Trip to Kedah and Ending 2022

I thought I should do one last post for 2022. It has been over a week since I have retired and things did not quite proceed like the way I have planned. I wanted to clear up my office before the new year but it is impossible given the things that I have accumulated over thirty years and I'm not the type of person who simply throws things away. I go through each paper/item on what I still wanted, what I can recycle and what I will throw away; so this slows me down. I told Dr. Nurisya that I still need time to clean up the office before I can give my office keys to her (my apologies).

Let me track back a little to the few days before Christmas. First some troubles arising. The car that my third son, Izhar, use to go to work had a leaking radiator causing overheating and the engine is badly affected. My other half let him use her car while waiting for the car to be out from the workshop. This happened before we went to Kedah for my other half's conference. For the Kedah trip, we also overlooked the need to book for the cats' hotel while we are away. Things work out a little as Izhar agreed to pick our youngest Izzuddin at Melaka and then stay with him at our home the few days before Christmas, looking after our cats.

We took off to Kedah precisely on the morning of the day that I retire. It is also the day that my PhD student Choong Pak Shen is facing his viva examination. Had told him I will not be there but instead his co-supervisor Dr. Chan Kar Tim will take my place. As we reached Kedah, received the happy news that Choong has passed his viva examination.

The Kedah journey was very long, around seven hours and the traffic at some places was pretty congested. We arrived at Raia Hotel around quarter to six. Below is the view over paddy fields from the window of our room.

As we were unpacking, I received a call from a friend who was my house-mate in Adelaide during our matriculation year at Daws Road High School. 

Coincidentally he saw that I've checked in at the hotel in my FB and decided to meet. His name is Hamlussalam Dali and we conversed a little about our time in Adelaide and about meeting a few friends when we were back in Malaysia. I also explained why I left the Adelaide WhatsApp because of what have been said in there. I tend to dislike the way some looked down on others particularly if it is unfair and uncalled for. Let bygones be bygones; my main concern is to minimize unnecessary worries. Finally, I had to excuse myself to perform my Jamak prayers as Maghrib is just around the corner. We finally took a photo together.

The next day was a Friday. While my other half is at the conference, my kids planned what to do for the day. First, was our Friday prayers; we went to Zahir Mosque.

Thereafter, our sons had already made plans to watch the second Avatar movie at Aman Central Mall. The movie was more than three hours long and was a bit too much for me. Somehow, I enjoyed the first movie due to the special effects being novel then.

Saturday was a half-day conference for my other half. We did not plan much since she was not feeling well. We only went to some eateries which my sons had identified. They are more adventurous as I tend to look for convenience more than anything else. For lunch we went to Restoran Gulai 7 Kawah. I tried out rendang rusa, so that my sons could have a taste as well.

For dinner, we went to Arab Kitchen. The family wanted to try out the shell-out meal (which I can't eat) and I had separate meal instead (unfortunately came a little late). Despite its name, there is no Arabian food in sight.

The next day, was our journey back home. We had our breakfast at Bobbitiam, instead of the one at the hotel. We made a few stops along the way and one final stop at Cendol Kota Warisan at my second son, Ihsan's special request. Finally, we arrived home just before 7 pm, reunited with my other two sons (and the cats). Ihsan went back to JB the next day and Izhar took a train home, leaving my other half's car. Almost cancel my plans to UPM this week, if he decided otherwise.

Today, we had an unplanned visit to my sister-in-law's place in Segamat and hope to send off my youngest back to campus tomorrow. Anything for New Year Eve or the New Year? I hope to keep this present goatee look until I got tired with it.

Retirement, the Party and Students

I am now officially retired with my 60th birthday yesterday. Currently accompanying my wife to attend her conference in Kedah, together with my two eldest sons. Just the night before my 60th birthday, my other half made a surprise birthday gift (as shown in the pic below), after which we went for a special dinner.

Last week, our theory group made a retirement party for me in our laboratory in the department. Much to my surprise, they called up some of my ex-students, first postdoc (the first postdoc fellow in UPM, according to my knowledge), ex-staff and even past colleagues and acquaintances from other universities (local and abroad). Dr. Umair (ex-PhD) acted as the MC for the event and he called out some of my colleagues and (ex-)students, beginning with Prof. Kuru, explaining my math genealogy (academic grandson to Nobel Laureate, Penrose). I must say it is great to be part of such lineage, though deep in our hearts, we all know that intellectual greatness does not necessarily follow. 

Thereafter, many of my ex-students and the postdoc gave speeches. While appreciating all these, I felt that I am just passing through and it was fortunate of me to have them as students that kept me alive in my career. I was a given a card for me to remember with all their wishes and then gave my own (unprepared) speech.

