Mohd. Yusuf Mohd. Yunus.

 Wed. 29.12.2021

Just a couple of days to the end of 2021, and my half-brother Yusuf has passed away at home in Batu Caves this morning.. He's due to be buried after Magrib today because several deaths were recorded for the local burial ground, and sadly even in death they have to que up.

According to syara', sibilings with the same father are not considered "step-brother" or "step-sister".

Yusuf was born on 1.4.1952. That made him 69 years, 8 months and 28 days old. He was no. 6 on our siblings' list of 13. There were 7 boys and 6 girls - an almost equal share. I'm the oldest at 77, with Umay Karsom, my half-sister, the youngest at 62. Dad died of a second heart attack at the KL hospital at 58.

I first met Yusuf at  Induk's house at Kg. Ibol.  That was also the first time I met his mother, dad's second wife. I went there for a kenduri with others, but I can't remember who, though mum didn't come. That I remember, because I  told her that Yusuf's mother gave me some money, paper money used instead of coins for small change at that time, when we got home. Mum wasn't pleased. We met near the bamboo clump in front of Induk's house. Yusuf  was wearing a shirt without any trousers. "Nak berak" was his mother's explanation. I was probably in std. 2,  and Yusuf may have been around 2.

Padir slept at Yusuf's mother's house once. Dad took him. Mum was again not happy with that.

I attended Yusuf's circumcision.  I remember we waited for him to come back from the river. He went there to soak up for a period of time. The ritual was to "soften" the skin of his male member and lessen, it was believed, the bleeding. I watched the mudim putting the bamboo clips, Yusuf sitting on a banana tree placed on the floor. I looked away when the mudim took out his clearly very sharp knife. Yusuf was probably in Std.  6, rather late for this "operation".

I also attended Yusuf's wedding, also at his mother's house in Terachi. I remember his mother asking me to "look after" Yusuf back in KL.

When dad died and left a modest amount of cash from his bank account, the 9 of us with mum agreed to pass all of it to Yusuf and the four of them, the step-brothers and sisters. I contacted all of them and in Yusuf's case, I found out where he was staying (in Pantai Dalam) and for the first and last time visited him there to give him their share. There were a few other meetings at kenduris later, and I did attend one of Yusuf's offsprings' wedding at his Batu Caves house. But that was it. At these rare meetings Yusuf was friendly enough. But there was no follow up, and we kept our own councils, I guess. Aini, the younger sister, I have maintained closer contact, because she's right here in Seremban. On top of that, my brother Dr. Din's daughter is married to Aini's step-son. Khairil, the handicapped youngest brother stays with Aini, so we also see each other when Aini and I make mutual visits, or attend the same functions. Umay is retired now in Selayang, somewhere, but I don't maintain contact, though we know one another. In fact when I was GM Felda Niaga I managed to get her to come for a job interview. I didn't attend the interview myself. I never do. I didn't tell the staff our relationship. I would've given her the job, as I've done to many relatives from KP and KL I'd called because of vacancies. Umay  didn't react well when posted with some "tough" questioning. She said to Ungku Hamzah something to the effect that she didn't ask for the job. She was called for the job. I thought that wasn't helpful, and taking her and having our relationship revealed later would not put things "nicely". When the panel omitted her name, I decided to let the matter pass.

I only found out about Yusuf's passing when I came home at about 4 this afternoon. I have no idea how to get there. Even if the burial was over, I would have gone to pay my respects. But Calit also doesn't know the way. With the KL traffic, the pandemic and the flood situation, I decided to call off any plan for visitation. Too bad. I have deep regrets.

God Bless you, Yusuf, Amin.

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The Shah Alam floods.

 Fri 24.12.2021.

We went to Subang Jaya, Wednesday, to see our eldest with wife and daughter, victims of the Sri Muda "flood of the decade". We couldn't go earlier because he wasn't evacuated yet. They were lucky because they are on the 5th floor of the apartment, and their car on the 2nd floor of the car park. The 1st floor car park was inudated. When No.2 son sent the whatsapp video of the evacuation, the wife just cried, cried softly gazing into her smartphone.

