THE 1979

Mint leaves

2011-02-27T09:20:00.004+08:00

First, I open the tap - fountain of water gushing out with little effort. Water so fresh that it smells a bit like the 50 meter Chiling (water)falls; when you stand just right beneath it. Malaysian are lucky not only because they have natural resources, but because natural resources have not become a curse to us like some countries, say, in Africa. Indeed, with a bit of engineering it is the water from sources like Chiling waterfalls that runs through our taps. Much to say about the more important green-war is in fact far from the backyard of city dwellers; the urban green lungs that won a small city like Kuala Lumpur admiration from its residents and tourists alike.

Ok, water first; then comes the mint leaves. I think this is where the hyper-market complements the good-old traditional wet-market. Mints leaves and parsley is not something commonly found in the wet-markets; nor I enjoy driving to a huge and cold hyper-markets that for just few mint leaves. Perhaps we should consider having a hyper-market at the size of mini-market, like those in Antwerp's Franklin Rooseveltplaats. Countries like Malaysia is a growing baby and we takes in a lot of stuff, outside stuff, but pretty much still figuring how it's best practiced in the context of our society.

Alright, if you not getting impatient by now, I am. Actually I want to wash those mint leaves I bought from hyper-market yesterday and wash-and-clean them so that I can have a good glass of mojito tonight. The cleaning process is important here - because only then I understand immediately why my great-and-wonderful mother can spend the whole morning, washing and cleaning stuff before she even start cooking them. I don't want those dead-brownish mint leaves to be visual as the mojito washing down my throat, nor I want to spend time picking the green fresh one everytime I want a glass. To my surprises, I stand there patiently for a good half hour, cleaning, separating, change the water, cleaning again.

It was an hour later, when those wet fresh mint leaves dried on a piece of yesterday-Sin-Chew newspaper. By the way, the Chinese press reports different stuff, compare to Malay press or Tamil press and vice-versa to every other press and media in the nation. The 1Malaysia concept, like many other concept say New Economic Policy of Malaysia is indeed benign and important - but the fact that those concepts is needed says something about our deep-rooted divide. Neither can we predict the end of those, concepts. But my professor said we should nonetheless do our part with convictions; something which I hold dear ever since.

I promise to be short on the lime - since it is mojito that we are talking about!

2010-11-30T00:15:00.008+08:00

It's well over one-and-a-half year. Certainly, there is plenty to cover. But I am not in a hurry, for I am not going anywhere. I'll be here. I'll just be in Malaysia, and I hope it remains so for the next one year or so.

Start, where? Maybe about sis getting another child. Some friends got married and I am not even in their wedding dinner (too many of them!). Maybe about Aceh. That wonderful project of paper-making art using banana stem. Or, the fact that I nearly meet up with Pink-Panther weeks ago! Almost. I almost wrote something here for many times anyway. New hiking place in KL; paintball game and best summer in Warsaw; fellow Asian classmate back in Asia-Europe Insitute of University Malaya; Interlaken; Munich; Intan center at east coast; I don't know.

I just want to start somewhere. It's boring to talk about what I have just mentioned, so maybe I will write something else. The point is I am here. I got a job and I am back HERE as well. But I have been pretty much jobless since April 2008. I got another life then, not this kinda life. Yes, everyone would like to have a rather different life than what they are currently living. The bottom life is still: healthy body, mind and soul. You'll lived your life eventually.

Like I always do, I start with picking some photos. Photos are part of my memories. I don't usually forget people, but the time and occasion sometimes confuses me. If you live your life without a virtual clock i.e. routine, you lost count with time. It's not the side effect or something bad: It just meant this is totally new. Different life. It's like you lost your eyes sight over night - moving away from comfort zone removes some of your abilities.

But hey, I am not good at those philosophical things. I find it hard to churn up those thick books, as they are not as interesting to read (although the idea was great in the ends). I'm gonna stick to some photos - and I shall continue later.

Now I can go to sleep a happier man :)

Beginning of Summer 2010, Warsaw

The famous tsunami boat, Aceh

Tabur hill - magnificent!

Aung brought us to Burmese restaurant, Bukit Bintang. Circa 2009.

In front of Chef's home, Interlaken

My niece, growing up - full with challenges

Breathing in

2009-03-09T00:09:00.015+08:00

Few months ago, right after my Madrid trip I actually started to write something. I even choose the title: The Drinkers. I even have an explanation for it; “Velázquez’s “The Drinkers” because there was this old man painting it, when we share the space of Room 12 in Prado Museum. He was probably thinking; which stroke Velázquez would apply next?”

And of course, I live among people proud of its beer, although we seldom talk about famous drinkers, like the Absinthe addicted impressionist. Ridiculous me – this is what Europe is all about – beer, wine, cheese, museum, ideologies, revolutions…

So, I try to breathe, and breathing in.

It is rather embarrassing; suddenly I thought a blog without update in six consecutive months is as good as a dead or abandon one. It could be six days, or six weeks? Anyway, I just want to do something before tomorrow.

No doubt, I found new platform, like facebook, to communicate with my friends. I learn how to say "oh there is too much in my head now I need coffee". Or "it’s sunny, let’s go out, stop everything and don’t ask me". Ask yourself. I realized that I am happy not to use the title “The drinkers”, and I wouldn’t want to quit blogging anyway. Moody added my in his facebook Nice-Person list, but I know he is definitely better than nice. Thank you, my friend.

I found new ways to express myself; at the same time trying to get better shots by over-stretching my old faithful. I have an American (United State of..) punch line for it: “We are doing this together, bro.” Then I found scanner to be a wonderful media to make...something out of it. Long after the invention of oil paintings centuries ago, who would imagine? But really, for me, it might make the whole process of getting rid of some stuff easier; stuff like train tickets, metro maps, receipts, museum floor plan, scribbled notes…that I collected throughout my travel.

So, let’s get started ;)

Scaning through: Vienna, Praha, Bratislava, Budapest

Two weeks for Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary – in the end you won’t remember much but got yourself whole bunch of train and metro tickets, maps, or 700 koruna fine for processing an over-due 24 hours ticket. Lucky me: I might be in the jail should I have no ticket at all.

Then I remember switching currency like a mad man. Mad because I wanted to keep some notes for sis, who collects foreign currency; but not something worth 50 EUR, nor I want to keep anything more than that is for sis. Then my mind are stuffed with EURO, RM, Kc, Ft…and different conversion rate. I wondered if, like some of my friends said, European life slows me down.

Czech-Slovakia separated in 1993, during the first years of my high school. Then, they start using different currency, but probably not for long: Under the grand vision of European Union, it is more than standardized system of law, foreign policy, freedom of movement, services, goods, whatever.

European learn from each other and settle for better cooperation at even greater speed and depth; not possible without centuries of wars and fight for territory, power, WWI and WWII included? Over time, the Alsace-Lorraine bitterness between German & French actually opens up new possibilities.

They said the new millennium belongs to Asia, especially with the China and India phenomenon. I will think about this again when I exchange EURO for RM, or Yen, or RMB.

Scanning through: Madrid, Toledo

November 2008: Antwerp plunge into winter and everybody is looking for an escape. Before the questions of sustainability, how it relates to climate change and tourism; it was and it is still about lifestyle. Out of all possibility in Europe, there is one impossible: gets in their way enjoying life.

Leaving the strong cold winter wind behind, I embrace the sunny days. I’ve never seen sky that blue, that you hardly need a polarizer. Not that my old faithful can use one – it’s just the right moment to do something together again. (Later – I mean now - I discover the same blue sky in Antwerp, towards the end of winter.)

Like all my travels in Europe so far, I am lucky not to travel just for the sake of tourism. This time, as a participant of Asia-Europe Young Leaders conference, I manage to meet some very unlikely person; someone like Dr. Goh Ban Lee, an academician for 20 years and member of the first (Malaysian) National Economic Consultative Council.

He said the economic plan was brilliant but the implementation, as we witness many years later today, is a disaster. No wonder in 2002, he wrote a new book entitled “Non-Compliance: A Neglected agenda in urban governance”.

For the mayor of Madrid, the future is competition among cities, not countries. They talked enthusiastically about joining Lisbon, Madrid and Milan in one straight bullet-train line. We visited the latest river reinvention project downtown Madrid, given a tour at Toledo, witnessing the coexistence of Muslim, Jews and Christian culture.

We eat fantastic, have jazz and Flamenco concert, watch Real Madrid lost 3-4 to Real Irun. We did talk about sustainable cities, made a declaration – then I pray for the best of both the mayor and citizens of Madrid – potential host of next Olympic.

When I am done in Prado Museum, I am ready for Caixa Forum; the old man will probably be painting baroque masters for the next 20 years. Hopefully, we both found our own strokes in life.

Scanning through: Dublin, Belfast

I feel blessed to be in Ireland: After months of Dutch classes and walking on the street thinking should I start with Dag, ahoj, or Gutentag? There is a Little Penang on the Dublin street, the architecture landscape change from century old and narrow to colorful and wide. The highway from Dublin to Glencree is not without potholes, and the driver seat is on the right.

Near Belfast, Northern Ireland, we have Chinese take-away prepared by Malaysian. No, the taste is not what I expected; didn’t expect police to stop our bus for ID check, either. The fact is so-called peace talk between Unionist and Nationalist, or Irish and British government for that matter, is still far from concluding. Nobody was killed in Malaysia’s current political havoc, but I just couldn’t convince myself we fair better than them.

Then I remember I work for a peace voluntary movement who can only watch their northern Irish/British counterpart’s deteriorating health, pretty much helplessly. Here you feel strong Irish or British, but not European. But at least in Ireland EURO is common currency - when I shop in Irish Designers or dine in Mao café, I was thinking if the magic of European Union will works here, in the islands.

Scanning through: Paris

Just when I am ready to accept that fact that I will not visit Paris before my flight in April, something opens up for me. Although it still requires great deal of efforts, but I am glad that it all went well in the end. I wanted to thank those who make things easier and harder for me – like the right balance that Paris have had, when I am there.

There I was; first night - getting used to the city and new friends; second night - drinking few shots of Polish vodka with red rose syrup plus few drips of Tabasco (unfortunately it was too much for me) with an old friend; final night - touring Notre Dame with Oneka and Maria. We are freezing, thousands of miles from home, and had a wonderful evening together – what you get when you mix Asian, African and Latin together.

In between the Louvre, Eiffel, Sacre Coeur and UNESCO building were these meetings – again we have reflection on International Voluntary Service (IVS), discuss about differences between theory and practice, profit and non-profit, us and them. It is also about relating our work to current global and capitalist world which are changing way too fast.

Instead of some Korean nuns, it is the Malaysian politician who should sit in front of “The Raft of Medusa”. You really need the right people at the right time, right place. Otherwise it's all futile.

I would love to go back, in details, of those trips; or write more about Antwerp, anything. But breathing out is not as easy as I thought; or if it really matters, this post justifies it. But I want to do a better job back in Malaysia, for sure.

Velázquez’s can be translated into “The Drunks”, because when we drink, chances are we will get drunk. I can’t remember how many times, when asked, I always replied: “No.”

So tonight I can drink to the health of my blogpage: No, not yet!!!

Scanning through: Souvenirs from Paris, covered with metro map with camera pressed on bottom-left

Summer Train

2008-09-09T05:17:00.007+08:00

Back to Antwerp again. Three month from blogosphere is like two weeks on the road or one whole year away from home. I left for Vienna toward the end of August, knowing it means farewell to Zomer van Antwerpen: 58 days of music, theater, circus, film, zomerbar…every single day, with of without the blessing of the sun. The whole city – in fact, the whole Flanders region falls into summer mode.

For the first time I felt guilty to stay home. Say tired to Gentsefeesten. Not to party till dawn. Not to celebrate the warmest season of northern hemisphere.

But you never know what is going to happen next summer, or next day (weather in Antwerp); I just couldn’t resist jumping into the summer train. I traveled north up from Vienna to Prague then south bound to Bratislava. My return flight is from Vienna; that means I have to travel further south from Bratislava to Budapest and then north up again.

In the end I missed the legendary one-hour-or-so Vienna – Bratislava train, but nonetheless I had a marvelous round-trip journey. Needless to mention: the European IC (Inter-city) trains are punctual, smooth and the landscapes are wonderful in these regions.

Vienna – Prague train journey. Highly recommended: Kate Nash +
Bauchklang through your ear plugs…

Wouldn’t want to embarrass myself giving historical narration or analyze architecture style of cathedrals as such; nor how Filippo Brunelleschi change the perspective of paintings forever, akin to that little big push Constantine I gave to Christianity, extending empire and perhaps, helping the humanity at large. There’s a hole in my history knowledge: Big part of it being European history and tradition.

Pity thing is one can hardly recall, and definitely no way to record every moment of the journey. You either missed the right moment for your shots or letting an inspiration slipped out of your mind. It’s a matter of that few seconds: You choice is either camera with 0.00001 sec start-up time or get ready to write on your arms, metro tickets and obviously maps.

Post-journey (at least for me) writing depends a lot on the seemingly insignificant notes when you are still trying to figure the street name. Or like myself, I also built it on photo memory – in the memory stick, that is.

It sounds stupid enough to hold the camera all the time; so sometime I just stroll, observing, trying to capture & feel the moment: such moment that might reappear months or years afterwards – with God’s wiling it will be in another post. Or it just becomes part of memory, nothing more and nothing less.

Ichthys - Jesus Christ The Son of God The Saviour

The starting point of my journey is Brussels - I remember the excitment of weeks-long holiday, expecting good weather and feeling rusty with my my old 3.2 MegaPixel faithful. Things (or my photos!) changed dramatically later with a 10.2 MegaPixel plus 10x Optical Zoom but that's another story.

Okay, Brussels feels more like a city compare to Antwerp – pardon me, from where I am and travelled before, you’ve gotta have enough high-rise to call yourself a city. If it’s odd the have century old landmark next to full-glazed high-rise, it’s even better to paint a fish skeleton in between them.

One of the two ‘fishy’ paintings that I notice during my 48 hours stay in Brussels, as well as first discovery of two ‘high-level’ (well, almost 10-storey I'd say) art painting throughout my summer journey.

Next one comes in Vienna – here lies the forces of attraction of Hitler to The Art of Painting…

My Belgium Weekends...part of ;p

2008-06-11T22:32:00.011+08:00

Approximately 2 months later - I gradually found my own rhythm of everyday life. But this is no Discovery Channel; learning process can be both exciting and frustrating. Frustrating, when you want to write something but found no words for it…

So, I'll have my bollekes and we shall start with usually cheerful weekends. Especially May’s weekend – I remember sunny days, good friends, unforgettable journey and great moments…

First stop: Somewhere near Waterloo.

Voluntary organization usually held their activities away from city – somewhere so quiet and peaceful that you don’t border to remember the name of that place. Like somewhere near Waterloo. I usually pay attention to the road sign…and thanks to Napoleon; ‘Waterloo’ is very catchy. Moreover, it does not sounds French at all.

Most new comers will realize soon enough that Belgium is first divided by two languages, into two region; Northern Flemish-speaking region and Southern-French speaking Walloon region. Of course it’s common to find someone who speaks Flemish and at the same time French, but usually not the other way round.

I was traveling with my French and Nigerian colleague to a seminar – Working In Conflict Area – an unofficial visit from the International Secretariat members. I like traveling with Stan – with his beloved guitar around him, he is always in joyful mood and I don’t have to stuff my ears with digital wave. So when Stan is firing his flamingo, I took a picture of him at somewhere he said “Feels like French.”

For me this feels like ‘the moment’ - Welcome to Braine-l'Alleud!

From where I am, Flemish Region is one of the most English-friendly regions in Europe. Even so, in Antwerp, I feel shy to speak in English: my second – or more like fourth or fifth language. So no questions about it: One should have less expectation when you’re in Wallonia Region.

But like how I navigate the town of Namur, Antwerp Stadhuis/City Hall produce a perfect map – tourist friendly convenience or for some critics, effectively reduce human contact to the minimum.

The other picture from Wallonia Region that I have that worth sharing it here:

Castle high above the hill, overlooking the waterways and the old town of Namur – distinctive features of many other European cities. Today, that once the most strategic defense post is perfect for a pre-summer walk, have beers and enjoy the view on top of the hill.

Back to Flemish Region, I enjoy cycling to a small town called Boom.

Some 10 miles away from Antwerp city centre, Boom once a town with blooming brick industry. But for those who traveled here on the second weekend of May 2008, Boom is synonymous to Mano Mundo festival.

After the unforgiving cold and wet months, what people craved for is nothing but nature, sunny skies, beers and entertainments. And Mano Mundo is designed to provide just that.

For a minute I thought it was only a giant two-day music festival: Tents, stages, camps big and small were built surrounding the green landscape to host music of various genes. But I soon realized that this is a one-stop entertainment festival: There's Chinese calligraphy, Indonesian massage, capoeira, strong Moroccan mint tea, magic show, flea markets…

All these, complimented with two days of beautiful sunshine. Couldn’t escape the festival, I got pretty tanned afterwards.

Leaving Boom, we cycle pass some empty streets, seemingly deserted town. Not like its much different compare to Antwerp city after, say 1800 hrs. But somehow I feel eerie, so I peddle past it right after my final shot of this church. You guessed: a robust brick structure.

Now let’s move up north, where Belgium gets part of the precious North Sea coastline. Looking at the map you can almost sense the outcome after series of historical events, when both Dutch and British were dominant seafaring powers.

For a while I thought that big chucks of land beyond Knokke are Belgian soils – but surprisingly the Netherland owns much of the Western Scheldt, flowing out to the North Sea. Ironically, together with Ostend, Knokke makes me feels more like home – back to the real city, high rise and modern landscape.

That faithful coastlines...how much longer can they sustain our needs?

In Knokke’s World Press Photo Exhibition, both Prasant, my new Nepali colleague cum professional photographer, and myself can only stare the 2007 World Press Photo of the year in disbelieve.

No, not me. Yes, that one - the "Tired soldier in some bunker" in the US-lead war in Afghanistan.

Obviously the photographer does more than that picture, and all credits to him and his hard, risky effort. What really surprises us is the amount of war and famine related photos displayed in the exhibition. All these prized photographs come with stronger emotional attachment than ever, making them extremely provoking and powerful. Or depressed?

Anyway we certainly found ourselves happier at the Ostend seaside, although you can’t really swim in any of those. If the unpredictable weather around this region is why holiday makers prefer the coastline along Mediterranean Sea, this could well be the second. A huge and long coastline as well – must have been hard to defend during the war period - remnant of cannon bunkers - I wondered if anyone would notice it.

Granted, there must be some well preserved seaside, or one can swim in a pool overlooking the sea view. Summer is well on its way - the season when European spends more than they should – so you’d better have some resorts waiting.

But we are not really holiday makers – we walk, talked, enjoy the sun shine and barbeque back in the apartments, 15 minutes walk to the seaside. That’s what this trip is all about.

Back in Nepal, Prasant-ji is still looking for his elusive best picture. Oh I know that feeling, and it we both know it will keep coming. As long as we have enough O2.

This razor-sharp picture below (in fact, all the last three photos) separates my point-and-shoot camera with his DSLRs.

Mean while, our friendship can only grew stronger...

Antwerp, Antwerpen

2008-04-20T22:23:00.018+08:00

Tens of frying pans when all you need is just a good wok - one week into european life I found myself in the exact moment - 'the moment' that I've experienced it for many times in my mind - but going through it out here is a different story altogether.

I keep stirring it keeps spilled all over but hell, I still have my fried rice in the end. Rice, cooking oil, garlic, ketchup, salt, white pepper, eggs, porks - all comes gradually, so does the taste of my dish.

Forgive me but as much as I enjoyed it, I had too much bread-butter-jam-cheese-ham-tuna kinda combination. Not for all the meals - breakfast, lunch and dinner - anyway. So until I get my hands on some really nice home-cooked Belgian cuisine, I will continue to stumbles in the kitchen.

Regardless, beautiful Antwerp city has been treating me well so far, even so from my wonderful colleagues at SCI International Secretariat.

Here, at least for me, the often regards as over-used term within the movement would falls back into line: Decision making policy, coordination structures, volunteer drains, unrealistic plans, consistency, over-dependency, euro-centered...and a long list of practical procedures.

However, as one could have figured out, it is the yard stick of transperency, democracy, accountability and liberty as defined by different individuals, the most difficult to manage. Sometime it gets them some-where but everybody, no-where.

Cultural difference? Over-rated!

But alas, this is by nature, human. Suprisingly I enjoyed it - big part of it is because I am not working alone here, that getting a bigger picture of things free your minds.

The office St Jacobsmarkt 82 is within 10 minutes walk from central station, a chinese grocery shop, cinema, Mier pedestrianised shopping street and if you can keep up with the pace of ever changing Antwerp weather - a basket ball court.

Halfway to the station - Katten straat P7 where I stay now, post office, key-maker, kebab + fritters aka junk food. Now that I have my bicycle, that 5 - 10 minutes can mean something really, really different. Next week, though, I should really get you guys the picture of spiderman crawling on the wall opposite of our office.

For now, you can see me working under a huge attic windows - this made me stop complaining about climbing up the stairs.

Volunteers maybe but a job is still a job - a day would start and 8 hours here seems shorter than those in Malaysia. Probably because of the cold weather - but it's spring!

That means even at 8pm, the sun would cast a long shadow over my body at the basketball court - so long it almost reach the Antwerp Cathedral of Our Lady, a stone throw away.

So, I am still tasting Antwerp and probably Europe at large - no promise but at least, what I see is what you get as long as I have time to write :)

Warmest regards to my blogging you-know-who buddies!

One week later...

As promised...

Of course Spidy is always there, one week or one year, be it rainy or sunny saturday like today. Now I think no one will ever miss the entrance door to our office...

Have a nice weekend everyone!!!

We Are the BOSS

2008-03-16T15:36:00.004+08:00

You already know the result of Malaysia's 12th general election - in brief - first simple majority in 50 years. But the rhetoric process does not end here. In fact, there are even more debates in mass media, so much so that we hardly know it really means. This is merely the first wave of "tsunami".

Say, if a well-known social-political writer would "mis-read the mood of the country...(12th general election) an epochal contest", what can normal rakyat can preceive, as one only chat about it over cup a of teh tarik?

So let's seized the moment in the words of some witty Malaysian columist and Yang Berhormat - while I can finish my teh tarik!

*** *** ***

"Without their two-thirds majority, the Bariasn MPs lose their free hand to amend the Constitution...it will be protected for at least four years..."

"Let there be no confusion between what teh Opposition chooses not to do and what they are simply unable to do (Opposition presence in Parliament is not enough for them to form the executive)"

"...(new faces in Parliament that belong to intelligent, capable people) an injection of intellectual content in legislative deliberations, rather than the usual slinging matches that our parliament is so shamefully infamous for (no more bocor commnets!)."

"...some practical aspirations that brought along more intangible type of hope...it showed that our vote counts; we the people hold the power."

"Democracy is an ongoing process, and if we value it we must continue to take part in that process."

"...for one in a long time, there is hope taht a non-ethnocentric form of politics and a truer democracy is appearing in our country." - Dr Azmi Sharom, law teacher, columnist

"...Umno is less used to rejection and its supporters are having trouble adjusting to not being completely in charge." - Joceline Tan, columnist

"We have an image problem and we have not been able to get rid of the perception of nepotism, corruption and cronyism. The perception is so strong that we find it hard to answer when people criticise us. It would be foolhardy not to make drastic changes. For example, it would be suicidal to bring back Samy Vellu." - Datuk Shahrir Samad, re-elected Johor Baru MP

"...before this, they (the Opposition) staged such demonstrations against the government. Now as the new government, they should know what it feels like," - Datuk Azhar Ibrahim, Penang State Umno liaision committee secretary

"...any act of revenge will not only cause looses to Penang but also to the whole of Malaysia." - Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, re-emphasizing his points while lauded Prime Minister's decision to carry on with all major Federal Government projects in Penang

"If there is self appraisal, I think gone would be the days of taking things for granted, the highhandedness and rhetoric. I would also look forward to more decorous conduct and less of what I call cockerel behaviour."

"(On constitutional amendment) I don't see any obstacle if the amendment was not self-serving to the Executive but was for the general good of the people..."

"This will be a challenge for Barisan MPs...Oppositino MPs were already supporting their debate points with data and sound reasoning."

"(On whether Barisan MPs would be more willing to vote for their conscience now) The practice of being beholden to the Whip is too ingrained...don't expect anything so drastic." - Datuk Seri Utama Dr Rais Yatim, senior Barisan parliamentarian, ex-defunct Semangat 46

"(Election result)...shows that we're heading more towards a Malaysia that is suitable for all Malaysians regardless of race and creed...the political debate must revolve around policy issues rather than sentiments." - Wan Saiful Wan Jan, Malayia Think Tank director

*** *** ***

Well there will be more to come - there are internal bickering within both the Ruling and Opposition - let's just wait and see.

In Malaysia, we never fail to entertain you.

Voting Season aka Amazing Race Malaysia

2008-02-15T14:33:00.028+08:00

Barely couple of months ago I read Zaid Ibrahim's "In Good Faith" - owner's of Malaysia's largest lawyer firm, have his own publishing company and most of all, one of the most outspoken BN backbencher.

Halfway through his book I am puzzled: How could this guy still fit nicely on one of our 219 parliament seat? Sure enough, Zaid Ibrahim (BN-Kota Baru) has since been, dropped* from the BN line-up for upcoming General Election.

Some people don't get to wait till the elcetion day, 8th March, to know their 'score'.

Good news is he will now focus on social and charity. Malaysian has not lost a talented and outspoken leader. But slowly and progressively extending his business (as far as I know, laywer firm) overseas, I wonder, how long our Boleh Land can keep him?

Who knows he will be another Karim Raslan, who just came back from Indonesia (just?) to write about coming election? Now I know why Marina Mahathir's (sounds familiar, huh? :p) family outing to Indonesia send shivers down my spine. Both stayed out of politics for some apparent good reason: Politivirus infections.

Some of my friends lament that having no other choice, Malaysia is still the best country to earn money and make a living, regardless our cultural background. We just have to be patience, have high tolerance and perhaps, close-many-eyes; particularly on certain government policies.

But it's sad to see after 50 years, we barely passed the social intergration test. We can and need to improve, for the sake of Malaysian's future. With prejudice, over dominance and distrust in the team, you can't move forward effectively as a unit. Others will take advantages on us. The vicious cycle continues.

Unfortunately from the way it goes now, we are far from the level that will have someone like Kevin Rudd to say, well, 'sorry'. Nor we have voter believes in their power: We can vote-out whatever (I mean whoever) we vote-in (Parliament-lar)**. This is another social cycle - as long as money tree grows, have stable lifestyle, business secured; all will do. Anything can.

Mind you: I didn't mention the what-cycle was that. People have their rights to choose so we can only respect that. It's a simple math and process of evolution. If we are not there, so be it. Malaysian defeats all odds and survived somehow. Ask any Malaysian. Malaysia sure Boleh!

So, this is how some of us know their 'result', even before 8th March get started.

Do come back in 24 hours; I shall post some nice pictures of devotees in-trance; Like what happened to most politician and their aides now.

I would rather stay away and awake like KR and MM (not that MM that YOU know in Japan, haha) - but not away from casting my vote, of course.

But eh, when's the last time I saw and talked about Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz (BN-Padang Rengas) again?

Alamak, dah lupe lar... (Alamak, I had forgotten about it...)

(Almost) 24 hours later...(picture as promised :p)

I think I don't need to explain in length about Thaipusam. Nowadays even Ponggol gets the well deserved attention in all major newspaper.

But it was a special Thaipusam this year. The picture above says it all (up to you to interpret-lar hehe...).

Then, I am with my tripod, zoom nicely into a busy swami-ji and a devotee. Silly me: I took to many photos, and at the same spot; so much so the semi-trance devotee pointing at me. Others, advise me to move away (especially with that camera). But how the hell she spots me there? Her eyes are hardly open, let alone the angle which puts me beyond her vision.

My Indian friend later explained that I was blocking the 'energy' that flows around or towards her - like someone standing infront of your fan, perhaps? How could you not chasing him away?

It's a beautiful night - returning to my apartment for a night walk, I took the picture above. The moon has come to a full.

Had I prayed, for the best of Malaysian...

Post March-8 update:
* Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim has since been elected as Law Minister in Prime Minister's Department - one of the few surprises when Pak Lah announced the new cabinet line-up.
** Thank godness I am wrong again. My prayer was answered :)

Journey Far West

2008-01-27T12:00:00.000+08:00

Ever since my trip to Japan & China I’ve always wondered when my extreme-west journey is. For some reasons, both Japan & China has been extreme-east for me – partly their geographical location and partly their culture influences.

Born and raised in Malaysia, I was told that I am a Chinese and naturally, I behave like one. Lucky me I lived in a small village, hence the interaction with other races became more like a daily chores that you can’t missed, or avoided. Over time we get used to it. We assimilated to each other’s way of living, talking, eating – our culture that we brought from our ancestors – our mind has taken it up or else things would have been really difficult (for me).

