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…

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.

China strengthens media relations with Asean...

NANNING: Holding hands the Asean-style, media participants from the regional grouping hoarsely belted out the familiar tune of "Rasa Sayang" here tonight as they bade farewell to their Chinese host.
The "feel good" atmosphere capped a week-long programme of interviews and field studies in Guangdong and Guangxi aimed at strengthening China-Asean relations.
While the Chinese celebrated the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival, a festival of family union, the Asean participants not only made new friends from China but also from among their Asean neighbours.
Hosted by People's Daily, China's largest newspaper with a daily circulation of more than two million, the Third China-Asean Media Cooperation Seminar and Interview Tour was suggested by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.
He had proposed in his speech titled "Working Together to Open a New Chapter of China-Asean Relationship" at the 10th China-Asean Summit in January that China would hold the programme in an effort to enhance exchanges in the media sector among China and Asean countries.
People's Daily president Wang Chen said the strengthening China-Asean relations would need enhanced mutual understanding, exchange and cooperation.
"I believe that our practical media cooperation, as a new form in the 10+1 cooperation, will significantly expand, enrich and push forward the 10+1 cooperation relations," he said.
Last year witnessed the 15th anniversary of China-Asean dialogue relations while 2007 marked a significant year for Asean as it celebrated its 40th anniversary.
As part of broader efforts to bolster cooperation among the media organisations, the seminar participants agreed on the setting up of a China-Asean Media Cooperation Liaison Network, the details of which are to be worked out.
Participating media organisations also agreed to support the China-Asean Expo in Nanning as the event, which has been successfully held over the past three years, is a major platform to strengthen ties between China and Asean.
The fourth exposition, to be held later this month, will highlight cooperation among ports in China and Asean with the organiser expecting another large turnout.
Some 820,000 people participated as exhibitors and trade visitors in the previous three expositions.
Using football as a metaphor, I mentioned in my speech at the seminar that together we could form a formidable team.
"I believe many of us here love football. China itself has become a soccer powerhouse, having played in the 2002 World Cup. Given the chance, the 10 Asean countries would also want to qualify for the World Cup finals. But the 10 of us cannot even form a team. We need another player, a strong player. That's why we need China for this 10 plus 1 team."

Myanmar Appreciates Malaysia's No-sanction Stand...

The head of Myanmar's information agency has lauded Malaysia's stand to reject calls for economic sanctions on his country.
News and Periodicals Enterprise Managing Director Soe Win said such sanctions would not work as Myanmar has many resources.

"Most of the Western media fabricate news about us, getting information from undesirable elements," he told Bernama in Nanning, China today.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said in New York yesterday that Malaysia did not believe in imposing economic sanctions on Myanmar as they would usually hurt ordinary citizens.
The minister was commenting on calls by certain countries that economic sanctions be effected against Myanmar for alleged human rights abuses and its relatively slow process towards democracy.
Soe Win said Myanmar had worked to improve living standards of its people.
"Seeing is believing... some European groups which came to Myanmar could see that the people are okay," he said.
He is in Nanning to attend the Third China-Asean Media Cooperation Seminar and Interview Tour which began last Saturday.
The News and Periodicals Enterprise is one of the five departments under Myanmar's Information Ministry.
Besides publishing three dailies, including The New Light of Myanmar in English, it also runs two news agencies reporting news on Myanmar.

Happy 50th Anniversary Malaysia!

OANA workshop kicks off in Sabah ...

Our four-day media workshop on sustainable forest management for members of the Organisation of Asia Pacific News Agencies (OANA) kicks off in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah today. We had chosen the topic as a way of helping the region address the issue which has again come under focus. Some Western non-governmental organizations claimed that the opening of oil palm plantations has led to the destruction of rainforests and Orang Utan habitats, loss of biodiversity and caused global warming.
We wanted participants to find out about initiatives, policies and practices to balance between “development need” and the need to “preserve the environment” in the management of forest in Malaysia.
The participants will also visit the Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary.

Good old Simpang Lima days ….

