AF Lenses

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY 4 - MALACCA

2008-11-23T07:20:00.000-08:00

This morning, I took an Air Asia Flight again, from Johor Bahru to LCCT, KLIA.
The weather was fine and I noticed new ground objects/items clearly identifiable : Melaka Bandar Raya Bersejarah (Malacca Histrical City) and Petronas Penapisan Melaka (Petronas Melaka Refinery) .
Here are the photos . . .

AFK at 20,000 feet above ground...

ROAD ACCIDENT - HAVE WE EVER LEARNT ?

2008-11-21T08:14:00.000-08:00

After passing the Ayer Hitam toll both in Johore, I turned left towards Ayer Hitam town. I was on my way to UTHM, Batu Pahat to check the status of my projects there. To my surprise, there was a long queue of vehicles crawlling towards the town. It was already 12.25 p.m and I was just wondering whether I could reach UTHM mosque for the Friday Prayer.
As I was approaching Ayer Hitam main traffic light (Batu Pahat - Ayer Hitam - Kluang junction), there was a long trailer stuck beside the road divider with two or three vehicles partly smashed in an accident ... I was just wondering how such thing could happen and it is at a junction equipped with traffic lights ...
This is one of the biggest problems in Malaysia nowdays. With traffic lights equipped with digital timer, accidents still happen. To me, the attitude of road users is the culprit that has caused thousands of accidents. Patience and tolerances are mere words uttered by most people and very difficult to practise.

Looking at the conditions of the long haulage trailer and cars, one of the cause of the accident, I would guess anyway, is lack of patience, tolerance and consideration by one or all drivers involved in the accident. The pile-up not only caused the damage to their vehicles, it had also wasted hundreds of man-hours, releasing carbon monoxide to the idling vehicles (buses, lorries, cars and moto-cycles, etc.) and had delayed other road users to their respective destination...
Anybody has gain any benefit from the accident ?? Workshop owners?? May be :-))

KOTA BHARU - AN ISLAMIC CITY

2008-11-15T01:57:00.000-08:00

Recently I had an opportunity to visit Kota Bharu, the capital-state of Kelantan. I arrived at about 4.30 p.m and returned to Kuala Lumpur at 4.20 p.m the next day. The lastme I visited the town was about twelve (12) years ago when my sisters were staying in the state (kak Izar at Kuala Krai and Adik Rushda at Tanah Merah). Since then I had never been to the state.

As I had barely spent less than 24 hours in the city, I only managed to have a quick tour around the city. Thanks to En. Rashdan from JKR Elektrik Kota Bharu who drove me and two other Electrical Engineers from JKR HQ during a night heavy rain before stopping by at Yati Ayam Percik for our dinner. I could not snap any photo during dinner as I have to leave my camera inside the car due to heavy downpour. After dinner, I returned to KB Renaissance Hotel where I put up the night.

The next morning while picking the engineers before going to JKR Elektrik Kota Bharu office, I manage to snap some photographs for my diary/blog.

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY (3)

2008-11-11T02:57:00.000-08:00

Preparation before plane is authorised to fly

This evening (11-Nov3ember-2008) I had another MAS flight from KLIA to Kota Bharu Airport, Kelantan for an assignment on the 12th. November, 2008. The 3.10 p.m flight via Boeing 737 plane ride was quite smooth but the landing was quite rough (sorry Mr. Pilot, it is true...). The weather was a bit cloudy.

KLIA Mosque (Top Left) and other views just after airborne

So today I managed to have another session of aero and aerial-photography. I could not recognise most of the photos taken as the route is from KL to Kota Bharu which was my first trip.

Sultan Mahmud Airport, Kota Bahru

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY (2)

2008-11-10T05:10:00.001-08:00

Last Saturday, I took a flight from Senai International Airport (JHB) to LCCT, KLIA. I was a morning flight.
As the weather was fine, I managed to snap some photographs from the window of my Airbus 320 Air Asia plane which was flying at about 30,000 feet.
In contrasrt with my flight from LCCT to JHB last Thursday, this flight-path is just along the coast of the peninsular Malaysia. The plane passed a few towns but I could not recognise which they are (not like a few years back whereby the he pilot always told you which town that the plane was at, but today the pilot just keep the view and knowledge to him/herself.
However, I think I could make up one or two areas we flew by (like Blue Lagoon in PD).. I could not recognise the one with a bridge across a river ...
When the plane touched down at KLIA, I could recognised the Apron Control Tower (ACT). The Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) at this ACT control the movement of airplanes after they have landed and directed them to the designated bridge or apron.
The ATC at the Main Control Tower (MTC) control the in-bound and out-bound planes, directing them when to land at the designated runaway to avoid any untowards accidents.

The plane landed smoothly and Alhamdulillah, I had another lesson of Aerial Photography (Part II) ...

Senai International Airport Expansion/Renovation

2008-11-10T04:47:00.000-08:00

Senai Airport is the southernmost airport in Peninsula Malaysia. Many travellers to Singapore or Singaporean themselves use the airport to return to Johor Bahru or Sinagpore from Kuala Lumpur or other destination. Singaporeans especially those from Jurong area have been using the airport to go to their destination as it is nearer and cheaper than using Changi Airport especially with the opening of the Second Link linking Tuas (Singapore) to Senai (Airport) and the the North-South Highway.

As the number of air travellers has been increasing due to the presence of Air Asia, Firefly (subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines) and other Budget Airlines, the number of passengers using Senai International Airport has increased tremendously. To cope with the growing number of travellers, the airport is presently undergoing a major renovation.

It is hoped that the airport could provide air travellers with better facilities and faster check-in time with up-to-date facilities especially those taking long-haul flights..

