Acam

 Sun 22.12.2024

Acam is my younger sister, third in the sibling hierarchy, and the oldest girl. She was a teacher's college graduate, and the only one who took up the teaching profession after our late father. She's retired now and lives with Karim, her husband, in Gombak. They used to live in Batu Arang, Rawang and Greenwood Park. Karim is also retired. Their two children, Eti the girl, and Ijat the boy, are both married with children of their own, staying in their own houses around the city.

When we were small in Bukit Temensu, there was one Karim Md. Nor, who stayed in the same kampong. Karim later did his PhD in Wisconsin, USA, where I visited him when attending Calit's graduation in the same university. Karim died just on his retirement in Taman Bukti, Seremban, some 20 years ago. All of us in the two families knew each other well. I used to play badminton in front of Karim's house in the evening. The house front yard, lined with split bamboo strips, served as our badminton court. We used to share  money to buy the "Bluebird" shuttlecocks we would play with our "Dunlop" rackets, until practically all the feathers were gone. Naturally we, the siblings would tease Acam, hooking her with Karim. Acam would get annoyed. That only made us tease her more.  In the end Acam did marry one Karim, but this one is from Rantau.

On Thursday 12.12.2024 Acam finally had her much post-poned bypass heart operation done at the IJN. Idah and I, together with Dekna, visited her at home last Friday evening. She was discharged from IJN Thursday 19.12.2024.

It was all a great ending, with the major heart operation successfully done. It's not something to look lightly upon. There  was a trying as well as tiring sequence of events.  First she was admitted to Hospital Pusrawi, just across the Tun Razak road from IJN, for knee problems. The heart condition was discovered there, and that demanded immediate treatment before anything about the knees could be done. Pusrawi couldn't do it. Acam was pushed to Serdang, which is supposed to replace IJN for government servants like her, IJN having been "privitised". But Serdang offered more heartache. They couldn't even get a bloody bed for her, much less medical attention ! Karim somehow got her admitted to IJN. Then she was discharged, but readmitted  Tuesday 10.12.2024, and an operation very quickly scheduled for the next day. But that was postponed to Thursday. She had veins taken from her thigh and calf, had 3 blockages cleared and stems inserted. Karim somehow managed to get the bill discounted, but the 80 K wasn't, of course, cheap. The prior agreement to pay the estimated 100K  wanted by IJN was the reason for the final admission to IJN.

We had trouble locating the Gombak house. Finally Dekna got Ijat to give the address, and after the horrendous Friday evening KL traffic, we reached the house gates about 3 hours after leaving Seremban. And I've been here many times before ! The developments in the area, including the big house now occupying the empty plot next door that used to be my guide before, made the trip impossible without "waze".

Idah had been insistent that the visit was quickly made. In the last month we had in fact visited Acam both at Pusrawi and the earlier IJN admission. But having successfully undergone the bypass, Idah wanted to see Acam for herself again.

Karim was waiting for us by the time we arrived. Ijat had called him. Idah and Dekna spent time with Acam. I said to her to rest and recover before she did anything else with her knees. We had to take our leave because it was getting late, and we didn't know how bad the traffic would be, this being a weekend.

We left Seremban at 6 p.m. We reached home at midnight.

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The durian feast at RMC.

 Tues 17.12.2024.

I should call it "FMC (1952-1966) Budak Boys' Get-together, Sunday 15th December 2024". But getting the durians was the only assignment given to me and Hank, and it wasn't as smooth-sailing as you think, and so I choose this title. And because of the durians on Sunday, and the 5-hour golf in the extraordinary heat yesterday (the game couldn't be avoided - it was fixed last week), I ended up with a bad cough, and a near-collapsing fatigue by the time I came home at almost 3 pm.  

The reunion was not the first one for us, the "FMC group". We held one such "Remembrance Day" for many years, only broken up  by the Covid 19 episode. This is the "FMC" boys, because"Federation Military College" became "Royal Military College" in 1966. In fact we started this thing confining ourselves only to the Port Dickson intakes, 1952 - 1961. In April 1962 the College moved to the first RMC camp in Sungai Besi. Years later (can't remember the date) the College moved to its present camp in Bukit Belimbing, just next door.

Not long ago we realised that the 1952-1961 group was fast dwindling. So it was decided that we extend the group's life by making it the "FMC" group, because now we can go for 5 more years. But this now looks also like we're destined, by definition. for closure, because 1966 is static,too.

That made my presence on Sunday important for me. I'd just turned 80 exactly 10 days ago. But I drove myself, and walked without a cane. Many were driven by spouses or sons, and many came with walking sticks - wheel chairs, even, like Michael Tan. Some without walking sticks no longer stand erect, like Mori,taking step by careful step, and all accepting aid from the many current BB's who were enlisted to help, especially walking up the steps.  

ND printed it as "durian fest" on the brochure, when I use the word "feast". But it refers to the same adjective regarding a large eating ceremony. 250 durians at 2 kg. each wasn't the largest durian gathering I've seen, but against the 150 BB's and spouses, and the current BB's giving their help, it was big enough to earn the "feast" description.

But what transpired before the arrival of the blessed durians, only a few of us knew.

It was not easy this time, because the durians are not in season. I scoured around Seremban, Jalan Jelebu (as  Jelebu itself - this was one source still not tested), Kuala Pilah (my source last time), Segamat, Nilai, Mantin and finally the Triang source two years ago, and all came to naught. We had 1 week left before throwing the towel. Then ND said he found a supplier in Paya Jaras. Phew !

One trip with ND got us talking to the supplier, and an order was placed for 200 durians, at RM4,500. 

But  later that day I found out that MS had actually paid a RM1,500 deposit for durians from his own source. You see, right from the beginning, Hank and I were made clear about our mission, and MS knows this, and in an earlier exchange on our phone we had taken stock of our positions, logistically. But I had never received any information from him about the RM1,500. The monetary part of this whole thing must clear MS's desk, because he was going to transfer the funds, as Treasurer of our group. I needed to get clarification from MS.  I'd committed myself to the Paya Jaras supplier.

I couldn't get any MS's response before the first Paya Jaras trip. Since the first 2 exchanges with MS before this, he had not responded to my calls and  messages. After Paya Jaras I asked Halim Shah for help, because he  often talk to MS. But this time Halim also failed to get through. The last resort to me was to meet MS in his house, and clear things up. My only concern was to make sure the durians will be there on Sunday !

So Sunday 8.12.2024  Hank and I drove to MS's house in Damansara Heights. ND had given me the address. It was sad to see MS with his breathing aid, lying in bed, coughing badly, and faintly making himself heard. Later on the actual function-day Sunday, I learned that MS is in a Pantai Hospital ward. His condition must have worsened.

The short of it was, at his house MS said he sticks to his supplier (the RM1,500 deposit was confirmed), I said I stick to mine, and he'd divide the RM4K into 2 equal portions, and we each continue with our separate supplier.

Hank and I drove back to Paya Jaras immediately after MS house.  I drove. Using Waze, we went  the KL way, not the previous Subang Airport way. We went, hoping the supplier would be there, because we didn't call him first. He was.  He was the first one to lift his hand in recognition.

While Hank went somewhere first (the loo, maybe) I quickly settled for 150 durians, priced at RM3,750. Actually he delivered about 20 fruits more.

On Friday ND called to say that MS's supplier would also deliver 100 fruits, come Sunday. We both had prepared ourselves the possible non-delivery from MS source, because of his medical problems, and leaving it all to a nephew to follow-up. MS had lived up to his promise to deliver, and all the more credit to him, in the light of his serious health issues. I don't think I'd have done it myself.

In fact Sunday, when I came out of the assembly theater after Col. Rashidin called because my supplier had arrived, and the driver wanted to be paid, I ran into MS's supplier truck that had arrived, and was calling for directions from MS's nephew about where the Lake-side durian station was. I just jumped on to the truck and directed him to the spot, which wasn't far, but a vehicle needed to take a circuitous route around the car park and the parade ground from where he was at the parking area in front of the surau. But the durian feast was still about 3 hours away.

