Tuesday, June 27, 2006

an evening in Bagan Lalang, Sepang


..ohno,azry,farhan,me (farhan's digicam)


..waiting for sunset


..tripod and us


..silhoutte (farhan's digicam)

Finally after months of countless attempts, we managed to gather the four of us and we went to Bagan Lalang yesterday afternoon. Later at night we had seafood dinner at the nearby restaurant. ikan siakap sweet sour, sotong goreng tepung, kailan masak ikan masin, kerang bakar! Nyummy nyummy :p
Check out more pics at sspidey.fotopages.com

Islands - Rough Gem

Sunday, June 25, 2006

Ketagih ganja dan gian kuasa

Di bawah, petikan artikel 'Ketagih ganja dan gian kuasa' oleh Hishamuddin Rais bertarikh 23 Jun di Malaysiakini di bawah kolum tetap beliau, 'Dot Mai Kembali';

"..Justeru, saya hanya ingin memberi peringatan. Jika ternampak Mat Gian atau Mat Fit terhuyung-hayang, jangan risau kerana mereka ini tidak merbahaya. Mereka sedang ‘berdengong’, jika ditolak dengan satu jari pun mereka akan terjatuh.
Tetapi waspada terhadap mereka yang ketagih kuasa. Mereka sentiasa berpakaian kemas, teratur dan membawa dompet yang penuh dengan kad kredit. Tidak mungkin mereka akan jatuh dengan sekali tolak. Disepak dan diterajang pun belum tentu mereka akan jatuh. Ketagihan kuasa inilah yang sentiasa menggangu dan menyusahkan perjalanan hidup kita.

Pergi tersepak pulang terlanggar. Petang menjadi nyamuk, senja menjadi agas. Malam menjadi pijat. Ke bukit menjadi pacat, ke air menjadi lintah. Di warong menjadi lipas, dalam komputer menjadi virus.

Mereka sentiasa menunjukkan muka seperti tahi terapung yang tidak dapat ditelan air.
Contoh ‘withdrawl symptom’ seorang Mamat Gian kuasa kini sedang berlaku di hadapan mata kita. Saya tidak perlu berselindung di belakang tembok untuk menyatakan nama Mamat ini." - Hishamuddin Rais

Hishamuddin Rais memang dikenali ramai sebagai salah seorang penulis sosial, politik dan isu semasa yang prolifik yang saya sangat minati walaupun saya tak bersetuju dengan ideologi fahaman politik beliau atau kebanyakan isi-isi penulisan beliau. Isu setuju atau tidak, pada saya itu soal kedua. You don't have to agree with his ideas to enjoy reading his writings.

Kalau saya jumpa beliau, ingin saya syorkan supaya beliau menulis buku pula ataupun membukukan semua koleksi penulisan beliau.

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Lapu-Lapu, Magellan dan Panglima Awang

14-16 Jun 2006 - Manila, Filipina.


..Rizal Park, Manila


..the Statue of the Sentinel of Freedom, Manila

Antara petikan yang menarik perhatian saya pada plak gangsa di tugu peringatan di atas;

"Herewith we remember the fortitude of our noble countrymen-
with Rizal (Dr. Jose Rizal) in the forefront
And Lapu-Lapu as forerunner;
Two proud sons of the Malay race
Symbols of harmony in diversity and respect for each other's credo, strata and religion."

