First October = First Syawal

P/S:

Baju raya tahun lepas dipakai lagi,
Hari-hari dicuci biar berseri,
Blog diupdate sebagai pengganti diri,
Bukan sengaja lupakan tradisi,
Tapi ikut teknologi di hujung jari.

"SALAM KEMAAFAN DI AIDILFITRI",
Dari Yuzaidi.

Marketing Lesson

I see a gorgeous girl at a party. I go up to her and say, “I am very rich. Marry me!” That’s Direct Marketing.

I'm at a party with a bunch of friends and see a gorgeous girl. One of my friends goes up to her and pointing at me says, “He’s very rich. Marry him.” That’s Advertising.

I see a gorgeous girl at a party. I go up to her and get her telephone number. The next day I call her and say, “Hi, I’m very rich. Marry me.” That’s Telemarketing.

I see a gorgeous girl at a party. I go up to her and say, “I’m rich. Marry me.” She gives me a nice hard slap on my face. That’s Customer Feedback.

P/S: I'm a good marketer...huhu

Communicate to a being

Verbal communication will get distractions out of my system. Should I call up a friend?

Recent developments in my romantic life is on my mind, big time, today. In fact, they are keeping me from giving my full attention to other important matters and important people. So in order to clear the clouds from this head, I should need to talk it out. Verbal communication has long been one of my strengths, and today I hope it will help to get some distractions out of self system. Probably, call up friends and ask them if I can spill out a few guts to them. Wish they'll say yes -- they always do.

P/S: Thinking to organize break fast with my fellow IBMers today...

F**k Lah’s economic

SEPT 18 — Wall Street Journal Asia

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced this week that he has enough parliamentary support to unseat the current government, led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. If he does, Abdullah's lacklustre economic management will be largely to blame.

The prime minister has not introduced any substantive reforms during his nearly five years in office, preferring to rely instead on opening up the government purse. Under the Ninth Malaysia Plan announced in 2005, he expanded public-sector spending to RM200 billion annually from RM160 billion. In his Midterm Plan Review this year, he increased this outlay to RM240 billion. The national debt now stands at RM285 billion, up from RM192 billion in 2004. The official fiscal deficit has risen to 4.8% of GDP this year, from 3.2% last year. Revenue is being spent faster than it is coming in.

It's hard to argue that these outlays have served the broad public interest. Much of the funding has been channelled to elites in the majority Malay community, under the country's pro-Malay affirmation action programme. That has created discontent with many Malay who don't see the full benefits of the programme, and among the minority Chinese and Indians, who are excluded from it altogether.

Abdullah's stewardship has had a real impact on the economy. Capital flight has risen sharply; Malaysian investment abroad now exceeds inward foreign investment. The Kuala Lumpur stock exchange has lost almost one-fifth of its value this year to date. Malaysia's currency, the ringgit, saw its biggest one-month loss last month since the end of the dollar peg in 2005. Although GDP growth has averaged a robust 5% annual growth under Abdullah, that record is now under threat. Inflation reached a record 8.5% this summer. Job creation has reached record lows, as unemployment, particularly among young majority Malays, remains high. Ironically, only the opposition-led state governments are attracting new foreign investment — and without the federal government's help, no less.

Abdullah's 2004 attempts to promote growth and investment — such as through the promotion of the biotechnology and agricultural industries — have failed. He also fumbled discussions with the United States on a free trade agreement, which have now stalled. What Malaysia really needs is education reform and the liberalisation of its labour markets to improve its economic competitiveness.

The political opposition, in the form of Anwar and his Pakatan Rakyat coalition, have seized on these issues. They have promised to root out corruption and to implement a new economic policy to address the concerns of all ethnic communities in Malaysia. Their platform aims to move beyond populist spending to introduce structural reforms in government procurement programmes and in the management of government-linked companies.

When Abdullah assumed office in 2004, he inherited an economy in need of structural reform. Malaysians have had to pay for his poor stewardship through higher prices, stagnating wages and growing private sector debt. Soon, Abdullah may have to pay the political price for that record.

Stay healthy with muslim diet

Some religions have tenets that govern what followers can and cannot eat. Muslims follow a halal diet, or “permissible” foods under Muslim dietary law. Foods that are forbidden are haraam and it's easier to list the foods that aren't allowed instead of what is allowed. The forbidden foods are meat from animals that die from disease or that are not killed by another Muslim, the meat of carnivores, all cuts of pork and pork products including JELL-O, cheeses made with pork renin, and alcohol.

Non-Muslims may think that a halal diet means eating vegetarian if their Muslim friends refuse meat at meals. Some Muslims may choose not to eat meat because they cannot be sure the meat is halal or they may choose to be vegetarian or vegan for other reasons. However, all other meat (chicken, beef, lamb, goat, fish) can be eaten as long as it is prepared accordingly and not contaminated by haraam foods. It's actually easy to eat a healthy and well-balanced diet when following a halal diet, and staying healthy on a Muslim diet is equally as easy.

