May the truth prevail...

Lost in transition

2011-06-06T18:08:00.000+08:00

Blog saper yg lama tul tak hapdet nih?

work like a robot

2009-09-24T20:23:00.008+08:00

I love spending my money for good deeds such as donation, contribution to charities, or even paying for the gas for my car whenever I travel long distance to visit my parents and relatives. But, I detest wasting money for nothing, even if it were to settle summons. Settling penalties for road traffic offences which do not deserve penalties is a sheer waste of money.

My journey back from Pahang today after visiting relatives in my hometown ended in pure frustration. I don't mind departing with my money if I'm guilty of the offence. But, what if it is 50-50? Yes, from the traffic officers' position, they might have seen my car overtaking the bus on the double line. However, the fact that I started overtaking it before my car reached the double line was simply ignored by them. I just couldn't finish overtaking the bus, whose driver seemed unhappy, thus increasing the bus speed, before the double line, nor could I reduce speed to get back to my earlier position as it could endanger other vehicles behind. So, I decided to finish it off for good I believe.

A few minutes later, the traffic officer at the road block pointed to the raodside, indicating I had to stop. Normal procedures followed, and the sad ending to my trip back to my hometown was worth RM300. No tolerance, no compromise. My explanation was quashed aside just like that.

My respect towards the men in blue was receding fast. Some of them, not all, work just like robots. No emotion, no human consideration. Is the same being felt by many Malaysians today?

2009-07-29T15:48:00.008+08:00

GO TO HELL WITH 'EM

Last night, I was relishing the sweet moments of not having to attend any class due to the H1N1 contagion (has it been declared a pandemic by WHO?). On H1N1, don't eat pork should be the moral of the story.

Now, coming back to the story, becasue I didn't hafta attend my class yesterday after work, I went to a very popular hypermart in Kajang. There appeared sales galore with all those yellow ad cards hanging in the air or jutting out from the racks. Cut price, sales, bla bla bla...

RM4.89 for the 1.5L pack of Marigold strawberry milk ya!!! My still reliable momery said, in not so distant past, the price was around RM4.59. So, an increase of 30 cent or 6.54% is justified by the already forgotten oil price increase? What nonsense!!!

At the ground floor, among the lots was a chicken rice shop (no, not that Chicken Rice Shop you are thinking about) where I used to have my meals everytime I went there, until the day they served me very salty chicken rice which made me decide I had had enuff.

The issue here is, again, the cut price cutting customers' throats. I asked the girl at the counter,

"BIla harga naik ni?" She said, "Semalam." No whirlwind, no tornado, the price was up 30 cent from RM4.50 previously. 6.67% up. Another nonsense!!! I decided to find somewhere else to dine.

What's happening to us, Malaysians? While the Government is trying every level best to improve the well-being of the rakyat, there are still culprits out there trying to take advantage from the cooled-off period in the aftermath of the oil price spike. They (not all) lurk among the business community, with their sole aim of making profits to the maximum. Not that I can't afford to pay a lil' extra, but there are people who will suffer from these jerks.

Has the Government not done enough? When the service delivery and enforcement parts become the buck passed to the Government, those profiteers are cage-free, joyous and bouncy because the attention is steered away from them. When the fuel price had to be increased due to the pressure from the world's oil price hike, they argued their cost had gone up, therefore, they deserved incentives and the right to increase their service price (service quality, well, it's ok to remain or be reduced sikit-sikit la).

AND WHEN THE FUEL PRICE HAS STABILISED, THEY EITHER KEEP QUIET SO THEY WILL GAIN FROM THE EXTRA PROFIT DERIVED FROM HIGHER PRICE MINUS STABLE FUEL PRICE, OR THEY QUIETLY INCREASE THEIR PRICE.

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL THEM TO GO TO HELL!!!

A dream come true

2009-07-07T00:42:00.004+08:00

She is back home after finishing her study in Medicine in another part of the world. As a cyberfriend (hope this will develop further), I'm aslo happy to know that she's finally attained her dream of becoming a doctor. A dream of the entire family, I suppose, as her brothers are right on the same track. Not least importantly, she is now added to the growing list of professionals in the country.

A hurdle is past her. In unknown quantity, more challenges loom ahead for this beautiful intelligent girl, though.

What I can do for now is to pray that she'll get through it all.

When the pasture is not so green...

2009-05-04T01:55:00.001+08:00

At the 3-day Homedec '09 at KLCC on 1-3 May, I managed to get a few things initially inked on my checklist. Brushing shoulders with other visitors at this fare was not as bad as during any PC Fair, especially those held over there, so I had more breathing space, and maybe O2, then.

Spotlight with infra-red remote sensor, bed lamp, laminated floor for my living room, what else.. err.. a dream to put a spa and sauna at my backyard (just dreaming as the price is not worth spending when there are more urgent needs).. and the Yale brand door latch too.

Owh.. lest I forget, security was the main theme for my trip to Homedec this time round, although I also didn't miss the chance to get a feel on my butt off those heavily discounted yet still expensive bed frames + mattresses, sofas, dining sets etc. Nor for me right now ok.

I was at least satisfied with the improvement of my new house safety level, it being far from perfect notwithstanding. It all began when I was awakened at around 4am one night by the eerie sound of footsteps on the rooftop. Two possibilities evoked in my mind, burglars or metaphysical beings. I'd hate to think it was the second possibility as much as I'd hate the first one. The next best thing that conjured up in my mind on the dot was to call the police hotline.

Kudos to the policemen on duty who reached my housing area pretty fast. According to them, the area I was staying, and its adjacent villages and residences, used to be a black area, with many houses becoming prime targets of burglars and robbers. This adverse reputation faded after the culprit had been shot dead by the police not so long ago. But, crime can be deterred, not busted once and for all. The feeling I have until now is more inclined toward the more mortal form of creature who woke me up that nervous early hours of the day, hence the need for the security system.

So, while my search is still on for the most formidable burglar-unfriendly security system, I need to confide with the effectiveness of the 300W infra-red remote sensor which covers a distance of 12 metres in 240 degrees from left to right, and also the latch for which I just summoned my McGyver-like skill to fix it on my room door a few hours ago.

Now, I'm a lil' safer, although the sensor is yet to be fitted!!!

But, there's something else... (am not going to mention it now when the clock will strike 3)

Moving into my new house from the apartment I rented for the past 2 years may not be the greener pasture I have been dreaming of. It's my own house, though.

Brave through everything I will by the name of Allah The Most Gracious The Most Merciful.

the woman with the bag

2009-04-08T23:55:00.008+08:00

Her name is Ruzimah.. When I saw her step into the commuter, I quickly emptied my seat for her. Those days when I was younger (now, still young I am (",)), such a reaction was synonymous of myself especially when gorgeous chicks came by. Today, it ain't any curvaceous chick, though. Ruzimah was a blind woman of her early 50s, I guess. She in her traditional worn-out baju kurung looked much older. In her right hand was her walking stick.

