A fruitful photography excursion in West Java, Indonesia organized by Steve Chong and Rarindra Prakarsa. If you aim for landscapes, you may be disappointed, but you are well compensated with a lot of portraiture shots. It is also amazing to see the life of Dayak Losarang who spend the night in the river and stay under the hot sun the following day for a total of 4 months in a year. Believe me, I am looking forward to visit Indonesia again.
家门前九重葛花丛中突然有个鸟窝，里面竟有3只白头翁雏鸟。才出世几天，毛还长得不齐，瘦巴巴的，亟需妈妈照顾。
鸟父母成天飞进飞出，忙著觅食喂儿。有人靠近鸟窝时，会不停发出抗议声音，深怕孩子被猫叩走，被人类破坏。爱护之情，显露无疑。
“母爱是伟大的”，这句话多半用来形容人类，但我看来，有时人类也没鸟儿般伟大。我观察多时，看到白头翁鸟爸爸妈妈捉来各种虫类，自己不舍得吃，却不间断的把食物送进孩子嘴里，直到它们羽翼长丰，终于能自己飞离窝为止。
反观被称为“万物之灵”的人类，社会上常常发生弃婴或弃养事件，令人心寒。最近非政府组织OrphanCare就和政府联合设立一个收留弃婴的“婴儿舱”，作为被父母或未婚妈妈遗弃婴儿的诞下婴儿的栖身之所。
这是何其大的讽刺，鸟类都有爱子之心，为何人没有？
It was reported that a non-governmental organization, the OrphanCARE, has set up a “baby hatch” for abandoned babies. In the past, there were instances where newly born babies from illegitimate couples were abandoned and some were found dead from exposure. It is human instinct to love and care for our children, but some just acted differently.
Just take a look at the pictures above, birds know its duty to feed its chicks. They continue to do so until the chicks are strong enough to fly away and be independent.
Are we not ashamed of those who abandoned their children?
没有人懂这座山的正式名字。
山上有两座兴都庙，向来上山者多为印度同胞，居民索性称它为‘印度山’。 也有人称它为‘拉务山’， 因为山在拉务路旁。
印度山海拔只有300多米，从山脚到山顶，一般体力步行30分钟就可到顶。山上风景怡人，可俯望整个芙蓉市，天气晴朗还可遥望到波德申海上的船只。
我喜欢黄昏上山，通常都是一个人独往。我享受独自登山的乐趣，一个人可以什么都想，也可以什么都不想。聆听着自己的脚步声，欣赏着山上的树木，加上偶尔传来几声猴叫声，环境静中带动，令我感受到生活的满足和快乐！
山上两座庙，一大一小，历史悠久，香火旺盛。大庙在山腰，小的在山顶。小庙里还挂着一口钟，上山的人喜欢击它几下，钟声特别悦耳。
几年前， 看守小庙的印度老人病了，在没有接班人的情况下，小庙年久失修，香火也少了，连那口钟也不知在什么时候不见了。每次上到小庙，不禁若有所失！但心中总会响起那熟悉的钟声！
据说这土地是属于私人所有，如果地主将它发展成为高尚住宅区，到时我们将失去市内唯一的登山处，那熟悉的钟声，也将无处寻觅了！
I am not sure the official name of this hill in Seremban. As there are two Hindu temples at the top, people call it as Hindu Temple Hill. It is also known as Labu Hill as it is situated near Labu road.
This hill has become a favorite place for hash-runners and you will also find a growing numbers of health-conscious city folks who climb the hill either in the morning or in the evening. It takes about 45 minutes walk from the foot of the hill to the top.
Though not very high, only about 300 meters above sea level, the view is scenic and with Seremban town under your feet. You may even see Port Dickson from a far distance when weather is good.
I was told the land of the hill is a private property, I hope it will not turned into a housing estate in the future as it is the only hill in town.