JOHORE SULTANATE

2008-11-08T03:06:00.000-08:00

While waiting for my flight from Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur today, I noticed that there was a display of Johore Sultanate at one section of the waiting lounge at Senai Airport.
I just took a peek at the photos displayed and thought it is a good idea to share those photos with 'fellow' Johoreans who may not even know how Sultan Sir Abu Bakar looks like.
I am sorry for the poor quality photos as they were snapped from below with the presence of air port lighting. I do not have time to edit or touch up those photos... sorry ...

Salam..

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY (1)

2008-11-06T04:51:00.000-08:00

This morning I took an Air Asia flight from LCCT, KLIA to Johor Bahru at 0755. The Airbus A300-200 was airborne at about 8.00 a.m and the steward informed us that the flight would take 45 minutes. As the plane was ascending through a thick morning air and patches of cloud, I noticed that there are some familiar features on the ground. I immediately took out my camera and started my aerial photography session which I used to do quite sometime ago during flights.
FYI, I did not attend any class on aerial photography but I could only guess that some of the features I observed from the sky are familiar. As the plane pierced through the clouds, I managed to snap some views using my Nikon SLR from my seat.

Append below are some of the photos I wish to share with those we visited my blog. Hope you would appreciate some of the aerial photographs from a beginner aerial photographer (Note : please click the photo to view a larger size).

Something that is worth mentioning is that we can feel how small and minute we are compared to other objects when we are up there in the sky so do we really think that we could go against the Creator Who has created all those items in and on the ground and in and above the sky ??
Subhanallah ...

SAFF HARI RAYA OPEN HOUSE

2008-11-01T09:19:00.000-07:00

On the 29th. Syawal, 1429 (29-Okt-2008), the last day of Syawal, SAFF has invited fellow consultants, clients and neighbours to an open office Hari Raya celebration from 3p.m to 6 p.m. The invitation list, logistic, food and drinks were all arranged by the staff within a short 3 day-notice.

As it turned out to be, the guests who were able to made it to the party is much lower than expected. This is due to many open houses organised on the same day as it was the last day of Syawal and the last-minute invitation due to Monday's Deepavali holiday.
It was nevertheless a memorable events with some guest had turned out as early as 2 p.m. The open house was finally closed at about 7 p.m whereby all the remaining food was packed and distributed to the staff and neighbours.

I hopethe event was well-liked by the guests.
Here I would like to thank those who were able to make it and I would ask for forgiveness to those who had been offended by me directly or indirectly..

Regards,
AF Kassim

PREPARATION TO THE NEXT WORLD

2008-10-05T09:26:00.000-07:00

Some people said, "Life begins at forty" and some said, "Life begins at fifty" ....
Is there any significance to the figure 40 or 50 ??
Or is the figure is just a mere justification to one's bad intention and actions ??
Or it is just a reminder to those who has not realised that the age is catching up on him ...
And there is still a lot of responsibilities that he or she has not performed yet ...
These are : Responsibilities towards mankind and the Creator ....
Let us just ponder with a clear and open mind ...
Whether we are in the 20s, 30s, 40s or 50s years old age bracket, age does not matter any more ...
Have we not seen people (friends and relatives) who passed away at the early age ...
Some of them are are much younger than us ...
Of course some are older than us ...
But does it matter much ?? The answer is crystal clear : IT DOES NOT ...
What actually matters to us ??
It is whether we have discharged our responsibilities rightfully
according to the commands of our Creator ... this is what matters ..

Despite us consuming what had been given to us as rizk...
Enjoying the life and comfort of this world...
We should not forget to prepare to meet Him any time without warning ...

It is just like being on an Oil Rig to perform some assigned task or work ...
Life activities will go on as usual; everybody is doing their assigned business ..
But...
When an emergency siren is activated on the rig;
Everybody will hurry to their assembly point and ready to evacuate the platform ..
Leaving everything and every tool and equipment that they are handling behind...
So...
We should treat living in this world as what we do when being on an oil rig ..
At least on the oil rig, there is an emergency siren ...
In this world, the sirens had long been sounded through many signs and h
appenings occurring daily around us and all over the world ...
It is whether we have taken the heed to prepare for the emergency evacuation or not ...

If we have not make any preparation yet, let us start doing it now ...
Have we fulfilled all the requirement stipulated in Rukun Iman ...
Have we fulfilled all the requirement stipulated in Rukun Islam ...
Have we enjoined good and forbids evil ...
Have we discharged all responsibilities towards those under our care ..
Our families...
Our relatives ..
Our staff ...
Our friends ...
Our business clients, associates, competitors ..
Our fellow countryman ...
etc..

If we have done our best, Alhamdulillah ...
If we have not...
It is still not to late to pay the dues ..
As,
we will be questioned on how we discharge every single thing that the
Creator (Allah) had given us...
The age... the money... the time ... the wealth (wives & children) ... etc. etc..
So we have to prepare for the Final Examination in the next world...
As, no one is either too young or to old to die ..
And no one could bring forward or backward the time of his death ..
And the date and time is only known to Allah, the All Mighty..
So, let us prepare for the time where we will be moved to the next world ..

Ya Allah... Grant us the good tidings in this world and in the
hereafter and ward us from the wrath (infliction) of the hell-fire...
Ameen Ya Rabb 'A-lameen.

SAFF CONSULTANTS

2008-10-05T08:38:00.000-07:00

That's the name of my company which was formed in 1995. Alhamdulillah, until now, the company has grown from 3 staff to about 15 now with two main services offered to the clients vis. Consultancy and Inspection & Testing Services.
The word SAFF actually came from Surah As-SAFF one of the 114 surahs in the Holy Quran Al-Kareem. SAFF means Rows or Barisan in Malay Language. It is also signifies a straight row when muslims perform their congegational prayer..
What has been expected by using the word SAFF is that all staff will be united together towards achieving one goal and having the same mission in giving the best and quality services to the customers.

Let us hope what that has been expired by the founder come true... Ameen..

AFKassim/TSPulai..

