Selamat Hari Raya

Wishing all my friends Selamat Hari Raya. For those who are in Sibu, please come to my house on the 1st day of raya. 2nd day I will celebrating Hari Raya on the road. Driving to Kuching mah....

3rd & 4th I will be at my in-law house. I can't promise you if I'm in Kuching coz my mother in-law like to bring me & my wife visiting others. (good son in-law eh....)

Invitation: Open House on 1st and 2nd Day of Raya/Eid

Dear all.

I am celebrating Raya/Eid in Bintulu. If you happen to drive past by that sleepy town on the south of Kidurong Cape on the first or second day of Raya/Eid, please do drop by my house at SS2E/22 Jalan Abang Matassan, Tanjung Kidurong, Bintulu.

On the first day we'll have the usual curry/rendang/satay (peanut gravy), but on second day it'll only be rendang and satay gravy as curry couldn't last very long.

First Day of Raya = 30th September or 1st October
Second Day of Raya = 1st October or 2nd October.

I will be going to Sibu on 3rd day of Raya and come back to Bintulu on the 4th day of Raya. The weekend of 4th/5th October I will be in Bintulu and guests are still welcomed, but only dry food will be served, or perhaps a plate or two of Mee HongKong or Mee Jawa, :).

Attached please find the map to my house.



Call or sms me at 012-877 8259 if you're coming!

(The idea of an "open house" is that it doesn't require an invitation!)

Snippets

Me and (second) wife went shopping at eMart, in Miri, a few moments ago. We walked past a Chinese father and his daughter and she said, in Mandarin,

"Banyak Melayu ni beli jajan" (This Malay sure bought a lot of junk food)

***

When my (first) wife's Mandarin was still good, we would order coffee and sit in kopitiams in KL and Bintulu and she would hear comments like,

"What are they doing here"
or "Why does she cover herself like that"
or even "In kai se ta men yau se choo lo"

***

I speak to my (first) wife in Semenanjung Malay, with all the accents of a KL-ite, and Sarawakian natives would assume that I myself is a Peninsular Malay. Some would converse in Iban, or Melanau, or even Sarawakian Malay, to their colleagues, thinking that I wouldn't understand their dialects. When I retorted back in Melanau, or Iban, or Sarawakian Malay, they would be red-faced.

***

I do not claim to know what are the right ingredients to hold together a nation, that seems to be bursting at the seams of racial prejudice. I do not know whether Keynesian approach (government intervention) is appropriate, or is it better to leave things at sociological evolution.

But as a Muslim, or even as a responsible pragmatist liberalist, I believe that all things should be in moderation. No extremes should be allowed. Neither end of the spectrum is good for anyone.

***

Me......????????

Ardy puasa tak baca blog kah? You've been tagged to post a topic." That was sms I received today. Sorry yea guys. When I buka the blog..... walamak.... my name....I've been tagged. Heroes tagged me on my birthday. It's a Malaysia day and the day PR should take over. So fed up with the current politics in Malaysia. Tooooo many actors playing their roles. For the past 45 years nobody care about 16 September except me ler. Suddenly 16 September is a hot date and I even received a birthday card from Prime Minister saying that I'm anak merdeka. He just pre signed the card maaa.... and his staff just type my name or at least give me Canon EOS 1D Mark III with Canon EF 28-300mm.

What did I get for my birthday?? Nothing.... BN still hold the gov. Malaysia still celebrate 31 August. My mom says, don't know what to give.... you have all the things that you need. Laptops, cameras, handphones...... hahahaha like that kah?

37 years of being Sarawakian. "Masih tinggal atas pokok ke" - that was the question i used to hear from across the sea (Laut China Selatan ler). Me, half Malay & half Melanau but looks like Chinese... Nearly know how to speak Foochow but only half way. Should marry Chinese girl huh..but in the end Malay girl pulak. hehehe....

