Sunday, 20 November, 2016
Kg Titigan, Tawau 慈濟一日義診


第一個病人

上午7:15 Salmia Binti Laba 一早來到學校，發現她是這次義診的第一個求醫者。在這一天的免費義診，登記處共有735 像她這樣的求醫者來登記求護理。

這天是2016年11月20日，星期日。慈濟志工，兩名人醫會醫生和五名地方政府醫生的共同聯合舉辦這場免費義診。地點在SK Kg. Titingan (Kg. Titingan小學)


(國際慈濟人醫會Tzu Chi International Medical Association──簡稱 TIMA)

Kampung Titingan（雪房）是斗湖鎮一個貧民村。大多數村民來自菲律賓和印度尼西亞。許多村民無居留証,從而使該村變成臭名昭著的非法“黑色地區”. 在斗湖的一個高犯罪區。

作為非法入境者，他們無權在當地政府診所獲得公共醫療保健。他們也負擔不起私人診所高昂醫療費。結果是嚴重疾病得不到醫療護理.

今天慈濟利用免費診所的機會為這些不幸的人提供一天的醫療護理服務。

一早到達臨時診所的Salmia Binti Laba ，便是第一個尋求醫療護理的病人。

她的第一個詢問是，這個免費的慈濟護理有否提供任何“血液測試”，如膽固醇測試。…………………………………………

Sunday, 20 November, 2016   Kg Titigan, Tawau 慈濟一日義診


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在沙巴州，許多無居留証而不敢看政府醫生的患病貧民不計其數. 慈濟刻意來到他們的村子義診，給這些不便就醫的貧困村民提供所需的醫療服務.


在登記處,病人首先被問及他們身體不舒服之處, 然後志工分派他們到有关服務處: 初級醫療（GP）服務處或牙科服務處. 有病人兩者都去。


然後他們到等待區等待。在等候區服務的志工中有來自Lahad Datu的沈萍萍志工.

遠程而來的沈萍萍志工提早一天到達斗湖了. 同車還有她的丈夫張賜君志工.

Lahad Datu距離斗湖有150公里，需要2小時30分鐘車程。斗湖舉辦這次大型義診, 人手不足,需要許多志工. 這次義診成功,  Lahad Datu志工給了我們很多幫助. 來斗湖協助的Lahad Datu志工. 有沈萍萍, 張賜君, 梁智文等.

沈萍萍, 張賜君俩夫妻加入慈濟志工已經数年。為Lahad Datu慈濟服務。每當斗湖有盛大活動, 夫妻俩都过來。這次不例外。

義診，這可是萍萍志工第一次。“這是我第一次參與義診。 每一件事都是我的新經驗。 我學習到新事物，很開心。”


沈萍萍對慈濟的忠誠奉獻是受母親李鳳蓮的影響。


母親李鳳蓮多年來一直支持慈濟的活動。年老的李鳳蓮大德身為慈濟會員, 每個月都從日常費用節省的錢以會費捐給慈濟基金. 敦促孩子們為慈濟服務, 協助有需要的人.

正是母親開拓了福田, 沈萍萍今天繼續栽種母親的田地。

當被問及她今天參加義診服務的感受時, “我感得很高興能夠服務於有需要的人” 沈萍萍充滿熱情的說.



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在人群中有一個特殊的父親。他是當天唯一的華人。黃先生帶著兩個孩子來問診。

雖然Kg Titigan是菲律賓和印尼移民的貧民區，但村旁是一個私人住宅區,  住著不少華人. 而黃先生的房子碰巧就在義診區對面附近。


黃先生是前一天晚上最後一刻才知道慈濟要來義診。他立即決定來看看慈濟義診的中醫治療。他一直渴望可以看到好的中醫。

斗湖是以印尼人為主的無名小鎮, 只有很少的華人人口。一個有信譽的中醫醫生不會選擇來這裡開業。然而，本地越來越多華人希望找個好的中醫醫生. 黃先生是其中之一

 “我長期一直都是看西醫。現在我想看個中醫, 聽聽中醫的意見” 黃先生對我說。

可惜的是，斗湖慈濟這次義診沒包括中醫服務.

慈濟在國際上的免費義診包括西醫服務，牙科服務，中醫服務. 許多中外人士因為中醫諮詢和針灸治療慕名而來。

斗湖明年第三個義診，新加坡和西馬的中醫志工一定要來參與喔!。

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大小老幼有秩序地排隊註冊，耐心輪待看醫生，然後領藥。這些來看病人群中有一个重要的老人。他从中帮助, 大力支持慈濟這日義診.

JKK Abu Bakar Adel是政府任命的村长-JKK。今天他自己本身也來看看医生。

几个月前，當慈濟决定這次的義診時, 慈濟協調員去寻求阿布•巴卡爾合作。他高興地允許義診臨時營地設立在他的村內。

阿布•巴卡爾非常歡迎慈濟再來。慈濟2015年第一義診也在這個村子也在他的支持下大功告成。他是慈濟和村民之間的橋樑。

今年他再次給予最大的支持和安排，確保我們的義診再次順利進行.


證嚴上人說過:「疾病是痛苦的根源、貧窮的由來」
所以上人開啟志業中之「醫療站」及「義診」之關懷方式。

Kg Titigan 貧民村裡嚴重疾病得不到醫療護理. 作為貧病村的村长，很少人能比Abu Bakar Adel更能深深體會到證嚴上人的大愛.

“我一直熱心地提醒村民今天義診,敦促他們帶有病痛的家人來” Abu Bakar Adel告訴我。

他自己也讓医生檢查身體。

作為一个村长, Abu Bakar Adel在來義診的村民面前不佔特別優勢。
他像其他村民一樣排著隊登記，靜坐輪候，耐心等待醫生。

斗湖當地報紙” 晨報”記者採訪了他。
慈濟大愛電台也採訪了他。
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2016 年8月2日Kg. Tanpa Wayar？Kg. Paya，Tanjung Batu Laut Tengah 火災

斗湖這小城呀， 一災未平又一災。一周內發生兩次火災。相隔只四天。第二個比第一個更嚴重。地點只有相隔數公里。

7月29日的第一把火在Kg Pukat，Tanjung Batu Laut摧毀了20房屋
8月2日的第二把火在Kg. Tanpa Wayar，Tanjung Batu Laut Tengah 摧毀69間

消防局當天便宣布火災後的統計給新聞媒體。這只是給報館的初期記錄。刊登的初期數字與慈濟的最後確定的數字略會有不同。

當局初期統計數是四十九間房屋被火摧毀。來自64個家庭約190人無家可歸。
慈濟最後統計數是69間房屋被毀，共99家庭無家可歸的。其中93家公民和6家非公民。

所幸只有財物損失，沒有傷亡。但有兩名消防員被火煙熏了。

火災那天,消防局在下午1:39 Pm接到求救電話。 30人員在1:47PM立即趕到現場,。

2:44PM火勢暫時性受到控制
3:48PM火勢終於被控制住

火勢不能一次過消除是因救火供水不足半途中斷。火神趁機馬不停蹄焚毀一大片簡陋木造貧民房舍。

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第二天8月3日，斗湖慈濟基金會志工到現場了解情況。他們走入災區看災場地。聶潤珠師姐開始繁忙的協調工作。慈濟的天災服務內容是急難生活補助，提供災後生活緊急紓困。

災區難者的登記，是由政府單單位執行。慈濟志工與政府單單位緊密合作。慈濟根據政府福利單位的災難者名單， 便開始第一時間膚慰關懷家屬工作。

慈濟是一個獨立的非政府組織NGO 。因此，跟進工作有自己的獨立調查。

慈濟的每一分錢都來自公眾發心拿來。不敢平白浪費掉。慈濟強調點滴不漏，每一分錢都要落到有真正需要的窮人身上。

此後兩天，聶師姐不停打了很多電話。根據災難者名單上電話號碼, 一個接一個聯繫，查詢受害者的真實情況。最後, 核准組確定了99家庭急難生活補助金。

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大火已撲滅了, 恐慌平靜下來了，現在災民開始茫然失措了。

