KOPI DAN BALUT SUNGAI PENCHALA

 

Evening walk dengan twins di sekitar Sungai Penchala. Berhenti sat minum kopi di Kopi Dan Balut. Hari-hari lalu gerai ni tapi tak kesampaian hajat nak try. Gerai ni terletak betul- betul selekoh jalan menghala ke rumah. Selepas Nizra Auto.

Biasanya memang ramai pengunjung kedai ni. Gerai ni di usahakan oleh Shapik, anak muda yang memang menetap di sini; Sungai Penchala.

Petang ni masa tengah walkabout dengan twins, singgah kat Kopi & Balut berkenalan dengan Shapik. Shapik friendly dan mesra. Shapik suruh try pekena kopi vanilla. First time try kopi vanilla.

Sambil tolak pram, sambil hirup kopi. Kopi ni dibuat secara manual, omputih kata hand-made fresh from the oven. Hirup pertama terkejut sat. Tak sangka sedap gila kopi ni. Esok boleh singgah lagi.

Gerai buka setiap hari dari pukul 12pm sampai 7pm. Bulan Ramadhan buka pukul 6pm sampai 12 tengah malam. Masa bulan puasa, Shapik juga menjual makanan berbuka puasa seperti Spaghetti selain dari kopi kepakaran mereka. Terima kasih Pik.

Ps. Zoom gambar tu nampak Shapik kat belakang tengah sengeh

Makan rasuah tak batal puasa. Boleh makan bila bila masa #reversepsychology

 Makan rasuah tak batal puasa. Boleh makan bila bila masa. 

#reversepsychology

Rezeki Jodoh Semasa Santuni Rakyat

 Kami menyantuni sesetengah rumah yang menjemput kami untuk masuk ke dalam rumah. Di setiap rumah kami pasti menawarkan berbagai peluang untuk membantu ekonomi rakyat sambil mengambil catatan rintihan dan maklumbalas dari masyarakat. Sambil kami menawarkan bantuan Gerakan Ekonomi Pejuang, Makcik ni menawarkan anak perempuannya untuk dijadikan jodoh aiiks..

Masya Allah rezeki. Terima kasih makcik. Ambo doh empunya.

Selepas memberi sedikit sumbangan dan menerangkan usaha dan inisiatif kami, kami meneruskan perjalanan ke rumah seterusnya. Alhamdulillah lepas kejutan dari mokcik tadi, koho naik semangat

AN UNSOLVED TRAGEDY: MH 653- 4th DECEMBER 1977

AN UNSOLVED TRAGEDY: MH 653- 4th DECEMBER 1977

By: Captain Kamil Abu Bakar. The writer was an aircraft accident investigator and at one time was the airline's Chief Pilot Safety & Security and later the Director of Flight Operations.

Remark: The article below is written without malice nor with any ill intent towards anybody, dead or alive.

INTRODUCTION

The National Airline, MAS had its first fatal accident in the early evening of 4th December 1977, a Sunday.

The B737-200 a scheduled passenger service from Penang to Kuala Lumpur, was hijacked when approaching the airport and the pilots were forced to fly the aircraft to Singapore.

On its descent into Singapore Paya Lebar Airport, for unknown reasons, both pilots, first the First Officer then the Captain, were shot. The aircraft not being professionally flown, spiraled into the swampy ground of Tanjung Kupang, in the southern part of Johore. All on board were killed.

The crash was accordingly investigated by the Chief Inspector of Aircraft Accident Malaysia and it being considered a criminal act, the police from Bukit Aman too got involved actively. For lack of expertise and technical know-how (then), it being a catastrophic crash, assistance was sought from  investigators from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB), Farnborough , UK.

Following a lengthy investigation, an official investigation report was produced. And as per the requirement of ICAO Annex 13, Recommended Practice for Aircraft Accident Investigation, the report was made public.

The report concluded that the aircraft crashed because both pilots were shot by an unidentified person for unknown reasons. 

