Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Report: Matchday 6 & 7

Assalamualaikum w.b.t.



As expected, the Laborists again failed to secure victory against our opponents (Freedom fighters and Shabab Cergas). However, this time around we had a full line-up of players from Geelong as they have just finished their contract to complete a mega project in Geelong West.
Overall, we defended well in both matches, with our team keeping a clean sheet against Freedom Fighters (0 - 0) and had it not been for our goalie's fear of trying to stop the strike from one of the players from Shabab Cergas, we could have easily achieved another draw. Unfortunately, the said keeper was too afraid and still inexperienced as he watched the ball passing the goal line. The final score was 0 - 1.

The Oranje finished the season at the bottom of the league table, which I find not surprising. Most of our players are busy working at the construction sites during the weekends. Anyways, I do want to take this opportunity to thank all of the players that have played for this club: Suboh (Captain), Basyir, Amir Farid (Joe), Azlan, Afiq Shazwan, Norman, Kamil (Abang Hensem), Katun (DSAI), Abang Farhan, Hazman, Izul, Firadaus, Ashwal, and Ariff (Manager). May all of us be rewarded for our efforts and intentions.

Before I sign off, I do want to comment about this league in general. First of all, I, on behalf of all the players, staff and supporters at Westside Laborists, would like to thank FAMSY-MSD for having done a wonderful job in initiating and promoting the F2L league this season. It has been a wonderful experience for all players involved this season to get to know each other and building constructive relationships between us muslims. What better way to achieve this target than understanding the true meaning of the motto promoted by the organisers: 'Play As A Muslim'. This reminds me of the concept of 'Total Football' which was made popular by another team with the nickname 'The Oranje'. Total Football was all about playing out of position; a midfielder playing as a striker, a centre back playing as a winger etc. I'm not sure whether there really was a goalkeeper playing as a striker, or vice versa (or perhaps a referee playing as a midfielder). For the Dutch national team, this was not problem as they had numerous talented and versatile players at that time.

I believe Total Football shouldn't be limited to your performance on the field in terms of your passing accuracy, shots on target, or distance covered during the match. It should be more than that. It's about caring for other players, including our opponents. Its about improving the relationship and building bridges by narrowing the gap between us and other players who sometimes we forget are our own brothers. Its about sheer determination and giving your all when you're on the pitch, regardless whether you're good at football or not. And most importantly, its about relishing the spirit of brotherhood, be it among Muslims or non-Muslims. After all, each and everyone of us are all part of the 'brotherhood of mankind'. This is the true essence of 'Play As A Muslim'.

Finally, I want to congratulate the winners of the league this season (Clayton Destiny). To other teams, may we learn from our mistakes and improve the standard and quality of this league next season. This is quite an emotional moment for me as some players in Westside Laborists won't be with us again next season. To those concerned, I wish you guys the best in your career at your new football team. Anyway, let's just move on and try our best to improve our team to pose a serious challenge to the champions next year. I will be really looking forward for next season. 'Till we meet again.....

Wassalam.

The Manager (and Goalkeeper)

Monday, October 13, 2008

Laporan Hari Perlawanan 4 & 5

Assalamualaikum w.b.t.

1. Pasukan Westside Laborist hanya sekadar merangkul 1 mata sahaja daripada 2 perlawanan pada sabtu lepas (11 Oktober 2008). Perlawanan pertama menyaksikan pasukan 'The Oranjé' seri menentang pasukan Bunga Tanjung. Perlawanan minggu ini melibatkan beberapa pemain import iaitu Izul dan Ashwal. Ternyata kedua-dua pemain tersebut memberi kelebihan kepada pasukan kami yang sudahpun memiliki barisan pemain-pemain hebat dan cemerlang.
Westside Laborist menyumbatkan gol pertama perlawanan hasil jaringan Izul dengan kombinasi cantik 1-2-3 bersama Suboh dan Amir Farid manakala benteng pertahanan yang diwakili Afiq Shazwan, Bashir, dan Ash melakukan tugas dengan hebat sekali untuk membolehkan saya selaku penjaga gawang untuk menyimpan tenaga bagi perlawanan berikutnya. Walaubagaimanapun, tuah ternyata tidak menyebelahi kami apabila penyerang veteran Bunga Tanjung, saudara Asrarul Fikri menyamakan kedudukan 1-1 pada minit ke-93. Secara keseluruhan, saya berpuas hati dengan prestasi kedua-dua pasukan yang menunjukkan tahap profesionalisme yang tinggi sepanjang perlawanan berlangsung. Saya ingin merakamkan ucapan tahniah kepada pemain pasukan kita dan juga pihak lawan (terutamanya Asrarul Fikri) serta pengadil perlawanan tersebut, saudara Firadaus.