Here is some more insights on what it means to follow this diet and how to go about staying healthy on a Muslim diet.

Healthy eating
Chapati and rice are staples of the Muslim diet. Chapati is made with whole wheat flour and whole grains tend to be nutrient-dense. They are high in fiber, vitamins and minerals and tend to have a low glycemic index. Eating more whole grains is associated with improved insulin sensitivity, better glycemic control and a reduced risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease, and it’s good for staying healthy on a Muslim diet. Eating chapati filled with vegetables and beans is a very healthy meal and can provide adequate amounts of fiber and protein.

When preparing rice, choose brown rice over white for its glycemic index. Brown rice won’t cause a rapid spike in blood sugar; it will provide fuel for your workout and keep you full longer. Rice and beans is a common meal across all cultures. They are complementary proteins and, when combined, they can provide all nine essential amino acids that are found in animal proteins.

Benefits of spices
Halal food is often prepared with an abundance of spice. The most common spice used is curry. Curry powder does have health benefits, and contributes to one staying healthy on a Muslim diet. Turmeric is an ingredient in curry that is an antioxidant and can lower the risk of developing colon cancer, heart disease and arthritis. There is another benefit to eating spicy foods; capsaicin found in hot peppers helps curb appetite and increases metabolic activity because it is a thermogenic agent. That can be a plus if you find yourself always reaching for unhealthy snacks with very low nutrient value. So, if you love the spicy foods you can prepare on a halal diet, go for it. You can add spice and flavor to meals by using ginger, curry, paprika, and red pepper. However, beware of some of the spice mixes; they are high in sodium.

If you work out, over time, the combined benefits of spicy food and strength training can increase metabolism. This is just one of the many ways staying healthy on a Muslim diet is possible.

Portion size
The halal diet encourages healthy eating, but it is important to eat enough. A 165 pound man needs approximately 2,800 to 3,200 calories a day to maintain his weight. The average man needs to ingest one gram of protein per kilogram of body weight. Adequate amounts of protein can be obtained from beans, nuts, eggs, yogurt, milk, and cheese. You need protein to build and repair muscle, skin and hair, but you don't have to overdo it. Roughly 25% to 30% of your calories should come from protein. One cup of milk has eight grams of protein. An eight ounce container of yogurt has about 11 grams of protein, a cup of beans has 16 grams of protein, and a three ounce cut of meat has about 21 grams of protein. The other 60% of your total daily calories should come from complex carbs and 10% to 15% should come from fats.

Losing weight on a Muslim diet
If you’re trying to lose weight, don't skip meals. Your body will assume it’s starving and your metabolism will slow down. This is counterproductive. Instead, cut calories by 500 per day. That will equal one pound of weight loss per week, which is healthy. To gain weight, increase your diet by 500 calories for a healthy weight gain of one to two pounds a week. Be sure to eat complex, not simple, carbohydrates. Choose low glycemic foods; they won't spike blood sugar too quickly. Cook with healthy fats, such as olive oil or canola oil. After your workouts, choose post-workout meals to replace utilized carbs and protein; a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is a good balance of protein and carbs.
healthy eating

P/S: As with any diet, when eating according to Muslim law on a halal diet, be sure you’re eating everything in moderation to stay healthy.

Jobs not to outsource

Unless you are an elected official or burn the midnight oil as a performer at an adult entertainment club, it is likely that you have had concern about losing your job to the winds of outsourcing at some point. This concern is certainly valid since some counts have nearly 1.6 million jobs moving overseas in 2010 -- up almost threefold since 2005. Furthermore, these are not just manufacturing jobs that we’re talking about. Of course, we’ve all heard of the computer programming and data entry jobs that find their way overseas to places like India, but the U.S. job marketplace is also starting to see jobs in sales, architecture, legal, and even management positions being outsourced.

Fortunately, the situation is not hopeless. In addition to the Bureau of Labor reporting that there are more workers in America than ever before, regardless of the outsourcing trend, there are many jobs that are unlikely to be outsourced. Here are a few to consider:

Health care

It is not exactly convenient to fly overseas when it comes time to visit the dentist or the doctor’s office. Furthermore, with a large segment of the population aging, we will also see record numbers of people entering nursing homes or assisted living facilities -- and odds are that these denizens will prefer to stay in the U.S. than relocate to an overseas facility for outsourced care. In short, people will need medical care and it needs to be in their backyard -- not a different country.

