2011 Hari Raya Greetings to all our muslim readers

2011 Hari Raya Greetings to all our muslim readers

MERDEKA !

Language is a funny thing. It allows you the privilege to consider and administer new ideas based upon the structural formulations of that languages' grammar and word construction but at the same time it also allows (some) individuals minds to be limited - or expanded, by the very words and language within which the concept resides and is used.

It is worth noting that at this point most normal readers would lose interest in reading further given the type of words used!

Many men and women of note (or those who wants to be noted) with great ideas often tabulate and present their ideas upon the unsuspecting masses as a new ideology using the gift of language and explain it away using the emotional attachments/ linkage words and structure to give the ideas and concepts weight and gravity.

In my life and experiences, the dreams I have are in this language you are now reading although my mother tongue should be Chinese and Tamil (Father's side); and ideally the 13 years of National School tutelage should nominally make it be Malay, but somehow or rather it stuck on me that I should find expression best in this language.

How that differentiates me in thinking and thus manner from the usual brethren of my social circle is often a predicament that over the years has crossed both sides of the emotive chart as people I encounter often peg me in their respective minds as either one of them or not one of them which often results in ridiculous situations arising out of these assumptions.

But,I am digressing. To revert back to the issue at hand, a simple example of how the area where the most striking evidence for the influence of language on patterns of thought is the  act of describing spatial differences ( space) to another person — how we describe the orientation of the world around us. Suppose you want to give someone directions to get to your house. 

You might say: “After the traffic light, take the first left, then the second right, and then you’ll see a white house in front of you. Our door is on the right.” But in theory, you could also say: “After the traffic lights, drive north, and then on the second crossing drive east and you’ll see a white house directly to the east.

Ours is the southern door.”

These two sets of directions may describe the same route, but they rely on different systems of coordinates. The first uses egocentric coordinates, which depend on our own bodies: a left-right axis and a front-back axis relative to it.  

The second system uses fixed geographic directions, which do not rotate with us wherever we turn.

Now imagine if you will, in a country of 27 million different people of myriad beliefs with different levels of language usage and understanding how certain simple requests or reactions can/would inflame the fragile egos of the other various individuals and communities; that is ill equipped / prepared to tolerate such remarks or requests; if  it is not peppered with the correct social decorum / platform.

Though harm or insult is never intended, but nonetheless some styles of a person’s request can be deemed infringing on another’s life choice although mind you,on a different outlook, given how over the last 54 years our elders and even theirs before them, have lived amicably with even lesser knowledge and intimations; this represents (to me at least) the remarkable adaptability and forgiving nature of our sociological make up and national social structure whereby the not familiar is still accepted and allowed to grow & prosper in peace !

It would appear, to me at least, that the greatest foe to our national strength and solidarity nowadays seems to be fear. 

Fear of being maligned, fear of losing out .

Left unchecked though, once these fears are entertained, and is normally fueled by the various egregious actions and reactions of a certain political sorts, over time, the subliminal parochial language patterns (name calling, racial slurs,etc) and it's connotations of these various communities fears would have imposed on impressionable young minds, either by society or parents; an unreasonable view of their own individual & immediate woes and problems which would be later tinged with a racial platform.

Provided no one tries to inflame society using racially motivated diatribes. 

Eventually these little observed intolerances would lead those with a different mother tongue to see the animated world through lenses tinted with associations and emotional responses that are always racially conceived. 

These would gradually grow into differences of opinion when the two separated worlds of either Tamil,Chinese,Malay & English language speaker later meet and engage with each other.

Which makes the current peace and stability this country has preserved, practiced and makes customary amongst its people of all races, customs and religion; all the more precious, remarkable and worthwhile to cherish ever after.

Even though our country’s individual; cultural and ideological stances are many and could often grate the others in ways we cannot always identify; Malaysians as a whole have accept this difference as part and parcel of our culture within this country.

This heritage of our fore fathers are the cultural and sociological treasures that we must never unlearn nor choose to disregard, for we do it at the peril of ourselves and of our loved ones future.

Bantering with my Buddies

Back when I was growing up in the backwaters of old Malacca town, being labeled a "player" was actually quite a compliment. Those days, if you were born of silver spoon lineage, you were expected to “mess about”. 


As it turned out, yourS truly was not born into a family of means,hence the rather obvious early desire to create my own comfortable family so that my scions can be children of means.


