MZULKIFLI.COM

Hello From Hanoi!

2009-11-17T01:01:00.001+08:00

Yup folks, I'm Vietnam. For work, of course.

So far it's been quite interesting. Never been here before, so still getting used to the sights and, um, smells.

Traffic is as described by many. In one word: Chaotic.

Weather is nice though. It's nice and chilly and a jacket is required.

Full report when I come home.

The 7 Coolest Things Of The Past 7 Days

2009-11-01T20:50:00.007+08:00

1. Michael Jackson’s THIS IS IT makes its world premiere
Watch this genius piece of film, people!

2. Adam Lambert reveals album cover
d&%5E5*#h%6... is all I can say, really.
...

3. The Internet turns 40
Pah. Overrated, this Internet business. Hehe. I’m kidding of course…

4. Anna Kournikova in KL!
In a baju kurung, no less. Looks like a “menantu” any mom would approve, doesn’t she?

...

5. Robert Pattinson underwear
Seriously! It’s a truly twisted world we live in now…
...
6. The Abu Dhabi F1 Circuit
Seriously, it looks like a slice of Mars with cars racing on it. Outstanding.

7. Britney’s 3 music video
Watch it here. You might want to keep it away from kids though.

The Perth Experience

2009-10-27T19:00:00.010+08:00

...

Ah, Perth. What a perfect holiday we had there last week. Beautiful sights, friendly people, nice weather… we simply couldn’t ask for more.

Perth’s a city with 1.65 million people, and I think they must be among the happiest lot on the planet. No wonder they’re generous with their greetings and do not stare at us for looking different.
.....

Our days were filled with leisurely walks and photo snapping (LOADS of photo snapping) and stress was literally an alien concept.

Our favourite sights and places? Well, Swan River was spectacular.
...

And Kings Park, which was really near our hotel, was awesome. For flora and photography lovers, this place is a must.
...

The shopping district of Hay and Murray streets were cool as well with loads of nice little shops and stuff to eat.
...

Oh yeah, we also took a river cruise to Fremantle, the port city with loads to offer. On top of the list was a Submarine Tour! Yup, for AUD$8, you get to go inside a sub and experience the claustrophobia first hand! And the seafood at the Fremantle Harbour was finger lickin’ good.
...

So yeah, Perth was simply perfect. No need for a thousand words on this, just look and look again at the pictures!

The 7 Coolest Things Of The Past 7 Days

2009-10-19T23:31:00.004+08:00

1. UFO-shaped cloud spotted in Moscow
Man, the world is just getting creepier by the day.

...

2. 100-year old woman in Australia breaks shot putt record at World Masters Games
She threw it for 13 feet 4.2inches. That’s 13 feet more than you unfit bums out there!

3. AirAsia MotoGP team launched
Next up for Tony Fernandes: Applying for “King of the World” job.

4. Susan Boyle album cover revealed
Good decision on keeping those wrinkles.

...

5. Baloon Boy... bla bla bla
Boy, this 15-minutes of fame thingy is fast turning criminal now.

6. Button is F1 world champion!
The ultimate Zero to Hero, this guy.

7. GQ assures that January Jones’s hu-hus are real
But do you really care? Like you have a real shot at touching the merchandise, right?

...

MPB Raya Meriah!

2009-10-19T16:09:00.003+08:00

So today we had the annual Media Prima Hari Raya Open House at Sri Pentas. And as usual, it was awesomely meriah with loads of marvelous food on the menu.

...

...
Our own company Alt Media had a stall called ‘Gua Punya Cupcakes’ where we served up – you guessed it – Cupcakes. And since 1Malaysia was the theme (what else?), we custom ordered cupcakes with cute little Malaysians as icing on top.

...

...
And the cupcakes were a definite hit as we ran out merely an hour after the stall was opened. It was also good catching up with colleagues whom you don't get to see on a daily basis although they're just around the corner.

...

Meanwhile, the evening session saw clients and celebs enjoying the atmosphere and entertainment. My favourite bit? Mee Rebus Baidali! Enuff said.

