Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Poor Malaysia

I watched and read this fiasco with interest to transcribe my resentment in this blog.

We did it again, and this time, it is in the AFC Youth (Under-20) Football opening game against the humble Vietnam. Looking at the shiny and stylish adidas/nike branded boots they put on last night and how they prepare for 2 years traveling overseas to have friendly matches which local presses regard as the biggest preparation ever made by the national team since Olympic Barcelona 1992, they were tipped to hammer Vietnam easily. Nevertheless that was just a hit and miss or prediction on paper, in which clearly favored to the Malaysian team. But it went completely wrong, looking on how poor football they played last night. Sloppy defending, fruitless effort by the midfielders to deliver effective ball to the strikers, and in the end, the strikers did a Crouch. Look how slack the team right from the first line to the attacking line. In the end, Vietnam won the battle, thanks to Badrul Bakhtiar for scoring the own goal.

For the next game against the mighty Saudi Arabia, my only advice is to stay cool and not to concede to much goals. Winning is an option, not an anticipation, based on how bad you guys played in the first match. No high hopes from me.

“Whatever happens in India, it does not spell the end of this team as we have a long-term programme to mould them for the SEA Games next year (in Thailand) as well as the next one in 2009,”
said Dato’ Seri Ibrahim Saad, FAM’s half-balded general secretary.

2 years of heavy preparation in and out of the country, millions of ringgit have been invested and high hopes have been bestowed, how could you ask us to wait?

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 2:43 pm | Permalink | 3 comments
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Stiffy Man I Am
Bila aku berlakon cite blue my porn star name is:

Sergeant Stiffy
What's Your Porn Star Name?

P.S. Stiffy is a vulgar slang for an erection of a man's penis. LOL.
 
posted by Izham Ismail at 2:15 am | Permalink | 0 comments
Saturday, October 28, 2006
The Love Letter

I am a prisoner here in the name of the Kop. They can take my life, but not the love that I feel for you. Yes, my adorable lover, tonight I shall see you, if I had to put my head on the block to do it. For heaven's sake, do not speak to me in such disastrous terms as you write; you must live and be cautious; beware of Villa as your worst enemy.

What do I say?

Beware of everybody; trust no one; keep yourself in readiness, as soon as the moon is visible; I shall leave the hotel incognito, take a carriage or a chaise, we shall drive like the wind to the city of red; I shall take paper and ink with me; we shall write our letters.

If you love me, reassure yourself; and call all your strength and presence of mind to your aid; do not let Villa notice anything, try to have your pictures, and be assured that the menace of the greatest tortures will not prevent me to serve you.

No, nothing has the power to part me from you; our love is based upon virtue, and will last as long as our lives.

Adieu, there is nothing that I will not brave for your sake; you deserve much more than that.

Adieu, my dear heart!

Love,
Izham Ismail.

P.S. 2 hours before the kick off against Aston Villa and somehow I got terribly romantic on tonight’s fixture. I’m in love with the Kop, what a gay I am. *sigh*

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 8:47 pm | Permalink | 4 comments
Friday, October 27, 2006
Futsal + Friends = One helluva day!

Today is a great day for me for it is the day when two of my passion get connected, football and friends. Yes, it is a futsal raya gathering held by my koleq batchmates at Sunway Sports Planet. Futsal place never fail to caught my sense of contentment, bliss since it can provide me moment to unwind myself from any hitch I stumble upon in my life by way of passing the size3+ ball on the artificial turf of Malaysia’s famous futsal franchise ground and shooting the ball on the back of the net, whipping any goalkeeper who stands on its way. Pay no heed to how I plunge into verbosity just now, it is just the way I express the beauty of playing futsal with friends around.

Lepak with budak koleq around was ecstasy especially when everybody got themselves high and even a tak lawak thing could become a dreadfully hilarious one. It was also the time when we could reminisce over our times back in koleq. Well guys, thanks for making my dull holiday a one that I will remember until the next time we meet up again.

erare.palie.hadi.kimal.khalil.syed om.ayee.mgy.paan.gob.zameer.haziq.amerhadi.

Yay!

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 9:30 pm | Permalink | 0 comments
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Goal's Blog
No matter where you are in the world, this blog allows you to keep up to date with all the latest goals from around the world
Click here for goals, goals and more goals. With updated and up-to-the-minute goals around the world of football, how could I not link?
 
posted by Izham Ismail at 3:55 pm | Permalink | 0 comments
We are talking...

Thanks to the internet, the next generation of cream of the crop could share their bits of glittering ideas. So when asking what will you do when you were the prime minister in Malaysia, they thought of...

