Travelz And Eatz!: What A Life or Nothing But The Truth - My Memoirs by Har Poh Pheng (my late mum) Part 1

Note : Mother's story was copied in-verbatim, from her notes

THE STORY

This book is dedicated to my three sons, (Ang June Oui, June Tatt and June Heng), my three brothers (Har You Fatt, You Fook and You Hong), my four sisters (Har Poh Yong, Poh Fong, Poh Choong and Poh Goot), my cousins (Loh Siew Heng, Teong Aun) and my husband (Ang Tee Yong).

Started writing on 08.08.08 (8th August 2008) a very auspicious day, once in a century day and finished on ---

On a fine evening on Labour Day (Workers Day) ie 1st May 1946, a small sized, short but hardworking lady - Cheong Yoke Chen (mother) was feeling uncomfortable with her big stomach and was told to rest by Hong Ah May, another understanding, hardworking and simple lady (my grandmother). Towards noon, the next day, 2nd May 1946, my mother was having the labour pains and my father (Har Fook Cheong) the only son - a very filial one at that was told to fetch the bidan - (the midwife) in those days on his bicycle from a village just across the road in front of our house - an attap house with plank walls next to the Sun Hoi Keng Hotel on one side and a small Malay village on the other. In those days, most of the babies were delivered by their bidan (a dark skinned, fat, elderly lady clad in a sarong and blouse). Hong Ah May started to boil water to be used by the bidan for bathing the baby.

At 2.08 p.m Har Poh Pheng, a girl - third in the family of eight - was born, With a loud first cry - 'a girl again' was announced to my father who was waiting anxiously outside the room. After bathing with the hot water and swathed in an old piece of material and with both hands tied up inside the sarong material, I was handed over to my father, then to my 2 elder sisters to be kissed and cuddled. Let's name her 'Poh Pheng' - cause we just attained peace after the Japanese Occupation a few months ago. 'What a nice and meaningful name' - exclaimed my father. The name was given by granny - a privilege in those days to name the grandchildren. 'Okay - enough - give the baby back to mother - I think she's hungry for milk already'.

My mother smiled - glad the pain is gone and lying in layers of thick sack cloth - the ordeal is over but the headache had just begun - how to bring up this baby and another mouth to feed with such a low salary and just after the war when everything is so expensive. 'Never mind I'll try to breastfeed her as soon as I have the milk. The milk came out but not enough to quench my thirst. So grandmother has to buy cow's milk and boil it with sugar to feed my sisters and me. For firewood we have to look for old and fallen rubber tree branches from some trees nearby to use as firewood. Soon it was the full moon celebration. Mother boiled some eggs and dyed them red and offer them as food for praying the ancestors. After that mother has finished her confinement and starts to do all the housework once more while granny and the aunts make bamboo baskets for sale to an old Chinese man living in Tanjung Tokong. The bamboo baskets were very saleable as they were lasting and this man would come once a month to collect and buy from granny.

When I was a few years old my grandfather Har Wooi Chew passed away suffering from cancer of the colon I think. In those days cancer was not heard of. He was in constant pain and once I was told he tried to operate his stomach on his own. No money to see doctors and go to hospital in those days. On 2.11.47 my brother You Fatt was born much to the happiness of the old folks because he's the first grandson. Father has to work extra hard to find money and he managed to secure a job in George Kent a company making water meters in Perak Road earning a hundred plus a month. As my aunts got older, they soon got married off one by one but to poor families. Har Soon Keng got married to a Mr. Sum, Har Soon Heai to a Mr. Chiew, Har Soon Woh to a Mr. Ng and Har Soon Loke to a Mr. Loh. Each of them have their own families to look after and have their own children to bring up, They would come back to visit granny and us when there are occasions such as Chinese New Year and granny's birthday and baby's full moon celebration.

