World Book and Copyright Day

While publicity on yesterday's Earth Day may be wide, many of us may not be aware that today has been designated as "World Book and Copyright Day" by UNESCO. Anyone who knows that today is World Book and Copyright Day please raise their hands!

As someone who is involved in publishing (directly and indirectly) since 1996, I think that this day is important in increasing the awareness of society on the importance of books and copyright issues. While many talked about piracy in the computing, music and film industries, many forgot that this same problem exists in the publishing industry. Plagiarism in publishing is a serious matter. By the way, let's remember that books are not just printed material, but may also include electronically-published material.

The only other thing that I'd like to emphasise is that we should make reading as our culture and not merely a hobby - for reading is food for the mind.

Let's enjoy reading!

Do our part

We live in a planet that is fragile. Whether we want to admit it or not, much damage has been done on this world that is our home. And already we can see its impacts - global warming, flash floods, landslides, etc.

We only have this planet to live on. Let us do our part in ensuring that no more damage is done to this blue gem that is Planet Earth. Remember that we borrow this planet from the future generation.

Happy Earth Day 2008 - and let's not just celebrate, but act on it as well. Each of us has a role to play in ensuring a better future for this planet of ours.

Feels like old times

It has been an interesting day today for me at the office. One of the trustees of the organisation I'm attached to came by. He is currently based in Brunei Darussalam as an advisor to the government there. He happened to be my former big boss at my former workplace. What is interesting is that, since Yayasan Ilmuwan started one of our consultancy projects on 1st February, we have started recruiting a number of staff. Three of the project team members recruited are in fact formerly attached to the same organisation which I was with previously.

So, when the old big boss came a-visiting, and the four of us are here, it really felt like a mini reunion. Amazingly, it really feels like old times at the old workplace.

[Health update: I have not had any migraine episode for the past three days, alhamdulillah].

Headthrob

It has almost become a daily ritual now. Every afternoon I would get migraine. It would start with what I would describe as a tremendous pressure building inside my skull, followed by intense pain on one side of the head. The pain may be on the right or left side of the head. But one thing for sure, you could see my throbbing veins popping up the skin on the side where the pain is.

I have been to the doctor twice already. And I have been prescribed a drug meant to ease my migraine. It does work, but I'd rather not take it as it makes my body shiver and causes my legs to cramp. I'm not sure if it's related, but my blood pressure these days has been pretty low.

I'm waiting to see if there is any improvement in the next few days. If the migraine persists, I may have to make an appointment to see my neurologist.

Temporary (health) glitch

I had wanted to update this, and my other blogs, earlier. There were many things that I wanted to update in the past week. Unfortunately, for the third time in six months, I was unwell again. I had a severe case of fever and migraine. In any case, my health is steadily improving. And hopefully, frequent updates will be forthcoming.

Cybercongestion

I have been an Internet user since 1996. I was one of the earliest Jaring dial-up subscribers. Then about two years ago, I switched to TMNet Prepaid dial-up service. At the office meanwhile, we use the Streamyx broadband service.

Recently, when my family moved to our new home, I was at a crossroad of sorts. Should I continue using narrowband dial-up Internet? Or should I now use broadband Internet connection? Or should I try out the new mobile broadband service? Until today, I haven't actually made up my mind.

Partly because my office just provided me with a mobile broadband modem which allows me to (theoretically speaking) be connected anywhere anytime. While this is indeed handy, I find that the connectivity of the mobile Internet device left a lot to be desired. I find that the Internet traffic at certain hours is horrendous. And it is virtually impossible for me to get online at home in the evenings.

I suppose we can draw similarities with highways. While highways can be very fast for road users, during peak hours however, the highways would still be crawling with traffic.

I think much still needs to be done with the country's infostructure. With the growing number of Internet users in Malaysia, the facilities must be improved in accordance to this trend. Otherwise people will be left with an awful taste in their mouths when it comes to Internet connection. We have heard people complaining about the traffic jams in the country, let's not wait till people start complaining about cybertraffic jams.

Managing geniuses

Aside from the local political issues, Malaysians seem to follow with great interest the story of Sufiah Yusof. Her success story was first told way back in 1998 - both here in Malaysia and the UK. But when her latest story was published on Sunday, many people were shocked. The shock was felt not only in Malaysia but also in the UK. Some of the common responses could be read here. Even her ex-husband who is now working in Saudi Arabia was shocked when the news reached him.

Sufiah - then and now

If this story is indeed true, then most definitely it's a sad fate that had befallen the one-time math prodigy. Whether we want to admit or not, a successful person is not necessarily the most intelligent or brilliant person. One may possess a high intellectual prowess, but intellectuality is only one dimension that makes up a person's complete self. The physical, psychological, mental, emotional and spiritual dimensions should never be ignored. If any one of these dimensions are ignored, we would end up being an unstable or insecure person. One wonders what could have driven Sufiah to prostitution taking up the pseudonym Shilpa Lee?

Sometimes I worry when I read about young children with great academic abilities. Throughout the years, we have seen many of these child prodigies. When stories about their uniqueness come out, all are in awe - which is very much expected. Everyone applauds them. They are idolised by society. No doubt, all this is well and good.

But I have these questions to ask: Do we monitor their progress? More importantly, are the children's success being managed correctly? And the one million dollar question is, where are they now?

Oft-times I wondered whatever happened to the prodigies of yesteryears. I have heard many stories about the fate that has befallen them, with Sufiah's fate being the latest. I have always said to many people that, while it is good to score a string of A's in your SPM or A-Level or whatever, at the end of the day, these A's are just your ticket into universities. What is more important is your success at the university level. I have seen many who didn't do so well (read: didn't get a string of A's at the school level), but came out from university with flying colours. It would be a shame if the student who scored at the school level couldn't do as well at the tertiary level.

Success is not measured by how many A's you get on paper because the fact of the matter is that one needs not be a genius at the school level to be a true genius in life.

Sadly, I believe that we should shoulder part of the blame for our inability, or rather, failure to manage success stories such as our child prodigies.

KLIBF 2008

This is a note to all readers and book lovers out there. The annual Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair (KLIBF) will be held at PWTC from the 4th to 13th of April. So to those who are interested, please spare some time to attend KLIBF 2008. It's worth your time.

Blog readability

I came to know about a blog's reading level from this entry at Temasik's World. By clicking at this link, blog owners can rate the readability of their blogs. And the result?



Apparently, my blog is at the postgraduate level. Notice the test tube, atomic stucture and rocket.

Afterthought: I tried this tool for my other two blogs which use mainly Malay language, and the outcome is that those blogs are at the genius level. My guess is that if the language used in the blogs couldn't be understood by the tool, it'd regard those blogs as having a high level of intelligence. To quote Homer (Simpson, not the philosopher): D'oh!

Treat the tool as something fun, and it shouldn't be taken seriously.