ND is nothing if not for his meticulous ways. We don't always see the hard work of planning and managing a gathering involving many activities, involving many people, covering many locations, lasting many hours all in half-a-day. Of course, we don't always genuinely appreciate it, even if we know it. There were many meetings, many participants, over many days. Alterations, right up to the final group meeting, took place. But in the end, the get-together started, and ended in the planned time frame. It wouldn't have happened without one ND. That's why Halim said ND was the "dynamo" of the whole thing. Bravo !

I don't know if there'll another one next year. ND had indicated before that he's happy to relinquish his role. Somebody like him must be found. Our BB's have been very generous with their money and time.  The College produced these successful and loyal citizens. That's why, to me, this whole thing is working.

I enjoyed this 2024 celebration. I met a few very old friends like Wan Wahid, Murni Arshad, Aba Jiwa (a nick-name I call him by), Farid Wardi, Aziz Hassan, Jusoh Daud ( last met him in 1962), Rahman Daud and many others. But I also missed some old attendees like Shahruddin Bahaudin, Mansor Salleh, Nor Shaari, Jalaluddin Hashim, Salim Rahim and Ismail Noor and some others. Even since our last gathering, we've lost a few. How many more would leave us is a sad and  tragic certainty for not the too distant future.

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It could have been horrifically worse.

 Tuesday, 10.12.2024.

My house is on top of the hill. Jalan Aman runs in front of it, and 10 meters to the right, looking out from in front of the house, is Jalan Sentosa. Jalan Sentosa runs steeply downhill for about 100 meters until it reaches the surau, where the road branches left and right. If it rains it's slippery. Yesterday it was drizzling the whole afternoon.

Both sides of Jalan Sentosa  has large monsoon drains, about waist-deep to the bottom. There's no barricade between the road and the drains. Some years ago my wife drove my Volvo 194 GE into the left drain, and I had to call the tow service to pull it out. A careless person could unknowingly walk right into either drain.

There are many office and other workers living in this housing estate. Early mornings and late evenings see many vehicles on all the internal roads here. Not all the drivers, I used to observe, are careful and courteous to other users. I had many near misses, even when not going at any speed. Hitting someone on the road here would not take much.

Habib, 3, is my youngest grandson - no. 12. He's normal-sized, active, fair-complexioned like his mother, his grandmother and late great-grandmother. He hums the songs he listens to on the tv he likes to watch. No words. Speech seems to be coming slow, though he looks intelligent. 

My wife likes to decorate the house. If anything, I think she's overdoing it. But it pleases her, so why should it bother me. Habib, though, likes the ornaments on the tables, and can't keep his hands off, and that's a bother to my wife.

Monday morning my wife said "no lunch today".  Both cooking gas cannisters were empty. 

"That's why I got the 2nd cannister" I exclaimed. "When you finish one tank, I can take time to replace it because you have a spare one. But you don't tell me that you're on the 2nd tank. This is what happens now !"

When my daughter returned from work, it was past 6 pm. While still in her office attire, I asked for her car key to get a fresh cooking gas tank. But I went without taking the empty gas tank with me. You see, the sundry shop is run by the single shopkeeper alone. He keeps irregular hours. Sometimes he just closes shop without notice. If I brought the empty tank and he's closed, then I'd have to heave the empty but heavy tank back again. But this time he was open, so I bought the gas and said I'll bring the empty tank afterwards.

I went back in my daughter's car with the empty cannister, and promptly return home. As I turn into the uphill Jalan Sentosa towards  home, I saw something moving in the middle of the road, about 50 meters ahead. "Looks like a child" I thought. As I came closer, slowing down, but needing also to keep some pressure on pedal because of the climb plus my daughter's large MPV, I saw that it was in fact a child, running towards me.

"Where the hell is the mother, leaving this child unattended  dangerously on this road ? And it's drizzling !"  I slowed down, thumping my horn, hoping that the child would move to the side. It didn't. It kept running on the slippery-looking road towards me ! What a great shock ! When I could make out the features of the smiling, yes smiling, kid, I instantly recognized him to be Habib, my grandson !! He was maybe already 50 meters from the house, right in front of Kamaruddin Basir's house.

I don't know if I jumped out or what from the car, but the engine was on and this is an automatic car. I must have put it on neutral or stopped and somehow stepped on the foot brake, and just jumped out, ran out and grabbed Habib, who kept on grinning and waving his hands about, like he always does. I wanted to put him at the back, but decided to pull him with me into the driver's seat, and held him tight, and just drove on back to the house. Anger was boiling in me.

As I turned into the patio, I hit many times on the horn. My wife and daughter took time to come out.

"Are you all stupid ? Didn't you realize Habib had come out of the house ? He'd reached the surau !!! Are you all stupid ?" I repeated several times, at the top of my voice.

My daughter took Habib from my arms, bursting into tears, while my wife cried out "Ya Allah, Ya Allah". I'd gone berserk and kept shouting, and repeating expletives.

This  was all around 6.20 - 6.30 pm.

When I did my Magrib prayers at 7.07, I cried when I said my do'a. I didn't tell anyone I'd cried. It was simply terrifying, and I was truly facing my Maker, pleading forgiveness, and at the same time offering my gratitude at a possible horror avoided.

After my Isya' prayers, at 8.20, I went looking for Habib. He was with his dad. I stroked his head several times, in silence. Truly God Showed Mercy, and I'm thankful.

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The durian feast on 15 Dec.

 Mon 9.12.2024.

In 6 days time, the BB's from FMC-PD group would celebrate our RMC Founder's Day, in the old RMC camp in Sg. Besi. The Founder's Day is actually on 17th December, but that would be on a Tuesday, while 15th is a Sunday. 

I leave the details of the function to Hank. I just told him the time he wants me to be at Mydin S2 where he can pick me up.

The both of us had been requested by ND to get the durians for the gathering, just like last time. This is what has kept both of us busy. But we're determined not to let the BB's down on the durian feast expectation.

The real problem is  that durian is out of season from the sources we had relied on in the past.  Up to last week I personally scoured and also had asked several friends who helped me in the past to locate the durian in KP, Segamat, Seremban, Nilai and Mantin areas. To no avail. Until Saturday, when Nawi (Nawawi-lah, he used to correct us) asked Hank and I to follow him to Paya Jaras.  There our quest ended, successfully. There, right in the centre of the Paya Jaras thriving community, was this "Lubuk Durian Paya Jaras", the durian vendor "Ayoi" stall with several varieties of the fruit, just as we had hoped for.

Ayoi in fact gets his durians from all over the place except Paya Jaras itself.  Tanjung Malim is one source, and it's in fact not far from Paya Jaras by way of the old road. I believe I've found my permanent supplier for future references.

ND, the fastidious bloke that he is, wants to know the actual price for the varieties available. Since he has assigned the job to the both of us, Hank and I, we'll make sure we pick the sweet-tasting variety with the reasonable price-tag, not some fancy-named, sky-rocket-price species.

So Hank and Nawi and Md. Sham, they'll gorge themselves with 200 durians, come Dec 15th.

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Praise the Lord, I'm 80 !!!

Fri 6.12.2024.

80 !

That was yesterday. 

Sufficient good wishes came through from kith and kin to please me with the knowledge that I'm old but not forgotten.

I had fever the night  of 4.12.2024, and with a blocked nose not much sleep was enjoyed. So on birthday morning, I was the first outpatient at Dr. Miszua's clinic. I got my pills and left for the closing ceremony for the SKM accounting excersise at Klana Resort. Because of the fever, I had my jacket on. Which was good, because I bumped into the MB who was having his lunch with a group of ADUNs, and I was smartly attired.  I only know Ismail Lassim, who was there, the one who caught my attention first. It was when I was walking towards him that I saw the MB. I'd met and spoken to him a couple of times at 2 wedding receptions here in Seremban. 

