Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Saya Mengucapkan `SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDILFITRI' Maaf Zahir Batin..


Besok, 1 Syawal, umat Islam di Malaysia akan merayakan Hari Raya Idilfitri selepas sebulan berpuasa. Dan dalam sebulan itu juga saya seberapa yang terdaya, dengan izinNya Allah yang Maha Besar lagi Penyayang, Pemurah, dan Pengasih, maka terpaparlah penulisan dari berbagai sudut pengalaman seseorang atau kumpulan , di dalam dan diluar negara. Tidak ketinggalan juga penulisan yang merupakan pengalaman yang di alami oleh saya sendiri.

Catatan demi catatan telah tertulis dan ada yang tepat ada yang tidak. Ada hanya berupa simbolik kepada persitiwa yang sudah, sedang, atau yang mungkin berlaku. Dan ada yang hanya merupakan mainan khayalan saya semata-mata.

Satu perkara yang agak ketara ialah penulisan saya dalam bahasa Inggeris. Tak tahu apa nak kata, terkadang terdengar dengan kuatnya suara hati dalam bahasa mat salleh itu. Mungkin `background' saya yang banyak terdedah kepada suasana Inggeris baik di sekolah mahu pun pendedahan saya di seberang laut dan juga kerjaya saya di Malaysia yang memerlukan berbahasa Inggeris. Atau sememangnya hati saya memiliki dua hati dan dua perasaan, Melayu dan Inggeris. Inggerislah saya bila saya berbahasa Inggeris dan Melayulah saya kalau saya berbahasa Melayu. That is me! Tak tahu lah, dan mohon maaf kepada pembaca yang menganggap saya tidak patriotik.

Akhirnya, kepada pengunjung yang telah membuat komen, terima kasih saya ucapkan kerana dengan komen tersebut dapat saya mengusahakan penulisan dan topik yang lebih tepat dan bermutu lagi. Untuk pengetahuan pembaca, saya juga telah mengunjung blog blog lain dan telah membuat komen di blog mereka. Tak tahu lah samaada komen saya tepat atau tidak. Tetapi kata orang komen tetap komen!

Di Hari Raya yang mulia ini, sama samalah kita menyambutnya dengan kadar kudrat, hati, perasaan dan wang yang ada dan termampu. Dan saya sekeluarga memohon maaf zahir dan batin jika apa apa yang tersilap tulis dan menyebabkan hati terguris.

Wassalam.

Monday, September 29, 2008

The loneliest of heart, and the morbid of place...

The morbid of a place, the strewn of things in its bits and pieces, the crackle silence of an abandon alley, the expressionless face of individuals, and the creepy beat of the heart in the shadow of darkness, all sum up to a point, they are still alive and ticking. With sombre look, and non-haste walk and talk, and the gleam of half-shut eyes, they seem to belong to a life long forgotten. It has become a nobody's town now. But it is a god forsaken town that seem to forbid anybody to be near or come any closer. Is it because of the sin of the pasts, or sin of traitors that once roam and control the seas and the settlement near the rivers? Are they the grandchildren that curses seem to stay and stick and make them crawl in the hottest of heat. Are they?

Sunday, September 28, 2008

There is no taker for the love of something...

There is no taker for the love of something or someone...It is all giving. Is that what life is all about? As always I would say I don't know. Here we are not talking specific but in `generalities.' Everywhere, everybody, every time, people start talking on the same topic almost daily and it seems there are more talker to listener, more books to readers, or more products to buyers. For that matter we don't listen. It is a life of all `expressing' and the response is all`distressing.' We are being presented with the idea of an effective communication encompassing all the elements of sender and receiver and the what not, but when comes to `actualities', everything comes to a naught. There is no movement or in Melayunya `anjakan.' In other words there is no sign of shifting. So what shall we do? Cry not, die not, but just do what you have to do. Sometimes heart that matters. Because heart resides the truth. Thus it is not the`generalities' but the `specific' that would spell success... Remember, we don't share dreams.. It is yours for the taking.

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Presidential Debate


Bank crisis overshadows defense in first debate
Obama calls meltdown ‘final verdict’ on Bush; McCain urges spending freeze
Ini politik cara orang Amerika. Saya masih teringat ketika belajar di sana, debate beginilah yang ditunggu oleh segenap lapisan masyarakat penduduk Amerika termasuk golongan pelajar. Teringat saya, semasa Reagan berdebat dengan Carter, saya terpaksa menyelit dicelah ribuan pelajar yang begitu ramai menunggu perdebatan tersebut yang diadakan secara langsung dan dipaparkan di `giant screen' di dewan univeristi. Tak kira dari parti mana, mereka diberi kebenaran memasukki kawasan universiti untuk berkempen..

Of kind and harsh words..Of quality,productivity and charity...

I am just expressing my disappointment with the outcome of their work. Am I fighting a losing battle? I don't know. Or am I putting the benchmark for quality work too high? I don't think so. They are just taking advantage of the situation. They seem to fail in fighting themselves. Or they do not see the worth in fighting? Or there are nothing to fight for? Their attitude is mere taker not giver. They don't see them as a producer. If I were to define my mission, it is none other to make this country great! Everybody must create and produces something. But what do I get? Frustration.

Caught in this situation, of kind and harsh words, which would I choose? I have it all. Should I opt for both? I don't know. Fasting month should display creativity, productivity, and charity. We still have three more fasting days before the celebration of Hari Raya. As for the winner, the celebration is indeed a symbol of having a strong faith in the Greatness of Allah. Can they be a winner? If they are still far, far from achieving the divine objective, some soul-searching must be done...here and now..

Of strong felt relations...

Of strongly felt relationship...funny! Today I have been swarmed by thoughts and feeling asking me to make a rundown of all things I love and cherished most. I can't do that. Of what I felt most and of what I have a strong feeling to, that I think is possible.

Strange! Of what I cherished and love most might not necessarily give me that very needed attention I craved for. Perilous existence indeed!! What a thought! Life works well when we fail to make a sensible equation out of anything especially when comes to discussing about positive relationship among human beings. Happiness is the consciousness of things that run opposite to everything that is loving and positive. The love for nature is an exception. That is indeed the equation I have been searching and has been restless for some time. Being conscious of that, then I can go back to my work..

