Hari Raya Haji or Hari Raya Aidiladha

About 60.4% of the population in Malaysia were celebrated the Hari Raya Haji yesterday. It was the Muslim religious day.

Hari Raya Haji also know as Hari Raya Aidiladha; Hari Qurban; Hari Kurban or Eid al-adha. It was a public holiday in Malaysia.

Mostly the Malays coffee shops, road side stalls, food courts and restaurants were closed for this festival. Somehow, there were a few Malays shops which open for business in this festive.

In Pulau Pinang state, the public holiday fell on Sunday this year. So today Monday, holiday still on. However the Malays states such as kedah, Perak, Kelantan, Pahang, Terengganu, Johor, Perlis and Negeri Sembilan... they had more holidays since Thursday.

In Malaysia, any public holiday is enjoying by all the enthic group. Foreign and local shopping mall, coffee shop, food courts, restaurants were full with people eating and shopping. Some even took this holiday go for vacation.

In the morning, all the men, women and children bath and wore the new clothings and went to the mosque to do the Eid prayers. Talks also will be given in the mosque. They used the loudspeakers, and of course it could be heard from anywhere, especially in the open air of the village or kampung.

Some foreign workers such as Bangladesh muslim, Pakistan muslim also went to the mosque in the morning for the Eid prayer.

Yesterday many areas had the heavy rain, so mostly muslim took the car to the mosque but some also used the motor cycles or bicycles. It seemed they were in the rush to reached some where.

Many cars just parked at the road side, mostly violated for the car parking procedure. When passed through the road which near to mosque need to be careful. Traffic was jammed in certain time.

Drivers worried to hit the car or hit the walking people. Most of the times the zebra cross not being used, looked like no function, cause the people preferred the no zebra cross area in certain places.

After the Eid prayers, muslim will sacrifice the good and best domestic animals such as cows and goats. Sacrifice ceremony must be done properly. The meat have to give to the poor and hungry people, so that they can enjoy the festival together. The remain meat will be cook for the families members to eat.

After the prayers, some spent the time in the shopping malls too or do the window shopping.

At market and on raod sides, the Malay hawkers also sell the' daun palas '. Daun palas is a long leaves from a Licuala palm trees species. The cake named was ' Ketupat daun palas ' and it needed to weave and boil the ready made glutinuos rice packet into the water.

Here the Muslim hawker sold the beef on the road side and market; also could be seen the muslim sold the 'lemang'. It is rice in the bamboo. The coconut milk glutinuos rice had to be put into the inner layer of the bamboo and it has been previously put on the banana leaves. Then arranged it one by one and bake it with fire in the open air until cooked

It was also the time for the relatives and friends to visit each other and eat the new year biscuits and cakes or others traditional Malays food.

Penang Asam Laksa

This Penang Asam Laksa is very famous in Malaysia, even won number 7th place of World's 50 most delicious food which published by CNN Go in July 2011.

You can enjoy to take this Penang Asam Laksa in hawker center, coffee shop, road side stall or food court in Penang state.

It is not only the loves from women and men but also young and old. When tracing back the history, it looks like the "Peranakan culture food". The hawkers who sell this Asam Laksa mostly from ethnics Malays and Chinese.

The soup is sort of a bit spicy and sour taste and rich with fish flakes and fish flavour. The Mackeral or 'ikan Kembung' in Malay language is widely used for making this Asam Laksa soup. Some local poeple used Sardine or 'ikan Sardin' to cook too, but not so fragant as the previous one. The Mackeral is being clean, cut and shredded and poached to make the fish broth as soup.

Meanwhile local people also used these ingredients; lemongrass, galangal or 'lengkuas' in Malay language, Chillies and tamarind put into the soup and poach. The dried sliced tamarind local people called as 'asam keping' or local called as 'asam gelugor' also being put in the soup to poach, it bring out the sourness to the soup. No coconut milk use.

The hawker will start to serve you with taking a plate or bowl with the white rice thick noodles or a bit thin noodles which looks like vermicelli.

Then they will garnish with Raw vegetables on top of the noodles, such as mint, thin sliced cucumber, thin sliced pineapple, thin sliced of red big onion, some red sliced chilly, some thin sliced lettuce. Some Chinese hawker will add in the shredded pink colour ginger buds or "bunga Kantan", for it's frangant.

After garnishing, the hawker will put the fish stalk on the noodles and meanwhile the hawker also put a few pieces of the dried tamarind as garnishing the Asam Laksa in the plate or bowl..

One plate or one bowl of this Penang Asam laksa is vary from place to place, from town to village. It's cost about RM1.20 to RM3.50.

One Malaysia, People first, Performance now

YAB Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak had been appointed as 6th Prime minister in April 3rd, 2009. He gave his first speech to public and during that time he had been touched about building the "One Malaysia, rakyat didahulukan, pencapaian diutamakan". He meant "One Malaysia, people first, performance now"

He would like a fairly new approach task to reshape the strong leadership and also the priorities of the govenment performance.

