Pokku's Post

GOOD NEWS INDEED

noreply@blogger.com (Bustaman) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 03:56:00 +0000

Hj. Amran alerted me to the news:

Rare 'princess' turtle returns to Malaysia

(AFP) – 17 hours ago

KUALA LUMPUR — A leatherback turtle has made a surprise return to a Malaysian beach after 32 years, a report said Friday, hailed as a "miracle" by conservationists and renewing hopes for the endangered species.
The leatherbacks -- the largest of all sea turtles -- were once a star attraction at Rantau Abang beach in Malaysia's northern state of Terengganu but overfishing, poaching and pollution caused the population to plummet.
The turtle, dubbed the "Puteri Rantau Abang" or Rantau Abang Princess and identified by special markings, returned last month to end a long dry spell of turtle landings which have been rare in Terengganu since the 1980s.
"It is a miracle that leatherback turtles are making a comeback to this area," Malaysian Fisheries Department director-general Ahamad Sabki Mahmood said according to The Star newspaper.
Ahamad said the turtle's return showed that Rantau Abang was being made a turtle nesting ground once again, and he hoped for more during the next possible nesting period between August 15 and 20.
The Puteri Rantau Abang, which was hatched in the area in 1978 and marked on its shell and left flipper, returned at a weight of 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds), measuring 1.5 metres (five feet) in length and 1.16 metres wide.
It was released back into the sea on Thursday, carrying a satellite transmitter which will help conservationists track turtle migration patterns.
"We expect Puteri Rantau Abang to head for Vietnam and Japan before heading to the Pacific," Ahamad said, adding that the turtle was also expected to travel to Indonesian waters and as far as New Zealand before returning to Malaysia.
Leatherback turtles have been around for the past 75 million years, surviving cycles of near extinction. Terengganu was the only place in Malaysia where leatherbacks nested.
In the 1950s, up to 10,000 female turtles struggled up the beach to lay their eggs each year, but by 1984 the number had fallen to 800 and in 2006 only five nests were found from two turtles, without any hatchlings emerging.
Apart from the leatherbacks, green turtles have also made a return to Malaysian beaches in recent weeks, but experts warned that the species is still headed for oblivion if habitat loss is not stopped.

I hope mistakes of the past shall not be repeated. You know what they are: Riding on the leatherback, shining torch;ights on her face while she is laying eggs, etc.etc.

ONCE UPON A TIME AT A CHECKPOINT

noreply@blogger.com (Bustaman) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 07:40:00 +0000

Once upon a time, somewhere in Indonesia, during troubled times, 5 Chinese guys in a car were stopped at a check point. The following conversation ensued:

GUARD: Kemana kamu? (Where to?)
1st GUY:Mahu pulang Pak! (Going home sir!)
GUARD: Ada bawa kartu (You have any cards?)
1st Guy:Ada pak! (We have!)
(Produces identification papers)
GUARD:Di sini bilang kamu Muslim ya? (It says here that you are Muslims)
1st Guy: Benar Pak! (Correct, sir)
GUARD: Kalau benar kamu Muslim, saya mahu tanya soalan-soalan, kamu jawab ya? (If you are really Muslims, you have to answer some questions)
1st Guy:Tanyalah! (Fire away)
GUARD: Berapa kali sehari Muslim mesti solat? (How many times a day must a Muslim pray)
1st Guy: Lima kali Pak! (5 times, sir!)
GUARD TURNS TO 2nd GUY
GUARD: Kamu! Apa waktu solat yang pertama? (You, whats the first solat?)
2nd Guy:Subuh, Pak! (The Dawn Prayer, sir)
GUARD: Bagus! Kamu! Selepas subuh apa? (Good, You! Whats after Subuh?)
3rd Guy:Selepas subuh johor Pak! (After subuh its zohor, sir)
GUARD: (Nodding) Kamu, apa selepas zohor? (You! Whats after zohor?)
4th Guy: Selepas johor, Singapore Pak! (After Johor its Singapore)

MY HOME MY CASTLE

noreply@blogger.com (Bustaman) — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 03:27:00 +0000

