Salam Perkenalan..

Assalamualaikum and Salam Sejahtera! I'm starting my own blog, having seen how others have theirs. Mine won't be as exciting. I just want to record my thoughts, float some ideas and hope to do some learning in the process.

I'm reminded of Nelson Mandela's words when he wrote to his daughter, Zindzi, in September 1977: "Writing is a prestigious profession which puts one right into the centre of the world and, to remain on top, one has to work really hard, the aim being a good and original theme, simplicity in expression and the use of the irreplaeable word."

From Jalaludin Rumi, I found this: "You have a duty to perform. Do anything else, do any number of things, occupy your time fully, and yet, if you do not do this task, all your time will have been wasted."

But it is from our own Usman Awang (may Abang Usman rest in peace - Al-Fatihah) that I decided to return to writing, to add colour to an already vibrant landscape of web journalism. From his speech when receiving the South East Asia Write Award in Bangkok, 1982, Usman said:

"Maka itulah perlu para penulis memihak
kepada golongan serta gerakan yang ingin mengukuhkan
nilai-nilai kemanusiaan,
menegakkan perdamaian yang sejati,
dan memperjuangkan pembebasan serta keadilan
bagi bangsa dan negara yang tertindas..

"Salam
tanpa visa
golf
warna
kemanusiaan rakyat
seluruh benua."

I pray I have the stamina, creativity, discipline and resourcefulness to maintain my blog! Thank you.

2340 hours
November 22, 2006.