Today I am 36 years old.
Not getting any younger and definitely one day closer to death.
Let's see now, what have I achieved so far.
I graduated with an honours degree from a reputable institution of higher learning 12 years ago.
I got married 10 years ago and still married to the same woman.
I got two bright and lovely daughters aged 8 and 5.
I am driving my dream car (the one which I've always wanted since varsity days), in fact its brand tagline is The Power of Dreams.
I am living in my own double-storey terrace house in a nice residential area, 15 minutes away from where I work and 5 minutes away from my parent's.
I have a small apartment which I rent out, making me a lord, a landlord to be exact, for the past 8 years.
I am working in my dream company and this is where I will end my career at 55, InsyaAllah.
I am pro-establishment and I am thankful for the hands that fed me, thankful to a system which has worked well for me and a lot of Malaysians for the past 52 years although many young punks and not-so-young punks nowadays doesn't think so, despite them benefiting from it whether they realise it or not.
I am a consistent fan of Arsenal, since I was 12 years old, and proud of it.
I am a consistent hater of Manchester United, since the beginning of time, and proud of it.
I am a consistent fan of the German national football team, since I was 13 years old, and proud of it.
I am a consistent hater of the over-rated and over-hyped English national football team, since the beginning of time, and proud of it.
I have performed the Umrah twice and Insya-Allah, my next trip to the Holy Land would be for the Haj.
I love my country and will not tolerate any attempts to destroy it. I will do what I have to do, to defend it from any threats, foreign or domestic.
I am proud to be a Malaysian and will not abandon my homeland for the so-called greener pastures in the "usual suspects" nations - America, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia or New Zealand. Grass is always greener on the side but at the end of the day, a lot end up doing the dishes in some restaurant in Midtown Manhattan. And for what? Just so you can send a postcard to mom from New York?
I am very prudent in my spending. I spend on my wife and kids and whatever is left goes to savings. I don't really go anywhere, buy anything. I can count with my fingers the number of times I went to Starbucks in the past 4 years.
I regularly workout at the gym nowadays, not really to lose weight but to stay fit and healthy. I even go during Ramadhan, no sweat. So to those who like to take potshots at me, joking at my expense - "tak kurus pun" "makan tu kena control jugak" - cut me some slack okay? At least I am doing something about it. Can you do 5 laps non-stop at the KLCC Park totalling 6km in 30 minutes? I can. And I have seen men half my size panting for air and it's only their second lap.
I am up for a promotion in a few weeks time, InsyaAllah. I guess my prayers especially the ones I uttered in front of the Holy Kaabah in Mecca has been answered.
Itulah rezeki anak-anak sebenarnya. They are my life and I love them to death.
So, for a 36-year old, I think I'm doing okay. Okay sangat.
Syukur Alhamdulillah. Syukur. That's what a lot of us need to do. Bukannya asyik complaining and whining.
Selamat Meneruskan Ibadah Puasa.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Demo ISA : Orang-Orang Bodoh & Bangang Yang Menyusahkan Orang Lain
It happened yesterday, causing total chaos in the city of Kuala Lumpur. Walaupun dah diberi amaran, tetapi kerana rasa besar kepala dan kurang ajar, mereka meneruskan juga niat mereka sehingga menganggu ketenteraman awam.
Because of a bunch (or two bunches) of self-centred, ignorant, stupid and ill-informed bastards, the federal capital was paralysed from as early as 11 am yesterday until almost 8 pm due to illegal street demos by two opposing groups, namely Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA (GMI) which is calling for the abolition of the Internal Security Act (ISA); and Majlis Gabungan Badan Bukan Kerajaan Pembela Negara (Magaran) which wants ISA to be maintained.
Both groups had the same intention - to march from Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman all the way to Istana Negara (the national palace) to hand over memorandums to the King. Of course the march would pass by key and favourite landmarks such as Dataran Merdeka, Masjid Jamek, Central Market and Masjid Negara. These are typical assembly areas for these illegal street demos since the days of Reformasi back in the late 90s.
