Thursday 31 October 2013

A Chinese story

A long time ago, the Kluang bus station is located on the other side of the Mengkibol river before it was moved to the current site.

It's just an open space unlike the huge building it is now.

The old bus station was located not far from where the Kluang wet market used to be in the heart of the old part of the town.

There was a kopitiam on the right, a cinema in front across the road and some old buildings on the right which had been replaced by new buildings among which is the Mara building. At its back was the Mengkibol river.

The old bus station was then the nerve centre of the town. The bus services connected the town with three main destinations, Ayer Hitam and Batu Pahat, Renggam and Simpang Renggam and Mersing. Those who wanted to go any further had to take connecting buses at the other towns. This was before the existence of the express busses. Long distance traveling such as going to KL was mostly via the town's more famous railway station.

There were huge rain trees along the fringes of the bus station.

Under one of these trees used to be a hawker stall selling fried kuey teow.

It was operated by a very sweet lady.

She smiles a lot and has a very friendly disposition.

The lady worked very hard, getting up early in the morning and only came home late at night.

Most of the times she brought along her little children who at that time were yet to go to  school as there was no one to look after them at home.

The children slept on a large wooden bench under the tree next to their mother's stall as they waited for her to finish work.

The lady's husband worked at construction sites in Singapore most of the time and only came home once a month.

He usually bought toys for their children whenever he came home.

Both, the lady and her husband love their children very much.

The lady's fried kuey teow was very popular and was said to be the best in town.

However, I never tasted its original version as one of her main ingredients was pork lard. Whenever I asked her to cook her fried kuey teow for me she would used a special wok and replaced the pork lard with extra dosage of sesame oil. It tastes very good despite not of her original recipe. She even kept a special plate and chopsticks for me.

The lady is also a very charitable person, giving what she could to charities, including those collected by Muslim organizations.

Every year she would set up her stall at the local Chinese school's fare where proceeds from her sale of fried kuey teow went to the school's fund meant for its upkeeps.

She paid all the necessary taxes arising from her small kuey teow business.

All her children went to school and completed their education without any government scholarship. She and her husband were very careful with their spendings so that they could finance most of their education. Their children grow up to become good people and relatively successful.

The lady's life used to be very tough but it's a decent and honest life.

She doesn't sells fried kuey teow anymore as she is now too old to do so.

She is now happily spending most of her time caring for her grandchildren. She is still the same sweet friendly lady of those years hawking under that rain tree.

Whenever I feel very angry with the Chinese, I try to recall the image of the lady frying kuey teow under the rain tree to earn a living, and her children sleeping on the nearby wooden bench, waiting for their mother to finish work. And I'm not angry anymore.

谢谢奶奶

49 comments:

  1. Salam Annie,
    Wow!! Lost for words lah...
    Dhahran Sea

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dhahran Sea, like that also lost for word kah ? Next time Annie wrote another sakit jiwa story, you akan menangiskan ? Annie is infamous for her drama, that's why she is being called a 'Drama Queen'.

      Kaki Drama Chow Kit

      Delete
    2. Anon 15:57,

      I heard there are many low class Chinese whores at Chow Kit Road back streets. You must be one of them lah, only 50 sen per fuck!

      Delete
    3. anon 20:24, I think it is not 50 cents. Lima puluh sen nak minum teh tarik pon tak cukup mah, lebih-lebih lagi harga gula dah naik !

      50 cents per fuck, what a joke !

      Delete
    4. anon 20:24, what is fucking with chinese whores that cost 0.50 cents got to do with anon 15:57 ?

      Delete
    5. Anon 15:57 your mother used to work there before right since you know the rates so well...... when you spew crap from you mouth... like the saying goes what goes around comes around.

      regards to your mother ok

      sorry annie ...assholes like anon 15:57 should be treated like this

      Delete
  2. How do you know she paid taxes? You just took her word for it?

    Also, did she actually change the wok in front of you and smear it with sesame seed oil from an unopened bottle? For all you know it could have been the melted pork lard that she re-used!

