MYBuchuk

KRMJ Family Day 2010

2010-01-09T02:56:00.004+08:00

The KRMJ (Kelab Rakyat Malaysia Jubail) group organized a gathering for all Malaysians in East Saudi Arabia just 2 days ago. It was held at Sasref Beach Camp on the 7th of January 2010. A good day to start the year with.

The committee started preparations just 2 weeks ago so it was kind of a last minute thing but Alhamdulillah all went well. Thanks to the organizers for having this open day and hope there will be more to come.

Arriving at 8:00am from our apartment, there was already breakfast ready in the reception hall. Registering and lingering around as it was the first time I was there, well, the first open day I attended anyway. Then the speech by the chairman and President and let the games begin! As they all say.

After breakfast, it was time for beach soccer where 5 teams would challenge each other. I played for Noname FC as time was short to even think of a name. Completed the round robin stage on the top but lost out in the semis, but we enjoyed the game. Had some sort of exercise instead of just eating and sleeping! The champions was Pukolslow FC.

Then there was games for the children and adults where they had coloring, ping pong ball in spoon, apple peeling, gossiping, filling a bottle with a sponge and beach ball bowling. They all seemed to enjoy their time there, and the food was great. Lunch was Kabsah ordered from the industrial area. There was even performances of Taekwando and Nasyid from the participants children and also lucky draws to top it off. A real enjoyment away from the work and traffic in Jubail town I might say.

The day ended at about 4pm.

Wassalam.

My Iqama and Umrah.

2010-01-05T04:23:00.005+08:00

Assalamualaikum, semua. Minta maaf sebab tak update blog ini sebab tak ada berita yang menarik sampai hari ini. Banyak yang telah berlaku dan inilah ceritanya.

Hari ini, 30hb Disember 2009 adalah hari yang saya dapat Iqama. Dan Alhamdulillah, setelah lebih kurang 2 bulan menunggu akhirnya mencapai kegembiraan dengan penerimaan permit tersebut.

E-mail di hantar oleh GR untuk mengambil Iqama di terima pada pagi hari dan oleh kerana ia boleh di ambil dari 1 ke 3 petang je, pada pukul 1 lah saya dah menunggu di sana. Iqama saya adalah dalam bentuk kad. Bukan semua menerima kad selepas bertanya dengan Jelmar, dan jawabnya ini terpulang kepada kerajaan Saudi. Sistem yang baru katanya.

Proses seterusnya adalah untuk membuat ID kad saya, dengan borang yang telah lama di simpan saya pun bawa kertas tu ke Sultan Al-Sultan untuk di masukkan ke dalam SAP berserta dengan tandatangannya. Lepas tu gi ke Belal untuk mengemaskini nombor Iqama dalam sistem dan menuju balik ke GR untuk pengesahan. Siap semua, pergi pulak ke ID department untuk buat kad ID saya tapi kena bawa ‘photocopy’ Iqama dan passport. Sekejap je proses kad ID tu, dengan mengambil gambar dan mencetak kad tu dengan serta merta.

Setelah siap semua, saya pun mencarilah jalan untuk ke Makkah untuk buat Umrah saya. Selepas bertanya kawan-kawan jika ada sesiapa yang akan pergi, jawapannya adalah tiada so pergilah seorang je dengan menaiki kapal terbang. Oleh kerana tiket kat agen penuh, kena pergi kat lapangan terbang untuk mencuba nasib dan alhamdulillah ada jugak tiket untuk pukul 8 pagi. Tapi untuk tiket balik, kelas ekonomi sudah penuh dan terpaksa saya beli tiket ‘Business class’ dengan harga SAR940! Ini disebabkan keinginan untuk pergi ke Makkah dengan sepenuh hati.

Di Masjidil Haram pada waktu malam.

Menurun di Jeddah ‘airport’, saya pun menaiki teksi untuk ke Makkah dengan harga SAR150. Perjalanan lebih kurang 1 jam saja. Setiba di Makkah, saya pun di jemput oleh Joe yang telah sampai pada pagi hari. Umrah saya mengambil lebih kurang 1 jam 30 minit, yang termasuk solat Zohor. Alhamdulillah semua selesai dan meronda lah sikit kat Kota Makkah tu. Buatlah ‘shopping’ sikit.

Di 'upgrade'kan ke First Class.

Balik pada hari Jumaat, saya di jemput oleh En Aris. Terima kasih lah kepada En Aris kita.

Cerita seterusnya adalah untuk persiapan ‘Famly visa’ pada lain hari… Sekian untuk hari ini.

Wassalam.

After a few days absence.

2009-12-15T03:26:00.003+08:00

Assalamualaikum and good evening.

Much apologies for the long absence, too many things happening in such a short time. To cut long stories short, we have moved to Dreamhome and work is piling up. We still have not received our Iqama's and it has been raining for 4 days continuously last week.

We bought a semi-auto washing machine for SAR390 and some utensils for the kitchen. We also just installed a new decoder with 1700++ channels for SAR900 inclusive of installations. The wifi on our floor was out for 4 days and today it was replaced. I have been cooking for weekends and the other days, we go for light food at the nearby shops.

Here are some pictures of food found in KSA. Some were not taken, either I was too hungry or I forgot my camera,

Enjoy the yummy pictures!

Massalamah.

Trip to Khobar.

2009-11-28T03:44:00.002+08:00

Assalamualaikum and Eid Mubarak.

The first day of the long holidays started today. A total of nine days of rest and relax so we, yes, Razman, Nizam, Arif, Cheng and me took a day trip to Al Khobar on our rented car. Razman drove because he has an international licence and so does Arif but Razman drove all the way.

We also took the opportunity to go to the border of Bahrain and of course visit Malaysian kitchen at Khobar. The food was delicious!

Well, pictures speak better. Enjoy!

Thankfully, we arrived home safely.

Wassalam.

3 days later.

2009-11-26T01:54:00.004+08:00

Hello and a good evening.

Today Monday, the new guys went for their Malaria test at Deffi. They also reported to their respective superiors and began work as usual.

Waiting for transport.

For me, work is piling up and another task is given. This time for waste management. Then for lunch, the guys at PC (actually I followed because Joe brought me) had lunch at Bukhari at the Industrial area near the plant. Just the usual rice with chicken but not spicy enough for me. Then I went to check my salary payment at finance but again they said to try again tomorrow. This time i’m crossing my fingers!

After work, it was broadband the whole night! Yup, got my braodband running. Just simple, bought the broadband modem with sim card insert so you can also use different networks. Here it is Mobily and STC but there are others too. They say these two are the stronger ones so I got STC. My modem cost me SAR260 and the sim card is the normal card sim for SAR100. Top up 333 and I get 433 but I only use 350 credits for unlimited access. Downloading is fast but you must set the signal to 3G only.

On Tuesday, I got my paycheck afte all the waiting and alhamdulillah I got it. Then cashed the cheque at Banque Saudi Fransi at Jubail Industrial area and I think this bank is French origin. Sent some cash back via online by my friends Riyadh bank account. Charges are SAR80 per transaction, SAR30 at KSA and another 50 deducted from the transfer. (As explained by my friend as he was doing the transfer) Other banks charge differently but Tahweel Al Rajhi only charge SAR20 for 1 transaction but you must queue.

Later at night, Zul from Sipchem brought us to the Al Huwaylat Mall at RC and we had dinner at Applebee’s. It is a western style restaurant and was the food expensive! We had burger, shrimp penne and chicken something with drinks and guess how much it was? SAR274! Just for 3 persons. That mall is basically a posh area so expect things to be a little dear but quality and the cleanliness is there. There was even a cleaner cleaning the outside of the mall. You won’t see that at Jubail town. Bought myself an ironing board and some other items at Panda, which is slightly bigger than the one at Kim’s and the arrangement was nice. They even have a hair salon there and Jarir bookstore, the biggest bookstore (I think) selling laptops and netbooks and computer parts with books too of course.

Hair salon at RC.

After buying what was necessary, it was back home for beddy byes.

Good night.

Day 20.

2009-11-24T02:27:00.003+08:00

Assalamualaikum dan ahlan wahsahlan.

Hari ini takde yang menarik tapi mendung je dari Jubail ke SK, nampak macam nak hujan. Mungkin cuaca nak berubah kot. Gambar berikutnya.

Untuk Razman dan Nizam, mereka gembira hari ini sebab dapat dah gaji untuk bulan ni. Gaji bulan ni awal sebab minggu depan adalah Eid Mubarak iaitu Hari Raya Haji di Malaysia. Lepas dapat ‘cheque’ dari bahagian kewangan, mereka pun pergi ‘cash’kan di bank Saudi Fransi di ‘Jubail industrial’ ni. Senyum je 2 orang tu, tapi saya tak dapat lagi sebab nombor ID saya jauh dari nombor mereka yang di sebabkan RR hari tu. Tapi lepas tanya Belal, dan di tuju ke bahagian kewangan, esoklah saya kena pergi lagi. Insyaallah dapat nanti.

Malam pula, Razman pula mengajak kita ke bandar sebab nak cari PSP dan beg untuk anak-anak dia. Dapat gak PSP tu dengan harga SAR940 versi M33. Nizam pulak dapat Levi’s 501 dari kedai yang saya beli tu tapi harga dia SAR180! Kenapa pulak saya beli harga mahal sikit? Dan saya, beli seterika je. SAR70 jenama Philips.

Lepas tu, jumpa dengan Mohd Nor, Shahril dan Sufian di Jubail ‘international centre’. Berborak sampai ke 10mlm di tepi jalan je! Macam orang asing tapi memang orang asing pun! Hahaha. Siap bubur, Shahril pun hantar kita balik. Saya mendoakan perjalan Shahril ke Makkah selamat dan insyaallah di berkati Allah di Eid nanti.

Sekian, assalamualaikum.

Day 19.

2009-11-24T01:58:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum semua.

Semalam, 21hb November 2009 adalah hari Sabtu iaitu hari yang pertama minggu berkerja. Bermaksud, kerja yang di tangguh dari minggu lepas di bawa ke minggu ini ynag juga berertinya kerja berlambak. (Heh heh, untuk yang dah kerja lama je. Kita yang baru ni baru je mula sibuk)

Saya pun sekarang di minta masuk mesyuarat dengan ‘vendor’ SK untuk meneruskan perbincangan sampai dapat ‘Purchase order’. MOM pun saya yang kena buat. Dan hari ni pula sibuk dengan SHEM ‘training’ di ikuti dengan ‘vendor’ dan lepas tu ‘department’ pulak! Dan di tambah pulak kerja-kerja jurutera yang telah di pindahkan ke bahagian lain dan saya yang mengambil alih kerja itu. Cabaran saya dah mula, tapi insyaallah saya dapat buat semua ni degan terbaik. (Macam akedemi fantasia je?)

Semalam, kita berempat pergi ke kawasan tanki air untuk tengok rumah-rumah disana tapi dapat masuk satu rumah je. Ada 2 yang kosong di mana sebuah rumah di tingkat 1 dan satu lagi di bumbung. Rumah di tingkat 1 tu luas dan yang di bumbung tu kecik sikit tapi mahal dengan harga yang di beri SAR30000 setahun. Yang menarik adalah sebab rumah itu baru disiapkan dan bumbungnya luas. Tak di janji sebab nak cari lagi untuk buat pilihan.

Lepas tu, saya pun pergi beli modem untuk ‘broadband’ menggunakan STC tapi lepas balik ke ‘apartment’, internet tak dapat pulak. Selepas mencuba satu malam dan puasnya menunggu, tidurlah.

Zzzzzzzzzz. Massalamah.

Day 18.

2009-11-24T01:30:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum dan good evening.

I will not write about Day 17 because nothing happened and it was sleeping in the whole day. Of course in between was breakfast and lunch. But dinner was actually a gathering for the new Saudi Kayan employees from Malaysia. We had beriani rice with lamb and chicken. It was also a question and answer session with Taufiq, Din Kayan and YB. I won’t go into details but just pictures to show you who was present.

Day 18, another rest day with Friday prayers seperating the day. After prayers, we met another Malaysian not from SABIC but with Dailog SA already here for 3 weeks. Tuan started conversation and this guy was wondering where all the Malaysians were as he did not see many of them. Then he offered us a ride back but before heading home, he brought us to where he was staying. It was Nesma Village, a guarded (really guarded) compound with armed security at the entrance and exit of the village. It was a compound with single story bungalows from 1 room to 3 rooms and the rental of his unit is SAR6000 per month! Very nice and cosy with furniture, a television set, washing machine, cooker, blah, blah, blah.......

After that, we invited him back to our apartment where we continued with our conversation. Since I was cooking lunch, we offered him to stay for lunch which he did and again continued. Later, he went down and brought an Arab with him who was his chairman’s nephew. He started conversing with him and he could speak arabic with this Arab! We were so surprised as he was just here for 3 weeks but later we found out that he was from an arabic school back in Malaysia. Maybe it was easier for him to learn as he had the basics and I even picked up a few words from their conversation. (Well, its a start)

Then after Isha, Tuan, Nizam, Cheng and I went into Jubail town. Tuan was looking for a tailor to make a ‘jubah’ for his son and I was there to get my prepaid topped up. We both got what we wanted and I even bought myself a modem for internet access on my laptop. Hopefully it will work but I must get a 3G sim card for internet access. After all the shopping, we stopped at Al Manakh for dinner cum supper and this time we ordered similar to the first kabsah we had. Yum, yum.

We headed home by getting a ‘teksi sapu’ and it was a Mercedes 280. Then it was off to bed as tomorrow is a workday.

Good night.