Sejarah bangsa Melayu menentang penjajah di Filipina subur diabadikan di monumen ini. Lapu-Lapu telah tercatat dalam sejarah Filipina sebagai wira negara pertama. Beliau adalah pemimpin Islam dari kepulauan Visaya (Filipina tengah) dan juga orang Asia pertama yang menentang penjajahan Barat (Sepanyol) pada awal kurun ke-16, apabila beliau beserta orang-orang Mactan membunuh Kapten Ferdinand Magellan dan beberapa orang rombongan pengembaraan beliau yang dalam pelayaran mengelilingi dunia.
Dalam rombongan pengembaraan Magellan ini terdapat seorang anak kapal berbangsa Melayu. Dialah Panglima Awang, seperti mana yang tertulis di dalam buku sejarah karangan Harun Aminurrashid; atau nama lain beliau 'Enrique' atau 'Henry the Black' mengikut sumber-sumber Barat. Beliau merupakan hamba kepada Kapten Magellan yang berasal dari Melaka yang telah dibawa ke Portugal sewaktu tentera Portugis menawan kota Melaka pada 1511. Enrique telah turut serta dalam rombongan pengembaraan Magellan dari awal ekspedisi yang bermula di Sepanyol sampailah ke penghujung mengikut laluan Barat (Jalan laut ke Timur diserahkan kepada Portugis di bawah dasar pembahagian kuasa Sepanyol-Portugis oleh pihak gereja Rom).
Maka Enrique atau Panglima Awanglah yang sepatutnya lebih berhak sebagai orang pertama mengelilingi dunia, bukannya Magellan, kerana beliau telah terbunuh di Filipina dan tidak berjaya menamatkan pelayaran. Apabila rombongan Magellan tiba di kepulauan Filipina, gembiralah Enrique, apabila mendapati bahawa penduduk tempatan di situ bertutur dalam bahasa yang seakan-akan sama dengan bahasa ibunda beliau, yakni bahasa Melayu. Maka, yakinlah Enrique bahawa dia telah pun pusing mengelilingi dunia dan telah kembali hampir dengan tanah kelahiran beliau.
Oleh sebab ekspedisi ini mendapat tajaan dan sokongan daripada Raja Sepanyol, maka sudah tentu baginda raja tidak mahu seorang hamba yang berasal dari sebuah negara Timur diangkat sebagai wira. Apabila diceritakan oleh anak-anak kapal kepada baginda raja tentang perjalanan mereka mengelilingi dunia dan kematian Magellan, baginda tegas menjawab, "Nama Magellan akan kekal dalam sejarah".
Maka, dengan itu tertulislah dalam kitab-kitab sejarah bahawa Ferdinand Magellan orang pertama mengelilingi dunia. Hakikat bahawa Kapten Magellan adalah seorang berbangsa Portugis juga telah digelapkan oleh sejarawan masa lampau untuk mengangkat kejayaan negara Sepanyol. Benarlah kata-kata bahawa, sejarah itu ditulis oleh mereka yang berkuasa.

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Misi Nusantara III

..akan kembali dalam masa tiga hari, insyaAllah. :)

-- fotopage

Sunday, June 11, 2006

Amir Muhammad dan Kisah Pelayaran Abdullah

Sememangnya saya sentiasa menantikan kemunculan filem-filem Melayu epik atau apa saja yang mempunyai hubungkait dengan sejarah. Filem 'Dayang' (yang kononnya menggunakan teknologi komputer tercanggih) yang telah memulakan penggambaran pada pertengahan 2004, masih tidak diketahui bila tarikh tayangannya, dah siap ke belum, atau mungkinkah akan mengalami nasib serupa seperti 'Pasir Salak'?
Gembira saya apabila membaca artikel Fathi Aris tentang Amir Muhammad (pengarah filem kontroversi 'Lelaki Komunis Terakhir'). Khabarnya Amir sedang merancang untuk membawa 'Kisah Pelayaran Abdullah' ke layar perak. Di bawah ialah sedikit daripada petikan artikel tersebut.

"..Dia sekarang sedang berfikir untuk mendokumentasikan Kisah Pelayaran Abdullah(siap 1849), olahan kembali karya besar Munshi Abdullah, khususnya perjalanan tokoh ini ke Kelantan dan Terengganu pada tahun 1838. Walaupun diolah daripada catatan perjalanan sebenar dan dianggap satu fakta sejarah, rakaman ini tidak dirancang diadakan di dua negeri di Pantai Timur ini.

Filem yang diilhamkan daripada Kisah Pelayaran Abdullah akan dirakam di Peru selama kira-kira sebulan pada Disember tahun ini. Kenapa Peru?

"Kalau kita gali bumi (lurus) dari Kelantan atau Terengganu, (kalau tembus) kita akan sampai ke Peru," katanya. Peru dipilih kerana negara ini antipode (jarak terjauh yang bertentangan di atas muka bumi) dengan dua negeri ini.

Katanya, ilham untuk meneroka karya Munshi Abdullah datang sewaktu beliau membikin Lelaki Komunis Terakhir. Apakah mungkin kontroversi sekali lagi apabila Munshi Abdullah ditafsir belayar ke Peru? Jawapannya kini di tangan Amir..." -UmmahOnline

Musykil juga, apa sebenarnya maksud tersirat Amir apabila menjawab persoalan 'kenapa Peru'. Apa pun, saya menghargai minat dan usaha Amir yang tak jemu untuk menerbitkan filem yang sudah pasti tiada nilai komersial seperti ini.
Buku 'Kisah Pelayaran Ibrahim Munshi' telah lama berada di rak buku saya, menantikan giliran untuk dibaca. (Ibrahim Munshi ialah anak kepada Munshi Abdullah).

