Batting Practice @ Seroja

Sometimes, while waiting for a new batsman to pad-up, one can go into the nets and get a quick batting practice. Usually without gloves, batting pads, helmet and even ball-guard. One can do that if the bowlers are bowling slow.

Good Times at SEMESTI

After spending 5 formative years of my life in a great residential school in Ipoh i.e. Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman (STAR), I was fortunate enough to be given a Public Services Department (JPA) scholarship to the UK for an Aerospace Engineering course. However, contrary to the previous practice, instead of doing the UK universities entry requirements i.e. the A-Level examination in the UK, the Government decided to conduct the A-Level courses locally.

Hence, my peers and I were placed in few premises and centres for the A-Levels depending on the courses (engineering, social sciences, law etc.) such as MCKK, SDAR, SEMESTI etc. About 100 of us were sent to SEMESTI (Sekolah Menengah Sains Teluk Intan) for 2 years since September 1985 in order to prepare for the A-Level exam in summer of 1987.

Actually, there's a lot of things going on while in SEMESTI. I really enjoyed my time there. 

Anyway, last weekend I was playing in ASTI (Alumni SEMESTI) cricket team for the MCOBA Royals 100 Championship held at the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus. I played 3 matches, and became the opening bowler for team ASTI. I managed to get one wicket for each of the match i.e. Ungku (MCOBA), Salman (SERATAS) and Comat (SESDU), all considered good opening batsman.

In addition to that, the sixth edition ASSAK Cricket Challenge ACC 2018, instead of the usual STAROBA Tigers, I'll be playing for ASTI Beetles (there're some inaccuracies in the video below, I did my A-Level in 1987, and was never a captain in SEMESTI).

Here goes some of the good times photo stories of recent and the yesteryears of SEMESTI:

I even bowled a maiden over at STC Oval
in the ASTI Beetle vs SMACK game during the
ASSAK Cricket Championship (ACC) 2018

Playing for SEMESTI (Alumni Team)
in the MCOBA Royals 100 Championship

My colleagues and I were the pioneers of SEMESTI Cricket,
way back in 1986. We even won many matches
against other residential schools like RMC, KIK, SMAWIP, SMS etc.

Not sure why I posed like that at the front ...
but the adidas sneakers looked cool enough.
I remembered two RMC batsmen injured due to my bowling.
one with 5 stitches (his fault for wearing lopek batting gloves),
the other with a broken glasses (no helmet).
those were the days my friends ....

I was the Headboy, with lots and lots of cute girls adik angkat.

The longest time ever being the Headboy.

Believe it or not, I was also the Tokoh Pelajar.
Received the Trophy and Cash Award.

How I'd looked in those sweet days at SEMESTI.

Some of my good friends and how do we look
after 30 years, still looking good right?

Batting @ Seroja

When you edit out the missed balls and the wickets and what not, batting at the nets can be cool.

Unpressurised Joy

Subang Sky Park

My boss (my former classmate at Glasgow University), had just had his new General Aviation hangar inaugurated yesterday. After the long prayer and sumptuous kambing bakar and what not, he asked me whether I would like to ride on his Cessna 172 aircraft for a quick KL city tour.

"You don't have to worry bro, if anything happens, your wife will be compensated at least RM200k."

Wow, that's very reassuring indeed, especially when knowing that the wife will be a new 'janda kaya' and will get the posthumous two hundred thousand compensation plus another one million from my EPF, while my duly-departed self could be making the next day headline in the news, and somebody will obviously post viral photo/video via WhatsApp or IG.

Anyway, back to the Cessna 172, it is one of the most successful aircraft in history with more than 44,000 units built since 1956  and remains in production until today.

It has a crew of one (the pilot) and can carry three passengers. Its length is about 8.28m and its wingspan is 11.00 m. The Cessna 172 cruising speed is 226 km/h with a range of about 1,289 km. Unlike normal civil aviation aircraft that we normally took, the cabin is not pressurised. Similar to the scary helicopters during my offshore going days and the British Aerospace Jetstream 41 during my aerospace engineering undergraduate study.

The pilot of the day for the Cessna 172 was Captain Azrin, a young and talented flying officer at my company. We took off from Subang Sky Park runway and flew from Subang up to KL City Centre passing the TRX and KLCC and came back to Subang.

During the landing approach, we have to wait for quite sometime loitering in the air while waiting for the runway to clear because of heavy traffics.

Captain Azrin safely landed the aircraft, and thanks to the Almighty, my wife's not yet a rich widow.

