Cameron Highlands - Damaged By Human Greed

Sad to read in the news that the Cameron Highlands has been "raped" again by illegal land clearing. I worry that if such acts continue, then, Cameron Highlands will lose its charm as a cool, clean and prestine place for people to go for holidays.

It seems that the several departments and authorities that are responsible for the management of the area are just not responsible enough.

Pity because if these "rapes" keep going on, the damage will not be easy to fix and we will all lose this once beautiful highlands resort.

OE KL Reunion Dinner 2012

The Old Edwardians Kuala Lumpur held its reunion dinner at ZamZam Arabic Restaurant in Shah Alam on 13 Oct 2012.

I was not sure to attend earlier because I thought it would clash with my company trip to Jakarta. Fortunately, the company trip had its date changed thus allowed me to attend this dinner.

My neighbor, Sanuddin, who is my senior at school, offered to pick me up so that we could go together.

The class of MCE 1978 batch, coordinated by Mohamad ZamZam (no relations to the Restaurant) had managed to gather 16 names to attend (including myself). However, two could not turn up due to other appointments.

 

 

This time, there were four first-time attendees – Shaheri, Guna, Dr Yusof and Roslee Yusof.  I have not met this fellows since we left school in 1978 (except Guna who I had not met since 1982).

 

 
Entertainment was by a band from Seremban Police (courtesy of SAC Huzir) and a few members took up the challenge to sing a few songs.

 

All in, it was good to be able to meet up with old friends and to talk about old times.

 Hopefully, we will be able to meet again next year.

 

My Childhood Years 1961-1973

I was born on 8 November 1961 in the town of Taiping, Perak. I was the youngest child of seven siblings (4 boys and 3 girls). I vaguely remember my early childhood. Most of the memories are just fuzzy. However some are quite clear. Fortunately for me, my dad was an avid photographer. Therefore, I was able to save quite a number of the old pictures of myself and my family.

 

In 1961, we were staying at the Prisons Department Medical Staff Quarters, which was situated at Museum Lane. These quarters were located behind the Taiping Museum. The Prisons Department staff quarters were also located nearby and still in existence today. However, our old wooden quarters were demolished and a newer building was built in its place.

 

As I remember, there were still quite a number of British families (members of the Army and some other government departments) living in Taiping in that period. One or two of them were close family friends. One would see the “Orang Putih” playing golf at the old golf course near the Lake Gardens, their children playing at the playground or up in the Maxwell Hills. As the years passed, the “Orang Putih” just seemed to have gone from Taiping. My little mind did not realize, at that point of time, that after Merdeka, the British were leaving Malaya (later, Malaysia in 1963), except when we went to Penang. The “Orang Putih” was quite easily to be seen (the Australians from the RAAF Butterworth).



WIth brother Mahathir, at Taiping Prison Medical Staff quarters.

 

My dad was posted to the Bagan Serai Government Clinic which I remember a little bit. It was a two-storey building where the clinic was downstairs while we lived upstairs. The building was half-brick and half-plank. It was while in Bagan Serai, that my eldest sister (El-aisha) got married to a man named Ishak (we address him Yeop). Yeop Ishak was a Settlement Officer with the Kedah State government. On their wedding night, there was like a “ballroom” atmosphere with the ensemble from the Taiping Prisons Department playing.

Kindergarten sports day.

From Left - Me, Mustaza, Norliza.

I went to the kindergarten at the Treacher Methodist Girls School in 1967. I and a few kids, rode the trishaw for transport. Those days, there were not many motor cars on the roads, so riding the trishaw was safe. The trishaw men were either Pak Hassan or Pak Kassim. We were then, staying at a rented house at Jalan Beringin, Asamkumbang. This house was later owned by Cikgu Nor Azwa. It was probably in this year that my family went to Cameron Highlands (my first trip ever). Since all of us could not fit into dad’s car, brothers Muhandes and Monty went by bus. Sister Eleanor, brother Mahathir and I went by car with mom and dad. We stayed at a local hotel in Brinchang for two nights. The nights were really cold and the mornings very misty. On our return trip, dad’s car brakes was failing. He had to use the hand-brake whenever we took the corners (this was the old Tapah-Cameron Highlands road. The car was an old Ford station-wagon).

Family Pic (1966) at Jalan Beringin house.

 

In Cowboy outfit, at Jalan Beringin house.

