Beginning of 2009, I was suffering from stomach ulcer.
I had throbbing pain in my stomach almost every day and it reached a level that I could no longer bear with it. It was not like as though you were having a splitting headache. No. It was something like gastric pain.
After my umpteenth visit to the clinic, a panel doctor at Bukit Antarabangsa referred me to a specialist (gastroenterologist) at Ampang Puteri. The first visit ended with me being warded at the hospital. I had to undergo endoscopy.
It was the start of a series of visits and of course, more endoscopies. The early part of the year was filled with appointments with the doctor, and later warded.
The finding was that pain killers were the cause of this horrible pain!
I couldn’t recall taking many pain killers, but was very sure that I was a faithful consumer of panadol. However, I was told that panadol was pretty mild to be classified as pain killer. He didn’t say I should stop taking panadol but told me to stop taking pain killers!
Since then, I would be extra cautious when taking any medicine for whatever pain that I had to go through. I even told my panel doctors at this particular clinic near my house, not to give me pain killers in his or her prescription.
However, there were times, I had no choice but to take panadol for my headaches. Not too often though.
The year 2009 also saw several people struck by a killer disease – stroke. It took the lives of my younger brother and the husband of my staff – and all, due to stroke. The husband of another staff is now paralysed due to a stroke.
Life is such. You don’t know when some disease may get into your body’s defence system. At this golden age, you become more susceptible to all kinds of illnesses.
I envy those who stay healthy till they breathe their last.
I am not in my best of health. I do have early symptoms of arthritis, according to a doctor. My problem is I hate to exercise and would rather take the short cut by going to an Indonesian masseuse (tukang urut) to relieve the pain.
I will be retiring in March 2011. This means that I will be in office till end of the new year, as prior to retirement, I would have to take my leave.
Many things are in store for Bernama employees in the new year as the proposed restructure of our organisation, which is a statutory body under the Ministry of Information Communication and Culture, will take place.
The Public Service Department (JPA) has in principle given the nod to the changes, which will see the creation of new posts and units, especially in the Editorial Department.
InsyaAllah, if everything goes according to plan and schedule, the restructure will be realised, the earliest in March or latest by June this year.
God willing, with the blessing of the Almighty Allah, I will enjoy the benefits from the restructure when I retire in 2011.
Here’s wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2010!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Saturday And Stroke Bring Sad Memories
It was an unfortunate coincidence that deaths came a knocking on a Saturday due to a killer disease – stroke.
My younger brother died on Saturday, Oct 3 and so did Nasriah Darus’ husband, Nik Hasmi, who died at the general hospital last night after being in a coma for more than a month over a stroke.
Nasriah is Assistant Editor of the Malay Subs Desk of Bernama Economic Service. Her 44-year old husband, who was attached to Risda, was survived by a son. His remains were buried at the Muslim cemetery in Batu Caves before Zohor prayers today.
For Nasriah, Saturday was the saddest day of her life as Nik Hasmi left her with no parting words. During the last few weeks, she had been spending sleepless nights in the hospital, and during the days, she would be in the office.
In the early stages when he was struck by the killer disease, she took leave to be by his side. There were occasions when he would make some gestures, and was told by the doctor that he could hear people around him speak.
His conditions worsened lately as he had a fever. Nik Hasmi breathed his last at 7.45 pm.
At the Ar-Rahimah mosque, Nasriah was in between sobs when she reminisced the days she spent with her husband at the hospital. But there was also a wish from her husband before he had the stroke – that he didn’t want her to be at the resting place on the day that he dies.
Perhaps, that was a premonition for her. It was the last journey for him, and he didn’t want to her cry at the burial place as he was leaving for the next life. It was not easy for her, but she had to abide by his wish.
The most touching moment was when her 18-year old son led the prayers for his late father.
Najib, my late brother’s son, would have been in Nasriah’s son’s shoes, had my brother died when his son was much older. Najib was only 12 when my brother Yunus died of stroke. At a young age, a tearful Najib recited the Yasin prayers after his father succumbed to the killer disease at the General Hospital’s ICU. My brother died at 10 am.
Alfatihah. May Allah bless their souls.
