Saturday, October 03, 2009

Craving For Roti Canai From The Alpine Height

A Kadir Jasin

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WITH little thing to do, other than trying my best to serve the purpose I am here, which is visiting my three grandchildren -- two boys and an infant girl -- I have the whole day not to bother myself with the home politics.

But I did make a tactical oversight. Just before I left Kuala Lumpur I posted the story on the naming by the Barisan Nasional of Mohd Isa Abdul Samad as its candidate for the Bagan Pinang state by-election.

Thought I made no comment other than stating, “it’s sometimes better to leave our mouth shut,” the short post received considerable reaction.

I have not watched TV or read the newspapers since arriving here in this Alpine heart of Europe. The latter are mostly in German. Thank you, I can live pretty well without them.

The morning is spent sending my eldest grandson Omar to the kindergarten. Not that he needs sending but with us seeing each other so little, every waking hour is important. Call it a grandfather-grandson bonding.

On the afternoon that I arrived, I went to pick up his younger brother, Rashid from the krippe, the crib school. Here, parents have the option of sending their children as young as four months to one of these private nurseries for an equivalent of RM276 a day.

When Dinah is about a year old, she too will go to the krippe twice a week. Her brothers, at four and six, are pretty competent in German and English but their Bahasa needs some polishing.

Working parents would send for five days a week, but others for two or three days so that they have some time to themselves and to expose their children early to schooling.

Kindergarten starts at the age of five and is free. It is considered a formal part of the education system. The stress is on socialising and the development of mental and physical skills.

Writing and reading are not taught until the primary school a year later although most pre-school children seem to be very good at counting, recognising and remembering things.

I will not attempt to link these later skills to the fact that this country is famous for its banking and precision industries. But one thing is sure. The people here work hard, play hard and live well.

This is the nation of joggers, trackers and mountain climbers -- the home to motor racing aces and the current tennis sensation, Roger Federer. And Rolex is among the many famous brands made here. This is also the home of Nestle.

On the first evening I was here, Omar, Rashid, my son-in-law, the six-footer Daniel, and I took a five-kilometer hike through several farms on the outskirt of the city.

We went there to buy freshly plucked apples and homemade apple juice. The farms here are very modern and farmers are among the wealthiest people. Their land is worth the weight of gold, literally.

This is a nation of great irony and beauty. It is one of the most industrialised countries in the world and yet beautifully kept rivers, forests and farms are never very far away.

Trouts swims in streams that flow through industrial parks and cows share the village streets with tourists. The chocolates are heavenly and the people friendly.

But I still, as the proverb says, “hujan emas di negeri orang, hujan batu di negeri sendiri, lebih baik di negeri sendiri”, I miss the teh tarik, nasi lemak daun pisang, roti canai, chee chong fan and wantan mee.

So, I shall be back for them and, as I have said before and I am saying it again, over my dead body if you want to politicise teh tarik and roti canai.

In the meantime, so long and Auf Wiedersehen.

36 comments:

Quantum Metal Consultant said...

Dato', “hujan emas di negeri orang, hujan batu di negeri sendiri, lebih baik di negeri sendiri”, masih boleh pakai lagi ke peribahasa tu...

Di Malaysia hari tu, di Pahang, hujan batu...banyak pokok tumbang merebah berpuluh rumah, rugi ribu ribu...kerajaan bagi RM500.00 seorang pada 8 buah rumah sahaja..

Dalam masa yang sama, Najib buat open house di pekan,,,jangkaan tetamu 50 ribu orang...kalau satu kepala RM20... berapa banyak wang akan habis, wang siapa! Sekadar nak bagi makan orang yang sudah pun kenyang...

Paksooyon said...

When I earlieron said that Isa Samad was arrogant, I meant every word of it.

'KITA TAK BOLEH HAPUSKAN ISA' or words to that effect, was sheer arrogant. Those who had suffered long years under detention in Kamunting must have despised ISA and Isa Samad very much for arrogantly uttering that words.

It is ironic for UMNO members to think that the punishment to ISA SAMAD was not for a crime. Thus it is not IMMORAL for ISA SAMAD TO BE CHOSEN AS CANDIDATE for Bagan Pinang. If RASUAH is not a crime, then abolish SPRM.

I had also said that UMNO has lost its sense of morality and value.

It's a pity. UMNO is experiencing second childhood. UMNO IS EXPERIENCING ITS 2ND CHILDHOOD. which simply means DAH NYANYOK DAH.

