Had a beautiful day today. Made much progress with an event management contract which should be finalised by month end. Spoke to the Group Executive Editor of a magazine about writing a regular column for them. We have set up a meeting to discuss the nitty gritty. Followed up on some insurance business I have an interest in. We had a good meeting with the principals yesterday and they promised both regional and international support for our trans-border product.
Prayed zohor at the local mosque but the khutbah was not well-structured and the sermon went all over the place.
Took the train to Putrajaya and had tea with a friend at a lakeside restaurant which resembled a similar outlet on Kampung Air in Bandar Seri Begawan. It was kinda like deja vu. We had a good chat for a solid two hours but unfortunately we had to leave before we could see the sunset.
We spoke about prejudice and in the misguided joy some people (ex-boyfriends, ex-brothers-in-law, second wives and ex-wives included) take in destroying a person's reputation. I said this was nothing new to me. I've faced prejudice for a quarter of a century, so what's one more ignorant idiot? Being a genius born ahead of my time, it's so easy to be misunderstood by people who are not my intellectual equal. When they don't understand me, they label me as "crazy."
A trivial example of being ahead of my time was 20 years ago, I was the first person in Malaysia to travel on my motorbike with my lights on in the daytime. All motorists would flash their lights at me and stick their arm out and signal with their fingers to let me know that I had my lights on. When I ignored them, they thought I was crazy to have my lights on in the daytime. Yes, I know my lights are on. I did it for a purpose. I wanted to be visible and be seen so that motorists would not accidentally knock me down. I'm not interested in switching it off "to save electricity" as most motorcyclists at the time thought. Nowadays every motorcyclist switches on their light during the day for the reason I mentioned.
Coming back to the gossipers who take glee in destroying another's reputation just for the fun of it or perhaps out of pure jealousy or even spite. I knew exactly what my friend was going through. Victim of some malicious juicy gossip by idle people to while away the time at birthday parties of second wives of golfing buddies. To them I can only say that every time you fitnah an innocent party, the aggrieved party will receive your pahala and you will receive dosa in return.
So before you speak, it may be a good idea to bear the Rotary Four-Way Test in mind:
The 4-Way Test
From the earliest days of the organization, Rotarians were concerned with promoting high ethical standards in their professional lives. One of the world's most widely printed and quoted statements of business ethics is The 4-Way Test, which was created in 1932 by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor (who later served as RI president) when he was asked to take charge of a company that was facing bankruptcy. This 24-word test for employees to follow in their business and professional lives became the guide for sales, production, advertising, and all relations with dealers and customers, and the survival of the company is credited to this simple philosophy. Adopted by Rotary in 1943, The 4-Way Test has been translated into more than a hundred languages and published in thousands of ways. It asks the following four questions:
"Of the things we think, say or do:
1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?"
If it doesn't pass the 4-way Way Test, please shut up. If you fitnah an innocent party, you have nothing to gain but dosa.Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice
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