Monday, December 24, 2007

CONGRATULATIONS TO RUGAYAH AND MAZNI


Nadza, COO PosLaju congratulating Rugayah and Hisham at their daugther's wedding reception on Friday, 21st December 2007.


To Hanim Aini and Farshid Azmi- Happiness always and may God bless both of you forever.


(RH, Mieria, Mazni & Rugayah at my open house last year. Congrats to Mazni for getting a daughter in law today. May happiness be with them always. )


Sunday, October 21, 2007

Friday, October 19, 2007

FUN IN ZARALAND (1)


(One of Zara outlets in Passeig De Gracia, Barcelona. Pix by RH)

Ola. That's the first word that you will hear wherever you enter in Barcelona. Its like our Selamat Datang greeting.

I had the priviledge to visit Barcelona, Spain during the third week of Ramadhan. It was on a Monday morning that I was summoned to my boss's room and informed that I was selected to go to the Post Expo 2007 in Barcelona. From then on, it was quite a mad two weeks of preparation work to arrange for everything and for everybody.

I did not know what to expect as this was my first time arranging for an official overseas trip ( although I have travelled a lot, but only with my family). I did went into the internet a lot to look for information on Barcelona - what to do, where to go, where to shop, what to eat etc. What was more challenging was the fact that it was Ramadhan and I am going to fast in a foreign land - no Ramadhan bazaar for me!

What excite me most was that I was going to the land of Zara, one of my favourite designers. Here in Malaysia, the cost of a jacket starts from RM350 onwards, jeans is from RM200 a pair, a belt would possibly cost from RM150 upwards and a pair of shoes starts from RM299. Not too bad compared to the price of other designer brands like Gucci, Prada, Selvatore Ferragamo ( another favourite!) etc. However, most of the time, I would wait for the sale so that I can buy them at a much better and affordable price.

I flew to Barcelona via Paris. The transit in Paris was for about 3 hours. Paris was cold at 9 degrees Celcius. I love this kind of weather. Nothing much to look at as I was at the airport. Announcement was mainly in French and security was tight; everything had to be taken off to go through the screening - belt, cap, shoes, handbags, watch, jacket, you name it, whatever that they asked!

I landed in Barcelona on a Sunday morning - nearly 90 per cent of their shops were closed! I also found out that many restaurants closed on Monday as they were opened on Sundays. Some shops still practice their siesta time between 1 to 3 pm. Lunch time is from 1.30 to 3.30 pm and dinner starts from 8.30 pm. when we were there, breaking of fast was at about 7.40 pm, so you can imagine how difficult to get a restaurant that can fit in our timing.

The weather was good, not too chilly at night. Day time was about 18 to 23 degrees. I had fun walking around from my hotel - Claris Hotel Grand Luxe which was situated about 2 blocks away from Passeig De Gracia, a 5 km shopping area. The street had everything, right from famous brands like Loewe, Escada, Laurel, Burberry to many spanish brands like Mossimo Dutti and Zara.

There were many Zara oulets and every outlet has at least 4 floors - Zara basic, Zara Women, Zara Men, Zara Children and also Zara Home ( selling bed sheets, pillows, home decorations etc, which we dont have yet in Malaysia). And the price? At least 50 per cent lower than the price in Malaysia! I had fun selecting the latest design as the price was reasonable, however, the colour was quite sombre- black, grey, dark brown, light brown as they are now preparing for winter. There were a lot of winter clothing being sold and at very reasonable price. I also got to know that Zara products are sold at a factory outlet called Lefties. Lefties sell products which are like 2 or 3 months old. So, if any of you are heading to Barcelona and loves Zara brand, you can get very good bargains here!

Oh, Barcelona also has very good leather stuff. I will tell you more later.

Monday, October 1, 2007

NO CONCERT, SCHEDULING CONFLICT?

What is your opinion on this issue? Please tell me. In Malaysiakini today.

Beyonce has scrapped her debut concert in Malaysia amid fears of possible protest by Muslim groups in the country, officials and industry sources said today.

Her agent ICM blamed a scheduling conflict but local sources said the main reason was concern over demonstrations from student groups in mainly Muslim Malaysia, where other female performers have been forced to cover up on stage.

"They say she will have bad influence on the moral values and dress sense of Malaysians," said a source who asked not be named.

