Globalising Bernama ...

Bernama Web TV, Southeast Asia's first live Internet news channel, has been launched by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at his office in Putrajaya.
The web version of the 24-hour news channel can be accessed from around the world at the www.bernama-tv.com website.
The new platform is another milestone for Bernama, coming exactly a year after it had launched Bernama Radio 24.
In his speech, Abdullah said the media should not be afraid of or feel apologetic in upholding the truth.
"Upholding the truth is a fundamental principle towards ensuring that justice prevailed.
"Hold steadfastly to the principle of truth because the credibility of any institution depends on how strongly the institution upholds the truth," he said.
Abdullah said the introduction of the online version of Bernama TV would enable Malaysians anywhere in the world to follow news on the country real time.
At the same time, it could enable the world community to know more about Malaysia and follow developments in the country, he said.
Interestingly, leading news agencies in the Asia-Pacific region are meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan to discuss ways to ensure the speedy dissemination of unbiased and objective news around the world.
With the theme "Information for all in the Globalising World", the 30th executive board meeting of the Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) is expected to formulate strategies to enhance cooperation among its members.
Aslan Aslanov, Director-General of the Azerbaijan State Telegraph Agency (AzerTAc) says in a contemporary world of globalisation and integration, access to unbiased information for all was a necessity.
However, he said even when inter-civilisation dialogues between the East and West had become topical as never before, there were still some media organisations that were continuing to spread biased and distorted information, sometimes to the extent of even insulting religion or national values.
"And this is nothing but an incitement to hatred and extremism," added Aslan.
Formed in 1961, OANA currently groups 41 news agencies from 33 countries including Bernama from Malaysia, Antara (Indonesia), Xinhua (China), Kyodo (Japan), Yonhap (South Korea), IRNA (Iran) and Anadolu (Turkey).
Antara CEO Dr Ahmad Muchlis Yusuf, current President of OANA, said OANA's priority under Antara's three-year leadership after taking over from Bernama last year would be to build closer relationships, starting with a programme known as internal consolidation.

The meaning of “Merdeka” …

Having witnessed the effects of war in Iraq, Merdeka (independence) has a profound meaning for Malaysian Ambassador to Jordan Hasnudin Hamzah.
"During my trip to Baghdad in April, I could see damaged buildings and roads because of the bombings," he told me by telephone from Amman.
Hasnudin is also accredited to Iraq, which borders Jordan.
Based on his experience, Hasnudin has been telling Malaysian students who are pursuing their studies in Jordan to defend Malaysia’s independence at whatever cost.
"They should appreciate those who had fought for the country's independence from colonialisation.
"I hope they will use the knowledge they obtain to fulfill our country's aspirations to ensure that Malaysia’s sovereignty, freedom, harmony and prosperity will always be preserved," said Hasnudin.
Currently, there are 725 Malaysian students in Jordan.

Rugby-inspired winning logo…

It has been revealed that the logo for this year’s 51st Merdeka celebrations was inspired by rugby, most distinctly its scrum.

Forty-eight year old Anuar Dan said he came out with the design based on his observation of the sports.
"In rugby, the players of various races interlocked their shoulders, working out strategies to beat their opponents," he told Utusan Malaysia newspaper.
Anuar took a month to produce 20 designs but eventually submitted five for the competition.
"I’m thankful that one of my designs was selected from more than 800 received by the organizer," said the Health Ministry officer.

(Utusan Malaysia photo)

Azerbaijan stresses need for accurate information...

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev welcomed participants of the 30th Executive Board Meeting of the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) taking place in its capital Baku.
The holding of the event demonstrates the importance Azerbaijan places on media, he told the visiting heads and representatives of the region’s leading news agencies.
Aliyev noted that their visit was very significant in terms of delivering true information about Azerbaijan to the international community.
"Sometimes wrong information are given related with our country and this meeting is also significant from view of real elucidation of procedures in public life of Azerbaijan," said Aliyev.
Underlining the importance of professionalism and responsibility in the work of mass media, he also stressed the positive role of holding regular gatherings including trainings.
The Azerbaijani leader said the meeting on the theme of 'Information for All in the Globalizing World' was a good forum for exchanging views and experience.
He took the opportunity to highlight Azerbaijan`s economic potential, saying the former Soviet republic has been the world’s fastest growing economy over the past few years.
He said Azerbaijan has been successfully developing the non-oil sector with education and information technologies being a high priority.
He also touched upon Azerbaijan`s Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which, the President said, left over million Azerbaijani refugees and IDPs.
The Azerbaijani leader said that notwithstanding all difficulties, his country had managed to become the regional leader.