Bye for now. Coming again 2nite.

Anonymous said...

haaa my gud ole fren Datuk AKJ. My first blog comment on your blog. U have been asking me to comment on YOUR blog but I hesitated..same reasons...its better to keep quiet and let others think you're dumb rather than to open your mouth and confirm it! LOL. Strangely, there are no comments frm yr followers yet. Either they are busy still 'open house' (tak abis2 raya)..hehe.. or i guess they're only interested in your political comments and telling you and the world theirs thru your blog...hehehe...ooops... not your holidays hehe. I like Switzerland. on the 15th birthday the young men usually gets a swiss army knife for his birthday. it's a symbol of survival and that knife can save yr life if you're trapped in those treacherous snow-covered mountains (wink). Dunno if its still the norm/culture tho. i guess things have changed. At 55, i look forward to snowmobile in the lappland, Finland coming February 2010...on the invite of chairman of the board of Skar (Jan, my colleague at global RCAR). We just had our annual conference in Chicago, USA and I celebrated ied mubarak at 38,000 feet on MH091 ...hehehe. Catch up with you when you get back and have fun with your cucus bro...(chilly wink3x)...

Orgkpgdoha said...

Bercuti jauh sekali Datuk AKJ...enjoy your holiday and take good rest. I know such that industrial country but still keep enviroment clean..not the say river but also street in the country....

" DAKJ tak try memandu di Autoban ker?"

Man Ysf said...

Dato,
Kat oversea? Have a nice trip :-) Anyway if you are craving for Roti Canai then I am craving for unofficial 'UMNO-side' coverage of penamaan calon of Bagan Pinang. I search in a few places and forums but the coverage of the penamaan calon is 'lukewarm' at best. The only thing I see is coverage of PAS supporters yang melaut itu. Ironically even laman forum UMNO pun dok postkan gambar2 supporter PAS (albeit complete with cynical remark of course)..mana gambar2 supporter UMNO in action?? Publisiti murah takde camno nak menang? Ke Tan Sri Isa alone can win this PRK?

mack said...

AKUM DATO A.K.J YANG SAYA HORMATI SEMOGA DALAM SEJAHTERA DIBAWAH LINDUNGAN ALLAH SWTA. Saya amat berbangga dengan ulasan DATO tapi saya bukan hendak mengulas apa yang DATO tulis tapi saya nak utarakan kelemahan anak melayu yang menjawat dalam sektor swasta yang tidak boleh menguasai bahasa inggeris dengan baik apabila berinteraksi dengan CEO atau ketua yang datang dari negara pelabur asing yang datang kenegara kita.Ini adalah masaalah besar yang dihadapi oleh para penjawat disektor swata dari kalangan orang melayu tapi mengapa ini terjadi sepatutnya dengan dasar pelajaran yang sedia ada kita sudah mampu menghadapi keadaan ini atau pun pelajar kita belum bersedia untuk menjadi rakan perniagaan dalam organisasi antarabangsa. Saya setuju penghapusan dasar PMSI tetapi mesti dicari kaedah yang boleh meningkatkan kebolehan pelajar melayu menguasai bahasa inggeris.Saya baru menjawat ketua operasi perniagaan disalah satu badan perniagaan antarabangsa telah memanggil ketua2 dikalangan mereka yang menjalankan operasi shift untuk mencari jalan bagaimana untuk meningkatkan productivity syarikat dengan pengarah plant opertion iaitu orang eropah dari germany amat malang nya usha saya ini gagal kerana mereka tidak dapat mengusai bahasa ingeris dengan baik dan ada yang tidak dapat difahami. Saya harap dasar pelajaran bahasa inggeris ini dipertingkatkan supaya anak2 melayu kita berjaya bersaing dengan bukan melayu. SEKIAN DATO TERIMA KASIH KERANA SENTIASA MEMBERI RUANG ILMIAH DIBLOG DATO.WSLM

saji said...

Salam Dato'

Semasa saya berkerja di Leicester, UK dulu, rakan sekerja Mat Salleh yang pernah berkerja di Malaysia, Berunai dan Indonisia menceritakan kesedapan makan ROTI CANAI Malaysia dan restoran mamak kita yang dia selalu menjamu selera.

