NO BED OF ROSES IN JB

It was 2003. I was verbally told to get ready to move down South. No letter, no black and white. Just a reminder from Lee Boon Siew, my then News Editor.
Ready or not, I must pack up and told to set up base In Johor Baru as soon as possible. My baby was only about two or three months old and my children needed me more than ever. The eldest was in Year Five and was preparing for her UPSR the following year.
My wife was not to keen on letting me go. My late mother was practically begging me not to go that far.
But then, I have made a promise to myself that I would never say NO to directives. Against all odds, I was adamant to go, convincing my family I would return every week or so.
One fine morning, I decided that was it. I had to go to start a new life. Reaching JB, I found myself all alone in Mutiara Hotel, which was to be my abode for two week.
I visited the JB office and the people were nice. The guard, Amar singh, especially, had a colourful character, thinking he was boss, preventing people from entering the office at certain hours.
On a few occasions, I had to be rough, bulldozing my way to finish reports. He became a friend.
My family came down to visit me after about a week and we had fun together. But when the day came for them to leave, I found myself thinking of something unthinkable. I felt it was not worth it and the only way to get out of the mess was to quit. After sending them off at the KTM station, I went back to the room and cried my heart out. Thinking of the children who were begging me to come home with them.
I was thinking it was a useless sacrifice and was actually contemplating of getting a new job.
But then, as time passed by, there were Press nights organised by hotels and companies and I was invited. No matter how I enjoyed it, I could not return to the hotel room and be alone again.
So, I sought refuge by the seaside of Danga Bay and on occasions, spent nights at MSuites, listening to music by Ayai and the Gang.
I became a regular face and everytime I was there, it would be songs specially dedicated to me, especially blues.
After about 10 days, I felt it was time for me to look for a more permanent abode. Azlan (Mr Fatman), said there was a vacant room in his bachelor's pad in Taman Perling and I took it.
But the feeling of loneliness kept creeping and since the house was a mess, considering the landlord kept most of his prizeless belongings in it, I decided to look for a new house.
Azlan and I went house hunting one day and found a creepy three-storey house which was left unattended for about a year.
Imagine crepers crawling IN the house and the walls turning black. But we decided, that was it.
We called the John the agent and told him it would be refurbished and repainted, if the landlady agreed to pay for the cost.
So, every day, after work, we went home repainting the whole house, cleaned it up and soon it became new again.
To top it all, the neighbour had two daughters and two houses away, a teacher had her sister living with her.
Not bad for a quite neighjbourhood. It was Sungai Perling behind the house and soon we moved in. But those nights when Azlan had to go outstation, I would be having sleepless nights, listening to dogs howling in front of the house, footsteps in the hall etc.
But when mornings arrived, the house turned normnal again.
Azlan bought settees, a dining table, refrigerator and all.
Except for a trying two months when a group of Nepalese and Bangladeshis were our neighbours next door, it was fun.
I would come home every two weeks or so and once, my family came down to the three-storey house. Mine was located on the first floor with bathroom attached while Mr Fatman (he needs bigger space and the exercise) stayed on the top floor.
Then Rocky told me, it was time for MM to make Johor Baru its new home and I would be the Bureau Chief, if I wanted to.
Of course, I gladly accepted it but convincing my family to come down to JB was a daunting task. My daughter was not too keen as she would have to leave her friends behind. I bribed my son with the prospect of having Perling Mall a walking distance away and that actually attracted my wife to it.
I was scouting for a bigger house. John the agent, said there was a semi D house next to his, also in Taman Perling and for RM750 a month, we took it.

