James Morrison

I love James Morrison's voice. He has a unique voice.

According to him, when he was little, a bad cough disease was upon him that almost cost him his life. But thanks to that, his voice turned to be one of the sweetest in town.

His latest song Broken Strings, a duet with Nelly Furtado is just stunning. Find it and hear it for yourself.

PPSMI

(1) It was declared yesterday by our DPM Tan Sri Muhyidin that government will halt PPSMI starting on 2012, and they current batch will be the last batch using PPSMI. After 2012, all teachings of science and mathematic in primary and secondary school will be change back to Bahasa Malaysia in Sekolah Kebangsaan and Menengah Kebangsaan and other mother tongue language in SJK (C) and SJK (T) respectively.

(2) There were many pros and cons brought to the public by media regarding this issue. Some of them agree PPSMI but be continued while the others didn't. For me, I would like to see PPSMI to be continued. I was quite dissapointed when hearing the declaration.

(3) For me, PPSMI can be a good medium to increase our children competencies in English and improve their understanding in science and technology in the early beginning. The situation that made this programme failed was there were not many supports that should be moved parallelly with this programme.

(4) From my point of view, the lack of understanding on how to ensure this programme works was not in the mind of our educationist and those inside the ministry. In order to make anything work, basically you have to do the PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Action); it's basic of management. In this case, there were only Plan and Do, there were no Check and Action. Things became more complicated when the founder of this programme, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad leave Malaysian administration.

(5) PPSMI was a very daring and ambitious project. However, it was achievable. Nothing is imposible in this world. Imposible is not a fact; it's an opinion.

(6) When Muslim Arabs merge as a knowledge superpower last 1500 years ago, what happened was they translated many books and knowledges from other races, such as Romans, Greeks, Hindus and Chinese..and with them the knowledge transfer happened until they were able to publish knowledges in Arabic. We should be able to understand the first place that in order to translate, they must first learn other races languge.

(7) This is the point why we must emphasized English as Science and Mathematics as a learning medium. People might say the last system has no problem; we were able to generate many engineers, doctors and professionals without problem. Yes, but what if we can generate them even earlier. Children are like sponge, they easily absorb knowledges better than us. What if we can make them been able to read for example current form 5 physic lesson when they're only on form 1. Would it be nice to have such a young fella with a great amount of knowledges, just like a resemblance on what happened 1500 years ago?. Isn't the way to built great empire is to have great minds inside it? Imagine if these smart children continue to pursue mathematic, science and technology knowledges until someday they can questioned the fundamentals of science and maybe develop new enigma in science, just like Albert Einstein did.

(8) To be continued...

PTD assessment programme (3rd July 09)

(1) I received an invitation to join this programme, an assessment that being done to choose the right candidate for this position's last interview session. It was at INTAN Wilayah Timur in Kemaman, Terengganu.

(2) Luckily I was there with 2 of my collegues in NEC, so the awkard feeling could be left aside. We arrived and registered there at 8.15 a.m. There were already many other candidates arrived. We took turn to register. Then, weighing and height measuring session took place. I was 167 cm, with 70Kgs (slightly over my supposal BMI). After my picture being taken, they gave me a breakfast pack.

(3) First activity was a briefing by a fellow PTD officer. Basically, she briefed us what a PTD job is all about. She was a bit grumpy, and I didn't like her much. My friend and I also thought few words from her mouth were unappropriate to use while briefing us. Maybe she had problem back at her house, we will never know.

(4) After briefing, the real activity started. We were given groups to form to, and straight away went to dedicated rooms. This activity needed us to discuss an issue: economic crisis. There were about 10 people in my group, and most of them had no problem to converse in good English. Some of them even opened my perspective in the current economic crisis, since my understanding was lack for this issue. However, I did gave some of my ideas, and they accepted them, so I'm quite happy.

