NZ FunTAsea 2010

My April 2010 - 20 days vacation in NZ is full of FUN, THRILL and ADVENTURE in the sea. The best trip so far since 2000. Able to meet two former classmates after 39 years and the feeling of getting together again in a strange land is really wonderful.

My university lecturer friend Si Eng likes to fish. He owns 3 kayaks. To me, the kayak is just too flimsy to go out in the sea, Further more I am too old to paddle.

So we look for bigger toys ...........rubber dinghies powered by outboard engines.

During the week ends, I spend some fun time with my grand daughter Baby Tifa at Auckland Sunday Market.

Visiting authentic cuisines outlets together with old buddies after the fishing trips almost become a daily routine .

And then what a day to remember !

24 April 2010 Auckland : On this very day, I pulled out 5 snappers from the sea. 4 under size and one went into my wok.The 1st time ever I caught a fish with legal size in NZ waters.

When the day is done, take a leisure stroll around the Mission Bay, Auckland's millionaire suburb

Now I believe that the worst day fishing is better than the best day at work !

KIA ORA - AUCKLAND NZ

Arrived in Auckland on the 13 April for a 20 days vacation. Family reunion, fishing, meeting old friends and sights seeing are my main agenda in NZ.

People always ask what is the most effective way to create and sustain great relationships with others? It's The 100/0 Principle: You take full responsibility (the 100) for the relationship, expecting nothing (the 0) in return. Implementing The 100/0 Principle is not natural for most of us. It takes real commitment to the relationship and a good dose of self-discipline to think, act and give 100 percent.

Without a doubt, the 403 reunion of 1971 classmates at Sibu have somehow created a sort of synergistically theraputic effect which.spices up our lives where the relationships are too important to react automatically or judgmentally. The NZ FunTAsea reunion demonstrates how determination of what one can do to make the relationship work.

To James and me, we admire the sincerity and hospitality of our senior mentor Si Eng here in Auckland. He has invested a huge sum of money to make sure that his old classmates enjoy their stay in NZ. We really thank him for the so many first hand kiwi encounters during these few days. The programme code named FUNTAsea – FUNS, THRILLS & ADVENTURES ON THE SEA pushed us to the climax. We were shouting with joys.because of the kind of feeling, sensation, satisfaction and achievements that we have never experienced before.

We went out to the sea twice. Boating and fishing at different localities, 120 km and 50 km away from Si Eng’s residence respectively during the two days. The first trip is more experimental and trial orientated, being new to everything including Si Eng. It took us almost an hour to assemble the dinghy. The outboard engine did not cooperate well with us cos we choked it with too much petrol. Eventually we were out on the sea. The snappers really gave a warm welcome to Hua Kiong and made friends with him. He has to let go so many under sized catches. However, two of them eventually ended up in my wok. I had no luck but busy putting on new baits. Si Eng supervised us with respect and gave expertise demonstration from time to time.

We moved out to the sea in the dark the next morning. Sitting at the bow, James was wondering why all in a sudden he was in this part of the world, cruising in a flimsy but stable dinghy. He began to realize how difficult for Si Eng to paddle his kayak across these stretches of waters during his fishing trip. Anyway, it was my day. I caught 5 snappers but only one with legal size 29 cm (min 27 cm ). Again James had the biggest catch measuring 34 cm. It seemed that the snappersare trying to avoid Si Eng, knowing very well he is not a good playmate

As hungry Sinners, James insisted that we went for oysters. Si Eng was too holy to join us. The package was foreigners. The course is so nice and the tastes were beyond description.

IPG ON PRESS

I am the official IPG publicity officer since Januari 2008.

For optimum productivity, I align myself with my boss and institute's goals and values and making the organisation priorities my priorities. I show respect and loyalty to my boss and speak well of him to others. I also show my boss and co-workers that i have their best interests at heart by being empathetic and offering to help out when they need it. And putting the institution on newspaper is a sure way to boost the spirit of the IPG community.

MR. NICHOLAS UGUL URGES TEACHERS TO UPGRADE THEIR QUALITIES
AND DEDICATED WHOLE-HEARTEDLY IN TEACHING

BINTANGOR 22 JAN : Teaching is one of the most demanding professions today because of the practitioners necessities. The introduction of the Standard Curriculum for Primary schools next year will require teachers to be even more creative and innovative in giving quality education to the pupils. Mr. Nicholas Ugul, Director of Teacher Education Institute Rajang Campus Bintangor told the lecturers and students here during the closing ceremony of the Orientation Week for the KPLI January 2010 intake.

Recognised the one in blue ?

Out of a total of 1473 new students in the country, 40 of them reported themselves at Rajang Campus.


The new intakes posed with ultimate discipline for me.


Mr. Nicholas said that dedicated teachers ought to be intrinsically and altruistically motivated. They should be full of enthusiasm with plentiful of desire to make a difference in the lives of young people. They must possess a caring attitude and a love of continuous learning to upgrade oneself from time to time.