The organisers of the demo have made known their intentions for quite some time, at least two weeks in advance. The police have warned them not to do it. No permits have been issued by the police, meaning it was deemed illegal. But they think they are above the law. And because of that, close to 600 protesters were arrested. I personally think that the police should have arrested more, wipe them all out. Perhaps Prime Minister Dato' Sri Najib Tun Razak should have even deployed the army to handle this, using tanks and armoured vehicles. Crush 'em all.
The bastards knew pretty well the chances for them to reach the gates of Istana Negara were slimmer than an anorexic. Don't they know by now that our police are one of the best in the world? Our Federal Reserve Unit (FRU), the riot control division of the Royal Malaysian Police has an awesome reputation among its counterparts in other parts of the world. A friend of mine who is an Assistant Superintendent of Police attached to the FRU told me that when he attended a regional police conference in Bangkok, his counterparts from other countries only had praises for our FRU.
Dah tau FRU kita memang terror, lagi mau buat sreet demo. Memang kena tear gas and chemical-blended powerful water sprays le jawabnya.
Police were forced to close down a number of major roads in the city, causing a horrible traffic jam which is beyond describing. Businesses along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, including Sogo departmental store were forced to shut down. Street traders suffered huge amount of losses due to damages inflicted by the protesters and also by stray tear gas canisters fired by the FRU. A lot of business goods were soaked with water sprayed by the FRU's powerful hydro cannons. They cursed the protesters for their losses. Cab drivers also cursed. Bus drivers cursed. Motorists cursed. By-standers cursed. People who were late for wedding receptions cursed. People who missed funerals cursed. People who missed visiting hours at government hospitals cursed. We all cursed.
I chose not to go out in the morning and afternoon. But I had no choice in the evening because I had to head to Muzium Kesenian Islam Malaysia (opposite Masjid Negara) at around 6 pm for the rehearsal of a friend's wedding reception as I was the emcee. I was lucky because I wasn't stuck in a jam. I took the Duta-Ulu Kelang Expressway (DUKE) which rocketed my car straight to Jalan Duta (near the Indian High Comm) and connected me to the Lake Gardens road that took me to the museum in no time. I was lucky because the traffic police just removed the barrier cones to enable traffic, including me, to enter the Lake Gardens road. On the way there, I got a first hand look at the horrible traffic jam on the opposite side of the Mahameru Highway. I can bet if it was a scene from a comic book, all the dialogue balloons would say all sorts of profanities.
Mereka yang membabitkan diri di dalam demo haram semalam memang tidak memikirkan perihal orang lain. It's always about you and what you think you are entitled to. No one else matters. Those whom are not with you are deemed as cowards. Deemed as not cool.
Hello, it is not cool when you cause the city an estimated RM200 million of losses. It is not cool when your 10-year old daughter accidently gets hit in the forehead by a stray rock. It is not cool when your wife and teenage son is also dragged into the police lock-up because they happened to be with you while you are protesting.
It is not cool when an innocent asthmatic child of a by-stander or shopper suffers an attack after inhaling tear gas fired by the FRU. What do you expect, that the FRU will aim carefully before firing during a riot?
Pernah terfikir tak semua consequences ni? Of course le tak kan? Yang penting, hati puas sebab dah protes. Orang lain boleh pergi mampus. Elok sangat le perangai macam tu.
The foreign media loves reporting incidents such as these. Visuals of riot police firing tear gas and hydro cannons depicts a nation in distress lah konon-kononnya. And that's what the protesters want pun. They want drama. Bila kena tangkap, kena pukul dengan belantan FRU, hah tuduh le police brutality lah, draconian law lah, democracy is dead lah.
What about those who suffered losses on Saturday because of these protestors? Where is justice for them? And don't even think of pinning this on the police. Kuala Lumpur's finest were just doing their job to ensure public order.
It is the protesters' fault. Hook, line and sinker...
Because of a bunch (or two bunches) of self-centred, ignorant, stupid and ill-informed bastards, the federal capital was paralysed from as early as 11 am yesterday until almost 8 pm due to illegal street demos by two opposing groups, namely Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA (GMI) which is calling for the abolition of the Internal Security Act (ISA); and Majlis Gabungan Badan Bukan Kerajaan Pembela Negara (Magaran) which wants ISA to be maintained.
