Monday, December 19, 2011

Mahasiswa - Pendokong Politik Baru

1.Insiden menurunkan bendera oleh segolongan mahasiswa (saya percaya mereka tidak mewakili keseluruhan mahasiswa) semalam amat menyedihkan.

2. Bagi penulis, ini merupakan tindakan kurang bijak.. Dalam politik, tindakan mereka seakan-akan memberi bola tanggung kepada golongan2 yang menentang pembaharuan. Jangan salahkan rakyat terbanyak sekiranya rakyat melabel mahasiswa sebagai tidak matang! 

3. Ingin penulis tegaskan, penulis sentiasa menyokong segala usaha dalam "memperkasakan golongan muda!" or empowering the young. Justeru, desakan untuk memansuhkan/meminda beberapa klausa dalam AUKU sepatutnya disokong.

4. Tetapi, penulis sedih dengan tindakan yang kurang matang sekumpulan kecil mahasiswa ini. Sepatutnya, merekalah yang menjuarai politik baru, yang berteraskan ilmu and hujah! dan bukannya, terikut-ikut dengan politik emosi! Kalau kita mahu bermain politik emosi, kita tidak perlu golongan "cendiakawan" ini. Kita sudah banyak politikus-politikus yang hanya hebat berhujah menggunakan emosi, dan bukannya ilmu!

5. Penulis tidak mahu berhujah panjang. Penulis lampirkan gambar2 dibawah sebagai renungan bersama;


Guan Eng main "ting-ting"

Pemuda BN bakar gambar CM of Penang

p/s: apa bezanya tindakan mahasiswa semalam dengan tindakan kebudakan-budakan individu-individu diatas?

Friday, December 16, 2011

life is a struggle

whether you like it or not,
life is nothing but a struggle,
a struggle for the better,
a struggle for one's survival,
a struggle so the truth prevails over the false.

whether you realize it or not,
it's a struggle that keeps us alive,
it's a struggle that motivates us to "give" more,
it's a struggle that makes us celebrating every little things in our lives.

struggle is like any other journey,
only that,
it drains our energy,
it requires our commitment,
and, 
it tests our patience

it's a struggle,
that defines who we are,
in the eyes of the people,
and most importantly,
in the eyes of God, the Almighty! 

so folks,
do champion any cause,
that you think it's good for the people,
do choose any ways you prefer,
as long as,
it doesn't cross the boundaries,
as long as,
it makes you closer to God, the Merciful!

"salam perjuangan!"



Sunday, December 11, 2011

do spare us (them) sometimes! ;)

salam folks, and may Allah's blessing is upon you! ;)

1. i knew i've been critical on "golongan berpakaian agama" recently; but, folks, let me clarify my stand here so that there'd be no confusion later on: i've no problems with these golongan agama! in fact, i've no rights to stop them from practicing what they believe - yet, my concern is they (with their traditions) could taint the image of Islam, and thus making Islam harder to be practiced for laymen like me! it's not that i'm trying to make Islam easier than what it actually is, but let's get back to the actual teaching of Islams! do i have any proofs to claim that Islam, by rights, is easy?

2. for today's discussion, i won't come up with proofs from the Koran & Sunnah to back-up my arguments. but, let us put our logical hat up! if Islam was too complicated to be understood, don't you think people like Bilal bin Rabah, and other servants could easily believe in Islam? they don't have any degree in Islamic studies, or whatsoever, but how could they understand Islam easily? if it's very hard to explain faith (i.e. very fundamental in Islam), don't you think Bilal bin Rabah could be among the early followers of Islam? 

3. okay enough for that discussion! i'd like to bring another important aspect in Islam, which most of us rarely discuss, that is repentance..based on my experience, many Muslim speakers didn't stress much on Allah's mercy - instead, they'd focus more on the punishment side (e.g. what punishments awaiting you if you disobeyed this and that, etc)

4. so, Islam may be understood as a very rigid religion that has no (or less) mercy on its followers. is that true? absolutely, and totally NO!

5. a great Muslim scholar, Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, in his book, "The Invocation of God," describes the followings (i quote);

"The gnostic then journeys towards God on these two wings (i.e awareness of his own faults, and recognition of his Lord's grace).He cannot journey without them, and if he denied one, he would be like a bird that lost a wing"

6. how could a bird fly without a wing, right? definitely, it can't! 

7. according to Ibn Qayyim again, the concept of repentance is what one of the early believers (i.e. salaf) meant when he said, "A person may commit a sin by which he goes to heaven, and a good deed by which he goes to hell. 'How?' someone asked. He replied, 'Having committed the sin, he is ever watchful in fear, regretful, timorous, lamenting, shamed before his Lord, his head in his hands and his hearts rent."

8. but folks, don't get me wrong - it's not i'm encouraging you to make sins ;( 

9. it's that, whether we like it or not, we're humane by nature, which are subject to wrongdoings! 

10. but, let's not forget the Lord's Grace - and don't forget to seek refuge from Allah from Shaitans (i.e. refer Surah Al-Mukminun, verse 97-98)

11. and if u see someone is doing sins, don't insult him/her - in fact, remind him decently, and show him the Lord's grace! and of course, don't be judgmental! ;)



this is for you, babe! ;)


i hope u're gonna have a very broad smile when u see this vid! i heart u! ;)

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Islam Tulen!

1. Sejak kecil, saya sering diingatkan bahawa saya begitu bertuah dilahirkan menjadi seorang Muslim. (indeed, this is the best ni'mat from Allah to me)

2. Seingat saya (menerusi pembacaan, and perbincangan bersama rakan-rakan) masyarakat Islam pernah membina sebuah tamadun yang hebat dan disegani - Malah, Islam lah yang berjaya menaikkan martabat bangsa Arab pada zaman kegemilangan Islam.

3. Tetapi haruslah diingatkan, zaman kegemilangan Islam itu kini hanyalah tersimpan rapi dalam lipatan sejarah - Jika dilihat pada situasi semasa, kebanyakkan bangsa yang menjadikan Islam sebagai agama rasmi mereka jauh ketinggalan dalam banyak perkara - negara-negara Arab, contohnya, masih merelakan hasil petroleum mereka dicuri mentah-mentah orang orang Barat; orang Melayu contohnya masih mengungguli carta "masalah sosial" di negara kita.