What struck my eyes, and then my worryingly increasingly mean heart, was the bag in her left hand. Supported on her lap, 2 thick books which looked more like a set of 2 encyclopedia volumes fitted in the bag just nice. My instinct was telling they must be Braille books. Braille books they were. With the most polite and best-mannered way possible, I broke the ice with her by asking where she came from and was heading to. She was on her way back home from the National Library. (While I'm writing this blog, I pressed my lachrymal gland so I'd not shed tears).

I asked her again, "Akak selalu pergi library tu? Pergi sorang je ke?"
She answered, "Dah biasa, dah. Boleh pinjam buku kat situ."
"Siapa baca?"
"Siapa-siapa pun boleh baca."

For a few moments, I closed my eyes and tried to imagine being a blind man. I was not ready for that.

Then, I felt so small and guilty; small because one of Allah the Almighty's creations was teaching me to treasure my healthy eyes, and guilty to myself for not optimizing my healthy eyes to read regularly whilst a blind woman could frequent the National Library on her own just to borrow some books. And this fragile woman travelled from Kajang to the National Library to borrow Braille books not available in Kajang or somewhere nearer.

I was looking at my watch, trying to figure out if I could head straight back to Kajang to avail myself with more time talking to her. But, I already bought a ticket to somewhere else, therefore, I might not be allowed to pass through the gate at the Kajang station. When I was reaching the station where I was supposed to alight the train, I wished her all the best, left her my card and a few bucks, and told her to contact me using the details on the card should she need any help.

So touched by this encounter, I know it will live very very long in my memory as indelible as it may be.

The Malay Dilemma - Revisited

2009-02-07T19:59:00.003+08:00

2 Menteri Besars.

Sultan - the 1st defendant in a litigation a political party will proceed with.

The power of the court.

Divided Malays.

Stubbornness.

Derhaka.

Melayu diperkudakan.. di mana bangsa lain masa demonstrasi?

Power struggle.

Corruption.

Profiteering, and puppeteering too.

When will this last?

English, Science and Maths.... BM?

2008-11-01T12:40:00.002+08:00

This debate on the teaching of Science and Maths in English may carry on and on without any fair conclusion.

Whilst our passion in fighting for the already elevated position of English in the "Hall of Language" should receive positive response from every corner of the society, please bear with my humble opinion that our purposeful actions should also be predicated on practicality and effectuality of the original purpose itself.

If teaching English is meant to improve the proficiency of our students in Science and Maths, mainly those in the areas where English is hardly spoken, and produce our new generations who with their English proficiency can easily access technical knowledge and know-hows, and eventually contribute massively to our economic growth especially amid the unprecedented kinda global economic challenges, then forgive me to say that we should also teach our school students Accounting, Finance, Economics and other subjects in English. The reason being, there are lotsa subjects contributing to our economic growth, not just Science and Maths.

When we continue teaching Science and Maths in English yet the expected proficient level of our students still leave much to be desired, we start blaming those who champion the status, importance and usage of Bahasa Melayu (BM) despite their noble cause being well guarded by our most supreme law, the Federal Constitution re its Article 152. My humble opinion again, the cause to promote the wide usage of BM must not be condoned by all means mainly in the current of discontent among certain quarters with regard to certain provisions in the Constitution and in the undercurrent parallel to it. And some of us are taking the opportunity to blame the policy as a wrong move by the Government. There a vast difference between using BM at home and in formal communications. At home, our Malay students speak their mother-tongue in a casual way with slangs and dialects intertwined more often than not. This way of using BM got no place at work or when they attend classes, hence the reason to preserve and promote the usage of BM as an official teaching medium. Failing which, BM will one day become a dead language.

Promoting the teaching of Science and Maths in English is a good cause. The Government just sowed the seeds a few years back, but most of us seem to expect the fruits overnight, which sounds a bit unfair as the policy could only yield the expected results when those students who joined the program at its inception begin to demonstrate their proficiency in the job market, or earlier at their tertiary training grounds. Correct me if I’m wrong, but now most of us are arguing based on complaints in the job market where our university grads speak poor English during interviews or at work. Question, were these bunches part of the program? A KPI must be established at the tertiary level to gauge the success of the said program. Of course those who are left behind due to their bad results in school will not be scoped en. Let the market assess them, while we focus on those who start with the program from the beginning and assess them through our national examinations ie SPM, PMR and UPSR (although the third one may not provide the adequate testing grounds.)

In my early days, I always tell my friends or juniors or anyone who wanna know that language is what one uses to communicate and it develops along with the frequency of using it in one’s daily life. Consider Tarzan’s ability to speak the language of the monkeys. Although Tarzan is only a fiction, the lesson we could learn from his life is that when we use a language everyday, our brain will dictate the words of the language to flow through our mouth as quick a speed as the brain controlling our endocrine system in producing saliva in our mouth. Doctors here, please correct my fact. Try leave a Malay baby with a Chinese family, and the baby will speak fluent Chinese subject to the family’s dialect and usage of the Chinese language.

In all, I contend that we may continue the program with the notion at the back of our mind that teaching Science and Maths in English does not solely contribute to our nation’s economic growth, nor will it deprive our national language of any efforts to promote its usage and protect it position at its rightful pedestal. I’m not expert in this area. My tots over here are of my personal views, and they have no association whatsoever with my organizations and those professionally connected with me. And.. owh.. Forgive me for breaking my promise to compress my views. The subject matter is just too important to ignore.

Old is gold

2008-10-24T22:14:00.003+08:00

David Beckham's on loan transfer to AC Milan has been received with mixed reactions.

My humble opinion is not intended to favor Beckham, but throughout the years all of us have known Mr. Golden Right Foot, sometimes it's not wrong to appreciate such a rare talent like him. He may not be the same we had expected and got of him in his heydays; nevertheless, he is still in his own league in certain aspects of football and is definitely from a different planet when we talk about cross-pitch deliveries.

Remember baby-face predator Solkjaer only needed to run towards the goal and Mr. Becks calculated the distance so perfectly his long ball fell right in front of running Solkjaer. And the rest is another goal from the man you think is only needed to sell shirts. I bet he got As for all his Calculus exam papers. And who else but the great Zidane acknowledged Beckham's delivery is perfect where in many instances spectators' jaws dropped seeing the ball flying to Zidane's chest out of nowhere.

From Becks' boot, that is. He arrived at Real Madrid with mixed perceptions - goals or shirts. He managed both successfully, helping Real Madrid out of 4 barren years to lift their domestic trophy as well as pulling the club out of the red to rake in millions of profits. Kewl... Albeit a year plus older, he is not useless. And Milan's manager may have the last laugh.

And to England - they need to find a new Beckham, and a new Scholes too...

Tanda-tanda kemalasan menulis, so salin dari laman saya yang lain - yang pernah bacanya (Wira etc) jangan maraa arr...

