Monday, August 31, 2009

52nd Independence Day of Malaysia

Merdeka! This is the 52nd year we're celebrating Independence Day. We've changed so much since 1957, haven't we?

My hope and do'a is for Malaysia to be more prosperous and peaceful, and her citizens be spared from all the agonies that are such a norm in the world today.

May all of us continue to live harmoniously regardless of race, culture, ethnic and religion.



Long Live Malaysia!

Friday, August 21, 2009

Girls Having Fun - Swim and Squash

Hanna has been asking me to see the pictures taken during the swimming competition held on Aug 8-9 and the session with Nicol David on Aug 15. I haven’t shown them yet since I was pretty busy with... well so many things. So I told her to just check my blog today to see some of the pix.

So here goes, Hanna, an entry with only pictures.

These 6 photos are taken on Aug 8-9. Event: SportsExcel-Milo-NSC-ASUM Junior Swimming Circuit Venue: KL Swimming Complex, Bandar Tun Razak, Cheras.

Haifa - having fun before her 100m Freestyle event

Hasya - 100m Freestyle

Hanna - 100m Freestyle

Hasya (lane 3) and Haifa (lane 5) - 50m Breaststroke

Hanna - 50m Freestyle

Hanna - 50m Breaststroke

These 9 photos are taken on Aug 15 at Bukit Jalil National Squash Center:

World No1 showing her skills

Nicol giving the kids some tips

Feeding session with Nicol - Hasya's 2nd from left

Hasya and Nicol during feeding session

Hasya's turn - hit the ball ok, not pick the ball...hehehe

Hasya waiting for her turn with butterflies in her tummy

Q&A session with Nicol

Nicol autographing Haifa's t-shirt

Haifa, Hasya and Hanna with the Queen of Squash

OK Hanna? I’ll copy the rest of them (hundreds!) into your external harddisk later, ok?

Salam Ramadhan

Salam Ramadhan to all Muslims.

May we be given the strength, comfort, serenity and patience to perform extra duties to get the bonuses that this holy month has to offer.

And may this Ramadhan be a better Ramadhan than the previous ones to all of us!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

I'm 43

First off, I’d like to thank all my family, relatives and friends who sent me Birthday wishes and prayers via Facebook, emails, SMSes and calls. Thank you sooo much.... I really appreciate your thoughts and do’as :)

Yeap, I turned 43 three days ago, 15th August. And Alhamdulillah, I feel great about it. I feel truly blessed for being given the chance to continue my journey in life with my loved ones for the past years and many years to come, insyaallah. And I pray that the life of my loved ones and friends be filled with Good health, Happiness, Love, Success, Umur panjang, great Rezeki and showered with Berkat and Imaan. May all of us be blessed in all areas in life. Ameen...

OK, what did I do on my birthday?

Well, the Saturday started off early in the day with Dear Hubby and I doing our marketing at Pasar Tani Kelana Jaya. Then went to my office to get the birthday gifts I left in my office drawer for my maid Tini who happened to share the same birthday with me.... only she’s 20 years younger...hahaha... Rushed home to fetch the girls for their taekwondo class, left them with the Master, did some errands and had brunch at the ever-so-packed restaurant.

I saw something I haven’t eaten for years – pulut+kelapa-parut+ikan masin. Not my favorite though... but I suddenly had this vision of my Mak’s cooking and this was one of the menus she‘d usually do when requested by Ayah. I’m not a pulut eater, so I couldn’t finish it. While pushing the plate away, I suddenly went blurry eyed. Teringat Mak pulak ...huhuhu...

Went back to the complex to get the girls, got home, showered etc and left for Bukit Jalil National Squash Center to meet up with the Squash Queen– Nicol David! Hanna, Hasya and Haifa were so excited to see the World’s no1 (I'll put some pix in my next post).

Went to Amcorp Mall straight from Bukit Jalil to check out some ‘things’ for my birthday gifts. Didn’t materialize tho’, instead we ended up buying some DVDs and had an early dinner at Salero Negori.

Came home, bought 2 cakes (one for me and one for Tini the maid), showered etc and had the ‘cake cutting ceremony’ at 9pm.

I was dead tired when my head hit the pillow that night. But I couldn’t help smiling when I realized how great it was to be able to do all these. Syukur came to mind. Syukur Alhamdulillah for the opportunities given to me - to taste the sweetness or the bitterness in what life has to offer, with great companies to share them with.

(I think I didn’t imagine having a few more of those crow’s-feet when the clock struck 12 to mark the end of my special day, but I'm pretty sure I fell asleep that night wearing a smile).