In addition to the traditional fields, such as a nurse or physician, there is a wealth of other positions that make the health-care field go. Consider a career as a pharmacist or pharmacy technician or perhaps a research or science career within a pharmaceutical company. Health-care administration and management is a rapidly growing field and allows for the application of an array of business and professional skills as well -- after all, health-care establishments are businesses and need to be properly run. As long as people live in this country, health care will remain here at home and the jobs that support the industry won’t be outsourced.

Construction

I think we can all safely say that it would be hard for someone overseas to build your house. Although many technological advances have been made through the years, buildings are still built the old fashioned way -- by hand. This is not to say that you should leave your office job to pour cement -- though it can be quite profitable.

Think about the industries that cater to construction. If you like being outside and tasked with the responsibility, a job as a construction manager might be your calling, especially since it’s not easy to crack the whip (among many other management duties) from an outsourced location across the ocean. Engineering jobs, regardless of the concentration, are also in demand in the U.S. and essential to the construction industry.

We have all heard that these types of jobs are being outsourced, but the reality is that they are not. Consider a country like India: it needs to keep as many of its engineers as possible since it has a population that’s roughly four times greater than the U.S.’s and shows far more construction and development growth than us. India also produces far fewer engineers than U.S. universities do. It would seem that for the foreseeable future, construction and engineering jobs will most likely remain intact and immune from outsourcing.

Real estate

Your house is here, the office building you work in is here, the land you want to buy is here, and the people that make real estate happen are here. Realtor and the myriad of other jobs that encompass the real estate industry -- everything from attorneys, mortgage officers, appraisers, insurance agents, and even decorators -- are possible career options that likely won’t be outsourced. Additionally, real estate is a highly regulated industry in the U.S. and many jobs require licenses that must be obtained and maintained. It is, therefore, difficult from a legal standpoint to outsource real estate jobs. Financial services, another highly regulated industry and one that also has the keep-it-at-home mentality, offers similar protection from outsourcing.

Education

The population of our country is growing and the enrollment rate at higher-education institutions is expected to grow at an even faster clip in the years to come. This means that there will be a demand for jobs in education and despite technological advances that enable online learning and courses, the vast majority of education will remain at brick-and-mortar facilities.

Even if you feel that you are not cut out to be a classroom teacher or a university professor, the trail of jobs within education does not stop there. Universities, in particular, operate as self-sustaining businesses with full finance, food service, administration, leadership, and security positions. Grade schools are also seeing an increase in jobs that are not typically thought to be related to teaching, such as guidance counselors, resource officers, speech pathologists, and even behavioral therapists.

You can even think beyond traditional schooling and turn to such things as working for a professional training or consulting firm or a continuing education firm. As long as people in this country seek education, whether it’s for children or professionals seeking to augment their career path with new skills, there will be a need for trained educators and supporting personnel -- none of which can be easily outsourced.

Public service

The military may also be an interesting option since there are countless jobs that run the machine, and most are not directly combat related. The jobs available in the military are as varied as in the civilian sector and because the military operates much like a business you can expect to find work in communications, management, food service, administration, personal care, therapy, technology and computers, finance, and much more.

USMilitary.com is a great resource that provides dozens of examples of job openings among the military branches along with the civilian equivalent of the job. Similar capacities, though not as diverse, are available through local public service organizations, such as the police or fire departments. The facts remain that you cannot fight a fire or serve and protect from overseas, and you have to be a citizen to serve in the military. Add those things together, and these jobs are certainly outsource proof.

Outsource outcry

Of course, the best vaccine you can have against losing your job to outsourcing is to ensure you continue to be valuable to your organization. If you continue to build on the knowledge and skills that make you integral to the success of your organization, it will be difficult to replace you -- especially from overseas. You may also want to consider the most outsource-proof job of all -- running your own business. Certainly, there are risks involved with that approach, but it will be totally up to you whether or not to outsource yourself. If none of the above interest you, you can always strive to become an elected official -- I doubt the U.S. will outsource its government anytime soon.

Mafia Lessons: Raise A Man

Even if you’ve yet to prove that your boys can swim, maybe you’ve already thought about how to take a boy and raise a man, and how to instill in him the virtues of manliness. The first step is to be clear about what manliness is. With many empty qualities floating out there for men to desperately cling to, it can be difficult to define. However, if you’re looking to raise a good old-fashioned paisan of a man who does well with the ladies, makes a good income and doesn’t shy away from cafones and the occasional rat, then don’t go anywhere -- Mafia Lesson has some foolproof tips up his sleeve for whipping a boy into shape without relying on such banned techniques as whipping, beating, spanking, and shaking (although… no, never mind). Here’s how to raise a man.

Put him in the ring
If you’ve ever seen the brilliant Martin Scorsese flick Raging Bull where Robert De Niro plays the former middleweight champ Jake La Motta, then you know that a boxing pedigree can help your kid be as tough as nails. Of course, most professional boxers also happen to be meatheads. All you want, though, is to toughen your boy up so that he’s able to deal with the school bully when the time comes.