When we reached seven years old, we were enrolled in a Chinese school called Puai Wah for kindergarten class and a year after that I was registered in Convent Pulau Tikus together with sis Fong in Pulau Tikus. On the first day of school granny would bring us there but after that sis Fong has to take care of me. Sis Fong always complained that whilst in the bus (Hin Company) I will always fall asleep and that she has to pinch me to wake me up. My school uniform is a white blouse and a blue pinafore with 3 box pleats and a belt. The uniform is sewn by my mother and we wear hand me downs. In those days books have to be bought and pay 2 ringgit and fifty cents as school fees every month. Pocket money is ten cents and bus fare is ten cents to and 10 cents back. Sis Yong insists that she wants Chinese education so she studied at Puai Wah for six years and then enrolled in Phor Tay in Bagan Jermal for secondary school education. Her school uniform is a while blouse and a white skirt. I remember one evening aunt Loke in mourning clothes came back to discuss with granny on coming back to stay with us cause her husband had suddenly passed away.

Siew Heng was one plus at that time and Teong Aun, her brother, was just two months old. Just how to refuse that request. She moved in and occupied a room with all her furniture and what nots and so we had extra occupants and granny and mother helped to look after her kids as well while she goes to work as a maid and come home to her kids on her off days. Choong was born on 12.3.49 the same year Siew Heng was born so both of them were in the same class in the Convent school. We nearly lost mother when she fell very ill and had a terrible skin disease of the scalp (snake disease). She lost her hair and poor father has to consult a traditional doctor to get a cure for her. The traditional doctor's name is Ah Cheok from Loong Nam biscuit shop in Penang Road. Luckily she was cured after applying some medicated powder on the whole scalp. After a few months her hair grew again . Fook was born on 10.8.51 much to happy granny and parents as the second male grandchild. After Fook another brother was born by the name of Har You Peng. Two years later Poh Goot was born on 10.10.52. But sadly enough during her confinement days You Peng got sick and had diahooer.

I remember early one morning granny was trying hard to revive You Peng by pinching his vital pulse but couldn't revive him. Everyone was so sad to loose him. I think it is cholera at that time but was not brought to a doctor or clinic. Poh Choong though small at that time cried and wailed the loudest. Father arranged a relative to make a small box as coffin and he brought the coffin to be buried in the graveyard. I remembered being very sad too and quickly helped mother with the washing as he lay on a reclining chair. It was nearly the 'Bak Chang' festival and I still feel the sadness of losing him until now when it is time to celebrate the Bak Chang festival.

You Hong was born three years after Goot on 9.11.55. Our life was simple and we only had new clothes on Chinese New Year. We wear hand-me-down and whenever mother buys cloth she would buy a few yards and our clothes will be of the same pattern and cloth. Not only we do it this way but moth other families also do the same thing. It saves cloth and also people will know we are from the same family. Life was happy and mother would buy young ducklings to rear and we only had chicken and duck to eat on festivals. During Sundays when father is free he would bring us to the beach nearby after lunch. He would let us play with the sand and let us climb onto his shoulder and we would dive into the water. He's a very loving father and sometimes we dig for siput and bring them home for mother to cook.

Mother never goes anywhere and it is always work, work and work the whole day. Granny, Air Itam aunt and Sis Fong & Sis Yong would weave bamboo baskets for sale.We had a big jambu air plant between my house and the hotel and whenever it rains or the wind is strong we get to collect nice big juicy white jambu air to eat. Alas one day father got the news that the lease on our house and land was due and we had to shift out and find another place to build our house. Soon father found a plot of land in Jalan Vale of Tempe. So we built out house there mostly using old pillars and planks and wood collected from other buildings. When it was ready we moved there. I was in Standard 3 or 4 at that time and everyone said it's a strong good house with good 'fung shui'. But it has no electricity but luckily has water supply. We use carbide lamps and air pump lamps at night. I will be the one who will light up the lamps once it gets dark. I will be the one who cycles out to buy carbide from the sundry shop and we did our homework by the light of these lamps.