 


Class Standard 1A 1968. Me, sitting first from left.
 

In 1968, I started my primary education at King Edward VII Primary School. Transport was by car driven by Chor Esah. At this point of time, my dad was posted to the Lumut District Hospital.  We had moved to another rented house at 76, Creagh Road.  Our immediate neighbors were an Indian family (Mr and Mrs Pillay) and a Chinese family, whose eldest son I remember, we called Ah Too. The Pillays had a cute little puppy named Whiskey.

House 76, Creagh Road, Taiping.

249, Jalan Harapan

 

In 1969, we moved to the house which my dad had bought through the Malay Housing Cooperative. It was situated at Jalan Harapan, Asamkumbang. The land was a former tin mine and I remember I saw the earthworks being done while we were staying in Jalan Beringin. I was then into my second year of primary school. During this time, the siblings who were still in the house was my third sister (Eleanor) and my two elder brothers (Monty and Mahathir). My eldest sister (El-aisha) was already married and staying in Sungai Petani, my eldest brother (Muhandes) was working with a bank in Kuala Lumpur and my second sister (Eliza) was a nurse in Johore Bharu. Sometime in May of that year, I was told I did not have to go to school. I asked why and my mom told me there was a curfew. Curfew? I did not understand the word at that time. My dad told us we must keep all doors and windows closed and stay indoors at all times. My dad was working at the Taiping District Hospital and he could still go to work (Only the essential government services were working while all other activities were closed). My dad had a big red-cross sticker pasted on his Honda motor-cycle (dad could not afford to have a car then and those days, our medical services had red crosses before the change to the red crescent). The red cross was to indicate that he was working with the Taiping District Hospital in case he was stopped by police patrols. On several occasions, he was transported by the hospital van with police escort.



My eigth birthday flanked by Mahathir's friends.

 

I think I did not go to school for at least two weeks. From the TV, I learnt that there were some troubles in Kuala Lumpur and the army was called in to help the police to regain security. Since we could not get fresh food, we had to eat rice and tinned sardines every day. My dad had always stocked up a lot of canned sardines and beans. Probably because he and mom had bitter experiences of the Second World War and the Malayan Emergency (Presently, I too would ensure there is sufficient stock of canned foods in my house, at least to last five days). Anyway, when the curfew was lifted, I was really glad to be back at school. We boys shared our experiences of what we did when we were just “stuck” inside our homes. As for me, those two weeks were spent on playing toys.

Another significant event that happened in 1969 was the Apollo 11 landing on the moon. My dad had bought a special pictorial magazine printed by LIFE Magazine. Over the years, the magazine had become tattered and was lost. Could be very valuable if I had kept in mint condition.



Standard 2A 1969. Teachers Mrs Kong and Mrs Dilip Singh
Me, standing, back row, second from right.

 

In 1970, my second sister (Eliza) got married to a navy officer named Abdul Khalid. The wedding was considered a grand Malay wedding with the Navy officer sword-bearers forming a “gateway” for the bride and groom when they arrived. Many friends and relatives gathered at our house for the khenduri (feast) during the day and night.

Family photo (1970). Me, sitted in the center, between Mom and Dad.

It was in the same year, I got mumps which caused my face to look funny. This sickness was called "Bengkak Cantik" in Malay. My mother applied some foul smelling concoction on my face and I had to wear a necklace. I must have been a away from school almost two weeks and I missed being present for my class photograph. Only one classmate asked my dad about me. He was Looi Kwok Choong. His dad owned a licensed liquor shop and the only shop that pumped Esso petrol.
 

 

In 1971, dad bought me my first bicycle. I could not remember the brand but the bicycle could be folded into two. Since I was a little boy of 10 years of age, that bicycle was little bit tall for me to ride. It took me quite a while to learn to ride that bicycle. I fell on a few occasion on the grass compound of the house. Eventually, I was able to ride the bicycle with confidence.

My eleventh birthday. From left - Elaini, me, Izurina and Shaiful. My nephew and nieces.

Class Standard 5A 1972. Teacher - Mr Ong Chuan Keng.
Me, squatting, second from right.

