Variety Is The Spice Of Life

The world don’t have to know

2012-01-10T17:05:00.008+08:00

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Every year around this time (nearing Chinese New Year), I will get quite a number of calls from various people asking me if I want to make donations to various charity homes and centers. A few ask me to join them so that they can collect a total amount and make a donation to whatever charity homes or centers they have selected. My usual question is … why the need to collect from everyone and total it up to a big lump sum? Someone told me that way it looks better donating a bigger amount. Then my next question is … looks better for who?

What is the purpose of making a donation … to look good? So that you can show and tell everyone that you have done a very good deed and you want people to recognize you for that? Does it bother you if you are only making a small contribution … so you need to make a big donation to look better?

I am sure the intention is good and worthy and I am sure the charity homes and centers will benefit from the good initiative. But for me, I don’t make donation this way … as a matter of fact, I don’t like making donation this way at all. I don’t like the idea of people wanting to make a big donation so that “it looks better” for some reasons.

Please don’t call me and ask me to participate in your “it looks better” donation plan. I have my own idea of contributing to the unfortunate ones (if I do contribute any) … I may not have a lot to give but I give whatever I can afford to whoever I think needs it. That’s all I will tell you. And you don’t have to tell me about your donations and contributions to charitable causes … I don’t want to know and I have no reasons to appreciate it.

Really, at the end of the day, as long as you know and you feel good that you have done your part to help the unfortunate ones, that is enough … the rest of the world don’t have to know.

I am a dog, not a cat … and you are my “god”

2011-12-26T12:20:00.025+08:00

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I have been thinking back lately … way back … a few decades back and yes, I am that old already. I thought to myself, I am a very fortunate person … in many important turning points of my life, I met people who helped me unselfishly. Starting from primary school, I remember Puan Salleh, who was very fond of me (and knowing that my family was poor) made sure that I was given free school meals (oats and bread) during recess. Sometimes she even brings homemade sandwiches for me. She gave me my first story book called Aesob’s Fables … I must say that she actually got me started on reading.

When I started working (after secondary school), my very first job was an electrician. A couple of years into the job, one of my bosses, Mr Looi, asked me to leave the company … not that he wanted to fire me but he actually recommended me to work with his friend. He found out that I was quite good at drawing so he convinced me that I would be better off working as a draughtsman than an electrician. That provided a good stepping stone into the next level of my working life.

So what the hell all these have to do with dog, cat and “god”? Stay with me … read on.

From there, I moved on to a technical design job with an international British company … working under an English guy called Mr Philip Waldron who exposed me to all the technical design works in the construction industry. Mr Philip Waldron taught me well and recommended me for an overseas assignment in HongKong. I worked on one of the projects of the famous HongKong Shanghai Bank building. Back in those days, when you get sent overseas to work, it is a BIG thing! My father actually called for a “torng kai pai sun” (slaughter chicken to offer to the ancestors) thanksgiving session for the family. Really, it was that BIG!

The British company ceased operation during to the mid 1980s recession and I was paid off adequately. With a bit of money in hand, I decided to go back to study … and I went to study Commercial Arts for a year. After that I joined an advertising company doing mainly audio video production works. A couple of years with the company, Mr Harold Nettleton, a senior partner, encouraged me to try my luck in the corporate world … “join the client” as he put it. He said “Shiek, on the agency side, people pay, you run whereas on the client side, you pay, people run”. And I took his advice.

So, I applied for a Marketing position in a newly formed division of an insurance company. It was the biggest turning point of my life. Under the guidance of the division’s head Mr Tan Cheng Keang (or CK as we called him), I started my first job in the corporate world as a Marketing Executive. It was CK who gave me the opportunities to develop myself and moved from an Executive to a Manager of the Direct Marketing Department. After 5 years with the company CK left for higher career advancement and a few months later, I too decided to leave.

Hey, where is the dog, the cat and the “god”? Hang on … I will come to them soon.

I then formed an advertising design agency. Again, it was CK (now MD of his company) who gave me one of my first advertising contracts and many more to come. With the support from CK and other clients, I operated the company until the late 1990s when the financial crisis at that time forced me to close the agency. I applied for job in a Swedish automobile company and got myself back into the corporate world.

A couple of years later another opportunity knocks on my door. It was CK again, who offered me a job in his company as a Brand Manager for a famous scotch whisky. Without any hesitation, I went to work with CK advancing my career to another level in the corporate world. Though it did not last very long, it turned out to be the best years of my working life … a very rewarding and satisfying four and a half years in the wines and spirits industry before I made a decision to call it a day ... that was almost 4 years ago.

Okay, here comes the dog, cat and “god” part … you see, I am like a dog … dogs, when you provide them with food, water, shelter and affection, they will think you are god. I am not a cat because cats, when you provide them with food, water, shelter and affection, they draw the conclusion that they are gods (an excerpt from a quote by the late Christopher Hitchens). As for "god”, I don’t really believe there is an invisible guy up there … so, the people I mentioned here and also many whom I did not mention (I am sure they know who they are), I want you all to know, you guys are my “gods” who have provided for me, helped me and guided me to where I am today. I thank you all sincerely from the bottom of my heart.

My kids just don't listen !

2011-12-02T15:13:00.006+08:00

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Parents out there, I am sure many (if not all) parents agree that your children (on most days) are good but can be difficult at times … stubborn, naughty, playful, hyperactive, quiet, talkative … all sorts. As parents we try our very best to bring them up in the best possible way we can … but sometimes we just don’t understand them. And how many times we have complained and said “My kids just don’t listen !”

I am not an expert … I don’t know of any “sure-win” formula or any tested method of raising good children. There are plenty of books out there that will tell you what to do and offer some good ideas to raise a good kid but I have yet to find one that offers how to teach the kids to listen. But then again, maybe you should not be too worried if they don’t listen. Why?

Let me share something with you … I remember watching a promotional short story aired on national TV some years ago. The story was a about a couple with two children staying with an old man (grandfather of the kids). The scene shows the couple setting up for dinner while the kids were watching and they only set the table for 4 persons … another table was set up outside the house for the old man because he was disorderly due to his senility. Then the couple and the two children ate dinner at the dinner table while the old man ate his dinner alone outside.

The next scene shows the two children playing with toy tables and chairs while their parents were watching … and then the children playfully began to set up the toys tables and chairs for dinner. They set up a dinner table and then set up another table a distance away for two persons. And when their parents asked why another table was set up ... the kids simply replied it is for them (the parents) when they grow old. Now, I am sure you can see the strong emotional message here. Kids … whatever they see, they do.

Like all parents, I have the same problem. My kids don’t listen to me too but I am not too worried about that. The way I look at it … don’t worry too much if your kids are not listening to you, you should be more worried that they are watching you.

I am “not there yet”

2011-11-15T16:25:00.004+08:00

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Someone asked me why I decided to take life easy and slowed down while I am still at a “workable” age. He told me “You have to look forward, move forward, keep going, don’t slow down and if you still can, go for it”. I want to ask … move forward, keep going for what? Keep slogging for more so that I can show people that I have made it?

Back in the days when I was working with a luxury car company, I did some focus groups (research) on luxury car owners of a well known brand. I asked them what their thoughts were when they bought that expensive brand. All of them agreed that driving that particular brand, they are able to tell people the message “I have arrived” … meaning they have made it in life.

Now, I don’t drive that particular expensive brand of luxury car nor do I own any other luxury car brands … I just cannot afford one. So what does that mean? I am “not there yet”? So I need to keep moving, keep working for more (while I am still "workable") … then I can show people that “I have arrived”? Nope ... that's not for me.

I looked and moved forward already … many years ago I set my goals, worked very hard, chased after my dreams … slowly, over the years, I managed to come to where I am now. Though I do not have anything to show but I too can proudly say that “I have arrived” to where I wanted to be.

For now I can slow down. I don’t want to keep moving and chasing for more. I want to stay where I am, do what I enjoy and live the simple life the way I want. I am taking life and doing things at an easy pace. So I am staying put … that doesn’t mean I am slacking backwards in life … I am learning new things, absorbing new ideas and keeping up with new innovations that help make my life a lot easier.

Do I look forward now? Yes … I just look forward to a simple healthy life. That’s good enough. Don’t need to look forward too much … at my age if I looked a bit too far, I see death … now, I am definitely not looking forward to that. And for that matter, I am very glad to say I am “not there yet”.
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Trekking Gunung Ulu Semangkuk

2011-10-27T17:00:00.005+08:00

Gunung Ulu Semangkuk is not a popular (among local trekkers) mountain located in Ulu Teranum Forest Reserve in Fraser’s Hill. Only a handful of trekkers ventured to this peak … not much information can be found on the internet with regards to this mountain. We first trekked this mountain sometime last year after coming across some information from the internet. Subsequently we went there again a couple of times last year.

On 15^th October 2011 we decided to trek Semangkuk again after a few fellow trekkers who have not been to this place requested us to show them the trail … so off we go. Five of us met early at 6.00am in Puchong and another group will meet us at the GAP traffic exchange point in Fraser’s Hill (GAP is the place where vehicles take turns to use the one-way road up and down Fraser’s Hill… traffic going up is at odd hours and traffic coming down is at even hours). First we drove to Rawang town for breakfast and then proceed towards Fraser’s Hill driving through Kuala Kubu Bahru. When we reached GAP traffic exchange point, the other group of 4 trekkers were already there. We quickly put on our trekking gears and head to the entry point of the trail leading to Gunung Semangkuk.

The entrance of the trail is just opposite this wooden house ... those new to this trail have to search for it among the ferns and bushes

Group photo ... the entrance of the trail is just behind us

The entry point of the trail is just opposite the abandoned wooden house (used to be a restaurant) about 200 meters before the GAP traffic exchange point … quite obscure hidden by ferns and bushes. It is a small slope straight up into a fairly dense bamboo forest. From the thick vegetation and fallen bamboo trunks, we guessed that this trail has not been trekked for a while. It was a bit of a hassle going through the bamboo forest but after going through it, the trail starts to get easier with a few fallen trees along the trail. At this altitude, the air is cool and misty … the trail is straight up to a lower peak of Gunung GAP … it took us about 45 minutes to reach the peak of Gunung GAP where we rested for a while. From our previous experience, we knew from Gunung GAP, the trail will go up and down through a few valleys before reaching our targeted peak … about 2 hours of trekking to go.

(Left photo) First timer Mr Ooi getting through fallen bamboo trunks

(Right photo) Ms Yap and husband Ah Seng trekking up a slope

(Left photo) Mr Ong and I sharing a joke

(Right photo) Lim Chin Keat taking a quick rest

(Left photo) Mr Ho ... slow and steady

(Right photo) Ms Yap, Ah Seng, Johnson and Mr Ong

We saw plenty of bamboo shoots along the trail and a sign board telling us that we are in Ulu Teranum Forest Reserve

After a short rest we trek down a valley from GAP peak and heads towards Gunung Ulu Semangkuk … the trail is fairly clear with some old tape markings still visible. We were quite happy to enjoy the cool, misty and breezy walk in the middle of the forest full of penetrating mid morning sun rays … what a good way to enjoy the great nature! We have to trek though a few valleys, occasionally greeted by fallen trees and a few tricky slopes … nothing we cannot handle. And after about one and a half hours we reached a deep valley … from this valley, the trail is a fairly tough straight climb up to the peak of Gunung Ulu Semangkuk. We tackled the valley carefully and then trek straight up to the peak … finally after one hour and forty minutes, we arrived at the peak of Gunung Ulu Semangkuk … 1,394m ASL (source from Internet).

An elevation layout of the trail going up to Gunung Ulu Semangkuk (source from the internet)

Not much has changed at the peak since our last trek here many months ago … maybe it is because not many trekkers visited to this peak. From the peak, there isn’t much to see as the surrounding view is blocked by trees and other vegetation. A short trail leads to another side of the peak where the view is better … we can see the surrounding mountains of the Titiwangsa range.

Mr Ooi and Steven Chin happy to make it to the peak

Group photo at the peak of Gunung Ulu Semangkuk

We rested at the peak and had our lunch … my RM1.00 nasi lemak daun pisang tasted especially good after being carried up almost 3 hours to the peak. All of us enjoyed trekking Gunung Ulu Semangkuk although the travelling distance is quite long coming from PJ/Subang area. At the peak, we exchanged views and opinions of the trail and as usual cracked some jokes and laughs. Then it was time to descend … after cleaning up and packing our stuffs, we descended quickly. The descent was not a problem to all of us and in about 2 hours we made it out of the forest safely.

The freezing waterfall where we freshened up

We then drove down a few kilometers to a waterfall to clean up … the freezing water was a bit too much for some while others had a splashing time.

Like all our trekking outings, a good trek will end with good food and there are plenty of good restaurants in both Kuala Kubu Bahru and nearby Ulu Yam. We decided to have an early dinner at Kuala Kubu Bahru … a good dinner it was … we filled our stomachs with a table full of recommended local dishes … a great finale to a good trekking outing.

... you TAKE IT !!!

2011-10-14T12:19:00.000+08:00

The famous APPLE’s founder Steve Jobs passed away recently and the whole internet world was full of everything about Steve Jobs. I too was reading about him and came across an excerpt from his famous Stanford University’s speech in 2005 … “Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” Great words from a great man.

Honestly, many years ago I thought of something along that line … maybe not as sophisticated as Steve Jobs said it, not in the whole context and definitely in a lot lesser words … my thought was a simple question … “when can you live your own life?”.