日本海洋摄影家－中村庸夫，主修海洋工学，大部分时间在海上做研究，他热爱潜水，曾遨游七大洋。他把海浪的各种面貌，大海的气象，大海的色彩和光影拍摄成书，名为：海的表情。书中精彩的照片，令我惊叹。
不是每个人都常有机会看海。有一位中国云南摄影家，2年前来我国进行摄影交流，我们带他到波德申拍摄。他年近70，才第一次接触海，还称那是个意外和难忘的邂逅！
虽然我家离马六甲海峡不远，看海却是近几年的事。我喜欢在海滩椰树下看日出或日落；也喜欢汹涌的海浪和澎湃的涛声。看著渔夫乘风破浪为了生活出海捕鱼，那种艰苦奋斗的精神更令人钦佩。海域风光和渔夫，天地人海合一，构成一幅美丽的图案，令人陶醉。
看日落，可到波德申，看日出则必须到东海岸去。最近重游吉兰丹，和几位丹州摄影发烧友，拍摄日出和渔村风光。颇喜欢这里的海滩，弄潮的人少，特别幽静，渔民也非常友善。
看海，不光是拍摄，而是要感受和接近海，也是陶冶性情的方式。生活在繁忙城市，有机会不妨看海去。
A Japanese photographer, who spends most of his time by the sea, recently published a book entitled Sea In My Eye. He has successfully captured the beauty of the sea, the waves, the colors, and light and shadow of the ocean.
In fact, not every body has the chance to get near the sea. An elderly photographer who lives in Yun Nan all his life, only made his first encounter in Port Dickson when he visited Malaysia recently.
I live not far away from Port Dickson; ironically I seldom go to the beach. I started to frequent this place only in recent years. I also made a few trips to the seaside of East Coast of the Peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak.
Last month, I visited Kelantan again. I like the beach there as it is relatively quiet and people there are very friendly. It is an ideal place to watch sun rise. The color of the sky and it’s reflection in the water coupled with fishing boats braving the waves for fishing constituted an awesome scenery which I always fail to capture its true beauty with my lenses.
很久以前就想到砂州内陆去看看本南人的生活情况，却一直都没机会。 3月杪，我终于和美里摄影学会会长萧特财先生，从美里开车，经过Long Lama到达本南村之旅的第一站Long Win。同行的还有该学会副会长梁绍钧和著名画家陈伟庆。
4天的本南村之旅，我们走访了Long Win, Long Bangan, Long Latai, Long Kawa和Bapuak等本南村落。第一晚我们住在Long Win，这村庄算是较进步的， 住著38户人家。前几年发生严重水灾，村内所有屋子被淹坏， 村长饲养的鱼也被水冲走，损失惨重。灾后，大部分村民迁至较高地段，在没有政府帮助的情况下，各自把房子盖起来。经济能力好的，屋子还算盖得不错，老弱村民，却只好以旧木板和朔胶布，盖成简陋的房子，勉强可挡风雨。
村落没有水电供应，村民饮用没经过滤的雨水，洗澡洗衣在河里解决。我们入乡随俗，也跳入冰冷的河里洗澡，虽不习惯，却能消除疲劳。 上流伐木活动令河水多浊不堪，Long Win河也难逃命运。
夜里，除了备有发电机的几户人家屋里透出微弱的灯光外，整个村落陷入一个黑暗的世界。我们住在村长孩子空置的屋子。半夜下了一场毫雨，雨水有力地敲打锌片屋顶，发出震耳声音，却特别亲切，仿佛回到儿时住在新村的日子。
下一站是Bapuak村，这里比Long Win落后，人口约六七十人。一非政府组织盖了一所长屋，供部分人居住，余者则住在类似临时的简陋房子。这里的小孩都没念书，更不知道自己的确实年龄，也无身份证。平时除了随家人进森林狩猎捉鱼外，就无所事事。非政府组织曾尝试教本南人耕种，但却不成功。本南人早婚，一位看似约18岁的少女，已是3个小孩的母亲。
如一般本南村落，这里不但没有基本设备，离开城镇也很远，偶尔只有外地的汽车进村，就看不到任何交通工具。村里有孕妇要生了，到政府医疗所必须坐车和渡河才能到达，她的丈夫正愁着如何找一笔钱把妻子送院。了解这孕妇的处境后，我们每人给了她一些钱作为盘缠，希望她能顺利去医院生产。
