The Mystical Bali

While attending a conference on future competencies of accountants in Bali recently, I took the opportunity to explore Bali which it known for its beauty, culture and mystic.

I stayed at Nusa Dua, a private property where most international hotels are located. The security is tight, which makes you feel safe while enjoying the beauty of its beaches and food. An early morning stroll at the beach will give you the opportunity to enjoy sunrise and the changes of the complexion of the beach as the sun become brighter.

My first port of call was Bali Collection, a 5 minutes walk away from the hotel which I was staying. It gathers various cultural and local products in a very nice and cozy place, suitable for foreign tourists. You need to pay a bit more for the convenience and comfort.

I met Dr. Nur Mazilah, the CEO of MIA who was attending the same conference. We had an early seafood dinner while discussing about the development and issues of the accountancy profession in the region.

After the first day of the conference I, together with few other Malaysian delegates, went to Pantai Kandonganan  to have seafood dinner. This is one of the "must visit" places in Bali to enjoy its fresh and delicious seafood. Some of the food stalls offer cultural shows to their customers. On our way back to our hotels we stopped by a durian stall by the roadside and tried the taste of the King of Fruits, the Bali version.

I purposely took the evening flight out from Bali. That allowed me to spend some time around the mystical island. I hired a car and went to Bedugul, a highland where the famous Candi Kuning and Pura Ulun Danu are located. As our car climbed the hilly road toward Bedugul, I could see a beautiful scenary of the highland and padi fields which provide bountiful supply of food to the Balinese.

Although the weather was getting cloudier as we were arriving at Puri Ulun Danu, it somehow provided me with an interesting photo opportunity. The overcast sky made a very nice background of the temple.

After a quick lunch at a Muslim eatery located at the front at temple and a short stop at the nearby mosque for prayers, we headed back to Denpasar, the capital of Bali where the airport is located. It rained cats and dogs on our way back which prevented me from taking more photos of the beautiful scenery.

Although this was my third time in Bali, there are more places to be discovered. Bali offers an opportunity for visitors to observe tolerence and understanding as people from various beliefs and backgrounds congregate to make their leaving or enjoy the beauty of this mystical and beautiful island. If we view things from the lenses of humanity, we would find less reasons for conflicts and hatred. That is what you will bring back from Bali.

My Perspectives About Muslims in Cambodia

I visited Phnom Penh with my wife over the Chinese New Year break with a friend who had been in and out of that country for a very long time. We wanted to visit the Muslim communities in Cambodia and to see for ourselves their living environment and social development.

Our first stop was just across the Tonle Sap river which flows across Phnom Penh. We went to visit a community living by the riverside in the district of Chroy Changvar. This community consists of around 180 families and some of them joined this community when they were displaced by development projects elsewhere. Some live in small boats anchored by the riverside and some have their small shacks made of wood and plastics.

Their children go to the nearby schools and when they are free, they wonder around and play along the riverbank. It would be tough for them to break away from the hardship of their parents although we met a few who studied in Malaysia before.

While I passed a new and modern mosque not far from this community, I wonder whether they offer education and skill training which could empower this community to be able to live on their own feet.

The next day we went to visit another Muslim community at Kampung Cham, around 3 hours drive from Phnom Penh. The community is located around another hour drive from the town centre.

The community which I visited live in a more organised way. They have a mosque and a simple school, better homes and water supply. They received aids from abroad including from Malaysia.

I was invited to one of the community leaders' home and we were served with grilled river fish and vegetable soup. Very mouth watering considering the journey which we took to be there. 

Perhaps what they need to focus on moving forward is to find ways to equip themselves with knowledge and skills so that they could develop economically and intellectually. I am sure Muslims would be more respected if they can take care of themselves better and contribute more towards nation building.

The third community which we wanted to visit was in Kampot, which is closer to the Vietnamese border. It is also famous for its durian. I can assure you that it tastes amongst the best which I had ever tasted. The journey was very rough as we took an alternative route where a third of the road was heavily damaged and was in the process of re-construction.

