Life is about ...

Life is about waking up each day to discover something new; meeting old people but making new conversations; walking through old roads but still feeling nice about it; realizing that you have grown a day older but still feeling young at heart;
meeting busy schedules but still finding time to smile; being nostalgic about 'PAST' but looking forward better days to come...

Malaysia offers places for Brunei officers....

Malaysia has offered places for officers from Brunei Darussalam to attend courses at the Tun Abdul Razak Broadcasting Institute (Iptar) in Kuala Lumpur.
Iptar will be upgraded into a university college in January next year.
Deputy Minister of Information Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the offer was made in tandem with efforts to boost bilateral cooperation in broadcasting between the two friendly neighbours.

Zahid, on a three-day visit to Brunei Darussalam, extended the offer during his meeting with the Energy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Yahya bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, who is also the minister responsible for broadcasting.
The deputy minister said Iptar would cooperate with Universiti Putra Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Mara and Limkokwing University College of Creative Technology to conduct the courses.
Present at the meeting were Malaysian High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam Ku Jaafar Ku Shaari, Information Ministry deputy secretary-general Dr Rothiah Omar, Director-General of the National Film Development Corporation, Malaysia (Finas), Raja Rozaimie Dalnish, and Permanent Secretary at the Prime Minister's Department of Brunei Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Ismail bin Pengiran Haji Mohammad.
Zahid said he was satisfied with the bilateral cooperation of the two countries in information and broadcasting through RTM and RTB, between the information departments of Malaysia and Brunei and the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama).
He also indicated the possibility of expanding the cooperation through recently-launched Bernama-run Radio24.
Awang Yahya welcomed initiatives to enhance cooperation in information and broadcasting.
Tonight, Zahid attended the Senandung Muhibah concert, jointly staged by RTM-RTB at Jerudong Park Amphitheatre.

Of filial piety ...

While the story of Si-Tanggang has become a Malaysian folklore, as with the tale of Malin Kundang in Indonesia, Brunei too has its own legend of an unfilial son.
Not far from its famous Kampung Ayer is a small rocky island aptly named ‘Jong Batu’. Locals believe that it was a vessel which had turned into a rock.
Legend has it that a poor boy had set out to better his life, leaving behind his widowed mother. After many years, he achieved success and became the captain of a huge ship, forgetting his humble roots in the process. One day, Nakhoda Manis, who had by then married, anchored his ship near his birthplace while taking shelter from an impending storm.
On hearing news of his presence, his ageing mother rowed out in a small boat calling out to her long lost son. With his wife by his side, Nakhoda Manis was too embarrassed to acknowledge his mother and turned his back on her. He ordered his crew to shoo her away. The mother, brokenhearted and depressed, then placed a curse on her unfilial son. After a while, the sky turned dark and the wind became strong. Storm came and his ship slowly began to sink at the site where ‘Jong Batu’ is now.

For days of Auld Lang Syne …

Five years ago, on this date, some 40 motivated souls who were just starting their post-graduate stint held a Hari Raya gathering. It was to be a project for their Strategic Communication class. Being working people, it was not difficult for them to pool resources to make it a memorable night. A senior state politician who was known to one of the students even took the trouble to fly down to be with them and left for home on the last flight that night. Some wondered what magic the guy had to make the politician (who later became a deputy minister) spend time with the class.
With an amiable lecturer, whom they referred to as ‘Cefu’, the class was such fun that there was never a dull moment whenever they gathered for their once-a-week class. To make them better connected and informed of the class, a Yahoo Group was created which they aptly called stracommastersnov02. It proved to be an effective communication channel for through it they shared information not just about class assignments and projects but matters of interest concerning their classmates. Some posted anecdotes, anniversary messages and even wedding invitation! It was so special that the group of November ’02 students continued updating the site even after passing the Strategic Communication class. Some vowed to make it a lifetime communication channel. One of them posted a line yesterday and was lucky enough that it prompted a single response. Wonder where the others are…