As usual this is one of my many short articles which I will churn our occassionaly for the benefit of those who would care to read it. I am a born-again-Christian and it took God another lenghty 18 years to carve me into something that can speak like a human being, have the feelings of a human being and behave as what a sane human being should be expected to behave.
At the the age of 52, my "sosok" "figure or form" resembled what should be a human being but that is as far as it stops. My speech, actions, behavior and instincts were that of a vivious animal. In Biblical terms, I would be categorized as a lieutenant of satan, or even closer his right hand man or aide-de-camp. There wasn't anything good in me. I delighted in hurting people and taking revenge was my speciality.
How was the Good Lord going to teach a born-again-Christian like me at the age of 52. I was as bad as they came and even worst. It happened one night around 11:25pm on November 14, 2006 when I was just ambling around the lounge of my house with nothing to do. I suddenly became nauseous and dizzy and my abdomen hurt excruciatingly as if 2 Gunung Agungs was simultaneoulsy was erupting in the region of abdomen. I thought this was it, I was gonna die and all I could think of was my family. I Lay uncoonscious on the ground until 6am the next morning when my wife woke me up. I could hardly get up and she had my daughter send me to the ER Ward of UMMC. They immediately did the tests and the results that came back was not good. First I was suffereing from very severe high blood pressure, the second I had aortic dissection (ascending and descending) and I had a large aneurysm in my abdomen. There were 3 surgeons gathered around me, a general surgeon, a lady, an Indian cadio thoracic surgeon who was also a professor and a vascular surgeon. Their prognosis was not good, if I did not have 3 operations done on me within a month, I would most likely die. Then I asked my chances of making it on the operating table, the truth was even more depressing, only 25% coming through alive. It is now almost 2 years now and I am still alive albeit with occassional pain. It was when I was lying at UMMC that I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord abd Personal Savior.
I am now being treated at another hospital and the prognosis looks positive. My condition has stabilized without ant operations being done. Every month I had to travel to the hospital for check ups. Nowadays I spend my days reading the bible, listening to TV evangelists on youtube and talking with more senior Christians who were only too willing to help. One day, when my condition has improved, I shall pay it forward and help other people who are facing the same situations I am facing. I rely on the Holy Spirit as my guidance counsellor in practically almost everything I need. My old habits have been replaced by new ones and I am thankful for the Lord Jesus Christ for this.
I have gone through many experiences since then and I often pray/converse with my Heavenly Father the whole day and night. Now when I die I am assured of the place I would be going to. Dont wait before its too late before one accepts Jesus as His Lord and Savior. Do it right now.With technology, eveverything is made so simple if one wants to find out things and the procedure required to become a Christian. I have dropped off my old friends and God has replaced them with wonderful new friends. Act now and dont delay.
There are so many people who are so open-minded that their brains literally fall out. I am by my own admission no-hero but neither a coward either. I am just an ordinary Chinaman who loves a quiet life and likes to be left alone for the major part of his life. Of course I did meet many weird characters who were addicted to drinking, some smoking, some nighclub dancing, some disco dancing and some who were deeply addicted to massages.
The Ukraine and its heroic President and its resilient people should be applauded in repelling the Russian army from taking over their country. Just keep supplying the Ukrainians whatever they need to repulse the dastardly Russians and their cohorts.
I have beaten the medical specialist predictions on the amount of time I have left in this world. I am not proud or arrogant about it as I know as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, everything is dependent on my Heavenly Father, God the Son and the Holy Ghost. I have nothing to boast about to God. This is going to be my shortest blog ever written by me these past 8 years. This is neither a pre-emptive eulogy or anything related to it. It is a story where at the background of it is a landscape dabbed in pain and more pain than I can bear to tell. My heart goes out to the millions that have gone through what I am going through and many still going through the fine line that divides life from death.
I will not quote a single verse from the bible because they are all relevant. They reveal the story of one Man who knew from the day He was born that He was going to die so that many may live through His death. His pain He bore with dignity accepting the fate he was destined to face from the first day He spoke His first words. That is bravery above bravery, courage above courage and Love above Love. For 33 years he has no roof to sleep above His head, He did not grumble or whine but He withstood everything the people He was going to save who threw everything they got at Him. No man, no not even any supernatural man could wistand what he withstood because He was not a Man.
When He grew up, He told the people, give me your poor, your hungry, your sick, your downtrodden and those whom the world discards as not human. They are my brothers and sisters. One day they will sit with me at the right side of the throne of glory.
One day, quite soon I will go but the words I leave with you with remain until eternity. So be it, my work has been accomplished.
Today is the day after Wednesday, a cloudy windy evening showing signs of an impending downpour. It isn't supposed to be the rainy season but the laws of nature have been turned and twisted by man's callousness towards what God has bestowed upon them as his gifts to be enjoyed and to protect the environment God has placed men in to breed and live.
It is a Saturday morning, December 18, 2021, 3:59 am Ordinary Time. It has been raining consistently since last night without stopping a moment. It is not dawn yet and the denizens in the surrounding neighborhood are still asleep. I got up at 11:30 pm last night and has been awake since then. Dear Father I thank you, for the last 4 days, the pain in the abdomen has been decreasing imperceptibly. I am still taking my medicines regularly. I have 4 main types of medicines I have to take. Oxycodone (for severe pain), tramadol (moderate pain), Atenolol (heart rate) and perindopril (for hypertension). Father I have to watch what I eat but oftentimes I give in to temptation especially when it is a favorite food of mine. The quantity has to be monitored to. Lord, please help me watch over these seemingly small but very important things lest my condition flareup again. Father I have prayed you heal me completely but as thy will be done and not my will be done. It is only 4:10 am and I am already tired so I need to take a rest on the sofa in the lounge while I recuperate.
Babylon under Belshazar saw the writings on the wall of his place during a great feast but he did not know its meaning neither could his court soothsayers and magicians shed any light on the strange writings. Then Daniel living in captivity in babylon was summoned to interpret for the king. And Daniel said, "The days to your kingdom has been wanted and you have been found wanting. Your kingdom will break apart to be shared by the Persians and the Chaldeans.
The League of Nations was intended to prevented to prevent a catasthrophe and failed in its mission. After the victory of the Allies in 1945, the United Nations consisting of the 4 major victors was established to take the place of the League of Nations. Ask yourself honestly since its inception has it ever succeeded in preventing or obviating an aggression initiated by a hostile nation against another nation, YES or NO. NO seems to be the obvious answer isn't it.
So too the writing has also appeared on the walls of every nation in this world and the destruction of this world as we know it is only a matter of time......when? This time it will be an apocalypse of such gigantic proportions, no nation or city will be left standing and the Son will rightfully occupy the throne His Father vacated two thousand years ago at the temple in Jerusalem and a new reign of eternal peace will reign in eternity for the people He has called to be the inheritors of the kingdom known as paradise. Amen
Today is a Friday afternoon, November 12, 2021, Ordinary Time. The tropical skies over Malaysia are gloomy and ominous with huge patches of dark black clouds pre-warning of a tropical thunderstorm to happen later in the evening or night.
This morning I awoke at around 6 am and as usual, a wave of nausea and pain beyond imagination swept over me commencing from the aneurysm in my abdomen. The doctors had only given me a week to live at most when it was diagnosed on October 25 last year (2020) but it is nowmore than a year and I am still around. Last month during my monthly follow ups with my specialist, he remarked 3 times that I am a miracle and I am inclined to agree because all this while I have been praying and pleading with my Heavenly Father and His Son My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to extend my life in this world as long as it possibly can. Matthew 19:26, "For man it is not possible but with God everything is possible". For spiritual strength and nourishment I have going through the video clips of pastors Rick Warren, Joel Osteen, Victoria Osteen and their son Jonathan Osteen and also Pastor Joyce Meyer. I have learned much from them especially on how to pray and converse with the Almighty and His Son. This is my daily routine and I find them to be a great source of encouragement and strength.
I am still not without pain but the act of doing something productive and meaningful does help me in a great way to take my mind of my own personal prolems. The world at present does not seem to be basking in health and glory and wars and atrocities coupled with natural disasters associated with climate change is adding to the gloom and despondency sweeping across the world today.