The term amongst my people back then was to say “He’s a real Krishna!” and it was intended to be said as a nicety; usually as a form of respect for the family and background.

Playboy’s were basically well to do individuals who dressed with élan, had an enviable lifestyle, charmed both ladies and gentlemen, knew his way round societies niceties and had more than a hint of the rogue.

Hence the term “Krishna”.



 it is worth mentioning though, the lifestyle choice mentioned away above, needs be defined in our hearts and minds as a way of life of those who seek comfort and respect as birth right and is not a carte blanche pass to cause ill will, break hearts nor is it to crush hope and desire amongst anybody !


The term "KRISHNA" IS NOT ONE WHO BREAKS HEARTS NOR COLLUDES  TO CHEAT BUT SOMEONE WHO ENJOYS LIFE AND ALL IT'S GLORIES TO THE BRIM AND HELPS OTHERS TO SEE THE BEAUTY  THAT IS CALLED LIFE  !

As i was saying, recently in the company of some friends, I was complaining to this group of elderly seniors friendly to me, the ravages of time and sun on my erstwhile body and soul. 

There was a duo amongst these men, who between them had about 150 years of life experience. Chief amongst the duo was a gentlemenHaji and this gent,  truly espouses much of the ethos of that classic playboy: enviably erudite, stylish, and rakish.


These were the characters that as a young person I WANTED TO EMULATE as it signified to the younger me, the ultimate persona of a comfortable man. 


Their advice to me was worth its weight in gold “Growing older with Dignity and Character means being at peace with your individual flaws and particular flavors.”

Meaning: “Be at peace with yourself and learn to forgive others their transgression towards you”.


The gentle souls (bless their hearts!) also went on to unravel to me the need for charades when providing the outside world with an illusion of proprietery comfort for oneself  at all times as everyone needs to be reassured that we know what we are doing since most men and women are lost at some time or other !


It is very interesting that once our minds are at peace the amount of things we can achieve, either through want or through need.Casting my eye about the social scene here in Melaka, one can noticeably separate the real players from the pretenders or more to the point the boys easily, though now-a- days the women are the real players and the difference is it appears the women don’t pretend not to be cradle robbers anymore! Everybody loves to play the conquerer.

It is not easy to manage this coquettish lifestyle as ultimately the rugged requirements of a "playboya" lifestyle & decorum (whether men or women) is to manage to look like they've just hopped off a polo pony, but with the appearance of an individual who's just stepped off a tractor.

Maybe the whole idea of dressing well and living with style is outmoded amongst the men. Many today consider it gay to be stylish. Maybe we're happy to dress like builders and aspire to nothing more stylish than sitting around with bottles of Carlsberg beer with roti canai as chasers.  

Mind you, I have nothing against beer. In fact, sipping a cold beer on a hot afternoon, wearing a white shirt open at the neck, blue blazer with brass buttons and grey flannel trousers to me is the very embodiment of  gentlemanly calm and elegance. So much so, in itself that to me is a very serene, iconic and almost ethereal imagery of a man’s man.

Having said that, I can't help but think our societies all the poorer for the loss of a good crop of real MEN as players, as in the yester years, don’t you agree?
The world needs to be assured that life is good and will get better and what better way to encapsulate that than to be the man about town enjoying the adulation and attention of our kinsmen ?

SFA Visiting Mr. Chong Wee

Last night, Phillip Tay  sms'ed me to say that Mr.Ong Eng Khiam and he would be visiting the former headmaster to SFI Mr. Chong Wee who is recuperating in Pantai Hospital after an emergency appendicitis operation. Apparently the good master had been feeling bloated and unwell recently and had driven himself to Pantai Hosp to meet Dr.Leong earlier on but was immediately scheduled for a ruptured appendicitis operation by the doctor after being inspected !

Thankfully all is well that ends well as Chong Wee is recovering well after the operation and will be on his two feet within the next few days. The president of SFA and it's secretary later invited me and molly to Lucky  Famous Restaurant in Melaka Raya to try their new Dim Sum menu but it was only after we got there that we found out the Dim Sum was only available from 2.00am to 12.00pm !

The guys and Molly will also take this opportunity to visit the wake held at Mr.Simon Bonaventura's house for the passing of simon's dad. Apparently,Madelina of MTA; Vincent Low and the rest from their church group  will congregate there at 2pm to pay their last respects.