2008-10-19T22:30:00.001+08:00

On my way back from Santiago back in October 2007, I was blessed with meeting nice people who helped me out of near-miseries although it’s their first time seeing this ordinary bloke. What and how they helped me may feature later in my future postings. But now, I just wanna zero in on people’s niceness and kindness to others in general, no matter how they look and what language they originally speak, and the lasting power these 2 mahmudahs possess.

Don’t think about ageing sign yet. These days, people complain about a growing concern of individualism in the society. When I flash back 15 years back during the final lapse of my secondary education, images of nice people would evoke in my mind. They are either my relatives, teachers, dorm-mates, friends or even passers-by merely smiling at me at bus-stops or in restrooms. Perhaps, as life then was less dictated by the breackneck pace, people would tend to accomodate more time for others.

Coming back to 2007, my recent experience is supposed to negate any notion that mankind is dealing with a growing number of individualists. Well, whilst still many beg to differ, I think I hafta be comfy with a preconceived notion that wherever I go, there will always be kind-hearted people who won’t hesitate to lend a helping hand in unavoidable circumstances where I need help.

Come to think of it - I mean that we should still be able to roam the planet conscious that we may not be left alone in the dark - one should also wonder how the society’s tolerance level against individualism is gonna take shape 20 years from now. Okey, this time lapse may be a bit too far ahead for you guys, but hey, if you can still visualise your life 20 years back, that means life is so short and probably, in a blink of an eye, blink blink blink, you are 20 years older, you see. So then, will there be nice people in 2027? I bet there will, do you?

Hehe, is looking to far ahead a sign of ageing process in me?

Bye

Ramadhan sudah berlalu, so has Syawal 1,2 and 3...

2008-10-05T21:13:00.004+08:00

Time has never flown this fast, that's what I perceive at least. For the umpteenth time, I left Ramadhan or, perhaps more precisely, Ramadhan left me unfulfilled with the best endevour to achieve the zenith of 'ibadah to the Almighty, granted on a night known as Lailatul Qadr, which is singled out in His holy words. Truly, where else can I get something worth a thousand times more without spending a single cent, with just a limited amount of energy and time needed in the final third of the night. Which night is the night, only He knows and only they who put concerted efforts to find it will find it.

This year's Syawal to me is different in many ways. Still, I celebrated it in Malaysia, unlike some of my ex-schoolmates and blogger friends who are away in Berlin, Cork, Al-Hambra etc. Lucky eh? And for the first time, I bought 3 shirts for the first 3 days (pants, recycle from Syawal 1 lah). This shows Luck 2. And because my wheel-chaired mother could only celebrate the festival at my brother's house in Senawang where she's been staying since her discharge from Seremban Specialist Hospital on 19 August, for the first time in my entire life had I had my Aidilfitri celebration outside my hometown in Kuantan. Blessing in disguise, all my nephews and nieces were there, and I treated them as if they were my own blood. so, this year I had longer time with them. Luck 3. My ol'time buddy Dr Fariz the physician, sorry we can't celebrate Raya together this year.

Jintian ji hao? Syawal 5. October 5 (timekeeper Tissot still shows Oct 4, but it's not from Petaling St. maa). Back home in Kajang, the mood to return to work has not returned. Fingers crossed, most are feeling the same. Tomorrow my office will look like a deserted curved monument as some continue their leaves and others are overseas for meetings or preparing for such meetings (leaving me grounded to do the most boring and least glamorous jobs).

And owh, an issue that I need to solve is whether our Federal Constitution has successfully achieved the separation of powers in our country.

Ramadhan di Samudera

2008-09-23T20:02:00.001+08:00

Ramadhan di Samudera

Semalam aku buka puasa kat pejabat, jamah kurma yang nampak berlendir (I don't know why) dan minum air mineral yang Akram (my colleague) beri. Memang bengangla sebab kena sambung discussion dengan bos. Nak buat macamana, kerja punya pasal. Kalau tak, tak dapatla cuti harini untuk bawa mak jumpa ahli fisioterapi di Hospital Tuanku Jaafar, Seremban.

Balik rumah lebih kurang 10.00 malam, baru dapat shoru sambil tengok tv. TV1 tayang dokumentari orang-orang kita buka puasa kat tempat kerja. Yang paling menginsafkan, Ramadhan di Samudera. Mereka adalah para nelayan kita yang kerja tangkap ikan di laut lepas, yang adakalanya beberapa hari baru balik rumah mendakap isteri dan memegang kepala anak.

Di bulan puasa, nelayan masih terus bekerja macam biasa, tangkap ikan yang kita makan. Best juga jadi nelayan sebab ikan paling segar masuk perut diorang dulu. Yang kita makan tu mungkin dah beberapa hari dalam kapal, tapi masih segarlah. Dalam kapal nelayan, mereka seolah-olah hidup macam biasa, namun dalam hati Tuhan saja yang tahu. Sesekali, kapal beroleng diusik ombak. Mujur masa dokumentari tu dibuat, cuaca nampak mesra. Tapi tu pada mata kita. Berat lagi bahu yang pikul. Anak isteri kat rumah tak lekang bibir dengan doa agar sang suami selamat pergi dan balik. Go out one piece, come back one piece.

Sambil sedap kunyah ikan goreng masak kicap yang rasanya masih manis, mata ni tak lepas dari suasana berbuka dalam kapal di tengah laut. Lepas berbuka, diorang solat Maghrib dan rehat sekejap sebelum sambung kerja. Kerja yang tak sama dengan kita di pejabat yang ada air-cond, kerusi empuk, PC HP, printer, siap ada sofa dalam bilik. Waima dalam bulan puasa, nelayan kerja macam biasa. Maknanya, sahur tak boleh miss langsung, nanti takde tenaga nak tarik jala yang penuh ikan. Kalau di siang hari matahari terik mencengkam kulit, ada risiko dehidrasi. Boleh mati kalau tak sempat ganti air dan garam yang hilang. Tapi muka diorang selamba saja.

Nelayan banting tulang tangkap ikan, kalau tak, bekalan protein kita tak cukup; ikan tu sumber utama protein, ayam jatuh nombor dua.

Sampai di jeti, peraih tunggu dengan tawaran harga tak seberapa. Nelayan bagai tercabut nyawa di samudera, peraih senang-senang untung atas angin. Daylight robbery. Hidup nelayan tak sama macam kebanyakan dari kita. Langkah kerajaan nak beri RM200 sebulan kepada mereka memang kena pada masanya. Walaupun zaman le ni banyak mana la sangat RM200, tapi bolehlah nak bagi dapur berasap.

Nelayan zaman sekarang lagi bertuah berbanding nelayan dulu-dulu.

Dulu lain, sekarang lain. Zaman dah berubah..

like a rock falling on my head..