Alhamdulillah, Ramadan is here again....

Muslims in Malaysia and neighbouring countries begin fasting today at the start of the blessed month of Ramadan.
The holy fasting month also started in most Arab and Gulf countries as well as North America and European countries, according to web portal IslamOnline.net (IOL).
Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, and United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Yemen and Mauritania had announced Saturday, August 30, that Ramadan will start today.
IOL reported that the politically-divided Palestinians will be united in starting the holy fasting month on Monday after the religious authorities in both Gaza Strip and the west Bank issued statements to that end.
Sunni religious authorities in both Iraq and Lebanon announced Saturday that the new crescent was not sighted and that Ramadan will fall on Monday.
Syria's top Islamic judge confirmed that the holy month of Ramadan will start today.
In Cairo, the grand mufti of Egypt confirmed that the new crescent was not sighted Saturday and that fasting will also start today.
The minister of justice and religious affairs in Djibouti also announced Monday as the start of Ramadan.

The European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR) confirmed that Ramadan will fall on the first day of September based on astronomical calculations.
The French Council of the Muslim Faith, Central London Mosque, the imams' society in the Netherlands, the imams' association in Belgium and the Islamic Center in Milan decided to follow ECFR on the start of Ramadan.
Muslims in Bosnia and Serbia will observe the first day of Ramadan on Monday, the Islamic Sheikhdom of Bosnia and Serbia had said.
Croatian Muslims will follow neighbouring Bosnia in observing the beginning of the holy fasting month.
Turkey's Presidency of Religion Affairs, the country's highest religious institution, had earlier announced Monday as the start of Ramadan based on calculations.
Muslims in Macedonia, Slovenia, Montenegro and Bulgaria will be following Turkey in observing the dawn-to-dusk fast.
Muslims in Germany, Austria, Romania and Ukraine begin fasting today based on calculations, according to Muslim organizations.
The Islamic endowment authorities in both the Czech Republic and Slovakia decided to follow Saudi Arabia and Egypt in observing Ramadan as of Monday.
Australian Muslims will start fasting Ramadan on Monday, according to the Islamic center in Canberra.
The deputy head of the Russian Council of Muftis told IOL Monday has been confirmed as the start of Ramadan according to astronomical calculations.
The head of the Islamic cultural center in Saint Petersburg told the portal that the Islamic republics of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Kirghizstan always follow Turkey in depending on astronomical calculations.
Muslim scholars in the Philippines also announced that Ramadan will fall on Monday based on astronomical calculations.
Most Muslims in China will start fasting today based on astronomical calculations.

* To friends who have sent me Ramadan greetings via sms and email, thank you. Wishing you all a blessed Ramadan that brings with it the love of Allah!

Celebrating 51 years of nationhood ...

Unity takes centre stage as Malaysia celebrates 51 years of independence today. The theme of this years’s celebrations is ‘Unity the thrust of success’.
Award-winning director Yasmin Ahmad is among Malaysian personalities who embrace unity and racial integration themes in her works.
"I think there is no such thing as a creative person. The best of artistes are those who observe," she was quoted as saying in a special article in the New Sunday Times today.
Yasmin recently won the Gold Award at the Cannes Advertising Festival for her work Tan Hong Ming in Love. The TV commercial, part of last year’s Merdeka campaign by Petronas, features an interview with a Chinese schoolboy who admits having a crush on his Malay classmate Umi Qazrina.

Commenting on its success, she said: "I think it’s the simplicity and charm that people’s hearts. I only followed God’s direction. I observed."
For AirAsia chief executive officer Tony Fernandes, the progress of the homegrown enterprise to blossom into an internationally-recognised name is proof that in Malaysia, success is there for the taking regardless of one’s ethnicity.
"I tell people that if we (the AirAsia team) could do it, then anyone can and that’s the best about this country; that it allowed it to happen," said the man whose name is synonymous with the region’s largest low-cost carrier.
"The fact that it (AirAsia) has delivered on its promise to Malaysians of enabling everyone to fly is inspiring. We set out to create a Malaysian airline, not a Malay, Chinese or Indian airline and the fact that we have done it, makes us immensely proud."

Another Petronas masterpiece...

