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A DAY OF DESPERATION

My first trip to Putrajaya was on the 7th. of August 2014. I paid RM240 on Air Asia for the trip, just to make an appeal on getting a maid. The second trip to Putrajaya, Immigration office of Malaysia on the 25th September, costing me RM300 by MAS, after receiving an approval letter from Kementerian Dalam Negeri. I was told it could be processed in Alor Setar. At Alor Setar I was asked to go to Putrajaya. Immediately after that I bought another ticket , RM255 for the trip. I was being kicked like a ball. At Alor Setar several forms for the application of a maid was given to me. Some forms were very relevant, but one form in particular on another application didn't seem to be appropriate. "Do I need this form ? " The reply was, "KDN is KDN. Immigration is immigration." The guy must be seeing me as a stupid old man from the deep forest.

Filling the forms were tough for me. I didn't know how to fill the date of the contract. I rang up my student who told me to put the date when I want to submit the documents. Nevertheless I went to the revenue department asking them about the proper date. "The date must not be after the stamping." On the way home I stopped at the immigration again to ask them whether the forms were all completed. One lady officer checked one by one and afterwards handed me with two more forms, namely IM12 and IM38. I just took them and went home.

I tried to complete the agreements and the other forms, called my student as a witness, and checked the documents piece by piece. I decided to post them on the 7th. September 2014. Early morning on the 7th I first went to revenue department for stamping. There were 4 copies of agreement, 2 of them were photocopies. And there is another one piece to be stamped. "How many do you want to do the stamping ? You can't stamp on the photocopies," said the lady officer. Go and ask them again."

I rushed to the immigration. With a smile I said that I was sorry to disturb them again and again. "This time I want to know how many copies to do the stamping ?" "Three copies, only the original."

"I am going to post today. Please check the documents once more," I requested. The kind lady officer from the alien worker department browsed all the documents and said, "It's OK but her visa is going to expire on the 9/10/2014." I told her that I will be renewing it soon, and  till the whole process is done. But processing is time consuming. 9th would be my trip to Songhkla for visa renewal.

On the 8th October I slept early and woke up at 2.00 am. Then I went horizontal again, but I could not sleep. Of and on I had weird dreams. Then I heard noises. My maid was cleaning the floor. I looked at the clock. It was 4.00 am. I switched on my radio and did some SWLing on the CW side. Only at 5 am, I took my bath, 6.10 doing my prayer. At 6.30 I went out to buy breakfast for my wife.

At 7.00 am the maid next door arrived. She too wanted to follow us. My wife could not go because she has no passport. I put my wife on the wheelchair, administer her an insulin, arranged the medicine, accompanied her for a short while and moved out for Songkhla Malaysian Consulate. I used Sygic GPS to guide me. Traffic crawled like a tortoise at Hatyai. It was much worse in Songhla. Roads to the Malaysian Consulate were close. There were festivities at the beach and consulate area. I arrived at the consulate at about noon. The air was very hot and I was sweating profusely.

But the time at the Consulate was short after a long preparation and a hectic journey. "We don't accept letter from Kementerian Dalam Negeri. You must get the letter from the immigration office." There was a great frustration. If it is a rule and it is a rule. My heart sank. My maid wept. The plan to stop at Hatyai was cancelled.

At the border I approached an immigration officer. I did not see any rank on his attire. I requested for one month. "Why you have the maid so long with you ? "

"I made an appeal as soon as I was informed the new rule. That takes time for the reply." I answered.

His scolding me didn't end there. He continued to repeat, "Why the reply took a long time ?"  This officer must be nut and rude. Nut because he does not seem to understand the volume of applicants and people who appeal. I just read about 1.4 Million of Bangla workers were just on completion. It was not 14 or 140 or 1400. Rude because he question Kementerian Dalam Negeri, showing arrogance of no degree. It is this kind of officers that made the members of the public hate the government. Similarly those officers who arrogantly said that KDN is different and immigration is another. He gave only 2 weeks, refusing to see all other documents I showed him.

I pitied my maid. The poor guy who left her school going kids and came during the fasting month to feed the family. I never scolded or raised my voice during her stay with me. I paid the full amount of her salaries thought the Indonesia agent told me not. I bought her a smart phone because I want her to post her pictures home by whatever method.

I said nothing, feeling disheartened and angry and morose. While driving back I pulled up. I called Kementerian Dalam Negeri and reported my agony. The good lady scolded me, "Who ask you to go to Songhkla ? You don't have to do the extension of the stay. Yours is approved. You are to work on her permit." I always accept such a scolding. I wrote on a man whom I met in a shop who scolded me for drinking coke after jogging. Some people were just concern.

On reaching home I narrated my story to my sister in law who came to look after my wife. Her word were simple "Wait till they get old and retired".

09/10/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


BEHINDHAND

People do get broke. When somebody wanted to have ten dollars for a loan especially a person I knew not, I knew that he was begging. I gave him and told him not to pay back. I can't do it to all people at all time for I too need money. I am not a contractor nor a businessman. I am too old to work and I live on my pension. When somebody wanted to have RM500 and I knew he has a lot of money in his bank but the haste drove him to seek for a loan, I lent him with the hope he would return the soonest, for I too need it for something.

Borrowers are usually behindhand. They are quick to borrow but slow to pay. When time drag they would feel that they do not have to honor their promises, forgetting that it will leave an impact on their morality and dignity. People will talk about them and try to avoid them. I learned that there are several hams fall under this category. It happened that these are the type of people who spat poison on their victims to hide their sins and crimes.

Some names are being exposed. People try to avoid them. Let me tell you not to trust even your close friends. Don't worry, someday one of their fingers will be cut by one of the victims. It had happened before and may happen again.

In USA one ham victim exposed the culprit using the social media, first requesting the redemption and later shot more attacks. No amount of defense and excuses could alter people's perception. If they fell sick the rest would laugh with joy. They don't pray for the death, instead for heavier sufferings.

You may be broke one day. I too may have the same fate. If ever someone shows pity on us, let us not be behindhand. We need to response and explain why we can't honor the loan as promised. We have to fulfill it somehow and hope no damage will be done on us.

07/10/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof

 

MISCALCULATION

Many a time losing were due to miscalculation. In a game we have to know our enemy, to see and predict their possible moves. The basic maxim is 'for every action there will be of equal and opposite reaction' which may not be visible by the naked eyes. But from sports to politics we didn't seem to understand the natural behavior of mankind. We only compute on the strength of our side and underestimating our foes.

Many of us had said a long time before that one day the Korean will beat us in Takraw. I made my prediction base on the observation of our Malaysian mentality, especially of the top brass, on the various decisions and policies, actions and demeanors. They thought they were the best in everything. They were strong enough to withstand and opposition.

Our national image is not on the award given to our First Lady unknown and unrecognized by the local but by the great achievements in sports, sciences and other competitive awards. It is a paradox that in the last Asian Games the glory were brought by the race the Malays duped as 'Pendatang'. Was it not a big shame to some who periodically bashing the non-Malays ?

The Malaysian thinking is boisterous and stinking. A boss called for a meeting to command the subordinates to carry out a policy without questioning. He thought his policy was perfect. Anyone who tried to give his view was threatened and chased out of the room. And in the course of executing the policy various major problems occurred. The damage were deemed to be fatal. It is this kind of a person that our country has as a civil servant, and a policy maker.

We are happy to make some amazing law, which should be awarded with Nobel prizes such as 'GST will lower the prizes of goods and commodities. Property prices will be down too' , 'The citizen will be thankful to the government when the GST come into effect and the fuel price is increased'. Digging a hole to cover another hole will always be a hole. It is a miscalculated move that will one day end with disaster.

What sort of reaction would we expect when our leader is hanging the power on the FELDA constituencies ? Would it not be an effort to bring down the price of oil palm so as to sabotage and bring sufferings to those who vote for the leader ?

While we are thinking others are also doing the same; how to be the best, the top, the masters and to supersede all our competitors, to be strong and respectable. How could a single person have thought that his idea is the best of all among a few hundreds whom he barred from voicing ? As a result sports and education have become a political issue. Instead of solving the issues we chose to issue gag order and arrest guys with views which are different from that of ours.

Malaysians must regain composure, be rational, cool and calm. Talk less and think more. Be serious at the brainstorming sessions. Listen to all views and arguments. Some are painful to hear. Many truths are hurting. But that's the only way to sow for the best.

We must always remember a one miscalculated move will end us in disaster. Political leaders just don't care about it.

06/10/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof

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HAM RADIO - DO YOU HATE MORSE CODE ?

If someone says he hates Morse codes that is his right. It is not a felony and not against social codes. I would just wonder his reason for hating it. If he does not like it then I would understand it, because likings towards something is a matter of taste. I may not like a woman because she may not seem pretty to me. But I cannot hate  person because she is ugly or does not suit my taste.

It would certainly be naive for someone to hate something because someone else is asking him to hate it. We hate criminals because they are causing problems to us, and ever threatening our peace of mind. Similarly I could not hate Bush because he is Bush but I would hate him for false flag attack on the World Trade Center and killed thousands of Iraqis.

What is wrong with anyone who goes for the Morse test ? What is the reason for you to hate him ? Does his sitting for the exam rob away your money and your family ?

Probably we have tried to learn it but we found too tough. We simply cannot decipher it despite much efforts we have put in. Actually out of 100 ninety percent can finally master it if they continue to learn the codes the right way. 10% may not be able to fit their mind to the strange environment. They may be good at something else but not Morse codes. In either case there is no reason for them to hate it and discourage others to pursue the amazing skill.

Great achievements are not crime. Those getting straight As or the CGPA of 4 flat are not criminals. Those who sat for Morse test and passed and get the 9M call signs aren't doing any crime to anyone.

We are reasonable people. We do not simply listen to others without thinking. There are always pros and cons, good and bad. Only degrees made a different. Deciding to sit for Morse test means a sacrifice of time and effort. But passing it provide us with an immense benefit beside the acquired additional skill not all people have.

It has passed my ears that so and so is good in CW but he does not to take the test because he hates Morse. Then there was another man who chose not to take the test because the tester's capability is far below his standard and his ability. Crazy people like me found it very hilarious. The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

CW does not harm nor kill anyone. There are only about 45 characters to learn. If you learn Mandarin there are tenth of thousands of characters to recognize and remember. One uses visual recognition and the other using sound recognition. The younger you are the easier is the ease of learning. And learning itself is fun. Don't listen to those who are telling you to hate Morse and those who chose to upgrade themselves. Animosity against imaginative foe is bad for health. It could cause tension.

Once upon a time we used to hear among the Malay students that they hated Mathematics and Science. Why ? Because they were made to believe the race was not cut for science and technology and mathematics. We shouldn't allow such an attitude to live on. There shouldn't be a debate or discussion. The right thing to do is to work on it.

The number of 9Ws who went to Cyberjaya to support the CW candidates were encouraging. It may not be 10000. We have to remember that only a handful that brought changes to the world. These were the people with resilience and guts, not easily submit to the command of others.

05//10/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


HAM RADIO - IGNORE MY VIEW

What is Islam without Al-Quaran and what what is Christianity without Bible. Likewise there is no ham radio without Morse Codes.

I am very much aware that my view is shared by none in the world therefore it can be ignored. But I believe any minority is entitled to his view.

Just imagine that Muslims all over destroy the Holly Book, Al-Quaran. Yet they are preaching Islam and Islamic practices. There will come a day when no one can ever recite the Holly phrases anymore yet they call themselves Muslims. Even with the living Al-Quaran, they prefer to put it aside and waging wars among the fellow Muslims, joining hands with the powerful non-Muslim nations to kill another Muslim sects. It is very sad and chaotic situation.

Ham Radio was born with Morse Codes. The dismemberment of any of it's body is like throwing the Bible or the Quaran by the religious body, like the churches and the mosques without their Holly scriptures.

Not all big and powerful people are sane and proper. Just because of their position, should we say 'aye' to all their actions and decision ? There were insane Presidents who consumed drugs and happily bombing foreign nations using tons of false justifications. Not all big and powerful nations could think straight and rightly. They legalize drugs, same sex marriages and the killings of Muslims. Would we take them as our icons and follow their practices and policies ? What are left in their values ?

I am glad that Malaysia is still keeping Ham Radio alive and guys still learn and go for CW tests. While some may realize the original and traditional mark of ham radio others may just sit it as a challenge. Whatever the spirit of amateur radio is there and they are keeping Ham Radio alive.

I read somewhere about a certain church that allows drinking and having free sex during it's annual celebration, and calling itself a Christian church. In the Bible it was clearly stated about adultery. What do you call a man who cut his penis, boosting his nipple and dress like a woman ? It is indeed mumbo jumbo state of affair.

Old hams find that CW today a little different from their time. They started with the straight keys. Today electronic keys and computer sending almost become a practice. As a result most speeds we hear during contests and normal communications are faster than the old time. I participated in the Morse contest before but not as speedy as now. The change does not evaporate the codes away. They are still heard on the band and are still very popular mode of communication, giving sign the spirit of real ham radio is alive.

People who shuttle between amateur band and CB bands are people without the Morse capabilities. To them they are the same 'talk...talk...talk...talk...' Peopke who shuttle between SSB and CW only on amateur band simply loves the only ONE type of radio hobby, namely ham radio. Listening is as good as working on it, reminding themselves that ham radio is still alive.

AMTOR, RTTY, FACTOR and name all the digital modes do not require skill. The only unique stuff is competency is Morse code. It is in a person which you cannot cut and paste, copy and do, buy and operate. We can steal and take away all the gadgets and the hard wares but not the CW capability in a person.

Don't feel offended. It is only a sole view in the whole universe. It is as empty as an atom. Ignore it and you will be fine.

04//10/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


A MALAY IS NOT ALWAYS AN ANGEL

I didn't go around looking for troubles or problems. If we don't look for one, it may pop up unexpectingly. Only yesterday when I entered my gate after picking up my wife from a dialysis center, two young women quickly entered my compound. I was busy unloading my wife from the car. The transfer was not straight forward. I had to do several things. My maid was in the house preparing dinner. The two ladies only watch what I was doing. There was no attempt to lend their hands. My experience in unloading my wife has always been helped by other people though I did not welcome them. I appreciated the willingness. Most of them just held the wheelchair.

Having unloading and adjusting her sitting position I asked why they were here. "We are collecting money for the orphans, " came the answer. I quipped back, "Do you enjoy seeing how I unload this sick lady ?" I continued to push my wife and they walked away. They were both Malays.

The story of the Malays would not be nice to hear. I have just narrated about my shuttle from Putrajaya to Alor Setar immigration departments, that put me so much in difficult position. I am sure many others have been facing similar problems. I told my staffs before not to send any parent home and asked them to come another day as they live far away and the journey to the school is not easy. Even during the lunch time someone must be at the office to attend to anyone that come for help.

A Malay is not always an angel. A Haji cannot always be trusted. A long time ago those clerics whom the villagers trusted so much were stealing land using what we called 'Padi Kunca'. Villagers who desired to go for a pilgrimage would take a loan from the cleric, giving the land grant and promising to pay back at every harvesting season. Whenever the villager went to make the payment the Haji would hide himself. The verbal agreement said that the payment must be made at every harvesting period, failing to pay back for three consecutive season the land would be forfeited. Many clerics were wealthy during those years leaving the poor Malays landless.

Today money rules. The Malays go for money than the race. Leeches are not confined to chetiars and Ah Longs. Everyone is forking for money. Some sucks. Some don't. Some goes preying from friends using various pretext to borrow money and never to return. Some goes from house to house to collect all sort of donations; for mosque, for orphans, for the Palestinians.

Today I went to my old school to attend a function. I found out sad things about our education system. If God gives me the power, I would put a few top ranking policy makers behind bars. You may not know what is happening, and the public too may not know too. Divulging the truth is a crime. It is a very sad episode of human history, about the foolish people who just do not care less about their own race, namely the Malays. Intelligent parents ask intelligent questions which nobody could provide any answer. The losers will be the Malays from the policy made by the Malays themselves.

Closing people's mouth is never a good idea. It is just like the young sons killing their own parents and teachers and doctors and other smart people of the Pol Pot regime.

Every time now when I go out for a dinner at a hotel or restaurant I have to say this, "Please listen carefully. Fried rice with no chicken. Write it down, no chicken. If you put any chicken bad thing will happen. OK ? " Out of 10 places, at least 2 will come back with the chicken. At one restaurant a hot fresh orange was served as I ordered "Fresh orange". You have to tell these guys 'Fresh orange with ice'.

Not every Malay is a fool or arrogant. A few or 'some fews' are too many for us to tolerate. A few sadists, drug pushers, criminals and inconsiderate are enough to shake the country, putting great hardships and difficulties among the public.

02/10/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


HAM RADIO - WHAT I UNDERSTAND ABOUT A FEW ITEMS

A civil servant should know about leave (cuti). Leave (cuti) is not a right but a privilege. Similarly a ham radio license is not a person's right. It is a privilege given by the authority it deems fit. A ham license can be revoked without explanation.

Probably many of us might be thinking that it is everyone's right to be given a license once he passed the Radio Amateur Examination. When a friend of mine talked about suing the authority, that's what I told him. That clause is strong and powerful enough for the authority to forfeit a license given without reason.

Taiwan used to have only two call signs, BV2B and BV2A. Both used by the same man for many years and Thailand only legalized ham radio in the late 20th. century. If a country choose to follow her own style and rule, the citizen cannot adopt the regulation of any alien nation against the local administration, and follow his own way. Ever notice the Malaysian hams defying the authority ?

Secondly we need to understand about reciprocal license. It is a license awarding to a foreign citizen to operate a radio station in a host country for a given period of time. The foreigner is regarded as a guest. Once he leave the country the reciprocal license ends.

There is no reciprocal license for it's own citizen. He is not a guest and not an alien. This explains why Malaysians who sat RAE and CW test in USA and given a US license had to re-sit for the RAE and CW test again when they came back. Our rule is to get the 9M for a layman he has to sit for a Morse test.

Thirdly we need to know the real meaning of 'amateur' in amateur radio. It is not the word that a ham can do what he likes, uses whatever lingo and practices. Amateur Radio is merely to differentiate it with other radio services like the broadcasting stations, police and military and other services. It is nothing strange to say 'an amateur should professionally'. He has to stand by the rules, ethics, following the procedure and having a high degree of discipline.

