As expected

To be honest, I was not the least bit surprised by the ceasefire in Palestine. After pounding Gaza for 22 days killing more than 1,000 lives, Israel is pulling out. As I blogged last week, I suspected that Israel would pull out before the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States.

To me, the conflict in Palestine is not just about religion. Not many people realise that not all Palestinians are Muslims. The bottom line is that the Palestinian issue is a humanitarian one. And it also has to do with our inability to keep a "bully" at bay when the bully has a "godfather" giving protection.

I will continue to pray for peace and freedom for the Palestinians.

Putting things in order

I am a control freak. I hate it when things are chaotic or not placed in its proper order. That is why, one of my aims for January is to put things in order at the office.

Frankly, I am understaffed at the office. Yes, we do have about 35 people working under the Japanese education project. But they are actually contract staff who are designated specifically to that particular project. For the organisation proper, there are only three of us.

I am fortunate that a couple of the project team members are helping me out with special tasks which are relevant to what they are doing. On top of that, we are also going to hire four new people for the organisation proper, partly to assist me and partly to assist the numero uno.

But hiring staff can be a tedious process. Since we are small, we do not want to bring in the wrong people who shine (pretentiously) during interviews but at the end of the day, prove to be a liability (or worse, a parasite) to the organisation. While it is the prerogative of the employer to hire and fire, in truth it is actually easy to hire but very difficult to fire someone. And most definitely, we do not want to come to that situation.

In any case, January is a very busy month for me. I have become more organised than the last few years, and I hope by the month's end, things will be very much in order as they should be.

Anticipation

I was supposed to have an appointment at 6 p.m. yesterday. However, the appointment was cancelled at the eleventh hour.

Because of this, out of the blue, I decided to call up a close friend from my primary school days in Johor Bahru, Yusrin Faidz. He is the only person from those days that I still manage to meet, albeit sparsely, over the years. We were even in the Scotland around the same time. In fact, Yusrin and his family were at Glasgow Airport when I first set foot there.

Anyway, we spoke about a reunion of sorts although nothing concrete was planned. Then I called up another primary school friend, Shazali. I have only been exchanging messages over Facebook with Shazali since we managed to trace each other a few months ago. This would be the first time that I actually speak to Shazali since 1985!

Interestingly, when we spoke, it was hardly noticeable that we have not seen each other for nearly a quarter of a century. He is based in Pasir Gudang, but he told me that he would be playing golf in Shah Alam today. I suggested that we meet up, and he said it'd be good to get the others as well.

So, I called up Yusrin again and told him about the proposed meeting in Shah Alam. He immediately called up Norizuddin, Wan Alimi Zaki and Adeline. Only Adeline could not make it. Norizuddin and Wan Alimi agreed to attend.

Flashback 1985 - Seated: Adeline (on teacher's right), yours truly (on teacher's left), Wan Alimi (next to me), Yusrin (seated, second from right), Norizuddin (seated, extreme right), Shazali (standing back row, extreme right).

And here I am, waiting in anticipation to meet up with old friends from my childhood years. I have not met Shazali, Norizuddin and Wan Alimi since I left Johor Bahru in 1985.

I am anxious and excited, but at the same time, I remember someone saying to me:

You will find that your best friends are those from your childhood. They chose to be friends with you because of who you are, and not because of who you have become.

Song for Gaza

A blogger friend, Jie, directed my attention to this song written and performed by Michael Heart. I find the song touching and very apt. It is called "We Will Not Go Down".

Have a listen, and have a prayer for the Palestinians.

Readjusted routine

Beginning Monday of this week, I have had to readjust some of my routine. I am in the middle of completing the editing and typesetting of a very thick book that Yayasan Ilmuwan is publishing. I have to temporarily shift my focus and attention to the publication of this book, and hence all other writing projects (read: creative writing) have to give way for the time being. I am at the office until midnight for a few nights already this week, and I suspect this will continue for another week.

As such, for those who have been anticipating the sequel to Transgenesis: Bisikan Rimba, I plead for your patience. Insya-Allah the sequel will be completed and the novel will come out this year. But it will be a bit later than originally planned.

I pray that I be given the strength and health to undertake all these tasks.

And now... the door that wouldn't unlock

Level 3 continues to be problematic. If you don't believe me, read this, this, this, this, this and this.

I was out for a meeting earlier this afternoon. As usual, I'd lock the door to my room. When I came back to the office around 2 o'clock, I was not able to unlock my door. Apparently the keyhole got pushed inside, and one of the screws fell off rendering the lock useless. I had to call the contractor who did the job many moons ago. He arrived one and a half hour later.

The problem was fixed after half an hour. But all in all, I wasted two hours just because I couldn't enter my room.

How much longer?

I have tried many times over the past week to blog about this. Everytime I started, I couldn't finish my posting. My emotions overwhelmed my ability to transfer my thoughts into words.

