In the year 2013, an ecopreneur I became

A nature park in Bintulu 

Fresh Cempedak taken
today

In the year 2013, an ecopreneur I became.  Is there a time in your life that you can have the greatest fun doing what you love?  I have, and that happened in 2013 when I decided to call my eco-farm in Bintulu - the Kambatik Park.  It is the culmination of my strengths in landscaping, writing, photography, wildlife, aesthethics, planning, entrepreneurship, healthy life style, and passion in plants and life-long learning.  Here I build an eco-model for the cultivation of oil palm.  The sub-heading of the Kambatik Park's blog reads:" A private nature park developed by MOOD based on the principles of ecological diversity, oil palm integrated agro-forestry practices and Kambatik landscape design philosopohy and aesthethics".  You don't have to visit the park to experience it.  Making use of internet  technology I blogged on the development and happenings at the park for the whole world to see.  It has been more than two years since  and the story and discoveries keep on coming.  My ultimate vision is to see the model adopted along the 1000 km length of Sarawak trunk road such that it become a chain of 'kambatik park', the longest nature parkland  developed by rural entrepreneurs in Sarawak.
Sarawak - you are just so beautiful.

Happy Malaysia Day, Sarawak.

( This is the 13th and final posting for my writing contribution on what it is meant to be a Malaysian as a way for me to celebrate Malaysia Day this year, 2015)

An oil palm tree planted 4 years ago (2011)  and bearing fruits...
Zone C.

In the year 1985, an AGM I became

Group photo with participants of a landscaping course organised by BDA, in front of BDA Building, Jalan Somerville, Bintulu, 1990.

My office at BDA Building,
Jalan Somverville.

In the year 1985, an AGM I became.  The AGM or Assistant General Manager of BDA (Bintulu Development Authority ) post covers a few portfolios.  The main divisions under my responsibility were low-cost housing, landscaping, PR and tourism, land matters and resettlement lots, administration and  legal.  The AGM post really kept me occupied and very busy in the various roles especially in laying the foundation stones for making Bintulu a beautiful tropical garden city of the future especially roadside planting, green lungs, and recreational parks,  construction of low-cost housing for new migrants to the booming town, removal and resettlement of squatters, promotion of Bintulu as a investment profit centre and the construction of tourism related projects like golf course, wildlife park and chalets at Similajau national park.  Sometime in 1991 I was interviewed by New Straits Time journalist Ahmad A. Talib  about my work in BDA and Bintulu (see news cutting below).   The interview says it all.  I feel I have done a great deal for my hometown and I hope others will continue on with the show.  Make Bintulu a beautiful, prosperous and friendly industrial city 2020.

Happy Malaysia Day, Sarawak.

( Note: This is the 11th  post on what it is meant to be a Malaysian as part of my writing contribution to Malaysia Day which will  to be celebrated on the 16th of September.)

In the year 1981, an artist I became

The Digital era 2012 and beyond
To see more of my works and adventres in art online, please follow the links below:
# mygalerimood.blogspot.com

Batik pieces for sale,
early 2000's

In the year 1981, an artist I became.  It has been a long journey and it is not going to stop.  There is however a very important milestone in my passion for art.  It was in Kuching, Sarawak that I decided to celebrate my love for art and poetry in one exhibition.  I organised an exhibition never seen before in the capital city.  In the exhibition, my paintings were displayed together with other poetry works of mine. The poems were stenciled, drawn and and some recorded and the readings played as background sound and music for visitors to the exhibition.  The exhibition was a real success thanks to the great help of my artist friends in Kuching and the Sarawak Museum which provided the exhibition space. My adventures in art started very early while I was in lower secondary school in Bintulu (1963-1966), however it was at Tanjung Lobang College (1967 -1970) that my art training received a firm foundation.  In the 70's I was busy doing further studies at Pulau Pinang but continued to put some of my artistic talents to good use in making shadow play puppets, a minor option I took.  In the university years I found great escape in doing pen sketches of myself in different moods.  In the 80's I concentrated on making batik works which were mainly for sale. In the 1990's I did a few abstracts and this trend continued into the 2000's .  My abstract paintings have one very important thing in common.  The paints I used were left overs which I recycled in the form of abstract works.  When the Internet arrived and the digital age is here to stay, I toyed around with digital art which I called 'rendart' or art rendered digitally.  I am blessed to have acquired the skills of an artist to interpret the world around me and which has made me feel  'an artist at heart'.  Art is a need and I am most satisfied when I can express myself to fill the need  intuitively, intellectually and culturally.

