ShinChan & Friends in Kota Kinabalu

We were in Kota Kinabalu last weekend. My first time to Sabah. It took 2.5 hours on the Airasia flight from LCCT, KL. Weather was good on Friday evening 2nd May 2008. Early Saturday we headed to Kinabalu Park. It was a 2 hour journey from Kota Kinabalu. The foot of Mt Kinabalu was already 5,000 above sea level, so it was a cool climate. We spent about half an hour there, taking pictures & toilet stop. We then headed to Poring Hot Spring at Ranau. Sulphur hot springs provide a therapeutic bath and marked trails lead to small waterfalls and caves. To kill time, I soaked my feet into the hot water bath in the provided area. I felt good after a few minutes (really was like hell at first). We had our lunch in Ranau, the food was really good. I ordered NASI GORENG DI BAWAH BAYU, really suited my taste. Being a Terengganu-ian and 100%-no-to-spicy food, I felt like it was home. Sorry FaFa & Muun, we don't provide enough CILI PADI 'ere. We left Ranau for Kota Kinabalu around 2 p.m. This is a 3-hour ride via the Tuaran highway, past small towns and scattered villages to the Kundasang Valley, then further west to Kota Kinabalu. In Kota Kinabalu that evening we were shopping at Kota Kinabalu Handicraft Market. Formerly known as "Pasar Filipino", it is always synonym with pearls, local handicrafts, home decorations and crystals. Souvenirs such as keychains, t-shirts with Sabah themes, carved wooden statues, batiks and sarongs, rattan handicraft and floor mats, Islamic caligraphies, brooches can be found here. At night, we had seafood & chicken wing for our dinner, the restaurant is not far from Marina Court Condominium (we stayed there during our KK trip btw). The good news that night was Manchester United already led West Ham 3 goals to nil even before I had my first bite to the yummy-yummy chicken wing...and yes Man Utd won 4 - 1 that night. We rested and flew back to KL on Sunday morning, leaving beautiful sunrise, memories & Sabah Girls (ehehe) at our tail.... Special thanks to My Friends for a wonderful and exciting trip that turned out better than we expected, and Sabah people for their friendliness...mak, boleh tak saya kawen dengan orang dari Sabah, ahaks. Btw i am really looking forward to our next trip...hmm mana eik, Perhentian / Redang / Kapas Island.

Makkal Sakti: People’s Power

“This is the people’s victory. Makkal sakti (people’s power in Tamil) is not something you can plan ahead,”-Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Permatang Pauh. Kekalahan 'mengejutkan' tag-team gergasi BN pada 8 Mac lepas membuat aku terfikir sejenak...akan tergadai-kah tanah bangsaku? Yaa, BN di bawah Pak Lah Badawi memang ternyata gagal memikat, melayu di sana sini meluahkan perasaan terkilan dan bengang dengan memihak kepada BA: PKR / Pas...Cina India dengan mudah memilih DAP, Sammy Vellu gagal juga akhirnya setelah sekian lama berkecimpung dengan Plaza Plaza Tol yang tumbuh seperti cendawan-selepas-hujan di Malaysia. Lima negeri bakal di-bangkangi BN: Kelate, Kedah, Perak, Selangor & Penang... Tergadaikah tanah bangsa-ku? Adakah kepimpinan BN bertunjangkan Umno tidak lagi relevan...dipenuhi dengan pemimpin-pemimpin yang seakan mementingkan perut buncit sendiri, rasuah, kroni, proxy bukanlah perkara asing. Lantas melayu-melayu itu termasuklah aku yang tak pegi mengundi mengzahirkan kemarahan dengan tema: ABU (Asal Bukan Umno: terdapat lakaran grafiti di sekitar tebing Sungai Kelang berdekatan Stesen LRT Masjid Jamek). Tergadaikah tanah bangsa-ku 30 tahun lagi? Jika Umno bukan lagi pilihan automatik melayu melayu itu, maka bersedialah untuk menjadi seperti Singapura. Tanah bangsa-ku mesti diselamatkan, tapi bukan dengan Umno berpaksi-kan pemimpin-pemimpin itu. Yang pasti 8 Mac lepas ternyata para pemilih bukan sekadar menghantar "check-and-balance" mesej. Ya Allah, engkau penuhi-lah parti pusaka bangsa-ku dengan pemimpin-pemimpin yang adil-saksama. Amin. Sekiranya anda mendapati luahan ini berbaur perkauman, saya akan menanggalkannya.