Destined to be the most popular Sabahan song of 2011.

First heard early August 2011.

As of the time of writing, a video of the song uploaded to youtube on 17th August 2011 has garnered more than 100,000 views

Leon Reid, 32 of London is a career criminal: an expert at breaking into houses – successfully burgling 70, and never had to force his way in.

He was finally caught via DNA evidence.

Before he started his 5 year sentence he wrote a checklist on how NOT to be burgled, and handed it over to police. He even had the cheek to tell them that his list should be added to the Met’s crime prevention leaflets.

His list:

(1) Keep a dog, or at least a sign warning that a dog’s present.

(2) Have pebble drives or shingled patios – the noise these make makes it difficult for burglars to approach a house

(3) Install an alarm, or at least display an alarm box, even if it’s fake or not working.

(4) Install a CCTV system

(5) Install wire on gates and anti-climb paint

(6) Keep things well-lit

(7) Install motion sensor lighting

Source
Daily Mail (UK), 26 Nov 2011

Update 6 January 2012

During Anugerah Juara Lagu 2013 tonight, Jimmy was the last performer. As good as the performance was, he didn’t win any award. However, it was historic performance – the first time Sabah themes featured prominently in an AJL final – Kadazan/Dusun & Murut traditional costumes, sumazau & magunatip performances, “boleh bah kalau kau”:

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Update 29 November 2012

Jimmy joins UMNO.

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Update 25 November 2012

As announced today, Anak Kampung (the Malay version of Tanak Kampung) has made it to the finals of Anugerah Juara Lagu (AJL) 2012, probably the most prestigious and most watched event in Malaysia’s entertainment scene. It will be held on 6th January 2013. The full list of finalists:

1 Idola – Azlan & the Typewriter
2 Pelangi Senja – Stacy (her 4th appearance in an AJL final, after 2008, 2009 and 2010. Song written by Taja & Tun Teja)
3 Terukir Di Bintang – Yuna
4 Anak Kampung – Jimmy Palikat & One Nation Emcees (song written by none other than Jimmy Palikat himself)
5 Ombak Rindu – Hafiz & Adira (another Sabahan in the fray)
6 Tanpamu – Amir Jahari
7 Lagu – Bedroom Santuary
8 Teman Pengganti – Black & RJ
9 Ku Akui – Hafiz
10 Simetri – Hazama & Amy Seach
11 Andai Ku Bercinta Lagi – Mojo
12 Patah Seribu – Shila Amzah

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Update 11 September 2012

I just found out that the Malay version of this song was sung at Seri Perdana (the official residence of the Malaysian Prime Minister) on 19th August 2012, the first day of Hari Raya, by up-and-coming local musician Iqwal Hafiz, while the Prime Minister himself and cabinet ministers dancing to it onstage. Plus, this song is apparently a favourite of the PM’s wife, who could be seen enthusiastically mouthing the lyrics at the beginning, then not content with it, proceeded on karaoke. To me, that is just incredible, has any other Sabah-related songs ever come up to this level of popularity?

And as at the time of writing, the youtube video of the Malay version of the song uploaded April 2011 has had more than 4 million views! As comparison, the other popular Sabahan song Sayang Kinabalu, has only had half a million views.

P.S. Yes, surely some smart alec will zoom into the PM’s dancing and graft it onto a Gangnam Style soundtrack.

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Update 9 January 2012

After the Iban cover version by Sarawakian musician John Ruai, now there’s a hard rock cover by Kuala Lumpur-based Khalifah, apparently done sometime December 2011. According to their Facebook fanpages, Khalifah is made up of 4 persons, including Yabang and Harry who were former members of Jinbara. This song is not included in Ni Hou Ma, their third and latest album.

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25 November 2011

First made the airwaves around January 2010, it was an instant hit. This song seems to be everywhere now. During the office annual dinner, this song was sung thrice by different people.

Apparently the album which contains the song was officially launched in June 2010, and has sold more than 1,000 copies less than a month after it’s made available.

Youtube is also a good indicator of a song’s popularity. As of the time of writing, the following video of the song uploaded 21st May 2010 has garnered almost 300,000 views.

A version with Malay lyrics has also been released by Jimmy, and is equally popular. Some Dusun songs somehow don’t sound so good with Malay lyrics, like Jestie Alexius’ Masihkah Kau Ingat Padaku, but this song is an exception.

Another indication of a song’s popularity is the number of covers. A Sarawakian friend informed me that there’s an Iban version of the song, by James Ruai:

Jimmy Palikat, 32 hails from Kg Papar, Tambunan has been a local celebrity for years. His first album Pokitonon Ku / Sawo Kalangadan released in 2003, has sold 40,000 units so far.

Lyrics:

Yoku nopo diti
Tanak do mosikin
Aiso nunu nunu
Do posurungonku
Ika tu olumis
Au oku kaanu
Kapasanang dika

Yoku tanak kampong
Aiso sinikulan
Kuli-kuli do touki
Au kapadan dika
Ika tu olumis
Ogumu poh muhang
Lagi orang kaya

#
Ingga korita ku
Mogowit dia mimpanau
Ingga poh walaiku
Usukon toh ngoduo
Lobi pondo pongopung
Om balanja dapur
Panansawo dika

##
Okon ko au oku
Orohian dika
Nga rosian oku
Katanud koh osusa
Sabab noh do muhang
Logoson ku ika
Id langon do wokon

Ika poimulok
Lagi kikolumison
Kada do sumonsog
Kusai irad doho
Ika tu olumis
Manasal koh moti nga
Ingga noh guno

Updated 22nd February 2012

Malaysia 0-4 Japan;

Quotable quotes from The Star’s report:

“Clearly showed up the national players’ inability to read the game and to make the right decisions at the crucial moments.”

