Hamburg - Day 3

At the time of blogging, Germany is celebrating their quarter-final win over Greece in the UEFA European Football Championship 2012. The Germans are very passionate with football and this is very much evident even before kickoff starts at 8:45 p.m. local time. I was in the city centre this afternoon and the anticipation of the match was very apparent. The sound of celebration can be heard from my hotel room even as I type this very sentence.

It is quite easy to be swayed from the actual reason for this posting. I did not originally intend to start off writing about football but the euphoria outside makes for an interesting observation. In any case, today is the second day of the conference at the University of Hamburg. In total, there were 14 papers presented today with three papers presented by Malaysians.

Ustazah Nor Safina Zainal from JAKIM presented her paper entitled "The Malaysian Department of Islamic Development (JAKIM) in Relation to Bioethical Discourse". Professor Dato' Dr Ismail Ibrahim from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia presented his paper "Development of Fatwas in Malaysia with Special Attention to Bioethical Issues". Dato' Dr Zaki Morad Mohammad Zaher from Ampang Puteri Specialist Hospital spoke on "The Novel Legislation on Transplantation in Malaysia: How It Emerged and What Problems Arose during the Process".

The second day ended with a forum with the theme "The Future of Islamic Bioethics", and one of the five panellists was Professor Datin Dr. Azizan Baharuddin, the Deputy Director-General of the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia.

It was also an interesting day for me on a personal note. I had the opportunity to meet up with my former classmate between 1983 and 1985. After 27 years, we finally met in person and of all places, in Hamburg. Siti and I were classmates in Sekolah Rendah Seri Tebrau (now Sekolah Kebangsaan Seri Tebrau) in Johor Bahru. In 1985, I moved to Kulim following my father who got transferred there. Siti and her family meanwhile migrated to Hamburg in 1986. The picture below was our school photo taken in 1985. Siti is seated at the far right at the front row while I am standing at the far right at the back row.

Fortunately, because of Facebook, we were kept in touch again a few years back. But as fate would have it,  I am here in Hamburg to attend a conference, and Siti was around for a mini reunion of sorts. Although we met briefly, it certainly brought a nice feeling since the childhood friendship was able to be renewed and refreshed. The photo below shows our brief meeting in Hamburg earlier this afternoon.

I suppose what I blogged some years back do have a ring of truth. Life is like spaghetti. Imagine each of us is a strand of spaghetti in a bowl or a plate. And that strand of spaghetti is the path that we take in our respective lives. There are times when our paths cross one another at different points. There are times when our paths are separated. And yet, there are times when the strands (paths) are so near but yet are apart. I guess that is the beauty of life. No matter how far we go following our own paths, there will be times when our paths will cross again. And from my experience and observation, true friendship stay strong regardless of the length of time that has come to pass.

Blast from the past

I first heard this classical music circa 1995 in Glasgow. I was at a close friend's room, and he was playing this music. I was somewhat down then, and this music succeeded in lifting my spirits up again.

I asked him the title of the music. He answered, "Canon by Pachelbel."

It became my favourite music for my remaining years in Glasgow. I copied a midi version of this music onto my trusted Mac, and would play it again and again.

In 1996, just before I left Glasgow for good, my friend - whom I regard as my brother - dropped by the place I was staying and quietly stashed an audio cassette of this music in my room, hidden enough for me not to notice it immediately, but not too difficult to find later on.

While the audio cassette is no longer functional (and no longer practical for that matter), the music still brings a cheer to my heart. Have a listen. Who knows, it just might cheer you up somewhat.



And to Nazrul who introduced me to Pachelbel's work, thank you for being a very good and understanding friend all those years.

River of denial

A few weeks back, I was talking to a friend. He relayed to me a piece of information. I find the information somewhat difficult to believe. As such, I asked him how reliable that piece of information is. He said, it is reliable because it came from the source.

