Time To Reminisce…
Allahu Akbar… Allahu Akbar… Allahu Akbar…
La Ilaha Illallah Huwallahu Akbar…
Allahu Akbar Walilla Hil Hamd…
Aidiladha for my sisters and I this year is different from years past. I just feel there’s nothing worth celebrating when you are worried for the safety and health of your parents who are away on Hajj. We can only pray hard that God will look after them as well as all the other pilgrims over there, bearing in mind the number of cases of stampede in the past. People might see us as quite relaxed with our parents over there, but they dunno that deep down, all three of us are quite worried sick for them especially when we heard that they got ill over in Madinah, which is currently in the midst of winter, only that there is no snow due to its geographical position. Speaking of Madinah and Makkah, the two holy cities, brought back a lot of fond memories of my time there as recently as this past June.
Not many people knew we went there for Umrah, as we did not want to publicise it for fear that people thought we wanted to show off. I was even hesitant to talk about my experiences in this blog as I felt that I did not want to come across as being pompous or a goody-two-shoes. In short, I could not find a valid reason nor angle to talk about it. Why I think I am ready to talk about it now is because of the current Hajj season which makes me reminisce of my time there and hope that with the sharing of my experiences, it would entice you to go there sooner if not later…
It was meant to be our honeymoon in the first place. We had planned to go in March but due to work commitments on both sides, we had to push it to June. With that apparent postponement, Aida‘s planned pregnancy had also taken a backseat as we did not want to have any complications when we were abroad or high up in the skies. But of course, accidents do happen and God certainly had ideas which HE knows best. And so it was, we were sceptical about going when we found out Aida was pregnant at the end of March. But we had to go as we did not have other time plus I had to serve my intentions of going (Nazar) as soon as possible. Alhamdulillah when Aida passed her 1st trimester stage, it was just nice for us to leave as the little one would have settled down in her womb by then. As an added precautionary measure, my in-laws joined us on the trip so my mother-in-law could take care of Aida especially at places where only females were allowed. Even though it looked like “a breach of privacy” as we had meant it to be our honeymoon, I did not look at it that way one bit. In fact I was extremely thankful they tagged along. It was also my opportunity to bond closer with them. We departed on 5th June 2006 at 5:30am.
We spent almost 24 hours just to get to the holy city of Madinah Al-Munawwarah from here. When I did my Umrah back in 1992 with my family, the time spent to get there was only about 18 and a half hours. The reason we took a longer time was because we took Gulf Air, which had to make a stopover in Bahrain for 4 hours and when we reached Jeddah, instead of taking a flight to Madinah, we went there by coach. The travelling time took about 6 hours. So we kinda wasted about 10 hours waiting and on the road. Luckily our meals in Bahrain were catered for, as I was quite appalled by their currency which is even higher than British Pounds. We ended up doing a lot of window shopping during our 4-hour transit.
Along the way to Madinah, we stopped halfway to perform our Maghrib and Isya’. It was at the stopover place that I first experienced what the desert temperature is like, about 43 degrees Celsius. The heat practically stings your face the moment the bus door opened and you stand on the steps with the wind blowing. It was like being in a sauna. It felt uncomfortable at first but I told myself if the people there can survive, then there’s no reason why I could not acclimatise myself. I spent the majority of the journey sleeping in the coach and psyching myself not to think too much about the travelling time even though deep down I was cursing the travelling agency for subjecting us to such an ordeal, the waiting and all. I treated it as a test on my patience as those who know me too well know my lack of it and the short fuse I have. I also remembered there were cases of people who received their come-uppance for complaining or being impatient when they were there. So I was quite determined to keep my thoughts to myself.
We entered the holy city at about 10:20pm (3:20am Singapore time). By then I was awake and I was looking out for Masjid An-Nabawi (The Prophet SAW‘s Mosque), the grand mosque in Madinah, which resembles a majestic palace especially when you see it at night with its towering minarets illuminated. I did not have to wait long, it soon appeared within sight, even though we were still about 10 kilometres away. Memories of my last visit in 1992 soon flooded my mind and even though it felt like I was there yesterday, I had yearned to return as soon as possible. I took 14 years to return but I felt it was 14 years too long.
I won’t delve too much into my activities in Madinah, just that I was amazed by the rapid progress the city has undergone over the past 14 years. The Quba’ Mosque (the first mosque to be built in history), the Qiblatain mosque and a few other mosques we visited are now air-conditioned and on some places, carpeted. The Masjid An-Nabawi is one of the most intriguing masterpiece ever to be built in my opinion. Its marble tiles, pillars and ceilings are sights to behold. The chandeliers that grace the interiors and the carpets add another dimension to its glory. Workers work round the clock to maintain the gleam and shine on every nook and corner of the building. It is not surprising to see the place shining as though it has just been built.
For those who wanna visit Al-Raudhah, the designated portion that will be part of Jannah (Paradise) in future, in Masjid An-Nabawi, be prepared to fight it out with other congregators. I tried to get a good place in there by entering the mosque as early as 3am when the mosque opens its gates, but I still ended up on the outskirts of the designated green pillars indicating where Al-Raudhah is. Perhaps the timing of my visit was not that good as there were many people who came from Pakistan and Iran, countries having school holidays in June. Nonetheless, the experience was one that I cherished and hoped that some day I would return.
The people there have also progressed in terms of linguistic skills. I thought I could practice the few Arabic phrases and sentences I learnt in my Arabic course but to my surprise, they answered back in fluent Malay. I left Madinah with an extremely heavy heart on the 4th day. Even though it was very hot and dry, it did not dampen nor lessen my love for the place. We left for Makkah by coach and the journey took about 6 hours. It was a testing time for us as the air-conditioner broke down halfway so we were perspiring with our Ihram already on. As usual, I was praying hard that we would reach Makkah as soon as possible and psyching myself not to curse our luck. We reached Makkah at 5:30pm and checked in at our hotel (forgot the name), which is separated from Masjidil Haram by Hilton Makkah and the massive Ben Dawood supermarket.
This is the view walking from my hotel to the mosque. This street is full of peddlars and beggars from African countries especially after prayers.
We did our Umrah obligations right after Maghrib with the Tawaf and continued with Sa’ie after Isya’. The place was buzzing with people and the crowd was almost as many as what you get during the Hajj season on the ground level of the mosque. Looking at the Ka’bah and the number of people, I felt extremely humbled at the fact that we were all there for one purpose and that was to submit and worship to HIM. Seeing people clamouring to kiss the Hajar Aswad made me determined to kiss it again after 14 long years. But there were just too many people pushing, shoving and elbowing one another just to kiss it. Likewise, Hijir Ismail, where our prayers are said to be answered, people were making a beeline to get in to pray.
The next morning, after Subuh, I decided to do Tawaf. Halfway through, I was enticed to join the crowd who were clamouring to kiss Hajar Aswad. Out of nowhere, appeared 5 Indonesian guys who offered to help ease my way to kissing the blessed stone. After a lot of pushing and shoving my way through, I finally got to kiss the stone but a surprise was in store for me. The Indonesian guys brought me to one side and asked to be paid for their services. I thought SG$10 was enough but they said they were normally paid US$50!!! So I fished out SG$50 only for one of them to remind me 5 of them had helped me. As I was alone and for fear of being mugged or sabotaged (since they were students and spoke Arabic fluently), it was just their luck I had SG$250 in my wallet. So I just gave them and they were gone.
I was in a daze and told my Ustaz about it when I got back to the hotel for breakfast. He could do nothing but shook his head in wonder at how I was apparently cornered. It was only then that I realise that I had been mugged by this syndicate which my colleague had told me about before I left. I totally forgot everything in my haste to kiss the stone. It was an extremely valuable lesson well learnt for me when it comes to having patience. I was greedy and God taught me a lesson by making me forget the warnings. From then on, I told myself never to succumb to that kind of greed and to exercise patience when I want something so badly. If it’s meant for us, then God will surely grant it through deed, hope and patience. Throughout my stay there, I was so tempted to kiss the stone again, in fact I tried again a few times but was unsuccessful due to all the pushing and wrestling with other pilgrims. Some ended up bloodied and even my Ihram was once stained with someone’s blood due to all the shoving. It was pandemonium out there. Even females were not spared and got punched by some of the overzealous pilgrims.
We spent about a week in Makkah. The World Cup season had just started. I was expecting the number of people at the mosque to be lessened since Saudi Arabia was playing in the tournament, but of course the people there are more pious than caring for their country’s chances. Even my fellow travelling group members made jokes about how easy it was to kiss Hajar Aswad since people would be staying in to watch the matches. The crowd was just massive and a sight to behold as you can from the pictures I took.
This was right after Friday prayers. The pilgrims did not care about the searing heat as they only had one thing in their minds – to submit and pray to God…
Everytime I walked to or from the mosque, I would always have to pass by this particular street where peddlars and beggars throng the lines. These people are mostly from the African countries and places like Mongolia and Indonesia. Some come peddling their wares, while others make use of their infants or handicapped children to beg. If you happen to go there some day, please say a prayer for them for their well-being. It pained me to see them all in that state and I have to admit I cried when I first saw them. We have to really be contented with whatever riches or good life we are now leading here as others out there are struggling to make ends meet or even try to get a bite of food daily.
We don’t have this in Singapore…
Speaking of food, well they are found in abundance over there. I did not expect to find fast-food restaurants like KFC, Burger King or Pizza Hut over there. I did not get to see McDonald’s though. What amazed me was the size of the food. Can you imagine the size of a Mushroom Swiss Double burger is twice (or is it thrice???) as big as what we get over here??? The pictures don’t lie you know… Even the drink container is huge… What about the Zinger Supreme??? I rest my case… All I can say is that I did not even get to eat half of the Mushroom Swiss Double to feel full. I guess that’s why the people over there are quite big-sized.
See what I mean???
I took some time to finish off the drink…
Of all the places we went in Makkah, like the museum where they chartered the history of Masjidil Haram and Masjid An-Nabawi, to Jabal Rahmah in Arafah, my only regret was not being able to climb atop Jabal Nur, where the Cave of Hira (where Prophet SAW received his first revelation from Jibrail) is situated. My Ustaz said that if you were to take away all the hi-rise buildings surrounding the mosque, you can actually see the Ka’bah from the entrance of the cave. It is definitely a challenge to climb up and if there had been more sporting members in my travelling group, I would have gone up the mount just to see the cave.
Someday I would love to conquer and reach the top of Jabal Nur…
This was where Adam and Eve met after being banished from Jannah (Paradise)…
Cameras and handphones with camera functions were of course not allowed into the mosques. But there is so much the security could do to check people’s bags before they enter the mosque. For males, I found they seldom check on us but females are subjected to frisking as well. Of course, I had to be mindful of the security people walking around the mosque before whipping out my handphone and snapping away. The photographs turned out well surprisingly as compared to other photographs I took before in the past. I guess it’s just the beauty of the place that makes it worth looking over and over again.
We were fortunate to have experienced rain, which is quite a rare thing over there. When I was there in 1992, there was also rain on one of the days. As it was the summer, rain was quite unthinkable of but of course we only know so much while God has other ideas. I still remember as I entered the mosque to perform Asar, I realised the sky was overcast. I had to rub my eyes to make sure I was seeing things right. When Asar was over, the rain still had not fallen. So I told my father-in-law I wanted to wait for awhile and told him to go ahead. I sat on the steps facing the Ka’bah, waiting for the rain to fall and I did not have to wait long. When it fell, it was not heavy but more to a drizzle, scores of people rushed to the front and stood facing the Ka’bah with their hands up in prayer. It was as though time stood still. It was definitely the best time to say our Du’a and ask God to grant us our wishes. I remembered there were auspicious moments to do so like after Asar, during rain fall or when you are facing the Ka’bah amongst others. I was blessed to experience all three and felt humbled by the experience. I pray that whoever who goes there would experience the same thing as me.
Rain after Asar… Notice the overcast sky???
When I last went there in 1992, I had met Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam and Sultan Ismail Petra of Kelantan, who had famous 80s actor Datuk Tengku Shah Rezza as part of his entourage. There were no celebrity sightings this time but I nearly met Linda Onn, Radio ERA‘s famous DJ. I was staring at the Ka’bah whilst waiting for Isya‘ when an elderly man came over and struck a conversation with me. He told me he was Linda‘s father and that Linda had also accompanied him and the family there. As we had some time before Isya’ we chatted for awhile and he told me of his history working in Singapore and how he still has family members over here. Before we made our own ways, he invited me over to his chicken rice stall (the famous MMCR stall at Ampang Point) whenever I decide to go up to KL.
I learnt a quite a lot of valuable lessons over there. One of them was the right method of burial for the deceased. We were brought to a cemetery to learn how the people there went about burying the dead. As you can see from the photographs, their graves are just a piece of flat land and marked by a stone. By right, graves should be kept like that and not the extravagant ones you see at our cemeteries. And normally when we say a prayer for the dead, more often than not we recite Surah Al-Fatihah. Over there, we recite a simple Du’a, “Allahumaghfirlil mukminina wal mukminat, wal muslimina wal muslimat, al ahya iminhum wal amwat…” which translates to “Oh God, please forgive all the Mukmins and our fellow Muslims, those who are still alive or have returned to you…” Upon reflection, this simple Du’a actually carries more weight in that we’re asking for forgiveness for everyone, whether alive or dead, from the beginning till end of time. Oh, and unlike here, females are strictly prohibited from entering the graveyards and must wait at the waiting lounge at the cemetery’s entrance, since after all Islamic traditions have already forbade them. I sometimes wonder why things that are so simple and cost-cutting is often overlooked over here or not being followed by us.
The cemetery… See how they are marked by just a stone???
The prayer to recite for the dead…
It was interesting to hear how other pilgrims recite their prayers as they have different accents. Sometimes I couldn’t help but giggle as they sounded quite funny as compared to how we normally say it. I think they too would feel the same way if they were to listen to us. Another interesting thing I observed was how a marriage solemnisation was conducted. Where I prayed every Maghrib (near the King Abdul Aziz Gate), there will always be a marriage solemnsation ceremony right after prayers. Normally the event does not take more than 5 minutes and within minutes, they would disperse. Of course, we did not see the brides, neither did I see any sermons being read by the solemniser. How I wish such a thing was practised over here. It would cut down the groom’s feeling of nervousness and the minimising of unnecessary exchanging of gifts.
Another thing I learnt is that people there or even fellow pilgrims from other countries dunno that Singapore actually exists. Whenever they asked where are we from, their question will always be followed up by “Malaysia” and “Indonesia“. When we say “Singapore“, they will say, “Singapore very good / nice country…” but then they will ask again, “Where is Singapore???” For those who know, they might just jack up the prices, just like those Indonesian guys I was telling you about earlier. Speaking of them, I met them again on the last day before Subuh as I was doing my Tawaf. When they saw me, they gave a hopeful grin and asked me if I wanted to kiss the stone again. I wanted to say something spiteful but remembered I was a guest at God‘s greatest home so I bit my tongue, glared at them and waved my hand to indicate to them I did not need their help.
Alhamdulillah I managed to kiss it for one last time on my own after I had completed the Tawaf. How I did it, only God knew. Even if I knew I just feel it’s not right for me to say it. It was a miracle and I should say, divine intervention as there was no way I could get in just by observing the pushing crowd from a distance. Yes, God works wonders and the words “God will only help those who help themselves” rang in my ears. But I guess patience also played a big part as I had been disappointed a few times before that over the past week I tried to get my lips to kiss the stone. The Azan for Subuh was called a few minutes after that and it was the most soulful, and sad call for prayer I had heard throughout my stay there. It was as though they knew we were leaving later. I wished I had recorded it on my handphone to listen over and over again.
The Red Sea… Simply beautiful…
Before we boarded our flight back to Bahrain for another transit, we stopped by a mosque facing the infamous Red Sea in biblical and Islamic scriptures. We had our lunch there and enjoyed the view of the sea as well as its pristine state. The water is crystal clear and you can definitely see the sea bed. The mind wondered off to the past on how the sea could have parted during the time of Prophet Musa (Moses). It was one of God‘s miracles and it was worth reflecting as I stood with arms outstretched replicating what I saw from The Ten Commandments movie, whereby Moses stretched his arms out and parted the sea. Yeah it was a poor impersonation on my part.
Trying my darndest to impersonate Moses…
And so I returned to Singapore with a heavy heart. 12 days away from here and my love for the two holy cities grew fonder as I was there. I had half the mind to give up on everything I have here just to stay there. Yes, the pull of the place is just so great, everything there is so humbling and everyone is seen as an equal. I’m sure those who have gone before would agree with me and I hope that for those who will go in future would feel the same way too. Thankfully Aida was healthy throughout with no complications and I was happy my daughter has had a good start to her life y visiting the place, albeit still in her mummy’s womb. I can’t wait to go there again, maybe if I were to do Umrah, I would do it right after the Hajj season as there are not many people and I won’t have to fight my way just to kiss Hajar Aswad or sit at Ar-Raudhah. I certainly miss the smell of the Minyak Atar Hajar Aswad whenever I stepped into the 2 grand mosques. In fact I miss everything associated to the place. Which is perhaps why I envy my parents for being able to serve their responsibilities in upholding the fifth pillar of Islam…
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It’s been two years plus since I have blogged. As readers, be it old or new, I’m sure you have grown with me, read my ups and downs, shared my joy and felt my sadness. I hoped my entries have not been a bore for you, cos really, a guy seldom talks or writes a lot unless they have a lot of surpressed thoughts waiting to be unleashed like yours truly. It is heartwarming to know from one of my fellow bloggers that everytime she reads my entry, she has to make sure she has potato chips and cola ready. Complimentary yes I appreciate it a lot, but it’s also another meaning that others who are not attuned to my brand of yarn spinning think that I am too long-winded for my own good. But oh well, I’m not out to please people. All I can do is be more responsible with what I type and minimise personal criticisms which might be detrimental to my relationship with people.
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You know, “Time flies when you least expect it“. It’s a cliche heard a thousand times over. Today marks my first wedding anniversary. I still remember at this time last year, how we were all busy preparing for the day, my kind aunties, uncles and cousins who had chipped in their assistance to make it a day to remember for us. I was still awake at 3am, not being able to sleep and just thinking about the day I was about to go through. Not to mention that wedding dinner I had and the mini concert I made it out to be. And now here I am, happily married with a daughter in tow. What a difference a year has made.
To my beloved wife Aida, one year has passed in the blink of an eye, but my love for you has never waned and it gets stronger and stronger by the day. Thank you for the priceless present you gave in the form of our darling princess Syahindah Adawiyah. Your pregnancy has made me love you even more for the pain and hardships you had to go through, not forgetting the love and care you showered me. Yes, I might be a pain in the arse at times when I complain about having to be your servant, but you know it’s only my way of joking, no matter how queer it sounds. May Allah prolong our union for decades to come… Amin!!!
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One year on, and another year added to my age. I celebrated my 27th year last year by being a husband. I celebrate my 28th year today as a father and leader of my family. More responsibilities added to my already growing list but I am enjoying and thriving every minute of it. Another year added and another year closer to returning to God. Which is why I don’t quite fancy the idea of celebrating birthdays unless people do it for me then I have no choice but to go with the flow. I always treat birthdays as a timely reminder that Death is near, to self-reflect whether I’ve been a good son, friend, subordinate, cousin, nephew, and now husband and father to the people that matter in my life. I hope I could be an even better person than people know me for in time to come…
Here’s wishing you a prosperous year 2007 ahead, full of happy moments and realising some of your dreams that you’ve yearned for so long. For my Muslim readers, “Salam Aidiladha“. May whatever deeds we have done all these while or if you happen to be making a sacrifice today, would enhance our ticket to Jannah, Insya-Allah… God bless…
Keris-Emas
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After I gave up on applying for the premium condo-style flats in Tampines (The Premiere), which I had reported a few entries ago, hopes of landing a home arose again when HDB opened up walk-in selection flats in Sengkang, Buangkok & Hougang last month. I’ve had my eyes cast on the flats by the Buangkok MRT Station for quite some time now. Besides the MRT station, which would ease people coming to my place, the soon-to-be-built mosque will also be about 5-minutes walk away. Alas when I came at about 3:30pm on the 1st day of the application, I was appalled to find that my balloting queue number was above 1600. With only about 1100 units available, it was highly unlikely I would be able to get the unit of my choice on a higher floor (at least 10 above). Coupled with the fact that my turn to choose my choice unit was on the 8th day, it was a case of no point queueing up but I still did, holding on to a glimmer of hope. But it was not to be.