I want to ask how many can say they are really living their own lives, listening to their inner voices and following their dreams? Maybe Steve Jobs did it but how many Steve Jobs are there? It is almost impossible to totally avoid being influenced by the things around us … like it or not, a large part of our lives is already dictated by “sensible” obligations etched into us directly or subliminally. So many people are living a life dictated by someone else … they may not realize that they are living a life influenced by other’s opinion and that they are actually living someone else’s life. Even if they knew it, they deny it.

Do you feel that all these while, in your life, you are just an actor/actress given a script to read and direction to follow? Do you feel that something is missing in your life? Look at your life now and ask yourself how much the life you are living is your very own, how much time you have left from where you are now?

Ask yourself when can you live your own life? Maybe you can start now … maybe you should tell yourself “enough is enough”. Maybe you should put whatever time you have left to write, direct and acts out your very own life. Maybe when people tell you to “take it easy”, you TAKE IT !!!

My "god" came in a spacecraft

2011-09-28T21:18:00.000+08:00

I think I am going to rub a few wrong spots with this article … please forgive me for being blunt. Anyway, like I always say, it is strictly my opinions and views ... you don’t have to agree with me.

OK, let me start by saying I don’t belong to any religion … I don’t believe there is god nor do I believe there are angels and demons. A lot of times people asked my opinion about god, I will tell them there is no god and I have not seen one. The closest thing to god that I came across was my ex-colleague … he thinks he is god but unfortunately I don’t.

Some people told me I should have believed in god … and when I am faced with the many challenges in life, I will pull through with god’s help. Look, I pulled through many times and it has absolutely nothing to do with god … it has everything to do with my own abilities, my family who stuck by me, my friends who offered unselfishly and those were actually there to help.

Then some said that I pulled through because they prayed for me. Oh COME ON … am I supposed to thank those who prayed? What if I didn’t pull through … I blame them for not praying hard enough? Sorry, I don’t for a second believe that prayers will help. And when I fail, I only have myself to blame.

You may want to believe there is god (whatever your faith is) … that doesn’t bother me at all. I am sure your faith in your god will lead you to where you want to be. I just want to ask for the same … don’t be bothered if I tell you I don’t think there is god. But too many times when I tell people there is no god … they looked at me as if I have murdered someone. Some tried very hard to convince me to join their beliefs … they wanted to “recruit” me under the god whom they believed is “the right one” leading them to “the right path”. They told me everyone has a god in their mind, maybe subconsciously... maybe I just don’t realise it. They then over-persuasively insisted on helping me discover it ... it went a bit beyond my comfort zone and I just have to be brutally blunt telling them to back off.

Let me tell you this … there is something in my mind which I believe exists ... my version of the so-called “god” … and I don’t have to pray to it, it won’t help me at all, it is not “the right one” for me nor it will lead me to “the right path”. And you know what? My “god” ... it came in a spacecraft. Huh? What am I talking about? Well if you have read “Chariots of the Gods” or watched “Ancient Aliens”, you will know what I mean.

Saving is the best thing …

2011-09-12T22:56:00.002+08:00

I was talking to a friend about our kids a few days ago. Both our kids are of the same age group … we talked about education, insurance, sports, exams and other related topics. It was a long discussion and somewhere during our conversation, my friend raised a question. He asked me “Eh … how much do you intend to leave for your kids?” “What do you mean?” I asked. And he replied “I mean, when you leave the world, what you intend to leave for your kids? I thought for a few seconds and then I told him “NOTHING! Really, I don’t plan to leave anything for my kids when I kick the bucket ... I don’t even know if I have anything left by then”. He looked surprised anticipating an explanation. And we continued the discussion with me explaining my point.

You see, like most people, my wife and I got out from school, started working, got married and were blessed with two kids. Over the years we struggled to fulfill mortgages, loans, insurances, kid’s education and other financial commitments. We are still struggling (though it is a bit easier now) for the comfort of the family, for the importance of our relationship and more importantly as parents, we struggle for our kids. We are not complaining … we know we need to spend enough time, give enough guidance and provide adequate foundation to our children as they grow. Though we don’t have a lot to give but we plan to give while we are still alive and while we are still able to do so.

Our children are the most important part of our lives at this point of time … and that is exactly why we are trying to ensure that they can handle the responsibilities when it is time to take the challenges on their own. We give whatever we can afford hoping that our children will grow up to be responsible adults, standing on their own two feet to face the world. Whether or not we are able to do this, we can’t say for now as we are still trying … our kids are still young. Really, we don’t plan to leave anything for our kids … we are not here to make sure that we save enough money, accumulate enough wealth for our children to continue living comfortably when the curtain closes down on us. We hope to “teach them how to fish” (as the saying goes) as the day will come for them to take on the struggle and earn a comfort living for themselves.

And when our children grow up, we hope we will not be of any burden to them when they go out to build their own lives and start their own families. If (at all) necessary, we don’t want to be dependent on our children when we grow old. As a matter of fact, (as selfish as it may sound) we saved some money, we accumulated some wealth and we invested in some funds … for ourselves. Simply because we need to make sure that we have enough to live comfortably until we go “kaput”. And if there is anything left by that time, that’s what we will leave for our children.

So, what is your plan? What will you leave for your kids when your time comes? Maybe you slogged very hard, built a successful life, accumulate enough wealth with the thought that you will leave a fortune or a big trust fund or some expensive properties for your kids to ensure that they won’t have to struggle (like you did) and hopefully they will continue to live a good life. Don’t get me wrong … I am not against it at all. I am very glad for you … even more glad for your kids. Let’s not deny it … I am sure all of us wished that our parents did that for us … then we all would be very happy to write the ending phrase to the title of this article (Saving is the best thing …) “especially when your parents have done it for you !”

Life not years

2011-08-25T10:55:00.002+08:00

I have been trekking regularly almost every week, playing badminton every Sunday and get myself involved in other outdoor activities when I have some time to spare. Many of my friends said “Wow Shiek, you are getting very fit and healthy ... sure you will live longer than many of us”. Yes, maybe I will live a bit longer but then again maybe not. A lot of people get involved in various activities trying to stay fit with the thought that it may add some years to their lives … there is nothing wrong with this … it is common thinking. Do I want to live longer? YES, I want to live as long as I can but that is not the point. For me, it is not about trying to live longer. Let me tell you this … I trek, swim, play racket games and a few other sport activities … I do all these not to add years to my life but to add life to my years.

Look at all the great marathon runners, the high mountains adventurers, the power sports competitors … what do you think? They do it to show that they are very fit so they can live longer or to add passion, adventure or simply a bit of fun to their lives?

You can do whatever to convince yourself you are among the fittest but if you are doing it thinking that it will add years to your life … well, it may or may not give you the extra years … there is no guarantee. But ask yourself … are you trying to stay alive longer or live a life fuller. Are you doing whatever you are doing to enjoy additional years or additional life?

As for me, whether I am trekking or playing racket games or simply going for a jog, it is something I like to do. I like the nature and enjoy the natural offerings. I like to be active, going outdoors and sweating it out. It is not about challenging how high a mountain I can climb or how fast I could smash the shuttle or showing how fit I am … it is about adding a bit of fun, a bit of adventure and more importantly adding a bit of life to the years I may have.

A good ghost story

2011-08-09T12:04:00.000+08:00

Well, it is that time of the year again … the time when all hell breaks loose … the “Hungry Ghost” festival. Yes, this coming Saturday will be the 14^th day of the 7^th month of the Chinese lunar calendar … the Chinese call this day “chat yut sap sei” … the day when the hell gates open. It is like a public holiday for the ghosts and ghouls and they will be out to party. And like every year around this time, there are plenty of ghost stories being told. Just a couple of days ago, it was reported in the newspaper that a group photo turn out with an extra member in the form of a ghostly image. Really? It is up to you to believe.

I too have a ghost story to tell … I heard it many years ago. Not really about a real ghost (I am not sure if there are real ghosts, have not seen one yet) but it is quite a clever “ghostly” trick.

The story goes like this … there was lady who stays near a cemetery and to get to her house, she has to walk pass the cemetery. One day she was going home quite late and after getting off the bus she sensed that she was followed by two figures. She was quite scared at first thinking the figures may be “lar char yeh” or ‘dirty things” (meaning ghosts … can’t help if you are staying near the cemetery) but then she realized that the figures were two suspicious men. While it was a relief to know that they are not “dirty things” another thought crossed her mind … they could be robbers or maniacs and she faced another problem.

Then an idea came to her … instead of walking quickly back to her house, she slowed down taking an easy walk as if she was just strolling and enjoying the walk. She then walked in between the graves and went straight to one of the graves nearby and sat down. As soon as she sat down she let out a relief sigh, stretched her hands and said out loud “farn tow ook kei ler” (which means “I have reached home” in Cantonese). Imagine the horror on the faces of the two men following her … they thought they have just followed a ghost to her grave … it scared the lights out of them and they ran for their lives.

Now although there is not really a ghost in the story, I thought it is a good ghost story to share about a quick witted lady using a simple ghostly trick to get her out of trouble.

Bukit Kutu ... interesting story from an Englishman

2011-07-17T21:02:00.002+08:00

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Bukit Kutu is one of the favourite mountains on our trekking list … a very nice natural trail as well as a clear river to enjoy a cool dip after a long tiring trek. Since we started trekking at Bukit Kutu, we have visited this mountain almost every month.

On 25^th JUNE 2011, Steven, Keat, GT Lim, Leong and I decided to trek Bukit Kutu again … we thought it would be as usual … trekking up to the peak and down and then hopefully find some good durians in the jungle. It turned out to be a little more meaningful than we thought. When we reached the base we saw a group of people already getting ready to trek up the mountain. As we were getting our gears ready, we struck up a conversation the group, among them a “Mat Salleh” (westerner). I later found out that his name is Tony Wright. The conversation was fairly general and we then started to trek into the jungle together.

After trekking for a while I asked Tony where he is from and he told me that he is from Plymouth, England. And knowing that he is an Englishman, I told him that he will surely love this mountain because at the peak of the mountain there are remnants of an old colonial bungalow. Then the surprise came … Tony said he knew about the old bungalow at the peak and he has photos of his grandparent (taken back in the 1920s) staying at the bungalow. Now, that is really something ... imagine coming from England to see the place (or what is left of it) where your grandparent once stood. I told Tony that I would be very glad if he can show me the photos when we reach the peak. I have always try to find out more about the remnants of the old bungalow but there isn’t much information I could get from on the internet or other sources.

We continued trekking and I was really looking forward to look at the photos that Tony brought along. About two and a half hours later, I reached the peak together with Leong. We spent some time at the peak and waited for the rest of my group as well as Tony’s group to reach the peak. I soon found out that the other three from my group are not trekking up to the peak and I was not sure how long Tony’s group will take to reach the peak, so, Leong and I decided to trek down. Just about 5 minutes into the descent we met with Tony and his group on the way up. I asked Tony if he could show me the photos he talked about and he quickly took the photos out to show me. Tony took time to explain to me the story behind each photo and what he knew of his grandparent and the old bungalow. I then ask Tony if he could send me a copy of the photos and he promised he will. We exchanged emails and soon parted ways.

The next day I received an email from Tony with photos attached and more information. The black and white photos below were contributed by Tony.

Photo of the bungalow with Tony's grandfather sitting in front ... see the steps going into the bungalow and see below the same steps as they remain today at the peak of Bukit Kutu.

(Photo contributed by Mr Tony Wright)

Remnants of the steps at the main entrance of the bungalow.

This is the fireplace (chimney) of the bungalow as it was in the 1920s ... this is the iconic picture as today this chimney still remain standing at the peak of Bukit Kutu.

(Photo contributed by Mr Tony Wright)

The chimney of the bungalow still standing as it is today. This structure has become the setting of many group photos of people visiting the peak of Bukit Kutu today.

The chimney and the main entrance steps.

Another old photo of the bungalow seen from behind of the big rock at the peak of the Bukit Kutu.

(Photo contributed by Mr Tony Wright)

From his own research, Tony managed to piece together bits and pieces … besides the bungalow, there was also a sanatorium at the peak of Bukit Kutu. Tony has no pictures of the sanatorium but members of the sanatorium were friends of his grandparent and he has a photo of a Sister Sutton and his grandmother taken at the vicinity of the bungalow. Tony told me that the British built rest houses and holiday bungalows all around Malaysia so that government servants like Tony’s (maternal) grandfather can book them for rest and relaxation during holidays and weekends. Tony’s grandfather, Mr Tom Sargent, was a railway construction engineer for FMSR (Federated Malay States Railways) later known as KTMB from 1908 till 1935 when he retired and went back to England. The above photos were taken back in 1921 … 90 years ago! The iconic photo must be the photo of the fireplace and chimney as it still remain standing today and has become the setting for group photo of trekkers visiting the peak of Bukit Kutu.

Photo of Tony's grandmother (sitting) with Sister Sutton (who was working at the sanatorium). You can still find these two big rocks among the overgrown vegetation at the peak of Bukit Kutu.

(Photo contributed by Mr Tony Wright)

Mr Tony Wright (second from right) showing photos to other trekkers at the peak of Bukit Kutu. The old photos of the bungalow created massive interest among the trekkers.

