Majlis Perjumpaan Maahad Muar OB/OG 2009- A lesson to learn

Kenapa Maahad Muar? Bukan takde kena-mengena ke?
Heheh..well, I was a Sharodzian & SMAPKian, but my husband was a Maahadian (mls nak tulis pjg2) before he became a SMAPKian.It happened that my sister-in-law and her husband were also former students of this school.


So, last weekend all of us + the kids went to this event held at the school. I have been here once before, on a debate competition.


Not many people came, because there was another gathering by one batch of ex-students yesterday. However, what I noticed was that those yang dulu nakal-nakal are now heading the committee. In spite of carrying a title of 'bekas pelajar sekolah agama', they were all gila-gila, and the meeting was alive, but they still buat this one tradition (xtau namanya) they usually do in Maahad.
And without them knowing, I quietly sit at the back of the hall, jotting down a few things & ideas brought forward by the committee & members of the floor.


Last week or so, Cikgu Shimah, my teacher in SMAPK asked me to revive our alumni. There are so many things I would like to contribute to the school, but it happened that after the initial meetings, nearly all of the committee members went overseas to further their studies. And next year, who knows I would not be here to help them?


I think it is time to let the energetic youngsters to take over. We have been wasting a lot of time doing nothing while we are actually capable of helping not only our brothers and sisters in school- the alumni should also look after the kebajikan (tak terlintas pulak english wordnya) of the teachers. And I believe, each batch has their own strong connection - they must be meeting elsewhere, informally - well, at least through facebook.


I guess one good time to do a gathering, informal pun takpe, (potluck pun ok ape-kita datang bukan utk mkn), is during the university students' semester break after the final exams which is around the corner -definitely after SPM (around 16/12-20/12 ke). Yang penting, we get to know new friends and meet our old friends & teachers AND serah kuasa kepada yang muda.


As for the database I keep from the first meeting, it is still with me. Softcopy I am not sure where, tapi hardcopy ada lagi.


So SMAPKians, WHAT SAY YOU??


Oh ya, kawan2ku of Sharodz, this idea applies to all of us too. Selalu lalu kat tepi bukit dok tgk jela ke atas. Rindu pulak nak menjenguk masuk!


p/s We were served with nasi lemak before meeting and nasi beriyani after the meeting. Semua termasuk kuih-muihnya sangat sedap. Taukehnya warden Maahad sekarang and dia cerita nasi beriyani & kuih2 nya dapat tempahan dari Sultan Johor!

Prof Shutto and the gang at my house!

The most awaited day finally arrived.
Last Saturday, I received a visit by my supervisor when I was in QBS, Prof. Shutto to my parents house in Melaka. He came with 2 of my seniors from the same course, Nagano-san and Kashiwagi-san. They have been planning for this trip since a month ago.

I booked them straits view rooms at Holiday Inn Melaka and reserved a car with driver from my uncle's. It happened that my aunt who was the driver that day, but we didn't tell our guests about that because we wanted to keep it professional :p

They departed at 10am from Ritz Carlton KL to Melaka, as planned, and arrived at about 11:45am. My aunt brought them to a curry house for lunch and searched for stalls selling durians (upon their request) but could not find one. I went there at about 2pm and we quickly went on a short course around Banda Hilir.

Firstly, we went on a riverboat cruise along Sungai Melaka. Basically I would recommend a night cruise because it would be hot during the day, plus you won't be able to watch the beautiful illuminations only available at night. Anyway, kudos to the guide, Mr Bernard whose explanation on the historical buildings was very comprehensive and interesting.

Then we went to a nearby spa, which I recommended them to try fish spa. First time, so they were quite excited. Yang kelakarnya, the spa is surrounded by glass walls so people outside the spa can see us with our kaki dikerumuni oleh ikan-ikan tu..heheh.

Later we took a beca ride to A Famosa. Kesian pakcik yang kayuh beca Prof & Kashiwagi-san, dahle inclined road, pakcik tu tak larat terus turun and tolak beca tu.

After A Famosa, we went to the Independence Memorial Building. I told Prof that there was a painting that really touched my heart: people in UMNO general meeting giving away whatever they have-money, jewelleries they wear and put it on a big white cloth tied to the piles of the building- to support Tunku Abd Rahman expenses to London in his quest for the country's independence. We went in and searched for the painting while learning about other things/events leading to 31/8/1957. I was surprised to learn that these guys do not know about the duit daun pisang (or the Japanese notes in Malaya during occupation). Prof also revealed that he was in Indonesia, as an expatriate in 1970s and know very much about Soeharto and Sukarno.

5.30pm, I brought them to Pasar ramadan Telok Mas. Thought of Pasar Ramadan Taman Cempaka, but I am afraid if any one would get lost in the midst of the crowd, it would be hard to find them. It was quite an experience to them..Yang kelakarnya, everybody noticed that they are foreigners. Twice they got free kuih just by watching it being prepared..heheh. I met my class teacher, Puan Hamidah - which was a big surprise because we both are working in UKM but never stumble upon each other.

Nearly 7, we reached home. Finally Prof got to see Nani, but she didn't remember him! Then we buka puasa together with chicken rice (mak buat), some kuihs and fruits like durian, duku and langsat. I hope they enjoyed the meal.

Later, at about 9, we went to Tesco. It was quite crowded. Seemed like a new experience for them because shops in Japan close after dark. Did some shopping, we went to Secret Recipe for coffee. Prof ordered a durian cheese cake-not for him but for the other two to 'taste' for him because he was already full!.

At about 10, we sent them to the hotel and headed home.

Next day, we went to Holiday Inn again to say goodbye and pass some souvenirs for them. Prof promised me invitations to AdAsia09 (http://www.adasia09.com/) -yess!!

