Bon Voyage Sektor Penilaian Kompetensi (SPK)

I was very nervous to go back to my office in JPA. I could feel my heart beating fast and I had goosebumps. After about a month and a half, I was invited for a bon voyage event. I think a part of me still cannot process that I have already moved out to a different ministry and left JPA behind. When I arrived, I hesitated to knock the door. I remember breathing in and out hard to put myself together to have the bravery to face the reality. 

Once I started to see everyone in the room, seeing the smiles and familiar faces, the nervousness and panic were gone. I was so happy to be there. I felt relieved and relaxed. I felt appreciated and supported.

The event was organised well. There was so much delicious food and drink; there were decorations and music, and everyone was there! I was touched and speechless with everyone’s effort to make the event happened. The event started with a prayer, then a speech from En. Matori and then speech from me. En. Matori gave a significant speech that brought tears to my eyes. During my speech,I think I was not able to truly deliver the speech in my right mind. I was too sad. My heart was filled with a wave of emotions that swept through my mind. I said what I said. I appreciated the time we worked together. We actually bonded closely and it felt so hard to accept the fact that I will need to move on with a different team, in a different environment.

To make a surprise, I brought presents for everyone. Instead of giving them similar presents, I decided to get 16 different presents as parting souvenirs and wrapped them individually. I numbered the presents and got my colleagues to draw the number. We had so much fun. I did this before when we had a workshop in Kuala Selangor. So, I prepared this activity just to recollect the moment and happiness we had before.

I truly treasure the time we had together. So I would like to say thak you again to everyone: En. Matori, Pn Marhaini, En. Fikrie, Pn. Siti, Norain, Haniff, Akmal, Haslindawati, Rosmiati, Suriati Haryati, Syafiq Aidil, Nik Rafiq, Amirah Najwa, Shareena, Azmatun and Noriyah. I would like to say thank you to everyone that I worked with who comes and goes in this particular sector.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

home for a short holiday

I went back to Kedah for a holiday and also to celebrate Eid (Aidil Adha).

I had a long weekend this time and my parents have moved to a new house located nearby Simpang Empat Kangkung, Kedah. This house is literally in the middle of paddy fields.

Being here definitely is something that I look forward to every time. Interestingly, even though I am not born to be a farmer, I love these surroundings. The view, the air, the birds, the wind and the scenery of Gunung Jerai were really breathtaking. My dad and my mom both are very happy with their decision to move there. We are also really happy with it.

It feels like there are more things to do: to plant, to fish and also to farm chickens. I enjoyed walking down the road every evening as well as riding the motorcycle around the village - what an amazing thing to do.

The Eid celebration was quite simple and easy this year. All of my siblings were home except for one of my brothers. You know what, sometime you just want to be there and to be around your family after a hectic time in the busyness of work and life in the city.

ps: have you tried talking to chicken or fish?

The time in Japan last year (September 2022)

It's almost a year since I am back from Japan. To be honest, I have so many memories of Japan but it is only now that I feel like I should put something here in my blog. As per usual, my only reason for not updating the blog is because of feeling lack of motivation in sharing the reflections. Reflections were still occurring, but for a while they were not here in this blog.

I went to Japan under the Management Training Programme for Junior Officers from 13 September 2023 to 1 October 2023. I went there with a group of officers selected to participate in the programme. It’s almost a year now since I am back. This writing is just a taste of what I want to write and I will definitely keep writing about it in the future.

Time is precious

I think we all know this and it’s definitely not  something new anymore. The Japanese still take this maxim really deep and hard. Time management is everything and turning up early is so important. If you should be there at 8:30 in the morning, 8:15 is already considered late! They will call you, text you and try to find where you are.

Vending machines are everywhere

The idea of vending machines in every corner might be new to us in Malaysia. But in Japan, I think they are everywhere. In parking lots, in the lobby, outside of a mall. I think they are almost in every corner. They are so well prepared and well equipped so that wherever you are, you can find drinks or food to eat. Knowing Japan's natural disasters, I can never blame them for being over prepared!

So humble!

I cried a little experiencing how humble Japanese people are. I never felt so touched before compared to this visit. It was so genuine and the culture of humility is evident in every Japanese person.

PS: I hope I will be back in Japan in the future. Too much to explore!

