Vision-Adventure-Dream-Life

Poli - Tics

2011-09-05T23:54:00.002+08:00

Poli in Latin means many and Tics means little blood sucking insects. What I am trying to say is, politics in Malaysia today is infested with many blood sucking insects called politicians.
Many politicians today are ignorant of what politics is all about. They join political parties for the sake of personal publicity and for economic opportunities. Politics need sacrificing Politicians must learn to forego their own vested interests and instead work for the good of the country to restore the confidence of the people. Malaysia needs mature politicians to tackle the challenging economic and environmental problems confronting the world today.
Politicians should set an example. Let me quote some Chinese proverbs. “Give me a fish and I eat for a day. Teach me to fish and I eat for a lifetime.” The current political climate is merely throwing fish to the people so that these greedy politicians can stay in power rather than teaching the people to fish so that they can enjoy their own catches.
Another two Chinese proverbs go like this, “Outside noisy, inside empty” and “To talk much and arrive nowhere is the same as climbing a tree to catch a fish” This is exactly what many of our elected representatives are doing today. The immaturity of the voters is to be blamed for electing these politicians into power. Some politicians disappear after winning and some even jump parties to quench their thirst for wealth. Matured politicians and civil-minded voters are crucial in changing, developing and improving the political landscape. If voters don’t vote the right candidates then our country will become a dance stage where we will be forced to rock forward and backward without any sense of direction.
Today we are in a drastically different time. We have to discard our old beliefs and not cling to old teachings. We have to learn, change and evolve. The blaming of each political party in politics appears to be getting worse and worse. These drowning politicians will even clutch at a straw to keep them breathing. We need development, we need peace and we need to improve our lives. If we dance to the tune of these empty vessels then we will definitely make our lives miserable. Politicians should stop harping on sensitive issues which touch on religion and race. They should perform for what the people have elected them for rather than barking at issues which don’t benefit the people at all. A barking dog seldom bites.
We should have a government which performs and brings development. We should not blindly oppose a good government for the sake of opposing. In every vibrant democratic society, there exists the need to debate policies in Parliament before their implementation. But every proposed policy should not be opposed if these policies are beneficial to the people and country. Without a visible opposition presence in parliament to inquire and invigilate the government, there is little opportunity for checks and balances when it comes to political accountability. So opposition parties should play a positive role. This is only possible if we have good politicians on both sides. Arrogance, vulgar words, hatred, selfishness and pointing fingers must not be on the agenda of a good politician. Remember the people voted for you in trust. To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved.

School Holidays

2011-05-30T09:36:00.002+08:00

School holidays are meant to give students a break from the hectic school schedule, to give them time to enjoy the time together with family members, to bind the bond of love and to come back fresh to acquire knowledge. What is happening to the education system in Malaysia is questionable. Many schools are having extra classes practically every day during the holidays, the classes started as early as Saturday without even a break for a day. If these schools insist on having extra classes then it is better for the education minister to scrap off the school holidays. The classes are merely an eye wash rather than helping the weak students to better themselves. At times only the above average students are selected to attend these classes. The present school system is depriving the students the best time of their lives-childhood. It increases the stress and emotional problems among the students. Stress in school is not a new phenomenon, but a story repeated time and again. What action has been taken to reduce stress among the three crucial players in school: students, teachers and parents? I hope the education ministry will take steps to make sure the holidays are worthwhile to the students to take a short rest and at the same time give an opportunity for the parents to spend time together with their children. This will help to foster closer relationship among the family members.

Vietnam- Land OF The Blue Dragon

2010-12-27T14:10:00.033+08:00

Vietnam has always given me a vivid picture of a war torn nation. The Chinese, Japanese, French and the Americans have flexed their muscles here to deny the Vietnamese to live in peace. I decided to visit Ho Chi Minh City to get first hand information about the country, people and its history. My teenage memories of television documentaries and newsreels replayed in my mind as the plane was descending through blankets of thick clouds.

Once landed, I was impressed with the facilities of the modern airport. It took less than 5 minutes to go through the many operating immigration and custom check points. Then I took the airport bus to the city centre. On the bus I met a friendly young Vietnamese man who spoke fluent English. He did most of the talking and finally when I asked him what he feels about the Americans, he was quick to answer that neither the Americans nor the French were their enemies but their enemies were the armies and the governments, not the people.
When the bus reached the city centre, I was lost in a sea of motorcycles which never gave me even a slight gap to get across the busy roads. Motorbikes are everywhere in Ho Chi Minh, with many commuters using them to get to and from work.

They are incredibly cheap to rent, and while not for the fainthearted, are a truly authentic, and convenient way to get around town. They weave their way down the roads like sand in a desert. Pillions vary from caged chickens to the ancient elderly and elegant young women. Probably Vietnam is a country with the most number of motorcycles in the world.
After checking into the hotel, I quickly had a shower and was out in the streets of Ho Chi Minh City. This City is easy to explore on foot, with many top attractions located within District One. I explored many of the city's landmarks including the bustling Ben Thanh market, the old French Notre Dame Cathedral and the Reunification Palace. My first stop was at the Ben Thanh market. You'll find delicious street food, drinks, clothes, gadgets, crafts and more inside this hot and humid market. The traders were friendly and I was shocked to see many of them talking in Malay. When I questioned them how they could speak Malay, they said many of their customers are Malaysians.

The market closes at 7pm and immediately the surrounding area is transformed into a net work of brightly lit stalls as far as the eyes can see. As you walk through, you will be tempted to savour the many local foods whose aroma punctures your nose. There’s so much here that you will be spoilt for choice. Halal food is easily available here and for Muslims you can bargain for scarf, prayer mats and prayer dresses. They even have ‘ baju kurung and ‘jubbah’. I met many Malays doing shopping at this night market.

I also visited the Saigon Mall where you can shop in comfort. Actually I was here for not shopping and I hardly did any shopping.

I just wanted to see the city on the first day and then go to the Mekong Delta and to historic places the following day. So I booked a tour to the Mekong Delta and also to Cao Dai to see the Cu Chi Tunnels. Finally I went looking for Bombay Halal Restaurant and I found it just across the Sheraton Hotel. I had dinner before walking back to the hotel for a sound sleep.

The next morning I was up and away on a tour coach to Cu Chi Tunnels. It is a network of tunnels used during the war by the Viet Cong. You can go inside the tunnels but it’s flabbergasting to see how long, narrow and extensive they are. You will wonder how people lived in there for so long and how they clearly out-witted the Americans. The entrances to the tunnels are about 60cm wide at the most, some looking no wider than 30cm. Inside the tunnels I found it easiest to crawl on my hands and knees to make my way from an entrance down into the ground.

It was pitch dark and so I had to take a torch given by the tour operator and follow the extremely fast-moving guide. Along the way above ground I saw a number of ingenious traps the Viet Cong made for the Americans, all horrible, painful looking and involving spikes. It is a remnant and reminder of the Vietnam War. This network of underground tunnels spans an astounding 121km in total. A visit to the War Remnant Museum is also well worth a visit, and is fascinating to look at the Vietnamese side of the conflict.
Forgetting the war zone and heading to the Mekong Delta is completely relaxing and refreshing. The Mekong Delta is three hours drive from Saigon. We headed to Cai Be from where we had to take a long boat along Mekong.

The drive to Cai Be is as manic as any in Vietnam. The passengers were acting as shock absorbers in the tour bus. As soon as we reached Cai be, we clambered onto a long river boat and had our first glimpse of life on the Mekong Delta. The tour guide was suffering from a hangover after having watched a football match the previous night. So he talked little and slept a lot throughout the journey.
The great Mekong River comes all the way from the Tibetan Plateau 4350 kilometers away. It consists of large water ways, splitting off in hundreds different directions like alleyways, with bustling bits of river life on the land around and between it as well as the busy floating markets.

I was able to closely observe the daily rituals of river life and participate in the bustling commercial activities as I bought some fruits from the floating market. Along the way, I visited an orchard farm, handicraft village, and a land market with an abundance of colourful fresh fruits and vegetables.

The Mekong Delta is Vietnam’s most fertile region producing more than half of the country’s rice as well as a huge array of fruits and vegetables. Apart from irrigating the delta’s vast farms and orchards, the river also supplies a huge bounty of fish and marine life to the almost 20 million people living around it.

Here, I would like to mention the friendliness of the Vietnamese people I encountered. I passed scores of waving children, faces painted with smiles racing along our boat from their shore greeting and waving. On land we received warm friendly greetings from adults, young and old alike. As I returned from the trip back to Saigon I saw green paddy fields dancing to the rhythm created by the many trees and lush vegetation. To add colour to the landscape were the pagodas, winding rivers and traditional boats carrying goods. It was an experience worth treasuring in the chapters of my travels.
My final outing was to see the Christmas illumination of Ho Chi Ming City as I was here on Christmas Eve.

It was indeed feast to the eyes to wander among the people, recording the sounds and treasuring the sights. Then I walked back to the hotel for another night’s good sleep after a long dog day afternoon.
In the morning I woke up early, took a Vinasun taxi to Tan Son Nhut international airport. These taxis are reliable and highly recommended as the Blue Bird taxis in Indonesia.

I had ample time to do brisk shopping at the airport before boarding the Air Asia’s Airbus to Kuala Lumpur. As the aircraft flew into the morning sky, far below I saw Saigon erasing it as battle field but a safe destination of the new millennium. “Yes, it's now opening to the world as a friendly and exotic nation.”

Who are the Sunnis and the Shiites?

2010-12-07T12:59:00.001+08:00

Today is Maal Hijra- Awal Muharram .As I sit thinking how it is celebrated by the Muslims throughout the world it takes me to one corner of the earth where the celebration is rather odd.
Well, before looking at the celebration, let us see the people involved the Sunni and the Shiite Muslims. Though belonging to the same religious group, these two sects have many differences, which have led to fighting and war for centuries. Sunnis account for 85-90% of Muslims. The majority of Shiites live in Iraq and Iran. Shiite Islam has been the state religion of Iran since the 16th century and accounts for 88% of the population in Iran. For example, Sunni Muslim, Saddam Hussein ruled Iraq, a mainly Shiite nation, for years. In other words, nations around the world generally supported Sunnis over Shiites. However, when discovered that terrorist Usama Bin Laden is a Sunni, the world was confused as to which sect to trust and believe. Sunnis are also called Orthodox Muslims. They believe that they represent the true Islam. In Sunni culture, five prayers are performed daily, whereas in Shiite communities only three prayers are completed a day. Other differences between the two sects include differing opinions on pilgrimages. Sunni culture places most importance on the hajj to Mecca. On the other hand, Shiites have more than one central pilgrimage. Line of succession is the root of the major difference between Shiite and Sunni Muslims. The Muslim community elected Abu Bakr as the first caliph. Being the closest friend and companion of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and the first Muslim caliph, he was one of the first men to convert to Islam, and was chosen by the Prophet as his companion on the hijrah to Medina. ). Those who agree with the decision of Abu Bakr as caliph became known as the Sunni. They are known as Sunni because of their connection to the sunna. On the contrary, the Shiites disagree with Abu Bakr’s appointment and believe that the caliph should be a descendant of Prophet Muhammad. They believe that the caliph should be descended through Ali, who was Prophet’s Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law. In addition, they believe Muhammad indicated that Ali be his successor (Sansal). The term ‘Shiite’ (and other names for the sect) derives from the term “Shi’ati Ali” meaning “supporters of Ali”. Since Shiites believe the caliph should be of the bloodline, they do not accept Bakr as the first caliph. Instead, they believe that Ali, who Sunnis believe to be the fourth caliph, was the first. They disregard all caliphs’ who are not descendants from Prophet Muhammad. Ali was murdered in 661 A.D., the fifth year of his reign, and his first son, Hasan (or Hassan) became Imam. His younger brother Husain (also known as Hussein or Husayn) then succeeded Hasan. The major split between the Sunnis and Shiites occurred in 680 A.D. with the death of Husain. Husain was traveling to Kufah (in present day Iraq), when he was trapped in the desert by the former Sunni caliph’s son, My’awiyaa (Sansal). The Sunnis outnumbered and killed Husain and his followers. His death greatly angered the Shiites and alienated the two groups. Shiites mourn Husain’s death on Ashura, a day (the 10th of Muharram, the tenth month on the Muslim calendar) where they often beat themselves to imitate his pain.

