I'm Back....hopefully permanent

Salam
Summer is already here, another year, another hot season and I'm back on personal basis.
After kerjadubai.blogspot.com made a wave, I may try to spend a bit of time rumbling and ruminating on life.
My current roles in Palm Jabel Ali are challenging indeed. Looking forward for another phase of working life.
My wife has just resigned from her work, the three growing kids are back to school while spending more time on the web and PS, weekly soccer is getting serious, managed to shed few pounds from the aging body, enjoying new roles, new friends, new bosses, new site office, new views from the office windows, new expectations and last but not least, biz seems on the right track, alhamdulilah!
So many things to do while living the life......and love the challenges!

Another Sunday in April

Driving in the morning has been smooth lately, thanks to Al Khor or 'Business Bay Crossing' new bridge. I managed to clock 45 minutes from wheels start to wheels stop (yes, I had a meeting with VP of fire brigade of JAFZA and learned few terms along the way, that's I love about the new roles)
The frantic developments in Dubai in recent years have opened a lot of new business opportunities and from rags to riches stories (esp in raffles). Dubai is a place of happenings and growing like never seen before, except maybe in China.
For instance, Palm Jabel Ali, twice of palm Jumeirah is also growing exponentially, even before the construction starts, now the expected population is exceeding 220,000! Reviewing the latest masterplan, I could see a city in the making and glad I'm one of the planners!

Ijok is Surpassing Dubai's Speed Of Development!

The circus is back in town, well, Ijok and being here in Dubai, cannot help but very much interested on the updates from the ground. It is never enough of reading through blogs, websites and online papers, I feel like flying home and be a part of the actions....but office works are just piling up with meeting schedules as busy as those VIPs in Ijok.

I flew home during last general election and actively campaigned for opposition. 1999's election was the best so far, even I gave speeches on the stage and I was sacked due to that, I guess.
Anwar Ibrahim was in Dubai several weeks ago and managed to catch up with him while having sips of cuppachino at Rotana. I still have kind of admiration towards this man. Yes, his charisma, charms and aura do have an impact every time around him. Well, I was one of those thousand supporters in 1998 who went into the streets protesting and demostrating, chanting anti-mahathir, anti-government and still have the same feelings towards the establishment. I hate corruptions, abuse of power and all those ills associated with the current leadership.
I received an email from Ijok, a friend who is scared of SBs marauding around his office and home (yes, he is a gomen man). Even teachers are already warned about voting opposition candidate.

But his last words were hilarious indeed....Ijok is now surpassing Dubai in terms of speed of developments, believe it.......after being igonred for last 50 years, suddenly Ijok is the centre of the nation and the stake is very high indeed. Altantuya or not, life would never be the same for Ijok folks.

My doa to Tan Sri Khalid and Ijok folks who want to make a change and a brave statement, we HATE CORRUPTION!

Tuesday Lunch Is Bad

One of the benefits working at Palm Jabel Ali is to get free buffet lunch everyday. The food is served by Emirates Airlines catering. This is due to the remote location of our site office, next to Dubai - Abu Dhabi border. Day by day, the queue by 12 pm getting longer than usual. With the current temperature soaring 40 degree and more, the queue outside the cafeteria becomes intolerable. Most of the employees are western expats, believe it or not, they are just the same on kiasu, trying to grab the food before the rest. I enjoy the food, except today, a bit tasteless, the menu is vegetarian......

We Fly You There With Our Corporate Jet

Business is competitive here. The smell of billions dollar already attracting a lot of interest around the world. Already met so many faces, white, coloured, brown or black who are trying to get a piece of the actions and of course, a piece of the pie/cake. There were two companies' representatives came over for a presentation-cum-meeting today. These two companies are among the biggies in GCC (akin to ASEAN) and both combine their resources into a utility company. From the presentation, yes, they could be a good partner. But talk is not cheap. There is an interest on their project somewhere near the red sea.

The man of the hour told us with a kind of confident, "We can fly you there with our corporate private jet!"
See u there!

Lawan Bola

We have a friendly match today between Msian expats and Sporean (well, Indon) expats and I might be playing if there is a need (well, too old to play competitively). Otherwise, will be happy to be a part of the spectators and watch those mixed varieties of skills, ages and body figures to run and kick a ball around.

My sons, Saifullah and Faidhi will be in the first team....and Muhaimin would be cringing to play.

Updates at www.malaysian-uae.com

Losing Another Battle

In my life, I have faced so many disappointments and rejections, both personal and professional levels.
As a kampung boy, I used to dreaming of going to a residential school but never good enough to be considered even tholugh there were several times I managed to be the best student at different levels.
Allah is the best Planner of all, looking back, I have little regrets since so far life has been wonderful.

Reading the outcome of Ijok's state election, reminded me of those battles that I'd lost before. I felt terrible sorry for those reformists and fighters who had lost another battle. I can feel the disappointments....but life has to go on.
The other side has used whatever means, illegal, immoral, unlawful and inhuman for a desperate victory.
Yes, they won and the winner will take all (So, will not read msian papers next 1 week as the news and reports will only be about the victory).

However, for our Malaysian team here, we managed to maul Singapore team in an entertaining game..