I could not just comprehend the inhumane act of terror that is transpiring in Gaza, Palestine. I could not accept the unnecessary loss of innocent human lives as a result of a transgression of the Zionists. People the world over, Muslims or otherwise, are enraged and outraged by the atrocities.

And yet, that is all that we could do. For so long as Israel has its "guardian angel" in the form of the United States of America, then the world is helpless, no matter how disgusted and angered the world is. Everyone knows that what is happening is a war crime against humanity. And yet, no one - including the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Conference, the Arab League, the European Union and what-have-you - could do anything to stop the blatant act of terrorism.

We could only watch. We could only offer our sympathies and prayers. We could probably send in our medical teams (like what Mercy Malaysia is doing). But I guess, those are the only things that we could do. [While world leaders continue doing what they do best - talking and more talking].

This is my two cents on what's going on in Gaza.

The Israelis are bombarding Gaza while they think they can. I suspect they will stop by the 20th of January. Why this date? It is the inauguration day of the 44th president of the United States. None of us know how the new president will be towards Israel. The president-elect has been rather quiet on this issue. No doubt, a certain air of friendliness between the USA and Israel will continue to be there, but will it be at the level of the George W. Bush's era or the Bill Clinton's era? That remains to be seen. So until the question is answered, Israel will pound Palestine like there's no tomorrow (just in case, they won't get to do so when Barrack Obama is in the White House).

Oh, another reason for the attacks on Gaza? What else, 2009 is election year for the 18th Knesset to be held on 10th February, 2009. [Knesset is the legislative branch of Israel]. For Ehud Olmert's party, Kadima, to retain power under the new leadership of Tzipi Livni, it must show to be "in control" of the Palestinian issue. And what better way to show it than by showing brute military force on to the people of Gaza?

How much longer before the aggressions are ended? And how many more lives have to be killed before it all ends?

New e-mail address

The National Transplant Resource Centre (NTRC) now has a new e-mail address.

Anyone wishing to contact NTRC can do so using the following e-mail:

ntrc@moh.gov.my

Bleeding no more

I am happy that Sime Darby has decided not to pursue its intention of taking over IJN. And I hope it stays that way.

If a corporation like Sime Darby really intends to serve the public, don't take what is already there for the public. Set up a new one as an alternative, and compete healthily with the existing government specialist hospital.

In any case, my heart bleeds no more.

Disturbing reality

I felt so disturbed when I saw today's edition of The New Straits Times. The newspaper's front page displays an image of a Palestinian father distraught in front of the bodies of three very young children.

The image is disturbing. And the image brought tears down my eyes. I just cannot imagine if I were to be in that position and situation.

I cannot begin to wonder what must be running through the minds of the Palestinians who are going through this carnage. Who, in their right mind, would want to hurt - what more, kill - innocent children?

That image on the front page of The New Straits Times will remain in my memory for quite some time. It's a reminder to me of just what Israel is.

Let us continue to pray so that these atrocities will come to an end... for good.

Save IJN

As one of my new year targets, I am joining the chorus of bloggers and Malaysians who are against the privatisation of IJN.

My feeling on this matter is no secret. I have blogged and written a newspaper article on why IJN should not be privatised.

Let our voices be heard.

Not so happy start to 2009

And so 2009 is here. There is of course the usual fireworks and much fanfare. As usual, I stayed at home. I'm not the type who revel in celebrating the coming of the new year. I'd rather be at home with my family and get my much needed rest.

Anyway, this new year, to me and (from the text messages I have received) to many Muslim friends, did not start on a happy note. The offensive launched by the Israelis on the Palestinians showed the world how 2009 will not be such a happy year. We have heard about the impending economic and financial recession. With this latest atrocity by Israel, I'd say we're in for a year full of global political uncertainties.

Somehow, I feel that the Israelis are just taking advantage on the last days of the Bush administration. Many are pinning hopes of world peace on the incoming US administration. I am not hoping for too much though. But one can hope and pray so that these atrocities could be stopped before more innocent lives are lost.

For Muslims, may I urge that we perform the solat sunat hajat with the Qunut nazilah recited in the second rakaat, solat sunat ghaib and followed by the recitation of Surah al-Mulk, Surah at-Taubah and Surah al-Anfal. May Allah SWT show us the right path and provide victory to the surpressed Palestinians.

Grey hair

I know that I've always had grey hair since my teenage years. I just noticed that I have more grey hair than I used to have. And the grey hair is getting more obviouos than before.

A sign of old age, no doubt.

Well, at least I'm not balding.

Tagged by Izza

It has been quite a while since I was last tagged. Yesterday, I found out that Izza Aripin had tagged me. Fortunately it's not one of those tags with a long list of questions. So, to honour the tag, I'll try my best not to disappoint.