KETUPAT PALAS

2008-10-04T14:13:00.000-07:00

Just one day before the recent Hari Raya Celebration, I had visited my sister and brother-in-law (BIL) at Kpg. Panchor, Pantai Remis, Perak. It is a norm for me to visit them before hari raya if I do not intend to come home for hari raya due to a very short holiday.
My BIL normally prepares ketupat pulut during every hari raya. It is one of the special food made of glutinous rice which is normally sought after by people in the northern part of the country (Kedah, Penang & Perak) especially during hari raya.

The glutinous rice is initially boiled with coconut santan until about 90% cooked. The rice is then filled into the daun palas and folded into a triangle shape. The 90% cooked ketupat pulut is then cooked or steamed to fully-cook the pulut inside the daun palas.

Once cooked, the ketupat is then (normally) served with rendang ayam, rendang daging, rendang kerang or serunding.

fuaad/perak..

BETTER POTRAIT SHOOTING

2008-09-26T03:33:00.000-07:00

AFK Potrait

By doug_clist, CNET Contributor

It is one thing to take a picture of a person, and another to snap a portrait. A good portrait has the ability to convey the subjects' state of emotion, and possibly even reveal a hint about their thoughts. Here are five simple tips for better portraits, so gather your friends and family members for a fun shoot.

1) Depth of field

If your camera has manual controls for setting aperture, adjust it to about F3.5 or below. This creates a shallow depth of field which causes blur background while keeping the subject sharp. This focuses the viewer's attention straight to the subject. If your camera doesn't have manual controls, try scrolling through the scene modes--generally there will be a portrait mode which optimizes the camera's settings for taking pictures of people.

2) It's all about the communication
If your subject is too tense, the picture will probably reflect it. Unless that is the effect you want, you'll have to talk to the person in front of your lens and loosen them up. Crack a joke or talk about the weather. If you know the person well, chat about things that interest him/her. They will start to relax and that's the moment you start snapping.

3) Level it
Get to the eye level of your subject. For children, squat down to take pictures of them. If your adult subject is sitting down, then you need to sit or kneel in order to his/her eye level, too. This makes them more relaxed since they don't have to raise or lower their head to look at you, which may look unnatural (and make your subject uncomfortable).

4) It's in your eyes
They say the window to a person's soul is through the eyes, and this is especially true for portraiture. Try to fix your camera's focus on the subjects' eyes as this creates a more appealing picture than focusing on their noses or ears. If your point-and-shoot has only one focus point, frame the eyes within the focusing box, half-press the shutter to focus (don't remove your finger yet) and then reframe your shot before pressing the shutter button down fully.

5) Environment
If your subject lives in an interesting environment, use wide-angle lens to capture the surroundings in your shot. This will give your viewers a better understanding of the subject and create a more visually interesting picture as well. But don't try to cram every item available into the shot--this may clutter the image and draw attention away from the person you want to portray.

extracted from an e-mail digital photography post to me..

SUNSET VIEW FROM UTM TECHNOVISION PARK

2008-09-23T09:30:00.000-07:00

I was driving along Jalan Skudai-JB on a way home to Taman Sri Pulai from Batu Pahat today. It was already 6.40 p.m and the breaking of fast is just about 25 mintes away.
As I turned into Jalan Pontian, the sun was about to set and the bright ray poked into the eyes of drivers who are heading towards Pontian. I was lucky as I had my polarised sun-glass on ..

The skylight was wonderful and I could not snap the scenery as there are a lot of vehicles on the road - everybody is rushing home to break the fast (I assume..). With about 15 minutes left before Maghrib, I turned into Taman Universiti junction and right to the UTM Technovation Park. I drove to the end, passing two security post and stopped in front of UTM-MTDC Office. At, last I could get a few shots before rushing home to break my 23rd. day of fasting...

Eralier in the morning when I was in front of the office, the sun was about rising. The sun was so bright that it looks as is the is a fire ball hanging from the sky ...

TTeratai..

THREE-LEGGED KITTEN

2008-09-22T08:28:00.000-07:00

Never Give-up or Despair ...

My house has been a place where tamed stray cats had made their homes. Cats come and go and we try to provide food and shelter whenever we could.
Two years ago my daughter had bought a cat but later on decided decided to leave it at our house. About two months ago, this cat which we called Oren (because of her orange/white colour) had given birth for the third time to five kittens. All the kittens are normal except for one which has only three legs or limbs.

The Balancing-Act

So, since birth, this three-legged kitten has been struggling especially during feeding time where she has to compete with her siblings to milk. She has always been the loser as she had to balance herself only with three limbs. She did not give up that easily... she has to survive... The mother cat normally seen to spend sometime with this 'special' kitten after the other four kittens had moved away. So, there are lessons to be learnt from a cat's family too...

Oren seems tired after feeding time

We will try our best to ensure that this three-legged kitten will pull through the difficult time growing up with her siblings despite her handicap.
As life has got to go on and the survival of the fittest will always prevail so we have to offer our helping hand to assist the handicapped to survive too ...

3-legged kitten struggling hard to clean herself and balancing ...

MASJID JAMEK SULTAN ABDUL AZIZ, PJ

2008-09-18T08:41:00.000-07:00

I used to remember there was a small surau or mosque at Jalan Templer which I had been to years ago. The mosque has been replaced with a new one and almost 100% completed.
The new Sultan Abdul Aziz mosque was named after one of the earliest Sultan of Selangor. It will be officially used during this coming Hari Raya prayer.

Note : The above photographs were taken using SAMSUNG SGH-D780 EDGE TRI-BAND Handphone built-in 2MP-camera.

P_Jaya 19-09-2008

Mid-Valley Centre Point

2008-09-16T17:49:00.000-07:00

Recently I was in the Mid-Valley Centre Point North, attending a meeting with JKR Officers on a project. The meeting was adjourned at around 7 p.m. and I took the opportunity to buy something to take home.
I was just wondering why the Mid-Valley complex is always full of people. The photos I took explained the reasons..