Both groups had the same intention - to march from Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman all the way to Istana Negara (the national palace) to hand over memorandums to the King. Of course the march would pass by key and favourite landmarks such as Dataran Merdeka, Masjid Jamek, Central Market and Masjid Negara. These are typical assembly areas for these illegal street demos since the days of Reformasi back in the late 90s.
The organisers of the demo have made known their intentions for quite some time, at least two weeks in advance. The police have warned them not to do it. No permits have been issued by the police, meaning it was deemed illegal. But they think they are above the law. And because of that, close to 600 protesters were arrested. I personally think that the police should have arrested more, wipe them all out. Perhaps Prime Minister Dato' Sri Najib Tun Razak should have even deployed the army to handle this, using tanks and armoured vehicles. Crush 'em all.
The bastards knew pretty well the chances for them to reach the gates of Istana Negara were slimmer than an anorexic. Don't they know by now that our police are one of the best in the world? Our Federal Reserve Unit (FRU), the riot control division of the Royal Malaysian Police has an awesome reputation among its counterparts in other parts of the world. A friend of mine who is an Assistant Superintendent of Police attached to the FRU told me that when he attended a regional police conference in Bangkok, his counterparts from other countries only had praises for our FRU.
Dah tau FRU kita memang terror, lagi mau buat sreet demo. Memang kena tear gas and chemical-blended powerful water sprays le jawabnya.
Police were forced to close down a number of major roads in the city, causing a horrible traffic jam which is beyond describing. Businesses along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, including Sogo departmental store were forced to shut down. Street traders suffered huge amount of losses due to damages inflicted by the protesters and also by stray tear gas canisters fired by the FRU. A lot of business goods were soaked with water sprayed by the FRU's powerful hydro cannons. They cursed the protesters for their losses. Cab drivers also cursed. Bus drivers cursed. Motorists cursed. By-standers cursed. People who were late for wedding receptions cursed. People who missed funerals cursed. People who missed visiting hours at government hospitals cursed. We all cursed.
I chose not to go out in the morning and afternoon. But I had no choice in the evening because I had to head to Muzium Kesenian Islam Malaysia (opposite Masjid Negara) at around 6 pm for the rehearsal of a friend's wedding reception as I was the emcee. I was lucky because I wasn't stuck in a jam. I took the Duta-Ulu Kelang Expressway (DUKE) which rocketed my car straight to Jalan Duta (near the Indian High Comm) and connected me to the Lake Gardens road that took me to the museum in no time. I was lucky because the traffic police just removed the barrier cones to enable traffic, including me, to enter the Lake Gardens road. On the way there, I got a first hand look at the horrible traffic jam on the opposite side of the Mahameru Highway. I can bet if it was a scene from a comic book, all the dialogue balloons would say all sorts of profanities.
Mereka yang membabitkan diri di dalam demo haram semalam memang tidak memikirkan perihal orang lain. It's always about you and what you think you are entitled to. No one else matters. Those whom are not with you are deemed as cowards. Deemed as not cool.
Hello, it is not cool when you cause the city an estimated RM200 million of losses. It is not cool when your 10-year old daughter accidently gets hit in the forehead by a stray rock. It is not cool when your wife and teenage son is also dragged into the police lock-up because they happened to be with you while you are protesting.
It is not cool when an innocent asthmatic child of a by-stander or shopper suffers an attack after inhaling tear gas fired by the FRU. What do you expect, that the FRU will aim carefully before firing during a riot?
Pernah terfikir tak semua consequences ni? Of course le tak kan? Yang penting, hati puas sebab dah protes. Orang lain boleh pergi mampus. Elok sangat le perangai macam tu.
The foreign media loves reporting incidents such as these. Visuals of riot police firing tear gas and hydro cannons depicts a nation in distress lah konon-kononnya. And that's what the protesters want pun. They want drama. Bila kena tangkap, kena pukul dengan belantan FRU, hah tuduh le police brutality lah, draconian law lah, democracy is dead lah.