Of course, another option is martial arts, but they’re a waste of time. Unless your kid goes on to be an MMA guy, there’s no use in learning karate or kung fu. Remember: This is Malaysia where bullies still use their fists to prove their point. And as kids get older, the situation doesn’t really change much since all you really need when dealing with slimy swindlers is how to land the first punch. And boxing will teach your kid how to sneak a surprise attack while also preparing him to block that first punch.

Teach him to shoot something
As with most things in life, timing is everything when you’re raising a kid. If your boy has a good head on his shoulders, there comes a time when he should learn how to handle a gun, as this will help you raise a man. Ideally, you would be an avid hunter who takes weekend deer-hunting trips or guns down quail to grill on Sunday nights. Nevertheless, boys are inevitably curious about guns, and it’s better that you show him how to shoot before he tracks down his own silly reasons for pretending he’s in a video game.

So, if you live in the city, take him to some grimy alley and let him shoot rats. If you live in the country but don’t hunt, line up a few empties and let him pop them off.

Give him some work
Everyone needs to work, even little guys. Too often, parents are content sending their kids to school and then sticking them in front of the TV or the computer when they get home. This is the lazy man’s approach to parenting and it will fry your son’s brain. You may recall your own youth and the kind of raging energy you had. Boys need to play, they need to compete in sports and they need to be outdoors. So, when he’s too young to hold down a job, make sure to keep him busy by having him paint the house, cut the grass or pick up the groceries.

It’s also a good idea to build the boy’s self-confidence by sending him on important errands that he can’t tell his mother about. Maybe this means spying on someone’s activities or being a low-level messenger. Either way, the idea is to provide the boy with things that are exciting, that teach him responsibility and that fuel ideas of his own self-worth.

Send him to a strict private school
The trouble with most public schools is that they’re chronically underfunded. Not only that, but there is no unifying vision at these places. Sure, anyone can go, but is it really in your son’s best interest to learn in a place where discipline is as obsolete as the guillotine? Instead, try a little old world order when you want to raise a man. A good strict school will teach your boy the values of tradition and history while instilling in him a reasonable sense of moral order. Besides, the reason many young kids fly off the handle and make terrible decisions when left to their own devices is because they’ve haven’t been taught anything about their past, their history or their ancestry. As a result, they’re so future-obsessed that they have no profound sense of right and wrong.

Take him to a strip club
Yes, the strip club, that timeless establishment where boys will be boys and women will strip. Aside from being a good rite of passage for a young man, the strip club is a place where business happens, where men meet to unwind, where men smoke and drink and talk dirty to their hearts’ content. For a young man, the strip club provides a fine setting for his mind to learn about what men do in their free time. Not only that, but it might help him understand why you’re so late in getting home every once in a while.

Teach him how to cut a piece of meat
When I first left home, I got my first and only present from my father. It consisted of a meat cleaver, a set of steak knives and a knife-sharpener. He was making the point that a man may not know how to blend spices like the Iron Chef, however he should not only know how to carve the Christmas turkey but also how to prepare and cook a good piece of meat. So when you fire up the barbecue, get your son involved. If you want to raise a man, make him drop a steak on the grill, teach him how long to leave the steak on the heat and have him slice the meat. That way, you can relax with a cigar while little Johnny takes care of making it rare.

Today is Thursday

September 11, 2008 (V7 for Al-Qaeda Wars against US)

For Capricorn

The Bottom Line

Don't strategize life based on how much money you want. Focus on quality of life.

In Detail

This is not a good time to strategize your life based on how much money you want to make. Your career advancement should be structured around what you want to learn, what you want to gain experience doing, and the types of people you want to interact with. Doing something just because it will earn you more money than something else is way too shortsighted. And you don't want to be stuck in a trap later on, unable to break free. Focus on what you want to do, not how much you want to make.

Samad is Utusan

Oleh ZAINUDDIN MAIDIN, Utusan Malaysia, 5 September 2008

Sekalipun Tokoh Wartawan Negara, Abdul Samad Ismail telah meninggalkan Utusan Melayu lama sebelum pemergian abadinya dengan bertugas di akhbar-akhbar lain tetapi tidak ada suatu zaman yang lebih besar dan lebih bererti sepanjang 84 tahun usianya kecuali hari-harinya di Utusan Melayu selama lebih 17 tahun. Hari-hari inilah yang terus memburu hidupnya, menjadi ceritanya sepanjang masa, mempengaruhi dan membentuk keperibadiannya, menjadi kenang-kenangan hebat, indah dan keagungan hidupnya.