It is important to understand the similarities and differences that exist in a single religion. Often people judge a culture without understanding their beliefs and customs. Without understanding and knowledge of a society’s religion, there is little hope of understanding the society’s people. At times, I wonder why Muslims should mourn the tragedy in a cruel way. But again, these are the beliefs, culture and tradition of a certain community. I don’t see it being associated with religion and one should not a judge a religion by the cultural or traditional acts of a particular community .

Should History Be Made A Compulsory Subject???

2010-11-09T11:39:00.002+08:00

Is it timely when the education minister announced that History will be made a compulsory subject for SPM students? I do agree in making history compulsory but I feel it is quite rushing on the part of the education ministry. As a teacher, I have put to question among the present and past students. Of course the majority of the past students agreed in making the subject compulsory as I know they will not have to face the subject again. But the present students were not happy and it was not surprising when the majority said it is a boring subject. Well, here we have to look into their claim rather than pointing fingers at them. First of all how many teachers define to them what is history and why we learn it in the first place. What many teachers do is write down what is in the books, ask the students to copy down and memorise. Surely it will be a boring thing to do.
Let us see why history is important in the first place. Everything happening in the world today is a piece of a long line of events, decisions and lives that came before. By not knowing the past, it is not possible to know the present or the future. No one knows what will happen in the future, but the past can help guide us into the future. The lessons of the past are like a map into the future. The map is blurred and maybe even missing pieces, but it is the best we have. By examining the struggles, successes and failures of our ancestors, we learn how to examine ourselves and move forward. Not all the lessons learned will be correct or successful. That will be for future generations to study and try to learn from. The mere act of trying to learn from the past and knowing the stories of the many different people is a tribute to their lives.
Saying history is boring and worthless is saying the lives of all the people that came before us were worthless. That is certainly not the case. So remember, history is not just a bunch of names and dates. History is the story of how we became who we now are. You may disagree with some of it, or not care about some, or wish it were something else. Either way you are learning something about yourself right now, and that is the most important name and date to know.
And what do you learn at school? Not much because only a very few teachers do realize that they have been transformed into educators instead of real teachers: History should be taught as it happened, not revised and homogenized for the benefit of "tender ears".
Why history is being called as mother of all subjects? History is the witness that testifies to the passing of time. History provides a fund of knowledge about local, regional, national and even international developments. It is unfair to limit the knowledge of a history student to his own country only, but he or she is to be provided with the story of various events from other countries
Secondly let us see how we can generate interest among the students to like the subject. It is pointless when teachers read out what is in the textbooks or ask the students to copy down the same thing. Well, I asked my students where the Penang museum is and how many of them have visited it. The answer was alarming. Some even don’t know where it is and the majority have not visited it either.
Teaching of history can be made interesting by exposing the students to various activities which will not only make them to love the subject but understand it easily. Interactive activity for each lesson will help keep students engaged. It's the teachers’ job to find the ability level of each student and gear lessons to meet their needs. Students will feel successful and connect to lessons when they are taught at their level. Those students who seem bored probably lack the ability to keep up with other students in the regular classroom. I think teachers need to be interesting, yes. But we need not become entertainers. I mean, there may be "some" boring aspects that still need to be taught. Students need to move around. No matter how old they get, many students get a lot out of moving around and learning through projects, simulations, and movement. Let us see some of the methods that can be implemented to make history interesting.
We live in a digital age and we can fully utilise audio visual aids to better serve the students. Audio visual aids can come into play when a piece of text or classroom notes can't fully convey. Another benefit of audio visual aids is that they enhance learning because interactive effects can be used to reinforce the material learned. Audio visual aids help emphasize a point, which is another benefit to using them. They also help break information down to manageable pieces for a student to absorb.
Television channels can play an important role by filming historical events and places with the help of their technical staff and experts to produce documentaries lucidly to help the students tackle history lessons.
The students can be taken outside the classrooms and exposed to the many historical sites found in our country. This will definitely boost the interest and simulate the learning process.
Lastly, history textbooks should be written in a simple way so as to make the students grasp the contents easily. This can be done with the help of the history experts. The government on the other hand must make history as it is. What I am trying to say is. if history is a piece of cloth, let it be as it is and not cut the cloth to make a suit to fit the government of the time. Then it will become like what my history teacher used to say, “History is something that never happened and written by a man who wasn’t there”.
Finally, I feel making history compulsory is a right move in the wrong direction. We need time to repair and tar the road so as to make the car of history move smoothly. We need to have the right materials, the right books and the right teachers to make this successful.
History is a bridge which links the past with present to continue to the future.-sir borhan

Funny and Eerie Side of travelling

2010-10-25T10:55:00.001+08:00

At times when you travel, you are bound to bump into bundles of boiling incidents, humorous scenes and bizarre moments. A single scene might translate into thousand words and trigger your senses. That is the beauty of travelling, to see, hear, taste, smell and feel the world where fellow humans do different things, wear different costumes, eat different foods and dwell in different atmosphere and surroundings. By the grace of Allah, I have now got the opportunity to see the world beyond my imagination and mingle with fellow humans who share our bordered earth.
Philippines is one place which sent shivers down my spine. I was about to cross a road towards a shopping mall when I spotted a policeman whose owl eyes were sharply focused on me. Then the drama began. His yell asking me to stop was like a sudden thunder from nowhere. He walked towards me and demanded to look at my passport. Politely I told him it is in the hotel’s safety box which I always do for safe keeping. I pointed at the hotel which was not far from where I was stopped. He refused and instead asked me to follow him to a police station nearby. I was scared that I might be framed by the police as I have read about police fixing you up and demanding money in the Philippines. As soon as I entered the police station I was asked to sit and suddenly a woman cop started to take pictures of me from all angles. The officer said that he suspected me of being a terrorist. As many idiots associate Muslims to terrorism, this idiot was no different.
Well, I put up a brave face even though I was shivering within. I told him I am a Malaysian and I am here merely as a tourist. But he still insisted I was a terrorist. I asked him what made him to think so. I told him I came into the country legally and I have a passport in the hotel to prove it. Then he let the cat out of the bag. He asked me whether I would like to settle the matter. I told him I don’t have the money and I demanded that I call the Malaysian Embassy for help. He refused telling me I will be arrested for walking without a passport and sent behind bars.
Again I told him I would like to talk with the Embassy to iron out the problem as I don’t have the amount of money demanded. Suddenly came the straw that broke the camel’s back. I told him I am a journalist in Malaysia and I have read about police harassment in the Philippines. He laughed sarcastically as in denial. I said I can prove to him my claims. He asked me to use one of the old computers in the station. I first opened a newspaper’s page and told him this is the newspaper I work for. Next I went to the forum where there were articles telling of Manila’s police harassment.
One such article was how a police framed a Malaysian tourist. This tourist had just checked into the hotel when an under aged girl knocked the room door. Thinking it was the room maid he let her in. The girl went to the bathroom closing the main door behind in the pretext of putting something in the toilet. Soon there was a knock on the door and when he went to open it, he was shocked to see a policeman in uniform. Meantime the girl undressed in the toilet and lay on the bed while the Malaysian tourist was being questioned by the man in the police uniform. The police questioned the girl and later told the tourist that he was alone with an under aged girl. The man tried to explain but all was in vain. Learning he was trapped, he pleaded with the police. The man managed to get some money to settle with the police.
Then I went to my blog and showed him my articles condemning terrorism. This really worked and the police started to tone down. To ease the situation, he said he would discuss my matter with his superior. A man resembling ‘Dr No’ in the James Bond movie appeared and immediately hugged me saying, “We are friends.” He even posed for photographs with me and other police officers. This incident will always ring in my ears for ever.

Selamat Hari Raya Puasa

2010-09-09T00:55:00.003+08:00

Raya comes but once a year,
Let us celebrate with fun and cheer.
Ramadan ends a month of fasting,
The new moon begins a day of feasting.
Muslims head to mosques to pray,
They are grateful, it’s a special day.
Return home to elders to seek forgiveness,
Children given money and lots of kindness.
We join family members in delicious food,
There is an atmosphere of jovial mood.
We receive guests in never ending line,
This is our tradition inviting them to dine.
The day continues to shower love in bounty,
Today is Raya a day for us to be in full activity.
I wish my relatives, friends and my students a happy and joyful Hari Raya.
Maaf Zahir Batin

Daryn Sania

2010-09-06T22:14:00.001+08:00

Beauty of Birmingham and Beyond

2010-07-12T15:02:00.034+08:00

During my school days my favourite poem was Daffodils written by William Wordsworth. Till today I have never forgotten this beautiful poem. Part of the poem goes like this,

“I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Yes I was amazed to see the colourful daffodils beside the lake, beneath the trees, fluttering and dancing in the breeze. On my previous visits I have taken the opportunity to see Manchester, Liverpool and many smaller towns in Northern England. Yorkshire Dales was one I admired the most. It is an upland area, whose characteristic scenery is green upland pastures separated by dry-stone walls and grazed by sheep and cattle.
Driving from London to Birmingham was easy using the highway. Since the kids were with us, our first stop here was the Cadbury World.

Cadbury World is an adventure into the world of chocolate. The Cadbury factory at Bourneville has a visitor centre that is dedicated to the history of chocolate. Both educational and excitingly portrayed, the visitor can learn about how cocoa beans are grown, how they came to be imported to Europe and made into the chocolate that we know today. How has chocolate changed over the years?, and what made Cadbury's so successful. It's all here. This is one of the main West Midlands attractions and draws visitors from all over the UK and beyond.

Another interesting place not far from Birmingham is the West Midlands Safari and Leisure Park. This is one of the Midlands top destinations. It is located in Worcestershire. This extensive Safari and Leisure Park covers an area of some 200 acres.

It is targeted at family entertainment and visitors get the chance to drive through the Safari Park and then spend time at the Park's amusements.

Stratford-upon-Avon was our next stop. Set in the beautiful rural Warwickshire countryside, on the banks of the river Avon, it is one of the most important tourist destinations in the UK. Who doesn’t know William Shakespeare of Romeo and Juliet fame? When I strolled along River Avon, I got the answer why Shakespeare was such a wonderful poet and playwright.

The river and surroundings were breathtaking and a great feast to the eyes. The town itself had all the gifts of nature to make it a must tourist attraction.

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All in all ,English villages are worth visiting to bask in nature.
Another interesting place for shoppers is Bicester in the English county of Oxfordshire.

Bicester Village is the leading outlet shopping destination in Europe. Bicester Village is a collection of designer shopping outlets .It is featured in the Bollywood film, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham . You are bound to bump into Malaysian students here and some of them come from as far as Manchester and Liverpool.We had an interesting trip here especially the kids who mingled with others at the children's playground.

England is vast and you need to plan in advance your trip.

Ultimate Destination- Unique United Kingdom

2010-06-23T11:18:00.040+08:00

United Kingdom has all the ingredients for an ultimate holiday. Even though I had been there on several occasions, I spent the best vacation on this land of the former colonial masters with my grandchildren.
Arriving at Heathrow- one of the busiest airports in the world, can be stressful. Flight after flight taking off and landing within minutes is a never ending scene here, be it day or night. United Kingdom is vast and everywhere you go, you are bound to come across picturesque places, history and buildings of the finest architecture. It has gifts for every age and so everyone can have a piece of cake here.