Before that, when HDB introduced the Sri Geylang Serai area to be developed, my in-laws had suggested moving in. But I was against it, for the fact that the traffic is extremely bad. Not to mention the hygiene of the place. Granted it’s gonna be new but when the festive period comes, you’ll agree what I mean. Anyway, I feel uncomfortable living in a Malay enclave. Social factors aside, I guess it is a nice place to live in, what with the kampung spirit revived. But I actually like the idea of staying with other races around me as it promotes harmony and tolerance on a different scale. Ideas could be exchanged and we can learn a lot of things from them. As the saying goes, “A little bit of something is sweet but when there’s too much of it, it could bring harm eventually…” That’s how I see it, not that I have something against my race. I’m still a proud Malay. I guess that is why our Government set a race quota when applying for flats as they want us all to integrate and not become too homogeneous.
Even when HDB introduced a built-to-order scheme just across the road from my in-laws, I was not keen on it as I felt there was no point shifting. To me, it felt as good as not shifting at all. I’m kinda chilled about applying for a home now, knowing I still have my old apartment (which has turned into a warehouse) if things get too complicated or difficult to apply a dream place. I won’t even mind staying at my parents’ place, just that the three flights up the stairs is a nightmare to get to my room, especially now that the little one has arrived. It’s gonna be tiring chasing after her all around the house, since kids are almost always fascinated with the stairs. I don’t mind the exercise though.
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Speaking of Geylang Serai, have you guys been watching “Geylang Si Paku Geylang“??? This 5-part (or is it 6 parts???) series is currently being shown on Suria every Saturdays at 8.30pm. Even though 4 episodes have come and gone, I feel that the timing of the show is not that good as most people are seldom at home on a Saturday night to appreciate it. I strongly recommend this drama series as it preserves the essence of what Geylang Serai was all about. Also in every episode, it highlights almost every negative nuance associated to the Malay community like gossiping, getting even with someone via the black arts, being jealous and bitter at others’ achievements, sabotaging people’s plans to do something good, I guess you name it, they have it. I wished they would make the episodes into a DVD colection and let students watch it. At least they will learn and not emulate the bad qualities. Watching the show only confirms my stand as to why I feel uncomfortable living in such an enclave. The show is basically made up of unknowns / actors who are more known as supporting casts in other drama serials. On a personal note, I also enjoy watching it for the fact that I know a few of the actors as they are either linked to me via blood ties, marriage ties, working ties, my wedding make-up artist or ex-BMT mates. No wonder my good friend, whose uncle happens to be one of the actors in the show, is extremely amazed at my extensive network. I call it coincidence and for the fact that Singapore is too small for living comfort but he said it’s actually down to me. Not that I thrive on mixing around with celebrities…
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It’s 3 weeks now since she was born. Alhamdulillah she hasn’t “troubled” us one bit, have not gotten sick or anything that would be of concern to new parents like us. I pray that long may it continue. The only times she cries are during feeding time or when she wants her diapers changed. She’s such a clean, proper and hygienic baby that even when she poos a bit, she wants us to clean her up right away. She’s not even afraid of water whenever we bathe her. The only downside is that she hates to breastfeed. Maybe it’s because she only started to breastfeed when she was 3 days old as Aida was too weak then to do so and my daughter had to feed through the bottle. Other than that, she’s been perfect. Nothing pleases me more than having a baby of my own, to see her grow up to be a fine young lady who, God willing, will be a great contribution to society and religion.
You know, sometimes when I look at her, I feel sad. Sad that life is indeed short, sad that soon she’ll get married and have kids of her own, sad that with her growing up, it means that we get older and Death is getting nearer and nearer. Which is why I guess I’ve been mellowing a lot after marriage. I’ve not been so cynical with my comments on radio and through this blog. It’s quite unheard of if you have been a regular RIA 89.7FM listener used to hearing my lambasting comments or regular reader of my blog. Marriage and now parenthood have thought me to be more patient, more forgiving and more tolerant of those around me. Not that I’ve gone through a complete transformation. At times, I still live, say or do things on the edge but knowing my style, I’ll always do it with common sense and rationale.
A lot of people have asked us to invite them in case we hold a Tahnik (Shave-the-baby’s-head) ceremony or expect us to have one when I first announced her arrival to the world. I understand that some of us are used to that tradition already. But I’m not actually keen on the idea of inviting people and getting gifts or cash in return, not to mention the preparations and cleaning up afterwards. To top it off, there is also the issue of not being able to entertain everyone at the same time. I’m actually very embarrassed at the idea of receiving stuff from people even if they are genuinely sincere. I think I got this trait from my mum who refused to hold a get-together for friends and family members before she departed for Hajj 3 Sundays ago as she felt too embarrassed to receive any gifts or donations from well-wishers.
For me, just a simple prayer for the little one would more than suffice as nothing is more valuable than a saying a little prayer. Furthermore, it’s free!!! I’ve got no qualms on people who do these Tahnik ceremonies, it’s just that as an individual preference, I would prefer to send the little one to the mosque where the Imam would do it privately. And I did just that on Saturday (23 Dec) at Masjid Darul Ghufran in Tampines. So for those who want to see my daughter up close and personal, just give me a buzz on when you want to come and see her. Don’t have to wait for me to send out any invites. And please don’t trouble yourselves when you come…
Lest I forget I would like to thank family members, colleagues and friends who have taken the trouble and time to visit us, be it at the hospital, or at home, with gifts and cash in tow. Plus the numerous well-wishes on air from my fellow RIA listeners on the day my daughter was born. Gotta thank my best buddy Nizam, his wife Iannie and his parents for the beautiful stroller, my colleagues for the hefty NTUC vouchers and everyone else who had given us gifts like baby clothes, bottles, flowers, milk formulas and everything else. We really really appreciate them a lot. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!!
For those of you reading this from my Blogspot blog, click here to see more photographs of my little princess…
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My family received another good news on 9th December 2006. My favourite cousin Ezaad (those of you who attended my wedding would remember he was my best man, and his wife Julie was the bridesmaid) joined me in the parenthood club, when his wife gave birth to a bouncing baby boy Mohd Eshaan. It was a belated 1st wedding anniversary for them but I guess it was well worth it. I had actually suggested Julie to induce herself on the 1st of December so the boy would share the same birthday as his cousin Syahindah Adawiyah but she did not want, preferring to give birth on the 12th instead. The boy obviously had other ideas so he came out 3 days earlier than scheduled. Good for Julie that she was blessed to go through a smooth and normal delivery as compared to Aida. The family is currently buzzing with the arrival of the two new-borns. Celebrating Hari Raya next year could not be more special for us all. I’m just waiting for Aida to recover before we can go visit them. Also in store is visiting another one of my best buds, Latif and wife Nora who I had reported earlier giving birth on the same day as Aida to their second daughter Badriyyah and one of my good friends (ironically sharing the same name but with different spelling) Latiff and wife Ridana who gave birth to Md Ammar Dhani on 27th November 2006.
Welcome to the world Eshaan…!!!
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On another happy note, I am pleased that Imran Ajmain‘s album entitled “Dengan Secara Kebetulan” is finally out in stores. The guy had to go through 3 postponements before his album was finally released on 19th December 2006. I can understand the frustrations at having to postpone, heck even as one of his ardent supporters, it was nerve-wrecking having to wait so long. Thought of going down to buy his album but I’ve been extremely busy with work and the babe, that going down to the music store was not feasible. I’ll try to get it as soon as possible but if by next Saturday I can’t, then I’ll most definitely attend his showcase at the National Arts Museum in conjunction with the album launch.
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It’s been raining and raining of late. I can’t wash my car as it is useless to do so. It was just last Sunday I tried to wash it at my parents’ place. When I was halfway through wiping the car, the heavens opened its floodgates and I was left rueing the fact that my efforts were wasted. So now I’m just gonna spray it with water and wipe it dry in case it gets too dirty. No point shampooing it.
I took the following picture below on my way to work on Monday morning. As the expressways were jammed, I took a longer route and passed by Thomson Road. Imagine my shock when I passed by the plant nurseries along Olive Road and Joan Road near Caldecott Hill. As some of you would have known from the news, the place was flooded. As the roads were at a lower level, the height of the water level rose till it almost covered the cars. That was my first experience seeing a flood with my very own eyes, right smack in front of me. I really pity the owners of the nurseries as they had reportedly lost about a million dollars due to the damages incurred. What about the owners of the cars trapped on that road??? I can imagine the heartbreak. Oh not forgetting the owners of the massive bungalows in that area…
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Was driving home along Outram Road the other day when I saw a Lamborghini (can’t recall which model) zipped by my car. As I stopped behind it, I couldn’t resist taking its picture and singing Akon‘s massive current hit “Smack That” to myself. The chorus goes something like this: “I feel you creeping I can see from my shadow, wanna jump up in my Lamborghini Gallardo…” Yeah wish I was driving one…
Sincerity Can Be A Bane…
I’m beginning to have doubts on myself. My self-belief, my confidence level and morale are at an all-time low. I’ve gone through these kind of periods before in my life and they always stick out in my memory like a sore thumb and I thought I will never have to face them again. Why is it whenever I go out of my way to help others, there will always be those sitting on the fence who would doubt my sincerity to help with no strings attached??? Is it my robust and hands-on approach which is a turn-off??? Is it because I get the job done with no frills and spills that people see me as a threat??? Or do they hate me for being me???
I work not to be given recognition. I help not to gain popularity. I assist not to be hailed as a Messiah. I’m doing it for the love of Islam, for the sake of Ummah, for the betterment of my fellow Muslim brethren. I might be a complete stranger who came in with a bang, but I certainly am not someone who wants to be empowered or be glorified. Neither do I want myself to be recognised for my efforts. A groupie??? That’s even way off target…
Yes, I had expected that things would turn out as they are right now. I had foreseen it right from the start but I had hoped that people would look through it with a wider perspective, which transcends all doubts and distrust about me. It is extremely painful when after what you’ve done to help, you get mud thrown back at your face as a way of saying “Thank you!!!” And when someone doesn’t like you, even a joke would make you look like a bad person in their eyes.
Due to my previous bad experiences, the wife has always warned me to be prudent whenever I go out of my way to help others. Even an old friend told me once never to help others to the point of slaving myself. But like a glutton for punishment, I always get up for more, always putting the needs of others before me. Because why??? Nothing pleasures me more than seeing others happy and seeing that what they set out to do becomes a reality and not mere fantasy.
I apologise if my approach in assisting was wrong as I only know how to do it by being as gentlemanly, direct and honest as I can be. I apologise too if my presence is not welcomed. I do not wish to rock the boat nor the foundations that have been laid. I was merely helping the captain man the oars and letting the ship set sail with a firmer direction. If the men in the galley are opposed to my presence, then I wouldn’t mind walking down the gankplank and jumping off the ship to restore the harmony, spirit and camaraderie of the crew. I would just like to express my gratitude to the captain for letting me have the opportunity to assist all these while. May the ship’s journey be smooth and lead to many new discoveries and adventures in the years to come…
I bear no ill-will towards those who doubt me, my presence, my approach and my gumption to see the plans succeed. As I walk into the sunset, I can only pray that some day they would see that I had helped with sincerity, integrity and honesty.
I’m Officially A Dad!!!
Ok I’m sorry if I have not been updating. Life’s been busy and I was feeling so lazy to blog whenever I was free. So you can expect my entry to be very long this time round as to what I’ve been doing since my last entry on 7th November 2006. So without further ado, here goes:
Hari Raya came and gone. Did not meet my initial visiting targets but I guess people understood the situation I was in, what with Aida and her constant contractions. This bundle of joy would certainly complete us. When I said the baby would complete us, an old friend teased me and told us not to stop at one. I said no, the baby would complete us, but her siblings would enhance us further. I think all parents share that sentiment. Exciting times lie ahead!!!
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Those of you who were born before the 90s would always look forward to children-related shows like Aksi Mat Yoyo, Hari Raya shows, Tok Selampit and what-nots back then and wished you were in the shows yourselves right??? Well yours truly also felt that way too. In fact I went to the Bengkel Kanak Kanak auditions back in 1983 but did not make the grade, probably since I was marked by the producers for running round the building. Yes I was very inquisitive to know what went on in the old Singapore Broadcasting Corporation building.
As a boy growing up and hormones raging, I have to admit that I had a few crushes on some of the Bengkel gals. Heck I even ended up marrying one (though I only knew my wife was in it when I went through her old albums…)!!! Talk of irony… But no, my wife was not as popular as some of the others as she only appeared on TV once. Since my primary school days, I’ve managed to make friends with a few of them who I am still in contact with.
Fast forward to the current time, I recently got to know one of the guys (Del Rasouli) who was in the 1988 batch as my wife. He and me are currently undergoing our IPPT Preparatory Training at Bedok Camp and he told me of an alumni being created for the ex-Bengkel Kanak-Kanak members. I wasted no time contacting those in my list of contacts who used to be a part of the “elite” group and sourcing out on my own the names of those who I could still remember back in those days on the Net and informed them of the alumni’s existence.
Aida is standing on the left-hand most of the photo. Can you spot people like Izzat (Soldadu), Fidiyana (Dian) and Suhaini (Newscaster)???
For those of you reading this, I hope that you could assist me in informing any of your old friends and family members who used to be in Bengkel Kanak-Kanak, of this alumni. Their presence is very much appreciated and would help to foster old ties amongst friends who have lost contact of one another. The alumni has set up a Yahoo Group for members to communicate with one another. For more information, they can contact the alumni’s moderators for more details: Erna – erna_watty@yahoo.com & Raydza – wrydza@yahoo.com. The group is in the midst of planning a huge gathering for ex-members so it would be nice to have most of them back together again like the good ol’ days…
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On 19th November, I was quite a busy man attending two events, the first was Hafeez Glamour‘s “Biol-Biol Raya” gathering at Ma Sin Thai Restaurant (the old Eden restaurant opposite Darul Ma’wa Children’s Home at Still Road) and later on in the evening, “Konsert Rahimah Rahim Kembali“. I thought of skipping Hafeez‘s event cos of my weekly football in the evening but then I thought I had already skipped the previous one he did back in July and I had given my promise that I would attend this one if he were to do it, so I kept my word.
I had initial reservations about going too as attending it will result in me meeting some people I was having conflicts with. But in the spirit of Hari Raya and also thinking that life is too short to prolong bitterness, I went, hoping that they too would feel the same way as me, as it would only be so long that we can be at odds with one another. Not to mention, we were at odds over petty stuff I said on air and in some of my previous entries. So I told myself to just go with the flow. If people continued to hate my guts and honesty, then so be it. I cannot force others to like me for who I am.
Due to unforseen circumstances, the event which was supposed to start at 3pm was moved to 2pm instead. Prior to that, I had 2 places to go, one was an open house and another was a baby’s shaving head (“Cukur Rambut“) ceremony. So you could imagine the rush I was in, driving like a speedster along the expressways and singing “Fast & Furious” to myself to speed up.
I reached the venue just in time to see Hafeez coming in and starting the event. Datin Norish Karman who was supposed to attend did not turn up. No reasons were given and I only realised it when I am typing this entry. The event was slightly above average as the air-con was not working / or switched on to a higher temperature. I was practically perspiring and felt uneasy especially in my baju kurung that does not absorb perspiration.
Karisma and the gal sang the haunting hit “My Heart“…
Entertainment-wise, I guess I’ve seen the same thing from the likes of Bibik Belacan and Mak Dara in the past but it was entertaining nonetheless. Khairil Yusof, Karisma and Iskandar Ismail (Eiss) did stellar jobs as well with their respective songs though Eiss could have done himself justice by wearing a more suitable outfit for the occasion. Only the Hip Hop group which performed a mish-mash of traditional and hip hop moves did not go down well with me as I felt they remixed too many songs and destroyed the essence of the Hari Raya mood by jumping from one genre to the other with no specific direction. It was a performance one would say “Ntah-apa-apa-ntah!!!“.
The atmosphere was livened up by the sporting nature of some of the famous listeners on RIA singing or cracking jokes on stage. Yours truly too wasn’t spared as I was dragged on stage to dance a variety of steps from Salsa to Cha Cha and even Dangdut!!! Honestly I only dance at the comfort of home so it was kinda embarrassing to be up there on stage and people looking at you do your thing. But I guess it was all in the name of fun…
Hafeez interviewing Khairil Yusof…
To top it off, by the end of the event, I’ve buried the hatchet with the people I’ve had conflicts with. It was a big load off my chest when we apologised to one another and rekindled a broken friendship. I guess God answered my prayers to one day be at peace again with them even if the closeness would not be the same again. I am a forgiving person by nature, sometimes I feel it is my weakness. Whenever I forgive someone, I use a story in Rasulullah SAW‘s time as my guide.
Hendon, who in an earlier battle along with her husband, had killed and chewed Sayidina Hamzah‘s (Rasulullah SAW‘s beloved uncle) heart. But when Rasulullah SAW managed to win over the people of Makkah, she converted to Islam and went to him to seek forgiveness. Rasulullah SAW being the noble man that he was, even though he still felt the hurt from losing his uncle and witnessing the killing himself, still managed to forgive her. If such a sin could be forgiven, then I guess we as normal subjects should learn to forgive and forget in the same manner even if the hurt that others do unto us is much greater. As they always say “To forgive is divine“…
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I’ve got to admit. I had planned to attend the “Konsert Rahimah Rahim Kembali” solely for the fact that Imran Ajmain was performing. Ever since I saw his performance at Sungguh Hot Finals in July 2004, I couldn’t get enough of the guy. 2005 was a bit of a lull period but since February 2006, I’ve been attending a few of his showcases namely the Hi-Tea With Hazami, the single launch for “Sudah Tu Sudah” and the Karnival Manja prior to Ramadhan just to name the high profile events. Fact remains, you can never get enough of the gentle giant’s soulful voice, which was why I was clamouring to attend the “Konsert Rahimah Rahim Kembali” just to see him sing at such a prestigious place as the Esplanade.
When I came out from the lift, I was surprised to see the back of someone I had met earlier in the day walking right in front of me – Hafeez Glamour!!! He was accompanied by Syed Omar, the brother of Syah Ibrahim. When I reached the ticketing booth by the entrance to the Recital Studio, I realised I had left something so I ran back to the Mezzanine floor to retrieve it. When I came back up the lift again, another two familiar figures were in front of me, none other than RIA 89.7FM‘s Fiza O and DJ KC. Fiza is sporting a shorter hairstyle now, in line with her spunky image. Speaking of her, I must admit I’m beginning to like her style of presenting now as compared to the past 3 years. The crazy antics have lessened, the playlist in her segment is great and through experience comes maturity in her style of presentation. So hopefully she keeps it up…
“Imran” poses…
The show kicked off at 8:05pm with “Kak Girl” (Rahimah‘s affectionate nickname) coming out in a black, shining costume and welcoming the audience with a medley of Hari Raya hits including her own cult favourite “Selamat Berhari Raya“. She then went into her element, speaking to different sections of the audience, exchanging banter and teasing them. She remarked that she had initially been stumped by the word “Kembali” in the title of her concert as the word could be construed in different ways, of which the one she feared most was returning to our Maker. But she made it sound so funny that everyone laughed.
When she sang “Cabaran Cinta“, she took the time to introduce the 5-piece band that accompanied her. Led by the musical director Amy on keyboards and piano, the band included Yus on guitar, Rizal (drums), Irwan (percussionist) and Hendra (bassist). The latter, who sported an extravagant Mohawk hairstyle, is the grandson of famous award-winning composer Kassim Masdor. When she sang an old catchy English number, she introduced her back-up singers “Adam“, whose real name is actually Hamdan and was an Anugerah 2005 finalist and Kak Girl‘s famous other sibling Rozie Rahim.
