Life is but a dream ……

Wish you all the best of health (I was not well recently, the doctor suspected appendicitis). Whatever happens to us, nothing but a test from the Almighty. Do not assume all that leisures & luxuries are good tidings, neither do whatever appears to be a calamity (the ‘lembaga hantu’ etc.). All in all, remember that there is always someone for everyone. (Guys, if any of you want ‘many’ ones, ready to be plangkung-ed). Anyway, this is for you from Dewa 19 (your favourite), enjoy our song.

Dewi aku mohon
Beri kesempatan
tuk bisa menebus dosaku kepadamu

Maafkanlah aku yang menyakitimu
Aku tidak pernah menyangka bisa begini

Oh Dewi
Dengarkanlah

Dewi
Kaulah hidupku
Aku cinta padamu sampai mati

Dewi

Belah lah dadaku
Agar kau tahu
Agar kau mengerti

http://www.divshare.com/download/364350-9e5

Know what, I had that same feeling when I was at school. You could lose to anybody but them. If you had a win with them, and won it big time, its gonna be the talk of the school for weeks.

Similar to the article, I had one good friend while doing my A-Levels coming from that school. We became best of friends.

So much so that the traditions set by us in that new school (where we did the A-Levels) were a mixture from STAR and MC. Reason being I was the Headboy, my friend was the deputy.

Remember those hefty bonuses? Normally half of whatever I get belongs to my tax consultant (a.k.a. my wife). No, not that all of it she used for shopping (she shops for my stuffs as well). Most of it is for our own needs, our family needs. This what we called hidup berumah tangga.

This time around my tax consultant really mad at the ‘lembaga hantu’. My so - called hefty bonus has been sliced, cut, trimmed, by the ‘lembaga’ until she said, ‘Depa tak ada keje lain ke ?’.

I checked the LHDN website, and confirmed that after some amount the rate is 19% to 24%. No wonder she’s mad. The lesser I get, the lesser even she’ll get. Last month while doing the tax thing, she met one of the ‘lembaga’ director. The director confirmed that the ‘lembaga’ will sent out the rebate as soon as possible. I have some k’s still not yet returned by them. Ok lah Yang, all the rebates are all yours.

Guys, we have to admit that we do take many things for granted. We only realise the worth of something, when it is no longer at our side. But by then, it’s too late.

Look beside you now. Look closely with all the love and kindness to your dear wife, your spouse, your partner. They have done a lot you know. They bear your children and raised them. They took care of you (some of you now recuperating from ailment). They have to work and earn a living at the same time. Some of them have to live with your mother. Sometimes they offered assistance morally and financially to you. They took care of your home.

They do all this, and yet at the same time they have to please you. Things changed. She changed. Even we ourselves have changed (some of us have double chins & boroi tummy). Nothing stays the same. People get older. The sweet girl that you marry decades ago, now have gone through metabolical, biological, psychological & physical changes (which include some accumulation of fat tissues, cellulites, etc.). It’s not easy you know to juggle with your own life, kids, husband, MIL, work. I bet none of us would survive if we were given these daunting tasks.

My point is, we should give all the credit to her, your partner, your wife. Kasihanilah dia. Pandanglah mereka dengan penuh cinta yang MURNI. Just look pass through whatever that your physical eyes can see. Look her from your heart. Love her with all the kindness. Do not betray her trust.

Most of all, accept her for what she is.

Of all the places in this world, the one that the Almighty loves is the mosque, and the one that He loathes is the market. The reason simply, in the mosque there are acts of His remembrance. In the market (shopping centre, the mall etc.) people are absorb in worldly transactions. I’m not sure what would be the category of a surau in the shopping centre.

In my younger years, whenever there’s a school holiday I frequented my kampung’s mosque, especially during the Maghrib and Isya prayers. The last Thursday night (malam Jumaat) before the announcements of the SRP (right, I’m ancient), SPM and A-Levels results, I made a point to ask the Tuan Imam to mention my ‘hajat’ before the commencement of the Surah Yasin recitation. My hajat was that I hoped to get good results. If you have more than 40 people reading the Yasin concurrently, the doa will be granted, without doubt. All worthy praise to the Almighty. I wonder why, not many students nowadays (or even during my time) resort to this. Sure work one (but of course, you have to work hard, on your dissertation, your viva etc.).

