Dock Zack

Batch 8 Intern Farewell

2009-05-24T11:37:00.003+08:00

Razif, Shida, Ikram and Azie had been with DANAU since December 2008. Their internship period ended formally on the day of the opening of Nordin Group, 15 May 2009. As usual, we would have a simple outing to mark the successful completion of their internship. Pictures of our outing can be found here. Appreciation of their contribution can be found at our DANAU Blog, here.

I still owe similar posting for Batch 7 Interns. Their internship ended in December 2008. To Wani, Wana, Suraya, Nadia, Nad and Fieza, I will do that in the next few days on our DANAU Blog.

The Red Maze Opening Pictures

2009-05-24T11:22:00.006+08:00

I made a posting on the Opening of Nordin Group by the Chief Minister of Melaka on our DANAU Blog last week. You can read the posting here. Pictures of Datuk Seri Mohd Ali touring The Red Maze can be found here.

Other opening day pictures will be posted later on our Flickr-based photo directory called Images from the World of DANAU ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/danaudigital ).

New DANAU Blog

2009-05-18T03:13:00.008+08:00

DANAU has a new blog at http://www.danaudigital.com.my/blog. From today you will find DANAU-related postings at this new site. We are still in the process of improving our new blog but it is readable. Below is the first posting which I made on our new blog yesterday.

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April 2009 marks a new beginning for DANAU. We moved office from K-Economy Incubator to our new office at the Nordin Group building.

Our new office is special in many ways. First, it is located in a single building that is shared with four other main companies and firms, namely, Adillah A Nordin (Advocates and Solicitors), Emilda Architect, DAMA Design + Build and NeuroMaju. Secondly, the building has a very distinctive red-bar design on its facade (designed by Emilda Architect). For that, I call the building The Red Maze. And for that too, our new address becomes:

DANAU@TheRedMaze, 82 Jalan TU2, MSC Cybercenter @ MITC, 75450 Melaka

The Red Maze

Do visit us at The Red Maze.

Danau Wall Climb Challenge #4

2009-03-02T22:40:00.006+08:00

We had a new climber in Adillah last Friday. Not bad for a first timer, she managed to get past tile #5, the average height of our climb on the first week. Perhaps she would try again this week. For the rest, there were some improvements but no major breakthrough. Too bad, we may try something else this week or back to the wall again.

Danau Wall Climb Challenge #3

2009-02-19T20:50:00.005+08:00

It is no surprise to find us at the wall again this week and today is the third consecutive week of our visit. No major achievements for all of us today and as expected Ikram (the climber on the right in the picture above) is still at tile #5!

Next week will probably be our last visit before we try something else there. It is definitely not boating!

Danau Wall Climb Challenge #2

2009-02-15T11:40:00.006+08:00

We were at the wall again last week seeking to improve our last achievements. Individually we made some progress. Azim managed to hang on to the horizontal tile, which is the hardest point to pass before getting on to the two final vertical tiles at the top. The other top climbers, Azmin and Thony were slightly behind Azim.

Azim, at the most difficult point.

And yes we will be back again this week in another attempt to reach the top of the wall. This challenge seems to have rejuvenated our interest in our after-work outdoor activity after badminton became a bit too routine and progressively less challenging.

Danau Wall Climb Challenge #1

2009-02-05T20:57:00.016+08:00

Our challenge, the static wall climb at

Ayer Keroh Lake Recreational Park

After months of regular weekly visits to the Badminton court, it was time for us to try new things, something more challenging, and with a different kind of excitement - the static wall climb. The venue was the climb wall at Ayer Keroh Lake Recreational Park.

After a short safety briefing by the instructor, Azim was the first to ascend the 30 feet or so vertical wall. He only managed to get to the top on second attempt, and subsequently on the third attempt. Nevertheless, Azim, with only about 45kg of personal baggage to carry up with him, was the first to get to the top.

Azmin and Thony on the way to the top and down on
the second attempt. They did not have much personal
baggage to carry with them too!

Not so successful climbers were Ikram, Razif, Hasanah, Shida, Azie, and yours truly. It looked like these people had any of the following reasons for their failures - too much weight to carry up the wall, legs not strong enough to push the body upwards, or fingers not strong enough to grip the wall insert and pull the body upwards, or all of it.

Ikram (red shirt) almost at the limit of his climb.
Razif failing to clear the hardest part of the climb.

Hasanah and Ikram attempting another climb.

The more successful climbers had a go at the more challenging section of the wall. Only Thony managed to climb the furthest. But, all of will be back again next week to conquer the wall. I guess there will be a few dumbbells and hand grippers in the office next week to strengthen the arms and legs, and the grip! We will also have another challenge next week - to get Hajar to climb the wall.

If you are looking for a relaxation of a different kind try I would certainly recommend you to try the wall climb. It is not as physical as it may look but you will certainly discover your level of fitness very quickly. It should be quite fun when you come in a group like us. It only costs about RM5 per person (we had many tries).

2008 Company Trip - Bangkok

2009-01-28T00:33:00.057+08:00

2008 has been a truly defining year for all of us at Danau but more so for me personally as a person heading the company. Not only did we manage to deliver all of our 2008 projects successfully but most importantly I was able to see the direction in which the Company is heading more clearly now. As the saying goes "The future belongs to those who can see the future". When the road ahead is always under construction it makes you feel a bit better knowing that you have a clearer view of the future! So this trip to Bangkok was a reward for all of us for what we have achieved in 2008.

