It’s probably just a matter of time before this happened, and something that will make a lot of people in this part of the world start scrambling to find out as much as the virus instead of reading colon cleanse reviews.

There was a false alarm in Sabah on 13th May 2009, but just after noon on 15th May 2009, Malaysia confirmed its first case of the A(H1N1) flu: a 21-year-old student who returned from New York in the United States 2 days earlier.

Then, a month later, on 15th June, Sabah confirmed its first case, the 16th case in the country: a 15-year-old (some reports say 14) Sandakan girl who arrived in Kota Kinabalu at 6.10pm on a flight from the United States 2 days earlier.

The girl and her mother departed the US on the 9th and had a stopover in Hong Kong before continuing their journey home.

She is a PR in the US and came back for a holiday.

The thermal cameras installed at the airport detected that her body temperature was above 38 C.

Health ministry staff immediately brought her to the Lingzhi quarantine centre in Kepayan for further tests.

Fortunately, she’s doing well and on the way to a full recovery.

Statistics:

As of 23rd June 2009:
- total of 69 cases in Malaysia
- total of 56,865 cases worldwide, with 272 deaths.
- most cases in US: 22,847
- most deaths in Mexico (115) and the US (113). The country with the 3rd most number of deaths is Canada with 16.

Recommendations from the Health Ministry:
- DO postpone travel to countries with Influenza A (H1N1) outbreaks unless it is really unavoidable, to curb its spread.

- Those exhibiting symptoms of the virus should:
(i) seek treatment immediately
(ii) refrain from social activities and public places

Relevant phone numbers:
The Health Ministry: 03-88810200 / 03-88810300

Source
Daily Express, 16th June 2009

There are 2 types of kurutut, the first one is simple, made of the bases of coconut fronds or of the areca-nut plant.

The second is more complex, its components are:
(i) frame constructed from the wood of the “biabas” tree (chosen due to its durability)
(ii) wheels made from “pakuh” tree (some people mentioned papaya tree too)
(iii) nails

There is the 2-wheel variant for beginners and 3-wheel variant for the “pros” [all photos taken in Bundu Tuhan, courtesy of Johnny Ghani]:

One would ride it like so:

Note the “brake”.

Preparing for a race:

A race in progress:

Apparently this was very popular among youngsters in the 1960s in Bundu Tuhan, located along the Kota Kinabalu - Ranau road. Where now every kid wants a PS3, back then possession of a kurutut was mandatory. Sure beats spending long hours in front of televisions!

Warning: players are advised to wear durable pants!

There are so many possibilities from this. Can patent it, promote to tourists, run a clinic on kurutut-making then organise an annual race. For a start, perhaps include as one of the traditional games in the Kiulu 4M!

Now who said all the pretty girls are from Ipoh or KL?

While we were busy with Kaamatan over here, full-time model JoannaBelle Ng, 20 of Penampang was crowned Miss Malaysia/Universe 2009 in Kuala Lumpur on 30th May. She also won two subsidiary titles: “Audience Favourite” and “Miss Friendship”.

Another Sabahan and full-time model, 5′ 10″ Cassandra Patrick, 24 emerged runnerup. She is also the Miss Malaysia/World 2006 1st Runner-up.

Cassandra, JoannaBelle and 3rd placed Claudia Sibert of KL

The 5′ 8″ lass won RM50,000 and will compete in next month’s Miss Universe pageant in The Bahamas.

She was also 1st runner up in the 2008 Miss Cheong Sam Malaysia competition.

This is quite a long way from her background, which she explains:

I come from a very simple and poor family. My father is a mechanic and my mother (of Chinese and Indian descent), a housewife. She tends a small chicken farm and vegetable patch outside our home. Sometimes, she sells egg and beef rolls and other foodstuff at the market. I am not embarrassed about my family at all. I am really proud of them and where I’m from. Why shouldn’t I be? They are the reason for who I am today. My parents have always encouraged me to fulfill my dreams because they don’t want me to have a hard life and struggle like they did. I love them very much and can’t wait to go back to spend time at home.

The Star’s video of the event, including the moment when the winner was announced

Click here to see the video

My Kaamatan long weekend was filled with music.

On the evening of the 29th of May, at Magellan Sutera, The Australian Bee Gees Show made it here where Robbie Fowler didn’t.

After a sumptuous dinner, a pre-show by a 3-piece band, a video presentation and auctioning of paintings (where one sold for more than RM10,000), there were restless times when everybody waited for the Chief Minister to arrive, which he finally did at 10.15pm.

But when the show started, it was definitely the closest thing you’d ever have of the actual Bee Gees live!

So much so that someone mentioned that a tuxedo-clad elderly man, could not contain his excitement anymore and stood up on a chair while dancing away.

Some videos of the show:

Click here to see videos

The most anticipated event in KDCA Hall on the afternoon of the last day of May every year is surely the Unduk Ngadau finals.