After a very nice seafood lunch, we visited a village where a nice mosque was re-built with the assistance of Malaysians. I had a peek at a school which offers the skills of reading Quran. A number of boys were reading in front of a teacher to ensure they got it right. The rest were happily rehearsing their reading and  made a lot of noice. They were cool enough to pose for me when I snapped their photos.

One bit which concerns me right across the trip was the level of integrity of people. I was told that when it comes to money, we must be very careful in ensuring the funds get spent according to the wishes of the donors. Better to give them money in front of others so that other people know that the money is meant for specific purposes, not for personal use of the recipient.

Given the whole country is going through a fast phase of modernisation especially with investments from China and South Korea, these communities could be trained to access knowledge using technology such as e-learning. Could sound far fetch but I view relevant knowledge and skills to be as critical as the traditional education which is made available to their young generation.

Jakarta Car Free Day, A Showcase of Diversity

Every Sunday is a car free day in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. Jalan Sudirman, which is one of the busiest street in the city is closed for traffic. Thousands of Jakartarians will be flocking to enjoy the morning either to jog, walk or just to watch others. An event where the diversity of the city is showcased. 

Even the street vendors have their place along the long street. We can have choices of everything from food, cloth, books, toys and many other stuff which are offered to the city folks.

There are also people doing performance for donation. Some appear in superhero suits, the defenders of Jakarta, I suppose. Perhaps, that is the reason by Jakarta folks came our in drove, together with their families to enjoy the weekend together.

The Car Free Day is an event which I look forward to whenever I visit the city. It helps me to clock my steps, enjoy the crowd and snap photos for my social media postings. Sometimes I will try something for breakfast although I prefer a more orderly dining in the outlets nearby.

With such a diverse population it makes we wonder how people can’t appreciate diversity and the need to live in harmony with each other. I am sure there are many things which we may differ in terms of understandings and views but given such reality in cities like Jakarta, there is no way we can force our views on others.

As we are crossing into another new year, let’s make understanding and accommodating our differences as one of our key strengths.

Songkran in Hua Hin

I am having a short break with few friends in Hua Hin, around 3 hours drive to the south from Bangkok. 

Our main mission is to play golf at a number of internationally acclaimed golf courses here. One of them is Black Mountain, one of the best golf courses in the region.

Somehow, we are here in the middle of Songkran, the Thai New Year. This is celebrated by spraying and pouring water to others, with the intention to have a good time. No offence intended.

One should be prepared to be wet and should not be offended when got sprayed or poured with water.

In Hua Hin, which is also a tourist centre, many tourists participated in the celebration by wearing flowery clothes and spraying and pouring water to others, just like the Thais. While we thought it would be great to join, the thought of wearing wet clothes deterred us from joining the fun.

Hua Hin is also located by the sea and the shore is another attraction for people here. While the sand is not as white as with other beaches, many people fo there to relex and have food sold along the beaches. Plenty of seafood for them to choose from.

For Muslims, there are a number of places where halal food is sold including at a stall near the railway station. The operator is from Tak Bai, which is located at the border with Kelantan.

It is a great location to watch sun raise and when I was there this morning, there were already many people with their cameras to capture the beautiful scenery.

With another day to go, Hua Hin is certainly a great place to visit, especially for golfers and food hunters.

Living as a Global Citizen

I would like to believe I am a global citizen. No, I have not renounced my Malaysian citizenship, I am still very much a Kelantanese Malaysian. Notwithstanding that, I had been to many places on this globe, for official duties and for pleasure. I have countless friends all over the world with different beliefs, culture and world views  Given where we are in terms of technology, I could still interact with them as if there is no boundary between us.

I suppose many other people on this planet share the same situation as mine. Our circle of influence goes beyond people who we can meet face to face in a single location. Many of us are connected to many people around the world for many reasons, business, blood lines, friendships, official duties, common interests and many other reasons. Some even have people on social media whom they have not ever met in person but are rather close to each other.

Hence, being global means one must have the ability to connect with diverse people in many parts of the world and able to appreciate our common interests and respect our differences. Sounds very simple, right? Yes, if one if willing to suspend judgment and able to articulate his viewpoints without insisting others to agree with him. People who want to win all the time and all they way may find it difficult to live with differing views, especially those positioned at the top end of societies where power distance is wide. In this sort of societies, truth comes only in one way, from the top.