I do not understand why people in general want so much power and money. Are these two things so crucial to a happy and sustaining life. I have worked for more than 30 over years and I can honestly say I have accumulated almost nothing in terms of material wealth. Granted I am not able to afford expensive holidays, big cars investing in shares and assets beyond my means. But all in all, I am quite contented with the life I lead. Most of my clothes are hand me downs and my home is as modest as can be. My neighbors are hardworking tradespeople coupled with a mixture of retirees. My only entertainment is youtube video clips and reading the tabloids and talking to neighbors whenever I am able to. I have experienced ups and extreme lows in my life. I have never been blessed with a strong constitution but thanks to God He has recused me from almost certain demise on many occasions. There is one group of people I do not trust no matter their affiliations and those people are politicians. But politicians are a necesssary evil of life.
It is Friday night now, but no TGIF for me. It is home sweet home for me. A quiet night with the family in front of the tv. My neighbor's mom was buried this morning. The whole ceremony costs about RM450,000.00. I havent decided between an early Friday night or to stay up a bit late to catch some tv. I rather talk/pray to my Heavenly Father who always makes time for me.
Try always to give the benefit of the doubt to the other person even if you don't agree with him. This is not being a cowardice but to avoid an unncessary confrontation which gets us nowhere and neither party benefits. I know many people do not agree with me. But there are special instances where you see a visible wrong being committed on another person, then by all means tell the perpetrator that what he did was wrong and he should righten the situation.
It has often been said the most unlikeable people are the people who need love the most.
It is never easy to try to like an unlikeable person but God demands that doing so would be an example of God's love towards His creation. We like to be around people who like us and keep a wide berth away from people whom we dislike. It seems paradoxical that the Gospel should say otherwise. But the Gospel is about life upside down. Often it is in direct conflict with the secular laws and behavior of this world. If the world loves you, then you would be loved, if the world hates you, then you would be hated. The reasons are unimportant. It is an example of the herd instinct of 'follow the crowd', after all the crowd cant be wrong. Jesus paid the ultimate price for telling the world that what they were doing was wrong in the eyes of the Father but the world chose not to listen.
Today is Saturday November 13, 2021 afternoon. I woke up at 6 am. The pain in my abdomen was as bad as in previous days and I am most grateful to the Lord. In the subsequent two hours of the usual discomfort in the stomach, I conversed/prayed with my Lord constantly seeking comfort and consolation as well as courage to face this malady of mine. By the specialists accounts I should have been dead more than a year ago but here I an today, still breathing and living, albeit with pain and discomfort but far away from the seriousness of death or requiring emergency treatment. In fact, things seem to be getting better, albeit pianfully slow but nonetheless the improvement in my condition cannot be denied. If this isn't a miracle in progress, Then I do not know what a miracle is. Even in miniscule improvements in my condition can cause me great happiness. I no longer take life for granted as if it was my birthright bestowed upon me because i was someone special. He breathed life into me because of His genuine love for me.
I now view life in a complete different perspective. I view life from my Heavenly Father's viewpoint. I try my best to do what pleases Him in little things that is within my control and I look upon my Lord Jesus Christ as my elder brother who looks after me while I go about my daily business. The Holy Ghost is the Wise Counsellor who advices and guides me along the true paths of righteousness and He is the one who tells me who can be trusted and who cannot be trusted and He also helps me to differentiate between the truth and a lie. He is my divine counselor, advocate and solicitor in this broken world. When I accepted One, I accepted all three in One and All One in Three, that is the agreement and arrangement. Of late I have also noticed a slight change in my outward and inward behavior. I am slow to anger and I am no longer impulsive as I was in the past but most important of all I have stopped judging people for what they are and what they are not for that is the domain of my Heavenly Father. In short I no long play God.
I thank the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost for the many blessings and gifts that have been showered on me and my loved ones and I no longer compare myself and my loved ones with others of the human race. But truth be told, I am still far from perfect and still a work in progress. Both my parents are now in Paradise with the Lord together with the other saints throughout the centuries. They no longer suffer from pain, discomfort, fear, anxiety, despondency. They share and talk with the other saints who are with them in Paradise basking in the glory and love of the Lord. My father in law and mother in law are with them too. I do not know how Paradise looks like whether it is governed by time and divided into night and day. But from what Paul says in scriptures it is an unimaginable beautiful place, a place that is so wonderful that no human eyes or ears have ever heard or seen. That is hwy he says in 1Philipians 1:21, "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain". I have a small family taking into acoount everyone and it is one fervent wish and prayer that at the close of this world, all my loved ones would sit together at the same table and partake of the feast the Lord has prepared for all those He has called as His own. Oh! what a joyous day that would be!. To hear the voice of the Lord for the first time and also to see face-to-face the countenance of the Lord for the very first time.
In the company of such giants of christianity I can only feel deep humility to have been chosen to partake of the feast in Paradise for those who have been faithful to Him. For the little period of suffering and discomfort in this broken world, isn't it worth the wait to enter this Paradise which has been specially prepared for us?
THE DEMISE OF MR. LIM THEAM SIEW
Mr. Lim Theam Siew an alumni of Victoria Institution died in Singapore about a month ago in Singapore. Word first came to us through the grapevine and not surprisingly many of us were shocked that he had died of cancer. Mr. ES Shankar made further enquiries into the passing of this wonderful man and I am sure he will be able to furnish us more details.
I Personally knew Theam Siew and frequently engaged in conversation with him about things in general, HE was from Hepponstall House and we were in the same class.He was a quiet soft spoken young man and very helpful.He was renting an apartment in Loke Yew Flats together with his sister. He was exceptionally good in mathematics and the physical sciences. On occassions especially on Saturdays and Sundays I would visit him and we chat for hours on end. As far as I could tell he was never a taleteller (gossiper). His favorite singers were Simon and Garfunkel.
The above is a religious talk given by the famed preacher Joyce Meyer. Liten to it and be open about it and it might just get you into Heaven.
My old and dear friend Ming Teck visited me yesterday. He looked thinner and fitter. He will be going back to Singapore at the end of this month as his daughter is married to a Singaporean. Times are getting on and both of us have aged. He is a Christian and true and dear friend. I hope to go to Heaven soon just as Paul said in Phillipians 1:1, "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain". This is a broken and suffering world and things are going from bad to worse. As far as I am concerned, there is no more hope left for the world but its ultimate destruction at the Second Coming of Christ Jesus. Paradise and Heaven are such beautiful places and free of pain why should I not want to go there. But the timing shall be according to the Father's will and not mine. The fear of dying has already left me. It is better to be Home with the Lord than in this broken coruupted world below. The Apostles were the first people to realize this, that is why they were not afraid to die in the Lord's name. The violence and anger in the world is almost intolerable and there is really no point in prolonging my stay here without a good valid reason. But as I have reiterated it all depends on our Heavenly Father's will and not our will.
Today September 22, 2021, mid afternoon and hot. I embedded two songs above one by Cher and the other by Mary Hopkins. When the albums were released I was still a young schoolboy. So many years have since passed but the songs are still nice to hear and listen to. Our bodies grow old and wasted. Our eyesight dims, our hearing is impaired, our hairs turn grey, our reflexes slow down considerably and we tire easily. Yet our minds and hearts remain as young as ever as if it was only yesterday when we were seven years old and in our classrooms for the first time. The spirit never grows old, only our flesh grows old.We see our friends and family growing old and likewise in turn they see the same in us. That is only the perspective in our minds. When we return home, we will be restored to our original sinless nature by our Lord and all pain and suffering will leave our bodies.
Be thankful for what we have even if it is not much. The quantity is subjective and relative to our circumstances and environment. Oftentimes the perceived "little" that we have is so much more than what others have.
Today October 14, 2021 Ordinary Time CE, is the second day of water disruption in the Klang Valley. This is now perceived to be an endemic nature that nobody bats an eyelid but remain fatalistic that whatever the powers of water in the state of Selangor does, it is not water management. Formerly known as Syabas, it was bad enough but now with the takeover by Air Selangor, the situation has deteriorated even beyond the accpetable margins of water outages. If you were to go to their website for more details and information, be prepared to be sorely disappointed, beyond what has already been reported in the newspapers. This poor state of affairs has been going on for years but what can we helpless rakyat do to rectify the situation, basically nothing, the company is protected by powerful politicians and wealthy businessmen who have strong links and ties with the government. It is absolutely depressing that an organization can be so unfeeling and could not care two hoots for the welfare of the people who they are suppose to serve.