Dipendekan cerita, beliau bertanyakan di mana untuk mendapatkannya di UK. Saya katakan kepada beliau, either you get it fresh at Malaysia Hall, London on Friday or the frozen one at one of the Cina Supermerket at Soho, London.

Semoga kisah roti canai di atas, mecepatkan Dato' pulang ke tanah air yang bertuah ini.

elbarokhas said...

DAKJ:

"..Here, parents have the option of sending their children as young as four months to one of these private nurseries.."

One attribute of first world countries is that their people care about the safety and proper care and upbringing of their children.

It is sad that we here in Malaysia don't even think twice in delegating this duty to foreign maids who hardly have any training in childcare, let alone child education.

It's high time the government make it mandatory for all employers to provide proper nurseries at their workplaces to allow mothers to continue working and at the same time visit their infant children for breast-feeding purposes.

kekure said...

Salam..
Selamat Hari Raya..Terima kasih kerana berkongsi cerita dengan para pembaca..Kalau ada gambar lagi best :)

aloya said...

amboi jauhnya Datuk, sampai ke Jerman? teringin nak pie tengok muzium perang kat sana

A KADIR JASIN said...

Sdr/Sdri para pembahas dan pelawat seKALIan,

Sebenarnya saya berada di Zurich, Switzerland.

Kalau tidak kerana anak, menantu dan cucu, susah juga saya hendak ke sini.

Kali ini tengok cucu baru (baru sebulan). Itulah sebabnya.

Terima kasih atas doa dan ingatan.

Anonymous said...

Mat Salleh kat tempat yang Dato' kunjungi buat sesuatu produk untuk dijual dan agar agar dengan itu pelanggan mendapat kepuasan.

Kat sini sesuatu produk (termasuk politik) di promosikan lebih daripada nilai sebenarnya. Ini termasuklah memburuk-burukkan produk orang lain.

Yang disasarkan ialah agar produk keluaran sendiri laku di pasaran dan dengan itu penjualnya mendapat kepuasan tetapi bukannya pelanggan.

Atas sebab itu produk seperti Rolex dan Nestle terus mendapat sambutan sedangkan di sini, produk politik masih dijaja mengikut kaedah ortodoks.

ALPASIKU

Ahmad Sabu said...

Dato.

Sekadar mengingat kan kita sesama Islam,jagan lupa mengajar cucu Dato membaca Muqadam dan Al Quran,nanti dah besar tak tahu sembayang pula.

mat bond said...

Dato'
kalau ada peluang gi la bersiar siar kat pekan Allschwil dekat ngan Basel kat situ ada satu satunya banglo warna kuning cream kat kaki bukit.Try tanya org2 kat situ yg banglo tu sapa punya..hmmm
TAKKAN MELAYU HILANG DIDUNIA

Glucklicher Feiertag

ab said...

Salam dato,

Wah enjoy yourself laa... kalau ada masa pi tenguk batu kat sungai pun dia orang ikat dengan dawai, empang pakai kayu-kayu kayan tengah bandar ...tenguk tasik-tasik yang jernih airnya kat bandar.

Kalau jalan-jalan kat kampung kalau tenguk pagar wire tu jangan sentuh..ada karan!. jaga lembu pakai karan kat sana.

Pi tenguk puncak materhon kat zimmat kalau ada masa ya, jauh rupa dari kotak rokok lama tu...

Bas dan keretapi tepat ke setengah minute!..taxi/bas tasik lagi best
sebab cantik-cantik tongkangnya...


Abu Bakar Ab Rahman

ORANGUTAN PENANG said...

Guten Tag Tok Kadiq,

"Hujan emas di negeri orang,hujan batu di negeri sendiri"

A dead right statement i would say.

In the west we are known as hardworking asians and respected by others but back at home we are MELAYU MALAS AND NEED TONGKAT.

I always find it easier to woo blondes in europe than amoys or minachis in Penang Rd.Not easy to be malays these days.

Tapi bila tengok marka melayu punya lenggang lenggok bila berjalan,"lebih baik di negeri sendiri"

Enjoy your trip,chocolate and ice-cream.

Auf wiedersehen

Anonymous said...

The country is beautiful and clean although it is a heavily industrialised country. Know why? Because the enforcement agencies di negara hujan salji buat kerja betul-betul. Enforcement agencies di negara hujan batu kita ni buat kerja melepas batuk di tangga....makan gaji buta pun ramai. Tapi tiap-tiap tahun dapat bonus. I should have joined the civil service.

