Monday, January 31, 2011

From expression, to danger..all in Egypt

I was quite amused to see some post on Facebook by my Malaysian compatriots in Egypt, that they are going to return home,concurrently with the date most Malaysian would be going on a  holiday in conjuction with the Chinese New Year. Nothing weird, maybe Egypt does grant such festivals as holidays. However, I was soon to realize that it was not to be the case. The shocking fact was the nation's citizens are all going on a rampaging frenzy. Riots are conducted thoroughly nationwide. The catalyst towards the catastrophy : To bring the President, Hosni Mubaraq and his regime down to Earth.

Well, to be honest, it maybe the unsubtle manifestation of what the Egyptian have on their thoughts for the 3 decades of dictatorship by Hosni. Coming into office since 1981, he looks as if a sangfroid kind of figure,supposedly due to his military background. However, Egypt has suffered from all sorts of angle, due to the mischievous style of rule by Hosni. Notoriously, Egypt has one of the most corrupted government not just in the Arab region, but in the whole world. Hosni's policy which is favourable towards the Zionist in regards to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has even made him a rather menacing figure, to the extend that Parade Magazine ranked him at number 20 of the list of World's Worst Dictator.  Hosni Mubaraq's reign was to be seen as having a rather uncurtailed power, even greater than an "absolute monarchy" kind of rule. You guys can witness right now, even after this raucous wrath of the people, he still thinks that he is a figure to be reckon with. To show that, most online medium and phone coverage were blocked to limitize the spreading of anti-Hosni Mubaraq doctrine amongst the people. This goes far beyond just Egypt citizens, but to non-citizens as well.

I certainly felt that this might spark a new wave of Reinassance in the Arab region. A few days back, the then-President of the Tunisian Republic had to relinquish his post due to the emergence of the people. His over-fabulous life, which was concurrent with the poverty suffered by the Tunisians was just considered too much. I believe that this will continue in other Arab nations, which the citizens are getting much annoyed with the fact of how their rulers are so condemned to support the West, rather than to support their own brothers, who mostly shared the same oath of the Syahadah. However, I totally disagree with the way on how the citizens choses their medium of expression. I know that maybe most of them had been left disgruntled with their previous unsuccesfull ways, but causing riot nationwide is only contributing towards more calamitous consequences.

Most Malaysians in Egypt are students, medical students, most of them. Not to forget some who visits Egypt as a holiday sojourn. This chaotic condition causes the unprecedented large exodus of Malaysians from there this few days. Most of my friend had returned home safely in one piece. I do hope that the Malaysian Government would put an even stronger effort to retrieve all Malaysians from Egypt, to avoid them from being engage towards any unspeakable danger. Be strong, may Allah always be by your side, my compatriots.

Monday, January 24, 2011

What's written for me?

I am fast approaching the end of my second year in Law School. In a direct consequence, congrats Aliff, there's another two years upon graduating. I spent one year as a law matriculation student back in UiTM, that is prior upon entering an actual law school, which is in my case, proves to be UKM. OK there's still time, no need to sweat your head off just yet, most of my collegues told me that. Yet lately, I've been wondering on which field of expertise should I engage myself into right after receiving that illusive first scroll. Thus, here are the options :

LAWYER

Having an LLB Hons. qualifies one to practice law actively. This career seems to be rather a cliche for a law graduate. Upon becoming a lawyer, one needs to complete a 9 month practical programme, legally known as the "chambering". After that, one will officially be declared a lawyer, through a process named "called to the Bar". Most of the lawyers that I had met said that being called to the Bar was one of the most memorable event in their legal career life. Being a lawyer needs much of the best from you. Possessing an adequate level of eloquence will be instrumental. Not to forget a no-nonsence approach, as sometimes you may not just be dealing with money or properties, but someones life might even be at stake. Honestly, I don't think being a lawyer will be good for me. I seldom speak, not to mention how low the level of intransigence inside of me is. Still, my father do expresses his desire to see me become one.  Even the urging to be a lawyer from my school-mates have made me even confused.