Apart from Bukit Kutu, Tony travelled to KL, Tanjung Malim, Seremban, JB, Mersing, Melaka, Penang … visiting and matching his grandfather's pictures of places where they either lived or visited during their long stay here many years ago. One can imagine what a wonderful experience this is, in a country which Tony has been visiting since 1988. It has deepened his love, knowledge and understanding immeasurably through this photographic journey to the past.

I am really glad to have met Tony … if not, I would not have learned so much more about Bukit Kutu and about his meaningful journey in Malaysia … thank you very much Tony for the photos and a little bit of history of Bukit Kutu

Of alcohol, foie gras and a big fat liver

2011-07-01T20:53:00.004+08:00

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My last job was in the wines & spirits industry … for a few years I was marketing a popular brand of whisky. The job was fun … entertainments, night clubs, grand events, fine dining, overseas trips and of course, plenty of alcohol. I must say I did enjoy the few good years and when I left the industry, some of my friends were quite surprised why I gave up a good job. Well, there were many reasons … it is a long story so to speak. But I can tell you one of the many reasons was my health.

You see, I used to be a person who tends to over indulge … to me whatever worth doing is always worth over doing. And working in the wines & spirits industry, I frequently went across the line, over indulging myself in alcohol. When I start to drink, somehow I just cannot stop … really, I only have myself to blame for not being able to exert strict control on my drinking habits. Away from work, I always kept myself active in competitive racket games, swimming, running as well as other outdoor sports. I used to run 12 to 15km non-stop easily … but at that point of time, I could barely do 3km. My physical fitness was affected and my health began to deteriorate … slowly I felt that I was not as fit as I want to be.

Something was wrong … a medical check-up soon showed that apart from losing my stamina and experiencing sporadic irregular heartbeat, I also have an enlarged liver … a lot larger than it should. Somehow it reminds me of an article I read about foie gras … the fat juicy liver, a gourmet cuisine that melts in your mouth. Hey, do you know that people in this business force-feed the geese with high carbohydrate feed and cramp them in cages so that their livers swell up with fat, growing to a few times its normal size? The liver is then harvested and expensively served in fine dining. To many it is a delicacy but really it is just basically a disease-damaged organ called fatty liver (just like my liver at that time). Though I was not cruelly force fed but high alcohol consumption was the main culprit of my enlarged liver. You probably read about it before … something called alcoholic fatty liver disease.

I knew I have to get back in shape … I have already lost capacity of one of my lungs (smoked one of my lungs away) and the injurious effects of alcohol started affecting my liver. I had another good reason to quit the wines & spirits industry … and I did. It has been more three years now and a recent medical screening showed that my liver is working just fine now without the alcohol (well not totally without alcohol … occasionally a couple of beers) and my lungs capacity increased. I am glad I am physically better now to be actively playing competitive badminton, trekking and other outdoor activities. This old car may have a few loose screws here and there after running for almost half a century but overall, (after a bit of overhauling) the major parts of the engine are performing just fine.

Trekking Gunung Angsi

2011-06-07T14:54:00.003+08:00

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Gunung Angsi (825 meters ASL) is one the many mountains that we love to trek. Situated in Ulu Bendol Forest Reserve in Negeri Sembilan, this mountain is fairly easy to trek. There are 3 trails (that we know of) going to the peak of this mountain … the main trail is from Ulu Bendol Recreation Park but we normally take the trail from Bukit Putus. There is another trail called the Ferny Trail going to the same peak.

Driving from KL, it takes about an hour to reach the base of this mountain along the road from Senawang to Kuala Pilah. Trekking up from Bukit Putus will take about 1 hour 30 minutes … some very fit trekkers can do in just over an hour and others may take longer to reach the peak.

On 28MAY2011, four of us, (CT Lim, GT Lim, Steven Chin and I) trekked up from the road side at Bukit Putus. The last time we came to this mountain we saw that the coconut tree we planted sometime last year did not grow well so we brought along another coconut seedling to be planted on the peak. CT Lim was tasked to carry up the coconut seedling. I took about 1 hour 40 minutes to reach the peak trekking pass Panjang’s rest point and Pang’s rest point. On reaching the peak I was glad to meet KC Leong (who runs a blog called KC & The Sunshine Runners) and his fellow runners and trekkers who trekked up from Ulu Bendol Recreation Park. When our group first took up trekking a few years ago, we joined KC Leong and his group on a few outings and learned a lot from him. Nice to meet up with this mountain ‘sifu” again who is leading a group of trekkers up Mount Rinjani (Indonesia) very soon. All the best to them.

Met KC Leong (right) and his group at the peak of Angsi

(photo courtesy of KC Leong)

Shortly after, GT Lim arrived at the peak and a while later both CT Lim and Steven Chin made it to the peak after trekking for 2 hours. After a short rest we then find a spot and planted the coconut tree. Not sure if coconut trees can grow in high attitude environment but we hope that it will and in the future it can provide shade and bear fruits for thirsty trekkers.

We spent some time at the peak sharing jokes and trekking stories with KC Leong and his friends. A while later we decided to trek down and parted ways with KC and friends. We took the same way down to Bukit Putus base and already our minds were thinking of what to eat for lunch. After just over an hour we made it out of the jungle and went to a stream nearby to wash up. We then proceed to our favourite TIUB (Telur Itik Ulu Bendul) stall to purchase some “kampung” eggs from the Pak Cik who runs a duck farm and sells duck eggs at this stall. After that we drove to Senawang where we had “nasi campur” for lunch before heading home … it was a good day out at Gunung Angsi.

BUSTED!!!

2011-05-27T10:19:00.001+08:00

I like the Mythbuster TV series and I really like watching Kari Byron ... she looks good working with power tools. The rest of the guys are great … but Kari is my favourite. I like this TV show because I am all for the idea of getting the facts right.

Now, why am I talking about Mythbuster here? Because I too like to do a bit of myth busting every now and then. OK, here is one of the many myths in life ... have you heard people say “Do what you love to do and let the money catch up later”. Really? How many can actually say that they are doing what they love to do and only worry about money later? I have not met any yet. Though people may say they are good at what they do but that doesn’t mean that they love their jobs and that they don’t care about getting paid. Let’s be realistic … we work our asses off because we need the money not because we love what we do … many actually hate their jobs … even more just hate the idea of working.

Whether you love to do it or not, first you got to stay alive. And to do that, you need food. You need to maintain your health and you have to afford the little comfort that you may require. Unless someone left you a fortune or you hit the jackpot ... you need to work for your money and ensures you have enough for the necessities to stay alive. How much is enough for you? I don’t know … some may need millions, others may need a lot less … but you got to have $$$. And only after that, you can do what you love to do ... but then again, whatever you love to do have to be within your means. So, I would rather say that maybe you do what you can afford to do ... that is more rational.

The myth says “Do what you love to do and let the money catch up later”… to me, by the time the money catches up, either you are already (starved to) dead or you have given up on what you are doing. Myth BUSTED!!!

University of Hard Knocks

2011-05-14T22:41:00.000+08:00

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I visited a retired lecturer last week and we chatted for almost half a day about everything under the sun. I enjoyed his company very much. He once taught me for a semester while I was doing a part time Marketing course. I like talking to him … a witty wise man. He is the kind of person who is not afraid to bend the rules and disrupt the norm. During the conversation he touched on something which I totally agree with and would like to share my point of views on this too. He had taught many people over the years … while he had seen many smart people but he feels that they lack the street wise aptitude. He said being smart may give you a good head start but you have to learn to be streetwise to pull you through the rough turns and corners of where you may be heading. I absolutely agree 100% with him … why? Because someone told me many years ago … a smart person will only believe half of what he hears … a streetwise person already knows which half.

So what exactly is streetwise? I don’t know how to define it. I can just say streetwise ways are not always proper … unorthodox most of the times. In an argument, if the law is on your side, you argue the law. If the facts are on your side, you argue the facts … that is the smart way. But if both the law and the facts are not on your side, you argue LOUDLY … and I call that the streetwise way where rules don’t apply. Now, it does make you look like a rascal but sometimes that is the way you need to get things going.

Very often people like to get things done via the proper channels. The smart thing is to ask for approval and play “by the book”… but then it often takes a lot time, involving red tapes and hassles. Did it ever cross your mind NOT to ask for approval now but to ask for forgiveness later? If you ask me, my streetwise reply will be … it is a lot easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for approval. You may say, hey, this is not right. I didn’t say it was right … but if you are convinced, you may need some unorthodox ways to get around obstacles … “bend the rules” so to speak.

We faced all sorts of obstacles day after day … many are not easy to solve but you don’t really need to know rocket science to tackle them. When you can’t find a smart way to remove or get across an obstacle, maybe there is a streetwise way to just get around it. Hey, I am sure you heard of this “if you can’t convince them, confuse them”.

Streetwise aptitude is not something you learn from your normal educational institutions … you get it from the “University of Hard Knocks” where there are no rules, no bed of roses … you learn it by getting yourself bumped, bruised, betrayed, fooled, deceived, smacked, conned … the more you get knocked down, the faster you learn. You must go head on, face to face with the problems. I don’t know about you but I love problems or should I say I love solving problems. I was paid to solve problems (when I was working) … and I have more than enough shares of hard knocking problems to earn me a bagful of streetwise “Shiek’s Specials” which I can pull out to use every now and then … they get me through hell and back in a breeze.

I am not asking you to go against the flow every time. You don’t need to … there are times when it is easier to just get around it. You are a smart person but you will learn to be streetwise every time when you fall and pull yourself up again. Maybe you too will have your very own “streetwise specials” to pull out when the need arises.

Hawaii Five O

2011-04-26T23:21:00.002+08:00

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I turned 49 last month and very soon I am going to be “half a century” old … and the theme song of Hawaii Five O is already repeating inside my mind. Get it? Hawaii Five O? … the big Five and Zero!

I remember when my ex-boss turned 50, I sent him a big poster titled “SHIT 50” … it stands for “So Happy I Turned 50” Not sure whether he was happy turning 50 years old but like it or not, it will come (that is, if you live up to 50).

For me, I am actually looking forward to it. Hey, there is actually a lot to look forward to at age 50 … first, we (those who are eligible) can withdraw part of our savings from our Employee’s Provident Fund account. If I tell you I am not excited about that, I would be lying. I am not going to tell you how much I have in that account but I can tell you for sure that the money is coming in very handy. OK lah, money is one thing … we cannot deny that it does increases the level of comfort in our lives. But there are other aspects of life that we want to experience from age 50 onwards.

For me, going into 50 and looking forward to more in my life is a lot easier … why? Because I have the time and I am still physically able to do a lot of things. Many people said “Oh Shiek, you are so lucky to be able to stop working at your age”. Let me tell you luck has nothing to do with it. I did not strike a lottery OK? I slogged for many years to build what I have today. And then (the important thing is), I stopped chasing … I told myself I should be prudent with what I already have and that should be enough.

“So you are retired now?” people asked me. I don’t like the word “retired” … sounds mundane and dull. I would like to just say that I don’t have a permanent job with a fixed salary. I stopped working a few years back because I needed quality time and I needed to regain my health. Some people said to me “Shiek, you are going to be very bored when you stop working … with so much time and nothing to do”. Alright, I am not working … that doesn’t mean I have nothing to do. I have a lot to do … I am actually very busy keeping myself healthy, allowing enough time for my wife and kids and also spending quality time with other family members and friends. On top of that, I also need to be a handy man at home, a driver for my kids and a stand-in cook when my wife is not available. Then I have to find time to catch up on my reading as well as learning and practicing my “erhu” (Chinese violin). Now that is a busy man, don’t you think? OK, maybe I exaggerated it a bit … I don’t have to do all that every single day.

Hey, if you are of my generation heading towards the big Five Zero … no worries, there are still plenty to look forward to. If you can afford more quality time and maintain a healthy lifestyle, I am sure you too will be dancing happily to the theme of Hawaii Five O.

The first rule ...

2011-04-08T12:46:00.000+08:00

Not many people knew that I was once making a living as a photographer ... for a few years during my mid 20s, I dabbled in photography. Those days I had 12 cameras, ranging from 35mm Nikons to 120mm medium format Hasselblads to a large format bellow-type Horseman. Cost me an arm and a leg to acquire these babies ... but that career did not last long and at the end of it, I sold all but one medium format Mamiya which I still have in one of my drawers somewhere.

OK, I am not here to talk about my short-lived photography career. Actually what I wanted to talk about is the first rule of photography and how this discipline influenced the way I look at things in my everyday life. For those who don’t know, the first rule of photography is “Never shoot a photo at eye level” ... why? Because everyone sees it at the same level ... so an object (or subject) of interest photographed at eye level is no different than how it was seen by others when it was photographed. This rule is always on the top of my mind. So very often I don’t see things the way people normally sees it. I am a curious person and I tend to approach things a little off the centre. At times people find it difficult to understand this and they think I am wandering too far out of the comfort zone. That is exactly the point ... when all others look at things at eye level, a good photographer will get out of his or her comfort zone to find a different angle and make the difference. So I ask the same ... for people to look at me from a different level too ... that way, they may be able to understand me better.

Everyone likes to see things at their comfort level and always think that people will see things at the same level ... that is the norm. Sometimes one needs to get out of the norm ... don’t look at things the way everyone looks at it and also understand why some people look at things differently ... maybe then one can actually “see the whole picture”, so to speak.

