A few days ago, my good friend Mr. Murali sent me this newspaper cutting that appeared in The Star 30 years ago, which carried a story by him about litter Shalini who needed financial assistance for an urgent heart disorder treatment. Murali bought Shalini and her mother to my office for help. I was then a State Assemblyman, I appealed for help from the public through The Star and very soon we had successfully raised enough funds for her treatment. 

 

I met her mother by chance recently, and I was so happy to hear that Shalini is now leading a normal life. She is now over 40 years old.

 

Happy Deepavali to Shalini, her family, and all my dear friends from FB.

 

我的好朋友，也是星报记者Murali先生，前几天从马六甲寄给我一份剪报，这是他30年前在该报的一份报道，讲述一位印裔小女孩Shalini 正需要一笔钱进行一项紧急的心脏手术。当时我是州行政议员，Murali带Shalini和她母亲来见我，通过星报和善心人士的协助，我们很快就筹足了款项，顺利让她动了手术。

 

几月前，我巧遇她的母亲，很高兴得知，她女儿如今一切安好，过着正常人的生活。Shalini已是40多岁的妇女了。

 

在此祝愿Shalini、她的家人和所有朋友，屠妖节快乐！

屠妖节快到了，芙蓉市印度街的商店里，琳琅满目，摆满了庆祝佳节的用品和食物，好不热闹。

 

These are the few shots I took a few days ago along “India Street” in Seremban. I can feel the festive mood of Deepavali.

The Bridge over the Tutuh River 

 

2021年5月，连续几场大雨，一百多米长的Tutuh 河铁桥被河水冲毁了，切断了Long Lama通往Long Seridan、Long Kawa、Ba Puak及多个本南村落的陆路交通。如今一年多过去了，修桥的工作才刚开始不久，我们必须乘小船过河，然后再安排车子来接以便继续我们的行程！

 

The bridge over Tutuh river was washed away during heavy downpours in May 2021. The road connecting Long Lama to Long Kawa, Ba Puak, Long Seridan, and a few other Penan settlements was completely cut off. During my visit last month, I saw that the restoration work had just started, we had to cross the river by small ferry and arrange for another vehicle on the other side of the river to continue our journey.  

内陆水果摊

 

往砂州内陆Belaga途中，经过一个简陋的水果摊，上面有凤梨、香蕉、柑和一些蔬菜，每样都有标价，却没有人看守。摊位上挂着透明塑料小罐，有的则用小木箱。顾客拿了水果，把钱投入小罐或木箱，买卖就成交了。内陆地区，已有Cash and Carry的买卖模式，比城市还先进了！

 

On the way to Belaga, the interior of Sarawak, we came across a small and makeshift stall, selling pineapples, bananas, oranges, and vegetables, with prices written on it. We saw no sellers but a few used plastic bottles for us to put in the payments. What a fantastic “Cash and Carry” experience in this remote area!