What about those who suffered losses on Saturday because of these protestors? Where is justice for them? And don't even think of pinning this on the police. Kuala Lumpur's finest were just doing their job to ensure public order.
It is the protesters' fault. Hook, line and sinker...
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
The Dreaded CP38 Clause By LHDN
My joy of annual salary increment has been shortlived.
I kinda' expected it already.
Last night when I reached home and upon checking the mailbox, I already saw a white and sleek envelope with the official franking "Urusan Seri Paduka Baginda" ("On His Majesty's Service").
I knew it even before I opened it. This was surely the dreaded love letter from Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri (Inland Revenue Board - IRB).
It was the compulsory CP38 deduction schedule required of me to settle the balance of my income tax for the last assessment year, amounting to RM1,684.44. The deduction imposed by IRB from my monthly salary will begin in September this year and ends in March next year. IRB will deduct RM240.00 every month and RM244.44 as the final instalment in March 2010.
It's my fault actually and I bet that I'm not the only one. Once you file your tax returns in late April, you are required to quickly pay the "Cukai Kena Dibayar" or "Tax Payable" to IRB. If you can't afford to make full payment, then you are required to liaise with IRB to work out a reasonable payment plan. For those who fail to do either one of the two mentioned, then IRB will do the job for you, via clause CP38 which is forced deduction, on top of your existing Potongan Cukai Berjadual (PCB) or Scheduled Tax Deduction. Serve me right actually. Had I worked out a payment plan with IRB earlier, I could have reduced the CP38 deduction, though it would take me longer to pay it off.
My income tax is definitely more than RM1,684.44 actually. Thank God for PCB. If not for PCB, I think I'd still be paying the Government from my grave. That is the beauty of PCB - the Government forces you to deduct a reasonable amount from your monthly salary (based on a certain formula) which goes to your IRB account. When it's time to file your taxes, you already have a significant amount to cover your taxes. If you're lucky, you will even get a rebate from the Government in an event that your deductions are in excess of the required tax payable (cukai terlebih bayar).
But that is not the case for me. I haven't enjoyed a rebate for quite some years now. It is now always "cukai tak cukup bayar" which means even my PCB cannot cover the taxes. Hence for the last assessment year, I still owed the Government RM1,684.44 and it will take me 7 months to clear this one. So be it. At least I pay taxes unlike some big time tax evaders. I have an option actually which is to instruct my employer to increase the PCB deduction. But do I really want to do that? Even the current PCB deduction is killing me.
Thank God that I'm married and have kids which enables me to enjoy huge tax exemptions or discounts. Imagine those who earn the same amount of salary like me but are single. They pay higher taxes. So hey, I can't really complain.
Anyway, I guess prudent spending is the way to go these days. If it's unnecessary, don't spend. Refrain from splurging. Strecth your finances.
This is reality. And it bites...
I kinda' expected it already.
Last night when I reached home and upon checking the mailbox, I already saw a white and sleek envelope with the official franking "Urusan Seri Paduka Baginda" ("On His Majesty's Service").
I knew it even before I opened it. This was surely the dreaded love letter from Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri (Inland Revenue Board - IRB).
It was the compulsory CP38 deduction schedule required of me to settle the balance of my income tax for the last assessment year, amounting to RM1,684.44. The deduction imposed by IRB from my monthly salary will begin in September this year and ends in March next year. IRB will deduct RM240.00 every month and RM244.44 as the final instalment in March 2010.
It's my fault actually and I bet that I'm not the only one. Once you file your tax returns in late April, you are required to quickly pay the "Cukai Kena Dibayar" or "Tax Payable" to IRB. If you can't afford to make full payment, then you are required to liaise with IRB to work out a reasonable payment plan. For those who fail to do either one of the two mentioned, then IRB will do the job for you, via clause CP38 which is forced deduction, on top of your existing Potongan Cukai Berjadual (PCB) or Scheduled Tax Deduction. Serve me right actually. Had I worked out a payment plan with IRB earlier, I could have reduced the CP38 deduction, though it would take me longer to pay it off.
