Yop Ber ‘ Kecek’

The following events took place between 13th April to 3rd August 2008.

Elective Posting in Australia

I wouldn’t consider it as a posting…it was more like a holiday, 7 weeks of it. But it wasn’t all fun, there was ups and down. Great experience nevertheless. It could have been better with people such as Anip, Ponik, Nadia, Nurah….etc. around, not that Asma’,Sibah,Sya, Ramzi and Akmar weren’t great, but there was room for improvement. It was life changing. All the planning and hard work by the 5 members made this possible. And I think I haven’t thanked them enough. Here goes; thanks to Akmar for contacting the people in Amity and inviting me into the team, thanks to Asma’ for contacting the Malaysian students over in Melbourne and planning out the places to go, to Sibah for handling the visas and police clearance, to Sya for handling the letters and sponsorship, to Ramzi for the letters, sponsorship and pics. And to all of you for bearing with me and my stupid jokes and maybe some occasional PMS…and special thanks and love to my sweetheart for taking care of me and being there for me when I need you. (this is MY blog, no problem with PDA here :P)

So what have I gained during my stay?

1.Weight and PJK

2.Wallabies are smaller than kangaroos

3.Great friends in Aussie…Arif (adik ipar?), Rosman, Faris, Fira, Farhan, Rahmat, Tiqi, Abang, Arif, Ijard, Afzal, Nashrul, Ali, Mr Tony, Faye, Beverly…and so many others especially those at Amity South Morang and the ikhwah in Melbourne and Adelaide
4.Test driven 3 cars (Nissan Latio/Tiida, Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Estima/Tarago) and drove across great roads, especially the Great Ocean Road.

5.How to handle geriatric patients
6.Prayed on the road side, in the park…something not done in Malaysia
7.Stayed with crazy aussies in a rented house in Epping
8.Cooked spaghetti, nasi goreng
9.Walked 10 km a day and crossed the Sydney Harbour bridge and back again
10.Fed kangaroos, wallabies, wombats
11.Stayed in freezing temperatures (sub 10 degrees) wearing only a T shirt and jeans

12.Qiyamulail in freezing temperatures
13.Ran out of fuel only a few kilometers away from the airport in the middle of a highway and making it to the check in counter (than x Mr. Aussie Man with a Holden)

Australia is an amazing country. The people there are nice and sincere (I trust the people there more than the people in Malaysia). The weather was great (if u have proper clothes) but the cost of living is rather high (not as high as London). And to those who always
complain about how life is difficult as a student in Malaysia…you have no idea about DIFFICULT. Yes, they get considerably more funding but they have to cook themselves, get their own house and have to save to get home. Imagine AUD 3 for the tarik…that’s RM 9 for a cuppa! Back home we tend to forget how easy things are. Lapar malam2?….naik motor, pi TAJ Corner makan roti kosong the tarik, then balik. And we have food everywhere…of course they can cook, but mana sama ngan maple (mamak) and mum’s cooking. So basically, we should count ourselves lucky. There’s so much to say about Australia, so many experiences to talk about…but you’ll just have to see me to hear the whole story. Here are the points of interest that you should visit.

Melbourne:
1.Victoria Market: You’ll find lots of souvenirs here. You need at least 2 hours to shop here (depends on the person). Try to go on Saturdays before 3 pm to get good bargains on fresh produce.
2.Flinder’s Street Station: You won’t miss this
3.Federation square: Great architecture with some exhibits
4.Yarra River walk: It has beautiful scenery especially at night. You can also stop by at the National Arts Gallery and Crown Entertainment Complex to look at API NERAKA!!!
5.Albert’s Park: A significant place to visit for F1 enthusiast (get a car and drive around the track when it’s open to public). Non enthusiast should go to as it’s still a beautiful place to visit.
6.Melbourne Museum: Nothing like the ones here
7.Philip Island: 2 words KENE PEGI!

8.Great Ocean Road: KENE PEGI JUGAK kalau ada duit and kete.
9.The ice cream shop at Lygon street: Expensive but worth it.
10.The kebab shop at Preston: Murah (don’t convert) and banyak.
11.Epping: The far edge of Melbourne.

Sydney:

1.Malaysia Hall: AUD 4 per night. Must go if you’re patriotic!