I'll allocate more money on education
I'll build better public facilities
I'll improve the quality of public transports

I'll make myself education minister and improve all the public universities

I’ll be fair in giving out scholarships

I’ll fix the shitty government customer service

I’ll fight corruption

I'll improve stock exchange market in
Malaysia
I'll will call for De-UMNO-zation and no more political party based on race will be allowed

I'll establish a true meritocracy system for education

I'll abolish racial quotas in the country

I'll abolish Bumiputera rights

I'll abolish the ISA

I'll revive true freedom of speech
I'll bring back power to the people

I'll revive English as the medium of administration and education
For Malaysia
I will...

They make up a good poem aite?

Creative and imaginative are how I explain this. I’ve read enough of this issue and the answers lie mostly in the heart of the younger generation of Malaysians. Fair enough, most of them did catch my eyes open with their astonishing ideas and thoughts which left me very proud of their existence. Yes, Malaysia is indeed a place where the bright, brilliant brain nurtured. So there will be surely no problem to elect our prime minister in 20 to 30 years ahead. Malaysia Boleh-LAH!

P.S. Ask me, I would slap myself first. I must have been dreaming.

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 5:54 am | Permalink | 2 comments
Manglish, anyone?
Prejudice is about to happen. Here how it goes.

Well, it is natural way of how languages are form. That is if you study linguistic properly and it is nothing to be ashamed of and don’t get the guilt just because some of the hypocrite people criticize you for not speaking "proper English".
You can tell these hypocrites to walk the talk and speak proper heavy British accent. Don’t they know there are weird English accents like Texas and NZ accents? Even in UK there are varieties of English as well.

Bias is underway. (This is so not TOK of me)

Come on, this is Malaysia and not of any Anglophone countries!

Just watch one of the episodes of Phua Chu Kang where he pretends to speak perfect British accented English and see how fake and hypocrite he looks. Very un’Singaporean’ and imitating. Language is for communication. Don’t use it as a show-off to make yourself look swanky and posh. Yes, we should speak with proper grammar but not speaking in an unnatural manner.

My previous English teacher strictly discourage the usage of Manglish. She supposed "We are learning British English, so speak English in British way.” American English is also discouraged as well. Converse-wise, I think Manglish indeed is simple, short, concise, straight-to-the-point, effective etc, but indisputably it's a bit rude. But I still like the way it is that I said to myself, too bad we can never use Manglish in English test or any MOE administered test. Or else, syok wo!

So as Malaysian, it is our identity to be what we are. I’ve experienced how a foreigner tried so hard to speak like us when asking for direction.

Learn proper Manglish here and be a true Malaysian.

P.S. I did struggle myself to fine-tune my brain to converse in Manglish just to steer clear of being tagged as 'unnatural', 'fake', 'unMalaysian' in my TOK class.

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 2:15 am | Permalink | 2 comments
Monday, October 23, 2006
Raya-LAH

30th Ramadhan 1427H.

Yes. It is the last day of the holy fasting month of Ramadhan. I guess it is about time for me to light up the raya mood. Well, for some of us, raya is not a so-much-to-be-awaited event as we are all stacked up with mountains of assignments, heavy workloads with crazy datelines, being strained with chains of exams, just to name a few. And nothing seems to cheer us all up other than completing or getting ourselves free from those constraints.

Yes, I am talking about myself. Semester exam is just, just, just around the corner and I am yet to find spaces of my luxury time at home to study. Raymond Chang and Campbell Reece might be staring in bitterness at me as their pieces of work don’t seem well esteemed by me.

I still remember when I was a kid, raya is a real raya. It was so lively back then, when I was not constrain with such assignments and threaten with university placements and when old folks and people around me won’t dawdle to give me duit raya but now, you can tell that I don’t deserve such gifts in duit raya by looking at the janggut I treasure and how horrible pimples been scattering all over my face. Haha. The point is, we are getting older and as time goes by, raya seems meaningless for us. It is getting empty. But I won’t let it happen. Raya is raya!

In a few hours time, I will fly to my kampong to celebrate Raya (and by ‘celebrating raya’, I really mean celebrating raya as I won’t bring along any assignments, and my brain will be in raya mode) and I won’t be around until Thursday. So I think it’s about time for me to wish all of you Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri. Maaf Zahir Batin. For words which might hurt, for jokes you can’t take, and for advices you can’t accept, million apologies!

Oh Raya! Embrace me!

