A Brief Account of My Participation in SGM “Run for Peace 2015”

On Sunday September 20, 2015, I participated in the SGM’s "Run for Peace 2015” in Kelana Jaya, P.J.

This is the second time I took part in such an event, the first one being in 2013.  This is a biennial event organized by SGM to create awareness of peace and a healthy lifestyle in society, first started in Malaysia in 2005.

My son Wai Kei and I woke up at 4.00 am in the morning. We went to fetch Terry Yip and Jenny Lee at 4.20 am and parked our car near OldTown White Coffee, BSL.  Three buses were chartered to fetch members/participants from BSL of Chapter 552 to Stadium MBPJ, Kelana Jaya.  The turnout was great.  

The bus left BSL at 5.00 am and reached Stadium MBPJ before 6am.  By then there were already quite a number of participants gathered at the field.

The event was officiated by Minister in the PM Department Paul Low who gave a speech after the welcoming address by SGM General Director Koh Sia Feai at about 6.30 am.  The total number of participants in KL was reported to be 20,000 while the overall figure throughout the country this day was about 70,000.

The walkathon started at about 7.00 am.  I had the companionship of Lee Hock Seng, Yong Yew Khoon, Terry Yip and Jenny Lee.  The total journey was 8.1 km and the route was as shown on the map below.

I am glad to have completed the total 8.1 km walk without taking short-cuts.  It took me about 2 hours and 15 minutes to accomplish it.

By 9.15 am, as Hock Seng and I returned to the stadium, we could only manage to collect the participation certificate but the goodies bags were all given out without stock for the latecomers.

Our bus picked us up at about 10.15 am and sent us back to BSL at about 11.00am.  I was really tired and sleepy and took a nap from 1.00 pm till 3.30 pm.  Mission accomplished !

The sky was still dark when we arrived at the Stadium MBPJ Kelana Jaya before 6 am.

A pose of myself in the stadium before the "Walk for Peace"

My youngest son Wai Kei.
Also participated was my eldest son Wai Kit but he came separately with his friends and could not be found by me throughout the event due to the large crowd of participants.

My Saturday trekking buddy Yong Yew Khoon.

The 2 Yong's of SGM: Yong Tian Wei (pic left) and Yong Yew Khoon.

Tan Kok Leong and Lee Hock Seng (behind)

About to commence walking

A selfie taken by Tan Kok Leong as we were about to embark on the walkathon

This is the proof of my completion of 8.1 km walkathon as the 4 km placard was located at the turn-around.  Many participants had taken u-turns or short-cuts before reaching here to return to the Stadium early.

Terry Yip and Jenny Lee victoriously completed the 8.1 km walk.

I was delighted to pose in front of Nanyang Siang Pau head-office at SS7/2 along the way of my walk.

Walking back to the stadium.

Queuing up for the participation certificates and goodies bags.  But I could only manage to collect the certificate but failed in getting a goodies bag due to lack of stock.

The recognition of participating for a good cause.

Waiting for the bus to fetch us home.

A Busy Sunday on September 6, 2015

Pic from left: Mr. Lye, Yong YK and the blogger 

In the morning of September 6, 2015 (Sunday), my wife Soh Ai, son Wai Yu and I joined a half-day tour (8.45am – 12.00pm) to Wisma Kebudayaan Soka Gakkai Malaysia (WKSGM) at Jln Bukit Bintang, K.L. to visit an Exhibition on the theme of “Everything You Treasure -- For A World Free From Nuclear Weapons” co-organized by Soka Gakkai International (SGI), International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) and SGM.

We went with a group of SGM members from Bandar Sungai Long by a chartered bus.  Among friends were Yong Yew Khoon and his son Sheng Jye, Terry Yip and his wife Jenny Lee, Mr. Lye and others, led by Koe Kian Choon.

The visit was guided by various narrators (all volunteers from SGM) at 3 sections namely: (1) What do we treasure? (2) Learning more; and (3) Changing Our Worldview. It was well explained about the various aspects of the threat of nuclear weapons and the efforts towards global prohibition of such massive destructive weapons.  

At the end of the visit, we were shown a video documentary about the woe of a Japanese atomic bomb victim.  Unfortunately, our bus arrived before we could finish watching the video.  It was undoubtedly a very educational trip.  

A pose with buddy Yong YK

In the afternoon at about 4.30pm, Soh Ai and I went to Taman Puchong Utama to visit my cousin brother Pan Mok Weng and his wife Penny Lim. With the help of my cell-phone GPS, I could manage to drive to his house in about 45 minutes.

We shared our experiences of our recent tour to Perth, Western Australia together and went for a Penang Nyonya & Hawker’s Cuisine dinner at Restoran Wok, Bandar Puteri, Puchong.  I purposely went to buy Pan and wife a dinner to express my gratitude for his arranging our Perth tour using his holiday time-sharing vacation club and other kindness.

The food was pretty delicious and the interior traditional décor of the restaurant was impressive. 

We bade each other’s farewell after dinner at 8.00pm and managed to reach home in half an hour’s time at 8.30pm.

Pan Mok Weng and Penny Lim

A Nyonya set meal costing RM 138 nett for 4 of us

 

A Memorable Get-together Dinner of Former AJP Colleagues

On the evening (7.00pm – 10.30pm) of Saturday, September 5, 2015, I attended an ‘unusual’ dinner at Gold Dragon City Seafood Restaurant Sdn Bhd, Paramount Garden, P.J.

The venue of our gathering dinner taken when I arrived at 7.00pm

It was ‘unusual’ because it was the first get-together, as far as I am concerned, of the former staff (engineers and draftsmen) of Angkasa Jurutera Perunding Sdn Bhd (AJP) after a lapse of almost 3 decades.

I worked as a structural engineer in AJP from May, 1982 till October, 1986.

I was particularly excited to meet our former boss Ir. Woo Hin Wai (aged 72, whom I haven’t met since 1986) and my mentor Mr. Chai Bui Lun (aged 75, whom I last met in 2006).  

Other former colleagues present included: Ir. C.K. Cheong, Ir. T.P. Ng, Ir. Phang Ah Lek, Ir. Shin Yoke Keong, Ir. Lim Soo Lian, Ir. Eddie H.S. Goh, Ir. Alex K.C. Chai, Alex Lai, Steven Ong.  Others who joined AJP after I left were Ir. Eddie Ng (T.P.’s brother) and Ir. C.K. Lee.

It was a memorable dinner get-together time when we met and chit-chat for old time’s sake.  The bill came to RM 714.00 equally shared by all except the guest-of-honour Ir. Woo who graced this occasion by availing himself to be with us.

Thanks to C.K. and T.P. for organizing this gathering including contacting us and making reservation of the restaurant. 

It is hoped that we can continue to have such a gathering in future, with the next one inviting more former colleagues to join.  We should cherish our fellowship more than ever now that we are into the golden age of our life.  

A pose with my former boss Ir. Woo Hin Wai

Pic front from left: TP Ng, BL Chai, the blogger
Pic back from left: YK Shin, AL Phang, CK Cheong and Alex Lai

Pic from Left: BL Chai, the blogger, Alex Chai and Eddie Ng

The blogger greeting Ir. Woo as he arrived

Chatting with my mentor Chai Bui Lun

A group photo of all present at the reunion dinner

Pic from left: Shin YK, Eddie Goh, Lim SL (standing), Steven Ong, Woo HW, Alex Chai and another 

Note:  The first two photos are snapped by my camera, while all the rest are by courtesy of CK Cheong.