I will write about the city of London first. London is a city of contrasts. Its population is very cosmopolitan, drawing from a diverse range of peoples, cultures and religions. When we arrived here, it was worse than the previous trips due to the security procedure. Down with terrorism! Terrorism has changed the departure and arrival procedures in almost all the airports round the world. Terrorists make the lives of innocent people hard by their selfish, cowardly, and idiotic acts. So we were screened thoroughly before getting our passports chopped. Then, it was the beginning of an exciting holiday.
London has one of the best transport systems in the world. Getting to your destination is easier with the public transportation. You can head to any part of United Kingdom from the airport. So, with ease we were on our way to our hotel by the hotel’s airport shuttle.
The weather was perfect and we decided to take a rest and roam around the area. Meantime, we gathered information to visit all the landmarks in London. Most of the shops selling sundry goods and restaurants are monopolised by Asians especially Pakistanis and Indians. So, ‘halal’ food is not a problem but be prepared to pay a king’s ransom. After all, this is London- the financial capital of the world.
We woke up early in the morning and hopped into a ‘hop on hop off tour bus’. Yes, we could hop on and off at any place at any time using the day pass. This pass also includes buses, trains and even a Thames river cruise.

It was a perfect morning when we boarded the bus from Marble Arch. What better way to see the highlights of London than from onboard a vintage Red double-decker bus. We took our seats on our beautifully restored double-decker bus and marvelled at all of London’s highlights including Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye.

We meandered through the streets and history of this great city. The tour also included a cruise on the river Thames and the chance to see the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.

A Thames river cruise is without doubt one of the best ways to see London, weaving through the heart of the city and past so many of its most famous attractions. The Tower of London is one of the world’s most famous fortresses, situated in central London just a stone’s throw from River Thames. One the most impressive structures and sites in the capital is the Tower Bridge in London .Standing over the River Thames it is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world.

Buckingham palace is also a great place to start to enjoy some of the major sites of London on foot; from Buckingham Palace you can easily walk to; Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Piccadilly Circus, St James' Palace, 10 Downing Street, The Thames, Trafalgar Square and even Hard Rock Cafe, to name just a few of the great London sights that are a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace! Changing of guards is one of Britain’s main attractions.

We also took the opportunity to taste Malaysian food in Paddington. Seeing Malaysian food abroad was an exciting feeling when your tummies crave for them. I hardly go for ‘ice kacang’ at home but here I was tempted to taste it. Comparatively it was far worse than the one at home but every sip here was a reminder of our home country and feeling of home.

Our last stop was at Hyde Park . It is one of the largest parks in central London, England and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner. I took my grandchildren to run and jump before returning home. It was a fruitful, fantastic day out to see what the city of London had to offer.

Future speakers? They are not over the hill yet to pick up speed.

Holiday Halt - Hong Kong

2010-05-24T10:22:00.088+08:00

Hong Kong has always been in my dictionary ever since I was a young boy. I rememberd it as a smuggler's nest, a glittering harbour colony of the British and above all as the place where the rich smugglers of Kilakarai- a tiny south Indian
village, churned their money. Many of my childhood friends went to seek green pastures here.Till today you can see them milling around the famous building in Nathan Road -‘ Chungking Mansion'.
I was extremely excited to visit this Cinderella island and so were my grandchildren. They were eagerly looking forward to experience Hong Kong Disneyland.
We set off on a four nights and five days holiday halt to this crowded scrap of land off the edge of China to see what it has to offer in terms of sights and sounds.

It was like going for a dive in the sea as the aircraft touched down in ‘Chek Lap Kok’ airport.

This huge modern airport is built on an artificial island. After going through the usual procedure we took an express train which had all the comfort fit for a king. As the express train sped from the airport on Lantau Island into the middle of a sea of high rise buildings waking up to the evening with their fancy dress of neon, we were simply delighted and our hearts yearned to go closer to feel and capture the dancing colourful neon.

We stayed in the heart of Tsim Tsam Tshui on Kowloon. Geographically, Tsim Sha Tsui is a cape on the tip of the Kowloon Peninsula pointing towards Victoria Harbour. This is also a great place to watch Christmas lightings during December every year and we were here right on target- December.

The Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront is another popular destination for locals and tourists alike. It is especially popular for photographers, as it offers an unobstructed view of the Central area of Hong Kong across Victoria Harbour. The Avenue of Stars is also popular with photographers. As our hotel was just a stone throw away from the waterfront, we practically spent the evenings strolling along the promenade enjoying the atmosphere.

We stayed at the Inter Continental Hotel which was only a few minute's walk to the Star ferry that whisks travelers to Hong Kong Island in 10 minutes every 10 minutes.

The iconic ferries are an experience in themselves. Apart from this you can also sail to Macau, Guangzhou, and several other places in the Pearl River Delta from here.

The Avenue of Stars along the promenade will be lit up in the evenings. Its special lighting effect will turn the Avenue to a glittering galaxy. In addition to the promenade and New World Centre, a number of attractions exist including the Museum of Art, Space Museum, Cultural Centre and the Clock Tower.

I made it a point to visit "Chungking Mansions" along Nathan Road which was only a walking distance from the hotel. It has about 80 low cost accommodations and is well-known as having many Indian restaurants and the best rate and the worst rate money changers in Hong Kong, too.

Our first long outing was to Ocean Park.If you're looking for a place to take the kids, or to unleash the kid in you, Hong Kong Ocean Park is a must. The combination of high octane, thrills and spills rides, with superb, and educational, state of the art marine shows and exhibitions is unbeatable. This is the home to two lovely pandas, Anan the male, and Jiajia the female. Both are very popular and appear contented in their lush green environs. Our little girl was so impressed with the pandas that she wanted anything resembling the pandas. We bought a lot of panda dolls at the entrance and soon the dolls were here favourite without which she will not go to sleep. The dolls even became her constant companions.

One of the best parts of Ocean Park is the cable cars, both as an attraction in its own right and the only practical way to get from the entrance area to the rest of the park. The cable cars take you on a very pleasant ten minute ride over two mountains. From the cable-car, you will have an unparalleled spectacular view of Hong Kong Island and the sublime South China Sea beyond.

While the others were tired I chose to venture into Atoll Reef. It is shaped like a three or four storied elliptical fishbowl. Atoll Reef is divided into the shadow and the deep levels each exhibiting its characteristic aquatic life. The collection includes sharks, tropical fish and nautilus.

Visitors will see morays, groupers, turtles and over 400 kinds of maritime animals from the Pacific Islands or the South China Sea. Apart from fish, some corals and cays are also exhibited.

Hong Kong Ocean Park will fill your day with wonder, pleasure and excitement and reward you with satisfying memories of your visit to the impressive Hong Kong Ocean Park.

Our next halt was at at Victoria Peak. High above the glistening lights of Hong Kong, is Victoria Peak, where tourists can stand and marvel at the restless city of Kowloon at all hours of the day. Many go up the peak to enjoy the tram ride but to me Penang Hill too has a similar tram with less queue and much cheaper. The only good thing about Victoria Peak is the view.

My grandson attire looked as if he was on a pilgrimage here. We really didn’t enjoy the trip here and it was a bit disappointing queuing up for everything. We didn’t miss the many shopping areas here.

Our much awaited trip to Disneyland was indeed a new experience for the kids. They loved everything except the queues and the crowd. Also the distance made them tired and our little princess was sleeping throughout the parade and now insists she wants to go there again to see the parade.

Well this Mickey's newest theme park is built on lush Lantau Island. It is not as big as the one in Anaheim in South California but big enough for the kids.
To make our visit comfortable, we chose to stay at the Disney’s Hollywood Hotel.

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It features a piano-shaped pool, children's playground, and 600 guestrooms. In contrast to the formal Victorian style of Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, Disney's Hollywood Hotel has an art deco styling reminiscent of classic Hollywood. The hotel overlooks the Disneyland Hong Kong theme park and the South China Sea.

There is much to see and do inside the park. Meeting and taking photos with Disney characters.Watching the colourful parade and abaove all the fantastic fireworks 'Disney in the stars' which words can't describe. All in all we had a fantastic trip to Hong Kong and we look forward to visit this island soon.

Sensational Sizzling Sumatra

2010-04-21T13:23:00.070+08:00

Travelling to Indonesia always gives you a glimpse of everything- the good, the bad and the ugly. My journey this time was to Padang, a coastal city and West Sumatra province's capital. As I stepped out of the newly built airport waiting for the taxi, I was amazed with the beauty of Padang.

In the horizon I saw green rolling hills covered by the morning mist as if in sleep under a white blanket. The cool gentle morning sea breeze was inviting to its origin.

Padang, being the capital for the Minangkabau homeland, has various buildings that are rich with the Minangkabau architecture. From the newly opened Minangkabau International Airport to the old part of the city, most buildings here are characterised with the "buffalo horn" roof design which symbolising the Minangkabau culture and architecture. The "buffalo horn" roof design signifies the essence of the Minangkabau spirit and how proud they are of their heritage and culture.

I finally got my first glimpse of Padang off in the distance, beckoning like a candlelit pool in the surrounding mountains. As the taxi entered the sprawling town, I was finally liberated from those treacherous roads. Then, I glued my eyes to the window screen to see live the aftermath of the 7.6 magnitude quake of September 2009. The earthquake rumbled through, devastating not only Padang, but much of the Central West coast of Sumatra.
Padang is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes since it lies near some of the world's most active fault lines. The taxi driver told me more than 50 percent of the buildings collapsed, some severely damaged and some flattened. I passed a place where a hotel once stood. It was now a heap of concrete slabs layered like pancakes with iron rods jutting out. It was an eerie feeling to see the amount of damage. I was saddened to see the city drowned in darkness, halting its move to give the people better lives.

On the way to the hotel, the taxi driver told me it will be wise for me to head to Bukit Tinggi and spend a night in Padang on my return. It sounded wise and so I headed to catch the earliest van heading to Bukit Tinggi.
Bukit Tinggi is Minang Country with three colours designated to the 3 volcanoes that surround Bukit Tinggi. The road trip to Bukit Tinggi took around 3 hours and it brings you through villages, paddy fields and, well, some pretty congested roads at some parts.The traffic is perpetual snarl and the drivers blast their horns indiscriminately. The sidewalks are congested with people and the streets dirty. I made several stops on the way, firstly at Air Pancur waterfall at the fringe of the Lembah Valley- Anai area.

This is at the roadside where monkeys come to greet you. There is a train track and I was told no trains use that track anymore.
Further towards Bukit Tinggi near the town of Padang Panjang is a museum set in a typical Minangkabau house. At Pandang Panjang town, there are several shops selling Sate or Satay as it is known in Malaysia.

Further on the way towards Bukit Tinggi is a turn off to the village of Pandai Sikek (or Pandai Sikat). Pandai means 'clever' and Sikat means 'to comb or weave' - so there you go, it is a village of Clever Weavers - where girls are sent to learn the art.

From here there is a good view of Mount Singgalang, one of the three Minang Mountains. All along the way, you will notice that there are many ponds next to the houses along the road. In the ponds they rear fish for their own consumption.

After a rather arduous journey, I arrived at the cool and quaint old town of Bukit Tinggi. At the town centre was the jam gadang or huge town clock which was leaning. Opposite was Bung Hatta’s palace with his statue and bust erected in front.

Down the road was Fort de Kock. From the town centre, one could view a beautiful panorama that stretches from the majestic Gunung Merapi down south to Gunung Singgalang in the west. To the north was the Ngarai Sianok, a fairly huge canyon with a river meandering the deep valley below.

In the hills at the edge that faces the canyon was a catacomb of tunnels built by the Japanese during their occupation.

It ran 6 km in total length and had secret exits that open into the canyon.
Near jam Gadang, I had the opportunity to ride on a horse cart widely known as ‘Bendi’.

Around this area you can find Padang restaurants. Padang food is famous and well known for its spicy taste and the unique way it is served. In any authentic Padang restaurants, as many as two dozen dishes are brought to the table at the same time, with rice as the centrepiece. Diners then help themselves to as much or as little—or as many or as few—of the dishes as they wish. The customers then choose and pay for only what they want from this array of dishes.

After an enjoyable lunch, I got into a bus and headed to Lake Maninjau.
On the way I passed endless rows of paddy fields.

I first spotted a rice paddy farmer from high atop the fertile terraces. Wearing her quintessential triangular straw hat with pants clinched above her knees, she raised and lowered her hoe with a precision that only years of experience could perfect. Even from afar, the rice paddy farmer exuded a profound pride in her terrace. This terrace was her life.