(5) Second activity was a debate; and the title for debate was komunikasi maya merosakkan bahasa. Coordinator seperated us into two groups, boys and girls. In this mini parliamental debate session, boys were the opposition. We had great time debating and showing our thoughts, plus this session seeemed non formal. A great relaxing time.

(6) After lunch and Friday prayer, we undergo 2 tests. It took us about 1 hour. Then came the physical test. After forming a group of 15 person, coordinator gave us ten platic pans. They asked us to make ten lines using those pans, with one line using only 3 pans. We failed to settle this riddle, and only one group succeeded. After riddle solving, we needed to design a dance move according to the song played. The song was about 10 minutes, consist of 3 songs that been mixed; the jaiho by pussycat dolls, basikal tua by sudirman and a siti nurhaliza song (sorry I couldn't remember the title). This was very fun.

(7) We then have to do pumping (30 pumps), star jump (20 jumps) and fly jump (2o jumps). I almost didn't feel my legs after these activity. Last physical test was sprint. I did well, I'm the fastest in my group.

(8) Eventhough tiring, I would be sure to join this activity again if they invite me again.

Sunday blues

(1) Last Sunday was a true holiday a.k.a doing nothing day. My housemates were resting peacefully, doing nothing.

(2) That evening, I decided to go for a jog. When I came back, Shahrul was holding his DSLR camera, so we and my other housemate took several pictures.

(3) Even though it was just a brief, but having conversation, making fun at each other and joking around seemed made us happy. Somehow I felt we had a quality time together.

Learn Something

Interesting facts

Kerajaan perpaduan...pandangan saya

(1) Kebanyakan berita hari ini memaparkan tentang kemarahan Tuan Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat terhadap kenyataan Nasharudin Md Isa, Timbalan Presiden Pas berkenaan cadangan untuk membentuk kerajaan perpaduan dengan UMNO. Beliau meminta Nasharudin Md Isa untuk meletakkan jawatan jika terus-terusan mencanangkan idea ini.

(2) Saya bukanlah orang yang paling layak untuk mengulas mengenai perkara ini, tetapi pandangan saya ini mewakili golongan muda yang telah banyak memerhatikan senario politik, tertutamanya isu-isu berkaitan survival politik orang Melayu di Malaysia.

(3) Dalam perkara ini, saya amat setuju dengan pendirian Tun Dr Mahathir. Menurut beliau, orang Melayu sekarang ini berasa takut untuk mempertahankan hak mereka sendiri. Mereka mudah mengalah, bermaksud mereka tidak mampu mempertahankan hak mereka, walaupun secara dasarnya mereka mengetahui hak-hak mereka mula di'usik' oleh bangsa lain.

(4) Walaupun secara dasarnya ada individu tertentu (malahan agak ramai) yang bangkit mempertahankan hak-hak Melayu, tetapi dek kerana sifat ego, pihak yang dianggap jaguh pertubuhan-pertubuhan atau parti-parti tertentu dalam perjuangan menegakkan hak Melayu tidak mendapat sokongan pihak-pihak melayu lain yang tidak sehaluan politiknya, walaupun mereka tahu bahawa apa yang diperjuangkan itu adalah benar. Inilah masalah kita sebenarnya.

(5) Berbanding dengan bangsa-bangsa lain di Malaysia, mereka memang berbeza matlamat politik, namun mereka pantang 'dicuit' mengenai hak-hak kaum mereka. Jika ini berlaku, lihatlah bagaimana mereka bersatu untuk mempertahankan, dan jarang sekali kita dengar ada di kalangan kaum mereka yang membantah.

(5) Agenda perpaduan Melayu ini sudah lama dibincangkan, malahan jika kita tanya pendapat majoriti golongan muda Melayu yang terpelajar, mereka semua mengharapkan ini semua akan terjadi suatu hari nanti, walaupun mereka berbeza fahaman politik. Persoalannya bila?

