KP-Simpang Pertang-Kuala Klawang-Seremban road.

Jan 10, 2011.

This morning I had to go to the Jempol Land Office to get the new computerised replacement of my 1932-issued land grant. I took along Bang Sudin because he knows Saadon who's working there - you know "know-who" gets things speeded up etc. He needn't have come, because I found out I know this guy. I've even been to his house in Pelangai, though that was a long time ago, when he was at the KP Land Office. I told him he's about double the size since then, responding to his saying  I'd lost weight.

After business Saadun treated us for a quick lunch at the office canteen. When we turned in the car to go back to Seremban we decided to take the Kuala Klawang road for a change of scenery. It was worth it.

Outsiders always refer to that town as "Jelebu" when in fact it's "Kuala Klawang". "Jelebu" is the name of the district. I've not travelled this route for some years now. After this I might do it more often.  From Bahau or KP it's in fact further. But I can tell you ,  it's quite pleasant. 

To begin with, the authorities have done much to widen, improve and over-all really beautify the road right from Serting Ulu to Simpang Pertang to Kuala Klawang, then right through Pantai to Seremban. In fact at several stretches, especially at the Bukit Tangga area, the road looks like the PLUS highway. There was only light traffic to-day, and it made the journey that much more stress-free, when the Kuala Pilah-Terachi road these days can often be a motorists' nightmare.

And then the roadside houses. Somehow they look well-maintained,  and for many of them, really affluent with their nice compounds and tasteful construction.  Some come close to the road, but all look manicured and clean and pleasantly presented. As normally found in all districts in NS, there are many vacant houses because in all likelihood the old owners have died and the offsprings have grown up, got married and made homes elsewhere. But  here the houses just look locked-up but not abondoned. 

We didn't stop anywhere because we haven't done our zohor prayers and it was almost 3. But there are many lovely spots where we could have done so and also enjoy the scenery. 

If you have business in Bahau or KP and you're coming from Seremban, this alternative route comes highly recommended from me. You will not mind the extra miles. 

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Serious golf.

9.1.2011.

That's me. Serious. About golf. My golf. 

The late Dato' Ismail Mansor, a senior at RMC, was responsible for my current addiction to this frustrating but facinating game, back in 1978.  I was 34.

When I was posted to Seremban in 1977-78 he was the State Secretary, which made him the  ex-officio  Deputy President of Seremban International Golf Club. He called me to his office and insisted I sign the SIGC application form for membership right in front of him. He even allowed me to pay the entrance fee in two installments. The Government rate at that time was, I think, RM 500. 

But I only took my handicap test eight years later. I was 43. For that, I blame Hank, another RMC mate. But unlike him, I'm still hacking around 365 days a year, if it doesn't rain, trying to find the perfect game. I know it doesn't exist, but damn if I'm quitting now. 

That's why I hate these snitches who watch a tournament on tv at home and call the organizers, about some silly unintentional breaks on some silly old rules. The fact is, whatever infringements are committed, they never make any difference to the shotmaking, but make all the difference to the legal outcome. Like  grounding their clubs in the bunker, or flicking away at the divot while the ball rolled back in. What should we do about snitching ? One suggestion.  Put the snitcher in front of the tee-box and drive a Titlest Pro Vi through his  backside!

This morning I was in a flight during our New Year Medal. One idiot in the group hit my ball for his second shot without ascertaining it was his ball first. When I discovered his mistake he lost his cool and kept at it until the next tee-box.  I tried to be a gentleman and said it's just a game.   I  marked my ball . I  showed it to him. His reaction surprised me.  "OK OK it's over, don't repeat it", he almost shouted. And to think that it was entirely his own stupid mistake. 

Of course, being his marker, I penalised him two strokes and put him for a 10 on that par 5. The nerve of some people. He played shit for the rest of the day. And I think that was too good for him. 

Many of the morning golfers at the Club are regulars who obviously love their golf. Several are around 70, which is fantastic, really. But what they should also do is try to improve their game bit by bit and make it even more enjoyable. But they don't. Instead of practicing their chipping and putting on the practice green near the tee-box, they just chat while waiting for their turn. 

Going to the driving range is even further from their minds. Since my handicap test 24 years ago, I had taught myself by buying books and magazines until I came down to 6 in 2006. I didn't have any teacher other than those books and magazines. In fact I have more than 90 golf books in my collection at the last count, including one  published in 1905 - "The Complete Golfer" by Vardon, the famous English golfer in that century. 

So, if you put your mind to it, it can be done. Mizi (my nephew and a pro) in jest offered me the job of being his caddy when I met him at the Club after the game to day. OK I said, pay me 100 per day and 10% of your winnigs. I'll pay my own food and travelling expenses. 

In fact I can help him with his mental game. But I'm too serious about my own golf. Mizi will have to make a better offer to make me leave my golf for his.

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Two weddings and a Happy New Year to you.

26.12.2010.

First there was Pa' Ijoi's 2nd daughter's wedding 24th. 25th. But the whole thing started months ago when they started buying the usual stuff - "bunga telor" etc. The last few days were just finishing touches, but Puan Hajjah Faridah, the brand new hajjah, took care of them. As usual, I might add. 