It is past midnight Agustus 28, 2021 and the place is Kuala Lumpur Malaysia where I am now currently residing, not out of my own free will but dictated and forced by circumstances relating to my health. Things could not have been worse with Malaysia's exponential increase in new covid cases coupled with the uncertainty of the political landscape. Malaysia just recently inherited a new cabal of clowns (its new cabinet lineup) led by a well known hyper-raclialist who has since downed a new set of clothes resembling a "saint". He speaks and acts differently now since it does not pay for a chief clown to let his guard down.
Well it is still the same bloated cabinet of 70 odd old white-haired clowns that have seen better days. It would be better if they passed their time pottering around their spacious gardens surrounding their equally spacious and majestic bungalows.
Because of the severe pain caused by the aortic aneurysm in my abdomen I did not sleep the whole of last night. To keep busy, I had conversations with my God and Lord occassionaly watching videos on my android box. It was a pleasant night, quiet and followed by a heavy downpour that lasted more than an hour. I prefer quiet to the hustle and bustle of human voices and activities. I ate 6 slices of brown bread spread generously with peanut butter, a favorite of mine and occassionaly caught a few winks where possible. The specialist at a private medical center prescribed a very powerful opioid to manage and control my pain in the abdomen. Basically I rely on two verses from the Bible to help carry me throught the night and day. The first is from Jeremiah 29:12 - "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" and the second is from 2Corinthians 12:9 - "My Grace is sufficient for you, my power is at its best in weakness". By these two promises of the Lord Jesus Christ, I feel very confident in due time the Lord will deliver me from my comorbidities that plague my body today.
Today Sunday August 29, 2021 was a rather quiet day. Still the latest figures on new covid cases have yet to be published by online portals. I had a satisying lunch, simple but nourishing.
It is Agustus 30,2021 the eve of Malaysia's Independence Day. We have a new and dynamic Health Minister in Khairy Jamaluddin. Hope he will be able to manage and reduce the number of daily new covid cases. Unlike in the past, there is no festive mood in the air. The general mood is understandable. I had my lunch at around 12 pm followed by half a plate of rudjak. The rudjak was quite nice actually. It's now 3:24pm and sunny and hot.I wonder what the new covid cases would be like today.......still hovering around the 20,000 mark more or less? It has moved to Agustus 31, 2021, Independence Day for Malaysia and 3 am and I am still awake. The pain in the abdomen is a bit better these days. I rely on tramadol and panadol to get buy and eating wisely and moderately. It is now 4:55am before dawn and raining heavily outside. It has started raining since 2 am with intermittent breaks. We are now in the South-WEst monsoon period to end sometime in September and then followed by the more serious North-east monsoon. I wonder how my country would fare with the covid pandemic in cold and wet weather as it has known to thrive in cold conditions. One thing I have discovered about comments made by the health experts and medical professionals is that their theories and comments about how the virus will take its course are all inaccurate and way off the mark. I do not know how they come to their conclusions but in the final analysis I suspect it is not based on facts on tests gauged from empirical data conducted over a period of time, but just what they happened to read from books, articles and periodicals from their other contemporaries in other parts of the world.
The tante living beside my house passed away peacefully in her sleep this morning. She is quite an institution in our neighborhood and has numerous friends. She will be missed of course.
Today is Agustus 2, 2021, Thursday 08:22 am. I slept well last night and woke up at 7:15am this morning. Nonetheless the pain is a bit bad today so I took my pain medications at around 8:30 am. I also took an anxiolytic to help me relax and keep my mind from thinking nonsensical things. Many things are happening around the world , the Afghan crisis, climate crisis and its consequences in wildfires, extreme temperatures and flashfloods resulting in landslides. Innumerable suffering. An existential question, are we approaching the last days? Money seems to be the pre-occupation of the world, just look at the programs and articles focusing and talking about the stock exchanges around the world and the fanatical obssession with things relating to economy and how companies perform in the wake of the pandemic or should I say pandemuck. They even have exclusive priority banking or privilege banking. This is a direct metaphorical statement that all men are not equal.
It is now 11:35 pm still a Thursday night and yet I am still awake albeit tired and a bit sleepy but not really wanting to sleep. Malaysia's new covid count today is 20,988 still a very high number. I really do not know how the government is going to bring this figure down to manageable numbers. Nobody seems to have a seminal idea or new innovative way of working down this figure. I admit sometimes my mind goes to the aneurysm residing in my abdomen. it is now 8:42 am and the rain has stopped. Malaysia today is going through 3 crises, first the fight with corona virus, the second political instability and third an economic situation going from bad to worse.Things are not looking good, indeed they could not be worse. Our frontliners are not so selfless as they make themselves appear to be. They are all civil servants working in government hospitals and health facilities. As such they are not the cream of the crop. Attitude seems to be a perennial problem with them. I have been in and out of both public and private hospitals, and my advice to all is if you can afford it stay clear of government hospitals. Indifference and tiada apa attitude seems to be ingrained in everyone of them. If they have a conscience it is not apparent to us patients who happen to be there not by choice but by chance. Many patients die of a broken heart in government hospitals are being roughed around like dirt.
I learned today pain the characteristics of pain is a double-edged sword. It can bring out the best in us or it can bring out the worst in us. Whichever way it turns out is up to you and your faith and trust in God, your Creator. As Shakespeare once said, "There are more things in heaven and earth, my dear Horatio than are dreamn't of in your philosophy (science).
It is September 9, 2021. It has been raining since 2 am. It is still quiet and life hasn't started to move yet.
It is September 10, 2021, and 04:32 am before fajar sidik (dawn). My wife has also just got up from bed from the other room where she sleeps and watches over my youngest grandson. I feel alright this morning, thanking God for giving me another new day of life. In spite of my comorbidities and health challenges, I value my life and grateful for to the most High God for his graciousness and mercy and His Son, my Lord Jesus Christ for His constant watching and caring over me and my loved ones. I am not fluent with my words and oftentimes I cant seem to be able to find the right word to describe my joy and gratitude to Christ Jesus for the ultimate sacrifice he made for all of us. But I also know words are not important, but what is more important is what is in the heart where our deepest emotions and true feelings reside. That determines our character.
Today Friday September 17, 2021 CE time 9:15 am. I had a simple breakfast of a small piece of singkong (ubi kayu) fried with cabe rawit (cabai burung) and bawang Bombay (red onions) as it is called in Indonesia. Washed down with a glass of plain water, well that was my breakfast as far as the morning was concerned. I am doing some extensive research of my own on the history of certain roads and places in Kuala Lumpur and also my alma mater, Victoria Institution which then was the premier school in the country. The only other school that perhaps could rival VI was Singapore's NJC (National Junior College) but NJC was not strong in sports events and only focused on academically inclined students. I have friends in NJC some from Hong Kong and the Philippines and they often visited me at my home during their semester breaks. During that period, Malaysia's proficiency in the English language was second to none. How the sorry state of affairs we see here today we owe it entirely to our leaders and academic gurus who wanted to level the playing field, they wanted to see more inclusivity at the expense of quality. I had a classmate a Dr. Tan Beng Siang who completed his Ph.D. in electrical engineering at Imperial college University of London in just under eight months and his masters at 6 months. I have not seen him for almost 45 years not since he last came down to visit me at my dormitory. A top student but lousy at sports. He was thin as a rake and dressed no better than a person from skid row. I have almost everything I need in my old age except for 3 serious comorbidities which is currently managed by my youngest daughter who holds a Ph.D. herself in pharmacology from the UK. My eldest daughter is a trained professional accountant and my second son is a professional engineer in electrical and computer systems engineering. My kids are not crazy with money and they have very realistic expectations of themselves. My time is spent between my grandkids and my laptop. I am not much into social media and most of my news comes from traditional mainstream media.
I suffer also from insomnia and would spend the whole night either reading or watching movies on my android box. I remember my primary school headmaster Mr. Tjiu A Kong, a genial, chubby character who always had a smile on his face and a nice word for the parents of the pupils under his care and tutelage. Of all my primary school teachers I only remember my class teacher in primary 3, a Mrs.Lim and it was then 1962. We often sat on the floor when she had a story to tell us. She was a kind soul and very compassionate. Life during the sixties was uncomplicated and the only threat the nation faced was from the communist terrorists who often disrupted our peaceful way of life.