Grand Palace, Bangkok

DAY 1. Our first stop is the Grand Palace, one of the most recognizable tourist destination in Bangkok. Although not as big as the Forbidden City in Beijing, the experience is certainly more intense, well for me at least. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the buildings are huge and very close to one another. Plus, the color is also a very striking color.

Azim, Hasanah and Hajar at the Palace entrance

Ramayana as depicted on the walls of one of the building in the Grand Palace

The next stop is the boat ride on the Chao Praya River. This is probably the most exciting and adventurous experience we had during the trip considering that we did not make it to the 'Thai Girls Show' this time! The one hour trip has many facets to it. When you consider that the boat operator does not provide you with any life jacket, traveling along the Chao Praya River with your eye sight almost at water level will certainly make your heart beats faster. Things get a bit more relaxing when the boat enters the canals connected to the Chao Praya River. That is when you will get to see the 'staged floating market', fish feeding, etc.

Boat ride participants not paying attention to the floating market lady,
rather, anxiously looking at a dog which is about to jump into our boat!

The boat is powered by a car engine!

The Jim Thomson House Museum

DAY 2 begins with a visit to the Jim Thompson House Museum. The museum consists of many small Thai houses, all of which are different. There is no single camera shot that can capture the ambiance of the place. You simply have to be here to appreciate the museum. This place is a must for me.

Azim and Thony finding it difficult to concentrate
on what our guide says!

After lunch at Makyah Muslim Restaurant, next stop is the MBK Shopping Center. The laddies just have to do what they do best, shop!

Thony, Azmin and Azim at Siam Square

Day 3. Chatuchak Market and the Children Discovery Center is the order of the day. I did not go to the market so I can't really comment on it. However, the discovery center falls short of my expectation. Lonely Planet should revise it's recommendation in my opinion.

Azim and Azmin inside a soap bubble at the discovery center.

The rest of the day is spent on shopping, again, and doing other things

Adillah, Anas and Adlina taking the Tut-Tut to avoid traffic jam.

The kids looking different in Bangkok.

Day 4. All smiles and it's time to go home.

Before check-in at the airport

Thony preparing to view partial solar eclipse from the plane
in case our flight is delayed. Azmin with our GPS needing to
find out when the plane travels over his hometown Taiping.

Final note:

Adillah at The Gift Shop @ Jim Thompson House

Last but not least, we say thank you to Adillah for taking time to understand Bangkok before we even had the time to think about Bangkok. Where to go, eat and stay, hotel booking, flight booking, how much money to bring, where to shop, ... you name it. You are the most efficient travel agent we ever had. Will definitely engage you again next year!

Zaharim

1 Jan 2009

2009-01-01T22:37:00.037+08:00

Adlina, 1 Jan 2004 @ Equatorial Hotel, Melaka

The coming of the new year is special to me not only because it is a new year but more so because 1 Jan is our wedding anniversary. 1 Jan 2009 marks the beginning of another year of extremely blissful partnership with Adillah, insyallah. 2008 had been a very challenging year for me and Danau. We would not have been where we are now without Adillah's help. Thank you darling. More of you will be needed in 2009!

On a completely different note, I strongly urge couples who are planning to get married to find a 'good' date to tie the knot. Of course the date of your wedding anniversary will always be special no matter what date it is. However, to have it on a public holiday makes it easier for you to celebrate because nobody else will be in your way. Preferably you wouldn't want to have your wedding anniversary fall on a Monday when you have to present weekly sales report, or on a day when you have to fight for a very nasty and messy case in the court of law.

When Adillah and I were considering wedding dates towards the end of 1993 we immediately saw the benefits of choosing 1 Jan 1994, which happened to be a Saturday. We are grateful to our parents that they agreed to our proposed date. What a difference it has made to us and the kids!

2007 New Year's dinner under the tree @ Danau Kaseh

The final two weeks of December has always been a very special time of the year for me and Adillah especially since our kids have become a bit more matured now. Work wise, the last few days leading to Christmas and the days between Christmas and the New Year have always been 'slow' days. Most people are on holidays and clients don't usually demand our attentions. That allows us (and the kids) to self reflect on things and events which have gone past us during the year, to take stock of what we have and have not achieved, and most importantly to set our targets for the following year. Usually, by our wedding anniversary day, 1 Jan, most things would have been planned and waiting to be executed.

Hakim and Adlina doing the easiest part of
Finding Nemo jigsaw puzzle, the borders, in 2003

Perhaps the only thing we have missed doing as part of our year end tradition since 2003 is a jigsaw puzzle. None of the jigsaw puzzles which we have framed has gone on the wall so I guess there is no harm taking a break from doing one this year!

Happy New Year to all and may Allah grant you peace and fine health in 2009 (1430H).

Azmin's Birthday

2008-10-06T18:24:00.004+08:00

Today is Azmin's birthday. It is also our first day at work after the long Hari Raya holiday.

Selamat Hari Raya

2008-10-01T00:55:00.004+08:00

Salam Aidil Fitri, Maaf Zahir & Batin

Happy Birthday - Nur Nadilah

2008-09-29T00:46:00.003+08:00

I would like to wish "Happy Birthday" to intern Nur Nadilah Mansor (aka Nad) who is celebrating her birthday on 29 September.