Some time later, I found out that the information relayed to me was untrue, or more accurately, did not materialise into reality. When I next met my friend, I asked him again about the information he relayed to me.

To my surprise, he denied ever relaying me said information. He said I could have probably obtained the information from the source first hand.

I was taken aback, to say the least.

Firstly, I don't think I am THAT forgetful. As far as I know, my memory still functions well. I seriously doubt that I am losing my mind.

Secondly, I highly doubt that I got the information from the main source because my contact with the main source is very limited. I don't think I can get two different people mixed up easily.

Thirdly, there is absolutely no way anyone else could have relayed to me the said information.

This incident got me questioning myself for a few days. Did I really forget and got people mixed up? After a few days of soul-searching and thinking, I am very sure I did not. I am very certain of what happened and what was said.

I only wonder why my friend was quick to deny what he said to me several weeks earlier.

Paying what is due

One of my personal aims in life is to rid myself of debts. To date, I have only three "major investments" namely my two houses and my car.

The first house that I bought is a bad investment. The developer ran away, and the buyers have to finish the project themselves. I bought this house shortly after getting married and I have more or less given up on moving into the house. I recently completed the construction of the house, and I plan to sell it upon returning from Makkah. (Advanced notice: If anyone is interested in buying a bungalow house located at Batu 14 Hulu Langat, leave a message here).

The other house that I bought is the one I am staying in now. This is the place I call home. And I consider this a very good investment.

The car that I own is bought because of its functionality, more than anything else. With two young boys and with my parents staying with me, an 8-seater comes in handy especially when travelling back to our hometown up north.

I hope with the sale of the house in Hulu Langat, I will be able to lighten one of my major financial commitments. The loan for the car will be settled in the next few years, so I am not too concerned about that. So, that leaves me only with the loan for my current home, which I have no qualms about.

I do not know about other people but I am one person who fret when I have debts. As much as possible, I would like to settle my debts as quickly as possible. As long as I know I owe someone money, I feel that there is a huge burden on my shoulder. And the satisfaction comes when that burden is lifted by paying back what I owe.

I have a friend who does not give out loans. To him, money is a very sensitive issue. He would rather people call him stingy, then quarrelling with his friends about money they owe him. That is why he never loans money to anyone.

At the end of the spectrum, I have another friend who is ever too kind. He never hesitates to lend money to friends who come to him. His generosity, more often than not, leaves him in a predicament. People go to him when they need his help. When it's time for people to pay up, he often feels that he has to beg for the money they owe him. He once said to me, "I know how a beggar feels. The only difference is, a beggar gets what he begs for, while in my case, I don't get what is mine in the first place."

Whatever it is, we have to remember that whatever that we owe others (whether financial institutions or friends or relatives), we have the responsibility to pay them back. Personally I do not believe in living a lavish life if I still owe others money. A few years back, when things were difficult for me, a few friends came to my aid. I will never forget their kindness. As soon as things got better, the first order of business for me was to settle whatever debt I have with them. And to this very day, our friendship has been strong and getting stronger with the passing months.

I believe that true friends would help one another when one is in need. At the same time, the true test of friendship also lies in the ability and willingness of the friend in need to pay back his friend's kindness when the time comes. Don't go looking for the friend only when we are in need. We should also look up for the friend when we are doing well. And worse still, don't make the friend feels like a beggar.

In memoriam: Haji Harun Rejab

Everyone, I am very sure, who studied in Sekolah Menengah Sultan Badlishah (SMSB) after 1984 knows this name. A name that was synonymous with the school from 1984 until 1993.

Yes, I am sure that all students and teachers know Haji Harun bin Haji Rejab. He was a strict disciplinarian with a penchant for results. He was bold. He was, in my eyes, a legend.

When I entered the school in 1987, Cikgu Harun, as we would call him, was already serving as the Principal of the school. I remember very clearly to this day how everyone would go quiet as a mouse when he walked pass our classes. He did not carry a cane. But his mere sight was enough to make everyone shiver (initially with fear, but when we left school, we knew it was actually respect).

