Memoirs of a Taiping Boy
Wednesday, 7 December 2011
Peak season this December holidays
Wow. have been trying to get some hotels reservation via my holiday membership but have not gotten any. The one in Malacca is full, so is the one at Cameron Highlands. The HelpDesk staff proposed Kuantan or Cherating but my wife is not very keen about the two destinations. Now trying Pangkor Island. Hope this one goes through.
Quality of A Leader/ Manager
Got to share this with you. Just came to know that one Senior Manager (about 10 years old younger than me) is leaving our company for a new job, His new position is aVice President, heading a division of a local bank. As it is, he got the job based on his paper credentials and technical knowledge rather than his managerial/ leadership skills, a big jump from his present post.
His current position is as a manager of a small technical unit (no, I do not report to him but we do work together). He has 4 staff reporting to him. In the 7 years of working together, he had on several occasion seeked my "wisdom" in the issues of managing people. He had never had to manage a team before and now as a manager he has to be responsible and accountable for his team. His next job is to be a leader/manager of a big IT division? Wow, I wish him good luck to that.
So, what makes a good leader or the qualities of a good manager?
1. Discipline - as a leader you have to set the good example to your team. Whatever you do or say, reflects upon you. Know your roles and responsiblities.
2. Level headedness (presence of mind) - stay calm and act sensibly in situation of crisis.
3. Self respect - respect yourself , others will respect you (it is not about ego). Be mindful in how you behave, how you talk.
4. Wisdom in decision making - decisions are well thought-out and analysed. Decisions made in haste reflects badly on you.
5. Integrity - trustworthy and sincerity. Show that you really care.
6. Positive attitude - you need to motivate and inspire your team to achieve results.
7. Give credit where credit is due - remember that it is with your team members support that make you successful.
8. Ask if you don't know - learn from your staff. Some have been working there many years before you. Only from them you would know what makes them tick.
9. Provide guidance - as their leader, you are to help your staff to be better, whether in their work or in their lives.
10. Get, train and keep the right people.
Remember as leaders/managers, we are to work with other people to achieve results. Keep yourself in a "silo" or build a virtual brick wall around you, will spell disaster to your career and your team.
His current position is as a manager of a small technical unit (no, I do not report to him but we do work together). He has 4 staff reporting to him. In the 7 years of working together, he had on several occasion seeked my "wisdom" in the issues of managing people. He had never had to manage a team before and now as a manager he has to be responsible and accountable for his team. His next job is to be a leader/manager of a big IT division? Wow, I wish him good luck to that.
So, what makes a good leader or the qualities of a good manager?
1. Discipline - as a leader you have to set the good example to your team. Whatever you do or say, reflects upon you. Know your roles and responsiblities.
2. Level headedness (presence of mind) - stay calm and act sensibly in situation of crisis.
3. Self respect - respect yourself , others will respect you (it is not about ego). Be mindful in how you behave, how you talk.
4. Wisdom in decision making - decisions are well thought-out and analysed. Decisions made in haste reflects badly on you.
5. Integrity - trustworthy and sincerity. Show that you really care.
6. Positive attitude - you need to motivate and inspire your team to achieve results.
7. Give credit where credit is due - remember that it is with your team members support that make you successful.
8. Ask if you don't know - learn from your staff. Some have been working there many years before you. Only from them you would know what makes them tick.
9. Provide guidance - as their leader, you are to help your staff to be better, whether in their work or in their lives.
10. Get, train and keep the right people.
Remember as leaders/managers, we are to work with other people to achieve results. Keep yourself in a "silo" or build a virtual brick wall around you, will spell disaster to your career and your team.
Tuesday, 6 December 2011
Family Story #1 - About my father Part 2
More about my dad. As a Hospital Assistant, my father was posted to several hospitals or clinics in the state of Perak. I remember vaguely the Taiping Prisons quarters when my dad was an HA there. The old wooden quarters was located behind the Taiping Museum. Typical of the workers quarters of the old days. The main structure was above ground on wooden beams while the kitchen and bathroom was on the ground, at the rear. By then, he had bought a second-hand car, a Ford station-wagon.