Happy Malaysia Day, Sarawak.

( Note: This is the 10th  post on what it is meant to be a Malaysian as part of my writing contribution to Malaysia Day which will  to be celebrated on the 16th of September.)

1981 - First Solo Art and Poetry Exhibition , at Sarawak Museum, Kuching.
My artist friends and lovers of art who assisted in organising the exhibition.

Exhibition booklet for the first solo exhibition, 15 -17 October,1981.
This booklet is kept by the Library of Congress, follow the link below:-
# https://catalog.loc.gov/vwebv/search?searchArg=pameran+lukisan+dan+puisi+mood&searchCode=GKEY%5E*&searchType=0&recCount=25&sk=en_US

As a young artist at Tanjung Lobang Beach, Miri. 1968.
At Tanjung Lobang College I received a firm foundation in Art.

At my first solo exhibition in 1981.

In the year 1973, a historian I became

Penang in 1846, watercolour painting by Charles Andrew Dyce
to show mercantile tradition during the early years of Penang Free School

Graduated in 1973, major
History.

In the year 1973, a historian I became.  I got my training at the Universiti Sains Malaysia,  Penang from the years 1971-73.  Upon graduation in 1973 I majored in history.  In 1973 I submitted an essay for the inter-university history writing competition entitled " The Concept of Malaysian National History".  The essay won first place in English section and I received the award signed and handed by the then Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Hussein Onn  in Kuala Lumpur.   My love of history has blossomed ever since and I continued to spread the love of history while in schools where I taught the subject to Form Five students.  While in the Educational Mass Media Service in Kuching I produced a radio programme on history which was broadcasted to schools in Sarawak in the late 70's called "Sejarah".
Over the years I did not write much history especially during the times when I was carrying the business as a contractor.  But once the internet became  more popular in Sarawak in the early 2000's , I began to be active again.  The internet provided the means for me to publish my writing and reach a worldwide audience.  With the new opportunities I started to make a comeback by blogging on history.  The history blogs I created are as follows:
1)  Images of Bintulu before and now
2)  The first 100 years of Penang Free School
3)  My Bintulu History
4)  Open coasts to mountain highs

Sometime in September last year, an article written by Bernama and shared with other news media in Malaysia regarding the changes in Bintulu  referred me as 'Bintulu historian', a title I feel good about .
History writing is a self-driven activity.  Like any other historian my dream is to produce a book on the history of Bintulu especially during its modern or contemporary era.   The process has started with blogging and I hope the printed form will come out soon.

Happy Malaysia Day, Sarawak.

Note: This is the 9th  post on what it is meant to be a Malaysian as part of my writing contribution to Malaysia Day which will  to be celebrated on the 16th of September.)

In the year 1979, a headmaster I became

Friendly football match between school teachers and members of Bintulu public at the school football field.  I am standing 6th from right (back row)

In the year 1979, a headmaster I became.  It was one of the most challenging times in my life.  For one thing I was given very short notice about the appointment.  Immediately after a midnight fire leveled down the school’s main administrative office - cum staff room, I received a call from the Education Department to see the Director of Education.  I was then working at the Educational Mass Media Office in Kuching.  When I reached headquarters, I was instead directed to a room and met the Deputy Minister of Education Malaysia,  Salleh Jafaruddin.  We had an hour of discussion after which he said, “Tomorrow you go to Bintulu and take over the administration of the school.  The letter of appointment as Headmaster will follow later.”  Upon checking in at the school (which happened to be the school I attended in the 60's)  I found the Headmaster’s office, clerk’s office and the staff room in ashes.  That’s how I started administering the school.  I had no records, no files, no office etc..  That incident meant that all the school records since it started in 1963 turned to ashes. 