Syed Azmir looking tired…
One thing I learnt being someone from the younger generation who did not watch that many Malay movies from the 80s-90s, is that one of Kak Girl‘s hits “Hati Yang Rapuh” was the theme song for the movie “Hati Bukan Kristal” which was produced in 1990 and starred Ridzuan Hashim, Erma Fatimah, Julia Rais and Shah Rezza. Later on in the show after she had taken a short break to allow Imran Ajmain and Syed Azmir their turns to shine, she also sang one of her songs which became the theme song for the hit drama series Adam & Hawa, “Masihkah Ada Cinta?“.
Before taking a break, she invited out Imran Ajmain and they did a duet found in her latest album entitled “Sejak Ku Bertemu“. She managed to joke that due to budget constraints, she couldn’t bring in the original duet partner, Nassier Wahab. But honestly the Pesta Raya series was to expose as many local acts as possible. Prior to the show, Imran had told me how nervous he was at having to sing the song, firstly cos he was singing with someone who is already a veteran in the scene and secondly he was not confident he could sing it as well. When he sang the first few lines, I could sensed where he was coming from as the song was quite low-pitched as compared to his renowned high-pitched vocals. But I think he pulled it off brilliantly. The initial nervousness slowly faded away as the song progressed. As I met him after the show, I told him his initial fears were unfounded. He didn’t say anything except to grin away.
Being interviewed by Suria…
Once they got that song out of the way and “Kak Girl” made her way backstage, Imran took centrestage and mesmerised the audience with his massive current hit “Seribu Tahun“. Honestly for me, this song takes the cake as compared to his previous single releases “Sudah Tu Sudah“, “Ghaibmu” and the cover remake of “Apa Salah Beta?“. It is a beautiful love song, so simple, so pure, so pristine that when you listen to it, you can’t help but think of your loved ones. “Ghaibmu“, which Imran admitted was a difficult song to sing as he has to go into falsetto mode most of the time, followed and I’m sure he had captured the audience’s attention and hearts with his captivating voice by then. He rounded off his act by inviting Syed Azmir out and they did a duet on Sheila Majid‘s old Hari Raya hit “Hari Mulia“.
I was expecting Syed Azmir to sing his singles “Tak Daya Menafi” or “Ku Sedari” but he ended up singing Samsons‘ haunting hit “Kenangan Terindah” and Khairil Johari Johar‘s “Sepasang Kurung Biru” instead. For the first song, I must say his performance was flawless. It sounded as though I was listening to the original singer. However his interpretation of “Sepasang Kurung Biru” didn’t leave much of an impression in me. I thought it sounded draggy and off-key at times. But to be fair, he was just giving it an R&B touch to the song, which did not turn out as good as I expected as it lacked feel and the sadness associated to it.
The “Diva” Herself…
“Kak Girl” then came back on stage and did a short interview with Syed Azmir, in which he said he would be releasing in December. Seems like there’s an avalanche of R&B princes’ album launchings lately – Taufik Batisah, Hady Mirza, Imran Ajmain sometime this week or next week, and followed by Syed Azmir next month. It’s a healthy competition but I hope the competition doesn’t get too saturated as there’s only so much R&B the listening audience can take in. But honestly if you ask me who amongst the four gets my vote, then I’m putting my head on the block for Imran.
I hear sounds of “Why Imran???” The answer is simple. If you can sing a traditional song in its pure form, you can sing any song thrown at you. Also, with every performance, Imran always improvises his songs and does not make it sound as though you are listening directly from his tracks. He reminds me of Siti Nurhaliza in that sense. If you guys listen to Siti‘s albums and watch her concerts, you will know that she loves to improvise her rhythms and vocals. I see all of that in Imran. Granted he might be a bit on the heavy side but I guess if you are a lover of music more than the whole package, it is the voice that stands out amongst the lot. And he most definitely has my vote.
“Kak Girl” began her second set with another Hari Raya song entitled “Bersua Di Hari Raya“. It sounded alien to me as it was the first time I heard it but it was a nice song nonetheless. After the song she gave credit to the lyricist – Hafeez Glamour. No wonder when I heard the lyrics it sounded sad, about being away from loved ones. Hafeez‘s parents are residing in Negeri Sembilan so the mood of the song somehow captured his emotions. After singing “Masih Ada Cinta“, and “Doa“, “Kak Girl” rounded off her night with a medley of hits “Jika Begini“, “Cintamu“, “Gadis & Bunga” & “Ku Ingin Bebas“.
My thoughts on the show: Even though it’s been ages since she had a solo concert, Rahimah Rahim still packs a punch and those rich vocals of hers are still as fresh as ever. I was surprised that I had forgotten her songs not to mention the number of hits, and listening to them brought back memories of my childhood days. Her banter with the audience also proved she still is a fantastic entertainer since her Kasbah days (she used to performed at this night club at the old Mandarin Hotel, now known as Meritus Mandarin). A concert worth watching definitely and something to savour and reminisce in future…
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And finally, the moment you’ve all been waiting for… Aida has finally given birth this morning at 9:15am to our firstborn, our daughter who goes by the name of Syahindah Adawiyah (Pious & Healer). Both mother and daughter are doing well, the mother feeling weak as she went through the C-section due to the aforementioned cord round the baby’s neck and for the fact that the baby’s head was big. Alhamdulillah all went well, save for the fact that my mum wasn’t able to share the joy of seeing her first grandchild as she fell ill all of a sudden. I just hope she would get well as soon as possible as she is due to go for Hajj this Sunday.
As you can see from the picture, my daughter does not have any resemblance of me nor my wife, maybe not yet. Even when I first saw her, I had to ask the nurse if she was my daughter since she looks like a Japanese kid and I had to make sure I was giving the call for prayer to the right baby. When the nurse carried her and put her in my arms, she started to cry but when I started the call for prayer, she kept quiet and listened intently. It helps that she’s had practice by going umrah and fasting for 29 days (yes her mother almost got to fast in full, save for the last day when she fell ill) in her mother’s womb. Throughout the day, whenever I carried her and sang to her solawat and tasbih, she kept quiet in my arms. I pray that she grows up to live up to her name. I can’t wait to bring her up!!!
Ironically one of my best friend’s (Latif) wife (Nora) gave birth about 12 hours later than Aida and his 2nd daughter thus shares the same birthday as my daughter. But the irony of ironies came in the form of my support for RIA 89.7FM for 16 years now. Such is my loyalty that even my daughter shares the same birthday as the radio station. Not to mention another good friend’s daughter (Liza Hanim‘s Marsha Qistina) who turned 3 today. And of course Hafeez Glamour and sis Hasliza. Wishing many happy returns to one and all…
2 Weeks of Raya…
Suria Raya Live was a success in my opinion as compared to the Suria Raya Karnival. I was actually heartened to see “forgotten” stars like Rudy Djoharnaen and Hariani Hassan Bakri performing. I just feel that their talents are wasted even after winning the top 3 spots in Anugerah a few years ago. If one can judge their potential, one would realise that they can sing tradtional songs effortlessly and in our industry, those that can sing traditional songs can more or less make that transition towards other genres smoothly. Which is why I am amazed how come these two raw diamonds are not being polished enough and marketed as singing talents we can be proud of. If one wants to talk about physical package, I think Hariani has done enough to shed her weight. She’s an immaculate beauty now if you ask me.
It was also heartening (more like “Finally!!!“) to see Imran Ajmain debuting his next single “Seribu Tahun” on that night. I had heard the song back in February during the Hi-Tea With Hazami and I fell in love with it the moment I heard it. I was surprised it wasn’t pushed much earlier on radio cos personally this song is better than “Ghaibmu” but I guess the man himself has his reasons to push whichever song he feels could be a killer. 2006 has been good for him, long may it continue.
Like the opening of the Suria Raya Karnival, Rima Melati showed that she can carry a tune even if she does not have any albums to show for nor entered any singing competitions prior to this. I think for a newbie, she has that package if anyone is interested to market her as a singer next. Norfasarie also caught my ears as I feel she has improved tremendously over the years. I wasn’t that impressed when I saw her at the Anugerah Planet Muzik 2003 in Kuala Lumpur. But 3 years down the road, she has shown her potential really well.
After all the accolades, I’m sure you would want to hear the negatives. Well for starters, having Jaclyn Victor and Marcell added variety to an all-star cast. But I felt even without their presence, our own artistes could hold the show on their own. Over the past 5 years, we have seen new talents spring out like mushrooms. We are not short and in dearth of genuinely talented people. It’s up to us to support them and make them show their mettle in times like these. It’s a free concert anyway and we all know free concerts are what Singaporeans love.
Eka Mairina for all her excellent vocals singing pop and R&B, can’t sing traditional songs. I’ve noticed this for quite some time but it was so apparent during the Suria Raya Live show. Is this an attribute of an Anugerah winner??? Even if they had mimed and lip-synched, it still did not masked the fact that she cannot sing the traditional tunes as how it should be done. I know certain songs were mimed, which did not do some of these brilliant vocalists justice. But I guess people didn’t care as it was Hari Raya.
I didn’t mind the organisers adding the Flying Dutchman, Rod Monteiro and Patricia Mok as one of the guest celebrities for the show. They added colour and humour. But I wonder if Channel 5 or Channel 8 would want to call up anyone of our Suria stars to add colour to their shows. President’s Star Charity is not counted as it should be participated by all artistes from the Mediacorp channels.
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For those of you who religiously read the Sports / Football pages of The New Paper, you would have seen a familiar name contributing his opinions on footballing matters with regards to the English Premier League and European Champions League for the past 3 months or so. Football being my first love before music, I find it natural to speak about the goings-on in arguably the most-watched football league around the world. What’s more, contributers and opiniators are enticed to give their thoughts and be rewarded with weekly / monthly prizes for being the best writer of the week / month.
I told the Editor I did not want to be in the running for any of the prizes as I wrote (or typed) for the love of football. So long as my views are published from time to time (not every week as the editor is being fair to other contributors by publishing theirs), I take that as a win for me already. It gives me the impetus to write more creatively, think and analyse the footballing world from different perspectives and angles even more.
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It’s been 2 weeks of feasting and gaining back the lost kilos during the fasting month. Sinful I know, but I’ve been trying to minimise it by continuing visiting the gym and working out to burn them off. How not to gain them back??? I had initially contemplated on fasting the 6 optional days in Syawal, but I would come across as rude if I had gone out visiting, knowing fully well that the hosts would serve me food and drinks and I would not touch them till dusk beckoned. And I wouldn’t come across as being respectful if I did not eat or drink what’s being offered. So I am at a lost-lost situation but I can adapt knowing fully well that it’s just these 2-3 weeks and then my tummy gets a rest.
Thank you to sis Nura J and her in-laws for inviting us over the other day. The hospitality has always been tip-top whenever they received us, not to mention the sumptuous meal whipped up by her mother-in-law. I swear by her cooking ever since she made us Roti John when we visited Nura after giving birth to Nyla last year, the brilliant Nasi Padang at Nyla‘s first birthday party and the latest, the Nasi Lemak. If she ever ventures into the food business, I’ll be her regular customer and I won’t accept any discounts nor favours cos quality should always be rewarded…
The wife’s side is more or less completed as most are based in Jurong and Choa Chu Kang which we had completed on the 2nd day. Best is always to start early, say about 11 plus in the morning. We can get at least 7-8 houses at the end of the day, even though the target is 10. Other than the food, the company has been great. The wife’s side have welcomed me warmly into the family even though I last saw them on our wedding day.
I had initially aimed at finally realising this year’s aim of visiting my direct relatives from my paternal side, cos really, with my dad’s 16 other siblings plus God-knows-how-many-cousins I have, I have never completed going to everyone’s home every year and I always feel bad about it. Now that I’m on my own and have my own car to zip around, there is no excuse for me not to visit them cos we only meet up like once every few months when we have family gatherings. And so far I’ve completed about half of them. The other half are staggered as they are doing open houses on subsequent weekends. However, something happened which put paid to my aims so I guess that has to wait till… errrrr… Next year???
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Ok I know you wanna know what happened, right??? The wife had a fall in the toilet last Tuesday night. She broke her fall by stopping herself from crashing down hard on the floor with her hands. I did not want to take chances so I sent her to the gynae the following day. Tests showed she suffered four contractions in the space of 10 minutes and her cervix had dilated about 1cm. The gynae said if nothing was done, she could give birth anytime now, which of course is very much premature, given that she’s only 33 weeks into her pregnancy. The gynae administered jabs and applied some ointment to prevent her from suffering more contractions and slow down the delivery process. Target is now end of the month or 1st December. The wife is now on a month’s hospitalisation leave.
Kinda surreal all these things coming in just a year as I was still single at this time last year but I’m all ready to face new challenges in life and of course God’s gift to us. The fall the wife had could be a blessing in disguise as I felt she would have slogged at work till she delivered if nothing had happened to her. She’s overworked and I always pity her for being exhausted whenever I fetch her home. Now that she’s resting at home, my mind’s at ease cos at least she’s in good hands with my in-laws around. And since she can’t travel so much, the Hari Raya visiting has to be put on hold. Maybe if she were to go visiting, it will be those who live nearby. But I’ll try to answer any invites and go alone so as not to disappoint the people who had invited us to come, especially family members.
A Time For Reflection…
And so, we’re in the last few hours of our last day of fasting. Fasting which is not supposed to just discipline us in not eating and drinking for 13 and a half hours, but also to discipline us in being patient, be closer to HIM through our deeds, to lessen our worldly desires and of course to curb our penchant for vices.
I always feel sad whenever this last day beckons. I wonder if I would meet it again the following year as we all know Death comes to us when we least expect it. Well, I can only hope and pray that I would get to meet it again, to enjoy the essence of it, to still be performing the Tarawih prayers at night, to complete reading the Holy Qur’an, to still enjoy the Bubur Lambuk / Masjid everytime we break our fast and experiencing the calmness it brings to an impatient and short-tempered person like me.
I am like any other human being, not spared from erring from time to time. As each passing Ramadhan goes, so too does my age. I know people might think why should I be sad during Hari Raya when it is a time for celebrations??? I’m not pious, neither am I religious as most people make me out to be. But I have a sense of perspective that says celebrations should be kept in moderation, better still as minimal as possible. The real celebration was the fasting month itself for all the rewards promised to us by HIM.
One thing I’ve learnt about the month and the significance of chasing after Lailatul Qadar during the last 10 nights is that we should not just concentrate on the odd nights as most people had pointed out but to go for the even ones as well. Why??? Cos there is a high probability it could fall on an even night. How could this be??? Well, we either start to fast a day earlier or a day later than our other Muslim counterparts in different parts of the world. In that sense, if theirs falls on an odd night, we’ll be experiencing an even one and vice-versa. Since nobody knows when Lailatul Qadar occurs, the rationale is to up the ante every single night and not drop the standards on the even nights. Your guess is as good as mine as to when it happened this year cos with the haze, it was difficult to ascertain when it happened the night before. Normally one would know when it happened just by experiencing the day after, with the weather being cool even with the sun burning brightly.
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Hari Raya is a time for reflection, a time for hope, a time for forgiveness, a time for reconciliation. Over the past year, I’ve seen many sets of friends, some who were sworn brothers, some treating the other like siblings, some treating the other like family members. But somewhere down the road, the close relationship that they had went down the drain. Who is to blame for all these??? From my observations, most of these cases resulted in lack of communication. When one felt aggrieved, the other chose to let it slide as though nothing’s happened. Then there is another case of blaming the other of things that they did not do. It goes on and on with no end. These are just a few cases I’ve seen over the past year which made me as a friend to most of them feel very much saddened by the state of things, not to mention how bad I feel in between two warring sides.
I have in the past, clashed with a few friends big time, no thanks to my big mouth. But once Hari Raya beckoned, I chose to move on and instead treasure the friendship and silaturrahim I had fostered in the past. Nothing is too big nor too trivial to be put aside for the sake of friendship. With that, this Hari Raya brings me hope to see all my friends who are at odds with whoever, to put aside their animosities, ego and stubborn-ness for the sake of our brotherhood and sisterhood in Islam.
I shudder to think that we’re not guaranteed Jannah if we were to cut ties with those we’ve forged. I too am guilty of it, which is why I’ll be the first to say I forgive whoever that has done something to make me feel aggrieved. In the past I adopted the “forgive but not forget” stance, but upon reflection, it only makes me hypocritical to say I forgive but inside I still harboured a little ill-feeling towards the person by not forgetting what he or she did to me. These things eat up inside in the long run and is never good for our well-being nor for the future of the just-rekindled friendship as it only invites distrust and doubts on the other person when we want to do something with them. That’s why when I say I forgive, I forgive wholeheartedly and start a new slate. And I hope my dear readers would ponder and see the rationale behind my belief.
With that I end this entry with hope that this past month has been fruitful for all of us. May Allah forgive us all for our past sins, may HE prevent us from being burnt by Hell-fire and being punished in our graves in the Here-after and may we all be better Muslims than what we were before. Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri to one and all. If I had erred in my past entries, sounded pompous, arrogant, uncouth, brash, tactless and insensitive, I seek your forgiveness for it was never my intention to ever cast doubts in them. Enjoy the day, but enjoy in moderation. God bless…
Pricey!!!
My family and in-laws set off to the showroom as early as 10am in the morning. We considered ourselves fortunate to have arrive that early even though it was already crowded when we arrived. It was even worse when we left the showroom as the crowd had risen and the queue had stretched to the pavements outside. The showflats reminded me of hotel rooms, yes, it is definitely worth buying, but only if you have the cash to pay upfront. The modes of payment was a big turn-off. Imagine, if I were to take the biggest 5-room unit which costs $450,000. I need to pay 5% in cash / cheque during the first payment, which comes to a cool $22,500!!! Subsequently we need to pay every time they complete the building in stages. Appalling if you were to ask me and definitely not worth it when I think back that my old house, a HUDC unit which is bigger at 165 square metres is still there for me to move back in at $350,000 minus renovations. So for now, The Premiere @ Tampines is just a dream for me…
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For those of you who have Multiply accounts, you would have noticed that I’ve been quite busy for the past 2-3 weeks adding you guys into my list of contacts. I’ve never actually been a fan of Multiply initially as I feel that Friendster and Blogger are already sufficient enough. Hence I apologise if anyone of you who have tried to add me in Hi5 or what not, did not receive my reply to accept your request. I’ve had this account for quite some time, just that I have not added on to the 3 people in my contact list nor done anything to spice it up. The good news is that this blog can also be cross-posted to Blogger so for those of you who are visiting this blog via my Blogspot account, you can also read the same thing in Multiply (please click on this link). Another advantage is the usage of photos and videos which you guys can see, watch and comment on them. I don’t have the time yet to upload more pics nor videos but in time to come, I would add on to it, Insya Allah.
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I finally got my festive lights last Saturday after I’ve asked around without success over the past two weeks. And where did I find them??? Where else but Geylang Serai. Remember I said in my last entry that I could not find them when I went there 3 Saturdays ago??? Well what do you expect??? It was only the first weekend of Ramadhan and not many stalls were opened, especially at the time that I went then, which was about 3 in the afternoon. When my colleague said he saw quite a few stalls in Geylang selling them, I took into consideration to go last Saturday as I would be very busy with the Hari Raya preparations from this coming week onwards.
I actually went to Suria Raya Karnival in Bugis prior to going to Geylang. I managed to catch my good friend Fadhilah doing her “Ra-Ra Bazar” filming with her co-host Suffian but did not manage to talk to her as she had to rush off to change her costume. The place was not buzzing with people just yet as it was only 2 plus in the afternoon. But like the first time I came during its opening, the place was still not as enticing as they made it out to be. The festive lights sold by “Juta World“, the flower-themed ones which are the new fads these days were nice but made the lights dimmed, hence killing its beauty to illuminate our homes.
I actually went home first to park my car and went to Geylang with my brother-in-law on motorbike just to beat the traffic jam associated to the place during this period. Anyway we wanted to break our fast at home so taking the bike was a logical choice. After a quick reconnaissance around the place, we finally settled on the stall just opposite the “Prata Tumbuk” stall. There were quite a few varieties to choose from and we bought for our in-laws as well as for my parents’ home. I refrained from buying the money packets on sale as I just feel that they would bring the price down on Hari Raya‘s eve, so that can wait.