Visiting UK for the 10th time!

I am on the plane right now flying back to Kuala Lumpur after about 10 days spending time in some interesting places in the UK. I arrived on the 4th June 2022 and flew back on the 13th June 2022.

My main motive for this visit was to see Dr Kit as he just moved back to the UK after 2 and a 1/2 years in Mauritius and also to attend an event for a family friend. In addition, I also had some time to discuss and work on the longitudinal study with the University of Hertfordshire.

It was an absolutely amazing and memorable visit this time. I have been to a number of really interesting places in the UK, north of London this time. Here are some places that I can list:

1. Cambridge, Ely and meeting Dr. Claire

This is an amazing place to be! I just can’t stop thinking about how Cambridge just blew my mind. We stayed with Dr Rose Drury for 3 nights. We went around King's College, had an amazing tour in King College Chapel, wondering around the Cambridge City Centre and punting on the river. It was a brilliant moment for me to experience punting for the first time. Dr. Kit did all the punting while I mainly focussed on the rowing. I was a bit nervous to try the punting as there were too many eyes around the river.

One of the days, we also went to Ely. However Ely Cathedral was closed for a wedding ceremony. Not that we expected it but it was Pixie Lott's wedding! Not that we planned it but, we were suddenly in the middle of the crowd waiting for Pixie Lott and his husband in front of the Ely cathedral entrance. It was a magical moment for me.

A very special part of staying in Cambridge was meeting up with Dr. Claire. After several years of participating in a longitudinal study with her and other researchers that were mainly conducted online and by phone calls, I found it quite satisfying to be able to meet her in person and discuss a the research in a more detail fave to face. 

2. Derbyshire, Matlock

After a few days in Cambridge, we then travelled to Derbyshire and stayed for two nights with Ali (former UH lecturer)  and Simon in Matlock. They own such a huge house and beautiful garden. It was really well kept and beautiful scenery from the garden and the hills surrounded. I had such an interesting time learning about them as well as learning about a part of UK that I had not explored before.

One of the days, we went to the Heights of Abraham to spend our day there. The weather was not as sunny with a bit of drizzle every now and then. We went up to the hills via cable car and it was an amazing view - to see Derbyshire from the cable car. There were many activities available to do on the hills - we went to explore the lead mine - where we experienced the darkness and the hardship of mining lead a long time ago; we went to the Masson Pavilion Exhibition Hall - where we were able to learn and experience how clothes have changed over the centuries and we went for coffee at  the café as well. Right after that we went for a walk around Matlock and witnessed this interesting part of Derbyshire.

3. Yorkshire, Bedale and Thirsk

Dr. Kit and I continued driving to the north up in Yorkshire to see and stay with Sue Higgins and Ian Condron. I had never met them before but they were Dr. Kit's best friends from the past. They were hosting an event to celebrate their anniversary together. The main purpose was to be in that event and get to know them closely. I was so honoured to be invited and to be a part of that event. It was a lovely time and I really enjoyed the night!

4. Newcastle and Durham

During the stay in Yorkshire, we had a day to ourselves to drive up to Newcastle. I took the opportunity to reminisce about my time in Newcastle during my Masters degree. I met Dr. Farrah Khan for a bit of chat and then wandered around the Newcastle University area for photos and videos. I can't believe it that it has been 10 years since 2012 when I was there. What an incredible moment to remember and to be back there again!

We then stayed in a rural area in a barn house of Durham. It was located in the middle of the farming area and near the wind turbine. It was quiet and calm. The next day we woke up, we explored the car garages  in Durham to find the best car for Dr. Kit as he now back in UK for good for now. We even had some time to stop by the sea at Seaham. I found some glass pebbles on the beach and really had a wonderful time there.

This 10th time visiting UK was so magnificent. The experience was memorable, definitely rich and I met a lot of interesting people. The best thing was that I am more calm and at ease especially when making conversation with people there. I was not sure why. I have never had so much confidence inside but hopefully it shone differently on the outside.

PS: I never tire of exploring UK

Second visit to Mauritius: Awesome

I have just returned from my second trip to Mauritius and am now on my final day of 7 days of quarantine in my apartment in Malaysia. This second trip to Mauritius was amazing and I am so glad that I have achieved certain goals for this trip. The main goal is to visit Dr. Kit after about 2 years since he left Malaysia. I am so glad to see him healthy and enjoying his job in University of Technology Mauritius (UTM). 

