Aquaria: Trip 3

It has been a long while since I last took my family on an outing in Kuala Lumpur. Well, shopping doesn't count.

Last night, my eldest son Amir Husaini told me that he wanted to see fishes swimming in water. So, I decided to bring the family out to Aquaria. This would in fact be Husaini's third trip to Aquaria. The first visit was blogged here. As for my youngest son Ammar Qusyairi, this would be his second trip there.

There weren't that many people there compared to the previous visits. Husaini was of course excited with the various fishes and other marine life that he saw. He was particularly interested in the big fishes such as the sharks and manta rays.

Qusyairi on the other hand was more interested in the people getting excited with the exhibits. He wasn't paying much attention to the fishes, rather his attention was fixated to the excitement of other children.

All in all, I think the boys had a good time. I will take them there again when they are slightly older, so that they'll be able to appreciate the marine life better.

Choosing the best option

There are many times that we make choices that change our direction in life.

I had always wanted to be a doctor when I was schooling. But immediately after the SPM examination, I made the choice of going to Glasgow, rendering my early ambition null and void.

All the while when I was in Glasgow, I had always envisioned myself working for the oil company that sponsored me. But almost immediately after returning home, I changed my mind despite getting an offer to work in a chemistry laboratory. I chose instead to go into the academic world.

It has been 13 years since I made that decision. And during this period, I made other "crazy" decisions as well.

And all these have indeed changed my life for the better, alhamdulillah. While the choice that I made in 1996 did not seem to be logical, I can say that I have no regrets whatsoever despite many of my friends questioning my sanity for choosing the path I chose.

To those who have stood by my "crazy" decision those many years ago, including my family and my closest friends who have helped me to go through some difficult times back then, allow me to say thank you.

No doubt choosing what is best for us may be difficult. Often we do not want our decision to disappoint others. There are times when the choice seems to be paved with difficulties ahead.

But sometimes, we have to put ourselves first when deciding what is best for us. Choose, and leave the rest to Allah SWT, i.e. by observing tawakal. I am often reminded that it is better to make a wrong decision than not making one at all.

Back on tv

A year ago, as was blogged here and here, I was involved in the production of a documentary entitled "Rahsia Anatomi".

I had just been informed that the programme is now on air at 9 a.m. every Tuesday on TV1. The documentary has 13 episodes altogether.

I missed the first episode already as I was not informed earlier. Too bad I won't be able to watch the rest of the episodes as well as I'd be working.

Mondays

What is it with people and their dislike for Mondays?

I noticed many of us complain when we get to Monday. Quite a number of us start Monday rather reluctantly.

Frankly, I don't believe this is a good attitude to have.

For me, I am grateful that I have been given another day to live. The fact that I get to start the week breathing is reason enough for me to be thankful.

If people say, "Oh, no. It's already Monday", I would say, "Alhamdulillah, it's Monday."

For that matter, I would say "alhamdulillah" for the other days of the week as well.

Pi joke

One of the things that intrigue me academically is the study of the history of the irrational number, pi. So, I find the following to be quite funny.I guess there is such a thing as a pi joke.

The search is on

I have to say that it is going to be quite a task to sift through the 400 or so applications that we have received up till the closing date (yesterday). Currently, the summary for the applications is being compiled, and the next step would be the shortlisting process.

I hope to have that done by Monday, so that we can fix the date for the interview by the third week of the month. Of course, this is just my wish but the final say belongs to the big boss.

I am aware that some of the applicants have stumbled upon this blog when they searched for Yayasan Ilmuwan. A note for all applicants, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the interview.

If you are one of the lucky ones to be called for the interview, may I share the following advice:

1. Be presentable, i.e. dress smartly.
2. Be punctual.
3. Bring all your original certificates.
4. Equip yourself with general knowledge.
5. Speak confidently but politely.
6. Be honest. If you are not sure or you do not know something, just say so. It is unwise to try to guess or kelentong because that will only put you in a bad light.

All the above are of course common sense. Please be aware that we are looking for someone who not only possesses good grades, but also someone who has the potential to perform in carrying out his/her responsibilities.

As an aside, Yayasan Ilmuwan's website is now up and running at www.yi.org.my.

Should you receive the call for the interview, I wish you all the very best.

Small but significant pointer: Don't let your words shout

In everything that we do, politeness is important. We have to be polite, not only when we speak, but also when we write.

Those familiar with netiquette would be aware that using capital letters is akin to shouting. Therefore, even when we communicate with others using e-mails or chat programmes, it is important that we do not use capital letters, because if we do, we give the impression that we are shouting to the other person.

Now, imagine that you are a jobhunter applying for a job. Would you write in your application using capital letters to the organisation or company with the job vacancy? I think common sense would dictate that we should not. Nevertheless, I have found one application with the following message:

Dear Mr/Mrs,

THIS IS MY RESUME AND COVER LETTER FOR JOB APPLICATION...

THANK'S...

To me, the message is somewhat crude and sounds like shouting. And I am not even commenting on the grammar.

I believe it is important that jobhunters polish their letter-writing skills and know the basic of netiquette especially when applying online. Don't take the smallest of things for granted. Every letter in every word in every sentence of the application will draw the picture of the applicant and give prospective employers a certain degree of what to expect from the applicant.

Choose your words carefully. And present your words politely.

Two points to remember

I thought I wouldn't be blogging about how to apply for jobs anymore, and I guess I thought wrong.

Anyway, I would like to highlight two more points. These may seem trivial but they do carry weight if the prospective employer is particular. More so when the number of applicants is high.

Point number one, when sending in applications over e-mail, make sure that you apply to one employer at a time. Do not c.c. one application to several employers in one e-mail. One applicant actually did this when sending her application. Aside from Yayasan Ilmuwan, she also sent the same application to two other companies. The message in the e-mail is a generic message, something along the line of "applying for a suitable post".