 As the principal of SMK Bintulu (Sekolah Menengah Kerajaan Bintulu) or  previously known as BGSS (Bintulu Government Secondary School),   I had to perform many official, semi-official and non-official duties related to the school.   In order to track my daily work schedule and  keep record of the events happening each day, I devised a ‘Travellogue” ( see inset).  Even as the headmaster I find time to mix around with the teachers.  One way was to play football with them.  (see top picture)   Often I would join them in the staff room during morning or afternoon break and night study time, chatting and getting to know them better.  One of the many activities that brought me to town often was to collect mail from the post office, bank in money to the local treasury, visit students in the hospital or attend official meetings with other government departments.  In those days, the school was the main source of "flower girls" and I had teachers responsible to get ready these girls in time and transport them whenever VIP's were to be officially welcomed at the airport.  Being the Principal of the only secondary school in a small town of Bintulu then, the post was a very high profile one.  You get to know people quickly and it worked both ways.  The public would  normally address you as "Cikgu" or teacher.  In Malaysian society being a teacher is one of the most respectable job, not to mention the Headmaster.  I was at the SMK Bintulu for about two years and by the time I finished my five years bond or scholarship contract with the government,  I decided to move into greener pastures and joined a newly formed statutory body specific for Bintulu called BDA ( Bintulu Development Authority) in November, 1980.

Thank you SMK Bintulu for the rare and challenging experience you gave me.

Happy Malaysia Day, Sarawak.

(Note: This is the 6th of my post on what it is meant to be a Malaysian as part of my writing contribution to Malaysia Day which will  to be celebrated on the 16th of September.)

Arrival of Prime Minister, Hussein Onn at Bintulu Airport.
Note the flower girls in traditional costume.

" Flower girls" from SMK Bintulu

Typed manuscript of Principal's message in the School Magazine, 1980.

In the year 1975, a teacher I became

 With students at School Sports Day,  Bintulu Government Secondary School (BGSS) , 1976.

With Rebecca Bana, Head Girl
1976

In the year 1975, a teacher I became.  It was my first posting and lucky me I was sent to my hometown, Bintulu.  As a graduate teacher I taught there for two years after which I was sent to Pulau Pinang to take up a course on educational broadcasting.  The two years spent at BGSS were wonderful years spent with young adults since the school was the only one that enrolled Form 4 and Form 5 students from around the Bintulu area.  I taught History and Bahasa Malaysia subjects.  In 1975,  the teacher composition was a diverse mix of nationalities (see picture below) - Chinese, Malay, British, Indian, Iban and Melanau.  As a young man and teacher, my time was very much occupied with extra-mural activities.  I was involved in the Music and Singing Club and was appointed as Teacher-in-charge of the School Library.  I trained the students in children's drama, playing the guitar and supervised them during work parties.  During school sports day all teachers were kept busy with the organisation of the sporting events because as a tradition the school would invite the town population to watch their children participate in the various field events.  In 1976, I was a proud owner of a Yamaha trail bike, the first ever to be seen on Bintulu roads and used it to go to school, picnics and scrambling along Bintulu beaches.  Even though the time spent teaching was brief, it was filled with rich memories, happiness and the rare chance to help students in many aspects of their  personal growth and educational up bringing.

Happy Malaysia Day, Sarawak.

(Note: This is the 4th of my post on what it is meant to be a Malaysian as part of my writing contribution to Malaysia Day which will  to be celebrated on the 16th of September.)

Morning Session teachers in a group photograph.  Father Harry, the headmaster is seated fifth from right( front row).  I am second from right (back row).  Photo taken in 1975.

Group photo with the school librarians.  I am at center (front row) as
Teacher -in-charge of School Library, 1976. 

In the year 1967, an actor I became

1969 as the
Government  Inspector

In the year 1967, an actor I became.  I mean how at the fragile age of 16 would I be so interested in joining the Drama Club while studying Form Four at  Tanjong Lobang School, Miri?  We set a wonderful tradition for the school by producing an English drama every year for the school as well as the  Miri public’s  enjoyment from 1967 -1969.  The school’s principal, Mr. Robert Nichol was an ardent lover of drama and in fact wrote or adapted a few of the plays himself.  The most well-known was the play “The Government Inspector” which made me famous  for my role as the, guess what? – the Government Inspector.  For many years later I when I bumped into many ex-Tanjong students they could vividly remember the night of the play when I had the audience in stitches.  I love acting for many reasons but mainly for the confidence-building, social interactions, disciplined training and a tool to improve one’s English.  The plays I took part during my Tanjong days were; ‘The Government Inspector”, “ Pillars of the Community”, “Charley’s Aunt” and “ Tamu di Bukit Kenny” (Malay drama). 

