VISUALIZE VIVIDLY

Touring Taiping with our Dahons

2012-01-03T22:14:00.000+08:00

May be it's better to change

2012-01-03T21:35:00.000+08:00

A 55-year old man like me would certainly want to change. Change what? Everything. From lifestyles to the government. But change is never easy.

Kuantan fishing on Twitpic

2011-07-26T08:39:00.000+08:00

Kuantan fishing on Twitpic

A Lovely, Friendly but Polluted City ... Jakarta

2011-07-26T08:33:00.001+08:00

I was in Jakarta a week a go. Returned home with a bronchitis problem. I guess the air quality in Jakarta is really not meant for human consumption.


From the aircraft, Jakarta seems to be covered by smog


On my way to the Millennium Sireh Hotel near Tanah Abang

Every morning when I slid open the hotel window curtain, this is what I see ... polluted Jakarta


I decided to take a walk in the morning before the offices opened for business and it was a mistake without wearing a mask

The best and quick way to arrive and to avoid the "macet" or the traffic jams is to use the motorcycle

Day and night, the traffics are always the same ... heavy and more smog

What's wrong with Facebook?

2011-05-18T08:03:00.003+08:00

I guess Facebook is not really a place for you, especially if you are a student who craves to be a good writer. It may be a fine place to share your thoughts but not a good place to let people understand your ideas. People in Facebook are lonely people. They love the companion of others, they want attention, they need others to appreciate them, they are always in a hurry, thus explaining why they don't wish to hear very long stories or read incredible ideas of others. Yet, they spend hours a day to satiate their inclusions. Facebookers are humans. Not aliens from any other planets in our Milky Way.

To be continued ...

Write with your heart and rewrite with your head

2010-11-01T13:00:00.002+08:00

Write with your heart and rewrite with your head. I first heard of this motivating quote from Sean Connery in a movie. But what if you have a bleeding heart and a chaotic mind?

I planted these kailans to remind me that everything can begin anew.

Beginning to Write

2010-05-21T12:11:00.004+08:00

Of late, I really hate to write. It really is a block added with hatred and the result is just unimaginable. But I have to write something to keep my sanity and to keep low of my depression.There are so many things in my mind right now. If I were to write them down it'll take days to finish. Moreover, I'm sure it may not be proper for me to write something that may break people's heart and mine, too.

I have a picture here in 2002 when my graduate students and me visited a university in Beijing.

I'll think of something interesting to write but definitely not today..

Blog Closure

2010-04-12T12:07:00.000+08:00

My health has been fluctuating lately. I hereby close this blog temporarily.

Grounded Theory Workshop at Scenic Taylor's University College Lakeside Campus

2010-03-21T11:05:00.002+08:00

Dr Andy Lowe from the Grounded Theory Institute, Mill Valley, California conducted the workshop.

Some of the participants from local varsities.

Taking a break at the cafeteria...cozy and clean.

These two GT experts are my excellent mentors

One of them took this photo of myself ... not bad heh!

The venue was at Lecture Room 5.

Students waiting for the elevators to attend lectures.

Taylor's University College new campus is just awesome. I took some photos for rememberence. Here they are:

I'm sure Taylor's UC students are so proud of this new Lakeside Campus.

Some pictures of Perak

2010-03-03T15:10:00.000+08:00

Serene ... Taiping Lake Garden

Cool street

The trees must be more than 50 year old

Taiping town Lima Sen (five cents) shop ...interesting.

Taiping must be an old town.

This souvenirs shop is in Kuala Kangsar.

Waiting?

Fishing near Bukit Merah

A good spot for fishing but I didn't catch any.

The mosque near Bukit Merah

The hills of Taiping.

I'm almost back (from Hyperthyroidism)

2010-02-24T09:47:00.005+08:00

A few weeks a go, I was doing an experiment on myself. I decided not to take the pills from the clinic prescribed to me by the doctor for hyperthyroidism, an ailment that I have suffered since 2002.The pills (carbimazole and propanolol) were prescribed to me since then and were supposed to be taken everyday. When the dose is finished the doctor will prescribe a new dose for me. But out of curiosity, I did not go to the clinic to get the new dose just to see what would happen to me. So I was without the pills for more than three weeks.

These were some of the symptoms of my dependency on carbimazole and propanolol:

1. Tremors (hands, legs and lower jaw).

2. Heat intolerance (couldn't sleep because I felt my body was very warm).

3. Weight loss ( I lost about 1kg in three weeks).

4. Emotionally unstable (anxiety and always depressed)

5. Sweating a lot.

6. Loss of libido

7. Faster pulse (110 /min) when relaxed.

8. Muscle aches (difficult to get up from sitting).

9. Weakness and fatigue

10. Diarrhea (after meals)

11. Shortness of breath

12. Poor memory
13. No mood in doing anything except fishing, hehehehe.

The conclusion: I'm taking the pills again as I'm not cured, yet. So be cool with me if you notice that I'm pretty much self-orientated.

Winning People's Heart

2010-02-12T08:41:00.002+08:00

I read this book this morning and it taught me a good lesson on how to win people's heart. The title of the book is ENJOY YOUR LIFE and the author is Dr Muhammad Abd Al-Rahman Al-Arifi published by DARUSSALAM. I bought the book in Madinah but later discovered that the book could be obtained from Malaysian bookstores but a bit more expensive. These are some of the abstracts on pages 82 to 85.

1. Your status, profession and wealth don't win people but your manners, kindness, and respects for others do.

2. Do not raise (or mistreat) your family with only wealth and food as their appreciation for you diminishes when the wealth and food shrivel.

3. People remember and appreciate you not because of your physical self but your social and spiritual self.

Now let's read this hadith from Sahih Muslim:

Ibn Umar RA and Jabir RA narrated that the Messanger of Allah (PBUH) said: "A believer eats in one intestine and a disbeliever eats in seven intestines".

So what do say about that?

V for VisualViVid

2010-02-11T11:33:00.009+08:00

I like the way V introduces himself in the movie "V". Just classic, beautifully said.

Voilà! In View, a humble Vaudevillian Veteran, cast Vicariously as both Victim and Villain by the Vicissitudes of Fate. This Visage, no mere Veneer of Vanity, is a Vestige of the Vox populi, now Vacant, Vanished. However, this Valorous Visitation of a bygone Vexation stands Vivified, and has Vowed to Vanquish these Venal and Virulent Vermin Vanguarding Vice and Vouchsafing the Violently Vicious and Voracious Violation of Volition!

The only Verdict is Vengeance-- a Vendetta, held as a Votive-- not in Vain, for the Value and Veracity of such shall one day Vindicate the Vigilant and the Virtuous.

Verily, this Vichyssoise of Verbiage Veers most Verbose, so let me simply add that it's my Very good honor to meet you, and you may call me V.

A Visit to Suria KLCC

2010-02-07T12:33:00.002+08:00

Port Dickson: The Crocs Beach?

2010-02-06T10:18:00.003+08:00

I was in Port Dickson (PD) yesterday with my son. We were there to fetch Rose, my wife, at the Selesa Beach Resort. She was attending a leadership course for a week and yesterday was the final day.

The moment I think of PD, I recall the pictures a crocodile at Cape Richardo and that of the injuries of a weekender I saw in the internet. It was truly gruesome.

So while waiting for my wife, my son and me sat on the beach observing people and possibly any crocodiles if there were any.

No, there were no crocodiles. But the crocodile story has really taken its toll. The number of people on the beach was small indeed. Were visitors really taken by the news?

I didn't get any pictures of the crocodile but took some pictures there with a Nikon D700, Nikkor 18-35mm zoom and a Nikkor 70-300mm zoom. Here they are.

Resetting the Mind

2010-02-04T23:41:00.001+08:00

If we can reset the computer, can we reset our mind? If we can really do that, what will we be? New people with new personality? May be but above all why do we want to do that? I don't know lah.

Gruesome Weather

2010-01-29T00:11:00.007+08:00

It's going to rain

Ajib (red t-shirt) fishing in the dark.

Photographing the Fauna

2010-01-18T01:04:00.012+08:00

I was bored today so I decided to take some pictures of the fauna in front of my house in Bagan Lalang. It's true that if you have a hobby like photography you may kill boredom easily. Feast your eyes with these photos taken with a Nikon D700 and the famous Nikkor zoom lens (70-300mm)

Yeah, I know what's in your mind! This is an unlikely place for any fauna to reside. The Majlis Perbandaran Sepang is never sympathetic to the unkempt condition of Tasik Dedap. They take all sorts of cukai but never make any of the residents really happy.

Never mind the MPSepang. As long as the fauna are happy here, I'm happy, too. Look, can you spot the roving family?

These Belibis are good in camouflage. But they will leave soon when their chicks are big enough to look after themselves. They are among the migratory birds that come to Bagan Lalang during the winter season.

I was having breakfast when this elegant Murai or Magpie showed up on the fence.

and then there was another Murai on the tree nearby ... burung apa?

I just don't believe it! There's an ayam hutan in front of our house. She will be long gone if Abang Atan is around. He he he.

But she fled into the bushes when she heard the camera clicking...

and the shy Wak Wak did the same.

I believe this Crane is from Japan migrating to Bagan Lalang during winter in the northern hemisphere.

and it took off immediately when it saw me.

Then settled on top of the pine tree...

and then off it went again.

This Malaysian Bangau is a very cautious animal.

It flew off without hesitation when it saw me coming.

This is a Malaysian Hummingbird sipping nectar from the banana flower near the fence.

These Mynas just stole my breakfast!

This one must have lost one of its legs as a punishment for stealing. Padan muka!

Oh Allah, I thank You for all these. Ameen.

A Duck Named Chit

2010-01-17T22:04:00.006+08:00

My son, Hakim, named the duck chit. I don't know why. May be every time he fed her he would say chit, chit ,chit. So it came to be known as chit. No shit!

Initially there were four ducklings. Three died leaving chit as the only survivor. We meant to breed them so that they multiplied but now chit is more of a pet than a livestock.

Chit isn't asleep

The Three Stooges. Chit leads the way.

Chit was the smallest among the ducklings.

She was too small to drink from the bucket.

Chit then was always bullied by the larger siblings. Look at her feathers.

When her siblings died she was all alone

Now Chit is a big beautiful bird. I snapped this photo with my D700 while she was doing the duckwalk.

Searching for insects for breakfast, I guess.

I know who will cry if Chit dies or goes missing

If you fish, you are my friend. But if you catch and release you are my good friend.

2010-01-13T15:47:00.004+08:00

Ajib releasing a big siakap caught by Pak Ngah

My Long Lost Uncle In Madinah

2010-01-08T13:17:00.000+08:00

Ibrahim, Abuya and Pak Ngah.

In Madinah after performing the Haj, two men came to our hotel rooom and introduced themselves as Abuya Hassan and Ibrahim. Little did I know that they were my long lost uncle and cousin. It was a very pleasant surprise, indeed. Abuya is the elder brother of my father and he was born and raised in Makkah. Ibrahim is his son but he speaks no Malay.

To be continued ...

An Evening in Makkah

2010-01-03T22:17:00.000+08:00

Performing The Haj Is Not A Goal But A Means

2009-12-27T02:07:00.017+08:00

Alhamdulillahi rabbila'lamin. My wife and I arrived home from Madinah safely at 4.00 am on the 24th of December 2009, after performing the Haj, the fifth pillar of Islam, since 13th of November 2009.

Sadly our arrival was not without bereavement as I have lost my beloved sister on the 21 December 2009. She passed away due to an ailment that has kept her bedriddened for more than two months. Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun. May Allah forgive her and bless her as a solehah muslimah. Ameen.

I don't mean this note to be a show-off but I really want to say something to others who haven't perform ed this obligatory act. I learned a lot from performing the Haj and I guess sharing the lessons learned from it is mandatory for me (of course with your consent to listen).

