"Scam Pelancongan di China"

Satu nasihat sahaja yang bakal aku akan katakan. Jangan pergi semula ke China. Memang di sana, budaya membeli paksa dan memaki hamun dalam menawar harga sangatlah terkenal. 

Selalunya, jika kita melancong menggunakan khidmat agen, sudah pastinya kita akan lebih banyak menghabiskan masa melawat tempat bersejarah dan lokasi yang amat indah untuk dijadikan kenangan bergambar. Walau bagaimanapun, that is not the case in China.

You name it, semua syarikat menggunakan modus operandi yang sama. Kedai Teh, Kedai Jed, Kedai Buluh(Tilam), Kedai kompleks membeli belah yang menjual harga terlampau mahal dan banyak lagi. Mereka akan menyapa di depan pintu, dan kemudian menyuruh anda masuk ke dalam satu bilik tertutup dan pekerja syarikat tersebut akan memberi penerangan satu persatu mengenai produk yang ditawarkan.

Jika mereka gagal menjual untuk percubaan pertama, mereka akan cuba untuk menjual sesuatu yang lebih murah supaya akhirnya seorang pembeli akan tetap membeli produk tersebut.

P/s: Studi terlebih dahulu berkenaan negara yang bakal dilawati supaya setidak-tidaknya kita tahu apa yang boleh dielakkan di sana.

SPM

It is a one thing that every Malaysia student will face (if he went to national school), and that is none other than SPM. The purpose of this writing is none other than to reminisce all the things that had ever happened to me 8-9 years ago. 

I got 5a+ and 4a (EST excluded) and to me it was not that good nor that bad. 

One thing that I could emphasize was that you need to start early. When I talk early, it means that starting as early as in Form 4. Only then, your brain would be able to process and put things all together, considering that there are 9 subjects to be compartmentalized inside your tiny brain.

Well, I did start early and that could be one of the reason that I got such result. Otherwise, if I just started my study mode in Form 5, I would most probably give up half of the journey and I might score 5a's only (Not definitely a's for Add Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Biology).

I have to admit that I am not a genius, and that is why I decided to gather my effort during Form 4 (though I failed Add Maths twice).

Things just got better during the second half of Form 5 when I just solely focused on my SPM and I could still remember that I spent my prep on the weekends, reading the same notes and questions relentlessly whilst others went for outing. Yeah, I could remember perfectly all those moments or else I would not get such result.

Too bad PASUM years were not in my lucky mode, I just got 3a and 1b (maths) but I redeemed those failures that I experienced by getting a CGPA of 3.59 for my degree and turned out to be 5th or 6th best student for the entire class.

Still, I would have to remind myself and others that no matter what exam it is, what matters most is to start early and revise as much questions and answers as possible. That is what I did for my entire exam life because I am not much a of genius who could understand every concept in one go.

Kematian or Death

This is a mixed post.

Setiap daripada kita akan mati and it is the eventuality of death. Mahu atau tidak, inilah penamat kepada segala kehidupan di dunia.

Oleh sebab itu, kita mesti sentiasa bersedia dan menghadapi apa sahaja yang berlaku.

Few things learned:

1. No matter how good you are at work, you will leave this world someday
2. Sayangi orang yang terdekat dan ahli keluarga dan rakan terdekat
3. Jadikan setiap hari hari yang yang berharga.
4. Always think of today is the last day on Earth.
5. Tipu kalau kata just move on, so the best dealing with our loved ones would be to always remember them in our memories for as long as we live.
6. Kena bersedia especially if you still have your parents.

Fate

I watched a tv show Mhi today and I was amazed by this medical doctor. But one thing that hit me to realisation was the fact that I am not a medical practicioner. Sob sob.

People would just maybe it is not meant to you aka al Baqarah 216 has stated it.

But, there is only one thing that is certain. If I am not fated to be a doctor in this world, then just let me become a doctor in the hereafter, akhirat so that I can finally say that I have become one.

Eco or Urban Traveller

I have to say that this time around, I was thinking about writing down about how I view travelling as part of my life.