Secondly, we managed to do an important discussion on work based on ARM and I am looking forward for the next meeting. I also had a chance to do an online discussion with Prof. Joy and Dr. Claire after so many years of communicating through emails. They seem fine and we are all definitely awaiting for the project to continue! Let's do it.

While I was in Mauritius, I have done some incredible things as follow:

• Flying and controlling the seaplane at La Prairie Beach - it was an incredible feeling ever!
• Quad biking in the cane fields - the rush and excitement that you feel inside your body while driving the bike.
• Viewing the incredible 7 coloured earth - peaceful in a lot of ways.
• Playing and having fun in Curious Corner - I had so much fun laughing and goofing around.
• Gazing The Martello Tower Museum - time for the history.
• Staying a night at La Case du Pecheur/Fisherman's House - beautiful, stunning photographic view and adventurous in some ways.
• Enjoying the view by the Pointe aux Caves Lighthouse in Albion.
• Celebrating Christmas with Dr Kit, Maureen, Aimee, Karina and Pieter.
• Swimming jovially at the beach.
• Visiting UTM and meeting some lovely people who work with Dr Kit.

I am so honoured to be able to do this visit even though we are still in the middle of the pandemic. I am glad that there are SOPs developed to help us all to be able to connect with one another. Most importantly, be nice, be generous and follow the procedure to make travel easy for you and easy for everyone else.

PS: Happy New Year 2022!

5 Tips I learnt from moving an office!

Last month, I was busy handling moving out of my office into a new building. The location of the new office was not far, only about 5km away. However, the work was very demanding. The old office was big, with about 1000 assets in the building (various types of assets, for example, cupboards, computers, tables and so on). The number of existing officers is only 14, but the department was a big department with about 100 officers previously.

We hired a removal company to assist the work of wrapping, carrying and installing the assets. The work took about 3 weeks to finish overall. Here are some reflections on what I have learnt from the experience:

1. Planning and preparation helps to smooth the process

Before the work started, we had several meetings and lots of preparation work needed to be done. For example, tabling out the quantity of the assets, measuring the lengths, labelling all the assets and the locations and so on. I think without proper planning, the work will be sluggish and we would not finish on time. 

2. Be open minded to adjust with any unforeseen circumstances

When the work started the movers came in and wrapped the assets and brought them to the new location. Many unpredicted events started to unfold. Many changes needed to be done and many decision needed  to be made fast and comprehensively. At this time, one needed to think quickly, get as much feedback as possible and then act fast. Be ready for plan B, C, D and so on if plan A does not work. Be ready to be creative and act differently.

3. Working together as a team

This is so crucial in order to achieve success. Working together as a team and helping each other is so important. We needed to understand that there will be some of us that need to think and work harder. So we made it easy for that person by helping him. It is so important to put aside selfishness and focus to finish the work. Everyone needs to play their part.

4. Communication is the key; miscommunication is the enemy

This is so important to remember. Check your facts. Never truly believe something that you heard from a third party. Always remember to check what been said so that there will be no miscommunications. Miscommunication can give bad consequences not only for present but also for later.

5. Stress and tiredness are temporary; there’s a rainbow after the storm

The work really made the whole team - and me - tired and stressed sometimes. It demanded physical work and also strategic thinking or else things will be a mess. No matter how demanding it was, always remember after the hard work, that everything will be back to normal and we can enjoy working in a new environment.

PS: Smiling is magic!

5 Tips to ADD FEAR OF MATHEMATICS to students that should be AVOIDED

Teaching and introducing mathematics to students is challenging and if approached wrongly, we might increase fear of mathematics. In general, mathematics is often considered difficult to understand and requires an understanding of mathematical concepts.

Here are 5 Tips to ADD FEAR OF MATHEMATICS to students that should be AVOIDED 

1. Teach completely verbally without any practical

Mathematics subjects, if only taught verbally, will definitely have bad consequences. That is why this subject needs practical explanation. If you want to understand the basic concepts of mathematics, you also need to see how to do it - the practical side of it. Simple example: When we learn to count 1 to 10, at least we use our fingers as tools to help us understand. 