Firstly, perform your Haj when you are young. I know many of you disagree with this notion. Some may say "Where and how can I earn that huge sum of money to perform it?" or "Our kids are still very young and they are still very dependent on us" or "It's still too early to go now since I'm young and always exposed to committing sins" or worse still "Belum dapat seru".

Well, if you are among the people who have these reasons then you may skip reading this article.

You need to be strong physically and mentally. I was 53 when I performed the 2009 Haj but felt like I was 65 while performing it. Trust me!The Haj is truly a test for your stamina and emotion. You'll have to do a lot of walking to the mosque and back to the hotel everyday for 40 days or so. Even if you are a billionaire, you are still compelled to walk some distance to places like the Jamrah for three days, Safa to Marwa for seven times, and of course circumbulating the Kaaba for seven times, too. That's just for the Haj but if you wish to perform the umrah, then you may need more energy, motivation and stronger iman.

You may have problem controlling your emotion or thinking before, during and after performing the Haj. There may be about two or three million people out there performing something similar to yours. If you are not used to large crowd of people then you have to adapt to that kind of situation effectively. Resist all negative emotions or perceptions. You may easily be annoyed by other pilgrims and thus, patience is the only keyword that you have to cling to.

Out there in your ihram, you may look like the rest of the people. So don't bother taking along your status or titles such Dr, Dato', Tan Sri, Professor and so forth. Just leave them home because nobody really care who you are except that you are their brother or sister in Islam. Don't get disheartened when people call you Haji or Hajah when you expect them to call you Tan Sri or Prof'. Anyway, if you crave for any titles, Haji or Hajah is the most appropriate title that you should deserve during the Haj.

Secondly, always remember that performing the Haj is not a goal but a means. It doesn't end there because it is a means to uplift your iman and ibadah to greater heights. So performing it correctly and sincerely (although once in your life) for the sake of Allah is sufficient to create a new you who will be beneficial to all Muslims or non-muslims the world over and ever. And that's when you achieve your true goal - a Mabrur Haj.

“…There is no reward for a mabrur haj except Paradise.”

- (Al-Bukhari)

Certainly has Allah showed to His Messenger the vision in truth. You will surely enter al-Masjid al-Haram, if Allah wills, in safety, with your heads shaved and [hair] shortened, not fearing [anyone]. He knew what you did not know and has arranged before that a conquest near [at hand].

2009-12-26T10:15:00.008+08:00

To be continued when I'm healthy enough...

Berita Sedih

2009-11-10T22:10:00.005+08:00

Tinggal kenangan

Dukacita dimaklumkan itik kesayangan Hakim yang pandai posing itu telah mati dibaham seekor kucing pada 9 November 2009 pada jam 4.00 petang. Itik tersebut mengalami cedera parah di bahagian kepala dan leher. Ia telah selamat dikebumikan di tepi tasik depan rumah Pak Ngah.

Walau bagaimanapun, itik yang seekor lagi (itik betina yang berlari macam peluru tu) telah berjaya menyelamatkan diri dengan terjun ke dalam parit di depan rumah Pak Ngah. Dia bersembunyi dibawah jambatan parit itu sehingga ditemui oleh anak Pak Ngah, Hadi. Itik itu berada dalam keadaan trauma apabila ditemui. Hakim yang masih dalam keadaan sedih berjanji akan membalas dendam ke atas kematian itik kesayangannya itu. Kucing pembunuh itik itu masih tidak dapat dikesan.

Kini itik ini tinggal sebatang karah

Sesungguhnya tiada yang kekal di dunia ini. Hanya Allah jualah yang kekal untuk selama-lamanya.

Itik Kesayangan Hakim

2009-11-07T23:29:00.005+08:00

Ini adalah gambar-gambar anak itik yang semakin membesar dipelihara dengan kasih sayang oleh anak Pak Ngah, Hakim.

Pada mulanya Pak Ngah beli empat ekor tapi seekor mati dan seekor lagi hilang entah ke mana.

Yang ini betina dan saiznya kecil tapi larinya macam peluru.

Pagi-pagi lagi Hakim akan melepaskan dua ekor itik kesayangnya ini dari reban.

Tempat pertama mereka akan pergi ialah dapur.

Pak Ngah ambil gambar ni ketika itik-itik ni menuju ke dapur dan yang seekor ni ternampak Pak Ngah sedang mengambil gambarnya. Tak sangka dia pandai posing.

Satu perkara yang kurang menyenangkan Pak Ngah tentang memelihara itik ialah dia akan melabur di mana saja dia suka.

Lepas tu dia pergi macam tak ada apa-apa yang berlaku. Kesian Hakim.

The Agony of Defeat and the Thrill of Victory

2009-10-30T09:21:00.009+08:00

I was invigilating an examination yesterday, 29th of October 2009 and took some images of the students while they were solutioning for the answers to the questions. The hall was so quiet but I could sense the noises in their minds.

Preparing for war: Outside of the examination hall before it begins, some students are deeply immersed in their last minute revision.

To some, examination is not just another academic activity but a jihad.

The candidates are positioned in a manner that they are unable to see others' scripts.

Then the going gets tough...

and tougher...

and the blank hundred yard stare.

But then the tough gets going...

and going...

and gone.

May Allah grant success to all of you.

Why do you like to fish?

2009-10-22T23:38:00.006+08:00

I was once asked by someone with that question and I must say that I have 1001 answers to it. But the best part of fishing is when you catch a real big one.

The thrill of fighting the fish and finding your way out to land the monster while you are all alone will put you in a situation of quick rational thinking.

No one is around to help you net the fish and your rod is too small to carry it over to the land. When this happens, don't rush to land it. Be cool and enjoy the rare moment. Be stubborn and don't give in to the fish. Hold the rod vertically and don't let go. The fish will continue to fight to free itself but after awhile it will get weaker and the fight is over. Then, that is when you start pulling it ashore.

I have caught quite a number of big siakap from a pond in front of my house in Bagan Lalang. Frankly speaking, I wasn't really into serious fishing until I bought the house in 2004. I have fished before but the size of the fish was minute and no fighting was needed to land them. In Bagan Lalang however, that wasn't the case. For the first few tries, all the fish escaped out of my ignorance in tying proper knots. So I searched the internet to learn about knots, and later about baits, rods, reels, and even fishing boats and kayaks.

UnfortunatelyI became obsessed and started buying all the gears and gadgets from tackle shops as well as from some fishing stores in the internet. I have spent thousands of ringgit to fulfill my lust in fishing. At one point, shopping was a lot more enjoyable than the fishing itself. I bought expensive rods and branded spinning, bait casting and fly fishing reels namely Shimano, Daiwa, Sage and what not. I even bought a small Pelican boat with a 3HP engine, a Pelican kayak etc etc. What a waste!

I have learned a lot about fishing and if you ask me now about it, I'm sure you'll get the right answers. But let me give you a piece of advice in fishing. Size doesn't matter, price doesn't matter, quality doesn't matter. I caught all the big fish not with the most famous rods or reels. But what matters most is the process of fishing. So don't waste your money. Save them for your Umrah or your Haj, InsyaAllah. At the meantime, enjoy these pictures of me with the catch from mediocre rods and reels.

Lunch with Prof John Leipzig

2009-10-14T07:48:00.001+08:00

Last week, a visiting professor from the Alma College in the US, Dr John Leipzig came to our department to asses programs in Corporate Communication and Leadership. Our head of department Dr Siti Zobidah requested me to take him to lunch at the IOI Hotel and Resort.

Prof Leipzig is a very friendly and affable person. You'll like him the moment he talks to you.

Dahulu dan Sekarang

2009-10-05T11:44:00.000+08:00

Pengetua Baru dan Mantan Pengetua bersama staf Kolej 14

Pengetua baru dan Staf Kolej 14

Selamat Tinggal Pak Ngah, Mantan Pengetua Kolej 14

Menyambut Hari Raya Tema Arab

2009-10-01T14:29:00.000+08:00

Anak-anak Pak Ngah selepas solat sunat Aidil fitri.

Tema Arab ini adalah pengaruh Ajib Al-Haj, anak Pak Ngah.

Rumah pertama yang kami kunjungi ialah rumah jiran kami iaitu En Hanif yang meraikan Aildil Fitri dengan tema Pakistan, he he he.

Rumah En Hanif memang besar dan perabotnya sangat outstanding!

Menikmati kuih raya di rumah En Hanif is like having meal at a 7 star hotel.

Anak En Hanif ada 5 orang dan ini adalah 3 daripada mereka.

Menulis Kapsyen Bahagian 2

2009-09-17T09:23:00.001+08:00

Penulisan Kapsyen Yang Berkesan

Kapsyen ialah tajuk, penerangan ringkas, atau huraian yang mengiringi suatu ilustrasi atau gambar.
Mengapa perlu kapsyen? Pembaca akan melihat gambar dan secara mental merakam semua maklumat visual yang terdapat pada gambar.
Biasanya pembaca hanya melihat sepintas lalu dan tidak menyedari aspek-aspek penting di dalam gambar itu.
Jika gambar yang dilihat oleh pembaca adalah menarik maka mereka akan membaca kapsyen di bawah gambar untuk mengetahui huraian mengenai gambar tersebut.
Setelah memahami kapsyen, pembaca akan melihat semula pada gambar tersebut. Oleh itu kapsyen perlu memberikan penerangan yang tepat dan berkesan.
Maklumat Dalam Kapsyen ialah 5H 1W iaitu

Who - Siapa? “Siapa di dalam gambar?”
Why - Mengapa? “Mengapa gambarnya di dalam akhbar?”
What – Apa? “Apa yang berlaku padanya?”
When – Bila? “Bila ia berlaku”
Where – Di mana? “ Di mana ia berlaku?”
How – Bagaimana ia berlaku?

Kapsyen harus memberi penerangan yang memberi kepuasan kepada pemahaman pembaca.
Apa yang kelihatan jelas di dalam gambar tidak perlu diberikan penerangan, misalnya “Ah Lek tersenyum…”.
Kapsyen mesti memberikan maklumat yang tidak dapat diberikan oleh gambar.
Maklumat kapsyen mestilah tepat dan padat.
Jangan membuat kesimpulan atau interpretasi sendiri mengenai seseorang dalam gambar.
Berikan sahaja maklumat yang akan membantu pembaca untuk membuat penilaian, interpretasi dan keputusan sendiri.
Kenali orang utama dalam gambar.
Pastikan semua ejaan dalam kapsyen adalah tepat dan tiada penggunaan cliches.
Elak menggunakan frasa “Gambar menunjukkan…”, “Ah Lek kelihatan…”.
Gunakan present tense. Misalnya, “Pak Lah merenung masa depannya…”
Gambar lama mesti dinyatakan bila ia diambil.
Jangan tulis sesuatu yang lucu sedangkan gambar tidak begitu.
Bahasa percakapan adalah terbaik.
Quotes atau kata-kata seseorang dalam gambar adalah sesuai digunakan.

Sila berikan caption kepada dua gambar berikut.

Selamat belajar photojournalism.

Belajar Menulis Kapsyen (Caption) Gambar

2009-09-16T15:12:00.000+08:00

OK guys, it's Photojournalism Lesson #1: Writing caption.

Please write a proper caption for the picture shown above. Then I'll let you know of my opinion.

Kecek Bekulu

2009-09-15T12:16:00.000+08:00

Ratey ngayat puley. Arai kak aku nulis dalam bahase Bekulu. Mun adey yang pacak macey tulisanku kak, bigilah. Mun diey, diey apey lah.

Aku arai ter adey lah ngambik gambar di bazaar ramadan parak Serendah. Nah jingoklah sendiri.