4. Berdasarkan realiti semasa, tidak hairanlah jika ramai yang bersikap begitu skeptical mengenai Islam - mana mungkin, secara logiknya, agama yang begitu Agung ini menjadikan umatnya terbelakang dalam banyak perkara

5. Islam yang cuba digambarkan dalam masyarakat kita umpamanya lebih berbentuk restricted - golongan yang berpakaian agama ini lebih cenderung untuk mengharamkan sesuatu berbanding berbincang mencari jalan keluar dalam permasalahan umat manusia

6. Tidak hairanlah jika pembelajaran ilmu Islam dalam masyarakat kita (dari dulu hingga kini) hanyalah bersifat hafalan fakta-fakta - soalan-soalan kritikal yang begitu penting dalam memahami sesuatu ilmu lansung tidak digalakkan

7. Persoalan pokok seperti, "mengapa kita harus bersembahyang?" begitu jarang sekali kedengaran. Akibatnya, ramailah yang hanya melalukan sembahyang dalam bentuk fizikal, walhal tujuan asal (roh) sembahyang itu tidak difahami dengan jelas

8. Paling menyedihkan, stereotaip golongan agama adalah mereka yang sentiasa berkupiah, jalan mereka sentiasa tunduk ke bawah, bila bercakap lansung tiada kedengaran suara, tidak update mengenai isu-isu semasa, and etc.

9. Dalam erti kata yang lain, golongan agama ini bolehlah dikategorikan sebagai golongan termundur dalam hierarki kemasyarakatan - walhal, sepatutnya, golongan yang diberi kefahaman agama itulah golongan yang bertuah dan sepatutnya menjadi tunjang dalam memajukan masyarakat sepertimana firman Allah;

"Barangsiapa yang Allah berkehendak padanya kebaikan, nescaya diberikan kepadanya kefahaman dalam agama"                                                                                                  (surah Al-Fath, ayat 8)

10. Maka jika difahami ayat diatas, sudah tentu kedudukan golongan agama ini tinggi disisi masyarakat - realiti sekarang berlaku sebaliknya.

11. Oleh itu, jika kita mahu kembali membina Tamadun Islam yang hebat, kita perlulah kembali kepada ajaran Islam yang sebenar. Islam itu adalah agama yang Agung - jauh sekali menjadikan masyarakat mundur ke belakang.

12. Belajarlah ilmu Islam dari Al-Quran dan Sunnah - ingatlah "ustaz" bukanlah Rasul yang maksum dari melakukan maksiat! 

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

some updates

salam folks,

1. it has been awhile since my last post - nonetheless, lately, there have been many things happening in my life

2. firstly, my 2nd eldest sis is now married, while my eldest sis is about to deliver her first baby (thus, my first nephew) within this week; i pray to Allah so that she and her-yet-to-be-born baby are in good conditions! ;)

3. my beloved aunt had just returned from Mecca, and i've noticed she's changed a lot since (for the better, for sure)..i pray to Allah so that her Hajj will be accepted

4. last week, UMNO just had her last general assembly before the 13th election; i'm pretty sure this assembly was held specifically to prepare the party members for the election; i hope UMNO, under Najib's administration, would reject all dirty politics in her campaign - to all young party members, you should remind your senior party members that we can no longer stick to old strategies to win people's vote - the political landscape has changed dramatically since 2008

5. Alhamdulillah, yesterday i managed to attend a kuliah at the nearby mosque - the message conveyed by the speaker was simple, but very clear..it reminded me again about our purpose of life; 

6. i've been talked to one of my senior colleagues - again, this conversation have reminded me that i'm not a kid anymore; hence, i should become more responsible not only to myself but people around me..i should, then, utilize my life to the fullest so that i won't be regret when i'm dead! ;)

7. yeah, that's it for now..i wish you guys all the best; remember, whatever path you may have chosen, it's the best for you; whatever problems you may encounter in your life journey, they are actually opportunities for you to grow! folks, go check Surah At-Talaq, verse #3 - it's very meaningful! ;)

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Uncertainty vs Opportunity

1. 20-30 years ago, if you had your college degree, you don't have to worry about your future - every good things is guaranteed  for you from job, girls, and etc.

2. now, the landscape has changed - college degree is nothing but merely a ticket to get you into job interviews. with thousands of fresh grads every year, in addition to the extension of retirement age for government servants, it seems impossible for public and private sectors to cater to these huge human supplies.

4. plus, with the uncertainties in global economy, we can't afford not to be worried about our job security - e.g. Lehman Brother, used to be the 4th largest financial institution in USA, collapsed in 2008, RIM announced in July this year to cut-off 2% of its workforce (about 2000 employees), and etc..

5. if you asked me what our future would be, my answer would be as simple as this; "BLEAK!" 

6. i'm not being pessimistic (in fact, i hate to be one),but i can't, all the time, be in a state of denial - keep telling myself that everything would be fine, or the government would take care of my future, and etc..

7. in fact, i've always been told to get my umbrella ready before it's raining - yet, i don't really know what kinda umbrella that i need to get through this coming stormy rain. in fact, i have to make sure that the umbrella that i'm gonna pick would be the sturdiest, and thus would be able to protect me till i die.

8. but, thinking from another perspective, life is nothing but a test! ain't it? your ultimate goal is to get into Jannah (with God's blessing). so, seeing this uncertain future as is a test, there must be a way to get ourselves out from it..don't ask me what is the way, since i, myself, am still searching for it!

9. but, i can simply tell you how to find that way - it's as easy as you decide which foods taste the best for you; you can't decide based on others' recommendation, right?? instead, you have to try it by yourself. it's the same as searching that way  (yet, this one is more tiring and daunting) - you got to allow yourself to be on the wrong track so that you can find the right one..as the late Steve Jobs once said, "keep looking, don't settle!"

10. i still remember how a friend of mine, used to work in Wall St., was very optimistic about the future of real estate business in the State, while majority of other business players were being skeptical.. he used all his assets (knowledge, networking, experience) to convince some angel investors to dumb their money to buy all these properties..as far as i was concerned, at the time he told me, he managed to get half million dollars..

11. i bet once the housing price is picking up again, he can easily retire, and settle down at his own private island, while waiting for easy money to flow into his pockets every month..and. i'm not talking about thousands of dollars of income per month, but more and more than that! and, i'm positive that the time would be coming soon! 

