还我一片蓝天，让我自由飞翔
无可否认，我已到了Warga Mas（银发族）的年龄。暮年，希望可以拿起行李，想走就走，没有任何的牵挂，在名胜景点留下足迹。如今却因疫情，被封锁在家，心中难免有点颓喪。
我不是一个消极的人，希望通过全民的合作，能在这段期间，做足防疫的工作；政府施打疫苗的进度也必须尽快加速。让疫情快快过去，还我一片蓝天，让我自由飞翔！您说这是项过分的要求吗？
At this age, and after slogging away for years, this should be the time to do some travel at least in my own country, but because of Corvid pandemic, I have to lock myself at home. I really hope after MCO 3, life can go back to normal and have the freedom to travel again.
美里好友伟庆传来消息，内陆发生大水灾，多个地方已成泽国，多处桥断了，路也坏了。
100米长横跨Tutoh河的大桥也被水冲毁，切断了Lg Lama和Lg Seridan之间的陆路交通。
一般本南村落都建在河边，我想这次的大水灾一定影响许多人。
桥断路坏，是我过去10多年在内陆司空见惯的事，不足为奇。就在2020年1月，当我们将抵达目的地的时，发现一座桥给河水冲塌了，本南人找来几根树干当桥，路和桥却还有一段2-3丈高，滑且陡峭的河岸斜坡。一起来送学生开学物资的马华妇女组女生，却犹豫不决，裹足不前。后来在没有其他办法的情况下，才鼓起勇气，被人半扶半拉，攀爬过斜坡才过了河！
当地人见怪不怪，习以为常，也不见有人埋怨。
According to the Facebook postings from my Miri friend, many parts of the Baram interior areas were flooded due to the recent heavy downpour.
The 100-meter-long steel bridge built across Tutoh river was also damaged by the overflowing river. This cut off the communication by road between Lg Lama, Lg Seridan and many other Penan settlements.
This is quite common in the interior and I had seen many broken bridges and roads made impassable during my visit to Lg Seridan areas in the last 10 years.
During my recent visit in January last year, the bridge near our destination was also destroyed by flood. We had no choice but to climb down and up the steep and slippery slope about 2-3 mater high and walked carefully on the tree trunk to cross the river!
To the Penan, they are used to it, and seldom complain!
老眼朦胧
我喜欢看书，也喜欢买书。旧的书还没读完，新的书又从诚品网络书店、淘宝海外、Kinokuniya等网站寄过来，真不知何时才可读完！
一件令人烦恼的事，近来眼睛好像越来越不好使，常觉得眼睛被蒙上一层纱，在眼角里，还有像刚哭泣后，残留下来的泪水，挥之不去！
人生就是这样，当眼睛好使时，却为生活打拼，没时间看书；当有时间看书时，人却老了，眼睛也不争气，真令人深感无奈！
如今，常伴我左右的就有两副老花和一副平时戴的眼镜，较深一点的老花用来看书和智能手机，浅一点的用来看电脑银幕，平时出门时则戴另一副看远的眼镜！如今，看相机的取景器时，好像全都不管用了！
眼科医生说，白内障还不严重，目前还不碍事，年纪有了都会如此。你的眼睛有点干涩，除了每天滴人造眼水外，就无其他良方了！
母亲妳在何方
今天是母亲的节，电台播出顾媚唱的《母亲妳在何方》。其中歌词令人动容：“明知那黄泉难归，我们还在痴心等待，我的母亲呀，等着妳，等着妳，等妳入梦来。”
“儿时的情景似梦般依稀，母爱的温暖永远难忘记，母亲呀我真想妳，恨不能够时光倒移。”
是的，时光已不能倒移，唯有谨记母亲的养育之恩。
在这病毒肆虐的时期，保护好自己和家人，我想这也是对母爱的回报！
Today is Mother’s day. The best way to say “Mother I Love You”, is to take good care of ourselves to fellow SOP and as far as possible stay at home, to avoid Covid-19.
在原住民村，我看到两个小孩，拿着弹弓赤脚四处溜达。
原住民村就在我武来岸老家附近。当年，每逢假日去割胶，必经过此处。那个年代，原住民住的都是简陋的房子，常可看到村民在河里冲凉或洗衣服。
如今，每家都有水电的供应，房子也重建过，生活环境也已改善了许多。
但小孩子还是像当年乡村的孩童一样，在林中游玩。
看到这两个小孩，又使我回忆起童年。当时，我也像他们一样，玩弹弓，抓『豹虎』或在河里抓小鱼，无忧无虑，颇为快活。
日子过得很快，转眼我已到了暮年。对小时的生活，却有莫名的怀念。可惜童年时的那段日子，再也回不去了！
I met these two children in an Orang Asli settlement near my hometown. They were playing slingshot near their home. Like all other children those days in the rural areas, this was what we used to do when we were young.
When I recall our life in the village, only then I realize how fast time passes. Though time cannot be reverted, my childhood life in the kampung will be in my memory forever!
