This is a very big news in Malaysia.
12th of September 2008, 3 people: Raja Petra, Sin-Chiew Journalist (Yun Ching) and Teresa Kwok were arrested under Internal Security Act (ISA)
Raja Petra was arrested, given a reason that his article shows Desecration of Islam.
http://www.sinchew-i.com/sciWWW/node/43698?tid=189
Whereas Sin-Chiew Journalist was arrested, because of reporting Ahmad Ismail issue wrongly and cause religious tension. Ahmad Ismail (Umno,BN) insists he didn't say anything wrong.
But MCA(BN) supports the journalist.
Datuk Ong Tee Keat: If the issue will cause religious tension, why blame the reporter but not the person who said that? Charge him/her in the court if he/she is guilty, why ISA?
http://www.sinchew-i.com/sciWWW/node/43723?tid=189
Dato Seri Ong Ka Ting: Release the journalist if not MCA will do something.
http://www.ongkating.net/Chinese/Blog/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=37
http://www.sinchew-i.com/sciWWW/node/43722?tid=189
Teresa Kwok (DAP) was arrested over a religious manner.
But even Dr Hatta Ramli from PAS doesn't agree about it. (since it's about Islam, PAS suppose to be the angriest one~)
Umno said something wrong, catch the reporter. DAP said something wrong, catch the one who said. What is the logic behind? I really don't know. But what I totally agree with what Malaysian Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan said, that ISA is totally unfair in civilized Nation.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Sunday, March 9, 2008
08 03 2008 Malaysia Election
12th Election in Malaysia, this is the second time (1st time was in 1969) that the opposition performs well and the National Front unable to get majority (2/3) of the seats in Parliament.
(Ps. short form:
BN = Barisan National/National Front;
DAP = Democratic Action Party/Parti Tindakan Demokratik;
PAS = Islamic Party of Malaysia/Parti Islam SeMalaysia;
PKR = Parti Keadilan Rakyat/People's Justice Party;
IND = Individual.)
Parliament result, Overall 222 seats:
BN 140 seats, 63.06% ;
DAP 28 seats, 12.61% ;
PKR 31 seats, 13.96% ;
PAS 23 seats, 10.36% .
Summary: BN is still able to form a government with a simple majority (between 1/2 and 2/3).
State government:
Perlis (BN won by 93.33%): BN 14 seats, PAS 1 seat.
Kedah (Opposition won by 61.11%): BN 14 seats, PAS 16 seats, PKR 4 seats, DAP 1 seat, IND 1 seat.
Kelantan (Opposition won by 82.86%): BN 6 seats, PAS 28 seats, PKR 1 seat.
Terengganu (BN won by 75%): BN 24 seats, PAS 8 seats.
Penang (Opposition won by 72.5%): BN 11 seats, DAP 19 seats, PKR 9 seats, PAS 1 seat.
Perak (Opposition won by 52.54%): BN 28 seats, DAP 18 seats, PKR 7 seats, PAS 6 seats.
Pahang (BN won by 88.10%): BN 37 seats, DAP 2 seats, PAS 2 seats, IND 1 seat.
Selangor (Opposition won by 64.29%): BN 20 seats, PKR 15 seats, DAP 13 seats, PAS 8 seats.
Negeri Sembilan (BN won by 58.33%): BN 21 seats, DAP 10 seats, PKR 4 seats, PAS 1 seat.
Melaka (BN won by 82.14%): BN 23 seats, DAP 5 seats.
Johor (BN won by 89.29%): BN 50 seats, DAP 4 seats, PAS 2 seats.
Sabah (BN won by 98.33%): BN 59 seats, DAP 1 seat.
Sarawak no result as the state government postpone the election.
Summary: The opposition alliance controls five states, they are Kedah, Kelantan, Penang, Perak and Selangor.
CNN news
BBC news
Malaysiakini
(Ps. short form:
BN = Barisan National/National Front;
DAP = Democratic Action Party/Parti Tindakan Demokratik;
PAS = Islamic Party of Malaysia/Parti Islam SeMalaysia;
PKR = Parti Keadilan Rakyat/People's Justice Party;
IND = Individual.)
Parliament result, Overall 222 seats:
BN 140 seats, 63.06% ;
DAP 28 seats, 12.61% ;
PKR 31 seats, 13.96% ;
PAS 23 seats, 10.36% .
Summary: BN is still able to form a government with a simple majority (between 1/2 and 2/3).
State government:
Perlis (BN won by 93.33%): BN 14 seats, PAS 1 seat.
