NOT ALL JEWS IN ISRAEL HATE ARABS IS A FACT WHICH PART OF THE CHRISTIAN TRINITY IS ALLAH ?

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A LITTLE THING LAZY TO INVESTIGATE

I bought a cheap blender for my cooking spree, to blend the necessary ingredients. But less than 10 blends later the small machine did not work as I powered it on. I tried several time but failed. I concluded that this cheap no name stuff is a lousy thing. To return to the shop where I bought it, I had thrown the receipt. I set up to search probably there could be an old one somewhere. Surely my wife must have bought it one. I combed the kitchen. To my delight I found a box with a blender of Sharp brand.

The picture shows the cheap machine, with unknown brand. Since it ceased to function I just put it aside, hoping for nothing.

Today I am a little free. I decided to investigate this small machine, to see the continuity, the fuse or whatever could have made it refuse to rotate. I checked the continuity. None. It could have been either the cable or a fuse. I opened it up. There was no fuse. Some terminals indicated current could flow.

While looking closely at every part I saw something protruding, a black plastic. I pushed it down. It went down. This I thought must have been another switch. Connecting the socket to the plug, powered it on, I pushed down the black plastic. The motor started to buzz again.

I was very excited, fixed it again and now I have two blenders ready to serve me again.

Sometimes we are lazy to attend to small things just because they are small. My wall switch functioned intermittently. When I really need the light badly, I would be looking for some form of spray. Ants might have been inside. It would be easy for me to buy a new switch and replaced it.

Again on a free day, I opened it up, pulled out the small screws, clean all the dust and whatever inside it. Walla ! it worked again wonderfully.

We are either lazy, too busy or it is just of our attitudes.

 

12/02/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

PHD-THE STANDARD

Meritocracy is sometimes associated with arrogance. Those who possess paper qualifications tend to think they are the smartest lots and they believe they are the most perfect and should lead the masses. Perceptually, the lowest echelon of the society are the illiterate and the highest are those with PHDs in the best of the disciplines.

I have narrated a story of the first effort to send telegraphic message from England to the United States using a radio wave. Before the feat by Marconi there were views from academicians that the effort would be futile as the earth was not flat but curve. By today's standard we would ask as to how  radio wave could circle the earth ? And when the there was an attempt to make an airplane fly, smart people were talking about the difference in the plane density and the density of the air. It was impossible for the more dense object to float on the lesser one. And about the Meritocracy Singapore once having the problem of ageing population.

Knowledge never end.

To boast one's mental prowess parading a PHD isn't enough, for the PHD holders are belittling each other's degrees, comparing universities, whether they are from Malaysia, England, USA or even Timbuktu. And in what discipline; engineering is said to be superior to history, economy is better than the arts.

Though I have not gone through the process of acquiring the top degrees, I do have a little of fuzzy idea about it. There is a different between the PHD programs in the Malaysia and USA. In USA one needs to pass a qualifying test before being accepted in the program. Qualifying test is very comprehensive, containing both oral and written test. Less than 50% of the masters students who seat for the test, would pass.

QT would make a person having a portion of the sea of knowledge in the universe from sports to sciences. And in it's discipline itself. Having passed and being accepted, the candidate may proceed with the discussion on dissertations.

And again it would be asked whether the research finding is on the existing known social behavioral pattern of men or animal, the historical perspectives of elements, or of something new that was not known and exist before. Then the conceptual characters are arranged in array of superiority.

Setting up the standard and quality of paper qualification is to classify people in their respective order from a Brahmin to a Pariah. Then they will say that a PHD acquired from a prestigious university in USA is better than from the one conducted by the universities in Malaysia, the PHD in astronomy is better than a PHD in Islamic jurisprudence.

But it is not the graduates who set the price of the fish and vegetables, of the foods and products, the labour price of painters to paint our houses. When a food vendor raise a price by fifty cents, there is nothing a university student can do.

Success in life depends on opportunity, chance, luck, diligent and perseverance. To be wealthy you can do it in an honest way or by devious means of cheating and stealing. There are those who sweat and conduct themselves to perseverance and industriousness and strike at opportunities to climb to the top of economic ladder. Ramly Burger has no PHD degree. Many tycoons and millionaires don't even own a college certificates. A friend of mine is just a car mechanic without even go to a college but qualified enough to be a millionaire.

I always asked what contribution can any intellectuals contribute to the nation.

It is not my intention to attack universities and degree holders. But to share the truth of the real world about the people and their behaviours, about the roles of chances, opportunity and luck, about ego and selfishness and about the power of the less illiterate masses. In Cambodia, once, it was these illiterate masses and children who shot their teachers, doctors and lawyers and other intellectuals. Why ? You need to ask them the reasons. Many are still alive and roaming the country and intermingling among the people.

It is to be noted that there are factory degree universities on line and even the private universities in the country, providing easy passes even to very weak and incompetent individuals. People tend to go to these online colleges and universities,  having told that they could be awarded degrees easily even without passing the exam. And public are not warned about it.

Even some government scholars in the United States chose the easy to pass subjects to get a degree.

Some of us do still remember of a football club, pulling in a PHD holder to run a a team, expecting his presence would produce excellence. The team never won a championship.

However if PHD is going to be regarded as supreme passport to social hierarchy then let it be made a standard indicator of mental acumen. Let it follow the USA grade by having the international qualifying test examiners, oral and written and there need to be a mechanism to check for the ghost writers and a regular discussions on the dissertations. There must be a leeway for the rebuttals of the research findings.

11/02/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

PAPER QUALIFICATION

Whoever is asking about about the educational level of the millionaires and tycoons in our country ? They have contributed  much to the nation, employing thousand of workers and brought prosperity to the country and even giving back millions to the people. Whoever is asking about the mothers' educational level, who had sons and daughters who are serving the nation, and whose siblings have been very successful in their lives ?

We do know of highly qualified people who manipulated millions of ringgit of rakyat's money, who swindled, lie and cheat the people. Currently there is a school principal who is borrowing money from his staffs, canteen runner and even PIBG and smart enough to lie and manipulate his maneuvers. And many years ago a parent with a PHD holder in Penang Free School said, "If you don't have a PHD don't try to argue with me."

It is not a paper qualification that made a man a millionaire or a tycoon, good or bad. What  matters to us is his heart, honesty and sincerity. It is not a function of his qualification, creed nor his race. A good man may or may not be an educated man. And a thief can come from people of all level and categories.

Before we gain independent there were thousand of teachers without university or college degrees, marching out against the British Malaysian Union. And for many years our institutions were run by people who only passed standard 6 primary schools. All of my Primary School teachers didn't even know what SRP and SPM were.

I am never proud of my educational level but I am more proud of my students who have built self reliance in themselves, independent. hard working, always strive for success. They are successful in making an honest living and able to raise their family well.

Everyday you find people who are kind to you, helping old people crossing the road and provide aids to the needy. You never know that they may not even know how to read.

11/02/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

BOOSTING ONESELF

People are not the same. Some prefer to stay aloof and others love gregariousness. Some wants to parade their excellence and a few want to keep what they have to themselves. I just love to be myself. Even this blog is not blazoned for public perusal. One or two might accidently came across it and I might have told one or two friends about it.

When I was a school's principal, I rode a 50cc motorbike to work. I think I was the only one in Malaysia who was doing it and donned a dress as the normal school's labourer's uniform. They said that would lower the image and the esteem of my students and subordinates. I remember very well, my an officer from my HQ rang me up reminding me of an award ceremony in Kuala Lumpur,

        "Rahman, " he said." Remember the award ceremony ? "

        "Yes. You do want me to put on coat ? "I responded.

        "Waah...how do you know what I am going to say ? " he was very surprise.

It meant even my bosses had known of how I conduct myself yet they were recommending some parents from the other states who went to see them to send their kids to my school. At least an officer by the name of Ali Abu didn't saw me in alternate perspective.

Attire, expensive car, and business card depicting name and qualification are means to boost oneself for some individuals. At least 97% of my friends do not know where I went to schools. Even my own family members regarded me as a dumb and a senile person. My radio friends placed me under the uninformed category.

I saw Noh Omar boasting that he was a lawyer and Zahid Hamidi being addressed as Dr Zahid. And now it has become a row about politicians accused of having fake degrees. Bt nobody asked our tycoons and billionaires of the degrees they have and from which prestigious universities.

To me, a value of a person does not lie in his prayer, religious acumen, status, educational level or wealth. But it is the good heart, honesty, sincerity of his heart. He gives rather than asks. He works rather than beg. He praises rather than condemn. I do not possess the quality of a good person of high integrity.

I just think it is not wise to be arrogant, to show of one's prowess, to boast and to belittle the others. As I see, we can't even pinch a small portion of what lies in the huge sea of knowledge. We can't buy immortality with our wealth. We will be crashed by stronger power.

A Muslim is forbid to be 'Riak', to show of and thump his chest. God is always the greatest.

10/02/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

ONE OUT 30 MILLIONS WHO THINKS I AM OK

For 72 years of my life I have not heard anyone, not even from my own family, who thought I am OK. I am scorned and despised, being called stupid and mad. When they come from my own family I feel very hurt. When it came from others I just didn't care for my sustenance didn't come from them. That is one of the reasons why I prefer to be alone.

I just posted a clip to the Youtube about my school, a 6 minutes clip. Within a few minutes hundreds of my students viewed it. One of them by the name of Nafisyah Ibrahim wrote a long remark about me. To those non-Malaysian readers need to find Google translator to understand the long comment. In a word it means I am OK.

 

 

Subhanallah. Video yang didedikasikan oleh bekas tuan pengetua saya ini benar-benar membuatkan hati saya sebak. Sebak kerana begitu terharu dengan usaha beliau yang tidak pernah jemu berkongsi memori sepanjang perkhidmatan beliau di SMTJS.

Pertama kali mengenali beliau sewaktu pendaftaran ke Tingkatan Empat. Jujurnya saya tidak begitu mengenali beliau sebagai seorang pengetua kerana perawakan beliau yang cukup ringkas sewaktu itu. Benar, pandangan pertama tidak semuanya tepat. Sungguh, jika anda pertama kali terserempak atau berselisih bahu dengan beliau pasti anda tidak akan sedar yang beliau merupakan seorang pengetua. Silap hari bulan, anda mungkin menyangka beliau merupakan seorang guru bengkel atau pun tukang kebun.

 

Amat susah untuk melihat beliau berkot, kecuali untuk majlis yang benar-benar rasmi. Beliau lebih selesa berpakaian di dalam uniform bengkel. Sering kali turun padang bertemu dengan guru-guru. Beliau tidak pernah kekok untuk berborak seperti seorang teman baik dengan anak-anak buahnya. Bukan pelik jika terserempak beliau sedang berborak dengan guru-guru di bengkel-bengkel pembinaan yang dipenuhi dengan debu dan habuk, persekitaran yang panas serta bunyi bising yang begitu mengganggu. Boleh bergelak ketawa sambil bertepuk tampar lagi!

 

Begitu saya kagum kerana sewaktu itu serasa saya masih belum pernah bertemu dengan seorang ketua seperti itu yang benar-benar mengambil berat akan seluruh warga sekolah hatta encik tukang kebun sekali pun dengan caranya yang tersendiri. Caranya menjadikan setiap warga terasa sangat dekat dengan beliau.

 

Tetapi beliau seorang yang sangat tegas. Tentang pencapaian pelajar dan guru serta aspek kebersihan.

 

Bagi penghuni asrama yang bakal menduduki peperiksaan SPM & SPM(V), penyediaan pemakanan yang berkhasiat di kantin asrama amat dititikberatkan oleh beliau. Selama sebulan sebelum peperiksaan bermula, tiada kelas yang diadakan. Semua pelajar dari pelbagai latar belakang kursus akan mengikuti satu program yang dikenali sebagai 'Program Fleksi'. Di sini semua pelajar akan berkumpul di dalam sebuah dewan besar untuk menjalani latih tubi latihan bersama. Subhanallah memang sangat menarik dan seronok sekali.

 

Jika anda bertandang ke sekolah, pasti anda tidak akan ketemu satu sampah sarap pun. Hatta di celah-celah pokok sekalipun! Semuanya selamat berada di dalam rumah masing-masing, iaitu tong sampah. Jika ada, pasti akan di bawa ke perhimpunan isu ini walaupun hanya satu dua plastik kecil sahaja. Seolahnya 'ek eleh, itu pun nak kecoh!' Tapi begitulah usaha penerapan budaya menjaga kebersihan di sekolah yang dilakukan oleh beliau.

 

Tandas? Anda tidak akan geli-geleman jika memasukinya. Tiada bau yang tidak menyenangkan malah sangat wangi. Begitu juga tandas lelaki. Subhanallah sangat bersih sehingga diberi taraf lima bintang serta berita mengenainya pernah menghiasi dada akhbar.

 

Beliau boleh diibaratkan seperti seorang Yang Berhormat yang sering kali turun kawasan bertanya khabar anak buah serta mengambil cakna akan setiap apa yang berlaku di sekolah dari sekecil-kecil perkara sehingga yang besar.

 

Sangat menghargai setiap sumbangan dan peranan yang diberikan, baik oleh guru atau pun pelajar sendiri. Menjadikan beliau sangat disegani dan disayangi oleh seluruh warga sekolah.

 

Terima kasih cikgu Abdul Rahman Raof. Sungguh hati sebak melihat video ini mengimbau kenangan lalu di sekolah. Semoga cikgu sentiasa dirahmati Allah. Ameen.

 

Oh ya, ada pula terselit gambar saya di dalam video ini. Part yang mana? Di dalam kelas, berada di belakang sekali sedang tunduk tekun menjawab soalan periksa. Itulah saya!

 

Whether what she says is true or not, my hear has always been with the welfare of the students. I want them to be successful in life, and be very responsible and honest members of the society. I have my own principle and will hold to it at my own risk and repercussion. When I disagree with my boss or with a certain policy, I would either asked for demotion or moved out of the system.

It is not for me to say whether I did it right or wrong in my school. It is the people. None, but one, says something soothing to my ears. nevertheless I feel that God is still willing to guide me along my line.

I met many people whom I have not known or remember them. They embraced and hugged me and called me names as if they have been my close friends. It is a phenomena that I do not understand. I think they meant well for I have nothing to give to them. I never made people my enemy. I just ignore those who regarded me as bad instead of thinking about them.

I left the school in 2000 for another workplace as I did not agree with the officer in the Technical division. I was told that parents wanted to send their kids to my new school. I did not know the reason. Till late last year the college still invited me to their functions.

I am glad that I still lead an active life; cooking my meals, flying drone, writing blog, making movies, daily evening walks for 5km and doing scientific experiments from time to time.

To Nafisyah I would like to thank her. To those who think they are the smartest, I wish them all the best. Those who seek for my financial help and never thanked or said a word to me after getting the money, I wish them luck. To those who accosted me, hugged me and even paid for my meal, I pray to God to bless them and takes care of their welfare.

