olddog-samesame

A SILENT PRAYER FOR DAD

2009-11-24T19:55:00.000-08:00

My 80+ year old father fell down 3 times over the weekend. Although there was a minor swelling and bruise on the side of his head, he seemed to be ok. There was no sign of other visible injuries. He was at his normal self, enjoying his meals, watching television and taking naps in between. There seemed to be no reason to panic or a need for drastic actions that might cause him unnecessary duress. Nevertheless, there was this perpetual feeling of unease and nagging anxiety. Events suddenly took a drastic change on Monday evening. His body went cold and he became incoherent. An ambulance was called and he was immediately sent to the Emergency section of SJMC.

A brain scan and x-ray was carried out. The neurologist said there was concussion, minor burst arteries and shrinkage of the brain, but the situation was not so serious that warranted a surgery. However, he has to be warded in the HDU for further observations.

Most people are uncomfortable, but my dad has an aversion to staying in a hospital. His nightmarish experience and serious case of bed sores 13 years ago at the Gleneagles Hospital in Singapore did not help matter. Even at his advanced age, he has very set ways, personal habits and a dignity that is difficult to compromise. Compounded by his semi-conscious state of mind, physical discomfort and fear, being physically handled by strangers (nurses) is extremely difficult to bear. The nurses too had a hard time taking care of him as he struggles and refuses (unable) to cooperate. It is heart wrenching to see him tied down to the bed and struggling in vain with bruises and welts developing on his wrists and forearms and mumbling incoherently. The impulse is to get him discharged immediately and come back to the comfort, familiarity and security of home. However, things seem to be getting more complicated with dad developing a fever and a minor case of pneumonia on top of the other problems. Nevertheless, we will bring him home the very moment
the doctor gives the green light.

In the meantime, there is so little we could do but to offer a silent prayer that he will recover soon and come home. We love you so much dad. Dad, we hope you can hear us. We want you to be with us for many more years to come.

25 November 2009

RENEWED VISION

2009-10-03T02:58:00.000-07:00

Groping for my spectacles and putting them on before I open my eyes every morning has been a routine for the past 40+ years. This morning, after the cataract surgery last night, the trusty pair of glasses was no longer by the bedside table. I walked to the window, parted the curtains and looked out the window. It seemed like the world has changed over night. The Ficus tree in the garden, with its perfect crown of bright apple green leaves were shimmering in the early morning light. The park across the road and every blade of grass never looked so green. Everything was in brilliant colors and perfect focus. I swear I could even see the yellow stripped caterpillar on the tree.

Cataract and Lasik surgery has been around for quite some time. When lasik became available in this country some 10 years back, I was among the first to sign up for it but was rejected as an unsuitable candidate because of some minor eye blemishes. A few more tries down the years with numerous other eye clinics that had opened up also met with the same rejection. I think it had something to do with these kiasu clinics wanting to keep their 99.9% success rates.

So the only alternative left for me is cataract surgery and the timing seemed right during the Hari Raya. The surgery was expensive, uncomfortable and the post surgery recovery period cumbersome, but the renewed vision in the end makes it worth the while. The results so far proves to be better than I had expected. I cant wait to go back to the golf course. Hopefully, I won't have to ask "where did my ball go" like I used to after teeing off.... well may occasionally..if it is wild shot.

3 October 2009

UNSCHEDULED SURGERY

2009-08-04T21:59:00.000-07:00

On the way back to the office after going to the bank nearby, I walked pass a clinic and noticed that it provides minor surgery among other services. I had this lump at the back of my shoulder for years. It was not painful nor was it growing bigger, but like any lump on the body it attracted unwarranted attention and concern. So I walked in to enquire and the receptionists confirmed that they do have a doctor who does surgery. There was no patient in the clinic at that time and the doctor had gone out for his teh tarik break. Since there was no queue I decided to wait. Soon the Indian doctor returned.

I took off my shirt and showed him the lump. He said it was some kind of fatty cyst blah, blah, blah, medical jargons which I cannot recall and probably due to too eating much Nasi Lemah. The good news was it can be removed. While talking to him, I noticed that he had long and dirty finger nails. Even school kids with dirty fingers are punished what more about health care providers. Imagine all those bacteria under the finger nails and Indians eat with their fingers too. I hope he put on surgery gloves when he treats his patients.

He looked at me and said the surgery will cost RM150 and that he cannot charge any lower because of the high cost of medicines nowadays. But I did not even say it was expensive or attempted to bargain on the charge he quoted.

So, I said, “O.K. “
“So when would you want to do it,” he asked.
“How about now?”
“Now is fine. I have no other patient waiting anyway.”
“O.K. Lets do it then.”

Both the receptionists were called in to help. I was told to lie face down on the couch.
The doctor started by administrating a few jabs of anesthetic around the lump. I couldn’t see whether he had put on gloves or not as I was lying on my stomach. Also an uncomfortably hot spot light was shinning down on the back of my head, so I took my glasses off. The three crowded around me and cut open the lump. Presently, they showed me the cyst, a whitish soft oval shaped thing the size of an “attap seed” you see in Ais Kacang. I didn’t feel a thing when they cut me up but I could feel the prick of the needle on the skin when they sewed me up. 5-6 stitches they told me. I think one of the receptionists did the stitching. It wasn’t very neatly done, but I have to commend them as there wasn’t the slightest sign of squeamish reaction during the whole the gory process. When I was came back and asked the wife to change the bloodied plaster for me she squirmed and told to get back to clinic to get it done.

5 August 2009

TEENAGER

2009-07-30T22:46:00.000-07:00

My daughter will officially become a teenager on August 19. With the blink of an eye, 12 years has gone by.

We were first introduced inside a lift in SJMC as she was being pushed in a trolley from the Operation room to the Nursery at another level. She looked at me with tired open eyes – a sign of recognition as I introduced myself. She was a skinny little infant. All wrinkles and bones but bore a striking resemblance to her daddy when he was a child. Within months, with all the baby formulae and feedings, she piled on the baby fats. Not the prettiest of baby and was constantly mistaken for a baby boy. Then she took her first step before turning 1, by-passing the crawling stage. She would greet us when we came home in the evening – all excited, griping the grille door with her hands and jumping up and down though yet unable to talk. Education at home started early with all the illustrated cards, story books and bedtime stories followed by drawing and music class, swimming lessons and everything that her mother can think of.

Age 3-6 to the kindergarten days were the cute years. Then the Filipina maid ran away and daycare commenced. There were adaptation pains and lots of tears fitting into various daycare centers. Soon after, primary schooling started. These were long 12 hour days. Days of happy reunion at the bottom of the stairs after school each evening when she was in Primary 1. Night became homework time for both the parents and the child. Though she had a talent for drawing, she was extremely lazy when it came to coloring and there were lots of coloring work to be done by the father.

There were occasional resentments from her for being the only child. I reminded her that raising her alone is already a handful and a 24-7 job. I could not imagine if we have to cope with 2 brats in the house.

Puberty set in during Primary 5 and she sprouted out in all directions. She grew from size 4 to size 7 within a matter of months. All of sudden we have this grown child in the house who is always asking what is for dinner to night? And now in another couple of weeks, she is going to turn into a TEENAGER with raging hormones.

The subject of parenting is never taught in school or in the University. There is no standard text book to refer to. So this calls for some urgent research in the internet. Articles with a title like “How to deal with your teenager for IDIOTS” might help. Or maybe something like “Parenting 101” or even “The appropriate punishments for Teenager”. Whatever it is I need to come up with a new Operation Manual.

31 July 2009

GOLF – A NEAR LEGENDARY WIN

2009-07-19T23:02:00.000-07:00

Tom Watson the 59 year old professional golfer had captured the imagination of many senior golfers around the world in the recently concluded 2009 edition of the British Open in Turnberry. Professional golfers are deemed to be past their prime in their late 40s. Flexibility, strength, distance and eyesight (?) are on the decline and can no longer compete with the young guns in the regular tours. Come 50, they are mercifully sent to pasture and retired or “relegated” to the senior tours.

For decades, this seems to the excepted order of things in the golfing fraternity. And then, the unexpected happened in Turnberry. While the much touted world no, 1 player embarrassed himself floundering in the bushes of the Scottish links, this veteran player steps in and played near flawless golf for 4 consecutive days in the toughest of tough golf courses. Die hard fans of Tiger Woods switched allegiance by hordes over night. There is suddenly a glimmer of hope for all those old geezers and high handicapped golfers who had longed resigned to their diminishing golfing abilities with each advancing year. Was it my imagination or did I detect a discernable enthusiasm and vigor with which the old golfers were swinging their clubs at the driving range last weekend.

Unfortunately, the fairy tale ending for Tom Watson did not happen and the otherwise legendary win was not to be. It was so near, down to the last putt, and yet everything seems so far away now. Another accidental hero might step in tomorrow or we might have to wait for another few decades - who know?