2008-08-23T22:34:00.003+08:00

On 3 August 08, my mom was being prepared for the hemiarthroplasty operation scheduled the following day.

The x-ray taken two days earlier showed the crack detected on Saturday, 19 July 08, had developed into a complete fracture. Such cases of fractured neck of femur are common to women, especially those with ostheoporosis. My mom is 71 yrs old, so chances are very high. The best option for her would be hemiarthroplasty, a kinda hip replacement suitable for old infirm patients with a fractured neck of femoral bone like my mom.

If the ops was not done, mom would be bed-ridden for a minimum of 6 months, and this could only invite more harmful risks like pneumonia, backsore etc. My family had discussed and we agreed to the ops as scheduled by the specialist attending to mom.

Then (at the time of writing), I saw the nurse pushing the ECG device into the room to start assessing mom's condition to ensure she's fit for the ops. Later on, her blood would be checked to ensure there's no infection and it's sufficient for the ops.

I was the first of my family to be briefed by the specialist about the condition of my mom's fractured neck of femur. Then, I returned to the room, looked at my mom, and went to the toilet inside the room. My eyes were shedding tears. I just felt very difficult to accept the news. Tears not voice was pouring out when I was explaining it to my father and family members.

Dear Allah the Almighty, please heal my mother

2008-07-26T23:43:00.003+08:00

Today is the 8th day since my mom has been admitted. What I can say is the Seremban Specialist Hospital (SSH) serves extremely well in terms of services rendered by the specialist and nurses. My outright observation is public hospital service is a far cry from what we expect for medical treatment. Nevertheless, credit should also be given to the government for efforts to improve the medical service deliverables, such as waiting time, ccomfortable wards and nice staff. But still, some areas remain deplorable and need a gentle kick in the you-know-where.

My mom was admitted to the General Hospital in Seremban on Friday, 18 July 2008, the day she complained feeling screechingly painful in her right thigh whenever she wanted to walk. The hospital SOP tells that every patient (really?) will be admitted to the 3rd class ward before he/she goes to a higher class subject to entitlement. At the Seremban GH, patients may have to wait in a long queue to get a 1st or 2nd class room despite their entitlements. Maybe, there's an exception to those with "big cables". This is what had happened to us. Because all the 1st class rooms were occupied (no 2nd class for ortopedic cases at this GH!!), we're told to wait in the long queue, which would take days before my mom's turn. What made me so restless was the 3rd class condition where its toilet was far from my mom's bed. Worsestill, it stinked and almost made me puke. Being a toilet is never a warrant to be smelly, especially if an outside party is paid to clean the toilet. Where did they disappear? It's not an isolated case because another toilet at the same level with the cafetaria at the lower ground was also not properly maintained, as was evident with its bowl clogged with that yellowish you-know-what. Despicable!

So, we all decided that enough was enough and our mom deserved a better place. Not trying to be overly demanding, we just wanted the best for a woman who has sacrificed a lot in our upbringing. That's basically how SSH came into the picture. A few hours ago, I had the chance to discuss my mom's situation with the specialist, an ortopedic surgeon. He showed us the result of CT scan my mom had 2 days ago, and from the film, we could see the crack area looked obvious. Encouraging words from him were that my mom would need a rest for 2 weeks and undergo physioteraphy everyday in order to recover on time. Which means another week to go. Hopefully by then, my mom would get stronger and be able to walk again.

May all our prayers for mom's fast recovery be granted by the Almighty, and may He bestow those praying for my mom with eternal happiness.

My mum is in SSH

2008-07-24T16:49:00.003+08:00

Dear all,

For the time being, I won't be able to remain an active blogger since my mother's admission into the Seremban Specialist Hospital last Saturday. Early diagnosis from the specialist attending to her, Dr. Wan Hazmy, the cause that has disabled my mom from walking is lombosacral stenosis, ie something to do with her spine. Everyday, mom undergoes her physiotherapy training, and she's showing some progress.

All I need is your prayers so mom will recover fast and can walk again.

Only Allah SWT will return the favor to ye all.

Kriss 1904

2008-06-30T23:28:00.003+08:00

Finally, my Kriss is back to life, resuscitated by a few hundred bucks and a bit of patience. It also has a semi-new look, after more than a year of injustice done by its master, myself that is. But more importantly, it can now take me to the nearby surau or shops. There have been requests by orang kampung to buy my Kriss for one k. So, my decision to not accept the offer seems to pay off. Hehe... After the recent fuel price hike at the local pumps, one could anticipate less people driving their gas-guzzling machines especially those of big cc. Alternatively, people may start considering riding motorcycles so as to reduce fuel consumption. A good sign for bike sales. I may be thinking towards riding to my office and class too although my Kriss hardly pretends like a safe ride. Or maybe, just maybe, I trade my bike in for a bigger and safer two-wheeler. Virago? Vulcan? Or Harley-Davidson? Hmm... Anyone wanna joyride with me?

Coming back to the record high fuel price, yesterday saw the highest level yet for the global crude oil price - USD141 pb is triggering more fears into almost all sectors of the economy. If the runaway increase of oil price becomes unstoppable, many economies will be badly hit, with Malaysia not excluded. Such dreadful scenario will spell disaster to Malaysia's economic plans, notably the Ninth Malaysia Plan of which Mid-term Review has been tabled by the Prime Minister at the Parliament. Already beleaguered with pressure after pressure, the last thing he would want is escalating costs of living due to higher price of food and fuel that is certain to hurt the rakyat. The question is, how well the Government is responding to mountains of challenges emanating from risks such as the 3F (finance, food and fuel), global imbalances, geopolitical uncertainties and other risks. Finance risk refers to the the international financial market turmoil which started with the US subprime mortgage crisis and the ensuing credit crunch.

The most immediate measures should also encompass finding an equally reliable alternative to petrol and diesel as the source of energy. It's heart-warming to learn that Proton, as announced by my ex-boss the MD/CEO, will roll out from its production line in Shah Alam its first car factory-fitted with the NGV tank latest by this October. In the other part of the world, Nissan is chasing Toyota and Honda in producing hybrid cars. Toyota will be, or probably has been, celebrating its 1,000,000th car running on a hybrid engine. Now its R&D is working very hard to perfect the lithium-ion battery technology to suit the need for economics of scale. You know that's the battery you see in your handphone or laptop.

Perhaps, as far as the global foreign direct investment is concerned, investors are now more sensitised to our ageing world, and environmental technologies will be the in-thing.

And for my Kriss, selling it off may not be a good idea after all if I still have my sentimental value - my Kriss 1904 is my first vehicle which, bought using my first salary, is a huge contribution to what I am today.

I love you Kriss 1904, muuuaaaarrrggghhh.

maleh tollll

2008-06-08T16:06:00.000+08:00

Hmmm... rasa maleh betol nak blogging lepas Pulau Batu Putih jatuh ke tangan Singapura dan jadi Pedra Branca. Lama gak lepas tarikh memilukan tu. Member2 cam Dr Fariz asyik dok provoke ajer. Aina lak maintain dengan posting nya yang soooo very the panjangggggg... Letih hendak kubaca... Tapi best...

