Early and Brief History of 4th Royal Atillery Regiment

4^th Royal Artillery Regiment (RAR) was formed as field close support regiment on Jan 1980 in Paroi Camp, Negeri Sembilan. Before that, it was known as 5 RAR until  finally  officiated by Jan 1982. During its young establishment, 12 Independent Battery had been included in 4 RAR organisation which later renamed as  Bravo Battery 4 RAR.  The battery served as a nucleus in forming up the regiment while 11 Independent Battery from Terendak  Camp came to join later. Most of the unit members were newly recruited from training centre. By that time, only Alpha and Bravo Battery was assigned as  operational status.

Due to limited locality and  facilities ,  it was impossible to accommodate the full regiment in Paroi Camp. Later it become more constraint when State Authority claimed over some land within the camp to build local sport complex. Charlie and Delta battery were finally intact to unit in early 1981.

First Commanding Officer was Lieut Col Birinder Singh who took in charge until Julai 1981 before replaced by Lieut Col Pulendran. He lasted commanding the regiment until December 1982 when the country faced economic turndown. The regiment was dissolved, members of the unit were reallocated  and guns restored as war reserve.

In early 1984, Artillery Directorate has layout future plan to re-established  4 RAR under service arrangement scheme. The nucleus  was set up with proper appointment to initiate  administrations and logistics and relocated at  School of Artillery on  Jan 1985.  Among officers held the early  post during the time were Major Wee Tiong Kean (2IC) , Major Abdul Hamid bin Md Nor ( BCHQ) , Major Padil Othman (QM) and Kapt Zakaria bin Salleh (Ajutant).

Members of the regiment was gradually added up by stages and by April 1985 the regiment reached 80% of overall strenght. A  Baterry from 1 RAR, 2 RAR and 3 RAR were arranged to move to Paroi Camp to complete the regiment along with their own organic equipment and guns.

The Gun Batteries of 4 RAR originally derived from  1 RAR , 2 RAR and 3 RAR which formed Alpha, Bravo and Charlie Batteries  of 4 RAR that existed until today. Alpha Battery was under Major Ganeson Alwar from 1 RAR as Battery Commander came intact by  2 Jul 1985. While Bravo Battery was originally from Delta Battery 2 RAR commanded by Major Haniff bin Othman.  On middle 1985 , Charlie Battery was completely transferred  from D Battaery 3 RAR under Capt Mustafa bin Ali.

In Jun 1985  4 RAR took over Sikamat Camp from 18^th Royal Malay Regiment and welcomed  Lieut  Colonel  Hussein Kamal bin Hazizi  as new Commanding Officer. Finally the whole regiment was fully operationalised iby 1986.

Since 1986, the regiment has  been deployed under 3 Division and 11 Division Strategic  for operational tasks. In 1986 a Battery had involved  in OP Kota Golf at  Batu Melintang and  later OP Paksi Indera at Batu Melintang. The regiment had been  few times deployed for anti -communist operational task from 1987 to 1989.The Tactical HQ was located at Pengkalan Hulu Camp, while each batteries  were deployed in different location  in Klian Intan, Sri Toman dan Gubir camp respectively. Regiment successfully execute  the operations without any reported casualty.

Rewarding the excellent performance, 4 RAR was the first unit to carve history by the establishment of its Regimental Brass Band. The band was initially trained under 23^rd Royal Malay and later was put under supervision of 61 RAR in Paroi Camp untill Jul 1989. After 61 RAR  was transferred to Kluang Camp, the Band became under 21 RAR until 1998.  Starting for  April 1998, the band returned to its original unit 4 RAR  but became disbanded recently. In another auspicious occasion, the regiment  was conferred as 'Royal Regiment' on 6 Jun 1992 .  A detachment  was involved glorious parade which was held at Stadium Merdeka.

Malaysian Army  had reorganized  its formations and installed 11 Division  PSTD as strategic division which was officiated on Jan 1990. Therefore  4 RAR was omitted from 3 Division  and restored under command of 11 Strategic Division. The Division conceptually  has capability to be deployed as rapid reaction force within 48 Hours. Considering the  requirement, Artillery Corp was to establish rapid reaction force  (RRF)  and   Charlie Battery was first  to be parachuted and became pioneer in Artillery RRF.  The two officers awarded with parachute wings were Major Jaafar bin Majid and Capt Aminuddin bin Yaacob.

4 RAR went through a long  journey as highly credible field regiment with proud 105mm Oto Melara guns which still serviceable until today. It started  with ¾  Ton Volvo  and later replace by  Pinzgauer as gun tower while the regiment was fully mobile with 21 robust 3 ton  Mercedez Benz.

Proudly to claim, many years later in year 2007, I was signed-in to the regiment, as Battery Commander of Bravo Battery 4 RAR and served the unit  for 5 incredible years.

Geometry of Artillery Fire

In this piece, I will share how Artillery can fire accurately. It require basic knowledge of geometry and some common mathematics. First start by considering the gun position known point, then establish a baseline in the direction of the enemy. We named this as direction or azimuth of fire. Any changes to direction to aim will be referred to this line.

