Habib, my jewel

 Tues 20.10.2026

I moved here 30 years ago because of a major career-change. This is probably the oldest housing estate within the town council boundry, and has about 200 of the original houses built around a hill.  I've learned that the drivers here are not very careful with both their driving and parking, but I have learned to accept that. It's the Malaysian standard, sad to say. Today I'm grateful to Almighty God that my jewel, Habib, 5, my "special" 12th grandchild, had been spared the worst possible outcome of all this.

I left at 8 to meet the association's clerk at the old, damaged office in Jalan Za'aba, in preparation for our committee meeting next week. At about 9.25 a.m. Dekna called, but cut out when I told her where I was. But minutes later she called again, this time struggling with her words in between sobs. I couldn't make out the message, but asked if she wanted me to come home straight away. She said no. I decided to cut short my work and come home to see this "two grandsons in somebody's house" - that was what I thought Dekna said, from the confused  call.

What happened was, for the 4th time, Habib, my ASD grandson, had somehow gotten out of the house gate, and probably ran all the way to the "Mindaku Kindergarten" which is about 200 meters from the house !

This has happened 3 times before, but this was the furthest that he had gone. And all because whoever was outside on the patio did not realise that Habib had slipped out, unnoticed.

The Minangkabau fruitseller saw Habib and knew he was lost and loose. The lady neighbour took Habib in her car and drove all the way back to Aida Kudus' house, asking for the parents. Hanif had by that time gone down to the fruitseller's house, who told him what happened. Idah took out the car, too, to look for Habib, and all joined up at Aida's house, for a happy ending to what could have become a tragic story.

Today it was Idah, the  grandmother, watering her precious plants, careless and unaware that the priceless grandson had escaped, again.

I immediately shut the house gate and slotted the lock in, and told Hanif to make shutting the gate compulsory from now.

I'd said to Dekna, praise God that everything ended ok. But we have to be even more careful than before, now.

Atok love you Habib, and always pray for you.

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Post-26.11.2026 NS Government ( or "none-government")

 Mon 19.10.2026

I read that the NS State Assembly will convene on the 26th of next month. I asked Dato' Sulaiman after our golf round this morning how that would take place since the Yamtuan isn't talking to the MB?

More importantly, how would the MB get the budget approved, otherwise.

All state stipends would be halted. Nobody gets paid. The state government cannot run. Even the Yamtuan's allowance can't be paid.

The Agung is supposed to have disagreed to any form of "Mageran". And "Mageran" is the only practical solution to the legal impasse, as I see it.

Let's wait and see. Just don't hold your breath.

.......................................................................... 

The Right Time To Use The Right Amount of the Right Power.

 Sat 26.9.2026.

This country is a Federation of States, with the governments duly elected by the citizens, each with its respective power. Both the Federation and the component States run on a budget duly approved in their respective Assemblies, both subject to temporal administrative limited periods of 60 months. The elected Members wield this power of government, and no one else, and answer to the voters, and no one else also.

Use the power in NS now.

The established institutions are in place. The Cabinets, the State Governments, the Palaces, the Civil Service, the Police, the Armed Forces, and the Courts of Law. All operate under established laws of operation. Even the Undangs in NS are in existence under centuries old customary laws of their own.

But all laws must be taken in total together, not separately and in contradiction to each other.

The ultimate objective must be peace and harmony for the entire population. Anything that  threatens this must be stopped. That's why the Army and the Police are there.

Everybody has an opinion. Everybody is entitled to it. Everybody can make this public. But all must be made responsibly, and any threat to peace and harmony must be countered.

Not everybody will make sense, or do what is right. That's why we have laws and the courts. Anyone saying, and doing, what attacks that peace and harmony, must be stopped, pulled aside and dealt with under the laws of the nation.

The Adat Perpatih in NS is more than 250 years old. The current State and Federal Legislations - we just celebrated the 69th and 63rd anniversaries. The new NS State Government is less than 2 months old !

The Istana, the Undangs (past and present), the MB and his Exco, and all the different supporters of these, are all talking all at once, and not necessarily to each other, and definitely not necessarily the full truth. Certainly, too many are saying things wrong in both fact and law.

The country has gone through these things before - in Kelantan, Sarawak, Perak, and even in Parliament that saw the "Mageran" government. 

For me and my family's sake (and all the rest), declare an emergency and take over NS, please.

Once peace and stability is in place, get a fresh State Election.

"Pandai" or "Memandai-mandai"

 Wed 23.9.2026

"Pandai" is "clever", or in this case, "wise". "Memandai-mandai" is "pretending to be clever", or in this case, "stupid".

