Pagalungan Experience ~ Briefly

I’m back, yes in one piece, thankfully… although still tired and overwhelmed!

I’m glad despite all the hesitations, I went!

(where we slept)

I couldn’t sleep at all the first night… without my smelly blanket and my sunken mattress… and my weathered pillow… my brain just won’t shut down so there on the stiff wooden floor I laid stiff… and enjoyed a night of the sounds of music orchestrated by lovely snoring horn, crickets strings and the froggy percussion…

The next morning, I was the first to arise… as I didn’t sleep at all… anyways, after washing a bit I went out for a morning walk with MW… fresh air was so fresh I can feel my fat cells start growing aggressively and I was hungry in no time!

Breakfast was meehoon with chicken nuggets!

After the Murut Sunday Service… preached by Pastor Loh…
I was a bit … when Pastor said “Tidak apa kalu kita miskin, tapi kaya di depan Tuhan”… I also wanted to tell the people, we don’t need to be poor, we can change for the better and that is to glorify GOD!”

I sometimes felt sorry for people who had to listen to pastors telling them that it’s okay to be poor! Because it is NOT if we are poor because we didn’t work hard to achieve good things in life! No?

After the service, we quickly sets up for the medical aid… the anxious villages already looking eagerly outside the church… all things are set in no time at all!

I was assigned to give Ubat Cacing to the children!
That’s a blessing to me, as I love children!

But I didn’t expect to see SOOOOOOOOOOOOO many children at Pagalungan, there were more of them than adults because one young couple could have up to 6 children and at least 2 or 3!

When I asked the children to come for the Ubat Cacing, they were so happy for the treat, taking it like honey syrup! But of course, there are some suspicious kids… when I uttered the words “Ubat Cacing” they refused taking it, one even said “Tak mau cacing”! So I had to explain there’re no worms in the medicine, but the kid won’t listen to me anymore! Sigh… so from then onwards, I asked the children to come for some “madu oren” (orange honey)!

Funny thing was, even some of the adults and old grandmothers asked if I could administer some of the Ubat Cacing to them! I gave a few but then when too many of them start to ask for the medication I had to stop giving telling them the medicine only works for children! :p (I honestly believe so when I was saying that but later found out from the Doctor that actually it will work for adults too… so did I lie?).

It was a hot blazing Sunday!

 

After a long hot day, it’s finally time for dinner

time to call it a day… I went to bed early, and was sound asleep in just a few twist and turn…

Next morning, when the emotion finally sets down, I prayed… I felt humbled… and wish I could have done more… is there anyway I could do more to the people? What do they really need? Has our visit been really beneficial to them? We pulled their teeth but at the same time gave them goodies like soft drinks, sweet biscuits… we gave them tooth paste but forgotten about tooth brush and have no time to education them about hygiene… we thought we were so “great” giving them aids… but are we giving them what they really wanted?

 

****************************

After breakfast, which was French toast as I suggested (thanks to Uncle Surrounding Stars)…

we hopped onto the boat again heading back to Salong

for some more medical aid before we head home through Nabawan - Keningau…

 

PS: if you wonder if I bathed at the river…

More photos here

Iran here I come

Tomorrow, I will be heading to this place called Pagalungan near the
Pegunongan Iran (Iranian Mountains?)… this is the first time I learn that we have Iran in Sabah!

Look at the names of places around Pagalunggan… did you see places called Matiku (literally means “I shall die”)… and Melutut (literally means to “bend on your knees”)… and Masisilau (“still blur”)?

Can’t wait to take pictures there and show off here…

here’s some by a blogger

and here’s some interesting photos I gathered from the internet by googling the word “Pagalungan”

Fly Pigeon Fly!

Shy… I tried to take a high shutter speed picture, so to speak…
but without a tripod stand and hand-holding my LX3 means its a futile effort!

Hello there pigeons, you don’t want to flap your wings for me?
halooooooooor?

 

Ex MLJ AGM 2009

Date: 15.08.2009
Venue: Wildrice @ Boulevard Hotel, Mid Valley

The company:

and the food:

With MW @ Coffee Bean

Err… the cakes were horrible, okay!

So much for Coffee Bean’s reputation!
I think I should complain about this CB outlet at Karamunsing to the franchise!

The cakes were obviously leftovers…
they were so hard and stiff that I think if I threw it to a dog or a monkey it can kill instantly!

The aircon also was not working properly so we can’t enjoy our coffee and chat there… sigh!

Tune Hotel (Downtown KL) II

This was the second stay I had in Tune Downtown,
last time I shared a double room with my mom,
this time I traveled alone and had a single room.

It was cozy stay… and I would still recommend the hotel to friends of mine who travel with a tight budget…

I stayed four nights here at RM63+
(RM63 for 4 nights not RM63 per night)

My bed for four nights… the pillow was soft, just how I preferred it!

Clean…

   
The narrow passage into the room…

Views from the window in my room…

 

 
Hall way leading to my room no 412

View from the window near the lift on the floor where my room was.. 

Olympus Pen Or Nikon D700

I was not so impressed with the Oympus Pen until I saw it with my own eyes… and touched it with my own hands! It feels so good! I don’t know much of the specs but I like the feel and its looks!

