The year 1995. I called it 'The Year of Examination'. Four formal examinations would be sat by my family members. Four legal certificates would add into the collection. First, Zidni was sitting for his UPSR in late July, then Malini would sit for her PMR beginning October 25, followed by Rubaini for her SPM beginning November 26. But the most important series of examination was to be sat by their mother at Kajang Maternity Specialist Centre, her tummy that was for our seventh kid. Not the least worth of mentioning was Alyani, who would be getting her ABIM TASKI certificate (and one would be for me too, thanking me for sending her to TASKI). The first to get their results was the kids mother who born another contending boy in the morning of August 4. We named him Ahmad Ashbihani. Next Zidni, then Malini, all were to our wish. Rubaini's results would not be known until next year. Actually we were so much blessed this year.
 Apr 1989 |  Feb 1992 |  Aug 1995 |
UKM celebrated it 25th Anniversary, officially launched on January 3, Tuesday in DECTAR. There was an exhibition to accompany the celebration, miniature in size relative to the one held in 1991 (20th Year Anniversary), but Chitin Group did not participate. Since Dr Arisol left last July, the group admittedly took a pause to regain a new momentum. It first kicking was on Tuesday February 5, 1130 hr when I appeared on TVI telling that chitosan is environmentally friendly for treating domestic water and as effective as alum which was known to caused Alzheimer over a long period of time. But I was extremely busy myself even without the group 'road show' performances.
First, I had the proceeding to complete, the papers presented in the Asia Pacific Chitin Chitosan Symposium last May had to be compiled into a book to be published by UKM Press, and handled it single-handed since late last year until its CRC submission on February 7, using the DTP I bought with my own money, while three others were actually 'honorary' editors. The proceeding was published in late May, and abstracted and published by the American Chemical Society's Chemical Abstract in December.
Secondly, I was approached by the DBP editor En Zakaria Abdullah to write chemistry textbooks for Pre-University students, which I deliriously pleased in accepting it. However, this project had evaporated when late in the year DBP shelved all publication of higher learning books, and a reshuffle in the management personnel resulting in En Zakaria no longer in charge of its progress. I had no rapport with the new person in charge.
Thirdly, I had the 'Ekperimen Kimia Polymer' to be compiled and published to carry the UKM 25-Years tag. It was finally published on the 25-years celebration vote, after a choppy handling in the deanery.
Fourth, another book, Chitin Group Profile to be published to substantiate the establishment of Chitin Excellence Centre. It was published too on the same vote, and I took it to the special senate meeting on September 25, discussing the prima facie of Chitin Excellence Centre, in which the professors amused themselves with the chitin projects to the extend that even one very high rank academic administrator bravely connoted that 'nothing could be done on chitin since its research had completed'.
Fifth and final, IRPA RM7 proposal which had to be submitted in order to revitalized the group. After many meetings with the group members and arduous paper works, the mega-ringgit proposals was thrown into the dustbin at the faculty level without even the courtesy of a word of reply saying why it was dustbined.
The minor items included monitoring Zainal Abidin Harahap for his PhD viva on June 12, and Harry Agusnar, the student I was made to care-take from Dr Arisol for his PhD viva on August 24. Zainal got through with normal nominal corrections. Prof Idris in USM was the examiner. His doctorate was conferred in the 23rd Convocation on August 6 which I attended. He and his family paid me his last (and absolutely last!) visit on Sunday night August 20 before returning to assume lectureship in Universiti Shiah Kuala, Banda Acheh, Indonesia. Harry unfortunately met with a serious hitch of experimental inadequacy. Assoc Prof Wan Ramli from USM was his examiner. He was made to retain and may consume another year with the supervision transferred to a committee chaired by the Head of Department.
On June 9, a ceremony was held in DKU for the Chairman of the UKM Council to confer appreciation token to UKM staff who reported duty in 1974, supposedly 20 years service medal in the form of a home-made appreciation certificate and a gold-coloured plated Seiko wrist watch. I was one of the recipient.
