The Reader

A Day to Ponder

To-day,we Malaysians are celebrating our 47th anniversary of Merdeka Day(Independence Day).Most days, we are too busy with our daily work that we don't have the time to even think of what does it means to be Merdeka. As usual, many people took many things for granted.May be ,it is a good day to take time to ponder-to think and to reflect of what have we done, what we could have done and what we should be doing as a nation as from now.

Personally,I was only five years old when our country became an independent nation.I tried hard to recollect, but my memory fails me to remember what it was like living under the British rule. So nothing much I could say about life during that time.

Over the last 47 years, so much water has passed under the bridge. If I were to sit there and look down the river,so much had changed -some are good, some are bad and a few ugly ones...Sad to note that a few rivers are so polluted that I can't see my own reflections.Whatever ,the rivers keep flowing....

As a nation or as individual, all of us can use the process "to ponder"( i.e to think and to reflect) so that we can learn a few lessons .Just jot down the list of lessons learnt so that we can do better in the future. We can't change the past, but we can do something now for our future.

The message from the Prime Minister:

Let all citizens of Malaysia,without feeling inferior,without feeling sidelined,irrespective of race or religion, rise to be statemen in our own land. We are equal, we are all Malaysians. No individuals in this country is more Malaysian than another. Unleash your potential and shape this country of yours the way you want it to be.

To all my fellow Malaysians:
SELAMAT MENYAMBUT HARI KEMERDEKAAN KE 47!
NEGARA KITA ,TANGGUN JAWAP KITA.
KITA TANGGUNG DAN KITA JAWAP

Another rose blooms..

Alhamdulilah, another beautiful rose brightens our garden this morning!
I am speechless ..

Mobile Phones/PDA

Thanks Nazley for posting a cool gadget at our palmx mailinglist. See the picture on the left.It is Treo 650.

Six years ago ,only a few gadget freaks use PDA.I am one of them who switched from paper based time management system to electronic organiser in 1998.Here is my story. Now, I think PDA has gone mainstreams.Last week, a friend ,who is a member of parliament , use Treo 600.By the way, he is already 55 years old. A pensioner friend of mine had to learn how to use sms because that is how his children are 'talking ' to him nowadays. When my time comes to have grandchildren, my kids will install a webcam so that I can watch my grand children online any time I want to see them.

Mobile phones have changed the way people communicate. I was pleasantly suprised to know that we have more than 6millions mobile phones users and last year, about 6 billions sms flying around in Malaysian cyberspace! No wonder, telcos were smiling all the way to the banks.

Note: When I have time, I update my ad hoc journal of my experience using a palm PDA.Our palm/PDA FORUM is quite active.Photos of palmx people here.

Merdeka

This pink hibiscus flower blooms this morning in our garden to celebrate our coming Merdeka Day!

Next week, the nation will celebrate another Merdeka Day. I have said my piece six years ago,and I think some of the points are still relevant until to-day.For the benefits of those who had not read it,here it goes again.The posting below was written in August, 1998:

In the next few days,all Malaysians will be celebrating our 41st. Merdeka Anniversary.Every year,the nation never miss the event.It is a very important event in the life of a nation.However it means different things to different people.To our elders who fought with tears and blood,it is the most precious gift-to be free from their colonial masters and be able to live as free people of the world!!!
On the other hand,it is only a holiday with some festivals to our kids or young people.The meaning of Merdeka ,at most, is quite blurred or fuzzy to most people who were born after Merdeka.

Now,all of us are citizens of the an independent nation.What does it means to you personally?I bet everyone has his/her own answer.What ever it is,I think everyone agrees that it is a very precious intangible personal asset that we must protect at all cost,even with own life!Just like water(not equal but similar),it is the most precious of all commodities when you don't have it.Nelson Mandela is the most qualified living person to say about personal freedom.Personally,I consider myself to be lucky to live in this era as compared to those who had to live under our previous colonial masters-Portugese, Bristish,Japanese, Bintang Tiga and the Siamese(for northern states).