My advice is to never do this. Send individual applications to the respective companies and organisations. Take the trouble to address individual company or organisation, and state the actual post that you are applying for. The applicant may be thinking that it is good to just c.c. one application to several companies and organisations, but the impression that the applicant gave is that he/she is lazy and just trying out his/her luck.

Even if you still want to send one application to several companies and organisations, please be smarter. Use blind carbon copy (b.c.c.) in your e-mail. This way, those receiving your application would not be aware of other applications. But still, one must state what position one is applying for. Bear in mind that the prospective employer has to sift through hundreds of applications for more than one position.

Point number two, when attaching files, make sure that the files are properly (and decently) named. Remember you are applying for a job, not writing an e-mail to a friend. Improperly and indecently named files will give the wrong impression to the prospective employer.

Like I said, these two points may seem insignificant, but they do give a certain impression to the companies and organisations that one is applying for. Always remember that there are hundreds of applicants applying for the same position. It is important to give out the right impression from the way we send in our applications. Otherwise, one would risk not being shortlisted for interview.

Final tip, hopefully: Be thorough

This is essentially an extension to what I wrote a few days ago.

It is important that we check and recheck any document that we want to send in order to ensure that there is no mistake. Surprisingly, quite a few applicants sent in their applications twice, and one actually sent the application thrice. When I compare the original submissions to the ones sent later, there are a few new information here and there added in the applicants' curriculum vitae. The impression that I get is that the applicants updated their information after the original submission, and reubmitted their applications.

Again, this highlights the applicants' lack of thoroughness in submitting their applications. Applicants should first update and check their curriculum vitae and all related documents before sending them in. When one resends the application, it is as if he or she was not thorough the first time.

And please, never ever do the following mistake. An applicant e-mailed in the application three times. The first submission had an attachment containing a curriculum vitae. The second submission contained a message saying that the first submission was erroneous because the curriculum vitae actually belonged to someone else, and hence the second e-mail contained the right attachment. The third submission had no messages whatsoever, and contained an attachment which in essence is the same as the second attachment. The only difference is the photograph in the last e-mail is different compared to the second one.

Now, if you were an employer looking for an employee, would you employ someone who is not careful, thorough and meticulous?

I think not.

Yet another pointer: Send appropriate photos

Thus far, we received close to 200 applications for the four vacancies that we have. One point that I feel I must emphasis is the need to send in an appropriate photo to accompany the application.

Most people would use passport-sized photographs which, to me, is the best thing to do. The passport-sized photographs are suitable for job applications. Some may argue that this kind of photos are formal and emotionless. But to me, if you are serious in applying for a professional position, then this kind of photographs is the best.

Having said that, I have noticed some applicants who send passport-sized photographs which show them wearing collarless t-shirts with writings on them. Unfortunately, such depiction give the impression that the applicants are not serious especially if they are applying for management positions.

There are also applicants who send photographs which have been cropped or photoshopped. There is nothing wrong with this, of course, but again please make sure that the photos are appropriate for the purpose of applying for jobs.

The reason I raise this is that there are applicants who send photos of them posing in a rather unsuitable manner. The first thing that came to my mind was, "Is this person applying for the position of a researcher, or is this person applying to become a model?"

The fact of the matter is photographs will project the applicants' image and will give the prospective employer the first impression of those applying for the vacant positions. Therefore, it is important to project the right first impression to the prospective employer.

Do a little bit of homework. Know the nature of business of the employer. Do not send casual photographs if the employer is looking for a serious and professional employee. The safest bet is to dress smart (no collarless t-shirts though) and take a passport-sized photograph.

Another pointer: Spell it right

This is basically an addendum to the blog post yesterday.

Back in the UK, when I was secretary to a student's organisation, I was reminded by the president to ensure that the spellings for everyone's name is correct and accurate. Since then, I have been giving extra attention in making sure that I got everyone's name correctly spelt.

The same applies when we write to organisations and companies. If one is a jobseeker, and is writing to the organisation or company that one is applying to, it is imperative that one makes sure that the name of the potential employer is correct, right down to each individual letter.

For example, the organisation that I am attached to is Yayasan Ilmuwan. It is a very typical mistake that many people make when they spell the word "Ilmuwan" as "Ilmuan". In Bahasa Melayu, there is no such word as ilmuan contrary to what many people may think. Ilmuwan means "scholar(s)". Essentially, the suffix wan when added to a noun or a verb would turn the word into a noun that refers to a person.

Common examples include angkasawan, olahragawan, dermawan, rupawan, agamawan, etc. Hence, the same rule applies to ilmuwan. I suspect the problem arises because ilmu ends with the letter "u", and when one pronounces ilmuwan, there is a tendency to think that the word is spelt without the "w" that comes after "u".

I notice most applicants who write to Yayasan Ilmuwan made this common mistake, i.e. by spelling "Ilmuan" instead of "Ilmuwan". The mistake in the spelling highlights the lack of attention given to the smallest of details.

Perhaps, what struck me as even weirder is that there are also applicants who got the name wrong altogether. There are at least two applicants who I noticed addressed their applications to "Yayasan Ilmu".

What happened to the wan? It's one thing to drop the "w", but to drop three letters altogether is simply unbelievable.

The correct spelling for the names of organisations and companies should not be taken lightly. There are also organisations and companies which have spellings that may be grammatically wrong or for historical reasons are spelt using the old system of spelling. PETRONAS as we know is the short form of Petroliam Nasional Berhad. Let's not be a smart alec and change the spelling "Petroliam" into "Petroleum" in this instance. Or the word "Bandaraya" in the case of Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur should not be changed into "Bandar Raya" even though the latter is the correct form of spelling according to the latest system of spelling.

I am sure none of us would be happy if our names are spelt wrong, so treat the spelling for these names just like the way we would want people to spell our names.

Correctly.

Tips for jobhunters

Currently, the organisation that I am attached with has a few vacancies. We have advertised in the newspapers yesterday, and I have received nearly 50 applications thus far which are sent through the e-mail.