12. i believe the only reason that allow him to be a millionaire (i hope so) is for being positive, while understanding the problems he's facing of! 

13. so, taking from my closed friend advice as we talked about this few weeks ago, we should take advantage of another, yet to come, disaster - from European failed economy! so, at the time being, let's prepare our bullets, so that when the time came, we would prevail! 

14. and last but not least, always BELIEVE in GOD! He asked us to worship HIM for a reason! bear that in mind ;)

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

biggest mistake

i've realized that my biggest mistake so far is for being impatient - i don't like waiting, and thus, i can't wait to see results of all my efforts. my impatience, tho has led me to some successful events all this while, is the only reason that keep pushing me back! in fact, all the successes that i've enjoyed so far were merely at average level - nothing was really outstanding..

now, i'm so determined to change my attitude towards life..indeed, i should start treating life like a marathon race, not a sprint! better planning would eventually end up with tremendous success! i'm now looking for a very BIG success, and won't be settled for the average one! ;)

Sunday, October 16, 2011

No Simple Solution

many think that by changing the present government, all their problems would be easily solved! don't we learn anything from US? are they doing any better now? also, take Egyptians for example - are they doing any better after the so-called "Revolution?" well, while it's okay to topple any oppressive regime or even to change a corrupted system, but we've to understand that the problems we're facing now are way much complicated! for example, don't u think we can make our country free of corruption once a new (i hope better) government take in charge? would the policemen at ground, for example, stop collecting illegal money from foreigners? would they?

if u're using your rational (not emotion), you pretty sure know the answer - the problems are actually rooted from our very own society (regardless of your political ideology)! so, for me, the believe saying that by having a new gov would simply solve our problems is totally nonsense! and i don't understand why there are still many who believe this! folks, please use your brain la! ;) 

p/s: if you can't do anything to improve your own local society, stop criticizing others! 

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Early Retirement

3 types of income (which most of us aren't aware):
  1. earning income - from our monthly salaries
  2. portfolio (active) income - from our investment portfolios (e.g. stock, gold)
  3. passive income - normally from real estates investment
we could retire if and only if we manage to keep our 2nd and 3rd incomes stable - it's okay tho to go slowly from the first to the third step..but, the important thing to plan your future..

p/s: learning from my friend Fadzli (PHD candidate in Statistics)

Monday, October 10, 2011

our first step

"regardless of anything we do, our first step is always the hardest one - it's the moment where doubts, uncertainties, and fears come into our hearts, minds, and souls..but, once we manage to overcome all these negativities, the following steps would be much easier!"

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Credibility & Losers

Credibility

1. if u're a Harvard graduate, u're entitled a very honor place in ur society..ur words/voices would be heard, regardless how nonsense they're

2. if u're a college dropout, and thus possessing no diploma, people won't listen to u, no matter how smart ur ideas might be

3. but, as Muslim, i mean the practicing one, we believe that all things (e.g. inspiration/ideas) come from Allah, the Almighty.

4. in the Holy Koran, Allah mentions that He has the absolute authority to inspire anyone He pleases

5. thus, discriminating ideas based on one's qualification seem inappropriate and is not in line with the teaching of Islam

6. we should, therefore, analyze an idea solely based on the content/argument provided, and not anything else

Losers

1. Allah mentions many times in the Holy Koran that the unbelievers are the actual losers

2. Allah refers the unbelievers as the one who really don't understand (Christians, etc), and pretending to be one (Jews)

3. so, deductively, we can conclude that those who don't understand/pretending to be one are the actual losers..

4. but, ain't that also happens among the Muslim community? there are still many who really don't want to understand their own religion. in fact, many has taken it for granted..

5, thus, can we also consider them as losers? 




Friday, August 5, 2011

Stress

1. as i'm greatly inspired by watching/reading/talking with great people, they somehow put much pressure on me.. i'm not pretty sure if i can surpass their great achievements or at least be on the same level as they are..

2. but, this won't demotivate me for i believe stress/pressure sometime can be turned into our good asset

3. yes, as many people say, life without problems (read as pressure) would be meaningless

4. but, not knowing on how to handle stress properly would eventually cause casualty/disaster

5. so, here is one great article on managing stress (i've posted this on my fb page) http://blogs.hbr.org/hmu/2011/06/turning-stress-into-an-asset.html

6. i know, some people prefer to use common sense

7. yet, most likely, our common sense would be nonsense during our bad times


Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Lie

1. as a saying goes, "honesty is always the best policy." while it is very true, for me, to keep our society moving, we really need certain amount of "lie"

2. just imagine how uncomfortable (or chaotic) our society would be if all the compliments we paid to our superiors, lovers, and etc were exposed as lies? won't it be bad?

3. but, too much lies would only cause destruction to our society. thus, scientists are working hard to improve current lie detectors.

4. according to Daniel Labgleben, whenever someone telling lies, his/her brain activity in several areas would  increase significantly - e.g. frontal lobe, temporal lobe, and limbic system.

5. this unusual increase of brain activity can be detected through brain scan (e.g MRI). this technology is claimed to be more efficient since altering brain pattern is beyond man's capability. in other words, "our brain pattern won't lie"

6. yet, many critics believed that MRI doesn't detect lie, but only the increased of brain activity, which can be due to many reasons.

7. in conclusion, MRI fails because of the following reason:
   7.1 as telling lies would increase our brain activity is true, but to say that the increased of brain activity is  
         solely because of someone telling lies is indeed not true.

8. but, i believe the ideal solution for this problem is to make the impossible "telepathy" possible.

9. brain, in principle, is a transmitter (receiver), in which thoughts are broadcast (received) in electrical signals.

10. so, to intercept one's thought can be easily done by capturing and interpreting the signal.

11. however, the problems with this signal are as follows:
     11.1 the signal is too weak
     11.2 the signal is too gibberish, and thus cannot be separated from background noise
     11.3 our brains cannot "interpret" or decode the information from the signal received

 12. but, these problems aren't insolvable. my simple thought would suggest the followings:
     12.1 we can amplify the signal to make it louder
     12.2 then, we can filter the signal. i bet the signal from our brain activities would be slightly different from  
             the background noise (e.g. frequency)
     12.3 then, the signal should be modulated before being broadcast. then, as we know the modulation type,
             the demodulation task would be much easier

13. and of course, it's easier said than done. and i'm pretty sure that my suggestions are premature..but, in science, no problem is insolvable..thus, i believe, it's just a matter of time before this telepathy is made possible..by that time, telling lies would be the hardest thing to do..