Warga Emas Tanjung Sepat

2009-09-05T14:38:00.000+08:00

I believe not many Malaysians or Selangorians really know where Tanjung Sepat is. It actually is a very small town or may be kampung on the west coast of Malaysia in Selangor. It's quite near to Morib.

Tanjung Sepat is not a famous town. The population is mainly Chinese. But it became famous after the General Election 2008 because of the issue of the largest pig farm in Malaysia and it is located in Tanjung Sepat.. Khir Toyo and the Selangor Goverment were blaming each other for the farm.

My son Ajib and me visited the town recently to take some pictures. Ajib for his photography and me for my photojournalism. He has a lot to show you while I got these two photos for you.

A Small Town Called Tampin

2009-09-04T07:03:00.000+08:00

The town of Tampin is owned by two states, Negeri Sembilan and Melaka. If you are there, you will notice that the border that separates the two states is not visible. There is no marker that tells which half of the town belongs to Melaka or Negeri Sembilan.

I have taken some pictures that I 'd like to share with you. I was there last week, on the 29th of August 2009. Here they are:

Don't worry if you have to cross the road in this town because the traffic flow is sluggish. This picture was taken facing Melaka.

You will know the age of this town if you look at the rooftop of the shop building.

Many buildings at the Melaka side are older than the ones on the Negeri Sembilan side.

An alley in Tampin, perfect for parking the bikes.

The buildings are old but really colorful

Mind your head, please when you use the kaki lima.

To be continued...

Astana Raja, Tampin, Mesin Pemotong Rumput, Anak Angsa dan Anak Itik

2009-08-31T00:48:00.000+08:00

Hari Sabtu 29 Ogos 2009, Pak Ngah dan keluarga pergi ke Astana Raja, Kota, Negeri Sembilan untuk berbuka puasa dengan emak, ayah, Yati, Vim (suami Yati), Milah, Ijam (suami Milah), dan lain-lain. Sampai di rumah Yati, Pak Ngah tengok Vim sedang memotong rumput di laman rumah mereka.

Lepas tu Pak Ngah bawa Hakim, Hadi dan Adam (anak Milah dan Ijam) jalan-jalan ke Tampin. Hajatnya nak beli anak angsa dalam tiga, empat ekor tapi harganya boleh tahan juga jadi cukuplah dengan anak itik yang murah iaitu RM18 untuk empat ekor.

Some Photos from the Majlis Kesyukuran dan Menyambut Ramadhan

2009-08-20T23:27:00.001+08:00

Finally we got you, Mrs Barra!

2009-08-17T14:54:00.000+08:00

Setelah empat kali terlepas akhirnya salah seekor siakap bersaiz mega dalam Tasik Dedap berjaya ditumpaskan oleh Ajib dengan bantuan Harith (tukang tangguk) dan Pak Ngah (tukang ambil tangguk). Oh ya, Ajib juga menggunakan rod ATC, reel Ryobi dan tali braided kepunyaan abahnya (tumpang glamour!).

Bila dapat ikan semua orang tumpang glamour!

Kali pertama siakap ni terlepas ialah pada 5 Ogos 2009. Pak Ngah menggunakan gewang EcoGear. Sungguh mudah sang siakap mematah dan meluruskan matanya (lihat gambar di bawah).

Mungkin ikan yang makan gewang Pak Ngah ni bukan ikan yang Ajib dapat. Sebab ia sangat besar sehingga Pak Ngah tak boleh pusing multiplier Abu Revo dan tarik rod Bassterra tu!

Siakap membaham gewang pancing Pak Ngah dan melarikannya hingga ke seberang tasik ini. Nyaris habis tali! Namun satu mata pancing itu patah dan dua lurus dan ia berjaya melepaskan dirinya.

Kali kedua, sang siakap tu berjaya memutuskan perambut 50kg yang digunakan oleh Ajib. Gewang Ecogear pun ditelannya sekali.

Gewang Ecogear yang Ajib pakai tu dah ditelan oleh sang siakap!

Untuk kali ketiga, sang siakap ini berjaya melepaskan dirinya dari gewang Pak Ngah walaupun ia sudah hampir-hampir didaratkan. Mata gewang itu lurus lagi.

Kali keempat memang kelakar. Kawan Pak Ngah, Hery, cuba memancing ikan itu dari atas kayak. Bila sang siakap membedal gewangnya, Hery tak tau macam mana nak daratkannya. Akhirnya ikan itu menarik Hery dan kayak itu sekali ke tengah Tasik Dedap sehingga mata gewang itu jadi lurus dan ia terlepas.

Akhirnya pada 16 ogos 2009, jam 7.13 petang Siakap ini telah berjaya didaratkan. Ia terpaksa dimasukkan ke dalam kolam depan rumah Pak Ngah kerana luka pada tubuhnya. Bila ia sudah sihat maka Pak Ngah akan lepaskan ia semula ke Tasik Dedap.

Tumpang glamour, bang! Nampak macam ringan tapi selepas posing, ikan tu jatuh dan cedera!

Kami tak tau berapa berat Sang Siakap ni. Tapi Pak Ngah rasa antara 5kg ke 8kg agaknya. Cubalah agak sendiri.

TERIMA KASIH KERANA SUDI HADIR

2009-08-17T14:53:00.000+08:00

Assalamu alaikum wbkt,

Pak Ngah ingin mengucapkan jutaan terima kasih kepada semua pembaca blog Pak Ngah yang telah sudi hadir ke Majlis Kesyukuran dan Menyambut Ramadhan yang diadakan baru-baru ini.

Harapan Pak Ngah semoga anda semua sudi lagi datang ke rumah Pak Ngah tak kiralah sama ada acara atau tidak.

Terima kasih daun keladi and May Allah SWT Bless You.

Jemputan Ke Majlis Kesyukuran dan Menyambut Ramadhan

2009-08-13T09:36:00.000+08:00

Pak Ngah dengan rasa rendah diri menjemput semua pembaca blog Pak Ngah ini ke Majlis Kesyukuran dan Menyambut Ramadhan pada hari Sabtu, 15 Ogos 2009, jam 12.00 tengah hari - 3 petang bertempat di rumah Pak Ngah di No 4, Jalan Tasik Dedap 1, Pantai Sepang Putra, Sungai Pelek, Sepang, Selangor.

Kehadiran anda semua amat dinanti-nantikan dan diucapkan terima kasih kerana sudi hadir.

Masuk ER, Hospital Serdang

2009-08-06T11:08:00.000+08:00

Pak Ngah tak pernah masuk hospital. Apa tah lagi masuk wad kecemasan menaiki ambulans atas stretcher. Agak mencemaskan tapi suatu pengalaman yang tak akan Pak Ngah lupakan.

Begini ceritanya, pada hari Khamis 30 Julai 2009, Pak Ngah telah membuat pemeriksaan kesihatan di Pusat Kesihatan UPM kerana batuk yang telah lama tak sembuh-sembuh. Di sana, Dr Muizatul Wahida Mohd Najib mendapati melalui filem x-ray jangkitan paru-paru Pak Ngah agak membimbangkan.

Pak Ngah kemudian hantar dengan ambulan ke Hospital Serdang. Ini di gambar yang Pak Ngah ambil ketika dia atas stretcher di sana.

Bawah selimut tu ialah kaki Pak Ngah. Baru saja masuk ke ER Hospital Serdang.

Ramai orang keluar masuk di ER ni. Doktor semuanya sibuk, muda tapi bertanggungjawab. Dr Chieng merawat Pak Ngah dengan baik walaupun penggunaan bahasanya kelakar sikit. "Adakah kamu doktor?" dia bertanya. Hehehe ... Teringat Pak Ngah seorang pelajar bercakap macam tu dengan Pak Ngah. "Adakah kamu percuma pada minggu hadapan?". Perfect National Language!

Pesakit perempuan yang di atas katil tu nak minta ditukarkan ke Hospital Sentosa (hospital swasta). Katanya perkhidmatan di Hospital Serdang sangat lambat. Dia sudah dimasukkan ke ER sejak jam 1.30 pm (dah 5 jam) sebab pengsan semasa di pejabat dan tiada doktor yang merawatnya.

Pak Ngah juga sepatutnya masuk wad pada hari tu tapi katil semua dah penuh. Ramai betul orang sakit! Dr Chieng kata Pak Ngah perlu berehat sahaja di rumah dan makan ubat yang diberikan.

Isteri Pak Ngah dengan perasaaan tertekan duduk di sebelah katil Pak Ngah. Dia seorang isteri yang sangat taat dan bertanggungjawab dengan kesihatan dan kehidupan Pak Ngah. Thank you, my love. Tapi Pak Ngah langsung tak rasa tertekan. Pelik betul!

Sempat juga dinner di hospital ni. Lauk ayam masak apa ya? Ayam masak Bali, kot? Ada sup sayur dan jelly warna hijau tu. Jelly tu aje yang Pak Ngah ada selera nak makan.

Sekarang 6 Ogos 2009, keadaan Pak Ngah dah OK sikit. Batuk dah kurang tapi badan masih lemah. Dr Chieng kata antibiotik yang dia beri tu adalah kuat. Kalau dah habis makan tapi masih belum sihat maka dia kata Pak Ngah mesti masuk wad. Hari ini hari penghabisan Pak Ngah makan antibiotik tu. Doakan Pak Ngah sihat dan tak masuk wad. Jazakallah.

The Weather and the Angler

2009-08-05T10:23:00.000+08:00

The storm is coming but I will endure.

Ajib (red T-shirt) waiting for the siakap to emerge. But then it rained ducks and chickens.

Wait! After the storm in the afternoon, Ajib continued fishing. I was busy with this entry of my blog when suddenly I heard a scream of joy. Ajib caught a huge siakap. Wow! We haven't caught any siakap for quite a while. So I snapped these photos below using my D700 for remembrance.

It sure pumped up his adrenaline. Ajib was trembling with joy!

Inilah yang dipanggil Gitar Siakap!

If anyone like to see the fish, it's in the pool in front of our house at Pantai Sepang Putra, Bagan Lalang (below).

Hard Day, Cool Day

2009-08-02T20:58:00.000+08:00

KOJ 3433 Photojournalism

2009-07-28T11:40:00.000+08:00

Many of my students are still very confused with the terms photojournalism and photography or photojournalist and photographer.

Photography is the art of taking great pictures involving correct use or technique of the camera and the lens as well as the clever manipulation of the digital images using appropriate software. Composition, lighting, shutter speed or whatever elements that make great pictures are important in photography. Usually a photographer can plan what to shoot or how to shoot it. But in photojournalism, everything is often unexpected making the camera the other eye of the photojournalist.

If you want to be a good photojournalist, make sure you carry your camera wherever go and keep your eyes open and your ears clear of the wax. Look, listen, shoot, look, listen then shoot again and again and again. If you have a DSLR, always adjust all your DSLR settings to AUTO. These include auto focus, auto ISO, auto WB, etc. because if there is a spontaneous event, then you may not be able to record the moment with the manual selection on your DSLR. Too late, too costly!

Now tell me which one of these two pictures below is photojournalism?

Picture A

Picture B

You may have time to compose your shoot in Picture A but not in Picture B. You don't even have a second to think alas to adjust your camera ISO, speed or the aperture. When you see it, just shoot. That's why I suggest everything to be in AUTO. We are not talking about the art of photography here but the stories and emotions of the brief moments captured as images.

Photojournalism evokes emotions such as sadness, anger, frustrations, etc that trigger the awareness and the need for change. Take a look at these pictures. Tell me which ones will move you to change?

If you are a photographer you take this picture to please the world.

But as a photojournalist you make the whole world weep!

A photographer takes pictures for remembrance.

A photojournalist makes the world leaders to remember their sins.

Photojournalism is difficult. It takes patience, courage, luck and sometimes insanity to be a great photojournalist. Sometimes it hurts, sometimes it kills. How many photojournalists died while doing their assignments? Since the invention of the camera until the era of DSLR, wars, crimes, politics, natural disasters etc have killed countless number of photojournalists.