2.Paddington Market: SHOPPING
3.Darling Harbour: There’s a Maritime Museum, a zoo and aquarium, a light house and a bridge.
4.Sydney Opera House: THE ICON
5.Sydney’s Royal Botanical Gardens: Nice place to chill and just lie on the grass
6.Sydney Harbour Bridge: Try walk across is and back…good exercise with a great view
7.Blue Mountains: This requires a day trip. Get on a 2 hours train ride out of Sydney. Then get on a hop-on hop-off bus which will take you to all the places of interest. It should cost slightly above AUD 30.

The trip back to Malaysia was very eventful. Starting with; the car running out of fuel barely a few meters away from the highway exit and 30 min from departure, someone’s bag full of souvenirs bursting open in Darwin, missing the train to KL and getting duped by a Johor bus operator. That’s a lot in 7 weeks.

To be continued…

No one has to read this. And no one needs to care. Just stress
therapy. I’ve been trying to understand people for quite some time now. And for
the past 6 months, I’ve been trying really hard. What are people’s perceptions
of me? What do they expect from me? Am I a good person or a bad person?
Generally I think I’m a good person…but I find it really weird. Somehow, non
Bumis find me nice. Even up here in Melbourne, Aussies think I’m a good person.
It got me thinking, am I really a good person? And of course, my close friends
think I’m good (thanx for appreciating who I am). I try to be on time. I try to
help everyone. I try to think positive of other people. I try to park my car at
places where it wouldn’t cause trouble to others. Try to be environmentally conscious.
Try not to jump queues. Try to follow rules. And a bunch of other tries. Where
am I getting to? I’m not really sure…I told you, you don’t have to read this.

Well, that was just mukaddimah (intro). I’m not trying to
tell people I’m a good person coz I know I can be a big ‘S’. Here’s a big
question that’s been in my head for some time. Am I wrong for ever minding my
own business? Lately, I have been getting involved in all sorts of gossips. People
talking behind me back. I never ever cared til’ it involved the people I care
about. People tend to make assumptions. I guess even at this moment, there’s
all sort of nasty rumors back home about me and my loved one. If it was the ‘old’
me, I’d be swearing all over. But it’s really annoying. I’ve tried not going
dating. I only meet her when there are other people around…I’ve tried my best
to turn over a new leaf. But there are people out there who just can’t keep
their mouth shut. I recently went to Phillips Island to see some penguins and I
saw this woman approaching a guy. She approached the guy nicely and said ‘excuse
me, but you can’t use flash(camera) on the penguins’. I’d like to highlight the
words ‘APPROACHED’ and ‘NICELY’. If you see something wrong, you APPROACH
NICELY and say whats the matter. But back home people will go ‘Tengok dia tu
jahat sungguh. Tak senonoh betul’. And then pass it on to another person ‘Eh,eh..ko
dengar tak mamat tu keluar tengok wayang’…then tambah perisa lagi ‘Dia tengok
wayang pastu pegang tangan si polan’…in the end…’tadi diorang berpelukan’.
And when the guy brings his 2 months old nephew along word will spread that HE
HAS A CHILD OUT OF WEDLOCK!!!!! This is a true scenario, based on a true story
but has been extrapolated.

 So next
time you see something…STOP, LOOK AT YOURSELF, THINK. Will you be ruining
somebody’s life? Would you like the same thing happening to you? I never
thought it could happen to me, but it did. And I think its happening again. So,
let’s try to do the right thing. What the Aussie lady did was actually very
good. You see something bad happening, do something about it…tegur. Not talk
about it. Not make assumptions. I went to a lecture at The Northern Hospital
recently and I like what the speaker said…”In the 21^st century
nothing is normal. Never make assumptions”…it could kill someone.

I didn’t really plan to blog but I just had some extra time, uploading some video for IIIO.  For the past few months things have been going haywire. I won’t elaborate coz its a complex issue. People around me have been giving me hints that I’m a selfish guy…for things that I did and the things that I didn’t do. I won’t defend myself. What they say may be right…the things that u do in the past never matters. I tried to be something like "Everybody Loves Mok" but I guess it can never be. Being nice never guaranteed anything…people get hurt, you get hurt. So for all those nasty people out there, be nasty…you’ll always me. Word of advice to the nice once…NICE GUYS NEVER WIN..it’s a life of guilt.