不但沒了家可歸宿，衣食已無。無盡無望的夜晚，無望無盡的明天。尤其是婦女們需要照顧家庭成員, 她們擔憂會最重，等待支援會更熱切。

災區婦女中一位是個年輕媽媽Suadi binti Munir. 她有兩個學齡孩子。他們一家10口住了36年的木房就這麼一場大火便沒了。現全家暫時寄居妹妹的屋子。

當她在憂慮著，祈望著時，小女兒過來對媽媽說，媽咪不用擔心， 慈濟很快會來幫助的。

終於真的是, 第二天她的手提電話響了, 是聶潤珠師姐打來電話，想了解她家庭災害情況，關懷慰問， 並給她承諾不久便會得到慈濟急難生活補助。

小女兒怎麼肯定慈濟會來幫忙嗎？原來小女兒曾領過慈濟的清寒家庭助學金，信心告訴她，現在家裡有難，慈濟也會會再來幫助。

Suadi binti Munir的兩個孩子都在斗湖興華學校就讀。女兒小學6年級和兒子小學5年級。

三年前，學校老師知道兩(?)個孩子家境清寒，便替他們申請慈濟助學金。在他們經濟困難時期，助學金確實為他一家減輕不少負擔。

所以，在小女孩的內心深深記住慈濟的仁慈，現在家裡有了危難，她有信心慈濟也會會再來幫助。

終於等到14-8-2016星期日慈濟發放日.Suadi的父親代表一家10口鞠躬接下慈濟急難生活補助。
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14-8-2016 星期日慈濟發放日。火災發生後12天。慈濟發放急難慰問金。 30多位志工來到場地，災民已排排坐好。後旁還站了許多旁觀者。

黃裕發師兄的機動組很快便設置好場地。發放活動開始了。

角落人群中，站著一位矮瘦中年婦女， 獨自莫莫望著慈濟志工 . 看一排志工彎腰鞠躬，一排災民彎腰鞠躬接下慰問金。她期待著什麼得。

關寶檢師姐注意到了她，上前愛灑，發現她也是一個受害災民，但沒份兒領到福利。政府的災難者名單中沒有她的名字，慈濟發放慰問金名單也沒有她的名字。

她也是一個受害災民，但被忽略，被漠視，被屏除。
原來她是一個非法移民。她名叫Mariana。

Mariana London.  Indonesian Passport # ARJ40900.  H/P 013-5568522. 40+. 非公民。持印度尼西亞護照。她的孩子們都長大了,有自己的家庭。

今天在人群角落中獨自莫莫望著慈濟志工，因為她住了 30年的寮房被燒為平地。寮房周圍小菜園更被熱熱火煙熏毀了。身為非公民，她沒有任何救濟，也不敢強求。只希望能繼續在這里平安生活下去。

她說，她只有兩個願望.
1- 希望地主繼續讓她租回原有小土地種菜
2- 希望資助重建一個寮房居住下去

但是，為什麼她不在救濟的名單呢？如果政府福利部的名單上沒名，慈濟的救助名單上也不會出現的。

其實，火災發生後，她與所有其他火災災民一樣向官員登記了。但該官員叫她首先去派出所(警察局)報到。到警察局報到只因她是非馬來西亞公民，持著印尼護照。根據國際法，她須由印尼政府照顧。她必須向印尼官方員登記。然而她在馬來西亞生活了30多年。這是典型的非法移民

她猶豫不決定，不去警察局報到………………………………….

三十年來，她每月Rm60租了小塊土地種植蔬菜。另外每年Rm100租住菜園的小寮棚栖身. 她種植Kangkong, Sawi, Bayam, Kachang 等蔬菜。她為斗湖居民提供廉價蔬菜。她是一個廉價勞工。

今所有都燒掉了。所幸她的印度尼西亞護照帶身邊。現在暫住在親戚家 Log Pond of Tg. Batu Laut。

現在，她有兩個擔憂。
1-地主會否火災後繼續將菜園的租回給她？
2-是否能找到援助在菜園搭回一小寮房以便晚上有個屋頂睡覺的地方？

獨自莫莫望著慈濟志工們。她沒有著落。


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Mariana Londong種植蔬菜的這塊土地，在上個世紀還是森林。事實上，鬥湖100年前是一片原始森林。英國殖民地時代由這個區一路延伸到鎮上一帶都是樹木高大的森林。當時英國殖民地醫院是建在鎮上海邊。鎮上是華人店鋪。


這些我今天看到的貧民，他們從哪裡來的呢？
這個非法木屋區，它是如何形成的？

我想解開這個疑問。

60年前這個森林地方只有幾間棚屋, 從印尼來了一個小男孩“阿智Achi”. 之後他再也沒有回過印尼. 他後來也成為馬來西亞公民.

今天慈濟發放日, Haji Achi 正好在人群中，他雖然不是災民，但作為一個長輩，尤其是作為一個“Haji哈吉”, 他也關懷村民。他也高興看到村民接受慈濟的關懷.

當年小男孩的他現在是60多歲了。今遇到到他，我高興地與他聊聊有關這個貧民區由來，想了解更多這些貧民的歷史。

Haji Ahci記得那些年代, 市場上稱重使用的都是中國人的傳統“木桿秤”來 稱重。重量單位“Kati 斤“。糖1Kati斤僅為10分錢。

今天我們使用的是“磅秤” 。重量單位“Kilogramme” 公斤。現在沒有人知道“木桿秤”了。 “Kati” 是什麼？

他記得那時合成公司仍然是一個小商人，和印尼做買賣，從印尼買進咖啡豆。英國殖民政府離開，沙巴獨立，合成開始砍木材，突然變得富有。

他以往住的森林(被砍伐) 逐漸成為今天寮屋區。就是這個發生火災的貧民區。一個鬥湖社會低收入居民的木屋區。

Haji Achi年輕的時候，在英國的馬尼拉麻（蕉麻）農場工作.
“馬尼拉麻樹看起來像香蕉樹” 他給我描述馬尼拉麻. 今天很少有人知道馬尼拉麻是什麼.

1963年英國人離開沙巴。沙巴聯合馬來亞半島成為一個獨立的國家。


2003年，Achi去了麥加朝聖, 回來後尊稱為Haji Achi。

哈吉（al-Hajj）,伊斯蘭教稱謂。意為‘朝覲者’。專用以尊稱前往伊斯蘭教聖地麥加朝覲, 並按教法規定履行了朝覲功課的男女穆斯林。

提到麥加朝聖，Haji Achi感到興奮。這一趟去麥加是他一生的驕傲。他和一大夥馬來西亞穆斯林在麥加一個月的旅行大開了眼界。

他遇到世界各地穆斯林。穆斯林不僅來自阿拉伯國家，也有來自非洲和印度。他告訴我，他還會晤了來自中國的穆斯林。

他記得年輕的時候，在這一區域的種植蔬菜的是華人。華人也在這裡種橡膠園。然後從橡膠園轉換為可可種植園。

1980年這個移民新村開始膨脹。移民數量開始增加。成什我們今天所看到的木屋區。木屋一間 連一間。行成一個巨大的殖民區。只要一棟房子燒，便可燒毀整個區。

如今，華人不再種植蔬菜了。但菜園的蔬菜沒停過。今天，印尼移民繼續種植蔬菜的工作。

一群群辛勤的菜農裡有一位便是Mariana Londong。

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Dayang 019-8001520. 是一位年輕媽媽.

家人替她從大火中救出一台裁縫機。另外兩部裁縫機已燒毀成無用的廢鐵。
生活在這樣的窮人區，她為什麼要擁有三台裁縫机呢？

原來她是“裁縫機輔導員”，指導顧客如何使用裁縫機，如何維護裁縫機。
所以她自己擁有多台裁縫機。

幸運的是，從火中救出那部是最新，最昂貴的一台。

作為一個裁縫機教師雖然沒有高的收入，但每月穩定薪水收入。不過火災兩個月前，她已經從裁縫學校辭職了。

“為什麼辭掉工作？” 我問。
她指一指肚子，她懷上了第二個孩子。第一個兒子現在也1歲了，需要母親在家更多的關注。於是，為了孩子她辭職在家。

火犯那天，她正好在婦女兒童診所做每月健康檢查。家母緊急來電，她從診所緊急趕回。最新的縫紉機幸被保存，其他有價值的東西已失去。
老公小小休車間沒受到影響，從而還有一些財政收入。住宿方面，在一個姐妹家臨時住宿。生活不會受到威脅。

慈濟的天災服務急難生活補助，是雪中送碳.