That’s when life throws you another big question: Even my dad found little connection to Hainan, Southern China where grandpa came from. So, where do I stand? Do I really know China, or of being a Chinese? Hainanese? And, does it really matters? Because when I was in China, I was like “Oh, this is definitely not me. Not us. Not Malaysian.” How true, and difficult – because we may not want to end up like, say, American Chinese. It’s not resisting. But maybe it will finally arrived – just a matter of time.

I met some Japanese friends in Malaysia first – but to see them in their own aparto, joining their public bath, picking up the ball in their park etc. actually offers a totally different perspective of how you view your friends, and probably of you to them. You’d never know how you will react to certain things - no matter how prepared you are – until your life crossed path with it. I realize this back in Hunan province when I was chewing a piece of snake meat that tastes like chicken. And I like it (I mean the subsidiary to chicken!).

As rest assured that we, all of us here, are heavily influence by western cultures and values at different levels. In this sense, Malaysia is particularly outstanding in this region. For instance, and maybe second only to that of our separated toe, Singapore; English is a language that we speaks almost naturally – we have English papers, radios, Hollywood movies, rock bands, borrowed words to Malays languages, etc. I suddenly felt lucky because my mother language didn’t use alphabets.

Perhaps other than the late Tan Sri Dato Seri Dr. Lim Goh Tong, majority of the successful business and political figures here are well-educated in the West – from our first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman to Karim Raslan. You could tell. They don’t write half-cooked English like yours truly. And I always thought these kinds of people will forever change the face of Malaysia. We can’t live as jaguh kampung (a.k.a. hero from a village) or have that kind of policies forever.

So with that kind of thought, I took my flight to Sofia. As much as I can offer, there are still more to learn, understand and take action.

********** ********* **********
Okay, let’s finish that of inner struggle and move on to something more cheerful, perhaps. I’ll roll up some pictures, and the vivid memory follows…

Our meeting venue, Hotel Club Vladaya situated in a magnificent 85 ha park, Southern slope of Liulin Mountain. About 100m a.s.l., it’s amazing that this heaven is just some 12km from the centre of Sofia. But this is no Lapland so I am glad that the sun rise around 0730 hrs, instead of 1100 hrs – just enough time and light for a morning walk (and photos) before my breakfast. My note says it is around 2 oC – but without windy gust it feels like comfortable 15 – 20 oC.

Walking out from the double door to the patio, I instantly make friends with a local – a beautiful “man’s best friend”. She left thousands of foot prints before me; her presence simply washed away that little uncertainty that I have on this alien landscape. For first couple of morning I would stroll within 300 yards from the building compound – that’s how far she follows. By the time I am “strong” enough, I would walk extra 500 more to take this picture: Hotel Club Vladaya nestled in Liulin Mountain – without my faithful new friend.

Occasionally the owner of the hotel would travel out, probably getting more food supply for 40 over city-monkeys. The road freezes over the cold night, making it nearly impossible to move on wheels – thanks to that I know now what Daniel can do with some ashes, if you don’t feels like chaining your wheels. They probably use it to clean wok like my mum did – but splashing it onto the floor is the last thing we’d think of.

After breakfast we would stick on the chair for the next 5, 6 hours. The meeting was boring yes but if you have delicious meals and timely tea break in between, things are pretty well balanced. In fact this is first overseas trip (I never had business trip-lar) that I ate very fine local dishes, complete with appetizers and desserts.

And if the tea is not good enough, we’ll have Hungarian-Chinese language lesson in the meeting…a brief one, anyway.

Thanks to Vanya’s smses I manage to buy my Sofia-Plovdiv bus ticket. Initially I was delighted to finally found the bus station after walking for a hour or so but to my surprise, all ticketing country labeled with Cyrillic writings (and of course)! Beautiful things about Vanya’s sms is not only it clearly state which counter & platform (number) I should buy and board the bus, I should also look for 'COFNA-PLOBNB' which is close to 'Sofia-Plovdiv' in Cyrillic, except you have to reverse the letter 'N'. Interesting. It’s like doing a treasure hunt in Sofia, ended up in Plovdiv.

And then there was these toothpicks on the table of a traditional Bulgarian restaurant - I was having dinner with Vanya and few other AIESEC members of Plovdiv. They are surprise to see a Malaysian here, but even more curious on the taste of coconut cake. My ‘toothpicks surprise’ turned theirs when I use it to spear the coconut cake – good thing is they picked it up fast enough just in time for the next surprise – durian cake. To their disbelieve I told them the real durian smells stronger (and taste better), and it’s Malaysia’s King of Fruits.

I spent my final morning in Old Town of Plovdiv, one of the oldest cities in Europe ruled by the great Thracian before their fall to Roman Empire. Even till today Bulgarian kept unearthing Tharacian treasures. My guesthouse is just a stone throw away from the famous Hisar Kapia archway, once the heavily guarded original gate to the old town. Today parents sent their kids to kindergarten crossing the archway on daily basis.

My Bulgarian friends are delighted when I said I like their country. I would felt the same if they (or anyone) visit me here, and after I showed them the Malaysia that I know - the good, bad or ugly.

More like how I missed the last morning in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

Merci, Bulgaria!

2007-12-15T16:09:00.000+08:00

Now that I have the reputation as a slow-blogger, I decided to post something really quick and brief before all the memories washed away. More over it shouldn't be such a case when you wanted to say "Thank You" :-

Daniel at work

Snowy Vladaya

Beautiful morning at Plovdiv old town

Not planning to elaborate this post, all three pictures represents ;-

People that I met whom I am grateful and honours to spend some time with,

Amazing places which I visited during my short stay (not forgetting the food!), and

Old and new Bulgaria - complementing each other, so well!

Merci, Bulgaria!

Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir Batin

2007-10-12T08:32:00.000+08:00

Masjid Al-Hadhari & Kelinik Pakiam, Padang Rengas, Perak

There is this clinic back in my hometown located just next to a mosque - and probably still the only mosque and clinic around. As a place for spiritual and physical healing, both has been serving people of Padang Rengas well, all these years.

Back then our house is just few hundreds meter away - this must be the most strategic location in view of morden "House Buyer's guide". We, kids, would start our day when Zuhr prayers clears the morning air, prepares to go home for dinner when Maghrib was heard - well past Isha, if we are tussling with some Malays kids in our back yard (With Indian, that's another chapter in high school, haha).

That will be the final warning before the next voice, of my father. We could hear him inside our neighbor's washroom! Maybe he get the idea from our Muslim friend's prayer - your children will hear you, always. By all means, we all are, God's children.

Now, the mosque has been rennovated - the tallest structures in our town was never out of our sight, and still rule the almost-still air of Padang Rengas with its new loud speakers. Life is still simple. We worries what to cook, chat about the coming election in morning market. No JUSCO or TESCO, so communication and interaction took place in small grocery shops.

And you are still wondering how to promote multi-racial intergration? You are drafting "Ethnic Relation" course for local universities? Have you heard of Early Intervention Program (EIP)? I would rather looks mentally challenged that you would put the food at the right place, right time.

Anyway we now moved to somewhere deeper and higher in the village. Father is getting old and he uses handphone instead. We heard the clinic is closing soon, inevitable since young doctors hardly interested in small town like this. So who will be the next Pakiam of Padang Rengas? And who is going to take care of the soul of the 27 millions?

Jenn Yee, 13 month

As for Jenn Yee, she will be always under the watchful eyes of her guardians - uncles, aunts, and most of all her parents and grand parents. Her new discovery and our worries - the staircase. She fell and we said sorry. We just can't keep the world away from her, can we? Maybe by the time she grew up, we have different definition of, being a Malaysian.

But all will be celebrating, celebrated.

Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir Batin*

* Can be roughly translate to "I/we extend with all our hearts for forgiveness and best wishes of warmth (on this holy Muslim Festival)"

Follow-up

2007-10-07T17:05:00.000+08:00

I've been changing the title for this post; Glorious 50, Malaysia Boleh 50 Tahun Lagi and...Gemilang Terbilang. Opss. At the end I choose the above mentioned title for the obvious reason: I left for holiday during the Merdeka celebration period and I am back here to, ermm, Follow-up*.

The third quarter of the year is always exciting for most Malaysian, especially before and during the Merdeka day itself. And 2007 is supposed to be the Visit Malaysia Year. I lost count of how many fireworks display and competition that has been pre-arranged. Hundreds of advertisement on Merdeka SALE! were published on all major newspaper.

And you'd see National flags everywhere. Never mind the city centre, but at some low-cost apartment people hung the flags together with their, uh-huh, laundry clothes. Both are probably still wet at that time, I think. Not forgetting the hard-core patriot who attached 50 tiny flags to their Proton Wajah, or paint it on their looks-like-illegal-racing Honda EX5.

Local artist would do it on their canvas, in conjunction to you-know-what. Those paintings are probably still on display in Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia but if you are non-Malaysian, I would probably hesitate to go with you for my second visit. Not until I figured out how to answer this anyway: Why your flag looks like American one? No disrespect, but I thought everyone would have tired of painting our national flag during their early school days. We even make paper art out of it. Those were the time we, young and innocent Malaysian; who cursed why we can’t have a simpler flag design like the, say, the Japanese, and have a good laugh about it.

But maybe kids nowadays draws only Manga characters. Staying in the city can only make the matter worse, as you moved from a box to another box, be it TV, apartment, school, PS2, cars, etc. So who is defining the “space” right now? An architect or an environmentalist? After 50 years, do we know each other better now? Man, I really don’t know.

Then I came to realize that the year-long sales promotion is almost synonymous with our endless festival celebration, one after another. Whether it's Hari Raya Aidilfitri first or Chinese New Year later, we still have Deepavali, Christmas, Gawai, Mid-Autumn Celebration, Hari Raya Qurban, Thaipusam…Perhaps that’s why all celebration are often short lived, that people tends to forget quickly – maybe that's one of the many ways to survive in multi-everything environment. And I still feel lucky to be at the right place at the right time.

As we speak, it's already in the middle of Ramadan month. Everyday, the city's traffic clogged-up as early as 4.00pm for a different reason – get home early, or be at some famous popiah stalls before people everyone else. Ministry of Healthy advertisement** graphic shows a young lady holding a plate of fruits and steamed-bun, thus reminding us “Avoid oily fried food for better health.” Ironically in the blurred background one notice a makcik (elderly lady) preparing goreng pisang or ayam percik (deep-fried banana or barbeque marinated-chicken). Dear Minister, I am sorry but maybe not during Ramadan month!

And soon we might be able to savor barbeque porcupine – yes you heard me alright. Seen as “…a way to sustain wildlife with high economic potential outside their habitate for future release into the wild and to fulfil market demand..”, once our government-backed model farms* that breed Malayan porcupine (Hystrix brachyuran) is a success, everything is possible. Malaysia Boleh. That’s what keeps the PETA girls busy going naked again, so that the rest of us could go crazy and ask hundreds of questions, like what I do now.

Ending this post would be difficult, but maybe this picture will help:

You see, many-many-many years ago the entry point to city of Kuala Lumpur was never via KLIA. Nor blood-sucking PLUS-Highway (I heard the toll price will go up again, soon). It might be KTMB railway station but if you drive from north, there is no flashy signboard decorated with colorful neon lights to welcome you. Instead you will only (Probably. Come on, when EON was established I am hardly a primary student) have this signboard, a kilometer or so short of Batu Cave.

Probably one of the few poorly constructed shot of mine, but of the few most meaningful one. Every time I drove pass the signboard, I wonder why it is still there. It seems to remind me of something, but I couldn't say for sure. And how long before that little piece of green surrounding the signboard engulfed by the ruthless development?

Again, I don't know. Maybe it's not the time yet. So be it.

Selamat Berbuka Puasa!(Do invite me, oily food or not, hehe...)

* Unfortunately, I will not follow up on my long overdue traveling trips as for now, the priority of my country come first-ma :)
** Quoted, New Sunday Times, October 7, 2007

Coming through...

2007-08-24T10:36:00.000+08:00

It seems like I will missed the deadline, again. Am trying to post something here all this while but unfortunately busy work schedule kept me grounded.

Then I decided to give myself a break, to indulge in the mysterious China again, for a week. That means I will celebrate MERDEKA later, not on and not only on 31st, anyway. So sorry, I won't be flying the flag. It certainly means little to me, as I always carry my country and nationality everywhere I go, regardless.

It really makes me feel glad and apologetic at the same time, receiving message from fellow bloggers who are concern about my whereabout. Will certainly tells you guys how I celebrate our national day later, but as for now, I feels like going back to China.

I mean my first China trip, not the coming one! I suppose we are at Hong Kong in previous post, so going Guangzhou now, shall we? Just assume the previous Chinese-character post as advertisement break ok, haha... :)

*** *** ***

When the bus arrives at China-Hong Kong border, I have to go through not just one, but two immigration checks. The procedure is almost similar to that of crossing Malaysia-Singapore border. It’s always easier to get-out than get-in, so we (together with other passengers) wave Hong Kong’s immigration officer bye-bye in no time. Then our bus brings us to China’s immigration office.

Here, we have to leave our bus with all our luggage and belonging. It takes more than an hour before all passengers are cleared; and start searching for our bus again. But to make the matter even more complicated, we were told to board a new, different bus. Although we were informed while approaching the second check-point but there are hardly any details on whether the bus number, station number, etc.

Now I know why the operator sticks a bright-colored tag on our shoulder and said “Please do not remove it.” So throughout the journey I hold tights to two things: my passport and the bus ticket to Guangzhou. Loosing either one before I reach Guangzhou would bring some serious trouble: is it difficult for my friends in both Guangzhou and Hong Kong to “safe” me.

Relaxing at my Aunt Hoong’s house that night I thought it has been quite a day. I met her and her family for the first time in years; and Guangzhou is not what I thought how it should be. My aunt lives Tianhe area, north-east of Guangzhou city. It’s a new residential area, complete with colleges, well-landscaped garden, shops and nice looking apartments. Sipping the cold qingdao beer, I am awe by the panorama view from the sixth floor: Guangzhou, a city with population of 10 million or more.

Aunt then serve me home-cooked dinner, although it’s more like supper now. We spoke of my families in Malaysia and how she grew up with grand uncle in Hainan before settling down in Guangzhou with her Cantonese husband. They have a son – born after the fateful year of 1978 means this will be their only one child. I find it hard to take that thought of birth control’s law away from my mind. Unlike the population, sometime it’s hard to measure the physiological pressure endures by the laobaixing, or the rakyat.

Unfortunately, like Macau, Guangzhou is just another “transit-city” for me. Two weeks is too short for me to linger around here any longer. Aunt already bought me the train ticket to Hainan for the next day, so I have to content with slightly less than 24 hours of her hospitality.

Before I left, Aunt Hoong manage to get me some snacks, bundle with advise like always look after my belonging and be careful with the crowd in the train station! Each year almost 100 million battle their way through public transport system, mostly trains, to reunite with their family. Am about to witness China’s famous as chunyun or Spring Festival Rush!

In fact, from the beginning aunt is puzzled over my decision to take train when direct flight to Haikou cost just slightly more, not mentioning the advantage of shorter traveling time and comfortable journey. Of course, I did give the traffic woes a thought. I consulted my cousin, Luoqi in Hainan and few other friends in Hong Kong and Guangzhuo. The conclusion: Generally chunyun starts weeks earlier and would probably re-start again weeks after the festival date. If I am a Chinese, and not Malaysian, I should be with my family already!

So, my best guess is by now, the chunyun’s peak is over or slowing down, and everything will be good: my bed, the journey, safety, and the scenery as a bonus, perhaps. At least aunt manage to get the ticket, didn’t she?

*** *** ***
One final note: Actually I've written an article for a local magazine, Santai Village. My editor friend told me I can find the magazine at MPH bookstore in Malaysia, and my story will be publish in September 2007's issue. Thing is, the article is in Malay language - I will probably post it here anyway - but not before the book is on the shelves :p

When I'm back, I'll be probably go back to the twelfth day of Chinese Lunar New Year. Maihao town, Hujing village. This is where my grandpa spent his early years before leaving for Nanyang (Southern Sea) at young age, for a better prospect.

This is where I begun to understand the meaning of it all - but now if you would excuse me I have plane to catch up! :)

Have a nice weekend, my friends!

《后记：红鞭炮》

2007-04-12T21:51:00.001+08:00

堂伯放下手头上的东西后就把红鞭炮往地上卷开。感觉有点陌生，又有点莫名的兴奋。

也许太久没碰这玩意儿了吧？回想小时那不知天高地厚的顽童，一见红炮烟花就把什么炸断手脚之类的新闻抛到九霄云外。目标嘛：蝉，蚂蚁窝，气水罐，邻家女孩，醒狮团等等，只怕您想象力不好或不够胆量。最高兴还是把一串串鞭炮往那些舞得软手软脚的醒狮团脚下丢：鼓手加快节奏，舞狮的那两位老兄也舞得更起劲了！

不是么？农历新年没炮竹声，像样吗？大马华侨在1991年后就慢慢接受了禁放鞭炮的事实，虽然有苦诉也只可以往肚子里吞。当时凡是庭院里有一小堆红碎纸都难免会提心吊胆，来不及打扫可要“应酬”闻声而来的小警察。其实要知道那小小的村镇里的华人住户在哪，有多难？小警察只要在新年期间发难，在那几个地区巡逻准没错。咱们的“精英警员”不是一朝一夕训练出来的！

听闻中国也禁放鞭炮许久，后来也只有一些小村民大肆轰炸。城镇的居民基本上有两个选择：挂上修饰的红鞭炮了事，望梅止渴，或干脆回乡下放炮过年！回马后就一直提醒自己：下次再回湖镜村一定要多带几卷大红鞭炮！

红鞭炮噼里啪啦随声落地:：是谁家子孙回来祭祀祖宗了？

Becoming Hong Kong

2007-03-17T01:31:00.000+08:00

25.3°C, Hong Kong Island (香港岛). This is probably the warmest Chinese New Year ever. Johnson said he felt awkward to wear shorts and T-shirt at this time of the year. Maybe next time when I flew in, one will be taxed for my "contribution to emission of greenhouse gases”.

But consider the weather thingy a surprise, quiet streets of Hong Kong metropolitan are not. Few of my friends were laughing at me when I said “hey this is quite busy” - but for them, it’s not even half of what it used to be, any given day. Probably not a good time for the VIP sitting just outside of Mongkok (旺角) MTR D2 exit. Hardly any cars (their definition, anyway) on the road, or anyone passing by except me and my camera. I remember she dropped her batteries and I picked it up for her. Then Blair picked me for breakfast.

Empty Mongkok Street
Complicated Kowloon (九龍) subway system gets my nerves like the one back in Tokyo. The difference is this time I can walk to the counter and asked for directions, or get detailed information about Octopus card. Obviously they knew I’m a foreigner, not because of the 60L backpack but the Malaysian-ized Cantonese pronunciation. Stephanie and her sister Mariah almost beat me to it, but I quickly switch back to English. It’s works well (cover up), so I would recommend you the same, haha! Still, I can’t believe a western girl can do this to me but it’s kinda interesting – although I’ll get shock when I see her speaking in Cantonese again. Such a shame to tell someone that I’m from a multi-cultural society!

But really, you don’t have to know Cantonese, but unless you are prepared to spend moer for a good night sleep, please pay attention to some streets. One of which being Argyle (亞皆老街) - I’ll been walking up and down stairs in one or those flats looking for 180 HKD/night hostel, comes with personal bathroom. Two nights ago I paid about 220 HKD in Causeway Bay (銅鑼灣), and pretty far away from Kowloon!

I could have spent two nights there but Hong Kong Island has something I want – electric trams (電車). Ironically I took the tram ride only a day before I leave Hong Kong, after I cruise Stanley (赤柱)market and old ferry harbor. For 2 HKD the tram took us from Shau Kei Wan (筲箕灣) all the way to Central (中環), where Kay hosted me. It’s cheap but probably more suitable to be rented for your birthday party rather than going to work - the whole journey took more than an hour!

Central probably occupies the highest population of foreign residents in Hong Kong. Walking around SoHo area (中環蘇豪區) one get the feeling of you're in some European country, but close enough to Kay’s apartment. Central, as in “Business Centre”. Backdrop for famous Victoria Harbor's (維多利亞港)night view. Perfect place in Hong Kong to have Lan Kwai Fong (兰桂芳), itself created by Canadian entrepreneur. But sometime if you look carefully (not just those Gwai lou鬼佬 in the bars), you can see something Chinese, and authentically Hong Kong – climbing those stairs in hilly Central was quite a task, especially when you are with a 15kgs!

And so, combined with those of previous post, those were probably all the tourist hotspots that I know or at least visited. To be honest, Kowloon and Central alone can keep you really busy that four days will never be enough. But my trip took a big turn, thanks to me very own Angle-trio – I sincerely hope they are not bored traveling to places like New Territories (新界).

It was actually Sally’s brilliant idea – she used to volunteer in touring groups, given the choices (well, I’m a guest, haha) I choose Kat Heng Wai (吉慶圍) instead of some organic farm. Interesting about KHW, the famous Hakka village, is it is surrounded by walls of 6 meters. Built dating back to almost 500 years ago during Dynasty Ming, the village still hosted some 400 Teng's (鄧氏) descendents.

Of 5 years and 500, New Territories (新界)
I spent my last afternoon in Hong Kong strolling around Sham Shui Po (深水埗), a residential area south-east of Kowloon. There I falls into the postcard again, walking through the eerie (actually quite bright then) corridor to Agnes’s apartment, joking with Uncle Lam and wife who was about to leave for their holiday in Singapore.

This is where I developed my negatives and hence, photos for my posts. This is where people chill out at the garden in the city, sun bathing their birds. This is where people came back when they are tired, after work. This is where children grew up, leave for their tertiary education but eventually come back again. I think this is a beautiful, peaceful place.

Lei Cheng flats, old Tong Lau (唐樓), fresh flowers…
Michael said Hong Kong’s crowd will come back in two day’s time (they never rest) but for me, it’s the fourth day, and evening. Somehow I felt relief when I left for Guangzhou in a bus, via busy Sai Yee Street (洗衣街) (literally “Washing Clothes” Street), Mongkok. People are brushing shoulders out there, nothing to do with clothes, really.

园圃街雀鸟花园? Or雀仔街?
But stilll, I want to “chill out” at Hong Kong again!

More Photos: HERE

Greetings from the South!

2007-02-24T01:31:00.000+08:00

6 days down the road I finally have some time to clean both my clothes and my mailbox. That 12 hours GuangZhou to Hainan Island train journey was fantastic, especially when you found yourselve sleeping inn the train rested inside the giant ferry.

So far it has been great - I felt like a lucky man, meeting the right people even before I board the flight to Macau via LCCT terminal. Micheal who borrowed my pen eventually guide me through the Macau to Hong Kong with ease. Arriving Hong Kong I travelled far north to Taiwo near New Territory - rather odd for a first timer but I always goes where my friends take me. And the reward: Steph sisters helped me settled down in Hong Kong fast enough, simple because they both switch in between English to almost perfect Cantonese in a blink of an eye.

Then come Sally, whom I didn't contact in the first place but kind enough to show me around some seemingly boring place like the Sha Tin Racecourse. Johnson always had his camera - one of the reason why I didn't bring along mine when we hangout in Lan Kuai Fong. Kay's apartment high up in Central's street was fantastic, definitely tell some stories about expat living in Hong Kong.

Short breakfast session with Blair somehow gave me even deeper thoughts - many of us travelled for different reason, as right or wrong is hard to justify when you crossed cultural reign of other society, bringing some of ours. And oh, Agnes's mother insist me to bring some peanuts for long train journey and the father would probaly bring me to some man's place during my next visit - already their daughter helped me so much!

But not everyting goes as planned - like I knew I was going to take some night photos but left my tripod in the hostel. I ended up using the trash bin and staircase guard/walls/whatever to set up my shots - the famous Avenue of Stars and night view of Vitoria Habour. I wished to stay longer in Hong Kong but the then undecided Guangzhou to Hainan journey left me no choice but to leave Hong Kong early. In Guangzhou - that's another story.

There are many things about Hong Kong that I want to see for myself: The red-coloured taxi, bamboo struts, busy and quick lifestyles. Suprisingly I had come to realize that I'm too accomodated to multi-everything society: I have to start adjusting myselves to what I've awalys thought to be perfectly "my world", even though monolithic but almost everyone looks "yellow" and speaks Chinese.

And thanks to my friends and people that I met both intentionally or not, they made this trip authentic and I felt alomst like home. Or did I said thank you already? You know, saying thank you will never be good enough!

Growing with the Years

2007-01-20T22:21:00.000+08:00

And that’s about four month old – first post of 2007 should be about ‘updates’ so I thought maybe I can start with the little star in my house, Jenn Yee.

Everyday all of us would kiss goodbye before going to work, and came home teasing her for a while before dinner. It’s amazing to see her growing stronger day by day, as slowly she aware and gains more abilities: turning her head, flapping her legs and arms, smiles, lock her eyes on you and of course, cry!

Sis and mum teamed up for a good reason: Sis is a nurse with irregular working hours so mum will substitute during her night shift. I remember months ago we were still discussing if we should left Jenn Yee to her grandmother – my in-law’s family hundreds of miles away – which I didn’t agree. So I am glad for sis, even though sometimes she would said to mum “this is how modern nurse do it” but I still can sense the essence and knowledge and tradition passed down to her, if not, to all of us.

But nothing can substitute this: Seeing your own child grew, crawl, walk and talk.

Back to myself it is already a busy year – at least for the first couple of months. Time flies when you are busy, unable to slow down to take a breath or take pictures – but sometimes when I’m with camera, I focus more on angles and ISO than ermmm, my guests, hehe.

Anyway it is great to start my year with Kyungsam and friends. For them this is one last trip before the gruesome 2 years in Korean army training/service camp. A place, in Chinese’s saying, living with monks (themselves!) and as Korean puts it, loosing your girlfriend. It’s a shame, North and South Korea are practically still in war: Kyungsam wouldn’t want to patrol the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) – higher possibility to encounter North army. "Ask me to shoot people? It's crazy!" I guess that's what most of us agreed.

But this doesn’t stop them from being creative, enjoying life. I should know better: Fortunate to join Kyungsam and friends in 2 Soju sessions (they were here for two nights) and learn their so-called “drinking game”. I need to wrote in down before I forget it: Baskin Robbins 31, 3-6-9, we-are-stupid-stupid-game, 007-bang, image game…Well obviously Malaysian do not have and drinking game, something they find it hard to understand, haha!

When I talked about taking that freestyle picture above, they take 2 second to understand what I want. Then thank you, I have my picture. I think they will be doing well, army camp or not, certainly. So Kambei!!!

Then came Marc.

We have been communicating for months before his actual departure date: Weather, advice on buying new backpack, travel schedule, souvenirs, about him about me, Malaysian and Dutch.

Like most Dutch (I met 3 so far, anyway) he is tall - not sure how he slept 2 nights on my single bed measured barely 6 feet in length. But that has been my principle: Depends on the numbers of people in my apartment, I can always host him for at least a night or two, let him settle down as I guide him through. After all, compare to my 3-room apartment, the world is bigger outside. One should meet other travelers: Somehow they know the city better, and they know how to go around.

Sometime if you stay static in a place for too long, it squeezes your mind and one become less creative and adventurous as how life should be. But I’m glad it is already a life-changing trip for Marc. As a working professional he has been traveling with many so-called tourist group – that “you have 3 minutes to take pictures in Giza” kinda experience. Not always bad and of course we need tourists and to be a tourist, but like everything else in life, sometime you need a break. Marc is enjoying every minutes of his trip, and I’m sure he will have a blast in New Zealand!

Compare to Marc, my travel plan is not that far, but equally exciting, I hope. I bought my ticket to Macau June last year, months after my parents visit our long lost relatives in Hainan Island, southern China. The plan is: Land in Macau 3 am on the first day of Chinese New Year, spend few days in Hong Kong, then travel to Haikou via Guangzhou, with train.

It all sounds great except I can’t get any direct flight from Haikou to KL, that I have to travel back to Guangzhou – Macau again for my return flight. It’s Chinese New Year and millions of Chinese (including me!) are traveling by public transport, especially trains. There is some uncertainty about traveling with public transport especially during festival season, but that’s part of the adventure, I guess. I hope my bosses will understand when I get stuck in China for one reason or another, haha!

It’s all set now – we human can only plan, but God decides. Or other people decide – For me one of the main purpose of traveling thousand of miles, is to, meet people. It can be my 80 years old grand uncle in Hainan, special-colored-panther (you know who) in Macau, Agnes in Hong Kong and many, many others.

Then, for the experience.

Like living in that old house where my grandpa once lived, in that old village of 30 households. Seeing coconut trees in year-long summer Hainan can be confusing, it’s like our east coast of peninsula Malaysia. Hainan Chicken rice in Hainan? It may not be the similar taste that we are so used to, I’m afraid.