So the next time you want to photograph something, apply the first rule ... try squatting or lying down for a different angle or maybe stand on a chair for a top view ... it may turn out (if not better, at least it is) different than how others see it. And also when you look at a photograph and thought it looks a bit out of the norm, try to appreciate why it was shot that way ... and maybe do the same for the way you look at things in your everyday life ... it can be much more appealing this way.

I am a very careful person but …

2011-03-24T11:52:00.005+08:00

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I bought a motorcycle a few of years ago … basically I wanted to use it to run around doing errands conveniently without having to worry about the traffic jams and parking spaces. It does move around conveniently but it also comes with higher risk of injury in the event of an accident.

While my family and many friends have no objection of me riding a motorbike, they however cautioned me seriously. They warned me to be careful and try not to use it on main roads and I told them “No worries, I am a very careful person”. Yes, they agreed that I am a very careful person but they told me it is the other drivers that are not careful.

And so it happened on 21^st March 2011 … I was on the way going to run some errands and I have to use a main road from Subang heading to Shah Alam. As I was slowing down to turn into the motorcycle lane, a speeding driver (did not see me slowing down) ran right into me from behind. I was thrown about 15 meters away and landed on the side of the road. And I don’t have to tell you what happened next.

To cut the story short, I landed in the emergency ward of Subang Jaya Medical Centre pretty battered. I got a deep gash (that required 8 stitches) on the back of my head, a blue-black eye, sprained shoulder and a very bruised back plus bruises, lacerations and cuts all over the body. Not to mentioned a smashed up motorcycle and the trouble of going in and out of the police station making the accident report and the hassle of making insurance claims.

I thank those who were praying for me … the injuries were not permanent or long term and I should recover. I probably need several weeks to be up and running again. It was while resting at home that I felt really scared thinking about the accident. I could have been killed and that’s it. While I am lucky to be able to sit up and write about this, I had my loved one worried like hell. My mom cried when she saw me all patched up and I felt really bad seeing her in tears. My wife has to put in a lot of extra effort to take care of me while I recover and my two children were so worried when they heard that I was in the hospital. All my friends who knew about this were also very concerned ... I brought them unnecessary worries and concerns.

This is a painful lesson learnt … yes I may be a very careful person but that doesn’t mean I can avoid accidents. I don’t think I will ride my motorbike into main roads again … I am not risking it. Not so much of me going through the painful recovery … it is the thought of the distress and grief that my loved ones will go through should anything severe happens to me.

I want to say sorry to those whom I have given unnecessary worries and concerns and thank all, especially my great wife, who is making a hell of an effort to help me recover.

I don’t teach my kids to be clever

2011-03-05T22:00:00.000+08:00

I was talking to a friend over lunch not too long ago and we were talking about our kids. She said “Shiek, my kids are not clever lah”. I asked “Huh? What do you mean?” Then she told me that both her schooling kids did not obtain good results in school and she is a bit worried. She then asked me “How do you teach your children to be clever?”. I told her “Look, I don’t teach my kids to be clever”. In disbelief she then asked me “Don’t you want to teach your children to be clever?” I told her again “I meant what I have just said … I don’t teach my kids to be clever” … and the conversation went on with me explaining my point.

Now, don’t I want clever children? Of course I do but I don’t have the capabilities to teach my children to be clever. Honestly I am not a clever person myself … I don’t have any high paper qualifications. I studied up to “O” level … and even that, I only got Grade 2 in my MCE (Malaysian Certificate of Education) exams. So what do I have to teach my children to be clever?

I tell you what I can teach my kids … I teach my kids to be filial, I teach my kids to be responsible and I teach my kids to have respect. I teach my kids discipline. I tell my kids to accept “NO”. I tell them to appreciate and make do with what they have. I tell them not to complain about their shoes because some people don’t even have legs. Now, if I can instill these values into them, then I think I have done a good job as a parent.

I once visited an old folk’s home and was told that a dentist left his mother at the facility some 9 years ago and has not visited her since … where is the filial piety? I have seen a college whiz kid shouting foul language at her mother just because her mother was a few minutes late picking her up … where is the respect? I heard of a mother who packs the school bag for her 13 year old “top-of-the-class” son EVERYDAY … now where is the responsibility? Sad isn’t it?

I let the schools, the colleges and the universities teach my kids to be clever … that is the role of these institutions. If they can turn my children in whiz kids, I will be the happiest father on the planet. If they can’t, I am fine too. I am OK if my kids don’t grow up to be doctors, professors or lawyers … really, that is not important. The important thing is they grow up to be filial to the people that provided for them, responsible for what they do and have respect to the people around them.

We all want clever children … by all means put the kids into programs that will bring out their potential. But sometimes people are just so engrossed and focused on turning their kids into geniuses that they simply forgot how to teach their kids to be a better person.

What is "old school"?

2011-02-15T12:38:00.001+08:00

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I always say I am an “old school” type. Many people got it wrong and think that it means “old fashion”. NOPE … “old school” is NOT “old fashion”.

So, what is “old school”? OK, let me tell you from my point of view. “Old school” people like me have a preference for things from our era. The presence of the word “old” doesn’t mean we are outdated or obsolete. Though we may prefer some values and ideas that are from our generation, we did not stay behind … our mind set move along as we progress.

For example, I grew up with Madonna, Tina Turner and Shaun Cassidy … that doesn’t mean I don’t know how to appreciate Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face”, Katy Perry’s “Hot N Cold” and Justin Bieber’s “That Should Be Me”. I keep Pink Floyd, Queen and Deep Purple CDs in my car but I also love songs of Linkin Park, Jonas Brothers and Tokio Hotel on the radio.

We use the convenience of modern communication tools like Skype, Facebook, SMS and emails but we never let these modern necessities replace the true social quality of friends meeting up, gathering and getting together. “Old school” people like me still very much hold on to the essence togetherness.

Amidst the mushrooming modern cafes, the likes of Papparich, Old Town Kopitiam and other copycat outlets, we still prefer good old coffee shops that offer an aromatic cup of Kopi O” (black coffee) and the great taste of “roti bakar kaya” (toasted bread with coconut jam). But nevertheless we don’t mind a regular latte and butter croissant at Starbucks every now and then.

We may display the popular high fives, fist bumps and trendy gestures but we still uphold the importance and significance of a handshake … a simple gesture that is as good as a contract … an “old school” gesture that carries the virtues of trust, honesty and loyalty.

Put it this way … an “old school” person like me grasp the best of both worlds. On the one hand I still hold on to the values that cast out the basis of what I am today … on the other, I embrace the practicality and necessity of new ideas and new things as I move on in life. Like I said earlier … “old school” doesn’t mean that I am “old fashion”.

Togetherness

2011-01-25T16:53:00.001+08:00

Reunion … I guess more or less you know what I am talking about. Yes, Chinese New Year is just at the corner and I believe everyone celebrating Chinese New Year will be having reunion dinner with their families. Since the last few years, I have taken over the task of whipping out a grand meal for our reunion dinner. I am really looking forward it. Actually since last month my wife has been asking me what we should prepare for the dinner. I have a list worked out and I am sure my dinner guests will not be disappointed. But really it is not so much about what is on the table … it is about everyone getting together sharing, talking, joking, laughing and simply chatting the night away. It is about togetherness.

Every year it is not just my family’s reunion dinner that I look forward to … I also look forward to other reunions, gatherings and meetings (the social kind). One such activity is the annual gathering with my old schoolmates. Every year without fail we will gather together, talk, joke, share stories over a couple of beers. And then the night will carry on with a few games of poker. Over the years, some of us moved away, some migrated, some may have lost contact and some, for whatever reason, kept a distance. But for those who are still contactable, living in Malaysia or who comes back visiting, we made it a point to meet every year. We have been doing this since we left school in 1979 … 32 years and still going.

Then there are other get-together events with ex-colleagues, ex-college mates, fellow sport enthusiasts and club members. Most of these gatherings will be over lunch or dinner with the compulsory “lou sang” (prosperity themed fish salad) to celebrate success and prosperity for all.

I love attending these get-together events … it gives me a good feeling and more so during this festive period. Well, actually it doesn’t really matter whether it is a festive day or just another day of the year, whether it is with family members or friends, whether it is reunion, gathering or meetings … the important thing for me is the essence of togetherness … that is I what I really enjoyed.

Big words

2011-01-10T22:09:00.001+08:00

While waiting for a friend at Starbucks, I overheard a corporate looking young guy, probably in his early twenties talking loudly on his phone. I can’t help listening and what caught my attention were the words he used in his conversation … big words.

I don’t remember exactly every word he said but some big words really caught my attention. He mentioned that he “invested over a million” in a food and beverage business. He also said that he just bought 2 units “high end property” in town. Then I remember he said that he is confident that he will get some “important clients” to provide “financial support” for some kind of project he was undertaking. He also told the person on the other end of the line that he has “wide network” and “strong connection”. He continued to say that he has “special relation” with someone in the state government and his “joint venture partner” is very well known in the country. He spoke for a quite a while delivering more fancy financial and business jargons. Fuyoh !!! He must be some very important chap. NAAAAHHH … I doubt it. Any person with a little bit of grey matter knows that it all sounded so artificial.

I am sure you see this quite often (maybe not as artificial as the guy I mentioned), people talking with big words and fancy business jargons. I have seen too many … some may be boasting and others trying to show off their successes. They like preaching these big words and are convinced that they are better carrying big words with them. By their tone and manner, the big words signify success, the big words suggest status, the big words symbolize power, the big words indicate wealth … and the big words make them important.

Maybe some people really are big time successful individuals, maybe they do deal with big things in their lives. Hey, maybe that guy at Starbucks really has big things going for him. I don’t know. What I know is that things don’t always have to be big. The things that really matter are the smaller things. Be faithful in the small things because it is from there you draw out your real strength. And it is from the small things in life that you can find your true self.

I don’t really have big words … people may call it “high end property”, I call it a “home”. People may call it “wide networking”, I call it “friends”. People may call it “investment”, I call it “child’s education”. People may call it “strong connection”, I call it “family”. People may call it “important clients”, I call it “relatives”. People may call it “financial support”, I call it a “savings”. People may call it “special relation”, I call it “love”. And what people called a “joint venture partner” … hey, to me, that’s my wife.

The best year

2010-12-28T02:45:00.001+08:00

There are only a few days left for the year and I must say as far as I could remember, 2010 is the best year for me in my entire 48 years of life. There were several bad days over the year but the rest were quite easy going, though at times it seems a bit sedated but they were mostly enjoyable days. Even though I am not working nowadays it doesn't mean I have nothing to do ... just that I am not paid to do things for other people now. So, I do have the luxury of time and the days seem a bit longer but I don’t mind it at all. I really enjoyed the rush-free, pressure-less day to day activities.

This year I am glad to have spent a great amount of time with my family, wife and kids and also had plenty of time for myself and my friends. I used to be just a father to my kids and a husband to my wife. But now from my kids, I learned that I don’t have to be just a father, I can enjoy being a child again building a stronger bond with them. For my wife I don’t just to hold the responsibility of a husband but I am also a good friend.

I used to put up a mask to face the world and many times I felt so lonely when it seems that the world walked out of me. Now I can be exactly who I am … no mask, no show … just myself and I found out that when others walked out on me, my friends walked in.

I had the time to read some very good books and tried out many mouth watering recipes to the delight of my dinner guests. Though I have gained a few good pounds but I am fitter and healthier than ever, trekking regularly and playing a few good games of badminton every weekend with my sporting friends. I learned to stop and smell the flowers, appreciate the wonderful nature and enjoy a healthy lifestyle.

I am looking forward to the next year and all the years to come. Though I may be an old school type but I am not an old fashion person. I accept changes, welcome new ideas and I will continue to learn to be a better person. I am sure there will be a lot of changes and new things as I move on year to year … some may be planned, some expected, some already happening and some may not even exist now. And then there will be more changes. I will be happy to accept, adapt and embrace whatever that is coming. Like I always say “I am happy in advance”. Why? Because now I am already happy (in advance) with whatever life throws at me tomorrow ... accept it, adapt it, make do with whatever that it has to offer and make the best of whatever I already have.

So I am really looking forward to some good years ahead. And on second thought, I shouldn’t say 2010 is the best year of my life … actually the best year is yet to come.

It is never enough for one’s greed

2010-12-10T01:32:00.000+08:00

I was struck speechless in a conversation during a social gathering. A few of us were talking about success, how one defines and measures success. One of the guys in the conversation group said something which I thought was really arrogant. He introduced himself as a senior manager of a large stock broking firm. From his outlook and disposition, you can tell he is a show off. What he said really show how materialistic a person can be.

In a quite a boastful manner, he said that how successful a person is, depends on how greedy that person can be. His exact words were “To be successful, a person must be greedy … must never say enough”. Then he continued bluntly “Like it or not success is measured materialistically”. Honestly, I have no good words for this person and I don’t want to argue about what he said. He can have his point of views.

Of course I totally disagree with what he said. Let me tell you my opinion on success, greed and what is enough. Everyone is different. I may have simple needs, maybe you may need a little more and others may need a lot less than you and I. But then there are people who live on greed.

I am not sure about others but I make do with what I need and just “fit” things into my life. To me, whatever situation I am in, I don’t really have to worry about the “need to haves”. Somehow I make do with what I have and I don’t really have to struggle. It is always enough. My success is measured by how I pull through every day with what I can afford.

It is actually the “nice to haves” that people struggle to get. And it is always not enough because greed is pushing them perpetually to “fill” things into their lives. Their success is measured by the things they have to show. They think they are happy. They have forgotten that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting things they don’t have but rather of appreciating things that they already have.