In the last 3 months, including this still unfinished month of September (9), this small state  with the big name of Negeri Sembilan (9), has gone through many State-elections (16), Many Parliamentary-elections (15), many Yang Dipertuan Besars (11)and many Menteris Besar (12). Proud (maybe now ashamed) of it's Adat Perpatih, it has also seen the 12th Yamtuan elected by some supporters, 3 new Undangs appointed by other supporters, a State Secretary who was duly appointed by the JPA and an LA duly appointed by the AGC summarily "sacked" by the State appointed MB, but summarily dismissed by both KSN & AG. 

On top of the pile, numerous dubious sackings and counter-sackings took place. The PM, DPM, UMNO, DAP, and PKR have participated in the mad melee, all with their different objectives, with different degrees of legitimacy, or otherwise.  It's as if the pardoning of Najib and the donation-gathering by UMNO to pay his 50-million fine are not enough for public entertainment. 7 decades of the unshackling of the British colonialism have produced all this now. What a show !

I'm drawn to make comment because (1) I was part of this, although it was more than 3 decades ago, and (2) I know some of the personalities well. I'm surprised by their strange behaviours.

In fact I had prepared a note on the "Krisis NS" for delivery at my association's AGM in Kuantan next month. But it has been vetoed by my newly selected State President. I took this step earlier because of the late State President's instruction, now annulled by his successor. The idea was for the association to declare "advice" to calm things and find solution to the NS Adat crisis at that time. The engulfing scenario is now beyond recognition. 

I noted, in both my early notes and one Supreme Council Meeting, that calm and collectiveness must pervail, for solution to be found. Instead individuals of renowned have become "batu api".

Now it's no longer just the Adat issue. The whole Federal Administration is directly involved, which need not have happened, if only people consult each other before making public statements, much less taking unilateral action. "Disaster" was spelt everywhere from the outset.

A superhuman effort is required to solve all the issues raised now.

Can we afford another State Elections just 1 month after the last one ?  Really ?

The longest serving ADUN who became the MB, could become the briefest serving MB in history.

But a fresh 17th State Elections seems to be the practical way out.

Really.

......................................................................

Another FMC 1952-1966 Intake's meeting

 Wed 16.9.2026 (63rd Malaysia Day)

11 of us  attended the meeting yesterday  that NBD had arranged earlier for this "FMC" group. I accepted Hank's invitation and we were the 2 early birds at the OPA Penthouse at Saujana Golf Resort. Hank didn't get the $10 I wagered if we came behind Halim Rockfoundation. Halim was always the first to come. We beat him this time.

The old regulars were there, but a couple of "new" old faces also came. The subject matter presented was  expected  stuff. But as I said to Hank, we should appreciate NBD's continuous effort in organizing this group's get-together all this time. The "FMC" lot, from PD to the earlier Sungei Besi days, was those before the College was conferred the "Royal" title by the  Agung in 1966.

By defination, this FMC group is disappearing, and the regular NBD's presentation of the statistics is evidence of the growing "red list" and corresponding disappearing one of the remaining members.

That brought out Aziz Rahman's well-meaning suggestion to include the rest of the alumni to the list.

Several points were raised and briefly debated, in fact, and by all present, not just Aziz.  Time and purpose limited extended discussion. But to me, these were relevant topics that merit scrutiny and resolution.

One important issue is the huge loss of non-Malay students in the annual college intakes. Many reasons were offered. I said the large array of choice now, compared to when FMC/RMC was a better-known outstanding  school, is one obvious reason.

The constant changes to the intake points are also perplexing, I thought. This affects the attraction ensued.

The creation of the Military Academy purposedly for Military service must have  taken it's toll of RMC's reduced enrollment.

I cited my grandchildren's case at school in Seremban when the subject of school-bullying was mentioned, as part of the rejection of college entry. School-bullying happens everywhere, and parents' reactions is part of the overall problem, I contended.

Hank informed everyone about his and Mahbob's plan of printing the third and final copy of the "I Remember..." book, two of which had been done. There was objection to this, citing costs and redundancy reasons, which are valid. Hank's idea is to have fresh stock for the existing continuing request for copies, adding one or two new pieces from those who have "made it" while getting the re-printing done. 

In the car on the return home I suggested that he get hold of C.J.L. for the reprinting costs.  C.J.L. can afford it, and he'd been generous in the past.

I lament at the names on the screen, of friends I knew well who have left us in the last few months. I feel sorry for several still with us, who are now wheel-chair bound. Practically everyone is in the 8th decade, and that explains a lot. We should all pray for decent health, most of all, for all of us.