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 12:28 am | Permalink | 2 comments
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Live Commentary : Man Utd vs Liverpool (Full Time)
Ouch. It is hard to swallow the fact that we lose at Old Trafford, again. And again, it was Rio Ferdinand who took Manure to glory. He did it last time with his last-minute header which really hurt me and guess what, he did it again this time and to make things even worse, he did it even cleverly as if he is a striker. Cleverly in control with the ball before hitting the ball to the top corner of the goal. Heartbreaking. 90 minutes. It's all over, although Rafa did heard what I mumbled in bringing Crouchie to the pitch but substituting Xabi Alonso over him it's not a good idea. Momo Sissoko should be out, not that Spaniard maverick. However, a fair performance, as always for the el-capitan, Stevie G albeit the team loss. So Rafa, after a while and after seeing how shaky the fluctuation of The Kop's performance, do you still believe in your rotation system?

Tho' your dreams be tossed and blown
Walk on, walk on

With hope in your heart

And you'll never walk alone

You'll Never Walk Alone
 
posted by Izham Ismail at 10:13 pm | Permalink | 0 comments
Live Commentary : Man Utd vs Liverpool (Half Time)
45-minutes whistle blown. Half time, and the kop are now down by one goal margin, thanks to the man of the moment, Paul Scholes who just credited his 500 appearances wearing Man Utd jersey. Over the past 45 minutes was a nightmare for the Liverpool side. You can tell how Man Utd dominated the game with their accurate passes, exuberant moves by both of their strikers in Louis Saha and Wayne Rooney and several shots that made Reina's evening a handful one.

I feel very sorry for Liverpool defensive line led by Sami Hyypia. It was sloppy back there. To make things even worse, Momo Sissoko, who supposely acts as defensive midfielder turned out to make the defense department went chaotic with his fumbleness with the ball. Dirk Kuyt happens to be the only man upfront after Rafa Benitez decided to put 5 men at the midfield line. Having 4 midfielders is just fine and 5 is a crowd moreover when you have a clumsy man in Sissoko playing in.

For the next half, please, let the other striker in to play alongside the Dutchman. Be it Crouchie or Bellamy, as long as that poor little Kuyt doesn't have to face the big men in Rio Ferdinand and Vidic all alone. He needs company, Rafa. One more thing, bring Sissoko out of the pitch, and even better, out of the country.

45 minutes is a long time. Remember Istanbul? We could bounce back.
 
posted by Izham Ismail at 8:53 pm | Permalink | 0 comments
Kop's Theatre Of Dreams

It is indeed the biggest match in the world, the landmark of modern English football, the epitome of the epic battle, when the city of Manchester full-packed with red attired football devotees. The real season starts now with over 500 million people all over the world will witness the conflict arises between two most established, recognized yet reputable being settled in the stadium of Old Trafford, when Manchester United host The Kop, Liverpool.

"Manchester United against Liverpool is the biggest club game in the world," coined Man Utd left back, Patrice Evra.

And a big game should be loaded up with dazzling performances by both teams and you could expect the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Luis Garcia to adjoin fancy foot works, accurate passes and the greatest gift of skills to the flow of the game. And if you ask me, other than aspiring to witness those feat, deep in my heart, I would like to see Liverpool to do an Arsenal tonight (remember Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Man Utd at Old Trafford last September?)

"I don't like to talk about losing," said Rafa Benitez when asked about the possible outcome of the game. Me too.

You’ll Never Walk Alone.

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 5:28 pm | Permalink | 0 comments
Friday, October 20, 2006
Touching Raya Ad: Kudos to an oil company
Did you guys see the Petronas' raya advertisement on TV these few days? I think this is by far the most affecting message Petronas has put across in its series of advertisement for the various festive seasons. My praise to Petronas.

Daughter : Mama dengan ayah nanti duduk sini, nanti kakak dengan adik duduk rumah.
Son : Ayah jangan lupa pakai lampin tau!

..was how the children mocked their parents doings towards their dad, a very old, under the weather man which later left them pondering. The ad can be viewed here.

I've always looked forward to Petronas' ads curing the festive seasons. if it's touching, you can almost certainly bet that it's from petronas. Petronas has the tendancy to focus on family values in their commercials and it'll be great if many of the advertisers do the same. It is not the graphics, cinematography, visual effects, audio effects that amount much, but how the message being conveyed to very heart of us that matters.

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 3:09 am | Permalink | 1 comments
Thursday, October 19, 2006
.blogspot.com

Woh! It’s been months of my withdrawal of the blogosphere and to be frank, I didn’t even remember that I have a blog for the past few months. For the past few months, I have a blog with a cool .com domain, with spreads of my own self-designed page, but now, I am broke. Haha. I couldn’t even pay the hosting company a single cent, which results in instant shutdown of the website and warm relationship between me and the owner of the company. Sigh.

I blog because I blog and I blog because I don't think I really understand something until I write about it. In English, I blog because I love it, no matter how hard life is.

I think that’s why now my name has a not so cool .blogspot.com domain at the back of it.

