a commonwealth award-winning remote school...

the welcome committee...

the locals showing off their skills...also a show of respect and appreciation for visiting them

Getting there takes you about 12-13 hours on former timber dirt-track road...


the pristine cool villages...

the pre-school is part of the commonwealth award-winning Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK)...

When my wife asked me if I'd like to join her visit a remote school in a village called Ba' Kelalan, in a district called Lawas where its faster to reach from Miri, Sarawak on an 8-seater dornier and then travel in a four wheel drive for 12 hours on timber dirt track with knee deep mud at times...to this most remote school in a village called Ba' Kelalan...wow...that sounded like a great safari-like adventure! But alas, I could not make it as I had a meeting in singapore. Would you like to miss out on an opportunity like that? Haha no way man, but as I said, I had to take a pass...what a waste. Some photos she bluetoothed me (above) to share on my blog fellas...

of pagans and headhunters...

Owen Rutter, born 1889, as a young man, spent five years in Sabah as magistrate and district officer for the British North Borneo Chartered Company. The Pagans of North Borneo, is an attempt at a systematic description to the non-muslim peoples of Sabah. At the time of its publication the book was meant as a contribution to contemporary colonial policymaking, but even then it could be read as history. The modern reader might balked at the use of such terms as 'savage' and 'primitive', and at Rutter's relegation of Sabahans to a lower scale of civilisation. But the valuable information he compiled should not be thrown out along with the cultural chauvinism. In essence the book remains of fundamental value, an invaluable source of information for various aspects of Sabahan society ranging from traditional warfare and headhunting (given sympathetic rather than sensational treatment) jungle and river craft and adat to popular folklore and music. (first published in 1929 by Hutchinson & Co, London, Reprinted by Oxford University Press in 1985)

Carl Alfred Bock (1849-1932) was a Norwegian naturalist and explorer who occupies a not unimportant place in the gallery of European officials, merchants, missionaries and adventurers who visited the Malay Archipelago in the nineteenth century. He was certainly one of the first European writers to realize and exploit the exotic potential of Borneo. Despite its sensational title, Carl Bock's accounts of his travels in the 1870s in both Borneo and Sumatra covers much more than the well-known cephalic pursuits of the Dayaks. Commission by the Dutch colonial authorities to make a journey into the little-explored districts of West Borneo, Bock proved to be a keen observer not only of the way of life of the peoples ofthe interior but also of their tutilar Malay overlords and of various aspects of colonial life. Similarly, Bock's descriptions of his journeys in Sumatra, taken in this instance primarily as a naturalist, also potray vividly scenes of contemporary life and society in an era of Dutch expansion along with observations on the flora and fauna. Written in a clear and unpretentious style. (first published by Sampson Low, Searle & Rivington, London, 1881, this edition published by Oxford University Press, 1985)

I hope my frens, loyal readers and casual visitors alike, are enjoying this great warm sunny sunday afternoon. You may be wondering why I chose these two books and both (coincidentally are books about Borneo (heheh). Borneo, both the Malaysian and Indonesian territories and oh well, Brunei too I guess, have been European's favorite destination even up till today. They find the place exotic, even among Peninsula Malaysians (wink) which explains the regular meetings, seminars or conferences being held there, by both private and public sectors (apart for reasons other than what you and me probably oredi know meh? hahaha). Now that I am an immediate past president of the University of Hull Alumni Association in Malaysia (we just had our AGM at the Royal Lake Club this morning and I have, with dignity (wink) handed over the baton to my successor), I can spend a little more time now reviewing interesting old books on my blog hahaha. But jokes aside, there seem to be an uncanny coincidence that some power transitions are about to take place too right? April 2, if I am not mistaken, from reading the sunday times awhile ago. My choice of two interesting books on Borneo in my possession, was not randomly done ok? (evil wink). It has to do with some recent erections and nacionale poriticar deveropmen as well... again, as usual...your guess is as gud as mine...dot dot dot

of party erections and repairo-insuro-mekaniko babblomania...