Kedah (Opposition won by 61.11%): BN 14 seats, PAS 16 seats, PKR 4 seats, DAP 1 seat, IND 1 seat.
Kelantan (Opposition won by 82.86%): BN 6 seats, PAS 28 seats, PKR 1 seat.
Terengganu (BN won by 75%): BN 24 seats, PAS 8 seats.
Penang (Opposition won by 72.5%): BN 11 seats, DAP 19 seats, PKR 9 seats, PAS 1 seat.
Perak (Opposition won by 52.54%): BN 28 seats, DAP 18 seats, PKR 7 seats, PAS 6 seats.
Pahang (BN won by 88.10%): BN 37 seats, DAP 2 seats, PAS 2 seats, IND 1 seat.
Selangor (Opposition won by 64.29%): BN 20 seats, PKR 15 seats, DAP 13 seats, PAS 8 seats.
Negeri Sembilan (BN won by 58.33%): BN 21 seats, DAP 10 seats, PKR 4 seats, PAS 1 seat.
Melaka (BN won by 82.14%): BN 23 seats, DAP 5 seats.
Johor (BN won by 89.29%): BN 50 seats, DAP 4 seats, PAS 2 seats.
Sabah (BN won by 98.33%): BN 59 seats, DAP 1 seat.
Sarawak no result as the state government postpone the election.
Summary: The opposition alliance controls five states, they are Kedah, Kelantan, Penang, Perak and Selangor.
CNN news
BBC news
Malaysiakini
Sunday, December 16, 2007
薄饼 ♦ Popiah
薄饼是马来西亚福建人创的食物。
Popiah is a cousine which is created by Malaysian Hokkien.
材料其实是看个人的喜好。。。这里提供一个参考让大家在家里试试看。
Ingredients actually depend on the person him-/herself...this is just as suggestion to let you try at home.
我们逆时钟从右面看起：
we see one-by-one from the right in anti-clockwise direction:
鸡蛋（加酱油煎得厚厚的，在切成一条条），
egg (add some soy sauce and fry it in thick form, cut it),
黄瓜（也切成一条条），
cucumber (cut them too),
虾膏（用柠檬汁和适量的糖调配过），
shrimp paste (add some lemon juice and sugar to dilute it),
花生碎（用搅拌机把它打碎），
peanut (use blender to blend it),
炸洋葱头（买现成的），
fried onion (just buy from supermarket),
豆芽（用酱油炒一炒），
Bean sprouts (fry with some soy sauce),
中间就是那个薄饼皮，是小麦做的。
In the middle is Popiah skin, is made from wheat flour.
还有新鲜的虾，和虾米（煎一煎）。
and also fresh prawn and dried prawn (fry them).
现在为你们介绍怎么做薄饼是我们的大厨Eric Boon大厨师，掌声鼓励鼓励~~~~（拍拍拍拍~~~）
Now, let me introduce you our chef --Eric Boon, he will teach you how to make popiah, please put your hands together~~~ (applause~~~)
谢谢大家，首先在皮上面涂一些虾膏，这个虾膏不是直接涂上去的哦！你看，罐里面的虾膏是粘粘的，你看我的很稀，不是用水弄稀哦！用水就没有味道了，要用柠檬汁。。。bla bla bla（本人sensor掉他show-off的那段，怎么弄看上面就好）
Thank you everyone, first of all, put some shrimp past on the skin, don't take the shrimp paste directly from the bottle!~~ you see, in the bottle the shrimp paste is very sticky, mine is already diluted, but it's not diluted with water! if you use water to dilute it will be tasteless, use lemon juice....bla bla bla (the showing-off part is sensored, just read from above how to do it)
然后加花生碎，为什么要先加花生碎？因为可以把多余的水份吸一下，皮就不会这么容易破掉。我也是看人家怎么弄学回来的。。。因为小时候很喜欢吃popiah...bla bla bla（又在sensor他讲故事的那段，以后看到bla bla bla就是sensor啦，不用解释。。。:P）
then add peanut, why it is followed by peanut but not other thing? because it will adsorb some water so that the skin won't be so watery and spoilt. i learned it from other people...when i was small, i like to eat popiah....bla bla bla (again sensored because of telling unimportant story, the following part if you see bla bla bla means it is sensored, no need to explain so much...:P)
再加上豆芽，黄瓜，煎蛋。。。煎蛋要煎到这样厚厚才好吃。。。bla bla bla
and then add Bean sprouts, cucumber, fried egg....fried egg must be thick or else it doesn't taste nice....bla bla bla
加一点新鲜虾，虾米。。。
add some fresh prawns and dried prawns...
