I'm a Terrorist?!!

I did a search on Google and Yahoo for my name.. and it turned out that Sheikh Faisal is a terrorist! Here's an exerpt:

The preacher, known as Sheikh Faisal, is a convert to Islam originally from Jamaica. His audiences include Moslems from every ethnicity and background and his tapes are sold in many Islamic book stores, reports the Times. According to one of the Sheikh Faisal tapes, the Jews are evil to the core and, he instructs, in reply to an audience question if Moslems should beat Jews in the street, You have no choice but to hate them. How do you fight the Jews? You kill the Jews. In two post-September tapes, al- Faisal encourages Moslems to prepare for a Jihad and says, The way forward is never the ballot. The way forward is the bullet.

Haha... and there were some other "Sheikh Faisal"s out there who are prominent figures in the Middle East. I didn't know there are so many of "us".

And there is this mosque, the Sheikh Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan... named after King Faisal of Saudi Arabia... actually my late grandmother named me after the same king who actually was in KL about the time I was born.

Here's the mosque...

and here's a writeup of the mosque...

Sheikh Faisal Mosque is one of the most beautiful and big mosques in Islamabad. Located against the backdrop of the Margalla Hills, the mosque is an excellent architectural masterpiece.

Dedicated to late King Faisal of Saudi Arabia, who bore the cost of the project, the mosque was designed by the Turkish architect Vedat Dalokay. His design was selected after an international competition in which many leading architects/firms participated. The mosque has slanting roofs with four towering minarets.

The mosque is a treat to watch with beautiful interiors. The Faisal Mosque is spread over an area of 1,89,705 square metres and houses museum, library and university of 700 students. The prayer hall of the mosque can accommodate up to 10,000 people.

Out with RM1 coin.. and in with LOTS of 50 sen coins!

I had the first taste of what's coming in our very near future once Bank Negara stops the usage of our RM1 coins. Take a good look at this...

... 'coz soon it's gonna be obsolete just like the fate of our previous 1 Ringgit coins...

Anyway, back to my story... I was at KLCC AutoPay parking station about to pay my RM4 parking ticket. Didn't have any smaller notes, so I inserted my RM10 note, expecting 6 heavy RM1 coins pouring out of the machine as my change. I got 12 heavy 50 sen coins instead!

Damn! Apa aku nak buat dengan syilling banyak-banyak ni? Isn't it better with the RM1 coins? At least my pocket seluar takla nampak macam uncang... haha...

So, in the near future, be prepared to be seeing MORE of the 50 sen coins in your pockets.

An interesting day...

What a day! I've got 2 meetings today. The first was with Johan Nawawi and the second was sort of a job interview.

Let's talk about the job interview first. Currently I'm working with a book publishing company (family business), but things got ugly easily when you're working with family. They're faced with a financial problem and got a little "GUBRA". They are more interested in getting advise from an outsider rather than having a faith in their own flesh and blood in making strategic business decisions. Suddenly they started to think that maybe I am not worth the sens they're paying me when in fact they just DON'T GET IT!

Anyway, I am the Publishing Manager. I edit and proofread manuscripts. I would find authors and manage the whole production team. I also write occasionally. I am good at Math, and with my Instructional Designing background, have managed to prove that I am also worthy of an academic book writer. In fact, the Ministry of Education has endorsed MY books to be best-suited for the pupils at primary schools throughout Malaysia.

Yeap, I'm not just a lyricist, I'm a writer as well. Math - that's the subject I'm good at.

So, with the ugly things that are happening with me and the rest of the family business, I decided to apply for another job. Read through the classified ads in The Star 2 days ago, emailed my resume yesterday, got a call this morning and by late this afternoon I GOT THE JOB!

I originally applied for Math Instructor at a US-based Math Learning Center franchise, but due to past experience and my "interesting" career path, I was offered more than that. A chance to really be sort of like a business partner to the boss... and also be the Instructor to the Math Instructors... hahaha... Interesting! I start October 1st, 2005.

I met Johan Nawawi earlier in the afternoon. What a down-to-earth guy! Had a 1-hour meeting of just plain borak of what's happening in his life and what's happening in mine... I guess it was almost 3 years since we last met. Had an interesting discussion about the local entertainment industry.

Johan has for the past 10 years been with his company, Cyber Music Asia Sdn Bhd, who is now having their own TV channel at MiTV - the other pay TV service provider.

We talked about my lyrics, especially the "Perjuangan Belum Selesai", which is still a hit due to requests made for Nora to sing at functions. How the words really touched and inspired people, etc...

Well, I guess I'll be seeing more of Johan Nawawi after this. It's nice to meet people who are so down-to-earth like him. I've always imagined him to be like that but to have met him in person and really saw how humbled he was, that was something...

