Sooner than You Think - RIP Elder Peter KC Lee

Elder Peter Lee was scheduled to chair the STS Board of Governors Meeting on 03.03.2019. Sadly, he had to forgo this responsibility due to his rapidly deteriorating health. I had made plans with a friend to visit him early the following week. That visit, however, never took place - Peter passed away in the early hours of 04.03.2019.

I’ve lost track of how many years we had known each other. At one point, we were regular badminton buddies. In our professional lives, he served as the contractor for a construction project where I was the supervising engineer. We had also traveled together to explore new places, and for many years, we were partners in the ministry of Sabah Theological Seminary.

Peter was a man of few words, yet his actions spoke volumes. He devoted much of his life to charitable work - in the Church, in schools, and through his active involvement in the Lee Clan Association and the Hakka Association. His quiet dedication left a lasting impact on many.

His willingness and enthusiasm to chair the upcoming STS board meeting just days before his passing suggest that he did not expect his time to come so soon. Life, as it often reminds us, can change in an instant. Many things happen earlier than we imagine. That’s the sobering reality of our human journey.

Peter Lee will be dearly missed - not only as a colleague and fellow servant but as a friend.

Happy moment in Taipei when we did a cruise together to
Okinawa and Ishigaki in May 2017.
Peter is seated at right.

Lunch after the STS Board of Governors Meeting
on 30 June 2018.
Peter is 3rd from right.

Coffee Town - Tenom

Tenom, an interior town gained its prominence when the British Chartered North Borneo Company introduced coffee planting in the late 19th century. In the old days, KK and Tenom was linked by the only railway operated by Sabah State Railway. 

To many people, Tenom is synonymous with coffee. Many coffee lovers still find Tenom coffee to be of superior quality compared to its competitors in other parts of Malaysia. Food lovers too are constantly drawn to Tenom to savor the much publicized corn chicken, yong tau foo and chun kian or meat egg rolls. 

Before this recent trip, I was not aware that Ah Miau's mom had at one time operated a sundry shop in Tenom town. In those yester-years, a single mom with a strong will and tremendous tenacity chose Tenom, a remote place to earn a living for herself and the family. She reminded me of the typical China Chinese who in spite of all odds and challenges decided to leave their home in China and moved to one of the Southeast Asian countries to seek a better life.

It is no wonder that Ah Miau always makes it a point to visit Tenom whenever she returns to Sabah. It's her second home after KK in Sabah.

In Tenom, one can still find benches placed in front of 

shops for the convenience and comfort of pedestrians 

and customers.

Shophouses once purchased by her mother.

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Yit Foh and Fatt Choi are two established coffee producers in Tenom. Yit Foh which started since 1960 is generally recognized as a more well known brand. In addition to the sale of coffee, both have now diversified and offer customers a chance to savor their coffee in their cafe and restaurant. For those who like to spend longer time, they are welcome to stay in the chalets built in their premises.

While Yit Foh's chalet-typed accommodation appears to be of better quality, Fatt Choi or tfc in short may have customer's preference by virtue of its strategic location. The site has a commanding bird eye view of Tenom town, Padas River and its surrounding.  

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Anyone familiar with Tenom food and who come to spend a night there will not leave without eating some of the popular food at the local market. The "economic mee", yong tau foo and chun kian are some of the must-eat-items. We faithfully completed the ritual and did not miss savoring any of these food items.

Corn chicken or commonly being referred to as Pau Suk Kai is another favorite item. On Sunday evening, we drove across Padas bridge towards Sapong to look for food outlet that serves Terrapin and corn chicken. We finally ended at Sungai Wang Restaurant.

Sungai Wang has dedicated one side of the restaurant wall to display photos of old Tenom. This restaurant serves both Terrapin and corn chicken. But we decided to forgo Terrapin after being warned by the proprietor of the fairly long waiting time for this dish.

In Sungai Wang, we bumped into the local Kapitan,  Wong Tet Yun who was having dinner with his wife. Wong, a friend of mine and to my surprise is also an acquaintance of Ah Miau.

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Photos of old Tenom

Train Station - Then.

Train Station - Now.

Before the existing steel girdle bridge was built across Padas River, the only mean for vehicles to cross the river was via the simple ferry. That service was usually suspended when the river was swollen after heavy downpour.