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I think it was extremely timely for Berita Minggu to publish a two-page spread on the protocols to observe whilst visiting the cemetery during this festive period yesterday. I have nothing but agreeing every word being said. While visiting it on the first day of Hari Raya is not encouraged, I think it is extremely alright for those who have recently lost their loved ones and have no mood to celebrate. After experiencing a few uncomfortable encounters in the past and also through learning about the significance of visiting the place on the first day, my family have refrained from going there after our Hari Raya prayers. Another thing I learnt, putting on the essence sticks that resemble joss sticks on the graves, is an absolute no-no as it is not part of our Islamic practice.
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I’m kinda giving up on this Cryptic Trax competition on radio. Everytime I got the right answers, someone else beat me to the phone line and to the prize money on offer. I’m not being bitter, just that I feel that luck’s not on my side. It was amusing that some people thought I was purposely raising the prize money on offer when I called in and gave all my answers wrong last Friday. Who would be silly and dumb enough to do that???
Speaking of radio, I’m kinda sick of the Hari Raya songs that have been playing since the 14th day of Ramadhan. In an ideal world, it would have been nice to listen to them during this last week cos really it kills the essence and mood once you’ve had a little too much dosage of it so early, no thanks of course to some of the overzealous listeners who have been clamouring for them since day one. I don’t blame the people in radio for leaning back so soon but it does however make me ponder what is more important to us Muslims nowadays (most notably the listeners tuning in and begging the deejays to play those songs as soon as possible), respecting the fasting period or enjoying the celebrations after that.
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Well, we’re only left a week before fasting ends. Last year, I lost about 6-7kg during Ramadhan. That was because I went to the gym five times a week and intensified my routines and I had started my fitness regime about two months before the fasting month. This year, I am using the month to kickstart my routine all over again (been lazy for the past 10 months… Heh!!!) so the start has been slow and steady. Have lost about 4kg so far which is still not a bad return. Why I am going slow this time round is because of my fear for the “plateau period“.
This “plateau period” is what a lot of people fear whenever they want to lose weight, the period where no matter how much you do in the gym, your weight stays the same and will only go down again after you’ve changed your routine or intensify them. I have always succumbed to the “plateau period” for God-knows-how-many-times before and am confident I’ve learnt from the past for my current quest this time round. I just hope the amount of sinful food I’m gonna consume during this festive period will not spoil the good work I’ve been doing this past month.
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And speaking of this last week, I hope we can all put to good use whatever time we have to do things that could make us closer to Him. I know that “Lailatul Bazar” is very enticing for most of us but I’m sure through good time management, we can change our daily routines to chase after “Lailatul Qadar” instead.
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Lastly, for those who are wondering how my wife is getting on, she is doing well Alhamdulillah and we’re just weeks away from welcoming a new addition to the family, Insya Allah. I really hope I can welcome my daughter to this world cos right now, things are quite touch and go at the moment. Aida had her scan last Friday and things did not look too good as the scan showed that the umbilical cord is entangled round her neck. From the scan, we could see our daughter’s hands on her neck, perhaps holding on to the cord to avoid feeling discomfort. We can only hope and pray she can pull through and I hope whoever is reading this would pray for us too.
My heart sank big time when the gynae told us about it and I must say the past weekend hasn’t been good in my mind as I only had negative thoughts going through my head. It still does and I kinda lost my appetite during break fast time just thinking about it. I know now how much it means to be a father even if the child is still unborn. We could see she has Aida’s eyes and my nose so she’s gonna grow up to be a beautiful girl, Insya Allah. She’s been very active inside her mother’s tummy, moving and kicking all the time. I can only hope she’s doing that to unentangle the cord. Me and Aida are so looking forward to bringing her up and we are praying hard we could welcome her, perhaps as early as end of next month…
Where Is The Respect???
The previous week, I had gone to the launch of the Suria Raya Karnival in Bugis. And from the last entry, you would know what a major disappointment it is. I just feel that having the local artistes to spice the place up is like papering cracks cos there is only so much they can do (and I don’t blame them for it), but if consumers and would-be patrons are not enticed to buying stuff on offer like those property apartments, cars and what-nots not associated to Hari Raya, then people are still gonna invade Geylang Serai like the annual norm they are used to. Furthermore, it was interesting to see what Geylang Serai has in store ever since the old blocks and market at Jalan Pasar Baru have been demolished.
Along with my in-laws and wife, we reached Geylang Serai at about 2:45pm last Saturday. The weather was hazy, overcast and gloomy, with drizzling here and there. “Cooling” is the word to describe the humidity level. As I have this habit of not liking to hang around at a particular stall / shop for more than 5 minutes, I took my leave and decided to walk around on my own alone.
Somehow whenever I walk around the bazaar every year, not many things look enticing to me. Maybe because I don’t have a home of my own yet, so these things kinda take a backseat. This year is no different. I just wanna see what things are available which I feel could be added at my parents’ home or my in-laws’. I was looking out for shops or stalls selling those fanciful festive lights or what we all know as “lampu kelap-kelip“. I dunno whether to be surprised or stumped cos there was not a shop or stall in sight that sells them. The closest thing I saw were two stalls selling artificial plants that have those lights embedded in them. Looks like the new trend now. If anybody knows where I can find those lights, please tell me so I don’t need to hunt high and low for them…
Mission 1 (the festive lights) was unaccomplished so I set off for Mission 2, which was to buy food back for Iftar. Normally when I go to the bazaar, I will only look out for the kebabs. Even then, I am very picky about which ones to buy out of the numerous stalls that sell them. Firstly, and also applies to other food stall, I would avoid those that have proprietors who are not fasting. I’m sure some of you would have seen some of these people munching away, drinking or smoking as they go about selling their food. Personally I don’t want to be branded as being in cahoots (subahat) with their behaviour and it turns me off from supporting their business.
Secondly, I avoid buying kebabs sold by Turkish proprietors. No, I don’t have anything against them but my tastebuds just cannot accept Turkish kebabs cos I feel that they are dry and bland after sampling a few in the past. I finally settled on the stall which is just next to the new Banquet outlet that replaced the old S-11 coffeeshop opposite the Malay Village. Oh and before that, I went to the India Muslim Confectionery shop at Onan Road to buy curry puffs. I just swear by their curry puffs that I don’t even buy those at coffeeshops or at the mosques after Friday prayers. Hehehe… So picky with food, yet I’m still so rotund!!!
As I walk around the area, I can’t help but feel angry and disappointed at certain sections of the community. Truth be told, our community still have a lot to do to live up to be a good society which can be respected by other races and religions. Teens and young couples with babies in tow having tattoos walk around and flashing them as though it’s something to be proud of. Then you also have the usual numbskulls who walk around with a lighted cigarette in hand or sitting down at a corner eating away in full view of the public.
But what stumped me the most were those volunteers who walk around with donation boxes or booklets in hand. Their intention to assist the organisations they represent is no doubt a noble cause to envy and follow but sadly their clothing left much to be desired. Some of the girls were walking around in short skirts, some were wearing tank tops, some were wearing jeans that they pull down to almost expose their butt cracks!!! I wonder if the organisations they represent had set a guideline on the dos and donts cos really it is reflecting badly on them. I was just waiting for one of these girls to come up to me so I could tell her off but none approached me. Which is why I ask myself, “Where is the respect for Ramadhan???“
No matter how many heartland bazaars that spring up, be it in Woodlands, Chua Chu Kang or even in Bugis, the majority of people will still flock to Geylang Serai and savour the atmosphere and buy stuff there. It has been a tradition and most definitely in-bred in us that it is THE place to go annually, even if you are just there for a stroll around the place. Nothing beats going there but for me it could be better without the causes for eyesore, that is, those people who spoil the beauty of this holy month…
Respect Lost…
It was clear right from the theatre auditions who he had his eyes on to make it as the Idol winner for Season 2. Likewise the other judges. It was like they had inadvertantly gone through the motions week in, week out just waiting for the right moment to crown Jonathan the title. But thanks to the 700,000 odd (or less since some of us voted in tens or hundreds) Singaporeans who voted for Hady, we shot down their premature speculations spectacularly till everyone could see the forced smiles on their faces, especially on Dick‘s face, when the results were announced.
Like what the Flying Dutchman said yesterday morning, I too was equally peeved when I heard Ken said that Jon would be a regional star. To me, it smacks of disrespect to the winner who was just about to busk in his moment of glory. Market-wise I don’t deny that Jon can make inroads to Taiwan, Hong Kong and China, even Korea or Japan, as compared to Hady going to Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. But he could have kept those comments for a private interview later instead of choosing that moment to say it. I think it spoilt everyone’s moods as the atmosphere from the Indoor Stadium became quite silent after that. Hady doesn’t need to be inspirational. His performances were already enough to inspire us to vote relentlessly for him, knowing he would be a credible representative for us just like Taufik.
I don’t deny that Jonathan did make a good impression right from the start but he faded in and out throughout the competition, was not consistent and sounded monotonous at times. Hady for the record was in his element and the most consistent performer throughout. No disrespect to Taufik, but I think Hady proved his mettle in earlier rounds as compared to Taufik who only stamped his credentials when he was in the Top 6 onwards.
It worried me listening to Class 95 the previous day when almost everyone who called in said they were going for Jonathan. At times, the race factor did cross my mind cos seriously when I listened to RIA, people were voicing their support for Hady and when I listened to other stations, Jon‘s name came up more often than not. In my mind, it has become such a racist competition that I felt being the minority in Singapore, it did not matter even if I had voted or not cos my vote will always be outnumbered.
Seriously I would have voted for Jon cos he did give the competition a credible fight to the end. But for me consistency in a performer is what I looked out for. Race is never a factor for me and I am extremely thankful the 700,000 or so votes for Hady transcended all racial, religious and language barriers. For that I thank you my dear Singaporeans for not looking at the colour of the skin as was speculated by a few quarters, even in the Idol forums itself. I would be equally proud even if Jon had won, but he has to improve vocal-wise if he were to represent us.
As a music producer, I can understand that marketability-wise, Ken wants to groom Jon as he is better looking and has more charisma than Hady and he would definitely appeal to the Oriental market. And being someone in the scene for so long and understanding the Asian market, marketing Hady will only be limited to here and Malaysia, knowing how difficult it is to burst through the Indonesian market. But they shouldn’t have shown their disappointment at the end and favouritism right from the start. If that’s the case, then the minorities shouldn’t be entering the competition and just let them groom another Stefanie Sun. Political play like this makes me turned off from entering such a competition. It’s like even if you win, you still lose out in many aspects.
Just like Taufik, I hope everyone, and not just the Malays, would continue to support Hady. Let’s go beyond seeing someone from the skin colour but as a musical talent we can all be proud of in time to come. We are Singaporeans after all and the Pledge that we recite every National Day should always remind us to look beyond our language, race and racial barriers.
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I know some of you meant well when I received a lot of sms-es on Monday updating us on the current state of matters, that Jon was leading the percentage poll etc etc. Some even quoted Channel News Asia insiders or close sources. Not that I do not believe you people, but I was extremely sceptical. In my mind, it was just a ploy to get people to vote for Hady. How do I know??? Well sometimes you gotta trust your gut feelings.
In fact, I got too many people sms-ing me to the point I got peeved. Cos seriously, we’re in the midst of performing our responsibilities to HIM in this holy month. Concentrating too much on the Idol thingy certainly takes the shine off our good deeds for the day. I felt that being obsessed with this voting thingy is an absolute disrespect to Ramadhan which comes once in a year. Aren’t we all supposed to be chasing after rewards from HIM rather than wasting our time telling people to vote???
And look at the number of our people at the Indoor Stadium. God knows how many of them actually performed their prayers prior to the show or still had the energy to perform their Tarawih after that. I had the opportunity to be one of those people at the Indoor Stadium cos a friend offered me tickets but I turned it down as I felt that I was only wasting my time there, when I should be grabbing whatever good things HE is rewarding us this month.
Well, our community still has a long way to go before they know the essence and meaning of what Ramadhan is all about, through speech, actions and clothes they wear. Another disrespecting factor was the relentless request for Hari Raya songs on radio only on the second day of fasting. Even if the listeners meant them as jokes, they should be tactful and sensitive. It’s becoming a yearly affair in that listeners will request for the songs as early as the first three days of fasting. Sometimes I wonder, what is important, equipping ourselves for the Hereafter or still enjoying ourselves with worldly stuff. I’ll be the first to admit that I am no angel, neither am I pious. But when it comes to religion, I have a very big problem with people who take things for granted.
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I was at the Suria Raya Karnival last Friday just to see what the hype was all about with regards to the bazaar this year. I’ve never been a fan of going to the annual bazaar after breaking my fast. Most of the time I’ll leave the area about 6pm, so since the opening of the event wasn’t in Ramadhan yet, I thought it would be nice to see what we can expect this year. I actually spent less than an hour at the event. Cos whatever was on display was certainly not enticing. In fact it reminded me of those numerous exhibitions at Singapore Expo.
I simply do not understand some of the things that are on display as they are certainly not Hari Raya material. Pray tell me, who would want to purchase property in Malaysia when they need the income to spend for Hari Raya??? Or does it make sense to buy a car now knowing that you would have to go through a few biddings before getting it??? For all you know, by the time you get it, Hari Raya is over. Sometimes things like these can be mind-boggling and I just feel that they are totally unnecessary to be displayed or sold at Hari Raya bazaars, especially the properties. “Nonsense!!!” is the only word I can think of…
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I guess I won’t be blogging as much this month. Over the weeks I’ve been busy lately, the thought of not blogging for good did cross my mind a few times. Cos seriously, it’s no fun blogging and having a comments section but you don’t get comments to better yourself or see how you can improve or share ideas. The funny thing is, I seem to get a lot of visitors, but I guess people just love to drop by, read and go. I’ll drop by and blog as and when I feel there is a burning topic to talk about but don’t expect me to be here all the time… Till then, to my Muslim readers, may this month bless us all with sustenance and may HE forgive us all for our past sins…
New Discoveries…
I’ve never been a fan of live bands performing at weddings cos more often than not, they will be performing 60s hits, Hindi songs and worse, Dangdut!!! Even if you have bands singing contemporary hits, their vocalists sound so bad you wished the hosts could have engaged a wedding deejay instead to play cd or mp3 tracks. That was one of the reasons why I did not engage in any live bands during my wedding as I felt at ease with having a deejay for my wedding. Plus I also banned Dangdut from being played at my wedding and to keep Hindi songs at a minimum level possible.
However, my stance towards live bands changed when I heard a particular group playing at a wedding the weekend before last. Currently I am staying at my in-laws in Sengkang and staying at a lower level, the sound that we hear would definitely be quite loud if there was a wedding, a Chinese funeral or a party being held at the multi-purpose hall downstairs. But the sounds and melodious tunes that emanated were music to the ears from morning till night. The group mostly played current hits from Indonesian bands like Ungu‘s “Demi Waktu” and Ratu‘s “Teman Tapi Mesra” and they also played older hits like Lovehunter‘s “Angel In The Night” and Eagles‘ “Hotel California“. But what blew me away was they even played Gigi‘s single “Kepastian Yang Ku Tunggu”, which is relatively new on the airwaves. It shows they have been doing their homework and doing lots of practice.
With that I thank Acoustika Inc. for changing my perceptions on live bands. They are truly professional and excellent. I strongly recommend anyone who would want to have live performances for corporate functions, weddings and parties to engage these guys and experience what I’m talking about. I was so impressed that I went down personally and asked for their name card in case I want to engage them in future. I certainly would if there is that opportunity. If I’m not wrong, this was the same group that played back up to one of RIA‘s outdoor shows a few years ago, but back then they were just ordinary to me. I guess over the years, through constant experiences, exposures and perfecting themselves through endless practices, they’ve come good.
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Last Friday was Nisfu Sya’ban in our Muslim calendar, the 15th day of the 8th month. When I was younger, I was taught to recite Surah Yasin three times on the night of Nisfu Sya’ban and fast during the day. Better still if I could fast on the 13th, 14th and 15th days of Sya’ban. I have to admit that I did it with the belief that it was something that could bring me closer to HIM. Even the mosques here conduct sessions on reciting the Yasin three times on the night of Nisfu Sya’ban.
However, when I did a bit of research on how auspicious it is in our Islamic context, I found out that a lot of scholars actually frowned upon the way it is being celebrated, like the fasts and the Yasin recitals. I’m not here to preach but it would be best if you were to read for yourself by clicking on this link.
However, just to present to you my findings in a nutshell,
1) Nisfu Sya’ban signifies a special day in the month of Sya’ban.
Truth: There is no credible Hadith concerning the night of the 15th of Sya’ban (Laylat al-Nusf min Sya’ban). All the Hadith that have been narrated concerning that are Mawdoo’ (fabricated) and Da’eef (weak), and have no basis.
2) Muslims are encouraged to perform their Ibadahs as much as possible. This does not necessary mean reciting Yasin 3 times or even having to carry out any exclusive prayers.
Truth: There is nothing special about this night, and no recitation of the Holy Qur’an or prayer, whether alone or in congregation, is specified for this night.
3) Those recitations and prayers are said to be of a Muslim tradition.
Truth: The time of older generations in which knowledge did not come to them. The tradition or the acts of our Salafs, the pious predecessors, or the Prophet‘s companions and Tabi’een did not do these acts.
4) All types of Ibadahs are inferred by scholars in general term.
Truth: What some of the scholars have said about it being special is a weak opinion.
5) This just proves that Islam is very flexible in implementing its religion.
Truth: This just proves that Bid’ah is living and the Sunnah is dying..
6) As for fasting, I did not came across any Hadith saying of its distinguishing proposition to fast on Nisfu Sya’ban.
Truth: What is narrated concerning the virtue of praying, fasting and worshipping on the 15th of Sya’ban (al-nusf min Sya’ban) does not come under the heading of Da’eef (weak), rather it comes under the heading of Mawdoo’ (fabricated) and Baatil (false). So it is not permissible to follow it or to act upon it, whether that is in doing righteous deeds or otherwise.
Wallahu’alam bissawab…
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I’m amazed really at how the Malay mentality works at times. Cos we like to be in groups, to destress and enjoy ourselves in the company of friends and like-minded individuals. But when things go wrong somewhere, there seem to be some bad blood going on and in turn certain individuals leave the group and join others. I’ve seen such things happening to the RIA listeners ever since we had the first batch of hardcore listeners. That very first batch is now history and not heard of since.
As for the current batch, we used to be one big family before some wisecracks decided to form THAT group and in turn spawning smaller factions amongst the listeners. I for one, did not ride on the bandwagon as I had seen what happened to the first batch before and I knew it was a matter of time before factions start to bicker amongst one another. And if any individuals were not happy with the other in the same group, they would defect to another.
