May 2005 Editorial

Our avid readers ( hopefully you are still out there - waiting impatiently for the tunku.org web site update which had failed you since two months past !) must be wondering just what has happened to the web site since Aida’s last editorial! Indeed I have been curious too, albeit not too much alarmed although somewhat concerned, that things have seemingly stood still as if nothing has been happening anywhere or within the family circles ! I took it upon myself to do something right away less people think we have abandoned or lose interest in the web site.
The web site is meant to be ‘ the meet together forum’ for all our family members, friends, associates or whoever out there who happens to come across it to read , glance through , to comment and most important of all, to remain its faithful readers and perhaps its usage too ! Of course, the way things are going, we cannot defend our apparent lack of concern in its current failed updates ! To all these, we humbly apologize and hope this appalled state of affairs will not happen again in future ! Of course I am sounding this to web site’s editorial crews !

It has never been easy to carry any "baby" of this kind because a team of dedicated people has to be around all the time. There is no leaving matters to one person or a group of persons to get things moving. In matters such as this, it has to be a collective responsibility of all our family members. It is from all of you, meaning us members of the family, to remain vigilant and active contributors to the web site. What we ask for is not your money but your spare time only. Do not tell us that you do not have any spare time, because if you say so, then obviously you need to learn about time management. I for one cannot appreciate anyone telling me that no time could be spared for that daily exercise which is needful for health maintenance. How often do we come across people whose health broke down only to express regrets that they should not have neglected those basic daily exercises to look and remain healthy.

In life, we take for granted almost everything around us. We take for granted our cars should be all right to take us to work until suddenly the ignition failed. Then we regret not having become an AAM member so that assistance will come right away. We realize we have forgotten to service the car as scheduled by the car’s manufacturer. May be, we even forget to fill up the gas tank which is now empty or else the battery has failed because we never refill the battery water regularly. What about those worn out tires that can cause skids and brakes failures during wet weather or during emergency breaking ? The cars signal lights and the tail lights too need to be checked regularly. How often, accident happens simply because the cars signals are not there although the driver thinks he has activated them. These are happenings with our cars alone, simply because we take things for granted . A point of fact right now is, how many of us have made sure that our car screen is insured ?

Many of you are not government servants who enjoy pension income upon retirement and free health treatments in government hospitals for life. Have you made sure that in your later life you would have sufficient income to live on and most important of all you can be treated at the hospitals without the enormous damage to your life’s savings or having to rely on others to come to your aid. How often this has happened to all of us simply because we take for granted that we will not be that seriously ill to need any form of surgery for heart, kidney, liver, cancer etc. treatments and operations. The time has come for everyone of you out there who reads this message. Find the solutions to these intending traumas today rather than postpone it later when it is too late !

Out there , all the hospitals are in need of blood donors. Some will pay you in cash right away whilst the government hospitals will give you other life’s benefits. I myself have been a blood donor ever since I was an undergraduate and more so after marriage when we lost our first baby and son. I had to replace six pints of blood that was used and needed for my wife after delivery, the shortage or the unavailability of which would have caused her to die ! I learnt my lesson since then and continued to be a regular blood donor at the K.L government hospital until I was advised by them that I am no longer eligible to do so because of my age ( although I can readily claim I am even in better health today than most of my juniors, not to mention my classmates too). After just fifteen donations to the blood bank at the KL hospital, I was guaranteed of a free first class treatments and operations at all government hospitals for life. Now is not that something that had cost me virtually nothing except for being a regular blood donor ? In actual fact I had contributed 62 pints of blood over the years. All you need do is donate your blood every three months without fail. Indirectly you get your blood checked free by the hospitals with the benefits of being called back for treatment if there is anything untoward is found in your blood. Isn’t that cool ?

As for your life savings, well that is left entirely up to you. That is another matter I will take up in my future contributions to tunku.org. Cheers !