1. Do you think you are hot?
Not in this air-conditioned room, I'm not.

2. Upload your favourite picture of you.3. Why do you like that picture?
I like silhouettes.

4. When was the last time you ate pizza?
Saturday evening.

5. The last song you listened to?
Ramli Sarip's "Bukan Kerna Nama".

6. What are you doing right now besides this?
Breathing.

7. What name would you prefer besides this?
My pen name, Amir Husaini.

Tag 5 people.
(i) Liyana
(ii) Arsaili
(iii) Farah
(iv) Xarafatima
(v) Zaki

8. Who is no. 1?
My little sister.

9. No. 3 is having a relationship with?
She has recently tied the knot with Azdi.

10. Say something about no. 5.
I've never met Zaki in person. Got to know him from my sister's blog. He's my sister's senior at the International Islamic University of Malaysia. He's in his final year of studies doing biomedical science. He hails from Kuala Langat. He likes wearing pink or orange t-shirts. He likes travelling and photography. He has an interesting sense of humour that I enjoy... which is why I frequent his blog.
[How's that for information on someone whom you haven't met?]

11. How about no. 4?
She is a budding novelist who has just published her first novel, Virus L.

12. Who is no. 2?
He is a good friend who is currently pursuing his PhD in Australia. All the best in writing up your thesis!

Ushering in 1430H

Today is the 1st day of the Islamic calendar. Let us all strive to make the new year of 1430 Hijriyyah better than the last.

'Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud, one of the closest companion of the Prophet Muhammad SAW was reported to have said:

The saddest thing that can happen with the advent of the new year is that I grow older by a year and yet my deeds do not grow with my age.

A day with Fikri

Flashback: Newspaper cutting on Fikri
after his IVAD operation

Yesterday was a public holiday. But I was at the office nonetheless. I wasn't alone though, as the day was spent "interviewing" Fikri for his memoir, "Echoes of My Heart". This wasn't the first time I sat down with Fikri for this purpose, but yesterday's session was perhaps the most interesting as many "unknown" details before came out. We spent about five hours, going from his childhood days up to his mechanical heart experience all the way to the heart transplant episode.

I am helping him to put his thoughts and experience on paper. When Fikri told me of what he had to go through, there were instances that I felt a tear drop in my eye. I hope I can do justice to his story so that everyone could appreciate the significance of organ donation in saving Fikri's life.

We have, more or less, the concept for the memoir's cover ready. Fikri's mother has also scanned all the newspaper cuttings chronicling his near-celebrity life. We just need to gather some photos of him from his personal collection. I am pretty confident that "Echoes of My Heart" will be ready by April 2009.

On a related note, Fikri will be appearing in "Majalah 3" this Saturday at 9 p.m. on TV3. Don't miss it.

Shogun

Sometimes I like to push myself to test the limit. Often I find that I can actually go beyond what I thought is my limit.

One good example is acquiring a new language. As I have blogged before, I am currently learning Japanese. Initially I came into the lessons without expecting much. But thanks to my sensei, after only four one-hour lessons, I've actually surprised myself that I can identify and write characters considerably well.

The fact that the hiragana table reminds me of the Periodic Table of Elements probably helped a lot. Next week, I'll be practising more hiragana, picking up some new vocabulary, polish my pronunciation and hopefully be able to improve further on my quest to learn the language that I first heard after watching the miniseries "Shogun" on television way back in 1982. The miniseries was an adaptation of the famous James Clavell's novel which is a part of the Asian Saga that starred Richard Chamberlain. And I can still remember my first Japanese word that I picked up from the television miniseries, and it was anjin-san.

Let's see whether I can push myself to pick up Japanese as well as John Blackthorne.

Article in the paper

Yesterday, after blogging on the issue of the privatisation of IJN, I had this nagging urge to write a proper newspaper article on the same subject. I finished writing the article in about half an hour before sending it to a friend for comment and proofreading. After that, I e-mailed the article to Utusan Malaysia.

I didn't actually expect the article to be published since many are commenting on the same issue. So imagine my pleasant surprise when I received the following text message from Sister Salina in IJN:

Thanx 4 ur comment on d IJN SDarby, as d IJN pioneer i m touched 2 know that publics care about us [sic]

The article is published in today's edition of Utusan Malaysia, and the online version can be read here.

Leave IJN alone!

Much has been said about the privatisation of IJN. Some of the salient points have been commented by bloggers such as Tun Dr Mahathir, Rocky's Bru and Dato' Kadir Jasin.

I have been involved with IJN in one form or another. I have given talks there. My father had his bypass there. My aunt also had her bypass there. Fikri had his IVAD fitted and heart transplanted there. I have visited friends there. I have friends working there.

I have great admiration for the dedication of the team of doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, technicians, paramedics, pharmacists, clerks, receptionists, and the rest of the workforce working at IJN. From my perspective, they are very professional and tireless, and they give it their best for the health of the patients. Sure, there are drawbacks here and there, but I can say that there is an effort for continuous improvement in providing healthcare to the patients.