Cessna 172 with Registration No. 9M-JOY

Captain Azrin the pilot of the day

Passed by the almost completed TRX

Yours truly giving a thumbs up

Graduation 2018

Congratulation to my dear 22 year old son Ameerul Ahwaz on his July graduation from Heriot Watt University getting a B.Eng. in Petroleum Engineering. The story behind why he chose that course was because he's truly inspired by the success of my former classmate/boss Nik Hamdan of Barakah Offshore Petroleum, especially with his flashy Lamborghini Aventador, Ferrari 488 and Porsche sports cars as well as his swimming-pool equipped bungalow in Glenmarie Residence.

Anyway, I really appreciate his achievement under the circumstances. He tried his best in getting over the difficult and challenging engineering subjects especially in the tradition of excellence well known within the Scottish Universities forte (all the Kelvins, Adam Smiths, James Watts, etc. were from Scotland).

In my undergrad days in the ancient Glasgow University back in the late 80s and early 90s, I had to endure the bitterly cold environment and those lonely days (the aftermath of a break up) in addition to the strenuous aerospace engineering subjects and being faraway from my family. Even with all these obstacles, I managed to graduate on time in July 1991 (Summer Graduation) as opposed to many of my friends who had to resit for their exams and finally graduated in December (Winter Graduation).

Ahwaz and his Petroleum Engineering degree
from Heriot Watt University, July 2018

The Honours Board
Congratulating the Graduates

Ahwaz's cool dad with his
Aerospace Engineering degree from 
Glasgow University, July 1991

Hopefully, he will successfully embark in a conducive working environment. Unlike me, as right after graduation I set myself up for an epic sabbatical carefree journey of four months in the Indian subcontinent (well that's another story) from July until November and practically did nothing and just 'lepak kingkong' at my home in Sitiawan until the next February.

What People Think

What do actually people think about you?

Sometimes, I asked myself this question. What actually people think of me?

To be honest, I don’t even care to bother. When I do things to anyone, the last reason for me to do it was because of what they think about me.

I do it for the sake of seeking the pleasures of Almighty. I did it because I like doing it.

Having said that, I hope that people do genuinely like me and hopefully for the right reasons.

I am the kind of person who will take some time to open myself up, if ever. Maybe to someone else who are both sincere and respectful. Liking me for who I really am, without holding up a mask or being false.

Having said that, I hope my SO still like me, even though my networth has shrunk to oblivion, similar to some other 30,000 oil & gas professionals in Malaysia.

I hope that my children will still love me, even though I haven’t took them for shopping spree or going for overseas trips for the last two years.

I sincerely hope that my boss at work still appreciate my little contributions to the company.

I'm also hoping that my fellow batsmen still have that uneasiness of negotiating my skiddy and sometimes in-swing bowling during a cricket match, just like before.

The least of thing that I think people musing over about me is about my outwardly appearance. 

To me there is so much going on in this mind of mine. I could be engaged in practically all the intense and intelligent discussions and discourses on any given topics. I love science, engineering, history, politics, economy, sports, architecture, religion, philosophy ad infinitum. But certainly not on the topic of my looks.

The other day, at one of the PETRONAS Service Station, after I have finished filling up my sports hybrid, I noticed a familiar looking lady sitting in a car in front of me.

"Bad, Bad, oh my God, you looked so handsome !!" That particular day, I was in my full Baju Melayu complete with its buttons, unlike P Ramlee.

"Haha, haha ... hello Nor, apa khabar?"

She happens to be my former office colleague. It's been a while since I met her.

"Sebab you dah kahwin je, kalau tidak mesti I dah tackle you !!"

"Haha, haha ..." I felt like choking myself.

There were other occasions, when after a meeting was over, I received similar tone of messages. And all I have to say was, "Haha ..."

exempli gratia

Counting My Blessings

It's very easy to express dissatisfaction, and it's damn too easy to always complaint.

This and that not right, those and what not weren't good enough.

The last couple of weekends while we were still in the month of Syawal, my SO and I organised (not-so) open-house events for friends and families, well mostly friends. My SO will prepare her sumptuous biryani rice and special lamb curry plus other delicacies for the guests.

While my tasks would be making the drinks and maybe preparing the associated salad dishes.

Most of our friends have expressed how delicious those biryani was and how tender and succulent the lamb was (and my SO will then say that she's using the pressure cooker, instead of the normal cooking method).

Some went on to the extent saying that what they had was the best tasted biryani rice ever (I'm sure they haven't gone to biryani restaurants nearby the Lahore Gaddafi Cricket Stadium yet).

Anyway, me and my family are counting all the blessings given by the Almighty for each of the tasty biryani morsel that we partake, and each of the drink that we inadvertently gulped.