The number of applicants goes to show how things are currently. People are almost desperate for jobs, that they are willing to apply anything under the sun, as long as they have something to hold on to. I welcome applicants who are willing to strive and learn new things.

Unfortunately, it saddens me to see that quite a number of these applicants have some basic problems when it comes to applying for jobs.

Some of them did not even bother to write a covering letter. To me, while e-mail can be used for applications, it is important that they also include a covering letter which states at least the job that they are applying for. At the very least, the covering letter is a form of courtesy to the potential employer, and it shows the level of professionalism that the applicant has. A few of these applicants even sent empty e-mails with no text whatsoever, save for the attachment containing their curriculum vitae. I think this is sheer laziness. An applicant should never assume that the employer knows what they are applying for, and an applicant should never think that he/she is the only one applying.

The second aspect that I noticed many applicants took for granted is the use of language in writing letters and e-mails. Great care must be taken when communicating, especially with potential employers. This at the very least gives a fairly good first impression. An abrupt and rude letter and/or e-mail will most probably scare the potential employer away from even shortlisting the applicant. What more if the job requires communication with other people. How can an employer trust the applicant with communicating with other people if the first impression shown in his/her letter/e-mail is bad? E-mail may be an informal way of communicating, but still one must still observe certain ethics in writing e-mails.

The third aspect I find lacking is a good command of language. Some of the applicants do not seem to take the effort to check the grammatical and spelling errors in their resumes or letters. Imagine writing "executive research" when one should write "research executive", or writing "2nd class honest" instead of "2nd class honours". This kind of careless errors show that the applicant is not careful and/or lazy in rechecking his/her documents. If the person is applying for a job as a research executive, which among others requires the person to be extra careful and meticulous, then the errors in the documents will probably show them to be otherwise.

So, if you're looking for a job, make sure that:
(i) Your curriculum vitae is accompanied by a covering letter.
(ii) Write using proper language even when you are communicating using e-mail.
(iii) Check and recheck your documents before sending them to potential employers.

A good indication

Last week, shortly after class, a student of mine walked up to me. He is an international student, and he said, "My friends and I have been wondering..."

"Yes?" I asked.

"What course will you be teaching next semester?"

"As far as I have been informed, I will still be teaching this subject."

"Any other subjects besides this?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Owh."

I noticed his disappointment, and promptly asked, "Why did you ask?"

"We thought we wanted to enrol in the subjects that you'll be teaching."

I just smiled in response.

I have been asked to teach this subject, History and Philosophy of Science, by the university. And I was asked to make things simple. This subject is considered a killer subject by many students of the Faculty of Science. I have tried my best, and now we're coming towards the end of the short semester. If the above dialogue is any indication, I would think that I may have succeeded to a certain extent.

And of course, the final exam result will paint the true story.

A blogger's dilemma

I have things that I wanted to blog on. But by the time I look at the dashboard, I have run out of things to write even before I started writing.

I want to keep blogging. But every time I put my fingers on the keyboard, I realise that I don't have the words to say.

I will be back when I find the words.

Irn Bru

When I was studying in Glasgow more than a decade ago, I was introduced to the many facets of its unique culture and charms. Most of us would know some of these, which include bagpipes, kilts, Scottish songs, etc.

And it was around this time I got acquainted with Irn Bru. Dubbed "Scotland's other national drink" - the other being whiskey, in case you're wondering - Irn Bru, as Wikipedia puts it, is a popular carbonated soft drink. The brand is also known for its innovative and wacky advertisments.

A colleague (thanks En Lan!) recently went to the UK for a holiday, and he bought me a can of Irn Bru at a town called Inverness (which is very near Loch Ness). Irn Bru used to be a staple soft drink for me back in those days. So seeing the can somehow made me nostalgic, and brings back a lot of memories.

Here's to Irn Bru (and to good old memories of Bonnie Scotland)!

Well-deserved Datukship

I just would like to express my happiness and extend my congratulations to my former boss at the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM), who is the Deputy Director-General of the institute, on the Datukship he received from the Yang Dipertuan Agong.

In recent weeks, people have been talking about how some would go distance to buy titles like Datuk. But in the case of Datuk Nik Mustapha Haji Nik Hassan, he truly deserves the accolade for his hard work and integrity. I have had the pleasure of working as a staff under him for close to eight years, and in that time, I have indeed learnt a lot from him. To my mind, this Datukship is actually long overdue.

Congratulations, Datuk.

[Looks like I'll have to adjust to calling him Datuk Nik from now on].

In two newspapers

Perhaps for the first time, I was in two different newspapers yesterday which highlighted two different issues.

The first was Berita Harian which carried a paper that I presented at the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM) a few weeks ago. The paper was on guidelines for parents in safeguarding their children in light of developments in ICT. The write-up in Berita Harian can be read here.

Meanwhile in Utusan Malaysia, the issue of stem cell transplant (as well as organ transplant) was carried yesterday. This was from a forum I attended at UKM Medical Centre in April, and the article can be read here.

There was also an interview done after the forum that I blogged about last month which was featured in Utusan Malaysia on the 5th of May. The link to this interview can be found here.

Philosophyphile

When I was in my teens, I used to read about philosophy and the various Greek philosophers that everyone has at least heard of - people like Socrates, his student Plato, and Plato's student Aristotle. Although I may not have understood the philosophical thinking of these ancient philosophers, the subject of philosophy certainly got me intrigued.

When I did my undergraduate studies, the focus on philosophy of science was absent even though in truth, the science that I did have a lot of philosophical underpinnings in it.

A few years back, when I was doing my master's degree, I went back to philosophy even though the focus wasn't so much on Socratic, Platonic or Aristotlean thoughts. My thesis was more of a comparison between the modern western philosophies of science which include the views of the logical positivists, empiricists, Karl Popper (and his falsification) and Thomas Kuhn (with his paradigm shift), and that of the modern Islamic thinkers such as Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Ismail Raji al-Faruqi, Syed Naquib al-Attas, Pervez Hoodbhoy, Ziauddin Sardar and Osman Bakar.

