BACK TO THE MEMORY LANE - MY JOURNALISM FRATERNITY

Assalamualaikum Warahmatullah Wabarakatuh,


Recently  MokDah took the opportunity to visit a unique cafe, named as Zam Newsroom Cafe at Ayer@8 Precint 8, Putrajaya. This cafe is owned by none other than Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin or Zam as we call him. He is my former boss and mentor in Utusan Melayu way back in the 70s to the 90s, when I was a journalist. 

Zam Newsroom Cafe at Ayer@8,  Precint 8, Putrajaya

The visit to the cafe, is like going down the memory lane. The ambiance was created to bring back the memories of a newsroom, with pictures of the reporters desk, the editor's room, the many books for reference in the library, the newspaper cuttings and the typewrites which are the tools of our trade for journalists at that time.

The rest area in the Newsroom Cafe reminds me of the
good old days when I was as journalis at Utusan 

By sitting in the Newsroom Cafe, it brings back my memories on how I landed as a journalist. In the 70's it is very rare to find a female journalist. At that time journalist are considered as a men's job. So much so when I went around for assignments, many of the leaders or captains of the agencies and companies asked me why do I want to be a journalist. Once, I was even offered to be a stewardess but turn down the glamorous job, which could take me around the world. However MokDah still want to continue to be a journalist.  When I finish my Senior Cambridge, my dream is to be a journalist. My cousins even laugh at me when I mention that I aspire to be a journalist, after I saw an interview on TV about the career.

Syukur Alhamdulillah, I considered myself very lucky when I got to know two editors from Utusan Melayu by chance, they are Allahyarham Jiro (Salim) and Subky Latiff and later the big man Allahyarham Tan Sri Melan Abdullah who is the Chief Editor and also happen to be our neighbours in Kampung Bharu and off cause Tan Sri Zam who was my mentor and friend since he was the Chief Reporter of the news desk until now.

Foreign news desk was the first desk I was assigned to and later move to general reporting where I was nurtured to be a full fledge journalist. I felt flattered during that time because many of the journalists brothers are ever willing to help me not just in terms of writing but also completing my assignments. Thank you fellow brothers journalists for your continuous support and a few names that I can recall are Sufian, Roslee Deli, Mohd Nor Shamsuddin, Dahlan, Khalid Jefry, Khalid Yunus, Mohd Noh Padidin, Abang Nasir and many more. 

Few of  my seniors seen in this picture,
Rosdin Yaacob (the chief reporter than), Tan Sri Zam,
Khalid Jefry, Rosli Deli, Abang Nasir

Over the years the number of female journalist not just at Utusan but also at Bernama, berita Harian, NST , RTM and TV3 grew. But still most of them are assign to women's story, women's page, litreature and entertainment desak, MokDah along with two other ladies, Maimunah Yusuff and Roseminah Ahmad, was glad because we were the very few who was given the opportunity to work as general reporter and later trained to be business and political journalists.

Me (standing extreme right)
with my fellow female journalists

The good part of being a female journalist at that time, it was easy for us to get our assignment done, many men including fellow male journalists and leaders of the community are very helpful, they too want to see we female journalists succeed. I really love and enjoy every moments of my journalism days. 

I used to tell my family and friends, if I was given a choice to go back to my younger days, I would still choose to be a journalist, and off cause with Utusan Melayu. It is a career that gives one an opportunity to know first hand news and the details or story behind what you can write or cannot write. We have the opportunity to get closer to almost every level of the society, from the King, Leaders of the country, the community, people on the ground and so are the poor and under priviliege. During those days, the newspaper and company Utusan Melayu, the editors and its' journalists  including photographers, are well respected and looked highly upon by all communities from the government, political dan community.

Allahyarham Tan Sri Samad Ismail, my mentor in journalism

 The guru of journalism who is also my mentor,  Allahyarham Tan Sri Abdul Samad Ismail (Pak Samad) keep reminding us to always uphold the journalism ethics and integrity. Alhamdulillah, I felt blessed that I had many mentors, a few big name worth mentioning besides Pak Samad and Tan Sri Zam, are Allahyarham Pak Harun, Allahyarham Pak Osman Abadi, Allahyarham Jiro (Salim) besides the big bosses like Allahyarham Tan Sri Melan Abdullah and Allahyarham Tan Sri Mazlan Nordin.

Tracing back into my career as journalist for more than 25 years, I would say,  I have no regrets. We in Utusan Melayu were all like a one close knit family, we help dan take care of each other during good times and bad times. Until today, we are still friends although many has retired. Journalism buddy that I still keep in touch till today and through the FB among them are Dato' Ahmad Talib, Dato' Manja Ismail, Abdullah Hassan, Kamaluddin Mat Lela, Usuluddin Jamil, Nasir Siru, Rosie Hashim, Maimunah Yusuff, Roslee Azmi, Zainab Mohd Ali, Tajaiyah Ehsan, Webah Salleh, Nik Rahimah Hassan and many more.

Tan Sri Zam's idea in setting the Newsroom Cafe is something that most journalist would welcome. We can use this place to meet friends, old and new. Besides the ambiance, one thing I like about this cafe, it has no Wifi and it says "talk to each other". Isn't that is the idea of going for a teh tarik with friends is to catch up with each other?  With no Wifi, it means we need not compete with the moden technology to get the attention.

I subscribe to this idea "talk to each other".  I hate to to see,  be it friends or family members, seating together at the breakfast or lunch or dinner table but  engrossed with their mobile, ignoring those around them.

After years of "chasing news"  many journalists would than, including Tan Sri Zam and MokDah ventured into a different field, but still related to communication.

MokDah went into coporate communication including public relations, while Tan Sri Zaman goes into politics and became a Senator, Deputy Minister of Information and later Minister of Information. Now he owns a cafe but not the usual cafe,  besides continuing writing including contributing articles to the newspapers and also writing books.

Tan Sri Zam, now the proud owner of
 Zam Newsroom Cafe with friends cum customers

In the mid of the 90s, MokDah advance into corporate communication including Public Relations in a few corporate conglomerate. In the latest company I work with, besides heading the Group Corporate Communication Division , in 2009  I was given the mandate to provide special communication services to the CEO and Chairman's Office. Later I became the Special Officer to the CEO and Chairman of the company.

Since writing is my passion, MokDah still do a little bit of writing and also producing books such as coffee table book and now in the mid of producing a special book about the company products schedule to be out next year 2015.

At my leisure time, I aalo put my thoughts together through my blogg Mokdah-Mokdah blogsport.com.@5.09.2014