Starting at 1pm, from the original 41 finalists, 26 were jettisoned for round 2, resulting in the top 15. Hence it’s already quite an achievement to make the list:

Miss Kinabatangan: Gloria Lyne Bami
Miss Penampang: Joanne Kimberley J Majalap
Miss Likas: Elinna Masuin
Miss Klang Valley: Jovenea Jim Lajim [Papier Mache's backing vocalist!]
Miss Sipitang: Rozyanah Mutang
Miss Banggi: Jacqueline Monalisa
Miss Papar: Appey Rowenna Januin
Miss Putatan: Maylesthelyn Matius
Miss Tanjung Aru: Elsie R Marius
Miss Tenom: Rounnah Bab Robert Sylvester
Miss Keningau: Jacqueline Joseph
Miss Ranau: Stella Nakaran
Miss Tuaran: Fredericka Camilla Richard Daut
Miss Tamparuli: Flina Rutum
Miss DBKK: Pearl Dianne Petrus

Then in the final round, 7 were selected, with the final results:

Unduk Ngadau 2009: Appey Rowenna Januin (Papar)
1st Runner-up: Pearl Dianne Petrus (DBKK - Kota Kinabalu)
2nd Runner-up: Joanne Kimberley J Majalap (Penampang)
3rd Runner-up: Flina Rutum (Tamparuli)
4th Runner-up: Jacqueline Joseph (Keningau)
5th Runner-up: Fredericka Camilla Richard Daut (Tuaran)
6th Runner-up: Elinna Masuin (Likas)

The top 3 (photo by Roy Ajin):

A video of the Q&A session for the top 3 placers, the most difficult segment of all

Click here to see the video

Update 2nd June 2009

Someone uploaded the whole movie to youtube already, first part:

————————————

As I am writing this, I am watching the movie during lunchtime in the office.

Starring Akademi Fantasia stars Linda Nanuwil (her 2nd movie), Felix Agus and Ebi Kornelis.

It’s not the first Kadazan/Dusun-language (well, about 80% of the script) telemovie in history, but it’s apparently the first ever to be broadcast for the whole nation to see, and the timing is appropriate: on the approach to the climax to the Harvest Festival celebrations.

News of showing of the movie has been making the rounds since last year.

Part of newsreport in the New Sabah Times.

It’s about Ivy (Linda Nanuwil), a university student who wants to escape from poverty (well, who doesn’t?) currently afflicting her family. At the same time, she’s involved in a love triangle with Dol (Ebi Kornelis), a fellow undergraduate and Anggidau (Felix Agus), a man from the same village.

And in case you wondered… Ebi spoke only Malay in the movie

The soundtrack includes the exquisite “Mitongkiad Kito“, and “Upus Tolidang“, tracks off Linda’s self-titled album released August 2008.

Apparently most of the shooting was done at Kg Tombung, Kiulu where the greenery looked so nice it looked like turf grass.

Please support out local moviemakers, purchase the disc.

Update 24th May 2009

Another:
(i) Bruce Lee only knew one word in English: in his movies he repeatedly shouted “Watah!” i.e. “Water!”
(ii) “Selamat tidur” sounds like “slam at the door” (almost).
(iii) “Terima Kasih” sounds like “tear me car seat” (almost).

—————————————

When a new friend from Britain visited Sabah recently, he learnt a few local phrases like “aramai ti” and “buli ba kalau kau”.

After he went back, he commented on Facebook that “aramai ti” sounds like “hour of my tea”. What do you think of this: every time you shout out “arrrrrrrrrammai tiiiiiiii” would be like celebrating the fact that the time to savour your long-awaited cup of tea has finally come!

His comment reminds me of the time someone mentioned that Sylvester Stallone spoke Malay in Judge Dredd. What did he say? “Ayam Telor!” i.e. “I Am The Law!”

In my opinion, the funniest “English approximation of the original language sound” joke has to be that video by Buffalax, with incredible phrases such as:

Have you been high today?

I see the nuns are gay

I’d love to see you pee on us tonight

Who put the goat in there? The yellow goat I ate!

Send him the crazy Hindu!

Hugely recommended, I bet you’ll laugh so hard it’d be as good as consuming one of those colon cleansers…

It was a 71-year old tourist from Canada, one of 5 countries in the Malaysian government’s list of non-recommended countries to travel to. The others are the United States, Mexico, Spain and Britain.

Timeline:

5th: he arrived in Sabah
12th / 13th: became ill, suffering from fever and a sore throat. Visited a clinic in Luyang. The doctor there immediately alerted Sabah Health Department officials who then took the man to be quarantined overnight at the Department’s isolation centre in Kepayan.
13th: His blood sample sent to Kuala Lumpur.
14th: blood test result received: negative. The man released.

Just wondering: need to send blood sample to KL? Shouldn’t Sabah have it’s own A(H1N1) blood testing equipment? Or hasn’t telemedicine progressed up to the point where blood can be tested remotely?

Source
The Star, 14th May 2009

… this could very well increase insurance quotes anywhere …

Last time I remember reading that the world record for the most number of children given birth by one woman is sixty nine, by a Russian peasant in the 18th century.

My neighbour has 24 children, but from 2 wives (12 children each). Their house was always a riot.

For a Malaysian woman, the record could very well be 21.

Housewife Chu Seok Len, 49 and her sawmill factory worker husband Lam Ah Ngan of Grik, Perak has had that number of children.

The oldest was born when she was 18, and the youngest when she was 42.

Two were given away, and one died shortly after birth.

Now get this: apparently all her married children and their spouses and 20 grandchildren live in the same house. Wow, that must be one noisy house.

Way to go mama, and a belated Mother’s Day wish to all mothers!

Source
The Star, 11 May 2009

… amazingly, on first impressions anyway, Ms Chu does not seem to have the body of a woman who’ve given too many births, no need to read diet pill reviews there …

The month of July 2008 was quite windy. The Star reported that on the 5th of July 2008 18 houses on the west coast of Sabah had their roofs blown off due to heavy rains and strong winds which peaked at 4am and continued for 30 minutes.

Someone recorded a TV3 newscast of someone describing what it was like [the man speaks in Sabahan Malay]:

Click here to see the video