Seminar on Palestine - Israel Conflict issue by Western Reserve University

By American Freelance Journalist - Alisor Weir
May Allah's mercy always be with you.

Pasir Puteh, Perak

I'm not used to drive alone to Ipoh or any places around Perak which are a bit far from UTP. I'm scared I'll be lost. If you're lost in KL it still doesn't matter. There are a lot of signboard that can route you back to your destination. But if you're lost in Ipoh or any area around Perak I don't think we can rely on signboard. At least for the time being. It will improve I believe. But my scariest driving experience was in Damansara. It has a lot of signboard with a lot of crazy diverging junctions.

I went to Pasir Puteh to find another two solar panels with the rating 3W6V. So I went to the most famous electronic shop among UTPian, the State Electronics. Unfortunately the solar panel with the rating that i'm looking for isn't available anymore. I moved to the next shops and still couldn't get the exact rating that I want. Its very hard to find a very small one or a very big one when you're looking for solar panel. And mine are very small. I went to the last shop that I know and that's my last hope. Finally I met them in the last shop :) 

3W 6V panel

I bought this at RM95 each. I need two of these and there are only two left in the shop and probably in the whole Pasir Puteh, so that's really mine! But I forgot to look at the name of the shop :(

Techcom Electrical

State Electronic

End of Semester

I have just submitted the final interim report to Turnitin at 11.30 pm and that marks the end of this semester. FYP 1 interim report is the last to be submitted after a suffocating week with no single day without submission or test. The craziest week. The battlefield is not only physically but emotionally, mentally. When Allah wants to test you inside out.

I'm devastated Ya Allah without your help. I'm so devastated. Please Allah, please, don't leave me alone. Please. I'm so weak.

First exam paper start next Thursday. Allahumma yassir wa la tuassir. Rabbi zidni 'ilma.

First week of exam

Second week of exam

Always

Sg. Perak Hydro Power Station

Finally we made it to Bersia Hydro Power Station last Thursday! EE is the department that has the least field trip compared to other departments. So far my civil department friends have the biggest number of field trips. Having said that, the whole class are so happy to have this visit and to see how a hydro power station looks like from a very near view. At least we still have one before graduating :P

Sign to the road heading to Sg. Perak Power Station

Bersia dam is located in Gerik and the official name is Sultan Azlan Shah Bersia Power Station owned by Tenaga Nasional Berhad. It is the centre power station that have the control for five other hyrdo power stations  located along Sungai Perak. As how we first being introduced to all these power stations by the engineers in the presentation room, we have seen the single line diagram and the indicators from each of them in the control room too. The power stations are Cenderoh, Kenering, Piah Upper, Piah Lower, Temenggor and Pergau Power Station. Check the total generating power for each of those power stations in wikipedia.

In the presentation room.

Control Room. Engineer is explaining.

We had a permission to visit the control room and have a look at the single line diagram of all connected power stations. We were then headed to Bersia dam, where the generating station and the switch yard are at the same location. The scenery are awesomely beautiful. You know it's a hydro power station, which is constructed in the middle of the nature beauty. That's the most special thing about hydro power station compared to other type of power station. Because of its beauty, students are very excited taking pictures rather than excited to know what is actually going on in the generating station haha! Actually there are some restriction and rule for photo taking, people are not allowed to take the pictures of the switch yard site. We are only allowed to take photo from the dam site. The securities accompanying us said this is a very private site.

This is not my first time being in a power plant as I have worked in Putrajaya Power Staion during my internship last year. But there are big differences between Bersia Power Station and Putrajaya Power Station. Firstly, Putrajaya Power Station is a gas turbine power station while Bersia is hydro power station. The physical structures, the operating system, the power plant components and the turbine itself are different. Secondly, I'm allowed to take photos as much as I want in Putrajaya Power Station. It's a process of learning for me. Probably Putrajaya Power Station is not that private and confidential site as Bersia Dam. LOL. 