So far we do not put any serious effort to build up the great honor and integrity of ham radio in this country. You open your eyes and ears wide enough and you will see and hear the abusive words and the insult, the illegal transmission and the new creative terms foreign to ham radio. You will understand what I mean.

02/10/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


ONLY FOOLS TRUST NETWORK

You can talk your heart off about the hidden evil of computers those smart men will frown at you and brush you aside. First you wouldn't know what is hidden in the chips. They may contain transmitters that can transmit information to the spy satellite. Iraq computers were jammed via the satellite during the US-Iraq war. There may be spy-chips that can send out information to the enemies or foreign countries. Didn't we buy computer hardware from a Jewish company once ?

A huge amount of data are kept either in the local drive or in a remote servers. These data run through wires in binary format which could always be tapped on the busy traffics of it's highway. People can steal them while trafficking or from the storage bulks. No man can be trusted with the servers or the local data storage. Exam questions are stolen. Personal data are changed. Immigration and NIRC data may be manipulated and added. Thefts have long been operating beneath the calm water. Only the public do not sense what was going on.

Once, with my little knowledge I drew out data from a friend's machine. I could control remote computers, watching security cams from all over. If a fool like me could do it, you could expect the worst from the experts and the computer maniacs. 

A network is very vulnerable to attack. The people who make the security software can always enter the locked doors. It won't be difficult if you know how. But you don't need to know, only to believe that you cannot trust these gadgets to help you in every daily tasks. On the network people could know what you type and what you do.

Websites provide knowledge and other information. It also serve to condition your mind with false and selective information, to make you like or hate other people, culture and religion. One has to be critical and smart enough to recognize the beneficial facts and the fallacies.

I feel so very sad when government officers trust computers so much. They sent exam questions through email, personal and other data through the network. Important data viewed as secrets are kept in the servers.

What is known to be stolen is known and what isn't is thought to be safe, yet they are being stolen and being peeped. Tons of secrets flow out everyday. I am not at all surprised about banks losing money for I knew it would happen. Only now it is realized . That's about money.

Who cares ? Or they are too smart.

01/10/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


OO MY MALAYSIA

My spirit is high. My mind is strong and my physical is active though I live in almost a lonely world with my bed-ridden wife. I worked hard as a domestic nurse and tried to keep my home in shape, seen as nothing has happen. Life has to go on. Others may have greater hardship and sufferings. I thank God that the government is still feeding me and I live merely on retirement fund. Many are begging on the streets.

I repeatedly told my wife that if I were to die and never to wake up in the morning she would stay in bed for days and probably weeks alone till the pungent smell of my corpse fills the air. I prayed it would not happen. It would be much desirable to have a third person, probably a maid, with us. But maid is pretty expensive. They are not for the poor people. I put no effort to look for one.

By a sudden stroke of luck my neighbor found one for me from Lombok. We both were not aware that the law on Indonesian maid has changed. I only discovered it after I remitted 5K payment to someone in Indonesia. Immigration officers asked me to send the her back home.

My neighbor felt guilty and very sorry about it. The Indonesian agent asked me to pay another 5K to process the work permit. Another local agent wanted 6.5K. My friends told me the additional payment was less then 13 - 18K, the new price through the agent selected by the government. Some suggested that I should keep her as an illegal. I asked her whether she was willing to stay as an illegal. She accepted it. She kept on asking me the size of the boat which would take her home. In my heart she must not be made to suffer. She must go back in one piece proudly by air.

She is about 40 with 5 children and three are still schooling. Her Indonesian agent told me that I don't have to pay her salary for three months. I talked to my wife who agreed to pay her the full amount. Her life is more difficult than us. "My family is poor. My husband is jobless. My eldest is a divorcee. She is looking after my other kids. We owe a lot," she told me later when I asked her how much she wanted to send home. "All." She said all to pay to the sundry shops where they bought food for daily consumption.

Rusli, my friend in Nilai, helped me to investigate of any other possibility that I could take to retain her. Else I have to send her home and bear the lost. Rusli was told that I should make an appeal. Only the Minister can approve. I should go to Putrajaya.

I went to Putrajaya on 7th. of August 2014. It was supposed to be Hari Bersama Pelanggan. But the Minister was oversea. I was ushered to a counter. I handed my documents to a kind officer. "Go home and wait." I waited and in the meantime I had to renew her visa.

Unexpectedly a mail from Kementerian Dalam Negeri arrived on 22nd. giving approval to my plea. I was exalted with full of excitement. On the 25th September I went to immgration Putrajaya, showing the letter (without any attachment though written with such word). The officer told me that I could process it in Alor Setar.

The first trip to Putrajaya cost me RM240 by Air-Asia. My maid looked after my wife who has to lie in bed for the whole day. I did not allow her to lift my wife who is much bigger than her. And Rusli was with me the whole full day. The second trip was to coincide with the Morse Test at Cyberjaya. That cost me RM300 by MAS.

On 28th September I went to the Immigration Office at Anak Bukit Alor Setar. "You have to go to Putrajaya, not here." The immigration boss talked to Putrajaya who insisted that I should go there. Forms were given but were incomplete. Only today, 30th September, when I went to ask how to fill those forms, another two additional sheets were given.

Yesterday I sent a fax to Kementerian Dalam Negeri asking for permission to have the maid processing to be done in Alor Setar. A quick phone call came back asking me to send the appeal to immigration side at Putrajaya. There was no fax number. There was no phone number. May be too much of a work load. I then sent my appeal by Pos Laju. That was yesterday. The big immigration boss rang up Putrajaya after my postage. The answer was the same. I need to deal with Putrajaya.

Looking at the date I found that I have to make myself free on the 14th. There is no dialysis. My wife has to stay in bed the whole day again. On the 9th I have to take my maid to Songkhla to renew her visa. This time MAS flight cost me RM255.

Malaysia Oh Malaysia. One of the most progressive countries in the world who think everyone can travel to and fro to Kuala Lumpur everyday.

It is true that we have to take care of the dead people. But do we have to neglect those who are still alive and kicking. It is almost a trauma to me. This time I would not seek Rusli's or anybody's help anymore. I will make my way to Putrajaya by myself. I know it will take me almost the whole day.

Do I need to say more ? You may have to wait for your time to feel what I feel. Those officers will also pass the same way and they will know what agony is as they have done to others. At 68 I still have the energy and the will power, the fighting spirit and the survival instinct.

30/09/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof

Today is 3rd of October. This morning I received a phone call from the immigration office Putrajaya permitting me to post all the documents. I pondered for a while, took a deep breath. At least there are still human persons amongst the civil servants. It means alot to me and to all others, giving us hope and confidence in living in our only mother land. Thanks God. I feel much relief.


9m2ar.com/morsecode.rar

A long time ago I developed a CW trainer to train my listening skill. It uses DOS sound, not running using the sound card. It worked well for me on Windows XP with all my Acer Laptop. To those who are using MS Access 2000 and a Windows XP, you may want to try the soft ware. The URL is 9m2ar.com/morsecode.rar . Download and unzip it.

It is not a good software, below the international standard. But adjusting to the right speed and sound, it can assist me a lot.

What you may be needed are the Rawak/Random, Taip teks and Buka Fail.

The choice of Rawak/Random allows you to enter the number of digits and groups.

The second image shows the figure pops up as the Rawak/Random button is clicked. Below I entered 7 characters and 25 groups or sets.

Then I click Go Rawak/random to hear the displayed sounds.

 

 

Taip teks let us repeatedly hear some of the characters that we find it difficult to decipher. You can type only a single character 'a' 100 times or more. To hear them you just click Go morse button. In fact you can save this in a file by clicking Simpan Fail. File name must be of one word eg. 'Ujiansatu' not 'Ujian satu'

The feature I like most is Buka Fail. The content of the file is either typed or copied from articles on the websites, and it is pasted in the box. Save the article using the Simpan Fail button. You can hear this for hours if the content is long.

One bad point about the speed adjustment is that you need to adjust Laju+ and Laju- together with the DotDash until you hear a comfortable spacing.

Those who can run this software can compare with the more professional written by the Americans hams. We may have different taste. If you don't like it just don't use it.

29//09/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


BEWARE OF CURSES

The power of a brain is still unknown to science. A part that has been known may still be too little and negligible. The power of telepathy is still under investigation and experiment. How far curses through the brain wave can effect a distant person ?

People curse everyday for the downfall and destructions of others whom they hated. They appeal for the divine intervention to have their curses crushed their enemies or people who have cheated and owed them money, of arrogant persons who had caused sufferings to the many. Kelantan still fail to get the 'oil money' with all the mystified efforts. Israel is unshaken by the curses of the world.

Many people still believe in the strength of their curses. "He didn't pay me. I curse he will lose his fingers soon." It could be a coincident when a car salesman who cheat one customer and get away with it was finally lost his finger after cheating a second person. Probably a gang was paid to cut one of his fingers. When I read the news about a headless body found, he could be cheating a lot of people already. The final curse on him was his death.

One may not notice all kind of sickness slowly attacked dishonest person. A debtor who cause difficulty to his lenders experience a slow deterioration of his health. As he felt indescribable agony with deathly pain, he called for forgiveness, which would be responded with more sinister curses "Let you die in pain and go to hell."

You may dismiss it as absurd. One day later science will come to explain the many myths of the universe, which we have been beginning to hear in quantum sciences. People are questioning what reality is and whether time really exist, and that we are nothing in the world.

So far I have seen bad things happen to the bad people, not by the avenge of mankind but from an unknown source of nature. Rich people suffered a violent death, being sued and brought to shame, and a few were known to commit suicide. A bad man going for a Haj and came back to commit more sins. It is not strange for men in religious rob to soak themselves in a pond of sins. They are there by the hundreds.

The good point of persons who do not pay my loans is I can easily close myself to lending even to my close friends. "Go and get from....." News could travel free and freely about those guys. Others will be more careful in dealing with them. And at the same time I could observe the degree of sufferings that will torture him and his minds day by day. The telepathy will continue to attack with vigorous intensity. A death will not be met by sympathy but a glorious day to celebrate.

28/09/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


ASK DON'T THINK

I have been on 7.043 for a long time. Even before the approval by the authority Malaysian hams were already above 7.100 Mhz. I stayed foot. I asked a Chinese friend why he did not go to 7.130. "It is not on my ticket and it is not approved yet," he said.

A little bird told me that someone spat poison saying I refused to go to 7.130 because the new hams were there. I would have guessed all the new hams were believing in what they have heard. I don't remember any ham questioned me the reason for my absent on those upper band frequencies. I worked with the government before. I had always wish the public to abide by the rules.

It was good that I was made a special topic. Would I care ? I did not have time to think about new hams. I may make remarks when coming across some terminologies that I have accidentally heard. Comments would be made on weak signals from any ham. That does not construed prejudicial remarks.

If I consider 7.043 as my home, it is also a home for everyone else. You can make it your home too. Everyone is welcome to visit. Nobody would chase you away. Never ever think I am trying to avoid the new hams.

I don't understand why there is a verbal clash in the social media. The new 9Ms and those sitting for CW were lashed. They are branded as Chicken Brand, low quality hams, unskilled in the Morse and lacking in knowledge. If the lashing came from the old hams, the newer ones would be thinking that every old hams look down upon them.

But it is a fact that the Telecom and MCMC era were different. The systems change as leaders change and the progress is gaining momentum. The exam structure changes for the same reason. In our days the test was of essay type and it was in English. Today it is of objective type. I took a CW test in Penang and there were only 4 candidates. Knowledge is greater now than before. During the telecom days illegal operators were arrested. One using other people's call sign had to struggle hard for years to get the pardon from the King. Wrongdoers' licensed were revoked for the whole life. We were damn scarred of the severe punishments. The MCMC is very kind and tolerant. A few took advantage it's benevolence.

The fewer number of Malays in amateur radio was because of the medium of instruction and the exam style. The plain language on the local net, 40 meter band, was English. Everyone spoke English.

It could not be helped when attitudes and ethics would loom as a problem because of the increasing numbers of hams that come from all walk of life, from different background and education. We have lawyers as well as jobless. We have hams who called people pig and dog and causing unnecessary intrusions. We experienced frequency blockage and other sorts of disturbances.

These do not make hams a Chicken Brand. Let new hams venture into the wider world, and time will teach them many things.

New 9Ms are great hams. They face greater challenges than the hams of our time. While some were pressuring them not to sit for CW test, others reject and outcast them. They struggle to study Morse codes by themselves. Mazwan, 9M2ZN, whom I consider as a new ham, could very well read and send Morse at 35 wpm by the mind. More newer ones are sending beautiful codes at more than 12 wpm. They wave Malaysian flags to the world that come to know of a woman CWer active in the mode.

Satan is fond of poking people, blowing hatred into humans' heart.

To know a person hear what he says about others. Truly indeed he is, unashamedly parading his own character for the perusal of others. Sooner or later even the blind person can smell the heart, a smell of pungent odor. Listen to your own hearts. Build the better future of amateur radio, hams of caliber with amazing skills in CW. Our target is JA1NUT and N6TT, the two regular ragchewers on 40 meter. Insya Allah we will gain the international respect.

We don't listen to people who carry malicious words on other fellow hams and the staffs of MCMC. Great people talk about ideas and the lowly people talk about other individuals. Fools invent evil words.

Asking what we don't know is better than thinking evil things about them.

26/09/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


CWers-IGNORE THE INSULT

Once you have passed the CW you are getting a diamond in your possession. Love and treasure it. It elevates your status a step higher and it touches you with enlightenment. It is yours, let it lies in your blood.

There were sinister remarks passed to belittle the successful candidates, which is very unwelcoming within our fraternity. Once, amateur radio was considered as one of the most civilized hobby. It drew King and Prime Minister, scientists and engineers. The civility, integrity and it's enlightenment should be maintained at all time. I would forbid rudeness, a rogue, an uneducated and a cultureless individuals to become members.

We are to encourage, not to discourage. Attacking and insulting those who want to sit and those who were successful would not stop hams with strong will power from proceeding with their brave quests. Supporters spend a few hundred ringgit to be with the candidates. Among Malaysians, the ham spirit is still there, and will grow to be stronger.

I have been a ham since 1970's yet my CW is still far from perfect. There were mistakes made in almost every contacts. I just love Morse codes. It gives a great pleasure when hearing the singing of the keys, some with melodies. Try the straight key and you will know what I mean.

New comers in CW must not be scared or shy to come on the band. Work me. I will try to trace your mistakes and correct them. Several of the new hams I worked with were superb and perfect. The sending were amazing. The last I worked was 9M2RZL. Rizal was perfect like a veteran.

Remember, that some mischievous persons might come to disturb. The authority tolerated them so far. Someday someone will be slapped with a huge fine and thrown behind bars. Believe me, it will happen. When it happens let no one shows his mercy.

Be a responsible ham. Observe the ethics or else leave the hobby.

26/09/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


POWER BANK ?

My mind cannot grow in a small dingy room where I spend most of my time. I don't know the new technology in the market. When I passed any phone shops I saw things I have never seen before. I saw a box called Memory Bank. I didn't ask what it was for. Everywhere I saw people using a kind of stick with a smart phone on one end and it looked like they were photographing themselves. I don't know what else they have in the shelves.

I asked Rusli what the power bank was while we were in Bangkok. "You use it to charge your smart phone and the it's battery went depleted. But you need to have it power box charged too," he explained.

If you want to call me a nut, just go ahead. A moron, go ahead too.

I think I need to take a tour of the electronic and phone shops, look around and ask a lot. Of course the end question will be 'How Much'. More often than not, I would just walk away after hearing the response.

The less I know and the lesser the exposure the less I spend. So far I can manage it without any memory bank. On the way to Bangkok by train I charged my iPhone on it. Though there were only 4 outlets it seemed to be enough for all. Not everyone on the train were charging batteries at the same time. May be one day I may need the memory bank. By that time it may be cheaper newer version.

What else do they have in the shop other than the new iPhone and Samsung ? Crazy indeed. After a day of purchasing , you will hear of the next new version, with enhance technology, IOS and camera. I don't even use 1/4 of what is found in the iPhone 4 yet. Do you know what people had said about Honda motorbike ? They said the first version, Honda 50, was the best of all the Honda Cup series.

The danger of living in a cocoon is that one day I may get shocked by hostile environment, which may be beyond my capacity to cope. New gadgets will replace the old ones that needed to be thrown out. We may be forced to buy the new ones or else life would be rendered as useless.

What else that will haunt me beside the simple power bank ?

23//09/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


CW TEST 25th September 2014

The CW test on 25th. September was just over. 26 candidates sat and 6 passed. To me it was not about passing or failing but about the crowd and the supporters, the true spirit of ham radio. There were 4 old hams there from the start to the end. I went late. Among the old hams I was the only one suffering from memory shortage. I am sorry if I did not attend to everyone. I forgot people easily unless the communications are very frequent.

To me the test was difficult. Those who manage to get through and those who passed with flying colors could be assets to the nation. During the Malaysian-Indonesian confrontation, Eshee had to go to Singapore to join in the monitoring of Morse. Thought we have machines to decipher men have to be there as stand bys.

I always wonder how the new hams learn Morse codes. I asked a candidate from Melaka of how he study CW. He described it in detail, indicating his strong quest to overcome a challenge. I always believe in the special people; if they are good in CW, they are also good in many other things. The survival rate is higher than many other people. Try to ask the 6 people of their other hobbies and likings. I have to salute them.

Those who fail may know why they do not make it this time. They could always consult their friends to improve the learning process.

Things are different today. I have not heard of a kind of Summer Camp on CW. Almost everyone has to struggle for himself. Each has to develop his own creativity. Even the man in the army had to strive when learning CW while in uniform. There is no easy sail.

Fortunately enough the younger ham generations who have earned the 9M are very proficient in the codes. They could guide the rest. Morse must not be allowed to die because Amateur Radio began with that. It has been an ID of Ham Radio for centuries. We don't throw religion and God just because others throw them and in the modern world people don't have time for the archaic culture anymore.

Please, re-sit for the test. To some don't be too soon. Built the skill slowly and take some time. I took one whole year to learn Morse codes. In those days I was curious to decipher the Morse sent by the police and other services. Some of you took about 3 months to master, which I could not do it. Never feel discourage and never be discourage by others. You are the master to yourselves, why should you submit to others to run your lives.