Day 16.

2009-11-24T00:31:00.002+08:00

Assalamualaikum dan selamat sejahtera.

Hari ini bas ke Kayan penuh dengan menyumbatnye 31 orang. Sampai ‘spare’ kerusi pun di buka tapi alhamdulillah semua muat. Drebar malas nak ambil 2 kali kot.

Sampai di Kayan awal, dan mereka terpaksa menunggu si James masuk kerja pukul 7:30 pagi. Proses macam biasa dan muatlah semua kat bilik mesyuarat no 5.

Hari ini saya di beri tugasan oleh ‘Superintendant’ saya dan juga ‘Task’ yang baru di ‘department’ CWS. Cabaran yang pertama untuk saya di KSA atau Saudi Kayan ini. Bermula dengan kerja, dan insyaallah Iqama dan proses yang lain akan berjalan lancar.

Satu pesanan adalah kepada mereka datang ke sini, kena tahu jika Pak Arab tertekan oleh ‘boss’ mereka, bermulalah mereka macam di bursa saham. Ke sana, ke sini, bertanya sana-sini so siapkanlah kerja yang di beri dalam masa yang di tentukan supaya dia tak dapat nak salahkan kita. Kalau takde tekanan, ‘happy’ je mereka.

Malam ni di jemput ke rumah Din Kayan untuk makan malam, jamuan untuk keluarga yang di adakan tiap-tiap Rabu malam. Kali ini ada ketam yang harganya SAR5 sekilo (Nampaknya macam ketam bunga). Ada juga ayam masak kicap, kangkung dan oh ye, kek hari lahir Adam, anak kepada Edira dan Joe. Kek ais krim lagi pulak tu. Terima kasih di ucapkan kepada Din dan Kak Pah untuk makanan yang sedap tu, dapat ‘ta pau’ lagi.

Siap makan, pusing ke bandar untuk cari printer di ‘Ticket computers’ tapi lambat sikit je (dah tutup). Sampai ke apartment kul 10 malam, borak dengan Cheng yang baru sampai. Jumpa jugak dengan Hisham dari Phenol dan katanya kereta yang dibeli di KSA ni boleh di pandu oleh tuannya sahaja sebab dalam kad kereta tu ada nama tuan punya. Anda boleh di tangkap dan di saman jika di dapati membawa kereta bukan kepunyaan anda.

Sekian untuk hari ini, assalamualaikum.

Day 15.

2009-11-18T22:32:00.004+08:00

Salam,

Hari ini banyak yang telah berlaku di ofis, dengan adanya komputer mesti ada masalahnya. Maknanya, beberapa kali saya memanggil IT dengan sambungan 1010. Tapi, cepat mereka datang dan siapkan masalahnya itu. Memang cekap ‘department’ ini.

Depan Kim's.

Hari ini juga tibanya rakan-rakan dari Malaysia, keseluruhannya 20 orang. Tiba di Kim’s lebih kurang pukul 1 petang. Tapi, mereka tak perlu menunggu lama di Lapangan terbang sebab kenderaan telah menungu mereka. Dan mereka tersangkut di imigresen untuk 1 jam sahaja. Nampaknya imigresen di Dammam sudah ‘improve’. Ye ke tidak, kita tengok dulu.

Dalam bas.

Lepas balik kerja, boraklah dengan mereka di tingkat atas. Cerita lebih kurang sama je tapi ada sikit ‘delay’ kapal terbang mereka di Doha dan di Dammam. Di Doha, kapal terbang itu terpaksa menunggu 45 minit sebelum boleh terbang dan di Dammam, kena tunggu 15 minit baru boleh turun. Masalah sikit je tu. Yang lain macam biasa, cuaca ok dan makan setakat ni ok lagi le.

Malam pula, saya ajak kawan Sipchem untuk beli broadband sebab dah bosan pergi ke ‘Cyber’, dan kalau boleh lagi bagus tapi nak cari STC sebab ‘coverage’ lebih bagus dari Mobily. Tapi kedai tu habis stok dan terpaksalah pergi ke Al Khobar. Insyaallah boleh dapat.

Duduk kat ‘coffee house’ sampai pukul 11:30 malam, baliklah tidur.

Wassalam.

Day 14.

2009-11-18T05:08:00.001+08:00

Assalamualaikum dan selamat siang,

Hari ini macam biasa menunggu di bawah Kim’s pukul 6:15 pagi tapi bas yang sepatutnya sampai tidak tepat pada masanya dan selepas menalipon mereka yang berkenaan, ‘transport’ tu sampai pada pukul 7:30 pagi! Tak pe jugak sebab sempat makan ‘sandwich’ yang di beli di kedai bawah tu.

Sampai di ofis, kerja macam biasa tapi hari ni saya bersyukur sangat sebab dapat ID nombor saya. Tapi James berkata ID saya dah ada 2 hari lepas! Kenapa dia tak beritahu saya pada hari tu? Soalan yang tak boleh dijawab. Sabar, sabar. Nombor tu cantik dan senang ingat (untuk orang cina bagus le, heh heh). Lepas dapat nombor itu, saya memberitahu Turki dan dengan serta-merta dia masuk ke ‘employee self service’ dan memohon PC serta talipon untuk saya. Yang menakjubkan adalah selepas 2 jam, PC saya telah di pasang bersama dengan talipon saya. Berterima kasihlah kepada Tuki dan mat Filipin yang memasang PC tu. Alhamdulillah semua dah selesai tapi ada juga masalah sikit, iaitu masuk ke ‘self service’ dan eSK tak di benarkan lagi. ‘Username not found’ katanya.

Satu hari ini tengok kat ‘portal’ Kayan je lah, dan begitu cepat masa berlalu. Sebelum semua tu saya pun telah hantar salinan kontrak saya ke GR untuk ‘process’ iqama. Tapi untuk terjemah yang saya ingin hantar ke agen di Malaysia untuk ‘endorsement’ dan ‘attestation’ terpaksa di tangguh sebab tak ada salinan sijil beranak anak-anak saya dan sijil nikah saya. Kena balik cari pulak. Harap-harap ada ‘soft copy’ kat komputer saya tu, kalau tak ada, isteri sayalah yang kena hantar ke agen tu.

Sampai pulak ke ‘apartment’, rehat sekejap dan ‘Skype’. Hari ini tidur awal sebab keletihan.

Sekian, wassalam.

Pictures.

2009-11-18T05:01:00.000+08:00

Day 13.

2009-11-17T16:18:00.001+08:00

Good evening and peace to all.

As of today, I am still waiting for the President to release my RR but as he is still out of the office, I will still be waiting. Hopefully he will be in tomorrow. But according to YB, a colleague, he says that even if we do not have an ID number we will still be given our salary. I just hope what he says is true as we will be closed for Haj vacation for 9 days! At least I can go touring with my friends here and look around. But not Mekkah as it will be open only for Haj pilgrims so we would most probably go to Al Khobar or Madinah. Insyaallah.

Today I was speaking to Malik, the new legal advisor to the President about the translation and documents for our family Visa. What he did was go through Think + and having the documents translated in KL, his copies in Arabic were only endorsed and atested, signed by the translator, Putrajaya and the Saudi Embassy in KL. According to Think+, it is sufficient for the application here. But what I have done is translating here in KSA and attached to the Arabic translation is the copy of my documents in English. Will call Rayhar tomorrow to confirm what I need to send to them so as not to delay the proccess.

Today, I was also given a copy of PRIDE which is for new employees in Saudi Kayan but I think it is only for the Central Workshop and Services. Going through the notes, I will have to set targets and objectives for myself. Of course it has to be discussed with my Superintendant.

Leaving for home at 4 as usual, and arriving at quarter to 5 in the evening, Nizam suggested we go for ‘teh tarik’ at the sendwich shop next to Kim’s so that was what we did. He also had a burger there but mine was take away to be eaten later in the night and that would be my dinner. Am trying not to eat rice for dinner as lunch at the office is filling enough. Then a little Skype and back for a bath, I had my burger.

But then a call from a fellow Malaysian, he invited me out for a cup of coffee. Zaharin from Sipchem and former BPC staff, we went to the same coffee house that I went yesterday. Talked and also called Tuan Razman to join us and so he did. We were there until about 11pm and had to head back to the apartment as we were, well, at least me was getting sleepy. A lot of good fellow Malaysians keeping us comfortable and very helpful. Thank you all!

Hope to have a good nights sleep.

Good bye.

Day 12

2009-11-16T22:52:00.003+08:00

Assalamualaikum

Hari ini telah masuk hari yang ke 12 saya dengan kawan-kawan saya tiba di KSA ini. Tapi pada minggu lepas, kami semua di ‘apartment’ ini dapat sekeping kertas dari ‘security’ di bawah yang menerangkan bahawa ‘transport’ akan mengambil kami semua pada pukul 6:15 pagi. Kami tak tahu sebab apa masa di awalkan tapi dengan mengambil kami pada masa itu, kami akan sampai di kilang pada pukul 6:45 pagi. Mungkin sebab bahagian ‘process’ bermula kerja pada pukul 7 pagi ataupun ada sebab lain. Tak tanya pulak Mr Haitam sebabnya.

Hari ini juga saya mula di beri tugas di pejabat menolong rakan kerja yang lain untuk meringankan kerja mereka sebab terlalu banyak kerja mereka. Kerja mereka di bahagikan dan saya di beri 3 ‘project’. Ini pun bermakna kerja saya telah bermula dan tempat telah pun di beri tapi payah jugak sebab belum ada PC dan telefon. Lagipun, ID nombor saya masih tidak ada lagi sebab Presiden bersambung bercuti. Turki pula kata, insyaallah esok semua selesai. Harap-harap begitulah.

Lepas balik ke Kim’s, bersihkan bilik sikit dan saya, Nizam serta Tuan menuju pulak ke Al Bayan untuk mengambil terjemah saya. Oleh sebab jauh dan kesuntukkan masa, kami pun menunggu di tepi jalan untuk naik teksi sapu. Ini adalah kali pertama saya naik teksi sapu dan kereta yang di naiki adalah kereta Chevrolet yang agak lama sebab jenis yang empat segi. Harga yang di bayar kepada teksi sapu itu adalah SAR3 seorang. Selepas sampai di Al Bayan, orang itu pun berkata yang Rohizan telah pun mengambil terjemahan saya. Kami pun turun dan berjalan menuju ke kedai-kedai untuk mencari baju. Sebenarnya saya je yang nak cari baju, Nizam ikut je dan Tuan mencari minyak wangi. Saya dapat membeli 2 helai baju lengan panjang buatan India untuk SAR40 sehelai. Kualitinya agak baik dan tidak begitu nipis. Tuan dapat jugak membeli minyak wangi dari gambar yang di beri olehnya masa berSkype dengan isterinya.

Sebelum menahan teksi sapu untuk balik, kami pun berhenti di sebuah kedai yang menjual Shawarma (entah apa entah?). Ia macam kebab tapi di balut dengan gabous (macam roti arab) dan ada campuran sayur dan kentang goreng. Hidangan itu cukup untuk 3 orang makan dan harganya lebih kurang SAR15. Nama Shawarma yang kita pesan adalah Shawarma Arabi. Habis makan, balik naik teksi sapu lagi tapi kali ini naik Toyota Prado. Pada mulanya di minta SAR15 untuk 3 orang dan selepas menawar harga, SAR10 adalah harga muktamad. Kami sampai ke ‘apartment’ lebih kurang pukul 9 malam, ‘update’ blog dan tidur.

Sekian, wassalam.

Tips : Sebelum naik teksi sapu, tanya harga dulu dan tawar jika rasa harga yang di berinya mahal. Harga di sini lebih kurang SAR10 atau SAR3 ke SAR5 untuk seorang. Jangan naik seorang pada waktu malam.
Jika naik dengan isteri, suami naik dahulu dan masa turun isteri turun dulu. Ini adalah untuk keselamatan sebab pernah jadi kes di Riyadh dan Jeddah di mana isteri orang di bawa lari selepas suami turun dari kereta.

Day 10.

2009-11-16T22:33:00.002+08:00

Sorry, tertinggal Day 10.

Assalamualaikum,

Today is Thursday and it is a weekend for us at Saudi Arabia. Woke up early to go for Sholat at the nearby mosque and back to the apartment for a rest.

Woke up at about 9am to get ready to go to Al Bayyan translation office 30 minutes from Al Hason. Arrived there and submitted the documents required for translation from English to Arabic. I had 2 birth certs, a marriage cert and a certificate and it cost me SAR200. Collection was in 2 days. Rohizan was also there to translate his driving license to Arabic, and yes, a translation is needed if you want a Saudi driving license. A note to those wanting to convert their driving license to an Arab license, please make sure that your license is only one card. Malaysian driving licenses have either 1 or 2 if it is renewed. So remember, 1 license with your photo and of course valid!

Walking back to the apartment through shops along the road gave us so many choices of things to buy but it was just window shopping as the time will come. Back at the apartment, we had visitors, En Ismail, Maulana and Ridzuan. Rohizan prepared fish ‘keropok’ brought from Malaysia served with Maggi chili sauce also from Malaysia (You cannot find them here). Today was just a lazy day, surfing the internet and updating anything necessary as Wifi was available 24hrs but the lines keep dropping from time to time. Could be the overload as everyone here uses the internet. Took the oportunity to come here for the access as Kim’s had nothing to offer at all except going to a Cyber cafe.