内陆地区的交通确是个大问题，第二天早上，我们原本打算到另一村落拍摄，几位村民包括小孩，都兴致勃勃，跳上我们车子后的车格，欲乘顺风车去拜访亲友。汽车沿著前木山路开去，约一小时后竟然抛锚，停在路上进退不能。我们知道不会有其他车子进来，也不能拨电话找救兵。最后我们决定走路回去，从下午一时开始，在没有任何准备下，饿着肚子，一行人共步行了6个小时，好不容易才回到长屋，抵达时已是晚上了，这真是一段最漫长和艰辛的路程！一位妇女还抱着小孩，赤脚走完这段路，随行的几个小孩也是如此。这个经验，使我真正体会到本南人的无助和无奈！
本南人的明天会更好吗？我真的没有答案。能确定的是：他们是弱势的一群，也没分享到国家发展所带来的成果。即使许多本南人并没身份证，也没有登记为选民，但他们确是道道地地的原住民，政府应该马上给他们更多帮助。当然，本南人本身也要接受和适应改变，他们的思想和态度确还有许多弱点。
本南人也有一些成功的列子，Long Win村长告诉我，本南人已有大学毕业生，他的孩子也到城市谋生。美里一著名高尔夫球场的花草全由本南人栽种，球场老板还称赞他们能干。
但愿下回旧地重游，能看到他们的生活，真有所改善。
我国独立了53年，各领域确取得一定程度的发展，为了把国家经济带到另一高峰，首相最近推展了新经济发展模式。这是好事，关键是由政府推动的计划是否能让所人受惠？住在砂拉越乌鲁巴南（Ulu Baram) 的本南（Penan)人明显不属于被照顾的行列，可喻为已被遗忘的民族，几十年来，他们的生活至今非但没有获得改善，反而有每况愈下的迹象，前景令人担忧！
我在乌鲁巴南内陆两个本南村住了3个晚上，亲身体会本南人的生活，深感他们的无奈和无助。对于他们的生活情况，我想套用美里摄影学会会长萧特财先生的话：‘本南人的悲歌唱不完！’
本南族原本是游牧民族，生活在砂州内陆，居无定所，以狩猎捉鱼和采野果为生。生活条件艰苦，数代人如此过活，却自得其乐。
近年，州政府大量伐木，严重地影响森林生态，也直接干扰了本南人的生活。森林被砍伐，河水被污染，本南人失去基本生存条件。经过多年的折腾，本南人渐渐放弃游牧生活，无奈迁移到固定地点，自己盖了简陋的木屋住下来。根据Long Win村长Juwan先生说：砂州本南人人口约1万6000名，目前约4，5百人还住在森林里，余者已迁出来。
新环境并没有改善本南人的生活，一样没有水电供应和基本卫生设备。除了偶尔有外来的汽车，便没有任何交通工具，从一个村庄到另一个村，须步行3，4小时。他们还是以狩猎为生，由于森林大量被砍伐，猎物也越来越少，诚如马来谚语，他们‘如鸡只般早上找的早上吃，晚上找的晚上吃’，家无‘隔夜粮’。
我们的司机常来這里，說得一口流利的本南土语，他也是非政府组织成员，曾尝试教本南人种农作物，反应不理想，只随意种些沙葛树(Sago)。他感慨地说：目前只要能确保本南人有得吃，就算是一项成就。
政府是否有给帮助？被问者都以失望和生气的眼光看著我们。有的感叹地说：我们已被遗忘了！
The Penans used to live in the rain forest of the interior of the State of Sarawak as a nomadic tribe relying on hunting, fishing and gathering fruits for existence.
With increased logging activity, the Penan have lost their traditional way of life and moved into new settlements throughout Ulu Baram district. Long Win headman Mr. Juwan told me that there are roughly 16,000 Penans in Sarawak and about 400-500 of them still lead a nomadic life in the jungle.
Two weeks ago I traveled with friends from the Photography Society of Miri to a few Penans settlements like Long Win, Long Bangan, Long Latei, Long Kawa and Bapuak. We stayed there for 3 nights. Sadly to say their lives in the settlement have not improved.
Some NGOs built simple long houses for them, but most still live in dilapidated huts with no basic facilities at all. They have not much contact with the outside world. They still hunt, fish and plant sago trees for a living. Though the federal government had made education compulsory a few years ago, none of the children from Bapuak go to school. I think this apply to many of the children in other settlements too. I guess lack of transportation and ignorance are the main reasons.