Friday, June 09, 2006

deepest condolence

12.45am - 1 Missed call (Farhan)

toot toot..

me: aa kenape?

farhan: bapak Bert (Herbert) meninggal. kena langgar kereta kat depan Viran. (kedai runcit ss14 Subang)

me: Haa, camne boleh kena langgar?

farhan: Sebelum bapak Bert kena langgar, kereta tu dah langgar kereta lain, lepas tu dia nak lari la, tu yang bawak laju. tak nampak bapak Bert tengah lintas jalan (dari ss14 ke ss18).

me: bila ni? petang tadi ke?

farhan: baru je tadi. kitorang nak keluar minum. tak jadi.

me: ..

hmm. takziah untuk herbert tan wei shen dan keluarga..

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

Tony Fernandes and Air Asia

Inspiring interview with Tony Fernandes, Air Asia CEO.
Fernandes Tries to Change 'Top-Down' Culture He Sees Among Managers in Asia
By CRIS PRYSTAY

Malaysian Tony Fernandes founded AirAsia, Asia's first low-cost carrier, in 2001 and expanded the company by setting up joint-venture airlines in Thailand and Indonesia. Mr. Fernandes, 42 years old, graduated from the University of London in 1987 with a finance degree and in 1992 moved back to Malaysia, where he became managing director of Warner Music Malaysia, and later, vice-president of Warner's Southeast Asian operations. He quit in 2001 to start AirAsia.

One of Malaysia's most outspoken business executives, Mr. Fernandes not only has strong ideas on the way airlines should be run, but also how Southeast Asia's top-down corporate culture should change. He spoke to reporter Cris Prystay about his style.

WSJ: What was your first job and what did you learn from it?

Mr. Fernandes: My first job was a waiter in London at the Cavendish Hotel. I was 17. I learned that working was hard and you had to be professional, even as a waiter. You had other colleagues. If my performance was poor, it let down the whole team.

My first [career] job was as an accountant at an auditor in London. It was mind blowingly boring. I was a junior auditor and was photocopying and adding up rows of columns. The big lesson there: make sure you go into a job that you enjoy. Otherwise, you don't give any value to your employer, and you certainly don't add any value to your own mind.

WSJ: Who gave you the best business advice?

Mr. Fernandes: It was probably Stephen Shrimpton (the former chief executive officer of Warner Music International) at Warner. I was a man in a rush. I was 28 when I became the managing director of Warner Music Malaysia, and I wanted to be the regional MD. I wanted to take over the world.

One night, Steve talked to me outside the Sheraton Hotel in Hong Kong for three hours. He told me there's no need to rush and that it's about developing my own personality and making sure I'm ready for the next job. I see that now: No matter how bright someone is at 25, there's nothing like experience. He slowed me down, and made me understand that you need to take time -- to understand the business better, to understand your people better.

WSJ: What's the one thing you wish every new hire knew?

Mr. Fernandes: Humility -- and knowing what the real world is like. The new generation is coming in pretty soft. A lot of these young guys haven't lived through a recession. There are plenty of jobs out there and they think, "I can always walk into another job." The hunger and determination to do their best is sometimes not there.

WSJ: Is there a difference between the management culture in Asia and the West?

Mr. Fernandes: The management culture here is very top-down. There's less creativity and fewer people who are willing to speak out. They're more implementers than doers. There's less freedom of speech, and that impacts the business world. Even when they know things are not right, they won't speak out. They just do what they're told to do.

WSJ: What's the biggest management challenge you face?

Mr. Fernandes: To get people to think. At AirAsia, we want 4,000 brains working for us. My biggest challenge is to get people to talk, to express themselves, to get people to challenge me and say "Tony, you're talking rubbish." That's what I want, not people who say "Yes, sir." The senior management doesn't have all the answers. I want the guy on the ramp to have the confidence to tell me what's wrong.

WSJ: What are you doing to clear that hurdle?

Mr. Fernandes: We have no offices. We dress down. You wear a suit, and you put distance between you and your staff. We're on a first-name basis. I go around the office, around the check-in desks, the planes constantly, talking to people. Fifty percent of my job is managing people in the company. You get people to open up to you by just asking them to do it, and then responding to them. You don't send a memo, or do some "speak up" incentive program. It's got to be from the heart.

WSJ: What was the most satisfying decision you've made as a manager?

