Happy Birthday Celebrations

23 October 2010
What a wonderful time we had at Tan Sri Salleh's 70th birthday bash at Pondok De Rimba situated at his hometown, Dangi, Kuala Pilah, Negri Sembilan. Invitees who came all the way to celebrate his birthday came from all walks of life, I could see that. Old friends and families came by the dozens....His so called pondok is so sweet with a beautiful tangga Melaka going up the house. Tan Sri Salleh obviously documented all of his life achievements by framing all his credentials and displaying them on the walls of his Anjung. What a meaningful personal gallery he has there for him and his friends to reminisce his track record of achievements.
The Palm Oil man Tan Sri Augustine S H Ong was there with his charming wife, forever looking young as ever.  Its the palm oil, I think that is behind the heathy ageing and living.
Tan Sri Salleh told me personally, just as we were leaving, that he shall invite us over again for his 110 th birthday!  InsyAllah.....Tan Sri, dipanjangkan umur, di murahkan rezeki. We shall be there...

Hari Raya - Balik Kampung!

10 September 2010
Hari Raya to me means going back to my hometown Kg Chin Chin, Jasin MELAKA (Malaysia). And this time, we held an Open House on the third day of Raya. What a wonderful turnout it was! My remaining old relatives were there - of course my aged mum Hjh Teh Zaharah and her equally ageing youngest sister Hjh Shamsiah Hj Musip. These are the remaining primadonnas of Kg Chin Chin, the flag bearers, so to speak, of the growing Lord Chin Chin Clan. Of course, there were also the young and vibrant members of the same clan, meeting up each other in the midst of the good mood of Raya, good food and drinks, strengthening the good relations that we always had for each other....

I managed to invite some old school friends of mine who are living nearby - Tangkak, Bukit Asahan and Melaka Tengah. They were Mr and Mrs K.Perumal, Mr and Mrs Khoo Hock Chin and Mr and Mrs Krishnan. We had a good time, reminiscing the Hari Raya of the good old days..... 

Muslim Marriage - English Style

18 July 2010

Our London trip this time around is also to attend the wedding ceremony of my daughter Irina's sister in law to an Englishman who is a converted Muslim. We had a wonderful experience witnessing the solemnization of the marriage vows performed by the Imam of Regent Mosque. Then, the whole wedding entourage was treated to a sumptious dinner at a Turkish Restaurant, complete with a belly dancing performence during dinner.

JASES - Old School Alumni

29 May 2010
Our Jasin Secondary English School in Malacca celebrated her 50th Anniversary this year 2010. So the school management invited the old pupils to celebrate the auspicious ocassion. YB Dato' Ir Wee Ka Siong, the Deputy Minister of Education, who himself was a former student, graced the wonderful ocassion. Looking up old friends after leaving school is a joyous meeting indeed. For further news on the celebration, check out the school website http://www.smkdb.blogspot.com/. All of us felt very nostalgic to be there, looking at the schoool field which now had been used to house the school library and other administrative buildings. However, old memories were lightened up when we saw the building at the entrance still looked intact - the former Headmaster's Office and the teacher's room - which are now used for different functions. The school had really expanded - new wings, new blocks, new activities, new enthusiasm amongst the younger set of children and teachers alike to lead the way. Congrats and syabas to all of the Management Committee on the success of the 50th anniversary celebrations!

Loughborough Alumni Dec 2009

3 January 2010
The Loughborough Alumni had a reunion dinner on Dec 9 2009 at the Shangri-La, Kuala Lumpur. What a wonderful time we had that nite!. Lufbrans from several Asian countries especially came for one of the bigger gatherings ever had by former graduates of Loughborough University outside the United Kingdom, so said Sue Sargent from Loughborough University who flew in with her beloved husband just for that occassion. Kudos to Ir Visayan (Civil Eng 1984) for the wonderful job of reuniting all of us from the 1960's to the 2000 era. Young and old joined in the fun with the MSU Band of mid 1980's making the music again on stage.
The 1Malaysia theme definitely rekindled that auspicious nite!

1Malaysia

Saturday 6th September 2009
Today we broke our fast at the Dome in Subang Parade. Actually, I missed my favourite snack there - Bruschetta. As we entered, we saw one group consisting of a Chinese family already seated at the front corner table. The table next to ours was a Malay couple with a little kid in the stroller. Besides ordering Bruschetta as a starter, we also ordered other dishes as well. Just as we were waiting for the break fast time, came an Indian waiter informing us that we could now break fast. Quite bewildered., I asked him, "Bang (meaning Azan) already?" and he replied "Yes, already," with a twist of the head, typical of our Indian friends. Hmmm, I told my husband this is truly 1Malaysia in action. An Indian informing the Malays that its time to break our fast, in the company of a Chinese family having their dinner.
1Malaysia - Rakyat di Didahulukan, Pencapaian Diutamakan. This is a noble aim for all Malaysians to achieve. Congratulations to our Prime Minister for reviving the spirit for all Malaysians.

I remembered this spirit of togetherness was forever alive  when we were overseas, especially amongst students studying in a foreign country. When I first went to UK to further my studies, I stopped by London for a nite or two before proceeding to Loughborough University. Not knowing how to go there, I enquired some students around how to reach there. Coincidentally, there was someone going to the same University. She was Esther Lim, a sweet Chinese girl also being offered the same Masters in Library Studies programme. So we went together on the same coach. While in Loughborough, of course, I made beautiful friends, Malays, Chinese and Indians alike.  People like Husna, Tuan Ngah, Norhayati, Zainab, Rahman, Mr Wong Tuck Chong, Norfizah, Zul, Ghafur, Ghazie, Lawrence, Amir, Siva, Md Did, Mariam and husband Zul, Norli, Jack  etc, etc.  Eventhough it was 34 years ago, the spirit lived on, the memories played on........and can never fade away.

PS Both Husna and I revisited Loughborough in July 2008. It was a very nostalgic visit....walking past the Faulkner and Eggington Court where we used to stay and play together, strolling along Forest Road to go to the market every Thursday, taking the bus to Nottingham almost every weekend....

Saturday 18 July 2009

Today, my husband and I went again to Portobello Market for the second time this week. While looking at the interesting items on display, we came across a Malaysian couple who are just back from a cruise to Scandinavia and now in London to look up their niece before going back to Malaysia. What strikes me most is that the more we talk, the more things we have in common. For example, we happen to know Pn Sri's sister whom we also saw walking across Westfield in Shepherd's Bush with her grandchildren that week. The world is getting smaller by the day. In fact, when we were at Buckingham Palace last week, I bumped into a friend who is an artist from Shah Alam. Such coincidences happened for a reason which we do not know why. Only God knows. InsyAllah...I shall look them up once back home.

Friday 10 July 2009
Today, my family and I were invited for lunch at the home of my my old schoolmate , Chee Khan Neo, who had settled down in the UK since early 1970's. The whole family, comprising Michael and Elly Wong and their two daughters are now permanent residents (PR) of UK. The menu was a very special one, with chicken curry, fresh salmon, prawns, fried asparagus and a delicious fresh garden salad, served with steamed white Bhasmathi rice. Michael said it is a special menu for a special reunion, considering we have not met each other since 43 years ago when Elly moved to UK to start her nursing career.
Both Michael and Elly, I found out later, are descendants of the Nyonya and Baba heritage, the former from Penang and the latter from Malacca. Both Penang, Malacca and Singapore were the former states of the Straits Settlements, a legacy left by the British when they governed the country beginning 1800s.
It was a beautiful reunion indeed, with my telling Elly what had happened to our friends. It was easily remembered because Elly brought out the old school photos since 1961 as a source of reference!