He even elaborated more about the slogan, berasaskan nilai (Valued base); Berfokuskan strategi (Strategy focus) and dipandui prestasi (Performance driven). These were the guiden and a way for everyone to move ahead and achived the goal for Wawasan 2020 (Vision 2020). Wawasan 2020 was introduced by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad in 1991 during the annoucement on the sixth Malaysia plan. It is a Malaysian ideal.

At Oct 7th, 2011 Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek from MCA said the 2012 Budget proved Barisan Nasional (consists of UMNO, MCA, MIC, GERAKAN, PPP, PBB, SUPP, PBS, LDP, PBRS, UPKO, SPDP and PRS) really put the concept of the "people first".

Actually, many pro and contra feedbacks from the nations through media, facebook....afterall, the local poeple feedback, it is just like 'changing the ingredients in the soup only" ! People are still watching very closely for every performance that had been made, especially wheather the outcome is beneficial for all the nations or not or just certain groups or certain ethnics.

One Malaysia

I see so many Satu Malaysia logos in Malaysia. In order to understand more about it, I asked from my friends, surfed the web...Here, per my understanding about this campaign is like this....

Dato' Sri Haji Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak is the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia (in position from 2009 until present ), he introduced the 'Satu Malaysia' concept which had been designed by him and launched in September 16th 2010. This programme is still on going until this moment.

"Satu Malaysia" translated in English language is "One Malaysia". The theme is "Rakyat didahulukan, Pencapaian diutamakan"; in English means "People first, Performance now"

If you see the logo, it was built from symbol " 1 " and with the national Jalur Gemilang flag on it. At the bottom of the symbol " 1" there is a word "Malaysia".

The 8 values of the 1 Malaysia are preseverance, a culture of excellence, acceptance, loyalty, education, humility, intergrity and meritocracy.

He called upon the cabinet,civil servants and also the government agencies to more focus on or emphasize on the national unity, ethnic harmony and also the efficient governance.

This campaign was promoted in 2010 in Malaysia and used about RM38 millions to support it.

Business opportunity

In Malaysia, any kinds of events, that area will be ready with the foods fair and also the shopping fair.......

The place of selling area mostly have a big compound of area.

Malaysia is a multi racial country so the opportunity for all the races to sell things are the same.

The business opportunity is every where.

They just put up the big umbrealla or built the tent at that place. Then they will put thiers' items to sell

Of course aome area is free for business, but they will donate some to the temple. Some of them have to pay the fix fees.

All these business owner will do the business according to theirs' sweet time. For this kind of business really cannot have the rain pour season. They just hope the weather always be good, then the customer can come out and buy things from them.

Union Kathina 2011 at Wat Rajchaphohong Teluk Wang

Kathina 2011 was held successfully in this Thai Buddhist temple at Teluk Wang, Ara Kuda. Well ! The Buddhism flags were everywhere. More and more people came after 8.30am, mostly were Chinese and local Thai people.

People came and paid respect to Buddha and Sangha (monks) first. Some people brought thiers' own food to offer to the monks. Most of the poeple are busy in the kitchen. The food mostly put into the big round tray. Buddhist can offer anything to monk to eat. Somehow not to give the fruits which have the seeds for monks to eat. This Hinayana Buddhism cannot eat the foods after 12 noon.

Wow ! In the kitchen ! there were two happily brothers chef, cooked something with the big wok. Everyone were so busy.......One of the auntie, she made this 'glutine dumplings' Ketupat....herself and also she cooked this curry....well ! when the ketupat dipped with this Thai curry....wow ! marvelous !

A monk gave dhamma talk in Dharmasala Hall. Many of them do not understand the Thai language which spoke by the monk. Somehow, one thing very good about was, a Thai speaking translator gave some informations in Hokkien dialect, so that local people did not get lost.

In the hall, many people gave donation by put on the banana tree. There were many robe offerrings items which wrapped with the yellowish paper and put on the long table. Of course there were the main sponsor offering items.
Tak bhat (offerring of foods) by main sponsor family also happened in the hall.

Many devotees went to the dining place to do the Tak Bath. After the monks took the lunch, all the lay people quee up and took the foods and Ulams (fresh salad) with Thai chilli paste....hot !

After the lunch, the main sponsor guiding the group of people (took the offerings items) round the Dhammarsala hall for 3 times and took off the slippers and walk on the tar road. Sponsor offered the kathina robe and some other items to the monks. Then followed by the lay men and lay women. The kathina 2011 programme last at about 2 pm.

Why Buddhist celebrate Kathina ?

The buddhist will give the most supports and also generous in donation for this kind of ceremony, they believe that this meritorious resulted the great happiness and merit towards own good karma in life.

Kathina celebration marked the ended of the 3 months rainny season retreat for the sangha (monks) organization. It also called as "Phansa period". This celebration mostly held in October or November each year.

This ceremony has to be perform only once within one month right after the end of the rainny season retreat, the criteria will be at least 5 monks in the group.