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

MUST READ: US Default, Islamic Thingy

US Default:

1) on August 2, the White House will decide either to increase its debt's ceiling or not

2) if they do, the US deficit will expand. If not, the US debt will be default.

3) the US default would trigger another financial collapse as seen in 2008 - we're yet to fully recover from the 2008 recession, and thus, facing another collapse will make things even worse

4) if the White House decided not to increase the debt ceiling, there are still few options left:
   i) the Federal Reserve will print "more" money, and thus increasing the inflation (goods prices will increase)
   ii) raising funds through delaying salaries of public servants (power of purchase will decrease), or even   
      delaying payment to defense contractors

5) let's assume that the State failed to raise those funds (or printing more money). as a results, the State will go default. it's credit rating will be downgraded - hence, the borrowing activity would cost a lot more that it is today. companies would stall their growth, and thus won't hire new employees..the unemployment rate would be higher, and the economy would be in stake since people don't have money to spend..plus, the mortgage cost would also increase dramatically (note: this is called as "ripple" effect)

6) at worst, the credit markets all over the world would be frozen since US treasury has been used as collateral in most transactions.


Islamic Thingy:

1) Kismis ( or Zabib in arabic, grape seed in English) is known for its multi-benefits, such as delaying aging process, quick 'energy' resource, and etc..

2) so, we are encouraged to include kismis into our daily diet.

3) but, what surprise me that there are many types of "kismis doa" in the market. and i bet, they're priced higher than the regular one

4) yet, i doubt these "kismis doa" are much better than the regular one, and thus don't have any added value

5) still, many Malaysian Muslims assume these kismis doa as prime products

6) well, initally, i don't have any problems with these "doa-thingy" products. but, aren't we told to make request directly to Allah, w/o going through "middle men!" what makes doa from Ustaz better than ours? nothing, right?

7) as far as business is concerned, i think this is a good marketing strategy. yet, things must be clarified especially to kids so that they may not be misunderstood (i.e. tell them every person's doa is worthy)

8) besides, recently i read about this so-called "halal" handbag..what happens to other handbags that don't carry such label. are we not permitted to wear those?

9) for me, Islam is very simple and easy to be practiced. for example, in daily affairs, everything is permitted except for those mentioned in the Holy Koran. if someone told you that you're not permitted to wear a tee because of bla bla bla, (s)he must be able to provide you proofs from Koran and Sunnah..you, otherwise, don't have the burden of proofs..see, how easy Islam is!

10) so, i'd suggest that we should start introducing "haram" label instead of the "halal" one since in Islam, there are much more halal thingy than the haram one! so, the task is much easier..ain't it?

11) yet, from different perspective, i think Halal Industry is very promising. creating Halal segment in the world market is pretty genius..yet, as we're making profits (that is good), don't make other people living in confusing state! 

Friday, July 22, 2011

ADT/ADD

while i was in MV yesterday, i stopped by at MPH (oh yeah, my first place to go while in shopping mall)..well, it was like a "heaven" to me, seeing thousands of books properly arranged on racks..and as usual, i directed myself to my favorite reading section, which is business & entrepreneurship..while browsing to find good books to read while waiting for my friends, i noticed that there were too many books on "how-to-become-good-entrepreneur," and it brought me to this one conclusion - if it was this easy to become entrepreneur, everybody would be one! but, the reality is different..a successful entrepreneur has to do a lot more than the ones stated on these books..well, but that's fine! for a beginner like me, these books seem appropriate..but, my only concern was that they might give wrong perspective, that becoming an entrepreneur is easy, to the newbies..

anyway, i chose not to read entrepreneurial books for i had read them a lot enough lately (tired of seeing numbers and projection as well)..so, i picked a book on self-managements from HBR (Harvard Business Review), one of my favorite online journals..but, this time these journals are grouped and piled into a book..and guess what the price for each books is rm88..it may sound too pricey, but the content worth your every penny..and out of 8 or 10 articles (or case study) on this "self-management" book, i found a very interesting post in regards to ADT (Attention-Deficit-Trait) & ADD (Attention-Deficit-Disorder)..and of its most obvious symptom is lacking of attention..and believe it or not, many CEO's (e.g. JetBlue CEO) are having this disorder..and few tips to treat ADT/ADD are as follows:

1) get enough sleep - to know you've enough sleep is when you can wake-up without your alarm clock..
2) get good diet - we should take more complex carbohydrate from vegetables and fruits, as well as whole-grain.
3) plan sufficient exercise - while doing exercise, our body will release essential chemical substances (e.g. endorphin, endocrine, etc) needed for our brain
4) take supplemental vitamins (e.g. B, E, etc) and omega-3 products..

insha-Allah, if we practice all these steps, we can improve our brain performance, and thus will increase our productivity..in today's world, only productive people will be favored! 

Saturday, July 9, 2011

No Pain, No Gain

Muslims are bestowed with so many privileges, and one of them is the Holy Koran..Allah says in the Holy Koran that:

"He has revealed to you the Book with truth, verifying that which is before it, and He revealed the Taurat  and the Injeel aforetime, a guidance for the people, and He sent the Furqan"                                    (3:3)

Allah has said many times in the Holy Koran that the Book is full of wisdom for those who think..Alas, many of us, the Muslims, have taken the Koran for granted - in fact, The Koran is typically be chanted by few during a Musabaqah, or even used to protect oneself from hantu jembalang..while it was not wrong to do that, but the Koran must be used as a guidance in our lives, as mentioned by Allah in the above verse..so, for today's entry, i'll share with you one verse that i found it very amazing.

"and when Abraham said: My Lord! show me how Thou gives life to the dead, He said: What! and do you not believe? He (Abraham) said: Yes, but that my heart may be at ease. He said: Then take four of the birds, then train them to follow you, then place on every mountain a part of them, then call them, they will come to you flying; and know that Allah is Mighty and Wise."                                                                 (2:260)

this verse, for me, is very powerful..While Allah mentions his Mighty to give life to the deads (indeed, He is the All-Mighty), He also orders Abraham (peace be upon him) to train the birds by himself..i believe the message is clear that every thing in this world is in according to Sunnatu-Allah (Nature Law), in which NO PAIN, NO GAIN! nothing would come to us easily.."sikap sentiasa mengharapkan bantuan" is thus against the basic teaching of Islam..

