Life goes on 生活如常

Fr. Leo Chang's condition is critical. Not eating or drinking for the last two days because unable to swallow. Heavy breathing, muscle spasm... Not able to talk... I got up at three in the morning and went to bed again after five. I can only pray for God's mercy on him.

Otherwise, life must go on.

I was practically dragged up by my wife's phone call reminding the morning session cum 10th Anniversary celebrations of the Everfit Yoga Studio.

It was founded by Lily Teo and few sweet young things ten years ago.... for good physical health and friendship.

A pot-luck fellowship was held after the morning Yoga and Taichi exercise. About 150 members and Yoga, Taichi enthusiasts attended the celebrations.

莉莉 （右二）Lily (Second right)

张学礼神父的状况非常的不乐观。他呼吸沉重，不能说话，已经两天没吃喝点丁的食物或水了，因为他不能吞咽。我睡得不好，半夜三点爬了起来，到五点才返回床上。我只能为神父祈祷，特别祈求天主的怜悯和仁慈，不要受太多的苦难。

除此之外，生活还是得照常进行。

我几乎是被太太的来电从床上拉起，提醒我早上的运动班及 Everfit Yoga Studio (瑜伽中心） 的十周年庆祝。这中心是在十年前，由莉莉女士，联合几位年轻人共同创立的。

在运动过后，大家共享美味的早餐。共用约150 名瑜伽 、太极爱好者及会员参加了这个庆祝会。













More pictures in YOUTUBE 更多照片

Financial winter 金融冬天

Malaysia has no winter but I am feeling the winter chill.

It is the financial winter the world now experiencing since the financial tsunami started in the US. It reached Europe almost instantaneously. Due to globalisation and exposure, no country is spared.

In Malaysia, most experts said the worse will be felt by March next year.

However, many Malaysians already fallen victim to the financial winter. In Penang, many workers are being retrenched. Many more retrenchment are not reported. My nephew who is working in a big furniture export factory in Batu Pahat have his pay cut by more than 20%. The management already scaling down their operation and retrenchment will follow. He has two infant children, and worry about the future.

While I am sitting in the office, the sales and collections reflects the real time situation. I am feeling the chill.... right into my bones. And the winter is not here yet!

Over pessimistic? It is good to have crisis sentiments to keep one alert.

"We played the flute for you but you do not dance. We sang a funeral song but you do not cry........ Yet the outcome will prove Wisdom to be right。" (Mt 11: 17)


马来西亚没有冬天，但我却感到冬天的寒冷。

这就是目前全世界在美国发生的金融海啸之后，体验到的金融冬天。欧洲也几乎在同一个时间领受到了这个冬天的威力。因为全球化及开放，世界上没有一个国家可以逃过的。

在马来西亚，许多专家说最坏的还没有到来。

不过，许多马来西亚人民已经领受到了这个冬天的伤害。在槟城，许多员工已经被裁退。还有更多的工厂裁员不为人知。我的一位在巴都巴辖一间出口大傢私厂工作的侄儿，已经被减薪 二十吧先。公司已经缩小营业，下一步将是裁员了。他有两分别为个六岁及三岁的孩子，正为将来而忧心。

我坐在办事处里，看着销售及收账的情况，确是已经反映了目前的实况。我已经感觉到了这个冬天的寒冷。。。深入骨髓。冬天还没到呢！

太过悲观？未雨绸缪，有个危机意识会提高我们的警惕。

"我们给你们吹了笛，你们却不跳舞，我们唱了哀歌，你们却不捶胸哀哭。。。。事情的结果必会证明智慧的正确。" (玛11 :17)

Route to Kampong 回乡路上

Today is the birthday of the Sultan of Selangor. It is a holiday. Since I am not being conferred with a Datukship... or AMN....or M & M, （may be better chance in Melaka) and not to waste a day, my wife and I decided to go down Seremban to visit my elder brother and sister.

