17 SEPTEMBER 2011 - 7 DAYS BEFORE MY GRADUATION DAY

FINALLY, IN 3 YEARS MY PHD THESIS IS COMPLETED....DR AZMIZAM ABDUL RASHID

This is the best moment in my life. Finally I completed my PhD thesis in 3 years. Syukur sangat berjaya juga siapkan Ist draf tesis pada 15 Ogos 2010, 2nd draf pada 15 Oktober 2011 to my supervisors  dan final submission to deanery office pada 16 Disember 2010. Berkat usaha, tumpuan sepenuhnya kepada kerja-kerja penyelidikan dan doa keluarga terutama isteri tersayang ZUL'AINI ZULKIFLI dan kedua ibubapa aku. Akhirnya aku dapat menyiapkan tesis ini tepat pada waktunya. Ucapan setinggi-tinggi terima kasih kepada kedua-dua penyelia saya Prof Madya Dr Hamzah Jusoh dan Prof Madya Dr Jalaluddin Abdul Malek yang banyak menyumbang idea untuk proses penyelidikan PhD ini . Merekla berdua tidak jemu-jemu memberi ulasan dan pandangan yang membina pada setiap bab dalam tesis ini.


       Tidak lupa juga kepada rakan-rakan di JPBD  yang sentiasa memberi semangat dan panduan semasa penyelidikan PhD dijalankan. Begitu juga dengan rakan-rakan rapat yang lain. Sekurang-kurangnya aku tidak mensia-siakan duit rakyat untuk melanjutkan pengajian PhD ini. Sekarang kena fikirkan sesuatu untuk menyumbangkan ilmu dan pengalaman ini untuk bangsa dan negara. Tesis ini disiapkan tanpa permohonan melanjutkan masa pengajian kepada Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) untuk 4 tahun atau 5 tahun berbanding dengan rakan-rakan lain yang mengambil masa lebih dari 3 tahun hingga 4 tahun untuk menyiapkan tesis mereka.


        Ada juga rakan seangkatanku yang masih belum menyiapkan tesis PhD mereka hingga sekarang. Kenapa agaknya? Jika difikirkan semula melalui pengalaman rakan-rakan kakitangan Jabatan Kerajaan yang cuti belajar untuk melanjutkan pengajian PhD mereka walaupun sudah lebih 4 tahun di UKM. Dalam kotak fikiran mereka "Aku dapat cuti belajar ini tak adalah kena transfer ke bahagian lain atau ke jabatan negeri yang lain atau aku nak berehat secukupnya semasa cuti belajar lepas setahun baru start PhD atau nak duduk rumah jer boleh menonton rancangan TV kegemaranku atau dengan duit biasiswa ini boleh guna untuk renovate rumah".


