Well Served

Sometime in the early half of the 1990s I had to travel alone to Kuala Lumpur because of a family emergency.  The spouse drove me to Heathrow but we were caught in a bad traffic jam because of an accident on the worst Ring Road in Britain, the M25.

I very almost missed the check-in at MAS counter and as a result I could only get one of the worst seats on the plane,  in the smoking area.  At that time they had the ridiculous idea that it was fine for non-smokers if the puffers were kept to the back of the plane.

When the passengers on either side of me started to light up their cigarettes, I found myself gasping for breath.  I had to ask the stewardess for a change of seat because I could not cope with this for the next  16 (?) hours.  I could see the plane was full and she would have a problem getting me another seat.  To get some respite from the smokers I had to get out of my seat and take a 'walk' away from the two and other chimneys in the rear of the plane.  Then about half an hour or so  I was informed that they had got a seat for me in the non-smoking zone.  I almost cried with relief.

As I packed my stuff I saw a young Malay man approaching to take over the infernal seat.  I realized then that he had responded to the stewardess's effort to help me by giving up his non-smoking seat.  As I left, I grasped his hand and said,  "Terima kasih 'nak.  Macik tak tahan asap rokok".  He smiled and said "Tak apa macik".

I was taken to a seat next to an aisle seat.  The young Malay man stood up to let me through, made sure I had settled down properly before he sat down.  He asked me in English,   "Auntie okay now?"  I smiled a grateful  'yes'.  I then informed him that I'm actually a macik, in other words a Malay.  He was taken aback and apologized for getting it wrong.  I assured him that this happened to me all the time.  After all I had a Chinese grandmother!  He nodded and smiled.

There were 6-8 other young Malays sitting nearby.  They all had the same haircut typical of men in the Services.  They were neatly dressed, long-sleeved shirts and slacks and neck ties.  I found out later they were ratings from TLDM  (Royal Malaysian Navy) and had just ended a training stint in a new Destroyer that had been purchased by the NAVY.

Their bearing and manners were immaculate and faultless.

 I smile whenever I recall this experience.  After the meals, my young neighbour would very kindly ask me if I needed to go for a 'comfort stop'.  I though that was so considerate of him.  Whenever I did, he would remove himself completely from his seat and stood to the side to let me through.  The whole scenario was repeated when I returned to my seat.

Much later, the young man who took over my seat from hell came to see me and inquired, "Macik selesa sekarang?"  I nodded my head, smiled and thanked him.

Bless them all, bless the training they had, bless TLDM for producing these kind and caring Malaysians.  And they did all this without bothering who they were doing it for.  That is Satu Malaysia from nearly 20 years ago!

Two weeks ago, when the spouse was resting in the Hospital, I would wander off to Mydin for a bit of shopping. Of course my 'bit' ended up with a full basket.  When it came to my turn to pay at the cashier, the young Malay man who was before me, lifted up my laden basket to place it on the counter. He had almost  exactly the same haircut and same straight bearing of those TLDM men on that MAS flight.

Yesterday, on my way home from Immigration Damansara the  meter on the taxi chalked up the lowest fare of all my six taxi trips.  The taxi driver had just started  his new occupation.  He told me he had only recently retired from the Army.

What training do they give to such members of the Armed Forces to make them a cut above the rest?  Can this be transferred to the other Government Departments, to the schools and Universities? Please????

A Malay Man from A.W. Hamilton's "Malay Proverbs"

I know I've been slagging off most things Malaysian.  We are not the most efficient and well-organized country but I believe there's a core of softness and decent flexibility which is absent in some robotically-efficient and many developed countries.  Malaysia has an accommodating heart - that is why those who originate from foreign shores can gain entry and gain a livelihood here , even though they now kick up such a stink about their  so-called plight.

Orang yang kenyang kalau di jamu, lauk yang sedap di-kata tawar.

A well-fed man if offered food
Will say nice dishes are no good.
Those who are with good things sated
Often call them over-rated.

From Malay Proverbs, Bidal Melayu, A.W.  Hamilton , 3rd Edition 1947 (First Edition 1937)

That last taxi driver who took me home yesterday by the shortest route reminded me of the generous and unsolicited kindness of some members of Malaysia's Defence Forces to a litle old lady.

