was brought to Sayyidina 'Ali to be decided upon. The caliph gave it some thought, and decided that in order to make things simple, he was willing to give one of his camels, so that the total would now be 18.

And so, the will was thus able to be carried out. The first son got 1/2 of 18, which was 9 camels. The second son got 1/3 of 18, which was 6 camels. The third son got 1/9 of 18, which was 2 camels.

When the camels were distributed accordingly among the sons, there was one camel left (because 9+6+2 = 17). Since the problem had been solved, Sayyidina 'Ali took back his camel.

Fascinating, isn't it?

P.S. For another such story which was blogged many many moons ago, here's the link.

Fanboy fantasy

Okay, I admit I'm a sucker for comic superheroes and fantasies. And when these characters are adapted to the big screen, I anticipate eagerly for the show. That is why I watched the Lord of the Rings trilogy on their opening nights. Likewise, I was also thrilled when the X-Men and Spider-Man movies were shown.

So, for 2007, there's only one movie that I really want to watch, and that is Spider-Man 3. In case anyone hasn't watched its trailer, here's the link. Alternatively, if you prefer YouTube, just click play below.

Enjoy!

Luxury item

This is my third day with a cold. This is the second time this year that I haven't been well. The first time was in February.

This time around, the cold itself isn't too bad, but somehow my body feels very exhausted. Perhaps it's just a way my body is telling me to take things easy and try to get some rest.

Somehow, rest has become a luxury for me these days.

Idiotic drivers

This afternoon, as I was leaving Ampang Puteri Specialist Hospital (APSH), a car from the left lane suddenly changed lanes without signalling to go on to the right lane. He drove on to the parking pay booth on the right.

Ok... fine, I said.

Then suddenly when he was already on the right lane and was about a metre away from the pay booth, the car reversed... at full speed. I hit the horn, but then it was useless. The idiot's car hit my car, and there was a crash sound.

Ok... this is not fine...

I got out of the car, fuming. The idiot got out of his car, profusely saying he didn't see.

Didn't see? Where did you put your eyes? Didn't you learn to use your rear glass mirror when reversing? Perhaps, calling him an idiot was an understatement after all.

All my life, I've never fumed in public before. I gave him a piece of my mind. In a way, I was fortunate because my car wasn't badly damaged. There was only a slight dent near the Proton's logo. The idiot's car's back bumper was worse off. It cracked from the top down.

Serves him right, I said.

I then said to the idiot, "Jalan sajalah." I didn't want to keep anyone else waiting, what more it happened in a hospital compound. He drove off, without any apology. I drove off after paying my parking fee, still fuming.

And still cursing that idiot.

Even now.

Family outing

It has been quite a while since I took my family for an outing. In fact, yesterday's outing to the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park was the first since we had our son. An account of my son's excitement at his time at the KL Bird Park can be read at his blog.

It was good to be back at the bird park. The last time I was there was in 1999. The serene surroundings with birds flying certainly was a welcome change from the hustle-and-bustle of city life. For me at least, it was a good way to unwind, and the outing provided an opportunity for me to do a fair amount of walking.

Minor changes

Well, it's Saturday and I'm at the office. Not because there's work to be done, but I have to oversee some contractors finishing off their still uncompleted work. I blogged about this before.

Anyway, I decided to do some minor changes on this blog's sidebar. I have added a link to the Integrated Transport Information System or ITIS website under the heading "Useful Resources" (formerly "Web Resources"). Personally, I find information found on this website to be helpful for people driving around Klang Valley.

I have also added several links under the new heading "All Things Novel." The old heading used to be "E-Novels" but I've decided to incorporate other related links as well. Aside from e-novels, there are also links to novelists' sites as well as critiques of novels.

And I have deleted the heading "Web Discussions." Two of the links under this heading have been redesignated under other more relevant headings while one link has been taken off altogether.

Talk about nothing better to do on a Saturday. *Sigh*

Old newspaper

Something from 2004....

I came upon this as I was doing some Internet search on education. Of course, this is old news but I wasn't aware of it until today.

Apparently, YB Lim Kit Siang, the Head of Opposition in the Parliament issued this media statement way back in 2004. The full text can be read by double-clicking the link provided. But I'd just like to highlight the following:

I had [sic] glad that in the past fortnight, other voices had spoken out who clearly do not agree with Musa’s dismissal of Abdullah’s call for an “education revolution” as a mere “reminder” to the Education Ministry to “continue its present efforts to improve the education system”.

The New Straits Times, for instance, in its “Saturday Forum” on 17^th January 2004 carried as its major item the article entitled “Time for a second education revolution”, by IKIM fellow Shaikh Mohd Saifuddeen, supporting Abdullah’s call for a second education revolution (after the first “education revolution” under Tun Abdul Razak) to “overhaul and revolutionise the education system”.

In the New Sunday Times two days ago, the Vice Chancellor of Universiti Sains Malaysia Prof Datuk Dzulkifli Abdul Razak, referred to Abdullah’s call for an “education revolution” in the context of a process which has still to be undertaken rather than a process which is underway as contended by Musa – although Dzulkifli was writing in support of more “apolitical appointments” into the Cabinet.

The full context of my article can be read here. Most times, I try to avoid commenting on issues played as political rhetorics. But on certain occasions, there are important issues that needed to be touched on. And this - at that particular point in time - was one of them. I believe this issue is still relevant even today.

In any case, I am glad that the Opposition Leader agrees with me. Even though I may not be sharing his political stance or ideology, I am in a way happy that what I wrote was accepted without any political bias.

Snatched!