That is why I am shocked when I heard of the plans that IJN was going to be privatised. To me, IJN should never be privatised. Leave it as it is, a corporatised entity. IJN should not be looked upon as a cash cow for any company. Healthcare today may be a business, but there are certain things that should not be handled by a business entity. Instead of handing over IJN to a business entity, IJN should be run and managed professionally as it is.

I think that Sime Darby should stay away from taking over IJN. Rather than taking over IJN, I prefer Sime Darby to set up its own heart specialist hospital - as an alternative (and even a healthy competitor to IJN). Preferably this private heart specialist hospital should be located outside of the Klang Valley, say in Penang or Johor or the east coast - to cater for patients in those areas. Update: This view is echoed here.

Let us see if Sime Darby can really provide affordable healthcare through this private heart specialist hospital to everyone. I am of course doubtful of this.

I will join the chorus that is already loud.

Leave IJN alone!

High mileage

I am a wee bit tired. I drove up north on Thursday, before returning to Kuala Lumpur on Friday. Then today, I did a day-trip to Kuantan.

Cuti-cuti Malaysia it wasn't, but it was quite an interesting journey. I noticed some new things along the way.

In this four days, I have accumulated nearly 1,500 km of mileage. Not bad, for someone who doesn't like travelling.

Wiki-fooled

Sometimes I find Wikipedia very handy for some quick reference. But my PhD supervisor always cautioned her students against relying too much on Wikipedia. Some of the write-ups may not be accurate or may just be someone's mere opinion or may just be totally false, as opposed to containing hard facts.

One of my favourite writers, Peter David, wrote this account on his blog regarding the sequel to the movie "Alvin and the Chipmunks". But of course, when I checked, the details have been cleaned up by Wikipedia. Nonetheless, it'd be fun to actually find such erroneous details (which may just be someone's idea of fooling around) in Wikipedia.

So, double check when you use Wikipedia, lest we be fooled ourselves.

Mystery of the growing sandals

What is it with me and mysterious incidents?

I went to the masjid for my Maghrib prayer. I left my sandals at one of the entrance. After the prayer, I got out and slipped into my sandals. Then I realised, my sandals are two size bigger than they should be. I wear Size 6. The sandals that I left the masjid with are Size 8.

Weird (or as a dear friend likes to spell it, wierd)!

I entered the masjid using an entrance that is rarely used. So there were not that many shoes/sandals/slippers left at that particular entrance. (Interestingly, this entrance is not the usual one that I would use). When I left, my sandals were exactly where they were supposed to be, but strangely enough, the size was wrong. Same sandals, same design, same brand... but different size?

How could it be?

Either my sandals grew in size, or a more logical explanation that I can think of is that someone else uses the same kind of sandals (only with a bigger size), and entered the masjid using the same rarely used entrance, and mistakenly left wearing my sandals.

But what are the odds of that happening? Pretty much slim, I would say.

Third anniversary

As friends and visitors of this blog know, organ donation is a subject that is very close to my heart. I have been involved with organ donation programmes and campaigns since 1998. So this year is actually my tenth year as an organ donation proponent. It's not an easy job, but the challenge is, in itself, rewarding.

My involvement in organ donation programmes and campaigns started out as a formal assignment when I was with the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM). When I gave my talks, they were very much "academic" in nature, and I felt detached from the subject.

Later, as I got to know the dedicated and selfless people behind the scenes who are actively involved in organ procurement, I began to understand how organ donation is crucial and critical in saving lives - in particular the team at the National Transplant Resource Centre (NTRC) and Institut Jantung Negara (IJN). I also began to appreciate the delicate nature of this oft-misundertood subject, although my perspective was still very much academic in nature.

Three years ago, I came to know a teenager. He was 15 years old then. And he changed my perspective on organ donation - transforming it from a mere academic perspective into something closer to my heart. When I met him, he was just fitted with a device called the intravascular ventricular assist device or IVAD. He was the first patient in Malaysia and the region to be fitted with IVAD (and the only person so far who had it fitted internally). This device served as a bridge for him until a new heart from a donor was available. [One of my earliest posts in this blog focused on him].

Alhamdulillah, he did not have to wait long. Today, three years ago, he received a new heart from a donor. Despite some hiccups now and again (mainly as a result of infection), he has been living a better life. Organ donation has given him a new hope and a new lease of life.So, to Muhammad Fikri Norazmi, thank you for changing my perspective on organ donation. Have a happy third anniversary with your new heart. And may you have a prosperous and happy life ahead.

Picking up Nihon-go

No one says learning a foreign language is easy. It's a challenge, but if one is up to the challenge, the learning process can be rewarding.

I took it upon myself to learn Japanese. Not that I don't have enough in my hands, but it's an opportunity (and challenge) I couldn't resist. Currently, I am learning hiragana which is one of the components in the Japanese writing system. There are 46 characters in hiragana, and I have learned 25. It takes a bit of time and a lot of effort plus memory work to remember all of them, especially if one is not learning this on a full time basis. It is a satisfaction on its own to be able to recognise and read these characters (though often without knowing what the word means).