(6) Permasalahannya, masing-masing mencipta syarat masing-masing untuk memastikan ia berjaya. "Kalau mereka nak join kita, mereka mesti buat begini, begini .....". Bagi saya ini menyesakkan! Sukar untuk kita bersatu jika masing-masing meletakkan syarat-syarat ketat, malahan perbincangan belum bermula pun! Ini menyebabkan salah faham terus berlaku.

(7) Saya mungkin memahami perasaan Tuan Guru Nik Aziz. Beliau sangat sayangkan Islam, dan ingin melihat daulah Islamiah di Malaysia. Mungkin bagi beliau, Pas adalah satu-satunya cara untuk menyampaikan hasrat tersebut. Namun begitu, saya juga mungkin memahami pandangan Datuk Seri Hj Hadi Awang, Nasharudin Md Isa dan lain-lain pemimpin Pas yang mula mengorak langkah untuk mewujudkan kerjasama, dan mungkin juga perpaduan dengan parti Melayu lain. Bagi saya, mereka ini mewakili pandangan majoriti masyarakat Melayu, iaitu perpaduan dan ukhuwah adalah segalanya!

(8) Saya menyokong sepenuhnya usaha untuk menyatukan orang Melayu. dan saya mengharapkan semua orang Melayu dan orang Islam juga menyokong gagasan ini. Islam itu wajib didokong oleh semua orang Islam, dan daulah Islamiah wajib dilaksanakan. Di Malaysia, perpaduan sesama Islam amat diperlukan untuk menjayakan agenda ini. Tidak ada gunanya kalau hanya sebelah pihak sahaja yang melaungkannya, tetapi sebelah pihak lagi hanya memandang dengan rasa curiga, walaupun mereka tahu ia benar. Ini akan menyebabkan bangsa lain terus memperlekehkan agenda Islam kita.

(9) Orang Islam telah dijajah selama beratus tahun di Malaysia, bermula dengan Portugis pada 1511, Belanda dan akhir sekali Inggeris. Sesetengah kita akan tergelak bila melihat orang makan mee dengan tangan, dek kerana telah terbiasa dengan amalan 'makan dengan sudu' penjajah ini, sedangkan adalah lebih mudah makan dengan menggunakan tangan! Malahan ia adalah sunnah Rasulullah S.A.W!

(10) Cabaran inilah yang memerlukan para cendikiawan kita bersatu untuk memulihkan dan menyuburkan kembali Islam di dalam minda dan di dalam hati masyarakat. Jadi bersatulah!

(11) Saya akan mengalirkan air mata kesyukuran sekiranya ia menjadi kenyataan, InsyaAllah

Love...

There are various kinds of love with even more definitions of each. One popular version might be described as the desire for two people to spend their lives together, with a continuing compassion for each other through good and bad times.

Joseph Addison (1672-1719) puts it quite nicely this way: "Two persons who have chosen each other out of all the species with a design to be each other's mutual comfort and entertainment have, in that action, bound themselves to be good-humored, affable, discreet, forgiving, patient, and joyful, with respect to each other's frailties and perfections, to the end of their lives."

Of course it isn't always easy because conflicts about ideas, choices and habits arise. Some of these conflicting situations are easy to overlook while others can be very annoying, upsetting, and continual. Some personal mannerisms of one may never suit those of the other, and compromise cannot always be reached. Parting ways might seem inevitable, but often relaxing and rethinking the whole picture can result in a positive turn.

For example, many difficulties in a friendship, including marriage, can be put to the back by the simple act of resignation. By accepting certain personal conditions as permanent, they will somehow become more acceptable. Eventually the conflicting ideas may not be much of an issue, thanks to resignation. This leaves more room for mutual contentment and fondness.

Has the other's point of view been considered earnestly? How about a commitment to doing things that are basically unfavorable if it will improve the relationship? What are the other's favorable traits and conditions that are being overlooked? Nobody has to be perfect!

"If you wished to be loved, love." - Lucius Seneca (3-65)