"Thank you for the new allowances" I said. 

He knew what I was referring to - the State Assembly had just approved the revision to the allowances for the Assemblymen, and with it the pension for the ex ADUNs, like me.

"What about the pension ?" I asked.

"No, not included" he joked.

This morning I called Amin Ludin, the ASS in charge of the State Assembly. I related to him my exchange with the MB on Thursday. I'd wanted to see him today, but he said he's tied up the whole day. So I just asked him for the details about the allownces revision that he could not provide when I called him last week about the same subject. But the good news about the approval he broke to me at that time. Which was great, because the next day, Saturday, MUBARAK Malaysia was having its 21/2024 AGM in KL, and I was more than happy to pass a written note to Yazid Baba, our MUBARAK NS President.

In fact, with this revision, effective January next year, NS will jump from the bottom of the list for all 13 states to no. 2. It's about a 44% jump ! Only Sarawak pays more.

So in a way, my 80th birthday has been nicely honoured by the increase in my pension, Thank You Lord. But the family doesn't know yet.

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Kamariah Sabeh.

 Saturday 16.11.2024.

As I was sitting in my den, waiting for the Isya' prayers, the wife came from her bedroom, informing me that Kamariah Sabeh died this morning. Immediately I passed the information to Hank and Padir. She was Padir's classmate in the 6th form at KGV, and both entered University of Malaya together. That was how I got to know her. Hank also had some history with her, but I'll let him tell you more.

I remember one Hari Raya Padir took me to her house in Terusan Seberang. She was in her padi field behind the house. This was the early university days. Her padi planting was real. We had a lot of the padi growing in Kuala Pilah at that time (1965). When she eventually joined us on the visit, I could see the brown stain on nails of her feet, normally carried by the padi planters.

We would often bump into each other, the 2 years we were together at the university - I was 1 year her senior. We made a few mutual friends. UM was the only Malaysian university then, but the intake was only about 600 per year.

Through the years we would also meet each other, but once in a long while only, and that was because we both finally made Seremban our final stop.

I mentioned in my earlier blog about meeting her when the late Akbar Baba collapsed near his car at the Ampang Giant (now the Ampang UTC). It was all coincidental. I ran to help Akbar sit up, then Kamariah suddenly appeared. I immediately asked her to fetch some water from the nearby restaurant (it's still there).

This is a sad passing of an acquaintance I wished I had kept closer contact with. But her passing marks the passing of fond memories associated with having known her. I also knew her late husband who left her several years ago.

May God Have Mercy on you, Kamariah, amin.

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Daim 1938 - 2024.

 Fri 15.11.2024.

This belated note does not mean that this piece is an afterthought. I was just finding a suitable time to at least add this note in my collection of comments I'd felt worthwhile making. Certainly Daim was one UMNO stalwart worth making a note about.

The recent photos of him in the on-going court case involving the charges against him surprised me as looking sickly, with one eye drooping, and being wheeled around in a wheelchair. His passing on the morning of 13.11.2024, at 86, now, sadly, confirmed his state of health.

He was the Finance Minister at 46, back in 1984 until 1991, and again at 61 in 1999 until 2001. Certainly he was clearly in charge at that Ministry. There was the financial crisis for the country. And UMNO, too, had its own financial issues. I was a delegate at one UMNO National Convention when he made the phone calls for the contribution in front of the delegates. And his personal wealth is an attribute to his financial savvy.

Anwar's and Zahid's absence of public condolences is the manifestation of the lack of class on their part. That's  unsurprising.  But Mahathir's quick and eloquent tribute somewhat made up for the accolades due but not forthcoming from the nation on a man who pulled his weight in the financial management of the country. Sending that young side-kick to pay respect to the bereaved family was more insolence than benevolence.

In the 67-year history of the country's political revival from British colonialism, many people have been elected and chosen for the vital positions of responsibilities in the chosen governments running and developing the young nation. Not all had fulfilled their duties. Daim did.  Just look at the facts, a few of them touched by Mahathir's tribute. And to prove the point, Daim himself found his niche in the opportunities he created for the country he served.

Let Malaysian history record the passing of this man in the proper manner.  Let's put value where value is deserving.

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So, it's Trump again.

 Wed 6.11.2024.

So, in spite of, or maybe because of, all that Trump and his supporters have done, Americans have reelected the man. Mind you, Trump and his supporters have done hell of a lot, and it's the whole lot of the Bad and the Ugly. I don't see much of any Good.

Or is it because of the alternative staring at the Americans in their faces - that Kamaldevi Harris woman ? They're not ready for an Indian (not Red Indian - the real India Indian) woman, maybe.

I would have given Kamala a chance before she belatedly became a candidate, after the Democratic Party finally forced Biden to drop out. But actually she lost my sympathy as soon as she became the Vice President, when she made that unqualified support statement for Israel. And she did stop over at Singapore, but paid scant notice to neighbouring Indonesia and Malaysia. So that was that.

The Trump antics right from his first Presidency to the Capitol attack instigated by him threw me off the man. How can a leader of the Western World behave publicly like that? It's just insane.

We'll see how Trump leads USA for the second time.

Maybe Trump and the US deserve each other.

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Asset mismanagement.

 Tuesday 29.10.2024

I've made statements in public, and written numerous times, and spoke about it in speeches made over my career - about the mismanagement of our assets in this country. Building public facilities and developing natural resources have not gone to waste in my Malaysia. Sadly, managing them for future use is a total loss for both the authorities and the general population.

A stark case in point is the current news on the action against the "blue tents" on the Telok Kemang picnic beach in PD.

Back in 1995 I spoke in the State Assembly, no less, about the disregard for the beautiful beaches of Telok Kemang by the Government of that time. Greedy investors had managed to get the approval to build hotels right onto the water edges at the beach.  Complete with sewer outlets right where bathers would swim. 

I said then that the beach was our God-given asset. PD beaches were the few sandy and mud-free spots on the Peninsula's West Coast.  Kelang is muddy, with the mangroves right up the Perak coastline. We should respect this gift and treasure it. 

Instead there was the uninformed government permitting the human construction right on this treasure. I pointed out that this doesn't happen in Phuket. Today Phuket is a well-known resort island, when PD was already a resort town a long time ago when Phuket was still a rubber-plantation and tin-mining island. Of course in the West and the US they wouldn't dare touch their valuable natural assets.

The beautiful PD beaches should remain natural and uncluttered for generations to continue to enjoy. All construction, as in Phuket, should be on the leeward side. There's plenty of land there. Why build on the treasure ? The stupidity of the uninformed minds in the government at that time must have been unimaginable.

Right now PD is not yet a total loss. But it soon will be if something right and something drastic is not immediately done to remedy all this. Already the natural nice spaces have been cut down, and the peace and quiet largely lost. But these can be reversed. Still.

The "blue tents" are recent happenings, showing the government's illogically insensitive behaviour still remaining, in spite of all these complains, like mine, that must have been heard. People have written in the papers about their concern. They have brought up their complains in all kinds of places. I spoke in the State Assembly, for heaven's sake !

I repeat here: Malaysia can build like all other world builders. But maintenance escapes Malaysia. Maintenance of constructions, maintenance of natural resources - all seem foreign. Just look around.

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Recount.

Tuesday 24.9.2024

Eddin's passing at 7 last Friday morning, conveyed to me by the Cikgu who used to be the mosque's secretary,  caught me by surprise. Eddin was a Deputy Minister from KP. I didn't realize it then that in fact the sad news was already in my phone's whatsapp,  But it got me to thinking.

I moved into this housing estate in Seremban in the middle of 1995. I'd just made a  life-changing job-change decision, and needed to move into town, from Damansara Utama, where I'd been for 17 years. So now I've been here for nearly 30 years.