I was at IKIM this morning for breakfast, and was informed that one of the staff there is a victim of snatch theft. The incident occurred yesterday behind The Mall (near PWTC) after work when she was walking home. She lost important personal documents, ATM cards, a handphone and about RM800 in cash.

Most of us suspect that the thief has been eyeing her for some time. This is because every day she would use the same route to walk home. I suppose this is one lesson for us especially those who walk to and from work. Avoid using the same route everyday, and avoid quiet and dark alleys.

I know that this kind of incident can happen to anyone. That is why it's best to take precautions. While some people may view snatch theft as petty, I believe this crime is serious enough to warrant attention from everyone. We have seen incidents of snatch theft becoming ugly, when its victims went into a commatose state, or even died.

At least, the IKIM's staff was physically unhurt, but I am sure she is traumatised. We know from today's headline in The Star that the police is tackling the problem of organised criminals. Hopefully, the police will also crack down on snatch thieves, who are at best ad hoc criminals.

Housekeeping

For convenience to all visitors to this blog, I have made use of Blogger's labelling feature. For instance, if anyone is looking for all entries pertaining to "organ donation," all you need to do is just click at the label "organ donation."

I know I'm a bit late to jump on the labelling bandwagon, but I suppose, it's better late than never. In a way, this is a housekeeping exercise for this blog. And speaking of housekeeping, I'll be busy clearing up the mess in my office after the renovation that went on.

So not looking forward to that..., but it's something that needs to be done.

Organ donation write-up

It has been quite some time since I last touched on organ donation in my blog. This past month, there have been 2 organ donation-related events which I attended.

The first one was about a month ago, on 7th March, at the Universiti Kuala Lumpur MIAT campus in Sepang where a talk on this issue was given. I was one of the speakers, and the response was good. The write-up on this can be found in today's Berita Harian or alternatively read online here.

The second event took place on 21st March at Subang Sheraton Hotel. This was more of a dinner given in appreciation of the media coverage and publicity given to organ donation and other health-related issues in 2006. This event which is hosted by the Ministry of Health honoured journalists and photographers who have published outstanding articles and/or photographs.

Hopefully, even in this day and age run by the Internet, the conventional media can continue to play a greater role in promoting health awareness to the general public.

Blame it on the garuda

My room at the office is a mess. As stated in my previous blog entry, the office is undergoing some renovation work. The work which is supposed to be completed in 3 days, is still not completed. Worse still, the part that is still not done is the one in my office.

I have not been particularly productive since last Monday because of this renovation. It is difficult to do any work when you have workers coming in and out of your room - hammering, drilling, plastering and welding, and also don't forget - chatting, singing, shouting and smoking.

The Malay idiom, "seperti dilanggar garuda" (loosely translated, "after a garuda's attack") perhaps best describes my room. My room is dusty with furniture lying everywhere. [This is a gross understatement and a polite way of describing the condition of my room, by the way].

Truth be told, I can't go on like this. I hope they'll get the work done today. Or else, someone is going to get it. Then probably they'll know what would happen when a garuda attacks.

One year as a blogger

It's already after midnight, so officially it's already the 28th of March. I would have preferred to have this blogged on the 27th, but alas it was not meant to be. I got tied up with so many things today, and I was in Shah Alam for most of the day that I wasn't able to blog. Even if I was at the office, things were not conducive. The whole office is like a warzone because of the presence of workers doing some renovation work. I just couldn't focus with the noise, smoke and dust.

Anyhow, the 27th of March marks the first anniversary of TeropongSkop the blog. This is the blog's 180th post.

I've gained new friends, renewed friendship with old ones, and most importantly, the blogging experience has enabled me to better myself in more ways than one. Thank you for the support given, and insya-Allah I will continue blogging for as long as possible.

Lost in translation

I found this article online from a magazine called Onzewerld. I gather from the URL's address, the magazine is published in the Netherlands.

I can't understand the language, but can barely make out certain words. I believe this article is on modern Islam or Islam in the modern world; and incorporated interviews with well-known Malaysia columnists Karim Raslan and Farish Noor, and apparently myself. Truth be told, I had no recollection of being interviewed by someone from the Netherlands, but I would really like to know what the article says, in particular, what the article says what I say.

Is there anyone out there who can help with the translation? I would certainly appreciate it a lot.

I would like to thank...

Friday the 23rd of March was historical for me in a way or two. Throughout my entire life, I have entered and participated in many competitions, especially when I was in school. I have won quite a few awards in several competitions. I remember helping my school team to come in second for the whole state of Johor in 1984 in a BM Quiz, and again second for the whole state of Johor in 1985 in an English Quiz. I also remember participating in numerous quizzes when I was in secondary school - either coming in first or runner-up in most of these competitions. The most memorable competition that I entered was perhaps the 1990 English Debating Competition in Sungai Petani, where our school who was defending champion managed to retain the championship, and I was announced as best debater. Truth be told, I never really wanted to enter the debating competition in the first place, but I was instructed to do so by the Principal. I never liked and was never interested in debates, but in retrospect, the experience was indeed beneficial.

All these achievements were stories from my past. Since then, I have not entered any competitions. That is, until 2006. I put up a challenge to myself to participate in a script-writing competition organised by IKIM. I was not eligible to participate when I was a staff there. So, when I left the organisation, I took myself to task in coming up with a script for a television drama. I have written short stories, a novel, countless academic working papers, hundreds of articles for newspapers and magazines, and God knows what else - but I've never penned down a television drama script. It was quite a challenge, but on Friday, I supposed it paid off, literally and figuratively.

As a novice in script-writing, imagine my pleasant surprise that my entry - the first ever (and so far, only) script I've ever written - came in second in the competition. The prizes were given away by the Yang Dipertuan Agong.

