The Fourth Highpoint in my Worldly Journey

Yes, today before dawn I just got up to the realisation that 5th December, 2009 is another highpoint in my life. My eldest daughter Rahayu Ezrani or Ayu is to be betrothed to Nik Zamrood

The Passing of my Dear Niece

Got the news as we we were preparing to leave for KL. 0640hrs was the recorded time of Wati's passing away due to lung cancer. Her situation worsen the last 48 hours after M and I visited her 48 hours before on Sunday 22nd November 2009. We visited Hashim and togather went to the JB Specialist Centre that Sunday and Wati was already under sedation and breathing through the tubes. I intimited to Hashim to make the necessary arrangement and and help out Man for the burial and I shall agree to any decision taken. Alfatihah. Amen.

The Passing of my Dear Brother

The Passing of of Mohd Lazim, the fourth of the Adam siblings at Putra Jaya Hospital at 1910 hrs was witness by his family members, friends and wellwishers. He went with a smile according to Jun. Alfatihah!!

The Sabah Saga

The trip to Sabah was initiated some three months ago dictated as much by the necessity to get favourable Air Asia tickets price. Hence the saga that follows. The cheap fair avilable for the dates of travel is from Penang so we just booked it. Not much thought was given to the need to get to Penang for the flight as opposed to taking a direct flight to KK from KL.

Salute to James W. von Brunn

The Associated Press reported from Washington “ -- An 88-year-old gunman with a violent and virulently anti-Semitic past opened fire with a rifle inside the crowded U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum on Wednesday, fatally wounding a security guard before being shot himself by other officers, authorities said.” Read more here http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/%202009/06/10/%20AR2009061001767.html
This was attributed to James W. von Brunn. I salute this courageous soul.
To me the jews deserved this. They seemed to think that they are always right and this museum incident brought back to mind what took place at another museum 62 years ago.
“MAY 14, 1948 at 4.32 PM. David Ben-Gurion stood in the Tel Aviv museum and said that by virtue of the natural and historic right of the jewish people the state of Israel was established.”
Whatever appellation given David Ben-Gurion, he is to me a terrorist par excellence and those who do not appeased the jews labeled anti-Semitic. What BULLs!!! In this instance I have commented in October 2003 via a letter to the Star newspaper (which they conveniently did not published)
“ Dear Sir,
Allow me some space to state my feeling on the condemnation of Western leaders and their media against the Prime Minister as a result of his opening address at the 10th OIC Summit. If "The Seattle Times" carrying reports by the Associated Press had as its headline " Defiant Malaysian Leader stand by Comments" then, I and all Malaysian stand by our PM. The chorus of condemnations is deafening through the United States, Canada, the EU, Israel, Germany, Britain and Australia. Let me tell these primates who think that they are privileged people that when you are confronted with the truth it hurts.
For people like the State Department spokesman Adam Ereli who called the speech offensive and inflammatory and Israel's Foreign Ministry comment that its "a desecration of the memory of 6 million victims of anti-Semitism." I would like to ask why the brouhaha and hullabaloos on Dr. Mahathir's remark about the Jews since the truth has been on record since 1921. I suggest that they read Henry Ford's " The International Jews" all 4 volumes of it to understand what Dr.Mahathir was saying. Otherwise go and peddle your wares in the Australian outback. “
The world need more James W. von Brunn. I salute you James von Brunn!!!

Mother's Day

Sunday 10th May, received sms from my youngest brother Muhammad in Malacca to call mak to wish her happy mothers day. Mak had been in Mohd new house about a forthnight. I just let the sms be and thought of calling later after I've gone through my sunday ritual of doing the word puzzle. Suddenly I just hollared to M who's busy cooking lunch to ask her to pack everything and be ready to dash to Mohd's house in Malacca. I called Mohd number and Rasmiza answered. I made her promised not to tell that we are coming. Its to be a surprise. I was also told that Khadijah was also on the way there. So Mak will have three children celebrating mothers day. Everybody happy with potluck lunch and cakes to boot as part of this impromptu celebrations. The cucu and the 3 cicits had a hell of a good times with their grandmother/great grandmother.