在上面洒一些炸葱头。。。
spread some fried onion on top of it...
包起来。。。
wrap it...
握紧它。。。粘起来。。。
hold it tight....stick it...
切开来。。。
cut it...
漂亮吗？可以沾虾膏，洒花生碎吃。。。
looks nice? can put some more shrimp paste and spread some more peanut....
我在德国朋友家那里弄来给他们吃他们都不喜欢虾膏的味道，讲很臭。。。不懂好料。。。就像榴莲一样。。。bla bla bla...
i make this food at my german friend's house but they don't like the smell of shrimp paste, they said it's very smelly...aih...they don't enjoy this good thing...just like durian....bla bla bla....
这个是教怎么包popiah的短片。
this is a vedio show how to wrap popiah.
回家试试看吧！~~
try it at home~~~
Popiah is a cousine which is created by Malaysian Hokkien.
材料其实是看个人的喜好。。。这里提供一个参考让大家在家里试试看。
Ingredients actually depend on the person him-/herself...this is just as suggestion to let you try at home.
我们逆时钟从右面看起：
we see one-by-one from the right in anti-clockwise direction:
鸡蛋（加酱油煎得厚厚的，在切成一条条），
egg (add some soy sauce and fry it in thick form, cut it),
黄瓜（也切成一条条），
cucumber (cut them too),
虾膏（用柠檬汁和适量的糖调配过），
shrimp paste (add some lemon juice and sugar to dilute it),
花生碎（用搅拌机把它打碎），
peanut (use blender to blend it),
炸洋葱头（买现成的），
fried onion (just buy from supermarket),
豆芽（用酱油炒一炒），
Bean sprouts (fry with some soy sauce),
中间就是那个薄饼皮，是小麦做的。
In the middle is Popiah skin, is made from wheat flour.
还有新鲜的虾，和虾米（煎一煎）。
and also fresh prawn and dried prawn (fry them).
现在为你们介绍怎么做薄饼是我们的大厨Eric Boon大厨师，掌声鼓励鼓励~~~~（拍拍拍拍~~~）
Now, let me introduce you our chef --Eric Boon, he will teach you how to make popiah, please put your hands together~~~ (applause~~~)
谢谢大家，首先在皮上面涂一些虾膏，这个虾膏不是直接涂上去的哦！你看，罐里面的虾膏是粘粘的，你看我的很稀，不是用水弄稀哦！用水就没有味道了，要用柠檬汁。。。bla bla bla（本人sensor掉他show-off的那段，怎么弄看上面就好）
Thank you everyone, first of all, put some shrimp past on the skin, don't take the shrimp paste directly from the bottle!~~ you see, in the bottle the shrimp paste is very sticky, mine is already diluted, but it's not diluted with water! if you use water to dilute it will be tasteless, use lemon juice....bla bla bla (the showing-off part is sensored, just read from above how to do it)
然后加花生碎，为什么要先加花生碎？因为可以把多余的水份吸一下，皮就不会这么容易破掉。我也是看人家怎么弄学回来的。。。因为小时候很喜欢吃popiah...bla bla bla（又在sensor他讲故事的那段，以后看到bla bla bla就是sensor啦，不用解释。。。:P）
then add peanut, why it is followed by peanut but not other thing? because it will adsorb some water so that the skin won't be so watery and spoilt. i learned it from other people...when i was small, i like to eat popiah....bla bla bla (again sensored because of telling unimportant story, the following part if you see bla bla bla means it is sensored, no need to explain so much...:P)
再加上豆芽，黄瓜，煎蛋。。。煎蛋要煎到这样厚厚才好吃。。。bla bla bla
and then add Bean sprouts, cucumber, fried egg....fried egg must be thick or else it doesn't taste nice....bla bla bla
加一点新鲜虾，虾米。。。
add some fresh prawns and dried prawns...
在上面洒一些炸葱头。。。
spread some fried onion on top of it...
包起来。。。
wrap it...
握紧它。。。粘起来。。。
hold it tight....stick it...
切开来。。。
cut it...
漂亮吗？可以沾虾膏，洒花生碎吃。。。
looks nice? can put some more shrimp paste and spread some more peanut....
我在德国朋友家那里弄来给他们吃他们都不喜欢虾膏的味道，讲很臭。。。不懂好料。。。就像榴莲一样。。。bla bla bla...
i make this food at my german friend's house but they don't like the smell of shrimp paste, they said it's very smelly...aih...they don't enjoy this good thing...just like durian....bla bla bla....