Do you measure success materialistically? Nah … I don’t think so. I give you a good example. To me, my dad is a very successful person but he has nothing to show except for an old car and an old flat. He worked hard all his life and provided his wife and 5 children with all that is needed but nothing more. He died penniless but he lived his life well and done his part as a husband, as a father, as a provider and as a protector of his family. He has many friends and everywhere he goes, people always welcome him. If you search for the word “success” in my dictionary, you will find a picture of my father there.

You tell me you don’t have enough? I tell you this … you can never get enough of what you don’t need to make you happy. It is always enough for one’s need but it is never enough for one’s greed. The great Mahatma Gandhi once said something similar. He said “There is sufficiency in the world for man’s need but not for man’s greed”.

It is good to know when to say it is enough because enough is as good as a feast.

Of confidence, arrogance and stupidity

2010-11-25T22:51:00.000+08:00

Recently I met a guy I used to work with many years ago. I admired him because while struggling in the corporate world he was such a confident person full of enthusiasms. I worked with him for a while and I knew then he will go far. As I have expected, he is now a high level executive in an international company. I am glad to that he is successful now but on the other hand I am disappointed to see that he has turned into quite an arrogant person.

I really hate to see people who started well with confidence, believing in themselves and knowing that they are doing a good job but when they achieved success somehow they changed displaying arrogance. Too bad when someone has financial power, authority, status and influence, it is so easy to slip from confidence to arrogance.

Maybe it is none of my business how people become when they are successful but let me talk a bit about confidence and arrogance. So what is confidence and what is arrogance?

I would say that those who are confident don’t need to tell others that they are confident. They just do what they are comfortable with and display their abilities without exaggerations. On the other hand, those who are arrogant often compelled to show off and display an attitude telling everyone that they are the best. There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance and many people often mistakenly displayed their arrogance thinking that they are showing confidence.

Let me put it this way ... if you walk as if you rule the world and everyone has to know what you have done, that is arrogance. Confidence is when you walk as if you don’t care who rules the world and it is totally okay if other people knows nothing about what you have accomplished.

Yes confidence is good but then there are those who are too confident. Too much confidence blinds them from common sense and leads them straight to stupidity. Let me tell you a joke to illustrate my point.

There was a man who was so confident of his religion and his faith in God that he was sure God is with him always and will help him through difficult times. One day his village was flooded and all the villagers left but he refused to leave. When the flood got worse, a boat came and offered to take him to safety but he refused to go saying “Don’t worry, God will come and save me”. Later another boat came to save him but again he refused to go saying “I have faith in God and I know God will come to save me”. When the flood water rises further, he went to the roof of his house and waited. Then another boat came by and again offered to save him but he refused yet again saying “I am very confident that God will come and save me soon”.

Finally he drowned, went to heaven and disappointedly said to God “I prayed to you every day, I lived my life religiously and have done nothing wrong. I have so much faith and confidence in you and yet you did not come to save me during the flood. Then God said “I am very glad that you have shown such great confidence in me but I can’t help you if you are plain stupid. Look, I tried to save you. I sent three boats to you but you just refused to get on to the boats!”.

Do you see my point? I am sure you do.

We all have different views of things that we do and how we live our lives. I can only say that if we know how to tread between the lines of arrogance, confidence and stupidity, we will be a much better person.

Trekking Bukit Kutu

2010-11-05T15:46:00.003+08:00

(Click here for more photos)

Bukit Kutu, nestled among the mountains in Kuala Kubu Bahru is an interesting place … although it is called a “bukit” (hill), its height at 3456 feet above sea level can actually classify it as a “gunung” (mountain). The local orang asli Temuans (indigenous people) used to call it Bukit Sekutu. According to sources from the internet, it was then renamed Treachers’s Hill by the British and made a station with a colonial bungalow built at the peak. While the nearby Fraser’s Hill flourished, this hill station somehow faded into oblivion and the colonial bungalow was abandoned. Later, new maps no longer show the name “Treacher’s Hill” but instead call it Bukit Kutu.

Many years ago this trail was quite notorious for trekkers as it was easy to get lost inside the jungle. It was also famous (as the name suggest) for the “kutu” meaning ticks (in Malay) and fleas as well as the abundance of blood sucking leeches found in the area. But now, the trail is marked out clearly by trekkers all the way to the peak and with good insect and leech repellent, this trail, though fairly tough, is an enjoyable trail for trekkers looking for a good place to trek.

How to get there? First, head straight to Kuala Kubu Bahru (KKB) and from KKB head towards Fraser’s Hill. From KKB to Fraser, the drive will take you alongside the KKB Water Dam. Driving along the road, keep a look out for a turning on the right side of the road into Kampung Pertak. This turning is just after a concrete bridge … sometimes there are people fishing along the side of this bridge. After turning into Kampung Pertak (it is a local Temuan kampung), you can see little “chalet” type kampung houses. Drive straight until you see a steel bridge. You can park your car in a small open space nearby. This is the first steel bridge and is where you start to trek.

Group photo before the climb ...from left, EM Shiek, GT Lim, CK Lim, ML Lim, CT Lim, Ms Yap, Steven Chin and Mr Hoh

On 16OCT2010, 8 of us in two cars headed for Bukit Kutu … we reached Kampung Pertak at about 8.30am. At the first steel bridge, we parked our car at a nearby open area. We crossed the bridge and started to trek into the forest on a muddy road. This road is used by vehicles going in and out of the nearby rubber estates and plantations. We walked along the mud road until we reached the second steel bridge. This second bridge has collapsed at the mid-section but still it can be used to cross the river.

We continued to trek for a short while when we came to the upper side of the river and here there is no bridge. The river is just about knee deep and one can walk across it but we did not want to take off our shoes so we walked on top of various rocks and small boulders to cross the river. After crossing the river, the trail leads into the jungle. There are some wild durians trees at the beginning of the trail. On our previous trip to this place, it was the end of the durian season and the trees were bearing their last batch of durians. Good for us, we found several tasty durians and had a good durian feast. This time, no durians … so headed straight into the jungle.

The upper side of the river .. no bridge here

Crossing a small stream heading into the jungle

From here, we crossed a couple of small streams and then the trail starts to lead up quite steeply. It was all the way up for quite a while and we saw plenty of bamboos along the way. In just about 2 hours (since we started) we managed to reach the “big rock”. This is a popular rest area for trekkers. This resting place is actually beside a very big boulder, almost 8 storeys high … it is HUGE! It casted out like a huge roof and provided a nice, cool and dry resting area for trekkers.

We rested for a while and then continue to hike up. We know we still have a third of the journey to trek to the peak. The trail from the big rock is a lot easier apart from the initial steep climb for a short distance and then it was a fairly easy trek all the way to the peak. Finally, we reached the open resting area at the peak. All in all it took us just about 3 hours to reach the peak. This is where the old colonial bungalow used to be … now only the tall chimney is left standing with several foundation structures and a couple of wells (or maybe some sort of bunkers).

The chimney ... remnants of the old colonial bungalow

An old staircase and one of the wells (or could it be a bunker?)

This is not really the highest point yet … the highest point of Bukit Kutu is just another short climb up to the top of a large boulder. We rested for a while at the open area and then went up to the very peak at 3456 feet above sea level. From here we could see the surrounding jungles and mountains of the nearby Fraser’s Hill area as well as the sleepy Kuala Kubu Bahru town.

For this hike, we brought along a young coconut tree and we planted it at the open area. Hopefully it will grow well to provide shade and bear fruits for thirsty trekkers in the future. We spent about 45 minutes at the peak and after a good rest and a quick lunch, we began our descent. The trek down was uneventful and quite fast as we did not really stop to rest. Our minds were fixed on getting out of the jungle and straight to the river at the first steel bridge for a cool refreshing dip. We made it to the river in 2 hours 30 minutes. The cool water was an appropriate reward for a long tiring trek. We took time to enjoy ourselves in the water and we also brought bread to feed the fresh water fishes which came in the hundreds to our delight.

Enjoying the cool water after a tiring trek

Very relaxing

Steven Chin enjoying the dip and Ms Yap freshening up

After washing up at the river we were all hungry again and it was time to pay a visit to the nearby Ulu Yam town for a good meal including a large bowl of the famous Ulu Yam “Lor Meen” before heading home. Though very tired, we were all happy to have accomplished another good trek and already looking forward to trek Bukit Kutu again soon.

Nobody says others must do good to you.

2010-10-25T20:54:00.004+08:00

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Recently I watched a historical drama series about the people revolting against the cruel Emperor Shi Huang Di of the Qin Dynasty and how the two famous rebel leaders, Liu Bang and Xiang Yu overthrew the Qin Emperor. Then Liu Bang and Xiang Yu fought among themselves to control the vast empire. The two fought many battles and history told us that Liu Bang defeated Xiang Yu by employing brilliant men like Zhang Liang, Xiao He, Fan Kuai, Chen Ping and the outstanding General Han Xin. It was actually General Han Xin who finally crushed Xiang Yu in a decisive battle known in history as “The Battle of Gaixia”. After that, Liu Bang unified the China again and declared himself as Emperor Han GaoZu of the Han Dynasty.

And when peace descends upon China, Emperor Han Gaozu felt that he no longer needs those who fought together with him in the times of war. Many of his able generals were stripped of power, some banished on trumped up charges and others were jailed. And the famous General Han Xin was killed although not by the emperor himself (Han Xin was tricked, captured and executed by the scheming Empress Lu Zhi).

The gist of the story? As the saying goes “when the hares are all caught, the hunter boils his hounds”. Some people are good partners in struggling times but when the hard times are over, they turn otherwise protecting their own interest.

Let me tell you a similar story … several years ago, a good friend of mine was asked by one of our old schoolmates to help run the business of a new food court. The business was operating at a loss initially but with the expertise and wide experience, my good friend managed to pull through the hard times and finally established a stable profitable business almost single-handedly. Since then, the food court business has made huge profits for the owners.

Then recently the owners felt that they no longer need my good friend anymore as the business is now stable and running smoothly. So they plotted to replace him with their own family members. Very soon they succeeded by purposely putting him in difficult spots until he finally resigns.

If you are in the same boat as my good friend, would you feel angry? Of course you would. It is OK, get mad but then get over it. As angry as you can be but in situation like this or other similar circumstances, sometimes you just have to swallow your anger quietly and move on. You did good to others but nobody says others must do good to you.

So, at the end of the day, whatever happened to General Han Xin thousands of years ago or how my good friend being treated just recently or maybe in the future you may face the same situation … don’t bear any grudges. You can treat people well but don’t expect people to treat you well. Understand this and you will be a better person.
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You could be the other bastard ...

2010-10-05T18:42:00.000+08:00

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The famous American General George S. Patton (during WWII) told his men “The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his” … very wise words indeed. YES, loyalty demand great respect but General Patton exploited other people’s loyalty … let the other bastard for his country. You don’t win the war by dying (of loyalty or otherwise).

Today, in big organisations or small companies, there are people who demonstrate the same loyalty for their companies. Maybe you are one of these good employees who walked the extra mile. You are a die-hard loyal soldier … when asked to jump, you simply asked “how high” … you don’t even ask what you are jumping for and why. You put the company first, often go all the way making personal sacrifice for the company. And for that, you may just end up being one of the many pieces on the chess board … being positioned, played, exploited and made to “die for the company” for the benefit of others. On the surface, it is business as usual but underneath the carpet are smiling backstabbing opportunists scheming for an easy climb up the corporate ladder. And the end of the day, the shrewd, cunning, conniving and scheming ones are the winners.

OK, maybe it is not all that bad and gloomy. There are still good people around but just too few of those “old school” types who still hold loyalty, honesty and trust close to their chests. I am a strong believer of loyalty, honesty and trust but unfortunately these good values are often exploited by many. In underhand company politics, loyalty is a weakness, honesty is a flaw and trust is a big mistake.

Do you think people really care about your loyalty, what you have contributed, how hard you have worked or how much you have personally sacrificed? The instant you are out of the picture, people will only talk about your imperfection. Someone told me once that when you cry, no one sees your tears … when you are in pain, no one sees you are hurt …when you are worried, no one sees your stress … and when you are happy, no one sees your smile ... but when you FART just one time, everybody talks about it. How true!

So, are you a die-hard loyal, honest and trusting employee? If so, you should mull over General Patton’s words … you could be the other bastard made to die for his country … or in this case, die for the company.
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What I believe

2010-09-20T15:16:00.003+08:00

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Last year when I wrote “Do you believe in ghost?”, someone asked me “Do you believe in God?”. That time, I did not response as I thought it was a bit sensitive to talk about the subject. Lately when I wrote “Gwai Cheet”, again someone asked me if I believe there is God. So let me tell you what I believe.

Do I believe in God? Not really … why? I feel there is something and I sense there is something (a force maybe) but I have not seen it. Whatever I have not seen I don’t really want to believe it exist. So, I don’t have a name for it. I don’t even know how it looks like … maybe one day if and when I see it, I will tell what it is called … that is, if I am still kicking. What others believe in, I have nothing to say about it. To them, God is the name … some others may have different names depending on what their beliefs are.

You can say I am not a religious person. On a few occasions when I tell people I don’t have any religion, they immediately see a red mean evil creature with a tail and two horns sticking out of my head, holding a long nasty trident standing in front of them. Look I don’t have a religion but please don’t look at me like I am a devil. Actually an evil person looks exactly like any other person around us … didn’t you read about people being murdered, burnt and dumped into rivers recently. The people who did this, they are the evil ones … do they look like devils to you?