Friday, September 26, 2008

`SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDILFITRI' Maaf Zahir Batin..











They are heading home for the Hari Raya and I wish them SELAMAT HARI RAYA and take care. At their age, they are very excited of getting home. Parents, brothers, and sisters, are everything to them. Their facial expression and gesture are all indicators of wanting to be there the soonest.
Have a safe `balik kampung' and SELAMAT HARI RAYA....




Thursday, September 25, 2008

Mendekati istilah `bubble'...

29/09/08 ;Traders in a frenzy on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange yesterday as fear swept across the financial markets, sending the Dow Jones industrials down nearly 780 points, after the US government's financial bailout package failed to be passed by the House. — AP pic








`Bubble'
dalam Melayunya buih. Buih hanya seronok dipandang tetapi cepat pecah. Orang ekonomi atau mereka yang berada dalam bidang pemasaran suka melihat `bubble' ini dalam konteks jatuhnya sebuah syarikat gergasi dan membawa kepada kelumpuhan ekonomi negara kaya dan tempiasnya terkena ke negara yang sedang membangun.

`Bubbling proses' ini bukan dibuat-buat atau diada-adakan. Ia juga sukar diramalkan kekuatan dentuman yang boleh meranapkan. Apabila terjadi ia merupakan pengajaran dan ingatan kepada umat kerana dosa manusia yang kaya raya dan lupa daratan.
Oleh kerana nila setitik maka rosak susu belanga.

Ada beberapa petanda kepada `bubbling' ini. Itupun kita kena berhati dalam membuat analisa kerana petanda itu mungkin hanya `false alarm' atau petanda palsu. Dalam pada itu, negara terkaya di dunia, Amerika Syarikat, telah dilanda oleh `bubble-bubble' yang pecah ini dan pemebersihannya (bail-out) telah dianggarkan $700 billion! Congress telah berbelah bagi dalam soal ini. Tengok tajuk berita ini:

Bush to address country about bailout plan
Paulson reportedly compromises, will add limits on executive compensation


Bush: ‘Our entire economy is in danger’
President uses prime time address to make case for $700 billion bailout

updated 10:33 p.m. ET Sept. 24, 2008

WASHINGTON - President Bush on Wednesday warned Americans and lawmakers reluctant to pass a $700 billion financial rescue plan that failing to act fast risks wiping out retirement savings, rising foreclosures, lost jobs, closed businesses and even "a long and painful recession."


Apa dah jadi?

Satu daripada penyebab kepada `bubble' ini adalah pemeberian berlebihan gaji dan bonus kepada pegwai pegawai tinggi yang menampakan kerakusan manusia tanpa memikirkan golongan yang lebih miskin, daif dan memerlukan. Bayangkan Merrill Lynch (yg sekarang mengalami saat kegelapan), pada satu ketika telah memberi bonus tahunan kepada pegawai atasannya sejumlah USD$200,000!

Cuba renungkan laporan ini yang berlaku didepan mata kita sendiri:

The government’s main investment wing, Khazanah Nasional Berhad last week tabled a proposal to increase the salary of the CEO of Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), Datuk Seri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh by 100%, which means the salary will be doubled. Apart from Che Khalib, the utility company’s CFO, Datuk Izzadin Idris will also be getting the same rate of salary increase.

It was announced by Khazanah’s Managing Director, Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar.
The timing also could not have come at a worse time, with the country now facing an economic downturn and uncertainties after the recent price hikes of petrol and household goods. Questions are also looming over the fate of other 28,000 long serving TNB staff, who are said to be subject to limited pay increase.

TNB’s annual report revealed that Che Khalib’s total remuneration for the year 2007 was RM1.1 million, out of which RM600,000 was his annual salary. On average, he received a staggering RM92,000 per month. The RM1.1 million amount will be able to pay approximately 60 junior executives earning about RM1,500 for a one year period.

`Market forces'
atau `arus pasaran' selalu sangat disalah ertikan dalam pemasaran. Dunia sudah begitu canggih dengan sains dan teknolojinya menyebabkan arus juga boleh dipesongkan. Teori `kejurujualan' ada meperkatakan tentang hal ini. `Discover needs' dan `create needs' adalah dua perkara yang sangat berbeza `fitrahnya.' Pemasaran sekarang tidak berpijak di bumi nyata lagi. `Markets are no longer being based on needs that are discovered and genuine, but more often now it is being based on needs that are created from the sky, so to speak.' If ever there is a rich man's land, then the market is none other than a created market. Tetapi wajah dan rupa pasaran tidak hanya khususnya untuk orang kaya dan berada, tetapi juga untuk yang kurang pendapatan dan sangat memerlukan. Di sinilah berlaku kelalaian dan kelekaan. When you start play game with the devil, sooner or later the devil would make you more devillish than ever. Once you got the expensive taste of a devil, life then is no turning back..till it dawns upon the country bleak years of recession or depression. That is what is happening to USA now and probably to another economy in other part of the world.

Ini yang berlaku kepada kaum Nabi Noah yang mana akhirnya ditenggelami oleh banjir besar kerana yang pandai dan cerdik memperlekehkan pengikut Nabi Noah yang miskin, daif, dan hidup dalam kemiskinan.

Adakah keadaan yang sama akan berlaku kepada umat hari ini? I leave to you to do more analisis. Kita dibekalkan dengan kebolehan berfikir, maka gunakanlah kebolehan itu sebaik mungkin buat kebaikan bersama.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Remembering those days...

Long time ago I wrote this...

They are good people. The husband, Mr. Lyle and wife Mrs Ann Neeb, both are very cultured in their actions and words. So are their sons and daughter, Mark, Mike , and Heidi.

Heidi, their 10 year-old daughter , has a special place in my memory because of her drawing of me with words that are very touching. The night before the day I headed back to my university, the whole family gathers in the living room, Heidi played the piano with songs that truly represents the spirit of Mid-West American family....