Aziz and Halim also shared with me the NS political "update" now hot in the news. The mixture of ambivalent politics, ancestral "Adat", and legal provisions, worsen by people who know better but act stupid, all make for an explosive keg of gunpowder. 

As an "anak nismilan" I join the prayers of the faithful for peaceful resolution to the unnecessary turmoil. 

We don't want another NS State Elections. The last one was just a couple of months ago. 

Ismail is in the hot seat. But he's not been there even long enough to heat the seat all by himself. He's the longest serving Assemblyman in NS, with 7 terms to his name. Don't make him the shortest serving MB.

......................................................................................

The 2026 UMNO General Assembly.

Thursday 10.9.2026

The 2026 UMNO General Assembly is supposed to run from 9.9.2026 to 12.9.2026.

Already the 6,400 delegates from 191 Divisions have both made and heard bombshell pronouncements expected of this crowd this time.

There are reasons for these outbursts of bravado. But the truth is, it's all talk.  For now.

Sure, the Johor and NS State Elections were pleasing to UMNO, and they are predicting (or hoping) similar results for Melaka, next.

Perhaps a look at the hard numbers would bring the jubilant crowd at PWTC down to earth.

Johor was ok, because UMNO had the numbers. But it won back only 3 additional seats.

NS gave joy to UMNO because their 16 seats made them the biggest party, thus regaining the MBship. But it was only 2 additional seats, and by itself still short of the overall majority by 3.

The trend over 2 whole months on the calender was actually only nominally upward. But it's not ground shattering. 

In Parliament right now UMNO has only 26 out of 222 seats. The Tsunami of 2018 had rubbed UMNO's nose to the ground for 8 of the last 67 years, and don't pronounce this number in Cantonese ("lok chat").

Making grand noises out of possible pardon for the country's chief crook wouldn't sell among the 20-million ordinary voters, outside the 6,400 at PWTC now. 

Making friends with PAS now may not be the wisest move for UMNO. You don't embrace a proven enemy of 7 decades just because he slides to you with a smirk (and a Grand Plan) cooked up in the last 2 months. Watch out for that "kerambit" inside his "jubah" sleeves. PAS called UMNO "infidels" while proclaiming guidance from the Holy Quran. They made friends with DAP before. Bersatu more than helped them in the 15th NS State Elections, and today they chucked Bersatu aside like dog-shit.

The next GE must take place  only 24 months away. It would  be different from the State Elections. Johor and NS have not proven anything monumental.

Mark my word.

...............................................................

18.9.2026.

Addendum.

So the UMNO crowd got what they want; the chief crook is out of jail. And not only that, Wak Jait said he'll collect the 50 million fine from the members. Maybe the country deserves all this.

..................................................................

Facts, not perception.

 Wed.26.8.2026

UMNO organized a "National Meeting (Musyuarah Nasional)" last weekend to debate on the TH RCI, and to not "politicize" it. I was invited to attend, but declined. I know where this is going.

The former Auditor General spoke at the event.

She said the 2017 accounts were examined differently by 2 auditors - the AG, who found the RM 3.4 billions profits; and Price Waterhouse, who found RM 1.4 billions losses.

So who's right ?

In a law court, 2 sets of lawyers stand opposite each other on the same case. One says "guilty"; the other "not guilty".

Who's right ?

Go to the facts, I say.

Lay out one by one the evidence for judgement. Let everyone see.

In the court case, if it's murder, the body is there. The crime is committed. The criminal is named.

In the accounts audit, the audited books are there. The cash flow is traceable. The signatures are all there.

Facts, not perception.

................................................

 

RCI: TH now, FGV next.

 Mon 17.8.2026

The TH RCI is before Parliament right now, and it's huge. Even if only 40 of the 222 Parliamentarians have registered to debate it. 

PAS and Wawasan walked out. So much for substance for Hadi and that turncoat, Hamzah.

The sitting Agung is quoted to have directed that Felda should be next. And I singled both out in my last blog.

TH is the story of the rakyat wanting to "mengerjakan haji" (to do the holy pilgrimmage).  Sadly it has become the story of TH managers "mengerjakan Tabung Haji"(to slaughter TH).

At the outset all of us should follow the full disclosure and pray that Almighty God Bless the search for truth and bring out the crooks to face the appropriate sentence in this present world itself - the eternal punishment is for Him, and that is certain.

What whetted the appetites of the crooks was the billions before their very eyes. It was too much.

The RCI lists the 14 companies that need to be fully investigated for suspicious transactions amounting to billions.