Menurut riwayat isterinya Allahyarhamah Hamidah Hassan, Samad tetap orang Utusan ketika berkerja di Berita Harian dan pada satu masa Samad adalah Utusan dan Utusan adalah Samad (lihat buku A. Samad Ismail Journalisme and Politics susunan Cheah Boon Kheng).

Memulakan kariernya di Utusan Melayu di Singapura pada umur 16 tahun ketika Utusan yang dilahirkan pada 29 Mei 1939, baru berumur setahun jagung, Samad tidak sahaja sebagai wartawan tetapi juga pejuang yang berhempas pulas bersama-sama pengasas Utusan Melayu, Yusoff Ishak dan beberapa orang wartawan yang jauh lebih dewasa daripadanya untuk memastikan Utusan Melayu terus hidup sebagai suara dan wadah perjuangan bangsa.

Samad tidak mengambil kira tentang kedudukannya dalam Utusan ketika itu sehinggalah beliau ditahan di bawah undang-undang darurat pada tahun 1951 kerana kegiatan politik kirinya dalam Parti Kebangsaan Melayu (PKM) dan Putera-AMCIA. Utusan terpaksa mencari istilah nama jawatannya.

Hanya setelah dibebaskan pada tahun 1953 barulah kedudukan beliau dirasmikan sebagai Timbalan Pengarang “tetapi itu pun tanpa surat rasmi” katanya dalam tulisannya di Utusan Melayu keluaran 50 tahun pada 29 Mei 1989. Menurutnya pada mereka yang terdidik di Utusan sebanyak sedikit nilai hidup zaman permulaan mereka di Utusan Melayu masih kekal hingga sekarang.

“Pada kami Utusan adalah warisan bangsa yang diamanahkan kepada kami untuk membela dan memperjuangkan cita-cita kebangsaan.”

Pemisahannya daripada Utusan Melayu tanpa kerelaannya menjelang kemerdekaan Malaya pada tahun I957 adalah suatu episod yang amat melukakan hatinya.

“Sampai mati pun aku tidak akan lupa aku tidak dapat melihat perayaan kemerdekaan tanah airku,” katanya kepada wartawan anak didiknya di Utusan Melayu, Allahyarham Ali Salim yang terkenal dengan panggil Jiro.

Samad dihantar menjadi wakil Utusan Melayu di Jakarta kerana menurut apa dimaklumkan kepadanya oleh Yusoff Ishak, Ketua Pengarang dan Pengarah Urusan Utusan bahawa beliau tidak disenangi oleh kerajaan Perikatan yang bakal berkuasa di Malaya dan sekiranya beliau terus mengetuai Jabatan Pengarang Utusan Melayu, Utusan tidak akan mendapat lesen cetak apabila berpindah ke Kuala Lumpur. Bagaimanapun singa UMNO, Syed Jaafar Albar yang mempunyai hubungan baik dengan Samad pada masa itu memberitahu Samad dalam sepucuk suratnya bertarikh 2 Julai 1957 bahawa hal itu “palsu yang direka-reka oleh kapitalis – yang oportunis.”

Siapakah di belakang perancangan pertukarannya itu tidak diketahui tetapi ramai orang tahu bahawa Lee Kuan Yew, Ketua Menteri Singapura yang pernah menjadi peguam Utusan mempunyai hubungan rapat dengan Yusoff Ishak. Kuan Yew tidak senang dengan Samad yang bersekongkol dengan kumpulan kiri dalam PAP yang diketuai Lim Chin Siong. Samad adalah salah seorang pengasas PAP bersama dengan Kuan Yew tetapi kerana tidak sefahaman, beliau mengundurkan diri.

Kuan Yew melantik Yusoff Ishak menjadi Presiden Singapura yang pertama setelah beliau meninggalkan Utusan atas desakan anggota Jabatan Pengarang dan kakitangan Utusan Melayu di Kuala Lumpur dalam tahun I959.

Pak Samad tidak disenangi dan ditakuti oleh Kuan Yew mungkin kerana kepintarannya dan juga pengaruhnya yang luas di kalangan masyarakat Melayu, puak kiri daripada semua kaum termasuk kesatuan sekerja dan kalangan pelajar menengah Cina di Singapura. Di dalam buku memoirnya yang kedua From Third World to First World, Kuan Yew mendakwa Samad sebagai anggota Parti Komunis Malaya sejak tahun 1950. Buku ini juga menceritakan peranan Kuan Yew dalam konspirasi dengan Kerajaan Malaysia bagi menahan Samad di bawah Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) dalam tahun 1976 selepas kematian Perdana Menteri, Tun Abdul Razak. Ia menampakkan dendam yang tidak berkesudahan Kuan Yew terhadap Samad sekalipun beliau telah berhijrah ke Kuala Lumpur setelah meninggalkan Utusan Melayu untuk berkhidmat dengan Berita Harian sejak 1958 apabila pulang dari Jakarta.

