Before Facebook, I Was Writing About Mankind

 

I stumbled across this recently and, honestly, what a throwback!

This was a story I wrote 26 years ago, in July 2000, for ZingAsia — right in the middle of the dotcom boom, when everyone was convinced the Internet was going to change the world.

Well… they were right. 😂

The story was about WWF superstar Mick Foley, better known then as Mankind and Cactus Jack, who had arrived in Kuala Lumpur as part of his Southeast Asian tour.

And yes, yours truly was there.

The crowd was fantastic — kids, teenagers, adults and even senior citizens, all turning up to see the wrestling superstar they had only known from their TV screens. There was even a Mankind impersonation contest!

But looking at this old article today, what makes me smile isn't just the story.

It's the website. Look at it! The blue navigation bars. The tiny advertising boxes. “Quick Poll”. “Select a Channel”. And my favourite: “You are here: SportZing > Sports Spectator.”

This was the Internet before Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and smartphones. “Going online” was something you actually did.

And look at that photograph of Mick Foley and me. The caption says: “I managed to get a shot with him!” 

Today we'd probably take 20 selfies, post them immediately, tag him, upload a Reel and do a TikTok. Back then, one photograph was enough.

And I suddenly realised something while looking at this: I was already doing digital journalism before we even called it digital journalism.

26 years later, I'm still writing. And I still have these old articles tucked away.

What a treasure trove.

A little piece of my younger self... and a little time capsule of the Internet.

"We Need More Parks!" -- Your Head Lah!

It’s one of the most tiresome arguments online that pops up every other day:

“We need more parks! We need more parks!”

Ughhh, seriously lah. Do these people actually go out, or just melalak on social media from the comfort of their rooms?

If you know me, you’d know I’m THAT guy who runs at parks. Ahem. More than 15 years ago, I even started a community running project called Larian 40 Taman 100 Kilometer, which took me to parks all around the country. Read all about it HERE

So, “we need more parks”? Allow me to share my own experience.

Within just 10 minutes from home (Bandar Kinrara), I already have at least FIVE major parks and running spots to choose from — Taman Rekreasi Bukit Jalil, Taman Subang Ria, Taman Bandaran Kelana Jaya, Taman Wawasan and Bukit Komanwel/Stadium Bukit Jalil. And look at how glorious they are:

 

Add another 5 minutes and there’s Taman Jaya in PJ too.

On weekends, if I’m willing to drive 20–25 minutes, the options become even more mind-boggling — KLCC Park, Taman Tasik Titiwangsa, Taman Dusun Bandar and Taman Botani Perdana.

But wait, there’s more!

Taman Tasik Danau Kota, Taman Tasik Ampang Hilir, Taman Rekreasi Sungai Chua and Taman Tasik Shah Alam are all within half an hour from our home too.

And this is just MY experience. There are still plenty more taman out there to enjoy and explore, from Putrajaya to Kepong to Taman Tun. And needless to say, there are also incredible parks outside of the Klang Valley, like these awesome gems:

Taman Ujana Nilai Impian

Tasik Biru Kundang

Taman Rekreasi Perigi Tujuh, Serendah

Taman Tasik Milenium, Kuala Kubu Bharu

So yeah — maybe stop whining and start going out more lah.

We already HAVE an amazing lineup of parks waiting for your precious presence.

Same School, Two Generations -- STAR (2), JB

My late parents were meticulous document keepers. They never threw important papers away. Birth certificates, vaccination cards, letters, forms -- everything carefully folded into old envelopes and tucked safely into files.

Today, those files feel less like paperwork and more like a time capsule.

Inside are both of their original birth certificates from 1940, my father’s vaccination certificate from the same era, and my mother’s conversion certificate -- fragile, yellowed, edges soft with age. Whenever I share them online, people are always surprised that documents this old still exist. But to me, they’re more than records. They’re proof of lives lived long before I came along.

And then there’s this one -- my father’s School Leaving Certificate from 1955.

Typed out on a typewriter. Slightly crooked lines. Faded ink. The paper creased from being folded and refolded for decades. His name, Abdul Jalil b. Suleiman, neatly stamped into history. Attendance: 190 out of 193 days. Games: Football and Basketball. Conduct: Good. And a remark from the headmaster that stopped me in my tracks: “Reliable, honest boy, will do well in life.”