JUST LOG ON TO www.nst.com.my FOR THE LATEST

I love what I am doing right now. But I miss the newsprint and always eagerly waiting for the papers to arrive or if I am not working, would drive to the friendly vendor for the sweet smell of newsprint as soon as I wake up to read the news while sipping coffee.
I used to sleep on newsprint and instead of serviettes would gladly wipe my hands off with newspapers after lunch or dinner in the office.
The Nanyang lorry was my mode of transport as I travelled back to my hometown once every two weeks or so when serving as a proof reader. The piles of Nanyang newspapers were the mattress and the smell was the lullaby.
But one has to change to keep up with the times. I periodically check my email through my trusted N95 (used to be a Nokia Communicator, until it contracted the Azheimer disease). I sometimes hook the N95 to the 29-inch television for bigger view.
My laptop is constantly online and my whole house (and compound) is WiFied. I am hooked to certain blogs and websites and get my doses of latest news from the Star SMS service.
Working for NSTOnline is a privilege. I am getting live feed from all over the world. The next time, you are online, don't forget to log on to www.nst.com.my.

MULTI TASKING DOES NOT MAKE YOU KING

I am a journalist and I am proud of it. But in the course of being a journalist for the oldest (and most popular in the Klang Valley, I must say) newspaper, I was also an actor, playing numerous roles in my quest to get the best stories.
I was a beggar (with Yushaimi) begging at the pedestrian bridge of Chow Kit, have been a dadah addict seeking shelter in a former private mortuary in Jalan Petaling, a kampung boy who stayed with a prostitute for a day, a City Hall officer, mistaken as a police officer when a known pimp stood up and called me Tuan etc.
This was part and parcel of being a reporter with MM. I seldom attend PCs like what others do, I snooped around for stories.
And unlike many, I don't like carrying the all too familiar Reporters Note Book, issued by the company. I carry a small a notebook which I bought from bookstores and use my own pen. My car does not have the NST car park sticker or the NUJ Media sticker. I would not want to be known as a journalist whenever I go for undercover assignments and because of this, I believe, I stayed clear of the dangers and confrontation.
However, I almost got myself in deep shit after my short stint as a City Hall officer was published. We managed to point out to KL residents not to believe and letting anyone inside the house. I managed to even enter the master bedroom of a house in Bangsar with a cute but frightened maid.
City Hall wanted to sue me but then Datuk Bandar Tan Sri Elyas Omar told off the officers.
I was also assaulted when the body of a rock climber was retrieved in Melawati in the early 80s. I stayed clear of the commotion knowing that relatives were emotional but a trainee photographer used a wide angle to take pictures of the body as it was borught down from a helicopter.
She was rudely pushed away. Being a gentleman, I approached the mob and told them not to assault the girl.
Someone came from behind and gave me a tight slap and the others were about to turn on me when several policemen came to my rescue. My glasses were broken.
I expected the whole office to laugh at me but I was touched by their concerns. The company offered to pay for a new pair of glasses but somehow I did not take it.
The case was taken up by the NUJ but two years later, I was told NUJ accepted the apologies from the guy who slapped me and dropped the case.
A warning from my News Editor, K. Bala through Pauline Almeida also saved me and Yus from getting rounded up by Welfare officers as we begged in the open. Yushaimi got a hard kick from a pedestrian who told him to seek employment elsewhere as he looked healthy. I was about to laugh when I heard this guy said "Itu budak tak apalah. Dia memang perlukan duit."
A gentle reminder to the young Turks out there. If you think you can't do it, back out. Don't try to be hero, or you might lose more than your wallet, as what had happened to a reporter-photographer team of a newspaper recently.

