Dato' Shah Rukh Khan

Gosh...not a day goes by without me having this thought in my mind: "I gotta write about this in my blog!".....before I knew it the list of "I gotta write this" becomes so long...I wanted to write about:


1. Alyssa's smart-*ss comebacks
2. Amirul's progress (follow up from lasy year entry on introvert child)
3. My new job
4. My expererience watching theater at Singapore Esplanade
5. My Raya experience in Singapore
6. My puasa experience in Singapore
7. Singapore being in top 10 on International Transperancy Index
8. 40 things I want to do before I reach 40 (got 6 more years to go)
9. Upload my recording of me playing Linkin Park's songs on piano (self taught)
10. Shak Rukh Khan dapat Dato'


If my blog have any fans, I would ask them to vote which entry they want me to write first. But since I do not, then I will choose according to my own priority.... Shah Rukh Khan, it is then.


"WHAT? Are you pulling my leg?" That was my initial reaction when the news hit me. Every now and then, Malaysian politicians never seem to fail to amaze me how ridiculously stupid can they be. Reminded me of my 'smart-*ss' remark to my Mom when she asked my son Amirul to grow up to be a Minister. I said "Then what is he supposed to do with the other half of his brain then?". ;-p


Yesterday they printed the news on Singapore Today's newspaper; so it is not a joke...soon he will be Dato' Shah Rukh Khan. To all Shah Rukh's fans (my mom being no. 1 on the list), I am not anti-Shah Rukh Khan. I have nothing against him and I do think he is a great actor, eventhough I have only watched 2 of his movies (itu pun terpaksa since dalam pantang duduk ngan Mak). But being knighted is a big deal and one has to truly deserve to earn that title (okay...maybe the word 'earn' is too much since we all know majority of the existing Dato' never did earn it). How I wish to have an open debate about this with the 'genius' who suggested/approved his knighthood. Below would be our debate points, if it ever to take place:



Me: Enlighthen me, please for my cranium fail to synthesize this recent announcement, why do you think a foreigner like Shah Rukh Khan deserve a Datukship?


Genius: err...okay what.... Not the first time a foreigner got Dato'....


Me: I agree...though it still puzzles me why until now M.Nasir has yet to be one despite all he's done for our music industry. Nevermind, let's stick to Bollywood for now. What specific contribution has Shah Rukh Khan done to deserve this title?

Genius: What a stupid question. You don't know ar he is very famous? A lot of people watching him..I know this coz my Datin has all of his DVDs. Also during Raya 2002, all TV stations play only hindi movies. When he comes here for concert, DPM wife also invite him to her home. Famous tau! In his film...apa nama...One 2 Ka 4 ...or was it, One 2 go Carrefour...I dah lupa, tapi they shot in Melaka. People see Melaka nice, come here..boost our tourism. His movies are seen by people all over the world and this is cost-free advertisement for us.


Me: May I know, how many percent of the film you've mentioned was shot in Melaka? the entire film? Was the story plot involves Melaka's history? You have to pardon me since I don't make it a habit to waste my life watching movies that will diminish my IQ.


Genius: Tak pernah tengok ka? rugi....Juhi Chawla seksi wooo....


Me: Excuse me...back to my stupid question, please?


Genius: (drooling) oh ya...eh! lupa...I also donno how many shot taken in Melaka, but as I said, Juhi Chawla so seksi..


Me: Very well, I get your (pointless) point. Moving on, do you have the statistics of how much boost did Melaka receive after the screening of One 2 Ka 4? How many percent of that boost comes from tourists from India? How much was their spending in Melaka?


Genius: why...you...why you like numbers so much? No need statistics, no need percentage...I went that day, I saw a lot of Indian tourists, you know. You don't believe me, you go lah...


Me: okayyy....how do you know they are not local Malaysian Indian?


Genius: Same also what? Indian also kan? (beginning to get irritated with the questions)..ada apa lagi nak tanya?


Me: Okay, one final question. If I were to play along with your judgement and buy the points of tourism boost and all, why then only award Shah Rukh Khan. Why not the director, or the producer..after all they were the ones funded the film, hence the advertisement of Melaka. Or what about they guy who choose Melaka? I am pretty sure Shah Rukh didn't insist the set to be in Melaka. I fail to see why he deserve it, after all he did get paid to act and lip-sync in the movie. It's not like he did the movie for free...


Genius: Err..apa yg hang merepek nih? tak paham lah. Director, Producer...depa tak famous. Awat nak bagi depa pulak?


Me: I guess we just have to agree to disagree then. Very well...thank you so much for your time.


