Monday, September 16, 2013
E6 Down Memory Lane
A bittersweet glimpse into the past By Antonia Chiam
A
trip down memory lane often reminds us of what we’re lost over the years as we grow out of our childhood and into the hectic adult world that last the rest of our lives. Some memories fade, while some remain but they are not just part of who we are but also make up the bits and pieces of our society today. For 60-year-old James, an opportunity to catch a glimpse into the past through this special interview reminded him keenly of what we no longer fully enjoy now. “We have lost that sense of complete physical security. I remember that back in those days, we did not have to lock our doors or gates when we were at home or even when we were out to a neighbour’s house. “Nobody had to worry about strangers or burglaries in the neighbourhood as everybody. “Children were allowed to play outside and parents didn’t have to worry about their safety,” he recalled. James spent his early childhood years in Main Bazaar before the family moved to Green Road in the 1960s. “Green Road area was then the nearest housing estate to town. It wasn’t as ‘ulu’ as areas like Batu Kawa and it was also the newest suburban area at that time. “The neighbourly bond while living in a housing estate was strong too. People were helpful and they took the initiative to get to know one another,” said the owner of a car accessories shop, who attended primary school at St Thomas School and received his secondary schooling at Li Tah High School, which is now Basaga Holiday Residences on Tabuan Road. James noted that his childhood was best remembered as simple and secure with a strong sense of kinship among the community he lived in. “I remembered fishing, climbing trees, playing marbles and hopscotch as some of my favourite pastime activities with other children in the neighbourhood. It was a time of friendship and a time when people valued simplicity in life. “At home, we spent our leisure time listening to the radio. Sometimes we would go to the cinemas, usually once or twice a week. I re-
member Rex, Capitol, Odeon and Cathay: none of them are around now except for Rex, which used to be where Star Cineplex is today. “There were no shopping malls. The only nice place to shop was Electra House and there was only one supermarket, which was Ting & Ting’s. “Occasionally my family and I would go to the countryside by bus to shop for fresh produce as well as for sightseeing,” he said with a smile. Although he was a child growing up in colonial Kuching, James could not remember the political developments that led to the formation of Malaysia in those days. “I was too young, barely 12 yet. I can only vaguely remember that time when the last British Governor of Sarawak (Sir Alexander Waddell) was going to leave Kuching for good. There was a big send-off at the Sarawak River. “A lot of fanfare was going on, with the police band playing and people in a celebratory mood. I don’t think I knew what was going on at that time,” he said. That fateful day was Sept 15, 1963, a day before the formation of Malaysia was official. Now 50 years on, James could not help but arrive at the conclusion that the 60s, 70s and early 80s were wonderful years gone by and the great sense of community
would never happened anymore. “How wonderful if people could protect and maintain the simple values that made our lives so secure. I really miss that kind of environment and I believe most people my age or older do feel this. The old values are greatly lacking now. “Obvious changes came in terms of population and development. The most important concerns are those relating to education, health and security, which affects everyone. “Just by reading the news and hearing stories or experiences of others, we know crimes are on the rise. People are more insecure and dissatisfied with their social environment. “Development and progress, no matter how beneficial they are to our society, cannot replace those old simple values of life. Development and progress are a means to an end, not the end itself. If we get them mixed up, we will become confused, distrustful and disrespectful of one another. “I do hope that someday our education system will be enhanced to focus more on inculcating humanistic
values and goals that could ensure happiness for every individual, instead of just being too result-oriented and knowledge-based,” he pointed out. In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Sarawak independence, James wished that all Sarawakians will continue to live in peace and harmony for many generations to come.
DASHING YOUTH: James in his youthful days.
CAREFREE DAYS: James as a primary school pupil in 1966 at the playground of Garland School, Batu Kawa Road.
YOUNG: James as a young child in the late 50s with his older brother near Kuching High School.
HAPPY FAMILY: James with his wife and three children in a recent family photo.
A simpler life By Chen Ai Shih
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oday’s children are overwhelmed by advancement in electronic gadgets but during the 1940s, children did not even have a TV at home to watch. “Those days, we spent our childhood running in the wild. My best activity was to row a sampan with my younger brother to catch fish and crabs in Rajang River,” recalled Mok Sem Fua. The 74-year-old said that they were outdoorsy, unlike today’s children where most of them stay indoors and play games on their computers, PSP, and smartphones. Mok, a Cantonese, was born in 1939 in Sungai Pak, Sibu, a small village near the Rajang River. His grandfather came from the Guangdong province in China. “We used a net to catch fish and crabs. We caught something everytime. A good catch came up to more than 10 fish, up to two kilogram (kg) while we caught up to two kg of crabs. We couldn’t finish them and we sold them to other villagers,” he said.
At that time, nature was their closest and best friend. As long as they were hardworking, they could have food in abundance. His parents were farmers, and he was one of nine children. They were not rich but moderately well-off. They lived a simple and peaceful life by growing vegetables and selling rubber and pepper. “My parents went to tap rubber very early, about 4am, with kerosene lamps. Then the elder children would help collect the latex,” he said. He said he and his siblings also helped in the farm to harvest pepper, vegetables and weeding after school. He said he was lucky to have the chance to study until Form Three during the British colonial era because people during that time had less chance to study. He said they could choose to have either an English or Chinese education. He chose Chinese and completed his Form Three at a school in Sibu, today’s SMK Tung Hua. He entered primary
school when he was already more than 10 years old. He said it was not compulsory for children at the time to enter school at a fixed age like now. The school had only one teacher and all students gathered together at a place to study. They were divided into morning and afternoon sessions because there were not enough seats. “The study hours were uncertain and not systematic like today’s education system,” he said. He remembered the first time he went to t h e cin-
Mok Sem Fua
ema he was in secondary school at the time. “In our village, we slept at 8pm when the day turned dark. No night life or even entertainment, no light, except people’s wedding or festive celebrations,” he said. He said they made kuih with tapioca and ate rice cooked with sweet potatoes their parents planted. Banana and papaya were the most common fruits in their village. “We never k n e w
there were fruits like apple and grapes, seriously. We never drank coffee at home, only when we went to town to sell things and sat in the coffee shop. “We had nothing to buy in the village. We bought big cans of biscuits, meat, bread and tea leaves from town whenever we went to sell things. We exchanged the ‘Atap salt’ and sugar we bought from town with the Dayak villagers for paddy,” he said. He said the villagers travelled to Sibu town by boat. They did not even need a bicycle because there were no roads. After Form Three, he later went for tailoring lessons in Sibu and helped at his friend’s tailor shop in Pakan, where he met his wife. They moved back to Sungai Pak village and earned their livings by tapping rubber. Then, they moved to Dalat and opened a tailor shop. “Due to the stiff competition, our friend told us to open a shop in Sebuyau as there was none there. For 30 over years, life there was good until fire razed our wooden shop to the ground last year,” he said.
He said in the olden days, fish and vegetables were fresh and cheap. “Last time in Sebuyau, a kati of fish was only 80 cents. Now it goes up to RM18 and sometimes over RM20. What an increase! Life in the village was low cost and simple. Now living in town, the expenses have gone up,” he said. Over the last few years, he observed that things had changed a lot, but he hoped the multi-racial harmony would remain. “This is a good place. The people are simple and friendly regardless of their different religions and culture. I hope we can continue to live in peace and harmony,” he said. What he worried about was the increase of crime rates and murder cases. “It’s better here than Peninsular Malaysia but I hope something could be done to reduce the crime rate. “Nobody can predict the future. But I hope our country remains peaceful. Hopefully, the government will fulfill their promises too,” he said.