What sign do we usually see in front of houses?
Apart from the house address, some might opt to announce the name of the house (when it is worth naming) like Som's Villa, Teratak Lebai Saeed, Pondok Bahagia or something of that ilk.
There could a warning like "Beware of Dog" but this one baffles me:

ANOTHER DREAM GONE

noreply@blogger.com (Bustaman) — Sat, 15 May 2010 04:15:00 +0000

I was having dinner at Lucky Garden Bangsar last night when I noticed that most of my fellow-patrons did not pay much attention to their food. Malaysia was playing China in the Thomas Cup semifinal. Malaysia lost but not for the lack of cheering from fellow-Malaysians. The stadium crowd roared at every shot and every smash. We still lost.
It warms the heart to see that Malaysians cheered for Malaysia. There is hope yet for this country of ours.
A few days before the badminton match, I got hold of "Invictus", a film produced and directed by Clint Eastwood. I thought it was all about Mandela ( played convincingly by Morgan Freeman) but it was not. It was about the Springbok, South Africa's national rugby team. When Mandela became President of South Africa, the Springbok played against England's Roses. The whites cheered for Springbok while the blacks cheered for England. Mandela, who dubbed his country "The Rainbow Nation", noticed this and he set about changing the perception. He succeeded and when Francois Pienaar, the captain of the Springbok was interviewed after they beat Lomu and the NZ All-Blacks, he disagreed that 63,000 South African in the stadium supported the team. He told the interviewer that all 43 million South African were behind him. I hope one day, this would be true of Malaysia too.
Before the BAM prepare for the next Thomas Cup, let me remind everyone of what Muhammad Ali, the great boxing champion once said:
Champions aren't made in gyms,

Champions are made from something

they have deep inside them: a desire,

a dream, a vision. They have to have

last-minute stamina, they have to be

a little faster.They have to have the skill

and the will . But the will must be stronger

than the skill.

BAHASA JIWA BANGSA

noreply@blogger.com (Bustaman) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 02:45:00 +0000

My writing in English does not mean that I love Bahasa Melayu less.
The fervour for our Bahasa Kebangsaan was renewed after listening to Dr.Rais Yatim's speech at a dinner he gave to old classmates of Maktab Perguruan Bahasa recently.
Dr. Rais and many of us old teachers were alarmed that Bahasa Melayu that we hear on TV and radio sometimes become "rojak". We fervently hope that this will not become a habit. Old habits die hard.
Take the phrase "goreng pisang" used for fried bananas. Any Bahasa Malaysia teacher worth his dog-eared copy of "Pelita Bahasa Melayu" would tell you that it is wrong. The proper phrase is "pisang goreng". But is it used? Nope. When I went for ikan celup tepung in Kuala Terengganu recently, I saw a sign in the shop that says "kerepok goreng" and "goreng pisang" all in the same breath. "Goreng pisang" is a verb. "Pisang goreng" is the noun, the same as "pisang salai" or "pisang lecek".
Later, after droppping off Mimi at her campus in Section 17 Shah Alam, I stopped at a shop advertising "Nasi Bubur". Now "nasi" is somewhat different from "bubur" otherwise you would not have the peribahasa "Nasi sudah menjadi bubur". I know there are shops in Kelantan famous for their "nasi air" ( "air nasi" would not sell, however hard you try). I remember trying lip-smacking nasi air near the cinema hall in Pasir Putih, long long ago. But "nasi bubur"? Well, grammatically it could be in the same class as "nasi goreng", "nasi lemak", "nasi minyak" and "nasi dingin". It is the same with "bubur". It is always "bubur kacang", "bubur pulut hitam" "bubur cha cha" or "bubur lambuk". So "bubur nasi" would be grammatically correct.
Thats food for tho0ught eh?

INTERRUPTED TRAIN OF THOUGHT

noreply@blogger.com (Bustaman) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 05:17:00 +0000

It was the first Monday in January. I had an appointment at 12 noon in Menara Tan & Tan, Jalan Tun Razak. As usual, I waited for the 11 o'clock train at the University Station. The train came but did not move after half a minute as the norm. The doors remained open for about 10 long minutes. This was repeated at Kerinchi, Abdullah Hukum, Bangsar, KL Sentral, Pasar Seni and Masjid Jame' where the stops were much longer than the usual 25 seconds. At Pasar Seni and Mesjid Jame', I saw many policemen on the platform. Although a bit alarmed, I remained in my seat. I had no idea whatsoever at what was going on.