Oh, here’s an excerpt from the 14-A4pages birthday ‘card’ given by my cheeky Haifa:
You are my Stars
You are my Heart
You are my Love
You are my Moon
You are my Flowers
You are my Butterflies
You are my Sun
You are my Dragonflies
You are my Diamond
You are my Camera
--- aiik?
You are my Everything
(Ibu, masa Haifa punya birthday, please belikan icecream cake. Selepas tu, belikan Rabbit, Cat, Hamster, Parrot, Bird, Fish, Burung Pipit and Frog)

LOL!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Segalanya Kerana Donni

Kosmo - August 12, 2009

Oleh SUBASHINI RAJANDRA
subashini.rajandra@kosmo.com.my

Sekumpulan bekas pelajar Maktab Rendah Sains Mara Kulim, Kedah terus gigih berjuang mengumpul dana sebanyak RM250,000 demi kepentingan ‘anak-anak tersayang’ di Kiulu, Sabah.

Begini bermulanya cerita yang ingin disampaikan. Pada 20 Mac 2007, akhbar Daily Express News di Sabah memaparkan sebuah artikel yang cukup menyayat hati. Sesiapa sahaja yang membacanya dapat membayangkan kedaifan hidup sebuah keluarga yang terpaksa kais pagi makan pagi, kais petang makan petang untuk terus bernyawa.

Kisah itu menceritakan bagaimana enam orang adik-beradik dan ibu mereka sekadar 'kenyang' dengan menjamah bubur nasi dan sayur kangkung. Menyingkap kisah hidup mendiang Donni John Duin, 11, dia ialah seorang anak yang pendiam dan tidak bermasalah. Penderitaan yang terpaksa dilalui sejak bapanya disumbat masuk ke penjara akibat dadah begitu menyentuh hati.

Menurut ibunya, Hina Joloni, 39, setiap kali pulang dari sekolah, wajah Donni begitu murung kerana tertekan dengan ejekan dan cemuhan rakan sekelas. Menyarung pakaian yang kusam dan hanya mampu menikmati sajian ringkas, Donni merasai keperitan yang teramat pedih.

Seorang kanak-kanak di Kiulu, Sabah merenung masa depan yang tidak pasti ekoran kesukaran datang ke sekolah.

Kali pertama, dia cuba membunuh diri tetapi gagal. Namun dalam percubaan kedua, Hina menemui anaknya yang sudah tidak bernyawa. "Apabila saya menegur perbuatannya yang cuba membunuh diri pada kali pertama, Donni memberitahu bahawa dia sanggup berbuat demikian bagi meringankan beban keluarga."

"Setidak-tidaknya, kurang seorang anak untuk diberi makan dan bahagian makanannya boleh dibahagi kepada adik-beradik lain," luah Hina mengenangkan kata-kata anak kesayangannya dengan penuh hiba.

Sebaik sahaja membaca kisah itu, entah berapa ramai daripada kita mampu mengimbau kembali kisah pilu tersebut. Mungkin ia sudah lenyap daripada ingatan kita ketika ini tetapi bukan bagi Raja Ali Raja Othman, Hamidi Baharuddin, Kamaruddin Yusop, Noor Bakri Ahmad, Mashitah Puteh, AR. Meor Wazir Zul'Aidin dan rakan-rakan mereka yang lain.

Raja Ali berada di bumi Sabah semasa kejadian pilu yang menimpa Donni berlaku. Selepas mengadakan perjumpaan dengan Sabah Credit Corporation (SCC) atas dasar kerja, beliau berbual dengan Pengurus Besar SCC, Datuk Vincent YK Pung. Ketika itu jugalah, isu Donni dibincangkan.

Hina Joloni manakala Donni (gambar kecil).

Di Sabah, hampir 5,000 remaja dilaporkan terpaksa berhenti sekolah sebelum sempat menduduki peperiksaan Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR). Bukan kerana tidak berminat tetapi dibelenggu kemiskinan dari generasi demi generasi. Selain itu, mereka juga menghadapi kesukaran perjalanan berulang-alik dari sekolah yang terletak jauh dari rumah.

SCC menerusi kelab sukannya sentiasa menjalankan aktiviti tanggungjawab sosial korporat seperti mendirikan asrama sekolah dan surau di Sabah. "Pada tahun 2007, saya difahamkan sebanyak lapan buah sekolah masih menunggu mendapatkan bantuan membina asrama," kata Raja Ali ketika ditemui Kosmo! di Kuala Lumpur.

"Sebagai seorang bekas pelajar yang pernah menikmati faedah kemudahan asrama, saya meminta Vincent supaya menyediakan asrama di sekolah yang benar-benar memerlukan di Sabah. Sekolah itu akan menjadi projek 'kami' yang diusahakan secara bersatu padu," ujarnya sambil merujuk 'kami' adalah rakan-rakan sekolahnya yang popular dengan gelaran Killerbatch.