2. Teaching once is enough

Is teaching the students once enough for them to understand maths? What do you think? If you show something once to your students, you may only let them be able to know but not understand the concept thoroughly resulting in them forgetting what they have learned. Teaching mathematics needs to be repeated with various forms of questions and methods. Just teaching something once to show them the way to solve mathematical problems is not enough. An important note to remember is that there are many ways of getting the answer to mathematical problems as long as you are creative!

3. Being strict and fierce with the students all the time; not chilling at all in the class

One thing to keep in mind when teaching mathematics is the relationship between teachers and students. The subject of mathematics is difficult already, so try to avoid adding to that difficulty by becoming too fierce. Please relax and chill a bit. Just because your students get it wrong, why does it make you angry and scold the students?

4. Giving many exercises

It is true that students need a lot of exercises to be proficient and remember what they have learned in mathematics. But giving too many exercises can become a burden to them that hinders them to even like the subject. You have given them some exercises that can be completed in class, so some relevant number of exercises to be brought home as homework should be enough. Sometimes, when the students cannot finish the homework given to them, they will be afraid of going to school the next day! - talking from personal experience.

5. Not allowing students to make noise and discuss in the class!

If students discuss with their friends how to solve maths questions during class, is it wrong? Is it noisy for you? Is it irritating? What if there are students who learn through discussing with friends? What if they talk to each other to solve the problem given to them? Remember, learning activities also occur when students socialise. Sometimes through discussions among themselves, understanding can be nurtured. So, you can encourage them to discuss and do group work as well.

PS: sometimes it's not about the subject but how you introduce it

Finally, I went back home!

Since 18 March 2020, when the Malaysia Government announced the Movement Control Order, I was in my apartment alone and had no chance to go back to my hometown and visit my family. Last week, from 28 June 2020 to 3 July 2020, I finally went home! It felt so much better to be home and I was able to see my mom and dad and all my siblings too. It was a really meaningful week for me.

Anyway, I am glad that everything has started to be more normal again. The pandemic seems to be under control now and hopefully together we will win the war. When I was at home, I had some time to share and listen to my family about their experience while being locked down. I also saw some new projects of planting vegetables by my brothers and sister. The house was painted with blue colour paint and I heard about their celebration of Eid, Hari Raya!

My parents and I also went to visit my uncle who lives in my dad's hometown in Tanah Seratus. We were able to witness the use of new technology - using a drone to spray the weeds on the paddy field. One of my cousins showed me how the drone works and I was totally amazed by it. Looking at how they developed the use of the drone on the paddy field made me excited and proud of them. We had some nice chats about the plan and the future of the drone in the work of planting the paddy field.

When I started my journey back to Petaling Jaya, Fawwaz and Fahiim, my nephews decided to join me. They were so excited to jump into the swimming pool at my place and had a great time as the end of their school holidays approaches.

Let's all stay positive and hopefully everything will go back to normal for real!

PS: I am working at the office as per usual now - how about you?

Coffee Talk with Khairul Aming, Zaidi Aziz and other amazing content creators

Yesterday at about 3pm I had a chance to have a private online video session with some well known content creators in Malaysia. The session started with an introduction of each member and was led by Khairul Aming. The other participants were Zaidi Aziz, Fara Kamal, Amirul Ekhwan and Asmat Omar.

The session gave me a lot of insights into what to think about and what to plan for content created via social media. I think maybe I am so used to writing on a blog which is about 11 years since 2009, that it makes it a bit hard for me to change the style. At the moment, the comfort of writing, and hiding behind it, is something that I appreciate I have.

But I look forward to learning and creating better content for the blog and the brand. Through the discussion and sharing session also, I started to understand more about behind the scenes of the content creator. It makes me thinking about planning for future ways of preparing the content for my blog and possibly for my other social media channels.

The best thing was that the discussion was honest and deep; thinking about and reviewing what we have now and what we can do in the future. Learning from one another is amazing and I think what Khairul did in the session was very future thinking! Great!

Hope that everyone will keep creating great content for their channels and keep inspiring and impacting society!

Here is a short a clip for you to look at:

PS: stick to what you know while learning about new techniques

2020 Special Hari Raya Video and the moustache

A Visit to Mauritius (Part 3): Working Day!