TDS is the first housing estate in the Ampangan area within the old Municipality. Seremban is a "Bandar Raya" now, and I'm sure there have been geographical and legal changes. The point is, TDS is small, maybe with about 200 original houses, from the terraced, the semi-detached, to the bungalow-type. It started as "Fortune Garden" maybe in the 70's. Now as the renamed TDS there have been added houses. But all are single-storied. Except for Ustaz Ahmad's illegally modified 2 storey bungalow just behind my house. "Illegal" because the ustaz said so to me himself. He never tried to get the necessary permission for the alteration from the authorities.

I counted yesterday, one by one, as I'd known them, 65 residents of TDS who have passed away since the day I moved here. That's more than 2 per year. It made me feel very mortal, indeed. 

This brought me to the Russo-Ukraine War raging still since February 2022. And the t-shirted president says it's drawing close. He hopes, I might add.

As I'd commented elsewhere earlier, it's to its interest for Ukraine to request a coming to the table with Russia. The 23-month War is being cruelly  prolonged by US and its Western European allies, to the delight of the arms manufacturers, of course.  Russian arms are pitted against US-European arms. Even the soldiers are non-Ukrainians. Russia has a population of 145 million,  4 times more than  Ukraine's 38 million. Russia's wealth  is more than 6 times that of Ukraine's.  As Putin insists, the "special operations" of February 2022 was forced by Western Europe's actions in Ukraine against Russia's "political integrity".

Right here in NS, especially in KP, this new, but old, sore deviant Islamic group criminal activity uproar has been exposed by the Police investigations. This was the old Arqam that was banned. When these people are banished, they don't disappear. The just find new hideouts, new operations.  This makes me feel truly mortal.

I can only recount.

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Another forced golf break.

Thurs 19.9.2024.

This morning's four-some was my first golf game in exactly 50 days. It was another forced break. And that, too, nearly didn't happen.

It had been my, maybe, 5th motorcycle accident, in 59 years of riding, on Friday, 2.8.2024. That's 1 every 10 years. Not a terrible record, owning  7 bikes in total.  So  5 accidents out of 7 is even a better statistics. The 7 include the kapchais, from the  90 cc (1965 Honda BN 3950) to  750-cc (1993 Kawasaki Vulcan Cruiser - WCR 6000). And the fastest I went, with the 1992 Honda CBR 600 Sports (BDP 600), on the Tg. Malim highway, was 260 kph ! 

This last one was on my current ride - a Yamaha NVX 155 scooter, (SD 198 T) bought by No. 3 Son about 2 years ago. Another m/c rider was involved, at the Istana Hinggap round-about. I only had scratches, as did the other bloke. But the heavy scooter landed on my left foot. The swelling lasted right until last week. Thus the forced break. The doctor just asked me to buy some rub-on.

It nearly didn't happen because Tokzaha didn't say one way or another when I whatsapped him about the Thursday suggested date. Until Wednesday night. The Tokzaha-Toksleman-me late exchanges finally settled for "on as planned"  - this morning.

"Bus" Chong (he owns a bus company) greeted me at the car park when I arrived before 7 this morning. Later NYK joined us. We got to talking about our golf. We agreed that it's one activity we should try to continue doing. We spoke about a number of friends who stopped, and soon they were gone forever.

My swing felt awkward after the break. So I just slowed the backswing. That's what some people say should be done. It seemed to work. Then I remembered to keep the "pendulum" - having the back swing the same as the follow-through. This is also one of the advice. It worked, too. So I guess having to relearn is one way of finding your old game. In the end I only lost one ball, in the wager, after the full 18 holes. But I lost 2 balls in the rough, in total. Not too bad, lah.

The good news, really, was finding, on the notice board, my latest official handicap of 22. All the while it was hanging around 15. That was too much to carry at my age. Even Ameng has been on 22 for sometime. We used to play every week at the same handicap (12) years ago, and it was always "ding-dong" between us.

The break also allowed me to watch more golf on tv. The South Koreans and the Thai girls are really doing well, playing world-class golf, even grabbing between them the World No. 1 ranking once in a while. Which is more than I can say for our Malaysian girls, and even less for the boys. What's the secret, I wonder. I mean we're fellow Asians, physically. The South Korean New Zealander girl even won the Gold at the Paris Olympics.

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Another wedding, but inexplicably delayed.

 Sunday 15.9.2024.

The reception at the bride's place was some months ago. It's family (on the missus's side) but I didn't attend because of an unavoidable meeting with me as the Secretary. Nobody asked why the delay in this reciprocal function. If there was conception from that earlier reception, it would have shown yesterday. But the tiny bride looked all of her slim self.

Like my previous anecdote, this was one of these "wedding venues" so popular now among the Malays in the Klang Valley. It's ok, but they have to figure out the logistics. And the fixtures.

The logistics: we left the highway into the Gamuda hinterland, through to the Bkt. Kemunting/Shah Alam backwoods, and the short-cut suggested by Waze was rough, to say the least.  I was reliefed Hanif decided to take the standard way back to Seremban for the return trip. But then we hit the typical Malaysian holiday drivers. It was past Magrib when we reached the gates of the house.

The fixtures: the event-manager only followed the host's instructions. So instead of the crowd paying attention to the actual ceremony, they just dug into the food while talking and laughing, giving nary a glance to the stage. It didn't help that the couple chose black, and the groom in slippers.

Then for lucheon, they put the bride's brother and sisters with spouses on the shared stage. Brother and sisters ? There was Pa' Anjang, Pa' E, Mak Idah sitting in the crowd.

So much effort was put into making the tasty "wajid", and I thought that would feature in the "menyembah" ceremony. But it didn't happen.

And, not the least, the place wasn't air-conditioned. This alone would have been enough reason for me to reject the venue.

I just took my leave without meeting the hosts. I had my "Zohor" at the tiny "surau" and went to Dekna's car, already filled with the rest of the group from Seremban.

We stopped at the Arab restaurant in Bkt. Jalil before departing for Seremban. I did my "Magrib" at the S2 surau near the Greenstreet home housing before we stopped for take-away satay and finally driving home.

I could have gone to Basit Abai's "kenduri".

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One of these "wedding villages".

 Sat 31.8.2024.

Yesterday was the second relative's wedding ceremony we were more or less obliged to attend in one week's span. "Obliged" because it's family. "More or less" because the obligation remains, whatever we decided.

These days they go for these wedding village thing. Fine. Mostly the function would be professionally managed, the more elaborate the more expensive, of course.

This one was no different in that "management" part from last weekend's. But if I were to grade them, last time the party gets top marks. Yesterday's fails.

The preparations of the venues compared well. The surrounding sceneries were basically different but in each case nice. Last week it was urban, in spite of the pretty lake. Yesterday it was forestry, but beautifully set. Last week we had to be ferried by golf-carts because of the limited parking against the distant walk demanded. Yesterday - the same parking woes, but there were a couple of MPV's made available to take guests from their parking spots to the hall. Luckily for us, Dekna gave her car's number earlier, and we were given one of the few parking spaces close to the place.

The failure by me is the choice of location. And the running of events.

The wedded couple is from KL. That's like the other side of the country. Because of the traffic woes. And to make bad worse, we were  stuck in a dead jam just 3 km from site because of a serious and fatal road accident. There were police cars spotted, but not a single one of the policemen came out to control the lock-jam on the narrow, winding and under-repair road to Ulu Langat. There are countless places nearer to their houses that pose less traffic problems. We left Seremban at 5. It's just 60 km. We finally squeezed into the tight parking spot at 7.15. That's about 30 kph all the way ! It just robbed me of the mood.

Then there was the event-management.

This was supposed to be a Malay wedding.  

There was a poor show of a "light show"introduction - I didn't see the theme. Certainly it wasn't Merdeka Day fireworks. 

The bridal entrance was accompanied by some guttural noises instead of the more appropriate salutations to the Holy Prophet. 

And instead of the cake-cutting and feeding of traditional modern weddings, the couple were playing with each other's shoes in a parlour game  of sorts.  A more modern wedding ?