Thanks to Dr Jayaraj, we finally got together for lunch to refresh our primary school bonding. Several of our teachers were able to be with us, making the event a lively affair. As we recalled the good old days of Simpang Lima (2) Primary School, we were thankful to the teachers for what we are today.
While some of us have remained in Klang, like Dr Jayaraj, Samsudin, Rauf, Arumugam, Tirath Singh and Seerajuddin, others found jobs elsewhere to settle down.
We were so happy to see our former headmaster Mr G.Jayaraman, who did not change much, while some of us boys have joined the rank of ‘extra-large waist earners’.

Sochi wins Olympic bid...

Not only the United States is in celebration mood on this Fourth of July because of its Independence Day, but Russia too. Thousands of Russians roared and jumped into the balmy Black Sea air in the resort town of Sochi as the International Olympic Committee named the southern seaside town host of the 2014 Winter Games. Sochi narrowly beat South Korea's Pyeongchang to give the Russia the right to host a second Olympics after the Summer Games staged in 1980. Hours before the final voting in Guatemala City, Russian President Vladimir Putin promised rich natural snow and no traffic jams when he addressed the IOC meeting. Speaking live for the first time in English, Putin, a keen skier himself, said with its unique climate of springlike weather at the Black Sea resort and cold temperatures in the nearby Krasnaya Polyanna mountains, Sochi was best suited to host the Olympics.

News agencies ponder about their future ....

In the face of tough challenges, news agencies worldwide will take a hard look at their future when they meet at the World Congress of News Agencies (WCNA) in the Spanish resort city of Estepona in October.
Among the growing concerns are the free content provided by Internet search engines as they compete to outdo each other and the question of corporate takeovers besetting private-run news agencies.
The safety of journalists also warrant immediate attention with the increasing number of media personnel killed in conflict areas around the world. More than 100 journalists have been killed so far this year.
The News Agencies World Council, an alliance of regional news agencies organisations, which met in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi last week, agreed on the issues to be addressed by the WCNA which last convened its meeting in Moscow three years ago.
"Nobody heard about the Internet before 1994 but today everybody is saying news is free, what then is our future? said WCNA secretary-general Uffe Sorensen. The 2nd WCNA would be held from Oct 24 to 28.
The tendency to monopolise major sports events by the ruling international body was another cause of concern.
In some instances, news agencies were not allowed to transmit photographs of a sports event until it was over, thus denying them of their obligation to provide fast service to subscribers.

View from a Moscow hotel room...

The sun is about to set as I look out of my hotel room here in Moscow at this moment. The time is 9.50pm. At another direction, the crowd at the famous Arbat Street was dwindling. The foreign ministry building with the year '1951' encypted on it stands majestically on my right. From this room 1511 of the Golden Ring Hotel, I can see clearly the big 'M' logo of the popular fast-food chain in the distant. I've seen the logo when I was in Beijing last two weeks. Globalisation! The cars on Moscow roads reflect the trend too. After six days in Russia for the News Agencies World Council Meeting, I'll be flying home tomorrow morning via Rome. Spasiva!

Olympic mood grips Russian Black Sea resort

SOCHI (Russia): From mayor to tourist guides, a feverish mood grips this Russian Black Sea resort with less than a month to go before the host city for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games is announced.
Ask any of the 400,000 people here and united they stand on why their city should have the edge over the two other contenders -- Salzburg in Austria and PyeongChang in South Korea.
"Two years ago, when we placed our bid even Russians were laughing at us wondering whether we were crazy to host the Olympic Games," said Efim Bitenev, operations director of Sochi 2014 based here.
The opinion has now changed not only in Russia but the whole world.
"We're not just going in to participate. We hope to see you in the 2014 Winter Olympics," he told representatives of international news agencies who are gathered here for the News Agencies World Council meeting.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is scheduled to elect the host city when it meets in Guatemala on July 4. Sochi, Salzburg and PyeongChang were shortlisted by the IOC executive board on June 22 last year.
Like others here, journalist Natalia Nesterova hoped that Sochi, which receives some four million visitors a year, would get the Olympic honour as it could attract more people from all over the world.
English teacher and interpreter Inna Retrun, who has on numerous occasions acted as tourist guide, said she would not mind relating the colourful history of Sochi over and over again to first-time visitors.
Using the tagline "Gateway to the Future", the bid committee says Sochi, with its unique heritage, would provide the Olympic Movement with a gateway to a new region ready to welcome the world for the first time.
With pristine snowy peaks only 40 minutes away from temperate, sun-drenched beaches, Sochi guarantees that it could offer a once-in-lifetime Winter Olympic Games experience.
The mountain ski resort in Krasnaya Polyana, or the Red Meadow, where Russian President Vladimir Putin goes for skiing, would be the primary venue for outdoor sports while sea-front Sochi would host indoor games.
To support the bid, the Russian government has approved an unprecedented US$12 billion investment package to develop the Sochi region into a year-round, world-class resort destination with state-of-the-art infrastructure and modern accommodation.
Mayor Victor Kolodyazhny summed up the feelings of the city folks when he told the media representatives that Sochi was glad to welcome visitors.
"We do hope you like our city and the prospect of a great future here," said Kolodyazhny, a member of the Sochi 2014 supervisory board.