Killerbatch merupakan sekumpulan pelajar Maktab Rendah Sains Mara Kulim, Kedah yang pernah tinggal di asrama maktab tersebut dari tahun 1979 sehingga 1983. Mujur disediakan sebuah tempat tinggal yang berdekatan dengan tempat pembelajaran, mereka tidak perlu risau tentang cuaca panas atau hujan sekali gus berpeluang belajar dalam suasana selesa dan tenang. Berdasarkan pengalaman manis itu, Killerbatch memahami betapa susahnya kehidupan bagi sesetengah kanak-kanak di Sabah tanpa asrama.

Jika musim banjir, sebahagian jambatan gantung ini hanyut dibawa arus sungai.

Pada hujung tahun 2008, SMK Tun Fuad Stephens di Kiulu, Sabah muncul dalam senarai sekolah yang menantikan pembinaan asrama. Sebanyak 100 daripada 1,400 pelajar di sekolah itu memerlukan asrama dengan kadar segera.

Sebahagian besar para pelajar ini berjalan kaki selama dua hingga tiga jam merentasi hutan dan sungai menuju ke sekolah. Menurut ahli Killerbatch, Megat Zulkarnain Mohd Nazri, dia pernah terserempak dengan seorang pelajar tingkatan lima, Jefri di jambatan Poturidong, Kiulu yang bangun seawal pukul 4 pagi agar tidak terlambat ke sekolah.

"Apabila dilanda banjir besar, sebahagian jambatan gantung ini hanyut," katanya.

SMK Tun Fuad Stephens mempunyai sebuah asrama desa tetapi ia telahpun dihuni oleh 100 pelajar. Dengan 16 orang ditempatkan dalam sebuah bilik, ia menyukarkan Guru Besar, Marsha Anthony Bongkok dan wakil Persatuan Ibu Bapa dan Guru (PIBG), Joisin Rumut mencari ruang kosong. Ada juga yang terpaksa berkongsi katil dengan adik sendiri meskipun sempit.

DARI kiri: Hamidi, Kamaruddin, Bakri, Meor dan Raja Ali. Duduk di hadapan ialah Mashitah.

Mengetahui keadaan genting yang dialami di sekolah ini sejak bertahun-tahun, Raja Ali, Hamidi, Kamaruddin, Bakri, Mashitah dan Meor sepakat meminta ahli-ahli Killerbatch lain mengutip derma yang disasarkan berjumlah RM250,000.

Secara kebetulan, tahun ini menyaksikan sambutan ulang tahun Killerbatch yang ke-30. Pada majlis keraian yang diadakan pada 4 Februari 2009 di Taman Ekuestrian Putrajaya, ramai hadirin termakan pujukan mereka. "Bagi menjadikan acara ini lebih bermakna selain bersuka-ria, sesi kutipan derma dilakukan pada hari itu juga."

"Proses itu diteruskan sehingga bulan Mei lalu apabila kami berjaya mengumpul sebanyak RM57,426," ujar Bakri yang kerap mengadakan pertemuan dengan ahli-ahli jawatankuasa projek Asrama Donni.

Sebagai ibu bapa, mereka semua amat memahami kesegeraan bagi membina Asrama Donni sebelum bermulanya sesi persekolahan tahun 2010.

"Walaupun kami sibuk dengan kerjaya masing-masing, berulang-alik ke luar negara dan menyediakan yang terbaik buat keluarga sendiri, kami komited untuk menjayakan projek sulung ini dalam apa juga cara sekalipun," kata Bakri lagi sambil disokong oleh Mashitah.

Usaha murni yang diperjuangkan oleh Killerbatch ini mampu mengubah nasib pelajar-pelajar di Kiulu, Sabah.

Pada 16 Mei 2009, satu sejarah manis terpahat apabila majlis penyerahan cek bernilai RM57,426 kepada pihak SCC diadakan. Kutipan itu digunakan sepenuhnya untuk kerja-kerja pembinaan Asrama Donni di SMK Tun Fuad Stephens, Kiulu, Sabah. Seramai 10 delegasi yang terdiri daripada Raja Ali dan rakan-rakannya datang ke Kiulu bagi menyaksikan majlis pecah tanah pada keesokan harinya.

Turut dijemput hadir ialah seorang guru yang mengajar pada era Killerbatch iaitu Teh Sharifudin Abdullah. "Dahulu mereka terkenal dengan kenakalan yang memeningkan kepala guru. Sekarang, mereka sudah berjaya dalam bidang masing-masing dan saya bangga dengan anak-anak didikan saya yang menyahut konsep 1Malaysia yang dilaungkan oleh Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak," kata Teh menerusi perbualan telefon dengan Kosmo!.