Windtalker

Zainal Ariffin Ashari said...

Datuk,
Dah sebulan lebih saya ucapkan selamat tinggal kepada nasi lemak dan roti canai..badan dah naik membelon tuk AKJ
Salam

raja2u said...

YBhg Dato'

Assalamualaikum. Apabila kita berhijrah dan melihat kebesaran ciptaan Allah dan makhluk-makhlukNya barulah kita merasai kekurangan atau kelebihan yang terdapat di Negara sendiri.

Seandainya negara mengamalkan rakyat didahulukan dan pencapaian diutuamakan secara jujur dan berterusan semenjak kita mencapai kemerdekaan 52 tahun dahulu besar kemungkinan kita adalah negara yang sejahtera dan berkebajikan yang termaju dirantau ini.Betapa tidak semasa kita mencapai kemerdekaan kedudukan negara kita adalah yang terbaik dirantau ini tetapi malangnya kedudukkan kita walaupun bertambah maju dengan pesatnya tetapi negara-negara lain dalam beberapa hal telah melepasi kemajuan kita.

Diantara sebab mengapa perkara ini berlaku adalah terdapat pemimpin yang merasakan mereka adalah yang paling bijak dan bolih membawa kemajuan kepada negara melalui pakar-pakar yang didatangkan dari negara maju.Rakyat sekadar menerima apa sahaja yang dirancangkan untuk mereka.Kesudahannya negara dibanjiri dengan "salesmen " yang menjual apa sahaja yang mungkin dengan menggunakan istillah-istillah seperti 'the state of art equipment' dan sebagainya yang pada hakikatnya tidak sesuai atau berguna dinegara kita.

Semoga kita dapat membebaskan diri dari terus terperangkap dalam keadaan ini dan maju kehadapan dengan betul-betul mengambil kira kepentingan masyarakat dalam apa-apa keputusan yang kita ambil.

Raja Abdul Rahman bin Raja Mohammad Dain
Petaling Jaya

Tok M said...

Datuk,

"Hujan emas di negeri orang, hujan batu di negeri sendiri, lebih baik di negeri sendiri".

Tapi seorang kawan yang telah tinggal lebih dari 20 tahun di negeri orang pernah memberitahu saya lebih baik mengemis di negeri orang dari mengemis di negeri sendiri.

pakbelalang said...

Government Plans To Replace Ageing Condor And Sibmas Apc - Zahid


SEREMBAN, Oct 4 (Bernama) -- The government plans to purchase new armoured personnel carriers (APC) as replacement for the ageing Condor and Sibmas being deployed in Lebanon.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said it had yet to decide on APC with 6x6 or 8x8 wheel drive.

"The APC that we have are of the 6x6 wheel drive type. No open tenders will be called as it is involve defence equipments," he said when met after the Ex-Servicemen's Association annual delegates conference here Saturday.

comment:

Baru-baru ini Zahid Hamidi cadang nak beli jet fighter. Sekarang nak beli "kereta kebal" pulak !!

Ghairah sangat nampaknya si Zahid ni nak beli peralatan canggih untuk angkatan tentra.

Ada apa-apa ke??

Saya nak jadi agen kereta kebal kalau belum ada agen. kah, kah, kah !!!

Congratulations, Dato' dapat cucu baru.

Saya pun nak dapat cucu pertama Disember ni. Menantu saya dah pergi scanning dan doctor kata saya nak dapat cucu lelaki.

Saya cadangkan nama cucu saya bermula dengan huruf "K". kah, kah,kah.

dan kajang said...

As'kum Datuk,

1. I think you will have to be more careful in declaring your statement of "over your dead body if anybody try to politicise the teh tarik and roti canai". This is because in Malaysia nowdays "anything" can be used as a political a weapon to gain political support.

2. You remember the slippers we are wearing which they intend to be garlanded on Tun, the mattress we sleep on (at Trivolla Appartment), the cow's head at Shah Alam and the buah pala issues in Penang?, etc. What more, your famous and favorite teh tarik and roti canai. I can't imagine right now on how they are going to exploit the issues to be political. I am sure they might think of something creative to create them to be citical political issue out of the teh tarik and roti canai. Who knows. By then you will have a tough time to defence yourself against these polical fanatics.

langit biru said...

"Her brothers, at four and six, are pretty competent in German and English but their Bahasa needs some polishing".