KADIR HAS LEFT THE BUILDING

I had fun working under Datuk Kadir. One day, I observed a foreign beggar at her workplace in Jalan Tun Razak. She was begging at the pedestrian bridge from 9am and I was at a distance watching her every move.
Every now and then, locals were generous enough to drop a few Sen and some a few Ringgit into the bowl in front of her. It was fasting month and Malaysians can be extra generous with their cash.It was way after lunch time and I had been observing the woman for about four hours already.
Under the hot sun and fasting, I was beginning to become sleepy and well....angry. So, I decided to torment the old woman. I came close and started taking pictures.
She was cursing me in a foreign language, but I didn't care. I wanted her to move on. After all, she had collected more than RM100 already. I counted every sen and Ringgit that went into her bowl. The only way I could seek refuge from the hot sun was Ampang Park.
Then she started packing. I followed her from a distance and saw her entering the 4D outlet in Lebuh Ampang. She blew RM30 on a number before buying some kuih. When she boarded a bus to Ampang, I sat behind her.
It was stuffy as it was already 4.30pm. The bus was packed but I did not care. I kept on fasting and following her.
Then she stood up to ring the bell. It was in front of Taman Kosas. As she stepped down, she glared at me. I got down at the same place. She walked into a squatter colony and suddenly there was this boy, about 10, picking up stones, ready to aim at me.
I backed off but the report was on a front-paged of the Malay Mail two days later.
I told Datuk kadir I wanted to pursue the story and needed a long lense to take better pictures.
He wrote a note to the chief photographer for me to have access to all the lenses available.
The photographers were obviously not happy but relented when they saw the note from the GEIC.
The colony was later raided and the woman and her family deported. Several others who had gone begging in town were also picked up. It seems the village was a sanctuary for them. Just a few days before Raya, I told Datuk Kadir I had applied for leave and he said OK.
The rumour circulating around was that Datuk Kadir was to be replaced. But I did not ask him. When I came back from Raya leave, Boon Siew broke the news. I was back in News Desk as Datuk Kadir had left the building.

HERE WE GO AGAIN...ANOTHER HIJRAH

It was an eventful stay in Klang. A nice house, an equally nice office and beautiful people from BH, Metro and NST as company. Minarni was BH rep while Saodah Elias was NST staff correspondent. Metro had a stringer working for the tabloid. Don't remember his name, but a pleasant chap.
Together, we were like Starsky and Hutch. But I scooped him a few times and he did likewise. Then, the following day, we worked together on exclusives.
The late Nayagam would never get me in the morning. Everytime he called, someone would tell him, Bad had gone for breakfast or a PC. The caller line identification programme (CLIP) was just introduced and I was the first in NSTP to get my handphone CLIPped.
Everytime Nayagam called, I would hide in the bathroom and told him I was in a PC or a mamak shop somewhere. I was at home and he gave up.
Then one day, Boon Siew called me to say Datuk Kadir Jasin was unhappy to see me rotting away in Klang and I could do wonders in KL (Haha).
He told me to get pack up. Had a tough time finding a nice but cheap abode in KL. Found one in Bandar baru Ampang...a four-room terrace house full of cracks at RM970 a month.
As much as I did not want to move back, I kept reminding myself of a promise made when I got the job. I would never say no to orders and this was an order from the GEIC himself.
While Yushaimi and Lionel were already clearing copies in the evening, I was still reporting. I still kept my midnight shift but I really did not mind. I wanted to be a reporter till I retire.
After almost a year, we decided to buy a bungalow in Bukit Sentosa (where we live now) and again another Hijrah.
One day, Boon Siew called me and told me to report direct to Datuk Kadir. I was stunned and wondered hard where I had f..ked up.
In the evening, I knocked onto Datuk Kadir's office and he told me whatever I do from there on would be monitored by him. He wanted me to concentrate on special reports and undercover assignments, which were my forte anyway.
His first assignment from him was to expose the foreign beggar scam. "Do what you have to do but report to me everyday."
The next morning, I was waiting to see Datuk Kadir in an old t-shirt and a pair of faded jeans. His PA cautioned me he might not like to see that but when I walked into his office, he looked surprised. "Ready for the job, heh? Good! Just remember, call me in the evening to brief me what you have."