And tell me how many photographers died when they clicked on their cameras? That's why photography is way too easy compared to photojournalism (sorry photographers).

If you are a photographer, this memorable visit must have been an item in your bucket list.

But if you are a photojournalist, you wished you were here when it happened!

In photography, cameras, lenses and all those paraphernalia really count. But in photojournalism, the world is counting on you. So that you change people to make the world a better place (sounds like MJ's song).

OK! Class is dismissed! See you next week.

Balik Kerja

2009-07-26T14:26:00.000+08:00

Semua orang bekerja dan semua akan pulang ke rumah selepas bekerja. Pak Ngah telah rakamkan peristiwa balik rumah dari kerja buruh-buruh yang bekerja di Sepang Gold Coast minggu lepas.

The project that cost 50% of tax-payer's money is expected to operate at the end of this year.

Hari dah nak Maghrib. It's time to go home.

It's getting dark. May be I should stop now.

Bangladeshis are hard working people

Pulang dulu, ya pak.

UPM Bintulu Campus

2009-07-16T22:29:00.001+08:00

Last Tuesday, July 14th, 2009, I was invited to give a talk to about 350 new students of UPM, Bintulu Campus. My first visit to Bintulu was in 2002 but it was only for a day and it was so brief and I didn't bring my camera and that I could not recall how Bintulu really look like . My journey to Bintulu was via Kuching. I managed to take these two pictures at the Kuching Airport below before boarding the Fokker to Bintulu.

Kuching Airport has changed tremendously. It's like a midi KLIA.

The Fokker to Bintulu is owned by the MASwing

I left Kuching at 4.50 pm and arrived at Bintulu Airport (below) at 5.55 pm.

I was received by Mustafa and Qayyum (MTM boys) at the Bintulu Airport which is like a mini KLIA

The driver fetched me at the airport to this small but OK hotel. All good hotels in Bintulu were fully booked, said the driver. I reached the hotel at 6.30 pm and later that evening at 9.00 pm I delivered the talk for two hours to the students. I was exhausted.

The next day Mustafa and Qayyum (The MTM Boys) took me for a ride around the campus. Take a look at these photos.

Above is a dining hall of the Rajang College and below are the hostels.

Then they showed me where the students did their field work.

After the trip, the they took me to the Bintulu town. They showed me the unique Bintulu Town Hall building (below)

Later they took me to the Tamu or market. Belacan Bintulu is very popular here.

Communication Research Method 2nd week Lecture

2009-07-16T20:49:00.000+08:00

This semester I have been assigned by my boss, Associate Prof Dr Siti Zobidah Omar, to teach a course that I have been longing to teach: KOM 5311 Communication Research Method. The students are those doing their master's degree in Corporate Communication. Arriving from Bintulu at 5.00 pm yesterday, I rushed to UPM to teach the course that started at 6.00 pm. I took these two pictures below when I entered the lecture room at 6.15 pm. I was late and students were waiting for me.

There were quite a number of them. One is from Nigeria (below)

Senam Seni in UPM

2009-07-05T11:04:00.000+08:00

THE MAN of the day who was responsible for the grand event.

Yesterday (4th of July 2009 = US Independence Day) I was at the Bukit Ekspo in UPM witnessing a grand event of some 6000 new students performing Malaysian aerobic dances. Here are some of the highlights.

We didn't win anything except the hearts of the audience.

These guys are good dancers.

These are some of the 14th College students.

Engineers-to-be-students of K11

These are the hands of the 12th College students.

K14 students performing the Silat Dance.

This guy just killed a Great White! No, actually the shark is the Mascot for his college.

My friend Syed Agil was in awe over the emotions of the students.

These 10th College students were the Red Devils of the event.

In the end, K14 managed to secure third place in the Best Mascot Category. The Mascot is actually a penguin. I'm proud of my K14 students. Syabas my children!

When you don't feel like writing, just write.

2009-07-04T09:22:00.000+08:00

So I'm writing something now to overcome the block. Famous writers said, to break the block just write. Write anything you want. May be, just rewrite something that you have written. Do not think of what, why and how you want to write it. Write with your heart. Write what ever comes across your mind. For example, right now I see a bottle of spritzer in front of me. So I'm going to write something about it. It's an empty bottle of mineral water. I want to drink but can't. So I have to get a bottle from the fridge. No, not yet. Let me finish this last sentence first. OK. When you write do not bother to look back at your grammar or your spelling. It's OK. You can do that later. But first you must finish your first paragraph. When it's done, it's time to rewrite. You rewrite with your head not with your heart. Write at least 150 words everyday about anything you can think of. That will make a good habit out of you.

Nostalgic Photos

2009-06-26T12:46:00.000+08:00

Masa belajar main sape di Sarawak. Lagu favourite Pak Ngah ialah Romance d'Amor. Masya Allah! Maria mesti jealous punya.

Sebelah kanan Pak Ngah ialah pelajar silat Gayung Fatani dari Sweden dan sebelah kiri dari New Zealand. Pak Ngah bukan Guru Silat mereka sebab Pak Ngah ahli Silat Kalimah. Mereka berdua ni cabar Pak Ngah bersilat. Kedua-dua mereka cedera parah kena belasah dan kena kunci dengan Pak Ngah. Cis! .... GURAUUUU! Tempat di Sekolah Seri Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.

Abdul Hakim dengan ibunya semasa berumur beberapa bulan.

Gembira dapat basikal baru. Ajib saja yang tahu naik basikal. Yang naik basikal roda tiga tu nak kayuh kaki tak sampai.

Pak Ngah dan Mak Ngah masa baru kahwin pada tahun 1982.

Ahmad Harith bersama adiknya Abdul Hakim.

Maryam memeluk Abdul Hakim.

Abang Lang dengan Kak Ngah

Abang Long, Bang Lang, dan Kak Ngah di depan Masjid di Shah Alam. Tahunnya ... tak ingat.

Menyambut Hari Kelahiran Bang Lang.

Tak sabar nak tiup lilin. "Korang tak boleh tiup sebab ini hari jadi aku, tau".

Ramai betul pulak tukang tiup lilin. Orang yang diraikan tak berpeluang nak tiup.

Ajib masa berumur 3 bulan

Kak Ngah di Taman Bukit Cherakah

Di UiTM pada tahun .... tak ingatlah.

Harith masa berumur ... tak ingat jugak.

Dua beradik yang selalu bergaduh. Kak Ngah sampai patah gigi!

Kak Ngah dengan Hakim

Harith dengan Abah di Johor Baharu ... kalau tak silap.

Pelajar Siam dari Thammasat University, Bangkok. Handsome giler! Kob Khun Kab.

Mak Ngah, Ajib dan Kak Ngah baru lahir. Mak Ngah belum habis pantang.

Budak manja, Harith dengan ibunya.

Budak lagi manja, Ajib dengan ibunya.

Apa tengok-tengok?!

Harith bangga dengan fesyen rambutnya.

Hadi menunggang motosikal tanpa lesen.

Harith dengan jam Rolex buatan Beijing.

Ni anak siapa ni?

Arwah atuk dan Ajib

Cantik tak gigi kami? Pakailah ubat gigi Beruang Kutub

Seorang homeless di depan BBC, London.

Bang Lang dan Kak Ngah semasa genjatan senjata.

Hafizudin AJ ... 3-year old genius.

Hadi dan Hakim di Putrajaya. "Abah cepatlah petik kamera tu... sakitlah!"

Hakim dan Harith di New Zealand ..oops sorry .... di UPM.

BLOGGER'S BLOCK

2009-06-26T12:41:00.000+08:00

To all my blog readers. At the moment I'm experiencing blogger's block or sometimes known as the writer's block. As such, you may not be able to read anything from my blog but I will upload pictures for you to see. You may have heard "A picture paints a thousand words" and I think that is very true for me at the moment.

Main Ping Pong Dalam Rumah

2009-06-25T09:25:00.000+08:00

Harith dan Hakim ialah dua beradik yang suka main ping-pong. Kadang-kadang Pak Ngah join sekali. Malang sekali mereka berdua ni tak pernah dapat mengalahkan bapa mereka. He he he .... sebenarnya Pak Ngah yang selalu kalah dengan diorang ni.

Harith dengan tarian ping pong yang terbaru ciptaannya.

Harith smash! Hakim yang cool bertahan. Tapi bola tak masuk. 10 sama.

Miqat di Hudaibiah

2009-06-24T11:38:00.000+08:00

Ajib The Fly Fisher

2009-06-24T08:31:00.001+08:00

Ajib and his Chinese pal, fly fishing in front of our house. They didn't catch anything. The catch isn't important but the process of catching the fish is more than anything.

Psychocybernetics : From Matt Furey

2009-06-15T08:33:00.000+08:00

The Force Behind Your Habits

Each and every one of us is a creature of cosmic habit force. We're either using it in a positive way - or we're not. Gettingup early to exercise is doing something positive that can benefit every area of our lives. On the other hand, getting out of bed and reaching for a smoke and a bottle of booze - that's an example of cosmic habit force taken to the negative extreme that we call addiction.

Being compelled by a positive habit force is good. Being and addict is not.

The key thing to remember is that both good and bad habits begin with a single repetition. And in most cases, neither habit is truly enjoyed at first.

Whenever you see a successful person - take note of his or her habits. He didn't begin with positive habits. They were learned. They were repeated over and over until the habit took hold and little if any thought about 'should I or shouldn't I?' takes place.

No matter what you want to accomplish in life, you can do so when you know the thoughts behind others who have succeeded before you - as well as the daily habits these people followed. And the good news is that if you think the same way and do the same sort of things, you'll reap similar rewards.

Dr. Maxwell Maltz noted that it takes 21 days for a new habit to begin to take hold. The same goes for the creation of a more powerful self-image. If you spend time each day rearranging the furniture in your own mind - putting yourself on the winner's track - within a few weeks you won't want to go back to your previous thinking and behavior. You will become accustomed to the NEW YOU - the person with more empowering thoughts, beliefs and habits.

Think of a new, positive habit you'd like to form. See yourself engaged in that habit - then follow through with action. Do this every day without fail for 21 days and you'll have changed your life.
It doesn't take much to change - but it does require a decision to be more than you are right now.

What is it you'd like to do? Picture it - then do it. Today.

A Story of Waseem

2009-06-11T17:11:00.001+08:00

Awak punya kereta sudah langgar saya punya unta. Berapa mau bayar? Jangan lari!

Sekarang kita pergi bikin report sana balai.

Sorry lah taukeh unta. Saya punya bapa nanti bayar.

Permainan ni untuk budak-budak aje. Orang tua mana boleh main.

Wan ambiklah kereta tu... Kamera apa pulak ni?
Kamera atuk aku tak adalah besar melampau macam ni.

Korang bertiga posing lah... aku nak main kereta remote-control kejap.

Taukeh, Ini batu LOVE satu longgok berapa?
Wah! Banyak murah ... Kasi bungkus semualah.

Alamak! Patutlah tak laju. Made in China rupanya.

Kalau dapat naik kereta ni kan bagus!
Atuk, lain kali belilah kereta hummer betul-betul punya.

Stop! Nanti terlanggar taik unta!

Aku sebenarnya nak tidur tapi korang kacaulah!

Ya Allah, Janganlah kau jadikan ziarah ini sebagai ziarah yang terakhir bagi kami.

2009-06-04T20:02:00.000+08:00

Alhamdulillah, pada 24 Mei hingga 4 Jun 2009 yang lepas, Pak Ngah dan Mak Ngah telah pergi buat umrah di Makkah Al-Mukarrah dan Madinah Al-Munawarah. Pak Ngah yakin ramai orang sudah melawat berbagai tempat di dunia seperti New York, London Paris, Tokyo, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur tetapi tak satu pun boleh menandingi umrah ke Makkah dan Madinah. Percayalah cakap Pak Ngah ni.