20 July 2009

WAR AGAINST THE TERMITES – PART 2

2009-06-01T19:43:00.000-07:00

24 hours had gone by. All was calm and peaceful. Another day went by. Not a pip. Hey, this is cool, piece of cake.

But it proved to be only a false sense of security. A typical lull before the impending storm. On the third day, the termites returned with a vengeance. Overnight, the dirt tubes, tunnels, freeways and mould hills were back. The speed and urgency of their reconstruction was simply mind boggling. You can not help but admire their tenacity and determination. Regardless of my sentiments and my impartiality to ants (a childhood obsession), truce is not an option. This defiant act of provocation called for an all out WAR.

A quick research reveals that the “Shock & Awe” tactic will not work. These subterranean armies will simply disappear underground and continue their guerrilla warfare. I believe Sun Tzu (Art of War) will recommend fighting the enemy from within. In pest control terminology, it is called baiting. The strategy is to bait the worker termites with poison laced food. They in turn will bring the poison back to the colony. Eventually, the whole colony will be wiped out. A close analogy in human terms will be an out of control A H1N1 virus.

The Chinese manufactured bait is readily available in any hardware store. 48 hours after administering the bait, I checked out the battle field. A few queen termites could be seen, staggering around aimlessly. I mercifully put them out of misery.

2 weeks had passed. No sign of new activity. It might be a bit early to declare the winner of the battle for round 1. Nevertheless, I am very optimistic that there will be no necessity for a Part 3 to the story.

2 June 2009

ATTACK OF THE TERMITES – PART 1

2009-06-01T19:39:00.000-07:00

There is no reason to hang around in the dark and stuffy storeroom. You only venture in occasionally when something needed is in there. You switch on the light, pick up the thing and shut the door. So imagine the shock when one Saturday 3-4 weeks ago, the house cleaner announced that the storeroom was infested with termites.

And it was no typical infestation, where you see a small amount of droppings by the door frame or furniture. It was the mother of all invasions. The whole storeroom was literally taken over. Dirt tubes streak all across the walls like brown poison ivy. The floor was ankle deep with dirt droppings with more pouring out from drawers and shoe boxes. It was not a pretty sight at all. With the teaming colonies of creepy crawlies running riot, the place was busier than a pasar malam. We could probability hear the racket when we walk past the storeroom door had we paid any attention.

The tedious task of tidying up the storeroom and throwing away the junk had been postponed for years. The procrastination finally came to an end as the job has to be done right there and then. On a more positive note, some items which I have been looking for, for years and thought lost forever, finally showed up. One of items was my chipper, cover with cobweb and rust. However, after a thorough sanding down it is as good as ever. I digressed, but that will be another story.

It took hours to clean out the mess. This was followed by an intensive fumigation process with a whole aerosol can of toxic insecticide. Termites like dark and dingy places. So for good measure, the storeroom light will from now, be permanently on 24/7.

1 June 2009

PERAK MB – WHO IS THE REAL MC-COY?

2009-05-13T01:49:00.000-07:00

So who is the imposter and who is the real Mc-Coy. The almost comical game of musical chairs and seat grabbing is still playing on the stage to a world wide audience. With new developments unfolding everyday it looks like the fiasco is set to continue for quite sometime from both inside the courts and without.

So how will it play out when the dust finally settles? With the entire state machinery at the disposal of Federal BN Government, the odds are heavily stacked against Pakatan. It is almost mission impossible for Nizar & Co. to win this battle. However, every dirty trick and every act of treachery to usurp power will only serve to further expose how corrupt the BN government really is. With each episode, more and more fence sitters will be politicized and be alienated to the other side. It is a no-brainer as to who will win the war come the general election in 2013.

13 May 2009

THE 3 BY-ELECTIONS

2009-04-08T20:54:00.000-07:00

The ground reports, analysis and predictions in the built up to the 3 by-elections all alluded to a touch and go affair. It would have been a political catastrophe had PAS lost Bukit Gantang as so much were at stake. The momentum of the March 8 tsunami would grind to an abrupt halt.

Hence, it was a great relief that Pakatan managed to retain Bukit Gantang and Bukit Selambau and with an even greater majority. Unfortunately, the champagne was not chilled in time for the celebration that after the results came through the blogs.

Another bright spot in the by-election. The obnoxious ex-PM tried to meddle and wield his influence but the results clearly showed that the use-by date of the old tyrant has long expired. It is time to put the pathetic octogenarian to pasture or more aptly discarded into the garbage bin of history.

9.4.2009

FRUITS OF LABOUR

2009-03-14T03:58:00.000-07:00

The 3 cucumber plants growing in flower pots in my garden finally bear fruits after 2 long months of tender loving care.

Each plant only bears one cucumber. So it means the cost to return ratio is probably negative. The dream of organic farming and the Green Revolution nevertheless remains a mere dream.

BLACK BANNER DAY

2009-02-05T00:59:00.000-08:00

It is my birthday today and I feel awful and sick in the stomach. Everyone would like to have their birthday coincide with a happy or remarkable event. Unfortunately 5 February 2009 will be remembered historically in this country as a black banner day. Treachery has brought down the 10 month old Pakatan Rayaat government in Perak today. My whole day was spend in front of the computer waiting for the news to filter in as events unfolded.The unfounded glimmer of hope that the Perak Sultan, being the most educated one amongst the monarchy, will exercise wisdom was completely shattered. There is scant regard for the democratic rights of the people to choose the government of their choice. It is indeed a very sad day. We might have to wait another 3-4 years but people have long memories. The full wrath of the people will be felt in the ballot boxes come the next general election.

5.2.2009

UPSR RESULTS

2008-11-17T00:57:00.000-08:00

The 2008 UPSR results were announcement on the 13 November 2008. My 12 year old daughter was one of the candidates. The atmosphere in the house over the week leading to the announcement had been one of stark contrast. The daughter was sort of laid back and nonchalant about it. There is no sign that she was exited or worried. The wife on the other hand was tense and worried sick. She complained of sleepless nights and the night before the results were announced was a nervous wreck.

Technically 5As, 6As or 7As makes little difference. The student still proceeds to Form 1. So the pressure arose more from peer competition among the net-working Hockey Mums. Egos and bragging rights were more at stake than another thing else.

Statistics from the previous years Lick Hung School's results indicated that the top 20% of the students would normally obtain 7As. There would be a few exceptions of course if the students occidentally screwed up one of the papers. ML was a consistent top 10 student in her class. So I was quietly confident 7As should be within reach. She did not disappoint and we are both so proud and happy for her. At least the year long tuition classes were not in vain.

17 November 2008

DAMAI LAUT

2008-11-05T15:58:00.000-08:00

The 3 days 2 night long Diwali weekend was spent in Damai Laut. The drive up along the coastal road took about 4 hours including a wrong turn towards Bagan Datuk instead of Teluk Intan. It must have been at least 10 years the last time we travelled up this route. Small towns and villages and scenery that had somewhat faded from memory slowly became familiar again. It was almost a nostalgic journey.

Reached Sitiawan town around 1:30P.M. The wife was craving for a bowl of rice wine mien sein. Enquires with the few locals drew a blank. They claimed there is no stall selling the item. The sun was blazing and we were hot, tired and hungry so we did not persist and settled for some normal fare at the corner Kopitiam.

The resort is located some 10km off the old trunk road leading to Pantai Remis and Taiping. The location is superb. Isolated, hidden away in the middle of no where and nestled by the sea with its own stretch of sandy beach and complete with its own 18 holes golf course. The main open hotel lobby overlooks an infiniti swimming pool and across the sea to Pangkor Island further beyond.

The package holiday included daily breakfast, boat ride to Pangkor and free use of non-motorised sports. Paddling the kayak with ML was fun. Also tried my hand in archery. Being a novice I was pleasantly surprised that I could hit 2 bull eyes in a quiver of 10 arrows. Talk about natural talent…….The speed boat ride to Pangkor was exhilarating with wind blowing into your face and hair, and it took only about 15-20 minutes compared to the slow passenger ferrys that ply from Lumut. Lunch at the stalls located right on the beach under huge shady trees was simply idyllic. The food tasted good and it was surprisingly very cheap by today’s inflated prices.

The sunset at Damai Laut on that day was simply awesome. I have not seen such a beautiful sunset for a very long time. The place would have been an ideal get-away holiday location except for one most irritating setback – an abundance of house flies in every corner of the resort including the golf course, the beach, the restaurant and even in the room if you leave the terrace door open.

5 November 2008

J SHOPPING CULTURE

2008-11-05T15:50:00.000-08:00

Last Wednesday was J Card members’ Day in Jusco, 1 Utama. The wife took a day off and requested my company. With no meeting scheduled for that day, I obliged without realising the grave implications associated with the outing.