Next get a modern maps with grid coordinate and measure the range from the gun to the target.  We eventually will find the azimuth to the target. In case  there is no grided maps available we need to use older method. In addition to the azimuth of fire, the observer must identify a second known points which adjacent to the anticipated target area. Then identify accurately the distance and direction from this point to the gun. The gun crew may not see the point but only visible at observer position. When target is identified , the observer estimates the distance from the known point to the target and then the directions. By combining this distance and direction from the gun to the known point will give two legs of triangle. From there the length and angle  of the third side can be calculate with basic geometry, which is the range and azimuth to target for the gun. This method serve longer time of  firing solution.

The battery then will fire test shots at the base point to find errors before registering the targets. Additional registered target could be wise especially areas the enemy might use for defending or attacking. Communications circuits are established to link all guns and batteries. Regiment HQ then collecting all the locations of the batteries, their base point registered it and redistribute this data to all other batteries. The batteries recorded and compute a firing solution for range and directions to any target in the divisional areas. By this , at any mission the regiment would have put more rounds on the targets from great number guns in less than ten minutes.

Churchills and World War II

Winston Churchill was known as renown Prime Minster of Britain  when the world  at the brink of World War II. Earlier, he was ousted from the cabinet in late 20s, found himself embarked on the writing  voluminous biography of  Duke Of Marlborough , His life and times. It was meticulous effort for almost 10 years to produce the masterpiece which later shaping his mastermind behind the triumphant defeat over the German Nazi.

The book he wrote traced  his ancestral James the Duke of Marlborough in great War of Blenheim against Louis IVX of French . James liberated Britain by his infamous maneuvering tactics of calvary. Winston went down to the actual battlefield  and tremendously captured in the great details how the war was fought.  Later, the written biography became ultimate source and references depicting Winston mind in thread his troop during brutal WW II.

His influential decisions during WW2 has undermined Nazi Blitzkrieg campaign. He sets his own version and decide how the war should be fought. He dictates that the Allied should give priority to fight against Hitler  only when Berlin had fallen and  the  thrown all resources  into the war against Japan . To win the war, the Allied would have to reinvent conquered France. He called this peripheral strategy and was played out  in 1942 . In 1943 , he stands that the allied should fought on 3 principles of objectives.

First was supplying the Russian who are fighting on the German Eastern front. Secondly unmounting a offensive bombing against German industry while the third to thrust a front in Mediterranean that was designed to knock down Italy until they were out of German Axis. Only these 3 campaign would force Hitler to shift significant number of divisions to Western Europe, then should Allied dare to mount a frontal attack in Nazi occupied France.

Later Winston met  with US Roosevelt privately  in Hyde Park , reorganizing their plan. The   earlier suggestion  invasion of France  to be postponed instead there was to be a join Anglo American invasion of North  Africa under Operation Torch.  The campaign proved a turning point in the war, where almost 300,000 Axis soldier captured and more surrendered at Stalingrad. Subsequently,  Allied went on to invade Sicily and Italy. By 1944 , Hitler been forced to commit 45 divisions to Mediterranean theatre leaving fewer  defense in France.  Allied now stood to exploit the weakness created to hit this position. D-day landing in Normandy  on 6^th June 1944 when far better than Winston had dared hope. The grand strategy he shaped for a half year previously was vindicated.

All this massive plan foretold earlier in his written Biography of James Duke of Marlborough. 10 years of spending his solace time finishing the book become impetus how the later war was fought . It sets the foundation that have lasted to this day.  History may declare that if he had more power, his country would have more strength and Europe would accelerate a great progress.

Tak Melayu Hilang Di Dunia (The Malays shall Not Perish from the World)

Hang Tuah  was believed to be buried at least few places in Indonesia. The tomb in Malacca was at least ten meter represent his giant  figures. Hang Tuah Well just  lies adjacently, was believed never been empty and  runs dry. Hang Tuah was throne as ever living legendary Malay warrior for  with his famous words, ‘ Tak melayu hilang di dunia.’ National Museum portrayed Hang Tuah  descriptions engraved  as number one Malay hero with physical of weigh lifter, wild moustached  with mighty arms and legs stood proud to Malay until this day.

From aged Indonesia Dictionary, Malay means ‘to flee’. The Malays were also believed named after a region of South Sumatra.  Until today there was a small town in Palembang region known as ‘Malaya’. This word assumingly derive from word ‘melayar’ the verb for ‘ to sail’. Therefore the Malay been named for the act of migration from Southern Sumatra as  history depicted Parameswara of Sri Vijaya fled to Temasik ( now Singapore). He then subsequently again fled to Malacca in 15^th century.

What Hang Tuah truly mean with ‘ Tak melayu hilang di dunia’ was his  people had to flee from the ancestral homeland in Sumatra Archipelago  to elude the face of extinction. It was consider strategic withdrawal from Temasik after a break up intervention from Thais. It not act of cowardice but  for betterment  to flee than perish.

The slogan still runs true that Malay still strongly exist and not perish from the world till today. This was due that they knew when to flee or to fold when situations grew untenable.

Hang Tuan was prominent historical figure during the reign of Sultan Mansur Shah. In Hang Tuah Tales, he was renowned as warrior with high integrity and loyalty to the kingdom. Hang Tuah later being persecuted  for accusation of adultery , while  Hang Jebat his trusted alliance goes rebelling against the Sultan. Knowingly about Hang Jebat insolent act, Tuah ends Jebat life in marvellous and historical fighting plot.  At a point Jebat re-emerged  as brave Malay warrior that show his stands toward injustice  royal reign.