My other main objective of this visit was to be the guest speaker for the twentieth anniversary celebrations of the University of Technology, Mauritius during the first week of January 2020.

On the 7 January 2020, I went with Dr. Kit to University of Technology Mauritius to prepare. I met and got to know Dr. Kit's colleagues and staff. I felt welcome by the university because of their warmth and friendliness. I was also impressed by their professionalism in handling me. I was given a chance to visit the hall twice; to try out the sound system; to familiarise myself with the surroundings and I was also taken on a the campus tour by Mrs Sapna.

On the 8 January 2020, the day arrived! I went with so much nervousness but felt prepared. I have done this many times but doing it in other country is always a challenge. Things can go wrong. People might not get your joke and your presentation can be as dull as dishwater. I had a couple of hours to prepare before the event. So, I decided to take a look at the presentation again, went to the venue for final check and pulled my courage together. In the meantime, I met some guests and Dr. Kit's colleagues who were wishing me luck for the presentation.

I was a bit shocked to see the hall was full and everyone looked eager to hear my presentation. After an introduction by Dr. Kit; then my session began. I shared the experience I had in Kampung Kenang, in Ghana and the training in INTAN. I showed some videos and photos as well as sharing as much experience between all the events that happened through the journey of the book series: Life through my eyes! I think it was a successful presentation but there are some areas that I still need to improve for example getting more involvement from the guests.

Right after the presentation, at a buffet reception, I had some time to meet and greet some of the guests and university lecturers while sharing ideas with them. Then, I was told to get ready for a radio interview! I was not expecting that at all, but never say never. So I went to Wazaa FM Radio Station together with Dr. Kit and Vandhana.

The interview was done by Vandhana herself. So on the way to the radio station, I was actually with her preparing for the session in the car. She was very helpful and understood the context, and knew  right questions to ask to gain different perspectives. During the recording session, it felt easier and smooth because we had already got to know each other to get the right mood for the interview. Vandhana was very professional and you can check out the interview below:

The first visit to Mauritius was really memorable for me. The journey was full of challenges but I survived and gain much more experience and strength. Thank you!

PS: can't wait for the next visit! InsyaAllah

A Visit to Mauritius (Part 2): The sub-scooter!

One of the unforgettable experiences I had when I was in Mauritius was to dive in the sea with a sub-scooter. The first time Dr Kit told me about this, never had I imagined anything like it. I thought it would be an easy, less adventurous and simple experience.

Early in the morning, we drove north to Blue Safari Submarines in Trou-aux-Biches from Albion. It was about a 40 minute drive. When we arrived, we went to register our names and waited for the boat. While, I had some time to look at the photos and videos around the reception area. At this moment, my mind was still relaxed and I felt like there was nothing to be afraid of. Everything looked really interesting and easy.

Then the boat arrived and we walked to the jetty platform to get on board. The view from the platform was  amazing; the blue sky and blue sea. It took us about 20 minutes on a boat to ride beyond the reef to the middle of the ocean. While in the boat, I was enjoying the breeze and appreciating the view. We arrived at the sub-scooter platform and welcomed by the trainer. The previous sub-scooter rider had just finished their ride and it made me excited to see them so happy. I saw the sub-scooters at the end of the platform; colourful! The sub-scooters look quite similar to a road scooter; 2 persons to ride per 1 sub-scooter; handle; brake; engine and a bubble for breathing!

We were given diving attire to change into and then we were called to listen to short instructions. The instructions were a bit simple; still they made me feel easy and comfortable to ride. We had our chance to choose which colour of scooter to ride and we picked purple!

When the time came, we got ready and sat on the sub-scooter; Dr Kit drove the sub-scooter as I was a bit shaky already. It made me nervous! I can drive a normal scooter on the road but not this one; I was not ready to try so I was just sat at the back. We had our final instructions and were told that a diver will follow us all through the ride. Everything was ready, the bubble was shut and I could hear oxygen flowing. I am always nervous using breathing apparatus. I remember when I did my firefighter training and we needed to wear breathing apparatus! 