And the MC just got drowned by bad acoustics . The unwalled hall just wasn't helpful with the use of insufficiently powered  p.a.

To top everything, the guests wandered around, unattended, helping themselves to unidentified culinary that wasn't the tastiest I'd come across, especially the mutton, and limited desserts.

I remarked to Ai "Chi oledi" when we were in the toilet "why only two for the whole hall of about 300 people ?"

This was a very young bridal couple from two broken families. For their sakes, I pray theirs would be a more lasting union, though marrying too young won't help. Both bride and groom's parents divorced when they were still at school.

We reached home at precisely 12 midnight. That was a good 7-hour outing - I mean the time-lapse, not the outing proper. At least Adik and Jujai made it, so 3 out of the 4 cousins attended Usop's second kenduri for her 2 children. Even arwah Bangtai's family, except for two, made it all the way from Kuantan, as did Aza & Fadil, all the way from "Ganu Kite".

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Jimi's last daughter's wedding.

Sun 25.8.2024

Jimi "Bok" (ask Malik Daim about the nickname) held his 3rd and youngest daughter's wedding at "The Boathouse by the Lake", Ampang, KL yesterday. On his request, I came for the aqad nikah in the morning, and stayed and attended the reception in the evening, both at the same venue.  Also on his request, I prepared the short speech for him, which he mostly used, except for some modifications. 

We left Seremban at 6.45 am, yesterday, and returned and reached home this morning at about 9.30 am. Thankfully, Dekna loaned her MPV, and Bok paid for the room at the Flamingo Hotel for last night.

As usual, we arrived at the aqad nikah venue at 9 am, well before everybody else. I'd made allowance for the traffic, coming, but not a single accident was seen, and we arrived at the Flamingo well ahead of time. That was fortunate, because I made the circles around the place thrice, first going around the Datuk Keramat u turn, then the Risda Hq side road, and finally the congested Jalan Awan Chinese housing area, before deciding to actually enter the Flamingo barricade. The Boathouse is inside the Hotel grounds. In spite of the road run-around, we had to cool our heels for a good 30 minutes before the first white-dressed participant showed her face.

I had time to do my thing, and Idah hers, at the non-functional staff washroom on the ground floor. The guest wash room, much more superior as expected, is at the front, we found out later.

The whole full event, from the morning session to the evening culminating function, came out excellent, by my reckoning. This was a full sit-down affair, very much the long lost practice of yesteryears. Nowadays people want to be more practical, and guests come when and as they please, often leaving the main event - the wedding couple's arrival - almost like an afterthought.

The solemn sitting-down feast gave way to a more robust sing-and-dance affair. Which all present enjoyed. And two professional singers were even added to the scene, including the nationally acclaimed Datuk Jamal Abdillah. They even pulled the celebrated couple to take take part, and they did, with obvious enjoyment.

It so happened that I was talking to someone at the morning event, saying that when Bok stayed at my parents' house when he was doing his SPM, we called him "Jamal Abdillah" because the singer was making his name at that time, and Bok looked like him. I didn't know that Jamal Abdillah would actually be one of the guest artistes that evening.

By design, the whole crowd was selective, because of the venue's physical constraints, or maybe the crowd size was the factor on the choice of the venue. But the event was well-planned and everything turned out well, I thought.

Bok generously booked a room at the hotel that saved me the late trip returning to Seremban. So we got sufficient rest, and took our time to take the provided breakfast this morning, before taking the highway back home. But not before 2 traffic snarls because of what appeared to be nasty accidents causing 2 huge jams on the PLUS highway.

Conen & Calit came, as also Dekma and Yan. The seating was numbered because of the RSVP, so Dekma and Yan disappeared somewhere, and I never saw them again that evening. Conen left very early, before desserts, and Calit soon after. We stayed almost to the end, because we were staying back.

Several ex Felda staff were there, including Zainal Ujud, Azizan, Rusdi, Husain Menggong and others whose names escaped me. It's been  35 years, man. Samad the ex ADUN waved to me from the nearby table, and when I pointed him out to Bok, he went to the table and they embraced. So, he didn't realise Samad was already there.

The Machang MP related to the groom was introduced to me in the morning session. We spoke a bit about local politics. In the end he took my number. I told him I wouldn't mind giving him some suggestions about how the BERSATU top management can improve preparations for the next GE.

Bok staged a good wedding for his youngest child. I hope they have a good life together.

A sad addendum to this beautiful event was the tragic news that Dr. Onny, who sat with us, conveyed to me: of Mutalib's passing this morning, at home in KL.  I learned later that he died in his sleep. He'd complained to Kak Lang Noi, his wife, about a chest pain, that morning. He was brought back for burial in his kampong, Sawah Lebar. Al Fatihah.

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Some signs to ponder on.

 Wed 21.8.2024

I've yet to write about my 5th. motorcycle accident in 60 years of riding. This happened on Friday 2.8.2024. But that's a whole different story, to be told.

Yesterday's incident wasn't so painful, but for a short while was equally distressful.

The sub-committee meeting was scheduled for 10 am. I had 1 hour to kill, so I stopped at the Penghulu Cantik eating place. I didn't get anything to eat or drink, because I met Mary Anne's husband at the first shop I walked into. We've not met for some time, so by the time it was half-an-hour to my appointed time, we had to cut short our talk.

I was surprised the few free parking slots at the kitchen entrance of the Royal Chulan, normally not fully taken because of its location, were all full. So I entered the basement parking, and got another surprise. I went around both B1 and B2 parking floors, and practically all available parking was taken up. What's happening, I was wondering. Maybe there's a function or some group meetings on. So I squeezed into a vacant spot close to the entrance/exit that I took, now I had to turn back to.  Later I learned that the hotel offers full buffet breakfast at RM 20 per person on the 20th. of each month, when the normal charge is double that. That explained the big crowd that again surprised me when I secured an empty table for 6 outside the main dining area. That also explained why later I met Dr. Akbar and missus coming out of the dining area, obviously having come for the discounted breakfast.

We had our short meeting at the table I'd picked. There were 5 of us, out of the 7 expected.

Foo and I were the last to leave. Foo went to settle the food bill; I went to the washroom before leaving the hotel.

I took the elevator to B2, where I parked the car.

As I walked to the car, I groped for my keys, and suddenly realized that the leather card-holder usually in my left trouser pocket wasn't there. Panic came. I rushed back to the lift, went to the washroom, asking a guy there if he'd seen my black wallet. I rushed out and went back to the table we sat at. It was already cleared. I went to the waitress who was still there and got a negative response. I went to the front counter, because I stopped there earlier, before turning to the elevators, close to it. All negative responses. My heart was pounding.

That little leather wallet carries all my credit cards, Club card, MUBARAK card, Ex ADUN Card, golf  club and golf insurance card, the T & G card for parking and the highway tolls, and all my bank cards. If I lost this lot I won't die. But I might as well.

Then I thought. Maybe I left it in the car. 

I was struggling to find parking space, and when I found one, I was still a bit annoyed about the state of affairs as I tried to park close to the large pillar. 

So I now rushed to the car, joining a lady in the lift, going to B1. I told her without being asked that I've lost my card-holder. She didn't say a thing.

The cardholder was in the front seat.

This, and the accident on 2.8.2024. Are these signs ?

I'm still pondering. 

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The Paris Olympics Statistics.

 Sat 17.8.2024

To add to the earlier posting on the subject, I got hold of some statistics.

The Stade de France accommodated 75,000 spectators, with the underground warming up and waiting rooms. There's very good public transport, but the parking facility had to be enormous. The practice grounds was outside the stadium.  The circular roofing goes around the whole stadium. So that looked awesome. Merdeka Stadium can hold only 25,000, and there's nothing underground, with warm up on the side of the tracks. Only the Royal Box and its immediate surrounding has roof to keep sun & rain out. That,too, the place is about to be demolished, according to sources. The parking ? You know Malaysian planners.

92 countries won at least one Medal.