I got soooooo much to write that now I don't know just where to start first. Should I write on my tot about the recent fuel price hike which is driving many crazy? Or about the stinking armpits in KTM commuter yesterday that almost made me puke (are people turning to public transports following the hike)? Or Pedra Branca? Or any other heavy stuff? Wait.. wait waddabout my commendable 1st sem result (hmmm.. A good start to complete my double degree as a friend of mine remarked)? Or should I for now just 'terjah' others' blogs like Dr Fariz said? Can be fun too...

Anyways, I'm sooooo sooooo bored and clueless. Period.

Rintihan

2008-06-03T21:01:00.002+08:00

Rintihan

Biar berlinangan air mata
Ku takkan hentikannya
Biarkan ia menyembuh luka
Hilanglah rasa duka

Tidak ku termampu merentasi liku-liku
Oh sungguh ku tak mampu menghadapi semua itu
Oh sungguh ku tak upaya

Jangan dibiarkan jerih perih kehidupan
Bisa meleraikan iman...
Kan hancur semuanya
Walaupun menitis air mata darah
Tak bisa merubah segalanya
Melainkan taubat nasuha
Moga kan diterima...

( korus )
Namun ku percaya
Masih ada kesudahannya
Kerana Allah itu
Maha kaya maha mendengar
Rintihan hamba-hambanya
Kerana sesiapa bertaqwa kepadanya
Pasti akan ada
Jalan keluarnya
Rezeki yang tidak disangka-sangka
Cukup Allah baginya berkuasa segala-galanya
Terima seadanya

Sumbangan Putera Izfiq & Maulana Nik

ngeeee

2008-05-27T20:48:00.001+08:00

I like kids, other than that I'm speechless...

budung mudai

2008-05-26T11:47:00.005+08:00

anak-anak sebenarnya satu hiburan yang tak terbanding kerana keletah mereka memang "pure", bukan dibuat-buat.

kanak-kanak perempuan dalam video ini sungguh comel, bijak dan petah. Tegas juga.

dia adalah impian saya.. bestnyer kalu dapat anak cenggitu..

ntah per ntah

2008-05-23T16:40:00.004+08:00

pagi ni gue gi tampal gigi (huhu dah tak beghaper muda ni still)..

specialist tu, kat sepital gomen nih, kata kena injek jap..

gue kata, doc, letak itu paste aarrr.. (teringat strawberry paste yg my denist fwen kat kuantan sapu kat tempat nak injek dlm mulut nih). bila injek, tak rase per beb)

paste yg dentist gomen letak ni, cam tak jadi ja.. dia injek sakit uh..

paste per dia pakai? naper bukan strawberry paste?

ader saper tanya gigi saper ateh tu? ehem ehem

sekian, tima kaseh.

TDM, AI and PBP

2008-05-22T23:56:00.004+08:00

With reference to my e-mail in my alumni e-group 19-May, the market did react (KLCI dropped from 1,295 points 18-May to 1,281 yesterday) to TDM's decision to quit UMNO although that is not the sole reason share prices on Bursa Malaysia continued its downtrend since 16-May; the other reasons being the overnight Wall Street fall, as well as regional markets' slump due to investors taking profits on concerns over inflation resultant from the new record high crude oil price of USD134 pb as at today.

In all, political defections stand out a main concern for the stock market. Just as I predicted. Now that our political dimension has shifted totally beyond the figment of our imagination, our politicians must respond swiftly and positively, be it with regard to TDM or AI or anything for that matter. Failing which, some of us will have to bail out our own stock portfolio in no time.

In another development, equally if not more important is the decision regarding the 30-year old territorial dispute on Pulau Batu Putih between Malaysia and Singapore that will be announced tomorrow, 4pm Malaysian time. We can watch it live on RTM1.

Just for the record, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision could see Singapore win all their claim ie PBP together with Middle Rocks and South Ledge, get one of the islands or leave the table empty-handed. Coin flipped, the status quo may remain with Malaysia resuming her authority over PBP and Singapore being allowed to operate their lighthouse there.

As Malaysians, let's pray we'll win our claim because that's what we deserve.

And the decision favoring Malaysia may yet be the Government's trump card in restoring confidence among the stakeholders, especially the rakyat, hence the much-awaited recovery of our stock market and also the economy as a whole.

Laughter the Best Medicine

2008-05-22T13:21:00.003+08:00

Male or Female?

You might not have known this, but a lot of non-living objects are actually either male or female.

Here are some examples:

FREEZER BAGS: They are male, because they hold everything in, but you can see right through them.

PHOTOCOPIERS: These are female, because once turned off; ittakes a while to warm them up again. They are an effective reproductive device if the right buttons are pushed, but can also wreak havoc if you push the wrong buttons.

TIRES: Tires are male, because they go bald easily and are often over inflated.

HOT AIR BALLOONS: Also a male object, because to get them to go anywhere, you have to light a fire under their butt.

SPONGES: These are female, because they are soft, squeezable and retain water.

WEB PAGES: Female, because they're constantly being looked at and frequently getting hit on.

TRAINS: Definitely male, because they always use the same old lines for picking up people.

EGG TIMERS: Egg timers are female because, over time, all the weight shifts to the bottom.

HAMMERS: Male, because in the last 5000 years, they've hardly changed at all, and are occasionally handy to have around.

THE REMOTE CONTROL: Female. Ha! You probably thought it would be male, but consider this: It easily gives a man pleasure, he'd be lost without it, and while he doesn't always know which buttons to push, he just keeps trying.

The wind of change - for the good or bad?

2008-05-22T08:47:00.007+08:00

The current development in our counrty's political landscape is
certainly not a good sign to our economic growth. Does TDM care about
it? Or does his action stem from his strong belief that unless he
does something dramatic such as relinquishing his party membership,
the party will not succeed in restoring people's confidence and will
fall to its knees in the next PRU, if not earlier.

There's always something behind a wise man's move; it's for the
remaining members to decipher the doctor's words. Has this got
something to do with Anwar Ibrahim's statement elsewhere that he's
ready to form a new federal government?

In Buletin TV3 19 May 2008, Tuan Guru Nik Aziz said if an internationally
acclaimed leader like the very wise TDM offers to join PAS, the party
will be riding on their luck. But where's TDM going after this? The
party which correctly anticipates TDM's next move will likely have the
extra edge to manouvre.

Whatever the outcome, the current scenario doesn't look good to our
economic growth. While other emerging markets like China, India,
Brazil, Viet Nam, and, ineterestingly, Thailand as well as Indonesia
are attracting more and more investors, Malaysia's image diminishing
in the investors' radar should remain our major concern. PRU12 result
itself drove most foreign investors' share sell-out on an
unprecedented scale to sink prices, mostly of government-linked
companies, further down where it's so difficult to recover. Any
subsequent unfavorable development in our politics certainly won't
help restore investors' confidence. Nor will both moves by TDM and
AI.