Of course there is that thing about the awarding of  huge bonuses that the crooks gave each other, but the millions, though digustingly big, are nothing compared to the slaughter of the Tabung.

How can these so-called Muslims commit this robbery !

Is there no fear of Allah, in TH of all places ?

Felda has earned its place on the bisecting table, too. Open it all up, and catch the crooks. One has been caught. Get the rest. A chartered accountant worth his salt can do the forensic accounting easily.

Spare no guilty souls.

..................

NS 16th State Election & some issues drawn.

Sat. 1.8.2026

Today the 867,151 voters in the state should cast their votes in the 16th State Election since Independence. NS is the only one doing this, just like Johor did last month. Not out of necessity. Out of wasteful "pride".

The term that the out-going (meaning going out, not energetic) MB ended was only 33 months into the 60-month term. Strictly, that should mean no pensions for the first-time servers (but they'll find a way out). 

The point is, this is totally wasteful. These elections are not cheap. The rakyat is paying for the whims and fancies of these politicians.

The MB took exception to the critics, in his own "Pakatan Harapan",  about the way he handled the "Adat" case between the state ruler and his 4 Chieftains.  There are better ways at going about that "crisis" than to scrap the entire government and bring everything to screeching halt.

All the issues, of course, became fodder for the election campaigns by the candidates and their backing Parties. Right up to last night PMX (soon to be XPM ?) dug up old dungs. One explosive issue is the 4-year old RCI on Tabung Haji.

For 21 of my early working years, I served Felda. It was 1968, when "LKTP" was just 8 years old. The pain I feel now about the FGV debacle cannot be amply described in one paragraph.

The same goes to Tabung Haji.

Both Felda and Tabung Haji can be traced to the late Tun Razak directly. The noble intentions that he had should make him a saint, and I sincerely pray that Allah Grant him the blessing he deserves. Too bad his oldest son does not contribute here.

Like great leaders in human history, Razak Husein recognized good ideas, and the good men behind them, and in position to act upon that, he did, and in the righteous way.

LKTP was Tun Ismail's baby. Tabung Haji was conceived by Ungku Aziz. Both men deserve honourable mentions in the annals of Malaysian history.

The original source of funds for Tabung Haji was the mini-savings of the pious Malays who scraped and skimmed their modest income to do the compulsory pilgrimmage they were taught in their Islamic teaching. Ungku Aziz saw this when doing his studies in the rural areas, especially in Terengganu. Setting up a fund was the logical solution to this "bottling of pennies" in the kampong house.

Uncoordinated land development by some states, with poor management, was taken up by the DPM in the early years of Merdeka. The Parliamentary Act of 1960 established Felda. What can go wrong planting rubber and oil palm on a large scale ? The British did it and sucked untold billions into Great Britain.

By the time Felda and Tabung Haji were seized by the politicians, Felda had RM 3 billions cash, TH 10 billions. Putting the greedy politicians in charge was like having rats falling into the rice bin ("macam tikus jatuh ke beras"). 

The FGV debacle and the TH RCI tell the rest of the story.

Most importantly, the perpetrators are still around. Specifically, PMX should proceed with the needful immediately. Isa for FGV and Najib for TH are just the tips of the icebergs.

The NS "Adat" crisis ia another lingering pain "in-the-you-know what".

What NS is going through here happened 250 years ago. There was a solution. Why can't they do it again ?

Of course it helps when everybody behaves in a civilised manner. But when people, who ought to know better, don't do better, the worst happen. What we need is calm & collectedness, not madness. Stoking the fire ("batu api") is not sane, much less helpful. 

This is a country ruled by law. Get the law to solve things. Even if the Adat champions protest, it's imperative that Law intervenes. The right rakyat will see what's right.

The "Undang crisis" wouldn't have happened if the holders of the title are more thoughtful. Some had modest backgrounds, and landing the Undangship, which is for life, should have been appreciated. Some  let foolishness overide sanity. 

..................................................................................

 

A Tumultuous May

 June 1, 2026.

A tumultuous May.

That was what it has been.

The Mubarak NS Committee Meeting had been rescheduled so many times that, once the date was affirmed on the 'phone, I had Letchmy sent the written notice out immediately. Otherwise a new round of rescheduling would have followed.

Even then there was an ongoing exchange about how, when and which route to take for the long trip to "the Saddle Resort". I just told Foo to get the 30-seater bus, and Letchmy to ask everyone coming, to meet at the Royal Chulan before 10 am, after which we'd leave with whoever came.  Eventually, we were only 10 minutes late.