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Thought and behavioural infinity...23 puasa

Bottomless pit...terapung tiada sempadan, tiada kesudahan tetapi in control. Apa dia? Macam padang pasir, atau lubok berhantu, or a place called lubok pasu, caught swirling in a place called no man's land without ownership without title, without direction, like being thrown into a state or sphere of infinity, a beautiful one.. Hendak katakan jatuh, memang ada rasanya terjatuh. Bukan proses jatuh tetapi sensasi impaknya yang ditunggu tunggu. Sakit sangat ke? Atau terlalu indah sehingga tiada perkataan dapat menggambarkanya!! Ramai yang berteriak, `rumah terbakar`, `dia berlanggar', atau `dia jumpa kawan'..kesemua ungkapan tersebut membawa sensasi `thought and behavioural infinity.' Agaknya itulah pemikiran, perasaan , dan penulisan. Dengar teriakan `you next!' sudah cukup boleh mengaktifkan perasaan infinity yang disebut tadi. Not the behavioural side of it but the infinity of thoughts that seem to have no definite destination...it keeps on going or swirling round and round, upside down, inside up.. but I keep on breathing, faintly calling for help, take my hand and pull me out from that pit of infinity...

Monday, September 22, 2008

Die hard....the X-factor...

Everybody has his or her own agenda. So are the various organisations and groups. They too have their own agenda. Despite of the so-called planned and strategic move as claimed by some, we can still feel and see the mess created everywhere, which include politically, economically and socially. From what I see, despite the concerted effort of various organisation to fight for something, most of them are placed on the wrong side of the equation. It is a loser's equation, so to speak.

This is what I am trying to mean. In a buying selling situation, a winner is always the producer or the manufacturer. So if you want to fight a winning battle, place yourself as the producer and not as the consumer. The consumer is unsure of anything until they have a strong feel for wanting something. In the generic scenario of nature, leaders are leaders and followers are followers. The leader is proactive, the followers are reactive. If by chance a follower would find himself as a leader due to some miscalculations, the question is, would he be ready to take up the role?? It would put the country or organization in jeopardy if a leader still sees himself as a follower.

That is the reason why I have never seen a truly heated argument that can open one's mind to infinity of questions and solutions. What about our own member of parliament? If it is a class situation, the students should feel themselves as a leader and as such discuss things intelligently. Not in a million years they can improve themselves if they still feel themselves as followers. I hope this small piece writing of mine, is a wake up call to all those who want to improve themselves. Want examples? USA and our neighbour, Singapore. Remember we are born to conquer and not to be conquered!

Sunday, September 21, 2008

So cool, so big, so divine...

So cool, so big, so divine..Lying low but the heart touches the sky..Sounds familiar ? No. Never heard of that. Right? Me neither.Only just now. Haha. So hard to fathom the thoughts of others what more a country with 27 million of pulses, an analyst might see it all. Life is not seen as a straightforward thinking. Say `good' to another person, what do you get? A slap in the face!! A person say yes but 100 says no. So clear it is something good and benefited them most, but it finds its way in the garbage can. Pembaca sekalian. Minta maaf ye? Semalam perut saya meragam. Hari ini otak saya pula meragam.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

oddities in life...sedikit keganjilan..!

Mathematically, everything seems do not compute. It stinks! It should be yesterday not today. It should be done last year not this year. But it is today! Why you why me why she why he? How would I know? And why now? Oddities are everywhere. I got a sms telling me how I have been missed! Miss what? Miss kena tipuke? Rubbish. Not a word spoken when you have all the the time in this world to see me. One plus one is equal to two. But I teach my student it is not. It all depends what the one represents. One female cat plus one male cat, and after giving them time would lead to 5 or six cats. Wow! Bertrand Russel would woke up from his grave and salute me for that philosophy in mathematics. He has never come across that line of thinking before! Oh ye..orang mati mana boleh fikir kan..? Being crazy with figures would find yourself doing nothing but smiling while breaking your puasa. Bini tanya, tak puasa ke? Senyum je ni..ada ape ape ke.? Itu bini. Kalau Napoleon pulak? Beware of Napoleon! He would send you to the gallows. He hates philosopher. No wonder he was being exiled to St Helena to make him understand 1 + 1 = 0. Haha. I have to stop here. Odd! Tengah syok syok berhenti. Terlupa minum tongkat ali ke..?Bukan..Ingat tak awak kata Dr Mahathir, sebelum kenyang kena berhenti makan. That is odd! He is already 84, 85, whatever. He has to do that kalau tidak dia tak akan nampak angka 86. haha. Anyway, I have to stop here. Perut meragam!

Friday, September 19, 2008

Is life a distortion...?

I have been visited by strange thoughts these few days. Among the thought that has being playing on my brain is `perception.' The word perception has been playing on my thinking for quite a while now. As usual I have no problem in handling the situation. I write.


Perception has become close and intimate to me since I took teaching as my profession. Year in and year out the explanation is none other this. Perception has three components: the selective attention, the selective distortion, and the selective retention. Often I say this to the students, don't force upon you to like me if your background in the perceptual process would say otherwise. And the same applies to me, my preference of someone or something is well being determined by my past experiences. As such, I have only one sight, one hearing, one liking, and one understanding, when facing someone face-to-face. Nevertheless, it would be a different story if you give me sometime to think on something or someone. The depth thinking would make me observed things differently. So I would say we can be very emotional when facing someone face-to-face. The reason can be traced to one's development of perception. Thinking of someone from afar, it would be different. The interpretation can be more logical.


That is what perception in the English language. How would you explain it in Malay? Easy. In the form of equation:


Persepsi = Tersekat + Terlekat + Tersesat


We are what we have been exposed to for a long time, and as a result of the familiarity, we developed a pseudo-world that seems to be very real. That is the reason why we feel more comfortable when we are at home and among familiar faces.So next time you find yourself far away from home, give time to adjust and slowly you would like the place. This is because perception wears off after you are expose to a different place long enough to realize life is a distortion. Is it?

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Komen buat Najib TPM melalui website beliau www.1malaysia.com.my


Komen ini ditulis pada malam 16 Sept 2008, sehari sebelum perlantikan beliau sebagai Menteri Kewangan Malaysia. http://www.1malaysia.com.my/

Pada mata kasar,negara kita aman. Berkunjunglah ke setiap bandar, aktiviti yang ternampak menggambarkan perpaduan bangsa dan kaum yang tidak tercemar oleh `pergolakan' di Kuala Lumpur yang sering dipaparkan dikaca kaca TV dan di dada suratkhabar. (Bertanggungjawab ke TV dan suratkhabar ini?)