Then, we were at Bagan Serai Clinic. The Clinic was a two-storey building, where the clinic was the ground floor while we lived upstairs. When he was re-posted to Taiping Hospital, we lived at a rented house at Jalan Beringin, Asamkumbang. Later, father was posted to Lumut hospital (circa 1966 to 1968), the family was located at a rented house number 76, Creagh Road (now Jalan Muzaffar Shah). While he was posted at Lumut, dad would took me and my elder brother to stay with him during the school holidays. Since he was alone, he was billeted at the Hospital's batchelors quarters. It was a small room fitted with a single bed, a writing table and a cupboard. So, my brother and I slept on a matress placed on the floor.
I got to tell you this. It was at the Lumut government staff club that I first saw the jackpot machine. I think it was 20 cents per slot, any chap would try to strike it with a dollar or two in 20 cents coins.
By 1969, dad was transferred back to Taiping Hospital where he remained until retirement in 1971, in the position of Supervisor to the General Staff. The General Staff included the ambulance drivers, the office boys, the Hospital Kitchen staff and the labourers (gardeners and janitors or "amahs").
Father had many friends of all races. Many people seemed to know him wherever we went. The sellers at the market, the grocery shops, even the police and fire department. Maybe because Taiping was a small town. Today, the towkay of a furniture shop in Taiping still remember my dad and family.
Dad's closest colleagues were Mohamad Isa and Thambyrajah.
I say, getting late. Sorry chaps. Got to pack up and go home.
To be continued....
Then, we were at Bagan Serai Clinic. The Clinic was a two-storey building, where the clinic was the ground floor while we lived upstairs. When he was re-posted to Taiping Hospital, we lived at a rented house at Jalan Beringin, Asamkumbang. Later, father was posted to Lumut hospital (circa 1966 to 1968), the family was located at a rented house number 76, Creagh Road (now Jalan Muzaffar Shah). While he was posted at Lumut, dad would took me and my elder brother to stay with him during the school holidays. Since he was alone, he was billeted at the Hospital's batchelors quarters. It was a small room fitted with a single bed, a writing table and a cupboard. So, my brother and I slept on a matress placed on the floor.
I got to tell you this. It was at the Lumut government staff club that I first saw the jackpot machine. I think it was 20 cents per slot, any chap would try to strike it with a dollar or two in 20 cents coins.
By 1969, dad was transferred back to Taiping Hospital where he remained until retirement in 1971, in the position of Supervisor to the General Staff. The General Staff included the ambulance drivers, the office boys, the Hospital Kitchen staff and the labourers (gardeners and janitors or "amahs").
Father had many friends of all races. Many people seemed to know him wherever we went. The sellers at the market, the grocery shops, even the police and fire department. Maybe because Taiping was a small town. Today, the towkay of a furniture shop in Taiping still remember my dad and family.
Dad's closest colleagues were Mohamad Isa and Thambyrajah.
I say, getting late. Sorry chaps. Got to pack up and go home.
To be continued....
Monday, 5 December 2011
70th World War Two Anniversary of the Pacific War
70 years ago (7 Dec 1941), Japan attacked Pearl Harbour, which opened the Second World War in the Pacific. After that, Japanese forces began their invasion of the Far East, the Philipines and swiftly down Indo-China, Thailand, Malaya, Borneo and the Dutch East-Indies (Indonesia).
My family (Father, mom, my eldest sister and brother) left Taiping and took refuge with some relatives village at Matang Gelugor. This village is located somewhere behind the Kota Ngah Ibrahim, Matang. My father was serving as an HA at Taiping Hospital, then. Mother told me of the retreating Australian soldiers who stopped to rest at the Kota Ngah Ibrahim. The soldiers were short of food and the villagers helped to provide whatever they could - bread, rice with dried fish. One day, a few Japanese fighter planes strafed the area. The Ozzie soldiers managed to downed one aircraft which crashed and damaged the brick fence of the Kota. The Ozzie troops left the area towards Kuala Kangsar when the Japanese troops reached Taiping. During the Japanese occupation, father stayed at the Hospital quarters and visited his family at Matang Gelugor on his offday. Hospital staff were spared ill treatment by the Japs, for obvious reasons, they also needed help to attend to their wounded.
