30.10.2013 - Sad Mr. Roti Canai / Raja Uda Roti Canai

I was away from office today on field work and while I am on the way back, I stop over at 1 of the stall that I usually enjoy my Roti Canai. I have being eating his Roti Canai since primary school. We are from a poor family and the only thing we afford to eat during breakfast is bread and roti Canai but of course Roti Canai from this uncle is consider special meal to us; usually once in the blue moon. So when I grow up to teenage years and then started to work, I will cycle out from my house to buy 2 pieces for my breakfast. He is the same old guy that sells Roti Canai day time and night time, same place just a few steps away. He is fluent in local Chinese dialect and very friendly person. That makes him people's choice when it comes to Roti Canai. Even until today, I am 36 with kids, yet I still prefer to have his Roti Canai than any other seller.

So when I reached his stalled, I throw him a big smile and asked if there are anything left since he seems to started to clean his stall. He replied to me friendly and says 3 left. So take away 3 please!! He is fast as usual and packed all the Canai and my favourite fish curry that goes along with the bread. Before I leave, I asked him if he recognise me and he smiles. Well, I don't expect him to remember  even though I am there quite often; as you grow older, your remembrance power probably deteriorated drastically. He is now 54 and we cannot expect much from him but of course his recipe, uncountable value. I always look at him and projected that he is a damn nice person who work hard for his family and a good bread winner. I've seen him with his family couple of times going out for dinner and supermarket and he plays a very good role and example of GOOD INDIAN man.

I am not looking bad on Indians, but there are many man that is alcoholic, heavy smoker and beat their wife and children whenever they got drunk. Some even rely on their wife to feed them (breadwinner) and give them money to buy alcohol drinks. Of course there are also other races that have the same problem as Indian just that the rate for Indians are slightly higher than others.

We then started to talked like old friends although our age gab is little far away. I praise him for being a good man and have been seeing him for long long time ago because of his Roti Canai. From my heart I told him, for all these years, his Roti Canai is the best I ever have. I told him, I have seen him many times and praise him for being a good role of Indian. I asked him about his family and to my surprised, he shares with me his problem and heartache. All these while I always think that he is a good man and has good family. Simple, good deed get good return. But why would this happen to him?

This is how it goes. He has 2 children; 1 boy and 1 girl like everyone dream off. He struggle day and night to raise them up since he is not educated. He has to sell Roti Canai using his motorcycle travelling approx. 80 kms away from their house daily, 2 trips to feed his family. He has no other hopes except raising up his children and make sure they have what they deserve similarly like others. He wishes that everyone around him including his children not to have the same life (struggling) like him. His daily routine is sending children to school, ride his bike from Sungai Petani to Raja Uda to sell Roti Canai in the morning session. Return home around noon for lunch and preparing for the evening session. He will send his children to tuition classes and then rushing for evening session by late afternoon. Once he finishes his evening session, by the time he return home, that will be 130am. This is when he cleans his bike, apparatus, preparing for the next day and shower. When everything is over, that is the time he had his Dinner. 230am this is what he told me. He never grumble all these years or ask for return except hoping his children are filial when he grow older. But in return, he gets tears in his eyes and heartache whenever he sit alone.

Daughter is now an adult. She was sent to 1 of the University somewhere Kuala Terengganu. He is so happy that finally her daughter has made her way to better future. No other hopes except better career and live averagely. One day she returns home with her hand holding Quran, which has broken his heart badly. He told me, that she was sent to enriched her knowledge and have better future, but she returns with Quran without seeking for her father's blessing. She insist to convert to Islam although her father disagreed with it. This is more than enough how she hurts him. After she complete her studying, this is when she decided to get married with a man that leads her to Islam. But what really hurts him is, she asked her father not to attend the wedding because he is an Indian Roti Canai man. What a disgrace bitch she is. The heartbroken father insist to participate in the wedding but again being turned down by the daughter. Years has past; she is now with 5 children but never return home to see her only father and mother. He told me that if she decided to change her religion there is nothing much he can do except giving her the blessing and prayers that she did the right choice and have a wonderful family. But why cant she bring back her child to see their grand father? I keep wondering why would his daughter did that. Remember little girl; what goes around comes around. Islam do not teaches you to be disloyal to your parents. Its you that breaches the Islam teaching and being an arsehole in the family. No matter how bad a father is, he is still the one that serve you food and pay you till you finishes your study. Speechless!