Itu luaran nya, tetapi `gelombang minda' yang sedang berlaku dan menyeluruh pula tidak ternampak. Ianya sangat dirasai kalau kita bercakap dengan orang orang muda.Saya melihat,mungkin tidak disedari,orang-orang politik dan kerajaan suka membawa cerita lama kedalam dunia yang serba canggih dan baru ini.Hal tuntutan cuepacs, misalnya,orang orang muda ini rasa terasing dan terpisah kerana ramai antara mereka tidak kerja dgn kerajaan. Banyak lagi contoh yang boleh diberi.Fahamilah `arus perdana' pemikiran dan kerisauan mereka dalam konteks `this is my country and this is my world'.Is it?

Rata rata hidup mereka baru bermula. Mereka memerlukan perkhidmatan bas yg sempurna, perkhidmatan LRT yang tidak sesak, dan perkhidmatan lain yang menjanjikan pendapatan dan gaya hidup yang sempurna bersesuaian dgn generasi dan zaman mereka. Mereka menganggapkan itu adalah hak mereka. Dan mereka ini terdiri dari semua orang muda dari berbagai bangsa dan kaum dan suku kaum.We are facing young people yang sangat dahagakan perkara baru yg boleh menolong mereka memantapkan impian mereka dari mula mereka melangkah keluar hendak berkerja sehingga mereka melangkah pulang kepangkuan isteri atau keluarga dan dalam masa yang dijangkakan dan keadaan yang selamat.

So Datuk Seri, address more and act more on issues that affect the young people and I think you will have a safe passage to becoming a respectable Prime Minister. Beri mereka banyak peluang untuk berinteraksi sesama mereka dan dalam proses itu meningkat maju kerjaya dan kehidupan mereka.Pemberian wang tidak akan menyelesai masalah, tetapi beri mereka banyak peluang dan wujudkan pasarana lantas membuka banyak ruang dan peluang dalam bentuk pengisian apa sahaja fizikal dan mental, dan dimana sahaja, lantas akhirnya mereka akan merasai `together we are one Malaysia.." Kalau senario itu berlaku, tidak ada orang lain yang dapat mengugat kedudukan Datuk Seri. Selamat berpuasa, Wassalam.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Nuzul Al-Quran

Al-Quran, kitab yang diturunkan kepada umat manusia adalah bertujuan sebagai rujukan agong dalam segala hal kehidupan di dunia dan diakhirat. Sebagai seorang manusia yang dikeluarkan dari perut ibu pada saat yang sudah ditentukan, dan hinggalah ke hari dan saat ini, perjalanan dan peristiwa yang dilalui adalah bukti-bukti yang mengarahkan kepada kebesaran Allah.

Dalam hidup, kita akan berdepan dengan peristiwa, pahit dan manis, suka dan duka, dan akhirnya bertemu dengan satu rasa kefahaman yang unik dan indah sekali, juga mengarahkan kepada kebesaran Allah.

Segala-galanya, malam dan siang, sejuk dan panas, salji dan hujan, ledakan angin dan laut, gunung berapi dan gempa bumi, tahun dan bulan, bulan dan minggu, minggu dan hari, hari dan waktu, waktu dan minit, minit dan saat ini, siapa kita, dan mengapa kejadian kita, kesemua jawapan akan mengarahkan kepada kebesaran Allah.

Segala-galanya, langit, bintang, bulan, matahari, planet-planet dan bumi dunia, dan sehinggalah kepada kehidupan dihutan dan belantara, lautan dan daratan, gunung dan ganang, bukit dan sungai, negara, negeri, kampong dan bandar dan rumah yang didiami disaat ini adalah merupakan talian kehidupan dan rahsianya, membuat kita tersentak dengan tujuanNya dan kebesaranNya.

Dan apa yang membuat kita berfikir, membaca, bertanya, dan menulis, juga datangnya dari perhubungan kita dengan manusia lain dalam kehidupan yang memerlukan antara satu dengan yang lain, kerana ruang waktu dan masa yang singkat dan terhad jika kita sendiri membuat dan melakukannya. Dari kecil hingga dewasa, peranan peranan individu dan kumpulan tertentu dalam usaha memenuhi keperluan fizikal dan mental seperti membina sahsiah diri, kebolehan, kesihatan, dan pemikiran, kesemua itu tidak dapat diketepikan begitu sahaja.

Dan dalam hubungan yang terdekat, ibu bapa, adik beradik, sanak saudara, isteri dan anak, anak dan keluarga mereka, kesemua merupakan bahan yang mana jika ditenung dan direnung, kita akan sujud kepada Allah Yang Maha Besar, Pengasih dan Penyayang, Pencipta kepada Segala-galanya.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Masa senang ramailah kawan, masa susah terkapai-kapai..

Kalau susah mendapat kawan, kawan yang ada itu adalah kawan yang setia. Kalau senang mendapat kawan, kesemua mereka tidak tentu baik orangnya. Begitu juga dengan sesebuah syarikat yang sudah begitu besar, maka ramailah kawan yang kaya pula akan mendekati dan berurusan dengan syarikat tersebut. Lumrah kehidupan apabila beroleh kesenangan, dimana riak dan dimana takabur telah tidak diendahkan lagi oleh syarikat berkenaan. Tindak tanduk mereka selepas itu hanya menampakkan ketidakadilan dalam serba perkara termasuk perbelanjaan yang keterlampauan. Gaya hidup pun berubah rupa. Siang dan malam sudah hilang tanda sempadannya. Malah penerokaan kepada pasaran baru dan sangat memerlukan telah diabaikan dengan alasan remeh dan banyak kerenahnya. Bagi pelanggan yang kaya pula, mereka juga pencetus kepada masalah dan dosa. Walaupun perkhidmatan telah diberi tidak semestinya wangnya telah dibayar. Oleh kerana putaran wang terlalu besar, silap kecil boleh ditutup sebelah mata. Tapi kata orang sikit sikit lama lama jadi bukit dan bangkai gajah tidak dapat ditutup lagi. Maka tersentaklah mereka dari tidur yang bermimpi indah. Oleh kerana kawan yang setia tidak seberapa, bermulalah hidup baru bersujud kepada Yang Maha Berkuasa. Allahuakbar.