Count Your Blessings, Not Your Problems.

The very delicious lamb shank and biryani rice
at the Dera Restaurant, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Exotic art deco brickworks on the restaurant facade

The Night Before Syawal 1439H

It seems odd.

Something seems missing.

It was the night preceding the Hari Raya Aidil Fitri the first of Syawal 1439H. I have managed to observe the one month Ramadhan of fasting in peace. This year, I even completed all the night prayers (Tarawikh and Witr) at the masjid without missing even one single day. In addition, I was very fortunate being able to visit the mosque frequently during the day.

I almost felt that one of the night was the Night or Power (Laylatul Qadr). 

Gone were the days when during the fasting month, I brought my Oil & Gas clients and friends to break their fast at the poshest restaurants in the 5-6 stars hotels for a RM170++ per pax iftar, and later had to do my Tarawikh in the house.

Something was not right at all. I remembered well what happened to me on the last day of Ramadhan last year.

My life was organised and arranged such a way that, things shouldn't go smoothly. There must be some events. So, on the eve of Hari Raya, when things were as uneventful as this, I thought that it was kind of odd.

After breaking fast for the last time, I took my rental Grand Starex (from Hertz) to the majestic Ubudiah Masjid at Bukit Chandan and parked at the designated parking lot. That night, is called Laylatul Jaizah or the Night of Prize Giving. It is said that your doas will be granted on that night. I have lots and lots to ask from the Almighty, and tonight some of my doas hopefully will be granted. 

After the Isya' prayer, there was no more Tarawikh prayer that night but I decided to stay on as there was a Majlis for Khatam al-Quran.

And then it happened ...

I found out that the door lock of my rental van has been ransacked and the perpetrator stole my belongings (Longchamp bag/wallet, some cash, bank cards, IC, driving license, etc.). I parked the van for less than one hour in the Sultan's mosque, and this thing happened.

Ok (what more can I say after  إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ‎).

Now then, this is more like it. This sounds more like my usual life story.

After making calls to the banks to block the bank cards etc. I went straight to the Kuala Kangsar (KK) police station to file a report.

When I told the police what has happened to my surprise they informed me that I was the seventh (yes, 7th) victim of car break-in that day in KK alone. Seriously?

Before I wanted to even lament and expressed my disappointment, suddenly there was a lady came bustling into the police station. She was almost crying and sobbing. 

She happened to be the eighth (yes, 8th) victim that day in KK. Some sick @$$h0le broke the window of her car, stole all the cash, some golds and even four (yes, 4) pasang of her baju raya.

She happened to park her car at Masjid Ridwaniah nearby.

It seems that people nowadays frequented the mosques not only to say their prayers.

Like a Majnun

This holy month of Ramadhan teaches us many things and it’s not just another month for a spiritual detox nor it’s just about forsaking your body on food and water. 

Preferably, we need to also abstain ourselves and shun away all the ill and ‘laro’ speeches, arguments, loss of temper and nasty behaviour, including posting obnoxious comments on the infamous couple who just lost the GE14.

We need to have lots and lots of patience and mercy, and obviously Ramadhan is the best form of ibadah and amal which is already has a build-in ways to develop us on some sort of the sense of self-control unlike 20 years ago.

For me, so far so good. Until yesterday, on the 21st day of Ramadhan.

The time was 4.29 pm in the afternoon (I’m quite precise in timing, previously when I was doing Oil & Gas, I dealt in milliseconds … well that will be another story). It will be just another minute before the office hours are done for the day during the fasting month. 

Suddenly, I got a WhatsApp message from the boss asking to meet up after Asar prayer. Sure boss, not a problem.

Whenever there is a meeting of minds, normally it won’t finish that early. After quarter past six, however, I asked to be excused. The journey from the office to my home will be at least 1 hour, with a normal traffic. 

Obviously, the traffic was far from normal. There was even a herd of cattle (yes, you heard me) trying to cross the road at Dengkil. Luckily, they stopped at the kerb, as if waiting for me to pass first.

Anyway, when my Omega Seamaster 300m showed that the time was 7.00 pm and my sports hybrid just only about entering Puchong, I quickly uttered, 

“Hey Siri, please call my wife on speaker.”

And told the wife that I will not make it for Berbuka Puasa that night.

Thankfully, I managed to secure a seat at the busy Sushi King outlet in Puchong and placed the order for four plates (yes, four plates) of Norwegian Salmon Nishoku. I also took two plates of Edamame the green soybeans, and ordered a drink.

