Death

Is death such a monstrous event in one's life? Should death be feared? Is Hell or Heaven the only reward in the world hereafter? I have listened to so many religious talks that give emphasis on Hell if one does something that's not according to the teaching of that particular religion. It bothers me to listen to religious talks that God will reward those who do and follow religiously all the dos and don'ts of that particular religion without question. I wonder, if it is so why God creates brain and mind for humans to use? Do we have to follow blindly and not question the logic or reason behind it? Things become more confusing when people cannot differentiate between religious teachings and cultural practices based on own interpretation of the religion.
I got turned off when I read Bill Cosby's condemnation of Islam because the Afghans maimed the women who go against family wishes. Clearly he is so small-minded, ignorant and judging and refused to see that that's actually cultural beliefs and practices and that Islam doesn't teach its followers to be cruel. I find ignorance, prejudice and suspicion of Islam among my non- muslim friends and acquintances are most annoying and disgusting. The fault also lies on the muslims. Some Malay muslims here are so closed-minded, judging and so ready to run people down, who they think are not Islamic, which is actually contrary to the teaching of Islam. I steer clear of this kind of people. In one facebook message, one guy condemned females who don't cover their heads and decide to delete them from his list of friends. I hope he has deleted me. Good riddance!!!
Talking about death, I just had a phone conversation with an old friend whom I have not heard for quite a while. Being on the verge of 70s, she is so wrapped up in 'fear' in case something happens to her unexpectedly. So she is being careful and unwilling to venture out on her own, depending heavily on her children. So her activities are limited to housework and going to mosque and attending religious classes to prepare her for the hereafter. What I do is exactly the opposite.
I am not a religious person but I faithfully do all my duty as a Muslim. At my age, I believe it's not about me anymore, it's about what I can leave behind as my contribution to the next generation - in a small way. Death to me is not to be feared. If I am destined to die anywhere so be it. After all this is God's world. He knows where I am. He has created such a beautiful world with different types of people, places, scenery etc. for us to enjoy. So we should enjoy it and be humbled by it. I don't have much money to donate to worthy causes but I have time and energy. I donate my expertise and time to the unfortunates whenever I can, and feel fulfilled by it. So, if death decides to pay me a visit, it's welcome. I have no regrets.

Fear is not a good friend. Conquer it and make it your good friend.

Public holidays

Malaysia has the highest number of public holidays especially at the beginning of the year. I am retired, so public holidays are not meaningful to me anymore. As Sashi, my Japanese friend, says everyday is Sunday to her. She's right. You see, that's the pleasure of being free from work, responsibility, stress etc. So, when Ika called and asked whether I was coming back to PJ for the weekend, I said 'No', I'll be back next weekend.' In surprised tone she said, 'You're going to stay in PD for the long weekend? Mom, it's a long weekend - with Maulidur Rasul and Taipusam celebrations.' Whooops, I didn't know that. Forgot that Malaysia is a country of celebrations. Just before this, I sent SMS to Indra to say that she can come and stay with me during weekend because there won't be many people around. My mistake, I didn't know and never bothered to look at public holidays list.
Well, no way I am going to stay during long weekend in PD. It would be sheer madness. The resort would be so crowded, noisy and dirty. There would be car park tussle between security personnel and stubborn guests. The particular renting agent who behave like a thug, will be at his antics again. There would be mountain of rubbish as people litter everywhere. The cleaners have to work non-stop collecting rubbish. MPPD would not be able to collect the mountain of rubbish because the lorry cannot drive in to the dumpsters because cars are parked on the center lane. So flies and stinking smell linger there until MPPD lorry is able to drive through to collect the rubbish.
I didn't waste time and packed my things to bring back to PJ and left early on Saturday morning. By the time I reached the highway, there was a huge traffic jam towards south. Thank God, I was going towards north.
Arriving back in PJ house was a pleasure especially seeing Rania, running to me and called 'Nenek'. Oh, how I miss my gorgeous little grand daughter. Not yet two, she has an amazing amount of vocabulary. So, ' Hai Nenek, how are you? you OK?' and 'I love you Nenek. Please Nenek, nak Can-Can (referring to the song 'can ma li can'). She mixes English and Malay so naturally. Both her parents speak English with her, so I make a point of speaking in Malay with her and she understands me.
Nia is growing well and she looks cuter by the day.