My dad went for his Haj in 1972. He went to Mecca with the Tabung Haji Medical Mission. For the trip, he was to board the ship, Malaysia Kita, from Penang (those days, Haj pilgrimage was  transported by two ships chartered from Hong Kong – named Malaysia Raya and Malaysia Kita). This period, only my brother Mahathir was staying with me and mom. All the rest was already working in Kuala Lumpur. Dad was away for the Haj for more than a month. As for provisions, kedai Ah Leng would sell fish, meats and vegetables using a bicycle. Later, he employed an Indian boy name Ganesan to do that. As for groceries like rice, flour and sugar, mom would telephone Kedai Noor Ghanie in Taiping and the goods delivered by tricycle. I also remember, there was one Pak Cik who sold chicken eggs using his Honda motor-cycle. The eggs were stacked neatly in the basket carrier on the motor-cycle. I was happy to meet my dad when he arrived at Penang port from Mecca.

 

My mom went for her Haj in 1973. I remember the day we sent her to board the ship, Malaysia Raya, at Penang Port. My mom went to Mecca with an aunty whom we called Wan Gayah. Before the departure, we had stayed at her daughter’s house (Kak Za and husband, Abang Baharin) near Paya Terubong, Penang. While my mom was away for her hajj, dad took care of brother Mahathir and me. Who did the cooking for us? This was quite fuzzy but I think we had a maid who stayed with us back then. Those days, kampong girls were willing to work as maids (before factories began to employ them in droves). As for washing clothes, we had an Indian woman whom we called Tanggachee who came once in two days to help wash and iron our clothes. Tanggachee had worked with us for many years already. Her husband was our gardener and he also worked as the hospital general labourer. For my mom’s return trip, I did not go to Penang to meet her since I had to go to school. So, I was only able to meet my mom when I came home from school.

 

Class Standard 6A 1973. Teacher - En Ahmad Taridi.
Me, standing back row, first from left.

 What about dad’s uniform? Since dad’s uniform required to be washed and starched, his uniform was sent to a Chinese dhobee service. I am sure the older generation remembers how the starched uniform looked like and felt. The pants were hard stiff that they could be made to stand by themselves.

 

I reached my twelfth birthday in November 1973. A small party was held attended by mom, dad, brother Mahathir, sister Eliza and her two children (Elaini and Ezham) and my nephew Shaiful ( sister El-aisha’s eldest son). My dad had bought for me my second bicycle, a Raleigh Chopper. Those days, a Chopper bicycle was really a big deal for a present. I was truly joyed to get that bicycle which I had owned right up until I started working in the 1980’s. What happened to my older bicycle? It was given to my nephew, Shaiful.

 

 

 

 

Thus we reached the end of my childhood stories. To be continued – My Teen Years, next episode.

 

 

 

 

How Do We Live Our Life

Yesterday my family visited my wife's cousin who is in a bitter battle with cancer. Looking at her, brought sad memories of my good friend who died due to cancer a few years ago. Really, really sad to look at someone you know who was in good health years ago now has become weak and frill.

This morning, more sad news. I heard on the radio that Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, had died. Why or how could this man be associated to my life?

You see, the Apollo 11 Mission, the first man's landing on the moon in 1969, that year I was 8 years old. I was in school Primary Two when this historic event took place. I am sure to say that many boys dreamt of being an astonaut, to fly space-ships and to fly into space.

My father bought a special issue of Life magazine that contained a lot of pictures of the Apollo 11 mission. I regret very much for not have kept the magazine in prime condition.

News of other people's death and knowing someone would die soon reflects on my own mortality. Sadly, human beings inevitably die.

I remember to have read in Robin Sharma's book, something about questioning yourself,"How would you live your life if you know you would die tomorrow?".

There was another line he wrote, "Who will cry when you die?".

In his book, Robin suggested one to make a list of "100 Things To Do Before I Die". I tried writing up the list but I think I reached less than twenty items. Eighty more to think of.

Man, I got to Think, Act, Live.....

Visited An Old Friend This Hari Raya

On the second day of Aidil Fitri, decided to visit a very old friend that I have not seen since the 1980’s, Roslan Hussein Merican. I first knew Roslan in 1981 when I was posted to Kwong Yik Bank Wisma Central branch. I was a new staff to the bank and Roslan was the first person to befriend me. Not only he treated me like a new colleague but I felt like he accepted me like a cousin.

At Roslan's house near Ampang Hilir, 1981.

After my transfer to SImpang, Taiping branch, Roslan was posted to the branch as relief Chief Cashier twice. On both occasion, Roslan stayed at my house in Asamkumbang.

On one weekend, I took Roslan for a walk up the Maxwell Hills together with my friends.