Friday, July 8, 2011

Melayu & Perniagaan

Kira-kira 2 tahun lalu, saya berkesempatan menghadiri upacara penyerahan bantuan TEKUN kepada pengusaha-pengusaha kecil bumiputera yang disampaikan sendiri  oleh YB Rembau. Saya mengenali beberapa orang daripada penerima-penerima insentif tersebut. Malahan, saya sendiri 'pernah' menjadi antara pelanggan tetap salah seorang daripada mereka..Secara peribadi, saya bersyukur kerana kerajaan masih memberi peluang kepada kaum bumiputera untuk menceburkan diri dalam dunia perniagaan, walaupun statistik menunjukkan ramai yang kurang berjaya daripada yang berjaya.

Berdasarkan pengalaman saya sendiri berurusan dengan salah seorang peniaga ini, lelaki X ini adalah seorang yang sangat tekun. Siang dan malam dia sentiasa berada di kedai jahitnya bagi menyiapkan tempahan. Kualiti jahitannya agak memuaskan berdasarkan harga yang ditawarkan. Jadi anggapan yang menyatakan bahawa peniaga Melayu gagal kerana sifat malas mungkin boleh "dibakul-sampahkan" sahaja kerana realiti menunjukkan sebaliknya. Jadi apakah punca sebenar kegagalan peniaga Melayu?

Berbalik pada kisah lelaki X ini, walaupun usaha kerasnya siang dan malam, saya dapati perniagaannya pada hari ini sama seperti 2 tahun yang lalu..Tiada unsur2 atau petanda2 yang menunjukkan perniagaannya berkembang. Mungkin apa yang boleh dibanggakan lelaki X ini sekarang sudah mampu memiliki kenderaan yang baik berbanding 2 tahun yang lalu..Ini menimbulkan persoalan kepada saya..Lelaki X ini begitu rajin, jadi masalah sikap bukanlah punca kegagalan..Modal juga sudah disediakan olen pihak TEKUN..jadi, apakah masalah sebenarnya?

Ketika berfikir, saya teringat perbincangan saya dengan Dr. Bakri Musa sewaktu program "Alif Ba Ta" awal tahun ini. Perbincangan ini agak eksklusif kerana hanya melibatkan beberapa orang peserta di bilik hotel beliau..Dalam perbincangan tersebut, Dr. Bakri menyatakan kerajaan harus melengkapkan bakal-bakal peniaga Melayu ini dengan ilmu perniagaan, dan bukan sekadar insentif dana semata2..Peniaga2 ini, khususnya di kawasan kampung amat terhad ilmu pengetahuannya..Bahkan, ada diantara mereka tidak tahu menggunakan komputer, yang merupakan "basic survival kit," pada zaman ini. Jadi tidak hairanlah kebanyakan mereka hanya menggunakan kaedah tradisional yang dipelajari daripada nenek-moyang mereka. Bahkan bagi mereka, tahap ukur kemajuan perniagaan mereka bergantung kepada jenis kenderaan yang dimiliki..Tidak hairanlah, keuntungana yang diperolehi bukan digunakan untuk menambah-baik/membesarkan perniagaan, sebaliknya digunakan untuk keperluan peribadi. Konsep "Asset and Liabiliti" yang menjadi asas dalam sesuatu perniagaan masih kurang difahami. Jadi, jika perkara asas perniagaan seperti ini masih tidak difahami, tidak kira sebaik mana produk yang dihasilkan, ia tidak mampu ke mana-mana..Akhirnya mereka dipersalahkan! 

Jadi, saya berharap agar pihak bertanggungjawab dapat menyediakan kursus asas yang komprehensif kepada peniaga2 kecil ini. Mereka berhak untuk maju terus ke-hadapan, dan saya begitu yakin dengan sikap yang ditunjukkan, contohnya Lelaki X, mereka mampu pergi ke peringkat nasional, and tidak mustahil ke peringkat global..Syaratnya, mereka perlu dilengkapi dengan ilmu pengetahuan yang mencukupi..

*Tulisan ini hanyalah berdasarkan pengalaman penulis bersama masyarakat setempat..Mungkin terdapat khilaf dalam pemerhatian dan analisis di atas. Penulis yakin generasi Melayu sekarang mampu merubah diri daripada menjadi golongan kelas menengah kepada kelas korporat jika sikap dan ilmu yang betul mampu disemai dalam diri setiap individu

note: Penulis akan menyentuh mengenai sikap peniaga2 Cina yang penulis kenali dalam entri berikutnya sebagai pengajaran kepada semua. 

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Interdependence

i was used to think that independence is the best attribute that one person should possess - either physically, mentally, or even emotionally..usually, these independent people are the one who manage to own and understand themselves at their very best level..indeed they aren't easily influenced by surrounding, they are free thinker, and etc..more importantly, they can derive a great sense of worth within themselves..in a simpler world, true independence would push us to act rather than be acted upon..no wonder, in today's society, independent people are the one who are cherished and celebrated as the great human beings..

but, i just realized that independence fails because of its lacking of one aspect - team work..instead of merely using one's full capacity, interdependence requires a very strong team work..in fact, it allows people to cooperate together so to accomplish greater success..as independent people believe in themselves, those with interdependent attitude emphasize on good communication among their team members, and more importantly, they have trust on their peers' capabilities..and, this concept agrees with one famous saying, "two brains are always better than one!"

however, to become interdependent people is very much difficult than we may think..it requires one person to adapt with his/her surroundings, and sometimes, (s)he has to compromise over some of his/her principles so to allow the group to succeed..thus, interdependence demands, not only strong mind, but also resilient heart - sensitive people would be less likely to succeed! hence, interdependence is far more matured, and advanced concept than the independence..

*i found this lesson on "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People," by Stephen Covey!


note: pic taken from Google

Just Insane!

i'm so pissed off to read the following article (just click on the link provided below)..why these clergymen are so stupid? don't they know that Freedom of Movement is a basic right for all people, regardless of their gender..please don't taint the beautiful image of Islam! anyway, please read the article and judge it by yourself..


one excerpt of the article:
"There are no specific traffic laws that make it illegal for women to drive in Saudi Arabia. However, religious edicts are often interpreted as a prohibition of female drivers. Such edicts also prevent women from opening bank accounts, obtaining passports or even going to school without the presence of a male guardian."