Deliciously looking Nishoku 

... to be continued in Jawi

اكو ڤرهاتيكن اد سأورڠ ڤرمڤوان بربڠسا چينا يڠ بارو سمڤأي دان دودوق د تڤي ميجا كو. تروس دي منكن لوچڠ اونتوق ممڠڬيل ڤلاين ريستورن اونتوق ممبوات ڤسانن

وقتو ايت كادأن امت سيبوق. موڠكين كران ريستورن همڤير ڤنوه دان وقتو بربوك ڤواسا همڤير تيبا

ڤرمڤوان ايت مولا ماره-ماره دان سڤرتي هندق مڠماوق. دي مولا مڠلواركن كات-كات كاسر كڤد ڤلاين ريستورن. اكو يڠ سميمڠڽ دودوق ديام تنڤا بيچارا تتاڤي اشيق ممرهاتيكن ڬلڬتڽ سجق دري تادي تيبا-تيبا ترڤڠڬيل اونتوق برتيندق

تيبا-تيبا اكو تروس منڤوك ميجا دڠن كوات. اكو تروس مڠهيرديقڽ

"CAN YOU PLEASE SHUT UP?"

.ڤرمڤوان ايت ماسيه تروس مڠلواركن ڤركاتان يڠ كست

"HEY, I SAID SHUT UP !!!"

اكو مراساكن سواسان د ريستورن ايت امت سوڽي سكالي، تياد سياڤا ڤون يڠ بركات اڤ. سمواڽ سوڽي سڤي

اخيرڽ، ڤرمڤوان ايت سڤرتي مڠاله دان برهنتي دري تروس بربهاس كاسر دان تروس منيڠڬلكن ريستورن ايت

سواسان كمبالي سڤرتي بياسا، ڤارا ڤڠونجوڠ ريستورن يڠ تادي منجادي سڤرتي ڤڬون، كيني كمبالي سڤرتي سديا كالا

ماسوق وقتو بربوك، اكو تروس ممباچ دعا دان تروس منجامه هيدڠن يڠ سوده ترسديا

KTMB Key Business Challenges and Moving Forward Action Plans - An Overview

This brief overview will explore some of the current key business challenges for Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) and the great growth potentials in the rail passengers & logistics business as well as some suggestions on feasible action plans by its Commercial, Corporate Planning and Business Development functions.

“When you have disciplined people, you don’t need hierarchy. When you have disciplined thought, you don’t need bureaucracy. When you have disciplined action, you don’t need excessive controls. When you combine a culture of discipline with an ethic of entrepreneurship, you get the magical alchemy of great performance.”

- James C. Collins, Good to Great

Preamble

It is a very common sight at most of KTMB train stations: 

There are plenty of passengers and most of them are not that satisfied with the services offered. The services are not the most reliable and definitely not as friendly.

However, most of the passengers don’t really bother because they don’t have much choice, but some did take extra steps in voicing their dissatisfactions via the KTMB Complaint Board, most of which will fall on the deaf ears anyway.

But why all this? KTMB supposed to be a well known institution in the Malaysian history. Through out the history of Malaysia, the railway had played a key role in the development of the nation’s socio economy, primarily in the Peninsula Malaysia. 

Since the first link from Taiping to Port Weld (Kuala Sepetang) in 1885 up to the early 20th century, railway tracks were expanded to span the length of the Peninsula from Padang Besar to Singapore.

The services are not the most reliable and definitely not as friendly.

In the 1990s, the name has changed from the Malayan Railway Administration (MRA) became Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) following the Railways Act 1991. KTMB ran its operations like a private corporation but still owned by the government via Ministry of Finance (MoF) Incorporated.  Previously, there were some efforts by the government to fully privatise KTMB but were unsuccessful.

At the First Glance

As for the masses, the first attempt to look at KTMB information is via its official website.

Unfortunately, the KTMB website looks very outdated and not informative enough. There are very little information on the company status and its services offered. The website looks as if it’s not professionally done at all.  For KTMB users and customers, the feeling when browsing the website will be quite similar to the unintelligible voice heard from the Public Address (PA) System at almost all of the KTMB stations.

In addition to that, for a company of the size and of importance like KTMB, people will be looking at the financial reports and past performances. However, they are only available for the year 2013, 2014 and 2015. To make it even more puzzling, these audited reports are dated at 2012 and 2017.

The other crestfallen thing observed is that even KTMB’s company vision and mission are very weak and even had glaring spelling and grammar mistakes.