My brother was alright but elder sister was not at home. We also visited my second sister-in-law, to discuss about the reunion dinner on the coming Chinese New Year's eve. Since the death of my eldest sister-in-law three years ago, we have the reunion dinner of brothers, nephews and nieces at my second sister-in-law's house. It is very important to keep the tradition and ties alive.

We took our return journey through Nilai. We stopped by to visit Anthony who run a stationary shop at the main street. He has four children, two are working, and two in college.

Anthony and wife
乐麟及太太

He always has a smile on his face. He shared with us three important virtue in life:

(1) Give thanks - To God in everything.

(2) Give praise- Not only God but also fellow brothers and sisters. Praises warm hearts and create friendly enviorment.

(3) Forgive -It is very hard to forgive, but forgiveness set one free from the control and Shadow of sins and hatred.

Later, we have lunch at popular Restoran Jia Mei recommended by Anthony. We ordered fried "tang hoon" and "kuih teow". It was RM4.00 each, very delicious and cheaper than in Kajang (RM4.50).

After Nilai, we stopped by Semenyih to buy some famous fried Tou Fu from a Malay store.

Our journey : Kajang - Semenyih - Seremban - Labu - Nilai - Pajam - Semenyih - Kajang. (100 Kms)


今天是雪兰莪州苏丹生日，是公共假期。我没有被受封任何勋銜，拿督，AMN 或者 M & M, (可能在马六甲较有机会） 也为了不浪费一天，我和太太南下芙蓉去探访我的哥哥和姐姐。

我的哥哥健康还好，而我的姐姐却不在家。我们就到老家探访二嫂，和她谈谈即将来临的农历新年团圆饭。自从我的二嫂在三年前逝世后，除夕团圆饭就在二嫂家举行。兄弟 、 侄儿 、侄女的团聚，是非常的重要，必须连续及保持，这也是我们华人的优良传统风俗。

我们取道汝来回家，并探访了在大街开书籍及文具的乐麟（ Anthony）。他有四个孩子，两位已工作，两位仍在学院就读。

乐麟的脸上常挂着笑容。他和我们分享了他做人的三个原则。

1） 感恩 - 在任何事上，感谢天主。

2）赞美 - 不只赞美天主，也有常常赞美身边的兄弟姐妹。赞美的话能够温暖人心，也能够制造和谐的气氛。

3）宽恕 - 虽然是很难做到，但宽恕把一个人从罪恶及仇恨控制和阴影解放出来。

过后，我们到乐麟介绍的佳美餐馆用午餐。我们叫了炒冬粉和粿条，非常的美味和价格相宜（RM4.00)，比加影的最低RM4.50 便宜好多了。

路过士毛月，我们也购买了一些这里出名的煎豆腐。

我们的路程是： 加影 - 士毛月 - 芙蓉 - 拉务 - 汝来 - 巴音 - 士毛月 - 加影。(100 Kms)



Fried Tou Fu with chili sauce
煎豆腐及辣椒酱

My favourate kuih-muih and Indian tidbits - Muruku, kacang......
（from Nilai)

我喜欢的糕饼及印度小吃。。。（汝来）

Kebun Baru 甘本笆鲁

We left Johor Baru for home today at about 11:30 am. We detoured to Kampong Kebun Baru, 25 km from Tangkak to visit our friend Ching Boon and See Jiao. (See 11/8/08 blog posting)

They are simple people and hard working. Due to days of heavy rain, they did not tap rubber for two days. They welcomed us warmly.

We left forhome at 3:00pm, with car loaded with banana, topioca and our favourate - concentrated "rui cha" materials.