26/09/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


GOD GIVES IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS

I had narrated about a Chinese man giving alms to a Malay beggar at a place that would not catch public eyes. And about a Chinese lady who went all over to feed stray cats. And my Chinese teacher who told me that knowledge given away would b reimbursed in much greater amount. I surmised the sentiment and the thought of the non-Muslim Chinese in this nation of ours.

It was not only about care and kindness but about the moral duty of a good person. Any racist remarks on the Chinese won't hold water in my mind.

A couple of days ago I stopped by a goreng pisang stall and ordered a two ringgit of the fried banana. The boy put so much that I had to stop him. I took a bite while driving to the jogging track. Once piece of it already filled my stomach.

As I arrived Taman Rimba, I saw three Bangladesh workers, resting and chatting. I went and handed them the food with three one ringgit notes for them to buy drinks for themselves. They thanked me and I continued with my daily chores of an hour of walk.

The next day I received a Pos Laju card. Whatever it was, it had to be collected at the post office. What could be in the Pos Laju ? My imagination ran wild. It could be a summon for tropic offences I knew not. It could have come from the notorious Indah Water. My wife said that if it was a summon, she would pay for it. I rushed to the post office. "Come tomorrow, sir. The postman is not back yet," the clerk told me.

As instructed, the following day I went to the post office again. A letter was handed to me, not from the police nor Indah Water, but from Kementerian Dalam Negeri. About two months ago I made an appeal about a maid (long story about it). It could be either a letter of approval or otherwise. I rushed back to my car, opened the letter. I broke into tears as it a letter of approval. I remembered nothing else but the two ringgit goreng pisang to the Bangladesh workers.

Never hope for any return favor when giving away to the poor and the needy, like the Chinese lady feeding the stray cat and the young man giving to the beggar. Happiness does not come through big wealth and unchallenged power, of being called King and Minister. It comes by many mysterious ways and means. God can shrink and expand and halt time, to give, takes and changes events. The gap between the goreng pisang and the letter is long enough for the providence.

25/09/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


THANKING GOD AND THE GOVERNMENT

Life is not easy. Each day the burden is getting heavier. Things are getting more expensive. The greedy Mamaks increase prices, followed by the Malay and other traders. Land and homes are almost impossible to acquire by the normal people.

I envy those born with the golden spoon in the mouth like Mukhriz and Mokhzani, and other politicians' siblings. They own big projects and keep billions in the banks. I can't say what the future of our generation will be.

Many old men like me are facing mounting hardships. For many years I live with my wife alone, surviving on our meager pensions. Many of us cannot cook anymore, either due to illness or too tired to do so. Eating out is expensive but it cannot be helped. I was lucky that I have a little saving, the value of which was cut down to half owing to our fiscal policy.

What the old people are facing today is the state of physical health and have to live on medication. I and my wife do not have health insurance. And we are not suitable to own even credit cards. People are shoving us to the brim of the grave yard, waiting for us to fall. Secondly we need some kind of nursing which is very difficult and expensive to acquire.

I would have to thank God and the government of Malaysia for free medical aid to the pensioners, and almost negligible charges to the rest. Without it I would have to let my wife who is having a dialysis die. The cost is very high. Our regular medication would surpass more than RM400 a month without the health policy.

Getting a maid is expensive an very costly. Again it would cost a fortune for a pensioner like me to get one from the agency. Indonesian maids are almost near to impossible to get cheaply. In some circumstances the government has an opening for an unfortunate people to appeal. To cut short, I would say the government is very considerate and kind enough to listen to our plight. How could I condemn the government for being cruel and inhumane ?

I compared the top brass and the officers at the counter. Many young people would be described as arrogant. These are the officers who made the public hated the government. It is not that an officer cannot say NO. They can. In cases when they have to say NO they have to carry out their duty to say it. But they have to remember that the members of the public are human, not animals.

We have to admit the good done by the government to us. It is not difficult to do so.

24//09/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


2 NIGHTS IN BANGKOK

My first trip to Bangkok was in 1966 to watch an Asian Games. I was still young, just leaving school and jobless. I manage to accumulate about RM200. That was a big amount then. The return ticket was only RM69.70. Today there is no more return ticket. One way ticket from Alor Setar is RM105.00. From Bangkok it is 12000 Bahts, more than  RM120. That is the top berth. The Thai Baht is not only stronger but the fair is also higher.

On the ticket the departure time was 3.50. At 3.50 pm sharp the train arrived. There were only two coaches and my seat was on the last coach.

People were having dinner at about 6 pm. I brought a packet of rice with fried prawn. The aroma of Majid's curry and a huge udang was very appetizing. After dinner an  officer set up the berths. The air-conditioning was very cold. I quickly wrapped myself with the blanket.

The next day, 19th. September the train arrived Bangkok at 12.45 PM Malaysian sharp. I was to go to Berkeley Pratunam Hotel which I knew not the distant and it's location. The Tut-Tut asked for RM15. I bargained for RM10 but was refused. I decided to take sky-train. The ticket lady told me to change train after arriving at a station. I nodded my head but did not write the names of those stations. Before embarking I asked a worker how to go to Prtunam. "Pechetburi," he said.

At Pechetburi station I asked a man on standing on the street as to the direction of Pratunam. I started to walk, dragging a small bag with a roller that contain 2 large bottles of mineral water, two T-Shirts and two short pants. But the bag was heavy and the street was uneven.

I didn't know how far I had walk. The bag puller broke. I carried the bag feeling very heavy indeed. It was not worth saving the RM15. I regretted. Sweat poured all over me. My throat went dry. I stopped and drank at every 2 minutes of walking. Another passer-by told me "2 kilometers from here". At 2 pm I was still struggling.

What I have not told you was that I was not making the trip alone. A friend from Nilai, Rusli, agreed to join me in Bangkok. He had taken Malaysian Airline to the city on the same date and arrived a day earlier. In fact he had call the Beasy Board seller and talked about the intention of purchasing the board.

Rusli thought I had arrived at 10 am local time when I was suppose to be there at 11.45 am . He was getting worried. He had not heard from me. Wild imagination clung him; lost ? Being kidnapped ? Accident ? Forget the hotel name ?

I finally reached the hotel. Rusli went to buy a SIM card trying to contact me. As soon as I settled myself at the counter, Rusli was behind me. We went up. I took a rest. My shirt was soaked with sweat. While I was lying down in bed, Rusli communicated with the Beasy Board agent, who promised to meet us at the hotel lobby the next day.

At about 5 pm and after prayer we went down and out of the hotel. Along the pathways there were almost everything on sale. Business closes at 11 pm. Hours later we felt hungry and Rusli took me to a Muslim Pakistani restaurant at a remote corner. I ordered mutton Briyani. Rusli ordered Nan with mutton curry. Briyani was priced at about RM24. So was Nan. The taste was extremely delicious, worth the money. But at least half of the mutton was bone.

I had a good night sleep. On the train I could not sleep well because the chilly was too severe. The comfort of the 5 star hotel put me to sleep till next morning.

20th is another day. In fact the last day for Rusli and I would have another half day on the 21st. While having the breakfast the agent called us. We went to meet her. She showed the two sizes she had with her. I need the longest 40" set. She had to order it if I want to. She said it costs about RM1500. She had to pay 35% tax. I asked her to discuss with the supplier in the United States whether the company could deliver it direct to me to save cost. We had some casual chat and later bade goodbye.

Beasy Board cost about USD230 in the e-bay. Delivery cost is almost the same price. I would save a few hundred ringgit to buy from the e-bay. Buy buying from her is not so much on the price and savings. But it is about Malaysians and the nation. I thought of creating a good image of the Malaysians, about honor and the integrity of our people. I may be buying it from her anyway.

The Berkeley Pratunam has a table where Muslim food were served. I just love the food. Rusli preferred continental breakfast.

Rusli decided to take another route for a walk. I told him to look for Mak Yah Restaurant on the way. Zabedah software showed the location and the address. It was along our route. We walked and walked while sight seeing. We could have walked more than 6 or 7 miles. My Waze showed Mak Yah restaurant had passed but without a trace. We saw Faridah Muslim Food but it was closed. I asked a man nearby as to the location of Mak Yah. "Long closed," he replied. Faridah closes on Saturday and opens on every other days. "Go to Soy 7 and find Muslim food there," said the man in Thai lingo.

At Soi 7 there were at least 7 Muslim food hawkers. We chose one. A few Indonesian girls were eating there. Rusli ordered Seafood Tomyam, vegetables with meat and fried Udang Galah. Minutes later the food was ready. Again of another taste of Thai delicacies. I would describe it as superb. More so the total charge was RM25.

Bangkok was more alive at night than during the day. The air was very hot and the whole body sweat again during the daytime walk. Tourists and foreigners were on the sidewalks and shopping areas by the thousands, like ants. Things sold along the streets near our hotel were fixed in prices. Mostly either 100 Bahts or 150 Bahts a piece. I manage to pick up 4 pieces of T-Shirts and 3 of the normal short sleeves. Rusli picked up a few pieces. We bought so few that the bags we brought with us were not filled up.

The second night dinner was at another Indian restaurant. Rusli asked whether there was a mutton curry with Nan. I quipped, "Mutton too much bone." "No bone. If bone don't pay," said the man. I ordered a mutton Briyani listed as 180 Bahts. Rusli with his Nan and mutton curry. I ordered another dish, fried prawns which was priced at 180 Bahts too.There was another wow for me. What was money compared to a good taste.

Two nights in Bangkok with delicious meals are good enough for me. My mission was almost accomplished. I need to do a follow up.

21st. was a checkout day. Rusli woke up early for his breakfast. I followed him about 20 minutes later. At about 7 am we went down to the counter. Rusli returned the key and I sent him to the door. I went up to do a little more packing. There were still food in the room; the dokong, maize and guava. I cleaned up the room and arrange the towels. The food in the freezer were left there. I placed some coins of about 100 Bahts on the desk, for the tip. At 12 am I moved out.

The counter clerk asked for another key. I said it was given. "NO," she said. "YES," I said. "I will have to deduct 500 Bahts," she said in anger. She rang up to check my room. Then she called me back and said nothing. She gave me two sheet of papers, one about bank cancellation and another to be passed to the bell-boy.

Outside the hotel I asked for a tut-tut. "300 bahts," the man said. "I came only 150," I responded. "Far...far...300 Bahts."

I walked a few yards. A taxi stopped. "Hualamphong," said I. "Hualamphong...Hualamphong...how much eh...how much eh.. 100 bahts." I quickly opened the door and shoved my luggage inside. The traffic was heavy and due to the traffic jam I arrived at the Railway station about 1.20 pm. My train was to depart at 02.45 pm.

I did not hear anyone speaking Chinese or English. All spoke Thai. A Thai woman in front looked a little fierce. I dared not even say hello to her. 97% of the passengers on my coach dropped at Hatyaii. I arrived Alor Setar at 11.00 am sharp.

I and Rusli talked about going to Bang Mo to the ham radio shops. Both of us did not know the way and refused to put more effort to find out. We agreed finding radios in Malaysia is not difficult nowadays. What it needs is a simple phone call and some money, and goods would be received on the following day.

It is quite a relaxing two nights stay  in Bangkok despite the long hectic walk on my first day.

15/09/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


THE CONS WILL CONTINUE

Among other things Azmin will see a lot of faces whom he has never seen before coming to see him smiling and grinning, whispering for goodies and projects for the prosperity of the state. These are the people who will be there whoever become of leader. They have sharp teeth ready to bite if you are not aware and ready for consequences. Even the great Mahathir was beaten.

Khalid had had an ample time to clean and wash any dirt left in his office and locked contracts that cannot be undone by his successor. Mahathir had done the same thing and even worse, and his legacy lives until today.

Azmin could not simply nod his head to every Jack, Tom and Harry, especially to the new and strange faces. He has to form a strong team and every decision must be of a consensus.But he must always remember that he is not a Menteri Besar of PKR or PR. He is the Chief Minister of all and he needs to help all regardless of their political beliefs and affiliations. That is his work, to serve the people.

It is interesting to note the Pengkalan Kubur, Hadi and the MB's saga. Hadi would have love UMNO-PAS marriage and run Selangor. Many PAS members called for the Malay unity, voicing Ibrahim Ali and UMNO call. The competition should not be so tense and resources should have not been wasted. PAS should have given a walkover to UMNO.

If PAS falls in Pengkalan Kubur, it will also fall in Selangor. If I were Azmin I wouldn't care for the fate of PAS anymore. PAS thinks the party is stronger than PKR and it could be a dominant Malay party.

Azmin has to forget the parties while on the familiarization process. He is green and he has to learn from the start, hearing the briefings from Selangor Civil Servants could be a hectic process. Many of the programs have to go on and a few will need a tough decision, of whether to halt or to proceed. Soon Azmin will learn whether Khalid Ibrahim is a good or an evil man. Nevertheless he will face a lot of surprises. The conmen are ready to trap and swallow him.

23//09/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof

THE LAST EMPEROR OF CHINA

 

The touching parts were Mao Tze Tung forgive the war crminals and Zhou En Lai invited the last emperor for meal.

 

Saddam was a great President

THE FEAR HAS COME

There were nations that began without Kings like North America, Australia and New Zealand. And nations that began with them. While in some the powers of Kings have been shifted, in others the institution were deposed. France, Russia, and China saw a total demised. Newer emerging countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan popped up without Kingships.

Before humanism and reformation a King is believed to be divine, the protector of religion and the church. The Muslims concept of a King was Khalifah who was to be an Imam. Also to protect the good faith of religion. They were shadows of God ruling over the earthlings, the mankind.

Where Kings and Emperors have vanished the blood of the lineage may be still flowing amongst the ordinary folks as any other layman. Some know their secrets and wish to be elevated again in heaven. Some still receive a small pension from their respective governments.

In the decades of modern governments; Republic, Communism, Democracy, Authoritarian, Parliaments and Congress, the fear of divinity of Kings and Emperors have dissipated. Kings have become a symbol of a nation, an icon of respect and joy and love. Kings have to show passion on the subjects, meet them from time and time, wave and touch their hands. That's where the love binds.

Kings have become a symbol of peace, love, prosperity, kindness and happiness. To sustain the bind the Kings and Emperors must be Kings to all his subjects regardless of their race and creeds, young and old, men and women. Would it be wise for the Queen of England to kiss the cheek of David Cameron and spit on the face of Labor Party members ? Instead if a foreign nation were to kill a member of Conservative, Labor or Liberal Democratic party, she should be swearing revenge on the alien nation.

In England government changes from time to time. The Kingship remains. Even the strongest authoritarian and draconian rule can fall. We see this in Soviet Union, Iraq and Libya.

In Malaya the Kings are called Sultan. After the 1824 Anglo-Dutch Treaty the Persukutuan Tanah Melayu has 9 Sultans. After 1874 the Sultans are the Head of Religious Affair of the respective states. To the Rakyat the Sultans were still divine and must be obeyed and respected. If you visit Kedah again today, do observe in shop houses where almost everyone of them has a picture of the late Sultan Abdul Hamid on the wall.

From 1957 onwards the system of Constitutional Monarchy was introduced. The power and the jobs of the Sultans were clearly spelled, not to obey and follow UMNO but to abide by system of a government that rules. The citizens see the roles of the Sultan and the Prime Minister are not the same and the Sultan remains as a symbol of peace, tranquility, kindness, prosperity and a subject of love and respect. To the Sultans all people of all races and creeds and political beliefs are their rakyat.

The second time when the position of monarchy was shaken came during the era of Mahathir. The first was when Jebat wanted the Sultan of Melaka killed. Malaysia was almost to become a Republic but most Malays did not agree with Mahathir. Mahathir is still alive and kicking and is still vocal though powerless.

To maintain the stability of the Kingship in the modern time the Sultan should be wise and prudent in manner and demeanor to deflect and reject any scary looming of the evil portion of Mahathirism. We want the Sultans to retain absolute respects and praises. No matter how much gadgets are used to spy on the people, you can't hear all the grouses. The numbers may be growing. The mere thought bear fright and sadness. The grouses have been heard. The fear has come.

If a nation is fated to fall, no amount of machinery of deception will succeed and no amount of military might can defend it. Just don't be arrogant. Open up our mind and look at the past and around us. We fear the dogs that bark will one day bite.

17/09/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


BOASTING AND BELITTLING

I am sorry. My observations may be playing tricks on me. They may be false. I found that people who always boast and belittling the others possess mental deficiencies, unskilled and their words never matched their abilities. It is unfortunate that they like to yell and raise their voices. They are happy to criticize others out of their own stupidity.

Could it be a disease due to mental instability owing to high blood sugar level followed by hyper-tension ? Quick burst of anger is more likely is driven by poor health, that can even result in stroke.

If you are being belittled by someone it is better to just ignore him or smile at his conduct. One man, I was told, condemned the amateur radio operators who passed the Morse exam. Hams' Morse is of low standard, they were passed out of pity. He was a signal man from the Malaysian Arm Forces.

How would you deal with such a kind of man ? I would let him hear JA1NUT and ask him to decipher the codes. I am sure he would not want it. Then I would give him an opportunity to translate 9M2ZN's CW.

Hams send Morse from the mind, not from the text they wrote, unlike the signal men who were trained to send from the text. While some signal officers improve themselves by sending without reading, the rest stuck to the old routine. One officer asked me, "How do you send Morse codes from your mind ? " He was an officer who became a ham.

That's how useless a ham could be, sending at 30 wpm from his mind and copying by mere listening. He would want to learn more from the expert like the signal officer. The poor ham who had passed CW would appreciate the coaching and practicing from such a swagger.

A boaster who can live up to the standard of what he is boasting would gain my salute and respect. Yet there could be many other people who are better than him. Belittling the others would make a fool of himself. He could be fumbled by any challenge, and would give all of sort of excuses. Hams are not professional. CW is not their bread and butter.

Amateur radio is not only passing RAE, skilled in Morse codes and good in construction. It is also about ethics, manners and respectable attitudes. Many would not be happy if we spell what the good and bad attitudes are. Rudeness and boastfulness are within the boundary of rouge hams. In my interpretation they are not fit to join the ham radio fraternity.