Happy Birthday to My Dearest Ila

2008-09-21T04:11:00.006+08:00

Dearest Ila,

Wishing you a very happy happy birthday!

You have been the source of strength and inspiration to me,
to the kids and to a lot of other people.

We are truly blessed by your presence.

Zaharim

A Day of Disorientation and Unwanted Incident

2008-09-20T18:08:00.016+08:00

I normally have "non work-related" things to do on Saturday, either playing golf or doing things together with Adillah. But yesterday I did not have any "non work-related" things to do so I felt a bit disorientated. The night before I stumbled across something interesting and exciting which I have been planning to do in the future. That got me really excited. At the same time I have a dateline and an important task to complete before the middle of the week. However, they are not as exciting as building up the concept for the future project. Objectively I should just continue to work on the dateline but my heart says otherwise. That made me feel a bit disorientated.

Just before noon I decided to go to office to download a few large files from the net. I left office at about 3.30pm. However, as I got to the bottom of the lift, I realized that I had left the thumb drive which contained the files I had just downloaded at my computer in the office. I was not so sure if I should get the thumb drive knowing that I may not use it at home at all. Somehow, I decided to go up the lift again to get the thumb drive. Finally I was ready to go home.

However, as I entered my car I heard a loud 'bang' just outside of the K-Economy Incubator car park where my office is located. To be precise, at the junction between Jalan Business City and Lingkaran MITC. It was the kind of noise that happened in an accident. Rightly so, an accident between a van and a motorcycle had just happened. I waited for a few seconds to see if the motorcyclist could get up from the accident but he did not. So I decided to get to the scene of the accident and to my horror I saw a lot of blood on his face. Worse still I saw a huge cut on his chin and it looked as though his chin was dislocated. He was struggling to breathe and looked a bit unconscious. I seriously thought he was going to die as 'thick' blood was flowing out of his face.

The two guys that knocked him over with the van were extremely horrified to see the result of their reckless act. They asked me to call the ambulance but somehow I was not sure what number to call to so I called Adillah instead. I was panicked and horrified too! Somehow I felt that calling the ambulance was not the best way to get him to the hospital. It took me a few minutes before I realized that the center for Melaka Integrated Rescue Squad and a police station is just about 100 meters away at the junction between Jalan TU 1 and Jalan MITC. So I ran as quickly as I could to the center and within a few minutes they were at the scene of the accident. I was there when the rescuer attended to the guy but I just could not bear to look at his. Within minutes they were off to the hospital.

I guess I would have missed the incident if I had not gone back to my office to take my thumb drive. Worse still, the two guys that knocked the construction worker over wouldn't have a clue of how to get him to the hospital as quickly as possible. Putting that aside I just hope that in the end he will be allright. I left the scene of the accident feeling more disoroientated!

A Walk Along Singapore River

2008-09-16T01:16:00.003+08:00

I was in Singapore at the beginning of the month to attend a seminar and workshop on story telling. The event was held at The Arts House which is located near the Singapore River. Although I had been to Singapore many times, that was the first time I visited this part of the Lion City. The instructions from the organizer said I should take the MRT (Singapore's underground transport) to either Clarke Quay or Raffles Place. I decided to disembark at Raffles Place because it would be nearer for me to walk to The Arts House from there.

The walk from Raffles Place MRT station to The Arts House was relatively short but it was a very revealing short walk for me. As I strolled along the river to a 140 year old suspension bridge (Cavenagh Bridge) that would get me across, I encountered a few sculptures along the river bank, a museum known as the Asian Civilizations Museum, and a very scenic view of restored old shop houses located along the river.

The Singapore River, like many other rivers in the world, has a very long history. Archaeologists have found evidence of settlement and maritime commerce which can be dated as far back as the 14th century. To understand the history and the importance of the river to Singapore, a visit to the Asian Civilizations Museum is a must.

The museum has six thematic galleries. A visit to the museum begins with the Singapore River Interpretive Gallery which tells many stories about coolies and Chettias, the indegenous Orang Laut (literally translated as the sea people), and the newly arrived Europeans. Other galleries will bring you further back in time and across the myriad cultures of Asia. The museum also uses the latest technology to help visitors explore and experience the subjects and objects on display.

As I walked further towards the river mouth I came across an area known as The Esplanade. From there I could see the theaters known to Singaporeans as "The Durian", and the giant ferris wheel known as Singapore Flyer. I did not walk far enough to catch a view of the Merlion (a fictitious animal with the head of a lion and the body of a fish) which is located the river mouth.

If you are planning to spend a few days in Singapore then a walk along the Singapore River is something you should not miss.

The Malaysian Batik Extraordinaire

2008-08-31T00:27:00.028+08:00

Batik painting on ceramic tile

My journey through the jungle trail of Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve two weeks ago brought me to the Malaysian Timber Board Craft Center which is located at the end of the trail at the foot of Bukit Nanas. It was raining quite heavily so I made up my mind to browse around the center slowly.

The craft center has many interesting stuffs mostly derived from Malaysia's rainforest timber and plants. You will be able to find Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma Longifolia) root and chipped root, a traditional medicine which can be used as remedy for fevers, fatigue and high blood pressure, or as it is famously known for to overcome impotence, kind off the traditional viagra. You will also find many beautiful wood carvings at the center.