It Sholat time for Maghrib and it’s time to go for prayers and then dinner. For dinner, it was a Al Manakh for the second time in 12 days! But this time the dish was a little different, not as spicy as the first time. Maybe because a different person was ordering or maybe because we did not know what to order? This time it is a whole chicken for 2 persons, and we finished the chicken but could not finish all the rice. Normally a whole chicken can feed 4 persons, and the price was SAR32 with 2 bottles of mineral water. Then, it was straight back to Al Hason as the shops will be closing for Isha in a few minutes time.

On the internet and watching some television later, we slept early. Must be from the full stomach or tiredness from yesterdays walking. Yawnnn, good night.

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatu.

Day 11.

2009-11-15T22:51:00.005+08:00

Sabaah Al Khayr.

Hari ini masih hari bercuti, bermaksud boleh lah tidur lama sikit. Dan pagi ini, Rohizan membawa saya ke kedai di sebelah Al Hason yang di kendali oleh orang Yemen. Makanan yang di jual adalah ‘sandwich’, b

urger dan sakhan. Sakhan adalah masakan yang di goreng dalam periuk dan periuk itu di letak di atas meja, di makan dengan roti arab. Ada jugak macam-macam yogurt dan juga jus buah tapi buahnya tak hancur semua, cuma potong.

Sakhan.

Kedai Yemen.

Buah.

Siap makan, balik ke Al Hason tapi sebelum naik kita berjumpa dengan pengurus di Al Hason tu dan bercerita yang ada lagi orang Malaysia yang akan bertapak di Arab Saudi ini. Oleh itu, kita pun bercadang kepada dia supaya menurunkan harga sewa untuk masa yang akan datang supaya boleh memenuhkan Al Hason ini dengan ramai lagi rakyat Malaysia. Dia pula kata akan berbincang dengan tuan bangunan ini, Mr Ahmed supaya boleh menimbangkan cadangan itu. Hari ini pula internet tak dapat, so tak dapat skype atau ‘update’ blog sebab pengurusan tengah menambah modem menjadikan 2 modem di setiap tingkat. Katanya, semua akan siap hari Sabtu ini.

Sholat Jumaat pada pukul 11:25pagi dan lepas tu, balik ke Al Hason sebab kedai-kedai di Jubail ni buka pukul 4 petang pada hari Jumaat. Balik tengok TV dan rehat sebelum di ambil oleh En Jo untuk di hantar balik ke Kim’s pada pukul 4 petang. Lepas gi ‘Cyber’, saya, Nizam dan Tuan pula mencari kedai untuk makan malam dan saya cadangkan untuk mencari sakhan macam yang saya makan pagi tadi. Sampai kita di kedai Nore dekat stesen minyak depan Panda, kita di jemput oleh 2 orang Bangladesh yang tukang masak dan tukang jaga kedai. ‘Order’ sakhan tapi yang di hidang lain sikit, sebab ayam, daging dan telur di asingkan dan di letak di pinggan berasingan. Masakan lebih kurang sama dah, tapi cara ini lain sikit. Mungkin lain kedai, lain cara kot. Kita makan je, tapi tak habis dan kita pun bungkus balik untuk jadikan sarapan pagi esok.

Siap makan, Tuan gi ‘Cyber’ dan saya dengan Nizam ke Panda untuk beli barang sikit. Khalas semua, kita pun menuju balik ke ‘apartment’ tapi semasa berjalan balik, saya dapat panggilan dari Mohd Nor Sipchem. Di ajaknya ke kedai untuk minum kopi pulak. Dah sampai di depan pintu takkan nak tolak, rezeki kan? Kita menuju ke ‘Jubail International centre’ dan ke sebuah ‘coffee house’ tapi dah penuh dan kita pun beralih ke ‘coffee’ house depan masjid. Di ‘coffee house’ ini ada Wifi dan TV serta kerusi sofa yang besar dan selesa. Kira ada kelas la di tempat ini. Berborak-borak sampai pukul 11 mlm dan kita pun balik ke tempat masing-masing sebab mereka nampak. Mereka juga berkata yang mereka kena masuk kerja pada pukul 6 pagi.

Tamat. Wassalam.

Tips : Barang-barang yang di nasihat beli di Malaysia untuk di bawa adalah lada kering, asam jawa, ikan bilis, sos tiram, sos cili, ikan masin, rempah sup dan yang ada di bawah ini.

Day 9 (Deffi Clinic)

2009-11-12T23:43:00.001+08:00

Assalamualaikum and ahlan wahsalan to my blog.

Today is where the newcomers are to collect the malaria report from Deffi clinic. Deffi clinic is owned by the Royal commission (and I don’t even know what it means). As usual, after arriving at work in the morning and then waiting for transport at the front gate at 8:15am to bring us to Al Lulu and Deffi. The transport was not there at 5 minutes past the designated time, so I called Mr Haitam and it was just an ‘ok’ reply. I assumed that the arrangements were not done as the bus arrived 30 minutes later! These kind of arrangements must be followed up by any of us so that things get moving and a reminder is that we must be patient here at KSA.

We were at Deffi at about quarter past nine and when we went into the office of the person incharge, he told us to come back at 10:30 am as the results were not ready yet. That’s because our names has to be written in Arabic, so another person wrote our names on the form and then the first person got our reports from another room. Alhamdulillah all were tested negative. The malaria result is then submitted to James for further arrangements.

For me, it was sadness that showed as my ID number was still not created due to some technical errors and approvals. Since the President is on leave, the acting President is not authorised to approve any documents so I must wait until Saturday for the President to be back. I just hope that all will be done by Sunday as pay day is just around the corner. All thanks to the secretary for trying to get my documents done by contacting the persons required. No, it is not a she but a he and his Name is Turki. Very nice person.

Then, back home for a bath and rest. After my rest, it was off to Al Hason to visit for a night at Rohizan’s apartment. He had an empty bed and asked if I wanted to stay there for a night or two and I said yes. I thought that if I try staying there, I would get the feel and maybe decide if I would move there or to Al Mishal. Picked up by Jo, I was at Al Hason at about 7pm. Skyped with Lynn who is having fever, but hopefully will get better after seeing me even though through the monitor.

Later, Rohizan brought me down to look at the area where the shops are like Jalan Bukit Bintang as I mentioned in my earlier blog. They call 1 street Ladies Street and now I know why they call it that. From lingerie to perfume to kids stuff to fabric to make up products to shoes to handbags to whatever related to women! The list would be too long if I continue. Then there is Jubail centre with shops selling electrical items, jeans and I mean Levis original made in Mexico! Just like any other shopping complex and cheap if you know where to go. I bought a 501 button for just SAR190! Imagine how much it would cost in Malaysia?

Going through the alleys and shops, we then headed for prata and tea. Then it was back to Al Hason. About Al Hason, the apartment Rohizan is renting has no carpet so no smelly carpet and the place is clean. It’s furnished with a sofa set, wardrobes in the 2 rooms, beds that can fit 4 persons and a kitchen for cooking. Looks ok to me compared to the earlier rooms the tenant showed when we were here earlier. I won’t mind renting here just in case Al Mishal is still not available end of the month. We’ll see when the time comes.

Tips : DO NOT take any photographs in the open. You can be hauled by the local police and put in the lock up without questions asked! Try not to walk on the water on the roadside as it is waste water from underground.

Day 8.

2009-11-12T02:28:00.003+08:00

Peace be upon you and good evening.

Today was just a normal day with not much to do as assignments are not given yet. But thanks to Allah, our contracts has been signed by the President and my copy has been given to me. The setback for me is that I still do not have my ID number. The final release is from the President and then to Riyadh for processing. Good thing is all is done online so the pace is quicker but of course, due to human behaviour, there would still be problems.

Today was another milestone for me as I visited the Central workshop and Maintenance workshop. Work was about 50 to 60 percent complete and I don’t know what the expected date of completion is. My future office will be at the maintenance workshop on the 1st floor. As usual, lunch, prayers, office and home at 4pm.

A quick bath and sholat, it was off to dinner with Nizam and Tuan. We settled to eat at Coco just opposite the Mosque due to limited time as Isha was just about 30minutes to go. We ate the famous rice with chicken in a pan (I think called Lahambd) as usual and each shop has different servings. It was similar to the shop at Al Jalal street but the best is still at Al Manakh. Must have another go there next week. Yum yum. After dinner, it was a slow walk to the Cyber cafe.

8:30pm and it was back home. Good night.

Tips: Bring cold weather clothes as it will be getting cold soon. Gloves would be good.

Pictures on Day 1 (Night soccer)

2009-11-12T00:55:00.001+08:00

Day 7.

2009-11-11T01:12:00.001+08:00

Assalamualaikum.

Hari ini adalah hari Isnin iaitu hari yang ke tiga dalam jadual kerja mingguan di KSA ini. Kerja macam biasa serta menghabiskan masa membaca apa yang ada. Yang boleh di puji adalah mat india yang membuat teh di ‘pantry’. Dia buat kopi tarik macam di Malaysia tapi dia panggil ‘Cappucino’. Tak tau kenapa, sebab ada buih kot?

Pada pukul 10 pagi, kita berempat pun telah berjanji unuk ke ofis James untuk bertanya keputusan ‘medical’. Alhamdulillah, semua lulus dan kontrak pun telah di sediakan untuk di tandatangani. Lepas tandatangan, kontrak itu akan di hantar ke Presiden untuk disahkan. Baru boleh digunakan untuk pendaftaran Iqama tapi keputusan malaria pun kena ada sekali. Semua telah dapat ‘ID’ mereka tetapi saya tak dapat sebab RR(Recruitment Requisition) saya belum di luluskan oleh Pengurus saya. Lepas selidik di mana masalahnya, Mr Saad berkata HR memang selalu buat begitu jika ada permintaan yang telah lama di dalam ‘system’. Mereka memadamkan dalam ‘system’ untuk menjaga KPI mereka. Kena buatlah semula. Hari ini saya juga di beritahu tentang skop kerja dan sejarah ‘department’ saya.

Pukul 12 tengahhari, makan kat kantin. SAR10 tapi cukup untuk 2 orang. Tak boleh ambil gambar sebab takut kena buang kerja! Kena jaga lah. Balik kerja hari ini dengan Haji Sabaruddin dari CWS. Saya minta tolong dia sebab nak gi beli madu untuk sakit kerongkong saya yang telah seminggu berkahak. Beli di kedai bernama Hamil Al Musk di ‘Ladies street’ yang ada juga jual minyak wangi dan kayu. Kayu-kayu sini di gunakan untuk mewangikan udara di bilik atau masjid. (Macam kemenyanlah katanya) Di jalan itu terdapat kedai baju, barang solek, kedai kasut, kedai baju dalam dan lain-lain lagi macam jugak di Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman atau Jalan Masjid India. Lepas beli, balik terus sebab sudah nak masuk Maghrib. Terima kasih kepada Haji Sabaruddin sebab sudi membawa saya membeli-belah. Heh Heh. Saya beli juga pengering rambut yang berharga SAR125 selepas menawar harga dari SAR150.

Lepas Maghrib, berSkype sampai masuk Ishak. Balik ke ‘apartment’, mandi dan keluar makan. Malam ini makan di kedai tepi ‘apartment’ kita ini je. Makanan yang di jual ada nasi, dhosai dan phrata (canai di Malaysia). Saya makan dhosai dengan kari ayam dan ada juga kacang kuda di masak macam dhal. Gambar di bawah.

Selesai makan, gi kat kedai untuk cari barang-barang rumah. Ingat nak gi Panda tapi ahkirnya singgah di kedai runcit tak jauh dari ‘apartment’ kita. Balik & tidur.

Selesai. Wassalam.

Day 6.

2009-11-11T00:50:00.009+08:00

Salam and sabaah al khair.

Another morning and another day in the land of Saudi Arabia. Today is safety induction day as required for all employees in Saudi Kayan. As usual, the pick up was at 7am and alhamdulillah it was a bus that came. So all of us managed to board and none was left behind. Arriving in time, we then reported to our respective departments going about our daily work. Assignments are already given to some of us making use of our manpower. But as we do not have access to computers and SAP due to not getting the ID number yet, we can only go through manuals and other reading material.

Today was the chance that I had to go into the site with another colleague, to the PP plant. Of course by vehicle and wow!, the plant is so big that the guy got lost lookng for the PP cabins. It took us about 20 minutes to look for the cabins. As the construction is still on going, traffic and human traffic were all over the place. After meeting the relevant people, we then headed back to the maintenance office. Lunch for me was at 12pm and after lunch was our safety induction at Building 3. Person in charge was Mr Basil Al Haqbani. It just took him 15 minutes to complete his presentation and it was back to our office. Talk about fast! Back to work...

At my work desk, borrowed from Mr Khalid as he is away but for only 1 week, I just picked up any books or manuals to read just to pass time. No assignment or objectives yet so I try to occupy myself in any way I can. 4 pm on the dot and it’s going home time, walking to the bus arranged in just a few minutes. Upon arriving at the apartments, I got myself ready to be picked up by Johan for dinner at his place. The cook, his wife of course. Knowing that she cooks delicious servings, I was looking forward to dinner tonight. And was I right! Prawns cooked with chili and cauliflower braised with chicken. Guess how much the prawns were? SAR3.80 per kg! Compared to RM16 per kg at Kuantan. What a difference.

After dinner, it was my time to Skype with the wife as Jo and another friend stuck to the TV set watching EPL matches. The final match I managed to watch was the Chelsea – MU match and I even saw the goal scored by John Terry. With the final whistle blown, it was back home for me. Another thank you to Edira for a wonderfully cooked dinner.

Good night, massalamah.

Pictures Day 4

2009-11-08T23:58:00.000+08:00

Day 5 (Medical)

2009-11-08T23:33:00.002+08:00

Assalamualaikum dan ahlan wahsahlan.