Sunday, June 12, 2011

to all Bloggers

"Reflections of the Social Media Revolution" - The Summit for all bloggers..check out the following link:
http://www.worldbloggerssummit.com/home.html

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Unique

can we just see a person as an individual, not by his race, religion, or even his family line?

for example, if i made any mistakes, can people put all blame only on me, instead of my religion or race? if i was lazy, it doesn't mean all Malays or Muslims are lazy..if Bin Laden was a terrorist, it won't justify that we, the Muslims, approve violence as a means to speak our mind..these are merely 2 out of thousands examples, which occur in our everyday lives..well, you may disagree with me, but can we just agree on the fact that each of us is created distinctly, and therefore unique..can't we? if you're on my side, we should now stop identifying people by their color, or even gender...

kids are color-blinded as for them everybody is their friends - Pic taken @Washington Park, NYC




Sunday, June 5, 2011

my new Passion - Photography!

these are pics taken during my 9-day road trip..do expect some lame pics since i'm quite new in this photographic area..good advices are more than welcomed! thanks

Canyon Area, Yellow Stone

Clear Sky @Yellow Stone

Sunset @Lake Mendota, Winsconsin

Blue Lake, Yellow Stone

Port of Cleveland, Ohio

among all, i like the last pic the most for the pic simply describes the importance of renewable energy (windmill) to sustain our continuous development (background sky crappers)   ;)

Friday, May 20, 2011

Democracy

1. Democracy:

is democracy the best way of governing a country? if you were thinking so, please consider this situation;
" there are three best friends living together - 2 of them are wolfs, and another one is a chicken. then comes a difficult situation (i.e. they're very starving, and there was no food nearby), in which three of them have to vote what kind of food they'd have for dinner.."

so, according to democracy, the majority wins..but, would it be fair to the chicken? nope..

well, i'm not suggesting that democracy is bad, and thus should be replaced with new way of governing..in fact, most of democratic countries are doing way better than monarchic governments..yet, my point is democracy alone is insufficient. it should be supported with good ethics and high standard of morality of the people..indeed, the people should be educated to always be respectful, and helpful to each others..only then, the country will prosper, and the people can live happily ever after.. 

2. Capitalism

capitalism is always considered as a rotten system..but, is it true? doesn't capitalism promote fair competition? doesn't capitalism produce many blue-chip companies, which eventually providing millions of jobs to middle class?

yet, because of extreme practice of capitalism, America now is so divided - 99% of US accumulated wealth is owned by only 1% of US citizens (read as capitalists)..and also, many so-called capitalists (most of them don't really understand the concept of capitalism) have made used all these middle-class people for their own interest..and the list goes on..

nonetheless, my point is that capitalism isn't really bad after all..in some sense, it does contribute to the well-being of the people...yet, only when extreme capitalism is practiced, the very bad consequences would occur..

3. Temperance 

thus, i believe moderation is always the best way of living..don't ever go for only one radical point of view..always consider different opinions, and only then you would finally find your idealistic paradigm of life..good luck in your searching, and may God bless us in our journey..ameen

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Sustainability!

i've been doing some readings on self-improvements books lately, as suggested by one of my friends (JIMBO, i owe you this one advice)..well, to be honest, these books are damn boring, and normally i can only handle 20 pages before i fall asleep..but, at the end, they are worth to read! ;)

but, i'm not gonna talk about the contents of these books for i believe you can find all these wisdoms in any books you read! so, what should i write here? JIHAD? oh, not yet..haha..(you should laugh if you knew this joke)

anyway, i just had a great discussion with one of my friends today, whom by wisdom i do respect..we talked much about the future we might have to face - what kinda life we want, what good job prospect we should look into, and etc..and all of these topics, there was one question that really bothering up till now, which is "how i could be self-sustainable?" (please understand this question from right perspective!)

of course, now, many are pursuing higher level of education, such as Masters of PHD..but, how many really understand the purpose of achieving all these high standards? how many of them are preparing to face the harsh facts of real world? how many of them are really setting their long-term goals? and many more..and alas, i was one of these people, who are planning to get as high level of education as possible without knowing my real purpose! in fact, my goal used to get a good job with considerably big pay from any multinational companies, and after years of service, i would enjoy my big pension with my future grandkids..i may have a considerably good life, but was that the maximum thing i could do? NOPE! what if i were using my skills and knowledge to get myself richer rather than merely making big money for the riches? well, i left this question for you to answer...salam

Monday, May 16, 2011

Information.Regulation.Innovation


this is a good speech in regards to the roles of business and gov. in network age..the speaker also discussed the effects of information, regulation and innovation towards our present world! the speech is simple, but brilliant! enjoy the video!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

my first ADVENTURE!

3 years ago, i came to the States with one wish - to graduate as an EE major! and, Thank God, now, i'm just two weeks away from that big day (i.e.  my commencement day)..throughout these years in the States, i believe i have grown up to become a different man - i've started to look things from unconventional perspectives, i've been taught to challenge all norms that happen unquestionably around me, and etc..and perhaps, the best thing i've learned so far is to see my religion from 'real' angle..and for all these things, i'm so grateful..

i can still vividly remember my early days in the States, in which our seniors (i.e. arip, sureen, and tim) were kind enough to be our tour guides in NYC - we've been shown the halal restaurant (at that time, there were not many halal stalls as they are today), mosque, times sq, and etc..and being the first time coming to the States, specifically NYC, i was deadly amazed by the prosperity of this city, called Manhattan - i could feel the energy of all these people, and for that, i am very proud to be called as New Yorker..

but, perhaps, during these years, i've learnt to become a better person, if not a leader! it was a privilege for me to lead this UMNO club..well, i was quite sure how hard it was to have that 'UMNO' title! and till now, some people remember me not because of my name, but this 'UMNO' thingy! yet, that's life! you could not do anything to shut people's mouth - the more you fight against them, the stronger they will repel back to you! nonetheless, it was such a good experience for me and my team!