Therefore, at the risk of sounding very much like the Academy Awards, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported this endeavour. In particular, I would like to thank my lovely wife, my loveable son and my doting parents for their understanding in my staying up late on most nights which are spent on writing. I would also like to thank IKIM for giving me the exposure needed to comprehend the issues at hand, so much so that I could incorporate them in the script that I wrote. And my thanks to all who have directly or indirectly motivated me to continue writing.

And continue writing, I will... insya-Allah.

Enlightening

Many of us talk about our work and career from time to time. Some are thinking about leaving. Others are not happy with their workplace. That's why when I read this article, I find it to be very true to life.

Have a read, and perhaps you can share this enlightening piece with others (especially the bosses)!

First day of spring

Not that anyone in the country will notice, but today is the first day of spring if we are situated in temperate countries at the northern hemisphere. Flowers blooming, trees greening, people started going to the parks... it is quite a sight to tell you honestly.

But then again, there's no place like home.

100 faces... 100 hopes

Last Sunday was the last day I spent with the 100 students who underwent an intensive Japanese language course. Over the past 10 weeks, I got to know these wonderful, hardworking and energetic students from all over the country. They finished the course with flying colours, having picked up Japanese quite well. If you listen to them speaking Japanese with your eyes closed, you wouldn't think for a second that they have only learnt the language about 2 and a half months ago - and you wouldn't certainly think that the ones speaking Japanese are Malaysians!

It was in a way quite emotional for the students on their last day of the programme. They received their certificates and put up a show for their parents and guardians. I could see it in their eyes that they are all destined for a great future ahead of them. Each of them carries within themselves hopes for a better future for the country.

I wish them all the very best. I'm not sure whether I'll see them again, but I know that the time spent training these students were one of the best times in my life. I have certainly been motivated to better myself. As a matter of fact, I have challenged myself to do something I never thought of before... and that is to learn Japanese.

And for this new challenge I put to myself, I say to these students, arigatogozaimasu.

Welcome to the world

My sister-in-law (my brother's wife) gave birth to a baby girl yesterday afternoon. With this birth, my parents now have 3 grandchildren.

My other sister-in-law (my wife's twin sister) is expected to give birth on the 28th of this month. With that birth, my mother-in-law will have... hmmm, give me a second to count... 18 grandchildren.

In any case, this month my son gets 2 new cousins.

In death we remember life

I know that my previous posts touched quite a bit on death. But let's not forget life as we deal with someone's death. Our lives need to go on. Life and death is part and parcel of all our lives.

While we mourn someone's passing, let us also not forget those who are still fighting to survive. For instance, people like 14-year old Tee Hui Yi who is now waiting for a new heart. She's now using a mechanical heart while waiting for a donor. It is heartwarming to see heart recipient, Fikri, giving her the encouragement and moral support.

You can read this story here, and Fikri's account of the story at his blog here.

Dealing with grief

Life goes on, as they say. But as much as life does go on, we should remember that death is very much a part of life. Dealing with the passing of a loved one or a friend or a colleague is never easy.

So far, I have only dealt with the passing of a small number of people that I know. My paternal grandfather passed away when I was very little, so I don't remember much about it. My paternal grandmother and maternal great grandmother passed away when I was studying in the UK. So, I didn't really go through the experience of having to be there at their funerals, and I managed to cope quite well. Perhaps, the physical distance helped. Both my maternal grandparents passed away before my mother got married, so no real experience there.

The only real and close encounter with having to deal with the passing of a relative was when my aunt passed away about two years ago. My wife and I was at her bedside in the ICU of Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) about half an hour before she drew her last breath. When we left IJN, we got a call from another aunt saying that she was gone. We drove back to IJN, then literally escorted the ambulance to Putrajaya where she was to be buried. The next day was the funeral. My parents came all the way from Kulim. It was quite a family reunion, though everyone was mourning.

Now, I'm dealing with the death of a friend. I feel somewhat strange today. It's as if a part of my past is now missing. Come to think of it, each and everyone whom we meet makes up a little piece of the jigsaw puzzle that we call "life." When that little piece is gone, the picture is no longer perfect.

Grieving is a learning experience as we traverse this life of ours. In our lifetime, we will grief for others. But alas, we have to learn to cope with grief, and get on with our lives. Those who have passed on will always be remembered and cherished in our memories.

In memoriam: Ahmad Faizal Ahmad Fadzil

Truth be told, I only know Ahmad Faizal Ahmad Fadzil at a professional level. He was deputy to my current boss when my boss was serving the State Government of Johor. I think it must be circa 1999 when I first met Faizal. Since then, we would meet now and again whenever IKIM and the Johor State Government co-organised programmes. Then about two years ago, both my boss and Faizal left the state government to lay the groundwork for the establishmen of Yayasan Ilmuwan in Kuala Lumpur. By now, we would meet more frequently as I was also in the midst of leaving IKIM to join this foundation. Faizal was Executive Director of Yayasan Ilmuwan.

When I officially joined Yayasan Ilmuwan on 1st December 2005, our relationship as colleagues brought us closer as friends. But fate would have it that Faizal and my boss parted ways sometime in the middle of last year. Faizal left Yayasan Ilmuwan, and I was asked to fill up his position - something that I felt very reluctant to do. Even after he left the foundation, we still maintained contact although we didn't quite see each other that often anymore.

Today is indeed a sad day as Faizal has left all of us forever. I have always dreaded days like today, for when I have to mourn the passing of a friend. This is a first for me, as this is the first time in my life, a friend has passed on. Even though we were not that close, but because of our good working relationship, I feel somewhat empty with his passing.