         Aku nak bagi petua berdasarkan kepada pengalaman aku mengenai 'don't and do' dalam menjalani kehidupan sebagai pelajar PhD di UKM, pertama tanamkan dulu minat yang mendalam 'heart and soul' sebagai penyelidik dalam jiwa kita yang ingin menyambung pengajian dalam PhD.  PhD adalah proses penyelidikan untuk membuktikan perkaitan sesuatu teori kepada permasalahan kajian (reseach question). Adakah perkaitan itu benar atau tidak? PhD bukanlah sesuatu penulisan berbentuk laporan kajian biasa sahaja seperti mana  amalan biasa kita lakukan di jabatan. Penyelidikan PhD itu perlu dibentuk melalui analisis deskriptif and inferensi serta setiap bab itu perlu dijalinkan dengan kemas dan cantik. Kedua, buangkan sifat-sifat ego dan sombong, jangan hanya tahu mengarah itu dan ini lagaknya  seperti seorang CEO. Hormatilah penyelia kita sebagai guru, pembimbing dan sahabat kita. Ketiga, jangan sentiasa biarkan diri anda dalam keadaan selesa sebagai kakitangan kerajaan. Setiap bahan rujukan perlu dicari dan dianalisis dengan bijaksana (wisdom). Amalkan teknik 5W 1H untuk menjawab setiap persoalan dalam sumber rujukan.  Jangan jadikan sumber rujukan di internet sebagai rujukan mudah untuk "cut and paste". Keempat, jangan hanya pandai bercakap seolah-olah kita tahu segalanya  dan mencurahkan idea sahaja tanpa menterjemahkannya dalam bentuk penulisan yang penuh dengan "critical thinking".  Kelima, sentiasa merendah diri, jangan menganggap kita yang paling pandai dalam dunia ini, sebenarnya ada orang lain yang lebih pandai dari kita. Kadang-kadang orang yang tak ambil PhD pun lagi pandai dari kita. Akhir sekali, selalulah berkongsi ilmu dengan rakan-rakan yang sama-sama menjalankan penyelidikan PhD. Jangan kedekut ilmu. Selalu membantu rakan-rakan kita yang lain dalam proses penyelidikan walaupun bidang penyelidikan PhD mereka berlainan. Saya percaya "JIKA KITA SENTIASA MEMPERMUDAHKAN URUSAN ORANG LAIN, INSYALLAH ALLAH AKAN MEMPERMUDAHKAN URUSAN KITA".


          Pengalaman yang tidak boleh dilupakan sepanjang 3 tahun di UKM adalah berpeluang menjalani program 'attachment' di Global City Network and Globalization (GaWC), Loughborough University, United Kingdom selama 3 bulan mulai 22 September 2009 hingga 24 Disember 2009. Program ini  ditaja sepenuhnya oleh JPA. Pada mulanya aku berat hati nak sertai program ini takut mengganggu proses penyelidikan PhD aku. 3 bulan macam-macam benda aku boleh buat di Malaysia. Rupanya sangkaan aku meleset sama sekali. Aku berpeluang bekerjasama dan berkongsi pengalaman penyelidikan ini  di bawah penyeliaan Prof Dr Peter Taylor, Prof Dr Kathy Pain dan Dr John Harrison. Banyak perkongsian ilmu bersama mereka untuk memantapkan tesis PhD aku ini. Rakan-rakan dari negara-negara lain yang sedang menjalankan penyelidikan PhD dalam bilik siswazah di GaWC juga banyak membantu aku. Pengalaman 3 bulan di sana tidak sia-sia begitu sahaja. Segala peluang yang ada untuk menambahbaik tesis aku telah gunakan sebaik mungkin.


          Di Loughborough University juga aku berpeluang membentangkan kertas kerja aku mengenai "Efficient Urban Governance Towards Economic Competitiveness in Kuala Lumpur City-Region" di Delft University, Nertherland pada 24 - 27 November 2009. Di sana juga aku berpeluang berkenalan dan berkongsi pengalaman dengan ramai rakan-rakan dari negara Eropah yang sedang menjalankan penyelidikan PhD. Terima kasih kepada Pusat Pengurusan Siswazah (PPS), UKM dan Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan (FSSK) UKM yang menaja tiket penerbangan dan yuran pendaftaran seminar ini. Terima kasih kepada Prof Dr Hazita Azman dan kedua-dua penyelia aku yang banyak menyokong dan membantu menjayakan program 'attachment' ini.

          Apabila aku kembali ke Malaysia, aku rasa lebih yakin dengan tesis aku ini yang boleh dianggap sebagai tesis PhD dan bersedia untuk viva. Aku telah melalui proses penyelidikan bermula pada 28 Disember 2008 - 26 Disember 2010. Pada 27 Disember 2010 aku mula lapor diri di JPBD dan 4 Januari 2011 aku ditempatkan di Bahagian Penyelidikan dan Pembangunan JPBD. Sekarang ini aku telah bergelar DR AZMIZAM BIN ABDUL RASHID.Walau bagaimana aku sentiasa berdoa kepada Allah s.w.t semoga aku dijauhi dengan sifat-sifat sombong dan riak. Aku takut kenikmatan yang dikurniakan oleh Allah s.w.t akan ditarik dengan sekelip mata.