The main Kathina robes can only be presented to the most noble monk who practise well during the rainny season retreat. The noble monk who get this robes will be select base on the discussion by Sangha group.

They also offering the other requisites besides the robes to the monks.

All these offerings need to be willingly give and in happily feelings and the best is the lay people also take the sila (precepts). If both party, the people who receive and people who give also take precepts, then it will be the most meritorious and blessing one.

Paradise Bird flower

The local people called this flower as Paradise Bird (天堂鸟). There are many species here, this one is one of them. Some people put this flower pot in the new house, especially Chinese. It significant the people stay in the house also like heavenly bird. It means the life also good and beautiful.

The colour of this flowers are striking....yellow, red and green in leaves...The combination of colour were beautiful.

It can grows widely and wildly here, no need to specific taking care of....

The flowers are tough in life....It stands alone in it's stem.

Elderly Chinese birthday celebration

This was the local Chinese 76 years old birthday party. After discussed and agreed the celebration date had been selected by the family members, they went to the spirit medium to confirm again for the celebration date. The family members also went to order the restaurant food, ordered the cake from the bakery shop,bought champangne and red wine too.
This elderly celebrated the birthday with immediate family and tea-time chatting friends only. The birthday party started at 7.15pm in a VIP room in the local Zui Xiang Lou seafood restaurant. The 8 courses that they took like these....The family members also served red wine and champagne, and the restaurant waitress served Chinese tea.
'Happy birthday' song in mandarin language
was sang by the guest and immediate family.
The family members gave cake and two drinking tea cups which put in the small bag as a gift to the guest.
!
This was one of the birthday celebration for the elderly Chinese in Malaysia.

Chinese elderly people birthday

Nowadays, more and more of the elderly ethnic Chinese in Malaysia celebrate theirs' birthday. My friend told me that usually Chinese only celebrate theirs' birthday when they reach the ages of 60, 70 and 80. Some old people health condition is not good, so they try to plan and organize this kind of event. They believe that this kind of happy environment can make those kind of bad luck to be overcome or bad health to be recover. Anyway now, the practise is changed. Some wealthy people will celebrate theirs' birthday grandly and yearly. For which the financial not so good family, maybe theirs' birthday is low profile.

Very commonly that the family member will go to the Chinese God temple to ask whether the elderly people in theirs' family can celebrate the birthday or not ? Of course it's through the spirit medium who convey the voices of Chinese God. Mostly the date of the celebration picked by the family members, then they go for the second confirmation of whether the elderly people in the house can celebrate or not ? If no good, no choice, have to cancel the celebration ; if good then proceeded for the next step.

The family members will go and print the birthday invitation cards after confirmed. After printed, the family members will go and distribute the invitation card and at the same time invite the relatives and friends to the birthday party. Somehow some families just invite friends and relatives orally only.

Meanwhile the family members also started to go to restaurant or hotel to order the food (if celebrate in the restaurant or hotel) or order food from catering service( if celebrate in the compound of the house or public hall). Some restaurants even give the 'food testing' service for the family members who order the reataurant food. They can change the course of food, if found the previous order no good. Mostly 10 person share a table. The courses of foods will 8 or 9.

They will order the cake from the bakery shop. It depends whether they want the western style or chinese style of design. Mostly the bakery shop will deliver the cake, but some need to take by ownself. Some even order the small piece of cake to let the guest enjoy, rather than give the initial birthday cake which had been cut by the birthday people.

The size of the party based on the friends or relatives headcount and also the financial background. Mostly the bill will be pay by all the sons and sometimes involve the daughters.

Shou tao (寿桃) is an important course for the people ages 60, 70, 80. Mostly the family members will order for the guest to take. Shou tao outlook is like the peach fruit. Inside is mostly the lotus seeds paste (sweet).

The birthday party usually held in weekend and after 7 pm. The elderly birthday mostly wear the 'cheongsum' type of clothing. Anyway, some also wear the ordinary clothes. Well ! the birthday party hardly to start on time here. We need to wait for some 'VIP' people.....need to be improve.............

For this kind of birthday party, the family members often prepare Calsberg beer, red wine, champagne, tea, mineral water or soft drink. Beer and wine waitress will serve the guests from the party begin until end.

Some wealthy family will invite local singer and band to do the performance. Some having the karaoke session in the birthday party.

Here, the family members and guests mostly sing the 'Happy Birthday' in Mandarin, English language and Cantonese dialect.

You can also see the 'red egg' being distribute in the party. 'Red egg' is the hard boiled egg which roll in the red colour after take out from the hot water.

The birthday party owner often give the 'Ang pow" which is the red packet with money to family members and guests. Some gives the bowl, mug, tea cups.....as a gift. Some give the 'Shou tao' to the guest.

Rectangular shape of plain rice

The plain rice was served in rectangular shape. Rare !

It was seldom see the serving like this. This is a Thai food restaurant. Mostly restaurant serve the plain rice in the round shape. Creative !