I never thought that I will see you guys again after so many many many years. Thank you guy for being friends of mine...and you Mdm Ivy (hehehe) remember all the birth dates.

You know lah puasa time after eating lots lots of food, brain pun sleepy. Don't know what to think & write. (Yawning.......)

This is my new blog : here and photo here.

Who's next yea?????? Ivy....

Birthday Greetings for September

Happy Birthday to all of you who are celebrating your birthday this month!

15 September - Simon Chan

16 September - Suhardy

Today - Sii Jing

Many happy returns of the day!

Petition to free RPK, Teresa and Tan

Though 2 are out but RPK is still detained. Result of Online Petition is overwhelming.

'One Day'

‘I have just been overhauled’. Opps .. Correction, ‘I have just been tagged’. William, some correction, I am 'Heroes' not 'Hero'...

It’s been quite sometime since my last post in our SHS blog and now thanks to MGB effort and creation of tagging among friends to start sharing whatever things in order to make our SHS blog lively again after being stagnant for a while.

As we could seen from the last post which was contributed by our lecturer friend, Joe and I was glad that he has finally registered as a contributor in this blog after so many ‘days’ and ‘months’ of his contribution by way of commenting in friends’ posts. Thanks again, MGB for your tagging thingy… but I noticed one of our frequent comments contributors, William has yet to registered as a contributor in our SHS blog, although he was among the very first batch whom were invited by the creator of our blog, Pat to become a contributor. Maybe ‘One Day’ he will registered, am I right William? ☺

The phrase of ‘One Day’ has been widely used by all of us irrespective in office, home and in any function, situation, condition etc that you could name.

- I must go to visit China ‘One Day’
- Son, I will buy you a car ‘One Day’
- I want to become a doctor ‘One Day’
- I think I will organize a gathering among our old friends ‘One Day’
- Don’t worry, we shall achieve it ‘One Day’
- Darling, we shall have our own house ‘One Day’

Everything, everywhere, everytime and everyone talked about ‘One Day’ but do we really know how much the influence or impact to those who received that ‘One Day’ promises from those who promised if undelivered? All of us would agree that talking is really very much easier than action. How to put our promises into action? That’s very much depend on individual and ones character & attitude are the main key factor whether the promises made will be materialized.

When we were a kid, our parents used to promise us this and that, and not all of them would be materialized. As a kid, the only way to release our frustration and disappointment was crying. When we grew up and be part of the contributors to our society development, the ‘One Day’ promises would still around although it’s from various sources. Sometimes we have to bear with it and keep telling ourselves don’t put so much hope on it as it might not be materialized. That’s an easy way of comforting ourselves and you may say it as an excuse too.

If we are the one who promised, kindly think and put ourselves in the shoe of the receiving parties and the consequences of breaking promises. I do agree that no one is perfect as a human being but don’t take this as an excuse to our undelivered of promises.

To our loved one, family, parents, brothers, sisters, closed friends, friends, colleague, clients, business associates etc, we must always remember of what promises we made to each of them and make sure we must delivered.

Friends, any promises you have been made and yet to delivered?

Whose next?? Hardy, you are next..

William says...

I am not a contributor to this blog. To make thing easier, I post my story inside the comment.

I read the following story from a Chinese Dairy.

Three good friends A, B and C decided to build a house together. The gathered their capital, labour and skill and started to build a three bed rooms house. Beside the bedrooms which are all equal in size, there were lounge, verandah, toilet, bath, kitchen and car ports that were shared facilities. Once the house construction was completed, three of them moved in happily.

The population inside the house grew when the three friends started family. Problems started to arise due to the increasing family members and there were tension and conflict here and there. They decided to renovate the house to accommodate all the family members. The bedroom of A was extended while bedrooms for B and C was shrunk in order to accommodate family member of A.