All the brothers & sisters except two showed up early to give morale support, if not actually digging in and making themselves useful. Even washing the dirty dishes helped. Nodi came later, but that's understandable because she came with her brood all the way from Sabah. 

Kak Mot's grand entrance for her younger brother's very first wedding celebration was difficult to fathom, though. As the oldest surviving sister, it would have made a fond scene to see her busy among the family members, fussing over the prenuptial details. It would have made a difference to Pa' Ijoi, I'm sure.

Today was Idah's cousin's kenduri , also the first wedding, for her daughter with  Christopher,  an Indian convert. That's why we saw a group of Indians from his side of the family sitting at one of the special tables at the reception at the Rasah Kemayan Golf Club. You might have wondered where they came from.

Pa' Ijoi's kenduri was grand by Kampong Lonek's usual standard - with the steep-roofed and bannered Arabic tents, the scallops and covered chairs.  Christopher's do was actually quite nicely done, too.

In fact we had to miss Pa' Ijoi's return reception in Palong because of Christopher's reception, but Pa' Ijoi cannot complain because we gave full support to him for the last several days.

In a couple of days it'll be a "Happy New Year."

I'm just going through my golf's "buku 555". As in the past 10 years, it looks like I can afford a  new pair of shoes this year, thanks to Cik Taib, Tok Mail, Muhsin and Usop pokak. I think I'll maintain my average of 300 bucks per month. Not bad for 66-year-old 14-handicapper, eh ?

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MIA, for a while.......

14.12.2010.

Down, but not out. 

First, the weekends of weddings, which are still going on, seeing that the school holidays are still here. The good thing about it is that there is no jam at the Ampangan junctions on the way to my morning golf at SIGC. 

Then there was Idah's return from the hajj. 

And Pa' Ijoi's kenduri at month's end. 

And finally my internet problem. A crane drove through the telecom's line in our neighbourhood that week that disrupted telecommunication's connection all over. When the line was restored, my pc wouldn't connect to the internet. First I thought it was the pc. Then maybe it was the telephone line. Then the Telekom man said it was my modem, so I bought a new one. In fact it was the setting at telecoms. That makes the new modem unnecessary. 

So, here I am, back at first chance. 

Mat Sham's wedding reception for his son was the ultimate. What else can I say - the Agong came. Beat that. Hank was with me at the same table. A few other OP's came by. Many more were sighted but not approached. How we all have aged. But Hank managed to correct my spelling. He said argument has no "e". I have no argument with that. 

Then Idah's return. With 3 delays. Without 1 bag. 

The first delay was from 12 midnight to 10 am, then to 1.35 pm. Then the one-and-a half hour wait at the wrong exit. The missing bag arrived by lorry in Seremban 1 week later. Apparently the handlers in Jeddah simply decided to let the bag travel unaccompanied on another aircraft later - against the basic safety precaution I thought everyone else in the whole world knows about air travel. 

All the children were there to receive her. Except we waited at the wrong exit. KLIA decided to let the returning pilgrims out through the domestic arrival instead of the international one. Nobody told us. But everyone else was at the domestic exit. We must have missed something. 

Idah was fine, except for the traditional "Makkah cough". But she stayed in bed for two days. The fatigue finally caught up with her.

Hoorai ! No more Maggi mee. 

Once Idah recovers. 

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Hari Raya Haji 2010.

19.11.2010.

We always call it "Raya Haji." This common sobriquet conveys the more colourful mental image to me than the more pedantic "Aid il Adha." Even "Raya Korban" is less a mouthful. It's the second "Raya" the Muslims celebrate each year. Arguably it's less "fun", but it carries different but equally important connotations. 

This year it carried extra meaning to me. It's the first time since I got married 39 years ago that I "celebrated" a "Raya" without my wife. She's in the Holy Land. We've been keeping in touch daily, thanks to the mobile phone, though I had to remind her to stick to the cheaper sms. So I knew about the heavy rains and the 3 million pilgrims. I have also kept her abreast with important news item, important to her, that is - the passing of an old friend and neighbour in Damansara Utama, news of the children's activities and so forth. 

When I went in 1983, and when my parents went even earlier,we had to rely on the written post. In fact I wrote to my late father so often tha he said his jemaah friends were jealous. One reason my letters received prompt delivery, I believe, was because I used Arabic letters on the envelopes ("Jawi"). 

To-day was the last of the 3 days of the "casting of the stones" at the three pillars normally performed by Malaysian pilgrims - the "nafar thani" - when many others leave for Makkah from Mina after the first day - the "nafar awwal." So this Asr this third day of the Eid was the last time we recited the "takbir" at the end of the five compulsory daily prayers or "solat". 

All the married boys, and Dekna , my daughter, came back for the Eid. No. 3 the bachelor son was MIA. Yesterday, the second day of Eid, he finally took the time to acknowledge my existence by sending an sms saying he's tied with work. I assume that he was working through the holidays, which I find hard to swallow, but I give him the benefit of doubt, though he has been untruthful before. When he gets married and has a son who does it to him he'll probably feel what I'm feeling now. But he's forgiven all the same. Just blame it on youth. 