--------------------------

發放完成，慈濟志工隊準備離開。此時已有兩個年輕人表達熱衷幫助。

這兩名年輕村民報了名參加將來救災工作。
1- Bun 016-8199829 he is an office boy
2- Lius 011-9564345

居民今天看到慈濟為他們做的貢獻。斗湖慈濟志工隊也與日俱增

-----------------------------------全部分完成THE END  -------------------------------

2016年7月29日Kampung Pukat, Tanjung Batu Laut 火災


斗湖這天是一個平常的日子。典型的南洋炎熱乾燥氣候。沒人預測到今天火災将會来临。

中午時分，一個飢餓的家庭因急着預備午餐，結果帶給29個無辜家庭難忘厄運。

--------------------------------
2016年7月29日是一個星期五。穆斯林信徒每逢週五中午列行舉行集體禮拜（Jummah或jummah）。

这天Ramli bin Lahid和大兒子在當地村里清真寺作週五中午禮拜。妻子和小女留在家中。

他們家在甘榜Kampung Pukat, Tanjung Batu Laut. 那是斗湖市東海岸的一個海邊村莊。合法居民和非法移民混居一起。合法房屋和非法木屋環環相扣。

就在清真寺禮拜時, 消息迅速傳開，Ramli他們的村莊著火了。父子倆匆忙趕回。但為時已晚。

木頭做的房屋讓火迅速蔓延。當他們趕到家，家已淹沒在火海中，沒有辦法營救任何東西了。

-----------------------------
1:00 PM大火開始。迅速蔓延周圍木頭房子。
2:30PM消防員終於控制火勢了。

但為時已晚， 這場火災銷毀了Kampung Pukat, Tanjung Batu 20間木屋，29 個家庭無家可歸。其中的一個家庭便是Ramli一家四口.

幸運的是，沒有人在事件中受傷。

當局仍在調查起火原因中。但Ramli的小女兒急不可待要讓我知道起火原因。因為起火正是在她家附近。

她說有一家人想趕快烤幾條魚來吃午飯。為了讓爐頭木碳更快火汪起來，有人便淋點汽油試試吧。汽油是汽車用的易燃品，易燃品要遠離廚房，爐灶附近不放置可燃易燃物品。客廳吊頂及廚房是火災中危險性最大的部位。怎麼來的他們會使用汽油來起火呢？火勢迅速蔓延成沖天大火。

就這樣一個小小廚房用火不慎，29 個家庭留離失所。


-----------------------------
Rosdiana binti Nakip 是Ramli 的妻子。大火時碰巧和女兒在家。母女倆想盡辦法阻止火勢燒過來，用上所有能拿到的水。但海邊風大，木屋易燃。杯水救薪只是徒勞。母女倆慌忙大火逃生。

紛紛離開時也來不及搬離一些家居用品,但好在帶上了身份證和出生證等重要文件。

大火後，木屋燒剩支架殘骸。木屋居民原本已是社會低收入群體, 現在更被火神化為一無所有。明日前路茫茫。

Ramli幸虧同村有親戚， 他一家災後寄居親戚家。政府還提供火災受害者糧食和生活必需品.

幾天后，慈濟志工們也到來物資發放工作。物資包括白米一包,各種乾麵數包。經濟援助 Rm500.

見到Ramli, 他對我說：“所有東西都被燒毀，只留下我身上穿的衣服”。
他女兒告訴我：“我的書包，我所有的書本和我的校服都沒了”

Ramli 和妻 Rosdiana binti Nakip 有兩個還上學的孩子. 大兒子在St. Patrick Secondary School 念初三。女孩在SK Bandar Tawau Dua 念小學四年級。

Ramli 原本在一個木山營地工作。但沙巴州樹木幾乎被砍伐光了。木山公司幾年前停業。他也失業到今。妻Rosdiana 是一個普通工人，月入僅Rm800. 一家四口僅靠母親微薄區區月入Rm800，生活已沉重。現來一個意外的火災，帶來了更深的家庭困難。

災後的社會福利署和非政府機構幫助,社會上各種不同的支援服務和關心,災民非常的感激。

Ramli 及Rosdiana領到慈濟提供物資與經濟援助, 夫妻倆非常感謝慈濟提供的災後協助。

2016-07-17 SUN

我分享今天培訓課程一些感想:
慈濟志工培訓課程內容之一 “慈濟之美，美在團體，團體之美，來自個人” 。志工個人之美 包括端莊。今天培訓課程注重學員食的威儀。
。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。
想起三十年多前，一天在台灣工作的朋友回來。久見的我們一起出外吃飯閒聊。閒談中他有意無意提到台灣的佛教訓練教徒如何吃飯：必須坐直，不說話，必須托起飯碗。飯菜不可掉桌和地上，走路身體不搖擺.....等等
他說得認真，我聽了更加對外國台灣嚮往了。心想，這是好事，未來我有孩子時便送去佛教那兒去教育教育吧...。
但我和他都對佛教沒有興趣，他又為什麼突然想到人家佛教他們的如何如何吃飯呢？
過後慢慢回想，肯定是他見周圍餐桌的食客吃相不夠文雅。我們海外華人的食儀確有待改善。 1來吵 2來亂 3來臟。有失文明。這個有外國見識回來得朋友看不上眼難免要分享分享他一些心得了。 。 。 。
。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。
這麼多年前了，快忘記了。
就在快忘記當兒， 今天偶爾在慈濟學習了”食的威儀“
慈濟的培訓課程注重食的威儀，我學習拿碗的方法。慈濟食的威儀裡，拿碗筷要「龍口含珠，鳳頭飲水」，吃飯要細嚼慢嚥。
感謝慈濟，培訓一個人應該顯現的端莊氣質。

16th Day Last day in Sri Aman

16th Day 2015-04-07 Tuesday Last day in Sri Aman
  

Sri Aman Town
(Simanggang)

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Simanggang Sentral
 Proposed Single Storey Market cum Bus Terminal

Simanggang Sentral
Proposed Single Storey Market cum Bus Terminal
Sri Aman Town is  transforming into a new township with a new hospital, an open air market and an adjoining central bus terminal.

The RM7 million open air market have a total of 100 stalls in the dry market section and 140 stalls in the wet market section.
Traders from the current open air market will shift to this new market which would be more comfortable and conducive for their business.

The present open air market will then be demolished to make way for eight units of a three-storey shop house.

The long overdue Sri Aman Hospital is now ongoing construction. The hospital is already  in the second phase of construction which started on Oct 25, 2015 and expected completion by October 2018. This second phase of the hospital cost RM176 million.

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Rumah Sri Aman (former BritishResidency)

In 1962 to 1964,  I was living in the same neighbourhood with the above old British Resident. Our wooden house was just opposite windows facing windows few hundred meters from each other.
At that time, I did not know who stay in this house then. What attracted my attention was English songs flowing out of these windows. Those days with no Hi-Fi no Mp3 no even cassette-taps, Simanggang was a quiet and tranquil colonial settlement. With no other musical, these songs mean entertainment to me. That “white house” played the same few songs often. Most probably from an old record of those days played on a gramophone.
J. F. Drake-Brockman was the British Residency between 1962 to 1963.

My father was a government department clerk. We stay in a wooden government quarter on a hill slop few hundred meters opposite this white house. In between is a low wet grass field where they play football. Facing this big white house was two wooden windows of our kitchen. From our windows we hear songs played from the White House. The Resident’s music entertainment also entertained me and very often I listen to intensely.

Two of the English songs burnt into my memories. That two unique songs I could not forget. Recently I tried to Goggled from the internet but with vain result.

How the two songs like:
1- A man is signing while a dog would bark alone “Woh… Woh”. This song has a phase “ow….ow…baradi”
2- A lady is singing sadly with a baby crying at the background. This is a sad song.
  

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Shen's Grave located below the hill slop of Fort Alice.

The following was written on the above black marble stone

SHEN'S GRAVE      According to the information found on its wooden grave, this grave was built in the year of Tongzhi (1862), belonged to Shen Dasun, from Huamwi Village in Chaoan District, China.      In mid 1970's, Mr. Tan, the owner of Chop Eng Kee, Simanggang, rebuilt a stone mark for this grave. The details of this historical grave can be found on pages 156-157 in the Souvenior Book of Official Opening of the New Ciyin Temple (published on 31-1-1993)      On 18-4-1997, the members of History Unit, Sarawak Chinese Associationand the associatio's Sri Aman Division Working Committee members made a study regarding this grave.      In 1998, with the cooperation of the Cultural dan Education UNit of Sri Aman Division Federation of Chinese Association and Benevolent Society Simanggane, this grave was beautified and maintained as a historical exhibit.      This unique grave and many others which are not discovered today, marked the presence of early Chinese settlers in Simanggang who may arrived before 1864 - the year whe Alice Fort was built. Cultural and Education Unit of Sri Aman Division Federation of Chinese Association 5 April 1998

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View of Lupar river from Fort Alice

View of Lupar river from Fort Alice

The newly completed Fort Alice was closed on the day I was there. So Lim and I only wandered around the fort.

