Last Quote on the Last Day of 2004

"He who knows much about others may be learned, but he who understand himself is more intelligent. He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still."

(Quoted from DJ Sassy)

Tsunami - Aftermath Updated

My fear about the victims in Acheh was confirmed as more and more International Relief Organisations reached the most devastated place being the nearest to the ephicentre of the earthquake.

I told my partner when we were having late night discussion with a client in at a mamak restaurant in TTDI last Monday night. I said to him that it just didnot make sense and defied logic if the number of victims of the earthquake from Acheh (as it was reported then) were in the region of 4 thousand people.

My reasoning was simple, the earthquake that hit the city of Bam, in the southern part of Iran at the Richter scale of 6.3 had claimed about 30 thousand lives. Then, there's no way the number could be so much smaller in Acheh if the earthquake registered 9.0 of the Richter scale.

The latest news in print media this morning is that the death toll in Indonesia alone may reach 400 thousand people (via the Star). I am glad to know that Malaysia's MERCY was amongst the earliest international relief team to send their team to Acheh. They have a very dedicated team of volunteers and I have pleasure of knowing a few of them.

A New Phase

Today marked a new phase of my life.

Now I could proudly announce that I am a father of a school going child. Real school you know. Not the Kindie any more.

My first daugther, Syakirah will be in Primary Year One in a couple of days' time. Today is her so-called orientation day at the new school. I am excited. But not so sure about Kak Long since she's always been a quiet type. May be she's a bit worried.

I admit that I'm a bit worried though - all kinds of questions kept palying in my head.

What if Syakirah does not like school

What if she's being bullied by other students

What if she's not interested to learn

What if there is an phsycotic evil teacher at the school and always picking up on her

What if she could not get good grades

Yes, those and many many other questions came to my mind on my way sending my daughter to school. But I kept telling her to make friends, answer properly when being asked by her teacher, how good being in a real school would be bla, bla bla. She just kept quiet. I'm sure she's listening....

It was like a small funfare at the school compound. I could see all kinds of parents, worried mothers ushering their kids to the hall and then to the open assembly area where the briefing was held. Excited parents taking pictures using their camera-phones. A wife frantically calling her husband to come to the front to watch the assembly proceeding - but the husband was seemed disinterested. And yes, rocker Joe of WINGS sent his kid there too.

The orientation session ended at 10.00 a.m and through out the session from afar I saw my daughter looked a bit bored looking around and most of the time, kept to her self.

Now I started to get a bit more worried.

Tsunami hit Malaysian shore

Received this SMS from a friend who is active in NGO/voluntary works,

Urgent! Ribut ombak besar melanda kg2 di Pantai Merdeka & Kuala Muda
lanjutan dari ribut Tsunami dilautan Hindi! Mohon bantuan pakaian & makanan
segera.

From: <***>. 7:14 pm 26-Dec-2004.

I thought it was a joke. New Year or Year End joke. Come on, Tsunami to hit Malaysian shore? My friend must be joking. I showed the message to my wife and she too, smiled and brushed it off as another "lawak". My limited Ilmu Alam knowledge only have Japan and its many islands as the likely places to be hit by Tsunami - hence the name.

A minute later I was stunned when I caught the news update on TV. Forgive me, even though I heard about the earthquake that rocked some where in Sumatera Indonesia earlier in the morning news, I never realised that the aftermath that hit Malaysia was just as devastating - considering Malaysia never had experience this kind of disaster.

My condolence to the families of those who died and perished in the tragedy yesterday.

I learnt that the earthquake hit the scale of 9 in its magnitude. Wait, that was higher that the one that hit Bam, Iran last year or was it last two years. [OH NO! - just check here - it actually happened almost one year ago.]

Apa nak jadi....

Heard this news over the radio on my way to office.

SEREMBAN: Gara-gara bertanya bau busuk petai dalam tandas rumah, seorang pelajar tingkatan tiga retak jari manis akibat dibelasah bapanya yang terasa seolah-olah terasa disindir. Dalam kejadian jam 10.20 malam, 11 Disember lalu, di rumah mereka di Kampung Sekolah, Ampangan, dekat sini, mangsa dikatakan baru keluar dari tandas rumahnya.Mangsa kebetulan bertemu ibunya di dapur dan bertanya mengenai bau petai dalam tandas. Pertanyaan mangsa yang belajar di sebuah sekolah di Ampangan itu didengari bapanya yang sedang berehat di ruang tamu.Bapa mangsa, 44, seorang penganggur, terasa dia disindir dengan pertanyaan itu dan menganggap mangsa kurang ajar.Ini menyebabkan dia membelasah anaknya dengan tali pinggang hingga mengakibatkan jari manis mangsa retak ketika cuba menahan libasan tali pinggang berkenaan.

