Knock.. knock.. Ramadhan.
I can't help feeling nostalgic. Last year, at this moment I was busy packing and wrapping up. Thinking and feeling about it give me goosebumps. Serious. How time flies kan.
Fasting month. It takes two hours to reach home if I leave the office at 5pm. I decided to stay back and go home after break fast. It takes thirty minutes. As time is expensive, those ninety minutes I can do wonders. Tak pe lah... buka puasa di rumah pun seorang, no reason for me to brave the traffic jams.
They asked me why I do not request to go back early as what is commonly practise here? I did my own calculations.. there are 19 working days during Ramadan (after less 2 days of annual leave that I plan to take). If I less 5 working days where I will not fast, left me with 14 working days.
I asked myself, do I really need to request special treatment just because I fast for those 14 days? Is it difficult for me to adjust my timing?
It makes me shy.
Little bird told me that my boss actually did some homework before hiring me. She asked opinion from her Malaysian network if it is difficult to hire reliable competent staff and about hiring a Malay staff. She did get some negative feedback about Malays especially in accounting and finance where its been dominated by non-Malays. Of course there is counterback statement by saying that maybe this person is a new Malay.
Hmmmm... Interesting kan.
On my last trip to Penang, my boss was spying on people. She spy if muslim really fast. HaHaHa.. kelakar kan and do they cheat.. I said yes of course some of them..but they do it secretly. So she spying on one guy eating MH peanut. She said Hah! I caught muslim not fasting. Then I take a look.. and slowly said to her.. I think that guy is indian. Hahaha... how clueless she is about Malaysian.
The day before she arrives Penang, there was a news on MH Melbourne flight turn back due to some emergency. She was extremely nervous as she needs to take domestic flight to KL. The plane landed safely and she said to me that one of the reasons why she feels a bit comfort taking the plane was due to I'm travelling with her and she hope my God will take care of me and that means the whole plane. She admit it's sound stupid but she needs to let it out.
At the airport, I requested her to change to long pants as we are going to government office and she needs to wear something that less revealing. I said it's friday, it's fasting month and there was some hooohaaa about the dress code.
So she changed.
I have been surrounded by non Malays, Malaysian and non Malaysian. Do they superior than me? Do they better than me? Do they treat me differently?
My answer would be NO.
They are just the same. They have their own struggle, weakness and strength. We are just a bunch of people trying to make a living.
I believe that human in default, has good intentions.
Salam Ramadhan