We arrived at 1 Utama before 9:00AM. The first omen of impending disaster was the chaotic traffic congestion leading to the shopping complex - unthinkable for an early weekday morning. Circumventing the mayhem, we smartly detoured to the basement car park of the adjoining One World Hotel.

Emerging from the basement we were in for another shock. The whole of 1 Utama shopping complex was packed to the rafters. One can hardly move in the sea of people. It took a few long minutes for the body and mind to adapt and adjust.

There were 2 distinctive categories of shoppers on that day. The majority in the crowd were apparently seasoned shoppers. These veterans were armed to the teeth, with steely determination in their eyes they charged to the targeted aisles piling in more items into their already overflowing shopping trolleys. And we are talking about pushing shopping trolleys in the departmental store sections! This is something new to me and a real an eye opener. The few lost souls that gaped in awe at the melee like us were a minority in the crowd.

Apparently all the shops in 1 Utama also decided to participate and cash in on the Mother of all Sales although they are not related to Jusco in anyway. With armies of devoted J-card members J shopping culture has definitely taken root in Malaysia. Taking in the scene it was difficult to picture that the world is in a financial crisis, that the markets had crashed and that the impending recession is looming around the next corner.

5 November 2008

WAITING FOR GODOT

2008-11-04T22:38:00.000-08:00

I am back after a 7 month long hiatus.

After the high over the March 8 GE, was eagerly waiting for the next political tsunami to sweep over the country. However, the impending storm did not materialize despite the much publicized and repeated warnings. 916 came, went by and had since faded into oblivion. Looks like Plan E or is it Plan F is still brewing in the back burner.

4 November 2008

A NEW POLITICAL ERA

2008-03-10T07:22:00.000-07:00

The tumultuous political storm that swept through Peninsula Malaysia on 8 March 2008 took everyone by surprise. The rumblings and undercurrents of discontentment had built up over the years. All the tell tale signs were there but no one has foreseen the devastating scale of the eruption. And then on Election Day, the voice of the Peoples’ Power came through overwhelmingly loud and clear through the ballot boxes. The Rakyat has finally awakened after 50 long years of political deceits and abuse to usher in a new exciting political era.

It was unfortunate that our brethren in East Malaysia were still in their slumber. It was through their massive block of 54 seats that allowed BN to survive by the skin of their teeth. Nevertheless, 5 States fell to Barisan Rakyat. The election result could actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise. An over night change after 50 long years of a one government system might be too sudden and difficult for the people to digest. A 2-stage transition on the other hand could be the ideal tonic.

Over the next 5 years there will be 5 model States governed by a different combination of 3 political parties. With keen competition from within and without, each party has to perform well to earn the trust and support of the people. In this political game there will be no second chance if they do not perform. However, if they are able to deliver on their election promises to the Rakyat there will be no doubt as to who would form the next government at the 13th General Election.

A new political era has dawned in Malaysia. Despite the censorship and spins put up by the government controlled mass media, people could no longer be misled or hood winked. News of the mother of all ceramahs that rocked Penang with a crowd of 60,000 easily reached all corners of the earth through a click of the mouse in cyber space. The end is near. The arrogant BN together with its racial politics of divide & rule will be dumped and confined to the trash can of Malaysian history. To day I am proud to say Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia.

10 March 2008

12th GE CERAMAH AT USJ 12

2008-03-03T06:18:00.001-08:00

For the past weeks the on going election and ceramahs has taken centre stage in the news and blogs. The last GE Ceramah that I had attended was so long ago that I cannot even remember what year it was. So when I learned of the DAP’s ceramah at neighbourhood field in USJ 12 on Saturday night, I decided to drop by to check it out.

Scheduled to start at 9:00PM, the residential neighbourhood was already jam packed with cars within a radius of 2 km from the site of the event when I casually drove there at 9:05PM. After trying unsuccessfully to find a parking spot within reasonable walking distance I ended up getting the wife to drop me by the main road.

The ceramahs you see on YouTube and the real live action is very different. The turn up that night was 5000-6000 strong despite not having any heavy weight speakers. The atmosphere was almost festive and the crowd feisty and responsive. The audience were aware of the current sorry state of national affairs. Malaysians are not so politically apathetic after all. It looks like a significant portion of the Subang Jaya residents are ready for change.

What is also heartening to see in this 12GE are the number of young people, both men and women, stepping forward to contest under the opposition banners.
They are well educated, out spoken, eloquent, and with a laudable common platform to speak out against corruption and injustice and to fight for a just and democratic society for all Malaysian. There is hope yet for the next generations to come.

I must admit it is not all gloom and doom in Subang Jaya as depicted in my last post. With the high exposure to internet usage, the younger generations are getting more informed and critical. So yes, there is yet a glimmer of hope.

3 March 2008

12th GENERAL ELECTION

2008-02-14T05:09:00.000-08:00

It was announced over the news today that the 12th General Election will be held on 8th March 2008. Though an extremely important event, it does not bring forth a gush of anticipation and excitement from the people.

Malaysian elections are by and large rather tame, one-sided affairs with so many restrictions on campaigning imposed by the government of the day. BN is always expected to win. The only unknown factor is the margin of the win. Even then 2/3 majority is more or less a foregone conclusion.

Despite being a non-event, come polling day, whether rain or shine, I will dutifully queue up to cast my ballot. I have done the same without fail for the past 5-6 general elections after registering as a voter in Subang Jaya some 27 years ago.

That was probably a mistake I did not anticipate when I registered. Subang Jaya is, has been and always will be a BN stronghold. The opposition is not likely to win in Subang Jaya for the next 30 years. The votes that I had cast for Semangat 46, PAS, DAP, PRM, PKR, Independents, etc over the years did not amount to much. Nevertheless, it is not totally an exercise in futility as my ballot is still a dissenting vote against BN and a statistic in the popular vote.

Maybe I should consider changing my registered address to a marginal constituency to make my vote really counts.

14 February 2008

BIRTHDAYS – LIFE MILE STONES

2008-02-12T05:45:00.000-08:00

Turned 55 years old last week. There is no stopping mother time. The first thing that struck me on my birthday was I had reached my retirement age if I were to work for a firm in the private sector.

I happened to be in Genting Highlands on my birthday and was taking my daughter to the Theme Park. The notice at the ticketing counter declares that anyone above 55 years old qualifies as a Senior Citizen. So the second thing that struck me was, I have officially become a Senior Citizen. I have always considered myself to be in middle age category. This honorific title that unexpectedly creeps up on me suddenly make me feels so old. I have joined the Ancient Generation category now :< So how do you celebrate a birthday with such an unwelcome and unhappy reminder.

Fortunately there is an upside to it as well on such a depressing day. As a Senior Citizen, the entrance ticket to the Theme Park is at half price, which means that I pay less than my 11 year old daughter. Riding the roller coaster and the high octane spinner with my daughter I did not feel a day older. Sitting in the togoban that rattles and twists and turns down the slide at a tremendous speed was such a thrill too. So it is all in the mind.

Every birthday marks a new milestone. 21 is when you turn into an adult. At 30 you feel you are no longer a young person. With the blink of an eye, you are suddenly at 40 and into middle age. At 50, psychologically you feel old. At 60, regardless of how you look or feel, you are officially an old person.

Time marches on relentlessly but age is only a figure. What is important is how you stay relevant.

12 February 2008

TRAFFIC STORY 4 - NO SHOW BY COPS

2008-01-02T21:52:00.000-08:00

Made another trip to Kuala Kangsar last Friday. Put on full alert driver mode. Thought I would investigate whether I got scammed by the cops the previous week. The plan was to drive at the 110kph speed limit all the way and see whether I would be flagged down.

My normal driving comfort zone (depending on the car) will be in the region of 140-160kph. Thus, it was excruciatingly tedious keeping the speed down to 110kph, esp. when even Kancils and Protons overtook me at the down hill stretches. The urge to floor the accelerator made my foot itch. It took a great deal of restraint and determination to persevere and stick to the plan right to the end.
Thus, it was a major letdown when there was no road block or a single traffic cop in sight on the highway that day. All the restraints and plan were in vain.

The only positive thing was, at that speed with the engine running at 2000-2500 rpm, the fuel consumption was extremely economical. The car consumed only ¾ tank of petrol for the return journey of over 500km!

3 January 2008

1000KM ROAD TRIP ACROSS SARAWAK

2007-12-28T07:15:00.000-08:00

DAY 1 – Touched down at Sibu Airport around 1:30PM. After a lunch of pian-pian hu (Sibu speciality rice pasta soup) and quick shower it was off to Bintulu. The road journey of 213km took about 3 hours. The winding trunk road with pot holes at long stretches was a challenging drive even during the day. The eyes have to be glued to the road at all time if you don’t want to wreck the car’s suspension or rupture a tire. Driving at night would truly be a nightmare unless you have perfect night vision. Thankfully we arrived at about 6:30PM which was already dark as the sun sets at around 6:00PM in East Malaysia.