However, the thing which got me interested was the application of batik on wood and other stuffs that batik is not usually painted on. As I looked at the artwork intensely, I was spoken to by this guy in a nice batik shirt who introduced himself as Aziz. So I asked him why do batik on wood? He said it has not been done before in Malaysia (perhaps not in Indonesia as well) so why not take the challenge. In the spirit of Malaysia Boleh I couldn't agree more!

Aziz during our conversation

Aziz talked a lot about batik as a form of art and fashion. He was obviously very enthusiastic and passionate about batik and his new form of batik experiment. I ask Aziz what got him started. He told me that he was working for a business organization for too long. Work became too routine and boring. He had his own food business before but that too became less and less interesting. So a few years ago he decided to quit the boring stuffs and went to Indonesia for a few months to learn batik painting. He had also learned the art from two award winning batik artist in Malaysia.

Another batik on ceramic

Today, apart from experimenting batik painting on different kinds of tropical wood, Aziz is also busy conducting batik painting classes for the locals and tourists visiting Kuala Lumpur. According to him, not many Malaysians appreciate the art.

Aziz has appeared in local newspapers and television so some may have known him already. But what many may not know is that in pursuing something which he is so passionate about, Aziz had taken on the 'road' many of us dare not take. When asked if he is making more money now than before, his answer was "No but I am much much happier in life now than before". I can certainly relate to that.

Happy 51st Merdeka to all Malaysians.

A Journey into Rain Forest

2008-08-25T20:42:00.000+08:00

Last Thursday my work took me to the jungle trails of Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve. The forest reserve was established in 1906 as Bucket Weld Forest Reserve. So it has remained untouched for at least 102 years. If you have not been on a jungle trail before then this one you should not miss. My task was to find out if the constituents of the forest including it's man-made facilities fits the criteria of an outdoor activity which I am proposing to a client.

I started my journey into the forest from Menara Kuala Lumpur (KL Tower) which is located on top of Bukit Nanas (bukit means hill in malay). So from where I started, most of the trails were downhill trails. To get to the bottom of the hill at the point where the Malaysian Timber Board craft center is located (near the junction between Jalan Ampang and Jalan Sultan Ismail) I had two options. Follow a jogging trail all the way down (about 600m) or follow the jogging trail half way down and then take the natural forest train (either the Jelutong Trail or Merbau Trail) to the foot of the hill. I took the second option through Jelutong Trail.

Pokok Limau (Citrus Tree)

So did I find anything interesting? Well, I found this lime tree (pokok limau) which looks exactly like the lemon tree at the back of my mom's house except that it is huge, at least 30 meters tall. I never knew a lemon tree can grow so big! The other is a tree which has fruits on its bark (above). I have seen it before in pictures but not in real life.

If you have not been on a jungle trail before, as I said earlier, then this one you should not miss. This rain forest reserve is probably the most accessible to you especially if you are staying in Kuala Lumpur. Although it is not very dense, there are a plenty of flora and fauna for you to see, touch and appreciate. There are walking and jogging trails, activities field, lookout platform, huts as well as toilets. I was also informed that there are guided tours at 11am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm and 4.30pm subject to weather conditions.

The best way to get to the forest is through KL Tower (Menara Kuala Lumpur). There are plenty of car parks there and if you are a tourist staying somewhere near KLCC or Bukit Bintang then you are within walking distance to the forest. From KL Tower you can enter the forest through two different gates. There are maps available at KL Tower for you to use as guide. From thereon, will be walking all the way downhill.

Enjoy you journey into the rain forest...

Happy Belated Birthday - Nor Hafizah

2008-08-11T10:35:00.004+08:00

Happy belated birthday to Nor Hafizah who is currently doing her internship at Danau Digital. You have the same birth date as Anwar Ibrahim!

Graduan Baru

2008-08-10T08:42:00.001+08:00

Tahniah diucapkan kepada Thony, Azmin dan Azim yang telah menerima ijazah Sarjana Muda Sains Komputer daripada Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) pada hari Ahad, 10 Ogos 2008. Tahniah juga kepada Shahrir yang pernah menjalani latihan industri di Danau Digital pada tahun 2006.

Adillah A Nordin, the Firm

2008-07-21T21:15:00.027+08:00

Next Friday, 1st of August 2008, is the 6th Anniversary of Adillah A. Nordin, the legal Firm. Many congratulations to all of you at Adillah A. Nordin. You have worked really hard as a team to bring the Firm to a different level. The beginning was certainly not easy for you. In a profession which is highly regulated, legal firms, old and new, cannot exert their presence in the in the market like companies can. So there was no billboard advertising to announce the birth of Adillah A. Nordin!

I am extremely fortunate to be able to enjoy the growth of the Firm, as do other spouses. More often than not the Firm has been able to organize 'family trips' abroad, the last two being Beijing and Cambodia in 2006 and 2007 respectively. I must say that I have enjoyed the trips tremendously. The pictures below are constructed with Azim's help.

My memories of our trips are still vivid. The sense of unity and understanding that has developed over the years that the Firm and their spouses have traveled together is certainly unique, special and difficult to describe.

Adillah is still busy packing your 'goodies' just as I am completing this posting. I was told that my presence at your 6th Anniversary function tomorrow is somewhat compulsory so I feel honored to be invited. To Hamidah, Faridah, Eyta, Long Chek, Zurina, Farah, Faizah, Mas, Saad and Cherryl, many congratulations!

To Adillah A. Nordin, the person, may I say that I am extremely proud of your leadership and for what you have achieved in such a short time. You are truly 'The Special One'.

