Road to Powerman 2009: The 8th Powerman Malaysia on 8th November

Year 2009 is the 8th year Powerman being organized in Malaysia. Powerman Malaysia is the one of the World Powerman Series. Many professionals came to compete here for their points. I'm once got a point for World Powerman Series ranking back in 2005.

Me and Mel the Race Director for Powerman 2009

I'm really proud and amazed with the organizer Quick Release Adventure Sdn Bhd (free advertise credited by me) who are so passionate about this kind of high performance sport. Unlike triathlon races, this Powerman races need very powerful athlete to be a winner. It is because not only endurance and strength, but the speed and race tactical were a main factor contributing to be first crossing the finish line.

Since 2003, I raced in Powerman duathlon. I'm feeling so good to be in this sport community. I'm become more discipline, more sensitive to my body. This must free injuries sport so demanding me to be perfectionist in daily routines. What, when, where, why, how much to eat, to training, which race to enter before Powerman, all this thing must clearly can be answered before I can did.

Kakithoners, the team with passion and a lot of talent

After nearly 6 years involved in this sport, I found myself are able to be good amateur athlete, to be good worker/student, to be humble in friendship and of course teach me be a man (a tiny khalifah in this world).

run to the finish line

So 6 weeks from now, I need to prepare myself to compete and crossing the finish line in Powerman for 7th consecutive years. Hope to see you soon in Seri Manjung!

Welcome Back to Work!

After whole week the Muslim especially in Malaysia have a Hari Raya Holiday, now it is time to work!
Feeling reluctant to do the same routine as before. It is normal feeling for many of them.

Me myself, going back to study. Continuing my research and articles writing. Many dateline to meet during this crucial 45 days. November will come aroung and I need to compete in my 7th Powerman Malaysia in Seri Manjung, Perak. Late of Nov, an expedition to Sabah; hiking at Mount Kinabalu and have fun with white water rafting.

So that, my daily schedule started to be busy and full. Doing some research work at campus, training in the evening, and do writing at night plus study for test.

back to work

Main constrain to overcome is the quality time for my duathlon race. Powerman distance 11km-64km-10km it is too far and too long to finish for those who are not fit and ready. I can say that my race fitness level was poor. Need to catch up back in 4 weeks toward the race on 8th November 2009!

AIDILFITRI MEREKA, AIDILFITRI KITA

Ramadhan akan meninggalkan kita, dan Syawal pula bakal menjelma. Hari dinanti oleh hampir 15 juta rakyat negara ini yang beragama Islam, juga turut sama diraikan oleh pekerja asing yang mencari rezeki yang halal di negara ini, dari Indonesia dan Bangladesh. Turut sama bakal meraikan Aidilfitri di Malaysia tahun ini adalah pelajar-pelajar asing beragama Islam yang berasal dari Iraq, Iran, Tunisia, Sudan, Algeria, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan dan lain-lain.

Kelaziman yang seharusnya berlaku di Aidilfitri ialah ziarah-menziarahi, bermaaf-maafan, menjamu tetamu dengan juadah yang baik dimasak sendiri dan mendoakan tuan rumah dengan penuh keihklasan. Masyarakat Melayu di sini tidak lupa untuk kunjung-mengunjung dari satu rumah ke satu rumah dari pagi hingga ke tengah malam, bermaaf-maafan (yang bersifat sementara), menjamu tetamu dengan juadah yang kebanyakannya dibeli dan gagal memainkan peranan dalam membentuk nutrisi yang seimbang lagi menyihatkan, dan mendoakan tuan rumah ditukar dengan gosip-menggosip, kata-mengata dan juga menyebarkan fitnah.