"Pisau Cukur" Premiere

2009-10-17T12:39:00.003+08:00

...

So a couple of nights ago, I attended the premiere of "Pisau Cukur", an 'urban' comedy, at the Cineleisure, The Curve. And I must say it was a well put together event with a very good turnout....

...

The movie itself was pretty good, and I must give an "A" for the acting and "B" for the story. So make sure you catch it starting Nov 5th!

Green Day Coming!

2009-10-13T20:53:00.003+08:00

Well, to Singapore, but close enough. And so, on January 14th next year, one of my biggest dreams will come true; to watch Billie Joe perform in the flesh. The best part? I'm making this an office trip! Uh huh. The bus to Singapore is right next door, so the plan is to hop on the coach the day of the gig, have a rockin' good time and hitch hike back to KL. Punk mah...

...

The 7 Coolest Things Of The Past 7 Days

2009-10-12T19:59:00.005+08:00

1. US President Barrack Obama wins the Nobel Peace Prize
Maybe he should now be the MCA President as well…

2. Marge Simpson to be on the cover of an upcoming Playboy issue
The magazine says having Marge on the cover is something “the 20-something crowd would be into”. Funny, I thought the 20-something crowd would be into ACTUAL boobs and stuff.

...

3. Fasha Sandha finally getting married!
Well, not quite. Maybe next week, or the week after, or the week after that...

4. Miley Cyrus quits Twitter because of boyfriend
Now, there’s a relationship problem we never saw coming…

5. Heidi Klum will finally take husband’s Seal, Samuel surname
So she’ll be Heidi Samuel? That sounds soo boring lah.

6. Paris smooches a chimp
Frogs, chimps… she will kiss them all.

...

7. Simon Cowell turns 50!
And releases a series of fragrances that will leave your man boobs smelling fresh all day.

Cameras To Roll In January...

2009-10-08T21:57:00.004+08:00

Oh yes, shooting for the movie I co-wrote will finally start in January 2010. Hurrah!

Casting has not been finalised, but we pretty much know who we want for the roles. The hero will be someone famous making his acting debut, while the rest will be somewhat familiar faces with tons of talent.

Meanwhile, I've started writing my second movie screenplay and I'm having a blast. This one will be "Malaysian" in every way and has the Mamak special as the central theme. Not merely the backdrop or main location, but the whole story will be based on this popular Malaysian pop culture icon.

It's been really exciting so far as scenes just keep popping up in my head, although major revision on the dialogue will be needed once I get totally in tune with Mamak jargons and nuances.

More updates coming soon...

The 7 Coolest Things Of The Past 7 Days

2009-10-05T07:20:00.001+08:00

1. Rio wins Olympics 2016
A month of sports and parties by the beach in Brazil? We're in!

2. David Letterman apparently had sex with staff member
Man, he wasn’t kidding with all the Viagra jokes!

3. First clown goes into space
No, it’s not George Bush, but Cirque du Soleil owner Guy Laliberte.

...

4. Lady GaGa cancels gig tour with Kanye West
Smart girl, she obviously doesn’t want to get interrupted all the time.

5. Transformers to return with 3rd film in 2011
With double the ‘pout power’ by Ms Fox. We hope!

6. Kate Beckinsale is named Sexiest Woman Alive by Esquire mag
Based on this photographic evidence, it’s hard to disagree…

...

7. Russell Brand and Katy Perry are officially a couple
Their cute Hollywood combo name? “Plain F******* Crazy”.

The 7 Coolest Things Of The Past 7 Days

2009-09-28T19:04:00.004+08:00

1. The Emmys rock!
But imagine how awesome-r it would have been with Ricky Gervais hosting!

2. Khloe Kardashian and NBA star Lamar Odom tie the knot
After only three weeks of courtship! The things people do for ratings these days…

...

