Some updates :-p

Hello people!
Waah, looks like i haven't post anything since March!
Ok, just some quick update from me.

APRIL

6th April - Sent my HP desktop for repair at service centre. Motherboard problem. Thank god under warranty. No need to pay anything! Haha.

8th April - 1st dental surgery to remove wisdom tooth on my right side. While most people would take only 3 bius to get their nerve numb. I need 7!

10th April - Pickup my HP desktop at service centre. Go to PC Fair at KL to browse for some stuff.

11th April - Went for Farah & Sarah (the twins) my younger sis old schoolmate's bday at a golf club.

16th April - Got my 1st summons ticket at Sec.2 Shah Alam from MBSA after maintaining a cleen sheet since i got my driving licence! Damn it! :-p

27th April - 2nd dental surgery to remove wisdom tooth. Now on my left side pula.

MAY

14th May - Attending interview for the LLB (Hons) at UiTM Law Faculty.

27th - 31st May - Trip to Beijing! (Will upload pics later)

JUNE

2nd June - My law degree convocation :-)

6th June - Drive all the way for my cousin's wedding (Kak Ieja) at Johor Bahru.

23rd June - Watched the Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen premiere! (I've spend $$$ for its merchandise action figure :-p )

JULY

1st July - Registered for LLB (Hons) at Pusat Sukan UiTM

2nd July - A brief introduction abt LLB (Hons) programme conducted by its co-ordinator Pn.Azni, also attending was ADIL alumni Pn. Noor Hajran, seniors in Part 2 & former students who're now serving in the Attorney General's Chamber, Law firms etc.

I've been down with fever for 2 weeks already. Went for medical checkup & blood test. The Doctor said i only have fever & no denggi coz he said if denggi, the platlet count should be 150 whereas i got 298. But the results shows that my blood is thick & i have to take lots of water! He said its not H1N1 either. But something is definately wrong. I'm sick & at the moment medicine only slow my fever down but not making it disappear! :-s Help!

Happy 80th Bday Tok Uteh!

(The backdrop of the event)

Last couple of months on the 8th February was a great day. My family & all of our extended relatives were celebrating the 80th birthday of our granduncle Mohd Ghazali Bin Mohd Seth known to our relatives as Pak Uteh, Tok Uteh or Tok Tan, but he’s more familiar to me as Tok Uteh. The event was held at KLGCC Bukit Kiara. It housed most of our fellow Johorean family which comes from the bloodlines of Seth – Abdul Rahman – Onn, who were related by blood & marriages and were once a great name in Johore back to its early formation until Malaya’s independence. The event started around 12pm and end around 5.30pm. Uncle Jaja @ Reza Ghazali was the emcee of that day handling most of the talking until the very end of the celebration.

(Tok Uteh being greeted by family members at the hall)

My family arrived at the KLGCC around 11.30pm. Arrived early, I had the opportunity to meet and greet all my aunts & uncles whom we were not often see due to our busy schedule. After chatting with them for few minutes, I realized that there were some people missing. “Where are all my cousins?” Aunty Nina @ Rowina Ghazali replied, “They are all getting dressed up and preparing for the dance show” and I was like “What?!”. I was totally shocked to hear this, but I’m sure it’ll be great for Tok Uteh seeing that his grandchildren will be performing something for his birthday and not some hired dancers. Probably they were inspired by Sasha Bashir’s ‘Dansa’ show :-).

(Cultural dance performed by Aliya, Marissa & Ilyana)

After the cultural performance by my cousins, all the guests were allowed to take the food served by way of buffet. While eating, we were entertained by a 20mins video clip of Tok Uteh / Tok Tan compiled by Aliya, Marissa & Ilyana. The clip shows the story about his early life until he retired as a General in the Malaysian Armed Forces. The video clip was definitely entertaining. I stopped eating the whole session just to enjoy it because it’s not often for you to get to see the rare old photo albums of your granduncle.

(Unc. Jaja @ Reza Ghazali the emcee of the day)

Next, the event was followed by Quizzes. The questions were mostly about our dear granduncle. Some of the questions were; 1. What’s his full name? 2. What doesn’t he eat? 3. What’s his motto in life? 4. What was his nickname when he was young? Etc. To answer these questions, each of us were required to flap our wings, not raising our hands. I manage to answer 1 question. Yana present me a gift for manage to answer that question. It was a box of chocolate! Woohoo! J

(Playing BINGO with my siblings)

After that, we were all given a BINGO card to play with. Though some people manage to get hold of more than 2 cards to increase their chances of winning the game :-p It was definitely an entertaining game. My little brother Mohamed Ridhuan Firdaus aged 7 years old were the youngest person to win the BINGO game that day. It was definitely the talk of the people! What a lucky fella!

