Accident at Sri Damansara - Sg Buluh Road

Today is Saturday, March 12th. The sun is blazing hot as we drive back from Sin & Lai Dental Clinic at Desa Aman Puri. I tell myself, "this is good."  A very good condition for taking picture from a moving car. Perfect lighting for me. Others may have other opinion.

When we reached the Sungai Buluh Road, we took a right turn to Kuala Selangor on our way to Puncak Alam.

After a few minutes drive, we were caught in a jam.

"How come so early traffic jam?, I ask my wife. She did not say a word.

From a distant, I can see not far from the Shell Station and the ING Insurance Company premise occurred an accident involved three cars. The car in the middle was sandwiched with front and back damaged

I just click and click and i can see a reporter is asking questions from those who involved in the accident. All those who involved in the incident seem to be fine without any injuries. I passed along this road around 10.50 to 11.00Am and I assumed that the accident should have been occurred a few minutes earlier. This can also be justified by the fact that there is no tow truck around yet.

If you want to know more about this accident, the reporter may have the answer and the news portal is the best bet or tomorrow newspaper.

We drive on smoothly after the accident area and I pray that all those involve be recovered fully from the trauma of the accident and may the other road users be safely reach their destination.

Alas!!

There is another accident not far from the Catholic Chapel along Sungai Buluh Road but I could not take any picture as I am engrossed in my reading. Furthermore my wife informed me as we passed the accident area. The accident involved two cars.

Those of you who drive today, please be alert and may you have a safe journey where ever you may go.

I am falling in love again

Friday is a day of peace and a day of letting go of our desires and wants. It’s a day of purification of our minds and bodies and be one with our real self or our inner self. 

Some even fast on Friday and others abstain from meat, just to purify themselves. Catholic observes abstain from meat for the rest of their lives on Friday for this very purpose. The choice lies on the believer though. It’s not a sin to eat meat on Friday but the profit of the action is much greater for our inner selves.

Our real selves are pure as our creator is pure and holy. It’s the world and it’s creations that defile our real selves. But we need these ‘dirt’ to make us humble to realize of who we really are. These ‘dirt’ is also known by many names and some called it as temptation or tribulation or trial. These ‘dirt’ is not sin but we are sinful when we allow ourselves to be engage in the ‘dirt’ though we know it can make us dirty. These ‘dirt’ even bring us closer to God if we know it’s profitability. It’s like a fire that burn the dirty gold ore into shining gold. There is pain and suffering involved but the benefit is a hundred fold if we are able to overcome it.

We may throw ourselves in the dirt knowingly as the dirt is already within us since we are born. We lost our rest and peace once we are born into the world. Our whole life in the world is a journey to get back the rest and peace that we lost at birth. Some called this rest as God’s Presence or Grace.

Our beloved God and Creator has these to say to us while we are playing and covering ourselves in the dirt, in Psalm 95:11,

”Therefore in my anger I swore, “They shall never enter my rest.”

And yet God is always calling us back to him day and night as the Psalmist in Psalm 95 proclaimed,

“O that today you would listen to His voice! Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah…”

God further stress on listening in the Gospel of Luke 9:35 which read,

Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Beloved; listen to him!” 

I know I complain and talk more than listening to God even to his Word.

And yet I am always longing for His Presence as that is the real rest for me. Since I was a child in my Primary school, I always keep one of my favorite beatitude close to my heart. It’s was taken from the Holy Bible, Matthew 5:8

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”

I am longing to see God and be with Him as a Father with his child. But the world teaches me that you can only see God when you die. 

Wow! That’s scared me. 

The truth is you do not have to die to be with God. God is always ‘there’. It’s me who is not ‘there’. I follow my own will not his will. My own will is always corrupted with greed and selfishness but his will is for the common good and the best for me. Why I do not follow the examples of the prophets of old and my Lord Jesus who cried to their God, “Thy will be done!”? 

God switches to channel 95.5 to talk to me and I turn to channel 88.8 because of the good number and yet I said, God never talk to me because I can not hear due to the wrong channel. I blame God though I am at fault. 

By God mercy and forgiveness, slowly I switch to the right channel through prayer and guidance of my elders in the Church.

Do I become more holy and free of trial and temptation? 

Nah. 

The journey becomes tougher and the temptation becomes more frequent and heavier. The falls become my teacher. And each fall drives me to be stronger and walk closer to God who filled my heart with his love and transform my pain and suffering into joy in midst of crisis. That is real peace, the peace within. I make full use of His gift to the Church which is the Sacrament of Reconciliation. My skull maybe thick but I believe God always forgive and full of mercy.

I pray for myself.

“Have mercy on me, O God. I am a sinner from my mother’s womb. Forgive me for my sin. I desire nothing in heaven but you. I want nothing on earth but to be with you, hear your voice and do your will. Let me speak what you want me to speak, Let me hear what you want me to hear. Let me see what you want me to see. Let I be completely yours now and forever.”