09/02/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

MALAYSIAN COURT-ARE ALL MEN EQUAL IN THE EYES OF LAW ?

We as laymen do not see that to the Malaysian court men are not equal in the eyes of the law. Najib seemed to be given special preferences over the ordinary folks. The damage he has done was too monumental and almost beyond repair. It takes pain to recover back the lost. Whether proven or not the damage were seen and only the tricks of words will struggle to get him off the rope.

Who amongst us can choose the court and the judges and even the prosecutors and even the date ? Once decided we have to face the court and follow the stipulated order. We expect the Malaysian court to say from the beginning witrh the word NO like the American court did not allow bail to the 1Mdb offender.

When the court decides otherwise we tend to think the judges are being corrupted, paid by Najib by the millions in the smartest and dubious form hard to trace unless the authority is sophisticated with it's intelligence. We believe that Najib still has billions kept overseas under several names. I suspect Australia and New Zealand as his safe heaven though others suspects Hong Kong and somewhere else.

The different between Malaysian judges and the West seem to be far apart. The West was so stern and properties were seized and sold. 1Mdb culprits were hunted and charged. There were almost no escape. The Malaysians were either stupid or corrupted or trying to show that they are kind and humane.

Can we the laymen ask for postponement indefinitely ?

The court must understand that the masses are observing them.

08/02/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

SEMENYEH BY ELECTION

Who will win the coming by-election in the constituency of Semenyeh which belonged to Pakatan Harapan ?

In the last GE PH won by a huge majority. There voters are mainly Malays. I predict that Semenyeh will be won by UMNO. It is not the issue of UMNO-PAS unity nor the election promises which were not delivered by PH but the Malays are saying PH is giving way to the non-Malays. It was PH who said that the South China Sea belongs to the Chinese. It was PH who was pushing the Chinese school issue without any condition. It was PH who is killing the Malays through the push of reformation.

The lost means PH will disintegrate very soon enough. It also means Najib will escape persecution. And Malaysia will return to the old mode of corruption and suppression. Once UMNO returns to power there will be effort to suppress democratic process of election to ensure the Chinese will never rule the country. It is probable that it can lead to civil war. And the fate of the Malaysians will depend on whether there will be the third world war between China and America.

Frankly speaking, the Malays are not angels. They could be as good as beast and animals in the jungle. They disregard the plight of Orang Asli. They cheat and lie, peddle drugs and murder. I will not trust a person by his race. But the Semenyeh voters will change their votes from PH to UMNO anyhow.

07/02/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE SOMEBODY

 

There are people who want to somebody through cheating and lying. I heard politicians claiming they are lawyers, PHD holders, degree holders, and even the TENGKU. Their target is money, to be wealthy and even to play for office. There is no shame nor humility. There is no honesty and civility.

There are people who want to be somebody by educating themselves through public schools, working hard to pass every examination to enter a profession, burning midnight candles to master knowledge and deeper understanding of the relevant fields.

There are people who find ways and means to acquire wealth to be millionaires and tycoons.

The most recent is one BERSATU man who claimed he has a university degree but could not show one to rebut accusation that he lied. He should have not beat about the bush but to depict his degree. And person I know can't even perform well in Vocational school claimed to be a lawyer. If this is North Korea they would have been shot dead.

However, there are millions who are like me who are happy with what they are. They have enough to live, no driver, no people to kiss their hands and salute at them. They go on their daily live without foes and fear. Yet they can express themselves through Facebook and writing blogs. They meet friends and go for congregations, chatting and laughing over coffee and roti canai, happily and joyously.

At least a man should have some shame.

06/02/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

I COULDN'T SLEEP

These few nights I could not sleep, the whole night. Each day I tried to steal some naps, may be totally 2 or three hours. Fearing that it might affect my health I tried to go for my evening walk. I was so absorb in video editing yesterday that I went out so late that I could only do it for 15 minutes but still I could not go to sleep.

Today I was determined to do my exercise. I was successful in making it above 5 km. I hope tonight I can have some sleep. At the moment I feel sleepy though.

And I also decide to do some selfieng using my drone. For a long time I was scared to look at myself for being old and ugly. Indeed I am old and ugly. Now I know why women do not find me attractive, unlike before, even a few years before I was not so bad. I have a lots of black spots on my face. And my teeth are in disarray.

I know that in town there is a skin specialist who can remove these spots at a price. It is not that I can't afford to pay but because I am thinking that my days are numbered.

I remember my late wife. She wasn't like a 40 year old woman anymore when she reached 60. I never saw her any uglier or older. The company and the intimacy remained. And my beautiful school clerk is no more as beautiful as before. She is above 60 now.

I don't know why I could not go to sleep. Is it INSOMNIA ?

I am glad my activities still run well. I fulfilled my desire to keep fit, to look at myself in the mirror and I am alive and kicking. Though old and ugly I am sure there is someone, somewhere who is willing to be my companion. And of course I wish I will be able to sleep well tonight.

 

06/02/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

SHOOTING DAY

Today I set out to work on my Evo, planning to capture scenes at Payar island. I went to Kuala Kedah's jetty to find out about the possible trip. There isn't anymore ferry or boat from the jetty. If I need to go to the island I first have to go to Langkawi. The whole trip would cost me RM200. People do make package trip with a minimum number of visitors at the cost of RM150.

To me it is a cut throat price. A friend quipped that the Malays are worst than the Jews.

For that price I could drive as far as Red Lake in Perak that will cost much lesser for some spectacular views. I can also stop at Taiping garden for the same purpose. I decide to go and look for another location. I first went to a site where I can shoot Pulau Bunting, which is now close to visitors. I saw there were people doing photographic activities at the entry of the blocked bridge. I too prepared my drone and flew through a strong wind. My drone had to fight hard against the wind, and fearing the worst, I returned to the starting point.

 

Then I drove farther up to a place called Yen and followed a sign board to the foot of the Kedah Peak. As I reached at the end of the road, I made another shot.

 

The second clip is just to share with fellow drone flyers of the danger of flying to the maximum distance. It is not really the test of the drone but rather on the antenna susceptibility. More important is to see how long a battery would last and how far it can cover. people who had flown the maximum distance have been facing problem with the drones failed to return to the home point.

If the battery level shows 26 minutes, it is best to fly 13 minutes one way. This message is delivered by the second clip. I completed what I set out to do.

05/02/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

CONFLICTS IN MY MIND

Last night I was told that that a friend was warded due to stroke. And the day before I was informed of my colleagues in the same professions were suffering of the same disease. We were all of the same age. I always knew that I might die anytime as it is common for men above 40 to suffer from cardio-vascular illness. But at the same time I never thought that I am an old man. I thought I were as young as 40 years ago for the reason I remember my past activities vividly like they happened just yesterday.

As people addressed me as grandpa and uncle, I cannot pretend to be young young anymore. I announced of my old age incapacity, of forgetfulness, immobility and other weaknesses. Yet what were in my minds never change. I believe I am still sharp, able to assess other people's behaviours, able to analyse others through their words and able to track lies. I also believe that I might face the fate like those of my friends.

And I pray for a quick death rather than suffering till I pass away.

You can read the state of my mind through looking at my activities. I play drone. And I move about to capture spectacular sceneries. I travel around sometimes alone by myself to distant places. I would have been to the United States again if it wasn't for the hassle of getting a visa. And I even do my own cooking actively.

I know other elderly persons also think that they are young but they seldom think that they are going to die soon at any moment. Whereas such awareness is always in my mind. And my monthly maid has been reminding me to take a wife for a company and sickness and somebody who can take care of me.

It is true at time of frustration I wish I would die at the instant. Death is the end of sufferings.

04/02/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

MY COOKING TEACHERS

I still cook. I had wanted to eat food as what my grand mother used to make 60 years ago, the simple kampong dishes, grilled fish with pound chillies. Only the last few days I was darn serious about it. I have two teachers whom I regard as good cooks. They were a radio friend and my student. I listened to both and I followed my own style. I enjoyed my food and kept on having the same morsel for several days now. I need to move to fish curry.

Both of my teachers are busy business women. One the owner of well known restaurant and the other had won an award as the youngest food entrepreneur and now is running a canteen. My student would attend to me on and off to provide a complete course. The other told me outright that she has no time for me and scolded me for bothering her so much, blaming me for not having any understanding on her.

That is fine for me. I lost one teacher. Though my student promised to bring me the curry leaves today, she could not fulfil it as her grand child and worked demanded much of attention. The leaves are sold but I do not need much just to learn how to cook. Just now while I was driving along my housing area I saw a tree that looks like the curry tree leaves. I can always investigate about it.

God is great. If one walks away and has no time for me, God sends a few others to help me with it. It was the woman who runs a beverage stall who came to ask me about my feat. "Why are you late tonight ? " She started a conversation. "I went to buy rice. I bought Basmati and the Thai rice after the Indian, each weighing a kilo. The Thai cost me RM8.50. Funny the Basmati also cost me the same. Just now I bought the local pack of 5KG for RM13, "I said.

"Buy the special grade one," she advised me. I told her that I bought the special grade rice. "How do they make the yellow rice ? Do they put turmeric to make it yellow ?"

"That's the variety of cooked rice," she said. "Not all rice start with mixing rice and water. You stir-fry the onions, add some ingredients in the oil until they are well done. Then add in water. When boiled pour in the rice. "

The husband quipped in about putting ghee and butter.

She went on to talk about curry and other things until there were new customers.

I have been frequenting this stall for years especially after having my evening walk

I also got students from the Facebook who gave me tips and one even offered to send me the prepared fish.

You see, you can't force people to attend to you or to like you. They reserve their time somewhere else that interest them more. Help can come from anybody else. For example, today I took a house maid to clean my compound and my house. The kitchen especially was very unkempt. She organized all my domestic purchases. I remember of something I bought to make a vegetable soup that was hard to chew till the end. I rushed to the kitchen and asked her why the stuff was hard to chew when they were very soft and delicate at restaurants. "You have to soak them in the water until they become soft before you put them for cooking soup," she explained.

What a happiness to learn something anew.

Last night I couldn't sleep even a second thinking of my lost teacher. I am not a baby to wanting a full attention. I did meet people who called me stupid. Though I didn't mind about it, but to one who thought he was so smart that I said "You are the smartest man on the earth. We are all stupid. So be it."

I really cried to lose a teacher. But this afternoon the other teacher rang me up to continue her coaching. It made up the sadness. The maid explanation about sayur pucuk gave me some insight of the coming soup in the making.

03/02/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

MARRIAGE FESTIVAL AGAIN

I don't cook today as there is a kenduri a few blocks away. The the 7th there will be another one.

One interesting feature I have encountering  with was I do not recognize anyone at the function even the host and the host too does not accost me as somebody he knows.

In our locality the feast will be from 12.00 noon to 5.30 pm. It might be different in other places where I heard that there is no prolonged time given. So there will be a huge crowds at a given time. The average invitees are one thousand people.

Though the ceremony is at the home ground, there have been a trend that it done away from home. Halls are rented, at time together with the food caterer. Consultants are paid to do all the jobs. This is a total breakaway from the traditional community teamwork and co-operation. It is still a practice in some remote places away from towns and cities.

I do not have any breakfast today because I intend to have a brunch at the kenduri's house. It will be in an hour's time before I make a move. If there are other morsels beside the usual rice, I would not go for the rice. Things are too oily. They usually prepare apom balik, laksa, bubur and other delicacies.

If we were to go at about 2.00 pm we will find the bridegrooms moving from table to table, mingling with people in their wedding dresses. Musics and songs will be played. It will be a joyous moments for the couple.

As usual we will depart with a small pittance to the host, bidding good bye.

03/02/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

AUTEL EVO CAPTURE 9M2YDX ON HIS TOWER

Despite my private emotional problem I started my early morning with cooking a new style of Sambal Tumis using the normal chilli, enjoyed the morsels laid down and prepared to go to Yasir's house. Yasir had told me that today is the day for him to put up the complicated two meter antenna. By 9.30am I was in front of his house waiting for his return from the wet market nearby.

 

I learned that it was not about putting up the two meter antenna but to repair his homebrewed rotator which had stop functioning for several months.

I used Autel Evo to capture his repairing activity as shown in the clip above. The whole clip was more than one hour but I made it shorter. I used the lowest resolution 720 pixel at the sped of 24fps. The best quality video is 4K pixel at 60 fps. I do not have the machine to process a very high quality pictures. And I do not choose any special colour. On the colour mode I put it to none.

But the output is quite satisfactory. Two songs were sung by 9M2ZA, Zailnal Farid and one is picked up from the Youtube, Love Story by Taylor Swift.

The day passed a slight sadness as I do not hear voices I used to hear before.

02/02/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

PAINFUL DAY

I started the morning with black onions and garlic after I sauteed them. Thus Sambal Tumis tasted a little bitter. I failed. I was restless almost the whole day. I googled several web pages trying to look for a trip where I can capture nice video; first I looked at Semporna, then Pulau Kapas and other islands inthe East coast. There was no easy way to make the trip to any of those places. To the islands on the East coast I will either take a bus or drive to Trengganu. It will be very hectic journey. I gave up.

Before I went out for my regular exercise I remember Pulau Payar which is not far from my home town. In the previous years there were boats that took the visitors to the island but I did not see such ticket counter anymore. I took almost the whole evening looking for the possibility of sailing there. There were mentions of trip from Langkawi or Penang to Pulau Payar but not from Kuala Kedah.

The exercise wasn't too much fun under the hot sun. I went out at 3.30 and started at 4.00 pm and completed a 5.5km with uncomfortable steps. I came back quickly and put the question on the Facebook. One said I must go to Langkawi first, one said there is a boat that will cost RM150 for return trip and another just said there is a friend's boat without quoting the price.

I plan to capture the island from the sky but I need to plan it very well that my drone flies at the altitude above the hill and I have to decide the Return Home attitude as well, or that I have about 15 minutes to maneuver thghe drone back to the home position. One other way is to ascend it high enough to see the whole island without moving too far ahead, then reverse back to the original location and bring it down. One battery is required for this maneuver. For other scenes and shots I need to use other batteries.

All those were in my mind. Only a dream to kill my painful day.

This is not the only time that I experience mental agony. There were a series of them but they went through with several severe pains. But they say there is a silver lining within the black clouds.

I won't make mistakes tomorrow in the preparation of my Sambal. The fried fish will be as excellent as today. i will try to forget those people who do not like me. I will make more enquiry about Pulau Payar. I trust God to provide me the best.

01/02/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

WHEN YOU ARE 70+

When you are 70+ you are seen as an old dog. Only people with money like Taib Mahmud can attract young girls. Remember before the GE14 his age was taken a the main theme of the election campaign. And I remember Nazri Aziz condemned Rafedah Aziz as an old lady.

Old people are not only ugly and smelly, they are also forgetful and senile, slow to move and always need assistance. They can't think straight and as sharp as the younger men.

I realize my position too. But I am determined not to be dependent on others. I keep fit, do the household work, repair home electrical stuffs, cook and work on computer programming.