JUDGE

Thus here's another option. All LLB Hons graduate are qualified to become a first class magistrate. Most say that its hard to get yourself promoted, especially in the judiciary. My say, I think this one suits me well. To become one, I need to have a very critical mind, not to forget being impervious to all sorts of undue pressure. It becomes something of a driving force for me, to know that many MCKK alumnis had carved their names in the nations historic judiciary folklore. Amongst those are the late Tan Sri Azmi Kamarudin, former judge of the Supreme Court. His younger brother, Suhaimi Kamarudin, former UMNO Youth Chief who happens to be a practicing lawyer. Nowadays, a prominent MCOB's in the system is Datuk Hashim Yusof, judge in the Federal Court. Even a fellow Ayer Tawar men like me, Dato Abdul Rahim Uda(however,he is not from MCKK, he is a SDARA), who now holds the post of Hight Court Judge in Shah Alam, has become an instant idol in my village. I do acknowledge them, as they were graduates of my school. Hope that I will continue their legacy, hopefully.

LEGAL ADVISOR

This one seems to be rather simple on the surface. If I were to become one, I'll have my own office, and most of my daily routine would be drafting and observing legal documents, as well as giving any advices from the legal view. The consequence would be different, depending on what department I engage myself into, either govermental or non-govermental

LECTURER

A degree would not be sufficient enough. Having at least an LLM (Masters in Law) would be pivotal though. This career seems to be very easy, as what I need to do is teach, just like a teacher. Personally, I don't have any teaching skills, but as this career is much promising, especially in todays circumstances, I might give it a go.



All in all, there are many jobs a law graduate can get themselves into. Besides the one's that I mentioned earlier, there are also other promising careers such as Public Prosecutor, Federal Counsel, Police Officer, District Officer and even more. What vital for me is the endless pursuit towards something within someone. I admit that I am no A-grader, nor even a Dean-lister. But I never get easily indulge with myself. I'm contemplating to further my studies in the Master's level, perhaps even PhD, in the near future. And if proven possible, I might try to study abroad. That is one of my dreams that are yet to be achieved. Its not the title "Professor" or "Dr" that I want, its the dissaticfaction of what I have right now, the avarice for knowledge within myself that made me want to continue to study. Somehow, I felt rather lucky that most of my schoolmates are on the same page as me, as this first degree would not be the end for most of us.

"Jawatan Utama Sektor Awam". That seems quite hard to achieve. But still, the thrill and hardship of gaining that title makes me even more enthusiastic than ever. For now, that is my goal. I may not know what the future has in store for me, I just hope that it's a bright one.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

pesanan ikhlas Muhammad Aliff..

Gua perasan zaman sekarang ni ramai betul makhluk-makhluk tak sedar diri. Gua bukan ape bai, gua kurang senang sikit la dengan pemandangan ni. Benda ni makin jelas lepas gua masuk universiti. OK gua explain la sikit. "Benda-benda" ni dah la dok datang gua nye negeri,gua nye tempat, ade hati pulak nak buat taiko. Dok buat geng ramai-ramai, apa lu bajet orang takut la! Bapak lu sapa? Atuk lu sapa? Pengarah Siasatan Jenayah Bukit Aman eh? OK rendak sikit la, Ketua Polis Daerah Pelabuhan Klang.. Bukan kan? So kalau gua hentak lu sampai pecah sana-sini, cungkil sikit bijik mata tu so gua leh jual kat black market,  lu ade ke back-up yang nak tolong lu, selain daripada geng2 malaun lu nye kampung yang takde la otai mana pun gua tengok? TAKDE KAN!!?? datang-datang sini baru la nak tunjuk lagak,blah la jahanam!!