It is one of the modern shopping complex around the city. With its always full, economy-rate business hotel, The Mid-Valley Cititel, the owner has contructed and currently operates another 5-star hotel , the Boulevard Hotel which was opened about a year ago. So, a shopping complex with two hotels, government offices and condos will make the Mid-Valley a choice for working people to shop, relax and stay ...

AFK/Mid-Valley ..

SURPRISE 50TH BIRTHDAY CAKE

2008-09-07T08:20:00.000-07:00

Since my 50th. birthday falls in the fasting month of Ramadan 1429, I did not expect any cake to be served as what we normally do.

To my surprise, there was a cake bought by my family without my knowledge just to commemorate the day. So, after tarawih prayer, I was asked to cut the cake. So, it was just an occasion where I just serve my family with a piece of cake each and hope this coming of 50 years of age will make me a more matured husband and father.

To my family who has all been with me for the past 26 years, we just pray that that Allah will shower His Blessings to us all.

Every day is a bonus after 50th. Birthday

JB..

RISDA PALONG 2 PALM OIL ESTATE

2008-09-06T09:04:00.000-07:00

Small creatures need to survive too ... looking for food..

On the 4th. of Ramadan, 1429 I drove to Risda Palong 2 Farm/Estate, Negeri Sembilan. I departed from Bandar Seri Putra with my mother-in-law (MIL) and wife at around 3.15 p.m. in a heavy down-pour towards Kuala Pilah via Bukit Putus (Broken Hills). My trip was to break the fast (iftar) at my brother-in-law (BIL) house in Palong Estate and also sending my MIL who want to continue fasting there.

After passing through Kuala Pilah town, Batu Kikir and Pekan Buku Zaaba, we reached the destination at about 6 p.m. Normally, in a good weather and road condition, the journey will just take about two hours. Anyway, that will also depend on the no of lorries you met or have to over-take along the road from Senawang-Kuala Pilah road, road conditions (pot holes, repair works, etc.), your car and of course the driver. Anyway, we reached there when the day is still bright and the rain has stopped somewhere before we reached Kuala Pilah.

As usual, after reaching the estate, I will normally roamed around the Manager's Bungalow (my BIL) looking for objects to see through my lens. Although my BIL said to me there's nothing different from my trip last time (I can't remember when??), I still think I could still capture subjects that I had not fully captured before.

So, testing object on my 55-200mm lense is 11-years old Haikal, my BIL's only son..

So, other items that went through my AF-S NIKKOR 18-55mm & 55-200mm lenses just before breaking of fast that day are shown here. These are some of the potted plants around the house. My BIL wife is a fond lover of orchids ...

Ladang Palong 3 ..

PUTRAJAYA BUILDINGS (PART 1)

2008-08-31T02:05:00.000-07:00

Prime Minister Office

Recently, I was at Putrajaya on a certain assignment. After completing the job assigned, I went to the mosque for a prayer and then to Putra Foodcourts.

I managed to snap some photos on buildings surrounding the mosque i.e. Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Food Court, Putra Bridge, Mosque and Selangor Palace. Hope you will enjoy the viewing angles the scenes were taken.

AFKassim/Putrajaya

STARHILL GOLF RESORT

2008-08-31T00:44:00.000-07:00

Most people go the Starhill Golf Resort (SGR) to play golf or attending other official functions such as wedding reception, lunch or dinner. STG is one of the fine golf courses available in Johore. Despite the local golf enthusiasts, the golf course is often visited by the expatriates (mainly the Japanese and Singaporean). Of course there are people who go there everyday because they work there, where they earn a living.

Maintaining a golf course with its ancillary facilities requires quite a large fund. To maintain its grass, lakes, dunes and club facilities to the international standards often requires competent and experience personnel especially when some of the club members are foreigners. Sometimes, it is very sad to see the state of Mechanical and Electrical equipment at the golf clubs which are poorly maintained and its operating conditions do not comply fully with the Statutory Requirement of the country. For example, more often than not that an electrical switch rooms are turned into sores to house used golf balls, furniture and sports equipment to be used during family days, etc. Even the competent person maintaining the club is fully aware of the requirement, he could not do anything as its the management prerogative. So, the status-quo will go on until something unexpected or unwanted happens.

I sometimes go to the SGR when there are assignment for me. I will normally go there to carry out Safety Inspection on the electrical installation or to carry out retesting and servicing works on the electrical system. So far, I have not even hold a golf club at the 500-meter Driving Range or bring my family to the Theme Park at the resort.

During a recent Safety Inspection to the rwsort, I managed to snap some photographs which could be shared with those who intend to go there to bring family members or to practise golf driving at the Driving Range.

Bottom RHS Picture : Switch Room used as store which is against
Electricity Regulations 1994 of Malaysia ...

AFK_Skudai

TROPICAL GARDEN, UTM SKUDAI, JOHOR

2008-08-30T04:26:00.000-07:00

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Main Campus in Skudai, Johor was opened in 1984 after shifting from Jalan Semarak (Gurney Road), Kuala Lumpur. It is one of the early public universities set up by the government to produce graduates mainly for the engineering-based industries. It started of as a Technical Institute, Technical College, National Technological Institute and finally gaining its university status in 1970s.

The courses offered in Civil, Electrical & Mechanical Engineering, Robotic, Natural Sciences, Survey, Remote Sensing, Architecture, Management and other Physical Sciences were well received by the people. So far, it has produced thousands of graduates filling the posts in the government and private sectors all over the country and some in the neighbouring countries.

The main campus in Skudai is beautified with the presence of a Tropical Garden located about 50 meters from the campus main entrance. Tropical trees and plants were planted and the presence of a small river which was turned into a man-made lake has made the garden one of the attraction for recreation activities. The photographs below explain the facts.

