My bouts of dementia at DAP National Congress

This is about my personal experience and not the NC, which was well covered by some 30 reporters from various news media, signifying transparency in DAP.

After confirming that I will be going to Crown Princess Hotel myself, and more important to me, that Nee decided to stay back in PJ for her ex-classmates outing and join me on my return journey on Sunday, I set my alarm clock at 4.30am. Originally, she was supposed to travel back with a cousin and then on Sunday, by bus from Ipoh to KL and back on Monday, until I told her about Perak Roadways’ information, as an example, that all tickets for Kelana Jaya and Shah Alam were sold out, including Monday!

It was a bad start in that my back problem was aggravated when I coughed while bending at the sink. So whenever I need to change position from standing to sitting and vice versa, I had to go through this painful process, which only those with backache would know. At the dinner in Ipoh last night, my sister-in-law and her husband (both doctors) think that I had slipped disc.

On Saturday, I set off from BG at 5.00am and reached Jalan Duta toll at 7.00am! I was undecided as to whether to stop for a drink and some snacks but then I remembered that for KL one is normally choosing between ‘too early’ or ‘too late’ and I chose the former. My last visit to Crown Princess Hotel was at least 10 years ago when Fadzil invited us for a drink. I actually called them to find out about parking charges and was told a flat rate of Rm3.50 for those who attend the function.

I had a few people in mind to meet at the event. So I felt like a teenager fan looking out for some famous people, not a very nice feeling for an old man. I felt better when at our table during dinner later, a fellow branch chairman (also in his 50s) actually went all over the hall with a poster with pictures of all the DAP MPs and ADUNs, asking them to sign.

I managed to greet Teresa Kok when she arrived. Then Dr. Ramasamy who I managed to introduce myself as Cheng’s dad and he apologised for not being able to meet her when she was back. Later, at lunch, I happened to sit at his table and managed to discuss about parking system and bus transport system in Penang. Later, when I discovered having lost my bag, it never occurred to me that I left it there. At breakfast, I remember telling a fellow delegate that I am having the sling fixed so that it is convenient at the toilet. So, after lunch, I kept thinking I did the same when I went to the loo. With this in mind, I just did not think it possible that I had left the bag at the restaurant. Hours later, a young lady who was in charge of those in black suits (welcoming team) acknowledged that she found a bag there and put it behind her counter but now it was gone. I was told to go to the CEC secretariat at 11th floor but could not find it. If only she had looked inside as I had a few envelopes addressed to me, together with a diary. It was no big deal but I was more upset with my poor memory these days, as only a week ago, I forgot our PJ house keys when we arrived there, and it nearly started World War III.

Anyway, while the delegates and party leaders where gathering in the hall, I saw Tony Pua with a young lady. Don’t ask me why, my first impression was he was with his wife but actually she was Teo Nie Ching! Again when I greeted him as he came by looking for a seat, I introduced myself and said, ‘finally met you’ and he replied, ‘plenty of opportunities’. He sat behind me with a young lady who looked familiar. I just could not remember her name. I looked again at the list of candidates for CEC election and just could not place her. I greeted her and asked which constituency is she in and she replied ‘Subang Jaya.’ Still, I could not remember. When asked for her name, she replied Yeoh, and I still cannot link her. An older gentleman sitting next to her looked familiar and I could not place him. I used to be able to remember faces and names and this problem really upset me. It was only when I got back that I remember she was Hannah Yeoh and I actually had her blogsite linked to mine! The older gentleman was Edward Lee, ADUN who is better known for being an activist against some indiscriminate developments in PJ.

Having problems with remembering the names of elected representatives, I think many people did not really know the new candidates, especially those who used their Christian or English names in their everyday activities and had to use their official names for the election. Examples are Hannah Yeoh and Thomas Su. While on this subject of introducing the candidates, it would have been helpful if they were given the chance to speak before the election instead of after, like Jeniece.

Po Kuan’s assistant, Ms Kong walked past me and I had to call her. She looked surprised and asked under what category I was there! Soon after, I met Po Kuan. I managed to speak to Sivakumar and introduced myself as the only Chinese helping at SYS on election day and he thanked me for that. I also shook hands with the ‘famous Jeff Ooi’ and Ronnie Liu, who had used my comment, which quoted LKS, in his blog when he got into trouble on the tolls issue. He said, ‘we always get into trouble because we are marked. But the important thing is to get out of trouble.’

Anyway, the final blow to what was left which I can still call as my memory was when I called ‘Ah Chen’ as ‘Dr. Tan’! You see, I have known Ah Chen many years when he was working for Dr. Tan Chee Khoon. He is still working for Dr. Tan Seng Giaw. As I have mentioned in one of my comments in Tony Pua’s site, Dr. Tan Seng Giaw took over from Dr. Tan Chee Khoon in Kepong seamlessly as though both were in the same party. TSG acknowledged the fact when I spoke to him. We chatted for a while, mainly reminisced about Leeds where he got his Doctorate in Dermatology(?), a wild guess as I know he is a skin specialist. He said he was last in Leeds some 8 years ago. I told him I actually got lost when I was back last year!