To be at site is much better for learning compared to be in the office. I summarized and compiled part of my experiences there in the presentation slide which I used it for my Oral Presentation in front of Ir. Faris, my supervisor from UTP. In the slides, there are pictures inside the power plant and it is about 10% of all the pictures I have. I feel save to share it online as I have never been warned by any engineers or staffs there. Hopefully it doesn't matter. Again, for me this is part of learning process. I hope in some way it can help those having their internship in Siemens or in power system field no matter what company. For all the knowledge and experiences I gained, I praise Allah, alhamdulillah, and I hope that the knowledge is blessed and stay with me forever so I can apply when it is needed. When is it, I'm not sure. Maybe in my kitchen? :P

Pictures with Ir. Faris after my Oral Presentation for Industrial Training.

On Time

Be on time. This is the major lesson I learnt today!

Digital Signal Processing subject is taught by two lecturers in every semester. Starting from today, there are few chapters will be taught by Prof. Ir. Dr. Ahmad Fadzil. Dr. Aamir has told us one fact about him, he is very punctual. In fact it is a warning actually. But we do not take it seriously as we know that generally all other lecturers here are punctual too and it will just be a normal day. It is still ok to be late.

I came to class on time, but I almost be late and its not good enough that we should be ready at least few minute to breath in. The first class with Dr Fadzil turn to be a bit awkward but really funny cause we clap hands a lot today! He ask the students in class to clap hands to those who enter the class passes 9 a.m. He will call those late students to occupy all the front sits. No chance that a student can escape from this 'honor'.

Let me tell you the late comers real record. Imagine that we have to clap hands from 9 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. people! Quite tiring, quite disturbing. Dr. started teaching in front, then the whole class need to clap in between, in every one minute. But I do understand why he didn't mind wasting 30 minutes of his first lecture. He don't want his lecture to be interrupted anymore and he want his student to take time matter seriously. He advised us a lot today about punctuality and its important and then he said, "Before I took more time to lecture like your father, lets start our DSP lesson now." Haha yes he did sound like a father.

He is actually so caring and that's why he taught us about time matter more that other lecturer. So today we really knew who is Dr Fadzil. He is not only a punctual man, but he will not allow any one related to him to be late even one second. Alhamdulillah thanks Dr. for reminding us regarding this :)

Oh ya! Do you realize that disciplining ourselves to be on time in our prayer is actually the best way to train us to be punctual in every occasion? Lets give it a try, may Allah guide us :)

Tun Mahathir's Lecture

Alhamdulillah this Thursday will be my second time listening to his lecture live from Chancellor Complex, University Teknologi Petronas. This is one of my favourite thing studying in UTP as I have a lot of opportunity to attend so many events, which those well-known and respected people come to share their ideas. Last year, 2012 was also my favourite year which I had been working with a group and successfully organized an event with more than ten dakwah figures in Malaysia. I also had a chance to attend a lecture by Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor in two years back and I wrote some of his words in my first blog, Never A Bad Day. Hopefully I will have enough courage to write something on this blog about Tun Mahathir's lecture next week :P

This coming Thursday

Had a chance to sit with Prof Muhaya, chat, and listen to her lectures in 2012

Same goes to Wardina Safiyyah, we had so much fun in this Chill Floor, also in 2012

Ustaz Hasrizal. Met her wife personally and she's beautiful Subhanallah. In 2012.

Ustaz Pahrol Mohd Juoi. I love his word of wisdom. I will always remember it. In 2012

Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar came to UTP two years back. Amazed with his simple
yet meaningful advises.

Gear Up

I remember my last day of internship which I have a good rap up and conclusion from my host company supervisor and my colleagues. And the best conclusion has been made by Mr Ajit. I'm glad that he was in the office on that day, cause its very hard to see those big big bosses to be in their room. From the seven days in a week, probably one day will be spent in the office, and the rest six days, they are all over the world.