Skudai_29082008

SCENIC VIEWS (1)

2008-08-29T16:50:00.000-07:00

Everyday there bound to be some moments or views of the surrounding that captivate our eyes. These captivating views or scenes especially in the morning and evening is worth recording for us to really appreciate the Creator of such scenes.
Enclosed below are some of the scenes which I managed to capture as it came without even planning to photograph them. Although they are not as beautiful or exhilarating as scenes photographed by Professional Photographers, these photos are just starters for me as a beginner to a new hobby (photography).

The view below was snapped when I was driving home through Bandar Baru Bangi on the way home from attending a meeting.

The scene below was captured when I was walking at a lake garden in Taiping. The view of the rising sun over a hill is quite captivating especially looking at its image in the lake. The photograph is not as beautiful as the actual scene.
The second photo is one of the beautiful scenes that made thousands thronged the lake garden every morning and evening. The serene view and quiet atmosphere really can sooth my heart.

The photo below was taken when I was driving to LCCT KLIA to send my son to Australia. After taking the roundabout near the KLIA mosque, I noticed through my car's side mirror and after admiring the view while driving, I stopped by the road side and snapped the scenery.

The night scene below was taken while waiting for someone in front of Econsave Supermaket in Skudai, Johor. The view along the main road towards Majlis Daerah Johor Bahru Tengah (MDJBT) was snapped without using flash. Of course my shaky hand has failed to produce a clearer picture.

This photo was taken when I was making the final inspection on the landscape works in front of the building. The sun was hidden behind the building, just peeping the landscape in front of the building.

I will post other scenes later ..

Selama & Permatang Pauh

2008-08-27T10:50:00.001-07:00

Recently (18-8-08), I drove to Permatang Pauh to meet a friend before I attended a project meeting in Selama, Perak.
A small sleepy town suddenly bustling with life as there is going to be a by-election for the contituency after the rsignation of Datin Seri Dr. Puan Azizah Ismail to pave the way to her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
At the time when this post is being edited, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had won the by-election by a majority of about 15,000 with 81% turn-out.

Flash Flood Between Taiping & Selama

2008-08-20T10:36:00.000-07:00

Taiping-Selama Road under water at Pondok Tanjong (8.45 a.m.)

Two days ago I attended a project site meeting at Selama, Perak. I had put up a night at my sister's house in Kampong Jambu, Taiping.
Early that morning, I started off to Selama to attend the meeting. However, when I was approaching a small town of Pondok Tanjong, I saw many cars and people gathered by the road side. To my surprise, I found out that they are road-stranders as they could not pass through a low-lying part of the road which was under 450mm of water due to heavy down-pour the previous night.

Selama-Taiping Road under water at Pondok Tanjung (6.30 p.m.)

As my car suspension is also low, I had decided to turn back and travelled to Selama via Batu Kurau, Rantau Panjang and Ijok. That was my maiden route to Selama via Batu Kurau. Alhamdulillah, although some parts of the roads are really errie, I had no choice but just drive and drive. I reached Selama at about 10.15 a.m.

On the way back from Selama to Taiping, one of the project site staff informed me that the flood water has subsided and cars could pass through. So, immediately after the meeting, I started my trip back to Taiping.

To my surprise there were cars which could not cross the area due to flood water. I was fed with wrong information.
This time, I had to retreat and pass through Kubu Gajah and Bukit Merah and proceeded via North-South Highway to Taiping.

I reached Taiping at about 6.30 p.m and getting ready to drive home to Bandar Seri Putra, Bangi. I reached Bangi at about 11.45 p.m.

A small fisherman settlement at Paka, Terengganu ...

2008-08-06T23:05:00.000-07:00

Residence Resort Paka, Terengganu

Lot 473, Kampong Cacar, 23100 Paka, Terengganu Darul Iman

Set on the idyllic unspoiled shores of Paka, Residence Resort brings you a whole new meaning of total comfort. It provides an escape from the hustle and bustle of urban madness to the serene town of Paka, a quaint fishing village in the state of Terengganu on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. For both business and leisure-minded travellers, Residence Resort offers the best facillities for your comfort and convenience.

Just next to the resort, there is a small fishermen settlement whose people earn aliving by fishing in small boats.

Happy children from the fishing village taking a rest on the beach

In May 2008, I stayed for 2 nights at Residence Resort, Paka, Terengganu. This resort has been my regular place to spend the night after long tiring day conducting training to client (giving lectures from 8.30 a.m to 5.00 pm).

When I am here, I always spend sometime in the evening or morning at the sea side especially to watch the wonderful view of the horizon during sun-rise (Terengganu is in the east coast, so the view of sun-rise is normally spectacular).

So, I would like to share with you views of a small fisherman settlement and morning sun-rise which I captured in May, 2008 this year.

Petrochemical Plants - Night View

2008-08-01T21:48:00.000-07:00

Those who have passed through Kerteh Area at night may have noticed the above familiar photographs. From far, it looks as if there are buildings and bushes on fire...

These photos are petro-chemical plants, mainly owned by our national oil-company, Petronas and their joint-ventures partners.

Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS)

Type	Public
Founded	17 August 1974
Headquarters	Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Key people	Tan Sri Dato’ Mohd Hassan Marican, Group CEO and President
Industry	Oil and Gas
Products	Oil Natural gas Petrochemical manufacturing Shipping services
Revenue	▲ 66.2 billion USD (2008)
Net income	▲ 18.1 billion USD (2008)
Employees	33,944 worldwide
Website	www.petronas.com.my

The petro-chemical plants in Kerteh. Terengganu is one of the biggest gas-processing plants which operate 24-hrs .