这个是教怎么包popiah的短片。
this is a vedio show how to wrap popiah.
回家试试看吧！~~
try it at home~~~
Monday, November 12, 2007
Teargas used on rare Malaysia demo
(CNN) -- The largest political protest in nearly a decade erupted in Malaysia's capital city, Kuala Lumpur, Saturday with riot police aiming water hoses and tear gas at thousands of protesters gathered to demand electoral reform.
Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Kuala Lumpur to demand electoral reform.
Opposition parties and civic groups demonstrated against alleged fraudulent activity in the electoral process and demanded an overhaul of Malaysia's electoral commission ahead of general elections widely expected for early next year.
Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had vowed to suppress the demonstration, and on Saturday police had erected roadblocks and ramped up security in an attempt to close down the city's center.
Nevertheless, in defiance of a government ban, between 30,000 and 40,000 demonstrators massed outside the royal palace in Kuala Lumpar, according to media reports. Opposition group leader and former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim put the number much higher, claiming more than 100,000 people had gathered in the streets.
One witness said police fired tear gas and jets of "chemically-laced water" at hundreds of demonstrators who sought refuge in the city's Jamek mosque and in commercial buildings.
"Squads of police are chasing hundreds of protesters along alleys and on the city streets," the witness said, speaking on condition of anonymity. He said blockades had been set up around the city to hem in demonstrators.
Photos of the crackdown showed protesters dressed in yellow t-shirts and head scarves shielding their heads as water from cannons blasted down on them.
New York-based Human Rights Watch slammed the rally ban and urged the government to support free speech ahead of elections expected to be called early next year.
"If Malaysia wants to count itself a democracy, it can begin by upholding constitutional guarantees of free speech and assembly. The way the system works now, only the ruling coalition can get its messages out," it said.
Human Rights Watch said Malaysian elections have been sullied by vote-buying, the use of public resources by the ruling parties and accusations of bias against the Election Commission.
Malaysia has had only one party in power since 1957.
Speaking to CNN after briefly addressing the opposition-backed rally, Anwar said "we are demanding that the (election) process be cleansed. There are no such thing as fair elections in Malaysia at the moment."
He said a memorandum detailing allegations of corruption by the commission had been handed to Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, Malaysia's constitutional monarch.
Malaysian law stipulates the sultan must give his royal assent to the commission after it has been appointed by the government.
Opposition party leaders, including Anwar, called the mass meeting to protest alleged fraudulent activity in the electoral process.
"This was an attempt to threaten the people. But I am very proud that Malaysians were not intimidated and turned out in such great numbers and that they behaved peacefully," Anwar said.Anwar was heir apparent to former premier Mahathir Mohamad until 1998, when he was sacked and charged for corruption and sodomy.
The sodomy conviction was overturned, but the corruption verdict was never lifted, barring him from running for political post until next year.Saturday, November 3, 2007
椰浆饭和拉茶 ♦ Nasi Lemak and Teh Tarik
这就是椰浆饭。你可以大概看到我们放了什么配料。
This is Nasi Lemak (Coconut rice). You can see briefly what is inside.
椰浆饭的材料： Ingredients for Nasi Lemak:
米 Rice
椰浆 Coconut milk
香兰叶 Pandan leaf
鸡腿 Chicken leg
鸡蛋 Eggs
蚝 Oyster/ Mussel
虾 Prawn
江鱼仔 Anchovy
花生 Peanuts
黄瓜 Cucumbers
蒜米 Garlic
大洋葱和小红洋葱 Onions and Shallots
马来虾膏粉 Belacan
辣椒干 Dried Chilli
黄姜粉Turmeric Powder
面粉 Flour
饭就像普通那样煮，但是不是用水，是用椰浆。其实要放香兰叶，但是这里买不到。
The rice is cooked like normal just that not with water, but with coconut milk. Actually should put pandan leaf, but we can't get it here.
炸鸡篇：
Fried Chicken Part:
鸡肉要腌过。除了普通的盐糖酱油外，最重要的是黄姜粉，马来人把它当作华人的五香粉用的。。。
Marinate the chicken with salt, sugar, soy sauce, the most important is Turmeric powder, malay use it like chinese Five-spice powder ...
