My Better Half's Birthday

My better half,my significant other,the mother of my children,the grandma of my grandson,my love,my life,my dear wife celebrates her birthday today. Milah,you have been patient with me,the kids.You always stood by us when things are bad.You encouraged us with your unflinching support. We may not agree sometimes but I always see your point of view. Sometimes I feel helpless without you. On your birthday,I can't promise you expensive gifts.I can only promise you my utmost devotion,my endless love. The kids and I will forever be at your side throughout our lives. Have a nice birthday my dear.

Mykad

I saw this familiar looking lady on the 8pm news on TV3 last night.She was one of the last minute applicants for Mykad at the PJ Registration Office.Why last minute,sister ? Too busy ? I hope you didn't have to wait too long. My disabled son Fadzlil applied for his Mykad 2 weeks ago.For him it was plain sailing. No need to get a number.No need to queue up. Disables like him are given special priviledges. A path was cleared for him and his wheelchair and driver Fahmie.Thank you nice folks. The photographing and thumbprinting only took about 10 minutes.The officers were very helpful and understanding.Thank you JPN Kepala Batas. It was not like some of those horror stories going around about the hostile Registration Offices in some places. Government officials in small towns like Kepala Batas are more people friendly and tolerant than those officers in the main towns.

A year after Tsunami

One year ago,2004,a disaster hit our shores.The tsunami. The worst hit was North Sumatra (especially Bandar Acheh).The whole city was destroyed.150,000 people lost thir lives. 58 people died in Malaysia (in Penang,Kota Kuala Muda,Kedah,Pulau Langkawi) Most of the victims were picnickers and fishermen. Millions of ringgit were collected for the victims.So many pledges were made.Promising new boats for the fishermen,housing for those who lost their homes. They got shoddy houses .walls so thin you can hear the next door neighbour fart. Leaky roofs,poor sewerage system.This is in Kuala Muda. Fishermen were given outboard motors.I recall one fisherman saying.What good is an outboard motor if I dont have a boat.At least I can paddle it.You expect me to lug that motor on my back and swim out to sea to catch fish. It looks like aid has not been properly distributed.These people lost their livelihoods. Quickly give them their boats and nets. It also seems that those delegated to provide the aid have been aiding the undeserving spongers. CM Mahdzir and CM Tsu Koon better look in at this hanky panky in your states.

Losing a Language

Sometimes when I reread my posts I find that they are not so great. My narratives sound so bo..ring. Maybe because I was with the government.Everything was in BM. So my English suffered a bit.The news papers helped me to stay tuned to the language. My younger office mates couldn't string a decent English sentence. Some were proffessionals mind you.U Grads ! Hey even my kids can't converse properly in English.Peer influence ? Lousy education system,lousy English teachers. How could my kids be not fluent in English.Their mum (my Missus) wouldn't even try.She was Malay educated. I have conversed with my kids.They can but they are not that confident. They developed this phobia from their schools and school mates. You know,rural Malays like to ridicule those who speak English.Speaking London kunun. The kampung people will forever be under their coconut shell. When I meet my peers and siblings,our conversations slips naturally into English. Our children have also started to read and write English.Thanks to the Internet and tv. My sister used to write great essays in her younger days. My brother is a journalist and so is my bro in law.In English. I do not want my kids to be in a rut like their school and kampong mates.

Shahman's Birthday.

My 4th son,Shahman turns 19 today. A very big and husky young man.He towers over all of us. Now in his 2nd year at UniKL. Happy birthday Shahman from all of us. Be sure to study hard,work hard and don't neglect your health. Don't forget to pray every day. WE love you.