Information about this tragedy is also documented for public knowledge in WIKIPEDIA. However it has to be said that some of the information related in the WIKIPEDIA, is not correct.

It quoted among other things that "the hijacking took place in 1977, when terrorists identified as the Japanese Red Army took over a Malaysian airlines jet traveling to Kuala Lumpur."

That conclusion is however subjected to conjecture.

No (terrorists) organization ever claimed responsibility for the tragedy.

Here is an account of what happened, written based on the Cockpit Voice Recording.

TIME TO GO

"Knock, knock, knock," somebody was knocking on the cockpit door.

"Come in," Capt. Ganjoor  who was handling the radio, doing the PNF, the Pilot Not Flying duties, responded. His co-pilot, First Officer Kamarulzaman was flying the aircraft.

"Knock, knock, knock," somebody continued knocking on the door.

"COME IN. THE DOOR IS NOT LOCKED," Capt. Ganjoor raised his voice a level, to be heard by that 'somebody' outside the door.

Then the door opened. In walked a person with, what was believed to be a pistol, in his hand. He made certain gesture to which Capt. Ganjoor responded, "You want us to go-around?"

This was followed by Capt. Ganjoor transmitting to the Control Tower, "Malaysian Six Five Three , going around."

"We have a hijacker on board."

The tower responded, " Confirm you have a hijacker on board?"

"Affirm," Capt. Ganjoor confirmed.

"What's your intention?"  tower asked.

" Standby," Capt. Ganjoor replied.

Capt. Ganjoor turned his back and asked, " Where do you want to go? We just have fuel to go to Singapore."

( Commercial flights must have fuel to go to an alternate airport, plus at least another 30 minutes of reserve fuel to cater for the eventuality that landing at the destination airport is not possible.)

No answer was heard.

But Capt. Ganjoor was recorded to have transmitted, "Request clearance to proceed to Singapore."

" Malaysian Six Five Three cleared to Singapore on Alpha Sixty Four, initially climb to ten thousand feet..... contact LUMPUR One Two Three decimal Seven Five."

Capt. Ganjoor read back the clearance,  "Malaysian Six Five Three cleared to Singapore on Alpha Sixty Four, initially climb to ten thousand feet......contact LUMPUR One Two Three decimal Seven Five."

The knocking on the door was the beginning of the Cockpit Voice Recording of the last 30 minutes of the flight. (The CVR over-records every 30 minutes.)

(Capt. Ganjoor was an expatriate, an Indian National who joined the National Airline from its early days. MAS is a breakaway from MSA, Malaysia Singapore Airlines. Following the split on 26th Oct. 1972, SIA formed the Singapore part.

Most of the Captains in MAS then were expatriates. There were not many Malaysian pilots those days. Malays were only a handful. First Officer Kamarulzaman was amongst the first few Malays who was given the opportunity to take up the profession. The writer who joined the Airline earlier, was at the time of the accident, a First Officer on Boeing 707, a bigger and longer range aircraft. He used to be a copilot to Capt. Ganjoor  who was very well liked, being a gentle and fatherly figure).

The flight originating from Penang was uneventful until somebody knocked on that cockpit door and entered the pilots' station.

First Officer Kamarulzaman was at the controls, with Capt. Ganjoor doing the radio work. They were on the final approach for Runway 15, Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport Subang, an approach from the north, commencing from Batu Arang beacon, VBA, at around 2000 feet, when that happened.  

Having got their clearance to proceed to Singapore, they continued to climb to cruise at Flight Level Two One Zero- 21000 feet.

Nothing much was heard except for the occasional communication the aircraft had with the Air Traffic Control Centre.

At one stage during the cruise when the flight was over MIKE CHARLIE Beacon, Capt. Ganjoor was heard saying, " We are now over Malacca. Do you know where Malacca is?"

There was no answer.

Shortly after, the aircraft having been handed over to Singapore Air Traffic Control Centre, commenced its descent for what's supposed to be its approach and landing at Singapore Paya Lebar airport.