I had a friend while in primary school. I cannot remember his full name but I used to call him Tamil Michael. Doubtless he was Tamil and his name was Michael. He was born one week earlier than me and we were immediate neighbors. He studied for both his primary and secondary education at St. John's Institution, for his family were devout Catholics. After school, we used to spend a lot of time together and we did things together and went places together. His father worked in the government printers in San Peng Road and the dad cycled to work everyday.Tamil Michael lifelong dream was to be a priest and towards this goal he worked very hard. The family consisted of 12 children and you could imagine the hardships they faced. Meals were often insufficient and taken twice a day. On Christmas Eve, Tamil Michael and his siblings would gather at our house and watch Christmas programmes via our black and white TV set. There wasn't any pretensions between our two families and we got on very well together. Sometimes, Tamil Michael and I would cycle to the church in Peel Road where they had a quiet room for us students to study. Often on Saturdays and Sundays would find us in that room pouring over our books.
Yes, Tamil Michael was my best friend and he returned the favor by calling me Cina Michael. During the Sino-Indo War of 1963, I remember the family meaning both parents, elder siblings (daughters and sons) pawned their jewelllery and other important valuables and with the cash sent the money to the Indian government via the local Indian embassy to help India in its fight against Red China. Many Indians lost their lives especially the military and Nehru then prime minister of India had to appeal to the United Nations Security Council to halt the Chinese from further attacking Mother India otherwise also known as Sangam. It was a turbulent time and I recollect Tamil Michael's parents only radio was always tuned on to All India Radio for the latest updates on the war. It did not look good for India as Red China had made considerable advances into India and I can still remember Tamil Michael's mom crying her heart out for Mother India. Luckily not long after, the UN Security Council imposed sanctions on China and eventually the Chinese withdrew their armies back into their own borders. During this period there was never an instant of animosity shown by Indians towards the local Chinese community and for that I salute them.
Today September 20, 2021, a Monday morning. I got up at 4:30 am had a quick shower, shaved and watched some tv. I wonder what the day will bring today? Will there be more bloodshed or rumours of bloodshed? I started on a new drug called meteospasmyl for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (constipation predominant type). The roads outside my house is quiet, a sign of the seriousness of the covid situation in the country.
Of late the country has been viewed and often called a pariah country by other countries. Is this true? Sadly I have to admit there is some elements of truth in the statement. As of today, I can say most assuredly that not a single minister is both capable or has the ability to think outside the box. Foreign investors are giving the country a wide berth and even internal investors are not to keen to sow seeds of capital on parched dry land with swarms of uwir-uwir (locusts) flying over the lands (this is a metaphor to describe the politicians and the cronies taking the good luck of the positions to reap as much as possible before they call it a day). If one were to scrutinize the cabinet line up, one cant help but notice the common denominator is old age, grey-haired gentlemen, pot bellies and wrinkled faces denoting years of thievery and thinking up schemes to rob the country's assets and treasury. Serving the rakyat couldn't be furthest from their minds. Whether they are educated men or women is left to one's imagination as not too long ago many have been discovered to have submitted false credentials on their profiles and biodata. One thing is certain they haven't the slightest intention to commiserate the poor and starving masses on their minds. It is sad when one come to think of it that men who already grandfathers and hence should know better would have it in their inner nature to indulge in the "small boys" behavior to steal, manipulate, lie and to indulge in power grabbing, all traits of an immature character. These bad things begin in a small way and as the years grow by, the hearts are thickened by feeling that it is an easy thing to do and get away with it. What has religion taught then.......nothing........in fact many of them are of the conviction that they have been ordained by God to multiply their wealth by the grace of God. Money or the love of money turns them into vile animals who feed on the rotting carcases of other animals.
This piece of narrative is written in the Indoenesian Language because this is the preferred tool of communication for the author's narrative.
The History of Indonesia before independence.
Sejarah Indonesia meliputi suatu rentang waktu yang sangat panjang yang dimulai sejak zaman prasejarah berdasarkan penemuan "Manusia Jawa" yang berusia 1,7 juta tahun yang lalu. Periode sejarah Indonesia dapat dibagi menjadi lima era: Era Prakolonial, munculnya kerajaan-kerajaan Hindu-Buddha dan Islam di Jawa, Sumatra, dan Kalimantan yang terutama mengandalkan perdagangan; Era Kolonial, masuknya orang-orang Eropa (terutama Belanda, Portugis, dan Spanyol) yang menginginkan rempah-rempah mengakibatkan penjajahan oleh Belanda selama sekitar 3,5 abad antara awal abad ke-17 hingga pertengahan abad ke-20; Era Kemerdekaan Awal, pasca-Proklamasi Kemerdekaan Indonesia (1945) sampai jatuhnya Soekarno; Era Orde Baru, 32 tahun masa pemerintahan Soeharto (1966–1998); serta Orde Reformasi yang berlangsung sampai sekarang.
Secara geologi, wilayah Indonesia modern (untuk kemudahan, selanjutnya disebut Nusantara) merupakan pertemuan antara tiga lempeng benua utama: Lempeng Eurasia, Lempeng Indo-Australia, dan Lempeng Pasifik (lihat artikel Geologi Indonesia). Kepulauan Indonesia seperti yang ada saat ini terbentuk pada saat melelehnya es setelah berakhirnya Zaman Es, sekitar 10.000 tahun yang lalu.
Pada masa Pleistosen, ketika masih terhubung dengan Asia Daratan, masuklah pemukim pertama. Bukti pertama yang menunjukkan penghuni awal adalah fosil-fosil Homo erectus manusia Jawa dari masa 2 juta hingga 500.000 tahun lalu. Penemuan sisa-sisa "manusia Flores" (Homo floresiensis) di Liang Bua, Flores, membuka kemungkinan masih bertahannya H. erectus hingga masa Zaman Es terakhir.
Homo sapiens pertama diperkirakan masuk ke Nusantara sejak 100.000 tahun yang lalu melewati jalur pantai Asia dari Asia Barat, dan pada sekitar 60 000 sampai 70 000 tahun yang lalu telah mencapai Pulau Papua dan Australia.[3] Mereka, yang berfenotipe kulit gelap dan rambut ikal rapat, menjadi nenek moyang penduduk asli Melanesia (termasuk Papua) sekarang dan membawa kultur kapak lonjong (Paleolitikum). Gelombang pendatang berbahasa Austronesia dengan kultur Neolitikum datang secara bergelombang sejak 3000 SM dari Cina Selatan melalui Formosa dan Filipina membawa kultur beliung persegi (kebudayaan Dongson). Proses migrasi ini merupakan bagian dari pendudukan Pasifik. Kedatangan gelombang penduduk berciri Mongoloid ini cenderung ke arah barat, mendesak penduduk awal ke arah timur atau berkawin campur dengan penduduk setempat dan menjadi ciri fisik penduduk Maluku serta Nusa Tenggara. Pendatang ini membawa serta teknik-teknik pertanian, termasuk bercocok tanam padi di sawah (bukti paling lambat sejak abad ke-8 SM), beternak kerbau, pengolahan perunggu dan besi, teknik tenun ikat, praktik-praktik megalitikum, serta pemujaan roh-roh (animisme) serta benda-benda keramat (dinamisme). Pada abad pertama SM sudah terbentuk permukiman-permukiman serta kerajaan-kerajaan kecil, dan sangat mungkin sudah masuk pengaruh kepercayaan dari India akibat hubungan perniagaan.
Era Kerajaan-Kerajaan di Nusantara
Sejarah awal
Lihat pula: Sejarah Nusantara
Para cendekiawan India telah menulis tentang Dwipantara atau kerajaan Hindu Jawa Dwipa di Pulau Jawa dan Sumatra atau Swarna Dwipa sekitar 200 SM. Bukti fisik awal yang menyebutkan mengenai adanya dua kerajaan bercorak Hinduisme pada abad ke-5, yaitu Kerajaan Tarumanagara yang menguasai Jawa Barat dan Kerajaan Kutai di pesisir Sungai Mahakam, Kalimantan. Pada tahun 425 ajaran Buddhisme telah mencapai wilayah tersebut.
Nusantara telah mempunyai warisan peradaban berusia ratusan tahun dengan dua imperium besar, yaitu Sriwijaya di Sumatra pada abad ke-7 hingga ke-14 dan Majapahit di Jawa pada abad ke-13 sampai ke-16, ditambah dengan puluhan kerajaan kecil yang acap kali menjadi vasal tetangganya yang lebih kuat atau saling terhubung dalam semacam ikatan perkawinan dan perdagangan (seperti di Maluku). Hal tersebut telah terjadi sebelum Eropa Barat mengalami masa Renaisans pada abad ke-16.