Fate has its say

2008-05-22T05:59:00.003+08:00

Some people know the gain or pain at the psychological moment. The last people, to the knowledge and eye-witness of millions of watching spectators around the globe at least, who had their own psychological moment were the players in the famous red shirt of Man U and blue shirt of Chelsea battling for ultimate supremacy in the most loved most watched sport of all time to become the best club in world football.

I have to admit that my remark in my earlier post that Chelsea played like a Beast must be retracted. Even at Van der Saar's blocking pair of hands which effectively crowned Man U as champions of Europe for their third time, I really have to admire the beautiful side of Chelsea's brand of football with their slick passings and defence-splitting through-balls.

Both teams were by and large equally good and could deserve to win the final. Had Tevez not missed two clear-cut golden opportunities, no Man U supporters would have had their adrenalin pumped to the limit before Man U lifted the trophy, and had any one of three shots on goal by Chelsea (Drogba and Lampard) hit the net and not the posts, Chelsea could have denied Sir Alex's troop their claim as the best of all.

Whilst both sides of players' tiring legs and straining muscles could not capitalise on the 30 minutes extra time to score the defining goal, Drogba lost his temper, 'gently' slapped Vidic and was red-carded.

Uhh.. I hate penalty shoot-out but that's Man U's fate to become champions again. Ronaldo missed his spotkick, then I screamed "You better don't dream to be the world's best player". And he should be thankful to Terry the Chelsea captain for slipping at the spot to send the ball out of goal trajectory. Anelka's failure to repeat his scoring feat against Man U when he was a Gunner - this time at the penalty spot - meant Man U beat Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League final by 6-5 in the penalty shoot-out after the tie was even at 1-1 until the extra time.

Congrat to Man U and all their fans around the world.

Also congrat to Chelsea for they deserve to be in the final and do have the quality to become champions.

p/s: heard 'em say, were Drogba to stay and take one penalty kick, surely it'll be a complete turn of events.

UCL final again

2008-05-22T03:45:00.003+08:00

The players are at half-time. Man U squandered 2 golden chances which should be taken in any other occasions, but of all moments, they chose the UCL final. And 2 minutes before half-time, one lapseof concentration caused Man U their early lead, and possibly the trophy.

The second half is about to start. Enjoy the game.

our ageing earth

2008-05-21T23:02:00.006+08:00

She was trapped between 2 huge stone debris for 10 days. Only raindrops prolonged her life. The day she was rescued, the medic team diagnosed her with merely a crack in her thigh and a scratch on her face. This 60-year old woman cried in tears of joy mixed with endured pain. Imagine you lie down squeezed by 2 huge stones, unable to move left or right. Perhaps you can only move your fingers and mouth. And stay put for 10 days. Dare to?

I don't know how my body will react if i were in her situation; even half a day is a torture, let alone 10 bloody days.

This is but one morbid scenario in the aftermath of the deadly earthquake of 7.9 ritcher scale - only 1.0 less than that of Acheh - which totally wiped out the worst-hit Sichuan and killed to date 40,025 people and counting.

The quake is expected to trim China's soaring economic growth this year by at least 0.2 percentage points, lead to a one-month production stoppage and curb consumption in worst-hit Sichuan and neighbouring areas. The economic loss? About 67 billion yuan (RM31 billion).

How will this affect Malaysia?

After the US economy has been hit hard by its subprime mortgage crisis, and will likely fall into a recession, albeit mild, Malaysia has a cause for concern. The reason being, the US is Malaysia's main export market. So, when hopes are high for the US economic downturn to be offset by China's super robust growth, the China quake seems to steal the headline for the wrong reason.

And with the world oil price reaching a record USD130 per barrel, Malaysia should be more cautious and careful in its spending before it's too late.

UCL Final - Beauty and the Beast

2008-05-21T22:15:00.004+08:00

the clock is ticking.. tik tok tik tok tik tok

At about 2.45am Malaysian time on Thursday morning, Man U will lock horns with Chelsea in what has been labelled as the Battle of Beauty and the Beast. Well, you know who's who.

For those Chelsea supporters, my advice is just take it as a learning experience playing in the UCL final. To win it, Man U is too good for your team, kay?

All the best Man U.

if time can stop..

2008-04-23T23:35:00.008+08:00

hmmm... I'm still wondering whether men can really travel through time? The way things around me are going now, even our PM would say 'I wish I could' if asked about the possibility of time-travelling. Gosh! Next week when all our MPs swear in on the 1st day of their new term at Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives), the watching nation can't wait to expect some kinda debates some have seen on tv between Gordon Brown and his opposition. This time, MPs from the much-weakened ruling coalition will hafta be on their toes all the time and expect enquiries and questions storming them across the aisle. Which also spells more work for civil servants, too, especially those who are required to be on duty during parliamentary sessions.

Big names like Hj Hadi, Mahfuz Omar, Chee Kiong and their cohorts will flex their muscles in powerful arguments during which many MPs surely will be forced to shrink into amateurs. Fingers crossed.

Politics aside, I also dream I could travel across the time dimension. Why?

Wait for my next posting...

Sibuk sangat ker?

2008-04-03T20:05:00.003+08:00

Sibuk sgt ke aku ni sampai takde masa nak blogging? knapa org lain ada masa?

love our earth

2007-07-19T10:43:00.001+08:00

Our climate...

Dear readers,

It's almost one year since I last posted in this blog. Within a year, so many things had happened. Which may be good for me. And probably bad too. But one thing remains, I ain't getting younger. Looking at my age, I wonder how much I have contributed to the society I live in, let alone the world. Some people are young, walking with old heads and thriving to change the world. Whether or not what they've done that is changing or have changed the world is actually for their own personal gains, God knows. So, I don't wanna miss the train. I also want to change the world, with or without any returns awaiting. For a start, I'll write. Today, I vow to myself that writing should rank among my everyday priorities, even a liner would suffice. This may jive with our beloved Nabi Muhammad saw who says "Sampaikanlah kebaikan walaupun satu ayat".

Talking about changes, this reminds me of the next Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting in Guyana, 15-17 October, 2007, where Finance Ministers will discuss a special theme on Climate Change: The Challenges Facing Finance Ministers. What a chance for me to again feast my eyes on beautiful places because I know beaches in Guyana are so popular and have attracted tourists. During the last year's meeting in Sri Lanka, my Minister decided to have one day off to venture inward the island and breathe some fresh air atop the hill where tea plantation areas carpet every inch of the land in green.