Harian Metro difahamkan, pada awalnya mangsa dan ibunya tidak mahu membuat laporan tetapi selepas berbincang bersama keluarga, mereka kemudian membuat laporan polis, Rabu lalu.Ketua Polis Daerah, Asisten Komisioner Mohammad Abdullah tidak dapat dihubungi untuk mengulas kejadian itu tetapi difahamkan polis menyiasat mengikut Seksyen 323 Kanun Keseksaan.

[Harian Metro Online 20Dec2004]

Wanted to laugh but ended up asking myself - apa nak jadi dunia sekarang ni?

Quote of the day

"You can have the best people for the job but getting the wrong one out (of his position) is not easy" (Dato' Che Khalib, CEO of TNB in an interview with the Edge when asked about his challenges in TNB).

How true.

Another aaaaaargh?!!

I refrained myself from posting anything last couple of days because I was not in the best state of mind. I'm afraid this blog would become more of a place where I vent my frustrations, tension and anger.

After I dropped my Moto the week before last, my car got dented and scrathed because of my own careless driving. The left rear door hit the column because of the tight bend I hastily took on my way back after a meeting on Monday the 6th.

Stopped at Giant on my way home to buy some car wax and polishing products because I thought some those scracthes could be eliminated through waxing and good polishing. But the things were still left in my car since the day I bought. Too lazy to wash and polish the car.

I decided to take stock of myself. Gone through what I have done for the last couple of weeks that I should not and pray forgiveness from God.

Sharifah Aini

I wanted to blog on other things this morning but something caught my eyes while I was having my breakfast at the stall near my office just now.

"Kes S Aini angkara Jin" - Prof Dr. [***sorry could not remember his name...er Jahid or something].

So read the article of a tabloid one of the patron who was reading it at a table next to mine. Could not believe my eyes at first. Had to strain my neck trying to read the title of the article.

Well, people do anything and everything to sell newspapers these days.

When I was in secondary school, this particular tabloid was known for two things - first, for its sensational mystics/out of this world headlines and second, for one particular column on Syariah Court cases. The latter was hot amongst us guys because of the sensational and "cheap thrill" we got from reading the detailed description of the couples in action before they were caught by the officers from Jabatan Agama.

Those could probably be the reasons why they are still around till today.

Ooops...aaaaaAAAARGH

Bought my Moto last Wednesday.

Unintentionally slipped out of my hand and dropped it in a small wet drain yesterday.

Now I think I have a problem. The modem in the phone may not be working. The phone could not be detected when I wanted to update/synchronise certain features. May not able to claim warranty because dropping your phone in a drain (whether intentionally or not) would surely have been excluded in the warranty clause.

Aiyoo...tensionnnnya nih.

God help me. Apa punya ujian Tuhan nak bagi ni (another soft reminder from someone up above?)

Shopping Guide - Do not do this

First - do not buy in the spur of the moment.

Always plan what you want to buy. Check the prices. Resist any attempt to buy even though you were dumstruck with the beauty sleek design and all the wonders that thing could do for you. Happened to me when I was at Jeddah airport in the last days of Ramadhan en route to Madinah. Set my eyes on Sony latest digital camera - T11 at the duty free counter. Like the design and the features so much that I was willing to part RM2,600 for it without thinking twice. I was so convinced that I got good bargain for it.

To my horror, I found that the same camera is being sold for much RM1,799 at Sungei Wang Plaza. My Wife gonna kill me for this.

Second - never bring your friends - the types that were more than willing to make sure that you would spend your money.

Again, happened to me this afternoon. Met some friends for lunch since today is my 'raya day' after having completed my posa nam. During the lunch talked about buying a Bluetooth enabled phone. Guess what? They then drove me to Sungei Wang Plaza and after about an hour going around the telephone booths there, I ended buying this new Moto. Must admit that the saleswoman was impressive with her knowledge in the minute details of the phone unlike some other salespersons. Gonna spend the whole nite tonight to read the manual.
Now I got this HS820 Gigibiru.

Farewell....Sis

Went back early from office because I wanted to send off my Sister and her family at KLIA. Bro-in-law has been transferred to Ahmedabad, India and most likely he would be stationed there for at least three years.

What a teary affair it was - just like in one of the drama swasta episodes. Sis was sobbing when she hugged me before leaving. Had to consoled her that India is just 3 hours' flight away from KL. And more importantly, I told her that God has decided that her family's rezeki is to be in India - at least for the time being.

Glad that my nephews were seemed upbeat with the new adventures of their lives. My brothers and I were actually concerned about them because they looked so down and dejected when the news of the transfer was first told by my Sis. Even during the recent Hari Raya, my brothers went extra mile to give them support and comfort and literally bought anything that they wished to have - Real Madrid's jerseys, new football boots and their parents agreed to buy them playstation, hip-hop styled pants and shoes etc.

My two nieces were still too small to understand why so many relatives and friends were at the airport to send them off. They probably thought that they were just going off for another holiday trip.

Take care Sis, promise to visit you soon.