My income tax is definitely more than RM1,684.44 actually. Thank God for PCB. If not for PCB, I think I'd still be paying the Government from my grave. That is the beauty of PCB - the Government forces you to deduct a reasonable amount from your monthly salary (based on a certain formula) which goes to your IRB account. When it's time to file your taxes, you already have a significant amount to cover your taxes. If you're lucky, you will even get a rebate from the Government in an event that your deductions are in excess of the required tax payable (cukai terlebih bayar).
But that is not the case for me. I haven't enjoyed a rebate for quite some years now. It is now always "cukai tak cukup bayar" which means even my PCB cannot cover the taxes. Hence for the last assessment year, I still owed the Government RM1,684.44 and it will take me 7 months to clear this one. So be it. At least I pay taxes unlike some big time tax evaders. I have an option actually which is to instruct my employer to increase the PCB deduction. But do I really want to do that? Even the current PCB deduction is killing me.
Thank God that I'm married and have kids which enables me to enjoy huge tax exemptions or discounts. Imagine those who earn the same amount of salary like me but are single. They pay higher taxes. So hey, I can't really complain.
Anyway, I guess prudent spending is the way to go these days. If it's unnecessary, don't spend. Refrain from splurging. Strecth your finances.
This is reality. And it bites...
Friday, July 24, 2009
Another Year, Another Familiar Friend, Or Figure To Be Exact
Syukur Alhamdulillah.
The results of the annual individual performance appraisal are out and I survived yet another gruelling financial year.
My results, or rating to be exact, is nothing much to shout about, but at least for the record, I have met all my requirements as stipulated in my KPIs.
And for that, I thank my bosses (you know who you are) for giving me a rating which has enabled me to enjoy a "more than I can bargain for" annual salary increment and the possibility of other incentives.
Terima kasih Encik A dan Cik J kerana masih percaya dengan saya, akan kemampuan saya untuk melaksanakan tugas-tugas yang diamanahkan, walaupun saya tahu benchmark yang ditetapkan oleh Encik A dan Cik J sangat tinggi.
Thank you for pushing me to the max, to encourage me, sometimes force me to go beyond the limits in order to produce a quality of work that would raise our unit's image among the rest of the division.
I am proud to be a part of your team. It is the best team in this division, although others would beg to differ. We have been known as a unit which walk the talk - always delivering what we pledge. "Hangat-hangat tahi ayam" hardly exists in our vocabulary. When others have seen whatever initiatives they introduced fall apart or simply evaporated into thin air due to lack of willpower to sustain, we have proven many times over that whatever we do is consistent and this observation was made by planners from other units and departments within our division. So there, we are doing something right.
It's okay that I did not get a higher rating (although God knows I can use the monumental increment which comes with it). I am just thankful I am not among those who get the dreaded mediocre rating which will result in them not getting any increment at all and worse, to be subjected to a 6-months review period for them rectify whatever weaknesses they have in their course of work. That I could not handle.
To my wife and daughters, whatever I do, I do it for you all. Not for me.
Daddy hardly buys himself anything. Daddy thinks 10 times before buying a book for himself at Kinokuniya. But Daddy would not even blink to think if kakak or adik wants books from Kinokuniya because Daddy knows both of you loves to read, colour and do activities. It's for your own good and Daddy doesn't mind spending if it means Daddy's girls would shine at whatever they do, especially at school.
Z, please save, save and save for our girls. I am increasing the monthly amount that I give to you so that we can save more for kakak's and adik's education.
You have every reason to save more than me because I pay everything for us. Your salary is completely yours so I hope a significant amount goes to the girl's funds.
You know me Z. I don't buy anything, don't really go anywhere. I'm either at home or at work. Or at the gym - also for you and the girls. Too many friends of my same age are either sick or dead because they did not bother to take care of their health. I need my health so that I can take care of you three.
Kalau ada rezeki, mungkin abang akan dapat rating yang lebih baik tahun depan. Untuk kemungkinan itu berlaku, abang kena kerja lebih kuat. I need you and the girls behind me to do this.
I'll see you at home later. Tell the girls to wait up for me. I won't be that late today....