Hari ini adalah hari yang di rancangkan untuk pergi membuat ‘medical examination’. Tapi pada pagi hari itu, sesuatu peristiwa telah berlaku di mana ‘transport’ yang sepatutnya mengambil pekerja kayan dari ‘apartment’ kita datang dengan ‘van’ sahaja untuk mengambil lebih kurang 20 orang! Bayangkan van sebesar Kia Pregio mengambil 20 orang. Macam ‘sardin’ dan oleh kerana terlalu penuh, 5 orang tidak dapat naik kenderaan tersebut. Selepas drebar menalipon ‘boss’ dia kot, dia berkata van lain akan datang untuk mengambil yang ‘balance’. Lepas 20 minit, ‘transport’ tersebut tidak datang lagi tapi nasib baik ada Hadlynoor untuk memberi tumpang ke 5 orang ini.

Lepas sampai di ‘site’, kita pun membuat kerja masing-masing sebelum menunggu bas yang akan pergi ke Al Lulu Dispensari di mana ‘medical examination’ akan di jalankan. Dengan kertas yang di beri oleh James pada Rabu lepas, kami pun mendaftarkan nama untuk ujian tersebut. Ujian yang akan di jalankan adalah di makmal di mana darah akan di ambil (bekas yang di beri oleh klinik Kayan untuk kencing dan tahi telah di serah ke ‘nurse’ di situ). Dan x-ray, ECG, ujian paru-paru, Spirogram, audiogram, opthamology, internist dan dermatology (tidak ikut susunan). Dari pukul 9:30 pagi sampai ke 10:45 pagi sudah selesai ‘medical examination’ tersebut. Dengan rasa lapar sebab berpuasa malam sebelum yang di wajibkan, kita berempat pun makan di kedai makan yang ada di sebelah hospital tersebut.

Van yang sampai pukul 11:45 pagi membawa kita balik ke ‘site’ dan selepas sholat dan makan tengahhari, kita pun balik ke pejabat masing-masing. Pukul 4 petang, saya dengan Nizam pun bersedia menunggu di pagar depan untuk di bawa ke ‘Deffi centre’ untuk membuat ujian malaria. Terima kasih la kepada En Shahril yang telah sudi mengambil dan menghantar kita berdua ke destinasi tersebut. Selepas menunjuk kertas yang juga di beri oleh klinik di Kayan, orang arab di kaunter itu yang tidak tahu satu ayat inggeris bawa kita ke orang yang berkenaan. Selepas setengah jam, kita pun sudah siap dengan ujian malaria itu. Tak ada apa je, cuma cucuk sikit hujung jari dan ambil 4 titik darah dan di letak di atas kaca makmal.

Habis di ‘Deffi centre’, En Shahril pun bawa kita ke rumah dia untuk menjadi tetamu dan saya pula nak berSkype dengan isteri saya. Ingat nak pergi ‘Cyber’ je lepas Deffi tu tapi di bawa ke rumah kawan kita itu tapi alhamdulillah En Shahril bagi saya pinjam laptop dia dengan broadband dia. Boleh gak berhubung dengan isteri saya yang telah di janji pada awal hari. Kak Neeza pulak siapkan makanan malam dan menjemput kita bermakan malam di sana. Masakan Malaysia pulak tu, susah nak tolak sebab rezeki jangan di tolak kan? Heh Heh. Thank you Kak Neeza. Sedap masakan Kak Neeza. En Shahril pun hantar kita balik ke ‘apartment’ pukul 8 malam sebab telah berjanji dengan En Aris pada pukul 8:30 malam.

Balik, mandi dan siap lah untuk En Aris membawa kita ber3 pulak yang termasuk Tuan Razman untuk ke bandar. Selepas pusing-memusing, kita pun berhenti di sebuah restoran Thailand yang ada di tengah bandar Jubayl ni. Betul-betul depan ‘Jubayl Commercial Port’.

Terima kasih pulak ke En Aris sebab sudi membawa kita ke restoran tersebut. Siap makan, kita pun balik ke ‘apartment’. Zzzzzzzzzzzz.........

Wassalam.

Day 4 (Friday Prayer)

2009-11-08T23:29:00.002+08:00

Alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah, the first Friday prayer in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with 2 others.

After a bath and light breakfast, we headed to the mosque about 500metres from our apartment at about 10:15am. We left early as friends were saying that it will be full by the time the call for prayer starts, so we walked slowly and arrived after 10 minutes. True enough, there was only about 30 or so brothers but the crowd came from about 11am onwards. On the way to the Mosque, there were people selling vegetables and fruits just outside the Mosque. Varieties of tomatoes, vegetables and fruits. Did not ask about the price though because we were afraid they did not speak english.

After Friday prayers, we headed fo lunch and we walked down the street. It was quite a walk until we found the restaurant. It was at Al Jalal Street and they served rice just like at AL Manakh but 2 tyoes of chicken, berbecued or roasted. We ordered 1 roasted chicken, of course with rice but it was not as spicy as the one we ate at Al Manakh. But Nizam ate the most as it was not spciy and he was not groggy anymore. (Well, according to him.)

After lunch, we then walked to Panda to buy somemore groceries as I will cook Spagetti tonight. We arrived at the ‘apartment’ at about 2pm and with a little rest, I got up to cook and dinner was ready at 6pm. After dinner, we decided to go to the cyber cafe nearest to our apartment but as we were late, it was fully occupied. The tip is to go in between Maghrib and Isha, then it will be fairly empty and also less smoke. For those who need to communicate with their loved ones must plan the specfic time for communicating. Unless you have network card where you can use the local phone line to surf, I think it is possible. Another colleague is doing it but I have to find out more as I am still going to the cybers’ to surf. Only when I move to either Al Hason or Al Mishal will I have internet access and updating will be much easier. Insyaallah.

We ended up about 1 kilometers from our apartment but they did not have a webcam and worse still, mine did not have Skype installed. So i had to install Skype and it took at least 10minutes but it was all worth it. I managed to communicate with my loved one. After the limited 1 hour, we then walked back to our apartment for a good nights rest to prepare for our medical examination the next day.

Off to bed then, assalamualaikum.

Info: The apartment and transport is provided fo 1 month free of charge but the pick up is only at the give apartment. If you move to another apartment, you will not be able to use the transport. If you rent at Al Hason or Al Mishal, the transport fees is about SAR170 per month. (Special arrangements) I am moving out because it is easier to communicate online and grocery shopping will be more convenient.

Pictures Day 2

2009-11-08T23:26:00.001+08:00

Pictures Day 1

2009-11-08T00:32:00.001+08:00

Day 3 (Site visit)

2009-11-07T02:09:00.004+08:00

Assalamualaikum, kini telah masuk hari yang ketiga saya berada di KSA ini.

Hari ini bermula dengan sarapan pagi di ‘apartment’ sendiri. Tak ada apa sangat, cuma roti ngan tuna mayoinase je. Lepas makan, kita bertiga bercadang nak ke Cyber cafe untuk berhubung dengan yang tersayang di Malaysia tu. Tapi, lepas sampai d situ, kedai tu tak buka lagi so kita berjalan mencari cyber lain la pulak. Pada mulanya, cyber yang kita pergi cuma 200meter dari Kim’s je. Alhamdulillah kita jumpa cyber yang lain dekat yang pertama tu gak. SAR3 untuk 1 jam dan SAR 5 untuk 2 jam. Anda di beri satu password untuk di taip di login dan serta merta boleh melayari web. Tapi kadang-kadang slow sikit. Yang saya guna tu lepas 30min, PC tu padam dan ‘on’ balik. 4 kali pulak tu. Akhirnya tukar jugak PC. (Gi kat yang sebelah)

Habis Skype dan google, kita pun balik ke ‘apartment’ untuk rehat sekejap sementara menunggu Jo ambil. Pukul 10:30 Jo pun sampai dan kita menuju ke Al Hason untuk selidik ‘apartment’ yang kita nak sewa hujung bulan ni. Ini sebab ‘apartment’ yang SABIC bagi tu adalah untuk 1 bulan sahaja. Percuma. Harga di Al Hason SAR4000 sebulan dengan perabot dan Wifi. 2 bilik, 1 bilik air dan dapur. Kalau nak muat 6 orang, kena mintak katil lebih. Nampaknya ok tapi berbau sikit dan berlipas. ‘Fully carpet’. Kita dapat juga berjumpa dengan kawan-kawan Malaysia yang duduk di Al Hason tu, yang bujang je lah.

Lepas Al Hason, kita pun ke Al Mishal. 2 bilik jugak tapi sewanya SAR3200 sebulan. Nampak cantik dan bersih sikit tapi penuh masa sekarang. Kena tunggu lepas Raya Haji baru ada. Dapat jumpa dengan Mie dan Basri yang baru pindah ke sana. Selepas makan nasi, kita pun bertolak ke kawasan ‘water tank’ untuk melihat rumah-rumah di situ. Mana tahu satu hari nanti kita akan berpindah ke sana dengan keluarga. Tak lama jugak, insyaallah kita boleh berkeluarga di sini bulan Januari atau Febuari nanti. Berpusing-pusinglah kita di bandar Jubayl ni sebelum di hantar balik ke ‘apartment’ kita. Terima kasih le kepada En Joe.

Selepas berehat, saya pula di bawa ke jamuan makan di ‘water tank’ yang di adakan di atas bumbung rumah Zulfa’izal dengan beberapa lagi keluarga dari Malaysia. Bukan jamuan apa, cuma ‘pot luck’ di mana setiap keluarga membawa makanan masing-masing dan di kongsi bersama. Yang lelaki di satu belah dan hawa di hujung pula dengan cerita masing-masing, dan kanak-kanak pula di dunia sendiri. Seronok tengok yang kecik-kecik tu, teringat pulak kat Lynn. Kami pun bercerita hingga 11 malam dan berpulanglah ke ‘apartment’ saya.

Ada informasi jugak dalam perbincangan berkenaan kerja d KSA ini. Antaranya adalah kena buat jugak terjemahan dari inggeris ke arab. Dan lesen memandu boleh di tukar ke lesen saudi di Al Khobar dengan hara SAR400. Tapi kena dapat Iqama dulu.

Dengan blog ini, saya berharap dapat menolong mereka yang akan ke KSA tak lama lagi.

Sekian, wassalam.

Day 2

2009-11-05T16:09:00.003+08:00

Assalamualaikum dan salam sejahtera.

Hari ini, saya bangun pada pukul 4:40pagi. Selepas berwudhuk dan sembahyang subuh, badan nak suruh tidur tapi otak nak bangun. Ok gak, sebab takut nanti tertidur tak boleh bangun nanti. Lagipun hari ini hari yang pertama ke ‘site’, mesti semangat sikit.

Kami pun turun bawah pada pukul 7pagi untuk menunggu ‘transport’ ke Saudi Kayan. Bas sampai 20 minit lewat dan yang dah biasa naik ‘transport’ ni mengatakan dia tak tepat. Kadang-kadang awal ataupun lewat. Takpe, kami pun naik dan sampai ke destinasi lepas 30 minit perjalanan. Masa menunggu bas, saya terkejut sebab berjumpa dengan seorang pengurus yang juga dari BPC selepas 3 tahun tak jumpa. En Ismail Mohd Noh le yang membuat kejutan tu, Engineer lagi pulak tu. Tahniah kepada En Ismail, insyaallah berjaya di KSA ini.

Kami juga berterima kasih kepada En Ismail ni sebab banyak informasi yang di beri kepada kami. Satu daripadanya adalah semasa kami nak masuk ke ‘site’, mesti tunjuk pasport kami sebab dah ada majikan di tulis di visa kami itu. Selepas dapat masuk melalui pengawal di ‘gate’, En Ismail pun membawa kami ke HR untuk berjumpa dengan Mr Sam James. Dia adalah ‘Recruitment Coordinator’ yang akan menguruskan daftar kemasukkan kami ke Saudi Kayan ini.

Yang pertama adalah untuk isi beberapa borang, dan 8 keping gambar. (Lebih baik beri gambar passport yang telah di potong dan jangan sebesar dengan 4cm x 6cm tu) 8 keping ye? Saya ingin memberitahu bahawa ‘nearest port’ adalah airport yang paling dekat dari rumah sekarang. Ini adalah sebab jika anda tinggal di Kuantan tapi anda tulis Kuala Lumpur, anda telah kerugian harga tiket dari Kuantan ke Kuala Lumpur. Lepas mengisi semua borang, kami di suruh ke klinik untuk mendapat surat untuk membuat ‘medical’ di Al Lulu hospital nanti. Ada ‘resident’ doktor yang akan periksa paru-paru serta tekanan darah saja. Bekas kencing dan tahi telah pun di beri unuk di bawa ke Al Lulu hospital hari Sabtu nanti. Ada di pesan oleh rakan-rakan kerja bahawa air kencing dan tahi oleh di ambil sehari sebelum ‘medical’ itu ataupun pada pagi sebelum pergi. Boleh di jimat masa katanya.

Selepas habis siap di klinik, kami pun ke SSGS iaitu ‘General services’ unuk berjumpa dengan Mr Nato dengan mengambil ‘advance’ SAR200 dan ‘prepaid reload’ SAR20. SAR200 itu adalah ‘advance’ sahaja dan akan di tolak dari gaji nanti. Oh ye, kami pun di beri kupon makan tengah hari kantin. Lepas siap dengan Mr Nato tu, kami pun ke GR untuk menyerah passport kami dan mengambil pass sementara. Kami juga di beri ‘photocopy’ passport kami dengan pengesahan dari Saudi Kayan. Dokumen inilah yang mesti di bawa di mana-mana anda pergi. Selesai di GR, kami pun bersarapan tengah hari di kantin SK. Untuk SAR 10 (harga kupon itu) banyak makanan yang boleh di pilih, tapi nasi le... Heh heh.