Kronologi Ziarah Umrah
24 Mei 2009 - Bertolak dari KLIA jam 3.00 petang.

Rombongan yang menghantar Pak Ngah dan Mak Ngah di KLIA.

KLIA mungkin merupakan lapangan terbang yang paling cantik di dunia.

Bila pesawat Saudi Arabian Airline mula masuk ke negara itu, inilah yang Pak Ngah nampak. Padang pasir dan padang batu. Kami tiba di Jeddah pada waktu petang nak masuk waktu Maghrib.

Dari Jeddah kami menaiki bas ke Madinah dan berhenti di surau ini untuk solat Maghrib dan Isyak jamak.

Tiba di Madinah pada 25 Mei, jam 3.00 pagi dan menginap di Hotel Dallah Taibah (di bawah).

Pemandangan dari bilik Pak Ngah.

Dan terus ke Masjid Nabawi (di bawah) untuk solat subuh pada jam 4.00 pagi.

Masjid Nabawi ialah sebuah masjid yang sangat besar, mungkin boleh memuatkan beratus ribu orang dalam satu waktu solat berjemaah. Pak Ngah tak dapat ambil gambar di dalam masjid ini kerana ia tidak dibenarkan oleh pegawai yang menjaga masjid. Jadi Pak Ngah ambil dari luar sahaja.

25 Mei 2009, Isnin - Aktiviti ziarah Maqam Rasullulah (SAW), Abu Bakar (RA) dan Umar (RA). Kemudian bersolat di Raudah di dalam Majid Nabawi (Sorry tak ada gambarnya ... HARAM!!! Kata pengawal maqam).

26 Mei 2009, Selasa - Melawat Masjid Quba.

26 Mei 2009, Selasa - Jabal Uhud.

Bersambung...

Life at Bagan Lalang with Nikon D700

2009-05-23T09:58:00.001+08:00

Bagan Lalang is located by the seaside at the southern part of Selangor. If you are looking for fresh fish this is the place. And if you like camping and observing the beautiful sunset then bring your family here.

As I said before, if you ever go to Bagan Lalang please stay until sunset. The sight is just blissful.

Jawatan Kosong di Nikon Malaysia

2009-05-22T10:33:00.001+08:00

Kepada pelajar Pak Ngah dalam bidang Komunikasi dan HRD, pergi ke web ini untuk apply kerja tersebut http://www.nikon.com.my/pagearticle.php?pageid=119-0b958c4dd2

Semoga Allah SWT mengizinkan kamu bekerja di sana. Good Luck.

NIKON (MALAYSIA) SDN BHD, a subsidiary company of Nikon Corporation Japan, an internationally renowned manufacturer and distributor of high quality imaging and industrial equipment products, invites applications for the following position to be based at our HQ office.

HR & General Affairs Executive

Responsibilities:
Provide support for full spectrum of HR function
Handle and coordinate training program according to the HR policies
Manage import & export shipments and to liaise with relevant parties
Support recruitment activities
Assist in any HR initiatives from time to time

Requirements:
Degree in HR Management or equivalent qualification
At least 3 years' working experience in HR Management
Good interpersonal skills
Excellent command of spoken and written in English and Bahasa Malaysia
PC literate
Experience in payroll administration is an added advantage

Candidates are required to submit their application together with a recent passport-sized photograph (n.r.) and contact telephone number to the following address no later than 6 June 2009.

The Human Resource & General Affairs Manager
Nikon (MALAYSIA) SDN BHD (531447-K)
11th Floor, Block A, Menara PKNS
No. 17, Jalan Yong Shook Lin, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan.
Alternatively, you may submit your application via the e-mail address of hr.nmy@nikonoa.net

MULTIPURPOSE STUDIO

2009-05-20T18:08:00.000+08:00

Dah siap dah. Cuma air-cond belum pasang lagi. Interior studio ini Pak Ngah serahkan kepada Maryam, anak Pak Ngah.

Sebelum ini macam nilah rupanya.

Pejabat Baru Kolej 14

2009-05-20T15:35:00.000+08:00

Baru-baru ni pejabat Pak Ngah di Kolej 14, UPM telah berpindah di bangunan baru. Semua staf gembira dengan perpindahan ini sebab dulu pejabat kami sangat sempit dan kurang menarik. Ini dia gambar-gambar pejabat baru tu.

Pejabat Kolej 14 sebenarnya berada di dalam Kompleks Dewan Putra 2. Di sinilah juga pejabat Kolej 12, 15 dan 16 ditempatkan.

Parkir Pengetua K14 yang baru belum ada bumbung.

Ini ialah bahagian depan pejabat Kolej 14. Kalau nak berurusan dengan Pak Ngah kenalah masuk ke dalam pejabat dulu. Staf Kolej 14 pun sedia menolong dengan ikhlas.

Gambar di atas menunjukkan lima daripada lapan staf Kolej 14. Pengurus Kolej 14 ialah Abdul Hadi yang berbaju kuning tu. Yang sedang mengadap monitor tu ialah 'Alim, yang tudung putih ialah Amy, Norlidar yang pakai tudung perang dan Kak Odah di belakang sekali. Mereka ni sedang melihat gambar yang baru Pak Ngah ambil. Uncle dan Hajar tak ada dalam gambar. Mereka ni semua sangat hebat. Rajin, berbudi bahasa, suka menolong dan penyayang kepada semua pelajar di Kolej 14.

Kalau masuk ke dalam pejabat, inilah dia yang akan kamu dilihat.

Pantry pun ada jugak. Kalau lapar boleh masak roti bakar di sini.

"Alim dan Kak Odah memang sangat friendly dan bekerja dengan penuh dedikasi.

Ini antara dua orang yang sangat penting di pejabat Kolej 14. Kalau salah seorang tak ada memang semua tugas akan jadi lembab dan Pak Ngah tak boleh buat kerja.

Ini ialah bilik Pengurus, Abdul Hadi.

Mari kita masuk ke dalam bilik Pengetua Kolej 14 tempat Pak Ngah bekerja.

Kalau ada masalah bolehlah bercerita dengan Pak Ngah disini.

Kebetulan hari Pak Ngah ambil gambar ni, staf Kolej 14 bernama Hajar, menyambut hari kelahirannya. Kami meraikannya dengan acara yang simple tapi sungguh bermakna.

Hajar dan anaknya agak terperanjat dengan acara ini.

Makan time!

Akhir sekali, Pengurus menyampaikan cenderahati kepada Hajar dan mengucapkan tahniah dan selamat panjang umur.

SELAMAT HARI JADI, HAJAR.

Mendirikan masjid adalah perbuatan yang sangat baik

2009-05-11T19:20:00.000+08:00

Semalam dalam keadaan sakit gout di tangan, Mak Ngah telah membawa Pak Ngah pergi jemputan kahwin di Bukit Pelandok. Rupa-rupanya ada ramai orang Melayu tinggal di sana di Kampung Jawa. Sempat jugak ambil gambar dalam keadaan tersangat sakit. Kamera Pak Ngah pegang pakai tangan kiri dan petik kamera tu dengan jari tangan kanan yang nasib baik berfungsi lagi tanpa kesakitan. Ini dia video yang sempat Pak Ngah buat dengan dua jari sahaja.

Mahasiswa UPM di Pulau Perhentian

2009-05-02T08:06:00.000+08:00

Pak Ngah baru balik dari Pulau Perhentian. Dari 26 hingga 30 April 2009 pelajar-pelajar kursus KOH3432 Kemahiran Komunikasi Antara Perseorangan telah pergi ke Pulau Perhentian untuk melaksanakan projek penyelidikan mereka.

Sebelum bertolak pelajar Pak Ngah diberikan taklimat mengenai projek tersebut.

Semua sudah bersedia. Kami bertolak dari Kolej Canselor, UPM pada jam 11.30 malam.

Inilah dua bas yang dinaiki oleh pelajar dan Pak Ngah.

Kami tiba di Kuala Terengganu pada jam 7.30 pagi dan berhenti untuk sarapan.

Selepas sarapan perjalanan diteruskan ke Kuala Besut untuk naik bot ke Pulau Perhentian.

Menunggu bot di Kuala Besut

Semua dah sedia untuk bertolak ke Pulau Perhentian

Bot yang kami naiki tidak laju. Laut pula tak bergelora. Jadi tak ada orang yang mabuk laut.

Inilah yang mula-mula kami nampak apabila tiba di Pulan Perhentian.

Kanak-kanak Pulau Perhentian baru balik dari Tadika.

Pak Ngah terjun untuk mandi laut di Pulau Perhentian. Macam pro kan?

Di bawah ni anak Pak Ngah nama Ajib pulak yang terjun. Ini disebut sebagai Terjun Katak.

Hanst answered my questions on Some Examples of GT Terminologies.

2009-04-22T08:58:00.000+08:00

Hi everyone,

I hope someone in this forum can provide me some examples for the following terms that really puzzled me:

1. Core category
2. Substantive codes
3. Theoretical codes
4. Basic social process
5. Gerund

Thanks for your help.

----------------------------------------------------------

Hanst answers:

1. Core category (or variable) - example: cultivating. Odis Simmons discovered that milkmen were cultivating their customers in order to stay in business (this core is probably applicable in other areas such as maintaining friendships, marriages etc).

2. Substantive codes - cultivating is a substantive code that proved to be the core category in Odis's study on milkmen. There were other substantive codes in his study such as nurturing pseudo friendship, which is an important property of cultivating customers, but not real friends.
A substantive code, as I understand it, is a concept that labels a particular pattern of behavior discovered in a particular or substantive field such as the case in the study of milkmen. Not every substantive code generated in a study earns its place in a theory. Some codes do not fit within a particular core variable theory, but may fit with another core variable, if the researcher would choose to do more than one theory in one substantive field, like Glaser & strauss' Time for dying that came after Awareness of dying.

3. Theoretical codes - a code that labels a pattern on the meta level, ie how substantive codes relate to each other. Either in processes, typologies, binaries, conditions, contexts etc etc. Re cultivating, typologies are seen in this theory, and somewhat of a process. Also, power assymetry conditions were there.

4. Basic social process (BSP) - cultivating is an example of a BSP - read more of BSPs in Theoretical Sensitivity. A BSP accounts for most of the variation in change over time, context, and behavior in a studied area.

5. Gerund - is a verb's action noun. If you gerund a verb you give it a process touch. See Gerund Grounded Theory: The Basic Social Process Dissertation, Soc Press 1996. It is often very useful to gerund a core category since process is a common and powerful theo code to use in behavioral research.

PEPERIKSAAN AKHIR SEMESTER 2 SESI 2008/2009 SUDAH BERMULA

2009-04-17T00:55:00.000+08:00

Pagi tadi Pak Ngah pergi mengawas peperiksaan akhir kursus KOH3363 Komunikasi dan Perundingan. Sempat juga ambil gambar pelajar-pelajar yang sedang berfikir mencari jawapan. Semester ini seramai 78 pelajar mengambil kursus ini. Harapan Pak Ngah agar mereka mahir berunding dengan menggunakan komunikasi yang berkesan bila mereka sudah bekerja nanti.

Raya Lambat lagi

2009-04-17T00:52:00.000+08:00

Ini video Raya Aidil Fitri tahun 2007

Yang ini di Pulau Tuba semasa pelajar interpersonal communication buat Bakti Siswa dan pelajar journalism buat amali di lapangan di Pulau Langkawi.

.

Studio Ajib and Brothers Dalam Pembinaan

2009-04-15T21:16:00.000+08:00

Tak lama lagi studio Ajib and Brothers akan siap.