The fort was restored at RM5million in about 30 months by Mike Boon and his restoration team.

Mike Boon completed the restoration of Fort Alice in 2015. Fort Alice became one of the 14 tropical forts the White Rajahs built in a century that are still standing. It was built more than 150 years ago and was the first to be properly restored.

Today it is a museum.

The fort's structure is important in terms of its classic belian architecture. And it tells the story of Simanggang and its surrounding development. The fort is also part of my childhood memories. I used to walk alone the road below the fort when going to town. It was painted white and served as prison those days. Once in a while a small group of prisoners in white prisoner uniform would come to do grass cutting opposite my house. They were supervised only by a prison guard.  Opposite my house was a semi circle piece of empty space sometimes used to keep stones and sands for construction. So I used to go to play on that empty space walking up and down the marble stones piles.  That semi circle empty land, as big as a basketball field, was facing Simanggang town slightly down below. Over the this piece of space was slop down to Simanggang town, before that was two or three row of longhouse style government quarter of  policemen.

I believe this semi circle space was used as daily assembly point for flag rising in the early days of the British.  So some point between my house and the space should have one or two flag pole standing. And that the wooden quarter we were staying in was earlier the quarter of a high ranking offices.  As time progress and batter living quarters were build for government servants at other locations. The big wooden quarter was vacant and downgraded to quarter for ordinary staff and allocated to my father who has a big family of 4 children. (Later 6 children by the time we moved out. That means the two sisters were born while living in this quarter.).

And that semi circle piece of land originally believed to be used as government officers assembly point was left to wild grasses and used as a storage space of stones and sands became my playground in the 1961 to 1964.

But there was certain part were maintained. That was a ring of plant-fencing at the outer skirt of the semi circle before the slopping down the hills. This fencing was using red bibiscurt plants planted in a semi circle row of about 2 feet thick.  These red hybiscuit flower was later regarded as Malaysia National flower.  Hybiscult plant grow tall fast. However this plant-fencing was often maintain at wrist height by "gardeners". These "gardeners" were the prisoners from Fort Alice who would lead by a prison guard police to come to trim this fencing and cut the surrounding grasses.

In the middle of the semi circle was an opening for foot path down the slop to the police barrage then across a wooden food bridge over a drain.   Across the drain one enter to Simamggang town centre.

This drain was about 3 feet in wide and was not a ordinary household drain of domestic water. It also flow with clear and almost clean water travel down as far as from the Government Resident a kilometre away.

Simamggang is a high rainfall location where it rain every afternoon during the monsoon season. Rainwater accumulate and flow toward Lupar River. Rainwater from the hills behind the British Resident white house flow down from small streams passing the football field (today the sport ground), passing a primary school (today the ???), entering a larger streams beside the main road (today the new township), passing the Simamggang Theatre (today the Theatre Hotel), passing by the police barrages (today the concrete shop lots), passing under a wooden footbridge then into Simamggang River via the back of Wet market (today the wet market cum open market).

That wooden footbridge was where I cross almost every day to school.  The wooden footbridge was narrow and I always walk across cautiously looking down carefully my footsteps. And I always see schools of small fishes in the clear stream water.

Today, the streams were still there flowing as they have always been for hundreds years or thousands of years. The stream water in Sri Aman town centre is still "clear" as before in the 1960s when I saw them during my childhood.  This is a natural gift of Sri Aman and I never ever able to see clear stream water from hills flowing pass a town the reast of life be it in Kuching Town (now city), Kota Kinabalu Town (now city), Tawau Town (most dirty town I every lived in Malaysia).

City and Towns are always networked with drains contaminated human waste water harmful to human life and even to animals like dog and cats.

So the clear mountain water with school of fishes flowing pass a town like Sri Aman is quite a blessing from God the nature. I wish these clear streams of Sri Aman still continue flow for hundreds of years if not thousands.

But today, human environment in Malaysia is decorating not upgrading. New town ship of new market, new bus terminal, new shopping lots, building right besides these centuries old mountain streams. It needs only a few years to see human waste water replaced these mountain stream water.

Very soon Sri Aman lost the tranquillity and healthy environment of once Simamggang.

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I wanted to enter to see the newly restored Fort Alice but its official opening will only be in a few days time. By then I have left and hope for the next coming.

Fort Alice was built in 1864. Today it became the oldest heritage building in Sri Aman (Simanggang).

It was constructed following the victory of Rajah Charles Brooke over Rentap, the last of the major Iban chieftains. The Fort was named after Charles Brooke’s wife, Margaret Alice Lili de Windt. It served as a defensive structure controlling the Lupar River.

For restoration, this 150 year old fort was completely knocked down and rebuilt. It opened its doors again on 18 April 2015 as a friendly and pleasant museum.

Fortunate that Sri Aman still has some of these Sarawak historical buildings protected.

Fort Alice has a narrow escape from a almost successfully “sold” by its local authority to a private commercial developer untill a protection group partner with Sarawak Museum to take over to finance its restoration.
  

Graduated from the University of Western Australia in 1989 with a Bachelor of Architecture. He participated in the restoration of the Kuching Old Court House project in 2002. Since then Mike has been actively promoting heritage conservation in Sarawak. Restoration of Fort Alice is one of his recent heritage conservation project.

Mike Boon

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Old photo in Taman Panorama Benak exhibition hall at Sri Aman 

Old photo in Taman Panorama Benak exhibition hall at Sri Aman 

Morning visited an exhibition with Lim. The main entrance was locked. We entered from side doors. We are the only two visitors.

In the exhibition are some old black white photographs of Simanggang during the 1950s and 1960s.

This above image of Simanggang is very similar of the Simanggage when I was there in 1961 to 1964.

Simanggang is a location with high rainfall. Town people have the habit of carry an umbrella. The umbrellas in those years were made of oil paper from China. There were two type of umbrella separately for men and women. The bigger one in brown colour is for man and the smaller lighter with colourful pattents are for girls.

During raining season, the rain usually lasted for the whole afternoon nonstop. These were the time I have to carry an umbrella to school. Usually an old umbrella of the father. (The new one reserved for him).  The big brown umbrellas are heavier. The lady's smaller and lighter umbrella were most suitable for boys. But the boys does not feel comfortable to carry the smaller umbrella that means for the girls.

A couple of times I forgot to bring back my umbrella. At one time the umbrella was still in the classroom the next day. At another time my umbrella was gone.  Its an old worn umbrella so the adult at home does not boarder about the lost.

And when I went to Sunday school the umbrellas were kept beside the upper stair corner. At that time Methodist Church was renting a 2nd floor corner house in the town centre.  The space in the shop house both Sunday School and Adult services.  Sunday Children Class will start first. After the class finished the children free up the long sitting benches when the adult started to come and continue with the Sunday worship. A couple of years later, the new church building in Fu Chao Ba completed. It was one of the biggest and tallest concrete buildings at that time.  Children classes occupies the two lest and right wing rooms. We had decent classrooms now. And after the classes we have big space to run around the church building. And beside the church compound were all wet land bushes.  The nearest houses were the British government staff quarter not too far away before reaching the church.

Though the members of Methodist Church in Simanggang were majority Foo Chow people. The Sunday schools and Sunday worship were conducted in Mandarin language. Foo Chow was used only for necessary explanation. I grew up with no  ability to understand or speak Foo Chow even though my peer group are Foo Chow children. (Their parents wanted they to speak Mandarin)

One of my classmate Ling Shau Shu's wooden house was near by in a cut down forest.

One of my Sunday school teacher was Hwang Bin Xian. His father was Reverent Hwang of the church.  Hwang Bin Xian only came to be teacher only occasionally when he return to Simamggang. Most of his time was in Kuching where he was working? teaching?

Few years later I completed my primary school. In middle of 1966 my father chartered a taxi to Dragon School bringing me to see the school master in order to be admitted to continue my secondary school. In entering the principle room I was surprise that Hwang Bin Xian was the principal himself. He could not recognize me as his Sunday school pupil  a few times in Simamggane.

We visited the student hostel. Small group in each room. Each has a bed and a cupboard. Behind the hostel was slops with tall grasses. Nice and quiet environment.

I liked the school. But the Principal Hwang could not accept me directly. Most probable this procedure had to be go through the Education Officer in Kuching Town.