我们在今早月十一点半左右，离开新山返家。途中我们到离开东甲约二十五公里的Kebun Baru 新村，拜访钦文和雪娇夫妇。
(参阅 11/8/08 旧记事）

他们生活淳朴，勤劳。因为连日大雨，他们两天没去割胶了。他们很高兴的欢迎我们的到访。

我们在下午三点左右，告别回家。我们的车满载香蕉和木薯，还有我们最喜欢的“擂茶”材料。

环境清幽、宁静的 Kebun Baru
Peaceful and quiet Kebun Baru

View from house 屋前的景观

very enjoyable 真好享受

In Johor Baru, we usually stayed at Tony & Susan's house. Susan is Pauline's younger sister. They are very fun and easy people. We always have fun together. They take good care of us.

在新山，我们通常住在小姨Susan 的家。Susan 和丈夫Tony 简单，随和有趣，和他们在一起，非常的愉快。他们招待周到，宾至如归。

From left: Susan, Tony, Bonny and Bryan

Whenever we can, we will spend time with our parents in law. We laugh a lot, eat a lot and joke a lot.

我们也尽量抽出时间陪我们的岳父母。我们有笑很多，吃很多，也嬉戏多。

笑，laughing, 赌，gambling, 戏，joking!

Great storyteller - my mother in law

最会讲故事 - 我的岳母

my favourate, Johor kuih tiaw kia
我喜爱的柔佛粿条仔

Visit... 拜访

While in Johor Baru, together with Tony and Susan, we went to visit Fr. Francis Ku in Graceville at Majodi ( Malaka-Johor Diocesan Center) in Plentong Fr. Ku greeted us with his usual warm smile and welcome. We last parted company at our goodwill visit to Hongkong and Macau in September.

We have lunch together with Fr. Ku and Fr. Anthony Ng.

After lunch, on our way home, we stopped by Agnes's Relak Corner Internat Cafe. We have coffee together.


在新山，我们也乘机到避兰东甲柔教区中心拜访了顾有彦神父。他以温暖的笑容欢迎我们的到来。我们上一次见面是在九月的港澳亲善拜访。

连同黄利坚神父（ Fr. Anthony Ng), 我们一同共用午餐。

午餐过后，回家途中，到美芳及家人开设的网际咖啡座，享受咖啡和聊聊天。

My God daughters 我的乾女儿

Last night, we have dinner together with four of my five god-daughters in Johor Baru. They are my Genting daughters - knew them in a Genting Highlands gathering.

All of them are very busy with their works. So getting together is a rare occasion. We, Tony & Susan also, have a wonderful time together.

From Left: Tony, Susan, Pauline, John, Magdeline, Irene, Angela, Agnes and me.

昨晚，我和四位“云顶”乾女儿共同享用了一顿丰富的晚餐。他们是我在云顶第一届青年圣母军交流会时，认了五位乾女儿中的四位，另一位已随丈夫移居香港。

她们每位都为工作忙，所以能相聚在一起，确是一件难得的事。我们，还有小姨Susan 及他的丈夫 Tony 共同度过了一个愉快的晚上。

Down south 南下

On Friday 5/12/08, we came to Johor Baru. We have an wedding invitation from Pauline's cousin sister in Singapore for her daughter's wedding on Saturday.

Early Saturday morning, we left for Singapore at 8:00 am to avoid congestion at the Causeway. The wedding Mass was held at the St. Francis Xavier Church in Serangoon area. We stayed on for the dinner in the evening and returned to Johor Baru at mid-night. （Adrian & Evelyn, right)

I tried out my GPS set and found it to be very accurate and helpful.

We will be home on Tuesday.

我目前是在新山。

我和太太在星期五, 5/12/08 南下到新山，因为我们受太太的表姐邀请，星期六出席她女儿出嫁婚礼。

在星期六早上不八时，我们就出发，因为要避开关卡的拥挤。结婚弥撒是在靠近实笼岗附近的圣方济沙勿烈堂举行。我们留下，参加傍晚的婚宴，在午夜过后，才回到新山。

我使用卫星导航系统，路途指示非常准确，非常有帮助。

我们预算在星期二返家。

Janet and Victor at tea ceremony 敬茶礼

Xmas at Orchard Road 乌节路的圣诞装饰

狼狈为奸 Father-son team

Mukhriz Mahathir, son of former PM Mahathir has attributed the issue of Ketuanan Melayu and the polarisation of society to the current education system. He suggested the closing of Chinese and Tamil primary schools and be replaced with a single language (Malay) education system.