The Park City hotel is located at the estuary of the Bintulu River and next to the Water Front Park. Like most river in Sarawak, the river water is a dirty yellowish brown – quite similar to Miri’s popular teh-xi special. With rough sea and muddy river banks there is no idyllic beach to talk about.

DAY 2 - Travelling along the new coastal road, the 200 odd km journey from Bintulu to Miri takes about 2-2.5 hours. The road being newly surfaced is smooth. With light traffic on the road, the drive is a breeze compared to the previous day.

Marriott Hotel is also by the water front. The Chalet room that we stayed in was spacious, clean and beautifully furnished. The attached balcony opens out to the lush landscaped garden below and the sea beyond. The hotel also has a huge swimming pool. However, being right by the sea and yet without a beach was indeed a big disappointment. A concrete retaining wall reinforced with a belt of wave-breaking huge boulders marks the edge of the sea. As such, it is impossible to even dip a toe into the sea not to mention going for a walk along the non-existence beach. If you want to hang out and laze around on the beach or work on a tan, Miri is definitely not the picnic place of choice.

DAY 3 - With nothing much to do, we made a flying visit across the border to Brunei. The journey to the border town of Kuala Belait including 2 immigration checks takes only an hour by car. After buying 2 packet of keropok and 2 bars of imported chocolate we were on our way back to Miri. To commemorate the visit we stopped at the roundabout with a giant tea pot in the centre to take some photos. Not much of an impression but houses and buildings in Brunei looks just like another town in Malaysia.

DAY 4 - It was a long drive back from Miri to Sibu. Surprisingly there is hardly any small town, rest and recreation area or even a petrol station along the way. Starting off at about noon with a slight detour into Bintulu town for lunch, we arrived back in Sibu at 6:30PM amidst a light drizzle and growing darkness.

Together with the previous Sibu-Kuching road journey, we have practically drive across the whole of Sarawak. The only places yet to visit in Sarawak are up river to Kapit and the Mulu Caves.

28 December 2007

(P.S. - Travelling together during the holidays is an ideal opportunity for family bonding as we are practically spending 24 hours a day together. With a growing child in the group, the trip was anything but quiet and peaceful. From this trip I noticed another facet of my daughter’s developing character. Oh boy can she talk. The amazing chatter box practically talked all the way from Sibu to Miri and back. The only down times were when she took short naps in between.)

TRAFFIC STORY (PART 111) – HIGHWAY EXTORTION

2007-12-19T04:50:00.000-08:00

Another road trip up North and another encounter with the traffic cops. I drove up and down at least 10 times last year and no problem. Nothing. Zip. 6 months down the line and suddenly I became a cop magnet. It seems like all their laser guns are trained and locked on me with GPS. At every turn and corner I am being flagged down. Is it the car? Are the celestial stars unfavourably aligned that cause my luck to change? Or are the cops getting more crafty and cunning.

The road block on the N-S highway last Friday was at the same spot - before the Tapah R&R. I saw on coming cars flashing some 30-40km away and slowed down to the speed limit. Despite that I was flagged down.

Cop: “Selamat pagi Tuan, tunjuk lesen.”
Me: “Apa kesalahan?”
Cop: “Melebehi had laju.”
Me: “Mana ada. Berapa laju?”
Cop: “125 km/jam.”
Me: “Dekat mana?”
Cop: “Slim River. Boleh minta gambar di Balai Polis Tapah.”
(Cop starts writing summon……….)
Me: “Summon kena bayar berapa?”
Cop: “Sudah lama RM300.”
Me: “Wah…mahal sangat……..boleh selesai.”
Cop: (Without hesitation) “Letak wang bawah i.c.”
(Took out RM20 and put below i.c.)
Cop: “Berapa mahu bayar?”
Me: (Shit.. want to bargain some more….but ignore him.. took out another RM10 and passed it to him. Cop took money. Pocket it and waved me on.)

After the extortion incident, it set me thinking. Slim River is like some 50-60km away. How could it be possible? Did I get conned by a bluff? Maybe I should have put on a cool poker face and dared him issue me the summon and see who blink first? We shall see….the next trip… hopefully I end up the cat and not the mouse.

19 December 2007

MAKAN MAKAN IN LANGKAWI

2007-11-23T08:08:00.000-08:00

Artisans Pizza – Pantai Cenang

A small pizza restaurant along the Cenang Beach painted red and decorated, complete with large lettering delivery phone numbers, like any other pizza outlet. We ordered Hungarian goulash, fish & chips and 4 cheezy pizza. Goulash comes with mashed potato, bread & beef stew and is a main dish by itself. The 4 cheezy pizza is simply out of this world for those who love cheese pizza. The generous topping with 4 different types of cheese blend well together. The texture is just right, not too runny and not overcooked & dry, just perfectly gluey to sink your teeth into…yum. The pizza is so good that we make a special detour for an early dinner on the way to the airport on the last day.

Oriental Restaurant – Pantai Cenang

A trendy and chic restaurant along the Cenang Beach. The simple rectangular white building has high ceiling and decorated with teak furniture, art pieces, water features, beautiful landscape and complete with subtle lighting. 5 stars for the deco and ambience. Perfect setting for loving couples. The menu offered is mainly Thai orientated. Nice presentation with the dishes but extremely small servings and pricey. Not a place to go if you have big appetite and a limited budget for food.

Breakfact Place – Pantai Cenang

Relaxing and friendly Kampung style eatery. Very informal. You can walk in from the sea with water dripping from your shorts or bikini and not feel out of place. Serves tasty toastie cheese sandwiches.

The Loaf – Pantai Kok

Mahathir’s roti shop fronting a marina at Pantai Kok. Nice location, clean fresh outlet. No other customers when we were there around 1.00 p.m. Decided to “tah pau” some pastries instead. Variety of bread, pastries and cakes displayed nothing to shout about and rather pricey esp. the drinks. A cup of kopi cost something like RM10.

Barn Thai – middle of mangrove jungle

Built more that 10 years ago, located in the middle of no where and about 20 minutes drive from Kuah town. A 400 m long plank walkway from the car park leads through the mangrove swamp to the restaurant. The alternative approach is by boat along the river to the small jetty at the back of the restaurant. There had been plenty of rave reviews by architecture magazine, newspapers and food critics and accompanying awards in its hey days. However, with so many new restaurants sprouting up all over the island, the most talked about restaurant in the 90s has become somewhat passé. The lunch/dinner package tie up with mangrove tours might be its saving grace. The Thai food served was actually fairly good and price comparable to that in KL.

23 November 2007

AN EXAUSTIVE HOLIDAY

2007-11-19T07:11:00.000-08:00

Langkawi reminds me of Phuket. Geographically, there are many similarities. A hilly main island with beautiful beaches and surrounded by many smaller islands. Winding hilly roads crisscross the island linking the beaches and the main town. Then there are the tourist belts along the mains beaches lined with hotels, inns, eateries, restaurants, shops, spas and tour agencies. The only glaring difference is there is no pub in sight in Langkawi!

A simple 3 stars hotel in Langkawi will cost anything from RM200+ a nite and most are fully booked with the start of the year end school holidays to the end of Feb 2008. Despite trying to book 2 weeks in advance, we ended up staying at 3 different hotels on the 3 nites we were there.

Sunset Resort is a smallish boutique hotel along Pantai Tengah. The 40 odd units of semi-d chalets were laid perpendicular to the beach connected by a winding beautifully landscaped path leading from the small reception to the Dining pavilion fronting the sea. The small private beach front is lined with deck chairs under the idyllic and swaying coconut trees. The beautiful gentle sunset that day simply took my breath away. Despite the peril of Dengue, as I was swamped by mosquitoes, I stayed on to capture the postcard perfect scene for posterity.

The trade off for having an intense landscaped garden is that the chalet’s door and windows have to be closed at all time. Fortunately, the mosquitoes are not present on the beach during the day. I could spend a whole day lounging on the deck chair in the balmy shade under swaying coconut palms, but it was not to be with an over active, extremely loud and easily bored 11year old yanking you around. The concept of holiday and fun for an 11 year old is decidedly different from that of her middle aged parents. This is ultimately the reason why a supposedly relaxing holiday turned into an exhaustive affair.