3. Titanic up for a 3-D re-release
Just edit out the close-ups of old Rose, ok?

4. Liverpool on a hot winning streak
And we don't need any "injury time" to do it!

5. Pamela Anderson in big debt, owes USD1.2m
Let’s start a fund for Pam! Come on guys, you know we owe her one way or another…

6. Enrique Iglesias and Anna Kournikiva to finally wed
This is sooo exciting. If it was 2002, that is.

7. Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel to climb Mount Kilimanjaro for a good cause
The good cause? To stick it to Brad and Angie, apparently…

Hollywood Calling...

2009-09-27T00:21:00.002+08:00

Someone asked me sometime ago, why do I have a picture of the Hollywood sign on my main blog banner up there? Take a look; you see it as well, right?

Well, the honest answer is that it was done more out of convenience. I wanted to have a custom banner sometime back, and I did try out a couple of other images (including one of me in front of Hard Rock Café Bangkok), but somehow I couldn’t get the size right.

Then I tried this image, and it turned out OK.

...

But now, I’d like to think that it’s become a clear sign of ambition. Of what, you ask? Well, for me to make it there. Yes, “there” meaning Hollywood.

OK, have your laugh. NOW, can I explain further?

Like I’ve mentioned a couple of times here, screenwriting is a passion I have found this past one year. I’ve been writing other stuff all my life, but only recently did I take the time to fully learn and understand the finer points of the art of screenwriting.

In late 2007, I conceptualized the story of ‘Kerana Karina’, Malaysia’s first-ever online drama on gua.com.my. KK also had 2 other sequels, but all three scripts were written by someone else.

But when an idea of mine was considered good enough to be made into a movie last year, it started the screenwriting ball rolling for me and my partner in crime for this particular project, Izham.

That particular screenplay is already done, and earlier this year, I wrote solo and came up with ‘Mingguan Lelaki’, which can be viewed here.

And currently, I’ve got a couple more projects on the plate that should be completed by the end of the year.

So, back to the Hollywood thingy… Well, that’s what I’m aiming for, to put it simply. Maybe I’ll sell a full screenplay or just a story idea, but the goal is quite straightforward really.

Aiming too high? Maybe. But so far in life I’ve achieved quite a number of things I never thought I would; like being in the Juara Lagu finals (twice), editing a national newspaper and having a book published.

Hollywood might be a tad loftier, but why the hell not? I’ve written lyrics to music by this composer Zuraini, and the girl has actually won a Grammy. A Grammy!

At this point of my life, what good is it to aim local and be contented with that? So folks, do watch this space. It might take a while, but I sure as hell will give it my best shot…

Selamat Hari Raya!

2009-09-20T00:46:00.000+08:00

GUA Dah 2 Tahun TVC

2009-09-18T22:20:00.000+08:00

Yeah, I'll Wear This...

2009-09-13T23:52:00.004+08:00

After some 17 years, I will finally get to wear a Liverpool jersey again! Oh yes, the announcement has been made that the Reds will be getting a new jersey sponsor, Standard Chartered, who will be paying GBP20m for the next four years for the privilage of having its logo on the chests of Gerarrd and co.

...

...
Which is excellent news for fans such as myself who wouldn't wear the Carlsberg-logoed kit all these years. I've bought plenty of team t-shirts, but not the actual jersey. Hey, I've got principles ok?

But all that is gonna change come the 2010/11 with Standard Chartered in the fray. And because I've missed out for so long, I might just buy 11 pieces with different names on the back. Just don't expect to see VORONIN though...

GUA Turns 2 In Style!

2009-09-13T18:03:00.010+08:00

Oh what a night it was last Friday! Gua.com.my turned two and we celebrated it in style. Held at the Dewan Tun Rahah, Menara Yayasan Tun Razak, the buka puasa do saw a good turn out by partners, artists, gua members and especially the media.

...

...
Cheryl Samad was the host and guests were treated to performances by Shila, Tomok and the two Aliffs, Aliff Satar and Aliff Aziz (the dude currently mired in a kissing controversy). But even more special were the sketches and musicals that the Alt Media staff put together. It was my idea to get the guys on stage and boy did they deliver.

...

Feedback from most guests was that our guys really rocked! And it was evident to everyone as well what a great and talented team we have.

...

