Killerbatch is President Persatuan Ansaraku

Have you heard that they had an AGM 25 July and decided that the President of Ansaraku and Treasurer will be from killerbatch. It is the first time we have been asked to lead the association. In addition to myself and Haji Roslan Ahmad (C), Nan is also on the 2009/2010 committee. I have been thinking the last one week ever since I heard the news and this is what I think...

In banking, we use financial modelling to see the possible outcome of a project. We try to determine how much capital/financing we need and how much profit or returns can one expect from the project. In order to predict the outcome, we study data and try and spot patterns. From the patterns, we make certain assumptions relevant to the project e.g. this product will sell to those currently on 3G and revenue wil grow at 15% per annum etc. The conclusion of what you model would then dictate your strategy and action steps so that actual outcome would be as close to the projections. Your modelling may be wrong but what it does is it gives some sense of direction. For modellers, their motto would be - Trust in God but Show Me Data.

I have constructed a basic model of my life and based on the data that I have gathered (family history, lifestyle & results of medical checkups), I don't think I will live to the national average of 72 and I even have a number in my mind. Therefore, life's logistics, spiritual, financing and career have all been planned to accomodate a certain number at which I will kick the bucket. I may be hit by a bus tomorrow and the modeI may be wrong but it makes planning so much easier.

So its the same approach to this job as President of Ansaraku. Gather data, look for patterns, make some assumptions relevant to Ansaraku and based on those assumptions, come up with what outcome we want Ansaraku to achieve and we then can plan the action steps. That is the rhetorics.

I read a book recently which gives perspective on the history of the world. It depicts the whole existance of the world as a one year period with today as midnight on 31 December. Scientists estimate that the world is over one million years old. Therefore, one day in one human year is equivalent to 3,000 years in earth year and one hour is 120 years. With that perspective, they believe human walked the earth only around 19 December. Maybe the learned amongst us can verify whether Nabi Adam came down to earth around 30,000 to 40,000 years ago. The whole history of China's civilisation and decline happened on 27 December over a 3,000 year period. The Roman Empire ruled around 7am and Islam was born around 11.30am on 31 December. That's how old the world is.

I find the analysis quite interesting and I would like to adopt the idea and anaylse our life in some sort of scale. Let's try and scale one life cycle as a one-five year period in MRSM Kulim. Namely, assuming one lived till the national average of 72 years of age, each school year is equivalent to 14 human years. Each month in MRSM Kulim is about one year and one month. Every one month semester break is like taking aprroximately one year off your life to go on holiday. SPM is probably your first heart attack, stroke or whatever potent that awaits us. If you survive that, the few weeks we have from SPM to the day we board the train in Bukit Mertajam is a bonus. The train ride is the proverbial ultimate trip (ehem, notice that some go north and some south??)

Based on that scale, we whose median is now around 40 years of age, are now in the first month of Form 4. What have we achieved so far? We have completed SRP which is one big landmark. That's three fifth of the whole tenure in Kulim. Nearer to the end than the beginning but I dare say the better better side of school cycle to be in. We are no more kids and naïve like when we were in Form One. SRP was important when we were sitting for it but now that we have gone through with it, the outcome from SRP is not important after all. Its SPM that counts. I don't know about you guys but my best year in Kulim was in Form 4 where SPM is two years away and I thought I can enjoy a whole year of hanging out with killerbatch without bothering too much about my studies. Its a honeymoon year. I saw a movie when we were in Form 4 with Pak Ron about a group of friends, all professionals with career and money, riding Harleys to a resort somewhere and he told me his dream that killerbatch too shall do that one day. But Form 4 is quite a tough year too to adjust from life in Form 3. As an example, I failed my first Add Maths test. I remember cause its the first time I actually fail any exam in my life!! It was a warning, its a honeymoon year but don't get too carried away with what you think it actually is. Its harder now and the stake is bigger. Its a lesson that with dreams begin responsibilties. What we build when we were in Form 4 would determine the outcome at the end of Form 5 and we were told that is "The One" that most probably would determine our whole life thereafter.

So, back to 2009 and in the real world. Where are we? We are three fifth in our lifespan. I spoke with some of us to gather data on what you think of Ansaraku. Some say we are at the peak of our lifecycle. Some are doing very well so far and some not (ie the SRP) but its not important. One person remarked that for him its the beginning of a new lifecycle as our children are beginning to leave home. Some to boarding and some to universities. With an empty nest, some try to adjust by contemplating adopting babies, picking up new hobbies, enrol in courses, getting to surau and masjid to be closer to god, or other activities. I think the pattern that is emerging is Ansaraku is now more relevant as people are now only beginning to find they have the time to socialise again. We have time to "ber-persatuan".

If we have an Ansaraku picnic, most probably we won't have that many children participating in a drawing competition as they have passed that age. So, I think we have to pause and think on what is relevant.

Certainly, Ansaraku is there to make us closer and we have the activities to support that e.g. annual futsal, bowling, buka puasa and we will continue to have that. We also have activities, and have set up a fund, to help the less fortunate amongst us. We have around RM4,000 in our coffers. My question is this year you have given killerbatch the mandate to lead Ansaraku. The year when you are in the Form 4 of your lives. This is the year when we are in our days of glory. A honeymoon period yet we have to be responsible. When we are in our SPM year, it may be too late as we need to concentrate on the Big Exam. Do you expect the new committee to organise the same activities albeit better, bigger or something else altogether? Some clever twists to an old song perhaps?

I noticed that since killerbatch embarked on Asrama Donni, we have participation from the non-regulars as the project is something new. You know what I mean. We have the regulars that turn up for the teh tariks and we have the silent readers. Ansaraku e-group has 300 e-mails out of which about 20 are from killerbatch. But killerbatch e-group has around 100 emails. Why do people exclude themselves from the mainstream? I think we have to try and get the non regulars to be interested to join the mainstream. Or have the mainstream to accomodate them.

So, as I continue to gather data please make your views known. I will call for a committee meeting and we will get some consensus as to where Ansaraku should be heading.

I don't know what it is that Ansaraku need.

Must it be thunder with a strong bite and a loud roar
Or a fresh spring fountain for thirsty seamen ashore
Are we a lone mountain, a foundation
Or a deep and flowing river strong and silent
Perhaps a ravaging waterfall exciting and a beauty
What are we and most importantly, at this stage of life, what do we want to be?