Simply Riaz... Simply Myself...

Well, I did it again. Successfully went down with fever over the last 2 days on my latest visit to Chennai. I have the unbeaten record of getting fever everytime I come home over the last 4 years. Call it fate or blame it on the climate and pollution, it has become a habit for me now. In fact, I had postponed my return trips on 2 occasions before due to this. My bosses back in Singapore might be thinking that I am trying to make lame excuses just to get my vacation extended!!! Alhamdulillah, today I am feeling better and Insha Allah will be returning to Singapore on the midnight of 28th after celebrating Eid here.I have heard sometime back that getting fever is in fact a good sign - a sign of the body trying hard to flush out all the unwanted toxins. Good or bad, I have always seen it as a wonderful opportunity to reduce my tummy by being forced to eat only bread and other low fat food! Weight reduction hasn't been a problem for me. I have always managed to maintain my weight to the optimum, but my tummy has always been a cause of low confidence. Nowadays, I have made it a habit to walk from office to home daily in the evening. It takes about half hour plus of medium paced walk with intermediate slopes to reach home. Excercising for my broken back is already part of the daily regime and have added on a couple of tummy reduction excercises in as well. Lets hope and pray for the best.So my dear friends... how are you maintaining your weight, health and tummies? :-) Maybe its time to share your secrets as well!

Surprised by the header? An interesting topic to be explored in the current world scenario where everything and everyone works on numbers and mechanics. Recently met one old friend from SIO who is a doctor and psychologist. He is currently working on a project on the relevance of pre-marital counseling for couples. This practice is prevalent in most of the developed countries including Singapore where it is mandatory where divorce rates are high.So how does this fit the Indian scenario? My friend revealed some interesting stats which would definitely make us sit and think. He says that almost 20% of marriages end up in divorce in today's Indian Muslim community. A staggering 60% or more marriages are on the brink held up more for ego and social reasons. Less than 20% of Muslim marriages in India are really seen to be successful to a certain extent. The reasons for this can be attributed to various factors including non-Islamic upbringing, false sense of freedom, materialistic competition and many more.Do let me know your views and opinions in this regard.

I read this recent news about the scuffle on board Air India flight from New York to Delhi... suprisingly between the cockpit and the cabin crew! I have been a regular traveller on Air India flights but after hearing about this incident, I have second thoughts. Indian tourism industry has been struggling to survive in this competitive world and now this incident worsens the situation. Singapore has been an exemplary example in this case where tourism is at its highest level even with almost no natural resources available for it to explore. Singapore airlines service levels have been rated one of the best in the world. But service levels are very pathetic in almost all Indian airlines. If the problem starts at the very point where people from around the world want to step into India, then there is no point in trying to boost tourism.

I spent last weekend with my wife at Genting highlands in Malaysia. For those who dont know, its about 45 minute drive from Kuala Lumpur city. The climate at Genting is cool and pleasant most of the time. The main attractions are the scenic cable car ride and the theme park. The cable car is almost 3.4 kms long and is the longest in South east Asia. The view from the cable car is also breathtaking. We stayed at the First World Hotel which is a budget traveller's delight. The hotel is also in the same complex as that of the theme park which makes it easily accessible. Speaking about the theme park, its very old and rusted. Maintenance or renovation seems to be a far call. I felt that there is a high risk of accidents if the authorities dont act quickly to replace some of the old equipment. For one ride, we were required to push the cart ourselves by hand to the starting point! And at the snow world, the jackets and gloves provided for visitors to wear have worn out and needs replacement as well. I couldnt imagine such a situation in Singapore where I guess the government would have already cancelled the license of the operators in such conditions. All in all, Genting is one place to have good fun and thrill even with all the negative points.