There are many old folks who live alone. Once or in two months I would call an Indonesian maid to clear the compound of my house and the inner part, not because i could not manage it by myself, but to help the main to earn some income. The maind would call me asking for work as she would be paid quite fairly for two or three hours of her time.

My friend Zainal Farid in Kuala Lumpur is actively singing and made recordings of his hobby. His voice sounds as young as ever. I put his songs in my video clips posted to the youtube on man4855. But Zainal, 71 is having a wife about 35 years old. Abdul Manaf, another friend who is now 77 is doing his PHD. Rashid Sultan, 75 is actively going glob trotting together with his wife.

There are few young people who are affable to old people. During my last visit to Gunung Jerai there was a teenage girl working at the restaurant showed her friendliness and willing to chat to me. And when in Maldives the university boys and girls had a hearty chat together with me. And I already told you about the two lady lawyers from South America.

In term of friendliness without the choice of age I think the Westerners are more cordial and courteous.

In Malaysia, the Chinese have a high degree of civility over the elderly and the disabled than the Malays.

I am not worrying about being an old man. But I am more worried about the young people especially those who have reached 40. Many of them are prone to heart diseases and can meet a sudden death.

31/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

BROKE

I have RM500 left in my account. Can I sustain myself till 20th February this year ? I spent much on several unforeseen expectations. Even if I were to do home-cooking for the next twenty days, I foreseen I have squeeze myself when a friend is coming to visit me. Money will go to travelling expenses, tolls and gasoline and food.

But I do not worry too much for I have not used my ASB dividend. I can always withdraw one or two K anytime to replenish my deficit. I am as bad as many other people whom by now already dagabout with the aim of soliciting money from friends.

When I am broke, I will stay broke. I will never ask for a loan. I will cut corners in whatever way I can.

Home cooking will cost between RM5 to RM10 a day. But a RM10 purchase can last me for a few days.

Being broke is sometimes a blessing. There is no way I can be lavish and throw my money unnecessarily. I can say NO to those who ask for loan or donation. I won't be cheated by scammers and vultures or beasts that disguised in human forms.

Oh I just remember that a maid will be coming to clear my compound and cleaning the inner part of the house on the 2nd February. That will take away a hundred ringgit. In this case I have to transfer a little of my ASB to my saving account to make sure that the balance will not be zero.

And when February comes , it will follow by bills from TNB and TM. I expect a higher bill for electricity after using it for rice cooking. Let me just wait and see.

There is a big question mark that when I am so broke how would I pay for my Taiwan trip ? It is from my pension. I have paid half of the cost and I have another half once the trip is confirmed. I live on the verge of survival boundary.

31/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

SWIMMING

I need to go to a swimming lesson. It was at the night market I met my old friend who had just finished his swimming lesson at the swimming pool near the KFC Jalan Stadium. He said he is paying about RM150 for 12 sessions. I narrated to him that I was the only one who stayed on the boat while others were enjoying themselves swimming with fishes and turtles in Maldives. I was supposed to visit the islands again this January but there was a full package. I will go again once I get through the course. But when will I start ? I think I need to plan that well so that it won't clash with my walking exercise. And I have to do it before my trip to Taiwan on 14 - 18 March this year.

When I was a young boy I was able to float and swam. 65 years later the ability disappear totally. I still have dream to go to Semporna Sabah and other places for scuba diving. The problem is I always travel solo. Even with a group travel I would stay alone and aloof, for I felt very inferior to the others in many ways. If I am not a swimmer or that I might have my legs cram then it is wise to stay near and among the crowds while in the water.

I won't be buying a swimming trunk but will be using my short pants for every lesson. A sarong and a towel are mandatory for the change. it is best to make the full payment in advance. If there is an age limit and a person's breath must not be short then I will be out of the course. But I will still visit Sabah and Maldives when the time come.

If I am fated to die in the water, so be it. It's God's will.

30/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

THE CURSE

It is a mystery the free thinker and the unbeliever will totally dispel. I am here not to convince you about it. But a few might agree that the phenomena does exist and happens. A bad person is seen to suffer his whole life span. These are people who cheat, lies, con, rob and doing all the vices. They may be rich and wealthy by their ill-gotten gains but their lives are miserable till their last day.

When I saw bad things happen to those who took me for enemies of even people I have not seen, I felt the devilish aura returned to them. Many have died much earlier than me and those who still live, do not seem to be satisfied with life. I cursed those who lied to me and those who cheated me of my money that they will be miserable their whole life.

The Hindu used the word Karma, or the comeuppance in the Islamic belief. This phenomena happens even without any curse. The bad intent will be punished in the living world even before the death.

The Muslims are asked not to throw curses but to pray to God to show guidance to the liars, cheaters and hypocrites, so that they will realize of their bad deeds and thus to repent. But I won't. I won't forgive those who discriminate and belittled me, and those who lie and cheated me. Call me I am a bad Muslim if you will. I want to see them suffering.

29/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

COOKING - IS IT FUN ?

I cook again this morning. I don't know when this sudden habit will disappear. But it least it gives me some experience and knowledge about domestic carrier at the kitchen. I know how long the RM7 prawns, a kilogram of rice, the garlic and onions and all other ingredients would last me. I could estimate the domestic food expenditure for a family of two or four.

Within 30 minutes I can have everything laid out on my table. Rice will take generally about 15 minutes to cook. For a single person I only used half cup of the rice with a third of my fore finger for the water. I love soft rice as it is easy to chew. While waiting I would fry prawns or ikan bilis or made Sambal Tumis or cook vegetables. Once my rice is cooked I don't have to wait long to enjoy hot plates of yummy food. It tasted better than 80% of the food stalls.

It is never a perfect cook when I first tried something. Then I would discover what to go first and what to go last. Then it would become better and better. There are things that I need to ask people about cooking stuffs.

I would not say cooking is fun. It gives me a break from eating out. It gives me a freedom of choice.

This is Nasi Lemak with Sambal Tumis udang. Walla I don't have words to describe it's taste. And it is never in my dream that I could enjoy the food that I cook by myself. It is much better than the road side stalls. Their nasi lemak never taste like one. Probably they also used sugar as an additive like they put in the sambal tumis.The reason that the sugar would blend with rice or sambal tumis to make it taste better is false. No wonder, I can assure you that if you eat in the Malay shops, your blood sugar level will shoot up.

Cooking is much simpler than learning Morse codes and it does not take a long time to prepare for a meal.

I have two coaches; Nazly, a radio friend of mine and Norlela, my student. There are a few differences between them in using the ingredients. But I always made my own decision. The sambal tumns in the picture is without any form of sugar. Yet the taste is fantastic.

28/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

NOW AND LATER

Some parents are rude and aggressive, physically and vocally attacked the school teachers and even throwing abusive words to me when their children were caught with the acts of consuming drug. I would always tell the parents that their kids were with me at the maximum of two years but they would be with that parents their whole lives. "If you don't want to believe me it is your own funeral. He will leave this school only in a few more moths. he will be with you for a long time."

It is not only about the aggressive parents I am talking about. But it is about now and forever later. I am concern with a long future rather than now. Many Malays prefer NOW to planning the future. Politicians love to say 'forget about the future....we will cross the bridge when we come across it..."

Interesting enough that now is the result of the past. Though future is unknown we could somehow predict it depending on our current actions. For example if you keep RM30 a month, you will know how much your money will be in the next 30 years.

Whether we like it or not, we have to think and plan for the future. A small mistake today could result in a a long painful and disastrous life. Imagine what the bad parent will have to face once the child has left school and would continually ask the parent for money to buy drugs. It will be too late to lament and to regret.

I always tell people to look before they leap. Once a policy is made it cannot be undone and we have to bear with it our whole life.

My students and friends jokingly asked me to get a spouse. But I have always been scared of the disastrous future. Infatuation can be blind and could rob away my happiness in the future. My spouse may like things that I don't like. The mismatching is bad for a long future.

Whether it is of choosing a wife, deciding a national policy, or dealing on our family affair we need to compute of the loing future, a vision we must try to see.

We always think we are perfect. And we are always right.

28/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

HIDING THE TRUTH

I never expect PH would win in the coming many more by-elections. PH is never a united party. The DAP is pushing up the Chinese agenda and Malaysian Malaysia which is seen in the pressure of recognizing the UEC without any condition. The Indians are spreading false news to the world that they have to be Muslims to be accepted into universities and gaining places in universities. They pushed for the ICERD. The party believe PH won in the GE due to the Chinese votes.

PKR too was thinking PH won because of PKR and the voters put them there. Initially Rafizi and Anwar were talking about the vote of no-confidence against Tun Mahathir.

The UEC and the ICERD made the Malays reject the PH government. And it will remain so in time to come. It is not that they approved Najib's conducts. Manogaran blamed PAS and UMNO for bringing out the racial issue. To the Malays UEC and ICERD are not racial issues. They were attempts to kill them.

Of course Najib took this opportunity to break from his kleptocracy accusation and hope the judge will deliver judgement for his favour.

I have said that I will not vote for UMNO even if I were to be resurrected after my death. But I believe PH will break apart with their opposing agenda and purposes. Tun knows this will happen and he knows that he will not live forever. The party will be as good as useless without him. That' s the reason he want to strengthen the party and in case the PH were to split Bersatu will be strong enough to find for a new partner, and to think of a new acceptable path to all the races.

It is hard for PH government to fulfil the election promises because of the plundering of government's funds by Najib and his gang. There is no serious effort to abolish the toll as promised and to ensure food prices would be reduced. Fish price is astronomically high, mackerel cost between RM12 to RM22 per kilo. PH government is seen on pushing their party and personal objectives rather than to work hard for the welfare of the people.

Not all voters are highly educated and liberal. But they know it is the racists who call the others as racists.

27/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

PLEASE SPARE MY PRIVACY

It is quite painful when a close friend brought a form to be signed belonging to someone whom I have never known and never met. It is an amateur radio form. And I consider, my friend does not respect my privacy. It is not that I have not told him that I had rejected and stopped signing blindly. I told him.

What is in the mind of the MCMC for such a prerequisite is beyond my comprehension but what is in my mind is different. The old and traditional amateur radio is totally different from today. Traditionally we have SWL who listens to the hams communication. SWLs in Malaysia would new every ham in the country and would always frequent these operator's homes and learn from them the procedures and the daily practices, the terminology and every other tricks they know. Some termed it as elmer-student relationship. There were rules and regulations. We followed them. SWLs became members of MARTS and were proud of the SWL numbers. Mine was 65142. Eshee and Malcom was my elmers.

Today I do not have anyone at all asking me about ham radio. I know that they do not have a good picture of me. That is fine enough because it will avoid my signing form for anyone. I will ever be willing to sign for someone who always stop by and ask question about radio. I have one student working at the airport who would rush to see me and ask question about the hobby.

Let me tell you about Lembut Hati. It is the Lembut Hati that made the kampong folks sold their lands to big time businessmen and causing the whole community to suffer from generation to generation. When they became poor they would blame the government. It the Lembut Hati that many people lose hundred thousands of ringgit, giving loans to their friends who never honour the payment.

If in the mind of the MCMC it is a form of control, the body must warned the signator of the consequences if those new amateurs were to break rules such as talking to pirates, lending their call signs to others, trying to cheat the MCMC and were to break rules or committing crimes or becoming unethical. Their license could be revoked if the signees were caught breaking rules.

If it is too harsh then the MCMC must immediately stop the practice. It is not a tidak apa or playful thing on the part of the government. Otherwise it is a pure mockery. It was the 9Ws who had been calling the MCMC the clown.

Now that I am very free, I have all the time to hear from MCMC on the reason why the practice should not be stopped. Those who passed the RAE should be immediately be award with the ticket.

27/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

WHO MAKES PROFIT ?

I just came back from a market where fishermen  haul up their catch for sale. The prawn, I counted were 8 pieces, cost RM180 and the seller reduced it to RM130. The crabs which looked old, soft and legless cost RM33 per kilo. The seller said it would be about 5 in number. I would have bought them if they were new and fresh. The cuttlefish were sols at RM15 a couple of flat plates. I considered it pretty expensive.

The same type of prawns I bought a couple of months ago were RM100 for ten pieces. Small mackerel (ikan kembung) is RM15 a kilo. 

This is in Alor Setar where things are suppose to be cheap. It would have cost more in the big city like Kuala Lumpur.

I think there must be a vigorous research team to find out what made the fish price so high, not by using samples but it has to be done throughout the country. It must be known to all so that when the government is setting up a certain policy it will not be politicized. Of course at a glance I would believe the fishermen are very greedy and the government should not help them.

You see how the corrupt politicians trying to show that they were the heroes of the poor, fighting for the welfare of the fishermen who are sucking the blood of the really poor kampong people.

I remember well how my uncle was pushed by the UMNO fishermen who later gave away to big time trawler towkeys. Now the whole Malay fishermen became so poor, their kids became drug addicts and they are working like slaves. This was the happenings during the time of Khir Johari when I was still a kid. I will never forgive UMNO as long as I live.

Fish is a source of protein and poor people should be able to buy them cheap. But now it has become a luxury.

 

24/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

THE ETHICS OF DRONE OWNERS

Ethics must be observed by Amateur Radio Operators and Drone Owners. Both must take pain to learn what is desirable and what is not. But not everyone is ethical and cannot be told their wrongs. Radio operators in this country loves to go around to find loopholes to break laws or deliberately love to disturb other people. Drone flyers love to fly high above the clouds and into a wild boundary they know not the danger.

There is a software that shows the no-fly zone that can be downloaded where one must totally avoid. And one must also take note of the use of the sky by commercial and training aircrafts; the time and the route.

Toy drone won't post a problem because the height it can go is no higher than 30 feet and the distant is about 300 feet. It is also limited by the Wifi strength.

for instant, people who live in Kota Setar area can always download flight software and check the time and the plane that will arrive and depart the Sultan Abdul Halim airport. It is best not to fly during that time at whatever height it is, may it be a hundred feet or two. The legal height is 350 feet. Then just fly at that height.

People who fly drones near the airport must have a very strong self discipline not to test their drones. Go somewhere else where planes are not heard by the local residence. They can always asked the local guys about it.

On the other hand drone owners must be aware that people can jam their drones by transmitting a high powered radio wave at the drone frequencies. The airplane makers may incorporate such drone killers in all the planes. The facilities are not big nor expensive. Hence one should not antagonize the public. Just limit the drone use for photographing some scenic view at a location free from commercial and training planes.

It is wise not to do things for fear of laws or retribution but from one's own conscience, responsibility and considerate.

 

23/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

SAMBAL TUMIS

Tomorrow is another historic day for a 72 year old man. Me. It will be the first time in my life that I will be cooking SAMBAL TUMIS IKAN BILIS but without sugar added. All sambal tumis must have some amount of sugar. No wonder, now I know, when eating from a Malay shop my blood sugar will shoot up but will be almost normal eating from a Mamak shop. I also dislike Ajinomoto.