Reading that, I don’t just see my father. I see a skinny 15-year-old schoolboy in shorts and canvas shoes, probably running across the padang with his friends, not knowing what the future would hold. Not knowing he would one day become my dad.

He left Temenggong Abdul Rahman School in 1955. Twenty-three years later, I walked through the very same gates as a Darjah 1 student. Same school. Same grounds. Two generations, connected by one old piece of paper.

Funny how something so simple can carry so much love.

Peninsula: A Story That Hurts

 

I finally finished reading Peninsula by Rehman Rashid recently, and by sheer coincidence, a rather melancholic music score was playing in the background just as I closed the book. I’m not going to lie -- it was an enjoyable, thought-provoking read that quietly tore at me.

But before that, what took me so long to finally read this 2016 sequel by one of Malaysia’s finest writers?

Years ago, I had read its “prequel”, the magnum opus A Malaysian Journey, not long after it was published, and I was completely blown away by the vividness of his storytelling. Then, a couple of years ago, as part of my personal quest to revisit Malaysian books from years past, I hunted high and low for A Malaysian Journey, finally managed to secure a copy online, and read it again. Once more, I was floored.

Naturally, the next step was to read Peninsula. But being out of print for so long, it proved elusive — even in second-hand online markets. I finally stumbled upon a copy at Pustaka Raja Tun Uda in Shah Alam, quickly borrowed it, and read it slowly from cover to cover, savouring every story, every flourish of language, every emotion he managed to evoke.

For those unfamiliar, Peninsula: A Story of Malaysia is Rehman's deeply personal and political memoir about returning home and trying to make sense of the country he loved. Blending autobiography with history, he retraces his childhood, his career in journalism, and his marriage, while reflecting on pivotal national moments -- Independence, May 13, the New Economic Policy, and the rise of racial and religious politics. Through his eyes, Malaysia’s early promise gradually gives way to bureaucracy, cronyism, and widening divisions.

What eventually broke me was learning that he had written the book partly as a tribute to his ex-wife, Rosemarie. After her passing, Rehman shared a note on Facebook -- and the response, he said, was a strange mix of deep empathy and condemnation.

Curious, I went looking for that piece of writing. Here is part of it:

“Of course, I should have gone back to her as soon as the book was published. But then it took off so successfully, and she and I both knew me well enough to know that, wherever else we were in the world, I would only feel all the more that I belonged in Malaysia and nowhere else. So I feel now that our separation would have been inevitable, if for reasons very different from those for which marriages ordinarily end. And so Rosemarie went on, up & out into the world, while I…

…I, the biggest, saddest fool, gave up my angel for this country. Which is as much to say, for this hatred and contempt; this mediocrity and ignorance; this incompetence, cynicism and corruption. This religious arrogance and racial chauvinism; this vile mediaevalist barbarism.

I paid for my loyalty to Malaysia with everything good and decent that I had, only to be mocked and despised; to watch my profession usurped by “the right kind of Malay” regardless of literacy; to have my name smeared and reputation destroyed; and in the end to be hounded back to the very redoubt in the hills where I had written that book 23 years ago now, never again to write. Rosemarie never saw this place where I may now languish forgotten and ignored for the rest of my own days, and now she never will. I chose my love for my country over my love for her. Bad choice. Big mistake. My punishment has been a life of regret and insuperable loneliness.”

Rehman himself passed away just a year after Peninsula was published.

So if you haven’t yet, do read Peninsula.

Heartbreaking soundtrack optional.

The Demolition of The Puteri Pacific, JB -- It's Finally Happening

Pic from FB

 

I didn’t expect it to feel like a stab in the heart -- but it did. Seeing the news of a Johor Bahru institution, The Puteri Pacific Hotel, being demolished made me pause and stare into space for a while. This wasn’t just any hotel. A four-star property with over 500 rooms, connected to the Persada Johor International Convention Centre and standing proudly on Jalan Abdullah Ibrahim, it was part of the city’s skyline and soul for decades.