Once in the UK, the mosques were the only place to mend the broken heart. One summer, I practically rented a room on top of the Carrington Street Mosque, courtesy of Imam Shah-Sahib. It felt like heaven. Able to call out the azan, and opened the mosque doors during Fajr at 3.30 am. There are other notable mosques in Glasgow like the University Mosque (Dakwatul Islam) as well as the Central Mosque, which is bigger than the Regent’s Park Mosque in London.

Back in the country, my heart was very much full of glee (dah tak broken2 dah). Remember those lovely girls I introduced to my mum in JB ? Whenever I had a rendezvous with them, as soon as it’s the time for prayer, I brought them to the mosque (I love the huge, white washed and airy Masjid Abu Bakar). Initially, it was kinda gawky with some of them wearing tight skirts and all. But after few times, they voluntarily brought their own telekung. Hoping that all of them, stay steadfast in their daily prayers.

My first ever date with my wife was near a mosque in her college. The catchy ice-breaking para-phrase “I’m the great grandson of Tok Guru, your dad’s god-father”, was inspired in that very mosque.

At present, the nearest mosque from my house is the grand Masjid Al-Husna, opposite the cute lion statuette of Sunway Pyramid. In the month of Ramadan, I bring the whole family for the Tarawikh prayer.

The house and the mosque, that’s where my heart is.

Please tell me, why the  excessive carbo intake. You are doing injustice to yourself & your spouse. Your BMI figure is way out of the chart.

This obesity thing, is becoming a serious public health problem. It’s definitely not a status symbol, showing that you have been well fed, can survive famine and can easily bear children. Do you know that you could be exposed to various disease such as cardiac arrest, diabetes, osteoarthritis etc.

I know, it’s not my business anyway. But, I’m pretty sure that your husbands could use this as one of his reasons to do what I don’t know. Ladies, if you are reading this, please do something. Take some initiative. Work hard on it. Do it for yourself, tak pun for your husband. Kesianlah pada mereka.

It doesn’t take much to shed few pounds (or inches). Cuma sedikit determination, and effort. I’m positively sure that the reward will be tremendous. He will be glad. If that doesn’t matter to you, at least, you’ll be healthier.

Go gurl. Just do it. Today.

Here’s a quick one what would be the probable result that I want (not what the masses want) on the AF5 Final Concert tomorrow.

Juara AF5 - Heliza (Berehhh): She’s cute, intelligent, adorable and can project her voice. She reminds me of my cute nieces now doing matriculation and 1st Year. This is a kezutan, as for the first time a woman will be a champion and can bring back a Vios and a luxury condo.

Runners-up - Ebi (Rileks): He will be ‘manhunted’ by all ladies and men alike. The other bright chap. Has his own style of singing.

3rd Placing - Aswad (line clear): Provided that he is not in the ‘ward’, he’ll get through this.

The rest: Mila and Candy. I have no comments on their talents. They must have something to get this far. However, these girls just don’t have that ‘X-Factor’, plus too gedik.

What do my dear father, my uncle Pak Alang, my MIL, my eldest brother Yeop, my big brother Yang and his wife kak Yang, my dear wife, my ex (to name a few) have in common? Not sure if I could include academician as well, tell me please. Anyway, all of them are teachers. Great ones too. I love them all (except the ex la, don’t you worry my dear wife).

One fine summer day many years ago in Stirling University (one of the most scenic place in the UK, with the lochs and all), I met a PhD student from Malaysia. After chatting with him and knowing our backgrounds and whereabouts, to my bewilderment he said ‘Your father, he’s the reason I’m able to be here. I owe everything to him.’ Eh, really ke? Macam tak percaya, awak tak makan nasi ke? Finally I knew the reason he said that. My dear father was the one who gave him encouragement to come to school, paid his boat fare from school to his house. That was in the mid (the swinging) 60’s. When I related this to my dad, he said that it’s pleasant to hear that kampung boy finally made it in his life. Humble dad. I knew that this was not an isolated case.