This Kuantan was just an ordinary committee meeting, to tie up loose ends in preparation for our AGM in exactly 1 month's time. That AGM date, too, was quickly locked in, with the notices and invitation going out at almost the same time as with the Kuantan meeting. But meeting in Kuantan was rather extraordinary, because  this is an NS association. But the President was not well, and travelling would be strenuous. So we went to him, instead.

It was in fact, sadly, a farewell visit for our Tan Sri Dato' Mohd. Yazid bin Baba.

I did comment to a few other committee members, when we met next in Seremban for our Subcommittee Meeting on 15.5.2026, that the Tan Sri looked much worse than the last time we were at our meeting here in Seremban. Then on 28.5.2026 we were informed of his admission to the University of Malaya Medical Centre in KL. Dr. Krishnan and Foo paid a hurried visit, but he was already on drips and oxygen.  At 4.45 a.m on 31.5.2026  he succumbed to his tragic condition. He was 93.

On 27.5.2026, I had earlier received the sad news about Aziz Hassan's passing in hospital. He was a friend from RMC days since 1962, more than 62 years ago. We were in the same Company, "B". and through the years would bump into each other for Hari Raya visits and OPA gatherings, right up to this year. He died from a lung infection that spread to other vital organs. He was 80. 

After MCE in RMC Sungai Besi, Aziz went to Sandhurst, England, for his Military training. He rose to the rank of a  3-star Lieutenant-General.

Since last year, I had been checked for worsening eyesight because of cataracts. Finally I was put on the waiting list of the HTJ ophtomologist's cataract operation patients. That was a good 6 months ago.

Finally my date for the operation was fixed for 11.5.2026. But on 8.5.2026 one of the doctors personally called and said this operation had been rescheduled to 25.5.2026 because of "an emergency".

That meant I had to get my eye operation done one day before Aidil Adha. That meant no Aidil Adha prayers for me. And no Raya visits.  Because until today, 1 week after the operation on my left eye, my sight has not fully recovered. I have to put in the anti-biotic drips  every 2 hours, cannot rub the eye, cannot kneel and "sujud" when I pray, and must sleep with the eye protector on.

30.5.2026 I was supposed to join Hank to Spider's 80th birthday bash in his house in Section 16, PJ. My delayed cataract operation meant that this party also had to be missed.

I hope June would be more sedate.

...........................................................

Nismilan, oh Nismilan !

Wed 29.4.2026

It's been almost a fortnight now that NS has witnessed the sudden, surprising  political catastrophe that seems worsening by the hour. As more make their feelings public in the wide open media, qualified, veritable, mischievous or otherwise, the muddy becomes even muddier. And as the Nismilan folks themselves would put it, some people are "scooping for fish in muddy water". Some are "diving while drinking the water". Which technically is suicidal.  But these are obviously "opportunists". Which in the case seems also suicidal.

Since the issue involves the highest Lawmaker in the State, who referees the quarrel now ?

As the scenario worsen, people may lose sight of what is at issue here, in the first place.

This was about the MB quickly making an official statement that his Government, and that should include the 14 UMNO Assemblymen now catching the spotlight, stands by the Yamtuan's decision in the Dewan Keadilan dan Adat, that the hitherto occupier of the Undang of Sungai Ujung's post's removal by his clan last year, had now been accepted, and that that person is therefore no longer the Undang.

With no evidence of consultations, either with the MB, or more importantly, with the UMNO Supreme Council, all 14 UMNO ADUNs called the press release of "withdrawing support for the MB", for his support of the Yamtuan. 

This seems like the "honour" of UMNO Assemblymen being tarnished by the MB for supporting the supreme constitutional leader of the state who supported the relevant clan in its own Luak Sungai Ujung issue,  which began last year. What investigation has the UMNO group done to drastically differ with the Dewan Keadilan's findings, if ever it has the authority and means of doing so ?

Talking about "honour", what about the coalition Pakatan Harapan's implicit working agreement among it's members ? This State Assembly was the PH Assembly. That's why UMNO Assemblymen were in the Government, including the State appointed "Senior Exco" as that man himself declared just now. That's why the DPM and a number of Ministers are from UMNO in the Federal Givernment.

If the UMNO Supreme Council accepts the stand of the 14 NS Assemblymen, then "honourably" the DPM and the other Ministers from UMNO should, like the Senior Exco in NS, resign from their posts, return their official cars, and vacate their offices. If they don't, let the rakyat see what "honour among thieves" is the rule of UMNO politicians. Anwar can survive in the 222-seat Parliament. UMNO has only 26.