Dah kekenyangan, kami pun ke ‘department’ masing-masing. Saya di letak di CWS dan Nizam di Phenolics. Arshad pula di PP dan Tuan di PED. Dengan semua sibuk dengan jawatan masing-masing, kami pun berkumpul pada pukul 4ptg di depan ‘gate’ untuk menaiki bas. Sampai ‘apartment’ pukul 4:40ptg, rehat dan bersiap untuk ke ‘cyber cafe’. Rindu jugak isteri dan keluarga saya, tapi oleh kerana saya sampai dekat Isyak, saya pun tak jadi Skype. Sedih pulak. Saya yang di teman Nizam pun pergi lah ke Panda (lebih kurang macam Giant) untuk membeli barang-barang ‘apartment’. Sampai kat apartment.................... tidur. Letih sehari.

Sekian, wassalam.

Day 1

2009-11-05T15:56:00.002+08:00

Assalamualaikum and greetings from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Today is the beginning of a new life for 6 of us venturing into the unknown.

The information I am about to write is from our hometown to our destination and also what needs to be done during the whole trip. (Well, some things only actually)

It all began from my home in Air Putih leaving for the Airport at 6pm on the 2nd of November 2009 after all the goodbyes and I love yous. At the airport were Tuan Razman, Jusri, Nizam and Shamsani. Flight time on MAS was 7:15pm but was slightly delayed for take off. Arrival at KLIA was about 8:10pm where we met Arshad and Zulkfili. We began to exchange conversation as this was the first time some of us met. We were all going to the same destination, KSA.

Meeting Think+ only at 12 midnight, we sat at the cafes and lingered around the departure hall until the time was up. After meeting the rep from T+ and collecting the documents, we checked in on Qatar Airways for two flights, to Doha and then to Dammam. Just a reminder to those going later, please make sure you have transparent plastic bags for putting in liquids and pastes below 10ml for hand luggage. Otherwise, you can check them in. Baggage weight as stated is 20kgs by T+ but after asking the staff at the check-in counter, there is an allowance of 5kgs. Laptops and notebooks are not weighed but your hand luggage can only be up to a maximum of 7kgs.

As our flight was to depart at 2:30am, we went down at 1:30am just to make sure we did not miss this very important flight. (Important to us anyway) That was after digging in at Burger Kings first! I felt that I was eating all the time. Yup, at KLIA after arriving from Kuantan, then before departure then on the plane and again at Doha airport and again at Dammam airport. I just hope I won’t put on too much weight. Ok, gone with the food. Another thing is no drinks are allowed on during boarding and no sharp objects in the hand luggage too.

As the flight was a transit flight from Bali to Doha, the plane was packed! French, Malaysians and other mat sallehs. As I was seated in the centre, I did not really want to get up too many time as I did not want to irritate the person sitting on the aisle so, sleep and watching 2 movies was what I did. The interactive monitor was the time mover keeping me occupied and in such a short while, we were going to land.

From Kuantan to KLIA, then KLIA to Doha and on to Dammam. Total time taken was 16 hours! That is a lot of time used on air. Wow! Could not imagine that I had done it. At Dammam, you are givemnan entry form which you are required to fill and submit together with your passport. The top part is your Visa number beginning with E. (In boxes) Then fill in the other particulars, but if you have only two words for your name then fill in first and second and the last as your family name. Sponsor is the company you are working for. After completing all, you will have to queue at the immigrasion and your picture will be taken together with all fingerprints. And the picture will be used in all your documentation including your Iqama and licenses, therefore if you want your picture to look good then clean up and make up if necessary. (Not too much though) After getting your passport stamped, then proceed to the baggage collection.

The trip from the airport to the apartment took about 45minutes and the driver just dropped us and left without telling us what to do. Sheesh!? Then we had to call Mr Haitam but Mr Khalid came instead. But at least we got our rooms. Then we rested and refreshed ourselves to get ready to go around Jubayl town. Thanks to Fauzi from IBNU Zahr who brought us in his Honda Civic. We stopped at Al Manakh for their local nasi Briyani with chicken and was it delicious! Much better than Taj’s. (Sorry, pictures will be included later) After coming back to the apartment at about 5pm local time, I had my rest as Johan was to meet me at 7pm. He picked me up and where did he bring me? To a soccer field! Yup, he had a match on an astro turf field, a standard size field astro turfed. That was the first time I actually set foot on an international sized field. Cool! They played 25mins each half and the score was a draw. The final whistle blew and then it was off to buy my local prepaid sim card.

STC had an offer for reload, having paid SR100 for the new sim and topping up SR340 gave me a total of 766 worth of talk time. The expiry? The year 2012! After dropping me off at about 10pm local time, it was of to bed as the pick up the next day will be at 7am to the office.

Tusbih äalaa kahyr day 1. (Good night day 1)

Preparations, preparations and preparations.

2009-10-31T14:02:00.002+08:00

Assallamualaikum dan salam sejahtera.

Hari ini adalah 31hb Oktober 2009, hari terakhir untuk bulan Oktober. Heh Heh. Jangan terkejut, bukan berakhirnya .... (If you know what I mean)

Dalam dua hari lagi saya akan terbang ke KSA, untuk memulakan hidup yang baru. Insyaallah segala berjalan lancar. Malam ni sibuk sikit, buat makan untuk kawan-kawan dan saudara. Doa selamat selepas Maghrib.

Persiapan yang di sebut di atas adalah terjemaahan sijil-sijil ke bahasa inggeris untuk di terjemahkan lagi ke bahasa arab di Jubail nanti. Untuk kawan-kawan yang ada di Kuantan, terjemahan saya di buat di Mahkamah magistret Kuantan. Lebih kurang seminggu disiapnya.

Persiapan yang di perlukan (kalau ada silap, tolong betulkan),
Untuk keluarga yang ingin di bawa je.

1. Terjemah ke bahasa inggeris sijil-sijil beranak anak-anak.
2. Terjemah ke bahasa inggeris sijil kahwin.
3. Terjemah ke bahasa inggeris sijil-sijil sekolah yang akan di gunakan sahaja. (Berkenaan jawatan yang di ambil je)
4. Gambar belakang putih untuk isteri dan anak-anak. Semua sekali.

Ada lagi yang seterusnya tapi akan di sambung. Minta maaf sebab masa suntuk ni. Kena cari agen yang boleh di percayai, dan yang cepat. Dalam pengetahuan saya, ada Rayhar dan Firestar. Saya akan cuba guna Rayhar sebab murah dan ada yang mengatakan cepat.

Insyaallah saya bersambung secepat mungkin.

Wassalam.

Singapore Abuzz.

2009-10-12T10:51:00.012+08:00

Assalamualaikum and salam sejahtera.

Hari ini saya ingin bercerita tentang pelancongan saya ke Singapura pada 8hb October 2009. (Thanks Jason for the correction) Sebenarnya, tujuan saya pergi ke Singapura adalah untuk interview syarikat Borouge di UAE.

Bermulanya dari malam sebelumnya, saya bertolak pada pukul 8mlm untuk menuju ke Kuala Lumpur dahulu sebab nak ambil Passport saya yang disimpan oleh T+. Sudah lama juga T+ menyimpan Passport saya untuk mengendalikan Visa 'application' saya untuk ke KSA. Dapat juga passport saya dengan pelekat visa saya masa saya mengambilnya pada malam itu. Lepas tu, pergilah ke Pasir Gudang, Johor.

Sampai kat rumah abang saya di Pasir Gudang tu pukul 5 pagi dan selepas rehat seketika, abang saya pun hantar saya dengan isteri saya ke Woodlands untuk naik teksi ke Swissotel Merchant di Merchant road. Cakap pasal Singapura, saya tak tahu sangat tentang negara itu selain daripada Sentosa dan Zoo. Itupun dah lebih kurang 15 tahun tak gi sana.

Malaysian check point.

Taxi stand at Woodlands.

Singapore jam.

Sampai ke hotel tu pada pukul 8 pagi dan masuklah ke dalam dewan untuk isi borang dan bermulanya sesi interview. Masa pegawai memberitahu yang sesi itu akan di jalankan sepanjang hari, saya pun terkejut. Takkan saya nak suruh isteri saya tunggu 1 hari, dan saya pun memberitahu agen berkenaan yang saya tak akan menjalankan interview tersebut. Apa lagi, gi jalan le dengan isteri. Itu tujuan saya sebenarnya sebab ingat 'interview' sekejap je tapi tak tau pulak sepanjang hari.

Clark Quay.

MRT at Clark Quay.

Mula-mula cari kedai makan dulu. Pergi ke Subway, tak halal. Pergi ke kedai satu lagi, nasi lemak je halal. Akhirnya makan je kat Burger King. Susah juga nak cari makanan Halal di Singapura tapi selepas bertanya orang-orang di situ baru tahu mana nak pergi. Di 'shopping centre' ada 'food court' bernama 'Banquet', dan makanan pun beraneka jenis. Yang berlainan adalah ada satu papan tanda di depan menghalang orang dari membawa makanan tak Halal ke dalam. Barulah selesa makan di situ.

Monorail to Sentosa Island.

Keppel Harbour.

Sentosa Island renovations. (Future Development until 2010)

Lepas bersarapan di Burger King, pergilah ke Pulau Sentosa untuk melawat 'Underwater World'. Menggunakan MRT dari Clark Quay station ke Harbour Bay sampailah ke pelabuhan. Untuk ke Pulau Sentosa, naik pula monorail. Pastu naik bas 'Blue Line' ke 'Underwater World'. Banyak juga tempat-tempat untuk di kunjungi. Saya rasa satu hari pun tak habis tapi sebab kesuntukan masa, saya gi ke 'Underwater World' je. Tiket 'Underwater World' org dewasa SD22 seorang. Ok jugak 'Underwater World' ni, macam-macam ikan ada dan boleh suap makan ke ikan pari. Mula-mula takut tapi geli je sebab ikan pari menyedut makanan dan tak de gigi.

Additional games for the theme park.

Songs of the Sea. (Musical at the beach)

Blue Line bus.

At the touch pool.

Eels.

Sea life.

Ray fish.

Octopus.

Crab. (Tak ingat nama)

Nurse sharks.

Overhead view.

Seal performance.

Habis jalan lebih kurang 2 jam, menujulah ke Mustafa Centre. Semua orang kat ofis beritahu ada banyak barang yang murah kat situ so pergi jelah. Tempat ni macam Mydin tapi memang besar kalau banding dengan Mydin, 3 tingkat semuanya tapi panjang. Tak beli apapun, sebab tak berkenaan. Ingat nak tengok barang elektrik tapi tak banyak. Jalan sekejap, kita pun balik ke Rocoh (terminal Johor/ Singapura, Singarupa/ Johor) untuk menaiki teksi balik ke bandar Johor. Akhirnya sampai ke Kuantan pukul 2 pagi.

Sekian, assalamualaikum.

A new beginning.

2009-10-09T12:09:00.003+08:00

Salam semua, dan alhamdulillah sebab setelah selama 8 bulan menunggu, hasil menunggu telah dicapai.

Apa yang saya maksudkan di atas adalah Visa saya. Setelah masalah-masalah me'modern'kan visa application untuk ke KSA, akhirnya saya telah mendapat passport dengan approved visa.

Itu pun selepas 2 kali ke KL. Tapi, syukur dan legalah hati selepas tengok dengan sendiri 'sticker' yang ada di passport saya itu. "Resignation' saya pun dah 'tender'.

Sekian, assalammualaikum.

Salam di bulan Syawal

2009-10-07T10:52:00.006+08:00

Assalammualaikum warahmatullah,

Selamat Hari Raya, maaf zahir dan batin. Salam sejahtera.

Ingin juga saya meminta maaf sebab lama tak update blog saya ni. Baru saya tahu jugak ada yang baca untuk mengetahui perkembangan terkini dari saya tapi setakat ini, dukacita untuk memberitahu tidak ada yang menarik. Dari bulan Februari lepas, kerja saya adalah menunggu dan menunggu tapi alhamdulillah nampaknya ada yang menarik kebelakangan ini.

Di sebabkan kerajaan KSA nak 'modern'kan proses visa application dan 'migrant control', online medical dan e-pin serta 'bar code' telah di masukkan ke proses itu.

Ceritanya begini, dulu kena buat 'medical checkup' dan hantar semua dokumen ke agen tapi sekarang kena tunggu 'block visa'. Lepas tu kena tunggu agen masuk ke 'website' KSA dan 'create' e-pin. Lepas dapat e-pin barulah 'candidate' pergi buat 'medical checkup' di hospital tapi yang ada dalam senarai saja.

Letter with e-pin number.

New medical form.

Siap 'medical checkup', hantar semua dokumen ke agen masing-masing. Lepas tu kena tunggu pulak untuk embassy keluarkan 'bar code' candidate, canggih dah sekarang tapi baru lagi so memang ada sekatan-sekatan. Harap-harap semua ini akan mempercepatkan proses yang akan datang, insyaallah.

'Bar code' ini adalah identity kita, macam barang kat 'supermarket'le, heh heh. Pergi embassy, swipe. Pergi airport, swipe. Pergi imigrsen, swipe. Jadi 'product' pulak lah kita.