When I was working there were several schools which boasted of their specialities like mathematic labs, history labs etc. My teachers asked for my permission to visit those schools and I would ask them "How many percent is your mathematics result ? How many percent  were their achievements ?" I always told my teachers that the systems we had were always better than those special school. "Just don't copy them. Do our own way." There were many great schools which lay low and said nothing about their excellent achievements.

Narrating one's experience and achievement, recalling excitement and remembering the sweet moment not amounting to belittling and insulting the others base on facts and reality is not bragging. If you can send CW with your feet at 35 wpm and you tell people you can do it, it is just telling a fact and reality. But you must always remember that you are not the only one with such an ability. And most of us won't even tell about it because it is abnormal to use feet with the straight key. It would be a hilarious tale.

There are at least 3 Malaysian hams of the new breed who had US tickets and passed CW. One was also a radio operator on the ship. They sat for both RAE and CW again as instructed and passed with flying colors.

There is nothing great about 9M and CW skill. If there are people who strive for both, why belittled them ?

 

15/09/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


HAMS-PSE TAKE NOTE

I just read somewhere an article about CW. It says CW is a form of modulated wave and on the radio it is heard like the sound of a wind.

CW is never a modulated wave. It is a continuous wave of equal form.

When current moves back and force we call it alternating current. Our normal home current moves back and force 50 time per second. We say that our home AC current is at 50 cycle. There are electronic components that can increase the rate of back-force movement to a few thousands and much more faster rate. Incredibly enough we don't have to apply an ac current to do this. The behavior of the back and force movement is called oscillate. One technique to make a DC current to oscillate is to use a capacitor coupled to a coil in parallel. Combining with other components to sustain continuous oscillation, the whole circuit is called oscillator.

The current passing through a coil creates magnetic field around the coil with a given polarity. When it changes direction the polarity changes. It builds and collapse. Because of the rapid changes the magnetic field has too short a time to collapse and being repelled to escape as a radio wave. Under this circumstances alone the wave moving on the atmosphere is called a Carrier. The shape and magnitude of the waves are identical.

Men are clever enough to make the mere continuous wave contain intelligent. Intermittent sending with a certain duration provide  meaning to the wave. One short signal and one long wave like this ._ is called A. _... a long signal followed by three short ones is called B. Morse code is named after Samuel Morse who thought of giving intelligent to the Continuous Wave.

Human ears cannot hear radio waves. There are more than 200 radio waves around us that are not visible or heard by us. They made a gadget called receivers which the common man called radio.

Radio wave captured by the receiver using a cleverly design LC circuit traps the frequency required. But our ears still cannot hear them. They have to be tuned down to the lower frequency suitable for human ears. They build a circuit called BFO. When the incoming carrier mixed with the local oscillator it gets several resultant frequencies, one of which is 455. If we have a BFO fixed to 456 or 454 and allows it to mix with the IF we can get the resultant different of 1kHz. It is within the audio range.

The old radio do not have a BFO built in. Never mind. Get another receiver, switch it on and put it side by side with the one known to have a SSB or CW signal. Tune the second receiver up and down until you hear the beating takes place. The CW and the SSB signal become intelligible.

I used to beat frequencies this way, using a small receiver and a TV set, tuning the reciever until I could hear phone conversations on the TV. It is jolly good to hear a politician talked about money with a businessman. That was a very very long time ago.

Hams who want to know ask. The question may be of a simple concept, like whether a CW carries Morse codes. If any clever and most knowledgeable hams chose to remain silent, then don't feel insulted when someone else is trying to explain.

It is very annoying when a smart guy likes to belittle the others. If they are good in Morse they are welcome to join or spar but not to criticize at the mistakes of others. A Master should teach by example, show the prowess and the ability, so that the rest can learn.

Many of us including me do not have electronic backgrounds. Our knowledge is limited. We are best known as keyboard warriors. But we can't help when our friends want to know the right stuffs, however elementary they may seem to others.

When I came on 40 there was someone intruding saying 'stupid...you are stupid'. It is good because at least we know that there are clever people around. 

12/09/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


MUSLIM CLERICS ON WOMEN

How many of us, men, still think men are superior to women ? I was a little disturbed to hear what Ustaz Al-Idrus said about women "lacking in ever aspect as compared to men". It made me wonder whether the whole Muslim clerics think the same way.

If we take Hadi and Al-Idrus to sports fields against women they will be beaten in every event with a big disgrace. And mathematics and sciences they will be beaten flat too.

We respect clerics as they are good in matters of religion. Their knowledge are deep and wide. They may have wisdom. But their views may not be correct. Views are not scientifically proven. Rhetoric could always be empty.

The case in Saudi Arabia is more classic. Women are not allowed to drive. They said it could damage ovaries. We all do know that driving women of the world have been bearing millions of children.

The archaic belief that women should be the slaves to the husbands and be docile and submit to men. Such prejudice still exist among the young generations.

Difference do exist for the convenience of human specie. God creates that way. There are differences among men as well. The opposites are mystery of life; good and bad, dark and light, happiness and sadness, matter and anti-matter and male and female. These could not be co-incidental, too many of them to be one. It has to be a creation.

Mankind try to categorize human and non-humans; man and woman, people of different skin colors, bone structures and much more, to set s strata of the social status, a spectrum of mental ability and superiority. They also categorize superiority to the racial stock. Once the Blacks were believe to have black semen and black blood and they were the original sins. Skin colors still play a vital part in prejudice and perceptions.

Chauvinist and superiority complex are sickly diseases. They are not only the disease of the clerics but also of all races and nationalities, if not about women they are about other fellow humans. The Jews even allowed the non-Jews be killed or be dogs serving them.

But individuals are not so moronic as they may seem to be and women are not of special and different in behaviors than that of men. Their mental prowess could overwhelm those of the well bred civil individuals. It takes a special people to command a space vehicle or piloting a fighter jet. Surely Hadi or Ustaz Al-Idrus do not have even an atom of knowledge.

When my wife was healthy I depended much on her. She drove a car from Bloomington to New York and back when I was just sleeping. She did almost all and I was just like a lazy king. Many of your wives provide strength to your families.

10/09/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof

 


IT DOES NOT END YET

The story about the Beasy board isn't end yet. The best place to buy medical equipments for the handicapped is the United States but it is too far and to get into the continent is not a simple walking through. The alternative is to mail order from the Amazon or E-Bay. But by the time the board arrives anything could have happened to it. Even if it is insured the hassle would not be worth.

In fact good luck arrives as the trip to the United States offered by Qatar Air is darn cheap. All other airline also brings down the price. It is a good chance to take and I decide to take  trip but not alone. At the present age going alone would be hectic. I asked my friend to go with me, giving him a choice of destination, either to New York, San Francisco or Miami. After some hesitation he rejected.

I have been traveling alone to the United States for more than 10 times. I was much younger then. At almost 68 it is a scary idea. It sounds weird too. If I were to force myself to go alone the best place I can find the patient transfer boards is at Las Vegas. Qatar Air closes the offer on the 13th September. The time is too short to make a plan and other preparation. After the procurement I could not stay much longer and should fly back the soonest.

In the meantime I browsed the website. On Beasyboards.com it listed the names of several dealers. I found one in Bangkok. If there is one in Bangkok, I should choose the city, because it is nearer and traveling cost is lower. I sent an email to the company and was confident of it's reply. My mind had made a final decision, "Bangkok it is". Hence I went to purchase a train ticket. It costs me RM105. The travel date will be on the 18th September.

On checking my mail, the reply was the mail was not delivered. On searching for the company's website there was an error 404. I doubt whether the company still exist.

It is crazy. Real crazy. I could not think straight now. The real problem does not come yet. It will be hell when my car goes crazy. This is the only car which I can use for  my wife's transportation.  The seats are of the same level and the gap is very narrow.

I value my wife's life. I can assure you that many people would not care much if a member of their family fell sick.  The Malays would call for the recitals of surah Yasin. Friends and families did suggest the same thing when my wife first suffered from the kidney failure. She talked all sort of nonsense. They said the devil had possessed her and her days were numbered.

I knew the effect of blood impurities, the level of toxic, high Blood Pressure and the low blood sugar. Balancing them and putting them in order again could make her as healthy as the rest and she would have a wonderful dream. I found she had a better memory than me. She could remember names and events and had been telling me what's on the TV news. She is sick but she is wonderful as a company. Whenever I took her out for a day trip we would talk of her traveling and driving in the United States.

I strive for her comfort. I have hope the Beasy board could solve one of the problems.

We are so obsessed with wealth and profit, of our status and power that we would not want to think of the unfortunate people. The voice of the heart says "Let them die...the world may be better of without the sick people..." and some even say "Let the poor people die...they give burden to the community.." I wrote to car manufacturer such as Produa and Proton about making adjustable passenger's front seat so that it could be set to the height of the wheel chair. Proton and Produa are more interested in sales not the welfare of the people.

But Mahathir said to the Jews in replying to a letter by a Jew, that the Jews are smart and great in science and literature BUT without passion and feeling. Is he talking about the Jews or himself or the rest of the Malaysians or the elites group of our country ?

A great person is not eloquent with his speech and yelled great promises but those who have feeling and passions.

It is not that I am blaming the Malaysians. We happen to notice the care and concern of the Americans whom we have been lashing and bashing. A car would stop to let a cat crossing the road. When my wife's car stalled  several stopped to come to her assistant.

Some time we get tired. I told my wife about our children. How much help they gave us to ease our burden. Of course they are busy with their work and having tough time in managing themselves. All are excusable. But why then should we starve ourselves keeping money and buying property for them when we can use the money to keep our health going ? Then there were stories of dead persons who left their wealth to their maids or neighbors instead of their kins. It is all about reciprocity.

When I go to Bangkok I will still be looking for the shop. With God's help the shop will still be there and still selling the transfer board. Or least they could make an order for me and deliver to Hatyaii or my home. What else to do in the city ? There is nothing better than home.

09/09/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


MY EXPERIENCE ON PEOPLE JUDGING OTHER PEOPLE

PTA is  good example to see how people were judged. At a PTA meeting parents gathered. A handful knew each other. We would not know the background and their profession. And at every PTA, as always, people would stand up and talked a lot before putting up questions. When time arrived for the election of committee members we would see someone raised his hand and said, "I propose the one with the red shirt...."

Who was the man with the red shirt ? A large number present did not know the man except he was the one who talk a lot and asked a lot of questions. It went on until the whole committee members were elected.

Similarly in the corporative annual meeting the members elected those who attacked and criticized the old board.

How did I judge an effectiveness of a teacher ? He could argue his head off, with full of eloquence and clever in rhetoric. That would never be the final. I looked at his work, how he performed it and how effective was it. Let me give you an example; a teacher in charge of public examination who did his job without coming to consult me in anything, only in the final briefing told me that everything was done. At another time another teacher doing the same task would came to see me and asked a hundred questions while processing the registration.

Secondly I would see the grades of his students in the final exam over the years, students from the good and the bad class.

Many teachers who did not talk much but did much in many things with a great success. Talking is always easy. Mad persons in mental wards could speak like great politicians and top clerics. Listeners are always better than the talkers. It is interesting to hear people giving excuses and telling lies, and laugh to oneself at the folly of human specie.

It is also strange that some men still thought men are superior to women. Mind you, many of us could be beaten by ordinary women in physical strength. At the jogging track women overtook men in the exercise by leap and bound, running several miles without showing any exhaustion. And women could excel men in mathematics, sciences, business and in clerical jobs. They do neater work than men.

To know the world we have to move out of our cocoon and see the world with opened eyes and hearts and minds. If you happen to find that there are a lot of cars on the streets, would you just take thing for granted ? Many do. A few would understand deeper of the situation, not only of the number of cars but also on development and migration, of the new demographic pattern, of housings and of political impacts.

We don't consult and rely on our emotion and sentiment to judge a person. We have to stay away from prejudice. Surely the clerics would not like to be called terrorists by their dress and beards, and the Muslims by the same name. Surely the Chinese would not to be accused as trying to wrest this country by the act of planting thousands of Chinese flags on every land.

We need to be sober and consult reasons and rationality before making accusations and judgments.

 09/09/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


 GREEDY BUSINESS PEOPLE

The RM3 pulut has a sudden rise to RM4. I used to buy it almost everyday for my wife breakfast. The stall could have raised the price by 20 to 50 cents. I guess the owner is following the Mamak style of doing food business. I decide to quit buying it and opted to KFC's porridge which is also her favorite.

This morning I stopped again at the stall as my wife asked me to buy Roti Jala. I noticed the pulut was not there, not knowing whether they have stopped selling or it was too early. I took 4 pieces of the Roti Jala and gave a twenty dollar note. I found the price is the same as before.

The cheapest food is at the former Arkam shop. You can have a good fat packet of combined fried rice, meehoon and fried me for RM2.50. It's low price does not sacrifice the taste.

Not all sellers are greedy. We should learn to avoid the greedy business guys and go for the cheaper ones. And I would not want to say anything when asked why I did not stop by for a long time by the owner. And I hope lesser number of customers do the same thing, just to make them realize the effect of their lust.

Really, I don't believe in Malay unity. The best of the unity is the unity of the good people who know what social obligation and considerations are. Greedy and selfish personalities are found everywhere at all corners of the globe. They prey on the victims in need, raising prices during flood and other disasters, arrogance in their dealings with other people. I encountered with rude Chinese and Malays in this country, as much as the courteous business communities. As I always said good people are good and bad people are bad regardless of their race and creeds.

Some of us might still remember the Boat People, who fled Vietnam by boats after the defeat by Vietcong. Many of them threw their small kids off the boats to save their own lives. So far we have been hearing mothers who sacrificed their own lives for their young children. This is about selfishness, about inconsiderate and about inhumanity.

Never to trust any person on the street. We never know what sort of people they are.

The Pulut seller asked me persistently to help her in the procurement of a canteen contract of my former school. She pestered me for the whole month, insisting that I should try to negotiate on her behalf.  I found it funny and hilarious. How could she kept on doing that while I was just a regular customer paying the same price as the others.

Similar characters are to be found in most selfish and greedy people.

Instead of helping the society to curb inflation and to cushion the increasing cost of living they precipitate the climbing cost.

If I can I would not go to Mee Abu anymore, the most expensive Mamak restaurant. A few month go one Apom Lenggang cost 80 cent while a Malay Apom Lenggang at the wet market is selling 3 pieces for a dollar.

Working people do not feel hurt by the raise in prices of food and other commodities. Retirees with a small pension like me felt the pinch very painfully and acutely. 

05/09/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof

 

SUPERIOR RACE

In the modern days, first we know that the Germans believed they were the superior race, using scientific approach measuring the skull and cranium, to prove of the superior stock by the classification of the skull structure.

But the Jews have long thought that they were the chosen people. Most prophets were of Jewish origin and to the modern time there are many great scientists and philosophers and  winners of the Nobel Prizes. They run world banking system and mastering over the United States Congress and their economic power and military strength is unchallenged.

In the East there is a nation called Zhong Guo. The world began with Pan Ku and it is part of the body of Pan Ku that created islands and other lands. Hence China being the Middle Kingdom is the most superior in the world. The modern thinking of some of the Chinese is that the whole world will become under the hegemony of the Middle Kingdom when the time comes.

There was no mention of the Americans and the English. What we might not heard is the term Anglo-Saxon race which is believe to be the most superior among the White race. The Ku Klux Clan, the White Supremacists, believe they are the most clean and the most gifted. Their blood is pure.

The belief in one's superiority  shapes one's behavior and attitudes towards the others. One could be very rude, arrogant and disrespectful. One simply cannot believe that other people could be better and smarter than one's generation.

But, China was defeated and Germany subdued in the war. The myth of their superiority vanished. The Master Race is the race who master technology and warfare materials that can defeat an enemy at far away places. Education, knowledge, ability, creativity, mathematics and sciences are the essential items in building up an ethnic power and greatness.

In Malaysia, I have always been wondering whether the Malays were regarded as Pariahs, stupid, retarded and is very low as compared to the other races, so much so what belongs to them cannot be accepted as part of national culture. Could body counts as to the number of lawyers, doctors, scientists and mathematicians prove ethnic ability ?

No matter what, I have always believe in the attitude development and thinking skill. It has to start from here to enhance dexterity and respect, to be independent and diligent, to work rather than to beg, dare to face hardships, relentlessly acquiring knowledge and put them into practice. Leaderships guide and encourage, not to pamper the young with free gifts without effort.

Now is 2014. I have yet to see Basketball Tournament of the Malay team, Chinese Chess competition among the Malays and even the best badminton players in the country.

It is unwise to teach the Malays to throw stones and to destruct properties. They learn nothing. They will remain ignorant forever. By the time they become adults they will find they become poorer, landless and homeless. They have been spoiled by the Land Acquisition Act of Mahathir. Their race would remain as a despised group of the populace.

I never suffer either from inferiority nor superiority complex. It is a jest and a pity to see some people who still believe they are born superior and would never feel satisfied until they can have full control of everything. We ought to know that kindness, quietness and courtesy do not mean pariahs and stupidity.

Superior race is not born nor fated. It is the ability of a race to master weaponry, technology and sciences.

 04/09/2014


MAS - GO BACK TO BASIC

I always struggle hard to make sure my spending never exceeds my income. I spent lavishly though leaving a little or none for saving. My desire is as large as anybody else. I want to own a big but cheap car. Believe me, that I accumulate to buy it cash, no borrowing and no interest.

When working I always monitor my account before purchasing. It is not the balance seen in the book but the balance minus all commitment. To save money was initially difficult, to strive hard to avoid wastage, to nominally pay cash to get cheap prices with much discount. We made purchases when we have the money in our account, not to wait for the arrival of allocation. In short we were one step ahead. We bought and we spent. Yet by the time I left my work place, the new manager had a few hundred thousand in his disposal. He spent the saving like water.

What made problems to MAS was actually the people who manage the carrier. It is not about education and a high academic qualification. Boon Siew and Guan Thong were almost illiterate.

My recent search for a flight fare from Kuala Lumpur to any part of USA. MAS show it's special economic price of about 8K. Qatar is about 3.7K to John F. Kenedy. China is much cheaper. To be frank, I can't explain the gap in the price range between MAS and other carriers. It is indeed  a great puzzle.