The Manila Saga

This trip to Manila was triggered by the prospect of meeting with a close buddy whom I have not met or in communication for the last 30 years. After trying

to establish contact which began in 2005 and finally knowing that Ben is some how connected to The Manila Yacht Club, I thought that at least I can pay the club a visit and take it from there. But divine intervention changed all that. Appended below is the sequent of events/communication that prelude the trip to Manila.
It began with this e mail.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- On Tue, Nov 11, 2008 at 9:40 AM, ben adam wrote:
Dear Ms Gladie A. Patawaran,
I am Lieutenant Colonel Abdul Rahman Adam (Retired) from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
I am taking the liberty to communicate with you in a long shot effort to trace my friend Vice Admiral Ruben S. Lista (Retired). We were classmate at SITS, Fort Bonifacio, Manila way back in 1979 where Ben was then a Lieutenant Commander. I have been trying to trace him since 2005.
When going through the Manila Yacht Club website I came across the name Ruben S. Lista (Director and Chairman-House Committee). I wonder if the gentleman is the same Ruben S. Lista that I know whose wife is the lovely Jenet.
So I am seeking your indulgence to extend this message to him. If he is my "Ben Lista" I am looking forward to renewing our link and my e-mail address is:
ar_benadam@yahoo.com
Indeed I am truly indebted by your kind assistance Ms Gladie A. Patawaran
Yours sincerely,
abdulrahmanadam
P.S.
My apology for gate-crashing through this contact e-mail not for the purpose it was made available for.
On Mon, 11/10/08, race myc wrote:
From: race myc
Subject: Re: Need Assistance to Trace a Friend
To: ar_benadam@yahoo.com
Date: Monday, November 10, 2008, 9:49 PM
Hi Sir, I will pass your email to the Committee Office. Apparently Gladie Patawaran is not working anymore at the club. its the same person your looking for. Will priority your email request. Thank you.
Best regards,
Pen Floren - AvilaRace
OfficeTel.526-7868Fax no. 523-7183
On Mon, 11/10/08, ben adam wrote:
From: ben adam
Subject: Re: Need Assistance to Trace a Friend
To: "race myc"
Date: Monday, November 10, 2008, 10:33 PM
Dear Pen Floren – Avila
Thank you! You are indeed a heaven-sent good Samaritan. Wau!! your reply is a cause for double pleasure for me because I was quite optimistic striking it right and my next trip to Manila would be more meaningful. Getting your response is a prayer answered.
Best regards,
ara
On Mon, 2/2/09, ben adam wrote:
From: ben adam
Subject: Fw: Re: Need Assistance to Trace a Friend
To: mycsailors@gmail.com
Date: Monday, February 2, 2009, 12:50 AM
Dear Pen Floren – Avila
I hope this mail finds you in good spirit. I am resending this since there is no come back after you have passed my message to the Committee Office. I am sincerely seeking assistance from your good self to pass this to Vice Adm (R) Ruben S. Lista. Alternatively, if you can furnish me with his e-mail address or telephone no, I can then write/contact him directly. I am planning a trip to Manila in the second week of April
Thank you for your assistance.
Best regards,
ara
On 03 11, 09, at 2:12 PM, ben adam wrote:
Dear Vice Admiral Ruben S Lista,
First order on line is for me to execute the time honoured military honorifics by standing at attention and salute you. Well Ben it is not everyday that one can claimed he's got a three star Admiral as a good buddy. Actually I do not know where to begin. I am so damn excited at finally seeing your sms. So I decided to forward to you the recent effort to trace you and share the high hope that I had and then followed by disappointment of sort when the lady that I gloated as a "heaven-sent good Samaritan" cannot deliver. May be its not that easy for her to get in touch with a three star Admiral I suppose. But then divine intervention took its course and another "heaven-sent good Samaritan" came a calling in the form of Lt Col Perfecto M Rimando PA. I met him and his Malaysian course mate at our Armed Forces Defence College, both of whom are under my