As the market is too far and mother has to walk to buy food and granny has opened two plots of land in front of the house - one to plant vegetables and one plot to grow banana trees. Beside the house mother fenced up a small place to keep ducks and hens. During the rainy season and mother cannot get fish or pork, she would slaughter a chicken for food. The eggs we keep for food and any extras would be sold to a relative who comes to collect them. The toilet is behind the house - no flush toilets but five feet deep dug toilets. Whenever it is full father would dig another one nearby and fill up the old one. All of us weren't clever in studies and whenever we get our report cards it would be red marks more than blue marks and we would line up one by one to let father sign our report books. But Heng and Aun are always cleverer than us and get praises from granny. There is no tuition or revision books at all for us as father couldn't afford it, no television or newspaper. The only reading material we managed to get is 'Dandy' and 'Beano' comics and we always fight over it when father gets them from the small Indian shop in front of Convent Pulau Tikus. As father is a member of the Penang Library, he would borrow books to read and the book I liked best is the National Geografic book. As we are very weak in our lessons, father would provide us with some tuition and we would sit around the big round dinner table to do our work and i will always tremble with fear whenever father questions us on this and that.

After tuition, we will get a small cup of Horlicks to drink before sleeping. The neighbours on the left and right rear pigs for sale and at the back are Indian neighbours who can speak perfect Hokien. They rear cows and goats. During Deepavali we get Indian cakes and cookies and in return we give them sugar and eggs. Granny never let us mix with the neighbours and we are not allowed to go to their houses. They instead come over to play badminton with us with a net tied between two coconut trees. In the evenings I would carry water to water the vegetables and the nicest ones would be sent to our uncle's shop to be sold. Every morning we get up at 6 o'clock, have porridge for breakfast and cycle out to the main road and leave our bicycles at an aunt's house and catch the bus to school. After school we cycled back carrying Heng along. Heng never have to cycle and yet she always complain to granny when we slipped and fell against some slippery pipes on rainy days and we will get scolded instead.
During the school holidays father will get all of us to go to an uncle's estate to saw unwanted and old rubber trees and carry them back to be used as firewood. Back at home we will saw them into short pieces and I will chop them up with an axe, arrange them to be dried and store them at the back of the house to be used as firewood.

During the fruit season we get to eat free rambutans and durians. Both granduncles (Har Poay Chong's father and Har Tuck Fee's father) will ask us to go to their estates to collect those durians which are eaten by bats or squirrels causing them to be unsaleable to bring home and eat. Sometimes we make durian cake with them. We remove the seeds and cook them with brown sugar. As for sour rambutans we salted them in an earthern jar for a few days and the skin will turn pink. Then we eat them. It's nice. As for green mangosteens, my brothers will go to the trees by the bridge and collect them after people have plucked the ripe ones. I will be the one who will cut them up, remove the skin and all will enjoy them as they are sweet and crunchy. Sis Yong stopped schooling after she failed in Senior Middle Three at Phor Tay school and she found work at a neighbour's tailor shop in Tanjung Tokong at RM60/= per month. She cycles there to work. Sis Fong finishes schooling after Form 5. She got a grade 2 Senior Cambridge. In those days the results of Senior Cambridge are published in Straits Times newspapers. She's good in Art and father entered her in an Art Course from Australia. They will send art pieces to her and she has to draw and send them back for correction.

She took up teacher training at Day Training Centre (D.T.C) at Hamilton Road College Penang for 2 years where she met Tan Kim Seng her husband. Hers is a 2 years course while Kim Seng is a 3 years course because he has LCE only. After training she was sent to Selama in Perak to teach. I finished schooling in 1965 but i got a grade 3 only. I resit English and a credit (4) for it and was sent to Seremban for training for 2 years. My heart was broken when I had to leave home for the first time to such a faraway place. Father accompanied there and found lodging for me. At first I stayed in 212 Wise Road with a few college friends. That was in 1966. After I entered DTC for a week, I got selected for nursing as well which is my ambition. But after some deep thoughts I stuck to teaching as I do not want to trouble father again to send me to another place. There I met Tee Yong who is in the same class as myself. I finished training in 1967 and was posted to Kedah in 1968. Father again has to accompany me to Kedah to look for the school as well as rent a room with Khoo Phaik Har as a that time there was racial trouble in Malaysia (May 13). My school was a former teacher training centre but was closed down and changed into a primary school with all 6 classes of standard one. I was staying in Lorong Merpati for 4 years and finally got engaged to Tee Yong and ask for a transfer to Malacca (SRK Kem Terendak).