Loathed him, or loved him, Cikgu Harun turned SMSB into the school that is respected in all sense of the word. It was him who made us realise our true potentials. It was him who motivated us to strive for the best and achieve excellence.

In academics, beginning from 1987, the school maintained a 100% Grade 1 record for the Sijil Rendah Pelajaran (SRP) national examination. The record was maintained until the abolishment of SRP. In the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) national examinations, it was during his reign as Principal that the school experienced a quantum leap with the number of first graders in SPM and those who did well in STPM increased tremendously.

In sports, the school did very well in athletics and hockey. I remember during my schooling days that a number of the school's athletes went on to represent the district and state in various events.

In co-curriculum, we did very well in debating competitions. Between 1989 and 1991, in an English debating competition for the northern region held in Sungai Petani, SMSB came up as champion three years in a row with each year coming home with the best debater title. Interestingly, after coming up champs for three years running, the school never got invited to the debating competition again! In many other competitions, SMSB would be crowned as champions as well. And the list of successes would go on and on.

Cikgu Harun began to notice me, I believe, in 1989 when I was in Form Three. I remember vividly a couple of months before SRP, he called me up to his office. I was, of course, a nervous wreck because I had never been called to the Principal's office. It turned out he wanted to motivate me. But of course, his way of motivating people was, to say the least, very unconventional. There were no compliments. Although it has been nearly 21 years, I can still remember his words very clearly even until today:

"Cikgu tak mahu tengok Shaikh di sekolah ini lagi tahun depan."

Rough translation: "Shaikh, I don't want to see you in this school next year."

Weird way of motivating people to do well, but that was vintage Cikgu Harun at work. I got the message loud and clear. Essentially he made me promise that I would do well in SRP, and apply to a boarding school for my SPM level. I delivered on the first promise that is to do well in SRP. In fact, I was one of three students who scored 8A1 in that particular year. But I did not however keep the second promise. Instead of going to a boarding school, I remained in SMSB. I still remember how the Senior Assistant, Puan Siti Faridah, kept hounding me again and again, pleading with me to take the application form so that I will apply to a boarding school. I never did take the form. And I remained in SMSB for another two years.

Cikgu Harun never did say anything about it. On the one hand, I think he was disappointed that I stayed. On the other hand, I could sense that he was relieved in a way. The majority of the top scorers of SRP had left SMSB when we got into Form Four.

I was never really active in sports or extra-curricular activities, and I knew that Cikgu Harun was aware of this. I was perhaps one who would fall under the "nerd" category. I got word that in 1990, Cikgu Harun instructed my English teacher to ensure that I would take up debating. Truth be told, I hated talking in public. Debating was never in my list of "to do" things.

Somehow, after being told that it was Cikgu Harun's "instructions", with a heavy heart I agreed to be part of the debating team that represented the school for the Palani Cup in Sungai Petani. We were going in as defending champions. I remember clearly how we practiced almost every afternoon after school. And when the competition began, it was an experience that I would cherish for the rest of my life. We went on to defend the title, and I walked away with the best debater title. It was perhaps one of the sweetest memories of my life, and that achievement got the school talking for quite a while. In retrospect, while I may not be an orator, this particular exposure was perhaps the turning point in my life when I gained the confidence to speak in public. And for this, I have Cikgu Harun to thank.

The year 1991 went by pretty fast. We sat for the SPM examination. And as fate has dictated, I got an offer to further my studies in the UK before the SPM result came out. I went to see Cikgu Harun a day after I got the offer. He congratulated me and wished me luck. And again, rather unconventionally said (with a tinge of irony in his words):

"Shaikh keluar juga Badlishah!"

Rough translation: "Finally, you are leaving the school!"

I saw him again just before I flew to the UK in January of 1992. And years later after his retirement, I would drop by to see him on occasions just to see how he was doing. In 2000, he came to my wedding. And to me, to have my former Principal attending one of the most important events of my life was indeed a great honour.