supervision to complete their thesis as part of the requirement to graduate with a master degree to be awarded by my university. In less than 48 hours he accomplished what a lot of the people I consulted over the last 3 years cannot deliver. See my humble CV attached for an update on what I've been up to for the past 30 years. The good fortune really came at the right moment because Maznah and I shall be in Manila next month from 8 April-11 April. The Airasia flight AK 32 ETA Clark at 1115 hrs. We are booked through Airasia at Best Western Hotel La Corona. I thought as a last ditch effort I would go on the Philippines TV and appealed "for the admiral to come out of hiding" (lol). I hope to see you then Ben. I am going to post this one now and get to you later with more updates. Cheers.
With best wishes to you and Jan.
Ray
On Wed, 3/11/09, Reuben a Lists wrote:
From: Reuben a Lists
Subject: Re: Need Assistance to Trace a Friend
To: "ben adam"
Date: Wednesday, March 11, 2009, 2:04 AM
That's great! Clark is only an hour and a half from Manila. Give me your itinerary so we will know how and what to do. Do you play golf? What do you want to do? How about Maznah? Jennette is currently in Las Vegas but she will be back by then. Keep in touch. My cell phone is +639175478277.
Regards,
Ben
Sent from my iPhone
On 03 11, 09, at 7:11 PM, ben adam wrote:
Its great too to hear from you. Am making this quick response from my room at the National university. The system at my place of residence in KL was down for the past 3 days and still is. So I came to the univ after getting your first sms so as to get the Internet service. About the trip, we do not have any definite plan of our stay in Manila. I am totally out of touch with the happenings in Metro Manila Ben. We can probably work on it as we go along to include perhaps a foursome dinner afloat somewhere in Manila Bay I suppose!!!. Well I have given up golf for almost a dozen years since my back problem became a bother just after completing the 3rd hole. So I decided to give it up since I can't enjoy the game any more. Anyway I wasn't a golf addict to begin with. Whatever it is, meeting Jan and you is good enough and more like the icing on the cake.
With best wishes,
Ray
On Wed, 3/11/09, Reuben a Lists wrote:
From: Reuben a Lists
Subject: Re: Need Assistance to Trace a Friend
To: "Rahman Rey"
Date: Wednesday, March 11, 2009, 5:42 AM
Great! I have been looking for you for a long time. I met several of your Naval and military Attaches and gave them my contact numbers. They never tried hard enough probably. Anyway, it is nice to hear from you again. Hope your visit will be memorable particularly so that you are quite far from Manila. Clark is the former US Air force base in the province of Pampanga, north of Manila. It might be hard to commute due to traffics. Do you have anything to do at Clark? Why will you billet there? There is nothing to do there. Check with your travel agent and see the map too. Keep in touch. Regards,
Ben
Sent from my iPhone
Re: Need Assistance to Trace a Friend
Wednesday, March 11, 2009 10:48 PM
From: "ben adam"
To: "Reuben a Lists" rlista@yahoo.com
Hai Ben,
You must be at the golf course now. Am back in the office again. The system at home is still down. Well we both probably did not get the right candidate to help trace one another. I am surprised that the naval or defence attaché you asked do not know me because until 2005 I conducted/lectured the defence attaché course. They just do not think its very important. I had Anne Juloundo (not sure of the spelling) who was my student at IDFR and 2nd Sec at the Philippines embassy in KL to help out. But no result. Ok everything of that episode is moot now since we are back in communication. Ben I am billeting Best Western Hotel La Corona : 1166 MH del Pillar Corner, Arquiza,St. Ermita, Manila,Philippines. Its not at Clark. I have vague memories about Clark which I believed is closed to Angles City. So the hotel where we will be staying is smack in the heart of Manila I suppose. Have a nice day at the golf course.
Cheers
On Wed, 4/1/09, Reuben a Lists wrote:
From: Reuben a Lists