When I say I don’t have a religion, it doesn’t mean I am anti-religion … as a matter of fact, I learn from all religions. I believe the teachings from all religions are good and I apply any teaching that I believe is good for me ... doesn’t matter which religion it is from.

I don’t believe in fate … to me, fate is for people who don’t want to make decision … so, they leave it to fate .. as they always say "It's fated". Put it this way, I believe in what I decide and whatever I do will set the course of my life. Whether it is good or bad … I am responsible for my life not fate.

Once someone told me that I will go to hell … he said that if I don’t believe in fate and don’t belong to any religion, I have no heaven to go to, so hell is the only place. No worries and I am not losing sleep over it. I don’t know where the hell is hell but if the decisions I make and what I do is going to take me to hell, then let it be. Hey, when people say “It’s a hell of a place” … that sounds pretty exciting to me. I am looking forward to it already.

I am not amazed by how much people make …

2010-09-06T12:30:00.001+08:00

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How much can one person make? Millions, billions … trillions maybe … the sky is the limit. I read a lot about the rich and famous and I personally know quite a few. I salute them … they are all very capable people.

You know what? I am not amazed by how much people make … but I am surprised how little I really need. Having said that, it doesn’t mean everyone is like me. How much one needs is not for me to decide. Some are happy with the basics, some are contended with a little comfort while others must have luxury. I am only expressing my views and you don’t have to agree with me.

Look, I am not saying you should go hide in jungle and live like Tarzan. YES, be realistic … every family, big or small, needs money … for healthcare, for children’s education, for security and maybe other emergencies. My point is, when you think you have enough already, maybe you don’t need to keep chasing … maybe like me, you too will be surprised how little you really need.

I seek simple things in life now and they don’t really cost a lot. I don’t spend on expensive clothes, I don’t drive an expensive car and I don’t really go to expensive places. I can’t afford expensive stuffs to show off to people so that I “look good” ... I don’t need to anyway. Someone said this to me not so long ago “Shiek, you look old already, your hair is turning grey … you look so haggard lah". I don’t deny it at all … hey, I AM getting older and grey hair comes with age naturally. Some people don’t even get to live to see their grey hair. I am ok with whatever that is comfortable on me.

Really, how people see me from the outside is really not that important … whatever I do now is not to “look good” from the outside. What is important to me is how I feel inside. I feel healthy, I feel good, I feel happy … I feel GREAT! And to do that … I am surprised how little I really need.
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"Gwai Cheet"

2010-08-16T21:21:00.001+08:00

It is that time of the year again … the 7th lunar month of the Chinese calendar and just around the corner is what the Chinese called “gwai cheet” meaning ghost festival in Cantonese. And according to popular believe, during this period, the hell gates opened and all the “gwais” (ghosts & ghouls) will be out roaming everywhere. It is party time for those unearthly beings on the 14th day of the 7th lunar month.

Those who believe that the unearthly beings do exist will avoid going out and try not to stay out late if they have to leave their homes, worried that they might bump into “lar char yeh” (dirty "things”) during this period. As if these people are not already scared enough, various TV channels will be showing horror “gwai” movies to frighten them at home. Radio channels will also be telling all sorts of ghost stories. And as usual, people will add more scary tales to hype it up.

Here is one I heard just last week … a couple of my trekking buddies were trekking a popular hill in Klang Valley (I am not going to specify which hill, you can guess all you want ok?). And as they were about to cross a bridge they saw a lone woman near the bridge. She did not look spooky at all, just normal looking. She asked one of my friends … “hor em hor yee tai ngor kor kiu” (can you bring me across the bridge). At first it did not strike my friend that there is anything odd. But when they crossed the bridge, the woman, who was following behind then said “em koi sai, lei they ng sai tang ngor lah” (thank you, you guys don’t have to wait for me). It was at this precise moment it dawn upon my friend that she seems to talk in slow motion. Then it struck his mind that it is the 7th lunar month period and may be, just maybe there is something spooky. That thought sent him a chilling feeling. He dare not look back, just waved and immediately increased his speed trekking out of the forest. It was only after coming out of the forest he felt relieved. Anyway, I don’t think it is anything spooky but just because it is the 7th Chinese lunar month, our minds sometimes pulled a fast one on us.

I won’t purposely avoid anything during this period. Whether these “gwais” really exist or not, I am not going to argue about it. I believe in the saying “ping yat putt cho kuai sum see, sam karng how moon yar put keng” … loosely translated, it means if you did not harm anyone, you don’t have to worried about your doors being knocked at midnight.

Talking about the “gwai” word, I find it a bit inconsiderate that generally the Chinese in Malaysia (not sure about elsewhere) call themselves as “torng yan” in Cantonese … “torng” meaning Chinese and “yan” meaning human or people. But when calling other races, for some unknown selfish reasons, the other races are inconsiderately tagged with “gwai” instead. I am sure most Chinese will know what I am talking about. I strongly feel that this is inappropriate and those who are consciously or unconsciously doing it should stop ... we are all “yan”.
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Of porcupines, bezoar stones and a tarred lung

2010-08-02T12:45:00.003+08:00

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The last time I met my ex-colleague, he asked me “Hey Shiek, you trekked a lot of jungles right?” I said “Yes, why?” He then asked “Have you come across porcupines?” I thought why a sudden interest in porcupines, so I asked him “Why? Can eat arr? “No lah” he said. “But some porcupines have some sort of stones in them … they are called the bezoar stones” he added. “Huh? “What stone?” I asked curiously. He then showed me a brochure which contains pictures of a type of stone that supposedly have great medicinal value. It is called “hao zhu zhao” (mandarin) or bezoar stone in English. It was the first time I heard about the bezoar stone.

He then told me that many “lou sais” (big bosses) and “yau cheen lous” (rich people) are now paying thousands of dollars to buy these stones. Some Chinese medicine shops are selling it at RM1000 for just half a gram. Wow, must be some sort of wonder stone. Later I found out that bezoar is a mass of food, usually from consuming grass and herbs, found trapped in an animal’s stomach system and is historically used in Chinese traditional medicine.

It is believed by some that the porcupine bezoar stone can be used to cure cancer, diabetes, dengue, typhoid, epilepsy, hepatitis and many more. Really? Then why the hell all those scientists are still searching everywhere for a cancer cure … hey, search no further, we have plenty of porcupines in Malaysia! Porcupine bezoar stone can cure deadly diseases? Naaaah! I tell you what … I am not convinced at all until it is scientifically proven. Whether it really has fantastic healing abilities or it is just a simple gall stone, it is up to you to believe. If it really works for you … great, I wish you a speedy recovery.

The irony is that many rich bosses are paying thousands of dollars for the stones hoping that they will cure them of their various health problems. Why the irony? First, these rich “lou sais” spend thousands on their excessively lifestyles. Believe me, I have seen so many of them wasting away their perfect health due to their over indulging habits. And when their well being began to deteriorate attracting a host of health problems, they then spend thousands on strange stuffs like the porcupine bezoar stone hoping to find some sort of miracle to solve their problems. Actually they are hoping for an easy way to buy back their health with money.

Hey, it is none of my business what people do with their money and their well being right? Look, I am also talking about myself. Many years ago I too wasted away my health. Not that I am a "yau cheen lou" but I over indulged in a poor man’s luxury … cigarettes! I smoked away one of my lungs. Those days I was doing three large packs of cigarettes a day and over the years, my lungs were smoked hard and brittle. One fine day out of the blue, one of my lungs decided to collapse and I ended up in the ER. Looking at the x-ray the doctor said “Tak nampak apa apa lah” (can’t see anything) and I said “Macam tu baik lah” (like that it is ok then, thinking that there is nothing wrong). Then he said “Tak nampak sebab semua sudah hitam lah” (cannot see anything because the lung was all black … probably full of tar).

An immediate thoracic surgery was arranged to fix the tarred lung that was punctured in five places. I was wheeled into the operation theatre on a cold stainless steel trolley (just like dead bodies being pushed in some CSI episodes). And just before they put the mask on me, I saw the “tunnel with a light at the end” and before I have time to figure out whether it is really a light at the end or a bloody on-coming train … everything went black.

I woke up with tubes all over me. Terribly in pain but was glad my good thoracic surgeon pulled me out of the tunnel. I realised I was in ICU, hooked up on a machine that was making an irritating “teet, teet, teet” sound. Though irritating but I know this sound means everything is OK … was really worried that it may just go “teeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet” (then you won’t be reading this). While recovering in the hospital, my doctor took me to see a small girl and said to me “Shiek, this girl was born with a defective lung … she have no choice but to suffer but you were born with perfect lungs and yet you chose to smoked it away”.

I smoked away one of my lungs and now I do not have 100% capacity of it. I have to live with that for the rest of my life. I will not be able to do a lot of things that a person with a healthy lung can do. No matter how much I exercise or how many mountains I trek, I cannot bring back my health. Nor can I spend thousands to buy some miracle stones to cure it. I regretted it deeply.
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Friends change or change friends?

2010-07-18T01:35:00.005+08:00

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When I left my last job, I wrote “Who Are Your Friends” because I am well aware that when I don’t possess the “connection” and “influence” in the corporate playing field, the many so called “pung yaus” (friends) and “hing tais”(brothers) will quickly disappear. Unfortunately that’s a sad reality. So many of these so called “friends” and “brothers” conveniently disappeared, some vanished mysteriously almost immediately … while a few (probably out of courtesy) continued to send me emails or an SMS or two with words like “stay in contact” or “keep in touch” for a while longer. Very soon, most of them too stopped corresponding.

True to the saying “lou yuen chi ma lik, yat kau keen yan sum” [meaning (in Cantonese) distance will test a horse’s strength and time will reveal a person’s heart], now I can clearly see only a few are worthy of a true friendship.

I have changed and because my status changed, thinking changed, lifestyle changed, influence changed, interest changed and material changed, maybe people feel that I no longer possess anything worthy to be their so called "friends". Or maybe people just don’t understand or accept that friends change, so they change friends.

Only a handful who really meant it when they said “keep in touch”… really staying in contact, making an effort to catch up in between their busy schedules, genuinely concern and honestly keen to know about my well-being. Good to know they still value my friendship regardless the many changes in my life.

I am the old school type who values friendship strongly. I am lucky to have many good friends … some I knew not too long ago and some I knew for over 40 years (since 1969, from Standard One). At times we grew apart as we moved about to make a living and adjust our lives but we always kept in touch. We try to meet whenever possible. Along the way, we changed many things but we did not change friends. Whether old or new, good or bad, rain or shine, thick or thin … they still remain my friends and I remain as theirs. I value this friendship very much and I am sure they do the same.

My point is … do you understand and accept that friends change or do you just change friends?
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"Fa Kuo San" or Flower Fruit Mountan

2010-07-02T17:28:00.017+08:00

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I have heard of Gunung Bunga Buah or Flower Fruit Mountain or “Fa Kuo San” (in Cantonese) a long time ago. I first heard of this mountain when I was a teenager. My dad used to tell me that he and his friends often hunt for wild boars at the base of this mountain.

This mountain is also synonymous with the mischievous Monkey God of the well known Chinese legend “Journey To The West” … in the legend, the mountain which the Monkey God stays in is also called “Fa Kuo San”. Gunung Bunga Buah is one of the few high mountains among the various mountains in the Titiwangsa range just next to Genting Highlands.

I have wanted to trek up this mountain when I first took up trekking seriously but somehow never got to do it. So when Jean Soh messaged me and asked if I am interested to hike up this mountain, I am all for it. In no time I managed to convince my regular bunch of trekkers and we met in Kinrara, Puchong at 6.00am on 03 April 2010. After a quick breakfast, six of us started our journey heading towards Gotong Jaya in Genting Highlands. In about an hour, we reached our destination and parked just at the back of the rows of shops and restaurants.

Group photo before the climb

After a quick warm up, we begin our quest to conquer the peak of Gunung Buah Bunga. Jean Soh have trekked this trail several times so she was leading the way. From where we parked, we have to walk into a private farm. The trail starts from the back of the farm. We trekked up a slope through a small forest. After about 20 minutes, we got out of the forest into an old tar road. From here, Jean told us that we have to walk for more than an hour before we reach another forest trail that leads directly to the peak. The old tar road seems to have been abandoned for years. We passed an old quarry and the view of the quarry against the clear blue sky was spectacular. There were thick undergrowth along various parts of the tar road. And the leeches … on this day, armies of these suckers were out for blood! We have to constantly check our legs and bodies for these little buggers but somehow they still got to us.

The long old tar road, wild orchids (above) and the old abandoned quarry

After about an hour and twenty minutes, we reached the junction turning right into the jungle trail that lead straight up the mountain. From here we knew we have another 2 hours or so to trek to the peak. After a quick rest, we head into the jungle. The trail from here starts with a slight slope upwards for about 15 minutes. Then it was all the way down a valley. We must have descended at least 300 meters. My mind was thinking about trekking up this valley again on the return journey ... that would be a killer.

We reached the bottom of the valley, rested for a while and then proceed to hike upwards. From here it is mostly upward trek and after slightly more than an hour we reach a place with beautiful rock formation. Regular trekkers called this resting point the “rock garden”. It was a bit misty but from here we can see the buildings of Genting Highlands perched on the opposite mountain. We took a short break and then two from our group decided not to proceed due to exhaustion. They stayed at the rock garden.