I began to get alarmed when the train reversed at Mesjid Jame' and many people got off at Pasar Seni. I was too deep in thought that I could only get off at KL Sentral so that I could catch a train that is going to Ampang Park. On reaching Mesjid Jame' for the second time, there was a Rapid KL staff shouting that the train I was on will be going back to Kelana Jaya and those going towards Wangsa Maju had to get down and wait for another train on the the OTHER platform. I was already late for my appointment by then and had to reschedule it.

Apparently, there was some problems with the track between Damai and Wangsa Maju and the trains became shuttle trains. Rapid KL was caught with its pants down. It was a big SNAFU and obviously Rapid KL was not fully prepared for it. It was only later, on my back that there was a small notice that I saw at Ampang Park informing passengers of the problem. There was a megaphone used at Ampang Park Station telling passengers which platform to use. In spite of that passengers going to Kelana Jaya had to rush from one platform to another because coordination was poor.

Next day I scanned the papers for the news of the SNAFU. Rapid KL must have an excellent relations with the press because the incident was not reported. On Thursday, when I hesistantly took the LRT again, I saw Rapid KL staff with walkie-talkies on the train. At least somebody learned from mistakes.

LRT is now getting popular as a public transport. Apart from the occasional offensive body odour, incessant loud talking on the phone and younger people who cannot read signs to give the seat to pregnant women and old people, I have no complaint. But when you are not prepared for breakdowns, I cannot forgive you. Can you?

AUNTIE AINI'S GARDEN CAFE

noreply@blogger.com (Bustaman) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 03:16:00 +0000

(DIAL-UP USERS BE PATIENT. Wait for images to load!)

On Tuesday, one of my Veteran friends (and computer students) Hj. Amran Hamid took me to lunch. He brought along his fellow sports commentator, Haji Zulkarnain Hassan. Jun, Amran's wife made up the foursome. Another ex-colleague, Hj. Baharin Tahir who drove on his own all the way from Klang got lost in Dengkil and never made it to our lunch.

I did not know that it was going to be a long trip but it was worth the long journey.
We arrived at Auntie Aini's Garden Cafe just after 12 noon. I had no idea whatsoever that it was in another state altogether.

The place is in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan.

It has a distinctive gate which reminded me of another restaurant in Sungai Penchala.
The place was already crowded when we got there. Aini told me her clientele are mostly from KLIA and surrounding places. Most of the tables were already reserved.
If you fancy eating kampung-style (sitting on the floor), reserve one of the two small huts.
Aini personally took our order. She has been featured on Travel & Living twice. Once with Anthony Bourdain and the other with Jamie Aditya. Jamie, The Naked Chef would probably come later.
In deference to Haji Zulkarnain's tastebuds, we did not order Auntie Aini's celebrated Kepala Ikan Tempoyak. We had Asam Pedas instead. Jun did not get her fried quails (they just ran out) so we made do with fried chicken. Kerabu Pucuk Paku, Gulai Daging Salai and ikan masin were the rest of our fare.
The food was excellent, the ambience was nice and the service was above par. What more can you ask from a restaurant?
Here is how you can get to the restaurant. It is closed on Sundays but open on Public Holidays. The address is Batu 16 Jalan Sepang, Kampong Chelet, Nilai. It is advisable to make reservations. Call (06) 799 1276. For those who have not yet acquired the taste for Negeri Sembilan cuisine, worry not. Auntie Aini's can whip up mean western dishes too.

THE PERFECT HUSBAND

noreply@blogger.com (Bustaman) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:15:00 +0000

(All prices in US dollars)
Several men are in the locker room of a golf club. A cell phone on a bench rings and a man turns on the hands free speaker function and begins to talk. Everyone else in the room stops to listen.

MAN: 'Hello'

WOMAN: 'Honey, it's me. Are you at the club?'

MAN: 'Yes'

WOMAN: 'I am at the mall now and found this beautiful leather coat. It's only $1,000. Is it OK if I buy it?'

MAN: 'Sure, go ahead if you like it that much.'