Kerajaan Hindu-Buddha
Artikel utama: Sejarah Nusantara pada era kerajaan Hindu-Buddha
Prasasti Tugu peninggalan Raja Purnawarman dari Taruma
Pada abad ke-4 hingga abad ke-7 di wilayah Jawa Barat terdapat kerajaan bercorak Hindu-Buddha, yaitu Kerajaan Tarumanagara yang dilanjutkan dengan Kerajaan Sunda sampai abad ke-16. Pada abad ke-7 hingga abad ke-14, kerajaan Buddha Sriwijaya berkembang pesat di Sumatra. Penjelajah Tiongkok, I Ching, mengunjungi ibu kota Sriwijaya, Palembang, sekitar tahun 670. Pada puncak kejayaannya, Sriwijaya menguasai daerah sejauh Jawa Barat dan Semenanjung Melayu. Abad ke-14 juga menjadi saksi bangkitnya sebuah kerajaan Hindu di Jawa Timur, Majapahit. Patih Majapahit antara tahun 1331 hingga 1364, Gajah Mada berhasil memperoleh kekuasaan atas wilayah yang kini sebagian besarnya adalah Indonesia beserta hampir seluruh Semenanjung Melayu. Warisan dari masa Gajah Mada termasuk kodifikasi hukum dan dalam kebudayaan Jawa, seperti yang terlihat dalam wiracarita Ramayana.
Kerajaan & Kesultanan Islam
Artikel utama: Sejarah Nusantara pada era kerajaan Islam
Kesultanan sebagai sebuah pemerintahan oleh penguasa Muslim hadir di Indonesia sekitar abad ke-12 dan membangung tamadun. Namun, sebenarnya Islam sudah masuk ke Indonesia pada abad ke-7 Masehi. Saat itu sudah ada jalur pelayaran yang ramai dan bersifat internasional melalui Selat Malaka yang menghubungkan Dinasti Tang di Tiongkok, Sriwijaya di Asia Tenggara, dan Bani Umayyah di Asia Barat sejak abad ke-7.
Menurut sumber-sumber Cina zaman Dinasti Tang, menjelang akhir perempatan ketiga abad 7, seorang pedagang Arab menjadi pemimpin permukiman Arab Muslim di pesisir pantai Sumatra. Islam pun memberikan pengaruh kepada institusi politik yang ada. Hal ini tampak pada tahun 100 H (718 M) Raja Sriwijaya Jambi yang bernama Srindravarman mengirim surat kepada Khalifah Umar bin Abdul Aziz dari Kekhalifahan Bani Umayyah meminta dikirimkan dai yang bisa menjelaskan Islam kepadanya. Surat itu berbunyi: “Dari Raja di Raja yang adalah keturunan seribu raja, yang isterinya juga cucu seribu raja, yang di dalam kandang binatangnya terdapat seribu gajah, yang di wilayahnya terdapat dua sungai yang mengairi pohon gaharu, bumbu-bumbu wewangian, pala dan kapur barus yang semerbak wanginya hingga menjangkau jarak 12 mil, kepada Raja Arab yang tidak menyekutukan tuhan-tuhan lain dengan Allah. Saya telah mengirimkan kepada Anda hadiah, yang sebenarnya merupakan hadiah yang takbegitu banyak, tetapi sekadar tanda persahabatan. Saya ingin Anda mengirimkan kepada saya seseorang yang dapat mengajarkan Islam kepada saya dan menjelaskan kepada saya tentang hukum-hukumnya.” Dua tahun kemudian, yakni tahun 720 M, Raja Srindravarman, yang semula Hindu, masuk Islam. Sriwijaya Jambi pun dikenal dengan nama 'Sribuza Islam'. Sayang, pada tahun 730 M Sriwijaya Jambi ditawan oleh Sriwijaya Palembang yang masih menganut Buddha.
Islam terus mengokoh menjadi institusi politik yang mengemban Islam. Misalnya, sebuah kesultanan Islam bernama Kesultanan Peureulak didirikan pada 1 Muharram 225 H atau 12 November 839 M. Contoh lain adalah Kesultanan Ternate. Islam masuk ke kerajaan di Kepulauan Maluku ini tahun 1440. Rajanya seorang Muslim bernama Bayanullah.
Kesultanan Islam kemudian semakin menyebarkan pelbagai ajarannya ke penduduk dan melalui pembauran, menggantikan Hindu dan Buddha sebagai kepercayaan utama pada akhir abad ke-16 di Jawa dan Sumatra. Hanya Bali yang tetap mempertahankan mayoritas Hindu. Di kepulauan-kepulauan di Timur, rohaniawan-rohaniawan Kristen dan Islam diketahui sudah aktif pada abad ke-16 dan 17, dan saat ini ada mayoritas yang besar dari kedua agama di kepulauan-kepulauan tersebut.
Penyebaran Islam dilakukan melalui hubungan perdagangan di luar Nusantara; hal ini, karena para penyebar dakwah atau mubalig merupakan utusan dari negara-negara Muslim yang datang dari luar Indonesia, maka untuk menghidupi diri dan keluarga mereka, para mubalig ini bekerja melalui cara berdagang, para mubalig inipun menyebarkan Islam kepada para pedagang dari penduduk indigenos, hingga para pedagang ini memeluk Islam dan meyebarkan pula ke penduduk lainnya, karena umumnya pedagang dan ahli kerajaan lah yang pertama mengadopsi agama baru tersebut. Kerajaan Islam penting termasuk di antaranya: Kesultanan Demak Kerajaan Djipang Kerajaan Samudera Pasai, Kesultanan Banten yang menjalin hubungan diplomatik dengan negara-negara Eropa, Kesultanan Mataram, Kesultanan Iha, Kesultanan Gowa, Kesultanan Gorontalo, Kesultanan Ternate, dan Kesultanan Tidore di Maluku.
Era kolonial
Kolonisasi Portugis dan Spanyol
Artikel utama: Sejarah Nusantara Zaman Portugis dan Spanyol
Afonso (kadang juga ditulis Alfonso) de Albuquerque. Karena tokoh inilah, yang membuat kawasan Nusantara waktu itu dikenal oleh orang Eropa dan dimulainya kolonisasi berabad-abad oleh Portugis bersama bangsa Eropa lain, terutama Britania dan Belanda—juga Spanyol dalam waktu yang singkat.
Dari Sungai Tajo yang bermuara ke Samudra Atlantik itulah armada Portugis mengarungi Samudra Atlantik, yang mungkin memakan waktu sebulan hingga tiga bulan, melewati Tanjung Harapan di Afrika, menuju Selat Malaka. Dari sini penjelajahan dilanjutkan ke Kepulauan Maluku untuk mencari rempah-rempah, komoditas yang setara emas kala itu.
”Pada abad ke-16 saat petualangan itu dimulai biasanya para pelaut negeri Katolik itu diberkati oleh pastor dan raja sebelum berlayar melalui Sungai Tagus,” kata Teresa. Biara St Jeronimus atau Biara Dos Jeronimos dalam bahasa Portugis itu didirikan oleh Raja Manuel pada tahun 1502 di tempat saat Vasco da Gama memulai petualangan ke timur.
Museum Maritim atau orang Portugis menyebut Museu de Marinha itu didirikan oleh Raja Luis pada 22 Juli 1863 untuk menghormati sejarah maritim Portugis.
Selain patung di taman, lukisan Afonso de Albuquerque juga menjadi koleksi museum itu. Di bawah lukisan itu tertulis, ”Gubernur India 1509-1515. Peletak dasar Kerajaan Portugis di India yang berbasis di Ormuz, Goa, dan Malaka. Pionir kebijakan kekuatan laut sebagai kekuatan sentral kerajaan”. Berbagai barang perdagangan Portugis juga dipamerkan di museum itu, bahkan gundukan lada atau merica.
Ada sejumlah motivasi mengapa Kerajaan Portugis memulai petualangan ke timur. Ahli sejarah dan arkeologi Islam Uka Tjandrasasmita dalam buku Indonesia-Portugal: Five Hundred Years of Historical Relationship (Cepesa, 2002), mengutip sejumlah ahli sejarah, menyebutkan tidak hanya ada satu motivasi Kerajaan Portugis datang ke Asia. Ekspansi itu mungkin dapat diringkas dalam tiga kata bahasa Portugis, yakni feitoria, fortaleza, dan igreja. Arti harfiahnya adalah emas, kejayaan, dan gereja atau perdagangan, dominasi militer, dan penyebaran agama Katolik.