Danny the MC making a brief welcome remark and introducing us, Kong STFK(wink), me, Cho Chee Seng (FOWOAM president), Richard Pratt CEO I-CAR Australia and Fiona Chew, GM Messe Frankfurt HK

with Richard Pratt CEO of I-CAR Australia, my fellow speaker at automechanika malaysia 2009 at KL convention centre yesterday ( no no I asked Richard and he confirmed that he is in no way related or connected to the family of Pratt&Whitney the manufacturer of one of the world's great jet engines hahaha)

Wahlauweh...Cho checkmated me when he asked me to speak at his annual convention in conjunction with Automechanika Malaysia 2009 (which is held once in 2 years the last being in 2007) at the KL convention centre. To add insult to injury (hehe) giving me a difficult topic and making it even more challenging and hazarous cos I was to speak in front of repairers (some of whom only understand mandarin or cantonese hahaha). Then there were general insurers , adjusters, JPJ, automotive chaps and component manufacturers from Taiwan, China, and elsewhere and other stakeholders of the industry that I have to be careful what I say lest I be sued for defamation (evil wink). Well, in simple language, I must be politically-correct...hehehe. While busy with all that, I did not forget to follow the proceedings of a certain party convention taking place at another venue concurrently. I was , like other fellow malaysians, eager and excited who was going to get erected in the party erections...(evil wink). My reactions? hahaha much like sweet and sour fish and ya ya your guess, again lah...is as good as mine....have a great weakend folks! (wink).

of rising premiums and inflated injury claims down south?...

At MAS golden lounge changi airport singapore. Short quick trip. Nice when some people remember you, but upset when they don't provide your favourite peanuts anymore (uwaaa). And even more upset after having been a loyal enrich member, you don't accumulate enough points, and they downgrade you to silver (uhu hu hu). Anyway, we had a good meeting at the new premises of the general insurance association of singapore (GIAS) just before lunch . They are impressed with what we do to contain costs of claims, reducing subjectivity and dispute resolutions to the malaysian motor insurance industry. CF Lim, PIAM executive director and me, we decided to take the earlier flight home. We're suppose to fly back on SIA at 5 pm actually. The singaporeans asked me how come we are members of RCAR (Global Research Council for Automobile Repairs)? I said only four countries represent Asia. Korea, Japan, Australia and Malaysia. And you must first be representing your country's motor insurance industry and membership is by invitation only and must be approved by other research centres during its annual meeting (wink). GIAS is worried over a report carried in yesterday's singapore straits times (read here). We hope they would not get into unnecessary problems. When I read that news report...I said to myself...hmmm sounds like a familiar plot, storyline much like a chicken and egg type situation. Simple economics of demand and supply and owh well, a zero sum game...in this instance...the losers are the motor insurers having to bear huge claims payout, then, as a punitive measure, premiums are raised and who cries foul now? well..your guess is, as usual, as good as mine...

is thinking a habit?...

I have not been sharing Moje's articles in the Manila Times quite awhile now. But this latest one, read here , is interesting and being the notti (twisted mind as some has already labelled) me, I find that it could be well, quite oxymoronic. Here's why I say so: she said that habits are what we do when we are not thinking. But thinking can also be a habit meh? right or not? Therefore, if thinking equals habit, following standard simultaneous equation solving processes (wink), does that not mean that we would also not be thinking when we're thinking? hehehe. Think about it folks and let me know while you're at your habits over this great weekend.....hahahahaha LOL.

baby boomers and the lost generation?...

Half an hour ago I gave a return call to a schoolmate (Sukumaran) from std 5 GES PD right up to form 5 Science 1, SMI PD. He was headboy then in 1971. I was secretary to the prefect's board, Heng Yick Heang was Treasurer. Sukumaran, this handsome malayali bugger, is closest to me after Tiruchelvam well I mean they are both the only schoolmates we keep in contact until today. We will probably have tehtarik much more frequently after retirement, if we live long enough. You know lah these days, anything after 55, is a bonus. As usual, we (me and suku) would be lamenting the state of the nation, the current issues, problems and hopes and of course the bodoh stuff people appear to be saying in the newspapers that made us feel more 'bodoh' hahaha (evil wink).

Then suku said, those born before 1957 were british subjects but we chose to be true blue malaysians hahaha ( I never thought of it before...I mean being british subjects and all hmmm hehe...so I guess the next time I meet my partners from THATCHAM, I would say...hey guys, don't pray pray aah? (of Phua Chu Kang fame) we're british too u know? ya rite...).

