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Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Cameron Highlands - July 2010

Just came back from Cameron Highland last weekend and it was really a superb holiday. First of all, kudos to Mr Mohd Khairul Hisham Ismail and Mr Abadi Azhar for organizing the trip for all of us - Pusat Angkasa Negara colleagues. The idea was definately a brilliant one, and not only we get closer in relationship among us, but also we can get to meet the family members as well. A truly enjoying weekend I would say.

Here are some of the pictures that we captured during the trip. Of course the pics are all about Daniel, me and syg... Hehehehe.... Enjoy ...


My favourite pic of all time. Daniel looked so cute with his face puckered up.

Strawberry Park Resort - Daniel getting ready to run
Still at the Strawberry Park - I looked so old ! Oh my gosh, I need facial liftment.... Hahahhaa
My two favourite guys in the world...
Daniel is really having a blast ...
Good boy look - I fell in love with this look. What about you ?
Attempting to dance away...
Just arrived at the Big Red Agro Farm
Daniel's fav car. He didn't like others at all.
Daniel's first taste of strawberries... He luv it until I decided to let him try the one with chocolate. Looks like he doesnt like sweet stuff.
Trying to reach for the grapes (more like trying to step on mymmy's face)
See those nice strawberries ? I ate 6 packets in 2 days... Dasyat or not ?
Rose behind those torns ... Hahahah...
Daniel looking at the fish or are those fishes looking at Daniel as food ?
Taking a break while trying to decide which potted plant I want to buy...
At the Butterfly farm (not so nice compared to the KL Butterfly Park if you ask me)

Syg didnt get to take much photo of himself coz he was busy snapping photos of others.

At Equatorial with the rest for buffet dinner.
Jessica and her husband, Weng
Daniel trying to mengurat Aqeela, Asni's daughter. Kici-kici so pandai already
How nice of everyone to celebrate our (Hamid and mine) birthday at Cameron....
It was an honour knowing all of you, and I am glad to be working with so many wonderful people... God bless everyone.

Blessed Day Today

Its such a blessed day today, receiving so many well wishes from families and friends, and most important of all, I felt blessed for I am still alive till this very moment... Thank you God.

Thank you to Syg for his never ending love, to little Daniel for his unconditional love, and most of all, thank you God for all the blessings that You have showered onto me ...

Monday, July 26, 2010

Yoke of Faith

I once knew a woman who called herself "a recovering Catholic." It seems that as a child, she was taught a religion that was all about guilt. Impossible demands were placed on her requiring strenuous efforts that were doomed to frustration. Turn the other cheek. Don't even THINK about romantic flings. Love your enemies.

Attempting this by sheer willpower was all too much for her, leading to an abiding sense of guilt. No wonder she rejected such a religion.

But clearly, what she rejected was not the religion of Jesus Christ. It rather resembles the approach of the Pharisees, who laid heavy burdens on people's backs, but did not lift a finger to help.

In Matthew 11:25-30, Jesus appeals to those who experience life as one unending chore. He offers rest and refreshment. His yoke is easy, he says. His burden is light.

Note though, that following Jesus does mean that you are foot-loose and fancy-free. To be a disciple means to come under the discipline of a master. It means voluntarily putting a yoke on ones shoulders, and walking in a direction set by the master. It just happens to be the direction that the master knows will lead to pasture, refreshment, and happiness. But when oxen are told to move, they can't necessarily see the pasture at the end of the trail. All they see is a long, dusty road leading to nowhere.

There are some masters that are harsh and overbearing. When the oxen slow down due to fatigue or stubbornness, out comes the bullwhip. The journey turns into a guilt trip. The Pharisees were such masters. But Jesus is not. He is gentle. Gentleness does not mean whimpiness. He is strong and decisive, insistent on the direction to go and the pace to keep. Yet his strength is quiet, loving strength that builds up rather than tears down.

Have you ever wondered why Jesus uses the image of the yoke? At least two oxen are hitched together by a yoke side by side. Oxen are called "beasts of burden." So why he calls his yoke easy, his burden light?

Because he humbly yokes himself to us. Simon of Cyrene helped carry his cross; he helps carry ours. And he bears most of the weight, if we let him. That's why his yoke is easy. And he gives us His Spirit within (Romans 8:9-10) to give us the inner strength to bear our share of the burden, which is, of course, the far lesser share to begin with.