As for the Undangs boycotting State functions, let them. State Laws don't require their signatures to come into effect, do they ? Maybe if the MB looks at the allowances guidelines, the Undangs will get in line ?

.......................................................

Azmi anak Bangyong.

 Sun 26.4.2026

It was half-past-nine yesterday morning, when I decided to do some chores that needed urgent doing. I could have started from anywhere in the list of places that needed to be visited. Somehow I chose SIGC - to settle the club's monthly due.

That's when I met her in the cafeteria of the club.

She's now a PR in San Fransisco, USA, and has been there for more than 20 years. She's back for a short visit, and would be gone any day now, and we'd never meet again, most probably. And we wouldn't have met yesterday if I chose to come to the club later than I did.

Bangyong, her late father, was one of the many brothers I knew very well when we were in Bukit Temensu, our kampong. Our homes (my grandparents, in whose home we stayed) and Pak Ngah Omar and wife Mak Wo Sipah were next to each other on the Jalan Tampin main road.

Bangyong was Baharudin, a soldier who was married to Cik Gu Maimunah. One time, many years later, when I was already working, I was driving behind an army truck, and there was Bangyong at the back of the truck. I honked and waved, and he immediately spotted and recognized me and waved back.

Ita was the younger brother I went to TMS with. Jiman was an older brother who went to private school in Seremban and later married and settled in Seremban. Then there were the sisters I knew very well - Zizah, Maimun, Inah, and Jun.  Alas, all have left us.

My childhood in Bukit Temensu was until I was in Form 3, when I joined the RMC. But we were in a close society in Kampong Bukit Temensu.

Azmi is one of 2 sisters, but I don't know what happened to the other one. I'm told she\s in Seremban, somewhere. I'd met Azmi once before, when she came back from San Fransisco, also for a home visit, but that was many years ago. That was how I know then that she's in the USA.

Yesterday, it was instant recognition all round. Azmi also recognized Idah, and called her Kak Long straight away. She said she's Poad age, which I whatsapped to him later, and he concurred. I told her Poad went to study in Wisconsin, where he met Karim, another Bukit Temensu boy, who was doing his PhD at the same university there. Poad and I visited Karim's house when I went to attend Poad's graduation from the university in the late 80's.

Azmi said she remarried after the passing of her first husband, Hanif, who was Deputy Director of Education in Seremban,  which was 20 years ago. The new husband is an 80-year-old Irishman who had came with her to Malaysia a few times before. Syed Rahman later told me that Azmi had remarried more than once, which surprised me. Syed thought she could be teaching music now, something she had learned young. So that, and Hanif's good pension should take care of expenses, I guess.

Syed said there are a few houses Azmi can put up in Seremban, including her own house here, maintained by one of the relatives. She, like the rest,  can't go back to Bukit Temensu, because before Ita passed away he had decided, for all his surviving siblings, to dismantle the ancient grand Malay house that Pak Ngah Omar and Mak Wo Sipah called home, and sold the expensive "kayu ponak" materials to Salleh Md. Nor (Tan Sri, Dr.) who had sometime ago told me himself that he plans to rebuild the house in his late mother's kampong in Johol. Salleh grew up with his parents in the Istana Hinggap staff quarters, just next to this Mak Wo Sipah's house. That's how this buying the old vacant house came about.

I got Azmi to write down her address and phone number yesterday. "In case I go to the States again". Maybe I would.

It was all too short, and Azmi left first. But not before she also paid for our roti canai, which she signaled as she left the payment counter.

She's half-a-world away now, for the memory that's half-a-century old. But we  should treasure our common beginnings.

.........................................................................

Sacking counter-sacking

 Sat 25.4.2026

This NS circus has gone on for a week now, this sacking and counter-sacking. First it was the Yamtuan who sacked the Undang of Sungai Ujung (the name I'd picked to be my blog tag, because I stay just around the corner, nothing else). Then, obviously tit for tat, the sacked Undang said he was sacking the Yamtuan. When the MB stood by Yamtuan's earlier decision, all the other Undangs (Johol and Jelebu, and the unconfirmed Rembau one (actually there are now 3 claimants) plus the Tengku Besar Tampin, came out to scold the MB and promptly claimed to sack him, too.

Wo ! hang on ! This is a real circus now !

What happened to Procedure and Protocol ?

Is there Law in the Land, Minangkabau or whatever ?

Rais Yatim came out fast and furious, blurting history, complete with Minangkabau pronunciations he always claim to master. The history is fine, but the final solution he offered isn't final. Being quick on the draw is not the measure of sound judgement, and he should know, having burned his bridges before and then coming crawling back to the main theatre of turmoil. 