Menurut Uka, Albuquerque, Gubernur Portugis Kedua dari Estado da India, Kerajaan Portugis di Asia, merupakan arsitek utama ekspansi Portugis ke Asia. Dari Goa, ia memimpin langsung ekspedisi ke Malaka dan tiba di sana awal Juli 1511 membawa 15 kapal besar dan kecil serta 600 tentara. Ia dan pasukannya mengalahkan Malaka 10 Agustus 1511. Sejak itu Portugis menguasai perdagangan rempah-rempah dari Asia ke Eropa. Setelah menguasai Malaka, ekspedisi Portugis yang dipimpin Antonio de Abreu mencapai Maluku, pusat rempah-rempah.
Periode kolonisasai Portugis di Nusantara
Periode 1511-1526, selama 15 tahun, Nusantara menjadi pelabuhan maritim penting bagi Kerajaan Portugis, yang secara reguler menjadi rute maritim untuk menuju Pulau Sumatra, Jawa, Banda, dan Maluku.
Pada tahun 1511 Portugis mengalahkan Kerajaan Malaka.
Pada tahun 1522, Portugis sudah sampai di Pelabuhan Sunda untuk menandatangani perjanjian dagang dengan Raja Sunda. Perjanjian dagang tersebut dilakukan pada tanggal 21 Agustus 1522. Pada hari yang sama dibangun sebuah prasasti yang disebut Prasasti Perjanjian Sunda-Portugal di suatu tempat yang saat ini menjadi sudut Jalan Cengkih dan Jalan Kali Besar Timur I, Jakarta Barat. Dengan perjanjian ini maka Portugis dibolehkan membangun gudang atau benteng di Sunda Kelapa.
Pada 1512, Afonso de Albuquerque mengirim sebuah ekspedisi yang terdiri dari dua kapal dan sebuah karavel di bawah pimpinan Antonio de Abreu untuk mencari kepulauan rempah-rempah.
Kehadiran Portugis di perairan dan kepulauan Indonesia itu telah meninggalkan jejak-jejak sejarah yang sampai hari ini masih dipertahankan oleh komunitas lokal di Nusantara, khususnya flores, Solor dan Maluku. Di Jakarta, terdapat Kampong Tugu yang terletak di antara Kali Cakung, pantai Cilincing, dan tanah Marunda. Penduduk kampung tersebut menamakan diri "orang Portugis" dan percaya bahwa mereka adalah turunan bangsa Portugis.
Bangsa Eropa pertama yang menemukan Maluku adalah Portugis, pada tahun 1512. Pada waktu itu 2 armada Portugis, masing-masing di bawah pimpinan Anthoni d'Abreu dan Fransisco Serau, mendarat di Kepulauan Banda dan Kepulauan Penyu. Setelah mereka menjalin persahabatan dengan penduduk dan raja-raja setempat - seperti dengan Kerajaan Ternate di pulau Ternate, Portugis diberi izin untuk mendirikan benteng di Pikaoli, yang terletak di antara Negeri Hitu Lama dan Mamala di Pulau Ambon sekarang.[12] Namun hubungan dagang rempah-rempah ini tidak berlangsung lama, karena Portugis menerapkan sistem monopoli sekaligus melakukan penyebaran agama Kristen.
Salah seorang misionaris terkenal adalah Fransiskus Xaverius. Tiba di Ambon pada tahun 1546, kemudian melanjutkan perjalanan ke Ternate. Persahabatan Portugis dan Ternate berakhir pada tahun 1570. Pada akhir tahun 1575, bangsa Portugis menyerah kepada Sultan Babullah.
Perlawanan rakyat Maluku terhadap Portugis, dimanfaatkan Belanda untuk menjejakkan kakinya di Maluku. Pada tahun 1605, Belanda berhasil memaksa Portugis untuk menyerahkan pertahanannya di Ambon kepada Steven van der Hagen dan di Tidore kepada Cornelisz Sebastiansz. Demikian pula benteng Inggris di Kambelo, Pulau Seram, dihancurkan oleh Belanda. Sejak saat itu Belanda berhasil menguasai sebagian besar wilayah Maluku.
Kedudukan Belanda di Maluku semakin kuat dengan berdirinya VOC pada tahun 1602, dan sejak saat itu Belanda menjadi penguasa tunggal di Maluku. Di bawah kepemimpinan Jan Pieterszoon Coen, Kepala Operasional VOC, perdagangan cengkih di Maluku sepunuh di bawah kendali VOC selama hampir 350 tahun. Untuk keperluan ini VOC tidak segan-segan mengusir pesaingnya; Portugis, Spanyol, dan Inggris. Bahkan puluhan ribu orang Maluku menjadi korban kebrutalan VOC.
Kemudian mereka membangun benteng di Ternate tahun 1511, kemudian tahun 1512 membangun Benteng di Amurang Sulawesi Utara. Portugis kalah perang dengan Spanyol maka daerah Sulawesi Utara diserahkan dalam kekuasaan Spanyol (1560 hingga 1660). Kerajaan Portugis kemudian dipersatukan dengan Kerajaan Spanyol. (Baca buku:Sejarah Kolonial Portugis di Indonesia, oleh David DS Lumoindong). Abad 17 datang armada dagang VOC (Belanda) yang kemudian berhasil mengusir Portugis dari Ternate, sehingga kemudian Portugis mundur dan menguasai Timor timur (sejak 1515).
Kolonialisme dan Imperialisme mulai merebak di Indonesia sekitar abad ke-15, yaitu diawali dengan pendaratan bangsa Portugis di Malaka dan bangsa Belanda yang dipimpin Cornellis de Houtman pada tahun 1596, untuk mencari sumber rempah-rempah dan berdagang.
Perlawanan Rakyat terhadap Portugis
Kedatangan bangsa Portugis ke Semenanjung Malaka dan ke Kepulauan Maluku merupakan perintah dari negaranya untuk berdagang.
Perlawanan Rakyat Minahasa terhadap Portugis
Perjuangan perlawanan Rakyat Perserikatan Minahasa melawan Portugis telah berlangsung dari tahun 1512-1560, dengan gabungan perserikatan suku-suku di Minahasa maka mereka dapat mengusir Portugis. Portugis membangun beberapa Benteng pertahanan di Minahasa di antaranya di Amurang dan Kema.
Perlawanan Rakyat Malaka terhadap Portugis
Pada tahun 1511, armada Portugis yang dipimpin oleh Albuquerque menyerang Kerajaan Malaka. Usaha perlawanan kolonial Portugis di Malaka yang terjadi pada tahun 1513 mengalami kegagalan karena kekuatan dan persenjataan Portugis lebih kuat. Pada tahun 1527, armada Demak di bawah pimpinan Fatahillah/Falatehan dapat menguasai Banten,Sunda Kelapa, dan Cirebon. Armada Portugis dapat dihancurkan oleh Fatahillah/Falatehan dan ia kemudian mengganti nama Sunda Kelapa menjadi Jayakarta yang artinya kemenangan besar, yang kemudian menjadi Jakarta.
Perlawanan rakyat Aceh terhadap Portugis
Mulai tahun 1554 hingga tahun 1555, upaya Portugis tersebut gagal karena Portugis mendapat perlawanan keras dari rakyat Aceh. Pada saat Sultan Iskandar Muda berkuasa, Kerajaan Aceh pernah menyerang Portugis di Malaka pada tahun 1615 dan 1629.
Perlawanan Rakyat Maluku terhadap Portugis
Bangsa Portugis pertama kali mendarat di Maluku pada tahun 1511. Kedatangan Portugis berikutnya pada tahun 1513. Akan tetapi, Ternate merasa dirugikan oleh Portugis karena keserakahannya dalam memperoleh keuntungan melalui usaha monopoli perdagangan rempah-rempah.
Pada tahun 1533, Sultan Ternate menyerukan kepada seluruh rakyat Maluku untuk mengusir Portugis di Maluku. Pada tahun 1570, rakyat Ternate yang dipimpin oleh Sultan Hairun dapat kembali melakukan perlawanan terhadap bangsa Portugis, namun dapat diperdaya oleh Portugis hingga akhirnya tewas terbunuh di dalam Benteng Duurstede. Selanjutnya dipimpin oleh Sultan Baabullah pada tahun 1574. Portugis diusir yang kemudian bermukim di Pulau Timor.
Above is just a short video clip of the Roman empire. The time period are all in BC i.e. before the common era.
Of late I have not been feeling well, hence the rather erratic and short content published. One thing is fatigue, the other is lack of sleep.