Mary and her lamb in the biotech era

Some have asked what course do I teach at Universiti Malaya. It's "Science and Religion" - a course I share with my PhD supervisor. Most people I know regard this course as "heavy" and "very philosophical." I don't deny that "Science and Religion" can be heavy, but I find it fascinating as well, especially when we look at everyday case studies. Whether we realise it or not, the interaction between science and religion is an everyday occurrence.

I have been involved with this interaction since my tenure at IKIM. In 2005, while presenting a paper on biotechnology and Islam at a conference held at the Environmental Institute of Malaysia (EiMAS), I came across an interesting nursery rhyme, which is an updated version of "Mary Had a Little Lamb." I thought that it'd be good to share this with you.

MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB – biotech version
Author unknown

Mary had a little lamb

Its fleece was slightly gray

It didn’t have a father

Just some borrowed DNA

It sort of had a mother

Though the ovum was on loan

It was not so much a lambkin

As a little lamby clone

And soon it had a fellow clone

And soon it had some more

It made the children laugh and sing

The teachers found it droll

There were too many lamby clones

For Mary to control

No other could control the sheep

Since their programs didn’t vary

So the scientists resolved it all

By simply cloning Mary

But now they feel quite sheepish

Those scientists unwary

One problem solved, but what to do

With Mary, Mary, Mary?

Brand new day

I know how most people hate Mondays. But today, it feels like a brand new day for me. My family has moved into our new apartment which is a lot more comfortable than our rented house. Having said that, I left the old house with a rather heavy heart. Of all the places that I have stayed in all my life, that rented house was the longest that I stayed in. All in all, I stayed there for a little over eight years.

Now that I have moved, I look forward to the days ahead.

A brand new day indeed.

Looking east

Konnichiwa!

It has been nearly two weeks since I haven't been well. I have not fully recovered although I have to say things are somewhat improving. I don't have any fever anymore but the cold bug is still persistent. This bugging cold however is not slowing me down. I didn't take any day off from work as I find resting at home makes me rather restless.

Fortunately, there's plenty of action going on at this point in time - and I'm not talking about the coming election process.

One of the latest development is that I have begun learning a new language. As it is, I am bilingual with fairly good command of Bahasa Malaysia and English. I also have very basic knowledge in Arabic. I can understand standard Arabic when it is spoken, but that's about it. Now, I have started learning Japanese. Pretty interesting language this. It takes a while to get the hang of this language, but given time and hard work, I think I'll manage, insya-Allah.

So don't be surprised when you see Japanese words or phrases in my blog entries.

Bugged again

I actually couldn't believe it when I did a quick search on this blog. Apparently, in February last year, I was down with the usual cocktail of fever, cough and cold. Guess what? It's February and I am having fever, cough and cold since Saturday afternoon.

While the weather may be unpredictable these days, if this trend stays next year, then maybe I can say that February is the "cold" season.

Fabulous February

What a month February is turning out to be.

The consultancy project that we're working on is now running at third gear. This Thursday, we'll be interviewing candidates to fill up 22 vacancies available. In the meantime, I have been tasked with identifying and locating a suitable office space, and if everything goes as planned, we'll be moving to Setiawangsa Business Suites some time in March.

I have also started collected the needed data and information for Fikri's memoir, Echoes of My Heart. Fikri's mother, Puan Fatimah, is also helping out especially with arranging for interviews with family members and friends as well as collecting pictures and newspaper cuttings of Fikri. We have also discussed some technical aspects for the publication of the memoir.

Renovation (albeit minor) for the apartment that my wife bought is ongoing. The contractor informed me that everything will be done next Monday. Hopefully we can move in by the end of this month. When we move into the apartment and when Yayasan Ilmuwan moves into Setiawangsa Business Suites, this would mean that it will only take me about three minutes to walk from my apartment to my office! I have never thought that this would be possible for someone working in Kuala Lumpur, but alas, when this day comes, it will be like a dream come true.

I am so looking forward to tomorrow afternoon when I start my lecture at Universiti Malaya. I am scheduled to give two one-hour lectures weekly for five weeks. The lectures are on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. After my lectures, I guess I'll be spending my time at the university's library - one of my favourite spots in the university. At least I can use the time to search for references needed for my PhD research.

Yesterday, I attended a meeting with the buyers of the housing project in Hulu Langat. I bought a plot of land there and the house was already near completion. Unfortunately, the developer was issued a stop-work order by the municipal council. Essentially, the meeting was organised to plan ahead on what needs to be done to alleviate the problem. It was a fruitful meeting, and hopefully, we can have the keys to the house by the year's end. It has been a long enough wait as it is already.

The month of February has certainly be packed so far, but what's more important is that it has been productive. Let's hope that this positive momentum stays that way.

X marks the vote

And so the date for the country's general election has been fixed on 8th March. That's just over three weeks away. With the dissolution of the Parliament and the state assemblies yesterday, election fever officially starts.

There are indeed many who dream of becoming Parliamentarians and State Assemblymen. Those who are incumbents would most probably want to carry on "serving." And there are many more who want to contest as first time candidates. Those who lost in the last elections would probably want to make a come back. And those who were not fielded the last time around may harbour hopes of being chosen this time.

Personally, I want to see those who are nominated and consequently elected - no matter which party they represent - are those who are mature, responsible and accountable - and more importantly, are true "wakil rakyat."

I am tired of our Yang Berhormat who talk rubbish, do no research before speaking and worse still, rude, when they are debating in the Parliament - turning the august house into a circus or a joke. I am equally sick of our Yang Berhormat who are merely talkshops - where they talk and talk and talk, without being able to implement what was said.

But then again, who am I to argue?

Oh, yeah. I forgot.

I am a voter who puts down the X.

And my vote counts.

My CNY adventure

Yesterday was essentially the last day of the long Chinese New Year weekend. As per usual, when there is a long festive holiday, the highway would be congested. This time around, I spent the long holiday in Kuala Lumpur with my family. My parents and sister meanwhile went back to Kulim on the first day of Chinese New Year, and returned home yesterday.

As expected, the journey from Kedah to Kuala Lumpur was at a very slow pace. My mother even remarked that it would probably be faster to walk. My parents and sister took an express bus from our hometown. The bus left at 12 noon, and only at 3 p.m. did the bus arrive in Ipoh. The journey was terribly slow. As if things were not bad enough, just after 7 p.m., my mother called to inform me that the bus had broken down somewhere just after Slim River. All the passengers waited beside the very busy highway - in pitch black condition as the sun was already down, safe for the bus' own lights - for any other buses with empty seats that could give them a lift to the capital city. Apparently the bus company did not prepare a contingency plan as there was no replacement buses available. [Note to self: Must remind parents not to take that bus company again].