But beware of the neo-colonialists in the modern world of to-day.They come in many colours,shapes and sizes. Previously,they came to our shores with ships and guns.Now,they can just 'walk in' through copper wires,optic fibres and satellites. With the globalisation and so-called borderless world,it makes easier for them to influence and even control our political, economic and social systems.They are so subtle that we do not realise that we are being 'colonised' and even being 'hit'.Even after a few decades of being 'independent' nations,some countries are still dependent on their former colonial masters in many sectors such as trade,education,military etc.The worst part is the colonisation of the minds.It is still there with some locals even after a few decades of being independence!!

Currently a few Asians countries are really in deep trouble due to financial crisis that has affected their country's political,economic and social order.The downfall of Suharto is a very glaring example how a financial crisis can affect the political system of a nation.Similarly,our country economy is badly affected by the regional financial crisis.We are at the mercy of a few rich individuals/ corporations who can manipulate our economy through various financial intruments.The more open we are,the more exposed we are to their attacks.What is our MERDEKA if all our assets and strategic sectors can be bought and owned by foreigners?At the current prices,the foreigners can buy them for a song.God forbids...

It is imperative that we must protect our national interests against attacks from external forces.We need more than the army to do this task.The sooner we find the solution,the better it is.Otherwise,all our efforts building up our nation for decades will just go down the drains.Almost 60% of our KLSE market capitalisation(est. around 500billion ringgit) has just evaporated within a year!!!

No nation is an island.No one is 100% independent as along as we are living on planet earth.We are all interdependent of one another.In the coming decades,we must be prepared to live and manage the so-called networked economy.Are we prepared for this?

Apakah itu sebenarnya kemerdekaan?Adakah diri kita merdeka selepas kita menghalau penjajah dari tanah air kita?Jika selaku insan kita tidak mengenal dan mengerti maknanya,amat sukar bagi kita untuk menjadi insan yang merdeka.Kemerdekaan insan adalah amat pokok dan unit asas untuk sesuatu bangsa hidup sebagai bangsa merdeka.Jangan kita kaya,tetapi pada hakikatnya kita hamba di negara sendiri.Pada pengertian saya,insan merdeka adalah mereka yang bebas dari tuntunan hawa nafsu dan hanya tunduk kepada fitrah dan hukum Allah.Negara kita boleh merdeka 100 tahun,tetapi jika fikiran dan jiwa kita masih dijajah,kita belum lagi menjadi insan yang merdeka. Bukan merdeka untuk bertindak mengikut nafsu dan perasaan, tetapi merdeka untuk bertindak berasaskan ilmu dan panduan wahyu dari Allah swt.Negara yang sebenar-benarnya merdeka dan berdaulat wajib mempunyai insan merdeka.

SELAMAT MENYAHUT HARI KEMERDEKAAN KE 41 NEGARA KITA-TANGGUNG JAWAP KITA

Note: The photo was taken using a camera phone. I cannot really focused on the flower:-( I must use my real camera next time.

Another Friday prayer..

I asked a friend why it is mandatory for us to attend Friday prayer every week. He replied that most of us are forgetful and need to be reminded by the khutbah every Friday.IMHO, even on the daily basis, we are still forgetful;that is why we need to pray five times a day...and many still forget of our ubudiyyah to Allah swt.

Friday prayer is a weekly event for all muslims. So much so, it becomes a routine that we tend to forget about its fadhilat.In most occasions, many will rush to the mosques( sometimes late),listen to the sermon ,pray and left quickly back to the office. It is no more an occasion that we prepare ourselves, dress nicely and go early.It is just another Friday prayer...

Just answer this question: Do you still remember what the last week khutbah(sermon) was about? If the answer is no, that is a reflection on how much attention we had given to the khutbah last week.

Tomorrow is another Friday,insyaAllah for all of us.Let's determine to do better than the last Friday-in all aspects of our prayer.

Note: Please read the link given on fadhilat Jumaat that I have taken from MUIS.The photo shows Masjid as-Syakirin at KLCC,Kuala Lumpur.

Putihnya bunga..

Sungai Golok

The picture on the left is the Golok River. I estimated the width is about 20m and the depth is about 7 metres(according to the boat man). At other locations,the width may be narrower and the water may be knee deep during dry season.The photo is taken near the bus station,Rantau Panjang,Pasir Mas,Kelantan.

