Let us make 2009 a great year for MALAYSIA

Everyday we are bombarded by news about United States companies laying off staffs, US motor industries falling apart - seeking government bail out, airlines industry will be facing an inevitable cumulative loss of about 12 billions in total. Recession is setting in, bad news for electronic industry, demands falling, export reducing....bla bla bla...NOW, this is bad. Or rather they sound bad.
Let us ask ourselves, what else is new? We have heard so much of it since 1997 and we can gone through it as well. We made it.
See, the point I am trying to get at is - let us NOT talk ourselves into a recession. STOP it. WE will go into a recession if we believe that we are heading towards one. I am not being unrealistic and I am not living in a denial state too. I am saying that we can do something about it - rather than just talking about all these bad news and HOPING that things will get better -because it will not. Things will only get better when we ACT ON it.
There is a saying that if you tell a lie long enough - it will become true.
If you believe you are in the worst of economic situation, chances is you already are in it - your mind leads you in.
I believe that there are so many things we can do to get our economy going, we have projects to complete, education system to straighten, palm oil industry, medical tourism, hospitality industry, our electronic plants, our MSC flagships, the new super corridors, our agricultural and agro-cultural industries, etc. etc.
We should FOCUS on all our strengths and find opportunities - while the rest of the world are morning. I believe that in all chaos - there lies enormous opportunities - we just need to seek and not just hope to receive.

Most importantly, we must not succumb to misery and join the "herd decision" of surrendering to asymmetry information that says that we are going into a crash landing.

We know MALAYSIA well enough to let other countries predicting our 2009 or charting our path in 2009.
WE should take the course that we strongly believe is right for our country and create our own 2009 and work relentlessly to make 2009 a great year for all of us in MALAYSIA.

Believing in ourselves is the greatest strength we possess. After all We are MALAYSIA.

Have a Happy New Year -2009

Cheers, Fariz

Merry Christmas to all

As usual, Christmas is around the corner...once again, I would like to wish all of you - A Merry Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Regardless of what economists predict 2009 to be, my take is - live moderately, spend wisely, and find happiness in every little thing you do.


http://unitedpromos.com/2008HolidayCard/

Cheers!
Fariz & Family

You are wanted in the Conference room - NOW!

At about 11.13AM this morning, one staff walk coolly into my room and said, " Fariz, you are wanted in the conference room - NOW.
But then I was busy...she was very insistent and she repeatedly said you are wanted, now...

Suddenly I asked myself...was it because I came late this morning?

I was never called into the conference room before...and what is the rush...NOW?
Anyway, I pick up my notebook, pen and head to the "cold" room - conference room is always cold. Leading the way, is the cool lady.
And boy, she was walking fast.

And I though...what's the rush...hello....lady...

The moment we reach the conference, she flung open the door and invited me in...OMG!!!

BANG !!!

The moment I walk in, I can see that everyone is already there...waiting patiently for ME.

And I heard a thunderous..."Happy Birthday to you..." Phew...oh...ok..catching my breath...no air, no air....
There was a cake with 1 candle on it and everyone stood up and says "Happy Birthday", and sung the traditional birthday song over and over again.

Wow...I felt so...uneasy (almost embarrassed) but very appreciative for what they have done for me.

I blew the candle and gave my "Birthday speech"...thank you, thank you...blah blah blah.

And we all had my birthday cake for breakfast...all well, ends well...

Oh...not finish yet....15 minutes later...guess what????

MY boss walk into my room and handled me....an "Ang Pow" - he said, "Its customary to give "Ang Pow" to birthday boy".


Wow...no air, no air (again)...this is getting better and better...with the ang pow on my hand I said Thank you shyly - suddenly I felt like I am a kid, out from school celebrating his birthday of sort.

And before he walk out from my room, he said, "oh...as for the trip to Penang, please go ahead as you plan, 2 nights stay is ok with me. Last week he approved 1 night stay, but now he said its ok, if I want to stay for 2 nights.