    I don’t usually mention names in my blogs but this time it’s necessary. It has come to my attention that people are making speculations that I am now not single. I don’t care about that but why is there a rumour about me holding hands with a girl? I’d love to meet the person who saw me holding hands…and beat some sense into him/her. What the hell is going on here? Yeah I’m not the best person or ‘Islamic’ person…but why make rumours? Anyone care to check with me first? I am very disappointed that it has occurred in the setting of this university. It hurts me more that it has affected innocent parties.

    Let’s get this straight…I AM NOT COUPLING WITH SABB and I NEVER HELD HER HANDS. If anyone has any problems with it please come see me.

    I’m so fed up from all this rumours. If this is what I get for being nice to people, I guess it’s time for me to be change. If people loves to spread news so much… go and spread this word out. Let’s see how fast it spreads!!!!!

Tik, tok, tik, tok…jam menunjukkan pukul 10 pagi…tapi adakah aku bermimpi? Mengapa aku menulis blog ini dalam Bahasa

Malaysia

? Sempena hari raya Aidilfiltri, yang akan tiba beberapa hari lagi, aku ingin

cuba

ber-’blog’ dalam Bahasa

Malaysia

. Aku anggap ini sebagai cabaran. Ramai yang mengatakan aku tidak cukup ‘Melayu’. Aku mengaku aku bukan lah se-Melayu mana…nama jenis-jenis ikan pun aku tak tau. Latar belakang aku cukup Melayu. Ibu bapa ku dari Bota, Perak dan rumah aku di KAMPUNG Sungai Rokam. Belakang rumah aku ada hutan, atas bumbung aku ade musang. Walaubagaimanapun belakang rumah aku ade jugak McDonald’s 24 jam yang menjadi kebanggaan orang kampung.

            Apa yang akan ku bincangkan dalam blog ini tidak mewakali pandangan mana2 pihak. Ia bukanlah rekaan semata mata tetapi hasil dari pemerhatian aku. Pembaca disarankan supaya tidak ‘melompat membuat kesimpulan’ (don’t jump to conclusions). Baca dengan minda yang terbuka. Tambah lagi Bahasa

Malaysia

ku amatlah teruk (horrible).

            Berbalik semula kepada baris pertama tadi…tik, tok, tik, tok! Aku seorang yang banyak membuang masa. Aku banyak tengok TV, main game dan sebagainya. Tapi aku cukup tak tahan bila orang lambat untuk apa2 temujanji. 10 – 15 minit lambat aku tak kisah…Kalau ada hal yang munasabah pun tak kisah. Buat sekali dua pun takpe lah.  Kadang2 aku pun terlambat. Tapi kalau dah selalu sangat susah la. Kadang2 tu sampai setengah jam lambat!!!…pastu alasan…biasalah janji Melayu! Bangga jadi ‘lambat berfesyen’ (fashionably late). Mengapa perlu babitkan ‘Melayu’. Aku bukanlah lelaki Melayu terakhir tapi rasanye Melayu takde la tak ikut janji…tak perlu nak memalukan kaum sendiri. Orang lain ade kerja lain jugak walaupun jika kerja tu tak penting. Tapi kata kunci dalam blog ini adalah ‘hormat’ (respect).

            Kalo tak boleh hormat orang jangan anggap orang akan hormat kita. Aku tak harapkan orang hormat aku tapi sekurang2 nya hormat lah masyarakat. Pagi2 di lampu isyarat dekat Shell (Kuantan), tengok lah berapa ramai yang potong barisan. Budak2 dari universiti pun ada lak tu. Nak cakap tak bijak…diorang lagi bijak rasanye. Di tempat letak kereta pun sama…nak jugak letak kereta tu dekan ngan bilik. Tak kisah la kalau sampai halang jalan…kalau 5 minit je tak kisah la. Ni sampai 1 hari…tak berapa bijak rasanye.