So we return to town. Went to see the education officer office at the square white building in front the Post Office. I remember walking up the dark brown wooden wide stair case to the up floor.

When we left the building, I was admitted into Kuching High School.  I completed my 5 years secondary school in Kuching High School in 1972. 

And that white concrete square building is today Textile Museum. Opposite the building still remind as the Post Office.

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Pan Borneo Highway

Pan Borneo Highway

Sarawak has a total road network of 29,000 KM, out of which of 1,000 KM Pan Borneo Trunk Road from Sematan to Lawas. I left Sarawak in 1982 and came back for several visits the last decades. Much has been changed since then. I could not identify the road networks in Kuching and lost in directions each time I drive in Kuching. When I left Kuching was a town and when I return Kuching has developed into a new city.

To keep myself updated, I decided to travel the Pan Borneo Highway the first thing after retirement. Starting the very Eastern end Tawau Town down the Western end Sematan Town.  From point "A" all the way by buses to point "T" as indicated in Google Map below:

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Pan Borneo Highway project : http://chiengjen.blogspot.com/2014/10/

2017 March I will travel the 2nd time the Pan Borneo Highway. This time driving a small car VIVA 1000.

With own transport, one will have more flexibility in stopping and seeing new things along the way.

Promise of a bright future ahead

Promise of a bright future ahead

Bright Future Ahead

PROMISE OF A BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD

- Paper cutting art design by TAN-CHENG 譚正

A dynamic youth laps above the horizon casting her dream into the sky. Her left hand raising a torch with flame ablaze, so that the world could see the light of future. Her right hand is clutching a book inscribed the word “Baha’i” that is the Holy Writings of Baha’u’llah. In which He foretold of a New World Order

Behind her is the horizon of a future modern world. A World symbolized with modern tall skyscrapers and a satellite disk. Morning sun raised at it full shine, brightly crowning this dancing youth with the glory from high above.

This picture symbolizes the promise of the Baha’is for a bright future ahead. And this promise is in the hand of the young people with female playing the leading roles soon to come.

This picture is one of strength, majesty and hope, as visible in her torch and Holy book. Holding aloft a light that never fails, she represents courage of a progressive young generation lapping toward a bright new world.

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This was a piece of paper cutting art of the last century in 1985 India. It was published as the cover of a Chinese deepening material of the Baha’is. Volume GLORY B.E. 143. in Malaysia. 

This was a piece of art of extraordinary creativity of paper cutting. When most artists create their art on paper with pen or brush. This piece of art was cut out of a piece of black hard paper. A time consuming paper cutting skill less artists in the world practice with.

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CHEENA BHAVANA - Location where the above art created in 1985

Dear Principal of Baha’i at Hong Kong

Dear Principal of Baha’i at Hong Kong
1987

Dear Principal of Baha’i at Hong Kong - a letter from a young Cambodian refugee written in  detention center. 

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25.7.1987 Xxxxxthany Xxxxx Or Thany Xxxxxx ROOM 4, I.D.C. Soi Suan Phlu P.O.Box 12.1088 Bangkok 12. Thailand Dear Principal of Baha’i at Hong Kong I did not write to you for many months because I have been busy studying your Baha’i correspondence course.  After sending the answer sheets back to Malaysia, on 24.6.1987 I went to Bangkok hoping to meet Mr. Wong Fook Yee. But he was not in the Baha’i Center at Bangkok when I reached there on 25.6.1987. On 26.6.1987 I returned to my god father’s home with my full brothers. On 27.6.1987 night, I and my brothers were detained by immigration officers for the reason of illegal staying in Thailand. We were detented in police station of Bankmat for about 7 days. After that we were locked up in Buriram’s jail for about 24 days while waiting for a court trial. On 21st.7.1987 we were sentenced by a judge  to 5 months imprisonment and 1000Bath each person for offending the law. Now  we are at Suan Phlu Detention camp at Bangkok. I am very sad…… pity my brothers who are staying in the youth camp instead of going to school. Instead I and my brothers live in jail.  Whether I live in the jail or in Suan Phlu detention camp are the same …no freedom….. I don’t throw away my Baha’i Books or Prayers of Baha’u’llah. Would you solve my problem, please?  And you ought to help me to solve my case that involves my life and future. Would you help to give good advices to me please. Principal, members, teachers, students, my life in jail today are difficult but it is easy for those rich men. When they have money, they can do many things, buy cake or food for lunch. For me and my brothers never have enough to eat. Don’t know what is desert, don’t know what cake is. Prisoner’s life is very difficult, however I like to show my truth pursue that I don’t want to return to live in my country, I want to live in a third country. But I don’t know how to go about it. I ask for help from you. Because every day other Associations and Religious groups came to visit and help their own members. And I awaiting  my Baha’is association to visit me, but don’t see any one come to meet me. So you ought to solve and help me too. Lastly, I evoke to Spirit of Baha’i to help me and provide me a good advice and living supply to me who live in jail that has no freedom. Hope you help me and provide to me some sundry. Oh. Excuse me please and correct me. And I have changed my name THANY KHOUN. Don’t wonder. Hope! Hope to receive your reply and your supply. From (signed) Xxxxxxthany Xxxxx Or Thany Xxxxx

Thany’s original letter was written in Local English style which may not be easy to understand for outsider. I have rephrased his letter into the a Common English version we  easier understand his situation in the detention camp in Bangkok.

A few background introductions to this letter. Is was 30 years ago……….:

1- Thany is a Cambodian young man I personally never met. I know him through correspondences he wrote directly to me from a refugee camp in north of Thailand. I was Refugee affair Co-coordinator in 1987. Perhaps I was the only outside help he could get hold of, he decided to “escape” from refugee camp at the North of Thailand border and took the risk of “illegally” entry to Thailand  to venture south to Bangkok City to seek help from me on 25.6.1987. That particular afternoon, I was not in office. Two days later he was de-tended by immigration for “without passport”. This is his letter from the detention camp. After this letter there were a couple more letters from each others. After that his fate is unknown to me.

2- July 1987 I completed my work contract and left Thailand.  By the time I hear from him again he was writing the following letter to NSA Hong Kong from Immigration Detention Camp in Bangkok. Because my name was mentioned in his letter, the Hong Kong office felt obligate to passed a photo copy to me.  Just a photo copy of his letter with no remark, no verbal information on what the NSA has replied to him

3- What desperate help this Cambodian young man was seeking? This is his own words:

“……..…..I like to show my truth pursue that I don’t want to return to live in my country, I want to live in a third country……………… I evoke to Spirit of Baha’i to help me and provide me a good advice and living supply to me who live in jail that has no freedom”.

This cry for freedom voices 30 years ago in last century is still heard today among waves and waves of  new refugees around the world.

This letter in 1987 I have  Rephrased, summarized and Googledlized for precise Google Translation into other languages.

CHEENA BHAVANA Visva-Bharati University

CHEENA BHAVANA,  Visva-Bharati University in 1984

中國學院, 印度國際大學
 CHEENA BHAVANA
 Visva-Bharati University

Tagore (1861-1941)

Tan Yun-shan 譚雲山 (1898-1983)

Visva-Bharati University was establisged in 1922.

CHEENA BHAVANA at Visva-Bharati was established under guidance of Tagore himself with the help from  Prof. Tan Yun-shan 譚雲山 in April 1937.

During the time of Tagore and Tan Yun-shan 譚雲山, scholars from Europe craved to study and research at Cheena-Bhavana, Visva-Bharati. 

Famous French sinologist, Sylvain Levi (1863-1935) joined Visva-Bharati as the first Visiting Professor who taught Chinese and Tibetan and present during the inauguration ceremony of Visva-Bharati. 

Xu Beihong徐悲鴻 (1895-1953) from China researched and taught at Visva-Bharati, Cheena-Bhavana.

Cheena-Bhavana was established with the lofty ideals of strengthening the age old cultural ties between India and China, promote Sino-Indian understanding, translate back Buddhist scriptures into Indian languages and become a pivotal research centre in Sino-Indian studies.

But recent decades it has shrunk as a ‘department of Chinese language’ and the whole department has not been able to produce a single research paper in a referred journal in the recent few years.

However, there is strong sign of changes recent years after the University signed MoU with a university in China. And a few more MoU with other Chinese Universities are on planning.

After brief war between China and India September-October 1962, Nehru came to Visva-Bharati for annual convocation on 24 December 1962. 

Nehru was very hurt after China war and was criticizing China in a vicious manner in his convocation address.