The past few weeks have been one busy makan session after the other as both my wife and I have been kept busy entertaining our friends requests to accompany them during the Lunch and Dinner periods trying out several food venues and dishes.

Any ways, It 's about high time I try to lose some weight as the current season of food overdose is beginning to show itself in my belly and  believe you me,the protruding beer belly evidence is not pretty !

 But then, it is to be expected during this season,  as every year during this time, all the Hotels and commercial outlets would be found tripping over themselves to sell the latest Food and Beverage offerings for Buka Puasa.

 In fact, for today evening, Menara Taming Sari in Melaka Raya has invited Michelle and I to partake in their sumptuous buka puasa feast with some children from the local orphanage.

 I haven't decided yet whether we will attend or not. 

Let's see the weather when that time comes.

Our attendance @ the Majlis Iftar Bersama  called by the various govt bodies are a welcome sign ,I feel to the level of muhibbah our countrymen have irregardless of what THE POLITICIANS AND THEIR PARTIES TELL US !

In particular was the muhibbah dinner which was recently done at Riviera Resort,Melaka under the auspices of that Hotels's management and my association- MTA. My table was shared by the members of the police corp and the attending invitees from KL. None of us knew each other at the beginning but near completion of the buka puasa hour, we were all quite buddy,buddy ! My good friend, Hj.Moidu was also present representing the Kerala Muslim samadj together with a few restaurateurs from his other associations. They were quite Lucky that night as their table took home quite a few give away prizes and hampers as was I.

All in All, a good week so far.

Celebrating Dora's 70TH Birthday

My wife and I were recently invited to celebrate the 70th Birthday of Mdm.Dora here in Bukit Beruang,Melaka.


How time flies when you're having fun! 
I still remember well Dora from the late 1980's when she was helping Sandra man the Cashier counter in the short lived Indian Restaurant Sandra managed- (Shubnaam, which was the first classy North Indian Restaurant in Melaka Raya).
                                                                                                                                                                    
 Dry roasted walnuts as appetizers                                                      Lemon Chicken as starters

Dora is often away nowdays taking care of her grand children in S'pore and it is indeed 

a pleasure to see and help her celebrate this milestone in her life.

After the restaurant closed, Dora kept popping unto our lives whenever Sandra brought her along during our social do's and celebrations. Her pleasant company was also enjoyed when we visited Japan in the summer of 2010.

And here we are today, where we find ourselves well into the second half of the year,  in the first 11 years after breaking happily past the the 21st century; celebrating the 70th birthday of Sandra's half sister Dora and the recapping the many milestones we have passed together with these two sisters, who are now indeed part of our extended Family  .

                    Kampung style pork ribs                                                                                                                                              

Ikan Kurau
deep fried in
sesame oil and XO Oyster sauce




                            Drunken prawns coated in batter and fried with oat meal and wheat.

 

















The speciality of Pin Kee Restaurant-   hakka marinated mutton soup &  sesame oil salads tossed in pan

Meeting the Chief Minister

The Malacca Tourism Association Exco today were assembled to have a brief meeting with the Chief Minister Of Melaka- Datuk Seri Mohd. Ali Rustam at Seri Negeri,Gapam on behalf of the Melaka T. A. members. Discussions were centered on further flourishing the State's Tourism Industry through the cooperation and conducive support of the Industry players, here in Melaka.

  After meeting us and listening to our briefings and towards this established goal of open communications, Datuk Seri  suggested that the melaka state executive body will enable all tourism players within the state to have a dialogue session on the 23rd of August at 9am in MITC Media House for the opportunity to disseminate the latest updates in State Tourism Planning and creating and avenue & mutual benefit opportunity for all industry players and State Government officers to meet and greet.

The president of MTA , Madelina also took this opportunity to request the state government for some assistance towards the rebuilding of the St.Francis Institution (secondary) school's roof and gutters.
Immediately the CM responded by approving the request but letting the Finance Dept allocate the amount . Hopefully, the amount allocated will help the school towards it's intended renovation and refurbishment efforts.
Good Show.
Madelina's previous efforts to invite the CM to visit the school proved most successful and he was very happy to attend; assist us financially with RM 100,000.00; give a pep talk on stage  to the parents and awards for all the high achieving students of that year.