Its heavy and solid, makes you feel like you holding a very sophisticated instrument. It also has a very classy and classic look… holding the camera is like transcending time… I don’t know how to describe it properly in English, but I was impressed!

Only one thing though, I never liked the name Olympus (just like I never liked a camera with brand usually associated with home electrical appliances like Panasonic, but I am using LX3 now).

 

Nikon… I’ve always thought if I ever having a DSLR, it has to be a Nikon... simply because I like the name ~ the K-element! “C”anon got not enough POWER! Anyway, here’s the highly recommended DSLR by my Brother I… the D700 at RM9,688... what can I say?

I’ve also get hands on with the Fujifilm EXR… although I have been contemplating getting the camera as a Christmas present for myself, I am having second thoughts now after holding the camera. It just feel so insignificant… so unsophisticated, and so like… just another ordinary digital camera… I didn’t like the buttons at all, no improvement there at all… sigh!

 

By the way, saw other expensive classic looking digicam also…
here are they… like collectibles !

 

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Pet Maintenance

 

Went to the pet shop near Luyang Specialist Centre as my brother in KL asked me to get a dog leash for Yumiko…

Of course I didn’t just leave with the dog leash but ended up buying other things “by the way”.

So I got two portable water dispensers, one for Little Dan and one for Yumiko. I think it is very useful as nowadays I would fetch Little Dan for a ride in my car and the water dispenser is practical!

Oh and, Little Dan’s shampoo just finished after last Sunday’s bath, so I got a bottle of shampoo, I told the shop assistant Little Dan’s fur got entangled all the time and she got me the extra moisturizing shampoo and prevents tangle coupled with a baby power conditioner! Oh the smell of baby powder… so sweet! I got to have it!

And the little crystal brush is for scrubbing Little Dan’s fur while giving him a bath… the shop assistant said Little Dan would enjoy it… well, I hope he does!

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Property Auctions

Auction can be held by individuals with participation limited to a select group of people or organisations – so called ‘private’ auction. This is where property owners elect to auction off their properties instead of finding potential buyer and having to sign a sale and purchase agreement.

Public auctions on the other hand are usually organised by licensed auctioneers or big corporations like the banks. This happen when the borrower defaults in paying their home/property loan installment with the finance institution resulting in foreclosures proceedings.

Public auctions can be conducted either at the auctioneers office, the High Court of Malaya or at the Land Offices around Malaysia. Where the auction is conducted actually showed the status of the title of the property auctioned.

All property without title, ie, property ‘assigned’ to the bank with ‘power of attorney’ to the back to sell off the property in case of default, the auction will be conducted at the licensed auctioneer’s office.

For property with title, ie property with ‘geran’, the property would have been charged to the bank at the respective land offices for a loan. When the borrower defaulted in the payment of the loan installment, the bankers or financier will proceed with court proceedings in order to get an ‘order for sale’. And that is why such property will be publicly auctioned at either the High Court or the Land Office.

Why some property with title are conducted by the High Court and others at the Land office?

In West Malaysia, under the National Land Code,

section 256 specifically provides for all application for an order for sale of a Registry Title* to be made to the High Court of Malaya;

while section 260 provides for all application for order for sale in respect of Land Office title** to be made to the Land Administrator.

*Registry title means title evidenced by a grant or a State lease or any document of title registered in the Registry of Tittles.

**Land office title means title evidenced by a Mukim grant or Mukim lease or any document of title registered in a Land Office.

You can tell the difference from the heading of the proclamation of sale: PoS at High Court and PoS of Property without title

In Sabah, under the Sabah Land Ordinance, where the property is with title, the financier/bank relying on the Memorandum of Charge signed by the borrower in favour of the bank/financier, may apply to the Collector (ie the Central Land Office) under section 111 for an order to sell the charged property by way of auction when the borrower defaulted in loan installment payment. As such all property with title will be publicly auctioned at the Sabah Land Office as far as Sabah land titles are concerned.

The procedure of the Sabah Land Office sale is laid out in Rule 14 of the Sabah Land Rules (GN 505 of 1930).

I have been a Criminal Lawyer for once

My first appearance as a criminal lawyer at a criminal court… and I didn’t need to utter one single word!

Before trial, I had a brief discussion with the prosecution who informed me that one of the co-accused has decided to plea guilty and has agreed to exonerate the other two co-accused one of whom is my client (pro bono).

I was told that, as long as one of them plead guilty and admit that all the drugs were his and has nothing to do with the other duo, the court will direct that the accused make give fresh statements at the police station where they were arrested to, and if the police decide to drop charge against the other duo, prosecution will be instructed to discontinue the prosecution…

As such, during “trial”, no cross examination or presentation for defense is needed.

Before “trial” and before one of them plead guilty, at the back of the court the three accused have actually agreed to share the fine imposed on the accused who is pleading guilty in order to exonerate the other duo…

I’m sure this has happened before and will still happen in the future, I don’t know if this is justice… in fact I don’t know what to say or how to comment.