Tapi Pak Ngah rasa diorang tak akan jamming kat situ sebab diorang bukan tau main alat musik. Hehehe. Tujuan Pak Ngah buat studio ni ialah supaya Ajib and brothers tidak pergi jamming di luar. Kalau diorang jamming kat rumah bolehlah Pak Ngah join sekali.

Pak Ngah hadiahkan studio ni kepada diorang sebab Ajib memang rajin tolong bersihkan rumah. Tengoklah gambar dia kat bawah ni, Rajin potong rumput. Pakai jubah pulak tu. Macam kat Jeddah.
Dulu anak-anak Pak Ngah jamming di bahagian dapur lama yang sempit. Kesian pulak tengok diorang tu.

Ada sesiapa nak join the jamming?

AYAH DAN IBU

2009-04-13T01:54:00.000+08:00

Untuk semua anak abah yang jauh di perantauan. Remember us always.

Gambar semasa Bengkel Grounded Theory

2009-04-07T15:18:00.000+08:00

Memang ramai orang tidak faham atau tidak tahu langsung apakah sebenarnya Kaedah Penyelidikan Grounded Theory (GT). Bukan pelajar sahaja yang tidak faham atau tidak tahu tetapi ramai juga pensyarah sains sosial di universiti masih kabur mengenainya. Kalau orang tidak faham Pak Ngah rasa itu tak ada masalah. Mereka masih boleh meningkatkan kefahaman mereka dengan belajar. Tetapi orang yang tidak tahu kerana tidak mahu tahu ialah orang yang paling !@#$%^&* dan paling rugi sekali. Ada segelintir pensyarah yang tidak mahu tahu kerana ketaksubannya kepada kaedah penyelidikan yang sering dia gunakan untuk membuat penyelidikan. Dia tidak yakin kaedah penyelidikan yang lain dapat membantunya dalam menyelesaikan masalah kajiannya.

Kita boleh jalankan sebarang penyelidikan menggunakan tiga pendekatan bergantung kepada objektif atau tujuan penyelidikan itu. Pertama ialah kaedah kuantitatif. Kaedah ini selalunya bertujuan untuk membuktikan teori atau menguji seseuatu hipotesis. Misalnya, kita mahu menguji hipotesis yang menyatakan bahawa orang yang kerap menonton televisyen percaya bahawa apa yang dilihat di kaca TV adalah sebuah realiti. Kadang-kadang kaedah ini hanya bersifat deskriptif sahaja. Misalnya, kita ingin tahu berapa ramai remaja suka menonton Akademi Fantasia.

Pendekatan kedua yang boleh digunakan dalam penyelidikan ialah kaedah kualitatif. Pendekatan yang bersifat deskriptif ini ini bertujuan untuk menghurai sesuatu fenomena atau gelagat manusia. Misalnya, kaedah etnografi (mengkaji budaya manusia), fenomenologi (mengkaji makna tentang pengalaman seseorang), narrative design (cerita-cerita) dan sebagainya.

Pendekatan ketiga dalam penyelidikan ialah kaedah umum (general method). Kaedah umum seperti GT ialah kaedah yang bukan bersifat deskriptif seperti kedua-dua pendekatan di atas. GT digunakan untuk menentukan teori atau konsep mengenai fenomena gelagat manusia. Soalan yang perlu diberikan jawapan ialah "Apakah yang berlaku dalam fenomena ini?", "Apa masalah yang dihadapi oleh orang dalam fenomena ini?" dan "Apakah yang mereka lakukan untuk menyelesaikan masalah itu".

Isu bukti dan validity dalam GT bukanlah suatu isu yang perlu diberikan penekanan kerana ia hanya mahu menentukan suatu konsep atau teori mengenai gelagat manusia. Dalam GT, perbualan atau temubual tidak perlu dirakam dan tidak perlu ditranskripsikan seperti dalam pendekatan kualitatif. Pengkajiunya hanya perlu mendengar dengan teliti dan selepas perbualan dia akan menentukan dan menulis kod-kod yang memberi makna yang mungkin boleh dianalisis untuk menerbitkan teori dari data. "All is data" kata Glaser. Semua yang didengar dan diperhatikan adalah data yang perlu dianalisis.

Phew! Letih pulak lah bercerita panjang mengenai GT ni. Anyway if you like to know more about GT bacalah buku-buku ini yang ditulis oleh Glaser. "Discovery of Grounded Theory", "Theoretical Sensitivity" dan "Doing Grounded Theory". Kalau tak faham jugak bolehlah jadi ahli GT Institute dan bertanya dalam forumnya. Kalau tak faham jugak, bolehlah tanya Pak Ngah. Kalau masih tak faham, maka tak payahlah buat GT sebab !@#$%^&* sangat! GT ialah untuk orang yang matang dan luas pengetahuannya dalam penyelidikan sains sosial. Kalau nak tahu sama ada seorang pensyarah itu matang atau tidak, cubalah tanya kepada dia mengenai GT. Kalau dia tahu macam mana nak buat GT, maka dia memang matang. Senang!

Baru-baru ini Pak Ngah menjemput seorang pakar GT untuk mengajar pensyarah-pensyarah dan pelajar-pelajar PhD di fakulti Pak Ngah. Namanya Dr Andy Lowe. Ramai juga yang datang walaupun ada di antara mereka bukan dalam bidang sains sosial. Misalnya, dua orang dalam gambar di bawah ialah jurutera elektrik dari TNB. Yang pakai baju putih tu ialah Dr Ahmad Jaafar, adik Pak Ngah. Yang sedang genggam tangan tu ialah staf dia, juga seorang jurutera.

My brother Dr Ir AJ and his staff member were very attentive during the workshop

Datin Saadiah from TNB was also present. She looked confused, isn't she? Well, confusion is actually a prerequisite in learning GT. If you are not confused, then you actually don't know anything about GT.

Dr Andy Lowe from the Grounded Theory Institute, Mill Valley, California delivered his lecture.

These are some of the participants of the workshop.

I was glad that everything went out smoothly with no problem. I thought Andy was taller than me but it seemed otherwise.

Pak Ngah Dah Balik

2009-03-26T12:07:00.000+08:00

The first time I saw land from the plane, this is what the Philippines looked like.

Transportation in Manila can be very unique but to some, it is very comfortable.

I don't recall the name of the river behind me in Manila

Pak Ngah baru balik dari UPLB atau University of The Philiphines, Los Banos (sebutannya Ban nyos) di Laguna dan juga bandaraya Manila.

Universiti ini memang terkenal di Asia dengan Komunikasi Pembangunan (Development Communication) pada tahun 1970'an hingga 1990'an. Pak Ngah pergi dengan tiga orang pensyarah dan lapan orang pelajar siswazah (Master dan PhD). Kami bertolak pada 19 Mac dan kembali ke tanah air pada 22 Mac 2009.

Di UPLB Pak Ngah menginap di hotel di atas.

Apa yang menarik ialah universiti ini masih kekal seperti keadaan di zaman keagungannya. Bangunan baru tidak didirikan, konti radio pembangunannya juga tidak dikemaskini (masih macam dulu juga). Contohnya, gambar di bawah ini. Wanita dalam gambar ini sebenarnya tour guide kami di UPLB. Dia fasih dalam bahasa Inggeris Amerika.

Ini menimbulkan tanda tanya kepada Pak Ngah sebab ia tidak sesuai dengan gelaran Komunikasi Pembangunan kerana tiada pembangunan dari segi fizikalnya. Pelajar tidak pergi kuliah naik kereta atau motosikal atau bas seperti di UPM tetapi naik Jeepnee.

Inilah caranya pelajar UPLB pergi ke kuliah mereka.

Selepas dua malam di UPLB kami pergi ke Manila naik van Toyota yang mewah. Cuaca sangat panas (36 degrees Celsius).

Tempat pertama kami pergi ialah suatau dataran yang Pak Ngah dah lupa namanya. Di situ ada penjual cenderahati yang boleh bercakap Bahasa Malaysia.

Dataran ini mengikut ceritanya ialah tempat di mana Jose Rizal dihukum mati ditembak. Beliau merupakan seorang wira negara ini kerana perjuangannya menuntut kemerdekaan dari pihak Sepanyol.

Pak Ngah tak beli apa-apa pun di dataran ini sebab harganya sangat mahal berbanding dengan kualiti pembuatannya.

If you are a muslim, Manila may not be the first in your list of the world cities that you really want to visit. Halal food is so scarce or just unavailable. I remember there was a mosque in a slum area of Manila. There was a restaurant but I could only obtain pancakes which I bought as rations for the next day. No nasi and no lauk.

Now let's go to the beautiful side of Manila. Sunset at the Manila Waterfont is just awesome.

The Filipinos claim Manila has the most beautiful sunset in the world. May be they are right but they should also compare it with Bagan Lalang sunset (below).

So what did I learn from this visit? Rain of gold in foreign land, rain of pebbles in our country. Better our country lah! He he he.

Penyelidikan Grounded Theory

2009-03-10T23:47:00.001+08:00

Boleh tak kamu ceritakan sedikit apa yang berlaku di pejabat kamu bila boss tak ada.

IQ, SQ dan Persepsi (A tribute to Neela and Tan Sri)

2009-03-01T08:39:00.000+08:00

Cerita hari ini ialah mengenai persepsi. Bahagian pertama dulu Pak Ngah tulis dalam Bahasa Inggeris dan kali ini dalam Bahasa Melayu.

Peristiwa ini berlaku di padang golf juga iaitu Kelab Golf Kuala Kubu Baru (KGKKB) mungkin dalam tahun 1995. KGKKB bukanlah padang golf mewah seperti yang selalu kita dengar dalam radio dan lihat dalam TV dan akhbar serta majalah. Ia sebuah padang golf milik kerajaan Negeri Selangor dibina untuk orang-orang berpendapatan rendah dan sederhana terutamanya yang bekerja di Pekan Kuala Kubu Baru. Terima kasih Negeri Selangor.... negeriku.

Kalau kamu pernah bermain golf di sana kamu mesti sudah banyak berjumpa atau bernain golf dengan orang-orang yang bekerja sebagai kerani, peniaga kecil, kontraktor kecil, guru, polis, tentera, firemen, posmen dan drebar. Pendek kata, memang sukar nak jumpa orang yang berstatus tinggi bermain di situ. Maklumlah KGKKB bukannya hebat sangat dan yuran bulanannya sangat rendah. Orang kaya dan berstatus tinggi tidak mungkin mahu bermain golf di situ. Jatuh standard punya!

Di KGKKB Pak Ngah ada seorang kawan baik yang selalu bermain golf bersama Pak Ngah. Namanya Neelakandan, seorang drebar bas sekolah berketurunan India. Dia datang main golf dengan memandu bas sekolah miliknya. Bila dia parking, semua tempat parking habis untuk parking bas dia seorang saja. Neelakandan ialah seorang manusia yang baik dan berdisiplin tinggi. Pak Ngah masih ingat lagi bila dia menegur Pak Ngah kerana letak bola golf atas tee yang dicacak senget. Katanya, kalau perkara kecil macam tu pun tak boleh buat dengan baik, macam mana nak buat perkara yang lebih besar. Tak sangka Neela seorang yang berfalsafah bertaraf PhD.

Baru-baru ini Pak Ngah pergi ke pekan Kuala Kubu Baru dengan Mak Ngah dan kami tumpang gembira dan bangga kerana Neela sudah menjadi pemilik restoran kari kepala ikan halal dan pemilik bas sekolah yang terkenal di pekan kecil itu. Neela bukannya berpelajaran tinggi cuma MCE gred 3 tapi kejayaan hidupnya boleh dijadikan contoh.