But I make an elaborate preparation for it. I went to buy a blender below RM60 to blend the chilli and the big onion. I bought a packet of tamarind, a packet of ikan bilis, and some other ingredients.

Is it too late to learn home cooking ? Nothing is too late. An additional push factor is the cost of eating out is too expensive. The other night I to KFC to have a five pieces of small prawns, two scoops of mashed potato and a small bottle of mineral water that cost me RM20. This afternoon I had a small plate of rice and a small mackerel for RM8.00.

For less than RM20 I can have three meals of delicious home cooking. To cook nasi lemak is never a hassle and does not take a long time. Let me try with the sambal tumis and see the degree of difficulty. Yes it saves money as well beside having fun with the cooking thrill.

When I was about 20 I cut my own trousers and shirts and wore them though the jobs were not so well done.

They call the effort as DIY, to imply self build on wood and electronic gadgets. I find it nothing wrong to equate DIY with Homebrewing.

Remember nowadays there is a saying that 'age is only a number.'

Thanks God that has bestowed upon me with a little of this and that, a rich experience; English and Chinese chess, a little Hokien, Mandarin and Thai languages, writing computer software, Morse codes, and now cooking.

While still working I organized Cooking Competition among the school hostellers, male and female to enhance their self esteems. Now a few have been running restaurants and are making good money.

So wish me luck tomorrow.

 

23/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

HAPPINESS AND SADNESS

Today I should be happy on several matters but sadness also clings onto me when my daughter said she is quitting her job. She told me that she could not stand the pressure. It saddened me as she is a single mother looking after her 8 and 9 year old kids. She and my other kids had never listen to my advice and had barred me from interfering in their choice of jobs. It saddened me very much but that's life that we all have to face. I am not rich enough to help them financially, only ample for myself.

What I am happy today is I am able to fulfil the promise I made to my student. I banked in RM650 to boost her economy, the amount she never dream of getting from other people. Of course it is up to her to build or sink herself. If she doesn't do as what she said she wants to do then only God can help her. Secondly I went to the insolvency office to make enquiry about her payment to the department. They told me to ask her to present herself. She has been paying for the house her late husband bought by bank loan, the house and the bank she knows not. The department might be able to resolve her problem as the bank had sold the house. She was told about it by her relatives.

So my work were done. I feel glad that I have done my deeds to my poor student. In the past I have a student who is a lecturer who seek loan from me. Instead I gave him as donation. When he asked me again at another time, I gave him a long lecture.

And the DHL Office Alor Setar rang me up while I was driving saying all the documents have been submitted to the custom office and waiting for custom's clearance. I am certain I will receive my goods tomorrow by the latest.

Sadness and happiness are common occurrences in life. They will die when we die.

I also shed my tears when my girlfriend choose to leave me. It is something that I cannot force on people including my own siblings. It hurts as I have been hurt by my own kind before. I won't blame God for the happenings. I have just to bear with life and be strong.

22/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

WHAT DO YOU GAIN FROM BEING HONEST ?

I am not the type who will be hunting for people's businesses and affairs, to know their vices and filthy habits. I just bumped into them and realized about them when they inflicted mental or emotional injury on me, or they created doubts by their habits and actions. You can tell me so and so is bad and cannot be trusted but I will not instantly take your account into truth. I will just be careful and observe the person.

That was always happen when I was the Head of an institution where one worker will be telling me about another with all sorts of stories. I remember a saying "to know a person listen to what he said about other people". One man who told me not to trust another man, ran away with my money himself.

I bumped into scammers who were trying to illicit money from me. I read thousands of news of people being conned on going for pilgrimage who were stranded, then about buyers being cheated by the online sellers, and more events that razed the country.

But truth hurt. People still love to hear lies as long as lies can make them happy. I know of people who smiles in front of you and stabs your back to rid of you.

As I have said before that I am not an angel and never a perfect or near to perfection. As far as I can remember, I don't tell lie and I am honest. I have a strong principle. Yes I met people who are like me, several of them at my work place.

What do you gain from being honest ?

People tend to exploit an honest man. And they will be victims if they are employees who talk the truth of their offices and their bosses. They may even be transferred or sacked. Of course it would be silly of you to accept for any of the ill consequences that befell you if you are not economically secured or wealthy. For the sake of survival people have to be hypocrites.

A man of principle must be independent and strong enough. Only then he will reap the fruit of being honest and sincere. It is happiness, fulfilment and satisfaction. You can walk with your head high ignoring whatever others think about you. 

22/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

DRIVING NOW ?

Five years ago I would drive to distant places without much ado. I was already about 67 then, no more a young man. It has never been a dreaded idea to think of Taiping or Penang. The reason was I always have a company, my sick wife. Though bed ridden, I still carried her along with the help of the sliding board and a wheel chair. I realized then it was not age but the boredom of driving a long distant alone.

If I am forced to go to Penang tomorrow or day after tomorrow then I will have to do it. I have to plan well so that I will be on time to having the fish head curry at Sungai Dua junction. I think my job will be done by 3.00 pm and will drive back slowly and will take rest some rest and have a short nap. Probably by 6pm I will arrived  home.

I have a radio in my car. But I have never been interested to listen to the broadcast station. Instead I only appreciate the beauty of nature around me and go into a deep imagination of it's spectacles if I were to put them in my video clips caught over the air. On the way back I may not follow the highway but using the old road. The traffics will be much slower.

The other day I drove to Gurun to investigate a food outlet. Gurun is just about 22 miles away or one hour away. I did not consider it too far. And prior to that day I drove about 18 miles to make a drone capture of the scenery. 18 miles is nearer than Kuala Perlis where I always drove alone for dinner.

You may ask whether I do not have any friend to accompany me. I do prefer to bring the whole family. Not everyone wants to go with family. The men are too pious and spent their time in God's house. They are as old or older than me. Not all of them are energetic. I took a risk for the good sea food, driving at night on both ways from Alor Setar to Kuala Perlis and back.

Now I have to rely on my mood whether to drive to distant places or not. A few years ago I went to Kota Bharu alone. While having a meal a young man came to ask for a seat on to share the table. After chatting he advised me not to drive alone. It was dangerous at my age. What he did not know was I was more afraid of his health than mine. Old man can die anytime. I already placed in my mind of going to the East Coast up to Trengganu and  bring my Apple Mac along to send video clips to the Youtube. I may even go to Pulau Kapas bringing my drone along.

If I were to it, it means I will resurrect my past, exploring the land created by God.

 

22/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

8 OUT OF 10 I MET ARE DISHONEST, CHEATERS, STUPID OR LIARS

I met with women. On the outside they look nice, soft spoken, smiling faces and beautiful. So were men.

I discovered some were liars even on the first day. These were Indonesian women, the house maids. They will lie to you through their teeth. Some took months and even years before I caught them lying and dishonest.

Many are cunning. They have some target in their minds when they seek me as a friend. A female student lamented that she has a miscarriage and jobless and needs RM650 to buy equipments for a burger business. Then she said she was divorced and her husband was dead. It does not make sense when I compute the time line between her husband's death and her being divorced to her miscarriage. She has two sons still in school. But I decided to depart with my money for whatever reason, lying or not, hoping she would tell me the truth for the sake of helping her and to do my duty to God. But only once. I told her the BSN is closed today and it is not online these few days. She said she expected the money to give to her kids who will go to school tomorrow. And I stressed that the money I give will be for the business capital only. This is the story of the current event.

Also happening today a DHL lady from Kuala Lumpur asked me for a C2 form to claim my repair and return drone. I didn't know what it was. I rang up the DHL office in Alor Setar to ask about the form. I know today is a public holiday and the man who is working there resides at the office, There was no answer in the afternoon. In the evening I rang up again. He asked me to go to the office. He said C2 is a custom form. I asked him why didn't he ask me to fill in before I send my drone for repair and return. he said it was meant for import/export. It was sufficient with the repair and return remarks. Then he phoned up somebody somewhere and I heard him saying he was just trying to help me. I sensed that he was trying to avoid responsibility. And he even said that I have to pay tax to the custom. I know he is trying to start a blame game. I paid for the postal service, not free.

I also had experiences in sending messages to people but they never reply. A few would approached me when they have something in mind, like wanting to borrow RM50K, RM300K or a few hundred ringgit.

The dishonest, stupid and arrogant people will not be happy at the end of their lives. The Indonesians maids I know have fallen sick and being attacked by all sort of diseases. They have sick husbands and mothers. They have to struggle all their lives. The irresponsible people are not blessed and have never settled their days in peace and tranquillity. 

I don't believe that my girlfriend is honest with me. And I know that she does not care nor believe in me too. No words can convince me. I traced by her actions after giving all the leeway I can. I feel sorry to myself for being so silly and stupid, sincere and honest. But I know that God is still with me.

 

22/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

HOLIDAYS DON'T WORK

If I were an investor I won't invest in a country where there are too many holidays and in countries with the minimum wage laws. There are countries without those features, and labours are more skilled and diligent. In Malaysia even businesses run by family members emulate the government sectors on holiday. Some Malay Food shops open from 6 pm to 9 pm while the Mamak food outlets open 24 hours a day.

You buy something from USA and it takes 2 days for the goods to arrive Malaysia, say Penang. It takes another 3 days for the goods from Penang to arrive Alor Setar by DHL.

I am not talking about right or wrong but about a view of an investor. I would not want to loose in the competition and selling things at higher price and making the potential customers to look somewhere else for more efficient suppliers or vendors.

Laziness, high salaries and low productivity would invite disaster to any company. I know of civil servants who go to office and work on weekends, holidays and at night. None of them ever thought of extra remuneration. It is an innate attitudes that can enhance productivity.

Once I remember the post office broke the tradition by delivering letters and commodities to the recipients 7 days a week and at odd hours. It was good. Then it came to a sudden stop.

Of course we can have choices; to have lower pay or joblessness, to work long hours or to stay completely idle.

When a factory closes and a business cease to run many would lose their jobs, and lamented and blame the government. They love long holidays, big pay and less work. They ask for the worst to happen to them.

21/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

A FUSS OVER A DANCE

Haha..I recently danced alone at home, trying to follow the steps of Zapin. It was a private affair, isn't it. If by some mean somebody were to snap my photo depicting my dance and blazoned it worldwide, I think there would be a great furore in Malaysia. Whether I am a small man or a great Chief Justice it would somehow be a matter of public interest.

We have to recognize the different between a private dancing and the public one. It is a private matter if the dance is not held in the public for the public viewing. A family, a group of lawyers, a group of doctors can always dance among themselves within the community out of public view unless some great guy is shooting the pictures secretly with the dubious intent to let the whole world know about it.

I remember very well vividly in my mind of being criticized for riding a Honda 70CC motorcycle to my workplace. They argued that a person of my position would lose respect and the institution under me would be at the lowly level. My teacher drove expensive cars to school.

No matter whatever reason given, no excuses should be used to rebuttal their misconception, for my school became one of the top schools in the country. We won price after price and finally became a bench marking school, visited by thousands of people not only from Malaysia but also from Indonesia. You know what, my successor was trying to erase the legacy and glory of the past by putting away the past awards and nobody knew where he put them.

It is all about human beings, their hearts, characters, attitudes and their mentality. In happens that in this country such negative and archaic mentality generally come from the Malays. So much so there are Malays do not want to be recognized as Malays saying that they are Bugis, Banjar, Pattani or some other tribes.

To me Tommy Thomas is not dancing in public place like what Apandi did. And there were many lawyers danced in halls and private homes in the absence of photographers.

If you make noise as they are doing now, I am sure these people must be the Malays.

 

21/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

WHOEVER WINS I DON'T CARE

Whoever wins in Cameron Highland, I don't care. What I care is people are still dumb, whoever they are, for forgetting lies and cheats. I don't because I have the documents, the timeline events and the video clips of all people and all parties. And I couldn't be confused by attempts to delude me by people intoxicated with money and gains.

I always know money stolen from the public were hidden in save place. Without morale and ethics they claim the fund belong to the party. They are not shame in telling lies and people are dumb enough not to trace the lies. We all know very well of the donation story that has become the sole reason of the of the money in the bank.

PAS has lost my total respect for saying that Orang Asli has no land that belong to them. The Malays came long after the natives to this country. They are savage party, worst than the beast, donning the head dress and the rob to show that they are Muslims and now corroborating with the party they once announced as heretic.

 

20/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

THE SOUNDS OF SILENCE

Hello, darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain still remains
Within the sound of silence


In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
Neath the halo of a streetlamp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence


And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never shared
No one dared
Disturb the sound of silence


"Fools", said I, "You do not know"
"Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you"
But my words like silent raindrops fell
And echoed in the wells of silence


And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said
"The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls
And whispered in the sounds of silence"

 

The Sound of Silence is one of the most beautiful songs that remains in my memory. I will try to publish it here and hope the Youtube will allow it so that the rest could appreciate it and might depart with a small pittance to buy the song. Other songs of similar stand are Ye Sama, a Hindi song, Aryati, the Indonesian song, Anak the Pinoy a nd Besame Mucho.

 

I put this kind of song in my video clip because they give life to my boring movies. And at the same time I want the people who watch my clip feel cool while appreciating the beautiful Melody.

There was someone commented when he listen to Zainal and Norain sang Jonny in my drone clip that he wanted to go and get drunk, indicating the effectiveness of the rhythm and the lyric.

The lyric is on the left. You just try to understand and translate the meaning behind it.

I give credit to the singers, the song writer and the minds that created such a beautiful melody. It seeps deep into our hearts, young and old. It is a song for all.

 

   
     

 

18/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

AT LAST WE SHOW WE ARE HUMAN

People are so greedy with money that they would do anything in the world to get them. The Kelantan government is under PAS rule, a party many thought as a champion of Islam. In Perak the government is under PH. Both of the Menteri Besar lost my respect, and I named them as savage and beast, for claiming the native lands belong to the state and the Orang Asli has no legal right over the land.

I wrote an essay last year expressing my deepest feeling over what the Malays and Islam were trying to do to the natives. Only now I heard the news that the Federal government is suing the idiotic and savage government of Kelantan, a leader who called himself a Muslim and the dirty party that called itself Islamic.

It is a pity that the Malays still vote for PAS with such a savage instinct.

 

 

THE WISDOM OF POLITICIANS

Neither the PAS nor PH government show  wisdom in dealing with the Natives, the Orang Asli. Both, the Menteri Besar of Kelanan and Perak, are inhuman and savage. My term for them is BEAST. No amount of reasons and arguments given are acceptable.

The natives have been living in this country long before the Malays stepped into this land. We don't know how they became Kings and claimed the ownership of the whole country. Imagine a man intrude into your home and claims the house belongs to him, showing all the documents with him and says your grant is fake.

Intruders came in with guns, weapons with pen to write laws and regulations, and imposing it as if it comes from God. The Orang Asli had been practicing their culture without any pen to create any book of law. They did not have any weapon to enforce their rights. Who are these Menteri Besar to claim the land in the country belongs to them ?