然后沾鸡蛋，沾面粉那去炸。鸡肉太大块的话，最好是炸两回，一次热油炸一次温油炸。再不然就放进微波炉煮熟它（没办法的办法），但是肉汁和油会跑出来，皮就不脆了。
And then stick some egg and flour, then fry. If the chicken pieces are too big, try to fry them twice, once with hot oil and then once with warm oil. Or another lazy way is to put into the microwave and cook them (if you have no choice), but the meat juice will flow out and the skin will not be crispy anymore.
煎蛋篇：
Frying Eggs part:
就把鸡蛋打一打放酱油。（听说放盐会有氯气跑出来之类的，所以鸡蛋我都不放盐了）
just stir the eggs and put some soy sauce in it. (I heard that if you add salt will release clorine gas something like that, so i don't put salt anymore)
煎成这样一片片。。。
fry to pieces like this...
再切成这样一条条。。。
cut to slices like this...
Sambal：
Sambal就是这道菜的灵魂。
Sambal is the soul of this dish.
需要一些切成环状的洋葱。。。
you need some onions in ring form...
这是红色小小粒的洋葱仔，很重要，香味全从它们来。。。
These small red Shallots are very important, the fragrance is from them...
那几陀被搅成稀巴烂的是：（12点起顺时钟）辣椒干，大洋葱，红色小洋葱仔，蒜米。。。还有很重要的belacan粉，和sambal oelek一罐（这样就不用自己弄这么多咯 :P）。。。
Those like shit are: (from 12 o'clock clockwise direction) dried chili, onions, shallots, garlic...and very imporant is belacan powder, and a bottle of sambal oelek (so that you don't need to make so much on your own :P)
东西炒一炒，把以上的东西靠感觉加进去。。。这道是拿来煮虾。。。
fry those sutff on above with your own feel....this is sambal with prawn...
这道是拿来煮蚝。。。
this is sambal with mussel...
还要煎一煎江鱼仔。。。烘一烘花生。。。这里买到的是上面这个罐头花生，将就一下啦！~~
fry some Anchovy...heat some peanuts....here we just use this king of peanut in can, don't be so fussy lah!~~
好了，所有的料都准备好了。。。
ok, all the stuff are ready...
一个人份大概就是这样咯。。。
for one person is something like this...
Teh Tarik：
用热水冲茶（有点像红茶），加炼奶和糖。。。
boil hot water and pour into the filter with tea leaves (taste like red tea) in it, add some condensed milk and sugar...
拉一拉让空气接触一下，这就是马来西亚出名的Teh Tarik（拉茶），说穿了其实跟香港的丝袜奶茶差不多啦！~~:P
pull it with 2 cups and so that the tea has a contact with air, this is the famous malaysia Teh Tarik, but actually taste something like Hong Kong-style milk tea.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
云顶创办人林梧桐病逝 ♦ The Founder of Genting, Mr. Lim Goh Tong passed away
Lim Goh Tong, who built a hilltop casino in Malaysia and turned it into the biggest publicly traded gaming company in Asia, died on 23-10-2007 at 11:20am in Subang hospital. He was 90.
林梧桐于1964年创立云顶（官方网站：http://www.genting.com.my/），在2007年３月的《福布斯》全球富豪排行榜中位列第２０４位，马来西亚富豪榜的第三位，坐拥43亿美元（马币146亿元）的财富。与何鸿桑、叶汉及田乐园成为「亚洲四大赌王」。
林梧桐于1964年创立云顶（官方网站：http://www.genting.com.my/），在2007年３月的《福布斯》全球富豪排行榜中位列第２０４位，马来西亚富豪榜的第三位，坐拥43亿美元（马币146亿元）的财富。与何鸿桑、叶汉及田乐园成为「亚洲四大赌王」。
Lim, the founder of Genting (Official website: http://www.genting.com.my/), which is based in Kuala Lumpur, and the third richest people in Malaysia, ranked as 204th richest in the world in , with an estimated wealth of US$4.3 billion (RM14.6 billion).
2006
2007：http://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/10/07billionaires_Lim-Goh-Tong-family_BZLF.html
2006
2007：http://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/10/07billionaires_Lim-Goh-Tong-family_BZLF.html
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Hari Raya Puasa
Before Hari Raya Puasa, we (muslim) have to "puasa" (fast). Fasting prohibits us from eating, drinking, even having bad thoughts (therefore covers having arguments with others). Puasa month starts 1-month before Hari Raya Puasa. As you can tell from the name Hari Raya Puasa, we celeberate for finishing Puasa.
1) Puasa month (also known as Bulan Ramadhan)
We don't take food/beverages from morning prayer (about 5am ++) until evening prayer (about 7pm ++). The time will varies in different area (where the sun rises and sets at different timing).