Both Tuah and Jebat connoted as  a symbol of malay ethos. While the Malay can be utmost loyal servant as Hang Tuah figure, also at times out of limits, the Malay can stand  tigerish as Hang Jebat defiance to avenge  his comrade persecution .

Fraser's Hill - Unfinished History

In 1910, Fraser’s Hill was “discovered” when Bishop Ferguson-Davie of Singapore went in search of his lost friend, Louis James Fraser, a miner who had disappeared.  After a steep and arduous trek up from The Gap, Ferguson-Davie found the mine and the workers’ camp deserted and did not find him. Though disappointed, he nevertheless found the hills restful and rejuvenating and was perfect for a hill station–a retreat from the heat of the lowland. Sir William George Maxwell wrote in his report:  ‘The Bishop, on his return to Singapore, wrote a report on his visit showing that within about five miles of the Gap, on the main trunk road between Pahang and Selangor, there was an area which seemed to be eminently suitable for a hill station and which could be rapid, easily and cheaply developed.’

Historically, the Fraser’s Hill was named after Louis James Fraser, a European and former gold and tin businessman, who used to live at the summit of this landscape, before it was being designed as the third hill station in Malaya. According to a few documented histories, Fraser was the first one who discovered that this mountainous landscape was rich with tin deposits. The hill stations were landscapes created by the British people, to bring the lifestyle of their homeland to a foreign country, as they felt that it was crucial to return to colder climate from the enervating low altitudes. However, it was later found that the function of the hill stations was more than that. Some historical sources and earliest documents stated that the hill stations in Malaya functioned as sanitaria for the British, to comfort their mental health from tropical pressure. the hill stations were not only a refuge landscape from the heat, but also a social place for the families and friends to play sports, attend balls, hang out in pubs, etc. This is the reason that hill stations in Malaya were created with tennis court, golf course and lawn for games, as seen in the hotels on the Penang Hill and Cameron Highlands, and pubs on the Fraser's Hill and Cameron Highlands

The British people realised that the landscape of the Maxwell’s Hill was unable to fill their needs to build more retreat buildings and infrastructures, such as hotel and mountain rail similar to that in the Penang Hill, as this hill station was lacked of flatlands. As a result, the colonial was on the look for a bigger hill station. In an archive report by Sir William George Maxwell (1988): In November 1917, the Right Reverend C.J. Ferguson-Davie, the Bishop of Singapore explored Fraser’s Hill . He sent a report to the High Commissioner and Chief Secretary of the FMS Government about a hill that was suitable as a hill station.

1927 Handbook to British Malaya recorded that there were 9 bungalows for the use of government officials, 4 houses built with the help of the Red Cross for ex-servicemen and women, 3 private homes, a country club, a golf course, water supply and a post office. With romantic names such as The Glen, The Bishop’s House, Wray, Parr, Aubyn, Kindersley and The Lodge conjuring up. Hemmant trail, cutting across the left side of the golf course, there was the remains of a tiny communications centre built by the Japanese Army during World War II. The hills were the foil, and the peaks offered perfect coverage of the lowlands. Shielded from the prying eyes of the Allies, the vault nearby was where Japanese soldiers stashed critical documents and weaponry.  

Fraser hill always intriguing  because the authentic and pristine surrounding embedded with English Tudor style architectures and cooling moist weather. I been there few times and the retreat experiences offer me something deeper to explore. There are many stories behind this colonial setting yet to be unravelled, moreover about the mysterious missing James Fraser and hidden journal of Rev Ferguson Davie who went on finding his ‘best’ friend but to no avail. The abandon of bishop house  until now the house still in ruin. Why there was no intention for preservation, was it due to ghostly story foretold ? Did really the bishop unsuccessful  to find Fraser? And  why the bishop manage to secure the land at the hill and built his own mansion ?

‪I am still  yet to  find related journals   which can narrate and relate with the whole incidents. It seems hard to discover any writings regarding James Fraser. It was told that he had established opium and gambling den to provide entertainment activity for his Chinese workers . Did this has any relation to his missing? Or with who actually he went for at first time to explore the thick monsoon until discover the big fortune? I assume this history is still long way to go. Its to early   to pen any conclusion or hypothesis on the real story of Fraser Hill. These doubts are just my fictitious mind ,  and curiosity to bridge the unfinished history.

The faults of Stars

It going to be nice evening discussion over a cup of coffee at nearby suburb bistro. Zaid is eager to meet Dr Hawking, while a bit of nervous preparing all his notes, pen and recorder in order. For not being late, Zaid reached the coffee shop half an hour earlier and requested a cosy corner cushion sofa seat to be reserved. This going to be perfect spot, he thinks, flipping his hand written back and forth. As university student commencing course in cosmology and inter faith understanding, meeting Dr Hawking will spark some ideas about his famous discovery of quantum mechanic and its relation to cosmology. Zaid foresee the evening discussion would be laden with theoretical discussion, but really hope his guest could be casual as possible.

At sudden,  the rain start to pour outside heavily, made the evening darken and cosying even more. Zaid pray his guest would able to make it to the bistro, and he starts little bit worry. He had arrange this meeting a week earlier, and aware how hard to get into Dr Hawking busy schedule. If this going to be delay, it will took another week to be rearranged. Zaid looks solemnly stoop to his mobile phone as suspecting a call from his guest to tell the bad news.