One of the important skills in dealing with people with diverse views, culture and practices is the understanding of how the differences arise. For example, there are societies where religion is considered a private matter whereas for some other societies, their lives are anchored on and around religions. If this foundation is not appreciated, differing views may not be easily managed. Such fundamental differences could also happen within a society as well. This arises from the diversity of worldview due to education, culture and experiences. Those who go to international schools in Malaysia may think and act differently from those who are schooled at our national schools. This is a fact that we have to accept.

To make things worse, there are people who benefit when others disagree with each others. Politicians tends to take this approach to win votes although they may be claiming they are doing the opposite. Sometimes, we cannot put the blame on politicians alone as they tend to dance to the gallery. Who are they dancing to? You and me. If we are unable to live with differences, this would be amplified by politicians who want to get our support at all cost.

So, in this holiday season when we are spending time with our loved ones, family members and friends, we should take the opportunity to reflect on our openness to diversity. As the world becomes more interconnected, we have to deal more with people will all kinds of characters and beliefs. we need to be more global in our thinking.

Happy holidays and enjoy the break.

Society and Faith in Fashion Business

What have society and faith got to do with business? Well, they are the major drivers in fashion business! That was the point discussed at a forum on Society, Faith and Fashion in Australia and Malaysia, organised by the Australian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur.

Insted of the usual corporate topics, I attended the event to understand more about fashion and society and was not disappointed at all. The panellists, Karen Teh, General Manager, Chopard; Glynis Jones, Curator, Museum of Applied Arts and Science; Aheda Zanetti, Founder & Designer, Ahiida and Calvin Thoo, Calvin Thoo were excellent in sharing their views on how societies influenced fashion and the emergence of "modest fashion" inspired after the Abrahamic faith shared by Muslims, Christians and Jews communities. In fact Calvin did very well in explaining why Muslim ladies need to cover themselves and how he blended those requirements with his designs.

Aheda shared her experience in designing the "Burqini", as a choice for ladies who want to remain modest while still enjoying the carefree lifestyle of Australians. In fact, 40% of her customers now are non-Muslims and her designs, which comply with her faith, have provided comfort to women who are inclined towards modest fashion, irrespective of their beliefs. She, again and again, emphasised that modest fashion is a choice, which works well in societies which are less judgmental like in Australia. Calvin, on the other hand, explained that in Malaysia people are more judgmental and one need not only pleases herself but her host and other guests. That makes modest fashion designs in Malaysia more complicated.

Me and Aheda

One interesting point which was discussed was on the influence of online and social media on fashion. According to Calvin, online sales in Malaysia exceed offline. One of the artiste who has done this well is Neelofa who has her lines of head cover and is promoting them via her Instagram account very well. Karen shared that even the high end brands do have online channels which are contributing to their overall sales quite well.

Glynis walked the audience through the evolution of fashion in Australia which according to her was still new. She also sees modest fashion as a segment of a larger choices which Australians have and that segment compliments the choices which Australians could make when deciding what they think suit them.

The Nasi Lemak design was raised by one of the audience and Calvin was very firm on his view about how much that design lacks taste and quality, even from the technical point of view. He is willing to sponsor a better design, something which will make Malaysians proud.

Looking forward to more life events, away but still connected with business.

One Morning At Mount Bromo

This was my second time in Surabaya, a city located at the east of Jawa Island in Indonesia. The first time I was in this city was many years ago on an official duty for the Malaysian accountancy profession, hence I did not have much time to spend to explore Surabaya. This time around I was on holiday.

Surabaya got its name from the combination of two animals' names, Suro, which appears more like a shark to me and Boyo, simply crocodile. The two creatures are also embodied as the monument of the city.

The highlight of this trip for my visit to Mount Bromo, an active volcano which is located around 80 kilometres from the city. In order to catch sunrise, we left out hotel at midnight. Although the distance was not that far, it took as nearly four hours to reach our destination by car. 

There were many heavy vehicles which were travelling at slow paces but remained on the right lane which was meant for faster vehicles. Later I figured out that the left lane was not consistent in terms of width and sometimes there were branches of trees hanging above. Hence, it was more convenient for the heavy vehicles to stick to the right hand side and vehicles which were overtaking them had to do it from the left lane. Something different from many other places which adopt the right hand drive system.