As usual, his present will make me a bit nervous, he love to ask engineering-related questions, and he did asked me a very short question on that day, but the answer for that need me to collect everything from my internship experiences. The question "So how do power plant operate?" has opened a long discussion, which supposed to be a short farewell to say goodbye to him. I love and appreciate the time that he spent when he supposed to be doing something else important, his guide and motivation helps me a lot. He is so fatherly and his sincerity to teach can be felt. His last advice was:

"When you are in your workplace, let say you have been in a power plant, you are not a layman. You are an engineer. When you come back to your university, study like an engineer. Study, study, and study, like there's no other businesses in this world."

We can apply what is good for us, leave what is not.

Me and Mr. Ajit

Alhamdulillah I have just finished two tests, got one more test to go for the next week. Midsem break start on this Thursday and I can't believe its already half of the semester. Only half more to go to meet the final exam. By now I should be ready to gear up, gear three and next, gear four. I really hope that I'm doing well for this semester and the next two semester left before I graduate end of this year. If I can do better, this will be the only present that I can give to show my love to mama and ayah, and a good example to my brothers and sister Insyaa Allah.

Narrated by Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

"Oh Allah, nothing is easy except what You made easy and You can make hardship easy if You will."

Well, engineer-to-be.

Few days before, Mr. Ajit, one of the boss in my department, asked me about some basic engineering question. The questions are just simple that I thought engineer-to-be should have those sense, but the fact is, I couldn't answer almost all of his questions. And that is so sad. I should have wrote all those mind-breakers because it will be so nice to share with all. One of the funniest question I could remember clearly now is:

1. "What is the most used instrument in the world?"

I smiled and then he asked the second question,

2. "What is an instrument?"

I smiled again and he answered, "Don't think so complicated. An instrument is just a thing that is used to measure quantity. And the most used instrument in this world is, your watch. It is used to measure time."

Working with him remind me of Mr. Jega, my Circuit Theory lecturer. Their similarities are, they are truly from India, they are very neat in attire, systematic, workaholic, knows everything that exist in the world maybe. And I would say they are both so academician. I do respect people from India.

Just wondering yesterday, today, and maybe tomorrow, how do we measure love? What instrument did my heart used as it dares and truly believe what it feels. Everyday.

Wonder of love and science

Hartal

Today Dr. Raja Iskandar, our beloved lecturer for Malaysian Studies subject,  shown us one video regarding Malaysian history. We were given a quiz right after the video ended and the question is based on the video: 

Not more then three line, describe what is HARTAL? 

My answer: It is a protest  lead by AMCJA-PUTERA happened in 20th October 1947 to fight against the Federation Constitution introduced by British. It involved the strike from the whole Malaysia and shutdown of schools, shop, clinic and so on. AMCJA-PUTERA introduced 'Perlembagaan Rakyat' as an alternative toward 'Federation Constitution'.

 Presenting a history in a video and other media stuff, is a very good idea, an effective way to convey the message and the feeling behind it. Watching, listening, allow your heart to go deep into the meaning and value of a history, and your mind working easier to remember the facts of the occasion such as dates, places, issues. Just like how this video did to me, i admit that it will remain longer in my mind, playing at the back of my head to digest, understand, and remember that moment of history. Somehow, this video left me with one mysterious question. Why did this HARTAL have never been discussed in class, and also not in the textbook when I was in school. Not in PMR, and not in SPM.

Job Hunter

List of Companies I approached.

Now a lot of my friends have gotten their offer for internship. But i haven't got any. Well I know I don't deserve that very early placement offer because 1) No all-out effort yet, I can count on my finger how many company did I approached. 2) I'm not a Petronas Scholar so the chance to get a placement for petronas bonded companies is quite hard. 3) My CGPA is not that good, oh man. So tonite I spend all night long to update my resume, and search all the electrical related companies, being a job hunter. And I've sent my CV and cover letter to 55 companies by tonight. I need some rest now. And I need to pray harder, may Allah ease this process for me, and give the best placement that I deserve to get, in all ways. InsyaAllah :)