Localization.

Dulu masa saya kerja kat kilang Toshiba, kitorang ada buat projek 'Localization' yang mana semua raw material yang dibeli dari Jepun cuba ditukarkan kepada raw material dari dalam negara. Dengan cara ni dapat jimatkan belanja dan jugak masa.

Jadi, sempena bulan kemerdekaan kita yang ke-54 tahun ni, saya nak buat projek untuk diri sendiri, Localization! Kita selalu puji orang-orang negara lain yang patriotik la, bangga dengan barang negara sendiri, pencapaian rakyat dan macam-macam. Tapi kalau setakat puji bagai nak rak, no point kalau kita tak cuba contohi. Jadi mulai tahun ni, saya nak cuba tukar barang-barang kegunaan saya kepada barang buatan Malaysia. Maybe takde la totally, but at least there is something kan? Target saya, 30% daripada barang-barang kegunaan saya mestilah barang Malaysia, dalam 1 tahun ni.

Jadi sebagai permulaan, hari ni saya tukar brand ubat gigi saya.

Saya beli buatan Malaysia ye.

Maybe korang akan cakap barang Malaysia tak berkualiti. Tapi kalau orang sendiri pun tak support, siapa lagi. Bila korang buat bisnes nanti, siapa korang harapkan melainkan orang sendiri? If korang kata barang Malaysia adalah cap ayam, maka anda juga adalah bangsa cap ayam. Sekian.

Selamat berjaya Encik Jaffrey!

English? Malay? Malay? English? Manglish?

During Tun Mahathir tenure, the Government decided to change the medium for Science and Mathematics teaching from Malay language, to English. But back at 2008, Tun Abdullah revisited the module and changed it back to Malay with "Memartabatkan Bahasa Melayu, Memperkukuhkan Bahasa Inggeris". Now, the government is planning to change back its policy after many parents appealed that these subjects to be taught in English.

To me, to uphold Bahasa Melayu does not mean that we need to use it the whole time in school or in any other formal events or occasion. We need to look back at this topic with different perspective with a whole wider range of views. What is the point of having extra 8 hours in school speaking in Malay when the rest of the day, the student was chatting, talking, listening to "Bahasa Rojak" while watching movies or dramas, listening to music, either way none of them are using the correct Bahasa Melayu? Rather than teaching every subjects fully in Bahasa Melayu, we first need to correct and revised back all the Bahasa Melayu that we are listening and using in daily life.

Having Japan and France as the country models that only used their mother tongue language, I feel that this is irrelevant and cannot be applied here in Malaysia. This is because of the education and technology that we have, which we actually depends on foreign countries to grow and enhance the economy. Having prefesionals who can't speak English is not helping. We need our people to master English, so that not only it helps the knowledge transfer and communication friendly, but it also pave ways to borderless society.

Having English as our second language increase our country's marketability. In that case, the language needs to be strengthened and practiced among us more to prove that English is really so, our second language. So I really believe that teaching Science and Mathematics help to increase our graduates' confidence and being multilingual, especially the from the rural area. Multilingual should be encouraged among our students as a study claims that those who are highly proficient in two or more languages are reported to have a higher cognitive proficiency and are found to be better second-language learners at a later age than the monolinguals.

I am not saying that Bahasa Melayu needs to be sacrificed in some sort of form. It will always remain as our first language, our mother tongue language, but how are going to be the regional hub of education if this simple change cannot be applied?

My Forgetful Moments.

Ok, it is 2.30 am and here I am! Still awake, or is it, just awake.

Padan muka, sapa suruh tidur lepas buke pose. Ambek kau. Bush Dish Dish. [lempang diri sendiri]

As most of my friends are aware of, I am a hopeless forgetful person.

I used to have many spare keys for my room and my car during my study time and let my friends kept them since I seldom forget where did I kept mine. And this forgetful thing is becoming worse everyday since I started working. Maybe there's is just too much to think of.

1. Masa 2nd year of my study, it was this weekend when ada aktiviti kat kampus, but at the same time ada my sister's punya convocation. I managed to get a midnight bus to KL and right after the event, I got back to Penang the next evening. Masa dalam bus nak balik kampus, tertido laa kejap kan. Tibe-tibe bus berhenti kat RnR and I woke up dalam keadaan yang sangat blur blur... "Ape aku buat atas bus ni?????"

2. It was somewhere during my 3rd year study as I was going back to my campus from my hometown. Lepas salam salam, muah muah, kiss kiss dengan parents, so I drove back to Penang, which took me around 2 hours drive. But halfway after, I look back, *damn*, I forgot to take my beg along. Selambe kau je lenggang balik kampus.

3. I was at my faculty, maybe the same year as previous case. And I was walking back to my room. Jauh jalan ni, took me about 15 minutes walk. Bila sampai je kat desasiswa, baru perasan... "Aku rasa aku drive pegi fakulti tadi, asal aku jalan kaki balik ni..."

4. I've started working already and it was Saturday. I was planning to go back to my sister's house in Seri Kembangan, instead, I drove to my work place tanpa rasa serba salah dan segan silu dan terus bekerja tanpa tujuan. Bila dah lunch hour, baru ingat... "Rasanya tadi taknak pegi keje, macam nak balik rumah Kak Ita, asal aku kat sini ni...."

Ok. Sebenarnye banyak lagi, tapi saya kan forgetful, macam mana nak ingat semua kan.

So I found some these tips to stop forgetfulness. Maybe we can all try.

1. Do not self-diagnose your lack of memory skills as disease or as something that will lead to Alzheimer.

2. Make lists.

3. Challenge yourself even with a list on your hand.

4. Studies show that we remember the most insane, ridiculous things. The more ridiculous the scenario, the easier for you to remember.

5. Use mnemonics by acronyms to remember things.

6. If you are alone, talk to yourself as you perform each task that you must remember doing.

7. Play memory games on your computer.

8. Make a song out of your list.

9. Eat protein-rich food, such as meat or fish.

10. Drink a lot of water.

There you go. Jom kita cuba...

Ramadhan Season.

Alhamdulillah, once again, Ramadhan season is back.

As mentioned last year, and previous years' post, Ramadhan is a very special month for Muslims. And as for Malaysians, Ramadhan is very much like a pre-festive season when almost everyone changes their lifestyle for 1 month.

For myself, I have the chance earlier this fasting season, which is simply awesome since I get to go back to my hometown, about 1 hour drive from Ipoh. Going to Bazaar Ramadhan, 'Iftar'ing and performing Tarawikh with family is just the best way to spend my time during this holy month.

This time around, you would realize that there are many Bazaar Ramadhan here in Manjung. And it is never weird to see these places are always crowded, not only with Muslims, but non-Muslims too. A place where you can find all types of food, my favorite place. But this year, my lust on food has a whopping reduction, as I feel 'bigger' lately, so I need to control my diet. Boo-yah!. (Banyak terpengaruh dengan Biggest Loser)

Pushing off to work after Subuh prayer and spend 2 hours in the car travelling everyday usually cost me some time during night time, but I'll try my best to perform Tarawikh. 8 rakaat is enough for me (even last night during Tazkirah in between the 8 rakaat, I got the chance to have a 50 minutes of sleep. Whoaaa. Sorry Ustaz, ngantok...) But who knows this Ramadhan will be my last, so it is better for us to take this opportunity to perform the most this month with 'amalan'.

Anyhow, Happy Fasting to all Muslims!

Salam Ramadhan.