The agony of a daughter

2008-07-16T00:08:00.010+08:00

Adillah and I have four kids. Adlina, 9, is our third child and the only girl in our family. Like her Mama she is a very competitive girl. Not to be outdone in cyberspace by her two elder brothers Adlina decided to create her own blog which she called HELLO KITTY AND STUFFZ. I’m proud to say that she did it mostly on her own with little help from her elder brothers. And she writes well too!

The subject of Adlina’s blog is cat, or anything about cats, which is her favourite animal. Adlina has been wanting to have cats at home but unfortunately we can’t have any because Mama is allergic to anything that is cat. It will be difficult and long to describe Adlina’s love for cats. But in one of her postings she has managed to articulate her passion for the animal and her agony of not being able to have one at home in a very special way so as not to upset Mama.

Adlina, to date, has managed to outdo her two elder brothers in the blogsphere. In fact, she has outdone all of us. The subject of her passion has brought many visitors from all over the world to her blog. She proudly showed us the statistics of her visitors this evening. So far none of us has been as successful as Adlina, not even her kiasu Mama!

Sorry Adlina we still can't have cats at home. Perhaps not even in your own house in the future because then Mama won’t be comfortable visiting you. But, being a good girl that you are, you have done well in keeping your cats only to the confines of your blog.

My dearest Adlina, let’s keep it that way for Mama’s sake!

Papa

Farewell to Intern No. 12, 13 & 14

2008-07-07T22:17:00.018+08:00

We had a small and simple ceremony, a bit of makan-makan and some speeches to mark the end of Latifah, Shi Rho and Nana's internship at Danau Digital on Thursday, 26 June 2008. They had been with us for about two months and had helped us in many ways. They were very pleasant, polite, and soft spoken. But most importantly is that they had carried out their duties well, and, with passion and determination too.

We made a trip to Menara Taming Sari to end our day at the office. None of us had been up the tower before so everyone was quite excited about it. The view from the top was extremely interesting. A muddy river trying to find its way to a muddy sea, and plenty of colourful, not so colourful and wanting to be replaced roof tiles for you to see so what more can you ask for! After all, we ONLY had to pay RM10 (after discount for MyCard holders) to go up there.

The day, however, still belonged to the Interns. To Latifah (Intern No 12), Shi Rho (Intern No 13) and Nana (Intern No 14), on behalf of Danau, may I say that it's been a real pleasure to have you with us for the last two months. We hope you have learned something while with us and good luck to you in your future undertaking.

Shi Rho, Latifah, Nana

Terima Kasih

2008-06-25T02:11:00.004+08:00

Saya telah membuat beberapa posting yang terdahulu (lihat posting-posting di bawah) bagi merakamkan rasa terima kasih kepada warga Danau dan mereka-mereka yang terlibat di dalam menjayakan perlaksanaan Program Latihan Rangkaian Bersepadu ICT Negeri Melaka bermula daripada 1 Mac hingga 21 Jun 2008.

Saya mohon maaf kerana tidak berkesempatan melakukannya lebih awal setelah posting saya yang pertama dibuat pada 2hb Jun 2008 yang lepas.

Adillah A Nordin

2008-06-25T00:44:00.014+08:00

Memang sukar untuk saya menulis penghargaan ini kepada Adillah kerana terlalu banyak sumbangan dan pengorbanan yang telah beliau berikan kepada Danau untuk memastikan perlaksanaan Program Latihan Rangkaian Bersepadu ICT ini berjalan dengan baik dan sempurna. Daripada hal-hal yang berkaitan dengan kewangan, pembelian cenderahati, pemilihan hadiah untuk peserta hinggalah ke pengurusan pendaftaran peserta dan pengendalian latihan semuanya tidak terlepas daripada penglibatan dan pandangan beliau.

Sering kali Adillah terpaksa menyusun kerja-kerja guaman beliau untuk terlibat sama dalam perlaksanaan program ini di mukim-mukim. Ada kala kerja-kerja guaman beliau dibuat ketika program latihan sedang berjalan. Saya rasakan hari-hari yang mana beliau tidak dapat hadir seperti ada saja yang tidak kena.

Apa yang tertulis di dalam posting adalah terlalu ringkas untuk menyatakan penghargaan saya kepada beliau kerana saya rasa tanpa beliau tidak mungkin Danau akan terlibat di dalam Program Latihan Rangkaian Bersepadu ICT ini.

Ila, thanks.

Hafizah

2008-06-25T00:31:00.003+08:00

Hafizah sentiasa membantu saya pada hari-hari beliau tidak mempunyai kuliah di MMU, Cyberjaya. Hafizah pendiam orangnya tetapi tidak teragak-agak untuk membantu peserta bila-bila masa sahaja. Terima kasih Hafizah kerana sentiasa melaksanakan tugas dengan tekun.

Lim Shi Rho, Latifah & Nur Azliyana

2008-06-25T00:17:00.005+08:00

Shi Rho, Latifah dan Nur Azliyana (Nana) adalah pelajar dari USM dan UKM yang menjalankan latihan industri di Danau daripada awal Mei hingga akhir Jun. Mereka bukan sahaja telah menjadi fasilitator di Taboh Naning, Rembia dan Telok Mas tetapi telah banyak membantu saya (Thony) menyemak soalan-soalan kuiz, mengendalikan perisian Kuiz ICT di peringkat akhir, menguji 'Internet Treasure Hunt' dan menyediakan peralatan untuknya.

