Tribute to a man who saved my life ....

With the grace of Allah, Datuk Dr Nik Zainal Abidin Abdul Rahman had saved many lives in his illustrious career as cardiologist. I'm one of them.
When I laid in coma at the Gleneagles Hospital last November, he answered the emergency call and rushed to my aid.
He told me days later that they had initially thought I had a stroke as I was "almost breathless, gasping for air".
My face was pale and bluish.
Without wasting any time, he ran some tests on my brains, fearing it could have been severely affected by the attack.
But my brain gave a positive response.
I may have been out for two or three hours during which they finally traced the problem to my swelling water-logged lungs.
The doctors zeroed in my ailment as acute pneumonia and took steps to drain out the water from my body. I should be lucky to have survived.
Dr Nik told me that I could have been ‘gone’ if I had been half an hour late to the hospital.
"You gave us quite an excitement last night,'" his words still ringing in my ears when he saw me after I regained consciousness.
With tube placed in my mouth, I couldn't talk and could only gazed at him.
I recalled him telling the nurse that I was a strong guy to survive the ordeal.
When I finally had the chance to thanked him after they had taken the tube off my mouth several days later, he was his usual-self.
I now realise of his admirable traits -- unassuming and down-to-earth despite his high-achievement.
I remember him for his bow-tie but what would now endeared me to him is the memories of a man who had literally given me a new breath of life.
As I read the obituaries of this great man in the newspapers today, I couldn't help feeling moved by what he has done to the country.
And in my silent prayer, I am thankful to have crossed path with the man whom I will never get a chance to meet again.
For all the lives that he had saved, Dr Nik lost his when his four-wheel drive collided with a lorry near Karak Highway as he was heading towards Bentong from his house in Janda Baik on Monday, Oct 29.
In him, I found a man, a great man, who had passionately devoted his life to saving lives.
Al-Fatihah...

The road to Alhambra ...

As we travelled to Alhambra, the neatly grown trees on both sides of the highway caught the eye. Juan, our journalist friend from EFE, said they were olive trees.
"If I have to buy a gift, I would get olive oil instead of perfume," he said.

Wikipedia says the Alhambra (Arabic: literally "the red one"; the complete name is "Qal'at al-Hambra", which means "The red fortress").
It is a palace and fortress complex of the Moorish monarchs of Granada in southern Spain (known as Al-Andalus when the fortress was constructed), occupying a hilly terrace on the southeastern border of the city of Granada.

Once the residence of the Muslim kings of Granada and their court, the Alhambra is now one of Spain's major tourist attractions exhibiting the country's most famous Islamic architecture, together with Christian 16th century and later interventions in buildings and gardens that marked its image as it can be seen today.
It has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Of seagulls and little, little things...

Here I am on the balcony of my hotel room looking out at the Mediterranean sea.
Seagulls fly freely as the sun began to set in this Spanish tourist area of “Costa del Sol”.
The sound of waves hitting the shores of this popular Arena beach is sweet music to the ears.
From cold Paris to this sunny town of Estepona, what more can I ask.
Another place, another experience to cherish.
Looking at the flock of seagulls, I recalled these words, so meaningful of someone so dear:
“I am the seagull – flying high, exploring the world.
Life is too short to worry about little, little things - but that's what most people do.
Happiness is appreciating and enjoying what you have while you can.
Enjoy the little, little things you do …”

Spanish 'City of Journalism' hosts news agencies summit...

Representatives of 90 news agencies from 80 countries gathered in this southern Spanish city of Estepona for the second World Congress to discuss the challenges the Internet age has brought on the media. The event was inaugurated by Spain's King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia.
Access to big news events like the soccer World Cup and the Olympic Games is one the agencies' main concerns as they strive to report on such happenings in a dynamic, precise and accurate way.
Reporters' safety, piracy, the possibilities offered by the new technologies and the future trends for the agencies would also be issues discussed during the four-day World Congress of News Agencies, organized by Spain's Agencia EFE and the municipal government of Estepona. Preparations for the congress had been made in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi – host city the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Some 40 agencies have also submitted photographs for the first World Congress of News Agencies Photo Competition, which constitutes an excellent sampling of the photographic coverage of the most important events of the 21st century.

Malaysia wins UNESCO Executive Board seat...

Two years of preparation brought glory for Malaysia as the country was elected to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Executive Board with the highest votes among competing nations. Securing 147 votes to top the Asia-Pacific group, Malaysia was a clear favourite from the start to sit in the 58-member board for a four-year term until 2011. Founded in 1946 to promote international collaboration through education, science and culture, the Paris-based Unesco now has 193 members. The win capped a week of achievements for Malaysia after the successful completion of the country’s first Angkasawan mission to space two days ago. Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein will represent Malaysia on the board.
Not one to rest on his laurels, the minister has told his officers that the victory meant hard work and conviction towards achieving UNESCO's objectives.

'Real Life, Real Time' gets real from Paris...

Radio24 Bernama’s ‘Real Life, Real Time’ broadcast caught up with a Malaysian parliamentarian all the way in Paris as he spoke ‘live’ about the on-going 34th Unesco General Conference.
It was the first time for Member of Parliament for Cameron Highlands S.K.Devamany to be interviewed on-spot for the news bulletin of a Malaysian radio station, let alone across continents.
“This is fantastic…speaking live from Paris to Kuala Lumpur for the radio bulletin,” said the former teacher who is a member of the Malaysian delegation to the biennial conference which started on Tuesday.
Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, vying for a seat in Unesco’s Executive Board, is leading the Malaysian delegation drawn from various ministries linked to the roles of the 193-member organization.
Devamany said the 24-hour radio station could enable the public to hear the latest news more quickly with such ‘live’ connection.
This is made possible with up-to-date information and communication technology, an area actively pursued by Unesco, he said.
Officially launched on Sept 3, the radio transmission from Wisma Bernama in Kuala Lumpur on the 93.9fm frequency currently covers Klang Valley.
But thanks to Internet streaming, its all-news and information programmes could be heard clearly in Paris and possibly elsewhere around the globe.
Director General of Education Alimuddin Haji Mohd Dom, who was also interviewed live on the station’s news slot, commended the ‘reality’ concept of Radio24 in the growing trend of a globalised world.
“As we move forward, we need actual and current news that would keep us on track with happenings across the world,” he said.
Bernama’s correspondents throughout Malaysia and its overseas bureaus have constantly provided live reports for Radio24 as the agency strives to become a complete, multi-platform news and information provider.

Strolling along a Parisian open market...

The street markets of Paris like the one on the Boulevard De Grenelle offer visitors a glimpse of the Parisian life. It displays all kinds of food, from fresh fruits to vegetables, fish and meat to flowers, cheese to pastries – you name it. Like the ‘pasar malam’ in Kuala Lumpur, there is also a wide range of clothes and household items to bargain for. Even if you are not buying anything, the experience of strolling along the open market is worth a life-time remembrance. You will enjoy a real feast for the eyes and ears, and for a moment a precious feeling of warmth and humanity. Don’t be surprise if a cute, elderly lady grabs your hand while you are being photographed by a friend. She just wants to be in the picture too!
If you are lucky, you might even bump into some visiting ministers, here for the Unesco meeting, taking a casual Sunday walk. The Boulevard de Grenelle food market opens every Sunday and Wednesday from 8am to 1pm.