MY LATEST CV

MyTOWNnet RESEARCHERS DIRECTORY
http://issuu.com/anwar_townplan/docs/dr_azmizam_2011?mode=a_p

MALAYSIAN TOWN PLANNING RESEARCH NETWORK

Research and Development Division, Federal Department of Town and Country Planning has created a Malaysian Town Planning Research Network (MyTOWNnet) website. MyTOWNnet aims to increase knowledge exchange between planning educators, researchers and practitioners. Its purpose is to:

1. Highlight current and proposed research in planning education and practice;

2. Develop international communication in research and educational activity;

3. Promote the exchange of information;

4. Explore new methods of planning education and knowledge development;

5. Encourage the examination of planning theory against practice;

6. Provide a sounding board for futures thinking and innovation; and

7. Support new planning researchers.

MyTOWNnet is open to anyone with an active role in planning and related to policy making, research and education. The website address is http://mytownnet.blogspot.com/. The network will promote Think Tank  and Research Capacity Development to act as sounding boards to allows urban and regional policy makers, researcher and practitioners to get feedback and advice on key issues around urban/rural futures, strategic research and policy issues. Therefore, MyTOWNnet encouraging the investment in knowledge and sharing of information within government and the academic community.

VISITING LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN SABAH AND SARAWAK 19 - 22 JULY 2011 - DATA COLLECTION FOR MURNInet TEST RUN

Dewan Bandaraya Kuching Utara Puan Maggie and her MURNInet team. Thank you for your support.

Fruitful discussion to enhance MURNInet Portal and indicators.

Mr Jafri of DBKU ....Mr Chairman of the meeting. Thank you for your supporting and hospitality.

Our dedicated team leader Puan Shinie flying with MASWING to Sandakan. Our next mission to meet Puan Faridah of Majlis Perbandaran Sandakan

Me and Faisal master MURNInet Portal

Our core team posing with MASWING

Sandakan Town view from MASWING

Azizi, one of our group member

Our team ready to the next mission Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu

PLANNING GUIDELINE FOR GATED AND GUARDED NEIGHBOURHOOD FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING - 14 JULY 2011

 PRESENTATION FOR CURRENT LEGAL AND PRACTICAL ISSUES ON LAND DEVELOPMENT IN MALAYSIA AT DEWAN TAN SRI ABDUL KADIR YUSOF ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OF CHAMBERS, PUTRAJAYA

 

MY BATTLEFIELD...PHD VIVA 30 JUNE 2011

30 minutes before the viva....ready with facts and figure to defend my thesis



The battlefield scenario in Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, UKM Meeting Room



My supervisors will not with me during my viva presentation



Ready to defend my thesis



My slides presentation and draft thesis

My slides presentation

30 minutes before my presentation, my supervisions will discuss with the external examiner

Associate Profesor Dr Hamzah Jusoh and Associate Prof Dr Jalaluddin Abdul Malek their sitting arrangement

My school chairman and external examiner (Prof Dato' Ghani Salleh from University Science Malaysia (USM)sitting arrangement





Associate Profesor Dr Esiah @ Aishah Mohammd is representing my school chairman



WHO IS CARRY MORE RESPONSILITY WHILE STUDY LEAVE DOING PHD....HUSBAND OR WIFE

HUSBAND DOING PHD

1. .......BUT WIFE WORKING AT PRIVATE SECTOR....no assistance...
or
2. ........BUT WIFE WORKING AT PRIVATE SECTOR.....assistance by maid
or
3.........BUT WIFE WORKING AT GOVERNMENT SECTOR.....no assistance
or
4.........BUT WIFE WORKING AT GOVERNMENT SECTOR...assistance by maid
or
5.........BUT WIFE IS FULL HOUSEWIVE.....

