Reminisce - the shop...

From the time I could remember, probably at the age of five or six years old I am always around food. For during that growing up period I live in a restaurant in town. The back of the restaurant was our sort of a home. Father made his living in the food business and it was sort of a family business, the Mama and Papa shop. We as kids had to help whenever we are not at school. And because we live in the shop we all have to wake up early to help with the daily opening of the shop. So live for us kids start at about five thirty in the early morning. Been the eldest in the family my task was to help open the front of the shop. In those day there was no such thing as a sliding door. The whole front part of the shop could only be closed by using many single plank which had to he put in place one at a time, starting by putting up the two pieces of the door first. These are the normal ritual in the early morning to open up the shop and at night pass midnight we had to put the plant one by one again to closed the shop. It was indeed a hard job to do and together with my other brother and at time with workers we would open and closed the shop every day. Most of the time dad would help with the heavy doors.

Abdullah School Kuantan 1957...

Above is a group photo of the students of  Abdullah School in Kuantan, Pahang;  the English School that I went to study in 1948 from Primary to Secondary school except for the last six month in form V.  In the mid of 1957 the Form V students were move to a new Secondary school call Abu Bakar School. This new school is at Alor Akar and very far away from my home in Tanah Putih. So it was a daily ritual of cycling to and fro from the house to the school. In a way it was a new experience as before that the Abdullah School is near to my house and I just walk to school. It was at the Abu Bakar School that I sat for the Cambridge School Certificate as well the new Malayan School Certificate examination. I start schooling in a Malay School at Jalan Gambut when the school was open in 1946 after the war. Well folks that is part of the history of my life. 

Have a nice day.

The Outward Bound School, a Reflection...

On going through some old album recently I found some photos that brought memories flooding back to my mind. It was really nice to see all those photo of the past, some taken in Black and White, an era before the advancement of colour photography. Above is a photograph taken in the early sixties when I attended the Outward Bound School course at the school in Lumut, Perak. I was just in my early twenties and apply for the scholarship to attend the course there. I was told by friends that it provides good leadership program but it tough. One had to go through endurance programs that lasted for almost a month, living in camp, excursion into the tropical jungle, boating, canoeing on the high sea around the island of Pangkor.  Since l love adventure and had been in the Scout Movement from my primary school days I love to go to such training and meet others of the same mind-set. I was awarded the scholarship and went all the way to Lumut in the state of Perak to attend the month long program; the 50th course. We went through a tough and challenging programs on various aspect of leadership as well program on civic. We were not spare the task of keeping the pit toilet crawling with maggots clean every day and had to sleep in the jungle where at time it rain and rain. Even having our meals was never at the same place, from the hall to the beach or in  the  middle  of the jungle. We were told to go on a jungle expedition to nowhere and expect to survive the track on our own. It was tough sleeping in the middle of the jungle among leeches and wild animals but we endure and manage to get through it all. We had to canoe into the open sea the whole day. I did get seasick and vomited when reaching the shore. We had to scrap boat and paint it underside, thus we learn the skill doing painting works. We had to keep our sleeping quarters spot clean all the time. Everything went like clock works from breakfast time till bed time. Because we were all dead tired it was easy to sleep. 

The whole programs toughen us all and did teach us all various leadership skills that we could use in any endeavour we took. As for me the training did help in my career in the government agency that I was working. Until this day I still could remember vividly the time we had spent in the school.  It turns out to be the best leadership training that I had ever had in my whole life. The Outward Bound School did made what I am today.   

Have a nice day.

Of Gratitude...

I work in the Borneo state of Sarawak from early 1986 to mid-1989. It became the best part of my 32 years career in the government. I enjoy working there and make many friends. Most like me have retired and a few live in and around Kuala lumpur. One such friend has a condo in Ulu Kelang, not that far away from where we live. He would call or visit us whenever they are in Kuala Lumpur. He passed away a few years ago of cancer. And because I live in Ampang, Selangor I could not made it to the funeral but did send a condolence through SMS to the decease's spouse.  A year later his spouse visited us in our house and related us this story.  I thought it is time to tell this story of humanity......At the hospital while waiting for the funeral arrangement be made a Chinaman wearing just a short came and hand over to the grieving widow a plastic bag. She did not know the man. Thanking him she put the bag away. Later on when she got home after the funeral she took the bag and look at the bundle wrap in old newspaper inside the bag. She was curious and unwrap it and found lots of money. She did not know what to do with it but remember what that man said. Dia orang baik... [He is a good person...]....  Until now she could not trace that Chinaman. This is a true story told by the lady to my spouse and I. We know the couple well and always found the decease a humble person indeed. Well folks if you have a good heart and had help folks without asking for anything back, you are always remembered even after you are dead. The Chinese word of wisdom “When you drink from a cup do not forget that the water came from a stream somewhere.” Yes true indeed.