I sincerely hope that I'd be able to pick up basic Nihon-go in the next year or so. The way I look at it - if other people can learn this language, why can't I?

[I am putting the hiragana table at the top so that I can memorise the characters even when I blog].

Blink... and you'll miss it

Everyone blinks.

In actuality, we can tell a lot from the blinking rate of a person. I can tell if a person is calm, or nervous from the frequency of a person's blinks. Over the years, I have noticed that when someone is calm and relaxed, the number of blinks is far less compared to a nervous or anxious person. [Believe it or not, I noticed this from looking at candidates whom I have interviewed over the years].

When I read this month's National Geographic magazine, I am pleased to note that my observation is, more or less, valid. According to the magazine's article entitled "On the blink" written by Jennifer S. Holland. Here's an interesting point for us to know:

Calm slows blinking; anxiety can cause eyeblink storms. Think of a nervous politician or a bad liar, who usually blinks faster after a fib.

Holland, J.S. (2009, December). In National Geographic; page 26.

The article also lists down the average number of blinks per minute for different kinds of people:

1. Nervous adult: 50 blinks per minute
2. Calm adult: 15 blinks per minute
3. Staring at television: 7.5 blinks per minute
4. Newborn: 2 blinks per minute
   

So, there you go. It's not foolproof though. Psychopaths and "professional" liars can reprogramme their brain function to minimise anxiety - making them less likely to blink vigorously.

Nevertheless, the next time when you want to tell if someone is lying or anxious or nervous, just watch their eyelids. But don't blink too frequent yourself, or you'll miss it - or worse, people know that you're nervous.

Birthday number 32

Today is my mariner brother's 32nd birthday.

While he may not be on land at the moment, we certainly wish him the best in his life.

Happy birthday, bro.

Teaser #1

Here's something to pique your curiosity.

Hazard a guess what the two pictures are all about.

The only clue I am giving is the phrase "Coming soon in 2009".

And no, I am not involving myself in fashion design or opening a modelling agency.

Busy is good

It's a very busy period for us at Yayasan Ilmuwan. Being busy is actually good, especially for private organisations like us. Being busy means there is business to take care of.

The project team looking at the Japanese Associate Degree (JAD) programme under the Program Khidmat Sokongan Pendidikan (PKSP) headed by my colleague, Encik Mazilan, is busy preparing the fourth quarter and annual reports. The deadline for the respective education consultants to submit their report to Encik Mazilan is this coming Monday.

I am not involved with the project directly, but I have my plate full as it is. I am currently co-ordinating the publication, research, conference and training activities, aside from the usual administrative stuff.

Currently we are working on ten titles to be published in the first quarter of 2009. Two books are in the layout process, one is being edited while the remaining manuscripts are being readied for editing process. Come April 2009, when Malaysia's biggest book fair - the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair - is slated to be held, we should have at least ten titles, if not more. It's quite a tall order but I cherish the challenge this presents.

We are also finalising our plans to offer courses next year. As it is, we have identified ten core courses to be held at the Yayasan's premises, while at the same time, we would also entertain requests from organisations or companies to have in-house courses to cater for their needs.

Yesterday, I also had a fruitful discussion with my supervisor who is also the Director of Universiti Malaya's Centre for Civilisational Dialogue, Professor Datin Dr Azizan Baharuddin. While still at the initial planning stage, we will be co-organising two conferences in 2009.

Alhamdulillah, I am very pleased with all these developments. There are more, but I won't bore anyone with the details. Just keep your eyes peeled to this blog when new books come out or when there are courses or conferences organised.

I am definitely eagerly looking forward to 2009.

Sign of rejection?

I was at IJN this afternoon to visit Fikri who is warded. He was there for his routine biopsy last week before his mother received a phone call from IJN informing them that Fikri has a Grade 3A rejection. Fikri's account of this condition can be read here.

Next week will be Fikri's third anniversary with his new heart. I hope and pray that this condition is only temporary.

On another note, I will be sitting down with Fikri soon to complete the first draft of his memoir - which is long overdue. The cover of the memoir is being done by a friend. I will post the teaser cover when it's ready. And we hope to have the memoir ready by March, insya-Allah.

Vision imperfect

I don't have perfect vision. I have been wearing glasses since 1987 because I am shortsighted as a result of a serious eye infection I had the year before.

My current spectacles are relatively new. This pair is less than a year old. However, my youngest son has the tendency to grab my glasses and bend its frame, making the glasses quite wobbly. So this evening, I decided to go to an optical shop nearby to have it fixed. And since I was there, I made a new pair as back-up just in case my current pair breaks or something. The new pair will be ready some time next week.

After that was taken care of, I went to the masjid across the road to perform my Isyak prayer. I took off my glasses when I performed the prayer. Upon completion of this obligatory task, I put on the glasses - and lo and behold, it broke! So, I hurried myself to the optical shop once again in the hope that I could get it fixed. I would be rendered helpless without my glasses.