I was gravely concerned with the situation. It is very dangerous to be waiting beside a busy highway in darkness. At 8 p.m., I called my mother and offered to pick them up. Initially she declined the offer, but half an hour later, I called her again and this time she relented. So immediately, I left home and drove all the way up to Slim River, made a u-turn just after the toll at the Slim River exit, and doubled back to where the bus broke down. It took me nearly an hour and a half to reach there from my house. And it took me another an hour and a half to reach home. We arrived at my house at 11.30 p.m. The traffic was indeed heavy. Mind you though, I wasn't breaking any speed limits!

I was relieved that everyone was okay. It is quite an experience to be making such a mad dash at that hour. I don't really like driving at night. My eyesight at night is not so sharp especially with the blinding headlights from opposite traffic. In any case, that was indeed an adventure for me to remember.

Addendum:
To all my Chinese friends and visitors to this humble blog, may I wish all of you a Happy Chinese New Year!

It's February already

Time sure flies when you're having fun. Or rather, when you're busy.

Such is the case with me. January has been a very eventful month that I find it difficult to believe that we're already in February. And before you know it, February too will be over - more so with it being the shortest month and 3 days of the month are public holidays (not counting weekends).

So what are my targets for this month?

Workwise, I need to oversee that the consultancy project with Yayasan Pelajaran MARA begins without any hiccups. That in itself is taking a lot of my time these past couple of weeks. In any case, with the Project Director and two key personnels already reported for duty on the 1st of this month, I expect they will be able to get things into second gear.

Also, my focus also falls on two books that Yayasan Ilmuwan is publishing this year. One is a collection of articles on "Islam Hadhari" while the other is Fikri's memoir entitled Echoes of My Heart. The former is more or less almost done - I just need to get four more articles from three very busy writers (sigh!). As for the latter, I am doing the research this month by interviewing the surgeons, doctors and nurses who were involved with Fikri at Institut Jantung Negara as well as his family members. The memoir project has attracted the attention of a VVIP who is willing to launch the memoir when it's ready. So, I guess I have to put my heart and soul into this very important project.

On a more personal note, if everything goes as planned, my family will move into our own home later this month. The apartment is currently being renovated but I don't expect the renovation works to take too long.

Studywise, I have begun to scribble a note or two for the first two chapters of my PhD's thesis. Since most of my working hours are spent on work, I have to use my evenings and weekends to bury myself in books at the library of Universiti Malaya.

This week is the semester break for most public universities including Universiti Malaya. Next week though, I will start lecturing to Universiti Malaya's Faculty of Science students taking the subject of "Science and Religion." I share this class with my PhD supervisor - I teach five weeks of the subject (sandwiched between my supervisor's turns). Personally, I look forward to this.

I have actually taken quite a long break from creative writing. I guess time hasn't really permitted me to focus so much on this. Nonetheless, I hope to start writing a script for a 90-minute drama set in pre-independent Malaya. And I also hope to get my anthology of science fiction-themes short stories done.

All in all, it looks like the short month of February seems pretty packed for me. At least, this will keep me on my toes. And if time permits, I'll certainly be blogging - so don't forget to come and check from time to time.

Signed and sealed

This actually took place on the 14th of January. I had wanted to blog about this much earlier, but have not been able to - until today.

The organisation I am attached to, Yayasan Ilmuwan, have signed an agreement with Yayasan Pelajaran MARA (YPM) to provide consultancy for the latter. This is part of the reason why I haven't been blogging of late. Much of my time these days are focused towards getting this important project started. Alhamdulillah, things are looking good for the project to commence in February.

Anyway, I just like to share the photos of the signing ceremony.

Above: YPM's CEO, Mohamad Ali Mansor and yours truly signing the documents.

Above: Exchanging the documents

Here's looking at you, kid

My second son is now four months old. Some of my blogger friends have requested that I post his picture. Who am I to disappoint people? Here are two pictures (one with my eldest son). Enjoy!

Maintaining the momentum

The third week of 2008 has been pretty much good.

On Monday, the organisation I am attached to has signed a contract with a government agency to undertake a consultancy job. This is indeed a welcomed development as we had been in numerous negotiations since early 2007. While the signing certainly brings about sighs of relief, the true work is only just beginning.

On Thursday, I attended a meeting organised by the National Transplant Resource Centre (NTRC) at Hospital Ampang. We were there to look at a possible media awareness programme presented by a company. I must say I am impress with what they have presented. If NTRC decides to accept this proposal, I am sure that awareness on organ donation would be increased.

Then on Friday, I received the keys to our newly-bought home. Again, this is after waiting for over a year. We look forward to moving in next month.

Later that afternoon, I met up with Azhan who works in Switzerland. He was in town after a business trip to China before returning to Switzerland. As we don't get to meet that often now that he's based overseas, the opportunity of chatting "live in person" was something that neither of us wanted to miss. We met up at KLCC for about an hour and a half, and managed to catch up with each other, while of course reminiscing about our time as students in that place called Glasgow.

I wonder what the coming week has in store. Hopefully, this positive momentum that began with the dawn of the new year would continue.

Welcoming 1429 Hijriyyah

Yesterday was the 1st of Muharram which is the first day of the Muslim calendar. As the dawn of the first day of 1429 Hijriyyah unfolded, it is in the spirit of hijrah that we strive to improve and better ourselves, not just by making new year's resolution(s), but also to endeavour to translate the resolution(s) into actions that would bring about the change that we want to make.

May 1429 Hijriyyah brings about success to our lives, insya-Allah.

So far so good

We are now into the second week of 2008. In a couple of days time, it will be the first day of the Hijrah calendar. I have to say that for me personally, 2008 has begun on a high, positive and promising note.

I am now a PhD candidate at Universiti Malaya. At the same time, I am also lecturing part-time at the said university.

If everything goes well, my family will be moving into our own home after quite a long wait. We are now waiting for the keys, before doing some minor renovations. We plan to move in come Chinese New Year in February.

On the work front, things are also looking bright. Something that we've been working on to get since January 2007 has finally been approved. Barring any unforeseen circumstances or hiccups, we hope to seal the agreement in the very near future.

And the Internet connection has been fixed this afternoon. After many moons of non-connection at the office, I am back online as of 4.25 p.m. today (finally!).

The building that we're occupying now has been sold by its owner. No doubt, we'll have to move out very soon. On the bright side, we're finally moving out of this problematic building. Where to? Insya-Allah to a better place. More on this when the time is right.

I have also set a number of writing projects for me to tackle this year. Personally, I have targeted at least one novel to be published this year.

Alhamdulillah, 2008 has started on a highly promising note. With all the things that I am doing, it will certainly be a busy 2008. I just hope the momentum will be sustained for the rest of the year.

As a friend always said, "here's to a bright and prosperous future."

New year... old affinity

All these years, I have always been involved in lecturing at one point or another. I have been a guest lecturer at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) and Universiti Malaya (UM). Lecturing is very close to my heart and it is something that I enjoy.