Subject: Re: A new Slate

To: "Rahman Rey" ar_benadam@yahoo.com

Dear Rey,
I forgot that it will be our Lent season when you are coming over. Can you move it after the 12th because we will be out of the country too. We will be in Guam for vacation because it's a long vacation starting this Saturday.
I can ask one of my drivers to help you out if you can not move your visit.
Regards.
BenSent from my iPhone
On 04 1, 09, at 4:22 PM, ben adam wrote:
A tiny setback Ben. I'll try for the move. But knowing how these people treat such request I am doubtful that we can get the date changed. What I have in mind planned after the Manila RV is to get you and Jen to come to KL. With the Manila meeting out its all the more incumbent that we do it in KL. Who knows that I can arrange a surprise golf for you too. Cheers
Rey
From: "Reuben a Lists" rlista@yahoo.com
To: "Rahman Rey" ar_benadam@yahoo.com
REY,If you can not move it, I will instruct my driver to bring you around. There's no fun in Manila during Lent. Take care. Ben
Sent from my iPhone
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What appeared above is the climax to the search. But alas the meeting do not take place because Ben had already planned to be in Guam during the Lent holidays. Thus the Manila Saga.We arrived by Air Asia at 1145 hrs and took the shuttle bus to Pasay. Paid 220 pesos for the taxi ride to Ermita where our hotel is. We were thankful that the reception upgraded our room and we were able to enjoy the better facilities. Try to sort out our itinerary since we were told that Manila is a ghost town during Lent holiday. We bought a local sim card at 7 Eleven and contacted Col Alex ex-student of MAF Defence College. Alex promise to meet us at 1000 hrs Thursday. Also manage to at last contact our DA on Thursday morning. BG Khlair ( I didn't know that he's a 1 star general until we were at his house that afternoon). Both Alex and Khlair make our otherwise boring sojourn in Manila into a memorable one. So also the Ambassador and his lovely and caring wife.
Both the DA's staff collected us early Saturday morning and drove to Clark Airport for our trip home. Arrived KL LCCT at about 1520 hrs. Rin drove us home to Ampang

The Unmaking of History

For me that fateful day is marked by the swearing in of Najib as the new PM. There is bad karma that I can feel about his ascendancy to the country highest office which is hard to explain. Hovering above Najib's head are a lot of unanswered or related events that defied political and legal logic. I am only hoping for divine intervention to show him the way out. Right now the nation is being fed with a lot of Najib's theatrics. A very sleek manoeuvre of playing to he gallery - with the bulls of 1Malaysia as his slogan. So be it!!!! Read this accompnying article:

MALAYSIA: UMNO and the next Prime Minister
by C. S. Kuppuswamy
“UMNO is not Malaysia and by the same token Malaysia is not UMNO. It is this inability to distinguish between the party and the government that has cost the UMNO its attractiveness as a party of the people and that would work against UMNO in the next general elections”. - Tunku Abdul Aziz, The Malaysian Insider.
United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), held its 59th annual general assembly at Kuala Lumpur from 24 to 28 March 2009. This is the dominant party of the ruling coalition known as the Barisan Nasional (BN).
This is the biggest political party of the country with over 3 million members amongst the country’s population of around 25 million. Over 2500 delegates attended this party congress to elect the president, the deputy president, three vice presidents, the chairman, the youth chief, the wanita (women) chief, the puteri (youth- women) chief and 25 supreme council members. In all there were 267 candidates who had ventured to get into the party’s main body.
The general assembly was scheduled to be held in December 2008, but was postponed consequent to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s decision to hand over the reins to his deputy Najib Razak and to cater for the transition process.
This is the first general assembly of the party after the poor showing in the last general elections held in March 2008. UMNO won only 79 of the 222 parliamentary seats as against 109 out of 219 in 2004. The ruling coalition won a mere 51.2 % of the popular vote as against 64% in 2004. For the first time since independence in 1957, the ruling coalition lost its two-thirds majority and lost control of four more of the 13 states to the opposition besides Kelantan which was already under the opposition rule.
Both the outgoing party president and the new one had harped on the fact that the party had been disowned by a major chunk of the population in the last election and that there is an urgent need for a strategy to regain the confidence of the public. Discussions on other topics such as, improvement of economy, the Malay superiority, the emboldened opposition, the racial disharmony and the impending by elections are also believed to have taken place.
Dato Seri Najib Razak was elected unopposed as the President. The challenge to him by the veteran Tengku Razaleigh fizzled out as he could not obtain the required nominations for contesting. Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin was elected as the Deputy President in a straight contest with the party information chief Muhammad Taib. By convention the president and the deputy become the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister.
Najib Razak is the son of the second prime minister of the country, Tun Abdul Razak. The British educated Razak, aged 55, is in politics for three decades and has held various portfolios before reaching this top slot. It is a strange coincidence that he is also becoming a prime minister like his father at a time when UMNO has had a major set back. His father took over in 1970 after the infamous racial riots of May13, 1969 and its after effects.
Due to the unquestioned supremacy for the last 50 years, UMNO had become over confident and arrogant in bulldozing its policies with scant regard to other coalition partners or the minorities of the nation. (For a detailed description of the current political state of affairs please see this author’s paper “Malaysian politics – getting murkier” Paper No. 3066 dated 23/02/2009 (http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/papers31/paper3066.html)
The party is plagued with infighting and corruption. Even in this assembly there were reports of two factions one aligned to Badawi and the other with Najib Razak. Najib was presumably working behind the scene to get more of his men elected. There was commotion and exhibition of disgruntlement by the Najib faction when Badawi’s son-in-law was declared elected as the youth chief.
“The underlying problem – for UMNO and Malaysia – is the favored euphemism, ‘money politics’, meaning backhanders paid for public-sector contracts or, where UMNO is concerned, seats at the high table. On March 17, the party’s disciplinary board said it had found 15 members guilty of money politics. They included Ali Rustam, chief minister of Malacca State, who was campaigning to become deputy party leader”. Though he was disqualified he has not stepped down as Chief Minister.
The prime minister elect Najib Razak is a known protégé of Dr. Mahathir. A few days before the assembly, the government banned two opposition party news papers, refused credentials for two popular on-line media for covering the General Assembly proceedings and the police dispersed a rally of the opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on the ground that a permit for holding the meeting had not been obtained. All these actions are being considered as the handiwork of Najib.
Najib is also being credited (discredited) for toppling the opposition government in the state of Perak by enticing three state legislators to defect and support UMNO. The state legislature is in a state of suspended animation with the matter having been referred to court. Hence there is a general feeling that Malaysia is returning to the Mahathir era.
Dr. Mahathir, who had quit the party last year in protest over Abdullah’s leadership, has decided to rejoin the party. He remarked in an interview with AFP, that he thinks “Najib will be more firm - not necessarily oppressive but firm in his decision and acts”. He added that people are calling it “Mahathirism” but justified the controversial acts during his term in power were aimed at preserving peace in a country with a racial mix of Muslim Malays with ethnic Chinese and Indians.
Under what was often referred to as a controlled democracy, Mahathir had reigned for over two decades but can Najib afford it and survive for long as prime minister. This is the question.
Najib is expected to take over as prime minister from Abdullah Ahmad Badawi during the first week of April though Abdullah declined to give a firm date for the handing over.. He has a long list of things to be done and perhaps more to be undone to retrieve the image of UMNO. Much is going to depend on his cabinet which is bound to have some new faces. His team has to be more professional especially on the economic front
The first test is going to be the impending three by elections on April 7, 2009. Though he has nominated his deputy responsible for the campaigning, the results will reflect on people’s acceptance of Najib’s leadership.
Though he has repeatedly denied any involvement in the murder of a Mongolian model in Malaysia in 2006, the case is repeatedly hogging the limelight of the local media with more inputs from foreign media on the alleged involvement of his personal staff and thereby implicating him. Hence he has to get his name cleared in the eyes of the public.
The Ketuanan Melayu (Malay superiority) and the interlinked affirmative action policy is now being debated openly. Malays feel; it is under threat while the others feel it is being used against their interests. To find a solution acceptable to all is no easy task.
As the finance minister, he had announced an economic stimulus package. Under the looming recession much more requires to be done for lifting the Malaysian economy.
A strong opposition with his nemesis Anwar Ibrahim as leader, is more vocal, aggressive and has the backing of a sizeable segment of the country’s population. Repressive action alone may not be able to silence or overcome the opposition.
Najib Razak, the country’s sixth prime minister is going to be on a hot seat and his performance in the first year or so is going to be crucial for the party and the ruling coalition to continue in power and help regain the political stability in the nation as before.
http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/papers32/paper3124.html