Since in this day and age people will be first looking at the internet to find any information, it is imperative that the foremost thing KTMB Management needs to do is to totally revamp its website’s looks and feels as well as its contents. KTMB could try to emulate the best practices by the top railway companies of the world like Union Pacific and CSX of the United States as well as MTR of Hong Kong and others.

Lingering Issues 

It is a public knowledge that KTMB for the past decades has been continuously plunged in a series of financial corporate setbacks.

To quote KTMB previous Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Datuk Sarbini Tijan who said that that the company is ‘technically bankrupt’, hence an urgent transformation is needed to turn the company around. According to him, there should be a KTMB wide transformation process with a top-down approach, beginning with the board, right down to the janitor.

The followings are the financial highlights for the financial year 2015 (FY2015). There is no information available for FY2016 and FY2017.

• Net Loss - 2015: RM226.25 million, 2014: RM43.48 million
• Revenue - 2015: RM515.8 million, 2014: RM498.9 million
• Staff Costs % - 80% of KTMB Revenue, Optimal ~ 20-30%)
• Status End of 2015 - Assets RM623.86 million, Liabilities RM1.92 billion

According to some reports, the prevalent low fares are among the main contributing factors for the losses. As a comparison the fares for the commuter service are currently 10.8 sen/km compared with 15 sen/km for LRT services. 

The other main contributing factor for the financial loss viz.: 

• High operational cost in maintaining its rail coaches and deteriorating infrastructure conditions and poorly maintained rolling stock and coaches
• High electricity and diesel consumption
• High portion of manpower costs compared to revenue but lower staff salaries and benefits thus resulting in high staff attrition rates
• Cargo services losses of about RM55 million per annum 

This results in KTMB having a negative cash flow problems of more than RM200 million per year. KTMB without doubt will require a 180 degree transformation, it requires for a new blood of leadership to be brought into the company.

New Leadership at KTMB

On September 2017, KTMB has announced the appointment of Mohd Rani Hisham Samsudin as its new CEO, who has made few announcements on the measures and steps to be taken by KTMB to turn around the company including the efforts poised for the first profit after almost two decades of losses, namely:

• To stop the continuous losses in the company.
• Reviewing all contracts that were outsourced, and looking at the unprofitable routes. 
• Acknowledging the major contributor to KTMB profit is from the passenger ticket sales and ensuring KTMB ETS (electric train service) as well as shuttle services between Johor Baru and Woodlands remains profitable.
• Capitalising on the cargo business for growth. 
• Usage of KTMB land in the Klang Valley for property development especially in the Bangi, Shah Alam and Klang areas, so as to generate income for the company and reformulating KTMB business model to look beyond the railway service.
• Starting the transformation of working culture and attitude of all staff and addressing the union (RUM) so that KTMB will have common agenda to develop and grow the company. 
• Introducing a performance-based KPIs for every staff members to measure and increase the productivity by improving revenue and reducing the cost per employee. 
• Transferring process of KTMB’s assets and liabilities to Railway Asset Corp (RAC) as part of the Railway Network Access Agreement (RNAA), a move which is strongly opposed by RUM.

The effectiveness and the positive outcomes as a result from the company policy changes and revised business models by the new helm at KTMB leadership is yet to be seen. From the announcements made so far, the future of KTMB business looks promising. However, the public and the private investors have all the rights to be sceptical unless proven otherwise.

Railway Potentials in Malaysia

The railway as a form of transport for people and goods is the most efficient if compared to the other forms of transportation. The railway systems especially when electrified, will be more economical in terms of fuel consumption reduction, more environmentally friendly with potential reduced vehicle taxation based on lesser CO2 emissions,  travel times will be faster as well as being much more safer. Studies made on comparisons between road and rail transportations, transporting cargo by rail is 6 times more efficient compared to road whereas and for passenger, railway is 20 times more efficient.

With the completion and the near completion of the Electrified Double Track Project (EDTP) from Padang Besar to Johor Bahru as well as the Klang Valley Double Track Project (KVDTP) will bring about socio-economic benefits to the overall economy and the nation as a whole. The better rail services will also benefit lower income groups as well as the rural communities.

In Malaysia, in terms of transportation, the railway currently has a market share of just 3% compared to road transport with 89%, whereas in the developed countries railway share is more than 30%. This over-reliance on road transportation is not entirely sustainable with known congestions on the PLUS and other expressways during festive and school holiday seasons.

EDTP and KVDTP completion will allow for development to be more dispersed as people working in cities can live outside. The better railway services will also benefit lower income groups and rural communities. 