Perghh lu olang punya fesyen aaaaa, gua manyak takut woo tengok. Rambut buat style itu ini, baju tak payah cakap la. Member gua yang merata-rata dok belajar oversea tu pun gua tengok elok je balik-balik sini, lu pulak baru masuk U, dah bergaya macam-macam. Gua faham la kalau lu memang urban punya orang,expected and excepted.. tapi masalahnya lu bukan bai! Macam kartun pun ada gua tengok. Konon muzik di hati la kan. Gua tanya sikit band-band macam As I Lay Dying, Bring Me The Horizon, Bullet For My Valentine, satu pun tak tau. Ingat style macam tu power la main gitar, last2 main pun macam haram, ade pulak tu langsung tak reti. Sumpah lawak tahap gaban bai!! Weh gaya macam lu tu, orang Barat tu pun dah tak layan la. Orang-orang kampung lu tu je yang dok obsess lagi. Updated la sikit bangang.

Sekali masuk U, hidup mesti mau sosial kan? or should I say soSIAL??? Sampai sini la pun baru nak bergaul dengan ramai-ramai orang, baru la nak join enjoy-enjoy ni semua, baru la nak jumpa orang negeri lain!!  Ek eleh, ingat lu mantap sangat la dok terkinja-kinja clubbing malam-malam tu? Clubbing je pun, bukannya makan-makan kat hotel or pub yang mahal-mahal . Its OK doh, gua faham ,lu memang tak mampu pun. Dah la macam tu, sekali nak flirt dengan budak-budak pekan je semua. Flirt ramai-ramai pulak tu. Cewwwaahhh, hot la katakan. Ape? owh, diorang yang dok gatal dengan lu eh? memang la diorang nak gatal dengan lu, dah lu nye muka tu terang-terang ade tulis "JUALAN MURAH"!! memang la mamat-mamat ni dok cari. lu ingat diorang tu betul-betul suka sama lu? lu kena game je la bai. Fikir la sikit, dengan perangai tak senonoh, belajar pun merapu, datang pulak dari ulu @ negeri yang entah mane-mane, mamat-mamat @ minah-minah yang serupa hampeh & langsi macam lu je la yang terhegeh-hegeh. Tak payah bangga la bai. Tak payah la bangga ramai balak @ awek, entah celah mana yang hot pun gua tak tau. Lu takde standard, flirt-flirt lu tu pun sama la takde standard. Kalau ye pun sangap sangat, cari la orang lu sendiri, tak payah nak sebarkan kuman-kuman tempat lu tu dekat sini. Akai ada, akai!!??

Kadang-kadang bila gua tengok orang-orang macam ni, gua sendiri jadi insaf bai. Gua sedar apa tujuan mak bapak gua hantar gua belajar dari kecik sampai sekarang. Gua belajar jadi sedar diri, tu yang penting. Serius gua respek member-member gua yang datang dari keluarga yang kurang senang, tapi sedar diri. Sekarang ni dah ramai pun belajar sana-sini. Gua tumpang gembira bai dengan member-member gua yang macam ni. Cuma sesetengah malaun ni je yang buat gua berbulu semenjak dua menjak ni. Jadi,  lantak la siapa-siapa pun yang nak terasa. Sedarlah asal-usul, sedar tanggungjwab, sedar diri sendiri. Sekian. Salam..

Friday, January 7, 2011

memoirs of an old boy

That very day, I arrived early in the morning. The view of the school was rather breath-taking. A White House-like, kind of. Before that, I'm already thrilled with the fact that this letter came to my house




Astonished, delighted, confused, you name it. Every sorts of feeling bombarded me that particular moment when I read this letter. My father had already told me stories of this alma mater,from  its illustrious folklore to its progress in providing the nation with top-class leaders. Entering Koleq would be making me a new flip of generation in my family's book to do such. My father's uncle, Dr Jaafar Thani bin Jamaluddin, his cousin, Rashi Radha Aban Faisal, and my 2nd nephew, Ahmad Riduan Dahari previously graduated from here too. The level of enthusiasm within me also got an adrenaline boost to know that Mr. Alimuddin bin Mohd Dom (now Tan Sri), the principal back then, is a close companion to my father, having grew up together in the suburbs of Ayer Tawar, Perak. In a direct consequence, I accepted the offer, in which I must admit, unrefussable.