‘Hi Zaid, am I late? My favourite seating spot.’ Zaid reflectively stood up and greet his guest with cordial smile and humbly saying, ‘Oh Doc, you are here, glad that you make it. Thanks for your trouble’. Zaid didn’t expect to receive his guest 10 minute earlier and saw Dr Hawking surfacely wet by the torrential falls outside. As Zaid calling up the orders for the evening treats, they both had comfortably seated and start the preamble to each other.

After being asked about findings on the new theory, Dr Hawing starts explaining with questions, ‘Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Did the universe have a beginning, and if so, what happened before, then where did the universe come from, and where is it going?’

Zaid aware that the question is not for him to answer. Dr Hawking was a person who would set up targets for someone to shot with his own answer, and Zaid attentively focus to his guest with eagerness to listen.  

‘Where does the difference between the past and the future come from, why do we remember the past but not the future’, Dr Hawking revealing the uneasiness of his earlier thoughts on the theory.

‘Before the 20th century it was thought that the universe had existed forever or had been created at some time in the past, more or less as we observe it today,  people found comfort then they thought that  they may grow old and die while  the universe was eternal and unchanging’.

Zaid jotted and highlights all essentials thoughts points and try to make sense everything his guest triggering. ‘But Dr, how do you explain that scientifically, I mean about the unchanging universe..’

‘When I was in high school, I learned that light from distant galaxies was shifted to the red. This meant that they were moving away from us and that the universe was expanding but at first I didn't believe it, a static universe seemed much more natural that could have existed and could continue to exist forever.’

Dr Hawking goes on further clarifying, ‘The expansion of the universe suggested the possibility that the universe had a beginning at some time in the past, the point at which the universe may have started out became known as the Big Bang. In an unchanging universe, one can imagine that God created the Universe, at literally any time in the past.  On the other hand if the universe is expanding there may be physical reasons why there had to be a beginning . And for me,   expanding universe doesn’t  mean to preclude a creator, but it does place limits the  knowledge on when and how He might had carried out His job.

‘So meaning that you are more favour of expanding universe, and passionately to unravel the beginning and the ending of universe using quantum mechanic theory?’ Zaid asked while his hand rapidly scribbling something on his note pad.

‘I felt that there were several of theoretical physics I might study at Cambridge, one was cosmology, the study of the very large,the other was elementary particles, the study of the very small.  However I thought that elementary particles were less attractive because there was no proper theory. All they could do was arrange the particles in families. Then cosmology on the other hand, there was a well-defined theory Einstein's general theory of relativity. I wanted to understand how the universe began and Einstein's theory of general relativity showed that the universe was expanding but there was no answer to the crucial question,  must there have been a big bang a beginning the time ? Then in my third year at Cambridge colleagues, Penrose made his discovery about a death of stars.

‘I heard about the death of stars that make the reason how black hole is formed, right?’ Zaid investigating further.

‘Yup, in the long history of the universe, many stars must have burned up their nuclear fuel and collapsed on themselves to the number of black holes. We also have evidence that there is a very large black hole at the centre of our own galaxy. Penrose proved that a dying star collapsing under its own gravity eventually shrinks to a singularity,  a point of infinite density and zero size.  I realized that if I reversed the direction of time so that the collapse became an expansion, I could prove that the universe had a beginning.’

Zaid understandably nodded to Dr Hawking with curious mind. Zaid then try to retrieve his conceptual understanding, ‘As some massive star contracts and  becomes so strong that light can no longer escape the return from which nothing can escape, that’s why we called them  a black hole as what Dante defined ‘the entrance to hell’..

Dr Hawking smiles showing his animosity, ‘If you were watching an astronaut to jump into a black hole at some time, let say 12 o'clock. He would cross the event horizon and enter the black hole but no matter how long you waited,  you will never see the astronauts watch reach 12 o'clock. Instead each second on the watch will appear to take longer and longer. Until the last second before midnight, the time will take forever. I started to think about black holes and realized that the area of the event horizon must always increase with time and quantify by entropy, which measures the degree of disorder of a system.’

Dr Hawking sipped his warm coffee as the evening getting cold as the rains subside outside the bistro. Zaid having thought the evening meet has turn to into physic cosmology lecture. Regaining the momentum of the discussion, Zaid then asked. ‘Then how you relate the all this with general relativity, quantum mechanic , I kind a lost there..’

General relativity is what is called a classical theory. It predicts a single definite path for each particle, but according to quantum mechanics there is an element of chance or uncertainty. A particle does not have just a single path through space and time instead there is an uncertainty principle according to which both the exact position and velocity of a particle can never be known. I began investigating the effect one of mechanics might have on particles near a black hole. I found that particles could escape from a black hole. At first I didn't believe it, but when I redid the calculations I couldn't get the effect. I finally convinced myself that black holes radiate when I found a mechanism through which this could happen according to quantum mechanics. Space is filled with virtual particles and antiparticles that are constantly materializing in pairs. When presence to black hole, one member of a pair of virtual particles may fall into the hole leaving the other member without a partner. Particle appears at the radiation emitted by the black made black holes not eternal. They evaporate away at an increasing rate until they vanish in a gigantic explosion.

‘In another words, here to say that Einstein’s general relativity theory doesn’t apply ?’, Zaid intervened.

Quantum mechanics has allowed particles and radiation to escape from the ultimate prison of black hole, Einstein never accepted one of mechanics because of its element of chance and uncertainty. He said God does not play dice, that seems that Einstein was doubly wrong, the quantum effects of black holes suggest that not only does God play dice but he sometimes throws them where they cannot seen’ , ‘Dr hawking expounds with grin.