Di Straits Times (ST) Kuala Lumpur di samping tugas kewartawanannya, Samad meneruskan peranannya sebagai seorang nasionalis dan pejuang politik dengan merancang pengambilan alih Straits Times daripada penguasaan asing yang bertunjang di Singapura. Ini menepati apa yang dikatakan oleh isterinya Hamidah; “He was not too anxious to surrender his individuality to his new employers.”

Berbeza

Menurut Cheah Boon Kheng yang ketika itu bertugas sebagai penulis rencana di Straits Times, Samad telah mengambil kesempatan untuk meneruskan agendanya ketika tindakan perusahaan ‘kerja perlahan’ anggota Jabatan Pengarang Straits Times di Kuala Lumpur kerana tidak puas hati dengan perbezaan gaji dan lain-lain layanan kerja yang terlalu jauh berbeza dengan pegawai-pegawai asing. Boon Kheng menulis dalam A.Samad Ismail Journalisme and Politics bahawa Samad yang merancang gerakan yang membawa kepada Perdana Menteri, Tun Abdul Razak dan Tunku Razaleigh ketika itu Menteri Kewangan mengarahkan syarikat Straits Times memindahkan pemilikannya ke tangan rakyat Malaysia.

Sebelum itu Kesatuan Kebangsaan Wartawan Malaysia (NUJ) yang saya sebagai Presidennya dan Hor Sai Kong daripada Straits Times sebagai Setiausaha Agungnya telah menyampaikan sebuah memorandum yang bertajuk Expatriates in The Malaysian Press kepada Perdana Menteri Tun Abdul Razak menuntut supaya wartawan tempatan mengambil alih Jabatan Pengarang Straits Times. Bagaimanapun pada mulanya kami menghadapi masalah untuk mendapat temu janji dengan Tun Abdul Razak. Saya telah menjemput Datuk Harun Idris, Ketua Pemuda UMNO Malaysia untuk bercakap di Utusan mengenai perlunya pemilikan media oleh rakyat Malaysia sendiri terutamanya akhbar Inggeris.

Oleh kerana sudah timbul bunga-bunga persaingan politik antara Datuk Harun dengan Tun Abdul Razak pada masa itu maka langkah membawa Datuk Harun ke Utusan telah membantu memudahkan pertemuan kami dengan Tun Abdul Razak. Tiba-tiba Hor Sai Kong memberitahu saya bahawa jalan terbuka sekarang. Saya tahu siapakah yang mengaturkan pertemuan itu. Pucuk pimpinan NUJ dengan diketuai saya (Utusan Melayu) dan disertai Hor Sai Kong (Straits Times), Philip Mathews (Straits Times) dan C.C.Liew (Sin Chew) telah menemui Tun Abdul Razak di pejabatnya untuk hanya kira-kira lima minit sahaja bagi menyampaikan memorandum berkenaan yang mempunyai fakta lengkap jumlah rakyat asing dalam Jabatan Pengarang Straits Times, pendapatan mereka dan keistimewaan yang mereka dapat yang jauh lebih baik daripada rakyat tempatan dan carta jabatan pengarang yang menunjukkan bilangan dan kedudukan wartawan asing di Straits Times termasuk dari Singapura.

Memoradum itu yang bertarikh 17 Januari 1972 menekankan tentang ancaman terhadap pembangunan nasionalisme dan budaya Malaysia sekiranya orang asing terus menguasai Jabatan Pengarang akhbar-akhbar di Malaysia terutamanya akhbar Inggeris tetapi tidak mencadangkan pengambilahan syarikat Straits Times oleh rakyat tempatan. Saya masih menyimpan memorandum itu hingga kini.

Kami tidak bercakap panjang dengan Tun Abdul Razak kerana kami yakin segala-galanya telah diterangkan lebih dahulu kepadanya oleh Samad Ismail. Setiausaha Akhbar Perdana Menteri, Abdullah Majid meminta supaya kami tidak menulis berita pertemuan itu tetapi saya telah menyiarkannya di muka hadapan Utusan Melayu dan Utusan Malaysia.

Tidak lama kemudian berlakulah perubahan drastik dengan nama The Straits Times ditukar menjadi New Straits Times (NST) dan jabatan pengarang dan pengurusannya disusun semula dengan memberikan kedudukan penting kepada anak tempatan. Lembaga pengarah NST yang baru dilantik terdiri daripada semuanya rakyat Malaysia. Boon Kheng menyifatkannya sebagai suatu kejayaan kudeta Samad Ismail di The Straits Times.

Sesungguhnya hubungan Samad yang begitu rapat dengan Tun Abdul Razak, tidak menyenangkan beberapa pihak dalam UMNO yang mahu mencabar kedudukan Tun Abdul Razak sebagai Presiden UMNO.