Lavishness, selfishness and non-social accountability could be very hazardous. Everyone wants a big fat salary when MAS workers including the managers should start sacrificing for the minimum wage for the duration of it's recovery. The layoff could be reduced. And those without jobs could organize to be caterer to the airline with minimum profit enough to pay for their salaries.

There are bound to be boycotters for their own personal reasons. Once when Proton was first launched there were a lot of sabotaging and boycotting. Today the local begins to buy the local made cars. There are ways that MAS could fill the seats. Malaysians who travel nowadays are from all ethnic groups, unlike before, the Malays did not travel.

UNION has always been a culprit. The leaders made money out of the members. They know nothing but demanding for an annual pay rise. In the United States some states outlawed unions and union members were kicked out of the jobs. In time of difficulty UNION must sympathize with the company and try to find ways to revive the ailing airline.

It is no point cursing Mahathir and Tajuddin because they would never care to what is happening. Neither the lashing could afloat MAS again. Let the ingenious minds pool and observe the viability of the solutions, rather than living it to only ONE man. And I insist that no politician should try to get involve and be smart at it. The minds of the politicians and the minds of the corporations are different. They both see different goals.

One of the greatest diseases that we are facing today is called HATRED. We have been planting and breeding it among our citizens. It could attack our economy and stability. The silence turbulence could tear our nation apart. We have to examined the relationship of all our misfortunes to the devastating disease of HATRED.

It would be unfair to put the blame of MAS woes on the such a sentiment, for MAS was making good profit under Aziz and before the carrier juggling by Mahathir.

In the meantime MAS has to go back to basic, recognizing profit as earning over expenditure. Any further development has to be based on the cash in hands, the profit. We don't invest when we don't have money. We don't employ irresponsible individuals who only think of fat salaries without the real fate of the carrier.

 04/09/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


A RADIO WITHOUT ANTENNA

An integral part of a radio station is an antenna beside the transmitting equipment. An antenna means a working transmission line and it's radiating poles.

I raise up this issue because I know of hams who have transmitters without working antennae. You may be surprise to see a tall sophisticated antenna which does not work at all. I have a friend who could not even trigger a repeater and while the rest could even with the minimal power. The whole station is almost impotent.

An antenna may not work if the wires were disconnected especially at the feed points, or when the plastic parts of the coaxial cable broke to pieces after a long number of years. Both will be shown by the high SWR. It is tough to do a regular checkup but it need to be done from time to time especially when we sense the drop in reception.

There is no use having a ten thousand dollar rig lying idle or having 20 rigs hidden on the attic if the antenna is bad. There will be time when one finds it essential to send important message across at the time the smart-phone or the land line cease to function. Repeater could be handy to shout for help. If a handy fails to reach it at least a mobile antenna would do it. An 20 foot aluminium pole cost less the RM30 and a commercial Slim Jim is about RM60. One just need to tie it to a fence.

 Do we need a super duper antenna system ? To those who can afford it and have ample space, there is no limit to their quests. For most of us a simple one that work is good enough. A vertical that gives 54 signal report is good enough for an established communication; readability and intelligibility are the basic of our need.

Hams who have totally lost interest surrendered their licenses or simply did not renew them. No amount of persuasion could change their minds. Some shifted to internet chat and some to Face Book. But hams with the excuses "Look nowadays there is no ragchewers...", "New hams do not show standard and quality" are naive.

With a proper working antenna there is always a readiness. One may be required to assist in disaster communication or to pass a certain message. I remember in the good old days when phones were rare, we would go to seek the help of the police to send a message of death to a distant kin. Hams could render similar service to the society.

A working antenna may not be an efficient antenna in term of transmitting a 59 signal. The height and noise factor may be the culprit. At time both QRM and QRN are very heavy, phone signal that has the ups and downs waves could hardly be understood. Then Morse codes would be very useful. What the voice could not deliver could be done by CW.

A superb antenna could enhance a station to be King even with a basic cheap transceiver. I worked stations with Icom718 that came into my shack like a giant, busting my ear drums. 9M2MGL and YB6LD proved what this basic rig could do. To my ears they were better than ESSB. Don was only using a homebrew rotary dipole and Azman a normal dipole.

It is a high time for an able-bodied ham to look at the antenna again if the station can't even trigger a nearby repeater. A station is useless without an antenna.

04/09/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


COLONIALISM GLOBAL POWER

Gone were days of the galleons sailing across the oceans to subdue the savage, bringing lights to them, conquered their lands and became the colonial masters. The locals were subdued owing to their ignorance, stupidity and the local rivals who seek the intruders assistance and help to make them chieftains in return for lands. In the history of Melaka, the Indians (Keling) were recorded as the traitors. The 1824 Anglo-Dutch Treaty divided the hegemony between the Dutch and the British.

Colonialism had the side effect which never heal till today.

Then there was a wave of independent and freedom, the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, the birth of Communism that set to spread like a wild fire, the growth of Soviet Union and Communism in China that led to a long cold war.

Today almost all colonized countries are independent. Malaya celebrated her independent on 31st. August 1957. This year she is celebrating her 57th independent day.

A few may realize that our minds are being monopolized by an invincible power. We looked up and praise and follow the culture of the West. The minds of our young and adults see Kentucky and Mac Donald in the image of food. They sing and dance with the melody and beats of the West. They painted the big word TERRORISTS in their homes echoing the voices of the West.

The West dictate, we follow and bow. They flew over China and warned the Eastern nation not to near their plane. They set up their bases in Japan, the Philippine and other Asian countries. We bowed and obeyed.

Our minds are being controlled, our privacies are robbed by the cell-phone system and other internet software like Google and Facebook. They know where are you and all about you, what you are saying, to whom you are talking. Even the head if states and politicians are not spared. The Internet is one of the most powerful source to push their agenda and to control your mind, to plant lies and deception. You may not know it.

Today many of us including me would feel so shy to wear sarong and a baju Melayu to town and other places. I would feel more comfortable with pants, coats and neck ties. It is not about progress and development but about our mind. We say we are free and none is controlling us. But those who want to control the world see fruits and effectiveness of their plans.

Globalization is inevitable because we were already in the caucus. We are not in trouble. But we have to always be aware not to be coaxed and trapped till we lost our own identity and honor. We were born Asians with black hair but we want to paint them yellow and gray, casting our own lingo in placing for theirs. Even the Hispanic group in USA retain their Spanish.

What China and North Korea are doing today is to defy the new face of colonialism and to shake themselves off the global power.

Knowledge, technology and money would be the prerogative in building the platform of progress and total independent.

Where are we now after 57 years of independence ?

 30/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


DREAM TO FLY EMIRATE

 

"Fly Emeirate and experience the Business Class" came the many ads across the web pages. Wow was my first reaction watching video clip of the seats. Price wise I have yet to find out. Qatar offered about RM17K to JFK New York with less comfort as compared to Emirate. 

First and Business Class are not for people like most of us the ordinary folks. Normal government servants and laymen can't afford. Companies and government would provide this comforts to the employees. I was lucky to taste this class on MAS from Kuala Lumpur to London more than 20 years ago when I was working.

Nevertheless the economy class flyer also may have a chance to have the comfort. My wife, while queuing up during the check in to London was approach by MAS officers, asked her a few question, and picked her for the Business Class without any extra charge. My officer who was a chain smoker went to look for an old man at the economy seat and offered to exchange with the more comfortable seat, which the man accepted.

How to fly Emirate with my meager net pension of about RM800 a month ? Digging from my ASB saving ? That would be more likely, and then live with a mere daily bread and soup for the rest of my remaining years ? It is a problem, of  being a small man having gigantic dreams and desires. We want to have the best in the world that was beyond our reach. We really can't, like an impotent desires having good sex with Madona.

If you are on Emirate the man near you may ask, "Which company are  in ?", or "Business trip ?" And what would your reply be ? I am a retired old man who dream to fly after begging for tree months on the street ? It could make our life difficult too. Then be on the flight, put on the music, close your eyes and pretend not to hear anything except for a question "Tea or coffee ?"

 29/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


KHALID IBRAHIM'S HONOR

Finally Khalid Ibrahim has gained his composure. He has more to gain than what he has lost. In the United States the nation is under the thumb of a group of the world business cartel. Central Bank of America does not own by the government. Politicians generic earning are much less than the businessmen.

Khalid is not an ordinary man. He is good with money, able to perfectly compute lost and profit, waste and maximization. These are not in the nature and characteristics of politics. Politics do not care about waste and spending. Power control is more vital.

Khazanah at this juncture would lose nothing to pull Khalid in. Start the ball rolling over a lunch or a dinner and listen to his idea on how to recuperate MAS. There may be some amazing ideas that might have not cross our minds. MAS does not have to deal with Soros or Rothschild. Gutherie consists of the cunning British tycoons.

Even if he is on his own his ability is far beyond many Ministers. Ministers have to use businessmen to run businesses for them. Once they lost their power the empire collapse. Ramly Burger could even beat Mac Donald in Malaysia and conquer the world market. A man like Khalid Ibrahim could make Ramly Burger a world renown fast food industry. Khalid should never be worry.

He is an honorable man for not resorting to run amok and dissolve assembly. At a point while he was losing his composure many thought he would have done it and hanging on the royal rob. We have to salute to his decision. True indeed Ular Menyusur Akar Tak Akan Hilang Bisanya. People made mistakes.

My respect for PAS is gone. Instead of showing maturity they showed arrogance. Let us see PAS power in Pangkalan Kubur.

27/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof

WELCOME HAMAS-ISRAEL TRUCE

HAMAS-Jews and all others can live together in peace forever. There is no reason why we should ask a question who won the war. To totally accuse Israel as pure devil she did not drop atomic bomb on Gaza as the Americans did on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. To call Hamas a terrorist they are defending their land.

The basic thing in life is security; secure against hostile environment, place to stay, food to eat, tranquility and happiness. There is no fear nor threat from demons and criminals and murderers. There are Jews in Turkey, Iran and Egypt. There are Muslims in Tel-Aviv.

In Ghaza and elsewhere in Palestine and Israel let the Jews and Muslims and Christians live in the same community, work for common goal to enrich the economy, to toil the soil and move towards progress.

Israel can look East at Indonesia at the Kingdom of Acheh. Acheh has been fighting the Dutch and the government of Indonesia for centuries. Finally they settled for autonomic status which did not rob them of anything. They enjoyed the wealth and happy with Indonesia. GAM laid their arms slowly and finally.

Disarmament of HAMAS should not mean to wrest guns and bombs forcefully. The members could be dissolved in the police force and some for national security in the Israel Army guarding both nations of Palestin and Israel. By the third and fourth generations the assimilation would be almost complete. Israel security is forever sustainable.

Years after everyone feel safe and secure then the bunkers and the tunnels will be a game place for children and for tourists to visit.

It is time for Netanyahu and the world Muslims to defy the odd and the impossible. Remember our achievement today had never ever been thought by our ancestors 200 years ago.

 26/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


NO QUESTION IS STUPID

We used to be scared of asking question, not for fear of being duped stupid but fearing being hit by our teachers. Even in my adult life people were laughing at my questions. I was never ashamed. For not being smart learning something is a great reward. I then knew what I had not known before.

Recently a friend asked me 'What is the different between a coil and a trap ?" Billions other people would not know the different or probably might not have heard even those words.

How would I answer him when I am not so knowledgeable myself. To say "I don't know" I would lie to him. I have a fuzzy notion on both. So I set out to explain to him. A coil is termed as a series of loops. To ham radio operators like us it was easy for him to understand instances of coils, a loop or loops of wires. I did not explain the characteristics of a coil of wires when a direct and alternating current passing through it. It would be very interesting to know many wonderful things about coils and an ac current of different frequencies passing through it.

He told me that to his understanding a trap consisting of a coil and a capacitor. "Yes you are right," I told him. A trap for a radio antenna is to trap radio wave of a certain frequency from passing through it or allowing other frequencies passing through it but one. It is done using the LC circuit. Using a formula to find a length of a dipole, let us say 33' is the length. Transmitting on 7Mhz suits the length but transmitting 14Mhz with the same length will cause high SWR and can even damage the transmitter. 14 MHZ requires about half of that, say 17'.

What we do is to cut the 33 foot long wire into 2 parts. Then we use the LC circuit to join them back. This will be the trap. When we transmit on 7 Mhz we want the current to go to the full length of the antenna 33' ( in reality a little shorter ) and when we transmit on 14 Mhz we want the current to stop at the trap. This is where the tune and resonance frequency comes in. Using a given formula we can determine the values of the coil and the capacitor to resonate at the given frequency. At resonance frequency the impedance is zero, and current will pass through.

At least that is what was in my mind. It could not be that way at all. The idea of the trap was correct but as to how it works lies with my entire conjecture. Then, as to our trap made, the question is to what frequency we need it to resonate ? 7 Mhz or 14 Mhz ? If we choose 7 Mhz the impedance at the trap is zero and it allows the current to pass through when we transmit on 7 Mhz But the impedance is high if we transmit on 14 Mhz.

If we choose 14 Mhz as the resonance frequency of the LC, 7 Mhz transmission will stop at the trap and 14 Mhz will pass through, like giving XL size shirt to a small boy and an S size shirt to a large adult.

The explanation given was less flowery and a little more briefing. The idea was to confirm his understanding between a coil and a trap. Mind you I am not sure of myself too because I used a lot of imagination to visualize abstract stuffs. I think the understanding of the LC circuit is important because of it's vast applications. More interesting is to know the behavior of the components towards dc and ac, and ac of different frequencies, of why it behaves that way.\

A simple question could lead to extensive investigation and led to the increase wealth of knowledge. No question is a stupid question.

I remember in the good old days when we used to ask technical questions on the band. Idris would be our teacher. Everyone would be looking at the radio bible and other radio books for the answer.

 27/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


ENHANCING MALAY EDUCATION

Let not the Malays be called robbers, taking tax money from all other races to enhance the education of the Malays. Even the Zakat money could be construed as an indirect robbery. The Malays can always mind their own business and progress independently without antagonizing other ethnic group.

A ringgit a day is a very negligible amount for a big goal. We can easily collect RM30 million in a month. That would be ample for providing the best facilities and teaching staffs, and to go for further study overseas.

It may be painful to some of the Malays if it is to be made mandatory. Malay Civil servants could donate more than a ringgit through the pay cut. As for the other layman the collection method need to be devised. Individuals differ and there could be some complications. One must remember many mosques and suraus are having big saving accounts up to millions of ringgit. My donation to my local surau, for instant, is on a yearly basis for utility bills. I would prefer to pay RM365 for the education fund on an annual basis.

It may not be agreeable to all that the list of donors be kept. We don't force the beggars to donate. We only need to know their economic status when their young ones applied for scholarships. The paupers sons have equal opportunities for higher education.

The government must take the task to take care of the foundation. If the Chinese want to do the same way let it happen in similar manner.

Of course the government has to dictate the recognized colleges and universities. Otherwise we will be having low quality workforce in our country in no time. At the very moment the Celcom engineers are nut and show great stupidity in the celcom smart phone software. You have to dial me twice to get me. When we are talking the miscall message would pop up. The schools and colleges they went to must be rubish. Hence the standard recognizable institutions should not be made a political issue.

Education is not only the question of money. It is also a question of attitudes and competition. One has to strive to gain ground. There is no place for laziness, free grades and lecturer's help. The Malays must understand this.

 26/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


MY SPIRIT IS STILL HIGH

I have a strong spirit in my sick and weak body. The pain in my joints and muscles was felt when I woke up on last Friday morning. I could not stand balancing my body. But it was the day of my wife having her dialysis. She nearly fell on the floor as I tried to lift her on the wheelchair. Without the help of my temporary maid I would not be able to send her to the dialysis center.

Once a year I usually get sick, having a kind of fever of some sort, which took between 7 - 14 days without medication. Today has been the 5th day. My diarrhea is still there but it does not come very often. Regardless of my balancing problem I still go out to buy breakfast for her. I ate what is available because I have no appetite. My vision blurs yet I type in my blog rigorously.

On Saturday and Sunday my maid lifted my wife, took her to bathroom and lifted her back to her bed. 70% of the time I lay horizontal and having day dreaming. On Monday and today all the lifting jobs were done by me. I am still weak but my spirit is still high. Yet I told my wife on Friday that if I did not go to fetch her on time, I may have met my death. I went to fetch her on time. At home she would take her dinner and I laid myself in bed. When I woke up the maid put her in bed.

Yesterday my wife was soaked with tears as the news of one of the dialysis patient had just passed away. Her name was Osmah, a few years younger than my wife. She was quite close to Osmah.

My body is susceptible to flu virus. I don't know where it came from. I remember I heard sneezing everywhere including at the dialysis ward. Probably my antibody is weak enough to reject it. My maid coaxed me to go to the nearby clinic. I believe I will recuperate after a few more days, or die leaving this funny word.

In the meantime I browse websites and facebook, read social media and downloaded movies.

My spirit is still high in my weak and sick body.

 26/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


IF I WERE PR

If I were a Pakatan Rakyat I would forget Putrajaya and would focus heavy work on a very strong opposition with hard work on research and fact finding to be table in parliament. I will have to say sorry to PAS and bade them good bye. PAS, thinking like HAMAS, perceives it is a very strong party and gaining popularity, overwhelmed Keadilan in many states. PAS fought for the Malays while Keadilan for the Malaysians.

Hadi is not even for the Malays. He destroyed Kedah and Trengganu. He supported Azizan's administration which had brought hardships to staffs of a university. I already predicted Kedah would fall long before the GE13. He is spoiled by his son-in-law. It would be better to go back the old ways; the opposition remain as opposition, yelling their heads off in parliament until they are chased out by Pandikar.

PAS can hurl it's dream to Putrajaya. It won't get the full Malay support. Many Chinese see PAS as UMNO's mouth piece and choose to leave PAS by itself. I would feel sorry for the Islamic Party that's losing the principles as time pass by. The party held Kelantan due to the respect of Tok Guru, Nik Aziz.

If you give a million to Hadi and a million to Khalid Ibrahim you would be able to see interesting phenomena. On the one end the money begins to grow bigger and bigger and on the other a 999 had to be called. Several would be found suffocated with dollar notes and slowly the amount goes fading.

As for UMNO they have to make sure the share should be divide equally, else they will stab each other. How could Shahrizat got RM250 million when the other can't even have a hundred thousand ? The Ketuanan Melayu makes the Malays TUAN with emptiness in their pockets. Then the hidden war continues.