‘I guess your discovery was particularly concerned on the radiation effect ’, Zaid make an assuming remarks.

‘Yes, black hole radiation has shown us that gravitational collapse does not as final. If one falls into a black hole he will be returned to the rest of the universe in the form of radiation thus,  in a sense the astronaut will be recycled where  the big bang as the beginning’.

Zaid meticulously getting his writing neatly and readable. He still got many issue to shoot to his guest. He carefully link his question into contextual link ‘So Dr where does the difference between the

past and the future come to view ?’

The laws of science do not distinguish between the past and the future, yet there is a big difference between the both. In ordinary life, you may see a cup of tea fall off a table and break into pieces on the floor. But you will never see the cup gather itself back together and jump back on the table. The increase of disorder or entropy is what distinguishes the past from the future giving a direction to time. I began to wonder what would happen when the universe stopped expanding and began to contract. Would we see broken cups gathered themselves together off the floor and jump back onto the table. To me, the universe had a return to a smooth and ordered state. If this were so, time would go backwards when the universe began to collapse, people in the contracting phase would live their lives backward they would die before they were born and get younger as the universe got small again and  eventually they would return to the womb.

Zaid wondered how the mind this scientist work, how those calculations were computed in his mind with massive physic and mathematical theories. Sometimes Zaid guess this would not make sense to any ordinary people with ordinary mind. But for Dr Hawking, the intricacies were scientifically explained and proved. It took a lots of imaginary by looking beyond the shinning stars.

Do you been criticized on all this thought ?’, Zaid inquiries blatantly.

Very much,  by myself , sometimes I guess I had made a mistake. I had been using too simple a model of the Universe. Time will not reverse direction. When the universe begins to contract people will continue to get older,   so it is no good waiting until the universe collapses to return to our youth. In real time, the time in which we live the universe has two possible destinies, that may continue to expand forever, or it may recollapse and come to an end at the Big Crunch. It would be rather like the Big Bang but in reverse. I now believe that the universe will come to an end at the Big Crunch. But you see, whatever happens 10 billion years from now, I don't expect to be around to be proved wrong…’

They both bursts into laugh, Zaid entertained by his guest intellectual sense of humour. Zaid remember  Einstein once asked the question  about  how much choice the plot  in constructing the universe, if Dr Hawking  proposal  is correct,  then he had no freedom at all to choose how the universe began .He would only have had the freedom to choose the laws a universe evade. However, he may not have been all that much of a choice. There may well be only one unified theory that allows for the existence of structures as complicated as human beings. Zaid sternly belief that we can investigate the laws of the universe and start to learn the nature of God.

As the nights and bistro getting dimmed, they both greeted each other. Zaid feel utmost thankful for the fruitful evening, and lead Dr Hawking to his car outside the freezing weather. As the old Ford, drove away and getting out of sight, Zaid gaze upward to the brightening stars, as his mind still resounding the last words from Dr Hawking that evening, ‘If we do discover a complete theory of the universe that should be understandable in broad principle by everyone, we all be able to  discuss of why it is that we and the universe exist. If we find the answer to that, that would be the ultimate triumph of human reason, for then we would know the mind of God.

Fiksi Si Miskin Di Alam Gelap Kutub Barat (Sebuah Cerpen Kontot)

Kisah ini cerita si miskin yang mencari sebuah teori baru sebagai landas hidupnya. Dunia si miskin adalah gelandangan, mencicip sisa sarap dan bergelumang dengan segala segi penyakit kronik. Kebiasaan dengan kelaparan membentuk diri si miskin yang keting dan kurang segala segi gizi vitamin. Matlamat hidup si miskin adalah mencari hipotesis bagi merangka teori baru untuk kelangsungan hidup. Bagi si miskin antara kaedah yang dipraktikkan adalah tidur selepas kenyang agar dapat bermimpi di alam yang berbeza iaitu alam gelap dan hitam. Ini juga filosofi baru yang boleh digunakan pakai, tidak diharap hidup yang sofistikated  serba mewah, cukup sekadar mimpi tentang gelap hitam yang sering mencetera hikayat yang indah’.

Miskin kedana adalah bahagia bagi  si miskin di bumi yang bersifat tidak orasinil.  Kaya raya adalah resah yang panjang bagi planet bumi kutub barat yang bersifat fana. Maka apa bezanya kedua darjat  senang dan susah. Mana yang wajar dipilih. Si Miskin bukan tidak mahu kerah keringat lagi kerana hidup lampaunya penah bergelumang dengan untung berbilion dollar. Dulu semasa memiliki segala kemewahan, si miskin seorang yang saintifik. Padanya segala-galanya perlu penerangan metamatik yang menyokong. Segala yang berlaku ada benih will dalam diri seorang bernama makhluk. Tindakan daripada makhluk menentukan takdir kehidupan. Tindakan adalah bersumber daripada keputusan diri. Keputusan diri itu sendiri dicanai oleh ilmu dan pengalaman seorang makhluk.  Ini kepercayaan si miskin antara dulu dan sekarang dalam mencari teori landasan baru hidup di bumi kutub barat.