Cancer Awareness Campaign Song

This song was written for Jerneh Insurance in their cancer awareness campaign program. Sung by Krisya, this song is titled "Harapan Jadi Kenyataan". I've not known anyone in my family who had cancer, but there are people in my life who had died of breast cancer and cancer in other parts of the body that became deadly just because that person had a mild fever. I've known people who are still paying the hospital bills when their daughter/son is no longer alive. Only the parents would know how painful it feels to fork out a subtantial amount of money for something that is gone in their life forever...

For those who would like to donate to MAKNA - Majlis Kanser Nasional (National Cancer Council), please go directly to this web page: http://www.makna.org.my/donate.aspx

For those of you who have family members who are suffering from this disease, please do not give up hope 'coz HOPE is only what some of them have to make it through the hard times. "Seberat mana mata memandang, berat lagi bahu yang memikul..." Don't give up hope 'coz sometimes HARAPAN boleh menjadi KENYATAAN...

"Harapan Jadi Kenyataan"

Verse 1:
Harapan tak perlu pudar
Harapan jadi penawar
Kuatkanlah semangat diri
Seikhlas hati,
sokongan budi penguat diri

Verse 2:
Tiada kau perlu merintih
Tiada kau guna menangis
Luangkanlah masa bersama
Mereka semua,
keluarga tercinta depan mata

Chorus 1:
Tak usah memikir yang gundah
Tak usah meragui semua
Tak usahlah kau nafi harapan sedia ada

Chorus 2:
Bersama harungi rintangan
Bersama hadapi dugaan
Oh oh Bersama-sama tempuhi segala cabaran
Harapan jadi kenyataan

* Repeat Verse 2
* Repeat Chorus 1 * Repeat Chorus 2 * Repeat Chorus 1

Chorus 3:
Bersama memberi sokongan
Harapan jadi kenyataan
Sama-sama mengindahkan masa depan.. semua…


Written by Sheikh Faisal Sheikh Mansor
Composed by Dato' Wah Idris
Sung by Krisya
*Jerneh Insurance Cancer Awareness Campaign Song*

"Gagal Bukannya Alasan" - written by Sheikh Faisal

This song was written a few years ago. Not sure for whom it was (either Krisya or Noraish - the girl who won the "Whisper's Girl Are You Ready" singing contest on NTV7). It got published in a mini-album.

Sometimes when I look back at my old lyrics, I find that there are some messages which I included actually make sense! Haha... yelah, masa buat lyrics tu kekadang pakai boh-je... pasal composer/produser nak cepat. Dahle bagi kat kita pun lambat... expect us to write in 1 or 2 days... nasib baikla kita ni terror... haha.. anyway, this is a good message to be shared (for those yang tak pernah dengar lagi lagu ni). Even I can't remember how this song goes... but I still have the lyrics with me. So here goes...

"Gagal Bukannya Alasan"

Verse 1:
Dulu aku lemas dalam pancaroba
Dibelenggu dugaan
Aku tewas menempuh cabaran
Selamanya aku tertawan

Verse 2:
Kini ku yakin ku berdaya
Menawan cabaran yang ada
Akan ku cuba lagi semua
Dengan jaya…

Chorus 1:
Ku cuba sendiri
Meniti hari
Ku bangkit kembali
Gagal bukannya alasan...

Chorus 2:
Akan ku tempuhi
Semua ini
Rela ku kembali
Gagal bukannya alasan...

Verse 3:
Aku sedar tidak semudah disangka
Menempuh dugaan
Tapi dengan keyakinan jiwa
Ku kembali dengan bergaya

Verse 4:
Kini ku yakin ku berdaya
Menawan cabaran yang ada
Akan ku cuba lagi semua
Dengan jaya…

*REPEAT CHORUS 1 & 2*

Bridge:
Bila ku lepasi segala halangan menjelma
Akan ku bebas dari sangkar
Dugaan membelenggu jiwa...


Written by Sheikh Faisal Sheikh Mansor
Composed by AYOES
Sung by Noraish (...or was it Krisya.. hehe... sorryla tak ingat!)

2nd Wedding Anniversary... Dulu berdua, sekarang bertiga!

It's Menara Kuala Lumpur again... to celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary.

I proposed to my wife at this very spot (well... not EXACTLY.. 'coz at that time there was a renovation and we had to dine at another floor... but still, our table was fixed facing that view).

September 8th 2003 was when we got married. 2 days after one of my bestest friends in the world got laid secara halal... haha.. I was one of his best men, and he was one of mine. And last night, the city of Kuala Lumpur witnessed the circle of my life as I once again went up the KL Tower, holding my son up high, with the bright lights of Kuala lumpur witnessing every bit of the action as I put him in his baby chair and started to head for the buffet!