"We are extremely disappointed," said Razlan Ahmad, chairman of Kuala Lumpur-based concert promoter Pineapple Concerts. "Instead of Malaysia, Beyonce will perform in neighbouring Indonesia."

In August, Gwen Stefani went ahead with a scheduled performance despite protests from an Islamic student group which said her normal skin-baring act could erode Islamic values.

Stefani covered her tight-fitting tops in jackets, and sported leotards under her dresses and mini-skirts during the two-hour Kuala Lumpur leg of her "Sweet Escape" tour.- AFP

DONKEY'S MILK FOR ETERNAL BEAUTY

SALEM (Chennai), Aug 19 (Bernama) -- Egypt's ancient queen Cleopatra was not the only woman who showered in donkey's milk to keep her skin young and tender.Even women in India consume donkey's milk, which is said to contain anti-ageing and regeneration values, to keep themselves young.In the southern city of Salem, more women are turning to donkey's milk, so much so suppliers are finding it hard to keep up with the brisk demand for the dairy product.

Besides helping their skin feel smooth and silky, women in Gurusamypalayam, a village known for handloom weavers, believe donkey's milk has medicinal values that can cure vaginal discharge or medically known as "leukorrhea".K. Anjali, 52, whose family owns a donkey milk business for decades in the village, said 50 millilitres of the milk previously cost 10 rupees (RM1) but recently, the price has skyrocketed to 200 rupees (RM20), yet the demand has not tapered off.

"Outside milk suppliers are now camping in our village to provide more supplies but they are still not enough."Women here believe that if they bath in donkey's milk it will beautify their skin and cure their health problems during their menstrual period."They are rushing to buy milk from the udder and even feed their babies believing it can cure stammering among children," she told Bernama.

She said donkeys here are now fed with cattle fodder to get more crispy milk.Donkey's milk has always been regarded as a potent healthy drink because of its immunostimulant properties which some researchers say can enhance the human body immune system and treat diseases including HIV/Aids.The milk is said to be rich in Vitamin C and contains Vitamins A, D, and E -- making it a much-sought health drink even in the west.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

IKUTILAH CARA RASULULLAH SAW

Oleh Murnie Zakaria.

Rasulullah SAW melarang kita mencampurkan beberapa jenis makanan dalam satu hidangan.

1. SUSU DENGAN IKAN..better use santan
2. CUKA NGAN SUSU
3. FRUITS NGAN SUSU..forget those fruity yoghurts!
4. IKAN NGAN DAUN SALAD
5. BAWANG PUTIH NGAN BAWANG MERAH......jika dicampur boleh menyebabkan lumpuh..bawang besar jika makan continuously for 40 days boleh menyebabkan bintik2 hitam di muka..ala2 severe pigmentations gitu..
6. DAGING SEGAR NGAN DAGING KERING..or fresh fish and dried/salted fish
7. BENDA MASAM eg lemon NGAN BENDA BERASID SEPERTI CUKA
8. BUAH DELIMA NGAN SERUNDING
9. CUKA NGAN NASI
10. TELUR NGAN IKAN

Semua ni kalau diamalkan selalu akan menambah risiko penyakit lumpuh/stroke.

Untuk mengembalikan tenaga, tidur sebentar sebelum zohor.

ELAKKAN MELAKUKAN PERKARA YANG BERIKUT

1. Mandi air suam lepas makan kerana ini adalah lebih bahaya drpd perkara2 di atas
2. Senaman sebelum makan
3 Bersenam atau berjalan lepas makan tengahari..jarakkan at least 1/2 an hour
4. Makan buah lepas makan kerana akan menyebabkan makanan lambat dihadam
5. Meninggalkan makan malam..sabda Rasulullah SAW..untuk awet muda makanlah walaupun sebiji tamar
6. Jangan duduk relax lepas dinner..kena bergerak at least 100 steps
7. Tidur selepas kenyang kerana akan menyebabkan sembelit.

CARA MAKAN RASULULLAH SAW

Rasulullah SAW apabila makan akan menggaul makanannya dan meninggalkannya sebentar. Baginda kemudian mencelup jari kelingkingnya dalam garam serta menghisapnya sebelum dan selepas menjamah makanan. Kenapa garam? Selain dari sumber minerals, garam adalah penawar paling mujarab keracunan dan boleh menghalang sihir serta gangguan makhluk halus.
Rasulullah mengunyah makanan baginda sebanyak 40kali sebelum menelannya.