Last year, when THAT group imploded with more than half their members leaving, I took great satisfaction in seeing justice being served. However, when I got to know that a few of the founding members left a few days ago, I wondered what was wrong somewhere. I heard one of the reasons one of the members left was due to finance, about not being paid after helping out at events. Well, I don’t want to say much except “I TOLD YOU SO!!!“
I remembered in one of my previous entries, I had brought this up, foreseeing something like this to happen, like how long can they go on with helping out at events??? I went through it before in my life so I know the pain this guy went through. What did he expect out of all these volunteer work??? Free glamour??? Easy road to stardom??? There’s no such thing in the entertainment industry, especially in Singapore. To me, no one should be pointed at for mistakes except to point the fingers at themselves for not thinking further on repercussions and circumstances. As much as I dislike some of the people left in the group, I still have a begrudging respect towards their mission and I hope those who remain would support the mission sincerely…
Reasons like these make me thankful that I am still my own person, I don’t belong to any groups, I am free to do what I like, when I want and I have time all to myself. Anyway, as I get older, enjoyment is slowly moving away from my life and the only enjoyment I get is when I’m in the company of family and close friends. We should stop all these sensitivities and work towards building a better community, not get pent up over trivial matters and splitting the community further through factions. Cos factions are supposed to unite and create a betterment for society not to divide them…
Getting My Car…
Ever since I’ve got the car, I’ve inherited my father’s trait in maintaining cleanliness and care for the car. Previously, I could not understand why he was so naggy when I drove his car, telling me to be careful, to prevent the car from being scratched or damaged in any way possible. After I got the car, I understood the meaning behind those naggings in that I had spent quite a fortune on it, so it would not make sense if I don’t value something which is expensive. I’ve become quite obsessed to the point I check for scratches or bird droppings on it everytime I return to the car. Weekends are also spent on washing and cleaning it. I believe a clean car reflects its owner’s attitude towards maintaining its outlook. Just hope the novelty doesn’t wear off in a few months’ time…
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I just completed my Remedial Training at Bedok Camp last Monday. 20 sessions went by just like that in two months. Compared to last year, this year’s training was fun. Fun because we got to play football half the time. And the bond we made amongst the trainees and trainers was good. The only downside was the Saturday evenings which were wasted and a few events I had planned to attend had to be scrapped from my schedule. But just as I was about to enjoy my weekends, I was called to serve the nation for the upcoming International Monetary Fund / World Bank meeting which will begin next week and eat up my weekends. By the time it ends and I want to enjoy my long-awaited freedom, the fasting month begins. And I can’t even attend the “Rentak Singapura” event. Bummer… The only good thing I can get out of all these is that I save my money on food as it’s catered.
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Some of you might have listened to RIA earlier today and heard yours truly entering the “Step” segment whereby the theme for this week is rap / hip hop music. To tell you the truth, I was very much against entering as I had just won less than a month ago when I sang Imran Ajmain‘s “Sudah Tu Sudah” and “Ghaibmu“. But the segment did not get good response initially from the listeners, which made me enter and support Hafeez, just to fill up the numbers. I really did not enter to win as what some of you might have heard. It wasn’t my best performance, I’ll be the first to admit, since I just woke up anyway and my voice have not been seasoned.
I can’t blame other listeners if they had sms-ed and voiced their unhappiness at my participation. I had told Hafeez about it even before I went on air. Cause really, I have nothing else to prove after winning countless times. I was there to support his show and hoped others would follow suit. So you can say, my presence was just there as a filler, a bit like some of the earlier contestants in the Top 80 of the current Singapore Idol competition, who I heard were paid to fill up the numbers and cause a bit of controversy to the show. Dunno how true is that but that was what I heard…
Perished Dreams…
He was 23, about to end his stint at my work place and looking forward to furthering his studies. A respectful, pious and courteous guy, he was always very amiable when we bumped into each other. We even played football together after work. His death shocked many and a lot of questions were asked as to how he could have passed on at such a young age. The first thing that came to mind was him involving in an accident. But surprisingly even though he was a biker, he suffered his injuries when he was travelling in a car, drove by one of his colleagues.
He was seated at the back of the car on the way home from an outing. From what I’ve heard, the driver lost control and the car turned turtle 6 times somewhere along the Ngee Ann Polytechnic stretch. The driver and two other passengers had minor injuries but the deceased fell into a coma for about two months before finally succumbing to his injuries. The doctor even admitted with the amount of internal injuries suffered, he was “lucky” to still be alive then. I’ve got a feeling his injuries were bad due to the fact that he was not wearing a seatbelt. But whatever it is, it was his time to go. And till now I still cannot forget what a kind soul he was. At times, I do remember the instances and conversations I had with him. Even when I’m alone in the office lifts, I would sometimes be reminded of the times I chatted with him in there as we made our ways to the canteen. I was deeply saddened when I heard his passing last Friday morning that I cried in the office as soon as I entered it.
His funeral the following day was a poignant affair, attended by many colleagues, friends and family members. It was the measure of the man and how he had touched lives during his lifetime that many took time out to attend his funeral. Seeing his calm and smiling face for the last time, made me wonder if I would be like that when my time comes. Seeing how he had left us all at such a young age made me feel afraid and sad that life is indeed short and we would go at anytime. I am no angel, I’ll be the first to admit it. Which is why his passing has strengthened my resolve to be a better person and humble servant to HIM. May Allah bless his soul and place him in Jannah with all HIS close subjects, Amin… Amin… Ya Rabbal ‘Alamin…
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Speaking of the wedding solemnisation ceremony last Monday, I only caught it when I was watching the English news. Even then, the short clips made me sad and disappointed, a sunken feeling enveloping in me. The wife who was on MC, was nice enough to tape the whole razzmatazz for me but I just couldn’t bring myself to watch it. I just did not want the old feelings to resurface again after I’ve long buried them. My wife is my life now and I don’t want to go down that road again. So to keep myself in check, I have refused to watch the tape till now.
Am I secretly bitter??? To some extent I would say yes, with a dash of anger, a hint of disappontment and a pinch of sadness thrown in the mix, what with all the emails and theories that we’ve all been getting regularly in our inboxes. But I’ve learnt to let go, to remain at peace, and to not begrudge what God has bestowed on others. I am at a stage whereby I’m at peace with myself and thankful for what God has given me, a good wife, two good families, loving parents, caring siblings, a good job and a gift which I just received last Saturday which I can’t help but dote on. Life is generally good, Alhamdulillah, so I don’t need any unnecessary problems and emotions to cloud my mind. I believe experience has made the mind more matured in thinking and able to control emotions and feelings as best as we can.
To her, I wish her all the best as she embarks on a new journey in her life, ably assisted by the stewardship of the captain of her heart. May Allah bless their union and save them from any bad deeds and wrong doings towards them.
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You know, after all that had happened in my life, I am beginning to hate the last 2 weeks of August. My late maternal grandmother passed away on 26th August 1986, my late maternal great-grandmother passed on 28th August 1992, I got enlisted to the Army on 20th August 1999, my late paternal grandmother passed on 19th August 2001, my late colleague last Friday (18th August 2001) and she got married on 21st August 2006. So can you blame me for feeling what I feel???
Even though the wife’s birthday is about 5 days away and my niece, who is my current apple of my eye, celebrated her 3rd birthday 3 days ago and I just received that gift last Saturday, I just can’t help but feel the feelings of sadness outweigh the happiness. I just hope in time to come, August would be a better month for me and my loved ones…
In Mourning…
In Mourning…
Unpleasant Encounters…
It was great that I bumped into three of my neighbourhood football mates as I was making my way to the One Fullerton building via the underground walkway from Fullerton Hotel. We managed to pick a good spot, directly facing where the fireworks were fired off. Once the display ended, we quickly made our way to the main road. There, we noticed people climbing down from the shelter of the walkway at One Fullerton building. Well they certainly had a good view, not to mention enjoying a bit more space and air than those on the ground. It was then something bad nearly happened to me.
Out of admiration at watching these people get down from the shelter, I exclaimed loudly to my friends, “
Fuyooo real lah!!!“. Little did I realise that the guy in front of me who had just helped his girlfriend down from the shelter, turned around and stopped me from going further. With a menacing look on his face he asked, “Apa yang real???” I was taken aback by this gesture, but I knew this was a guy you wouldn’t want to mess around with, what with the studs on his face and the reeking smell of alcohol coming from his mouth. I just replied, “Takde… Orang turun dari atas…“ as I beckoned towards the people still climbing down from the shelter. I wasn’t sure if he was satisfied with my answer but he let me go when he heard that.
Architectural factors are just cosmetics. Like how we are in the eyes of God, it doesn’t matter what status we hold, how beautiful physically we are from another person or how educated we are, the most important thing is what is functioning on the insides, whether it is pristine, pure and sincere towards earning His blessings and place in Paradise in the Hereafter. So to say, we are not progressing as a society just because the designs are modernised like the As-Syafaah Mosque in Sembawang, is totally uncalled for. I suspect the comments were made by conservatives and traditionalists from the older generation. Hey, I’m a traditionalist myself, but at least I’m not that cooped up in my way of thinking.
At the carnival itself, there were game competitions like “5-a-side Football” and “Captain’s Ball” for the males and females respectively. I was kinda peeved when I saw the majority of the female contestants taking part were wearing shorts instead of track pants. Where is the respect and dignity shown at a mosque-held event??? Was there a miscommunication somewhere or wasn’t there any common sense being shown by any of the female participants who by the way look like they are in the 13-30 age group??? I’m surprised the organisers still went ahead with the competition.
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I’ve been a silent observer of Singapore Idol to date. I think after what happened tonight when Mathilda got kicked out, I guess I should start lambasting the senseless and immature voters. For me, the bottom 3 tonight were deserving of being in the top 3 of the competition. People like Joakim, Jasmine and Paul are turning out to be the Jerry Ong, Daphne Khoo and Christopher from the first season, in that they can’t sing well but still having a large fanbase to keep them alive week after week. I thought that after the first season, people would more or less wisen up and vote for those who can sing and those who can’t. But again, the stupid youngsters who voted for these 3 are ruining the competition. As it is, I won’t be surprised that those who had been voting for those with talent (read Jay & now Mathilda) would now switch camps to those who can sing (Hady, Jonathan and Nurul). Speaking of Nurul, is it just me or is she getting cuter as the weeks progress??? LOL… Did not expect her to live just across the road from me after seeing that episode where she said her favourite hangout was.
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As I had pointed out in one of my previous entries, I seem to be getting a lot of visitors to this humble abode of mine. But I am quite disappointed that many chose to just come in, read and go without leaving any comments and feedbacks for me to improve or learn from different perspectives and ideas. Cos really, my words, comments, opinions and observations are strictly my own and not the be-all and end-all. I’m sure some of you reading it will disagree on certain issues. For that, I’m encouraging you to have a healthy debate and sharing of opinions as this blog is meant for the proliferation of ideas to be shared amongst us. It would also be nice for me to know who are my visitors, no matter from where you read my thoughts across the globe. It’s ok if you choose to remain anonymous, so long as your comments are not inflammatory and vulgar. So what are you waiting for??? 
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A few more days to go and that thing is within grabs… What is it??? Watch this space!!!
Shortchanged…
Compared to last Saturday‘s display from Team Italy, I felt the team from Singapore did better in terms of variety and firing off en masse. Not to forget, the trademark whistling fireworks that appeared halfway through the show. My only complaint is the timing of the display on both days. The papers had said that each display was worth 15 minutes, but I definitely felt shortchanged when Team Italy clocked 12 minutes 18 seconds and Team Singapore 11 mins and 34 seconds (yes I took the trouble to time them). Next time, don’t say things that you can’t deliver!!!
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And so, the Malay radio stations have gone on a major revamp. I must say the changes are refreshing from what I’ve heard so far. As expected and noted in my last entry, RZ has returned to where he really belonged. My only complaint on his segment with AuraShai is the lack of listener interactions. Maybe I was hoping too much on the first day, since there were too many songs being played. But ironically, the songs being played were top-notch, straight out from the top drawer. What do you expect when you have the current and ex-music director (RZ was RIA‘s music director when he left for Warna) anchoring the show??? Without a shadow of a doubt, the playlist is of top quality. Hope the show would continue to improve as it goes along. I can only see it moving forward. Likewise the other shows.
I kinda pity Nity Baizura though. I can see that she’s working hard to keep up with Hafeez‘s energy. In time to come, hopefully that energy would rub off and make them a combustible combination just like how Azlin was with him. There is potential in that chemistry. Just that Nity must shed her shyness and have that wee bit of confidence and willing to be daring with witty punchlines. An experienced deejay and a newbie. She can definitely learn the tricks of the trade from him as time goes on. Can’t comment on the other shows as I switch to my Ipod once the Bistro segment is over at 2pm. There goes the “PM the RIA Fanatik” tag… LOL…
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Over the past year or so, I’ve seen instances where friendships have been tested amongst friends and even myself with the people around me. I’ve learnt quite a lot about what it means to be a friend. For one, no matter how much the old adage goes about “friends being there when you need them“, I just find those words overhyped and a whole lot of bollocks!!! Yes it’s true, people too have their own lives to live, and as such we shouldn’t be too demanding and expecting their presence when one really needs them. But when one needs their support at a time when one really needs them and one does not get it and it happens time and time again, one tends to reflect if it’s all worth it to be nice in a friendship. I’m sure you guys would have been in the same shoes as I did.
I hate to sound calculative as it is never a trait of what a true friendship stands for. I’ve always been there as a friend, a joker, a confidante, anything you want me to be, as sincere as much as possible, without asking for any returns in cash or kind. But I just feel as though I’m being taken for granted just because I’ve always come across as cool in the face of adversity. My smiles, my laughter, my practical jokes have all masked the pain I’ve gone through from time to time. People see me as this ultimate joker who can do no wrong nor feel any sense of sensitivity when negativity strikes. But I can’t go through this masquerade and facade any longer. It makes me feel like a damn hypocrite. Sometimes, your own self-conscience is your own best friend.
Am I too nice for my own good??? Or am I getting some payback for some of the practical jokes I’ve pulled off??? Or is it all just bad timing??? If only I have the answers. But one trait of friendship I will always hold on to is to forgive even if people did not ask for it. Cos a friendship is to accept openly one’s flaws and accept the person for what he / she is. I’ve seen friendships tight and taut being snapped and I do not wish to go that path with anyone. Perhaps we all still have a long way to go in understanding one’s feelings and respecting the other for his / her beliefs, me included…
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I had a weird dream last Sunday afternoon as I took a nap. I know many of us have different interpretations of what dreams actually mean. Some say they are just there to spice our sleep, some say they bring messages to us in reality and the most common I hear is that it is an adverse reflection to what we actually dreamt of. For instance, let’s say I dream that I am carrying a child supposed to be mine, and the child is a boy, in actual fact my child is a girl. Well I had such a dream last week prior to my wife’s ultrasound scan last Friday and as it turned out, we hope to cradle our daughter come December. The Prophet (may peace and blessings be upon him and his family, friends and kindred) himself received messages from time to time via dreams.
But that was not the weird dream I was talking about. Well I hope you guys will stifle your giggles and laughter at this dream I wanna share with you guys. It sounds surreal, comedic even and I won’t be surprised if people were to condemn me for making this up, but knowing me, would I lie to you??? This would more or less explain my MSN nick for the past few days. It actually involved the bride-to-be in the upcoming “Wedding of the Year” on 21st and 28th August 2006 and yours truly. Well here goes:
The scene was a hotel suite and I found myself entering it to find her being dolled up for a show. Out of courtesy I waited in the living room along with her minders. Not long after, someone came into the room and said the show was about to start and for her to hurry up. As her minders left the room, she was the last to leave. I took the opportunity to grab hold of her hands and told her I wanted to tell her something. She said, “What is it???” in her polite tone. I replied, “But I’m afraid if I were to tell you, you wouldn’t want to see me again.” She then said, “Ok in that case, then don’t. Just keep it to yourself.” But I said, “No, I must tell you as this is the only time I could do so.”
So I confessed and professed my feelings towards her, feelings I’ve kept inside for God knows how long. I had expected a cold response but I was surprised by the reaction. She actually cried when I was done, held my hands tighter and said, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier???” Upon hearing that, I too cried and felt a tinge of regret that it was all too late as she was getting married to that certain someone soon. I jolted from my slumber and still felt the grip on my hands for a few minutes after that. Told the wife and a few people about it and they all laughed and told me not to daydream and get carried away, seeing what a dreamer I am.
It sounds like something taken out from a novel or drama series isn’t it??? But why am I sharing you this??? Cos I wanna say that through the message I derived from the dream, I am convinced that she is happy with her current choice and that we both are happy in our respective lives with the person we love and it’s never about riches and reputations cos truth be told, she doesn’t need all that to gain a higher pedestal than where she currently is.
I think that’s what the message of the dream was all about. Tears in dreams means happiness in reality and even if I had told her my feelings in real life, it wouldn’t matter at all, just like how many quarters out there who are also in the same boat as me. Her mind’s made up, her feelings resolute and her beliefs strengthened. We should all move on and pray for the best for her, even though many out there are still seething and disappointed with her choice and the apparent veil of secrecy being kept. As for me??? I’m very happy with who I’m with right now…
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For those of you who are abreast with current affairs, I’m sure you’ve heard of this “4 Million Smiles” campaign with regards to the upcoming IMF / WB meeting next month here in Singapore. Rather than telling us to smile, I think there should be a campaign to eradicate selfishness and inconsiderate behaviour amongst Singaporeans. What’s my gripe you ask??? As a regular commuter of our efficient public transport system, it is a complete eyesore to see fellow passengers on the train not giving up their seats to those who needed them especially during peak periods.
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RZ Returning???
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I’m sure some of you in my MSN contact list would have seen my nickname for the past week or so when I announced unashamedly on the major changes to RIA Jamm this coming week. I did say an old friend was coming back to grace the air once again. Initially when I heard KC saying it on air, my hopes shot up and thought perhaps Syah Ibrahim was returning as I had expected him to. But as I listened to Warna‘s “Ding & Dong” segment last Sunday, when they said it was their last show together, I can’t help but think that the one who is making a comeback is none other than RZ.
Besides hearing persisting rumours of him returning, I think if he does, it will be a justified return cos I wasn’t pleased when he left for Warna back in 2002 (please correct me on the year if I’m wrong). Besides being one of the best deejays with his selection of songs, wacky style and always fresh with his presentation and approach, he is also one of the nicest people around even if at times, his words and honesty can draw one’s blood. I know cos he was one of my mentors when I did my internship at radio back in 1998. If he really does return, I wouldn’t mind swopping back to listening to RIA from Class 95. However deep down, I still hold on to this slim hope of having Syah back…
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Been scouring through the cyberspace and I stumbled upon an online petition against Siti Nurhaliza‘s marriage to Datuk Khalid. I was wondering, is it really worth it to create such a thing??? No matter how many thousands or millions who are willing to sign it, the girl has set her heart, mind and soul on it. There’s no turning back, it’s full steam ahead. It’s just something which I regard as useless even if I too would like to sign it myself. It’s absolutely pointless, simple as that…
Some of you have asked whether I’ll be going to the wedding event of the year. If going means having to camp outside KLCC to get the best spots, braving under the hot sun or rain depending on the weather and missing my obligatory responsibilities to HIM just to see the horse-drawn carriage for a few seconds, then all I can say is thank you very much but no thanks. I just don’t understand how one can stand doing something like that without getting any substantial returns. This is also one of the reasons why I get turned off from joining competitions like Singapore Idol, Anugerah etc. I’d rather receive an invitation card. At least, I wouldn’t have to go through all the hassle and jostling with the thousands who are expected to throng the KLCC vicinity. Good luck to the workers there!!!
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Quite a few had also expected me to attend the event I promoted in my last entry which was the launch of Hafeez Glamour‘s Book Club. Besides having weddings to attend that day, I was also not in favour of the time as it coincided with my weekly dosage of street soccer activity with my neighbourhood friends. Those who know me, know damn well how much I put football above anything else, bar any unwanted emergencies. Coupled with the fact that finances for the month were running low (there’s a reason for that which I hope to share in the weeks to come) and controlling my diet (I’ve started my fitness regime again after a 7 months layoff that resulted in me ballooning up 10kg since the wedding), it was something I had to let go even if deep down I regretted not being there to support an old friend.
I was slated to be one of the judges for the Karaoke Idol contest had I attended the event. On hindsight, perhaps it was a blessing in disguise that I wasn’t in attendance as I would have earned the ire of the audience with my straightforward and honest comments, a sizeable percentage coming from those who have always been on my back and finding ways to get back at me. They know damn well who they are if they are reading this. But there’s been peace on the airwaves for the past few months and I intend to keep it that way, provided no one starts off again.
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Speaking of weddings, I’ve been getting lots of invitations to attend them since I got married. I’m always in a dilemma whenever a friend, most of the time not a close one, invites me to his / her relative’s wedding. More often than not, I do not know the newly-weds, what more the family. Most of the time I end up not going as I do not feel comfortable being in uncharted territory. I wouldn’t mind going if the friend’s son or daughter got married or if the friend is someone I regard as somebody close.