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 8:12 pm | Permalink | 0 comments
MyTeam Defeated: The future is now

Much has been said about the whole MyTeam hype. I was at the stadium track and witnessed the whole saga. I was there to watch the "kampung boys" play the “big man” and played their hearts out. But deep in my heart I really wanted to see the national team to do the same.

Obviously it wasn’t about who were the winners or losers but after years supporting the Malaysian team, sadly there were simply much more disappointments than joy. So when the boys in yellow were jeered, we can hardly blame the fans. It was sad but should be an eye opener to FAM that fans has waited way too long for something to come out good from the national team.

Khairy Jamaluddin and J Lo lifted the malaysian football scene into a new era. It was the night when football was really appreciated. FAM however, still prefer to stay at the old level, and kept on saying that they're doing their job rite. However, bene fatto MyTeam for such an unforgettable performance.

I wish, both Khairy and Dato Ibrahim Saad and all other politician either within FAM and other sport organization to leave their post and left it to those who really deserve it. Politician by virtue of their ambitions always have an ulterior motives.

Malaysian sports scene will do better with politicians free. Ampun Tuanku!

In the end, on that Sunday night, it was more about football in Malaysia.


9.46AM

Tuesday, 6th June 2006

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 6:24 pm | Permalink | 1 comments
Believe In Possibilities

Sah! I am going to myteam v malaysia showdown at bukit jalil. Thanks to ayee, for he is kind enough to queue up to buy the precious ticket. Here I come!

11.48PM

Saturday, 27th May 2006

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 6:23 pm | Permalink | 0 comments
111088

"i'd rather be hated for who i am, than loved for who i am not"


12.03AM

Sunday, 28th May 2006

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 6:23 pm | Permalink | 0 comments
MyTeam: An Opportunity

28th of May 2006 will witness the melting point of the battle of survival between Malaysia, which ranked 124th in the world, against MyTeam. Did I said MyTeam? Yup, the team which has been shaped, moulded and managed by Malaysia’s hidden secrets in football business. Architected by two best friends Jason Lo and Khairy Jamaluddin and engineered by Malaysia’s renowned sports critic, Shebby Singh. There are surely one hell of an ingredient.

“Two friends with a passion for football. That’s how it all started. Jason Lo and Khairy Jamaluddin set together discussing their favorite topic, football one day when they came up with an idea. That idea was called MyTEAM, a search for the countries best hidden football talents and pitting them against the Malaysian national team. FAM have accepted the challenge. It will be a challenge they will never forget.”

MyTeam is an opportunity. MyTeam is putting FAM’s integrity on the line. It is the survival of the fittest. Winners take all. MyTeam encompass the best untapped amateur footballer in Malaysia. Analogically, it’s the search for the next Mawi on the field. This kind of thing has been awaited for so long by many eager football enthusiasts, like me. This is the chance where we can express our anger, disappointment, and lost of hope towards Malaysia football scene – via the establishment of MyTeam, which surely play on our side. FAM should seriously take a very high note and should be aware that MyTeam is not merely a team to be taken easily. Yes, on paper, MyTeam is nobody compared to Malaysia team, which comprising of players who play in the million dollar Super League, a league worth to die for (sigh).

If we look at the physique and stamina of these amateur untapped geniuses, there are nowhere compared to bigman stamina kuda Malaysia players. Super League players are accustomed to have that traits – high stamina and big mighty physique. MyTeam is quite unknown as they are still under construction while Malaysian national side is already packed with professional players. While My Team is mostly amateurs, won't it be bad for Malaysian football to lose to an amateur team?

But for me, it’s not down to physique or tactics at the showdown. In fact, it’s a mental thing. Both team can win the game. FAM has to be really aware of possibilities.

How MyTeam can win the match? Here are some of my humble advices.

It is very difficult to play in such a tense and pressure atmosphere there in the crowded Bukit Jalil stadium.. You can be too excited and start thinking 'Oh my God, I'm playing in a one and only and the biggest showdown in Malaysia’s football history'. The main thing for the MyTeam players is concentration. You need to be thinking one or two seconds earlier than your opponent.

MyTeam must be careful about the start of the game tonight and try to play safe early on because early mistakes will cost us the pride. Remember, it is the game worth to die for. It is the chance to show those clowns in FAM that our national side is rubbish, the system is crap, etc etc and that'll give them a kick in the backside and improve Malaysian football as s whole. What i can’t stand is that those people in FAM actually thought that they have done the right/best things when loads of it is actually wrong. So, you guys carry a big responsibility on your shoulder!

And you should ask yourself, "How many times will I get that opportunity?"

No matter where you from, whether it’s from the rural areas of our “Kampungs” to the urban landscape of our cities, play with your heart. Play with joy and share the joy with the people. Good luck Jason Lo. Good luck Khairy Jamaluddin, Good luck MyTeam.