Congratulations to Petronas for another fantastic television ad for Merdeka.
A number of friends confided that the Petronas ad for this year brought tears to their eyes.
It reminded them not to take for granted the sacrifices made by their parents to inspire them to be what they are today.
Many had to watch it over again to realize how touching and meaningful the message was.
The three-minute ad relays the message that 'patience, perseverance and hard work pave the road to success'.
It tells the story of how a father kept rejecting his son’s request to have something even for his birthday.
But the son became creative – using mosquito net to fish after the father refused to buy him a fishing net.

When his birthday request for a pedal car got no where, the boy searched around for discarded items and build his own ‘oversize’ wooden car.
Eight years later,the boy grew up to become ‘Aiman Gyver’ -- the kampung Mr Fix-it.
Along came an offer to further his studies.

Again he approached his father, still selling cempedak by the roadside, to enquire if he could take up the offer.
The father, who kept a photo of a big bike in a box, was just quiet. Then, after a while, he smiled.
"A smile means you agree," said the son.

Then the father took out an account book from the box and handed it to the son.
It clearly stated the name AIMAN BIN HANAFI with the savings amounting to RM41,718.29.
A surprised Aiman was beyond words and tearfully hugged his father.
"Thank you Dad"
Ten years later, the father still selling cempedak by the roadside, was startled when a big bike stopped by his shade.
"What bike is this?" he asked the rider.

Without saying a word, the man took off his dark glasses and pulled down the bandanna covering his face.
It was Aiman.
Smiling broadly, he told his father that the bike was "ABAH PUNYA".("This bike is yours")

While Malaysia Celebrates "Merdeka", So Does Kyrgyzstan...

Four months into his posting in Kuala Lumpur, Kyrgyzstan ambassador Zheenbek Kulubaev has many reasons to feel close to Malaysia.
To start with, while Malaysia celebrates 'Merdeka' (Independence) on August 31, so does the Central Asian republic.
"We are like brothers," he said as he spoke about plans to enhance Malaysia-Kyrgyz ties at his office in Jalan Tun Razak.

As Malaysia gears up for the national day on Sunday, Kulubaev said the celebration would also normally be held in a big way in Kyrgyzstan which gained independence in 1991 from the Soviet Union.
However the Kyrgystan government has cancelled celebration planned at the central square of its capital Bishkek this year following the airplane crash which left 68 people dead last Sunday.
The 45-year-old ambassador says he was looking forward to celebrating the Holy month of Ramadhan in Malaysia.
"Sixty-three percent of our population are Muslims and being here in Malaysia during the fasting month will be an interesting experience for me," said Kulubaev who first visited Malaysia in 2003 when he was the deputy foreign minister to attend a summit of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC).

Nation's visual arts...

The National Art Gallery of Malaysia has collected some 3,700 pieces of artworks since it was set-up in 1958. Its collection are artworks by some of Malaysia's most distinguished painters who laid the foundations of what is known as modern art in the country. Three of these works have been selected and depicted as stamps which were released today in honour of the country's arts. They are 'Semangat Ledang' (Spirit of Ledang/Syed Ahmad Jamal 2003), 'Musim Buah' (Fruits Season/Chuah Thean Teng 1968) and 'Pago-pago' (Abdul Latiff Mohidin 1965)

Enter Bernama Web TV ...

Bernama TV will launch Southeast Asia's first live-feed Internet news channel on September 3 to cater to the growing demands of a more IT-savvy and news-hungry populace.
The Internet news feed would only be between two to three minutes delay in comparison to the Bernama TV news currently available on Astro Channel 502.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is expected to launch Bernama Web TV.
The latest product expansion is to meet and cater to the greater demand by Malaysians in the country as well as abroad especially among the youth.
Making news as easily accessible as possible, the Bernama web TV could be viewed anywhere there is Internet access.
Bernama TV had gone 24 hours since February 28.

Remembering ADL ...

Sitting alone in this triangular-shaped restaurant, looking out at the junction of Jalan Semarak-Jalan Tun Razak brings back fond memories.
I remember we had to cross the busy road every evening to get to the public field at Jalan Puan for our football sessions. It was our routine for the five years that we stayed at Asrama Dr Latiff or 'ADL', starting in the year when Kuala Lumpur was declared a federal territory in 1974.
The Yayasan Selangor (Selangor Foundation) hostel has since been demolished to make way for a flood mitigation project. The sight of the bulldozer tearing down the four-storey building still haunt my mind as I had passed through the place to the office that particular morning.
But this restaurant -- K.M. Hameed – still remains after all these years.