Existing steel girdle bridge.

Down Memory Lane - Keningau

Ah Miau had earlier expressed her keenness to revisit her second home town in Sabah, Tenom during her recent trip back to KK from Hong Kong. Since my wife had worked in Keningau for more than three years, we thought it would be a good idea to do a down memory lane tour to both Keningau and Tenom. So we volunteered to drive them there and to spend a night in Tenom.

For our driving trip to Keningau, we chose to drive along the Papar-Kimanis-Keningau Highway, a steep road I first used in September 2008 (Read here). As first timers to this highway, both Ah Miau and Jeanie were awestruck to see this seemingly endless stretches of steep road in their very first experience along this road.

At the starting point of the ascend to cross the Crocker 
Range.

A prominent change noticed along the Highway is the houses built precariously on hillslope just beside the road. The occupants probably thought the risks are justified by the awesome views they enjoy everyday!

A favorite spot for brief stopover for travelers to enjoy the 

awesome view and to have a cup of coffee or food 
at the nearby eatery.

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The campus of Keningau Teachers Training Institute (IPK) looked deserted when we dropped by in that Sunday afternoon. Our first destination was the Director's residence. It's a place I had spent many weekends between 2008 and 2011 when my wife could not make it home and had to stay on for official duties normally during weekends. The house looked almost exactly as I last saw it just over seven years ago.

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Lecturers quarters at the background.

The compound of the Director's residence has a 

commanding view of the steel bridge spanning across 

Pegalan River and part of Keningau town.

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The indoor garden at the Administration Building, initiated by my wife, still looks as splendid as ever. Standing there, I was reminded of the Chinese proverb, “前人栽树, 后人乘凉” - literally, “One generation plants the trees, another enjoys the shade.”

Although there are no towering trees here to cast a canopy, the garden’s charm has become a lasting legacy of the Institute. Its lush greenery and vibrant blooms bring a sense of calm and refreshment to anyone who works in the building or steps onto the premises.

To the dedicated staff who faithfully prune, plant, sow, mow, rake, water, and dig to keep this haven thriving - you have my heartfelt salute and deepest admiration. Your quiet labour keeps this living legacy alive for all to enjoy.

50 Years of Friendship since Lok Yuk KK Days and Counting.......

It has been over five years since Ah Miau, a classmate of Class 1967/1969 of Lok Yuk School came back to KK from Hong Kong for holidays. During her last visit in November 2013, I took the opportunity to gather some of the classmates for a reunion in my house (Read here).

Fast forward, she flew back recently from Hong Kong just after Chap Goh Mei for another visit to KK. This time, attempt to organize any gathering or reunion event in the evening or at night is out of question because many of them no longer drive at night. This is an indication that age is indeed fast catching up.

Three of us (Ah Miau, Jeannie Teo and I) had the first catch-up session at a local coffee shop. It turned out to be a lengthy one. From the coffee shop, we adjourned to my residence to continue the exchanges into late afternoon!

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The major reunion lunch was held at a local restaurant. Even this event proved "problematic" to some because they had difficulty finding the venue of the restaurant. This reunion proved significant because we managed to locate another ex-classmate whom we have not seen since 1969 and to get her to join the event.

Reunion lunch at Hee Yuan Restaurant. Ho Nyuk En 
whom we have not seen since 1969 is seated 3rd from left.

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Right after the lunch, we decided to visit another ex-classmate, Richard Chua Len Khiong who is now wheelchair-bound after suffering a stroke quite some time ago. Though unable to speak clearly, he still made great effort to identify his former classmates. His charged up emotion after seeing so many of his old classmates was clearly visible in his teary eyes!

26 February 2019.

Back in 1965, we were innocent young lads unaware of 

what the future would hold for us. 

Richard Chua Lin Kiong is third from right and I am at right.

After visiting Richard Chua, we were not ready to part way and continued another round of more chit-chat at Ho Ciak Kopitiam at Damai Point.

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Someone said that Facebook or WhatsApp chat is not a reunion. Food, drinks and real conversations are a class reunion. Unquote.

Not satisfied with the first reunion lunch, another breakfast gathering was organised on 1 March at the BSA Food Court. This breakfast eventually extended to become brunch. One thing is certain, they didn't seem tired of talking on and on....... As one exclaimed : "Chat until the cows come home!".