Often we traveled, we returned, and it all felt like a dream. Nothing stays. But if you once lived there, even just for days, the feeling stays. It sounds weird but the truth is, most Asians (like me) do not have the luxury of traveling and you will take every trip seriously – up planning stage, that is. Because when you travel, you will let things happen. And things do happen!

One thing is for sure: I will not miss the Twin Tower outside of my balcony, haha!

Welcoming 2007

2007-01-02T12:46:00.000+08:00

Alright, it has to be now.

I mean if you are going to any New Year Eve’s countdown party, you should start warming up your engine now. 31st and half pass six in the evening; soon you will have trouble getting into city centre, as several main roads will be blocked by city hall. Although I don’t see how this year’s celebration will be any grander than the Millennium New Year that I had experienced years ago in Singapore: But as Malaysia are gearing up for VMY 2007 (Visit Malaysia Year 2007), this might be yet another show on earth.

Somehow this also a reminder for my selves: Writing a post? It is now!

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Honestly speaking, we never really celebrate New Year. At least my family; and a typical Chinese family will celebrate only Chinese New Year and other festivals in our lunar calendar. In my memories there are these excitements (as a small kid, during Chinese New Year) of rushing downstairs to greet my grandparents: They usually gave bigger Ang Pow, or in longer term (throughout the year: Ice-cream money, buying toys, etc.) anyway.

And that, usually after you were rudely woke up by approaching Lion Dance troupe: Unmistakably sounds of harmonious drum and gongs, couple with firecrackers. Well, it’s not Chinese New Year yet, eh? Perhaps I should elaborate more in couples of month’s time, and maybe with some pictures. But it is such environment and six years in Chinese Vernacular School taught me about us, Chinese.

I once failed to understand the multi-cultural setting of our country: We always befriend with kids of our own race, that cycling to a Malay village or Indian estate would be a “great adventure”, usually armed with elastic Y-sticks and on “high-alert” mode. Every year we explore “new” territories, with bicycle and the range of 3 miles in radius, we discovered they “occupied” some other rivers, on the other side of our “world”. We hunt for the same magpie species, or Murai, but they are always a step further. So soon enough, we befriend with each other, exchanging ideas on how to win a cockfight match, the coolest way to jump/spin into the pool of river. Inevitable encounter, but interesting.

Anyway as I grew up, slowly I understand the meaning behind “celebrating all the festivals”, be it Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Deepavali, Gawai, or Christmas. We define it as Malaysian festivals that everybody can celebrate, or at least respect, understand and most importantly, accept. That one of the many “great adventure” and explorations plus four years in government mainstream school or national school taught me about us, in a bigger context, Malaysian.

Sad to say that some of us still remained at the “due-to-respect and assumed-understand” stage, as acceptance seems a continent too far. You can never read a book by studying its cover design, or learn how to drive a car by washing, polishing it. These are the relationship that doesn’t stand a proof of time, or at least, it’s not sincere. But it’s a free world; you choose how you want your life to be. Worldwide friends but locally “disoriented”? That is new race I’m trying to understand!

Okay, I am a bit off-topic so far. But for me most festival season carries one important message: Reunion. I sort of celebrating Christmas, when I met Agnes and then reunite again with Swami-ji, at a temple where the waterfalls meet the majestic arched bridge. We sat and chat in temple, along side with a Buddhist from a Chinese temple nearby. You always sit down on the floor after Swami-ji’s prayers: To absorb the positive energy and to socialize, I guess. Unlike the good old days, people nowadays prayed for everything-perfect and quickly rushed off within 10 minutes. Busy living, busy dying, huh. Or do we have a choice?

Agnes was lucky to experience more than the temple experience. We have been traveling off the main tourist hot spots, doing things what normal Perakian (or rather me, hehe) will do: Spent a lazy afternoon by the river, wash your blood-tainted feet (work of leeches, what else!) with cold, refreshing “mountain” water. Have Laksa after taking a spin around the Ubudiah Mosque and Royal Palace of Kuala Kangsar. Or making a short trip to Penang Island, sampling more local delicacies while saying Hi to few of my friends working there. You can’t compare all these with urban Kowloon, we both know that pretty well. Perhaps that is the basis of understanding between two cultures, even if we are both, Chinese.

The next reunion comes with a little bit of surprise: Visit from my Uncle’s family from Canberra. They will stay long enough this time, until Chinese New Year is over in February. So I’ve been busy fetching my family to join my aunt’s family, who is hosting my uncle for a good while. The rest of my father’s sisters will come, and have their only reunion on rectangular and not-round table: Majhong table!

Plenty to catch up, definitely, even among us, dear bloggers! So this post will be our reunion: Panda, Happy, Moody, YD, Irong, Pinkpanther, to name a few. No doubt 2006 has been great, and busy. I am deeply saddened by the fact that I can’t post that much anymore - can't make/take as much photographs as I used to be, too. Nonetheless I will be always around, that this is still the best place to find me, get updates about me. But it's safe to say that I will reply your emails faster than posting the whole stories here, haha. Keep up the good “posts”, my dear friends!

To summarize this post, let’s go back to yesterday, first day of 2007. We are helping MRCS on post-flooding operation, main packing sanitary packs for the flood victims. Weeks of heavy rains, 2500 affected families and thousands dislocated, many officials are still worried about our VMY 2007 campaign and somehow, blaming the weather. That ever famous force majeure comment made by our Minister of Public Works Department definitely rings a bell.

You better met people like Kulwant Singh (quite easy to find him in that group photo), Manager for Disaster Management (MRCS) than the minister: Effective 1st January, toll charges for few privatized highways in Klang Valley will be rised up to sixty percent for its old rate. Apparently I am one of the thousands affected, and I wonder how these policies can benefits the people. Driving to work can never be the same again!

The night ends with a wonderful dinner at Michael’s. Michael brings laughter wherever he goes while Guna, his lovely wife, cooks fine Southern India food, with little combination of Malaysian wisdom. Looking back at those pictures, I can tell you the foods are even better this year!

A friend in Czech told me what you do the first day of New Year; you will do it for the whole year. Hmm. Not bad at all. I’ll be a good happy boy for 2007! Wishing everyone here all the best, too!

For Our Brothers

2006-11-23T23:13:00.000+08:00

“So Mr. Low, you will go to Haris’ house. This year my house cannot celebrate.”

“Yes, this is the most important day of Tihar. Brother’s Day!”

Everyone are talking about Tihar festival for the past few days. On the sunny morning of 19th October, someone said today is Crow’s Day. Few of us were enjoying our 6Rs bus ride to sleepy Dhulikhel town, 3km southeast of Banepa, and completely forget about it. So, they honour the crows? Little that I know that they are the “spies of death” sent by Yam Raj, Hindu God of Death. And so, offering of rice to the crows mark the beginning of Newar women’s effort to save their love one: Their brothers.

And story goes: By the fifth day of Tihar, The Brother’s day or Bhai Tika, the messenger of death comes in pair, ready to take their brothers away. But every family is busy celebrating, or rather bidding farewell to their brothers. The brothers would sit on traditional floor paved with mixture of mud and cow dung. Sisters perform pooja, literally means worshipping their brother by dabbing multicolored tika on their forehead, together with dozens of offerings like flower garland, fruits, nuts, candies…

It is said that the ceremony went on so long, that the messenger forget their purpose of being there. As so all brothers live on for another year, for another Bhai Tika!

You wonder, what happen if one does not have any sisters? Well, in Nepal, that is quite impossible because anybody married into a family will become brothers and sisters, and treat each other like one. If their brother can’t wait for another Bhai Tika, the celebrated Dog’s Day (second day of Tihar) served its purpose: dog is believed to guide the departed souls in their afterlife journey.

The ceremony almost comes to an end when the sisters are given gifts like ornaments, clothes, money, etc. by their brothers. And it always end with few servings of unique Nepali food like deep frying Nepali Roti/Sel Roti (apart from usual dal bhaat tarakari).

It is a cold night but we quickly went back on the street to catch some fresh air. As expected, every boy would look just like Hari, although basically, everybody is blessed: Including me! We are hanging out at Tachupal Tole, sitting right next to famous (it’s in the guide book anyway) Café de Peacock enjoying the beautifully lit Dattatraya Temple. Hari bought some beers, saying that it is a special night and moreover, to have us. Somehow I felt like my life is “extended”, finished the beer instead of saying thank you. We both know he can do something similar, when we finally meet again.

The next morning, we accompany Hari to Hanuman Bhat, sacred river south of Tachupal Tole. Here, Hari would dispose all the colorful flowers used yesterday. Again, some faithful sisters (women) would do the necessary cleaning before it is taken by gentle flow of Hanumante river…

And soon I am gone with the wind. But I remember pretty well, just what happened the night before I left…

Beers can’t give you warmth like you friends did, that’s for sure!

OUR Postcrossing Project – Nagarkot, Nepal

2006-11-08T14:55:00.000+08:00

…Resham phiriri, Resham phiriri,

Udera jaau ki daandaamaa bhanjyang

Resham phiriri…
We were singing the popular Nepalese folk song while wander about beautiful Nagarkot landscape, trying to catch a glimpse of Himalayan Mountain range from different angles. It’s October, autumn in Nepal and it worries us because rain start pouring Bhaktapur the night before we were here. It’s well past raining season.

Rajan and I start talking about my visit to Nepal ever since I met him in 2005. Of course I requested him to send me a postcard, and said I’ll be there, sometime, somehow. He sent two – one being famous Peacock Window at Bhaktapur Durbar Square and the other, the view of Himalayan Mountain range from 2175m a.s.l. Nagarkot peak, eastern periphery of Kathmandu Valley. I told Rajan, Okay, I will be in that postcard! We shall do Nagarkot when I am there.

Knowingly, our late diesel-kerosene-powered bus journey means we will miss the sunset, and some said the rain will cost us the beautiful sunrise next morning. Well if it rains long enough! But after a year long of talking, discussing, and then planning right before my flight to Nepal: I know this is the bus I wouldn’t want to miss. I mean both of us!

And so an hour later and after few cups of home-made Nepali Lemon-wine, we took this picture: Me (left), Hari-Harimau, Sacchi, Hedvika and Rajan. I was holding THAT postcard and we were quite sure we will have that sunrise, first thing tomorrow.

By the time we woke up, like the eagles, we have the view!

Rajan said you don’t say THANK YOU to your friend, and not to him. I hope Dhanyabad doesn’t count as one. It's simply more than that :)

Namaste! More later, then.

My Politikus View

2006-10-11T00:56:00.000+08:00

Something happened recently that I finally decided to write something…Politikus.

That’s politik (politic) + tikus (rat) = politikus for you. Not sure if that “rat” is a street creature or white experiment mice but whoever invented this new phase must be a genius, mostly because it sounds all too coherent – perfect merge of an adjective and nouns.

So, surprise! I’m talking about politic here! In reality, Malaysian live deeply immerse with political haze. For the first time blame is not on our Indonesian neighbor, who is still trying to solve the “only god (rain) can help to put them off” kinda forest fire. We, one the other hand, have our own “fire” to take care of. It sounds like:

”…dia otak tak centre… (the MP is insane)

“..it’s a lucky thing that you are in wheelchair. You almost died once…”

“…shoo that animal out of the (Parliament) House…nothing more than a big fool…”

“…MP slams Tun Mahathir over claims of vote-buying…become a victim of his own actions…”

Believe it or not, this is what 25 million Malaysian saw, live or not, through local television’s Evening News. Lively Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives)! At times I almost chocked myself midway through dinner. Fortunately I only read (newspaper), seldom bordered to watch. Already we have one of the highest numbers of MPs (219 to say, 120 of New Zealand) but it’s sad to see they turn it into a what some journalist said circus, quite fit the description of Politikus, but never politician!

It’s only logical that our education system (kindly refer to recent local newspapers) produced so-called spoon-feed citizens (actually they said graduates, but more like citizens to me) with lackadaisical attitude bundle with no sense of basic social understanding and commitment. It’s not hard to figure out, why (one of the reason, that is). Maybe that explain why I always think I’m probably the only happy Malaysian around (not sure if I can beat Happy, fellow blogger :p): I hardly openly complaint (not on the bus or something) about government policies (else Ong Kar Ting will tell you: Join us! *be tikus!), not frustrated by unusual traffic congestions after rain (because everyone knows where that 4.4billion of crude oil subsidy goes), can’t bemused by evidently disintegrating environment (because Perak state can’t stop logging of 10 million years old rainforest because that is their bread and butter!)…ah, now we are getting started!

Let’s move to next section:

“… Kelantan state tourism committee chairman Datuk Anuar Tan Abdullah…expatriates do not wish to settle here…because Malaysian women cannot be easily influenced to become wives of wealthy foreigners…”

“…under University and University College Act…undergraduates not allowed to join and groups…except for those run by varsities...”

“…Constitution has been amended so many times it is now filed by ‘Periodicals’…”

“…Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz warned…government would not hesitate to use the Sedition Act…against who insulted Islam…”

“…3:2:1 ratio for schools…move to reduce racial polarization…”

“…Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research...majority respondents still identified themselves according to their race and religion…”

For a while I confused whether that opinion from Datuk Anuar Tan should be included in this what I’d call “Message from the government”. After all, “Malaysian My Second Home (MM2H)” programme is one of government’s bright plans, too. There’s never a clear direction, else transparency wouldn’t be a problem.

For instance, after 49 years, Malaysian still finds themselves guessing each other, no thanks to our government. Blame game can only get worse when the truth is hidden, that most citizens are so deprived of facts and information that they still easily stirred by racial issues. If we could “freed” ourselves from those seemingly endless multi-racial sparkles, our government has some good “Acts” round their belly. Imagine they can still put you into something-like-jail without trial. We are talking about indefinite detention without trial, hence something-like-jail!

Obviously, I failed to mention certain government policies like New Economy Plan, detailed affirmative actions, etc. that deemed unnecessary to me. It is clear to me, whatever policies we have now have little connection with how I should perceive other Malaysian (race).

Next: Are you looking about my car, man?

“…non-profit hospital struggle to survive…no government subsidy…people who seek treatment there…consider be of a lower social status…”

“…parents seem to believe government school no longer provides decent education…private tuition become mandatory…”

Consumer culture. It is Okay for me, if it stretches as far as fancy clothing, flashy cell phone and good looking cheap car. Problem is it has gone too far this time, like one small step by that whoever on the moon. Maybe it’s all related: what can be achieved by government (sorry, it’s not like they are always wrong) can be emulate by big cooperation. Nothing difficult. You probably need to hire some Diploma holders in “Consumer Mind” or something. Not forgetting those years of experience messing around with different products plus big money: that “money makes money” theory is too good to be true.

But again, if you believe money can educate your child and cheap (NGO) doctor are not well trained, then go ahead. Ironically, we made our choice and since it’s proven that we still live well despite loosing few thousand square miles of forest on daily basis. Regardless, money is as good as we can get? How true!

So, maybe it's time to sum up this politikus view of mine -- which clearly not inspire by Indonesian fire (hence equal Malaysia haze). You see, my family is celebrating a new member, Jenn-Yee. Sis gave birth to my lovely niece last month – about the same time Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapha Mohamed apologized to Education Ministry over a statement made by his deputy, Datuk Ong Tee Keat, who alleged the misuse of fund meant for Chinese school renovations.

It seems like “under Cabinet directive, a minister or deputy minister is not allowed to comment on other ministries.” How about us (citizens)? Jenn-Yee might ask me (most probably me, I think, haha!) one day, when she can finally walk and talk.

It’s Malaysian in dilemma, and they (politikus or not) have not even start thinking about it yet. Too much sex (money), couldn't see love(whatever)? And, you gotta make sure of that “majority parliament seats won” in next general elections, and it will keep them busy (fighting among themselves) for a long while: like till next election again. But we, still vote for them. People like us are just prefect for them: afraid to change, to old to fight, stability is never wrong. Can’t wait for the third alternative power to grow: the non-governmental, non-profit, non-religiuos, non-racial and Malaysian power. Give up? On your own country? Do you have any idea what you are talking about? :)

But not all Malaysian are like that, mind you. And I am not here to debate, just speak for myself and let everyone judge. Again, my critics have got nothing to do with anybody’s level of education. At least it has not direct relation to your degree and professional qualification plus high earning that allows you to mock a house cleaner like the rubbish of yourself. I strongly believes that it is what you do that defines you (quote: Batman Begins. Kindly refer to local movie vendor near you). I met some amazing Malaysian so far, and it’s the people around me that define my world, regardless where on earth am I. Happy as I am, most people I met so far didn’t try to make my life miserable for no reason (or you didn’t try hard enough, yet? Hehe!). Thank you and cheers!

I will do my best for Jenn-Yee, and save some for my soul.

Note:
Post of this nature, hopefully the first and last from me, is created with reference and inspiration from few main sources. To name a few:

Idris, SM Mohamed, For A Sane, Green Future (Penang, 1990)
*Lat, Kampung Boy: Yesterday & Today (Kuala Lumpur, 1993)
Raslan, Karim, Ceritalah: Malaysia in Transition (Singapore, 1996)
Sardar, Ziauddin, The Consumption of Kuala Lumpur (London, 2000)
Zamani, Dr. Asrul, The Malay Ideals (Selangor, 2002)
And, local newspaper The Star (mostly) and The Sun (2005 to date)

*Local artist – comic book

Jenn-Yee, 2 weeks

Walking after you

2006-09-29T00:12:00.000+08:00

This post is actually meant to be an email. But I figured out instead of writing a long email with attached photos, cc copy to everyone jamming up their mailbox, I decided to send them just a hyperlink! Of course, I would like to exchange ideas and experience from fellow readers, on how to walk with them, the VIPs.

I do not know who started it first, but VIP = Vision Impaired Person. But then all the political big shots are VIPs? Anyway, politic later. For now I wish to share some interesting discovery and information with beloved Service Civil International (SCI) members/volunteers after a successful recce with four VIPs from Malaysian Association for the Blind (MAB), last week.

I will organize all the information here from time to time, but for now lets get started with picture stories. With only 5 of us, we are able to finish the outing close to what I’ve planned:

Tentative Route:
0830 Start trekking on rover track (open car-park next to mosque)
0900 Reach the entrance into small trails, leading up to Canopy Bridge
1000 At entrance hut, Canopy Bridge
1030 At exit hut, start trekking down trails
1130 Back to rover track
1200 Arrive at starting point
1300 Lunch at cafeteria (next to mosque)

Starting point

I would suggest we make full use of this open space, some briefing and warming up session before we start hiking. Yes, the small pick up van can drive VIPs all the way here, but beyond this point, you have to use mountain bike or bus no.11 – your feet! And no, we can’t really park our car here. But this place is just 3 minutes walk from Public Relation Office (where we suppose to park our car) so chill. This will be the same place we gather after the whole trekking thingy is done, and start the head counts :)

Rover Track

The first part of the hike is quite easy, as rover track is almost 10 feet wide with gentle slope (10 – 30 degree) Volunteers would probably spend more time get to know their VIP friends better, since they will be accompany each other throughout the journey. Hopefully both parties will be able to adjust their pace as guiding or being guided is not as easy as it seems.

Trails

The real challenge starts here, at a point where rover track will branch out into smaller and steeper trails leading up to Canopy Bridge. It’s a long 500 meters, with slope going 45 degree at certain stretch. You can’t hike up straight like staircase, especially difficult for VIPs who wonder should they make the next step left, right or forward middle! Both volunteers and VIP should understand that volunteer are merely guiding but not dragging or pulling the VIPs. And the best guide is still their staff. With some explanation and directing (with hand) their staff when necessary, the whole process will be easier.

Canopy Bridge

About 220 meters long and with 3 platforms, Canopy Bridge was initially built for research purposes. Yesterday scientist would study how bees behave at tree top but today the VIPs would feel leaves and branches right next to them. This is where our VIP friends have to walk alone, as we must stay about 3 meters away from each other on the bridge.

We can stop at the second and third platform, good time for the VIPs to feel the tree and take some pictures. You might figure it out now, volunteers can hardly stop talking, as we should keep sharing things about ourselves, the environment, sounds, etc. with VIPs. From shaky canopy bridge to solid wooden platform, but tell them we are still 30 meters above ground!

Going Down

The reason why I wanted the program to start early because, I don’t want everybody rushing down! Imagine if we are running late, hungry, but still have to negotiate downhill trails. Something not easy even for volunteers! Injury is prone to happen as both volunteer and VIP may step onto nothing in panic. Patience is the key.

Since the actually outing will be on 18th November, lets have more discussion and I will update any extra information here from time to time. We plan to invite 15 VIPs and recruit 17 volunteers, including 2 first aid officers. So this post will act as a call for volunteers as well. Anyway, anyone is welcome to comment and share some ideas, experience, so thank you in advance! :)

See you in a bit!

49th from 79

2006-08-31T19:44:00.000+08:00

Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan. Mas-u was in her usual striking shirt while I try to capture the moment. Motionless hermit crab versus roaring wind and…rough sea.

It is through those waters (Strait of Malacca, that is) Malaya first visited by Chinese Admiral Cheng Ho in 15th Century, subsequently (more than just visiting by) the Portuguese in 16th, Dutch in 17th and British in 18th century. By then the British already established themselves in Indian and Canton (Guangzhou) China, eager to expend their trade and colonial monopoly in this region. Early development would start from three main trading ports: Penang, Melaka and Singapore where Arab, Chinese, Indian and people from other parts of archipelago mingled and flourished.

Thanks to the monsoon season, traders would come and go for six month at a time. Well, came they might but some eventually found a place here. The perfect example would be the Baba-Nyonya or Peranakan descendents of Melaka, Penang, Singapore and some Javanese island. I wondered, looking at those Southern lion-head, what make them stay?

The beauty of sea and monsoon, however, could not hold the ever intrigue people for long. Eventually they would venture deep into the forest. Tin mines, for example, would lure the like of Raja Abdullah to send a survey convoy (which most of them died of malaria) to Ampang. Thereafter, Capitan Cina Yap Ah Loy, together with thousands of miner contributes to the blooming of early Kuala Lumpur. KL is probably only town surviving conflicts and gang fights erupted over the control of tin mining business. It is a sheer example of a nation built with effort of everybody, regardless their initial motives might be.

But KL, now, is often over rated. It is pretty annoyed when every single tourist guide books would have the Twin Towers (KLCC) cover page. Some rakyat like me failed to understand the importance of the construction hype like that. Maybe the Malaysian Tourism Board would say otherwise? People from thousand of miles away take their early queue to observation bridge: something I am still trying to do. I went up to KL Tower, anyway, and took some pictures of KLCC and its surrounding suburbs.

Twin tower, awkwardly stood amidst Kampung Baru with highways stretch between them, seemingly created a vague zone of modern and traditional living side by side. But don’t feel sorry for them, living in “village”. They are probably already were, or at least millionaire in the making. Malaysia is a place where money rules, everything will be ready to give away: forest, coral, huts, kampung or not. Of course, there are no real poor people in Malaysia. No body will starve to death, only jealous over new cell phone model. If you know what I meant, it is somewhere behind those mountain range I finally found peace of mind. Close to heaven but not quite far from devils.

Occasionally some low-rise apartment or condominium sprung up like bamboo shoots after rain, providing enough space for human but not their vehicles. I can proudly tell my Singaporean cousins that imposing Certificate of Entitlement (COE) of 5 or 10 years is absolutely unnecessary here. We renew road taxes, and bought new cars. Here, everyone can drive: from college students, working OLs to home making mother. Many blame it on the poor public transport system which is quite true, but no thanks to zero-RM down payment and financial aids stretch for as far as 9 years. Now, who needs car-pooling?

Back to the colonial age, tin mine is merely a good (second or third) start. Some people busy making money and busy living, some other continues their adventure and exploration. Moving up north to Kuala Kangsar, Mad Ridley successfully planted the first rubber tree. As he kept slipping seeds into the jackets of unwilling farmers, Malaya finally ready for the era of rubber estates.

This indirectly contributes to the mass import of Indian laborers in order to expand the rubber industry. Years later we get to witness devotees flooding temple, showing their vows by carrying kavadi, or gruesomely have their cheek pieced with spikes. It is a trans-state of mortal and immortal, like the melting pot of Malaysian.

Ironically nowadays, the beaches of west coast are less attractive compare to those of Tioman, Perhentian and Redang of east coast. Even for us the rich history backgrounds are somehow overlooked, not worth visiting. After all it is the crystal clear sea water that we are looking for. Not the similar reason why Japanese 18th Division first landed in Malaya soil at Kota Bharu on 8 December, 1941?

Malaysia as you sees today, is what made of yesterday. We are moving forward without giving enough attention to the past. I find it difficult to express the complexity and irony of us modernizing while trying to keep pieces of traditional selves. There is a gap of young and old that if we failed to fill, will create a new generation with false-identity, makes up of little bit of Hollywood movie, Japanese comic, Korean drama, Taiwanese live-show and perhaps some others. Perhaps we focus too much on Central Market that we’ve missed some fantastic architecture in the vicinity and emulate it.

It is always about getting the right people to do the right job. Not trying to be a politician but skimming through local newspaper you will ask the similar question: What will happen in next 49 years? After 49 years, is this what we (or they) wished for? Yes and no, I guess. Everyone has their own, different wishes. But for tomorrow, I would wish for a movie in KLCC and after that, going down under to get my regular kedai runcit biscuits. I will try to strike for the balance, always.

Happy 49th, Malaysia!

Home Bound

2006-07-29T17:50:00.000+08:00

As much as I wanted to make every single weekend a blast, certain weekend meant to be, well, being at home. Time to write letter, words by words, on reading table. Time to clean ceiling fan, sweep and mop the tiles watching it dried slowly. Time to put the recipe book I bought some time ago into good use. Time to change the bed sheets, rearrange wardrobe. Time to do nothing and everything.

Nowadays being out of town (home) for most weekends usually ends up with thousand of pictures (combination of others, of course) left to be processed, ‘folderize’ while wondering the sequence of each event. It’s truly joyful to recapitulate all occurrences through the eyes of each individual people, of different country, different camera, different time and thought. It’s like looking out of your same-old balcony through some other’s eyes. There’s always a twin tower, JUSCO hypermarket, half-cut mountain with exposed soils surface, low-laying old single storey house next to new medium-rise apartment and cars driving against the direction of road marking arrows. Now, look again.

I always thought that camera which limits the angles, shutter, aperture will eventually has great influence on the outcome result. Most guide book would say camera do not have subjective lenses like we do, that it’s best try to think how, camera thinks! True enough, certain object or landscape shot looks better if, say, correctly proportionate. Vanishing points and viewpoint affect the sense of distance, emphasizing the dimensional quality. How about texture, colour contrast, pattern, line and shape…? Hell with it, it’s just a picture. Snap a stray cat if you like, moments that you cherish, peoples you met, durian (smell) that you hate, worse and best place on earth. Like a proverb in Chinese, ‘尽信书不如无书’ (jin4 xin1 shu1 bu3 ru2 wu2 shu1) – you will suffer trying to follow everything in books.

It’s good to hear someone said “hey, good pictures!” but at the end it’s best to satisfied yourself first, not like we are on assignment. That’s probably the greatest initial obstacle photographer will face, if they are going to make a living out of it. You thought you’ve found the best picture essay but too aggressive for the editor. You couldn’t perform in front of assertive newly-wed couple, when they interrupted as they like. It’s not like I know so much of being a professional photographer, just trying to understand I would say. In many ways we are learning when we try to understand -- "学无止境" (xue2 wu2 zhi3 jing4), lifelong learning, indeed!

Alright then, enough of my rants and nonsense. Let’s see some photos for a change.

We just can’t have enough of river, waterfalls, swim and picnic. If can’t get your feet out of the cold running stream, then don’t. It’s amazing that these places are just 15 minutes away from where we stay, but that’s the privilege of most Perakian (people of Silver State, Perak). I spent countless trips to similar water, this photo summarize it well. I suppose everyone knew which is Inge’s (IngE the sinGER, this is how we remember her Dutch name, haha) feet. Clue? Diagonally opposite Jisu’s feet. He wears his anti-slip shoes everywhere, even into the water!

We were playing Mastermind, Belgium’s national game? Of course, it’s a portable piece from Inge and she is good at it. At a glance it seems unfair to have Maria, Helen, Jyuri, and Mary against Jisu, Kyungsam and me, epic battle of opposite sex? No gender issue here, though. We manage to finish the game but not ahead of the girls. Most of us played the game while we are still a kid, while Kyungsam totally hates it. You need only one Mastermind, huh?

Anyway Kyungsam can’t wait for his turn to play Halli Galli, a classic party game for a, hmm, party boy? Kyungsam truly bring joy and laughter to the camp, feeding us with his endless ideas of dance, song and cracking joke. He can be even better, if we can understand some Korean language! And the Halli Galli box will never be too far away from Kyungsam. In this case, right underneath the table and his wary eyes. We’re going to rupture something, later. Ironically, Inge would run away from this game, hehe…

Almost overwhelm by the dominating green but how could one ignore the beetle? It’s not always bad to have two extreme objects together as there’s always a balance, a win-win situation. The most striking shot from Inge, to perfection – just like her confident self, with beautiful eyes (I mean eyes), elegant nose and strong character. Oh, and freedom! This is something she will not trade anything, for. I know who to look for in Antwerp. But now, I almost finish my melkchocolade, help!

