Tuesday, November 29, 2011

@EDC UUM

By the time you have read this, I will be away for management retreat at EDC UUM. I will be away until Friday and then on Saturday, I will be going to Putrajaya until 8th December. Then I would be taking some leave.
Beautiful view




Christmas is coming 2011


@Gurney

@Queensbay

Car show at Gurney

I was at Gurney last weekend, and saw some cars on show at Gurney..


The classic Nissan Z..










Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Danger 5: The Diamond Girls Part 1

Once I blogged about Danger 5, now they have the series released already. Enjoy.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

International Integrity Conference 2011

I was sitting in my office on a Friday morning, waiting for Saturday and some rest when my phone rang and my boss asked me if I want to go to a conference on a Saturday. There goes the weekend. The conference I am talking about is the International Integrity Conference which is held at Sandy Beach Resort, Penang.

Penang has been held by the opposition party since 2008, and I believe many people will say this conference is used to hit out at the government. Let me say, to be fair, the PKR government is also criticized in this conference by the speakers. I wonder if the speakers in government conferences does that, unless your name is Dr. M  :)
 I like their conference book, the design is nice. Maybe we can use this idea for our next conference.

The opening is by the Chief Minister of Penang, The Honourable Mr. Lim Guan Eng.
To be fair to him too, certain newspaper claims that the Malay language is sidelined by him, let me say that his speech is in Malay first then only English for the international participants.

In his speech, for something to work, we need.
  1. A workable system
  2. Right work attitude.
  3. Team Spirit
First session
There are three speakers for the first session.

1. Dr. Azlan Amran on CSR - Who makes it possible? (CSR stands for Corporate Social Responsibility)
A sustainable solution is a mixture of Economy, Environment and Social.
According to ISO26000, Social Responsibility - "The willingness of corporation to incorporate Social and Environmental in decision making and accountable for the impact of decision activities on social environment"
Why? Population growth, Biocapacity reached in 1970 (Biocapacity means the ability of earth to absorb pollution and renew itself, Deforestation causes climate change, which causes food/water crisis.
Who makes CSR? You.
Why? Stakeholder Pressure, Consumer, Community, NGO, Government, Investor, Employee.

2. Dr Reevany Bastamy - Integrity and CSR - & emerging paradigms
  • Total Truth/Full Disclosure (Clear PR) - PR = Public Relations, levels of PR, Big Lie, So Long as it's Plausable, Withhold the other point of view, the truth, the good and the bad, the losses & gains
  • Fairness & Social Justice 
  • Ethical Integration
  • Single-issue transformation
  • Industrial Rectification
  • Value Chain Integrity
  • Ethical Consumption
 Feeling tired, I will continue later.
 His concept, which a few of us did question, It it practical?

3. Mr Marco on tourism ans hotel industry
He mentioned on greywater policy for hotel industry. Greywater is wastewater generated from domestic activities such as laundry, dishwashing, and bathing, which can be recycled on-site for uses such as landscape irrigation and constructed wetlands. Use of bacteria based cleaning agent and staff who do community service, they are considered working for the hotel during the time.

Then it was  time for lunch break. I went walking around the beach but my clothes are not so suitable..lol

After lunch is the second session

1. Engr. Gurmit Singh K.S. talks about Ensuring Integrity of Man within nature through sustainable development.
Good policies
  • Minimize eco footprint
  • Eliminate all form of wastages
  • Optimize energy efficiencies and switch to renewable energy.
  • Effecient, clean and affordable public transport
  • Organic farming
  • Green technologies(pollution prevention)
  • Public participation, accountability and transparency
  • Conserver vital energy resources
  • Eliminate hazardous waste and products
2. Prof Hans talks about Why should we guard biodiversity and social diversity. There is a correlation between high biodiversity and high cultural diversity. He stressed on the economic value of biodiversity such as ecosystem services - carbon, water, tourism,pharmaceutical plants. He also mention that there is higher productivity on a more socially diverse society. 

3. Dr. Nik Norma talks about Speaking for the environment- for ourselves. She talked from the media's perspective on
  • Symbolic action - ie use of color to stress pollution in picture.
  • Beliefs, attitudes and behaviors. For example, a tiger does not speak.For the villagers, a tiger is dangerous, but for conservationists, they needed to be saved. Its the issue of perception.
  • Public sphere
  • From advocacy to collaboration - In the old days, the policy was Decide, Announce, Defend but now there must be civil communication among public and the people must be given the right

Cosplay Competition at Gurney Plaza

I missed the first day of the event as I had to attend the International Integrity Conference at Sandy Beach. I will write about the conference later as that is more serious and I am still tired. I was tired on Sunday but still made an effort to go to Gurney Plaza.
It was organized by in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of Gurney Plaza. There is actually a cosplay society which is the Malaysian Cosplay Toshokan. Maybe you all can join it later.
 
Miku, this is which version of Miku, I wonder..lol
 
The samurai's show. One of his sheath fell down and he tried to put the wrong sword in the wrong sheath..lol
Then he got bullied by the emcee..lol

This the sissiest Shinsengumi I have ever seen. I rather go as Hajime Saito..lol. And fyi, he is a real person in Japanese history.
See what I mean?

The smallest Sailormoon..

All the cosplayer on stage..

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Busy with Conference

This week, I was super busy with a conference, now only I have time to update my blog. The conference I am talking about is the 4th International Conference on Science and Mathematics Education, held at Seameo Recsam, Penang. 
I need to buy another set of coat. Hmm, maybe when I am a bit free later. Should I buy black color coat? ha ha.

Keynote address by Prof Ken Clements.
This model can be used by lecturers and teachers alike.

Then there is the conference dinner at City Bayview Hotel, Penang.
The food






Not bad right?

The funny thing is some of the conference participants thought I was not a Malaysian. Do I not look like a Malaysian to you? ha ha. But this is not the first time. My previous job, I had to travel to KL often, and when I too a cab to KLIA, the taxi driver always ask me, going back to Singapore?