After spending 2 hours walking on the beach, picking sea shells and frolicking in the water, it was off to Telaga Tujuh waterfalls. There is a climb of 150 odd steps up a 45 degree steep incline and a 500m walk along a jungle path to reach the lower waterfall. Climbing 150 steps early in the morning when still fresh will be a breeze. However, at mid day with a bag loaded with drinks, food, camera, video cam, hand phone, etc. it was a struggle. The unfit mother was panting, out of breath and looked very pale. To continue to the top of the waterfall is another 500 steps! So we put off the climb to the top to the next day. After lunch at the waterfall, we drove to the Geopark Cable car near by. There is a panoramic view of the whole island from the top. Kuah town is clearly visible. There are also various vantage and viewing platforms at different levels and a sky bridge somewhere in between. So from one point to another it is again up and down the steps. All in including the long stroll at the beach, I must have walked at least 15 km that day.

The mother claimed (or feigned) to be unwell to wiggle out of the next morning’s itinerary to Telaga Tujuh. The replacement was a trip to the Underwater World which turned out to be more mediocre than the last time I visited. On the last nite we stayed in Bayview Hotel in Kuah town and whole day was spent shopping for chocolates. The mother bought a few hundred RM worth of chocolates. Shopping under the scorching sun was equally exhausting. On the taxi trip from the airport to the house the three of us fell fast asleep in the car. What an exhaustive but nevertheless memorable holiday.

19 November 2007

TRAFFIC SUMMONS (PART II)

2007-11-01T07:32:00.000-07:00

On the way back from Kuala Kangsar, I decided to take the old trunk road going through Sungei Siput. Exiting from the town I was in an unfamiliar part of the country and was following the signboards to the Plus Highway. The signboard indicates left turn to join the highway. The trouble was, there are so many junctions before the actual turn and I turned one junction too soon only to realize it was the wrong one. To cut the story short, I was stuck in mid lane at a traffic light. And as luck would have it, up came a fat moustachioed traffic cop on a bike behind me. He stopped behind me, and I knew I had it this time. Sure enough I was told to pull to the side after the lights turned green.

I winded down the window as he came up to me.

Cop: “Tunjuk lesen.” (I showed him my driving license.)

Cop: “Tahu kah ini kesalahan denda berat.”

Me: “I nak balik KL lah. Ini papan tanda arahan salah....I pusing terlalu

awal ..... kena pusing balik.”

Cop: “Ini compaun mahal…. Mahu saya tulis…?”

Me: “Sekarang masih Hari Raya lah… tak payah tulis .. boleh selesai..”

Me: (After digging into my purse)… “ 20 ringgit”.

Cop: “OK, masuk duit dalam buku compaun ini...tak nak orang tengok”

(He passed the traffic summon booklet through the window. I put the money in and the matter was settled – the Malaysian way :)…..

I remember years back when our driving licenses were in a booklet form
and it was a common practice then to keep some cash inside. So when you are caught, the cop just pretends to check your license, keep the cash and wave you on….. no words needed.

There are people who say it is against their principles to bribe and perpetuate corruption. I agree wholeheartedly and applaud their actions. Years ago I was equally adamant on the issue of paying kopi money. I still remember my trips to the out of the way places to pay those summonses and my traffic court case with numerous postponements just to wear you down. It just got too tiring after a while… so you opt for the illegal…. but convenient out.

2 November 2007

TRAFFIC SUMMONS (PART 1)

2007-11-01T07:26:00.000-07:00

The journey by car from USJ to the quaint little town of Kuala Kangsar, including
toilet and coffee break at Tapah R&R should take about 3 hours under present circumstances i.e. with road widening works along major stretches of the highway all the way to Ipoh. The speed limit on these stretches is 60kph including sections where the road is reduced to a single lane. If one is to strictly follow the 110kph and 60kph speed limit and not commit any traffic offence, the journey will probably take 5 hours. Raikonen can probably cover the trip in 2.5 hours (i.e driving my car and not the Ferrari).

With neither the luxury of time nor the patience since it is working day trip, it was one long tiring journey. To make matter worse it rained incessantly, alternating between light drizzle and heavy downpours the whole journey to and fro. On top of that, one has to be mentally alert to be on the constant lookout for traffic cops hiding behind bushes and under bridges. The whole country seems to be crawling with traffic cops these days. You see them lurking everywhere whichever way you turn.

After passing Sungkai, noticed that the south bound cars were flashing their headlights in warning. So slowed down and cruise at 100-120kph. Despite that was stopped at the road block some 10km from Tapah. Damn, must have missed the speed trap somewhere much earlier on. Surprisingly, after checking my license was told move along. Must be my lucky day…. or so I thought.

The next speed trap was after the Jelapang toll booth and tunnel – along the hilly winding stretch towards Changkat Jering. The speed limit was at a crawling pace of 80kph. With the Civic engine revving to go it was difficult to keep it below 90kph. Didn’t notice the cop hiding under a tent around the bend until it was too late. Pretty certain the traffic summon will be in the mail soon.

The third encounter was in Ipoh while finding my way to the Plus Highway.

1 November 2007

MONK POWER IN MYANMAR

2007-09-27T06:32:00.000-07:00

To have 100,000 courageous people marching through the streets in one of the most repressive country in the world is simply awe inspiring. The initial quiet protest of a few hundred saffron cladded monks in Yangon, Myanmar was hardly news worthy. However, in one short week the momentum and ground swell of the protest has surged to an incredible 100,000 people. People’s Power in Myanmar has reawaken and reached a crucial threshold. Are we witnessing the dawn of a new chapter in the history of Myanmar? What unfolds in the next few weeks will determine the fate of the nation.

The students lead protest 19 years ago was brutally crushed. Crack down by the military junta had already started yesterday with 4 people reported killed. How much more blood will be spilled on the streets of Myanmar. How many more martyrs has to be sacrificed before the regime is brought to its knees by the sheer will of the people. History tells us that the indomitable spirit of the people cannot be repressed forever. Truth, justice and freedom will ultimately prevail. It is only a matter of time. If this current wave of protest fails to uproot the repressive regime, the next successive wave of people’s power will be a tsunami that wipes out all these scum bags and criminals to humanity from the face of this earth.

Nelson Mandela was kept behind bars for 27 long years in his fight against Apartheid and for the freedom of his people. He survived the incarceration to become the first black president of South Africa. Will we see Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi rightfully restored as the first lady president of Democratic Myanmar.?

27 September 2007

BOARD ROOM FOOTBALL AT STAMFORD BRIDGE

2007-09-24T06:05:00.000-07:00

Though not particularly crazy about football in general and EPL in particular (except for the World Cup), the news that the “Special One” was fired from Chelsea still struck a discordant note in my mind.

Jose Mourinho is a brilliant, colourful young coach (in sharp contrast to MU’s mouldy Fergie). The results he achieved in 3 short years with Chelsea are irrefutable. Besides bringing Chelsea to the forefront of English Football, he has brought character and excitement to the dull EPL. Sacking him will go down as a grave mistake in the history of English football.

In a 3rd World country like Malaysia, it is the politicians and monarchy that run the show in the FA. The criteria to held a high post is a sports body in not how much you know about the game but rather your political clout or how high is your pegging order up the hierarchy ladder. A good example in point was the recent non-contest election of KK the "son-in-law " to the post of deputy president in the FAM. Is there any doubt as to why Malaysian football is still languishing in the cesspool after 50 years of Merdeka.

In the West, the buying of football club has become in vogue with the super rich. Whether it is for the thrill, spot light, power or political mileage (Thaksin in MC), FC has become a highly visible collectible item for the billionaire club. There is nothing wrong with such a wheeling and dealing in a free economy. It is after all above board and legal except for some bruised nationalist egos.

It doesn’t really matters who the owners are if they truly understand, respect and allow a coach to do the job that he is employed to do. Trouble starts when the game is being manipulated from the boardroom. At Stamford Bridge, Roman Abramovich thinks that he knows more about football strategies than the “Special One”. Any coach worth his salt would walk out with his head held high. To let the Beautiful Game be trampled over by the soiled boots of the nouveau Tsar will be an unforgivable sin.

24 September 2007

GOLF CHANNEL 83

2007-09-19T05:45:00.000-07:00

Most golfers in Malaysia were ecstatic when Astro added the Golf Channel to their service a few months back. The euphoria dissipated just as soon. The expectation that all major golfing events around the world will be shown live 24/7 did not materialise. Apparently the willingness of Astro to pay for the transmission rights plays a major part in the limited coverage we end up with. What is offered instead is a lot of reruns on golf instructions, some dated years back.

Nevertheless, being new in Malaysia, any golf program will still generate some interest in the golfing fraternity. A few of my golf buddies even credited their better score for the day to watching the instructions on the Golf Channel. The trouble with most Malaysian golfers is the lack of golfing basics. Very few ever bother to take a single golf lesson from the pros. Most of these home bred, self taught middle aged golfers also have very inflated egos. Having read a “Golfing for Idiots” instruction book or two already made them act like an authority on the subject.