Then we touched a bit about the younger generation and what will happen 20 years from now as we imagine it to be....and I remembered what a new friend I made at the conference earlier on today, Victor Chau K Fong from Hong Kong and as we chatted about 'our' baby-boomer generation, the young ones are known as the 'lost generation' in HongKong and of course in mainland China too and the difficulties teachers and parents encounter, in managing them. Read here. having said all that, I always believe that most, if not all, generations wil ripen, come of age and rise to the occasion. Its a global phenomena. I think its the same everywhere. When I read that article, ahah...sounds familiar...I look at my own children...its tough...sometimes I feel I have failed in that department. My friend Victor said, this 'lost generation' is the most pampered lot. Perhaps we, the baby boomer generation is also at fault? let me know your thoughts folks? nanait...nid to catch some quality sleep.....

when the going gets tough...the tough gets going..they say

I am chairing the Malaysian Property Market 2009 Conference at the Grand Millennium Hotel right now...and this young lady lawyer from Shearn and Delamore is updating delegates on developments on taxation of land transactions. Ya ya...this is unscheduled. Chairing the conference today I mean. I had a phone call 2 days ago and as usual, being obliging a guy I am, I agreed. But am glad I agreed as I too learnt alot of new things. The previous 2 speakers this morning was very good. Dr Cheong shared very bluntly the grim realities with hard data (hehe). There were some politically incorrect observations too, but I guess we should blame it on the economists hahaha...not the politicians (wink).

In between while the speakers speak, i was checking my emails and eheh heh updating my blog. When times are bad, people are easily infuriated and everyone starts to check on everything. Even Obama is pissed with AIG (wink). You thought right, even Vice-Chancellors of UK universities were not spared public scrutiny...hahaha...please read here.

of crashes and gadget gizmos...

Dependence. Yes very drug-like. How do you feel or react when you realise you've left your handphone at home? What happens to your moods patterns or work schedules when your notebook crashes and you just can't seem to be doing anything at all? Can't surf the net, check your mails, update your blog, facebook with frens, ya ya most importantly, finish the few papers you set deadlines to meet? It's unbelievable how dependent we are on technology these days. Ya ok you still have your blackberry, but its not the same as having a computer, a real notebook you have been accustomed to. And when the server at the office is down, look at the faces, the exasperation, the fury, the sighs, the panic it reverberates. Gosh, its like a war zone, its like we're under some alien digital attack haha. As if we did not already have enuf of viral attack fears or trojan horses... I get all kinds of reaction on my facebook when I tell my frens that my notebook crashed! Its definitely not planned obsolescence. It could be anything from not treating it (the notebook) with the minimal TLC (tender loving care? huh) cos you know lar how delicate sensitive and fragile hard disks are kan? (wink...ngalahkan owang pompuan plax.hehehe). Or could it not be IE or Vista? I hear many complaints about Vista and some suggested I go back to XP or wait for windows 7 (Beta version oredi out I wuz told hehe). But the comment I like most folks, is the suggestion that its time a get a new one! hahaha...hmmm let me see... shall it be the VAIO Z series which would be phased out soon? or the 17 inch MacBook Pro just launched? hehe...any ideas? While I am at that, perhaps I should reward meself with the newly going to be launched soon iPhone 3G? ya ya don't push your luck too far aiek, gadget gizmo? hahahahahaha

of 6Es, 6S and culture?...

I think there are more than enough bloggers writing about sensational issues, topics and yes politics too (wink) etc etc. Perception many people have of the internet and blogging, abounds. We all, well most (I hope) know the fact that the internet and now blogs, are double-edged swords. It can help one win a battle but lose the war, or risk losing entire kingdoms too heheh. Go ask King Arthur and his Knights of the roundtable (evil wink). Its dark and gloomy this saturday evening (6 pm local time) and a storm is on the way, I think.

I was looking at my old note pads where I scribble stuff I like and here's some of them. First is the 6Es which are Enthusiasm, Emotion, Excellence, Energy, Excitement and Entrepreneurism. The next one is the 6S which was Tun Daim's favourite advice to young upstarts in the corporate world: Study, See, Seize, Strategise, Scrutinise and Slog away...hahaha. Good advice eh? And finally folks before you go away to enjoy the rest of the weekend...this quote:

'If I could have chosen not to tackle the IBM culture head on, I probably wouldn't have. My bias coming in was toward strategy, analysis and measurement. In comparison, changing the attitude and behaviours of hundreds and thousands of people is very, very hard. Yet I can see in my time at IBM that culture isn't jus one aspect of the game - it is the game! (Lou Gerstner ex CEO IBM in his book Who Says Elephants Can't Dance?)

