27 March 2012
We flew to Phuket, Thailand, for a short holiday break and it was indeed a pleasant trip. Phuket is really a holiday destination. Tourism is the big thing there. The locals are proud of the services they can offer to the holiday makers. We had good food, relaxing massages, and spent our time mostly outdoors.....

Whatever they say, I still prefer a Thai massage anytime!

Lifelong Learning

14-25 March 2011
Once again, my doa to be Tetamu Allah telah di makbulkan sekali lagi. My family of 15 members boarded the MAS flight to Jeddah enroute to Madinah Al-Munawwarah and Mekah Al-Mukarammah on 14 March 2011 to perform our Umrah (Small Haj). I feel very blessed to be in Masjidil Haram again....Alhamdullillah.
The landscape in Mecca has changed tremendously, no more small peddlers doing their business along the roadsides like before just before and after each solat/prayer. Big tall skyscrapers now dominate the skyline of the Holy City - the latest one Zam Zam Towers, known to be the tallest clock tower in the world, joining the earlier hotel blocks like Mekah Hilton, Inter Continental Hotel (formerly Sheraton), and still more blocks coming up facing the Umrah Gate.
Performing the Umrah or small Haj is a cleansing exercise for all Muslims, spiritually. We beg forgiveness from Allah The Almighty, to forgive whatever we had done, consciously or unconsciously, to our relatives, friends or foes. Upon leaving Mecca after the Tawaf Wida', we are actually without any sins at all, just like litlle new-borns, all our wrongdoings and sins have been cleansed by Allah, the Most Merciful.
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Syukur Alhamdullillah.....Ya Allah ya Tuhan ku! Jangan lah di jadikan tawaf dan ziarah hamba Mu ini sebagai kali yang penghabisan di Baitullah. Jika sekiranya ditakdirkan menjadi kali yang akhir maka aku memohon syurga sebagai gantinya dengan kemurahan Mu, ya Tuhan Yang Maha Pemurah lagi Maha Penyayang.
To me, the more we learn Al-Quran, the more jahil we become. To learn the Quran and the Sunnah Nabi is a lifelong learning process. Muslims are required to "Tuntutlah ilmu sehinggga ke liang lahad"

Penang - Pearl of the Orient

8 January 2011

We took a trip to Penang over the weekend. Next to my hometown Malacca, the Pearl of the Orient never fail to impress me. We stayed at a beach hotel over looking the sea. Whenever I am on the beach, any beach for that matter, I cannot resist picking up sea shells. If I were to take count of the number of shells I pick up at all the beaches I have visited.....But the biggest shells I have collected at those from Hong Kong when we were served deliciuos seafood for dinner and I could not help putting the shells aside to take home after eating the insides.

Sea shells, from time immemorial, have been used as a currency for trading, just like coins, beads and other collectibles. Sea shells are unique in themselves because no two shells are really alike, in terms of shape, size, colour and pattern. To me, sea shells form a piece of the natural heritage from the sea.
We also went about town, walking the old streets along  Jalan Kapitan Keling, the ancient Kapitan Keling Mosque, Lebuh  Chulia and the surrounding area.  It was nostalgic to walk along these historic streets where so much trade was transacted during the early days when Penang, being the first British Straits Settlement in the late 18th century, was a bustling trading post. More than two centuries of unique history and heritage makes George Town a worthy recipient as a UNESCO World Culural Heritage Site in 2008, similar to Malacca.

Birthday Celebrations

31 December 2010
Today is the end of the year 2010. For me, the coming of any new year is an ocassion to celebrate because my birthdate is 30th December. Therefore, any new year celebration is also a celebration for me, I put it that way. I attended a company dinner which was held on 30 December 2010, attended by the staff and their family members. The dinner was well attended, well represented, a true 1Malaysia gathering! We had a wonderful time. They gathered all the staff born in the month of December and all of us cut the birthday cake together. I turned sweet 16!
Psst....On the way to dinner, I got a surprise call from London.  My son Ammar wished me  Happy Birthday Mama. That actually is the climax of my birthday celebrations and made my year 2010 complete.

Happy New Year to all. May 2011 be a better year for all of us wherever you are. To all Muslims, this is still the month of Hijrah, so berhijrah lah untuk menjadi Ummah yang senantiasa mengingati Allah.