Dalam pertarungan ini sekali lagi Samad Ismail dimomokan memainkan peranan ‘komunis’ di belakang layar dan Kuan Yew di Singapura yang tidak senang dengan pemulihan Samad yang rapat dengan Tun Abdul Razak kemudiannya melihat ini sebagai suatu kesempatan baginya untuk menyekat kemaraan Samad dalam politik di Malaysia. Berikutan dengan kematian Tun Abdul Razak, berlakulah tangkapan yang popular dengan panggilan “Tiga Abdul” iaitu Abdul Samad Ismail, Abdullah Ahmad dan Abdullah Majid di bawah ISA pada tahun 1976.

Ketidakpercayaan Kuan Yew pada Samad tidak pernah berakhir walaupun Samad telah berpindah ke Malaysia. Saya sendiri dapat merasakan ini apabila di akhir tahun 1964, kami wartawan-wartawan Malaysia menghadiri suatu majlis di Temasik kediaman Pesuruhjaya Tinggi Singapura di Kuala Lumpur yang diberikan oleh Kuan Yew dalam usaha merapatkan diri dengan wartawan Malaysia. Kuan Yew bertanya kepada Firdaus Abdullah (sekarang Profesor Datuk Firdaus) dalam bahasa Melayu: Saudara dari mana? Bila Firdaus memberitahu bahawa dia dari Berita Harian, Kuan Yew terus bertanya kenapa Samad tidak datang dan Firdaus memberitahu ‘dia melawat’ US Seventh Fleet yang berlabuh di Filipina atas jemputan. Dengan spontan Kuan Yew berkata “Habislah rahsia Amerika dia tahu.”

Saya hanya berkesempatan bergaul dengan Samad sesekali ketika mengikuti lawatan Tun Abdul Razak ke negeri-negeri Pantai Timur di awal 1970-an di mana saya sedikit sebanyak dapat menyelami perasaannya terhadap Utusan dan nasionalismenya. Saya lebih banyak tahu mengenainya dari wartawan yang pernah bersama berkerja dengannya seperti Jiro, Mazlan Nordin, Pak Melan dan mereka yang pernah berkerja di bawahnya.

Nama besar

Samad telah meninggalkan nama-nama besar anak didikannya dalam dunia kewartawanan dan kesusasteraan dan juga politik tetapi beliau tidak pernah mendakwa mendidik mereka menjadi besar dalam dunia masing-masing dengan sifat kerajinan, kesungguhan, komitmen dan dedikasi yang merupakan keperibadian Samad. Antara mereka ialah sasterawan dan wartawan Keris Mas, Osman Awang, Mazlan Nordin, Melan Abdullah, Osman Wok, Azhari Taib, Samad Idris, Osman Abadi dan ramai lagi. Mazlan Nordin (Tan Sri) masih gigih membaca dan menulis hingga ke hari ini.

Samad yang memperkenalkan Hadiah Kajai yang merupakan hadiah tertinggi kepada wartawan Malaysia terulung menerusi Institut Akhbar Malaysia (MPI) sebagai menghargai mahagurunya dalam dunia kewartawanan ketika usia mudanya di Utusan Melayu. Dalam tulisannya sempena keluaran khas Utusan Melayu 29 Mei I989 sempena Utusan Melayu 50 tahun di bawah tajuk Mengenang suatu zaman yang begitu besar, Samad berkata “Daripada Kajai saya belajar budaya kerja, nilai profesional saya, komitmen kepada bidang hidup saya dan saya rasa tanpa ketegasan Yusoff Ishak barangkali Utusan tidak akan survive.Beliau telah memberikan corak dan bentuk pimpinan yang diperlukan oleh Utusan di zaman itu; “tegas dan keras.” Samad melihat mereka yang berkerja dengan Utusan di zamannya merasakan “Utusan melambangkan segala yang luhur, mulia dan suci daripada perjuangan bangsa.”

Sesuatu yang saya ulangi membacanya berkali-kali dan mengharukan perasaan saya ialah bahagian terakhir tulisannya itu yang berbunyi:

“Seperti seorang ayah atau ibu yang lebih suka mengenang anaknya yang besar dan yang sudah dewasa, seolah-olah anaknya itu masih berusia enam tahun maka begitulah saya lebih berminat melihat Utusan bukan dalam bentuk dan rupanya sekarang, pada saat ini tahun I989 tetapi Utusan dalam zaman remajanya dan dalam zaman kecilnya.

“Mungkin kerana saya ingin mengenang ciri ciri manis sahaja daripada sejarah Utusan, atau mungkin saya keberatan menghadapi kenyataan sebenarnya bahawa di sebalik yang manis,terselip juga yang pahit.