            Mengapa aku dok bebel menganai benda ni?…Kerana aku tengah cuti dan banyak masa untuk berfikir. Dalam erti kata lain aku takde benda lain nak buat. Tambahan pula aku ingin

cuba

berbahasa

Malaysia

. Apa yang boleh     dilakukan untuk menangani masalah diatas? Aku pun tak tau. Nak cakap tak tegur  dah berbuih mulut…Nak ambil tindakan, berapa orang nak kena pukul? Masalah ni hanya boleh diatasi dengan kesedaran diri sendiri. Sebagai manusia kita cepat menuding jari (blame others). Bila orang buat kita, kita marah…tapi bila kita buat kat orang kita buat tak kisah. 

            Kesimpulannya, layan orang seperti kita hendak dilayan (what I meant: treat others the way you want others to treat you). Hari Raya Aidilfitri dah dekat. Ingin ku mengambil kesempatan ini untuk mengucapkan SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDILFITRI, MAAF ZAHIR BATIN. Jika blog ini menyinggung perasaan…ampun maaf dipinta.

This must be the most difficult posting yet..not in terms of studying, but stress. During these 3 months I almost snapped twice. Some may say that I already snapped..but I define snapping when I start to get physical. In other words I ’semi-snapped’.
    The 1st 1 was during i-Quest or IIUM Kuantan Open Day. I was part of the organizing committee. I won’t ‘ungkit’ about the whole thing..but it really sucked. Some people just can’t take accept suggestions…or in other words = BODOH SOMBONG. Just thinking about it makes me wanna bang my head on the wall. But I just had to thank those who stood by me throughout the ordeal even though they also had their own problems.
    Then…there’s the whole posting. Family medicine was OK. Everything was fine (except the case write ups…damn long). Then…there’s COMMUNITY MEDICINE.  I don’t really know what went wrong but  through my observation, group dynamics just was’nt there. As a leader of group A2, I wanted group dynamics to be there. I always told them that the key to a successful group is communication. I tried to treat them as an adult and they just let me down. For me..shit always happen. But I try to avoid them. It seems that only part of the group were cooperating. But I was calm then.
    Things went out of control during the final stages of preparation to present the study. Here are some points that contributed to my ‘ordeal’:

1. The discipline of the members (some) were not up to standards..even the lecturers complained.
2. People just like to blame…there were a lot of comments from some people but what pisses me off was the way it was brought up. They don’t say things directly and their comments did not contribute positively for the group. This was made worst coz I gave them an avenue for them to say something in meetings but they didn’t say anything.
3. The issue of gender was brought up…unnecessarily. For me the girls did a great job of analyzing and preparing the paper. Heck, some of them are still in Kuantan preparing it. Some jackass had to say that the guys were being pressured so much that they shouldn’t be tasked to present the paper. I wanted to show the finger…but I just had to be professional.
4. Last minute work. I was all set to do my work (prep presentation) but things just didn’t go my way.  There was so much waiting that I just didn’t want to do it.

Then…something went wrong with the presentation…..at the last minute. I broke my glasses, I was broke and I was hungry + sleepy. NOT A GOOD COMBINATION. My smiles turned to a big frown. I didn’t even have the mood to talk to anyone. But the 2 people I’m close with managed to cheer me up….for a while. I went to meetings out of respect. My fist was ready to give a punch if people mess with me. So I did the smartest thing (I guess)…sit at 1 corner and just keep quiet. Hopefully I won’t cause any harm. Unfortunately my aura (aura laga hitam) was so great that it affected a lot of people…so sorry.
    The aura lasted a 2 days. It affected my studies a bit. But we’ll have to see my results later. But I don’t blame them…if my results are bad, I only have myself to blame. I should have managed my time better. Jackasses are everywhere…it’s how u handle yourself that matters. I should also thank these people…they made me into a stronger person.
    At the end of the day…I’ve come to think that it’s not worth my time and effort to  help people who don’t want to be helped. Next blog I just won’t mind what will happen. It’s time for me to think for myself and the people who cares about me.

I’m 23 in 6 months and l’m feeling the pressure…I’m
getting OLD! 4 of my friends are getting married, 1 of them is pregnant (I’m
going to b a godfather!). Some of my batchmates from Bainun are already
working…Where am I now? Still just a student. Just as I’ve been for the past
16 years…and not a good one. Still waiting for that distinction!! Doubt that
I’ll get 1 with the way I’m studying. Not much of a bookworm.