Taxi drivers in Singapore are definitely an interesting lot. Inspite of being in Singapore for 4 years now, its still very difficult to predict their nature. I have come across drivers who go out all the way to be very generous to those who just scream and complain. Taxi drivers in Singapore fall under the below categories in my opinion:
1. The talkative ones - they are normally polite but keep talking continuously even if we are not interested. They dont mind even if we try to show them that we are busy and dont want to be disturbed. Their talk shows off their experience and knowledge about Singapore.
2. The silent polite ones - these are the guys who just speak a few words at the start and then at the end. Recently met one who did not even utter a single word!
3. The silent rude ones - these guys dont talk much but their very expressions will make you sweat.
4. And finally the rude ones - these guys surely dont know how to be polite. They just find it normal to raise their voice at customers if they are irritated for no reason.

Also, I have been thinking of various reasons on why taxi drivers in Singapore get irritated in the first place:
a. End of shift - they are very tired and exhausted?
b. Short distance trip? I always thought short trip earns you more money in form of minimum payment.. or is there another reason?
c. More than one stop during the course of the journey - I never came to understand why he guys sometimes get irritated when more than one stop is required.

I always try to be polite with the guys, but for the first time 2 weeks ago, I lost my temper and shouted back which is what prompted me to write this item here.

It came as a surprise to me when my friend announced that the Indian software giant where she was working for has imposed restrictions on dress policy. The new policy governs that religio-socio dressing is not allowed in the campus due to security reasons. It also stated that any violation of the code will incur a fine! My friend who wears a Hijab daily was very upset at this sudden change of policy by the renowned institution. In a nation where the constitution grants secular rights to everyone and the right to practise and propogate religion, this comes as a big blow. Religious freedom seems to be a far cry now. As far as I know, there is no legistlation in our country that deals with religious rights in the workplace.

It is interesting to note that the US which has the highest security threat in the entire world, has a seperate act to deal with workplace discrimination. Title VII of the 1964 American Civil Rights Act guarantees the right of employees to wear Hijab in the workplace. According to the act, as long as the attire is provocative in nature or does not compromise safety and health standards or proven to be a burden on the organisation or causes undue hardship to colleagues, the employer does not have the right to restrict the employee from wearing religious attire.

As long as India doesnt have a strict policy regarding workplace attire, I believe the minority will continue to suffer discrimination. All talk of secularism by the political parties just seem to be on paper wherein the reality is completely different as highlighted by the above episode involving my friend. At this point my friend has registered her protest with the HR of the company and is waiting for a response. Lets wait and watch what happens. Will continue on the updates in my next post.

The other day I was thinking about people who leave their home and come to a foreign country to earn a living. Take the case of those poor women who come to work as maids. I had the chance to interact with a couple of them. Both of them were divorcees and had kids back in their home country. One of them hasnt seen her 11 year kid for almost 4 years now. The other person's case was even more pathetic. It seems she fell in love with a rich guy back home, became pregnant and got married all within a month. Only then she realised that he had another family. She was patient for some time, had 2 kids but couldnt bear his tantrums anymore. She gave up everything including her kids and migrated to support her ailing sister. She worked as a maid. What an irony considering the fact that she had 4 maids at her husband's home. And not only that, she used to do marketing and had her own small business for almost 7 years! She even has a computer diploma. This is just one story. I am sure every such person will have their own sad story to tell. I feel just lucky that God has not tested me so much this far. I am sure this makes us sit up and give a thought to the unlucky ones.

