Taman Rainbow brings back some nostalgia

Lately, Teresa Kok seems to be pre-occupied with one problem after another and getting publicity for all the wrong reasons.

DAP in state government seems to be dealing with some kind of guerrilla warfare – first the Molotov cocktail thrown at their Perak headquarters, now thrown at Teresa’s family house in KL. It is a minefield for certain politicians here in Malaysia.

Anyway, there is enough publicity on the matter, just wish to touch on some insignificant aspects. I did not know Teresa’s family live in Rainbow Garden, off Jalan Ipoh. Jalan Ipoh used to be my territory (like Celcom’s claim) because my late father was born a stone throw from where the housing estate is now (the houses are probably 40 years old only) in 1909! In other words, if he were still alive, he would be 100 next year. Yet, I am still considered by some as a ‘pendatang’ and told to go back to China, a place, which even my father had never been. I have never been too.

Before my son bought his house in PJ, we had been to the condominium nearby (where recently a man committed suicide), but he was put off by the life style of living with a large group of people sharing facilities. My wife found it funny when a lady who answered her telephone enquiry - described the area as, ‘where the rich people live, including Samy Vellu’. Well, nobody doubts Samy’s wealth and especially his influence then. Because of his residence, the people had no problem with road works and water supply. Even the pedestrian crossing in front of SMK Jalan Ipoh is one of its kind – the level can be raised to enable the chariot to pass through during Thaipusam.

I still find it funny why my father’s birthplace was known as ‘sar soo koo’ or ‘three quarters’, because the Malay version means something else as in ‘tiga suku’ meaning someone a bit crazy. The location is actually off 3 and ¾ milestone of Jalan Ipoh and most probably they shortened it to ¾. My grandmother used to walk for miles, even in her bound feet.

The Sentul Golf course, where my father started as a golf caddy and got to know an engineer who recommended him to be an apprentice in KTM, is now developed as Sentul Raya by YTL. With their resources, it is now quite upmarket, especially Sentul West where there is a large park (frequently compared with St.James’s Park in London but most people think because the authorities turned down their proposal for more condominiums), a well-equipped koi fish farm (some costing over Rm20,000 each!) and the well known KL Performing Arts Centre. As to the Sentul Railway workshop where my father used to work, I like to joke that it is following me to Batu Gajah!