Friday, August 23, 2013
Jeyabalan
Wonder what he looks like now? Aiyoh Jeya, please email me a pic of you so I can update ok?
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Saturday, February 16, 2013
AAP © Enlarge photoXenophon awaits deportation from Malaysia
By Max Blenkin, AAP
Updated February 16, 2013, 5:23 pm
Independent Senator Nick Xenophon is facing deportation from
Malaysia after being refused entry as the head of an unofficial
parliamentary delegation to review the country's electoral system.
Senator
Xenophon said Malaysia's opposition had expressed concerns that an
election, to be held by the end of April, would not be fair and would
not reflect the will of the people.
He and other Australian MPs
were to meet opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, as well as Malaysia's
minister in charge of parliamentary affairs, Mohammed Nazri, and members
of the group Bersih, the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections.
"It
seems that a member of the Australian parliament is not allowed into
Malaysia because I am a supposed security risk," he told Sky News.
Senator
Xenophon arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday morning, a day ahead of
the other members of his delegation, Liberal Dr Mal Washer, Nationals
Senator John Williams and ALP MP Steve Georganas.
Malaysian
immigration officials told him there was a technical glitch with his
passport, then escorted him to an area of holding cells, although he was
not put in a cell.
He was allowed to keep his phone, which
enabled him to conduct interviews with Australian media. He also
transmitted an image of himself awaiting deportation.
"I was
eventually told apologetically by immigration officials that I am on a
watchlist, that there are orders from above in terms of security
concerns and I have to be deported on the next flight out of here," he
said.
Senator Xenophon acknowledged he had been critical of Malaysia's human rights record.
Last
year he visited Malaysia as a member of an international fact finding
mission, invited by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to assess the
electoral system.
During the visit he observed a large
demonstration calling for electoral reform. TV images show he was close
enough to experience the effects of tear gas fired by authorities to
disperse protesters.
Senator Xenophon later told parliament there
were serious concerns about the integrity of the country's election
rolls ahead of the election.
The election is expected to be a
close contest between the National Front coalition, which has governed
Malaysia since independence from Britain in 1957, and opposition leader
Anwar's three-party alliance.
Senator Xenophon's detention prompted a diplomatic flurry.
Foreign
Minister Bob Carr said Australian High Commissioner Miles Kupa had made
direct contact with Senator Xenophon at the airport and was seeking his
release.
Mr Kupa was also urgently pursuing an explanation from
Malaysian authorities. As well, Australia's concerns had been raised
with Malaysia's Foreign Minister, Minister for Home Affairs and High
Commissioner to Australia.
Senator Carr said he had personally sought to contact Malaysia's foreign minister.
"We
are seeking a full explanation of this. We think it is sad for a
friendly country to deport an Australian member of parliament who was up
there for peaceful purposes," he told reporters in Sydney.
Senator Carr noted that Australia didn't send official election observers to other countries unless they were invited.
"He
was going there as a member of parliament in a private capacity and we
find it disappointing that he is turned away," he said.
No Malaysian officials have explained why Senator Xenophon was detained.
Ibrahim Yaacob, chief of staff to opposition leader Ibrahim, said the deportation was a black mark for Malaysia.
"Where
is the fair play, where is the democracy? It's not as if the senator is
a terrorist," he told the Associated Press in Kuala Lumpur.
Senator
Williams said the visit, planned two months ago, would not proceed but
he did not believe a protest by Australia would help.
"They have their reasons why they stopped him at the airport and I'm sure in time these can be talked through," he said.
"It will settle down in a few weeks' time and we'll look at whether we can make a visit then."
Senator Xenophon was expected to depart late on Saturday, Kuala Lumpur time, and arrive in Melbourne on Sunday morning.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Lunch @ Richmond, Melbourne
"WHERE ARE YOU?". "I AM ON THE M1 APPROACHING YARRA BLVD, I WILL BE THERE IN 15."
KF and I talk on the phone. I park my car under the bridge on Swan St, Richmond and shortly after he rocks up from his office to meet me at the Precinct Hotel.
KF and I talk on the phone. I park my car under the bridge on Swan St, Richmond and shortly after he rocks up from his office to meet me at the Precinct Hotel.
The
day is cloudy, it feels like 24 deg C. The hotel is not packed at this
time of the day. KF orders a bottle of Shelmerdine Shiraz and we sit
down to catch up. Unfortunately I can only afford to drink one glass
today. For KF and I it's been too long we haven't met but we sort of
know of what's happening around us; being in the same town and all that
goes on in Melbourne.
Soo
Weng turns up to meet us at 12.35pm. We order our meals, all of us go
for steaks. Hmmm... the steaks are tender and go well with mustard and
the sauce. We chat and chat .... family, kids, happenings in Melbourne
and KL, the coming CNY dinner in Ipoh, H53, KF's upcoming trip to China
.... Later on KF orders a cheese platter and coffee.