Did the government help? The answer is always negative! If we want Penans to enjoy the fruits of development, we should look into their problems seriously and come out with a comprehensive plan to help them.
茅草山我已谈过，也上载了几张照片。作为一位道地人，我不能不提玉封石拿督庙。
玉封石拿督庙已有超过百年的历史，相传有一位名叫石满的原著民矿工，一日，他向同伴告别后即出门，过了些时候，托梦给朋友称已在一个山洞里仙逝，被玉皇大帝封为地方神，保佑村民。朋友半信半疑，却在所指山洞发现他的尸体，村民们就在原地建了一所小庙供奉他为玉封石拿督。
从此，村里人开始在此进香求福，颇为灵验。日治时期，传说村人被残暴日军令跪在大街，正要进行大屠杀时，突然一名日本军官似从天而降阻止了这场大灾难，村人相信这名日本军官就是玉封石拿督的化身。
紧急法令成立新村时，庙也搬迁到新村，七十年代才搬回原址，从新村通往庙的是条小路，还要经过三座破烂的木桥，没有电流供应等基本设备。除了本村人来上香，外人鲜少到此。
庙在1990年开始重建，在很巧妙的机缘下，一位风水师义务当设计师，同时也邀得一批好友献捐，修桥建路，奠下了今天这个规模。
最令人赞赏的是，理事会在1993年前成立‘善果园’基金会，将收到的香油钱和公众捐款，每月拨出数万马币帮助境内病黎，至今已拨出了三四百万马币，数千人受惠，求助者已有显著增加。
玉封石拿督庙还在发展中，已成为旅游胜地，许多外地游客周末都会前往，过年过节更是热闹。
Kampung Baru Broga is a small and relatively unknown new village where most of the villagers are rubber tappers. This is a unique village as half belongs to Negeri Sembilan and the other half to Selangor.
Since recent years, this small village began to gain popularity as a tourist destination as many visitors started to set their feet to this place. The main attractions are the scenic Bukit Lalang and the Sak Dato’ Temple.
I have uploaded a few photos that I took while I was on the top of Bukit Lalang in this blog. I will now show you some photos of Sak Dato’ Temple.
Sak Dato’ Temple is about 100 year old. It started as a small shrine for the villagers to pay respect and ask for blessings. Legend has it that an aboriginal by the name of Sak Man was selected as a local deity to guide and protect the villagers by the God of Heaven. The local believed that the deity could cure illnesses and bless them as well.
The temple was rebuilt in 1990 and since then much donations were collected to develop the temple as what it is today. The temple also set up a welfare fund to help the sick and the needy. Since 1993 more than 3 millions ringgit were given out to thousands of people.
‘苛政猛于虎’，虽然老虎不比苛政令人害怕，但它确是令人生畏的动物。
既然人人谈虎色变，我们的祖先为何把它列入12生肖中，我们必须每12年就得迎接它的莅临？我对此没研究，也不是本文要谈的课题。
几年前，我到马六甲动物园拍摄，在众多动物中，我最喜爱的是老虎。在我眼里，老虎不但有王者风范，也是威严，灵活和精力充沛的象征。但對某些人来说，老虎全身是宝，他们相信虎皮有避邪的功能，虎肉和虎鞭，则可以壮阳。也使老虎成了黑市买卖的珍品，成了人类的猎物。
每年丧失在猎人的刀枪下的老虎不计其数，再加上森林不斷被砍伐，老虎已濒临绝种。虽然已被列为受保护动物，但还是有人知法犯法，进行杀虎的勾当。
上星期，霹州一位原住民自称在森林无故受老虎攻击受伤，霹州野生动物保护局较后在森林中发现一具虎尸，它身中数枪和毒箭，前脚被陷阱夹断，死状令该局官员掉泪。该局怀疑原住民企图杀虎而受伤，正考虑提控杀虎凶手。
我想，祖先把虎列入生肖中，是要我们把它視作朋友，这世界不仅是人类生存的地方，也是所有动物的居所。与其用枪把虎杀害，不如按下快门，把它最美好的瞬间变成永恒，更具意义。
虎年即将降临，就让我们以愉快的心情迎接它。
祝新年进步。