Picture essay, this one – Maxwell hill close to the sea, rainy town beneath, dreadful road leading uphill, calm and serenity. Good blend of everything, like Jisu, fellow Korean majoring Chinese language and business, having spent half his life (childhood) in South East Asia. Recently finished serving the army for two tough years, he is ready to fly again, I guess. Next, good luck, Kyungsam (and Jyuri)!

My best guess is this is somewhere around Taiping Lake Garden. It’s normal to see a 土地公 (tu3 di4 gong1) altar by the road side, or beside whole bunch of fig trees, but never with monkeys savaging offering served by worshipper! Most people think of Buddism when they think of Chinese, but the chinese folk religion has a fair share of our culture and believe. Recently our Prime Minister is furious about some NGOs openly talk and discuss about religions, one could not help but wondering why. Maybe we are not ready, just yet.

Marco had a good workcamp, made it memorable for everyone, too. There are so much we can do for a person with disabilities, making them felt accepted as one of normal us being the most diffucult. Stubborn sometimes, but generally Marco is an easy going person, even for newly met friend. He is not as self-protective or over-sensitive like I first thought, but I try to be careful with my words or when offering help anyway.

He smile but never laugh like this. Jisu, do you start a joke, like “Neal’s van left open but no one’s going to steal it anyway?” Marco can’t get this picture with his own old-fashioned camera so I’m going to send him this!

Stephen is a man of patience, warm open heart and has great virtue. If he meditate right next to a chinese temple under the moonlight I will think I saw Buddha. It’s amazing how he manage to balance everything in life, almost perfectly. Nothing more, nothing less. He showed me that in life, you can actually make your own choices, like taking picture of banana-leaf dish sitting or standing up, hehe…

I guess Bindira will feel just like home here, a treat we would want to give to her or any young courageous Nepali girl. They are probably in some old pre-war shop-housese, almost a typical landmark in all small town, throughout Malaysia. The giant fridge behind is definitely older than me, and turst me, solid and heavy as it seems to be. Empty glasses arranged next to tea, coffee and milo powder, ready for next cup of teh-tarik. The stairway leading up to upper floor has higher inclination than mordern structure -- I could only think of cost saving, maximize usable space while sacrificing the safety and comfortability factor. We are not as tough as our ancestors, are we?

I was relaxing on the birdge with Swami-ji (right) and, as Inge put it, “forest man”. Those cold water piping are covered with shrubs and crawlers before the MAN slash it clean. It is weird to work right next to a Tamil temple, where Swami-ji sometimes plays Tamil song/chanting in the middle of the forest but all good. Weird, to have a priest showing us the way to nearby waterfalls, calling me “hey Padang Rengas!” instead of my name! You see, Swami-ji used to serve in a small temple opposite my primary school, helped some of my Tamil friend before and now, helping us in the workcamp!

I don’t remember throwing stones at the temple (how many 10 years old kid can throw a stone across 30 feet road?) so it must a good Karma, haha! I will see you around, Swami-ji!

Picture from John, whos love for horticulture is no secret for everyone, espcially what most poeple regards as ordinary, fern. I don’t remember seeing anyone taking this angle – John probably wanted to have those fern tree in the back depicting a perfect working environment for him? Unfortunately he can’t “adopt” one of these! But if you insist, John, Rosalind will have to take a bus home! Hehe!

Maxwell hill is just a perfect place for John to “adopt” few more fern, like this one on the table, all ready to be wheeled downhill and head straight to Kajang, Kuala Lumpur.

I hope eveyone get something as the workcamp comes to an end. I hope everyone found new motivation to continue their journey, live life to the fullest. I hope this is just a beginning of good friendship, understanding and co-operation.

天下无不散之筵席 (tian1 xia3 wu2 bu2 shan4 zhi1 ting2 xi2) -- we shall meet again, somehow, sometime, somewhere!

Taiping(太平), Part One – 七十二变

2006-07-09T23:22:00.000+08:00

It has been a long, long week but most fortunately interesting one. July 2006 start with surprises, excitement, astonish …it has been brilliant, so far. Maybe because it is my birthday-month – usually a funny month because people who greets me “Happy Birthday” kinda change these couple of years, with only one exception, my insurance agent, haha!!! But amazingly, some greetings can be of far and from most unlikely person. If I could say something here, it will be Terima Kasih, Thank you, Go raibth maith agat, ありがとう, Nandri, 감사합니다, Dank u!

But honestly, it is going back to Taiping again that makes early July such a special moment. Taiping, 太平(tai4 ping2), might well be the first and only town in Malaysia named after a Chinese name – if you read kanji or Chinese, it literarily means “Eternal Peace”. I live all my life some 40 minutes bus ride away from this town. Spent much of my wonderful childhood time here – mostly with grandpa, walking into toy-department, my first KCF meal, or devoured the hot-steamed kacang kuda on our way back, totally unaffected by the uneasy ride in diesel-powered Red&Yellow Omni bus*.

Anyway, the七十二变(qi1 shi2 er3 bian4) or “72 transformations” does not refer to my childhood experience, nor the power of 孙悟空(sun1 wu3 kong1) in “Journey To The West”. I am referring to 72 hair-pin bends one will “enjoy” before reaching the summit of Maxwell Hill, or Bukit Larut, 1250m a.s.l. Believe it or not, this is only my third trip to Maxwell Hill, some 10 years apart. Just had too much of its Lake Garden, clock tower, Matang hawker center, zoo, museum? Haha!

Uphill, most visitors will hang out around 1000m level where most hill resorts are located. Founded some 100 years ago this is the first and oldest hill resort in Malaysia, once a perfect get-away for colonial high-ranked officers where they felt just like home. Home – all thanks to average of 20 degree Celsius uphill, breath-taking clouds shift through the mountains, high concentration of flora and fauna in undisturbed forest. You may not like the 200 inches of rain a year, but its tropical RAIN forest, no?

More later.

*Red &Yellow Omni bus shuffled between Kuala Kangsar and Taiping. Padang Rengas, my hometown, is somewhere in between, but closer to KK.

In the R&Y bus, heading towards town centre. The bus doesn't change a bit. I can even recognize some ticket operator!

Just outside of bus station. Opposite Nagoya Textile House is The Store supermarket. My toy-department :p

Inside Land Rover, looking out. Tea Garden(656m), is where sometimes driver stop over to, well, have some tea :) Experience the ride, HERE!

Speedy bunglow, the highest government-owned resort. Less crowded, closer to the summit (2 km hike)

Jisu, enjoying the view

Proost!!!

2006-06-11T16:30:00.000+08:00

I've never like the idea of working, working and working. Time flies, like eagle glides from one valley to another above warm afternoon air. I really prefer to hike through them, river by river, step by step. Isn’t life is all about experiencing? Sometime we are not sure if the passion is for, our work or, money, anymore. The world is far more distorted than we thought we knew. We live in a same country with different policies, same city with different social (made-obvious) strata, live in all the nonsense on how well we are doing ignoring the fact that we cannot withstand the full onslaught of many, many basic rights and common sense.

But this is still a wonderful country to live in. Damn.

James would have agreed on this. Fellow Tagalog-tounged teacher was with me during a fast hike to FRIM’s canopy. What amazed him (and now, me) most is how we move (drove) from densely populated concrete jungle in KLCC to fringes of forest reserve some 15 km away. What you saw from the canopy is something like this:

Well, too “see” it you have to replace those concrete-steel-composite-whatever buildings plus highways with canopy trees and hiking trails, via versa. What shocked me when I saw this view from 45th observatories floor of Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office (都庁) is not the overwhelming sophisticated human settlement, but is how they could live with little or no green around them. Where does all the (waste)water goes? How about source of clean drinkable water? Can you actually breathe in there? Perhaps when human finally able to defies the nature behaviors and constrains, it is indeed the end of natural world.

Funny thing is I’m not proud nor happy to tell him the fact that Malaysia’s land made up with of nearly 50% of forest, or probably 60% of green if you include those endless field of oil palm and rubber estates, paddy field, orchard, etc. Simply because, for instance, we have people cried out loud to protest some hill development, but says nothing to vanishing virgin forest deep in the mountain, the real catchments area. Maybe we should start with building one condominium in Taman Negara first. Maybe that will divert our attention and uncover the actual camouflage.

Sorry for James, the hike was indeed fast because I knew we were short of time. What usually took 2 hours to complete we done it well within 80 minutes, including some quick stops over for explanation and catching our breathe while touching, smelling and feeling the nature. You shouldn’t stop for more than 5 minutes and let those lactic acid crumbles on you anyway. Of course, conversation never ceased along the journey, and that’s the fun of it, the joy of hosting first ever visitor from Asia. Truly Asia, this one.

Nonetheless, I wouldn’t say his presence would overshadow a lovely couple from Netherlands, land of dykes, dunes and polders. Not because of the fact that they asked if I wish for anything from them before they came (and hence, the wonderful klompen. Wow!). Not because they, unlike most travelers who are already months into their world tour and will probably follow the Inca-trails in Peruvian mountain after Malaysia, that they will go straight back to Netherlands after 3 weeks (for the first time I feel less sorry for myself). And finally, not just because they quickly settle down well with me and my family soon after their arrival. That's how friendly they are!

Yes, I spent less than 24 hours with Richard and Laura, but I had some fantastic time with them! There we are, first Dutch guests, watching first World Cup 2006 match with their first host, in Malaysia. I always thought hosting a couple would be troublesome until them, a girl who watch football, writes travel logs on Snoopy notebook, and a tall soft-spoken guy who likes to cook and play some awesome guitar. Not Stairway To Heaven, Richard! Why you have to leave so early, oh my…Take if from Richard, he is lucky (Laura and football, obviously) and I am, too, for being able to host them. Hope to see you both in 3 weeks time. Or Amsterdam in 3 years? I have a dream, I guess.

Some encounters are definitely deserved a toast: Proost!!!!!!!

Blessing in Disguise

2006-06-03T18:51:00.000+08:00

I would regard May 2006 as a many ups and downs. In this month life didn’t give me breathing space, everything happen so fast it seems to take no time at all. Good things starts from a wedding dinner, few trips back to jungle, and three wonderful days at Tioman Island. Everything seemed to be going on well.

Second half of the month starts with news about a friend’s demise – fallen to dengue fever. I’d never thought it’s real (fever could actually, kill), until the lost. Then it was my colleague’s 80 years old mother, just days apart. I know it is not related, but this doesn’t sound right at all.

Last week of May – received a call from mum, grandpa has been hospitalized. Next day, confirmed liver cancer. They finally decided to let grandpa went under-knife, that he will live longer without that liver, so claimed. He never recovers from the operation.

I remember how I tried to capture him during sis’s wedding but failed. He seemed to be rather active. Even when he sat down, I didn’t get the right focus. Maybe there are just too many people in my house at that time. I remember later at night I had the urge and decided to grab him firmly, post for a shot.

If that’s the last photo of me and grandpa, so be it. That’s exactly what I am talking about in earlier post. To have someone like them in your own wedding is truly a blessing in disguise.

Sometime I saw rain coming my way, passing by, right in front, just behind. I could almost smell it. You may want some surprises once a while but just nothing like last month. Now, slowly I am recovering from his funeral held last weekend. No so easy for grandma, definitely.

We will have to think about that, all 60 children, grandchildren and great grandchildren combined.

Weekend Blast

2006-05-19T23:41:00.000+08:00

It all started with usual hang-out at FRIM, chit-chatting a little and ready to help out at the canopy. I have book with me so it will not be too bad reading at some 30 meter above the ground level, or do some talking as the guests crossing the third platform. Anyway I was offered to guide some people from, Din said, US Embassy. All four of them look tough, except for another gentleman who they address HIM ‘Sir’, all the time. Alright, they are from the navy, but we are in the forest, right? We were all having a good time because and of course, we talked not only about forest. But while I was with HIM all the time, it’s funny that we didn’t talk anything about space or alien or NASA or MARS.

HE later gave me a coined-plate souvenir, and said “this is my signature”. I read newspaper following day and it turns out is was Dr. Ronald M. Sega himself. I mean, SIR!

*** *** ***
It all started when we arrived at Sungai Chongkak Recreational Forest, around 8 pm. We have to erect our camps with light source of few candles, have charcoal beer guitar and someone to crack lame jokes. Rain started half way through the barbeque, but no threat. Shifting the whole scene to a nearby gazebo, we continue our makan minum(eat and drink). It was a cold night, but you don’t mind spending few nights away from your warm bed. You gonna be on that bed some 364 days in a year, anyway.

I only manage to have a real look of the campsite and it’s surrounding, the next morning. Close enough to the city, and good bargain considering just RM1 for entrance fees. It could and should be free-of-charge, but that the problem living at the city, they get you to pay. While some people pays for conservation projects, we pay to keep rubbish away. Funny. Seems like we can do more than camping here, perhaps we should come back sometime in near future.

*** *** ***
It all started with 2 hours ferry trip from Mersing town to Tioman Island. For the first time I travel with another avid photographer, who are able to find some of the best timing and angles – with me inside. I was sitting there, thinking about everything, or nothing. He captured that, wow.

Berjaya Resort was great, if you are not all out for diving. Most diver would have choose Salang village, but company trip is you have to compromise. Anyway we spent time snorkeling around Ringgis Island, a small island just few hundreds meter from the beach front. Other than that, I enjoyed the food and quiet swim in the pool, greets by magpie and myna every morning. Consider spotting monitor lizard crossing your huts to the main drain a surprise. They said if you see a magpie, that will be your romantic day. Romantic, indeed :)

*** *** ***
It all start with browsing this website -- http://www.wiff.org.my/. In must be more fun volunteering in 2006 Wesak International Film Festival, rather just sit and watch those movies. It would make the whole experience more interactive, I guess.
*** *** ***
Everything happens during weekends. Everything starts again, tomorrow. Wow.
*** *** ***

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Nature Camp Out 1
26 - 27 May, 2006
Taman Botani Putrajaya, Malaysia
Dear All,

I would like invite you or your family members to attend a 2 Day 1 Night Camp organized at Taman Botani Putrajaya (Putrajaya Botanical Garden) this coming 27th and 28th May 2006. This a unique camping experience as 40 visually impaired participants are invited to attend the camp for free from the Malaysian Association for the Blind (MAB).

Introduction

Taman Botani Putrajaya under the front of house operation of a private company i.e. Stagno VIC Sdn Bhd is proposing Nature Camp Out I 2006 for the month of May. This 2-day 1-night camp will be conducted at Taman Botani Putrajaya involving both indoor and outdoor facilities and resources. Compared to the campings that were conducted at Taman Botani Putrajaya the previous years, this time it is intended to be different in term of participation.

The participants targeted for this camp are Orang Kurang Upaya,OKU (People With Diabilities), school children and also adults all doing a single camp itinerary together. The motto of the camp is ‘Everyone camps in Taman Botani Putrajaya’. The camp will include individual and team oriented activities to encourage the campers to be more independent and to create the importance of team work.

The campers will be divided into competing or collective team and encouraged to build a dynamic team comprising of participants from all category. The participants will be taught the wonders of nature while evaluating their interests and appreciation towards nature through a botanical garden.

A total of 120 participants are targeted for this event with 40 OKU participants, 40 school children and 40 adults respectively.

Objectives of the camp

*To show to the participants that despite their certain disabilities, they are able of going through a camp as other children of their age groups.

*To create opportunity for the participants to explore and experience all that Taman Botani Putrajaya has to offer in an unconventional way.

*To encourage the teams to participate spontaneously and work as a team in overcoming challenges, communication, develop nature leadership, involve in decision making and project management skills in completing the activities despite the challenges.

*To guide the participants to be self sufficient and independent.

*To teach the participants about the scientific and botanical aspects in a fun way.

Charges:

RM 80 (SCHOOL CHILDREN)
RM 160 (ADULTS)

Note: Participants for the open category will be paying RM 160 hence sponsoring the special participants to attend the camp for free.

More Information

For more information and queries kindly contact:
Mr. Kumar
016-2750432 / 03-88889090
kumaran143@hotmail.com

You can either call Kumar, or, email/call Kumar requesting him to call you back :) Be in this camp and you will be surprise how the VIPs REMEMBER, SMELL or FEEL say, green color?

Sometime, life is when you don't SEE it coming...

Once in the life time

2006-05-06T00:45:00.000+08:00

I have been away for sometime, or as always? But this time it is for some good reasons, extraordinary occasions. My sis’s wedding!

Like most people, I attend numerous wedding occasions, when I am are still a kid, of my uncles’, neighbors’, teachers’, friends’, colleagues’, flat mates’…and finally of my own sisters’. Each time, I played different role even if it is only slightest variance. Sometime, I make phone calls, drive a car, serving guests, be observers, be ‘brothers’ (兄弟) or even ‘sisters’ (姐妹) and many more. I thought I’ve seen it all, that I’ll know what to do if it finally hits me. But to be honest I do not know how to react when sis told me her big day is on May First (五一), months ahead. What should I do? Or even, where to begin with?

Anyway, I am flooded with relief when sis just gave me one main task: Snap photos. Actually she said ‘photographer’, which sounds a little too heavy on my shoulders. “I want faces, faces!” Well, if I just snap photos that I wanted to, god knows what will I shoot? It is good that she had seen some of my earlier ‘works’, that she would drop me a warning before hand.

As expected, there were dozen of other cameras that day, giving me some ‘space’ and ‘time’ to look at things differently. The new couples have not seen my work just yet, since they are still in some island. But here are few that I consider main component of a Chinese wedding.

Cooking. More than what you cook, how it taste like, it’s really about who is doing it. I wish both women could cook for my own wedding. That says it all.

You need Heaven, Earth, People and Harmonies of all (天地人和). It was a hot day, rains at night, house was crowded with people and stuff. Dealt with it, keep it all together anyway.

As when you have guests, you’ll need to serve. Get it done nicely, correctly. When Chinese says ‘any number will do’, that’s not really for special occasions.

You may drive any car, any class, at any price. Not special or appropriate unless you do just that – or something else, it’s your freedom, creativity.

You need a HE.

While SHE is waiting.

It is good that someone could sing for you, even if you never met them before. It’s like you prayed for Mother Nature even if you don’t know what it really represents.

缘 – fate, or something makes you missed an important flight but found another life. You search and circle around and found one, at last.

Once in the life time, because this is what we believe, what we try to keep for as long as we could.

硝山*4 : A Day for The Departed

2006-04-05T19:32:00.000+08:00

清明 (qing1 ming2) – some say it’s All Soul’s Day, some say Tomb Sweeping (扫墓 sao3 mu4) Day. A day we honor our ancestors, paying respect and homage to those whom we missed dearly. In this case, my beloved grandparents.

For me it is more like a ceremony than festival. Festival, because thousands of people making a point attending the ceremony. Some might not meet all their extended family members during Chinese New Year, but most likely to crawl with them all here.

I mean here –-

Well it’s an uphill task, often slippery during rainy days. That white building on top is a water treatment plant cum reservoir. Water from a nearby river will be tapped and processed before being distributed to residence of Padang Rengas (硝山)town, villagers, to shops and houses. The river is probably just 500m away, with the exact tapping point some 3km upstream.

But my grandparent are nowhere near that reservoir, they are here –-

I was facing my grandparent’s tomb(stone), looking back to the reservoir. I used to wonder would our tap water taste differently if they painted that building black -- or colorful, like that green tomb neighboring my grandparent’s. Thanks to this green tomb, I can locate my grandparent’s tomb easily out of hundreds which looks almost the same, like this –-

Traditionally Chinese cemeteries are located at hilly area, most likely some distance away from housing area. Not necessary to be really far, but there’s always some sort of buffer zone to define our boundary/territory from “theirs”. To be exact from my house its 5 minutes drive to reach where I stand now. That’s about 15 minutes jogging distance, passing by a tunnel and rubber estate. Perhaps I should share my regular morning jogging trails in other post. Not evening jog - - not around here anyway!

Some of the tombs are merely a meter away, without careful surveyed location or level. At a glance they are scattered all over the hill, looks clean and tidy now as most of the shrubs and wild plants was cleared by the management weeks before our arrival.

Those ten bucks above was meant for general maintenance. We actually need to fork out some additional twenty bucks to tidy up our grandparent’s tomb. We used to do it ourselves, slashing burning and all. But now it may not worth our time and traveling cost to do that. And I would say that twenty bucks probably mean something for some retired villagers.

Even if we don’t burn the grass, we still burn something. Chinese believe this is the way to pass the earthy possessions to the departed, by burning them. Most common paraphernalia are hell currency notes, clothes, shoes, jewelry, mahjong set, TV, international passport, jeans…you name it. Bigger paper models of house, car or motorcycle are usually being burned during the funeral ceremonies.

Sounds environmental unfriendly after all? So since when we decided to ignore gas emitted by all those factories, land vehicles and most recently, cheaper and made-popular flying machines? Sometime I felt that it’s just not fair to blame some traditional celebration, traditional slash and burn farmer plus many others for contributing to environmental pollution. For instance the (almost) annual Sumatra (Indonesia) haze blown to Malaysia was mostly caused by timber industry, not some independent domestic farmers. Burning down the forest is the cheapest and fastest method for land clearing, fertilizing top soils while wiping out certain pests in the same time. It’s sad that once regard as contributor to agriculture development now named contributor to air quality depletion.

Of course, one can be certain that my grandma will actually get her mahjong set in the afterworld. But we will just let them burned. I don’t foresee any changes in my lifetime, simply because most people still think that there’s always more timber in the forest, it is impossible to fish everything out of the sea, and we’ll always have clean air, that global warming is a just big joke.

Anyway, we don’t burn the food, though. Offerings like steamed chicken, pork, fruits and rice will be served in front of the tomb, for our ancestor’s consumption. Everything will be kept for our lunch later. Funny as it seems, but the chicken taste as delicious it as should be, after the prayer.

I would say our ancestors who started all these practices are being practical in this matter. From young we are being told not to waste any food –if you notice your Chinese friend will try their very best to finish everything served on the table.

Going back to the grave, I particularly like this picture -- colored paper (or often known as rainbow-paper) arranged on top of the grave together with plenty of joysticks. Those colored paper represent “new cloth” to the grave, also brings annotation of “we’ve been here” as it tells everyone that this grave is taken care by their families. And all those joss sticks – to hold the papers in place, plus we don’t bring back any extra joss sticks back home. Joss stick for god’s prayer must be separated with those being use here.

The last picture was taken inside the only building at the cemetery. Usually people will have simple prayer here before they proceed to the tomb. Nobody bordered to have fluorescent light here. No one will be here after dark anyway. “They will have party here after 2400 hours,” a former park committee used to joke with us after his regular night out catching frog. For him, the night belongs to the deceased. Former committee -- because he join the same party few years back.

Are there any party at all? Well, it really depends on your mental state when you were there after dark…

Connections

2006-03-16T00:29:00.000+08:00

Well, it’s been a while since I last make any noise here. For me March is definitely a good month, and as good as it sounds: Sang, the number “3” in cantonise actually sounds like “being alive”. It’s a good number for Chinese anyway, regardless their dialects, background and car that they drove. I can’t say that being busy is something bad, but sometime busy life keeps you thinking: What is the meaning of all these?

You hit the road early in the morning, caught in the jam. Probably forced to have breakfast in the car, beats few yellow lights tying to be in the office before your bosses does. Your phone on the table ringing frantically, everyone is trying to get their job done, by you, through you, inside and outside you. Reluctantly, you drive out underneath hot afternoon sun, bring your sweaty body back into air-conditioned meeting room again. If you are lucky, you will have your say. Sometime we are in the meeting just for the sake of filling up the attendance sheet.

You leave your office after a heavy downpour, greets by occasional flash flood in the city. Basically the whole city just turned into a giant carpark. How if it’s still raining? Amazing view: Cars moving with hazard lights on. Back home, you are fined by your own sister, for failing to clean the floor yesterday.

Ok, most of the statements are my own true story, including the RM 10 fine!!! But of course it doesn’t sounds all that bad, really. While I know the reason and implication of every move I’ve made (generally, but not necessary that conscious every time, mind you), I failed miserably trying to connect everything in my life, so far.

Connection of everything to everything else. Things that revolves around our life. Often our life is defined by people that we know, we met, talked to, fight with, share together, walk along, or at any other moment when our path crossed. You might be in the forest or shopping center, Nepal or London, today or yesterday, anywhere, anytime but still, it’s the people around you that really matters. They made all the difference.

Don’t tell me that you can hide in the cave, stays in your rooms your apartment. While you cannot control what other people does, please don’t blindly follows, or get intimidated. Social peers are the root to many unsolvable illnesses. It’s positive to think that someone else’s is going to do it, why not you? but not everyone else seems to be doing it, why don’t you? When you saw a sign board “Do Not Litter” surrounded by rubbish of all kinds, don’t be surprised. It’s not too difficult, because all you need is the first piece of rubbish, or something looks like one. One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. Complicated.

Again, having said all that, it doesn’t sound that bad after all. Personally I am quite optimistic since everyone is able to understand the connection, or rather the chain reaction of recent fuel hike (a whopping 30 cents!) to many other things. I’m sure they will be able to understand the connections circulated throughout their life span, their children’s, their future.
Just not yet.

I wish I could convert my thoughts into better words, but that’s all I have now. I mean at least I have some pictures, right? And sometime, I use words to decorate my pictures, just like a frame.

That’s the connection, if you insist.

P/S: Maybe I’m just too tired, too busy. This is an unusual post from me. I’ll get good rest, I’ll get back to normal. Hopefully. Cheers!!! :)

FRIM Revisited

2006-02-20T00:49:00.000+08:00

Its been a while since I last visited FRIM. I have a hiking trip today but my original plan was somewhere else. To make a long story short, the hiking trip went awry and suddenly I found myself back here again.

Curly woody climbers (liana) found along the rover track

Sounds like a bad day already? Not at all. I always get the good feeling when I am here, joking and chatting with office staffs, helping out my friend at the canopy, hiking into those familiar (yet looks different ever time) trails, giving advice to some lost “souls” (hiker, jogger), feed the Arapaima, … Not to mention meeting some interesting people along the way.

Kumi-san, second from the left

Firstly, Kumi-san and three of her friends. I was chilling with Jamie just outside the public relations office when they walk into the office, get some information regarding the trails, canopy, etc. Anyway as they are about to leave the office, one of them turned back to us, pointing at the “wow” spot on the map. I immediately volunteered to guide them there, since I was about to make my move to the canopy.

From our conversation, it's obvious that Kumi-san is a Japanese expatriate who works and lives in Malaysia. I am surprise that she actually sounds like a Malaysian when she speaks in English. I'm expecting some Japanese-English tone, Japlish but not Manglish, or whatever you might called it. I try my best to speak some simple Japanese, but it's proven again language is, you must speak frequently to really remember it. Two of her friends there were Malaysian/Singaporean, so to be exact there are only two Japanese. I guess you can tell who is who, by their appearance in the photo.

Note that Kumi-san and I are actually wearing the same pouch on our belly! Sugoii ne! Needless to say the whole journey went on well and I am expecting to see them soon. I remember I said douitashimashite twice as we bid farewell on the rover track (they are not going to the canopy). I almost bowed again!

Those trials in front of the ponds will eventually leads hiker back to rover track, at two different exit point. If you take on the second and longer trail you will exit in the further part of rover track, and that's where I spotted Siva and Laura after I left Kumi-san et al.

Laura on the canopy bridge

I am lucky because both of them don't speak in heavy English accents. Or rather, they fine-tuned a bit so that we chat well! At the canopy, Laura clearly enjoys being 30m above ground level, taking her own sweet time on the bridge. The wind is good and there are only six people up here so we could all relax and enjoy the quietness. If there are like 50 people in the queue, I will turn into unfriendly guide, ushering them to move forward, make ways for others!

Originally the canopy bridge are built for the scientist or researcher, who will spent their time studying, observing and recording flora or fauna on the tree tops. The whole 220m span looks rather fragile, hanging from tree to tree, as the twelve inches width wooden plank can only accommodate one person at a time. So its always one way traffic and you will have to keep your distance, say 3 meters away from the person in front of you. The idea is, you stop when the person in front of you stop. But when he/she jumps, please don't do so!

Siva, keeping her distance

I manage to take few shots of Laura enjoying the scenery, while chatting with Siva on the viewing platform, where we can rest, enjoying the city view, taking photos. I am really surprise to find out that Siva is a Hongkee-English mix, and speaks fairly good cantonise. That explains why she looks rather different, not totally blond and of course, her name! Given by here mother, she said SIVA means “remember China”. I am still trying to figure that out, as I dont know the real words for her name in cantonise.