Most of my speech are simply reactions to what have been said. I told them, when I was interviewed for my post in UPM, I said to the interviewers that I hope to create a theoretical physics group in the university. Alhamdulillah, this, we managed to to do but I was hoping to do much more. It is important to start a tradition and with this, the university and later the country may be known for certain style of theoretical physics. This, we have yet to achieve. On the matter of style, I tend to look at the mathematical tools (mostly geometric flavour) that we use and the latest set of tools that we consider is category theory. Being unprepared, I have forgotten to say many things such as my apologies of my inadequacies and my hope for them to be successful. Thereafter, we had some group photos.

During the event, the other nice surprise are the video messages. Beginning with Kwek from CQT

Bob Coecke from Quantinuum

Sergei Borisenok (currently in Abdullah Gul University in Turkey)

Jesni Shamsul Shaari from IIUM (file too large but can be viewed here)

Mohammed Abdulmakek my ex PhD student currently in Holland

Siti Munirah, my co-supervised PhD student (with Dr. Bahari, UKM) now with USIM

Siti Nurul Ain, my ex-MSc student, now with UiTM

Nor Yusniza, ex-INSPEM, now at the Ministry

I must thank them for them taking time off to do these videos. After all the speeches and messages, we finally got to the food.

Thank you again for all these memories which I will always cherish.

Earlier this week, I had my last meetings as main supervisor before passing them over to Dr, Nurisya as I leave the university: PhD student Ahmad Hazazi

and MSc student, Ahmad Aqwa (the second student doing Categorical Quantum Mechanics)

Yesterday, the day of my retirement, my PhD student Choong Pak Shen, successfully passed his viva, which I consider as a birthday gift:

The viva date was set by the Graduate School with the examiners, perhaps not knowing that I am retiring that day. Also, could not be there for him, since I am travelling then. My apologies.

Son's Convocation and Nephew's Wedding

Last week was our son Izharuddin's convocation at IIUM and the wedding of our nephew Ahmad Sofiyuddin Ahmad Shakif (son of my sister Zaizah). Our son's convocation was on Wednesday morning. We knew that we can't travel from Seremban to IIUM on that Wednesday, so we decided to book a budget hotel (Seeds Hotel) for Tuesday evening, so that we will only travel a short distance that Wednesday morning. I already took leave for both Tuesday and Wednesday. The Monday before, I was in office to handle matters of the lost assets (needing my signature). I sincerely hope that these matters will be handled amicably and I don't have to pay much for the losses.

That Tuesday morning, our second son Ihsan in JB told us that he would like to attend the convocation. So we waited for him to arrive from JB (he was working the night before) later in the afternoon before checking in into the hotel. As he was probably very tired, my eldest son drove us together to the hotel thereafter. Izhar himself was working that day and will travel to the hotel after work.

Izhar arrived later after Maghrib and finally we had dinner in a nearby restaurant.

On Wednesday morning, we checked out from the hotel almost after immediately Fajr prayers to make sure we arrive in IIUM way before 7.30am during which Izhar is expected to be there together with the other graduates. Finding a parking place was a problem but since Izhar knows his way round the campus, we get to park the car, a walking distance away from the convocation hall. At the hall, Izhar met his room mate before he went to the meeting point of graduates.

We (me and my other half) queued for quite a while before entering the convocation hall. We did not have our breakfast yet at the time. Khair (our eldest) and Ihsan stayed outside and managed to have their breakfast.

We were seated somewhere in the 'balcony', which is a distant from the stage. As the academic procession came in, just knew that the session was chaired by Tan Sri Wan Zul (used to be in Petronas), who is my senior in Adelaide.

Since we were far away above and we did not quite have the program, we were not able to take photos of Izhar when he received the scroll. However his supervisor (who was on stage) was kind enough to snap a photo of Izhar as he walked away after receiving the scroll.

After the convocation ceremony is over, we gathered ourselves at Richiamo Coffee near the hall for us to get a bite.

Izhar had some photo sessions with his course-mates and we waited for him to finish before we did our group photo-shoot (see below).

Not satisfied with these photos, we decided to have some studio photo-shoot in Seremban, the next day. Also, I was asked to get a recent photo of myself for the department.

Both Izhar and Ihsan went back to their workplace, late in Thursday evening.

In the weekend, we have another event to attend to, namely, the wedding of our nephew Ahmad Sofiyuddin Ahmad Shakif with Syaza Fahzlin Mohd Fahruhazi. As usual, weddings are events that family members could get to meet each other (see below).

Since Zaizah (my sis) went to the same school as I am, I get to meet with some of my school friends.

One surprise that I got during the wedding, was meeting with Dato' Dr. Jalaluddin Harun. I knew him during my ITMA days when both of us are Heads of Laboratories in the Institute.

He is still part of Malaysian Timber Council (I think, see this video) and he is now Fellow of Malaysian Academy of Science. In reply, I mentioned that I have returned to the physics department as a normal lecturer and now Prof. Rezal (Emeritus Prof. Dato' Kamel Ariffin's son)  now heads the Institute for Mathematical Research. We discuss a little bit on the university thereafter.

The evening thereafter, took pain-killer Tramadol to ease my back-pain and this has drowsiness effect. Luckily, today (Monday) is a state holiday and I get to have enough rest.