63 countries won at least one Gold Medal. That's 68.48% of the medal-winning countries, accounting for a total of  325 Gold Medals.

11 countries each won 10 Gold Medals or more. That's 17.46% of the total Gold Medallists.

The 11 top gold winners were, in the order, USA (40), China (40), Japan (20), Australia (18), France (16), Netherlands (15), Great Britain (14), South Korea (13),Germany (12),Italy (11),  and New Zealand (10). Their tally of 209 Gold Medals make up 64.31% of the total gold medals won.

Perhaps a more telling ratio would be to compare the Gold won against the total population.

The following table emerges:

Rank         Country                            Ratio

1            St. Lucia                            179,744

2            New Zealand                      521,394

3            Bahrain                               803,575

4            Slovenia                            1,059,349

5            Netherlands                       1,215,250

6            Georgia                              1,269,223

7            Czechia                              1,291,775

8            Ireland                                1,313,754 

9            Norway                               1,394,165

10          Australia                              1,484,067

USA, and worse, China are out, with ratios of more than 8 million and 36 million respectively.

USA may be out of this ranking. What's noteworthy, though, is that many of the medal winners, including from deep Africa, train in the USA.

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The 33rd Olympiad.

Tuesday 13.8.2024.

Watched the closing ceremonies of the Paris Olympics on live tv. Imagine 33 x 4, that's 132 years, not counting the disruptions because of WWII and Covid 19.  Counting 2024 -132 means it was started in 1892, though I think it's earlier than that. 

Malaysia didn't come back empty-handed, though that's not much to shout about - 2 bronzes in the sport we were famous for long ago. You know, we used to excel in field hockey (to differentiate from ice hockey), football (soccer to the Americans) and of course, badminton. Now even India can teach us a thing or two about the new badminton game. And the Australians just whack us everytime in the new-rule hockey game. Even Japan got beat  by us then, in football.

They've changed the rules. To "their" advantage, of course. You score, like tennis, even when not serving, in badminton. You play on artificial turf and can "turn" now (illegal before) and smack the ball at head-height, also illegal before. Playing hockey on grass in the old days (that's why it's called that) the Western media, still at loss about Eastern names and calling Azizul "Awang", his father's name, would write: "India has won the Gold in field hockey with 11 players called Singh !"- ignorant about the Sikh's names. You had to have dribbling skills then, playing on grass. On the water-soaked astroturf, the big Caucasian simply take a huge swing and you buggers watch out !.

Before the statistics come out, let me point out a few of my own:

Race / nationality.

Look at the skin-colour. It seems the coloureds are overwhelming in their performances. The wise countries in Western Europe have for some time recognize this, and you have an increasing number of coloured athletes representing them. Eastern Europe is still holding fast to their own kind, but there's already change.

I remember at the Tokyo 1960 Olympics the Western sports journalists talking about the Negro "spurs" that gave the US Negro sprinters the extra "kick". These reporters should be given this "kick" instead.

Population / winning ratio. 

China has 1.4 people, yet the US with only 20% of that still beat them in the total tally. But India is bigger , and cannot even match China.

Malaysia has 32 million people. New Zealand has 25% of that, but won Gold all over the Games, especially, unsurprisingly. in the water.

The full statistics would be interesting to ponder over.

Strength vs technique.

This is the real issue for all sports bodies, everywhere.

The male decathlon champion was the smallest of the 3 on the podium.  The female German shot-putt champion ( 20 meters even) wasn't the largest in the field. The female Javelin Gold Medallist was also not the largest. These were strength tests.

The American-turned Swedish pole vaulter was way ahead of the Silver and Bronze medalists in technique. And he broke his own World / Olympic records at 6.25 m. That's almost 21 feet in the air!

Malaysia especially can benefit from this technique question.

Developing talent.

This is the key. Search for talent. Then develop that discovered talent. And by that it means: find the funds, and expose the talent to active competition.  New Zealand has world-class champions in practically ALL sports, with 7 million people. Go there and find out the secret.

As a start I suggest PMX (before he becomes XPM) get professional help here. Sports is one area we can promote Malaysia. The International investment should follow success here. 

Believe me.

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Let there be more Golf Tours.

 Fri 26.7.2024

What's all this commotion about the PGA vs LIV Golf tours ? Aren't there many more tours worldwide ? The European Tour, the Safari Tour, the Asian, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian and whateverelse tours? Like they say (or is it "as they say"), the more the merrier.

Vijay struggled early with the Asian tour, and even got caught up with that cheating story (strongly denied), before going on to the Safari, and subsequently the European tour. He earned his place on the PGA tour, eventually. Until LIV came, that was every golfer's aspiration - to earn a place on the PGA Tour. Nobody made a fuss. Vijay even became the No. 1 Golfer in the world for a brief period, but that was right at the start of Tiger's rule, so it was no small achievement.

The appearance of the Saudi Arabian backed LIV tour was different. Friends became enemies.

Greg Norman didn't help with his attitude, lording over the whole mess. Obviously he had axes to grind.

That's what happens when big golf personalities, with bigger egos, and unknown quantum of  limitless money, clash.

The enemy spokesmen couldn't have been better chosen. Norman and Mickleson vs Tiger. No love lost there. The coloured star kicked sand into their white faces.  That cannot be allowed to go unscathed. When the Arabs opened their bottomless treasure-chest, the means for battle became available.

This is what money does - the more the better (or worse - depends on which side you stand). These people are no Arab lovers. Or Muslim supporters. But money takes care of these issues. The more money the better. Or worse.

For golfers and golf lovers, I say, let there be more Tours. LIV or Dead.  

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Adat Beradat.

 Fri 12.7.2024.

The last Undang Rembau passed away on 15.5.2024. The pandora box  reopened. The choice of leaders had meant tribal wars when the Adat Perpatih was founded 400 years ago. Now it looks like the "Rembau war" has started, looking for the new Undang, just the way it started in the beginning. 

Fist fights have begun. More and maybe more serious fights are going to happen. I don't think the Judiciary can do anything here. The "Peruts" and the "Anak Buah" must come to an agreement, forced or whatever. The Undang gets so much more money and other worldly perks nowadays, nobody is going to take this lying down.

The incredible confusion is understandable when there is no written authority to preside over the whole mess. That should have been done 100 years ago.

How can you arrive at justice and fairplay when history is fraught with fiction and the living players have vested interest in the outcome ?

To begin with, there are 27 "Sukus" under  23 "Datuk Lembaga", with 92 "Peruts".

But the "Undang" comes from, by turn, either Datuk Lela Maharaja, or Datuk Sedia Raja, both not from among the 23 mentioned. So in fact you have 25 Datuk Lembaga.

The 2 Sukus within those 2 Datuk Lembaga are Biduanda Jakun and Biduanda Jawa. Perhaps their names explain the commotion taking place now - the "Wak" fighting the "Orang Asli".

The MPS technician who became the last Undang was also challanged initially. But the MB wisely quickly made it official by commencing the official stipend payment, and whatever lingering  protests remaining then just died naturally.

The Undangs are potent in NS. They elect the Yam Tuan. So the Rembau war unfolding merits watching.

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Disarmament day.

 Tues 25.6.2024

So, finally I received a letter from the OCPD Kuala Pilah, giving me 7 days to surrender my .22 rifle (Ruger 700.75764) gun licence no.NP 939 issued on 17.7.1995.  I bought it from Melaka town for RM 3,000.

I'd surrendered my Baretta .38 pistol in 1999, bought from Kampong Baru, KL, that I kept for just 4 years. This rifle would have been in my possession next month for a full 29 years.

Every year around May I'd go through the slow-moving Police exercise of gun-licence renewal. I mean, we would be asked to report to the Police HQ, signing the attendance sheet for the rifle-range inspection. Then we would be asked by another  letter to get the book chopped. Then another letter to appear and get the signed approval. When all could have been done in one day !

I've decided to appeal my case to the top cop, the IGP.