Gas-Processing Plant, Kerteh, Terengganu

Morning Race

2008-08-01T20:42:00.000-07:00

Traffic before and After Sg. Besi Toll (towards KL)

Apparently, every morning there is a race along the North-South Highway which starts as early as 6.30 a.m. I am not aware of this race before until I have to travel to KL City Centre a few times a month recently for the next one year or so to go to work.

Traffic jam just after Sg. Besi Toll (towards KL) at 6.50 a.m.

I have to leave Bandar Seri Putra (Putra Mahkota Toll, PMT) by 6.30 a.m. if I were to arrive at the Mid-Valley area before 7.30 a.m. If I leave PMT after 6.30 a.m, I will arrive at Mid-Valley at 7.45a.m. or later depending on how I drive, the behaviour of other drivers, the attitude and mood of 'Emergency Left Lane' drivers, weather condition, road repair, etc.

So, when I travel to KL at 6.30 a.m, I will never miss a highway race from PMT to KL. Most of the cars travel at 110 km/h and some even sppeding at more than 120 km/h. The speed limit between Bangi Toll and Sg. Besi Toll of 90 km/h has never been acknowledge at this time of the day (may be the day is still dark...).

Unfortunately, immediately after the Sg. Besi Toll, there is normally a traffic jam towards Kuala Lumpur. The reason being very simple.. the no. of lanes is reduced from 8 - 10 (toll booths) to 3 or sometimes 2 (for Road Repair or Traffic Police Road Block). It is an accepted norm nowadays that some of the causes of the traffic jam is caused by the presence of police traffic by the road sides.
The matter is also made worse by the unscrupulous contractor who is carrying out repair works without considering the time of heavy traffic using the highway. We can sometimes see that one or two of the lanes were closed but there was no activity at all for 1 or 2 km along the lanes that were closed !! Of course the closure is for safety reasons..!!??

View from the highway just before Sg. Besi Toll (north bound)

So, if you are a regular traveller to KL every morning, please make sure that you don't join the race. We could drive normally to work, appreciate the beauty of the world around us, zikr while driving and pray to Allah that He will bestow us with better rizk in days to come ... Ameen..

Highway Commuter

Malaysia Floral Fest - Johor Bahru

2008-07-27T02:11:00.000-07:00

Floral Fest posters (left & right) and sea-horse
floral design from Terengganu (centre)

Floral Float from Terengganu which won the 1st. Prize

Floral Fest 2008 (FF2008) Float Procession was held on the 26-July-2008 (yesterday). The procession took place from Dataran Bandaraya JB to Danga Bay, a distance of about 3 Km. The colourful flower floats were then kept inside an air-conditioned Exhibition Hall where they were displayed to the public until 28-July-2008.

Carnation flowers (LHS column) and Orchid (centre-right)

I heard about the FF2008 on Radio Era while I was driving home from KL to JB yesterday. So, this morning, I just spent about 2-3 hours at the exhibition hall at Danga Bay to see the floral decorations. Two of the participants are from Suzhou (China) and Macau while the rest are from Perlis, Langkawi, Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Johore and Sarawak.

Generally, I would say that Carnation flower is the most common flower used in the decor as it comes in various colors such as white, yellow, green, violet and red. I really enjoy the colour of flowers displayed, which is also a resemblance of our lifehich is supposed to be full of colours too.

Danga Bay, JB

Masjid Al-Azhar, BSPutra

2008-07-23T19:25:00.000-07:00

Al-Azhar Mosque on the right - as you enter KUIS Campus

I managed to capture some photographs of the mosque yesterday and this morning. The mosque is part of Kolej Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Selangor (KUIS) located at Bandar Seri Putra, Bangi, Kajang, Selangor Darul Ehsan.

Views of the Al-Azhar Mosque from the main round about
Maghrib (Top) and Isyak (Bottom)

The dome and the minaret resemble the Al-Azhar Mosque, UNiversiti Al-Azhar Cairo, Egypt (that is what I was told, I haven't been to Egypy anyway...)

View from the mosque entrance
(after Fajr prayer)

The quality of the photos are not so good as I did not use a tripod and the light was a bit low..anyway, I hope to post better photos within this year.

One of the two minarets (taken before Maghrib prayer)

Salam dari BS Putra..

Images of an Electrical Engineer

2008-07-21T10:17:00.000-07:00

I was born in 1958...
Entered Primary One in 1965 ..
Entered Secondary School in 1971..
Went to UK to do A-Level in 1979 ..
Came back from UK in 1982 with a degree ..
Joined JKR HQ in 1982 ..
Seconded to UTMKL in 1985 ..
Transferred to UTM Skudai 1989 ..
Went to Scotland to do MSc in 1992..
Came back from Dundee Scotland 1993..
Resigned from UTM in 1995 ..
Formed SAFF Consultants 1995 ..
Formed SAFF Testing & Supervising Services in 1997..
Working and working ...
Still working as an Electrical Engineer ..
When shall I retire ??
Only God knows ...

Photographs taken during :
Struck by Dengue Fever in 2006 has caused me to be warded in the ICU;
Presenting graduation certs to Al-Fatih Pre-School Graduation;
With wife Norwati Suleiman in Kerteh;
In front of Dundee Univ. building doing MSc.;
Hajj Session 2006;
With the only brother Hilmy during sister Nawal's wedding;
Factory Acceptance Test in France, London & Germany...

Photographs taken during :
Conducting Safety Training at Ethyene (M) Sdn. Bhd. for PASB;
Servicing & Testing of 11-kV System at Nankai Worsted, Terengganu;
With family members during Eid Ramadaan 2006;
KOMTAR JB site inspection;
Testing & Commissioning of USIM Admin. Block LV Board;
Conducting Training at KDRP, Kerteh, Terengganu;
SAFF Special Meeting at Bandar Baru Nilai, 2008 ..

Various images of AFK at different situation and job functions ..

afk-07091858..