CARA MINUM

Jangan minum berdiri walaupun perbuatan tu makruh kerana ia makruh yang menghampiri haram.

Juga dilarang minum dari bekas yang besar sambil bernafas kedalamnya kerana nafas kita CO2 bercampur air H2O akan menukarkan sifat air kepada H2CO3..dan menyebabkannya acidic.

Atas sebab yang sama juga dilarang meniup minuman yang panas.

Cara yang di sarankan oleh Rasulullah ialah minum air seteguk-teguk dan bernafas. Begitulah lebih kurang amalan Rasulullah yang diturunkan oleh various ustaz for our iktibar..semoga memberi manafaat kepada kita semua.

Sometimes it's not what we eat but how we eat it... LOVE ALWAYS

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

MALAM ITU............



OLEH HASNAH KHALID @ DUYONG

Tepat jam 3.30 petang , keluar sahaja dari kereta di hadapan Subang Jaya Holiday Villa, sambil membetulkan baju kemeja putih yang ku beli khas untuk hari ini ( dress code untuk perjumpaan hari ini ialah baju putih dan seluar/kain gelap), pandangan ku tertumpu pada sekelompak wanita hampir separuh usia yang berkumpul di lobby hotel.
Langkahku terhenti.
“ Masih kenalkah mereka padaku?”
“Macammanakah agaknya penerimaan mereka padaku?”
Ahhh….peduli apa!
Aku memberanikan diri dan meneruskan langkahku. Nasib baiklah tadi anak bongsuku berkeras memaksa aku memakai sandal hitam yang selesa ni, jika memakai kasut bertumit tinggi mesti goyah langkahku. Begitulah nervousnya aku! Masyaallah…nervous macam nak gi interview lagaknye aku ni..

Tersembul aje aku di pintu lobby, mereka yang sedang rancak berbual terdiam. Lebih 15 pasang mata tertumpu padaku.
Aku cuba mengukir senyum..( atau adakah aku menyeringai? )
“Duyong! Duyong!” seseorang berteriak.
“ Yalah! Duyonglah. Duyong. Duyong” serentak suara-suara makcik-makcik itu menjerit-jerit memanggil nama gelaran ku sewaktu di STF dulu. Mereka semua menerpa ke arahku. Tanpa kusedari aku juga terkinja-kinja meluru ke arah mereka. Hilang nervous ku. Hilang senyum ku. Mesti aku menyeringai seperti kerang busuk waktu itu!

Hingar bingar suasana di Lobby hotel. Tetamu-tetamu hotel yang lain terpinga-pinga melihat kami. Pekerja hotel di meja pendaftaran hanya mampu tersenyum, kelat-kelat manis. Apalah agaknya yang bermain di fikiran mereka..hmmm

Kamilah pelajar-pelajar yang menamatkan Tingkatan Tiga kami pada tahun 1975 di Sekolah Tun Fatimah, Johor Bahru. Inilah reunion kami yang pertama sejak 30 tahun.
Kali terakhir kami bertemu dan berpisah di bumi Johor pada tahun 1975 dulu, ketika itu kami hanyalah anak-anak manis berusia 15 tahun.
Atas idea gempak Tengku Puan Pahang, Tunku Hajjah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah dan hasil titik peluh dan usaha gigih yang tidak mengenal penat AJK2 yang terdiri dari Kak Cik, Kak Saba, Kak Kimah, Kak Asmah, Kak Radzie, Kak Cimid, Kak Midah O, Cik Limah, Noraini Mohadan, Suraidah Sulaiman dan Kak Raja Farizan, perjumpaan ini menjadi kenyataan pada hari ini 27 dan esok, 28 April 2007 di bumi Selangor.
Secara rasminya, satu pengumuman untuk Re Union ini ku lihat terpampang di lama yahoogroups stfoga dan stfbatch77 pada bulan March 2007 yang ditulis oleh Kak Saba. Zuraidah Sainan serta merta membalas dan menyatakan keinginannya untuk turut serta. Terkejut aku melihat nama itu. Zuraidah ialah kawan baikku semasa mula-mula bumi bertuah Tun Fatimah ke jejaki pada Januari 1973 ketika aku baru berusia 13 tahun. Zuraidah lah insan pertama yang bergelar teman yang berbual dengan ku di asrama itu. Zurai juga teman yang sama-sama menemaniku menangis bila terasa homesick yang teramat berat dijiwa ku pada waktu itu. Almaklumlah aku yang hanya seorang anak kampong yang bebas bergerak ke mana-mana serata ceruk rantau kampong, bermain masak-masak, bermain mak-mak dengan kawan-kawan , merasa amat payah untuk menyesuaikan diri dengan rutin harian asrama yang dirasakan begitu mengongkong di STF. Kehidupan yang dikawal tiap masa oleh deringan loceng, pada usia muda itu ku rasa amat menyeksakan. Paling berat ialah rasa rindu yang teramat pada famili. Lagipun aku tidak pernah berpisah dari mereka sebelum itu walau untuk semalam.