MICCI courtesy visit to YB Perumal

The Malacca Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry yesterday paid a courtesy visit to the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) Chairman & YB for Asahan of Melaka State Exco -Datuk R.Perumal.

The courtesy visit was to introduce the newly minted EXECUTIVE members of MICCI to the Chairman and for the renewed spirit &  members co-operation amongst the members of the malacca business comunity (Micci) to be showed to the MIC Chairman.

The courtesy visit was fruitful as the Chairman received us well and promised to be open and conducive to the  growing needs of the Business community in Melaka given the various opportunities provided by the State Government.

Birthday Dinner for Big Daddy

On the 3rd of August 2011, my family and I celebrated my birthday with a dinner that was extravagant and yet subtle in taste and splendor that it became a birthday dinner worth remembering.

They say a picture paints a thousand words and so,

I will allow the pictures to speak for themselves here for once !

                           The evening started off well with my favorite grapejuice served ice cold and frothy -
                                                                             just the way I love it.

                          I loved this appetiser as it was thinly shredded guave fruit with asam boi sprinkle.

                              Duck consomme with Shitake mushroom, sprouts and green peppercorns

                                                                            My Family at the Main Dinner table

                                         Herb Infused Soup for the strengthening of our libido !

                            Braised pork in wine infused broth with TangKwei and small onions to buang angin !

Shoryn ordered a sour based fruit drink but was left complaining she lost her voice temporarily because it was so cold that it was burning the flam in her throat. Macam-macam this daughter of mine. She takut tak boleh Karaoke later in the night !

                       

              Shredded cucumber with pumpkin, walnut,sesame seeds and garam masala as vegetable dish

                   Rice wrapped in seaweed paper & nuts,mutton strands and flavored with spicy sauce

After Dinner, as it was still early, we all adjourned to the playground to try out the recently installed machine that's both a video game and a moving seat ! Chandra was given first GO  and he managed to complete one circuit before having to run to the Mens to empty his bladder as Michelle also  complained of vertigo playing the game but it was Shoryn who had a blast breaking in the machine as she managed to go several levels before she was drawn and quartered by the pirate zombies!

ENJOYABLE FAMILY OUTING DINNER 

Happy JULY 2011

The recently completed month of July 2011 has been a slow but tranquil month for most of us living here in the House of Gunabalan as we go through a calm before the storm situation with regards to the quiet financial market here in Malaysia and Melaka. It is evident the current low wage, high inflation malaysian economy is putting an extraordinary amount of financial stress on  many young families with 2 or more kids. 

 For many middle income wage earners, both urban and sub -urban- "flat broke" has become a permanent condition.  Today, it wouldn't be far fetched for me to say over half of all middle class melaka families of all races live paycheck to paycheck.

  High food prices is rampant from pasar malams through hypermarkets with the malaysian ringgit buying lesser and lesser as the years go by. And those families that do actually have jobs that pay well are finding that their wages are rising much more slowly than the cost of living . The financial condition of average middle class families continues to decline and this is showing up in all of the recent surveys. Bankruptcies due to credit card debts are imposingly high on certain demographic sections of our society.

Everywhere we turn in the streets, at the night markets, while waiting in queues,we seem to hear and see people indulge in street talk of the impending Doom and Gloom (Politically & Financially) that has yet to be felt officially here in melaka but nonetheless is evident in the western world and american states. 

 Right now, speaking as a malaysian indian in melaka, I can attest that more malaysian Indians feel polarized and ostracized by society at large than at any other point since 1970 and many young families in the urban jungles are flat broke and highly indebted and these poor souls have lost hope of ever achieving a better life style for themselves. They are mostly just living zombies, worrying more about how to pay off their 

subsistence living debts rather than planning, educating or saving for a better tomorrow - for themselves and their children. 

Many Indian individuals are disenchanted with the status quo and their  elected leaders inert disability to provide a better tomorrow for them and their families, due in parts to the lack of  leadership direction,  viable economic opportunities and living prospects under the current political climate of racial discrimination and race based politics of this country. 

 Until this particular Indian dilemma changes, the frustration level amongst these down trodden Indian youths and parents in this country is going to continue to grow, fester and eventually eat at this country as a cancerous cell.