Beginning this semester, I have been teaching the subject of philosophy and history of science to the students of the Faculty of Science of the Universiti Malaya. I find that I am once again intrigued by philosophical thoughts of the ancient thinkers, going back to the pre-Socratic philosophers such as Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes, Pythagoras, Heraclitus, Leucippus and Democritus (and many more), all the way to the Chinese sages like Confucious and Mozi, all the way to the classical Muslim philosophical thoughts of al-Biruni, Ibn Sina, ar-Razi, al-Ghazali, Ibn Rushd and others.

I have to admit that reading and teaching philosophy have been very satisfying mentally. Last night, I made a pit stop at Kinokuniya at KLCC, and bought myself several books on philosophy. This subject is indeed fascinating. It may be a bit heavy as it requires a lot of thinking, but it has indeed broadened my perspective on many things. Call me a lover of philosophy - philosophyphile - if you will.

And to quote Socrates, "I know that I know nothing". That's why I'm trying to read on philosophy as much as I could.

Akhlaq

We often complain about bad things. And attention is always given to negative things. Yet, ironically, we seldom if ever highlight good, positive and examplary experiences. That is what I want to blog on today. Something good and something that is refreshing. Something that goes to show that there are still people out there who are genuinely virtuous, selfless and possess good character.

A few weeks ago, I was in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan. I was there to see Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Albakri (popularly known as Ustaz Zulkifli Albakri) who is a lecturer at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM). USIM is located in a relatively new area, and there is no public transport as far as I noticed.

I called up Dr Zulkifli when I reached there. He wasn't at the faculty, but instead he asked me to wait for him at the guardhouse. At the guardhouse, there was an Arab man waiting for a taxi or something. As there were no taxis forthcoming, he started to ask anyone who was coming out of the gate for a lift to the Nilai commuter station. I was unfamiliar with Nilai, and hence I wasn't able to assist him.

Shortly after, Dr Zulkifli arrived in his car. He told me to follow him back home so that we could have our discussion there. But before that, the Arab man asked Dr Zulkifli for a lift. Dr Zulkifli told him that he wasn't going to the commuter station. And yet, he still offered the Arab man assistance. He told him to get into his car (while I followed from behind). Upon reaching his house, Dr Zulkifli asked one of his students who was assisting him in a writing project to send the Arab man to the commuter station. And even before that, Dr Zulkifli offered him a glass of fresh orange to quench his thirst after waiting in the sun for quite a while.

Frankly, I was humbled by this show of virtuous character on the part of Dr Zulkifli. How many of us would assist, what more be hospitable to a total stranger? In this day and age, when crimes are aplenty and the world "out there" seems to be no longer safe, more often than not we tend to be extra careful, usually to the extend that we are unable to distinguish between people who sincerely need our assistance and those who are out to harm or cheat us.

Dr Zulkifli is a pious, humble, soft-spoken alim whose character is truly examplary. I saw with my own eyes how he translates the teaching of Islam into his character. And to see such a character with a virtuous akhlaq in this day and age is really an eye-opener.

Blogging versus other things

Guilty as charged! I have not been updating any of my blogs.

While blogging provides a platform (or perhaps more accurately, an outlet) for me to voice out on matters that I feel important, this activity has to take the back seat for the time being. I may not be able to blog as frequent as before.

Family, work, studies and a few other things have to be given the priority.

My wife has yet to fully recover from her illnesses. While her sinusitis has been treated by the surgery she underwent, the aftereffects from pneumonia and bronchitis are still there. The specialist who is treating her has given her some new medications to treat the symptoms she's having now. And she still has a number of follow-ups in the coming weeks.

Workwise, things are pretty busy. I am trying to get a number of titles published by the year's end. And to do this mostly on my own can be quite time-consuming. Fortunately, one of the executives at the office is kind enough to assist me when she's not tied up to her actual duties. Aside from this, there are a few seminars that I will be involved with in the coming months. And I will have to sit down to prepare working papers for these seminars.

Lecturing part-time at Universiti Malaya is also taking up quite a chunk of my time. The subject I'm teaching, "History and Philosophy of Science", is a killer subject for most of the students. I spend up to six hours at night to prepare for the lectures. I want the students to understand the subject in simple terms and I try to put things in perspective so that they would be able to digest the subject better. I have been told by a few of the students themselves (some of whom are resitting for the subject) that I am doing a good job so far. I hope they are right, and we shall see if they are right from the results of their exam.

My PhD thesis is also something that requires a lot of attention. I am hoping that I'll be able to complete at least the first draft of the thesis by the end of the year. It may sound crazy judging from the things that I have to do, but then again some have said that I am crazy to be taking in so much at any given time. My thoughts? I don't think I am crazy. Eccentric maybe. Workaholic definitely.

On top of all this, two deadlines await. By the 31st July, I will have to submit the manuscript for my third novel which happens to be the sequel for my second novel. By the 31st August, I will have to submit another manuscript for a novel-writing competition. Both are science fiction novels, and I think I'll be sticking to this genre for the coming years.

This coming Thursday, I'll be at the Read Malaysia 2009 book fair at the Malaysian International Exhibition and Convention Centre (MIECC) at the MINES between 2.30 to 3.30 p.m. for a meet-the-author session. If you have the time, do drop by and say hi (and buy my novel).

Phew. No wonder I have been getting less and less sleep and rest these days. With these things to do, I guess that's why blogging comes out bottom of the list of things to do. When it comes to blogging versus everything else that I do, I think everyone could see which of the two becomes the priority. I don't want to promise anything, but I will try to blog if I have the time and energy left in me. Do drop in from time to time though. There just may be something new here.