To get here, you have to hold your dear life in your hands. The bus lurched forward, old brakes screeching in their daily resistance to gravity. Hairpin bend after hairpin bend, 44 in all, broke what otherwise would have been freefall. Despite the hair-raising entrance, Lake Maninjau is a place to relax, away from the hassles of everyday travel. The slate blue lake was like a jewel set in the centre of a huge cavity in the mountain.

My eyes were feasted to the beauty of nature as I sat sipping tea gazing at the picturesque lake from the small tea hut which smelled of cigarettes and damp wood.
On returning to Bukit Tinggi I was exhausted to do anything except to give my tiring eyes a break. The next early morning I was up and away to Pekan baru- the capital of Riau. Pekanbaru is one of the cleanest big cities in Indonesia. Most of Indonesia's petroleum is produced in Riau, and much of Pekanbaru's economy is based on the petroleum industry. As such, today it is Indonesia’s oil capital, with all the hustle and bustle of modern cities.

Travelling from Bukit Tinggi to Pekan baru will be something for me to treasure for I will be travelling from Southern Hemisphere crossing the Equator into the Northern Hemisphere.It was a journey I would cherish all my life. Nearly 6 hours, along one of the worst roads I had ever come across passing crowded towns, peaceful villages with rustic houses, endless paddy fields, valleys, lush rainforests, exotic flora and fauna, cascading rivers, sparkling crater lakes, impressive volcanoes, limestone caves and an incredible diverse array of traditional ethnic groups who inhabit some of the most spectacular volcanic landscapes of the world. I passed some colourful tows such as Pariaman -an important port city serving the Minangkabau settlements in the interior highlands of central west Sumatra and Payakumbuh which is known for flying duck races and foods like gelamai - a sweet coconut palm sugared snack.
At last, it was a relief to see the sun set of Pekanbaru exposing a panoramic view of the ‘MASJID AGUNG AN-NUR’. This grand mosque is a must for visitors to Pekan Baru. After checking into the hotel, I had a quick shower to venture out to see what the town has to offer. Taking the ‘ angkut’ or mini taxi vans to your destination is cheaper and fun.

These highly amusing little minivans had more speakers than seats, like some mobile sound-system taxi blasting out dangdut and recent Indonesian hits.
Before the Americans struck oil, Pekanbaru was little more than a sleepy river port on Siak River. Today it is Indonesia’s oil capital. So, it is a modern city with good hotels, eating outlets, like KFC, Pizza hut, MacDonald’s, Baskin Robbins and the famous Padang food restaurants.

I stopped at one of the famous noodle corners and watched them prepare huge amounts of noodles and fried rice.

It was really delicious and reminded me of the noodles back home.

As I was racing against time, I once again headed to Padang the next day after a brief tour of the town.

It was a more comfortable return journey as I sat beside the driver and occupied the entire seat.

There was much space to stretch my legs and take more pictures.

We stopped at a unique Padang restaurant and had a wonderful lunch. I am a very fussy person when it comes to food but ordered a double baked chicken ‘rendang’ as it was simply fantastic. The scenery of the hills, rivers and vegetation from the restaurant was breathtaking.

I arrived in Padang just on time to visit Pantai Air Manis. Here you will see a piece of stone in the shape of a human in a kneeling position with the head touching the ground as if asking for pardon. According to folkfore it is about a man named Malin Kundang who hails from a poor family. Just like any other Minang men, Malin Kundang decided to travel elsewhere to seek good fortune, leaving behind his old mother. His life changed when he married the daughter of a rich man in Siam. Soon after achieving success and gaining great fortune he sailed back homeward on his own ship to Padang together with his wife and crews. Upon hearing of Malin Kundang's return, his mother rushed to the beach to meet her long lost son. Unfortunately, Malin Kundang felt ashamed upon looking at his old and poor mother - he was a rich man with fine clothing and a beautiful wife while his mother was looking ragged and poor as she was. In his undisguised disgust he ignored his mother, refused to greet her and returned to his ship.

Humiliated and heartbroken by her arrogant son's behavior, his mother fell to her knees in desperation and prayed to God asking that her son be punished for what he did. Soon a terrible storm rose up and Malin Kundang's ship was wrecked upon the rocks. Realising his mistake and sin for ignoring his mother, the badly injured Malin Kundang tried to get ashore to seek forgiveness from his mother but as he crawled on his hands and knees he was suddenly turned into stone.
This folklore reminds me of the English Literature I am teaching for Form 4 students, ‘Si Tanggang’s Homecoming’ by Muhammad Haji Salleh, which uses the story as a metaphor for the general experience of moving away from one's cultural roots.
Life in Padang is incredibly relaxed. I had a quick tower of Padang town and a stopover at Siti Nurbaya Bridge. Their buses are colourful and come in different designs.

I couldn’t get a room at Inna Muara Hotel. Some of the best known hotels were still under rubble after the earthquake. So I decided to walk to Maryani Hotel just a stone throw away from Inna Muara. A Singaporean, John Lee, was pulled alive from the Maryani hotel after surviving under the rubble for 25 hours. Rescue workers, responding to his cries for help, dug for 12 hours to free him. I went to Andalas shopping mall which was closed since the earthquake and only opened three days before my arrival. It was so frightening to walk alone, along the dark streets and I decided to return to the hotel. As I tried to close my tiring eyes, an eerie feeling stuck me at every turn on my bed. The room resembled more of a haunted house than a hotel room, no lifts, isolated rooms, poor maintenance and above all a creepy atmosphere. The next morning my request for wakeup call was not even heeded to and luckily I woke up on time to leave the frightening hotel to the airport.

I waited almost an hour trying to get a taxi and at last I was close to home. As my flight took off and disappeared into the morning clouds, I saw Padang far below still struggling to wake up. Most would say home is where the heart is. But for those living in natural disaster prone areas, like Indonesia's Ring of Fire, sometimes the heart is all that's left of a home.

The Island of Legends, Love and Leisure- Langkawi.

2010-03-17T22:25:00.093+08:00

I have been to Langkawi several times and if I were to compare Langkawi, Bali and Phuket, I would definitely say, all these islands are unique in one way or the other.

Bali is flavoured with cultural scent, offerings and sacrifices. Phuket, on the other hand is vibrant with its dotted islands, beaches, and swinging night life. Langkawi is completely opposite to these islands.

It is a matter of taste and preference as Langkawi offers a much more sedate, laid-back and family-friendly package.

The geology of the earth has shaped and transformed this island into a spectacular formations of mountains, hidden caves, lakes, rivers and isles.

Every visit of mine to this fairy tale island is always a new chapter of fun filled vacation. It reminds me to live my dreams and let me explore its beauty at my own phase.Probably Langkawi best fits the sayings of the great Persian poet Omar Khayyam.

"Here with a Loaf of Bread beneath the Bough,
A Flask of Wine, a Book of Verse - and Thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness -
And Wilderness is Paradise enow".

In short, Langkawi is a perfect nest for honeymooners, a good den for family reunion and a hideout to people who like to bask in solitude. It is an ideal island to let your tensions melt away and drift yourself into peaceful picturesque painted paths.

Whenever I am in Langkawi, I do the least walking and talking but more sleeping, relaxing and enjoying the gift of nature.

My last trip was something to treasure as I was with my two wonderful grandchildren.
As the twin engine six blade propeller powered ATR72-500 Firefly came to a halt at the Langkawi International airport, we got down and walked to the main terminal of this quiet airport.

There was no rush, no queue and hassle as we went through immigiration.Within the airport walls hung potraits of 'Mahsuri'- a legendry figure of Langkawi.

Langkawi is full of legends and one of the well known legends is that of Mahsuri. It is said that Mahsuri was a charming village lass wrongly accused and sentenced to death for adultery.

While dying she cursed that the island of Langkawi would never prosper for seven generations. Since then the seven generations had passed and now Langkawi has awaken from its long sleep to display its glitter and charm to the outside world.

From the airport. we hired a seven seater car and drove along narrow deserted coastal roads ' sleepy villages, rustic houses, and cows grazing paddy fields to our destination in Burau Bay - " Berjaya Lagoon Resort".

It was a breathtaking view to see the calm waters of the turquoise sea which at times was painted with passing fishing boats where fishermen cast their nets in the traditionakl way.

After checking in, We had a quick outing to the 'Field of the burnt rice' which is now occupied by stalls selling souvenirs. It is said that the villagers while fleeing from the Siamese invasion burnt their rice fields.

To this day traces of the rice grain can be seen here. We were here,mainly to fill our tummies. Langkawi is a duty free island and I would say that there is nothing much to boast about duty free goods.

The price of food and other essential items are steeper here than on the mainland.Even souvenir items are less in quantity and quality compared to Phuket and Bali.
Most of the goods are either from the nearby Siamese town of Satun or imported from Indonesia. So, forget about shopping and just relax and enjoy the slow pace of nature.

A trip on the cable car is worth an experience.The base station is located at the Oriental Village, a theme shopping centre. Visitors will be taken up to the cool Machincang range on new and modern gondolas giving the visitors panoramic views of the surroundings forests, the Telaga Tujuh (Seven Wells) waterfalls as well as the sea.

As you glide above verdant rainforests, you will be able to catch images of eagles, hornbills and assortment of birds and wild life along the route up.

You will be amazed and will be so close to nature that you can practically touch it.

Langkawi is a hidden jewel compared to Bali and Phuket. It is part of the State of Kedah and named after the eagle (helang in the Malay,language ) . IN 2007, Langkawi was accorded the status of a Geopark by UNESKO, the first in South-East Asia.

Like Phuket you can go island hopping here but what is sad is that very few boats provide facilities and at times you will even not be able to go on the trip as the boatmen will not get the required number of passengers.

Eventhough I have been to Langkawi several times, I have not gone island hopping due to either the lack of boats or the weather conditions. It is sad that the island which has great tourist potential is a victin of ignorance.

Instead of going island hopping we chose to go hotel hopping.We spent the last two nights at the Westin Resort & Spa which is a slice of heaven.

This oasis hotel provides a private setting to relax,rejuvenate,refresh and de-stress the mind and body.Infused with breathtaking natural beauty, The Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa is a haven of sandy beaches, the beautiful Andaman Sea and lush tropical foliage.

We spent much of our time at the many pools wading, dipping and splashing.

On the final day we went to 'Kuah' town to buy some souvenirs. The name ‘Kuah’ comes from the Malay word for gravy, and legend has it that the town arose from a cup of gravy spilled on the land by two giants fighting. Kuah has no proper beach despite being located by the sea.

Another interesting place for one to visit is Pantai Cenang.Along this long stretch of sandy beach, various resorts and hotels await you, infusing a slight sense of bustling in this beautiful beach.

Merely a 3-km distance from the Langkawi International Airport, Pantai Cenang can be reached within a 10-minute drive. Instead of being an ordinary beach, this place will surprise you in many aspects.
First of all, undoubtedly, will be the fantastic scenery – what really make the first impression of the beach will be the long stretch of milky white sandy beach with swaying coconut trees inline with the rhythm of waves, the sea in shades of blue, turquoise and green.

There are stretches of shops selling beach wares, souvenirs and daily needs.Here, you can choose to dine at numerous of restaurants available, and you will be surprised by the wide ranges of cuisines and delicacies offered!
Apart from Chinese restaurant mostly selling seafood, you can even find Middle Eastern,Indian and even authentic Italian cuisine, mostly pizza.

Langkawi is indeed a comprehensive and perfect destination for vacation.As the aircraft took off and flew above the glittering dotted islands, the view was simply stunning and exhilarating even to my curious grandson.

Phuket-The Pearl Of The South

2010-02-11T10:35:00.108+08:00

Myths, Mysteries and Magic Of Phuket
Phuket is the largest island in Thailand. It was reborn despite the devastating tsunami. Amazingly, there is little evidence of the force of nature except in pictures. Once an island rich in tin, it is now an over developed tourist destination. Tourism is drawing thousands of tourists to its shores every year. No big surprise, as the island is unique in the variety of its attractions.