A person in need is a patient indeed...




A person in need is a sick person indeed..

That's what I have been telling my students today. Be truthful to the market. Be truthful to their real needs, a dying need, so to speak. A person in need is a sick person indeed. Not now but sooner or later the manifestation of a sick person or organisation could be real if the needs are not efficient and effectively served.

Merrill Lynch and Lehman Brothers has been serving the wrong side of the needs of the market. Question is, are the needs for real? It is not a genuine market. It is just a bubble. After 158 years of existence, Merril Lynch runs short of true business ideas. So is the investment bank Lehman Brothers which employs 25000 employees world wide has filed the chapter for bankruptcy. Why? They have lose sight on the realities of true living and surviving need of the American market. As such they worked and managed on the need fantasies as opposed to `fitrah' of all sides, markets and employees. Finally, Merril Lynch and Lehman Brothers are humiliated by the `true global force of needs and competition' just like the greatness of Texas is being humbled by the hurricane named `ike.'

Sunday, September 14, 2008

What now..? Just follow your dream..

I am neither a leader in government nor a follower in politics. I am just a person with conscience. I am disturbed by the current events that `stalk' on ISA and racial harmony, and the so-called coup by the Pakatan Rakyat on September 16. Up there, at the helm of politics and government, they simply say what they want to say, without considering the impact of the coonsequences on the masses. They are supposed to be our leader and leaders are supposed to have wisdom to rule and governed, but up there things seem to be a little bit out of control. What we are hearing are `explosive remarks' and in the process it hurts most Malaysians. Well, there is a theory which says, a true genuine leader would emerge from any genuine crisis. Care to conclude are our crisis for real?

Zahid: Blame the detainees
KOTA BARU: Those detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) have themselves to blame because they chose to ignore racial and religious sensitivities of the country, said an ex-detainee.


Wrong use of ISA: De facto law minister (update 3)
By IAN McINTYRE
KOTA BARU:
The Internal Security Act (ISA) should not be used against civilians, de facto law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim said.
The Act should only be used against terrorists or those trying to topple the Government by force, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said at a press conference at his home here on Sunday.


Transparency International: Try RPK and Teresa Kok under court of law, not ISA

Friday, September 12, 2008

A Rebel in Expression...

A rebel in Expression..Siapa ye..? I have come across a person who when expressing herself goes well beyond her physical self. She tends to use all sorts of expression or words that not even exist in a dictionary!And that `expression' define her tendency to rebel. Satisfaction to her when writing is describing something that can penetrate even the thickest of an iron wall. What an iron lady!!! I nearly experienced a knock out when first facing her in a boxing ring of words. Would I easily surrender when comes to facing her again? Lady, that baby face of yours is just irresistible...I am still coming!

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Kefahaman...seribu satu macam cerita..

Sebut satu benda dan bertanya kepada seseorang, apa yang saudara faham? Jawapannya akan mencerminkan tahap kesediaan berfikir atas perkara tersebut atau itulah pengertian yang dimilikinya.

Dalam bidang pemasaran, kita tidak boleh mengandaikan sesuatu tanpa membuat penyelidikkan dulu. Jawapan yang datangnya dari andaian akan banyak membawa bala dari pahala.

Tunjuk pen kepada seseorang lantas dia bertanya `nak beri aku ke pen itu?' Itu respons secara spontan darinya, dan itulah kefahaman. Jadi jangan tunjuk-tunjuk pen kepada orang lain kerana pengertiannya adalah pen itu untuk disedekah walhal aku hanya sekadar nak tunjuk sahaja.

Tidaklah hairan jika topik topik cerita diblog ini telah mengundang reaksi yang berbeza dari setiap pengunjung. Tak kiralah kalau dia beri komen atau tidak. Kalau ada komen maka dapatlah saya menilai tulisan saya samada tersampai mesej yang hendak disampaikan. The varieties of comments would make me reevaluate my writing dan bertanya apakah sebabnya jadi begitu? Ada yang mentakrifkan blog ini dengan istilah `blograma' yang mana saya tidak terfikir pulak begitu. It is a positive comment indeed! Macam-macam tualang! the more the merrier!

Jadi apa mesej yang saya hendak sampaikan dengan tulisan ini? Takde, hanya saya mengulangi teknik pemasaran yang mana `the customer is always right.' Kalau begitulah penampakkan pelanggan terhadap barangan kita, maka jangan cuba cuba lakukan sesuatu yang menampakkan syok sendiri. Tak lama bankraplah syarikat itu.

Jadilah pemasar dan penjual yang bijak..explore the customer's needs first before embarking on other marekting activities...

Beware of Strangers...


Beware, they are all strangers. Friends in thoughts and perception, but they are always strangers in person. In writing, we see and feel them as friends, in person they are strangers. A person who has a good heart always sees others as friends. But there are individuals who are out there to destroy others. Feel of hatred and envy for some one's success could be the cause to it.

Today you will be meeting with a group of individuals who are just a bunch of strangers. Your good feel towards them are a well known knowledge. But viewing the situation logically, they have never feel the same way towards you. The distance is manifested by records of interactions which is almost `nil.' And figures don't lie. So be careful of behaviour that appears exaggeration of a kind and not in the true spirit of likability, conformity, and familiarity, except for one or two. And the rest are only a bunch of strangers!

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Dijulang dan Dijunjung...

Boleh dibicara dari banyak sudut. Oleh kerana saya seorang pendidik, saya rasa senang sekali jika ianya dikupas dan diulas dalam konteks pengetahuan atau `knowledge.' Tadi pagi saya berbicara dengan para siswa dan melontarkan ungkapan `ilmu batin.' Sudah kebiasaan ungkapan begini disebut di mana mana dan difahami dengan spontan. Tidak begitu rupanya. Ada siswa yang bertanya `apa itu ilmu batin?' Selama ini ungkapan kata begini dijulang dan dijunjung dalam konteks yang mana penjodohan topik senang dicari dan dirasa. Dan siswa ini rupanya tidak menjulangnya apa lagi menjunjungnya dalam erti kata kefahaman. Saya terlupa siswa sekarang tidak seperti siswa dahulu. Apa yang dijunjung dan dijulang tidak sama lagi seperti orang dahulu dan amat malang sekali jika saya tidak menangkap cepat akan anjakan yang sedang berlaku dan apa yang sangat dirasai oleh para siswa hari ini.

