Category: Random rambling

Quiet quitting

There are times when I feel overwhelmed with things around me and I admit that I have difficulty to reorganise those things according to priorities. What I normally do is, I will categorise things accordingly based on urgency and importance. But I will remind myself those urgency and importance should be related to what is really matters to my identity as a Muslim and how it will impact my relationship with Allah. This is challenging. Every time.

This is already October, another two months before we reach the end of 2024. What have I done so far this year?

Off lately, I find myself just do a minimum without caring going extra miles to do something. This is especially relating to things which are instructed by others which I have to do. I have been wondering what is the cause of this even though I can guess. I remind myself that I should not rely on my guess without concrete reasons to avoid su’u zahn (opposite of husn zahn). While listening to a radio this morning (17 October 2024), the radio DJs talked about “quiet quitting”. It is a term to refer to a phenomenon at a workplace where its employees just do bare minimum required in their job, without the motivation of doing more than what is required. It does not mean the employees are demotivated to do their job well, it is just they do what is required. Nothing more, nothing less. The thoughts of “why should I do more?”, “why should I care to go extra miles to contribute?”, “if other people do not care, why should I care?” would always linger as a subconscious reminder which leads this phenomenon to thrive.

No doubt we have to adapt to changes that happen around us. Yet, to balance between the needs and wants are not easy. We need to do our job well and protect our mental health and personal time. Quiet quitting is when we do all that without formally resigning. In this case, it serves as a coping mechanism of finding balance in life and perhaps can be seen as a personal assertion between work and personal life.

I do not what else to write here. To end this post, I asked ChatGPT to compose a poem based on what I have written above. Enjoy!

The world surrounds, a sea of demands,
Urgency whispers, yet slips through my hands.
I stand overwhelmed, priorities unclear,
Yet deep in my heart, I know why I’m here.

I sift through the noise, sort urgent from small,
What truly matters, what matters at all?
I pause and reflect, what will this mean
In the light of my faith, the unseen, the serene?

With each task, each step, I seek to align
What echoes forever with the Divine.
But still, there’s a weight I can’t deny—
This pull to do less, the question, “Why?”

Why should I strive when others stand still?
Why climb the extra mile, climb the hill?
Perhaps I’ve quiet quit, in more ways than one,
Just doing enough, until the day’s done.

Yet balance is fragile, this life, a test,
To protect my soul while giving my best.
I find myself torn, between needs and care,
Seeking peace in the midst of this quiet affair.

As the year wanes, I ask with a sigh,
What have I done? How? Why did I try?
In moments of silence, I find what I seek—
A reminder of strength, though I may feel weak.

Quiet quitting, perhaps, is more than it seems,
A way to balance, to cradle my dreams.
But still, I must strive, for in my heart I know,
The true path is where both faith and effort grow.

MAJLIS BERSAMA NAIB CANSELOR BULAN OGOS 2023: 1 Ogos 2023 (Selasa)

Sesi kali ini, antara perkara yang aku belajar dari Datuk NC ialah tentang sikap. Bukan aku tidak faham tentang konsep sikap, tingkah laku dan apa kaitannya dengan tindakan, matlamat dan sebagainya sebelum ini. Tetapi dari kata-katanya membuat aku berfikir tentang “Apakah matlamat yang aku ingin capai?”

“The right attitude cultivates the right behaviour which leads to the desired outcome”

Melihat kembali usiaku yang akan menginjak ke siri 5 beberapa tahun lagi, aku hanya berharap matlamat aku untuk _________ dapat tercapai. Itu impian ramai orang. Tetapi melihat video viral tentang seorang penceramah yang juga pensyarah USIM yang meninggal ketika memberi kuliah subuh, aku tersentak. Dapatkah aku peluang sebegitu?

What doesn’t kill you make your stronger…..

Someone gave me a newspaper article about teachers’ behavior in implementing punishment. This person just wanted my opinion about the right way to punish students. Well, to differentiate what is right or wrong is a bit tricky. It is contextual. But if you want to see punishment from psychological perspectives, in specific operant conditioning (a theory by B. F Skinner), you will see that punishment does not have to be physical.