Human behaviours are very despicable. They robbed the inhabitants of the forest of their land for the benefit of people with money, the greedy lot of evil business community and the inconsiderate politicians. Where is the wisdom of the Malay leaders who are suppose to show good examples and majestic attitudes ?

They looked like savages rather than rational human being. It is shameful indeed.

It would have been wiser for these Chief Minister to go to the ground and spend a day at the villages of Orang Asli. Understand their culture, assess their mental capacity, their capability and their economy. They are not to listen to their officers' words on the state of the native affair. Busy is not the excuse.

Stopping the shifting cultivation is similar to stopping the Muslim to stop praying or covering themselves with cloth. They have been doing it even before the Malays laid their feet here. As Ministers they should resolve the plight of Orang Asli in a soothing way. Else there is no better word than to describe them as beast.

 
26/11/2018 Abdul Rahman Raof
 

 

18/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

SIMPLE COOKING

Today I continue to prepare my home breakfast. It is simple but it is delicious. What provide the taste is the chilli stuffs.

I thought it was hot enough but it wasn't. The curry in the Indian restaurant was much hotter. Mine was just nice.

I had the onions, garlic, salt, lime, the red and green chilli and the dried chilli soaked in warm water pounded together. I had only a few small pieces of keropok as appetizer.

If you are talking of saving money, indeed it is. But iut wasn't my intention to save money from food intake. As I said before it is just for a challenge which I have to start from below.

I want to cook Nasi Lemak. It is also a basic step almost similar to normal cooking except I add to have a pandan leave and ginger and coconut milk. Certainly it will be more yummy. The rest will be the same.

 

 

 

 

 

18/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

WHEN PEOPLE DON'T FIND ME SUITABLE

I am one just like most of you. I won't hang around with people who do not find me suitable for them. They have their own ways and their own lives to follow. In the Face Book I do not accept my old friends as the FB friends as they follow practices and culture that are different from mine. And all those who despised me before and had paraded their egoistic mood could go for better persons who are more suitable to them.

I never want to stay with any of my kids because we are not fit together. They have their own choice of lives and I never want anybody to tell me what and what not to do. I applied to quit the technical education system as my philosophy of education differed from the new philosophy they introduced. I even applied to be demoted to ordinary teacher from a principal when I was in disagreement with my boss.

Simply , opposing valued cannot be the Ying and Yang. They cannot mix.

It is painful. The heart bleeds. The tears flow. But I believe it is my fate.

If you hurt me once, it implies you hurt me forever. No matter what anyone does,  the scar will be there forever. I believe some women and men possess similar feeling in them.

All were not of my choice. It is their choices. I just accept them.

Of course I admit that I would not mind if you call me stupid. That won't hurt me because I know I am darn stupid. But there are things that can hurt me deeply. One seldom knows that one has hurled words that hurts people's feeling or acts in such a manner.

The suitability factor is not merely confined to the male-female relationships but to all aspects of life and disciplines. So it goes to the different world of the new amateur radio operators and the old ones. The oldies were aware of their rejection by the new ones. There are unsuitability of habits and practices, of political beliefs etc.

It is the feeling of rejection that counts. This is so when you are old and senile, ugly and weak. Officers at the counter and salespersons are not aware that the old people are sensitive to the treatments they received. We observed the facial outlook, their countenance and their body language. And that was what Tun Mahathir felt when he received treatments from people before he became a the 7th Prime Minister.

But I am not talking about Tun. It is about myself. I don't need people to treat me like a king. What's wrong just to say a single world of hello or " see you again ".

 

18/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

THE ROTI CANAI ROAD

It is very interesting to read what BN Cyber trooper wrote about the Roti Canai road, blaming Dr Mahathir for not doing anything to the Orang Asli. Who was Dr Mahathir then ? He was in BN. BN government had been shit all the time. Lim Kit Siang was talking of Najib Razak did not rectify if the road was bad under Tun. It was the last Prime Minister who is to be blamed for not mending the errors in the past. Is it not the work of Najib Razak to ensure the Roti Canai road to be put back in order ?

 

17/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

THE 1MDB SAGA-THE CHAIRMAN

The world is aggressively taking action on those involved in the 1Mdb fund. It was the money loaned by Malaysians, billions of them, indicating that it was a form of a scam. The Arabs themselves whom Najib trusted are facing the music. Whether Najib pretended to be unaware or otherwise it was him who signed the approval. But Najib is showing us that he is not a fool and is smart enough to mange the country. This is what he is campaigning about, to portray his wisdom in managing the government.

If Najib said he was not a fool and smart then he should not declare that he didn't know what he signed things for. This involved billions of ringgit and it is still affecting the Malaysians till today. And to save himself from the wrath of UMNO he said whatever money he has is for UMNO and belongs to the party.

The chairman has been bluffing the people all the time. Now he is saying that he has no money and poor enough that he has to solicit money from his supporters. The netizens do not believe him before and now. They believe his stashing his money somewhere else. Though rumours said it is in Hong Kong, I believe they are in Australia and New Zealand, named under his family members.

 

Knowing Najib I am sure he is sending his people to see the judges and offer a huge rewards for finding ways to put him off the prison. It has been his style to do that, even trying to bribe the American Presidency and DOJ.

Even Goldman Sach is in a deep shit. His denial from pretending that he did not know the money was to be swindled, was not accepted. Yet the UMNO members pretended nothing has happened and they believed Najib is innocent. That made the image of the Malays and Islam in Malaysia went down the drain.

I would wish there will be mobs attacking the judges if they release Najib Razak and the police must not give any protection to him at all for the damage done had been too great.

He was the chairman. And he was responsible.

Goldman Sachs CEO apologises to the people of Malaysia

Reuters  |  Published:  |  Modified:
 

Goldman Sachs Group Inc chief executive officer David Solomon on Wednesday apologised to the Malaysian people for former banker Tim Leissner’s role in the sovereign wealth fund 1MDB scandal, but said the bank had conducted due diligence before every transaction.

Goldman is being investigated by Malaysian authorities and the US Department of Justice (DOJ) for its role as underwriter and arranger of three bond sales that raised US$6.5 billion for 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

US prosecutors last year charged two former Goldman bankers for the theft of billions of dollars from 1MDB. Leissner, a former partner for Goldman Sachs in Asia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder money and violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

“It’s very clear that the people of Malaysia were defrauded by many individuals, including the highest members of the prior government,” Solomon said on conference call discussing the bank’s fourth-quarter results.

Solomon said that Leissner denied the involvement of any of Goldman’s intermediaries in transactions with 1MDB.

An attorney representing Leissner did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Roger Ng, the other charged former Goldman banker, was arrested in Malaysia at the request of US authorities and is expected to be extradited, according to John Marzulli, a spokesman for the prosecution.

The DOJ has said that US$4.5 billion was misappropriated by high-level officials of the fund and their associates between 2009 and 2014.

Shares plunge over 25 percent

As part of Goldman’s due diligence efforts, Solomon said the bank sought and received written assurances from 1MDB and International Petroleum Investment Co (IPIC) that no third parties were involved in the first two bond sales.

Abu Dhabi’s IPIC had co-guaranteed the 1MDB bonds when they were issued in 2012.

In the final offering, the Malaysian government itself, along with 1MDB, represented that no intermediaries were involved, he said.

“All these representations to Goldman Sachs have proven to be false,” Solomon said.

Goldman Sachs did not disclose any other information about its involvement with 1MDB, but said the impact on its client franchise had been “de minimis.”

Shares of the bank, which reported strong fourth-quarter results earlier in the day, have fallen over 25 percent in the last three months, after headlines about its involvement with the sovereign wealth fund emerged.

 

The Malaysian government said in December it was seeking up to US$7.5 billion in reparations from Goldman over its dealings with 1MDB.

 

- Reuters

17/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

EVERYONE THINKS HE IS SMART

The first to think he is the smartest is the lawyer. He will challenge anybody and everybody with the law book in his hand except for the two beautiful bikini girls I met in Maldives. While we were having lunch on an atoll we had a nice chitchatting over several matters together with our guides. "What were you doing before ?" One asked me.

                                    "A teacher," I said.

                                     "What do you teach ?"

                                       "Computer."

                                       "Oh that's what I thought when I first saw you, a computer man," she responded.

                                        " How about you ? " I asked.

                                         "A lawyer, " she replied.

                                          "Criminal ? Civil ? ..."

                                          "Criminal."

Her bikini did not make her looked like a lawyer. The body was as good as braless and bottomless. "I just want to take a break," she said.

But I always think I am stupid and a slow learner. I became matured at the old age not when I was a young man. So when ham radio people called me stupid, I am not angry. Anybody can call me by any name. On whatever things I don't know I would ask people for information, or I wwould explore to know more about them. Most of the time I would seek people's advice.

I don't believe education and qualifications could be use a flag to discriminate the smart and the lesser ones. Those educated have the propensity of making themselves wiser, and better in economic survival. However a school dropout whose trade is painting and spraying is smart enough to choose the best and ever lasting paints. And he could even squeeze pittance out of your pocket. Do you find lawyers, doctors and judges who paint their own homes ?

In the world of ham radio I met several people who simply refused to ask and learn Morse codes from others because they have their own theory and systems. And finally they came up with the remarks "Morse is not relevant to ham radio".

Smart people wrote a lot of political essays teaching the government of what to do and what not to do, what policy to follow and what to be disregard. They always think the rest are stupid. The racists will write and called the other racists. They believe that they are the best people in the country.

A lady friend of mine says she prefer the smart people to the honest and sincere guys. The ex-Prime Minister, Najib, said he preferred the loyal people to the smart ones. But the country needs the honest, sincere and smart people to run an effective government.

Islam taught the followers to be humble and to show humility, avoid bragging and chest thumping to show one's greatness and smartness. It follows by a Malay proverb " a diamond that falls into a mud, will still be a diamond ".

 

16/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

WHILE WAITING FOR MY RICE TO COOK

I wanted to cook for a long time ago but was too busy doing something else. It is not just to save money or my own cooking gives a better taste. It is just a challenge. It also makes me busy. Of course at the same time I can estimate the expenditure for food if I choose not not to eat out. The food ingredient are not cheap as I discovered last night when I went to buy a packet of dried prawns. It was RM6+.

While waiting for the rice to cook, I am typing this short article of my activity this morning. I made preparation first by pounding the chilli with the dried prawns, fried the keropok, boil an egg and the Basmati rice. The rest are laid down on the table at the moment except for the rice. By the time I finished typing it will be all done.

The hassle of the home cooking is the washing of pot, plates and all other utensils. The more the utensils the more the time utilized. Then I have to rearrange them to make things look neat. It won't be messy.

But it gives satisfaction and fulfilment. It gives me a small pride.

break

I just finished my breakfast, a kampong style, Malaysians and probably Indonesian Malay folks. Simple. Tasty. But not too great. There is always a room for improvement. The Tomato Rice vendor would be wondering where this 'teacher' goes and the roti kirai fellow too. I can minimise my food expenditure from eating out just by buying the gravy with one small fish. That would cost me probably about RM4. The rest I would cook, a little for lunch and a dinner.

Imagine the price I have to pay for going to a Mac D or KFC. The recent burger costs RM16 a piece. 

 

16/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

BEING JILTED

Are you being jilted by a woman before ? Yes, it is sad and painful. But that is not the end of your life.

Think this way; the woman who chuck you off does not find that you are suitable for her. She will choose the best for her. And if you are not for her and you still want to plead for her and decide to poison yourself if she continues to reject you then you are the fool. A one sided love is no love, foolish and a waste of time. You have to learn and be strong.

The first girl that I fell in love was when I was in school, my neighbor. I was about to leave school in Form 5. She was in a private school in Form 4. Her parent didn't like me and I was very frustrated. She did not chuck me but merely follow her parent's wish. She married and I too get married with my wife. When our children grew big, probably about 30 to 35 years later, I heard she fell sick, suffering from cancer. My wife asked me to go and visit her at the hospital as she sent a message that she wanted to see me. I didn't go. Months later I heard she passed away. My wife was fond of her son as they were acquainted in their professions. But I had met her once before she was diagnosed having cancer. She asked me to buy a stamp for her. I bought, gave her the stamp, didn't talk anything else. And I went away.

I knew that I was inhuman. But that was the pain and agony of the rejection, the very strong impact, that made me wanted to forget her in my life. The bleed stopped as I cherished my wife to the best of my life until her permanent departure. My heart became empty and I do not have feeling for any woman again.

It has not been even 5 years yet when my wife passed away. I find calmness when I stay alone, leading a solitary life. And I feel so free like a bird. Till a woman a adored came into my heart. I do not know much about her but I know of her active and sociable life. We met and talk several times.

But now she is keeping herself away. I know that I am being rejected like before and I am not going to plead for love and pity. It is painful. It is bleeding. But I have been strong before. Surely there is someone somewhere with a good heart who wants to accept me as her companion before I die.

Life is too short. Why must we make life miserable when we can always get out of it, not by drinking and intoxicating or taking drugs to run away from sadness. Leave the misery alone and get on with life. In March I will be going for a trip to Taiwan and enjoy the sight seeing and the wonder of the world. I will make myself busy with the evening exercise, doing some adventure in cooking and probably asking my monthly Indonesian maid and her friends to accompany me to lunch somewhere. I have not taken the maid for about three months already as Ah Hua came around to clear the compound of  my house.

If you are being jilted just forget about the woman.

 

16/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

THE MOST MEMORABLE TIME OF HAMMING

My ham elmers were Malcom and Eshee. Malcom is in Australia now wirh an Australian call sign but spent most of his time on Senior Ham Whatsapp. Eshee as we all know passed away only in recent years. I was involved in the hobby in 1975. From 5.00 to 7.00 pm we would be making noise all over the 40 meter band both on SSB and CW. To us 40 meter was the our locals to have contact with each other. But sometimes the extended stations from DU and YB land joined in. All conversations were in English.

It was at night, after the last prayer, I would only go for the long distant or DX stations. The band was good then. I used an inverted V dipole with a tall bamboo mast. I knew my signal was strong as there were pileups. I never just gave them the signal report but repeatedly would tell my name, location, their signal report, antenna , rig and temperature.

At the earlier time of the night stations from Japan, India and Indonesia came in. Every night I would talk to YB0HH, AK Jailani, a Kerocong artist who had been making lots of album. Pak Lani told me about his fight to get the name AK Jailani. "I can read Kuran," he said. "But I am a Chinese." So we talked about music and Keroncong and a laugh and very merry time until he passed away.

Then there was another time a station calling me, identified himself as a pilot ,waiting to fly from Bali to Narita. He asked me to wait until the completion of the flight procedure  and would resume the take off. I don't remember his call sign now. Then we resume our chat till he was about to arrive Japan, and we signed off. It was not an uncommon for the pilot that passed over my head gave me a call and exchanged short information.