Sweet melody to Malaysia-China ties...

Malaysian Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein is not so much into singing but that does not stop him from appreciating music.
"Life without music and culture is no life at all," he said during a visit to a music school in Beijing where he was entertained to an eight-piece performance of age-old Chinese instruments by the students.
Plucking a seven-string instrument known as "guqin" that dates back 2000 years and other treasured musical items like the pipa, yangjin, and erhu, the students skilfully performed a sweet medley of songs.
Mesmerised by their performance, Hishammuddin invited the students to perform before his Asean counterparts when Malaysia hosts the ministerial meeting in March next year.
And in a new beat to Malaysia-China cooperation, he offered the school, which celebrated its 40th anniversary recently, to help draw up the curriculum for the two arts schools which will built in Johor and Sarawak.
Such expected link-up capped a successful trip for Hishammuddin, who broke new ground as the first Education Minister from Malaysia to make an official visit to China in 10 years.

The reverberating sound of 'kompang' in Beijing...

The beatings of the kompang and songs of Siti Nurhaliza welcomed the arrival of Malaysian Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein at the Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) today, further cementing Malaysia-China relations.
The visit to the university which offers courses in 36 languages, including Malay Language, is part of the minister's tightly scheduled official visit to China to strengthen bilateral cooperation in education between the two countries.
"We must continue building bridges to face the tide of globalisation," he told the audience in Bahasa Malaysia at the function to welcome him.
"Besides language, bilateral cooperation could also be enhanced through culture and sports," added Hishammuddin who arrived in Beijing on Saturday for a one-week visit.
At the function, he was impressed with the proficiency of the Chinese students taking the four-year Malay Language course and their interest in Malay songs and traditional dances. During a dialogue with the students who were clad in baju Melayu, baju kurung and kebaya, a student expressed interest in learning silat, the Malay art of self-defence.
Hishammuddin brought them good news by inviting them to Malaysia as his guests in conjunction with the country's 50th independence anniversary celebrations in August.

M'sian polar explorer's feat catches UN agency's attention...

Just as the global focus is turning to the changing climate, the amazing feat of a Malaysian polar explorer to conquer the North and South Poles has caught the attention of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The agency's spokesman, Nick Nuttal, said Sharifah Mazlina Syed Kadir's accomplishment as the first Asian woman to complete the Pole-to-Pole mission underlined the interconnectiveness of the planet in the 21st century.
"We now no longer live in boxes but truly, for the first time, as a global village. Climate change for the first time is interconnecting people on this planet because every person will be feeling the impact of it," he told Bernama on the sidelines of the inaugural Global Business Summit for the Environment hosted by the UNEP here in Singapore. Sharifah Mazlina reached the top of the world at latitude 90 degress north at 2.45pm (8.25pm Malaysian time) on Tuesday, exactly two weeks after setting off from Kuala Lumpur. The feat was the culmination of the 42-year-old lecturer's one-and-a-half years of preparation. In April 2004, she was the first Asian woman to reach the South Pole. Bangkok-based UNEP Regional Information Officer Satwant Kaur said that by achieving the feat, Sharifah Mazlina was a good model not just for Malaysians but for young Asian women and men.
"It is interesting that an Asian woman has reached such heights, particularly in the International Polar Year which started in March and lasts until March 2009. It's really a good start," she said. International Polar Year (IPY) is regarded as the largest-ever international programme of scientific research focused on the Arctic and Antarctic regions.