Moving Forward Recommendations

The followings are some of the recommended moving forwards action plans for KTMB:

• KTMB need to form a separate division or company to assume the roles and responsibilities like Network Rail in United Kingdom. This new entity will be separated from railway operations and will be focussing among others at: 
• The efficiency of track renewals, particularly from engineering haulage and goods transportation perspectives
• Supporting on property projects (it is hereby suggesting that KTMB will discontinue the RNAA and keep all assets)
• Evaluating the internal requirements for traction and rolling stock and managing the procurement processes
• Reviewing the requirements for depots and new depot facilities
• Responsible for asset management ensuring that safe and economic processes are established to support the terminal operations

KTMB via KTM Kargo needs to revamp and improve throughly its haulage and goods services via the following recommendations to provide a multimodal transport service to meet customer needs. KTM Kargo need to be the leader of Malaysia’s Integrated Logistics Provider:

• Combined rail & road, a multi-provider service for all container transport especially well suited to the shipping of hazardous goods since it reduces risk
• Full train and end-to-end delivery, a managed end-to-end service using both fleet and chartered vehicles and if required piggybacking to manage large volumes.
• Some of the transformations which are needed for multimodal transport repositioning are:
• Competitive edge based on volumes and requirements, KTM Kargo need to offer a means of transport that is most competitive for business
• Expertise, KTM Kargo need to position itself as a single contact to businesses with precise information on their freight wellbeing and status
• Traceability, KTM Kargo to also provide online tracking services of customers’ freight in real time employing Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) and other Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4) business driven innovation applications.

Lessons Learnt from MTR Hong Kong

Based on a study made on the good business practices by one of the most profitable railway company in the world i.e. MTR of Hong Kong, the followings are some recommendations  for KTMB to emulate: 

• KTMB Leadership and Management in their effort to turn around the company should start making commitment and act more rationally with more motivation, and take all their commercial and entrepreneurial decisions to create wealth for the company and ultimately benefitting the society. Firstly by re-creating its corporate mission, vision, policies and operating practices, creating a culture of continuous improvement and commitment to excellence.
• KTMB Board should be governed by an independent board, members of which are drawn from leaders of various sectors of industry and academia.
• Performance of this entire KTMB team shall be regulated through a variable pay mechanism set against a pre-defined set of safety, customer satisfaction, efficiency and profitability targets. 
• KTMB need to re-establish its Property Division who shall be responsible for property development and non-fare revenue aspects of the business. The railway-property model shall be an associated to the objective of better integration of city and transport planning. A close coordination with the Ministry of Transport is required.
• The profits generated from these property developments can help offset the capital investments in new railway lines and extensions as well as the replacement and enhancement of existing assets and networks.
• KTMB must put its operational excellence as top priorities. Such commitment shall be embodied in its corporate vision of keeping customers first and achieving commercial prudence.
• KTMB needs to emulate other top global railway companies by ensuring resource allocation and capital investment will be done only through the annual budgeting exercise and will be reviewed extensively all the way to the top to ensure all investments meet overall corporate goals and objectives. 
• For long term financial planning and asset management, the KTMB also maintains at least a 20 years forecast, which is reviewed and updated yearly (MTR is doing 50 years forecasts).
• KTMB needs to always consider technological advancements and issues of obsolescence with the ultimate aim is to improve the process flows so that delivery of services can be expedited or streamlined. 
• KTMB needs to develop stringent procurement policy and cost control mechanisms, which will be designed to achieve a good balance between efficiency and control, and to obtain best value for money in the procurement of goods and services. This obviously will reduce many forms of corruption practices.
• KTMB needs to consider the current forms of digital advertising and other innovative formats, apart from billboards and advertising panels.
• Some of the available space at KTMB stations and tunnels can be leased out to mobile phone operators to offer connectivity to passengers or maybe  install solar panels to power operations, and even sell energy back to the grid. Revenue is generated while offering a better value and convenience to the customers. 
• KTMB needs to fully exploit the role of its stations as the hubs for the community. Some suggestions could be in the forms of exhibition spaces in the stations are leased out to credit card companies, charity organisations and for other promotional activities.
• KTMB needs to practice a Continuous Improvement and Commitment to Excellence and pledge to always set a target higher than previous achievements and to strive to meet these new challenges as well as emulating the best practices from other top railways around the world. An example to maybe invite the American Public Transport Association, to carry out regular safety audits and it obtains various quality certifications from ISO. 

Summary and Conclusions

It is without doubt that KTMB needs a rebranding and a major revamp in its organisation.

KTMB future road map, revised corporate plans, business improvement plans and others will have to examines internal capabilities and take full advantage of external opportunities that will allow KTMB Leadership and Management to guide the business out of its current lingering financial situation and bring it to another level and able to compete and contribute to the development of the new Malaysia. 