GE14 is another drama to watch. BN will be stronger. PAS may be flushed off. DAP is getting stronger. Keadilan's fate is unknown.

26/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


POLITICIANS SHOULD NOT POKE THEIR HANDS IN RUNNING BUSINESSES

I have seen many businesses involving politician went down the mud. Corporate and politician goals are different. Corporate goes for profit maximization and politicians go for popularity and fast money while at siesta.

Although I am in no position to mention on MAS woes, I had had an opportunity at observing the problems faced by American carriers in the '80s when USA had a difficult time in it's economy. Union bought the company and run it. CEOs with big salaries in carriers and other firms were pleading for jobs on the TVs offering very low salaries. That's one of the reasons I believe in the re-structuring of the salaries. It has to be 'take it or leave it' basis.

Khazanh Nasional Bhd may think in different way following the political line. It is different from TNB in that people have choice on traveling mode but not on using electricity. Manipulating the airline is more risky than the utility and telco servicing.

I have observed even before the '80's the stringent campaign by a certain quarter to cast MAS down the drain because it was believed to be own by the Malays. The various sabotages might not be effective because MAS was very popular in the international route. The collapse began during Mahthir-Tajuddin juggling saga on the airline.

We bought new bigger and expensive planes while some routes were stopped. New York route stopped. Singapore continued to LA, San Francisco and New York. Government changed the boss. It didn't work, and changed again with the one who used millions just to buy painting. Mind you they can take local volunteers to paint at the airport for almost free.

Every now and then I would go to the local airport to watch an airplane landing. At a distant I would count the number of passengers, multiply by ticket price. Then I would compute the estimated fuel cost for that flight. The rough estimate of the profit would be the different between the income and the cost per flight. A full capacity of every flight is the most desirable and there are ways and means to get it to the full capacity.

Try to talk to those guys, they will shove you aside.

Today airline staffs are cocky and arrogant. I began to hate Air Asia because of the staffs attitudes. MAS must take task to oriented it's staffs including those handling other coach-sharing carriers. They must be trained courtesy, politeness and ever ready to provide extra help. Many would still remember the Sanusi Junid-wheel chair case; if MAS staff was smart enough he would have provide the wheel-chair first whether booked or not, and later with a smile billed the Minister. I am sure Sanusi could even pay double the price. And the MAS staffs handling CX refused to accept my check in because of the delay of MAS flight from Alor Setar to KLIA. And once my son left a cassette tape of a Malay song he was suppose to bring with him to Los Angeles. I pleaded to MAS staff to have it sent to plane which due to take off in more than 30 minutes time. Everyone frustrated me.

Now thousands of MAS staffs are having sleepless night for fear of losing their jobs which may lead to losing their families too.

Those responsible for making MAS lost were not these lower rank staffs. They were the top echelons, people who made decision to buy more planes, spending on carpets and paintings, and how much to be paid to whom. There are not many. MAS can help them to find another jobs or asked them to run a new airline with Khalid Ibrahim.

In some states of USA union members were not taken back in the job. If Union was seen as one of the culprits then all union members will lose their jobs.

Politicians can discuss in parliament but not to get involve in the running of the carrier.

It is another big head ache for PM Najib.

26/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


RAPE AND SODOMY

We have a case in New Zealand and a case in Australia, both are on sexual assaults. And in the past we have several in Malaysia involving Anwar Ibrahim and Chua Soi Lek. Probably more of such cases unknown to us but under ransom and blackmailed for trade or security. I think even having sex with a foreign prostitute by a certain Malaysian may be reported as rape or sexual harassment.

In the past national leaders were blackmailed using pictures of sexual acts. It can happen again today.

But what's on the news pertaining to the New Zealand and Australian cases may not be for the political blackmail, rather it is a shoving back to us on Anwar's sodomy issue. Foreign individuals who are not happy may bow to lay as much traps as possible on the Malaysians. Our sodomy issue has become an international interest.

The locals found it a good way of making big bucks by preying for illicit sex of the politicians. Professional prostitutes or GROs tamed themselves with whoever they have the chances. When time comes they would take their lovers to specified places where recording materials were ready to shoot the actions. Will the act be exposed ? If the deal is good all will be buried. The public will forever be in the dark.

We can't say whether there is any connection between Anwar sodomy trail with MH370, MH17 and the declining of Sawit's demand. It is between totally zero connection to a 'may be remote'. We can never know.

But it is intriguing that Malaysia has become the focus of international arena with all sorts of amazing events. Others too are unique like Somalia well known for it's sea piracy, USA for finding it a pleasure to kill the Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan, Japan for her Geisha. Malaysia is now known as land of sex and sodomy.

It is too early to make any conclusion. We have to wait a while longer before making any statistical analysis of what is our real specialties. So far we have been cleverly maneuvering ourselves very well from international condemnation. Heads of governments respect and sympathize with us. We would be troubled by the normal citizens who could be closed to Malaysians with dual citizenships. These are the people who have been following the happenings in Malaysia closely and chose to hit back at us in anyway they can.

Malaysians who reside in foreign countries could do a lot of harm once they become so affluent and influential enough. It was the anti-Saddam group that was feeding information on Saddam and Iraq, demonizing the late President until his name became villain.

It is never wise to say 'Get out of this country and go and stay anywhere you like'. Young and intelligent Malaysians could get themselves organized planning various methods if inflicting damage on us. The real danger would be when their number grow big enough.

Sodomy, Teoh Beng Hock and arrests and convictions on sedition may be facing a few more national or political damage. We have to start thinking about it.

25/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


WHERE IS CW IN ASIA ?

It is hard to hear CW stations from my location. The CW portion is full of phones from Indonesia and probably Malaysia. Only at about 6.45 to 8 am I could hear Europan and Japanese on 7 Mhx. I have no alternative but to go to websdr.org. The node I used to tune to is from the University of Twente. Europeans stations were heard to work at the average speed of 12 wpm. Some even slower. A few ent on high speed. F6GUL, DL8NBM, G0AYX, G4RKO and a few others went at a reasonable speed, good for beginner to learn to copy. I figure most of those stations I heard were using straight key. DL5OAV seems to be an old timer when he called CQ something like this CQ CQ CQ DE DL5OAV DL5OAV DL5OAV AR K. New hams would either used AR without K or K without AR.

I could not guess why Malaysians do not come on Morse as much as before. There could be due to many reasons. One which I am sure is the discouragement of senior hams who were telling the young ones that CW is between 7.001 to 7.029, above that is illegal. The senior ham claimed to be expertise and masters of ham radio.

More senior hams used to work Morse code at least one a week on every Sunday on whatever frequency from 7.00 to 7.10 Mhz. No one claimed to be an expert and no one was trying to push fellow hams who work, say on 7.042, away and spread bad news on those who work outside 7.029. Even though you point out the band plan they refuse to listen. Probably because of the influence on the newer hams they built a wrong perception.

The second reason could be due to kinship bond. New hams who joined up and worked together for an amateur tickets have created a kind of loyalty bond among their kins. When sitting and passing the CW test the bond could be cracked. To appease the friendship they stay away from Morse codes.

Indonesia used to have CW net almost every night on 7.025. Now I do not hear them anymore. May be they have moved to 80 meter band. From time to time I could hear 9V1, HS,E21 and mobile stations but the Indonesians were stronger on SSB.

Most old timers probably lost their skills and proficiency because they have left their keys for a long time. They may be able to send but the copy may be a little difficult. They have to continue listening practice to gain back the listening skill.

Hams disagree among themselves, particularly the old code hams and the new anti-codes. Older hams are less knowledgeable, skill and out of date. It is difficult to find the old ones follow with the progress of time.

 

22/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


PARADING CWers OF THE WORLD

We have capabilities, not within the group of savagery that may have not seen cities and civilizations, progress and technologies. Thanks to Nicole and Chong Wei who jolted Malaysian flags high among the best and advance countries of the world.

In the international parade of CWers, Malaysian flags are among those progressive nations. At any moment of time we will be there among the champions and the great CWers. Nations that defy the new regulation to carry the tradition of ham radio built the pride among the traditional hams. There were keys made and keys bought and keys used.

If they called for a parade we are ready to send our representatives. If they call for competition, we will be there.

Our numbers are small but we have people whose spirit are as great as people of the great nation. Our younger generation show great promise and ability. People can talk with thousand words. It won't prove anything until proven by the deeds. Many old timers have to admit the younger ones are smarter.

My appreciation for those who dare to face challenges is beyond description. Passing or failing is secondary. The world is changed by a few people of special ability, mental prowess and amazing insight. They conquer the impossible and the hardship.

The founders of ham radio can rest assured their souls are resting in peace for there are people who fight to preserve their creation. Malaysia is one of them. We carry the respect of the inventors, not to kill their names in history.

The Russians, Western European Nations and the United States will have the largest contingent in the CW World parade. We may have one. The flag is there.

21/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


DEFENDING NAJIB

UMNO should have just ignored Mahathir. His influence is waning. He put 2 candidates of his choice in the last GE, campaigned for them, and both were defeated. Only the frustrated handful greedy business friends went to see him for the projects they failed to secure. If Najib's policy is bad, his policy was 1000 worst and despicable. The most heinous was the manipulation of judiciary. And of equal footings were privatization and the Land Acquisition Act. Malaysia lost billions on forex during his tenure.

In the history of Malaya even the most hated ruler was not call evil or Pharaoh. All over the web page Mahathir was dressed as a hated 'FIRAUN'. Most of us remember his era as autocratic and demonic state of time.

If PERKASA is registered as a political party and take part in GE14, we could be sure Mahathir would be the leader. That is the only way he could become a Prime Minister again. I have a feeling PERKASA won't win even a single seat.

It is unwise for UMNO to response to Mahathir's comment. The more angry he is the shorter will his life be. It would not be good for his heart. If he says Najib is bad he is just saying about himself. A long serving Prime Minister can't afford to make error in matters of government and the country, and to regret it later. An error can change the history of a nation and can never recuperate. How many big errors have Mahathir made concerning the sacking of his Deputies ? Then Pak Lah ? How about MAS and Bank Bumiputera and Perwaja Steel ?

Even young people know those blunders.

I have met many retired school principals. We talked about the modern set up and a new system. Most said, "Let them run their own way and style. Give them a chance. We retired old guys just watch." I may not like the way my successor ran my school but it was his school then. He could turn the the school upside down as he liked. If Mahathir does not like Najib's policy just don't vote for him in the next GE. Vote for PERKASA.

The best to defend Najib is to ignore Mahathir.

 

20/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


MALAYS UNENDING CRISIS

Many long years ago we participated in an exhibition in Kuala Lumpur. I had teachers' database on the show in which it shows a video of a teacher on the display introducing himself. One of the visitors asked me who developed the software. "Me," was my answer. "What if you were not in the school ? " Almost similar question asked by a judge in one competition on the biometric attendance system, about the Mysql database and the display on the screen. "What if you are not there ? "

If I were to boast I would say my software were superb and very unique. During that period none of the software in the market could match mine.

True, if I have died the whole thing would die with me. Now that I have retired, the knowledge ends. What is left is the ones that I need to use everyday, for myself. On this page I keep the database of my students from the first day I have them recorded in the database till I left my school, and the web database of my radio contacts, namely a radio logbook, which I could log via my iphone, ipad or my laptop.  All the fancy software are dead.

It is not that I am selfish. I had wanted to depart my knowledge to others. I wrote to The Kedah Education Office offering a free course on Biometric Finger Print System and on software development. There was no reply, not even a letter of acknowledgement and thanks.

I won't lose anything. I just know the Malays would never change. Their laziness, jealousy at other people's ability, wanting to promote themselves, and a lot of day dreaming. They learn a little they thought they know the world.

The unending woes are the result of their attitudes and limited mental ability. There is an element of selfishness and greed in them, wanting easy money and favors without thinking of the consequences. They insult anybody they want but can't accept return insults and criticism. They see things in a very narrow perspective. These characteristics do not merely confine to politicians but among the majority of the citizens.

I remember an education officer in charge of IT offered to send me for a week course on Microsoft Word and Visual Basic. I did not decline seeing it as a chance for me to rest. That is all I was worth for. And I am sure many other skillful public workers experience the same fate. Some could even be victimized for being too clever. It is safe to be docile and stupid, show that you are a  moron and know nothing.

Our educational policies have been changing all the time even before one ends. You can't blame the Minister for the declining standard. The plan came from those bright young officers who just took office. Three years later he was replaced by a new one with a new PHD degree. He brought a new change and convinced the Minister.

The Malays are having emotional crisis, phobias and been seeing apparitions. They feel insecure and fear the lost of status. An empty ego, animosity towards others and mental blockade are destroying the path to ethnic and political progress. Almost everyday we are seeing mud slinging, bashing and slurring, and court actions to kill among themselves.

It is hard to find a man like Datuk Azhar Hamid who felt responsible for the MRT incident. He tendered his resignation like many other gentlemen. And Mahathir will never be satisfied with anyone. He sacked several of his deputies and even a Prime Minister.

19/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


SHOULD MAHATHIR BLAME NAJIB ?

The agriculture land in Kedah under Mukhriz vanished very quickly. It was under Mahathir when the amendment to the Land Acquisition Act was made. This is the greatest sin of Mahathir that is dragging Malaya into dependency for imported rice. Secondly, Mahathir privatization policy have put the Malayan in more difficult situation. The welfare of the citizens were given to cronies to look at, which instead made the people suffer more. The public were squeezed and sucked by most of these bodies.

Pak Lah and Najib were left with these demonic private enterprises like the Maxis, Celcom, Indah Water and utility suppliers. Car insurance companies are sucking and oppressive, charging very expensive free for the old small cars used by poorer people. The list of Mahathir's sins is beyond a simple essay to describe.

During the time I was working we talked about the longevity of the Prime Minister. We said God will give him a long life to make him see the suffering of the Malaysians, to witness the product of his policy. Bush went back to the field to assess the sufferings of Americans under his administration soon after he retired from Presidency.

Pak Lah was sacked not because he was 'sleeping' but because he halted the mega project of Mahathir. Nothing less. He chose Najib. Nothing wrong with that. Najib had fulfilled his wish. In fact Mahathir got much more. His son is running PETRON now.

I have asked many people 'How is Najib ?' Answers came." Najib is OK but his ......' The people cannot be wrong. They saw FLOM Office in Putrajaya, which had never been there since independent. ONly sharp eyes can see what has been happening. Is Mahathir blind enough not to see ? If he had seen it he would not take the task to blame Najib in his blog.

If Najib is bad enough Mahathir would have been arrested by now. Indah Water would have been closed and several other privatized projects would have been taken  back by the government. Mahathir should remember that all contracts signed under him were under his responsibility not by the new government. The legality of those agreements were easily questioned. In fact Pak Lah shouldn't have paid his cronies any compensation at all.

UMNO is considered very lucky because most Malays do not realize what The Land Acquisition Act means. They are blind, do not know the history of Palestinians and the Jews. If they know what happen during the Japanese occupation about a King who came to Kedah looking for rice in exchange for clothing they would have realized the consequence of the lost of agriculture land.

Yesterday a university lecturer and an Arab visited my wife and the Arab told me he was sad that out of 100 units of new houses no Malay purchase it. The Malays can't afford. I have talked to several UMNO strong men and supporters about it. They fell on the deaf ears. Whose fault was it ? MAHATHIR.

I don't believe in ghost and kampong medicine, fortune teller nor shamanism. But I observed weird things happening around. I have said enough about this and won't say them anymore.

Mahathir should not hit on the wrong nail.

18/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


I ENJOY MORSE

With only 1 watt Morse signal reached my house from Tanjung Gelang Pahang. I was lying on my bed with my radio on when I heard a faint signal calling me. The band was heavy with static noise and a SSB splater from 7.045. Mine was tuned to 7.043. I rushed to the radio and pushed my manual key QRZ AGN K. The call 9M2PJU/P came through. We then held the CW session for more than 45 minutes before I attended my wife. Piju first came in with 559 signal and later 579.

On many occasions I had hope the local stations I worked with could come on CW mode, for their weak signal were almost drowned by the static noise and the nearby stations. 7.043 was not a comfortable frequency but I have been there since 2002.

Hams on low budget or poor hobbyists do not have to buy a few thousand ringit transceiver. He just need to construct a simple CW transmitter and uses cheap receivers to copy. Probably the total cost would be around RM150.

When I saw a village chieftain from Papua New Guinea played Chess with a White man, it changed my whole perceptions towards people. I have to observe my words and demeanor when having social intercourse with anyone at all regardless of where they come from, skin color and culture. A man with a Morse code knowledge will carry a pride when he is in a huge group of fellow hams of the world. Imagine you are at a hamfest either at Dayton or Germany, and you are pressing CQ CQ CQ DE 9M2MAL and suddenly you hear a reply 9M2MAL de W6BT from the other end of the table, and you continue having the CW session with him. If you request QRQ and he came back with 30 wpm and you match him at the speed. The rest is up to you to imagine.

Whether right or wrong I tend to assess people in ham radio by his ability to send and receive Morse codes. His mistakes and speed won't matter. I would be amazed at his ability to read. Big talk and academic qualifications won't impress me as much as the receiving codes ability. What more today, we can't even believe in university degree.

Before I die, I hope the old band condition would revive once again so that I could again enjoy DXing on CW. Condition to Europe and States Side were superb then. Big signals pounded so strong to push your home down. Between 6.30 pm - 8.30 pm rare stations from USA were just like a thunder above our head. But today I have to resort to the Web Sdr to listen to Morse codes. 7MH was almost deaf with the continuous waves and the weak ones were drowned by the Indonesian and Malaysian pirates on the Morse portion of the band.

I did hear Japanese station though, at about 7 am but owing to weak signal I did not any attempt to call or reply to their call. I always knew my antenna's height has the disadvantage.

It is quite rare to hear local hams on 40 meter. The Indonesians would occupy every 5 kc starting from 7.035 Mhz upwards to almost 7.2. Even 7.130 Mhz which was used by the Malaysians was not used by the 9Ms, and others are using it. For the old hams 7 Mhz was the band for local communications. We regarded it as our home.