Unfortunately, the only way to fix the glasses is by welding. And they don't have that facility there. To make things more "interesting", the shop was about to close. I insisted that the glasses be fixed by replacing the frame. The optician obliged, but she couldn't get the glasses done there and then. I have to come back again tomorrow morning to pick up the glasses.

For the first time in my life, I come to realise the importance of eyesight. I had to drive home somehow - without my glasses. It was after 10 p.m. and I guess, in many ways, that was a blessing. There were not many cars on the road at that time. I drove carefully, and had to rely mainly on my instinct and memory.

I couldn't see much, safe for blurry lights from the street lamps and vehicles' headlights. Everything else was sketchy at best. I couldn't read the road signs nor can I read vehicles' registration plates even when my car was behind the vehicle. Yes, my eyesight IS that bad.

Like I said, I relied on my memory. To go home, I chose a longer route which has less traffic. I figured that would be a wiser choice than risking going on a shorter route with heavy traffic. I managed to slow down when I came to speed bumps because I more or less remembered where they are, and also remembered how many speed bumps along said route.

I arrived home safely, and once home, I searched frantically for my old pair of glasses. Fortunately I still keep them stashed in one of the drawers. While this old pair may not be too clear, it will have to do for the time being. At least, it is better than not having anything to assist my vision.

One important lesson I learnt today. Eyesight is an important gift from Allah the Almighty. Rarely do we give thanks for this gift. Only when we are faced with situations such as mine, would we realise how we struggle with imperfect vision.

After what happened to me this evening, I have come to realise the significance of this invaluable gift. And for that, I say "alhamdulillah".

The calling

I celebrated Aidiladha with my family in our hometown up north. My wife partook in the qurban (sacrifice) with her siblings. And on the second day of Aidiladha, my mother-in-law had a kenduri (feast). It was quite a hectic day, but a celebration nonetheless.

I have this wish that I could perform the haj which is the fifth pillar of Islam in the next few years. I do not want to wait until my old age to perform this once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to the Holy Land of Makkah. And I also plan to perform my umrah in the not-so-far future. It is as if Makkah is calling me, and the call seems to be getting louder and clearer by the day.

I pray that my wish to set foot on the Makkah al-Mukaramah will be a reality.

Until then, I would like to wish all Muslims, a happy and blessed Aidiladha. May we grasp the true meaning of qurban, insya-Allah.

Staying away from the Net

My apologies for the silence. Truth be told, I wanted to stay away from the Internet for a few days. Too much Internet is not good for you, you know. So, I managed to avoid being online since last Friday.

And the result? I feel a lot better knowing that there IS life outside of the cyberworld.

And not to mention a tonne of unread e-mails on all my e-mailing accounts, most of which are spam anyway. [I have five e-mail accounts if anyone is wondering, each has its own purpose].

By the way, it does a world of good to deprive yourself of the Internet once in a while.

Finger talks

It's amazing what technology can do.

In the past, we use our mouths to talk and speak.

These days, with the Internet, we talk using our fingers.

A friend even notes that YM is used even when talking to the person in the next workstation in the same office. Of course, this helps in reducing the noise level.

But at what cost?

Will people lose their oratory skill and confidence to speak in public? I wonder...

Organ transplant info updates

About ten days ago, the National Transplant Resource Centre (NTRC) launched their new website. Have a visit to the website by clicking here.

Also, I have updated the listing for transplantation info on this blog's side panel. Just scroll down a wee bit, and you will find the links to organisations linked to organ transplantation locally and internationally.

And while we're on the topic of organ transplantation, I'd strongly urge that everyone reads up on organ transplantation and donation, and seriously consider becoming a pledger if you are not one already.

Give the gift of life.

Facelift

Sometimes after a while, you'd get tired of the same old things. That's why, from time to time, I'd change the way the blog looks. I'm not much of a programmer. Even if I am, I can't afford the time to do so. That's why I just use the template that Blogger provides.

So, I hope you all will find these minor changes pleasing.

Promoting local science fiction

Yesterday, six science fiction authors from PTS Publications and Distributors Sdn Bhd was at MPH Mid Valley promoting local science fiction novels. The authors are Kusyi Hirdan (Urana Exham), Nazri M. Annuar (Opera Angkasa), Firdaus Ariff (Sayap Adinila), Azrul Jaini (Galaksi Muhsinin), Suri Mawarne (Virus L) and yours truly under the guise of Amir Husaini (Transgenesis: Bisikan Rimba).

It was a good outing at the bookstore. And after the event, we even discussed on the way forward to further promote local science fiction and fantasy. It is no secret that this genre is dominated by imported novels mainly from the United States and Japan. Most local readers who are into science fiction and fantasy are not even aware of the existence of local authors churning out books in this genre.

One of the aims of yesterday's event was to promote the fact that Malaysia does have its own science fiction and fantasy authors. We will continue to work as a group so that the awareness among Malaysians would be increased.