May you have the sway passing, kicking and picking up the ball and may the spirit of ginga and joga bonito will always with you. Remember, it’s not just about winning; it’s about regaining our pride.

8.11PM

Monday, 22nd May 2006

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 6:22 pm | Permalink | 0 comments
Viva La Kop!

Rafa did it again. Stevie G did it again. We did it again, and we did just like we won the famous Champions League in Istanbul. Coming back from behind and never lead the match, Stevie G and his players were brawling once again to clinch the title, but this time, the opponents is not the Italian Champions, AC Milan, but the bottom table underdog, West Ham United. The first half was a nightmare for the Kop as they suffered to two undeserved and more likely as ‘nasib’ goals from Dean Ashton and an own goal from Jamie Carragher. It was the time when my cell phone was flooded by cynical yet sarcastic text messages from anti-Liverpool rebels, who were really enjoying the moment they saw how easy the ball went into Liverpool’s net. I was at NZ Curry House, Wangsa Maju. Waiting, commiserating over the tragedy, but yet, refused to call it a day. I stayed. Minutes after that, adidas’s marketing ambush, Djibril Cisse netted a fine volley to put Liverpool back in the game. Half time.

Teh ‘O Panas dah naik suam. In the second half, captain marvel Stevie G does his superpower to net a crucial equalising goal. I punched the air and saw envy in the face of the other anti-Liverpool rebels. Then, it was heartbreak for me as Konchesky scored a very classy goal to chip the ball cross caught Reina to put West Ham back in front.

West Ham 3 : 2 Liverpool. 90 minutes. 4 minutes of injury time.

However, West Ham saw their dreams fade and die when, moments after the fourth official had signalled four minutes of injury-time would be played, Stevie G again did his magic when he smashed the ball in another equaliser from 30 yards to send the game into extra-time. Come On!

And the match was dragged to penalties. People say, Liverpool has some sense of luck when it comes to high pressure and vital match, and I am not into denying it. In the penalties, we won, unsurprisingly. What a feeling it was to see how Stevie G, who was just awarded the PFA Player Of The Year to lift the oldest cup in the world while wearing the most holy yet sacred jersey in English football, the traditional red hot Liverpool attire. Yeah! Minutes after that, my cell phone again flooded by text messages and as you can predict, there were all praising and shock to see how Gerrard and co. could do that sort of magic. I was thrilled and ran towards my pc to type this thread!

You’ll Never Walk Alone!


2.25AM

Sunday, 14th May 2006

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 6:21 pm | Permalink | 0 comments
Mencari Cik Siti Wan Kembang
Eighth, ninth and tenth of May two thousand six were the days I won’t forget. It was not because of Shahrir Samad’s resignation as the Backbenchers Club chairman and people at the top were busy trying to re-elect him whatsoever. It was also not because of FIFA’s threat towards Cambodia to suspend Cambodia’s membership due to political interference in the election of their national soccer federation chief in which I sure don’t give a damn. It was the bachelor beach bash organized by my batchmates at my previous alma matter, the malay college. It was such an ecstasy to relax and chill out by the beach - playing guitar, having some nice long conversation with the associates, laugh out loud, beach soccer (in which I failed miserably albeit I play futsal on weekly basis – then only I had sense of respect towards Eric Cantona who did damn well both on the grass and sand). It was held somewhere at Pantai Irama Bachok, Kelantan. Yup, I stayed at Kelantan for three days in which I wouldn’t do it if I am a traveler. But upon staying there, I could sum Kelantan up as a state which suffers of misconception from people who never been here. Kelantan is not that bad. Yup, if you ask any of eager and enthusiast young breed of KL-ites, there would be surely some version of conservative and boring king of state Kelantan is. But for me, Kelantan has more to offer. Friendly people with eye-popping and jaw-dropping accent (hehe), nice food (and cheap also in which the most important thing), and a nice place to hide from the hectic life in big cities like KL, are how I define Kelantan.

I would like to express my million thanks to ammar, shafiq salam, aniep and domaque for your guys hospitality and generosity in times we were there. Demo maghi Key Ey demo call kawe deh?

6.53 PM

Saturday, 13th May 2006

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 6:20 pm | Permalink | 0 comments
Kick Racism Out Of Football

Samuel Eto’o was abused by Zaragoza fans every now and then. last year they hurled the same abuse at Eto’o and were fined 600 euros. pergh...earlier this month they abused a real betis forward for being black. This time the Spanish FA really got 'tough' and fined them 600 euros,again.its insane. what kind of a deterrent is a 600 euros fine to a football club that deals in millions? cilako..and the best part is, eto'o normally counters this kind of moronic behaviour by silencing them by scoring goals. camtu je caranye nak senyapkan binatang.