Mukhriz is the front running candidate for the UMNO Youth President post. If elected, he has the possibility of being appointed as the Education Minister and implement his policy.

When Mahathir handed over the helm to Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, he was not happy with him for not following through his policy especially on many mega projects such as the crooked bridge and the twin rail track system. For his own interest, he was trying all types of antics to unseat Abdullah. One of the means was through his son Mukhriz, MP for Jelun. Mukhriz was under heavy fire for criticising the leadership of Abdullah. Bothe father and son has been marginalised.

March 8 General Election saw a change of fortune for this father & son team. Abdullah's misfortune was Mahathir's fortune. With Najib being accepted as the heir to Abdullah after UMNO party election in March 2009, we saw the soaring of Mahathir's influence and his son being the front runner of the UMON Youth President election, leading Khairy, son in law of Abdullah and former Selangor Mentri Besar Khir Toyol.

It is no secret that Mukhriz's extremist suggestion is to garner vote in the coming party election, and acting as the mouthpiece of his father.

If this wolf-pack father and son team regain power, it is the misfortune of the country and nightmare for the communities.

马哈迪的儿子慕克力，在十二月一日说，為了加強各族之間的團結，政府應該重新考慮接管各源流學校，並廢除華小及淡小制度，改制為使用馬來語為教學媒介語的統一教育制度。也就是说，华小和淡小将被关闭。在他建議的“馬來西亞教育制度”下，除了英語教數理外，其他各項科目都應該以馬來文為媒介語。

他说目前的种族缺乏和谐，是因为现有的教育制度。（华小及淡小的存在）

慕克力是巫统巫青团团长候选人。假如他胜选担任团长，那么他就有可能被委任为教育部长，实施他提出的这项政策。

马哈迪把政权交给阿都拉之后，觉察到他的这位即位者并没有依照他的“指示”和心意去执政，特别是一些庞大的发展计划，如新柔弯曲大桥，铁道双轨计划等，而发生利益冲突，就想尽办法要把他搞下台，其中一个最好的管道就是经过他的儿子慕克力了。但在时不与我的环境下，他只能靠空中喊话，尽量发挥幕后推手的作用，搞终极破坏，其最终目的就是以个人利益为出发点，不是以国家利益为中心。最终父子被边缘化。

但他们的命运却在三八大选后改变了。阿都拉的倒运，却是他们父子的幸运。拿吉的上台，肯定给马哈迪一个绝处逢生的机会。他的儿子也因而在巫青提名中，气势如如虹，远胜阿都拉的女婿凯里和前任雪兰俄州务大臣希尔。

慕克里的这番谈话，除了是要在党选中，以此极端论调来争取到更多选票外，也是反映了他父亲马哈迪的声音。

这对狼狈为奸的父子，假如得势，将是我国的不幸。，华社的噩梦。

This is life 这是人生

My hand phone was ringing this morning at about 3:15 am. Something urgent and not so good.

I went to bed about 12:30 am. Awakened after a while. Something crossed my mind... personal matter..... I remembered holding my head and calling to God:" Look at me, God, have pity on me...why???? where are you???" I was not dreaming. It was something disturbing me... too personal to share.

I calmed myself, telling myself "go back to sleep.....Z z zZ zz..".

Just fallen to sleep and the phone rang. It was Cecilia who was looking after Fr. Leo Chang in the Hospital. Fr. Leo Chang was re-admitted to hospital on Sunday morning due to deteriorating condition.

"Simon.... can you come over to see Fr.? I don't know what to do... he is shivering and shaking..."

"Have you call the nurse......" the line cut off.

Immediately my wife and I left for hospital. Frankly I was in a daze.