DUKE

I find the new Duta - Ulu Klang Expressway (DUKE) or the E33 extremely useful. I travel from my home/office in Setiawangsa to Universiti Malaya quite frequently, and since my sister started her short semester classes at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) in Gombak, I have also started to commute there from home as well.

The E33 saved a lot of time spent on the road. This expressway connects major highways and roads which otherwise would require one to drive into the city to get across to these places. And when one is in the city, one would likely be trapped in the customary traffic jam of Kuala Lumpur, massive or otherwise.

Essentially, the E33 enables road users to avoid entering the city. In the past, without the E33, it will take me up to 45 minutes on a good day to reach Universiti Malaya. Nowadays, with the E33, I only need around 20 minutes. Likewise, the travelling time to IIUM has been halved with this expressway.

And all it costs is RM2, which to me is money well spent (considering the amount of time one saves).

Snippets of updates

Wow, I didn't realise that I have not posted any entry here for quite a while. Since my wife was discharged from hospital last Wednesday, I had to do a lot of catching up at work. So much needs to be done, so much so that I was not able to focus on other things which are more personal in nature.

Just a few updates:

Alhamdulillah, my wife is recovering well from the surgery last week. She has started working today. Hopefully, her health will continue to improve.

As for the complaint letter I sent regarding the service at a Petronas service station, well both the station manager and the area manager contacted me to apologise. How on earth they got my phone number is still a mystery, although I think I can figure that one out. Anyway, kudos to the both of them for their prompt - and polite - response to the complaint, and for being professional in tackling the issue. I have to say that I am happy that the matter has been resolved.

On a more academic note, I have begun my lectures for the short semester at Universiti Malaya. I find that after a few semesters as a part-time lecturer at Malaysia's oldest university, I am beginning to feel at home and at ease with this role. It's an interesting experience that I really enjoy and cherish.

And finally, that break that I blogged about some time back. After all the things that have been happening of late, I really do need one.

Update: Post-op

It was around 2.30 p.m. before my wife was back at the ward. However, she's still unconscious because of the anaesthesia.

Updated (8.30 p.m.): The effects of the anaesthesia wore off at around 7 p.m. at around the time the ENT specialist arrived for his round. Everything seems to be okay and my wife is expected to be discharged tomorrow, insya-Allah.

My 5 sen

Many people have said that in other countries, the consumer is king. In Malaysia however, consumers seem to be the victim.

I have been in the hospital since yesterday as my wife is warded. So yesterday evening, I walked to the nearby Ampang Point to look for something to eat. My wife wanted tuna sandwich as a snack, so I stopped by at the Dunkin' Donuts outlet there.

It was here that I realise that some outlets do not return the change as per printed on the receipt. If, for instance, you should be getting your change of 15 sen, you will only get 10 sen. These outlets would say that they do not have 5 sen in their cash register. So, the customer will be shortchanged by 5 sen. Small amount, I know, but this is downright cheating especially when the outlet did not even inform that they are unable to give the exact change. I am unsure whether it is a policy of this outlet not to inform their customers of this matter.

Is it difficult to stock up on 5 sen coins? Is it hard to inform the customer that you are unable to give the exact change? For customers who do not check the change they receive, they would probably just walk away without realising that they have been "cheated".

So, as consumers, we have to know our rights, even if it's only a change of 5 sen. It is your money after all, not the shop or outlet that you go to.

Interview in Utusan Malaysia

Last week, I was a panellist in a forum on stem cell therapy at the UKM Medical Centre (formerly Hospital UKM). After the forum, I was interviewed by a journalist from Utusan Malaysia on a slightly different topic but a topic that is close to my heart, namely organ donation from the perspective of Islam. The interview came out today in the paper's Mega pullout section. Unfortunately, there is no link to the write-up.

On a related note, I was informed that there was an organ donor yesterday at Hospital Selayang, and there is a potential donor today also from the same hospital. I hope that people will continue to pledge and donate organs, because this will certainly help to save many lives, insya-Allah.

Warded for surgery

Later this morning, my wife will be undergoing surgery on her sinus. The surgery is scheduled at 11 a.m. today.

She was warded a couple of weeks ago for pneumonia, but apparently the condition was caused by sinusitis. Hence, her surgery today. Even though this is a minor surgery, I pray for her well-being nonetheless.

I'll be updating her condition from time to time.

Mesra?

The following is a very long complaint letter addressed to the relevant party regarding an incident that occurred on 30th April. I am not sure what will come out of this letter, but at least I have said my piece.

------ooooo-----

To whom it may concern,

MESRA service leaves a lot to be desired

I have always believed in supporting local brands. PETRONAS has always been my choice when it comes to petroleum. No doubt this choice is somewhat biased since I was a PETRONAS scholar in the early 1990’s. While I did not join PETRONAS upon completion of my studies, I have never severed my ties with PETRONAS. By filling up at PETRONAS, it is actually a small way for me to show my appreciation to the company that supported my studies for nearly five years. Ever since I owned a car in 2000, PETRONAS is my only choice. And to show further my support to PETRONAS, I have also signed up for the MESRA loyalty programme.

These past couple of years, whenever I fill up at any PETRONAS station, I would use my credit card. As such, there is really no need for me to go to the counter for this transaction as all this can be done at the pump. And as a result, I will not be aware of any notice posted at the counter. On average, I fill up between six (6) to eight (8) times a month, costing me up to RM650.

Last week, one of my staff informed me of a new MESRA loyalty programme, and that applications have to be submitted by the 30th of April. Apparently, there is a notice on the counter (but not at the pumps). If not for the information relayed by my staff, I would not have been aware of it at all. As a loyal MESRA card holder, I picked up a form on the 29th of April. As I was tied up with several things at that point in time, I was only able to return the form the next day (which happened to be the last day).

I went to the Setiawangsa PETRONAS station on the morning of the 30th of April, and I was told that the station has run out of MESRA cards. I was asked to leave my name and phone number, and was duly informed that a new batch of MESRA cards would arrive after 4 p.m. and that I would be contacted once the cards arrive. There were no calls received, and thus, at 8 p.m. I dropped by at the same station simply to inquire further.

