Talk of Appreciation

How best would you feel appreciated? To me it is when people listen and acknowledges you, would be the highest form of appreciation. Keeping to time is another form of appreciation because you acknowledge how busy people are.

However, lately many people are finding it difficult to keep to time. Bosses change their schedules according to their whims and fancies. And there our dear Rt Hon. Prime Minister is talking of 1Malaysia and KPIs!

1Malaysia is about having an egalitarian society. Everybody should feel like one nation irrespective of your standing in society. Are we there yet? A big no:(

Is it alright for you to just change meeting schedules at the last minute when people have made plans to attend? Is your time so important that you do not think of your subordinates' time? It is just not alright for you to take away precious moment from another human being. It is not alright to steal that time from another human being. Time is a gift from God Almighty and perhaps it is an indirect blasphemous act for you to disregard another human being's time. Whatever the reasons we are all humans and everyone deserves a bit of respect.

Please do show your appreciation to fellow humans by enforcing good time management.

For those who love though time is eternity!

Life is Fragile

Dear God,

Thank you for all the blessings you have bestowed upon me. There was a time when I was young and foolish, my idea of a good life is material wealth. I shall get married, have a big house, a big car, buy all the latest LV bags and I'll be happy. Little did I know what you had in store for me.

Over the years you have shown me that you bestow blessings on me all the time even in time of sorrow. I have learnt that sorrow is the head while happiness is the tail of the coin named LIFE. Without sorrow we wil never know happiness and vice-versa.

Please God in times of sorrow always give me the strength to rise above your test and face adversity with maturity and solid faith. Please bestow upon me wisdom to see the bigger picture of my true purpose in life.

Please God always remind me to have my feet on the ground at all times. Humility is indeed a virtue. Through humilty we learn what life really is. To smile at that cleaner and see him happy because we showed that we care and he does matter. To ask the concierge at the hotel whether he has eaten and he tells you that you are looking well. Ahh the joy of seeing smiles all around you. Knowing that you have impacted upon any person you come into contact with. Now that is living life. That is the true meaning of life.

It was never about I but about others. It was never about how much money I have made but how many lives I have inspired. It was never about how much I have in the bank but how I can help another human being through my small donations.

Thank you God for making me realise that life is very fragile. Each second counts and each encounter with another human being matters in this big world. So the next time you see a stranger just smile and the world will smile at you.

Syukur ya Allah. Amin.

The RM10 Story

It was late evening and I was almost done with shopping at Isetan KLCC when a drenched young man approached me. He was very direct "Please can you lend me RM10 as I need the money for a taxi. I need to repair my punctured motorbike". I had to make a split second decision. He could be lying to me or he could be telling the truth. I decided to believe him and gave him the money. He requested for my address so that he could return the money, but I said "It's okay the money is yours". This incident took place a few years back, some 8 years ago.

Last year, again it is KLCC and I was paying for my parking. I inserted the parking ticket and to my horror I did not have any small change. I panicked and was feeling rather flustered not knowing which button to punch to get the ticket out again. Suddenly, a young man handed me an RM10 note. I duly paid for my parking and turned around to tell him to wait while I went inside Parkson to get small change. He insisted that I should just keep the change.

Moral of the story is that when you do things sincerely, the divine law of nature will ensure that in times of trouble you will be given help. Not necessarily from the person whom you have helped.

Happy Birthday Yang Fairuz

Happy Birthday Yuz! So glad that my 10th birthday present has grown up to be a wonderful woman. Love you lots and lots! We go celebrate together.

The ISI Story

"Once upon a time in a land known as Umat Kemudian Menyesal there were many researchers who were happy to just get their work published in ISI journals. They were happy to just get into international journals and even more excited to see their work cited in research books and papers. There were no payment but they were in a state of perpetual SS, syok sendiri. Who cared what they did, they were putting Umat Kemudian Menyesal on the world map. They were so proud of their contribution to the embodiment of knowledge.