Pardon me but it's a really special experience for me to speak cantonise to someone who looks totally English. Same shock that I get when some of my Malay friend speaks Mandarin/Chinese speak Tamil, vice versa. I just have to look at her mouth, making sure its not some sound from a machine or something. Sorry and thanks, Siva!

Tough guy Yazid

I manage to catch up some gossip with Yazid at the canopy hut. Apparently the canopy walkway will be closed down again for major renovation and repair works, much to my disappointment. Seems like the management did not fully utilize the festival break couples of month ago, knowing that canopy walkway is one of the main attraction for FRIM. I am really really lucky to be here today, else I have to wait for another couple of months. Hopefully they will speed up their works, and we'll have the canopy back again!

CNY's Five

2006-02-11T16:00:00.001+08:00

Mingming’s tag comes in timely as I am figuring out how summarize the CNY. Knowing that I couldn’t possibly post everything that I’ve done, five incidents that happened during CNY (五件发生在新年的事) will be most appropriate and sufficient.

I sincerely hope these five pictures will turn into five different posts, if I have more time to do so later. For now, have appetizer...

Jogging

Believe it or not, the first thing that I do, on the first day of CNY, is jogging! Actually I am rather worried because it’s been couples of week since I last dribbling on the court, due to heavy work schedule (yeah right). I just have to convince myself that I will not struck by stroke halfway into the track.

Five minutes into my journey and I feel better and better. So does my camera!

Visiting Grandparents

We have been visiting our grandparents since I was a kid, an annual gathering of all 12 (yes 12, not 11!) uncles and aunties (my mother’s side) along with dozens of my cousins. Surprisingly, most of my uncles are now lived in Singapore, down south while my grandparents’ lives up north in Prai, some 8 hours drive away. We had a simply birthday party for both elderly, which makes this visit more memorable.

It reminds me to visit them more often, not only during the CNY. I like traveling anyway, plus most of the foods up north are fantastic!

Hiking in Taping

This is probably the only town in Malaysia named after a Mandarin name: 太平, or Everlasting Peace. About 20 minutes drive from where I live, usually I will come here looking for food. This time though, Nina and I are here to hike Maxwell Hill (Bukit Larut). Our mission this time is to do some survey at Tea Garden (656m), which is about two-third of the way to the peak. The whole journey took about 7.5 miles and it was rather long for what I first assumed to be an easy and short hike.

Nina will have to think twice next time when I say something like “Just couple hours of hike only!” Sorry and thanks, my friend!

Friends Gathering

House visiting is a must, for everyone. This is probably the only time of the year that you will see everyone. I mean EVERYONE. I have been living at the town area and later in some housing garden, not really in the New Village, 新村(Kampung Baru) at all. CNY is the best time as house visiting is a good reason to stroll around the neighborhood once formed by British government to fight guerrilla militant, only to remain as our very unique cultural feature.

This gathering could leads to another agenda, which is…

Special Leisure Time Entertainment

What do you do when you feel bored but wanted to stay healthy by not eating profusely all day long? Gamble! I used to think that gambling at any level is not good. Not after I witness the power of MTV, PS 2 and say, Internet? I would rather gamble, enjoy the unproductive and crazy time of my life with my friends out here…

For the record I won that game above (Siamese Black Jack) but eventually lost some RM 60. I knew it, I am just not that type!

Finally experience tell me that we shouldn't just simply tagged anyone, so be it! :)

Three for CNY

2006-02-06T21:49:00.000+08:00

It's the 9th day of the CNY and I found myself sitting in front of the computer desk again. We had CNY every year, doing almost the similar stuff, except for some people grew older and some friends come back with their own little family. You hardly recognize those kids on the street now, they grew up pretty fast and I must say that I’m getting it.

It was an unusual 2006 because most of us enjoyed rather long break - almost 10 full days. Normally we'll start leaving our hometown on the 3rd day of CNY, you hardly get your rest, really. With the amount of time given i was able to visit more friends and relatives, and travel more while doing more stuff within that peak period. I am able to enjoy as i go on slower pace, let my eyes and shutter box records the precious moments.

First important thing about CNY is reunion, especially among the family members. Depends on the culture of your family, normally all family members will sit down on the round table for lunch, the day before New Year. Round without any angles, family without any troubles. Traditionally the wife will follows the husband, as some old folks says married daughter it's like pouring water out of the door - - things are much different now, of course.

One typical scenario at my grandparent's house: 11 sons and daughters, in-laws plus dozens of grand child, one dining table for 10 people. Again, only round table is essential, even if it is not big enough for some 50 over peoples!

I took the picture of cicada on the dining table but I’m not about to eat this one. (Pardon my, uh, fingers. I was with my wife just now – my old car!!!) In fact, I am rather glad when the cicada interrupted my dinner, with its trademark high pitched, droning sound. Poor fellow probably lost its way while looking for mating partner.

This picture simply represents our time having fun: Cicada is just one of the kid's games, other than messing around with some fireworks. We don't have winter, flower blossom almost throughout the whole year, but we knew CNY is around the corner when we heard/saw one of these. We start tracking them down, hold them up in front of some girls, hide in one's shirt...you know the rest. Note that we don't touch the cicada green in color - - we believe it's being possessed by our ancestors, that they had come back to visit us. I remember I'm at home only for lunch and dinner, other than that we'll be all over the place.

But that was some old stories. We should be looking at different picture now. Fireworks are banned, you’ll get instant fine once caught playing one of those. You, or your parents, that is. Even in some village family kids don’t play further than 3 feet from their protector, their parents. Perhaps the society has changed, that we don’t live in a safer and friendly environment anymore. But sometime it’s important to look back to the history while making our move, not only set your eyes to the global change. When you thought its coke, I think its PS 2.

Kids, teenagers, adults are hanging around with their friends, most of the time. Perhaps I should be doing the conclusion at the later stage of my life, but these there will remain much related to CNY: Do gamble, house visiting and changing different new clothes everyday. I did a lot of funny stuff this year, perhaps I’ll share it in another post.

For many people, money doesn’t come easy. I mean you have to work for it, it just won't come falling down from the sky, grow inside your pocket. Ang pow are our all time favorite, not because of the money inside, because it was given along with some advices, best wishes and support (money). This culture even adopted by our Malay friends as in green pow. It’s a shame that I’m still eligible for getting some, but I just can't say no, right? Haha!!!

I suppose to be giving some, but not until I’m married. That, is going to take some time so I’ll be happy to be a receiver for now!

Home Coming

2006-01-27T19:12:00.000+08:00

So, it's coming. Biggest festival of all, for most Chinese around the world.

When the lucky numbers are 3, 8, 9, 13, 18 but never 19.

When the lucky colours are red, yellow, gold but never white.

When the lucky me surrounded by foods and Ang Pow...

Sis's home-made biscuits may not be that perfect. But mother are still few hundreds miles away, well...

Few years back I am confused if I'm actually going BACK to my hometown for semester break (now off-day vacation) or going BACK to study (working). I once asked my friend: When are you going BACK to China (working)? No, he said. "I am going OUT for work, then BACK here. Always."

Now that before I leave home, OUT to working days, I tell myself - - I'll be back!!!

Ironically when I'm OUT for works means I'll be BACK to cyber-life. See you all again next year, February the 6th, earliest.

Now, I'm wondering if that 128MB+128MB+256MB memory can feed my Kodak for 10 long days or not...Well, wish me luck! Hehe!!!

Ponggalo oh Ponggal

2006-01-17T16:45:00.000+08:00

For many, the real peak for the Ponggal ceremony was when the sweetened rice boils over.

But for me, it was when Siva starts singing.

Wow! Hehe…

Ponggal (means “boiling over” in Tamil) or harvest festival will mark the end of an old and beginning of a new year. Normally the festival is celebrated for four days, namely Bhogi, veetu ponggal, mattu ponggal and finally kanni ponggal.

Most of the local community will celebrate the main and second day, whereby the family pays tributes to mother Earth for the bounty. While many argues that the festival are equivalent of Thanksgiving, I think it looks more like a Gawai, where our Dayak natives celebrate their very own harvest festival.

I was told that in India, Ponggal ceremony actually held in the paddy fields, instead of in the house compound. But then the farmers usually live nearby the fields, anywhere.

When rice, means life.

Soon after the “boiling over” session, praying will start firstly by the man of the family, followed by mother and finally down the last youngest member of the family. Very much like the Chinese’s praying sequence, where respect and honor will be given to the elders.

The whole setting will be left for a while, as we believe the god will appreciate our offering. Again, we, because Chinese keeps the same practices during praying ceremony. We even have simple Q&A session to seek confirmation from our ancestors or gods that they have “consumed” those foods, before our turn.

I’ll be amazed by the beautiful rangoli drawings on the floor every time I am here for any celebration. This particular rangoli drawn with flour seems much simpler than those arranged with colored rice. It starts with coordinating simple dots, as the final design pattern will be formed circulating those dots.

Sounds simple enough, if Jambu and Elisa stop licking those flour away! Well, dog year is coming…

Back in the house, we are being seated for - - what else, food!!! My all time favorite, really. Our feast starts with sweetened rice with groundnuts, followed by puttu mayam served with delicious dal gravy.

And I enjoyed Ama’s coffee, strange thing is I was never a coffee lover. To share the same dining table with Apa was certainly a great experience, any given time. He would share some real interesting stories about Indian culture, his experience in India, or almost anything we wish to know.

Nandri - - Apa, Ama and everyone!!!

Just before I bid farewell to Siva I had a quick glance at their calendar. As expected I found the Gregorian and Tamil date printed with some Tamil writing. To my suprise the calendar that Ama insist to have for every New Year also includes a muslim date!

Late evening I found myself hanging around some bakery shop at Sri Damansara. I was with fellow SCI-Malaysia’s President, Nurul, getting some hand-gift before attending a memorial dinner for John’s beloved mother.

My attention goes neither to the “Please No Helmet” sign, nor Nurul’s ever smiling and cheerful face. It was the red-and-gold deco on the door that reminds me of the next BIG festival is on the way.

Kerling Day Out

2006-01-13T15:28:00.000+08:00

It was rather cloudy when we arrived at Kerling town, an hour drive north of Kuala Lumpur. With only a single block of pre-war shop-houses, this is probably one the smallest towns that I’ve ever been to.

Single block, certainly not a good number, considering the young ones are leaving for better job opportunity and living lifestyles in the city. All thirteen (13) or us, however, was a good figure, sounds good especially for our Chinese-Cantonise friends.

As some of the SCI members start hunting for charcoal, I would look for my shots. The local wet market surely worth mentioning. Interesting date of birth, 1929, selling fresh and cheap vegetable straight from the local farms, this is where all mothers socialize almost every morning.

Men? They would hanging around in coffee shops, chit-chatting or have their regular mahjong.

Anyway our actual destination - - Kerling Old Folks Home is about 5km from the sleepy town, next to a newly completed highway and old railways track. I was standing on the higher road level, hoping to get a bird eye’s view of KOFH.

What you see is what you get. The old building on the right dated back in the early 80’s, while the new building/dormitory was completed some 2 years ago. Beautiful compound surrounded by fruit trees: rambutan, ciku, banana, etc. Buffer zone before the rubber estate fills with more banana trees, maybe some guava, and mountains beyond.

KOFH is subsidies by local government, in the same time receiving donations from publics especially during the festival seasons. Other than that they need volunteers and some to talk around, I guess.

Uncle Subra seems delighted when I talk to him, certainly happy to post for a shot. Till now I’m still reluctant to stare into his eyes, not even in the photo: It reminds me of his weak, husky voices. And eyes seldom cheat, not like how life cheated on him. I mean non of us here today could have imagine life like this when we get old, even if Uncle Subra’s current living conditions are much better than those of homeless.

Uncle Lun originated from a town named Kampar, probably slightly more than an hours’ drive from Kerling. He is one of the many locally dislocated people created during our Emergency period (1948 – 1960). Back then, life could be harsh and difficult, especially for Chinese, as most of the communist guerrillas were also Chinese.

British government’s effort to resettle (mainly) Chinese community created a new phenomena - - Chinese New Village. Till today we still have about 1.2 million people living in 480 New Villages throughout Peninsular Malaysia. Uncle Lun will probably missed life in his previous village, but I think he have a pretty good neighborhood here.

I couldn’t spare much time talking with Michael as he came back halfway through our workcamp. One last resident of the home is still in hospital, due to some health problems. While all 4 of them live in a same home, they could lead quite different life-styles. Uncle Lun owns a motorcycle and used to hang out in Kerling town. Michael drives an old car and maybe he just came back shopping!

Back to our main task today, most of the works were major cleaning up for the old building, including its compound. I was somehow, wondering around the area before given the task to prepare our lunch. Well, to be exact, the barbecue chicken.

Those days I need probably a fire starter to get the business done but thanks and no thanks to the strong winds, I suppose the new records now stands at 7. It was a helpful practice indeed! Luckily I received no complain, so far…

If you are in a village, far from shopping center and busy traffic headache, things can be done in a simpler manner. Most villagers will spend their cool, lazy (after dinner) evening sweeping and cleaning up their house compound, before burning up the masses.

Air pollution? It’s like comparing slash-and-burned farmer with massive logging, you should stand next to some factory for couple of minutes before making any judgment. Sorry to say, take away sweep-and-burned activities will be like taking away some of our childhood memories.

After the hard works (well, except grilling some chicken), we enjoy our time sharing some thoughts underneath the ciku tree. We were glad that it doesn’t rain early that day, it was such a good weather with strong wind, mild sunlight.

Often said: If you go into some kampung, you’ll never come out empty-handed. We are happy to have some newly “harvested” ciku with us on our way home!

P/S: More photos at S Nah's

My 7 Series

2006-01-07T17:03:00.000+08:00

No. Bukan. 不是.

This ain’t my new car. It is just my first 7 days in year 2006.

To start a post with denial was certainly not Chinese, let alone finishing it with fourteen photos. Chinese, especially those who speaks Cantonise, will try their best to avoid the number four, 四 (sei) because it sounds like 死 - - That’s “die”, alright!

On the other hand, Fourteen, 十四 (sat sei) will sounds like 实死 - - “sure die” !!!

Ok, I am going to stop explaining right here. It’s New Year! I thought I heard someone cursing already…As usual, let’s start with the first, and then all fourteen…

There’s a Great Wall in every Chinese’s house.

Or few, sometimes. Great Wall here actually means Mahjong, a Chinese game for four. One of the many ways we improve family ties while enjoying the gamble. I mean game. Haha! Just like when you are in Japanese’s Ofuro, this is where we catch up all the gossips and exchange conversation about almost everything: Your son, my daughter, his husband, her boyfriend, Chinese soap-opera, Hollywood movies, etc. depends on who is playing, and watching!

I’ll most probably get something like: “So, when you’re going to get married?” And I turn on the TV volume…

Even if I know how to play the game, but I don’t indulge too much into this game, because I don’t know how to win! Most of the Chinese communities here will play mahjong during Chinese New Year, either with relatives, among friends or family members. Occasionally we will play mahjong to kill time during gathering, some retirees will took up the game as serious hobby.

Tonight, this is the best way to end the gather-and-eat session at my aunt’s place. As they play, the clock on the wall slowly ticking from 2005 to 2006…

I woke up late in the morning of January the first, with another wonderful gathering in mind. Finding our way to Michael, fellow SCI-Malaysia’s house was never easy. But for his open-house invitation, I can only say: I DO!!!

Long before I visit their house, I’ve been told that Michael’s better half, Guna is a good cook, an Indian food specialist! And the rumors was right, sometime we had to try it to believe it, as far as food is concern. As the usually quiet terrace-house filled with joy and laughter, I’m helping myself to fill up my stomach…

Michael said he felt like an important person that night. Why not! He was such a cheerful and wonderful host, joking and serving his guests all night long. All some 30 of them, friends and relatives, on four-wheeled or two-wheeled, Malaysian or not!

I offered myself to take photos for him together with his guests, but he refuses. Well, that’s why I have my camera! Hehe!!!

Other than the main curry dish and delicious Putu Mayam, my all time favorite was the crunchy muruku!!!

There is a secret of every wonderful meal, and I suppose I found Guna’s secret here in the kitchen. Still a secret for me though. Not until I figure out how to mix up all the spices and ingredients together producing what’s all in my stomach now.

I suggest you to have a close look at the calendar, when you are in some Malaysian friend’s house. Don’t be surprise to find more than one type of calendar, as we usually start the same New Year, twice. We grown up getting used to two time frames, like some European altering their clock's timing in order to catch a glimpse of sunrise during the winter season.

Just like Chinese Lunar calendar, most Malay and Indian calendar used for dating our New Year, festival, or even choosing auspicious date for a wedding, moves into a new house, etc. We were born with the age of one, considering that 9 month pregnancy period.

And I’ll be celebrating Chinese New Year on 29th of January, 2006.

Before leaving Michael’s residence, Stephen and I were equally excite and surprised by these few chicken-on-the-gate. We didn’t ask Michael why they behaved so, it’s his neighbor’s chicken anyway.

Perhaps we will get the answer to our curiosity in next visits, but honestly, I am more interested to what Michael likes as much: Food! Thank you so much for the night, my friend!

Back home, I found Randi finally completed her 3 days traveling in the eastern part of KL, a small town called Jerantut. Too much trekking now, huh? Haha! Other than my balcony which offers KL’s city view from 8th floor, Randi would loved to be in the kitchen, peeling the apple or ciku fruits before sharing it with me.

Good thing is we both like to eat, and almost anything…(Sorry, Randi! My bad!) She found her most delicious Ais Kacang here in Kepong, not to mention the tasty Chee Cheong Fun, Hainanese chicken rice, wantan-mee…Oh, you will missed ‘Mealaysia’ for sure!!! Hehe!!!

We must have watched 4 movies in 5 days, be it Japanese’s Fireflies: River Of Light, Mandarine’s Perhaps Love, funny Wallace And Gromit: The Curse Of Were Rabbit or Vomit (silly Cantonese movie: A Chinese Tall Story!). Randi finished the like of Narnia, Harry Potter, King Kong, etc while she’s in the northern part of Malaysia, Penang island. Our GSC or TGV should have given her a VIP pass or something!!!

She probably won’t shed a single drops of tear if she watched Pride And Prejudice with me, her last movie before leaving Malaysia. I guess she is happy to get her one last Ais Kacang after that movie, together with my dad and sisters.

It’s been wonderful, brilliant and fun. Thank you so much for sharing, eating, walking and talking, Randi! I will make sure I know how to pronounce feta with rugbrod before I visit your dad’s residence…I mean and you in Copenhagen or Arrhus as well, haha!

Actually, I would really loved to have a horse rather than 15 sheep…Opps, I’ve been asking too much, did I? Hehe! Until I see you again, all the best, my friend!

Kai-san and Miwa-san arrived almost 12 hours after Randi’s departure. Miwa-san, Hajimemashite! Yuroshiku onegaishimasu! Oh I still remember Kai-san’s hospitality and tempura in Tokyo, warm hugs and nasi lemak can’t really replaced that. As usual, both of them drinks only fresh fruit juice. Teh tarik? Maybe later! Hehe!

And when Kai-san works, he hardly rest. I was about to rest my eyes and called it a day before I took one last shot…There is a reason why our former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir kick-start the Look East Policy, some 24 years ago. Having said all that, there’s always something to learn, share and do together.

Have a good time in Indonesia, my friend! And omedetouu, Kai-san! We shall meet again!!!

Nowadays I would rather lie nicely and chew my magazine rather than trying to beat the busy traffic and long cinema queue after I finally found a parking space for my car, spending 30 minutes of so circling the bloody multi-level basement carpark. I’m just getting lazy sometimes, which is a must!

My living room is quite cozy during raining season, so much so that I could just doze off like that! Especially when I’m at '…infrared light concentrated by Spitzer’s mirrors falls on detectors chilled close to absolute zero to detect the faint heat as…infrared Spectrograph…Multiband Imaging Photometer…'and good night!!!

These days I would wake up in the late afternoon and found almost the same weather outside: Cloudy skies, minutes before heavy down pour. I could see the Twin Towers were ‘under-siege’ and decided not to venture into the city center. Some of my friend has even better view: She can actually observe the traffic situations from her 15th storey before choosing which route she will eventually take on. There’s always a higher floor, higher level, huh?

Let’s hope for a healthier, happier year!!!

Flot!

2005-12-31T09:47:00.000+08:00

Every year starts with new dreams.

This reminds me of one particular scene in Miss Congeniality, where Gracie Hart (Sandra Bullock), an undercover FBI agent who finally and surprisingly won the beauty pageant title, when asked about her dream, somehow obligated and compelled to say:"World Peace!" Except for few people, no one really knows that she is actually doing her very part to keep the neighborhood peace and in order. Honestly, in that kind of situation and occasion, you can't say things like "I wish my father will quit smoking", even if you really wish to.

Well, that's in the movie. What about me?

Like most adults, I woke up and can't remember yesterday night's dream. And I don't dream as much as I do now compare to when I was still a naive kid. I mostly had bad dreams after I had my first kid-fight, stole the first rambutan, lost in some gasing game, get my first wound falling off my 3-wheeled bicycle…

Funny thing is I seem to wake up in time, say, before i dash into that 3 feet deep drain in front of my house together with my bicycle, again. My heart was beating 120/minute when I opened my eyes and think: Lucky! Not again!!!! Growing into teens, mother's timing was perfect to wake in up seconds before I kiss my dream girls, like she knew what's in my dream: Hey, you are too young for that! Now I knew why I don't seem to enjoy my breakfast sometime...not again!!! How Unlucky!

Into late teens, finished high school, enrolled into university, in love. Day dreaming or not I'm dreaming of her, before going out if love again. And love again. And...I hardly had bad dreams, since I'm lucky as a not-so-outstanding guy but still-have-some-attractions. I enjoyed new friends, sports, outdoors, endless times of movies and hanging out sessions and learning, knowing new things about everything under the sun.

Going into adult years, I realize that everyone have their own different dreams. Sis wanted to be a nurse, some friends thought Pink Floyd is not cool at all, while others believe the river and mountains in my small town will be always clean, free-flowing and forever green. I begun to accept my families, my friends, and everyone that I met with open hearts, and as there are, including myself. I understand that we always had dreams, good and bad. And dreams don't just come to me anymore. It's something that I have to search, for.

But again, nothing is impossible, as such that we still shared some similar dreams. We wish everyone healthy and to have happy life. Father to son, daughter to mother, siblings, friends, lovers, we all do.

So, what about me, my dreams? It’s not all that important sometime, no? :p

Anyway, this year has been superb.

Lets start with, umm, family.

Two sis and I moved into an apartment together as the year start, 2 years after working in the same city but living apart. I felt much like home now, having sis nagging me once a while to mop the bloody hairy floor. Including those of mine! When mother's here, not only that she help sis to do so on me, everyone else will kena (apparently, she had too much to share with us all)! Father will drop by sometime, or many times. I have 2 close aunts living in the same area, helps and warm welcome are just some 5, 10 minutes away. Maybe for them "troubles" are just too close to be good, hehe! I had finally written and exchange some letters with my Uncle back in Hainan island, China. My beloved grandpa's brother will be definitely delighted to know that my father, my aunts and few others are going back to visit them all in Hainan, next year.

Friends?

In general, in five simple words: Truly Malaysia, truly without boundaries.

Japan's trip in February was seemingly inevitable, like a continuation of my Japanese language classes some year back in university. Sometime I felt pity to have lost contact with most of my Malay, Indian and some Chinese friends in high school and university. But volunteering works opens up the door. And through various other channels, it keeps coming: Asia, Europe or North/South America. I've been spending most of my time mailing, communicating, learning, understand and working with them. Wonderful! Not forgetting my online friends, particularly fellow bloggers. Thanks for everything, my dear friends! I know you are there, and until we meet again...

And I'll keep my mind open for anything at all, my doors open for anyone at all. Well, golden rules apply, though. :)

Careers.

After almost 3 years, I finally decided to leave my previous company for good. I had been patient enough, I guess. For some reason, I would like to say that if you don't treat me as a professional, I don't see why I should treat you so. Kindly leave the office, if there's really nothing else to do. Sun is good and forest is green out there. Right now, I'm fortunate to find myself a new company with good working environment. It's not a perfect working culture that I'm looking for, but it's the best I've seen and experienced, so far. Hopefully I'll achieve something in the next few years. Well, that is, if I'm still an engineer. Opss...We all are, professional, anyway.

Frankly speaking, things in lives are much easier if all you need is just to accumulate more money, for yourself. I can't imagine doing just that, comparing just that, by staying away from some so-called untouchable, unreadable, unthinkable and unreachable people and culture. Of course, the choice is yours, like having such hectic lifestyle that you don't know who your neighbor is. I'm still obligated to some local culture and social peer, that's just Chinese, I would say.

On the other hand, I'm trying to find more "little people" along the way, one at a time. I still believe the possibility of the perfect mix of old and new, east and west, black and white, sun and the sea. I mean it has to be, as eventually, every country in the world will be multi-racial, multi-cultural. I live in one, but in some extreme cases, I would rather be comfortably dumb.

Back to my apartment, Randi circles the tiny Perhentian island in the map and wrote a Danish word besides it: Flot! I'm about to circle the whole of 2005 and wrote the same thing, deep in my heart.

Simply a fine, splendid and good 2005! Flot!!!

May the best have yet to come!

Happy New Year, everyone!!!

World Peace! *uh-huh?* :)

You Know You're Malaysian When...

2005-12-26T09:49:00.000+08:00

You complain about the quality of the pirated DVD you just purchased. "What, RM10 for DVD5?! Aiyah, boss ... sound no good, cheaperlah ..."

You're willing to consume sambal petai and durian and gladly suffer the bloating and wind-breaking incidents.

You're exceedingly polite to the Mat Sallehs but you slag your own kind. "Hello, sir. Why don't you sit here, it's got the best view of the city skyline." But, "Aunty-ah, your table is over there next to the kitchen."

You order Maggi goreng and fried chicken, complain about how oily the food is, and then proceed to finish it anyway.

You love to talk about food. You're already thinking about what to have for dinner while eating lunch. "I'm stuffed. What shall we have for dinner?"

You dive into a communal-style meal the moment the dish lands on the table only to hesitate at the last morsel of food on the serving dish. There are two possible explanations for this: the first is the pai seh (embarrassed) factor, while the other is the myth that the person who eats the last piece will be a spinster.

You hit the accelerator the moment the first drop of rain hits your windshield. "Alamak, it's going to rain. Sure traffic jam one. I'd better drive faster."

You seize the opportunity to make a U-turn anywhere ... especially where there is a sign telling you not to. Well, so long as the cops aren't in sight.

You feel a burning desire to send text messages and even have the gall to give your friend a blow-by-blow account of the movie to your friend on the handphone during the screening of the movie. "Okay, now that girl Lizzie is impersonating an Italian singer; she so doesn't look Italian ..."

You forsake your loved ones for the all-important four letter-word: S-A-L-E. "Sorry, mum, I can't take you to Aunt Mary's because I have to go to MidValley before the crowd." You?re also more than happy to be part of the insane traffic jam that forms around malls during weekends and sale periods.

11. Reality shows Akademi Fantasia and Malaysian Idol dictate your social life. "What, no TV at the mamak? Count me out ? I'm staying home. Rinie needs my support."

You pepper every sentence with lah. "No-lah, I can't see you today-lah. I have to study-lah. You know-lah, the prison warden aka mak is watching me like a hawk"

You fail to function normally without your daily dose of teh tarik and nasi lemak.

You have owned at least one Proton in your lifetime. Cheap, cheap. That is until you start to make enough dough to buy that Honda you've been salivating over.

You slow down at an accident site to take down the car number plate, but won't step out of your car to help the victim could be a robber!

You'd rather park your car along the main road outside the mall, where there's a yellow line, rather than pay RM1 to park inside where there are adequate bays.

You plead, bat your eyelids and relate a sob story to the officer at the town council office to let you off the hook (or reduce the amount considerably) for the fine you incurred when you parked your car on the double line.

You make an appointment for 10am and conveniently show up a half hour late ? Malaysian time, what ...

You pop open the wet tissue packet at the Chinese restaurant by squeezing the trapped air to the top of the packet before proceeding to smash your fist into it. The louder the pop the better.

You greet your friend / neighbor / acquaintance on the street with "How are things?" or "Have you eaten?" or better yet, by stating the obvious: "Went to market ah?"

Ramlee burger is the "piece de resistance" of your growing-up-years cuisine.

You catch all major televised events at the mamak.

You have roughly six meals a day (breakfast, mid-morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and supper). Then there's the snacking ? keropok ikan, pisang goreng, muruku, jam tarts and the like.

You get the whole family dressed to the nines, jump into the car and head for the minister's open house and ask for styrofoam boxes and plastic bags to tar pau (take away) food.

Your accent and language style vary according to the race of the person you are conversing with.

You've got a friendly disposition. Smiles are abundant and your "Apa khabar?" is warm and sincere.