I took Dekna's MPV because it rides high, and there was still danger of road floodings. We took the Putra Heights highway because the Federal highway reported danger on some stretches, and the Shah Alam highway was flooded in one bad spot. I didn't put on "waze" because it consumes battery, and I was sure I could find my way coming from the west to SJ.  I couldn't. Fortunately, I decided to top up fuel although Dekna insisted that the less-than-half gauge reading should be enough. So wandering around the myriad of  multiple junctions on top of so many multitiered roads in the SJ-USJ-SA townships with a loaded tank removed any fear of being stranded. After all wasn't much of my schooling and working life spent around these parts 20 years ago ? I can't possibly get lost. But if I didn't eventually see the "Subang Parade" building, I could have ! Once I saw it, I knew where I was, and made it to No.2 Son's house. We left Seremban at about 12.15 p.m. We arrived before 3. Not too bad lah.

We hardly stepped into the house before everybody inside started unloading the horrific stories of both human kindness and the irresponsible authorities. Both stories are continuing to be piling up on the media right this minute. Would you believe it, the MMMC is said to be even trying to interfere with the news, when the responsible sister government agencies should have stepped up, own up and push on !

This was said to be one of the worst floods affecting the KL-PJ-SJ-SA conurbation in decades.  That may well be true. But I see, read and hear for myself, and declare that this was the worst example of a government's total failure at a job they are supposed to be on top of. Once exposed, instead of making up for lost time, they dwell on giving unwanted  excuses. Shame on them !

Fortunately, human kindness hasn't been lost among Malaysians. We can only be thankful to God that there are still very many amongst us who don't hesitate to do our bit to assisst our fellow human beings in their hour of distress.  Words and pictures cannot do justice to the acts of mercy shown. Food and drinks, clothings and even boats were offered to help those stranded. My son said their power supply was quickly lost, and the disfunctional refrigerator was earlier already bereft of food. They benefitted from the public assisstance.

The political figures did eventually show their faces, sounded their voices. But all were "after the fact". These are the people who were quick to redress "political wrongs" in Melaka and Sarawak recently, but were less than quick to act, when it's a duty to do so, not an option.  People won't forget. People shouldn't.

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Jayos in Jiboi.

 Sat 11.12.2021.

This was some weeks in planning, this Jiboi rendezvous this morning. But the friendship is much longer. 52 years, to be precise. The visit was for only 2 hours, much too short. We didn't even cover the part about Sayed Muhammad, our common boss back in 1969. Sayed Muhammad would take a lot of story-telling. Jayos said he's in Seremban every month. I said another date must be put in place, maybe lunch as well.

Fauziah was there, but couldn't sit still. She was attending to customers. This house serves as a "makan shop", complete with tables and chairs you wouldn't expect from outside the gates. Her elder brother also runs a restaurant, "The Tobing" near the technical school. I would go there once in a while. If I can get parking space. The place is always full.

I wanted to regale Fauziah with my anectdotes of Jayos she would not know of.  I couldn't even start. The words were all rushing to get out all at once. We just picked randoms bits here and there. Too much time has elapsed, too much ground to cover in one 2-hour sitting.

Jayos is a friend who was easy to make, right from the first meeting in Syed Muhammad's old Contract Officer's office. They were sharing a small room then. Today's fresh graduate officers would be shocked if confronted with a similiar situation. I was also sharing a small office with Ali Seru, a retired police officer taken by Datuk Samsu the Land Administrator as his field officer. I didn't feel any inferiority, nor had any negative thoughts about it. Certainly Jayos took it as a matter of fact.

This posting merits a lengthy discourse, but suffice it to say that I make this brief notation as a reminder of more about Jayos later. I sms'd him about the brevity of the visit, and promised of more visits, now that I know he comes to Seremban often. He wanted to visit Bang Dek. They were together in Western Australia, studying. He said he'll do it later. I said he should visit him. He has not been in the best of health lately. He also lost his eldest boy, aged 53, during the peak of the PKP, though not because of Covid 19.