So when golf instructions and tips are brought into the living room through the Golf Channel, they are lapped up eagerly by these gullible armchair golfers. The illusion that these tips is going to bring about a major break through in their game inevitably end up in disaster. The problem with these tv/book/magazine instructions is that every pro instructor has his/her own version as to how to hit the ball another 10 yards further. These mixed bags of conflicting instructions will utter confuse the average Joe golfer and screw up his game. Without a proper basic set up and swing to start with, any contorted twigging and adjustments will only aggravate his/her pathetic game. The blame for atrocious scores in the golf course nowadays has shifted to the Golf Channel. So the Golf Channel has very quickly transformed from a welcomed saviour to a bane.

So why bother to tune in? Despite the pitfalls, a golfer’s relentless search to improve on the very difficult game must continue. Yours truly, a weekend hacker but ever the optimist, believe that nuggets of wisdom can be mined if you know how to discern the facts from the mountain of fallacies.

19 September 2007

A GIFT OR BRIBE

2007-09-13T06:19:00.000-07:00

With a school going child in the house, the issue of giving something to the teachers always bothers me. It will not cross my mind in a million years that such a need arise, but with the wife it is a different kettle of fish all together. The beginning of each school year starts with the giving of diary and calendar, follows by oranges and cakes for CNY, pens and flowers on Teacher’s Day, moon cake for the Mid Autumn Festival, etc. etc. And teacher is not confined to the Form Teacher but includes the tuition teacher, the piano teacher, the day care centre teacher, the transporter, etc. etc.

The very act of giving to teachers - is it a gift or bribe? Webster online dictionary defines GIFT as something voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation and BRIBE as something that serves to induce or influence. The definitions and distinction between the 2 acts is very clear. Bearing gifts to relatives, close friends, colleagues or neighbors on special occasions is a laudable cultural practice. Bribing junior authorities (kopi money) to get troublesome petty things done or undone is a corrupt act, morally wrong but somewhat acceptable as a pragmatic, Malaysian way of life.

Giving things to teachers is somewhere in the grey area as here the thin line between gift and bribery is very fuzzy. The issue has pickled me enough to blog about it, but to broach the sensitive subject with the wife might not bring the desired result and hence not very advisable.

In the days gone by when little Johnny gave an apple (picked from his garden) to his appreciative village teacher it sounded all so cute and heart warming. Taking the anecdote a step further, if little Johnny was to supply his teacher daily with cakes, apples, etc. and hence became the teacher ‘s pet, it is no longer a spontaneous innocent act.

The same gesture transposed into the 21st Century will be branded politically incorrect. By this very act we are attempting to influence and induce somebody in the position of trust to return a certain favor. As the saying goes there is no such thing as a free lunch. The pressure to return the favor or gesture in whatever kind or form is then created. Parents with deep pockets can offer expensive gifts to the teachers and make huge contributions to the school fund. Poor students and their parents will be made to feel inadequate, miserable, small and resentful. Favoritism and jealousy will become an issue. Kids and parents who bring expensive presents to the class for the teachers will be called a show off and accused of attempting to curry favors. Aren’t we indirectly are reinforcing within the class room the division between the rich and poor kids and their respective parents? What kind of moral values and culture are we teaching our children? That it is alright to bear gifts and to bribe in order to be somebody’s good book?
It is difficult to assess repercussion and multiplying effects brought about by these kiasu parents and their freebies.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not making a sweeping statement to say that it is morally and ethically wrong to present a small gift as token of appreciation for the deserving teachers. Accountability and transparency is the key. If the majority of students in a class felt that their dedicated teacher deserved a gift on Teacher’s Day, then a voluntary collection from the students can be made to purchase a gift
and given as a present from the whole class. Similarly if a student wish to thank his/ her teacher with a gift from the heart, then it should done at the end of school year when the issue of influence and inducement is no longer relevant.

13 September 2007.

p.s. The above ramblings and expressed opinions is not related to my wife in any
way as she is by nature an extremely generous person.

SEARCHING FOR THE BEST BAK KUT TEH IN TOWN

2007-09-11T06:58:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks back, while driving around USJ10 Taipan and looking for a place to have dinner, we came across this new restaurant with a sign board offering the original “Under the Bridge” Klang Bak Kut Teh. We ventured in with great expectation to try out the new found place and were rather disappointed. The concoction tasted like any run off the mill BKT, not even on par with the fare sold by any of the BKT shops in SS15.

So when informed by an East Malaysian residing in KL that he is taking visiting relatives to savour the famous BKT in Klang, we took the opportunity to tag along. The corner shop is located in Taman Berkley adjacent to a Guardian pharmacy and opposite the Alliance Bank. Our verdict – not bad but definitely not the Numero Uno.

So the search for the real McCoy continues. We must have eaten at scores of BKT shops over the years. The closest to perfection (according the wife and I) is that sold by the BKT shop on the main road in Klang town centre. The corner shop lot abuts a side lane and was old, run down, dirty, hot and extremely crowded - often having to wait for a table. The soup was dark and thick and the meat tender. We have not been there for over 10 years. Writing about it makes me nostalgic. Got to make another trip down memory lane soon… Just hope the shop is still there.

11 September 2007

48 HOURS IN PHUKET

2007-09-05T08:09:00.000-07:00

Air Asia touched down at Phuket Airport at 1:20PM on Sat 17 August 2007. The moment we stepped out of the arrival hall, the sky opened up to welcome us with a heavy down pour.

A tout approached us on rental car. After some negotiation, got ourselves a good deal. A Toyota Vios for 48 hours at1800 Baht, much less than the official quoted rates. The return taxi fare to and fro from the airport alone would cost more than half the rental price and we have the convenience of own transport. Surely a good start although it rained all the way in the 45 minutes drive to Patong beach.

Unfortunately the weather was crappy. The persistent intermittent rain continued right through to the early hours of Monday. Shopping at the street stalls was virtually out of question. So we hang around at the new shopping mall Jungceylon. Things sold were not particularly exciting and @ departmental store price. The petulant and whining daughter made the evening even more tiring. So we decided to return to the hotel and turned in early. What a boring 1st day!

The next day after breakfast at the hotel we were off on a sight seeing tour to Karon and Kata beach, a detour to visit a Wat (temple) in Chalong and then on to Phuket town. Parked the car at the basement of Robinson Departmental store and shopped around the surrounding area. Noticed that they have a unique parking system in Phuket. One can double park but the vehicle has to be in neutral gear. The parking attendant will then push the car up or down the aisle for others to get in or out of the parking bay. In this way more vehicles can be parked within a confined space like a basement. Hm…. Interesting idea. After lunch in town we headed back to Patong beach.

After a short rest at the hotel, we ventured out to the beach for a drink and stroll. The beach was rather deserted due to the cloudy drizzly weather. The wind was really gusty and the sea rough. Did not notice any one swimming in the water.

After dinner at the hotel we went out to do some last minute shopping. The daughter spotted a nail art shop and went in to get her nails painted. Thai massage is still cheap at half the price charged in Malaysia and every other 3rd shop on the block offers either foot reflex logy or Thai massage all the way to the beach.

Food is no longer cheap in Patong. A bowl of beef noodle costs 50 baht and it didn’t even taste like the genuine thing they used to have at the road side.

The sun finally broke through on Monday morning, the day we have to leave for home. Fortunately, our flight was in the afternoon. The morning spent on the beach and the hotel pool somewhat made up for the lost time caused by the rain. At least the daughter was happy. The trip was in part to celebrate her 11th birthday which falls on 19th August. She managed to collect a few hundred Lala shells on the beach and a bit of tan to show for. Coming to Phuket without spending time on the beach will be a total lost.

48 hours is definitely too short a time to cover the whole of Phuket island - so there is every reason for a return trip to continue the exploration.

5 September 2007

SEPET

2007-09-03T07:15:00.000-07:00

I accidentally caught the movie showing over Channel 23 on Astro over the Merdeka weekend. I have not watched a Malay movie in donkey years. The refreshing inter ethnic romantic theme was a pleasant surprise. The story line does not even sounds plausible, for a young Malay school girl to fall in love with a VCD selling Ah Beng (copper head and all) but I was piqued enough to watch from the beginning to the end. In fact, I even stayed up to 1:00 AM to watch the sequel Gubra which was shown immediately after Sepet. Unfortunately, Gubra was not as good. The effort to promote multi ethnic understanding within Malaysia by this new generation director and producer is definitely laudable.

3 September 2007

MY PC KOed

2007-09-03T06:47:00.000-07:00

MY PC KOed

What a disaster. A few days back, my daughter accidentally unplugged the power supply while I was surfing the net. The damn thing blacked out and would not start up properly again - going in loops starting up the window cycle indefinitely in perpetual restart. My attempts with F8 and starting up in safe mood and all other available different combinations also failed to boot up the CPU. Shutting down and restarting repeatedly also failed to do the job. So the only option left was to call the computer guy.