Memang benarlah pendapat yang mengatakan bahawa IQ tak boleh menjanjikan kejayaan dalam hidup tetapi EQ boleh! Kalau kita lihat dalam sejarah, orang yang berjaya dalam hidup bukan orang yang genius tapi orang yang sabar, tidak putus asa, sentiasa disenangi atau pendeknya stabil emosi. Contohnya, Matsushita atau yang lebih hebat Rasulullah Nabi Muhamad S.A.W.

Orang yang ada IQ tinggi pun ada masalah. Mereka selalunya terlalu ego, sensitif dan emosional. Ditegur sikit dah marah, merajuk dan mungkin makan hati. Cuba ingat kembali math genius dari University of Oxford yang jadi kebanggaan Malaysia, Sufiah Yusuf, yang sekarang sangat pandai mengira wang yang diberikan oleh pelanggannya saja. Nasib baiklah yang dapat 17 A tu tak jadi macam tu. Haaa! Baru teringat, ada seorang lagi dari University of Oxford yang IQ tinggi tapi EQ corot. Cuba teka siapa dia? Pandai... betullah tu! Sebenarnya dia betul-betul buat malu company alumni University of Oxford seperti Mahatma K Gandhi.

Orang-orang yang IQ tinggi janganlah ambil hati! Dan orang-orang yang EQ tinggi janganlah pulak bangga sangat! EQ boleh meningkat atau merosot sepertimana iman yang boleh naik dan turun. IQ macam mana? Sorry lah, IQ tak boleh ditingkatkan atau diturunkan. Kalau dah 160, memanglah sampai mati pun genius. Kalau dah bawah 100, maka sampai matilah jadi moron dan idiot! Tapi jadi idiot atau moron pun kadang-kadang lebih baik daripada jadi genius. Moron dan idiot emosinya selalu stabil. Kena marah pun dia boleh senyum lagi. Dia tak ambil hati dan juga pemaaf. Dia sedar diri. Bukan macam orang IQ tinggi yang tak sedar diri. Mungkin moron dan idiot tidak mempunyai memory yang besar pada otaknya. Kedut otaknya (surface area of the brain) mungkin kurang agaknya. Maka dia jadi pelupa. Lupa orang ejek dia, lupa orang marah dia, lupa sifir, lupa fakta, lupa macam-macam. Cuba tonton video Forrest Gump.

Orang IQ rendah bila peperiksaan banyak dapat F (Fantastic). Oh ya! Teringat Pak Ngah cerita lucu ni. Pada suatu hari seorang budak (IQ rendah) yang gagal semua matapelajarannya (dapat F) dalam ujian di sekolah meminta bapanya menandatangani kad laporan bulanannya. Bila bapanya (juga IQ rendah) lihat semua matapelajaran dia dapat F dan berwarna merah, maka dia bertanya dengan anaknya apa maksud F dan warna merah itu. Anaknya menjawab:

"A is awful, B is Bad, C is credit, D is distinction, E is excellent and F is fantastic"

Kedua-dua mereka sangat gembira (emosi stabil).

Alamak! Pak Ngah dah digress jauh ni. Nanti Pak Ngah sambung lagilah pasal Tan Sri pulak...

OH! MY GOUT.

2009-02-26T09:34:00.000+08:00

Today I have gout! The words that best describe it are: excruciating, agonizing, burning, unbearable, painful, sharp, piercing, terrible, awful, sore, aching, throbbing, hurting, and of course, YA ALLAH SAKITNYA! If you look at my picture below then you may know what I mean.

The best thing about having gout is I may get an MC from the doctor which means I don't have to go to work for a few days. So I can take a rest and write this blog. But there's a problem . When I return to office after recovering I may have hypertension because all the delayed tasks will have to be completed ASAP since no one would want to do them when I am away. Then I will have to take another MC for hypertension.

According to Wiki, Gout is characterized by excruciating, sudden, unexpected, burning pain, as well as swelling, redness, warmth, and stiffness in the affected joint. This occurs most commonly in men's toes but can appear in other parts of the body and affect women as well. Low-grade fever may also be present. The patient usually suffers from two sources of pain. The crystals inside the joint cause intense pain whenever the affected area is moved. The inflammation of the tissues around the joint also causes the skin to be swollen, tender and sore if it is even slightly touched. For example, a blanket or even the lightest sheet draped over the affected area can cause extreme pain.
Gout (metabolic arthritis) is a crystal deposition disease hallmarked by elevated levels of uric acid (hyperuricemia) in the bloodstream.

In this condition, crystals of monosodium urate(MSU) or uric acid are deposited on the articular cartilage of joints, tendons and surrounding tissues. It is marked by transient painful attacks of acute arthritis initiated by crystallization of urates within and about the joints and eventually leads to chronic gouty arthrits and the deposition of masses of urates in joints and other sites, creating tophi. Gout results from a combination of prolonged elevation of uric acid and overall acidity in the bloodstream. In isolation, neither elevated uric acid nor acidity is sufficient to cause gout.

Mendengar Menguntungkan Bahagian 2

2009-02-13T17:42:00.000+08:00

Sebelum Pak Ngah bercerita mengenai Bahagian 2 ni, Pak Ngah sambung sikit lagi cerita Bahagian 1 dulu tu. Bila Pak Ngah sampai ke rumah dengan telur-telur ayam pemberian taukey telur tu, Mak Ngah bertanya di mana Pak Ngah beli telur-telur tu. Pak Ngah jawab dengan jujur.

"Telur ini abang dapat percuma dari seorang taukey telur di padang golf"

Jawapan pelik (walaupun jujur) seperti ini hanya mengundang kesangsian kepada pendengarnya. Susah juga nak meyakinkan dia. Betul ke kata orang, kaum wanita lebih percaya kepada cerita rekaan daripada fakta yang benar dan jujur? Mungkin kot. Tetapi yang nyata orang sukar untuk percaya bahawa mendengar sangat menguntungkan.

OK sekarang kita terus ke Bahagian 2. Beberapa tahun dahulu Pak Ngah pernah memberi ceramah kepada sekumpulan pegawai JAKIM bertajuk "KEMAHIRAN KOMUNIKASI". Semasa Pak Ngah menerangkan pentingnya menjadi seorang pendengar yang baik dengan kisah Pak Ngah di padang golf tu, seorang ustaz mengangkat tangan dan mahu berkongsi cerita. Ini dia ceritanya.

Seorang remaja Melayu berumur 17 tahun dari Kg Datok Keramat, Kuala Lumpur telah dimasukkan ke wad hospital kerana sakit. Dia ditempatkan disebelah katil seorang lelaki tua keturunan Cina yang telah lama berada di hospital itu. Lelaki tua ini sangat kesunyian kerana anak-anaknya jarang menziarahinya. Kalau mereka datang pun kunjungan mereka hanya mengambil masa yang sangat singkat, hanya beberapa minit. Dia seorang yang banyak harta, tetapi tidak menikmati kebahagian dalam hidupnya. Isterinya telah meninggal dunia dan dia tidak ditemani oleh sesiapa di dalam hospital itu.

Ada satu keistimewaan pada diri remaja dari Kg Datok Keramat ini. Dia peramah, suka mendengar orang bercerita dan empatik. Dia menyapa orang tua itu dan banyak bertanya soalan. Dia mendengar orang tua itu bercakap, dia memparafrasa dan dia mendengar lagi.

Orang tua yang kesunyian itu merasa terhibur dengan kehadiran remaja Melayu itu. Dia bukan dihiburkan oleh remaja itu tetapi menghibur dirinya sendiri kerana dapat meluahkan perasaannya kepada remaja itu. Manusia amat perlu berkomunikasi seperti mana manusia perlu makan dan minum.

Hubungan mereka bertambah akrab setiap hari. Jadi seperti bapa dengan anak. Selepas tiga minggu, remaja itu pulih dari penyakitnya dan dibenarkan pulang. Tinggallah orang tua itu seorang diri semula.

Tetapi walaupun telah meninggalkan wad hospital, remaja itu kerap datang menziarahi orang tua itu. Kadang-kadang dia membawa buah tangan. Remaja itu seorang yang empatik. Dia memahami perasaan dan kesunyian orang tua itu.

Pada suatu hari, remaja itu datang menziarahi orang tua itu tetapi katilnya kosong. Dia bertanya dengan jururawat ke mana perginya orang tua itu. Jururawat menjelaskan bahawa orang tua itu sudah meninggal dunia pada sebelah paginya. Remaja itu menangis.

Selang beberapa bulan, remaja itu telah menerima sepucuk surat daripada sebuah pejabat peguam. Surat itu meminta dia hadir ke pejabat dengan segera. Maka dia terus pergi menemui peguam itu dengan bapanya.

Sampai di sana, peguam menerangkan bahawa dia mewakili mendiang orang tua keturunan Cina yang pernah duduk bersebelahan dengan remaja itu semasa di wad hospital dulu. Dia terus membacakan wasiat.

Kandungan wasiat itu menyatakan bahawa semua hartnya diserahkannya kepada remaja itu. Tidak ada satu sen pun diberikan kepada anaknya sendiri.

MasyaAllah. Kisah ini kisah benar. Tak tau lah Pak Ngah kalau ustaz tu buat cerita rekaan. Kalau dia menipu maka menipulah Pak Ngah. Tetapi apa sebenarnya moral cerita ni ya?

ORANG TUA TIDAK MAHUKAN HARTA KITA. MEREKA HANYA MAHUKAN TELINGA KITA. KALAU KITA BERI MEREKA TELINGA KITA, MUNGKIN MEREKA AKAN BERIKAN HARTA MEREKA KEPADA KITA.

Manalah tau nanti, Pak Ngah pulak yang menerima surat daripada pejabat peguam meminta Pak Ngah datang mendengar wasiat yang berbunyi:

"AKU SERAHKAN SEMUA LADANG AYAM TELURKU KEPADA ..."

Hehehehehe. Mungkin! Siapa tahu. Mendengar memang menguntungkan. Jadi DENGARLAH!

2009-02-11T10:21:00.001+08:00

SUNSET AT BAGAN LALANG

2009-02-01T00:17:00.000+08:00

One fine day , if you visit Bagan Lalang , please stay until sunset. I'm sure you will want to come again to witness the most beautiful sunset in Malaysia. I took these photos with my Nikon D80.

Mendengar Menguntungkan

2009-01-24T12:34:00.000+08:00

Tajuk cerita hari ini ialah mengenai mendengar (listening).

Pada tahun 1994, di Kelab Golf Kuala Kubu Baru, Pak Ngah biasanya akan turun main golf pada jam 5.00 petang. Pada masa itu, setiap kali turun ke padang Pak Ngah akan nampak seorang lelaki tua keturunan Cina main golf seorang diri. Oleh kerana selalu ternampak dia bermain seorang, teringin juga Pak Ngah hendak tahu siapa orang tua itu dan mengapa dia suka main golf bersendirian.

Maka pada suatu petang ketika hendak turun padang, Pak Ngah ternampak dia seorang diri sedang bersedia untuk melakukan tee-off di tee-box No 1. Pak Ngah terus berkejar. Sambil mengah Pak Ngah menegurnya.

"Tauke, lu sorang saja kah? Boleh join sekali?"

"Aiya, lu mesti tak suka. Saya olang tua, jalan manyak slow" dia menjawab.

"Tak apa, tauke. Saya slow-slow pun OK"

"OK, lu tee-off dulu" dia membuat pelawaan tapi Pak Ngah menolak sebab dia lebih senior.

Driver yang di pakai olehnya ialah jenis kayu bukan metal wood. Bila dia mula membuat drive, Pak Ngah tergelak dalam hati. Pukulannya tak jauh cuma lebih kurang 100 meter dan teknik yang digunakan memang tidak ada dalam majalah golf. Tetapi yang bagusnya pukulannya lurus. Bukan macam pukulan yang Pak Ngah lakukan. Kononya sejauh 200 meter tapi masuk ke dalam longkang.