Merenung ke arah mereka, ada tenungan yang destruktif sifatnya. Ada siswa yang melakukan sesuatu tanpa memikirkan akibat buruk yang menimpa orang lain, baik kawan apa lagi lawan. Ada renungan yang memberi interpretasi seribu makna tetapi kesemuanya menampakkan kepentingan diri yang amt memuncak. Ada renungan yang menampakkan ketidak sabaran dan kesuburan dan mereka sentiasa ke arah hendak memutuskan hubungan dengan cepatnya dengan mereka mereka yang dianggap mengongkong mereka.

Walaupun begitu, mereka tetap menjulang dan menjunjung sesuatu, tetapi dalam kontek parameter kesedaran dan kebiasaan yang jauh bezanya dari generasi yang terdahulu. Lantas dipihak saya berlakulah anjakan teknik mengajar menjurus kepada mendekatkan diri dengan perkara yang ada kaitan dengan `dijulang dan dijunjung' ini.

Walaupun begitu yang benar tetap dipertahankan dan yang jumud dihapuskan. Ada pengetahuan dan amalan merentasi semua zaman dan masa. Itu saya kena ingat supaya tidak sama terjerumus kepada perkara yang boleh membawa kelam dan kabut, belah dan pecah kehidupan yang bermasyarakat. Galaxy and planetary motion and momentum tidak ada anjakan. Kalau berlaku ianya akan `mendestabilisekan' seluruh sistem kejadian, di langit dan di bumi. Persoalan besar, berjayakah kita dalam usaha memahami apa yang perlu dijunjung dan apa yang perlu dijulang?

Self-corrected: Perception, Reality and Truth...

Where can we find a self-corrected mechanism that can wipe out the misleading perception for reality and truth? An interesting question but what about the answer? Since I am a marketing lecturer by profession, nothing is nearer to truth when a person confronts someone face-to-face, a mechanism that `can set the record straight', so to speak.Why not, all this while you have been relying on own perception and imagination that can set things further apart. It drifts and drifts by the day, hour, and seconds. So what shall you do? Jump aboard and confront me face-to-face and set the matters straight. No more wild and unfounded thoughts about me. Hear me and see me in person. Am I what you used to think before?

Case in question is blog of mine and yours. You can write wild and unfounded things. You can create a monster out of your blog. You can be the sexiest of women and men, or can be an angel and the devil,whatever, whenever, if no effort to confront that writer as individual, things remain as virtual as ever, in fact much tighter and closer than before. Is it good or it is bad? If care is not taken in writing about anything, the world would still remain as virtual and elusive as ever and it is bad for the kind of relationship any government wants. When you are gone, you are gone, no gleam of tears and no sense of loss. You are always non-existent as far this kind of relationship is concerned! But that is the life dimensions of today that you can find no door to escape. Another planet world has been created - a virtual one, a permanent one. It is your choice now to act and react: Reality and Truth or the Perception and Virtual.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

BATA - Ingatkah anda akan kasut ini...?

THOMAS JOHN BATA

Sengaja saya memilih topik ini untuk dijadikan renungan bagi mengingati seorang pejuang dalam satu satu industri dan sesuai dengan bidang saya iaitu pemasaran.Terkadang kita lupa akan sesuatu peristiwa kerana asyik mendendangkan lagu ala perang bagi menandakan kebebasan kita dari penjajah. Kebebasan satu perkara dan pengisian kemerdekaan adalah dua perkara yang berbeza. Wira yang berjuang dengan senjata adalah terdiri dari kalangan anak bangsa kita. Tidak begitu dengan wira ekonomi yang dapat memenuhi keperluan kita. Ia milik dunia sejagat tidak kira dari mana datangnya wira ekonomi itu. Tunku Abdul Rahman mungkin kita laungkan dengan penuh semangatsemasa menyambut kemerdekaan pada 31 Ogos, juga Allahyarham Tan Sri Samad Ismail, seorang nationalis dan pejuang di segi kewartawanan. Walaupun Tunku dah lama meninggalkan kita, begitu juga Tan Sri Samad yang baru sahaja pulang ke Rahmatullah, mereka adalah wira dalam hal tertentu dan tersendiri sifatnya. Tetapi wira yang mengisi kemerdekaan dengan keperluan seperti perlunya kaki kita kepada kasut kena juga diingatkan sumbangannya.

Siapa yang tak tahu dengan kasut BATA. Thomas John Bata adalah pengasasnya. Dan dengan pemergiannya Thomas J Bata buat selama lamanya, NST telah mengingati beliau seperti berikut:

SHOE-MAKER, household name and worldwide legend Thomas John Bata, head of the Bata Shoe Organisation passed away at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto last Monday at the age of 93. The man who made famous the tagline, “First to Bata, then to School”, here in Malaysia, had taken ill after an official event on Friday night.His last words to Bata colleagues at the function was: “See you in Europe!” “That was the kind of man he was, always travelling and working for the betterment of the company,” said Bata Malaysia marketing director Datuk James Selvaraj.
Peranan kasut BATA kepada rakyat Malaysia terutama kepada generasi `baby boomers' (lahir selepas perang) sangat unik sekali. Di segi sosial, kasut BATA merupakan satu pemilikan yang dijadikan penanda aras kemajuan kepada golongan yang berada pada ketika itu. Cuba kita bertanya kepada atok atok kita apakah saat gembira yang mereka rasa apabila berada di alam persekolahan. Sudah tentu mereka katakan saat itu ialah apabila dibelikan kasut BATA selepas beberapa tahun berkaki ayam ke sekolah.