This revised corporate plans shall also contains actions that are needed to accomplish company objectives as well as supplying a map to benchmark progress at regular timelines. KTMB needs to revise its vision statement by defining its roles and responsibilities as well as  its objectives, which will guide ALL its internal decision making, maintain its business focus and giving a sense of purpose to its business. In addition, KTMB needs to also redevelop its mission statement which will outline how it will achieve its business and transformation plan. Ideal revenue streams: 1/3 Passenger, 2/3 Freight, plus others (property, parking, distribution, advertising etc.)

KTMB needs to also be wary on all its resources and scopes by taking cognisant of all its activities, programs, divisions, employees, tangible and intangible assets, finances and anything else that is relevant to its vision and mission. This will give KTMB a clear picture of where it is now and where it want to go.

KTMB need to also create a listing of KTMB Corporate Objectives and how these objectives will be measured. This will help employees and other stakeholders know where KTMB is heading and what needs to be done. In addition, corporate strategies also need to be developed and listed such as developing new products and services or entering new markets (property markets etc.) as well as the approach KTMB will use to get there.

These actions will help KTMB to connect back with its clients, employees and all the stakeholders. By clarifying who KTMB is, what are its offers and what differentiates it from others, KTMB will be able to better communicate its values.

GE14 in a Nutshell

After the GE12 a decade ago, I wrote my 2 sen. 

This time around in GE14, the result was so overwhelming that it defies all the elections polls and political pundits predictions.

I think that the biggest reason for BN to fall from grace, ending its six decades of rule is somewhat attributed to the PM factor. He is seemed to be a delusional kleptocratic leader with I'm-not-sure-what-to-call spouse, surrounded by scum lickers (think of the comedian and cohorts) and apple polishers. 

This was quite similar to Pak Lah who was a very weak, incompetent PM back then, who's not in control at all, and manipulated by his SIL.

And, obviously there's the Grand Master factor.

My Three Sweet Wickets at Mantinshire

Mantinshire (that's what we called the Kolej Tuanku Jaafar's Oval at Mantin)

It was a pleasant First of May, a public holiday for most of the people, even though it falls on Tuesday.

Anyway, it would be just another fine day for a game of 40 over cricket, wearing whites and using the red cherry ball. My team SPC XI (actually it should have been SPC X as one player was gone missing) lost the toss and was asked to field first.

We were up against the usual Abul XI selection, featuring all the well known and hard hitting batsman like Mat Jimie, Salman Zahari and Saufi. Whereas, SPC XI as always consists of mostly old timers (otais) and the not so impressive cricketers. This match was a part of an on-going rivalry sledging-happy kind of cricket match.

I was the opening bowler. In my hand was a brand new red cricket ball with a good shine on both sides. I measured my run up, approximately 18 paces from the batting crease.

At the other end, facing my ball was Mus (SMS Taiping, Perak), a diminutive but quite an elegant opening batsman who also happened to be my SO's classmate.

Anyway, I delivered the first ball of the inning. The ball was swinging like mad. Most probably because it was a brand new shining ball and the weather was kinda heavy. Mus cannot do much except to defend the medium fast ball.

Everyone in my team cheered a lot, because of the reaction seen taken by Mus in negotiating my first ball. Not at all that confident.

Next, my second ball. I delivered it a little bit faster. With the aid of the heavy atmosphere and the damp weather, there was a small swing slightly inwards. Mus tried to again defend the ball, but as the ball hit the bat, it deflected high towards slip area and easily caught by my team-mate Hj Salman. Hence, there it was my first wicket only in my second delivery.

In the subsequent two of my overs, I also produced another two sweet wickets, one was bowled out (Mat Jug, SESMA) and there other was via LBW (Saufi, SMAP Labu). I think that Saufi is a kind of bunny to me, as normally I could get him out, whenever I was bowling. 

Abul XI scored 185 runs and were all out by the 35th over. SPC XI won the match easily through DL (Duckworth Lewis) method by 88 runs, when the match has to be stopped earlier than scheduled because of the heavy thunderstorm in the afternoon.

My bowling figures read a miserly 6-0-14-3

I managed to remove Abul XI
top order batsman

Senja Berulang Rindu

This beautiful song by the late Sudirman really moved me. Reminds me of those innocent days of my childhood. Those lonely days.