Palm Information Centre, MPOB

30 December 2010
Today 30 December 2010 marks my 5th year of retirement from the Malaysian Palm Oil Board(MPOB). Five years ago on 30th December2005, the staff of the Palm Information Centre organised a farewell and retirement gathering for me at Anjung Sawit of the Palm Information Centre. It was a very memorable experience for me because after 33 years in the government service, I realised that I was retiring. However for me, retirement is just a change in career (I found out later). That day, I tried hard to retain my feelings inside me because deep in me, I actually was very very sad, having to leave my beloved staff, especially the senior ones who had been with me through thick and thin, planning and executing the duties and responsibilities of the former PORIM Library (now known as Palm Information Centre or popularly known as PMS for short), whom I had grown to trust and love throughout the years working with them - people like Pn Sakinah, Pn Robiah, Pn Norizan, Noraziah, Nor Lijah,  NorAzman, Fuad, Ghazali, Saadiah, Amin, Ariff, Fatimah Hanim, Shahrul Aida, Rafidah....without their dedication and support, I would not have developed the Centre. Kindly go to http://palmoilis.mpob.gov.my/Vtour/index.htm for a glimpse of our small contribution to MPOB and our beloved country Malaysia.
NB. I had the opportunity of meeting up the former Director-General of MPOB recently.  He asked me whether I visit the Centre and I wholeheartedly informed him that ..."saya sayu hati nak pergi balik ke MPOB sebab saya terima beberapa maklumbalas menyatakan yang PMS kini tak sama macam PMS dulu. Galeri  tidak di kemaskini dengan baik; Produk Palmshoppe pun tak banyak seperti dulu; keseluruhan PMS sudah hilang keceriannya....". Even the virtual tour of 5 years ago which I developed before was never updated.
On another ocassion, I was also approached by the former Chairman of MPOB to come and discuss with him regarding the information requirements of the palm oil industry. But I never did because my principle in life is that  once I leave an organization, I leave clean without any strings tied.
In December this year, I was on the audit panel of an auditing company. I was pleasantly surprised when the librarian commented that the Palm Information Centre is the benchmark for the library development in Malaysia. I felt humbled and at the same time proud of our achievement in setting an example for the library and information industry in Malaysia. Hearing this comment made me feel very sad since the Centre has lost its glory of yesteryears.
As a founder and former Head of Unit of PMS, I feel saddened  by the unsatisfactory comments and "hati tersangatlah sayu untuk menjejaki kaki ke PMS, satu-satunya peninggalan saya di MPOB..."   

Happy Deepavali

5 November 2010
This year, Deepavali falls on 5th November, coincidentally my first grandson's birthday. So in a way, we celebrated his 4th birthday bash at Saujana Resort, the residence of my beloved niece, who kindly hosted the celebrations. So, another family gathering, this time an outdoor one at the gazebo around the swimming pool.

The next day, we took a drive around Little India@ Brickfields which recently was officially opened by our Prime Minister, YAB Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. The VIP guest was the Prime Minister of India himself, Mr Man Mohan Singh. His Excellency's visit to Malaysia resealed the very good diplomatic relations we have had with India in terms of trade as well as social relations. Malaysians looked up to India, being the oldest democracy in Asia. India too is the greatest traditional market for palm oil, Our Golden Crop. Historically speaking, the British brought in Indians to work at our rubber plantations in the 1880's when the East India Company started the rubber industry in the then Malaya. So, Malaysia and India have many things in common, then and now.
The development of Little India at Brickfields is a deserving project to promote tourism in Malaysia. I personally loved to visit Brickfields to get some Indian trinkets here and there. However, we have to make sacrifices in the face of development - the old Pines, which used to be the favourite haunt for many people wayback in the 70's - is no longer there. New eateries took their place. Many shops and eating outlets were still closed because of the Deepavali holiday break.
We stopped by for lunch at Nagas, a newly revamped restaurant serving dosai, chapatti, briyani rice and other Indian delicacies.  While eating our sumptious meal, my eyes caught an advertisement on the noticeboard of  the restaurant. It is about a book called the Malaysian Indian Dilemma. A best seller, it says. Must be interesting reading.....
Psst...Happy Deepavali to all our Indian friends. May the Festival of Lights enlighten our lives in the spirit of 1Malaysia.
Today 8th Nov 2010, the Star highlighted Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's statement, "We want to achieve a developed nation status and no one race can do it without the support and commitment from the other races. We are not only taking about the Malays, the Chinese, the Indians; but all ethnic groups, including those in Sabah, Sarawak and the Orang Asli."

Have a Cuppa Tea...

Boh puts the Ummph in Your Life!

The Tea Tree - must be many years old, looking at the moss-covered trunks and branches

Sunday 31 October 2010

Today, I went up Cameron Highlands just to accompany my other half who has some work to do up there.  What a wonderful time we had  visiting the Boh Tea Plantation at Sg Palas. We also visited the Tea Cafe, the Tea Gallery as well as the Tea Factory owned by Boh Tea Plantations. The moment we reached the Tea Cafe, I felt like I was in some foreign land because the weather, the ambiance, the feel and the facilities around were clean and welcoming. It was only later after touring the Galeri and Exhibition that we found out that Boh Tea Plantation is owned by a Md Salleh, Caroline Russell, the great, great grandchild of the founder, John Russell. Way back in the1930's, John Russell foresaw the potential of tea production in Cameron Highlands, which is situated about 1,500 metres above sea level. Boh Tea's tagline is Boh Puts the Ummph in your Life! I rather like the tagline of another tea plantation, Bharat Tea Plantation, down the road at Tanah Rata. It says Any Time is Tea Time, very Malaysian  indeed!