 Let’s
revisit my ’singlehood’ status. It’s been almost a year since I made the
decision to go solo. I’ve mentioned why…and I have no regrets. The 1st 3
months was difficult. I didn’t really let people know. Some even thought I was
kidding…couldn’t blame them coz I’ve always been a joker. A few years back
some1 spread the word that I was getting engaged and people actually believed
it. Of course people who knew me thought that it was crap.

 Fortunately
I have great friends that helped me overcome my grief. I was never in denial
coz I was the 1 that made the decision but there were some moments that I felt
depressed. Did I make the right decision? Was it fair? Am I supposed to be
single all my life?…all sorts of questions came to my mind. In the end I
applied the philosophy that ‘what hurts you but doesn’t kill you, makes you
stronger’. I’m not dead, so I guess I’m stronger than I used to be. In some
ways I am a better man.

 Now, I’m
enjoying my single life. No worries, no responsibilities. It will be a while
before I get into another relationship. I’m just not ready yet. The next 1
should last till ‘jinjang pelamin’…ideally.

 In the
meantime I’ll just be me. I have nothing to prove to any1 except to my family
& God. A girl may come into my life any time in the future. I wish the best
to my ex. I’ll just wait for the right time…Life is like a box of chocolates.
You never know what you’re gonna get.

These past
2 weeks has been very interesting. Exams sucked. At the end of the posting I
still have’nt changed my impression on IM - totally not my stuff. Things could’nt
get any worse last week.

 On the night b4 the exams, it
blacked out…xde karan. It did’nt help that I had tons of notes in my PC that
I have’nt read. Worse still it was damn hot. I was sweating like mad. I had no
choice but to bare it all….except my shorts-not a pretty sight. Too hot, cant
study. Next best thing 2 do is get supper. Went out 4 roti nan with some lads .When
we got back, it was raining ‘tigers & hyenas’ – can barely see the road. Lightning
everywhere. Being a ’safety 1st guy’ I thought it was best 2 just stay in the
car. It was a wise move…we saw @least 4 lightning bolts strike buildings
around us. Ended up staying in the car for 45mins.

 Woke up early the next day (by my
standards)…7.30, only to find my bed sheets wet, no…I did’nt pee during sleep
-I was sweating. STILL NO KARAN. Eventually had PNP papers postponed to
afternoon bcoz of the blackout. In the mean time, life had to go on. Had to
live kampung style - studied at 1 of the pondoks with ‘minimal clothing’.
Fortunately electric supply came back by

noon

.

 EXAMS: pnp was rather difficult - SLE,
pulmonary embolism & HIV…@least that’s my dx. MCQ was a bit better. Skip
a day & it was CLINICALS: dengue for long case, hepatosplenomegaly for
short case. No more comments on exam…just have to wait for the results.

 After exams, packed my bags for
family road trip. No post exam party this time. Bid farewell to my faithful AFH
121. For the next 4 days I drove ADE 8328, for a total distance of 2900km.This
would be my 1st time driving a 2.0 liter auto long distance. No drifting or
rallying this time. Had to drive as smooth as possible…fragile passengers on
board (my parents,uncle&aunt).

 Spent the 1st night in Kuantan. Annexe
rest house is not a bad place to stay in for RM80 a night. I recommend it if
you’re on a budget. Of course

Swiss

Garden

& Hyatt is much better…for
over RM150.

 Kuantan is not a bad place after
all…for a tourist. There’s actually lots of places to go to, especially
nature lovers (definitely not a place for a particular ‘pharmacist’ I know).The
river cruise seems cool & a walk along the riverfront with a loved one
would sure be romantic (sob…sob).

  Enough with Kuantan – have 2 more years to
explore. Next stop, Mersing via Pekan. The road to Pekan was horrible. Construction
everywhere. Did’nt even bother to stop at PekanFest. Too many people. Just
stopped for lunch&prayers. The road to Mersing was beautiful. Road surface
was OK, not much traffic. The

South China Sea

was on my left,& the beach stretched for
miles…just beautiful. Great to just turn on cruise control & enjoy the
scenery. Reached Mersing in 3 hours. Checked in at Seri

Malaysia

…a crappy hotel for RM130. But the
view was great, its next to the beach. Mersing’s a cool place. I’ll definitely
come again…and take a boat to Tioman.