Untuk berita terkini, passport saya ada ti tangan 'embassy' KSA di KL. Menurut T+, untuk via application. Dah 3 hari dah passport saya ada di sana, itupun sebab sebelum tu ada masalah 'bar code' dan 'online medical'. Benda baru, apa nak buat. Tapi semua sekatan dah 'settle' dan sekarang tunggu jelah.

Pengumuman, sesiapa yang hendak mencuba cari kerja di UAE boleh pergi ke Swissotel Merchant Hotel di Singapore pada esok hari. Jawatan-jawatan ada di senarai di bawah ni.

Instrument Control Engineers
Inventory Controllers
Warehouse Supervisors
Mechanical Planners
E&I Planners
Schedulers
Contracts Engineers
Inspection Engineers
Condition Monitoring Engineers
Mechanical Trainers
E&I Trainers
Production Planners
Laboratory Technicians
Production Planners

For information about Borouge, please visit our website www.borouge.com
_________________________________________
Borouge - SHAPING the FUTURE with PLASTICS

Oklah setakat ni, sekian.

Wassalam.

Medical exam.

2009-09-03T09:21:00.004+08:00

Salam semua, apa khabar?

Alhamdulillah, segala urusan yang di nantikan telah sampai ke kumuncaknye. Heh heh, jangan fikir lain? Maksud saya, nak sampai ke penghujung dah.

Cerita berkenaan tajuk di atas, memang dah banyak kali saya buat medical tahun ni. Berapa? 3 untuk tahun ni. Yang pertama di KMC bulan 2, pas tu bulan 6 medical tahunan syarikat dan yang terakhir baru minggu lepas di KSH untuk permohonan yang terakhir. Dengan perubahan cara-cara permohonan Visa sekarang, itulah yang kita kena terima. Memang pun dah lama tapi nak buat macam mana? Bukan salah T+ tapi Kerajaan KSA yang buat perubahan ini, mungkin sebab H1N1 ataupun sebab keselamatan negara?

Minggu lepas ada penganas cuba membunuh Prince Muhammad bin Naif di kediaman dia tapi tak dapat. Berita lanjut di sini http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=125899&d=29&m=8&y=2009&pix=kingdom.jpg&category=Kingdom

Balik ke medical, semua telah selesai. Medical lulus, dokumen dah serah ke T+. Cuma sekarang tunggu Visa je baru tender 'resignation'. Takut nanti 'delay' lagi plak. Tak leh nak kata, macam-macam boleh berlaku.

Itu sajalah, kepada kawan-kawan beragama Islam, selamat berpuasa dan Maaf Zahir & Batin dari saya sekeluarga.

Assalamualaikum.

Light at the end of the tunnel.

2009-08-20T11:30:00.003+08:00

Assalamualaikum, maaf ye. Tajuk atas bukan tentang kematian tetapi berkenaan peluang yang akan di jadi kenyataan. Insyaallah.

Setelah menunggu selama 7 bulan iaitu dari hari interview pada bulan Januari sampai ke hari ini, dapat jugak berita yang block visa telah di terima oleh T+. Alhamdulillah, tetapi medical kena buat sekali lagi. Aiyoh, dahlah tambah berat. Tak exercise lagi tu. Macam mana eh? Tak pe gi je, serah semua ke Allah swt.

Untuk mereka yang 'blur', process visa sekarang bukan macam dulu. Untuk pergi ke KSA, mesti ada block visa ataupun nombor untuk visa application. Lepas tu kena gi 'online' dan dapatkan e-pin. E-pin ini untuk digunakan masa buat medical, itu pun kena pergi ke hospital yang di pilih oleh ministry KSA je. List ada di website embassy masing-masing.

Lepas siap medical, hospital tersebut akan hantar ke embassy negera masing-masing. Kalau guna agen, hard copy medical itu mesti di hantar kepada mereka dan application akan di process. Rasanye lepas 3 hari visa boleh di dapati. Paling cepat kot?

Tapi buat masa ini, T+ tengah process e-pin untuk batch Januari je. Lepas siap batch tu baru buat untuk batch May / June. Tak pasti sangat sebab tak tanya. Hopefully we will get our e-pin this week. Boleh gi buat medical minggu depan. Memang puasa dah kalau nak ambik darah, tapi kena gi kul 12 le. 8 hours fasting kan? Also mentioned by T+, batch ni paling cepat pun akan bertolak lepas raya ni. Takpe, tahun depan boleh raya kat sana. Insyaallah. Doa jelah semua berjalan lancar.

Conclusion. Bukan lampu bilik, bukan lampu 'porch' tapi peluang untuk memulakan hidup yang baru. Heh heh heh.

Sekian, wassalam.

Camping and fishing. (Jungle experience)

2009-08-12T14:26:00.006+08:00

Sebelum bulan Ramadhan tiba, saya ambil kesempatan untuk pergi berkelah bersama keluarga isteri saya.

Tempat yang kita pergi adalah di Air Putih, Kemaman. Masa yang di ambil untuk sampai ke tempat berkhemah mengambil lebih kurang 2 jam dari Bandar Kuantan. Ada yang panggil tempat tu Jeram Tujuh tapi saya tak pasti itu adalah tempat yang saya pergi.

Kita bertolak dari rumah pukul 9pagi dan berkumpul di Jabor untuk sarapan pagi sebelum berangkat pada pukul 10pagi. Adalah berhenti sini-sana untuk beli barang dan isi minyak tapi tidak lama jugak dan sampai ke destinasi lebih kurang pukul 12tghhari. Tempat yang di tujui itu boleh di lalui oleh kereta (kalau tak sayang) sebab jalan berbatu dan tanah merah di sebabkan tanah runtuh. Tapi telah di ratakan dan ada juga jalan yang elok. Dalam hutan kan, mestilah tanah dan batu. Takkan ada jalan tar pulak. Heh Heh.

Kami pergi dgn 4 buah kereta, 2 4x4, sebuah wira dan perdana saya. Alhamdulillah sampai jugak ke destinasi. Kotor jelah kereta. Tujuan pergi ke sana adalah untuk main air sungai sebab ada kanak-kanak, tapi mestilah kat alor yang cetek. Bahaya kalau yang air dalam. Dan untuk yang dewasa, mancinglah, apa lagi! Tapi tak mengecewakan jugak kat tempat tu, ikan baung dan patin di naikkan lepas 5 minit aje! Umpan, cacing. Ada juga ikan lampam yang tersangkut kat pukat. Tapi itu jelah yang dapat kat pukat walaupun pasang lebih 20jam. Ada juga pukat yang di pasang ke atas lagi tapi tak dapat langsung! Mungkin ikan dah cerdik kot?

Ikan yang terkena.

Apapun, yang seronok budak-budak lah. Bila lagi boleh main air dari pagi sampai ke petang. Air kat situ sejuk tapi klau dah biasa, tak rasa le. Saya sendiri pun dah cuba mandi air tu, pada pukul 2 pagi lagi. Memang betul air sejuk tapi selepas berendam, tak rasa pulak. Seronok jugak mandi bogel... (Mintak maaf kalau ada yang terasa.) Tapi memang bes lah.

Masakan yang di hidangkan sepanjang perkhemahan adalah sup tomyam, telur, kari ayam, sardin, ikan masin dan ikan segar yang di tangkap itu. Terima kasih lah kepada yang memasak.

Cukup lah, tengok lah gambar yang ada ni.

Khemah penginapan.

Sungai di kanan dan air mati di belah kiri.

Sungai mengalir ke bawah.

Nampak tenang tapi arus laju tu.

Tersembunyi.

Alur sungai. Belah kiri tempat mandi kanak-kanak.

Alur sungai bertembung sungai besar.

Kita datang dari atas tu.

Kolam kanak-kanak.

Sekian, assalamualaikum.

New regulations for pilgrims.

2009-08-06T16:43:00.000+08:00

Anti-flu steps finalized for Umrah pilgrims.

Muhammad Humaidan Arab News

JEDDAH: Precautionary measures against the spread of swine flu during the upcoming holy month of Ramadan have been approved by the committee on Haj and Umrah at the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Health Affairs Department in Makkah province, according to chairman of the committee Saad Jameel Al-Qurashi.

He explained that, under these measures, Umrah companies will be asked to provide resident medical doctors in all hotels in the holy city to examine and follow up the health condition of the occupants and to refer infected people to the government hospitals for treatment.

“A seminar to enlighten pilgrims about precautionary measures will be held in Makkah in September with the participation of a number of doctors and specialists,” he said. Al-Qurashi said Umrah companies would distribute masks among pilgrims coming from outside and added that awareness programs would be implemented to curb the spread of the disease among the guests of God.

He said the committee will sign contracts with a number of private hospitals and clinics to provide medical doctors to reside in hotels in Makkah to follow up on the health conditions of the residents and enlighten them about the precautionary measures they should follow to avoid the virus. Al-Qurashi asked all citizens, visitors and pilgrims to abide by the health measures to curb the spread of the swine flu and said all the health sectors in the holy city are geared up to take preventive and curative measures against the virus, particularly that a large number of people who flock into Makkah for Umrah during Ramadan are old people who are more susceptible to the infection. Al-Qurashi noted that pilgrims who have come for Umrah so far this year number more than 300,000 over the same period last year. He added that all government departments are doing their best to ensure that pilgrims perform their Umrah and Haj in ease and comfort. He also noted a drop in the number of external businessmen and VIPs coming for Umrah this year and said as a result, the prices of five-star hotels have gone down by 20 percent to 30 percent.

“It is obvious that this category of people were scared by the swine flu,” he added.Al-Qurashi said that it was natural for the prices of bus fares to rise by up to 20 percent during Ramadan because most of the buses are rented from neighboring countries.

Meanwhile, under instructions of Health Minister Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, the director of health affairs in Makkah, Dr. Khaled Obaid Zafar, presided over a meeting Wednesday which grouped together his assistants for curative and preventive medicine, directors of health affairs in Jeddah, Taif and Qunfudah and directors of general hospitals in the region to prepare the health plan for the month of Ramadan, especially under the light of the current swine flu pandemic.

Spokesman of health affairs in Makkah, Faiq Hussein said the meeting discussed precautionary and preventive measures that could be taken to protect visitors of the Grand Mosque during the fasting month.

“It also discussed the readiness of all hospitals to deal with emergency cases,” he added

Masih menunggu.

2009-07-17T09:30:00.003+08:00

Salam semua dan maaf sekali lagi sebab tak 'update' blog saya. Dah lebih sebulan duk sibuk (tak sibuk sangat, buat sibuk je) kerja dan bersama anak-anak. Mana tahu dalam masa terdekat ni insyallah dapat Visa. Ye, Visa masih tak dapat lagi.

Info yang terbaru dari T+ adalah Good conduct certificate telah pun di lulus. Untuk 'batch' saya yang ada lebih krg 40 org. Untuk yang 'batch' selepas tu lebih kurang 80org dapat offer untuk kerja di KSA. Yang tu pun block visa tak dapat lagi. Di katakan dalam 'final stages'.

Cerita pasal yang lepas, BPC telah mengadakan Family Day pada 4hb Julai di Awana Kijal. Saya adalah salah seorang AJK yang mengendalikan pengaturan tersebut. Macam-macam ada, tapi sampai pukul 3 ptg je. 'Booth' yang paling laku adalah 'coconut bowling' di mana kalau dapat jatuhkan semua pin, dapat patung dari IKEA. Ada juga yang tak dapat selepas mencuba sampai 12kali! Kesiannya, tapi ada juga rakan kerja yang sanggup mendermakan satu kepadanya. Ada juga kuda, 'inflatables' (mainan yang kena isi angin tu), sukan, dan 'telematch' serta makanan pagi dan tengahhari.

Dengan adanya kolam renang, anak saya apa lagi. Serang air le, dari tghhari sampai petang dia main air. Sampai tak nak makan. Pertunjukkan ahli silap mata dari Fuyoh magic pun dia tak gi tengok. Letih jugak kesini-kesana dan pada petang tu, lega dah habis. Boleh rehat, dan berendam dalam kolam renang. Daniel pun bersama juga pada sessi petang tu. Lynn pun tak tinggal, main jugak air sampai nak terjun kat air dalam lagi...

Itu lah cerita yang lalu, sekarang ni pulak tengah 'shutdown' untuk seminggu.

Sekian, wassalam.

The long absense.

2009-06-10T23:25:00.003+08:00

Minta maaf banyak-banyak kepada pembaca blog saya ni. Agak lama jugak tak tulis, disebabkan juga sebab memang senyap pun. Nak update progress Visa, tak de lagi. Nak cerita pasal kerja, takut kena saman pulak.

Tapi hari ini saya cerita berita yang kira gembira juga sebab kawan yang telah menjejak ke KSA telah kembali selepas 6 bulan di sana. (6 bulan kot?) Takpe, kalau tak betul nanti dia 'updatekan' saya. Memang gembira jumpa kawan, siapa yang tak gembira bukan kawan sejatilah tu... Heh Heh. Harap ada yang tak terasa ye?

Angost le yang saya ceritakan ni. Dia sampai kat Malaysia minggu lepas lagi sebab nak 'settlekan' perkara-perkara yang tak dapat di elakkan. Balik pun sebab rindu kat anak-anak dan bini gak. Pasal keluarga saya ketepikan, cerita pasal kerja k?