2. Perlawanan kedua menyaksikan Westside Laborist kalah mengejut kepada pasukan Clayton Destiny yang diketuai saudara Hikbal. Ternyata cuaca panas pada hari tersebut membebankan pemain-pemain pasukan buruh yang sudah terbiasa dengan iklim sejuk luar negara. Penjaga gawang kami turut hilang konsentrasi menjaga gol apabila diusik oleh penyokong-penyokong pihak lawan yang hanya berada tidak sampai 5 kaki dari jaring gol. Di kala beliau sedang asyik melayan kerenah mereka, pihak lawan bijak mengambil peluang dan berjaya meyumbatkan 2 gol pada separuh masa kedua. Walaubagaimanapun, haruslah diakui bahawa penjaga gawang kami masih belum berpengalaman dalam bidang ini dan masih banyak yang harus dipelajari untuk mencapai kehebatan tahap penjaga gol pihak lawan iaitu saudara Imran. Barangkali Imran boleh menagadakan sesi latihan untuk penjaga-penjaga gawang F2L bagi meningkatkan mutu bolasepak liga kita (sekadar cadangan sahaja). Keputusan akhir menentang Clayton Destiny ialah 0-3. Sekali lagi, pemain-pemain kedua-dua belah pihak menunjukkan semangat disiplin yang tinggi. Tahniah saya ucapkan kepada semua!

3. Pasukan kami kini berada di tangga terbawah liga dengan hanya dua perlawanan sebelum liga F2L musim 2008 melabuhkan tirainya. Harapan untuk menjuarai liga dalam musim pertama kami nampak gayanya hanya tinggal harapan. Walaubagaimanapun, saya bersyukur kerana matlamat utama pemain-pemain Westside Laborist untuk merapatkan ukhuwah dengan pemain-pemain pasukan lain tercapai. Juga, motto 'Play as a Muslim' menjadi garis panduan kami sepanjang berlangsungnya liga musim ini. Sekali lagi saya ucapkan tahniah kepada semua.

Sekian, Wassalam.

Pengurus Merangkap Penjaga Gol Tetap Pasukan Westside Laborist

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Ahlan Ya Ramadhan

Assalamualaikum w.b.t.

Saya bagi pihak pasukan Westside Laborists ingin mengucapkan selamat menyambut bulan Ramadhan kepada semua umat Islam. Moga-moga ditingkatkan amalan sepanjang bulan ini.
Ibadah Ramadhan pernah diungkapkan ulama sebagai madrasah ruhiyyah - memupuk pendidikan jiwa dan ruhani agar terbentuk akhlak yang terpuji. Marilah sama-sama kita memeriahkan bulan yang mulia ini dengan aktiviti bertadarus, solat tarawikh, dan sebagainya.

Sekian, wasssalam.

-Pengurus Pasukan Westside Laborist-

Monday, August 25, 2008

Match Report: Westside Laborist vs. Al-Hambra (0 - 5)

Assalamualaikum w.b.t.

We thought we could win big, but it turned out that the exact opposite took place. Westside Laborist suffered a humiliating defeat to F2L underdogs, Al-Hambra, by a scoreline of 5-0. Things didn't really start well, with only 5 players available on Matchday 3. I myself was forced to be included in the lineup, and, haven't fully recovered from the 'curse of the bloody ligament', being the goalkeeper was the only option I had. Anyway, I would like to thank our brave warriors who did manage to make it to the match (Basyir, Joe, Norman, Azlan, and Afiq Shazwan).

