Malaysia 2001

MALAYSIA 2001

Well, here we are again back in Sydney after 6 weeks in KL. My time up there was really busy – worked most weekends but we now have an operational plant up there so the time spent was well worthwhile. Leah got out and about to a number of different places (Penang, Cameron Highlands, Taman Negara – the national park, some islands and Khota Bahru) so she saw a fair amount of the country. Some of the places she visited sound absolutely fantastic esp the national park where she went river rafting, caving, visited a native indigenous (Orang Ousli) village and a number of bush walks.

We both visited a place called Ipoh (north Malaysia) – pretty uninteresting, and spent a day at Crab Island at the mouth of the KL port. Now that was a good day. We visited a fish farm and spent some time at the local Buddhist temple. A bit macabre as they had a lot of photo’s on display showing people mutilating themselves during a festival. Some guy cutting his tongue with this huge knife, another guy stabbing himself in the chest and all that sort of stuff. They also showed us the local boat builder. Now that was good. They make the fishing boats using all the old tools and techniques. I only saw one power tool - used as a grinder. No such thing as computers or even slide rules. Yet the boats looked absolutely magnificent and seaworthy.

Also visited the Batu caves in northern KL. They are the local Indian temples complex. A long climb up about 260 stairs and into this huge cave with Hindu temples down one end. Quite impressive. We then went to a museum which dealt with the original inhabitants of the peninsular (the Orang Ousli). Very interesting – they reminded me a little of the jungle pygmies in Africa. All very`short (< 5 ft) and they used blowpipes to catch monkeys and the like.

I had one other very interesting experience. Our Joint Venture partner’s mother died and I was invited to the prayer cycle prior to her funeral. The family was Buddhist so the prayer cycle had all the traditional trappings, and wasn’t set up as a tourist attraction!! I was the only non Chinese face in a very large crowd which was a bit mind blowing. Process was that all the guests were seated at tables with peanuts and water in the street outside the mothers house with peanuts and water. Conversation was about every day things. The deceased was lying in state in her front room and every now and then a group would get up, pay their respects at the casket and leave a burning joss stick. All the family members were involved with a Buddhist preacher in singing hymns (I guess). They did that in the form of chants which was really great to listen to – esp with a small chinese orchestra in the background. All very laid back. The family had also built a house of paper and furnished it with all the things that make life in the afterworld pleasurable. They had paper Mercedes, credit cards, bank books, servants, TV’s, videos, etc. I was amused that the credit cards were made out to Hell Bank. The House is burnt just before the funeral proper so that the deceased has all these good things waiting for her in the afterlife. The family also received donations from friends, colleagues, acquaintances and the like. Koh our partner told me later that they collected over RM30,000 (NZ 20,000). An amazing sum of money – most of which will go to charity. We arrived at around 10.00pm and stayed till after midnight. I didn’t go to the funeral – my chauffeur (Ronny Kok – great guy) had to get back to KL early the next day so I couldn’t stay.

We stayed most of the time in KL at a resort complex. A place called the Holiday Villa’s. Very nice with all the amenities that one could want (gym, lots of restaurants, swimming pool, tennis courts, squash courts, badminton: you name it they had it.

Also went to some very nice restaurants in and around southern KL. I am however heartily sick of rice. We have had it every which way – fried, steamed, poached, in wine, baked, compressed, saute etc etc. I was really glad to get back to good wholesome potatoes. The Malays seem to go in for fish type meals a lot. So I also ate a lot of shrimp, prawns and crab meat. The latter was always eaten in its carapace so we had great fun breaking them open. I have also had fish stomach, fish heads, chicken feet (not too bad) and other even less mentionable things. The best was catfish with Chew one day. Ugliest fish you ever saw but the flesh was really nice.

As I have said already (I think) KL is an interesting place. A real study in contrasts. Some really wealthy areas right alongside squalid shacks. There is a fair amount of tension over there at present -–Malay v Chinese, Chinese and Malay v Indian. The three races very much dislike each other and sooner or later there is going to be trouble.

We were supposed to stay on and have a holiday in Sarawak (old Borneo) but my plans got moved around and we had to return to Sydney instead.

Press censorship is an amazing thing isn’t it. You read the paper in KL and you think that all is right in the Malay world. Political dissentors are reported as being the next thing to Hamas and the party in power is the greatest on earth. Very little controversial material is published – one lives in a bit of a cocoon I guess. However since returning to Sydney I am astonished at the slant the local newspapers put on events in KL. The latter are probably closer to the mark in terms of what is truly going on (political thuggery, misuse of the law, detention without charge etc) but you would never know living in the place. I can see how a population can be easily led down a particular path.

We organized a holiday in Sabah Monday 1 October – Sunday 7 October. It was to be a surprise for Mum as I arranged for Mark to come across without her knowledge. Sort of a delayed birthday present. A real bonus was that Emma, one of Marks friends from Wellington was on the way back to NZ (via Bangkok). She was able to join us in KL. The three of us met at KLIA and then taxied to the HV.

Huge surprise for Leah!! She thought I was out on business with Koh. Answers the door in her Dressing gown and stood there with her mouth just wide open. I think that she was really pleased?? Travelled to Kota Kinabalu with Koh the next day. Stayed at the Hilton in the middle of town. I met with some guys from Sabah Forests Paper mill – quick business discussion and then off to a really great Fish Restaurant. We were up the front and they put on a cultural show. Mark and Emma got up and did a blow pipe demo (both missed the balloon) and then Mark and Leah did some dancing over these bamboo rods.
Back to the hotel for more business and then bed

Took off for the Mountain next morning after a quick wander around KK. We sorted out a local bus at the bus depot. It was off to Sandakan but stopped at Park HQ. Fairly old machine but reasonable comfortable. They actually played this quite grotesque movie. Something about goodies and baddies who only wanted to fight with these damned swords. Really bad but sort of compelling. Drive up was good – winding road but tar sealed all the way. Quite a steep climb from the coast through some jungle areas and also areas that had been cultivated. Houses were built in some cases literally on the side of the hill. The road was being repaired in a number of places – rain would take out sections so they would just cut a bit more out of the hill.

Arrived at Kinabalu Park HQ mid afternoon. Organised a dorm, tickets for the mountain and a guide. Overnight at HQ dinner in restaurant walk around visitors center 8 per cabin
Walk up hill to Huts Guides name Dimik, Peter very slow. It took me three hours to climb 2 – 3 km. However it was straight up!!
Overnight on mountain
Climb to Summit start 3.00am, fantastic landscape, guide rope
Walk down Hill M/E 1.5 hrs L 2.0 hrs P 3.0hrs (just)
Sore legs (all)

Poring Hot Springs
Canopy walk
Hot Pools

Sepilok B & B
Lizards on roof
Sepilok Orang Utan Park
Rain Forest Walk
Snake

Sandakan
How we got to Sandakan
Markets
Ticketing for air travel
Bus home
Roti lunch

River Trip (Leah & Mark)
Night ride
Crocodiles
Morning Boat trip
Sleep over

Kota Kinabalu (Peter & Emma)
Shopping
Markets