 Now that we have the movie 'The Last Communist'.  Can we have another of  'The Last Pahlawan' ?




Oh yes, mission successful at Immigration Damansara yesterday.

Moaning Minnie Back Again

Last week on Thursday I went to Immigration at Damansara to extend Iain's Visa.  They were good enough to accept his absence (with the help of the letter from the Specialist).  But to be on the safe side I brought along the marriage certificate in case they queried our liaison.

The office for Visa Application and Extension is well and truly a waiting room.  You must be prepared to wait and keep awake because the air-con has given up the ghost. Also the escalator doesn't work and this room is on the top fourth floor.  One good sign: the counters for "Social Visit Pass' were fully manned.

After submitting the form, I waited an hour before I heard the call for my number (4034) to report to Counter 7.  I was informed  very nicely that the application could not be processed that very day, that "Keputusan akan diketahui selepas 3 hari bekerja".   Fair enough I thought, because this was the second visa extension from this office.  We don't normally have to do this because we always travel to Singapore to visit the Rainbow Kids .  But this time Iain was just not fit enough to travel that distance.

This morning I got to the office by 9.30.  As I was queuing for my number, this mother and son (no, they're not Malaysians, they look like Central Europeans) tried to potong my jalan.  I spoke to them very nicely (through gritted teeth) and said that this was a queue.  The son, aged about 17, replied in a somewhat bolshie manner that it was only for one question.

So, I capitulated.  As I suspected, it was more than a question.  And  HOORAY, the officer behind the counter told them to go to the end of the line.  YAH, BOO, SUCKS!!!! 

There was still no air-con, the escalator was just as kaput as on Thursday.  I waited again (only standing room), and after an hour my number (4044) was called.  At  Counter 8, the young officer went through a pile of papers  to search for the spouse's application. Nothing. He tried again.  Still nothing.

Why?  I asked.
 "It's still waiting for the Director's signature."
When can I get it, because I was advised to come here today? 
"You could wait here".
For how long?
"I don't know - maybe all afternoon."
But my husband has just had an operation and I cannot leave him on his own all day.
"Then maybe you can come here tomorrow."

So, tomorrow it has to be, to wait for the pen-pushers to get going.


As I left that packed, sweaty and noisy office I looked at the patient, weary faces of the men , women, mothers and fathers, restless and crying children , toddlers,  babies in buggies or in their mothers' arms waiting and waiting.  What am I fretting about? 

Got back home at 11.30.  I vented my frustration at the spouse - he could not get away hee hee!  I grumbled a text message to Din.  He was as usual - cool and comforting.

But .... I am now conversant with the many ways of getting to Immigration Damansara and to our abode by taxi. They range from MR17 to MR20.  Who knows what route tomorrow will bring?  And as for the spouse's visa,  please, please be there!

I shall not fret.  I shall not get frustrated.  I must not be upset.  I must not be defeated.  I will be philosophical.  I will smile at this confounding circumstances and .....

 

When I was working at CPI in Leicester, the youngsters would nudge me to listen to this song whenever it was played on Radio 1 because they think I am too serious when I'm at work.

Aaaahh .......  now that I feel a wee bit better after that lovely reminiscence,  here's a rib tickler.
At the Immigration Office I saw this notice.

Petition Writers and Touts tidak dibenarkan Masuk

Years ago  when we were in Tawau, I took a photograph of this notice stuck to the door of the 'Ketua Pos Tawau'.

SORRY!!!  SALESMAN/FORTUNE TELLER WILL NOT BE ENTERTAINED.

And I posted it to the spouse with this message.

Right! That's the end of the entertainment.

Wish me good tidings for tomorrow.

We're Blessed

Just been upstairs to give the spouse his bed-time mug of Milo and as I shut the bedroom door he said, "We're blessed".

Today's blessings came in the form of Lely and Oi Bek.

It had been a hectic morning sorting out the two workmen who were here to make cupboards and book shelves for the rooms upstairs.  The spouse had to be shunted from our bedroom to the guest room  and after taking him his breakfast upstairs I went down to the kitchen for my toast and coffee.

Then I heard Salam Alaikum through the din of the workmen's drilling?  Now who could that be at this time of morning?

