Elevated to State Assemplyman's Wife

We met up with one of our MU Ex-Fifth College friends, Ho Wai Suet in our recent trip to KL on 18 April 2008. Not much changes except now that she is the wife of a DAP State Assemblyman for Damasara Utama in Selangor. Her compliant: We meet less often as he is out early in the morning and return back late at night.

Syabas to Dr. Cheah Wing Yin who has to shoulder on as a politician and a practising psychiatrist at the same time.

Malaysia will be a step forward if some of his ideals are realised.

“We have a historical duty to renew our struggle for a Bangsa Malaysia. However this contest must not be seen solely from the perspective of political rights or social injustices but also from the economic perspective of wealth creation and distribution. Malaysian First is a continuation of Malaysian Malaysia with equal economic opportunity as its central core. 

Equal opportunity is not just giving everyone the right to study, the right to work, right to spend what is earned, right to own property and have the state as a servant and not as a master but also about our obligation to help the needy. No one is fated to be poor just as no one is entitled to wealth. Social justice gives everyone the opportunity to improve their standard of living. 

We must free up the potential of our greatest resource - our human resources. We must empower every Malaysian with economic freedom and equal opportunity to achieve the great Malaysian Dream of success through hard work and ability. 

If we succeed, we can transform Malaysia into a united nation identified with a common destiny sharing values of democracy, freedom, justice, integrity and human dignity. If we fail, we have a sham democracy that can not differentiate between right and wrong.”

*************************************** 

An old photo taken immediately after Dr. Cheah Wing Yin was nominated as the candidate for the seat of State Assemblyman for Damansara Utama. Some of the familiar faces in the photo are Chow Kon Yeow (3rd from left), Lim Guan Eng (4th from left), Dr. Cheah Wing Yin (5th from left), Ho Wai Suet (Dr. Cheah's wife) and Liew Chin Tong (1st from right).

Guess Who are in Town

Bananas leave rice and fish head curry at Krisnan.

Audrey enjoying her meal !

At Ocean Seafood Restaurant

Audrey in Serene's KK residence

Head Hunting is On........

It's not hard to figure out why the head hunting for Sam is on. He was featured fairly prominently in the weekly article of "Sabah Architectural Heritage" in Daily Express on 31 March 2008. Abstracts:

"Samuel Lee, a young architect from Sabah who is steadily making a name for himself in Singapore. He and his eclectic team of young designers recently won a Singapore national architecture competition for Marina South residential district...."

"...he and his generation of talented young designers ......"

SYABAS SAM !

Prayer for the Nation

Malaysia is now in the process of electing a new government, this prayer should be food for thought for those aspiring to be YB or YAB:

This is a Prayer given in Kansas at the opening session of their Senate. It seems Prayer still upsets some people. When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:

"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask for your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance! We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good'; but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.

We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.

We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.

We have killed our unborn and called it choice.

We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.

We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem.

We have abused power and called it politics.

We have coveted our neighbour's possessions and called it ambition.

We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.

We have ridiculed the time-honoured values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.

Amen!"

The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest.

In 6 short weeks, the Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is the pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively. The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this prayer from India, Africa and Korea

Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, "The Rest of the Story" and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired. With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and motivate  our desire whole heartedly to achieve "One Nation under God".

Impression Counts

Remember the young engineer who came to ask for endorsement of his documents? Yes, he came a second time early last week.

He came again to ask for my endorsement as his proposer for his application to become graduate member of IEM. He was again in slippers and short pants. This time, I was not very pleased. I took his application form and asked him to come again in more decent appearance before I would sign. Well, I said it with a smile:)

He dropped by last Friday morning in long pants and a better looking T-shirt. I signed the document and we had another interesting chat. He told me his mom did give him a good scolding for being sloppy.

Before he left, he asked whether he could email me things that he finds interesting and likes to share. I said "Why not". So far, I have not received anything from him yet.

One thing I hope he has learnt - Impression counts !

Just Follow Laws

Whenever you travel along the highway from Tawau to Kunak, there is this army check point that has been there for umpteen years. Men in the street always wonder the purpose of its existence when the number of illegals and crimes show no sign of reduction.

Last Friday, as I was travelling along this road in a contractor's vehicle to attend a site meeting near Kunak, we were talking about the subject of how lorry drivers deal with check point set up by JPJ personnel meant to book overloaded vehicles.

The Contractor seemed annoyed to have to "grease the palm" of these personnel to avoid being booked or detained and kept by the road side for hours under the pretext of waiting for verification of the overload amount.