The results of the annual individual performance appraisal are out and I survived yet another gruelling financial year.
My results, or rating to be exact, is nothing much to shout about, but at least for the record, I have met all my requirements as stipulated in my KPIs.
And for that, I thank my bosses (you know who you are) for giving me a rating which has enabled me to enjoy a "more than I can bargain for" annual salary increment and the possibility of other incentives.
Terima kasih Encik A dan Cik J kerana masih percaya dengan saya, akan kemampuan saya untuk melaksanakan tugas-tugas yang diamanahkan, walaupun saya tahu benchmark yang ditetapkan oleh Encik A dan Cik J sangat tinggi.
Thank you for pushing me to the max, to encourage me, sometimes force me to go beyond the limits in order to produce a quality of work that would raise our unit's image among the rest of the division.
I am proud to be a part of your team. It is the best team in this division, although others would beg to differ. We have been known as a unit which walk the talk - always delivering what we pledge. "Hangat-hangat tahi ayam" hardly exists in our vocabulary. When others have seen whatever initiatives they introduced fall apart or simply evaporated into thin air due to lack of willpower to sustain, we have proven many times over that whatever we do is consistent and this observation was made by planners from other units and departments within our division. So there, we are doing something right.
It's okay that I did not get a higher rating (although God knows I can use the monumental increment which comes with it). I am just thankful I am not among those who get the dreaded mediocre rating which will result in them not getting any increment at all and worse, to be subjected to a 6-months review period for them rectify whatever weaknesses they have in their course of work. That I could not handle.
To my wife and daughters, whatever I do, I do it for you all. Not for me.
Daddy hardly buys himself anything. Daddy thinks 10 times before buying a book for himself at Kinokuniya. But Daddy would not even blink to think if kakak or adik wants books from Kinokuniya because Daddy knows both of you loves to read, colour and do activities. It's for your own good and Daddy doesn't mind spending if it means Daddy's girls would shine at whatever they do, especially at school.
Z, please save, save and save for our girls. I am increasing the monthly amount that I give to you so that we can save more for kakak's and adik's education.
You have every reason to save more than me because I pay everything for us. Your salary is completely yours so I hope a significant amount goes to the girl's funds.
You know me Z. I don't buy anything, don't really go anywhere. I'm either at home or at work. Or at the gym - also for you and the girls. Too many friends of my same age are either sick or dead because they did not bother to take care of their health. I need my health so that I can take care of you three.
Kalau ada rezeki, mungkin abang akan dapat rating yang lebih baik tahun depan. Untuk kemungkinan itu berlaku, abang kena kerja lebih kuat. I need you and the girls behind me to do this.
I'll see you at home later. Tell the girls to wait up for me. I won't be that late today....
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Conduct Unbecoming
Today I want to discuss about conduct unbecoming.
It is a phrase used to refer to behaviour considered dishonourable. Its origins are military, though it is also widely used in other fields to describe ungallant behaviour.
I'm pretty sure my employers also do not tolerate conduct unbecoming. Which is a good thing. Once you decide to join an establishment - be it government, military, corporate or academic, you must be prepared to condition yourself to adapt to the ways of the entity which you are now part of.
Which is why I do not condone to what a friend of mine will do soon. Either today, tomorrow or God knows when. One thing's for sure, my friend is bent on doing this despite me begging for this person not to do so, because the consequences will be to this person's disadvantage.
I can understand the grounds which has led my friend wanting to commit this act. The predicament faced by this person is the worst nightmare which any employee can possibly imagine.
But that is life. Life is not fair. You win some, you lose some. I'm okay with losing, because I have always been on the losing side for most parts of my life.
But my friend is not that used to losing. The analogy is like this. Imagine Sir Alex Ferguson whom is so used to winning silverware every English Premier League season with his beloved Manchester United, only to see his fancy team crash and relegated to Division One League another season.
Something like that.
I would not elaborate on what my friend is planning to do in retaliation to what has happened to him/her.
But I do know this. What my friend is planning to do qualifies as conduct unbecoming. And perhaps it was conduct unbecoming in the first place that caused this person to be accorded such treatment.
