Melbourne Lockdown - QV Market

One of the top tourist destinations in Melbourne - Queen Victoria Market.

Melbourne Lockdown - Public Parks

Melbourne Lockdown has been extended for another two weeks from today. More photos below:

The Pearls of Malaysia

Malaysia celebrated her 63rd Merdeka (Independence Day) this week. One of my friend asked me on social media how I was going to celebrate this event in Melbourne, my response to him was that with all the disappointing political development that is going on there, I wasn't really in the mood to celebrate anything. Then I heard 988 DJ Chan Fong said asking the audience on radio to focus on sharing the good things about Malaysia and I thought what a wonderful idea it was! There are indeed many good things about Malaysia that hold many people back from emigrating to a foreign country. 

 

Everyone I ask about what they miss the most while being away from Malaysia has given me the same consistent answer: food. It doesn’t matter whether you are from Penang, KL or Kuching, food seems to be the popular topic whenever you see a group of Malaysian get together overseas. Malaysian cuisine is so unique that you can’t find it elsewhere. Malaysian food is the father of fusion cuisine. Malaysian Chinese food is so much richer in taste, texture, colour and aroma that we can’t find it anywhere else in China. Chinese has settled here for centuries and we have managed to merge Chinese cuisine with the Indian and local Malay food to come up with a hybrid version. Curry noodle is one such example of fusion between Chinese and Indian cuisine.

In Penang, there are massive choices of cheap street food available everywhere you go in the city. Local cuisine is something that all Penangites are proud of simply because it is so unique that you can’t find it anywhere else in the world. With all the variety of international cuisine available in Melbourne where I live now, I still find Penang food is the best. Nothing beats a well stir fried Char Koay Teow! All the food experience that I have been taken for granted in the past has now become luxurious lifestyle while living in Australia. The good authentic ones are hard to find and the they are pricey. And the silky smooth Penang Koay Teow (rice noodle) is still not available anywhere in Australia today.

 

Then we have our colourful festivities throughout the year. Malaysia probably has the most public holidays in the world as we celebrate major festivals of our multi-racial society. We have three major new years to celebrate, Chinese, Malay and the common 1^st of January New Year. Tourists from all over the world come to Malaysia just to witness some of these festivals such as Chinese New Year and Thaipusam etc. These events are usually carried out with massive public parade, staged performances and concerts. The message that these festivals sent across to foreigners is that we cherish our heritage and we are not shy at all to show them off whenever possible.

 

My personal favourite festival has got to be Chinese New Year. It is a fifteen days long celebration and each day come with its own unique significance. Take the Chinese New Year Eve for example, it is one of the most meaningful event that I can think of where all the family members from all over the world will try to make it home just to have ‘reunion’ dinner together. It is a perfect occasion for everyone to see each other and catch up. Our home would inflate in residents number every time during that period of time. We will gather together in the living room to watch the special TV programmes that were on during this period of holiday. In the evening, people would play fireworks bought from the roadside stalls. There were more fireworks back then when the government was not so strict in enforcement. Nights never sleep during those 15 days period.

It is indeed a blessing to be able to live in Penang. Recently, I have seen many people posted on YouTube about the benefits of retiring in Penang. With its rich heritage, culture, food and beautiful beaches, it is not hard to understand why people are migrating to this idyllic island for good. Although small in size, Penang has one of the most diverse natural environment in the region. It is an island surround by sea with its own hill ranges in the middle of this turtle shaped land mass. I used to hike up Penang Hill regularly. It only took me an hour to reach the peak and experience the cooler climate up there. The beach at Tanjung Bungah is just 10 minutes drive away from home and it is one of the best place to enjoy the golden sunset of the tropics. 

Perhaps the beauty of Penang is best summarized by the comment of one foreigner. I once attended a lecture by a British architect at the majestic E&O Hotel. During the break as we were mingled around at the outdoor forecourt of the conference room, I overheard his conversation with one audience. His gaze fixed on the distant Gunung Jerai in Kedah across the sea and commented: “This is heaven!” I immediately took a look at the majestic mountain myself and thought that it was indeed a beautiful sight to behold.

Melbourne Lockdown - Public Buildings

These buildings were usually packed with people before the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

  

Beautiful Weather

A beautiful Sunday morning here in Melbourne. The cherry blossom tree in front of me has started blossoming signally the end of winter and the dawn of spring. Trees afar are dancing in the breeze with birds trying to find their balance in the swaying branches. It is a perfect end to a week that was wrecked havoc by storm at the beginning. 

As expected, people are coming out from their home in this good weather. There are people strolling in the park to soak up their much needed Vitamin D from the sun. The Premier Daniel Andrews was quite worry that there might be huge crowd at the beach later today as Melbourne is still in the middle of a hard lock down.

Pandemic aside, there are indeed no shortfall of good things around us, we just have to constantly look for it. Don't waste what is available to us, put them to good use and ensure that we are consistently growing physically, mentally and spiritually.

Melbourne Lockdown - Heritage Buildings

Whether it is in the day or at night, heritage buildings around Melbourne remain majestic during lockdown.

Well Said Tun M

Whether you like him or not, what Tun Mahathir said today does make sense and he has managed to summarize the current complicated situation of Malaysian politics into very clear perspective. Extract below from his FB page:

1. The political state of the confused country is getting more confused by the action taken by some parties. Many have lost their way and are willing to do anything just to get support.

2. Bersatu which was originally formed to bring down Najib has now becomes a party that fight to bring Najib and the National Barisan (BN) back to life.

3. Then out of the blue a Bersatu Leader became the Prime Minister of the Perikatan Nasional Party which doesn't even exist.

4. Hope that the Perikatan Nasional becomes a joint party of three parties which are Bersatu, PAS and UMNO will not come true. UMNO claims that its members are only allowed to support Bersatu to topple the Pakatan Harapan (PH) Government. And yet Bersatu leaders conspire to this evil plan whole heartedly.

5. Now Bersatu and Perikatan Nasional (PN) depends on UMNO. If UMNO people don't support it, the alliance will fall. The irony is if UMNO doesn't support them they themselves will also fall. That's why UMNO has to support.

6. But there are still 5 UMNO people who may be found guilty (one was already found guilty ad is currently waiting for the appeal process to run its course) cannot remain as representatives of the people. If they lose their positions as representatives of the people, Bersatu and PN will fall.

7. To avoid this from happening, the Prime Minister needs to look for replacement. So Bersatu dropped its original principle as a party that fights for the Malays and has now opened its membership to all races. Is the name of PPBM still relevant then? This is the fourth time Bersatu has broke its promises.

8. Now Bersatu decides to join Muafakat. But Muafakat is an alliance of Islamic Malay parties. While Bersatu's is now multi-racial party. What will happen to Muafakat? Is it still fighting for Malay and Islam??

9. UMNO is said to have broken into three. There are factions that disagree with Bersatu joining Muafakat. As well as PAS. Some agree, some are not.

10. Among the parties that support the government, some believe in winning the election some don't like to have the election.

11. Prime Minister is afraid to lose his position if he loses 6 chairs. Looking for a replacement. But from where? Maybe from Keadilan. But the cost is high.

12. Comes Pejuang. Bersatu lost its grassroots. Many leaders but few people to be led. It has become an empty party. Grassroots have moved to Pejuang.

13. In the upcoming general election, Bersatu will not get support from UMNO and PAS, nor from PH.

14. Bersatu may be disbanded and joins UMNO. This will most likely be the end of the stolen party.

15. This is a headache for Muhyiddin. There's nowhere he can turn to.

16. Looking for pain. Pain is what he will get.

Source: Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad Facebook Page