"Bahasa Jiwa Bangsa"

.....kalau seseorang dari satu Bangsa gagal menguasai/tidak tahu bahasa ibunda bangsanya, lama-kelamaan ada kemungkinan dia "tak mengaku" datang dari keturunan Bangsa tersebut..... Dah banyak saya tengok contohnya!

Bagaimana DASAR BAHASA KEBANGSAAN di sana Dato? APa bezanya dengan Malaysia?

Anonymous said...

Kepada Kluangman:
Banyak peribahasa tidak boleh lagi digunapakai, kerana sudah ketinggalan zaman. Contohnya:

1. "Hujan emas vs hujan batu. Tak salah ke luar negara untuk cari makan.

2. "Beras secupak tidak akan menjadi segantang". Tun M pernah kata peribahasa ini tak boleh dipakai lagi. Beras secupak, kalau dimasak beriani (tambah nilai), harganya boleh mencecah nilai beras segantang. Sekarang zaman tambah nilai pada produk dan perkhidmatan.

3. "Biar mati anak, jangan mati adat". Ada beberapa adat yang perlu "dimatikan", atau dikaji semula. Umpamanya, adat tidak membantah orang tua. Kalau orang tua-tua kita korup, salah guna kuasa, malas buat kerja, perangai tak senonoh, kita mesti tegur habis-habisan.

Umpamanya, adat menyanjung orang-orang berjawatan. Kalau perangai macam hantu; mabuk sana sini, pukul orang siang malam, siapa nak sanjung? Kita sanjung orang berakhlak mulia sahaja.

Umpamanya, adat VIP datang lewat ke majlis. Kalau dia lewat, dia patut minta maaf kepada tetamu.

Umpamanya, adat sambut bini-bini VIP di majlis. Ada bini-bini VIP yang melebih-lebih, "ter-over" sangat. Padahal kadang-kadang ketrampilan mereka sekadar menyerlahkan kekurangan keintelektualan mereka.

4. "Biar lambat, asal selamat". Orang yang memanjang lambat datang kerja atau pi appoinment, adalah orang yang tak boleh diharap. Alasan "traffic jam" adalah satu norma. Ianya perlu diubah sebagai "Mesti tepat, mesti selamat, tak boleh lambat, kalau lambat pi cari kerja tempat lain".

5. "Kalau takut dipukul ombak, jangan bina rumah di tepi pantai". (lebih kurang macam tu lah bunyinya seingat saya...dah lupa dah). Peribahasa ini tidak menggalakkan orang mengambil risiko. Kita perlu ambil risiko di dalam semua bidang, samada perniagaan, kejuruteraan, pembinaan, sebagainya...kalau nak maju ke hadapan le....

Windtalker

Rindu Kadir said...

Great to know you are a grand-pa three times over. Thought your Datuk is only the honorific one. Atuk to grandkids is one we can never buy. Have fun with them.Please post your photos with them when you return.

A KADIR JASIN said...

Sdr/Sdri pembahas dan pelawat sekalian.

Sebenarnya tidaklah susah nak makan Asian food di sini. Ada India, Cina dan Thai. Satay pun ada. Cuma mahallah sikit.

Tapi tak jumpa lagi restoran Asia milik Melayu. Di Malaysia pun restoran Melayu kelas dunia ada satu dua saja.

Saya dan beberapa orang "dreamers" dok fikir-fikir nak beli restoran francais Asia.

Belum apa-apa lagi, pembiaya rasmi (agensi gomen la!) dah kata kami tak galak lagi fasal ramai yang kami bantu dalam penyediaan makanan tak berjaya.

Adoi, senangnya pegawai gomen dan GLC buat kerja. Tak berjaya tutup. Bukan nak tolong supaya berjaya. Tapi nak tolong pun macam mana? Tak pernah berniaga satu hari pun.

Saya ni leceh-leceh pun dah berniaga runcit, lesen getah dan daging masa Allahyarham ayah saya giat berniaga dulu.

Saya mula "main saham" pada tahun 1972 bila dipaksa oleh Bernama pergi ke Pasaran Saham Kuala Lumpur-Singapura di Lebuh Pasar buat liputan.

Dulu boleh buat short selling beli saham Third Liners macam Fusan Net dan Tong Meng Indutries. Cari duit kocek!

Nak hutang bank beli bangunan pejabat pun macam tu. Bank GLC macam-macam punya syarat.