However, when Nehru saw Prof. Tan Yun-shan 譚雲山, crying bitterly under a tree in white-clad Ashram suit, he changed his speech. He proclaimed,

“In Visva-Bharati you have got various departments. You have got the Cheena-Bhavan under a distinguished Chinese scholar (Tan Yun-shan). That is a good thing to remind you always that you are not at war with China’s culture or the greatness of China in the past or present. (See Jawaharlal Nehru’s Speeches, vol. 4, p. 27.). ”

Prof. Tan Yun-shan 譚雲山 was close to Nehru, Gandhi and Tagore.

http://muktodhara.org/?p=3465

Tagore and Tan Yunshan

1984, I came to Shantinagathan and stayed for two nights in a hostel mentioned in Lonely Planet travel guide book. (I might came once earlier in 1983, but memories at this age of 62 is unclear now. I never wrote any diary while in India for 2.5 years)

I strolled around the campus and met an African student majoring Comparative Religions and a subject in Arts. He brought me around and to see his art classroom. There were sculptures. He show me his drawing of an Indian potrial.  This is a drawing practise in his class and the model for this drawing was a rickshaw man in real life. The school invite him sometimes to be their model in drawing lessons. The school chosen him because this rickshaw man has a unique.

This African friend I newly met also took me for a walk to the nearby rice farm.  The rice farms were very different from the padi (rice) farms back home in Malaysia. My maternal  grandmother in Sabah also has a big rice farm which I been to once.

This rice farm in Shantinagatan is vast and one felt like to run over the vast big field. See images belows.

We haste on without heed, forgetting the flowers on the roadside hedge.

We haste on without heed, forgetting the flowers on the roadside hedge.

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— The Gardener, 1915 BY RABINDRANATH TAGORE India Who are you, reader, reading my poems an hundred years hence? I cannot send you one single flower from this wealth of the spring, one single streak of gold from yonder clouds.   Open your doors and look abroad. From your blossoming garden gather fragrant memories of the vanished flowers of an hundred years before.   In the joy of your heart may you feel the living joy that sang one spring morning, sending its glad voice across an hundred years.

Orange Color Flower

Melastoma - Singapore Rhododendron

Passiflora foetida

Purple Grass Flower

Little White Star Flower

Purple Grass Flower

Purple White Flower

Little white purple flower

Mimosa - The Sensitive Grass 

Eichhornia crassipes - The Water Hyacinth

Ipomoea aquatica - KangKung in Indonesian, Malay

Neptunia Plena - Aquatic sensitive plant

It was the young Japanese who made Rabindranat Tagore known to me.

In 1982, I stayed in the Tibetan Boarding House in Calcutta City.  I chose to stay here because this is the cheapest accommodation I could afford in the City.  This boarding house happens to be also the favorite accommodation of a constant flow of young Japanese coming to India in search spiritual enlightenment. They are not hippies. They are admirers and followers of Tagore.   These I met in the boarding house are those such as University fresh leaver who not yet have a job. (That is why they chose to stay in this cheap accommodation)

We were room mates, we talk to each other. Almost every one told me they came for Rabindaranat Tagore.  At that time I knew nothing about Tagore.

“You do not know Rabindranat Tagore?” One young Japanese asked me surprisingly.

“I do not know who he is.” I told him truly.

He gave an introduction of Tagor to me. And told me that Tagore has a school at Shantiniketan Town, Bolpur, today a leading university, Viswabharati.  In that school, student study in the open air under the trees.

Study under the trees! That is romantic. I like to pay a visit to the school.

That was only the second days I  arrived to India.  So I stared my understanding of India through Rabindranat Tagore.  And  it was the young Japanese who make Rabindranat Tagore know to me.

A week later I made my first train trip in India from Calcutta to Shantiniketan where Tagore’s University is.

Rabindranath Tagore, the poet laureate from Bengal, was the first Asian to win the Nobel Prize in 1913 for Song Offerings, an English translation of Gitanjali. 

Rabindranath Tagore was not only the first Indian, but also the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. 

Tagore’s original English writings are mostly essays, poetry being his translations of his original Bengali poems. 

Two interesting English works of Tagore, Stray Birds

and Fireflies contain poems, both original in Bengali Language and English translations. 

Besides Gitanjali (Song Offerings) which earned him the Nobel prize, among his other poetical works in English, all translations. Here is a list of his works: 

1- Gitanjali (Song Offerings)

2- The Gardener, 

3- The Crescent Moon, 

4- Fruit Gathering, 

5- Lover’s Gift and Crossing,

6- The Fugitive

7- The Child

“The Child” is the only major poem of Tagore written originally in English and published as a separate book. Tagore was never ambitious to be famous as an English writer. Though he was born into an elite family and well-exposed to Western culture and literature, had visited England twice and had many Europeans as acquaintances and friends, his preference of language for his literary expression had always been his native language, Bengali.

Old Streets, New City, Morning Light

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View Jalan Carpenter in a larger map

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	Medan Pelita - STAR CINEPLEX, TANDOORI PALACE, formerly REX CINEMA in 1970s
	Hong San Si Temple
	Harmony Arch at entrance to Carpenter Street
	Ernest Zacharevic’s Murals in Kuching

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29-7-2014 TUESDAY

I woke up early in the morning before the sky turns bright. I want to see how the streets feels like under the dawning lights.

After a cup of hot tea from the lodging house in Jalan Tabuan where I put up for this short Kuching trip, I am on the cool morning silent street of Jalan Tabuan curious to see what the first things interest me.  I want to see what remains familiar sight of these streets where I frequently walked on in the 1970s. That was 40 years ago.  40 years!!!!!!!!!

The next morning 30-7-2014 WEDNESDAY I arose even earlier, because just one morning is insufficient to see all the old streets of Kuching. Hopefully the second day will cover the rest.

This page is a summary of the two mornings.

1)St. Mary’s Primary School
2)Colonial-Chinese style shop houses
3)Medan Pelita
4)Kuching State Legislative Assembly Buiding (Dewan Undangan Negeri)

6:39AM Its Tuesday, a weekday when students suppose to be on the way to schools at this morning hours, but no sight of Kuching High School students, or St. Mary's girls, or St. Thomas boys.

This is the old streets I walked pass every school day in the 1970s among the crowds of students from 5 primary and secondary schools. The two other schools are Chun Hwa Primary School No: 2 and Chung Hwa Primary school No: 4 all within the same area alone Tabuan Road.

But this morning no one student in sight. Seem all schools closed. Yes! All schools closed for a 1 week Hari Raya public holidays.  All commercial offices also closed for 2 days on 28th and 29th July 2014. That is why I am here in Kuching taking advantage of the holidays to come for a  niece's wedding).

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Sa Gak Po 三角坡 at Jalan Tabuan

At the northern end of Jalan Tabuan is a gentle slop. Since the White Raja’s time the Chinese has been calling this slop 三角坡 (Sa Gak Po) means Triangle Slop. It was really a triangle shape round-about during my school days in the 1970s.  Today the “Triangle” is replaced with traffic lights for the 3 junctions.

At the end of the slop is St. Mary’s Primary School and this block of 4 heritage shop houses.

This block of 4 heritage shop houses gone through renovations but the main structure remain unchanged.  The windows structural design remains as original as it was built in the 1930s.

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(3) Medan Pelita building

Rex Cinema in Kuching is now replaced with Medan Pelita building, a complex consisting of Food court and restaurant, multilevel Parking spaces and Star Cineplex (Cinema).

Rex Cinema was the cinema shown all the western films in those year 1960s, 1970s. I remember the film THE SOUND OF MUSIC in 1967. The cinema offer a special ticket fees for school students for special extra shows in the afternoon. So one afternoon, my whole class of Form 1 of Kuching High School walked from classroom to Rex Cinema for THE SOUND OF MUSIC.

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6:45AM I pop into one of the noodle stalls at Green Hill Road and routinely ordered Kolo Mee and a cup of milk tea.  This is my breakfast for today. Opposite the stall is Star Cineplex (above photo).

Coffee-shops with  food-stalls are dotted all over Kuching old town. Those locally popular and traditional ones are found along Jalan Carpenter, Main Bazaar and Padungan Road.

Today I strolled Jalan Carpenter and Main Bazaar. Jalan Green Hill is where most of the budget hotels are in the same area.

Kuching Kolo Mee

Kolo Mee originated from the Hokkien Chinese and is a common every day dish in Kuching City. Today Kolo Mee has spread to Sabah and West Malaysia many are copying the name but without real tease and quality of Kuching’s Kolo Mee.