I am very sure that those who know him better will miss him very very dearly. I know for a fact that his loved ones - his wife, his children, his parents, his siblings and his relatives - would undoubtedly feel saddened by his sudden and untimely death. I could only imagine how they are feeling at this moment. And I could only sympathise with their loss.

I pray that his family would remain strong. I pray that Allah SWT would place Faizal amongst the souls of the blessed ones and that he would be placed in Paradise.

Although our friendship was brief, I shall dearly miss Ahmad Faizal Ahmad Fadzil.

Al-Fatihah.

Trust your doctor

My work would involve medical practitioners from time to time. I have seen their dedication and passion for their work. I have witnessed how they'd sacrifice their time and energy just to see their patients make it through.

Yesterday was a sombre day for me. A former colleague of mine from Yayasan Ilmuwan, who is only 39 years old, has been warded at one of the local private hospitals. He was in semi-conscious state when I visited him. His breathing was irregular, hence was assisted by a ventilator. He had diabetes which has resulted in a bad gangrenous infection on his legs. This same infection has gone into his blood stream causing his breathing problems.

Apparently, he has been diagnosed with diabetes many years ago. It all started when he had a small cut on his foot. This small cut was not treated properly. I was told that he didn't treat it using modern medicine, instead he went to one of these alternative therapies which applied colour as a form of healing. He felt that things were getting better.

Over the years, his cut on his foot got worse. What began as a small cut was now beginning to spread. He went to see a doctor at Hospital Selayang, who advised him to have his foot amputated for fear of having the infection spreading. He refused. This was earlier this year.

Then, after Chinese New Year, things got worse. The infection have gone all the way up his ankle. When he was warded, the infection was already at his thigh, and seems to be spreading further up. Definitely it would be impossible to amputate at this stage.

The doctors are waiting for his blood test which is supposed to be ready tomorrow. By then, the doctors would know what to do as the next course of action. Unfortunately, they only give him a 20-30% chance of survival.

If only he had gone for his treatment much much earlier. If only he had taken the advice of the doctor at Hospital Selayang. Too many ifs... but all this don't matter much now, as we cannot dwell on what could have been at this point in time.

I know that many of us dread to have parts of our body amputated. If you are not sure, get a second professional opinion, or even a third. If all agree that the same course of action should be taken, then have faith in these doctors. They are trained professionals who are there to save lives, not the other way around.

My former colleague is now fighting for his life. He has 4 young children. He is only 39 years old. As my boss said yesterday, "Too young to go."

Our prayers are with him. I hope yours are too.

UPDATED (11.07 a.m.):
Ahmad Faizal Ahmad Fadzil passed away at 10.45 a.m. today at Subang Jaya Medical Centre. My heartfelt condolences to his family. And may Allah SWT bless his soul.

Al-Fatihah.

New links on the blog

I have added a couple of new links on this blog.

One is a link to a friend's blog, Rabiatul Adawiyah. She's an old friend who is also a novelist. Visit her blog if you're into Malay novels.

Another is an organ donation link. A visitor to this blog has set up a Friendster site called Dare2Donate. Have a visit to this site.

If I could reach higher

Everyone has dreams. Everyone has ambitions. Everyone has their targets in life.

Throughout my relatively short time on this planet, I have set many targets in my life. Some, I have achieved. Others, I have surpassed. A few, I have yet to reach. The rest, however, may not be realised.

Being human, nonetheless, I have never been satisfied with my achievements. I feel that I could do better. I know that I can do more. I feel that I have yet to reach my peak.

Am I being ambitious if I set targets that others may deem unrealistic? Am I being dreamy for trying to do things that people may think ridiculous?

I do things because I want to do them. I do things because I know that I can accomplish them. I do things, for the most part, to challenge myself to be a better person.

The year 2007 has so far been pretty good, alhamdulillah. I have set in motion many things that I have set to accomplish by the year's end. In fact, I have achieved some of them already. All I need to do now is to work towards the achievements of these goals.

Some of these goals are very personal, as such they cannot be made public. But there are others that are not, and these will be blogged here from time to time. Whatever these goals may be, I pray to Allah SWT that I'll be given the strength, energy, good health and wisdom to realise them.

Of course, just like everyone else, ultimately, my goal is to attain happiness in this world and the hereafter. And truth be told, no other target or ambition is higher than this.

Childhood innocence

Earlier today, as I was walking back from breakfast, I passed by two girls, probably about 6 or 7 years of age, chatting in front of a clinic. The following is their dialogue:

Girl 1: Ayah kita garang, tapi mak kita baik.
Girl 2: Mak kita lagi baik.
Girl 1: Kalau kita minta apa-apa dengan mak kita, dia kasi apa yang kita minta.
Girl 2: Ye ke?
Girl 1: Yer laaa... tapi dia kasi sikit saja.
Girl 2: Mak kita kasi semua yang kita minta tau!

I didn't know how the conversation ended because I had passed them by that time. In any case, I managed to smile at their little conversation because it reminded me of the innocence of children.

Now that we're older, I wonder: Where has the innocence gone?

Tumbling down

Economics has never been my strong point. Sure, I did my MBA way back in 1995, and one of the subjects was economics. But to be frank, the subject is too subjective for someone who is used to handling chemicals, test tubes and the Bunsen burner in laboratories. Give me organic chemistry anytime.

Anyway, this past few weeks, our media has been running a lot of stories on Malaysia's impressive economic showing. There were people who are happy with these indicators. This is because Jack and Jill were both going up the hill. Nonetheless, there are detractors here and there in the blogosphere mainly who refute these claims as not painting the full picture. Sure, Jack and Jill went up the hill, but is there water on the hill that they can actually fetch?