Meanwhile Idah says she has completed the rituals and is now back in her accomodations in Makkah. Just now I told her that we'd just repaired Dekna's  car, and that she should relax and not do the "tawaf" anymore, until the farewell or "tawaf wida'." She said her return flight is as per original schedule. That's another 9 days.

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Iman's weekend with Atok.

8.11.2010.

Iman my 4+ granddaughter called last week and said she'll visit this weekend, and she made good her promise. She knows Atok is all alone because Nanny is in Makkah. But Atok was in KL with Mak Su Dekna  when she reached Seremban Friday afternoon.  She called and I said we're on the way back. But what with the purchase at Low Yat and the quick dinner, Iman was asleep when we finally reached home. 

To make amends Atok and Mak Su Dekna took her to PD in Uncle Memi's car. We took her to Telok Kemang at the Batu Lapan beach and Mak Su Dekna brought her to the edge of the water so the waves broke over her little fair legs, and she seemed to enjoy it. I don't know if it's her first time, but she said "sungai" and we kept correcting her "laut, laut." 

When we took her close to the ponies she was scared and pulled away. It being Saturday, and what with the Deepavali holidays, there was the expected large crowd.  

The tide was in, and the waves rush  to the beach. I don't remember, though, the sand to be not white the way I always picture it. The sad part was the garbage floating at the water's edge and strewn most everywhere else - around the foodstalls and the concrete path and  in the drains. 

Building the foodstalls too near the beach also spoils everything. People come to picnic and bring their own food anyway. I remember the old days ( I spent part of my schooling at the 4th milestone College now no longer there) when old ladies hawk nasi lemak and kueh carried in rattan baskets walking up and down the beach. The beach was long and clean and the swimmers frolic in the clean looking water. 

We bought "ais krim potong" with the red beans in them, and Iman enjoyed hers and made a mess with the melting ice cream. I came prepared with a small towel and cleaned her up and threw the paper wrapper when she finished. No dustbin around, so I contributed to the anti-social behaviour by leaving the wrapper on top of a pile of rubbish somebody had collected on a stump by the track. 

We had to go back as it was time, but made a stop at Jusco. Dekna wanted to eat something and we got into "Secret Recipe", to Iman's  delight.  She's got  good appetite. 

That night she wanted to sleep with her Mak Su, but later Banjat picked her up to their room, because she's quite "lasak". Dekna  said the next morning  her head was this way and her feet that way.

I left for my Sunday golf before Iman woke up. I knew they would have left by the time I came back, and they had. I asked Dekna if they'll come back for Raya Haji, but she's not sure. I think I'll call her. 

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Of history, justice, use of resources, US and us.

7.11.2010.

Ban Hong, Tiong Meng and their friend and I were exchanging opinions about the DPM's recent call to make history compulsory in schools. Tiong Meng's friend said there's no need for it. Study medicine or such useful knowledge instead, he said. Tiong Meng and I almost simultaneously responded that history is important lest we repeat the mistakes of the past, and I added that history happens, even as we sat there. I know the background for the negative reaction - because of the recent cultural clash about "immigrants" and "sons of the soil." A working formula that allows a viable and stable coexistence in our multiracial society must be found. 

For whatever it's worth, the "Barisan National" formula has worked before. It's human nature, unfortunately, to become bored with the familiar, and the face of BN has been around long enough to become boring and ripe for blame.

I read the NST column by my old classmate, Gnanalingam ( Tan Sri, of West Port and now Maika fame ) about what he termed as significant improvements in the workings of the courts of law in the country. I agree with him regarding the changes. But I don't agree that it's because of one man. That's too much praise for too little evidence. But what is more incredible is the denominator quoted for the judges and the number of cases. Surely these figures are available to the government of the day. If so, what is being done about it ? 

The answer obviously is to increase the number of judges at all levels. Tap the brightest brains at school, train the young lawyers to fill up the judicial service, pick the best graduates for post-graduate studies and so on. Malaysia does not have unlimited resources. All the more reason for wise spending by the government. The infrastructure can always be improved. City and rural folks deserve these improvements, and the contrasting standards because of geography must be reduced. So why did we spend 4 billions on the two submarines ? 

Remember, once in service, these vessels have to be maintained. Are we going to wage war on Singapore ? Because we're certainly not going to war with Indonesia or Thailand or Vietnam or China. How many roads can be built with the 4 billions ? 

The US State Secretary's 54-hour stop-over has come and gone and there are serious articles being churned out about it. What's the big deal ? The US is no longer the centre of the universe in spite of its own opinion. We don't even measure up to the importance given to Singapore. The US Government (not the people) befriends and make enemies as they see fit. Look at what they have done in pretty much everywhere in the world. The US Government answers to no one, not even the UN. 

In our recent case  Secretary Clinton only just in the nick of time avoided thumbing her nose at her hosts by meeting with Brother Anwar Bin Ibrahim, leaving nonetheless the signal that the man must be given a fair trial. Better than what she's giving those still uncharged in Guantanamo, perhaps. 

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