Hopefully I would be able to visit them in Tokyo this December on a project with UKM students.

And I hope they would come to Malaysia again some time.

Ramadhan - my favorite month

It's Ramadhan again! I was a little anxious about how the fasting month in Malaysia would be after 3 years experiencing it in Japan. Would it be hot? Would I be eating more than I should?

The 4th day now, and alhamdulillah, the weather is not too hot, rainy at night, breezy during the day. I had a terrible sorethroat since the last few days so I didn't (couldn't!) eat much.

The first day was in Melaka, had an all-red (chilli-based) break-fast. Appetite was happy but the throat suffer. Second day, we break-fast in Muar and again..all hot and spicy. A painful headache started to develop on this day and it is a good sign, my body is fighting the toxic accumulations and perhaps trying to get rid of them.

Today I feel lighter and happier- no more headaches, relieved sorethroats..

Some quran readings at work also make things work out.

By the end of the month, I expect a healthier me (physically and spiritually) with a reduction of 2-3kgs of body weight.

To go or not to go..

An e-mail came from Japan yesterday saying,


"Dear md yusof shazlinda,
I will take you, md yusof shazlinda, as a Ph.D. candidate of Graduate School of Technology Management, XXXX University starting in the spring semester of 2010 with a condition that you will take the entrance examination held on Feb. 13, 2010 in Japan."


I am half-way through my PhD application!
It is unlikely that I would not pass the entrance exams if the prof has already agreed to accept me to be my supervisor -- well, that is what he said..


But, the question is, am I prepared to do a longer journey than my MBA away from my family-again?


Lubang sudah dikorek, nak masuk atau tidak aje...


Oh well, Istikharah is always the best way to solve. But for now, I do not have another choice yet to do that!


Time will tell, and for the time being, I want to enjoy a Japanese lunch today with Prof Miki Toshio from Sapporo Gakuin Univ who is in UKM on a sabbatical leave.


Nak pegi kemas-kemas kereta sikit...

Missing Japan...

My husband brought back a Toyota Wish from Japan last year. It happened that my workplace is outside Nilai, so he let me drive his car everyday except Fridays. The car is so comfortable for the driver and the passengers, but the radio can only catch frequencies of 90MHz and below. Meaning, I can only listen to Muzik.fm, radio IKIM, and some minor stations while driving.

Whenever the programme is boring, I would switch on the CD. I don't have a lot of CD collections so I would turn to the self-made J-pop collection CD I have always listened to in this particular car when I was in Japan.

Every time the songs are heard, I felt as if I was driving the roads of Kitahara towards either Furukawa or Naruko. The winding roads and crystal clear rivers of Naruko, the paddy fields along the way, the bakery we have always visited during the weekends...everything comes out at each and everyone of the song I heard.

I can never forget the sereneness of country living in Japan. I am always thankful to my chemistry lecturer when I was in Japanese Matriculation Center (JMC), Mr. Fukunaga, who insisted my to choose Kyushu Univ.(Fukuoka) over Waseda Univ (Tokyo). His reason was that my personality fits 'kampung' life. And he was correct!

Tourists may aim big cities like Tokyo or Osaka but for me they mean less compared to the breathtaking sceneries of the countryside.

And I am really missing them, I do.

Maid or No Maid

The only free-and-easy life I had was the 6 months after graduating my MBA; that was when I moved to Kitahara to join my husband and the 6 months after returning from Japan. Now, I have a permanent job with 2 businesses and soon I will also be a student again.

No matter how busy I am/was, I have never hired a maid. And I will not, if Allah permits.

However, the risks are

1) We have to eat out when I do not have time to cook.

2) My house looks like a .... urgghhh..can never mention..

3) We have to rush home to fetch the kids and consequently bring work home.

BUT.. I can never tolerate our privacy with a convenience of having a stay-in helper at home.

I am extra tired - like today, getting up at 2am and still awake at 6am with a 4-rounds of laundry, cleaning up the kitchen and ironing the clothes - (but still have time to update the blog!)

Later today I will have to go to Melaka, to attend the students and appointments with clients. Visiting my in-law who is admitted to the hospital in Batu Pahat is also something I have in mind of doing (just wish there is more than 24hrs in a day!)

Having heard of so many uncomfortable stories about maids these days, I am already a maid-phobia even before hiring one. So much so that I am willing to sacrifice my 9-5 job if I cannot take this load anymore!

Business is Jihad

I always admire 2 figures in Malaysian business circle; Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhari and Tan Sri Muhammad Ali Hashim. I've read a lot about TSSMAB but have never seen him speaking in media. He has always keep himself low (which I really like about him).

Tan Sri Muhammad Ali Hashim, on the other hand, is now actively giving talks - his first I saw on TV attracted so much of my attention I realized he is a person with an exceptional aura. And his words - business is jihad - is something I can't agree more.

Owning a business now, I am feeling and tasting the "business is all about a jihad to the community and not all about money" statement. Many people might think jihad is when you are in a field of war, but fighting to survive a business is a battle itself. A good business practice is when you give back to the community and this will only take place when you have well-founded principles.

I was a practising engineer so, I felt the need to practice what I gained from my MBA. Everyday is exciting because every step I would make in maneuvering this business will connect me to the related bits I have learnt from the classroom and my work experience. It is like なるほど。。all the time. Oh needless to say, life in Japan had taught me a lot about managing an ideal business in the eyes of the customers.

I definitely do not know what will happen in the future but I hope as long as this thing is running, I will try to do everything in my power to contribute by providing the best service at an affordable rate. It is an open innovation; I always ask my clients what I can do to help them. And as this business takes off, I will execute the thing I have in mind to return to the community, insya-Allah. Business is jihad, anyway.

More on business jihad, go to

http://www.businessjihad.com/