However, I am no expert in economics. So, I take the figures as they are - simply, figures. For the figures to matter to the man on the street like me, they have to be translated into something that I can derive direct benefit from. For instance, my buying power, my income, my expenses, etc. So far, I have yet to "derive" any direct benefit from the figures that has been released periodically saying that the economy is good.

And of course, when the Chinese stock market tumbled as reported everywhere today, the regional economies feel its impact. Malaysian stock market also came tumbling down. Just asJack fell down, Jill also came tumbling after. It could have been worse if not for the institutional buying at the eleventh hour. While many people see this as worrisome, I for one am at least grateful that I wasn't affected directly because I am not an investor per se. But I do worry if this is a sign of worse things to come.

Things have been pretty much fluid and unpredictable these days. I hope that the powers-that-be know what they're doing because if the economy is run by Jack and Jill who only know Economics 101, then we're in trouble as things would surely come tumbling down.

But then again, who am I to comment. Like I said, I'm no economic expert.

Dilbert... the blog

One of my personal favourite comic strips is Dilbert. Its take on office politics and the corporate world is spot on. One can't help but giggle at the humour and sarcasm.

I chanced upon Scott Adams' blog the other day, and find it equally entertaining and thought-provoking. Scott Adams is Dilbert's creator. And if you like Dilbert, you'll enjoy Dilbert's blog.

10 years ago today...

...Dolly was born.

Dolly who? No, not Dolly Parton, though Dolly the cloned sheep was named after Dolly Parton (just in case no one knows).

Anyway, today marks the tenth anniversary of the birth of Dolly the cloned sheep. Read this article for further enlightenment on how this landmark in science brought out many a thorny ethical dilemmas and issues.

The very thought of cloning humans just give me the chills.

Back from the wild

I know... I know. I have been gone for almost 10 days without updating this blog. For those not in the know, I was away at a jungle camp with about 100 Japan-bound Malaysian students somewhere at the foot of Gunung Pulai in Johor. It was refreshing for me as the 3-day programme allowed me to get away for a while from civilisation and get up close with what nature has to offer. We left on Saturday morning and came back last Monday evening. It was tiring but fun and satisfying, to say the least.

Too bad no one remembered to bring the camera. Talk about getting away from it all. *Sigh*

Surreal day

Yesterday was surreal. When out of the blue, people from your past visit your present, it certainly brings about a difficult-to-picture feeling.

It all began yesterday afternoon when a former housemate who is now working in Kerteh dropped by to say hi. It was nice to see Azizi again after all these years. The last time I met him was in Kerteh many many years ago when I had a programme there.

Then hours later, things even got weirder. A reunion of sorts was planned at KLCC. My wife, my son and I went to KLCC to meet up with friends from days past. To be more precise, our school buddies, some of whom we haven't seen since 1991.

It felt as if suddenly our time from school suddenly collided with our lives today. It was an odd, but wonderful, feeling. Too bad it was only for a short while. At least, in that brief period of time, we managed to catch up, and of course, do the obligatory namecard exchange routine.

Time sure flies. I'm not sure how long it'd be before I bump into them again.

Musical interlude

Music is part and parcel of our lives. It livens our day. It colours our mood. It reflects our emotions. We can tell what someone is feeling from the music he or she plays frequently. Such is the power of music.

I find it hard to find songs that I like. For me a good song has to have a powerful melody and a meaningful lyric. I am sure that you'll agree if I say that there are not many good songs out there.

Back during my teenage years and student days, I used to like to listen to songs that somehow I could relate to. These songs somehow manage to pull my heart strings. But this was years ago.

Of late, I begin to listen to music again. I notice that good music would spark my creative juice (for writing). Like I said earlier, a good song has to have a powerful melody and a meaningful lyric. Currently Adibah Noor's "Terlalu Istimewa" and Samsons' "Kenangan Terindah" top my favourites list.

I am also trying to rekindle memories of yesteryear by trying to recall the songs I used to listen to when I was a student in the UK.

What are your favourites?

Update: Zetty suggested Josh Groban's "You Raise Me Up" and Muse's "Starlight". I had a listen to "You Raise Me Up" and realised it is one of my favourites from my past, only being sung by a new singer. Anyhow, I got this at YouTube.com and hope you all will enjoy this rendition.

It's out

I just received a call from my editor informing me that "Ombak Senja" - the novel I wrote - has been published and will be in the market very soon. Keep your eyes peeled for it.

Sedated view

Still down with the fever, cold and cough - but by no means am I out.

I just realised that for the past couple of weeks or so, I haven't been following much of the news. Sure, I read the newspapers, both the print and the online versions. Sure, I watch the news on tv whenever I'm at home at that time. But that's just about it. If I read the news, it's more like browsing and glancing, rather than actually reading, thinking and analysing. If I watch the news, it's more like waiting for the advertisements to come in, rather than focusing on what's going on in the world. This explains why my blog entries of late have not touched too much on current issues.

Indifference? Apathy? I don't know.

I feel that I am tired of the "same old, same old" stuff on tv. Watching or reading the news these days feels like following an elaborated Latin American soap opera which is scripted and predictable. For example, on the local front, you could guess what the authorities response would be when faced with criticisms. On the international front meanwhile, you could guess what Dubya would say about Iraq or Iran.

Of course, some would say that we now have the new media. For the uninitiated, this refers to the news carried by bloggers. I must admit I do follow some of these blogs, though not religiously. The difficulty I have with blogs are trying to differentiate between factual postings and emotional postings. Another problem I have with blogs is not the blog postings or the bloggers, but the comments from visitors who can be quite immature, emotional and irrational. But then people would argue, that's what free speech is all about. I would beg to differ a little however. While I am all for freedom of speech, I am also a believer in wisdom of speech. The freedom should be coupled with wisdom so that we would not be immersed in emotions and rhetorics.

