Memory @ Port Dickson

It has been a while I never have gathering with such a big group of friends. Last weekend, myself together with Lee Wen, Mei Lin, Manda,  CY, Jaselyn, Ah Loy, Douglas, Ah Zhong, Brian and Rock went to PD for gathering. They are all good friends of mine from MYVIC Club. It is great to have such gathering to strengthen our friendship once in a while. It is nice to meet back Rock who MIA for quite some times and also the rests.

While waiting for Ah Girl, we went walk along the beach and to the mangroove little island.

Lee Wen in action...

Manda.. our Malaysia next top model...

Mei Lin and Rock

Lee Wen and Rock.. again...

Start our journey early in the morning and reach Port Dickson. While waiting for Ah Girl and Ah Zhong, we talk back our memory in Kukup and all those days we have in Penang, Desaru and Cherathing which use to be MYVIC Club acitivities. Soon after Ah Girl is here, we proceed to Tanjung Tuan, where we hike around 20 minutes to reach the Light House. The view from the light house is breathtaking as you can oversee the view of the sea and the beach. Tanjung Tuan is noted as an important birdwatching area. Migratory birds can be spotted here between September and March when they overwinter. 

Yes.. Rock again.. practicing his Ah Wong look... with his blue snakey tongue..

Handsome Brian...

Lee Wen trapped in mangroove jungle...

MYVIC Queens... 

Photo taken when on the way to the light house of Tanjung Tuan. .

Picture of me with wonderful background of blue sea and sky...

Mei Lin also want a photo to be taken at the peak of the light house..

Once we reach the light house, we continue down to hike down the hill through the jungle hoping that it is low tide so that we can trek along the beach and back to the stage where we start our journey. However it was high tide and we have to hike back to the light house and it is very challenging for those who do not exercise regularly.

I guess picture told more than thousand words... they just love to camwhore... and suddenly

Brian pretending to pose cute cute in front of the camera

Immediately after finish our trekking and hiking, we went back to PD town n have our ice cream which is quite famous in PD. The owner of the shop is from Austria and have been in Malaysia for the last 15 years. Back to check-in at our hotel, Glory Beach Resort which is about 10 minutes from the PD town.

At night, after our dinner at seafood restaurant we head back to PD beach and walk our way through the busy pasar malam of PD which offer varieties of delicious foods. We bought some ayam percik, roti jala, popia and some foods to have small party in our apartment. Play 007-Piang at night. Those who get punish will be "make-up" with white watery baby powder. Celebrate birthday in advance for Rock and Mei Lin which fall in this month. 

The victims of the game...

Ah Zhong who was "badly" beaten during that game..

Rock with his garfield look...

Ah Loy the Yu Fa...

Brian with his cute cute pose again...

Last but not least.. Ah Girl.. our Happy Fruit...

Happy until Brian also syiok sendiri...

The next morning, we headed to Kedai Kopi Pak Alang for breakfast. The look-alike church kopitiam is famous for its roti sardin, coffees and many mores. The kopitiam was so packed with customers when we were there and end up waited for almost 15 minutes before we could get our table ready. It was a pleasant trip to be able to gather with a group of friends who are really close with you. Although the time that we spent is short, but I believe it is meaningful to each and everyone of us.

Group photo after the 007 game. Too bad Douglas wasn't feeling well therefore he is not able to join us for that game.

Am I lucky? And yes,.. I'm A Virgin.. Hahaha...!!

Just before we depart back to KL, we have another group photo together for the last time.

For more picture, please click HERE.

ROM of Ken & Jen

2 weeks ago, I was in Thean Hou Temple for registration of marriage for Ken & Jen. Thanks for their trust on me for taking their photos on their important day. I know Jen long time ago because we are both very active in St John Ambulance during school days. Congratulation to Jen and Ken and present to you the photo on that day.

The Love Story of ... Ken and Jen

The perfect couple 

The sign that declare  their love

Jen's family

Ken's family

Capturing the special moment for them

Ken and Jen taken at the Thean Hou Temple

Putting their faith of love with trust and respect

Happily married new couple

As happy as the couple of bear

Group photo with family and friends.

For more photos, please click HERE.

Valley Of Hope - Sungai Buloh Leprosy Settlement

Few weeks back, I went to Sungai Buloh Leprosy Settlement together with Joshua and Douglas. It was my first visit there and immediately I fall in love with that place. The surrounding was so calm and peaceful and it is away from civilization. 

We were there to help out to celebrate Mooncake Festival together with the remaining people who are still staying in the Sungai Buloh Leprosy Settlement. I found out one article from SinChew Daily which I feel will elobrate in more details on why we should preserve their settlement.

After 80 years of history, there are only less than 400 people remaining in the Sungai Buloh Leprosy Settlement. This settlement, which once had more than 2,000 patients, has no new cases after prevention and cure treatments were found in the 1980s. Since then, some of them returned to the society and reunited with their families. Some people are old and have decided to stay at the community forever. As the number of population is reducing, some facilities have been abandoned, and some have been used as the hostels for flower nursery workers. Some parts have also been used as warehouses. Meanwhile, some has been dismantled to open up more land for flower nurseries.

