Saturday, February 13, 2010

JAMIL & GHAZ di d'SUARANG


Assalamualaikum dan Salam Sejahtera



Bersama Saudara Sezaman 'MBH'
di Hujung Minggu

Berturut-turut Ahad pada minggu-minggu yang lepas . . . dua orang sahabat karibku sejak zaman Asrama Putera (Kuala Lumpur) dahulu . . . menjenguk kami sekeluarga di rumah. Tuan Hj Mat Sani(n) @ Jamil dan isterinya Pn Hjh Azizah datang berkunjung pada Januari 31 manakala Tuan Hj Ghazali dan isterinya Pn Hjh Faizah berkunjung pada Februari 07. Ghaz dan isteri ditemani Cikgu Zaharah (Ibu Ghaz) serta anak 'angkatnya' Wan Hasren bin Wan Mohd dan isterinya Amizara Shahriza bt Zainuddin (mereka ini pasangan pengantin baru). Wan Hasren dan Amizara Shahriza datang dari Dungun, Terengganu.


[Ghazali, Penulis dan Jamil ketika berstatus pelajar --> perasan bergaya di pekarangan MBH Kuala Lumpur, 1960an]


Ahad, 31 Januari 2010


Kunjungan Jamil ke d'SUARANG berlaku secara spontan. Jamil dan Azizah pergi sarapan di kedai 'mamak' di Kajang seperti yang biasa mereka lakukan (katanya makan 'tose'). Selepas itu mereka terus sahaja menghala ke Kuala Lumpur hingga sampai di rumahku. Mereka menemui cucu pertamaku Ahmad Iman Iskandar (in person) di sini pagi itu. Tetapi aku kira yang sebenarnya bertuah dalam hal ini ialah AII. Bukan senang nak bertemu kawan Atuk yang ini . . . Atuk sendiri hanya baru-baru ini sahaja dapat berjumpa dengannya . . selepas tempoh kira-kira 40 tahun berpisah. Menurut Jamil anak-anaknya juga sepatutnya ada bersama. Tetapi, apa nak dikata . . . mereka belum siap sedia agaknya untuk mengikut ibu bapa mereka ke rumahku . . . Tak apalah lain kali saja ... Terima kasih Jamil dan Azizah . . . bukan kerana membawa hadiah ketika berkunjung tetapi kerana berusaha 'membawa' diri anda ke rumahku!



{Klik pada foto utk imej lebih besar}


{Klik pada foto utk imej lebih besar}


{Klik pada foto utk imej lebih besar}


{Klik pada foto utk imej lebih besar}

[Nek Azizah (pangku AII), Atuk Jamil]



Ahad, 7 Februari 2010

Ghaz dan Faizah pula memang hendak berkunjung ke rumahku pada hari itu. Secara kebetulan Wan Hasren, anak 'angkat' Ghaz dari Dungun, Terengganu pula memang hendak membawa Ghaz bersiar-siar di Taman Tasik Titiwangsa KL. Tujuannya hendak membolehkan Ghaz menikmati suasana lapang dan nyaman di luar setelah lama 'berkurung' di rumah kerana keuzuran. Lagipun, Wan telah aku jadualkan untuk bertemu dengan anak buahku Asyraf Pauzi (seorang pensyarah by profession dan kini sedang meningkat maju sebagai jurukamera 'pro') bagi tujuan urusan tempahan album gambar perkahwinannya yang baru berlangsung di Terengganu.

Bagaimanapun exercise yang cuba diaturkan untuk Ghaz itu tidak terlaksana.Taman Tasik Titiwangsa penuh dibanjiri manusia yang berkunjung ke sana. Susah hendak bergerak si Ghaz itu dibuatnya . . . walaupun Ghaz hanya perlu duduk di kerusi roda! Mereka berlima lantas ke d'SUARANG. Terima kasih Ghazali. Sampai juga kau ke d'SUARANG walaupun dalam keadaan yang bukan senang...



[asyik nampak Faizah ...] [Ghazali 'call' Faizah ke?]

{Ghaz dan Penulis membelek album contoh }


Apapun Wan Hasren . . . terima kasih daun keladi juga kepada anda berdua kerana berusaha membawa sahabat karib Pakcik yang sedang beransur pulih itu bersiar-siar. Dan, paling Pakcik hargai Wan sanggup bersusah payah membawa beliau ke rumah Pakcik pada hari itu. Tiada kalungan bunga atau pingat untuk itu, Wan. Hanya Pakcik ingin ucapkan Selamat Pengantin Baru kepada Wan dan Amizara. Semoga hidup anda sekeluarga diberkati Allah.