I saw Lely with her face pressed against the French window and Oi Bek strolling in through the front door.  You could have knocked me down with a feather!!  Must admit I was a bit tearful when I saw them!

They had taken the 7.10 am flight from Singapore to give Unc and Teech  a surprise visit - to cheer up Uncle and to take over the cooking and the tea-making and  the washing up from Miss Hamid.  And for all of Saturday, until they left for the airport at 7.30 pm they did just that - and lots more.

After a brief chit-chat to get over my shock, they prepared two trays.  One with coffee and tea, the other with Lely's home-made tuna sandwiches and then proceeded upstairs to give Iain a happy shock.  He was over the moon and their presence cheered him up no end.  We had been feeling a bit blue and worn-out during this period of recuperation.  Oi Bek and Lely brought the sunshine.

And we all sat around his bed eating up the  curry puffs (from Lely), and downing mugs of tea. I also encouraged them to nag him to behave, to reduce his speed while jogging on the Zimmer frame and to always listen to 'she who must be obeyed'.  I too got a dose of telling-off.  I was ordered to sit down and do absolutely nothing. Oh what joy! Later, when the sky brought down a little deluge of  rain and as the cool breeze blew into the room,  it felt like our cup of joy had runneth over.

They left him to rest later in the afternoon while they sorted out the clutter in the kitchen.  Lely bagged the rubbish and together they carried it to the bin outside.  Oi Bek did a smashing job of the washing up ( and she gets 8 out of 10 for that performance) while Lely cooked the rice for the cats' dinner, scrubbed the top of the stove and all the other nitty-gritty jobs in the kitchen.

We had  late tea of Oi Bek's apple pie and my custard, a must for the spouse whenever he has apple pie.  Time flies when you're having fun and all too soon the taxi came to pick them up to get them to KLIA.

Oi Bek and Lely, how can we thank you?  Words fail us.  What did we do to deserve this loving and selfless concern?  All I did was to have been your teacher for two years.

So thank you to our two angels.  Loads of love and kisses and God bless you.

I knew that one day it would come to this .........

Our car  after the accident on 26 Sept

On Monday 26 September  the spouse was driving to Tung Shin Hospital for his hip-replacement surgery.  We were on the main road at Jalan Jelatek maneuvering our way through the usual morning traffic jam when we heard a loud bang.  A car was coming from a minor road,  driven by a female Malay SYT ( sweet young thing) who had misjudged her sneaky attempt to 'celuk' into Jalan Jelatek and hit our car instead.

As I was the closest to her car, I could see this female Malay SYT gesticulating angrily at us from inside her car.  I signalled to her to stop a short distance away and both cars moved  ahead to park next to the kerb at Jalan Jelatek.
Now,  accidents happen and we all, young and old, male and female, Malay, Chinese, Indian and  also 'orang putih'  should be able to deal with the situation in a civilized manner. It's only a car, for heaven's sake.  There are no bad cars, only bad drivers with nasty attitudes.

We stepped out of our car and  the female Malay SYT driver walked towards us in a huff declaring in English,  "Why you do not stop?"  (quoted in verbatim)

The bloody cheek I thought!  She was the one who should stop, coming from a side road!  The spouse was livid when he heard this - and he was on his way to the Hospital for an operation!!

This was my retort in Malay,   "Mengapa  kurang ajar?  Siapa yang salah? Siapa yang cuba celuk? Siapa yang langgar siapa?  Tak lulus Highway Code kah?

She was taken aback because she did not expect me to tell her off in Malay.  And I was getting more and more concerned about the effect of this accident and the female Malay SYT's   insolence on Iain's stress level - he was due for a major operation in five hours' time!!

When I asked for her details, she resorted to the usual weapon of tears and said she would speak to her father.  To cut a long story short, her father called me and in a roundabout way asked that I make no police report and that he would pay for the repair. 

When I made this posting on 12 November 2009, "Beautiful Baby Driving a Car" ,
http://anaksihamid.blogspot.com/2009/11/beautiful-baby-driving-car.html
I did not expect to experience the full impact and reality of the female Malay SYT's stupid driving and arrogance.  We have had minor and bad  skirmishes on the road in England but these kapirs   never displayed such crassness and irresponsibility. 