You exclaim loudly how expensive everything is, even though the items may in fact be going for a steal. "Wah! So expensive, ah? Hak sei ngor (Scare me to death)!"

You dig deep into your pockets to contribute to the latest appeal for donations in the newspapers.

You "dis" our country all the time, but as soon as something good happens (like winning the Thomas Cup), you morph into a proud Malaysian.

You never travel abroad without a bottle of chilli sauce, or sachets which you can sneak into restaurants.

You're proud to be Malaysian - and you pass these jokes on to all your Malaysian friends!

Source: Blogthings

If you can understand everything you've just read...

Or actually practicing it...

Well, what can i say, you know you are Malaysian...

Perhaps, we should be celebrating "Malaysian Day"...

31 August will never be the same again!

Peace Dividends, War Profits

2005-12-17T22:34:00.000+08:00

The Perdana Global Peace Forum 2005 organised by Perdana Leadership Foundation on December 15 -17, 2005 at the Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia intends to provide an international platform for the discussion of current world problems and, through comprehensive discourse, provide ideas to make our world a better and a safer place. The Forum bring together a diverse and select group of current and former heads of state, business leaders, prominent academics, community leaders, other stakeholders and key NGO representatives to collectively brainstorm on the practical way forward to achieve global peace.

16th December, 2005, 7.00 p.m. Merdeka Hall, Level 4, PWTC.

Almost 2 days into the forum, at last I found myself being seated in the grand dining hall. The room was cool alright, and I thought its a good way to start the conference served with really fine dinner. But I can't help asking myself this question: Did I MISSED anything? Nah, those guys were just talking, anyway.

Source: Brand Malaysia
Flipping through the agenda while waiting for my appetizer, I suddenly saw something amiss...or whom ‘those guys’ that i've missed. Let's see...The Hon. Bob Hawke, Former Prime Minister of Australia, H.S.H Prince Alfred Von Liechtenstien, Chairman, Advisory Board of the International Peace Foundation Austria, Michael Carmichael, Founder, Oxford Centre Public Affairs, UK, Dato Dr Ronald McCoy, President, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, Malaysia, Dr Chandra Muzaffar, President, International Movement for a Just World (JUST), Malaysia, Peter Schier, Representative, Konrad-Adenauer Foundation to Malaysia....

Wow.

Even the Chairman for Perdana Global Peace Forum and also our beloved Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad himself, was surprise by the overwhelming positive response from the global community leaders, business leaders, prominent academics other stakeholders and key NGO representatives. As a small country with little political influences at international level, we are actually waiting for some big guns to initiate similar peace forum, but no prevail. Take it from Tun, we must always be humble but there is a time that we must believe in our capacity to excel, that ‘Malaysia Boleh’.

The BB (Bush and Blair) Brothers are not included in the speakers list, im not sure if they were actually invited. The truth is, if they were here, they will probably found themselves sitting in ‘cool chair’, that they will now listen with their mouth closed as the world speaks...Its not a surprise that the Bush collisions were under heavy bombardment yet again for their endless effort initiating so-called War for Peace. They couldn't care less about Sudanese warfare, but I guess Iraq was in their dreams even when they are not sleeping. I would say War for Oil.

The earlier part of the forum evolves pretty much on HOW, WHO, WHEN, WHERE and WHY (wars). Some fantastic talks were given on war economy, war and weaponry business (USA Boleh!), real truth behind the terror of wars, importance of inter-faith dialogue, critical role of mass media and most importantly, the peace economy. There's a saying in Chinese that money is not everything, but sometime there's nothing much that we can do, without money!

I considered myself lucky since I manage to participate in the last plenary session (7), An Action Plan For Peace. Of all the talking, all the discussions its crucial that the real actions finally kick-start, where serious attentions will be given to of that's most urgent, like peace within ourselves. You actually believe that every tiny cents given by hundreds of passerby to some ‘full-time’ beggars everyday, months and years will eventually made them super-rich, please do the same math, shall we? Contrary to general disbelieve, what we learned in primary school actually helps improving our later lives. One plus one is always true (two), here on earth.

Interesting thing is apparently some bloggers are given media pass to record, write and blog about the forum. As I write, I think there must be dozens of them posting daily updates and discussions, full coverage of forums progress and photos included.

Thats reminds me of leaving the camera with my sister, who was traveling. Well, I miss my camera, especially when hold Stephen's Nikon like using an unproven armor in the battle fields. And yes, if you ask me, sometimes I was holding my camera as if I was holding a gun or something. Else what makes you think that more and more journalist and photographer getting killed in combat zone?

Feel fear for the truth of wars, as we should!

I should be sharing more of my opinions and findings for a laymans point of view, but I really need some time to go through the stockpiles of notes and facts. For a starter, WHO the h*ll is Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf? I know nothing about him other than experiencing his soft-spoken tune, seemingly weak but powerful speech, so much so that I almost convert into Islam! It's a compliment, of course. Peace, my brothers (and sisters)!

As a matter of fact, i'm not sure if can believe everything ive heard so far. I'm not sure if all the speakers and participants are doing all this, on behalf of their own agenda and interests or for the eventual peace on earth. I grabbed the Peace Workcamp brochures, and carefully read it again.

That, is for sure.

Related Links:
Konrad Adenauer Foundation
JUST Malaysia
International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War
Blog Jeff Ooi
Blog Yvonne Foong

Chiling Waterfalls

2005-12-10T22:00:00.000+08:00

Jo keep explaining, while his lovely newly wed wife, giggles besides him. It's like that, once you married already!

Jo made me and Mie waiting for half hour before he finally shows up in his house at Serendah. Of course, we are just trying to tease the couples, never felt unhappy even if we cramped in the back seat of Proton Kembara, together with his brother. After all, we’ve been waiting for this day ever since he confirmed the Chiling waterfalls trip. There is much more to cheer about.

To reach our destination, from Serendah, we drove pass Kuala Kubu Bharu town and heads towards Fraser Hills. It took us about 30 minutes to see this magnificent Pertak dam, even if the water are at alarming low level, due to earlier dry spell. As the raining season has finally arrived, its definitely a good news for the dam, but well be damned if its rains today! We prefer to trek rather then washed downhill!

We stopped once we saw the steel bridge, landmark telling us that Sungai Chiling is just beneath us. If you are looking for a good place to picnic, swim and enjoying Malaysian rivers, you can actually start looking for suitable spot under the tree shade here. We saw some family and local kids (on motorbike, probably nearby) having fun around this area.

Not surprisingly we notice some Singaporean (their car plate always start with S) hanging around the area and some, even brought kayak with them. Sound interesting enough, they actually plan to kayak downstream until the dam. According to them this particular route are technically challenged, requires more control as you cruise along.

Anyway, today, four of us are going upstream.

We must have trek the first half hour of what I would called fern garden. We basically surrounded by endless fields of ferns and god know how many species are there. I don’t have time to take much photos and not a fern specialist, either. Occasionally the muddy trails are flooded with water, and this will be the best place to get some leeches hitch and hike with us!

One thing I like about the journey is we are actually trek along the river, guided by the river to reach the waterfalls. Personally I’ve never done something like this, so far I’ve only trekked in the forest which the sounds of water flowing are hardly heard.

Trekking along the river also means less humid, as the trails opens up to fresh air. If you get bored looking at those evergreen plants, turn a side for ever changing water formation. Ever rocks, ever turn along the river brings different scenery, tempting us to stop for a swim!

Since we are trekking along the river, we expected to cross the river at certain point of the trails. Knee or thigh height, the crossing part turns out to be a bonus experience. You get to feel the current, slippery rocks beneath the river and of course, get wet! We must have crossed the river 5 times, if you don’t ask for more!

It took us about an hour to see this view. Such a great sight to behold! The falls are so forceful, creating some sort of misty atmosphere. I wouldn’t expect to see something like this in Selangor state, really. The half hour wait has finally paid off!

I almost jumped into the cold water immediately upon our arrival. The water should measured 7-8 feet at deepest point, but the strong current from the falls will always push you back to shallower location. That guy on lower right is just hunting for fishes, not because of the currents, of course!

Earlier on, we had spotted some smoke coming up from a distance, up stream. Sure enough, there are a group of youngsters having good time preparing their lunch!

If you ask me, any food you ate here will taste better, especially when you just finish your swim. Eat something, and goes back to the water again…nice!

Normally during a day trip, we will bring along our own lunch, instead of cooking it here. Let alone catching some!

I remember doing some fishing at those waters, normally you won’t get much fish, or they are generally small fish. Enjoying the process, I guess?

Why Chiling? Maybe this - - back in those days, we would chilled Kickapoo in the river before we consume it. This picture certainly brought my childhood alive!

Last shot before we left Chiling Waterfalls.

Jo said he saw a face-like rock features. I said thank you, my friend!

Maria's Delight

2005-12-04T12:59:00.000+08:00

"Here are so different," in her usual cool looking face, Maria (Mah-ghi-ya) express her first impression on KL after she came back from her recent trip to India, Nepal, Cambodia, Thailand and Laos. No so different, though, when we trapped in the traffic jam not long afterwards.

But overall, Asia was indeed a different world compare to European country, or Germany. All highways in Malaysia, for instance, had a speed limit of 110km/hr. Some highway in Germany - - Depends on car model, plus your guts. IKEA home furnishing store targeted family here, but majority of the customers in Germany IKEA are college students. German pay high taxes, but amazingly, educations till tertiary levels are provided by government, almost free of charge. Things are easier when you are not multi-cultured? Who knows!

I think it's going to be my habit to show my new or foreign friends around FRIM, Couchsurfer or not! Sometime it's different if you have visitors who are totally new to our climate, hence tropical rain forest. Like someone who lives in rural area eager to step into the city, breathing different kind of air. What I am about to say in the next minutes always evolved around the guests, their reaction, their questions. Experience told me city dwellers are not surprised by daily traffic jam. If only they knew how, why, when, who and where.

Maria didn't take many photos during the whole 2 hours trek to the canopy, maybe she wanted to save some bytes. While some guests will just shot at what I highlight to them, Maria took some angle that I've never thought of: Children on the wooden bridge, with the forest as the backdrop. Next time, I will really try to look back for i might missed something!

Back in city, I show her around China Town, ever famous Petronas Twin Towers, and Central Market. I personal favorites are the fellow street guitarist, occasionally performing outside of Central Market building. I've been around the city for years now, but I suppose these two guys are from those few guys, too. Some of our local band like OAG, Innuendo, etc. are not bad at all, its pity that local support are not strong and what else, pirated maker are slowly killing everyone. Demand and supply, we are all guilty as charged?

And sure enough, I’ve recently attended Malay’s wedding, Chinese’s wedding, an Indian wedding in Pandamaran, Klang come just in time to complete my experience, or rather, photos. Apa, my friend Siva’s father knew I would loved to come. For the food, the photos, the cultural show, live!

We come rather early to catch some highlights of the wedding ceremony, including the bride’s brother putting a ring onto his future brother-in-law’s toe. It’s like saying: "We now accept you as our family member."

All the ceremony was supervised by a monk, including the never ending chanting and prayers. Usually the ceremony will be held in a local temple, but culture changed from time to time. Maria pointed out that some guests are not so concentrated on the ceremony itself, unlike the wedding back in Germany, where newly wed couples are very much the center of attention, all the time.

I know why. I am hungry, too!

Next, the bride will finally join the groom.

How long to go? I asked Siva. I don’t remember having anything for breakfast this morning, and she request me to be in her house by 9.30 a.m. I sincerely thought that this is a breakfast then wedding ceremony, sham on me, and poor Maria!

Halfway is definitely not a good answer. But that’s totally different story if you are surrounded with people dressed in traditional cloths, strong jasmine scent, with some kids running around the well-decorated hall, and a camera!

When the newly wed couples finally pray along side with their parents, I knew that time is almost up. I move closer for my final shots. This is about when I notice the electronic display bar above them, the only thing that I felt inappropriate for this occasion. But hell, it’s tells us something, right?

It must be a bit too spicy for Maria, nevertheless the food are still really good! Siva is lucky because she gets eat with us first; leaving her parents chatting with other close relatives and invited guests. It will be deem impolite, if the host eat before the guests.

The day comes to an end after Maria and I had yet another food feast at a hawker’s center, near my apartment. Outside my balcony I took a picture of a construction site with sunset, with some motionless tower cranes left hanging in the mid air. As Maria keeps building her own travel experience, I prayed the best for her!

I’ll see you in the Black Forest!

Amit, FRIM & Batu Cave

2005-11-26T15:30:00.000+08:00

"Low!!! Hang dah kayor ke?" (Low, are you rich now?)

Yazid greets me in heavy northern Malay slang, as I stepped into the FRIM's public relations office, late Saturday morning.

Rich? I can't guide any groups if you guys never call me up for duty! But partly my fault, too. Its been almost 5 weeks since I last visit them. I'm here today because of a guest from India, Amit who now works in Malaysia. Oh no, Amit is my friend, he just need to buy me lunch later! I don't charge my friend for showing them around! Be it in the city, tourist hotspots, or in the forest!

So here we are, Forest Research Institute of Malaysia, or better known as FRIM. Sometime I'm here almost every weekend, sometime not even once a month. The bottom line is, their need to dial my cell number! Officially became a statutory body governed by the Malaysian Forestry Research And Development Board in the year 1985, FRIM covered an area of 1528 hectare. Not a small area, considering Kuala Lumpur city center are just 16km away!

Normally the whole trekking journey would take around 3 to 4 hours, depends on the groups stamina and their interest on what the guide are about to say. In the first hour or so youll, find yourself surrounded by dipterocarp trees, most precious members of the lowland rainforest - - precious for human, as far as the timber industry is concerned. Sometime it still amazes me that these trees are not only tall, strong, useful but in the same time beautiful!

Getting off the muddy trails infested with mosquitoes, everyone will be happy to walk on crushing-stone-paved rover tracks. This road is wide enough for a jeep to cross, but generally only officers vehicle are allowed. Instead, visitors can bring in their mountain bike, cycle on this hilly tracks can be challenging. Else, do what Amit and I do, walk the walk.

As usual, i'll let the photos to do the talking, all 13 of them. I don't know about the rest of you, but 13 is certainly a good number for Chinese! It's close to mean will live!

Crown Shyness

Amit must have tumble few times because of the tree roots, crawling all over the forest floor. Fair enough, the nutrient-rich soil strata are shallow in tropical rainforest. Flora didn't evolved to suit human trekker. Everything else on the floor looks interesting, small shrubs, fallen huge leaves and fruits, I even asked him to watch out for occasional giant ants, while watching out for those roots!

Only in one particular "WOW" spot, I will have to ask him to look up for a while. No one would expected the phenomena known as crown shyness display by the Kapur tree, or Dryobanalops Aromatica, until we planted it systematically in a same area, some 70 years ago. Why aromatica? Pick up any leave on the floor, crush and smell it. That aromatic camphor smell...so refreshing! Now we are ready for longer walk.

Sure enough, Amit tumbles more later.

Hop-hop and away!

I think it's general rules: When you walked into someone's house, as a guest, you'll surely trying to behave, keep clean, admire the furniture, paintings, etc. without touching it, let alone damage it. You'll try keep your voice down, maybe their children are still in bed. Anyway you do not wish to disturb their neighbour next door, say meditating. And here we are, as a guest, in the forest.

Once a while, we'll come across news like people went missing in the forest, lost their way while trekking and so on. Believe it or not, if you are trying to mess with the mother nature, you're look for troubles! They are here for thousands of years, but you start shouting and joking at awfully high tone 10 minutes into the trials. Go ahead, it's you right.

Eco-tourism. I like it when it's just me and Amit. Talking about a huge group of people...they will just scared away Miss Grasshopper.

We're almost there, just 500m!

Almost there, almost. This is what I told my guest again and again, as the last 500m hike to the canopy seems endless. Mainly because of its terrain, those slopes can be a killer after an hour of trekking, with a mumbling guide. No pain, no gain?

But really, we're almost there! I'm telling the truth, of course!

Hantu

I always thought that Trevesia Cheirantha are found on the earlier part of the trails, until Amit found this one. Hantu simply means ghost in Malay language. The locals name this leave tapak hantu or ghost prints palm because of it's unique shape. Walk past it's shadow in the evening and you'll get the feel.

Hevea Brasili... what?

Forgive me, I wished, but i'm not a naturalist. This is rubber tree, and that's canopy walkway!

Suspended 30m above ground level, here you'll be able to walk on the tree top, spaning 220m in the mid-air. Originally constructed as observation platforms for our fellow researcher, public now come here to get a glimpse of the city, from the altitude of 1000 feet a.s.l. I've explained not less than a dozen times, that no one can run, jump or even get closer than 3 meter with the person in front of you. Firstly, you are not a researcher. And researcher don't come in a group of 30, with another 200 on their way, down there somewhere.

They, don't jump, either.

No hut too high

I'm always fastinatic by all the climbers in the forest. There are everywhere. No matter how difficult the condition appears to be, they can always find their ways to survive. Man-made obstacle or not, i'll get my own sunlight!

Both of us did trek from the entrance hut to the exit hut, but not on the wooden canopy planks! I felt sorry for Amit, he missed this experience because the canopy is temporary closed due to the festival season.

Don't worry, my friend, since youll be around for a long long time. But next time I want to try some Indian food, hehe!

Zen

Going down hill was another adventure itself.

At first you'll hear the sound of water flowing, and down the trails you're actually trek side by side with the river! Amit seems to be pleased by the sight of small waterfalls, with some granny practicing their Tai Chi beside the bamboo bushes. The water, clean and clear and cool as usual, is more like a present to us after the long treks.

Picnic, anyone?

Our adventures are close to an end, when we reach the picnic hotspots for visitors. Note that the wooden huts and bridge were newly constructed by some local movie producer. What you thought is beautiful scenery here can be much more stunning, actually.

So far we have trekked on one side of the mountain, it is said that some logging is on going on the other side of the mountain. Proof? Some years back you can't sit on that piece of sandy land without getting wet. It used to be full of water, we should be looking at a huge pond!

Cut the trees, take away the rain, gone the water. It's that simple.

Damn the Dam

Oh I remember doing this. But I guess I use bigger rocks. I thought I could trapped some fish or something. Back then I didn't know what is dam, damn! Real dam caught more than fish, some forest and orang asli village vanished with their presence...

I felt happy for this kid, though. Most parents thought that fooling around with some stones is not constructive at all. Go for piano class, guitar lesson, explore your full potentials!

So much that we can learn, in the cell.

Nature's call

It's coming.

The moody skies just outside the picnic area surely give out some warnings. Well, warnings to those homo sapiens who afraid they will lost some 20 gigabytes of portable MP3 players due to the coming down pour. Or some parents thought the rain will make their well-pampered son and daughter sick. The rest of the species are lining up for the feast.

Actually I would prefer to have a more environmental friendly car park here, as water should go straight down to soil instead of as surface runoff. But first let's parked our car in the proper space given, shall we?

India, Hindu Cave

For you information, the famous Batu Cave is just some 5 miles way from FRIM. So naturally I will be happy to show my friends at FRIM this tourist hotspot. Not guests, though. Last month, I came with an Italian friend. Now, someone from Bombay, a.k.a. Mumbai. The management should give me something since Im promoting their destination to international travelers, no?

Handsome Duo

I would think this shot is brilliant, even without two handsome guys, hehe!

What says you? :p

Dragon, Home

"I wanted to bring this dragon back home, to Bombay. But if I finally settle down here I will bring it back to my home in Malaysia." Amit sometime surprises me, I must say. That dragon, is actually an aluminum dragon handmade by a disabled handcraft seller.

Pleasant surprise for me, and our friend on the wheelchair!

Pulau Pinang

2005-11-20T19:30:00.000+08:00

Welcome to Penang, Pearl of the Orient in South-east Asia. The 13.5km Penang brige leading our way into the island from the mainland already hinting some great experience awaits us. For me this is the land of the Hokkien, as almost everyone on the island speak that chinese dialect. Pretty much my place, language do help one feels home!

Tonight, we will stay in a guest house off Jalan Brown, owned by the local council. All thanks to our SCI members in Penang, we get to experience life by living in a mansion! The old colonial building itself is huge, by any standard, let alone in Penang island where every inches of land is gold. The compund itself is even bigger, you can actually have a football match on the field outside and indoor futsol game inside!

And the big rain tree, staff quarters, tall pinang trees, other ornamental plants...And why the hell you need such a huge window??? Bigger than that door in my apartment...But hey, cool! I guess this is the best place for our gathering, together with some friends from spastic home.

We met Dr. Anwar again. This time he shared some of his visions on peace, that peace itself must came from ourself, among the people and with the mother earth. We are nothing more than the organic part of the system, which consist of air, sun, water (as in our body!), food...and back to the soil. It's been a really meaningful night for all of us.

Now, back to the best part. I think everyone who is traveling up north will have one common target : Food. Eat as much as you can, just do it. Diet(die?) another day, but today, keep it together, loosen your belt, release you senses.

Even if we couldn't drop by Ipoh for steamed chicken rice, Kuala Kangsar for it's special asam laksa, nor we can stay long enough in Taiping to taste it's famous popiah. But threat not, Penang island itself is a food heaven!

I'm pretty sure i follow the right car when Jon, Ros and myself wander off the huge mansion to do a little bit of shopping. We end up in a shopping mall at Pulau Tikus, where we had some Thai food. Never in my mind that i will try any Thai food in this island, but since they are having some sort of promotion, any food is fine with us. For me, I particularly favour the herbal eggs! It taste so good after the spicy Thai noodles.

I woke up the next morning having curry chicken with bread. It's a bless to have some good cook in your organization, really. We had some discussion after the breakfast and Jon and Ros is about to start their usual routine everytime they are in Penang. Kim and i had no idea i could took us so long before we could leave the island. So long, and full!

First stop, Jalan Selamat. Safe road??? Famous for it's Char Kaoy Teow (fried flat rice noodles with egg and shell-fish), ais kacang, prawn mee... well, what can i say, everything here taste so good! Anyway we tried almost everything except CKT, just look at the long queue! We just can't wait that long! I hope Jon is right about the fact that it's not so good afterall, nothing special, to say the least! But i'll be back, sometime, to proof that :)

Back in Penang Road, we found ourself moving around the KOMTAR building, hunting for second-hand books, souveniers, and of course, more local delicacies!

Here, in Chowrasta bazaar cum wet market, you can get stuff like bags, clothes, books, dried fruit, etc. and my favourite Tambun biscuits in one go! Supposingly Kim and i have no intention to shop or buy anything. But i up with whole bulk of books, while Kim decided to get some Tambun biscuit as souveniers!

Just before we leave, we stop by at Lebuh Keng Kwee for our cendol dessert. One of the best in town, if not the best! I don't see why these hawkers can't drive a big car, really! As for my last shot for the trip, maybe best moment captured, is this...

He actually "hold" for few seconds to let us and some other passerby to walk past his "way". Hence, this photo!

Taiping*太平 Peace Initiative

2005-11-19T15:05:00.000+08:00

Alright, actually before we finally ended up in Penang for an annual gathering, all the SCI Malaysia members (from KL, at least!) suppose to meet up Dr. Anwar Fazal et. al. in the "peace town", Taiping*太平 in Perak, my hometown state. In fact, this peaceful town is just half hour away from my little hometown, Padang Rengas*硝山.

This is a beginning of many meetings and visits to come, as we are looking into possibilities to have an international workcamps here, part of the Taiping Peace Initiative programme, started off by Dr. Anwar Fazal himself.

Meet Addision!
After a simple tea break with Dr. Anwar near the Cangkat Jering toll exits, we first take a short tour around Warisan Resort. Some 10 minutes drive away from Cangkat Jering, Warisan Resort was build literally in an orchard, owns by a local Malay in Kampung Cheh. I am pretty surprise myself to find out about this new starting point to Gunung Bubu, a 1,568m mountain well known to diehard hiker worldwide.

And how close you house can be, to river? This close! Imagine having the sound of water running down the stream accompany you as you sleep, instead of traffic building up outside of the apartment. Not to mention that green atmosphere that makes you feel like going back in time, in another world...

Even back in my hometown, i still have to cycle for 15 minutes to take a cool dip into the river. Here, it's just few steps away. So now you know that when i talk about river, this is what i have in my mind, for as far as i can remember. You can take whatever sample or pH test on it, but we only need to swim in it, to be sure!

This is, erm, where i pee!
Also, we met Fletcher and Donna, a lovely couples from Canada who now settle in Ipoh, Perak. As they are talking about Gunung Bubu hiking experience, i felt rather embarrassing, so-called local boy don't even heard about it before! I guess this is where the impact of workcamps lies, as everyone gathers at the peaceful town of Taiping.

We never really stop by the wonderful town of Taiping. Instead we drove past the town area and went straight to the Lake Garden. Here Dr. Anwar gave us a brief history of his works and thougths, including the creation of Peace Park, miniature of Peace Pole, working with local residence and universities to spread the seeds of peace.

All this, including a lecture on TOILET, in conjunction with World Toilet Day!

On the other hand, Taiping means more than just peace for Jon - - it means ferns! Varies fern species are spotted all over the Lake Garden, espcially crawling all over some big old rain trees. As usual, given to opportunity and permisson (guess who?:P), Jon would loved to "adopt" a fern or two.

Tree ferns must be the real ultimate "adoption" for Jon. But hey, you might need to ask your missus to walk home afterwards, haha! Anyway i found it hardly amused as i sat back into the car: Jon, Ros, Kim and me on board. Now, who will be walking afterwards? :)

One last shot before we finally on our way to Penang (for real!).

I like this greenery view, certainly look peaceful enough for me. And if you think green is just ONE colour, look carefully again. Likewise, peace may come in many forms. There is much for us to do to promote peace among human, mother nature and universe as a whole.

But for now, i wish to have a peace journey!

Kajang, Jon & Ros

2005-11-18T22:30:00.000+08:00

I must have mentioned it somewhere, that KTM is the oldest railways system in our country. And perhaps, slowest. But I'm not complaining, since i'm not using the service on daily basis and when i do board one, i'm already in good mood (travel), enjoying the slow journey...

After all, this is the only railway system that operates within the city, out of Selangor state, carries you far north to Thailand or deep south to Singapore. But hey, I'm in the left train, of course. Can't take one with whole bunch of cement on board!

The price to pay: RM 3.80, from Kepong to Kajang. Mind you, it's 7.00p.m. now and at any given friday, you can't cover such distance in half hour, if you are driving, on a bus, running, whatever. I can read or take photos, that's the best part!

Kajang is famous for, as far as food is concern, Satay! Satay is actually barbeque sticks, served with delicious spicy peanuts gravy together with onions and cucumber. While those sticks can come in all sizes, chicken, beef or mutton, but it's the gravy that makes all the difference.

As for Jon and Ros, this particular restaurant that we dine in tonight is one of the few places in town they considered up-to-standard. It's right opposite Kajang local council, and ironically, named after our country, "Malaysia"!

Again, we are in one of the many small towns in Malaysia, where plenty of pre-war building are still well in service. Long ago, we had a lot of empty land, people can't be bodered about building multi-storey houses, or double, triple lane highway.

What we see now is more private highway and flyover are being constructed in and out of the city, extends all the way to vicinity town like Kajang. Problems solved and created in the same time. Some roads are widen with demolition of old pre-war shop-houses, others are renovated, like you can't recognize your own wife after heavy make-up. Hehe!

Back in Jon's house, which is 5 minutes drive away from Kajang's KTM station, i found myself surrounded by ferns, and once in the guest room, books! Books shelves must be at tall as his 6 feet aroid plant in the frontyard!

Kajang, small town 20km south-east of Kuala Lumpur.

I've been here few time, tasted the famous Satay, had enough with the local council's officer, heavy traffic on my way out, getting similar things much like any other people. But tonight I've experience different and wonderful side of Kajang through the lovely couple, much like gravy's effect to Satay.

It's a good start my journey up north, to Penang, tomorrow. Thank you for your hospitality again, Jon & Ros! I'll be back! Hehe!!!

Pulau Pangkor : Bicycle Trip

2005-11-05T21:29:00.000+08:00

I nearly overslept, thanks to Si Hau who woke me up around 5p.m. “Perfect time for bicycle outing!” he said. Xiao Chen’s family didn’t own any bicycle. To solve my problem she crossed the half paved road to her neighbor’s house (apparently, one of her student’s) , walked back with a Mountain Bicycle!

“Pangkor is a really small island, don’t worry!” she told me that, yet again. So off I go, don’t even bodered about map, timing, or even drinking water. “There’s only one main road circulating the island, you won’t get lost for sure!” I thought she told me that sometime, somewhere…

It’s not too difficult to locate Xiao Chen’s house, Kim Chooi Estate off Jalan Pasir Bogak. We actually walked back to her house, about 5 minutes away from the jetty. One obvious landmark must be this school, Sekolah Kebangsaan Seri Pangkor, the first building I saw once cycle out of her housing area.