From the rock garden, four of us continued trekking across some fairly tough terrain heading to the peak. It was getting a bit humid and we were all sweating heavily. I was drenched. The ascent from here is quite gradual only in a few areas we faced some steep slopes. Almost an hour later we reached the peak. We were the only group at the peak. We rested in a small open area at the peak and had our lunch. From the peak we saw the Klang Gate Ridge and the dam on one side and Genting Highlands on the other and lush green surrounding mountains and jungles. We stayed at the peak for about half an hour and then made our way down.

At the peak of Gunung Bunga Buah

The descent was a bit quicker. We joined the two waiting at the rock garden in just 45 minutes. From the rock garden we headed straight out to the old tar road. In about an hour we got out of the jungle. The weather took a change and began to rain as soon as we reached the old tart road. We have to trek in the rain and it was a perfect condition for the leeches to come for blood. While trekking on the tar road out to the farm, I must have got at least half a dozen of those blood suckers feasting on me … they are all over my legs. We walked briskly and by the time we get to the junction going down to the farm, most of us (except for the super fit Jean Soh) were totally drained. I began to feel the strain on my knees but there is still about half an hour to get out to civilisation.

We saw several large milipedes and a HUGE (almost the size of my palm) spider on the way down

It rained as we got to the tar road on the way down

We continued down the slope into the farm and finally we got to our car. We were dirty, itchy, tired, swollen, exhausted, wet and hungry … down but not out. A quick freshen up at the nearby shops and we were all glad that the next and last agenda of the day is FOOD! So with only one thing in mind, we drove to nearby Bukit Tinggi for dinner. We went to the same restaurant that we ate on our previous trekking up Nuang (from Janda Baik). A big steamed tilapia, “kung po” wild boar meat, extra large plate of stir fried sweet potato leaves and egg “foo yong” plus soft drinks for all cost us less than RM80 (six pax) … we were more than happy to pay our share. Then we went to the nearby market to buy some organic fruits and vegetables and headed straight home with another peak to add to our trekking list.

Living a little healthier

2010-06-21T21:56:00.000+08:00

The word “organic” is probably one of the most mentioned words in the natural health business. But not many people know what “organic” actually encapsulates. When asked, the first thing that comes to the top of our mind is that organic means all natural traditional farming. Well you are not wrong but that is not just it. Organic encapsulates more … organic farming does not mean going ‘back’ to traditional methods. It still uses many traditional farming methods that are still useful today but also combines them with modern scientific knowledge. Organic farmers do not leave their farms to be taken over by nature; they use all the knowledge, techniques and materials available to work with nature. In this way the farmer creates a healthy balance between nature and farming, where crops and animals can grow and thrive.

From a TV programme I came to know of an organic farm situated in Kampung Titi, Negeri Sembilan called Titi Eco Resort. This farm was created out of a strong passion for healthy living by a husband and wife team in the mid 90s. And after some research on the internet, I convinced a few of my friends to join me for a visit to the farm and checked into a programme to learn more about the concept of organic farming and healthy living.

The vegetables, herbs and fruits planted in the organic farm

Well, don’t expect 5-star resort style living … it was a very basic, simple, plain, natural and healthy programme. The programme offers valuable information on organic farming of herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables in harmony with the nature. Also included in the programme were healthy eating tips, medicinal benefits of some common herbs and plants as well as common organic animal husbandry. We were taught the “6211” consumption method ... what’s that? Simple … it just means 6 parts fruits, 2 parts vegetables, 1 part carbohydrate and 1 part protein. If you can apply this formula to your eating habits, you are on the way to a healthy lifestyle.

Farmers for a day ... Shiek, Chin Keat, Guan Toong, Hwa Poh and Meng Leong)

Some common plants with medicinal benefits

Preparing herbs for mosquitoe bites and trying my hands in making organic bread

Do you know your vegetables? How do you go about buying vegetables? This is what you should know … vegetables are generally divided into 4 types … those under the ground … potatos, peanuts, yam, etc . Then those that are above the ground … the leafy types, flowers and fruits. Then there are those growing out of fresh water eg. lotus and water crest and finally those that grows in salt water like seaweed and algae. So if you rotate the 4 different groups when you are doing your weekly market visits, then you will get the best of all types of vegetables with their relevant benefits. And of course the colours … it is good to also have a mix of colours not just green all the time. And I found out that our national flower, the hibiscus is edible! Hibiscus salad anyone?

Honestly, how many of us can totally avoid un-organic (is there such a word?) food? It is not realistic but we can try to reduce our intake of chemicals, preservatives, toxins, acids and other stuffs not compatible to our body. With a little bit of education of what (and what not) to eat, what should we eat more, what should eat less, a little bit of restrain on our taste buds, a little bit of determination and a little bit of consciousness on how we feed ourselves, then we can live healthier and enjoy a bit more from what life have to offer.

Spending a couple of days in the organic farm certainly taught me to relook at my eating habits and make some necessary changes. It is not going to totally change my entire lifestyle but it is going to get a bit healthier and a lot better … I am sure.

The great footballers of the world

2010-06-07T13:35:00.006+08:00

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The hype is getting loud and everyone is talking about it. The whole world is waiting for the kick-off on 11th June 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa. YES, I am talking about the FIFA World Cup 2010 … a great event that only comes every four years.

Lately, to promote the coming World Cup football, our local TV channels have been showing some of our very own football greats. I am sure you have seen (Dato’) Soh Chin Aun, Santokh Singh and James Wong on TV lately. I hope there will be more to come. If not, I would like to mention here our other great footballers such as Mokthar Dahari, Arumugam aka Spiderman, Wong Choon Wah, M Chandran, Shukor Salleh, Yip Chee Keong and Chow Chee Keong. And there were others like Sergebeth Singh, Zainal Abidin, Dollah Salleh, Wong Hung Nung, Lim Teong Kim and of course many more.

If these names don’t ring a bell, then maybe you should ask your dad (or grandfather) about them. These great footballers of Malaysia made us proud, putting our country first and making Malaysia a country to be reckoned with, back in the glory football days of Merdeka Cup. Sorry to say, today’s football in Malaysia is not a bit close to what it used to be.

And talking about Merdeka Cup matches played in the historic Merdeka Stadium, do you remember those “kacang putih” (fried nuts and beans) sellers with their wooden table and trays of various “kacang putihs” packed in little cones made from old newspaper? You see them peddling their stuffs in various entrances and corners of Merdeka Stadium during matches. Let me step away from football and tell you a funny story related to the “kacang putih” sellers. You see, one time I went with my friend and his dad to watch a football match at Merdeka Stadium. During the match, my friend’s dad went to buy “kacang putih”. My friend and I waited for him but he did not return so we went to search for him. We found him standing beside a “kacang putih” stall looking really mad, cursing and swearing. We soon found out that he wanted to buy some “kacang putih” and had given the seller a fifty dollar note. But the “kacang putih” guy did not have any small change so he told my friend’s dad that he will go out to a shop to change it. But you know what? That guy did not come back. Why? My friend’s dad finally figured out that the whole stall … the table, trays and the “kacang putihs” (lock stock and barrel) cost a lot less than fifty bucks. So that guy just ran off making my friend’s dad looks like a big fool … no joke, this is a true story!

Do you remember who is who?

OK back to football and great footballers ... what about other great footballers from the around the world? One of the first few names I first came to know (back in the early 70s) was of course Pele and his famous “banana kick” or what is known today as “bend it like Beckham”. Do you remember Kim Jae-han, Cha Bum-keun, Maung Maung Tin, Johan Cryuff, Sepp Maier, Gerd Muller, (Masakuni) Yamamoto, George Best, Franz Beckenbauer, Michel Platini, Osvaldo Ardiles, Mario Kempes and Sócrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira or simply known as Socrates? Of course many will remember Diego Maradona and his controversial “hand of god” goal against England in 1986. What about Artur Antunes Coimbra? Maybe the name Zico sounds a little more familiar. Hey, remember Peter Shilton, Paolo Rossi, Gabriel Batistusta, Dino Zoff, Kevin Keegan and the famous top scoring goalkeeper from Paraguay, José Luis Chilavert? The list goes on.

Do you have any names to add? I am sure you will remember some of your favourite footballers from around the world. Even my 11 years old son is all excited and throwing names of famous current players like Ronaldo, Rooney, Drogba, Messi, Eto, Torres, Fabregas, Gerrard, Anelka, Lampard, Kaka, Malouda, Van Der Sar, Ballack, Arshavin and the list goes on. Maybe he will remember these names in the future.
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It is not fair!

2010-05-24T00:31:00.001+08:00

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A couple of weeks ago, I met with a good friend of mine and in our conversation she talked about a female colleague in her company … actually she was having a bit of problem at work and was looking for someone to listen to her grouses. She told me “Shiek, it is not fair … my boss seems to agree to everything my colleague says and is especially nice and generous to her whereas all the things that I proposed never gets his attention”. I simply told her that maybe her discussion in the boardroom is not as effective as her colleague’s pillow talk in the bedroom and asked her if she ever wondered who is jumping into whose bed? Immediately she asked me how I knew. Oh come on, is it so difficult to guess? Workplace is the number one place for (extra marital) affairs … especially the boss-employee type.

Scenario like this is very real and is happening every day in many companies. This often leads favouritism, biased intentions and unfair decisions. Sad as it may be but that is the fact.

Back to my friend … she asked me “How arr? Should I confront my boss?” I told her nobody is stupid enough to confront the boss. Well, maybe occasionally there will be someone foolish enough to brazen up to the boss and most likely in the process numbered his or her days in the company.

“It is not fair! I worked so hard for so many years” she said almost in tears. I can see the anger, disgust, jealousy and distrust, all flashing across her face. I told her that contrary to common belief, hard work doesn’t always pays off. My friend is a classic case of a person who strived on working hard and makes an honest living but suffered quietly. The reality is hard work and honesty won’t get you far. Even if they do, it is a very old fashion slow process.

Sometimes you feel like you are working for ass holes and getting shit, right? The following illustration explains it all.

The Company’s Hierarchy

When top levels look down, they see shit.

When bottom levels look up, they see ass holes.

So, you want to get things done fast and move up faster so that you don’t get so much shit? Then be an ass hole. Try pillow talk on the bed and if the boss is not jumping into your bed (or you into his or hers), then try “rubba rubba” (my slang for polishing) some important backsides. It is fairly easy to pick up the “rubba rubba” skill … you just need to have thick skin, a yes-man attitude and sweet talking ability … no need for hard work and honesty. If you are not into pillow talk and “rubba rubba”, then I would suggest some tactical approaches like back stabbing, finger pointing, blame throwing and names calling. Bad as it may sound but at least these tactics will let you step on someone to get out of the frying pan. Appalling as it is but that is the reality in the working world today.

So, if you are like my friend, an old fashion hard working employee making an honest living, life is never fair. Live with it. The moment you were born, you were crying while everyone else was smiling … you know it is not going to be fair.
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When my time comes

2010-05-09T11:21:00.001+08:00

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My good friend sent me a presentation simply called “When my time comes” and I thought I should share the true words from this presentation with all.

It started by saying that we spent a good part of our early lives going to school learning how to become a good person and finally got our qualifications that will secure better jobs for us. And we went in search of our dream job.

We soon started working. Through a few jobs and a lot of hard work, we got ourselves accepted into the real working world. Then we strived hard to build our careers putting great effort and sacrifice most of our time to make ourselves a bona fide professional. We chased for new targets every year and time quickly went by unnoticed. We kept going.

Along the way we found someone to love. Promises made and very soon we want to share our lives and move into the next chapter together. Whether planned or not, we started a family added more family members in a few short years. As our little ones grow, we were still very busy building our careers. And we kept going.

We advanced, trying to do the best for our families. Finally we were financially established, have accumulated enough for a comfortable life. By then we were almost exhausted. But we needed some more. We need more time as we want to triumph completely, we want to be rich and enjoy luxury. We wanted the perfect 10! So we pushed and kept going.

Then one day we were told, they don’t need us anymore. We couldn’t believe it but reality quickly took over. We were cut off from everything in a sudden. Time ran out and the years showed its depreciation. We no longer possess the physical ability and gravity became our main enemy. Our health declined. We began to lose some of our senses. Then we start to lose our friends. While we wait for the day to come, we ask ourselves … “when my time comes, did I live a happy good and satisfied life?

Sounds familiar to what you have been doing?

Some time ago, I heard someone said this … “When we were born, we were dying to grow up, then we were dying to go to college, then we were dying to work, then we were dying to get married and have children, then dying to get rich ... and finally we were really dying. All the while we were dying to do so many things, we forgot how to live”.

I beg to differ … you can read how I found “HAPPINESS IN ADVANCE” and why “I WANT TO LIVE LONGER” to enjoy the “BEST THINGS IN LIFE”.
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Bypass to the far east section of Klang Gate Ridge

2010-04-27T20:31:00.001+08:00

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Many trekkers are familiar with Tabur East and West. These two trails are very much enjoyed by trekkers for the beautiful city views and the serene lake and mountains sceneries. There is a section of the Klang Gate Ridge (on the east, near the Zoo) that many can see from MRR2 but not many people have been to this far east section. There is an existing way going into this section from the Rapid bus depot (in Taman Melawati), crossing a new housing area and into a private orchard. My friends and I have been to this section several times.