 Next stop, Malacca via Kluang, Batu
Pahat & Muar. Went to Batu Pahat just for a plate of Nasi Beriyani! Dont
know what all the fuss was about. Not the best food I’ve tasted…never liked
Beriyani anyway. Stopped in Muar for a rest at the riverside mosque.

Malacca was surprisingly interesting. It has changed so
much. I’ll have to come over another time to enjoy Malacca. The problem with
bringing the elders (old people) is they never want to walk. They want to park
the car right next to the entrance. Spent the night at a relatives house in
Melaka.

Last stop…Seremban. We took the LOOONG way from to Seremban.
Instead of heading towards the highway, my dad wanted to use the coastal road,
via Port Dickson…it was worth it. The houses in Melaka are really something.
They still retain the original architecture of Malay houses…I’m not such a
‘traditional’ person but I felt compelled by how these people continued the
Malay tradition. Cheesy sentence but that’s what I felt…how Malay am I?…Maybe
I need to search deep within me.

PD…OK. Too many people. Did’nt like it so much. Did’nt take
too long to get to Seremban. Was there by lunch. The next 2 days was ‘quality
time’ for my family. Stayed at my cousins house. Had BBQ that night. Got all my
siblings, uncles, aunties, and cousins together. It was great…nothing can replace
family! Loved the kids…11 of them. Did’nt mind them jumping on me. Just had to
be the best uncle….before becoming the BEST DAD in the world.

So what have I learned so far:

1. 

Malaysia

is a great country. Sometimes we
tend to forget how great this country is. This is my 2^nd road trip
so far. I’m proud to say that I’ve been to all the states in

Malaysia

…but it still amazes me how much

Malaysia

has to offer. Yes, I love

Hong Kong

…but nothing beats

MALAYSIA

.

2. I’m no lelaki Melayu terakhir, but I think it is time for me
to actually appreciate the Malay tradition.

3. We tend to focus on what we don’t have and forget what we
have. The best thing you can have is a FAMILY.

Wow…this is
the longest blog I’ve ever written…do give comments.

Ain’t got much to say except….holy s**t!exams next week. Internal Medicine totally not my stuff.

3 weeks into medical posting…..i’m enjoying myself but i don’t really like it. Why?
1. So many things to read
2. So many references….K & C is not helping
3. Ward conditions really depressing…they have no sense of urgency

i’ll add on towards the end of this posting.
So far i really think surgery is the best posting. Regardless of the busy schedule and under constant fear from the surgeons, esp Tuan Haji and Abang, but it’s really fulfilling. I actually felt that I’ve learnt alot….but we’ll see in 2 years time. 2nd best posting is O&G but not for the wrong reasons (if u know what I mean)….
I’m just really  glad that I went through 3 blocks without any glitches.

Let’s just leave academics behind and see what I can expect in these few months:
1. F1 is just around the corner 
    no Schumi this year but i have a feeling that Ferarri will excel with Kimi. Sauber     looks rather promising this year after 4th place by Heidfeld. Going off to KL this     weekend…hopefully to Sepang (if I can get funds from mum and dad)
2. Linkin Park’s new album: Minutes to Midnight
    Usually I dont buy CDs but for LP, Ill make an exception. Can’t wait to get the new     album. Hopefully there’ll be another gig in Malaysia…in Kuantan maybe?
3. Movies galore - Spiderman 3, Transformers…….no need to elaborate
4. Programs : 3rd Year Family Day, IIUM  Open Day, Annual Grand Dinner.
     It’s great to be of service to the IIUM Kuantan community. I just wish it wont         involve just the same people…u people out there, GET URSELF INVOLVED.

In reference to the 4th point..I think some people can be an ASS. They complain that the same people join programs…..and then they say all sorts of nasty things to these people…mencapap. konon bagus etc. I’d like to show them the finger (middle) buit that won’t be nice. Here’s an advice these active people are not bad people…they ARE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE THAT CAN JOIN. But if u just talk and not walk the talk…I’d be glad to kick ur behind.

Guess that’s all I wan to say. Feels good letting out all these stuff.
CIAO