Easy yoke, light burden. You may reply that it sure doesn't feel that way most of the time. This could be for one of two reasons. What we are carrying may simply not be the Lord's yoke. Sometimes we deliberately disobey the Lord (that's called sin) and allow a tyrannical master to dominate our lives. No problem. That's what the sacrament of baptism is all about. Renouncing an oppressive Pharaoh in favor of a liberating Lord. If we've betrayed our baptism and gone back to the fleshpots of Egypt, we have the sacrament of penance to bring us back across the Red Sea to the Promised Land of Freedom.

The other reason the yoke may seem heavy is because we are not allowing the Lord to carry the weight. Or because we are not keeping his pace. We could be dragging our heels or racing ahead of him. Either way, we are chafing and straining. Perhaps we need just to quiet down for a few moments in the green pasture of prayer and adoration to attune our ears once again to the voice of the Master. The solution is easy: Let go and let God.

Source: http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_article/644/Yoke_of_Faith.html

Melaka - July 2010

As I had mentioned earlier in my posting, Syg had to attend a course in Melaka. So, being a jakun, me, mummy and Lai Yenn decided to tag along. I have never been to Melaka Heritage City even though it is only about 2 hours drive from KL. So, all four of us went to Melaka on Friday night (16 July 201) and stayed at Baba House, right in the middle of the Heritage City Walk a.k.a Jonker Street.

The famous Melaka cendol - very delicioius and yummy....


Mummy, Daniel and Lai Yenn at the Stathuys...


The clock tower, right at the center of the Heritage Site


The building of Christ Church in the background


Eye of Malaysia and 'Flora de La Mars' overlooking the Straights of Malacca


Little Daniel was excited to be at the top of the hill


Walking up to St Paul ruins. This hill was called St Paul hill, naturally.


What used to be a Catholic Church (Church of Our Lady) when the Portugese were here, was turned into a Protestant Church, namely St Paul


In the Malacca Sultanate Palace - a replica palace actually. Daniel looked so cute kan ?


Flora de La Mars - It actually has another 2 stories below the upper deck where it potrayed all the history of the Portugese, Dutch and British invading Malacca


The famous restaurant - Nasi Ayam Hoe Kee, which sell its speciality - Chicken Rice Ball


The tired little boy who had not had any rest at all since 8.30am till now, which was about 3.30 pm. No wonder he dozed off the minute this pic was taken. Poor little boy...

Pantai Tanjung Aru - Mei 2010

This is a long awaited post. Remember we went back to Sabah in May 2010 ? So, the entire family (10 of us adults, excluding children) packed up in 2 small cars and drive down to Tanjung Aru beach. This is Daniel's first time to the beach. So, most of the pictures are all about Daniel, Audrey and Erwin... I didn't had the time to post these pictures up as Daniel got infected with the RotaVirus. So, here are they - playing happily together. And this is what family is all about...


Children - they grew up so fast, kan ? The last time Daniel was just a baby, learning how to walk, now he is running and we had do catch him. I wishes he wont grew up that fast .... Wanna enjoy his innocence for a little longer.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Cameron Highlands - Here I Come

Yup, we are going away (yes, again) this weekend. This time is to Cameron Highland. Cameron is also another place which I had not step a foot onto since dunno how many years ago. I think, the last time I went was in 1992, during a school trip, after we had finished our UPSR. Imagine how small I was at that time (though mind you, I was NOT physically small).

We will be driving up tomorrow evening, after Syg finishes his work at 5. Wayne will be following us as well, so here comes another co-driver. Hehehehe....

Will be praying that the weather is good and we'll arrive safely at our destination. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, this is a trip organized by all of us - Pusat Angkasa Negara colleagues... Ummm, looks like we are very much closer compared to the whole Agency. Well, what can I say...

Masih Ada Bapa Yang Macam Ini Ke ?

Today Harian Metro reported this on their front page - Benci Dapat Bayi Perempuan

In an era as advance as it, you'll still find some men living in the era of neolitics where only boys are favoured and girls are meant to be tortured. I do hope the authorities will impose jail terms on this man for his unacceptable cruelty, both towards the wife and the baby.

I detest these kind of man totally !

Friday, July 16, 2010

Happy Birthday To Lai Yee

Today is also my sis - Lai Yee's birthday. Wishing her a very happy birthday, and may she continue to be blessed with many blessings.

Happy Birthday To Syg

Just wanna wish my Syg - A Happy And Blessed Birthday... Muaaahhhhh ....

Melaka - Here I Come

It has been so many years since my last visit to Melaka. Let me see, I think the last time I visited Melaka was in 1996. And that does not include the Heritage Town. I have never been into the Heritage before, in my whole life. Talk about "jakun". Here is one real-life jakun.