New look

After so many heart aches and complaints, I almost jumped out of my skin on Sunday evening with shock - a good one, that is. The resort is unbelievably clean!!!! I went out for my usual walk and observing the situation on Sunday evening and found the resort compound, corridors etc were sprucely clean. It was such a pleasant sight. After living here for about 4 years, this is the first time I didn't have any complaints. My responsibility is made easier.
When I was in PJ, Zaidi, the supervisor SMS me complaining that the Ascot housekeepers just threw rubbish outside without putting them in plastic bags. His complaints turned into conflicts with them. I have called and talked to Chen, the Manager, to tell her staff not to dump apartment rubbish on the corridor and expect somebody else to collect and dispose them but seemed like it fell on deaf ears.
So, on Friday when I returned to PD, I took my usual walk and was so repelled with the scattered rubbish in front of certain apartments. The next morning I had a face to face meeting with Chen and handed her a note requesting her to check on her housekeepers' work and that the cleaners will pick only rubbish in plastic bags. She sent down her staff immediately and by evening when I walked around, it was clean. I was surprised and prayed it would stay that way forever.
Sunday was a surprise. Usually irresponsible guests would litter the compound, the car park as well as the corridor and walkway. It was hard work to collect and to dispose the mountains of rubbish and the tell-tale chaos would remain by evening and the next day. But this time, everything was pleasantly clean. No wonder I saw Zaidi still walking and checking the compound at 6.30 pm. I guess his army training helps him in his job.
Thank you Zaidi, the cleaners and Chen for your cooperation. I hope in future I don't have any reasons to complaint like before and I don't have to send emails to the Management Council members so often to report the appalling situations.
I hope my compliments to Zaidi, his boss and his staff will be an encouragement and they maintain the good work.

A sick child

Measuring Rania's height yesterday. She lost weight but gained in height. A good obedient girl who didn't fuss when being examined by the doctor. 200112.












I don't like seeing Rania got sick with cough and cold. She just got over one about a month ago and now she is suffering again. She rejected food and milk and looked so skinny - all hands and legs. Ika became impatient sometimes feeding her when she refused to chew and swallow her food and forced her to do so. She forgot that when a person is not well, she will lose appetite. She was more worried that her daughter looked so scrawny and cried when Rania rejected her milk and food once again. Poor Rania.




So yesterday (Friday 20 Jan 2012) Ika took Rania again to see her doctor in Bangsar. As expected, Rania lost weight but gained in height. The diagnose was that Rania has a slight infection on the left side of her lung. So she was put on a course of antibiotics and hope she will get well soon. Today, she is more cheerful and takes her food quite readily.








Rania was good and quiet when the doctor examined her. 200112










For the last few months when Rania, Justin and Ika suffered from flu and cough, I was able to resist it and came out well even though I stayed with them in PJ. But this time, my resistance has weaken a bit and caught cold and sore throat. What I fear most is the cough, for I know the coughing will attack and stay quite some time with me. I hate it because I suffer frrom reflux. I want to do my cataract surgery on the right eye but have to postpone it until I am really well.
Drinking lots of water helps to lessen the sore throat and the dry cough but I go to toilet so often at night. I am lucky for being able to fall off to deep sleep immediately. Only occasionally do I have disturbed sleep and forced to stay awake.
Chinese New Year is tomorrow. I am stiil angry and disgusted to read some Malay-hating mails. Why do the Chinese grudge the Malays so much? Don't they know that they get rich in this Malay country and we don't grudge them?They call the Malays racists but they were the worst racists ever. I can bet you if they have the power they would want to wipe out the Malays as the the Israelis do to the Palestinians and they will become the worst corrupted people on earth. I hate this attitude, 'I can hurt people but I don't want people to hurt me for I am above everyone else.' Disgusting attitude!!!!!!

Income tax 2

I went to LHDN today and lost my way in spite of GPS. I am hopeless with this modern gadget. On top of that the traffic was horrendous because of CNY. Everybody is doing last minute shopping or going somewhere, I guess. I was on the point of returning home when I received a call from a LHDN officer who said I don't need to come to LHDN because everything is settled and I do have excess payment. The reason stated was that the last officer-in-charge, before he was transferred, didn't key in and checked properly. He apologized. I have not much time to digest this as I was concentrating on finding my way back home but received another blow when he said I still owe over RM4,000.00 from my old closed file. I wanted to scream!!
I thought I had settled all my dues a long, long time ago and I remember how I cried in front of the officers for being betrayed and lied to. Unfortunately at that time, all income tax was combined with husbands and a married woman didn't have her own income tax account. I was one of the unfortunately women who has been manipulated into thinking that everything was good and was well taken care of. I was too trusting and naive. Thank God, now married women are given the identity and privileged of their own account without being an appendix to their husbands.
But a word of caution though, love and trust your husbands but be mindful of your rights and your personal interest, for once you're betrayed it's going to hurt you for life.
l'll wait for the letter of demand from LHDN. Stupid me, I don't know what happened to my old income tax file - misplaced or I have destroyed it. So another lesson to be learned - never destroyed your old personal files, you may need them. Problem may surface some day, like I am experiencing now.
I told myself it doesn't matter anymore. After all it's only money. I can work a bit more to replace the loss but deep in my heart I curse the b@#$%d till the end of my days.