Qholiff's wedding Part Two

There's something about weddings and Raya .Those are the rare times when I get to meet my siblings and in-laws.Otherwise it is so hard to meet them.Unless I take the trouble to visit their parts of the world. I feel that I am the one who always `goes' but nobody comes unless it is Raya or something that they need me for. I don't mind,I understand,Why do I and my family have to live in this distant corner of the globe. Qholiff's wedding was such an occassion. Each time there is a wedding in the family,the whole family contributes thei part if not financially,at least with our sweat and support . Our family home in Brown Garden was the venue of Qholiff's wedding reception. Bro Fajar the local resident took charge of the tents and catering and the carpenters constructing the pelamin. Helinna was the conceptualist and finance manager. The theme this time is the Swinging Sixties.Colour theme light blue and gold. Music played will be Beatles era and Malay Pop Yeh Yeh stuff. Decorations : Mary Quant flower logos painted blue and gold,hanging and pasted in the house and in the tents.Jeni and cousin Rose produced the manila card flowers. The boys helped out in painting. The ladies will take care of the pelamin and its trimmings and relevant ornaments. The reception was held Saturday 17th December at 8.30pm. Our family seldom host a traditional type of wedding feast.(The one that goes on all afternoon from 12 to 6). 6 tents were raised all along the road right in front of our house and neighbours'. 3 more tents on the playground facing the house. 2 tents meant for the main table for the bridal couple and all their siblings and cousins. One tent set aside for a band presentation by Qholiff and cousins and the deejay. Izron and Fauziah started welcoming guests and relatives who started streaming in from 8 pm. The bridal couple were lead by the family kids in blue and gold.Girls in blue,boys in gold shirts followed by the bride's family.After the bersanding and merinjis,the kids and the bridal couple went to their special tent. While the guests dined Qholiff and his band boys,Aqil,Ayee and Ben started the musical session.First ,he dedicated a couple of songs for Maheran. When the grooving mood was set, the uncles,aunts and kids contributed their vocal talents.Maheran's family brought out their talents too. Maheran's parents Norma and Munir led the rest of the guests and family in a rousing joget. The session had to end at midnight,out of consideration to our tolerant neighbours. Ever since his injury,this was the first time that Fadzlil attended a wedding reception in Penang.He was always left behind with Fahmie. He thoroughly enjoyed himself. I could see that he was stressed out sitting on the wheel chair for such a long time. And my daughter Lina had to stay in the house all the time.She had mumps. As my two kids were getting uncomfortable ,we said our goodbyes. On my visit,the next day,they told me nobody slept until three a.m. What a party !

Qholiff's Wedding Part One

Congratulations Qholiff and Maheran on your marriage. Qholiff is my bro Izron's son.Maheran is my cousin Norma's daughter. The akad ceremony was held Friday night 9th December. Our family sort of agreed that our spokesman would be our uncle (mum's lil bro) Ismet.After all,he had dilligently prepared a pantun script for the occassion. (This guy,Ismet is the kind that seems to know everybody,big or small,and everything). After the handing over of the dowry and exchange of presents,it was time for the akad nikah (marriage ceremony).The bride's father undertook to perform the task .As uncles of the groom,my brothers and me expected to be one of the witness.We were disappointed.Ismet was given that priviledge. During the akad,the bride's father Munir said "Aku nikahkan dikau Mohd Izron.." Everybody laughed. When he got the groom's name right,Qholiff laughed because of the first mistake.Everything went perfectly the second time. The wedding reception was held on Sunday December 11th at Dewan Tun Razak near PWTC.This was hosted by the bride's family.This was no ordinary reception.The guests of honour were the King and Queen. Prior to the occassion,the bride and groom,their parents,their best men and brides maids were rigourously schooled on royal protocol so as not to disrespect the royals. The turn out exceeded the RSVPs.You know,RSVP 2 people,turn up 10 (children,grandma,grandpa,etc) because of the royal couples' presence,I think. Who are the King and Queen for the day,anyway ? There were even some meany datuks and datins who hog the tables reseved for family.They put their handbags,phones,shoes,socks so that no one can sit there,only their favoured friends.They even had the gall to shoo away our kids. We didn't do anything because this is not our party,and we we didn't want to embarrass our hosts Munir & Norma and family. Actually both the King and Queen are very down to earth and friendly folks. That's the impression we got from my bro and the bridal couple.It would have been quite stressfull if the royal couple were stuffy and snotty,like some of those pompous datuks and datins. It was a very nice reception.Everybody went back satisfied.

Egg in Our Face

We've all got egg in our face. The girl who was in the famous ear squats video is a Malay girl. Not a Chinese national as all of us were made to believe. The Sino-centric press and politicians had a field day harassing the government and police. Will they sing the same song now they know she is not Chinese? The Home Minister has gone to apologise to the Chinese government.Rightly so,because there are still incidents of abuse and impropriety against Chinese nationals. Not just Chinese,even Indons,Banglas and other foreigners,even locals like that Malay girl. Better keep your lawmen in line Mr PM. Note: Today 15th December is my late elder brother Emran's birthday. Al Fatihah.May Allah bless your soul and place you among the solleh.

