boon's log 3609.01: Independence Day

Malaysian's 52nd Independence

Well, it's our 52nd year of Independence.

Independence... do we really understand or have really tasted the true meaning of it? A lot of the talk about democracy and racial harmony seemed to be just surface level chit-chat. But the true meaning of Independence has been diluted and muddled out through the years. No matter what, in all sincerity, putting aside out differences and our political affiliations, I hope that we can find within ourselves the true meaning of Independence and celebrate it with our heads held high, with the words of our "fore-fathers", "Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!"


Our future generation...


Our small little celebration with Ab at Queensbay Mall...

boon out...

boon's log 3409.06: Where do the cows go now?

I have to admit that I am one of those who have never come across the "heritage site/village" called Kampung Buah Pala. At least, not until the recent events that boost the once unknown small village of 24-over houses/families into front-page stardom. I've asked around, among my local Penang friends - some told me that it is probably in the mainland, but most of them told me they do not know where's Kg Buah Pala. I would not blame them, really.

Let me try to help. If you live in Penang and frequently drive along Jalan Yeap Chor Ee, you are bound to bump into some animal-crossing at the other side of the hills, when heading northbound - well, those cows, I believe are from Kg Buah Pala.

No, I did not follow the cows home to see where Kg Buah Pala is. I finally got an answer from IL's uncle and with a little help from Google Earth, I found Kg Buah Pala.

As you head towards Greenlane along Yeap Chor Ee, you will see a school on your right, after which there is a small road on your right called Jalan Kaki Bukit. Take that right turn and drive slowly. If you hit the T junction, you've already past Kg Buah Pala. With all the "publicity", it is hard to miss it, now.

While I was there, I guess I can understand the feeling of the dwellers of Kg Buah Pala. I am sure they do not know how or what happened that has caused them their houses and village, the place that they called home and have happily dwelled for so many years. I guess it is a case of poor judgement and communication of how the land was sold off to make way for new development (by the previous administration) without the consent or knowledge of the people dwelling there and also perhaps bad passdown between the old and the new government during the change of state powers, more than a year ago. I mean I sincerely believe that the dwellers are innocent mangsa kejadian. And, as always, with a little help from some instigators (whom I am not totally surprised to be politically linked with the opposition party of the Penang government), they have blown the entire situation totally out of proportion. I truly believe the Lim administration is trying their very best to help with the negotiations. And that the villagers should approach the discussions with an opened mind and come up with a win-win situation.

After being there, I understand that it is not just a simple case of moving your home with a few suitcases and a few truck-load of belongings - it is more than that, e.g. 20-over to 30 cows, bullock carts, the kandang lembu (cow-pen) etc. They will need to figure out where to keep them and start a new - which definitely cannot fit into the new double-storey houses offered to them. The Kg Buah Pala-ians can move into the new houses, but the cows ...?

Well, one thing's for sure - I am going to miss the National Park-like feeling when driving along Yeap Chor Ee with all the cows crossing. It kinda reminds me of the time when we were just driving alongside a herd of bisons at YellowStone NP.

8 more days and counting. It is definitely going to be another heated showdown at Kampung Buah Pala on the 1st of September when the cows will come home for one last time...

here are some pictures


The bullock cart that was used during one of the street protests a few week back


Cow-pen, Kg Buah Pala.


Similar banners displaying the villager's feelings with the current state government. It is interesting, though, how the "race" card was thrown on to the table based on the few people (in this case, Indians) that is actually impacted by this...


An overnight bamboo monument - reminds me of my scout days. Wonder if this monument was set up by a group of scouts from the nearby school...


Lorong Buah Pala.


Cows Crossing


"You looking at moo-a?"


Time to head off for some grass grazing...

boon out...

boon's log 3409.05: Ab's School Concert, Rasa Sayang Promo, conjunctivitis

[3209.06] Ab's school had their Warna-Warna Malaysia concert 2 weekends back - her first concert and (almost) everyone was excited about it. Yes... the adults were more excited about it than the kid. ;)

The children, aged from 3 to 7 donned traditional costumes, led the packed crowd of parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, through a series of fashion shows and Malaysian traditional dances. No kidding with catwalks and the whole shebang. It's like Malaysia's Next Top mini-Model. Really cute. They were all so adorable.

We were so afraid that Ab would just freeze on stage and did not know what to do. Worse is if she saw any of us and then starts crying on stage. But she surprised us all. She did so well on stage, remembering her catwalk steps, when to turn (at the end of the catwalk), when to bow and return back to backstage, and then later her dance steps... she really wow'd us all. What a night... we totally enjoyed ourselves and I am sure Ab enjoyed it too - the kids were having a fun time backstage too, with candies and all.