When I was 10 years old, I was struggling with double digits multiplication. I vividly remember the incident well until now. To cut the long story short, I was called in front of the class with another 3 students. I only remember one out of the three students. One of them is N because she stood on my left side. There was no one standing on my right side. After so many years, the incident seemed like a dream, or more like a nightmare. It felt as if that incident never happened in my life even though sometimes the memory still bugs me once a while. This is what we call as repressed memory. Even though the idea of repressed memory is controversial, but in my case, it is as if subconsciously I purposely wish not to remember it. This is quite logical if we refer to Freud’s defense mechanism of repression.

I never met the teacher again after I left primary school. I know some of my friends had met her once or more than that. I feel there is no need to meet her. I still respect her as a teacher but what she had done is unforgettable. That is for sure. Someone told me that I need to move on. After all, this teacher already passed away. Lesson needs to be learned. Every time I teach a relevant topic, I will use that as an example of what a teacher should not do. In a way, that incident gives me ideas to be a better teacher. For that, I thank her (arwah Cikgu N) for that. Al – fatihah.

Mata CPD (terkini mulai 2 Mei 2023)

CPD bagi tahun 2023 telah diubah berdasarkan keputusan Mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Universiti Bil.8/2023 bertarikh 2 Mei 2023. Matlamat asal Pelaksanaan CPD bagi Staf Akademik dan Staf Pengurusan, Profesional dan Pelaksana (PPP) masih lagi sama iaitu ianya selaras dengan Latihan Berasaskan Kompetensi (Competency Based Training) di Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

Matlamat pelaksanaan CPD

Pelaksanaan CPD berasaskan kompetensi untuk staf UTM diwujudkan bertujuan untuk memastikan staf menghadiri latihan mengikut komponen CPD yang telah ditetapkan selaras dengan keperluan kompetensi yang diperlukan oleh staf UTM.  Selain itu, ia juga dapat membentuk staf yang berpengetahuan tinggi, berkemahiran dan mempunyai sikap positif melalui kehadiran ke program/kursus yang lebih menyeluruh.

Pengiraan mata CPD yang baharu

Universiti telah menambahbaik penetapan Mata CPD dengan pengiraan mata CPD baharu yang lebih terperinci dengan menentukan keperluan CPD tahunan berdasarkan kompetensi yang dibangunkan. Staf hanya perlu menghadiri latihan bagi memenuhi jurang kompetensi serta pemilihan peserta kursus lebih tepat mengikut keperluan kompetensi. Cadangan pengiraan Mata CPD baharu bagi pelaksaan CPD selaras dengan Latihan Berasaskan Kompetensi (Competency Based Training) sebagaimana di dalam pekeliling dilampirkan.

Walau bagaimanapun pelaksanaan Mata CPD bagi Staf Akademik mengikut pecahan pada tahun 2023 ini, adalah separuh daripada 42 mata iaitu 21 mata. 

Peratus dalam Laporan Penilaian Prestasi Staf Akademik (eLPPT)

Di dalam Laporan Penilaian Prestasi Staf Akademik (e-LPPT) sebanyak lima (5) peratus tanpa mengambil kira komponen CPD yang telah ditetapkan di dalam Jadual 2 akan diberikan kepada staf yang telah mencapai 21 mata. Pengumpulan Mata CPD mengikut pecahan bagi staf akademik akan dilaksanakan sepenuhnya mulai tahun 2024.

Pelaksanaan hari latihan umum peringkat Universiti: Hari Selasa petang

Pelaksanaan penetapan Mata CPD selaras dengan Latihan Berasaskan Kompetensi (Competency Based Training) bagi staf UTM ini berkuat kuasa mulai tahun 2023. Sehubungan dengan itu, seluruh warga Universiti berstatus tetap dan kontrak (lantikan UTM) sahaja adalah diminta mengambil maklum mengenai perkara ini.  Selaras dengan pelaksanaan Latihan Berasaskan Kompetensi (Competency Based Training) ini, hari Selasa petang sebagai hari latihan umum peringkat Universiti kepada semua staf UTM.