Have a nice day.

Reminising - Respecting the Sea...

Above is the scene of the beach at Teluk Cempedak in Kuantan in the early hours of the morning. Images in this posting was taken while I was waiting for the sun to rise on a visit to the place some years ago. The weather was cool and the beach was almost empty of people but already heavy with activities of the little crabs digging holes all over the sandy beach. Small birds seen picking food on the shore careless of the bashing of the waves. 

When I was growing up in the forties the beach was pristine with golden sand, a crystal clear river, lush jungle of greens all over making it a great place to whilst the day away and enjoy nature at its best. Then it was considered far from the town since there was no road leading to it. To get there one had to hike using a narrow path flank by dense jungle on both sides. One could see birds, small animals and creature like monkey and iguana or large lizard running loose here and there. There was no man-made structure around except a well that had been dug up by someone for the source of clean drinking water. It was an ideal place to go camping on weekend and enjoy a good swim in the crystal clear water of the sea. On most weekends we would hike there and camp for the two nights before returning home on Sunday evening. 

The first time I went there to swim was I believe when I was just seven years old then. Together with my classmate we would hike there and enjoy swimming in the sea of crystal clear water. It was sort of my introduction to the sea. Henceforth the sea around Kuantan became my many playgrounds. As I grow up Teluk Cempedak soon became our regular camping ground on weekend. We would hike there along path starting at what was the Tok Sira area at that time. In those days the land around Tok Sira was flat with shrub of wild berries. As one approach the sea the land became hilly and dense with greens of various shades. We had to climb a small hill and follow a narrow path that had been carved out in between bushes by folks who try to get to the beach the other side of the small hill leading to the bay. On both sides of the path are dense green mostly inhabit by monkey and other small animal.  As kids we were never afraid of animal that lurk in those bushes. We would enjoy the hike until we could see the sea up front. It was always nice to hear the wave bashing the shore as we get nearer to the sea as well get to smell the saltiness of the atmosphere. On a hot and humid day we would be sweating before we arrived at the cool place under the shade of huge trees near the beach. We would normally pitch our camp near the river or at the far end of the bay near those rocks where we could get fresh water. When the weather was good we would just sleep on the sandy beach under the glittering star up above. We would build camp-fire throughout the night to scare animal coming near to our place of sleeping. It was always fun to camp and enjoy the camp-fire in the evening where we would cook our food over open fire. One morning we woke up and found all our utensils were missing. We were indeed surprised as to how all the items were not around where we had left before we goes to sleep. We search and search and eventually found most of it dented. Obviously the high tide in the night had cause all the utensil to float and as the wave bash the shore all those items float with it were bashed and scattered all over all the night long until the tide subside. We collected what remains of our utensil and that experience taught us not to store anything too close the beach. We can never tell how high the tide would be from time to time. With that happening we learnt not to take thing for granted when camping beside the sea. As we get older we learnt many new things about the sea. As member of the Boy Scout moment we soon got training on first-aid and jungle survival which later became useful when we went hiking and camping in jungle, thus wiser whenever we go camping whether in the jungle or the beach. We go with enough information of the area and never would take things for granted. In one instance we saw a person drowning. We acted fast as a group and save that person's life. It was a memorable event that I could still vividly remember till these days. We learnt that every flora and fauna has it purpose in the scheme of thing and must be respected as well. We only take what we want and use only and leave the rest in peace and undisturbed. We always see to it that no fire or amber is left at fireplace whenever we left a place after camping or a picnic. We would clean the beach of debris and always kept it clean before leaving it. It soon became the norm of our group to see that things are left as it were whenever we leave the place. 

We learnt too that never to take the sea for granted. Always make sure that one knows the depth of the sea whenever one go swimming. The sea at Teluk Cempedak been a bay have strong undercurrent and in some places very deep. One must be very careful when swimming there. We can only enjoy the sea if we respect it as a great force that could be calm or wild in just mere minutes. So understanding it is very important for us to enjoy it for our benefit. It is here at an early age that I learnt to respect the sea. I kept going back to this enclave whenever I am in Kuantan. Even in my golden age I would still wander there in the early morning and wonder at the mystic of the rising sun. Except for the instruction of buildings and the polluted river the beach is still the same. It golden sand and the crystal clear water is still the beach of my childhood that always brings back memories of joy of those wonderful years of my childhood. The call of the sea is always close to my heart and Teluk Cempedak is mine forever.