WOMAN: 'I also stopped by the Mercedes dealership and saw the New 2009 models. I saw one I really liked.'

MAN: 'How much?'

WOMAN: '$90,000'

MAN: 'OK, but for that price I want it with all the options.'

WOMAN: 'Great! Oh, and one more thing...the house I wanted last year is back on the market. They're asking $950,000'

MAN: 'Well, go ahead and give them an offer of $900,000. They will probably take it.. If not, we can go the extra 50 thousand.'

WOMAN: 'OK. I'll see you later! I love you so much!'

MAN: 'Bye! I love you, too.'

The man hangs up. The other men in the locker room are staring at him in astonishment, mouths agape.

He turns and asks: 'Anyone know who this phone belongs to?'

WATCH & BE WISE

noreply@blogger.com (Bustaman) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 05:35:00 +0000

Once in a while we have ulama' who can think straight and make us think again.
We had a few in Malaysia, the latest was the former mufti of Perlis. Now we have one from the Arab world.
Watch, listen and think.

Click here to watch the video.

(Thanks to Toh Puan Rosita for forwarding me the link)

WHAT IS OLD

noreply@blogger.com (Bustaman) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 02:35:00 +0000

Probably you have received this but no harm in reading again.

What is Old?

"OLD" IS WHEN..... Your sweetie says, "Let's go upstairs and make love," and you answer, "Choose one, I can't do both!"

"OLD" IS WHEN... Your friends compliment you on your new alligator shoes and you're barefoot.

"OLD" IS WHEN. A sexy babe catches your eye and your pacemaker opens the garage door.

"OLD" IS WHEN.... Going bra-less pulls all the wrinkles out of your face.

"OLD" IS WHEN..... You don't care where your spouse goes, just as long as you don't have to go along.

"OLD" IS WHEN..... You are cautioned to slow down by... the doctor instead of by the police.

"OLD" IS WHEN.... "Getting a little action" means I don't need to take any fibre today.

"OLD" IS WHEN..... "Getting lucky" means you find your car in the parking lot.

"OLD" IS WHEN..... An "all-nighter" means not getting up to wee

(Thanks to Dato' Abdullah for forwarding this)

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?

noreply@blogger.com (Bustaman) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 04:54:00 +0000

This is not snapped in a foreign land.
I spotted this at a major private hospital in town. Right here in Malaysia. You probably can figure out which hospital.
You tell me what is wrong and what are the imputations and implications.

PERSUASIONS

noreply@blogger.com (Bustaman) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 03:29:00 +0000

Somehow our campaigns do not seem to be too effective. Maybe we need more effective copy. "Pandu Cermat Jiwa Selamat" and "Ingatlah Orang Yang Tersayang" fell on deaf ears. This Raya, we have more deaths on the road than the previous years. Maybe those unfortunate Malaysians do not value their life and/or do not have loved ones that they need to live for.

As for dengue, the campaign is going on with as much success as the road safety campaign. Our posters are straight-forward:
Hapuskan Nyamok Aedes or something to that effect. I could not get a copy of a poster on the Net. I did get some that were used in Singapore.

This banner that I spotted along Marine Parade is gentler than those above but heartfelt nonetheless.
The copywriter crafted more words for the Dengue Campaign. Go to his blog to feast on the clever words.

Selamat Raya Posa & Raya Nang

noreply@blogger.com (Bustaman) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 08:27:00 +0000

We left beloved Ramadhan and we welcome Joyous Syawal. To the handful of followers of this blog, my sincerest Aidilfitri wishes. May the blessings of Allah come your way. Amin!

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LOOKING UP A LOST FRIEND

noreply@blogger.com (Bustaman) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 04:03:00 +0000

There is something about Ramadhan that makes people more compassionate and caring. So it was with the new committee members of RTM Veteran Association. When they heard of the plight of an old friend and colleague, they decided to collectively make a trip up north and visit him at Rumah Seri Kenangan, Taiping - a sanctuary run by the Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat. How and why their friend Ariff Shah landed in an old folk's home they do not know and they did not ask. Ariff himself did not volunteer any information.

The friends do know that Ariff is taken care of. Rumah Seri Kenangan seems to be well-run. There is a clinic inside and the staff are friendly and seems to be a caring lot.