Akhirnya pinjam dari bank Cina. Tak hairanlah bank Cina ni banyak dapat anugerah. Dia bagi sampai 85 peratus. Boleh jadi fasal perniagaan kita OK dan aset tu bagus sebab dalam kawasan majoriti Cina di bawah kawasan Parlimen DAP pula tu. Hehe.....

Melayu nak berniaga kena tenggek kawasan majoriti peniaga Cina baru ada kelas. Kalau tidak tak uummmmmpppphhhhh!.

Jadi siapa agaknya GLC dahulukan dan apa agaknya yang diutamakan?

Terima kasih.

Yangretibase said...

Assalamualaikum,
Sesiapa sahaja yang memperleceh akan peribahasa Melayu dengan mengatakan banyak peribahasa Melayu kita tidak lagi relevan dengan masa atau ketinggalan zaman,
maka sesungguhnya orang yang berkenaan itulah sebenarnya yang ketinggalan zaman.

Dengan kata lain, si penutur yang mengeluarkan kenyataan itu ialah seorang yang BODOH, BANGANG dan TOLOL setolol-tololnya.

Saya sentiasa bersedia untuk mempertahankan setiap peribahasa Melayu. Kebijaksanaan orang tua-tua kita mustahil dapat dinafikan.
Wassalam.

saji said...

Salam Dato'

Nampaknya Dato' ni tak berapa rapat dengan Menteri2 UMNO. Kerana, apa yang saya tahu, pegawai tertinggi gomen dan GLC akan menunggu dan akur dengan arahan Menteri apabila meluluskan sesuatu projek atau pembiaaan perniagaan yang berisiko gagal atau tidak ikut prosedur perbendaharaan.

Pengalaman juga menunjukan bahawa, orang Melayu kena modalkan dahulu perniagaan dan buktikan perniagaannya maju, barulah Bank GLC dan gomen akan muncul bersama2 krew TV walaupun mereka tidak diundang!

dan kajang said...

As'kum Datuk,

1. Betul Datuk, orang gomen dan GLC ini bukan nak tolong orang (terutamanya Bumiputra)berniaga, Sebenarnya depa sendiri pun tak tahu sangat pasal berniaga. Depa hanya nak tengok syarikat itu untung sahaja. Kalau rugi disuruh tutup sahaja.Senang kerja depa.

2. Kalau nak tolong, depa terpaksa kena buat kerja dan berfikir sikit. Mana depa mahu fikir bagi pihak orang lain untuk nak berjaya.Lagi pun mana depa ada masa nak berfikir. Apa yang depa dapat kalau depa tolong.

3. Lebih senang disuruh tutup sahaja. Kalau depa berjaya suruh syarikat yang hampir gagal itu tutup perniagaan maka sudah tentu pihak pengurusannya akan puji depa kerana kononnya otang gomen dan GLC ini begitu teliti dan berjaya bantu menyelamat wang bank dari bertambah rugi. Lepas tu depa dinaik pangkat. Itulah kerja depa.

raja2u said...

YBhg Dato',

Assalamualaikum. Saya nak kongsi pengelaman mengenai pinjaman bank.

1. Pada tahun 1980 saya pergi ke bank Pertanian pada bulan Mac untuk meminjam bagi projek pertanian. Saya diberitahu masih terlalu awal untuk membuat permohonan dan diminta datang beberapa bulan kemudian. Apabila saya datang kembali pada bulan Ogos pegawai berkenaan memaklumkan peruntukan sudah habis.

2. Pada tahun 1994 kerajaan memaklumkan ada sekim pinjaman untuk peniaga kecil.Di stesen bas Old Town PJ ada seorang wanita Melayu yang sudah berniaga bunga kertas dan kelengkapan perkahwinan lebih 10 tahun telah pergi ke bank Bumiputera untuk membuat pinjaman. Beliau gagal mendapat pinjaman.

Digerai sebelah saya ada peniaga Cina yang menjual alat tulis yang telah didatangi pegawai bank Buruh memberitahu beliau mengenai kemudahan tersebut. Pegawai bank tersebut telah membantu peniaga tersebut mengisi borang permohonan dan dalam 2 minggu telah mendapat pinjaman untuk membeli mesin cetak yang beliau perlukan.

Inilah senario yang berlaku 'on the ground' yang pemimpin kita tidak ambil tahu selama ini. Selalu salahkan orang Melayu tiada daymajulah dan sebagainya.Semoga keadaan akan berubah selepas ini.