It was 9.15pm and I was STARVING! Started with the Western buffet. Then, a little bit of the Asian and local cuisine. Was looking for the raw oyster tapi restaurant tu dah takde budget kot.. yang ada mussels je.. ada le 7-8 KUPANG arranged next to the shrimps...

My kid enjoyed the steamed veggies, that gooey chicken noodle soup, some bread that was soaked in that goo, some corn OFF-the-cob, bread pudding, and some apple crumble. Not bad for a first meal up in the skies of KL city, eh?


Overall the food was good, but I think it was better 2 years ago, albeit dining at a different environment where the Restoran Berputar tak berputar di atas paksinya.

We surrendered ourselves at about 10.30pm... too late to go to the Observation Deck. Ryan got excited seeing the bright lights as he leaned against the glass wall (tak gayat betul budak tu... mak bapak dia yang gayatlah, peninglah...).

Well... son, that's Kuala Lumpur, the garden city of lights! The place where Papa was born. I love the city and I hope that you will learn to love it too...

Sorryle... gambar blurry sikit... yelaa.. nama pun Restoran Berputar... and since he was moving and I pulak tak sama paksi dengan dia, so that explains the "shakiness".

Yang... I love you! Happy 2nd Anniversary...

Pisang?!!

Hahaha... apasal pulak aku letak gambar pisang ni? Hehehe...




I was going thru some old pics that I shot using my SONY Cybershot digital camera. I love photography! I love taking photos of nature. In fact, I was too obsessed with scenery shots that most of the pics that that I took during my honeymoon were not even pic of both of us. Here's a sample pic that I took on our honeymoon...

Hahaha... that's something to take home from one's honeymoon, eh? Okaylaa.. here's more from our honeymoon... this is my wife...

And this is my wife between my legs... hahaha... muka pucat habis...

And this is me...

Menyanyi dengan penuh perasaan. Karaoke session at Colmar Tropicale on our honeymoon. Photo taken by my wife 'coz she can't sing.. pitching berterabur...

I can sing well, so I've been told. Nak masuk Akademi Fantasia... I'm too old. Malaysian Idol pun dah terlajak usia... nyanyi kat dalam bilik air jelaa... or macam gambar ni... syok sendiri, nyanyi dengan penuh perasaan... feel habis...

"Sonata Musim Salju" beb... that's one of my karaoke favorites. Yang lelain tu Kau Ilhamku (Man Bai), My Way (Frank Sinatra), Jangan Ada Benci (Casey).

Pernah gak at one time masa solo dulu on our family trip I went down to the karaoke lounge lepas gian sorang-sorang. Siap nyanyi dengan lady bartender tu lagi. Duet lagu Hero (Mariah Carey)... hehe... My dad had to search for me before going out to dinner.

I just love to sing.

The LYRICIST that I am

I've written lyrics for the past 7 years. So I guess I'm in the entertainment industry afterall... being a member of MACP and get annual royalty checks for my work and all...

It's just that I'm not one of those lyricists with big names like Habsah Hassan, Loloq, Amran Omar, etc., well maybe not just yet, partly because I've got other jobs and interests. Not sure I can remember the very first lyrics that I did, but I think it's that Asian Games 2006 Campaign song when Kuala Lumpur wanted to bid for the 2006 Asian Games which we eventually lost to Doha, Qatar... much to my surprise and anger! That was the song composed by Dato' Wah Idris and both the English and Malay version of the lyrics were mine.

After that there were a few more lyrics here and there, but my BIGGEST breakthrough was Perjuangan Yang Belum Selesai. Composed by Dato' Wah Idris, specially dedicated to Tun Dr Mahathir. Written by me and sung by Nora. That was my first song being sung by a well-known singer. There were many praises for the lyrics, coming from as far as Indonesia who aired the performance "live" on TV. It made Tun Dr Mahathir cry.
I MADE TUN DR MAHATHIR CRY!

I got to meet Nora and her hubby, Johan Nawawi in person at a function specially dedicated to the team who produced and involved in the project. Mukhriz Mahathir was there too... at the revolving restaurant of Menara Kuala Lumpur. I invited my parents to let them see how big a talent their eldest son have in the "entertainment industry". ;-)

I tried my hand of composing songs. Got a few songs composed but never got them out. But the first ever and the only one at this moment was "Raja Golf". I was approached by the producer of "Raja Golf" who happened to be my Mak Busu's friend. Proposed a "blues" song to him. They got AC Mizal to sing it. Went to the studio at Taman Tun to record it and EUREKA!!!! I'm a composer with another Malaysian singer singing not just my lyrics, but my song as well!

Anyway, I've done a few more after that, including a few school songs... YEAP! Those kids at Bukit Jalil sports school and a private school are singing my songs at least every week. But I do alot of corporate theme songs, and campaign songs for various ministries in the Malaysian government. I'll try and post some of these lyrics up here.