"Killerbatch, rata-ratanya terdiri daripada mereka yang beragama Islam manakala SMK Tun Fuad Stephens mengisi hampir 70 peratus pelajar beragama Kristian. Inilah yang dikatakan keikhlasan yang lahir merentasi agama, bangsa dan sempadan geografi," tambahnya.

*************************************************************

My heart goes out to the children of the remote areas such as Kiulu, who spend hours just to get to their schools every day. So sad... to keep even one child in school before he could be a drop-out is an important milestone indeed.

And here we are.... with our children in their cozy rides to school and lunchboxes full of nutritious food.

Sedihkan?

It’s great that my wonderful friends from Killerbatch embarked on this Kulim to Kiulu project. Although I’m not actively involved, I’m always here giving them the support. So far, insyaallah we’ll get another RM50K from TuneTalk Chief Talker Contest in which a Killerbatch rep constested and won. Next will be the Charity Art Exhibition with IMissHimSoMuch. Later will be Ghazal Party Queen (theater) in December 2009. And I guess it doesn't stop there!

Let’s just hope and pray that we’ll get enough donations to complete the building of Asrama Donni.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Mak's 67th Birthday

Dearest Mak,
Happy 67th Birthday Mak! I hope you have a wonderful day today. Just came back from my teambuilding trip... I really wish I could talk to you earlier this morning, but you know lah - the schedule was too full.

Mak,
Thank you Mak. Thank you for being the best mother that one could ever wish for. Thank you for being with us thru thick and thin. Thank you for lifting us up to your shoulder when we couldn't see. Thank you for the sacrifice you made when you left your career simply because you wanted to take care of us. Thank you.. thank you Mak... thank you sooo much for everything.

(You're so full of Patience, Love and Understanding that sometimes I wonder why I can't have at least a quarter of those traits in me?)

Mak,
My wish for you on your birthday will always be - for you have a great health, a world full of serenity in imaan and mountains of love, happiness and laughters...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAK! I LOVE YOU!

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Happy 48th Wedding Anniversary!

Ayah dan Mak tersayang,
Dari hati yang tulus ikhlas, Ja do’akan semoga Ayah dan Mak dipelihara di dalam kebahagiaan dunia dan akhirat. Semoga segala yang terbaik - keimanan, kesenangan rezeki, kasih-sayang dan kesihatan – dikurniakan untuk Ayah dan Mak yang sentiasa menjadi tonggak untuk kami, anak-anak.
Dan semoga kehidupan yang dikongsi bersama selama 48 tahun (dan tahun-tahun yang mendatang) akan dirahmati Allah sentiasa.

Tahniah Ayah dan Mak.... Selamat Hari Ulangtahun Perkahwinan yang ke 48!


Anakanda sekeluarga,

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Away From Home

Would you believe me when I say that after all these years (after working with the same company for more than 18 years, and married for nearly 18 years), I only left the comfort of my home (outstation) for less than the digits on both of my hands combined?

Whenever I was involved in a project, and when the time came for me to go see the customers, there would be a good soul in my project team who would gladly take my place. And I’d be more than happy to switch places. Although sometimes I thought that it would be nice to see some new faces and places, I felt that I’d be needed more at home, especially when the children were smaller and my hyperemesis gravidarum was at its peak.

Hmmhh.... no wonder I susah naik pangkat.. LOL!

Anyway, that’s why I’m a bit worried now. I’m gonna get myself occupied this coming weekend with the tasks of removing those leeches from my arms and legs and flying like a fox and building those rafts by the sea and counting the number of mosquito bites on my bare skin and wrestling a Burmese python and hunting those wild boars....

I know I exaggerated a 'lil there.... but ... yeap, I’m going for my company teambuilding this coming weekend. For 2 nights, 7-9 Aug. Urrgghh!

I know it’s not a big deal to some people who are so used to travelling, but it is to me. I’m now a confirmed IT nerd, who can’t leave the comfort of her desk/home for an adventure out there in a jungle so green and the sea so blue. I’m so ashamed of being a pessimist, but I can’t help feeling that this is soooo NOT ME now. As a teenager, I’ve climbed a few hills, went thru the jungle a few times and drank the cold sweet water from the streams, thanks to those camping trips I made when I was in MRSM.

But now? At 43? Alamaaak... lecehnya!

Since it’s compulsory to attend, I’ll have to go but I’ll be missing Hanna, Hasya and Haifa’s swimming competition in Cheras which will be held on the 8th and 9th of Aug. Kesiannya the girls.... I won’t be there to cheer for them and watch them compete.

Sigh.

And please... oh please don’t make it rain there in Lumut. I hate those pacat and lintah!