After 3 days and repeated calls to the computer wizard, he came back with the bad news. My hard disk had crashed. With that all the accumulated files, data, photographs saved over the years just disappeared forever. Duh!!!!!!! What an idiot. Why didn't I kept a back up copy in a CD. What's most agonizing is the lost of those irreplaceable family photographs taken over the years... including the most recent photographs taken in Phuket a few weeks back. Hmmm maybe that will be a good excuse to make another trip to Phuket ........soon.

Anyway, the PC is in the pink of health now... working as good as new ...i.e. before it got clogged up with viruses and spy wares in no time.

3 September 2007.

AT THE BEACH

2007-06-11T05:28:00.000-07:00

The holiday trip to Trengganu on the 2nd weekend did not materialize because the mother had work commitment. With school reopening on Monday, time was running out to arrange Plan B. To placate the daughter from declaring this as the most boring holiday ever, I skipped work last Friday to take her to the PD beach.

The morning at the beach turned out to be surprisingly pleasant and relaxing. Finding and collection sea shells along the beach are one of ML’s passions. We walked the whole length of the beach from the public area at the 9th Km to well beyond the former Ming Court hotel and back. We collected over 100 seashells big and small including common cockle shells and shinny fish scales. Her treasured collection would be washed and dried and to be showed off to her classmates.

Frolicking in the water and floating on my back with gentle waves lapping against my body was extremely relaxing and therapeutic. I could even practise my yoga breathing exercises and meditation. The only draw back was that the sun was blazing and I ended up getting sun burn on my pale chest and tummy.

Bottom line, ML was happy. I was happy. Not sure about the wife who hid under the shade (claimed the sun gave her freckles). Nice outing. We should do it more often.

10 June 2007

WESAK DAY DINNER

2007-05-05T00:45:00.000-07:00

The extended Ng family had a vegetarian dinner at a restaurant in USJ on 1 May Wesak Day, courtesy of Mom.

Our dinner was a 8 course set dinner staring with imitation shark fin, followed by 4 seasons cold dish, fake sweet and sour meat dish, make belief buttered prawns, look alike fried fish, etc. It cannot be denied, the clever imitation of the dishes in terms of presentation and taste but the novelty edge tends to wear off after the first time. Why go for imitation seafood and meat dishes with lots of artificial seasoning, coloring and flavours when you can go to another restaurant for the real thing at the same price?

It is a nice change to go vegetarian once in a while. Wesak day is definitely an appropriate day for the whole family to mark the occasion together with a vegetarian meal. But a feast full of wanton meat dishes is rather ironic as it some what negates the very essence of a vegetarian meal. Whether it is for health reasons, religious belief or a lifestyle choice a bona fide vegetarian will be put off by the disarray of meat dishes in a vegetarian restaurant.

The most logical choice for a vegetarian meal will be at a eatery that serves healthy wholesome organic food. I am sure my brother Sam will agree with me whole heartedly on this. Although he did not vent his objection in so many words during dinner ( he is too polite to do that) his silent protest was loud and clear. He refused to touch any of the dishes, eating only rice and the tiny decorative sliced cucumber and parsley that lined the side of the dishes. I think it will be a long long time before the whole Ng clan will set foot together in that restaurant again.

5.5.2007

FLASHBACKS

2007-03-13T01:32:00.000-07:00

CNY
another milestone
hurtling past.

Christmas
seems like yesterday
already mid March.

Months, years, decades
flashes by
like a high speed video

Which button
do you press
to slow...
to stop...
to reverse...
to erase...
to rewrite...
a more colorful chapter
of your life.

13.3.2007

RANDOM THOUGHTS

2007-02-15T06:57:00.000-08:00

It is good to be back again after the long hiatus.
Took me a while to access my own blog too.
Imagine can't even remember my sign in name and password
and then I need a google account... well all done and ready
to start afresh.

Reading through my own posting I was pleasantly surprised
at how well I kept up with the 2006 new year resolutions. Most
were achieved.....both yoga and golf are going along nicely....
and I am still below 66kg.

My birthday just past.... another year older and hair getting grayer..
CNY is just round the corner.... time for more food, drink
and merriment...1 long week off.....maybe work on my golf
keeping handicap at 18 is within reach.

15.2.2007

ALL WORK AND NO PLAY

2007-02-15T06:48:00.001-08:00

The past 2 months was just crazy
It was work, work and more work.
I had never work harder in my working life
There were a hundred phone calls to attend to,
scores of meetings to conduct......
writing the endless minutes
drag late into the nights and through the weekends.
The craziness lasted 8 weeks and
the tedious cycle finally came to an end
and life is normal again..........

15.2.2007

MOTHER'S DAY

2006-05-15T08:07:00.000-07:00

14 May 2006

Mom celebrated her 80th birthday last year. We are extremely fortunate that mom is still with us and in good health. Dad is still around too. It looks like the Ng family is blessed with the longevity gene.

Mom was born in KL in 1925. She was married off at sweet 16, a hastily arranged marriage before the invading Japanese army occupied Malaya. Life in those early years were no bed of roses. Food and basic necessities were scarce. Only the big towkays could afford the luxury of domestic help. Family planning was also not in vogue. Despite the adversity, in the space of 12 years along came 6 children before she reached 30. Although her hands were full, Mom managed to enroll and graduate from a tailoring course. A vocational skill that would be extremely useful had the need arise.

In their younger years, Mom and Dad had very different personalities, much like chalk from cheese. Had their data being fed into a match making computer, the result would have been a zero match. But then, the match maker of the past era would not sweat over such frivolous and intangible details.

Mom had been all her married life, a full time home maker, fully devoted to her children and husband. She is a homely, filial, warm and generous person. Her only vice (if it can be labeled as such) was her passion for a game of mahjong.

By contrast, Dad was an anglophile, corrupted by the vices of her majesty's servant in Colonial Malaya and proudly educated in an English stream school. I have no recollection of Dad going to work or ever going to work. I remember while in school, I had to check with him every year what to put as his occupation in those school forms and was told to write the ambiguous "contractor". He seemed to have it easy. He drank, bogied, gambled and womanised. Dad was a stern man with few words. I don't remember him telling us a joke. We stayed clear of him when we were young.

The years flew past. The children grew up and left home one after another for further studies and work. Mom and Dad were left very much to themselves, except for the relatives and friends in quaint old Kluang town. The outward expression of love has never been a strong point in our family. This is even more so with the older generations. I had not seen Dad buying Mom a present. Even concern is expressed as a admolishment for being so careless. But the companionship and love definitely grew and mellowed with each passing years. When Dad was seriously ill and had the operation in Singapore, Mom was at his bedside the whole time. That was the purest expression of love. Dad expressed his gratitude to Mom when he declared that he loves her very much followed with a big kiss, during their Diamond wedding anniversary celebration. It is so beautiful to have parents that are still in love with each other after all these years.

HAPPY MOTHER'S AND FATHER'S DAY.

HAIKU

2006-02-05T00:38:00.000-08:00

5 February 2006

* My daughter taught me Haiku
17 syllabus, 3 lines
Beautiful Japanese poems.

* Today my birthday
The years fly by
Feel happy and sad.

* CNY 2006
Year of the Dog
New tricks for old dog.

BRING UP A CHILD (Part 1)

2006-01-26T20:05:00.000-08:00

27 January 2006

This is a subjective personal review of the above task. Maybe an interim report card. Sometimes, the process of putting thoughts to paper makes it easier to rationalize. It allows us to reflect and reevaluate and hopefully some of the more muddled pictures will become clearer in perspective.

Providing food, shelter and other material needs to your only child is the easy part. That is basically the job description of parenting for the first 5 years. The subsequent 20 years is the complicated part because there is no manual or text book to provide a systematic guide.

Bring up a child is not like growing a plant in a green house. Too many factors come into the mix. Family, friends, school, teachers, peer groups, society, the political scenario, environment, etc. You worry how the recipe is going to turn out!

The goal or ultimate product we hope to create is the same for most parents. A responsible, independent, well adjusted and educated adult that we can be proud of.

So the issue is very much how do we get there? What are the priorities? How do we strike a balance between study and play. Between obedience and free spiritedness. Between being an angel and being street wise. When the need arise what kind of disciplinary actions are effective? Would persuation and reasons suffice? How to punish bad behaviour without the repercussion of resentment and leaving mental scars on the child?

DIALECT BECOMING FOREIGN LANGUAGE

2006-01-12T15:15:00.000-08:00

13 January 2006

We speak English and Mandarin at home. Occasionaly, my wife and I switch to Hokkien in the presence of our 9 year old daughter if the conversation is not meant for her ears. She will nonchalantly ignore us in her innocent way until one recent day, when she asked with a suspicious look in her face, "Why are you guys talking in a foreign language?"

