As we are just about a week before we celebrate Hari Raya Idilfitri....something made me reflect over as to how was it like preparing for the Hari Raya some 50 years ago.
I was only about 10 years old then....and it was an age that some kids fast; some learning how to fast and some others claim that they are still too young to fast. Our household was a big one; my late father, being a caring person, had brought into the household uncles and aunties to live with us. Family meals are never done without at least after 2 sittings. So my late father established a 'house rule' during Ramadhan: those who weren't fasting will not sit together with those who did at Iftar. That in a rather direct manner encouraged we kids to fast so that we could sit together to break fast where, like now, special food are prepared. I was already fasting at that age and therefore I always look forward to breaking fast with the adults.
Being raised in JB, where the announcements of Awal Ramadhan, the breaking of fast and Hari Raya were made by the firing of the canon, I was always thrilled by the booming sound of the canon for such announcements.
Round about now, the last 10 days of Ramadhan the kids joyfully play with sparklers (bunga api) practically every night. Some of the more adventurous among us play with 'meriam buluh', canons made from bamboos, the explosive material being carbides sprinkled with water and ignited with a match. The booming sound it gave always give us boys the thrills. A point to note: those days we do not hear of any incident where boys lose their fingers as we do hear these days.
The women back in the house were busy either baking 'kuih raya' or sewing clothes - baju mealy for boys and baju kurung for girls unlike now where these clothes were either sewn by tailors or seamstress; or are bought off the pegs.
Unlike now, we were not endowed with household stuff like the television, telephone or even refrigerators; so perishable food items are bought on a daily basis. So you can imagine how it was when Hari Raya was approaching. On the 29th day of Ramadhan, different teams would go to either the hill sites or the beach to sight the new moon of Syawal. Announcement of the sighting of the moon comes well after 9:00pm because the team that sights the new moon will have to return to the base in town for the announcement as there were no mobile phones then. And if the new moon was sighted; the canon would be fired to announce the sighting of the moon. Hari Raya is the next day.
Remember my saying we did not have the fridge and therefore no fresh food stuff would have been bought yet. Soon after the firing of the canon, my late grandmother would then get a few of us boys to accompany her to the wet market to buy the stuff to cook for the next morning, the Hari Raya feast.
Of course that was some 50 years ago.......today, our children have it so easy with the advent of technology, improved effluence of their parents and of course a much different state of economy that make preparation for the Hari Raya somewhat different.
But, I dare place a bet that as kids, we enjoyed the fun then much better than they do now.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Stop blaming auditors :MIA
That was the heading of a Business Times item on Page B7 in NST on Friday March 4, 2011 and my tired looking face photo was included.
It goes without saying that I received numerous messages on voicemails, text messages on the phone and emails too. Suddenly I was in focus...for good or bad, for the right and the wrong reason fortunately or otherwise.
It started when I was asked whether I mind being interviewed by Business Times in my capacity as the President of the Malaysian Insitute of Accountants. I agreed but that interview was almost 2 months ago now. I agreed to the interview hoping that I could have a new beginning with the Media people.
As the events unfold...a couple of weeks after the interview, a draft of what was intended to be published was made available to me....so I went diligently at it especially wherever I was quoted. I sent back my edited version early February.
Lo and behold, when the editor decided that the article could now be published on March 4, the original draft that was given to me 'to look through and make necessary amendments' as I saw fit was the one that was published...NOT my edited version.
Since I am only a mere accountant, I would not want to interfere in the sphere of Journalism and whatever that goes therein....but the LEAST I would have expected was the courtesy of being informed that my edited version was not to be published....at least I would not have been so unkindly surprised. I guess, my edited would not have been as SENSATIONAL.
It looks like, though, that what I had hoped for a new beginning though came to another end and it did in a very short time.
It goes without saying that I received numerous messages on voicemails, text messages on the phone and emails too. Suddenly I was in focus...for good or bad, for the right and the wrong reason fortunately or otherwise.
