1/1/10 THE WINDING JOURNEY.....

Probably after reading my last year lattest blog, on the 2010 eve, someone SMS requesting me to write on How Do I Climbed The Ledder, especially in dealing with all those 'hot spots'. Today, as I was driving alone back to MyKampung, the SMS 'accompanied' me all through the way, despite 'Unggu, Sudirman Hj Arshad, Smokie, and Freddie Aguilar' were at their 'peak' daming my Audio. My mind was very active, as active as my hands swinging the steering to get to my course.

(2) Well, probably especially good for the young, and also who know, this writing could inspire lots to do good and even better, thus I took off my 'tiring and sleeping afternoon' and start on this article.

(3) By designed, probably, and as well as lots of self awareness, I have been developing lots of specialties since I was kid. My 'disadvantages' childhood and schooling lives were the one that really shaped my characters and spirit to survive. My snap biography probably good to be followed as well. At least, I'm here, not because it is an easy journey, as some said ' I have good cable' to lift to the sky?

(4) MyDad: first and foremost, I was born in a very disadvantage environment. In a rural place in Sadong Jaya, then later migrated upriver to Simunjan, where everyone in those post WWII depression and pre-Independent, were suffering and struggling to survive without much economic opportunities. The only spirit, probably that make our family survived was my hard working dad. As a farmer, he knew no rain no shine. Dried or flooding, he worked for his family, our lives. His responsibility was to keep the family alive and survive. Not only he has to take care of our family, but we had large relatives and those migrants that need helps. He guided me well to be 'ever volunteer' to take up helps that are needed (at all times). He tolerant no delay and indifferent attitude (worst malas-malas). He made me always on my toe. I can't waste my time. I must always have meaningful thing to do. I have strict assigments that must be done. My schedule were fixed: taking care of the chicken barn, the lighting of the karosene lamps, filling up the 'washing water', collecting the firewood , and making the home compound clean and tidy. During the weekend, I had to be with him carrying his coffee pot and be his buddy while clearing the jugle for new farming area. He was my role model in my 'child and adult 'hard' course of action'. After reading Tom Clark: Swordless Samurai, now I really appreciate his 'education', and that where the attitude and character that 'a disadvantage person' must have: 'be the courageous person to be a volunteer in anything that are good, doesn't matter how hard it may take!'.

(5) MyMum: there was this lady, MyMum, whom I 'really get to know' her at the age probably three to four years old. She was half paralysed because of the bad stroke after delivering my brother (fourth member of my siblings). Despite she had to crawl to serve us and her husband, she never said a word of or express a 'face' of 'regret'. She equally struggle hard for the family and relatives, helping out through her 'sewing machine', and she was extra generous with all the neighbors and 'foreigners'. Doesn't matter who, either they were Iban, Chinese, Malays, migrants, who seek helps, she always accomodated them to our home. I was really close to her, and we never being distance 'an inch'. Thereon, I learnt in what today termed as 'Social Inteligence' and probably her traits make me 'have great instinct' on lots of matters. She passed away when I was six. And that made me lost 'my real buddy', and her leaving 'hit me badly hard'. Her leaving also bad affected my dad, and he accompanied her as I was just to enter my higher learning study. I accepted their departutre at my very needing age as 'I'm going to be alone, and I must fight for my live alone'.

(6) MyGrand Mums: Khartewi and Intan were my guardian when my parents were 'gone'. They shown me great determination to keep the family, relatives and friends together. Despite we have lots of 'disadvantages' we never discard those who need our helps. They have great passion over and concern of the welbeing of others, BUT they never get involve with other personal matters. Here I learnt, to distance what 'might cause a distraction of one's course', they shown me the 'great social inteligence' characters.

(8) In the Univesity times, I came accross lots of great people: Rahmah Osman, Datuk (Deputy Information Minister), Che Husein Ahmad, Datuk (Secretary General of UMNO), Aziz Shamsuddin, Datuk (POLSECT to DMM), Mokthar Hashim, Datuk (Minister of Youth and Sport), Bujang Ulis (Deputy Minister of Education), Pyan Habib, the deaf poeter, Mana Sikana (UKM), the writer, Tan Seng Giaw, Dr (DAP guy), Latiff Mohiddin, the artist, Ahmad Boestamam, writer, KAMALA (UKM), writer, and many others whom had diversified my interests and outlook. At the Universtiy times also gave me lots of opportunity to get to know great people through reading lots of Biography: Nehru, Mao Tze Tung, Ho Chii Minh, Karl Mark, Sun Yat Seng, Jose Rizal, Tun Sri Lanang, Mat Kilau, and many others Malays and regional leaders.

(9) Hatta Solhee, Datu: I joint the State Service at the Sarawak State Planning Unit (SPU) on 1 Oct., 1986. On the second day of my service, I was led to see the Boss: Dr Hatta Solhee. He seem to be a very busy boss, and asked me briefly on my expertise, but as a Botanist, what would be my economic and social expertise, definitely none! Nonetheless he asked me to take up Rural and Agriculture Planning Section, which I stayed to the Section for the next 13 years. His simple 'adviced' was for me to go through all the documents in our small and messy Resource Centers, (which later I helped to organised with proper cataloging and conversion into digital format). All those document were 'classified strategic' socio-economic planning documents and I hardly can understand them. After a month, I walked into his room and 'asked' what exactly was my role? I can't just be reading and reading and contributed nothing. MyDad wouldn't be happy with me if he saw me as such! Again, his simple advice was 'you have to think for your State'. You must 'advice me on new ideas', you can't wait for 'my instruction'. Thereon, I hold my chest hard, I took up the challenge, I began crack my head, and that how MyFirst Love to MyJob, as planner! Later, I remember, that is exactly what Allah has been challenging His Ummah: To Think!