Despite the renovation, the situation inside the house did not improve. Tensions and conflicts between family members become more frequent. A started to make some ruling that B and C have to obtain permission to use the shared facilities. The front lawn was converted to carports to house A's three Benzs. B and C old cars have to be parked along the street.

After fifty years, the house was aged. There were leaks here and there. The floors were cracking. In the pass, B and C were paying for the repair bill and also utilities bills. B and C cannot longer afford the repair.

B and C spoke to A asking his share of the repair. Instead of committing himself to the repair, A started to question the legitimately of B and C to reside in the house.

What do you think B and C shall do?

Hero you are tagged next.

As kid See It

Chialat!

My throat choked with unspoken words. My head spun hurricane.

Mr Tee, why you tag on me when I am not even registered as a contributor in this blog? Why you tag on me when I am not even qualified as a blogger?

Asking me, a non-blogger to pen my thought is just like asking bloggers to live without computers or asking a stripper to dance with an evening gown.

Super Tulan!

Having said that, I am not gonna to disappoint you, my friend. Thanks for the friendship for remembering me.

Btw, thanks Heroes for inviting me to contribute to this blog. Now I am formally registered as a contributor. Give me five, heroes.

******

I don't normally go to a particular church due to various reasons. As such, sometimes I go in the morning and sometimes I attend evening mass. Like Mr Tee, I don't normally sit in the front row. “Is that right, Mr Tee?

On evening, as usual, I chose to sit at the back row whereby I can see outside view if I were to turn my head back. Half way during the mass, my boy pulled my hand and asked me to look outside as if he had something very important to tell me. I would normally ignored his request if he were to talk to me during the mass. But then, as curious as he was, he moved his mouth to my ear and whispered

“Papa, the dog outside there got a lot of chu chu.”

“Holy shit. How on earth that a dog can have a lot of penises?” I mumbled.

“You see, you see outside there” he cried out for me to turn my head back.

My friends, how many times do you have the chance to see a dog with a lot of penises? Would you not turn your head if you were to be my position?

Burning with curiosity. I turned my head and looked for the dog mentioned.


And I saw a BITCH!!



William, you are tagged.

Mr Tee's TALK

Having a second thought after putting my comment under Hansac's Talk.

Since I have been tagged it is unfair for me to delay or get Hansac to choose another person.

Guess what...I grew up in a family where both parents read newspaper while doing the daily job. Being an innocence child, I condemn those unhygenic act. Days pass by and my younger brother also picked up this habit. He is more superior than my parents because he not only reads newspaper but books!!!

I for once tried it for the first time when I was in Form Six (just out of curiosity) and guess what.....I finished reading the whole day newspaper and the thing was still there, tucked in as n icely!!! I continued for a couple of times and the result was the same.

Somehow I can't recall when.......I discovered the inherited talent of mine. I do not only read newspaper and books but I SURF internet and reply emails and...BLOG when I am doing my toilet routine!!! Yahoooo! Nowadays, I can't poo if I don't read or type!

Joseph Sia...knock knock...u're tagged!

BTW, can I have a show of names for those who can read while in toilet?

Hansac's Talk

I have always been a keen observer of culture and race, of religion and faith. When I was in Sacred Heart, I learned a little bit about Catholicism and to a certain extent, Protestantism. I learned to differentiate the cacophony of Foochow dialect and the structured Mandarin, without understanding either one language. I learned the values of acceptance and accomodation, as the La Salle brothers have respected my faith, and my Chinese friends has accepted me into their fold. I learned first-hand about schisms, in faith, in race, in culture, in a nation.

***

My family, and many other non-Chinese families in Sarawak, have been "infiltrated" by Chinese elements, for hundreds of years. The Kelabits and Kenyahs first received visitors from China 600 years ago. Those Orang Ulus does not look like Chinese merely due to coincidence!

My family received "subversive" Chinese elements fairly recently, maybe the last 100 years. But let me talk about recent additions.