I have heard in the past year or so that he had not been well. And when I received the news of his passing this morning over Facebook, I was saddened. I am sure many of my friends who had the great benefit of being in SMSB during the era of Cikgu Harun Rejab would understand very well my sentiment.

I am sure that each and everyone of us left the school feeling proud of being a part of the school. It was there that we developed our true potentials, and Cikgu Harun was our chief guiding light. His methods may be unconventional, but they yielded the necessary results. It was Cikgu Harun who dared us to dream the impossible, striving for the best and come out as champions.

If only he knew how most of us today are now all over the world - the USA, the UK, Australia, Singapore, the Middle East and of course Malaysia - working as professionals in various fields.

For all that you have done for the school, and more so for each and everyone of us, we thank you, sir.

Your passing is indeed a great loss. May Allah SWT reward you with al-Jannah for your deeds. We shall indeed miss you greatly.

Al-Fatihah!

Some interesting observations

I intended to put this down in writing shortly after coming back from the UK, but was not able to do so until today. It is interesting to note some things when I was there, and here are some of these observations that I find fascinating:

1. Unlike Malaysia when certain people argue that the disease should be called Influenza A(H1N1), Britain simply calls it "swine flu". No one seems to be sensitive to the term used. Just check the NHS website.
2. Speaking of the NHS, just before I flew home, there was a news report that states the NHS could be crippled by alcoholism. A BBC report stated, "With a quarter of England's population consuming hazardous amounts, alcohol addiction already costs the NHS more than £2.7 billion a year".
3. Richard Branson seems to be everywhere these days. From music to racing, and from airlines to trains (Virgin trains anyone?). Check out Virgin's website.
4. My friends who studied in Glasgow would be particularly interested in this one. The popular KRK wholesalers is still there, and doing fine.
5. Despite reports saying that Proton sales are up in the UK, I did not see a single Proton car while in London, Edinburgh and Glasgow. But you can easily find Malaysian brands on supermarket shelves.

There you go. Five things I find interesting from my trip to the UK.

Random UK thoughts

I honestly feel that this visit to the UK (my first real visit since 1996) is a memorable one.

Perhaps the highlight of the trip is the nostalgic return to Glasgow. Aside from being able to revisit my place of study, I was also able to meet up with the Cunninghams who were very close to the Malaysian students back in the first half of the 1990s. Visiting the Cunninghams has allowed us to rekindle the good old times and also to catch up on each other. The Cunninghams were like family to the Malaysian students in particular those who were at Langside College.

I had a chance to revisit Edinburgh. When I was there, the city was preparing for Hogmanay (the new year's eve celebration). There were a lot of tourists coming up to Edinburgh despite the freezing cold weather in Scotland. I was told that Edinburgh is the place to be for Hogmanay. The city is as beautiful as I have remembered it. The picturesque view of the Edinburgh Castle, I believe, is something that all visitors will appreciate.

I was also able to meet up with a number of friends while in London. Ahmad Hakimi and Dr Hazlita are close friends from our student days in Glasgow. Both of them are now in London, and it was a pleasure to have been able to meet up with them at their home. 'Aisyah Ali was a part-timer at Yayasan Ilmuwan, and is now studying in London. Shamsul Anuar was a dear old friend whom I have not seen in ages. Being able to meet up with old friends whom you have not seen in a while is certainly something to look forward to.

Back in my student days, I did not really come down to London as often as one would imagine. The simple reason to this was that I simply did not like the city which I felt was crowded. Well, it is still crowded. But I think I have learnt to adjust to this city. Interestingly, there is not one single day when you walk down the streets of London that you would not come across a Malaysian. From CEOs of GLCs to actors to businessmen, all of them are here. There are times I feel like I was walking along the streets in Kuala Lumpur. The only difference is that it is much much colder here in London. But come to think of it, you would not find any CEO of a GLC to be walking down Jalan Sultan Ismail going into a fast food shop, would you? (I saw a well-known CEO walking along Edgware Road going into a kebab shop for lunch with his family).