After teaching there for 4 years, I ask for a transfer out of the camp as transport was difficult and far. I got married in 1972 (24 Dec) and gave birth to June Oui on 24 September 1973. I bought the house in Klebang Besar for RM19,500 and stayed there after getting married. Before this I was staying in Tanjong Kling (Tee Yong's house). In the beginning Tee Yong's sister was helping me to look after June Oui after my confinement. After I come back from school I did all the household chores. After a few months sis-in-law said she wanted to go out to work. So had to look for maids and train them up before she leaves. I had a few, some living nearby but not for long. All in all I had 3. The one who worked the longest was from Pulau Gadong. She was a good one working only half a day. When I arrive home from work she will cycle home. Then I gave birth to June Tatt in 22nd January 1975. At that time sis-in-law was matched made with her husband. So she came back to watch over my children.

Soon the maid got married so I had no choice but to employ Tee Yong's school gardener's mother. The nenek worked for some time. Tee Yong's father left his job in S'pore and came to stay at my house. So he helped around. During the holidays especially in December we will drive back to Penang to celebrate Father's birthday. We will bring Lai Fen or Lai Kheng along.

Before getting the car we travel back by bus and will bring June Meng. Sometimes Ah Ling and sometimes Ah Lan along. Seeing our difficulty, Father lent us some money so we got the car (Datsun 4732). We were very lucky the car number came out in 4D and we repaid Father the money we borrowed. With the car we drove to teach. When Oui reached six years old we sent him to a kindergarten (Hwa Min) in Pokok Mangga for a year. After that he started school in Tranquerah English School (TES) (my school in 1980). He was taught by Miss Lim (Std I), Mrs. Gan (Std 2), Mrs. Wang Ah Tong (Std 3) myself (Std 4) Mr. Lam Kok Leong (Std 5) Mr. Pua Kim Choon (Std 6) as well as other teachers such as Pn Zabedah, Robiah, Mak Kum Cheong, Mr. Nonis, Pang Kong Nam. In 1981 June Tatt started schooling in the same school.
June Heng was born on 23rd May 1980. June Tatt was registered in Hwa Min kindergarten and attended class for 1 yr. June Heng didn't go Hwa Min kindergarten although we registered but he was allowed to attend the same class as myself much to the generosity of Mr. Nonis and envy of other teachers especially Mrs. Gan Kee Chor. I was teaching KBSR in Std One then. I was transferred to S.K Lereh in 1989 but June Heng continued to study in TES. After TES all three studied in SMK Gajah Berang from Form 1 to 5. All three of them got 4As in the Std 5 public exam. Tee Yong was transferred from Sek Keb Klebang Besar to Anglo Chinese School (ACS). So we had no problem with transport. Later on Tee Yong was tranferred to S.K Bukit Rambai where he retired in 1999. When I was teaching in S.K Lereh I travelled with Mrs. Yong Tin Cheng & Mary Tan.

In 1990 I had problems with my leg (at first my left leg which is swollen). Went to see many doctors in General Hospital but no cure. Later my right leg also got swollen right up to the knee but it is not elephantiasis. I also had problems with my thyroid and menses. Had my thyroid removed in G.H and had to take thyroxine for life.

Oui went to Ngee Ann College Singapore to study Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering for 2 years (to be corrected as 3 years) with June Tatt taking up technical studies also in Singapore for 2 years. After that they both worked in Singapore for 2 years (to be corrected as 2 and 3 years respectively) to serve their bond. June Oui in ship repairs at a ship yard and Tatt in Apple Computer. After 3 years Oui came back to Malaysia and Tatt continued working there. Later he joined Infineon (Malacca) for a year and went back to join Hitachi Cables until 2013.

I retired in 2001 in S.K Lereh. Heng went to Inti College with Tatt and studied in Seremban for 2 years. After getting his Diploma in Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Heng went to Swansea in England Wales to get his degree. After he got his degree he worked in Muar and then in Malacca.