One good thing after another...I wish it never end. What will be next?

Well, hope my birthday wishes will come true...soon.

With this "Thank YOU" to you all...you are loved...by me always. Thanks for all the wishes and planning and all the little things you did to make my birthday a big "bang" -yesterday. Thank you, thank you.

Birthday boy, Nov 9th, 2008
Fariz

The Menu : My favourite part

I was given a Menu to choose from and my choices are:


Appetizer: Prawn skewer with roasted red pepper sauce




Soup: cream of Zucchini












Salad: A combination of mesclun mix and romaine with asparagus, red pepper and crisp croutous.









Dressing: Creamy red pepper or Balsamic Olive Vineigrette - I choose the creamy red pepper.





Main course: Grilled mixed seafood with lobster & scallop in cognac cream sauce.
Tagliatelle pasta and roasted Mediterranean vegetables.

















Dessert: Haagan-Dazs ice-cream with sundae toppings



Hot Drink: Me and my Starbucks coffee, freshly brewed coffee....yahoo...best!


And of course not forgetting snacks: chicken and lettuce sandwich
Twix candy bars

Red wine please...

"Would you care to have some wine to go with your food sir?"
Looking blankly at the stewardess, I said politely, "yes, red wine please..." And she replied even more politely, "they are both red wine sir.." with a big smile on her face.
And I said, "oh..yes I mean this one ( pointing to the bottle she was holding that read -Bouchard 2005 Gevrey Chambertin (Pinot Noir) - obviously I was trying to "cover" my sheer ignorance of wine.

I have no idea about wine at all, besides I am not a drinker...not when I am drinking with my Leilanie. I know nuts about wine...I guess the only thing I know is red wine is red in color and white wine is (you got it !) white in color.

And that red wine goes well with red meat and white wine goes well with seafood. That much I know.

And yes, I had my wine, of course - taking it sip by sip.
While watching the movie - Hancock.

Day 1 in Chicago

Day 1 in Chicago

Day 1 in Chicago

Day 1 from Singapore to Hong Kong

...and Anwar wins...

With 15,671 majority, the choice is almost clear, the people has spoken. The people of Permatang Pauh has translated their voices to their votes -their choice of the ONE whom they believe can speak on their behalf in the Parliament.
The big question hanging in everyone's head now must be "what's next?" Now that Permatang Puah is won, what will happen?
Will Anwar form the next Government as he mentioned numerously? Will that happen in Sept 2008? What other obstacles will Anwar has to "fight" inorder to achieve his goal of forming a new, clean and uncorrupted government?
One thing for sure is, we can expect a louder parliamentary debates and a lot more issues coming from both sides of the parties. One trying to block and the other trying to expose.
To think about it rationally, it can be good as well as bad -both for domestic and international concerns.
When will this end, how long are we, the rakyat going to endue these "in-fighting" and how much opportunity cost are we going to burn.
My take is, all changes and implementations must be done fast, so as to restore our nation back to her feet. Too much valuable time has been wasted and we as a nation is lagging behind.
Maybe just maybe its time our country needs a major "clean-up", maybe its time we see "CHANGE" taking place for real.
Maybe the time has come for us to have a new governmental system that truely restore our pride and our honor in its respective places - and uphold the fundamental principles that are enshrined in our constituitions.
Maybe the time is NOW. Maybe Permatang Pauh's election result is the answer to our prayers.

GOD save Malaysia.

And the Light extinguished...

All good things must come to an end, no matter how much we want to prolong it, it has to end. And it shall end. Maybe there is a reason to all these.
At 9.30PM local time, the Olympic flame was extinguished, to be lit again - 4 years from now in London.
Everyone goes "oh...its ending" and everyone wants more, more of all the excitement, more of the surprises, more of the spectacular show that the Chinese are showcasing. The commentator says, "only the Chinese can make the Olympic Rings on fire works...isn't that great.