-_- since when Hokkien has become a foreign language? Come to think of it, dialect is indeed dying out with the new generation. It is quite rare these days to have extended family living under one roof. In our childhood days, grandparents and dialects are part and parcel of growing up.

The only Hokkien phrase my daughter knows "Lim peh ka lu kong" was picked up from watching a Singapore produced movie. However, that coarse phrase is totally inappropriate to be used by a little girl!
Maybe it is time to start some Hokkien lesson.

OF MASTER & SLAVE IN PC

2006-01-11T06:17:00.000-08:00

11 January 2006

Both the CD and DVD RW drive in my home PC conked out on me lately. They could neither read nor write any CDs. Made a trip to Low Yat Plaza over the long weekend and purchased a couple of new ones costing some RM250.

The following night, tried to install them. Opened up the CPU and took out the defunct units. Put the new drives in, hooked up all the cables and screwed the drives in place. Closed up the CPU and restarted. A piece of cake.

Computer boots up and detects new hardware - CD drive in E. Shit! What happened to my DVD drive in F? Click, click, click, nothing. Restart computer - nothing. Turn computer off completely and restart again - still nothing. OMG! Pull power off, open the CPU and recheck cables, everything in place. Maybe, I was given a faulty DVD drive. Shit, shit. OK calm down, lets test it. Unhook all cables and rewire only DVD. Power up and start. Ok, detected DVD in E drive.

Turn off power and recheck instructions, an A2 size foldable sheet printed in China! Why is it that a Japanese Sony DVD drive comes with instructions printed in China? Some diagrams with single phrase instructions, but there is something called master and slave with master shown on top of slave. Ok, maybe switch over the drives and put CD atop DVD instead. Unscrew everything, reinstall and rewire. Still does not work.

Pull out everything again and recheck thoroughly. #$%&??**@ !! Both bloody drives are masters. Why that stupid sales person gave me 2 masters and no slave. The contemplation of driving down all the way to Low Yat Plaza just made me crazy. It is almost midnite and I have been fiddling with these gadgets for the past 2 hours and my fingers are sore.

OK. One last attempt and thats it. Opened up the packaging again, took out and poured through the thickish booklet that was printed in 3 languages. Bingo! You can interchange a master / slave drive status by moving a small plastic thingy to cover 2 of the 6 exposed pins.

From then on, it was plain sailing. Within 20 minutes everything was up as it should be. To the computer guy at the counter the installation will perhaps take 15 minutes. I took 3 hours to figure it out. Nevertheless, to finally suceed is just as sweet. I went to bed smiling - satisfied at having learned something new. I am on my way to becoming computer savvy....soon.

Moral of the story. Read the instructions (if provided and legible) thoroughly before proceeding with the messing around. Now I understand why the Series "Computer for DUMMIES" are selling so well.

2006 RESOLUTION

2005-12-31T01:59:00.000-08:00

31 December 2005

1. Stay healthy by maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
2. Eat moderately and keep weight below 66kg.
3. Join a gym and continue with Yoga class.
4. Keep golf handicap below 20.
5. Be proficient in Autocad.
6. Talk less and listen more.
7. Be more sensitive and nicer to people.
8. Be more proactive.
9. Maintain a happy family environment.
10. To persist with the above resolutions until 31.12.06

TESTING THE LIMITS OF PUNISHMENT

2005-12-27T21:11:00.000-08:00

28 December 2005

This conversation with my then 8 year old daughter happened some time back. It regards an incident while the family was holidaying in Taiwan end of last year. We were waiting to check into a hotel after a very long day. There were more than 20 of us in the group comprising the extended Ng family and our Taiwanese host and families.

A 3 year old toddler walked up and snatched a toy / trinket my daughter was fiddling with and broke it the process. She grabbed back the thing and pushed the boy onto the floor. The boy was shocked rather than hurt and started to wail. It all happened in a matter of seconds and before any of us could intervene. Her bad behavior was a major embarrassment to the parents.

When we scolded her in the privacy of our hotel room, she too wailed loudly and started for the door saying she wanted to tell grandma that we scolded her. That was when I grabbed her and threw her onto the bed and told her to shut up. It was the first time I did that and the shock effect was enough to shut her up.

A few months after the incident.

Forest: (Accusingly) "I remember you threw me onto the bed in Taiwan. "
Me: "I'll do it again if you bully little kids and behave badly. "
Forest: "If I behave badly again, what will you do? "
Me: "If it happened again, I will throw you out in the garden. "
Forest: (Pause...think ) "And if behave badly for a third time? "
Me: "The 3rd time I will throw you out onto the road."
Forest: "I will just get back in."
Me: "No, I will also lock the gate."
Forest: "Well, I 'll climb over then."
Me: "I'll call the police."
Forest: "I can tell the police I live here."
Me: "In that case, we will move house."
Forest: :(

PLAYING GOLF

2005-12-20T06:48:00.000-08:00

22 December 2005

It was more than a decade ago when I hit my first golf ball at the driving range. You would not believe that I had been playing the game for 10 long years if you watch me play. It is UGLY. Just last weekend, my divots were flying further than the ball that went scuttering across the fairway in a nasty hook into the bunkers.

You let fly a slew of expletives - at yourself of course. Yes, you get to hear very colorful language at the golf course besides seeing guys peeing (sic) all over the place. Yet they call it a gentleman's game.

Head of states, presidents, ministers, CEOs and ordinary Joes play the game. So, why is the game so facinating and addictive yet at the same time so frustrating. That is the beguling nature of golf. It is a game of irony. For weekend hackers like yours truly, the feeling of hitting an occasional perfect shot is difficult to describe. It is just exhilirating, seeing your ball swooshing high through the air and landing a few feet from the hole. Hey, that is what we call a pro-shot but these are far and few in between. Most of the time you will hacking and swearing away. Maybe it is called exercise and letting off steam for the week of accumulated stress. Well, there is no denying of the fresh air and sunshine out there on the course. You can easily identify a golfer by the tell tale sign of his uneven and unsightly tan.

Ultimately, it is the fun and comradeship with your golfing partners at the 19th hole where you have a couple of cold beers over lunch and talk trash that makes you come back more the next weekend, despite the awfully bad game you just had.

SAME-SAME

2005-12-12T01:30:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, 13 December 2005

"Same-same" - the most useful and used English phrase in Thailand.
Every other road side traders dealing with the farangs (foreigners) can
communicate fairly effectively using just that one word,

(Scene: Chiangmai Night Market)

Farang: "How much is this T-shirt?"
T seller: "200B"
Farang: "How much is that Hard Rock Cafe T-shirt?"
T seller: "Same same"
Farang: " But quality is different."
T-seller: " No, same same."
Farang: "Too expensive, are you try to rip me off?"
T-seller: "No, same same."
Farang: " You think I am a big sucker, don't you?"
T-seller: "Same same." (meaning: I'm no sucker too)
Farang: " #@//%!!!"
T-seller: " Same same." (meaning: #@//%!!! to you too)

Tourism is big in Thailand. So is the promotion of the English language.
You can also buy T-shirt proudly embossed with SAME SAME.

RM50 to see long neck females

2005-12-11T07:17:00.000-08:00

Sunday, 11 December 2005

We were traveling up to the hill station Doi Mae Salong in north-east Thailand recently. On the way we passed by a community "show village" where a group of the long neck Karen hill tribe are settled. The village looks pretty basic and poverty stricken. Some corn and vegetable were planted on tiny tracts of land on the steep terrain. A few of the women (another tribe) were selling small souvenirs by the roadside stalls. Whatever subsidy given by the Thai authority is probably insignificant. Their shelters are very basic and living conditions squalid.

As were passing by, we thought we will stop by to have a look-see and we were in for a nasty shock. Some unscrupulous character at the entrance to the village wanted to charge us 500B per head entrance fee!!!!!!!!!!!! That was simply outrageous if not daylight robbery. For our party of eight that is 4,000B (RM400). I have not heard of anything more ridiculous. We had intended a 5-10 minutes stop cum photo session and be on our way. We would gladly contribute some money to support the community but to be extorted to pay 500B per head!!!!!!!.... that in principle is very wrong. We dont even pay that much to see the panda in the zoo and human should be treated with more dignity and respect than that!!!

SIGNING INTO THE BLOG WORLD

2005-12-09T21:19:00.000-08:00

11 DECEMBER 2005

Hello out there,

This will be my first venture into the blog sphere.
I feel like a hermit crab crawling out of a hole.
The fact is it feels a bit weird, writing your journal and posting
it to on the world notice board. Well that may sound conceited,
cos the truth is no one would even give a damn. Yeah, there are
millions of blogs out there. Adding another grain of sand in the
desert is a more accurate analogy.

There will probably be alot of technical pit holes I am going to fall
into cos I am not really computer savvy. Well, I hope it will be a good
learning process. Nothing venture, nothing gain. We have to live in
the present world to connect with the new generation.