26. My Family

Eugene's wedding, 26th Jan 2008

2008-06-02T23:33:00.013+12:00

The family went to Yunlong, Hong Kong for Eugene's wedding.

More photos.

Pearl's wedding, 29th July 2004

2008-06-02T23:31:00.012+12:00

On a beach near Blenheim, South Island,NZ

The reception was held at the restaurant in a Marlborough vineyard.

X'mas 2005

2006-01-09T11:56:00.008+13:00

This photo was taken near Ngaroto

We had some visitors from Auckland.

A trip to see the rail tunnel at Waihi.

Hamilton 2003

2005-08-09T05:41:00.005+12:00

Kevin, Pearl, Christine, Eugene and me

Eugene's convocation 2002

2005-08-09T05:37:00.002+12:00

Eugene completed a bachelor degree in mechanical engineering. Immediately he found a job with Fisher and Paykel at East Tamaki, Auckland.

Christchurch 2000

2005-08-09T05:30:00.002+12:00

Both Kevin and Pearl graduated in 2000. Kevin finished his management degree from the Waikato University in Hamilton. Pearl finished her degree in electrical engineering from Canterbury U in Christchurch. She continued an extra year and finished a masters degree in engineering management in 2001.

Miri 1994

2005-08-09T05:23:00.004+12:00

Kevin was going to study in New Zealand the following week. So we took this family photo at Typhoon Studio, Krokop, for remembrance of the occasion. In 1995 the Chin family began our migration to NZ. I went over initially in 1996 to look after Kevin and Pearl. Christine stayed on with Eugene for one more year in Malaysia for him to complete form 5. Bahasa (Malay language) is a requirement for finding a job when he returns to Malaysia when he completes his university education.

Bintulu 1993

2005-08-09T05:21:00.002+12:00

I bought a new car for Christine. It was a 1.5L Proton Iswara with automatic gears. We took it for a test drive to Bintulu to see the new LNG plant.

KK, 1991

2005-08-09T05:18:00.002+12:00

The family went to KK for holidays. This photo was taken at the chalets where we stayed two nights.

KL 1988

2005-08-09T05:12:00.004+12:00

This photo was taken by Mrs. Lucas Thien. I brought her along for a short holiday with us in KL.

Pujut 1985

2005-08-09T05:07:00.007+12:00

We have just moved into our own house in Pujut. I have very fond memories of the yellow Isuzu Trooper which I used for towing my boat.

ETB 500 Lutong 1983

2005-08-09T05:01:00.007+12:00

Just look at those beautiful long ears! They belong to our maid, a native Kenyah girl from the Baram. The Shell quarter, ETB (elevated type bungalow) is no longer there. It was very popular because of the parking spaces available under the house; also used by the children as a play area, during the day.

No, we had only two cars. The other one was a company car used by Christine, when she was on call as a nurse. She worked at the Lutong clinic for over 20 years.

Brunei, 1981

2005-08-09T04:50:00.002+12:00

This photo was taken by Jeffrey Chow in Bandar Seri Begawan. We regularly spent a few days in Seria with my sister Cecilia and her family.

Lutong, 1980

2005-08-08T22:00:00.007+12:00

I was working with the drilling department as a trainee driller. We were staying in a semi detached two brm Shell company house opposite the Lutong cinema. Our neighbours were Mark Ho and Harmadi Tani whose mother, Mrs. Tani looked after Kevin on many occasions when our maids ran away. Those were the days before Indon maids became widely available in Malaysia. Maids became a necessity for many working couples. They are also in great demand for looking after old people in Malaysia where retirement homes are not yet popular.

Kuantan 1979

2005-08-08T21:08:00.014+12:00

This is one of the earliest family photos. Christine has just returned from doing a training course in England. Shi Shan and Yok Ngo brought Kevin and Pearl to Kuantan. They left early because they were waiting for their form 6 results. I followed a week later with Eugene.

Eugene and I went to meet her plane at Singapore and we travelled together the next day by bus from Singapore to Kuantan. The first time the bus crossed 2 rivers at Rompin and Mersing and it was a long full day journey with very long waits for the ferry. Then after a few more years, there was only one ferry and finally, no ferry. Most of our annual leave was spent this way.

Our Shell provided house in Lutong. The young lady with the long ears was our full time, live-in nanny. She was a Kenyah native from the Baram area.

The Miri/Bintulu road was recently opened. I took my family on a trip of discovery to visit my cousin, Peter Thien. He was involved with the construction of that road. Before that, he was building roads near Marudi.

The Churchill memorial in Bandar.

Lutong, 1978

2005-08-07T15:51:00.003+12:00

Christine with Kevin and Pearl. Eugene was expected; but his flight was not due for another few weeks.

Kuantan 1977

2005-08-07T15:47:00.010+12:00

Kevin arrived on 10th December 1976. This photo was taken at my sister, Cecilia's house, in Seria.

Our wedding on 13th Sept. 1975

2004-09-15T15:58:00.001+12:00

I was married in St. Joseph's cathedral Miri. A dressed up ceremony followed a month later in Kuantan.

Our engagement, 1973

2004-08-15T16:01:00.003+12:00

After a short courtship in Seria, we were engaged. I left BSP and returned to work with SSB Lutong as a wireline operator in 1974. Christine continued to work at the Panaga hospital. She arranged for a transfer to SSB.

Seria, 1972

2004-08-15T14:00:00.004+12:00

I met Christine in Seria. She was a friend of Alice Chee. At that time, I was under going training by BSP as a wireline operator for SSB. Our SRC bachelor quarters were just next door to the Panaga nurses' quarters!

Melbourne, 1966

2004-08-12T16:57:00.001+12:00

I was studying a diploma course in mechanical engineering at Swinburne Technical College, Hawthorne.

Tanjong 1963

2004-08-07T15:36:00.004+12:00

I spent two years as a boarder at Tanjong (1963/64). Before that I attended St. Joseph's School Miri where I completed my "O" levels (form 5)