Ini kisah hidup si miskin sebelum gelandangan. Bisnis  digital yang menerobos kepandaian buatan ranap punah kerana turnover tinggi pekerja yang terdiri daripada data-data saintis. Gaji mereka tidak mampu dibayar kesan pandemic sesak nafas yang melanda metropolitan bumi di kutub barat.  Pandemik sesak nafas itu umpama batu besar meranap empayer bisnes si miskin yang akhir-akhir itu semakin renta dan uzur. Dunia digital perlukan ilmu analitik bagi memanipulasi big data. Maka jika big data digunakan sebagai analitik untuk eksploitasi kepandaian tidak mempunyai data base Artificial Intelligent , maka hanya menunggu saat ranap punah. Ibarat gunung berapi yang tanpa mampu menahan gejolak lahar yang diciptanya sendiri. Inilah analogi si miskin tentang sejarah hitam bisnes digitalnya. Menurut si miskin bisnes punyai jangka hayatnya sendiri, maka polisi yang terbaik  adalah untuk melakukan exit sebelum keadaan tidak mampu terkawal. Kini si miskin memilih gelandangan di tengah metropolitan Kutub Barat sebagai ruang kehidupan barunya.

Maka mengapa harus gelandangan dipilih sebaga jalan baru mencari teori baru. Bagaimana dengan landas falsafah bahawa takdir hidup  terletak pada tangannya sediri, bukankah kaya dan mewah itu menjadi kehidupan lebih maju dan sihat. Bukankah gelandangan  melahirkan segala segi penyakit seperti sopak dan kudis . Lebih kronik lagi  gejala gila babi  bila otak telah dipenuhi toksik urea. Fizikal makhluk difungsi oleh 74 organ yang membuat  terus bernafas. Si miskin keras berteoritas, ‘Hidup adalah proses kemusnahan fizikal , maka bila fizikal rosak, roh juga terlibat, akal pun turut terkesan’.

Si miskin flashback ketika empayer kaya raya bisnis digitalnya kian merudum ,  beliau telah menghidap penyakit malfungsi organ fizikal yang dikenali Cacat Kronik Dungu atau CKD. Kesan penyakit ini menyebakan si miskin sesak nafas dan bengkak tubuh badan dan jika lebih kronik hilang daya ingatan yang menjurus kepada gila babi. Gila babi adalah indikasi apabila toksin telah telah mencapai tahap 5 penyakit CKD.

Bila hilang ingatan disebabkan gila babi, menurut si miskin kita sudah menjadi  makhluk yang tidak dinlai prestasinya, tidak perlu ada KPI yang perlu dicapai untuk mendapat sebarang anugerah. Mungkin juga status gila babi buat seorang  makhluk  lebih bahagia untuk meneruskan hidup di gelandangan bumi Kutub Barat.

Peringkat awal penyakitnya, si miskin melalui proses kemurungan kronik bila diagnosis CKD hasil daripada ujian darah merah. Hospital robotik telah mengesahkan kepada si miskin bahawa beliau telah menghadapi CKD tahap 4 dan pada tahap ini adalah irreversible. Mana mungkin bila toksik memuncak di ruang cerebrum  hanya menunggu gejala gila babi. Kemudiannya  ia akan merebak ke  jantung dan mengakibat sesak nafas. Berulangkali Doktor robotik menjelaskan dengan mudah dan jelas. Si miskin yang diam mengangguk.

Di saat selepas itu, kehidupan si miskin telah beralih landasan. Siang hari dirasakan gelap gelita dan malam adalah resah  bila nafasnya sering terputus-putus , terjaga terkial mencari corong oksigen bantuan. Si miskin merasakan seperti dilahirkan kali kedua  dalam kutub yang berbeza dari dulunya. Jauh berbeza sekali kerana dunia baru ini matahari akan terbit  di kutub barat. Di kutub ini si miskin merasakan ilmu epistimologi digitalnya di peringkat PHD kurang membantu untuk mencari jalan  penyelesaian. Kepakaran teknikal analitik gagal memberi jawapan kukuh tentang gejala yang sedang dialami. Pernah sekali si miskin cuba mencipta vaksin menggunakan kaedah pensampelan beberapa jenis gizi   namun pangkalan data AI  menghasilkan keputusan data yang keliru. Capaian Big Data beliau  amat mengecewakan dan mengalami disrupsi teknologi . Silap nya dahulu,  bila si miskin memulakan  keusahawanan digital menggunakan kaedah  alam maya yang penuh bakteria dan virus-virus minda tidak berprinsip.

Pada satu malam yang menyentakkan si miskin. Ia berlaku semasa terlantar di hospital robotik di kutub barat tengah. Setelah agak lama berada di katil wad CKD disebabkan gejala semakin mengkronik, si miskin mengalami gejala tekanan darah ultra rendah. Mesin robotik BP mencatat sistolic 20 dan diastolic 10 . Pakar perubatan robotik  telah memasukkan cecair noredenanelin kuasa tinggi  untuk si miskin menghela nafas yang stabil . Namun kesan sampingan cecair tersebut memberi kesan gila babi yang lebih cepat dan ketara kepada beliau. Nafas si miskin semakin resah, suhu badan meledak tahap gunung berapi. Hingga ke saat itu , si miskin hampir sepurnama tidak dapat melelapkan mata dan keseimbangan badan dan minda semakin bercelaru. Tahap antibodi  mencatat zero membuat si miskin  mula meracau sendirian.  Terkumat kamit lidah si miskin merintih, pegangan landasan saintifik beliau selama ini menemui jalan buntu  untuk menenangkan akalnya.