NB : The Chinese history of tea began in 2737BC when Chinese Emperor Shen Nung sat beneath a tree waiting for his servant to boil drinking water. A leaf from the tree fell into the water and he decided to try out the brew from the wild tea tree. The Indians too have a saga on the tea. It was said that Gautama Buddha tore his eyelids off and threw them on the ground because he fell asleep despite vowing to remain awake during a pilgrimage. His eyelids took root and germinated into tea plants that sprouted leaves the shape of eyelids.

Legends abound, the tea have found a permanent place in the lives and hearts of diverse people in the world for over 4,500 years. The English enjoy their afternoon tea with hot scones. The Muslims in Mecca break fast with their tea (called chai) and dates. Malaysians are now mixing their tea with all the specific herbs, Misai Kuching, Mas Cotek, Pandanus Leaves, not only for the flavour but also to benefit from their healing properties. Assoc Prof Dr Faridah Qamaruz Zaman of Universiti Pertanian Malaysia(UPM) told me that the University had come up with tea made from oil palm leaves. I suppose this is to take advantage of the abundance of the vitamin E content in the palm leaves.

It is well known fact that tea drinking is a healthy habit. Tea leaves contain flavanoids and other antioxidants which are healthy for the total body system.

Psst...Have you had your cuppa today?

Month of Ramadhan

11 August 2010
Today is the Ist day of the month of Ramadhan Al-Mubarak. All Muslims are required to abstain themselves from eating and drinking from dawn till sunset. It is also a time for inner reflection, devotion to God and self control. The month of Ramadhan is an opportunity to gain by giving up, to prosper by giving and to grow stronger by enduring weakness. As a secondary goal, fasting is a way of experiencing hunger and developing sympathy for the less fortunate, and learning to thankfullness and appreciation for all of God's bounties. Fasting is also beneficial to the health and provides a break in the cycle of rigid habits or overindulgence.
Medical doctors would advise his patients to fast for specific reasons. Fasting is another way to detox the body.
Find out more at http://www.submission.org/

Scottish Highlands

27 June 2010ows
On the 2nd day, we drove up to Glasgow and Edinburgh, seeing more grazing land with sheep, cows and horses in the meadows, lazying themselves in the hot summer sun. Glasgow is not a tourist city, we found out later, even though the tourist brochures say so. There is the Buchanan Street, a pedestrian walk lined with some shopping outlets and the George Square, where we saw the statue of Sir James Watt, the one who discovered the steam engine (pardon me, if  I am wrong). So we moved on to Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland. Here, life is more vibrant, looking at the city centre, the Princes Square and the shopping malls. Of course, everybody is enjoying the sun, on the streets and in the park. At some street corners, you can hear the beautiful melodic sounds of the Scottish bagpipes. Edinburgh is famous for its castles, namely the Edinburgh Castle and the Balmoral Castle(Scottish home to the Royal Family), perched strategically on the hill tops.

PSSS...The Istana Negara is now being built somewhere in Damansara Heights(?). Hopefully, DBKL does a good job of this project in line with the majesticity that the King's Palace will command to tourists visiting Malaysia.

Scottish Highlands

26 and 27 June 2010
We are off to Scotland these 2 days. Travelling on the motorway M6 towards the North along the country side was a wonderful experience for all of us. England is having a hot summer right now, with temperatures rising 20's to 30's centigrade.
Basically, England is an agricultural country, with a vast expanse of productive grazing land. Despite the Indusrial Revolution, agriculture is still the main stay of her economy.
We stayed at a B and B hotel, the Ravenshill House Hotel owned by Sheila, the owner-cum-manager. It is a beautiful country house converted into a B and B hotel facility.We had a sumptious dinner - roasted beef and of course haddock - all agricultural products from the nearby farms!
Actually, we were quite surprised that on the menu, there was this item Malaysian chicken served with savoury rice. We found out later that Sheila met a Malaysian chef on one of her holiday trips on a ship and they exchanged recipes then. As Anthony Bourdain, the celebrity chef, once said in Asian Food Channel over ASTRO, food is an international language. Very true indeed!
Psss. Actually, I have often dreamed of providing a B and B facility for the tourists coming to Shah Alam, the capital city of Selangor. However, I have reservations going into this venture because tourism is not the core industry in the state of Selangor, not for the next 10 years or so....

English Summer

24-25 June 2010

The past two days in London are sunny and bright - summer is already here even though in June. People are donning their colorful summer clothes and the parks are full of children playing in the sun. People are seen sipping their afternoon tea at the sidewalk cafes. Flowers are blooming. Everybody is enjoying the sun. In fact, the weather forecast said that this weekend is going to experience a mini heatwave with temperatures soaring from 20's to 30's. 

Acquiring Knowledge

17 June 2010
Today is my grandson Jazyl Adam's 2nd Birthday and he is very lucky to have 3 generations of his family to celebrate his birthday right in the middle of London city. He is a new generation kid, very exposed to IT gadjets, having his own Ipad. And he learns a lot from the games and programmes uploaded by his IT daddy.  Children today are so vulnerable to all the advancements in ICT technology that if they don't embrace the technology, they will definitely be left behind. Jazyl must acquire knowledge at an early edge in order for him to keep up with all the challenges of the world that he is growing up in. Happy Birthday my dear grandson.....May Allah Bless you Always.