‘ Duyong, aku Zurai. RU nanti kita pergi ya? Aku bagi nama engkau kat Kak Saba tau! ‘ Suara Zurai menerpa dari talipon yang ku pegang disuatu hari , diawal April.
Setelah 30 tahun, bila suara Zurai ku dengar semula, terasa mesra, penuh keyakinan dan… tua!. Ahhhh ..itu suara Zurai! Kawan baikku dulu!

Agaknya, ketika mendengar suaraku, Zurai juga berfikir dan perasan yang suaraku juga seperti suara seorang tua! Ha ha ha…ye lah…..kami sebaya dan masing-masing dah 47 tahun. Ya Allah..how time flies….

Semasa ditingkatan 3 kami terbahagi kepada enam kelas. Setiap kelas mempunyai 30 orang pelajar. Dan kumpulan bekas pelajar ini mempunyai yahoogroup sendiri bernama http://us.f633.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=stfbatch77@yahoogroups.com. Diawal March aku menyedari dan mula menulis ke laman web ini. Aku berkenalan semula dengan Kak Fariz, Siti Maimuda, Hairuszah, Kak Haini, Kak Cik, Kak Saba dan lain-lain yang sering menulis di situ. Dari situ juga aku mengetahui bahawa kawan-kawan ku itu ada yang menjadi doctor, pensyarah, professor madya, juruhebah RTM, cikgu dan berbagai-bagai lagi jawatan di berbagai jabatan kerajaan dan swasta. Dari hari kesehari semakin dekat Re Union semakin gementar rasanye untuk bertemu kengkawan.

Dan aku malu.

Malu kerana setelah 30 tahun tidak bertemu, aku telah membesar berkali ganda dan menambah berlapis-lapis dagu……hatta melampaui kuih lapis yang sering ku masak. Jawatan ku juga tidaklah setinggi mereka yang lain..hanya pagar dawai sahaja. Tertanya-tanya di benakku, bagaimanakah penerimaan mereka terhadapku, terutamanya teman rapat dan mesra yang dulunya ku panggil Dot tapi kini bergelar Datin Halidah! Bergulunglah lidahku memanggilnye datin je sepanjang hari….

‘ Engkau mesti talk ingat aku!’ seseorang menggenggam erat jari-jari montokku. Dia tersengih di depanku. Tanganku digoncang-goncang mesra sambil dia tertawa. Aku renung wajah itu.

Ya..aku kenal dia!
‘ Jemilah Abu Bakar!’ aku sendiri terjerit kegembiraan. Suara akukah yang menjerit itu? Masyaallah…tapi. .aku ingat dia. Aku ingat sangat ngan dia.

Raaap! Aku dipelok erat. Pipiku yang terlebih serbuk penaik bak kata kak Fariz disanggingi oleh pipi Jamilah yang masih seperti dulu saiznya. Pipi kanan. Pipi kiri. Pipi kanan semula. Berapa tahun kita bersama Ella? 5 tahun? 7 tahun? Dulu masa sekolah aku tak pernah pun sentuh pipi engkau, tapi hari ini tiap pipi kawan-kawan yang lain pun turut menyentuhi pipi ku. Sebak dada teman weh.…

Betapa aku merindui kalian..!

‘Tak berapa muat tangan aku nak memeluk engkau Yong.’ Kata Roy (Datin Rohaiza).