Being a civil servant in this particular field makes you have to go to different places due to work or business purposes, but I have to clarify that I have always been too pessimistic about being in the outdoor because I just do not get easily tempted to spend the night out in the wilderness, let alone the tropical forest that our country has to offer. Instead, I would rather travel to big cities, enjoying the spectacular views of the skylines and the hustle and bustle.

For that reason, maybe in the future, I am far suited to become a diplomat rather than a scientist who often goes to the forest.

Approaching one year anniversary

I am gonna write this post very2 soon.

Contract or not

Just pen my honest thought.

This is not considered as condemning the nation or anything related to it. I am just stating that ways that the government can consider to reduce its spending.

Coming from a young gen,I am hoping for a better and prosperous Malaysia.

Given the current situation, I personally think that the government spending and expenditure will be lesser and better if the gov can come up with a contract system like what we already saw with the contract for HO and critical courses of MOH.

But surely, it will take years from now as it cannot happen overnight. If it is confirmed, the gov can reduce its current expenditure from RM 77.4 billion per year (2017).

There are few things that can be considered to reduce the Government's spending which are:

1. Decrease the number of "perjawatan" in all ministries and department from 1.6 million to only 600,000 (including 400,000 teachers and 100,000 MOH,Police and Army-related and another 100,000 for all federal departments,state depts,statutory bodies,local authorities, and ministries
2. Make the EPF as the only option for retirement instead of pension scheme that is currently implemented
3. Make a contractual basis for all government servants and each worker will be reviewed on a 3-year cycle in order to extend the contract and it continues until retirement. This will surely eliminate those who are not well-performed and MIA while working.
4. Decrease the retirement age at 55 years old instead of the current 60 years old benchmark.

I believe that our PM and the government agencies have done their best to ensure that our nation can remain as a developed nation by 2020 and become a high nation income as well by that year.

KUALA LUMPUR – Jumlah peruntukan emolumen bagi kakitangan kerajaan pada tahun 2017 adalah berjumlah RM77.4 bilion, Dewan Rakyat diberitahu.

Menurut Timbalan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri SK Devamany, sehingga 1 Januari 2017, jumlah penjawat awam adalah seramai 1.59 juta orang manakala pegawai kontrak di bawah ‘contract of service’ dan ‘contract for service’ adalah seramai 43,414.

“Kerajaan sentiasa melaksanakan kawalan saiz perkhidmatan awam, antara langkah yang dilaksanakan adalah pewujudan jawatan baharu secara tukar ganti dan penjajaran jawatan.

“Pengisian kekosongan jawatan akibat persaraan, peletakan jawatan, kematian dan penamatan perkhidmatan masih boleh dilaksanakan oleh agensi seperti biasa,” katanya.

Geosciencse thingy

Ini akan menjadi poast yang agak singkat kerana kekangan masa. So a little for those yang nak masuk bidang Geoscience,Geology,Petroleum Geosciene (UTP) dan Geofizik (USM).

-banyak bidang boleh pergi: banyak subdivision
-kerja swasta atau kerajaan (JMG)

Local:

1. UM,
2. UKM,
3. UMK,
4. UMS 
5. UTP
6. USM

Overseas: Banyak, UK,USA,Canada and Australia.

Sponsors:

1. JPA,
2. Petronas,
3. UEM,
4. Gamuda,
5. IJM

Fyi, boleh masuk ke pelbagai bidang which is:

1. Geohydrology
2. Petroleum Geology/Oil and Gas/Drilling/Mudlogger
3. Environmental Geology
4. Petrology
5. Paleontology
6. Archaeology
7. Mining
8. Structural Geology
9. Geophysics
10. Minerals exploration
11. Geotechnical Engineering/Engineering Geology/Soil Investigation
12. Lectures/Academicians/Research assistant
13. Others-business/sendiri,PTD,cikgu,customer service,Pegawai Tadbir, dsb.
14. Government agency-JMG

This will be updated from time to time.

JPA Scholars: From SPA to Government Job Offers and My Experience

The selection process does not include PTD's PAC and Exam and other related posts that require candidates to undergo multiple selections and procedures.

My list below is just for job specific scheme. Eg, An engineering graduate applying for J41 post (Jurutera) and an accountant graduate applying for W41 (Pegawai Akauntan/Kewangan) post.