But when asked whether he preferred to live in a civil society like US or Australia where the bulk of the people follow the laws; it didn't take him long to confirm that he prefers the "present system" because this is how Malaysian society operates. He would be at a disadvantage if he is to follow the rules of laws while the rest don't.

I thought to myself, there is still a very very long way before Malaysians can expect to live in a civil society where the majority would live by the rules of laws. My feeling is, it never will!

Gutsy Young Man

This afternoon at my office, a young man knocked at my door and asked for a moment to see me. He has long unkempt hair and in short pants. He is dark skin and looks Malay. He was apologetic for not being well-dressed because he did not expect to just drop in like this. An abstract of the conversation goes like this:

Me: So, what do you want ?
Young Man: I wonder I can have your permission to certify some of my documents for submission to BEM (short for Board of Engineers Malaysia).
Me: Tell me a bit about yourself.
YM: I studied my primary at SRK Lok Yuk, Likas. Then did my secondary at Maktab National. My Diploma in Mara. My Electrical Engineering degree in University Technology Petronas.
Me: So, what are you doing now ?
YM: Doing my Masters at MU?
Me: Why do you choose MU ?
YM: That's my mother's U.
Me: May I ask, what year did your mom graduate?
YM: 1977.
Me: (Thinking to myself that's about the same time I was in MU) may I ask, what is your mom's name?
YM: MR.
Me: What a coincidence. I know your mom. She is now no longer called MR.
(I knew, she has an Abdullah behind her name because she married a muslim).
We talked a lot more and I could see that he also enjoyed the conversation.
Me: If you have a chance, you should try to go overseas and expose yourself to different kinds of experience.
YM: Well, I wish I could but my mom can't afford.
Me: Did you notice many students who are studying overseas are not coming back?
YM: I noticed. I have many classmates who are now overseas.
Me: You know why? Malaysia has an unjust system. The system does not reward people based on merits. (I took the chance to remind him on this issue. I think if there is any chance of change, may be it has to start with the younger generation. I thought).
YM: I agree.

At the end of the conversation I gave him my name card and he expressed his desire to see his name ending with just as many professional titles as well one day.

This young man reminded me of my two gutsy sons as well. One ventured on his own to pursue his dream in a foreign country. Another went to the country down under literally on his own and is thriving there despite the fact that there is very little Malaysian content so to speak, just orang putih.

This young man's positive attitude bodes well for his future. He is polite, affable and holds himself well. He has a bit of roguish humour and I can't help but like him (especially when he reminds me of my boys).

080108

Paul was a year older on this unique day of 080108. As usual, it was celebrated with yummy food.

Session 1: Dinner at this new Italian restaurant with Italian chef, Grazie. We had Carpaccio Tonno, Lingui. Marinara and Lasangna. I couldn't make out of these until the dishes finally arrived.

Session 2: Immediately after the Italian food, we went to Foh Sang for round 2-porridge. Somehow, the dosage of the Italian meal was slightly undersized.

That's a record - to celebrate a birthday with 2 meals at two separate locations non-stop.

Some of New Year 2008 SMS Received

"All of life is a series of choices, and what you choose to give life today will determine what life will give you tomorrow"

"In this outgoing year of the pig, you are slaughtered. In the coming year of the rat, you will be caught. If you want neither, then throw away feng shui and exchange it for God's Grace through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. May you New Year be Holy Spirit-filled"

"This year is almost gone but made us strong. The path was long but we walked with a song..... There were fears and tears but we also have reasons to cheer ! Wishing you happy memories of this ending year and hope you will have a wonderful New Year filled with joy, good health and success"

"Later, Mr. Chung and his family will visit me. I will ask them to visit you too ! The Chung family members are : Chung Ma Piu, Chung Tai Choi, Chung ToTo and Chung 4D. They will be there to wish you good luck for 2008. Don't worry ! One of the members will not visit you for the whole year - Chung Sa Man is out of town this year"

"A new start, a new beginning, a new chapter, a new year. Forget the bad. Cherish the good"

"My very very good friends, Mr. Fatt Choi (money man), Mr. Ken Kong (healthy) and Miss Happy-go-Lucky visited me last night. They promised to stay with me in year 2008. I thought of you and asked them to see you through 2008. They said"Yes, No Problem!""