Maxwell Hills trip, 1982. Roslan in white t-shirt.

We lost touched after I left Kwong Yik Bank in 1986. By that time, Roslan was promoted to an Officer position and was transferred out of KL to other KYB branches in Terengganu and Kelantan.

It was this year (2012)that I got back in touch with Roslan through my daughter. It happened to be my daughter, Nina and Roslan’s daughter, Ika, were in the same college several years ago. Nina mentioned to me that Ika’s father is a very senior staff with RHB Bank ever since the KYB days. So I ask, what is her father’s name. Nina answered,”His name is Roslan Hussein”. I asked again,”Roslan Hussein Merican?”. Nina replied in positive. I mentioned to her that “uncle” Roslan is indeed my friend. I took out those few pictures that we took of the Maxwell Hills trip many years ago.

When I got Roslan’s mobile number from Ika through Nina, I sent an SMS to him. To my joy, Roslan replied in positive that he remembers me and my old model train set (Many years ago, I had a model electric train set on 8 feet x 4 feet base).  Ah! After all these years, we are able to get reconnected.

On this year’s Hari Raya, I decided to pay him a visit. It was great to finally meet Roslan again. I had intended for a short visit but we stayed for 4 hours.

We bade our goodbyes but rest assured, we will meet again soon.

My Hari Raya Memories

What was Hari Raya celebrations like when I was kid? I had fond memories of those years. What I enjoyed most was helping my mother baking cookies. Yes, my mother baked her own Hari Raya cookies when she was younger. As usual, she would also bake two butter cakes for the occasion. My help involved beating the eggs in a large bowl using a spring-coil like beater. Then, I would beat the dough too. For a young boy that sure took a lot of effort. That stopped when my sister bought her the motorized baking “assistant” which could be used for “beating” eggs and to mix dough.

If she needed coconut milk (santan), I would be the champion to scrape the coconut flesh using the old style coconut scraper. You know, the type that you had to sit on it with the sharp scraper protruding forward. In the later years, we would just buy the scraped coconut from nearby grocery store in Asamkumbang (Kedai Ah Leng).

 On the baking part, I was told to stay away from the hot gas oven. My help here would be to store the cookies in the tins. Usually, a few burnt ones would be given to me as a reward.

Approaching Hari Raya, my elder siblings would be home to spend a few days of the fast before the big day. My sister would “shanghai-ed” me to help with other chores – clean the brass wares with brasso. Sometimes, I would be asked to help with changing of the curtains.

One task I dislike most was when I had to prepare the kerosene lamps to be put along the fence and around the house. I would have to collect all of them the next morning.  Because we lived in house with large compound, there were so many lamps that I had to handle.  There must have been 80 to 100 of those lamps. These lamps were a mixed of ready made ones bought from the shops or home-made from old Brands Essence of Chicken bottles. It was a messy job after mending the lamps and pouring of kerosene into them.

Come Hari Raya, the most enjoyable moment was getting “duit raya” from my parents and elder siblings. I also enjoyed the visits to my other relatives who lived at Pokok Asam, Kampong Pinang (Kamunting), Matang, Bagan Serai and Titi Serong, near Parit Buntar.

Ahh! Sweet memories ….

My Train Journeys - Part 2.

In 1981, I began to work as a Bank Clerk/Teller in a bank at Kuala Lumpur. I left my beloved hometown, Taiping, on the Express Rakyat on a fine Saturday morning and arrived KL that afternoon. I went to my brother’s house in Taman Permata. It has been agreed that I stay with him for that few months until my transfer to Taiping some months later. I got the job primarily due to the bank needed people from Taiping to staff its new branch to be opened in Simpang, Taiping. During that few months while I worked in KL, I made regular trips home by train. Those days, we had to work half-day on Saturdays. Therefore,  I would take the Express Rakyat Northbound (Singapore-Butterworth) on Saturday afternoon and arrived Taiping that night. Sunday, I would return to KL with the Night Mail and arrived KL Monday morning and went straight to work. I would wash-up myself at the Wisma Central toilet before I start work. After I passed my probation period and  was qualified to use my Annual Leave, I would return to KL with the morning Express Rakyat Southbound (Butterworth- Singapore). That time, the Express Sinaran services were not yet available.

Sometimes, I would use the express buses but I always preferred to use the trains. Perhaps, I just enjoyed the train rides more than travel by bus.