There is also another way to this far east section of the ridge … sort of a bypass from Tabur East. Many have trekked Tabur East … ascending the trail from the small river (and the double water pipes), trek a steep slope upwards, walk along the top of the rocky formations, down and up a steep valley and finally reached the last ropes and climb up to the peak. On the peak, one can go the end and look across at the other section of the ridge on the far east. This far east section can be seen but cannot be reached due to the steep dangerous drop at the end. But there is a way to cross over from the base of the last ropes.

Sometime ago a few of us successfully trekked from the last ropes (instead of climbing up) going downwards, all the way to the next section. We made a bypass and trekked up the highest peak at the far east of the Klang Gate Ridge.

On 17 April 2010, we decided to trek to the far east section of Klang Gate Ridge from Tabur East again. This time we wanted to look for a new and safer bypass. We set out early and trekked from the river all the way to the last ropes. From there, we headed downwards and move along side of the wall of the ridge. We have to move further downwards as the trail is very dangerous near the wall of the ridge. The terrain here is quite thick in various places and we have to cut away a fair bit to trek through.

(Instead of going up the last ropes, we went down and left to look for a way)

(We trekked pass the ravine from below Tabur East's peak and crossed over to the other section)

(We trekked further east and downwards)

(Found a safe way up and trek upwards though a small valley to the top)

We trekked pass the base of the peak (Tabur East’s last peak) from below and went across the deep ravine between the peak and the next section of the ridge. There we continued to trek downwards until we found a safe way up again. We began to trek up through a small valley until we reached the far east section of the ridge. At this valley junction, one can turn left and treks towards the end of this section. From there, you can actually see and shout to those who are at the Tabur East peak but they cannot cross over to this end the section.

(We continue to move eastwards, trekking on the top of this section of the ridge)

We did not turn left (as we have been there before) so we turn right to continue to trek further east of this section of the ridge. The trail here is fairly easy and the rocks and vegetation are similar to those of Tabur East and West except this part of the ridge is still unexposed and unspoilt. We trekked on the top of this section moving eastwards through some rocky terrains, small valleys and through a small forest. A few areas were quite dangerous and we used ropes to safely trek down the steep drop.

(The slope here is quite slippery)

(Very dangerous rock valley. One have to be extra careful here)

(We have to use ropes to tackle this steep and dangerous area. Left the ropes there for those who may venture into this section in the future)

(The vegetation is similar to Tabur East and West, except here, it is pristine and unspoilt)

(The four of us very glad to have successfully trekked from Tabur East bypass to the far east section. From left : EM Shiek, ML Lim, GT Lim and CK Lim)

This section of the ridge is absolutely wonderful, unspoilt and relatively unexplored but it is not for the inexperience. One have to be very careful … plenty of loose soils, sharp rocks and slippery slopes. Slowly we made our way through the ridge and we finally reached the junction going out to a private property (an orchard). Nearby we saw a nice “tree house’ built by the locals from the orchard. From this junction one can proceeds further east to reach the highest peak of the whole Klang Gate Ridge (the whole Klang Gate Ridge about 16km long). It will take at least another three hours to trek to the highest peak, that is, if one can find the way from here.

(The tree house built by the locals from the orchard)

(From the tree house, we trekked out to the private orhard ... into civilisation)

(The highest peak of the whole Klang Gate Ridge located at the far east section near the Zoo Negara)

We have been to the highest peak so we decided not to go this time as we were all tired and exhausted. Running out of water, we headed out to the private orchard. We were glad to see the two Indonesian caretakers of the orchard who knew us since the very first time when we came to trek up the highest peak. After a quick rest, we have to figure out a way from here to get back to where we parked our car (at the river) a few kilometres away. But lucky for us, our good Indonesian friend has a 4WD pickup truck. We only have to ask and he offered to take us to our car. It is good to have friends everywhere you trek. We were driven to our car and after that we went to a nearby waterfall to wash up. As usual, our trekking trips always end with good food and this time it was delicious nasi campur and chendol at a nearly stall in Taman Melawati. We were very happy to complete another great outing at Klang Gate knowing that we successfully made a bypass from Tabur East to the far east section of the ridge.
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Satu dua tiga empat ?

2010-04-19T11:32:00.002+08:00

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Many Chinese in Malaysia are obsessed with number games and bets. For three days a week, they patiently queue up at gaming outlets to ‘mai chee” (betting on numbers in Cantonese). There are several number games and bets in the country. The nickname given to the 3 big gaming companies is “KTM” … not the popular one known as Kereta Tanah Melayu. This KTM stands for Kuda, Toto and Magnum.

People bet on all sorts of numbers … their car registration, ID Cards, birth certificates, receipts … you name it, as long as there are numbers on it, they will bet on them hoping to strike it big. When they run out of numbers to bet, they have all sorts of ways from all sorts of places to find numbers that they hope will win them big money.

The common practice we always see are people shaking out pieces of papers (written with the numbers 0 to 9) from a container. They do this in temples, graves or at their ancestor’s shrine at home hoping that the gods or their dead loved ones will bless them with winning numbers. Some wrote numbers on red coloured hard boiled eggs during birthdays or special days, so that the person celebrating can pick out a set of numbers with their eyes closed. They believe that the person celebrating birthdays or special days possessed great luck. There are those who are always looking at things and listening to sounds. They claimed to be able to interpret things they saw or heard into numbers. Whether it is the shape of the clouds or the smoke swirls from burning joss sticks or the sounds of animal, they can find numbers in them. And those who don’t want too much hassle can conveniently obtain a “lucky number” via SMS ... there are outfits that provide this service for a nominal fee.

Others use extreme method to get to what they wanted. Have you heard about people seeking out graves of those who died recently and knock a hollow bamboo into the grave to pour dog’s blood in it? The belief is that the blood will cause serious discomfort to the dead in the grave and force the poor soul (believed to have the ability to predict winning numbers) to disclose the winning numbers or else more blood will be poured in. Is it true? I don’t think so but it is sadistically cruel. I have not heard of anyone striking it rich this way but my dad once told me a rather funny story about a guy (a chronic gambler) who actually went to a grave to carry out the evil bamboo and dog’s blood ritual. While he was doing it, he felt someone (or rather something) was pulling his pants. When he tried to run, he was held back. He was so frightened that he fainted on the spot.

Then the next morning his friends went searching for him and found him lying unconscious at the grave. They soon find out that while he was trying to knock the bamboo into the grave, he was so scared that he closed his eyes and did not see that his long pants was caught on the bamboo. While he was knocking the bamboo, his pants were being pulled into the ground. He must have thought something was pulling his leg and holding him back when he tried to run away. I thought you can only see this in ghost movies and comedies.

I remember another story that happened in my “kampung” (village). A lady who was found in trance in front of a “Latuk Kung” shrine (Latuk Kung is a deity that the Chinese worshiped believing that it will protect them from evil and keep their place safe). Someone said it could be the “Latuk Kung” that possessed her. Strange as it is, she began to mumble in Malay about how dirty the shrine was and needed to be cleaned and also ask to be given water to drink. Someone took the opportunity to ask if she can provide winning numbers for the coming draw. Immediately she shouted out loud in Malay “satu dua tiga empat” (meaning one two three four). Everyone present heard it loud and clear and was in a mixed reaction whether to believe or not … hey come on, one two three four? Sounds like someone wanted to pull a fast one. Anyway, after a while the lady regained consciousness but she could not remember a thing when told what had happened to her. Almost everyone who knew or heard of the incident placed high bets on the four numbers “1234” on the following draw.

Then when the result was announced, all were disappointed. The first prize number was “2444”. Everybody was cursing and swearing … then someone actually realised that the lady has given the correct first prize number. Huh? You see, when she said “satu dua tiga empat” she did not mean the straight forward “1234”. What she meant was ‘satu dua” and “tiga empat” … in other words, she meant one “two” and three “fours” … meaning one numeral “2” and three numerals “4”… so she actually meant “2444”. Everyone was stunned, nobody figured that out earlier. It was a “talk of the village” for a long time. Even until now, some of the old folks staying in the same place still remember that incident.

Do you bet on numbers? You want the winning numbers for the next draw? I suddenly feel that lady luck is standing beside me now … and I think I heard she said “tiga lima satu lapan” … so you figure it out ok?
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The best things in life are free

2010-04-06T10:50:00.001+08:00

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Life is not easy … people are slogging every day hoping to make enough money to buy comfort for the rest of their lives. So engrossed in the rat race, they lost track of what really add values to their lives. They have to pretend and put on different masks to compete in the rat race, so much so that when they come home, they are not sure if it is really themselves they are looking at in the mirror. Life has become so complicated that people need sophisticated gadgets to keep track of themselves … emails, mobile phones, short messages services, blackberries and GPS ... even the computers are talking now. Scary isn’t it?

Confucious said “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated”. How very true and in the complicated labyrinth that people created, many raced through so fast without noticing the simple things in their lives, forgetting to slow down and ask if they understand why they are doing what they are doing. Somehow, somewhere in the complicated race they forgot to be a father, a mother, a husband, a wife, a brother, a sister, a son, a daughter or simply just a friend.

Hey, slow down, take a step back and get out of the complicated race. You don’t really need to do so many things … less is more … it is the sweet, simple things of life that add real values. No need to spend time seeking beyond yourself to get all the things you wanted. Just take time to enjoy things you already have. Take it easy and make it simple. Take time out with the kids and dogs to play in the playground. Find time to hike up nearby hill, take a walk in the nature, stop and smell the flowers, look at the birds and enjoy the morning breeze. Cook a meal for the family or bake a cake to share with friends. Get some exercise or just relax and read a book.

Find time for all these very simple things. And they don’t cost a lot. As a matter of fact, many are free. Ever heard people say that the best things in life are free?
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No one should claim to have “found” any part the Klang Gate Ridge, it was there already thousands of years ago.

2010-03-30T17:55:00.001+08:00

This is a section of the Klang Gate Range that is not explored by many. As a matter of fact, not many people knew of this stretch. Early last year, we did some research on the internet and checked out the nearby area to see how we go about hiking up the peak. Finally in July last year, we managed find a route into this area and cut our way up to the peak. We were quite excited however we did not really put too much hype on that place. I wrote a short story about it on my blog and later posted it to on the internet.

Early this year, I got to know a group of trekkers and thinking that we all share the same passion, I introduced to them this section of the ridge and later I took them to attempt the peak again. However, we were not successful as the leaves and bushes had covered up the trail to the peak. We cannot find a way to the peak and abandoned our attempt after several hours.

Then last week, the same group of trekkers made another attempt on the peak and this time they were successful. I congratulate them. Of course they were excited (as we were when we reached the peak) and many pictures were taken and posted. I saw these nice pictures.

However I was disappointed when they claimed they have “found” this peak and put a name to it. No one can deny that they have reached the peak and all credits to the group for their great attempt. But to stake a claim to say that they found the peak and name it, I feel that it is not appropriate.

My group and I have been to the peak long before them … and before us, we know of other groups that have gone up to the same peak. We did not stake any claim or put a name to it, nor did all the groups before us. We just said that we found a way to the peak of this section of the Klang Gate Ridge. Nobody should claim to have found it and give it a name … it was there all the while. Even Sir Edmund Hillary did not claim that he found the peak of the highest mountain in the world … he just claimed he was the first to scaled it. Later there were stories that it was the shepa guide, Tenzing Norgay who reached the peak first … anyway, both did not claim to have “found” the highest peak in the world. It was there already. They just reached it.

I now regretted that I took this group of people to this part of the ridge. I only have this to say … we are all passionate trekkers and nature lovers, sharing our experiences and stories of places we have been so that it will benefit other trekkers as well. My advice to all … be humble, no need to show off … the whole range of Klang Gate Ridge is for everyone … no one should claim that they have found any part of this beautiful ridge. It was there already thousands of years ago.
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Panjang no more ...

2010-03-19T15:36:00.006+08:00

Regular trekkers at Gunung Angsi will definitely know the Panjang's Kopitiam rest point along the Bukit Putus – Gunung Angsi trail. This place was built by a very good man for the benefit of all trekkers at Gunung Angsi. Unfortunately I never had the opportunity to meet this person. At this rest point you can help yourself with the food stuffs available and of course also pay whatever you think is appropriate so that the money can be used to replenish the food stuffs for the benefit of all trekkers at Gunung Angsi. Sunday trekkers will remember the “tong sui” (sweet desert) offered at Panjang’s Kopitiam.

Panjang's Kopitiam as it used to be

Trekkers can help themselves to food stuffs available here and put in their contributions accordingly

But Panjang's Kopitiam is no longer available. The last time we trekked up to Gunung Angsi via Bukit Putus, we were disappointed to see that someone dismantled and burned down the place. What is left is a pile of burnt rubbish. What a dissappointment ! I was told by some local trekkers that the forest rangers are responsible for this. I don’t know why the rangers did that. Yes, I must say that the rest point is built without permission from the forestry department but hey, I am sure the local rangers can show a bit of compassion and consideration that this place was built for the good and benefit of trekkers at Gunung Angsi. I think all trekkers at Gunung Angsi will agree with me.

What is left of the place now

Anyway, whatever that is done cannot be undone. I want to thank the good man for all that he has done for the trekkers at Gunung Angsi. Whoever and wherever he is now, I am sure we all will remember his good intentions, contributions and of course the unique Panjang’s Kopitiam.