NOT SO HAPPY TIMES WITH MM

It was somewhere in 1995 or 1996. It was not exactly rosy in MM, at least not for me. I was comfortable with consumerism reporting. I even knew the Minister, Datuk Haji Abu Hassan Omar up-close.
I could walk into his office for exclusives anytime I wanted to, thanks to his PR Man, Francis. Even if I could not see him, I would still get exclusives.
The Ministry was practically owned by the enforcement division. Abdul Jabar Kamin and his officers are my buddies and they never failed to call me whenever there were raids, leaving behind other reporters. Simply because, anything linked to the Ministry was page one stuff.
Then K.Bala left MM in a huff and the scenario changed. Suddenly, crime stories were the Page Ones.
I started off as a crime reporter but after about two years covering the consumer beats, winning awards and accolades along the way, I found it hard to adapt to the new regime.
Nothing worked for me. But I did not have the mood for a career change although there was an irresistible offer from another publication.
After a long talk with my wife, I decided to see Fauzi Omar and asked if I could be transferred out of KL office.
The only problem was that Jaffry Azman was already doing well in Klang, the only MM branch outside Balai Berita.
After a while, Fauzi decided Jaffry needed a change and there I was, running a practically one-man show in Klang.
I moved out of the little double storey terrace house in Ampang and rented a bigger place in Taman Desawan, Klang. My wife found a job at legal office nearby and since Internet was virtually unheard of that time, I had to travel to the headquarters almost every night, sending pictures.
I became a close buddy of the then OCPD, Tuan Aziz Ariarasa. He was so friendly and accommodative that there was no need to know anyone else in the force.
He slept and bathed in the office and anything I wanted information, he would be at his office working....3am...4am...anytime.
Long before Nurin and Sharlinie went missing (they probably were not even born yet), MM broke a story of a Chinese boy who went missing in front of his school. Tin Song Seng is still missing.
Then there was a police shoot-out with a band of robbers leaving nine dead. And of course, the flood which drowned Selangor the same night.
The management was happy with my performance. I seemed to get over the streak of bad luck and delivered Page Ones every now and then.
But then, happy days were about to end.....

SAUK AND TAWAU - YES, I WAS THERE!

I am trying hard trying to contain myself with all the excitement going around the country. With no newspaper to make myself busy, I can feel the void. I have never missed any newsbreak so far. At least with The Malay Mail.
The Permatang Pauh by-election and Saiful Bukhari's revelation the Masjid were among the breaking news any reporter would die for.
I have to be contented with memories of beautiful assignments which sent me everywhere.
The plane crash in Sabah (Sept, 1995) was one of the most exciting assignments. Not forgetting Sauk and the countless general elections I have covered. Of course, as a Malay Mail reporter, the style of reporting is never the same. While the other reporters are chasing after Ministers and Press conferences, we have to snoop around for exclusives.
When I was in Sauk (July, 2000) I did not sleep for over two days, simply because I did not want to miss the day action while the evening exclusives were a must as we were the afternoon paper then.
I was surprised and shocked when Boon Siew sent me to Sauk alone. I fulfilled the criteria of an all round reporter, I guess. I owned a laptop and a camera which were the most essential equipment considering we were somewhere in the middle of nowhere.
Our makeshift office was the local MCA office being renovated. No toilet and just a telephone line used by the Press Corps all over the world.
The toilet was the one in the nearby mosque, and you could see a beeline for it.
After midnight, the office was practically ours. As other reporters were sleeping, Harian Metro reporters and I used it like it was ours.
We had to stay awake the whole night looking for exclusives.
Every night, we scooped the rest except for one day when pictures could not be sent as the NST photographers had brought along the dongle, used to send pix to their hotel in Ipoh. They could not be contacted and we missed exclusive pictures that night.
But this lone ranger was later accompanied by non other than the MM crime editor, Lionel Morais. His arrival was jinxed. The rebels surrendered the same day.
But we stayed on until a few days later for follow-ups and later had a memorable photo session at the site where the policeman was brutally tortured.
A night stay at a hotel in Ipoh, one of its finest (though, I don't remember the name) and off I went home the next day.
After making a pit stop at Kellie's Castle, I went straight home for a good warm bath and an equally good night sleep before returning to office the next day.
As for the Tawau plane crash which killed 32 passengers and two pilots, I was hanging around in the office late at night when Azmi Anshar received a call from Mas saying there was a vacant seat for a reporter from MM. He looked around and there was me, waiting to pounce on the chance. It was a good several hours more for the plane to take off and so I made some enquiries about the accident over the phone.
Then, walked in Datuk Kadir Jasin who enquired Azmi our coverage for the day. I overheard him telling Azmi why there was a need for more than one reporter to Tawau (Eddie Chua) was already in KK.
I sneaked out of the office and switched off my handphone, just in case. Went home to pack my things and went straight to the airport, switching on the handphone once we touched down in Tawau.
A little bragging here, but the Mas staff who checked me in at the Airport, were surprised to see me.
One of them said Mas was in for big trouble as Badrolhisham Bidin would definitely snoop around for dirt.
Well, I got several and it was on front-pages of The Malay Mail for about a week!

