of cloud computing, sustainable development and conference junkies...

Fong, Dr Pat (IBM USA) and yours truly, at the luncheon talk by Dr Pat on 'Cloud Computing'

Prof Dr Sofian Azirun (Dean, Science Faculty Universiti Malaya), me, YBhg Datuk Prof Khaw (deputy Vice-Chancellor, Development, Universiti Malaya, Prof Horowitz (Law prof USA) and Prof Jomo Kwame Sundaram ( Assistant Secretary-General, Economic Bureau, United Nations, New York) at the VIP room after the conclusion of the International Conference on Sustainable Development organised by IMPUMA, Universiti Malaya

I guess Nobisha (or Saudara Norizan Sharif, CEO of Inminds, the current popular analyst and political commentator at ASTRO AWANI) was quite right in making a remark recently that people seem to be lazy updating their blogs. They spend too much time on facebook and twitter these days. I am guilty on all counts! (evil wink)...

The cloud computing luncheon talk (foto above) by Dr Pat from IBM was interesting to me (I am not sure about the rest cos I saw them busy eating away, poor Dr Pat..hehe). I asked him if this is not just another faddish phenomena because I have heard it being bandied around, discussed even as far as 15 years ago...and he said its coming...oh well already here in some not soo obvious mode. If you like to know more about cloud computing and its potential...see here.

Having said that, blogs do have their roles and relevance and people, I suspect, will continue to use blogs and there will be newer versions and with all kinds of add-ons what with the proliferation of new apps much like iphone. Even the makers, or inventors rather, of Blackberry (RIM or Research in Motion - the billion dollar Canadian company), having put corporate emails into most corporate executive's pockets, are now barging into killer-Apps and coming into a head-on collision course with Apple (Iphone) as reported in the latest issue of Fortune Magazine (31 August 2009 issue).

My friend Abbas Khaku of the London School of Economics (LSE), was also spot-on, when he honoured me by bestowing upon me (hehe), a title that qualifies me into the ranks of 'Conference Junkies' hahahaha. I have been telling people that I was a conference junkie because of the incessant attendances at conferences but these days, its the opposite actually (wink). I attend to speak, not to listen to some probably boring speakers anymore (wink)...while mindful of the fact that the same (boringness) could also hold true, of me. haha.

Its fasting month (Holy Ramadan) and so far I have succeeded in 'containing' the devilish temptation of uploading food photos or big huge sinful spreads of hotel breaking fast sessions... hahaha. By the way, the devils are supposed to be on a 30 day (forced) leave of absence. And oh, incidentally, my joint co-secretary, Noriswadi Ismail will also be on a 3 year leave of absence pursuing his PhD in Law (RFID) degree at Queen Mary's College, The University of London.

Yes, I have a bad habit of not knowing when to say yes and when to say no until I discovered that I have overcommitted with strings of conference chairmanships and other speaking engagements. Looks like october and november is going to be a bloody busy month what with my eldest daughter's wedding scheduled for October 31 as well...haiyyah. Come September 1 next week; I have been invited, yet again, to share my experiences with graduating BBA (Business) students at the International Islamic University (UIA) Malaysia at their Gombak campus.. thanks to our enterprising 'Sir Zul' hahaha.

'Selamat Berbuka Puasa' (a breaking fast wish) to my muslim comrades the world over wherever you are, and have a great long weekend to my fellow Malaysian friends who will be celebrating MERDEKA on August 31st. Stay safe and observe 'social distancing' unless you wanna feel what its like to contract H1N1...hehehe

is quality management still fashionable?...

August 4 recently, I was chairing the 2009 Quality Management Symposium at the posh new signature hotel, Royale Chulan (owned by the Boustead Group). The annual symposium, led by Nuclear Malaysia together with other bodies like the Standards dept, SIRIM, SMIDEC and supported by MOSTI (Ministry of Science) has been an annual affair.

I have been invited consecutively over the last four years. Have presented a paper, moderated, chaired and gave a keynote presentation but this year, I told my friends at Nuclear Malaysia (The DG and the Training Manager that this year if they want me to contribute again, no papers please... penatlah (tired) hahaha, just chairing the conference on day one (hehe). That's why you see me in all the four photos above. Giving away momentos to speakers. The topmost, to none other than YBhg Tan Sri Ali Hashim, Group Chief Executive of Johor Corporation. He shared the trials and tribulations, business cycles (the ups and downs) of Johor Corp, his passion for Islamic business-jihad and his notion of 'westoxification' a word, I believe, he invented. My old friend Dr Ranjit Singh Malhi (Sadarji) during the days of MSTD, also gave a keynote address. Another old friend Mansoor, President and CEO of AVON ASEAN 'passionately' shared AVON's adaptation of quality management practices in their business model and strategies.

You probably notice that the last 2 fotos were taken with...yes you are right..none other than YBhg Datuk Arumugam of the iconic malaysian band 'Alleycats'. They are performing at Royale Chulan now (check them out hehe). Quality Management is a culture, a cult if you like. Breathing and living quality in your everyday lives be it the personal or business level...is certainly the bedrock of a winning strategy, as manifested by Alleycats...after more than 30 years...their survival owes to, among other variables, quality performance, always evergreen...always the alleycats and their music as you have heard them a long time ago, and still the same...

So, is quality management still fashionable? Despite some ethical issues raised and lamented during the symposium, I believe it is here to stay. It worked for Alleycats and thousands of other organisations globally, it certainly will work for yours....

of security, passion and desire? ...

Ya ya ya...just because my retirement is fast approaching, doesn't mean my blogging should also slow down, right? There is no direct corelation at all. In fact, the blogging should be even more aggressive and should take on a more pro-active role, as some close friends had duly suggested. We will see how that progresses.... Yesterday afternoon I was at the finals of the National Inter-Varsity quiz on Computer/Internet Security. We (MRC) sponsored the runner-up prize (3 netbooks!). It was also about meeting a longtime old friend that have not met up quite a long time as well! We use to attend the International Youth Foundation Board (IYC) Meetings at Fukuoka, Japan in the early 90s when he was very active in the youth movement. Yes, he is Deputy Minister of Higher Education now, in Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak's cabinet. He is also a statemate (he is from Temerloh, Pahang and I am from Kuantan, Pahang). Good to have caught up with you, YB Datuk!

Talent has to be discovered at the “source” it cannot be developed. You cannot train for talent, you can only unleash it by creating the right context and the right mindset. The power of talent is that it is transferable from situation to situation. The champions were from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and the runners-up, Universiti teknologi Malaysia (UTM). Well done fellas! These boys and girls are talented. We (MRC) are proud to be playing a small part in that talent 'discovery'.

Just a note to all of us who are passionate about talent and development, especially those in higher education. During his early career, academic pedigrees impressed Jack Welch. He hired engineers from MIT, Princeton, and Caltech. After a while, he realized that wasn’t what counted. “Eventually I learnt that I was really looking for people who were filled with passion and a desire to get things done. A resume didn’t tell me much about that inner hunger.” Perhaps we should be mindful of Jack's valuable experience... have a great weekend and a good rest folks...