then during last summer, it was unexpectedly that i was offered a chance to do study abroad in Norway - all expenses would be covered by Stevens..this was 3-week program, in which we (10 of us altogether) would have to integrate our engineering skills with entrepreneurial knowledge.Yes, i was excited about that..yet, as it was destined, a week before the program started, our trip was cancelled due to some reasons..it was a bit disappointment to me! yet, as a saying goes, " as one door closes, another one would be opened for you," i was offered to do like 10 weeks research program..and i did finish the program (i was lucky to have a very understanding adviser tho)

next, as fall 2010 begun, i was so busy with my Senior Design project..it was such a burden to mesince all my seniors did well on their projects..so, by hook or by crook, i have to be on the same level as they were..although it was a year project, i already felt the pressure from the beginning of the fall semester..plus, most of our group members were not really sure which project we should go for..at the end, we decided to do a project, called "reconfigurable projected keyboard!" and Thank God, after two depressing semesters, we nailed it! yeah!

yet, the final project was not my only problem - it was the desire to work and gain experience in the States that killed me at most! i can't help to resist this temptation! sometimes, it was good since it 'powered' me up to do all these job application processes (attending job fairs, making different resume for different companies, sending lots of 'follow-up' email, and etc)..but, as time passed by, i noticed that things didn't go well..not only i wasn't offered any jobs, but also i was not called for any job interviews..i know it's not a characteristic of a real man to quit, yet i have to be realistic..now, i have changed my plan, and hopefully, it is gonna work this time. i believe everything decided for me is the best! yet, as much as i believe in God, i'm pretty sure nothing could happen by itself , and thereby, it takes courage and countless efforts to carve our own "history!"

well, all things that i have accomplished, or might accomplish, will not be true without the support of my parents, my close family members, as well as my buddies..in fact, i was lucky to have very understanding friends, who are always there for me - being that they are my batch mates, my juniors or even my seniors..and of course, i'd like to thank my previous, and current roommates, who could stand by my bad cooking! LOL

 ...and of course, my first ADVENTURE tho might not be perfect, but it is something that i would treasure for the rest of my life.. and may God bless all of us and may God bless America for being my second home! ameen!


Saturday, May 14, 2011

WHY - a really tough question


this man is so great that he did annoy the interviewer in a very bad extend (i.e. in intellectual way)..anyway, he did make sense since the "WHY" is a really tough question, which requires people to be in the same framework so to allow some facts to be true! enjoy the video, folks!

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Inspiring

Ric Elias: 3 things I learned while my plane crashed | Video on TED.com

3 things that the guy learned while his plane crash-landed in the Hudson River:

i) everything can change in instance
ii) don't waste time doing things that don't matter (energy management) - we should choose to be "happy" rather than to be "right"
iii) to be a great dad (or person)

Friday, May 6, 2011

Iron Lady

A very secure woman in a man’s world

 
This is a made-in-Malaysia rags-to-riches story. Maznah Hamid had nothing, sometimes not even a few coins for a meal. But today she is the head honcho of Securiforce which employs more than 6,000 people throughout Malaysia, Singapore, Bangkok, China, South Korea, Turkey and Germany.Maznah has known many of her employees when they were in their teens and today they are one big secure happy family.

The executive chairman of the security firm is very down to earth. She has no airs or pretensions and, like she says, “I am just a woman doing a job in a man’s world.”On her success, she said: “I am successful because I am a woman in this field. Women shouldn’t doubt themselves because there are times when you need a woman to do a man’s job.”

She remembers clearly her early days .Ten banks turned down her application for business loan. “All of them told me they had no money to lend me! Some even doubted that my business would succeed because of my gender,” she says.The irony is that the same banks that turned her down now needs her service.
“They used every excuse they could find not to give me the money,” she laughs. And now she is laughing all the way to the bank.

Maznah was born in Air Hitam, Kedah, to parents who divorced when she was just five years old. Brought up with the help of her grandparents who were both conservative and religious, she confides that it was her upbringing which made her very timid.

“I felt so alone as a child and a teenager and was very quiet – you wouldn’t believe that now, of course,” she says, sitting forward in her chair, “but I was.”

“Do you know that my grandmother told me that I should study to become a religious teacher? I actually wanted to become a diplomat because although I was quiet, I was very good at communicating and expressing myself. I even helped my friends write love letters!

“It was a very confusing period because I didn’t know what I should study in order to become a diplomat. The first step I took was sign up at a language centre to better my English. Later, I took up business courses but I was still without direction. All I knew was that I wanted to be rich and successful,” she states.

Rich people
After taking up these business courses, Maznah realised that she wanted to become an entrepreneur only to have her grandfather tell her that entrepreneurs are drop-outs who will eventually end up selling fish and vegetables in the market.
Undaunted, Maznah took her certificates and became a tutor and translator for several embassies.
“I met so many rich people during this time. I saw how they lived and liked the lifestyle – they were earning RM100,000 and up and what was I driving? A car that couldn’t go uphill!”
“I was not shy to ask them, ‘How do you earn so much money?’ They replied that I have to become an entrepreneur. A person may not have a sound education background, but what they will always have are resources,” she adds.
Where financial resources were concerned, Maznah had a grand total of RM5,000 – her life savings. She put all of it into a security service company. Consider for a moment that she had no idea how to run a business, let alone one that dealt with security. All she knew were the basics of security operations, law and firearms.

Immense responsibility
Her earlier contracts included providing security for her clients’ homes. Maznah could not afford to hire many people and ended up guarding the premises by herself while her husband did the patrolling.
“It was also at this time that I got pregnant with my first child. My husband and I stayed in a rumah haram (illegal housing area) and there were no facilities as you can imagine.

“When I delivered my baby, my husband and I made a joint declaration that we would never give up because we wanted to provide the best for this child and others should we have them. We worked so hard and there were times when we even brought the baby along!

“My husband is an amazing man and I thank God everyday for him,” she says, glancing at a family portrait which takes centre stage in her office. “Being with him is very empowering for me because he truly is a secure man and has been through everything with me. We even had similar nightmares!” she said.

What Maznah is referring to would be the immense responsibility of taking care of someone else’s valuables. “I used to not only have nightmares, but insomnia, migraines and ulcers,” she grimaces at the memory. “When I saw how much of trust they put in me, I said to myself, ‘I wonder if they’ll trust a man this way!’”