Father told me of the poor walking-wounded British soldiers were rounded up by the Japanese and taken to Taiping Prison (later they were sent to Singapore Changi Gaol). Those that were badly wounded were shot.
Lacking proper currency, Hospital staff were paid with a monthly ration of rice, milk powder, sugar and salt, which was still barely enough to feed father's family of four. So, the famed tale of eating tapioca, keledek(yam) and potatoes by many people of that generation. Travel was by bicycle since fuel rations were for Japanese officers or Government vehicles only (anyway, only the "Tuans" had cars - DO, DE, OCPD, rich towkays and OBJs. Bicycle shop owners were considered well to do those days).
An uncle of mine was nearly beheaded by the Japs because he was caught with a revolver in his bag. He was however released after managing to convinced a Jap officer that he had found the revolver outside his home and was on his way to Taiping Police station to surrender the gun (fortunate for him that my other two uncles came to his aid as witnesses).
Everyone was happy when the Japanese surrendered in 1945 and the return of the British. However, there was gap of almost one month during which the Bintang Tiga (MPAJA) took control of various parts of the country. People lived in fear because the MPAJA seeked revenge by killing those who were suspected of aiding the Japs.
As Hospital staff, my father and family was not ill-treated by the MPAJA. The British Military Administration came and brought back some normalcy in the people's life.
I end this jot with a prayer to those who had lost their lives during the War and pray for World Peace.
My family (Father, mom, my eldest sister and brother) left Taiping and took refuge with some relatives village at Matang Gelugor. This village is located somewhere behind the Kota Ngah Ibrahim, Matang. My father was serving as an HA at Taiping Hospital, then. Mother told me of the retreating Australian soldiers who stopped to rest at the Kota Ngah Ibrahim. The soldiers were short of food and the villagers helped to provide whatever they could - bread, rice with dried fish. One day, a few Japanese fighter planes strafed the area. The Ozzie soldiers managed to downed one aircraft which crashed and damaged the brick fence of the Kota. The Ozzie troops left the area towards Kuala Kangsar when the Japanese troops reached Taiping. During the Japanese occupation, father stayed at the Hospital quarters and visited his family at Matang Gelugor on his offday. Hospital staff were spared ill treatment by the Japs, for obvious reasons, they also needed help to attend to their wounded.
Father told me of the poor walking-wounded British soldiers were rounded up by the Japanese and taken to Taiping Prison (later they were sent to Singapore Changi Gaol). Those that were badly wounded were shot.
Lacking proper currency, Hospital staff were paid with a monthly ration of rice, milk powder, sugar and salt, which was still barely enough to feed father's family of four. So, the famed tale of eating tapioca, keledek(yam) and potatoes by many people of that generation. Travel was by bicycle since fuel rations were for Japanese officers or Government vehicles only (anyway, only the "Tuans" had cars - DO, DE, OCPD, rich towkays and OBJs. Bicycle shop owners were considered well to do those days).
An uncle of mine was nearly beheaded by the Japs because he was caught with a revolver in his bag. He was however released after managing to convinced a Jap officer that he had found the revolver outside his home and was on his way to Taiping Police station to surrender the gun (fortunate for him that my other two uncles came to his aid as witnesses).
Everyone was happy when the Japanese surrendered in 1945 and the return of the British. However, there was gap of almost one month during which the Bintang Tiga (MPAJA) took control of various parts of the country. People lived in fear because the MPAJA seeked revenge by killing those who were suspected of aiding the Japs.
As Hospital staff, my father and family was not ill-treated by the MPAJA. The British Military Administration came and brought back some normalcy in the people's life.
I end this jot with a prayer to those who had lost their lives during the War and pray for World Peace.
Family Story #1 - About my father
Little was known about my father. What ever I remember about him was from when I was growing up from the age of 5, perhaps, until the day he passed on in 1976.