Thomas J Bata mula mengintai peluang pasaran di Malaya pada zaman sebelum merdeka lagi. Beliau mendapati ramai pekerja ladang getah yang terdiri dari kalangan orang India tidak memiliki kasut dan berkaki ayam sahaja. Tidak kurang juga orang Melayu yang juga tidak memakai kasut dan ramai yang berkaki ayam ke sekolah. Thomas J Bata nampak peluang itu!

Maka Thomas J Bata mengorak langkah dengan membuka kilang kasut BATA di Kapar Kelang dan perkembangannya hinggalah ke hari ini. Dan tidak hairanlah Pengarah Pemasaran syarikat tersebut ialah bekas pemain badminton yang handal di Malaysia ia itu Datuk James Selvaraj kerana promosi kasut BATA dan badminton adalah seiring kerana beberapa kali negara kita menjadi juara Piala Thomas. Persoalannya sekarang adakah sumbangan Thomas J Bata diingati oleh generasi muda sekarang? Mungkin tidak kerana lumrah pertumbuhan ekonomi akan beralih kepada tokoh lain pula. Saya sudahi dengan soalan ini: kenalkah anda dengan Bill Gates?

Monday, September 8, 2008

All smiles no talk, can make you go crazy...

Slip into the hole again?..what nonsense you are talking about? Mad man as in crazy? No way man!! I am not crazy. I am just being what I am..smiling..Smiling? Regardless of time and place? Is that not crazy? And I see you doing that everyday..What everyday? I ain't crazy..taking money from other people is crazy...rushing to work and do nothing at the office is crazy..Protecting people's money and then being shot to death is crazy..I ain't talking to you, I ain't talking to nobody. They are the one who are crazy. Not me.. You are..!!

Sunday, September 7, 2008

We have not learned our lesson...Kita tidak belajar dari sejarah..!


Sensitive issues being raised on the platform of free speech, says prime minister

TASEK GELUGOR: The prime minister yesterday called on everyone to put a lid on issues which will affect racial harmony in the country. Saying issues which touched on race, religion and the social contract could lead to anger and disharmony, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi added: “Lately, issues concerning race have become prevalent.
It has caused anxiety, a feeling of unhappiness among the races... This includes the Malays and non-Malays.
“Things that should not have been raised, sensitive things have surfaced. This has caused anger among the various races who feel their rights and sensitivities have been overlooked or shunned.” Abdullah said this after chairing the state Umno liaison committee meeting here

Sebagai rakyat Malaysia, kita patut mengambil berat atas apa yang ditimbulkan oleh Perdana Menteri kita. 13 Mei 69 merupakan peristiwa hitam negara kita. Tapi yang memulakan semua ni apabila pilihanraya kecil Permatang Pauh diumumkan. Bagi saya, BN tidak sepatutnya membawa isu sumpah Saiful masa berkempen dan juga sumpah ini dan sumpah itu. Bertambah teruk apabila kempen sedang rancak berjalan.. Jangan mulakan cakap pasal agama dan bangsa..takde sudahnya..Ada saja interpretasinya yang dibuat..Surat khabar pulak nak tingkatkan `circulation' maka tulisan pun main hentam sahajalah. Tengok apa dah jadi..Kalau hendak mengawalnya dengan lebih berkesan, kerajaan perlu bertindak dari sekarang, jangan cakap sahaja.

When hearing the inner voice, then simply write..

What's difficult about that? Right? Since you have plenty of that, why waste it? Just write. Hesitancy is an indication of uncertainties of what you are blessed with. Life is a continuation of what is going on. You will hear voices as to what is being said about something. So say it even at first it appears embarrassing. It has become your nature in being able to pick up something along the way and that something is your judgement on a particular event. Being conscious or not, all events tend to invite comment one way or the other. The comment or the inner voice tend to be spontaneous. But that spontaneity is not a day's work. It takes years to come up with spontaneity that can be construed as a sound judgement. So your spontaneity is equal to wisdom which can brings you nearer to truth. So don't hesitate, just go for it. It can be very rewarding...

Saturday, September 6, 2008

The college I go to...



It is a not a community college, nor a university at first, but I called it a `Sympathy College'. It is located somewhere in Petaling Jaya, state of Selangor in a country named Malaysia. This college seems so unique in the sense it does take me as a student because no other colleges or universities in Malaysia would accept me because of my qualification which sees me failing in only one subject! Just imagine, when I was told to quit College because of my poor performance, without an appointment, I simply burst into the Director's office and give him my first maiden speech of why I should not be sacked from the college. He does not say anything, just do his daily work, looking and signing papers, and not even looking at me. Knowing I am not an invited guest, so I excuse myself and ready to go. What a shock, finally he put his head up, looked me in the eyes and ask me to tell my Ketua Kursus (course supervisor) to see him. I did what I was told. Waiting anxiously outside the Director's room, after 30 minutes, my course supervisor emerged from the office and indicating me to come to him. He looked angry because the Director has decided against his wish of sacking me. I am being given a second chance! WHAT A COUNTRY!!!What a college!! What a Director!! And what a course supervisor#! And it is not an ordinary college after all, because now it has been renamed as Univerisity Technolgy MARA. Would I then make good the opportunity the college has given me? You tell me...

Friday, September 5, 2008

Rhythm of Life...


In the general sense, life is filled with nothing but dark expression of this nature, "I can't be bothered. I have my own problems to solve." What about the spectrum of death? That is the irony of life and death. The spectrum of life that colours the wealthy and the riches are meant for their own individual gratification only. When the spectrum shifts and make them sick, poverty-stricken, and imminent death, then only they say we should unite and care about each other. Nobody listens to nobody on anything except on something that can give them the best of return. That has become thought norms of today's existence. So don't ask me something for nothing. If that's what I hear, then I have nothing more to say.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Strategy - McCain and Palin, the Winning Combination..?





Everybody is talking about strategy. Why is that? The answer is simple. It is either the world is too large or it is too small. A man with positive attitude always looked upon the world is full of opportunities and need some kind of strategy in order to take some and leave some. We are not going for everything right? A daunting task indeed if you do! We have our weaknesses and take only on those that you can match with your strength.