There are many Malaysian restaurants in London. I went to a few, but I must recommend a newly-opened eatery situated at Craven Road near Paddington Station. The place was opened 5 months ago, and is called "Tukdin". Of all the Malaysian restaurants that I have gone to, Tukdin is perhaps the best in terms of food. Even the teh tarik here is tasty and classy. Tukdin is known for its nasi lemak, sate goreng and pisang goreng aiskrim. So, if you are down in London, have a stop at Tukdin. It is worth it.

Nine days in the UK. It has been nostalgic. It has been a trip down memory lane. But at the end of the day, truth be told, there is no place like home.

Life is like spaghetti

An old friend of mine, Shamsul Anuar spontaneously coined that phrase when he came down to Paddington to meet up with me yesterday evening. "Life is like a spaghetti," he said referring to the different points in our lives that we have crossed paths with each other.

I first met Shamsul way back in 1982 when my family moved from Alor Setar to Johor Bahru. He was my classmate in Sekolah Rendah Seri Tebrau. His family moved away from Johor Bahru in 1984, while I left the city to move to Kulim in late 1985.

I entered Sekolah Menengah Sultan Badlishah for my secondary school, and was there up until I finished Form 5 in 1991. Amazingly, Shamsul entered MRSM Kulim during Form 4. While we were in the same town literally, we have never met each other.

In late 1991 after our SPM examination, both of us attended an interview for scholarship offered by Petronas. We were interviewed on the same day (as I remember it, it was a Friday). Shamsul, whom I had not seen in 7 years noticed me, and said hi. It was a very brief chance meeting so to speak.

I left for the UK in January of 1992 under the Petronas scholarship initially to do geology. Interestingly, Shamsul was offered to do geology as well, but he turned it down. Had he accepted, we would have been coursemates at the University of Glasgow.

In September of 1992, I went down to London. Whilst walking back to Malaysia Hall (then located at Bryanston Square), I passed by Shamsul. I didn't realise it at first, but seconds later, it hit me that the person was Shamsul. I turned my head, around the same time he did. It was one of those "one in a million" chance encounters, and of all places, we met in London. He had just arrived in London then under MARA scholarship. Later that afternoon, I went up to the place he was staying before going to Concorde College in Shropshire, and we chatted for quite a bit.

For the next couple of months, we got in touch with each other using snail mail. This was a time when e-mail was not common yet. Naturally, we got busy with our studies, and we just lost contact over the years.

When Shamsul got married, he sent me an invitation. I was already working at IKIM at that time. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend his wedding, but I did give him a call to congratulate him. That was the last time I was in touch with him...

...until 2008. Thanks to Facebook, he was able to trace me. Since then, we have been in touch using Facebook albeit virtually.

Yesterday, alhamdulillah, for the first time since 1992, I met my old friend, Shamsul Anuar again. It was a nice warm feeling despite the rather cold winter temperature. We talked and reminisced about old times and old friends. While we have not seen each other for nearly 17 years, it never felt that way. I guess that is the uniqueness of childhood friends. No matter how long you have been apart from each other, the shared "childhood years" is actually a strong bond that is difficult to sever.

With our somewhat "unique" history, I figured that was why Shamsul said, "Life is like spaghetti." Imagine each of us is a strand of spaghetti in a bowl or a plate. And that strand of spaghetti is the path that we take in life. There are times our paths will cross with one another. There are times when they are completely apart from each other. And yet, there are also times when the strands (paths) are so near and yet are apart.

While I have part ways with Shamsul for the time being, I pray that our paths will cross yet again, insya-Allah.

Condolences to Adyani

On Monday evening, while I was on holiday in my hometown up north, I received a call from one of the research executives attached to Yayasan Ilmuwan. She informed me that her father had just passed away.