I know there are ways to put off the prosecution case due to lack of evidence and if really argued it would be difficult for the prosecution to prove prima facie case, but I also know that all three are most probably guilty… for one to admit guilty and the rest to share the fine serves as a form of penalty to all three of them as well, and I do hope it would be a good deterrent to them.

But I am not so confident of that either.

I am not so sure what is court justice anymore…
that is why although I once was so passionate about doing criminal law, is now fully contended with being a all paper work conveyancing lawyer!

The Story of Ferdinand

A cartoon I watched long long time ago but always in my mind…
Ferdinand the flower smelling cow (err, I mean bull)!

I wish I have Ferdinand’s life…

 

PS:
Why cow or bulls always get names starting with F?

Haze Today and Yesterday

Today

Yesterday

Sabahan can be ridiculously rude too!

I was queuing at the ATM machine, this woman was using the other ATM machine beside me, I was queuing at the back of this woman’s “apparent husband”, then the machine she was using was Out of Order, so she just came over to her husband’s side and cut the queue right in front of me! I thought I had to say something seeing that there are so many people already queuing behind me, so I said:

"Cik, boleh berbaris ka?"

Because of that, I got an ugliest fierce stare from this woman who started yelling at me with her “apparent husband” adding

"Kau ingat ini Sabah kau punyar ka"

"kita ada agency ha"

Then she continued using the ATM… after withdrawing her cash, before she leave the place, at the glass door there she continued,

"kau keluar sekarang, saya mau tampar kau"

"jangan biar saya nampak kau di luar nanti, jaga kau, ha"

“kita ada agency”

“pukimak pukimak pukimak”

… … …

This happened in Sabah, the heaven I thought all the inhabitants were so nice and friendly!

*** *** ***

By the way, the bank officers were there and even the security guard were there along of other people at the queue…

And did anyone speak up for me when I was verbally battered?
NOPE!

Only after that woman left all the sympathetically comments came out,

“So rude, dia sendiri yang tidak berbaris mau marah orang lagi”

“Kalau dia cantik tak pa, ini tak cantik langsung…”

the Bank Officer even said “Nevermind lar this kind of person”

Fellow Sabah brothers and sisters, please if this happen again to you or to anyone near you, please stand together and fight back! Those in the right should not be afraid to stand against the wrong, no matter how fierce they may seem!

They’re just all words, as a matter of fact, although I was very mad, I wasn’t the least afraid of that woman.

All in a Day

Took Little for a walk further away from home to check out the newly erected “Cadangan Membina” sign board on the big piece of nature that is now stripped naked…

Sigh…

Another dawn… oops morning edi ler
It’s 7am-ish… drove out to Inanam town to tapao breakfast,
on the way back, the sun has risen from the sleepy Crocker Range (know as Kokol)… it must be very scenic up there!

The haze has made this picture possible,
so I was thinking it has its good side too… ?

Will

I will try my best to use layman’s language…

Under the law, there are two ways a person can die (so to speak):
either died testate (died with a will) or
died intestate (died without a will).

The estate of a testate will be distributed in accordance with the last will signed by testator/testatrix (the person who made a will). Ie he/she could direct for his estate to be inherited by whoever he/she prefers, eg to a charity, to a mistress, to a friend…

The estate of an intestate will be distributed in accordance with the law, eg, if the intestate died with wife and children, his estate will be distributed as such:
1/3 to the spouse,
2/3 to be shared equally between/amongst the children.

So, if you would like other people to benefit from your estate or if you desire for your children to have all your legacy instead of leaving 1/3 to your spouse, you have to make a will.

Secondly, many don’t understand that the law is as such that, when anyone died leaving behind any property or money in the bank, it will all be frozen… no one would be able to transfer the property or withdraw the money UNLESS he/she has obtained an from the court.

If a person died with a will, he/she would have named an Executor for his/her estate. An executor is the person appointed by the deceased to distribute his/her estate according to his will upon his death. In order for the executor to do that, he would still need to obtain a Grant of Probate from the court. Ie, a proper order from the court that he has all the power to administer the deceased’s estate. After that, he can obtain a distribution order so that he could sign all the transfer form on behalf of the deceased to transfer the deceased’s property according to the will.

If a person died without a will, there will be no executor named. Anyone who has an interest could come to the court to apply to be the administrator of the estate. In this case, the court will give a Grant of Letter of Administration (LA) to the rightful person. However, since the administrator is not a person appointed by the deceased, the law requires that before the LA could be obtained by the Administrator, two person has to become the administrator’s surety. These two sureties have to own landed property with the estimated value of roughly the same as the deceased’s estate! The sureties role is to guarantee to the court that if LA is given to the person applying for it, that person will administer the estate in accordance with law. After that only can the Administrator apply for Distribution Order to distribute the estate in accordance with the law.

Bottom line:
Dying without a will makes things a lot more complicated because you will need to get some one willing to be the administrator and of top of that two sureties with title deed (which is not charged to bank) and the legal process is much more cumbersome!

If you just don’t like the idea of paying legal fees even after you’re dead, you can transfer all your properties and money to your chosen beneficiary before you die. But of course this solution is only sensible to old folks who does not look forward to live longer than their beneficiaries and would not be practicable to young couples with young children.