Goodbye 2018.

Monday 31 Dec 2018.


Golf handicap 12.

That's in my "2018 Golf Notes". I'd jotted down "play to 12" as a resolution for 2018. Well, believe it or not, my MGA National Handicap System handicap card for December 2017 says "USGA Handicap Index 13.1; Course/Slope Rating 72.5/ 134; blue: 16; white: 15", while the same card for December 2018 says blue:11; white: 11". I made it. 

Not bad for 74. That's the age, not the rating.

On top of accompanying Dekna to the Courts in Ipoh and Muar several times, and to Penang once,  accompanying realtives for weddings they chose to hold as far away from home as possible, and 3 overseas family trips, with 13 hours of total flight time, and equal hours of waiting time, I'd accumulated  some mileage for 2018. I guess family matters matter.

Then there was the Great GE 14 on 9th. May, that saw an over-confident, over-bloated and over-everything-else BN thrashed after 61 years being in power. There was the unnecessary, wasteful bye-election in PD,  and soon,  the necessary but equally wasteful bye-election in Rantau, both in NS.

I attended BERSATU's NS Convention in PD 9th. December, and the first day of its National AGM in Putrajaya held 29-30 of the same month.

In both venues I saw the youthful composition of the crowd. That's promising.

There was palpable enthusiasm in both places. That's also promising.

No money changed hands for "expenses" in PD and Putrajaya. I was there.   This I've seen in PWTC every year, and I was there for 10 straight years.  Is that promising ?

There were lots of talk, of course. These were party politics, anyway.  But, as they say, talk is cheap.  People talk of  "the Malay Tsunami" in GE 14. They spoke of the UMNO rot and the current desertions of  its elected representatives, although Mahathir astutely downplayed the effect of this party-hopping. Because BERSATU stands to gain the most, and PKR and DAP are already making suitable  noises. They spoke in PD and Putrajaya of doing this and that, and not doing this and that. Would everyone who needs to act, do so ? Walk the talk, as it were. Syed Saddek said the right thing in Putrajaya - if BERSATU stops doing what it did before GE 14, it would lose GE 15.

Then there were the exFMC/RMC gatherings, in Mindef and Sg. Besi. Some old friends of half-a-century ago met. And I met Hafizi in Ipoh after 50 years. The years have taken their toll, family lives keep us all apart, but the fond memories linger.

The whole year I'd tried to catch up on my reading. That's an "F". But in doing so, I'd tried to reorganize my collection of books. I started with my golf library, but that's all I've done so far. I found out that I have 111 books under this topic. Maybe that's why I got the handicap 11 - it's 10%.

Well, no earth shattering records were made by me this year. No mountains were moved, nor the helpless of the world saved. But I kept the family together, and we're healthy and still wise. No wealth here, though. But it's ok.

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MPV goes North.

Monday 24 Dec 2018.

We finally reached home close to midnight last night, all the way from Padang Besar, Perlis, on Saturday, and after the wedding reception in Jitra, Kedah, Sunday.  The first 1,000 km on the MPV was supposed to take a week, and get first service in Seremban. Instead it was notched in one day, and got that service in Penang. And the new upholstery got tested by the 3 monkeys in less time! But it passed muster, and my old S Class steering somehow felt heavy in comparison.

Dekna had a court appearance in Penang Friday, and her colleague's belated wedding in Jitra, Sunday. That's how the MPV came in the picture, and Padang Besar got included. Haniff drove, so I just enjoyed the ride. 

The last time I drove up to Padang Besar was 20 years ago, when No.2 Son was in UiTM Arau. I used to go to Chuping 1982-85, when my job covered the sugar plantation there. It's under rubber now. And Aman Shah, the ex GM of the factory, is retired in Arau. The place, like other towns I've recently revisited after decades, has changed.

We spent the first night in Penang, and the other two in Alor Star. I always look forward to the breakfast spread when staying in hotels. Penang, as expected, was ok. I got up early, but was beaten to it by a couple of guys. Alor Star wasn't as good, and was also beaten to it by some early risers.

The road up to Padang Besar and back to Seremban was jammed, as expected, these being the school holidays now. Penang was jammed. Alor Star was jammed. Padang Besar was jammed. And all the R & R's were so jammed, cars couldn't enter and were parked along the highway. People are complaining of the price of petrol and the cost of living, but they don't seem to show it. Padang Besar stalls charged rm 5 for a young coconut, on "normal" days only rm 3, I'm told. But there was no shortage of customers, all weighed down with bulging plastic bags of purchases. And the last night in Alor Star, I went to a nearby shopping mall at 9 p.m. and there was a crowd in all the outlets, and they were buying, not simply window shopping.