Then my dear brother Yeop. Napoleon Hill once said, ‘If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.’ Yeop really did that. In the late 80’s and early 90’s he was posted in one remote primary school in the Jelapang area. To go to that school is likened to go to a waterfall sanctuary. Yes, there are waterfalls. Not many students in that school. They had 2 classes for each age group. From a school not worth mentioning, within a short period that school was the Kinta District (which include all Ipoh reputable schools) Champion for girls hockey. And not just that, most of the hockey players not only excel in sports but managed to do the same academically. Yours truly, once invited to give a motivational talk to them during summer break. My niece, the cutest Malaysian hockey player is Yeop’s daughter.

My big bro Yang. He wanted me to surpass his achievement always. I did just that. Once he boasted that he passed the driving license after only 10 hours of driving lessons. Well, yours truly did that in 6 hours. When he (and kak Yang) taught at MCKK, he did one thing that never done before. In the early 90’s to get an A1 in Add Math is quite an achievement. What Yang did was to produce more than 2 classes of his students with A1 in Add Math. That’s more than half of the students taking the SPM.

Me too had the pleasures of being taught by wonderful teachers. From the seemingly fierce but really kind hearted Mrs Lim in ACS Sitiawan, to my cricket coach Mr Velupillay (he gave 50 ringgit to me during the U-16 MSSM, as well as free Physics Tutorials). To my 5S form teacher Ms Venny Lee, who’s sweet and lovely. To Ms Zuraidah my Chemistry teacher during my A-Levels (we had chemistry). To Mr Willie (really?) Ross, my eccentric Technical Drawing lecturer who never wear other than kilt. I guess, lecturer is included after all.

To all of them, Selamat Hari Guru.

If you wanted the sky
I would write across the sky in letters
That would soar a thousand feet high
To you, with love

Those awkward years have hurried by, why did they fly, fly away?
Why is it Sir, children grow up to be people one day?
What takes the place of climbing trees,
And dirty knees, in the world outside?
What, what is there that I can buy?

(To Sir With Love - Lulu)

Last Friday, I was out of the office the whole day (that’s why I had to post some articles earlier). In the morning, I had a meeting with one major shipping company technical team on my proposal to refurbish the control systems of their carriers. So far so good, and sounds promising. If the deal materialise, it will be a 7 million plus job worth for each of the 5 ships.

Next, a lunch meeting at Kelantan Delights KLCC with two executives of one major oil company. This is indeed one of my favourite restaurants. It won the Best Malay Restaurant accolade by the Halal Journal for 2006. We are discussing about one of their projects in Caspian Sea. From the support I received from them so far, they are quite sincere in extending helping hands to ensure that my company wins the job. That job worth another 10 maybe 15 millions.

I performed my Friday prayer at the As-Syakirin Mosque KLCC. The airy mosque is a walking distance from the tallest twin towers in the world. The khatib delivered the sermon in English. In my opinion, the Muslim/Malay Civilization is at its peak. I don’t think within the Nusantara to the least, we have this sort of achievement. His Majesty the Agong was there at the prayer. Took the opportunity to shake hands with him. Nice king we have here. Well, beside him having the throne, those horses and all, I’m slightly taller and more handsome (perasan la pulok) than His Majesty. Daulat Tuanku !

I then joined another meeting. This meeting is for a project we are currently bidding, the first floating platform in Asia. I’m part of the sales pursuit team and we cover all parties from top management (the Datuks and all) to the junior engineers (including the pretty project secretary as well). Since this project is somehow related to the shipping company mentioned above, then my job is getting a little bit easier.

After Asar prayer, I had my last business meeting cum (an early) dinner at Chilli’s KLCC. There’s major pipeline project. I’m talking to the responsible person on technical matters. The project is at its initial phase, but it’s the right time to plant the seed. Through one of my closest friend, I managed to make friend with this person. Time will tell on my chances. However, this is a great start.

