My Way II

My Way II is the updated version of My Way archived in 2008 Yes, "My Way" sung by the late Frank Sinatra. " And now the end is near...". How I love this song! Every word in it means a lot to me. And so I design my blog in a way that it pleases me. I believe the reader has the right to know a little bit about me in the first place before reading what I have to say thereon. Life has been a yo-yo for me. I have no regret though. Learn something from my past experience if you wish to but never, never ever emulate what I have done! If you are not tough enough, don't even dream of trying to do that. Listen to "My Way" first before you want to waste your time trying to understand why I have to shift from one job to another over a period of 43 years (since I started working in 1969) I started as a clerical officer in a high court in Kedah. Barely 4 months after that I was offered a higher post in the state civil service. After serving for 2 years as a cadet officer, I went to Universiti Sains Malaysia to study architecture. I landed up as a manager in a government led property development company Peruda ( a subsidiary of UDA) after graduation. Two years after that I went to read for my master in construction management at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh in Scotland. Armed with the post-graduate degree, I joined Universiti Sains Malaysia as an academic in 1979. I then left the university after 4 years of working there to join first, an Australian prefabricated housing company and then an architect firm. I worked in the firm for three years. However, due to the economic downturn in 1985 I had to leave the firm and went back into the world of the academia as an academic all over again. I read for my PhD in Wales and came back to Malaysia to continue with my teaching career at the School of Housing, Building and Planning, USM. I left the university in 1997 to accept an offer as a managing director of a public listed company involved in property development. I left the company after 2 years to join a semi-government organization, the Construction Industry Development Board Malaysia a general manager. Three years thereon I left for London to be a diplomat in charge of education. After almost 4 years in London I came back to Malaysia to be an executive chairman of a company. The business was not doing well and so I left the company to join a relatively new university (Universiti Malaysia Perlis) to be a senior academic for the third time. After 2 years there, I went to London to seek a teaching job but failed to do so. I lived in London for 9 months during which time I did a research on sustainable buildings. I came back to Malaysia in 2009 and joined UCSI University at Cheras, Kuala Lumpur as a Professor in architectural technology. Besides that I was appointed as an Adjunct Professor with the Faculty of the Built Environment, Universiti Malaya. I was also appointed as a Subject Matter Expert on Sustainable Construction by the Open University of Malaysia. In February 2011, I joined University of Kuala Lumpur Business School as a Professor of management. I am with the university for slightly more than two years until now. However come 1st April, I will be joining ASWARA as its Deputy Rector (Academic and Development). I am excited. I hope to be there for at least 4 years, before I call it a day... I do not understand why these things happened to me. Why? Perhaps I am just traveling along the highway that has been designed for me- just keep on traveling and don't ask why. Second, I have a great family that supports me- my loving and patient wife [I love you very very much] and my supporting children [they are beautiful - love you all very very much too!]. My family will always be there for me - not too many questions asked. Just pack their things and trudge along. Someone told me that I am the real rolling stone. Yes I accept it without regret. I like to move on from one job to another to challenge my capability and sanity. In 2008 I was offered a teaching job at King Saud university in Saudi Arabia. It could have been a real challenge to work and live there. But somehow, I declined as my mother was not well. I don't expect anyone to understand me for now. Perhaps, one day someone out there who may well share the same sort of fate will appreciate what I have been and am going through. Anyway my daughters have encouraged me to write a book on the story of my life. I have already have a title - " Me - a nobody". I will do it for their sake, I mean for their convenience to explain to their friends and loved ones what kind of a daddy that they have. Enough about this eccentric Mr Nobody. No. I am a Mr somebody, being a professor and a Dato'. I must thank Allah for the achievements... My proud moments - I have audiences with 3 DYMM Yang Di Pertuan Agong, HRH Queen Elizabeth, HRH Prince Charles while serving as the Director of the Malaysian Students Department in London (2000 to 2004)and various VVIPs like Ministers and Ambassadors. Also, I was fortunate as a musician to have accompanied Allahyarham Tan Sri P Ramlee and Puan Sri Saloma way back in 1969. I dreamed of meeting P. Ramlee in person since my childhood days and Allah fulfilled my dream. Syukur...I am a Mr Somebody, I guess. Am I not?