Many things and strange words are entering our vocabulary and I find it disturbing. The world is changing at break neck speed and honestly I find the pace of change uncomfortable. I do not believe everyone can grasp the essence of such changes. To much change at too fast a pace also gathers no moss. Let alone, the field is often full of reeds and weeds.
It is easy to fall into the trap of being too judgmental. I try as much as possible not to fall prey to this flaw in human nature. My story commenced about two years ago when I began seriously to try to re-connect with ex-classmates of our alma mater. But I found to my surprise I came up against a wall of indifference or total disregard of the efforts I was trying to effect. The time warp had already done its damage and what we did together when we were schoolkids did not carry much weight any longer. The one or two I managed to eke out a reply, replied negatively about the hard times they faced after leaving school. It was more of a story of woe than a story of sharing and reliving past memories. Some were non-committal and you did not know how you were perceived through their lens.
As I grew more depressed I decided to discontinue my soul searching efforts and just focus on the present and the future dumping the past into the trash can where it rightfully belonged. No longer the thought of connecting with ex-classmates sounded attractive anymore. Teachers were even worse I could not recollect the names of most of them and could remember vaguely images of their faces those days long ago. I guess some of them are no longer in this world either due to their extreme age. Maybe a handful still remained, I could not be sure.
The majority of people say new things are better than old things, because old faults an mistakes have been rectified. But oftentimes, this works in reverse and the new features or things that have been corrected cause a whole new set of problems. For example in Malaysia, almost everyone thought Pakatan Harapan's victory in the last General Elections would bring for all in the country. But within a few short months of rules, their weaknesses and ineptitude in solving problems was brought clearly to the fore. It is not an exaggeration to say that the whole nation was shocked that they could be so inexperienced in their daily work and often caused countless problems and headaches for the citizens of the country. It was clear they were not up to the job the people had elected them for.
The most glaring weakness of politicians is that they think their goals are what the people want. On the contrary, this is the gravest mistake one can make. Rather they need to think what the "rakjat" want rather what they think will "mengilap" their image in the eyes of the public and media further. To be honest I have never in my 68 years of life ever met my state assemblyman or member of parliament for as long as I can remember. He or she must think that once they have secured their seats in the DPR or DPRD, they can effort to let their hair down and indulge in the intrigues which politicians are well known for, e.g. back-stabbing and bad mouthing the opposition and even their own colleagues. And they are so visceral, they can do this all with a compelling charm and smile.
While I was in Malaysia, covertly the most hated enemy of Indonesia, I cannot help feeling that my country has substantiated grounds for this hatred. Perhaps it is sibling rivalry but I think not, our cultures and way of life are so vastly different, so much so that the word sibling is a joke. We were so far from the saying "Serumpun Sebangsa". As it eventually proved to be true looking at the conditions now with almost 2,000,000 migrant workers in Malaysia today. The hatred has rekindled rather than abated after so many "dasawarsa" decades. The Indonesians here are only here for one thing, to get as much money by working here and then scrambling back to Indonesia. They are not here on a "libur" or vacation but to work their guts and souls out so that their loved ones back home can have a decent chance at life, Life is usually not a pretty story. Many have died here either due to accidents, murder or unexplained causes.
Kamis, 02 Juli 2020
Above is a short video clip of an ancient tradition held in the island of Java for centuries. The song and its composition depict an event related to the main harvest of the year prior to it being commenced.Today is July 1, 2020 CE. I apologize for very the mundane and uninteresting stories as I am retired and have no access to resources available. To put in a nutshell, I do not have access to corpus unlike reporters or professional reporters. Frankly I expect zero pageviews and I write merely to shed off excess stress and tension inside me. In Indonesian the correct word to describe such a situation is "acak-acak" or "serampangan".
I am now trying to learn more about my creator. This was as a result the decisions and choices made by mere mortals like myself are flawed and defective. During this last couple of years I have heard about the deaths of 4 of my ex-classmates. They were good people, righteous, did what was right in the eyes of God, no vices and a through and through dedicated family persons. Yet they were plucked in the prime of their lives and their families left to grieve. Death is very difficult thing to accept. For all its pains, shortcomings, and failures, it is the only life we have experienced thus far as humans. Granted we have been told and even read about the wonderful things awaiting us when we exit this world albeit we obey and follow certain tenets spelt out clearly before us, yet it does not make us responsive, or excited about the "thing" that will befall all of us eventually. In short after spending so much time learning his precepts and trying ot understand HIM, I am not even one step closer to the goal since when I first started on this pilgrimage of knowledge, both spiritual and physical.
Perhaps the flaw lies in us trying to understand HIM by the way we approach the subject, what I mean is that we cannot "learn" about HIM and our faith, the way we learn about Physics, Mathematics, Medicine, Engineering etc.etc. HE is Spirit and the way we humans craft our thoughts and act on them is diametrically oppossite to His ways. Meaning even if we had a IQ of 200 and an acclaimed genius in our field of study, but we would be found totally wanting and ignorant when it comes up and faces the Almighty. One cannot or it is totally impossible to put down in words when we want to describe the Spirit for the Spirit is not hampered by time or space, but we are.
But the Almighty has taught us to be as little children and to trust and believe totally in the Father just like a little one would. Let the smart people of the world play with their smart abd silly little games that seems amuse them.
Below is appended a video clip of the Chinese Lunar New Year as celebrated in Indonesia. A reminder though, this clip is not for Indonesians of Chinese parentage but for the benefit of the dirty word "foreigners". Yes after two milleniums we are still foreigners not only in the eyes of our motherland (Indonesia) but also in the eyes of the country of our ancestors. Perhaps it is destiny that tags us as "foreigners", the largest and biggest diaspora in the world.
In hindsight if, here I emphasize the word "if", should our ancestors have had an inkling of what the progengy and posterity hold for the progeny and posterity, perhaps, perhaps they might have hijcaked the junks in which they came and hightailed it back to the Chinese Mainland. At least there the tormentors looked likes us but also spoke the same language. Just a wishful thought...
Last nite as I was surfing the net, I found to my shock and horror of the death of a classmate of mine way back in the seventies. The epitaph was simple and all it said was the date of death and his vocation. The site was put up by the specialists register of Malaysia whenever one of its members has returned to the stars. He was in his mid-fifties and he looked so healthy and sprite. Unfortunately the site did not mention the cause of death. I wanted to uncover more details about him but being from another country and wanting to dig up facts about someone who was from Malaysia would only be inviting bullets and a cold shoulder. For all the talk about getting along with one's neighbors are only talk, cheap talk for those who were gullible enough to believe and accept such rubbish.
I came to know my Lord and Creator when I was brought down to my knees literally not metaphorically. There was no one else left whom I could depend on anymore. And that is the most distinguishing factor about my Lord, and that is the distance between Him and myself was the distance between the floor and my knees.
All Glory Be To Him In The Highest, Forever and Ever.
The above traditional dance format emerged from Central Jawa near the borders with Tjirebon. The dance is called sintren or lais.
When I was in KLin the early seventies, I observed that there were not many cultural expositions from the various ethnic groups. This may in fact partly due to the citizens relying and borrowing heavily from western cultures especially Great Britain its former colonial master. In a way I can understand this phenomenon as the Brits were definitely more accomodating in Malaya, than the Dutch in Indonesia.
Well that is all past now as both colonies and conolizers have put the past behind them and noved on to a greater common good for humanity.
It is a cloudy Wednesday morning and looks like it is going to shower. The crazy fella in the white house/or black house whichever is more applicable is now a raving lunatic waving and pointing at all and sundry who dare to defy him. Well as sure as the sun will rise, the days of his kingdom is coming to an end....as did the prediction in.....Mene Mene Tekel Ufarsin, many centuries ago. People in general are fed up with his raving lunacy. He is a strong candidate for the cuckoo's nest. He meets all the necessary requirements.
It is a hot thursday afternoon. Hardly any cars on the roads. People are still not quite confident to venture out of their house. The virus has hit the world on a ginormous scale.
Tis a Monday morning. For those disturbed by the lyrics, rhythm or the song in general, please turn it off, the choice lies with you. The song is just a simple song about welcoming the morning of Sunday and dedicated to all who worship Him. Funny thing though, so many people worshipping so many Gods, but they all lead to the same path.
Tembang buat yang kangen tanah air dan ibu pertiwi.
