A Heart-Rending Demise Of Bukit Saban Resort

The onward journey from Sarikei to Kuching was lengthy and it took a tiring five hours to go through.

At 290th km. of Kuching/Sarikei Road, we drove past the roadside signboard of Bukit Saban Resort. The shabby condition of it is so very sorrowful and heart-rending. The fate of the resort deserves a word of mention here.

Bukit Saban Resort started at the height of our government's efforts to promote ecotourism. At that time it radiated much enthusiasm for our inland tourism.

A familiarisation trip took me there when it was opened for business. I was deeply impressed by its concept - a perfect blend of culture, nature and modern comfort.

The lush Borneo rainforest and the culture of Ibans were combined to form an unforgetable setting for the resort. And the longhouse-style rooms gave me an excellent cultural touch.

But Bukit Saban Resort failed to stand up to the test of harsh reality of business. It went bankrupt and eventually was closed down. Now it has been converted to a National Service camp.

When the signboard went out of my sight, I couldn't help lamenting the downfall of an ideal resort for ecotourism.

Breakfast In Sarikei

On Jan. 28 at 6:00am sharp, we set off from Premier Hotel and headed towards Saeikei where we planned to make a transit break for breakfast.

We crossed the mighty Rajang River by using Lanang Bridge. This toll-bridge was the centre of contention during the state elections in 2006. Together with land renewal and oil price, the toll erupted into a sticky election issue, resulting in SUPP being muddle-headed.

The toll for our van is RM5 which is pricey by local standard. But Lanang Bridge is applauded loud by passers-by since it has conveniently done away with the frustrating hour-long queuing up. To this group of users, the bridge is definitely a plus.

However, for the locals who have to commute to and fro Sibu daily, the toll system is financially burdensome, giving them added pressure. My rough calculation makes me feel for them.

Sarikei once again occupies the centre-stage in the run-up to the parliamentary elections. It has been a gruesome waiting for almost a year for a candidate to be nominated. You may call it a political labour pain for SUPP. But voters start to run out of patience to the extent that it might have adverse impact on voting results for SUPP.

We arrived Sarikei town centre at 7:15am and settled on Open-Air Market where variety was aplenty. We noted instantly that Sarikei's pricing is fast catching up that of Sibu. The fried kueh teow that I ordered was commentable in terms of taste, serving time and portioning. But it was too oily which gave a big minus to the otherwise delicious food.

We departed Sarikei at about 8:00am and proceeded straight to Kuching.

Trip To Kuching

It was a hectic two-day trip from 28 to 29 January by land to Kuching. The travelling was on official matters intending to settle some long-planned duties.

Going together were four colleagues of which one was our driver. We decided to drive for convenience purposes.

Travelling by land provided us with an excellent opportunity to sightsee the beauty of our interiors. It also opened my eyes to the traces of progress in the state.

With the much improved infrastructural facilities, land travelling has become more popular. And, with the air fares getting priceier, it is an incentive for travellers to go by land.

Lanterns And Chinese New Year

Lanterns play an important and irreplaceable role in Chinese long history, and they symbolize the brilliant culture of China.

As verified by historians, Chinese lantern was the earliest invented portable illumination instrument in the world. Therefore, lanterns signify light and hope in Chinese culture.

Ancient lanterns were folk craftwork. At present, great changes have taken place in the skills of making lanterns so that they work better in decoration.

In this modern age, lanterns are no longer used for lighting up. But their cultural values continue to be upheld. During festivals and on auspicious occasions, lanterns have a significant role to play in decoration.

Yesterday I spent a good one hour to put up new year decorations using lanterns at the entrance porch. The lighted lanterns are a constant reminder to me of the heritage of our culture.

Globalisation And Realignment Of Wealth

United States' present traumatic situation is very much the outcome of the globalisation which has given rise to a global realignment of wealth from the developed nations towards the new emerging markets, especially those in Asia.

This global trend is inevitable as more Asian developing nations open up their economies for investments and developments, thereby speeding up the rate of growth.

In the process, the emerging markets with the advantage of low cost become the world's manufacturers, churning out cheap goods for the developed nations. This has the suppressive effect on the rich nations' inflation.

The tolerable inflation rate at about 2% has been criticised to be politically cooked to look comfortable. In the past years, this officially released low rate gave Federal Reserve a free hand to maintain loose mometary policy to prop up growth.

The ultraloose monetary policy generated huge cheap funds for the market, leading to property inflation in USA.

When the real estate bubble burst, the whole market is going to slump into a possible recession.

The present economic woes in the States are the outcome of lavish consumption, low savings and cheap credit. In the process, the wealth and influence have been shifted to China and some other emerging markets.

This is a global trend and it is an on-going process for many more years to come.

MAF Of The Masland Methodist Church

It was a wonderful time as the fellowshippers gathered in the name of our Lord for a topical talk given by Pastor Ting Ee Ling this evening.

Themed "Equip for Mission", Pastor Ting called on MAF of The Masland Methodist Church to go out to preach as commanded by Christ Jesus in Matthew 28:19: Go forth therefore and make all nations my disciples.

But, first and foremost, equip yourself before you go on mission.

"Sharpen up in your personal salvation, mastery of God's words, humility, offerings and giving of your children to God for mission.

Clear and concise, Pastor Ting's message is both an encouragement and a challenge.

Take it to heart and reflect on it if you have yet to do so.

Preserving Cultural Values Of Chinese New Year

The footsteps of Chinese New Year are drawing near. The spirit of Spring Festival is rising, albeit a bit slow this time due to the dented sentiment of consumers at large.



New Year goodies are in plenty for shoppers in the market now. It is a lot of fun shopping for goodies. As I walk through the market, my childhood memories flow back. My mom used to take me along when she went for new year shopping. It was so very good time tagging after my mom on this sort of occasion.

Come to think of it, kids nowadays are much less excited about Chinese New Year. This has got to do with social change in well-being and cultural degeneration. The trend is worrisome and we really have to beef up instiling cultural values into the younger groups.

Let's work towards preserving the essence of the cultural values of Chinese New Year as we celebrate the occasion.