(2nd cousins reunited)

Nearing the end of the event, we took once whole big family pictures. The elders & their offsprings, me & my cousins etc. I guess it could have been the biggest tagging picture ever I had. Sadly though the picture was not taken by my camera but some hired professional photographer hired for that day. Oh well, it’s a matter of time til I get 1 copy of it.

(The General's grand-nephew)

Anyway, it was a great day. I definitely enjoyed it.
Happy 80th Bday Tok Uteh! We will cherish our memories with you in our hearts & thoughts. As General Douglas McArthur once said during his Farewell Speech to The Congress “An old soldier never dies!”

The book launch of the Malaya’s First Year At The United Nations: Tun Dr Ismail Reports to Tunku Abdul Rahman.

(Hundreds of copies were sold on that day according to Gerakbudaya)

Last couple of weeks on the 20th January 2009 at the Royal Lake Club, Lake Garden, Kuala Lumpur I attended a book launching event entitled ‘Malaya's First Year at the United Nations: As Reflected in Dr Ismail's Reports Home to Tunku Abdul Rahman’. The book launching was officiate by The US Ambassador to Malaysia; Ambassador James R. Keith and the Guest Of Honour who attended that day was HRH Raja Nazrin Shah (The Crown Prince of Perak)

(Dr Ooi, Me & Seth were some of the 'peyambut tetamu' waiting for HRH)

Speaking at the event, Ambassador Keith thanked not only the book’s co-editors (Tawfik Ismail & Dr Ooi Kee Beng), but also “all those public servants, either paid or unpaid, official or unofficial, who help every day to advance U.S.-Malaysia relations, through their writing, through their networks, and through their work on academic, social and cultural exchanges between our two countries.”

(HRH Raja Nazrin with other VIPs)

It was in this speech where Ambassador Keith also mentioned about the US-Malaysia relations through the American Field Service @ AFS aka Antarabudaya Malaysia @ ABM in Malay which is a non-profit organization who helps the secondary schools students in Malaysia to engage in the student-exchange programme. Both my brother & sister have benefit from this programme when they sent them to Japan few years ago (Azad to Nagoya & Shahrina to Kyoto).

(An opening speech by Tawfik Ismail)

This book can be considered as the sequel / expansion of the bestselling previously released The Reluctant Politician: Tun Dr Ismail & His Time and the Malay version which is the Bukan Kerana Pangkat: Tun Dr Ismail dan Masanya. Tun Dr Ismail was given a heavy task for being the person who was responsible to bring Malaya to the recognition of the United Nations. Nevertheless things goes on smoothly & the Federation of Malaya was admitted to the world body’s by being 82nd member on the historic day of 17th September 1957.

(The grandnephews, granddaughter & grandsons of Tun Dr Ismail)

Generally speaking, this book covers much of him being a diplomat to the Washington D.C., USA before returns to Malaya in 1959 and continues to serve as the Minister of Commerce & Industry. I must say it is an interesting reading material besides the ‘Number One Wisma Putra’ which I'd bought last year. For those who loves reading Malaysian history & foreign affairs, this book is a must buy!

True Singapore Ghost Stories Comes Alive at Borders!

(Meet-the-fan for autograph session)

It has long since i posted my last blog here. Oh well, here it goes for the 1st blog entry this year.

Last Sunday I had the opportunity to meet Russell Lee, the author of the famous book of the True Singapore Ghost Stories at the Borders bookstore at The Curve Damansara. I’ve never thought I could see the man in person, though his face is covered with black stocking mask. His voice could clearly be heard among those who present there.

(The author's printed autograph on one of his books)

I used to read the book when I was in Primary & Secondary school back then as I consider it as a good English language reading material. His language is simple but manages to portray a good story out of it. But ever since I forfeit reading it, I’ve lost count the number of series of the book until recently that I’ve been informed that it has now reached Book No.18. So many years have passed. :-p

(Book No.1 - No.18 available for purchase being displayed at the side mounted shelf)

Oh well, it was great meeting the author of the book. I'm looking forward for more events coming up this month. Anyway, Happy New Year 2009!