The Bangkok ‘Saga’

This trip was planned by Ayu. She included M and I, her aunt Ani and her sister Onie. Four of us depart from LCCT Terminal in Sepang on Friday 27 March 2009 while Onie flew in from Phnom Penh. A mini saga began when we were delayed for more than two hours and I added to that by purchasing an exorbitantly priced iced tea at the coffee bean outlet at the terminal and drank it without sugar. Of course, you have to add the sugar yourself and of course, I did not know about it ha..ha..ha.!! As we disembarked at Bangkok’s new Suvarnabhumi International Airport, we heard a group of fellow passengers complaining about the delay and planned to get compensation from Air Asia. Air Asia staff pointed out that the delay is 1 hour 59 minutes thus implying that we are not eligible for compensation since its less than 2 hours. What bulls since the delay is more than 2 hours.
We took a taxi to our hotel the Millennium Hilton at 123 Charoennakorn Road, Klongtonsai, Klongsan, 10600, Bangkok 10600, Thailand. The Millennium Hilton is located along the banks of the Chao Phraya River, one kilometer from the Grand Palace and is not far from the Airport. At a glance, the place around Hilton is interesting to travelers. The main markets and malls are close by and well connected by public transport. The other side of Hilton is the river where there is a cozy open restaurant and few meters ahead is the point for catching ferries/boats to navigate along the Chao Phraya.

Millennium Hilton Bangkok operates its free shuttle boat from its own Pier just beside Flow restaurant to Saphan Taksin BTS Sky Train Station or River City Shopping center from 0630 to Midnight. The Millennium Hilton Bangkok is a 32- storey hotel. We checked into an adjoining room on the 29th floor with a magnificent view of the River, the Bangkok skyline and beyond. The rooms are decorated in hues of beige, white and black and feature stylish furnishings and a combination of stone flooring and carpets. En-suite bathrooms have jetted tubs, rain showers, bathrobes and complimentary toiletries.

We stayed at the hotel for 2 nights. The breakfast buffet is simply AMAZING - huge variety and fantastic quality in almost everything. But for us we have to be selective as to what want to eat since there is no 'halal' certification . We enjoyed the breakfast nonetheless by just having those without the non-halal staff. The boat service to the Skytrain is good and you never have to wait more than 15mins for the boat, whilst the skytrain is frequent and reasonably priced. We were also informed that on the weekends, it is nearly as easy and cheap to just take a taxi to the major attractions, as the traffic is not as bad. We did just that after our solat and headed for the so-called happening place in Bangkok – the Siam Paragon. It is the biggest shopping mall in Bangkok, and touted as one of the biggest shopping centers in Asia. Its here that Onie is to RV with us.

The mall was opened on December 9, 2005. From the brouchre we found out that the Siam Paragon housed a wide range of stores and restaurants as well as a multiplex movie theater. It also boasted the largest aquarium in South East Asia, the Siam Ocean World (Underwater world) aquarium and an exhibition hall and the Thai Art Gallery and also an opera concert hall. It also has a large bowling alley and karaoke center.