Dato' Aziz and Ariff were in the same unit in RTM. They are good friends.

Ariff already lost most of his hair while still in service. His teeth are still good though.

A group photo with the Director of the home, Puan Ummi.

Ariff is a pale shadow of the debonair, dashing colleague that the friends knew. Although he did not lose much weight, he lost a bit of his memory. He stared into faces trying to rummage through his mind the names that go with the faces.

The friends handed over some raya gifts for Ariff as well as for the rest of the inmates.
As they were leaving and waving goodbye to Ariff, many had the same thought in their head:
"There for the Grace of God goes I".

ON GETTING OLDER

noreply@blogger.com (Bustaman) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:15:00 +0000

Pak Idrus did not realize it but he sent something that is totally appropriate today when I turned 65:

Someone had to remind me, so I'm reminding you too. Don't
laugh.....it is all true....

Perks of reaching 50 or being over 60 and heading towards 70!

01. Kidnappers are not very interested in you.

02.. In a hostage situation you are likely to be released first.

03. No one expects you to run--anywhere.

04. People call at 9 pm and ask,"did I wake you?"

05. People no longer view you as a hypochondriac.

06. There is nothing left to learn the hard way.

07. Things you buy now won't wear out.

08. You can eat supper at 4 pm.

09. You can live without sex but not your glasses.

10. You get into heated arguments about pension plans.

11. You no longer think of speed limits as a challenge.

12. You quit trying to hold your stomach in no matter who walks into the room.

13. You sing along with elevator music.

14. Your eyes won't get much worse.

15. Your investment in health insurance is finally beginning to pay off.

16. Your joints are more accurate meteorologists than the national
weather service.

17. Your secrets are safe with your friends because they can't
remember them either.

18. Your supply of brain cells is finally down to manageable size.

19. You can't remember who sent you this list.

20.And you notice these are all in Big Print for your convenience.

Thank you Pak Idrus. As a birthday treat, on the way to sending Mimi back to UITM we had berbuka puasa at Seoul Garden, One Utama. This is one rare establishment where senior citizens get a 25% discount.

I got my 25% discount but being a "Birthday Boy" I should have eaten free (together with 5 other people) Oh well, next year perhaps.

GOODBYE CAPTAIN

noreply@blogger.com (Bustaman) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 15:08:00 +0000

When I read about the demise of Capt Yusoff's mother, I thought I would cheer him up by compiling a CD of Oslan Hussien's old songs in minang. When finished compiling and burning the CD, I asked Pak Idrus for the Capt's phone number. Pak Idrus sent me the Captain's email instead.

This afternoon Pak Idrus phoned me and told me about the passing of a dear blogger friend. It was confirmed at http://rockybru.com.my/

I have nothing to say except to recite the Al Fatihah for him and to convey my deepest condolonces to his family.

VOICES OF HOPE

noreply@blogger.com (Bustaman) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 06:44:00 +0000

"Voices of Hope" is the charity arm of the TTDI-based Young Choral Academy. So far they have staged performances to collect donations for Nanyang Press Foundation (the underprivileged and single mothers), Cyclone Nargis Relief Fund and the latest, Pusat Jagaan Kanak-Kanak Kasih.

Many people missed the delightful performances yesterday (Sunday 28th June). Not many people know of the Choralton. There wasn't enough publicity. Those that came to the Multipurpose Hall of SEGI University College, Kota Damansara yesterday mostly heard about the event through word of mouth. They were entertained by more than 300 singers comprising of preschool kids up to adults. Even the audience sang during a special singalong segment.

The repertoire was eclectic. There were Malaysian patriotic songs totally different from what you hear on radio and TV, Japanese songs, Chinese songs and a tribute to P.Ramlee and Sudirman. There were choirs, duets and solos from 10 am to 5pm.

Part of the Young KL Singers delivering "Lagenda"

The biggest choir of the day from Malaysian Institute of Art with Ms Susana Saw conducting.

In spite of the lack of publicity, Choralton managed to collect RM12,000 for a good cause.