4.52 PM

Wednesday, 8th March 2006

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 6:18 pm | Permalink | 0 comments
2004

Is has been exactly two years when a division of birds appeared to fly in and check in to join the premier thoroughbred league. And it was also has been two years when a bunch of ordinary lads turned to assume there are somebody. But yet, he is neither an ordinary nor somebody, he is nobody, if the ordeal of survival couldn’t be muddled through.


8.22 AM

Thursday, 26th January 2006

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 6:17 pm | Permalink | 0 comments
Calling All Malaysian Footballers

Bro, you can't just play football. you've got to have the sway. Is playing football for malaysia more than just a pastime? is it a way to achieve status and success? is it an emotional escape from the troubles of your life? is it a sort of civic duty, a rite of passage of being a malaysian? or is it simply done for the love of the game? When you play football, it's all about the fun, not fund.


5:59PM

Sunday, 22nd January 2006

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 6:16 pm | Permalink | 0 comments
Bila Sang Rajuna Tapa menyapa..

"hang jebat tak dibunuh kalau tak setia,hang nadim tak di hukum bunuh kalau tak bijak.kalau takut dikutuk..pilihlah kengkawan yg kaki ampu..."

8:52AM

Friday, 20th January 2006

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 6:15 pm | Permalink | 1 comments
On MAS’ Frenzy

I think I am not supposed to talk about this hal negara stuff but being a good malaysian I guess, I have to put something into reflection. “Belom dapat lesen kereta dah nak sembang pasal kapal terbang!”..huhu..~

MAS oh MAS, what a year for the management led by Idris Jala, Malaysia’s biggest kept secret. Coming out of nowhere, he is now leading country’s most controversial yet dominant aviation company. Let’s review back what MAS faced up in their boulevard of doom.

* Malaysia Airlines consultant Chris Andrews resigned his RM7,525-a-day job as senior general manager last month. A MAS staff circular dated Dec 30 said he had decided to return to Australia to focus on running his Australian and Britain-based business. Yesterday, an airlines official confirmed Andrews' resignation.

* Malaysia Airlines’ purchase of three paintings for RM1.55mil have drawn flak from the Dewan Negara and the public.

* About 600 Malaysia Airlines staff based at its 34-storey headquarters in the Golden Triangle will relocate to offices in Subang and KL International Airport as part of MAS's turnaround plan.

* Malaysia Airlines has offered its 35-storey head office building in Jalan Sultan Ismail for sale under a closed tender with a reserve price of RM130mil.

Yes, it was one a hell season for MAS’s board of directors. Let’s look at the first hitch, on Chris Andrews resign. He was leaving his job basically because the so-called ‘cost-cutting’ step by the management. But wait, MAS is an international recognized aviation company. Why MAS cannot afford to pay an international-classed consultant, but want to be recognized for being world-classed? It is the credibility what we are talking about. If MAS cannot afford to be recognized as world-classed, then forget about being world-classed. Take English football as example. If Chris Andrew’s daily wages converted into pound sterling, it is just equivalent to Manchester United Reserve Team player’s wages! If you want to expect something terrific from a person, pay him well. Simple right? Ronaldinho was paid millions by Barcelona’s management, and what’s the consequence? Barcelona won the Spanish Primera Liga for two consecutive years.

Now, let’s move on to the work of arts dilemma. At this moment, I think MAS took a world-classed action. MAS was pointed due to the purchase of three paintings for so-called unreasonable RM1.55mil. From my point of view, the paintings were some MAS’s good investment. It actually reflects sound business sense and be good for the company’s cultural image. There was a cliché saying that arts appreciate its value. Maybe in the long term, the paintings might worth even billion of ringgit!

“We should credit MAS for having supported local visual artists for many years. MAS should expand its role in promoting local artists and their works overseas,” says national art laureate and former National Art Gallery director Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal.

You are definitely right, Datuk.

The sale of the building and the relocating of the staffs are some of the major thrusts of the restructuring plan to fly the airline back into the black. I am not into denying it. Having a house at the most valuable, costly, and pricey location like the Golden Triangle of Kuala Lumpur, you surely need a handsome amount of money to procure the household. So, to cut cost, you better leave. But wait, if you can sell it, sell.

Woah! What a misery MAS has to confront. But, one thing that really flabbergasted me is, every time I flipped a the newspaper which I read about MAS’s crisis, an ads would follow.

‘AirAsia New Promotion! Bla..bla..bla’

What a contrary. Nation’s biggest carrier is having the biggest problem, and nation’s smallest carrier is counting the cash! AirAsia has something that MAS should learn from. Sometimes, big boys should learn from their juniors! And that is what MAS should do. I think I have some proposal which should be analyzed.