For the rest of the journey to the Hospital we kept each other calm and yesterday, Syukur Alhamdulillah, we got home safe and sound.  Iain's operation was a success and for the next few weeks the cobalt-titanium man will spend his days adjusting to the new hip.  Hip, hip, hurray!

Here he is, showing off  to his  'nieces' like Lely, Oi Bek, Rohaya, Irene and Rukhsana and 'nephews' like Jai, Din and Yuwrajh to assure them  that he can still rock, sans Zimmer frame.  Sigh......!!!!

Finally, heaps of thanks for all the doa and prayers and good wishes from friends and relatives.


   

Rocking at Tung Shin Hospital

Tomorrow the spouse will be undergoing hip replacement surgery at Tung Shin and I promised him we shall go to a rock concert .....

.....  as soon as he recovers.  Read about the rocker on  http://anaksihamid.blogspot.com/2011/04/prelude-to-fire-of-love-csh.html

This will be an opportunity to test the new titaniun-cobalt hip bone.

So, next week this blog will not be able to rock as AsH will be busy organising a gathering of the spouse's old friends and follies.

Firstly ,

These three are now running a very successful Tourist Agency at Temburong, Brunei

She met another 'ang mo' with a three-piece suit and is now the manager of a Chippy (Fish and Chips Shop) at Burton-on-Trent

Amanda is now a grandmother of 10 from a brood of 10, living at Tamu Darat, Sabah

Hyacinth put her money to greater spiritual use,  doing missionary work teaching English as a Second Language (after training at the Summer Institute of Linguistics, USA)  in the jungles of Cambodia.

Remember how pleased they were to see you, another 'Tuan'? Sir Malcolm MacDonald was the last one, but he only came to take photographs of their topless mums!

This was your one success on that Sabbatical trip but the University wanted you to recruit more foreign students to top up their coffers and you failed to do so!

So, be of brave heart and cheer for tomorrow.   Rock on me duck!!!

Tasha's Day - 16 September 2011

Merdeka and Malaysia Day Celebration - Two Happy Participants,  Tasha (right) and friend.

My Dear Tasha,

Your mama asked me to look out for you on TV on Friday 16 September.  But there were so many happy looking Malaysian schoolkids hopping about, I just could not make you out.  It was ONE big mass of kids enjoying themselves that day, that Merdeka and Malaysia Day.

So I wrote to your mama asking  how you fared that day.  This was her answer.

My dear Mak Ngah,

Am glad that she is having fun during her school days.  Am not really sure that she understands the meaning of Merdeka in the sense that we want her to.  But I'm pretty sure she understands the meaning of hardship, sacrifice and teamwork  in preparing for that big day.  She now knows that nothing comes easy.  Their training started on the 3rd week of Ramadhan and most of the time she carried on with school in the afternoon.

One day, Tasha, you will understand  the significance of Merdeka and why you did what you did on 16 September 2011.

When tok ngah was just a little older than you ( that would be during the dinosaur period, in your eyes!), our school, Crescent Girls' School was selected to take part in a Mass Drill to celebrate Singapore's National Day in 1959.

We were taken by bus to  Jalan Besar Stadium for practice.  We all had to wear white shirts and white shorts.  I must say we girls had a lot of fun during practice and rehearsals.  But tok ngah also recalled  the many quarrels we had with the boys from Victoria School.  The booing and the yellings did not stop until we got back on the bus.

But these words I shall never forget.  EEK, ERR, SAN, SER, - OOK, LIU, CHIK, PARK,  meaning one, two, three, four - five, six, seven, eight.  The Mass Drill Instructor stood on a raised platform and taught us the various motions of the drill in Mandarin!!  We were stunned when we first heard this. Why Mandarin?  But ours is not to ask why.  And the rhythm of numbers 1 to 8 in Mandarin would echo in the school canteen and classroom whenever we felt like it.

On 3 June 1959 Singapore was given self-governing status,  Sir William Goode became the first Yang di-Pertuan Negara ( not  Governor as before) and Mr Lee Kuan Yew was the first Prime Minister.  During the  general election of 1959 to elect 51 Representatives for the first fully elected Legislative Assembly, Mr Lee's PAP  won 43 seats.  Mr Lee's PAP won the majority in a coalition with the Communists to get rid of the British colonialists  (tok Iain's people).