So, tonight, we are leaving for Melaka town. Syg got a course there tomorrow morn, so we thought of accompanying him down (actually, it is more like we wanna go there, hehehhee). Got a room at the Baba House Melaka.

So, let see what we plan to do:
  • Eating Chicken Rice Ball and Satay Celup
  • Drinking Cendoi
  • Visiting Jonker Street, especially during night time (that's why we chose tonight to drive down, so that we can take a walk at Jonker Street)
  • Visiting the ruins, fort, ship, and all other historical building
  • And more eating, and eating, of course....
I am sure we'll have lots of fun - me, mummy and LaiYenn, together with Daniel. Poor syg got to attend course. Never mind, next week, we'll go Cameron Highlands pulak. I guess I'll save that for later.
Till then, chao guys !

Cost of Living Increase .... Again ....

Yeah, that's true. Ironic is, I only got to know about it this morning - after listening to the news from radio. Talk about slow, I am slow. Wonder what was I doing last night ? Ummm, oh yeah, becoming a chauffer to my sister. Lucky her.

So, petrol Ron95 has increased another 5 cents. And PM says it is still cheaper than most countries. Well, no argument on that, but looks like my budget increase another RM1.45. Seems significant yeah, but a month, it will be an additional of RM 5.80 and a year is about RM 69.60. My yearly increment is only RM 95, so it means from additional RM95 to spend, I now only have additional RM25.40 to spend in a year. Wow... Looks like goods are getting more expensive, but pay still remains the same.

Haiya.. What a miserable day it is.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

" Shape Up Or Be Prepared To Be Shipped Out "

So, Who Really Was The Star ?
AT YOUR SERVICE
By TAN SRI MOHD SIDEK HASSAN
sidek@pmo.gov.my



The recent World Cup results in South Africa should serve as an eye opener to everyone, especially those in the civil service. In order to shine, one must alter one’s mindset and adapt to changing times.

I AM pretty sure you have just recovered from your World Cup highs and blues, depending on which team you supported at the World Cup. Paul the Octopus has decided to retire, although Spain is keen to host it. Germany has long done its dish of great sells; and yes, when asked about Paul the Octopus, Maradona said, “I prefer sushi.”

Imagine in a game of football, what ultimately caught attention was not Wayne Rooney, or Lionel Messi, or Steven Gerrard and John Terry. Their star powers were not enough for scores! What caught the most attention, eclipsing even Spain the ultimate winners, was Paul the Octopus. An outsider, non-football player (non-human I might add) and an unassuming sage – who had nothing what so ever to do with the game of football – caught everyone’s attention.

Because it brought the much needed excitement in what many said was a disappointing performance by world-class superstars. Herein lie lessons we can learn from, collectively.

All too often we are in a game, albeit a job, for so long that we perceive it’s our own to claim and no one else’s. We think of it as our birth right as we are the “indigenous, the bumiputra and the ones with the only right over it”.

We psyche ourselves into believing, even to the point of self-deception, that only WE can do the job. And, an outsider could not survive the pace, or know the rhythm, not the least sing the blues when days are tough.
We build a “club mentality” amongst ourselves and subliminally stifle all else that seems foreign to us.

We insist that we are the deserving “stars” of any right that the job might offer. Yet when we are told to raise our game and deliver, we fail, as England did at the World Cup; so abysmally.

England has some of the leading and most profitable football clubs in the world with star powers almost reaching Hollywood celebrity status. Yet when they disbanded the clubs, and got the country to play for its own people, these stars lost terribly. Why? The greatness of their clubs relied on non-English players. Look at Arsenal. It is made up almost wholly of non-English players. Another glaring example is Germany in this World Cup. They had 11 non-Germans playing for them.

I make these points simply to illustrate the obvious. The harsh reality of competitiveness is that it is blind to race, colour, creed or gender. In a borderless world of today, it would seem so rhetorical to even suggest we need fortitude to compete. NEED is not the noun we can use any longer. The real noun for now is, NORM. It is a norm, a way of life, and presumed verdict that to be different, you need a difference. How we make that difference lies in our own capabilities and wherewithal, individually and collectively.

We can no longer play traditional football and expect to win. We saw that in Brazil, Argentina and England. Great teams, with such superstar power countries. We can no longer just be the largest economy in the world and demand control. We are seeing that in America and how vulnerable it has become to a devaluing of the Renminbi of China, whose economy was less competitive than Malaysia’s just 10 years ago.