I have always wanted to see the sights, smell the sea and shoot the scenes of Phuket. It was actually a co-incident when I was at the Malaysian Airlines office to book a flight to Vietnam. The staff said there is a promotion to Phuket and immediately I took the offer. Since Malaysian airlines has no direct flights to Phuket from Penang, I opted to go to Kuala Lumpur first and then to Phuket.

It was such a breathtaking view to see the island of Phuket from the air. On landing, I saw the inviting beach just a hop, step and jump from the airport like that of Bali.

Phuket International Airport is the second busiest airport in Thailand.As the airport is situated in the north of the island some 40 minutes' drive from Patong Beach; I needed some wheels to get to my hotel. If you have not booked your transportation with your hotel, don't worry - you still have several options. All transport options are clearly marked in English and Thai, as are taxi and minivan prices.
It was a perfect morning as I reached patong Beach and checked into the 'Patong Resort'.

After a quick shower I went looking for halal food. My first stop was at Jungceylon- the biggest shopping mall in Phuket which was just a walking distance away from my hotel.

I was surprised to see the 'Halal' sign at the KFC outlet in this impressive mall because it is hard to come across KFC outlets with halal food signs.

As soon a s I walked out of the KFC outlet, I went to a tour operator and decided to go elephant trekking.According to the tour guide, wild elephants once roamed the jungles of Phuket. Then tin mining and rubber plantations changed the environment and made the elephants disappear.'Siam Safari Nature Tours' pioneered the concept offering visitors to the island an opportunity to ride on an elephant on their property in the hills overlooking Chalong Bay.

The mahouts at this facility talked little English and they were friendly and cheerful.Riding on an elephant is extremely an experience worth capturing in your camera. At the end of the ride we were treated to a show where elephants participated in football and basketball games. They kept us entertained and made our visit a memorable one.

I can't deny I loved the elephant show, although it's a little hard to justify. They're definitely not behaving as they should be in the wild but they showed no obvious signs of distress.
They're friendly, you can give them a good pat on the head, and feed them bananas. I suppose performing for tourists is the only lives they've known.

The monkey show on the same tour, by comparison, was a little sad.Elephants' showing off their bums isn't that dignified, but monkeys riding tricycles and tottering around with parasols is a bit creepy.

After the elephant ride, I couldn’t resist my temptation to sit on a water buffalo for a photo shoot. It was incredible to be a cowboy for a few minutes.

Before going back to the hotel, I took a quick spin in a bullock cart. It was fun and it took me back into time when I used to travel in a bullock cart which was the only form of transportation in the village where I was born in.

I had a short rest in the hotel before heading to Soi Bangla.Like all night owls, Soi Bangla awakens when the sun sets.Soi Bangla is Patong's liveliest party zone which becomes closed to traffic and ready for action as early as 6.00pm.The road is lined with bars and almost all of the bars are outdoors and so the music from each one is deafening.But for souvenir hunting, it is best to take a walk along this well illuminated road to see the sights and sounds.Girls wearing colourful headgear sell all kinds of souvenirs. You can test your ability to bargain and you will be obliged at the end, as a reward for their never ending smiles.

Lady boys and Transvestite Shows attract alot of tourists. Watch them but never strike a conversation.The conversation will definitely let the cat out of the bag.

Early next morning I was awake and away to discover the jewels of the Andaman Sea. After booking through a travel agent along Patong Beach, I was taken to a pier from where I boarded a speedboat to the 'Koh' meaning islands.Our English speaking guide was very helpful making sure all the passengers were comfortable.With the wind on my face and four throaty engines rocketing me over the water, my journey to Phi Phi islands was something to treasure all my lifetime.

Phi Phi Islands are 48km from Phuket.Before reaching Phi Phi we stopped at few smaller islands on the way. These islands were brilliant undersea world teeming with fish and carpeted by colourful coral.

Leaving Phuket Pier

"Teeming with fish and carpeted by colourful coral".

As soon as I reached Phi phi island, it was swamped with tourists.Around the island were massive limestone-walled rooms with sky above and water below.The place was too touristy, but the sand was the softest I've ever buried my feet in. Next I was standing at the 'Beach' movie famed Maya beach.To make the movie "The Beach" starring Leonardo DiCaprio, around sixty palm trees were planted so Maya would look even more like a tropical paradise beach. After filming, all of the palm trees were removed and the beach returned to its original state.The Beach did help Phuket and the surrounding area break previous tourism records as travellers flocked to the Andaman coast to swim in the same green waters and frolic on the same white sand as “Leo”.

Although the Tsunami of 2004 caused severe damage to the island’s infrastructure, Phi Phi has made a remarkable comeback and draws many visitors to its stunning white sand beaches.The beaches on these offshore islands are far less crowded than the tourist beaches on Phuket Island.

On this trip, we were given the chance to do some snorkelling. Life jackets and snorkelling masks were provided to the tourists.I got into the water with full enthusiasm. When I put my head into the water, the view was breath-taking!The view of the seabed was just like what you see on National Geographic, or Discovery channels. It was exquisitely beautiful!Seeing corals and multi-coloured fishes moving about was like viewing a Kaleidoscope.

I was not a big fan of monkeys but enjoyed looking at them at Monkey Beach. We were warned not to make them angry and those with children were requested to keep away from them. They came in troops to be fed with bananas given to us by the tour company. The monkeys even helped themselves to 'coca cola'.

Khai island was one the islands which impressed me with its stunning beauty. Koh Khai Nok is a small triangular island about the size of a large football pitch comprising a rocky headland and a snow-white beach. One special characteristic of Koh Khai Nok is that it has at least twelve types of exotic tropical fish and they aren't afraid of humans. As a result a lot of people are swimming through them with people taking photos of them. Loaves of bread are handed out to feed the shoals and there's a colourful feeding frenzy every time a piece of bread is thrown in.

When there are no great tigers in the deep mountains, even a monkey can become king

Khai island

The next day I visited James Bond island.James Bond Island is the one where the James Bond movie “Man with the Golden Gun” was shot. It has the famous pillar rock (of the Hindi movie "Kaho na Pyar hai" fame). We went in a canoe to the island for some pictures and shopping. Here, fresh sea pearls are sold like vegetables.The tour itself is advertised as the James Bond tour as it takes you out to the island that was used as Scaramangas hideout in the Man with the Golden Gun.Out on the boat was amazing, the landscape out on the water is mad. Lumps of forest covered rocks and mountains protrude out of the water in various patterns. There is a forest of trees sticking out of the water on one side of us and it was absolutely beautiful. We were taken closer to the rocks and saw that they are limestone and that the limestone has dripped to make stalactites. Nestled against one of the outcrops of stone is the town of Koh Panyee, a floating Muslim village where we had a delicious lunch. Many English, Hindi and Tamil films are being shot here.

My final day in Phuket was a stroll along Patong Beach.You don't go here to be alone on a quiet tropical beach. You go here to meet people from all over the world.Patong Beach is not short of beach vendors. Cloths, ice cream, soft drinks, souvenirs and even massages are available along the beach.Patong beach has lots of water activities like parasailing, parachuting, jet ski, banana boat, windsurfing, wakeboard and water-ski. I even had the chance to watch fishermen trying their luck.

Two places tourists mustn’t miss in Phuket are Simon Cabaret and Phuket FantaSea. Simon Cabaret features a spectacular musical floor show performed by the world famous ‘lady boys’ of Simon Cabaret. A single show runs the entire range of musical theatre from cultures around the world. Extravagant costumes, make-up and sets take the audience from Egypt to Latin America to China and back to Thailand in themed displays of classical dance and song. The majority of the actors were born in male bodies but are living life as beautiful young women who express their talent through life as a cabaret performer. Guys can never tell the difference and ladies will just die for a figure like that. Stunning costumes, bright lights, excellent sound system and expensive sets are all part of this theatrical extravaganza.

Phuket Fantasea show is inspired by Thailand's rich and exotic heritage. It not only showcases the charm and beauty of Thailand, but also enriches ancient Thai traditions with the wonder of cutting edge technology and special effects. The result is a stunning 140-acre theme complex, packed with a multitude of activities, food and entertainment. For Muslim tourists 'Halal' Food buffet is served at Phuket FantaSea.

I was reluctant to leave this beautiful island which had everything for a great vacation. As my aircraft took a steep turn into the clear blue sky, far below me, I saw the glittering sea nestling some of the most beautiful islands on earth reminding me to return to discover the undiscovered.

As Phuket parted from my view, I heard the pilot announcing that we were flying closer to Langkawi. My next post will be on Langkawi.

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." - -- Confucius

2010-02-09T22:17:00.025+08:00

BALI

We travel to open our hearts and eyes and to bring what little we can, in our ignorance and knowledge, to those parts of the globe whose riches are differently dispersed. I have been interested in travelling since my school days when I first hitchhiked as far as Singapore. On the journey I put up in mosques and ate at road side stalls. At times I walked for miles hoping to thumb a car, van or even a lorry. At the age of 14, I cycled from Penang to Taiping and at 17; I was alone on my way to Bangkok and Calcutta. These little experiences gave me courage to venture to faraway lands which I have always wanted to set foot on.
Tropical islands have always fascinated me the most. I have always wanted to bask in the beauty of Bali and my dream became a reality when I set foot on the ‘Land of the Gods”- Bali.

Land of the Gods

I was in fact in Manila when my daughter rang me up to say that she had to attend a conference in Surabaya. Indonesia has always fascinated me with its rich culture, colours and traditions. So, as soon as I returned from my Philippines trip, I suggested to my daughter, “Why don’t we hop into Bali before jumping into Surabaya?” She had no objections. Immediately we booked the tickets and soon were on our way to Denpasar.
As we were flying over the island of Java, the Air Asia pilot made a sudden announcement that we were flying not far from an active volcano. Quickly I took out my camera and did some quick snaps. In the horizon, I saw a majestic volcano in action as if puffing a cigar. It was really feast to the eyes.

volcano puffing

Soon the plane landed at the Ngurah Rai International Airport located near Jimbaran, on the isthmus joining the southernmost part of the island to the main part of the island. From the window seat, I saw the inviting turquoise sea just across the tarmac fence with its huge waves in action, like cheer girls dancing and welcoming the tourists. Was my first impression the last of Bali?

Waves to weave

We were channelled through into a long hallway to the sound of ‘gamelan’ music. Processing took a while but once we reached the immigration and customs counters, there wasn’t much hassle. After the clearance, we were out into the street and the humid air hit us. There was no shortage of taxis to take us to any corner of Bali.
We chose to stay in the ‘Kuta area’ where the action was. It is only 4km from the airport. Halfway, the taxi driver told us he will be unable to take us to the hotel as the roads leading to the hotel are all closed for a festival. According to him Bali is always in festive mood. He stopped us at one end of the road and asked us to walk to the hotel. It was such a bad experience to wheel your bag along uneven puddle looking potholes filled road.

Our frustration was rewarded as we entered the hotel. I loved the concept of the hotel which reflected the elegant and classical Balinese style architecture. It was nestling on a seclusion location within sophisticated atmosphere. The rooms were bordered by lush green vegetation amid Balinese sculptures.

This beachfront hotel is within easy walking distance of the shops, restaurants and attractions of Bali. Australian tourists outnumbered the others and most of them carried surfing boards. If you drop into Macdonald fast food outlet along Kuta Beach, you will even see the clown mascot for the McDonald's fast food chain surfing.

Kuta Beach had no magnetic force to attract me. It was one of the beaches I can see in Malaysia. To me the beaches in Langkawi and Penang are far better except the huge waves. Of course, I felt that I was here not for its beaches but its culture and beauty. But again, I loved to stand and stare at the huge waves which opened my memory bank to my teenage years. The waves reminded me of Waikiki waves in “Hawaii Five O” television series. Despite its negatives, Kuta Beach has its own beauty and attractions and remains one of Indonesia’s major tourist destinations.

Being in Bali lets you experience the endless series of offerings, purification, processions, dances, and dozens of other religious rites that Balinese devote their lives to. One festival I would like to share with the readers is the Nyepi festival. On this day, everyone in Bali including tourists must remain silent. No one is allowed to work, travel or partake in any indulgences. Visitors are advised to observe this custom and to stay within their lodgings for the day. It is believed that evil spirits will leave the island, thinking that the place is uninhabited due to the complete stillness.