My letter would be to the point: I already have a gun licence issued almost three decades ago. The KP OCPD said because of the USA's rifle shooting cases, some years ago I was asked to apply to get a shot-gun licence to replace my .22 rifle. The POLICE asked me to change, they ask me to apply, they have rejected my application, and now they cancel my innocent existing licence.

Other than that my relationship with my rifle has been civil and law-abiding all the time.

I don't understand this whole sad affair.

I still need my rifle for hunting the "enemies of the orchard".

My latest medical examination in May this year says I'm fit to handle this weapon. I had basic Military training, anyway. I studied at the then Federation Military College in Port Dickson.

I carry a Golf handicap 19 and play 18 holes of golf at least twice a week. You can check with the Seremban International Golf Club.

Please cancel your cancellation.

Thank you.

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Dear Sumayah, just 10.

 Wed 12.6.24

I was just finishing my Subuh wirid when Ari called with the sad news of Sumayah's passing at the HTJ, Seremban. I broke the news to Idah, still lounging in bed, and Dekna, dressing up for work.

Sumayah was just over 10, so young, so full of what could have been,  Alas, we accept it as God's Will.

All our plans for the day were scuttled - my meeting with the Protocol Office at the State Secretariat, and Dekna's busy work at office. Only the grandchildren's schooling remained intact, of course.

Everyone closely related were assembled at the Lonek house by around 11.30. 

When the doctors released her about 2 weeks ago from  the hospital in the final treatment for her terminal illness, Sumayah herself chose to be with her grandmother in Lonek, when  her parents' place is in Seremban. How touching for the granny. Bal cried on my shoulder when we entered the house upon arrival. I could only rub her shoulders, and through my own soft tears mumbled "I feel sad. But I know you're much more sad."

The remains were bathed and shrouded in hospital. When the HTJ ambulance arrived around 11.30 am, the body was lifted out and laid on the readied bed in the dining hall. I couldn't stop my own quiet tears when the face was uncovered for everyone to see. It was such a sad sight, and did not look a bit like the girl I knew.

Ari quickly gathered around those present to sit and read the "ya sin" surah. He then asked me to recite the do'a, and I did, when no one would take my offer.

Earlier, I'd spoken to Yunus, the father. Ari had actually arranged for the Imam to lead the funeral prayers. I said to Yunus "do this final service for your daughter. Nothing is closer to her in supplication. It's a simple prayer - four takbirs, the Fatiha, the Prophet's salutations, and the two other prayers you can say in your heart"  He relented. I was happy that my advice was heeded. I told Ari to tell the Imam about the change. And after the actual prayers later, the two men who prayed beside me whispered to each other in a pleasantly flattering way "it's the father !" They didn't know beforehand.

Sumayah was laid to rest next to her late grandfather. How fitting.

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Jiman's aborted kenduri.

 Sat 25.5.24.

Jiman had invited me through Calit for his daughter's wedding at the hotel in Mara building in KL today. The four of us - me, Calit, Dekma and Yamtek - gathered at Calit's S 2 house at 10 am, and left more or less on the appointed time. We watched in amazement at the crazy south-bound traffic on the PLUS, and were relieved our side of the traffic was much, much better. That pleasure was short-lived. For around 10.30 Calit's NAD 9000 stalled and luckily he  pulled to the road-side just 100 m. past the Nilai R&R.

The weakened belting of the power-steering box had jumped out of its track, pulling out with it the wire connecting to the engine, thus cutting power. That seemed straight-forward enough. Fixing it was more time-consuming. Would Jiman's kenduri  be aborted ?.

Help seemed close at hand. The PLUS emergency box was just a few m. from where we stopped the car. It worked. The other side answered. But the voice was hardly audible and both sides couldn't understand one another, though the state of emergency must have been registered. 

Calit got his friend on his smartphone, and I got "PLUS hot line" on mine, and both helped. The PLUS patrol arrived in about 30 minutes as promised. Calit had got the tow-truck, but it didn't come in the time promised. The PLUS patrol conceded we'd better take up our tow-truck option. PLUS could only tow us to the nearest R&R. They arranged several cones to alert the speeding traffic of our position.

The tow-truck took more than one hour. Workshop bound, Calit sat with the driver. The 3 of us sat in the car on top of the tow-truck.  The workshop is at Nilai 7. The parts had to be collected by motorcycle from the supplier. Dekma and Yamtek were transported to a nearby restaurant to wait, and get some refreshment. Calit and I remained at the workshop.

When the repairs were done, it was about 2 pm. Jiman's kenduri definitely was out.

Calit stopped at the first Petronas station we saw. I did my zohor, while Calit refuelled. We took the Lekas Highway via Batang Benar-Pajam road, then to Seremban via Temiang, and stopped at Deen's Rojak & Cendol at S 2, near  the walkers' lake garden track.

Meanwhile I'd whatsapped to the cousins, Bok and Zainab, a few photos of our mid-morning misadventure. Both acknowledged, so Jiman should have been alerted.

I did my Asr prayers before leaving Calit's house, just as Ribena & family arrived to pick up the mother. I didn't want to be caught by the evening rain that has been the Seremban ritual these several days. I'd come on my scooter. And it was a good thing. The jam (on this Saturday, of all days !) stretched from Aeon Mall all the way to the Gateway. I simply cilok between the stalled cars and lorries, and even did 120 on the Lingkaran Tengah right to TDS.

Calit saved some money meant for Jiman's. But the towing & repairs cost him much, much more.

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The kids' first chess tournament..

 Sat 18.5.2024

Wafa:  3 wins, 4 losses.  Final position:  82 / 121.

Muadz:  4 wins, 3 losses.  Final position:  54 / 121.

Those are the final accomplishments of  both my grand-daughter, Wafa, 10, and my grand-son, Muadz, 9 in their first ever chess tournament. Both were introduced to the game by me only in February. The results are not great, but under the circumstances, not bad.  And they made up the 5-member KGV School team. Muadz became no.1, Wafa no.4.

Incidently, this was also the first chess tournament I'd ever attended.

Kip Mall, Senawang, this morning, was the venue. Certainly there were surprises aplenty.

My own introduction to the game was late in life. I was already working, at that time posted to Seremban. Ari  was also working in Seremban, and he would hang around some of his friends in their rented house in Ampangan, and one of them played chess. So I tried my hand, losing to the same guy every time we played.  He always found his way around the board, and had me trapped again and again. But I never took the trouble to read up about it, until Bobby Fischer came around to beat the Russians and won the world title. That was in the early 70's I think. Only then did I browse round a few KL bookstores and bought a couple of books on chess I still have with me somewhere. Still, it didn't strike me to learn the concept and main principles of the engrossing game. 

The Felda head office I was at also used to organize a few matches, but I never took part.

For the last couple of decades I did not touch  chess at all. I used to have a nice tournament-standard chess board with solid wooden pieces with felt bases, but that was then, and with all the transfers and moving houses, they have disappeared.

Early this year, browsing in a bookstore in  town, I came across some chess sets. I looked for a regular tournament set, but only found some plastic ones, and the tiny magnet sets. I buoght one tournament-size plastic set and one tiny magnet set. I started playing against myself. I thought it was fun. Then I went on-line on my pc and played against the computer. 

Simultaneously, I introduced chess to my 3 school-going grandchildren. Wafa and Muadz liked the game straightaway, and we would play  after school.  Muadz, one of the twins, is particularly keen, more than Wafa. The other twin brother, Miqdad,  shows little interest.

The surprises I mentioned were:

Our family, coming full strength to lend support, was the least prepared. Other families came well-stocked with food-and-drink, and parked themselves at chosen spots complete with matts and pillows. Obviously this wasn't their first time.

The contestants were provided with clocks to record the passing of the game-time. I knew this, but for my grandchildren it was a novelty, and clearly it was a distraction.

