Malaysia - Food and Loved Ones

Tanahairku - My homeland (lit. my soil and water) Malaysia where I was born is all about the food and more importantly where so many of my loved ones are. From the Kayu Nasi Kandar with cousin Seng Poh to Cristang famous for their pork burgers with school mates I haven't seen in 21 years, Malaysia has a big part of my heart.

Although we didn't accomplish completely our 10+ point food target list, we had a feast of both belly and warm Malaysian hospitality. Staying with Aunty Lily and Unclue Aik at the very central Northpoint apartments just across the road from the huge aptly names Mid Valley Mega Mall, we had a great time with cousins and kids galore.

So many things have changed in Malaysia. The roads, the buildings, the nationalities that make up the workforce and the churches! Visiting a local Methodist church in residential PJ on a Saturday night (1st of 4 services) we worshipped with close to 2000 people in lively and relevant style. Something probably not very common 21 years ago and despite governement opposition and anti-conversion laws.

From almost everyone I spoke to, relatives to friends, all had little faith in the mainstream Malaysian media, save a friend who works for NST of course! Apparently, the latest election results which hugely favoured the Pakatan opposition party was all organised through the internet and blogsites. A popular one is www.malaysiakini.com which purportedly gives the inside story on issues that actually matter in Malaysia. While we were there, it gave a blow by blow account of an amazing ruckous in the Perak State Assembly where the Chairman had to be literally carried out! Also, almost everyone I spoke to seethed with dissatisfaction with the current system because of the blatant racism, cronism and outright corruption. On the surface though, things are booming, the shops are full and people seem well fed, but underlying is a tendency to blame the government for everything. From inefficiencies in beaureaucracy to an amazing number of road toll booths mushrooming up at every corner.

The average Malaysian speaks 3 to 6 languages fluently and often switching between them in a days work, is educated if not overseas at least to technical college level and works at least 12 hours a day just to satisfy the never satisfied boss. They are incredulous when told about our plans to travel for 6 months, as it has never even entered their minds before! As the idea sinks in slowly, they reveal a deep seated wish to do so themselves. Not for the travel sake, but just to spend a bit more time with their loved ones, to enjoy the fruit of their hard work before they contract heart disease or cancer from their highly stressed lives.