Walking the streets of Bali is indeed an experience. If you see a procession of women garbed in traditional wear, carrying small bowls or balancing towering offerings on their heads, or a group of batik-clad men with head clothes, grab your camera and mingle with the crowd - you will always be welcomed. I was close to one colourful procession which spoke in pictures.

95% of all Balinese are Hindu Dharma. Hindu Dharma is the combination of Hinduism and Buddhism to achieve the peace and harmony of life. Almost every house has its own shrine and you can also find monuments dedicated to the spirits of agriculture, art and all other aspects of life. Offerings play a significant role in Balinese life as they appease the spirits and thus bring prosperity and good health to the family.

Every day, small offering trays containing symbolic food, flowers, cigarettes and money, are placed on shrines, in temples, outside houses and shops, and even at dangerous crossroads. I even accidently tripped on one of these trays while walking along the shops in Kuta.

Offering of trays along roads

Food was everywhere in Kuta but to me it was "Water, water, everywhere, but not a drop to drink" Yes, I found it hard in Kuta to get ‘Halal’ food except in KFC outlet. So breakfast, lunch and Dinner was at KFC. Thanks they had rice served with chicken. But, you see plenty of restaurants, bars and pubs in Kuta. At one place, I passed a burger seller selling,‘ Burger Gila’ or mad burgers.

The local architecture is rich, nice, and different from everything I had already put my eyes on in other places. The laws of traditional Balinese architecture carefully specify the way a building must be constructed, the types of wood appropriate for each part, and the ceremonies involved in its dedication. It is said that the traditional architecture in Bali originates from two sources. One is the great Hindu tradition brought to Bali from India. The second is an indigenous architecture before the Hindu epic and is in many ways reminiscent of Polynesian building. The science of building is held to be a sacred knowledge to traditional Balinese architects. The Balinese have always been particularly adept using the bamboo and behind every Balinese house one can find at least one stand of bamboo.

One can get lost in time if one heads to the cultural centre of Ubud, which is a home to countless artists, dancers and musicians. Ubud is beautiful. I went for a couple of long walks around the picturesque terraced rice paddies, took a chance to practice my Indonesian with local rice farmers, and visited a few of the many art galleries and museums near the area.

Some Balinese art is quite humorous, and many paintings and woodcarvings are based on stories from the Hindu Ramayana. Some styles are so detailed, you have to spend a long time examining each picture, and even then you will surely miss out on some hidden stories in them. If you go to Ubud, don't miss the galleries.

Ubud is also the centre for Balinese dance performances. I had been fortunate enough to see a Barong dance, Barong being a mythical creature that looks a bit like the Chinese lions. There are usually two people inside. Barong is a good guy and will get rid of any evil spirits.

In Ubud I enjoyed watching the many dances of Bali. The dances are gracefully performed by men and women in spectacular costumes telling stories from Ramayana or Mahabharata. The uniqueness about Balinese dance that distinguishes it from others is in the eye movement. The eyes are glanced right and/or left accompanied by the chin. While doing this, the eyes must be wide opened and must not be blinked. Besides the movement of the entire body, facial expression is also very crucial. It shows the character of the dance; happy, angry, sad, shocked, love, etc. A dance is a subtle combination of the movements of feeling, the body and the spirit.

The powerful gamelan music is played by a group of musicians using various percussion instruments, and perhaps a flute and other bits and pieces - it first sounds somewhat cacophonic, but there is always perfect harmony and you soon start quite liking the gamelan! It is incredible to think that most of these talented performers lead a completely different life during the day - and the lady who serves your lunch in a restaurant could be a dancer in the evening! If you go to Ubud, don't miss the colourful dances.

The people of Bali are blessed with well-developed bodies, golden-bronze skin, long, glossy black hair, and charm and mystical smiles, happily living in a rich and complete yet dynamic culture. Balinese society is very community oriented. The first invitation to attend the next village meeting is delivered to you practically as a wedding present. If ignored, it will result in a warning; if three invitations are ignored, then the village may take actions against you. Since land is usually owned by the community, the village may revoke your privilege to till the land. Much of the rituals require massive effort, which usually the village shoulder in cooperatively.

Along with other families in the village, you participate in meetings. You may play an instrument in the orchestra, or dance in the ceremonies. The women prepare the offerings, for their little shrines or for the village's offering .If a child in a family is having his tooth filed, the rest of the village's women will help cook and prepare, and the men help erect a stage and decorate the house. In short, life in Bali is never alone.

As the time neared for me to leave Bali, I felt something strange, a magical feeling about the island. It was as if losing the sights and sounds of a mythical island. As I boarded the aircraft bound for Surabaya, I could see the island below, the ‘cheering girls’ slowly being veiled by the clouds. Of course my first impression is also my last impression.

BYE BYE BALI

2010-02-02T11:42:00.000+08:00

I am annoyed at the way a Westerner named Barry Main sorry Barry Wain is going about promoting his book ‘Malaysian Maverick : Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times”. In a recent speech at the launching of his book in Jakarta, he was critical of Malaysia and of course our former Prime Minister- Dr Mahathir Mohamed. He accused Dr. Mahathir as the person who sowed the seeds of religious extremism that now rears its ugly head in the form of attacks against Christian churches. He went on to say that the Church burning is symptomatic of religious politics seen in Malaysia today. Wain please don’t ‘main’ (play) with your stupid remarks which might be music for those fishing for faults in Malaysian waters. Are you portraying to be a ‘Kahuna’ in Malaysia? We don’t need you to teach us, as we are far better than you to think and act for ourselves. If you think you are a Kahuna, then go to your place of origin and be a puppeteer.
Dr. Mahathir is loved by the Malaysians and we appreciate his mission, vision and contribution to Malaysia. All Malaysians, irrespective of race and religion loved him as a leader. He was not a racist and he has never been a barrier to any religious groups. You have only heard a church or two being attacked by insane individuals but have you heard that mosques too were not spared. These were acts of not religious groups but insane people like you. So don’t judge a religion by the worst man in it. It is only people like you who divide the races and contribute to religious extremism.
As you were launching your book, they were even incidents in Indonesia where churches were being destroyed. So write another book, go to neighbouring country and start pointing fingers at the leaders of Indonesia. The Westerners are good at planting time bombs. So please don’t wash your dirty linen in friendly neighbouring countries. The Indonesians are educated enough to know the truth of your identity, your hatred and your mission. Your books are fit for the bins and you can sell them to a peanut seller. I don’t think Malaysians are interested to know about Malaysia from an outsider. We know how to govern and look after ourselves. I do hope your books will not reach the shores of Malaysia for we know how to kill a mosquito before it kills us.
The Home Ministry deputy secretary-general Datuk Ahmad Fuad Abdul Aziz denied that Barry Wain’s biography, “Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times” is being put through any additional scrutiny by the Home Ministry. He said it was being withheld to undergo the normal process for any foreign publication, to ensure that its contents would not jeopardize national security and public safety.
I, as a Malaysian would like to suggest to the Home Ministry officials to ban the book as the author is seeking cheap publicity in a neighbouring country criticizing our country’s leaders and touching on the racial issues.

Religious tolerance at its best.(Perang Topat)

2010-01-27T00:49:00.007+08:00

The Battle Of Rice Cakes (By Panca Nugraha , The Jakarta Post , West Lombok)

A din fills the front yard of the Lingsar temple complex. Hundreds of people have congregated into two camps, one Muslim, the other Hindu, to fight against each other, with rice cakes.

The Hindu community occupies the yard of the Gaduh temple, a sacred place for them to pray, while members of the Sasak Muslim community hold the front yard of the Kemaliq building, also a prayer spot.

After the initial instructions have been given, the two groups begin hurling ketupat or topat — rice cakes boiled in a trapezoidal packet of woven coconut leaves — at each other. A frenzy ensues, with people running for cover to avoid being hit, then taking up positions to throw more ketupat back at the others.

The event is a unique tradition in Lombok known as the Perang Topat (Topat Battle), which involves people throwing ketupat and nothing else at each other.

Battles are usually synonymous with anger and violence, a physical clash between two parties in dispute. But the Perang Topat in Lombok, which involves hundreds of people from two different religions, is an event that gives no impression at all of being hideous or hateful.

Rather, this tradition, which has been passed down from generation to generation for hundreds of years in Lingsar village in West Lombok regency, is re-enacted to strengthen harmony between Muslim and Hindu communities.

The battle begins at 4 p.m., a time known as rarak kembang waru (when the leaves of the hibiscus tree begin falling). The community believes ketupat thrown at each other can bring blessing.

After the battle, they snatch the ketupat to plant in the rice fields, following local farmers’ belief that it makes the land more fertile. The rice cake is also taken to the markets in the hope that it will keep trade going smoothly.

“Since the time of our ancestors, and from generation to generation, we’ve always carried out this tradition,” says Lingsar villager and Kemaliq building employee Sahyan.

“It’s usually conducted after a large harvest. It’s an expression of gratitude to god, and of hope that the next planting season will be a productive one. It also helps strengthen social relationships with our Hindu friends.”

Every year, Lingsar village engages in the Perang Topat at the Lingsar temple complex. The temple was built in 1759, during the reign of King Anak Agung Gede Ngurah, a descendant of the kings of Karangasem, Bali, who once ruled this part of Lombok.

The temple complex is located 9 kilometers east of the provincial capital Mataram, and is considered unique. It hosts the aforementioned Gaduh temple and Kemaliq building, and is used for rituals and traditional ceremonies, both Hindu and Muslim.

The two buildings stand side by side, and in front of each is a jabe or courtyard. Because of its uniqueness, the Lingsar temple complex has since the 1990s been declared a cultural conservation site.

The village holds its Perang Topat on the 15th day of the seventh month of the Lombok Sasak calendar, or purnama sasih kepitu (the full moon of the seventh month); in the Balinese Hindu calendar, this corresponds to the 15th day of the sixth month, or purnama sasi kenem (the full moon of the sixth month).

On this night, Hindus celebrate odalan, or the anniversary of the founding of Lingsar village, by holding their pujawali ceremony.

Meanwhile, the Muslims commemorate the epic journey of Raden Mas Sumilir, a Muslim scholar from Demak, Central Java, who brought Islam to Lombok in the 15th century.

Since midday, community members have gathered at the Lingsar temple complex. At Gaduh temple, the Hindus prepare banten, or offerings, for the prayers to pujawali. Over at the Kemaliq, the Muslims prepare kebon odek, offerings in the form of fruit and vegetables.

The topat are prepared by communities from remote areas around Lingsar village, Hindu and Muslim alike.

Once the offerings have been prepared, they are paraded around the Kemaliq building in a procession, to the fanfare of traditional musical instruments.

As the procession continues, thousands of local residents and visitors wait in the Kemaliq yard for the topat to be distributed.

“Perhaps it’s only in Lingsar that you can find a big event involving Hindus and Muslims, which is performed at the same time and place, even though we have different versions,” says Kemaliq head Suparman Taufik.

Over the past 15 years, the Perang Topat has become an annual tourist event. This time, it is opened by West Lombok Regent Zaini Arony and his deputy, H. Mahrip, who throw the first topat into the crowd in the Kemaliq courtyard.

“This is the only war in the world that is fought without hatred, a war without casualties, and a war symbolizing brotherhood and tolerance,” Regent Zaini says in his speech.

He adds multi-ethnic West Lombok has become one of the provinces main tourist destinations.

“In India, where the majority of the population is Hindu, there is the Taj Mahal of Islamic heritage,” he says.

“It’s the same in Indonesia, where the majority of the people are Muslim; we have Borobudur, which is Buddhist, and many Hindu temples, and there is no reason why we shouldn’t live in harmony.

“These are the riches of our culture, the colors of culture.”

Once the topat battle is over, the Hindus hold their pujawali ceremony at the Gaduh temple. People usually go into deep meditation for three nights at the temple. A similar tradition is practiced by the Sasak Muslim community over at Kemaliq.

For three days, the area around the Lingsar temple complex is packed with vendors selling everything from food to children’s toys.