“Tetapi saya akui ini adalah kelemahan saya sebagai manusia atau sebagai ayah yang hanya ingin mengenang anaknya yang sebenarnya sudah berumah tangga sekarang, ketika anaknya masih kecil lagi, ketika masih ditimbangnya lagi.

“Saya tidak akan jujur kalau saya tidak mengatakan bahawa sikap dan tanggapan saya, nilai dan norma-norma saya terbentuk dalam zaman saya berjuang di Utusan.

“Zaman itu tidak akan berulang lagi. Ia telah berakhir. Tulisan ini sekadar satu nostalgia sahaja untuk mengenang satu zaman yang begitu besar ertinya pada hidup saya dan teman-teman lain.”

Ketika tersebar berita saya tersingkir daripada jawatan Ketua Pengarang Utusan Melayu pada akhir tahun 1992, anak didik kesayangan Samad, Sasterawan Negara, Osman Awang menelefon saya; “Zam, saya rasakan sepi hari ini. Saudara adalah warisan terakhir Utusan.” Saya tidak tahu sama ada ini benar atau tidak tetapi apa pun perbezaan pandangan politik saya dengan Pak Samad, Osman Awang, Said Zahari dan Pak Sako tetapi ada suatu jalinan perasaan warisan yang mengikat erat antara kami yang diharapkan akan terus turun dari generasi ke generasi.

Utusan adalah suatu lambang perjuangan berani, nekad dan penuh dengan komitmen yang dilambangkan oleh penglibatan wartawan-wartawannya menerusi penulisan dan sebagai aktivis politik secara terang-terangan sejak awal penubuhannya seperti Pak Sako, Tajuddin Kahar, Melan Abdullah, Said Zahari dan lain-lain tetapi Samad Ismail lebih tersembunyi di sebalik tabir politik yang pelbagai dari kiri hingga ke kanan.

Sekalipun tidak berada di barisan depan parti-parti politik yang disertainya sejak usianya yang begitu muda namun peranan kewartawanan politiknya menyokong gerakan anti kolonialisme menerusi gerakan nasionalisme Nusantara dan antarabangsa dan politik dalam negara dengan daya inteleknya yang tinggi dan kebijaksanaan perancangan dan penyusunan organisasi menjadikannya nama besar dalam dunia politik, berpengaruh, ditakuti dan senantiasa disyaki dan diikuti yang membawanya masuk dari zaman penjajahan hingga di tanah airnya yang merdeka.

Kehidupannya yang penuh dengan tekanan, cabaran, buruan, kejayaan dan kegagalan, timbul dan tenggelam menjadikannya wartawan lain daripada yang lain, menyebabkan beliau mendapat perhatian dan simpati, disegani dan dihormati. Beliau dilihat lebih besar daripada tokoh-tokoh wartawan lain di negara ini.

Kembalinya A. Samad Ismail ke rahmatullah adalah pemergian abadi seorang wira kewartawanan politik yang terhebat di negara ini. Saya mencatatkan kembali sebuah sajak pendek dalam tulisan terakhir di kolum Awang Selamat pada Mingguan Malaysia 1 November 1992 yang rasa sesuai untuk dibacakan semula sempena pemergian A.Samad Ismail ang telah menanam benih dan idealisme perjuangan dalam Utusan Melayu.

Kawan kawan,
Dari 1939 sampai kini

Api ini tidak pernah mati

dimarakan ganti berganti

dalam chahayanya anak-anak menari

satu tangan terbakar

sejuta tangan menggengamnya
lebih erat lagi

maka keramatlah sebuah institusi

yang memahkotakan rakyat

dari generasi ke generasi.

P/S: Farewell Comrade, May ALLAH be with you...AMIN

Happy Ramadhan to ALL

Assalammualaikum warahmatullah..

Sempena ketibaan bulan Ramadhan, bulan penuh rahmat dan pengampunan, saya memohon ampun dan maaf atas segala dosa, kejahatan, kesilapan, dan ketidakadilan sekiranya pernah saya lakukan kpd kamu, secara sengaja atau tidak. Secara terang atau tidak, dan dgn fikiran yg waras mahupun dgn amarah dan bisikan iblis laknatullah. Saya juga dgn penuh rasa kasih, kasih kpd saudara seagama, mengakui memaafkan segala dosa, dan kesilapan sekiranya pernah kamu lakukan kpd saya, secara terang mahupun sebaliknya. Semoga kita menyambut Ramadhan dengan penuh rasa takut kpd Allah, takut kpd azabNya, dan takut kpd Neraka jahannam. Semoga kita penuhi masa Ramadhan, dgn pengampunan, taubat, dan kesucian hati.

English:

As Ramadhan coming, the holy and spiritual month with full of forgiveness for those who pray for it.