1. Get a JPA Sponsorship during your study or before study (like SPM)
2. Study for 3-5 years and aim above 3.5 CGPA or equivalent
3. Apply jobs through SPA one year before your final exam of your final semester of your final year (Apply jobs that either relate to your degree or not, as long as it fills all 15 choices. You never know what you gonna get)
4. Wait for job interviews from SPA (this is uncertain as it can be months or years after you complete your study).
5. If you get the interviews, go for it (Make sure you already have all academic transcripts and degree scroll before going to the interview)
6. After the interview, pray a lot so that you gonna get the job offer
7. Wait for the results (It usually takes 1-2 months to know the results)
8. If successful, accept the offer
9. You will be given 2 letters, one from SPA and one from your specific department. Eg. For engineering graduate just now, one from SPA and one from JKR.
10. In one of the letters (The Department), you will know your placement and report for duty date.
11. Arrive at the office on that day, along with all the documents that you need to give to the admin staff at that particular office. The staff will guide you from time to time.
12. Get to know all the staff and start your working day from that day onward.

As for my experience,

I must say that I have a moderately short time with the interviewers. One is from SPA, another one is from the department that you will be working with if you get the job offer.

In my case, the interviewers were Dato Norsham (SPA) and En Azizan Ali (MinGeoDept). From what I know and from reliable sources (including online blogs), SPA will contribute about 70% of your interview marks while the department officer will contribute 30% of your remaining interview marks. So, make sure you prioritize SPA interviewers than the department one.

My question started with:

• My biodata
• My university life
• How to make the field that you venture in be known to the community,elaborate.
• Current events-Helicopters Crash in Sarawak,the victims,MP of which parliament etc
• Technical questions asked by the department officers-Rock type,its uses,identify the minerals etc

After 15 minutes, they no longer asked questions because I responded every single question with the best extent of my knowledge and what I have read for the past few weeks on the internet, TV,radios, and newspapers and magazines/books. Make sure you impress them with all the knowledge and experience that you had gathered from school, university to early job experience. Those knowledge and experience are somehow invaluable because they might hold vital info about who you are really. Never remain silent if you do not a thing, unless you want to sway away from the question being asked.

Then, I parted with the interviewers and said thank you. It was just that I did not shake hands with them because I was already holding my file folder that was used for them during the interview session.

This is only for SPA aka Kerajaan Persekutuan as one of is Pihak Berkuasa Melantik.

You can also apply to Kerajaan Negeri, Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan, Badan Berkanun Negeri dan Persekutuan to increase the chances of you serving in the government sector.

Note that some badan berkanun is not that "government" after all because they are more or less like a private organization.

Eg. Bank Negara, Suruhanjaya Sekuriti

Eg. Malaysia Institute of Accountant

Keep on asking and searching for better opportunities from time to time.

Geologists who went on to become others

This list will be updated from time to time.

This blog post aims to collect individuals who are geologists by qualifications yet they venture out to become a leader in other industries of big multinational companies. 

1.President & Group Chief Executive: Jeffri Salim Davidson

Company: Sime Darby Berhad

Year: 2017

Jeffri Salim Davidson, 51, is the current Deputy Group Chief Financial Officer of Sime Darby Berhad. He started his career in Sime Darby in 1992 as an Accountant. He 'took a break from the world of Sime Darby' to see what is out there, but came back to the fold in 2004 as the Finance Director of Tractors Malaysia Holdings Berhad in the Industrial Division.

On 1 January 2016, Jeffri climbed the corporate ladder into his current role, before which he was the Senior Vice President, China, Singapore & Power Systems, Industrial Division. In that role, he developed the distribution network in China, doubled the business size in four years, nationalised provincial leadership, constructed Centres of Excellence in all provinces, and oversaw a major roll out of safety programmes.

He has held various senior leadership positions in Sime Darby Berhad including Managing Director of China Engineers Limited.

Jeffri began his career with Coopers & Lybrand. Jeffri holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology from University College London, United Kingdom and he is a Chartered Accountant and a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales. He attended the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Management School in 2009.