We purchased a few items here and I got a surprise i-phone leather cover for 520 Bhats. When Onie arrived, we decided to have dinner. I was so famished and ordered a sea food platter for myself (look at the photo)

At Last Tanjong Piai

Yes I made it at last. The intention to visit this small enclave in Johor famed for its status as being located at “the southern most tip of mainland Asia” was many many moons. It was finally realized also by the yardstick of my current way of decision-making style – spur of the moment. After solat suboh I suddenly thought of making the long awaited trip to Tanjong Piai. Called Hashim if he would like to come along. But he was the casualty of my decision-making because he could’nt make it since he’s got something planned in Ulu Tiram. So there goes my potential guide for the day. Anyway I roped in Narimah to accompany M and I for this long awaited trip. Narimah intimatewd that she had been there with her school childen a long time ago and may not be a good guide. Its ok I said since we shall make it with the available sinage.
Yes we did make it the earliest arrivals and apaid RM3/- only since we are warga Emas. Had a short briefing by Anne from Sabah who had been working the counter for the past one year. We made our way to the southern most tip of mainland Asia. Take a few pictures.and the retract our way to the other side. By then the crowd is already building. Plenty of siput and lokan.

Kem Iskandar: A Nostalgic Visit

I decided that probably it is worthwhile to make it happened this time around. First and foremost there is no rush this time and more importantly the man that could make it happened may not be around any more. So I sms Col Jamaluddin, the Chief of Staff of Iskandar Camp, indicating to him of my intention to pay him a visit. The camp is located off Sri Pantai Mersing

Yahoo!!Balik Kampong

This time the balik kampong trip is another result of one of those on the spur of the moment decision. After solat this morning I mentioned to M that we can make our trip back to Endau and JB on Friday. Why wait till Friday she responded and suggest that we leave as soon as we got packed. M also intimated that we should make our trip back to KL on Monday since Sunday she argued could be jammed with holiday makers coming back after the school holidays. Its ok I said and started packing for a 5 day trip home.
We were on the road by 0900 hrs after filling up a full tank and the road traffic was relatively ok. Stopped by UKM to check my email and then continued our journey home. Exited at Air Hitam and had our pit stop. I talked to a group of prison officers from Malacca who was on their way to Mersing. They were having problem with the car water tanks and was waiting for a relief vehicle to continue with their journey. We took the Air Hitam/Kluang road. I thought of calling Mej (Rtd) Chan in Kluang for a quick RV. But decided against it. No reason just malas.
This time around though, we took care that we did not make the wrong turn at the final traffic light because the signage indicate straight but on the ground if you follow the arrow its really directing us to go right and could ended up at Gunong Belumut. No problem though this time. After the traffic light we have to negotiate a bridge which was under repair since we started using this route to get to Mersing more than 2 years ago. We noted, not to our surprise though, that there was NO PROGRESS at all since. The culprit is Hishamuddin Hussein lah siapa lagi Yang TakBerkhidmat lansung as far as that bridge dalam kawasan Sembrong tu is concerned.
We approached Kahang about 1300 hrs and decided to look at a place to have lunch. We found one along a row of shop houses. A few people were already there enjoying their lunch. We decided on simple dishes a bowl of soup daging and plain rice for me while M tried their mee soup and rojak. Nothing to shout about on the quality of the dishes we had but we enjoy it without much complains. After about 45 minutes we continued to move and decided to do our solat at Mersing Mosque. We arrived at Mersing about 1500 hrs. After one missed turning we finally made it to the enchanted mosque that’s grandly perched on top of a hill. The mosque which was completed in August 1956 was and still is the pride of Mersing folks. I remember climbing up the hill slope whilst the mosque was being built. I was in standard six at that time and going and scaling up the hill was a great adventure then.

What a Revealition!

This is one Friday that put several dots on the "i"s and crosses on the "t"s on a closed confidante's missions that was never make known to me. It was a devine intervention of sort as the revealition came after my solat Juma'at today at Tabung Haji Mosque. Devine intervention because I normally do not waste time after my sunat ba'adiyah. But my rather relexed action including going to the loo has this unforseen function that rendered me into a stunt reflection on my late friend's sometime unexplained trips to Germany. At least now I know. Mashaallah!!!!

This rejoinder/addendum is posted 1st October, 2009: Got a call from Daw last night seeking to meet today. Agreed to meet at KDE @ 1200hrs. What transpires after some small talk is something which is related to what was posted 6 months earlier. The power that be was convinced that KAR is to be let into the loop, after two trips by DZA and Daw to Germany. The road map was laid out. I told Daw that I'll be glad to be involved.