What is certain today is that we need to earn our keep. Earn our value. Build our own self-worth. What is also clear is that we need to work in strength individually and collectively as a team. That is as real as day. The days when being in the Administrative and Diplomatic Service or PTD was seen as premier are long gone, passe.

The above scenario is fast nearing extinction in its class if not form. It is being displaced by a brand called “Public Service of Malaysia”. This brand’s constituents can come from anywhere – from within and without the service, from within and without PTD rankings. The guy who turns up at the counter for a service, or writes you a complaint really doesn’t care if you are from the closed or open service. He doesn’t care if you are PTD Officer at a super scale A or Turus 1. He only cares for his service.

If a customer is greeted with bad service, the traditional – “Ah, the typical civil servant” verdict is fast uttered. The customer wouldn’t say: “Oh well, he was a PTD Officer and that is why I had good service or that she is from a closed service and a non-PTD, and gee no wonder she couldn’t serve!” No one really cares.

In fact they know not of the difference in a space where service delivery reigns. Do people even care that the French team is made of non-French? Or that Arsenal’s team is non-English? What they remember is the performance of the team.

The time when PTDs were seen exclusive and a cut above the rest in the service is a thing of the past. This system has been disposed of not by you or me, but by the determinants of the times. We only have to read the media for this testament.

A day doesn’t go by when we do not have some editorial and/or letter to the editors on public officials. From The Star to Utusan Malaysia to Malaysiakini to Malaysian Insider. You name it. Sometimes, many times, from ourselves to ourselves!

When we are customers of the public service ourselves, none, and I repeat none, would delineate the service by PTD and the rest. When a doctor at the government hospital is slow in service, they do not refer him as a non-PTD. Or an engineer from PWD. Or a lawyer from the Attorney-General’s Chambers. What is written about is of the “public service” in its brand collectively, specifically, and consummately!

When David Cameron, the current British Prime Minister, was running for office he suffered the brand of being an elite Oxford University graduate. He was simply seen as being too upper class and aloof, and plainly out of touch with what the people of Britain wanted and needed. He had to very quickly brush off the upper crust demeanour and look “normal”.

His colleague and the current Chancellor of Exchequer, George Osborne, was asked to lie low during elections because he seemed even more upper class for the needs of the people of Britain. The Conservative Party feared loss at a time when Britain saw one of its worse recessions. The Britain today is different.

The once immigrants from all over the world, are British today. They brought in an unlikely face to woo the people of Britain again. A working class, Muslim lawyer, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi became the chairman of the Conservative Party.

A country that created the class system, conquered and ruled so many countries around the world and started the game of football, today, lost football even before making the semi-finals and had to conceal upper class credentials for fear of reprieve at the polls. It has a British Pakistani chairing the oldest party in that country. The party once led by Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher. The party that led World War II and conquered many countries, and Malaysia included.

So if you doubt change is lurking, you are right. It is not! It is here to displace those reticent to change. The PTD is not exclusive. It can never be if Malaysia is to see a better tomorrow.

What must be exclusive to Public Service is only EXCELLENCE. We must create a caste and class system based on the merits of excellence only. When honourable ministers, secretaries-general, directors-general request for new recruits, their requests are simple, “Someone good, if not great!” They no longer ask for a PTD, or of a certain race or someone of a particular service ranking. Why? Because they want to look good themselves. A leader can only be as good as the officers who work with and for them.

Each of our jobs, and mine included, can be done by a non-PTD Officer today. It can be done by someone outside of the public service altogether. It can be done by a Malaysian from any race. Nissan and many Japanese companies can be helmed by non-Japanese!

Yet not so many years ago, the Japanese word to refer to non-Japanese was the now derogatory “Gaijin” – Aliens! So if we are still in our slumbers thinking that only a PTD Officer can be a secretary-general, and the next chief secretary, I’d say, “Morning has broken, please smell the coffee!”

As tough as my words probably are this morning, the realities out there are even tougher, if not merciless. Our country is investing much in enhancing and strengthening itself. The message is no longer work hard and be better at what you do. The message is, “Shape up or be prepared to be shipped out.”

The cynicism from outside has always been, “Well you know in the public service, if you bungle you are just transferred.” No one is sacked. Or if we are appointed to a high post we can be complacent until retirement.
Colleagues, this is not true. What is true is that junior officers can be promoted to be bosses of their once bosses because their performance was of greater significance. What is true is that non-PTD Officers can be groomed into PTD posts. What is true is that non-public officials can be recruited into the public service at comparable levels and remuneration structure. That PTD officials can be cross fertilised into GLCs, MNCs or any Cs!

Why? In focus today is no longer the grade, or the origin of the official or the race but the capability and potential.