Chinese like to serve the rice in round shape. It significant all the way will be as smooth as round shape. Mostly they will put the rice in the small bowl and press a bit, to make the rice had no space between each other. It will make the rice stick together also and the shape is formed.

Then they will put the plate on top of the small rice bowl which had been pressed. Carefully over turn the bowl and plate. Just take out the bowl and we can see the beautiful round shape of rice on the plate.

Somehow in the house, most of them never really follow this kind of serving. Nowadays, they seldom use bowl, Chinese spoon and chopstick to take rice, but instead of that they use the western style of fork, spoon and plate.

Markisa

It is commonly known as passion fruit. In Malayisa also called as Buah Susu "milk fruit". It was originated from Brazil, northern part of Argentina and Paraguay. It had been brought into Malaysia since 1960 from Australia, Hawaii and recently from Africa in 2009. Somehow it growth better for the yellow passion fruit here. The binomial name is Passiflora edulis flavicarpa.

It can growth well in Malaysia. The lifetime of one passion fruit tree is about three years. The young tree started to produce the fruits when it is approximately 5 to 6 months. After the blossom of the flowers on trees, it would started to grow the fruits about 70 days.

The fruit is light and oval or round in shape. The outer skin is very beautiful in colour, a bit pink, purple, yellow and green. It has the thick airy rink and it can become the food for the farm animal. Inside there are juice and also the black seeds. It has the combination of the sweet and acidic taste. Local people believe is good for the high blood pressure people to consume.

It has the high dietary fibre, potassium, beta carotene, vitamin C ...etc. Local people mostly blend the seeds together with the juice to make an ice cube drink. If this fruit juice is added to other fruit drink, it could be directly added the flavour. Of course also good in aroma. Some also produce the fruits juice in the bottle for local people. Here, I bought about 10 Markisa for RM10.00 in pasar malam.

Do not throw away the wrinkle skin markisa, because it is not bad yet. At this time it could be added the sugar level for the fruits. we still can consume them.

Fried noodles

Today I went to one of the coffee shop in 3rd road of Machang Bubok, Bukit Mertajam for a fried noodles (炸面).

It was a very special one. The taste was good. It cost only RM3.50 per plate.

The chef deep fried the noodles then put aside. Took the prepared stock and added some seasonings and cooked with the pork, shrimp, fish meat and mustard. The gravy put on the fried noodles and then ingredients put on top of noodles.

What can I tell you is ......Yummy !

Daun Pandan

Daun (Malay means leaf) Pandan in English is called as Screw Pine. Botanical name as Pandanus Odorus P. Latifollius. It is widely use by Malaysian in cooking and as the medical remedies.

It is easy to plant in the soil and also in big pot in Malaysia, especially in village site, mostly you can see either plant in front of the house or the backyard. It can grow well through whole year and about 4 feet height.

After cut the leaves from the plant, mostly the local people will use it straight forward. They will not put until the pandan leaves dry. It is because no more aroma when it is dry.

It also called as pandan wangi (fragrant). It was widely use in Malaysia for cooking. Mostly local people use it when fresh.

They like to put a few folded pandan leaves and cook with the rice, it will have the good aroma, especially in preparing the Nasi Lemak (local Malay food).

In order to get the green colour for the food, the local people will blend or pound the pandan leaves for this purpose. After blend or pound the leaves, oftenly they will use a clean cloth and put the leaves inside and twist and squeeze it to get the green clour juice. This green colour then will be put into dough to make biscuits or cakes.

The local people also put some leaves inside the sweet soup for tea time, such as bubur cacar, bubur gandum, bubur kacang hijau, sup ubikayu....etc.

It is also has the value as the herbal leaves. Take about 10 leaves and cut into one inch wide and just boil with water. Then can drink as mush as we can. They believe the drink can make them more healthier, they can get rid of weak nerves, no appetite...etc. It also believe to relieve the headache if they cook with the root of the pandan leaves.

They also can pounded the pandan leaves, squeeze to get the juice and put on the scalp to maintain the black hair. It is believe to cure the dandruff problem.

Nine emperor Gods

In Penang and else in Malaysia, it a vegetarian seasons for the diciples of Nine Emperors God. Mostly it is celebrated with grand by Chinese and Indians. The vegetarian restaurant having more customers and also the temporary hawker stalls growing like mushrooms.

Yesterday night, the diciples went to invite the Gods from the sea. They have many activities since yesterday in the temple. Local preople told me, yesterday some of them started to take vege foods (Cleaned the stomach). From the 1st September of chinese lunar month calander, the diciples will take vege foods for 9 days. Then they will send back the Nine emperors god back to the sea on the 9th day.

At the beginning of the celebration, we can see some changes at the road side, you can see many temporary hawker stalls with yellow cloth and written the Nine emperors God characteristic hang at the entrance of the stalls. Tables and chairs had been prepared. The hawker prepared the pure vegetarian cuisine. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, tea time ad supper foods can be find in this kind of stalls. Varieties of food had been purposely prepared. Noodles, rice with all kind of vege foods, cake (in Malaysia, commonly called as Kuih), western food too...........many choices......

