2008 WISH LIST

I am not making any resolutions this year. It is not that I am perfect but I find it pointless to make resolutions and then being not resolute enough to stick to them. So instead of resolutions, I made a Wish List:

I wish that in 2008
1. Malaysians are less selfish and think about the impact of their actions on others (Insert your own examples here)
2. Political parties are more democratic and let members voice their opinions without being penalised in any way.
3. Members of political party seek the truth relentlessly and not swallow hook, line and sinker what the leaders say.
4. Political party members having plenty of integrity and the courage to show it.
5. Political party members never forget that Allah grant them the bounty (rezeki) and not well-placed party leaders.
6. Announcers/DJ on TV and Radio read more to improve their General Knowledge and also to bother getting the correct pronunciations for names and places.
7. Wakil Rakyats ask the rakyat they represent before making speeches in Parliament and/ or voting on Bills.
8. The rakyat write, email, phone or talk to their Tok Wakil about things they are not happy (or even happy) with.
9. The Tok Wakil be around for 8 to happen.
10. Editors place journalistic principles over personal material needs.
11. Girls with spindly legs not wear hot pants in public places.
12. Men with hairy cheeks not wear hip-huggers with short shirts in public eating places.

Happy New Year!

Labels: 2008 Wish List.

FOR PAK IDRUS AND FOR TLADY

My Dear Pak Idrus,
Even before you phoned me about politicians "gate-crashing" GUIT Signing in Kuala Terengganu, I was already upset. The GUIT Signing do was going on as I was discussing the book with 4 old Terengganu veterans (Dato' Omar Khalid, Dato' Mohd Nor Alias, YM Raja Zainal & his brother YM Raja Iskandar Zahid) over lunch at Cosy Corner, Ampang Park. I got a blow by blow account via handphone from Pok Od. Pok Od, the person assigned to assist Awang Goneng and Kak Teh in Kuala Terengganu had to top up his prepaid phone many times that day.

Let me reassure you that Awang Goneng did not plan for politicians to be a part of the book signing.They were there as part of the general public. They saw the opportunity and they seized it. You cannot blame politicians for that just as you cannnot blame kambing neruk for having very bad BO. AG's disposition towards politicians is probably what he reserved for pizzas, only worse. You only have to read his first blog Jalan-Jalan to be convinced of this. You might like to know that parts of Growing Up in Trengganu first appeared in this award-winning blog. The blog won an Asia Blog Award (Best Political Blog) the same year as Di Bawah Rang Ikang Kering. Although the politicians dealt with in Jalan-Jalan are from a different kettle of fish than the Malaysian variety, I am sure that they smell the same. Rest easy Pak Idrus. What you read in the papers did not give the true picture. Do you know that not even one reporter/journalist(except the STAR) mentioned the significance of holding the signing in Keda Pok Loh Yunang? The big story for them is AG posing with infamous politicians which, knowing AG, I do not think is something desired and desirable.

To TLady who commented in my post, I am all for more people speaking more English as much as I would like more people to learn Trengganuspeak. I would love to help those graduates learn to speak better English as soon as I get some teeth. Right now I am turning into The Meng With The Golden Gums. I still can help though. Where do we do it? In Kuala Terengganu? In KL? Get the logistics ironed out and let me know. First and foremost we must be convinced that those hapless graduates want to learn English as much as they want lawful employment. I believe in A.S.K. (Attitude, Skill, Knowledge). We can impart Knowledge. Knowledge with ample practice will turn into Skill. Nothing can be achieved without the proper Attitude. So make sure that the learners have the right attitude to avoid wasting our time.

Dato' Omar Khalid (a decent English speaker from Terengganu) told Awang Goneng and I that he first learned English by asking "How many o'clock now?" I am sure we can do better.

Labels: Awang Goneng, Jalan-Jalan, Pak Idrus, politicians, TLady

THE SUNDAY SEMINAR

A few years ago when our residents association held our "Family Day", the then Political Secretary of our wakil rakyat in his speech announced a gift of RM10,000 for our association. Before we could get our money, the Political Secretary moved on to a higher post and nobody else seems to remember the promise. Not being in the political circle, it took me some time to know the current Political Secretary to our YB. When I did, I mentioned the pledge. He could not give us the RM10,000 but he did persuade the Department of Women's Development to give us the amount to hold a seminar on Violence Against Women.


The Commitee of our Residents Association agreed to take up the challenge. My Special Events students would love organising this kind of event and would have no problems pulling it off. Members of our committee were not after passing grades though. Most of them have day job or a business to run. Thus things on the checklist remain undone and there were many bottlenecks on the chart. Deadlines were ignored. Sponsors took time to give an answer and later backed out.


I was up and early on D-Day despite staying up for the football live telecast. By 7.30 am I had my breakfast at the hotel. I saw many ladies of various races coming in. My spirit soared until I found out that they were there for another seminar. They were Shaklee's distributors. I was also told that no VVIP would be coming to officiate because they would be visiting the flood victims. That could be a blessing in disguise. Less protocol means less stress.