Fast forward 15 years later and the state of Umat Kemudian Menyesal is no more like what it used to be. Everyday, the umats are writing long e-mails giving their opinions on what is right and what is wrong. Should it be ISI or Scopus. What is this animal Scopus? Yes umats were requesting to include publications into Scopus because they wanted to get their ranking up. And also because now they will be paid hard money to publish in Scopus. Suddenly within a short period of time lots of papers were published but alas Umat Kemudian Menyesal's ranking went down. How can that be after all that effort put in and they are ranked lower than last year. Ahhh it is okay it is only a technical glitch. All this improvement has only come about in the last few years. Ahhhh no wonder even though Umat has been around for 40 years, previous Umats did nothing but cleared the jungle and chased ghosts away.

Today some big Umat gets very angry when yang umats write in the Fax's e-mail. So much so there is fear to forward information on conferences. Is the silence deafening ahhh yes. But behind big Umat, small Umats talk and discuss why big Umat is so fierce. Well big Umat now only mixes with nagas.....small wonder big Umat becomes very fierce. Soon there will be fire spouting out of big Umat. Stay clear small umats.

So now we have to write in isi journals only. But the small umats are jealous of Umat Manis's achievements. Umat Manis's ranking has improved. Ahh they write in isi journals but they get RM 30,000 grants everytime a hand and a leg join them.

Umats want more money to buy chemicals. Ahhh but chemicals is not a niche so the Umats can only buy pen drives.

Some Umats get terrible scolding by naga for not working. After the water Umats worked very hard, still the water naga was angry. Umat is thinking, why are there so many angry big Umats. Ahh better to be a small umat and write e-mails. Soon e-mails will also be cited just like attendance at the robe party. "

Ahhh it was only a nightmare and I need to sleep. Tomorrow I need to write up my ISI journal paper, write a research proposal and meet up with my lovely students. I also need to register my students into CWCH1 conference using my ISI money. Life is so wonderful!

Good Bye Prof. Dr. Kamarudin Mat-Salleh

Prof. Kamarudin Mat-Salleh in his element

Al Fatihah.
Two years ago I was having lunch with Prof. Dr. Kamarudin Mat-Saleh and a few friends when he was telling us about further tests he had to undergo at HUKM. Little did we know then that it was something very serious.

Pak Din as he is more affectionately known in UKM is so full of life and a very bubbly personality. He was always sharing his feelings and point of views on many mattters. I guess we were in the same boat more of less and were both striving to become good academicians.

Pak Din was into rafflesia. He would travel all over just to catch a flower about to bloom. He was passionate about his work. He was also passionate about photography.

My last trip with him was to Pekan Baru in August 2008. He was the official photographer taking pictures of us in action or inaction in some instances.

Today as I was paying my last respects to him his 5 year old son came out to greet us. Shaking hands and welcoming us, very forthcoming, and throughly reminded me of arwah. Felt a small tear sliding down my cheek.

Goodbye my friend Pak Din. We shall miss you. May you be placed among the chosen people. Rest in peace my friend. Amin.

The Journey

Have you ever had the experience of travelling to a destination and arriving there without much thought. Yes, you suddenly realise that you are there and yet you could not remember the journey at all. Frightening isn't it to fanthom that you must have been thinking of so many other things that you lose focus about your journey.

Eearly last year I had to attend a workshop organised by the Ministry of Higher Education. I jotted down the date and place. So on the date and time I took a drive to Genting and went straight to Awana. I checked in only to be told that there was no room for me. Oh no......why is there no room for me. It just dawned on me that I could have the wrong date. I asked the reception if there was a workshop organised by Ministry of Higher Education. Lo and behold, there was none.

By now I was calling just about everyone I could get hold of. Finally, I managed to talk to Dato' Yusuf Kassim, then the Deputy Director General. He told me that he will only get to Colmar the next day! What Colmar...I got the wrong destination.

Hmm sure enough in my little diary it was clearly written Colmar Tropicale and for the life of me I must have imagined Genting and that stuck in my mind.

Continued my journey again and Colmar Tropicale was nice. Had a good get-together that night and made friends with many new academics from USM and UPNM.

Lesson learnt, always check and remain focus on your actions.