The next day, a number of her colleagues from Yayasan Ilmuwan drove to Banting to visit her and her family to offer the organisation's condolences. I was unable to make it since I was still in Kedah.

Nonetheless, I would like to offer my heartfelt condolences to Nor Adyani and her family on the passing of her beloved father. I pray that his soul will be blessed, and that Adyani and her family be given the strength to carry on in spite of this big loss.

Al-Fatihah!

In memoriam: Adawiyah Yassin

Last Monday, I received the sad news of the passing of Puan Adawiyah Yassin. She was affectionately known to many of us as "Kak Ada". As I blogged in October, she suffered a stroke. This happened in the month of Ramadhan. Now, just a few days after Muslims celebrated Aidiladha, Kak Ada has left us forever. She was 56.

Everyone I spoke to remembers her as a kind, hardworking and sincere lady. I knew her way back in 1999 when I started doing programmes for the Voice of Islam which is under the Voice of Malaysia belt of programmes. She was a producer for the English programmes under the Voice of Islam, and later she headed the Voice of Islam unit. Indeed, while she remained behind the scenes in the production of these programmes, her role was significant in ensuring that the programmes are aired successfully.

To her family, I pray that all of you will be strong in facing this loss. On a personal note, I shall miss her kindheartedness. To this day, I can still hear her golden voice. May Allah SWT bless Kak Ada's soul.

Al-Fatihah!

Heartfelt condolences

The news of the passing of Datuk Pian Sukro, the Chairman of the Energy Commission took me by surprise this morning. He passed away in Rome, Italy. I do not know him personally but I most certainly know his wife, Professor Datin Dr Kobkua Suwannathat-Pian whom I worked with way back in 1997-1998.

My heartfelt condolences to Professor Kobkua and her family.

Al-Fatihah!

Wishing her well

My colleague Encik Mazilan and I went to Seremban on Monday to visit Puan Adawiyah Yassin. As a result of her stroke, she has been bed-ridden for a month now. In spite of her condition, she remains strong-willed.

I pray for her recovery. Her strength in facing this test is indeed a motivation to everyone.

Joy and sorrow

I was back in Kedah over the weekend. My parents organised a kenduri kesyukuran as they will be going to Makkah for their Haj in about two weeks time. Many relatives and friends came over to wish them a safe journey. It was quite a touching scene actually to so many people coming over and praying for my parents' safe sojourn for their pilgrimage.

On the same day of the kenduri, two friends namely Szakif and Sholihin were at the International Islamic University Malaysia for their convocation ceremony. My heartfelt congratulations to the both of them on their academic achievement, and I pray that they will continue to achieve success in their respective careers.

Later that same evening, I received a text message from the son of someone I have known for many years. His mother Puan Adawiyah Yassin, affectionately known as "Kak Ada", had suffered a stroke and is now unable to speak. Kak Ada was my producer back when I was a contributor to the Voice of Islam, a radio channel aired by RTM. According to the message, Kak Ada has been discharged from hospital and is now in Seremban. The news took me by surprise. I pray that her health will improve and that she and her family be strong in this trying times.

Around the same time I received the text message regarding Kak Ada, I received another text message from my colleague Encik Mazilan who informed me that our executive chairman at Yayasan Ilmuwan, Dr Khairul 'Azmi Mohamad, had just underwent a surgery in Johor Bahru. He is recovering well from the surgery. I pray for his speedy recovery.

Quite an eventful and emotional weekend indeed.

Congratulations, Prof Abu Bakar

Yesterday, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the Professorial Lecture of Professor Dr Abu Bakar Abdul Majeed at Universiti Teknologi MARA. His lecture was on the issue of cloning and other bioethical issues entitled "To Clone or Not To Clone... and Other Ethical Issues in Pharmacy and Medicine".