Dekna's Kedah colleagues told her to try the "Laksa ikan seqok". I thought it's a variety of fish. Actually it's laksa with one whole fish on top. This Kedah dialect ! We tried it, together with satay. Excellent ! Maybe being hungry helped. I love the piece of fat on the beef satay. Later we also tried the kweitiau kerang; also good. In both places, we somehow managed to grab the last available table.

The Jitra wedding was in an air-conned hall. The setting was nice. We were early, so the food que was still ok. But because we also left early, Dekna learned later that we missed the "coffee table". She met many friends from Putrajaya, and missed a few who came later.

Dekna has still to get behind the wheel of her brand new MPV. Her recent eye-operation has kept her from it. She could try it in a few days time. Then maybe we can go South.

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Persona to Kia.

Tues 18 Dec 2018.

Yesterday was one long day. Of waiting. Waiting at the KL Courts. Waiting at Puspakom Setapak. Waiting at JPJ Setapak. Waiting at Kia, Federal Highway. 

The day started at 6 a.m. It ended at 10 p.m. That's 16 hours. That's two-third of the day.

It seemed a real waste of time, even if the job at hand was necessary, not trivial.

Dekna had to be at court to fix a hearing date. We arrived at 7.30. The canteen was just opening, the Registrar windows still shut. When her turn came, it was 10.15. That's three-and-a quarter hours of waiting. And business was completed in all of 5 whole minutes ! In this digital age, the Courts, like the Law it espouses, seems stone-age.

Then off to Puspakom. Documents had to be readied. The vehicle had to be readied. The queue was ready. But the lady processing the queue wasn't. After that the vehicle must follow the next queue. This time the men were ready. But the queue was a snail-crawl.

After that, off to JPJ just next door.  Again the digital age has left them stranded. The report at Puspakom had to be repeated physically because although the inspection done was by the same people for the same vehicle, the intended departments were separate, requiring a separate report, for the same vehicle, done on the same day, by a different department related to each other in the same office. So Puspakom and JPJ  took care of the rest of the 4.30 government closing time. That's 10.5 hours total thus far.

Off we rushed (this was rush hour now) to Kia on the Federal Highway. Their closing time was 6.  Our appointed time 5.30.  We made it. Whew!

Then the final documentations, the explanations, the demonstrations and the little trials. Now we were ready to leave. And the clock said 7.30. Then fuel tanks and stomachs to be filled, and the eternal road jams to be endured. And it was finally 10 p.m. Whew again !

Dekna bought her first car, a Persona, in Kuantan in 2011. The car is Malaysian, of course. It served its purpose, is still in good condition, and was sold to Bang Piei for 17,000. That's less than one-third of the original price. But after 7 years, it seems all right.

This Kia Grand Carnival 8-seater is  c.b.u. and Korean, and is 3 times the price of the Persona. For the next 9 years she'll have to make her monthly instalments, until age 43. Seems a long way from Korea to KL, a long time until 2027. I'll be 83. There'll be at least one new PM. There'll be at least 2 more General Elections. Would I see an L.A. in my house, and her contemporaries in  Parliament?  We'll wait and see.

In the mean time, let's enjoy the ride.

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FMC Port Dickson reunion.

Sunday 16 Dec 2018.

This was the reunion planned a couple of months ago now finally happening Sunday 16th December 2018, exactly 65 years after Foundation Day 17 December 1953. The PD intakes 1952 -1961 organized themselves for this "FMC Port Dickson Budak Boys Get-together". It was a success.

"Budak Boys" seems like a misnomer of sorts if you take the joint translation, but through use all these years it now conveys the homely connotation rolling on the tongue, nostalgic and fond. The gathering today was pleasant, warm and enjoyable. This get-together  of 70's plus only refreshened memories of lost youth and the years that rolled by, but not sensed with sadness, rather  with sweet rememberance of friendships born and lives lived.

I had sought Hank's company, coming here. I wasn't sure of the directions, as this was the first time I would be coming to this new RMC campus, since they moved from the old Sg. Besi one that we moved to from PD in 1961. The agreed rendesvous time was 8 a.m. at Tesco Seremban 2. Then we'd feel our way through the old college route through Sg. Besi town, we thought, because Hank wasn't sure of the way himself.