My younger brother died on Saturday, Oct 3 and so did Nasriah Darus’ husband, Nik Hasmi, who died at the general hospital last night after being in a coma for more than a month over a stroke.
Nasriah is Assistant Editor of the Malay Subs Desk of Bernama Economic Service. Her 44-year old husband, who was attached to Risda, was survived by a son. His remains were buried at the Muslim cemetery in Batu Caves before Zohor prayers today.
For Nasriah, Saturday was the saddest day of her life as Nik Hasmi left her with no parting words. During the last few weeks, she had been spending sleepless nights in the hospital, and during the days, she would be in the office.
In the early stages when he was struck by the killer disease, she took leave to be by his side. There were occasions when he would make some gestures, and was told by the doctor that he could hear people around him speak.
His conditions worsened lately as he had a fever. Nik Hasmi breathed his last at 7.45 pm.
At the Ar-Rahimah mosque, Nasriah was in between sobs when she reminisced the days she spent with her husband at the hospital. But there was also a wish from her husband before he had the stroke – that he didn’t want her to be at the resting place on the day that he dies.
Perhaps, that was a premonition for her. It was the last journey for him, and he didn’t want to her cry at the burial place as he was leaving for the next life. It was not easy for her, but she had to abide by his wish.
The most touching moment was when her 18-year old son led the prayers for his late father.
Najib, my late brother’s son, would have been in Nasriah’s son’s shoes, had my brother died when his son was much older. Najib was only 12 when my brother Yunus died of stroke. At a young age, a tearful Najib recited the Yasin prayers after his father succumbed to the killer disease at the General Hospital’s ICU. My brother died at 10 am.
Alfatihah. May Allah bless their souls.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
A Case of ‘Ali Baba’ And the Forty Thieves
Remember the story ‘Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves’ from the ‘1001 Arabian Nights’, which takes place in Baghdad during the Abbasid era?
One day, Ali Baba overhears a group of forty thieves visiting their treasure store in the forest. The treasure is in a cave, the mouth of which is sealed by magic.
It opens on the words “Open, Simsim” (commonly written as ‘Open Sesame” in English) and seals itself of the words “Close, Simsim” (Close Sesame). When the thieves are gone, Ali Baba enters the cave himself, and takes some of the treasures home.
To cut the story short, Ali Baba becomes wealthy. But Kassim, his rich and greedy brother, who knows about the secret, goes to the cave to take more of the treasure, but in his greed and excitement over the treasures, forgets the magic words to get back out of the cave. The thieves found him there, and kills him.
Back in the present century, Ali Baba is not in the picture. The focus now is on the chief of the thieves, a Brigadier-General.
In the latest fiasco, a Brigadier-General and 40 other armed forces personnel were sacked late last year over their alleged involvement in the case of the missing RM50 million jet fighter engine belonging to the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).
Local newspapers reported about the theft of the engine which took place reportedly last year. It was reportedly sold to a foreign buyer when the Brigadier-General was the department head.
Local media said he may also be one of the four men whom Federal Commercial Criminal Investigation Department identified as the main players in the case.
The case is a big blow to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who has placed corruption second among the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the civil service.
Blogger Muhammad Arshad Raji, a retired army officer says “on hindsight, I believe that the government was wrong in keeping silence from public knowledge, this security related issue that has serious national and international repercussions.”
He says, the government will now have to bear the brunt of public odium, and also possibly the loss of public confidence in the government's future handling of serious security related issues. “
“Whatever reasons and justifications that the government has given now has little impact on building and reassuring public confidence, and this does not augur well for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s leadership.
Had the government acted promptly upon the theft being known in 2007, I believe public confidence would not have been badly eroded.”
Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail has given his assurance that his chambers would go all-out to solve the disappearance of two F-5E fighter jet engines.
But Najib said there was no cover-up of the theft and sale of the RM50 million fighter jet engine last year.
He said the Defence Ministry and Royal Malaysia Air Force reported the theft to the police immediately after it was discovered and co-operated fully with the authorities to ensure that the matter was thoroughly investigated.
Najib said there would be a full investigation of the thefts, which happened in 2007 and 2008, when he was Defence Minister. However, opposition parties accused the government of covering up the incidents.
