Hokkien (福建話) is a group of mutually intelligible Min Nan Chinese dialects spoken throughout Southeastern China, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and by many other overseas Chinese. Hokkien originated from a dialect in southern Fujian. It is closely related to Teochew, though mutual comprehension is difficult, and is somewhat more distantly related to Hainanese. Hokkien historically served as the lingua franca amongst ...

I lost my Mum to lung cancer on August 30, 2016 and that has made me realise how transient life is. She was still in reasonably good shape albeit feeling tired and a bit breathless when I went to Kuching on August 14. I never expected her to leave us so soon. She was first diagnosed with terminal lung cancer ...

Gentle she may look On the courts she is vicious Her small size belies her strength and skills.   Laughing all the way to the bank after the Rio Olympics Igniting social media with her impeccable beauty Under her charm Malaysians fall.   Young and a stunning part-time model Idol of the nation Never has a Malaysian female badminton player ...

        Datuk Lee Chong Wei versus Lin Dan A real clash of the titans The badminton men’s semi-final of the Rio Olympics Will be remembered as an epic.   The rubber game was exhilarating And the last few minutes were truly nail-biting As I watched Lin Dan drew level with Chong Wei 20-20 I was overcome by ...

As AirAsia Flight AK6181 from Miri to Kuching prepared for landing at Kuching International Airport yesterday, the usual reminder about use of hand phones only after the safety belt sign had been switched off was made by one of the cabin crew. I was sitting in a middle seat towards the back portion of the plane and as soon as ...

Malaysian time is very elastic, A laid-back attitude makes life less hectic, Tardiness is not seen as a moral crime, Punctuality does not mean you have to arrive in time.   Tardiness is an accepted practice, Even in the corporate office, Time is perceived as a gentle stream, Flowing leisurely like in a dream.   Malaysians are generally not lazy, ...

I taste, Durians, so rich, Its sweet flesh I devour, A small worm wriggling in the pulp, Too late.  

Littering is not cool, Unless you are a fool, Litter is unsightly and embarrassing, Seeing litter everywhere is so depressing.   Litter litter everywhere, Dropped by people who don’t care, Astounding is their lack of civic mindedness, Exacerbated by their thoughtlessness.   Litterbugs are not bothered by where their rubbish go, They think their rubbish will be gone when the ...

The haze is back again, Our prayers have been in vain, The green and blue are subdued, Overcome by brown and grey hues.   The acrid smell permeates the air, Lingering in our clothes and hair, The smoke irritates our noses, As we inhale pollutants in small doses.   The Pollutants Standard Index is rising, The government doesn’t seem to ...

In Piasau Nature Reserve, Authorities strive to preserve, A small colony of hornbills, With their long down-curved bills. The death of Faridah sparked a public outcry, At the brutal hands of poachers she died, Leaving behind a heartbroken Jimmy, Sad as a man running on empty. Like a phoenix rising out of ashes, Jimmy has emerged from his sadness, His ...