Visitors to Kuching or any part of Sarawak usually tried a bowl of Kolo Mee otherwise they considered one has never actually been to Sarawak.

Kolo Mee is  Egg noodles that are fleshly-boiled, then classically served with crushed garlic and shallot, minced pork or beef and white vinegar. Some of them come with sliced barbecue pork known as char siu or beef.

Hong San Si Temple

7:02AM Young people jogging pass Hong San Si Temple before heat struck. Just 100 meters from the right of the temple is the 1.7 Km Kuching Water Front where fitness enthusiasts enjoy their morning jogs and evening strolls.

7:15AM A curious Chinese lady tourist passing by the temple while a devotee performs his morning prayer.  Kuching City’s cultural diversity attracted a steady grown of tourists from China in recent years.

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View on a larger map Jalan Carpenter

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Jalan Ewe Hai

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2014-07-29  7:42AM Tuesday
I did not know there is a third Chinese Temple in Carpenter Street till today. All the while I knew there are only two.

The front door is wide open with a sign board on top of the door say “Temple of Queen of Heaven” so I walked up the stairs to see for the first time the new temple installed only in the year 1987.

An ornate Chinese temple dedicated to the Queen of Heaven. Thean Hou (the Queen of Heaven) has been worshiped as the protectorate of fishermen and villagers by the sea.

Good view, though not panoramic, of Kuching Town center. The temple balcony is the only public location to view the roof top of Carpenter Street.

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上帝廟 Shang Ti Temple, Carpenter Street

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Harmony Arch at entrance to Carpenter Street

At the turn of 21st Century, the old Kuching Town turns from commercial era to tourist era. With many of the commercial activities moved out of this old part for this small area is long longer able to meet the rapid expansion of Kuching City. 

The history of Carpenter Street became its asset in attracting steady stream of visitors that earn Kuching (and Sarawak) millions of income each years. Those days in 1970s when I walked along these area, I had not idea that this is how Carpenter Street would one day become today.

To add value to tourism and heritage, this Chinese style Arch was build in 1987 and named HARMONY ARCH (see photo above).

Honestly, if non-Chinese friends asked me for a list of sight-seeing sites in Kuching before coming, I will not include Carpenter Street because there is simple nothing interesting for them to see.

But for my self, I must walk through Carpenter Street a couple of times each time I come to Kuching because I grew up here while I was a secondary student. I walked the street each schools and left behind uncountable foot prints in memories. There are so many old things to see and so many old memories to be refreshed.

Carpenter Street is my windows to the outside world from a feudalistic Hakka family. So isolated were my parent (so as many other old Hakka in Sarawak) they made little association with the Teochew or Hockien other then their own few close Hakka relatives because of dialects differences problem.

For the local Chinese and tourist to old Kuching, Carpenter Street (Attap Street)  is 350meters street stretching from the West end Harmony Arch to the East end Hong San Si Temple. And this Carpenter Street is the heart of Kuching’s Old Chinatown. (The whole Old Chinatown included Main Bazaar)

But in official geography map this short 350 meters street are combination of 200m Carpenter Street and 150m Ewe Hai Street.

For me I would just follow the local Chinese and call the whole street Carpenter Street instead of the confusing East section Ewe Hai Street and West section Carpenter Street. After all it is only 350 meters and physically it is only one street.

Architecturally, Carpenter street lined with evocative, colonial-era shop houses and 2 vibrantly colored Chinese temples.

The 3 Chinese temples in Carpenter Street are main attraction to tourist today.  During my school days 40 years ago, it was only Hong San Si Temple at the East End that captured my curiosity. This Hokkien temple with roofline of tiled dragons was established sometime before 1848 and extensively restored in 2004.

In one of the lane is a shop selling coffins. This shop, hide in a quite corner, is closely links to our family. This is the shop that supplied the coffins of my parents (2003 and 2008) and provides the necessary back up services of funeral services.

Stroll through time at Carpenter Street : http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/07/13/stroll-through-time-at-carpenter-street/

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View of Kuching State Legislative Assembly Building over the old shop houses of Carpenter street.

29-7-2014 TUE 7:44AM View of  Legislative Assembly Building over old shop houses.

The new Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building view over the rooftop of low rise shop houses of Carpenter Street. In between and out of view in above photo is the Sarawak River.  It was this location my grandfather landed Borneo 100 years ago escaping hunger from China.

100 years ago this location was the busiest spot in Borneo. Today when Kuching expanded into a modern city, this part of old town calm down to a laid back corner almost forgotten.

But tourists insisted of coming to see this Old Kuching. What they see in the morning activities are people simply relaxes and chills out. No more the days of Kuli (laborers).

This is a heritage street to walk around with remaining things of the pass interesting to see.

Interesting to see is also the strong survivor spirit of nature through these young trees (see above image) growing over the hundred year concrete shop roof.  They will keep on growing and growing till the occupants feel threaten and cut them down.

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29-7-2013 TUE 8:21AM A man just came out from a Worshiping Items Shops (神料店) with two beg full of Joss paper and Hell Money (see above image). The Hong San Si Temple is just 50 meters away at the end of the shop lot.

There are a couple of Worshiping Items Shops (神料店) remain along Carpenter Street. Those days had more of these shops.

Worshiping Items Shops are Taoist shops selling Chinese worshiping articles such as mini altars, joss sticks, idols of Taoist deities, Taoist images, urns, "hell money" for the departed.

Traditional China burn Hell money and paper models of luxury items  when paying respect at the graves of their ancestors.

Many traditional Chinese burn Hell money as a sacrificial rite to honor deceased relatives, but economic development has brought more unusual tokens of gifts for the after-life such as motor-cycle and  sedan car (see image above)

For those uncultured Chinese who did not receive good education, they believe when a person die, his spirits (ghosts) go to an afterlife to continue live on. In this Hell, they do the same sort of things like we did on earth, eating, drinking, playing, have wives and almost any other material things one could think off.

For the deceased wealthy men, in Hell they would also have several wives and mistress and maid servants.

In order to ensure that they have lots of good things in the afterlife, their relatives send them presents, and Hell Notes (Hell money) to spend in the afterworld. In addition to Money there are also elaborately and multi-colored paper watches, paper clothes, paper cars, and even refrigerators.

These material items all made of paper for the purpose of burning in the belief that doing so sends their essence to the afterlife world, where the recipient will be glad to receive such material goods.

Taoism is not Buddhism which often confused by some Chinese themselves. Taoist is Chinese traditional origin while Buddhism is a religion from India. The 3 temples along Carpenter Streets are Taoist Temples not Buddhist Temples as often wrongly introduced by some tourist’s promoters.

In those days, being a Christian, I avoid direct contact with these shops. But today I view such shops with a completely different perspective, this is a piece of precious extincting ancient Chinese tradition ………. It is something my grandchildren with have no more a change to see.

These are a traditional of things and practice phasing out within the Chinese society within this century.  Thought some young generations will still carry on the "practice" for many decades to come, but the new generations are merely doing for fun, for “unique lifestyle”, for “presentation in FACEBOOK”, to show off to their non-Chinese peer groups that they are “Chinese Authentic” for superior reasons.

But their old generations of parents and grand parents were doing these for genuine divine worshipping purposes.

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Ernest Zacharevic’s Street Arts in Kuching

29-7-2014 TUE 12:49PM   I came to Tower Market (formerly Open Market) for a bowl of noodle for lunch.  And opposite the market is Electra House where Ernest Zacharevic left behind 2 master pieces on the nearby old wall.

An interactive street art lively interact with street art lover.  A young lady came and offers this young Orang Utan a can of Soya bean drink. What a cute and lovely scene in Kuching daily life.

Street Artist Ernest Zacharevic came to Kuching just 3 months ago for a week invited by a developer to introduce street arts to the citizens of Kuching.

On this piece of heritage old wall of Kuching, this talented painter brought his interactive street art with this new piece showing a bunch of Orang-utan chilling on a wheelbarrow and waiting for the occasional passer-by to give them a push.

While another naughty Orang-utan stray away and climb up to the near by water pipe waiting for someone to give some food.  A young lady came and offers this young Orang Utan a can of Soya bean drink. What a cute and lovely scene in Kuching daily life. (see photos above)

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Ernest Zacharevic’s Murals in Penang

Here are some download from Internet (above images).