Dan pada satu malam yang aneh, di katil wad robotik, si miskin cuba memajamkan mata sekejab mungkin, dan bertarung untuk meghela nafas sepanjang mungkin. Si miskin cuba menangkap zarah-zarah udara agar otaknya dapat berfungsi dengan waras. Di dalam gelap terkatupnya mata  , si miskin  dihalusinasi sebuah cerita yang samar dalam ruang pudar gelap. Dia cuba memahami maksudnya namun gagal. Matanya masih ketat dan rapat tertutup, dan enggan membukanya selagi tidak memahami apa yang dialami itu. Si miskin bertekad, selagi mampu bernafas biarlah dunianya hanya sebuah warna hitam. Dia bahagia dengan kesamaran ini  daripada warna-warni dunia celik yang tidak memberi sebarang jawapan. Di ruang samar gelap ini si miskin meraskan dia tidak perlu mencari penjelasan saintifik untuk kekal hidup di kutub barat. Biarlah hanya perlu fikirkan sudut gelap gelita ini , tidak perlu melaksanakan proses pengasingan big data saintifik. Bagi si miskin biarlah semua terkumpul dalam satu kosmos  dan menjadi makna yang bakal terbongkar kelak.

Semakin dalam hela nafas si miskin dan semakin jelas tentang segaris cahaya berjaya diasingkan daripada kosmos yang gelap itu. Dan dengan tiba-tiba si miskin terbangun dari katil , dengan nafas yang tercunggap -cunggup. Si miskin teriak sekuat-kuatnya , ‘ aku dah jumpe, aku faham dah semuanya ! ‘ sambil memeluk erat doktor robotik yang berada di sebelah katilnya.

Kini si miskin telah kembali ke ruang gelandangan, menghitung toksin urea yang bakal memenuhi ruang tubuhnya.  Doktor robotik memaklumkan si miskin masih diberi peluang untuk hidup dan dibenarkan discaj dari wad. Doktor robotik berpesan, ‘ apa yang anda penuhi dalam minda menentukan paras morbiditi diri kamu, jika banyak virus warna warni cuba kau proses dalam minda, maka penyakit CKD kamu akan semakin membarah.

Sehingga kini , si miskin masih memikirkan tentang malam di wad robotik tempoh hari. Si  miskin berkata pada dirinya sendiri, ‘Dalam kegelapan itu,  yang cuma aku temui  hanyalah  titik-titik cahaya. Ini tidak mungkin aku temui jika dalam terang benderangnya warna warni.’

Mulai dari itu, si miskin mula melakar teori digital baru, sambil  memecat semua saintis-saintis data semasa di alam warna-warni.  Kini si miskin mula melantik artis-artis data  sebagai pendokong kuat untuk bersama-samanya membina empayer baru bisnes  di alam gelap gelandangan.

How Branchiocephalic Fistula works

 Pateients that are diagnosed  end stage renal failure (ESRF)  mostly require to perform dialysis treatment. Principally, dialysis is process  of cycling and filter patients blood outside their body through a special filter called dialyzer. Method used to access the vein and artery for dialysis is called branchiocephalic fistula (BCF).

BCF consider permanent and stable access to kidney failure patients.  To create BCF , a surgeon will joins an artery  in arm to a vein  through anastomosis (fistula)  that will made the blood flow rapidly by pass the cappillaries. Once the fistula mature  (6 to 8 weeks) the patients can start the dialysis treament. At this time the   the blood vesesels and vein wall are already enlarge and ready to be dialized. During the treatment procedures, two needles are inserted in to the fistula vein, arterial needle draws blood from the upstream location while veneous needle returns the blood downstreams. This sequence will prevents  partial recycling of blood that alreadly filtered by dialysis machine which could lead to less effective of the treatment.

Clotting of acess can happen and a blood thinner called Heparin is injected in to the acess to  relieve the access tunnel.  There are 4 suggessted  acess points for dialysis patients, one lower and another upper  for both  arms. Even BCF consider as parmanent access ,  it can become malfunction due to numerous factors like  clotting and hard labor of BCF  hand . Some BCF lasted for a year or even 5 to 10 years. By estimating 5 year  of BCF   life span for each acess, a kidney patient has 20 years  to be dialized  and stay alive almost healthily. This also must considering  how meticulous the patients safe guard their BCF.

Kidney Disease and Pandemic

 Kidney Disease  and Pandemic

A dialysis patient was stopped on his way to treatment center during MCO enforcement. After presenting his treatment consent letter , he  let to pass.The enforcer then remind,'  I give u an hour to settle and be back home urgently'...

The issues to the incident is about our level of unawareness on  kidney disease. Knowledge on the disease is still lacking .  A dialysis patiente normally diagnosed  chronic kidney disease or CKD which indicate they have reach the end stage of renal failure (ESRF). They urgently need to undergo Hemodialysis treatment (HD) by attending 3 sessions a week for 4 hours for each session the whole life. Medical finds that CKD patients would only able to live for about a month if direct discontinuation thedialysis  treatments.