Sebelum bercerita mengenai pengalaman dia di sana, saya nak cakap sikit pasal Visa saya dan yang lain-lain yang akan pergi bersama, Insyallah. Setakat ni, block visa belum di terima oleh Think+ di sebabkan hendak menarik quota dari pekerja rakyat india dan bagi ke orang Malaysia. Di beritahu oleh T+, block visa kali ini akan di bawa oleh orang Sabic 13hb ni. Kali ni mereka akan ke sini untuk 'interview session' yang ke empat. Kita boleh berdoa jelah harap-harap betul block visa itu akan ke sini masa tu. Ada kawan-kawan yang tak sabar dah untuk menerima berita berkenaan 'application' tu termasuk saya juga. Insyallah saya akan update berita pada 14hb Jun ini.

Ok, gi ke Angost pulak. Dia tak bawak bini dan anak-anak sebab tak dapat 'family package' tapi alhamdulillah dia di naikkan ke panel selepas kerja beberapa bulan je. Tahniah Angost. Dia beritahu masa dia sampai kat sana dia terkejut sebab 'culture' yang berlainan so yang akan pergi ke sana kena bersedia untuk perubahan supaya boleh 'blend in' dengan orang di sana. Borak tak borak, sekejap je 3 jam. Hujan lebat pulak tu.

Oh, jumpa jugak kawan dia yang balik sekali. Hisyam namanye. Saya bertanya berkenaan bank di sana, Angost buka akaun Saudi Hollandi dan Hisyam buka di Riyadh Bank. Syarikat akan masuk gaji ke bank berkenaan masa gaji di keluarkan. Dan kalau ada siapa nak 'transfer' diut tu ke bank di Malaysia di kenakan SR80 untuk setiap transaksi. Tak kira berapa pun. Kalau 'transfer' melalui bank, mahal pulak kos dia.

Panjang dah... Akan di sambung...

Sekian, assalamualaikum.

Gambang Water Park, Kuantan.

2009-05-14T12:44:00.008+08:00

Minggu lepas, Persatuan SRC kami telah di jemput oleh pengurusan Sentoria yang mengendali Gambang Water Park di Gambang, Kuantan. Menurut mereka, tema itu akan di rasmikan pada hujung bulan 5 ini. Tetapi setelah melawat tapak tersebut, ada jugak la was-was yang tempat itu boleh di siapkan pada tarikh yang di sebut itu.

Setelah berborak panjang lebar, nampaknya tema air itu akan di buka pada bulan Julai tahun ini. Pasal tarikh buka, saya letakkan gambar untuk semua menghitungkan boleh ke tak boleh.

Overview of Gambang Water Park.

Ini di panggil penguin island.

Macam Middle east la pulak!

Artificial beach.

Err, no comments!

Slide...

Penguin Island.

Club house kot?

Dan menurut mereka, slide yang akan di adakan di situ adalah terpanjang di Asia. Check it out! Website boleh di layar di http://www.sentoria.com.my/leisure_hospitality_waterpark.html

Siapa nak gi cuba, bolehlah dalam bulan September kot, bayaran pun murah. Bawah RM20 seorang.

Sekian, wassalam.

BPC Joran 2009

2009-05-04T14:02:00.008+08:00

Salam semua, memandang saya tak 'update' blog saya dalam masa 2 minggu ni, ini pun jadilah.

BPC @ BASF Petronas Chemicals telah menanjurkan satu pertandingan Joran yang telah di adakan di Teluk Mok Nik, Kemaman pada 25hb April 2009. Suasana pada hari itu sungguh meriahkan dan di sambut dengan cuaca yang tidak begitu panas. Mungkin sebab tu ikan tak banyak kot?

Pemenang pada hari itu terdiri dari 2 orang sahaja, (itupun sebab mereka je yang dapat ikan, keh keh keh). Sila menikmati gambar-gambar di bawah.

Banner pertandingan.

Pantai Mok Nik. (Pemenang yang bertopi hitam)

Pantai yang luas dan pasir lembut.

Hadiah pertama, 6.5kgs.

Bukan pemenang, tolong je.

Menunggu untuk di timbang.

Hadiah kedua. (Berat tak tahu)

Ada banyak jugak cerita-cerita ikan terlepas, sangkut dan lain-lain lagi. Ada yang nampak ikan tenggiri, ye.. ikan tenggiri yang sesat kot, melompat depan muka mereka tapi terputus. Kesian ye, boleh tengok tapi tak boleh naik... Heh heh, berangan jelah.

Sekian, wassalam.

Lynn's 1st Birthday!

2009-04-16T10:08:00.006+08:00

Pada minggu yang lepas, hari Ahad 12hb April 2009 adalah 1 tahun selepas Lynn di lahirkan di KSH Kuantan.

Kami telah mengadakan satu kenduri untuk meraikan hari tersebut. Lynn sekarang berat dia adalah lebih kurang 9.8kg dan boleh berjalan tampa di pimpin. Gigi dah ada 4, 2 di atas dan 2 di bawah. Heh heh, masa dia sengih je nampak.

Berikut adalah gambar-gambar pada hari tu...

Letih...

Bersuka ria.

Untuk pose aje...

Potong kek.

Dah ngantuk dah?

Anak Bondzer.

Tetamu... (Boss lama)

Ada orang panggil saya ke?

Nak dukung...

Maaf le gambar tak banyak, sibuk melayan tetamu...

Sekian, wassalam.

Exchanger changeout.

2009-04-08T14:04:00.013+08:00

Last week was a very busy week as we had to replace a damaged heat exchanger with a new one. The problem started with a leak from the tubes and as the product mixed with water and produces acid, it ate up the equipment.
>

Now, is replacing a 53000kgs heat exchanger easy? Sounds easy.Preparations had to be carried out from the heavy lifting to the structural installations and of course manpower used for the job. The first thing needed was scaffolding to access the flange connections and the insulation which had to be fully removed.

Another problem started when the insulation was removed, no lifting trunnion! The lifting 'ear' is to secure the wire ropes so that lifting can be carried out without using the support lugs and also for tailing purposes. So how? Engineers had to be called in for the design and fabrication of the trunnion. Good thing that Wong from TC helped out the expediting of the trunnion fabrication.

The newly installed trunnion.

The trunnion was completed after 4 days of waiting and now the lifting part. With a 400T crane for main lifting and a 160T crane for tailing, everything was ready. The exchanger had to be lifted up for about 3", then only the structure could be removed. In about 2 hrs, the structure was not fully removed but all bolts was removed and the beams was moved to the side for a bigger opening during lifting. Some hiccups was evident as the nozzles and bellow cover was slightly bigger than the diameter of the tubesheet.
>

Lifting...

The 'hole' after lifting.

Safely down.

The new exchanger was in place at about 6pm, and the structure had to be installed before lowering the exchanger in place. The job was completed at 11pm. Thank goodness there were no incidents.

A job well done goes to the Plant Workshop team and all the supporting contractors in this project. Syabas!

Holiday at the hills.

2009-04-08T09:36:00.016+08:00

Assalamualaikum semua, mintak maaf lah lama tak update. Sebenarnya tak ada apa yang kena update pun, semua senyap je. Ini adalah kisah percutian keluarga saya di Genting Highlands minggu lepas.

Perjalanan bermula pada hari Khamis, selepas 'breakfast' lebih kurang pukul 10pagi kami pun bertolak dari Kuantan. Cuaca mendung ala-ala panas sikit dan perjalanan mengambil masa lebih kurang 3 jam. Itu pun sebab berhenti acak kali di R&R untuk rehat dan solat.

Sampailah di atas bukit lebih kurang 2:30ptg. Tempat yang pertama kami tuju adalah 'Splash pool' dan ini adalah sebab utama kami bercuti di situ untuk si kecik tu bermain air. Baju renang pun beli yang baru.

Yang lemah masa kat situ adalah masa menunggu untuk 'check-in', masa daftar nama tu ada lebih kurang 150 org sebelum saya. Semua guna nombor, so tahulah berapa orang yang menunggu dan masa yang di ambil lebih kurang 2jam! Apa lagi, hantarlah bini dan anak-anak gi main air dulu. Nasib baik masa nak gi counter, lebih kurang 5 org aje sebelum tiba nombor saya. 5 minit dan dah 'settle'. Kalau siapa nak bercuti di Genting Highlands, 'check-in' sebelum 1ptg.

Masa pun dah nak masuk Maghrib dan kami pun bersiaplah ke bilik untuk mandi, solat dan bersolek (heh heh untuk bini lah). Pergilah makan dengan mak-ayah saya serta keluarga kawan mak saya. Dah lepas main air dan udara yang sejuk mestilah lapar kan?

Keluarga saya yang belakang tu...

Sebelum tiba di kedai makan, Daniel pun dah mula dengan 'nak main, nak main' sebab 'game-game' semua di sebelah kedai makan. Apa lagi, yang dewasa makan, yang kecik main. Sebelum ni saya pun dah beli unlimited pass untuk dia, bayar sekali untuk setahun dan boleh main kat indoor dan outdoor. Dah tahu akan pergi lebih 3 kali setahun, kira-kira save jugaklah.
Mainlah dengan puas Daniel...

Memang puas pun Daniel main, dan Lynn pun berjalan merata-rata.

Letih berjalan.

Pada esok hari, kami pun ke outdoor park. Dapat jugak lah patung untuk Lynn.

Patung tu lebih besar dari Lynn...

Cuaca ok, udara pun sejuk sikit sebab mendung. Kami tak main pun sebab yang kecik tu tak de orang nak jaga, Daniel je yang sibuk. (Maaf la, lupa nak ambil gambar banyak.)

Sampailah masa untuk makan tengahhari, dah lebih kurang pukul 2ptg. Kami pun berkumpul di Happy Valley Restoran dan bersarapan. Lepas habis makan, Daniel pun ngantok dan tidur atas bahu saya. Dan Lynn yang letih berjalan tu pun tidur jugak. Maka kami pun baliklah...

Boycott Lingerie shops with male salesmen.

2009-03-26T11:13:00.002+08:00

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Before her wedding last year, Huda Batterjee went abroad to buy her bridal lingerie — she just couldn't bear the humiliation of discussing her most intimate apparel with a man. She had little choice: there are almost no saleswomen in Saudi Arabia. Now a group of Saudi women — sick of having to deal with male sales staff when buying bras or panties, not to mention frilly negligees or thongs — have launched a campaign this week to boycott lingerie stores until they employ women.

It's an irony of the kingdom's strict segregation of the sexes. Only men are employed as sales staff to keep women from having to deal with male customers or work around men.
But in lingerie stores, that means men are talking to women about bras or thongs, looking them up and down to determine their cup sizes, even rubbing the underwear to show how stains can be washed out.

The result is mortifying for everyone involved — shoppers, salesmen, even the male relatives who accompany the women.
"When I buy underwear in Saudi, some salesmen say, 'This is not the right size for you,'" said Batterjee. "You feel almost taken advantage of. Why is he looking at me in this way?"
So for her wedding trousseau, the 26-year-old went to neighboring Dubai to shop. She now lives in Virginia with her husband.

Heba al-Akki, a businesswoman who supports the boycott, said when she shops for underwear, "I go to a store, pick this, this and that and leave quickly. It's as if I'm buying illegal stuff."
It's not easy on the salesmen either.

At one lingerie boutique in a Riyadh mall Wednesday, salesmen blushed when asked about their jobs. All said they back the campaign to hire female sales staff.

"Even in such open regions as the U.S. and Europe, men do not sell underwear to women," said store manager Husam al-Mutayim, a 27-year-old Egyptian. "I don't let any of my female relatives buy underwear from men. It's just too embarrassing."

Mannequins — headless in keeping with a ban on realistic depictions of women — were displayed in the shop window dressed in modest pajamas. Inside, racks held an array of colorful bras, lacy panties and sexy nighties — along with more day-to-day undergarments.

Under Saudi Arabia's strict interpretation of Islamic law, women are required to cover themselves head-to-toe in black robes in public. But in the privacy of their own homes — and bedrooms — they can wear whatever they want, and sexy undergarments are popular.

But buying them is another story. Fitting rooms are banned in the kingdom — the idea of a woman undressing in a public place with men just outside is unthinkable. So a woman is never sure she has chosen the right size until she gets it home.

"I have bras with sizes ranging from 32 to 38 because I can't get to try them on," said Modie Batterjee, Huda's sister and one of the boycott organizers.
Even male relatives get dragged into the embarrassment. Women are allowed to shop without a male relative, but husbands or brothers sometimes insist on coming along — or the women want them there — to ensure salesmen stay respectful.

Modie Batterjee recalls how her husband fled a lingerie store because he could not bear to hear her explain to a salesman that she wanted high-waisted underwear to hold in her tummy after their daughter's birth.

The boycott was launched on Tuesday by about 50 women who gathered in the Red Sea port of Jiddah at the Al-Bidaya Breast-feeding Resource and Women's Awareness Center, which is run by Modie Batterjee.

The aim is to push for implementation of a law that has been on the books since 2006 which says only female staff can be employed in women's apparel stores.
The law has never been put into effect, partly due to hard-liners in the religious establishment who oppose employing women in mixed environments like malls, where religious police are always on the lookout to keep men and women from interacting.

Hiring women would also deprive men of jobs in a country where more than 10 percent of men are unemployed.
"We are raising awareness and calling for the implementation of the law," said Reem Asaad, a finance lecturer at Dar al-Hikma Women's College in Jiddah, who supports the boycott.

The campaign calls on women to shop at the country's few women-only lingerie stores. Usually stand-alone boutiques or located in malls that have women-only sections, these shops have no windows to ensure passing men cannot look in — and giving women the freedom to actually try things on.

How much impact the boycott call will have is unclear. Almost 1,700 people signed an online petition posted by Asaad on the social networking Web site Facebook. A few Saudi papers have written about it, but the campaign depends mostly on word of mouth.