Terima kasih saya kepada Shi Rho, Latifah dan Nana kerana telah menyesuaikan diri dengan begitu cepat dan melaksanakan tugas dengan cemerlang.

Aida

2008-06-25T00:06:00.006+08:00

Aida memang tidak pernah melepaskan peluang untuk bersama kami di sepanjang perlaksanaan Program Latihan Rangkaian Bersepadu ICT ini. Walaupun Aida hanya menjadi fasilitator tetapi kehadirannya sentiasa memeriahkan suasana di kalangan fasilitator-fasilitator yang lain.

Di akhir perlaksanaan program ini Aida telah membantu kami menguji 'Internet Treasure Hunt' untuk memastikan perjalannya lancar. Aida, terima kasih kerana sentiasa mahu bersama kami di samping menceriakan suasana program.

Azura Majid

2008-06-24T23:24:00.008+08:00

Azura selalu menjadi fasilitator bagi program ini pada hari-hari yang mana beliau tidak mempunyai kuliah (atau peperiksaan) di UPM, Serdang. Semenjak dua bulan kebelakangan ini beliau telah bersama-sama Danau sepenuh masa bagi membantu kerja-kerja saya di Planetarium Negara dan kerja-kerja penyediaan Kuiz ICT Peringkat Akhir.

Azura dan rakan-rakan yang lain telah memeriksa soalan-soalan kuiz yang disediakan bagi memastikan ayat-ayat dan ejaan ditulis dengan betul, menguji perisian kuiz yang dibina oleh Thony berfungsi dengan baik, menyediakan bahan-bahan untuk 'Internet Treasure Hunt' dan sebagainya.

Terima kasih saya kepada Azura kerana sanggup mengorbankan cuti hujung tahun pengajian untuk bersama-sama menjayakan perlaksanaan Program Latihan Rangkaian Bersepadu ICT.

Nurul Nasyira

2008-06-24T14:08:00.012+08:00

Nurul adalah pelajar lepasan SPM ketika beliau menyertai Danau untuk melaksanakan Program Latihan Rangkaian Bersepadu ICT. Saya yakin beliau boleh membantu saya memperincikan aktiviti 'Merancang Percutian Menggunakan Internet' untuk pelajar-pelajar sekolah yang mana ia melibatkan penggunaan blog. Nurul telah melaksanakannya dengan baik. Dari awal program hinggalah ke akhirnya tidak banyak yang perlu diubah lagi.

Nurul hanya bersama Danau hingga ke Tanjung Bidara (Siri ke-6) kerana melanjutkan pelajarannya di dalam jurusan undang-undang di UIA.

Nurul, terima kasih kerana sentiasa melaksanakan tugas dengan penuh semangat.

Sardi Ghazali

2008-06-24T13:36:00.009+08:00

Sardi, seperti Rizal, menyertai Danau pada awal bulan Disember 2007. Beliau telah banyak membantu Thony dalam menyediakan soalan-soalan Kuiz ICT, mereka dan mengendalikan aktiviti yang melibatkan penggunaan robot Lego Mindstorm (bersama Rizal) dan membina kandungan halaman web Menguasai Internet dan halaman web Buku Menguasai Internet.

Walaupun Sardi tidak dapat bersama-sama kami hingga ke akhir program ini kerana terpaksa membantu keluarga di kampung tetapi sumbangan dan komitment yang beliau berikan untuk menjayakan program ini adalah sangat besar dan tetap dikenang.

Banyak yang ingin saya katakan tentang Sardi telah saya katakan dalam posting tentang Rizal kerana Sardi dan Rizal sering melakukan tugas bersama. Sardi, terima kasih. Tidak sia-sia saya menerima Sardi untuk menjalani latihan industri di Danau Disember lepas.

Mohd Rizal Abdullah

2008-06-24T12:54:00.014+08:00

Rizal menyertai Danau pada awal bulan Disember 2007 bagi menjalani latihan industri seperti yang dikehendaki oleh universiti beliau, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM). Pada mulanya saya telah meminta beliau mempelajari dan mendalami bidang robotik dengan menggunakan Lego Mindstorm. Apabila Program Latihan Rangkaian Bersepadu ICT bermula maka Rizal (bersama Sardi) telah membantu saya merekabentuk dan mengendalikan aktiviti yang melibatkan penggunaan Lego Mindstorm untuk pelajar-pelajar sekolah rendah dan menengah.

Pada awal program Rizal telah banyak membantu Thony membina soalan-soalan Kuiz ICT. Kemudian Rizal telah membantu saya membina kandungan bagi halaman web Menguasai Internet. Banyak juga masa yang telah dilabur untuk membinanya. Walaupun halaman ini masih dalam pembinaan tetapi penulisan-penulisan yang beliau buat adalah sangat baik.

Di akhir perlaksanaan program Rizal (bersama Azmin) telah membantu saya memperinci program 'Internet Treasure Hunt' untuk dilaksanakan di Majlis Penutup. Kerja-kerjanya memang banyak tetapi semuanya telah dapat dilaksanakan dengan sempurna dan baik oleh beliau.