Everything appeared to be normal. The recordings did not record any other conversation except for Capt. Ganjoor's communication with the Air Traffic Controller. First Officer Kamarulzaman too was not heard to say anything.

As the aircraft was descending and passing around 10,000 feet, then a faint voice was heard to have said, which was deciphered as, " TIME TO GO NOW."

Then, "BANG, BANG!”

First Officer Kamarulzaman was shot.

Then it could be imagined that the pistol was turned towards Capt. Ganjoor, who pleaded, "NO, NO."

"BANG, BANG"......... "UGH, UGH, UGH," Capt. Ganjoor was heard passing his last breath.

Then a scuffle was heard of people trying to gain control of the aircraft. It was futile because the aircraft went into a spiral dive and plunged almost nose first into the swamps of Tanjung Kupang..........at very high speed. The main wreckage burrowed about 40 feet into the soft soil and pieces of bodies and baggage were scattered over a wide area.

All on board were killed- 5 cabin crew, 93 passengers; the 2 pilots were presumably dead before the aircraft hit the ground. Of course, amongst those killed was the person who shot the pilots. Why would he do that? That's the big question.

There were several VIPS on board the flight- amongst them the Cuban Ambassador to Japan, Malaysian Agriculture Minister and the Director General of Public Works Department PWD, now JKR. What ensued were several speculations. And that shall remain speculations because they could not be supported with concrete evidence.

THE RECORDERS

All commercial aircraft must be fitted with at least 2 recorders: FLIGHT DATA RECORDER ( FDR) and COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER (CVR).

Despite the very high impact, both recorders were recovered intact.

Recordings from the FDR revealed that the aircraft was performing normally throughout the flight.

The CVR, a spool less tape, records conversation, aural warnings and all other sounds in the cockpit. Only recording of the last 30 minutes of the flight was available for scrutiny by investigators of its capacity. Earlier portions were recorded over. 

So that's how the recording of the fated flight started- with the knocks on the cockpit door and ended ( 30 minutes later) when the aircraft hit the ground in Tanjung Kupang.  Both recorders were sent to Farnborough to be decoded.

The flight recorders are as a matter of fact, very useful if not crucial in aircraft accident investigations. The recordings cannot be altered or doctored.

HOW COULD IT HAPPEN?

During the early days, at its infancy, even up to mid '70s, Aviation Security, not only in Malaysia but throughout the world, was lacking, if not non-existent. It was as if there were no bad people then. Anybody could bring anything on board the aircraft. There were no security checks. Well wishers could even send their friends or relatives right up to the aircraft door......in some cases, still hugging and shaking hands in the aircraft cabin before departure.

The Commercial aviation industry is regulated by International Civil Aviation Organization- ICAO. They cover also the Aviation Security. After this accident, Aviation Security Act was passed. Security was tightened.

Post September 11, 911 of 2001, it became even tighter. Everybody has to go through metal detectors. If need be, they will be body searched. Not only metal objects are not allowed into the aircraft but also all forms of liquid, and that includes drinking water. And there are no exceptions. Even the crew including the pilots who fly the aircraft are subjected to these checks. 

No unauthorized person is allowed to enter the cockpit which must be locked ( and bolted) throughout the flight.

Cabin crew are only allowed to enter the cockpit to serve the pilots with food or drink only with prior notification.

The cockpit door is bullet proof and can be bolted from inside. Overhead is a camera for the pilots to see who is standing in front of the cockpit door, before it is opened. Indeed from this accident and a few other cases after this, Aviation Security has changed drastically.

EPILOGUE

Many many years after this tragedy, sometime in 1992, the writer who by that material time was the Chief Pilot Safety & Security of the airline, was asked to go to AAIB Farnborough, to get more information about an incident which happened in Heathrow Terminal Area some months back. The incident was of interest to the airline which was then flying to London twice daily. The incident had nothing to do at all with flight MH 653 of 4th December 1977. 