In the end, it was simple. We took the old way, through Sg. Besi town, to the mosque, and got directions from the guardhouse, and arrived at the Wisma Perwira in good time. It's an impressive campus. The whole area has been planned well, and the question about "why change ?"  was placated with the results seen. Only the news I got later, that the golf course is no more, was the bad news.

We thought we'd be among the earliest to arrive, but people were already there ahead of us.

The usual stuff took place - the registration, the contributions, the food & drinks, the photographs, even a tree-planting event, and the speeches in the hall with the current Putras applauding loudly on cue. Nawawi made an impressive speech that related the good old with the better new. He had no notes, but he touched on all the right things. It was a pity that we couldn't mingle with current Budak Boys long. The next time we should introduce individually the outstanding among us, as an encouragement to the current students.

I had a great time reuniting with my 1961 intake. Aji was there, surprisingly looking youthful, with black hair and all. All the rest of us were grey ! I met Musa "Brunei" for the first time in 56 long years. He's a retired colonel now. He was so happy he invited me for breakfast the next morning, but I had to decline. There was Shah, Md Nor, Nor Shaari, Zaki Mahmud, Husin Senik, Nawi, Rahman Daud, Megat, Wan Wahid, Jalaludin, Arthur Samuel, Hamid Arshat, Mui Yoke Loong, Liew Yeow Keong, Md. Sham, Li Heng Tiong and so many others. But many that I can remember didn't make it, too. I think there were about 150 present. I said to Farid, before leaving, we should make this Foundation day an annual affair.

Going home, Hank and I decided to try the alternative route through Jalan Belimbing. In fact this is an easier way. We come out to Belakong, and reach the road to Lekas, the route straight forward and the road clear. Maybe because it's Sunday. 

We were back to Tesco before 3. We stopped for a cuppa before breaking up. Hank paid, as also the toll. But it was my car, so that about broke it even.

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BERSATU NS

Monday 10 Dec 2018.

At the renamed The Grand Beach Hotel, Port Dickson, yesterday Sunday 9th December, 2018, BERSATU N.S. had its 1st. post-GE convention. I attended on the late invitation of Jefri, the pro-tem divisional head of  Seremban. About 500 attended. It was a youthful gathering, and I felt old, but not out of place.

The wily Rais Yatim, the present pro-tem head of BERSATU N.S., contrived this timely gathering. Mukhriz declared it open, and the PH MBNS also came, of course.

Timely, because it's been 7 months since the PH historic win at the GE14 polls. The UMNO-PAS led ICERD rally in KL yesterday is a reminder that 5 years are not too many years before GE 15 and another day of reckoning, and the barking dogs at PH's doors are not resting for one moment.

And the rakyats are watching.

No amount of cheering in the hall, and there was plenty enough, would save PH the next time around. The rakyat must stay convinced that PH is on the right track. The work is cut out for BERSATU. Their share in PH must be bolstered. Their support among the rakyat must therefore also be bolstered.

That the Dataran Merdeka rally on Saturday gathered less than the touted "million" ( the Police estimate was 55,000 of only young Malay men, women and children from as far as Johor and Kelantan; the reporters said it was double that ) and was dampened by rain isn't the point.  The fact remains, people can be instigated to show public support for a cause, even if they are vague about its real intent, and unaware of the real situation.  That interview Mukhriz related of the lady from Terengganu who said "of course I must come and support this anti-ICERD" and then couldn't explain what's ICERD, is revealing. UMNO-PAS have been in the business too long not to grab at a good chance to attack the new PH government, for whatever cause, true or false. The PH government had already announced its decision of not ratifying ICERD. So the rally was to get something already gotten. And Mukhriz also mentioned some slogans for "support Najib" and even "support Rosmah".

Rais, Mukhriz, and later Eddin spoke well enough. Combined, they touched on the reason why BERSATU was born, how it convinced the voters that  UMNO had forsaken the Malays, exposed what Najib & co had done, and joined-up with the 3 parties and led the voters in droves to oust the 61-year old BN out of office.

The 8 speakers from the divisions, plus the clever unscheduled squeezing by Ruslan Kassim ( he's been doing it from UMNO, PKR and Perkasa days) combined also covered the topics of the Manifesto (Kuala Pilah), agricultural products (Jelebu), NEP (Port Dickson), Malay rights (Rembau), unity (Rasah), the Constitution (Tampin), BERSATU (Seremban), and education (Jempol). The Srikandi and Armada wings also spoke of empowering women, and the socio-economic problems facing the country. These are pertinent topics that require action, although more effective speakers should  convey the messages.