Yes, I know the hotel had ceased operations some five years ago during the pandemic. That part was already a quiet goodbye. But watching it being physically dismantled hit very differently. The Puteri Pacific began life as the Pan Pacific in 1991, and back then it was one of those landmarks we were genuinely proud of -- a sign that JB was going places, standing tall and confident just across the Causeway.

After both my parents passed on, the hotel became my “home” each time I balik kampung to JB. The moment you stepped into the lobby, that unmistakable Johor hospitality wrapped itself around you. People were always warm and welcoming, whether you turned up in a suit or in a simple T-shirt and jeans. From the room window, you could take in that familiar view of JB with Singapore in the distance -- steady, reassuring, quietly comforting. 

And of course, everything was within walking distance: KOMTAR, Kotaraya, Salahuddin Bakery, Hua Mui. So thank you, Puteri Pacific, for the memories. You were never just a hotel.

New Kubah For Masjid Kg Melayu, JB After 55 Years!

I was scrolling through social media the other day when a video popped up and instantly put a big smile on my face.

The mosque of my childhood — Masjid Kampung Melayu in Johor Bahru — is finally getting a new kubah after 55 years. Alhamdulillah, such wonderful news!

For those who may not know, I was born in my late grandmother’s house in Kampung Melayu, though we moved away just before I started school. Still, this masjid played a huge part in my early years. I used to perform Solat Jumaat and Solat Hari Raya here, especially during school holidays, and the memories remain vivid.

I even managed to dig up an old photo of the masjid taken from our family home at Jalan Merdeka — and that really added to the wave of nostalgia. 

Over the past few days, I’ve been grinning from ear to ear watching videos of the new dome being installed, step by step, posted by the same account.

Can’t wait to drop by and see it in person the next time I’m back in JB, Insya-Allah.

Watch the video here:

Why Don't I Remember This Stuff?

Just for fun, I spent the past weekend hunting down old Malaysia Hari Ini videos that I once co-hosted and compiling them into a playlist. I must have hosted a couple of hundred episodes of Malaysia’s No. 1 morning show, but the funny thing is -- I don’t actually have any proper archive of them. No hard drive. No personal collection. Nothing “for kenangan sake”.

It was a different time back in the 2010s. Not everything was easily recordable, and although Media Prima had an internal system where we could watch all programmes on demand, I never made it a habit to save even the “big” episodes. And tonton -- the portal I co-launched -- didn’t keep full episodes of MHI back then either.

So here I am today, scrolling through videos uploaded by random people on YouTube. Nostalgic? Definitely. Fun? Absolutely. But also a bit shocking because the videos made me go, “Eh, I interviewed THAT person?” or “I actually did THAT on the show??”

I’ve always credited myself with having a pretty good memory. While I may not be able to list every single person I interviewed throughout my media career (and trust me, it was A LOT), I usually remember the moment when I come across an article or video. But I guess age is catching up (haha), because quite a few memories have slipped through the cracks.

Case in point: I have absolutely no recollection of interviewing our current Deputy Prime Minister II, YAB Datuk Amar Fadillah Yusof, back when he was a deputy minister.

I mean, I clearly remember interviewing most of the politicians who came on MHI -- including the other DPM, Zahid Hamidi, as well as KJ, Ahmad Maslan, Mukhriz Mahathir etc -- but this particular interview? Zero memory.

But that’s the beauty of being on MHI. We got to meet and talk to people from all walks of life: politicians, celebrities, trend-setters, business icons, cute kids with big stories, and ordinary Malaysians with extraordinary experiences. It kept us on our toes -- we had to stay updated, stay sharp, and constantly refine our interviewing game because every day brought someone new.

So go ahead and check out some of these interesting interviews that I can hardly remember doing! There are dancers, martial artists, lawyers, bands -- the works!

Why Dave Barry Will Always Be My Writing Hero

Every writer has that one person they look up to -- the voice that made them go, “Yes. This. This is how I want to write.” For me, that person is Miami Herald humour columnist and author, Dave Barry.

