Moz does Jakarta

I don't know why, but after all these while, I felt like doing a travel entry, so here I am ...

I'm currently in Jakarta, putting up at the very nice JW Marriot. Here are pictures of my most visited hotel for the year :P

The room at JW Marriot. Quite nice, and well appointed.

I had my check-in done in my room now, thanks to my new Marriot Silver status ;)

I had a visitor from India with me, so tonight, I decided to go out for some different food, rather than stay around the same area I always eat out at.

So, with Hunady, my local colleague, we went out venturing to Sate Khas Senayan. I'll let the photos do the talking ! Don't blame me if you get hungry looking at the photos, ok ?!

So, we went out to Sate Khas Senayan !! Yeah, it's a chain, but the food is still good. This one is at Menteng, a central Jakarta district, home to the famous and rich people.

My colleagues trying to figure out what to order ...

Someone looks very happy that the food has arrived !

The flying fish, gureme goreng, is a signature dish here ... looks like the ones they make at the Sundanese Restaurant at KLCC, but tastes much better =)

While this dish (I forgot the name), is made of egg tofu, omelette, and bean sprouts. Nice alternative to gado-gado !

But really, this is why we came ! The chicken sate, served over a bowl with charcoal under it ! Simply delicious. It's not the same as kajang sate in Malaysia, so it's not really possible to compare.

Shaken, but not stirred.

Some of you who know me, and read my constantly update status on Facebook could be forgiven for thinking that I've suddenly turned into a women's right activist today. Rest assured I have not.

Originally, I had planned to post about my travels to Hong Kong, and some photos from other trips, but I think this is more important to blog.

I was shaken today, witnessing an assault in front of my very eyes. I don't want to give out any details, except that it was in the public, and that it was a case of a husband assaulting his wife, with hundreds, if not thousands of witnesses.

I was shocked, and I had no idea what to do. I shouted to ask for someone to make a police report. Many other bystanders intervened and stopped any further assault. Now I know what it means when people say that things happen so quickly they didn't have the time to think and react properly. I had brain freeze for a while, and I had no idea what to do, and how to act.

The rest of my day was badly affected - I couldn't really work after that. I didn't realize something like this would affect me that badly, but somehow it did.

I can't fathom why a man would beat his wife, so it's even harder for me to understand how they not only can beat their wife, but they can beat them in the public, with all those people watching.

If the man thinks he's going to solve whatever problems he's trying to solve, he can't be more wrong. He's just making it worse, and he's making more problems. It becomes a downward spiral, if it isn't one already. If he hasn't already driven a final wedge in the relationship, I guess he just did.

A real man handles problems like a man - he thinks, acts and solves it like an adult. He will be realistic, rational, and objective. Violence doesn't solve problems - it is a problem itself, and only adds to whatever other problem already bogging one down.

We all have our down moments, and we all have rage within us. Sometimes, we do feel like taking things into our own hands. But if everyone does that, there would be anarchy in society. It'll be law of the jungle when that happens. We're adults. We shouldn't act like little children throwing tantrums when we don't get what we want !

A real man doesn't resolve family issues by beating his wife. That's what a weak man does - resort to violence. A weak man is one who can't use his charm and wits, or logic and reasoning to reach a positive, mutually acceptable conclusion.

I don't want to act like I'm an angel, but now that I've witness domestic violence / assault, you'll bet I'll step up to help people whom I know are in situations which could deteriorate into violence. I think I should stop being indifferent, and start being a friend.

I am shaken, but I thank many of my colleagues, and my beloved girlfriend for their support - at least they listened to me, and let me vent out my stress. And for that, I'm thankful.

Awakening ...

Let's get this out of the way - this ain't a book review. Got that clear ?

On my somewhat long flight to Manila today (it feels longer than the 3 hours and 40 minutes, maybe it's the turbulence), I finally finished the book "The World is Flat" by Thomas L Friedman. This well research, thoughtful book talks about globalization, which I find essential read for someone like me.

The book covers globalization, the enabling factors, the resulting impact to the world, and how individuals, companies, and nations can cope with, and use it to their advantage.

In it, I found the most profound statement. I quote:

I like the way a U.S. diplomat in China put it to me in the spring of 2004: " China right now in doing titillation, not privatization. Reform here is translucent - and sometimes it is quite titillating, because you can see the shapes moving behind the screen - but it is not transparent. [The government still just gives] the information [about the economy] to a few companies and designated interest groups." Why only translucent? I asked. He answered, "Because if you are fully transparent, what do you do with the feedback? They don't know how to deal with that question. They cannot deal [yet] with the results of transparency."

In a way, that sentence almost describes Malaysia, doesn't it?

Is there reform? Isn't there reform? We're not transparent. Our government isn't courageous enough to be transparent even when they know they should. Because they know they can't deal with it. That's why it's always translucent.

Just give them the rakyat some glimpses of reform, but make it translucent, and tell them it's transparent. They've never seen transparent anyways, how would they know ?

And if you tell them enough times, they'll believe you. That's how I think the Malaysian BN government used to think.

Well, in this age of the flat world, where Internet enables news to be created by anyone, we the rakyat can choose whom to listen to, and via what media. Which is why we switch off the TV, and boycott the newspapers. We turn to news sites we trust.

The book also mentioned one thing close to my heart - education. I always felt Malaysia can do better with more talent, and the right environment and governance, together with education, will lead us to higher planes of achievements.

Ireland turned around from being left behind in the 60s, to currently being the 2nd richest nation in EU (believe it - they are), in less than 1 generation through government reforms, and education excellence. I really think we can learn from Ireland - how they reversed brain drain, attracted real and lasting investments, and attracted top talents to Ireland.

Somehow ... today, I feel ... awake. I wonder why ?

Voice: Gone

Lost my voice while in Hong Kong ... it's back now, but I'm not really my usual voluble self.

Enjoyed myself in Hong Kong. Learnt so much this week, I'm going to put this down as one of the best trainings I've ever had. Anyone one you who want to learn how to have those tough conversations should pick up this book called "Crucial Conversations". It's seriously good, maybe a bit dry, but the contents could transform the way you communicate !

Hong Kong weather was great ... so I did manage a number of good photos ! Expect that soon ...

Now, excuse me while I get some sleep, and hopefully I'll get my voice back tomorrow ...