Sume mengatakan gitu padaku tiap tubuh kami berpautan. Anehnya..,saat itu aku lansung tidak sedikit pun merasa malu atau terasa hati dengan gurauan mereka semua. Malahan tiap patah kata mereka seperti muzik ditelingaku. Aku pelok setiap seorang dari seratus lebih teman-teman ku pada hari itu tanpa rasa segan atau pun silu. Cuma Tengku Puan yang aku segan nak pelok. He he he.. Ampun, Tengku Puan…Saya segan. Lain kali I peluk you jugak…jika u izinkan.. It is not that I love you less or I remember you less, tapi I segan je…

‘Angun..! Angun..! ‘ jerit anak bongsu kesayangan Datin Dot ketika ku temui mereka di gelanggang bowling di Pins and Balls, level 2 hotel tersebut jam 5.30 petang. Kami beramai-ramai makan petang di situ. Yang masih aktif dan segar bugar berebut-rebut bermain bowling. Ku lihat Ranti Sakiman menghayun bola seperti menghayun buah pulasan aje layaknye. Kuatnye engkau Ranti ! Yang tidak berapa aktif seperti ku melayan kawan-kawan berbual, menyambut mereka yang baru sampai dan sambil itu sempat juga melayan selera di Hi-Tea yang dihidangkan di situ.

Anak comel si Dot yang berusia 4 tahun tadi menjerit-jerit tidak membenarkan aku duduk di sisi emaknya. Ha ha ha… ‘Inilah penghibur hati kami suami isteri. This miracle baby came late in life’, kata Dot. Gemercik suara anak itu memenuhi ruang Pins and Balls menagih perhatian emaknya yang sekejap dipelok orang ni dan sekejap dipelok orang tu. ‘Husband I demam, ada di bilik kat atas’, Dot berkata sedikit apologetic. Ya..itulah kehidupan. The other half will always remain a half!

Di Pins and Balls aku memelok pula Kak Haini, Ranti, Kak Pah,Tengku Norsida dan yang lain-lain yang tidak mungkin dapat kusebutkan nama mereka satu persatu di sini. Sambil memelok Tengku Norsida ku raba rambut dalam tudungnya. Dulu rambutnya panjang sampai ke ponggong. Sesiapa yang berada di STF pada tahun 73 hingga 79 pasti mengenalinya for that trademark.

‘Engkau masih berambut panjang lagi ke Shida?’. Seseorang menanyanya.
‘ Aku dah raba dah. Dah tak ada dah rambutnya’. Aku menyampok. Tg Norsida tersenyum manis. Dia masih lemah lembut seperti dulu.
‘Laki aku suruh potong ‘ katanya tersenyum. Aku membayangkan her other half got tangled in her long hair..ha ha ha.

Malam itu mulai jam 8.30 kami makan malam di Classic Ballroom, level 3. Kak Radzie memaparkan gambar-gambar lama kami sebagai montage. Suasana ballroom di Holiday Villa itu akhirnya berubah wajah menjadi seperti dewan STF lagaknya. Gambarku sewaktu di remove class bergaun pendek di porch bersama Zurai juga dipaparkan. Aku sendiri tiada menyimpan gambar itu! Camana boleh Hairuszah pulak yang ada simpan gambar tu? Mengekek-ngekek teman-teman ku ketawa . Duyong..Duyong… Namaku diseru. Ahhh…bahagianya aku!

Nasi Beriani, daging kambing, ayam panggang dan segala-galanya ku jamah pada malam itu. Semuanya sedap! Tentunya lebih sedap dari makanan yang dihidangkan di dewan makan STF tapi mana boleh tanding kegembiraan ku makan nasi minyak yang dihidangkan pada tiap malam Jumaat di sana . Pastinya lebih sedap lagi bila semuanya memakai baju kurung hijau kan ?

‘ Kita pernah gaduh dulu kan Yong?’ Terperanjat aku bila tiba-tiba Kak Shahidah Ibrahim bersuara ketika membalas pelokanku. Aku cium pipinya. Rindunya aku pada mu kak. Kakak ini ialah Class Monitor ku sewaktu kami ditingkatan Enam tahun 79. Dan aku assistantnya. Aku renong wajahnya. Jarinya tidak ku lepaskan. Aku keliru.

‘Iye ke kak? Bila? Saya tak ingat pun. Kenapa kita gaduh kak?’ Aku menanya bertubi-tubi.
Cikgu Shidah hanya tersenyum.