For this year, after a hiatus of four years, I will be lecturing again (on a part-time basis) at Universiti Malaya's Faculty of Science. This is something that I look forward to. The new semester begins this week, and the first class is today.

It has always been my aim that eventually, at one point in my life, I would like to jump into the academic world on a full-time basis. The time for that to happen is not now, but with the experience of lecturing that I am accumulating, I hope it would be a good enough preparation for that eventuality.

New year... new blog (not mine though)

A little promotion here. With the beginning of 2008, it looks like my little sister now has a blog. So, feel free to drop by Alam Maya Liyana. Now let's see if we can get my seafaring brother to blog as well. That would be interesting.

In the meantime, don't forget to frequent this blog or any of my other blogs (Macam-macam Aku Tulis and Step by Step) from time to time. I will try to update as often as I can.

Two Double-Oh Eight

And so, 2008 has been ushered in.

I received several new year wishes over text message. Quite a few interesting and unique ones too. Here, I'd like to share my favourite four.

From a friend who's doing his PhD in Australia, Arsaili: "Welcome aboard to "Year 2008" airline! Passengers, pls b in seat now, hold tight as the flight will b leaving soon to New Year City! Enjoy ur flight! May Allah bless u."

A message my wife received from her colleague: "No sweet thoughts to forward. No cute graphics to send. Just a CARING HEART saying I remember U... Happy New Year."

This message came from a friend who studied in Japan. It's in Japanese and I haven't really a clue what it actually means. I have to make a point to ask him when I can: "Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu. Sakunen wa iroiro to osewaninari arigatou gozaimashita. Kotoshi mo hikitsuzuki yoroshiku onegaishimasu. Zulkefeli yori. Gantang heisei 20nen."

And my favourite message is one that I received from a 68-year old friend: "Today's exit marks the end of the old year taking with it episodes in our lives & heralds the birth of the new year either to continue from where we left or to tread on new avenues. Wishing u to cherish another promising year."

Well, I guess much can be said and written about the new year. And we should certainly take stock of 2007 while at the same time making new resolutions for 2008. Personally, I do not have any new year resolutions, simply because I believe that life itself is a process of continuous improvement. Nonetheless, instead of resolutions, I have a list of targets and aims that I wish to achieve and realise in 2008.

So, to all friends who frequent my humble blog, allow me to wish "a happy and prosperous year ahead."

Aidiladha wish

Aidiladha is one of the two celebrations in the Muslim calendar (the other being Aidilfitri). This important day is celebrated in conjunction with the performance of the Haj or pilgrimage to Makkah and the commemoration of the qurban or sacrifice undertaken by the Abu al-Anbiya', Prophet Ibrahim 'alaihissalam.

May I take this oportunity to record my Aidiladha wish to all Muslims who frequent this humble blog. Eid Mubarak!

Living proof

Last Friday, I visited Fikri at IJN. He was there for his routine biopsy. While there, Tee Hui Yi who received a new heart in October, and her mother dropped by to see Fikri. It was the first time that I actually met Hui Yi in person, and it was great to see her doing so well. She seemed so cheerful and her health has improved tremendously. If everything goes well, she'll be discharged sometime this week.

For me personally, being able to see how organ recipients like Fikri and Hui Yi doing well after their transplants is proof enough of the importance of organ donation.

Shake well before use

It has been raining continuously these past couple of days. Unfortunately (or fortunately) - depending on who you're talking to - we don't get snow on this part of the world, unless of course global warming turns the weather system topsy-turvy.

In any case, I found the following link to be particularly creative. Have a click here, and remember to shake well!

Same old, same old

And now for some updates...

Air-conditioning is still out. At least they figured out what was wrong. The compressor of one of the units caused the system to short-circuit.

Internet is also still out. Again, at least the problem has been identified. It has got to do with the ADSL line of the ISP.

In other words, no new development as yet.

*Sigh*

Monday blues

I rarely get Monday blues. But today, I am going through one. The Internet at the office is still down. The air-conditioning is also problematic. And I feel psychologically exhausted as a result of frustration with the way certain things are not turning out the way they should.

Sometimes I just feel like leaving.

Maybe I should...

Worth waiting for

It took well over a year, but I guess it's worth the wait. After submitting the application last year, I finally got a letter of offer to do PhD at Universiti Malaya a couple of days ago. I have since accepted the offer, and will be doing the obligatory health check next week, before registering before Hari Raya Aidiladha.

So after much delay, I will finally embark on the next level of education. As I will be doing this while I'm working (along with the other stuff I do), I pray that I be given the strength and good health to continue my studies.

The university gives each candidate a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 8 years to complete the doctorate. As I am self-financed, I aim to complete the thesis within 2 years. That is a challenge that I put before myself.

Of sadness and hope

I was saddened upon hearing the news that 18-year old Siti Salmah Jasni had passed away due to severe septicaemia. Siti Salmah underwent the country's first simultaneous heart and lungs transplant on 2nd November at the National Heart Institute. My deepest condolences to her family. May her soul be blessed by Allah SWT.

Meanwhile, it is heartening to learn that Tee Hui Yi who made history by becoming the country's first double heart transplant patient is recovering well. The 14-year old girl is expected to start schooling again next year. My best wishes to Hui Yi on her full and fast recovery.

I text-messaged 17-year old Muhammad Fikri a couple of days ago. Fikri, dubbed "the Tin Man" by the media when he was fitted with a mechanical heart in 2005, had just finished his SPM examination. Fikri was the first patient in the East Asian region to be fitted with the mechanical heart internally. And subsequently, he received a new heart in December 2005. I asked him how he felt now that the exam is over, and he said he felt great and relieved that he was able to sit for the exam. I pray that Fikri has done well for his SPM.

Now that Fikri's exam is out of the way, I will be assisting him with his memoir entitled Echoes of My Heart. We hope that by sharing his experience, more Malaysians would understand of the great importance of organ donation in saving lives. Organ donation allows for organ transplantation to take place. While transplant may not be 100% successful, it has been proven to have given a new lease of life to a great number of patients like Fikri, Hui Yi and many others. Stories like those of Fikri's and Hui Yi's certainly have touched the hearts of many of us. Let's hope more people will be moved to pledge their organs.

Smoked

What a smoking start to the morning.

Someone thought it must have been a good idea to burn rubbish not far from where I live. While it drizzled this morning, one could actually see black smoke coming up from the burning rubbish. The otherwise fresh morning air was tainted with black fumes.

Then when I got to the office, I could smell something burning. Apparently one of the shops at the back of my office block was on fire, and a fire engine was already there when I arrived.

And now suddenly, I have a craving for smoked salmon.

How will this story end?

Every story has an ending. And every year has an end as well.

We are now coming towards the end of 2007. Perhaps it is timely to evaluate how 2007 has been. Has it been good? Has it been bad? Has it been so-so?