I also remember well when a HZ1HZ called me, introduced himself as Ahmad and I introduced myself as Rahman. He asked me to change my name other than Rahman. 'Rahman' he said is one of the names of the God. I said I was a teacher. He never told me his profession. Only later I knew that he was King Ahmad Talal. I do not remember how many time I worked him.

When a station gave his QTH as South Pole I was taken aback. "What do you do in the South Pole ? " I asked. He described his work as a researcher of some scientific stuffs. I reckoned that he was in a team of scientists.

Last but not the least when a station from Hollywood called me. We had a long chat on movies I saw. When I mentioned names he said those actors were his friends. That meant he was an actor as well.

Those were among the memorable moments of my contact as a ham radio operator. My dipole had served me pretty well.

16/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

ZAPIN THE BEST EVER

I am intrigue by the Zapin dance. It is the best of all the traditional dance in the country. Though Zapin is said to be introduced by the Arab missionaries in the 15rh Century, the steps and the dance movements are more like the traditional silat. It is very popular in Johore and in almost every wedding festivals Zapin will be called to perform the dance. Onb many instances the groom would join the dance.

I stroingly recommended that all the Malay medium must must made Zapin compulsory component in the co-curriculum activities.

 

Johore champion scholl 2015

 

Zapin at marriage festival

 

Zapin Moreno

 

Zapin Lambak Macam Main2 saja

Certainly it will have a unique traditional identity not found anywhere else.

Let me try talking to one of my friends who is still teaching of the possibility to start a Zapin class.

15/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

WORRY OF DEATH ?

People are worried about me. They fear that I would die alone and fall sick without being attended. But I am worried about them also however young they are, especially of men and women above 40. They have been thinking that they are young and strong and will never die till they reach 80 or 90. Base on their eating habits I fear the worst; that they may be attacked by cardio vascular disease. Heart attack is very common among men around 50s.

In the modern days people announce of them being alive and kicking through the social media. Facebook is one of them. When we read remarks from them then we know that they are alright. Even if they are hospitalized they would publish the news by pictures. A week of no news could mean anything for a stroke doesn't take two days to die. Some may die at an instant and others might suffer paralysis their whole life.

Young people usually take in excessive amount of food with the most sweetest and dangerous drink like Coke. Besides they also smoke. They gain weigh quickly and at the same time diabetes and heart problem begin to crawl in. And only a few would go for exercises to compensate their excessiveness.

At the jogging track I could see only a few fat people striving to gain distance at the shortest time possible. It takes months and years before their body size look a little thinner. At least they were efforts put to keep fit.

Of course not all the fat people die young. It is the risk one is taking by ignoring the good and healthy living.

For us, the old folk, to die first is not an uncommon happenings. People shouldn't get worried about us. It is they who should worry about themselves. When I do not get news from someone in particular I get very worried no matter how young they are.

 

15/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

THE CHANGE FOR COMFORT

Gone are the days when I would look for the cheapest place to stay in during my travelling days. I stayed in hostels, YMCA, and shared rooms. It saved a lot of money. After all most of the time were spent on sightseeing and visiting. The rest was to sleep, having a short rest and to clean ourselves.

But things change now. At an old age I want comfort. It doesn't matter if the room is small as long as it is well furnished and the air-conditioning system works very fine. I prefer a three, four or possibly five star hotel for vacation or a siesta. Of course they must be at an affordable price and at the time when money is plentiful.

The largest room where I ever stayed was in one hotel in Amman Jordan. On checking into the room I was so excited that I rushed down to inform of my fellow travel mates of the bed room like the room of a King. In Marriot Medan I narrated to my friends of a huge bed with more than 10 pillows. I stayed alone in every trip, simply I do not want to cause inconvenience to my room mate for I may wake up several times in the night or I may snore loud enough.

Travelling in a package tour I always have to pay the single supplement, for double occupancy. Whenever they gave me a small single room I would complain.

However on transit I would not want the best and expensive room. To go to an over sea trip I have to put up a night near the airport. The flight might be in early morning. This is what I call transit. There are good and comfortable rooms below a hundred ringgit around the airport.

Today the package trip is hectic and tiring. There is no rest. Even on arriving, the tour would start to commence till late night. We would be sleepy and less energetic. They say the hotel does not open yet. Some agencies would wait till midnight before they shove you in. People have been complaining a lot but only fell on the deaf ears. The motive is always on the profit margin. I prefer to go alone so that I can plan my own time.

The change for comfort does not apply to all of my choices. I never dream to have a big and a new car, a palace house or sophisticated entertaining equipments. The change is on the lodging choice when I go travelling.

 

15/01/2019 Abdul Rahman Raof

AMONG THE PLACES I VISITED

The pictures re not arrange in any sequent

 

SAN FRANCISCO

 

USA

europe

cotton hill turkey

istanbul

TAJ MAHAL

AUSTRALIA

AUSTRALIA

BELGIUM

 

GRAND CANYON

GRAND CANYON

HOLLYWOOD

JOKJAKARTA

LONDON

USA

HANOI

 

Left and this picture are in New Zealand

SPAIN

 

HONG KONG

 

SENJEN

 

BANDUNG

BEIZING

 

PARIS

GREECE

LONDON

BOSNIA

ISLAND ON NILE

EGYPT

KOREA

TERNATE INDONESIA

EGYPT

eUROPE

lOMBOK

MAID'S HOUSE AT LOMBOK

FRANCE CRUISE

BALKAN

MEDAN

KOREA - ALIEN SAUCER

REAL MADRID STADIUM-SPAIN

TOKYO

SOUTH VIETNAM

MALDIVES

ON ATOL MALDIVES

 

MOROCCO

The pictures that I could not find is on my trip to Hawaii. I was there not once, nit twice but more than 10 times. I noticed the Kodak Hoola Show dancers changed a great deal from the first time till the last I saw them. But they continued to dance gracefully.

My message to you is that, it does not take a rich and wealthy person to travel abroad and enjoy the spectacular scenic views in different countries. I was lucky because travelling in those days were cheap. Today they cost double the old price eg New Zealand is now RM14K plus. It was only RM7K in the early '80s. A trip to USA was only RM4K but now RM24K plus.

I can't afford to spend RM17K for a week trip to Africa or RM25K to USA today. Within a RM5K limit we can still travel around to countries around our region.

Secondly, if you are a believer then you must know that providence from God is sometimes plentiful and in abundance. Just have faith in the Creator and be good and honest, sincere and to thank God for whatever sustenance you have. I am not only a person with the basic subsistence level but am also not a smart and a cleverly professional people.

If you are not one of a believer than you would say it is a luck and coincidences. 

10/01/2019

STYLE AT THE OLD AGE

The older I grow the more fashionable I become. I don different watches at different time of the day. Casio analog watch is used during the day time. The Samsung smart watch is donned during the walking exercise and at night.

The reason is simply due to it's visibility. The analog is difficult to see in the dark. The smart watch is sparkling colorful clear when it is flashed. I bought the Casio when I visited Japan a couple of years ago. I have no complain as it is so perfect and accurate in showing the time of the day. Unlike Samsung it is not useful to wear it during the jogging or walking time. It does not show the time and distant covered, the calorie and the heart beat.

The other watch, Samsung Gear 3, was bought in Alor Setar from the Samsung outlet. It was about 3 or 4 years ago. Moreover the Samsung has many watch faces to choose from. The only snag of the Samsung watch is that I need to charge it between three or four days.

So far I have been on time 98% of my promises or going to work. When I say I will be at a certain place at a certain time I will be there sharp at the stipulated time. If I do not arrive at the time promised you have better ring me up to find out what could have happened.

The Gear3 will display nothing when it is idle to save the power. One Datin thought I was a crazy person as she saw nothing on it's face. I knew by her look and by her question. Big guys always regard other small people as stupid or crazy.

No other people would care whatever watch I donned. Everybody has one. Theirs may be more expensive and rare. Only once in a blue moon there would be somebody who will come over asking for the time. And nobody would ever think an old man like me would use different watches at different time of the day for convenience. It served my purpose.

 

14/01/2019

A MACHINE AND A HUMAN

One distinct different between a human and a machine is the present of mind and emotion in a human being. Man has successfully inserts intelligence in a machine, making it able to sense human, recognize obstacles and to avoid them, and to conduct responses to a certain stimuli but they were all artificial in nature, whereas mankind has emotional intelligence in them, that guides their thinking and behaviours. One has a soul and the machine does not.

Both have their advantages and disadvantages. But we can be sure that a machine does not recognize between a young and an old man, as a human can, and a man would response to the perceived information either to respect, discriminate, to ignore, to assist or to reject them.

What evolve today is the idea of man-machine relationship and man to man relationship (man includes woman). A man can depend on the machine to accompany him, entertain and to satisfy him though the machine does not response emotionally and vocally. He can be certain that the machine will not hurt and insult him, or steal and rob from him.

The viciousness comes from the man who can do you a lot of damage by putting you in shame, throwing you in jail, insult and belittle you and exploit you the fullest. They run away with their friend's money. There are more dishonest men than the good ones. A machine does not hurt you by it's own action. So are your cats and other pets. Some people prefer to talk to cats and dogs rather than to fellow humans.

 

13/01/2019

MONARCHY IS NOT GOD

The liberal idea of equality implies everyone is equal in the eyes of fellow humans and should be subjected to the same law for all. The term immunity should be scrutinized worldwide regardless of the office or a person's status.

Also we need to see the concept of freedom and democracy and the freedom of speech. It needs to be defined between an absolute freedom and a limited freedom. What is the limit of a freedom ? Should there be no limit at all ?

Old sages tried to set a limit like 'Don't do unto others if you don't want other to do unto you'.

Both the people and the Head of States must know their lines and where they should stand. In a capacity of a King he must not make an enemy with his subject whoever they are. praise the good ones and say nothing on the bad ones. He must see the interest of the people first then of himself.

There are things a King can't do but an ordinary man can. There are too many rules and standard to be observed. If he can't stand them he might as well abdicate the position and give way to someone else. In fact to be a normal man is more free and more enjoyable than to be a King.

It would be difficult if a King has his own rule and ways to do things. It may somehow cause unavoidable collusion. An impasse would opened up an unhealthy and unpredictable passage for a potential conflict. Showing a partisanship is bad and it is felt by the whole country.

I observe in the parliament of members who do not like to be insulted even just by calling names. The one who insulted the other could not accept the resultant response. So much so there are rules made on matters concerning insults, which mean that democracy has a limit.

We have cases a thief call others a thief and a racist calls others the racists. He can call others bastard and would fight back if others called him by the same name.

Hence democracy does not allow us to insult anybody we want to insult. Free speech does not give the absolute right for man to call anybody a bastard, or to insult a King for that matter.

But whenever a King does a thing which normally a king does not do, there is bound to be some remarks from the citizen. What more if a King displayed his partisanship vividly in the eyes of the public. Some of their views are logical and contain absolute truth.

The world would ask a question, shall there be a law to protect a King who murder his subject ?

A respect is always earned not demanded nor requested. Neither it be made into law.

As humans are there are good and evil. They are not scared of law. They insulted even God. They made jokes and laugh about God hell and heaven. The Westerners made fun of their bibles. American President burnt the Koran. The Muslim did the same to the bibles. And everybody insulted each other's God.

What tranquillity and peace are we talking about ?

 

13/01/2019

HOME COOKING

I remember my former Indonesian made never made fried rice for me but only the normal white rice and grind chilli. She must put something in the chilli that made it so very tasty. I consumed the rice, the chilli, and a boiled egg. There was no gravy nor vegetables but the taste was so delicious.

I tried to cook the friend rice today. I was so in a hurry I forgot several ingredients like the garlic and salt. The chilli was not hot enough. So much so the fried rice was tasteless. Lucky I have a friend fish and some Keropok. Combine them together I could finish the whole bowl with two intake; breakfast and lunch. It cost me only RM6 for the chilli, ikan talang (dry fish) and 5 pieces of eggs.

RM6 for breakfast and dinner is one third of the normal expenditure if I were to eat out. Believe me the total expenditure for the raw fish, vegetables and other ingredients for one month was only RM50 minus the cooking gas and the uncooked rice.

Over all my fried rice was better than if I were to buy Nasi Lemak or the breakfast outside.

An income of a thousand ringgit is ample if you do your own cooking and consuming the lower grade fish or even prawns. A kilo of mackerel cost RM14 in today's market when it was only RM4 before. Fishermen will not lower the fish price despite the previous fuel subsidy given. But the fish would last you at least a week. The only snag is that we need a freezer. The poor people cannot afford a freezer, and the high rate of electricity bill. The bill would be about RM40 a month.

If one is prudent and completely avoiding lavishness, I think one can manage a small luxury of life for the family comfort. One KFC dinner with a family is almost a month expenditure on self cooking.

Some housewives can cook very well, extremely well and taste better than the 5 star hotels. I have always wish to have a wife like that. But working wives have no time to do the cooking. More than 90% would prefer buying outside food.

I know if I were to decide to do the home cooking, I can always improve the cooking. It is a matter of mixing the ingredients and of what sorts.

 

13/01/2019

ONLINE PURCHASE FROM USA

Online famous vendors from USA are Amazon and Ebay. I ordered  a few finger print scanners about 10 years ago and they reached my home intact without much extra cost. I don't remember the delivery method. Probably by normal air-mail postage since they were light and small.

I can't for others who have been buying heavy and bulky equipments like a transceiver or a huge radio antenna. But my recent experience was sending back my drone, weighing  about 1.4KG for repair, that cost me RM350 by DHL. With the same weight and a little bigger box would have cost me RM500. The FEDEX rate is just the same.

The repair and replacement of the gimbal rotor charge, inclusive of labour cost, is USD70. It is very reasonable. But the postage is USD84. Psychologically I feel satisfied for many reasons. I had a Mavic Pro purchased from the local shop that dropped for no reason but was rejected and the blamed was put on me. And someone in Selangor asked me about the performance of Mavic battery which I fixed after it became swollen. Hundreds and thousands other Mavic Pro users were complaining about the Mavic batteries. tell you to throw them and get a new one. The new one is about RM400.

Ebay and Amazon also sell numerous Chinese products. Consumers would prefer the American or European made stuffs which they know to be more reliable and durable. The Americans prefer to manufacture items for military use rather than finding the world market like the japanese, Koreans and the Chinese. The later even stepped in the United States to open factories and companies. They are very aggressive in expanding their businesses worldwide.

If the Ebay and Amazon only accepted products that meet the American standard then we can believe on the quality and it's reliability. If you buy a Mavic Pro from Malaysia and the United States you will find they are not of the same price. Mavic imported from USA cost much more.

Though the postage is high we will be happy and satisfied in exchange for the quality.

 

12/01/2019

MY FIRST DEBIT CARD PAYMENT OVER SEA

It has been a torture to me whenever I desire to buy something from over sea. When my wife was still alive I found several sliding board that I wanted to buy for her in the Amazon website. I could not place an order as I did not own a Credit Card. And I had to ask my son living in the capital city to buy for his mother.