We had to take a four-wheel drive vehicle, known locally as high-top, to go up to the peak. It was cold in the early hours of the day and thick clothing was the appropriate attire although the locals were portraying the temperature was much cooler so that we would buy stuffs like gloves and scarfs from them.

The view from the sunrise lookout was magnificent. We had a 360 degrees views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. The mists and clouds intermittently shielded our view but as the sun was raising we could see sights with different colours and tones.

Given the number of visitors to the mountain, we could only spend around half and hour before going down to the valley, made of larva and dusts from the last eruption. This was to make way for other visitors who came later in the morning.

The peak of Mount Bromo was a far distance from where the vehicles carrying visitors were allowed to park. Visitors have two choice to reach the peak, walking or riding horses which were managed by the locals. We took the second option and that was my first horse ride in my life. The horse can only go towards the bottom of the peak and we had to climb stairs with few hundred step and was fairly steep.

It was amazing to watch smokes coming out from the peak of Mount Bromo and one has to stand the smell of sulphur to be up there. It was worse when the wind changed it direction towards you. I saw some elderly visitors who had some breathing difficulties. Although I had visited other live volcanos before, this was the first time where I could watch smoke coming out from the crater with my own eyes. As far as I am concern, visiting Mount Bromo was the best experience that I had when it comes to such tourist attractions.

On our way back down the mountains, we could appreciate the beauty of the mountainous scenery including the spots where the locals grew their vegetables and other plants for living. Of course we cannot resist from stopping as a famous Nasi Rawon shop which was used to be patronised by the President of Indonesia himself.

Please Make Mobile Blogging Easy

Everything is moving into mobile devices nowadays. Blogging, naturally, should be on such platforms as well. Yes, we do have many apps, for example, which allow us to blog while we are on the move.

However, so far, I am finding blogging using my smartphone rather challenging. Perhaps, it is due to style I write and how I normally combine words and photos, to send my message across. The other issue is about formating, where the experience on my mobile device is different from when I am using my Mac at home.

Can't blogging be made easier on all these mobile devices? Perhaps, this is already 'old school' from the perspective of the apps developers. Given that people can express themselves through many social network platforms, blogging which leverages on the more traditional 'website' approach seems to be very old concept indeed.

I am using different platforms to reach different audiences with different messages. That's why blogging to me is still an important avenue to express my views. There is no limitation in terms of access although I tend to use social media to promote the articles I wrote.

Having the ability to blog from mobile devices is important given ideas can come when you are travelling or outside you home.

Well, I am just trying to blog while my family is enjoying their dinner, just to test whether the experience has changed.

Happy blogging.

The Awaited "Boh"

I was brought up in the heart of Kota Bharu, the capital of Kelantan at the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia (or Malaya based on the Malaysian Agreement). When my parents were serving the government in Machang in the south, I was with my grandparents (my mom's untie and her husband - Nenek and Atok) who were childless but were responsible in bringing up few other family members will full of love and affection.

Located at the Kelantan delta, towards the sea, flooding was a natural phenomena. Flood is referred to as "Boh" in the Kelantanese dialect. It normally occurs when the North-East monsoon which blows from November until March bringing heavy rain to the highlands in the south and causing high waves which slows the flow of water form the Kelantan river into the South China Sea.

Without much knowledge of weather forecasting or geography, many Kelantanese, Atok included, could read the weather patterns and guessed when the flood would arrive. We could also differentiate whether the flood was caused by local rain pour or from water flowing from the highlands based on the colour of the water. Atok, in his younger days, used to be a trader. He went to sell stuffs in Hulu Kelantan using bamboo raft and brought things back to Kota Bharu. I will write more about this wonderful Atok, a person who was very strict about honesty and integrity, later.

Boh is something which not considered evil to many Kelantanese, then. Perhaps there were more trees which could absorb the heavy rainfall and slowed the flow of the water from the south to the Kelantan delta. Now, as people pursue their millions, logging is one of the keys to wealth, both for the loggers and those with power to approve logging concessions.