It is easy for us to stay away from hunger/thristy if we have enough meals before 5sth, that meal we called it "Saho". Then after 7sth, we break the fast (buka puasa).
2) Hari Raya Puasa
a) Eve
Same as others, this is the best time for all the family members to reunion. We all go back to our hometown (balik kampung). It is my habit to return one day before the 1st day of Hari Raya Puasa. So that I can fast 1 day in my hometown, and break-fast with my family members. It is fun eating with them.
Hari raya eve, after the last day of fasting, we prepare food for Hari Raya.
Common food will be "ketupat".
b) Day 1
We will wear new cloths. We usually have colour themes for each family. This year, my family members selected green colour. Therefore, everyone wears green. We will decide on the colours months ago, so that we can buy the clothes or ask tailor to make new clothes for all family member with the same clothes. Therefore, it is common to see mother and daughters wearing the same pattern of clothes, as they are made by the same tailor! I bought a ready-made shirt from JohnMaster, since I'm still single. I think I will love to have tailor-made cloth after I have my own family.
Early in the morning, the kids have to greed (salam) the parents (or whoever older). Salam is a manner that all Malays are taught since young before you know how to say "hello, uncle". We hold the hand of the older, and kiss his/her hand. Or alternatively, we can just put his/her hand on our forehead. This is to show respect, and greed the olders. And they will tap our head to give us blessing.
The kids salam-kan the parents, and getting green packet (same like red packet for Chinese, money is inside the packet). Also, u can see all of them wearing in GREEN.
After that, all family members will go to the grave to greed the deadone. My parents passed away when I was young. So, we went to greed them.
Since we cant kiss their hand, we clean up the grave area.
And there continue our house-visiting. Each house we go, they will serve us food = ketupat, cookies etc.... We have to eat almost everything they served, to show that we appreciate their host. So, eat eat eat eat till the end of the 1st day and continue on 2nd, 3rd day....
eat eat eat eat....
c) Malay traditional cloth
We prefer the silk material, as it is soft and cool. Normally buttons are not included. So that we can select the colour of button.
The button on top is removed.
The button which can easily tuck into the shirt.
By Teddy Din
1) Puasa month (also known as Bulan Ramadhan)
We don't take food/beverages from morning prayer (about 5am ++) until evening prayer (about 7pm ++). The time will varies in different area (where the sun rises and sets at different timing).
It is easy for us to stay away from hunger/thristy if we have enough meals before 5sth, that meal we called it "Saho". Then after 7sth, we break the fast (buka puasa).
2) Hari Raya Puasa
a) Eve
Same as others, this is the best time for all the family members to reunion. We all go back to our hometown (balik kampung). It is my habit to return one day before the 1st day of Hari Raya Puasa. So that I can fast 1 day in my hometown, and break-fast with my family members. It is fun eating with them.
Hari raya eve, after the last day of fasting, we prepare food for Hari Raya.
Common food will be "ketupat".
b) Day 1
We will wear new cloths. We usually have colour themes for each family. This year, my family members selected green colour. Therefore, everyone wears green. We will decide on the colours months ago, so that we can buy the clothes or ask tailor to make new clothes for all family member with the same clothes. Therefore, it is common to see mother and daughters wearing the same pattern of clothes, as they are made by the same tailor! I bought a ready-made shirt from JohnMaster, since I'm still single. I think I will love to have tailor-made cloth after I have my own family.
Early in the morning, the kids have to greed (salam) the parents (or whoever older). Salam is a manner that all Malays are taught since young before you know how to say "hello, uncle". We hold the hand of the older, and kiss his/her hand. Or alternatively, we can just put his/her hand on our forehead. This is to show respect, and greed the olders. And they will tap our head to give us blessing.
The kids salam-kan the parents, and getting green packet (same like red packet for Chinese, money is inside the packet). Also, u can see all of them wearing in GREEN.
After that, all family members will go to the grave to greed the deadone. My parents passed away when I was young. So, we went to greed them.
Since we cant kiss their hand, we clean up the grave area.
And there continue our house-visiting. Each house we go, they will serve us food = ketupat, cookies etc.... We have to eat almost everything they served, to show that we appreciate their host. So, eat eat eat eat till the end of the 1st day and continue on 2nd, 3rd day....
eat eat eat eat....
c) Malay traditional cloth
We prefer the silk material, as it is soft and cool. Normally buttons are not included. So that we can select the colour of button.
The button on top is removed.
The button which can easily tuck into the shirt.
By Teddy Din
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