While most of the Chinese population concentrated at the town area, like those fishers and prawns, the other races seems to have their place on the small island. Minutes into my journey I came across a group of Indian kids playing what i would regard as “broomstick-game”.

Yes, all you need is 2 broomsticks, a long (1 feet) and a short (5 inches) one, an open ground and few crazy kids. Kids like me, 10, 15 years back! It’s amazing that I saw them playing it here, now. I’ve spent some time observing them playing the game, all looks too similar to our-style, maybe it’s uniquely a Perakian game? Or my Indian friends married a Pangkor girls, taught his kids to play this game?

I really wish to play with them, or learn from them. Honestly I’ve forgotten some part of the game, haha! But i don’t want to miss the sunset ahead of me, so I need to move on…

Cycle past some resorts, most of them concentrated on the south-west side of the island. See that pinkish little van? That’s tourist taxi, there must be some 80 of them, according to Uncle Goh. Perhaps when someone is too old to fish, they will turn taxi driver. But do we need hundreds more? What if there is no more tourist?

Sometime we like to fly. Take on four wheel drive or speeding in motorcycle. And, miss this! I couldn’t help but stopping by to take this shot, near Nipah Bay. Sometime it’s not the skills that matters, you just need to be there, at the right place, right time.

Many writers and photographers said every sunset will give you different feeling, different view. Today I’ll be happy to take home this one :)

Not all sights are pleasing, though. I guess I’ve seen at least “ruins” like this along the main road, west side of the island. Not to mention some landside, pretty scary considering the rainy season has just started. I wouldn’t want to complain about the poor workmanship on the road pavement, bad concrete grade on the retaining wall, or they just bricked up the thing…

Forces of nature.

And I imagining Lrong Lim…

It’s blessing when you don’t have to pack yourself in an air-conditioned car, stuck in the heavy traffic jam while driving to work. Alright, it will rain, but we can still find other solutions. But back in Kuala Lumpur, you’ll still stuck in the jam, during daily peak hour. Rain, along with some flashfloods, will turned Kuala Lumpur into a huge carpark.

Mat can simply means “brother” or “mate”, a Malaysian slang. Just in case if you are wondering, Mat Salleh means foreigner, particularly for white American, European, Australian, etc. I'm not sure why myself, but for as long as i could remember, Mat Salleh is Mat Salleh :)

Here is about where when Xiao Chen called me. “Maybe you should turn back, it’s getting late. You’re only half way to the town and the road will be getting tougher.” Sure enough, the terrain along Teluk Dalam stretch is one of the toughest, will up and down hill slope to 45 degree. I finish the last 2 km “borrowing” lights from the motorcycle and car travel along the road. Street lights, if I am lucky.

“Ok, I got it.” That’s how I answered her, actually.

Back home, I found myself watching EPL match with Uncle Goh, after a cooling shower.

This whole trip…couldn’t be better!

Pulau Pangkor : Routine, Fishermen & Fishman

2005-11-05T15:30:00.000+08:00

7.30 a.m.

I found myself sitting in Uncle Goh’s regular coffee shop, while everyone else was still in their bed. I'm having my hot milo and prawn-mee, opposite an old noodle factory. Ironically, we suppose to “hunt” for prawns, later.

Soon afterwards, Uncle Goh arrived with Ah Ne, a hired Indian helper. Although Xiao Zhen told me about his brother's tale before, I still ask Uncle Goh "What about your son? Did he ever follow you?" "Oh, he followed me once, for half a day, spent the rest of the day vomiting. Once and for all, ha! Seasick!" Uncle Goh chuckles.

Both father and daughter asked the same question, will you? Well, same answer from me to both of them : Never try, never know! Previous snorkeling and island hooping trips on the east coast helps to prove something, I guess.

Anyway after Ah Ne bought 2 pieces of ice, we are ready for action. No, not whiskey on rock. There is no fridge on Uncle Goh’s small boat, so the ice will come in handy.

8.00 a.m.

Do you swim?

That's the first question Uncle Goh ask me soon after I jumped onto his boat. "Yes, of course, no problem!" I answered with confidence. While the question may sounds related, but the real story behind it was Ah Ne did fell to the open sea once. That's about the same time Uncle Goh found out that he can't swim!

Ah Ne survived, not about to quit, though. I am not sure if he knows how to swim now, but he must know how to earn money, I guess. Life, huh!

8.30 a.m.

It took us about half hour to reach our "destination". No radar on the boat to show us our exact location, no sonar to trace the creatures underneath the boat. With the Zone A license, I suppose the boat are well within 5 nautical mile off the coast. According to Uncle Goh, every fisherman has their own place on the sea, just like the prawns, but underwater.

That's when we start circling around, searching for the suitable location to set our nets while Ah Ne waiting in front with the floater. Upon instruction from Uncle Goh, he quickly threw the floater out, dragging the 100 meter++ gill net along, as the boat slowly cruising forward. Those nets will be left drifting with the currents, caught anything that gets in their way.

In this case, hopefully, prawns.

9.30 a.m.

It must have taken us an hour to repeat the same procedure, before we could set all 3 bundles of the nets out. Then we come back to haul the first net, release it again before going for the second net. Then the third net.

I, for one, can't wait to see what's being caught.

Not surprisingly, prawns makes up only about 20++% of the total catch. Else we'll get all sorts of fishers, crabs, squids… even jellyfish! And yes, or no - - bycatch. In this case, it's jellyfish or other much smaller catch. Normally fishes were badly wounded once they are caught on the nylon mesh, escape only to die afterwards. Sometime, when they are in hurry, smaller crabs are being crushed with hammer, while they are still tangling on the nets.

Sad but true. Imagine dolphins, sea turtle, whale...That's why drifting gill nets are banned on larger scale, they can go as long as 65km and 12 meter deep! Not sure about this one, though.

Now, the waves are getting rougher, and our boat would sway voilently especially when it stop or slow down. As the boat goes on stop-and-go while circling around, i'm feeling rather dizzy, finding it hard to stand still. I'm holidng onto something most of the time, trying not to get myself throw out of the boat. Amazingly, both Uncle Goh and Ah Ne could just stand on board, hands on their back.

12.00 p.m.

The half hour++ hauling process can be tiring, especially under the hot sun! In short pants, short sleeve T-shirt, and bare footed, I proudly stand with them for the first 3 hauls.

And that was it. I took most of my time relaxing at the back, enjoying the view of clouds floating above Pangkor Island, with my feet half dipped in the sea water. Else I will be walking all over the small deck, taking pictures, chat with Uncle Goh and went back hiding in the shades again :)

That's when i slowly recovered from my seasickness, by keeping myself busy! Glad that i didn't throw up. It took me nearly 3 hours to get used to the new environment!

Soon after they finish the last or the 6th haul, we had our chicken rice for lunch. Good life experience to have lunch on a moving boat, standing! I caught something, no? At least, I caught the moments for Xian Zhen, since she never really saw how his dad did it! For 50 years, and still counting...

12.30 p.m.

As we are going to "park" our boat, I saw something amiss. Pardon me, I don't even realize the tidal effect until I "saw" it! Eventually both of them need to pull the mass up onto the jetty, lost some fish and crab in the process.

The caught of the day will then transported and sold to a retailer nearby, after separating them into different basket, double quick. So-called cheap fish will usually turn into fishballs, while prawns can easily worth 10 times higher, Ringgit per kilogram.

2.15 p.m.

Finally, home! Don't ask me where Uncle Goh go afterward, or what Ah Ne did with his salary, I need some rest! Hope to make a round trip of the island in bicycle, after my nap. Hope it will be as good!

Pulau Pangkor : "Fishman" Begins

2005-11-04T22:21:00.000+08:00

On the move again.

I've been to Pulau Pangkor few times, mainly fun sight seeing, hide and seek, fun and it's done. Basically it depends on whom you are going there with, and when. While i enjoyed being a traveller, or even a normal tourist, sometime i wish i could live there, rather than just stay there.

Months earlier, I made arrangement with Xiao Zhen, a cheerful lady friend of mine, who is a homegrown Pangkor islander. Being one of the few young teacher in the island, she seems to understand my request and sort of like agreed with it. My request? Take a ride with her fisherman father, Uncle Goh, be a "fishman" for a day!

Luck is just by my side when Shi Hau, her fiance, was about to send her back to the island after a week long holiday in Johor state. I'll need to do a RM1.40 trip down to busy Petaling Street to meet them up, before heads up north to Bidor, Teluk Intan and Lumut, from which we will take 30 minutes ferry ride to the island.

Lucky as i am, i'll use 8 shots to tell the first section of my journey, from KL to Pangkor.

It took us one and a half hour to reach Bidor town, small town turned-busy during festival seasons. Most people who travel up north will probably stop by to take a break, buy some local food and souvenirs. We took our late lunch here, by the road side, Malaysian style!

Right infront of our table we saw this old nanny, working on her own food stall. I like the pre-war buildings, like the old trishaw bicycle, and curious about what "Kodak : Ready in 30 Minutes" means to her...

As we walk around, i notice this bicycle repair shop, pretty much exist in every single small towns throughout Malaysia. If you can draw a diagonal line on the photo, from upper-left end to lower-right end, you will see something different. Dull 70's on the right, colourful 90's on the left.

Bidor town is famous for, among few other thing like local food, and it's seedless guava. "Try it if you don't belive it!" she said :)

Typical layout of a small town in Malaysia. At a first glance i felt like i'm home! But as soon as i found out i know no one on the street and saw no shops that's familiar to me, opss...:p

We didn't stop by Teluk Intan, since we have to rush for the last boat service to the island, 8.30p.m. Lumut town underwent a big change itself, all thanks to the tourism business.

I was planning to have one of these door in my house, in the future. I don't think there's any thieve in world would have thought of this door, in a house!

We had our late dinner in the island, sea foods, why not :) The restaurant owner making a point by displaying all the postcards sent to him by foreign visitors. Any of them from fellow Malaysian traveller, i wonders? :)

At night, i hardly sleep well, even if i know i need to get up by 6 a.m. in the next day. I am curious to know if i will get seasick tomorrow, i guess :)

Come As You Are

2005-11-04T11:24:00.000+08:00

Nirvana
Unplugged In New York (1994)

Come as you are, as you were,
As I want you to be
As a friend, as a friend, as an old enemy.
Take your time, hurry up
The choice is yours, don't be late.
Take a rest, as a friend, as an old enemy
Memoria
Memoria
Memoria

Come doused in mud, soaked in bleach
As I want you to be
As a trend, as a friend, as an old enemy
Memoria
Memoria
Memoria

When I swear that I don't have a gun
No I don't have a gun
No I don't have a gun

Memoria
Memoria
Memoria

Memoria - no I don't have a gun

When I swear that I don't have a gun
No I don't have a gun
No I don't have a gun
No I don't have a gun
No I don't have a gun

Memoria
Memoria

On my way to Pangkor island for couple of days, for good. Probably learn how to net some shrimps, repair some old boats and heal my new scar :p

Will be back with stories of fishing village! Sincerely hope it's a nice one :)

Maaf Zahir Batin

2005-11-03T02:44:00.000+08:00

New year is a good time to express our gratitude and appreciation to others, and at the same time seeking forgiveness for all the wrongdoing, mistakes, conflict and misunderstanding made throughout the previous year.

That's pretty much a principle that all Malaysian are practicing.

Like for our Malay friends, the words are "Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Maaf Zahir Batin".

I was just wondering if that is applicable to mistakes made the same day with Hari Raya! :)

Happy holiday everyone! Drive safe and eat healthy :p

The Indian Touch and Ciao!!!

2005-11-02T22:29:00.000+08:00

Oh Lorenzo likes this shop so much. Look at all those friuts, fresh and juicy. A typical way of starting his meal : Wallop whole bunch of fruits, amount that i think is way too much. European mind is alright with me, no problem, but not European stomach! Hehe!

After the breakfast, we went straight to Batu Caves, where the Indian temple is still under renovation, for as long as i can remember (erm, it's my third year in KL:p). Just like almost any other construction site in the city, workers are mainly RM 15 - RM 30 an hour foreign citizen that we felt uncomfortable with. We live in, pray in, study in, shop in, sports in, date in...some of the most fantastic structure build with their blood and sweat.

I was trying to capture the temple with the blue sky, only to be denied by camera's angle :( But i guess i am happy with this one, the cute little kid certainly lighten up my day!

While Lorenzo talking his own sweet time to rest (nap :p), i am happy to utilized the time, looking for my shots... Like this one, some of our indian friends actually climb the 272 step stairs bare-footed, compare to Lorenzo's Nike :o

What you don't see before this photo is, the husband hurried few step down the stairs, holding his love one's hand tighly...

Suddenly i realize the advantages of photographer, especially when they are on assignment : You do whatever to get your shots. Sometime, patient is the main key of sucess, you need to be there and then, at the right moment to push the shutter button...

Lorenzo said there's something in this photo that we don't see everyday, can anyone guess? Hints : Something that will attract "normal" guy, covered or not, hehe!!! :p

"Kodak moment" with Siva's family after a wonderful dinner, in front of the Rangoli. Other than Lorenzo, another special guest is Amit from Indian, whom i met couples of week before. My second Deepavali in Siva's house, hopefully more to come :)

Lorenzo's "last" meal in Malaysia : Mother's home cook lunch. An ordinary meal for unordinary trip, friendship, and moments!

I've been always amazed by the luggages that he had : diving fins, regulator, digicam, underwater digicam, magazines, portable hard drive, clothes, bla bla bla...But i guess when a man is pursuing his dreams, nothing is really that heavy and complicated after all.

I will surely get feezed-up with you sometime, my friend! CIAO! ARRIVEDERCI!!!

Ouch ~~~ Couch!

2005-10-31T23:50:00.000+08:00

One of these days, i'm getting lots of surprises and endless run of fun...

It was merely couples of days after i registered myself at Couch Surfing (CS) before i receive the request from Lorenzo, who wanted to be hosted. That's meeting up at Petaling street the same night (or same hour??) after i've got the email for a brief chat. He leave a box of suitcase with my that night, before he come back again to couch with me in a week's time.

Thanks and no thanks to his last minute kinda request, we are probably the fastest "couch surfing deal" ever made!!! :)

Lucky as he is, he come just in time during the festival breaks, namely Deepavali for the Hindu's and Hari Raya for the Malay's. I've got all the time to show him around, plus he gets to feel the real festival atmosphere by attending "open-house" dinner. And dinner at some Executive Club was an extra bonus, even for me!

Upon his arrival on 30th of October, Lorenzo surprise me by informing me that he actually don’t eat meat anymore! Apparently, such desire was long gone during his where year long stay in India. That include, alcohol, cigarettes, girls…Oh, maybe just meat, alcohol and cigarettes only, haha! Anyway we had a real good vegetarian dinner cross the street from my apartment, ate some “chicken” made out of flour, wheat, etc. The vegetable, though, are for real :p

Next morning, started off with heavy rain while we were trekking in the middle of the forest, with plenty of mosquitoes ladies accompany us. Ladies, just to make Lorenzo feel better! It was partly my fault that he crashes the trails with short pants and without insect repellent, my bad! For me, I can’t be bored if the tiny little devils bites me or not, and I hate the repellent smell, it kills the forest’s smell. You could have passed by a tree produces garlic smell (this case, Kulim) without knowing it. Worst, everyone else can’t smell it because of you!

Anyway, good thing is we get off the trails early, went back home to prepare the fantastic Italian-Spanish dish, Spaghetti with Tortilla. Never in my life that I will fry mix potatoes and eggs, it’s always eggs and onion, or add chilies if you want. The spaghetti was equally hard to cook for an oriental guy like me. But both dishes turns out pretty well, considering the totally different kitchen setup. Needless to say, five of us, including both my sisters and my mother, were glad to clear the dishes.

Then, we are on mission to meet up with fellow Malaysian couch surfer in Bukit Bintang, Zack and Reza. What a lovely couple! Initially Zack was the one who started off the couch thingy, her husband, Reza just joined her and they complete a memorable Europe trip (honeymoon? :p), I guess. They are kind enough to spend some time with us, while doing some pre-festival shopping. Some for their newly born baby, too. How sweet! Later on, we even get “vouched” by Zack, one of the parameter used by CS moderator to make sure that the fellow surfer are not merely ghost and shadow.

After saying hi and bye, we headed straight to Stephen’s house, where we will carpool with him to attend a dinner at Klang Executive Club. Lorenzo certainly likes it a lot! Even if he doesn’t know the 73 years old (or more?:p) birthday “boy” is father to SCI-Malaysia’s long time supporter, Tony Tang. I think Michael had more time to explain to Greg, fellow “World Traveler” from the states who even had time to bring a small birthday gift, how thoughtful! Funny thing is, while Greg is a “die-hard” vegetarian, Lorenzo is pretty flexible, it seems. He whack anything on the table plus little brandy (which drives him “high” a bit, I guess:p). Everything, except the shark’s fin, maybe his worse fear is attacked by sharks during his dive later in islands of Philippines, believe it or not! At the end Greg got his specially prepared vegetarian fried rice and some vegetables, which makes everyone happy!

On my way back from Stephen’s house, I was wondering where about for tomorrow, even if I’ve got our dinner fixed-up : Indian styled dinner! I wasn’t sure if we have time to do everything, in so little time. Bear in mind that Lorenzo is leaving on Wednesday afternoon, 2nd November.

One thing was sure, though. It was a perfect way to end the last day of October, year 2005!!!

Two Happy Butts(buddy)!

Alternative Post of Malaysia

2005-10-29T17:15:00.000+08:00

Sometime a post can be than photos, lyrics, advanture, travel...and, comments.

Personally i like blog posting with comments, more like curry with santan.

When YD received my postcard, she posted it with her usual impressive write up on subjects that can touched her, in a way like her feelings to Malaysia!

And things turns out...more than just a postcard. The things here, of course, refers to the post and comments combined.

Even, if you wanted to argue, the comments can only represent what's in our mind there and then, but i felt like i know more about myself and my country each time i read this post...with the comments!

@ロウ。LOW@ said...
Glad you like the postcard, YD! I like the stamp as well, it means something. That's where we're from, our roots :)

I really don't mind you get deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper...into discussions, haha! It's not easy to tell everything about a country to reader, let alone multi-cultural country like Malaysia! So the more words and photos(in my case:p), the better!

And...OMG! I am a Hainanese as well!!! Now you can save you thanks, hehe...

10:41 PM

YD said...
GOSH!!!! you are a HAINANESE too???!!!! We are of the same root!

My dad has always told me, Hainanese people are a close-knit community, they look out for each other even know they haven't known each other. there is some sort of bond that makes the community spirit strong. :-)

it's really great to know about this! hey hey... i m from the 25th generation, what's urs? let's see whether i m your senior or junior, wakakka...

11:51 PM

Pandabonium said...
This post has been removed by the author.

1:51 AM

Pandabonium said...
I am enjoying the discussion and history lessons about Malaysia. Many things remind me of Hawaii in general ways - a mix of many cultures who live together, yet maintain their unique heritage and customs to varying degrees.

Yet over time the cultures blend. My granddaughter in Hawaii has ancestors of Hawaiian, Portuguese, German, English, French. and Cherokee (native american) blood.

For myself, I do not consider my blood heritage important other than in understanding where some traits come from. I am human being of planet Earth and have chosen to adopt my own friends, loves, countries, cultures and religion by choice. In my humble (hehe) opinion, it is what thoughts go through our minds, not what genetic material flows with our blood that is important.

Places which have multiple cultures sharing the same space go through stages. The first stage is to be separate and to preserve the divisions along racial, religious, and native nationality. Over time that breaks down as a new identity is forged that is unique to that place. It can be along and difficult process.

In Fiji, the people are devided largely between Fijians and Indians, Chirstian and Hindu. It is still in an early stage.

In the US, the Europeans have blended, but more recent arrivals from Asian countries and Latin American countries are still divided. And of course, the US has the shame of both the annihilation of the Native Americans and the slavery of Africans, neither of which have yet been adequately addressed let alone resolved.

Hawaii is unique in US states because people of all bachgrounds do live together in as much harmony as can be found anywhere. Where is Malaysia in this process? Is it a melting pot as you say (I don't think the US ever lived up to that). Is that even a desireable goal? What do you guys think?

Sorry to go on so long. I am joining a 12 step group for people addicting to saying to much. It's called: And on and on and on Anon! :^) haha

Thanks for all your thought-filled posts, YD (and LOW). It is an education and food for thought.

1:57 AM

The Moody Minstrel said...
Nicely said, Pandabonium, and I enjoyed your posting, YD.

Yes, Malaysia is truly an interesting place. It never ceases to amaze me how so many totally different (and sometimes almost totally opposite) cultures are able to coexist there, whereas in my own country, which prides itself on its tolerance and togetherness, people tend to be so intolerant and so isolated.

And now I live in Japan, which is about as insular as they come!

Jumpa lagi!

3:41 AM

YD said...
I like this sentence by Pandabonium, "it is what thoughts go through our minds, not what genetic material flows with our blood that is important." Really true and meaningful.

In terms of differentiation and integration (sound like i'm talking math here) of the races and cultures, I don't really know at what stage, comparatively or absolutely (now i sound physics), Malaysia is right now. I am hoping it is already at a stable state.

I remembered there was once a time period our last P.M. Dr Mahathir pushed our country with a series of modernization, and I clearly remembered a few like the production of our national car Proton, the building of the Petronas Twin Tower, Multimedia Super Corridor
MSC, Commonwealth Games 1998, and the Vision 2020 towards becoming a developed country by 2020, etc etc... All these are aimed at developing our country, and at a more subtle layer, to boost the confidence and the nationalism of Malaysians. I must say Dr M is a person I salute very much, for his visions, his proactivity, and his far-sightedness.

The aim to boost nationalism among Malaysians reminds me of another idea of Dr. M - the "Malaysia Boleh" spirit, which means 'Malaysia can do it!' Such spirit not only boosted our confidence in many matters, but it makes us feel as one. We identify ourselves as Malaysians primarily, and only by our ethnics secondarily. It is interesting how we can feel as a 'Malaysian race' from a broader perspective, and yet maintain our own traditions and cultures. More interestingly, I am happy to see the integration of the cultures and the all-come-together spirit during all different celebration, be it Malay New Year, Chinese New year, Deepavali, or Christmas.

Of course, it's not always a good and happy picture. We Malaysians have to admit, to some certain extent, there is some racism, intolerance and unfairness. But I think such phenomena exists in all places no matter how 'integrated' people are. I love the Avenue Q's song of "Everyone is a little bit racist". It tells adeptly that a little bit of racism would actually helped us live in harmony.

I have gone overboard again. I wonder whether there is a word limit for Comment Box?

9:02 AM

YD said...
Dear Moody Minstrel,

where do you come from? I have visited your blog, you have an interesting writing style!

but i still don't know where you come from. haha.

Thnx for stopping by. i shall flood your blog with essays, erm, comments, too! Jumpa lagi!

9:05 AM

Pandabonium said...
As if I haven't commented enough...

I want to clarify that I don't want to leave the impression that I think all differences between peoples should be erased. Only that over time, changes do take place in ethnicity, nations, religions, and so on. But it is an evolutionary process and takes a long time and it is impossible to predict.

I just wish for everyone to live in peace and respect each other as they are, and not to push people to change nor force them to stay the same.

We all value our, traditions, cultures, etc. and want to carry them forward (and hopefully those of others). But we also need to recognize that over long periods of time all things will change. All things are impermanent.

I probably didn't clairfy anything. Oh well.

12:56 AM

The Moody Minstrel said...
I think we should all be the same in that we respect each other's differences.

5:47 AM

YD said...
Regularity in chaos.
Unity in differences.

4:42 AM

Lrong said...
I love collecting postcards too... when my missus and I travel, we buy a postcard each and write to each other... Fun, but quite silly, isn't it?

6:13 PM

@ロウ。LOW@ said...
More than just a postcard, now :)

Since we've been discussing it, let me continue with - - why integration?

I learn from the nature, really.

I wish the definition for human is much simpler, like we are all mammals. I had a funny thought of we are actually naming mammals into different RACE, like tiger, lion, rabbit, orang utan, etc. I mean tiger will be always tiger, even if it's really possible that they can evolves into something like rabbit due to extreme changes of weather, genetic, or whatever, it will take millions of years!

Of course our consciousness separate us from animal world. But so-called conscious-integration will make an Indian a chinese in no time. While some adjustment and minor assimilation will do just fine, it's awful to think that something lost forever along the way...

Just like the fact that some languages are lost forever. Some animals extinct, some plants exist only in green house...

At some point, i agreed with yd that somehow, little racism, intolerance and unfairness is healthy, just like we need some opposition power in political world.

In nature, the first real extinction happend when the so-called alien species introduced into new habitats—intentionally or unintentionally. Again, all thanks to homo-sapien.

Do you think you've done something good by releasing Amazon Anaconda into the Malaysia swamp? Think again.

Just like history for some countries and places change forever due to immigrants. Or like those days, slavery. Don't be surprise to see James Brooke's photo being prayed as god by some aborigines in Sarawak.

Having said all that, we are all, just discussing. Take it from Pandabonium, i didn't clairfy anything, no? :) I felt heavy sense of mutual respect, understanding and great friendship in this room, so i am not worried ^_^

So, tomorrow, i'll still drive to my office, have my usual lunch at mamak shop while thinking what can i do, other than just talking... :p

P/S : Seeing some points of our discussion, i wish to post all the comments here into my blog. I hope we have mutual agreement here, haha!

11:57 PM

The Moody Minstrel said...
You have a point there, Low. I guess the difference between an alien animal species destroying a native ecosystem and an alien culture (i.e. immigrants, colonists, etc.) wrecking a native culture is the fact that humans have the ability to choose.

Here in Japan, you may see a McDonalds in every town, but people can choose to go to a sushi or ramen shop instead, and many do. It's all a matter of personal choice.

On the other hand, the Japanese language seems to be fading. Young Japanese are using more and more English words (that they think are Japanese), and they often don't even know the original Japanese words that mean the same thing. Why is this happening?

a. Use of English words is considered "cool" in popular culture.
b. The English words are often shorter and simpler than their Japanese equivalents.
c. Because of the education system here in Japan, children are spending far more time studying English than their own language.

Reason b. is just a fact of life. People will tend to choose an easier path, so easier words will win out over difficult ones. However, both a. and c. are the results of choice. Japanese popular culture was created by Japanese people (in emulation of Western culture). The Japanese education system was also created by Japanese people (again, in emulation of the Western system). For whatever reason, they chose to do things the way they do, and now the country is suffering the consequences. They could choose to try to reverse the process, too, if they really wanted to (but that would mean less money for English language education and foreign brand-name goods!).

ikxuz - Isn't that what's written on those fish you sometimes see in churches?

12:40 AM

s said...
wonderful post, YD! and great blog too. very informative, and i got to learn so much about Malaysia & its culture from your one post! keep up the good work!

1:52 AM

YD said...
Thanks lrong for stopping by! It's great to find a Kedahan in Japan! Speaking of sending postcards, my housemates and I did some silly but fun things too. Everytime we go travelling we will send a postcard back to ourselves. *^_^*

Thanks for the good elaboration on the issue of integration, evolution, and colonization, Low. And thanks Moody for the argument of 'Choice' too.

Civilizations build on evolution of cultures, traditions and systems. New cultures and values are being born every moment. Whether they are preserved and maintained depends on whether it has contents, meaning, and also the adaptibility to survive the changes in the world. As Moody said, I also agree that it depends strongly on human' choice.

It is a pity that many cultures and traditions are lost in our way to search for modernization and so-called progress. For the name of development, many values are discarded. Although it is true that unpractical burdensome traditions will lose its attractions in the environment of Darwinian survival model, it is a great loss that many other cultural practise/values with much intrinsic values were trampled along the way too.

There is a fine line maintaining the balance between progress and tradition; much care is also needed in the differentiation/integration of various cultures. We all have what we are proud of, so do others. And yet, we all have some common grounds that we share and cherish. Unity in difference, I would say.

Many circumstances in life depend on choices. Human have made lots of great leaps in the past, alongside with many huge mistakes. What is important is we learn from the wrong things instead of watching the same misfortune happening again and again. Racism, colonization, clashes of cultures, xenophobia, etc.. have happened again and again. History keeps on teaching us, but have we learned?

1:57 AM

YD said...
Moody, reading your comments about the westernization process and the usage of English reminded me of the arguments back in Malaysia regarding the usage of English language too.

There were a time when it was thought to have caused the deterioration of our own national language, and much campaigns have been done to revive the national language.

Later on, people realized, learning English does not makes people neglect our own national language, nor does it reduce our nationalism and patriotism. It is just a language that is practical, not only in business activities, but also as a common communication mode among all the different races in Malaysia. Right now, there is many campaigns (again) to promote English language, knowing that people are mature enough to retain their own cultures and open enough to accept new cultures.

However, care must be taken so as not to let the 'English-ization' (I wonder what is the correct term for the colonization of language, hehe) get carried away too much. Forsaking our own traditional values in the name of westernization is degrading ourselves. Venerating foreign cultures while throwing our own roots away is a shame. A society must have the the open-mindedness to accept new cultures, and yet resillient enough to preserve our own pride.