When I was small, the colour of the Kelantanese river was blueish but now it is just like the "the tarik" as we know it. Even when those who are inclined to Islamic ideas are in power, I have not seen any changes in the logging practices in the highlands. Just wondering whether the Islam as believed by this group has no environmental protection element when Islam, as I understand it, treats environment protection as part of good governance, expected from any government. 

Flood or boh was celebrated as a sort of festivities, in most cases. I could hardly recall a time when they were catastrophic. I could still recall swimming in the cold flood water and most people would be moving around the flooded town with certain feeling of enjoyment. I was aware places which would be severely hit and people would need to be evacuated. Perhaps because these places were at the lowlands, we were not that sensitive to the sufferings of these unfortunate Kelantanese. Many senior Kelantanse would recall Boh Air Merah, one of the major floods where the colour of the water was reddish, as one of the severe ones which caused heavy damage in Kelantan.

It is very sad to know many parts of Kelantan are flooded this few days, amongst the worst in the history of the state. Just by knowing the level of the flood water in certain places, whether they are at knee, naval or chest levels, I could gauge the severity. I was told that many areas which were not flooded before are experiencing severe flooding. Many people are stranded without supply of food. How do I know this? I have friends on the ground sharing with me the real situations on the ground which are not reported on tv. This is how technology has made the difference when disasters occur. No longer realities could be painted differently.

One elements of flood is its predictability. While many will say, and I believe, that this is an act of god (what else happen without his command?), I can't accept any excuse that those who are in charge of flood relief were not able to prepare themselves earlier. It will always start with heavy rain but that alone is not enough to create a disaster. When the wind start to be stronger, we will start to worry. And then, there are places which will be flooded EVERY YEAR without miss, and as mentioned earlier, this happen only as a particular part of the year. Off course the severity could not be predicted but those who are paid to do the job has no excuse for not being prepared.

I salute Malaysians who have on their own accord arranged volunteer flood relief efforts, in addition to those from the authorities. This is also a new trend where volunteer works could outpace official efforts, in certain situations. When citizens have to take charge, what does this mean?

How do we know the worse would be over, when Chinese New Year comes, as simple as that.

The value of a tourist spot

Islands are natural tourist attractions. While Malaysia does not have many islands such as Indonesia and Singapore, we have managed to developed many of our islands, especially from the tourism perspectives.

Penang or also known as the Pearl of the Orient has been a famous commercial centre since the early days. Once a free-port, Penang today is still famous for its tourism appeal although economically it has managed to attract many global electronic manufacturers to locate their facilities around the island.

Tioman and Redang are other islands which are known for their beautiful beaches and marine lives. Their value propositions are different from Penang. Sipadan in Sabah is one of the best dive locations in the world. As a person who use to dive before, I have not been there as I was told that once you go to Sipadan, other dive sites will not be the same again.

I suppose islands have their natural beauty and that attracts people to  go and enjoy those natural features which having a break from their normal routine at their offices or businesses. Naturally, with higher number of tourists, the demand for infrastructures will increase, resulting in more buildings and other facilities are built. This will later spur commerce and more physical structures would be needed as well. How far should we go before these new additions to the ecosystem start to provide reduced value, from the angle of tourism?

I don't have the answer but certainly I would like to see more of the natural beauty to be preserved so that they can be enjoyed by our children and theirs.

These are some of the photos of Langkawi from my recent visit. Mostly on the natural beauty of the island taken using my iPhone 6.

Golfing at the Els Club, Datai, Langkawi.

The world, from the eyes of a crab.

The reflection of the raising sun.

A fishing boat, waiting for its owner.

How tall is this light house?

Morning cruise?

Hoping for early morning luck!

Noah's ark?

Having breakfast

Landing down!

The White House in Kota Bharu

White House is the name of the residence of the American President located at Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC. This is one of the many tourist destinations in the American capital and one would not miss the opportunity to see for themselves the historical venue.

However, White House is also the name of a famous Chinese traditional coffee shop in Kota Bharu, the capital of Kelantan. It is located in front of the Muhammadi mosque, the state mosque. Although Kelantan is also known as the cradle of the Malay culture and most of its residents are Malays, Kelantanese are also known for their tolerance towards other Malaysians living in the state. 