    Dear Annie, you can be quite the naive person and this is why I have my doubts about Malay (or semi Malay) women being partners or allies in the racial struggle. They are the first to fall for tricks and manipulations from other races.

    The site of Malay women marrying Mat Sallehs because 'nak kulit putih, hidung mancung dan badan tinggi' is becoming too common. Yet it is extremely rare to find the opposite form of that relationship.

    It's hard to take your blog seriously if you occasionally hand a peace offering to the chinese. They are relentless in their racial chauvinism, and you should be too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The lady is my grandmother.

      Delete
    2. Families are exceptional coz they love us no matter what!

      Delete
    3. Thanks for the posting Annie. And She will when the time comes depart in Peace without Remorse. Its a Breath of Fresh Air.

      Delete
    4. Racial hatred manifested.

      Will we one day see this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUwpLyIDIJw

      Delete
    5. Anon 4.02. Very racist. Typical Chinese.
      I am a typical old Malay woman married to a Mat Salleh. Why, because many Mat Salleh adore the honey colour and beautiful Malay women, heart and soul. They know how to respect that, not like the Chinese who manipulated the softness. When i was angry with my children, he would say "Baby, you are not the Chinese type mother arent you?". I grow up in a convent eating and drinking with my Chinese classmates like we were sisters. They care and respect that I am a Muslim. That was in 70s. Now returned back to Malaysia and seeing the true colour of the chinese, change me to a racial chauvinist, a true racist I am!
      Bless you Annie. you come from a good family. And may Allah bless your grandma too.

      Delete
    6. Anon 04:02

      Please loosen-up a bit. You seems quite extreme in your conviction, to the extent of being deprived of sleep.

      Delete
    7. unfortunately... this sweet old lady has a despicable grand daughter named Annie that is so extremely kurang ajar to the Chinese community in the country.

      Delete
    8. anon 09:18, please don't write rubbish and degrade the chinese, malay and indian man just because you married a mat salleh.
      So, did you "masukkan" mat salleh tu jadi Melayu ? or you prefer him to remain as Mat salleh.

      Fatimah

      Delete
    9. Fatimah,

      Is your name really Fatimah or Fuck Tee Mah? I'm also married to a White guy and he hates the loud mouth and uncouth Chinese. Whenever we go to Chinatown here in the US, he often remarks "Just look at these Chinese, they look as though they have just arrived via tongkangs! The way they dress, their hairstyle, the way they walk and their loud mouth are typical Chinese traits of low breeding!"

      Delete
    10. bukannya susah nak entice racial hatred comment..guna anonymous je..bukannye kite tahu siape di sebalik tu...so the commentator can give shitty comment about he/she hate this race or hate that race just to entice...and then blame the gov..very DAPSTER lah..

      Delete
    11. anon 20:33, sadly you married a racist Mat Salleh, the white supremacy KKK, did he also anti Jews,anti Ngero, anti hispanic, and anti korean in the US ? Why husband and wife love to shop in China Town, no other town you can go ?

      Delete
    12. Anon 00:05,

      We are not racists towards other races except Chinakui cibai like you!!!

      Delete
  3. new generation Chinese , especially the Gen X and Y, and brainwashed by the Rocket, are definitely a different. I am Chinese and a baby boomer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. so proud of you anon 06:14, may one day you got to ride a rocket to the moon.

      Man on the Moon

      Delete
    2. "brainwashed by the Rocket"...hahahaha, this is definitely a Friday's joke.
      Anon 06:14, you are so out of touch, from now on please use more of touch screen gadgets ok, it will keep in more in touch !!

      Delete
    3. Annie Auntie so Cina : Straight and sweet granny sounds like the kinda citizen Chin Peng's terrorists would love to extort ... or maim.... Once upon a time when he was so so so terror ... with superpowers behind him ... any way here's one from the new unwary generation of Kluangers:
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=KdIfTfKxgbk

      Delete
    4. can't wait to taste your Hor-Fun, dear! mana tahu? kemungkinan besar dia ada warisan neneknya .... hehehehe

      Delete
    5. Mek, boleh kah tolong terjemahkan ini ke bahasa Melayu? Ini sikit da'wah Islam kepada saudara Cina kite.