7th May 2021
跨越种族的人间温情
不久前，我从中文媒体，阅读到李吉林老先生的窘境。在好奇心的驱使下，约了几位摄影发烧友，前往探望。
李吉林的“家”在森州不叻士的一个马来甘榜里。他的家离大路不远，但却要经过一段迷宫似的羊肠小径。如果没有当地善心人士郑振胜先生的指引，我们可能找不到李伯伯的家。
李伯伯的“家”面积只有100多方尺，小屋铁皮为顶，塑料布当墙。屋里面左边有一张用蚊帐裹着的单人床，四个床脚各用3块砖升高起来，右边有一张别人弃用的桌子。缺了边的桌面上，放着煮饭用的煤气炉、饭锅和夜里照明的手电。整个家当，一目了然。
问及身世，李伯伯小时在Cheras长大，曾经在Ulu Beranang、Rantau和吉隆坡住过一段日子。他大部分的时间当割胶工人，也曾在吉隆坡的锡矿当过劳工。
李伯伯各有一姐妹。双亲过世后，曾一度和姐姐同住，但却时常被姐夫无理打骂，一气之下而离开，从此再无联系。妹妹自小给人领养，不久也断了亲情。
如今李伯伯，孤苦伶仃，孑然一身！
今年83岁的李伯伯，曾经住过老人院，呆不到几天就不告而别，他过不惯老人院的生活。如今幸好一位马来地主朋友，允许在甘榜的土地上，盖个简陋的房子居住，勉强有个安身之处。
李伯伯是前列腺病患者，须定时到医院复诊，每次都是由马来地主家人亲自载送。李伯伯平时还可以骑摩托车到附近的橡胶园割树胶，赚取一些生活费。刚不久，印裔园主看他年老，怕他跌倒，不让他继续割胶，才停止了工作。
为了改善李伯伯的住宿条件，在当地马华郑振胜先生的穿针引线下，已获得该区国会议员，也是我国科学、工艺及革新部长凯里的协助，在旧房子的傍边，重建了一间全新的屋子给他，让他有个比较像样的家。
部长、马来地主和当地社会人士，所施于他跨越种族的人间温情和协助，真令人感动！
前几天，郑先生捎来几张照片，通知我屋子快建好了。我们之前已经承诺，屋子建好后，会再去探望他老人家，和他一同庆贺新居入伙。
Li, a lonely 83-year-old man could not find a place to stay, fortunately, his long-time Malay friend allows him to build a hat as his home in a Malay Kampung at Pedas, Negeri Sembilan.
He has two sisters, but lost contact since his parents passed away a long time ago. However he is not lonely, his Malay friend treated him like a member of the family.
His dilapidated small hat caught the attention of the Member of Parliament who is building a new brick house with a toilet and bathroom for him. The local State Assemblyman and other community leaders also give their assistance whenever Li needs help. Together, they created a caring society.
Li used to work as a rubber tapper at various places in Negeri Sembilan and Selangor. Now he still occasionally taps rubber trees belonging to an Indian owner to earn some money. He started to have some health problems lately and has to visit the hospital regularly. Other than that he still looks healthy and able to ride a motorcycle to the coffee shop in town.
30th April 2021
街头补鞋匠
阿光，约30岁，戴着一顶鸭嘴帽，脸部轮廓，咋看之下，像是外国亚裔人士。我用马来语说：我可以拍照吗？他却用广东话回我：影啦！还说时常都有人来影像。
他的摊位就在芙蓉大街，在一个空置的店位，原建筑物早已拆了。从前风光一时的金店，如今空荡荡的，除了野草和一些拆店时所遗留下来的碎砖瓦块，只有左右两边店两层楼高的砖墙，委屈的隐藏在闹市中。不是我步行而过，不容易发现阿光的摊位。
阿光倒很善谈，原来他是在新加坡工作的，有事回来芙蓉老家，却没想到因新冠病毒的肆虐，回不去了。疫情又不知何时才放缓，不知何时才可以回新加坡工作。为赚取一些生活费，只好暂时在街边摆摊为人扑鞋。
新冠病毒，搞乱了许多人的生活作息！
Ah Guang, about 30 years old, wears a baseball cap, looks like a foreigner to me at first glance. I asked in Malay: Can I take pictures? He answered me in Cantonese: sure, and said that people often come here to take pictures.
He is operating a makeshift shoes repair stall at Jalan Dato Bandar Tunggal, Seremban. His stall is in front of a vacant shop lot where the original building has long been demolished. The shop lot is now empty, except for the weeds and some broken bricks and tiles.
Ah Guang is very friendly. He told me that he was working in Singapore and came back to Seremban to visit his family. And due to the outbreak of pandemic Covis-19, he is now stranded and does not know when he can go back to work in Singapore again.
“while waiting, it is better for me to earn some living expenses”, he said. I think many people like him were faced with this kind of predicament during the outbreak of the Covid-19!
实施行管令很快就一年了。
在这一年里，我们的生活起了很大的变化。不但我们生命受到威胁，我们的行动也受到管制。往日里许多被视为极其平常的事，如与朋友在茶室喝茶谈天，出外购物或访客都受到限制。
在自己的国家，却不可跨县或州趴趴走。出国更不用说，目的国也不会收你！
还有，有学校不能上课，有公务不可上班，有车不可上路，飞机不可起飞等，这些都是前所未有的事。
外出衣着可以不讲究，但绝对不可没佩戴口罩！不然可能中三万，刚开始实行罚款RM1000，如今起到RM1500。
还有一大堆新名词如：MCO、 EMCO、CMCO、 RMCO、 隔离中心、PCR 检测等。
因为一个我们肉眼都看不到的新冠病毒，打乱了人类的生活。
杀伤力也是前所未有，到今日，全球共有1亿2千2百多万人确诊，2百70万人丧命！而我国也有32万人确诊，1千2百人丧命。
因为新型冠状病毒，全球经济受到巨大的影响。单在我国行管令期间，每天损失RM24亿。每个行业都受到影响，造成无数人失业，
18/3/2021