If you know CW please do come on. Using 5 watts will do us good. It is ample to get the 599 report. We wouldn't have to worry much on the QRM and QRN. With the same power your SSB would make the other end suffer.

Morse is fun if you do not use machines as aids to work for you. The fulfillment is greater. It builds up your pride.

18/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


IT IS NOT THE END FOR KHALID IBRAHIM

Khalid Ibrahim must not be saddened or frustrated by the current affair. There is a way out. Stay in a prayer room and pray and plead to God to instill tranquility and peace in himself. Plan an Umrah for a week and in the meantime go out to meet his enemies, take their hands and uttered a soothing word 'SORRY'.

Khalid is an asset to the country and he could serve the country and the people in many ways, not necessarily via politics. Setting up a consultant firm is much better than a new political party. I believe the time will come when a government will request for his assistance. If I were Azizah, I would still request Khalid to serve Selangor's government after consulting PKR members.

After all Khalid has got almost everything. The laymen like most of us can't even buy a RM300,000 home. Day and night we hope to get RM100K from somewhere. Khalid has millions and he has serve the people well. I have always wish that a man like him would run the ASB.

Ular Menysur Akar Tak Akan Hilang Bisanya. Khalid must remember this. Mahathir was kicked out of UMNO. Later, he became a Prime Minister and now a Millionaire. Compare with trishaw man who pulled trishaw before independent, yelled with the loudest voice on the independent day, and now at the old age is still a trishaw puller.

It is a good time now for Khalid to seek financial aid to form a foundation of some sort to promote the unfortunate people from his friends and the people whom he gave away projects. Would they come to assist him ? I doubt whether they would. Many will easily forget once you are powerless.

A great individual won't lose his skill and ability. He can also run an aviation industry and build his empire to be much more powerful than the politicians. Just look at Rothschild, Goldman Sachs, George Soros, Bill Gate and many others. American Presidents have to bow to them. They were so powerful that they could arrange World War.

Khalid Ibrahim can still walk out with is head high. And I hope PKR will work with him for the benefit of the Selangorian and the Malaysians in general.

17/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


PKR CAN BE OUTLAWED ?

If PKR is declared outlawed Khalid Ibrahim is also an outlawed MB. He will flung with PKR. Would BN made him a Menteri Besar ? He has to join UMNO but not PAS.

At the time when Khalid sworn in as the Chief Minister he was not a legal man because he was in the illegal party. Khalid is undressing himself in front of international figures.

Like the UMNO Baru PKR can re-organize themselves. But I doubt whether he will be welcomed in BN. He would tear BN as he tore his party. Probably he is good for PAS and could retake Trengganu or Kedah.

Mahathir was once kicked out of UMNO by Tengku, carrying a trauma for some time. But later became a Prime Minister. He didn't run like a mad man. To me Pak Lah was the coolest. The people of his constituency respect him and he is enjoying his family life attending his sick wife and beloved grand children.

In the first place Khalid should decline the Meneri Besar post knowing his party was not legal. He hid it from ROS because he wanted to run the state. And he hid it for a long many years as long as he profited by it. Was it not a crime ? Furthermore if the MB was not legal as PKR wasn't, all agreements, transactions and everything that undertaken by Khalid and MB's office were null and void. Khalid would have to pay back his MB salaries to Selangor's coffer.

17/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof

 


THERE CANNOT BE PAS AND UMNO

PAS and UMNO are now having the same voice. Both are anti Anwar and anti DAP and believe in Malay unity. In the next GE they will no longer fight each other. PAS must accept that in no state PAS can get more seats than UMNO. BN has to share with Gerakan and MCA too.

What would be more sensible is to dissolve PAS and the members convert to UMNO. Wouldn't that give a enhance strength to UMNO ? The current PAS-PKR conflict has left a deep wound and buried the dream to Putrajaya.

And by dissolving PAS into UMNO the slur on PAS leaderships will stop. Nik Aziz will not be called infidel by UMNO and PAS will not be accused of propagating deviant teaching anymore.

The 17th. August PAS meeting is not about Wan Azizah but will be about PAS-PKR split. Hadi will go for departure. The rest will follow the Pied Piper. History won't repeat itself as in the case of Kelantan under Asri, where finally PAS struggled to survive and revived. This time it will spell the total death and will never rejuvenate again.

DAP will fight alone. And with the change in demographic pattern and the reduction of the Malay belt their strength will increase day by day until the Chinese population outnumbered the Malays. That will take place within 25 years. By that time most of us have died except for Mahathir. He is a doctor. He knows how to prolong his life.

The future could be very scary unless we build a strong Malaysian race. Polarization is not the answer for it does not pay.

 

16/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


THINK OF THE UNCERTAINTY

Najib is away. His deputy run the country. Selangor's Sultan went on vacation, Khalid run the show. When Mahyuddin asked UMNO to give full support to Khalid and a few PAS members show their support to Mahyuddin, it is paving the way to PAS-UMNO coalition. Part of PAS members could not accept UMNO and another part chose to enmity DAP and to attack PKR. Who will have ultimate gain ? UMNO, of course. PAS will certainly vanish in Kelantan and somewhere else.

Some members of the public have already seen the Sultan as partisan. We can't afford to have half of the population having negative views on monarchy. It won't be healthy to the nation and monarchial system. The numbers would build up. And we don't want people to cast insult on anybody privately among friends and families. We should avoid the thinning of loyalty and respect towards our crown. The future is always uncertain. We never knew that our MH370 could go missing and MH17 get shot.

Khalid Ibrahim could stabilize the situation by leaving the office, and not to embrace the Sultan. We have been reading so much comments and feedback in the social media about Khalid and inevitably mentioning the royalty. This happened because Khalid made it happen.

The art of buying time to ignite the Selangorian against PKR is unhealthy either. BN has been using it for decades but failed to swing full support. In fact day by day it has to spend more money to gain a vote and has to resort to outright cheating. If still fail, Khalid's last straw is to hang on the Sultan which can worsen the situation in the long run.

We must never forget the whole drama during Mahathir's era. It was not PAS nor DAP who tried to turn the country into a Republic. That was not even a political issue. And during that time our national TV was screening movies about the cruel Sultan in our history. Laymen didn't have any iota of thought about the derailing of monarchy. The Sultan's private secretary should have known  it better and to guide the ruler to regard the people of his state as is Rakyat. In other word, the King is the King of all.

I feel very disturb when Khalid mentioned Sultan's name many time. Remarks by citizens do not indicate rosy future. Pulling Karpal for sedition gave more votes to DAP. The country needs bigger jail to house tenths of thousands of people like Karpal. How about those who run a campaign elsewhere outside the social media ?

We have to avoid the Sultan becoming a target of attack overtly or covertly. Khalid took the former as a shield to protect himself. It is indeed a great disgrace. He must bear the responsibility.

A King is human, like an ordinary man he has a taste and likings. He is free to like and dislike anyone. But as a King of all he must not be seen as partisan.

Today the world is a volatile place to live in. The Muslims are killing each other in Syria and Iraq. Skirmishes in Libya and Egypt never seem to be halting. Israel is having a very expensive war with inferior Hamas force. There are killings and riots in America. Israel made Malaysia pissed in the pant. There is a war in Ukraine and created a US-Russian tension. Beside the two planes downed, we can never know what else may happen . And we do have real enemy at our door.

We are trying our best to stop the infiltration of violence by taking actions on those who fought in the Middle East, either against the enemy of Islam or otherwise. We are searching for those with knowledge of making bombs and weapons. We have enough ears and eyes for the government to ensure of our security. But can we be sure the absolute success of our efforts in time to come ?

Assume that the Sultan meets Najib and discussed Khalid's position, we hope PM will give the best advice with an open mind. It would be better for Najib to fight for Khalid than the Royal Highness. And let the law takes it's course. The aim is to maintain the system we ourselves have designed and set.

It true that we have to be fearful of the unknown and the uncertainty.

How smart we could have been ? If we were, MAS wouldn't have been facing a sad moment. Mahathir, the father of privatization is now attacking the total privatization of the national carrier. We should excel in academic and educational standard, and create our own computer and software systems. If we think that we are smart, we could be very reckless.

If we fail to realize that we are not too smart, then we will be very vulnerable. We are enhancing the probability of instability, ruining our own people and the nation. The repeated call for May 13, the racial slur on the Facebook could have a reverse effect and totally change our history like the first Arab-Israeli war.

It is indeed a sad period of our history, the dark cloud is becoming thicker, people start to argue about Sultans in the media and among friends. The whole fault lies on Khalid Ibrahim who seek to hang on the royal rob.

16/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


SHALL WE BE GOOD TO ISRAEL ?

Why not when the Jews stop killing the innocent people and create a brotherhood with the Palestinians. This is my view. We all know that God is the most merciful over the subjects created and we also know that human being cannot conceive the total nature of the Al-Mighty. Our effort to do any divine interpretation may always be wrong.

At the moment we just cannot tolerate the occupation and the killings. We can't support Israel to buy arms for the bombing and torturing. It is not our innate sense to simply boycotting and hate the Jews that much. But we have to exercise our civility. We are men not animals. We can't support savageness.

American Jews detest David Duke for his campaign of hatred especially against the Jews. But at the same time the Talmud is inciting the Jews to hate and regard the non-Jews as beasts and animals, killing the non-Jews is legal. Who painted the Muslims as terrorists so much so the American Muslims are experiencing punishments from the general public ?

If the Jews think they have the right to live, so are the Palestinians.

We are being colonized by the British. They took our wealth home. They brought rubber in. They gave us education. On the whole nobody took up arms against them. The people just felt the Englishmen took care of them. The Communist excursion was also a part of expansionism, not patriots to chase out the British.

Even if Israel occupies the Palestinian land there could be peace if the paternalistic administration satisfy the Palestinians, providing them with autonomy, running the police force except for the military part. The Acehnese had been fighting for independent finally settled for autonomy. So were the Muslim Mindanao.

Netanyahu must put a new structure of framework to change the impossible to possible. We want to hear complete and lasting peace. Then we will regard Israel just like any other civilize nation.

15/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


WOMEN OF A NATION

Never underestimate the power and the ability of women. They can be docile and obedient. They can be ruthless and murderers. They can beat men in the game of chess. Ay any time they can pinned you in wrestling. An old woman in a jogging track overtook more than 50 men at a fast phase.

It is surprising for the 21st century men to despise and looking down upon women. It is highly probable that only Muslim men carry with them the negative perception of women as a weak specie inferior to men. While a woman has been a commander of a space ship and able to maneuver a space shuttle and war planes most men are still struggling with a simple mathematics.

Lately we have been hearing some stupid statements about women, coming from some elite group of male specie, such as women menstruate and therefore they can't be a head of state or a Prime Minister. In such a situation they are not suitable to go to war. Yet there are thousands of them in the war zones and took an active part in combat . Even in Malaysia we have women flying fighter planes and in the arm forces.

Don't forget Rafedah Aziz who is now a big person in Air Asia. She had brought economic prosperity to the country and world leaders found her tough to deal with.

We are all gifted to be good in something. One man is good in religious knowledge, another in sciences and doctoring. Some are good with their hands and some in solving problems. WE means men and women. And I did not mention Margaret Thatcher and Indra Ghandi and  Benazer Bhutto and Golda Meir.

And the best of all that we are brought up by our mothers to be responsible men. Our mothers are the great women of the nation.

15/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


EVEN IF ZERO SUPPORT

Khalid Ibrahim will not leave  the office of the Chief Minister even if he receives zero support. " I took an oath to be a Chief Minister," he said. "Only the Sultan can remove me." And we will be hearing voices that support him and argue in his favor quoting various statues of law.

I think he can get away with it because it happens in Malaysia. The Malaysians are not extremist enough as some might thought them to be. If they were, we would have been another Egypt or Pakistan. An angry dog here never go hungry. Even the poor are fed by the Soup Kitchen. Money could even be found in the dust bins.

Khalid's good work will never be forgotten even if he were to step down. I kept RM15K and got RM80K when Khalid was in control of ASB. That was a great start that is giving me bread at my old age without depending on my kids. And the people of Selangor too will remember his good deeds. It is just his party sees him in different way which he could have defend himself by answering to the board. The public too could understand why he did what he had done.

When Zahid Hamidy retract his statement against Tony Phua, he lost nothing, not a single cent, neither his dignity. Both can become good friends again. Both men won. There is a Malay saying 'Ular menyusur akar tak hilang bisanya', 'A diamond that dropped in dirt will still be a diamond'.

It is ashamed for Khalid to cling to his post when he does not command the majority as he claimed to be. It was amounting to lying to the Sultan.

Wan Azizah may not be as good as Khalid but it is only fair to give her a chance. She does not need to represent her party but she represents the women of Malaysia. Of course she has to serve all the Selangorian regardless of their political beliefs. Khalid could assist her in many ways.

The whole world is watching. If PR created errors and follies, it is being witnessed by an international community.

14/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


IT IS NOT ONLY IN POLITICS

First we saw Anwar challenged Mahathir. Anwar was a new comer in UMNO brought in by Mahathir, climbed up to DPM. Then we saw Khalid Ibrahim, also a new comer, elevate by Anwar to be a Chief Minister. Khalid kicked PKR and challenged the people who put him there.

This is nothing new and  nothing rare if you care to observe carefully in any organization, public or private. We have similar experience in the hobby called Amateur Radio in Malaysia where the new comer attacked those who fought hard for Class B license. The Old Hams are now Pariahs and many stay away from the ham band.

That's why we changes in education almost every other 3 to 4 years, in our quest for National Language effort, in customs and immigration. All are under the name of innovation and progress. In Europe and America changes are more shocking; on statute of law pertaining same sex marriage and legalization of dangerous drugs, so much so drug addicts could become Presidents.

People stepped on religion and kicked them away, replacing them with new morality with bombastic titles like liberty, human right, civility and secularism. They burnt the Holly Book and removed the monument of the 10 Commandments. The living religious practices followed the changes, altered and in some church drinking and sex fiestas were held.

The old generations still remember of the status of teachers who were using canned to discipline and teach their students. Right or wrong we were asked to respect and honor them. Called him a teacher, every race and creed would show him some respects. Today we hear students kicked the teachers. Parents sued them. And finally the law prohibit any form of punishment, physical nor mental.

It takes years to really understand a person's character and an ego. The observation has to be close and thorough, not only depending on the hearsay or his public behavior which may be hypocrite and to impress the public. Words and promises could be put aside.

One interesting thing about Khalid is that he said PR was illegal, not a registered party. It means to imply his appointment was not legal too. People might took it lightly or would just ignore it. And all other usurpers do have their own excuses. UMNO is smart enough to learn from mistakes. That's the reason they won't give high post to any defectors, and would not accept even Ibrahim Ali as their members.

I am sure you too have seen an identical organizational behavior in your workplace, of various type of workers and officers. You couldn't like everyone of them.

14/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


IT IS BAD TO DRAG ROYALTY INTO POLITICS

No political party should drag royalty into politics. It brings a bad implication for whatever reason. Neither Khalid, Anwar nor Hadi should do it. Sultan must not be seen as partisan in politics. I remember fairly well when I was a small kid when the Sultan of Kedah had invited political leaders of both BN, PAS and DAP for the birthday dinner, the Sultan mentioned the words 'RAKYAT BETA'. At that time I already understood the role of our king.

Khalid Ibrahim has been very cruel to the institution of monarchy. It is very unwelcoming of him to drag the Sultan in to resolve the MB issue. He could have leave it to UMNO with a great power to ensure of his position as a MB. Mahyuddin had promised him the fullest support and BN machinery had already run a full swing. If Khalid mentioned that all his actions were legal, he has no need to use the Sultan to come into his defense anymore.

Political party anywhere has it's ups and downs. Ministers come and go. It is not suppose to be so of the monarchy system. There should not be even an atom of time, no moment at all, for the citizen to think about the fate of royalty, not even in dream or whisper.

Any obedient Malay in the government should not allow Khalid to do what he is doing now. He drags the Sultan too far. UMNO can help him in whatever legal and fiscal ways but has to call Khalid to stop his balancing act involving the Sultan. The reason is simple. We always want the royal subjects to have only a single thought of the sovereignty of our Ruler.

Our critical issue today is the minds of the Malays are drifting in random mode. Effort to unite them for a common goal can never be attained. They split in support against Israel, against Halal food, gay marriage and even on criminal matters. They expressed themselves well in social media. There are even Malay Jews and Christians.

If political party could not converge their insight through political mean we need them to get united through the call of monarchy. We do see this in Thailand. Kampuchea under Sihanouk differs much under Pol Pot. Even today the status of the King is not so strong as before. At least we are fortunate to have Kings for us to love and be happy with. Indonesia, China, Russia and the rest of the world have almost nothing left. England is struggling with it.

Whoever at all can be a MB of Selangor as long chosen by the people. The people chose the party. The party chose a MB. If they chose a wrong person he will ruin his party. A person chosen must be sane, normal and civilize. Nero burnt Rome out of his insanity. I believe that replacing an UMNO man as MB is much better for the state and will ensure the dignity of the royal institution will be secured and safe.

Once we hated Mahathir very much for wanting to do away with monarchy. We all should think about it.

14/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


HAVE WE TO BE ARROGANT ?

It is hard to find a suitable word for SOMBONG. The nearest to it is 'arrogant'. Before calling others 'sombong' I need to look at myself and ask myself whether I am in that category.

I have a big problem of not remembering people and their names including my old school mates and those people who know me. And when I walk my mind would always be thinking of something. When passing through people whom I am suppose to know, I just walked without approaching them. Surely they would regard me as 'sombong'.

Arrogant and 'sombong' people are everywhere. These are not the property of the rich and the wealthy nor the politicians and the Ministers. I have been to Putrajaya and met Senior Officers and I felt so ease with them. They possess courtesy, show consideration and kindness. I met a local government officer who treated me like a small kid and rough in their words.

Even the normal business people show arrogance in their speeches. For an arrogant businessman to have such a character it would gather misfortune to the company unless the customers are forced to deal with them. I found that hospital nurses were the most arrogant, yelling at patients and talking with harsh voices.

Public usually relate government to the behaviors of the officers. A bad officer will make a remote villager detest the government. The best to deal with bad officers is to vote against the government.

Have we to be arrogant ?