“We had our moments but lacked the ability to make chances count. We have to accept that plenty of work is needed if we are to reach the level of giants like Japan.”

“Malaysia did well during the early stages of the match before the same old malaise – lack of concentration – cropped up after the half hour mark.”

“This time not even goalkeeper-cum-skipper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat could save them.”

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Updated 6th February 2012

In a night where Chelsea vs Manchester United’s on at the same time, it’s doubtful if anybody even bothered to tune in to the Bahrain vs Malaysia match, the bottom 2 teams of group C.

A casual look at channel 813 showed that even the stadium’s almost empty.

The match ended 2-1 in favour of the hosts. Malaysia’s out of contention, the final 2 matches, versus Japan at home on the 22nd and away at Syria in March could see even fewer in the audience, inside the stadium or otherwise.

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Updated 27 November 2011

vs Bahrain: unbelieveable – we were 2-0 up in the 68th, then everything came crashing down in 5 minutes, when Bahrain scored 3 goals in the 81st, 85th and 86th.

To rub salt to wound, all of Bahrain’s goals were scored when they were already down to 10 men.

The mantra “it’s not over until final whistle is blown” does not ring louder than tonight.

Fatigue can’t be an excuse anymore – we’ve had 4 days rest.

In all probability, there ends Malaysia’s Olympic hope.

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Updated 23 November 2011

For the 2012 Olympics qualification, Malaysia is currently in the 3rd round, i.e. final 12 teams fighting for 3 automatic places and 1 playoff-decided place. The teams are divided into 3 groups of 4 teams each and play on a home-and-away format. Malaysia is the last South East Asian team left in qualifying, and has Syria, Japan and Bahrain for company. In the last Olympics, Japan had qualified, while both Syria and Bahrain also advanced to the last round of qualifying, Bahrain narrowly failing to make the cut. So, surely tougher oppositions than football at the 2011 SEA Games.

21 September 2011: Japan 2-0 Malaysia
23 November 2011: Malaysia 0-2 Syria, who had defeated Bahrain 3-1 earlier.
27 November 2011: Malaysia v Bahrain, who had also lost twice, 1-3 to Syria (away) & 0-2 to Japan (home). This will be a do or die mission, if we are to salvage any hope of making it to the Olympics.
5 February 2012: Bahrain v Malaysia
22 February 2012: Malaysia v Japan
14 March 2012: Syria v Malaysia

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While football at the Olympics is of lower standing than the World Cup, if only for it being practically an under-23 tournament, it still offers an Olympic medal, a highly sought after commodity: some value it higher than a world championship.

As every Malaysian football fan knows, Malaysia qualified for football at the summer Olympics twice, in 1972 and 1980.

In 1972, we had a team that boasted local legends Wong Kam Fook, Soh Chin Aun (then 24), Namat Abdullah (then 27), Shaharuddin Abdullah and M Chandran (then 30). In the first round, Malaysia played probably its highest ever level of competitive football, against West Germany, which included Uli Hoeness, then 20, who would go on to be part of the team that won the 1974 World Cup, and Ottmar Hitzfeld, then 23, who would go on to be one of the world’s most successful managers, winning the Champions League twice, first as manager of Borussia Dortmund (1996–97) and then Bayern Munich (2000–01). We lost that match 0-3, but bounced right back by defeating the USA 3-0. But I don’t know what happened in the third and final match, we were thrashed by Morocco 0-6, causing us to finish third in Group A and cost us the second round.

In 1980, we didn’t play a single match due to the boycott.

Sometime in September 2011.

The bunting did not even bother to mention the month of September, it simply assumes that the reader would understand that “30″ means “30 September” and not “30 October”, thus saving precious space while keeping the letters big so as to be easily visible.

The Star reported today that the state Road Transport Department (Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan) has started taking in tenders for car plate numbers SAB1H to SAB9999H.

Among the lot is probably the best ever car plate number for Sabah: SAB 4H.

Unsurprisingly, it’s the registration number that’s most people are scrambling for.

That, despite the negative connotations of the number four in Chinese culture.

A dealer was quoted to have said the price could easily hit 6 figures.

It would seem that only the state of Kedah can have a similar number: KED 4H.

More often than not, it will become like the following a few months after being stuck onto the underside of my windshield.

I installed a new aircon blower to replace the broken original some time back and somehow it did not seem to blow the same amount of air, but the shop insisted that there’s nothing wrong with it.

At another car aircon specialist, I finally discovered the problem: somehow the blower fan was swapped with another that looks similar but whose blades are pointing in the opposite direction.

Wrong type

Correct type

Spotted end of July 2011 at Kepayan Ridge, Kota Kinabalu

This only happens once in 100 years.

Screenshot taken during the actual event – when that point of time passed.