My latest project is with Raihan. Have done some translations to their old songs since they're planning on an English album. Still waiting for the outcome. Another big break for me to be in the mainstream of the entertainment industry.

Shake... OUT!

"Perjuangan Yang Belum Selesai" - My pride...

Verse 1:
Langkah, beribu langkah... ke destinasi yang diimpi
Tiba terhenti, tercari-cari... haluan arah yang telah pun musnah
Harapan tak kesampaian...

Verse 2:
Hina, hinanya diri... hanya menantikan bantuan
Bagaimanakah ini terjadi... kerdilnya diri bukan lagi tuan
Inikah rupanya nasib bangsaku...

Chorus:
Langkah demi langkah... biarkan bertatih
Impian kan juga terlaksana...
Martabat diri ini... tiadakan bererti tanpa usaha
Janganlah leka...
Mewah negaraku... semerbak harumnya
Renjisan keringat oh bangsaku...
Teruskan langkah ini... biarkan ia kekal
Selamanya...

V/O (Tun Dr Mahathir):
Bangsaku bukan kecil hati dan jiwanya
Bukankah sejak zaman berzaman
Mereka menjadi pelaut, pengembara
Malah penakluk terkemuka?

Bukankah mereka sudah mengembangkan sayap
Menjadi pedagang dan peniaga
Selain menjadi ulama dan ilmuan terbilang?

Bukankah bangsaku pernah mengharung samudera
Menjajah dunia yang tak dikenal?

Bukankah mereka pernah menjadi wira serantau
Yang tidak mengenal erti takut dan kematian?
Di manakah silapnya?"

Chorus:
Langkah demi langkah... biarkan bertatih
Impian kan jadi terlaksana...
Martabat diri ini... tiadakan bererti
Usahalah... janganlah leka...
Mewah negaraku... semerbak harumnya
Renjisan keringat oh bangsaku...
Teruskan langkah ini... biarkan ia kekal
Sentiasa...

V/O (Tun Dr Mahathir):
Hari ini, jalan ini pasti semakin berliku
Kerana masa depan belum tentu menjanjikan syurga
Bagi mereka yang lemah dan mudah kecewa

Perjuangan kita belum selesai
Kerana hanya yang cekal dan tabah
Dapat membina mercu tanda
Bangsanya yang berjaya

Written by Sheikh Faisal Sheikh Mansor
Composed by Dato' Wah Idris
Sung by Nora

"Raja Golf" - My first baby

Verse 1:
Pagi petang siang malam
Ku turun padang mencari lubang
Kayu ku hayun bola ku pukul
Ku cari mana ia melayang
Itulah resam Raja Golf…

Verse 2:
Semak samun aku tak hirau
Pasir dan kolam asyik mengacau
Asalkan sampai masuk ke lubang
Barulah berbaloi masaku
Masa berharga Raja Golf…

Bridge 1:
Sambil bermain sambil bicara
Untung nasib tuah badan…

Verse 3:
Raja tak pokai raja tak kaya
Semua main tak kira darjat
Minat dah resap nak buat apa
Diam sahaja dan lihat
Angan-anganku Raja Golf…

Verse 4:
Di sini sana ku sahut cabaran
Sahabat handai dan juga taulan
Ku cuba di sini ku cuba di sana
Aku ingin jadi juara
Terkenal namaku Raja Golf…

Bridge 2:
Mula masa muda bila tua pakar
Rezeki masuk kiri kanan…

Chorus:
Raja Golf…
Sembilan lubang harus ku cari
Lapan belas lubang pelengkap diri
Gian ku main hari-hari
Puaskan matlamat sendiri…

Repeat Chorus

Raja Golf…
Raja Golf…
Raja Golf…
Raja Golf…


Composed and written by Sheikh Faisal Sheikh Mansor
Original Theme Song for "Raja Golf" TV mini-series on TV2
Sung by AC Mizal

Selamat Datang!

Tadi frust kejap. As I was setting up this blog ada masalah. I wanted shakespot.blogspot.com, pastu dia kata takleh pulak. So I changed to shakespot1.blogspot.com, posted a message there then suddenly bila I check my profile it seems that I have 2 blogs! So, deleted spot1 and maintained this spot.

So... Hi! Welcome to my spot on the net! A first try at it after being inspired by some "like-minded" Malaysians who speak their mind. I will put up those bloggers (macam derogatory term pulak...) punya blogspots soon.

Anyway, 1st September 2005... Ryan is 14 months today. That's my son, Sheikh Azri Rayyan bin Sheikh Faisal... a mouthful, huh? Hopefully he grows up well to be what his name means to me. That's him up there. Cheeky little fellow.

'Till later.