What if MAS establish a low-cost airline (LCC) to operate some domestic and South-East Asian routes if it wants to reduce its operating cost and stay afloat? It is just a plan but wait, can this idea from this KL boy be heard in the MAS’s boardroom?

But, I am not saying that MAS should compete with AirAsia. MAS must realise that competing with AirAsia on routes that the latter operates with low fare makes no business sense. It must compete on a level playing field on the routes and develop its international medium-and long-haul network operating as a full service airline. But, the proposed carrier should be operated as a separate entity. What I mean is, the national carrier can sub-lease several Boeing 737-400s to the proposed LCC.

A full service airline with high fares will never be able make an impact with the mass market, which is price sensitive, and with competition from an LCC. If I am not mistaken, in Australia, Qantas did the same, setting up Jetsar to compete with Virgin Blue.

Something need to be done MAS! I’m here waiting to fly high with you!

11:19PM

Wednesday, 18th January 2006

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 6:12 pm | Permalink | 0 comments
On Nicol Ann David’s Coup

Yeah, no doubt about it. She was the youngest and the first Asian to clinch such a big trophy in her hand. It is just magical how a Penang-born girl turns out to be the world champion. The ministry had took a so called appreciative move to award Nicol with a grand RM200, 000 cash. But hey, she is a world champion! Can you give her more?? Congrats anyway to Nicol Ann David. You did it Malaysian way gal!


3:21 PM

Tuesday, 6th December 2005

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 6:10 pm | Permalink | 0 comments
Good To Talk: A Failure?

Year 2005 marks a new experience for the collegians as every morning, a so-called ‘in nurturing a leader who enables to orate’ program, widely known as the Good to Talk program was incepted. Every morning (except for Saturday and Sunday), a person’s name will be picked out randomly out from the lucky jar by the principal (or his vices). Ready or not, the lucky person will have to show what he got in oratory.

But let me first define what oratory is all about. Well, a good friend of mine, Muhammad Za’im Yusoff, once told me how he regrets about the program. He felt very sorry about how the program is being carried out. It is like just a waste of time. But the main objective was clear and for a good reason of course. But thanks anyway to Ahmad Khalis b. Nazib, the head boy for giving such a new edge idea in incepting this program.

Oratory is addressing an audience formally (usually a long and rhetorical address and often pompous). Oratory plays an essential role as a medium where thinkers, politicians, businessmen, and even teachers tongued out what they feel, be it on social problems, current affairs, sports, and even neighborhood gossips. But the idea of oratory is now being stamped out by those who got the chance in the program.

Why I say it so? Yes. Most of the boys failed in pausing me to hear what they said. Often they made me bored to death as I would be more interested in thinking what subjects are in the day’s schedule. It is not the fact that they are too bad in giving speeches. But they are not ready to face it. Often they simply borrowed their friend’s text when their name picked out and they simply read it from a to z without knowing what the content is all about as if it was a Good to Read program.

One more thing which needs to be highlighted is, the participation of the program MUST include all the collegians, without exception. Your name has to be placed in the lucky jar no matter who you are or how big your cubicle is.

Anyway, some of the students who got lucky to get on the rostrum to give their speech did very well and did get my respect. I hope that in the years to come, there will be more Muhammad Za’im, Amirul Hafidz, Isyamuddin Othman, Izyan Ariff, Azim Rashdi, Mukhlis Izam and Shafiq Othman.


2:49AM

Monday, 31st October 2005

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 6:07 pm | Permalink | 0 comments
niknazmi.com : A Good Pit Stop
If you’re looking for a cutting-edge blogger, Nik Nazmi is surely the answer. Being an old boy of my alma mater, MCKK, he is not an ordinary maverick. He got a very unique point of view when it comes to current affairs, sports, football in particular, and books he read. He is law graduate from King’s College London.

According to my colleague, he was one of the members of once respected Malay College Debaters Team. He was described as a walking encyclopedia back then. Well, I think for those who need to have your mind relaxed and filled with progressive tidings, you should say hello to niknazmi.com.


10:46 PM

Sunday, 30th October 2005


 
posted by Izham Ismail at 6:06 pm | Permalink | 0 comments
Attitude Alteration

What I think, what I visualize, what I image to a large degree that I am band to become. This is the beginning of a new era. If you want things to be different, become different yourself. Image yourself right. Learn to think confidently. Have confidence that you can draw the best to yourself. Expect good result in whatever you do. For sure, good action to go with your self-belief. Just give your best shot, all that you have. Soon, you'll find life will give all it has to you. Have a good day ahead!