With high-rise office buildings within its vicinity providing a steady stream of patrons, the restaurant, located in an area we called ‘island’, had been given a new lease of life.
It could expect more business with the soon-to-be completed towering office block, close-by, on the opposite side of the ever-busy Jalan Tun Razak.
Although the restaurant owner, Haji Jamaludin has entrusted the running of the business to his sons -- Restoran K.M.Hameed, named after his father, remains a favourite place for many because of its strategic location.
Jalan Semarak (formerly known as Jalan Gurney) is home to a number of important establishments including the police training centre, Felda headquarters, survey and mapping department, TM training centre and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia KL-city campus. It also leads to the Defence Ministry.
As I threw my view to a distant, I could clearly see the sign of progress with the Ampang Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (AKLEH) running above a substantial stretch of Jalan Tun Razak.

That same highway cuts across the air, close to where ADL once stood below, providing shelter and hope for selected students from around Selangor to pursue their secondary education in the federal capital.

The serene, winding road to Simpang Pelangai...

If not for a colleague's wedding, we would not have travelled to Simpang Pelangai, some 45kms from Karak in Pahang.
Guided by a sketch on the invitation card, we turned into a junction just after the town and headed for our destination.
As the road snakes through rubber and oil palm plantations, it was a relief to see the green surroundings.
Pockets of durian orchards could also be seen on both sides of the quiet, hilly road that could lead to Melaka.
The road was so winding that a number of its curves were like the letter 'U'.
A river which flowed alongside the road as we entered the junction from Karak was suddenly ‘lost’ out-of-sight midway through the journey.
We passed through at least three 'new villages' before reaching Simpang Pelangai where a group of men was erecting tents for a youth programme.
After asking for the direction from one of them, we made our way to Anwaruddin's house at Kampung Hayat, some 7 kms away from Simpang Pelangai.

Seeing the cheerful, friendly faces of his family was enough to tell that it was a journey worth travelled.

Of bell-bottom days …

Mani had this black-and-white photo posted on viclass78.wordpress.com after I requested him to send me a photo of ‘that era’.
He found the photo after searching his “old almost forgotten drawers”.
Although he did not say much about the photo, taken some 30 years ago, it does bring back memories.
"I can remember that moment when we took that picture...it seems just a few years back," says Mani.
"That is how we looked back in the 78 with bell bottoms and ties. (I have posted this picture because the bell bottoms are back in fashion)," he added.
I’m not in the picture, though, but I can recognise the others, apart from Mani.
Bell-bottom, eh?

Of rich and poor ...

My friend Azman in Brunei Darussalam emailed me an interesting anecdote about life. Since he suggested that I passed it on to friends, here's the story:

"One day the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the countryside with the purpose of showing him how poor people live.
They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.
On their return from their trip, the father asked his son: “How was the trip?”
"It was great, Dad," the boy replied.
"Did you see how poor people live?," the father asked.
"Oh yeah," said the son.
"So, tell me, what you learned from the trip?" asked the father.
The son answered:
"I saw that we have one cat and they had four.
We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end...
We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.
We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond.
We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.
We buy our food, but they grow theirs.
We have walls around our property to protect us; they have friends to protect them," the boy said.
The boy's father was speechless.
Then his son added: "Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are".

Azman posed this question: "Isn't perspective a wonderful thing?"
"Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks to God for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have.Appreciate every single thing you have!"

Malaysia-Indonesia joint TV news bulletin takes off….

Warta Serumpun, a Malaysia-Indonesia joint television news bulletin, made its debut at midnight (Malaysian time) tonight.
The 30-minute programme was jointly-produced by Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) and Televisi Republik Indonesia (TVRI).
The maiden segment carried a congratulatory message by Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in conjunction with Indonesia's 63rd Independence Day celebration today.
Malaysian Information Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek also had a teleconference with his Indonesian counterpart, Prof Dr Muhammad Nuh, Minister of Communication and Informatics.
The news programme was the result of a consensus reached at the Indonesia-Malaysia Information Committee Meeting in Jakarta on June 11 and 12.
The meeting had expressed the hope that through Warta Serumpun, the people of both countries can understand issues relating to culture, social, economy and heritage better and lift up the ties forged over 50 years ago to a new dimension.
Ahmad Shabery described the programme as an innovation which would demonstrate the capacity and strength of the Malaysia-Indonesia language in the field of broadcasting especially in the region.