The last sentence in the above paragraph partly explained our query.  Chinese schools and Chinese schoolboys were very active in the Communist movement then and Mass performances like  Mass Drill were part of their  'extra-curricular' activities.

However this partnership was short-lived when Barisan Sosialis was formed in 1961.  It was also in this year (a coincidence?) when talks began about a merger of Singapore with the Federation of  Malaya,  as part of Malaysia.

On 16 September (recognise the date?) 1963,  Malaysia , made up of the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak, was formed.

Then on 9 August 1965, Singapore was separated from Malaysia and became an independent nation.

Not long after that, the PAP Singapore Government slowly but surely dismantled  the Chinese language schools, as well as the  Malay and Tamil language schools  to create a one-system multi-racial school based on English.  However, even the mighty PAP Government could not ignore the  voice (or demands?) of the 70+% Chinese majority.  It was not just EEK,  ERR, SAN, SER, OOK, LIU, CHIK, PARK.

In the 1980s ( I can't be precise here), we woke up to this.

What do you do?  If you're Malay or Indian or Eurasian ?

Then the Emperor put on another set of clothes - sometime about 5-6 years ago?

Above is the image of another new concept for Singapore :  EASTERN ROOTS,  WESTERN WINDS.

My dear Tasha, you must be wondering what on earth is tok ngah rabbitting about?

I shall quote what your mama wrote.  "Am not really sure she understands the meaning of Merdeka in the sense that we want her to."

When you grow up - really, really grow up - your world and well-being will depend on how you relate  Merdeka with responsibility and hard work for all Malaysians. The study of History, untainted and factual will be as essential as Accountancy and IT. To chart your future, you have to know the past.

The issues of race and language have always blighted Malaysia's polity and  will always be manipulated  by opportunists and troublemakers in this country - maybe, but hopefully not, until you reach my age!

 Tasha's Day on 16 September 2011 should be the way for every day in Malaysia and not just for Merdeka and Malaysia Day.

Salam and Loads of Love,
tok ngah.

From the Magpie's Nest - Part 2

This is taken from one of the books under my staircase. http://anaksihamid.blogspot.com/2011/04/raking-cupboard-under-stairs.html

Rich Cargoes of Tropical Fruits on their way to the Malay Market
The more insignificant of the trading craft are employed for this purpose, and on market days a perfect fleet of small vessels may be seen plying up the river bound for some convenient centre where they may discharge their ripe cargoes.  The craft used are chiefly dug-outs, or light fishing boats - things so small and crazy that only an amphibious creature like the Malay would trust himself in them.

And this is from Look and Read which catered for schoolchildren in the urban areas during the colonial days.

Wouldn't it be nice if Look and Read had also included the information in the other book?  It would make a very pretty coloured picture.  Also the non-Malay and Malay  school kids in the towns would have a more balanced  conception of the role of the Malays in trade and in their ability and willingness to work hard!!!  It would also reinforce the history  of the Malays as a sea-faring people who brave the waters of South- east Asia to trade and settle in an Archipelago that sets no cultural and political boundaries.  I love the idea of having an amphibious heritage.  But it's well-nigh impossible to practise and cherish that when the islands are turned into oil refineries and the coast, as at Pasir Panjang, becomes wharves and container ports.

The art and act of sailing are now a rich man's game, played at opulent Marinas and Yacht Clubs located at selective sites.  The Republic of Singapore Yacht Club (RSYC) has a state-of-the -art marina with 168 wet berths including a 140 metre long mega yacht berth and 135 dry berths. Care to know more?http://www.rsyc.org.sg/

And where is it?  It's located at West Coast Ferry Road, on reclaimed land  directly opposite 6 1/2 milestone Pasir Panjang Road.  My kampung was at 5 1/2 milestone.

Not too long ago,  Singapore would celebrate this.

It's now classified as a lost 'maritime culture'. Read http://web.akitektenggara.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=297:reconnecting-to-lost-maritime-cultures-revive-interest-in-jong-racing-in-singapore&catid=40:articles&Itemid=56

Aaahh... but I  digress.  Good night.