9:20AM

Tuesday, 12th July 2005

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 6:06 pm | Permalink | 0 comments
Enthusiasm of The West
"Time has change. We don't have to deal with poverty, nor discrimination now. That will be not

our problems anymore. We have to annihilate the parasites which spoil our world. We can. We have

to say we can.

"We are the superior nation who will soon control the world. Our motive, our vision is clear, to

save the world from the low-classed parasites nation. Bring us to glory, master!"

My heart couldn't t stop pounding, desperately breathing. Maybe it knew that soon that it will

never pounds again.


9:59AM

Thursday, 7th July 2005

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 6:04 pm | Permalink | 0 comments
Stand

"Who knows the answer for this one?" asked a teacher to his students. He always did that.

prepare for his students a very trivial questions upon completing a chapter of the syllabus. The

class was very loud as one can hear them talking like a deaf. But when the teacher hand them the

query, they appeared like a dumb. Speechless. Mute. But they did thinking. Think, think and think.

Still, they were on their seat. It was like 30 000 of crowd roaring raucously in a football match

before. But then, as the trivial question came into view, it was the contrary.

Minutes after, a student stood up to answer the question. He stood, and walked towards the

whiteboard with sky-high confidence, poise. His friends looked at him cynically. Stared at him as if

he was Master Yoda, an alien from the outer space. The boy then carved his answer on the board.

"Wrong," said the teacher. BOOM! The class gone crazy after that. They were alive! They roared

again! They laughed, jeered to the boy. "Buek malu yo" Disappointed, embarassed and humiliated.

That was what he felt. There goes a heart of a loser. The teacher smiled.

"Last chance, anyone?" asked the teacher again. Everyone were looking at each other as they

were too afraid to stand for their answer. But then, few seconds after, a boy stood and walked

through the passage of fame. He knew, he can't be the one to be laughed, jeered, mocked.

"This is my answer,". Wait, but his answer was the same like the previous boy carved. Wasn't

that wrong? What he was thinking? "Your answer is the same like your colleague before, and

therefore, I have to say, your answer is wrong,"

"@*&*!(@&$!@(^$&$^!@&$!Harharharharhharharhahrahrharhar!!!Doh a lu!!harharhahr&((*&!!"

the class was so high after drinking the laugh-oholic liquor, again. "Harharharharha@$!(@^@!$^!!"

"Wait," the boy said. "What's wrong with my answer? If this answer is wrong, show me the correct

one. No way my calculation is wrong!". The teacher's eye can't stop looking at the boy's face. So did

the audience. What's next?

"Well done, you passed the test," the teacher said to the boy. "Test?" the class thought. "Yes,

it's a test. His answer was correct. It was perfect, and flawless. But I just want to see if his

confidence stand the same way as his answer's. When I said his answer was wrong, he stood for

his right. He was poised to his answer. The student before really disappoints me. He simply left

his answer when others jeered at him. So did you guys. Look, you are still on your seat. Do

nothing but commenting other's flaw," The teacher left the class. The class knew what the teacher's meant by the test. It was something to do with themselves. They have to change from now on. Their mind, their sole,

their heart. They looked at the student who got the teacher's respect. "Can we be like him?"


4:15PM
Monday, 27th June 2005

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 6:01 pm | Permalink | 0 comments
Talk

"Mengkritik tidak bererti menentang, Menyetujui tidak semestinya menyokong, Menegur tidak bermakna membenci, Berbeza pendapat adalah kawan berfikir" - anonymous

It's the new fad. Definite craze. The never ended story continues again. People always talk about others. But then, they end up their life nothing. They live in their own world. With their own dream. Breathe in the fantasy. When it comes to the real world, they are not more like a moron. Dumb, mute and voiceless. They can only talk in their dream. They can only utter their chatting in their fantasy. I'm not pointing to anyone. It's just the thing that bothered me a lot. It is the culture. The culture that will only harm us the advocates. We are all human, and we have the right to talk, to give opinion, to share thoughts, to think. But yes, we have the limit. But we can make a change to our culture. It is the culture who makes us down. It is the culture who makes the race of our own indulge in moral crime. It is us who makes our elders sorrow in tears. It is us who can make a change. Don't just say it, do it. Let the true colors of Malaysian tinted in our soul.


12:59PM

Friday, 10th June 2005

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 5:57 pm | Permalink | 0 comments
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
The Quandary

It's the time to look upon ourselves,

Are we suppose to be here?

Breathing in the air of forged complicity,

Walking on the lane of false tenure,

Leading in deceitful respect,

Killing our own pride,

Knock down our own grandeur,

Pure convolution,

New era of quandary.


9:54PM

Tuesday, 7th June 2005

 
posted by Izham Ismail at 6:47 pm | Permalink | 0 comments