MAS OH MAS

This is not the first time. It happened to almost all my flights recently, at least the last three.

Not long before this, my flight from Penang to Kuala Lumpur was delayed for about 2 hours. I have to run for my connecting flight to Brunei from the domestic building of the KLIA to the satellite building with the help of the airport staff. I only managed to arrive at the plane just few minutes before the door closed. I was lucky because the flight to Brunei was waiting for some Malaysian royalties to arrive. I was not told why the Penang-Kuala Lumpur flight was delayed, except receiving a sms from MAS few hours before the scheduled time.

Last Sunday, my Penang flight to Kuala Lumpur was delayed again for an hour. The reason given for the delay was the adverse weather at KLIA. The flight could not land there.

And now, at this very moment, my Kuala Lumpur flight to Penang, which is supposed to be at 1820, till now is delayed for unknown hours. We have actually boarded a flight at Gate A2 earlier an hour later than the scheduled time, but after about an hour waiting in the flight, we were told to board another flight at Gate B11. Now we are packed at the waiting room of B11, waiting to board for the new flight at untold time. We are still waiting patiently.

The reason for the delay tonight, we were told, is because of the late arrival of the flight from other earlier sectors and later on because of the plane's technical fault that cannot be rectified by MAS engineers in a short time.

I saw on the departure screen just now that mine is not the only flight delayed tonight. There were a lot others. Our USM Deputy Vice-Chancellor who I met at the lounge also experienced the same. He missed his meeting at PWTC today as his afternoon flight from Penang was delayed till evening.

Oh MAS the "golden" national airline, why all these delays are happening? Can't we trust you anymore to reach at our destination of appointment on time?

COINCIDENTAL ENCOUNTER WITH A HUMBLE CROWN PRINCESS

I must record this, for it reflects how pleasant and surprising humbleness is.

On my Penang-Kuala Lumpur flight yesterday evening, a lady - the last passenger of the flight - came to sit beside my seat on the first row. At first sight, my heart quietly told me that she must be somebody, may be a lecturer, may be an executive, or may be one with a high position. We have quite a conversation, from questions on where she comes from, where to go, where she works, the book she was holding and later on reading (something on the heart and entrepreneurship), her studies (in Australia and currently a part-time graduate student in Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), et cetera.

All along the discussion, I could not trace even a bit of her real identity. She portrayed herself as a common person, hailing from Kelantan and now living in the North of Malaysia, trying to start learning about entrepreneurship, working with a private Medical University, becoming a graduate student at the School of Social Sciences in USM, leaving her husband (who "works" closely with a University in the North) and children for few days to meet the wife of the owner of the Medical University, practising drinking just plain water and seldom taking peanuts, and others.

I came to know who really she was only when I stepped out of the plane at KLIA. I was surprised to see many policemen waiting at the door of the plane. One of them told me that they were waiting for the wife of a Crown Prince of a state in the North of Malaysia. And that Crown Princess was the humble lady who were conversing with me on the air! She is "working" with the private Medical University as its Chancellor, while her husband is "working" closely with a public University in the North, also as the Chancellor of the University.

How pleasant chatting with a humble royalty without knowing her identity, and how surprise to know who she really was later on from somebody else. I feel ashamed of myself - of my still uncontrolled pride and ego. I wish all of us at ISDEV would possess humbleness such as of  the Crown Princess, InshaAllah.

CATEGORIES OF EID-UL-FITR WISHERS

Wishing all a happy prosperous Eid-ul-Fitr, with apologies for all my weaknesses and mistakes.

As usual I received Eid-ul-Fitr wishes from as far as Pakistan, Tunisia and Turkey through all sorts of communication gadgets - telephonic calls, emails, sms, whatsapp, electronic cards etc., Alhamdulillah. Many thanks to all wishers for your rememberance, wishes, and prayers.

In general, the wishes I received could be divided into two categories. First, personal wish (meant only for me), and second, common wish (meant for all at once, a kind of a 'wholesale' wish). Both are okay, but you could sense to what extent the wishers feel close to you. The first category of wishers would probably feel closer, and perhaps has a feeling of higher degree of speciality towards you as compared to the second category wishers.

The first category this year surprisingly includes a Chinese friend who was a car agent and now a property business man, while the second category consists of many ISDEV graduate students, including a handful of my former and present graduate students themselves.

But worst still, there is a group of non-wishers, that is the ISDEV members who do not even send you a wish, in spite of my persistent insistence that one of the ISDEV strength is the brotherhood/sisterhood (ukhwah). This group sends a clear message that a lot more need to be done to change them. Indeed, to date, I still fail to do so. Oh Allah, forgive me for my inability and weaknesses.

EID-UL-FITR IN MY HOMETOWN, KUALA BESUT

On the request of my wife and children, I celebrated my Eid-ul-Fitr with them in my hometown this year, in Kuala Besut - recently suddenly becoming a popular spot because of its By-Election. I was told by relatives that during the Election, development promises and charities were pouring generously unto the previously ignored Kuala Besut, while the poor and the needy were given enormous attention with extension of  monetary and material asistance. Ask what you need, and the need is fulfilled.

One of the worrying promises made by the winner, amongst other promises, was to turn Kuala Besut into an international tourist attraction. I could clearly imagine what will happen to the people of Kuala Besut, culturally, socially and economically, as what has been happening to the people of almost all other tourist attractions all over the globe, the nearest to Kuala Besut is Perhentian Island. Read the research report done by Dr Ramli of Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), and one would surprise to know the destructive impact of tourism unto the people of the Island, and in fact to the people of Kuala Besut themselves as the gateway to the Island, not only culturally and socially, but moreover religiously.