Will come back again after my class. Right now in computer lab doing programming with statistical package R. Shouldn't let my teacher caught me doing this! hehe...

2:10 AM

Pandabonium said...
The influence of power and commerce in the changes in languages and cultures cannot be ignored. Sadly, in my view, much in the way of community is sacrificed in the name of commerce and "progress" which in the end fails to deliver any long term benefits.

It will require a major paradigm shift in what people view as "progress" to change that. At present, monied interests rule the day. Perhaps it has always been so in one way or another, but I find it sad as lanuages and entire tribes and culture are crushed under the wheels of globalized trade.

bvwktram - an ancient means of public transportation in South East Asia long ago replaced by pedicabs and motor scooters.

2:41 AM

YD said...
s... thanks for dropping by! I learned lots in your blog too!

and it's great seeing BOTH of your eyeS now.. they exude warmth and caring nature! pretty!

Happy Halloween+Deepavali+Eid!!

5:45 AM

@ロウ。LOW@ said...
Yes, Pandabonium my friend, paradigm shift is the word.

But sometime, sadly, paradigm shift is the last thing to happend, after those whatever "progress".

We learn ballroom dancing, couple it with traditional Hawaiian Dance. Jokes in okinawan language while reading Stephen Kings'.

Sounds confusing, but is there any other better options?

1:15 AM

The Moody Minstrel said...
Translating classic poety into modern slang?

Mad Magazine did that once with Shakespeare, translating the balcony scene of Romeo and Juliet into beatnik talk. It was pretty sad...

4:05 AM

YD said...
Re-reading the comments made me realized Low has asked a question which noone has yet answered. :P

Low, I'm fine with quoting some comments for your blog, let's see others' opinions ya. Panda n moody have really put up good arguments here. I wonder there's a way to highlight comments. :D

moody, worse translations include Hamlet's 'to be or not to be'...

P/S: Kindly continue at YD's post if you have any other says :p

7.0 My Seventh

2005-10-25T19:33:00.000+08:00

Got tagged by s to this 7 thingy thing. Usually i don't react to this kinda questionnaire, but 7.5-(7.), there's always a start. Or mistake, hehe!

Read on, and you'll feel what i felt while i am about to finish reading her side of 7th. It's like 7.5-(5.) .......

7.1 things I plan to do before I die
1. live different Lifes
2. visit or stay with my friends, no matter where
3. help others help myself, vice-versa
4. speak >7 languages
5. hike what i can, dive where i can
6. be a part of conservation movement, any forms
7. die as a grandfather

7.2 things I can do
1. fadeaway-jumper
2. swim and dive, run but can't fly :(
3. switch and talk other languages within seconds
4. dine with right hand
5. stay in forest, well, in-and-out
6. play gasing
7. ride bicycle/motorcycle

7.3 things I cannot do
1. use chopsticks with my right hand
2. have 2 girlfriends in the same time
3. fly a plane, ever!
4. lies without blinking
5. keep animals
6. ignore ignorance
7. stop joking my way in/out!

7.4 things that attract me to another person
1. simple
2. honest
3. wise
4. open minded
5. flexible
6. sense of equality and respect
7. talk c*ck and bullsh*ting (right thing at the right time!)

7.5 things that I say the most
1. please
2. bloody hell
3. what do you want?!?!
4. no joke!!!
5. what the hell...
6. go ahead!
7. come on!

7.6 people I want to do this
1. Pandabonium at Kashima City, Japan
2. YD at UK
3. Lrong Lim, at Takamatsu, Japan
4. Pau from Ecuador
5. Yumi-san at Arkansas
6. BON from Osaka, Japan
7. Any other volunteers!

Again, take it or leave it :) Can always use my comment box if you like it, or even email me!

It's good to know more about my friends...or sometime things are best kept secret? :p

香港@Hong Kong Night View

2005-10-22T10:55:00.000+08:00

香港@Hong Kong, it's beautiful by her name.

香@Xiang, pleasant aroma, as 港@gang, for harbour. You'll know exactly what it means if you've seen the famous night view of Victoria Harbour from a mountain peak...

And Hong Kong, or Hong Kong, China (after year 1997) pretty much grow up with many of us (mainly and largely, Malaysian-Chinese:p). I'm not sure if it's He-man or She-ra first, but as far as i can remember, the Hongkee's famous movies, dramas, songs and many more had been and still entertain us in a way, like bedtime story book.

Back then, kids may not even heard about Kuching in Sarawak State, but they probably can name few streets in HK like 旺角@Wong Kok, 尖沙咀@Jim Sa Zui, etc. They don't know who is P.Ramlee, but they can tell you that 刘德华@Andy Lau changed his hair style last week. I first started to play Black-Jack because of the movie Saint of the Gamblers, not because i've been to Genting Highland! And we joked in Stephen-Chow's way, wish to fight like 成龙@Jackie-Chan, similar effect to Arnold's "I'll be back!"

While HK is mainly 广东@Cantonise speaking country (hence, most of their product are in Cantonise), it didn't stop other Chinese from diffrent dialects from being HK drama fans. The main dialects in Peninsula Malaysia are mainly 福建@Hokkien (north & south) and 广东@Cantonise (Central), plus many others like 客家@Hakka, 海南@Hainan (Yup, that's me, Hainanese!), 广西@GuangXi, 福州@FuZhou, etc. And 中文@华语@Mandarine, is the only language being taught in all Chinese school and hence, main language for all Chinese.

Oh, i suppose to express my gratitute and appreciation to my friend, Cai Yan, who sent me this postcard all the way from HK. I am, again, fortunate enough to catch up with her just days before she left for HK. All the troubles to do so, during her short stay and busy schedule in HK, i will always remembered.

Just like i'll always remember her beautiful name, 彩雁@Cai Yan.

彩@Cai, colourful, 雁@Yan, can be the like of Heron and Egrets. I'll see her as a person with strong determination, commitment and positive attitude towards achieving something in her life. She will be a good lawyer, for sure. (Well, maybe there is a time when she can save me, haha!)

The same determination that beautiful Heron possess, during their never ending seasonal movements around the globe.

London 2012

2005-10-18T15:55:00.000+08:00

As usual, my letter box was in a mess when i check them out yesterday. Again, all thanks to those advertisement trash. I guess most of them are trying to sell new apartments, condominiums, linked-house, bungalows or even shop-cum-office lots. Helpful shark-loan's contacts, local new retail shops, etc. makes up the rest.

That's exactly what's happening now in our city now : Endless road works, civil works and most of all, building works. Quite similar to my letter box now, as my Japanese friend would say : mecha kucha - - Messy!!!

I am about to throw the whole mess to the nearest dusbin when i saw the monthly electricity bill. Phew! But then it was this...

Wow! Greetings from London!

YD's postcard comes in just in time, as i was getting really frustrated with the daily "spams". This will certainly cheer me up a lot! One thing that i really like is the way my name was written : Guo Zhang, LOW. As most of my readers know me as LOW, which is my surname, Guo Zhang is my last name in Chinese-Mandarine. Joshua is an unofficial name used by some of my Chistian friends, also depends on which group of friends. I don't want to surprise some of my old friends with different name each time we met, since it's always same old me.

Sounds confusing? Forget about everything, just remember this : Don't mix my SURNAME with my UNOFFICIAL name, it's not proper. I mean, when it sounds something like J'Lo...Damn! :p

But YD, you're the first "our-kind" to write my Chinese-Mandarine name, not using chinese character! You're the girl :) And thank you so much for the wonderful gift from far far away, especially when you mentioned this is the first of many others, how nice! Would definitely loved to visit you if i can! But at the moment I'll send few more interesting postcards to you too, so that you can share with your foreign friends.

Now, postcard can tell thousand stories :p

Of course, I'll get my letter box clean all the time, carefully, from now on. The electricity bill can't save my a** all the time, right? :)

Mike Fay For Peace

2005-10-16T19:56:00.000+08:00

I started off this small assignment with digging deep into the definition of Peace itself. Not surprisingly most of us grow up with news of wars, let it be in the history (WWI & II, etc.) or present (gulf war, genocide, North Korea, terrorism). In this context PEACE may simply defined as the absence of war/violence/conflict.

Some peacemaker, like Marthin Luther King Jr. believes that peace requires not only the absence of war/violence, but also the presence of justice. For him peace is not possible while some people were still starving/ jobless/ humiliated due to injustice. Even without guns and bullets, it’s still war.

In some other contexts, though, peace may simply define as the absence of disturbance, quiet or tranquility. It may apply to the smallest of our own self, our state of mind, body and soul. Something like SNah and John had when Sue or Rosalind stop nagging them around, maybe?

The definition that really caught my attention is the idea of Plural Peaces, a harmonious balance between human beings, the rest of the natural world and cosmos. Cosmos? Don’t be surprise when someone tells you the rubbish/waste rocketed to outer space by human were slowly, but definitely becomes a huge “environmental” issue.

Since I am more concern on the human-nature kind of peace, therefore my role model - - Dr. J. Michael Fay.

Michael Fay who?

In short, Mike Fay is a biologist, ecologist, explorer, and naturalist. As I read more about him I thought he can be a linguistic as well, as he speaks English, French, native African languages. But most of all, he is a conservationist.

Graduated from University of Arizona in 1978, Mike Fay spent 6 years in the Peace Corps as a botanist in national park in Tunisia and savanna’s of central Africa.

He then went on to work at Missouri Botanical Garden, doing a floristic study on a mountain range on Sudan’s western border, before ending up doing his PhD on the western lowland gorilla, ever since.

Some twenty over years and still counting…

This man is notable for, among other things, the Megatransect and Megaflyover.

In Megatransect, Mike Fay and his team spent 15 months walking more than 2000 miles across Congo Basin in Africa, to survey the ecological and environmental status of the region - - most probably last virgin forest on earth. “naive” animals virtually unaffected by human activity. In fact, Mike Fay is the first person who walked through it. Forest so dense, so deep that even native African like Pygmy won’t border to venture. But not those machines, logging is move closer and closer to this virgin soil.

Mike Fay’s effort was enough to convince Gabonese government to set aside what amounts to 10 percent of the country’s total land (26 000 km square) to form a national park system protecting 13 separate parks. In fact, President Bongo didn’t realize the abundance wild life and unique virgin tropical rain forest that he had, before seeing pictures from Mike Fay’s expedition.

Comes year 2004, Mike Fay go on with Megaflyover expedition, a 100 000 mile aerial survey of Africa’s wildest places, snapping a digital image every 20 seconds and recording human impact on Africa’s ecosystem. This is a starting point for them to develop a new kind of map that assigns to every km square of the planets a value for the ability of the land to sustain human life.

Finally, it’s important that we recognize that there are “conflict” between MAN and NATURE. That PEACE among MAN and NATURE is as vital as peace among human themselves. Man had co-exist with nature for thousands of years before us. There should be an urgent search for answers why the nature would collapse in mere couples of hundred years after we regard ourselves civilized and modernize.

Eventually, i would like to tag Mike Fay as Peacemaker, and as many other identities that we see fit.

Source:

Peace : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace
Megatransect : http://www.nationalgeographic.com/congotrek/
Megaflyover: http://www.fratpack.com/index.php?p=1249

Learning To Fly

2005-10-12T10:22:00.000+08:00

A full answer, to a friend from the other side of the world.

Not a complete answer, though. Not until we listen it together, somewhere, sometime, somehow.

Lets the music begins...

Into the distance, a ribbon of black
Stretched to the point of no turning back
A flight of fancy on a windswept field
Standing alone my senses reeled
A fatal attraction holding me fast, how
Can I escape this irresistible grasp?

Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted Just an earth-bound misfit, I

Ice is forming on the tips of my wings
Unheeded warnings, I thought I thought of everything
No navigator to guide my way home
Unladened, empty and turned to stone

A soul in tension that's learning to fly
Condition grounded but determined to try
Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted just an earth-bound misfit, I

Friction lock - set.
Mixture - rich
Propellers - fully forward
Flaps - set - 10 degrees
Engine gauges and suction - check

Mixture set to maximum percent - recheck
Flight instruments...
Altimeters - check both
(garbled word) - on
Navigation lights - on
Strobes - on
(to tower): Confirm 3-8-Echo ready for departure
(tower): Hello again, this is now 129.4
(to tower): 129.4. It's to go.
(tower): You may commence your takeoff, winds over 10 knots.
(to tower): 3-8-Echo
Easy on the brakes. Take it easy. Its gonna roll this time.
Just hand the power gradually, and it...

Above the planet on a wing and a prayer,
My grubby halo, a vapour trail in the empty air,
Across the clouds I see my shadow fly
Out of the corner of my watering eye
A dream unthreatened by the morning light
Could blow this soul right through the roof of the night

There's no sensation to compare with this
Suspended animation, A state of bliss
Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted just an earth-bound misfit, I

Un abrazo...desde el otro lado del mundo! Jajaja...

Perumal Temple

2005-10-08T22:43:00.000+08:00

Little that i know, what really is going on, when i follow Vikki, Siva's elder brother for a evening prayer. But at first, i was completely stunned by what i saw: Sri Sundaraja Perumal temple, Klang, dressed in full lighting suit.

Often regard as Tirupati of South East Asia, this 110 years old Hindu temple attract devotees from all walks of life, be it Indian or Chinese, young and old.

Much to my favour, the temple is rather crowded today, as Deepavali is around the corner. It's such a good sight to see, hundreds of devotees walking around, praying sincerely for the well being of their families.

Kid, praying tribute to God Vinayagar
Not to mention the smells of the joysticks, Jasmine flowers, burning oil with devotees in their traditional clothing, showing their respect to the God. Sorry to say that i didn't really dressed up the the occation, as it was a last minute decision.

Siva - - she could have come back earlier! While i was starving, alone with Vikki in the house, and he is heading out! But now, i actually felt glad that Siva didn't return home early!

Vikki, all lights up the God of 9 planet
I followed Vikki's move, which is quite a routine for him, i guess. It was really nice to have him with me, since i need someone to answer my questions! And being perhaps the only Chinese here make me feel just as odd as the rest who are looking at me (or it's just me?), and i'm with a camera! I try my best not to disturb him duirng the prayers (or when i think he's praying!).

Then, Vikki tell me he's going to walk 9 circles around the God for the 9 planet, with the last 2 circles anti-clockwise (why? Help me with this!).

"You can wait for me if you don't want to do so."

Well, i didn't come here to wait, and there must be some reason why everyone is doing it, even though Vikki didn't explain much that time.

"It's ok, Vikki, you lead the way!"

9 circle for the 9 God
After we completed the 9 circles, to which i lost count, we then circle the flowers given to us on top of our head three times, before leaving it to the wall. Vikki said I could have use the flowers to count the circles as we walk, dumping a flower on the floor for each cirle.

And yes, flowers are everywhere in the temple, all kinds. Just so colourful and beautiful!

Later, Vikki told me that he was paying tribute to God Shani, one of the most feared by Hindus. It's believe that eveyone owe seven and a half year of "occupation" by God Shani, where it might be our worse period of our lifetime, biggest challenge of all.

The 9 circle, suppose to show our repect to the 9 Gods, as they will empower during the different stages of our life. And of course, God Shani will bring nothing but hard time for us, as we, in a way, sinful.

I pray for the best for both of us.

Dragonball

2005-10-06T21:34:00.000+08:00

When Goku@悟空 finally came back to earth, he was surprise to see everyone were actually expecting him. All thanks to a young handsome boy from the future, Trunks.

Everyone that who thought Goku@悟空 is the only Supersaiyaji@ 超サイヤ人 in the world were shock to see Trunks transformed into one. Both man set aside from some talks, and ...

Sorry, i can't tell you what happend next, even though i can remember the story, vividly. It was some 15 years ago, when i'm in the world of Dragonball.

I bought this Dragonball comic book, almost immediately after i saw it. Japanese version (i used read the mandarine version), KIOKU jumbo sale, hence, RM1 !!!

I am not a business man, but i think i know just how to make this RM1 old junk into priceless item...

There you go.

Nurul draws me a cat-face.

Flower, typical Angel "signature". (Well, i was told)

Maria draw a "not-so-handsome" me, hehe!

Not sure why Sue (represent Stephen?), wrote the date as 1.9.05??? Oh don't laugh, Maria, you did the same thing, haha!!!

I "paid" Aly RM5 to write "You are handsome" on it, Carol followed with "Leng Chai" (handsome in Kantonise). I think she is refering to another guy, maybe :p

Loong were so particular, that he put down the 9.55 a.m.

Chau Peng make it 011005, too late for me to stop Loong from correcting it to 021005!

Henry's did a big boss's signature, with that big H!

Yoga, crazy DJ who was mad enough to sign for me, i should bring some properties transfer agreement next time, huh?

Finally, John's signature started off with a big circle, before finishing next to Rosaline's signature. Like he took a big circle, before finding his true love.

But maybe i need more than making huge circle, maybe i need all the seven dragonball to make things happend:p

Hmmm, i a bit too carried away, huh? Anyway at the end, the maths is quite simple...

RM1 = Priceless!!!

ありがとう!!! Arigatou!!!

2005-10-05T22:47:00.000+08:00

If you're a football fan, particularly follows the 2002 World Cup, you'll know where is 鹿岛@Kashima.

But for some people, 鹿岛@Kashima must be more than a football city. Especially someone who lived near to the ocean, for as long as he can remember.

Someone, who is kind enough to send me a postcard, someone like Ward!!!

鹿岛神宫@Kashima Shrine
His heart must be as big as the ocean. Generous enough realize my crazy dreams( exchange postcard!) by making an offer, before sending me a postcard.

Sometime, life can be just as simple as that. How nice!!!

いろいろありがとう!!! Thanks for everything!!!

KIOKU - The Who

2005-10-02T14:30:00.000+08:00

Funny DJ

Educator (not me, obviously!)

Gamer

Goalkeeper

Mental-Supporter (Nurul's niece)

Malaysian

Non-Malaysian

Observer

Photographer

SCI President??? Joker :p

Keen Reader (Frustrated because he can't understand something, not my camera, i hope!)

Seller-Buyer

Sponsor

5 - 4 - 1 formation Stricker

Volunteer

Winner

Balloon-Collector

Balloon-Blower (Fortunately it's an annual activity, hehe!)

Art-Maker

Big-timer (Kindly check local press for details)

Peacemaker!!!

KIOKU - One TO Ten

2005-10-02T11:00:00.000+08:00

ONE

Oliver (right), helping Marco to register himself. Like all other handicapped friends, Marco will get a coupon book, where they can use it to play games, claim their lunch, or even shopping...

TWO

...shopping at our jumbo sale counter! Everything that you see here are up for sale, and the maximum price tag : RM 5! (Curse Angel! i think it ONLY applicable on ME :p)
(PHOTO : SNah)

THREE

Oh you want some art pieces? Look for our friends on wheelchair, behind the counter. If this is not good enough...

FOUR

...the ladies will tell you where to shop! (From Left: Angel, Carol and Rosaline)

FIVE

Today, Mr. Policemen will play with you, so don't be afraid to try! With the help of many other organizations and volunteers, we turn the Lake Garden into a big playground!

SIX

Tired, but still they post for us!
(PHOTO : SNah)

SEVEN

But i guess they enjoy the game, too!

EIGHT

You throw, we will "aim" for you???
(PHOTO : SNah)

NINE

Almost every game comes with simple instructions like this, even though the rules and game plan are quite hands-on.

TEN

And finally, sorry to say that Stephen don't have much time to play and shop around :p

******* ******* *******

For seven long years, Service KIOKU, with the help of SCI, trying to bring the handicapped and the public together.

Sometime, money is something, but not everything.

At least for this one day, most of them can play and have fun like any other normal people. Not that they can't do it on any other day, but sometime it's our EYES that denies them.

PERKHIDMATAN KIOKU
PUSAT LATIHAN INTERAKSI ORANG-ORANG KURANG UPAYA
1E, GALERY TAMAN SRI SENTOSA,
JALAN KLANG LAMA,
58000 KUALA LUMPUR
TEL/FAX : 03 - 7782 7640
CELL : 016 - 360 3527

Help them make the call, when necessary, in case they didn't get this message.

Thanking you in advance.

KIOKU - The Location, Lake Garden

2005-10-02T07:30:00.000+08:00

7.30 a.m., huh, quite early.

No, no, i am not that hard working kinda volunteer (opss!). I went early for little survey around the area, Lake Garden, that is. After all, this is only the second time i am here.

My first time? Yesterday afternoon. Now, you know why :)

Where you wish to start? Look at the plan, then plan your jogging trails!

Grandma being early, make sure her lovely grandchild gets the best spot in the playground. Big enough, beautiful and well maintained, i must say.

Now i feels like jogging, damn!!!

Or picnic under the canopy...

Surprises await, if you wander off the trails!

Ok, alright, fine, i will find a girlfriend first :P

No golf course, thank you. You can Yoga, though.

Night, goes well with light.

Pre - KIOKU

2005-10-01T09:30:00.000+08:00

" Sympathy will kill us " - - Mr. Chris'S. Kali, President of SERVICE KIOKU.

If you are still wondering, KIOKU stands for Keluarga Interaksi Orang-Orang Kurang Upaya, or in short, family for the handicapped. Today, we, fellow SCI Malaysia's members, suppose to prepare for the 7th-KIOKU DAY, tomorrow.

More than just an annual family day for our friends on wheelchair and the public, this year's KIOKU DAY will mark the official launching of the ONE STOP CENTER, providing a reference platform for all the disable and handicapped friends in Malaysia. From here, it is hope that they will be able to prove their self-reliance, capabilities, and confidence in them.

I guess the thougher objective will be creating public awareness, before integrating the disable into the community.

Loads of Hershey's Cocoa waiting to be transpoted to Lake Garden
Anyway, our day started with transfering some 95 boxes of Hershey's Cocoa, plus some clothes/miscellinous items for the jumbo sale to a 10 tonne lorry, before unloading it to Lake Garden, Kuala Lumpur.

Sue and Maria at work, Singh on the lorry
When i'm at Stephen's house, Angel are already working on the collage, while Maria is ... ... ... doing her German language class's homework! Even if she need to attend her class at 11 a.m., we still need her help.

Angel, "baby-sitting" some cloths
I am glad that Stephen called me the night before, saying that "It would be helpful" if i can reach his house by 9 a.m. today. Else it will be only Sue, Maria, Angel - - and 95 boxes of cocoa! We all had some idea regarding the size if lorry, based on their tonnage. Thanks to Singh for his service also, i heard he still have to work afterwards.

Happy on the 10 tonner, though:p
I decided to hoop on Singh's properties, befriend with him for a while along our journey. He talks alot (since i ask, haha) about his family, religion, life as lorry driver, etc. I can't help but asking for his contact, i've never attend Singh temple gathering before, must be interesting!

Things are much easier upon our arrival in Lake Garden, with the presence of Kali's helper. We then head to Bangsar for our brunch (breakfast + lunch), so called "banana leaf" restaurant, since they served their food solely on banana leaf, not on plates!

I had a roti canai, capati, and everything else on the table!
Slightly after lunch time, the rest of the "fellowship" joined us, plenty of work to do before we can called it a day! Particularly on the collage, moving the tables and chair around.

Angel, helping the main architect for the collage, Maria

Stephen and i manage to drop by a mini-market nearby, getting some stationaries

From left: SNah, Loong, Oliver and Henry
And we are really glad to have Oliver and Henry, ever faithful delegates from Penang! Worth serving them the best Satay in town at Ampang Jaya!

With Love, from Nepal

2005-09-30T22:34:00.000+08:00

"Are you preparing for next year? You must do that."

He smiles alot, no doubt, friendly and patient enough answering my (stupid?)questions. Never knew that he will make such "commanding" statement. Hehe!

I've been waiting for his postcard, after Rajan happily finish his air kacang and went back to Nepal. I think he likes this Malaysian dessert as much as the workcamps!

Anyway he did send me no just one, but two postcards! How nice!

While most of us know Nepal = Kathmandu city, 14 km away lies Bhaktapur city - - an equally interesting city. Sure enough, that's where Rajan spend his whole life, so far.

But seeing, is believing. I need to be there to be sure, like have a close look at the Peacock Window, which is also called the "Mona Lisa of Nepal". I'm sure Rajan know the best of everything of his own city!

I must have mentioned it Rajan, that i would like to hike Mt. Everest...opss, to be exact it's hiking some other peak to have a good view of Mt. Everest from far, haha! Nagarkot would be ideal, 17km from Rajan's house sounds so close to heaven for me! God you live in a good place man!

So, l'll just take it as friendly invitation then :p

P/S: Friendship kinda love, of course! Both of us prefer our "better-half" to be a girl in gender :p

Dengue, Tolong Pergi?

2005-09-29T14:40:00.000+08:00

STORY STARTs

Somewhere in Melaka...

Eh brader, i heard tomolo got gotong royong lar, want to go not?

Gotong royong, why?

Oh, because of the denggi lar, need to clean the housing compound so that the mosquitoes cannot breed ma!

Aiya, no need to go one, make life difficult only. Better sit and watch Malaysia Idol replay lar!

You not afraid of denggi meh?

Don't worry lar, they (government) got give fogging ma, somemore my house got mesh on windows to block aedes mosquitoes!

But...wah, look at this news, they offer prizes if we go gotong royong, got bicycles, radios and TV somemore!

Sure or not? Come let me see first...

Lucky draws at gotong-royong
MALACCA: Lucky draws offering TV sets, radios, bicycles and other prizes will be held to attract people to turn out for anti-dengue gotong-royong starting this weekend.

“We do not get many people for gotong-royong. The lucky draw is one way to draw them out,” Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam told newsmen after chairing the state executive council meeting yesterday.

Eh, not bad like this! Can go and try our luck! When is the gotong royong?

I thought you dont want to make life difficult? now want to go ar?

Aiya you really stupid lar, we go there relax only, dont really have to work! Wait till the lucky draws part, hehe...

Hmm, true also. Better get more of our people go, got bigger chance to win the TV, maybe it's flatscreen you know, haaha!

Wah you so smart this time, so better start making calls lar!

STORY ENDs

Except for the news, all the conversations are just my own imagination. Also, it had nothing to do with our fellow citizens in Melaka State, Malaysia. Sorry that i need to use "manglish", or Malaysian-English, to make this stroy more "lively". Of course, not all of us speaks like that, but Malaysian can be quite creative, sometime.

Including this lucky draws at gotong royong thingy. Gotong royong, is concept of doing things together in a community, village, housing area, etc. Normally it refers to cleaning up the housing compounds, or in this case, clearing out stagnant water in the rubbish mass, leaves, old tires, etc.

While gotong royong is just another regular community activity in most of the small villages, situation can be rather different in the cities, or bigger towns. Somehow i will feel slightly insulted, if someone would have invite me to a big clean-up because they offer prizes, not based on the fact that dengue can kill faster than AIDS, without proper medical attention. And it's our life, our housing area that they are talking about!

It's just like when i have guests at FRIM. Unless they are primary school students, usually i don't say things like "Please do not litter". Most of them would end up helping me to pick up rubbish spotted along the trails, since i am more like a "walking-dustbin" with a dustbin bag tangling around my waist whenever i brought my guest in.

Having said all, lets get ready for the gotong royong, shall we? :)

Paper Woes

2005-09-27T19:23:00.001+08:00

Let's see, Lee Hsien Loong...Blair...Mandela...Bill Gates, me? Nowadays we can get all sorts of funny advertisement brochures/letters in the mail box. Not email box, ok! :p

Quick glance at the so-called Periodical-Inter-Office-Envelope : Wista Magna? My address should be Vista Magna! So it's quite obvious they got my contact through National Geographic's network, since they uses "Wista" as well.

Advertisement like this can only come from some well extablished magazines, local loan-sharks/coffee shop/new housing etc. can't care much about placing their product info in the envelope, linking you up with the likes of...perhaps our PM? Hello, this is Malaysia! Anyway those "papers" would clogged up your mail box pretty soon, but i will still go through them one by one, instead of dumping the whole stack of waste-paper. Too bad if i dump some important letters, bills or postcards with it!

It reminds me of NatGeo's survey some years back, seeking reader's opinion regarding the idea of e-magazine. Even though they hardly mentioned about things like "save trees", save subscription fees or whatever their intention can be, it's still 'NO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH' for me. You can "e" every thing else, but not some magazines or documentaries that requires lots of photographic input, and certainly not NatGeo!!!

But sadly, while they can have recycled-paper envelope, you can't jeopardise the printing quality of the magazine by using one. The only thing that i can do to help is to renew my membership/subscription as soon as possible - - almost a year ahead. Management wise, aviod inflation, to which i actually end up paying lesser.

Just wondering why only NatGeo can do this.

Photos, or Words?

2005-09-27T19:23:00.000+08:00

Found this article in The Star, 17th September.

Well, guess i need to practise more, trying to squeeze some 20++ photo's story into a compact essay with A photo? No? :p