20 FEB 2011 - HI TEA WITH OUR PRIME MINISTER

HI-TEA WITH OUR PRIME MINISTER AND HIS ONLINE FRIENDS

After the success of the tea event last March 2010, our Prime Minister pleased to host a gathering with online friends. I was invited to come and meet other fellow Malaysians and participate in a dialogue session with him. I very honour that his read my blog and have a chance to meet him. Thank Dato' Seri. Event Details:  

• Date: 20 February 2011 (SUNDAY)
• Time: 4 - 6 pm 
•  Location: Seri Perdana, Putrajaya

His message to me via email :

"I know you who had received invitations for last November’s event were disappointed with the postponement, but you’ll be happy to know that you are automatically invited to this teatime get-together. You  received an invitation  and respond promptly as invitations are limited. I’m quite excited about all these plans and look forward to meeting you and as many of my fellow Malaysians in 2011"

..................................Najib Tun Razak

MY PHD VIVA....VIVA IS A BATTLEFIELD?

Preparing for the PhD viva

There are two ways of considering the PhD viva voce interview:

•The viva provides the researcher with a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the end of a successful research project, receiving the acclaim of experts within the field.

•The viva is the last (and possibly biggest) hurdle that needs to be overcome in the race towards successful completion.

The checklist below suggests ways that will enable you to begin to distance yourself from position  and work steadily towards position. The viva should indeed be an experience which is memorable for positive reasons, and regarded as an opportunityrather than a threat. Too often this is not the case.

If the prospect of the viva fills you with alarm, bear in mind that there are a number of things that you can do before the day and on the day which can be of great help.

Before the viva:

1. Think back to your upgrading interview

Although this may seem very distant in time, it is a valuable preparation for the final viva. What kind of written comments were recorded at the time? What do you remember learning from the experience?

2. Practice the viva itself

Some supervisors are willing to organize mock vivas for research students who feel that this will be of great benefit. Ideally, these should be conducted by academics who you do not know very well, but with a strong connection to your field of study.

3. Develop your oral presentation skills

Giving conference or research seminar presentations can provide an excellent preparation for the viva, enabling you to develop a range of skills including the ability to deal with unexpected questions. They can also provide a boost to your confidence allowing you to approach the viva with a more positive attitude.

4. Find recordings of viva interviews

These are difficult but not impossible to find. One recently-uploaded example can be found on the Preparing for your Viva webpage.

5. Talk to PhD students who have recently undergone a viva

Talking to people who have recently undergone their viva can be very beneficial. Although experiences can differ greatly, it is useful to learn more about the type of questions that may be asked, different examining styles and to be warned about possible pitfalls.

6. Research the academic history of your examiners

In moderation, of course. Although examiners will not expect or welcome constant references to their own work, if you have some familiarity with their contribution to the

field this can help you to understand how they themselves regard the main issues emerging from your work.

7. Familiarize yourself with your own work

Read through your thesis carefully and make sure you are familiar with key arguments, findings and sources. Annotate the chapters using ‘post-it’ stickers or some other means so that you will immediately be able to access a particular section when required during the viva.

Strategies that will help on the day:

• Listen to all questions carefully and check that you fully understand what is expected of you. If you are not sure, do not hesitate to seek clarification.

• Answer questions clearly and concisely. If you don’t know the answer, say so.Do not be tempted to go off the point to show off your knowledge on related issues – this will irritate rather than impress. Resist also the temptation to deliver memorized answers.

• Stay connected to your written text, using arguments and evidence from within the thesis to strengthen the points that you make.

• Be prepared to take the initiative. If you think key points are being missed, point them out. ‘Defending a thesis’ does not mean a adopting a purely defensive role.

• Respond to criticisms robustly if you think that they are unjustified, but have the confidence to agree if an examiner identifies a known weak area in your research. Your honesty in this respect will be much appreciated.

sources : Learning and Teaching Unit, SOAS, University of London 2008