Under the weather

090518 After Badminton, originally uploaded by Haris Abdul Rahman.

Been feeling under the weather for the last couple of days, hence absence from the web. My wife said it was 'Demam Man United' after our beloved United clinched another Premiership title the other day. I tried to brave myself by going out to see my friends playing badminton but no can do, felt back again right after.

I can assure everyone however that it was no H1N1. The conformed cases in Malaysia sure looked to be discharged in the next day or so. So, thank God, no death here. Imagine the panic if there is so! Just earlier today, I saw a lady on the car next to me at the traffic light actually was wearing a mask while driving. She noticed that I peeked around. It was worst then when my son Irfan started pointing and laughing at her. Luckily the light switched soon after and she took a turn! Phew!

The pics above was of my friend after the badminton game having a drink. I had some mee ladna of course!

The wait is over!

PUTRAJAYA: The influenza A(H1N1) virus has landed in Malaysia.

The first case of the flu with pandemic potential was confirmed when a young student who returned from the United States on Wednesday de­veloped a fever and was hospitalised.

Test results yesterday confirmed that the student had the virus.

The 21-year-old student, who flew on Malaysia Airlines flight MH091 from Newark, New Jersey, to the KL International Airport (KLIA) via Stockholm in Sweden, has been placed in an isolation ward at the Sungai Buloh Hospital since Thursday evening and is being treated with anti-viral medication.

Update on Saturday, May 16, 2009 at 8:15AM by Haris Abdul Rahman

GEORGE TOWN: Three passengers on the same flight from United States as the student who contracted influenza A(H1N1) have been placed under observation at the Penang Hospital.

The three – two women and a man in their 20s – went to the hospital on their own accord yesterday.

However, State Health, Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said there was no reason to panic as the observation was just standard procedure.

Update on Saturday, May 16, 2009 at 6:39PM by Haris Abdul Rahman

PUTRAJAYA: A second Malaysian has been confirmed with the Influenza A (H1N1) virus at the Penang Hospital, said Health Ministry deputy director-general Datuk Dr Ramlee Rahmat.

Dr Ramlee said the patient, a female student in the United States, was admitted after she sought treatment for fever at the Penang Hospital on Friday evening and it was found that she had been travelling on the same flight as the first patient.

As in the first case, she too only developed a fever after returning home and the results of medical test by the Medical Research Institute yesterday morning confirmed she had the influenza, he said.

Unity Day on 13th May

13th May 1969 is seen as a black or red day depending on your viewpoint in our nation's history. I would not pretend to appreciate the whole gamut of feeling pertaining the date as I was born 3 years after. Everyone from my mother's generation have their own version of event, but what is striking, the subject is still treated at the same time as taboo and lessons to be learnt.

There was no clear clear picture of the event. It is not thought in school. There was no movies or objective documentary made of the event either. A lot of people in my generation were left guessing to the enigma of the date. The bloggers were going to town of course about the subject, but not all for the wrong reason. Should the subject be kept under the carpet, or perceived to be so as it is now?

The current generation craves knowledge. The internet basically opened the floodgate for them, and in searching for the appropriate information of the subject matter all it does is left plenty of question unanswered. A few years back, I was at a surau with my parents and the preacher or ustaz that came for the kuliyyah actually spoke about race relations in the years of the Prophet Muhammad and the Caliph. How tolerance was the key to success in the early days of Islam. Everything was going swimmingly well until he ranted along about May the 13th incident. How the death toll was higher that what's officially published, how further steps needed to be taken to stop another similar incident. A typical rant I thought. It got me thinking, how much does the ustaz really know about the subject?

He did not comment about the election held on the 10th. The victory parade by the mainly Chinese opposition (DAP and Perikatan) on the 12th going through of all places Kampung Baru. How the UMNO Youth rally commissioned the next day from the Selangor Menteri Besar's residence that resulted in 'open warfare' between the two races. Again I do not have all the facts. Everything I know is patchy. Unfortunately in my thirst for knowledge there is nowhere for me to turn to.

As one of the blogger suggested, why don't we turn this around and make May the 13th as something akin to Unity Day? I don't think the idea is half bad. It will certainly prevent May the 13th incident to be another political ranting come election day by the UMNO leaders. I can only but hope .....

Pasar Malam and Me

The Pasar Malam in Kepala Batas, every Saturday Night in the the middle of the town centreI remember since I wan a child growing up in Kepala Batas that weekends mean 'Pasar Malam' or night market. In my kampung, the market is on every Saturday night. Often on Saturday afternoon, I go out to play football in the late afternoon, then rush back for a quick shower, then off we went for Maghrib prayers.

Malaysian delicacy the satay. It cost much cheaper here than in KL, and it tastes better as well.This pics shows my Pak Teh looking at some cakes. I don't think he bought any.

Straight after it is time for pasar malam. It usually jam-packed. Me and my friends will start off for some some food, usually the famous 'laksa buying', with plenty of 'otak udang' - shrimp paste. Then some sugarcane juice and then the walk-about. It is a big thrill if you were to bump into your classmates - that surely will be the topic of conversation when we return to school on Monday.

My Mum saying hi to an old acquaintance. Kepala Batas is still small enough that every one still know each other.Despite the sticky humid weather walking around was a lot of fun. There will be colourful traditional remedy seller (penjual ubat) whose herbs can cure all diseases, from toothache to diabetes to cancer, all in a single concoction. Now, I should have listened closely or better still, steal his secret recipe. Then I wouldn't have to use chemotherapy to treat my leukaemic patients, would I?

Southbound

The reason for travel up to Penang this time is to attend my cousins' wedding. My father has a total of 12 siblings, including my uncle who passed away last year. My grandmother has more than 50 grandchildren and 20+ great grandkids now. I happen to be the eldest among the grandchildren. The wedding ceremony is for one of my father's sister's son.

After a big feast last night at the pasar malam, we woke up this morning to sample a selection of nasi lemak near Kelab Cinta Sayang here in Sungai Petani. It is roadside stalls which specialises is nasi lemak. There were tons of selection when it comes to the sambal and gravy. I tasted it before and was well impressed.

My auntie then had a visitor from Kelantan. That means that we can't leave early for the wedding. We finally arrived there at almost 2.30, well after the bersanding. We stopped over en route to buy some noodles. This stall serve the best noodle, and we actually packed it back to KL.

After meals and meeting relatives we had to rush back to KL. y grandmother was there, and she appeared to have lost weight. Apparently she caught a virus last months and was off food. Only recently she got her appetite back. She suffered multiple stroke in the past and she is not able to speak. It is a times difficult to make sense of what she is trying to say. She has what in the medical field termed as expressive dysphasia. She knows what she is trying to say but cannot muster the muscles to actually articulate it. It frustrates her at times. She is almost at tears when we can't make out what she is trying to say.

The drive back to KL took just over 4 hours plus the stop in Bukit Merah for a quick tea. We got to KL at around 8, then after dropping my parents, I rushed back to Gombak. It's the Manchester Derby tonight ......