When meeting with the AAIB officials, upon introducing himself as from Malaysia Airlines, one of them volunteered,

"Ah, you are from Malaysia Airlines? You know, I investigared your MH 653 that was hijacked and crashed in Tanjung Kupang."

"Umph, can you tell what actually happened," I tried to fish.

"Honestly we don't know what actually happened. One thing for sure, both pilots were shot. But we don't know who was the hijacker. We were not certain even if there were more than one hijacker on board. We don't know their identity, nor do we know their motive. Very strange. They were very quiet. They did not say anything."

That was what the official accident report concluded - " That the aircraft crashed after both pilots were shot by unknown person for no apparent reason, leaving the aircraft not professionally flown."

The accident shall remain an unsolved mystery.

CAPT KAMIL

2nd JULY 2020

The writer was an aircraft accident investigator and at one time was the airline's Chief Pilot Safety & Security and later the Director of Flight Operations.

Remark: The above is written without malice nor with any ill intent towards anybody, dead or alive.

Innallillahiwainna ilaihirooji'uun. Al Fatihah to all the Muslim casualties and to all the other Non Muslims, Rest in Peace.

CIGARETTE OR VAPE?

 

One of the best pleasure in life is to have a cigarette after a meal, or coffee (oh my god, Heaven!!). I was a heavy smoker burning 3 packs of cigarettes a day for more than 20 years since my teens. 8 years ago I quit cigs and started Vaping. Now still vaping and one day, I shall quit Vaping too.

For all the smokers around the globe, I never thought of quiting cigs but I did. Your time will come when you too will quit.

BAHAI'I NAW RUZ

Being a Malaysian, I thought I knew most of the happenings in Malaysia but I had to Google to find out what Naw Ruz is when I received an invitation for a Naw Ruz open house from an old friend, Zoran (Class 1992, BBBSS).

Apparently I was not alone. On a random chat with at least 10 friends, none of them knew or have even heard of the word but one friend have heard of Bahai'i. He said it is a Learning Center (Ayoo Vinod).

This Vlog is especially dedicated to the Malaysian (like me. My apology for being ignorant), who knew very little of our own fellow Malaysians.

To the Bahai'i, Happy New Year.

Please like my Facebook page at http://bit.ly/2IMqsc2

and Subscribed to my Youtube channel at http://bit.ly/armin-youtube

Stay Tuned and HOOYAH!

10 YEARS OF BLOGGING

This year is my blog Stay Tuned's 10th year anniversary and I want to take it a step further by having a Vlog. Blog post is not as challenging anymore and I need to find a substitute to feed my appetite for a challenge. I have never shot any video and is only equip with my iPhone 7 plus. On my birthday, my sisters Dr Teratai Pahamin and Rose Emini Pahamin bought me this gadget; an Osmo Mobile 2 stabilizer and a Comica CVM VS08 microphone especially for my mobile phone which should complete my list of equipment as a beginner.

I'VE GOT THE POWER!!

If only I had the Home Energy Report  report many years ago, we would have saved and substantially reduced our TNB Bills but Thumbs Up to TNB for generating the Home Energy Report which we received a few days ago. Without any bearing on the electrical consumption for energy efficient home, we have been on a utility bill reduction mode since last year.

Our TNB bill last year 2014, averages RM1200 per month and early this year we target to reduce it below RM1000 thinking it was a reasonable target. Now we know it is not. According to the TNB Home Energy Report, we uses 184% more electricity than similar home.  The last three months home electric usage comparison was was a staggering 5,765kWh for our home; similar home averages 2,031kWh and efficient home (of similar size) uses 891 kWh. We are 6x higher than the energy efficient home. The comparison was on 100 similar homes (Source: TNB).