"Wisdom from God for a better tomorrow. USE THINGS AND LOVE PEOPLE. DON'T USE PEOPLE AND LOVE THINGS"

"Fresh year, fresh hopes, fresh plans, fresh efforts. May 2008 delight you with good health, happiness, success and joy.... Happy New Year"

To all out there "May 2008 truly be of significance to you and blessing to others"

Reaching New Height

Yesterday. I was surprised when Yin Khun handed me a stack of laminated photos in my office - yes, laminated photos! He explained that Ar. Shim had given them to him to pass on to me. But, that wasn't all - Ar. Shim also wanted me to know that Innotech's doors are always open for Sam, should he ever wish to join them.

Wow, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride and honour knowing that my son has reached such a professional calibre - where his skills and reputations make him a sought-after talent.

Christmas Tree

Somehow, putting up a Christmas tree enhances the spirit and festivity of Christmas in a home. There is this nostalgia and reminder of good times that we as a family has gone through.

Don't Work Yourself to Death

A few days ago, I heard this piece of news in CNN reporting about one Japanese who literally worked to his death.

This Japanese, an employee of Toyota Motor Corp worked non-stop everyday and clocked more than 100 hours of overtime every month. It was reported that by the time he came back home, he was sometimes so tired that he hardly had strength to carry his kid and just fell asleep. One day, he just collapsed and died of a massive heart attack.

My first reaction after hearing this piece of news was thinking of Sam who seemed to work equally hard. Well, my only advice : "Take it easy, don't work too hard but work smart". You know what, work can never be finished. You complete one, the next one is already there waiting for you.

Court rules employee worked to death | Oddly Enough | Reuters

Airport that Really Tests Your Nerve

Pilots who land on this airport must be really gutsy!

The other amazing thing is the massive car parks below the runway ! Truly an engineering marvel.

Basel Christian Church of Malaysia Has a New Bishop - Bishop Thomas Tsen

Basel Christian Church of Malaysia (BCCM) has just elected a new bishop to succeed Bishop Voo Thien Fui. The responsibility now rests on the shoulders of Rev. Dr. Thomas Tsen, the father of Irene Tsen.

Like many other denominations, Basel Church has been yearning for renewal. Both clergy and lay members have long desired a more open and tolerant church leadership - one that is less rigid and more receptive to the movement of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church.

It is perhaps unsurprising that the newly elected bishop is not one of the “pastoral” pastors who have served directly within the Chinese or English congregations. Over the years, many of those leaders became seen as “controversial” figures, unable to gain widespread acceptance. Instead, the task has now fallen to Rev. Dr. Tsen, whose background as a lecturer at Sabah Theological Seminary (STS) positions him as a less divisive, more unifying choice.

One of his notable strengths is his command of languages - being trilingual in Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese, and English. This ability gives him a unique advantage in bridging cultural and linguistic divides within the Basel community. His English, in particular, has improved significantly since his return from the United States, enabling him to connect more effectively with the diverse membership of the church.

I believe Basel Church is poised for change under his leadership - perhaps not a sweeping transformation overnight, but a steady and thoughtful journey towards renewal.

"Stay-in Patient"

On 22 Nov 2007, I was admitted to the hospital (SMC) for a procedure. Frankly, that was the first time in my life as a "stay-in patient". I had actually stayed and slept in hospital before, they were however for accompanying family members rather than for myself.

Lately, I have been experiencing "muffled" or minor but persistent abdominal pain. The doctor recommended that I go through this scanning of both the stomach and intestine to find out the cause. I gladly agreed because I also took it as a good time for a medical check-up of this part of my body.

Based on the images, the doctor was of the opinion that I was having some kind of infection in the system. Biopsy was taken to verify his suspicion.

Malaysian Wine

Something caught our attention when we were doing our marketing at the Lido Wet Market on Saturday morning. Malaysia-made wine!

At first, we were wondering since when Malaysia could grow enough grapes to produce wine. At closer look, we discovered it was wine made from the red pitaya (loong chu kuo).

Aborted Trip to Singapore

My trip to Singapore scheduled in early November to watch David Copperfield Live failed to materialise because the magician's trip to Asia had to be aborted due to his being investigated for a rape allegation.

That also robbed me the chance of seeing Sam Live!

Taking Advantage of The Charity of Christian Brotherly and/or Sisterly Love

Lately, we have been talking about specific individuals both man and woman in the church borrowing money from other non-suspecting members.

Case 1: This man was once a church leader and even a school board member. He has been fond of approaching church friends to borrow money. He even has the gut of signing an agreement for such a "loan". Later on when it's time for repayment, he would just simply apply the delaying tactic until you just get tired of asking. You discover later on that he was in fact declared a bankrupt some 10 years ago! Legally speaking, there is almost nil chance of getting your money back. The sad thing is - he is still happily engaging this "business" with unsuspecting members as of today.