Tugas-tugas yang Rizal (dan Sardi) telah laksanakan untuk saya memang banyak dan berbagai. Menarik kabel rangkaian, membuat kabel elektrik, menyediakan ratusan email untuk peserta-peserta program, mengarang artikel, membina robot, dan sebagainya semuanya telah dilakukan seolah-olah tidak ada apa yang Rizal (dan Sardi) tidak boleh buat. Rizal, terima kasih. Seperti rakan-rakan yang lain Rizal (dan Sardi) tidak pernah menghampakan saya.

Mohd Azmin Abu Bakar

2008-06-24T11:51:00.016+08:00

Azmin mula menyertai Danau pada penghujung bulan Februari 2008 ketika persiapan untuk melaksanakan Program Latihan Rangkaian Bersepadu ICT sedang rancak. Saya perlukan orang yang boleh membangunkan halaman web bukan sahaja untuk program ini tetapi juga untuk program-program yang lain. Walaupun pada permulaannya Azmin bukanlah seorang yang boleh dikatakan sebagai 'expert' di dalam pembangunan halaman web tetapi beliau telah menunjukkan kemampuan untuk belajar dengan cepat. Kebolehan Azmin semakin menyerlah!

Untuk Program Latihan Rangkaian Bersepadu ICT, Azmin telah membina dan menyenggara halaman-halaman web berikut: Program ICT Melaka, Menguasai Internet dan Buku Menguasai Internet. Bukan itu saja, Azmin telah membina pendaftaran peserta secara online walaupun tidak digunakan sepenuhnya. Azmin (bersama Rizal hingga lewat malam) juga telah membantu saya memperincikan program 'Internet Treasure Hunt' yang telah dilaksanakan ketika Majlis Penutup Program Latihan Rangkaian Bersepadu ICT diadakan di Kompleks Falak Al Khawarizmi, Tanjung Bidara.

Halaman-halaman web yang Azmin telah bina di masa-masa saya mahu ia dilaksanakan sangat bermakna untuk saya. Hanya saya sahaja yang masih belum menggunakannya sepenuhnya. Azmin, terima kasih.

Thony Ekam

2008-06-24T00:00:00.014+08:00

Thony adalah warga Danau yang paling lama mengenali saya. Anak kelahiran Sarawak ini mula menyertai Danau pada awal Disember 2006 bagi menjalani latihan industri. Walaupun latihan industri beliau tamat hujung April 2007, beliau masih kerap menemui saya untuk mendapatkan nasihat dan berbincang tentang projek tahun akhir beliau. Semasa menjalani latihan industri saya telah meminta beliau belajar mengguna Java untuk membina perisian walaupun ia mungkin sedikit sukar untuk dikuasai di peringkat permulaan. Kini saya tumpang gembira kerana Thony telah dapat menguasai Java dengan baik. Thony telah menyerti Danau pada awal Januari 2008.

Thony adalah 'taukeh' Kuiz ICT. Beliau bukan sahaja telah membina soalan-soalan kuiz yang begitu banyak (ratusan bilangannya) tetapi juga telah membina perisian Java untuk memaparkan soalan kuiz dan juga markah (papan markah). Apabila kami mengalami masalah dengan loceng (buzzer) elektronik maka Thony telah merekabentuk 'buzzer' yang menggunakan komputer dan perisian Java. Lengkap semuanya dibina oleh Thony dengan menggunakan Java. Thony juga telah membina papan markah untuk 'Internet Treasure Hunt' yang siap dengan bunyi dan ikon-ikon yang menarik.

Thony, terima kasih. Saya tahu Thony sentiasa mahu berikan yang terbaik. Selalu balik lewat dan apabila tiba di rumah masih buat kerja lagi.

Abd 'Azim Abd Hamid

2008-06-23T23:01:00.013+08:00

Saya rasa tidak ada orang yang lebih mahu menyertai Danau selain daripada 'Azim. Di sekitar bulan Oktober 2007 lagi beliau telah menemui saya untuk menunjukkan kerja-kerja grafik yang beliau telah lakukan. Saya kata saya belum ada lagi keperluan untuk pereka grafik maka dengan itu 'Azim pun menghilangkan diri seketika. Setelah habis peperiksaan beliau datang lagi berjumpa dengan saya. Saya kata kepada beliau yang saya lebih perlukan adalah staf yang boleh membuat rekabentuk 3D. 'Azim kata dia boleh belajar membuat rekabentuk 3D dan meminta daripada saya satu contoh model 3D dan perisian yang perlu digunakan untuk beliau menunjukkan kebolehannya kepada saya. Saya pun berikan kepada beliau lukisan (pelan) sebuah teater kecil dan perisian Google Sketchup. Kira-kira dua minggu kemudian beliau datang untuk menunjukkan kerja-kerja yang telah dihasilkan. Saya agak kagum dengan kebolehan dan kesungguhan yang beliau tunjukkan! Akhirnya 'Azim mula menyertai Danau pada pertengahan bulan Disember 2007.

'Azim telah banyak menyumbang kerja-kerja rekabentuk grafik kepada program ini. Daripada logo program hinggalah ke rekabentuk dan susunatur buku aturcara, grafik untuk antaramuka perisian kuiz, grafik bagi halaman web Program Latihan Rangkaian Bersepadu ICT, halaman web Menguasai Internet dan halaman web Buku Menguasai Internet, dan juga grafik bagi 'Crew T-shirt' dan 'Internet Treasure Hunt'. 'Azim juga turut membantu dalam mengendalikan papan markah bagi Kuiz ICT.