With Al-Hambra having a full lineup of 10 players, clearly they had the advantage in numbers. We were short of one player and I had a really tough time finding any player from other teams who is available to be loaned. Then along came a man who goes by the name Firadaus Khazis. Having just playing a part in the thrashing of Bunga Tanjung by a 2 goal margin, Fira, as he is famously known, offered himself as the 'seventh player' for our team. Yes, the player who was the architect of the success of Asadul Aswad in the F2L 2007 season, will now have the privilege to play for Westside Laborist. Having Fira in your lineup is every manager's ultimate dream.The moment Fira expressed his interest to be part of the 'Laborist Experience', I knew we had a good chance of winning this match. Unfortunately, things were not meant to be.

The match started sluggishly, with both teams being cautious and taking a defensive approach. There wasn't really a shot on target in the early minutes after the whistle was blown. Suddenly out of nowhere, Al-Hambra's versatile midfielder, Amal Asrol took a shot on goal from long range and it took me by surprise as I watched the ball roll passing the goal line. Being 1-0 at such an early stage was really demoralising. And the fact that we won't be having any subs was not helping either. Our players started to wear down especially Fira (for obvious reasons). Joe wasn't as sharp as he used to be and our team really started to miss the likes of the other players in the team (Suboh, Hazman, Farhan, Anwarul and Kamil). A few minutes later, Amal increased his tally wih a spectacular goal. By half time, we were 3-0 down and the rest, as they say, is history.

One thing that I would like to highlight from this match is the determination of our players. Trailing by 3 goals and playing with whatever energy you have left against a team who has an advantage in numbers is by no means a small feat. Having this never-say-die attitude among our players really impressed me and, in my view, a victory in itself. So kudos to our warriors who never gave up and fought till the end.

As for next week, its Westside Laborist vs. Bunga Tanjung and I expect to have a full squad to choose from. So we will be back to our best form and for Bunga Tanjung players who are reading this, please do take note of the return of Suboh and the gang. You have been warned.

We're still at the lower end of the table after Matchday 3, though we're not the last. We can still catch up if we manage to grab a win in our remaining matches. I believe the title race will go down to the wire, as was the case for last season. Currently, Al-Ahly is leading the league. No doubt they've done farely well this season but we will never surrender and if we maintain our never-say-die attitude, who knows we can one day humble the Al-Ahly players. There's no such thing as 'giving up' in this club. We may be second from bottom in the league, but one thing for sure, the Laborists will fight, and we'll fight hard. As they say, it ain't over 'till the fat lady sings!!

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Hari yang berulang-ulang setiap tahun berulang lagi semalam

Semalam 10hb Jun 2008 merupakan tarikh hari lahir mr manager Westside Laborist (ikut friendster. Kalau tarikh tu tipu boleh delete post nih).

Walaupun lambat wish, tapi tidak mengapa. Yang penting niat.

Maka dengan itu kami mengucapkan selamat hari lahir buat manager kesatuan buruh MelbourneGeelong, Encik Ariff Izzudin.

Semoga sentiasa mantap dunia akhirat.

Belanjalah sume buruh makan nasi uduk kat esteler. =)

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Kenyataan Media Berhubung Kenaikan Harga Minyak

Assalamualaikum w.b.t. dan salam sejahtera.

Saya selaku wakil Kesatuan Pekerja Melbourne dan Geelong (KPMG) ingin meluahkan perasaan tidak puas hati kami berhubung kenaikan harga minyak sebanyak RM 0.78 kepada RM 2.40 seliter berkuatkuasa 5 Jun yang lalu. Kenaikan harga sebanyak 40% ini agak melampau memandangkan ia dilakukan secara sekaligus dan bukannya secara berperingkat. Tindakan pihak-pihak tertentu yang mengurangkan subsidi minyak secara mengejut ini benar-benar membuatkan kami terkejut.