Case 2: This is a female who joined a church as a "young" believer. Not long after joining, she began approaching church members for money citing this and that. Many kind-hearted people responded favourably to her requests. When it's time for repayments, she would give thousand of reasons to decline paying. Finally, she disappeared from the church totally.

Lesson: Never give in to this kind of request for money or loan from people both in and out of the church, even to some so-called close friends! If there is a need for help, find out the real source of the problem and help to tackle from the source. Never pass the money direct to the one asking for it. Chances are, you will never see your money again! But beware, the "borrower" and the "source" may team up to con you !

There are many reasons why people come to the church. Some for genuine reasons. Many for business contacts and for widening their sale market. Some come to cheat! I am speaking from experience because I am one of the victims. So Beware !

Miracle

I had been searching high and low for my missing electronic organiser since last Wednesday night (24 Oct), after returning home from my badminton session. I went through my bag repeatedly, and the following day even went back to Basel Hall to check if I had accidentally left it there. I was certain I had brought it along to the game that night - but there was simply no sign of it.

Back at the office, I searched my table thoroughly - not once, but several times - hoping it had been misplaced there. Still, nothing. Unlike Serene, who knew exactly where she lost her ring, I had no clue where mine could be. That made the search all the more difficult. After almost a week, I was ready to give up. I told myself it was probably time to let go of this “old” gadget and perhaps replace it with a more stylish, modern organiser. After all, friends had often urged me to move with the times and upgrade to something new.

Yet, I couldn’t quite let go. That little device held so much of my life - hundreds of addresses and phone numbers, PINs, passwords, membership details, and countless other essentials. The thought of starting over from scratch was daunting.

This morning, before leaving for work, I whispered a final prayer: “God, You know how desperate I am for this organiser. I have no other alternative but to turn to You one last time. Please, somehow, lead me to it.”

A little later, as I entered the conference room for our weekly staff devotion and prayer meeting, I froze in astonishment. There it was - my organiser - sitting neatly on top of the conference table!

There was no need to ask how it got there. For me, it was enough to recognise it for what it was: another miracle.

Sabahans getting used to DIY in Perth

Judging by the new houses built by friends who have moved to Perth, I have no doubt they are settling down well. Unlike in Sabah, they have all gotten used to the concept of the DIY.

Jimmy told me that he has got the whole process of the building of his house all captured in video. Jimmy also installed the garden sprinkler system and even laid the floor boards in the house. Pretty amazing !

Kelvin seemed to have picked up his gardening skill pretty well.

Wedding in Tuart Lawn, Kings Park WA

Aside from Bradley Martin, the groom, everyone is a relative of the bride. Five of them flew in from Malaysia.

This wedding was quite a departure from the usual ones I have attended which are typically held in churches or some enclosed venues.

Without the pastor's exhortation, as is customary in Christian weddings, this ceremony was remarkable brief - just wo poems and the exchange of vows. That was it.

I was surprised that the vow left out the familiar phrases that I am used to hearing such as "for better or for worse, for richer or poorer, till death do us part". Instead, I recall it ended with a simpler phrase "as long as we shall both live".

Model Father

It was five years ago since we last met in Perth. This time as we met, the jovial spirit and wittiness of Yu Chaing still remained unchanged. From his father-son bonding exercises that he related to us, there is no doubt that he has been doing well with his fast-growing up son. He remains a model father. No doubt about it !

Of course, with the passing of time, there may be some deterioration of the brain cells and recollection of some past events may not be so spontaneous like before. But then, that's the fact of life.

Count it a Blessing!

At Eva's pre-wedding banquet on 10 October 2007
At the hair combing ceremony for Eva on 11 October 2007
At Cicerillo Landing, Frementle on 13 October 2007

At whole-sale market on 6 October 2007. Count it a blessing that the three siblings can have such rare opportunity of being seen together !

To Whom It May Concern

Introducing the new couples in town or rather not so new already. No offence!

Italian Food

The food at the little Italian Restaurant where Serene and Meng How took us to one night was really fantastic.

 

With four people seated around a little table, we were not sure how the food could be placed on top of such a tight space. The double decker is really a genius way to solve this small problem as far as the restaurant is concerned.

Hole with a Difference

We were taking a stroll along the streets of Perth when I glanced upon this hole in the slab on top of the walkway.

 

That reminded me of the similar hole found in Jesselton Height of which Sam has a hand in it!