Saya amat menghargai masa yang Azim korbankan, ada kalanya hingga jauh malam untuk memberikan yang terbaik. Azim, terima kasih. Program ini tidak mempunyai identiti tanpa Azim.

Siti Hajar Majid

2008-06-09T22:38:00.018+08:00

Hajar menyertai Danau pada 2 Julai 2007 untuk membantu saya menyiapkan kerja-kerja merekabentuk dan memperinci Galeri Penjelajahan Angkasa di Planetarium Negara. Sehingga kini beliau masih gigih membuat kerja-kerja penyelidikan kandungan dan merekabentuk bahan pameran interaktif terutama di dalam bidang astronomi.

Pada awal perlaksanaan Program Latihan Rangkaian Bersepadu ICT ini Hajar telah banyak membantu di dalam menyedia dan menyemak soalan-soalan untuk Program Kuiz ICT. Begitulah juga di penghujung program di mana kami terpaksa menyediakan set-set soalan yang baru yang mana semuanya perlu diperiksa.

Saya dapati Hajar adalah seorang yang agak pendiam dan mungkin juga pemalu. Bagaimanapun apabila kami diminta untuk menambah aktiviti-aktiviti yang melibatkan penggunaan komputer untuk pelajar-pelajar sekolah pada siri kelima di Batang Melaka maka saya terpaksa meminta Hajar untuk merekabentuk dan mengendalikan aktiviti tersebut. Saya cadangkan beliau guna Stellarium, sebuah perisian simulasi planetarium kecil. Itulah yang Hajar gunakan dan sehingga kini pengendaliannya semakin baik dan menyerlah.

Hajar telah memberikan yang terbaik bagi program ini di saat-saat saya memerlukannya. Terima kasih Hajar.

Hasanah Ab Halim

2008-06-03T23:43:00.013+08:00

Hasanah adalah orang yang pertama menjadi staf Danau Digital. Beliau menyertai saya pada 2 April 2007 ketika saya sendiri tidak berapa pasti tentang arah dan halatuju Danau Digital. Sukar untuk saya bayangkan senang atau susahnya Hasanah membuat keputusan untuk menyertai Danau. Mungkin juga beliau menyertai Danau kerana tiada pilihan lain. Hanya beliau yang tahu. Bagaimanapun, saya hargai kepercayaan yang berikan kepada saya ketika menyertai Danau tahun lepas untuk sama-sama membangunkan Danau ke tahap yang ada sekarang.

Semenjak awal-awal lagi saya dapati Hasanah adalah seorang yang boleh memikul tanggungjawab, sanggup memikul tanggungjawab dan tidak lari daripada tanggungjawab. Apabila Danau diberi kepercayaan oleh IMM untuk menjadi rakan pelaksana Program Latihan Rangkaian Bersepadu ICT Negeri Melaka maka Hasanah telah membantu saya membina nota-nota kursus termasuklah nota bagi membina blog. Hasanah telah lama menjadi seorang blogger. Oleh itu beliau telah dapat mengendalikan sesi Membina Halaman Blog untuk program ini dengan baik. Hasanah telah membina dan menyenggara Blog Fasilitator Program Latihan Rangkaian Bersepadu ICT Melaka.

Di penghujung program ini Hasanah telah membantu untuk membina dua buah 'montage' video bagi Majlis Penutup program. Di samping itu, beliau juga telah banyak membantu saya dalam menyelesaikan kerja-kerja pengurusan dan persiapan bagi menjayakan program ini.

Hasanah, terima kasih. Ketika 'adik-adik' di ofis baru belajar erti 'tanggungjawab' Hasanah telah memikulnya untuk saya.

Menjadi Blogger

2008-06-02T23:14:00.015+08:00

Setelah sekian lama saya mendaftar blog ini maka hari ini tibalah masanya untuk saya mula membuat pengisiannya. Terpaksa mungkin kerana ada beberapa dedikasi penting yang perlu saya buat sebelum masanya yang bermakna untuk melakukannya berakhir.

Pada pertengahan bulan Februari 2008 yang lepas Danau Digital telah diberi kepercayaan oleh Institut Pengurusan Melaka (IMM) untuk menjadi rakan pelaksana bagi menjayakan sebuah program untuk melatih masyarakat desa mengguna komputer dan Internet. Program ini dipanggil Program Latihan Rangkaian Bersepadu ICT Negeri Melaka. Blog yang kami bina sebagai fasilitator di sini.

Melaksanakan program ini dengan jayanya memang sungguh mencabar kerana skop kerja yang harus disempurnakan agak luas dan memerlukan kepakaran yang sangat berlainan. Bagaimanapun, segala cabaran yang ditempuh di sepanjang perlaksanaan program ini telah ditangani dengan baik. Semuanya hasil dari usaha dan dedikasi yang telah ditunjukkan oleh insan-insan yang benar-benar memahami erti tanggungjawab dan sentiasa memberikan yang terbaik. Saya kagum dengan inisiatif dan komitment yang telah diberikan disepanjang kita melaksanakan program ini.

Permulaan blog ini dan beberapa posting yang seterusnya saya tujukan buat anda semua. Penulisannya akan saya buat dalam Bahasa Melayu semoga 'anak-anak murid' anda yang berada di kampung-kampung yang telah kita dapat menghayati sumbangan dan pengorbanan yang anda telah berikan.