Yes, Mr. Prime Minister!

Sigh.., Mr. Prime Minister,
Finally, who told you that?
Yeah, you say it right!


Pasaran saham perlu teguh – Abdullah

PORT DICKSON 28 Nov. – Pertumbuhan ekonomi yang kukuh dan pasaran saham yang teguh sangat penting bagi mewujudkan keyakinan terhadap ekonomi negara, kata Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Sehubungan itu, Perdana Menteri mahu melihat pertumbuhan ekonomi diperkukuh dan usaha penambahbaikan dilakukan dalam Bursa Malaysia.

Menurutnya, penambahbaikan pasaran saham akan menonjolkan imej bursa dan dapat menjana keuntungan, sekaligus memastikan wujudnya aliran masuk pelaburan langsung asing (FDI) yang lebih mantap ke negara ini.

...Utusan Malaysia Online......

Thank You, Mrs. Radha!

I sent Ikram for the last tuition class at Mrs. Radha's this evening.

I packed a box of chocolate to accompany the card which Ikram bought on Sunday.
Ikram wrote a message:

"Thank you teacher for your guidance, without which I would still be failing in my exams".

Oouw,
I cried!!...

.

The Traveller.

Papa returned from Helsinki, threw out his winter clothings, and repacked his summer ones to head for Surabaya the very next day. Next week, I suppose he will be getting ready his Ihram suits as he will be involved in some of the Hajj flights which has just started....

Aduhai, mama letih melihatkan papa's schedule, at the same time mama terasa lebih letih being a single mother especially during this crucial time when Ikram is facing an important examination. The tension is, sort of, on me alone to bear.

Actually, even if papa is in the country, it is still my responsibility to get the kids where they are supposed to be, and see to it that they have the minimal of problems.
But I suppose the weight is lighter if, later in the day, I have someone to whine to, and who could at least pretend to agree that I make the right decisions, all the time.

I subscribe to the adage that behind every successful mother, there is an ever consenting father!!!



Papa: After all these madness, we go for a holiday, OK, mama. Kita pergi Penang ker...

mama: Ha'ah, pergi Seoul ker....

Papa: Eh, tu tak sama category!! Are you sure you run a Travel Agency??

Papa was drooling over the Penang Road's Kari Kepala Ikan, I had a hallucination of distributing good Korean Won to the traders at the Nam-Dae-Mun market.

Infact, both of us are anxious for the examination season to be over:

-I need the long awaited breather, to be out of stress until next year when it will be Imran's turn to face the PMR.

-Papa wants Ikram to start his training to be a Pilot. He wishes for Ikram to continue his legacy in the National Airlines, after he retires.

I must remember to remind Ikram to choose an uncomplaining wife when the time comes,
otherwise, he has to develop the art of agreeing,
afterall, papa managed thus far.......


.

D Day

Today is the start of Ikram's SPM examination with Prinsip Akaun as the first paper.

It's not without drama, however, as yesterday evening, hardly 24 hours before the big day, Ikram needed a new calculator.

mama: what happens to your calculator? It was with you yesterday!!

Ikram: I misplaced it.....

mama: OMG, Ikram, you better go and get the same one so that you will be familiar with it's functions!! Now, hand over your exam slip and IC for me to make copies of them.

Ikram: You can't use copies to enter the exam hall.

mama: I know, but in the event that you misplace them, at least I have copies before I could start a quarrel with the invigilators.....

Last night, Papa called from Helsinki where he is attending a meeting, to give Ikram a last minute encouragement.

This morning, Dilla woke up early to wish Ikram the best of luck, and to do a quick checklist of things he was supposed to bring.

In the car, I made a brief inquiry: your IC, your exam slip, your stationery, your brain.....
Ikram: I've just done that with Kak La at the door, mama!!!!

Right now, Ikram is in the exam hall and I am in the office praying hard for him.
Ya Allah, terangkan lah hati Ikram,
Ya Allah, permudahkan lah ujian keatasnya,
Ya Allah, jauhkan lah Ikram dari sebarang kecuaian.........

Amin....

.

Of Second Chances.

Ikram is holding on quite well there, I hope!

He has been doing trial runs, some sort of a rehearsal, on his SPM exam, by trying out past year exam papers within the stipulated time and quite happy with his results.
There are a fair bit of improvements required here and there.
Meanwhile, I am keeping a close watch on his food and his health.

Not even a drop of rain is allowed to fall on his head...
mama: 'Nanti demam!!!'....

Nak makan Tiramisu?
mama: OK, I'll order one from the 'Secret Recipe' this evening.....

As I take up this role of his complete supporter, I reflect on my own road in pursuing education.
When I was much younger, before leaving for a boarding school at age 12, my attempts of self study at home would be interpreted as trying to escape from doing the housework!

-Pergi basuh pinggan!!
-Tolong jaga adik!!!!!
-Malas lah tu, buat2 nak belajar!!!....
At that age, it's my words against the establishment.

The establishment then was my one and only mother.
She took up a post of a fulltime housewife, incharged of 5 children at that time, with minimal cooking as far as I can remember..
No other career, no gawking at the stock market, and no sending kids to school as we walk the miles to go there.

Luckily, my dad was far sighted, noticed my determination, and saved me from slavery by allowing me to bring my books and sat beside him after school, while he was on duty at the Police Station of Parit Jawa, in Muar.
He did get into trouble with my mum, once in a while, though never with his superior....

mama: Macam tu lah susah nya masa mama nak belajar dulu, Ikram!
Ikram: Yes, mama. We have heard about the story many times before.....