Earlier this year we let go of a few under-utilize refrigerators and freezer, change the lights to LED energy saving lights and had successfully reduced it but RM800-RM900 per month was still on the high side. The target now was to keep TNB bill at an average RM300 a month which is the energy efficient home. So we did a bit of research on the energy savings electrical items and replaced the 8 years old LG air-condition on 3 August. 

We had it replaced with the Hitachi inverter aircond with 5 star energy saving rating. The aircond too came with a 10 years warranty. It claimed it can reduce our electricty bill by 60%. That was doubtful and we may just be a victim of advertising but heck, it cant be any worst than the current 8 years old air condition.

HALLOWEEN A PLOY TO MAKE MUSLIMS GODLESS?

To Malay Mail and Syed Jaymal Zahiid, the article at HERE should not even be posted. It is one of those article that is promoting racial & religion disunity.

If I and my circle of Muslim friends can represents those Muslims who celebrate Halloween, because we do, then I can safely say and assure that Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma), Ikatan Guru Muslim Malaysia and PAS's claimed that the event is a concerted effort to weaken Muslim faith as a pile of rubbish.

We celebrate Halloween as part of Malaysia multi-culture since the day we were born similar to the excitement of meeting Santa Clause to get present during childhood. Never once did it cross our mind or thought to belief in anything other than our faith in Islam. These celebrations are just a get-together regardless of skin colour, race or gender that foster the spirit of camaraderie.

PROJECT GRATITUDE DAY 6: GRATEFUL THINGS TO TREASURE.

 Final day of Project Gratitude. Yikes.. what do you know? Its already Day 6 of a project which I was nominated by Zai Johari, one of the Founder for Sasuke Malaysia and the former the Director for Biggest Loser Asia. To pursue this good deed, I shall continue with listing a daily grateful things from tomorrow. As William Arthur Ward quoted,  “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it, is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” 

 

1. When it is time to workout, then it is time to workout!! I am grateful to wake up in an ungodly hours in the wee morning to have a bunch of more than 30  happy, cheerful and energetic people to workout and exercise with at the Chief's Original Bootcamp at Bandar Utama. Being around and surrounding ourselves with people that share the same goal, the same passion and the same interest will ensure a continuous mojo and a smoother path towards achieving our goal. The same is applicable in everything we do. Find people and surround ourselves with people that share the same passion for success and we will be successful.... and unfortunately, vice-versa.

2. Grateful to have such an inspiring, motivated and yet humble instructors to get the best out of our fitness and health. The pace and the intensity of our workout largely depends on how motivated our instructor is. If the instructor is hyper, calling your name, pushing you, working out with you, correcting your form, penalising you by adding reps and time for incorrect form yada yada.... you too, will be hyper and will keep up to the expectation. Vice- versa, if the instructor is boring, we became boring.

PROJECT GRATITUDE DAY 5: GRATEFUL THINGS TO TREASURE.

Did you know it takes more effort and facial muscle to frown than to smile? On that same note, please try out this exercise.. Smile as wide as possible with that cheerful facial expression !!! Now.. Try to be angry and upset with that smiley and cheerful face!! Trust me, you can try all day and all night but you wont be able to be angry in that facial expression. In other word, it is easier to be happy than to be upset and/or angry. Similarly, try waking up in the morning and list down on things that you are grateful... and see how beautiful the rest of your day will be.

Day 5 of Project Grateful... I am grateful to be nominated for this project by Zai Johari and I have nominated 14 friends for this wonderful effort. I will be nominating 4 others at the end of this blog. Two of them are married couple and I can guess which one of them two will write first.

1. Grateful to wake up and being served with fresh mix of nutritional juices made from the best selection of fresh vegetables with a Kuyin slow juicer, coffee and breakfast (of course lunch, dinner and supper too). Infact, it is not easy to eat and drink right. There are so many nutrition intake to plan and to have it prepared and served in the morning, takes a lot of patience and preparation. From doing the grocery, planning for menus to cook and the actual cooking itself.