Not Stephen King. Not Murakami. Not some tortured soul in a Parisian café. Nope -- my hero is the guy who once wrote a serious column about exploding toilets and still walked away with a Pulitzer (no, really!).

If you’ve ever read anything I’ve written (especially from those FHM years) and thought, “This sounds unhinged but oddly relatable” -- that’s Barry’s influence shining through. I copy his style shamelessly because nobody does it better when it comes to turning mundane, everyday events into something absurd, hilarious, and weirdly profound.

But growing up and living in Malaysia, tracking down his books has always been a challenge. As far as I know, only Kinokuniya at KLCC reliably stocks his work. The rest? I had to hunt down online, one shipping fee at a time. And let me tell you -- it was worth every sen.

Dave’s genius lies in making the ridiculous feel completely logical. He exaggerates things to the point of insanity, but somehow it all makes sense. He'll start by talking about Valentine's Day and end up in a rant about guys buying Star Wars Lego instead of gifts -- and you’ll be laughing the whole way through.

That’s the kind of writing I try to emulate:

✔️ Wild comparisons that don’t belong in polite society

✔️ Men being clueless and proud of it

✔️ Situations spiralling out of control, usually involving trolleys or bodily harm

✔️ And a constant sense that the world is way too weird to take seriously

If you’ve never read him before, start with these five. Trust me, they’re worth every ringgit (and international shipping fee):

And here are five of my absolute favourites from the Dave Barry universe:

I’ll Mature When I’m Dead

Dave Barry’s Complete Guide to Guys – A Fairly Short Book

Dave Barry Turns 40

Dave Barry in Cyberspace

Dave Barry is NOT Making This Up

Whether you're Gen X, Gen Z, or Gen “Still Thinks Email is Cool,” you’ll find yourself laughing -- and learning -- from one of the funniest writers to ever pick up a keyboard.

Mo Salah And The 10,000-Hour Rule

 

Why is it that some people still don’t give Liverpool living legend Mo Salah the respect he deserves? 

Maybe it’s because he makes football look too easy.

Last season alone, he recorded over 50 goal involvements – an extraordinary feat – yet there are still corners of the football world that scoff. Why? Because Salah makes it look effortless. But what looks effortless on the pitch is really the product of years of extraordinary effort, sacrifice, and relentless repetition.

Malcolm Gladwell’s famous 10,000-hour rule suggests that true mastery of a skill takes that much dedicated practice. Salah has gone far beyond that. His dazzling runs, his clinical finishing, his ability to torment defenders – they didn’t happen overnight. They were sharpened through countless hours on training grounds, through discipline, and through the mindset of an elite professional who refuses to be satisfied.

People take his numbers for granted now, as though a goal or assist every other game is "normal." It isn’t. Not by a long shot. Salah is 4th on the all-time Premier League goalscoring list, sitting among legends of the game. His record-breaking feats could fill a book, and yet he remains humble, grounded, and committed to his family and his craft.

And just last night, he made history yet again – winning the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award for the third time. Nobody had ever done that before. Not Henry, not Ronaldo, not even De Bruyne. Salah did it.

Mo Salah is not just a Liverpool icon, not just an Egyptian King – he is a footballing great of this era. The numbers don’t lie. The consistency doesn’t lie. The respect of his peers doesn’t lie.

Mabruk, Mohamed Salah! 

* Pics by PFA

Turning Doubters Into Believers: What Klopp Really Did for Liverpool

Some time ago, I read two books back to back -- An Epic Swindle (The Near Death of Liverpool FC) by Brian Reade, and Believe Us by Melissa Reddy. One chronicles a club on the brink of financial and moral collapse, the other celebrates its astonishing rebirth under one man. Reading them in succession was like watching a gripping two-part documentary: the fall… and then the rise.

And what a rise it was.

By the time I closed the second book, my respect for Jürgen Klopp had evolved into full‑blown awe. It became crystal clear that he wasn't just a successful manager, he was a miracle worker. To take a club still reeling from years of boardroom chaos, fan frustration, and false dawns… and turn it into a European and Premier League‑winning machine? That’s not just football. That’s alchemy.

Honestly, the real miracle might be that it only took him a few years to win the Champions League, and then -- finally -- the Premier League title that had eluded Liverpool for three painful decades.

