Liga Alumni Division One seventh match - ANSARA Taiping 3 ANSARA Serting 1

This is the last match of the league and we need to win it in order to be safe from the relegation. Although there are four other teams below us, mathematically it is still possible for us to be relegated if all bottom three teams managed to win their final matches. 

As predicted, we scored the first goal through a deflection from one of the opponent player's leg. This must be a new record for us, to be able to score first in all seven league matches. However this is not going to be an easy game for us because ANSARA Serting also needed a win to avoid relegation and they proved their determination seven minutes later by capitalising through a defensive lapse to score an equaliser. We managed to maintain our composure by continuing with our attacks and were duly rewarded four minutes later when Fazli (who ironically was an ex student of MRSM Serting) managed to score a goal with an assist from Ayie.

We kept the same players in the second half and the tiredness among our players began to tell. ANSARA Serting started to push forward more often and Joe, our goalkeeper had to work extra hard defending the goal post. We still able to have shots towards their goal post but the accuracy deteriorated badly. When there were 15 minutes left before the end, I decided to bring in Jose and Zainal to replace Fazli and Mujahid respectively. The strategy instantly paid off when Jose scored a goal through a pass by Kerambit. Now we are waiting for the inevitable last minute goal from the opponent, just like what happened for the past six matches. Strangely, it never came. Thus I'm glad that we managed to keep the tradition of scoring early and ended another one of letting in the last minute goal. Now it's time to focus on our campaign of Piala ANSARA with our next match versus a team from Division Two, ANSARA Mersing.

Statistics of the day:

Shots on target: 11 (Opponents managed to have 8 shots on target)

Shots off target: 8 

Most hardworking player: Ayie (27 passes with 70% completion rate and 4 shots on goal (2 shots on target) and an assist)

Most feared defender: Taufeq (100% passing completion rate and 78% successful tackle)

Most precise striker: Fazli (100% passing completion rate and 100% conversion rate)

Congratulations Shahlan & Nur Ain

Today we attended a wedding ceremony of one of the BAT players, Shahlan. He is one of our top defenders and even though we are having a match later on this evening, there is no reason to be worried for not having him on the field because our opponent are not really that though. I forgot to ask him when he is going for the honeymoon because there will be a cup match next week and a potential of three more cup matches for the coming months. And I deliberately forgot to tell his wife welcoming her to the Sunday Football Widow club. :)

Bowling Tournament for ex students of SKS and SMKSS

Today is the 2nd Annual Bowling Tournament for the ex students of SKS and SMKSS but it will be my first time entering it. I even managed to persuade Jo to join in as well. I thought it might be easy to win the tournament so I sponsored a trophy to be awarded to an individual who drop the highest pins. We played in groups of four players (2 gentlemen and 2 ladies) and Jo and I were in Red team. My score for three frames are 122, 141 and 152 (a total of 415) and Jo managed to get scores of 108, 130 and 84 (a total of 322). 

When the results were announced, our team managed to get third place out of four teams competing. Jo was ranked number four among the ladies for highest pins drop. I won the men category but the overall title (and the trophy) was not mine. Apparently one of the ladies managed to score a total of 431 pins drop. Ilyas was sad that I didn't managed to bring the trophy back home but I promised him next year it will be on top of our television shelf.

Peter Pan the Musical, Sunway Lagoon Resort

Julie got us tickets to watch Peter Pan the Musical, to be held for the first time in Malaysia and the kids are naturally quite excited. The show was full of dances, nice songs and the actors managed to interact with the audience quite superbly. The duration is a bit short (around one hour) but I think it is deliberately done so because their target audience is the children. This is also the first time Sunway Lagoon Resort had a musical performed in their amphitheater so there are certain things they can do to make it a better show such as sound quality (people at the back couldn't really hear what the actors are saying) and comfort seating for the audience (it can also be hot and humid even during the night).

Managerial Planning and Budgetory Control Course at Pangkalan TLDM, Lumut

When I was away celebrating Hari Raya Aidil Adha back in my hometown in Kelantan, I received a call from Rahim asking me to conduct a course for the TLDM officers in Lumut, Perak. I agreed because I think this will be a new experience for me and I could learn something from this exercise. So I went north on the 23rd November bringing with me all the materials needed for the course such as participants files, backpacks, course notes, attendance list, LCD projector and even their course certificates. The next morning I went to the lecture hall at KD Duyong and was greeted by the participants. Most of them hold the position of Lieutenant and some of them are in higher rank of Lieutenant Commander. Few of them are familiar with the term budgetory control. So I decided to do something different with the participants.

The first day was spent describing what managerial planning is all about and the importance of budgeting. The second day started differently where I gave them two case studies for them to read and discuss among themselves in the groups. Afterwards they have to present their overall impression and suggest ways to overcome the problems identified in these case studies. I was quite impressed on how they tackle this kind of exercise because usually we conducted this kind of case study session on the Masters and PhD students. And we have just started to introduce this case study course on undergraduate students beginning next semester.

I continued the third day of course with a two-page case study and by noon we managed to wrap up everything with open discussion. When I asked each and every one of them, they said they have learn something new about the managerial planning and budget. I have also learn something new about TLDM and am glad that I took this opportunity to conduct this course.

Lumut, Perak Darul Ridzuan

Boats in Lumut

Fish in Lumut

Farewell Nik

It's time to go home and it has been quite an enjoyable Hari Raya for us. Ilyas and Maisarah can't wait to go back to Kelantan again and before going to the airport, they bid goodbye to their great grandmother, Nik.

Special Menu

I would really love to try their special menu!

Can you find this word in the dictionary?

Aqiqah for Elsa Zahra

Night fishing at the Home Beach Village Resort

Ilyas has been asking me to take him fishing so today I fulfilled his wish by taking him with me to the Home Beach Village Resort near Pantai Cahaya Bulan, Kelantan. This resort has a open air salt water fishing pond and the owner is a close friend of my uncle. They operated this fishing pond on a catch and release policy, which means that you need to release back any fish that you catch. Ilyas couldn't contain his joy at the prospect of landing any fish and was pretty excited when we managed to catch a Siakap Merah after few minutes of fishing. 

While waiting for the next catch, he helped Imi in catching and preparing the baits. He managed to catch few prawns, a Belanak fish and a little swordfish. The night was quite bright with full moon hovering above us and we can hear loud noises of big fish splashing around near the opening of the pond. However, none of them came near our baits much to the frustration of Ilyas. On the way back I asked him whether he still wants to go fishing considering that we managed to catch only one fish. Without hesitation Ilyas said a resounding yes. I guess he is pretty hooked now.