Especially if the invitation was sent via sms, you can bet I’ll end up not going as I feel that it’s kinda insincere and not fair to the organisers who had paid for the food to be served to a certain number amount of heads slated to come. What if there was an influx of guests and the food runs out??? Wouldn’t that bring shame to the organisers??? I’ve seen and heard of such things happening before. Sometimes I end up getting as many as 5-6 invitations in a day, of which I had to weigh the importance and the factors that make me have to do away with some of them. Distance can also be another factor. Maybe it’s because I do not have a car at the moment, so to zip around the island from one invitation to another is a hassle, what with the wife in her current state.
I’m sure some of you too end up in the same predicament as I do. Sometimes even the people you are close to, you end up not answering to their invitation. But I’m not that heartless. Whoever I am close to, I always make it a point to attend the events they have invited me for. For those who are not, I have to see what are the factors that could sway me into going and staying put at home or make other plans.
Hope it’s not too late to congratulate one of our famous bloggers, sis Mahdrina on getting betrothed to her husband Rusdiman Salhan last weekend. The wedding was a simple yet elegant affair, perhaps spoilt only by the weather. But on the contrary, rain is a sign of sustenance so we can all hope that the union would bring them loads of it in times to come, God willing. The bride was gorgeous and the husband was equally ravishing, well I gotta admit he looks a hundred times better than Oliver Kahn or the German football team put together. Hahahah, it’s one of the jokes I like to pull on sis Mahd who is crazy about the German football team. Good luck to them on their journey ahead and welcome to the marriage club!!!
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The annual Fireworks Festival is back!!! You can be sure this sucker for fireworks will be there diligently from tonight till next Saturday night to enjoy the pyrotechnics in store for 4 nights, just like last year. Old habits die hard I tell you…
Right, that’s all for now… Am running out of things to say. Till then, have a great weekend and week ahead!!!
Happy National Day people!!!Smoking: Halal or Haram???
The reader had pointed out that the concept should not just be limited to what we consume daily but also in our standard of living. He brought up a point which made my brains whirred in motion about banning tobacco in our lives, giving further examples that renowned Muslim leaders like Dr Yusuf Qardawi, Maulana Abdul Aleem Siddique and Sulaiman Bujarmi Al Misri Al Azhari As-Shafei have already released a Haram Fatwa on it. He then referred the readers to read “Reliance of the Traveller” (Nuh Keller), “Halal wa Haram fil Islam” (Dr Yusuf Qardawi) and “English Translation and Commentary of Sahih Muslim” (A.H. Siddique).
Actually, I’ve long asked myself this question. How do I see this interesting act called “smoking“??? Besides burning my throat, my lungs and eventually my life away, it is an absolute waste of money buying packs of cigarettes when I can channel it into buying myself or the family other stuff for daily use. Not only is it a hazard to my health but also to those around me. No offence to smokers out there but personally I feel you are endangering the people you are supposedly supposed to love by subjecting them to the poisons in the smoke you exhale. Not to mention the bad breath and smell that lingers, no matter how much perfume you spray on yourself or mints you suck.
Back to the Islamic point of view. We are taught that whatever is detrimental to the health and body system is deemed as non-permissible. Alcohol and misuse of drugs consumption are good examples. Whatever is wasteful is also deemed as non-permissible. Examples include the wastage of food, money earned and lost through gambling or through excessive spending. Being inconsiderate to the people around you is also not a good virtue. Come to think of it, it is no wonder that smoking is deemed as Haram in certain quarters. But here’s where the baffling part starts.
In Indonesia and Malaysia alone, the former being the country with the highest Muslim population, an extremely high percentage are smokers amongst the males. Everywhere you go, you’ll never fail to see “dragons” puffing their lives away. In Singapore, the percentage is more or less quite even. Heck, even some religious leaders smoke too. Which makes me sometimes wonder, how do we really classify smoking in the Islamic context??? I know that it is a very subjective matter but it is this subjectiveness that makes us all think, ponder and debate from time to time.
The holy book did not explicitly said that smoking is not a permissible act, even though it said that whatever destroys our body, health and well-being and wastages are all deemed as Haram. So with that I guess the different schools of thought have different interpretations on how it is perceived and are divided over it, or perhaps they might probably be afraid to upset the status quo. Can you just imagine if a Fatwa is released on the banning of smoking??? I tell you, pandemonium and disaster will strike the region with people demonstrating over it, even worse than the Middle-East war.
Personally for me, I chose to remain a non-smoker because I had a bad experience when I tried experimenting with it when I was just 11. My late grandfather was a smoker and lived with my family. I remembered borrowing a cigarette and asking him if I could give it a try. He just let me did what I wanted to do. I lighted up and took a deep puff. A burning sensation filled my throat and I instantly coughed. I thought to myself, how can someone enjoy burning his / her own throat and what kick do people get through it??? I immediately put the stub away and from then on, I vowed never to follow that path. What’s more, it was the reason that took my late grandfather’s life away as he succumbed to pneumonia and lung cancer a few years later. So if there is such a ruling being passed that decreeds that smoking is unlawful and non-permissible, I am all for it. Not that I’m being bitter towards smokers here, well far from it, but because I too care for your lives, even if my ideologies and beliefs do not coincide with yours.
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I would like to reserve my shout outs to an old friend, Sarimah, otherwise known as “Lady E” in the local hip hop scene on the release of her debut EP album. A pity I was not able to attend the launch of the album last Saturday evening at The Arts House @ The Old Parliament building as I had other appointments to attend. Her EP album includes the hit tracks “No To Bounce“, “Keep Da Rock” & “Kembali“. If you are interested in getting her album, they are available at Mizz 29 stores. This hot chick is widely respected in hip hop circles as she is one mean rapper. Off stage, you wouldn’t believe she can be so hyper nor think that she can rap as from my brief friendship with her back in our Akademi Seniman days showed, she is quiet, reserved and demure. But she was one of those I could click very well, maybe because I was into hip hop music and R&B as well. Cheers to a job well done, sis!!!
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Another shout out goes to one of our famous bloggers MamaFai, for making it to Berita Harian a few days ago for her lovely cupcake creations. I guess over the past year or so, her beautiful cupcakes have been promoted through word-of-mouth and endless displays in bloggers’ entries. Besides the birthday cupcakes which she made for Hazami at the “Santai Bersama Hazami” event in February and yours truly’s wedding gift to the bride last December (even though counting myself as a celebrity is definitely out of the equation), she received another feather in the cap on yesterday’s episode of “Suria Segar“, when she made her speciality for Nurul Aini‘s birthday. I hope her business will now pick up and she’ll get more orders than before. Proud to have a Malay entrepreneur doing something extraordinary in our midst.
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Speaking of myself as a “celebrity”, I find it at times amusing, humbled even, that certain bloggers classed yours truly as one in their blog links, or to some extent in the same breath as famous television celebrities like “Nura J“, “Nurul Aini” and “Oniatta“. What have I done to merit myself to such a pedestal??? I’m just a nobody, a voice like anyone else on radio. In the blogging world, I’m also a nobody. Pray tell me what makes me qualified to be held in high regards, cos I cringe and shudder at popularity. Popularity attracts jealousy, it breeds contempt. Especially when I see bloggers clamouring for attention and popularity and dissing one another like nobody’s business and adopting a holier-than-thou approach. Which is why I’d rather much remain anonymous and just be the alternative voice you hear or read.
Of late, my activities on radio have also been limited to just two hours on Hafeez Glamour‘s “Kafe-Teh-RIA” segment. That too if I’m listening and not out lunching with my colleagues. Which stumped me somewhat when I stumbled upon a blog whereby the blogger linked me as “
PM the RIA Fanatik” when I’m only listening to the station for just two hours nowadays. Just feel that the departure of Syah Ibrahim has had an effect on my creative juices being stifled. Ok, so I had said that he was coming back before I went for my short hiatus, but 3 months on, there is no sight of him, so I stand corrected if he really is not coming back though I had heard stories before that, that he was just taking a short break.Listening to RIA is quite a bore these days, not like what it used to be from 2003-2005, which is why I now tune in to Glenn & The Flying Dutchman (Class 95FM) in the mornings. At least you can air your views without getting stick from fellow listeners and the topics are more edgy compared to how we have to be forever tactful on Malay radio. Just love the open concept of English radio compared to the sensitive typical Malay listeners who cannot take comments with pinches of salt. But I’m a proud Malay. Which is why I try to instill my ideologies on Malay radio, whether they like it or not.
Another gripe I have about listening to radio since ages ago (be it local or Malaysian radio stations), is that some presenters are not pronouncing the names of personalities, politicians, sportsmen or entertainers properly. A job as a radio presenter is a heavy responsibility, an utmost honour to be among a selected band. It is similar to a teacher’s job, just that the audience is not a class, but the whole country, probably the whole world. And as “students”, we the listeners hope to learn something new and politically-correct for that matter. It wouldn’t hurt to watch shows that have a lot of names pronouncing, sports for that matter, asking around on how to pronounce properly and having the will to want to find out more. I was dismayed when someone said that they are not sports commentators to be accustomed to name pronouncing. To me, that is not a good reason to get out of a sticky situation. It reflects badly on professionalism and attitude, something that one must have in a job envied by many and only an elite few are chosen.
I practically cringed everytime I hear the sports bulletin during last month’s FIFA World Cup as South American, European, Asian, Scandinavian, hell even English names were mispronounced. The most common mistakes I hear are normally “
Grand Prix” is pronounced as “Grand Pricks” instead of “Grawn Pree“, “Ronaldinho” as “Ronal-din-ho” instead of “Ronal-di-nio“, “Trezeguet” as “Tre-zee-goo-et” instead of “Tghe-zee-gay” and “Renault” as “Ray-nolt” instead of “Ray-nal“. Get my drift??? I bet some of you would be surprised by the pronunciations yourself, just like how I was surprised that “Hyundai” is actually pronounced as “Hon-Day“. Sometimes I dunno whether to laugh at or feel sorry for the person reading the news or sports bulletin. Imagine if a foreigner were to tune in and listen to the name of his countryman being pronounced wrongly, he would definitely think the person reading was either out to mock his country or the person did not take the effort to do their homework.I’m not trying to show off my knowledge on pronunciation here cos I know there are thousands and millions out there who know more than me. But we should share what is good to the masses so that we can all improve and learn as we go along in life. I always believe whatever that is good, especially when it comes to education, should be shared for the betterment of the society. Hand on heart, I really mean no absolute offence to all the radio presenters out there and hope those reading this will take this piece of criticism with an open mind. I apologise if anyone felt hurt with this piece of complaint. Please do not take it as a means to putting anyone down here cos that is not the intention of me voicing out here.
I hope you will still continue to improve and provide us with good information and knowledge in our daily lives listening to you. Where there is room to improve, I’m sure there are avenues for you to do so to seek help and assistance. I’m not complaining because I’m being a sour grape at not being able to make it as a radio presenter myself, far from it. I would just like to see our presenters be more refined as they share the daily scoops, juice, news and views with us. Remember, we look up to you as role models and educators as we seek knowledge through listening to you.
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Here’s a bit of information for those interested to attend this event. Doing a favour for an old friend by promoting it on this blog…
EZS Music Productions Presents
HI – TEA BOLEH BIOL BERSAMA HAFEEZ GLAMOUR
in conjunction with Bulan Bahasa and Read Singapore! Campaign
Date: Sunday 30 July 2006
Time: 3:00 – 5:00pm
Place: Sakura Na Na @ 257 Changi Road
Guest Artistes: Khairil Yusuf & Andresha Andin
Event: Launch of Hafeez Glamour Book Club
Lucky Draw, Karaoke, Poetry Recital
Tickets: $35/- only.
Contact: Ema – 97630085 / Rahimah 96903206
* Seats are limited!!!
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Last but not least, I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who had linked me without my knowledge and I’ve managed to trace you thanks to modern technology. Hey, even a school kid now knows what Technorati is all about. I’m cool with the linking, no worries about that. I hope that it is not a bore reading my grouses, gripes, rants and complaints. Not forgetting my “regular customers” who had painstakingly waited for my return. Thank you for the patience and understanding while yours truly was away for such a long period of time…
The Return…
I know I had promised to return with a new blog layout but as circumstances in life go, we can plan all we want but it is up to
HIM to dictate the destiny in the end. The blog layout can wait as of now since I know the kind soul who I had approached to create it, is facing some problems with regards to her laptop, the medium being used to create the aforementioned layout. Take your time sis, no hurry. I don’t mind waiting a bit longer as I know she makes excellent blog skin designs. You can’t substitute quality with quantity and shit does happen in life when you least expect it, so I’m cool and patient about it, so no worries about it…It’s ironical that I chose to return to blogging on this day. A year ago today,
Siti Nurhaliza held her long-awaited concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Looking back, a lot of things have happened over the past 365 days. For one, yours truly has ended his bachelorhood and fatherhood is impending. I know this piece of news is a bit of a surprise to some of you but yes, I’m finally ready to break it to the world as my wife’s first trimester is over. If all goes well, we’ll be celebrating our first wedding anniversary with a new addition to the family, God willing. Life for the past 3 months that I was away has been good. Even though I was bogged down with work and reservist training, I managed to fulfill a lifelong dream to return to two sacred places for my long-delayed honeymoon. Well more on that in future postings.Speaking of the diva herself, now that the cat has been let out of the bag, there seemed to be a deluge of resentment in many quarters. Internet forums and comments in online blogs I visited to read about the news, mostly were disappointed to the point some people got disillusioned and said they ceased to be fans. Some even went as far as saying they would throw away all her albums from their collection. My initial reactions basically echoed most people’s sentiments, moreso since I watched the press conference on television and felt disgusted by the impending groom’s grin-and-smirk look on his face as though he invited us to give him a good smack on the face at his apparent arrogance. When I thought it over eventually, I can’t blame him since he has emerged victorious in the quest for the heart of arguably the most sought after Malay woman of this decade and many men would have killed, crawled and even given up their body parts just to prove their love to her, including yours truly if he was still single and available. But personally, I couldn’t care less about her choice of life partner, especially after I had signed my own “death contract” on 31st December 2005. But deep down, as a fan and acquaintance, I would be lying if I said I was not disappointed with the choice.
My first reaction to the announcement was “Why???“, seeing that the groom came with a lot of excess baggage, plus all the conspiracy theories surrounding his divorce to his first wife. But as minutes turned to hours, reality sunk in and I had to respect her decision that it was what she wanted and it’s her life that she’s dictating. As a fellow Muslim, the right thing to do is to pray for the best and well-being and accept what God has in store. Loving her unconditionally as a fan and acquaintance means we should accept her flaws no matter what they are. We had after all chose to support her since 1995 through thick and thin and this is the time that she needs our blessings and support the most. Ceasing to be fans and throwing away her albums are immature acts to follow. She might be, in her own words, “the property of the society“, but when it came to being the rightful owner of her heart, only she had the liberty to choose the right person.
I know it is difficult to accept and I’ll be lying if I said I accepted her choice and decision wholeheartedly, knowing her character from my observations, chats and past meetings with her, and also what with all the wild speculations going round ranging from her being the third party in his failed marriage to resentment from her family and close friends. And lately, the spreading of photographs in cyberspace of his second son partying and drinking away at a pub makes one wonder if she had made the right choice or not. Some of these speculations could be true for all we know, but who are we to judge when we do not know the actual situation faced by the people at the centre of the storm??? It is already written and fated. Her parents have also announced their approval (though if one had scrutinised closely, her father had some difficulty saying he approved). Difficult it is for some of us to accept, but we should all move on and pray for the best for the soon-to-be newly-weds.
Something that was announced during the press conference still intrigues me till now. They said that the engagement and wedding solemnisation (“akad nikah“) ceremony will be done simultaneously. I for one do not see the need to have both and I find it kinda amusing to have both engagement and wedding solemnisation together on the same day. I’m not too sure how the Malays over there can hold both functions at the same time cos if you were to look at how we do it over here, normally there is a grace period between the engagement day till the day of solemnisation. They will not be the first to do it. As far as I know, another couple, Norman Hakim and Abby Abadi, did the same thing, the grace period being a few hours apart. So can anyone out there please explain to me the rationale behind doing both events on the same day???
Get Ready!!!
The KRUsader is about to return…
Behold his homecoming…
As he makes his stand…
ARE YOU READY???!!!
Going On A Hiatus…
The fact of the matter is, Syah is just
TAKING A BREAK from radio. His contract is also up so he might take the time off to assess his options. He may or may not be back but I’m slanted to say that he will be back soon, refreshed and rejuvenated than ever, I hope, that I am confident of. How do I know this you might ask??? Cos besides Hafeez Glamour, only Syah has a loyal set of followers and it wouldn’t make sense for him to abandon them just like that. Anyway, his business has also got to do with radio in terms of promotions and advertising, so the listeners need not have to worry too much. I doubt the management will allow him to leave just like that when he has one of the highest ratings. Still not convinced??? Remember what happened to Rod Monteiro and Glenn Ong when they were still at Perfect 10 98.7FM a few years ago??? Well, let’s just wait and see if I’m correct or not 6 months down the road. If I’m wrong, then sue me for my apparent overconfidence. And no, I do not have any inside information on this…****************************************************************
I guess this will be my final entry before I go on a long hiatus, just like Syah Ibrahim. I’ll be too busy with work, what with the upcoming General Elections taking up a considerable amount of time, to the point of affecting my social and family life. And right after that, I have my week-long reservist training (AGAIN!!!), followed by a host of weddings which I am involved in, my long-overdue honeymoon and to cap it off, the World Cup. So I guess it makes sense that I’ll be spending less time on the PC due to all the commitments I’m involved in till July.
In all honesty, I’ve lost the drive to continue blogging. The novelty is simply wearing off. Maybe I’ve set such high standards on my own typings that it’s come to a point where my ideas have since stagnated. Cos if you were to rewind back to my previous entries, I seem to be at my creative best when I’m full of angst and filled with anger inside, just like my comments in the airwaves.
Like Syah, I hope to be back fresh and rejuvenated, probably with a new set of design layout for the blog. I know some of you love to change your blog skins but personally I subscribe to the old adage, “
If nothing’s broken, don’t fix it.” It’s been almost a year since I’ve been with this skin, so perhaps it’s time for a change too, and what better way to coincide with my return. I’ll be back in July, don’t miss me too much. I’ll still drop by your blogs from time to time. God bless to all you people out there…Hypocrisy???
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I’ve been reading with absolute interest and excitement for the fact that Playstation 3 (PS3) will be out in November. Even though it was slated to release around this period of time, the recent launch of X-Box 360 perhaps put the developers back to see how much they can improve on the design specifications of the console. From what I’ve read, it’s only gonna be even better than whatever Microsoft had developed for the X-Box series. Personally I’ve never liked playing on an X-Box as I feel that the controllers are not player-friendly and game characters are difficult to toggle around. So yeah, I’m definitely looking forward to PS3‘s release…
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I can only remember too well two years ago when I was heavily ridiculed for my choice of music over at the Forum section in the now-defunct Riamania website. Some people made fun of my apparent respect for the musical compositions from the brothers in KRU. They thought that it was unfashionable, unmanly and unbecoming for someone to like a boyband that dishes out “whiny tunes”. Well for starters this “boyband” compose their own music, play their own instruments and are millionaires which all of us can learn to emulate. Secondly, I’ve never dissed anyone for their personal choice of music. Even if you like techno, which I personally despise, I’ll still respect you for what you are. To me, dissing me for my personal choice of music is the same as dissing the people who made them.