Thus, began it was, my life in a new school, far away from home. I was so tender, not to forget vulnerable back then, having no knowledge whatsoever of what survival is all about. I cried a lot the moment my father's car left me alone, homesickness does affected me, besides the fact of how hard it is for me to acclimatize. Then again, I was never really alone. Dorm E, Prep School. It was the dormitory in which I was destined to stay for the first year of my life in Koleq. There, I met new friends from all across the region. On the evening a strange bell-like sound woke us up from all the uncomfortable feelings of being in a new environment. It was made buy our seniors, 5 form five's and 2 form 4's, who were were assigned to be our custodian for the whole year. I was scared to look at their fierce appearances on that particular 1st day, only to know that they are quite friendly actually. I tried to mingle with my dormmates that day, just to get myself all cheered up. That night, I did not had the most relaxing of all sleeps. I layed on my bed, thinking,asking myself ...."man, how can I survive here for the next five years?? ".....

8 years had past since that day.  A wiser man? Guess I am, in regards to certain aspects. Most of the boys that came that day had already been in almost the same shoes as I am today. Studying  in every corner of the world,domestically and internationally. The more things change, the more things stays the same. In regards to how things developed since I made my first step to the gates of Koleq, I did it, yes..I did it. I survived to be there for the next 5 years with flying colours. Surviving with my parents are no longer there for me.  Beneath the surface of that fact, I tried to scutinize on how that half decade coloured my plain life. Being a Budak Koleq taughts you more than just books,numbers, and facts. Its about everything that chemicalised life. On my first year, it was an unconventional tradition that all form 1's must learn numerous songs, and one of it goes by the title "Corporate Song"

Tinggalkan ibu tinggalkan ayah
dan juga sanak saudara
kerana kolej kami turutkan
tanpa ragu dan bimbang
Dari utara hingga ke selatan
dari seluruh kawasan
kami berhimpun dalam satu badan
dengan satu tujuan
Belajar, dan segala
semuanya harus kami rasa
tiada kami pinta
namun kami terima
Ayuh semua kita bersama
satu hati sejiwa
bersama kita hadapi rintangan
demi masa hadapan
MELAYU, MELAYU, KAMI KOLEJ MELAYU..

It was melancholic, the melody that is. But the lyrics were all about appreciation, not just towards your loved ones, but towards yourselves. Many years had gone, but its rhythm has never failed to buzz in my brain every single day.

Unity, the fundamental to what being a Budak Koleq is all about. My friends and I were thoroughly taught on what it is all about during our Form 1's days. Being together in anytime, through thick or thin, no matter how insuperable the obstacles might be ahead of us. Respect towards one another. Not just towards the teachers or the seniors, but also towards the Mamak at the Shahreena Restaurant or the Mak Cik at the Square, where most of us would have a nice piece of roti canai & a cup of teh tarik almost every outtings on Saturday. Empathy amongst friends that made the bonds between us even closer than blood brothers. Every of this pivotal aspects were put to a heavy emphasis back then.



After finishing our SPM. The last time..


Personally, I cheerished every moment of my previous life. I remembered every Saturday, where Zai Am Studio would be fully occupied by me my friends who were living to jamm our hearts out.



a mini gig, I guess


The place was rather old and rusty. Nevertheless, its always a favourite hanging spot for us.  Not to forget the first time I even tried to wash my school uniform which resulted in disastrous results. Ragging, bullies, what do you expect from a boarding school? Pumping,half-way down, tar, common room., I had to endured all sorts of torturous stuffs that were inflicted to me and my batch members almost everyday in my junior's chapter. Primarily, I considered all of these are worthless,giving only bodily pain in return. Yet after leaving Koleq, I knew that all of those rampages were not even a quarter of how hard life could offer you outside. Thus, I came to realize that through all the hardships, we learnt what the world is all about.