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Sumpah Laknat.

 Friday 10.12.2021.

Najib can repeat his "Oath Before God" as often as he wants. In a "holier than thou" tone he says he's being judged by "this world's court". There's another "other world's court" waiting for him. So he'll face that other court, too? Would he repeat his alibi ?  Would he escape guilt ?. What exactly has he said to God in his "sumpah laknat"?  That he didn't personally ask for the money ? That he didn't personally transfer the money ? Strictly speaking he may not have done those things by himself, and he would not be lying in saying that.  But money moved in and out of his personal bank account. He drew money for his own use from that account. Lots of it. The records were produced in court. His personal expenditures were recorded and produced in court. Witnesses said it happened. And throughout the trial and appeal he gave false statements about not knowing JLow and other untruths, and these statements were disproved in court. He did his best to obstruct justice, when the truth would be revealed if innocent and unobstructed. The AG was sacked. The DPM was sacked. Officers were transferred willy-nilly. Ministers resigned rather than condone lies. "Oath Before God"? You don't do this frivolously. Not if you're a true Muslim. But if you can claim you are innocent, after the money trails have been laid bare in the court of law, you can utter any oath.

Criminals never admit their crimes. Support by sympathisers is no defence. Even "Tuhan" Harun had his supporters. They don't know better. Or don't want to know better.

Now your own siblings, your flesh and blood, want distance from you. Fortunately your parents are not around to see the sad sight. They must have turned in their graves.

The truth of the matter is, this was an unfortunate chain of event of setting up a fund without sufficient controls. As when lots of money is involved, greed and crooks soon smell blood. The rest is history. The downward spiral was so fast that "heads spun" and you're out of depth.  Only governments could deal with such sums. Fortunately for you, you had your fingers on the screws of government. Unfortunately for you, you're now screwed.

Even the USA and Australian governments have felt it necessary to call the whole mess the biggest criminal heist they have seen. You still pin hope on the Federal Court. As the late Muhammad Ali, the boxer, said, you have two chances - slim and none.

There's a Malay saying. You can't cover up carcass with a tablecloth. 12 years and 210 million. You can't cover up those, too.

Update Tuesday 23.8.2022: 

From the 4.7.2018  High Court hearing (4 years 1 month 19 days ago), through the Appeal Court,  the Federal Court this afternoon dismissed Najib's final appeal against conviction (all 7 charges) and at around 6 p.m. entered Kajang jail to serve his sentence. The main 1MDB case goes on. 

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Auntie Rose.

 Sun 5.12.2021.

There is urgent need to complete the first 1,000 km on my brand-new scooter. So yesterday morning I rode to the park in S 2. After about an hour of walking around the lake, I decided to give Calit a surprise visit. Not that he's easily surprised.

With my crash helmet on, on my scooter, I honked at Ina who I saw behind the house gates. At first, of course, she couldn't recognize me. Then she quickly did, and opened the electric gates. And after I had sat on the arm chair, Auntie Rose suddenly popped her head from the kitchen. I didn't expect her there. Ina didn't say before that. Calit, too, didn't say when I was with him Thursday, just 2 days before.

My mother called her Kak Rose. So naturally I called her Auntie Rose. Officially she's Mak Lang Rose. The late Pak Lang Taufik was her husband, Ina's father, Calit's f.i.l. Calit, my youngest brother, married within the extended family, actually. Taufik was Wan Umi's son. Wan Umi was my late grandfather's cousin. Their houses in Bukit Temensu are only separated by a small village road. It used to be an unlighted dirt road from the main KP-Tampin road all the way to the old Tebat Kering village houses about a kilometer in. When dad built the family house at the end of grandfather's land, our postal address became also "Tebat Kering" (dried pond). At golf until today this has become a joke of which I'm the butt.

For a late 80-year old, Auntie Rose looks healthy. Her memory is still intact. She did not know me then but remembers my visit to her PJ house in 1969/70 when I went to pick up Kay for a date one evening. "Semi-detached bungalow. Section 22" she said, of the house. I can't remember the house-type or the part of town. She beats me there.