Well fast forward to 2006, these same people are the ones now trying to show their support for an upcoming star from KRU‘s stable, Adam AF2. What’s more, when Edry came down to be one of the guest judges at last year’s Anugerah Finals, they were seen excitedly taking photographs with him. Were they not the same ones who had branded KRU’s music as “
kental” etc??? Why are they singing a different tune now??? And why am I sounding so bitchy and all hard-up??? Cos I just felt a sense of hypocrisy creeping its way and making me look stupid all those years ago swallowing their attacks and rebutting them in my replies to them. The embarrassment they dished out back then was just cannon fodder for nothing. And I thought that their aim of existence was to strictly support “local artistes“. Why are they “branching out” now and supporting regional artistes??? Please, before you go out hitting on others, think first cos you’ll never know your words might come back to haunt you in future…**********************************************************
Speaking of the KRU brothers, they’ll be out with their new album sometime this month or next month. Titled “
10 Di Skala Richter” (10 on the Richter Scale), it will be the brothers’ 10th full album – minus the “AWAS” mini album (1993), “Cinta Metropolitan Soundtrack” (1996), the “TYCO” project (2001), “KRUjaan version 2.0” (2002) and “Relax” (2004), a collection of ballads. Technically, this latest effort is officially their 13th album since their formation in 1992.I’ve sampled some of the new tracks at their
website. I must say, it is much, much better than the previous effort (KRUnisme). Half the songs had tunes which if we were to scrutinise the melodies and rhythms, would some way or another remind us of the hit songs in their heydays back in the 90s. I can’t deny I felt young again when I listened to some of the songs. I know for one, its first single “Buat Hal Lagi” will be another hit in the mould of “Terhangat Di Pasaran“. It features “The Hit Squad” comprising Azza Elite, Linda Onn, Adam AF2, Billy Zulkarnain & Zam Indigo. Knowing their track record to produce quality video clips, I’m sure this song will also be quality in its own right, perhaps along the humour lines of “Terhangat Di Pasaran” and “Impak Maksima“.*********************************************************
Ok, as promised in the previous entry, I would post more information on the upcoming performance from Imran Ajmain, Hazami,
Khairul Anuar and Azlina Aziz. Just click on the promotional poster for more details. By the way, I wanna make a correction, the Ismail sisters have decided to change the name “HeARTwork” to “workHeart” cos of a clash with another organisation of the same name. There’s even a side-view photograph of me in the website, when I attended the Hazami mini showcase on 26th February 2006. Anyway, congrats to Imran for the infectious hit “Yang Sudah Tu Sudah” making its way up RIA‘s music charts after only 2 weeks of airplay. Told you guys before, he is one to look out for…
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Right, I’ve been getting some feedback about my apparent lack of activity and comments on air lately. Frankly speaking, the novelty to comment is wearing off. It gets stale listening to the same old thing day in, day out and commenting on the same thing. For dedication segments, you get the same people dedicating to the same people. Then during international hits segments, the same people keep requesting the same songs. During discussion segments, topics are recycled and more often than not, it revolves around relationships and love. Then it’s followed by the daily dosage of ear-bashing by those who-can’t-sing-but-think-they-can and the hour-long nostalgic hits.
Luckily Mediacorp has a wide range of choices I can tune to when it gets too bored. Either that, or I’ll be listening to my Ipod. Honestly, I don’t have the drive to comment on air like I used to. I know some of you look forward to the heat that I’m able to generate whenever I come up with some lambasting, truth-hurts, matters-of-fact opinions. Sadly, I don’t see how I can fit in with the amount of stop-start programmes and mini-sponsored capsules the station comes up with daily. There’s just too many promotions and endless commercials that disrupt the smoothness of the daily programmes that we used to have in the past. Really, I’ve lost quite a bit of zest listening to the radio of late…
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Ok people, enjoy your long holiday ahead…
The Cathay…
Sorry for the delay in updating as I had wanted to post this entry earlier. Was down with flu during the first half of the week and to top it off I had fever since Thursday night. Now that I’m on the road to recovery, I can at least muster enough energy to finish this…
I’ve not had such a high number of visitors to my humble manor prior to this past week, based on my site’s tracking meter. Felt as though I became an overnight celebrity blogger, but in reality, I feel extremely humbled and honoured that I’ve received visitors as far away as Australia, Canada, United States, United Kingdom, the Middle-East and an influx from neighbouring Malaysia. Not to mention the fact that some of you also listed me under “Celebrities” in your blog links. Truth be told, I’m just a normal guy you see out on the streets with neither looks nor talents to boot. I hope the APM2006 review was informative for most of you, even if it was too lengthy and the pictures were not of a good quality. I spent 3 days typing it and God-knows-how-many-times I edited it so as not to be too damning towards the organisers and the event as a whole.
New friendships too have been forged as a result and I welcome each and every new acquaintance who have taken the trouble to come here. If the review was unsatisfactory, I apologise as I was merely relating my personal experiences. I know it is a subjective matter based on individuals who had watched it either live or via television. Perhaps the standards that I expected out of the show of such magnitude were a bit too high for some, but I personally felt it was the minimum which should have been met. It’s over anyway, we can only look forward to the following year’s event to see if there are improvements made…
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Last Friday night (31st March 2006), me and the missus drove to the newly-refurbished Cathay cinema at Handy Road. During the days of Jalan Ampas, Cathay Keris and Shaw Brothers were the main players in the local film industry. The Cathay building itself is an icon in our country’s history as it was the first skyscraper and the first air-conditioned cinema in Singapore. Not only that, its grand staircase leading up to the 1000 capacity cinema hall was considered a brilliant work of art, etched in the memories of those who had enjoyed watching movies in those yesteryears. For the younger generation, they would recall the Orange Julius outlet situated outside the theatre. My first brush with Cathay‘s history was when my aunt brought me and my sister to watch “Tootsie“, a film starring Dustin Hoffman & Jessica Lange back in 1982.
The Cineshop selling movie posters and what-nots…
Roll over to last Friday, lots of changes have been made to the cinema. We now have a shopping mall and the theatres are situated on the 5th & 6th levels of the building. The shops in the building have yet to be opened. We were not expecting a crowd that night but there was a sizeable number of patrons who came to savour the lush settings of the facade. It turned out to be quite a nightmare so to speak as I had driven down to the building. For starters, the carpark gantry mulfunctioned just as the car in front of us was about to pass, which caused a major traffic jam behind us. Then my cashcard got stuck inside the payment slot when it was our turn to move on.
Rekindling the good old days of munching peanuts whilst watching movies…
When we managed to pass through, it was a case of driving with extreme caution throughout as the carpark was amazingly narrow that I had to reverse before turning and going up the ramp to the upper floor. There was also a massive jam in the carpark when we left the building, apparently due to the traffic from the main road. Whatever it is, please, don’t ever drive to the Cathay building if you wanna watch a movie there. I’ve learnt my lesson as far as driving is concerned. Luckily the Dhoby Ghaut MRT station is just nearby. The new design on the interior looks state-of-the-art though I won’t say it’s spectacular either. Perhaps it would look better when the retail shops and restaurants open next month.
Figurines and movie-themed games can be found at the Cineshop…
So too movies from the yesteryears produced by Cathay Keris…
A special display on the Picturehouse‘s history…
The movie I’ve waited 3 years for it to conclude…
The movie we watched, “13th District“, is another masterpiece by renowned French director Luc Besson. It is along the same lines as the two previous “Yamakashi” films with more fight scenes. Trust the man who is also famous for bringing you the “Taxi” and “The Fifth Element” movies to create an adrenaline rush, just by watching the action scenes and stunts in the film. I’ll never get bored of watching Luc Besson‘s movies. I think he’s a genius…
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Finally, for the past week or so, Imran Ajmain‘s first single, “Yang Sudah Tu Sudah“, taken off from his soon-to-be-released album “Dengan Secara Kebetulan“, has been getting lots of airplay on our local Malay radio stations. I guess some of you would have also heard it already and would agree with me in one of my previous entries that he is a talent to look out for and probably the next big thing in our local music fraternity. The song is just so infectious that it keeps replaying in my head throughout the day. Maybe I’m a sucker for R&B songs but his voice can simply lull one into La-La-Land. Ok for those who would like to take a listen, please visit Imran‘s personal site at http://myspace.com/imranajmain.
For those of you who would like to catch Imran in action, he will be reuniting once again with Hazami and will be appearing with Khairul Anuar of Anugerah fame and veteran singer Azlina Aziz in a showcase organised by the Ismail sisters from “heARTwork“, on 20th May 2006. So do keep a lookout for more details. I’ll post more on it when I’ve received more information on the event. For now, that’s the only information I can give, thanks to Raudha & Noreez whom I met outside the Max Pavilion after APM2006 ended.
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I’m proud when a local artiste gets some attention from across the Causeway. Lately I read that Fauzie Laily has been “scouted” by KRU Music Group, a brand name in Malaysia which needs no introductions. I’ve known Fauzie since 2002 on an acquaintance basis, when we both used to play football with the Singapore Malay Dramatistes team. However, we were not that close to keep in touch till today. Nonetheless his presence at Adam AF2‘s showcase at Far East Square on the day after APM2006, hinted that there was something in the works and was proven through the newspaper article written a week later. For his sake, I hope he succeeds cos it is not easy to break through the Malaysian market. My only worry is his direction and image outlook if he were to be chosen to be the next in KRU‘s stable, as Adam AF2 is already turning into a younger version of KRU during their heydays, with his style of singing and rapping.
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It looks highly likely that I won’t be attending this year’s Anugerah Industri Muzik 2006 (AIM2006) on 29th April 2006 at Kuala Lumpur‘s Putra World Trade Centre, due to the impending general elections. I was hoping they would at least do it during the Vesak Day holidays but it is unlikely as it is the mid-year examinations period, whereby they need to use the schools as polling centres and the manpower of the teachers to help count the ballots. Looking at the heightened increase in the introduction of PAP candidates over the past 2 weeks, I can safely say Singaporeans will go to the polls either end of the month or the first week of May. Either way, I still can’t go up to Kuala Lumpur as I will be extremely busy throughout the period. In case you are wondering, no I am not a police officer. Neither will I stand for the elections as a possible candidate (Hmmm… That’s a tantalizing thought though, can you picture me in all-white and having my face hung all around your neighbourhood??? Hahahah…), henceforth I will be taking my leave from blogging come Nomination Day till the dust has settled…
Till my next entry…
APM2006: Review…
MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT!!! These two words best summed up what I felt and still feel as I type. I felt kinda shortchanged by the event as a whole. Since it first began in 2001, when I was still serving my National Service, right up till 2006, the show seemed to have evolved for the better but at the same time experiencing drops in standards here and there. This was my sixth straight year that I’ve been to the event which I am proud of – locally produced, yet honouring the works of those in the region. However I have to say that this was, in my own personal opinion, the most disappointing Anugerah Planet Muzik (APM) I’ve been to. Why??? Read on…
Venue - At first glance, the event venue looked to be just across the road from the MRT station and carpark. However, I was appalled to have spent almost 15 minutes walking towards my seat. As I walked towards the entrance, I heard grumblings from the people around me, wondering why was the entrance so far away from the carpark and MRT station. Had we walked along an air-conditioned mall like the one at the Singapore Expo main building, perhaps it would not have mattered, but a lot of people were seen dressed for the occasion and you can imagine the number of perspiring people when they got to their seats and also when they departed for home.
The view from where I sat, 8 rows from the front…
Red Carpet Event - In any award shows around the world, the prelude to the main event is always the Red Carpet Event, whereby fans get to throng the sidelines to cheer and take photographs of the artistes in their full regalia, walking to the auditorium. Unlike previous years save for the inaugural event in 2001, there was none this time around, which definitely robbed the essence of glamour etched to it.
Attendance - Though the $68 seats were sold out, the same could not be said of the $48 & $28 seats. When I entered the auditorium, I was surprised to see a lot of empty seats over at the $48 block and during the breaks, when I turned around to look at the back and saw the upper tiers empty. I wondered if the event has lost its appeal amongst the audience or if the seating arrangement was a turn-off, cos really, even if I was them, I’d rather watch at home than sit at the back and pay $28 or $48 and having to rely on the giant screen to see who’s performing or on stage.
AhliFiqir performing “Inilah Barisan Kita“…
Lax in Security - During the breaks, fans were seen rushing forward to snap photographs with the artistes sitting in front. They could have caused a stampede by rushing forward and the artistes would have felt uncomfortable not being able to move around in peace or enjoying a quiet conversation with their fellow artistes. I can’t totally blame the fans cos no matter how dumb they can be at times without thinking of safety nor the artistes’ privacy, the euphoria and excitement of meeting their idols were not something they could miss. That’s where security or the ushers come in. There should have been some common sense in their heads to control the surging crowd. Sadly, they didn’t do their job and it was left to the Floor Manager who already had his hands full with what he was doing.
Sound System - Half the show, the audience was treated to loud music and the artistes’ vocals were inaudible. Too bassy , too booming and too blaring, the show was such a stop-start affair. I received feedback from those watching at home, some also experienced the same thing. You can have so many sound checks done prior to the event but if things did not work out during the event proper, you tend to question the quality of sound equipment used.
Vince, Adam, Nikki & Eka Mairina belting out “Caraku“…
Hosts - I found the incessant insinuations about Siti Nurhaliza‘s apparent relationship with “Datuk K” a little bit out of order as the show went on. Give the gal a break for Heaven’s sake!!! Adi Rahman‘s profession of his feelings towards her is also getting stale year in year out till even Aznil complained about it. There’s also a difference between being genuinely exaggerating or trying too hard to please. Granted this was her virgin role as host of such a prestigious event, but I felt that Fiza Osman‘s antics were over the top at times and her jokes fell flat. I wasn’t the only one who felt the same way. Try going to the AnakMelayu website and see the comments made by the people there about her. Not forgetting the deathly silence or groans from the audience that greeted her whenever they felt she went overboard. I think Hazz (Hazlina Abdul Halim / DJ Fairlady) would have done some justice to the show. Ok I know I’m being biased since I love her hosting talent. But to be fair, it was Fiza‘s first assignment so she would do well to learn from her experience, which was definitely memorable and valuable to her.
Award Presenters - I was generally pleased with the line-up of presenters. Just that one instance irked me. The part where RIA 89.7FM‘s Burhan (Brader Bo), Radio ERA‘s Linda Onn and Warna 94.2FM‘s Riz Sunawan presented the award for Best Male Vocal in an Album which went to Marcell. When the three deejays were having their banter, Riz was seen being touchy-feely towards Linda. He just couldn’t keep his hands off her. What was that all about man??? There was also a time when Linda felt kinda uncomfortable and adjusted her shoulders. Oh and speaking of Linda Onn, I dunno why whenever she hosts or presents an award in Singapore, she’ll speak in an exaggerating way, eg “Singaaa-purrraaa“. I wonder if she’s mocking the Bahasa Baku system which I think has already been taken away from the schools’ syllabus (correct me if I’m wrong, any of you teachers out there). Cos certainly as far as I’m concerned, Singaporean Malays don’t speak like that. Linda should know better since she grew up here in Singapore.
The great man himself, M. Nasir, crooning his current single “Juita Citra Terindah“…
Songs Performed - The first hour or first half of the show for that matter, was kinda lacklustre and the show only picked up as the minutes progressed, even though V.E. and Ahli Fiqir did a credible job as the opening act. Even though a majority of the songs were popular songs we’ve heard on radio, sadly the incessant performances of ballad and feel-good songs kinda killed the mood and lacked the punch which APM has come to be known. Perhaps the lack of quality in the sound system played a part as well.
An Artiste Manager’s Role - The job of an artiste manager is to manage your artiste and remain behind the spotlight. Thanking certain individuals and groups for their undying support was extremely alright, but to steal the thunder away from the group when they were giving their acceptance speech by promoting your own upcoming album was something which was just not right and reeks of selfishness. The moment belonged to the group and their brilliant album which was given recognition, not to promote your album. Stealing a group’s thunder to me smacks of rudeness, moreso since it was done at such a prestigious event, watched by millions in the region.
Mawi bagging Most Popular Song for “Aduh Saliha“…
Transmission Glitch - For the first time in the history of APM, viewers experienced a glitch in transmission when their television screens went blank during Dayang Nurfaizah‘s segment. A pity they missed a large chunk of Dayang‘s excellent performance.Not only that, viewers were made to guess who were the singers performing and what were the title of the songs sung as there were no promptings on the screen. And I thought we the audience had to suffer the same thing when we focus our attention to the giant screens.
Anti-Climax Finale - The show ended so abruptly without any closing performances. Normally we’ll have closing acts topped with pyrotechnics and other paraphernalias associated with grand finales but this time, the show ended on a whimper when the hosts announced that we’ve come to the end of the show. Really spoilt my mood, not to mention having to think of the long walk back to the carpark.
Post-Party - When the hosts announced non-stop throughout the night on who the caterers were, I thought, “Not bad, everyone’s eating Nasi Briyani tonight“. But then I read in one of the articles in last Sunday’s Malay Mail, those who attended the post-party event were only served bread and chicken curry. I did not attend the post-party as I am neither a celebrity nor was I invited, to acknowledge the proof. However, if the newspaper was bold enough to publish it, then there could be some element of truths attached to it, though I’m not gonna agree totally with it. From a host’s perspective it was a major blow and bad advertisement to our foreign guests, with regards to budgeting and quality of food served, had it really happened. In truth, I had doubts when I first heard the name of the caterers since two good friends of mine had bad experiences with them when one of them got married, and the other, his brother. Personally I would not have complained about it. Maybe cos I love chicken curry. But then again, I doubt the organisers would be so tightfisted as to just serve the post-party guests with just bread and chicken curry. I’m sure they have more class than that!!!
The majority’s favourite item… Not mine though…
However, not all was doom and gloom about the event. There were a few face-saving performances and instances that soothed me a bit.
Hosts - Aznil proved once again when it comes to hosting and being crazy, no one can match his nonchalance. The decision to introduce Nirina Zubir was also a correct one. I think the audience really warmed to her as she was so natural on the mic and her antics came off naturally even if she wanted to exaggerate the things she wanted to say or did.
Performances - I was particularly pleased with the performances from the local artistes. They showed they were on par with their Malaysian and Indonesian counterparts. Eka Mairina‘s vocals and Syed Azmir‘s in particular had the audience whooping and cheering when they went for the high notes. Other performances that caught my eye were Dayang Nurfaizah‘s medley during the tribute to Loloq‘s career achievements, the combined efforts of Anuar Zain, Siti Nurhaliza, Marcell & Rossa when they sang “Kangen“, Nikki & Adam performing “Caraku“, Gigi, Ratu and the segment where Jaclyn Victor, Ferhad & Syed Azmir sang the songs nominated in the Best Song category. I could be wrong since listening live, what with the loud music and fans cheering around you, can sound different from what you hear on television…
Upsetting the odds, so much for Mawi‘s loyal fans…
Award Winners - Even though I had predicted that Mawi was going to win the Most Popular Male Artiste, I was elated that Taufik Batisah won instead. Cos seriously I feel Mawi‘s over-rated and it’s only because of his fans that he’s so popular across the Causeway. Hah!!! What happened to his so-called fans when he needed them the most??? Kudos to those who had voted for Taufik though I myself am not exactly his fan…
Audience Ethics - Unlike last year, the audience was generally well-behaved. Who can forget last year when a certain section of the audience could not stop shouting even when the artistes were presenting the awards or giving their acceptance speech??? This year, the audience deserved a full thumbs up for cheering when the time was appropriate to do so and kept their peace as a sign of respect whenever the artistes went up on stage to give their acceptance speech.
Now that’s four good things about the event as opposed to the twelve pointers / grievances I pointed out, ok sorry it should be eleven. I don’t count the Post-Party event as one of my grievances but just commenting from what I read. It is not fair to include it in as I did not see it with my own eyes, first hand. For all you know, the Malaysian media were just adding fuel to fire on what they were already unhappy about the whole event. With eleven strong points to rant about, maybe you can understand why in my own personal capacity, I dubbed this year’s edition of the event as the most disappointing that I’ve been to. I was also surprised to read in last Sunday’s Berita Minggu that the event was “relatively enjoyable”. I’m next gonna analyse my initial predictions I made in my last entry and see how I’ve fared against the eventual winners. Here goes…
No prizes for guessing the Most Popular Female Artiste…
BEST NEW ARTISTE (MALE) / ARTIS LELAKI BARU TERBAIK
ADAM (Malaysia)
ADY (Indonesia)
ELLO (Indonesia)
MIKE (Indonesia)
SHANON (Indonesia)
Initial Predictions: Ello / Mike
Eventual Winner: Ello
My thoughts: Not bad… Kinda expected it since Ello seems to get a lot of airplay lately on radio a month or so before the event…
BEST NEW ARTISTE (FEMALE) / ARTIS WANITA BARU TERBAIK
ADIBAH NOOR (Malaysia)
EKA MAIRINA (Singapore)
HELENA (Indonesia)
NIKKI (Malaysia)
SHARIFAH ZARINA (Malaysia)
Initial Predictions: Adibah Noor / Eka Mairina / Nikki
Eventual Winner: Nikki
My thoughts: I was not surprised either cos I did mention in my last entry that her songs and vocals reminds me of an Indonesian singer. Nikki was the dark horse in this category and she stamped her authority with a magnificent performance that night.