"O.B!" kata orang tua itu sambil senyum.

Pak Ngah dengan serius terus membuat pukulan kedua (sudah dikira 3 pukulan). Kali ini memang cantik tapi bak kata Greg Norman "Any fool can do it the second time".

Kami mula berjalan menuju ke bola masing-masing. Perjalanan menuju ke arah bola golfnya sangat perlahan kerana tauke itu melangkah separuh daripada langkah Pak Ngah. Maklumlah sudah tua. Rasa menyesal pulak bermain dengan dia. Tapi Pak Ngah bukan hendak bermain sangat cuma nak mengetahui siapa diri dia ni sebenarnya. Sambil berjalan ke fairway, Pak Ngah memulakan perbualan.

"Tauke, lu sudah berapa tahun main golf?"
"Ooh, saya start umur 45, itu macamlah"
"Sekarang berapa umur tauke? Tanya Pak Ngah lagi.
"72, sudah tua"
"Wah! 72 tahun pun kuat lagi aaa?"

Dia tersenyum bangga. Kemudian meneruskan ceritanya lagi.

"Saya main dulu pun sudah lambat tapi saya punya handicap manyak cepat turun jadi 13". Bangga lagi.

Rupa-rupanya orang tua ini bukan calang-calang pemain. Patutlah pukulannya tadi lurus. Dia bercerita tentang kejayaannya dalam permainan golf dengan muka yang berseri-seri. Mungkin dia teringat zaman keagungannya itu. Dia pernah menjuarai Kejohanan Medal Bulanan KGKKB beberapa kali sehingga handicapnya diturunkan dengan cepat ke 13.

Bila tiba ke posisi bolanya itu dia mengeluarkan wood 3 dan terus membelasah bola itu seperti slow motion. Pak Ngah senyum lagi tetapi senyuman itu jadi hambar apabila bolanya nyaris ON dekat green. Tak boleh jadi ni. Pak Ngah harus menjaga maruah Pak Ngah! Dengan menggunakan iron 9 Pak Ngah membelasah sekuat-kuat hati untuk memastikan bola itu ON atas green. Woosh! ... dan bola itu hanya berada 10 kaki di depan Pak Ngah kerana tercangkul tanah semasa memukul. Maluuuuu!

"Apa pasal?" tanya tauke.
"Pressure! Tauke banyak bagus main. Saya mau jaga standard. Sekarang tengok apa sudah jadi?"
"Perlahan-perlahan" dia memberi nasihat.

Bila menghampiri green, tauke itu mengeluarkan driver dari bag golfnya. Apa dia nak buat ni? Oooo... rupa-rupanya dia mahu putt bolanya dari tepi green itu. Memang banyak betul pengetahuan dan pengalamannya. Pak Ngah diam, hanya memerhatikannya saja.

"Aiyah!" jeritnya apabila bola itu nyaris masuk ke dalam lobang. Dia dapat par. Bola Pak Ngah apa cerita? Tak payah ceritalah!

Selepas dapat par di lubang pertama, tauke itu banyak bercerita dan itulah yang objektif Pak Ngah sebenarnya. Mendengar dia bercerita. Ceritanya disampaikan kepada Pak Ngah dalam bahasa pasar dan pelat orang Cina di Malaysia tapi di sini Pak Ngah sudah betulkan nahu dan sebutannya.

"Anak saya memang langsung tak minat main golf. Saya ada mengajarnya tapi dia berhenti sebab dia kata saya ni garang!"
"Berapa umur anak tauke?"
"36 tahun, sekarang dia buat perniagaan sendiri. Tak ada masa untuk golf" jelasnya.
"Tauke masih kerja?"
"Saya masih berniaga. Saya ada tiga buah ladang ayam telur"
"Wah! Bagus tu. Tauke, bagaimana kita nak tahu telur itu bagus atau tidak?"

Maka selepas itu dia tak berhenti-henti bercerita mengenai telur ayam.

Mungkin Pak Ngah dah jumpa password untuk dia buka mulutnya. Semua manusia ada password masing-masing. Kalau kita jumpa dan sebut password itu maka orang akan bercerita dan bercerita dan bercerita. Seronok mendengar tauke tu bercerita sebab pada masa yang sama dapat banyak ilmu mengenai telur ayam. Pak Ngah dah tahu beza telur ayam yang bagus dan tak bagus, yang mahal dengan yang murah.

Sambil dia bercerita permainan golf masih berjalan. Hari semakin gelap dah nak maghrib. Selalunya kalau Pak Ngah main golf seorang sendiri atau bersama orang lain yang lebih muda, permainan mungkin sudah ke lubang 7 atau lapan. Tetapi dengan tauke telur ini permainan baru nak masuk lubang no 3. Manyak slow maaa!

Selepas tee-off di lubang No 3 (signature hole), dia tak terdaya menaiki bukit dengan bag golf half set yang disandangnya. Jadi Pak Ngah meminta untuk membawanya walaupun bag Pak Ngah sudah cukup berat. Dia dapat par lagi. Pak Ngah ? Ah! Tak payah ceritalah.

Bila permainan tamat Pak Ngah terus membawa bag golfnya ke keretanya. Dia tidak terlarat memikulnya dan Pak Ngah pula mahu cepat pulang ke rumah. Setelah meletakkanya di boot keretanya, dia meminta Pak Ngah membuka pintu belakang keretanya. Pak Ngah buka dan nampak lima tingkat bekas telur yang berisi telur ayam.

"Itu telur lu angkat bawak balik" katanya serius.
"Berapa harga, tauke?"
"Tak apa, lu angkat free"
"Apa pasal, tauke?"
"Lu manyak suka telur"

"Bila pulaklah aku suka telur? Tapi orang dah nak bagi free ambik sajalah" Pak Ngah berkata dalam hati.

bersambung...

CLASSIC GROUNDED THEORY WORKSHOP, 11TH AND 12 MARCH 2009, UNIVERSITY PUTRA MALAYSIA

2009-01-18T11:20:00.001+08:00

We are inviting researchers, lecturers and graduate students from all over Malaysia as well as abroad to participate in Classic Grounded Theory Workshop to be held on the 10th and 11th March 2009 at the Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication, University Putra Malaysia. The workshop is organized by the faculty in joint collaboration with the Grounded Theory Institute, Mill Valley, California.

The fee for the workshop is MYR 800.00 / pax. Payment will include meals, workshop bag and file, modules and two certificates from University Putra Malaysia and The Grounded Theory Institute, Mill Valley, California.

Some contents of the workshop:

1. Data collection and theoretical sampling

2. Writing memos and theoretical sensitivity

3. Method of analysis, open and selective coding.

4. Classic Grounded Theory Thesis Dissertation (written and verbal presentation)

5. Quantitative Grounded Theory Methodology

If you have any qualitative data that you want to analyze, please bring them to the workshop.

The Instructor
Dr Andy Lowe (pic below), a fellow of the Grounded Theory Institute, will conduct the workshop. He has close working relationship with the co-originator of Grounded Theory (Dr Barney Glaser) which has resulted in a series of international research seminars in Brussel, Paris, Helsinki, Stockholm, Karlstad, San Francisco, Berlin, London, Lisbon, Hangzhou, Johor Bahru, Singapore, Shanghai and Glasgow. He was on the editorial board of the first edition of The Grounded Theory Review which was originally launched in the late 1990's.

There will also be a teleconference session with the co-originator of Grounded Theory, Dr Barney Glaser (pic below), live from Mill Valley, California.

HURRY! REGISTER EARLY. LIMITED TO 50 PARTICIPANTS ONLY.

If you have any inquiries please contact:

Mr Ishak Abd Hamid

Communication Department
Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication
University Putra Malaysia

43400 Serdang, Selangor
MALAYSIA
Tel. no. +603 89468779 or +6013 3801956
E-mail: ishak@fbmk.upm.edu.my

Associate Prof. Dr Ezahar Tamam, Assistant Dean (Research and Innovation),

Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication
University Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor
MALAYSIA
Tel. no. +603 89468663
E-mail: ezhar@fbmk.upm.edu.my

Dr Andy Lowe
Fellow of the Grounded Theory Institute
806 Monterey Place
Sukhumvit Soi 16
Bangkok 10110
Thailand
Tel +6626638477

Your Inaccurate Perception Can Be Embarrassing

2008-12-29T22:02:00.000+08:00

The saying goes: Don't judge a book by its cover. And I'm saying: Don't ever judge a man by his t-shirt, his pair of shoes, his pants, his hair, and his job. I learned my lesson really well but not after the second humiliation.

The first one resulting from bad perception on a person took place in 1984 in Kuching, Sarawak. I was a teacher back then. While doing my work in the teachers' room, I received a call in the morning from someone from BINA (Nahdatul Islam Bersatu) asking me if I wanted to learn Aikido ( a Japanese martial art).

"Mun kitak minat, kelak pukul tiga ada drebar ngambak kitak situk". (If you are interested, at 3.00 pm a driver will bring you here).

The van arrived on the dot. The driver greeted me. Asked me a lot of questions. I responded disinterestedly.

"Kitak cikgu Ishak kah?" (Are you Ishak, the teacher?)
"Auk" (Yes).

"Lama dah kitak nunggu?" (Have you been waiting long?")
"Sik" (No) and silence.

"Udah makan tek?" (Have you had lunch?)
"Udah" ( Yes) ... and silence.

"Berapa lama udah kitak ngajar di sekolah tuk?" (How long have you been teaching in this school?)
"Dua tahun" and again dead silence.

That was probably because I considered myself as the boss and that he was just a driver. He was instructed to fetch me and why should he ask too many questions? Snobbish was the proper term and in the Malaysian language it's called sombong. As an evidence to that behaviour, I chose to sit privately at the back and not beside him. It was really an avoidance. I didn't want to be interrogated by him anymore. I was truly, surely sombong.

For the next seven kilometers, there were no conversations. The driver ceased from saying anything. It must be difficult for him to continue asking questions when I was not responding accordingly enough.

As the van stopped at its destination ( a three- story building in Jalan Satok), the driver told me to proceed to the gymnasium, get the Aikido attire from the staff at the counter and wait for the Aikido trainer. I nodded and did as instructed.

There were four other students in the gymnasium and we were waiting eagerly but proudly for the master. But when he arrived, it wasn't the sight I would want to anticipate. Disoriented, I could not swallow the fact of what I saw. The Aikido Master was the van driver himself! I guess you know what happened then.

When the training was over, the Aikido Master @ the van driver was the one who would send me back home. In the van, I sat beside him instead at the back. With sheer heart pain, I apologized to him. I was extremely embarrassed. I suffered the greatest humility in my life. One ugly perception and I was in deep trouble with a 7th Dan Aikido Master. The pleasure was his at that moment.

"Sik ada hal. memang kamek polah cam ia" (It's OK. I did it on purpose) he said, undisturbed.

"Ngapa?" (Why?) I paraphrased.

"Kamek sik mau pelajar kamek jadi lawa gilak kelak sebab mikir dirinya kuat" (I don't want my students to act blatantly snobbish because they think they are powerful and strong with the skills they have) he explained.

At that moment, it was like receiving a shomenuchi from the master. I learned an unforgettable lesson that day. I became a down-to-earth good guy who perceived everyone equally but that equation only lasted for nine years. Before we go to that get yourself a good mug of teh tarik first. It's a going to be long.

Using Nikkor VR 70-300 mm Lens

2008-12-02T01:20:00.001+08:00

"Mother and Child"

"Brother and sister"

New Zoom Lens and a New Battery Pack

2008-12-02T00:32:00.000+08:00

Bought myself a brand new Nikkor VR zoom lens 70-300 mm. Not sure of the picture quality but you can be the judge. Take a look at these photos of "Working with Loneliness" :

Alor Setar, 30th November 2008.

Sometimes loneliness is but a privacy.