Labels: seminar, stress

MINOH RAKIT, MINGGU AND MAMAT PPALA KERAH

I booked my favourite table at DOME KLCC for a Sunday lunch with Awang Goneng since I would be at KLCC that day for Mimi's choir performance with the MPO. Awang Goneng could not make it and suggested tea on Monday instead.

On Saturday, Pak Idrus vehemently insisted that I show up for lunch at his residence. I didn't bring wine but a copy of S.Effendi CD instead. I am a teetotaller but I did have a pleasant conversation with a young wine merchant who was one of Pak Idrus's many guests. Among the guests was a talkative old gentleman who looked quite familiar to me. I could not place the name to the face until Pak Idrus introduced us. I was both surprised and embarrassed to know that the gentleman is from Terengganu and very close to my parents, my auntie and my cousins. He even married a schoolmate of mine. He also mentioned that my late uncle (mother's side) was brought to Singapore to be schooled there. He remembers things that I have forgotten and he is a good 17 years older than me.

When I mentioned Growing Up In Trengganu, he lamented the fact that despite asking a few people to get the book, he had yet to read the book. So I invited him to meet the author in person and I promised him I will get him a signed copy of the book. He did try to wrest away Pak Idrus's signed copy but the owner is younger and stronger.
I assured the Dato' that he will get his own copy on Monday and as a bonus, meet up with his MCKK schoolmate and fellow Terengganunese, Dato' Wan Nik.

On Monday I picked up Dato' Wan Nik and since we could be delayed by the traffic, I suggested that we use the LRT. It was the first time on the LRT for the first Proton CEO and he thoroughly enjoyed the journey from Taman Jaya to KLCC (and back).

Labels: Awang Goneng, Dato' Omar Khalid, Dato' Wan Nik

IMPROMPTU SIGNING OF GUIT

Yesterday Awang Goneng, the author of Growing Up In Trengganu had lunch with a few bloggers/fans at DOME, KLCC. First it was only Awang Goneng, Kak Teh, Riza, Helmi (Aku Tak Reti Cakap Omputih), Pak Adib, Mimi and I at around lunch time. We were later joined by Honeytar, Pak Idrus, Jiwa Rasa (all the way from Bukit Mertajam) and Ruby.

We got our copy of Growing Up In Trengganu duly signed by the author after clearing out all the copies in Times Bookstore downstairs. Ruby had to make do with a copy out of Awang Goneng's backpack. Guys, keep the copy under lock and key. It will quadruple in value one day. I heard from a reliable source that the book will be reprinted soon. Way to go Awang!

You can see how happy we were here. Somehow my comments were lost because I am still dok ngoppong (not adept) where JAlbum is concerned. I just downloaded it today. Click the first thumbnail and click the last arrow top right if you want to watch the slide show.

Many thanks to Pak Adib for footing the lunch bill. We wanted to contribute but he insisted on "deflowering" his new Platinum credit card.

Update:
You can see the slideshow with comments (and back ground music) here.

Labels: Awang Goneng, Growing Up In Trengganu

YOU CANNOT WIN ALL THE TIME

Much to the frustrations of punters everywhere, Arsenal and Liverpool lost their latest game. Arsenal lost 1-2 to Boro and Liverpool went down 1-3 to Reading, no thanks to off-target Voronin and a bumbling, wobbly Crouch. Hardcore "you'll Never Walk Alone" Liverpool fans might want to blame the seemingly biased referee for the loss.

What can we learn from these losses? Apart from the after-effect of staying up late to watch the matches (e.g Elephant Subuh and cranky mornings)we were shown that however mighty you are, you can lose. Remember the Americans in Vietnam and the Russians in Afghanistan? And do not forget John Howard in Australia.

So all parties in the next election should take note. You can lose, Unless you get a biased referee.

Labels: Arsenal, Election, Liverpool, losing.

CURE FOR CORENG CD/DVD

Not everyone is blessed with the disposition and good sense to take very good care of CDs or DVDs. Some like me do not immediately put the CD or DVD in its cover/case immediately after use. Inevitably, some CDs or DVDs will acquire scratches (coreng in Terengganuspeak) rendering them unplayable or "unloadable".

Many many years ago, when PC Fair was held at PWTC someone sold a small bottle of liquid polish that removed scratches from CDs and DVDs very well. It revived all my scratched Cds and DVDs. When the polish ran out I went all over the place (including PC Fairs) to look for the magic liquid. I could not find it. I could not remember the brand name or whether it had one in the first place. What I could remember was the just a bit bigger than an eye drop bottle was yellow and the liquid was the consistency of car polish. It even smells like car polish. It got me thinking. Maybe it was car polish.

I have got past the stage where I polish my car once a month or even once a year. There was no car polish in the house so I could not immediately confirm my theory. I had to go to the nearest petrol station and bought a bottle of car polish. I am happy to share with you that the car polish did a good job of removing the scratches from CDs and DVDs and made them playable or "loadable" again.

I would suggest that you try the car polish (liquid type, not the wax please) on a CD or DVD that you have given up on. That way, you will not lose any CD or DVD. Tell me if it works though.

Labels: car polish, scratched CD/DVD