Thirty years down the road and Maznah has built her company to include logistics services, cash-in-transit, cash management, high-tech cargo management and armoured trucking service.

The Malaysian iron lady has these words of wisdom:v “We are only as weak as we think we are. Even if someone tells us that we can’t, we have that choice to prove them wrong. People ask me about retiring and I want to laugh. There’s so much left for me to do.”

source: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2011/05/06/a-very-secure-woman-in-a-mans-world/
my comment:gender, race, or religion doesn't matter..what really matters is to "believe in your guts" and to "work hard"

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

W.S Rendra - "MASKUMAMBANG'

my favorite lines;

"...kerana politik tidak punya kepala, tidak punya telinga, tidak punya hati, politik hanya mengenal menang dan kalah, kawan dan lawan ...... kerana politik tidak boleh menjamah kemerdekaan iman dan akal di dalam daulat manusia.."

- al-fatihah to Allahyarham Rendra - may he's placed among the good one! amin

Monday, May 2, 2011

[my dream car]



this car is so awesome! am absolutely speechless [drooling] when i first saw it..well, i don't really care about its performance or safety! what really matters to me is its classic look! haha

p/s: *nie masuk list wajib beli*

Thursday, April 28, 2011

[PUAS]

"Graduating Seniors" - this pic is taken after the Senior Day Expo!

senior day expo is over - our "reconfigurable projected keyboard" was working well yesterday!it's now time to celebrate life after a very tiring semester! everybody is happy, and i'm so satisfied! wait, i got one business plan due next week! haha..let's give that damn thing a very best shot!!!!!
among all the visitors that came to our booth yesterday, there were 2 girls that keeping me happy after they tried our projected keyboard!

" wow, engineers are awesome! this product is great! i wanna be an engineer!" - one of them said!

and, i believe they were from business/management school since they asked us about our plan to market the product! hahaha

Sunday, April 24, 2011

[LOVE?]

Love
 
disclaimer: the following post is taken from my friend's blog.. check out his blog at http://razaleigh.tumblr.com, and you will find a lot more interesting entries, which cover almost every essential stuffs in life..enjoy the reading, folks..my comment would be available right after this entry;
 
"We search constantly for love, a nature of humans, to want and wanting to be wanted. To love and to get love. I am no expert in this matter, by far I am a novice. A novice that doesn’t have feelings, not that I don’t want to feel, it’s just that I can’t.

You know how we all think that the first is always the best? The one that you’ll remember the most, the best that you can experience? All subsequent are downhill from that. The first date, the first wedding, the first sight, all are precious and significant to us, the first anniversary…

But the thing about love, which puzzles me, is that it does not follow the rule of nature, where the first one to cross the finish line is the winner. Love, rather, go against every single logic and thinking, it works on its own realm. 

The best love, is the last love that you can experience, the one that when you’re battered and stripped  down and you have absolutely nothing, and the world is all against you, yet you know there is your other who still stands by your side.against everything, with you. [my favorite lines]

The best love is when you’re 90 yet you’re still holding hands, wrinkled the face and hands, weak and counting days, yet you still have each other. That you feel calm and fulfilled.

With regards to love, we should gun for the last, the one that has no other right after. Throw out the logic and thinking, because to be happy, we need to search for our last love. The love that would last forever."

my comment:

this post reminds me of one particular scene in "Growns Up" movie;

guy    : do you know that you're my 26th girl? [note: i just make up the number]
girl     : i don't care how many girls were before me as long as i am your last one!    ;)

Thursday, April 21, 2011

B O D O H

have you ever been in situation in which people asking you silly questions like, "tengah makan ker?"  "tengah buat kerja?" or even worse "tengah buat apa sekarang" whereas it's clearly that you are on phone with him/her...haha..sometimes,i found it to be very funny, but most of the time, it just seems stupid..

dudes, can we be more selective or thoughtful before we start talking? or are we really a society for asking stupid questions? hahaha..

but, as i was  going through the twitter updates recently, i found some people trying to make big of non-important issues, such as 1malaysia email, ***** sex video and etc..dudes, instead of discussing the feasibility of having 1malaysia email, or anything sewaktu dengannya, could we actually engage in more crucial issues, such as Lynas issue? or are we not only a society that asks stupid questions, but also discusses dumb issues? hahaha





Saturday, April 16, 2011

[mini] - LIBRARY

nowadays, you can easily get one e-book reader with considerably cheap price; yes, very cheap since there are zillions brands of e-book reader are now available in the market - so, the developers are now competing with the price so to get buyers  - the cheaper their product is, the more potential customers they might have! yes, it happens almost everywhere in technology-based business; plus, with "reverse-engineering" technique, people can easily come up with new "model" of iPhone, for example! thus, it makes me wondering what Patent Protection is actually doing! 

well, back to the actual topic, though there are many cheap e-book readers, i don't find any of them to be very appealing since i'm still an "old-fashioned" reader. I STILL LOVE paper-based BOOKS! well, it's kinda different for me to read "book" on black/white screen..if you were like me, the old-fashioned reader, you might know that each book would give you different "SMELL!" it's that smell that keeps you reading the book over and over again! with the e-book reader, the smell is gone!

so, i've decided to not invest my money buying the e-book reader! but, somehow, i need to "spice up" my reading experience! haha .. so, i found all these cool pictures:

i call this as "biblio-bed"

simple, but seems so appealing to me

another creative design: "biblio-chair"


well, combing all these, i might have books everywhere in my future house: in my bedroom, living room, as well as my office room! it may sound too "BOOKISH" tho! hahaha "happy reading, guys!"

Sunday, April 10, 2011

[FUTURE]

i pray that someday in the future, Malaysians would finally have open access societies, in which people, regardless of their regions, religions, or races, would have fair access to quality education, good jobs, reliable social security system, and capital. Plus, i wish at that time, the middle-class would be substantially empowered in which their voices and concerns are attentively heard by the gov in charge. I also hope that the role of gov during that time would be minimized as much as possible so to allow the creation of small-government system..The debate that would take place in Parliament would be more matured, and have more substance! i wish, at time, people in every places can speak and write well in English. Also, difference in term of faith would not be manipulated by any group, and every people respect each others. and i really hope entrepreneurial attitude would flourish in every societies - only then, we could live happily ever after!  ;)  

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