{Wan Hasren dan Amizara Shahriza di d'SUARANG}


Nota untuk Jamil dan Ghazali :

Aku terkenang zaman bersama-sama makan nasi kawah dahulu. 'Tose' tetap jadi makanan sampingan 'favourite'.












dsuarang.blogspot.com

Friday, February 12, 2010

Oxford Fajar nee OUP/PFB


Friday, February 12, 2010




Assalamualaikum and Greetings



Let's Get Physical (first)
[esp when talking about the largest university press in the world]*


I joined Oxford University Press (OUP)/ Penerbit Fajar Bakti (PFB) in 1980. The office was then located at Section 13 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. It has earlier on moved to the PJ premise from Loke Yew Building , Kuala Lumpur which has been its initial centre for operations here soon after the country's independence in 1957. The premise was rented from Hock Cheong Transport Company.

A few years after that OUP/PFB again moved office. This time to another rented premise at Jalan Kuchai Lama (Off Old Klang Road, KL). The building belongs to one 'colour separation company'. After that (of course, topping the premises lists) came D-Building. I affectionately termed it as "The Hideout". At last in 1998 OUP/PFB Malaysia has proudly moved to a customize building. A building to call its own!



{Click on photo for larger image}

[The only group photograph ever shot throughout my 21 years at OUP/PFB Malaysia.
Were there any after my retirement? How many names can one recall ...] 




{Click on photo for larger image}

 

If I can recall correctly
[Seated L to R: Mohd Ariff Abu Bakar (Acc), Ivan Hoe Wat Sing, AMB, Mohd. Ariff Bakar (Ed), Abd Wahab Yaakob, M Sockalingam (MS), Edda de Silva, Yap Kok Hoong]

{Photo was taken on 15 October 1982 at OUP/PFB's office building at Jalan Semangat, Petaling Jaya (not as wrongly reported "at Kuchai Lama after moving from Loke Yew Building" by one local newspaper app below)}


{Click on cutting for larger image}
 

{The local daily of 9 July 2007 reporting on Oxford Fajar's 50 Years Publishing Anniversary in Malaysia}



{Click on photo for larger image}

 

{The error : PEJABAT Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd di Kuchai Lama selepas berpindah dari Bangunan Loke Yew . It should read: PEJABAT Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd di Jalan Semangat, Petaling Jaya selepas berpindah dari Bangunan Loke Yew.}


At the heights of those hectic physical movements, it was very easily noticeable that the then Managing Director, Mr M Sockalingam (MS) was one of the busiest individual around. Further scrutiny revealed that he was the person responsible for acquiring that piece of land at Hicom Glenmarie . . . and of course the establishment and realization of a building on that piece of land too. Planning for the allocation of space, compartment, division, fragmentation, usage and what not was his brainchild. 

OUP/PFB's staff were also most cooperative and very helpful in contributing towards the success of the plan. 




 
{OUP/PFB's own building at Hicom Glenmarie, Shah Alam}


Coming in as an editor at OUP/PFB in 1980 . . . I could easily fall into the category of a 'novice'. Editorial work was new to me then though I have done quite a bit in such related field of work at my previous work stations during my earlier years at the Public Services Commission and the Ministry of Education. But as I later learned at OUP/PFB . . . life must go on ... quality editorial output must prevail. And, prevailed it did ... with much conscientiousness and perseverance at that. As MS recently puts it, " ... the shared risks and rewards of those years... " Well for now let's put that aside temporarily. We will talk about those days at some other suitable blog space and time in the near future . . .


All done I just wish to state that I have never regretted a single moment of my stay at OUP/PFB.



[The Landmark at Hicom Glenmarie, Shah Alam. Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd.]
[Inset: Sharmini Nagulan, the present Managing Director]


*OUP is the largest university press in the world. OUP employs more than 4,500 people worldwide. Publishes more than 5,000 titles a year in over 15 countries in various languages. OUP has offices in over 50 countries.


Wishing all those Chinese friends of Oxford Fajar connection (old and new)
A Very Happy and Prosperous Chinese New Year.












dsuarang.blogspot.com

4 comments:


adah said...
salam uncle. My sister was google'ing' our late dad's name and came across your blog. My name is Aznida and I'm the daughter of arwah Ab Wahab Yaakob. Looking at the old pictures of PFB reminded me that I used to go there when I was a kid. It also bring back the memories of my dad who was dedicated to PFB until his last breath. With your permission, allowed me to copy the group pic in remembrance of him. Thank you.
Bamuda d' SUARANG said...
W'kum Salam Adah, I'm simply touched by your request. By all means please do so. Allahyarham Wahab was a very close & dear friend of mine. We used to share our views and thoughts on many things in life then . . . especially re family matters. He was very proud of his family . . . of all of you for that matter. What I remember him most for till today is . . . one Saturday morning when he 'voluntarily' drove all the way from home to my house in KL . . . just to install some software/program . . . into my newly bought computer then. That was Allahyarham Wahab! For your info we called him the computer 'Guru' in the office. He was amongst the earliest if not the first person to be 'really knowledgeable' about computers in the early transition years. Well that was your dad . . . a very considerate & helpful person. Al-Fatehah untuk Allhyarham kita sama-sama hadiahkan. Ps: Pakcik rasa mungkin telah/pernah bertemu mana-mana daripada anakanda sekalian dalam acara Family Day dsb di OUP dulu. Salam juga kepada your mum . . . yang mungkin tidak berapa ingat akan pakcik kerana semasa pakcik join OUP she had left. (Ada lagi artikel yang ingin dan insya-Allah akan pakcik paparkan tentang Allahyarham Wahab kelak).
adah said...
Salam again. Unfortunately, saya tak dpt sampaikan salam pakcik pada Mama saya. Die telah meninggal dunia 3 tahun yang lepas setelah beberapa tahun suffer dgn kanser. Tq for the kind words about my dad. Indeed that was his character, always put eveyone first before himself. He was also the Guru in the family and around the neighbourhood. And he only learnt that from the books! Thanks for spending the time to reply my comment. Looking forward to your posting :) P/S : Saya pun rase penah dgr name pakcik disebut oleh arwah Ayah. So, rase penah jumpe la kot :) Dulu OUP banyak buat aktiviti family.
Bamuda d' SUARANG said...
Salam and Innalillah . . . Belated takziah to you Adah. Am really sorry to hear of your late mum's demise. Anyway . . . life must go on . . . no matter what the obstacles are. Al-Fatehah kpd Allahyarhamah bonda Adah. Ps: Mungkin kenal . . . kerana dulu Pakcik Chairman BADAN OUP/PFB selalu organize functions office. Later in most cases I was made the MC for OUP/PFB dos.
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Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Gapura Cita


 

Tuesday, February 9, 2010




Assalamualaikum and Greetings


 

Make It Meaningful


The occasion
: A simple one. The venue: Kelab Golf Negara Subang. The day/date and time: Monday 08 February 2010 at 12.57 p.m. The people: M. Sockalingam ( former Managing Director of Oxford University Press [OUP] /Penerbit Fajar Bakti [PFB] fondly known as MS to us ex-staff of same), Goh Kah Im (Director of Finance and Operations, Oxford Fajar Sdn Bhd as PFB is now known), Jamaluddin Ishak [JI] and blogger AMB (Shareholders of Gapura Cita Sdn Bhd).






{click on photo for larger image}

[Top: JI]
[Bottom: AMB]



The surrendering of shares held by shareholders JI and AMB to Oxford University Press went without a hitch. All parties concerned were agreeable to the terms and conditions laid out in the call option agreement of 22 October 2002. Forms were cordially signed. Smooth it was indeed as both the shareholders were sufficiently briefed on the subject by Goh Kah Im with M.Sockalingam as the 'facilitator'. All's well that ends well.






{click on photo for larger image}

[L to R: AMB, GKI and MS]


 
{click on photo for larger image}

[L to R: MS, GKI and JI]


 

All done the four of us had lunch at the club's restaurant. We ( especially the 'old hands') talked about the good old OUP/PFB days. We adjourned at 2.50 p.m. And, we wish that such a 'get together' as this will be thinkable in the near future. Well GKI what do you think?





{click on photo for larger image}

[Top: L to R: JI and GKI]
[Bottom: L to R : JI, GKI, AMB and MS]


MS, GKI and JI . . . Thanks for your time.








dsuarang.blogspot.com

2 comments:


MS said...

Majid I am experiencing a rennaisance!Your blog reminds me of the shared risks and shared rewards of those years. Thank you for introducing me to this sophisticated way of keeping in touch.It was great to see you,Goh and Jamal. We may be retired but it is good for the past and the present to meet from time to time. MS
Bamuda d' SUARANG said... 
 
MS It is really encouraging (to a certain extent ... a little flattering ...)when one's ex-biggest boss puts forth the like of the above comment to his ex-subordinate. I am the one who should be thanking you 'Sir' for making me what I am now ...I mean instilling in me the confidence to act professionally in my dealings, the sense of adequate responsibility, the meaning of self-independence and self-esteem and the ability of breaking barriers in 'socializing'. Yes I enjoyed those 21 years serving OUP/PFB and experiencing the 'ups and downs'that came along with it. But believe me I will keep on remembering those challenging years for hopefully many many more years to come. I am also very happy for being able to reestablish this kind of a contact with you. I do hope we could also meet our 'old' OUP/PFB friends from time to time ... perhaps over tea or any such simple gatherings. God willing I will try to write further on other episodes of OUP/PFB interest. AMB