I have a debit card though which facilitate me to purchase online but within the country. That was the situation for a long time ago.

The most recent was I wanted to order a drone from USA, Autel Evo. I had to seek my friend's help who lives about 500 miles away. Actually I hate to bother people to do things for me. I know they won't be comfortable running an errand for me. It would troubled them and troubled me also. I had to travel South just to pick up the flying machine.

I went to my bank making enquiry about using my ATM card to as what the credit card does. The bank said it was possible but I have to call the Bank HQ in Kuala Lumpur to get the foreign purchase approval. That discouraged me. Calling distant office has always been a painful affair. The machine will answer and telling you about what to do with the numbers. Then you have to wait as the officer is said to be busy. The longest time I ever experience was more than an hour

I continued to search for more information and typed "using maybank debit card for oversea purchase" in the Google search engine. The page gave instructions and I followed step by step, first I had to activate the over sea flag, set from what date to the date I want it to expire. Then I had to set a limit. When it came to request for the TAC code I halted because at that time I had no recipient yet.

On the 7th December I sent my drone back to USA for a small problem. My God the postage was very expensive, which I later realize it was more than the repair and the spare part. This morning I received acknowledgement of the drone in the office and the total price was quoted.

I opened the Maybank page but the menu had changed. There page of other services was not displayed. I went to the bank and asked about the Card Management. The officer said that was only for the travellers in the foreign countries who wish to do the purchasing using the debit card. He asked me to request the account number and the bank of the repairer. It frustrated me.

I emailed to the Maybank HQ and to the company in the United States. To the bank I narrated my situation and asked for any solution. To Autel I asked for the banking information. At the same time I opened up the Maybank.com again. To my surprise the missing page appeared again. I set the limit, the activation flag and request for the TAC number. Then I went back to the payment side and filled in purchase under the credit card info columns and pressed for final payment. To my amazement things worked. Autel responded immediately. I feel at ease for I do not have to burden my friend again. And what the hack the bank officer was telling me about.

Nevertheless I gave two weeks for the expiry till I got back my drone. In fact I could have done the deactivation part but I do not.

This is the first time I made the over seas payment using my Visa ATM card.

 

11/01/2019

THE OLD IS STILL A GOLD

You wouldn't believe it songs and music written and sung 80 years ago are still under copyright laws. They just simply refused to dismantle them from the copyright and allowed them to be used freely. Of course they are all beautiful songs that will live forever no matter how much changes had been in the world of music and tempo. The old is still a gold.

Similarly, in Ham Radio what made it so beautiful and completed is the sound of the Morse code, the tradition that Ham Radio started with. It is not a copyright stuff but the quality of immortality. It provides meaning and the identity of the hobby.

The game of Chess continued for many centuries and never been abandoned by the world.

I had a tough time when embedding an old song in my uploaded video to the Youtube. It always shot up with the copyright warning. A few friends sang the same song, but I was told the music is copyrighted. Mind you these are old songs, everybody involved in them are not on this earth anymore. They are all dead.

Religion and God is regarded as archaic. Many rejected the existence of God  and despise the Holly Book and the God House but to some it is something useful to appease their soul. At the time of sadness and helplessness the first thing they would do is to find God to to console themselves. It is the old tradition that brings them peace and tranquillity.

I realize that the old is still a gold  and should not be discarded for something totally new.

In some places men walk for miles to get to work. They used to such life and never grumbled about it. In a nearby place a man accustomed to driving his car to the office would skip the day's job if his car stalls.

In Ham Radio the old is fading off  as the new regulations are pushing them away through the indirect mean. There were only about 250 hams in the old days but they were all over the local band almost everyday enjoying the daily chatting. Today there are more than 30000 licensees in Malaysia and there were as good as nil on the band.

You can judge by yourselves the value of the tradition and the old stuffs and the new and modern cultural practices.

 

11/01/2019

BOB KNIGHT AND TED KITCHEL

You wouldn't know who Bob Knight is, neither Ted Kitchel. When I was with a few Americans on a tour bus in London I mentioned Bob and Ted as they were from Indiana Bloomington, the same place where I stayed for almost 1 1/2 years. Of course I introduced myself as a Malaysian and studied in Bloomington IN for the period of time. We talked of the British and compared them to the Americans, and laugh with joy.

One of the craziest game in Indiana university was basketball. The coach was Bob Knight. Among the few players I still remember were Randy Whitman and Ted Kitchel. We won most of the matches. Bob Knight later became the US Olympic coach. Ted was with me in the same class taking a paper called Collective Bargaining. Bob Knight was one of the best coaches but Ted and Randy didn't seem to like him. Both were handsome but Ted was younger and the tallest in the class. I was lucky to be able to talk to a basketball celebrity just because he was my classmate.

I was in Indiana University from 1982/83. It was a great year for the university basketball. My whole spirit and soul was with Indiana and I felt like one American. We were worried when Ted Kitchel was injured and he told me it was bad and he could not play in the final. Bob Knight appealed  for fan support to rally around the team. We won the title.  Bob ordered that a banner be hung for the team in Assembly Hall as a tribute to the fans, who he credited with inspiring the team to win its final three home games.

That made the conversation with the visiting Americans in London was so lively. They made me feel like one of them, the Americans. Imagine I could still remember Randy Whitman and Ted Kitchel until today.

I stayed in 205 Redbud Apartment in Bloomington.

I continued to visit United States almost every other year until the US government made visiting the country is so very difficult, making us like a criminal and a terrorist. But in all those years after 1983 I did not step into my old campus again as my routes did not path the Midwestern States but once. It was the year when I went to Dayton OHIO for the Hamvention (Forgotten the year) with a couple of my friends. Dayton was so near to Indiana.

Most of the time, when I travelled alone I would just stay in Buena Park area. I went with a package tour for a couple of times and we covered Mexico, Los Angeles, Universal Studio, Disneyland, Las Vegas and San Francisco. With my neighbor we went to Lubbock Texas via Las Vegas, Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon, New Mexico. Then proceeded to Disney World and Cape Canaveral Florida. In 2002 my wife and I went to my son's commencement at Cornell University and we went to Florida again.

United States was just like a second home to me, a feeling in me about 15 years ago. It was the country I visited most.

Bob Knight is still my hero and I will still remember him till my last day.

It is not that I don't have a hero coach in this country. I do. He was Pak Ismail, a Kedah football in the early years. I was still a kid then and would always follow the coaching and training in the old playing field at Jalan Sungai Korok. I was amazed with his scientific training and his giving importance in stamina training. Players need to run about 20 or 30 times around the field before playing a game.

09/01/2019

HIDING THE PAINFUL TRUTH

The gossip took the country by storm even before the abdication of our King. News of whatever happened in Russia had blazoned throughout the world. It was something that no one could stop in this digital age. Pictures were viraled and the netizens had seen pictures of the King's wife.

There is nothing wrong for anyone to marry anybody he or she likes. And it is not our job to be very concerned about the affairs of others. But when it happens to our King then gossips travels fast. In fact it could not be suppressed and be forgotten as it could have involved in a greater scandal. Someone said that she could be a KGB. Or the King could be a victim of some sort of conspiracy of a con man, a criminal who is akin to Jho Lo, preying on dignitaries to solicit money or to blackmail for the perpetual flow of money to a Russian mafia.

Do we have to flash the law that anything concerning Kings cannot be discussed ? This will inevitably pushed people to find out more about the whole monarchical system in our nation; the origin of the Kings and who gave them the legitimacy and the ultimate power. To some educated men they would moved further to study the history of the birth of a Republic and Liberty.

Nevertheless we can appeal to the citizens to show some pity and respect by not putting shame on other people, not to add more of the mental. Our King could turn out to be a victim of a certain conspiracy.

But the Kings must always remember that they cannot totally depend on the mere law to protect and hide them of all their doings. The people are much stronger than the law. They could push for the referendum whether or not to form a Republic. If we don't have the wisdom to resolve

Of course we have another alternative ie to change the government from a democratic to an authoritarian like that of North Korea, where leaders can do no wrong.

Without people a King is as good as useless. Without people the police and the army are useless. And without people no amount of laws and regulations would come into effect.

09/01/2019

BEING OLD

You don't know that you are being old unless someone tells you so, directly or indirectly through insinuation or regulation. The health insurance and investment agency's agents would me to their booth and talked me into buying the insurance and invest in the scheme by borrowing from them. Then they would ask me for my age, like as what has just happened about a few hours ago when I went to my bank for some small work.

                                  "Sorry"

Then they would mentioned the above word after I told them my age. I felt humiliated and sad. I know what being old is. It is the age when you are considered as a senile old man, incapable of a sharp and straight thinking, weakness in mobility, and the days of breathing the fresh air is numbered.

My obvious response was, "Don't the young people die ? "

In Malaysia there were hundreds of men below 60, killed the killer disease called stroke. My contemporaries and other persons of 75 and above are still active, and keeping themselves fit everyday in the jogging track.

If we are not told that we are old then we wouldn't have known that we are old. It took me several months to convince myself that I am old until my whole body and soul can accept the fact of my being ageing. If I were to be aware of my useless and only to prepare to go to heaven, I wouldn't have bought and flew the drone bird, nor would I buy a fancy Samsung Gear3 to don it. I remember a Tamil restaurant owner's son said to me,

                     "My father is already old and about to die. He wasted his money on a 5K watch. What for ?"

The Malaysian insurance car companies concluded that old men and old cars tend to get involve in the accidences than the young men.

Surely I would call it discrimination for excluding us in the insurance and the investment loan schemes.

On the other hand the clerk who had been doing the saving book updating repeatedly asking me to invest in the property share run by the bank. The reason is simple. They only want my money. The same bank rejected my credit card application for being old and a pensioner. Being old is a sin and our status is at a derogatory state.

Siblings have always been busy with their own welfare, and too busy to take care of their jobs and children. The meaning of an elderly father or  mother is the money they hope as a bequest. I don't keep my money to give away to the banks or financial institutions nor my kids. I accumulate them for my own bread and butter, for my medical expenditure.

Less than a year ago, we all saw how Tun M was humiliated by our King. And other elderly people were humiliated and insulted by the younger Minister like Nazri Aziz who spouted words of Rafedah Aziz as an old lady. It was no excuse even if during the political storm of the GE14 campaign. And the King should have not let an old man waiting for hours in the Istana. It was an insult to all the old men in the universe.

I think we ought to avenge those institution that discriminate us ansd strike back when the time come.

 

08/01/2019

YOU CAN'T FOOL ALL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME

In the modern world the defence of alibi holds no water. A man can direct a murder and theft and an arson without being at those places. He can sit in his room and command as many crimes and at many places as possible via a communication equipments; call it a radio or a phone. It would be very impossible before the mastery of technology came into the universe.

As I have argued before and the rest of the people would agreed to it that hanging a man who shot Altantuya is not the end of it. Who ordered the man to shoot ? Who were there in the scene of shootings ? Who approved the C4 bomb to be smuggled out of the store ? They were all accompliceS and complicit in the death of the Mongolian lady.

A President does not have to be in Iran to order his General to bomb Taheran and the flew to South Korea to command his other Gneral to attack Pyong Yang. And his lawyers argue that he is not responsible for he cannot be in two places or three places at the same time ?

People play with words and listeners believe in those words. Actually no amount of big and complicated words can erase the truth. Najib were asked why the GST was not paid back within a week and where did the money go and his reply was PH stole the money. Now he was asked where the 800 millions went to and he is whacking the Minister who asked him to explain about the 800 millions. Lawyer Shafiee loves to use words to hypnotise and trick people. Then we heard a new term of Creative Accounting when Tabing Haji's money was reported in disarray situation.

Bombastic words and 'a man cannot be in more than one place at the same time' to prove that he cannot commit crime are false and malicious attempts confuse the judiciary and the public.

They can fool most people most of the time but they can't fool all people all the time.

 

05/01/2019

MINIMUM WAGE

Minimum wage is not an antidote but a disease to economic illness. You must know that not every American is well off and has plenty of money to spend. As for the situation today the Chinese has more money to spend than the inhabitants of the United States. Unemployment is rampant and crime rates are high. There is a minimum wage rule in the United States. American firms prefer to manufacture their goods outside the country where the labour cost is cheap. Jobs in USA moves to China.

Small businesses in USA prefer foreigners who are willing to accept much lower wages. Border states have Mexicans to work in farms and other jobs.

In Asian region there are countries where labour is still cheap. But Malaysia is upgrading itself in the increasing the minimum wage. MTUC pushed for it. The workers politically threatened the government. When it is put into law than it has put a big burden in many businesses. In some goods the sale are slow. The profit is low. Factories may not be able to cope the sale with the increasing salaries. As a result the factories either have to close down or move away to countries where the labour cost is low.

Lower income does not mean the people would be worst off. The lower food prices and other products would stabilize the economic condition.

Wages must be correlated to national income and I believe it should float to follow the economy of a country.

I don't mind if my pension goes down by 50% if the goods and commodities, services and all other products go down by 60%. It sounds absurd and impossible.

03/01/2019

THE COMPLAINANTS

I have passed several situations where people would elect the complainants to lead the office they complained about. And these people came out to be much worst than the people they complained before. What I had experienced in my institution before was enough to make me ignore this kind of people. They turned out to be very dishonest, corrupt and ruined the whole organization under their care.

I would not give these people any leeway and a chance to run any organization. The errors are bound to happen and so far they were beyond repair and the damage done was very costly. In my school the same teacher who had ruin our co-operative would complaint about teaching stupid boys. Once he came to ask me to see how stupid the students were.

He failed to know my believe and stance that NO STUDENT IS STUPID. At that time my Mathematic and Science teachers were all non-graduates. They were complaining about stupid student all the time, in the school canteen and in the staff room.

Later I get a few graduates in Sciences and Mathematics. I told my teachers that the poor students were like the sick people who went to hospitals for medication. What if the doctors were to scold or send them back, and only prefer the more healthy patients ?

The new teachers were non-complainants. They understood my message and worked hard to run human the processing from the poor to the better. At the end of year their results rose unbelievable high, a quantum lead that never regressed again.

People who talked a lot in meetings and political gatherings, in my view, are only good at talking but never good in doing things. If they are in my own organization I would not risk in trusting them or giving them any post. This is my belief about the complainants and about those who have been delivering fiery speeches.

Progress happens. It is not by those who complaints who constantly complaint every procedure was wrong. All others were wrong. They are the only right people in this world. But they themselves did nothing substantively.  .

Productive people have no time to complaint about because they have too little time to chase their targets.

After my retirement there were schools that asked me to install the biometric attendant system application. To a certain degree I would say it was a good software.  I fixed and taught them how to use the system. The moment I heard complaints that the system was bad, I quickly deleted and uninstalled it. I paid back the money and walked away. I would tell them to get the better one somewhere else. It was a tit for a tat. You call me a bad guy. But I just don't entertain the complainants.

