2014-08-31 Why are we still quarreling? We are one people. We are 1 Malaysia.

By Lintang Bob Yong

Malaya got its independent in 1957 and is now 57 years old. Let’s stop for a moment and learn from history; lest we forget the sacrifices of our forefathers.

The Emergency declared in 1948 by the British Administration (BA) was to combat the armed struggle by Chin Peng’s Malayan Communist Party (MCP). I was aware of the Malayan Emergency Period during my school days. I was in Standard 3. Perhaps I was then not old enough to understand the significance of the political unrest in Malaya after the Japanese Forces surrendered in 1945.

What I cannot forget was the hardship people had endured during the era of Emergency, staying in new villages where freedom of movement was curtailed. People were forced to move into new and hastily established villages with fenced-in barked wire. This was an attempt to stop people from providing assistance to MCP which was fighting the colonial masters for independence. Curfew was imposed from dust to dawn (6.00 pm to 6.00 am) by BA. My father’s family, like many others had experienced these sufferings of the curfew which lasted for a long five years from 1950. The curfew was lifted in 1955 and I stayed on in Salak South New Village until my marriage in 1968.

Click the link below and watch these documentaries to learn more about our history. Malaysians who are borne after the Emergency Period can get a good insight of it.

The Undeclared War (Malayan Emergency-1948-1960)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJy6aG45CvE

It is also fair to listen to Chin Peng’s side of story. Click this link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBRMRf0JVJc

 

 

2014-04-28 When was your last bus ride?

By Lintang Bob Yong

I needed to service my car and the service centre is about 5 kilometres from my house. It was a major service plus replacing some worn-out parts. The car could only be ready a day after I sent it in. Didn’t feel like troubling anyone for a lift, I decided to take a bus to get back home.

It was 9.45 in the morning. I waited for the bus at a bust stop for more than half an hour under the hot weather. I felt restless and appeared like a lost child. It was a long time ago since I last took a bus ride. When the bus finally arrived, I got into the bus and noticed that there were only 2 passengers. This made me think, perhaps there are more car owners than bus passengers.

I paid RM 1.90 for the fare and a ticket was issued to me. The bus fare was 15 cents when I was a school boy. I used the bus to travel from Salak South to a school in Kuala Lumpur.

This bus ride brought back a lot of memories to the days when I was a school boy using the bus as transportation to school. The bus ride to school was full of fun in those school days. I could remember how many bumps and pot holes the bus had to go through on the road and the number of bus stops along the way before reaching home. We used to drop pieces of paper through the bus windows just to watch and had fun seeing papers flying around, inside and outside of the bus. Our action was harmless but mischievous. Of course, we got scolded by the bus conductor each time we did that.

Go take a bus ride for a drive down in memory lane.

http://www.youtube.com/user/yonglintang?feature=mhum#p/u/24/lf1s-7ixre8

2014-04-27 Can you fix a flat (punctured) tyre?

By Lintang Bob Yong

Yesterday was a black Sunday for me as I had a flat tyre along the MRR2 High Way. Not that I lack experience in fixing a flat tyre, but the last one happened a long time ago. I was aware that it was a dicey situation to park a car along the high way as I could see the vehicles speeding past real fast. The time was 6.45 pm and it was getting dark by the minutes. Recalling the number of fatal collisions on highway reported in the news media brought chilly feelings inside me as I went about to change the flat tyre.

I managed to unscrew all the four nuts of the wheel after some efforts. Next came the problem as I could not dislodge the wheel. It was firmly stuck to the holder, most probably due the rust that set in. My wife tried to call our son-in-law for assistance but unfortunately the line did not go through. We were thinking just about what to do next, a motorcyclist came along and offered assistance. What he did was just gave a strong kick to the wheel and out it came. He helped replaced the flat tyre with the spared one and we were ready to move on.

We were grateful to this Good Samaritan for his help and wanted to reward him for his kind deed. He refused to accept our reward in spite of my many attempts to do so. This lead me to think that there are still many good people in our society who are willing to lend a helping hand when assistance is needed.

God bless this kind soul.

 

http://www.youtube.com/user/yonglintang?feature=mhum#p/u/24/lf1s-7ixre8

2014-01-30 A NEW BEGINNING by Lintang Bob Yong

A new year, a new beginning, a new PC and a new challenge. Changed my Window Vista Home Premier, bought in 2010 to Window 7 Professional.

I need to re-orient myself as what I have learned in the old PC all these years are no longer the same with the new PC. On top of that some of my software programs are not compatible with the new PC. I have no choice but to learn afresh by trials and errors. This may take sometimes before I'll get the hang of it. I hope to get it fully operational in a week or two. Changing a new PC I now know requires more serious learning and hard work than changing a new car.

I am grateful to my son-in-law, Yih Suei who has been helpful all the way in deciding on the purchase of the new PC and assisted in making the new PC operational.

I think I am going to have a lot of fun with my new toy.

2014-04-17 Mr Karpal Singh, a true son of Malaysia

By Lintang Bob Yong

The sudden and unexpected demise of Karpal Singh on April 17, 2014 brought shock and sadness to the whole nation and globally.

I admire him as a great political warrior and a gentleman. This prompted me to write this tribute on my blog.

I have not met Karpal Singh in person but had heard and read a lot about him. Like all Malaysians, I am touched by his love, service and dedications to our nation and to the people of all faiths and races. I feel a personal loss on his death and believe many Malaysians are feeling the same way as I do.

In the spirit of 1 Malaysia, the late Karpal Singh said in 2012.

“As long as I live, I will continue to struggle to see non-Malay become Prime Minister.”

Now that he is gone. I hope his political far-sightedness had created impact and inspiration to all Malaysians. His dream, I hope will live and pass on to each and every Malaysian.

Karpal was popularly known as The Tiger of Jelutong. Though The Tiger was no longer with us, his roar will echo louder in our hearts and he shall be remembered by us always.

Malaysia has lost a great son. Words cannot express our grief.

I salute you SIR. May your soul rest in peace!

My thoughts and prayers are for the family too.

2013-08-25 45 Years of Togetherness-A marriage of a lifelong journey

http://www.youtube.com/user/yonglintang?feature=mhum#p/u/24/lf1s-7ixre8

2013-08-25   45 Years of Togetherness-A marriage of a lifelong journey

By Lintang Bob Yong

I am on a time-machine that took my wife and me back to 1967.  We got married on August 25, 1968. It was a lifelong journey that taught me all about being a husband and a father. The virtue of perseverance, understanding, and tolerance, topped up with tender loving care with responsibility and a sense of belonging in a family unit.

On March 4, 2012, we participated in a Renewal Marriage Service at Kuala Lumpur Baptist Church. We are members of this church. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=RIf4CPf7Gd4#t=21

We are blessed with 2 loving daughters, a son-in-law and 3 grand children. We thank God for His love and protection.

God’s love does not keep us from trial, but see us through them.