Tips for better Photo Composition

2008-07-21T08:37:00.000-07:00

Often, the difference between a good photograph and a great one is how you compose the image in the camera's viewfinder. Here are five ways to instantly improve the composition of your photos.

1. Apply the Rule of Thirds

Apply the Rule of Thirds for a more interesting composition. Imagine a grid drawn over the image. Position the focal point of your photo at the point where two lines intersect--anywhere but the middle.

2. Use lines to lead the viewer into the photo

Lead your viewer into the image. Use lines to lead the viewer's eye into the photograph. These can be fence lines, rows of light posts, stairs or a roadway leading into the scene.

3.Explore unique angles

Find a way to position your subject from a different angle than just straight ahead. Capture a portrait in a car mirror or a city streetscape reflected in a puddle of water or a shop window.

4. Get in close to the subject

Your subject is usually more important than the background, so move in closer. Use the camera's Macro feature (usually represented by a flower icon on a digital camera) so the subject remains in focus.

5. Get down low for children and animals

Get down low. When photographing children, small animals or even flowers, get down to their level so you look at them and not down on them.

Tags: digital, photography, camera, image, photo

emailed from :

By Helen Bradley, CNET freelancer
07/15/2008
Level: Beginner
afk..

The Beauty of a Lake Garden

2008-07-21T03:44:00.000-07:00

Some lakes were formed naturally while others are man-made. Regardless how they were formed, lakes have provide mankind sceneries that captivated human minds for thousand of years.

By definition, a lake really is just another component of Earth's surface water. A lake is where surface-water runoff (and maybe some ground-water seepage) have accumulated in a low spot, relative to the surrounding countryside. It's not that the water that forms lakes get trapped, but that the water entering a lake comes in faster than it can escape, either via outflow in a river, seepage into the ground, or by evaporation.

The Earth has a tremendous variety of freshwater lakes, from fishing ponds to Lake Superior (the world's largest), to many reservoirs. Most lakes contain fresh water, but some, especially those where water cannot escape via a river, can be salty. In fact, some lakes, such as the Great Salt Lake, are saltier than the oceans. Most lakes support a lot of aquatic life, but the Dead Sea isn't called "Dead" for nothing -- it is too salty for aquatic life! Lakes formed by the erosive force of ancient glaciers, such as the Great Lakes, can be thousands of feet deep. Some very large lakes may be only a few dozen feet deep -- Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana has a maximum depth of only about 15 feet.

Some of the salty lakes were formed in ancient times when they were connected to seas and when rainfall may have been heavier. These lakes have been shrinking since the last ice age. The ancient Lake Bonneville in the United States was once as big as Lake Michigan, and the Great Salt Lake was once about 14 times as large as it is now.

In one of the towns in Malaysia, the man-made lake had provided beautiful sights and people have been using the lakes as a recreational area and getting fresh air. Photographs below try to explain why it is so.

Lake Garden AA

Amateur Photographer

2008-07-21T02:56:00.000-07:00

With the availability of websites, the quality of photographs and pictures available to be down-loaded have proven to be very high. Some of the photos taken by professional photographers are really breath-taking ... They are just superb...
One of the benefits that can be learnt by the 'Budding Photographers' is the quality and angle of the object taken and focused on. Of course we must not forget that patience and quality of camera (the lenses, to be exact) must be of a reasonably high quality in order to produce quality pictures. The rest are just how committed we are to learn and learn, as this can also be taken as a life-long learning process ...
Lastly, I hope to receive some feedback from 'new' photographers on hints how to take good and quality pictures ...
Lastly... Happy Snapping and Enjoy Your Shots...... Can u see the enclosed pictures snapped by a a beginner. Please give your comment ...

nikkon D40

Electrical Engineers In Action

2008-07-21T00:15:00.000-07:00

Electrical Engineer taking transformer
oil sample for Dielectric Test

When I was a kid, I never dreamed to become an Electrical Engineer when I grow up. Electrical Engineer is alien to me and my family as none of my brother or sisters has taken any course or studied Electrical Engineering.
However, as time gone by, after completing my A-Level at Cornwall Technical College, Redruth, Cornwall, UK I was accepted to do Electrical Engineering degrre course in 1979. In fact, I had applied to do Civil Engineering after I was accepted to Sheffiele University but my application to switch course was rejected.
Alhamdulillah, I accepted the fate and after completing my 3-year degrre course at Sheffield University, Iwas awarded a B.Eng. degree in Electrical Engineering (Power).
I started working on the 27-08-1882 at Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) Headquarters as an Electrical Engineer. JKR or Public Works Department of Malaysia is the largest government technical department employing Electrical, Civil and Mechanical Engineers together with the Architects and Quantity Surveyors.
I left the government service in 1995 after 13 years working in the government department and be on my own. Come 27-8-2008 this year, I have worked as an Electrical Engineer for 26 years, quite a long period isn't it?

Something that still puzzled me is that I have been handling or dealing with something that is invisible, odourless, silent but very lethal if it is mishandled ... i.e. electricity. Electricity is such a hazard to human because as small as 10mA or 0.01 Ampere could kill us if it is not handled carefully.
Thus, electricity could only to be handled by those who really care and treat with respect the existance of invisible, odourless, silent but deadly electrons which has contributed much to human lives since 17th. century.

EEngineer_2008

Macro Photography

2008-07-20T10:02:00.000-07:00

Objects snapped under Macro-mode

using Nikon D40 SLR Camera

To snap close-up photos is one of the most difficult ones in photography. However, the results are sometimes rewarding ones i.e. self-satisfaction and feeling of self-admiration.
The above photographs were taken recently during my field-trip to Bukit Tinggi, Pahang.

Enclosed below are some tips from a Professional photographer (Mr. Leonard Goh) extracted from CNET articles.

By Leonard Goh, CNET editor
07/11/2008
Level: Intermediate | 171 out of 183 users found this tip helpful

Getting extreme close-ups -- also called macro photography -- can provide amazing results, especially since many digital cameras feature a macro shooting mode that allows you to focus within inches of your subject.