If my boss is reading this (if he’s not, I’ll tell him) once we get all the project above, I need an all expense-paid holidays with my family in Disneyland and a big fat bonus.

I would like to dedicate this to all the mothers in the world. Especially to my dear mother Puan Hajjah Khadijah bt Kamaruzzaman.

Dearest Mak,

I love you so very much. Nothing else matters, than your wishes. I know that I’m not a very ‘ideal’ son or ‘anak yang soleh’, as I would like to be. Especially with my work, my own family and all.

I know that I did not really make your life easier especially during my early childhood. I was not a healthy child back then. Every other month or so, you had to seek doctor’s advice and medication on my not so strong lungs. So much so that the Vicks Vapourub (in the blue glass canister) was my best friend.

I also knew that I did cling to your mammary glands until I was four years old. Back in the late 60’s or early 70’s where the kebaya was in high fashion, I knew I was a nuisance. And not enough with you, I had a wet nurse (sheesh ….). To my late wet nurse Hajjah Taharah, may the Almighty illuminates your grave and expand it as far as eye could see.

Obviously, Mak this writings goes to your late mother. My Opah Hajjah Embun bt Lebai Ahmad. God, I really missed her, now that she’s mentioned. Opah was really a kind woman. She taught me a lot of things about life. She taught me the Quran. She showed me how to feed the chicken, and how to sent them back to their ‘reban’ at dusk. How to take their eggs in the ’sangkar’ without upsetting the mother hen. I know things like how to make water filter using few layers of sediments, rocks and granules. As well as the process of making the mengkuang mat, from start to finish and other things only a kampung boy knew. Opah even gave me 20 ringgit when I said I wanted to go to town to meet a friend. ‘Grandson, whatever it is, don’t break someone’s daughter’s heart.’ I was like ‘terkedu’ when I heard she said that. Well, she’s the Tok Guru daugther. I spent like RM13.50 at the KFC with ehmm, my friend, who’s a girl. I hope and pray that Opah now resting in what said by the Holy Prophet, in one of the Garden of the many Gardens or Paradise.

Dearest Mak,

Here, I would also want to clarify something. Remember, when Ayah and Opah had plans for me when I came back from Glasgow. You too had your own plan. You introduced me to one of your friend’s daughter. She’s very sweet, fair, lovely, with brunette wavy hair, hazel eyes and exotic name (reminds me of my princess Ayra). Not that I felt awkward knowing that she came from a ‘lordy’ family and the father a Datuk has a big bungalow at SS2, and loved to karaoke all night long, as opposed to dear Ayah who’s a mosque-goer and always waking up at night offering solat tahajjud and all. Not that at all. The reason simply, she smokes. And her breath stinks.

Now, that I have taken it out of my chest, I would like to thank you for not accepting the lovely girls I introduced to you in JB. Else, I’ll be writing a blog entitle ‘ From JB with Love’.

So Dear Mak, thank you very much giving me birth, for taking care of me when I was feeble and helpless. I make doa to the Almighty after every solat, so that He forgives all the wrongdoings and have His Mercy on both of you, much more than your love for me.

To all the mothers in the UK and in the whole world (ok, ok … you too MIL), especially to the mother of my lovely kids, you are our saviour, you are our everything.

Happy Mother’s Day

jom nyanyi sama-sama:

bangunlah wahai teman-tamanku

berkorban segenap tenagamu

bersama berusaha

membangunkan bangsa

serta tanah air kita

bangunlah tuntut segala ilmu

tunjukkan kebaktianmu

jangan membuang masa

dengannya sia-sia

kerna Ilmu Panduan Hidup

Teruskan hidup ini.
dengan penuh tabah.
Jika rintangan ditemui,
yakini itu suatu hikmah.

Entah dari mana
dia datang mewarna.
Hadirnya tanpa suara
dan bagai tak ada logika.

Perlu ku menolaknya ?
Tapi bingung kenapa
rindu terasa
pada kelibatnya.