The diciples are very particular in theirs' eating ustensils, they cannot allowed the chopsticks, spoon or fork, plates and cups previously served with pork. They will use the most clean ustensils (never touch with any pork before). Most of the hawker sells the clean ustensils for the customers and of course pay by the customers.

Anyway, some of the local people who not really taken the vegetarian foods also join to eat in the hawker stalls like this. It makes the environment more grand. Of course most of the time harly to get car park area. Vehicles are every where.
The price of these kind of vegetarian foods are expensive, some are extremely expensive. Somehow, most of the local poeple never bother so much, once a year and the most important thing is cleaning of mind and physical of ownself.

Roti Nan and Tandoori chicken

Yesterday I felt a bit thirsty on the way to town, I stopped by an Indian muslim restaurant in Alma, Bukit Mertajam. I thought I just wanted to order a glass of Teh tarik ais (famous pulled tea in Malaysia) but when I saw there was a cooking tool, a clay oven which called as tandoor. I guessed, they must have the Roti Nan (flat bread, believed to be originated from Persia). Basically it is made by wheat flour, water, yeast, butter or ghee. I asked the waiter for it.....Oh ya....they have the Roti Nan...... then I just waited for 10 minutes to get ready to be served.

I saw the chef started to take the small dough (already risen) from the container and flatten it and did some "flying action" to make the flat bread dough getting wider. Then he put the Roti Nan dough on a tool which covered with cloth. Followed by with some strength and hit the dough towards the clay pot wall. It sticked to the inside clay pot wall. Slowly the dough got bubble...and bake...They use the long metal bar and picked up the Roti Nan from the clay pot wall.

They served Roti Nan with hot and with the gravy and sour cream paste for tandoori chicken in a plate.

About the Tandoori chicken, it was marinated with yogurt and tandoori masala (believed to be originated from Delhi, India). The chilli powder and tumeric made the chicken coloured with red and yellow. Anyway, some local people did said some of the restaurants try to put in a bit colour to the chicken, the purpose is to make it with nice look colour. It was cooked in the high temperature in the tandoor clay pot.

I took some tandoori chicken in other restaurants too...anyway most of the restaurant had the hard tandoori chicken...hardly to bite. However this one, not bad...but for me..a bit hot...chilli powder on tandoori chicken is too much for me. It must have been modified the recipe according to local taste.

Combination of the taste of Tandoori chicken and Roti Nan after all was not bad. The price for this whole set was RM6.00

Malaysia celebrated doubled national day yesterday

Two national public holidays were celebrated together for this year ? Actually what were the events ?

August 31st, 1957 was an Independence Day (Hari Kemerdekaan) which commenmorating the independent from the British colonial for the Federation of Malaya. So Malaysians celebrated 54 years of Independence day for this year.

September 16th, 1963 was the Malaysia Day which commenmorating the established of Malaysian Federation of Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore. So Malaysians clebrated 48 years of Malaysian Day. Somehow Singapore left Malaysia as an independent country in August 9th, 1965.

This year Independent day had no celebration but to be celebrated on September 16th, 2011. Most of the people get confused, which was the independent day celebration ? Anyway, it was considered as doubled joy events for all the Malaysians. There were many comments through the local people, anyhow they were happy to celebrate together for this memorable Malaysia Day.

Malaysia National Anthem is "NegaraKu" means My Country.
The theme and logo for this year is "1Malaysia, Transformasi Berjaya, Rakyat Sejahtera" means "1 Malaysia, Transformation Success, People Peace".

The celebration of the great day was held in Dataran Merdeka on yesterday. This memorable day was attended by Malaysian and also some foreign tourist and visitors. Also present Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, Prime minister and Deputy Prime minister and cabinet ministers. Performace and parade were beautifully arranged.

Prime minister Datuk seri NajibTun Razak also annouced three laws will be either reviewed or abolished. It's about the Emergency Proclamations, Internal Security Act and Banishment Act. Most of the Malayisans so happy with these annoucement yesterday from the Prime minister, however at this moment the reality is only " possibility" for a few laws to be abolish. During this period of time the government still need to study the abolishment of the acts, it means not yet implemented. The local people said, hope it can be reality soon. Anyway it was a very good news for them.

Happy Malaysia Day !

Thai medical herbal sauna

Today is the public holiday for celebrating The Malaysia Day. It was a raining day but not too heavy.

I went to Wat Rajchaphohong, Ara Kuda, Kedah with my wife. This temple is clean and beautiful and has a very wide compound.

When you enter from the main door of this temple, please look to the far end of the left hand side, the Thai medical herbal sauna area is there, as the above picture. The Thai medical herbal sauna in this temple open at 10.00am to 8.00pm. It will only close on every wednesday.