Raap! Aku diterpa dan dipelok lagi.
“Engkau Duyong!. Ingat aku tak?’ Tuan punya tangan yang menarikku menanya. Aku terkedu. Siapa yek? Terkulat-kulat lagi.
‘Orang kampong lah! Saya pernah datang rumah kamu dulu. Kamu udah lupakan saya ke ? Rumah kita dekat-dekat.”

Huh.!!?

“ Alaaa..saya NorJariahlah. .”

Raap.!
Norjariah ku pelok erat. Akhir sekali aku berjumpanya 32 tahun yang lalu semasa kami di tingkatan Tiga. Sesungguhnya aku rindu…

Zap. Zap. Zap.
Kami bergambar. Aku yang kebelakangan ini selalu menolak untuk bergambar bersama anak-anak dan saudara mara, tidak menolak untuk bergambar bersama-sama teman. Aku pulak yang terkinja-kinja mencelah jika nampak teman-teman bergambar. Aku tidak akan melepaskan peluang bergambar dengan kalian semua pada hari ini. Walau mukaku akan memenuhi separuh dari skrin kamera kalian …Lantaklah !

Zap. Zap. Zap.
‘Sungguh kami tak sangka berupaya mengumpulkan seramai ini teman-teman kita. Target kami pada mulanya hanyalah seramai 50 orang sahaja. Tapi hari ini hampir 120 orang yang sudi datang. Jumlah ini sangat memberansangkan. Kami berterima kasih pada anda semua yang sudi datang’ kata Kak Cik dalam ucapannya.

‘Hebat betol dia orang ni. Camana ye mereka dapat cari kita semua?’ kata Kak Haini keheranan dan kagum. Kami terkesima.

Itulah the power of will. Itulah the power of women. Kalau hati kita nak, semua boleh jadi dengan izinNya. Antara ramai tu, Kak Aida datang dari Amerika, Siti Maimuda dari Brunei, Kak Fariz dari Kulim, Su dari Batu Pahat, kak Yang Cik dari Segamat, Kak Pah dan Tg Norsida dari Kelantan. Dan seorang dari laut dalam. He he he…akulah tu! Duyong katakan. Dan entah dari mana lagi. Dari lembah Kelang yang paling ramai. Ada antara kami yang tinggal berdekatan namun mungkin tidak mengenali satu sama lain atau pun tidak terjumpa kerana kesibukan masing-masing menguruskan kehidupan berkeluarga dan berkerjaya.

Jam 1.30 pagi, setelah berkali-kali berkata akan menyanyikan lagunya yang terakhir, Tg Puan akhirnya berhenti menyanyi. Bravo Tg Puan. Rasanya Zizi menyanyi dari jam 10 malam tu sampai jam 1.30 pagi. Siti Nurhaliza patut tabik. Kami bertuah..,dihiburkan dengan suaranya yang serak-serak basah oleh seorang teman yang juga puteri seorang sultan.

Saya bangga.

Selepas itu masing-masing ada yang balik ke bilik dan ada yang balik kerumah,..seperti ku. Suami beserta anak bongsu menjemputku dalam renyai-renyai pagi itu…Penatnye. .my age must be catching up to me…Esok paginya ada juga teman-teman yang menyambong cerita sesame mereka semasa acara Taichi dan Brunch. Aku tidak turut serta kerana melayan famili adik yang singgah sebelom balik ke kampungku di Perak.

Namun tidak akan ku lupa wajah-wajah mu teman. Suara kalian masih tergiang-giang ditelinga. Terubat rasa rindu ini buat seketika. Jiwa ni aduuhhh, berbunga-bunga!
Malam itu kami bersorak gembira bila bertemu dan berpelukan. Kami bersorak gembira bila melihat teman-teman terkapai-kapai cuba mengingati nama kami, bila name tag yang dibekalkan AJK kami tutup dengan tangan. Can you believe it? Kami pakai name tags that night!

Malam itu juga air mata kami tergenang bila mengenangkan Kak Zaharah Mahwan yang dah pergi meninggalkan kita semua. Al Fatihah..

Malam itu juga kami tertanya-tanya, kemana perginya sebahagian lagi kawan-kawan yang tidak dapat dikesan dan dijejaki. Antaranya, Nor Hamimah Alias, Sabariah Hashim, Usmirah, Zuraidah Shahrin, Rosmawati, …..dan lain-lain.