What does 2008 have in store for us?

A new beginning? A continuation of the same old routine? New excitement? Or nothing new?

For me, the end of 2007 sees me at a crossroad of sorts. Which route will I take? The road less travelled perhaps?

Alas, this story is far from over.

Long overdue

I know I've promised to post my newborn son's pictures some time back. He is now two and a half months old. And since a promise is a promise, I am making good of it. So here goes.

Above: A few hours after birth

Above: After shaving the hair (about 3 weeks old)

Guess who just found his way back?

Okay, I admit.

I was gone longer than I should have. And for that, I beg for your forgiveness. My deepest appreciation to those who have dropped by this blog, in spite of the lack of activity here for the past three weeks or so.

My absence has been due to a number of reasons. Chief among these is my health. I have been unwell ever since the end of Aidilfitri. The high fever that hit me a couple of weeks ago was perhaps the worst in my life. That, and a few anxiety attacks, really put me out of commission for quite some time.

In any case, I am back alhamdulillah. Let's hope that I'm back for the long haul although I cannot promise a daily update.

It's good to be back though!

Missing

I have been pretty quiet lately that I seem to be missing from the blogosphere. While I do check in on my friends' blogs on almost a daily basis, I wasn't in the mood to do much blogging myself. Not that there's nothing to blog. It's just that I have not been well for the past couple of weeks. It has been one thing after another. Two weeks ago, it was gastritis. Last week it was the combo of cold and cough.

This week, it's high fever. I went to give a lecture on organ donation at Hospital Ampang yesterday afternoon. Things went pretty well until I got home. I noticed my temperature went up at around 9.30 pm. This morning when I went to see the doctor, my temperature stood at 38.8 degrees Celcius and my blood pressure was pretty low - 85/60.

So I guess these are just some signs telling me to take things easy. I will return when things improve healthwise.

Raya report - Day 8

It's the eighth day of Syawal and I have completed the optional puasa enam. Nothing much happened on this day, aside from the usual afternoon rain of course.

I basically spent the whole day with my family at home. And I dropped by one of my neighbours' house as he organised an open house today.

Other than that, things were pretty much quiet... as usual.

Raya report - Day 7

The 7th day of Syawal was spent in KL. And much like Kulim, the wet weather seems to dampen the Hari Raya mood somewhat.

Nonetheless, the morning was filled with a couple of tasks. Like I blogged yesterday, my father has an appointment at IJN. After that, I sent my sister back to her campus in Petaling Jaya. After that was done, I brought my parents to a hypermarket to buy some stuff.

Things were a lot more quiet in the afternoon after the Friday prayers. I managed to get some rest. The exhaustion from the 5-hour drive the day before could still be felt.

And the best thing about the 7th day of Syawal is that I have managed to complete all six days of optional fasting at one stretch. It really feels good to be able to complete this act of fasting. And somehow, I feel that I miss the month of Ramadhan. Personally, I cannot wait for Ramadhan to come again next year.

Around 9 in the evening, my sister-in-law came visiting with her two daughters and two sisters. My brother has not been able to celebrate Hari Raya with us for three years running now because of his duties as engineer aboard a sea vessel. It has been a while since we managed to celebrate Aidilfitri with all the family members around.

In any case, it was good to be able to see my two nieces.

Raya report - Day 6

I arrived in KL around 3 p.m. today. The drive was smooth. The traffic wasn't heavy at all. I guess most people will only be coming back to the capital during the weekend. The weather was pretty good when we left Kulim. It only rained once we got to Lembah Beringin but even then, it wasn't too heavy. But I did notice that KL was pretty wet by the time we arrived even though the rain had stopped. The rain must be quite heavy just before we got into the city.

Frankly, I am a bit exhausted from the journey. I managed to get some rest in the afternoon but still, the body still aches somewhat. With the sun setting today, that means that I have completed 5 out of the 6 days of fasting in the month of Syawal. Another day to go. While I did say that this year's Hari Raya has been quiet and uneventful, I guess there is a silver lining to it. I have managed to start the puasa enam as soon as the second day of Syawal and looks set to complete it on the seventh day of Syawal. This would be my best personal achievement in this regard.

Last night, Azhan gave me a call. He is back from Switzerland with his wife Ann and daughter Lana Alesha for Aidilfitri. His hometown is in Serdang (Kedah) which is not far from Kulim. He called me up thinking of coming for a visit today. It's unfortunate that I was returning home to KL today, otherwise we'd have been able to meet up. In any case, he's coming to KL next week. So, we're planning to meet up then. Here's hoping for that to take place.

Tomorrow will be quite hectic. My father has to go to IJN to give his blood sample for Monday's follow-up. And I'm also sending my sister back to her campus tomorrow as she has to sit for an exam paper on Saturday.

Raya report - Day 5

Guess what? Another uneventful - and wet - day. I noticed that quite a few friends have remarked that this year's Aidilfitri is so very quiet. Could it be the weather? Could it be something else? Your guess is as good as mine.

I'm on my fourth day of puasa enam. And today is my second son's first month anniversary. And we brought him to have his Hepatitis B second immunisation jab.

Also today, we're spending the night at my mother-in-law's house. I'll be leaving for Kuala Lumpur tomorrow morning but my wife and newborn will be staying behind. My parents, sister and eldest son will coming along to KL. My sister will have her exams beginning this Saturday while my father has his follow-up at IJN. On Monday, I'll be coming back to Kulim to send my parents and son. From then onwards, I will be plying the North-South Expressway on a regular basis to visit my family.

I suppose the adventure of travelling northwards and back will be more eventful than this year's Hari Raya.

Raya report - Day 4

Today is another quiet day. Only my mother's cousin and her family came visiting. The weather meanwhile is relatively drier compared to the first three days of Aidilfitri. I am on my third day of fasting in the month of Syawal. Other than these, I guess there's nothing much to blog for today.

Raya report - Day 3

It is still wet on the third day of Aidilfitri. Like I said previously, I don't really mind as the showers keep the temperature down.

But things are quiet as with the previous days. I spent the whole day at home with my family. Only Saiful Sidek, whom I met about eight years ago in my alma mater during which I gave a motivational talk, dropped by for a visit in the afternoon. I have not seen him close to five years actually. So it was good to have met him today. We spent close to two hours catching up on old times.

Other than that, nothing much happens. I am on my second day of optional fasting. So far, I am confident that I would be able to complete all six days before the week ends.

And since things are rather quiet, I decided to start rereading the manuscript for my second novel tentatively entitled Transgenesis: Bisikan Rimba. I actually finished writing the novel during the first few days of Ramadhan. I hope to complete rereading and repairing the manuscript before returning to Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, so that I can submit the manuscript to the publisher some time next week.

