The internet, the tabloids and the evertrusting readers

It is very annoying to read some views of hardcore believers in internet news and also from tabloids... these people simply refuse reading from the mainstream and believed that everything was fake and choreographed and beautifully staged.

I have no qualms about these tabloids or news from the internet but a wise person would have wanted to read from both sides and analyze or just bear them in mind. News from friends should not be a wise choice of news resources... read carefully in both tabloids and the mainstream and think wisely before saying anything... Face the fact that not everything will be perfect and no government is perfect... and that remains. We are not going to be like our neighbours...

WONDERFUL PEOPLE OF IJN

Ah... it's that familiar smell of IJN again... says my wife. Yeah... another family trip to IJN. This time being admitted for another Angiogram and Graft Study. I guess this is my 4th time spending beautiful nights in IJN since my bypass ops in 2003. I have had both my best and also worst experiences here in IJN within the period of 7 years. I always refer going to IJN as 'Balik Kampung' because I was reborn there in 2003 after my bypass ops.

Thank god the Malaysian government built IJN... if I were to do my bypass in University Malaya hospital, it would have been too late. The que was too long... Thanks to Tan Sri Dr. Yahaya Awang and his team, especially Mr. Alwi (they call Mr. for surgeons) for saving my life. My thanks also to Dr. Chong and Prof. Dr. Wan Azman of University Malaya Hospital whom have diagnosed my heart problem and recommended my case to IJN.

I always salute the IJN management and their hardworking surgeons, cardiologists, anaesthetists, dieticians, pharmacists, physiologists, nurses, assistants, attendants, technicians, radiologists, clerks, chefs, cooks and everybody else in IJN. They always gave me the best service and seemed very sincere to serve the patients eventhough we are ordinary people.

The room rates are ok considering the facilities. I had to opt for a standard single room and pay on my own because of my past experiences. My kids just love to hang up (lepak) in my room while helping me finish up my hospital meals while I eat the homecooked meals instead... hehehe... a very wise swap. Arif my youngest son loves to run and jump around to keep me entertained... that's why I need a single room.

Thanks to Cardiologists and Cardio Consultants Dato' Dr. Amin Arif and Dr. Azmee and their team for my angiogram. It was a smooth one. I was the 54th patient that day and they had to attend 89 patients altogether. Just imagine how hard they work... Thanks also to DBP for everwillingly settled my treatment bills.

The room service is always excellent. This time I only spent 2 wonderful nights.

Special dedication to the lovely couple Farez & Gja

Another expansion of the Nik's clan, this time somebody related with the Tengku's of Thailand. Nik Mohd Farez, my nephew marries Nik Husliza who's mother is a Tengku from Thailand. She also uses the surname Nik because her mother is of Royal Blood (Tengku) and her father does not use any title or special surname. After all it actually does not matter... the interesting part is that we have some ties in Thailand.

Another short video from me, done within a day for the wedding dinner held the very next day. I think the background music sounds familiar with our newly bonded Thai relatives.

Congratulations to Farez and Gja and also to their parents Nik Adnan(my brother) and Nik Azizah.

Puisi 'Dialog mimpi ngeri...'

....sudah due encik... hello, sudah due encik....
ok ok ok... early next week saya settle... saya outstation...
tq...

Encik dah masuk 3 bulan...
Ok esok saya masuk 1 bulan...
ok encik, cepat sikit ya takut sampai legal department...

Bro gua setakat ni saja boleh bayar bro...
oklah, kawan-kawan punya pasal kira ada rezeki jugaklah....
thanks bro...
ye lah...
tapi aku nak kau jugak buat macam kau buat ari tu untuk abang tu... orait tu bro....
ah ye lah, bagi je lah....

talian anda telah dipotong sila.............

alhamdulillah... setakat nilah rezeki hari ni....

JEJAK SENI HATTA AZAD KHAN: DALAM KETAWA ADA MAKNA

Prof. Dr. Hatta Azad Khan bersama penulis

Prof. Hatta, pemenang anugerah SEA Write 2008 oleh Raja Thai.

Mungkin anda pernah menonton siri televisyen 'Pi Mai Pi Mai Tang Tu' yang popular dengan watak 'Mat Derih', 'Abon', 'Pak Uda', 'Pak Busu', 'Budin' dan 'Wan Ismail Golok'. Sebenarnya ini adalah watak-watak ciptaan Prof. Dr. Hatta Azad Khan, dalam karya dramanya.

Bermula dengan keberanian gandingan beliau dengan Othman Hafsham, pengarah yang popular dengan filem 'Mekanik' dan 'Adik Manja', beliau merupakan antara karyawan yang mula mempopularkan trend drama televisyen komedi berbentuk 'Sitcom'. Drama 'sitcom' pertama terbitan beliau dan Hafsham ialah 'Syy...', iaitu sebelum beliau melangkah lebih jauh dengan menerbitkan 'Pi Mai Pi Mai Tang Tu'.