Oh, well. Enough ramblings for today. Apologies for the rather different flavour in my musings today. As I am a bit sedated at the moment, I'll blame today's entry on my medication.

Bugged

Can't recall the last time I wasn't well. For the past few days, I have fever, cough and cold - which is really bugging me. It's difficult to stay focused because of the effects of medication.

Having said that, I can't afford to slow down. A lot of things need to be settled by the weekend. I have several meetings and discussions to attend, a talk to give on Friday, a course to coordinate on Sunday, and as blogged yesterday, a big decision to be made.

Funny thing is, when faced with a barrage of things to do, even this concoction of fever, cough and cold isn't slowing me down.

Diverging paths

Funny sometimes when you think about life. The unexpected twists and turns that you have to go through will usually leave you unprepared for what's coming next. No matter how much you plan your future, you'll find that you have to deal with the unexpected.

I am now standing at a diverging path. Should I continue the path I am on now? Or should I take the road less travelled?

I did not seek to be at this juncture. It literally just appeared. And what happens next will entirely depend on my decision.

Seven years ago today

It was 7 years ago today that I tied the knot with my lovely wife, Norhana. We have been blessed with a happy marriage and our lives have been made that much more interesting with the birth of our son in 2005. For this, I am very grateful, and I look forward to the years ahead.

Lavender wedding

Last Saturday, my wife and I attended a wedding reception. We received the invitation from En. Ibrahim Apandi (my student advisor in UK). His son was tying the knot, and the reception was held Dewan Perdana Felda.

Naturally, as En. Ibrahim is a manager in Petronas, I would bump into my friends from my Glasgow days. It was nice to see these familiar faces again. Hakimi and his wife Dr Eytaa, Hakim and his wife Dem, the ever-eloquent Taufik a.k.a. Boonz, Dr. Reezal and his wife Nira, and Dr. Aida Harlina. These were all my contemporaries in Glasgow. Some, like Dr. Reezal and Nira, I haven't seen since their wedding many years ago.

It struck me that these days it's getting more difficult to meet people from this particular era of my life. When I chatted with Taufik who was seated next to me, it dawned on me that I've basically lost track of many of my friends who were with me in Glasgow. I do occassionally bump into them from time to time, either at KLCC or functions such as weddings. Truth be told though, these days weddings are getting few and far between.

It was fun catching up with these friends of mine, albeit the time spent was brief. While enjoying the food, we took the opportunity reminiscing and laughing at the past.

All in all, I had a good time at the wedding. The theme was lavender. The atmosphere was grand. All these, in the company of old friends.

To the newlyweds, Switzwan and Marzuin, congratulations.

And to my old friends, don't be a stranger.

Miscellaneous post

It's really true when people say that time flies when you're having fun. In my case, perhaps it's more accurate to say that time flies when you're busy.

I've been occupied with many things this past week which didn't allow me to blog. Not that I wasn't online, but rather I was too cooked up with my responsibilities that subconsciously, blogging came last in the priority list.

I didn't realise that the last time I blogged was a week ago. It wasn't until Zetty pointed this out that I came to realise this fact. I suppose when you blog on an almost daily basis, people would notice when you stopped blogging.

Truth be told, a lot has happened this past week or so. But alas, these developments are not for blogging today. Insya-Allah, when the time comes, I will share some of the things that have taken place.

And a special note to blogger Zetty... welcome back to the blogosphere. As I mentioned in one of my previous postings, she was one of the victims of the flood in Johor recently. I hope things are better now for Zetty and her family, as well as the thousands of victims of the flood.

Until next time, let us all pray that we will continue to things will continue to prosper and improve for the better.

Forget-me-not

I can't believe that I totally forgot to read the news today. I'll make a quick dash on the Internet afterwards to find out what happened in the last 24 hours or so.

Actually, this was not the only thing I forgot today. This morning at about 7.30 a.m., I received a text message from my radio producer reminding me that I have a slot to fill this morning over at IKIM.fm. I rushed to the office, prepared some material and then dashed off to IKIM at Jalan Duta for the programme which is aired live at 10.30 a.m.

It has been a long but productive day today. I left the office relatively early today at 9.30 p.m. But when I got down from the office, I forgot where I parked my car!

It almost became an unsolved mystery. Talk about a bad case of forgetfulness.

N is for Novel

Alhamdulillah, another one of my resolutions is coming to fruition. I just received the cover for my first novel. It looks quite good from my point of view. The editor has informed me that the novel will be printed soon. Let me know what you think of the cover. By the way, the pen name I'm using for creative writing purposes is Amir Husaini - which happens to be my son's name. Apparently, my son's name has more commercial value than my own name. *lol*
So, not bad for the first 3 weeks of 2007.

Scientist. Student of Aikido. Novelist.

A is for Aikido

This new year, I am pushing myself to the limit. I have actually lined up an A to Z list of resolutions. Most of these include those that I'd never imagine partaking before. Never imagined, but not impossible. One of them has to do with learning martial arts. This is the 'A' on my list of resolutions.

Ask any friends of mine, they will attest that I am not the fit physical type. I've not been known to be involved in any form of physical sports nor martial arts. Sure, I play bowling when I have the time. And I do a bit of gardening at home. But these are not really the type of activities one would associate with physical fitness.

Towards the end of my tenure in IKIM, I was made chairman of its welfare club. One of the things that I started was an Aikido training session for the staff. Unfortunately, due to my tight schedule, I wasn't able to partake in its classes, conducted by my colleague then, Suzalie. [Suzalie is the Deputy President of the Aikikai Association in Malaysia].