“Young Cyclist” with Ernest Zacharevic himself the artist
“Little Children on a Bicycle” with adult young in heart
“Bun Seller”
“Graping from Bun Bicycle”
“Happy Brother and Sister on Swing”

Ernest Zacharevic made a scene on the streets of George Town, Penang in 2012 when he was invited to the project "Mirrors George Town" as part of George Town Festival 2012.

His artistic presentation comes in the form of beautifully murals (Wall paintings) at streets in the inner George Town.

Ernest Zacharevic's murals in George Town include figure drawings and portraitures that celebrate the exuberance of life in the inner city. They include (see above image):

"Boy on a Bike",

"Little Children on a Bicycle"

"Little Boy with Pet Dinosaur".

Ernest Zacharevic came from The Republic of Lithuania. His murals in old street of Penang make Penang filled with artistic atmosphere. Now he is bringing the same talent to fill old streets of Kuching also with artistic atmosphere.

Ernest Zacharevic’s FACEBOOK :

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印度街India Street 

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Masjid Bandar Kuching 

30-7-2014 WED 6:27AM This 80 meters narrow lane in India Street (image left) will soon become history and replaced with a reconstructed wider lane. This is Indian Mosque Lane “Lorong Sempit” of India Street. This narrow lane connects two streets Indian Street and Gambier Road and served as a short cut in between for shoppers and worshippers otherwise their alternative is a long walk to the other side.

In the middle of the lane where there is a bright area with blue transparent roofing (see above photo) is the location of the Indian Mosque (Masjid India or Masjid Bandar Kuching).  Soon this old wooden Indian Mosque originally built in 1834 will be preserved as Kuching heritage site and the devotees will shift their location of prayers to a new mosque which will soon build beside it.

On the others side of this lane is Gambier Road, as morning grows, this street will turn to a world of aromatic spices and striking colors. 

This lane is always crowded with passing by and the area is busier then Carpenter Street.

But today when I came to see how Kuching looks like in the morning light, there is not a single person except me.  Me alone quietly push open the old wooden entrance door and step over the cements door steps. Me alone silently walked pass the cool narrow lane toward the bright light of the mosque and peek through the Mosque door gazing at the tranquil prayer hall (image above)

Me alone in early morning light with this oldest mosque in Kuching. This is quite a moment to remember in one's life.

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Kai Joo Lane of India Street

30-7-2014 WED 6:30AM  From India Street I entered Kai Joo Lane and spend quit some time here as never before. Those days few people like me stay away from here. But that was 40 years ago. This morning the lane is quite with a few people passing by. Most shops are closed. The few opened are coffee shops and bakery shops including an Indian coffee shop selling Rodi Chanai where a Muslim Mula sits in the open street for cool fresh morning air (see photo above)

The two rows of 30 over shops along the 150 meters Kai Joo Lane were built by Teochew businessman Teo Kai Joo (1870-1924) in 1923.  (He built the shops in 1923, he passed away in 1924 in China when he went back for a visit. That means he never lived to see business growth of his shops).

While Lorong Simpit is the short cut from India Street to Indian Mosque at Gambia Street, Kai Joo Lane is the short cut from India Street to the Central Police Station at Jalan Khoo Hun Yeang

It was in the 1970s to early 1980s there was a fire at the shop houses in the evening and I was watching from behind of Electra House.  The shop houses in fire were between Kai Joo Land and Ban Hock Lane. 

I seldom pass this lane as it is out of my routine route. But occasionally, like once in a year, I would deliberately walked this lane for curiosity. 

What stimulated my curiosity in the 1970s were the couple of coffins shops at Kai Choo Lane. I would walk as slow as I could to see how the makers making the huge Chinese traditional wood coffins. And a couple ready made at display at the shop front. These heavy black wooden cases are scary items to look at. Even at this age of 61 when I am near to the time to select one for my self, I will never allow my remain to RIP in such a horrible box. Yet this design has been used by Chinese tradition for thousand of years.

Kai Joo Lane’s nick names in the pass are “Coffin Lane” and “Opium Lane”.

Before the WW2 the Opium Houses were concentrated here.

After the war when opium was restricted, Opium duns moved out. Coffin Makers gradually moved in to start their business.

By end of last century, again all coffin making shops moved out from this narrow lane to batter locations. 

Those old days scenes of Chinese coffins and coffins makers were all long faded into memories.

Kuching is fast changing, fast developing, and fast beautifying herself.

Today, the lane is a known location for pineapple tards and cha siu buns made by a couple of bakery here.  Tourists came specifically for tea break at the couple of coffee shops.  And one day an order for 10 tubs of pineapple tarts received from the Prime Minister’s office……… read the full story below:

Stroll down Kai Joo Lane : http://www.theborneopost.com/2013/06/16/stroll-down-kai-joo-lane/

沙釐巷 : http://life.sinchew.com.my/node/8622?tid=64

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Jalan Khoo Hun Yeang

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Gurdwara Sahib (Sikh Temple)  Kuching

30-7-2014  WED 6:55AM  The 6 Golden Domes of Sikh Temple in morning light.

Flock of  pigeons in front the Sikh Temple. I  love to watch them (and feed them) but some one has already done feeding at this early hour. White color pigeon is chosen as symbol of peace and this multi-colored pigeon is a symbol of peace among multi-colored.

40 years ago I was quite familiar with this area because I walked through almost every Saturday afternoon to the Red Cross Headquarter 200 meters further up. I was an active member.  But, though a temple was there, I never aware in those day any place of worship at that location. 

When ever I walked pass my attention was focus on a 2 story white concrete + black bilian big colonial house somewhere behind the Sikh Temple. That old colonial house was divides in several rooms and rented to several Chinese families with many children. It was always full of house hold activities such as mother or daughters hanging up wet clothes for drying on the cloth lines in the front yards, children hanging around with bicycles. That colonial house might not be there any more today.

Sikh is a minority group in Kuching as else where in East Malaysia.  Being less in number, most people have never a change in association with a Sikh in daily life. 

But in Kota Kinabalu,  I had a Sikh neighbors living just a few houses across the road in Luyang, Kota Kinabalu in the 1975-1977. This Sikh family has pretty young daughters my age group………………….

……………………………. I must write down memories of  those days in Kota Kinabalu before I forget.

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Masjid Lama (Old Mosque)

Masjid Lama (Old Mosque) was formerly the State Mosque of Sarawak before taken over by the present new State Mosque across the river at Petra Jaya.

This mosque was completed in the year 1968 when I was in Form 2.

1970 when I was in Form 4, Zahara brought a few classmates and I visited this still newly shinning mosque.

Zahara was one of the two Muslims students in my class Form 4 and 5.  The only two Muslim students in the whole school.  And also the very first time when the school administration started to enroll Muslim students in 1970.

I remember it was Hari Raya. The group of us took a sumpan (today they call River Taxi) across the river to one of the Kampung where Zahara’s house was. It was very joyful. (Off cause, we were all jokers then).  Zahara’s house was a wooden stilted house short distance from the river. We took group photographs in front her house.

 Someone suggested to Zahara to see the new mosque (perhaps it was me, because I was the only hyperactive in the class.).

In that year of 1970 when Sarawak was still laid back in architectures, a modern mosque like Masjid Lama was quite a pride for the Kuching forks like me. The building and completion of this big mosque was big news those days.  It was the state mosque of whole of Sarawak, with modern and splendid structures no other buildings yet to rival. Its golden domes were inspiration we can see only from other mosques through films and magazines.

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Jinnah Building

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St. Thomas Cathedral Kuching

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They said that I LIVED ON TREES. 

Not a joke but a common idea of many people those days in West Malaysia on this part of Malaysia where I came from.

I studied my secondary school between 1966 to 1971 at Kuching High School. I left Kuching Town in 1972 to work in Sabah.

Kuching was not a city then and was quiet with little development. Many West Malaysia did not know much about Kuching and Eastern part of Malaysia. Their history lessens did not cover much about Borneo Island as our history books covered in Sarawak schools. One primary school principal I met in West Malaysia in 1980s has some idea where I came from …… he said its a place where “people still live on trees”.  I made no attempt to clarify him because as late as in the 1980s Kuching was still too mystical and magical place and had no qualification to be used to compare with their modern Kuala Lumpur City.

How Kuching looked like during my school days?

Brian Houldershaw kept some valuable snap shoots in the 1964. Following are selected some. These are the old streets I walked on. Thanks, Brian!

Photographs by Brian Houldershaw in 1964

1 Topo Troop in Kuching. Photographer Brian Houldershaw : http://albiefield.co.uk/Sarawak/60sphotos/Kuching/index.htm

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