My review: You need to obtain ICAEW to get into a firm or financial institution like what Jeffri did in London. Alas, it was decades ago and one might find the situation not quite the same anymore.

Working and balancing in life

It has been a while since the last post, and I could not just have the time to write lengthy post. As such, I would just write a short one.

With a job in life, it will keep you preoccupied instead of being unproductive and we get monthly wages(which is an important factor in most of us). 

In this blog as well, I must say that being a public worker is suitable for some. Like some people, they tend to just follow the standard procedures long before they were in the system or in the organization. Thus, for those who want adventure and challenges while working, then go for private sector. If you are thinking otherwise, you might opt for public sector (with the exception of critical courses and some schemes which require you to work beyond normal working hours and task load).

With the current economic situation (the year of 2017), a starting salary of RM 3,000 per month (including allowances) is a must because it is too costly these days to buy basic groceries, rental houses and transportation costs. Everything seems to be on the rise, but not much on the annual increment of the working salary.

The recent article by Jobstreet stating a starting salary of RM 6,500 is just beyond my comprehension. Only Schlumberger and Proctor and Gamble PNG would consider RM 5,000 as its starting salary.

Also, I am not sure which companies give out RM 6,500 to a fresh grad who has little experience and technical competencies.

Unless, you are planning to work overseas, then a foreign exchange note might be relevant considering that earning 1000 pounds equate to RM 5,000 per month. Countries like UK,US,Australia and Singapore might hit that RM 6,500 monthly salary benchmark.

As far as I know, only certain organization offers a starting monthly salary of more than RM 4,000 to fresh grads. They are:

-Petronas (RM 4,000+)

-Schlumberger (RM 5,000+)-last time when I was a student, always heard this 5K for Schlumberger.

-Shell (maybe)

-Png (RM 5,000)-according to a career professor of Ukm on youtube video.

-Bank Negara (maybe RM 4,000+)

-LHDN (RM 3,000 without allowance, RM 4,000+ with allowance)

Hope this might hold its truth.

I am not sure about other MNC's or GLC's like UEM, SimeDarby, EPF, Khazanah and the list goes on.

The challege of life

It is not that very pleasant because of all these problems, but that is life. What you might want to get might not be for you after all because Allah has decreed it that way. That is what I always utter to myself whenever I have problems to tend to.

One thing I come to learn that we should never delay or procrastinate  because things often get piled up easily.

Being 25 on the other hand, it is time for me to settle down. But who is she? Only Allah knows and most importantly, let this knot be the gateway to Jannah. I know I am not perfect or as pure as the Prophet S.A.W,but at least I try to become a better person for each day that I live on this temporary world. Insyallah everything will be settled by the time I reach 27 which is 2 years from now!!!

On another side, I always have this weird dream of seeing people die, or experience death. I am not sure how I am going to say this, but let us just say that it is part of the evil's game lingering in our minds to mess up our daily life and routines. Nevertheless, this event has taught me one thing; always believe that life is extremely short. And, we will never know when we will die unless we got a critical illness that can estimate how long our remaining life is. Subhan-allah, I hope that all these death things will make me a better muslim and subsequently to have better muslim family in the future.

It is not that I do not want to make my life happy, it is just that we need to realize that at the end of the day, all the titles, glories, jobs, even families are soon gone once we enter the phase of alam barzakh. It serves as a reminder not only to myself but to everybody who reads this as well.

The accident in Keratong, Jempol which claimed 8 lives in total is one of the grim reminders that death can suddenly sneak through our life even without noticing it. 

Regarding the death bully of a UPNM cadet student, I just have to say repent to those who did it. Even it is part of the tradition and it should be okay, do realise that once a person dies, you are considered a murderer no matter what the intention is.

Also, I haven't written much on my travelogue years ago when in fact those experiences should be written altogether in this blog so that I can always reminisce every moment of it in the future.

p/s: Going back to Kelantan few weeks ago to spend quality with the family and hopefully this Ramadhan and Syawal 2017 should be another memorable year to cherish upon.

Till then, I will be writing more and more to inspire people more.

Ramadhan 2017

It is another year of Ramadhan.

I am going to give my best for this time despite having the same notion annually.

Nothing much to note except the fact that it had been more challenging ever since.