I first went to the counter. The staff (whose name I did not get unfortunately) there told me that the cards did not arrive (contrary to what I was told earlier in the morning). I then asked what to do with the MESRA application form, but she was not able to answer. She however was polite enough to direct me to another staff who was at the back, probably at the store.

After waiting for a few minutes, this staff (who was referred to as “Ika”), came out with a sour face. I inquired the same question, what should I do with the MESRA application form? The reply that I got was that the cards were out of stock. Fine, I already have that information as early as that morning, but my question was what was I to do with the MESRA application form. I asked the question again, and instead of getting a direct answer to the question, I got a telling off from this staff. She said that I was late in returning the form.

I tried to explain to her that I was not aware of the notice because I have been filling up using my credit card, but again she stressed that I was late in returning the form. As far as I understand (unless my years of furthering my studied under PETRONAS scholarship dulled my intelligence), the last day to submit the application form to switch to the new MESRA card was on the 30th of April. Had I sent in the form on the 1st of May, then that would be late. By right, as long as the form is sent within the stipulated time frame, then it should never be regarded as late.

I did not get the answer that I was looking for from this staff. She was getting agitated, and I decided to leave things at that. As I was walking out the door, this staff walked up to the counter and in a high voice scolded (from my point of view) the polite staff whom I met earlier. She said, “Why don’t you tell them that we have run out of cards?” I find this situation totally uncalled for. The fact that the polite staff was scolded in front of all the customers was simply unprofessional. And to do this when I was still there was downright rude. I felt like turning back and giving my piece of mind to this stressed out staff, but I refrained.

I purposely wrote this complaint letter today, instead of on the 30th of April, because I had wanted to see if anyone from the station called me up as was promised. To date, no calls were received. When I walked out of the PETRONAS Mesra station that night, I felt that there is nothing mesra about the place. Professionalism was missing, and a simple question failed to be answered. I still have the form with me, but I have lost my interest in renewing my MESRA card. What is the point of joining a loyalty programme, when my loyalty all these years have been rewarded with rudeness and unprofessionalism?

I will still go to a PETRONAS station to fill up, but not at the Setiawangsa station. However, I will no longer use the MESRA card as I have lost faith in the kemesraan of the people manning the stations. The incident taught me an important lesson, and that is the programme is nothing more than a PR exercise that is not translated into action by some of the staff at PETRONAS stations. The number may be small, but it is these few bad apples that spoil the whole lot, leaving the so-called MESRA service a lot to be desired.

Thank you.

Amir Husaini's fourth birthday

Today is Shaikh Amir Husaini's fourth birthday.

Throughout these four years of your presence in our lives, you have certainly brought a mountainful of cheer and joy. And you have certainly taught me how to become a father.

Happy birthday, son.

Give me a break

For the fourth time since late February, I have come down with fever again. I suspect that the reason for this is the lack of rest of late. I have some family matters to take care of in the coming week, and after that, insya-Allah, I plan to take a short break. But then again, it's not really a break in the true context of the word, as I plan to get myself holed up somewhere outside the office to write my PhD thesis and finish my two upcoming novels.

Break? Well, maybe after that...

So much to blog about, so little time

There are so many things that I want to blog on. Unfortunately, time constraint left me without the opportunity to finish what I started. Oft-times, I would find myself blogging about something, and later unable to finish the posting. I could only finish the posting later, and as a result, there are times I would post the entry a few days later than planned.

I guess, in this instance, it's better late than never.

Wolverine trailer - not!

Just for laughs.

Personal space and time

I am trying to put my life in order. I have been obliging to a lot of things that I now feel that I really need to be better organised. Office work, studies, lecturing, talking engagements, creative writing "obligations" and last but certainly not least, family responsibilities are different facets of my life.

I need to slot another item in that list.

Space and time for myself. But personally, I don't see that possible anytime soon.

Health matters

My wife was discharged on Wednesday from the hospital. Her condition has improved but she is not 100% well yet. She was diagnosed as having pneumonia, bronchitis and sinusitis. Apparently the sinusitis may be the cause for her infections.

On Monday, we'll be going back to the hospital for follow-ups. One of the specialists she will have to see is an ENT specialist. The specialist will examine the condition of her sinus and determine whether a surgery is necessary. If a surgery is necessary, then she'll have to be readmitted.

Let's pray for the best.

Ludicrous plot

I don't watch that much television. For the past four days, since I've been spending time at the hospital, I have been "forced" to watch television as there is not much to be done anyway.

I have always been critical of Malaysian teledramas. Most of these dramas have ridiculous plots, poor acting and full of stereotypes. I wonder if script-writers actually do any research at all. And it's astonishing that the viewership for these programmes is high.

One teledrama that baffles me has this plot about a pair of twin girls who do not look alike. The technical term is of course fraternal twins, otherwise known as dizygotic twins or biovular twins - or simply, non-identical twins. What is ridiculous is how this drama depicts the reasoning behind the twins not being identical is because, wait for it, they are born 20 minutes apart!

For goodness sake! Can't the script-writer or director or producer check the facts first? They seem to be more interested in glamour more than anything else.

The power of dreams

I received a YM message from my colleague who is in Tokyo. Today, one of the items on the agenda is a visit to Honda. Had I been on that trip, this would be the highlight for me.

Anyway, what intrigues me is that there is only one foreigner working at the Honda factory. And he is a Malay Muslim Malaysian. Who would have thought?

I guess this achievement by the Malaysian befits Honda's tagline, "The power of dreams".

Hot vanilla

I have been spending my nights at the hospital since my wife is warded. Since this started, I have acquired a liking for a particular drink.

Hot vanilla.

I have never tried hot vanilla before in my life. Not many outlets have this drink. At the cafe on the ground floor of this hospital, there is hot vanilla. I gave it a shot. The verdict? Hot vanilla, I like.