So, what were the memorable moments in those train travels?

One, I met up with a my former school-mate, Wong Tat Weng, on one train trip from KL to Taiping. Tat Weng was working with an accounting firm in KL. That evening, our Express Rakyat journey had to end at Kuala Kangsar station. There was a goods train that had derailed near Bukit Berapit. We were informed that passengers will continue the journey by buses. Since the arranged buses had not arrived yet, some of us walked to KK bus station to ride the KK-Taiping express bus. I have not met Wong Tat Weng since.

Two, on one of my trip to Taiping, one passenger played the “newly released” 1981 Air Supply cassette on his portable cassette player over and over again. Remember, those were the years before CDs was invented.

Three, I enjoyed the view of the marshlands along Batu Gajah-Lahat- Ipoh line. Once in while, I could spot the Weaver Bird’s nest among the trees by the trackside. Hmm, I wonder whether this marshy area still exist now.

Four, the track-side vendors were still in existence only they could not board the express trains because these trains only stopped at the main stations for a short time. However, I could remember one pakcik who sold curry-puffs(big sized and full of filling whether beef or chicken). This pakcik would board the train from Malim Nawar until Kampar station or vice versa. Each curry-puff cost RM2 (1980’s). I would usually bought two. Oh, yummy!

I was transferred to Taiping sometime in the middle of 1981. While working in Taiping, I made monthly trips to KL, sometimes by express bus mostly by express trains. Why the monthly trips you might ask? Alright, the trips were to visit my girlfriend who live in KL (she still does. She is my wife now). Ah! What a young man would do for a girl, eh.

This went on until mid 1983, when I got the job in the Bank’s EDP (Electronic Data Processing) Department and moved back to Kuala Lumpur. This was the time that I had begun to be permanently located in KL. It was a sad day when I left  my Taiping home in my old Fiat 124ST (my late father’s car). I still remember my sad mother’s face waving goodbye from the house front door.

Thus, from then onwards, I made my monthly trips to Taiping to visit my mother and my beloved hometown. As a Systems Operator, I had to work on shift. Between the weekly shift cycle change, everyone was entitled a two days off. So, after every payday, I would travel to Taiping. Usually by train, sometimes I drove in that old Fiat but it was tiring (no PLUS highway yet) and sometimes by express bus.

If I went back home by train or bus, I would move about in Taiping by my old Chopper bicycle. That time, I was still a young (and slim) man. So, to ride a Chopper bike was not strange (my mom sold away the Chopper bicycle when I had grown “older” and bigger. My bottom got achy because of its slim seat).

When I was working in Citibank in the 1990’s, I even took the night train to Butterworth and visit Penang first. After an on overnight stay, then, I would go to Taiping to visit my mom. On these few occasions, I was able to meet up two of my school friends, Ban Heng (who works in Penang) and Karunamurthy (who studied at USM).  The most magnificient view on this journey was when the train passed through the Bukit Merah Lake, between Parit Buntar and Bagan Serai stations. By this time, KTMB had added the Sinaran Express services. Another beautiful sight is the swing railbridge near Prai.

This monthly trips went on right up until the year 2001 when I had to go to Singapore to work. In the 1990’s my mom had become quite weak due to her age and she needed someone to help her collect her monthly pensions at BSN bank. Of course, this monthly trips were usually by train. I just enjoyed the trains rides compared to riding the bus. It was more relaxed too, especially when I rode in the sleeping berth of the Senandung Malam trains.

In 2001, I went to work in Singapore for three years. The first trip down a day before I reported for duty, I rode the Senandung Malam Southbound train on the Second Class Sleeping Berth.  While working in Singapore, I travelled weekly to KL to visit my family. The trips were mostly by express bus (cheaper) and sometimes by train when I am not in a hurry.  However, several times, the Senandung Malam trains had encountered delays. I remember once due to another train derailment and two occasions due to floods near Gemas.  KTMB transferred affected passengers by local buses to the next station, where we would continue our journey to Singapore by train.

In 2004, I returned to Kuala Lumpur to work. By these time, I resumed to visit Taiping every month but usually by driving my car. Sadly, my mom had reached a frail state due to her age. It was easier for me to drive home because I had to collect her pensions on her behalf.

So, here it ends of my travels by train. I have yet to take a train ride right to Bangkok. Future plans will include to travel Europe by train and to ride the AMTRAK in North America.