If I were the MB, and I'm not, I'll cut the Undang Sg. Ujung allowance, and his electicity and water supply. I'll get the LA to get the AG to interpret the law so that the right person can make the right decision, because the Adat is implemented by the Adat people, not the court.

On the "sacking" of the MB, the Undangs, and much less the Tengku Besar Tampin, have no authority. The MB won an election. Only the Dewan Undangan Negeri can remove him.

My grandfather was from the Suku Biduanda.

........................................

Tun Dr. Ling Liong Sik (18.9.1943 - 4.4.2026)

Thursday 9.4.2026.

He was one of us.

A group of us OP's ("Old Putras", former students of the Federation Military College, renamed Royal Military College in 1966) were having a meeting on Wednesday, 8.4.2026, at the  OPA Penthouse, Saujana Golf Resort, Subang. Of course we'd all heard about the deeply sad passing of one of our own, Tun Dr. Ling Liong Sik last Saturday. In fact that day (Wednesday) was his date of final interment. OP Aziz Rahman had suggested someone write an article on him. I  volunteered. 

History decides the greatness of public figures. Let it do that to Liong Sik. The accolades have poured in, and deservingly. We the OP's  want to look at it from our viewpoint. 

What has transpired in his time in this country is worth pondering, and deeply so.

Let me pick some facts of the case, as it were.

I didn't know him personally, but I've met him a few times, and our lives sort of "connected" in a number of ways. I was in "B" Company, like him. I went to see him and his Chief Secretary when I was the GM of a large transport company in the 90's. That Chief Secretary to the Transport Ministry, the late Dato' Dr. Mohd. Nor Abd. Ghani, was my first cousin. My brother, Dato' Mohd. Fadzil Mohd. Yunus had a house on the same road as Liong Sik's at Damansara Height. I mention this because, of course, I visited my brother often at his Jalan Setiabakti 3, Damansara Height address.  Very much later another brother, Dr. Mohd. Fakharuddin Mohd. Yunus, also first reported for duty at the Penang GH., as Dr. Ling Liong Sik did earlier.  And as an active member of UMNO at that time, I followed the upheavals of the politics of BN in which Liong Sik was a deeply-involved stalwart.   

68 long years ago, 15-year old Ling Liong Sik, the young Foochow boy, who was born in Kuala Kangsar but  attended the King Edward VII School in Taiping, joined the Federation Military College in Port Dickson, NS. Then he went to Singapore for his MBBS, was posted as a doctor at Penang General Hospital and served for 2 years. In 1968 went into private practice in Butterworth, on the mainland.

Those locations were well-spread, geographically. 

In the same year (1968) he joined the MCA.

The record says he was in FMC Port Dickson for 3 years, in Forms V to Upper 6, was given the Regimental Number 200727, and put in B Company. While there he once attended the "Outward Bound" course at OBS, and Hank says he was one of the only two who got "Honours". Passing out of College, he was admitted to the Singapore University Medical Faculty as an 18-year-old undergraduate. 

10 years into MCA, and he entered the 5th General Elections of 1978 as a Parliamentry candidate for Mata Kuching, Penang. He won, and thus began his remarkable career in active Malaysian politics, although  his Parliamentary seat later moved all the way to Labis, Johor.  That career lasted  26 remarkable years, through  6 GE's, (1978, 1982, 1986, 1990 , 1995 & 1999). In Malaysian politics, that's incredibly reselient.

I say a remarkable political career, because in the process, among many other things that he did, without everyone even today realising it, "Budak Boy" Ling Liong Sik became, up to now, the only Chinese Prime Minister of Malaysia, in 1988 ! Check that fact.

The 1987 chaos in UMNO with it's eventual dissolution and the break-away Semangat 46 formation, all brought to the unavoidable, historic appointment of Budak Boy Ling Liong Sik as the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Sure, he stayed  for 12 whole days only (4.2.1988 - 16.2.1988) before handing the post back to Tun Dr. Mahathir, but he could have kept it, and Malaysian history would have been different today. Maybe it was because both got their MBBS from the same University . 

Anyone else would have kept that PM chair !

The special camaraderie that FMC infused then (I say "then" because it's gone now)  must have been in the heart of Liong Sik, and must have saved the country from further chaos at that time, because after 12 days he handed back the Premiership to the New UMNO. The constitutional turmoil must be read up in another story. But suffice it to say that Ling Liong Sik remained true to FMC upbringing. The alma mater didn't forget. In 1996, as OPA President, he was  chosen as  OP of the Year.