      What is right belief?
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUHdn_fq-AE

      Brief History of Early Islam
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEPjj96Rrag

      How Happiness:
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=CKB1OTCA7hs#t=348

      Delete
  4. My memory of the chinese not so sweet. When I was working as a top management I get all sort of invitations to events and functions. Just after I left that lofty position I get an invitation to an event which I duly accepted as now I have time. A few days before that event I got a call from them saying they have to cancel my entry as I accepted my entry late. The found out I am no longer in an important position.

    Typical of Chinese that I came across in my life. The moment you are no longer useful, they just chuck youyout.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You obviously did not join them with your eyes Opened. I still get invited by my Chinese employer 5 years after retirement. Why? Because I still keep in touch..

      Delete
    2. anon 06:39, please change you comment of the word from Chinese to Indian or Malays or Mat Salleh and see the different.
      ..... my memory of the Mat Salleh not so sweet..bla..bla..bla....

      Delete
    3. Joe, I don't wish to join the chinese and I don't wish to be invited to their event too, but they invited me because they think I can still be useful to them. If you want to continue to join them till eternity, that is your call but that's not in my agenda. There are better things to do than be associated with an ungrateful race.

      Delete
    4. Anon 14:51. I have many memories of Indians, Mat. Salleh, Japanese, Filippo, etc etc but none were as cruel and heartless as the chinese. Maybe it's their "bertuankan duit" that makes them that way.

      Delete
    5. anon 18:19, maybe the chinese 'friends' of yours also have many bad memories of the Malays which is cakap tak serupa bikin. It is best you go ask them.

      Delete
    6. Chinese where got memory of other people. They only remember how much they win or lose in gambling.

      Delete
  5. it is different dear annie..

    older generation chinese were no doubt sweet and sweet and accomodative except certain one like..you know who..that dap dinosaur laaa..hehehe

    but newer generation chinese? i bet 99% are ungrateful just like that dinosaur la..hehehe

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My thoughts exactly. The older Chinese sedar diri yang Melayu people are so nice by giving 1 million of them citizenship even though they can't even speak the Melayu language. We also give them freedom to practise their way of life. Nak cakap Cina, go ahead. Nak cakap Melayu pelat, go ahead. We even have TV channels specially for them with advert in their language.

      Lepas tu bila dah hidup senang, semua sudah naik tocang. Lepas dah lebih 50 tahun, cakap Melayu masih pelat. Some don't even know how to speak national language well.

      Sebenarnya malas dah nak cakap pasal Cina lagi. I know, you know, even the neighbour's cat knows perangai Cina ni. We just need to be extra careful from now on.. don't make them any richer than they already are. Nanti bukan naik tocang lagi.. kepala kita pun dipijak-pijak!

      Delete
    2. Engkau ni memang bodoh lah anon 11:12.... kalau nak terus jadi 'Tuan' di Malaysia tolonglah pergi belajar tinggi-tinggi,berkerja rajin dan jangan cakap macam seorang 'loser'. Kalau tanpa sokongan orang-orang cina dan India, you ingat British mahu kasi merdeka kah ? Jikalau Malaya tak merdeka, mungkin anon 11:12 kini masih duduk di kampung bawah pokok kelapa.

      Delete
  6. Today my breakfast are ubi rebus ,goring belanak jeruk and sambal belachan ,all prepared by a Chinese . Why I should hate the Chinese , they are just another human being trying to seek better life coming hear (Malaya), when their own country cannot gave them,just like the Indonesian and the rest foreign workers we had around .
    Being naturally tolerance and with Muslim fate, the Malay are well aware that this God created rich Malaysia deserved to be shared with others in needs , but what I hate most is ,'kalau diberi betis ,nak peha' and more disgusting ,didn't respect the body who own the peha.
    Should the Chinese honestly love this country , should they showed hatred toward the Malay who accept them when they are in needs and act like Belanda mintak tanah .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tebing tinggi... don't talk shit...don't talk shit....don't talk shit.
      apa yg tebing tinggi (Malays) give the chinese ? Nasi Dagang ? Popiah ? Ikan Cili ? Lutong ? Sarong??? Lembu ??? What ??????? do tell tebing tinggi.