Lim Kit Siang, parliamentary leader of the opposition Democratic Action party, said the authorities had been “super slow” and claimed that the prime minister’s response had painted “a frightening picture of a government of thieves”.
In another development, Abdul Gani was quoted as saying that not one but two jet-fighter engines, each worth RM50 million, were stolen from the RMAF base in Sungai Besi.
Both engines served as power plants to the F-5E Tiger II fighter and RF-5E Tigereye reconnaissance jets.
The Attorney-General said the two engines were discovered stolen in May last year. RMAF had lodged a report with the police on Aug 4 last year.
The General Electric J85-21A engines, each worth about RM$50 million, were spares for the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s Northrop Grumman F-5E Tiger II fighters, which fly from the Butterworth air base near the country’s northern border with Thailand.
Defence Minister Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the engines and associated equipment were “believed to have been sent to a South American country” after being moved to the Sungai Besi air force base in Kuala Lumpur for maintenance.
The defence ministry would not identify the company or the country involved or comment on claims in the Malaysian media that the engines may have ended up in the Middle East.
The F-5 went out of production in 1989 but is still flown as a trainer aircraft by US forces and is in frontline or reserve service with many foreign air forces.
The defence ministry said several senior officers were being investigated.
Gen. Tan Sri Azizan Ariffin, chief of the armed forces, said the engine thefts might have been “the tip of the iceberg”, raising the possibility that other military equipment might also have disappeared.
What next?
One day, Ali Baba overhears a group of forty thieves visiting their treasure store in the forest. The treasure is in a cave, the mouth of which is sealed by magic.
It opens on the words “Open, Simsim” (commonly written as ‘Open Sesame” in English) and seals itself of the words “Close, Simsim” (Close Sesame). When the thieves are gone, Ali Baba enters the cave himself, and takes some of the treasures home.
To cut the story short, Ali Baba becomes wealthy. But Kassim, his rich and greedy brother, who knows about the secret, goes to the cave to take more of the treasure, but in his greed and excitement over the treasures, forgets the magic words to get back out of the cave. The thieves found him there, and kills him.
Back in the present century, Ali Baba is not in the picture. The focus now is on the chief of the thieves, a Brigadier-General.
In the latest fiasco, a Brigadier-General and 40 other armed forces personnel were sacked late last year over their alleged involvement in the case of the missing RM50 million jet fighter engine belonging to the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).
Local newspapers reported about the theft of the engine which took place reportedly last year. It was reportedly sold to a foreign buyer when the Brigadier-General was the department head.
Local media said he may also be one of the four men whom Federal Commercial Criminal Investigation Department identified as the main players in the case.
The case is a big blow to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who has placed corruption second among the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the civil service.
Blogger Muhammad Arshad Raji, a retired army officer says “on hindsight, I believe that the government was wrong in keeping silence from public knowledge, this security related issue that has serious national and international repercussions.”
He says, the government will now have to bear the brunt of public odium, and also possibly the loss of public confidence in the government's future handling of serious security related issues. “
“Whatever reasons and justifications that the government has given now has little impact on building and reassuring public confidence, and this does not augur well for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s leadership.
Had the government acted promptly upon the theft being known in 2007, I believe public confidence would not have been badly eroded.”
Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail has given his assurance that his chambers would go all-out to solve the disappearance of two F-5E fighter jet engines.
But Najib said there was no cover-up of the theft and sale of the RM50 million fighter jet engine last year.
He said the Defence Ministry and Royal Malaysia Air Force reported the theft to the police immediately after it was discovered and co-operated fully with the authorities to ensure that the matter was thoroughly investigated.
Najib said there would be a full investigation of the thefts, which happened in 2007 and 2008, when he was Defence Minister. However, opposition parties accused the government of covering up the incidents.
Lim Kit Siang, parliamentary leader of the opposition Democratic Action party, said the authorities had been “super slow” and claimed that the prime minister’s response had painted “a frightening picture of a government of thieves”.
In another development, Abdul Gani was quoted as saying that not one but two jet-fighter engines, each worth RM50 million, were stolen from the RMAF base in Sungai Besi.
Both engines served as power plants to the F-5E Tiger II fighter and RF-5E Tigereye reconnaissance jets.