Have a nice day.

Reminising - Cultural shock...

Today is the last Saturday of March 2013. It is a beautiful day. I decided to clean the patio and my little garden. After that had breakfast and then surf the Internet and start blogging; Nothing much just reminiscing these thoughts of mine.... In April 1971 I was send to Australia to attend a course under the Colombo Plan. It was the first time I had ever gone overseas and this trip excites me. At that time not many Malaysian goes overseas thus we were delighted to have been selected to go overseas; Australia. I was in my early thirty working in Malacca with two small kids. My spouse at that time was working at the Telecom Department there. It was difficult to leave the young kids and their mother but attending the course is very important to my career. I had no choice but to go for the three month course in Australia.  So with heavy heart I went. Three of us young officers arrived at the Perth Airport in the early dark morning. The weather was cold and the smell of the atmosphere was different. We are indeed in a strange place that personally I had never dream of been but here am I in Australia, a white man land. While waiting for the local representative to take us to the hotel we sat to have coffee. I look at the board at the back of the counter and saw they have Black Coffee and White Coffee. Not sure what a White Coffee is we decided to be on the safe-side by ordering Black Coffee. I notice that all the shopkeepers are white man and more white man are seen sweeping the floor, collecting trash and one even open the door for us. I was shock to see the white man doing all these things since back home during the colonial era they were the Tuan [Boss] and this is the first time I saw the white doing any manual works. I was shock to see the white or  MatSaleh were doing works just like us back home. Four hundred years of colonialism did that to our mindset; thinking that all white-man are Boss or Tuan. That was the first time I went overseas thus my reaction to that happening at the Airport. Anyway after spending three months in Australia I learned that we are after all are the same except of the knowledge we have. So it teaches me a very important lesson that knowledge is very important for us to stay independent and progress likes those in the west. At the course I learn as much as I could of how the Australian handle their rural youth. And of course while there I saw the developed country with modern  amenities at close range and that I learn too. On my return I use that knowledge I learned to introduce new Youth programme for the benefit of our young in the rural area. During the period of the course we were taken to almost all the cities in Australia.  The image on the left show us on a street in Melbourne, Australia.

Have a nice day.

Rambling 3.1...

Good Morning folks, it is a beautiful day in March. The sun is shining bright with white clouds scattered up above. I thought for today I just ramble whatever I am thinking now. One of it is about  about paying bills. Yes the bill that we pay every month to keep our home running. It cost me not less than RM800.00 a month to pay all my bills. Yesterday I went to the TM Point at Ampang Point and paid it all. Just imagine for my house alone it cost that amount. Without that kind of money my house would be dark without electricity, no running water, no Astro[Paid TV], no Unifi[Broadband], no Phone, no Cellphone and life would be just unbearable; what with the weather now. It is always hot and humid and air conditioning looks like has become a norm rather than a luxury likes before. In the forties of the twentieth century when I was growing up in a Kampong [village] in Kuantan there was no bills at all to pay. Water was from the well, we did not have electricity, no running water, and telephone was a luxury that no one could afford. Life was simple and folks get on with their lives as usual without thinking about paying utilities bills. Money was only for buying foods and clothing but now it looks like the money we need is more for paying bills other that for foods and clothing. I walk to school to and fro everyday so it is free too. If it rain we would cut the huge leaves of the Yam plant and use it as umbrella since we just could not afford to buy one but it was all right and looking back it was fun too. I had only one pair of shoe and that was used for schooling only; once back home we would either use a clog or just barefooted. Computer, Radio or TV was unheard of and for game we invented out kind of games like Hide and Seek, Playing Marble and whatever that we could play around. An old bicycle wheel without the tire would be a toy to play around the house. What is needed is a long stick and it kept the wheel running. It was fun. Come the monsoon we would enjoy the rain. At weekend as we get older we would go camping in the bush or near the beach. Telok Cempedak a beautiful bay beside the sea which was still jungle then was one of our favourite camping grounds. We all had fun and most of the time money was not part of the equation. Folk’s life was like that and looking back it was indeed an enjoyable time of our growing up period. 

Have a nice day.