And I pray for others,

“O God, Bless those eyes that see me, Blessed those ears that hear me, Bless those hands that help me, Bless those feet that comes to me, Bless those minds that think of me, Bless those hearts that have compassion and mercy for me. Bless those whom I touch today. Llet those touch be not mine but yours. Let those touch be a touch of love. Let those touch be a touch peace. Let those be a touch of forgiveness. Let those touch be a touch of healing and unity. Let those touch bring them back to you. I believe and trust in you alone, O God. In Jesus precious name, I pray. Amen.”

And I believe in His promise in Psalm 91:14-16 (NRSV)

“Those who love me, I will deliver; I will protect those who know my name. When they call to me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honor them. With long life I will satisfy them, and show them my salvation.”

My heart overflow with the sweetness of his love, my being is in the fragrant of his presence and my mouth proclaim to the world, 

“I am falling in love again!”

“I am falling in love with you, O God, the One who created me.”

Valentine Day 2011

Today is February 14^th, a special day for all couples in the world and I want to make it special too. 

As I woke up this morning, I have a plan in my mind of what I am going to do today…to celebrate this special day. On the other hand tonight I am having a class on Christian Meditation at 8.00pm. My heart said, “Go for the class!” but I pushed it aside. Funny. My heart was not filled with joy and love but reckless. I do not even utter my normal morning “I love You” to my wife. Worst still it’s difficult for me to say, “Happy Valentine Day” to anyone. I said to myself, “this is not good. Something or someone is playing with my life today.”

We go to the office as normal and on the way along NKVE my wife asked, “Where are we going tonight?” I responded, “Sushi Tei at Tropicana Mall!” And she cut it off with, “Can we change to non-Japanese food or not?” and added “You want to go to church is it?” I just kept quite but in my heart I pray, “God, help me.”

In the office, we worked as normal and at around 12.45pm, my wife called and informed me that we will be going out to repair her car at a workshop near St. Ignatius Church, Kelana Jaya. My heart said, “I bring you to the church!” I said, “Cannot be!” and forget about it. 

We send the car to the workshop to replace the two rear absorbers and it will be ready in two hours. Then we go for lunch at a RM2.00 Buddhist Vegetarian shop which cost us RM4.00 for food and RM2.00 for 100plus. Cheap lunch but taste good. After lunch we took a cab to the office with cost us RM7.20 but my wife gives the driver RM7.50. 

As evening approach, I ask my friends for a lift to Paramount LRT Station but most of them have their own plan. The rain added the difficulty to our journey as it starts at 4.30pm. But I believe we can make it. I called my wife and she told me that she want to go to Esprit Shop at Tropicana Mall after we get the car. And I respond, “Esprit! Not again!” With a bit down and sadness in my heart I pray, “God, help me.” 

At around 5.50pm, my wife immediate superior send us to Paramount LRT Station. In the car, my wife informed me that earlier today she had also called  Shogun Japanese Restaurant at One Utama but it’s fully booked for today. Today food at Shogun cost RM62++ per pax. And we took a LRT to Kelana Jaya LRT Station which cost us RM1.00 each. Then we walk to the car workshop at Taman Plaza which takes us 8 minutes. It’s faster than if I am walking alone. How come?

The church is in front of us and heart glow with gladness. My wife’s car is parked in front of Loong Foong Chinese Restaurant. My wife said, “The car is ok already!” And I respond, “It should be!”

We go straight to the cashier for payment and it’s amounting to RM508. The mechanic informed her that they also done the car balancing and now it’s in good condition. In the front of the workshop, I said to my wife, “can we have a drink at the Mamak shop?” My wife responds, “Not need lo. We will have dinner at Tropicana Mall and I want to go to Esprit.” I am rejected again but in my heart I pray, “God, help me.”

As we walk to the car, my wife presses the car’s key button and the car lock!!!. In an angry voice, my wife cried in frustration, “What! They didn’t lock my car?! She looks in the car and finds nothing missing. She starts the car and we drive off. As we drives on, some unusual sound come from the back of the car. Sound like iron rod clinking. Something is wrong. She stops the car by the road side and I come down to check but nothing that I can see causes the sound. We make a U turn and head back to the workshop. At the workshop, the mechanic tests the car again and confirmed something is wrong with the new absorbers. The mechanic told us to wait for another one hour and half. It will be ready around 8.00pm. 

My wife looks at me with a funny smile on her face and said, “You better shut up your mouth. You are like your mother.” And I ask, “So we go to Mamak shop for a drink?” She responds, “Yeah! You want it!” We have our Valentine Dinner at Mamak Shop. I take rice with fried fish while she takes chicken fried rice with two tea ‘tarik’ which added up to RM8.00 as compare to RM62++ times two at Shogun and lesser at Sushi Tei.

The car is ready at 8.00pm, exactly at the time my Christian Meditation Class starts. Though I am not in the class but someone is keeping in the church area.