When the leprosy settlement began losing its original purpose, the Ministry of Health decided to develop this settlement into a medical faculty with medical treatment and research facilities as well as staff hostels. However, this development was bound to completely dismantle the original leprosy settlement as it needs to cope with the demand for more space. Under such circumstances, this historical and culturally-significant settlement will be knocked down completely. In order to preserve this heritage, an architectural researcher Lim Yong Long had submitted a proposal to the Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage early July last year for it to be gazetted as a National Heritage site. He hoped that his proposal will convince the government to change its plan and preserve the settlement. However, he has failed. The eastern side of the settlement, which has more than 70 years of history, has been alienated by the Health Ministry last September.

But attention was drawn to it following press reports and the publicity campaign mounted by the Kuala Lumpur & Selangor Chinese Assembly Youth. The Kuala Lumpur & Selangor Chinese Assembly has successfully formed the “Save Valley of Hope Solidarity Group”. This non-governmental organisation is the first cultural heritage preservation group that was formed by young people (their average age is less than 30 years old) in Malaysia. They have since a series of activities, such as seminars, press conferences, photo exhibitions, tours and a carnival themed “I Love Valley of Hope” last December. They hope more people will understand the significance of preserving Sungai Buloh Leprosy Settlement, as well as its cultural heritage. When more and more people understand the preservation value of Sungai Buloh Leprosy Settlement, the government will certainly feel the pressure from public opinion and thus re-review its development plan.

Apart from spreading the message of the importance of the leprosy settlement and conveying to the government the wishes of many to preserve the settlement, another important task at hand is the site research on the Sungai Buloh Leprosy Settlement. The environment needs also to maintained for the memory of the people who have stayed in the community for decades. This culture represents the history of this place. Therefore, besides trying to save these historical heritage, its spirit (intangible culture), such as oral histories, record of activities, habits, customs and so on must also be recorded, because this will be gone when these buildings were to be demolished.

The members of the “Save Valley of Hope Solidarity Group” come from different backgrounds and specialization. For example, lecturers and students from Chinese Language courses can join the information group for data collection and oral history survey. For those who are in mass communication course, they can help in publicity, promotion and video recording. Members with architectural background can do study and research on the historical buildings, assist in the alternate development project, participate in the planning work and so on. Meanwhile, members with sociology knowledge can create a way to build a community identity among the residents. It can help to arouse their enthusiasm in preserving their home.

When the support group began their investigation and research work, students from Taiwan Chung Yuan Christian University's Department of Landscape came to Malaysia. These students know mapping survey. They helped in the survey of the settlement's living environment. The complete record of the existing living environment was done through visitation, field mapping and photography. These techniques were used in other countries. For example, during the period of Japanese rule in Taiwan, Japanese anthropologist Chijiiwa Suketarou used this approach to investigate Taiwan's aborigines. Later, especially when their culture was gradually replaced by foreign culture, these historical surveys have become the most important basis to study Taiwan's prototype construction and aborigines' buildings. For the same reason, it is necessary to record the living environment of the residents in Sungai Buloh leprosy settlement as soon as possible when the leprosy settlement is about to disappear.

The so-called living environment survey is to map the environment. Not only the structure of the buildings would be recorded, but the space use will also be recorded. For example, furniture display, life apparatus, and even activities. As technology is getting advanced, they can now make use of digital technology, such as digital cameras and video cameras. These records will eventually be helpful to anthropology, architectural and medical studies. By then, we can at least have a detailed record before the leprosy settlement is completely removed. These records have its significance.

As the Sungai Buloh Leprosy Settlement was being dismantled, the young “Save Valley of Hope Solidarity Group” never give up. On the contrary, they were getting more and more enthusiastic in the activities. As the participants come from different backgrounds, their plan and activities become more and more diversified. When the government was adamant in going ahead to remove the old structures arguing that it has not heritage features, the young campaigners new ways to move their work forward. We want to ask: when the young people begin to see the deeper significance of preserving historical heritage, shouldn't the government review their attitude?

Regardless of the result of the leprosy settlement, I believe that the young people who have got together in this preservation activities will understand the importance of cultural heritage preservation. Not only this preservation can be used to attract tourists, it can also further inspire us when we obtain rich historical information from the heritage project. The preservation is good for the future development of various areas. Therefore, historical heritage preservation will not fail as long as someone is involved in the such activities. Even if the buildings were to be dismantled in the future, we would still have the records. With such an education opportunity, the young generation will become the new driving force in cultural heritage preservation in the future. If we can continue to call the young people to join the preservation activities, our country's cultural heritage will have hope. (By Zhang Ji Qiang/ Translated by Lee Mei Nyee/ Sin Chew Daily)

Sauce : http://www.mysinchew.com/node/9997 and http://valleyofhope.blogspot.com/