You may prefer a black cat or a white cat; but in the final analysis, as Deng Xiao Peng was reputed to have said, “I do not care if it is a black cat or a white cat. It is a good cat so long as it catches mice.” In the 27th century, a good cat will be a cat that not only catches mice but also does other multiple functions.

Charles Bolden, the Nasa chief recently said in an interview with the Al Jazeera network, “If you’re going to go to the Moon, Mars or a nearby star you’re going to need the cooperation of the international community.
“America, the first country to send Man to the Moon, can no longer ‘go it alone’ in its endeavours including in space exploration. The International Space Station (ISS) which is scheduled for completion by late 2011, is a cooperation between the United States of America, Europe, Russia and Japan. We may no longer have the resources individually to meet the needs of tomorrow.”

If the first country to send Man to the Moon concedes that it requires outside skills to excel, we need to only reflect if our own is able to sustain us to the end of our working careers. If the country that once professed class as its greatness is desperately shedding it to serve the times, we need to only assess the fragility of our current class system and mindset in the public service.

We must change very quickly when we are at the top of our game like Germany, Spain and the Netherlands have done, or be prepared to be sidelined like England and France at the World Cup. No amount of star power will be of use, if in the final analysis we cannot individually and/or collectively make THE difference to what matters most – MALAYSIA and its people.

No amount of leverage and birth right testimonies would rank Malaysia any better in world rankings if in our own rights we cannot contribute to Malaysia’s greatness! If we do not individually and collectively change for and with the times and shed the traditions that stifle us, we risk being displaced by not only non-PTDs, but non-public officials. In the final analysis that is the bare truth for the Public Service of Malaysia.


Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan is the Chief Secretary to the Government and a prime mover in trying to reform the civil service

Enjoy Your Coffee

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got togther to visit their old university professor.

Conversation soon turn into complaints about stress in work and in life. Offering his guests coffee, the professor went into the kitchen and return with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups, porcelein, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some espensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to hot coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said, "If you notice, all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones."

While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourself, that IS the source of your problems and stress. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consiously went for the best cup and were eyeing each other's cups.

Now, if life is coffee, then the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life, but the quality of life doesn't change. Sometimes by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee in it.

Don't let the cup drive you .... Enjoy the coffee....
Cheers !

Rest In Peace, Mr Susai

Received news yesterday that Ruben Raj's father had passed away at 8.20am. Funeral service was today at 11.00 am. This year alone, this is my second experience of funeral.

Life is indeed fragile, and we'll never know when we will be called back by our Creator. I hope that I will be given a chance to live long, to see Daniel growing up. I wish to live as long as Uncle Susai did, perhaps longer....

I wish, I wish and I wish ...

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

How true yet how hard for us to realize the 'key' has always been there, reachable to us, whenever the lock seems to 'lock' us up. And how often we uses the 'wrong key' to open the lock ? I guess, we just need to keep on moving and never give up until the very last breath. At least, if we die, we'll die knowing that we have tried.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Daniel's Vocab

Daniel is now 18 months old and he started talking (way too much) already. He knows his 1, 2, 3 in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, BM and Kadazan though he mix up a few languages sometimes. And he has this habit of not repeating us when we are trying to correct his pronounciation. Wonder where he gets that habit from ??

Other than that, he knows simple things like bird, car, aeroplane (pronounced as airplane), lorry (pronouced as lovy), apple, cat, elephant (pronounced as a-phant), lion, fish (pronounced as pish), tiger, clock, watch,etc, etc...

It is fun watching him grow. Few months back he couldn't reach the door knob, but now, he is trying to lock the door already. He grew so fast.

Um, when is the 2nd one coming ?

APC 2010

Anugerah Perkhidmatan Cemerlang 2010 Kementerian Sains, Teknologi Dan Inovasi

Indeed, I feel very much blessed and grateful to God for His endless love for me. He always said to me, "I will not give you the tasks if I know you could not do it." So I really believe that whatever God puts me to it, He will pull me through it.

I started working as a Research Officer in 2005. Finally, in 2010, my contributions and work was recognized. I was given Anugerah Perkhidmatan Cemerlang this year. Well, I am sure there are others whom I felt also deserved this reward for they put in as hard effort as me, if not more. Next year will definately be their turn.

Thank you God, thank you Syg for being there for me, as always... Guiding me, propelling me forward. Thank you Daniel for his pure and unending love..

Indeed, I feel blessed as I was listening to Jac's song - Cinta Tiada Akhirnya. How true it is that LOVE is ENDLESS ...