Yesterday, I have lunch with my cousin and my son at Rantau Panjang.We were on our way from Jeli to Bachok. I was trying to locate a restaurant that was famous for great 'tom yam' when I was much younger, but it was not there any more.Things have changed so much over the last quarter century when I was JKR district engineer for Kelantan Barat(Tumpat,Pasir Mas and Tanah Merah). Now, Rantau Panjang town is a free trade zone like the one in Pengkalan Kubur ,Tumpat. A few of my friends from outside Kelantan love going to these free trade zones for the cheap goods.

Now,Rantau Panjang is congested with bus-loads of tourists especially during school holidays.

PS: Here is the link to a very tall waterfall called Gunong Stong,about 50km from Jeli.We only managed to reach the bottom of the waterfalls..

Fireflies fading away...

UNDER THREAT: Fireflies in Kuala Selangor are under threat from various sources of pollution and erosion. Efforts are needed immediately to save them from becoming extinct. – STARpic by ART CHEN

The above front page story in The Star to-day reminds me of the visit to Kg. Kuantan six years ago.One has to be there to behold the beautiful sight at night.If nothing is being done, I am sure it will just fade away...

Like many other things in our life, if we donot take good care,it will also fades away.Studies, meetings and seminars are only means to undertand; but action must be taken for any change to take place.All of us will the suffer the consequences of our failure to act.

Knowledge

When I graduated with a civil engineering degree in 1976, I thought I have some knowledge.More than two decades later,when I was asked," What is knowledge?",I could not give an answer.Knowledge has many definations, but the one that means something to me is the defination by Prof Dr Syed Naguib al-Attas in his book entitled Prolegomena to The Metaphysic of Islam:

Knowledge is both the arrival of meaning in the soul as well as the soul's arrival at meaning.

Later, I realised that what I have learnt is a small portion of a body of knowledge in one discipline of engineering. I have acquired the understanding of its theory and practice over the years.Then I began to question whether I really have the knowledge of engineering in my particular discipline? Or just a datebase of information on civil engineering?

In all humility, after more than a quarter century of working in engineering and management fields,real understanding comes after some practice. It did not come in volumes like some engineering manuals, but it trickles a bit at a time.

Imaam Sufyan ibn 'Yyaynah was asked,"Who is most in need of seeking knowledge?'.He answered," Those who have the most knowledge".When he was asked,"Why?" ,he replied,"Because if they make a mistake,it is worse".

Not only lacking in undertanding the worldly knowledge, I also discovered that I have very little knowledge on Islam, my own religion.What I have acquired over the years while in schools is very little and shallow indeed. I believe all of us muslims/muslimah must put extra efforts to learn more about Islam. Just compare your knowledge on Islam to your knowledge about your job or your profession?

Now only I undertand that knowledge comes with arrival of meaning.My degree only certified that I have attended the course and passed my examination at Sheffield University in civil engineering.Period.

Note: The above photo is one of the 'Usrah' session that I attend every two weeks,insyaAllah.

Music business

I have been in business for the last 20 years but I have zero knowledge in music business. My only business encounter in music is only buying tapes and CD's.

Yestrday afternoon, I went to my favourite Apple Store at GE Mall,Ampang KL. My purpose was to learn from the guys there how to rip music from my old CD's ,change their format from MP3 to AAC format (bitrate at 192kbs) and transfer these audio files to my Adipod( the name of my iPod).

As my iBook was importing all those files, I saw a young man with special hair style.His name is Cat(spelling not sure?) .With a few friends, he was buying a G5 apple computer! That is my dream machine which I can't afford. Somehow I managed to strike a conversation with Cat and got to know why he is buying the" super computer".I was glad to know that a few young men like him are investing a big sum of money to make music.Music is a multi-million ringgit business and our young people are quite talented.I wish him and his group all the best. As a senior citizen, I suggest to him to create music that encourage good values among young people. Not just pure entertainment, but dissiminating good values via songs.Music is a good medium to reach young people.

My son is a fan of his song( Tipah tertipu).Before I left the shop, I asked to take a photo of him as a suprise gift to my son. You can see the photo at my moblog on the left hand side of this blog.At about 10pm last night, I received another suprise. The photo was picked as Textamerica.com Editor's choice for yesterday.