When the platform started to go down and bring the sub-scooter deep into the sea; we needed to control our breathing and stay calm. It hurt my head when we started to go into the water but felt better once we were inside. Your body is all exposed to the water,  except your head which is inside the bubble. The diver was behind us guiding the way. A part of me was very scared but I remained calm outside; Oh no; what have I signed up to do! Never have I imagined it would be like this. It was so quiet inside the ocean.

When the sub-scooter was ready, we started our journey. Not much happened in the beginning until we started to see fish and corals above us. Then my feelings changed. From feeling scared I was now feeling so happy and glad I had done this. The black and white striped fish followed us from behind; mainly because the diver started to bring out fish food. He gave me some to feed the fish. It was magnificent. At one point, a fish came into the tank (bubble) and I was a bit surprised! The scene was magical and so beautiful.

We finished the ride and received a certificate of achievement. Amazing moment. After the experience, we went straight to a hospital to check on Dr Kit's neck as there were a lump and he was warded for surgery! What a crazy adventure ever!

PS: Interesting how each second can make a change to our situation!

A visit to Mauritius (Part 1)

So now that I have quite a lot of free time being at home after the Movement Control Order was implemented by the Malaysia Government, I have extra time to reflect on my time in Mauritius! Yes, I went to Mauritius recently in January 2020 and it was an amazing experience.

I remember that I did not have a proper sleep the night before I flew to Mauritius mainly because of my usual last minute packing but also because I was very excited to go there. It's also has been a while since Dr. Kit left Malaysia and started to work at the University of Technology, Mauritius.

I arrived at the airport with a Grab an hour earlier than I had planned.  My flight from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore was smooth and early! I arrived in Singapore, only to learn that the flight to Mauritius was delayed because of the cyclone without any further information about the reschedule; just had to wait for phone calls/email. I had never been to Singapore airport before and for my first time there I spent about 36 hours! How not to love Singapore airport after all the time spent there!

Finally, when the flight was confirmed, I got on the plane and felt  like I was the only Malaysian in the flight. I was so tired and mainly my flight was full of getting to sleep and watching unfinished movies. I arrived in Mauritius and realised  that my luggage was smashed. I took the experience as positive even though the experience was a bit traumatizing. I saw Dr. Kit was waiting for me at the arrival and everything felt safe and easy again! So glad to be back with him! Some activities I did while in Mauritius:

Went to the local beach

Dr Kit’s House in Albion was located nearby the local beach. The beach was beautiful and it was good for me to spend some time at the beach. Swimming is my new favourite activity, so spending time at the beach was marvellous.

Aapravasi Ghat

This was the most memorable place that I went. Aapravasi Ghat is now a museum that showcases the history of Mauritius. The World Heritage Site gave me a lot of knowledge and learning experience about slavery and indentured labour under colonisation. Some part of me felt sad to see life in Mauritius before and also appreciate how everything has changed now. It also brought back memories and connection when I was in Ghana.

Port Louis - the main city experience

I had some time today wander around Port Louis city centre after the visit to Aapravasi Ghat. It was busy and full of people and traffic. The city is developing with more projects coming soon I think. I was glad to be there to experience the city centre while sitting down listening to street music! Love it!



Gris Gris

I spent one afternoon in Gris Gris with Dr. Kit. The amazing views and rocks around the coastal area were stunning. There were a lot of people there even though it was raining for bit. We had a really nice lunch at the restaurant nearby after quite a long journey in the car.

PS: I decided to write it entries in a few different parts so that I will not miss anything!

Interview with Wazaa FM, Mauritius

I was in Mauritius for two weeks (31 December 2019 to 10 January 2020). I had an interview with Wazaa fm - a radio station in Mauritius about my books and experiences. Here is the link for you to watch and learn something, hopefully:

Visiting SK Kampung Kenang before 2019 ends

On 13 December 2019, I had the opportunity to visit SK Kampung Kenang - the first school I was posted to as a teacher. I was a bit nervous to go there as I was not sure what to see and who to meet as my visit was not planned in advance. I had the chance because I was in Ipoh managing a meeting that somehow finished earlier than expected.

Driving from Ipoh to Kampung Kenang brought back memories from 2010. The scenery was still the same as I remembered. However, when I arrived at the bridge in front of the school, it was now concrete bridge instead of wooden bridge. Not much noise is made when a car crosses the bridge now.