It is for medical purpose where many kinds of herbs had been boiled. There is a fragant herbal steam inside the sauna room. At the back there are two big woks and also a lot of woods which use for the boiling of herbs to get the herb steam. Currently, there are two sauna rooms for the public usage, one for men and another for women. Every Wednesday, they will change the new herbs.

You can go into the sauna room with T shirt and short pant for men and women. Men can took out theirs' shirt. Women can wear the 'sarung' too. Do not forget to bring the big towel, it is easy to wipe of the heavy sweat after sauna.

There are two kettles at the beverage area. Before sauna we are advice to drink the herbal tea first. When you finish and before going back, please do not forget to take the ginger tea.

Last but not lease, please do donate some money into the donation box. The effort to prepare the medical sauna for us, boil the herbal tea and ginger tea; toilet cleaning and much more.....actually need to be friendly recognized !

Dog ate Human

Yesterday most of the Malaysian got shocked to the dog ate human news.

The story started with the dogs owner Andre Lumboga went back to the hometown at Manado and left the seven dogs unattended in the house. After the two weeks vacation, he came back home and had been attacked by his own dogs.

When they found him, he had been tore apart, the skull in the kitchen and the body in the living room. Dogs and human bones were on the floor. Everyone got shocked !

A group of the starving dog, acted mad because of hungriness. The owner who had been eaten up should make decision earlier that to send the dogs for cares. Then maybe at this moment he would have been safe. Unfortunately, he never done that. He ignored and neglected his responsibility. Once the dogs were starving, could they just sleep or sit quietly ?

This is the lesson that all of us need to be aware of. Do not let your pet leave unattended especially in village area, it is because they do not know where to get the food to ease thiers' stomach. It is the owner responsibility, to take care of theirs' daily needs.

Haze, haze come back to Penang state again

Although these few days Penang state was pouring with the heavy rain for several times, however it still cannot clean up the haze hazard air. Bukit Mertajam hill is in the blur view. Every where also like that condition, everything is in the condition of BLUR......rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr....................

If it is the nature fire burning...well ! everybody still can understand the situation but if it is the human error, so how to solve ? Are they well listener and practiser ?

No help for the public voices to protest against the open burning of the neighbour country, Indonesia. The selfish farmers claimed that it was the traditional way to clean the land, it will stop the burning after it fully burnt down. This type of burning is cheap and easy. What a sharing !

Indonesian government made a law for them..but...implementation was failed ! The people there ignored law ! All the 'open burning' banning, they don't care.......How many times Penang state was under the haze hazard this year? Did the neighbour country realized ?

Local people became unhealthy in this haze hazard, cough..running nose...allergic..eyes pain....etc. One of my friend even have to take medical leave because he is in heavy cough.

When the haze hazard will end ? Today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow...month ? year ?

Clubs for housewives in Malaysia

I read the newspaper just now, it was about the younger housewives clubs established merely in Kuala Lumpur. It stated that many women whom joined these kind of clubs were the lonely and rich housewives that had been neglected by theirs' rich or business doing husbands. The purpose they joined the clubs were to get back the warm feelings relationships and also the satisfaction.

These housewives mentioned they would not leave the family and will live in reality. They even have a few of the boyfriends to satisfy them.

Can they do that ? Will the problem solve in long term ? Will cause the messy life or not ? What would it be when the husbands found out ? What will be the explaination ? "LOVE" ?

Why not put in this way ?

Japan has such the culture clubs and schools for the housewives. After all the children go to school and the husbands go to work, the housewife would be left alone in the house. So all the housewives have the chance to improve themselves in lifestyle. They can learn so much about cooking, flower arrangement, philosophy, playing tennis..and so much things.

Before the children and husbands go back to the house, they will reach the house a bit earlier and begin theirs' responsibility as a housewife again. This lifestyle is more meaningful for the Japanese housewives where they can gain so much knowledges to upgrade themselves to make a family more happily. They also can share the knowledges to the children and husbands in the house.

Mooncake festival

Astonauts already went up the moon ! Result : nobody there ! Are we still need to pray ? Anyway it is still a good day to celebrate this mooncake festival, a remembrance day !

Mooncakes started to be seen in the market although still celebrating the ghost festival in last month. The department store, shops and the manufacturers sell different types of the mooncakes and also the lanterns. It is not cheap unless home made. Children are so happy because they can choose the lanterns that they likes or some even make it theirs' own lantern in house or school.

Mooncakes festival is not a practise public holiday for Malaysian.

Yesterday evening, when I went to took dinner, I saw many Chinese bought the fresh fruits, flowers from the market and the particular fruits and flowers shops. They prepare all these items and pray to the Moon Goddess Chang E for tonight.

Anyway, mooncake itself is the core. Each mooncake price is not cheap for nowadays. I bought an assorted fruits and nuts mooncake for RM13.90. Each mooncakes filling is different. The consumers will choose the nice taste mooncakes for theirs' family members.

Some of the Chinese still praying to the Goddess with put an altar outside of the house, put all the mooncakes, pamelo, flowers and pray with joss sticks.