It started when I was asked whether I mind being interviewed by Business Times in my capacity as the President of the Malaysian Insitute of Accountants. I agreed but that interview was almost 2 months ago now. I agreed to the interview hoping that I could have a new beginning with the Media people.
As the events unfold...a couple of weeks after the interview, a draft of what was intended to be published was made available to me....so I went diligently at it especially wherever I was quoted. I sent back my edited version early February.
Lo and behold, when the editor decided that the article could now be published on March 4, the original draft that was given to me 'to look through and make necessary amendments' as I saw fit was the one that was published...NOT my edited version.
Since I am only a mere accountant, I would not want to interfere in the sphere of Journalism and whatever that goes therein....but the LEAST I would have expected was the courtesy of being informed that my edited version was not to be published....at least I would not have been so unkindly surprised. I guess, my edited would not have been as SENSATIONAL.
It looks like, though, that what I had hoped for a new beginning though came to another end and it did in a very short time.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
An Emotional Dimension
It is the second day of the New Year - the Rabbit; and just to maintain some 'peace of mind' I am working on the 'emotional' dimension. I am driving back to my hometown to touch base with the family in Johore. It will be a 'touch & go' trip...will be back in KL within 24 hours so that I will miss the traffic returning to KL on Sunday...will I?
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Peace of Mind - Balancing our Act
Being trained as an accountant, it comes as a natural course for me to be talking about balancing. This is not however anything akin to the debit and credit but more of balancing our lives so that we could possibly achieve a Peace of Mind.
When Vision 2020 was announced 20 years ago, one of the attributes for the successful realization of the Vision was said to be the Malaysian population achieving a sense of balance in four dimensions, namely PHYSICAL, MENTAL, EMOTIONAL and SPIRITUAL.
I firmly believe that is a good measurement criteria for us to consider. How do we then put this to a practical platform? First, let's appreciate how does this work. It is simply saying that UNLESS one is equally balanced in those four dimensions in each day of our life, there is a good chance that one would not have a peace of mind.
Let's put this to a practical test: lets use a measurement scale of 1 to 10. On a scale of 1 to 10, where do you stand on each of those four dimensions, Physical, Mental, Emotional and Spiritual. You need to be sincere and honest about claiming where you stand. Lets do it.
I will sign off here while waiting to see some response and hopeful sincere and honest sharing of where people are on the score before I return to continue on this subject.
When Vision 2020 was announced 20 years ago, one of the attributes for the successful realization of the Vision was said to be the Malaysian population achieving a sense of balance in four dimensions, namely PHYSICAL, MENTAL, EMOTIONAL and SPIRITUAL.
I firmly believe that is a good measurement criteria for us to consider. How do we then put this to a practical platform? First, let's appreciate how does this work. It is simply saying that UNLESS one is equally balanced in those four dimensions in each day of our life, there is a good chance that one would not have a peace of mind.
Let's put this to a practical test: lets use a measurement scale of 1 to 10. On a scale of 1 to 10, where do you stand on each of those four dimensions, Physical, Mental, Emotional and Spiritual. You need to be sincere and honest about claiming where you stand. Lets do it.
I will sign off here while waiting to see some response and hopeful sincere and honest sharing of where people are on the score before I return to continue on this subject.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
A Belief
Believing that we could achieve a WORLD that works for EVERYONE with NO ONE left behind, I feel that sharing my experience through...."As I was passing" may contribute towards achieving it.
From today I will be sharing my experience as it relate to either conceptual thoughts being introduced or issues arising with the sincere hope that it would contribute to better understanding by people irrespective of color or creed, level of education or how old (or young)they are.
I look forward to writing regularly.
From today I will be sharing my experience as it relate to either conceptual thoughts being introduced or issues arising with the sincere hope that it would contribute to better understanding by people irrespective of color or creed, level of education or how old (or young)they are.
I look forward to writing regularly.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)