2. Grateful to have the best Mac Powerbook and that synchronizes with iPhone for work and leisure. Seriously, we spend more time on either computer or iPhone whether to work, socialize, engaged in discussion, work, entertainment and even to connect with business, associate, family and friends. Yes, personal physical interaction is always preferred and is better but in the absence of time, with the hectic schedule + deadlines + meetings + appointments, computer and a good smart phone for work and leisure is what a car is, as a mean of transportation. It is a necessity.

PROJECT GRATITUDE DAY 4: GRATEFUL THINGS TO TREASURE

I once attended this 'Walk On Fire' motivation talk by Anthony Robbins during my undergraduate studies in England some 20 years ago and there was this one exercise we did that I still hold strong. Try this out, stop with whatever you are doing, pull-over to the road shoulder if you are driving and quickly glance your surrounding wherever you are and focus in everything you can see that is in red and green for a maximum 5 seconds!!! ONLY FIVE seconds and now close your eye!! With eyes still close tight, now list down 10 items of everything that you see in blue and grey!! That is how we live our life. If we only see the wrongs and the hatred, it will be harder for you to see the great and goodness. Vice versa, if we see only the good and beauty in life, it is hard for us to even feel any hatred or anger.

My Project Gratitude began on Sunday, 14 September 2014 when I was tagged by Sasuke Malaysia founder +Zai Johari and I am now on my Day 4. From Day 1, I had nominated Anny Chunraem, Aaraf Armin, Rose Emini Pahamin, Dr Malek Aziz, Farhanah Bamadhaj, Steven Path, Jackson Liew, Iznan Salleh, Ervin Noordin, Pow Ow Ee, Syerry Noordin and Diyana Anuar. I am nominating 2 more at the end of this blog. 

1) Grateful that petrol price in Malaysia is so cheap comparative to our neighboring countries. I frequented Bangkok and would curse everytime at the petrol price in Thailand which is just so expensive. Sometimes I wonder how people in Thailand can afford to drive. Despite the expensive petrol, the traffic jam there is triple worst than the peak period. in Malaysia Similarly, having frequented  Singapore & Phnom Pehn for business, petrol prices there too, are just ridiculously expensive.

PROJECT GRATITUDE PART 3: GRATEFUL THINGS TO TREASURE

What better way than to wake up in the morning and count our blessing. Today is the 3rd day of Project Gratitude. Rarely do majority of us wake up and actually thought of all the good things in life and what life has to offer. Our thought actually become the driving force in our life. As Lao Tse once said, “Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habit. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.” 

I was tagged by +Zai Johari in this 6 days project and I have tagged 5 people on Day 1, 2 people on day 2 and now I am on my Day 3. The project is fairly simple, everyday for the next 6 days, we must update our Facebook with 3 list of things that we are grateful for and each day, we must tag at least 2 other people. For my day 1, click HERE and Day 2- click HERE.

 My Day 3 encompasses as follows:

1. I am grateful to have a strong blog follower and readers across the globe. I started this blog 8 years ago and I encourage everyone else to start a blog. Then spend an hour aday or every other day, just expressing yourself in writing, sharing your positive thought or whatever your interest is, in the border-less world, in Cyberspace. You will be surprise how viral your write-up can be and you will feel at peace after sharing your thoughts. Two days ago, my blog hit the 1 million viewer and I am even more inspired to write. Thank you.

PROJECT GRATITUDE: PART 2. GRATEFUL THINGS TO TREASURE

Do you have a bicycle? or motorcycle? If you do, please try this... pedal straight ahead while your head is turned as far left as possible. You will notice that your bicycle naturally turned left even when you try to cycle straight. The same way we drive our life. Our life follows whichever way we focus ourselves. Sometimes, we did not realize that we are driving ourselves in the wrong direction and wonder what went wrong. Waking up in the morning and being grateful of what life has offered and for whatever we have, will and can changed our perspective in life. We often read on Facebook how negative most of the Facebook updates are. This is day 2 of Project Gratitude that I was tagged by +Zai Johari . Click HERE, for project gratitude part 1. If you have been tagged, please update your Facebook with 3 things that you are grateful for the next 6 days. It does not need to be long but it must be consistent for 6 consecutive day. After you have updated your Facebook, please nominate a minimum of 2 person. Zai Johari whom tagged me, listed not 2 but 6 things in her grateful list for Day-2 and tagged not 2 but 3 friends. Let us get this positive effort to be as viral as possible. It is with minimal effort but with the kindest deed.