The Cowboys and the Chaos

To truly appreciate what Klopp inherited -- and rebuilt -- we must revisit the darkest chapter of modern Liverpool: the Hicks and Gillett years. This era brought broken promises, legal battles, crippling debt, and an atmosphere so toxic it choked the last breath out of hope.

Though Liverpool still had stars -- Gerrard, Torres, Alonso, Mascherano -- belief was gone. Matches unfolded in a haze of exhaustion; the supporters, weary and fractured. The club’s identity, once a source of immense pride, had been eroded.

A Steady Hand: FSG and Klopp’s Arrival

In 2010, Fenway Sports Group took over and brought stability. Five years later, in October 2015, Jürgen Klopp arrived with a simple but seismic message:

“We have to turn doubters into believers.”

No flamboyant pledges. No heroics. Just a mission.

He reintroduced belief, unity, passion and identity. Players ran harder, staff stood taller, and Anfield roared again. Slowly, something beautiful took shape.

From Belief to Glory: The Road to Triumph

Liverpool reached the 2018 Champions League final, only to fall heartbreakingly short. Klopp’s response? Regroup. Return stronger.

2019 in Madrid: Salah and Origi scored as Liverpool claimed their 6th European crown. A healing moment for fans everywhere.

A personal highlight? Being there, in Liverpool, for the trophy parade. With my family amidst a sea of red, I watched the players pass by, glory in their hands. It was joy and disbelief, combined.

Then in 2020, they finally won the Premier League, a title 30 years in waiting. I cried. Real tears. Release of decades of longing. The wait was over.

Witnessing the Klopp Era Firsthand

As detailed in my getaran.my column Kisah Anak Gen‑X: Selamat Tinggal, Jurgen Klopp! -- I grew up in Liverpool’s golden age. The drought felt endless, déjà vu after near misses cut deeper each time. But Klopp changed the script.

In 2017, I visited Anfield, sat on Klopp’s seat during the Stadium Tour, and imagined the roar of 60,000 fans on a European night.

 

By June 2019, I stood among 750,000 Scousers, celebrating our heroes returning from Madrid. Hours-long waits turned timeless memories. Football felt transcendent again.

I wrote then:

“Licik, pantas, agresif -- Liverpool milik Klopp bermain setiap nota ‘heavy metal football’ dengan semangat buas.”

His trademark Klopp hugs weren’t just gestures, they were how he wove together a fractured club .

A Legacy Beyond Trophies

Klopp’s departure in 2024 marked the end of an era -- he did it on his terms, walking away with respect, gratitude and seven major trophies. His impact, by the numbers -- win rate, memorable matches, and youth development -- is one for the record books.

But more than stats, his legacy lives in what he restored: belief, pride, emotion, unity. He reminded Kopites -- young and old -- what they were. What they always could be.

Only now, with books read and experiences reflected on, do I fully realise: Klopp didn’t just win football matches. He resurrected a club’s soul. And as he so beautifully promised: he turned doubters into believers.

The Great OceanGate Tragedy

The documentary on this great OceanGate tragedy is currently showing on Netflix...

Dalam kitab al-Majallis as-Saniyyah karya Syekh Ahmad bin Syekh Hijazi Al Fusyni ada menceritakan, pada suatu hari, malaikat maut Izra’il AS datang menghadap Nabi Sulaiman AS. Tiba-tiba Izra’il AS memandang tajam ke arah seorang lelaki yang sedang duduk bersama tetamu Nabi Sulaiman AS. Tidak lama kemudian malaikat Izra’il AS berlalu pergi.

Lelaki itu bertanya, “Wahai Nabi Allah! Siapakan orang itu?” “Dia adalah malaikat maut,” jawab Nabi Sulaiman AS. Lelaki itu berkata, “Wahai Nabi Allah, tadi aku melihat dia selalu memandangku dengan tajam dan aku menjadi sangat takut. Mungkin dia ingin mencabut nyawaku. Selamatkan aku daripada dia.”