Raya report - Day 2

The second day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri in Kulim was wet. The first day rained too but only briefly in the afternoon. The rain on the second day however was longer, heavier and more persistent. I guess that was probably why we didn't get that many visitors today. Only my mother's half sister accompanied by three of her daughters and son-in-law in the morning, followed by a neighbour at mid-day, and later my mother-in-law who came with one of my brothers-in-law and family. I was expecting some friends to come over but I guess the rain could have dissuaded them from coming.

Other than that, things were pretty quiet and uneventful. While the rain must have made some people think twice before going out, I kind of welcome it. Since we arrived in Kulim, the weather has been pretty hot and dry. The rain has managed to cool things down a bit.

On a personal note, I have started the optional six-day fast in the month of Syawal. In the past, I'd start this fast towards the end of the month of Syawal but this year, since I won't be going to many open houses, I thought I should start earlier.

All in all, a rather slow day. Today's highlight for me? I watched "Cicak Man" on television.

Raya report - Day 1

This year's Aidilfitri is relatively quiet compared to previous years. This is because my wife is still in confinement, so we are not doing much visiting this year.

In any case, as with previous years, Aidilfitri started off pretty much as a family affair with the obligatory seeking for forgiveness from the elders. Then my father and I went to the masjid for the Aidilfitri prayer.

After that, we came back home, and not long after, a childhood friend whom I have known since 1986 came visiting. It was indeed good to be able to see Chee Hong again after all this while. Chee Hong was based in Australia for a good seven years. Now he has just returned to Malaysia - perhaps for good he said.

Later in the afternoon, we went to my mother-in-law's house. This would be the first time most of my wife's relatives meet our newborn. We had a simple membelah mulut ceremony for the baby which was conducted by my brother-in-law. In the meantime, my eldest son had a good time there playing with his cousins, and chasing after the chickens.

After that, I took my eldest son to the house of one of my teachers from secondary school who lives in the same village as my mother-in-law. It's almost customary for me to visit her on Hari Raya.

Then we came back to my parents' place. My eldest son was so tired that he fell asleep as soon as he entered the house.

Like I said, a rather quiet Aidilfitri, but a meaningful one nonetheless.

Salam Aidilfitri

With Ramadhan ending today, and Aidilfitri coming tomorrow, may I take this opportunity to wish all visitors to my humble blog, "Salam Aidilfitri" and "maaf zahir batin." Let us pray that this joyous day of Aidilfitri be a time for strengthening our bonds and ties with family members and friends.

Final frontier

To be able to watch a historic moment in our lifetime is indeed awe-inspiring and humbling. I was virtually glued in front of the television last night to watch the first Malaysian's flight into space. The news can be read here and the historic visual here. The full list of space travel by nationality can be obtained here.

Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor became the first Malaysian astronaut. I am sure this historic achievement is a day to be remembered by all Malaysians. Interestingly enough, while Dr. Sheikh may not be the first Muslim in space, he will be the first to be celebrating Eid there. The honour of the first Muslim in space went to a Saudi prince, Salman al-Saud in 1985.

In any case, I pray that the docking of the Soyuz TMA-11 at the International Space Station scheduled for tomorrow will go smoothly and that our first astronaut will return home safely in about ten days time.

This is certainly one for the history books. Just like Yuri Gagarin is remembered as the first man in space and Neil Armstrong honoured as the first man on the moon, Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar will be remembered as the first Malaysian in space by all Malaysians. Syabas!

10th October 2007 will forever be remembered as one of the most important dates in Malaysian history.

Sensational coverage

Yesterday in Utusan Malaysia, an article I wrote on the issue of organ donation was published. The original article was longer. Some parts were edited out. Though somewhat diluted if compared to the original article, the published one still managed to get the point across.

Have a read here.

Drive safely

Today, I drove back to my hometown in Kulim. The whole journey took under five hours. And the drive itself was pleasant - no jams, not so many lorries and the weather was just nice. I left immediately after Subuh, therefore avoiding the unnecessary jam in Kuala Lumpur.

I heard on the news that on the second day of Ops Sikap XIII, there has been a total of 23 deaths on the road. So, to all who will be travelling this festive season, drive carefully and safely. May this Aidilfitri be celebrated with joy and happiness with our loved ones.

Second heart transplant

Tee Hui Yi has rejected the first heart transplanted into her. And she has gone back into the operating theatre for a second heart transplant in 24 hours. Details of this can be read here. Hui Yi is lucky that there have been two donors in a short period of 24 hours. Had there been no second donor when her body rejected the first heart, it'd have spelt trouble for her.

Let's pray that she'll do better with this second heart.

[Update: Hui Yi is reported to be responding well to the second heart she received.]

Wide coverage on organ donation

I think today, more than any other day, the media coverage on organ donation has been most wide and comprehensive. Utusan Malaysia alone carries so many write-ups on the issue, including one which was written to look like they have interviewed me. [What they did was actually quoting an article I wrote which was published in January 2006]. I don't mind as this goes towards better awareness on the need for organ donation.

Below are the links to the articles in Utusan Malaysia for quick reference:

1. Penantian Hui Yee berakhir
2. Sumbangan terakhir anak saya
3. 13 kes lagi menunggu
   
4. Fatwa harus menderma organ
5. Faktor agama bukan alasan utama
6. Bisik-bisik Awang Selamat
7. Menyusuri sejarah panjang pemindahan organ
8. Soalan lazim mengenai pemindahan organ
9. Kempen mencari jantung mesti diteruskan

I hope that this kind of exposure would continue and not just be seasonal. In any case, I am also pleased to learn that there was another mercy flight, this time to Johor, to harvest organs from another donor last night. Not much information about this donor as yet. But I sincerely hope that the number of donors would increase.

Heart for Hui Yi

Last night at around midnight while watching the news, there was an item on a TUDM mercy flight from Subang to Ipoh. The mercy flight carries a team of specialists from IJN to harvest organs from a donor. I was pleased to hear this piece of news because deep in my heart, I hope that at least this offers hope for 14-year old Tee Hui Yi.

Today, I spoke with Sister Jamaliah Kario of the National Transplant Resource Centre (NTRC) who was also on the mercy flight. She confirmed that Tee Hui Yi indeed received a heart that she has been waiting for. I wanted to know whether there were other organs donated as well, but decided not to ask Sister Jamaliah as she sounded exhausted from last night's journey.

In any case, I came home this afternoon and got online. [Yes, the Internet connection at the office is still problematic]. There were some updated from the local papers on this. Utusan Malaysia carried the news on the mercy flight. I noticed aside from Sister Jamaliah, another name that I recognise is Dr. Mohamad Ezani Md Taib of IJN.

And this updated piece informs us of the heart harvested has been transplanted to Hui Yi. We also get more information of the donor from the same news article. The donor is apparently a Malay teenager who was killed in an accident, and his parents decided to donate the heart, lungs, kidneys and liver. Again, I am happy with this information. It goes to show that the level of awareness on organ donation amongst Muslims in the country have increased. I believe most Muslims in the country are becoming more informed that Islam does not prohibit organ donation.

