Now for the real world, Dekna.

24.5.2009.

Dekna went for an interview Saturday, 23 May, 09. The clerk asked her to bring her own food, because the canteen would be closed. I wondered why. I soon learned that the office is closed for Saturday, but the interview had been scheduled, anyway, for time constraints reasons. So before she left for the 9 a.m. interview, I had her well-stocked up with 3 different beverages and 2 buns and 2 energy bars.

When she came back at 1.30 p.m. she brought back everything except for the mineral water. And while the clerk had been  considerate to remind her of the food, she had forgotten to mention about the original documents and the dress code required !. But Dekna said the clerk didn't forget to tell her not to mention to the panel that she forgot. 

Dek Na had finally finished her studies early this month. That would be 6 years in Primary School, 5 years up to Form 5, 3 years of Diploma, and 4 years of Degree in a two-degree course. Up to and until the results of her second degree course, due later this year, we thank God for her having done well, topping up with her First Class first degree last December. But I told her this was all studies. The real world is another story.

Dekna came back from the interview all excited. That the clerk having forgotten about some details in the preparation did not spoil her mood, apparently. She did have to switch clothes with her friend and escaped with the certified copies of the documents. But apparently the i/v went well because she felt she did OK. In fact before her group left the premises, they were told to report for work on July 1st. ! 

When that happens, we'll be back where we started. Just the two of us in the empty house. 

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Perak, still.

13.5.2009.

If you go back to my earlier posting you will see that I had suggested that the dissolution of the State Assembly is one way out of the current problem. I wouldn't call it a crisis, because it's not a difficult problem, but a problem made difficult. Once you go to court, you have to plod at the court's notorious laboured pace, or what they euphimistically call "due process". As I have also suggested, this whole thing is caused by Zahid Hamidi. As Deputy State UMNO Liason Chief he wanted to quickly earn credit for a "coup" when the three opposition ADUN turncoats crossed over (at what price merits another story). Zahid's bad timing alerted the PKR people and all elements of surprise that could have helped BN evaporated.

I knew Aziz Rahim, the Judge that decided for Nizar as MB, when he was the LA in Negeri Sembilan. After Negeri he went to Johore and later to AGC, I think, before being eleveted to the Bench. Mary Lim is another former Negeri LA who was recently eleveted to the Bench. 

Aziz has shown true grit I didn't see in him when in Negeri Sembilan. If I were the Perak Sultan, I won't accede to a dissolution, but would advise for convening the Assembly so that the Members decide their own future. Every one of them has been duly elected by the rakyat and should be responsible now for the running of a viable State Government. Calling for fresh elections is not only wasteful monetarily, but absolutely unnecessary because the last one is just slightly more than a year old. To have a new elections now is like trying to swat a mosquito with a canon. A simple show of hands will decide the next administration.

Whatever happens at the Appelate Court will be moot. The millions saved by not having new elections can be better utilised than trying to feed some stupid egos.

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NS Foundation Awards of Excellence 2009.

9.5.2009.

Although many months delayed and with a postponement, the ceremonies were finally held Friday 8th. May. I thought it would be a short one with maybe 100 people. In fact 1000 people came and it lasted almost 4 hours - until 6 p.m. And it wasn't really for excellence, because financial assisstance for about 200 new undergraduates were also given out. Obviously the MB was stretching the political mileage. That's why the RM 25,000 for First Class Honours given last year was slashed by 60% to 10,000 this year. I wonder if there'll be anything next year.

For impact, NSF could have been more selective and not include Subjects like Japanese Language and Human Resources, important as they are in their own standing. Instead, the Professional Degrees should have been highlighted, and local universities only considered. If NSF were to open the floodgates, the award will become too large and ineffectual. The underlying philosophy should be selective emphasis.

I liked it when I attended a university convocation once when the VC rightly pointed out in his address that the real congratulations should be given to the parents and guardians, because it's their unfailing support of the students that usually enabled the students to study well and succeed.

The studying is the easy part. It's the long, untiring years of waking up the child in the darkness of the dawn, feeding him, sending him to school and fetching him back when in primary school, cajoling him to study hard, scrimping and saving - for most parents - so that he has the books and the clothing and the numerous fees the school asks for, and later climbing stairs and knocking doors so that whatever financial assisstance is available is obtained to help him through universty, that is the tough part.

And at the end of it all, as in the Awards ceremony, all worldly fruitation of the studentship goes to the young graduate. The parents want nothing of it, except for the pride of having succeeeded in bringing up the child well. No amount of money can buy that. 

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