I have known Professor Abu Bakar since I joined the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM) way back in 1998. In more ways than one, he was my mentor and teacher when I was then a junior officer at the institute. His articles and talks are always thought-provoking and inspiring. His Professorial Lecture yesterday was no different.

I must congratulate Professor Abu Bakar on his lecture that was awe-inspiring. I noticed many in the audience gave great interest to his delivery, and even after the lecture many people went up to him to not only congratulate him but also to get his further comments on the issue that he put forward. Rarely do people talk about cloning from the academic point of view. To hear Professor Abu Bakar talk on cloning from an academic and an Islamic point of view was indeed fascinating.

I wish Professor Abu Bakar all the best in his future undertakings. He has recently been promoted to the rank of Assistant Vice Chancellor of UiTM. I believe he has a bright future ahead of him.

A week away for Aidilfitri

I have not had that many opportunities this year to return to my hometown up north. So, this year's Aidilfitri was the opportunity for me to head up to Kulim for about a week.

I left the capital on Saturday morning right smack into a seven-hour drive to Kulim. On a normal day, it will take just over four hours but because of the long festive holiday, people were leaving Kuala Lumpur in droves.

The weather throughout Aidilfitri has been quite unpredictable this year. I didn't actually move around that much, just jetting from my parents' house to my mother-in-law's house throughout the week. Relatively speaking, this year's Hari Raya was quite quiet.

The week away was also good in that I stayed away from the Internet. It's quite a relief to actually have a life outside the virtual world. Anyway, now that I'm back in KL, chances are it will be back to routine.

In any case, allow to me to take this opportunity (belated though it may be), to wish all my friends and blog visitors, Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri and maaf zahir batin.

Blame it on Facebook

I know I haven't been blogging in quite a long while. Blame it on Facebook.

I also know that I don't get that many visitors anymore. Blame it on Facebook.

I noticed that the number of physical Hari Raya cards sent and received this year has dwindled tremendously. Blame it on Facebook.

I also noticed that not many shops actually sell Hari Raya cards this year. Blame it on Facebook.

I noted that the number of e-mail notifications has increased twenty-fold. Blame it on Facebook.

I also noted that I don't actually send out that many e-mails anymore. Blame it on Facebook.

I observed that many friends have taken up virtual farming. Blame it on Facebook.

I also observed that many colleagues are enjoying the virtual world more than the real world. Blame it on Facebook.

But bottom line, in my case at least, I have managed to get in touch with many long lost friends. You can blame that on Facebook too.

Ramadhan is here again...

I know this post is somewhat late as Ramadhan has started on Saturday, but nonetheless, may I wish all Muslim friends and visitors a blessed Ramadhan.

In memoriam: Dr Alias Mohd Yatim

You have to admit, Facebook does have its advantages. It was through this Internet application that I learnt of the death of Dr Alias Mohd Yatim albeit somewhat late. Dr Alias passed away on 28th July 2009.

Dr Alias was perhaps the longest serving chairman of my secondary school's Parent-Teacher Association. My father knew him quite well. When my sister was in school, both of them became quite close as they waited for their daughters to finish the day's schooling.

His eldest daughter is one year older than myself, and his youngest was the same age as my sister (14 years my junior). I know three of his daughters quite well. In fact, his second daughter Arni Aryani Sarlis was in my batch in school. His passing is most definitely a great loss to his family.

In my professional career, I have met him several times during academic seminars. He lectured at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) and more recently the Open University of Malaysia (OUM). I am sure his students will miss him dearly.

A childhood friend, Wong Chee Hong, would never miss visiting his home in Kulim during Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Dr Alias was always a father figure to the friends of his daughters. We are always welcomed to his home.

My only regret is that I came to know of his passing rather late. I was unable to pay my last respects. Nonetheless, I pray that his ruh will be placed amongst those who are promised paradise in the Hereafter. And to his family who mourn his passing, I pray that they would remain strong.

Al-Fatihah.

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.

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].