Once trust is given to you, NEVER betray it for betrayal will be the end of any honest relationship.

Income tax

Apa hal income tax ni? I came back to PJ from PD and received a pink letter from LHDN saying I haven't paid RM 651.42 as tunggakan. Macam mana ni? Maz has been doing my income tax and according to my account LHDN owes me some money. Now they say I owe them. It's so confusing. I have been paying my tax faithfully every year. The tunggakan is till 2008. I retired and not earning an income from June 2007. My pension is non-taxable, habis LHDN kata I owe them and sent a warning pink letter pulak tu.
I tell you, news like this can kill a person especially senior citizen with weak heart. It's a shock and upsetting for me. I am under stress. On top of that, to go to LHDN in Damansara Perdana is like going to a foreign country. Kat foreign country pun senang lagi cari jalan. Kat sini boleh gila cari tempat sebab signage tak tentu arah. I haaaaattte this. I curse whoever does this. Kenapa LHDN tak cari towkey kaya yang tipu account dan tak bayar cukai beribu-ribu tu? Sakitnya hati!!!
Tomorrow I am going to see them. I hope the GPS will take me there safely and doesn't cause further stress on me.
Anyway tak guna nak sakit hati pun. Mentimun tak boleh lawan durian.

Events of early 2012

The emerging 2012 should be a joyous time, looking forward to better days in the year. But in a short period of time so many things happened that didn't promise a glorious year. The cleanliness issue at the resort I live in somewhat resolved but created unhappiness among some people we didn't know. The Management Committee works hard and takes risks to make this place a better resort but unfortunately it was being sabotaged.
One of the apartment owners who owned a few units were not happy when a new parking system was introduced. He blatantly cut the chain of the bar to gain access where he wasn't supposed to be. He has been a pain in the a... for quite a while making difficult for us to impose some regulations in this resort. He acted as if the resort belongs to him and his gangster-like actions have caused us much problem. We would like to avoid legal action and try to persuade him to join the MC so that he understands our problems and work together to make the resort a better place. I approached him but arrogantly turned me down even before I finished talking.
The ho-ha about calling me names has been settled with a new supervisor who works together with his cleaners. I am happy to see the resort is pleasantly clean but come Chinese New Year there will be chaos and disorder again. I am ashamed to be a Malaysians where my countrymen behave like hooligans. Yesterday the supervisor and his man clean the pile of rubbish dumped by guests in front of my block. That area is supposed to be taken care by the Hotel staff but I asked him to clear the debris there. But today, the hotel workers blatantly dumped rubbish and coconut leaves at the same spot again. Instead of cleaning it they turned this spot into a dumping ground. It's such an irresponsible behaviour with a lazy attitude. When I sit at my balcony I hate to see the dump there. I hope the resort manager will talk seriously with the hotel manager whose staff is so irresponsible and lazy.
With the presence of a couple of new members who are action-oriented and assertive in the Council, there is much change but collecting service charges is still a problem. Many apartment owners owe the management thousands of ringgit in arrears. Without money there is very little we can do to upgrade the resort. Most of them are educated and hold prestigious positions but lack moral responsibility.
The security system also is so weak. The vice chairperson of the Council went to Singapore and left her Lamborghini car at the parking spot near her apartment. The next day her maid found the car has been tempered and the back screen was cracked by a stone. The mischief was done in the morning and nobody realized it. Damaging a Kancil like that can be a heart ache, what more when it is a Lamboghini. I feel so sorry and helpless that thing like this can happen during daylight. I hope she doesn't lose hope and ditch the Council. This is so unfortunate.
Finally, I gave up expecting the contractor who renovated my toilet to come and and repair the pipe leakage in my apartment. He got my money and refused to take responsibility of his work. This is a disgusting Malaysian work ethic. So I have to spend over a thousand ringgit to remedy the problem. The Malay repairman informed me also of some not so safe work the contractor did and I got to deal with it one day for safety reason. I felt so heartsick.

Keep on smiling Zuraidah. Life is short. Keep cool !!!