Nonetheless, I beg to differ with the Minister of Health's statement as reported in this article in The Star. While it is true that there are greater number of pledgers compared to donors, I disagree that this is because families or next of kins object to organ donation. We have a good number of pledgers because of increased awareness. However, this number does not translate into donations because we have to understand that organ donation only takes place if the donor is brain dead while at the same time, the heart is still pumping because of the presence of a ventilator. If a pledger dies of natural death, then we would not be able to harvest organs such as heart or liver. We could only harvest tissues such as corneas, heart valves and the likes.

In most cases, people who die of brain death are not pledgers. Therefore, the doctors would have to ask their family members whether they wish to donate or otherwise. So, I don't think it is accurate to say that organ pledgers do not donate their organs when in truth, most of them are still alive and well. Even when pledgers die of old age, we could only take certain tissues, and not organs. The imperative phrase here is "brain death." For organ donation to take place, the person must be diagnosed as brain dead. Those who pledge, I believe, may not find themselves in such a situation unless they are involved in accidents or suffer from serious head injury.

This however does not mean that we should not be pledgers. By becoming a pledger and more importantly by letting your family members know that you are a pledger, should the need arise, for example if the pledger is diagnosed as brain dead, then the doctors and family members would know what needs to be done.

Another point that I would like to differ with the Minister is the reason for not becoming a donor. I disagree that it is because of religion. I have been giving talks on organ donation and religion since 1998, and I find that the masses understood that religion does not prohibit organ donation. Most of them said that their unwillingness or reluctance stems from the fear of the unknown (that is death). I think this is psychological in nature rather than religious.

Sorry for the rather long entry today. It's just that organ donation is a subject very close to my heart. And I would like to see Malaysians, who are always credited with virtues such as willingness to help others, take this esteemed virtue to a higher level. By donating organs, this could certainly give hope to a lot of patients with end-stage organ failure to carry on living. There is no greater gift than organ donation.

In the meantime, I pray that Tee Hui Yi would react positively to the heart she received. I am told that she is still in critical condition. My prayers also go to the other recipients of the other organs donated.

A special prayer to the unnamed donor in Ipoh. May this gift given in Ramadan be translated into bounties for the donor and his family in the Hereafter. And may Allah SWT bless the donor's soul.

High dependency

Since last Thursday, my office was disconnected from the rest of the world - cybernetically-speaking of course. It is quite frustrating when something like this happens. I had to put off all my e-mail correspondences until I get home. Earlier today, I even had to use the facilities at a cybercafe nearby as there were urgent matters that needed to be settled.

It is certainly no stroll in the park when using facilities at a cybercafe. The noise pollution was certainly a nuisance.

In any case, I am very happy now that the Internet connection is back on at the office as of mid-day. It is times like this that I realise that I have become highly dependent on the Internet.

Nabbed

Four men have been remanded in connection with Nurin Jazlin's murder. Initially five people were arrested but only four were produced in court for further investigation. In a way, I'm glad that the police managed to trace the possible murderer(s). And I hope justice will be served.

Discharged

Alhamdulillah, my son has been discharged from hospital on Thursday afternoon after spending 4 days and 3 nights there. His jaundice has subsided to a level in which he is allowed to return home. Having said that though, he still has to come back to the hospital on Saturday for a follow-up which includes another blood test. In any case, I am glad his health is better and that he's home again.

Homonyms

My newborn son has been admitted into hospital on Monday afternoon. He has neonatal jaundice and is undergoing phototherapy. Alhamdulillah, his condition is improving and I have been informed that if this keeps up, he will be discharged tomorrow.

Anyway, what I'd like to blog today is an amusing observation that I made when I told people that my son has jaundice. A typical dialogue would go something like this:

Me: My son is in the hospital. He has jaundice.
Mr A: Oh, yellow fever!

And when I said that my son has yellow fever, the dialogue would go something like this:

Me: My son is in the hospital. He has yellow fever.
Mr A: Oh, jaundice!

It's interesting to note that most of us (myself included) have this tendency of providing homonyms for certain words. I think most of us do this subconsciously and unintentionally. It's just a spontaneous response.

But I have met people who do this on purpose to show off their vocabulary power. Truth be told, I am not easily fazed by such people. However, I would be impress if such people know what "icterus" is.

Catch that beast

Officially I am still on paternity leave. But I decided to jot this in my blog because I feel strongly about this. Words fail to describe my feelings on this matter.

I know that by now, most of us have heard of the tragedy that has befallen Nurin Jazlin Jazimin. She has gone missing since 20th August. Last Monday, a girl's body was found in a bag. DNA tests have confirmed that the girl is Nurin Jazlin. While her father is understandably still in denial, the police have said that they are closing in on the killer.

News like this one certainly sends chills down my spine. I acknowledge that the responsibility to look after the children lies mainly on the parents. Nonetheless, as a father of two very young children, I am left wondering whether the neighbourhood is safe for our children anymore. Nurin Jazlin after all went missing in her own neighbourhood.

I certainly hope that whoever that did this be brought to justice soon. I cannot imagine what sort of person - nay, beast - is capable of doing such a heinous act. I don't even know whether the killer actually deserves the worldly punishment under the judicial system that we have.

I do not know Nurin Jazlin in person. Neither do I know her parents or family members. But I most certainly share their grief, sadness and anger for losing a child. I pray that her family members be given the strength to carry on without Nurin Jazlin by their side.

May her soul be blessed by Allah SWT. Al-Fatihah.

Update: Nurin has been laid to rest on Friday afternoon. The Star has the story, video and pictures here.

Ramadhan joy

Alhamdulillah, praise be to Allah SWT, at 1.40 a.m. on Monday 17th September 2007, my wife has safely given birth to our second son. Both mother and son are well and have been discharged yesterday.

I will post pictures of my newborn son soon.

May this birth in the blessed month of Ramadhan brings great bounties to my newborn son. Amin!

Tagged for the third time

Looks like I have been tagged again, this time by a friend from Down Under, Arsaili.

Okay then, here goes...

Eight random facts/habits about me:

1. Likes things to be in order:
Order out of chaos, that's me. Remember the Periodic Table of Elements that chemists use? Well, the table is constructed as a means to make sense of the chemical world. I am just like that. Everything has to be in sensible order. Even my clothes hangers are colour-coded. Red hangers for t-shirts, green hangers for Nehru-collar shirts, pink hangers for office shirts, etc. Weird, huh?

2. Cringes at the sight of spelling mistakes:
I am one of those who are so particular about spelling mistakes, be they in English or Malay. I can forgive unintentional typos but deliberate mistakes would make me cringe, especially if I find them in books or newspapers which are supposed to be well-edited.

