Thursday, October 2, 2014

Ahmad, Alex, Ravi and 'Kad Beras'

Things we might like to know.

Top 3 Malaysia most popular names in Malaysia. Ahmad, Alex & Ravi 

The longest name is ...


PUTRAJAYA: Nur Fathaniah Tariyah Karimah Farwizah Zahabiyah Syahirah binti Airol Anizam is probably the longest name ever registered in the country, but Ahmad, Alex and Ravi remain as the most popular names in Malaysia.

National Registration Department (NRD) director-general Datuk Sulaiman Keling said ‘Ahmad’ had been the preferred name for 63,049 people in Malaysia, followed by ‘Alex’ (16,992) and ‘Ravi’ (10,866).

“The three names are the most commonly used and registered in the country,” he said at the National Registration Day and Innovation Day celebration at the department here today.

Sulaiman said Oct 1 was declared as the National Registration Day in conjunction with the date the first identity card, known also as “Kad Beras”, was issued in the country.

“The ‘Kad Beras’ was issued to the public in a proper and systematic way from Oct 1, 1948. The first card with the serial number of 0000001 was issued to our Independence Father, Tunku Abdul Rahman,” he added. - Bernama
 

Thursday, November 17, 2011

YAB Pehin Sri Haji Taib Mahmud - "From Belacan To FM" book lauching at Pullman Hotel 9.11.2011

On the 9th November 2011, I was the emcee for the launching of a book entitled "From Belacan to FM" written by Dato Haji Affandi Tahir, my former CEO of a local radio station di Sarawak. The Chief Minister of Sarawak, YAB Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud was the guest of honor and a lot of state deputy ministers and VIPs were invited to witness this historical event. The event was hosted and sponsored by Dato Muhammed Kassim, the Group Executive Chairman of Corridor Development Corporation Berhad, who is also a good friend of the author. CDC Berhad is the publisher for the Malaysian Corridor Magazine, the magazine that features the latest news and updates on all the five development corridors in Malaysia, namely SCORE, SEDIA, ISKANDAR, ECER and NCER. You can visit the website at www.cdc-msia.com.my.


YAB Pehin Sri Hj Abdul Taib Mahmud, Chief Minister of Sarawak, (on the left) Dato Muhammed Kassim, Group Executive Chairman CDC Berhad, (on the right) Dato Haji Affandi Tahir
In his opening speech Dato Muhammad said he immediately agreed to sponsor and host the launching as soon as he knew of Dato Haji Affandi's book. As the book was a memoir about the Dato's career in broadcasting and life experiences growing up in a small village and then successfully reaching corporate top level. I was not surprised that he sponsored because I knew that Dato Muhammed was also a media man before he migrated to the Peninsula Malaysia. Broadcasting is a good place for those who want to explore their talents. From this field, you can even make it to becoming a State Representative, political party committee and also a multimillionaire businessman. Dato Muhammed ends his speech by congratulating Dato Haji Affandi for his achievements in life and the launching of his book. Dato Muhammad was not even scheduled to give a speech that morning. He only knew about it when he reached the hotel but I think he did pretty well.


Dato Haji Affandi & I
I invited the author after that and he talked about his days in the broadcasting industry, his side of the story about people he met and a little bit of the history of his village back then, before Malaysia was formed. The guests were touched by his story when he mentioned about the late Datuk Amar Puan Sri Laila Taib, the late wife of the Chief Minister. The guests were muted awhile when he disclosed about her kindness and concerned about the colon cancer he suffered a few years back. Dato Haji Affandi Tahir sobbed and struggled while reading his text about Laila, and he managed to hold his grip to continued with his speech. I found his speech reflective and well executed. 

After his speech, as the MC, I invited the Chief Minister to the stage to deliver his speech then he remained on the stage for the symbolic launching gimmick.   We had prepared and rehearsed the launching gimmick a few times before this. The lights were dimmed and when the song "chok chok kendung" was played, a postman dressed in the 60's outfit came in riding a red bicycle caring a parcel, containing the book. The audience including the Chief Minister was mesmerized by the gimmick especially when I requested the author to signed the resit of acceptance which was a regular scene back than. The guests applaud when I gave the rationale behind the launch gimmick.

CDC Berhad Group Executive Chairman Dato Muhammed Kassim also donated 1,000 copies of the books for all the school libraries in Sarawak and he also personally donated RM25,000 to Laila Taib Cancer Charitable Trust which he handed a mock cheque over to the Chief Minister. This was followed by the presentation of a memento to the Chief Minister by the author.  It  was a picture of both of them shaking hands during his visit to RTM, Kuching when he was the Federal Minister of Information in 1976. Everything went well on the stage and the timing which was our main concerned was executed right to the dot.

I invited all the VIPs off the stage to be seated to have lunch together with the rest on the guests. During lunch the author who was seated at the main table couldn't even enjoy his food because he was approached by many guests who wanted to get their book autographed . Dato Haji Affandi Tahir gladly did so and the sales of the books increased by the minute. At the main table the Chief Minister looked pleased about the event.    The officers from the protocol department said it is seldom  we can see how approachable the CM is during an event like this. The Chief Minister was seen talking with almost all of he guests invited and willingly agreed to give photo opportunities with those at the main table. 

I thank God for the smoothness of the event without any unwanted issues and failure. Here are the pictures for the event.

The Stage
The Pullman lobby, the red carpet is ready
The VIPs table setup.
The seating arrangement. 
The reception cum selling counter.
The invited guests
The Protocol Officials 


The VIPs table after the official ceremonies are done. The guests stated to overwhelm the table to get an autograph.