BEST NEW DUO / GROUP DUO / KUMPULAN BARU TERBAIK
AHLIFIQIR (Singapore)
J-ROCKS (Indonesia)
MALIQ & D’ESSENTIALS (Indonesia)
SAYKOJI (Indonesia)
TANGGA (Indonesia)
Initial Predictions: AhliFiqir
Eventual Winner: Maliq & D’Essentials
My thoughts: I underestimated this group even after hearing a few of their songs. Cos I was not sure if their jazz and R&B fusion would sway the jury into picking them over the hot favourites in this category.
The husband and wife team of Ajai & Nurul singing “Serasi“…
BEST MALE ARTISTE / ARTIS LELAKI TERBAIK
AWIE (Malaysia)
JAI (Singapore)
MARCELL (Indonesia)
VINCE (Malaysia)
Initial Predictions: Marcell
Eventual Winner: Marcell
My thoughts: No disrespect to the rest who were nominated in the category but I felt that they were there just to make up the numbers. How else do you explain only four nominees??? If Mawi had been nominated, it would have proved my findings even more blatantly spot-on. Ok, ok I’m being mean, but really there were quite a few male artistes who released albums last year, how come only four made the grade??? Were the rest of the albums not good enough or lacked the necessary quality to be included??? The wise judges have the answers…
BEST FEMALE ARTISTE / ARTIS WANITA TERBAIK
AUDY (Indonesia)
JACLYN VICTOR (Malaysia)
KRIS DAYANTI (Indonesia)
ROSSA (Indonesia)
TITI DJ (Indonesia)
Initial Predictions: Jaclyn Victor
Eventual Winner: Jaclyn Victor
My thoughts: Spot on again!!! I knew she would win it and she proved it with her flawless performance that night… There shouldn’t be any disputes whatsoever. Imagine if Siti was nominated, it would have been an interesting competition, not to mention the headache I’ll be experiencing in choosing between heart and head…
BEST DUO / GROUP DUO / KUMPULAN TERBAIK
DEWA
PROJECT POP
PADI
PETERPAN
RADJA
Initial Predictions: Dewa
Eventual Winner: PeterPan
My thoughts: No disputes. They proved over the past year or so that their songs are of a credible quality. Not just their popularity.
Hot Mamas of Ratu…
BEST SONG / LAGU TERBAIK
CINTA – MELLY FEAT. KRIS DAYANTI
DEALOVA – ONCE DEWA
GEMILANG – JACLYN VICTOR
MENANTI SEBUAH JAWABAN – PADI
YANG TERBAIK BAGIMU – ADA BAND FEAT. GITA GUTAWA
Initial Predictions: Dealova – Once Dewa
Eventual Winner: Dealova – Once Dewa
My thoughts: I could not have loved a better song than this. Simple, yet the message of true love from the song almost brings tears to my eyes each time I listen to it.
BEST ALBUM / ALBUM TERBAIK
DAYANG SAYANG KAMU – DAYANG NURFAIZAH
1ST – MALIQ & D’ESSENTIALS
GEMILANG – JACLYN VICTOR
ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK ALEXANDRIA – PETERPAN
SENYAWA CHRISYE – CHRISYE
Initial Predictions: Gemilang – Jaclyn Victor
Eventual Winner: Senyawa Chrisye – Chrisye
My thoughts: The old warrior still has fire in his belly and it shows in his current fight against cancer. A win no one can deny knowing what a genius he is in the regional entertainment circle.
BEST LOCAL ACT (SOLO/DUO/GROUP) / ARTIS SINGAPURA TERBAIK
AHLIFIQIR
EKA MAIRINA
HETTY SARLENE
JAI
SALMA
Initial Predictions: AhliFiqir
Eventual Winner: Ahlifiqir
My thoughts: They deserved it!!! Full stop!!!
Powerful performance from Siti, Rossa, Marcell & Anuar Zain singing Dewa‘s hit “Kangen“…
BEST LOCAL SONG / LAGU TERBAIK SINGAPURA
ANGGUK-ANGGUK GELENG-GELENG – AHLIFIQIR FEAT. MIA
CINTA ABADI – EKA MAIRINA FEAT. ISKANDAR
IRAMA RINDU – SALMA
LADIDADIDA – EKA MAIRINA
TERBONGKAR RAHSIA – AZYZA
Initial Predictions: Angguk-Angguk Geleng-Geleng – AhliFiqir Feat. Mia
Eventual Winner: Cinta Abadi – Eka Mairina Feat. Iskandar
My thoughts: I think the song won because of the beautiful execution by Eka and Iskandar, both who are known exponents of lung-busting vocals. The theme of Love is still the order of the day.
BEST LOCAL ALBUM / ALBUM TERBAIK SINGAPURA
ATAS DASAR CINTA – JAI WAHAB
HARI INI DALAM SEJARAH – AHLIFIQIR
IRAMA RINDU – SALMA
UNTUKMU SELAMANYA – EKA MAIRINA
ZOUL – ZOUL
Initial Predictions: Hari Ini Dalam Sejarah – AhliFiqir
Eventual Winner: Hari Ini Dalam Sejarah – AhliFiqir
My thoughts: No contest, by a long mile…
POPULAR CATEGORIES / KATEGORI POPULAR
Initial Predictions:
MALE: MAWI
FEMALE: SITI NURHALIZA
GROUP: PETERPAN
I knew I missed out on predicting the Most Popular Song when I did the last entry but I had initially thought PeterPan would win it since “Mungkin Nanti” & “Ada Apa Dengan Mu?” had a headstart against Mawi‘s “Aduh Saliha“.
Eventual Winners:
Male: Taufik Batisah
Female: Siti Nurhaliza
Group: PeterPan
Song: Aduh Saliha – Mawi
My thoughts: Getting two out of four correct is not bad. Based on the sudden sweeping phenomenon across the Causeway, Mawi was the unanimous favourite to grab that Most Popular Male Artiste award. But the local fans would have none of it and thanks to the large amount of support from the Fiknatics (fans of Taufik Batisah), Mawi was swept away. I found it ridiculous that some of the Malaysian media allegedly reported that the voting system was flawed, that Taufik was slated to win right from the start. That is a serious allegation made, a slap to the organisers and also Suhaimi Salleh & Associates, the official auditors who have done an extremely good job at auditing awards shows in Singapore and have an excellent track record. I think they just could not accept the fact that Mawi is over-rated.
A pity viewers at home all over the region missed out on Dayang‘s excellent performance…
Ok enough of ranting, time to give the organisers a little reprieve. A very reliable source informed me of the goings-on behind the scenes on why certain things were done and executed. The choice to do the event at Singapore Expo was made after what happened at last year’s event which was held at Suntec City Convention Centre. We can’t deny that artistes just love shopping especially when they roll into town. They would want to shop at the slightest opportunity. But I guess last year, a few of them went a bit too far by going AWOL during the rehearsals. So to play it safe, Singapore Expo was chosen since it is away from town and the major retail outlets. This was a decision which I totally supported as in any rehearsals, time check is very important to simulate the actual event and for the soundmen to check on the quality of sound. By delaying and disrupting, you’re not only wasting other people’s time but testing their patience as well. Work is work, there’s always a time for play. If time is not on your side, then please come earlier or spend the time here a bit longer. You’re paid to do a job so please be professional when it’s time to do your job.
Tam Spider mesmerising the audience with his performance…
Now for the venue itself. The Max Pavilion was chosen as it was newly built for big-scale events. With a bigger space for more people to enjoy the event and boasting a supposedly “better quality” sound system, it was perhaps a win-win situation for everyone. But as those who had gone would have noted, it wasn’t a sell-out like last year, and the poor sound system spoilt the stellar performances and drowned even the excellent vocals of the best singers. Security was also supposedly provided by the Singapore Expo authorities but they were nowhere to be found when the fans swarmed the front, each time there was an interval.
Food-wise (the one allegedly served during the post-party event), I can only defend this much for the organisers with my own brand of theory, if what was reported by Malay Mail was really true. Singapore is well known as a food paradise and since we have many food outlets and joints that open well into the night, I’m sure the artistes would want to hit these places and sample our food fare, which for some of them, they can’t get in their own countries. So it could be that the food served during the post-party event was meant as a filler of sorts before they go out and have a good feast elsewhere. I hope my angle is spot-on rather than just blatantly blame the organisers for serving “budget” food cos I’m sure the organisers would not want to shoot themselves on the foot that way.
For such a prestigious event, with all its pomp and pageantry, I felt very disappointed that things turned out in such a negative way. Knowing how cynical the media across the Causeway can be, they’ll be having a field day lashing out at what happened. Already the voting system has been questioned. More followed suit in the weekend papers regarding the sound system, technical glitches, how “cheap” the show has turned into and so on and so forth. Even our artistes were not spared either with regards to their performances. I hope whichever Mediacorp staff reading this would not take my comments as a way of hitting out at them. I love APM and I am proud that it is produced locally for people in the region. I only want to see it grow in stature and having standards higher than the likes of Malaysia‘s Anugerah Industri Muzik, Anugerah ERA, Anugerah Juara Lagu, Anugerah Bintang Popular, Anugerah Sri Angkasa or Indonesia‘s Anugerah Muzik Indonesia, Anugerah MTV Indonesia and the similar likes of it.
Ferhad, Jaclyn Victor & Syed Azmir singing “Cinta“…
I know even without me pointing out, the management and organising committee would have noted the shortcomings of the event and strive to improve on the following year’s edition. I still rate the event higher than any other shows in the region and will continue to support it in years to come. Maybe this year was a blip which I’m sure the organisers did not want to experience either. They will do well to learn and make it a better one next year. That I am very confident of. So here’s looking forward to APM2007, but first stop is next month’s Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM) at Putra World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur, the 13th edition of the series and my 5th time attending it (God willing, if our General Elections does not fall on that particular weekend)…
P.S. Please do visit the following blogs and read these bloggers’ commentaries on APM2006. Be forewarned!!! Read with an open mind!!! Sultan Muzaffar & Mulut Jahat…
Dull Week…
For starters, I would like to thank “Anonymous” whose comments in the last entry I’ve deleted cos of its unscrupulously rude and downright unclassy nature. I know no one else have seen it cos it will just start another blog war. I had enough of reading other people’s wars. This numbskull whom I’ve traced to the beautiful city of Dubai claims to pity my placid wife for having a hubby who yaks like a woman and pour forth women issues in my entries. Well, I dunno about you guys but I just feel that for a guy to discuss feminine issues would after all increase his knowledge and understanding of the fairer gender. Well definitely you don’t call a gynaecologist a sissy, do you??? I dunno what he / she was getting at. Yeah so females dominate the blogging world, but that doesn’t mean guys can’t blog and rant either. My wife will be the first to admit I’m not the kind of person who nags like what he / she claims I do in my entries. Dubai‘s population is approximately 1.4 million. Finding the culprit is like finding a needle in a haystack. It could be anyone I know, or don’t. I just hope it’s not who I think it is. Ahhh what the heck!!! I’ll just delete the comments if it gets too nasty. Had enough of blog wars already. Don’t need one in mine…
I really have no clue on what to type about this week. It’s been rather mundane of late. Nothing newsworthy to report but I’m certainly looking forward to Anugerah Planet Muzik 2006 this Friday. So since it’s just a few days away, why not I do a bit of crystal-ball gazing and predict the winners of this prestigious event, just to add some spice to my entry??? Here goes…
BEST NEW ARTISTE (MALE) / ARTIS LELAKI BARU TERBAIK
ADAM (Malaysia)
ADY (Indonesia)
ELLO (Indonesia)
MIKE (Indonesia)
SHANON (Indonesia)
The problem with this category is that a majority of Singaporean listeners have yet to listen to songs by Ady and Shanon. As for the rest in the group, most of us have only listened to one single each – Adam (Tak Tahu), Ello (Pergi Untuk Kembali) and Mike (Semua Untuk Cinta). So this is a tough one to predict but I have a feeling the winner is a toss up between Ello and Mike. Either way, the Indonesian guys will win this one. Adam is a tad weak compared to the vocal prowess of his Indonesian rivals, no disrespect to him.
BEST NEW ARTISTE (FEMALE) / ARTIS WANITA BARU TERBAIK
ADIBAH NOOR (Malaysia)
EKA MAIRINA (Singapore)
HELENA (Indonesia)
NIKKI (Malaysia)
SHARIFAH ZARINA (Malaysia)
I’ve listened to most of the songs in Eka‘s and Adibah‘s albums and just one single each from Nikki (Caramu) & Sharifah Zarina (Langit Ke-7). Helena is definitely unheard of over here. To me, it’s a 3-way fight between Eka, Adibah and Nikki. Why I’m bold enough to include Nikki is because her songs and vocals are of the quality of Indonesian artistes and we all know when it comes to the Indonesians, they are superior in many aspects in the regional music industry. For sentimental reasons, I’d like Adibah Noor to win. Here’s a talent whose octave level is a 7 and held back for a decade just because music producers think she can’t make it because of her weight. Times have changed and people are more receptive to talents than just looks. And I’ve watched her live a couple of times and am extremely impressed with her performances. For that Adibah gets my vote for Best New Female Artiste.
BEST NEW DUO / GROUP DUO / KUMPULAN BARU TERBAIK
AHLIFIQIR (Singapore)
J-ROCKS (Indonesia)
MALIQ & D’ESSENTIALS (Indonesia)
SAYKOJI (Indonesia)
TANGGA (Indonesia)
In an Indonesian dominated category, I would have cried foul had AhliFiqir not been included in this category. They’ve swept the music industry in Singapore and Malaysia by storm with their brand of rap that infuses ethnic influences and the usage of Malay idioms and poetry. Though the others in the group are equally strong in their own rights, for the sake of my local artiste, I’m plumping for them to win this one, to follow up another local band’s win in this category last year (BhumiBand).
BEST MALE ARTISTE / ARTIS LELAKI TERBAIK
AWIE (Malaysia)
JAI (Singapore)
MARCELL (Indonesia)
VINCE (Malaysia)
Funny how come this category only had 4 nominees. The standard must have dropped or male artistes did not produce enough quality albums to be included. To me, Marcell has the edge on this though if the rest were to win, I wouldn’t be the least bothered. That says it all how much interest I have on this category.
BEST FEMALE ARTISTE / ARTIS WANITA TERBAIK
AUDY (Indonesia)
JACLYN VICTOR (Malaysia)
KRIS DAYANTI (Indonesia)
ROSSA (Indonesia)
TITI DJ (Indonesia)
Another Indonesian dominated category. There’s a slew of repackaged albums coming from the Indonesians this year with Marcell, Audy & Kris Dayanti contributing to the cause, which do not impress me much. Not that I have anything against the Indonesians, but I feel that Jaclyn Victor is an amazing talent that needs regional exposure to show her worth cos I’ve watched her too many times on Malaysian TV, and she’s proved she has the vocal gymnastics to give her Indonesian counterparts a run for their money. So I’ll go with Jac, even if Kris Dayanti is a safer bet.
BEST DUO / GROUP DUO / KUMPULAN TERBAIK
DEWA
PROJECT POP
PADI
PETERPAN
RADJA
We seem to have a lot of Indonesian artistes hogging the categories this year. This only proves to one and all that their quality in producing music is way up there compared to Malaysia and Singapore. This group is too open to predict as each nominee is a giant in their own rights. But if I were to choose, based on sentimental reasons and because I respect their longevity, I’ll plump for Dewa. They are the original music geniuses.
BEST SONG / LAGU TERBAIK
CINTA – MELLY FEAT. KRIS DAYANTI
DEALOVA – ONCE DEWA
GEMILANG – JACLYN VICTOR
MENANTI SEBUAH JAWABAN – PADI
YANG TERBAIK BAGIMU – ADA BAND FEAT. GITA GUTAWA
All the songs slated in this category are beautifully-crafted songs, simple yet with a message on its own and conveying deep feelings that range from love to filial piety. Again, this category is too open but if you were to ask me, based on personal favourite, I’d like “Dealova” to win…
BEST ALBUM / ALBUM TERBAIK
DAYANG SAYANG KAMU – DAYANG NURFAIZAH
1ST – MALIQ & D’ESSENTIALS
GEMILANG – JACLYN VICTOR
ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK ALEXANDRIA – PETERPAN
SENYAWA CHRISYE – CHRISYE
I feel this is a toss-up between Gemilang and the Original Sountrack of Alexandria. Gemilang has the edge in terms of the number of quality composers who contributed their works and producers who produced this album. That does not mean PeterPan is not good, they are, but I just have this gut feeling that Gemilang will take off with this one.
BEST LOCAL ACT (SOLO/DUO/GROUP) / ARTIS SINGAPURA TERBAIK
AHLIFIQIR
EKA MAIRINA
HETTY SARLENE
JAI
SALMA
The jury picking the winners would definitely look at just two – AhliFiqir and Eka. And since AhliFiqir‘s influence has reached across the shores, I have no doubt they’ll edge this.
BEST LOCAL SONG / LAGU TERBAIK SINGAPURA
ANGGUK-ANGGUK GELENG-GELENG – AHLIFIQIR FEAT. MIA
CINTA ABADI – EKA MAIRINA FEAT. ISKANDAR
IRAMA RINDU – SALMA
LADIDADIDA – EKA MAIRINA
TERBONGKAR RAHSIA – AZYZA
Tell me which has been the most infectious local song in 2005 when you scan through the list and chances are only the first one sticks in your memory. A subtle dig at the Malay community with its catchy tunes and lyrics makes Angguk-Angguk Geleng-Geleng a sure bet. And I’m not plumping for it based on popularity cos this is not a popularity category.
BEST LOCAL ALBUM / ALBUM TERBAIK SINGAPURA
ATAS DASAR CINTA – JAI WAHAB
HARI INI DALAM SEJARAH – AHLIFIQIR
IRAMA RINDU – SALMA
UNTUKMU SELAMANYA – EKA MAIRINA
ZOUL – ZOUL
This is a three-way fight between Jai, Eka & AhliFiqir but again when it comes to influence, the latter has made the most impact across both sides of the Causeway. And based on past experiences, the jury tend to pick someone who has the most impact in at least Malaysia, if not Indonesia as well. Remember what happened to Hazrul Nizam in 2004??? He was nominated in 7 categories but ended up with zilch cos he wasn’t known outside Singapore back then.
POPULAR CATEGORIES / KATEGORI POPULAR
MALE: MAWI
FEMALE: SITI NURHALIZA
GROUP: PETERPAN
Mawi‘s choice is obvious. People just love him though till now I feel he can only sing nasyid songs or recite the Holy Qur’an from what we’ve seen of him during last Ramadhan on Malaysian TV. He is the “King of SMS“. He’s starting to be the male Siti Nurhaliza, in that he will always win, no matter who his rivals are. But in terms of quality, sorry, he pales in comparison in many aspects…
Siti??? What can I say??? Into the 6th year, she’s still going strong and a 6th consecutive title since the event’s inception, will do just nice for her in the one category she’s nominated in this time around, since she did not release any albums last year.
Even though Radja made a late surge into the popularity stakes in the latter half of 2005, I still think Peterpan has enough fans from the Nusantara, to vote for them. They are afterall the first group to have sold 2 million album copies in Indonesia. That says a lot about their popularity. Coupled with that from fans in Malaysia and Singapore, I can’t see anyone else beating them though deep down the patriotism in me would like to see AhliFiqir win this.
So there you have it, I might be right, I might be wrong. But I did it all for fun. At least to keep myself occupied before the big day comes. Till my next entry which I will report on the event, cheerios…