Aku berjanji pada diri, jika berkesempatan akan aku cuba cari lagi kawan-kawan yang masih belom ku temui. Akan ku jejaki kau wahai Cikgu Saadiah Hashim di bumi Segamat..dan akan ku jejak kau Kak Zuraidah Shahrin di kampungmu…

Yang aku paling pastinya malam itu makcik-makcik berusia 47 dan 48 tahun ini tidak segan-segan terkinja-kinja dan tertawa gembira dan puas bila menatap wajah-wajah teman kesayangan.

Alhamdulillah, Tengku Puan telah berkenan menjemput kami ke istananya di Kuantan untuk perjumpaan kami yang kedua dalam dua tahun lagi. Pada masa itu aku berharap tangan teman-teman akan dapat bertaut ketika memelukku !

(Note: Straight from the heart of an STF FIVERS 77 on the REUNION DINNER)

Friday, May 4, 2007

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

STF FIVERS 77 - REUNION (4)


PIX 10


PIX 11


PIX 12


PIX 13


PIX 14


PIX 15

Monday, April 30, 2007

Sunday, April 29, 2007

Saturday, April 28, 2007

STF FIVERS 77 - REUNION 30 YEARS LATER (1)


PIX 1


PIX 2


PIX 3


PIX 4

What a glorious weekend. The Reunion was a success. We had more than 120 members from the batch77...from all over Malaysia, even Brunei and USA. There was a lot of tears that flowed, even as we were just about to register our names.

There was also a ot of shrieking and screaming when somebody saw a familiar face. However, nobody cared about the commotion. We were just happy and excited at meeting friends who some we have not met or crossed path in the last 30 years. Many are working in the Klang Valley, but, marriage, family and work commitments had kept us apart.

It was also a tough time for many of us as we could not put a name to a face. My... how most of us have changed. That prompted the Committee Members to provide us with name tags! Just like when we first met each other in STF 30 years ago.

The Reunion was the brainchild of KDYTM Tengku Puan Pahang, Tengku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah. She started the brilliant idea and what do you know... we managed to pursuade that many to come.

I will post more stories and pictures of the Reunion later.

Thursday, April 26, 2007

STF BATCH 77 REUNION - FRIDAY


This picture says a thousand words. They are some of my friends from batch 77. This was one of the six classes that year.
Tomorrow, more than 100 of us wil be meeting again. Some have not see each other for the last 30 years. I hope I will be able to recognise all of them.
Our sizes might have changed, our wrinkles may have shown, but our " semangat srikandi" will live forever.
I will post more pictures soon. Old and new.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

STAYING POSITIVE

How well do you manage illness? Especially if it happens to a close family member?

My husband suddenly had severe pain last year. So, off we went to a private hospital, did all the tests and as soon as the doctor confirmed the illness he went through a procedure that cost a bomb.

Nevertheless, we were happy and thought that was the end of his pain...

The pain came back in a matter of 3 days and we went in again for tests and he again had to go through another session. Did all the pain go away? No .

There after for about a month my husband had to endure a lot of pain, sometimes he could not even get a blink of sleep. Then I decided to go for a second and a third opinion. We finally found the problem and he went through a major operation and was hospitalised for quite some time.

During those trying time, I really learnt the meaning of staying positive. The whole family's life was centred around school/office, hospital and home ( just to sleep - my eldest child had to sleep on the couch to accompany his father in the ward). I had to become a mother and father to my kids, run errants, do the household chores, help my kids with homeworks etc, etc. I still have to work and carry out my responsibilities as head of a department ( many times working from the hospital) and most of all I had to stay positive for the sake of my husband and kids.

I was faced with a lot of uncertainties during those months. The doctors had to do many tests to determine the cause of the illness - right to the possibility of whether it was cancerous. Any possibilites of a disease mentioned by the doctor would send me running to my laptop to surf for information. I wanted to know everything about it as well as how we ( meaning husband, myself and kids) must prepare for any eventualities.

There was also the time when I had to become a motivator to my husband who was wallowing in self-pity, feeling very sad and depressed.

The love and support from family and friends had helped me cope. Oh yeah... and a lot of prayers too! There really was a lot to deal with... how our life will change, how much it was going to cost and so on.