My mother (Cheong Yoken Chen) passed away after a fall from the staircase (concussion) in 27.8.1991 deeply missed by everyone especially father at age 71. She left behind a big sum of savings which we set up a fund and all her jewelry we distributed to the girls for momento. Father (Har Fook Cheong) left us after a failed bile duct operation in Lam Wah Ee Hospital in 9.7.99. Both were cremated at the Mount Erskine Crematorium. After mother passed awy You Fook was diagnosed with cancer of the ear lymph (nose) and was treated in Mount Mariam Cancer Hospital for several years. He got a daughter and a son whom my parents helped to groom. Fook retired voluntarily as he could not climb height. He was cured after treatment but the cancer grew again and spread to his brain. Again he went for treatment at Mr Mariam Hospital and spent a lot of money (RM90,000) and used part of mother's fund to pay. He was okay after treatment (radiation and chemo) but on the night of 11.9.12 he vomitted a lot of blood suddenly and passed away. He was also cremated at Mt Erskine Crematorium but his urn is put on the 2nd floor.

Chee Kong Chin got married in December 2009 and Joshua married in 16.3.13 and both migrated to Melbourne (to be corrected as only Joshua went to Melbourne). Maureen graduated as a doctor in Perth Australia in 2012. June Oui married Lee Lai Fen on 18th October 1905 (to be corrected as 2003) and got Chloe Ang Su Ting on 25.06.06 (to be corrected as 25.6.05) and Curtis Ang Mao Xeang on 7.12.09 (to be corrected as 7.12.08). Both children taken care by me and Tee Yong. Tee Yong joined me after his father passed away in 2008.

TRAVELS

1. Sabah - Air Asia with Oui, Tatt, Heng and Tee Yong (3 days)
2. Sarawak - Tatt, Tee Yong, Heng
3. Macau and Hong Kong - with Sis Goot and Sis Yoong
4. Bali - Heng, Tatt, Tee Yong
5. Bangkok - Heng, Tatt, Tee Yong
6. Phuket Thailand - Heng, Tatt, Tee Yong, Oui, Lai Fen, Chloe, Curtis, Poh Yoong (3.7.2011 - 6.7.2011)
7. P Langkawi - Tee Yong, Oui, Lai Fen, Chloe, Curtis, Sis Yong
8. Chiang Mai - with Tatt, Heng, Tee Yong
9. Perth Australia - Tatt, Tee Yong on 11.3.2015. Maureen brought us around for 4 days

NOTES

Heng's ROM - Registry of Marriage to Lau Shin Yi on 2nd Jan 2016 at Heng Ann Temple in Bukit China Malacca. I was the witness. Attended by Tee Yong, Lai Fen, Chloe + Curtis. Had lunch at a restaurant in Cheng with in-law's family.

Heng went through a Catholic church wedding in Gajah Berang, attended by all of us on 23rd January 2016. Had a photo shoot and then a buffet lunch at Hard Rock Cafe in Jonker Walk. Had dinner in Zong Zhen restaurant. Returned to Shah Alam the next day after lunch.

Heng discovered he had chicken pox and Tee Yong had to travel back to Malacca to cook for him for 3 weeks. Really missed Tee Yong a lot.

Went back to Malacca for Chinese New Year celebration on 7th February 2016. Went back to Shah Alam on 9th Feb because Oui + Lai Fen had to work on 10th Feb. Tee Yong stayed back to cook for Heng. Again missed Tee Yong deeply. He phoned every day. Chloe and Curtis had a week's holiday.

Heng marriage day on 6th March 2016 (Sunday). His friend drove to Batu Pahat to fetch Shin Yi in decorated car followed by Oui in his Waja. After tea ceremony in Batu Pahat came back to Heng's new house in Pulau Gadong. Had tea ceremony and a simple reception with cakes. The wedding dinner is at Cheng (Ming Hao Restaurant) attended by Ah Lan's family, Ah Leng's family, Tanjung aunt, Ah Mai and the bride's family and a few of Heng's friends. Rushed back to Shah Alam after dinner because of work and Chloe's exam the next day.