Persiapan menjelang Aidilfitri seharusnya dilakukan dengan bijak, menurut kemampuan, merancang dengan teliti dan matang serta mampu mengelakkan pembaziran. Namun begitu di Malaysia, warganya gemar berbelanja sakan menurut hawa nafsu, meminjam dari koperasi atau ah long untuk menampung perbelanjaan hari raya, terlalu bijak merancang untuk survive atau bertahan sehingga cuti hari raya berakhir (bukan untuk sebulan, atau setahun lagi, dan seterusnya) dan sudah tentunya akan berlaku inflasi terhadap ekonomi negara-membayar harga yang tinggi untuk kualiti yang rendah.

Sedar atau tidak inilah yang harus dihadapi dan ditelan tanpa mengunyah oleh masyarakat Melayu Islam di Malaysia umpama menelan dodol tanpa dikunyah. Walaupun sukar untuk ditelan (melekat-lekat) dan bunyinya sangat sinis dan pedas seperti rendang kerang emak, namun itulah yang terpaksa dihadapi bila ketika poket mulai ringan setelah mula pulang bekerja dan mulalah berazam untuk berjimat. Jika kalau boleh makan nasi tanpa lauk, lebih teruk rasanya jika hanya makan ketupat tanpa rendang. Bila tiada kemampuan mulalah untuk mencari langkah 'bijak' dan 'selamat' untuk mengatasi masalah ekonomi diri. Mulalah melabur dalam skim-skim 'cepat kaya', mula masuk MLM itu ini, ada juga mula cari name card yang berterabur di hadapan rumah setiap hari (name card ah long). Jangan sangka semakin lama melabur akan semakin untung, kerana 'pelaburan' tersebut sama seperti membakar lemang, semakin lama dibakar, semakin keras isi di keliling buluh, maka semakin sikit isi yang sedap dimakan, atau lebih teruk lemah tu terbakar terus, hangus, putih mata, dan tentunya dimarahi orang tersayang!

Harapannya, semoga masyarakat Melayu Islam ini semakin matang berhari raya atau lebih tepat meraikan kejayaan melalui Ramadhan dan hanya sebagai melalui sebuah hari yang bernama Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Kepada pelajar di luar negara, Aidilfitri mereka samalah seperti pelajar asing di Malaysia yang berada di kampus-kampus. Malah nasib mereka di luar negara adalah lebih malang lagi berbanding pelajar dari Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Algeria dan lain-lain dan pekerja asing dari Indonesia dan Bangladesh yang berhari raya di Malaysia ini. Kerana apa? Kerana tidak semua mereka dapat Solat Sunat Aidilfitri berjemaah, mendengar takbir dari masjid, menikmati cuti umum, menjamu selera dengan juadah tradisional kita dan terpaksa menghadiri kuliah seperti hari-hari biasanya...

SALAM AIDILFITRI, MAAF ZAHIR BATIN

"Alangkah indahnya negaraku Malaysia..."

Laylatul Qadr

Laylatul Qadr

Laylat ul-Qadr is the most blessed night. A person who misses it has indeed missed a great amount of good. If a believing person is zealous to obey his Lord and increase the good deeds in his record, he should strive to encounter this night and to pass it in worship and obedience. If this is facilitated for him, all of his previous sins will be forgiven. Laylat Al-Qadr is the anniversary of the night Muslims believe the first verses of the Quran were revealed to Muhammad by the angel Gabriel (Jibril in Arabic). It is also the anniversary of the night in which the Quran is believed by Muslims to have been revealed in its entirety. The Laylat Al-Qadr is also be known as the night of excellence.

Better than a thousand months

A thousand months are equivalent to 83 years and 4 months. Fortunate is the person who spends this night in prayer. The man or woman, who prays for the whole night during this Night, will deserve blessings and reward for the period as if he or she had been praying for eighty three years and four months consecutively. Since the Night of Power is better than one thousand months no one can actually measure the extent as to how much better it is.

Exclusive

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: “Laylatul Qadr has been bestowed by Allah to my Ummah (People). It was not given to any people before this.” (Dur-Mansoor).

How manifest and replete the special bounties and mercies of Allah Ta’ala are upon this Ummat is quite really beyond imagination. It will therefore be extremely foolish to allow ourselves to be deprived of these great blessings at the expense of sheer laziness and a few hours of extra sleep.