I am also thankful that my husband is a strong-willed person.

After being discharged from the hospital, he quickly realised that he had to learn to live with his condition. He was soon driving the car again . There are times when he feels tired, but these " bad days" are few. He usually can carry on with his everyday activities.

His positive attitude is quite remarkable - examplary even.

Because we had taken pains to find out all about his conditions and stayed positive, my husband has managed to live a normal life... so do the kids and me - a career woman.

Thursday, March 8, 2007

WOMEN IN SENIOR MANAGEMENT

Today is International Women's Day.

Have we, women, achieved much?

Not really said 2 articles that I read today.

One article in the NST which quoted the 2007 Grant Thornton International Business Report said that " Malaysia did not do well in terms of the number of women in senior positions in individual companies. On average, only 23 per cent of the senior management positions in Medium to Large Enterprises(MLEs) here are held by women". The Philippines is the only country where women have parity with men in senior positions. The Grant Thornton International Business Report is an annual survey of privately-owned MLEs in 32 countries.

Another key findings was that 38 per cent of businesses worldwide did not have ANY women in senior management.

Yahoo News quoted a report by the ILO ( International Labour Organization) that women are virtually paid less than their male counterparts - there remained sizeable gaps in their status, job security and pay. The report also said that the female share of overall global employment is still at 40 percent, the same as at a decade ago. Many women are employed in sectors where they have less bargaining power and less possibility to improve their economic situation.

Sunday, February 25, 2007

POISON LETTERS = LETTERS WITH POISON?

This is my first try at blogging. I have been reading other people's blog. Some are interesting and funny, others may have their own motives and agendas. My writing would be more on my observations of common things that spice up the corporate world. You know.. the bitching, the uncertainties, stories on bosses, etc, etc. It could happen to me, it could also happen to you...

Let me start with the first one... SURAT LAYANG ( Poison letters).

When I was working in the 100 per cent private sectors years ago, I had no inclinations of what is actually a surat layang. Everybody was professional enough to take no for an answer by the boss or to toe in the line with the management's decision. Everybody is eager to create good results for the company they work in. The same goes to me. My life was just work and work, produce good results in my performance and receive good bonus and increment at the end of the year. Simple. You work hard and work with the management, you will be rewarded fairly. I remember once when I was working in a consultancy. The increment that I received was peanuts compared to the amount of money that I brought in for that company. After three years of receiving the same amount of increment, I plucked up enough courage and confronted my boss by telling her to consider giving me more based on the statistic of income brought in through my clients. I succeeded! She gave me RM1,000 increment, a big amount in those years! No surat layang to help me get that.... but sheer hard work and results to prove that I am worth that amount.

Here I am today, still working hard, but in a slightly different environment. I joined to help transform the company. But after slightly more than 3 years here, I find that its not an easy job. From the moment I joined until now, we are never short of professional surat layang writers. Every move or actions taken by the management is always translated into some negative thinking. They even have nicknames for us... mr cut and paste, mrs blur, mr CIA, ms outsourcing, mrs IQ Zero, mr bodek, etc, etc.

What the professional surat layang writers fail to understand is that it is not easy to transform a company, what more trying to change a culture that has long been embedded in their working system. They ( the surat layang writers) go back at 5.30 pm sharp, while we, work until late at night. It has become a luxurious moment if we can go home before the sun sets.

I remember working from 7.30 am to 9.00 pm everyday for 6 months when I first joined the company. I had to build the department from scratch, nobody was competent enough in doing work that is supposedly to be carried out by that department. Thus, I ended doing everything myself until I started recruiting towards the 3rd quarter of the year. Not that I was slow, but there was never enough time to even squeeze in to start looking for possible and competent candidates.

Do these surat layang writers think we can perform magic?

No, they know that it is difficult. They just hope that by writing the surat layang, we will be discouraged from carrying on the plan and leave the company for them to manage the way they like it.They also hope that the powers up there will be influenced by the letters.

Fat chance. Dont they know that the days of surat layang are already gone? Results, especially financial results speak louder and longer ( hey, some surat layang are like 6 pages or more!)than those letters.The more surat layang we receive, the harder we will work to show that they are
wrong and out dated. Years of slogging in the private sectors have equipped us with thick anaconda-type skin!