Some of them even make the party and invites relatives and friends to join. They will sleep late at night. If the next day is fall on the schooling day, the parents will mostly ask the children go to sleep first after playing and enjoying taking the lanterns.

Full moon is beautiful and when celebrating with different and beautiful lanterns will boots up the environment. Calm, cool and beautiful night.

Housewife fell on road

This morning a housewife went to market with riding the bicycle. After completed bought the items she needed. she followed the way that she usually used to go back home.

While riding on the road, a big male dog suddenly run across the road. The dog had reached the side of the road but the chain which carrier by the dog was still lying on the road and moving.

Oow......the housewife suddenly cannot controlled and balanced the bicycle. She fell off her vehicle and towards the road. It was because the bicycle was on the moving chain.

The people who saw quickly help her up and brought to the road side. She was injured on face, hands and legs. All the veges which fell on the floor was help by the people to put back to her bicycle basket. Of course the bicycles already bad in shape. Some of them went to inform her family and a van which passed by took her to hospital.

From this incident, clearly we knew that the dog had been accidently released by the broken chain. Anyway the owner of the dog need to be more careful for not to let the pets running around. Luckly, the housewife was in concious and safe in life.

We need to be extremely care if we have pets, in order not to hurt people around us. Accident cannot predict and count but we can avoid the accident which create by our pets from happening.

Mistaken the karaoke lounge with the local department office building

Many years back, a group of us went for entertainment after work in Selangor. All of us for that group were new comers. Although we do not quite understand the social custom here, we did learned from time to time but this one is not yet programmed in our mind and quite special during that time. Infact it was already like a joke or an experience which keep in everyone's heart.

That night and also in the festival seasons, we made decision to go to Karaoke lounge for the entertainment.

Suddenly we saw many beautiful and colourful bulbs lights, so my friend told us that we need to get ready to go down for the entertainment. We just followed.

When near to the gate, we just found that....it is not entertainment places whereas it was the government department building. At that time we all laughed because we thought that was the entertainment area. Again, we left that location quietly and continue to go to searh for the real entertainment place.

The next day, my local friend told me, because of the festive seasons, many buildings were setup with all the beautiful and colourful lights in order to celebrate the great event during that period. Some even put the neon running lights.

From that experience, we became more careful and alert in knowing the local people social custom and culture.

Highway driving

In this Hari Raya Festival seasons, Muslimin and muslimat all were going back to the kampung (village) or city to celebrate the Hari Raya Aidil Fitri. Some were going back by express bus, flight, boat, and passager car.....The traffic in some places quite jammed.

For non- muslim, some of them also balik kampung. They take these holiday opprtunity to see the relatives and friends in village or city too.

There were drivers who really followed the rules on road but unfortunately some were not following. In some area, one or two drivers used the very inside lane to speed up the car. It was very dangerous because some of the cars suddenly broke down and emergency parked in the inside lane waiting for the help. Accident may be prevent if those kind of driver having a bit of toleration.

Some of the drivers always overtake another car by left hand side. Well ! and some overspeed....

Mostly the highway driving people never turn on the car light. It is a good to practise switch on light during drive on highway. People can see more clearly from the front view. Accident can be prevent if we have such knowledges on road.

The burning of the Tai Su Yah paper made statue

Well ! Burning of paper statue of the Tai Su Yah (King of Hades and believes that, this is the tallest in Malaysia) in the Bukit Mertajam had been completed in the day before. Many local people with camera had been witness this great event.

The road infront of the old market had been closed for this purpose in the evening. Many devotees gathered in the area of erected of Tai Su Yah. The devotees prayed with grandly.

Then the Tai Su Yah had been carried by the devotees and reach the area of burning. They threw all the gold and silver paper towards the Tai Su Yah with happily and devotely. They started the fire then with a minimum times, the paper idol of Tai Su Yah had been burnt until became ashes only.

The local people believes that, if the Tai Su Yah paper idol fell to the direction of the Northern side of the road, then the business will be good at that area for that year.

The ashes will be cleaned after the paper was fully burnt for the next day. Of course the fire brigade will be always standby during the ceremony of burning.

Mother of the whole universe - The goddess Kali Ma

In the ghost festival month, one evening coincidently I found an interesting event in Taman Selasih, Kulim when I went back home after dinner.

A group of ethnic Indian are preparing this praying event at the road side. I got down the car and ask what was the event about. They were very kindly and told me, they were praying for the Goddess Kali Ma and had a small parade. So I stayed for sometimes to watched the events.

Although it was in the evening but still cleared in vision. The statue Kali Ma is a great protector and in fierce form, ten-armed and holding different kind of weapons. The body complexion was black but some said blue. She had fangs out of her mounth. Her red tougue was lolling out too. Anyway, local people told me she was loving and kind. There were horses and lions statue on the parade car too.

I saw many coconuts on the road and arranged in pyramid shape. (Used in the prayers)

They also built the hut which covered by the leaves and trees....Have a look ! It was how they made the fence and decorated with the beautiful folding leaves. In the hut, there were some tables and chairs. Even there was a counter for the free foods but would only distributed after 7.30 pm.

