NOW & THEN

 10.3.2021  KINOKUNIYA BOOKSHOP When I was a student I never go to a proper bookshop in Malaysia. As students in te 60s and the 70s, we only read textbooks and books from the school libraries. Any way, I could not afford to buy any story books. I had just enough to pay my school and hostel fees. My first encounter with a real bookshop when I went to Sheffield University to study civil engineering in 1973-76. In the 70s, Sheffield did not many bookshops back then but whenever I went to London, I visited a few bookshops. My book buying ability was very limited because my monthly allowance government scholarship was £51.00. RIWAYAT BOOKSHOP When I came back to Malaysia, I was posted to Kelantan and Kedah. The bookshops are mostly stationery shops and I was too busy building my career and young family with two boys. No time to visit bookshops and read books.  My active visits to bookshops began when I was transfered to KL in 1983.  There I came across Times Bookshop and ...

  Tuesday, 9 March 2021 During a business discussion with Dr. Ghazali Mohd Fadzil on the role of Knowledge Management in government departments and corporate bodies, he shared with me his ongoing project with Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), focusing on supporting school libraries in Kelantan. His efforts struck a deep chord in me—it reminded me of the dire condition of school libraries in my hometown district of Bachok. Bachok, like much of Kelantan, is burdened with long-standing socio-economic challenges. After more than three decades of PAS-led government, meaningful development is minimal. Many communities seem caught in a comfort zone, perhaps resigned to a status quo that offers familiarity but little progress. But what about the children growing up now? In 20 years, they will become adults, carrying mindsets that may diverge dramatically from their parents’. What kind of foundation are we laying for them—intellectually, socially, and spiritually? Frankly, I’ve lost hope ...

 Monday 8/3/2021 I Am No Gardener Let me start with a disclaimer: I am no gardener. I’ve never had green fingers, not even a shade of it. I don’t enjoy planting anything. Growing up in my kampung in Bachok until I was twelve, I had more interest in climbing trees than tending to them. Then, the government of Malaysia hijacked me—yes, that’s the word I use—by sending me to a boarding school in Tanjung Malim, a full 24 hours away by train. That’s my background. So before I begin talking about Urban Gardening, you’ve been warned. During my working days with the Public Works Department (JKR), I stayed in government quarters. The houses were large, both in structure and in land area. When I was transferred to Kuala Lumpur, I was given a government bungalow in Jalan U Thant. It was a spacious place—four bedrooms, a garage for two cars, and a half-acre of land surrounding it. You’d think I would have taken up gardening then, with all that space. But no. I still wasn’t interested. My wife ...

 Sunday 7/3/2021 The Power and Limits of Planning There’s a popular mantra in project management: “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” As engineers, we know this like the back of our hand. Every day, we’re involved in one or more projects—planning, coordinating, executing. Without a proper plan, execution becomes guesswork. We need to define the scope, estimate the cost, and schedule our timelines. It’s as essential to us as our daily glass of teh tarik. But after nearly 40 years of managing projects, I’ve learned that even with a solid plan, things can still go wrong. Planning doesn’t guarantee success—it only increases the probability of it. In other words, planning doesn’t eliminate failure, but it does tilt the odds in our favor. During the COVID-19 pandemic, as the Movement Control Order (MCO) dragged on, life became unpredictable. But recently, we were finally allowed to go out again. So, I planned a long-awaited cycling trip in KL—my first in almost a year. I eve...