Entry's reaction

I did not anticipate that my entry entitled "Promises and Hypocrites" would generate the kind of attention it did. A number of people thought that I directed the entry towards them, and sent apology messages.

I admit that I wrote the entry with a particular person in mind. But this person, as far as I know, does not blogroll. Even if he does, I doubt that he gets the message.

Anyhow, I didn't mean for anyone else to terasa with what I wrote. If anyone did, I apologised. Let's just take the entry as a friendly reminder to each and everyone of us.

When it rains, it pours

I was supposed to leave for Japan last Wednesday. Alas, we can only plan but it is Allah who wills for something to happen.

A day before the scheduled trip, my father had difficulty breathing. When my mother called, I rushed home and took him to a specialist hospital. The doctor at the Accident and Emergency Department found his heart's rhythm rather odd, and referred my father to a cardiologist. After some further tests, it was found that my father has bronchitis. He was warded for two days.

I immediately cancelled my trip to Japan. I had to prioritise, and family has to come first. Also, at the same time, I was not feeling 100 percent myself. I had high fever, which fortunately lasted only until Thursday.

My father was discharged on that Thursday afternoon, and has to continue with his medication at home. During this time, my wife has been complaining of some breathing difficulty. And today, when she was in school, she called me up telling me that she couldn't breath properly.

I rushed to her school, and brought her to the same specialist hospital. They did some tests, and she has pneumonia. Currently she is warded, and will probably be out in five days time.

I guess what they say is true, that when it rains, it pours. I pray that I be given the strength during this time.

Promises and hypocrites

When I was in Glasgow, one of the masjids that I frequented for prayers was the Dawat-ul-Islam or Oakfield Avenue Masjid situated at Oakfield Avenue which is very near the University of Glasgow. The masjid is more popularly known to students as the University Mosque for obvious reasons. It is just a small renovated tenement flat which definitely serves its purpose.

Anyway, I am not blogging about the masjid per se. It's just that I remembered that this masjid used to have (not sure anymore though) selected verses from the Quran put up on its many pillars. One particular verse that stuck in my head until today is from verse 2 of Surah as-Saff (61) which is translated thus:

O ye who believe, why do you say that which you do not do?

I find this verse drives home the message of the importance of keeping promises. It is sad when someone who supposedly have knowledge and is well-respected ended up breaking promises. To me, why promise something that you can't keep? Why say something that you are not certain that you'll be able to deliver? In Islam, it is hypocritical for someone to break their promises.

Unfortunately, in our life, we tend to come across these people. I, for one, have been promised a lot of things by a certain someone. Until now, most of what were promised remained just that - empty promises and hollow words.

Tell me, if you were in my position, what would you do?

Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair 2009

It's that time of the year again when bookphiles all over the country converge to Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) in Kuala Lumpur for the annual Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair (KLIBF). This year marks the 28th year for the book fair, and will take place from 17th to 26th April 2009.

I never miss the opportunity to visit KLIBF every year. Unfortunately this year, I will be away for most of the book fair's duration. I will only return from my Japan working trip on the 22nd, and I hope that I'll have the chance to catch the tailend of the book fair.

For those who happen to have some spare time, do visit the book fair. I'm sure you'll find something there that is of interest.

Lecturing experience

I delivered my last lecture to the group of students from the Academy of Islamic Studies, Universiti Malaya whom I have been teaching this semester. Teaching this lot has turned out to be the best experience for me thus far. I wish them all the best in their exams and their future undertakings.

During the upcoming short semester, I will return to lecturing at the Faculty of Science. This time around, my subject happens to be the faculty's compulsory subject and must be taken by all first year science students. I have been informed that there are more than 300 students taking this subject.

I hope I'll live up to the challenge of lecturing the subject that many people seem to dread - "Philosophy and History of Science".

Deadlines, deadlines!

I have three big deadlines coming up in the next few months.

The first three chapters of my PhD thesis will be due at the end of May.

The manuscript for the sequel to Transgenesis: Bisikan Rimba is due at the end of July, but the editor also said that if possible, they hope that I could get it ready by the end of May.

The manuscript for my entry for Sayembara Fiksyen Sains dan Teknologi UTM-Kumpulan Utusan has to be ready by the end of August.

I think I need to take some time off to get these things done.

Wimax

Fed up with dial-up.

Tired with wifi.

Now, I've migrated to using wimax.

My first reaction?

Amat laju!

[Translation: Very fast!]

Salted egg crab

I had a craving for salted egg crab yesterday. One of the best restaurants that had this on their menu is Cheng Ho.

Cheng Ho is a restaurant that specialises in Chinese Islamic seafood located at Wangsa Maju and owned by Amy, the well-known rocker of the famed rock band, Search. I was introduced to this restaurant late last year. While the price may be on the high side, the meals prepared, to me, are very delicious. And salted egg crab is my favourite dish there.

So, after work yesterday, I went to the restaurant. They open for lunch (until 2.15 p.m. if I'm not mistaken), and reopen again at 6.15 p.m. for dinner. I arrived just before opening time. The restaurant was still closed, but I could see from the outside that the staff were having a briefing. Before the briefing began, there was a recitation of the doa. I said to myself, "How very Islamic!" What I saw really impressed me. Not many restaurants I know perform a short prayer before they are opened. This is, to me, an effort, on the part of the owner and staff to ensure that their efforts are blessed by Allah SWT.

This little effort on the part of the restaurant staff only served to increase my confidence in their service. And I have to say that the salted egg crab was tasty. If anyone ever got a chance to stop by Cheng Ho, make sure that you order the salted egg crab.

[Cheng Ho, or Zheng He, was of course a Muslim Chinese admiral assigned by the Emperor of China to establish relationship with the Sultanate of Melaka during the 15th century].

Working trip

I will be leaving for Japan next Wednesday for about seven days. The whole trip is packed with meetings and study visits. Among the places that I'll be going to are Takushoku University, Tokyo Science University, Hollywood Digital University, Meiji University, Meiji High School and Honda.