The Attorney-General said the two engines were discovered stolen in May last year. RMAF had lodged a report with the police on Aug 4 last year.
The General Electric J85-21A engines, each worth about RM$50 million, were spares for the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s Northrop Grumman F-5E Tiger II fighters, which fly from the Butterworth air base near the country’s northern border with Thailand.
Defence Minister Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the engines and associated equipment were “believed to have been sent to a South American country” after being moved to the Sungai Besi air force base in Kuala Lumpur for maintenance.
The defence ministry would not identify the company or the country involved or comment on claims in the Malaysian media that the engines may have ended up in the Middle East.
The F-5 went out of production in 1989 but is still flown as a trainer aircraft by US forces and is in frontline or reserve service with many foreign air forces.
The defence ministry said several senior officers were being investigated.
Gen. Tan Sri Azizan Ariffin, chief of the armed forces, said the engine thefts might have been “the tip of the iceberg”, raising the possibility that other military equipment might also have disappeared.
What next?
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Tribute To My Dear Brother
Dear Blog,
It’s been ages since I last wrote a piece on my Getaran Jiwa.
I had wanted to pay tribute to my youngest brother, Mohd Yunus who died of stroke a week after Hari Raya Puasa. Things happened so fast for him.
My brother only spent two nights in hospital, but death knocked on him much too fast. The Almighty Allah loved him more and spared him the agony of becoming paralysed all his years.
I was shattered when I heard that he suffered a stroke. Our family rushed to the hospital when we heard the shocking news.
He managed to say a few words to us before he was put to sleep. All he could say was to ask for our forgiveness, sending signals that he was leaving us for the next life.
In the morning, he could no longer speak to any of us, but we were told by a doctor, that he could hear us. “Just think of Allah, “ my eldest sister whispered into his ears.
We could not be with him at the bedside then, as it was time for the doctor and nurses to attend to him. All we could do was to recite the Yasin for him outside the ward. When we returned, he was already unconscious.
We were told by the doctor that he had to undergo an operation, after which he would be transferred to the ICU.
It was the next morning that we received the news – that my brother has died.
I could not stop crying –at the ICU and the journey to the Muslim burial place.
He was the closest to me. I wished I could turn back the clock.
It took me some time to get over the sadness. I have had sleepless nights and memories of him – in the morgue and the ICU – were haunting me.
There were regrets on my side – there were limits to what I could do for him. Career-wise, he has not been successful, always in and out of jobs. Life has not been kind to him, but he was a loving father of two kids. They loved him dearly, and were closer to him than their mother, a teacher.
Now that he is gone, may Allah bless his soul. Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un.
It’s been ages since I last wrote a piece on my Getaran Jiwa.
I had wanted to pay tribute to my youngest brother, Mohd Yunus who died of stroke a week after Hari Raya Puasa. Things happened so fast for him.
My brother only spent two nights in hospital, but death knocked on him much too fast. The Almighty Allah loved him more and spared him the agony of becoming paralysed all his years.
I was shattered when I heard that he suffered a stroke. Our family rushed to the hospital when we heard the shocking news.
He managed to say a few words to us before he was put to sleep. All he could say was to ask for our forgiveness, sending signals that he was leaving us for the next life.
In the morning, he could no longer speak to any of us, but we were told by a doctor, that he could hear us. “Just think of Allah, “ my eldest sister whispered into his ears.
We could not be with him at the bedside then, as it was time for the doctor and nurses to attend to him. All we could do was to recite the Yasin for him outside the ward. When we returned, he was already unconscious.
We were told by the doctor that he had to undergo an operation, after which he would be transferred to the ICU.
It was the next morning that we received the news – that my brother has died.
I could not stop crying –at the ICU and the journey to the Muslim burial place.
He was the closest to me. I wished I could turn back the clock.
It took me some time to get over the sadness. I have had sleepless nights and memories of him – in the morgue and the ICU – were haunting me.
There were regrets on my side – there were limits to what I could do for him. Career-wise, he has not been successful, always in and out of jobs. Life has not been kind to him, but he was a loving father of two kids. They loved him dearly, and were closer to him than their mother, a teacher.
Now that he is gone, may Allah bless his soul. Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