Kay's mother was Taufik's sister. Other brother-sisters of Kay also stayed there, Auntie Rose said. Kay and I went to the Rex cinema in KL for a movie. Those days driving in PJ-KL was easy. I can't remember the title of the movie, but remember I had the car pushed because the battery was weak and the car wouldn't start. We knew each other because Kay and sisters would visit my grandfather when they visited their grandparents, Wan Umi and Mai Godang (Big Ismail, because he was, for a Malay). The last time I spoke to Kay for any length of time was on the phone, when she called from the Subang Airport before leaving for studies in England. Where she met one "Syed". In her letter from England she mentioned this. "That's why" I said to Auntie Rose when she asked why I didn't marry Kay. Now Calit had taken over that matrimonial linkage.

Mom was fond of all her relations, and Auntie Rose was no exception. Calit's eventual marriage into that family certainly had her blessings. She'd be happy if she was present now, to see how Calit has settled down.

Auntie Rose said the children disallow her from driving now. I said I would agree, looking at the traffic in Seremban now. But Auntie Rose allowed, with a mischievous look, sometimes she "curi-curi" drive. That's just like her. In the past I would often bump into her all over the place in Seremban - in the bank, in the shopping mall. She was so active, she became a committee member of an ex-teacher group when she was never a teacher ! 

She has her own house in England Garden where Calit got married. Now the children want her to stay with any one of them. So she would move around among the girls. Right now she's with Calit.

I told Ina I haven't eaten breakfast when I came. I lied. She quickly laid out a nice one, and all 4 of us dug into it, including Auntie Rose. Her appetite seems good, and that's good.

Auntie Rose said Mak Cik Zizah, Taufik's younger sister, is helpless like a baby now. There's apparently a paid maid who feeds and washes her. She's in her 90's. Ani, her neice, now widowed after Mazlan died, is also suffering from Alzheimer's. Apparently Kay is in charge now. Through her, Ani has built a small cottage in the very large compound in the Bukit Temensu home. It's completed, but Auntie Rose said they haven't moved in yet.

Everybody sent me off on my SD198T. "Ride carefully" I heard Aunti Rose admonished. A true policeman's wife.

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Golden Jubilee.

 Sat 4.12.2021.

50 years ago, yesterday, I got married. Tomorrow, Sunday, the kids are joining up to throw a party for us in KL, celebrating our Golden Jubilee.

We'd known each other long, my wife and I. Our parents knew each other even longer. When I told them my choice for a future bride, they were more than happy. Our families were in Tanjong Malim. At the Sultan Idris Training College, to be precise. Our dads were teaching the Malay trainee-teachers from the peninsula, Singapore and Brunei. I don't remember Sabah & Sarawak - they were North Borneo then. My family was in Tanjong Malim for 6 years. My dad and those like him were replaced because of the upgrading of SITC to eventually become a university. So the parents knew each other well, coming from Kuala Pilah , living in another state. My future wife and I did not know each other yet.

When I was waiting to enter the university, the headmaster of Tuanku Muhammad School, Kuala Pilah took me as a temporary teacher. This was around 1964-65. Then I met her. She used to walk past our house to go to her school, TKS. I also befriended one Nazri Adam, a fifth-former,  who used to mention her name, because his friend, Husin, was an admirer. We used to walk to the bus stand in town to look out for her, because she would take the bus to go back home. One time we did in fact saw her in the bus at the station. And she saw us, too. I think she knew who I was, because her sister, Ani, was in the same class at Methodist English School Tanjong Malim - Special Malay Class I & II.