My late father's first wife was a Chinese by the name of Sara Ho. Most of my brothers and sisters looked Chinese. My third brother, Ariffin, married a Chinese who was adopted at birth by a Malay family. He looked Chinese, his wife looked Chinese, and dang, does his five children look Chinese or what. And they have that Chinese "myth" with them, i.e. Chinese are clever people. It is hard to argue with this vis-a-vis Ariffin's daughters because the first daughter became the best SPM student in Sarawak in 2000 and now doing medicine in Ireland. The second daughter is now doing medicine in India, and the third daughter is doing medicine in Unimas. If that is not a testament to the superiority of the Chinese race, I do not know lah.

Even though I myself looked Chinese, I do not know whether I have Chinese blood in me. My mother's mother was a Melanau from Dalat, and my mother's father was an from Sumatera, Indonesia.

My second wife is half-Chinese, her mother is a Chinese adopted at birth by a Malay family. But my second wife learned Hokkien and Mandarin later in life and not through her mother, who doesn't speak Chinese at all.

***

It was common for Malay families in Sarawak to adopt Chinese babies. Then, it was not beneath a Chinese to handover his/her children to a Malay family.

My auntie, the late Usu Bi'ah, adopted two Chinese girls who are sisters (of the same father/mother, Aluyah and Zaiton). Aluyah and Zaiton's Chinese brothers and sisters regularly visit them during Hariraya in Sibu. Another auntie, Buk Ibot, adopted Umei and Jijah, both sisters too.

Throughout Sarawak this adoption phenomena is common. Who wouldn't want a fair and cute baby?

***

If you go to Miri Bazaar Ramadhan at Seberkas, you may see Chinese faces selling traditional Malay food, until you hear them speak. It is quite funny, actually, with Malays tendencies for halal food, and associating such halal-ness with the face of the sellers. That's why some of these sellers resorted to wearing tudung or having Quranic inscriptions at their stalls to indicate their religion, even though they don't usually wear tudung.

***

As far as being a Sarawakian goes, Chinese has always been part of the parcel. Maybe I speak from the point of view of a pseudo-immigrant myself, maybe I speak from a weak minority point of view, maybe I speak from the angle of someone who has spent quite a number of years in America and have seen discrimination and prejudices in its most raw form.

***

Do you find this post offensive?

Where Is The Crowd ?

I do not know whether the traffic to our beloved blog is still maintaining at its peak or have much dwindled down. However, for sure...there has been much silent in the comments or putting up of sharing now when compared to a year ago especially nearing our 20th Reunion.

Even the most vocal commentor...Joe has been silent for few weeks already...may be his boss's boss is giving him extra pressure to handle some Hongkies..but now it should have settled as the boss's boss is no longer the Tourism Minister.

William is the next most vocal nowadays...great work with his photo blog...I like the scenery/events that he tooked. Commenting here and there !

Heroes is now too bored to handle his current work engagement also did not participate much...may be missing his Dalian frens.

Mr. Tee has just introduced us the Bittorrent but I still like the Foochow crash course....(I did laugh out very loud....)

Bravo to Sweet Ivy who still manage to put up a very interesting blog barely few weeks after her delivery...

Hansac as usual will come in to put great comments without favour or fear but straight through his mind...especially with his lots of ideas.

Pat is also very quiet now...but like the way he wrote about J in his latest blog...such a great way to appreciate a person...mungkinkah first touch ?

Ardy & Ted, mana you ? hilang macam Dato Ahmad ? Sii Jing, Dave & Mag...busy chasing dreams..

Oh..yes... WH...are your cannon balls still operational ? Miss the battle that few of us had last year where it hooked us day and night.

Even the shout box also now collecting dust...

Must get some butts moving...now...I would like to start another tag like the one we had but this round, is tagging to write sharing on our blog. Topic, anything interesting and I am sure everyone has a lot ideas/experiences/opinions to share even on your toilet bowl...

So, I tag Hansac first !