This will be my first trip to Japan, and I hope that it will be an eye-opener and good experience for me, insya-Allah.

Tiring affair

This morning, I left for Shah Alam to attend two meetings at Universiti Teknologi MARA. The first was a breakfast meeting with Professor Dr Abu Bakar Abdul Majeed, the Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy. This was followed by the university's Research Ethics Committee of which I am a member. The meeting ended at close to 1 o'clock.

I immediately drove to Universiti Malaya for another meeting to discuss an upcoming international workshop scheduled to be held in July. By the time I got back to the office, it was already 5 o'clock.

I must say that attending meetings can be a tiring affair. My body and mind are very exhausted. I hope I can sleep early tonight.

Promotional trailer

It's finally here. After putting up the teaser in December, here is the finished product: The promotional trailer for my science fiction novel, Transgenesis: Bisikan Rimba.



What do you think?

Challenge of a postgraduate student

When I enrolled for my PhD course three semesters ago, one of the requirements for completing the PhD is to publish in refereed journals. There are many refereed journals around, and I don't see that as a problem.

The latest requirement is that postgraduate students must publish in ISI journals which are highly cited worldwide. This poses a challenge for postgraduate students as getting published in ISI journals is not easy.

I am in the middle of identifying which journal to send my article to. Hopefully, things will work out, insya-Allah.

Campus life

Truth be told, I have never stayed on campus during my undergraduate studies in Glasgow. Sometimes, when I think about it, I do regret not having the experience of living on campus.

On Thursday evening, I was a panellist in a forum organised by the students of Applied Science with Islamic Studies held at the Academy of Islamic Studies, Universiti Malaya. The forum was lively, so much so it ended at 11.30 p.m. instead of the scheduled 10.30 p.m., and by the time I left the university campus, it was already 12.15 a.m.

That was the first time that I left the university at that hour. And I was surprised to see campus life at night is very lively with activities. I could see students associations having their meetings. And there were also students who were studying and writing up assignments within the faculty's building. Outside, I was surprised to see a student jogging!

I guess there is never a dull moment on campus. And that's what I missed.

[For a brief review of the forum, read this entry].

Say it as it is

People say that those born in the year of the tiger has a short temper. I was born in that year. When I was a young boy, I used to have a very short temper. I would easily snap at people and if I remember correctly, I was quite fierce.

Later, when I got into secondary school, I have learnt to keep my temper at bay. I don't recall ever losing my temper when I was in my teens.

Since my schooling years, I have managed, more or less, to control my anger. Yes, there have been occasions when I had to vent out my anger out of frustration mainly. But more often than not, many people who know me would probably have never seen me angry.

But I guess, things will have to change somewhat from now on.

Lately, I have been getting severe bouts of migraine almost every day. You could see the veins popping up on my forehead when I have these migraine attacks. When I checked my blood pressure, it is quite high. And I have been advised by my doctor that I should not hold back when something is bothering me.

I have seen many cultures in my life. Malaysians, in particular Malays, have always been "courteous" and unwilling to show their displeasure out of respect and out of fear that they would offend others. Americans are well-known to be direct and honest in giving their opinions. Arabs are almost similar. When I was in Egypt, I witnessed that if they don't like something, they will say it, but once they said their piece, they don't hold any grudge.

I have been advised to just say my piece. Never mind if others are "offended" or if they want to sulk later on. And I must admit, I am feeling slightly better after doing this. No more sugarcoating my words or trying to play diplomat.

From now on, I will say it as it is.

Too bad if you can't take it.

Credit where it's due

No doubt, many people have complaints about Malaysia's counter services in various government departments. Rarely though we hear people praising these services when they perform. But I believe that credit should be given where and when it is due.

I had to go to the Immigrations Department today to renew my passport for upcoming overseas trips. I arrived at the department's Wangsa Maju branch at around 11 a.m. with all the necessary documents. I was given a number and less than 10 minutes later, my number was called up. The officer at the counter was pleasant and courteous, and the whole process was completed in around five minutes. Five minutes later, I paid the fees for the passport renewal and was told that the passport would be ready in an hour's time. True enough, one hour later, the passport is ready to be picked up.

I have to admit that the visit to the Immigrations Department at Wangsa Maju was very pleasant and hassle-free. The officers were always smiling and spoke courteously. They entertained my queries professionally. The service rendered was efficient and prompt.

I hope that all other counter services in all government departments (as well as banks) are as professional, efficient and courteous.

Last week at a seminar

Last Thursday and Friday, I was busy at the Universiti Malaya. I was involved in the organisation of a seminar on Islam and science in civilisational development. In spite of the problem with my voice (and overall health), I spoke three times. The first was during the opening ceremony representing my organisation which was one of the co-organisers. The second was when I presented my paper during the first session. And the third time was during the closing ceremony on Friday.

It was one of the best seminars that I have ever attended. The discussions were lively and there were a lot of information for the participants. All in all, I have to say that the seminar was very successful.

Decisions

If life is a journey, we'll have to decide which route to take. There are times that we have difficulties in deciding once reaching a crossroad. And usually, once the decision has been made, there is no turning back.

I have come across major crossroads in my life before. Almost each time, I had taken risks, venturing into the road less travelled. Alhamdulillah, so far, each decision I made (no matter how crazy or irrational they may seem then), have turned out well.

I am yet again standing at a crossroad. In actuality, I don't have to make this decision today. In fact, I don't really have to decide for another year.

I have one aim that I want to achieve in my life. But I don't foresee that happening just yet. I have given myself until 2013 to achieve that aim. But what if, opportunity were to present itself early? What if I now have that option to achieve that personal aim much earlier? Should I go for it? Or should I stick to the schedule?

For the time being, I am still weighing my options. I will not make a hasty decision. Nevertheless, the decision will have to be made.

I pray that whatever decision I make, it will be for the best.