Now after 7 months, the PH Manifesto is not measuring up to the GE boast.  Cabinet members are performing below par. And PKR and BERSATU divisional affairs are facing the same party problems that plagued UMNO in the last 10 years. 

I'd come prepared with my own notes, in case there was a chance to speak. I'd jotted down about BERSATU being a Malay / Bumiputra party that must take matters up where UMNO failed; about personal agenda replacing national agenda; about integrity and corruption; about abuse of power; about billion-dollar scandals; about courage and political will; about party elections, and about taking action here and now. But only 3 speakers spoke, simply because Rais declared 2 p.m. as closing time. I'll have other opportunities, I hope.

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A 74th birthday.

Wed 5 December 2018.

To-day is my 74th birthday. It's Wednesday 5th December 2018. It's 27 Rabiul awwal  of the new 1440 Hijriah.  All quiet on the western front. 

Yesterday I had a celebration of sorts at the IOI mall.  I'd tagged along for Sham's 60th birthday lunch by Kak Long, and Idah told them about mine, so we shared the same cake and Happy Birthday song, all 8 of us. 

Later we adjourned to Kak Long's house in Bangi, where we finally ate the chocolate cake. We left after asr prayers and stopped for early dinner at Man Tomyam, Seremban. I reached home as the magrib prayers were heard on the surau's loud speakers.

So I had free lunch, tea and dinner, and the birthday cake. Dekna had bought me a dozen Titleist ProV golf balls and a new t-shirt (they used to call them polo shirts) a couple of days earlier. So all in all I did ok. Except for the revisit of the back pain I had 2 years ago. Now I can't play for a while. It's been 2 weeks now. The last time it lasted 3 months. I hope it'll clear up in 1 or 2 weeks more.

Meanwhile I'm thankful for everything just now.

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MUBARAK's 15th AGM.

Sat 1 Dec 2018.

A muted, half-day, low key, cheap 15th. AGM for MUBARAK MALAYSIA was held at the "3-star" Hotel Maluri on the outskirts of KL to-day. It used to be a top hotel in a top spot. Everything had been cut down: the venue, the duration, the expenses, even the ranking of the chief speaker. The menu was cut. No meeting allowance this time. It was as if to underline the need to lie low and spend lower, now that the chief sponsor is no more.

Only the talk was expensive.

The M.C. strayed from emceeing and talked expensive. The reciter of the "do'a" strayed from solicitations and talked expensive. There were many loud "amin's" towards the end of the "do'a" that the reciter either didn't catch or didn't care about, because they were meant to remind him that he was getting too long and straying too far from topic. The President was expensive. And Ku Li was very expensive. 

Expensive because there was no talk of remorse about BN's loss of a 61-year hold on power. No mention of mistakes made  and what could be learned from them. No regrets about obvious caprice uncovered. Expensive because everybody who spoke, spoke as if he was the winner. 

The M.C. took it upon himself to inject partisan politics in his welcoming and introductory long and laboured speeches.

The reciter of the "do'a" went out of his way, from pleading to the Almighty for Guidance, to injecting partisan politics in his supplications.

The President, without notes, rambled on and on about his expensive pet student program, the huge property development project, the ills of the social media, and finding new sponsors.

Ku Li spoke at great lengths about the beginnings of UMNO and Tunku and Tun Razak, the current economic downturn and the price of palm oil and rubber, ending most expensive of all, with the challange to the PH government to give back the reins of power  to UMNO since they cannot run the country.

All these speakers received applause from the elderly audience. Not loud, But enough.

And the close-at-heart issue of the irregular and modest pensions of the ex-wakil rakyats MUBARAK represents  was never raised, even as they were cause for anger at the last AGM.

Ku Li said the press has been pressing him about whether he'd leave UMNO. He'll never leave, he said. He forgot to mention 1986 and Semangat 46 and the de-registeration of UMNO caused by him and his people.

And Sainy, Yusof Misai and Dr. Krishnan all attacked me for my PH support, saying PH cheated and won PRU 14, and Sainy in particular gave PH 2 years before being toppled, and in front of Derma I challanged him to a bet, the way I did with Yusof Misai in Cameron Highlands, and he's yet to pay for my 1-week lunch.

I say that if this is how UMNO members deal with the historic loss in GE 14, they'll never learn the true lesson, and the loss would be repeated. I said this to Tham and Foo as we sat for tea, before I took leave for home.

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