Pembatalan MyCPD yang berdasarkan Pekeliling lama (2018)

Dengan berkuat kuasanya Pekeliling Pentadbiran pada tahun 2023 ini, Pekeliling Pentadbiran pada tahun tentang 2018 Pelaksanaan Sistem Pengumpulan Mata MYCPD Pengurusan Profesional dan Pelaksana (PPP) UTM adalah dibatalkan.

Additional Google workspace storage: How to apply?

To add your Google workspace storage, you can apply by filling in this Google Form.

There are several options of storage that you can choose from 20GB to 2,000GB.  The price range is different too.  The cheapest is 20GB for RM38.16 including SST.  If you want the 2,000GB storage, it will cost you RM3,816.00.   

I took the middle range version.  

To my current and future students

Here are some questions that my current and previous students had and have asked me before, so I hope that there will be no student to ask these questions again.

a) Can you give me a list of reading materials to read?

If you take a course that I teach, you may find the list of reading materials and references in the course information. It is a lot and I expect you to find ALL the reading materials on your own.

If you are a research student, the ability to find a list of references on your own IS necessary. It shows you are an independent researcher. Relying on me as the supervisor to find, accumulate and list references for you shows that I do not trust you to be independent enough to find your own references. This is insulting. You do not want me to insult you indirectly, don’t you?

b) Can you teach me how to write a few sentences as examples of how to write my proposal?

I have taught and teach secondary students how to write an essay. Do not insult your intelligence by asking me to treat you like a secondary school student. You are an adult learner and tertiary level student. You do not need me to write sentences for you.

c) Can you proofread my proposal?

Proofreading is difficult. It is time-intensive. I spend so much time editing my own work that the last thing I need is to edit the work of my students. As your supervisor, unless you pay me to edit your work, I do not proofread. But I do not need a side income of proofreading at this moment. So, I do not take any proofreading job.

d) What will you do if I do not submit any writing to you for one whole semester because ……………. (fill in the blank)?

My style of supervision is simple. If students do not submit any writing for one whole semester, I will write a report as it is. I will not sugar coat saying students have what it takes to be independent yada yada yada. Students will be surprise how honest I can be in this sense.

e) Will you remind me deadlines etc.?

I have my own deadlines to meet. Reminding students about their deadlines is not my priority. Students should be responsible and accountable in meeting deadlines of their own assignments/proposal etc. Normally, the relevant offices will send notification to students. Students should be aware about it.

e) Is it compulsory for me to present my proposal (proposal defense)?

As a student, you should be aware of your program’s requirements. You do not need me to remind you of the requirements of your programme; as the student, you should already be aware of what is necessary to complete your studies.

f) When can I know the schedule for the research proposal defense?

You should submit your proposal for evaluation prior to receiving the proposal defense schedule (date, time, and location). The schedule cannot be implemented if you have not even completed writing chapter 1 (there are 3 required chapters for the proposal). It will remain in your thoughts/plans/dreams. I believe that students require their own learning time and space. Some students may require more time than others to learn or complete tasks such as writing proposals, etc. Even though there is a monetary incentive for “Graduate on time or GOT” blah blah blah, I couldn’t care less.

g) Where can I find information about research proposal defense?

Just google it. Type, “Research proposal defense FSSH UTM“. Or you can use any other key words that you can think of. This information searching is straight forward. You do not need a supervisor to be the fact finder for you. This shows that you are not independent to find information on your own relating to your own study.

h) What are the requirements for my program?

As a post graduate student, you can find the requirements of your program from the faculty’s website. There is also a briefing given by the administrator every semester (normally) for postgraduate students. If you miss that briefing, it is not your supervisor’s problem. Really.

P.S: If a student asks me similar questions, I will be sure to make a note of them while preparing the progress report. I never asked my former supervisor about the above questions because I can find those information myself as an independent researcher. Capisc?