இன்று காலை விஜய் டிவி யில் இந்த வார "நீயா நானா" நிகழ்ச்சியின் சிறு தொகுப்பை பார்க்க நேர்ந்தேன். ஜோதிடம் அவசியமா இல்லையா என்பதை பற்றி பேசி கொண்டிருந்தார்கள். ஒருவர் கூறினார், "காலையில் வெளியே வரும்போது காகம் வலது புறத்திலிருந்து இடது புறம் பறந்தால் அன்று அவருடைய செயல்பாடுகள் எல்லாம் மிக விரைவில் நடக்குமாம்". கேட்பதற்கு கொஞ்சம் வேடிக்கையாகத்தான் இருந்தது. நான் யாருடைய நம்பிக்கையையும் கேலி செய்ய விரும்பவில்லை. அவர் அவர் ஒவ்வொரு நம்பிக்கை வைத்திருப்பார்கள். ஆனால் அந்த நம்பிக்கை எப்பொழுது குடும்பத்தில் உள்ள பிறருக்கோ, அக்கம் பக்கத்தில் உள்ளவர்களுக்கோ, அலுவலகத்தில் கூட பணிபுரியும் நண்பர்களுக்கோ இல்லை நாட்டுக்கோ துன்பம் தருவதாக இருந்தால் கண்டிப்பாக அதை விட கேவலமான அசிங்கத்துக்குரிய விஷயம் வேறு எதுவும் இருக்க முடியாது! சமீப காலத்தில் என் சுற்று வட்டாரத்தில் நடந்த ஒரு சில விஷயங்கள் அதற்கு உதாரணம்.
என் நண்பனுக்கு அவன் வீட்டில் பெண் பார்த்து கொண்டிருக்கிறார்கள். ஒரு பெண்ணுடைய புகைப்படத்தை அவனுக்கு அனுப்பியிருக்கிறார்கள். அதை பார்த்து விட்டு அவனுககுஅந்த பெண் மிகவும் பிடித்திருந்தது. இரு குடும்பத்தினருக்கும் இந்த சம்மதத்தில் ஈடுபாடு இருந்தது. ஆனால் இறுதியில் ஏதோ ஒரு ஜோதிடர் இவர்களுக்கு திருமணம் நடந்தால் நாற்பது வயதில் இருவருக்கும் ஏதோ நோய் வருமாம், அதனால் வேண்டாம் என்று கூறி விட்டார்கள்! பாவம் என் நண்பன் மற்றும் அந்த பெண்ணின் மனதில் ஆசையை வளர்த்து விட்டு இறுதியில் மண்ணை அள்ளி போட்டு விட்டுவிட்டார்கள்!
வேறு ஒரு நண்பரின் வாழ்க்கையில் நட்ந்தது இன்னும் வேடிக்கை. நண்பரின் தங்கை ஒருவரை காதலித்திருக்கிறார். நண்பர் வீட்டில் அவர்கள் திருமணம் செய்து கொள்ள எந்த வித தடையும் இல்லை. ஆனால் வேடிக்கை என்னவென்றால் அந்த காதலனுடைய வீட்டில் எட்டு மாதங்கள் ஆகியும் அவர்கள் சம்மதம் இன்னும் கேட்கவே இல்லை. நண்பரின் தந்தையிடம் அவர்கள் எங்கள் திருமணம் கண்டிப்பாக ஜனவரி மாதம் நடந்தே தீரும் என்று கடந்த ஆறு மாத காலமாக உறுதியுடன் கூறி கொண்டிருந்தார்கள். டிசம்பர் மாதம் ஆகியும் ஒரு வேலையும் நடந்திராத நிலைமையிலும் கண்டிப்பாக சொன்ன தேதியில் திருமணம் நடக்கும் என்று திடமாக இருந்தார்கள். நண்பர் கோபமுற்று கேட்ட பொழுது விஷயம் தெரிய வந்தது. ஏதோ ஒரு ஜோதிடர் கூறினாராம் இவர்களுக்கு ஜனவரி மாதம் கண்டிப்பாக திருமணம் நடக்கும் என்று. இது வரை நடந்த பாடு இல்லை. அவர்கள் வீட்டில் சம்மதமும் கிடைக்கவில்லை. ஜோசியர் சொல்வது ஒரு பக்கம் இருக்கட்டும், இவர்களுக்கு அறிவு எங்கே போயிற்று? யோசிக்கவே மாட்டார்களா?
படித்தவர்களே இப்படி இருந்தால் பாமரர்களின் நிலை என்ன? அருமை நண்பர்களே, கொஞ்சம் யோசியுங்கள்!