My boss delivered his speech

He added that teachers play a very critical role in nurturing the spirit of innovation, the passion in learning in our youngs and grooming them into profound individuals. As such students should acquire proper knowledge of the curriculum, classroom management techniques and teaching skills. They need to align their mind set to the standards of Malaysia teachers so that they can function properly in schools.

Persembahan daripada pelajar baharu

Besides the registration of the new students, the week long orientation course aimed to help the fresh intakes, soften the start of their one year of studies and their new encounter with academic life in the new campus. The main objectives include the familiarization with various interdisciplinary units, the organizational system, and the institute facilities. Secondly, getting to know fellow students and lecturers while creating a supportive atmosphere before the start of the academic year. And finally, acquiring some basic interactive skills and certain academic terminology through dynamic group activities and talks from professionals.

Take a snap for thr IP camera man.
Tuan Hj Mat Akhir, the Assistant Director of the campus earlier launched the opening ceremony of the week long orientation programme.

Over to you. From the students representative to the institute.

WORK TILL THE LAST DAY ?

Aha….Life in IPG continue rocking and rolling on as usual while I am counting my days …..

Time flies. Thanks God after almost 3 years, I am still in one piece listening to clients, rendering health screening services and continue with the ever popular sensational projects which brought happiness, togetherness and sense of achievements to many co-workers who are directly or indirectly involved.

Januari 2010 is action packed. My clients include Pengarah, Timbalan Pengarah, Staf akademik, Staf sokongan dan pelajar institute.

Besides counseling and consultation services, blood pressure screening and blood sugar test are getting popular among the students. But most of all, those so called projects brought even more rewarding psychological impact to many campus community whose sense of pride would easily complement the outcome of any formal counseling session …….’cos they are tangible and involve participation and hands on. In many cases, the participants are the ones who lack confidence, but they contribute alternatives, they make chooses and work for the projects.

Among the projects :

1. Billboard : Let’s Change For The Best

2. Backdrop : Majlis Perasiman Minggu Pengurusan Pelajar Baharu KPLI Ambilan Januari 2010




3. Backdrop : Majlis Penutupan Minggu Pengurusan Pelajar Baharu KPLI Ambilan Januari 2010




4. Poster : 4 jenis guru ( Proaktif, Reaktif, Pasif, Dekoratif )


5. Carta Fungsi Organisasi IPG Kampus Rajang . I am to the left of Timbalan Pengarah.

6. Papan Info Aktiviti Mingguan ( Temporary )

7. Billboard : Who dares to teach must never cease to learn.

Some staff shared their feelings with me saying that their hard work over the years had gone unnoticed by the management. But fortunately most of their products can be traced across the IP.

Next week I will start a corner featuring Personaliti Kampus. Hopefully it will bring some light to the authority concerned and happiness to the staff involved.

Joy is found when giving joy to others. Be altruisitic.

LET'S CHANGE FOR THE BEST

Hi Everbody !Going for the best this year ? If the answer is positive, then let’s ask ourself first why didn’t we go for it in 2009 and years before. Cos we will never become who we want to be by remaining who we are !

YEAH ! Thinking our way to change. The most successful teacher is the one who holds onto the old just as long as it is good, and grabs the new just as soon as it is better. Change nourishes growth.Change is available to everyone but only comes to fruition for those who pursue it mindfully and engage it earnestly. Change will never result from thinking alone - you must take action.Only you can move you !Only you can live you !Only you can change you !Our future is all about the actions we take and the choices we make! We need to change our attitudes, our behaviour first then only we can go for the best !

Back in action after a brief break. Just in time to put up a New Year Resolution for the assembly to support my boss premier speech calling the IP community to discard all the negatives and change to be more proactive in 2010. All for the betterment of rakyat while fulfilling the national aspiration.

Congratulations to Roy for initiating to put the IPG counsellors on a new chapter in 2010. A very brave and challenging move.
Congratulations to En. Saharuddin on your new appointment. Good on you.
Gonna miss you two, Rahim and Faridah.

Salam Kasih Sayang to everyone.

Hi ! My Dear Friends.2009 is coming to an end. Be it a year of 'tropi' or 'mangkuk', just be happy and let it be.After the team building course, my staf sokongan here liked the 'tropi and mangkuk' so much that they insist to have the second round in the near future. As a reminder, they put up the 'tropi and mangkuk' on the Unit Kaunseling Notice board.

To the Tropi - Don't look up at Champion, be ONE !To the Mangkuk - Anda tidak kalah berada di bawah namun anda kalah jika anda tidak bangun semula.

Bulan mengambang di tengah dunia, 2010 bakal menjelma. Susun jari maaf dipinta, palukan semangat cetus usaha.

HAPPY NEW YEAR @ 2010

HAPPY NEW YEARS BUDDIES !

Together with my two assistants, Siti and Mazlina

• Last week I had a heart-to-heart session with 30 Federal Government Officers at a renown hotel in Sibu. My slot is part of a course namely “PENGURUSAN KENDIRI DAN MEMBINA BUDAYA KERJA CEMERLANG DALAM ORGANISASI ”.