An Indian man came to us and invited us to pray and waited for the small parade.

Sunset....they were praying and chanting. Then some youngsters started to freely dance in a few session. They enjoyed in dancing.

Not long after that, a group of Indian musician played the traditional music and sang the Tamil language songs. Of course the youngsters dance again when the rythm of the music played. Drum sound made the core.

More and more people gradually came for prayers and they quee up to take the free food and drinks. All the Indians people mostly wore the beautiful costumes. A few Chinese participated too.

Then we just when back home without seeing the parade car because it is getting darker. Somehow for the coconut on the road, they said they will break them when the Goddess parade car reach. They will clean up the place after prayer finish.

Fasting month

Malaysia is an Islamic country. Muslim and muslimat will start the fasting or here called as Puasa in the bless month of Ramadan (9th month in the Islamic calendar). The purpose to worship and do the ownself purifying.

The first fasting day for this year was August 1st,2011.

All the muslim need to fast when they reach puberty. They started to take the foods before dawn and will started to take the food again after sunset. In between of the fasting hours no drinking, eating, smoking or having sexual intercourse.

Mostly housewife will cook and family members will eat together before dawn.

Before the sunset, mostly the housewife will cook for the family. However now many working housewife will lack of the time to do the cooking and they started to buy the foods from the temporarily food stalls. Everywhere also can buy the food for buka puasa (break the fast). Very convinient to get the food for the muslim in Malaysia now. Some even choose to break the fast in the restaurants in Pizza Hut, MacDonald, KFC, Kenny Rogers...etc

Dates are very popular and no shortage of this dry foods for the fasting muslim, they can get the energy back very fast.

Anyway sick people no need to fast and so do the children. Somehow the parents will let the children try, if they willing to do. Mostly the parents will monitor them closely, if they cannot stand, then it is fine for the children to stop fasting.

Well ! Some people even stop at the emergency corner on the Penang bridge and sit there and break the fast with eating rice. Anyway it is dangerous to break the fast there. Why not choose the proper place ?

Grand praying to ancestors

Before 15th July for Chinese lunar month calendar, local chinese will did the ingots made by paper and bought all the clothes, shoes, cloth, money, coins and others items made by paper.

All these will be burnt on this day and they believes that the relatives in the hell can received the items which had been burnt for them. Well ! Well ! It is really an art too...

The local people tried to pay respect to the ancestors before noon. In the morning, they tried to clean the altar and changed the water, oil lantern and offered the fresh fruits.

Then mostly they will prepare the table and served with wine and tea, rice in bowl and a few dishes and some cakes which had the raising elements, it means the wealth in the family can be growth and growth. From this table you can see quite some pairs of the chopsticks. The local people believes that the ancestors will invite some departure friends of his and her will come and join to take the food together.

Before anything started, the family members will invite the ancestors to come into the house by joss sticks. Then the joss stick will be put into the incense pots.

In between everyone is waiting for the ancestors to enjoy the food. Amazingly, flies were sticked on the foods...anyway cannot killed them, some of the local people believes that these were the spirits which turn into this flies to take the food.

After sometimes, coins were used to throw to the air and let it fell to the floor. If 2 coins also in the same pattern then it means the ancestors already finished the meal. If no, they need to wait again, then they will repeated the process of throwing the coins.

After got the same pattern of the coins then all the paper made items will be burnt for the ancestors. Before burning the wine and tea will be pour out round the paper made items. It was to believe that the money will only took by the keen relatives and not others.

Then the family members will eat the foods which offered to the ancestors. Of course need to transfer the offering plate to other, cannot use back the offering plates to take the foods.

See Kuih T'ng

See Kuih T'ng is a sweet drinks. The stall also always beside the Loh Bak stall. Mostly the hawker sell this drink near to the opera show stage.

The ingredients such as gingko nuts, lotus seeds, pong dai hai, sweet potato, sago, sweet barley, sweet kidney beans, longan.

All these ingredients will be put into a bowl and put in the longan soup.
All will cut into small pieces and looks very colourful.

It can be serve either in hot or cold (put in a few ice cubes).

The cost of a bowl is about RM2.00-RM2.50.

Loh bak

This is what we so called as Loh Bak in Hokkien. In the July ghost festival, the food stall which near to the opera show always has this dish. Local people like this very much.

The Loh Bak stall has variety of ingredients : such as bean curd, loh bak, shrimps fritters, fish ball, yam..etc.

You can select from the ingredients which put on the stall in the different trays. Then the Loh Bak hawker will deep fried it again and cut into small pieces. They will put all in a plate and sometimes put some pieces of cucumber on the side of the plate.

Mostly they served the dish with two kind of sauces, one is chilli sauce and the other is five spice dipping sauce (suitable for one whom cannot take the hot chillies)

Currently the price is a bit expensive, sometimes small plate also cost you few Ringgits.