I entered the school as allowed by the guard. I went to the office and luckily the clerk still remembered me. She was there in 2012 the last year I taught in the school. She told me that she had started to work in the school 2 days before I left.  That's how she remembers me.

I then went around the school and met Kak Sarina who is still working in the preschool as a teacher assistant. She was shocked but was very happy to see me. I was very happy to see her too. She told me all the changes in the school, walked with me around the school compound to see the differences and introduced me to the current Headmaster of the school, En. Tamizi.

En. Tamizi welcomed me and shared with me all the achievements and challenges he had been managing the school. He was so enthusiastic about improving the school and has goals to achieve while he is still the headmaster. I believe that passion, understanding and positivity are needed when leading a rural school. I can see all those values in him.

Then, we went to see the hut - Pondok Sewang, Temiar people style - in between the canteen hall and the hostel building. It was built by the villagers using the materials they donated, sourced from the jungle. It was huge and beautiful. The villagers and the school worked together on this project for the students and the school. I also met one of my former students, Busu and he is now 20 years old now. I taught him when he was 12 years old! He was making a bench for the school. So proud of him!

I was so happy to be able to visit the school and hopefully the school will continue to be successful and the students will get the best education as the teachers strive for success!

PS: while in Sungai Siput, I stopped  by to eat Laksa Buyung! Sedap!

and November is almost ended

Year 2019 is coming to an end soon. How do you feel so far? Are there any changes that have happened to your life? Are there any regrets that you feel? Are there any good news items to celebrate with me?

I have managed two procurement cycles with my team. I have learnt many valuable lessons at a personal level, team level and organisational level. My focus of this writing is only on my personal level of learning and of experiencing the management of procurement for two cycles.

I learn that doing repetitive work is not my cup of tea. The process of procurement can be repetitive. The content of it maybe different but the whole process is the same - you plan and carry out the specifications, advertisement, evaluation and so on. So to deal with it, I need to develop a strong bond and relationships with people around me. It is important to be comfortable and easy with people that will work with you on the same tasks. When anyone in the team is feeling low and out of the working mood, then you can do a fun activity together like watching a movie or going out for a coffee to take your mind off things.

I learn that mistakes are usual and something to accept and to be responsible for. When managing a big number of data, you always need to calm down and try not to be overwhelmed by it. I learn that it is better to be slow and focused than being fast but making many mistakes. I learn that you also need to be humble enough to get people to check your work. Managing a big number of data can sometimes get you to be negligent. So, do not be shy or be egoistic and get as many people to go through your work and check. If you have made a mistake, own your mistake and try to find a solution. So that is why I think it is better for you to get many eyes to check your work. Prevention is better than cure! haha

I learn that planning ahead is so important to make sure your work is manageable. A part of the tender process was managing the evaluation meeting that involved hundreds of documents, hundreds of evaluators and managing the logistics. Proper planning in the early stage of the process is so important. You need to think about what will happen on each particular day, how many documents to evaluate every hour, estimating how many providers will enter the tender and so on. The more you do, the better it gets.

November 2019 will be gone soon. The last month of the year will come and replace what ever happened in November. No matter what, keep trying. 😆

Congratulations!

A few weeks ago I had the chance to go and celebrate my younger sister’s convocation day at University Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang.  I drove from Kelana Jaya to Penang in the middle of the night and met my family in Pulau Pinang.

It was crazy to think about how fast time flies. It feels like just yesterday I sent her to the uni and now she has graduated with flying colours. Congratulations sister, Nurul Hamidah!

My eldest sister and her family also joined the crowd. They drove

from Sungai Petani to celebrate the moment together. I went to her concocation in University Utara Malaysia years back as she is the pioneer in our family to own a degree.

My mom and dad had the chance to be in the ceremony. My policeman brother, Latiff and younger brother, Nasier were there also to celebrate. Except my brother Izzuan couldn't make it as he was in the jungle teaching the orang asli.

It was a fantastic time to witness the success of my younger sister and also to remark that she is now ready to enter the next stage of her life.

Nothing else I can wish except more success to come and for happiness to be always with her.

Congratulations!!!

Ps: hard work pays off

LTMEs Perth Short Vacay!

LTMEs London Adventure Short Story