Pete rocks up in his car .... Nice! He looks good in it! They will be back to KL soon. We wish them all their best in their business endeavors in the new year ....
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Remembering the ones who have gone before us ....
Recently I was on FB with a friend who knew Ek Kok. She was relating to me her shock and sadness in finding out from me that our friend has passed away on 18/8/2010. She told me Ek Kok was her "bodyguard" when she was teaching at Sam Tet Primary. Gosh, 2 years have gone by since he passed away. I was wondering if any of you (Boon Chee, Kong Ho?) has had any contact with his family in Singapore and that if there was any memorial service held that day?
This friend of mine also told me another one of our Lower Six (1979) friends has just passed away .... I was not able to place her name to the face when the news was related to me and so I did some research ....
Cheong Fong Chin passed away some time in late July this year. I am wondering if any of you knew of her passing and that you might have some thing to share on this site ..... All the same we are sorry that another life has expired at such a young age......
Monday, May 21, 2012
Stoba78 Dinner @ Ipoh
The group of 6 - Tong Leong, Hock Choong, Wong Sir, Tuck Ming, Tali and SP met for dinner @ Soon Fatt Restaurant (42 Jalan Seenivasagam).
Thanks to Hock Choong we have a wonderfully arranged 客房 and nice food at the dinner. On the matter in question amongst the 6 attendees I have reflected since the dinner on the heavy task laid on me by HC, WS, T and TM:- what do I do with the RM250? If it was 25K or 250K I will certain sponsor yours truly with a world tour! I would appreciate some ideas from you 4 stooges ..... Thanks in advance!
The dinner atmosphere was not boisterous but lively with lots of intellectual exchanges of minds plus free flow of the golden liquid courtesy of Hock Choong and Tong Leong. We also wondered where Wusu Nelson was up to as to why he did not turn up. Kee Mun was also missed as he preferred to be by himself in KL. And Bao Bao was no sound so picture after a few promptings. We guessed Indonesia has its attractions to him.
Quotable Quotes:of the night-
" I can stop anytime but what do I do? " " What is happiness? " " COO and CHO " " Is happiness an end point? "
Wow, certainly a heavy night and lots of food for thoughts. Until we meet again and hopefully not too long!
Friday, May 18, 2012
Kong Ho
I bumped into Kong Ho and his better half today 17 May by chance @ Sri Petaling.I could not resist asking for a photo op!
Friday, April 27, 2012
Dinner and drinks @ USJ
27/4/12 Kong Ho organized for us a dinner @ Hup Kwhan Seafood Restaurant in USJ and the attendees were:-
Kong Ho
Philip
Kong Jai
Raymond + better half
SP
Billie came to join us at the restaurant after we have had our dinner.
Soo Weng and Mei Foong also graced the occasion joining us for some after dinner drinks at the pub. Kiki Lala were there. I forgot the pub's name.
Raymond, unusually, ate quite a bit of keropok he bought at a pasar malam. The keropok reacted with the beer he drank to become a gigantic balloon inside his stomach and as a result he was unable to drink more alcohol after dinner because he was feeling the baloon getting larger within his cavity. This was the theory according to him. Some might call it "cannon farter" but that is another story!
Billie we salute you for your vivid memory of yesteryear. We raised the glass to you for "Fanbo" t shirt.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Friday, September 9, 2011
Monday, September 5, 2011
老星， 老星， Ｏｌｄ Ｍｅｍｏｒｉｅｓ， Ｏｌｄ ｆｒｉｅｎｄｓ， ｓｏｍｅｔｈｉｎｇ ｎｅｗ
I arrive old Sing Saturday 3/9/2011. Yuet Fai picks me up and we go for dinner in Tiong Bahru. Thankfully the restaurant is air-conditioned. Because Old Sing is HUMID. Old class mates and friends come to meet and enjoy each others' company tonight.
We do not drink much like the KL folks do, just some Heineken to cool us down due to the heat and humidity. But there is nice food, and great company. That's what we are there to enjoy. I really am grateful they turn up, every one of them, and I have not seen Peng Chew for more than 30 years.
The Por Kee Eating House is not owned by our Uncle Por.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Some notable quotes of the night (and I shall not divulge the originators):
"I suppose we want to have it sometime in April and not in Singapore."
"We need more than 1 night."
"We need activities."
"Wouldn't it be nice if we just work 9 months in a year?"
"I need a new project to fill my time."
"Ah... let's discuss about your good ideas tomorrow."
"I am happy to roam around Ipoh re-living my memories."
"Our kids cannot live without internet."
"My kid is not interested in Chinese."
"I force my kids to watch Chinese drama programs."
"How many months this year have you worked?"
"What happen to Siew Yee Wah?"
"She can drink and does not get drunk!"
Huh??
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