Mr. Fernandes: Once a month, I carry bags with the ramp boys, or I'm cabin crew, or at the check-in. I do this to get close to the operation. I also want to know my people. When I first started this, I met all these bright kids at the check-in or carrying bags. We were starting this cadet pilot program, and I said, "Let's open it up to anyone. Let some of these kids apply." They have the brains, but they just didn't have the money to get the education.
Out of the first batch of 19 cadets, 11 came from within the company. Some of these boys got the highest marks ever in the flying academy. There was one kid who joined us to carry bags, and 18 months later he was a First Officer of a 737. Can you imagine what that does for the motivation in the company? Everyone talks about developing human capital, but we did it. - (CareerJournal)

Tun Dr. M on Pak Lah

Malaysia Ex-PM Mahathir: My Successor Has Betrayed Trust

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (AP) -- Former Malaysian leader Mahathir Mohamad on Wednesday accused his handpicked successor, who reversed many of his decisions, of betraying his trust and coming close to stabbing him in the back.

In some of his harshest criticism against Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Mahathir said he "tolerated it as much as possible" and could no longer keep his grievances quiet.

Mahathir, who retired in 2003 after 22 years in power, said he was particularly hurt by claims that he had "finished all government money and the government was bankrupt" because of mega-infrastructure projects that marked his time in office.

"Having chosen him as my successor, I expect a reasonable degree of gratefulness," Mahathir told reporters.

"I'm in the habit of choosing the wrong people," Mahathir said, adding that in his lifetime, he has helped many people, "only for them to stab me in the back."

Asked if Abdullah has stabbed him in the back, Mahathir replied: "Minor bruises."

However, Mahathir wouldn't openly say whether he regretted choosing Abdullah to succeed him instead of current Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, whom Mahathir claimed had obtained more votes in the Cabinet to inherit the leadership."

One cannot tell what a person would do when the person is out of your control. I thought I had made the right choice," Mahathir said.

He said he wasn't campaigning within the ruling United Malays National Organization to unseat Abdullah."

I'm not capable of doing that," Mahathir said. "I cannot have him removed. I'm not going around campaigning to people...(but) I would be failing in my duty as an ordinary citizen, as ex-PM, if I did not direct my attention" to issues affecting national interests." -- www.biznewsdb.com

I regard this as Tun Dr. Mahathir's most blatant straight forward remark and by far his harshest critic on the present administration and Pak Lah specifically. He truly speaks his heart out. Here's a few related articles praising support for Dr.M from Malaysiakini.com.

Thursday, June 01, 2006

MyTeam

It bemuses me to watch thousands of supporters cheering on the Myteam players during their "final match" againts the Malaysian Under-20 national team as if they were up against some World Cup team or something. I guess it's the effect of the popular reality show that did it. I'm not against the whole concept of MyTeam, after all it is a successful reality show isn't it? But somehow I feel that Shebby and Khairy are being too ambitious and feeling syok sendiri of their MyTeam squad when they suggested that MyTeam to be included in the Malaysian Super League. Honestly, i don't even think they deserved to be in the KL Dunhill League. Ok, maybe I'm being too critical here. How about the FAM Cup first? And let's just see how they fare in the league.
I'm getting sick of reading sports news comments congratulating and praising the amateur Myteam squad and all. Sports journalists pun ada kaki ampu jugak eh. Anyway, finally i've found someone who shares the same sentiment as me (or the other way round) with regards to the recently concluded Malaysian football reality show, Myteam. NST reader, Sritharan Vellasamy, in his letter published today, have a few strong points in which i agree much of it;
MyTeam is not a miracle pill
I JUST do not understand the fuss over these amateurs in MyTeam who have been hailed by so-called football experts as the saviour of national football. The comments on television against former national footballer Razip Ismail regarding the MyTeam-national selection game was another lamentable episode of this debacle.
I do not see any wrong on his part for saying that such games should not take place so as not to undermine the role of the Football Association of Malaysia as the foremost authority in the running of football in the country. Criticisms and lopsided opinions of the national junior squad continue to flow freely following a largely forgettable match.
One must remember My-Team lost to the junior national team made up mainly of raw 18-year-olds. But the criticism just kept piling up. Malaysian under-20 coach Rajagopal had a valid point in his comments after the slim 2-1 win. He argued that the team did not prepare for the friendly as they were the last-minute replacements for the senior team. Does this mean that FAM has to bow to demands of friendlies with any amateur side? Don’t they have a programme to abide by and to prepare for more important ties?
Soon, I, too, with my honest and sincere aim to improve Malaysian football might demand a friendly be arranged between Sentul FC and the national team. All this should not be taken as defending the FAM for its shortcomings. The organisation had always lacked the dynamism shown by its Japanese, South Korean or even Chinese counterparts — teams which we routinely beat in the 1980s. We were once the kings of Asia.
However, offering MyTeam as an instant miracle pill is a laughable premise. I’m all for improving the standard of the game, but it should be a sincere, coherent and real effort.
Aku geleng kepala bila Pak Lah pun puji MyTeam. Nak ambik hati menantu kot.