‘Nasi minyak’, ‘Teh tarik’ reunion …

With a number of people being honoured with Datukship, ex-Bernama colleague Abang Kamarudin Bolhassan sportingly concurred that he may soon be joining the rank, albeit in the true sense of the word.
"Datuk asli," he said, meaning a grandfather as he held a ‘kenduri’ (reception) for his newly-wed eldest son Abang Farizal at his home in Cheras today.
Abang (literally, elder brother) served Bernama for almost 25 years before giving-up his post as English sub-editor to take-up an offer with a publication firm in 2004.
It was a reunion of-sort for many former and present Bernama colleagues who turned-up for the reception.
While ‘nasi minyak’ was the main menu for the happy occasion, I was alerted by an SMS to a ‘teh tarik homecoming session’ for UITM mass communication alumni at the faculty in Shah Alam tomorrow morning.
I was among the pioneer batch when 'mass-comm' was offered as an off-campus discipline in 1986.

Bernama, Antara take another step forward...

The close cooperation between Bernama and Antara of Indonesia has taken another stride forward with the staging of a first-ever joint photography exhibition in each other’s capital. The exhibition is being held in conjunction with the Independence of both countries --Indonesia on August 17 and Malaysia on August 31.
Bernama’s correspondent in Jakarta, Nasir Yusof writes about the exhibition in his blog mynasir.blogspot.com.

Beginning yesterday, the exhibition in Jakarta is being held at Antara Photo Bureau in Pasar Baroe which will run until August 25.
In Kuala Lumpur, the exhibition is at the Malaysian Tourism Information Centre (MATIC) in Jalan Ampang until September 1. A big thank you to the Information Department for their collaboration to hold the exhibition.
"This is the first ever exhibition jointly organised by the brotherly news agencies. Through out their years of cooperation since way back in 1972, no such exhibition has ever been held jointly," says Nasir who has been based in Indonesia since the last three years.
Nasir, who started blogging in July 2007, gives a delightful insight of the life of 'a journalist serving in a foreign land' and of his love to his beautiful loving wife and four lovely, cheerful children.
"My blog won't change the world. But it may change the way my children will see, get to know, and remember more of me especially of this love I have for them," says Kelantan-born Nasir.

"Class of its own ..."

Years back, a local television programme generated wide interest after it successfully brought together parents with their long-lost children, separated siblings and missing friends.
Then came the Internet, bringing along with it various networking websites that connect people around the world.
Gaining popularity among them is Facebook which enables us to ‘track down’ school-mates of those long gone years and renew our friendship.
Facebook got me and Ja-are connected with lots of catching-up to do.
When I told him about this blog, he mentioned that Mani, our former school-mate, had also created a blog to get us all together.
So when I finally got to speak to Mani, he graciously said that he had created the blog for VI class of 1978 “just two minutes ago” as an earlier initiative was left idle.
“The whole idea of the blog is to keep in touch with one another and have a common base to spell out our intentions, activities,” he wrote.
Calling on ‘friends, classmates and batchmates’ to write to the blog, Mani would also love to see ex-school teachers sharing their thoughts to make the blog a “Class of its own”. Click here.

‘Walk-in’ friendship club …

Everytime new stamps are issued, you are bound to see them at the Kuala Lumpur General Post Office. They have been meeting quite often although most of the occasions without prior arrangement.

With Pos Malaysia coming out with at least one set of new stamps a month, the possibility of such get-together has no doubt increased.
Because of this , they have grown to know each other well and could easily tell if you are someone new.
But that does not stop a newcomer from joining the ‘friendship club’ and discuss the subject of their meeting – stamps.
Like many ardent collectors, sixty-four year-old Andy Tan and Ong Leong Say, 55, would thronged the post office to get the latest issue of first-day covers (FDC).
As they stick the stamps on the specially-designed 30 sen envelopes, they exchanged views about the stamps issued today to mark the centenary celebration of the scouts association in Malaysia.
What makes collecting FDC interesting is it provides information about the stamps and why there were issued.
“This is not just a hobby but knowledge,” says Tan, who has been collecting stamps for 30 years.
Ong agreed, saying he has learned, among other things, about culture, costumes, artefacts and monuments from the stamps issued over the years.

Like only a friend can...

Some things are often taken for granted especially when they are considered small. Like the time when a friend might have given you his new phone number and you thought you already had it listed.

It takes a friend to remind us of the things we take for granted -- a roof over our head, food to eat, clothes to wear, a job to go to, good health and even blogging. So when he emailed me this photo with those "little, big words", I will not take for granted but to say: "Thank you, my friend"