Back to this year's meeting, climate change has been chosen as the theme probably because it is a major global development challenge which requires urgent action. Over the last few months, Europe experienced a peculiar weather - extremely hot in one area, extremely cold in another, while floods in China is not showing any sign of receding. In Malaysia, uhm... I believe you guys are aware of the terrible floods that wrecked houses, shops, roads, and even lives, in Johor. Talking about rare phenomena. While we are most grateful to the Almighty for sparing us from destructive natural disasters such as earthquake, tornado, typhoon and volcanic eruption, to name a few, floods is a kind of disaster no one should take for granted whenever it starts to happen and what the causes are.

The main causes to flash floods in the Klang Valley have been identified as rivers clogged with rubbish, people becoming litterbugs throwing rubbish into rivers, overdevelopment in areas that were used to be water catchments, and many many more. SMART tunnel was built to overcome floods problem in the Klang Valley. However, within as many as 2 days after the RM1.3 billion tunnel was officially opened, flash floods haunted KL again and one of the victims was the tailor shop who recently did my lounge suit. When asked by the Prime Minister, the relevant authority's officer explained that only the tunnel for motorists had been opened and not the tunnel to redirect flood water out of KL. Is this a test from the Almighty? Maybe. But, flash floods will come to haunt KL people again, and it's up to everybody who's involved to ensure the tunnel is really smart.

2006-05-16T12:41:00.000+08:00

Apalah Salah PTD - samb. 6

Saya langsung tidak berniat untuk berprasangka buruk terhadap golongan profesional. Cuma apa yang saya harapkan, andaikata wujud sebarang ketidakpuasan hati terhadap struktur jentera kerajaan pada hari ini, perasaan sedemikian seharusnya dibawa berunding secara berhemah daripada menghangatkannya di dada akhbar, apatah lagi dengan tuduhan yang tidak adil atau saksama.

Kesimpulannya, seseorang KSU kementerian dipilih berdasarkan fakta bahawa mereka sudah begitu mahir dan faham akan skop pentadbiran kementerian secara menyeluruh di samping pengalaman luas mereka selama bekerja dengan kementerian di bahagian-bahagian berbeza, dan PTD sememangnya dilatih ke arah memenuhi aspirasi tersebut. Dan bukanlah salah PTD yang memegang jawatan KSU sehingga menyebabkan kegagalan pelaksanaan sesetengah projek.

Ghiyathuddin,
Putrajaya

2006-05-16T12:39:00.000+08:00

Apalah Salah PTD - samb. 5

Injiner Kampung dan Ir. Dr. Who dan sesiapa jua sepatutnya sudah sedia maklum bahawa ketua sebenar bagi sesebuah kementerian bukannya KSU tetapi adalah Menteri yang dibantu oleh seorang ataupun dua Timbalan Menteri dan seorang Setiausaha Parlimen. Dalam carta organisasi, hierarki KSU hanyalah selepas mereka di atas. Jikalaulah Injiner Kampung dan Ir. Dr. Who menghujahkan bahawa jawatan KSU mesti diisi oleh profesional agar pengurusan projek di negara kita menjadi lebih efisien lagi, maka Injiner Kampung dan Ir. Dr. Who patut menghujahkan juga bahawa jawatan Menteri, Timbalan Menteri dan Setiausaha Parlimen mesti turut diisi oleh golongan profesional. Tetapi, bukankah itu tidak bijak, tidak adil? Apatah lagi jika ada yang cuba mencari "scapegoat" bagi projek-projek bermasalah. Bukan KSU sahaja, jurutera, arkitek, juruukur bahan, jururunding, kontraktor dan ramai pihak lagi dari sektor kerajaan dan swasta yang turut terlibat dan bertanggungjawab atas jaya gagal sesuatu projek. Jawatankuasa yang dilantik untuk memantau pelaksanaan sesuatu projek juga dianggotai oleh jurutera, juruukur dan golongan profesional berkaitan yang bertanggungjawab memberi pandangan dan nasihat daripada aspek teknikal. Perlu diingat, "It takes two to tango".

2006-05-16T12:35:00.000+08:00

Apalah Salah PTD - samb. 4

Saya tidak menolak kemungkinan golongan profesional diberi amanah menjadi KSU sesuatu kementerian asalkan itulah jalan terbaik. Tetapi persoalannya, adakah cukup kepakaran dalam satu bidang khusus sahaja untuk melayakkan seseorang menjadi KSU? Amat membimbangkan, apabila jurutera menuntut hak menjadi KSU atas alasan dia mempunyai kepakaran teknikal, bukankah ini sama seperti mengatakan kementerian tidak memerlukan kepakaran dalam bidang kewangan, pengurusan sumber manusia dan perancangan ekonomi misalnya dalam urusan pentadbiran? Lama-kelamaan, akauntan, arkitek, doktor, juruukur bahan, perancang bandar, peguam dan semua yang ada akan berebut-rebut memperjuangkan hasrat menjadi KSU. Akibatnya, lebih membimbangkan, seruan YAB Perdana Menteri kita melalui perancangan kerajaan untuk menjadikan sektor swasta sebagai "the engine of growth" akan menjadi kenangan sahaja kerana semua golongan profesional ingin menjadi pentadbir di kementerian dan jabatan kerajaan sehinggakan segala kepakaran mereka tidak disalurkan ke tempat yang sepatutnya.

2006-05-16T12:26:00.000+08:00

Apalah Salah PTD - samb. 3

PTD sebagai KSU sebenarnya memberi kelebihan kepada kementerian yang diterajuinya. Setiap kementerian sentiasa bekerjasama malah bergantung antara satu sama lain. Untuk itu, jaringankerja antara PTD sebagai KSU sebuah kementerian dengan PTD sebagai KSU kementerian lain sudah tentu dapat memudahkan urusan kerja kerana PTD amat saling kenal mengenali kerana biasa menjalani kursus bersama, ada yang dilantik pada masa yang sama malah ada yang pernah menjadi teman sebilik. PTD juga dipayungi oleh Persatuan PTD yang sentiasa berusaha mengeratkan semua PTD, dan anak isteri, melalui aktiviti-aktiviti melangkaui sempadan pejabat.

Sebenarnya, sudah banyak jabatan kerajaan sekarang diketuai oleh golongan profesional. Sebagai contoh, Pengarah Kesihatan peringkat pusat dan negeri adalah seorang doktor perubatan, Pengarah JKR dan JPS peringkat pusat dan negeri adalah seorang jurutera, dan Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Lanskap Negara merupakan perancang bandar profesional. Dan senarai ini berterusan.

2006-05-16T12:23:00.000+08:00

Apalah Salah PTD - samb. 2

Malahan, barisan PTD yang ada dalam perkhidmatan awam sebenarnya terdiri daripada pelbagai bidang dan jurusan seperti yang telah saya nyatakan tadi dan ini mengimbangi keperluan pengetahuan teknikal dalam sesetengah kementerian ataupun jabatan kerajaan. Dan ada di antaranya yang memiliki ijazah kelas pertama. Sekarang, calon-calon yang memiliki ijazah Sarjana diberi keutamaan untuk dipilih. Jadi, isu bahawa PTD bukan "creme de la creme" sepertimana rakan-rakan daripada golongan profesional tidak langsung menjadi isu dan ia dibangkitkan di luar konteks.