It may sound easy to snap these close-ups, but there are several factors which could ruin your picture. We took these into consideration and came up with a list of tips for shooting great macro shots with your point-and-shoot.

1) Check your focus
A good close-up shot should be detailed and sharp to show the elements of the subject. So check the user manual of your shooter for the minimal focusing distance of the lens in Macro mode. Some point-and-shoots will give an indication on the LCD via a red box if your shooter cannot focus on the subject.

However, your best bet would be to zoom in on the image while in Playback mode and check if the area you focused on is sharp. It would be disastrous to find all the shots are out of focus when you view them on the PC's display.

2) Hold your breath!
Unless you're shooting in a controlled environment like a studio or room, otherwise you are pretty much at the mercy of nature when out in the field snapping macro shots. Gusts of wind or breathing too hard can make your tiny subject sway, causing motion blur. While there is no way you can stop Mother Nature, you can place your bag or ask your friend to help block and minimize the effect of the wind. For good measure, hold your breath while snapping the shot.

3) A flash of brilliance
Sometimes the weather gets cranky--one moment it's bright and sunny, then just before you press the shutter, the clouds decide to come out and play. Flip the switch and activate the in-built flash, or if you are using a dSLR, attach your hotshoe strobe for better effects. Check your shot and take appropriate action like exposure compensation to reduce the harshness of the light. Alternatively, wait for a sunny day and clear skies to shoot. Natural light provides the best illumination.

4) Clear up the mess
Try to keep the foreground and background clutter to a minimal because they might steal the focus of your shot. Human eyes are naturally attracted to bright colors, so shift your shooting angles or remove any objects to keep your snaps clean. If you're snapping in a park or nature reserve, remember not to pluck or remove any flora.

5) Keep the ISO low, use a tripod
Besides keeping physical clutter to a minimum, you should also reduce digital artifacts which can be distracting. The color on a flower petal should appear as it is, and not littered with spots of noise. Use the lowest ISO sensitivity available in your shooter and pair it up with a tripod to counter the slow shutter speed. To further reduce handshake, use the self-timer mode.

KLIA Anniversary 1998-2008

2008-07-20T06:23:00.000-07:00

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is celebrating its tenth (10th) birthday this year. The time has flown by very fast. I could still remember the time when the first plane, a Malaysian Airline System Boeng 747-400 plane touched down at KLIA piloted by a Malaysian ten years ago.

The airport has grown since to become an air transportation hub in the region. The air travellers had increased so much that an LCCT has to be built to cater for this need.
Let us hope the role played by KLIA and LCCT will bring positive returns to Malaysians in general.

A bustling Entrance to LCCT, KLIA

Passengers are in a hurry to catch a plane at LCCT, KLIA

In The Morning

2008-07-20T01:45:00.000-07:00

Sunrise along Pontian Road, Skudai (in front of UTM)

I used to recollect a song phrases ( I have forgotten who the singer was) :

In The Morning
Bee Gees

In the morning when the moon is at it's rest,
you will see me at the time I love the best
watching rainbows play on sunlight;
pools of water iced from cold night,
'Tis the morning of my life.

In the daytime I will meet you as before.
You will find me waiting by the ocean floor,
building castles in the shifting sands
in a world that no one understands,
In the morning.
'Tis the morning of my life,

In the morning of my life
the minutes take so long to drift away
Please be patient with your life
It's only morning and you're still to live your day

In the evening
I will fly you to the moon
To the top right hand corner of
the ceiling in my room
Where we'll stay until the sun shines
Another day to swing on clothe's lines
May I be yawning

It is the morning of my life
It is the morning of my life
In the morning
In the morning
In the morning

Barry -
Copyright 1967

Sunrise at Bandar Seri Putra, Bangi, Kajang, Selangor

That song has sticked in my mind until today and whenever I see a sun rises from the east, it has brought me an atmosphere or feeling of serenity.

There are numerous occasions where I observed the sun rise when I was behind a wheel, driving from Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur or to Terengganu, my destination of assignments..

Sometimes I observed the sun rise when I was on the way to have my breakfast ..

Where ever I was, the moment has always has a special effect in my life ..
The moment where I treassure , to see the sun rise ..

Bandar Seri Putra

2008-07-20T01:03:00.000-07:00

Bandar Seri Putra is located by the North-South Highway between Kajang (Selangor) and Nilai (Negeri Sembilan). The township was opened in 1998 by a developer, Bangi Heights Development, a subsidiary company of UM Land Berhad.

UM Land’s growing township Bandar Seri Putra in Bangi is set to soar to new heights in one of the country’s fastest growing corridors.

Bandar Seri Putra (BSP) is taking full advantage of Bangi’s tried and proven recipe for continuing demand – location, accessibility and high growth potential that is a magnet to investors and upgraders alike.

Developer Bangi Heights Development Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of listed UM Land Bhd has been diligently offering buyers a steady stream of highly popular mixed property products for the past eleven years, since its initial launch. BSP is a 70:30 Joint Venture (JV) between UM Land Bhd and CapitaLand Ltd.

The 898-acre township with a gross development value of RM1,192 million, has a current population of 12,000 residents and is characterised by a systematic road network, a host of amenities and recreational facilities, extensive landscaping and dedicated township management. The traveling distance from BSP to the Sg Besi toll plaza is about 15 minutes.

BSPutra

Sunset near LCCT KLIA

2008-07-19T22:59:00.000-07:00

Recently when I was driving towards Low Cost Carrier Terminat (LCCT), KL International Airport, the sun was about to set. It was around 7.15 p.m.
I stopped by the highway and took the opportunity to record the moment. Normally, I wouldn't miss the opportunity to admire and appreciate the Creator's Creation for us.
I think there are many more such instances to come, Insya-Allah !!