Some birth dates are equally remarkable to look at..

He was a doctor at 23.

He was the Parliamentary Secretary of the Local Government and Federal Territories at 33.

He was the Deputy Information Minister at 35.

He was the Deputy Finance Minister II at 39.

He was the  Deputy Education Minister at 42.

He was the MCA President at 43 and kept it for 17 years until age 60.

He was the Transport Minister at 43 and kept it for 17 years.

He was the Prime Minister at 45. (Tun Dr. Mahathir was PM at 55).

Finally, the country's highest award, the Tunship, was conferred at age 61.

At the helm of MCA, Liong Sik quietly did to it what the others since have undone - making the party more "centralised" by adding English-educated members to its central working groups. FMC especially took great pains to uphold the racial integration in the English-medium education  framework. It made it easier for the UMNO ground supporters to accept MCA into the upper echelons of the BN leadership. Liong Sik himself spoke in moderate and civilised tone, compared to the firebrands of today. When I met him with our operational issues, which obviously he would not know in detail, he never interrupted the presentation, very unlike some other exasperating UMNO Ministers that I had met in the course of my work.

Out of the active limelight, 2 significant court cases might be considered to have marred his distinguished public service. The first one was in 2010 when he was charged with his role in the Port Klang Free Trade Zone land case. The second one was in 2015 when Najib sued him for libelous remarks about his (Najib's) failure in the Finance Ministry. However, let it be put on record that the tough Old Putra  emerged unscathed in both cases. He was acquitted in the first one, and  got costs from Najib who withdrew his suit.

My little piece does no justice for Liong Sik.  His breed was rare. 

But he was one of us.

Rest In Peace, brother OP. 

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Remembering Felda Angkut days.

 Sat 24.1.2026.

Jamaluddin called last week. He's not listed in my mobile phone, so I ignored his first call. Wisely, he resorted to messaging in the Whatsapp, requesting to call again, which I answered straight away. It was an invitation to Felda Angkut's Golden Anniversary last night at the Tenera Hotel, Bangi. Of course it's now "FGV Transport", but to me it's the Felda Angkut of old.

I was GM from 1.6.1985 - 31.12.1990 - a five and a-half year stay. I was 40. I'd been GM in 2 other Felda Corporations prior to that. At 35 in 1980 I was the GM for Felda Niaga, from 1.3.1980 to 30.6.1982. From 1.7.1982 to 31.5.1985 I was the GM in Felda Mills Corporation. 

But in the end, my service in Felda Angkut was the longest stint in my entire varied working career that ended at the end of 1999, which was also my official retirement age of 55.

The  fact that it was a 50-year celebration, and that it was 35 years ago that I left Felda Angkut, made it easy to decide to come. Jamaluddin was the Felda Pasoh settler's son I took into Felda Angkut at the request of his mother, who was a member of our Board. I not only gave him a job, but also a wife, because I recruited a girl from Bukit Temensu into Felda Angkut at around the same time, and they met and eventually got hitched together.

Jayos, Hamdan and Zainal Ujud also came, and we were from the same old establishment. The other CEO's at Table 6 last night were from outside  old Felda, as has the entire FGV establishment been formed.

We were honoured with small plaques, which was ok, I guess, but the crowd did not share any close reminiscences in the staged presentation. That would have made the night memorable to me. But it's an FGV function, so what can I say. But a few people did approach me with recognition. There was Salleh, from HQ, Syed Alwi, who was in Temerloh, and Mat Darmin's daughter whom I also recruited. And Jamaluddin, of course.

Jayos had told me he was coming yesterday, and we met at the Magrib prayers before the start of the function, as  did Zainal Ujud. But Hamdan I missed completely, when in fact we were at the same Table 6. Only later did Jayos tell me, as we were both leaving the hall, that it was in fact Hamdan who was sitting beside him. He did not at all look like the Hamdan that I knew well, and he did not communicate with me the entire time. Maybe I also did not look like the guy he knew the 21 years I was in the Felda Group.

How time has passed, and the world around us has changed. Many of us are gone, and the Felda I knew is also no more. The inheritors of Felda Angut spoke of the company's progress through the past 5 decades, and I say "good for you". But you can't deny the place of history, and cannot compare the hardship endured by the pioneers with your proudly declared achievements through the years. And remember also the hard-earned successes of old Felda compared with the tortious management of boardroom FGV. Maybe they are two different animals, requiring two different evaluation.

I'm the past, like Jayos and the others. But what you have now came from the past.  Appreciate that.

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