Oui and family went to Japan in November 2016.

Oui went to Melbourne in March for work - managed to visit Lai Mun and was brought to Joshua's house for a visit.

Hong came back to Penang in 2016 December for 4 weeks. Sis Fong went to Melbourne to look after grandson for 3 months on 10th December with Kim Seng (2016).

Oui drove us to Penang on 10th Dec 2016 to meet Hong. Sis Yong + Choong also went. Came back on 11th Dec. Hong treated us to lunch with Goot and family. Chee Sai Gnow went for liver growth operation (Nov 2016) in Kedah and discharged the next day (not cancerous). Cost of operation RM30,000.

Chew See Lim, Kepala Batas aunt's son passed away on 11.12.2016 of nose cancer (aged 61 yrs). Couldn't attend his funeral because we have just come back from Penang.

HISTORY OF MY STAY IN SHAH ALAM

Chloe Ang Su Ting was born on 25 June 2006 at Sunway Medical Centre K.L (Lunar 19/5) at night. I went to K.L on 25.6.2006 (to be corrected to 25.6.2005) to await her birth. Was discharged on 26 June and since that day I was there to look after her until 15 February 2018 (12 years 8 months). I had to mop the floor, wash the clothes, cook the whole day's food and clean the house all those years. Was paid RM500.00 every month. I have to pay the monthly newspaper (around RM50.00) and gas (RM28.00). Buy food at supermarkets and marketing for pork, fish and prawns by neighbour about once a fortnight (around RM100.00) each time. Each year I was left with children for a few days when they left for overseas tour to celebrate their wedding anniversaries. Chloe went to kindergarten at Taipei Chinese Schools for 3 years when she was 3 years old.

Curtis Ang Mao Xeang was born on 7 December 2009. Tee Yong came to join me when his father passed away and had settled all the cemetery plans and visits. Tee Yong came because he had a big 'bisul' on his backbone and needs me to clean the pus and wound and that's when Curtis was about five months old. Both of us would travel back to Melaka once a month or when there's an extra holiday during the weekend. We travel by Transnational Bus (senior citizen's price at RM48.40 per trip). Oui would send us to the bus station usually on Saturday morning 8.00 am and pick us up again when we come back usually on Sunday evening. Then we all go for dinner. During Chinese New Year and Cheng Beng Oui would drive all of us back to Melaka to celebrate and come back to Shah Alam together.

Curtis also attends the kindergarten at Chinese Taipei School for 3 years before starting school life at SRK (C) Khe Beng. Standard 1-3 in the afternoon session and Standard 4-6 in the morning. The same goes with Chloe.

Starting 2 Jan 2018 Chloe attends SMK Kota Komuning form 1 in the morning if there is ko-korukulum (Monday and Wednesday) otherwise it is afternoon session. So for Monday and Wednesday it is the whole day in school for her. She'll arrive home at around seven in the evening. Chloe attends Yamaha piano lesson on Monday night and Curtis chinese tuition on Monday and Wednesday and Chloe has Maths tuition on Wednesday and Thursday night. Both have Maths tuition on Thursday.

Chloe has Cheerleader class on Saturday in school and Curtis has Tae Kwan Do (up till green belt) on Saturday. Chloe has Global Art on Saturday while Curtis has Maths tuition on Saturday. Curtis also has Yamaha Piano lessons on Saturday and both have swimming lessons till 5 o'clock in the evening. Saturday and Sunday no cooking for me. All go out to eat at restaurants, YTS, Adiba or any food courts in Kota Komuning. Tee Yong will plant plants, vegetables and flowers, repair pipes, lights and anything that needs repair or refurbishment and feed and play with cats and kittens.

During the 10 over years we have flown in Air Asia to some Asean countries such as Bangkok, Phuket, Sabah, Kucing, Langkawi, Chiang Mai. The furthest is Perth with June Tatt and met with Maureen in 2014.

I went with Poh Goot and Sis Yong to Hong Kong and Macau in 2008.

Note : mum most probably stopped updating her notes in the year 2018.