This Thursday morning started of badly. To top it all, I did not catch my breakfast. The above song is an ala Muslim rendition, sung in Javanese. Though I am a Christian, I feel strongly we should not shut out other religions. Who dares claim, "My religion is the true one and the others are "rapah-rapah" or garden refuse. In the realm of humanity we are all brothers and sisters with its origins from the same viz, from our Creator.
Back to the rural countryside, the above two videos are not a diorama, just a depiction of the rural heartland of the Sundanese in West Jawa. I would skip the exhaustic narrative of these videos as they are all to be found in books and the Internet
My images of Kuala Lumpur are busy narrow roads with queer names, and not Malay names. The time period can be considered as the evolution of the paleolithic age to the now modernitic age of the new Kuala Lumpur.
I did not stay long in Malaysia and after my 2-year matriculation course I headed overseas. But for the short period in time, I managed to gather enough images of Kuala Lumpur life and also my life at school that remain steadfast in my memory till the day I die. Kuala Lumpur was much less hotter then, than now. I remember the heavy rain and frequent thunderstorms that occur on an almost daily basis. The days were coolish and the nights even colder.
I made a few Malaysian friends when we were studying in Upper 6B1 at VI. Their names in random order are
Chim Kar Choon
Wong Seng Choy
Dr.Tan Beng Siang
Dr.Kwan Poh Woh
Dr.Mac Kean Boon
Dr.Sarmukh Singh
Jaspal Singh
Dr.Tan Kai Chah
Dr.TA Mohan
Dr.Teoh Siang Chin
Liew Fah Choong
Since my departure from KL, I had liased with Dr.Tan Beng Siang once before he returned to London. As for the rest, I do not know where they are. My efforts to trace them for the last two years turned up nothing. I have heard about the reunion dinners and such other dinners organized by the old boys association (VIOBA in short) but in my condition, the doctor has strictly prohibited me from going to such functions. So I am stuck where I am. I looked Facebook and Twitter, but no such luck, everything turned up blank. I have not the single clue as to whether they are alive or dead.
Today's entry as all other entries is a very short one, an excerpt you might call it or Nukilan as we call it in Indonesian. I admit in my past blogs I have been too engrossed in the Javanese aspect or element of things forgetting our second most populous ethnic group, the Sundanese in Indonesia. The element of character "Ci" means water or river and is to be found frequently in cities and villages in West Jawa. It's most famous river must be the Cisadane River in Tangerang that flows into the Sea of Java. The Chinese ethnic group found here, called "Cina Benteng" speak a quaint and strange dialect, a mix of Indonesian, Chinese and Sundanese and a few Javanese words thrown in, very much like a serving of gado-gado. Or we might call it Gado-Gado Cina di Tangerang. Its capital city is Ciputat located in the regency of Tangsel (Short for Tangerang Selatan). The Sundanese, once confirmed enemies of the Javanese were centered in the region of Tatr Pasundan. But today, all is forgotten, old rivalries and wounds have been healed and the combined 800 tribes in Indonesia identify itself as one Bangsa Indonesia or fondly known as Bhinekka Tunggal Eka.....which means "All Different But One".
It is Saturday noon and I can hear the clear and distinct sound of the muezzin from the mosque near where I am residing. Indonesia is the most populous Muslim country in the world, thanks to the hardwork of Indian and Arab merchants who came here to trade. Admiral Zheng He, an admiral of the Chinese fleet made many forays into Sumatra, Kalimantan and Java. Admiral Zheng He happens to be a Muslim also. Many of these Chinese are to be found in West Jawa in Tangerang Regency. Especially well know are the Chinese called Cina Benteng to be found along the shores of the river Cisadane which flows into the sea of Jawa. Indonesia once had the biggest Chinese diaspora but since the 1950's many among them have preferred to return to the Chinese mainland. The customs practised by the Chinese Indonesians are a blend and mix of both Chinese and indigenous Javanese customs and traditions. Tradition known as Ciswak meaning in Indonesian as "Ritual menolak bala or bencana" in English translated as a ritual to ward off bad omen and disasters.
I have to take a short nap, the noon heat beating down on Malang city is almost suffocating. But before I take my absence, read this as a story as I may have got some of my facts wrong.
My two years in Kuala Lumpur from '71 to'72 was an eye opener and completely new experience. Although both countries share common borders and almost equal composition of ethnic groups, I did face many difficulties from a student's perspective. The two main obstacles were language and the second was food. Of the two, the earlier one posed major obstacles for me. For one thing colloquial Basa Malaysia and colloquial Basa Indonesia is as different as Mars is from Venus. And I was there to study and not to fraternize with the locals. So a major part of my life could be said to be that of the erstwhile Lone Ranger. I went around KL on my own, went meaning using my pair of legs and seldom I engaged in a tete-a-tete fearing my foreigness would be found out. I did not dare enter Chinese restaurants for fear of being shamed by my inability to converse in Chinese (Cantonese was then very prevalent in KL). So I walked and walked looking for eating places served by brown looking men (viz. the Malays). At least I did take the trouble to pick up some commonly used colloquial Malay.
Hence I discovered places like Batu Road, Petaling Street, Sultan Street, Pudu Road, Pasar Road, Imbi Road, Bukit Bintang Road etc.etc. At that time the names of roads were still in English. I was once caught in an embarassing situation and it amplified the differences between the two countries though seemingly similar in everything but yet dissimilar in everything. It happened when I wanted to buy newspaper and I walked along Batu Road and in one of the alleys I saw a Malay vendor who was selling what I was looking for. I said to him politely, "Pak berapa ongkos untuk koran ini" (it happened to be Utusan Malaysia) and he looked at me in a perplexed manner, and said "Anak ni baru muallaf ya?" I knew what he meant but I just hastily picked the newspaper and left hurriedly. He had mistook the word koran for the Muslim's holy canon the Al-Quran. In Indonesia koran means newspaper.
On weekends I would leave the hostel situated along Davidson Road and jaunt all the way to Pudu Road and Pasar Road. You could tell this was easily a pecinan (chinatown). There were swarms of Chinese all aroung. The only difference was the cacophony of sounds hitting my ears were entirely double dutch to me. Even the songs blaring from the shops located along the busy thoroughfare were playing Chinese pop melodies in a language that was alien to me as trying to figure out an ancient Germanic language. The sad part of it all I never got to taste the delicious and fragrant Chinese fare served in KL because I was just to proud to admit that I did not understand a single word of Chinese.
Above I have appended a video of a very popular motivational speaker in Indonesia. He has a doctorate and his roots are in North Sumatera. I am not a Buddhist but a Christian but I find many of the things he says in his seminars are very insightful and encourages a person to go beyond his comfort zone and take down the boundaries of prejudice, animosity, ill-will and slef-glorification that a person has erected all round him/or her. Dr. Ponijan comes from a small village, his family were poor but that did not deter him from pursing his dreams. He is humble always self-effacing man and not one bit pretentious. The thing here is to not self-judge and write people off just because someone else is of a different faith. Remember what God says in the Book of Acts, "God has no favorites.........".
With this I take leave and see all of you another day. Stay safe and always do what is right even if it is the most unpopular thing to do.
I have not posted in more than six months now. In that six months many things have happened, the Covid-19 pandemic erupted and till now an end to it is nowhere to be seen. Many have lost their jobs and many will be waiting to have their services terminated. I had commenced on a personal journey to contact my old classmates at Victoria Institution, Kuala Lumpur, but my efforts have been futile and I am nowhere nearer my goal than one year ago. Indonesia, my spiritual and once my physical alma mater is struggling and battling the covid menace. I have tried to contact my old colleagues at LAPAN (Lembaga Penerbangan Antariksa Nasional and sad to have discovered six of them had passed on. I do not know what to do next. Old people are often lonely, the world has no time for the old. We are not even considered antiques but "rongsokan" which means wrecks in the Indonesian language. To be sure I completed my matriculation at Victoria Institution but I haven't the slightest clue as to any of my teachers names. A trip back to Kuala Lumpur in February of this year revealed nothing and I am seriously considering burying altogether my efforts to revive a past that held so many happy and wonderful memories. I was in Upper Six B1 the class fondly dubbed as double math. In Malaysia, they have not the concept of NKRI harga mati (the abbreviations stand for Negara Kesatuan Republik Indonesia...and the ending in "harga mati". If you do not understand Indoenesian, but have a fair grasp of the Malay language, you could more or less guess its meaning. Today, it's a Friday afternoon. The air is warm and quiet all around the neighborhood where I live. But the virus has yet to go away.