Genius: okay...I gotta go,...it's 3:30pm...hindi movie is starting after Berita Terkini on TV3...eh! jom lah join I sekali! Ada Juhi Chawla tau!

Me: Tak pe Dato'. Terima Kasih. Saya kena pergi ambik wuduk, nak sembahyang hajat...for the sake of our children's future. Lepas tu nak tengok citer P.Ramlee...nak dengar balik tang dia kata "Kecik2 tak nak m*mp*s, dah besar menyusahkan orang"...bye.

2008 Raya & Ramadhan: Part 1

This is a long overdued entry. Thanks Kak Eida, for reminding me to update this blog, really occupied with work lately.

We went back to Msia for 6 days to celebrate Aidilfitri. We had such a great time. I had such a great learning too (more on this later). We spent 3 days at each side (mine & in-laws). On my side, we went to Kampung Ulu Dong, to visit my paternal grandparents. They are both over 80 years old. I have a sweet spot for Ulu Dong, since I grew up there. It's a pity I can only go back once a year and for a short while. How I wish I could spend a lot more time and do all the fun things back then like climbing up trees and jump into the river below, playing konda-kondi or riding honda cup bike around the village. ahhh...the good old days where we didn't need a PSP to feel the time flies by.. (Shot of Alyssa and her cousins Ika & Ayuni in front of ATuk & Wan's house in Ulu Dong)

From the left

(Last Row: Safiruz (younger bro), Azmir (hubby), Daniel (youngest bro), Anaz (younger bro), Along Rudin (Eldest bro).)

(Sitting: Ogy (Safiruz's wife) with Sofi on her lap, me, Abah, Mak, Gee (Along's wife) with Iman on her lap.

(Sitting infront: Amirul, Alyssa, Ayuni (Along's eldest) & Ika (Safiruz's eldest).

On the way to Ulu Dong, we stopped by a small town Raub. It's very much still the same since I last see it. Abah wishes to have our entire family portrait considering the last we had was when he had only Amirul as grandchild. Now he has 6 grandchildren! Anybody knows my Abah wouldn't be surprised since photography is his thing. Our home at Karak looks more like a museum with none of the walls is free of photos of us.

If any lessons are to be learned from, during this aidilfitri, then I would have to cite the visit to Ulu Dong tops my list. Wan (my paternal grandmother) is 81 years old. She is suffering from alzheimer, hence have only minimal percent of her CPU memory can be used. She can't even remember her children's names. Nonetheless she was extremely happy having many people around. She decided to follow us home, and packed her clothings, 2 big tumblers, a pair of sunglasses, in a wrapped up batik sarongs. We just let her do as she wishes since she is not herself anymore. Whatever makes her happy.

We brought Wan home for that 1 hour journey from Ulu Dong to Karak. After dinner, we all prop out our sleeping gears in the living room, with my dad taking a spot right next to her. After dinner, Abah entertained his mom reminiscing old time. I almost cry hearing their hardship during Abah's childhood days. At the end of every month, they had to walk to the nearest small town of Dong, which is at least 15 miles of walk, to get Atuk's monthly salary (he was a teacher) and to buy groceries. Atuk (my grand dad) had to carry 2 boys aged 8 & 6 (my dad and his younger bro) who sits in sarongs attached to ends of bamboo which he single handedly carried to Dong. Wan had to carry 3 year old De (my uncle). There were no tarred road, only small pathway along the river. They were constantly on the alert since the entire family's was at risk - there was no way they could survive any attact from elephants, tiger or even a snake. Abah told this story back to his mom, with a small hope it might help jogs back her old memory. To my surprise, Wan remembers the day quite vividly. I sensed a sad tone when Abah replied to all my ridiculous questions like "goodness! you guys actually WALKED that far? WHY?" or "Weren't you afraid?" or "man! I cannot imagine doing that!".

Abah felt asleep next to his mom, caressing her wrinkled, worn out hands. Hands which survived hardship raising 8 children. The same hands now caressing him with the same gentleness, only difference is she doesn't know they are my dad's. I could see it in her eyes, how confuse Wan is. To Wan, Abah is just a stranger, who some how share the same good old memory with her. A stranger who is so kind to take her into his shelter and make jokes to lighten her heart. A stranger who is so familiar yet she can't make out his name quite yet.

Looking at how Abah entertains her mom that nite, makes her laugh and show her love & warmth..I was overwhlemed with both pride & sadness. I pray silently for the same strength to do the same when it's my time to take care of him when he needs my cheering up the most. InsyaAllah.