I AM QUITTING...AFTER 20 YEARS

I don't know whether to feel excited, happy or sad. My last day with The Malay Mail is Aug 5 and it is not easy to say goodbye to a family whom I have been with for 20 years.
But it is a painful decision that I had to make, all for the sake of another set of family of 17 years.
I flirted with The Malay Mail since I left school as I flipped the pages everytime I visited my brothers and sisters in Kuala Lumpur.
The flirtation became serious as I took up the post of a proof reader in 1981. I was supposed to proof read Berita Harian, but ended up proof reading NST and sometimes MM before leaving for the (so-called) greener pasture about three years later.
I used to envy the two MM greats, Nadeswaran and Frankie. They were my idols and still are.
But the grass is never greener on the other side. It was a mirage and I longed to return to Balai Berita.
It was not easy. But I kept calling PC Shivadas, to see if there was an opening for me.
It was in 1988 when Shivadas finally relented but only as a stringer in Malacca. I must be one of the most hardworking stringers NST had ever had. Working 29 days a month with only a day off, I was told I was the richest stringer, thanks to generous editors.
I was officially the NST stringer but quietly, I wrote to MM and my articles had never been rejected. All of them were published.
In 1989, upon prodding by the then Malacca staff correspondent, Khairuddin Hassan, I applied to enter the Pets training and yes, I was accepted.
In my trusty old Ford Escort, I began life as a trainee under the watchful eyes of Rattan Singh and Mary Chandrapillai.
It was the most memorable time of my life, as we drank and be merry every night, even if it was only on a RM300 allowance. Coupons were provided for lunch at the canteen, previously run by Koop.
We were never short of sponsors as we visited the Press Club almost every night. Nizam, Mimi, Umairah, Megan, just to name a few became my drinking buddies.
But when the result was finally announced, Mimi and Umairah did not make it. Mimi returned later as a stringer before being absorbed as staff while Umairah decided to work in her hometown Kulim.
Saved for a week stint in NST, I have always been with MM. I have worked under five News Editors. They are the late Nayagam, Frankie D Cruz, Bala, Boon Siew and Yushaimi before becoming one myself.
Life was never easy in MM. Working odd hours is normal and going home at 5 or 6 was something strange.
But winning the Journalist of the Year award for the Abdullah Ang saga was the peak of my career. I remember not going to sleep that night, wandering around the office waiting for CH Loh to fetch me at 5am.
You see, Nizam was my housemate and he was with the Star. If I had gone home, I was worried I would leak the secret. Not even my colleagues knew what we were doing.
And when CH Loh was clicking away when we spotted Abdullah ang emerging from his car and walking into his office in Jalan Ipoh, I knew we had a great story. I did not go home but waited for Nayagam to come in. I could still feel the heat as he slapped my back for a job well done. And two hours later, I was on stage to receive my Pets certificate from the then GE Abdul Kadir Jasin. I got sixth or seventh placing but I could hear the loud cheers from my friends.
That night, after a quick bath, Nayagam, Loh and I were at a pub bragging about the story with Nayagam cautioning me that the story might NOT make it to print due to its sensitivity.
But it was on the front-page of the Malay Mail that day and I knew my stint my the Paper That Cares was going to be long.
I was also cited at a rotary club function several days later and the congratulations I received was endless, including from strangers. But there were also several calls giving me subtle warnings to be careful as I "had thrown sand into the rice pots of many people."
Later, when Bala took over as News Editor, Yushaimi was my sidekick. He is now Editor of the oldest newspaper in the country.
Look out for Part II soon