(10) Abdillah Aton, Dr. During my service I attended lots of meetings. I observed this Dr. Abdillah Aton, a 'slow or ratjer calculative' speaking person, but love to speak the last or only when necessary. He really talked about fact. Statistically very analytical. He sees things from real different views. People listen to him. And that made me wonder how did he got his facts and arguments right and logical. He has his own style: dressing, attitude, all sort, very different. I begin to get in touch with him, we used to have early breakfast together, he became my unofficial tutors. He made me realise how much I don't know. He made me know what I don't know! He made me fall in love with Economic and Social subjects. I began to make a second falling in love: Books! He made me read alots. I owed him 'treasure of knowledge' and reading culture.

(11) Wilson Baya Dandot, Datuk Amar. My first encounter with him was when he was the Director of IADP Kalaka-Saribas in 1986. He really talk alot. He like to argue. He like to challenge one's mind. He pushed alot. I then was only a junior officer incharge of monitoring the Project. What really amazed me of him was how he 'taped' on people ideas. He elaborated the ideas in his own words. Refining the Concept, crystalizing the strategies and Action Plan. This year I bought the first book: Imagination First by Eric Liu, and I believe that was and his style. I have worked with him on many Rural Development Projects. I observed him closely. Then I grew and began my 'fight' with him on ideas. We love 'to quarrel' to the extend being judged as 'we are enemy' but we are real friend who are willing to 'say our mind'.

(12) Rashid Aziz, Datu: I also met him when he was the Director of IADP Samarahan in 1986. He is a soft spoken person. Argue less. A very practical 'poor civil servant'. Totally different form Wilson Baya. But he has strong social judgement and determination. We use to travelled along those Batang Samarahan, be it in the early dawn, middle hot day, and even in the night just to get the people to support the Project. His 'people concern spirit' remind me of MyDad and Mum, and everytime I met Rashid Aziz, he would always keep me on my tract 'to be close to the people'.

(13) My other 'buddies' were Chin Jew Bui (Datu), Teo Tien Hong, Jayl Langgup, Jaul Samion (Datu), Sutin Sahmat, and Masbah Ariffin (Datu). These were the people who always 'talk facts and figures'. They really have both Quantitaive and Qualitative Analysis Skill of their responsibilities. Their writing were great. I used to go through their writing 'confidentially and learnt from such'. They really argue with the boss, but of course, when decission were made, they abide to the decission. despite they sometimes disagreed with the decission, they never 'want to sabotage' the implementation of the idea. They really work hard to get the ideas through. In their mind: 'What there for the State?'. All these seniors gave me a 'guiding path in all my career development'. They 'indirectly influence me in my writing skill' a 'much harder communication skill' then just audio-visual (saying) approach and 'arguing my points'.

(14) Aziz Abdul Rahman, Dr: In 1992 I was the secretariate to the Canadian funded planning study. Aziz was the Director of Agro-division of the EPU. He was a very quiet person. He talk less. He seldom (very) smile. He was always serious. I used to accompanied him going around, passing him documents to read. He always asked me wheither I have read all those documents, which normally my answer would be yes but I keep informing him that I used to be struggling to understand or able to pint point the weaknessess of the documents. His advice was simple: (a) Firstly understand detail of what you want (Goal Setting); (b) Get the sequent of what you want in order of priority (Order or Sequent); (c) Conceptually develop the order of process to get to what you want (Work Process); (d) Read other documents as Bench Mark. From him I developed: Clarity in What to Expect, Speed Reading and Fast Fact Tracking.

(15) Shaik Ahmad Sukarno: He was a senior officer at Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), KL. He take charge of the various big Projects by the Ministry in Sarawak dand the rest of the Country. He was a very simple person. I used to be assigned to accompanied him during his visit to Sarawak. He seldom talk. He normally just keep quiet. That make me, always looking for ideas to break the ice. Normally I manage to gain his respect and friendliness. When he talk, he really talk straight. All these, make me able to 'socialize even with though guys'.

(16) Hamid Bugo, Tan Sri: I used to attend lots of meeting where he chaired. I admired the way he maneauver his ideas and 'over powering' the others who seem to disagree with him. He seem to have patience to listen to divergent ideas, but then when he made his decission, sometimes there were totally not what the people want, but he got them through nicely. I look at him as a 'gentlement diplomatic'.

(17) While serving in Bintulu, I was fortunate to meet and able to have words with great guys such as Tan Sri Azizan and Tan Sri Hassan Marican, both who were (is) PETRONAS chairman. These are the people who talk with wisdom. They really 'love' to say and share their 'good and bad part of their career lives'. From them, I begin to understand DMM better. And from them, I really learnt the Malay saying: Ular menyusur akar tidak peranah akan hilang bisanya!

(18) I met Tan Sri Lee of IOI about three years ago. I have the opportunities to have meals with him and talk about his real hard childhood life. His dedication to his works and serving the Country the way he sees it really inspired me. Again the Swordless Samurai principle played a great effect to this 'Wong Cilik (small short guy)' to be a real 'Wong Gedi (big shot)'.

(19) Probably I was lucky or gifted to have all these experiences. I blended all these, and made my way to view my ideas and determination in doing what I believe the Future Demanded On Me. I began to develop No Fear No Favor character, and merciless on those who Careless of Their People! With such, I believe, the State had used me as a 'Hit and Getting Done Person'. It is fine for me, if that is my fate. Most important, I always pray, that 'He gave me all the strength to serve His Religion and Ummah the Best'. I asked and expect nothing from the State. I just want to serve as an ever Freeman.

Kuching, Sarawak
3 January, 2010