These past few weeks there is also a rumbling discontent with many citizens of the way the malaysian government is handling it's latest opposition inspired demand for more electoral freedom and the supposed racial inequalities of the past 53 years but over all it all still is a storm in a teacup situation here in Melaka as at the moment the talk is all there is to it.....

 On a more personal and happier matter,Chandra my second son has completed his obligatory 3 month stint in the Malaysian National Service by end July 2011 and is now back home with us where he belongs & though my son did enjoy his time In Alor Gajah PLKN camp; and by the number of "see you soon messages "and gifts he received, looks like he managed to carry himself well while there, he was missed back home by his mum and me.

In the second week of last month, Michelle and I took time off to drive Chandra to Subang Jaya in KL as he was interested to attend a Malaysian Airlines job interview. It was to be his first official job interview and he made it to stage 3 before stumbling. It was a good job interview experience for him. There's another one that's awaiting him on the 06/08/2011 in KL Bukit Bintang under Singapore Airlines. We'll see how that one goes before deciding any thing for him.

Earlier in the month, there was a small gathering of like minded Franciscans to welcome the new Brother Visitor of The Lasallian East Asian Initiative (LEAD) to Melaka and the welcoming dinner was conducted with much aplomb and fanfare in the Equatorial Hotel Melaka with many ex teachers, Old boys, and the Federations supporters turning up to show support & welcome for the Brother Visitor.

An interesting event that I'd like to record was the evening brunch I had recently with an old class mate of mine from the schooldaze-Jeganathan,
(seated left side in picture); who managed to catch up with me over the last few weeks and how we decided to enjoy ourselves eating and drinking in the Clubhouse Rotunda in Tj.Keling while actively reminiscing of the other classmates, their where-a -bouts and current situation.

It was a happy and poignantly silly occasion as we ventured and waxed philosophical over buckets of the finest Danish Brew and Chicken Tikkas our life so far, the pitfalls and the acclaims and where we were headed in the next decade or so.
We were so engrossed in our stories and camaraderie that I totally missed all my wife's calls to me that evening !

Michelle got cheesed off that I was too busy entertaining my friend  and not answering her calls,that she decided to trace my where a bouts by calling all my other friends and known numbers and then  after concluding where I was, drop in on us un expectantly on her way home from Coats ,just to check up on my  state of sobriety !

You see,Jega & I  used live in the same Taman; 20 over odd years ago and he was a constant companion to me at a time when michelle was courting me though he was never interested in chasing skirts as I was back then;  as financial matters weighed heavy on his family and he was just interested in securing a good job and bringing home the dough.

 I suppose that's what interested him to be my friend those long lost days ago , my presumptuousness and gung-ho attitude and the distinct ability to enjoy what life has to offer, even though money was never easy on our side. Our little excursion ended well that evening with a full stomach and happy memories of a fun filled youth & the good times that we had ; ringing melodiously in our heads and hearts as we headed home to our individual sanctuaries.
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On the 30th of July , The Famosa Toastmasters Club had a joint installation night in the Tiara Country Club in Gapam with The Port Dickson clubs, Malacca TM and the Malacca Mandarin TM Clubs. It was a good night's outing as Michelle was happy to be with her fellow toastmasters and friends enjoying the 7 course Chinese Dinner.

We  also celebrated Michelle's 42nd Birthday recently on the 1st of August with a Dinner and Cake blowing affair that surely made my wife happy and satiated as the children and I entertained her to a Seafood Family Dinner at the Portuguese Settlement.

Funnily enough, it was our daughter in law Joey who suggested we go for a Ikan Bakar dinner but because it was the first day of the month long ramadan fasting period here in melaka, every ikan bakar shop we headed out to from Cheng to Alai was closed ! Luckily we managed to find my old buddy Patrick Pereira's restaurant in the Settlement still open at that late hour night. Utheya & Joey  introduced the Grilled Horseshoe Crab crusted with eggs and cheese for Michelle which was a first for my wife ! Shoryn seemed to enjoy the seafood buffet on the Table and managed to finish quite a little of the Chilli prawns, Buttered Crabs and Toasted Lala /Mussels that her brother ordered for all of us.

The Portuguese Baked Fish was also enjoyed by all of us including my mother who normally doesn't eat anything after 7pm.!

                           The Buttered Crabs with accompanying ginger and shallot dip was excellent !

                                                      The Chilli Prawns that everyone gasak !
                                                              No quarter spared nor given !

Kenyang .