Senja berulang rindu
Dan ku sebut namamu
Dalam suara yang bisu
Engkaukah itu

Dan ku ulang kembali
Sewaktu dalam sunyi
Nyanyian kata hati
Rindukah itu

Biarkan kemesraan berlalu
Bersama kesunyian yang padu
Akan ku sebut namamu selalu
Namun ada rindu yang lebih dari itu

Kasih di mana janji
Dan kau teruskah lari
Dari ku yang menanti
Engkau kah itu

Limit

The expression   in math means that function f(x) can be made to be as close to L by making x sufficiently close to c. In other words, if f(x) wanted to become like L then it must extend its x limits to be like c which belongs to L.

Someone said that there is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go, if he doesn't mind who gets the credit.

However, even though I don't mind at all who's getting the credit, I seems to be lacking in getting my xs even near to the required cs, as if they are always out of my limit in all my participation so far, notwithstanding my life and work experience. It's a kind of mystery, of which I'm not feeling awe at all.

As the narrator in The Outer Limits tv series said,  "...you are about to participate in a great adventure. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind ..."

Here I am ...

I’m a very calm and deliberate person, and I really hate to move quickly or act hastily. I’m in fact a very practical man, every effort must count or I can't be bothered. I’m quiet patient, persistent and steady, but very I could very stubborn. There’s no way I could be pushed or pressured into anything. 

I seems to be more outwardly self-assured because I tend to repress my inner tension and turmoil. If you care to notice, I exude an earthy warmth, friendliness and charm. Yes, I demand comfortable surroundings and appreciate the good life (and good food).



To be honest, I’m extremely sensitive and emotional. I tend to absorb the emotions of others (whether positive or negative) like a sponge. Me at my best when I can structure my environment in such a way that I’m are surrounded by positive, upbeat people. I could be very helpful and understanding of the needs of others. 

I’m quite shy, dreamy, romantic in nature with lots of intuitions and may be quite psychic. 

Yes, I’m a very freedom-oriented and must always be able to do what I wish. I’m like a true democrat … not a follower, but I enjoy being with those who are like-minded. I appreciate emotional self-control. 

I love to solve problems, including emotional ones, with my brains and intellect, not with my feelings. My likes and dislikes are strong and intense, never casual or superficial.

 However, I think that I must be emotionally secure in order to grow and develop. Only when I feel at ease with myself, I’m able to offer assistance to those who need a helping hand. 



I’m very aloof, independent and standoffish.

 I dislike normal everyday routines and chores.

 I’m extremely interested in anything deep and mysterious.

 It's not in my nature to seek out many casual acquaintances in my daily round of activities. I feel much more comfortable with a small, close-knit group of people those with whom I can relax and work toward known and clearly defined goals. 

My loyalty to a person, once given, is forever.

My Birthday's Today

What I Need Now ...

What I need now is to reset my life
I need to start again from the beginning
Everything from my dos and my don’ts
Negating the bad habits and the mazmumahs
Try to reduce them to zero if possible
Inculcate the mahmudahs and the good traits
Maybe secluding myself a little bit
Be a nobody in this very world
These are the things I need right now
And they already started

Sweating Sundays

Sunday mornings ...

Normally, yourstruly with a group of guys will go to Kolej Seroja at UiTM in Shah Alam for a few hours of cricket practice or usually known as netting.

I will bowl the cricket balls for a number of overs (1 over equals 6 balls) to the batsman in the net. Thereafter, when it was my turn to bat, I’ll put on the helmet, batting gloves, the pad and most importantly the box (to protect the most precious 😂).

Sweating Sundays

Some Random Photo Stories: Lahore's Splore

I'm a a man of letters as I like to write and expressed myself fondly with a pen. I had two pieces of Mont Blanc Meisterstuck pens previously and got another one given as a birthday present from the wife. There's a saying that the pen is mightier than the sword unless it's a real sword, and to make it worst ... held by the wife on your neck.

Playing street cricket

I'm playing with shadows and lights in this 400 years old building. Blindness and sight, wrong and right are nothing but delight  

The Palace Guards

The answer always within you

I have been longing to visit Sheesh Mahal (Palace of Mirrors) since the year 1987 ... and here I am after 30 years

someday

someday
maybe
someday

Must Have Some Connection Before

You and I must have some connection before
Otherwise, this heart isn’t enraptured just like that
We must have some past connection
Otherwise, no one would enrapture a heart like that

Whether you know it or not
Whether you agree or not
We must have some connection before
Otherwise, this heart isn’t enraptured just like that

That moment seems misty
Here or there, who knows where it took place
You and I have met somewhere before
This is what my heart tells me when I saw you


Tera Mujhse Hai Pehle (from the film Aa Gale Lag Jaa)

RIP Shashi Kapoor