Sekadar berkongsi pengetahuan, Katsuaki Watanabe, lahir pada 1942, adalah Presiden Toyota Motor Corporation. Beliau yang merupakan graduan dari Keio University dengan Sarjana Muda Ekonomi dalam tahun 1964 telah bekerja untuk Toyota selama 41 tahun, sehingga menjadi Presiden menggantikan Fujio Cho, dan telah disenaraikan antara "TIME magazine's 100 most influential people of 2005". Rick Wagoner, Pengerusi General Motors (GM), telah menerima Sarjana Muda Ekonomi dalam tahun 1975 dari Duke University dan Sarjana Pentadbiran Perniagaan dari Harvard Business School dua tahun berikutnya, sebelum terus bekerja di GM sehingga menjadi Pengerusi hari ini. Toyota Motor Corporation dan GM merupakan dua syarikat automotif gergasi dunia yang berjaya menghasilkan poduk automotif menerusi kepakaran kejuruteraan automotif berteknologi tinggi. Namun, Presiden dan Pengerusi masing-masing tidak mempunyai kepakaran teknikal di bidang kejuruteraan automotif, tetapi dipilih kerana mereka sudah begitu mahir dan faham akan skop pentadbiran organisasi secara menyeluruh di samping pengalaman luas mereka selama bekerja dengan syarikat masing-masing.

2006-05-16T11:48:00.000+08:00

Apalah Salah PTD - samb.

Bukan berniat menyebelahi PTD, adalah diterima umum bahawa PTD yang kini menjawat Jawatan Utama Sektor Awam (JUSA) telah dilatih selama setahun melalui latihan formal di Institut Tadbiran Awam Negara (INTAN) seterusnya menimba pengalaman demi pengalaman "realtime on-the-job-training " selama berpuluh tahun di pelbagai bidang pentadbiran kerajaan seperti perolehan kerajaan, kewangan, perancangan ekonomi, pembangunan, tanah, pengurusan projek, sumber manusia, hubungan antarabangsa, latihan dan lain-lain lagi di pelbagai kementerian dan jabatan kerajaan, yang tidak mungkin dapat dikuasai secara "overnight" apabila dilantik menjadi KSU. KSU yang menerajui kementerian hari ini bukannya menjadi PTD semalam mahupun tahun lepas; mereka telah melalui latihan dan pengalaman berpuluh tahun yang diperlukan untuk menjadi KSU ataupun menjawat JUSA.

Dari dahulu sehingga sekarang, pengambilan PTD yang dikendalikan oleh Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam (SPA) tidak menetapkan pemohon yang memiliki ijazah tertentu, baik teknikal, pengurusan ataupun sastera, diberi keutamaan dalam kriteria pemilihan PTD. Tidak kira sama ada calon memiliki ijazah sains, perakaunan, undang-undang, seni bina, kewangan, kejuruteraan, pengurusan perniagaan, ekonomi, usuluddin ataupun mana-mana ijazah yang diiktiraf oleh Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA), yang penting adalah kualiti kepimpinan, sikap, kejujuran, kemahiran berucap dan berkomunikasi, personaliti, daya toleransi tinggi dan lain-lain lagi, dan kriteria ini di samping segulung ijazah sarjana muda sekurang-kurangnya menjadi penentu seseorang calon itu berjaya atau tidak menjadi PTD. Tiada gunanya seorang dengan segulung ijazah kejuruteraan sahaja tanpa memiliki kualiti kepimpinan, sikap, kejujuran, kemahiran berucap dan berkomunikasi, personaliti dan daya toleransi tinggi dipilih menjadi PTD. Sebaliknya, jikalau dia memiliki ijazah kejuruteraan dan terampil dengan ciri-ciri di atas, pintu Perkhidmatan Tadbir dan Diplomatik sentiasa terbuka untuknya.

2006-05-16T09:14:00.000+08:00

Apalah Salah PTD

Saya ingin mencadangkan agar Injiner Kampung dan Ir. Dr. Who membuat kajian terperinci terlebih dahulu sebelum melontarkan tuduhan melulu kepada Pegawai Tadbir dan Diplomatik (PTD) khususnya yang mengepalai kementerian sebagai Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian (KSU) atas masalah-masalah yang dihadapi dalam pengurusan projek di negara ini.

Hakikat yang perlu diterima semua dengan hati terbuka adalah bahawa mengetuai sesuatu kementerian atau jabatan kerajaan memerlukan seseorang itu mengetahui skop pentadbiran organisasi yang amat luas, bukan setakat unik kepada kepakaran tertentu sahaja. Jikalau seorang jurutera mahu dipilih menjadi KSU kerana dia pakar dalam bidang kejuruteraan selama bertahun-tahun, apakah dia layak dipilih jikalau dia tidak mempunyai pengalaman dalam skop-skop pentadbiran, misalnya mentadbir kewangan kerajaan dan mengurus sumber manusia? Dan dalam era globalisasi masa kini yang melihat Malaysia terlibat dalam rundingan-rundingan perdagangan duahala dan pelbagaihala dengan ketua-ketua setiausaha mengetuai kementerian masing-masing yang turut terlibat dari awal lagi dalam rundingan-rundingan tersebut melalui proses berterusan yang bukannya "one-off", dapatkah seorang yang hanya pakar dalam bidang kejuruteraan membuat keputusan terbaik dalam rundingan meliberalisasikan sektor-sektor penting dan kritikal kepada negara dan rakyat seperti perolehan kerajaan, kewangan, dan pendidikan?

2006-04-24T15:45:00.000+08:00

Assalamu'alaikum and a very good day to everybody. At last, I managed to get myself my own blog amid piles of workload on my office desk. It's kinda hard nowadays when one got to do so many a thing. Just hafta go on with it. I was actually spurred on by a colleague who said "we may blog to keep on writing". And yeah, it's my call now.

As for now, if you guys click on my blog, I suppose because many would prefer a blog which is light and less serious, I'd kick off my blog aligned with that.

Life's getting very monotonous of late. How can it be? Perhaps I'm spending too much time at work. Or just twiddling my thumbs without really using every second fathoming the legal side of those agreements? Get up in the morning, prepare for work, time passes by, and like in a blink of an eye, the clock is ticking to my final minutes. Everyday is almost the same. Now I know I need some varieties. Even playing soccer no longer brings the best enthusiasm out of me. A new sport? Well, golf is presently not cost-effective, not even next year when the local petrol price will surely go up again.

Wooops!! It's already half past seven. Everyone's gone. Hey, they ain't gonna pay me to guard this building.

Gotta go.

See ya