If the winner is serious in developing Kuala Besut through the international tourism, it is not too late to plan a different kind of prosperous tourist attraction in Kuala Besut minus its destructive impact, by strengthening people's religious belief and local cultures. Let the international tourists absorb into and assimilate with the local religion and cultures, rather than the other way round, as has been happening in the Perhentian Island. ISDEV is prepared to help, InshaAllah.

ISDEV AND MY 59th BIRTHDAY

I was 59 years old four days ago. Wishes and prayers poured in via handphone, emails and facebooks as early as 0000 on the day - the 1st August. Ummu was the first to wish, followed by wife and other children. Wishes and prayers from colleagues, friends and students began to reach me, some with presents, as early as 0500 in the early morning. It was a happy moment indeed. Many thanks everybody.

Now, at the age of 59, I have just another year left to serve the University. I am thankful to God that at the end of my carrier, ISDEV has been recognised by the top management of the University to be able to become a Centre of Excellence. The Council of the School of Social Sciences has approved it. Now I am waiting to seek Senate's approval at its meeting on 22 August.

May Allah SWT guides ISDEV to become what He pleases. If the Centre of Excellence may become an avenue to His pleasure and eventually to His Jannah, I really pray that it becomes a reality. I will be the most happiest person. After striving to prove the accomplishment of excellence through Islam for almost the whole duration of my carrier, about 32 years till now, it is now starting to be seen by many, Ahamdulillah. But if the Centre of Excellence leads ISDEV otherwise, I am prepared to see ISDEV to remain as it is now. I am sure so are other ISDEV members. What we are striving for is the pleasure of Allah SWT (mardhatillah). We leave it to Allah SWT to decide for Allah SWT knows the best for us.

CALL FOR PAPERS FOR THE 8TH ISDEV INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE WORKSHOP

The announcement for the call for papers for the 8th ISDEV International Graduate Workshop (INGRAW) has came out, Alhamdulillah. Details are avalaible at http://ingraw-2013.blogspot.com/

INGRAW is one of the main annual events of ISDEV, apart from the Worksyop Antarbangsa Pembangunan Islam (WAPI), International Conference on Islamic Development (ICID), and the ISDEV International Conference on Islamic Development Management (IDMAC).

WAPI and ICID are held every April in Medan, Indonesia with the cooperation of Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara and ISDEV North Sumatera Chapter of ISDEV Students and Alumni Union (IPA-ISDEV SU). INGRAW and IDMAC are held every October and December respectively at Universiti Sains Malaysia.

WAPI and INGRAW are meant for postgraduate students while ICID for contemporary issues, and IDMAC for research-based deliberations.

All are cordially invited to participate.

FRUITFUL DISCOURSE IN BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

Came back from Brunei on July the 8th, with flu, entailing with a two-day medical leave, a really rare case for me for the whole of my carrier. The air-con at the Rizqun Hotel in Gadong was too cold. Even when the room air-con was switched off, the cool breeze still blew in through from the air-con along the corridor outside the room.

But thanks God, it brought me to a realisation that I am getting old now. I could not stand persistent coolness of the air-con anymore. This was an addition to my tiredness of the journey to and from Sfax, Tunisia few days before that.

It also reminds me of the Green Park Hotel in Istanbul when I was there in February for the Basic Concepts of Islamic Economics Conference and the Chaophya Park Hotel in Bangkok when I was there in May for the 6th Annual Muslim World Conference and the 2nd AMRON Conference. Both hotels have an automatic sensing control along the corridor of the rooms. The light only switches on when the sensing control traces a movement. I am convinced that they save a lot of energy through the system.

However, the trip to Brunei this time was one of the happiest and fruitful trip. Firstly, my wife was together with me. Secondly, the brotherhood and sincerity of the brothers and sisters of Kolej Universiti Perguruan Ugama Seri Begawan (KUPU SB) who hosted me was tremendously wonderful. Apart from the warmest hospitality of those in-charge of me, especially Ali and driver Asrul, the top management of the University - Dr Haji Norarfan, Dr Haji Adanan and Tuan Haji Metuddin - too was very respectable. The Ra'es (Vice-Chancellor) of KUPU SB, Dr Hajjah Masnon even came to my hotel on the last night of my stay to say goodbye and gave a really special gift - the dates from His Majesty the Sultan and the Yang Dipertua Brunei Darussalam. I have been longing for such a gift for so long, especially when I was in Brunei near Ramadhan. It is the normal practice of His Majesty the Sultan to distribute the dates every Ramadhan to all Bruneians. And this year at last, I have got the opportunity to taste the dates through the Ra'es' share, Alhamdulillah. 

The discourse on the academic strategic plan of KUPU SB held at Mangrove Paradise Resort too was very fruitful. My suggestion for KUPU SB to be a pioneer and innovator instead of a follower and an imitator, as well as being a "World First" instead of a "World Class", using what I called a "Heart-to-Heart" method, were well-accepted, Alhamdulillah. May Allah help them in translating these ideas into practice, InshaAllah.

Lastly, thirdly, my article entitled "Why the Need for Negara Zikir (in Brunei)" was also appeared in the Brunei Times on Sunday the 7th, the third day I was in Brunei Darussalam. The article was written on the Kuala Lumpur-Seri Begawan flight and completed at the Rizqun Hotel on the first night of my arrival in Brunei. Many thanks to the Brunei Times Group Editor Tuan Haji Bujang Haji Masu'ut, who not only never fail to immediately publish my writings whenever I sent them to the Brunei Times, but also treated me and my wife for a dinner at the Gadong Coffee Beans on the last night of our stay in Brunei, as was every time I was in Brunei. My gratitude too goes to his Managing Editor Azrina Abdul Karim who always encourage me to write for the Brunei Times.