3. Loves good food:
I love eating. Never mind I don't eat that much but the fact is that I enjoy good food. Over the years, I have developed a taste for the European, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, North African and Indian food aside from the usual Malay and Malaysian dishes we have here. However, I still can't get the hang of Japanese food.

4. Blog addict:
I am a blog addict. 'Nuff said.

5. The pen is mightier than the sword:
I like to write. Writing used to be a hobby of mine. But now it has become an essential part of my life. I am not a good speaker, therefore writing is the preferred medium for me to air my views.

6. Bookworm:
I think I am stuck with this image even from my school days. I love reading. I think I can read almost anything as long as I can understand the language.

7. Punctuality freak:
I am most particular about punctuality. I prefer to be early than have people waiting for me. Usually, when a promise is made, I would make sure I'll get there at least 15 minutes before the actual time. I believe that the ability to be punctual shows a lot about a person's character.

8. Weird sense of humour:
I appreciate intelligent humour which is hard to come by. I don't like slapsticks or in-your-face humour. Instead I prefer the more subtle type where you don't see it coming. Just watch "Blackadder," "Fawlty Towers" or "One Foot in the Grave," and you'll know what I mean. Perhaps my time spent in Britain made me more accustomed to the British sense of humour.

Tagging rules:

1. Each blogger must post these rules.
2. Each blogger starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. Bloggers that are tagged need to write on their own blog about their eight things and post these rules. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
4. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they've been tagged and to read your blog.
   

People I'd like to tag:

In alphabetical order, they are:

1. Fikri
2. Izza Aripin
3. Jie
4. John Norafizan
   
5. Nor Ash Burn
   
6. Opah De
7. Pinky
   
8. Temasik Temagi

When plates collide

I arrived home from the masjid after the terawih prayers last night only to be greeted with news of an earthquake that hit the west of Sumatera. None of us in our area noticed the tremor that occurred around 7.15 yesterday evening. Only those living in high-rise buildings felt the tremor which measured at 8.4 on the Richter scale. And at around 7.50 this morning, another earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 on the Richter scale hit western Indonesia.

My prayer goes to the victims of the earthquake in Indonesia. One of the worst hit places this time is Padang in the province of West Sumatera. I was in Padang a few years back. It is a coastal city rich in history, culture and intellectual heritage. One of Nusantara's greatest scholars came from this region: Allahyarham Professor Hamka, someone whose thoughts and ideas I greatly admire.

I did geology in my first two years of university. One of the first things that we learnt in geology was on the theory of plate tectonics. When I read about the news of the earthquake, I suddenly remembered this interesting theory. A country like Indonesia is definitely prone to earthquakes. This is because most of the Indonesian islands are situated on the very edge of a tectonic plate known as the Eurasian Plate which is colliding with another tectonic plate called the Australian Plate. Collisions of tectonic plates would result in earthquakes. What I wrote here is merely a concised version of the theory of plate tectonics, but if anyone is interested, the details can be read here.

Looking back, I have written quite a bit on earthquakes in this blog. The entries can be read here, here, here and here. Personally, I believe that the earthquakes will continue to happen from time to time. I don't think we can stop earthquakes from happening. The real question is how well-equipped are we to prepare for an earthquake and manage the aftermath?

Ramadhan Karim

Tomorrow is the 1st of Ramadhan. As such, I would like to take this opportunity to wish my Muslim friends who frequent this blog, "Ramadhan Karim." May the Ramadhan of 1428 Hijriyyah bring us bounties and rewards aplenty, insya-Allah.

Lights on

Last Thursday close to midnight, I drove back from Shah Alam to Kuala Lumpur. Instead of using the usual highway that I use, I decided to take the Federal Highway and drove inside KL before heading towards Hulu Kelang where I live. After all, traffic that night was very light.

I seldom drive at night, so I don't really get to see KL at night time. I noticed that some of the buildings in the capital are well-lit at night, so much so that you'd forget that they're so bland during the day. I have to say that three buildings in particular caught my attention for being very beautifully-lit.

Too bad I didn't bring my camera. Even if I did, it'd be difficult and dangerous to capture these buildings while driving. In any case, the following are my Top 3 favourite buildings which are, to my eyes at least, resplendent:

1. The DBKL Headquarters at Jalan Raja Laut: The colourful lights lighting up the building tower is nothing short of majestic and eye-catching.
2. The Medan MARA Building at Jalan Raja Laut: The blue lights adoring the building's blue columns certainly made this otherwise dull-looking building during the day shines with great splendour at night.
3. The Istana Budaya at Jalan Tun Razak: The rainbow coloured lights that shines this building makes this theatre look magical.

There you go. I suddenly feel like a building critic though.

While I was away

Today is actually the first time I am online in the past 5 days. Things have been pretty hectic that I had to prioritise.

I was away from the office on Thursday and Friday attending a convention organised by IIM in Putrajaya and moderating a workshop organised by JAKIM held in Shah Alam.

Then on Saturday, I had to rush the missus to the hospital. As some may already know, she is pregnant with our second child. She is into her 35th week of pregnancy. During the wee hours of Saturday morning, she started to have contraction pains. Because of that, she was warded for observation before being discharged on Sunday evening.

Although the contractions have lessened considerably, we are expecting that the baby will be coming very soon.

I am praying that everything will be okay.

Machiavellian streak

Hmmm... if this test was to be believed, then I am "somewhat Machiavellian."

You Are Somewhat Machiavellian

You're not going to mow over everyone to get ahead... But you're also powerful enough to make things happen for yourself. You understand how the world works, even when it's an ugly place. You just don't get ugly yourself - unless you have to!

How Machiavellian Are You?

Not sure whether this is good or not.

Happy 50th birthday, Malaysia

Friday the 31st marked Malaysia's 50th birthday. The golden jubilee of Merdeka was celebrated with such grandeur befitting this important landmark.

I can only pray that the country will continue to be blessed with this invaluable gift of independence. Let's not take Merdeka for granted, and let's all be thankful by working hard to preserve independence.

MERDEKA!

Hyperdrive

It has been over a week since I last blogged. Not that there's nothing to blog, but I just felt I needed some time away from blogging to focus on my writing. I may take more time off from blogging again when the need arises.

Essentially, much of my time last week has been devoted to finishing my second novel. I couldn't do much writing at night as my son has been sleeping late. So, I had to use whatever free time I have during the day for writing.

I have nearly finished Transgenesis. The way it has turned out is quite a pleasant surprise for me personally. Just three more chapters to go before I pen my final word for the novel.

All throughout the week without blogging, I have also started thinking on other plotlines that could be further developed into either novels, short stories or drama scripts. This is what happened when the brain goes into hyperdrive all of a sudden.

So, if I suddenly become quiet right here in the blogosphere, you know where my brain is... in hyperdrive.