Just imagine the Malays having coffee here after their morning prayers, the real 1Malaysia. In fact, having to add the number 1 to the name of this country could also be a signal of what is wrong with the present society. Perhaps, we had lost the essence of our society and are now living based on the reality as shown on TV or newspapers. Very American!

The White House is patronised by people from all walk of life and it is not easy to get a sit. I'm sure you could appreciate that for this sort of eating joint, calling in to reserve a table is unthinkable.

The main menu are half boiled eggs and toast, sounds simple but are the main attractions to this coffee shop. While the owner could be seen at the counter, there are a number of Malay waitresses serving customers their meal.

When I was there last week, I saw something amazing. An old Malay man who had difficulty walking was trying to get to his wheelchair. A group of young Chinese went to his assistance and helped him to be seated. That reminded me of the old Malaysia when we were not the most sensitive country in the world like today.

I suppose at the people to people level, life goes on and we have to learn to live together. However, for those who want to exert their parochial views, seeing people living together peacefully is an eye soar and they will raise all sort of nonsense to stir things so that people will react. While Muslims believe Islam brings blessing to the whole mankind, I wonder whether they forgot about that when some of them feel forcing their view on others is their birth rights.

A Close Encounter With the Power That Be

I was prepared for the worst based on the information that was related to me by friends. Long queue, being throughly scrutinised and even being denied entry. To my relief, none of that happened. Our flight was the first to arrive on that Saturday morning and I cleared immigration and custom within half and hour. I was then on the soil of the United States of America!

Given that my hotel room was not ready, I had around 5 hours to kill. This worked quite well as I had the time to explore Washington DC, one of the most powerful capitals of the world where many decisions were made that affected millions of lives elsewhere around the planet. The weather was very kind, the sun was shinning and it was right in the middle of cherry blossom, something which I did not appreciate until I saw the nice beautiful flowers around the Tidal Basin.

My first stop was the White House, the residence of the President of the United States of America. Incidentally on the plane, I watched the movie The Buttler, a recollection of experience of a black American who served a number of American Presidents even before blacks were treated equally in the United States. That certainly helped me to appreciate the 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue better. I picked up few souvenirs from the shop besides White House. That allowed me to take few photos as if I were the most person in the world.

The White House

Am I this powerful?

Next was the Smithsonian Complex where all the interesting museums are located. The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum was my choice as I have been interested in planes since I was a kid. It was a very interesting place to visit as we are able to see the development of aerospace industry since the Wright Brothers tried to fly for the first time.

The space capsule at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum

The museum is not that far from Capitol Hill, the symbol of American democracy. While the building was certainly elegant, the politicians and lobbyists  who make this place their first home were not visible from afar. Nevertheless, buildings located around the park are not only historically significant but are still influencing the lives of people who may be living thousands of miles away. This is where power is concentrated!

The Capitol Hill

My visit was perfectly timed when the Cherry Blossom Festival was celebrated. The flowers around the Tidal Bay was certainly beautiful and the number of visitors who were there to experience the occasion was amazing. to a certain extend, it camouflage the atmosphere of power in Washington DC, very deceiving indeed.

In the next few days I met a number of individuals who had strong influence in DC and the rest of the world. One of the person who I met was Senator Sarbanes, the co-writer of the Sarbanes and Oxley Act which created the Public Companies Accounting Oversight Board, a structure which influences audit regulation until today.

I did not miss the opportunity to experience the american past time activity, enjoying a baseball game where the Washington Nations was playing. I could observe how sports and leisure intersected especially how much hotdogs and burgers were consumed during the game. Unfortunately we left the game venue at the seventh inning, when one of the players hit a grand slam at the very next!

Cheering the Nations

My stay was certainly a great opportunity to provide me with the insights of the American way of thinking, especially in a place where many major decisions were made and will continue to be made which affect us, a place well remote from Washington. There are also many universities and institutions in Washington, which reflect the amour of intellectual power as well. It is not a surprise to me that such existence may be necessary given the kind of community which Washington attracts.

In summary, my first encounter with the place where the power that be are operating was a very pleasant one.