      Delete
    2. Anon 14;54


      Are you sure you understand what you read , giving the question back to you , 'what the Chinese gave back to the Malay ,after the Malay willingly accept the 'shit' Chinese into their country.

      Do tell it to tebing tinggi.

      Delete
    3. lufang, the Chinese gives back to the Malay by paying taxes, so that more Malays can be help to progress in every fields. So,where do you think the UMNO led gomen get their fund from ? from PERKASA ? It is from all the hard working Malaysians.

      Now, lufang, where the shit hole you come from ? From Perkasa shit hole ?

      LOBANG

      Delete
    4. aiyo..i am a bumi paying taxes also laaa..

      i am very sure i am paying much much more taxes than you do dear MR LOBANG 00:24.

      if you say chinese gives back to the malay by paying taxes..you sure are delirious right now. go back and take you medicine okay..have a good rest. bye

      Delete
  7. This goes beyond racial boundary. People from all walks of life can be nice, while some may be cruel and mean to others.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Annie, can you tell your readers why you and your kutu have so much hatred against the Chinese community and also some time the Indian community in Malaysia ?
    Is it because the Chinese :
    1. they are non Muslim ?
    2. makan babi ?
    3. Tak sokong UMNO, because the chinese community cannot and will not accept a corrupt gomen ?
    4. small in number, easy to bully ?
    5. knowing the Chinese would not be retaliate even though being threaten by Perkasa and UMNO and disparaging by Malay blogger like Annie all the time ?
    6. wants a better education for they children and community at large, and not willing to succumb to the corrupt UMNO led gomen of education policy.(which is currently producing no quality graduate) ?

    Everyday, Annie is saying DAP and Lim Guan Eng has done harm to the Malays, so please tell your readers what harm has LGE and DAP inflicted to the Malays ?
    Did DAP & LGE responsible :
    1; for Killing or Murders any Malay ? ( like what happen to Teoh Beng Hock)
    2. for Drafting and implement national (Malay) policy ?
    3. Sampu all the gomen grants and shares allocated by the gomen to the Malays.
    4. for educating the Malays by producing no quality graduate ?
    5. for suppress and discriminate the Malay community ?
    6. IF DAP and LGE is so corrupt, why no action taken against them by the UMNO led gomen ?


    Anna


    ReplyDelete
  9. Annie wrote : "Whenever I feel very angry with the Chinese" , woi makcik apasal banyak benci kat orang2 cina ? what have the Cinabeng done to you ?
    This 'old lady' has a big heart despite she is poor still do charity, kalau PERKASA dapat tahu this old lady derma wang pada Chinese school, habis gerai dia akan di kena bakar dan dia di halau dari Malaysia.
    Annie, you have put your granny in great danger.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are definitely not a very intelligent person. Please try google the meaning of "angry" and "hate" and see the difference. Thank you.

      Delete
    2. Annie, please don't deny, you are well known in cyberspace to be a Chinese hatred person and so to speak anti-chinese.

      Delete
    3. And also, try to improve your english, it's not so good, okay.

      Delete
    4. Annie, English no good is not a sin okay ! hehehehehe

      Delete
  10. I love the story you shared, Annie. We should hate the sin, not the sinner. Unless one lives in a monoethnic enclave, I don't think it's possible to escape such positive stories.

    Here's to your lovely grandma, Annie! Lucky you.

    *lifts a toast*

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love your story Annie, one of my chinese friend,she brought me to a chinese muslim hawker as I always told her that I really love dim sum and other stuffs so when I ate the dim sum made by native chinese it really spectacular. Yeah sometimes, I felt upset with chinese but not all the chinese being mean, they sometimes concern and want to help the malay from getting scolded for berangan in chemistry class hahahah. Is that grandma is your grandmother?

    ReplyDelete