Which Night is it?

Although there are different reports in different traditions regarding the exact night, it is almost unanimous that the blessed night occurs in one of the last ten nights of Ramadhan and more probably in one of the last ten odd nights i.e. 2lst, 23rd, 25th 27th or 29th night.

The popular opinion is, however, in favour of the 27th Night of Ramadhan but that is not absolutely certain. The traditions indicate that it is to be sought in one of the last ten nights and preferably in the last three odd nights. It was therefore the practice of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) and his companions to make I’tikaaf in the Mosque for the whole time offering Divine service during the last ten days of Ramadhan.

According to a book, the following signs are evidents:

• The sun rises early in the morning without rays.
• Rain may fall either during the night or during the day of that night.
• During night the sky will be lightly foggy.
• The sky will be slightly lighted without reflections and without rays.
• The angels and Gabriel all descend down onto earth for many purposes.

Hazrath Aisha (Radhiallaahu Anha) reported that the Apostle of Allah said: “Search for the Blessed Night in the odd (nights) from the last ten (nights) of Ramadhan” (Bukhari).

"Keampunan itu terdapat pada malam yang istimewa"

090909

Sangat cantik tarikh pada hari ini. Sembilan haribulan sembilan tahun 2009. Hari ke-sembilan dalam bulan ke-sembilan pada tahun ke-sembilan abad ke-21.

090909 juga disebut sembilan sembilan sembilan (999), bermaksud talian kecemasan di kebanyakan negara di seluruh dunia. Di Malaysia, kecemasan telah bermula sejak kebelakangan ini. Setiap hari warga kita dikejutkan dengan pelbagai berita semasa yang sengaja disensasikan bagi menimbulkan perasaan cemas di kalangan warganegara.

Walau apa pun, 090909 hanya berlangsung selama 24 jam..

31 August "Merdeka', 1Malaysia and Sports Culture

Each year, Malaysian will celebrate 31 August as their National Day, gained independence from British in 1957. Malaysian will celebrate it with countdown and marching on 31st August morning. The celebration begin from early August until early September. Every year Malaysian will do this.

1Malaysia is the new motto or to be persist propaganda launched by Malaysian Prime Minister. The main concept of 1Malaysia is to strengthen the unity of three races in Malaysia: Malay, Chinese and Indian. Besides, 1Malaysia is the fresher and universal propaganda towards Malaysia 2020 Vision. Most of Malaysian hoping to see all races, cultures and languages here declare themselves as new race known as Malaysian.

In sports culture in Malaysia, 1Malaysia concept can see in our sports such as Triathlon, Duathlon, Cycling and Running. But excluded from the list above, it is still hard to see 1Malaysia in most of sports played by Malaysian. Each sport synonym played by certain races. For instance, majority of Malays played football and sepak takraw; most of Chinese played basketball, badminton, swimming; small number of Indian played hockey, cricket but more in long distance running.

This scenario shows us and world that 1Malaysia still not affected sports culture in Malaysia. It is difficult to blend our football national squad with this 3 major races-great formula during Golden Age of Malaysian football, to see Malays play for badminton national team, to see Indians do 'lipat gulung' in sepak takraw. So, what happen to our sports culture? What was going wrong? Who is wrong?

It is not a relevant answer when the question rises for Malay boy, "Why you don't play basketball?""Most of them Chinese, I'm reluctant to join them," or question for Indian boy, "Why you don't play sepak takraw?""I can speak Malay very well, fell ashamed when they laugh at me because of my Malay vocabulary,".

After 52 years independent, we still see this scenario happen? Until when? Who will neutralize this? Who will be the aspiration? As Malaysian, I thought we are still not living under the same national concept.

Follow the power of social in our sports; Triathlon, Duathlon, Cycling and Running. These sports unite us from different races, culture, languages and socio-economy status, together to be in one race for 1Malaysia.

"Sports for All! Sports Unite All!"