• Instead of a conventional 3 hours ceramah, I designed my slot into multi-diciplinary sessions which incorporated brain storming, reflections, team work, sharings, games , dynamic groups discussion, confession dan singing etc. The purpose is stress free but hands on and experiential learnings aim to upgrade oneself in terms of knowledge, skills and attitude corrections.

• The session started with an animated powerpoint showing the US Bombers dropping atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki which reduced them into mere rubble. Then after 30 years, the two cities developed to be the two most modern cities in Japan. We admire and salute the the Japanese of their sheer hard work and determination.

• Then back home in Malaysia in the 80s. Tun Dr. Mahathir was not happy with the rakyat performance. Being contradict to our Japanese counterparts whose loyalty to their orgainsation is so dominant that it stimulated the then Prime Minister to launch the “Look East Policy “ in 1982. Then came the campaign “Bersih, cekap dan Amanah”, “Kepimpinan Melalui Tauladan”, “Wawasan 2020”. Pak Lah arrived with “Plan Integriti Nasional” in 2004. Now and then thouands of courses were conducted on Etika Kerja ; Penerapan Nilai Islam ; Budaya Kerja Cemerlang ; Persyarikatan Malaysia ;Tonggak 12 ;
Program Nilai Murni ; Pusingan Tempat Kerja ; Pejabat
Perkhidmatan Pelanggan dan lain-lain.

• High expectations were raised when Bersih, Cekap and Amanah was introduced in 1982. But almost three decades later, the civil service is still stuck in a quagmire of inefficiency and corruption.

• Why ? Why ? Why ? The participants put their heads together digging for the answers. What caused the integrity deterioration among the Malaysians ? We discussed and checked on individuals, leaders, systems and procedures. We focused on results. Results are everything.

• A general conclusion suggested that disgusting attitude “ Kepentingan diri didahulukan, Wang Ringgit diutamakan !” seemed to be the main culprit.

• The participants agreed that if one keeps on doing what he is doing, he will keep getting what he is getting. So he needs to change his behaviour. Focus on performance and look for corresponding results.

• The all fun-laughters-high ESQ slot ended with an Integrity Pledge that read:

If you make a commitment – Honor it
If you make a promise – Keep it
If you set a goal – Achieve it

If my sharing of this sounds sensitive to any one of you, I BEG FOR YOUR PARDON. In order to get a better life, we need to design one. Unfortunately many of us spend more time and energy on our grocery list then we do planning our future. Sorry buddies.

BYE-BYE BUDDIES. BYE-BYE 2009
READY FOR 2010 RESOLUTIONS CHALLENGE ?

The Purpose of Life is a Life of Purpose

Time flies. Santa Claus is dancing again to entertain the crowd at shopping lots. Christmas is just around the corner.

December means holiday to many. But as Ketua Unit Kaunseling IPG Kampus Rajang Sarawak, commitment, joys and responsiblities are the three things that gonna rock me towards the end of 2009. Yet to find some days for holidays.

I boarded the institute bus for a 340 km 7 hours south west bound trip to the Cat City on the 4th of December.

Without a doubt, the 3 days 2 nights Team Building Course for 36 IPG Kampus Rajang supporting staff at Merdeka Palace Kuching was a thrill to all the participants. Many PERASA tools were being borrowed, modified and deployed to maximise the achievement of team work.

The course was completely simulated activities based, incorporated with lot of philosophies of life especially in the context of team work among co-workers in an organisation.




Laughters echoed in the air through the hall way. Salam semut, Tabik monyet, Gerai Runcit Merdeka, Group Battle-Cries, Mission Impossible, Si Adikku Yang Manis, The number Games, Penghargaan Epal, Manitoku Sayang, Jom SMS, Itik Pulang Petang, Pembentangan Kumpulan, nyanyian, tarian, Putera-Puteri Merdeka are some of the activities that had captivated the hearts and souls of many. Some even cried knowing very well that a co-worker who had not been readily accepted by others for certain reasons all these years but proved to be someone who is more alert than themselves during the course.

Gerai Runcit Satu Malaysia menjual barang-barang yang telah ditetapkan oleh Datuk Bandar. Participants were entrusted to collect those items while making an excursion to Sirikin, a village next to the Indonesia which offer a variety range of product at bargaining price, Antaranya adalah seluar dalam lelaki, bra, rambut palsu dll....

Please look for the trophy, score sheet and the mangkuk on the wall. All team members worked together to chip in marks for their respective teams.

Among the many songs sung during the course was the Theme Song Let's Work Together. The powerpoints portrayed all the participants' faces with radiant smiles. Other songs with lyrics were all supported by self directed animated powerpoints were Kasih Sayang, Words, I can see clearly now, You raised me up, Top of the World, Teman Sejati, Uma Paloma Blanca and others.

An one week affair 7th-13th December 2009 marked the 2009 Sarikei Pineapple Festival. Among the many activities held was the roadshows by academic and professional institutions in the country. IPG Kampus Rajang putted up a super stall. As Ketua Unit Kaunseling, my job was to coordinate with the Ketua Jabatan Sains Sosial to design the booth and prepared all the exhibits.




The lady sat next to me was a Datin who wanted so much to be part of the team. You see how I work ! Quality that's.