“Bagaimana caranya aku boleh menyelamatkanmu?” tanya Nabi Sulaiman AS. “Arahkan angin untuk membawaku ke negeri India. Mungkin dengan begitu tidak akan dapat menjejakiku,” jawab lelaki itu.

Nabi Sulaiman kemudiannya memerintahkan angin untuk menghantar lelaki itu ke India dalam sekelip mata. Sesampainya di India, Izra’il AS terus mencabut nyawa laki-laki itu, dan setelah selesai, Izra’il AS kembali menghadap Nabi Sulaiman AS.

Nabi Sulaiman AS kemudiannya bertanyakan Izra’il, “Kenapa kau merenung lelaki itu?” Izra’il AS menjawab, “Aku merasa sangat hairan. Aku diperintahkan untuk mencabut nyawanya di India. Namun mengapa dia berada sangat jauh dari negeri itu. Tiba-tiba ada angin yang membawanya sampai ke India. Lalu aku mencabut nyawanya sesuai dengan apa yang telah ditakdirkan oleh Allah SWT.

Sesungguhnya, setiap yang bernyawa pasti akan mati. Setiap manusia tidak akan mungkin lari dari takdir kematian.

Teluk Rubiah, The Chief Justice & The Chauffeur (Me)

Gambar Hiasan

This story popped up in my head sometime ago. Here goes... 

It was the judges conference in Lumut, in 1999 I think. I was then the special officer to the chief registrar, Datuk Ramly Ali. So one evening during some downtime, we were told that the Chief Justice then, Tun Eusoff Chin wanted to go to this place he's heard of. I think it was the Teluk Rubiah Resort. 

He was asking around but no one knew where it was. But we met at the car park and Datuk Ramly said, "Zul, you drive". Alamak. This was pre GPS days lah. 

I got in and started driving his Perdana, and the Chief Justice's car and a couple of other judges were following us. Funnily, I don't know why there were no police escorts then. Terketar kaki. 

I just drove and followed the sign boards. Siap masuk like kawasan hutan, and all the while I was thinking, manalah aku bawak Ketua Hakim Negara ni. 

But somehow we found the place. My boss just laughed. 

But I really thought my head was on the chopping block, or paling kurang kena transfer to somewhere like Kuala Krai or something. Haha. 

Why I'm Not A Computer Wizard

 

When I was growing up, there was a time when I wanted to become a computer whiz sort of person. And of course (much like everything else that happened during my childhood), I was influenced by popular culture. First, it was the TV show "Automan", then there was the movie "War Games".

But then it became apparent to me that to become a computer whiz, I'd need to be good in maths and science and stuff. But I wasn't. I just wanted to play Star Wars and Matchbox cars, and read comics. Then I started writing stories and reading books.

The "dream" came back briefly when my late father bought for me a ZX Spectrum 48k (above) when I was 15. I HAD AN ACTUAL COMPUTER!

I tried doing some "programming", but I ended up playing "Football Manager" (below) and "Gremlins". So I never became a computer whiz. 

Instead, I fell in love with Law and content creation. So I worked in both fields for much of my life.

Years later when I joined media prima, I was lucky enough to be part of the new media pioneering team. I still can't program nuts, but I know what kind of content to put online. So I worked with nerds to create and launch stuff online. 

So really, do what you love. And there'll always be nerds to help you out with stuff you don't know about...

If The Suit Fits!

So, I only realised recently that I've been wearing suits all of my life. Haha. And guess what? I actually have all the pictures to prove it. 

It started in school when being a prefect meant I looked a bit more dashing than my normal classmates, having to wear a blazer on most days. 

I then joined the judiciary a few months after graduation at that meant wearing a black suit every work day for most of my 20s.

Joined the media industry in my 30s, and while it was mostly casual every day of the week, I did have to slap on the blazer for board meetings and fancy dos. 

But of course at the late age of 39, I landed a talkshow gig with 'Malaysia Hari Ini' on TV3 and so I had to look suitably sharp for the cameras. 

Then in my mid 40s, I found myself working in the education industry for a couple of years, so there were no T-shirt and jeans days!

The same during my time at iclif. 

And finally now, I only have to crank out the suit and tie for photoshoots at work, but they also come in handy on winter holidays : )