Bagai air tidak di usik.

2009-03-23T13:40:00.003+08:00

Assalamualaikum semua, minta maaf lama tak menulis di blog saya ini. Ringkas ceritanya adalah sebab tidak ada apa-apa menarik dan perkembangan pun macam tajuk di atas. Nak geram tak boleh, nak marah tak boleh dan nak sedih pun control jelah. Kesabaran adalah sesuatu yang di ajar oleh Allah s.w.t dan apa yang saya boleh buat adalah berdoa je.

Oleh kerana T+ tidak dapat lagi block visa dari KSA, maka process application tidak dapat di hantar lagi oleh mereka. Tiap-tiap minggu jugak lah saya bertanya dan si Farah pun takleh nak jawab. Nak buat macam mana, sabar jelah...

Untuk menambahkah kesabaran itu adalah membaca blog Neezashahril dan blog-blog yang lain yang ada update. Tahniah kepada Kak Neeze yang tidak terputus-putus dengan blognye! Baru tak bosan.

Menambah cerita saya dari blog yang sebelum ni, Lynn, anak perempuan saya telah pulih dari HFMD yang telah di sahkan oleh Dr Lee dari KSH. Katanye virus itu dah tak ada, (tak ada?) saya tanya, dan jawab dr tu sebab demam dah tak ada, virus pun tak adalah. Mmmm, betul jugak cakap dia, virus kalau ada akan menyebabkan demam atau symptom yang lain seperti muntah, pening, sakit badan dll lagi kot? Bersyukurlah dan semua ini dalam 4 hari je. Tapi dapatlah parut kat lutut dia akibat dari jerawat (nampak macam jerawat, tak tahu nama betul) sebesar 5 sen mak ooi! Sekarang jalan je kerja dia, duduk pun sebab letih. Gigi pun dah ada 3, 2 di bawah dan 1 di atas. Maaf ye, tak sempat nak ambil gambar, masa nak ambil mulut dia tutup plak! Heh heh, nanti saya cuba lagi.

Oklah, nanti tulis panjang sangat bosan la pulak. Sekian, assalamualaikumwaramatullahiwabbarakatu.

HFMD

2009-03-12T01:12:00.003+08:00

Pada hari ini, 11hb Mac 2009 satu berita yang mengejutkan saya dengan isteri saya apabila membawa anak perempuan saya ke klinik.

Bermulanya 1 minggu yang lalu, di mana Lynn dengan tidak berhentinya air liur dari mulutnya. Kita rasa ini di sebabkan oleh tumbuhan gigi yang baru dan tidak merisaukannya. Baru 1 yang nampak di bahagian atas dan mungkin ada 3 lagi yang menunggu untuk tumbuh.

Di sebabkan perkara ini, dia menangis setiap kali berasa sakit dan mula kurang makan. Sebelum ini, makan saja kerja dia hingga berat dia sekarang dekat 10kilo pada umur 11bulan. 3 hari yang lepas, demam pulak dia dan kita pun ingat di sebabkan oleh pertumbuhan gigi itu. Hari ini pula cirit-birit dan nampak macam ada jerawat di lututnya. Selepas memeriksa tempat yang lain, di dapati jugak di kakinya dan tangannya. Dengan serta merta, kami pun bawanya ke klinik dan doktor memberitahu ini adalah Hand, Foot and Mouth dsease!

Terkejutnya kita mendengar keputusan doktor itu sebab telah pernah mendengar berita kematian budak-budak dari penyakit ini dan berita-berita lain mengenai penyakit ini. Risaulah jugak sebab terkena kat anak saya. Doktor pun memberitahu penyakit ini tidak begitu serious dan tidak ada ubatnya (tak ada ubat dia kata?) Dia pun cerita yang virus ini mesti di lawan oleh antibody dalam badannya sendiri. Antibodynya mesti di bina sendiri hingga cukup untuk melawan virus tersebut. Oleh itu, ubat yang di beri ada calamine lotion sahaja untuk menyapu kat tempat jerawat itu.

Kisah ini bukan untuk menceritakan pasal penyakit anak saya tapi pengetahuan berkenaan Penyakit Tangan, Kaki dan Mulut (HFMD).

Di bawah adalah sedikit penjelasan berkenaan HFMD ini, dan saya harap ia berguna. Sekian, asssalammualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatu.

Description

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a common viral illness of infants and children. The disease causes fever and blister-like eruptions in the mouth and/or a skin rash. HFMD is often confused with foot-and-mouth (also called hoof-and-mouth) disease, a disease of cattle, sheep, and swine; however, the two diseases are not related—they are caused by different viruses. Humans do not get the animal disease, and animals do not get the human disease.

Illness

The disease usually begins with a fever, poor appetite, malaise (feeling vaguely unwell), and often with a sore throat.

One or 2 days after fever onset, painful sores usually develop in the mouth. They begin as small red spots that blister and then often become ulcers. The sores are usually located on the tongue, gums, and inside of the cheeks.

A non-itchy skin rash develops over 1–2 days. The rash has flat or raised red spots, sometimes with blisters. The rash is usually located on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet; it may also appear on the buttocks and/or genitalia.

A person with HFMD may have only the rash or only the mouth sores.

Cause

HFMD is caused by viruses that belong to the enterovirus genus (group). This group of viruses includes polioviruses, coxsackieviruses, echoviruses, and enteroviruses.

Coxsackievirus A16 is the most common cause of HFMD, but other coxsackieviruses have been associated with the illness.

Enteroviruses, including enterovirus 71, have also been associated with HFMD and with outbreaks of the disease.

How It Is Spread

Infection is spread from person to person by direct contact with infectious virus. Infectious virus is found in the nose and throat secretions, saliva, blister fluid, and stool of infected persons. The virus is most often spread by persons with unwashed, virus-contaminated hands and by contact with virus-contaminated surfaces.

Infected persons are most contagious during the first week of the illness.

The viruses that cause HFMD can remain in the body for weeks after a patient's symptoms have gone away. This means that the infected person can still pass the infection to other people even though he/she appears well. Also, some persons who are infected and excreting the virus, including most adults, may have no symptoms.

HFMD is not transmitted to or from pets or other animals.

Factors That Increase the Chance for Infection or Disease

Everyone who has not already been infected with an enterovirus that causes HFMD is at risk of infection, but not everyone who is infected with an enterovirus becomes ill with HFMD.

HFMD occurs mainly in children under 10 years old but can also occur in adults. Children are more likely to be at risk for infection and illness because they are less likely than adults to have antibodies to protect them. Such antibodies develop in the body during a person’s first exposure to the enteroviruses that cause HFMD.

Infection results in immunity to (protection against) the specific virus that caused HFMD. A second case of HFMD may occur following infection with a different member of the enterovirus group.

Diagnosis

HFMD is one of many infections that result in mouth sores. However, health care providers can usually tell the difference between HFMD and other causes of mouth sores by considering the patient’s age, the symptoms reported by the patient or parent, and the appearance of the rash and sores.

Samples from the throat or stool may be sent to a laboratory to test for virus and to find out which enterovirus caused the illness. However, it can take 2–4 weeks to obtain test results, so health care providers usually do not order tests.

Treatment and Medical Management

There is no specific treatment for HFMD.
Symptoms can be treated to provide relief from pain from mouth sores and from fever and aches:
- Fever can be treated with antipyretics (drugs that reduce fevers).
- Pain can be treated with acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or other over-the-counter pain relievers.
- Mouthwashes or sprays that numb pain can be used to lessen mouth pain.
Fluid intake should be enough to prevent dehydration (lack of body fluids). If moderate-to-severe dehydration develops, it can be treated medically by giving fluids through the veins.

Prevention

A specific preventive for HFMD is not available, but the risk of infection can be lowered by following good hygiene practices.
Good hygiene practices that can lower the risk of infection include
- Washing hands frequently and correctly (see Clean Hands Save Lives! ) and especially after changing diapers and after using the toilet
- Cleaning dirty surfaces and soiled items, including toys, first with soap and water and then disinfecting them by cleansing with a solution of chlorine bleach (made by adding 1 tablespoon of bleach to 4 cups of water)
- Avoiding close contact (kissing, hugging, sharing eating utensils or cups, etc.) with persons with HFMD

Vaccination Recommendations

No vaccine is available to protect against the enteroviruses that cause HFMD.

Complications

Complications from the virus infections that cause HFMD are not common, but if they do occur, medical care should be sought.

Viral or "aseptic meningitis can rarely occur with HFMD. Viral meningitis causes fever, headache, stiff neck, or back pain. The condition is usually mild and clears without treatment; however, some patients may need to be hospitalized for a short time.

Other more serious diseases, such as encephalitis (swelling of the brain) or a polio-like paralysis, result even more rarely. Encephalitis can be fatal.
There have been reports of fingernail and toenail loss occurring mostly in children within 4 weeks of their having hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). At this time, it is not known whether the reported nail loss is or is not a result of the infection. However, in the reports reviewed, the nail loss has been temporary and nail growth resumed without medical treatment.

Cameras...

2009-03-11T12:46:00.008+08:00

The fun part about starting a hobby is the shopping. The process of surveying for the best specifications, reading through reviews, checking with peers, rummaging through forums, scouting for best bargains and then comes the finale. You purchase it and excitement stops.But then, for some hobby like dslr photography the fun doesn't have to stop there. The anticipation for getting the next gadgets continues. You got to have lenses. Good lenses.

I do not mean that the kit lens SAL17-70 is useless. It does won itself some pretty impressive rating from http://www.dyxum.com/. Same goes for the SAL70-200 which it is pretty sharp as compared to the SAL75-300.

But good is often the enemy of excellence. So the pursue has to continue.I knew the G lenses are out of my league (for now) and that there are loads of superb pre-owned minolta lenses at a bargain. I have basically been reading tons of reviews on the Minolta 50mm F1.7. Though with the crop factor of 1.5 this lens is actually a 75mm (not an ideal range), I read that it has some impressive sharpness even in low light conditions. And its excellent for portraits. This was my first "must haves'.I managed to hunt down a bargain at forum Free Trade Zone (Malaysian Photography). An old school minolta enthusiast put his Minolta 50mm F1.7 for sale at RM450. It was a no brainer. I called, we met after 30 minutes. Inspection shows no oily blades, no fungus, snappy operations. I took two shots. Wow!

I thought I would be content with the range offered by kitties 18-70mm, 70-210mm zoomy and super fast prime 50mm but then I saw picture like this:

Above: picture from ephotozine taken with Sigma APO 70-300mm. Taken using macro 1/800sec at f/8 and ISO500. Not that I want to make it my life purpose hunting down dragon flies and shooting them during flights. Not that I have the skills, at the moment, anyway. But there is something about the game of gadget chase that, if its out there, you got to have it. My range is currently limited to 200mm. I have to do something about it. Why 200mm when you can have 300mm?

The Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO DG Macro offers a pretty decent image quality for the money. With a beautiful lens case.

I have been reading superb reviews about the Minolta 24-85mm and the Minolta 28-105mm. These are pretty old lenses like the Minolta 50mm F1.7, but there are plenty lying around Ebay if you are willing to pay for the shipping. These lenses are known for the legendary Minolta colours and sharpness for that price.

Above: The Minolta 28-105mm F3.5.

Pictures below are taken at the Buttrefly and Bird park in KL.

Dari Blog Mysyarill...

2009-03-06T10:44:00.001+08:00

Semak, jangan tak semak!

Check your status: http://www.imi. gov.my/semak. aspx

300,000 dilarang keluar negara
KOTA KINABALU 3 Mac - Kira-kira 78,000 peminjam Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional (PTPTN) adalah antara 300,000 rakyat negara ini yang dilarang keluar negara.
Ketua Pengarah Imigresen, Datuk Mahmood Adam berkata, mereka telah disenarai hitam oleh pelbagai jabatan dan agensi kerajaan seperti pihak keselamatan, imigresen, kastam, mahkamah dan PTPTN.

"Seramai 200,000 warga asing pula tidak dibenarkan masuk ke negara ini atas pelbagai sebab termasuk faktor keselamatan, " katanya kepada pemberita semasa melawat Pejabat Imigresen Sabah di Likas, hari ini. Pada masa ini terdapat kira-kira 6.7 juta pemegang pasport Malaysia. Beliau turut menasihati orang ramai supaya menyemak status pasport mereka sama ada disekat atau tidak untuk ke luar negara.
Menurutnya, mereka boleh berbuat demikian dengan melayari laman web Jabatan Imigresen di http://www.imi. gov.my. "Ada baiknya orang ramai membuat semakan awal secara online bagi mengelakkan rasa malu apabila mengetahui pasport mereka tidak sah, sewaktu tiba di lapangan terbang untuk ke luar negara," katanya. Beliau berkata, sistem online itu diperkenalkan sejak 5 Februari lalu dan menerima lebih 200,000 hit setakat ini.

Dalam pada itu, Mahmood berkata, jumlah pekerja asing yang memperbaharui pas lawatan kerja di Malaysia meningkat kepada 2.3 juta orang tahun lalu berbanding 2.2 juta tahun sebelumnya. "Di Sabah saja, 197,000 pekerja asing menyambung permit kerja tahun lalu berbanding 230,000 orang pada tahun sebelumnya," katanya.

Gambar-gambar kenangan.

2009-02-27T10:05:00.004+08:00

Gambar-gambar dari Hutan Lipur Berkelah di Semuji.

Kem penginapan.

Adam dan si kecik nya.

Adam sekeluarga.

Ayam bakar.

dan pembakarnya...

Nurnadzirah di saut dari air!

The gang, cuma takde Adam je.