Anak kelahiran daerah Besut Terengganu ini mempunyai sentuhan yang tersendiri dalam mengangkat seni teater ke televisyen dan seterusnya mempopularkan teater dalam kalangan masyarakat Malaysia. Beliau pernah menerajui Istana Budaya setelah menubuhkan Fakulti Seni Persembahan di Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) dan kini menjadi Dekan Fakulti Teknologi Kreatif dan Seni (FACT) di Universiti Teknologi MARA.

Antara filem yang telah mengangkat nama beliau ialah 'Wayang' dan 'Mat Som'. Antara skrip drama yang pernah beliau hasilkan ialah 'Mayat', 'Jebat' dan 'Kerusi'. Drama-drama ini menjadi pilihan golongan generasi muda untuk dipentaskan kerana ada kelainan pada sentuhan beliau dan isunya dapat diselami oleh generasi ini.

Bekas pelajar Sekolah Tunku Abdul Rahman, Ipoh yang pada asalnya terdidik dalam bidang sains tulen ini lebih selesa berkarya dalam bidang seni kreatif dan ternyata bintang beliau menyerlah dengan penerimaan anugerah 'SEA Write' 2008 kurniaan Raja Thai, iaitu antara anugerah penulisan berprestij di Asia.

Bagi memberi peluang masyarakat mengenali beliau dengan lebih dekat, Pusat Dokumentasi Melayu dengan Bahagian Penerbitan Sastera, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka akan menganjurkan acara Astaka Minda yang berjudul JEJAK SENI HATTA AZAD KHAN: DALAM KETAWA ADA MAKNA pada 16 November 2009, bermula jam 9.00 pagi. Sebagai pemanas acara, satu tayangan filem bertajuk 3 BUDAK MELAYU terbitan UITM akan diadakan sebelum acara Astaka Minda.

Pembicara kita pada kali ini ialah Sdr. Othman Hafsham (Cinematic sdn. Bhd.) yang sememangnya amat mengenali karya dan juga peribadi Hatta. Acara ini bakal dipengerusikan oleh Sdr. Rohani Yousoff, seorang lagi penggiat dan juga tenaga pengajar bidang teater yang terkenal dari Akademi Seni Budaya dan Warisan Kebangsaan (ASWARA).

Kepada yang berminat, silalah hadir ke Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka pada 16 November ini. Penyeertaan adalah percuma dan terbuka kepada umum. Untuk maklumat lanjut, sila hubungi saya Nik Aman Nik Yusoff (03-21481045 atau e-mel aman@dbp.gov.my) atau Sdr. Hiezam Hashim (03-21483540 atau e-mel izammh@dbp.gov.my). Kehadiran anda semua tentunya akan memeriahkan lagi acara ini.

Semoga kita berjumpa lagi.

Life is...

Enjoying Nasi Dagang and Roti Bakar at Hai Peng Kopitiam with my fellow office mates

It has been 4 months since my last post. Too busy to write and actually not in the mood to share anything at all. Life was a bit down for the past few months and so far I could not do anything to make it better, rather than pray to the Almighty. Sometimes it is good to be reminded by Allah that there is always the greatest one that controls everything. Luck is not always on our side. Just bear in mind that everybody has their own problems to solve, so don't add another to theirs with yours.

Sometimes I wonder if I could just ignore whatever problems that comes and just let them come and hit me right on my nose and just let it be. There are things that I could control but there are so many other things that I have to let them be. Better not pretend to be a macho man and say that everything is under control. From having problems we learn to know about our true selves. Never give up but take things as it comes because life is about survival and sacrifice. The saddest thing is when I look at my children and wonder what will happen to them if I fail to survive.

I still believe that there will always be some tiny light in the end of my journey and everything will be OK someday. I like challenges but this time around it has been quite on the high side. May Allah help me make it through.

Just got home from Kuching after a dreadful week of work from morning till night, but I just love the experience, especially when everything works beautifully in the end. Actually, having challenges at work is rather fun than having challenges in life because there is always an alternative to just quit my job, but I may never quit my own life.

Umrah Video

a video trailer of our Umrah

This video trailer is just a preview of part of our Umrah. In fact I have filmed quite a lot of footages while I had the chance to do it. The full version might be ready in a few weeks time only on DVD. Too large for the blog.

When you are armed with a videocamera in Makkah and Madinah you have to be extra carefull to avoid encounters with the authorities. A phone camera or a small digital camera might not be a real threat to them, but it is different when you are filming it like a pro. These people sure know the differences.

I couldn't get much footages in Masjidil Haram nor Masjid Nabawi because guards were almost everywhere. In fact I was lucky when I had the chance to shoot the Ka'abah from the roof top of Masjidil Haram. The next day onwards access doors to the roof top were closed.

I hope this simple video would bring some real knowledge on what Umrah is all about to my family and friends. It is a very small contribution from me and amoiglam.