3 Grateful things to treasure on Day 2.

1) I am grateful that I am at Peace. Peace with almost everything in life. A peaceful mind is priceless. There is no value to a peaceful country, peaceful home and especially a peaceful mind without lies, deceits and vengeance. It's a priceless gift that we must treasure. I am at peace without insecurities from health and am at peace from being betrayed (by  anyone from business partners, employees, friends or even spouse). Everything that happens, happen for a reason. We are train to believe in the pillars of Iman and the 6th pillar is the belief in Qada' & Qadar (the divine will and the divine decree) but sometimes we tend to forget those teaching being sucked and drained deep into problems and emotional cycle. Peace is the root of happiness. Without being at peace, we tend to lose sight of every good & every blessings.

1,000,000 page viewer.

I am a millionaire!!! Err.. I mean, my blog, "Stay Tuned" hit the 1 million viewers mark!!

It has been 8 years since I started blogging in 2008 and have written 1,456 blogs. It was a long ride to get a million hit and today I crossed over the 1 million viewers mark. It is a meaningful and an inspiring journey for me who was never a writer or author, never studied journalism and not in any way related to the media. I just love to share my passion in particular Bootcamp, Proton, politics and of course family and lifestyle. I even inspire my 11 years old son Aaraf to start blogging and he did but not as consistent. Expressing in writing our inner thought, emotion and belief is never an easy task but I find solace in writing. 

GRATEFUL THINGS TO TREASURE.

It has been awhile since I blog on personal sentiments but I could not resist to blog this viral tagging to share on things I am grateful for, for the next 6 days (6 continuous days Zai!!). I love positive things. I do not know who started this but I truly believe it is a good and positive viral dare to share. Sometimes, we tend to walk passed beautiful things in life in our daily journey. Writing those grateful things we cherish is a good start to begin our day. Thanks for tagging me +Zai Johari !!! These are 3 grateful things shortlisted ~

1) There is seriously nothing more important than health! I am grateful for being healthy enough to take care of my own health, to be independent, to work and earn a living, to love and care for my parent, wife, son, siblings and friends. With health, I can afford to earn a good living for my family and provide comfort, employment to my team and staff as well as their families. I am also healthy enough to learn new things everyday, meet alot of interesting people and learn even more from them. I am grateful to be blessed with such a good health that I was able to performed my Haj and a few Umrahs and was able to visit, view and learn the cultures and lifestyle of foreigners in their countries. I am grateful everyday for a good healthy mind, body and soul and will take care of this health that was blessed upon me until my return to Allah swt. Yes, Health is my first choice of being grateful every morning that I never missed my morning workout session at the Chief's Original Bootcamp, Malaysia and weekend Bodyjam session to share my wife's passion.

GIRL GUIDES ASSOCIATION MALAYSIA "IMAGINE MORE - GIRLS IN THE LEAD"

The Girl Guides Association Malaysia took the lead to drive teenagers, in particular its members towards a healthier lifestyle. The drive saw the first gathering of hundred girls aged from 10 to 17 years old at its Girl Guides' Wilayah head office in Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad, Kuala Lumpur. The program was the initiative of the National Commissioner for Junior Girl Guides at the National Headquarters of Girl Guides Association Malaysia, Chempaka Emalin Pahamin in a creative workshop with the theme, "Imagine More - Girls in the Lead". 