We did not say a word in the car but we knew what was in each other's mind and expected the worse.

Reached the Hospital after half an hour. When we reached Fr.'s room, it seemed quiet. A sign of relief......when I opened the door, saw Fr. was sleeping on bed and hearing his heavy breathing. We heaped a heavy sign!

Cecilia told us the nurse has given some drug to Fr and seemed OK now. We did not know what happened or caused it. Cecilia was very frighten that might have lost Fr. earlier.

Fr. was breathing heavily on oxygen. Once in a while, he would open his eyes and stared blankly at the ceiling. Not acknowledging our presence.

I looked at Fr.... thinking of myself. Will I be like him in 10 years...15 years... 20 years.. who will look after me? who to call in emergency liked just now...... May be I am thinking too much.

We went home at 5:30 am. Age is catching up. Tired and sleepy but got to go to office at 9.

Hardly sat down on my office chair, a call from a friend. It was a long talk (an hour) about problem she has with children.... Haaaiiiiiya... bringing up children is not an easy task. Life is not easy at all.

This is life. Life must go on. After the call ended, I left the office to collect payment from customers.... money - life - live.

This is reality... This is life! Life is still beautiful despite hardship, suffering and pain. Faith, Hope and Charity are graces from God for us to live a beautiful life ! Life is worth living :D



我的手机把我吵醒，看看时间，是凌晨三点十五分。应该是紧急来的不好消息。

我在十二点半左右上床睡觉。睡了片刻，就醒了过来。脑子被一些个人事情困扰。我还记得双手紧抓头部，呼唤着上主：“上主，看看我吧！可怜我。。。为什么？。。你在哪里？”。我不是做梦，是某些事情在困扰着我。这是私隐，不便分享。

我告诉自己，冷静下来，回到睡眠去。。。要睡 Z zzzz Z z z zzz.

刚刚睡下，电话就响了。这是 Cecilia 打来的。她是在医院陪伴及照顾张神父。张神父在星期天，因为病情恶化，而再次进入医院。

"Simon, 你可以来看神父吗？我不知道要怎样做。。。他在抽筋，发抖。。。“

”你有叫护士来看吗。。。。。”电话断线了。

我和太太马上换装，赶往医院去。老实说，当时我的头脑还是混沌沌的。

路上我和太太都没说话，但我们都知道对方脑子里在想什么，也准备了最坏的打算。

半个小时后，我们到达了医院。当我们走到神父的病房门口，是静悄悄的，紧绷的心情，松了一些。打开了门，看到神父躺在床上睡着。。。还听到他沉重呼吸声，看来没有大事发生，嘘了口气。

Cecilia 告诉我们，护士已经给了神父一些药物，看来他的情形好了很多。他们也不知道刚才的情况是什么原因引起。她当时是非常的害怕，害怕失去了神父。

神父是有氧气辅助呼吸，呼吸声很重，偶尔会张开眼睛，凝视天花板。。张开口。。。他没有对我们的在场有任何表示或反应。他的目光是空洞的。

我望着神父。。。想到自己。我在十年后，十五年或二十年后，会不会好些张神父般？谁会来照顾我？。。像在这个紧急的时候，该去找谁？。。。。可能我想的太多了。

我们在五点半回到家，也不能入眠了。我得如平时半的起来工作，九时就要到办事处。可能是年纪大了，觉得很疲倦和想睡。

到了办公室，刚坐下，就接到朋友的来电。整一小时的谈话，她数说了孩子的问题。。。。哎呀呀。。抚养孩子不是件容易的事，生活本来就是不容易。

这是人生， 生活还是得要过。谈话结束后，我得出去向顾客收账。钱。。。人生。。。生活。

这是现实，这是生活。虽有痛苦 、悲伤 、艰辛，但人生还是美好的。天主赏赐了我们信 、望 、爱 三德，就是要让我们能过美好的生活。人生是值得去活的！