Merry Christmas

To all  readers

Merry Christmas and  Happy New Year 2012

May 2012 be the year of joy and happiness to us all.

Malay Wedding

Contrary to the western tradition, malay wedding is a four step system. They are merisik (asking ceremony), bertunang (engagement), akad nikah (the vow ceremony) and bersanding (where both the bride and her groom sit on the bridal couch)

Merisik
The man would ask his parents or his uncle to go and see the parents of the women he is interested to marry. A simple ring is given to the women's family. If the women accepts the ring it means the women has agreed to marry the man. If the women refuse to accept the man, the ring will be returned to the man's family.

Bertunang
The man would send his family to the bride's house to present her with the engagement ring and other gifts.

BUT nowadays people tend to merge the merisik and the bertunang ceremonies to save costs especially if the bride's and groom's hometown are far apart.

Akad Nikah
This is the day where the marriage vows take place. The ceremony is such that the groom would shake hand with the father of the bride or the Imam (the mosque head) to denote that the women is being married to the man. Then a wedding ring and mas kahwin is presented to the bride by the groom. Nowadays the mas kahwin is mainly in the form of money though it may be just a simple present that the groom must give to his bride. This is the ceremony where the bride and her groom is announced as husband and wife BUT there is no kissing ceremony like the western world.

Bersanding
According to Islam after the akad nikah both bride and groom are permitted to have sex and both man and women are presented with their individual responsibilities. But the Malays prefer the bersanding ceremony whereby both bride and groom would sit on a couch resembling the throne of a king. This is where it is made known to the whole world that they are married. Then there would be the "makan beradab" whereby both bride and groom eat with their parents and their in laws.

God willing inshaalah

Month Of MAY

Month of May is very important to me.

1) PROTON was set up on May 7th 1983

2)My auntie who died on September 8th 1998 was born on 7th May 1965

3)I have another auntie who died in a car crash near Gambang Kuantan Pahang on 6th May 1971.She was on her way to my grands in Kuantan when her taxi crashed. I hope I still remember her tombstone well. ALFATIHAH.

New Hire Purchase Act

Today Dec 2, 2011 - Still remember my fateful car crash on Dec 2, 1990 when I hit a cow and the front of my father's car was badly damaged.

New Hire Purchase Act

I think something is wrong with the new Hire Purchase Act passed by the parliament recently. I agree the need to inform the police if a particular car is to be repossessed BUT what puzzle me is the immediate depreciation of car prices. How can a RM35,000 car be sold at only RM7,000 after 6 years. It just doesn't make any sense.

The government must do something to correct this matter.

Christmas Shopping

I was listening to The Jets "Make it real" and eating an instant noodle tonight when I realized how fast time flies this year. Suddenly it is November.

Everyone should be doing some Christmas shopping by now. Malaysia is having Year End Sale, so for those of you who can afford it Come To Malaysia to do your Christmas shopping. I knew I have 21 Christmas presents unopened (since 1990)  but what can I do. I can't afford to go to Canada without  a sponsor.

Still remember a good friend of mine at Saskatoon airport told me before I left Saskatoon in October 1990 "Nizam send our regards to your folks and invite them to Saskatoon". But my abah is dead.

Happy Shopping

Qtr 3 GDP and 2012 BUDGET

Qtr 3 GDP 2011

BNM announced a convincing 5.8% GDP for 3Qtr 2011. 2nd Qtr 2011 GDP was revised to 4.3%. I am certain Malaysia could attain at least 5% GDP for 2011.

BUDGET 2012

PM Najib unveiled the 2012 budget on October 7th.  Honestly I was surprised with the bigger allocation but I have confidence in PM Najib. Obviously with a bigger allocation corporate or individual taxes could not be reduced. But I am concern with the increasing government debts although it is still managable. Since Malaysia is set to become a developed nation in 2020, I am not concern with the reduced FDI. A developed nation will invest its resources internally while excess profits will be chanelled overseas to create more wealth.

As with other Malaysians we know the government still has no guts to implement VAT. I doubt whether the opposition would implement it either should they win Putrajaya in the 13th general election. GST or Harmonized tax (Canada) if implemented is a recipe for disaster for any  government. Observe the defeat of the Liberals in Canadian election in the mid 1990s.

With regard to the RM429.1 Billion International Reserve, I think the government must set a limit to its reserve. Too much reserve is also a recipe for disaster. Its like our credit card limits. At CAD 500 it is managable but when it is increased to CAD 1000, it is the act to hang our own neck.
             Assets=Liabilities + Equities

Maybe it is time to merge the conventional tax and zakat into one system of taxes. I.e. for any Muslim who paid the zakat pendapatan (income tax) certain rebate would be given to his conventional individual taxes.
BECAUSE
taxes is like 'kaduk' leaves in Laksa, one of the famous Malay dish. There won't be any laksa unless there is 'Kaduk' leaves.

CHOOSING A WIFE - 2

She said I'm sorry Nizam.

I GUESS I will continue my Hajat and Istikarah sunat prayers. Maybe a new name will emerge. BUT the criteria is still either  a western blonde women or any Malay women who is western educated.

Tribute to Joe Frazier

I still remember my good old primary school days. Each time there is a boxing match, classes will be cancelled and the classrooms would turn into television room instead. It will be an energetic atmosphere for all of us especially if Muhammad Ali is one of the boxers. Maybe because Ali is a Muslim convert....

Rest in peace "Smokin Joe"

CHOOSING a wife

Few months ago

I was in my study. No new materials to be read. Wondering what to do I lie down. All of the sudden I feel so lonely. I said to myself it must be nice to have a women beside me. I tried the internet. Boring. So I switched off the lights and then suddenly I decided to pray the Hajat Sunat prayer. Sunat prayers are not obligatory but can be done for spiritual reasons.
In that sunat hajat prayer I prayed that God would give me a good wife. I do not care what creed, religion etc. If she is a non muslim then I will convert her to Islam. Islamic teachings said choosing  a wife is not  choosing the women from her family background or beauty but her knowledge and religion.I said I want a western blond wife or anyone who is western educated.
God answered my prayers. HE gave me a name, someone whom I knew in 1991 who is now  a widow with 2 kids. She is an engineer from a British university. Remember my auntie who died suddenly in Sept 1998. This lady is her room mate when they studied in London.
Later I prayed the sunat istikharah prayer. I asked God if she is the right one for me. I was not convinced since she is a few years older than me. But I remembered that Prophet Muhammad married Siti Khadijah who is 15 years older than the prophet. And not many Malaysians knew that PM Najib's wife is also a few years older than PM Najib.

NOW
To all readers who believe in God please pray with me so that she would consider marrying me. To my readers who are not god followers please help me morally so that when I asked her that big question she will say yes. And I will certainly be a very happy man.