I like Dato' Ahmad Bashah because he is friendly and kind. But I could not bear Shahrizat. It is not because of the political party but because of the behavior. Surely you can see more arrogant people right now, can't you ?

When we see people on the streets we cannot assume everyone is the same, having the same character and mental setup. Some may be liars and cheaters, robbers and thieves. Some may be of the well bred group of the society, honest and trustworthy, kind and responsible, and willing to lend their hands for assistance.

Arrogant people may not show their true color directly to us but we can see through their behaviors, causing inconvenience in public places, double parking, running red light, knock your car and run away. Lately I saw such people in Malay women drivers, breaking all the traffic rules and causing inconvenience to others by reckless driving. One knocked my car and ran away.

I just have to remind myself in choosing friends. We have to be careful in lending money or becoming their referee or a guarantor. Several people suffered as guarantors. Their so-called friends just refused to pay the loan. They could be placed under the same group as arrogant. They are menace to society and the world.

Power and wealth won't made us a god for people to obey and prostrate. There will be people who won't be looking and bow at them, even won't show respect at knowing them and recognizing them.

The happiness of the caterer of Soup Kitchen is the fulfillment of serving the unfortunate, the feeling of doing a good job, going to bed with a sweet dream waiting for tomorrow, for someone else to donate more to the poor. These people can be 'sombong' to the 'sombong' and arrogant portion of the people who see others as pariah when they are in uniform or holding high posts. They forgot that every dog has it's own day.

When a civil servant show his/her arrogance to the helpless laymen he/she may get away with it. To do it with a gangster, all they want to know is where he lives and his daily movement. What's next is unknown. It is not the gangsters would not want to accept punishment, they do if there is fairness.

Why must the nurses, the clerk and the civil servants be arrogant ? 

13/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


FATE OF PAS

Kedah private religious school ran for many long years on their own. They were not well equipped, poor and almost at deplorable condition. Yet many Muslim Malays sent their kids there, not with the hope to become lawyers or doctors, but to have enough religious education. The schools chose their own administrators and teachers.

The government offered those schools to join the mainstream education system, promising development and money. Happily the board chose to accept the offers. New blocks and buildings were set up. The progress was superb.

Later changes took place. School heads and teachers were chosen and selected by the Ministry of Education. Their freedom and autonomy disappeared. The disappointment was very great.

The same fate will face PAS. The party is on the verge of disappearing. UMNO-PAS marriage was not new. It happened before. Kelantan was almost vanished and PAS was almost dead. The members struggled out and the party became alive again.  The battle resumed. Trengganu under the leadership of Hadi never revived. Kedah under the scrutiny of Hadi sunk.

Today PAS saw DAP as enemy and infidel party, and it is uttering UMNO's tone and words. No matter what the decision on the 17th. August would be, the PAS-PR relationship will never be like before. The animosity will grow. There were air of disappointment and distrust towards the party by the non-Muslims.

BN will remain dominant as ever. PAS members will go back to the old time, becoming dogs barking a mountain, will become weaker and weaker, helpless and useless. PR can erase it's aim of marching to Putrajaya.

 

13/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof

 


A MAN WORKING FOR HIMSELF AND A MAN WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE

The poorest President today is Jose Mujica of Uruguay. He donates about 90% of his $12,000 monthly salary to charities that benefit poor people and small entrepreneurs. Like others he too have enemies. Even fellow Malaysians criticized him for his wasted time and his administration. I am not at all surprise to find Malays having awkward values, buying arms for the Jews to kill Palestinians and calling the later terrorists.

 

Most of us are selfish. It is not difficult to recognize fellow Malaysians of pompous and haughty characters, and would go to any extend to play for office and gathering wealth. Money is never enough to them. But Malaysians simply could not trace hypocrisy and blindly chose them as leaders. Head of Departments were chosen by the governments.

A man working for himself care less about the real goal and objective of his organization. He would wriggle his way for a better position, struggle to impress his immediate boss, throwing unnecessary and untimely praises. He set up his department in such a way that when he goes into retirement he can still make bucks with his organization. This kind of person won't take any risk and will only nod his head to any instructions regardless of their values. I saw one Mamak who was vocal against opposition when BN was strong and vocal against BN when PAS was strong.

While Mujica gave away 90% of his monthly salary others with power are increasing their own, not enough with the millions they own. They want to be god and own the world.

As I have said before doing good for a community and to raise them to a better living standard and showing care, may not have a positive return. In short they may not thank you. But that shouldn't be the matter. Being moral and doing good give us the fulfilling of life. Happiness is much richer than the millions in possession.

Robin William just committed suicide owing to depression. George Bush Junior took cocaine after retirement. Netanyahu's lust for killings could never be over. These were sign of failures and insane living. Insane indeed. People are shameless and losing their morality, and could behave worst than animals.

I just give one example of a man who work for the people. There are several more but rare of the specie. The greed and the shameless is just in front of your eyes. Are you still blind to see ?

14/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof

 



HELP THE LOCAL HAM SHOPS

I have written on this topic before and now am writing on it again. My last visit to a local ham shop was on the 7th. August 2014. Rusli, 9M2RB, took me to Shah Alam at my request. One Communication supplies ample equipments for class A and B licensees, from the electronic key to the HF rigs. I bought a 40 watts Diamond switching power supply as a backup. At the moment I used Hammax made in Thailand.

In the good old days to start a station was quite a hassle. It was easier to construct than to buy one. New hams like me had to look for a second hand and used rigs. Mine was FT101B purchased at RM800 from a fellow ham. We would not be able to buy rigs locally because there were none. The nearest place where we can find radio shop was Singapore. Because old rigs were big and heavy it was difficult to get pass the custom.

Similarly with other accessories, coaxial cables and plugs and tuners. Most of the new comers had to seek the help of the old timers. I got my coaxial cable from 9M2FK, Eshee, who is very sickly now. Malcom helped me a lot.

On the contrary today is heaven. We can stay at home and purchase the rig online or by a mere phone call. The next day the equipment ordered will arrive at the doorstep. Local Ham vendors made difficult work so easy.

 

The cost should not stop us from helping the local vendors. As for us we pay for the peace of mind. As for the vendors they have to pay for the running cost; rental, salary and utility bills. They need to make some profit too.

I used to take a trip to Singapore and Medan just to buy tuners. My antenna coupler, Leader LAC-895, was purchased from Johore, arranged by 9M2DW, Dato' Tan, to have it sent to my home. Today those kind of hassle are gone. I bought two Yaesu sets and received them just in a couple of days. Thanks to the local vendors. No more Singapore or Hong Kong, Thailand or Indonesia.

To appreciate the existence of the local vendors one need to imagine without them.

 12/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


XIAOMI

Xiaomi sounds like Little Sister to me. Chinese are fond of using beautiful names like Mei Hua ( beautiful flower ). It is a name I just saw in the internet, a smart phone made in China rivaling Samsung and iPhone, with a price much bellow the Korean and the American. The sale in Malaysia went so swift. China wouldn't expect it to be that way as people are already equipped with iPhone and Samsung. I wonder whether these products are still available in the local outlets.

My Note 3 was not used for a long time. I cling to my iPhone 4 because of it's small size. When my kid came back for the Aidil Fitri I gave my Samsung away. Now I want to have a peep at this cheap Xiaomi.

It has MI-3 and MI-4 version. The later is a little wider. Both claim of a lower battery consumption. You need to browse the webpage to read more about it.

With the price below 1K, it halved the two veteran gadgets. Only time will tell on it's durability and problem. It is about hacking and virus. iPhone seems to be the most secured as compared to Samsung at the moment.

Imagine if the Little Sister could penetrate the European and the American markets. The Americans will have to run a campaign "Americans must buy Americans" as what the British had done before.

 11/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


CRAZY AMERICANS

I am a little annoyed at the American attack on the Syariah's Law and of course followed by our Malaysians. Dr Mashitoh was a daughter of a pious Muslim cleric who is now being rejected by Muslim communities. Part of the law was in Christianity like the stoning of the adulterers.

I say Crazy Americans because I can't understand their philosophy of life and the concept of humanity and civility. They sponsor killings, bombing, pissing on dead corpse and yet they called punishments on criminals under Syariah Laws as savage. It is indeed superficial to justify killings by just labeled someone a terrorist. Cutting a hand of a thief could not be worse than dropping bombs to kill lives under any justification. If it is alright to kill innocent people then it is more alright to punish a thief or a robber.

Big time criminals in American prisons are treated like VIPs. The Muslim nationalists are treated like animals. If we can believe American movies we do find big time crook can still run their operation while in jail. Criminals are well fed. Crazy.

The people chose grass taker as their President. Now an ex-President was caught with cocaine. No wonder they are going to legalize marijuana and I assure you other drugs will follow soon. All we know in 20 years time non-Jews and non-Muslims in America will consume drugs like a cup of coffee.

How could we listen to people who see gay marriage as normal and legalized the practice ?

When crazy people have nothing to do they find it pleasure to

                         a. attack the Muslims
                         b. to sponsor Israel terrorism 
                         c. to bomb the innocent people
                         d. to torture Muslim prisoners
                         e. to murder the American citizens as in 9/11

These are not about value system but about mental disorders and deliberate intent to destroy others. Each day in the United States we do hear about massacre. Kids shooting parents and school children, and parents murdering their own off springs. And the most recent a judge rules a monument of Ten Commandments be removed.

We are weak but we must not sacrifice our honor. We don't have to yield or fear a very strong nation. As long as we are going for the better of mankind, peace and tranquility we have to proceed with our belief. We don't kill a free man on the street using drones and laugh when they dead men fell to the ground. We don't bomb our own people and pointing fingers at others blaming them for the kill.

Cutting a hand of a thief to deter the others is never a worst thing than killing tenths and thousands of innocent lives, or sending bombs to kill those defending their own nations.

10/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof

 


PROBLEM FREE ?

Try to imagine the world without problems.

To some problems are form of challenges. To others they are killings. Many of us have witnessed the skinny children of Africa during the draught and war, and innocent people killed in the Middle East, and the agony of being struck by chronic and deadly diseases. These are not joyous.

Yet they could be the driving force to solve and to prevent them for the betterment of mankind.

I have less problems now then before after my retirement. It was the burden of responsibility and accountability, the failing of guilt when something beyond our control went wrong. I remember well when my boss said 'It is your duty to know how many rats die and where they die in your compound'. If you collect fake money you have to pay it with your own money. My teacher collected a fake check from a parent she could not remember and I had to pay from my pocket.

When I retired I felt a huge stone had been removed from my head. I felt so much relief and ready to face a new world.

By then my wife got sick. She got a stroke, a bone of her spinal chord was replaced by titanium, and now she can't stand nor walk and undergoing dialysis treatment. Going to the clinic itself poses several problems. But I don't feel the current ones are so painful as those when I was in the job, which no amount of money could offset them.

If you don't have problems related to human being, you may be having problems with your belongings. Some with their cars, houses, equipments and whatever things they own. My friend, Rusli, 9M2RB (radio call sign) is having a problem with his IC-7000 that tripped regularly when speaking.

The only problem free is death. Let your soul take car what will happen next.

If a problem occupies our mind at a certain time, we may not do the right thing at the time. My intent to go my old school ended me somewhere else. The other day I bypassed a certain destination two times because I forgot it twice.

Problems are part of life, a characteristic of nature and living, either endowed by social interactions among mankind or swept by natural phenomena like catastrophes and calamities. It also gives opportunities for people to make money or invent technologies.

Some people are so seasoned with problems that they faced them with so much cool. Presidents and Prime Ministers would changed every each year if they can't face them and get shock every other seconds by all sort of monumental events which continually barraging at them and their administrations.

We always hear a phrase "Take it easy man" telling us to keep cool and calm.

The problem free world is grave yards. Be there. Robin William, a Hollywood actor, chose to be there by committing suicide on Monday 11/08/2014. He was 63.

09/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


BAD PEOPLE ARE BAD PEOPLE

Malaysians of newer generations seem to think they are smart enough and have absolute freedom to insult anyone they like. They are hiding themselves through proxies believing their identity will not be traced. We have to remember that if we claim to have freedom to exercise our right on the internet, the authority too will claim to have freedom to ban the internet. Nonetheless one can parade his bravery by not hiding himself and prepare for any arrest.

The right of the absolute freedom would revert back to the savagery of the survival of the fittest. The strong will eat the weaker ones. At times the weak will fight back and win. Malaysians who think they have right to stay in this country and insult anyone they like should face the freedom and right of other party to put them away. If we call this uncivilized then there are many democratic nations are uncivilized. Do we need to name them ?

Facebook users are of different categories, from the educated to the school dropouts. Some show maturity with strong arguments and some are truly morons. They learn a little and think they know the world. They would go round and insult anybody they want, threaten others and the latest repeatedly display the picture of our King.

Laws on internet abuse must be more stringent whether on civil or criminal matters. Name calling like 'pig' or 'bastard' should be jailed for at least one day.

I remember during one soccer game one spectator yell on the top of his voice cursing our PM. I may not be agree with Najib, but his action disturbed me very much and I have to warn him to watch his mouth. These are uneducated people. Now they are in access of internet and other gadgets like walkie-talkies. With those they can cause havoc.

There is no country in the world that give complete freedom. Each individual is governed by law. Even China was barred from building more air-craft carriers. Malaysian who sold centrifuge part to Pakistan was arrested and jailed. Those who questioned 9/11 were duped as terrorists in USA.

Whether we like or not there have to be nations and countries. You can't say there is no such thing as China or India and you can walk into those countries and claimed as a world citizen and have ownerships of those lands. And each of the nation has it's own rules of law. You can't have your own law and demand the nation to follow your rule. And there have to be a system to look at people like you.

Else we have to denounce civility and do as you want and others can do whatever they like on you.

Bad people do not deserve respect and being treated like VIPs.

08/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof


A BAD PILOT

In fact I have decided not to fly Air Asia for several reasons. But owing to some errors I purchase a return ticket to KLIA2. I have no complaint on my way to Kuala Lumpur. The pilot made announcement from time to time both in English and in Malay. The best of all I didn't realize the plane was landing.

Things were not the same on the return journey. The 8.20 flight moved a little earlier. Probably all passengers were aboard. Long after the take off nothing was heard from the pilot. Only over Penang he made some announcement of where we were and the expected arrival time in English, never in Malay. I did not feel anything thinking Air Asia only cares for profit and nothing else. It was a bad experience in landing, very very very bad indeed, the bump was too strong, like pushing the tires off.

If MAS charged more I will fly the carrier despite the price different.

I believe the same pilot will one day crush the plane. Before it is too late Air Asia must record pilot's behavior and landing standard of every flight. Just by giving cheap tickets it does not mean Air Asia can do what it wants and employ any kind of pilots. Bad pilots are like bad divers who do not pass a driving license or get the license by the backdoor. A con man who has a simulator at home may be successful in squeezing themselves up. Do you see the movie Catch Me if You Can, a true story of a con man ?

08/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof

 


WOI !! GIVE ME SOME RAMBUTANS

A man passed my house the other day. As he saw me he shouted, "Woi, give me some rambutans." I invited him to take himself by climbing on the brim of my fence. "Give me a pole," he called. I asked him to get by his hand. As he went on plucking I said to him, "Leave the rest to others." He did not take 10 or 30 fruits but probably more than a hundred.

He was not a young man, probably about 50 or more and looked like a gentleman, with proper attire. I was wondering why he called me WOI instead of Encik or Che'. I have a pole. I did not find it good to entertain him with a man without courtesy. I gave him because the fruits did not belong to me. It is given by God. Nothing more and nothing less. But those are for other people who might want to taste a few.

That's the reason why I never agree to be a racist, making heroes out of a certain ethnic groups without manners, courtesy and consideration.

Afterwards a few young boys passed by. I asked them to pluck some but they refused and thanked me.

May be the man will pass this way again and ask for more. I won't stop him. I will just say "Leave some to others. Don't take all."

08/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof

 

From Rense.com - reprinted

 

08/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof

 

08/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof

CHEAP FOOD AT PUTRAJAYA

I was at Kementerian Dalam Negeri yesterday with 9M2RB. I felt hungry and asked Rusli to join me for breakfast at one of the canteens. There were quite a variety of food. Finally I stopped at one stall. I took a plate of koeteow with a fried egg and some squids. Rusli took meehoon. When the seller said six ringgit I was very surprise. The koeteow was tasty and I really enjoyed it. As for drinks I took a glass of nescafe and Rusli a light cofee for two ringgit. In Alor Setar nescafe would cost RM2.00.

Hours later at Shah Alam both of us took one packet of Nasi Lemak each, a small fried bawal  and a little kerang, all at the price of RM15.00.

If Putrajaya could sell cheap food I see no reason why other places could not do so.

A meal at Mac Donald would not be less than RM12.00. As shown in British TV eating Mac Donald is just like eating poison. By the time they reach 40 they are ready for chronic diseases. Only if Ramly burger could take place of the MacD we could enjoy tastier and cheaper food. And at the same time we are helping the local entrepreneurs who do not have to send money outside the country as franchisees.

Putrayaja should make it compulsory for all food vendors to follow a course before they are giving licenses.

Business communities may complaint of the high rental incurred that they have to drive the price up. Many roadside stalls and food outlets without rentals are charging high price. These are greedy people who would provide nonsensical excuses. First to raise any price are the ungrateful and greedy Mamaks. I am sorry I have to be harsh about Mamaks, because that's what we have been experiencing with them.

Food vendors at Putrajaya have to pay for the raw stuffs too. Those areas are well known for expensive items in the wet market. Yet they could survive by charging reasonable prices.

For the benefit of general public the government have to make it mandatory for a licensee to follow a civic, health and educational program.

What did we do at Shah Alam ? We went to ONE-Communication. I purchased a 40 watt diamond power supply for RM620.00. The vendor advised me not to take it as a hand luggage boarding Air-Asia. The guys there might just confiscate it. He could post it using Post Office for a hundred ringgit. I decided to keep it at Rusli's house until some fine day to have it sent to my home.

On the home to Rusli's house we stopped at a courier company. The charge was RM27.00, almost 1/4 of the post office price.

Be careful when checking at Air Asia's counter. "You have to pay RM10, sir," they will tell you. "You have to check in through your hand phone." Crazy...crazy..Air Asia. Wouldn't it be called a robbery ?

08/08/2014 - Abdul Rahman Raof

 

 

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