CLOSEUPS

noreply@blogger.com (Bustaman) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 08:11:00 +0000

When I suggested to Pak Idrus that he gets a Macro lens for his Nikon DSLR, I was already contemplating on getting one for my Olympus E500. Alas, Mimi's scholarship did not come so I had to adjust my budget accordingly.

Until I get my Macro lens, I had to prevent my Olympus from getting depressed due to inferiority complex. Luckily the Olympus E500 has a close up mode which is sort of a replacement for the Macro lens in a pinch. Here are the results of the shots I took today:

This is something a vampire-hunter should not be without - a clove of garlic.

This mandarin orange came during Chinese New Year. It really has a long life.

Rosebuds in the bouquet that Mimi got from an admirer. The dew is artificial, the flowers are real.

SUSU KENTAL

noreply@blogger.com (Bustaman) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 06:56:00 +0000

I have ranted about the shortage of sweetened condensed milk as early as August 2007. You might want to visit it here .

I still do not understand why Sweetened Condensed Milk is not available in Malaysia. After making do with black coffee for a while, I got my sweetened condensed milk from Singapore and Indonesia. Do tell your friends/relatives coming from those places that they will not be allowed to hand-carry the milk on the plane. Check them in together with the checked baggage.

For susu pekat manis addicts without relatives or pliable friends travelling overseas, there is good news. There is a shop in Jalan Chow Kit importing Susu Kental Manis Indomilk.

The regular white version is sold at RM 3.90 per tin while the chocolate version is cheaper. So diehard condensed milk lovers, make your way to MK Toys and Snacks shop and ask for Ms.Lee. If you cannot locate the shop, call her at 03-2693 6328 for directions.

Cheers!

THE PAINT JOB

noreply@blogger.com (Bustaman) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:45:00 +0000

To the residents of Vista Angkasa, the scruffiest condominium along the Federal Highway, the best thing to happen this year was the PM's visit to the place during his first week of becoming PM. I was not around during this visit but I was glad that the PM ordered the place to be repainted.

In the last week of May, they started the paint job. Instead of using the old-fashioned bamboo scaffoldings, the contractor uses electric gondolas.

One side of Block 7 is cleaned using water jet...

...before one coat of paint is applied.

The painters take long and frequent rests between jobs. At the moment, I have not seen them touching any of the blocks. The gondolas are on the ground. It has been days of no activity. I just hope that the buildings are repainted in time for Hari Raya. I guess if we can wait for 12 years for the paint job, we can wait for a few more weeks. Amin!!!

BROADBAND BLUES

noreply@blogger.com (Bustaman) — Mon, 25 May 2009 12:45:00 +0000

When Mimi went off to UiTM on Saturday, she took along the Maxis Broadband modem that her Kak Long gave us. So I had to find a broadband service to continue surfing.

I wanted P1 Wimax but my area was not covered. I compared Digi and Celcom. Digi gave a bigger monthly download limit of 10 GB, double that of Celcom. Celcom do offer a Daily Unlimited Plan but the salesman could not explain how the plan works. So I went to a Digi outlet in MidValley. Unfortunately, they ran out of modems so I had to look for another outlet. The nearest is at Bangsar. A few nights ago, there was a temporary stand selling Digi Broadband outside the mamak restaurant. I asked the salesperson whether I can download torrents with Digi. The salesperson did'nt know what torrents are. In the permanent Digi shop, I made sure that there are modems available before giving my ic card to start the registration process. I was lucky that the salesperson is a thorough person. He checked the Digi coverage. He told me that there is coverage in my area but when he saw my address on my ic card, he told me that coverage is up to 4th floor only and I am on the 12th floor. Dang! I thought that the higher I am from the ground, the better the reception is. Is the Digi transponder or transmitter in my area right at sea-level?

I had no choice left but to go for Celcom Broadband. So immediately after saying goodbye to Mimi who is going to me proud at UiTM, I rushed to Digital Mall. The Blue Cube outlet ran out of modems too. Broadband is doing a roaring business huh? While walking to the car which was in front of the Maybank, I saw a Celcom stand. They have modems. So I got one.

I went home and excitedly plug in the modem to surf but I could not get any network. My account was not activated yet. When I phoned the salesperson who sold me the modem, he told me that I have to wait until Monday to have connection. I got my connection past 6 pm today. What took them so long? Celcom trumpeted that they are the fastest but their dealer's service is real slow. It was only after threats of sending back the modem that they rushed to activate my account.