Working weekend at PD - Day 3

I slept at around 4 a.m. before waking up about 6.30 a.m. It wasn't that I couldn't sleep, but rather I was finalising my slides for my talk at 8 o'clock.

My talk started about 15 minutes late, as some of the staff thought that the session would begin at 8.30 a.m. Anyway, the talk went pretty well, methinks.

As soon as I finished my talk, I checked out and drove back to Kuala Lumpur. I didn't spend much time on the beach, much less dipping in the waters of Port Dickson throughout my 3 days here. After all, this WAS a working weekend. And I managed to get quite a bit done...

...not that it'd make any difference if I were to be in Kuala Lumpur.

So, farewell Port Dickson. Till next time (whenever that will be).

Working weekend at PD - Day 2

The second day in Port Dickson is a full day for the staff. I don't think there's actually any chance for anyone to savour the sight, smell and sound of the (in)famous and popular beach of Port Dickson.

While the staff was attending the course, a group of us - the executive chairman, the two executive directors, the programme manager and the administrative and financial director - had a separate meeting discussing on the way forward for the organisation. I would say it was a fruitful meeting and hopefully this endeavour would bear its fruits in the coming months.

After the meeting of the "council of elders", I spent the afternoon preparing for the talk I'm giving tomorrow morning to the staff, while the evening was spent together with the staff in the course.

As a side note, during the course, we had to do a personality test to identify our strengths and weaknesses. I have done a lot of personality tests before, and the result from this latest one very much confirmed the results from previous tests. To summarise, I am introverted and unique; able to read what is in between the lines; logical; and, systematic and careful. I'd say these descriptions are pretty much accurate.

I hope that my talk tomorrow will go well. Come to think of it, this will be the first time that I am speaking to every staff member since they came on board earlier this year. Let's hope my message gets across loud and clear.

Working weekend at PD - Day 1

I think it must have been 4 or 5 years since I last came to Port Dickson. While Port Dickson may still be very popular with tourists, it's not really a place I like to spend my weekend at.

Nonetheless, here I am at Port Dickson beginning today till Sunday. We're conducting a course for the staff here.

Port Dickson is very much like what I remember it to be. Not much has changed since my last visit. Hopefully the sound of the waves could rejuvenate my otherwise exhausted self.

Omedetou gozaimasu

Omedetou gozaimasu - that's Japanese for congratulations.

This congratulatory posting is somewhat overdue.

Firstly, to my PhD supervisor who is also my mentor and sensei, Professor Datin Dr Azizan Baharuddin on the occasion of her inaugural lecture at the Universiti Malaya last Friday. I was there in attendance to lend my support as well as to learn and pick up a thing or two from her lecture entitled "Empiricising Spirituality and Spiritualising Science: Harmonising Science and Religion for Sustainability". The lecture was captivating and awe-inspiring. And indeed, I learnt many things from the lecture.

Last but not least, my heartiest congratulations to newlyweds, Azdi and Farah, who tied the knot last week. I attended the kenduri hosted by Farah's family in Ipoh last Sunday. I wish them both all the happiness and very best in their lives as husband and wife. You can read about their wedding story on their own wedding website here.

My kryptonite

Everyone has a weakness.

Superman has kryptonite.

Me? One of my weaknesses is books. I can't stop myself if I see books on display on shelves. I sometimes lose control when I go to book fairs. If I pass a bookshop, I will have to stop. And more often than not, I'll buy one or two titles at least. I can spend hours at Kinokuniya or MPH Mid Valley or the library of Universiti Malaya.

My shelves at the office could no longer house all the books I have. My workstation at home is also running out of space for the books I bought as well as those I borrowed from the library.

At least, my consolation is, my weakness is actually something beneficial. Sometimes I feel my brain is like a sponge trying to absorb all the things I read. If Superman becomes weak after exposure to kryptonite, I feel "stronger" after reading books.

Perhaps, it's not a weakness after all.

Source of the problems

I know I have been silent for quite a while. During this period, quite a bit has happened. One of which, we finally nailed down the "culprit" behind the problems that we have been facing at the office.

And the source of most of the woes is the roof.

The inaccessible entrance was due to rainwater from the roof sipping into the electronic chip of the entrance system.

The Level 3 blackout took place because of rainwater from the roof sipping into the electrical wiring.

The flooded floor was - you guessed it - because water from the tank on the roof overflooded and caused flooding on the building.

The shattered glass incident was due to the way the roof of the building was designed. The weight of the roof was in actual effect forced on the walls of the building inside. This resulted in increased pressure on the glass wall. It was a matter of time before any of the glass shattered.

The leaking ceiling in the Executive Chairman's office was just another testament of the shoddy workmanship of the building in particular the roof.

We have appointed a professional engineer to assess and come up with a report of the shoddy roof. Once we obtain the full report, we will forward a formal complaint to the developer. Should our complaint falls on deaf ears, we will resort to other means to ensure that the roof is repaired.

