Goodbye Mukah

The end comes unexpectedly – a phone call, an order and its goodbye.

Come 10th September, I will swap my homely office where friendly staffs joget-ing right in front -

with a room in this newly built, faraway office.

 

I will also be having a career change from being an all-action outpatient/inpatient/managing pharmacist to a pencil pushing, decision making, office sitting administrator.

Mukah Hospital had been a fulfilling and excellent learning ground. It was exactly the place – small but big enough,  moderately equipped but complete enough to hone the necessary managing skills. The ample amount of free time and lack of hedonistic distractions also provided an opportunity to contemplate and self-improve.

It was also my experimental ground – having a go at implementing new programmes, machines and ways of doing things. Some flopped, but most are successes. I found out what I cared most about – emphasis on quality/professional work, excellent customer service and innovation. I dared to say that I had grown bigger, stronger and better here.

1. Quality/professionalism encompassed everything from leadership skills down to the packing display of medications.

2. Customer service does not only mean excellent counter service – but also involves interaction and education  with the customers.

3. Innovation and research is the new frontier – finding novel ways to do things and sharing those findings is fulfilling.

The thing I will miss most in Mukah are my staffs. They provide unwavering support, enthusiasm and happiness at work. Without them, a lot of things can’t be done. How I wish I can import them to Kuching.

Home is now… just a house.

Goodbye… and thanks for the memories.

55th Merdeka

This was how we celebrate Merdeka in Mukah – with a convoy of flag waving cars parading around the city - which made into the news (again).

Early in the morning, the staffs were already very semangat sticking and assembling flags big and small on their vehicles:

And these are the stunning results:

 

This was exactly what I think about it (as printed on paper):

There is no need for fiery rhetoric nor need to remind people about your ‘sacrifice’ for the nation. Sincere sacrifice does not need reminding or self-trumpeting.

What we need are just simple acts to express and infect others with the feeling of pride and joy for being part of the great nation called Malaysia, and nothing can bring forth the pride more than waving the Jalur Gemilang.

A few I know scoffed at the need of all those flag buying and waving frenzy. They opined that patriotism is from the heart. With due respect, I agree with their reasoning but then flag waving is more than just superficial action – it is the act of sharing and celebrating the independence day together. And the togetherness in celebration is what it is really about.

Happy Independence Day Malaysia!

Blast from the past

It was a night scrolling through the previous posts, reminiscing at the cherish thoughts of yesteryears that spurred my decision to revive this blog.

There were so many forgotten snippets of my life that bobbed to the surface, like fishes enticed by just a short blurb or spiel in the blog.

Reading the blog filled me with mixed emotions; the occasional laugh out loud at my own wittiness, a soft glow while glossing through at my wondrous writing skills and the bashful smile reliving my naivety.

Lesson of the day: never underestimate the might of words and overestimate the power of memory.

The year 2011 ended in exactly the same spot where it had begun: surrounded by the same friends and hoards of nameless others, ears serenaded by the sounds of blaring music, eyes pleasured by the beauty of fireworks, minds in the making of perhaps the same wish, all under the pale edifice of the tallest building in Sibu.

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But rest assured the year didn’t end in a full circle. In fact 2011 can be describe as the year of exponential growth as I struggled and strived to define myself and develop a persona as a unit head in a district hospital.

It was a year where I learnt a lot about myself: my strengths, my weaknesses, my leadership style, my fierce ambition. It was a successful year career wise, even though I had identified several personal demons that required some more hard work in 2012 to banish and overcome.

2011 ended on a high with an eventful December where we  successfully organisation a “Meeting with clients” day, holding a nice Christmas dinner and a relaxing shopping trip to Singapore.

The Hari Bersama Pelanggan which made the papers.

The End of year/Christmas/Birthday celebration

 Singapore revisited.

2012 will be a defining year. A year to build upon the foundation laid in 2011 and bring the pharmacy in Mukah to the peak of its glory and then making a graceful exit at the top. I believe 3 years is long enough before the search for new challenges begin. Hopefully, I will be hardworking enough to chronicle them in this blog.

Happy Mother’s Day

Mum, this is for you.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Kaul in pictures (2)

 

Welcome to Pesta Kaul!

One of the elaborate booths on display. Each kampong around Mukah build their own booth, where they had cooking demonstrations, exhibitions and sell their unique food and wares.

I had actually been to the site four times. This is a pretty pic taken at night.

Stalls selling things from perfume to clothes to handicrafts.

Food stalls with lots and lots of unhealthy glorious food.

Fishes swimming in the sky.

Kite aero-show. Those six people at the bottom left of the picture skilfully made their kites fly in beautiful synchronised formation.

The parade of the ‘Serahang’. It had some cultural significant to please certain gods. But whatever it is, it was intricately handcrafted.

Close-up pic of the serahang.

The beach during sunset still looks very nice…

But Malaysians do need to learn one day not to litter.

Hmm….that’s all for this post. Its getting too long…^^

Watching paint dry

Gone as a footnote in history:

For the past couple of years, this was the facade that greeted every patient who required some meds from the Mukah Pharmacy.

Towards the left hand side of the first photo was the door into the pharmacy, and next to it, the notice board which I was helping the hospital admin to decorate. Actually I hijacked it without permission for pharmacy’s gain =).

This was the interior of the pharmacy dispensing counter. Normal.

I had nothing against light colours, besides the fact that it is so without character. It just blended into the background as part of the ‘hospital furniture’. Lifeless. Mundane. Lack of vibrancy. So not cheerful. Not distinct. No way to go for a ‘top class’ pharmacy. No standard.

That’s why it had to be transformed. After waiting for a whole month, at last I had the novelty to watch paint dry for the whole day and continue to gaze and wonder at the brand new pharmacy for another. Tadaa! Presenting the final result:

 

The new look of the pharmacy counter. Bright youthful orange encrusted by a outer wall of contrasting dark brick-red.

 

The door into the pharmacy beckoned, surrounded by a welcoming brick-red warmth.

 

The cheerful interior of the new-look dispensing counter.

The view from afar which I took just before we close for the day. Now we look different and will be different.  Hope the positive ‘qi’ can increase staff morale and work rate. I am already happier. ^^

Kaul Festival in pictures (1)

Kaul Festival is the most happening thing in Mukah. It is sort of a Melanau new year which was celebrated annually around April.

The festival was held at the Kala Dana beach, which was the halfway point of my 6km jogging route. It was fascinating watching day-by-day as they slowly transform what was a barren field into a festive ground:

From this (above) to that (below) and that (below the below :)

They had also constructed a huge stage,

which was filled to the brim with local dignitaries and normal people at the day of the festival.

And who else to officiate and grace the opening ceremony if not the current most famous Melanau son. The one with white hair and beautiful wife.

I was there early and the usually serene and quiet roads of Mukah was already starting to choke with the unusual barrage of vehicles. And fellow human beings.

And since this is the most happening thing in Mukah, I guess I had to write about it in a few posts to do justice to it. And to finish this post, my take on youths playing the tibau – the famous Melanau flying swing that I think most Chinese parents will scream when their kids wander near it. Another version of this picture by an official photographer made it to the front page of the Borneo Post.

Watch out for the next photo-laden post! =)