Here are some pictures.


East-Malaysian traditional dance...


Ab, doing her catwalk in her Chinese Traditional Cheongsam


The closing number - Rasa Sayang Hey!

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[3309.03] we went back to Rasa Sayang Resort for their International Buffet, at their Spice Market Cafe. The "Buy one, Free one" Promotion was extended for another month - i.e. till the end of August - it comes up to be about RM60 per person (nett). This time, it was our uncle's treat. We cannot turn a good dinner offer down, can we now? ;) So off we went, with Ab asking her, "Are we at the hotel yet?" questions along the way... It's quite a bang-for-the-buck with the promotion and my-my was the restaurant packed with people. We had to make our reservations 2 weeks ahead and even then we were given a spot outside of the air-conditioned area. Good thing it was a cooling night and there weren't that many mosquitoes... (yeah, mosquitoes are really a threat these days...). So anyway, IL and I were complaining about how packed the place was and that's the "price" you'd have to pay in return for the 50% disc..

I remembered the last time we were there with GP and KY - every table, EVERY TABLE, folks were armed with cameras, big and small, taking pictures - and they were really overdoing it... like taking pictures with the bamboo stick decor? taking pictures of the prawns and mussels and baby lobsters and hogging the queue while they were at it. Kinda frustrating, really. But I have to give it to the kitchen and hotel staffs for keeping up with the guests and replenishing the food timely.

I managed to snap some sunset photos before we started out dinner...


Ferringhian Sunset at the Rasa Sayang Resort, Penang


Sunset at Ferringhi. No, it's not a fisherman keeping his fishing net, it is actually the guy who runs the beach recreational store, keeping the para-gliding parachute.

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[3309.05] Conjunctivitis - damn! Yeah, it all started with the left eye, and then after visiting the eye specialist, the right one got it too. My first time, so it was kind of scary - you wake up in the morning to find that your eyelids are stuck together with yellowish discharge and you cannot open your eye. Was out of work for a few days. And kept pumping my eyes with Tobradex - more than what the doc suggested, after reading directions/suggested dosage on the enclosed insert, of course. Anyways, 'twas one heck of a way to spend the weekend, I tell you - mostly in bed, quarantined from the rest of the family and the rest of civilisation for a good 5-6 days. Worst thing was I had to miss my grandmother's 90th birthday dinner! With gifts and plans laid out for the weekend and all..... crashed because of the bacterial visitation. But thank God, I'm healed! Even the doctor was surprised that I recovered so quickly - must be the extra dosage at the initial stage of the infection... ;)

no pics for this one, although my sister-in-law insisted to take a picture of my MeeKoo (steamed "tortoise" buns) eyes (as what Ab calls it) because of the swelling. ;|



boon out...

boon's log 3209.06: Short Stop in KL

Last weekend, we had a pretty short stop over in KL. IL and her relatives boughht tickets to watch Superband over at the Bukit Jalil Indoor Stadium. So, had to be the driver-plus-babysitter for the weekend (well, okay, when they were not at the concert, they took care of Ab too...) :).

I also managed to meet up with the Lims for dinner while the ladies were at the concert. It was a great time catching up, the first time after my Unc's op. Ab also had a nice time playing with her "cousins", especially Em - the last time they met was during Chinese New Year...

Well, co-incidentally, it was also THE weekend of the Peaceful Anti-ISA Protest - which turned ugly because of the unprofessionalism of our Police Raja Di Malaysia. Anyways, the lockdowns in the city center caused massive traffic conusions and jams in the city. Ab and I were caught in one of them while trying to get to Bandar Utama from Time Square. What would normally take 20mins, ended up taking slightly more than 1hr. Even the traffic in the SMART tunnel was reduced to a crawl...

The drive up and down the PLUS highway was rather pleasant - saw a few FRU trucks heading back tot Penang island on the way home - must have been borrowed-arms that was sent to KL first thing on Saturday morning for the weekend protest - just like what "Hitler" said in the parody, "Tell Hishamuddin to send the FRU here first thing in the morning."

We stopped in Ipoh to try out the new FohSan and the unanimous verdict is that albeit the new place has a better atmosphere/environment, the food in the old FohSan tastes better.

Here are some pictures...


Fohsan, Ipoh


The crowd at Fohsan, Ipoh


Dimsum Auntie at Fohsan, Ipoh


Art inside Fohsan, Ipoh


Ding's Kueh Talam - one of the best


Traffic inside the SMART tunnel


Hazy KL, room with a view...



boon out...