MERDEKA ! MERDEKA ! MERDEKA !

That's the shouting we hear today! and now!, Malaysia celebrate her 50th Birthday, well the theme for this year. "Malaysiaku Gemilang", in nearly every year, a brand new theme and logo were made for the celebration of Merdeka. And though, what is the theme or logo for past year ?

Well :
1970 = Muhibah dan Perpaduan
1971 = Masyarakat Progresif
1972 = Masyarakat Adil

1973 = Masyarakat Berkebudayaan Malaysia

1974 = Sains dan Teknologi Alat Perpaduan

1975 = Masyarakat Berdikari
1976 = Ketahanan Rakyat

1977 = Bersatu Maju

1978 = Kebudayaan Sendi Perpaduan

1979 = Bersatu Berdisplin

1980 = Berdisplin Berbakti

1981 = Berdisplin Berharmoni

1982 =Berdisplin Giat Maju

1983 = Bersama Ke Arah Kemajuan

1984 = Amanah Asas Kejayaan

1985 = Nasionalisme Teras Perpaduan

1986 = Bangsa Tegas Negara Teguh
1987 = Setia Bersatu Berusaha Maju

1988 = Bersatu

1989 = Bersatu

1990 = Berjaya

1991 = Wawasan 2020

1992 = Wawasan Asas Kemajuan

1993 = Bersatu Menuju Wawasan

1994 = Nilai Murni Jayakan Wawasan

1995 = Jatidiri Pengerak Wawasan

1996 = Budaya Penentu Kecapaian

1997 = Akhlak Mulia Masyarakat Jaya

1998 = Negara Kita, Tanggungjawab Kita

1999 = Bersatu Ke Alaf Baru

2000 - 2006 = Keranamu: MALAYSIA

Selamat Hari Merdeka !

Today eve of my country independence, finally settle some of the important task here, now finally have some bit of time to Blog again.

Well, if you ask back yourself, do you still remember "Sejarah Malaysia" ?, I believe as time goes by, people start forgot how the country that we stay in, comes from...well, friendly, I don't remember much, nevertheless that does not mean I'm not concern about this country, and as far as I'm concern, I stay in this country, and I should love this country. :-) Some info extract from the WWW :

The national day commemorating the independence of the Federation of Malaya from British colonial rule. In a wider context, it is to celebrate the formation of Malaysia.

Malaya Independence
The effort for independence was spearheaded by Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, the first Prime Minister of Malaysia, who led a delegation of ministers and political leaders of Malaya in negotiations with the British in London for Merdeka, or independence. Agreement was reached on February 8, 1956, for Malaya to gain independence from the British Empire. However, for a number of logistical and administrative reasons, it was decided that the official proclamation of independence would only be made the next year, on August 31, 1957, at Stadium Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur.

How the independence date was derived
Even before the delegation left for London, the date for independence was already set. It was decided during a discussion in 1956 involving UMNO Youth chief Tun Sardon Jubir and his deputy Haji Ahmad Badawi in Kepala Batas, Penang. Haji Ahmad Badawi is the late father of the current Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Also present at the discussion was Haji Ahmad Badawi's father, Haji Abdullah Fahim, who was also the Penang Mufti and a renowned Muslim scholar. Analysing the independence dates of countries like Indonesia and India, all falling on odd dates in August, Haji Abdullah Fahim after conducting his own calculations decided August 31 as the most appropriate date.

The formation of Malaysia
The Federation of Malaysia, comprising states of Malaya, North Borneo (later renamed Sabah), Sarawak and Singapore was to be officially declared on the date August 31, 1963, on the 6th anniversary of Malayan independence. However, it was postponed to September 16, 1963, mainly due to Indonesian and the Philippines' opposition to the formation of Malaysia. Indonesian opposition later escalated to a military conflict.

Indonesia considered Malaysia as a new form of colonization on the provinces of Sarawak and Sabah in the island of Borneo (bordering Kalimantan, Indonesia), which they laid claim on. [citation needed] To assure Indonesia that Malaysia was not a form of neo-colonialism, a referendum, organized by the United Nations, and the Cobbold Commission, led by Lord Cobbold, were formed to determine whether the people of Sabah and Sarawak wished to join Malaysia. Their eventual findings which indicated substantial support for Malaysia among the peoples of Sabah and Sarawak, cleared the way for the final proclamation of Malaysia.
The formation of the Federation of Malaysia was then announced on September 16, 1963. However, the Independence Day celebration is still held on August 31, the original independence date of Malaya. This has caused some minor discontent among East Malaysians in particular since it has been argued that celebrating the national day on August 31 is too Malaya-centric.

Good Service

Many company / shop...etc today emphasis good customer service, while the former service industry personnel (I am) :-) is good to see what type or we rather called it "level of services" we can get when we patrol certain outlet, be it a restaurant, cinema, bank...etc

To provide a good customer service is very tough because we simply deal with human being, especially today human being already goes into a level they know "how to complain" stuff. So its pretty difficult to maintain the level nowaday, while we agree that, at the end, it just whether "humanity respect" is there or not, to makes the different in the communication.

Some way of efficiency and good service example :
Went to pretty grand restaurant for pass few time, what they emphasis (I believe) is relaxation & efficiency, while I waited for the food to cook, from seat down, until the food arrive, until I settle the bill, on all this occasion, From head to toe, I never even touch my tea pot, and I still enjoy my tea, the waiter is efficient enough that they will pour tea for me whenever is empty or near empty, I virtually don't have a chance to serve myself, the service level is unparallel.

So, what's your service level ?

The Treat

There is a day where I need support from Microsoft Server Support, so made a call to their toll free and a person pickup (off course), after few conversation, I'm satisfied with their service, although much of the support is they keep asking $$ from you before they start support you, well there is some case where they need to support anyway.

The call centre support personnel is fluent in English and pretty knowledgeable in their product, I remember few years back where there their support is in Indian, so I though, Hu Yoh...now they have improve alot, maybe not....the fact is the support centre now is in a country called : China

If the support personnel is a female, (wow, what a sweet voice) ;-) not only sweet voice, their English is even better than most of the call centre that I experience here.

China is really changing, one year back the story is , many chinese are starting to learn English, barely a year later we heard that, they have master English. The fact is they are getting better and better, the treat is very large considering the size and population in China, I amaze with their 精神 , I salute them. What I see is they really all out in getting what they want, they are more and more independent, at the end we need to rely on them instead.

So call centre here, if still thinking of honeymoon or 9am-5pm works, then better pack early and search for something else to do, you guys are loosing out fast.