I was staying in Ampang Jaya when working with Felda, my second job after graduating from the university. Then I found out that Tajuddin, her elder brother, was staying in the same road, 4C. She was already working, and staying with him. Before that they were in Kg. Pandan. Tajuddin, who was with the Ministry of Agriculture, phoned me at the office one day, to ask help arrange a meeting with Alladin Hashim, one of  Felda's directors. Tajuddin mentioned about her staying with him, assuming we know each other, even inviting me to come over. I knew her existence, sure, but we had never spoken. But it was a new start. And we eventually met and spoke to each other soon after that. I had just came back from Fraser's Hill one weekend. It was maybe 6 p.m. As I was untying my shoes on my front door, she sauntered by the house and greeted me. Immediately I invited her for a spin in the car. That was the start.

We were married in Kg. Tebat, Lonek 2 days before my 27th birthday.  She's 5 years younger. The aqad nikah was in the morning. The reception was in the evening. There was no electricity, and no running water, but I don't remember missing the air-conditioning my wedding night. She was reluctant, but I insisted, that consummation must not be delayed. It wasn't. Our eldest boy was born 9 and a half month later. Since then we had 3 more kids.  I'd managed to take all of them for holidays in Singapore, England, France, Spain, Japan, Hawaii, Australia and Disneyworld in Orlando, USA.

Now our 4 kids have kids of their own. One dozen of them, in fact, from ages 16 years to just 2 months. 10 boys but only 2 girls. We managed to give our kids full schooling, right up to tertiary level, and their spouses are all university graduates, too. All 8 have decent careers. All the kids have their own houses now.

It has not been plain sailing, these five decades, but who has ? I choose to look at the healthy, happy grandchildren. They are my love, and  their future my hope and prayer.

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2 AGM's in 1 day.

 Fri. 3.12.2021.

Sunday 28.11.2021 was busy Sunday for someone like me. In the morning I attended the MUBARAK Malaysia AGM with 10 others here in Seremban for a Zoom meeting with other states representatives. That evening I had to register at 8.30 pm for the Bersatu Seremban Division AGM starting at 9 p.m. Both were held at the Royal Chulan, Seremban.

There was no reason to have that Zoom meeting for MUBARAK. The state border closures have been lifted, and gatherings with sop have been allowed. One good reason maybe was the saving on hotel and food. With 13 states and the Central Committee, those two over 2 days would have been substantial.

The Zoom meeting was not smooth, nor effective. Talk was by turn, and question & answer was impossible. And when the digital voting came, 2 of the 11 handphones could get through because of technical problems. Overall I think about 20 nationwide participants couldn't vote. 

The legitimate though belated query by Yazid Baba about the RoS approval for the postponed 2020 AGM was clearly not well-received by the Central Committee. One state member even went a bit far by chastisising Yazid for "trying to be difficult". I didn't think it was a fatal error, but they should have put the RoS' letter in black-and-white in the Secretary's report.

Seremban Division Bersatu AGM was it's second in the 6-year old history of the party. The Covid delay and bureaucracy notwithstanding, Bersatu's organization leaves much to be desired. The one lubricant essential to organizations, funds, underlines the party lethargy, because of its unavailabilty. When Bersatu held the PM's post, twice in the last 3 years, nothing was done about this. The Bersatu PM could have done much more. The concern for "looking clean" was admirable but childish. Now it may be too late.

I spoke about the recent Melaka bye-election. I left my notes to the Divisional Secretary for future reference. I made 4 points: the low turnout, the Chinese voters, the small majorities, and the election machinery.

The less than 65 % turnout meant the younger voters didn't participate. They could have made the difference.

The Chinese now only vote for DAP or, without DAP, only Chinese candidates.

13 out of 28 constituencies had an average of about 500-vote majority. A bigger turnout could easily turn this around, and 8 UMNO wins could have lost, leaving it with only 10.

I left the lectern with the rethoric question: was Bersatu election machinery its best ? I said I don't believe it so.

There is a lack of urgency about the coming GE 15 in Bersatu. Divisional talks have been pedantic. Small token assistance have not carried wide-spread news to the populace, and the pitiful quantum involved could turn people off, not on. This is war. The battle plans are not there.

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My first scooter.