The evening though started off rather slow. Traffic outside was a nightmare, and that caused most of the guests to be barely on time or slightly late. But once everyone tucked into the excellent food and the chatter began, the atmosphere was festive and simply electric.

...

Oh yeah, we even had a lucky draw and gave away some nice goodies including MP3 players, a camera, DVD players, a Canon printer and Cosmopolitan goodie bags.

...

We gave away tokens of appreciation to members of the media as well who turned out in force including those from Utusan, Melodi, Kosmo!, MHI, Remaja, Breakfast Show, Media Hiburan, Cosmopolitan, EH!, In Trend and banyak lagi lah!

Apart from the abovementioned, other celebs who turned up included Fazren Rafey, Maya Karin, Imran Ajmain, Amylea, the Jelma cast, GUA hosts Ben Ibrahim and Adrea etc.

...

And finally we had the obligatory cake-cutting ceremony and loads of cam-whoring afterwards.

...

Thanks to everyone who made the event a success! And be sure to continue to support Malaysia’s No1 entertainment and lifestyle portal, gua.com.my!

GUA Turns 2 Today!

2009-09-11T00:06:00.007+08:00

Yes, it's been two years of blood (some, really!), sweat (loads) and tears (a couple, maybe). But most importantly, it's been one fun and damn satisfying ride.

And I'm happy to report that gua.com.my has firmly established iself as the leading Malaysian online entertainment and lifestyle brand. Says who? Well, says Comscore, the Nielsen of online.

For most months this year, gua.com.my has led the rankings, leaving the rest (they know who they are), eating cyber dust. Oh yes, I have no qualms telling the rest to, you know, Suck It.

The success of course has to be attributed to our fantastic and talented team. Thanks also to the bunch of scandalous artistes who constantly help to keep our gossip pages flaming hot. So, hurrah for the scandalous lot!

...

Having said all that, there's still a lot of work to be done. For one, competition is getting stiffer by the day. More and more entertainment "portals" are popping up, most of which shamelessly steal our content while breaking a host of other laws. But hey, we know how things roll these days and we're down with that (for now)...

And then there's the constant need to improve our own stuff, which our guys are totally committed to. So while it's been an incredible two years, look out for major changes coming in these next few months that will move our bar from great to awesome.

So thanks for all the support peeps! There's gonna be a cool buka puasa do tonight and I'll be sure to post up the photos later. Cheers!

You’re Not Really A Football Fan, If…

2009-09-04T14:37:00.004+08:00

… you call football “soccer”.

… your reply to the question, “what is your favourite team?”, is: “I QUITE like Spurs”.

… you support “Brazil” – even in the EPL.

… you go to a mamak on a Saturday night, and ask them to switch the channel to HBO.

… you only check the weekend matches results on TUESDAY.

… you need to ask what the default jersey colour of Liverpool is.

… you watch it if there’s nothing else on TV.

… you have enough sleep during World Cup month.

… you get your footie info from HOT and GALAXIE magazines.

… you support TEAMS, and not any team in particular.

… you support the LEAGUE, and not the teams.

… you describe a football player (any football player), as “cute”.

… you ask if Steve Archibald is still playing.

… you subscribe to the Mustika package, but not the sports package.

… you don’t go crazy during bloody International Week.

… you put up stickers of BOTH Man U and Liverpool on your car.
...

Happy Merdeka Everyone!

2009-08-31T13:00:00.000+08:00

Yes I'm Writing More...

2009-08-28T12:53:00.004+08:00

Ironic ain't it that after posting about me wanting to write more here, I've acually written LESS.

But really, I HAVE been writing more. But only to serve my flaming new passion: screenwriting. Not sure if I've mentioned this, but for the past few weeks, I've been working on developing a sitcom. The script for the pilot is done, and now I'm putting together the powerpoint to present to a TV station next Wednesday. Oh yes, this shit is for real.

What's also real is an impending career change for me (so dramatic, huh?). I've thought long and hard about stuff, and this desire to simply tell stories to the whole wide world is slowly overriding all other goals that used to consume me.