I spoke to some of the other tenants here. And some of them too are facing problems with the roof. I guess the problem is not unique only to our building. Nonetheless, I feel that the developer should not brush off the problem, as it is their responsibility to ensure that the building was built as it should be according to the plans.

With regards to the so-called "mysteries", as Tigger always say at the end of each episode of "My Friends Tigger and Pooh", "This mystery is history."

Gabanesque busy

I remember back during my school days, whenever someone was extremely busy, the phrase that would be used was "busy tahap Gaban" which literally means "Gaban-level or Gabanesque busy". For those not in the know, Gaban is a Japanese character introduced in the 1980s. More on Gaban - or Gavan - here.

Lately, whenever someone asked about my lack of blogging or absence from the cyberworld, I would casually reply, "I am very busy - even more than Gaban."

Frankly, that is how I feel these days. But at the end of the day, I am thankful that I still have a lot of things to do.

First in last out

It has been increasingly difficult for me to find the time to blog these past few weeks. My workload has increased extraponentially. I would be the first in the office, usually just before sunrise, and most times, I am the last one to leave, some time between 8 and 9 p.m. Back at home, after my children are asleep, I would continue my work till about 3 a.m.

It is tiring, I admit, for I really miss my sleep and rest. And to a certain extent, stressful. But the weird thing is, I find all this satisfying and rewarding.

Most of the things that I have to do involve writing and reading. And to write and read, I require the right kind of environment. Writing and reading may sound trivial to some, but I can assure you, not everyone can do these as a living.

Money story

I apologise for the long silence. My excuse is, as usual, predictable. The last couple of months of the year looks set to be hectic with a lot of things happening and need to be taken care of.

Anyway, I'd like to share a story I heard earlier this morning, which brought a smile to my face.

A husband was driving his wife to a place for her to attend an official function. Usually the wife would drive to her workplace, but since she was unfamiliar with the place that she had to go to that morning, her husband offered to send her (and would pick her up later that afternoon). This, by the way, was not the first time that the husband sent the wife to work.

In the car, the wife reminded the husband to take note of the mileage. The husband asked, "Can you claim mileage when you're not using your own car?"

The wife retorted, "It'd be a waste not to claim. After all, you're driving me to the place where I have to perform an official duty. So, it's only fair that I claim the mileage."

The husband kept quiet, but thought to himself, "How come I never see the money that was claimed before whenever I send her for official duty outside the office?"

Good question.

Expensive help

Maids or domestic helpers are virtually a must these days for Malaysians, especially in big cities where both husband and wife work. Unfortunately, it is difficult nay, impossible, for us to find local helpers. Most locals prefer to work in factories where the pay is better - and really, this is only logical.

As such, we have to resort to foreign helpers especially from Indonesia. I was surprised therefore, when I was told this morning that the cost of hiring a maid has sky-rocketed if we use agencies. Of course, the alternative is to source for the helpers ourselves, and take care of all the bureaucratic procedures on our own. That way, we can reduce the cost.

For me, I prefer agencies for two reasons. Firstly, I find the process of sourcing for maids and applying for their permits a bit tedious. I know this is a sorry excuse, but I just don't have the patience for this sort of thing. Secondly, and more importantly, most agencies train their maids for two months before they are hired. The training involves a lot of things such as familiarising themselves with Bahasa Malaysia, hands-on training in taking care after babies and infants, using electrical appliances common in Malaysia, etc.

From my personal experience, the training is a lot of help when the helpers come to work for their employers. Miscommunication and the time taken for them to settle down into their jobs are greatly reduced.

However, because of perceived bad treatment that the Indonesian helpers receive in Malaysia, and because of the lure of higher wages in other countries such as Singapore, China and Saudi Arabia, most Indonesians prefer to work in these countries. This resulted in lack of manpower supply for domestic helpers to Malaysia. Even when they want to come to this country, they prefer to work as restaurant helpers, cleaners, factory workers and construction workers - where the freedom is greater.

I was told this morning that it now costs RM8,000 to get a helper through an agency, and their monthly wage is now RM600. So, for a two-year contract, an employer would have to fork out nearly RM20,000 for one domestic helper.

If we were to spread this over two years, that would come to about RM833. Wouldn't an SPM holder want to work with this wage (accomodation and meals included)?

Long Tuesday

With so many things happening around the same time, I feel like I'm coming down with something. Hopefully, it's just exhaustion. At this point in time, I can't afford to be ill. The year's end seems to be the busiest so far.

Today has been a long day (and it's not over yet). It's nearly a quarter to six in the afternoon as I write this. We had just finished an in-house course for our staff here. And somehow I feel so tired. I have another discussion at 6 o'clock.

The good thing about being kept busy is that you're always on your feet. The only thing is that you'll have to ensure that you get enough rest and that your health is not affected.

I am so tired and sleepy at the moment, and can't wait to go home.