Years down the road, in 1975 while a teacher at the Bintulu Government Secondary School or Sekolah Menengah Kerajaan Bintulu, I produced a children’s theatre called “Dewi Bunga” in Bahasa Malaysia.  The play was performed at the school’s stage to much amazement of the audience who never had  seen a drama or play in which humans assumed  the characters of animals and plants.  I was so driven to stage the play that it did not matter that most of the expenses were borne by me.  I just had to make it happen.

I would expect that today , in my adult life, in this new millennium, there would be more plays staged in Bintulu or other towns in Sarawak for the public to see.  Alas, this is not the scenario.  In this respect the town has not build up a cultural life that can contribute ‘ soul ‘ to the town or city of the future.  We have laid down the foundations, and would love to see newer generations continue with a good tradition.

Happy Malaysia Day, Sarawak.

Charley's Aunt - list of actors and roles

Performers and officials from Tanjong Lobang College in a group photograph.  Date: 31 May, 1969.
The concert was named "Malam Lagu dan Drama", organised by the members of the college's Muslim League .
In the drama "Tamu di Bukit Kenny" I took the role of Bang Man.  The tall figure in the middle at the back row is our principal, Mr. Robert Nichol.

A Children Theatre entitled " Dewi Bunga" perfomed by students of Sekolah Menengah Kerajaan Bintulu in 1975.
The play was opened for the public as well as students to enjoy.

A page from my dairy..1969

(Note: This is the 2nd of my post on what it is meant to be a Malaysian as part of my writing contribution to Malaysia Day which will  to be celebrated on the 16th of September.)

In the year 1965, a footballer I became.

BGSS team, wearing dark stripe jersey in 1965 at BDC Padang, Bintulu.
I am at the center front row as captain of the BGSS team (Bintulu Government Secondary School)

1992

In the year 1965, a footballer I became.  Football has been my favourite game since primary school in the early 60's.  When I continued my schooling at BGSS or Bintulu Government Secondary School I became the captain  of its junior soccer team. In 1965 while at Form Two B, our soccer team won the final match  in the Junior Soccer Championship held to promote the game of football among the primary schools and BGSS, the only secondary school then at Bintulu.( see top picture)  My interest in football grew with the times and I continued with the game while I was a teacher in 1975 - 1977.  It was in the early 90's that I became the President of the the Bintulu Football Association (BIFA) which was affiliated with the Sarawak State Football Association. A major achievement while heading BIFA  was when the full BIFA Under 21 team was selected to represent Sarawak to compete  in Kuala Lumpur.  In October 1992, I was the organising chairman of the Sarawak State level "Sarawak Cup" held at the Bintulu Civic Centre.  The BIFA senior team won the prestigious championship title.  It was one of my proudest moments as a footballer and the President of Bintulu Football Association.

News cutting dated 25 October,1992 (Borneo Post)

 To be a President of a football club is basically a volunteer job. There's no salary to the post.   For the five years I headed the Bintulu football association I was assisted by very cooperative and hard working officials, members, coaches, referees, and team managers.  The Bintulu public especially the business sector was very responsive to our fund raising activities.  At the time when I decided to handover the Presidency to new blood, I left the association with a healthy balance of about RM 50,000 in its banking account.  I thought that was the best thing I could do to the association which  courted me to become its president in order to revive it just months before it was about to be de-registered by the Registrar of Societies.   Well, that is all history now.  During my time, Bintulu footballers were a much respected lot, and I felt great to be its President.  I guess it was those secondary school days as a footballer that made me love the game and the passion to lead Bintulu football to state and national level in later chapters of my life. 
Happy Malaysia Day, Sarawak.


(Note: This is the 1st of my post on what it is meant to be a Malaysian as part of my writing contribution to Malaysia Day which will  to be celebrated on the 16th of September.)