Raja Abdul Rahman bin Raja Mohammad Dain
Petaling Jaya

Anonymous said...

Salam Dato'

Ai, iri hatinya saya mengenangkan Dato' berada di Eropah - the land where the lapiz lazuli sky meets the pristine white snow and the green foliage - given the right season.

Jealous...jealous...jealous.

Have a really great trip, Dato'.

It's just not right to intrude on you with the ugliness of Malaysian politics when you are in such a beautiful country.

Melati

Anonymous said...

Datuk,

Switzerland is another country that benefited tremendously from its banking policy which guaranteed secrecy and protection of information.

The amount of money safely kept in the Swiss banks is reported to be around US5.7 trillion or approximately Ringgit Malaysia 20.5 trillion. Compared to the Swiss's population of 7.8 million people, we can presumed that each and every Swiss citizen can be finance by Ringgit Malaysia 2.63 million.

With that huge cash abundance, every government in the world can do all it wants to develop its country and improve the quality of life among its people.

Datuk,

I love Switzerland. I like its beautiful scenery. I like its implausible calmness. Heck ... I too admire Roger Federer & Martina Hingis.

But, I cant help myself by questioning the moral of the Swiss government in accepting and exploiting trillion of moneys parked in their banks by crooks, robbers, corrupt politicians, dictators, drug dealers, etc ..


-sinbad-

mtgbertam said...

Salam,

Saya pernah pi Swiss, naik gunung titlis.

Cantiknya negara depa, halakan kamera ke mana pun, hasilnya pasti menarik.

Anonymous said...

..and farmers are among the wealthiest people...

salam Tok,

mana tak kaya tok, cuba baca buku

A Billion Dollars a Day:
The Economics and Politics of Agricultural Subsidies, by E. Wesley F. Peterson

w'salam

suomynona

affendi hussain said...

Dato.. try to reduce your roti canai diet..too much tranz fat..
subsitute it with healthier capati, tose or nan..

Whatever lah org kata kan Dato..Semua org akan mati..janji kita mati tak kempunan tak rasa makanan idaman sebab 'over-diet'..

Hujan emas di negeri orang..
Hujan batu di negari sendiri..
Daripada jadi pendatang..
Lebih baik jadi pribumi..

Roti canai kuah sambal taruk atas cili api..
Sapa yg terasa pedas nasib lah aku tak peduli..
hehehehe..

Selamat berangkat ..Auf vinderzayen (proper pronounciation).. sama mcm jiran sebelah dia, Austria..

(",)

baya said...

Congrats Datuk. Glad to hear that you are healthy and doing well. We too miss our "back home" roti canai. I have been following your blog on and off tapi tak berani nak comment. I want to take this opportunity to say terima kasih. We will always remember what you did. You are responsible for giving my kids the once in a lifetime experience!!!! My daughter injured her shoulder real bad and required time to heal. She opted to sit out to give chance for the brother to continue with a new partner. Unfortunately, he did not have much success and has since stopped competing. To jog your memory... they are the ice dancers. The girl went full speed into her studies ............hoping to defend her Thesis(PhD)in Bio-Engineering by end of year. The boy is still in the ice skating world. He is an upcoming young coach and has already garnered a National champion coach credential.

I still believe that they are NOT done yet. When the time is right, they will make a comeback. Possible in ice dancing.........

Again,terima kasih banyak2. ENJOY the family.

About Me

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I was born in 1947 in Kedah. I came from a rice farming family. I have been a journalist since 1969. I am the Editor-in-Chief of magazine publishing company, Berita Publishing Sdn Bhd. I was Group Editor NST Sdn Bhd and Group Editor-in-Chief of NSTP Bhd between 1988 and 2000. I write fortnightly column “Other Thots” in the Malaysian Business magazine, Kunta Kinte Original in Berita Harian and A Kadir Jasin Bercerita in Dewan Masyarakat. Books: Biar Putih Tulang (1998), Other Thots – Opinions & Observations 1992-2001 (2001), The Wings of an Eagle (2003), Mencari Dugalia Huso (2006), Damned That Thots (2006), Blogger (2006), PRU 2008-Rakyat Sahut Cabaran (2008), Komedi & Tragedi-Latest in Contemporary Malaysian Politics (2009) and Membangun Bangsa dengan Pena (2009).