You notice they will complaint all the time; they complaint of the rain and shine, of too much or too little of everything, too slow or too fast. Even when they are about to die they are not happy with the world.

 

03/01/2019

TMJ

People tend to think that they are the greatest and the smartest not merely with their academic and professional qualifications but also if they are rich, powerful and good English speakers. Statements after statements made by TMJ show that he does fall under one or several of the named categories.

The lowly and stupid people like me have been asking questions where do the Sultans and Kings get their wealth from ? Where did they come from and what made them claimed the land belonged to them ? From the great great grand father ? from the British ? Even the natives of the country did not have the ownership of the land where they have been practicing the shifting cultivations before the Malays and these people who claimed to be Kings came in.

The simple thing is the pen and the sword that laid down the claim. The thoughtful Mao Tze Tung said that the power lies in the barrel of the gun. The English says The Pen is Mightier than the Sword. They put it into law. The men with money buy the ownership with their wealth taking over the rightful and the truthful ownership of the nation's wealth.

People with money, power and titles tend to be braggarts and boast as if the other listeners are stupid and uneducated.

It was the Sultan of Johore who commented that '...the Malays wants independent when they can't even made a pin.." when there was a march for independence. It was the former Sultan of Johore who whacked his caddies to death by the golf stick.

The truth is always painful but it is the ultimate truth, no amount of words of man made law could squash the fake stuffs of divine truth. You make law to deprive and to arrest and to persecute those who say out the truth of the Kings.

There is always a limit to everything in this world, even the sky. The Johoreans might bow and praise their Kings to the sky, the Kedahkians might hate and curse TMJ to the despicable level. The show of disrespect are not without reasons and are not coming from Kedah only. You need to read some of the past remarks from the public in the social media how the Kings fared. People asked what made Kukup belongs to the King and what Godly right has they over all the land . People asked the effectiveness of Malaysian soccer under TMJ. People talked about his involvement in the GE14 against PH. People talked about the right of the King to kill another man. They were from all over the country.

We learned about the Kings of the world; their demise, their life and their downfall. We come to one conclusion that God gives and God can take.

While some kissed the hands of the dignitaries, there are millions who urinated at their pictures. So goes with the bad and totalitarian leaders. And people of similar nature and status. Nobody believes in the divine power of rulers anymore, to fear them as if they were powerful sorcerers.

Let me remind us about the show of power when Tun M was about to be elected as a Prime Minister. He was made to wait for hours by the King. The public saw this as a pure insult. They talked among themselves though nobody made a tumult out of it. But only recently the secret picture of the Russian wife of the King went viral showing her braless chest. By itself the respect and the dignity of the King dwindled. Many think it is the comeuppance, the karma, the paying back time. What was done to Tun M has been redeemed at below the lowest price.

TMJ mst have been proud of the Forest City. And he wouldn't care about the plight of his own race and the people of his state were swearing and cursing for being made to suffer by the foreigners. Didn't he see the meaning of GE14 at all ?

Lke Najib, TMJ does not realize millions do not find him a good and wise man. He should join politics and makes his party win the whole country.

We wll wait to see. Will he be humiliated ?

The era of a King as a Caliph, the Shadow of God is over. He is there by a mere tradition, the symbol of unity. The King is the king of all, not merely of a particular race or political party. He shows no favour to any specific political group. That is his role. And most of all a King is not to make enemy with the rakyat.

No King can do what he likes as he wishes. He cannot commit murder, takes people's wife and land and properties. If it is wrong for an ordinary man to commit a crime, it is also wrong for anybody else to do the same. It goes to a Prime Minister as well.

The show of ultimate power of throwing people in the dungeon is a sign of the end of the Kingships. People will revolt in any way they can to oust the remains of monarchy . And such instability can lead to civil war and the lost of lives as what is happening in Syria.

It is not wise for TMJ to spew unnecessary words anymore.

02/01/2019

WOMAN

I am old and ugly. But it does not people don't care about me leading solitary life. They, not only playfully asked me to look for one but they also tried to introduce one to be my spouse. My heart closes totally. I live peacefully alone since the death of my wife. Those are the people who want a company, a partner to share.

My wife was sick for more than ten years and seriously bed ridden for about 60 months. I took her out for a company and a companion that narrated a lot of her memories. 2015 is considered very recent. She was not as beautiful as some ladies I came into contact with. But till her death we departed. The pious says that her soul is always asking me to marry again.

Bachelors and spinsters prefer to stay that way because they have been jilted before. The fear of being jilted by women is deep in my heart especially when women are beautiful and popular. What if I am kicked and ignored now or later ?

Let me tell you of a true story about a friend who married a beautiful wife. The wife was a temperamental lady. Then he went away from home. She put it in newspapers. There was no response. Years later she found another man and married man. She bore children with the first husband, the second and later the third as the second one passed away. AS for the first husband, my friend, the fate is not known till today.

I still met her once in a blue moon but I did not utter anything on her private life.

I also saw a flirting housewife, known by her own daughters. One of the daughters bore a son out of wedlock despite lots of tales of the baby boy. I blamed her for what had happen to the family.

A woman can promise you anything today and changes her mind the next morning. She can make love to you profusely and pretend that she has never met you before.

But many women are always looking for choices. They want the best. I know I am the last and the worst. I could trace them by their words they uttered but they always forget the words spewed.

A friend told me not expect a perfect woman. There must always a give and take, and accompanied by compromises.

Even that does not enter my mind. I first would go for a woman who promises me of her love and commitment.

02/01/2019

I CAN'T STAND CIGARETTES

Two hours in a car that smells smokes of cigarette will make me sick for two weeks. I am not condemning the smokers but am blaming myself for having a weak body. I would suffer from coughing and even fever. sleepless nights for a long number of days. I can' help but to have minimum social interactions with friends who are heavy smokers.

Most smokers do not respect other people, letting the smokes to travel into other people's lungs. They just don't bother about the freedom of non-smokers to breath the fresh air. If they want to die, go ahead by all mean.

I remember of an instant a non-smoking bus driver stopped the bus because he smelt someone was smoking secretly, and shouted and threatened to kick the smoker out of the bus. He stopped the bus for about 15 minutes and resumed the journey later. That was enough for the warning. In Korea a smoker in a hotel would be fined severely without pity nor forgiveness. The Koreans said that they learned from Singapore.

There  are smoking places at where smoking is illegal. Hotels, restaurants and other public places must also provide a special room for these addicts.

It was interesting to hear about a few individuals wanted to sue the government on smoking ban. And it was more hilarious to hear that the give the leeway. What sort of specimens do we have in our country ? No wonder we are moving backwards each day regardless of the type of government we inherit.

They say cigarette creates job. It is a paradise for a tobacco planter. And all sort of arguments to defend drugs and cigars. It is a sad thing to happen to human being. We allow the inconsiderate and the filthy people to kill the innocents.

 

02/01/2019

WHAT A RELIEF

All the vital commitments have been settled; the payment to the gate painter, the road tax for two cars and the land  rate for two houses. Though I don't have any money left, I feel very relief. I don't owe anyone any money. Never mind about being poor and shabby looking old man. I don't mind having any woman rejects me for my lowly condition as long as I live with a peaceful mind.

Out of curiosity I rushed to the ASB office. It was opened. There were only a few people because ASB's transaction is halted today owing to the new year holiday in Selangor. But I could find out the amount in my account. It rounded up my last balance.

It would have been wiser for me to be prudent in my spending for this month until January, the 20th, the day when I will receive my next pension. Prudent spending does not mean I must starve myself.

I know of people who borrows but behind hand, trying not to pay as they can do it. They borrowed a few hundred thousands from bank and never paid. They borrowed from Ah Long till the later splashed paints on their homes. I lent a few thousand to this kind of man but with still a hope that he would the loan in a few years time. I noticed that they lead a dreaded lives, fearing many things, of their kids being kidnapped, of themselves being harmed. They are running away from the people they borrow.

As I have repeatedly said that God will not bless them, and without Barakah they will never be happy and satisfied until their old age. As the Hindus say Karma will work for them.

To clear myself from the burden of borrowing, I don't borrow. I pay cash for the vehicles or any household equipments. If I don't have money, I won't buy them. Motorcycles are cheaper than cars. Bicycles are cheaper than motorcycles.

It takes discipline and sacrifice to have a mind free of unnecessary fear and worry.

 

01/01/2019

AUTEL EVO OVER MAVIC PRO

I started the hoby with Mavic Pro. My frustration began when all my three batteries went swollen. The vendors told me to throw them away and get the new ones. They are not cheap. Before this I found all the China's products I bought online were not reliable, sub-standard and fake. My distrust on products from China began to heightened.

I was looking for new drones from the West either Germany or USA.

Coincidently, in November, while trying to capture my friend's house, Mavic Pro came to sudden stop at about 70 feet and dropped. It broke into pieces. I told the seller about the incidence because the warranty has not expired. The drone was purchased in January. But the shop refused to take any responsibility.

 

I even suspect a sabotage in the updated firmware coding to cause malfunction at a random date. People have been cheated by the Chinese before. Even the Malaysian Chinese are having similar sentiment over China's products.

On browsing the webpage I came across Autel Evo by chance and wrote to the US company making inquiry about their agent in Malaysia. The company gave a long reply on various issues regarding their plan in this region. I request a friend of mine to make an order of the aircraft as I do not have any credit card. Within three days the order arrive from Amazon.

There was nobody who could guide me on the drone. So I took my time to study and to handle it. I slowly learn to push in and pull out parts, SD-card, the Gimbal cover, and the propellers. I repeated the procedures several times. I studied the RC and how to connect to the cables. Also repeated it several times. Only days later I tried the electrical parts, switching on the battery attached to the drone and the RC switch. It took me some guts to push the two command sticks down, to start the propellers.

I dared not push the lift off button yet. I had to find a wide area to do it for fear autel might not move vertically up but would fly 45%upward-side direction as I had experienced with my Mavic before. I took it to the free and wide space area near the museum and tested the lift off. It worked fine. Then I took it home. There was no flying nor the recording of scene.

In the meantime I was studying the camera setting, about the aperture, the white balance, the shutter speed and everything else. I did not whether to put to the manual or an auto mode. And when I put to a Manual and tried to select a parameter like the ISO of 100, it would not lock. It slide up and down in erratic manner. I wrote to the support department. I did not understand the explanation. But I was determine to explorer very patiently every aspect of it.

Even before I understood how to mange the ISO, white balance and the shutter I decided to fly and test the return home property. Will the drone return home to the place where it takes off or not. This is very essential procedure because as we fly the aircraft higher and farther we won't be able to see the drone anymore. Usually at the point of panic, we will be pressing the home button. The system has to work or else you will be losing your drone. Therefore the test must be done.

I took for the test without bothering to the camera. I later learned that the easiest is to put to the Auto mode. And I made changes to the other properties using the RC controller, not through the cell-phone. And only two days ago I discovered the Android OIppo7 would not lock my choice of an item parameter. The iPhone 6 does not have any such issue.

The above pictures were all on the experimental basis especially on the changing of colours. They were from video clips.

Maneuvering wise autel evo is much better than Mavic Pro. I tested the forward and backward obstacle avoidance. They worked perfectly find.

Though I later learned that even Autel-Evo is Chinese that opened up a business in the United States, my confidence is never fade. They have to meet the American standard and quality. I know I do not buy a fake clone from an Asian market, or from a vendor in Malaysia who at any event will try their best to squeeze as much as they can from you.

01/01/2019

 

PH AFTER TUN DR. MAHATHIR

It has been a long time that I did not make any prediction on matters that might affect all of us whether we will have the bright and a clear day or a dark and cloudy days. Seeing the blunders and turbulence in PH as the momentum of power struggle is taking place I can't help but to express my sight of the future political haphazard.

If Tun were to think on the same line as me, I would say that giving up a Premiership is not a big deal. At this age I have no desire for power anymore. After the winning Tun has done what he always wanted to do after the second coming back; to take Anwar out of incarceration, to destroy the corrupt regime and Najib and Rosmah duo. He wanted to strengthen to BERSATU  party. Those he did and he is ever willing to step down.

When Tun Dr Mahathir disappeared from the limelight, Anwar will take over. The forever dissatisfied lots will start to see Anwar's Empire is on the rise. He has a wife and a daughter with him. He has Rafizi as his big general. He will sack people in the Cabinet and a few Ministers purported to fulfil the wishes of the people. PH will crack. The coalition members will realize that PH will not dominate in the GE15 anymore. 

Tun never hid the fact that PKR and DAP regarded him as enemies. At least DAP gave Tun some leeway but not Rafizi and Anwar who even planned to oust the current Prime Minister. PKR has always been thinking that the party is the choice of the people that made PH won the last election.

Anwar wants to show he is the hero of the Malays. Tun on the other hand blame the Malays for the failure of economic success for the race is the laziest people who want free stuffs without putting much efforts into them. I see the Malays as lazy, stupid, short sighted and are too pampered. The Malays even in BERSATU still are craving for post and money from the government. Who among them are willing to work free for the sake of nation building ? The Chinese is building up their communities using their own efforts and financial sacrifices.

2020 will be a year of political and racial turbulence under PKR Anwar Ibrahim. Please mark my words. This is not a prophesy but a prediction, base on the observable human behaviours. I see Rafizi is the main key destroyer of PH party. This time PKR has no more issue to fight and campaign but has only to defend itself on it's actions in managing the PH and the government.

It is highly probable that by 2021 PH will disintegrate and by the next GE15 PH will remain as ashes.

01/01/2019

WELCOME 2019

Hi everybody !!!

There is nothing to celebrate as we stepping into a new Gregorian year. I am getting older and weaker and getting rotten and useless. People don't celebrate when they are about to die or to hang themselves.

2019 is in fact the year of a new drone for me, a trusted imported bird from USA, where I could enjoy to fly and dream of spectacular beauty of nature to capture, and imprisoned them in the brainless minute gadget called storage. Everyday, as I move about I see the environments as the frames of scenes. Are they beautiful enough to be captured ?

You don't fly a drone merely to press the buttons and to play with joysticks and love to see it ascend and descend but on many occasion there are feelings within yourselves to conquer something.  There were people flying their drones high up above the cloud and trying to stretch the distance which they knew there were great risks involved. Their drones could fly away, fell into the sea and the battery went dead before they could cry "God..." for help.

I flew to the city centre  from my home, about 4 miles away, and my heart beat so fast when the battery almost came to an end. I flew over a hill that I thought I could never have done. It was the quest to conquer, to see the unknown and to take a risk.

I have a new colour for my gate. It was just completed today 31st December 2018. I didn't plan it for the new year at all. It just came suddenly over me. It was expensive for the small structure but I had it done. The colour choice was made by a friend living one hour away from home. It is an event for the new year 2019.

I don't want to forecast whatever else will happen in the coming future. There are always a lot of uncertainties that can be good or bad, happy or sad. I don't even dare to predict. I remember Dorros Day singing "WHAT WILL BE WILL BE".

Like everybody else let us hope for the best in year 2019

01/01/2019