USM Roundtable on MFP

The USM Roundtable on Malaysian Foreign Policy (MFP) was held at IDFR Jalan Wisma putra today 27 Feb 2009. Since the venue is at IDFR I decided to leave early just like what I used to do on my lesture day at IDFR.

3 Gen Outing

A weekend soujron at Ayu's place at Bukit Jelutong. Ayu doing the annual spring cleaning. Syam applying his expertise ti sercice the a/c . Wehad dinner at Sunway Pyramid at the Roma American cuisine. Had the ribs was ggod but the helping is too much tapau one final piece togather with the fries and chicken delicies. Catch up with my reading. I picked up one novel and started reading. After a couple of pages realised that I've read the book before. The 1st generation was slumped in the confort of the ground floot reading room while the 3rd generation got stuck in their vedio games upstairs being watched by the 2nd generation.
This morning we settled for my long awaited visit to the resturant in TTDI Jaya that offered really aunthetic nasi dishes especially the nasi dagang. Bought the normal 4 newspaper for Sunday reading. Balik ke rumah aqnd waited for the pool guy to come to discuss tte repair of Ayu's dirty and damaged pool. Slept a few winks and continue reading the novel. Performed my solat Zohor then warmed up the taupau food and snack onit with 3rd generation Sophia. Left for Ampang at 1515 hrs and arrived atAmpang abode in atorent of downpour.

A Day Out Gallivanting

We decided to accompany Onie doing her last minute shopping before going back to Phnom Penh tomorrow. I hitched on because I wanted to see what the clearance sale next to the Wisma Sime Darby had to offer.

The Singapore Saga

Left for Singapore today. A quick whirlwind trip after Hani's birthday bash at home. Six of us: Ani; Maznah; Ayu; Onie; Mika and me, we left Ampang around 1500 hrs with Ayu driving and M reminding her not to speed. We made good time and were on the second link by about 1820hrs. We stopped for prayer and petrol. The Singapore cars had a field day filling up their tank and I just took some pictures. To add to this saga one dishonest Singapore driver just scoot off without paying after filling up his car. What a jerk!!
We made our crossing my first on this expressway. We made it without a hitch not that we expected any. With Ayu driving and at odd with the GPS directing we went from on place to another with ease. Stop at Kinokunyia and I purchased 4 books one of which is authored by Dr. Karminder Singh ( a colleague from IDFR days). We had our dinner at the food court at Newton Circus and we ordered two Sup tulang takeaway.
After dinner we checked in at the Holiday Inn Atrium. We were at the 23rd floor and looking through the windows we can admire a spectacular views from this atrium style hotel which is strategically located at the crossroad of Outram and Havelock Roads. It is just a short drive from Shenton Way financial centre, fascinating Chinatown and the fashionable Orchard Road shopping belt. Across from the hotel is the island's renowned Singapore River where entertainment spots bring vibrancy to the nightlife at Clarke Quay and Boat Quay. All guest rooms and suites provide stunning views of the city or Singapore River and are equipped with facilities such as broadband Internet connectivity, individually-controlled air-conditioning and electronic locks to meet the needs of the business and leisure traveler.
After breakfast on Monday we packed and checked out and that's when the "Singapore Saga" began. After about 10 minutes M realised that we've forgotten our sup tulang. Afew frantic call to the hotel was made before we make our way back to the hotel. M went first but no sup tulang in the fridge in the room that we occupy. We lamented and passed it as 'tak ada rezki'. But then we make another try because we realised that we could make a mistake by not checking the lost ang found section as had transpired during Onie's pone conversatiion with the hotel staff. Another round to the hotel and Onie went in after alot of haggling. Surprise!!surprise!! she came out swinging the bag of sup tulang. Thus the saga ends with a seigh of relief and on a happy note. We then went for several missions including a little shopping at Carefore and our final flings was having lunch at suntec before making our way back home.