We are facing change that takes place all over the world. A whole range of everything now is taking a new shape in order to be relevant and functional. Only a winning combination of something that will fall in place with the change that can guarantee a successful marketing, so to speak, if you are in business. Or a successful political campaign if you are running an election.If not we shall find ourselves fighting a losing battle wasting money for nothing. I did say to my audience today, with the right combination of tools, `laut yang dalam dapat di selami, dan hati orang pun boleh kita curi' provided the combination of the tools is a winning one. Tapi kena ingat bukan semua laut dan hati orang dapat diselami dengan kekuatan kita yang ada. Kena jengok kelemahan dulu. Successful marketing is the result of the winning combination of product, place, price, and promotion, all in all the strategy falls in place taking into consideration the change which are actively taken place now plus our capacity to mange it. In other words, don't go for something that is bigger than yourself. Might not be today but we can never say, tomorrow the world might be yours!

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

An election is lost.. but life with teh tarik is still the winner..

When we are too extreme with something, there are bound to be tensions here and there. As a result it snaps when it hardens. That happens to Permatang Pauh by-election where we see two fighting faction who deploy strategy differently. As for UMNO or rather BN, the tactics used are extreme at its best where the scenario is charged to a boiling point . We are living in a changing world with change norms and values. But some traditions die hard. In a multiracial country like Malaysia, religion should not be used as a tactical device in winning an election. It is a topic with potentials of high-voltage effect. As a result, it creates unnecessarily a high-voltage situations among the voters and the least the voters want is to put them on the spot, to accept without having a chance to know the truth. They don't like that. So cherishing a relax Malaysian mind and life style (nasi lemak and teh tarik), they vote for the PKR who gives them only a minor, basic, and relevant national issue to worry and not indulging in a high-voltage local tensions and high-noon school drama as BN did. As an analogy, the local does not want a hurricanne Gustav! It scares them. So in short, BN has deployed a wrong strategy of which the combination results in a lost election. Can this line of thinking be applied to the coming of USA elections? The line of thinking says that the candidate that wrongly charge an issue would find them a loser. Just watch!

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Hurricane GUSTAV..turns out to be a friend..!


BREAKING NEWS
MSNBC staff and news service reports
updated 11:49 a.m. ET Sept. 1, 2008

NEW ORLEANS - Hurricane Gustav crashed into the all-but-deserted Louisiana coast on Monday as the storm's eye came ashore southwest of vulnerable New Orleans.
The Category 2 hurricane is expected to decrease in strength as it moves over Louisiana, according to the National Hurricane Center.
However, NBC News correspondent Mark Potter reported that the punishing winds and rain water has topped the west side of the Industrial Canal barrier in New Orleans.

Evacuees who heeded days of warnings to get out watched television coverage from shelters and hotel rooms hundreds of miles away, praying the powerful Category 2 storm and its 115-mph winds would pass without the exacting Katrina’s toll.


Tiga tahun yang lepas (2005), ditempat yang sama di New Orleans telah dilanda oleh `Hurricane Category 3 Katrina.' Dan hari ini dilanda oleh Hurricane Gustave Category 2 pula. Sudah pasti analisis demi analisis telah dilakukan terhadap bencana ini. Apa pun, George Bush, Presiden Amerika Syarikat telah dikecam dengan hebatnya kerana lambat menghulur bantuan bagi mangsa Katrina yang menyebabkan penurunan image nya sebagai seorang pemimpin yang tidak boleh diharap kerana mengutamakan peperangan di Iraq ketika itu.

Monday, September 1, 2008

Nostalgia Bulan Puasa..

Kalau hendak bercerita pasal bulan puasa sudah tentu ceritanya tidak akan berkesudahan. Cuba ingatkan bulan puasa di mana anda mula berpuasa sudah tentu membawa cerita cerita yang tidak kurang hebatnya dari saya. Adakah anda betul betul berpuasa pada hari pertama anda berpuasa? Semasa bujang pula sungguh meninggalkan kenangan kerana kesulitan hendak berbuka dan hendak bersahur. Mengenangkan kembali berpuasa di zaman bujang, pelbagai cerita berbuka dan bersahur yang boleh dicatatkan. Pernah pada satu ketika di bulan Ramadan, saya hanya berbuka dengan cepati sahaja kerana tinggal berhadapan dengan kedai roti canai dan cepati. Jadi buat apa pergi jauh jauh untuk bersahur. Tidak tercakap cabaran apabila terpaksa berpuasa di negeri orang.Tentu anda ada cerita sendiri bersabit dengan bulan puasa ini. Terkadang, semasa bujang dulu, ada tertanya sama ada puasa kita di terima Allah atau tidak.

Sekarang syukur Alhamdullilah, kian meningkat usia, kematangan terhadap serba serbi telah juga meningkat. Walaupun berpuasa dalam keadaan yang lebih selesa di samping isteri, ada juga tertanya sama ada puasa aku diterima atau tidak. Maklumlah dengan tanggungjawab yang dipikul, adakala terlepas kata yang tidak seharusnya dikeluarkan. Tetapi itulah cabaran berpuasa, yang mana bulan ini selain diwajibkan berpuasa, kita hendak juga berusaha peningkatan iman terhadap Allah yang Maha Besar dengan melakukan perkara perkara yang dituntut olehNya.

Siapa kita, keadaan mana kita berada, umur kita, pengalaman kita, apabila saudara saudari sampai usia yang tertentu, pengalaman dan cabaran bulan puasa yang lepas lepas merupakan pengalaman yang sukar diselami rasanya pada ketika itu. Namun begitu, bulan puasa tetap memberi kenangan yang istimewa pada diri sendiri dan memilikki nostalgia nya yang tersendiri apabila sampai pada masanya nanti. Itulah kemanisan berpuasa dan bulan Ramadan.

Ramadan...less food, less water, less sleep..

That is the way it is, it is a month of abstaining oneself from excessive indulgence that can throw one's life in shambles. It is a month of meditation, recalling what we have done, and try to put sense in things we have done and not have done and should have done. It is a month of putting our life back in its right track. If it is too much `keroh' before, then it is time for picking and practicing the `jernih' after this. In Islam nothing is too late to put one's house back in order. And the month of Ramadan is being chosen for us to do just that. So let us get the best from Ramadan thus preparing ourself, physically and mentally, for the next phase of journey that has yet to be completed.