To my friend, I have done everything to stop you from doing this. It's out of my hands now.
You must do this alone...
It is a phrase used to refer to behaviour considered dishonourable. Its origins are military, though it is also widely used in other fields to describe ungallant behaviour.
I'm pretty sure my employers also do not tolerate conduct unbecoming. Which is a good thing. Once you decide to join an establishment - be it government, military, corporate or academic, you must be prepared to condition yourself to adapt to the ways of the entity which you are now part of.
Which is why I do not condone to what a friend of mine will do soon. Either today, tomorrow or God knows when. One thing's for sure, my friend is bent on doing this despite me begging for this person not to do so, because the consequences will be to this person's disadvantage.
I can understand the grounds which has led my friend wanting to commit this act. The predicament faced by this person is the worst nightmare which any employee can possibly imagine.
But that is life. Life is not fair. You win some, you lose some. I'm okay with losing, because I have always been on the losing side for most parts of my life.
But my friend is not that used to losing. The analogy is like this. Imagine Sir Alex Ferguson whom is so used to winning silverware every English Premier League season with his beloved Manchester United, only to see his fancy team crash and relegated to Division One League another season.
Something like that.
I would not elaborate on what my friend is planning to do in retaliation to what has happened to him/her.
But I do know this. What my friend is planning to do qualifies as conduct unbecoming. And perhaps it was conduct unbecoming in the first place that caused this person to be accorded such treatment.
To my friend, I have done everything to stop you from doing this. It's out of my hands now.
You must do this alone...
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Susah Ke Nak Menulis Dalam Bahasa Kebangsaan??
Kepada orang-orang Melayu tertentu di tempat saya bekerja.
Cuba-cuba lah belajar menulis surat atau dokumen rasmi yang ingin dihantar kepada pihak kerajaan dalam Bahasa Melayu.
Janganlah asyik menulis deraf dalam bahasa Inggeris, kemudian minta pertolongan kakitangan yang mahir dalam Bahasa Melayu untuk membuat terjemahan.
Bukannya kami tak sudi tolong sebab memang itu sebahagian dari tugas kami pun.
Tapi kalau selalu-selalu sangat naik menyampah juga. Kalau nama awak Brad Pitt atau Trisha Yearwood tak pe. Ini tidak. Nama Ali Bin Mamat atau Khamsiah Binti Selamat. Orang Melayu! Orang Melayu yang tak reti menulis dalam Bahasa Melayu patut dihadiahkan penampar je.
Jangan ingat sebab kita bekerja di syarikat bertaraf multinasional, kita tidak perlu menguasai Bahasa Melayu. Ia adalah bahasa ibunda kita, bahasa kebangsaan.
Ada kakitangan kita yang bernama Ah Chong atau Muthusamy pulak yang mahir menulis dalam Bahasa Melayu!
Tak malu ke?
Cuba-cuba lah belajar menulis surat atau dokumen rasmi yang ingin dihantar kepada pihak kerajaan dalam Bahasa Melayu.
Janganlah asyik menulis deraf dalam bahasa Inggeris, kemudian minta pertolongan kakitangan yang mahir dalam Bahasa Melayu untuk membuat terjemahan.
Bukannya kami tak sudi tolong sebab memang itu sebahagian dari tugas kami pun.
Tapi kalau selalu-selalu sangat naik menyampah juga. Kalau nama awak Brad Pitt atau Trisha Yearwood tak pe. Ini tidak. Nama Ali Bin Mamat atau Khamsiah Binti Selamat. Orang Melayu! Orang Melayu yang tak reti menulis dalam Bahasa Melayu patut dihadiahkan penampar je.
Jangan ingat sebab kita bekerja di syarikat bertaraf multinasional, kita tidak perlu menguasai Bahasa Melayu. Ia adalah bahasa ibunda kita, bahasa kebangsaan.
Ada kakitangan kita yang bernama Ah Chong atau Muthusamy pulak yang mahir menulis dalam Bahasa Melayu!
Tak malu ke?
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Working Out
There are many school of thoughts on working out at the gym.