"We want to emphasize the importance of keeping our girls fit and healthy", said Chempaka Emalin Pahamin who has been planning the program for the past few months. "There will be four Girl Guides proficiency badges (Ranger and Brownie) to be awarded to Girl Guides who attended and passed the program", she added. The badges are as follows:

Proficiency Badge No. 45 Kecergasan (Pandu Puteri Remaja/Renjer PPPM)

TIPS TO COMBAT (DENGUE) WITH PAPAYA LEAVES JUICE

Petua Daun Pokok Betik (Tips using Papaya leaves).

They say Papaya leaves juice is the best remedy for Dengue and me being me, after being almost certain that Aaraf has dengue with his fever above 40 degrees, sore with infected throat, diarrhea and nauseate; I immediately started Aaraf on the papaya leaves juice even though its only his second day since the high fever.

We brought Aaraf to the Damansara Specialist Hospital immediately on the first day he had fever but was told Dengue can only be detected on day 4 to day 5 after the first symptom- high fever.

I was skeptic of this petua but I could not bear looking at my son crying in high fever above 40 degrees, face & eyes so red, screaming in the middle of the night with nightmares and sleep walking etc..

How do we prepare the Papaya Leaves extract? First you will need to get the papaya leaves (of course!!).  Luckily there was a wild papaya tree at my house. Second, you will need to have Anny.. Kidding. Anny is mine. You will need to get your own Anny to assist. Take 2 of the leaves (an average age leaves that is neither too young or too old) and remove all the leave bones (urat daun) and keep only the leaves (see picture below). The next step is as per the step by step picture below.

VIBRAM FIVE FINGERS USA CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT

I read with interest various comments made on Facebook and the cyber pertaining to the class action suit made against Vibram Five Fingers in USA (read HERE) and there seemed to be alot of misconception and misunderstanding.

The class action suit took place in USA alleging that Vibram USA engaged in false and deceptive advertising. An advertising that claimed the footwear could reduce foot injuries and strengthen foot muscles, without basing those advertisement on any scientific merit. It did not state that those health claim is not true but unsubstantiated. “Vibram USA expressly denied and continues to deny any wrongdoing alleged in the Actions, and neither admits nor concedes any actual or potential fault, wrongdoing or liability,” read the court brief. 

I am a hardcore Vibram Five Finger user and have ran 2 full marathons in a Vibram Five Fingers shoes (and countless of shorter distances) and would not use any other shoes for running but a Vibram Five Fingers. If you are my blog follower then you would have read how I suffered from bad knees as a result from perhaps, an excessive  running and was advice to go for corrective surgery on both knees. 

I did not go for the advised surgery but instead, invested in a pair of Vibram Five Fingers. After a few months of training in the Vibram Five Fingers (esp in a better form of running), I ran two full marathons and countless shorter distance run without any knee pain or knee injury. Infact, my PB running time had  improved and my knees/legs are much stronger.
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TIPS TO UNBLOCK ARTERIES WITH GINGER, GARLIC, LEMON & APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

Anny read this tips to unblock arteries and started me on this today. Day 1. I should do a blood test first to know its effectiveness but nonetheless, my Day 1 (6th MAY 2014).

It is always good to service our arteries when living with high cholesterol for already more than 10 years. I am on 10mg Crestor (Rosuvastatine) and 145mg Lipanthyl (Fenofibrate) daily for Cholestrol.

We will never know how those oily food and excessive fat had build up inside the walls of our arteries and vein. This fat build up in our arteries and vein will lead to artery blockage that can cause a heart attack and no matter how much exercise we performed each day, this fat build-up in the artery can be fatal.

We should look good and healthy in the inside as much as we are good looking physically.

So what do we need to look good in the inside? 

1.  Lemon - 1 cup

2. Garlic - 1 cup

3. Ginger - 1 cup

4. Apple Cider Vinegar - 1 cup.

5. Honey - 2 table spoon

Garlic improves blood circulation, clearing arteries and flushing out toxic waste. There are alot more benefits of Garlic which you can just google.