...been to paradise but never been to me?...

Oxbridge Boat Race Dinner at the Bankers Club, Kuala Lumpur, 2004

Interview Maskulin (Malaysia) Magazine, September 2005

Ya ya before you bash me up good, I must confess, I could not resist uploading these pictures (above) on to my blog (heheh). Its part of my journal..owh well journey right? Remember the lyrics from that oldie? A beautiful song about a woman's experience trying to tell another young woman that finally, love is about the man you fought with this morning and the same one you will be making love to, tonight? Remember those lyrics? haha ok ok let me refresh it...the chorus: "...I've been to paradise..but I've never been to me..." I love that song, great music, soothing melody. The first photo was a black tie do to commemorate the ancient Oxford and Cambridge University traditional Boat Race. I was invited to the function by Dr Foo Ban Yen who was then president of the Imperial College Alumni Association in Malaysia. If you look at the photo carefully (published by Tatler Malaysia), they got my name sounded like a Mongolian (Khaer Uddin) hahaha...no no definitely not related to anyone familiar to you (mak tak sama bapak lain lain hahaha).

Then the other 3 fotos that follow, was my interview with Maskulin in 2005. No no, please, its not the same masculine magazine abroad (evil wink). Those are the ones meant for gays ( I was told...erkk). This maskulin is an attempt by the Karangkraf Group to provide a new magazine for your Malaysian males oh well young malay males to be more specific (I think). I know the owners of that publishing group. They are old frens and we go back quite a long way. I guess that was why they interviewed me hahaha. Success? ya rite...depends how one looks at success actually. To me success can also mean, with a salary of RM900 and with 9 kids..and after paying all the monthly bills, one is left with RM67.40. Not having to borrow or use the credit card...that is a form of success hihi. That's ok, you can disagree with me. I am trying to avoid writing stuff in that direction (wink). Anyway, as I approach my retirement, I thought it would be a good practice to document what little photos or interviews I have had...so that at least later on my grandchildren have something to read or see should they google my name....

perginya seorang tokoh industri seni & kesusasteraan negara...

(dipetik dari: Utusan Malaysia Sabtu 7 mac 2009)

Petang semalam saya terkejut apabila isteri saya berteriak memanggil saya untuk memberitahu berita di kaca TV Zubir Ali meninggal dunia. Sebagai mengenang dan menghormati allahyarham, blog malam ini di khaskan buatnya. Gambar2 serta lirik lagu yang dipopularkan Zubir menjadi titik tolak kepada lagu puisi yang di rakamkan dan di pasarkan secara komersil (Shaharudin Musthafa, Utusan Malaysia, Sabtu 7 Mac 2009/10 Rabiulawal 1430). Saya kenal baik dengan arwah. Kami berkongi bos (Pak Ungku) sewaktu saya di Koperasi Universiti Malaya dahulu (1986-1988). Sementara isteri beliau Puan Fauziah adalah rakan profesional seantero di dunia kesetiausahaan korporat. Betul sepertikata Shaharudin (Utusan Malaysia), hingga hari ini Penantian terus subur sebagai lagu yang mempunyai melodi cukup indah dan dengan frasa lirik yang melampaui zamannya. Sepertimana lagu2 Eddie Ebiet dari seberang, yang juga berkonsepkan puisi. Saya masih ingat sewaktu umur diawal 20an dahulu, menyanyi lagu Penantian di lounge Hotel Perdana, Kota Baru. Akhir2 ini saya sering pastikan ada beberapa lirik2 lagu terselit di dalam dompet sayay dan di antaranya adalah lirik lagu Penantian. Saya sekeluarga ingin merakamkan ucapan setinggi takziah kepada Puan Fauziah sekeluarga di atas pemergian Zubir dan semoga Allahyarham dicucuri rahmat, tenang dan damai di sana. Alfatihah.