The crowd also includes visitors from across West Lombok and from Mataram.

The Perang Topat lasts less than an hour, but the whole series of ritual processions runs for two days before the actual battle begins.

The day before the highlight of the Perang Topat, the Lingsar community holds its ngeliningan kaok, a procession with two buffalos around the Lingsar temple complex. The buffalo are provided by the community, and later killed and their meat eaten communally.

“This is a symbol of tolerance. For Hindus, cows are sacred, while Muslims are forbidden from eating pigs. So for a win-win solution we use buffalo,” says Suparman.

“We do not bring offerings made from beef or pork to the Lingsar temple complex. We are only allowed

to bring poultry or buffalo. If this creed is violated, the repercussions are serious.”

He adds the significance of the whole procession and the Perang Topat is to express gratitude to
god for the good fortune throughout the year.

The Perang Topat ritual drew 25,000 visitors to the 2009 event, according to the West Lombok tourism office.

“The cultural beauty of the Perang Topat is that long ago our ancestors taught us how to maintain mutual respect and safeguard religious tolerance,” says Regent Zaini Arony.

AN INDONESIAN WEDDING

2010-01-19T23:41:00.017+08:00

I was fortunate to have witnessed and taken part in a colourful wedding ceremony in Medan. Medan is the third largest city in Indonesia. It needs no introduction to even a kid. My grandson who is five years old was confused and suddenly asked me, “Why is this town same as Jakarta and Bandung?” I put to him in one word, “This is Indonesia”.

The town of Medan is dirty, polluted, congested, crowded and dusty. The impatient drivers will even go through the eye of a needle to get to their destinations. There is little difference between Chennai and Medan except in Chennai you can see animals on roads. Streets of Metro Manila run parallel in comparison too.
Medan’s glitter is far from its city lights. To get away from the hustle and bustle, you can head to Lake Toba- the largest volcanic lake in the world or to Brastagi- a tourist town located in Karo Highlands.
I was first reluctant to go to Medan as I was there in December but when opportunity knocked the door I had to get up, open it and go. A short flight from Penang brings you to Polonia airport in Medan. As you step out, taxis and vans chase you instead of you chasing them. One interesting fact about the airport is, it is right in the heart of the town and so heading to your hotel in any direction will not take more than 15 minutes.

Hotels of all stars have mushroomed due to both local and foreign tourism. Checking into JW Marriott is like arriving and going through the security in an American airport. Indonesia is not only prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions but also to terrorism. So the tense security at American flavoured hotels is not surprising to tourists.
The next morning, armed with my cameras, I headed through heavy morning traffic into the quietness of the outskirts of Medan town. It was a relief to breathe fresh air and drive through green dancing paddy fields where black buffalos lazed in muddy pools. I was on my way to witness a typical Indonesian wedding along the Lake Toba route not far from the town of Permatang Siantar.

I was warm heartedly received by the parents of the bride who introduced me to the guests as well as the bride and groom. I was a bit unlucky as I missed the first ceremony- The Akad Nikah (marriage contract).
On my arrival, I saw the groom's party had assembled a few minutes before scheduled ‘Bersanding’ ceremony at the neighbour’s house.

What surprised me most when I arrived at the bride’s house was the melting of cultures. The wedding ceremony had strong Indian influence. One example is a container filled with betel leaves. The groom and bride-to-be were asked to chew the leaf mixed with gambier, lime and areca nut. As for gifts, most people usually give money to Indonesian newlyweds. They put the money inside an envelope, and then place the envelope into a receptacle slot (which will be provided) after you sign your name in the guest book.

This is another Indian ingredient.

I was amazed at the colour, the hospitality and the smiles from the people. The women folks were mostly dressed in colourful costumes. It was more a festive atmosphere than a wedding ceremony. There were perfect blend of serious rituals and customs along with other fun filled rituals and frothy moments. Various moments in the wedding ceremonies help to build new relationships. I was told that the couples will change dresses seven times, each dress symbolising a particular community or an area.

One fun filled amusing ritual was during the ‘Bersanding’ ceremony. While the guests eat and make merry, the newlywed couple undergo the "bersanding" ceremony. Here, they sit side by side on a dais as "king and queen for the day". As the groom was walking towards the dais, he was blocked at least three times by young girls holding a long scarf as a barrier.

‘Pantun’ – reciting of poetry was exchanged between the bride’s and groom’s parties at each barrier. The groom’s party demands a golden key and the bride’s party allows after the Pantun’s exchange and of course an envelope containing money.

This goes on at every barrier till the groom gets to reach the bride. Finally when the groom is seated beside the bride, parents of the couple and close relatives are given the opportunity to bless the newlyweds. I was also given the opportunity to bless them.

After this ceremony, the bride and the groom were made to take part in a series of games which were similar to an Indian marriage ceremony. It was humorous to see the newlyweds dipping their hands into a bowl of rice to pick the larger piece of cooked chicken buried deep in the rice.

Then it was time for changing costumes and taking pictures with friends and relatives. Meantime, the guests were entertained to live ‘Danddut’ music. Dangdut is a more contemporary type of music consisting of a lead singer backed by four to eight musicians.

The vibrant and constantly evolving music is a mixture of Arabic, Malay and Indian music.
A dangdut dancer is usually joined by the guests to make it more entertaining. Dangdut dancing is usually danced by females and it resembles belly dancing.

After a hectic day I was back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep. It was a night worth all the sweat, heat, pollution and above all the journey.

MY GRADSON IS 5 TODAY

2010-01-04T12:32:00.017+08:00

You mean so much to me
And you give me so much pleasure
I love you so very much
And you I’ll always treasure

I’m here for you
With lots of love to give
With you in my life
I have more reason to live

These things I say
Are from the bottom of my heart
I want you to know
In my life you’re a big part.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Out of the 365 days today is your day. Your birthday is like a feather in the broad wing of time. So fly as high as you can to achieve your dreams of sailing through the wide skies. I love you and will always be there when you are in blue.

There is no thunder without lightning.

2009-12-20T13:49:00.004+08:00

Bias and sensitive form of reporting by newspapers is getting worse in our country. The direction and degree of contents in newspapers is causing a thunder in otherwise a peaceful atmosphere. Useful trees are being made use for creating papers of dirt by empty headed journalists who play racial tunes to portray their ugly faces as heroes. I read with disgust an article by a prominent Utusan Malaysia’s journalist condemning the Indians as noisy people and comparing them to what we see In Tamil and Hindi movies. If he is right then how many Indians does he see doing duets on the streets, parks, beaches and orchards? Comparing all the Indians to one Indian is unfair and illogical.The tale of Indians in India and Indians in Malaysia are different.
The journalist’s comment on India is misleading. What he has seen is only one side of the coin and he failed to see the other side. It was probably due to intoxication by Hyderabad’s ‘brinai’. According to an Indian journalist, "India is a fascinating country where history is being made in many respects so it is a fertile place for good journalism. Hopefully some of the non-Indian journalists will have a better understanding of India when they do go back." But not with our Utusan journalist who went all the way to eat and shit in India. When he came back he talked of only shit.
Since the Utusan’s journalist had only written one side of the coin, let us see the other side of the coin about India. In 2004, India became the 3rd most attractive foreign direct investment destination. Imagine, 12 percent of all American scientists are of Indian origin; 38 percent of doctors in America are Indians; 36 percent of NASA scientists are Indians; 34 percent of Microsoft employees are Indians; and 28 percent of IBM employees are Indians.
For the record: Sabeer Bhatia created and founded Hotmail. Sun Microsystems was founded by Vinod Khosla. The Intel Pentium processor, that runs 90 percent of all computers, was fathered by Vinod Dham. Rajiv Gupta co-invented Hewlett Packard's E-speak project. Four out of ten Silicon Valley start-ups are run by Indians. Bollywood produces 800 movies per year and six Indian ladies have won Miss Universe/Miss World titles over the past 10 years. Mukesh Ambani is one of the richest men in the world. Azim Premji, the richest Muslim entrepreneur on the face of the planet, was born in Bombay and now lives in Bangalore. India now has more than three dozen billionaires. We, Malaysians can take this as an example to better ourselves and develop our country further.
We cannot achieve world class status if we spend more time politicking and less time on nation building. We must respect other races and learn to live as one Malaysian as we had always done in the past. One Malaysian concept is not new but it has been there since our Independence. Journalists must take precaution when writing. They must not use the media to vent their anger and gain popularity by injecting venom into the minds of the people to confuse them.
I would like to salute Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz for his bold and sincere comments. He warned Utusan Malaysia for its outdated racist propaganda, saying the newspaper must accept that Malaysia is a multi-racial country. He went on to say that we can no longer accept categorising minorities with derogatory names.

“Malaysians, including the Malays, can no longer accept calling Chinese as immigrants and Indians with derogatory terms like ‘keling’.how would we (the Malays) like it if people say that Malays are lazy and stupid? We would also get angry. Don’t do to others what we don’t want others to do unto us,” the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department told The Malaysian Insider.

Reflections of scientific and medical miracles.

2009-12-06T20:03:00.002+08:00

Malaysia is not short of medical and scientific miracles. Lately I was amazed with some medical and scientific miracles performed by Muslims using the verses from the holy Quran. Probably my article will help those unfortunate ones seeking help in medical fields to try traditional miracles where verses of the holy Quran are used to make the impossible possible.
Many miracles are derived from the holy Quran. In order to understand the scientific miracle of the Quran, we must first take a look at the level of science at the time when this holy book was revealed. In the 7th century, when the Quran was revealed, Arab society had many superstitious and groundless beliefs where scientific issues were concerned. Lacking the technology to examine the universe and nature, these early Arabs believed in legends inherited from past generations. They supposed, for example, that mountains supported the sky above. They believed that the earth was flat and that there were high mountains at its both ends. It was thought that these mountains were pillars that kept the vault of heaven high above. However all these superstitious beliefs of Arab society were eliminated with the Quran.
The matchless style of the Quran and its superior wisdom are definite evidence that it is the word of God. In addition, the Quran has many miraculous attributes proving that it is a revelation from God. One of these attributes is the fact that a number of scientific truths that we have only been able to uncover by the technology of the 20th century were stated in the Quran 1,400 years ago. Of course the Quran is not a book of science. However, many scientific facts that are expressed in an extremely concise and profound manner in its verses have only been discovered with the technology of the 20th century. These facts could not have been known at the time of the Quran's revelation, and this is still more proof that the Quran is the word of God.
Have you ever seen a man using the Quranic verses to get images of humans? It was in Taiping I first saw this scientific miracle performed by a simple man known as ‘Ustad Photostat’. He first asked us our problem. Then he emerged some plain papers in a bowl of clean water. After reciting some verses of the holy Quran, he took out the papers put them in a plastic cover and told us to see the image which was slowly appearing on the soaked paper. To our amazement, we saw pictures of the culprits. We were told even policemen come to see him for assistance to nab criminals. If you are to say that the paper was already with the image and can only be seen when emerged in water, then you are wrong. I saw a Singaporean getting the image of their neighbor and another army personal getting the image of his office worker. So to say that it was pre planned is absolutely wrong. Many top political figures come to see him as far as from Singapore. You have to wait in queue to see him and the fee is in donation form. He only entertains people coming to see him with good intentions and people who come for bad intentions are turned away. What was amazing was the large number on non Muslims coming to see him. This clearly reflects the Islamic value of every human being.
Another amazing medical miracle is the removing of gall bladder stones by a man in Melaka. My nephew who was suffering from gall bladder stones went to see him. Within five minutes without any operation, this man removed the stones only by applying cream and reciting verses of the holy Quran. Surprisingly he removed three warm stones from the gall bladder. He insisted him to have a scan done to make sure the stones are gone. I even read in blogs about those who had gone to see him with kidney and gall bladder stones. Some of them wrote to say that the stones were proven as either gall bladder or kidney stones by doctors and even scanning proved the stones gone. This servant of Allah doesn’t charge anything except take money in the form of donation according to the means of the individuals. Again he treats all races and ages.
The Quran, with the description of all these scientific facts in accurate terms that fit with the modern rules of science, affirms that this is revealed by Allah. Man only unfolded these signs so many centuries after it had been revealed by Allah, with the help of modern technology. The Quran is the word of Allah Who has created everything and knows the slightest details of His creation.