THE ROAD TO 1MALAYSIA

noreply@blogger.com (Bustaman) — Wed, 13 May 2009 04:23:00 +0000

The road to 1Malaysia would be shorter when
- People do not grumble that there are no cabinet ministers from their state. Aren't ministers supposed to serve all Malaysians? Is there a difference if they come from Perlis, Perak or Pahang?
-When Amanah Saham is offered to ALL Malaysians, some people demanded that a portion is allocated to their ethnic group. Just go and buy. What is the problem?
-All interviewees on TV speak Bahasa Malaysia on BM news bulletins. And proper BM too. Stop using "mereka-mereka". How long have you been a citizen of this country? In other countries like the US, you have to pass an exam to be a citizen and that includes understanding and speaking the official language.
-Everyone ACCEPTS the diversity of the population and not just tolerates. There is a limit to tolerance. There is no longer a limit when you accept. So, DBKL stop making a fuss about temples burning incense just as non-Muslims should stop complaining about the azan. Understand and accept.

There are of course more. I am sure you can add your own to the list. Go ahead.

THE DINNER AT SERI MELAYU

noreply@blogger.com (Bustaman) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 06:55:00 +0000

I was invited to dinner hosted by Dato' Seri Utama Dr. Rais Yatim not because I am a prominent and influential blogger. I was there, I think because I attended Language Institute together with Dr. Rais and he was my minister in 1980. His wife, Datin Masnah was once our artist at Radio Pendidikan in her bachelor days.

In spite of feeling under the weather I decided not to miss the event. I am glad I did not because I got to meet up with old bloggers like Pak Idrus and Capt Yusoff as well as the younger ones like Rocky, Noraina, Elvisa and Ruby. There were of course famous and inflential bloggers present such as Dato' Kadir Jasin, Nobisha, A Voice, Mahaguru and Syed of Outsyed The Box.

The food was good, the company, excellent. I got to pick the brain of Dato' Dr. Halim of MCMC who kindly volunteered to look into my phone line problem.

Pak Idrus giving Valentino and Dr. Halim his opinions.

My friend Capt.Yusoff with Syed.

Dato' Seri Utama Dr. Rais Yatim giving his speech.

I did not take that many pictures, being stoned by my medication most of the evening. I tool a lift home from Capt. Yusoff. I think the walk to to parking lot put a strain on my muscles that night and added more days to the recovery. But I think It was worth all the pain.

WATCH AND WONDER

noreply@blogger.com (Bustaman) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 04:37:00 +0000

I want to share a Power Point presentation with you.

My Favorite Philosophy

View more presentations from Pokku.

I have no idea who the author is. If this is your work, do come in and take a bow.
Thanks to Dato' Abdullah for sharing this with me.

FAITH

noreply@blogger.com (Bustaman) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 05:17:00 +0000

Faith is something that drives you to doggedly do something in spite of the odds. I guess the 13 Independent candidates in the Bukit Selambau By-Election have plenty of faith. After all, nobody goes into a fight intending to lose.

My post today will not be about politics or running dogs. It is about a real dog and about faith.

This is 'Faith'

This dog was born on Christmas Eve in the year 2002. He was born with 3 legs - 2 healthy hind legs and 1 abnormal front leg which need to be amputated. He of course could not walk when he was born. Even his mother did not want him.

His first owner also did not think that he can survive. Therefore, he was thinking of 'putting him to sleep'.
By this time, his present owner, Jude Stringfellow, met him and wanted to take care of him.
She is determined to teach and train this dog to walk by himself. Therefore she named him 'Faith'.

In the beginning, she put Faith on a surfing board to let him feel the movements. Later she used peanut butter on a spoon as a lure and reward for him to stand up and jump around. Even the other dog at home also helped to encourage him to walk. Amazingly, only after 6 months, like a miracle, Faith learned to balance on his 2 hind legs and jumped to move forward. After further training in the snow, he now can walk like a human being.

So folks, whenever you think that the world is coming to an end and things look lost, think of Faith.

Thanks to Dato' Abdullah for emailing me this story.