(di petik dari Utusan Malaysia Mac 7, 2009)

management development? or mengabihkan boreh?...

Tuan Haji Zulkifli Baharom, former Director of MAS Academy and currently adjunct teaching faculty at Kulliyah Ekonomi & Sains Pengurusan at the International Islamic University (UIA) Gombak, Kuala Lumpur, recently invited me to give a guest lecture on 'Management Development: Success Models and Strategies' to his final year economics/business undergrads. I am actually much more comfortable speaking to postgrads/MBA students (heheh) rather than undergrads cos I always worry if they will be able to follow my thoughts and keep up with my bullet-train-like speech and/or decipher my Egyptian Hieroglyphics? hahaha. Or if at all they could make sense of my 'england' (hehehe) and the occasional ramblings in Malay (especially to those foerign students). But, yes, they did ( i hope, i think..hehe). More than 70% of the students were females! OMG...where have all the boys gone? This is the third time Hj Zul has 'punished' me. The first one was with another batch where I was to judge the best entrepreneurial team. Then I was with another group interviewing me (like the LIVE Hardtalk BBCWorld show...hahaha) which made me feel like a celebrity haha. That was mostly on compensation management bla bla bla....

This time around was on management development. Which to me is a 'must have, good to have, nice to have' kinda tingy. Its a luxury for some organisation, a must to others and perhap not necessary or relevant at all to others. More often, in years of corporate life, I observe that people use the term management development, training and education interchangeably to mean one and the same thing. Its not, ok? But don't worry...I won't bore you with the details. I have said this once too often that I am a Henry Mintzberg (HM) convert oh well disciple, if you may...hehe. Now, HM believes that both management and management (development/training/education) are deeply troubled, but neither can be changed without changing the other. He simply found too much of a disconnect between the practice of managing and what went on in classrooms intended to develop managers. Well, just in case I do not confuse the poor undergrads, what I did was to take them through, quickly, Mike Doyles explanation on the meaning and nature of management development, acknowledge their significance to organisational success; contrast piecemeal and open system approach; examine methods, techniques and processes used to develop managers; draw attention to the way management development can be varied to meet special needs and different contexts and in a nutshell, speculate about the future direction of management development...but really...how much can you cover in an hour? heheh

So, much of it I was just sharing my own candid experiences of management development/education of where I was; and because I agreed with HM, much of what I said was propagating his (HM) thinking that we need to redefine management development/education so that we do not overemphasize the science of management while ignoring its art and denigating its craft leaving a distorted impression of its practice. Mintzberg was of the view that we need to get back to a more engaging style of management, to build strong management organizations not bloated share prices, calling for another approach for management development/education whereby practicing managers learn from their own experience, building the art and craft back into management development/education, and into management itself. I don't know if the message came through or not...hahaha. I hope it did (wink) cos the feedback I got was that they enjoyed my presentation(?). For a moment I felt like Robin Williams.....(evil wink).

MIHRM SUMMIT 2008 - The fotos....

President of MIHRM Dato'Prof Ibrahim Ahmad Bajunid, HR Minister, me and Ishak Hashim

Ishak Hashim, Chairman Court of Fellows MIHRM, greeting the Minister of Human Resources

Me, Ishak, Rajkumar and Dr George Koshy

Dr George Koshy presenting a souvenir momento to me for being a panelist...

The Panelist: from left Datuk Aziz of Telekom Malaysia, Dr George Koshy (Moderateur), Ibrahim Hassan, me and a Singapore Consultant...

MIHRM Summit 2008 staged on 11 to 12 november at sunway resort hotel, petaling jaya, malaysia where we (MRC) sponsored the conference bag and I was panelist...hah...i just got the photos from CDC consulting today on my gmail. Thank you Alfiq and saudara Ibrahim Hassan. I blogged much earlier about it but there were no photos I think. Anyway, just to recap, the summit was themed "Talent Management and Succesion Planning: Meeting Global Challenges" (whatever that means hahaha). And it promised to showcase proven talent management and succession planning strategies through real life case studies and experience sharing by renowned speakers (yours truly included kot...ahaks..eheh heh). The organisers were mindful of the importance of working towards highly competitive global environment but were not so sure (at the timelah) that there was going to be a global financial tsunami and meltdown on the way...the symptoms were already there anyway. Need I say more? hehe