 Fri. 3.12.2021

After my first motorcycle, a Honda 90 cc (BN 3950) bought in Section 14, PJ, in 1965, after 2 Honda Cubs (1 stolen at the Kelana Jaya commuter station) and 1 Modenas kapcai, all 3 registeration numbers now forgotten, after 2 superbikes bought simultaneously in 1991 (a Honda CBR 600 cc no.BDP 600, and a Kawasaki Vulcan 750 cc no. WCR 6600), and after the last kapcai Yamaha LC 135 no. NCA 211, bought in 2007, I took delivery of my first scooter, a Yamaha NMax 155 no, SD198T (my house no. is 198) on 1.12.2021. It took XL Motor Sdn. Bhd. Bukit Rasah, Seremban 3 months. I paid a booking fee of RM 200 on 7.9.2021. I don't know if this was because of operational slow-down because of Covid 19, or just a marketing ploy. I'd almost wanted to tell Memi to change shop or model. He chose this particular make and model. He was footing the bill !

It's been a wet 2 days here, including yesterday morning. So it was only after 4 pm yesterday that I was able to test-ride. My 7-year old granddaughter insisted on following. Since her 2 twin brothers were taking a nap, I hurried her and off we went. We rode all the way to Pasir Panjang, PD, and turned back via Telok Kemang. It was starting to drizzle. We left the house at 4.30 p.m. We reached home at 7 p.m. I never broke 70 k.p.h. Running the brand-new engine, you know.

Memi came home early September, and took the old kapcai to buy cigarettes or something. When the 3 of us were chatting in the porch, he commented that the old bike isn't stable. There was a fall several years ago, but the bike rides ok to me, although there is an imbalance when taking a corner at speed. So I retorted "buy a new one lah". He surprised me by agreeing to it.

The old kapcai was supposed to be traded in for a cheap 1,600. Cheap because a Yamaha LC 135 pre 2010 is very popular, to both riders and thieves. There is no "cut-off" in this earlier model, and for a 135 cc motorcycle, it's surprisingly fast. I had touched 150 on an extended stretch. That's almost 100 mph, bro ! Even now this 14-year old bike can easily do 140. Such was the situation with these Yamaha LC 135's, my original insurers refused to continue the cover. I had to look around for alternative underwriters, and found one insurance agent on the second floor of an old shoplot near the Seremban wet market. The office is crammed with files from floor to ceiling, and I had to deal with a middle-aged Chinese woman who spoke to me from behind iron grilles, like the goldsmiths who are scared of being robbed. With the pandemic SOP, I had to renew the road-tax from outside the office, through another set of iron grilles. Phew !

After 1 month from booking date, I called the salesman, Ruslan. He had cautioned me about the stock for this model. I had visited 7, yes 7, dealers in Seremban before coming to Ruslan. No one had any ready stock of  the Yamaha NMax 155. Ruslan also didn't have stock, but if I was willing to wait for at least 1 month, he could try to get it for me. Now after one month the stock was still unavailable.. The second month was a repeat performance. Just before the end the 3rd month of November, Ruslan called with the good news. But he said he also had  bad news. The price had changed. I protested on the phone. He said to come over and discuss.

The original price agreed upon was cash OTR 9,800. I advanced 200. Now they want 500 more. After an exchange, I finally relented. I know every agent has a different price. That one in Senawang quoted 11,500 cash, 1,200 more. With a back box & rack, and  an additional insurance cover for "all riders" it came to 10,966. Memi gave me 9,500. Adik was supposed to give 1,600 for the old kapcai that he wants, instead of being traded-in. But so far he'd only given me 1,000. So I had to make up the difference of 466. Now, compared to the 7 K I doled out for the kapcai 14 years ago, this was like gratis.

Really, I'm grateful  No. 3 son had said this was his gift for my 77th. birthday, which falls on Sunday, 5.12.2021. Jayos said it's a lot of money for a birthday present, and I agreed. Lucky you, Jayos added. Ong whatsapped just now. He has been one of those who warned about motorbiking at this age. "Be careful" he said. I have to. After the PD ride yesterday, the scooter behaves different from a motorcycle.

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