Why covid 19 pandemic will be tough on kidney patients? A brief explanation about what really happen. Bodies get to function from what we eat drink through biochemical process called metabolism. It also creates metabolic waste like urea, uric acid and ammonia that must be eliminated from the body buy healthy kidney. Thus, arterial blood from the heart  flows to body pick up these toxins  and enter exretory system through renal artery that clean the blood. This process is   24/7 for 24 hrs and filtering our blood about 30 times.  Subsequently excretory  system filters out through urination. Additionally,  excretory system also regulate our blood preassure, activate vitamin D  for bone health and stimulate production of red blood. When kidney stop working well,our internal body go into imbalance and chaos. It start to effect the healths and morbidity of a person. Metabolic waste, excess water and extra minerals started to builds up   instead of being excreted.

Here dialysis take place to replace the function of the kidney to clear all the toxicated  fluids which fluctuate in the body. Prolong and delay of dislysis treatment will be severely detrimental to health of CKD patients.

Coming back to earlier question, why covid hit hard to those with CKD ? This is due to  inability of the patients to fight infections when the immune system is suppressed. They consider among high risk group of people with chronic condition, and may experience more serious covid 19 illness. CKD patient's blood are not perfectly clean of toxins. The treatment only provide small portion of the blood filtered and not by well fuctioning kidney.

Patients under dialysis  are urge to continue their treatment despite the pandemic. Issues happen when  some pstients were found to have a fever and they could not be dialized in immune compromised patient  setting. The ill CKD  patients must show up at hospital and required isolation that will add the overloading of hospital occupants.

Statistically , in  2019 ,  kidney diseases patients  amounting to 49,000  and had the increase rate of 7000 new cases per year. In year 2040 will see estimate of  106,000 of patient will undergo dialysis treatments. Capacity and capability are serious matter to ponder when the time come. This include the awareness and education of getting healthy kidneys.

Pandemic: Before and After

Pandemic: Before and After

The nation is in the moment of test. This pandemic is looking on how we can work together and everyone has their own set of responsibility. The measures taken here are interdependent, the only effective practice that would determined the real outcome. They key players or the frontlines which deal direct or directly with the pandemic are taking offensive aspect of the approach, while the citizen need to be stayed safe at home. Only such solidarity we can get this dark time pass at great speed. Prolong and dragging of this lockdown implementation would bring another set shortcoming, that is economic predicaments. So nation must bear in mind , the rule is simple as the authority do the test, isolate, trace and cured the positives, other must lend their helping hand to abide to movement control order. How soon the pandemic can be wiped away lies to the hand of all citizens. Transmission of the virus need to halt as the spreading chain   cut off.

We saw how pandemics can crashed the economy, collapse the health care system, hospital cramped with ill patients. Basic PPE like masks, gowns , ventilators, beds , test kits are running low as we reach the peak of the pandemics. Our authority strike oil at contain the virus , hospital executes their pandemic plans, allocate treatment rooms, ordering  extra supplies, recruit new volunteers and assigning specific facilities to deal with the situation.

When situation escalating , health plan approach must be well coordinated. More people will get infected in Mid April as the mass testing taken place. Then the supply will be worrying with dwindling equipment, growing number of patients and endangered of frontlines susceptible to contract with the disease. The plan must catered the projections figures and simultaneously strengthen the public health force based on future requirement. US has estimated the pandemic would have infected 2.2 million of their people, and now deploying the war reserve to act possible way.

Putting in order of the medial and grocery supply chain is imminent. This situation must be equate to war time effort. Manufacturers have to start producing and stockpiles essential apparatus. This means manufacturing product like PPE, medical related equipment while edging technology opportunity and capability to support the work plan. Private Labs have to lend their capacity in produce more test  results while more sophisticated test kits being purchase to accelerate the testing  effort. Priority are the frontline to be tested because  we cant afford to loose the existing.

The end state is  to achieve minimum death with high rate of patients cured. As the condition subside and situation getting under control, nation will get back on their feet to face another challenge of economic shortcomings. When hotels are empty, airline grounded , business hibernate, small business and restaurants  closing had lead to people loosing their job.  People with low income will be hardest hit . They need to kick start the job hunting to continue living and survive. This target of people will need to be fundamentally  support  from the government.

Another incoming threat will be mental ill problems when human contact are cut off. Anxiety aroused and obsessive compulsive persons are in danger when they face loneliness especially the elderly people. The survivor of the pandemics might have to  take time to heal after gone through long quarantine experiences. Burnout may occur to those encounter critical condition  in the ward. Some cases shown in Wuhan, some  people now to refuse to  leave their home and develop agoraphobia.

On brighter side, post trauma lead the citizen had a way of coming together in support each other to better health conscious c. Testing for STD become mainstream, important of washing hand and the education of clinical hygiene become public awareness.

The post pandemic catalysing social change of how people adapt working at home, conference calling  and flexible child care. People will start take seriously the need to stay at home when sick. Government will start to create system more sustainable channel to rapidly allocate subsidy fund to all citizens especially the non-government servant. The effective downstream process fasten the cash flow to stabalise the economy. Equal labour policy and health care system will be on the spotlight and encourage more affordable scheme from  health institution.

Like after 9/11, countermeasure become focus on counter terrorism, pandemic would saw pivotal attention shift to garner public health, funding and new attaraction of student applying public health programs. Besides that more domestic production capability will be initiated especially medical supply and essentials goods. In global scale, inter nation partnership will  flourishes and  more forum of  understanding  the pandemic commitment swill heatedly debate.

We learn much lessons from the pandemics. Our curiosity  will be asked whats's  next. While nation and the world  commence with  daily routine,  we  are readily prepare  for  incoming upsurge of SARS Cov- 3.