To write is what I wanna do, and so it shall be. Movies, TV shows, short films... I'm just bursting with ideas and I simply can't wait to get cracking. Wish me luck!

Ramadhan/Raya Greetings Have Begun!

2009-08-25T12:48:00.003+08:00

I don’t know when they first started doing it, but I've always looked forward to reading Ramadhan/Raya greetings from overseas Malaysians. They don’t usually say anything original, but when I was younger, these greetings became somewhat of an inspiration to me – “Wah, pakai baju melayu main snow, best nya!!!”

So it’s kinda cool that the papers have already started running the greetings. They put a smile on my face, and a couple have made me chuckle:

This brader basically wishes everyone back home Selamat Menyambut Ramadhan, WHILE HOLDING A DRINK

...

...
These kids don’t look happy at all, do they? They might as well hold up a sign that says “HELP US”

...

Ramadhan Is Here!

2009-08-21T17:54:00.000+08:00

Can’t wait for Ramadhan to begin. Sure I need to lose some weight, but the most important thing is to snap up as much of God’s ‘goodies’ during this period of time.

And yes, I just want to see and feel a better world out there, where people don’t lie and slander each other like nobody’s business on a daily basis. I mean, do you actually think all this negative energy is doing the country any good? It’s tiring lah.

Let’s do our jobs. Talk less. Submit to God. Sounds like a plan, no?

Here We Go!

2009-08-14T18:53:00.000+08:00

So I know, it's kind of funny that despite being a huge footie fan, I hardly blog about it. Well, all that's gonna change now. Especially since I strongly believe that the team I've supported since I was a dot on an ultrasound scan, Liverpool, will win the EPL trophy this season.

Yeah, yeah, I've heard all the arguments about how last year was The Reds' best chance to win it, but being written off this year will prove to be a blessing in disguise. The Shebbys and Masefields can go on worshipping Man U (hello, the graph on the jersey already showing how they'll be a flop this season) and Chelsea, Gerrard and co will sneak it this season with a couple of games to spare. Yes, that is an OFFICIAL PREDICTION, folks...

...

Of course Rafa has to do a couple of things:

1. Play the BEST 11 from the start EVERY BLOODY TIME. Failure to do this resulted in those stupid draws against the Stokes and whatnots. Bring on the reserves only when the game is won, comprende?

2. FORGET ABOUT THE CUPS. Let the smaller clubs battle it out for the Champions League and all that shit. FOCUS. ON. THE. FREAKING. LEAGUE.

What about mega rich Man City, you ask? Well, they'll win the title sometime in the future, no doubt, but before that happens, The Reds will keep the trophy for a couple of years.

Here we go!

Watch 8TV On Your Mobile!

2009-08-08T16:23:00.003+08:00

Peeps, now you can watch your favourite 8TV programmes like 'I Wanna Be A Model' and 'Blogger Boy' on your mobile phone. Not just teasers or trailers, but FULL EPISODES just like the online version.

...

A simple yet meriah launch was held on the 5th at the Platinum Suite, Cineleisure to announce this and a couple of other upcoming mobile initiatives, including a full-fledged GUA mobile site. So watch this space!

...

All you need to do to watch is go to mobile.8tv.com.my and follow the instructions. It's a free service (data charges apply), so try it out now!

The 7 Coolest Things Of The Past 7 Days

2009-08-03T08:45:00.008+08:00

1. Michael Schumacher returns to F1
I still hate his guts, but the sport needs a baddie badly.

2. The Biggest Loser comes to Asia
Unfortunately, it’s still not a show about politicians…

3. Eminem feuds with Mariah & Nick
Is it a winnable fight? One is a Canon, while the other has a couple of BIG guns…

4. Kim Kardashian is single again
Revealing yourself to be a bitch on TV is really not a good thing.

5. Madonna has bionic arms
We knew she wasn't human, but this is ridiculous...

...

6. Richard Branson shows off the WhiteKnightTwo
This baby was built to launch a ship into space. Definitely not a low-cost initiative.

...

7. New iPhone 3G S launched!
It’s the Nerd economy these days, ain’t it?