I'd warned the kids about touching the pieces when playing - to do so only when they have decided on the particular move. The big shock for them, because they were careless, was that their opponents made full use of the rule, and in one lost game each, both lost because of this "illegal move" brought to the officials' attention when they raised their hands to complain.  This means that substance is not the only requirement of a chess match. Rules and etiquette reign supreme, too, fair or not. That was a harsh teaching experience for my first-timers. Muadz took his losses in his stride.  Wafa was more emotional.

And of course, the calmness that can come from experience is vital for an intellectual game like chess. One match that Muadz was on the way to victory was lost simply because he was so eager to "Queen" his pawn, and had touched the offending piece before his opponent made his move. Of course the opponent was quick to protest, and was rewarded.

Hanif has ordered the chess clock which the household chess players will now use. Dekna has been asked to keep track of local competitions. Next time Wafa and Muadz should be better prepared.

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FMC-PD Raya Puasa celebration 2024.

 Tues 30.4.2024.

So the 2024 Raya Puasa celebration organized by the FMC-PD group was successfully held at the OPA Penthouse, Subang, on Sunday 28.4.2024, which was the 19th of Syawal, the Raya month. Painstakingly prepared, the event fully served its objective, and in no small measure Nawawi must be given full credit for it. The venue was because of the FMC-PD declining numbers. In fact to make up for that, the OPA's of 62-66 were included because they were, like the PD group, BB's before FMC became RMC.

Hank & I, from Seremban, the only outstation participants, arrived at the Penthouse only second to  Halim Shah. Nawawi was also already there, still in his beloved yellow T-shirt, giving orders left and right, catching Hank right in his first step into the foyer. I saw the open elevator and quickly got in and pressed "3" and "close door" simultaneously, thus escaping Hank's predicament, ha ha.

Food and drinks were already frenetically being readied in the kitchen lobby on the 3rd. floor. The lamb was still whole but looked done on the embers, and the pasta-chef was already frying the kwei teow. I went in and counted 10 tables in the main dining area, and another 6 in the office hall. At 8 per table, there should be places for 122 guests, I figured. In the end, there were only 2 tables not fully occupied, indicating almost full attendance as per the guest-list. That included Asmat Kamaluddin whom I saw for the first time in these gatherings, and I told him so.

In typical Malaysian style, a lot of time was spent on speeches and salutations. In fact one of the sub-committee members stood up in the middle of  one of the speeches saying something that I couldn't make out, because I sat at the last table on the exit to the kitchen lobby. I assumed it was a complain about the speeches, something I could have done myself. But nobody responded to that outburst, and the speeches up front and the noisy talk at all the tables around went on. Fortunately for Nawawi, our real host, no food & drink was on any table yet. Otherwise they would have dug in, speeches or no speeches. 

Except for me. I quietly went out to the food-preparation area and told the guy at the roast-lamb station I want to test it before the others are called to get the food. Because the speeches still had not ended after I cleaned up my roast lamb, I went back and took a plate of kwei teow. So when they finally said " please get your food now", I was already into my desserts !

One or two came in wheel-chairs, and many with canes in hand.  But several regular faces in the past didn't come, mostly citing other commitments, but also because of health issues. So these annual celebrations now show up the ravages of time, relentless and unavoidable. Which makes these outings all the more cherished, I feel.

From Mydin Seremban 2, I came with Hank in his car, with me driving. We gave ourselves plenty of time for the 11-o'clock deadline. The last KL trip took us an incredible 3 hours. But although this is still Hari Raya time, the traffic wasn't as bad as anticipated. That was why we were only beaten by Halim Shah, who came from nearby PJ.

The drive back was also not as bad as expected, although it was Sunday afternoon, when normally the weekenders return to KL. We stopped for hot coffee at the Dengkil R&R, and reached Mydin S 2 before 6 pm. I told Hank to post to me all the photos taken. He said to go to "link" and download, but I said "too much trouble lah."

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At Jack's after 67 years.

 Sun 21.4.2024.

Yesterday, Saturday, was 11 Syawal, 11 days since Hari Raya Puasa. Jack had invited me to his place for a Raya celebration. I accepted and tried to rope in Hank, Aziz Hitam and Kamaruddin Basir, offering to provide transport. In the end only Aziz came, and that, too, because I went to his house first.

Hank, despite agreeing earlier, gave the last-minute excuse of the cleaners coming to the house at noon. Kamaruddin, who lives just 5 houses away from me, said his back is hurting.  Aziz I hauled in after visiting him at home in TTDI. His wife declined joining because of her arthritis, which was quite obvious. Idah was being left alone because Dekna had gone to her m.i.l's, and asked to come along, and made the threesome to Jack's Section 14, 1975 bungalow  in the old section of PJ.

The KL drive on 17/4 reminded me of the traffic woes befalling travellers this Raya season, and made me plan the 9.30 departure for Aziz's house, and then Jack's 2 pm-party. Moving from TTDI to Section 14 PJ would require some time because of the urban congested holiday traffic. In the end it took 3 whole hours from Seremban to TTDI, and another 3 whole hours back to Seremban. I reached home just as the Isyak prayers were called. That was an 11-hour Saturday outing !

I reminded Jack that my first visit was decades ago with the late Husin Hj. Ali, our classmate from Kampong Galau, Seri Menanti. Today I said I'm bringing another classmate from Kampong Galau, Seri Menanti - Aziz. Incidentally, Rosmah Mansor is also from the same kampong.

We used to stay not far from Aziz's house, at Damansara Utama, 1978 -1995, when I moved back to Seremban. Around 2003 I sold the house, because, at first, No.1 Son didn't want to stay on. I believe Adib was the reason for that. Then No. 2 Son took over, but didn't want to stay on also, and Ija was probably party to that move. When the vacated house began to leak here and there, I sold it, and made 8 times the original outlay. Now the houses in the area is worth 3 times what I got !

The 1 Utama shopping complex was built during our stay in Damansara Utama. But the complex had been expanded to more than double in size since. The last time Idah stepped into 1 Utama was 1995 - 30 years ago. So after dropping Aziz home, she wanted to see the inside of the huge 1 Utama mall. We went. And nearly got stranded in the parking bay. The machine is non-cash. They're that now, dammit. It had swallowed my parking ticket. Only the arrival of another shopper saved the day.

We took some photos at Jack's, but forgot to take any at Aziz's. The 5 of us in the photo - Jack, his wife, Aziz, my wife and I - I calculated had a total of 397 years in age. Good Lord ! Well, we were classmates from Standard 6, TMS, in 1957, the Merdeka year, until Form 3, 1960. Before that I was in MES Tanjung Malim. My father was teaching at the SITC 1951 - 1956. In 1961 I joined FMC (later to become RMC).

I'd liked to chit-chat some more with Jack, reminiscencing old times, but the host had other guests who kept coming. As I said to Aziz, let's keep in touch. We don't know when we'll meet again.

It was close to Magrib when we approached the newly reopened Seremban R&R on the PLUS, returning home, and decided to stop and check the renovated place. Both of us hadn't been here since they closed for renovations. Well, let me say that I'm both happy and sad to see the new premises.

I'm happy to see an enlarged place of rest and recreation, with all the improved appointments. The shops are rearranged to offer bigger eating-room made comfortable by the very high roof and large fans. The toilet and prayer-room facilities appear to be roomy and well designed. The parking, for both normal and heavy vehicles, looks well-provided. The over-parking woes we see on the twin old R&R on the opposite side of the highway should not happen here.

But I'm also sad. I expect to see the rubbish disposal problem enlarged with the larger area.  Expect to see disorganization because of the bigger area for that happening, both inside the premises and on the expanded parking area. Expect selfish behavior from Malaysians to spoil the enjoyment of the rest and recreation supposed to be offered. The solution ?  Enforcement.  I didn't see this yesterday, both in the system and the personnel.  My hope ? The planners have this in their drawing board. After all, Seremban R&R has just been reopened, and many things are still not operational yet. That's another key word - the operations.

It was good to renew old friendship. You can't buy that. But new things happen, too.  Accept that.

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