My mother told me that my father was brought to Malaya with his mother from Java. Seemed that on the promise of getting work and a better life, they came to Taiping. I could not remember what his mother did or worked as to raise him up but they were poor people. My mother's family were neigbours and they lived in a rented shophouse somewhere between the old Capitol Cinema and Tupai Road (along the lane where the Government toddy shop was located). My father first went to the Taiping Malay School, the one near the Masjid India. Due his good results, he did his Secondary schooling at the Kind Edward VII School, Taiping (the Principal was a Mr Walker). After his Senior Cambridge, father joined the Government medical service as a Hospital Assistant (now called Medical Assistant). He was encouraged to do his Higher Senior Cambridge but because of his ailing mother, he had chosen to get a job. Two of his classmates continued their studies and retired as doctors.
Funny, those days, the HAs were referred to as Dressers by the common people. That was because they dressed up people's wounds, not making dresses.
What was my father like? Well, he was just like any typical father of those "old days". He was strict but also kind-hearted. Being in the Government Medical Service, he had worked in several Government Hospitals or clinics. Some that I could remember were at Tanjong Malim, Batu Gajah, Lumut, Bagan Serai, Selama, the Taiping Prison clinic and of course, Taiping Hospital (spanned from the years of 1930's, right up to 1970's).
Something funny about my father, he scolded me for asking to buy a toy but he would surprised me with one on my birthday.
Father had a hobby of tinkling with radios, he was a Ham Radio enthusiast. His call-sign was 9M2FT. I would remember sitting near his "radio shack" listening to him chatting away with other people he could raised in the radio. Strangely funny, while writing this, I could clearly imagined him watching me with his kind, proud, smile.
Well, it is 1.00 AM now. Time to go to bed. To be cotinued....
 |
| With dad, a visit aboard a navy ship. |
My mother told me that my father was brought to Malaya with his mother from Java. Seemed that on the promise of getting work and a better life, they came to Taiping. I could not remember what his mother did or worked as to raise him up but they were poor people. My mother's family were neigbours and they lived in a rented shophouse somewhere between the old Capitol Cinema and Tupai Road (along the lane where the Government toddy shop was located). My father first went to the Taiping Malay School, the one near the Masjid India. Due his good results, he did his Secondary schooling at the Kind Edward VII School, Taiping (the Principal was a Mr Walker). After his Senior Cambridge, father joined the Government medical service as a Hospital Assistant (now called Medical Assistant). He was encouraged to do his Higher Senior Cambridge but because of his ailing mother, he had chosen to get a job. Two of his classmates continued their studies and retired as doctors.
Funny, those days, the HAs were referred to as Dressers by the common people. That was because they dressed up people's wounds, not making dresses.
What was my father like? Well, he was just like any typical father of those "old days". He was strict but also kind-hearted. Being in the Government Medical Service, he had worked in several Government Hospitals or clinics. Some that I could remember were at Tanjong Malim, Batu Gajah, Lumut, Bagan Serai, Selama, the Taiping Prison clinic and of course, Taiping Hospital (spanned from the years of 1930's, right up to 1970's).
Something funny about my father, he scolded me for asking to buy a toy but he would surprised me with one on my birthday.
 |
| At my dad's ham-radio set. |
Well, it is 1.00 AM now. Time to go to bed. To be cotinued....
Sunday, 4 December 2011
Caught flu today
Oh...have not updated my blog for few days. Been busy with work and lost ideas to write. Quiet weekend with my family. Went to CBTL Ampang Point, hoping to collect my Milk Frother which I had sent for repairs but the staff said it is not ready yet. Just bought a pack of Vienna Coffee refill and two cafe lattes to go.
Today, I woke up with very runny nose and sneezing. Went to to doctor and got an MC today.
Today, I woke up with very runny nose and sneezing. Went to to doctor and got an MC today.
Thursday, 1 December 2011
Moving to Perak after retirement?
Hmm....after many years of working in Kuala Lumpur and approaching retirement, brings to mind where should I stay when I retire. Hey wait, I do intend to continue working but to remain in KL? I have been considering to move back to Taiping or Ipoh. Of the two, Ipoh appears to be the better option because it is in between Taiping and KL. It is also near to Cameron Highlands (my favourite holiday spot) and also to Lumut/Pangkor. Penang is also not that far away. So, if I have any jobs in KL or Penang, I could easily reach the two cities in good time. With the ETS train service, I do not need to drive. Just hop on the train, relax until I arrive at my destination. Well, got to do some research on properties in Ipoh.
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