Tembok maya ini
kurasakan  mapan,
untuk kau kusapai
secara berdepan.

Kalau goyah (seperti aku),
dahuluilah masa.
Agar resah
tidak menyiksa.

Di hari gemilang ini,
segala doa dan harapan
biar gigih menghadapi
hari-hari di hadapan.

Apa jua memagari,
atasi dengan sabar.
Jaga diri mu srikandi,
semoga berjiwa besar.

Glad to hear that Raja Nazrin of Perak is going to get married. And finally we got to know the beautiful Raja Puan Besar. The last royal grand wedding at KK was during Raja Zarith’s time. Eh, do you realise or not, most people from Perak are beautiful, nice and highly educated. Unlike in some other states, where celebrities are the highlights.

I’m hoping to get back to KK during the wedding and stand along the byways with the proud people of Perak to see the entourage, which is a stone throw away from Bukit Kerajaan (my MIL’s house).

To Utusan & Kosmo, you guys are really making blunder, again. No respect at all to the Sultan by publishing the above news before it was officially announced. Hari tu you guys did the same on the best SPM student, which turn to be technically untrue.

Panic stricken. Grief. Suspense. Cold sweat.

All because of exams. Not my exams. My kids’ exams. This week supposed to be Ahwaz and Ateef’s examination week. No cricket practice for Ahwaz. ‘Can I go this Friday afternoon training session, after exams over ?’ Initially, I’m very please with him joining the PJ Club Cricket Team. Now, I just couldn’t take it. Sometimes when he walks, he even ‘bowls’. Ini sudah lebeh.

No Sekolah Agama Rakyat class for Ateef. ‘Which means, you have to do those exercises that Mama told you to do, not bringing Rebecca (her good friend cum neighbour) to play with Sakura and Whiskers (didn’t I tell that there’s a new kitten in the house).

I know it’s kinda tough to get even top 5 in Ahwaz’s SKSSJ, which is the top 5 school in terms of UPSR results in the country. ‘Son, city boy like you should be top of the class. Kampung boy like me did that. And I didn’t even go for tuition classes. Those days tv was black and white and there’s no internet.’

Awateef …. my dear kakak princess. Apa la nak dibuat dengan kamu ni. She has this attitude. Care less attitude, especially with regard to her school work. She’s very clever, no doubt. She could talk and talk about anything for hours, in English slang like the Totally Spies girls. She could tell you why the sea-horse is like 5 animals in 1. She even uses words like ‘sarcastic’ and ‘dork’ when talking.

Luckily, I have perfected the art of managing and empowerment. Simply delegate the feelings (and hence the worry) above to my dear wife. By the way, she is a school teacher, a good one too. And maybe Ateef need a kind auntie somewhere to talk nicely to her give some good advice.

Adui !!! My body aching everywhere. The whole of yesterday I was with my SOCC club members taking over X-SMAP Labu cricket team (we suggested them to have their team name as SMAPLOVA) at the picturesque Bayuemas Oval. There were two matches. One with 30 overs, the other 15 overs.

Both of the match, we really nailed them good, despite them having 2 good batsmen. The first game SOCC batted first, reached 193 runs with 9 wickets down. Yours truly, however …. got golden duck. Ah, I’d been out of the net practise for almost 3 months now. When our turn to field, we restricted them to 185, with yours truly got 2 wickets and a really out-of-this-world run-out throw.

Second match, we let our junior players filled up the top batting order. I batted at number 6, and had 8 runs. SOCC settled for 113 runs. Next the SMAPLOVA’s inning. We restricted them only to 97 runs with yours truly taken 3 wickets, in 3 overs, letting only 3 runs. That’s 3-3-3. Amazing-kan. Our next game at Bayuemas is with MCOBA. We shall defend the Datuk Mir’s piala pusingan which we won in 2005.

Back to my house complaining that my whole body aching all over, my wife said ‘Eh you people don’t realised that you all are otai (old timers).’ ‘Dear, we know but we can’t help it.’