Then we head for Tropicana Mall and she hope to get something at Esprit. She gets nothing at Esprit and she just look at me with a meaningful stare.

Have I done anything wrong? I just want to go to my class.

May God bless you with heart full of love and mercy.  Amen. 

HAPPY VALENTINE DAY.

Jennifer, you ask for about my day on Valentine Day and this is my day.

Journey home for Christmas 2

Now our journey start again as we left Sarikei for Sibu at 5.25pm on December 22^nd. Tony Ngieng sent us to Sibu in his Toyota Hilux. The journey is very bumpy as if we are in a wavy sea. The road quality is good but the road is not level due to the swampy ground on which the road was constructed.

The roads from Sarikei to Sibu are well tarred as compare to Sibu to Dalat road which are mainly going through oil palm plantation. Actually these roads from Sibu to Mukah are plantation road which are used by the plantation workers to transport their crops to the processing factory. I agreed with Pak Uban, our beloved Chief Minister that these plantation speed up the link road from Sibu to Mukah. The people of Mukah, Oya, Dalat, Sg. Kut and Kebuwau appreciate that move by the government. No to be demanding but I think it's about time we upgrade the rough terrain to a proper road.

My sister Monica had a bad experience last month when her old Iswara got stuck in one of the hole on the road in upper Mukah area which damaged her front bumper. Maybe she is not careful enough but the point is, these rough terrain road are not fit for small vehicle unless you drive a 4 Wheel Drive like Toyata Hilux or Ford Ranger or Honda CRV.

People may say that I am comparing West Malaysia road with Sarawak Road as I am more familiar with NKVE, Puncak Alam Expressway, Plus or Jalan Universiti. Yes, I am comparing but not with these good road highways. I know apple has to be compared with apple and Sarawak Pineapple with Sarawak Pineapple. Someone did plant Sarawak Pineapple in West Malaysia and yet the one from Sarawak taste better. I am comparing with road like the road to Janda Baik, Road in Kampong Kok, Perak, road that goes through the rich paddy field in Kedah. I take away the Janda Baik road because the road was constructed around a mountain terrain. How about the road in Kedah that goes through the paddy field. Both are swampy area and have different quality of road. Why?

Are West Malaysia's engineers better than those in Sarawak? This cannot be as both have learned the same technique of road building as to what material to used, combination of material, how to tackle rough terrain, how to tackle soft ground or swampy area or sinking ground and yet we have the different product.

No one is to blame but we, beloved Sarawakian and Malaysian as a whole need to find a way to solve this problem once and for all. It's not about politics, it's not about race, it's not about complain, it's about the common good for the benefit of all. If we can find a way to solve the wavy road in Sarawak, then we can use the same techniques to solve the entire wavy road throughout the whole Malaysia.

I trust in DS Najib Tun Razak's voice of 1Malaysia and I believe it can be done if we work as a team of true Malaysia in heart. Not a slogan but our true self 1Malaysia.

Though Papa Chedet is no longer our Prime Minister but we can still hear the echo of his voice shouting at the top of his voice urging us to strive forward with the vision 2020 and be a developed nation by 2020.

At 11.30am on December 23^rd, we took a 600horsepower speedboat to Dalat which takes around 2hours. The boat was full of people, young and old, kids and adults. All of them are going home for Christmas though not all are Christian as some are Muslims and others are Buddist. The kids are having good times shouting and laughing while most of the adults are taking a nap including my wife. The wind is rushing from the front opening of the boat which gives us good cool air.

As our speedboat glide over the water along Igan River, I glanced outside the boat and saw the water in the river is low tide which will affect our journey to Dalat. In order to get to Dalat, we have to go through Kut River which connects to Oya River and Dalat is on the bank of Oya River.

We stopped at one of passenger's house but our engine just stop. Agnes ask me what is happening and I just shake my head and keep on typing in my blog. The engine won't start and we are floating down the Igan River. Babies are crying due to the hot weather and the ladies look worried. Agnes looks uneasy. I keep my cool and keep on writing.

At 12.21pm, the engines gave back the smiles on everyone faces as they can hear the roaring sound of the engine blasted to top speed. Fresh air rushing on our faces and the babies stop crying as the cool air comfort their warm little body. The adults smile at each other as a sign of relieve and gratitude.

Then at 12.51pm, we stop at Bungan village and drop a few passengers which include a young man with a young child who told me to be working in a hotel in Jalan Ampang area in Kuala Lumpur. And off we go again. Strong wind brushes my face and my thin hair and I love it. It's really like home with water, wave, strong wind and fresh air. I really missed this experience when I am working in an air-condition office in Petaling Jaya. This is real fresh and free.

At exactly 1.00pm, we reach Sg. Kut Muara. Then we take a van to Mother's house at Sg. Kut Tengah. My sister Monica also arrive at Mother's house at the same time and we get the house key from our neighbor.

We are safe home at last.

Thanks God for our safe journey and may all within us bless His Holy Name.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.