Memang benar, dengan keadaan ekonomi global yang tidak menentu dan harga minyak mentah dunia yang kian meningkat sehingga mencecah paras USD 130 setong, harga minyak domestik juga pasti akan naik suatu ketika nanti. Namun, kenaikan tersebut haruslah secara berperingkat supaya rakyat mempunyai masa untuk bersiap-bersedia menghadapi harga minyak yang tinggi. Dalam PRU ke-12 yang lalu, seorang timbalan perdana menteri telah mengeluarkan kenyataan bahawa harga minyak tidak akan naik untuk tahun 2008. Walaupun kami telah termakan dengan janji manisnya, namun kami dari KPMG akan tetap menyokong parti beliau. Ya, 'Dulu, Kini dan Selamanya' akan kami sokong walaupun kami telah ditipu bulat-bulat.

Kami turut ingin meluahkan rasa terkilan kami kerana menteri-menteri memberikan pendapat yang bercanggah mengenai nilai sebenar subsidi minyak yang ditanggung kerajaan. Dato' Shahrir Samad, Menteri Perdagangan dan hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri, mendakwa bahawa kerajaan menanggung beban subsidi minyak sebanyak RM 56 billion. Kelmarin pula, Menteri Kewangan Kedua, Dato' Nor Mohamad Yakcop mengatakan subsidi minyak sekadar RM28 billion. Dan kita masih ingat lagi tahun lepas, seorang menantu kepada menteri perdana mengatakan bahawa nilai subsidi minyak oleh kerajaan ialah sebanyak RM 35 billion. Walaubagaimanapun, menurut Laporan Kewangan Kerajaan 2007, anggaran keseluruhan subsidi bagi tahun 2007 adalah RM12 billion. Pekerja-pekerja di Melbourne dan Geelong sangat mengambil serius percanggahan pendapat ini kerana menurut apa yang kami belajar, 56≠28≠35≠12. Tambahan pula, jika benar nilai-nilai ini adalah jumlah subsidi yang ditanggung oleh kerajaan, ke mana pula perginya baki hasil pendapatan bersih Petronas sebanyak hampir RM80 billion setahun? Bagaimana pula dengan hasil pendapatan dari kutipan tol?

Secara keseluruhannya, kerajaan harus menjawab persoalan-persoalan ini yang sedang bermain di fikiran rakyat. Jika tidak di fikiran rakyat pun, sekurang-kurangnya di fikiran kami pekerja-pekerja di KMPG. Ahli-ahli persatuan kami merupakan golongan yang terkesan secara langsung berikutan pengumuman kenaikan harga minyak tempoh hari. Sudah pasti tindakan kami untuk menaikkan harga barangan akan mendapat tentangan hebat dari pelanggan walaupun semua pihak sedia maklum kos penghasilan sudah meningkat. Sebagai contoh, seorang ahli tetap kami merupakan penebar roti canai terkenal di Bangi. Pada pertengahan tahun 2006, ketika kerajaan 'selesai' menaikkan harga minyak, penebar roti canai tersebut yang lebih selesa dengan gelaran 'Anwar' (bukan Anwar Ibrahim), turut menaikkan harga roti canai dari RM 0.80 sekeping kepada RM 1.00. Akibatnya, restoran beliau telah diboikot oleh penduduk-penduduk di Bandar Baru Bangi. Nasib yang sama turut menimpa seorang lagi ahli gerakan kami yang merupakan tukang masak kari handalan dari Ipoh, Encik MKS. Oleh yang demikian, saya merayu agar pihak-pihak yang terbabit menimbang semula keputusan untuk menaikkan harga minyak secara mendadak yang jelas menambah derita rakyat negara kita.

Sekian, wassalam.

Friday, May 16, 2008

N e x t M a t c h

Tomorrow will mark yet another historical match...


Even though without Mark Luther (Deakin Uni lecturer)...


Or mark the paper...


But another match...


Westside Laborists vs Al-Hambra



Hopefully we will give our best for tomorrow...



See in court....!!(recited by Karpal Singh)