Now, it seems that I have finally got the chance to learn Aikido. I am enjoying its lessons. It allows me to be physically fitter, increases my stamina, and rids myself of the stiffness on my back that has been nagging me for ages. I am really looking forward to future lessons.

As I stated in my previous post, one of my new year's resolutions was put to test last Saturday. I had challenged myself to pick up Aikido. And on the first day of 1428 Hijrah, I have succeeded in doing so. And I resolve to continue learning this Japanese martial art.

If you have a hard time imagining me with a lab coat on, try imagining me with an aikidogi on.

150th post: Call of hijrah

Just 20 days after people around the world celebrated the beginning of the solar new year of 2007, it is now time to commemorate the beginning of the Hijriyyah new year. Muslims all over the world remember that the "Hijrah" of the Prophet Muhammad SAW from Makkah al-Mukaramah to Madinah al-Munawarah as the beginning of a new chapter in the life of the Prophet SAW as well as a new dawn for Islam and the Muslims as a whole. All this can of course be read in the history books.

For the Muslims of the present day, there lies a challenge to emulate the spirit of hijrah. In essence, hijrah is a call for the betterment of one's self and from thereon, the betterment of the community. This is not unlike the new year resolutions made every time people step into the new year. You can dub it whatever you want - new year resolutions or call of hijrah - what is important is that we persevere in ensuring whatever we resolve to realise and improve will not merely remain empty talk.

Lest we forget, we should walk the talk, and not just give lip service. We should also not be like those who just say what people want to hear, and yet are unable to deliver the goods. Herein lies the challenge of turning our resolutions into reality.

On a personal note, I have set forth my own resolutions for both 2007 AD and 1428 H. Aptly enough, one of these resolutions will be put to test on the 1st of Muharram which is the first day of the new Muslim lunar year. In any case, I will report in this blog as to whether this particular resolution will come to fruition or just be wishful thinking.

On the dawn of the new Hijriyyah year, and in conjunction with this blog's 150th post, I wish all visitors of this blog, a prosperous and productive year ahead, insya-Allah.

And in the news today...

One of my daily habits is reading the newspapers in the morning. That would occupy about 30 minutes of my morning. As time is precious, I'd only speed-read most of the news items unless there is something that really attracts my eyes. For some, like Dato' Dr. Fadzilah Kamsah, reading newspapers is done only at night. He explained to me that he does this primarily because he doesn't want his day spoilt by depressing news. To a certain extent, I tend to agree that most news items in the newspapers are quite depressing. But someone like me cannot afford to read the news later in the evening. My line of work requires that I be ever vigilant to current affairs, which is why I also make it a habit to browse online news at night.

Something featured in today's newspapers made me think. The Star and Utusan Malaysia, for instance, carry the news of the transfer of the Sabak Bernam District Council president who overlooked the abuse of entertainment permits. It is good that the state government "is seen" taking action on ineffective heads. But at the same time I wonder, is this case in Sekinchan an isolated one?

Only yesterday I was talking to my boss on how certain licensed health centres are used as a front for people to solicit services of prostitutes - both straight and gay. This is common knowledge to many. Minor exposures have been made on certain television programmes such as '999' and 'Edisi Siasat' on this matter. However, it seems that the problem still persists.

I am quite sure that if a layman like me knows about this, then the council officers and president would also be aware. I know I am making an assumption here, but unless these people are living in the Stone Age, they'd know what most people already know. After all, this is not privileged information. This info is in the public domain - one that could easily be accessed from the Internet.

Since "justice has been served" to the Sabak Bernam District Council president, would the same brand of justice be meted out to the other "sleeping" council heads for overlooking, or perhaps closing one eye, to the existence of these vice dens operating under the guise of health centres? Or, are we to say that since the Sabak Bernam District Council president has been punished, then the public would be happy and forget about the others?

I hope that the other council heads would learn a lesson or two from the Sabak Bernam case. City and district councils need to be proactive, efficient and transparent. They are there to ensure the best for the people they serve. They are there to work diligently, and not to just wait for the paycheck at the end of the month.

Unfortunately, in Malaysia, we have a habit of passing the buck. At the end of the day, the fault will be borne by a lower-ranking (read: dispensible) officer. I long to see the day when a high-ranking officer or politician resign as a result of his/her ineptitude without having to be removed by his/her boss.

It would certainly make quite a headline in the news when someone resigns because of his/her own incompetence. I'm not sure whether this kind of news would be regarded as depressing or not to the masses. In any case, I'll certainly have my eyes glued to the papers should this happen. But then again, that's what I do every morning anyway.

Rain

I received an e-mail yesterday from a school friend saying that Rain is coming to Malaysia. My immediate response upon reading the e-mail was, "Hang on, isn't rain here already? In fact, isn't Johor flooded because of excessive rain?" Then I read the e-mail again, and I realised she was talking about Rain a.k.a. Jeong Ji-Hoon, the Korean entertainer. That brought a smile on my face, albeit briefly. These past few weeks, news of heavy rain have literally flooded the news in the country. Truth be told, I never thought that I'd see floods like the ones in Johor, Pahang and Sabah ever happening in Malaysia.

It is indeed depressing to read and watch the news on the floods. While help is coming from all fronts, I find that not much can be done to console the displaced victims. They have lost their homes and some, their livelihood. Sure, we can extend our assistance in the form of monetary aid, but it will take them a while to rebuild their lives.