A view from the stage of  the VIPs table.

YB Datuk Talip Zulpilip, Assistant Minister of Tourism and Dato Haji Salleh Sulaiman, Organizing Chairman for the launching. 

 Feisal Kassim Avarathar, The Stage Manager for the launching and I 

 The signature of the author 

 From Belacan To FM is on sale right now at RM25 a copy. Most of the primary and secondary schools library will have a least a copy. Thanks to Dato Muhemmed Kassim for the personal donation. 




 Hamzani Production

Monday, October 17, 2011

Exxon Mobil Seminar, Friday 14th Oct 2011

Why run, when you can fly. The Exxon Mobil Industrial Lubricants motto's for heavy machinery and industries. I was invited for the second time by Timur Lube Sdn Bhd, Kuching to emcee the seminar in Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites.

The participants arrived at around 8:00am and after registering their names, all of them received a goody bag with all the information about the seminar and the update on Exxon Mobil products and services. Most of the participants are from the government departments and semi government companies, people who are involved in the heavy machinery sectors. The media was also invited and later they were invited to another room for a press conference about the event. 

Now, I understand a little bit more about lubrication by listening to what the invited speakers were saying. Do you know that crude oil in America was found by the Red Indians? They used it as a medicine for headaches and stomachaches.Yes, they eat it. Putting other stuffs in order to increase your car engine capacity and longevity is not advisable, this is because it might makes your engine having major problems, especial the temperature of your car engine. 

Here are some pictures from the seminar.


The flying red horse

The backdrop

The goody bags
Mr. Kevin Law, Timur Lubes Executive Director during the introduction of Timur Lubes Sdn Bhd




The participants giving their full attentions during the seminar

This is during the grease experimental game

Juliette Xu, Regional Account Manager Distributor Markets & Mr Kevin Law, Executive Director of Timur Lubes Sdn Bhd

The group photo

The half day seminar was a successful event, the evaluation forms was all filled up.
We all proceed to Aurora Court's for lunch right after the group photo.
My thanks to Timur Lubes Sdn Bhd and their team for inviting me to host the seminar.

Hamzani Production

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Shell's Pump & Stand to Win RM500,000 contest.

Last Thursday on the 6th October 2011, I was the emcee for the prize giving ceremony for Shell's "Pump and Stand to win RM500,000, which was held at a Shell's petrol station in Petra Jaya. The Shell's gas station located on the left right after you crossed the Satok bridge, before the first round about.
I've done a few emceeing there before, mostly for Shell and also once for the owner itself.
Thanks to Artiste Colony Sdn Bhd, the Selangor based agency company which engaged yours truly to be the emcee for this event.

The program begins when a convoy lead by a big bikes club in Kuching arrived at the venue together with the grand prize winner in a blue SUV and later joined by the Shell's team and the Shell's contractors assuring the winner of the second week, RM20,000 weekly's winner towards the canopy area.

I started the show with a brief information about the Health Safety Security Environment (HSSE), one of the thing I must do in any Shell's events because their policy is safety first. After introducing the invited guests and explaining why the event was held that day, I invited Mr Leslie Ng, the Shell's Retail National Sales and Operation Manager to say a few words and later presented the prizes. I also invited Encik Jasme Mohd Johan, the new Retail Regional Manager to accompany Leslie on the stage. I am glad we did the dry run twice, it's because not everyone are tune in during the 1st one and having the second will make it clearer to everyone involved, especially the timing, the sound crew is in-tuned and the guests are aware. I find this beneficial to an emcee in any function involving a professional company at any level of capacity.

The weekly winner is a degree holder in Mechanical Engineering, Fredrick Aidan John won RM20,000, according to him, he received the call from Shell's team while shopping with his parents, who was there to witness his his graduation day in Johor a day before. Sweet luck my dear friends. All the weekly grand prize winners will have the prospect to win the half a million ringgit, which will be known after the 10 weeks contest is over.
I hope I have the same luck like him one day, soon. 

I only managed to take a few pictures from the event but none of mine. Have a look.

The stage
The view from an angle near the petrol station
The sitting area in site the canopy
The crew from Artiste Colony Sdn Bhd doing the final touch up of the area
The ethnic dancer group "Kulung Punai" during the rehearsal
The winners. From left is Encik Jasme Mohd Johan, Mr Goh Hin Hin the RM2000 winner, Mr Fredrik Aidan John the RM20,000 winner and Mr Leslie Ng.
My friends the media seen here taking pictures.
The guests mingling and chatting. Sometime this is the only time for old friends to meet and updating one another.
The men and women in red are the Shell station owners and operators. They are the most sporting people I've seen every time they get together.
Makan time, right after the event finished. Everyone was happy because the foods and drinks were a plenty.
The Kulung Punai dancers and the crew from Artiste Colony Sdn Bhd.
All done, seen here the crew from Artiste Colony Sdn Bhd and Alex Tan the photographer having a break and making report to HQ.

I did not managed to get anyone to help me take my picture this time but in a local newspaper you can see my hand during the prize giving ceremony. I hope Alex Tan,  the photographer took some nice pictures with me in it. See me in the next event.

My updated motto is this Chinese proverb saying

" If you want happiness for an hour; take a nap.   If you want happiness for a day; go fishing.   If you want happiness for a month; get married.   If you want happiness for a year; inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime; help someone else.