Being a Budak Koleq is not about being macho, acting Playboy with all the girls we met,  or even to  brag with the fact of who we are. Its all about when "life" gets hard on us, and pushes us around, what would we do? My answer, we grab "life" by the throat. give it a piece of its own medicine, and tell it "GIVE ME WHAT I WANT!" That is what a True Blue Budak Koleq would do. Thats the element,plus all that we've learned,  that made us all elites compared to others, and I must say, we deserve to be proud of it, because we did not gain it through ease, but we went through hell to earn that God-given right. I do believe, that beneath those hallowed floors of the Prep School, to Big School's Graeco-Roman pillars, the spirit of wisdom lingers in every corner, exorcising the new generations to keep up on the schools prestigious traditions.




Its been 8 years my friends,my brothers. After our exodus back then, we are still standing together. Some of us may be even trying to build on their respective lifes again, that includes me I guess. It may take awhile, but do believe me brothers, that this world is ours to conquer. Its only a matter of time till we take our rightful place again. Till then, lets us forever stay in unity towards the end of time. Happy 8th anniversary to all my brothers from the class of 2007...may our brotherhood last forever....
















Saturday, January 1, 2011

2010 -----> 2011

CONGRATULATIONS ALIFF!!! LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN ANOTHER YEAR TO LIVE!!!!

OK so this would be my first entry of this year I guess. Time passes by unnoticeably fast, and once you realized, its already the 1st january all over again. Feels rather lucky as air is still going in & out of my lungs the day 2011 approaches. Alhamdulillah, the best word to describe how lucky I am..

Thus, a new year, a new paragraph in this hopefully long essay of my life. Still, I do have this perception that in moving forward, one needs to look back, look behind at least in a slight manner. Therefore, here's a quick recap on the year that was for me. Firstly, 2010 turns out to be a bizzare, not to forget comical, year for me in any consequences. It started herendously with the fact that I have my first.....yes, first, OFFICIAL girlfriend, its getting head-line almost everywhere, most notably among my school-mates. I did had several rendezvous before her back in my heir days, but nothing really gets burgeoning back then,nor being official, largely due to my own mistakes I supposed. That is, until SHE showed up. All of a sudden, my life tooks a huge turn. No longer am I the man I use to be. Still feels lucky with the fact that it has been more than 10 months since that faithful 1st day. Seems everyting is doing tremendously well between us, guess that this low level of intransigence inside of me does gave a huge assist.

Fluctuatingly unpredictable .......turns out to be the best words to describe the academical part of my life in 2010. It has never been even close to consistent, luckily its still a long way to go till the day I receive my first degree. Speaking about studies, I would like to congratulate one of my brothers back in school, Jekbe, for his success in gaining entrance to UiTM Shah Alam. Not to forget Hafiz, who would be flying to Germany this 7th of January. Best of luck for you guys, brothers....

In a more joyous point of view, I've been lucky enough to witness the Malaysian football team triumphant victory over the Indonesian right in front of my very eyes. Its never easy to reach the final, but Malaysia did it, and I was amongst the most fortunate to be there that night. Not to forget the trip Singapore with my fellow faculty colleagues. It was quite an experience though..remember my friends, what happened in Singapore, remains in Singapore..:)

To summarize, 2010 has been a very mixed kind of year for me. I learnt new stuffs, gained new stuffs, lost lots of stuffs! Nevertheless, this year helped me to open my eyes. Sometimes I wonder, in this never-ending pursuit of success in my life, what is my clear goal? In an honest approach, I do have some obscure goals up in my sleeves. Finishing this four years of degree will not be the end of the studying galore, at least that is certain for me. It goes beyond that. I've also come to my senses, that being satisfied with all that you've accomplished so far is the same as going to self-distruct mode. It kills all the potentials inside. Thus, destroy any form of self-indulgence within. Try to achieve a higher summit, be more ambitious, regardless of how differ the opinions of people towards you. I have so many good companions that are always there for me, giving numerous advises for the sake of my own benefit. Not to forget my parents, whose nagging( my dad's seems to be the real nagger) showed me the right path on where to go. Appreciate that, you guys. Thanks 2010, you've taken me out of the box.

Its 2011. Hope that all my plans will go well. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!