Most people do it to stay fit and healthy. And of course, there's also a large number who do it to lose weight.
I think I fall somewhere in between. I go to the gym so that I can stay fit and healthy and at the same time, attempt to lose a significant amount of weight.
I'm not that fat actually but I guess my figure could be categorised as large - XXL. Big and tough, that's how I prefer to see it. Although my family and friends beg to differ.
I joined the gym - Twin Towers Fitness Centre to be exact, in December last year. Meaning its been almost 8 months now.
So, the million dollar question is - have I actually lost weight?
Not really.
But that's not the point. The point is, I feel good. I may have yet to lose the desired amount of weight, but I did gain a considerable amount of muscle. Biceps, triceps, latissimus dorsi, deltoids and trapezius (on the shoulders). Which is really cool when I stand in front of the mirror after the refreshing shower in the locker room.
The only thing which is preventing me to look like Rambo is of course my tummy. I really need to work on my abs in order to get that much desired six-pack. Yeah, yeah, dream on dream away, with all the carbo I'm consuming on a daily basis.
Anyway, toning my body is only one part of my workout regime. The other one is cardio. I usually start with cardio first - either on the treadmill, elliptical trainer, bicycle or lateral thigh trainer (commonly known as the stepper). I normally spend 45 minutes to an hour just on cardio workouts. And then only I move on to the weights for toning.
I think I have progressed well in the cardio department. I can run further now and faster too. I can easily clock 5 km in 30 minutes with a speed of 9.0 and burn close to 500 calories on the treadmill. Even better on the elliptical, where I can burn 700 to 800 calories, moving at Level 13. Not bad for a big guy eh?
I usually feel rewarded when I jog at the KLCC Park, alone or with friends. The KLCC Park has a dedicated synthetic jogging track, 1200 metres for one lap. Nowadays, I can run 5 laps (6km) non-stop and leave others who are half my size panting for air. How about that? Not to brag but just to share with you how rewarding it is to actually make an effort to be fit.
So which do you prefer - being slim but not fit or being big but fit?
Go figure.
Most people do it to stay fit and healthy. And of course, there's also a large number who do it to lose weight.
I think I fall somewhere in between. I go to the gym so that I can stay fit and healthy and at the same time, attempt to lose a significant amount of weight.
I'm not that fat actually but I guess my figure could be categorised as large - XXL. Big and tough, that's how I prefer to see it. Although my family and friends beg to differ.
I joined the gym - Twin Towers Fitness Centre to be exact, in December last year. Meaning its been almost 8 months now.
So, the million dollar question is - have I actually lost weight?
Not really.
But that's not the point. The point is, I feel good. I may have yet to lose the desired amount of weight, but I did gain a considerable amount of muscle. Biceps, triceps, latissimus dorsi, deltoids and trapezius (on the shoulders). Which is really cool when I stand in front of the mirror after the refreshing shower in the locker room.
The only thing which is preventing me to look like Rambo is of course my tummy. I really need to work on my abs in order to get that much desired six-pack. Yeah, yeah, dream on dream away, with all the carbo I'm consuming on a daily basis.
Anyway, toning my body is only one part of my workout regime. The other one is cardio. I usually start with cardio first - either on the treadmill, elliptical trainer, bicycle or lateral thigh trainer (commonly known as the stepper). I normally spend 45 minutes to an hour just on cardio workouts. And then only I move on to the weights for toning.
I think I have progressed well in the cardio department. I can run further now and faster too. I can easily clock 5 km in 30 minutes with a speed of 9.0 and burn close to 500 calories on the treadmill. Even better on the elliptical, where I can burn 700 to 800 calories, moving at Level 13. Not bad for a big guy eh?
I usually feel rewarded when I jog at the KLCC Park, alone or with friends. The KLCC Park has a dedicated synthetic jogging track, 1200 metres for one lap. Nowadays, I can run 5 laps (6km) non-stop and leave others who are half my size panting for air. How about that? Not to brag but just to share with you how rewarding it is to actually make an effort to be fit.
So which do you prefer - being slim but not fit or being big but fit?
Go figure.
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