Anniversary

Today 4th December is our 28th wedding anniversary. I was just a junior government officer then.Earning about RM 500 per month. My wife Milah gave up her job in KL.I didn't allow her to work anymore. After our first child Firdaus was born, we moved to Bukit Mertajam where I was working. We shared a govt quarters in Bukit Tengah with my friend.My friend didn't want to stay there,so we had it all to ourselves.By then we already had two kids,Firdaus and Fahmie. And then my friend changed his mind and wanted to move back in.So we had to look for a new home.We rented a newly built house in Tanah Liat.The pakcik and makcik who owned the house were such nice folks.We were treated just like family. When I was late in paying rent ,the pakcik didn't mind.He was very understanding. They had three daughters and a daughter in law. Good friends to Milah. They were all very upset when we moved out.Our third son ,Fadzlil was born during our stay here. My application for a quarters was approved.We moved back to that same little house in Bukit Tengah.My family called it the little house on the praire (after that tv series). Its a single house (cabin) set back from the road with a big open space in front. The kids learnt to ride their bikes there. There is a well beside it.Whenever there is a water shortage (broken mains or cuts) we will bathe at the well.The water is clear,cold and refreshing. To prevent cattle and stray dogs loitering near our house,I got the department to erect a fence around our compound.The well is outside our compound.The villagers use it. The elder boys took a school bus to school at Kebun Sireh. Fadzlil went to kindy in Bukit Mertajam,near my office.His elder brothers also went to the same kindy . When Shahman came,our house in Tasek Gelugor was nearing completion. We moved here in 1990.Fadzlil started Standard One,Fahmie Std Three,Firdaus Std Six. Lina was born in 1991 and Shafiq in 1994. It took nearly 13 years until we finally have a place to call our own. Sometimes we were really hard up,and we had to scrape every cent to put food on the table.I have been buying milk powder since my first child was born in 1978 until now. My youngest son still drinks milk.The price of milk has tripled since 1978. Even though we were not well off,we never begged or borrowed from anyone.If somebody feels like giving,its okay. Now we are quite steady,but still not rich.We don't spend extravagantly,only when necessary. Sometimes,I feel sad that I can't afford to buy nice stuff for my wife and kids.They understand and they never demand anything.They are grateful with what I can give. This anniversary I have set aside a little something for my beloved and long suffering better half.I hope it will make her happy.

Blood Sucking Hospitals.

First of all my condolences to the family of Khairul Annuar.So sad that the hospital left him to die because the family could not pay the RM 5000 deposit on the spot. You bloody foreign owned private hospital, you think people carry RM 5000 in their pocket all the time ? Now the Health Minister Soi Lek has warned " From now on, any hospital, private or other that refuse to attend emergency cases immediately, will have their license and permits revoked." He only said that because it was reported on tv and the press that the boy was known to the DPM's family.You think he would be so concerned if it was your son or my son or some nobody's son ? Just think about it.Recall the many complaints in letters to newspapers. Was any action taken against these money grabbing hospitals ? No. Things start to happen in this country only when the powerful are involved. Good luck Malaysians.

The Lie

Everybody from the PM down to the Opposition,the NGOs and netizens love the Chinese. Or is it the money they are bringing in ? All because of that nude Chinese girl doing ear squats in the police station. And everybody is police bashing. What happened is really despicable.(I mean the bullying) The PM told the cops ," Investigate.No cover ups ." The No.2 Top Cop said," This is normal police procedure.We'll get the chap who shot the video." ???????? PM said " Set up an independent inquiry.I don't trust you cops." And then the deputy minister in charge of police said " Hey,the cops are following procedures you know.If you foreigners can't take the heat, get lost and don't come back." He was caught on camera when he said that. The PM ticked him off and ordered him to retract his statement or apologise.He grudgingly apologised and said " I was misunderstood.You reporters twisted my words." Everyone knows he is lying.Pak Lah just boot him out will you ? and the No.2 Top Cop also.They disobeyed you and embarassed you. All this because of a video of a naked Chinese girl doing ear squats in front of a makcik polis. If you surf the alternative news sites, you may find out that this practise (bullying in the police lockups) have been going on for donkey years. Nobody reprimanded the cops then. Only now, because our tourism ringgit is at stake. Tsk,tsk,tsk.