How I wish, at this point in time, the nation could prioritise. Why not channel part of the budget (emphasis on the word "part") for the as-yet-to-be-built Wilayah Pembangunan Iskandar (WPI) towards rebuilding the lives of those affected by the floods? I don't see the point of having a 221,634.1 hectares of a "new region" when many parts of the state has been flooded - unless of course you want to relocate everybody to this new growth area.

Oh, another bit of depressing news, perhaps on the other end of the spectrum if compared to the flood news. The Klang Valley is expected to experience drought from February till August as a result of El Nino. While those down south are experiencing excess rainfall, we in the Klang Valley will face severe lack of rain. So, for those of us in the Klang Valley, start stocking up on water.

I mentioned to a friend just before I blogged this entry that El Nino is coming to Malaysia. His immediate reply was, "Yes. I know. I bought tickets already."

I was flabbergasted for a while. Then I realised. He was talking about Il Divo.

*Sigh*

Destination Japan

Reading the title of this entry, one could easily jump to a conclusion that I'll be going to Japan. Not really, actually. Instead, I was away since Thursday conducting a motivational course for a group of Japan-bound students. The group of 100 students that my team is handling is a great bunch. They have been participative and pleasant. What else do you expect from straight A's students? At the moment, they're undergoing an intensive language course on weekdays.

While they undergo the language crash course, for the next 9 weekends my team will provide them with the physical, mental, psychological and spiritual inputs - mainly in outdoor settings. So, if anyone is looking for me on weekends, try finding me at a place called Perepat!

In case you're wondering where Perepat is, here's a clue:

It's not in Japan!

Been a while

I have seemingly disappeared from the blogosphere for almost one week. My usually one blog entry a day apparently was missing, and as such, I received quite a few messages from friends asking me where I am, whether I am well or if everything is okay. I am touched by the concerns of friends. But worry not, because the simple answer to my relatively long silence is that I have been very very busy with work.

You see, last Friday, my firm/company/organisation landed a consulting project, which will keep us busy until March. As the first phase of the project will take off in a few hours time, there were a lot of things that needed to be done. I was basically working from 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. at the office, while continuing until 3 a.m. at home, before catching a couple of hours sleep. There were no weekends for me as I was at the office. Simply put, I had not the opportunity to blog.

For that, I apologise. Nonetheless, as was blogged in my previous post, things are looking up and 2007 has started on the right footing. The first 10 days of 2007 have virtually been the most exciting, promising and productive days in my life.

I am not sure how frequent or how often will I be able to blog. It all very much depends on how much time and energy I have left. With the consulting project, and some more to come; with the books I am writing; with my family responsibilities; with the possibility of starting a lab-based research - surely something will have to make way.

But fret not, for I will most certainly try my level best to blog as often as is permitted.

P.S. I will be away from KL beginning today till the weekend. If I manage to find an Internet connection at the place I'll be, I will try to blog down an entry or two, insya-Allah.

Return of the scientist?

We're only into the first week of the new year. Alhamdulillah, I am very pleased that so far, 2007 has been positively and encouragingly productive and full of promises ahead. But, there is a very unexpected but very interesting personal development that is brewing.

After a 12-year hiatus, there is a pretty good chance that I'll put on my lab coat again!

All these years, it never occured at all to me that there is even a remote possibility that I'd return to the science lab to do scientific research. It all began in the closing days of 2006 when an innocent conversation with my boss led to a possible research project. This led to another discussion with a professor in pharmacy which then led to yet another discussion on Wednesday, this time with a professor in biomedicine.

After discussing all the possibilities and especially the potential benefits of this research - and after giving it much thought - I have more or less decided that the time is right for me to go back to my "true calling," so to speak. My school friends would probably remember that my strength has always been in pure science, especially chemistry and biology. That is why I went on to do chemistry for my degree. After nearly 12 years dabbling in the fringes of science - particularly philosophy, ethics, history and policy of science - perhaps it is high time for me to return to my roots.

I am not yet at liberty to disclose this research that I'll be doing. Suffice to say that the general area of research is biomedicine and the focus of the research will be to develop a new bio-based material to be used in medicine.

Intriguing? It certainly is. I just hope that I can relearn the things that I need to know. This will certainly add spice to my life for the next 3 years or so.

Return of the scientist? Let's just hope it's not the making of a mad scientist.

Two-double-oh-seven

First post of 2007!

Another year has gone, and a new year begins. As promised, I will take a look back at 2006. Overall, for me, it has been a year of mixed fortunes. The year was perhaps the most testing and toughest since I started working in 1996. Some days I felt worn out and wanted to just give up. But when I looked around, amidst the trials and tribulations that life threw at me, I became thankful for a number of reasons.

I am thankful to Allah SWT for giving me the strength and good health to go on, and on, and on. People may judge me to be a workaholic. Maybe they are correct to a certain extent, but at this point in time, work keeps me going. I worry when I don't have anything to do. That is why I am thankful for the blessings given by Allah SWT in the form of strength and health. Interestingly, for the first time in my working life, I never called in sick even for a day in 2006. For that matter, I didn't take a day off at all last year.

I am also thankful to my family for just being there. My lovely wife, my loveable son and my loving parents are my pillars of strength. It is them who kept me going. Even during the most difficult of days in 2006, I find comfort in my family.

I am equally thankful to my friends. It is said that you will know who your true friends are during your hardest times. I found out in 2006 that this is very true. True friends stick around and would offer a helping hand when you are down and out. These are friends who treat you for who you are and not for what you have become. I will always treasure true friendship till my last breath.

Of course, there were a few achievements in 2006 that I am quite proud of. But at the end of the day, these achievements are just life's little milestones. No point basking in the glory of your achievements if you can't better yourself in the days, weeks, months and years to come.

So, let us bid adieu to 2006, and welcome 2007.