Friends, Fakes And Fools

2009-11-24T12:38:00.002+08:00

I have already passed the half way journey of my life and during this all weathered time, I came across people of all sorts namely friends, fakes and fools. Anyway it did stink at times. I had a lot of friends who were far better than those faked relatives who jeered when I did well and cheered when I was in pain.
Friends were there when I needed a lift to make my life better. Getting employment in Malaysia was difficult as I was born a citizen of India. Having permanent citizenship didn’t take me far as the May 13 incident made Malaysia to tighten the grip on employing permanent residents. Relatives who were eating the wealth left by their forefathers, having little or no education branded me lazy. They were in fact the lazing fools eating from illegal earnings, in the form of cheating their very own blood to fatten their greedy tummies. Their children, not a penny worth in terms of education walked head high among the same feathers. But friends gave me encouragement, help and guidance to bring some light into my life.
Status was the name of the game in the village I was born in India. There were those who regarded themselves as Zamindars. This Zamindar was the name of landlords in colonial India and since then the system had been abolished. They had lands, cattle and orchards. The money mostly came from the earnings in Malaysia. They ate Britannia Biscuits and Quality Street sweets made in England and even used plates and cups made in England. The unfortunate ones would work for them as maids. Their lands were looked after by the backward community then- the poor Hindus. These Hindus worked worse than animals to get peanuts from these Zamindars. I still can recollect when a skinny Hindu worker stood hand folded and slipper removed, pleading for mercy from a tyrant Zamindar women for coming to work late.
Today, a lot has changed in these villages where education and opportunities have completely transformed their lives. But many faded Zamindars still dance on their past glories expecting others to respect them and bow at them. These are the faked ones who try to fake their identity.
Another group are the fools. These fools are illiterate as they do not know the real facts or past history. They tend to dance to every tune made by their money rich, mind poor parents. Some so called educated idiots have even questioned my writing in this blog. I have never made any direct finger pointing to anyone but probably some felt I was pointing to them. A Malay proverb goes, “Siapa makan cabai dia rasa pedas”, meaning “Those who eat chillies will feel the heat”.
Fake people will lose their use for you if you stop paying their bills, watching their kids for free and running them around town. Fake people hate honesty. It's the lies that keep them feeling good about themselves and their lives. So share your true feelings about their actions and watch how they fade away. Fake people enjoy others who get sucked into their drama.
I think a foolish person is the one who knows, does and views things differently from wise men, as well as other fools. And that’s why neither the wise men nor the other fools comprehend, contemplate or communicate with him.
I do hope the fakes and fools wake up to wash their own linen instead of others. Time has changed and so I hope you change your way of thinking and your life styles. Remember, now everyone has money. So no one is going to stand in front of you folding hands and removing their shoes to plead to you anymore. If you give respect then others will give you respect. Don’t jump into your furnace for it is heated up with glowing heat of hatred, greediness and selfishness.

Marginalising the Malays in Penang

2009-11-11T21:39:00.000+08:00

Late last night I was watching a TV discussion on the marginalising of the Malays in Penang. It was quite interesting to follow the discussion where at the end more than 80% agreed to the fact that the Malays are indeed being marginalised.
Let us first go back into history to begin our journey. The real Penang settlement was started with the coming of the Mainland Chinese and East India Company Indians. These settlers started to build their empires, buy property and slowly started to monopolise the economy. But the Malays were at the outskirts, fishing and farming and eventually lost to the Chinese and Indians economically. This is evident in the towns where you can hardly see a single building owned by the Malays.
Again it will be food for thought if we are to breeze through the ‘Malay Dilemma’, written by the former Prime Minister, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad. According to him at the beginning the Malays lacked the opportunities to develop and become successful. They lacked opportunities for educating themselves, opportunities to earn enough to go into business, opportunities to train in the required vocation, opportunities to obtain the necessary funding, licences and premises. If these opportunities could have been made available to them, then they would have succeeded.

The attitude then changed. Getting scholarships and places in the universities at home and abroad is considered a matter of right and is not valued any more. Indeed, those who get these educational opportunities for some unknown reason seem to dislike the very people who created these opportunities. Worse still, they don't seem to appreciate the opportunities that they get. They become more interested in other things, politics in particular, to the detriment of their studies. In business, the vast majority regarded the opportunities given them as something to be exploited for the quickest return. They learn nothing about business and become even less capable at doing business and earning an income from their activities. They become mere sleeping partners and at times not even that. Having sold, they no longer have anything to do with the business. They would go to the government for more licences, permits and shares.

Why has this thing happened? The answer lies in the culture of the Malays. They are laid-back and prone to take the easy way out. And the easy way out is to sell off whatever they get and ask for more. This is their culture. Working hard, taking risks and being patient is not a part of their culture. It should be remembered that in the past the Malays were not prepared to take up the jobs created by the colonial powers in their effort to exploit the country. Because the Malays were not prepared to work in rubber estates and the mines, the Indians and Chinese were brought in. At one time, the migrants outnumbered the Malays.
But the Malays have apparently learnt nothing from the near loss of their country in the past. Today, they are still unwilling to work and foreign workers are again flooding the country. And because they are not equipping themselves with the necessary education and skills, they have continued to depend on others. Their political dominance will protect them for a time. But that dominance is fading very fast as they quarrel among themselves and break up into small ineffective groups. Their numerical superiority means less today than at the time of Independence.

To succeed, the Malays must change their culture. They must look towards work as a reward in itself. They must regard what they achieve through work as the true reward. Changing culture is far more difficult than changing the policies of government. It is easy enough to propose affirmative action but it is not easy to implement it. The recipients must have the right attitude if the results are going to be obtained. Unfortunately, their view is that their crutches are symbols of their superior status in the country. The sad thing is that they are not even using the crutches properly. As a result, they gain nothing or very little from the availability of these aids.

So what is the new Malay dilemma? Their old dilemma was whether they should distort the picture a little in order to help themselves. The new dilemma is whether they should or should not do away with the crutches that they have got used to, which in fact they have become proud of. There is a minority of Malays who are confident enough to think of doing away with the crutches, albeit gradually. But they are a very small minority. Their numbers are not going to increase any time soon. They are generally regarded as traitors to the Malay race.

There will be a host of protests over this generalisation about Malay attitudes. We read almost every day about blind Malay people and other handicapped Malays graduating with university degrees or driving cars or doing all kinds of work. This does not prove that the generalisation that I make is wrong. These are exceptions. They only prove that if the right attitude or culture is adopted, even the handicapped can succeed.

The dilemma faced by those few who want to build a strong, resilient and independent Malay race without crutches is that they are most likely to end up becoming unpopular and losing the ability to influence the changes in the culture and the value system which are necessary. It seems that they should not try and yet they know that without the cultural changes, the Malays are going to fail.
But again there are Malay leaders who make use of these poor Malays to promote their political careers. These leaders are only interested to reap what they can as long as the sun shines. They make sure that their relatives, cronies and even friends who are beneficial to them get the share allocated to the actual Malays. In the end the needy don’t get anything but mere peanuts. Places allocated to the poor in varsities are given to their children, relatives and cronies.
As a teacher I have come across deserving poor students who are deprived of a place in institutions of higher learning just because of some shameless leaders who use their power to recruit students from the back doors. Not only these leaders allow them to enter through backdoors but also employ them. This is one reason why our education system is rotting.
The Malays need proper leaders to guide them. It is no use telling that the Malays have not improved when in real fact the Malays who are getting the share are the relatives, cronies and friends of powerful leaders. Look at the rich Malays, see their roots and I bet you will find shocking revelations how they become rich.
In Balik Pualau where I stay, the once Malay dominated areas have now been bulldozed to give way for wealthy settlements. It is beyond the means of even an average Malay to buy property here. The Malay politicians themselves are against the Malays rising up. I read with regret a comment by a local politician who questioned the proposal of Malay leadership to Malay dominance by the UMNO youth leader- Khairy Jamaluddin. If these are the kind of leaders the Malays want to choose, then the end will be not far away for the Malays to give up their identity

And the Nobel Prize goes to…………..US president Barack Obama

2009-10-10T12:46:00.002+08:00

Is it a miscalculation, mismanagement or a mockery to award the Nobel Peace Prize to President Obama? Many people may criticize the award to a man who is hardly in office for less than a year as ridiculous. The purpose of this award has been probably redefined, as being to better position a potential peacemaker. Again, many argue that it is pretty early to award such a prestigious award to a man who has not done anything in his life time for peace. But according to me, the Nobel Peace Prize will raise expectations for US President Barack Obama to stand up for human rights around the world. Let us hope this award will make Obama do justice to all nations and people without fear or favour.
In a short speech he said that the award was not in recognition of his accomplishments as he still had a lot to do and accomplish. He was fair in saying that he personally thought that he did not deserve the award, because there were others who were more deserving than him.
He says that he now has a greater responsibility to use energy and that we should live in a world where there are no differences on caste, creed or religion in seeing one another, that there must be a new beginnings in religions and with mutual interest and respect we must resolve the conflicts. He said that the world had suffered enough of pain and hardship and that we must have an unwavering commitment to reduce it. He spoke passionately about the Palestine hardships.
The president was very unhappy with a world in which people are denied opportunity, a decent education and living and they live in the fear of disease and violence. He hoped for a better future in which we all will strive to resolve conflicts in a peaceful manner.
He also mentioned about the economic down turn and said that was also an issue close to his heart.
Obama ended the speech by saying that, some of his challenges wouldn’t be met in his presidential term and some even in his lifetime. But he still hoped for a better future.
President Obama is to be warmly congratulated for his Nobel Peace Prize and let us hope he will bring light to the dark hearts.

Politicians, Power And The People

2009-10-09T12:11:00.001+08:00

I would like to share with friends here regarding Muhamed Farid Saad the Pulau Betong assembly man for Balik Pulau. I have known Farid since his school days and I was in fact his Mathematics and English tutor.
He was an obedient, hardworking and a respectful student. His father was with the religious department and such he had sound religious education. I had known his late father who was a strict and caring person liked by the people of Balik Pulau. Farid attained a good educational background and became a respected person among the peoplein Balik Pulau.
As a person I find him simple, down to earth and above all approachable by any one, irrespective of race, and rank. I would bravely say that he won the state assembly seat on personal merit rather than party merit. He is in fact a true people’s representative who deserves to be given a chance to represent the people in Parliament.
One will not fail to see him in public places mingling with people and listening to their grievances. I am not here to butter him for I don’t make use of others for gain. I am writing this after considering the fact that many of today’s politicians are here for gain rather than to serve the people.
Politics is spicier today compared to yesterday. Today elections attract a lot of attention. There is light and fight, abuses and excuses, promises and pre kisses, shouts and bouts, tears and fears. When one wins after displaying his illusions he simply resigns from the party and makes the people fools.
Even UMNO, the powerful coalition partner is slowly sliding and sinking due the simple fact that people are fed up with leaders who are arrogant, corrupted and swollen headed forgetting the very people who had helped to put them where they are today. They are still power greedy leaders who want to remain in power even though it is time for them to give way to young and capable leaders. Tainted leaders walk head high without any shame and want to contest seats even though they were booked for offences. An offence is an offence no matter what it is. Similarly a win is a win even with a single vote. So the politicians in UMNO should know how to differentiate right from wrong and good from bad. I am not against the party as the party is perfectly capable to unite the Malays but I am against the leaders who have pawned the people’s rights to benefit them.
I am sure there are many Farid’s in UMNO capable of serving the people well. Why not give these young bloods a chance rather than depending on old horses which were discarded? A person who has been booked for any offence should not be allowed to contest in any elections as this will tarnish the name and split the party further eroding the confidence and trust of the people and finally sinking without any trace.
Let us have a fair government and leaders who are keen to serve the people and nation. Don’t let power blind your eyes. If it does then you will be a blind man leading the nation into darkness and chaos. Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.