Now what about the son? He is another person that hurts him badly. Roti Canai uncle wishes his son would be a good man like him, work hard and become a good breadwinner. He told me, man that drinks, drunk, beat wife, smoke, etc. is not a real man. He was raised not to be like this and he listen to his belated father to be a good man. He don't drink and smoke but work around the clock to help the family and his brother. Everyone now is in good shape but his son; he is a happy go lucky person, drink and spend unnecessarily. HE saves a lot of money (approx. 20k) for his son to further study. One day he brought his son to the bank to check out the bank interest but was told that there is no money in the saving except the amount he intended to save. He was surprised and got panic that how could the money went missing if it is safe kept in the bank. But he didn't realized the biggest mistakes he ever done is to open the saving account together with his son's name. So when he turns his head away asking his son where is the money, the son replied that he took all the money. His father was shocked and asked why it is not being pre-notified about the withdrawal? , the son replied 'the saving has my name means I own the money too'. Father was a little pissed off and asked what he did to the money and the son says proudly that he took the money, spend it with his friend, drink and use it for other purposes. I cannot imagine if I am the father I am so sure he will receive my fist probably more than 10 times. Yet this uncle Roti Canai still in calm situation. He mentioned to me that he bought a car for his son who promised him to pay for the installment. After 6 months, the car was left at somewhere damaged and owe bank installment for months. Again the father has to pull the car back and settle the debts. Now, the son is married but separated with the wife and demanded the father to give him more money. Worst, he is asking his father to transfer the house name to his name. I told him not to tolerate with his son anymore otherwise everyone of them will ended up on the street.

Well, I have nothing much to say except feeling pain and heartache. It is nice to see him running up and down busy preparing Roti Canai with his wonderful smile but deep inside he is another sad person with lots of problem around him. Although life is very tough to him, it is just another day and challenges that God gift. He uses the word "bagaikan kacang lupakan kulit" a local dialect says "it is how the peanut forget the shell". There is nothing much he can do now except keeping himself busy and cry whenever he sits alone at home or while watching TV. Relatives has started to ignore them because of his son and daughter being a disgraced but yet he is still fighting and struggling day and night to keep the family with foods on the table. He prays everyday that his children grow wiser and prevent them from having the same sadness and heartache in future. But who cares for his love and hard work for all these years.

I am just another customer to this man but deep inside me, I feel the pain he gone through. But why cant any of his child feel the same? aren't they human too? aren't they parents too? why cant they think wiser as an adult and cherish what they have before he closes his eyes and breathless? I don't know his name but I am sure my heart shares the pain he has in him. But I wish everyone reading this blog tells the world how awful this daughter and son is. If any of you a son or daughter, think what you did to your parents.

14.10.2013 - Estima Aeras BUY or no BUY

To buy a car is not that difficult after all. Find them, pay the down payment and wait for the car to be delivered. Whether it is new or used car, the same applies. But when it comes to monthly installment resale of the car and maintenance, that will be another disasters. These are hidden cost that is so difficult to predict especially for used car; where maintenance and replacement of parts is inevitable. During my old days, I am 1 of the strong supporters of the local made car; Proton. I would buy local made car only since it is at the affordable prices compared to import cars such as Toyota, Honda, etc. and so on. Of course if the price is cheaper, you will have to bear to consequences and possibility to have bad quality or unreliable car. Major problem that usually discovered are malfunction power windows, rattling sound on dashboard after 1 to 2 years, malfunction meters, increase of petrol consumption, worn out piston ring, broken timing belt, leak at air con cooling coil, etc.

But if you are looking for premium cars, you can ops for Mercedes, BMW, VW, etc. in which their price is way  much higher than the ordinary car makers. But what makes you think that the continental cars are reliable? I heard Peugeot cars was made / design to cater cold weather but not desert weather; so lubricant oil leakage is very common to happen after several years. How true that is?Another concern most is, the resale value. What really matters in our country is, the European made cars has no resale value. Seriously speaking I don't know why but i think this is a little silly. The only cars that has resale value are local made car and Japanese made cars except Mazda, Mitsubishi and Subaru. But when it comes to Reconditioned cars, which the term used by most of the used car dealers, the price of the second hand cars that has being refurbished / cleaned, cost way more expensive than an ordinary new Japanese car made in Malaysia. A new Toyota Camry in Malaysia cost approx. 150k; but for an MPV Estima Aeras year 2008, the car price was raised up high as 160k without any warranty. I was a little stunt when I got to know this. Why would we risk ourselves to get a car that has is extremely expensive but has no warranty at all? Yet there are still many of us choose to buy it.Stupidly I am 1 of them. So, I was in dilemma for the past few days. I actually planned to purchase a reconditioned car (Toyota Estima) year 2008. To my surprised, the car was 2008 made; 5 years used car. The condition is perfect internally and externally; looks brand new and some of the items are still plastic wrapped. 

The total mileage/ODO meter is approx. 22k in which I think definitely ridiculous. I was told that the importer has done necessarily on the ODO, washing, cleaning and repainting to make the car looks presentable. I was asked to test drive the car and it was amazed on its performance. But how long can the reconditioned car last operational; that will be another question. I am a great fan of Toyota Estima since I was a child. The physical aero-dynamic  design is so attracting, not counting the features in the car that is so spacious, comfortable seat, full rear aircon and electronic operated doors for both sides. Just the look itself has kills our thought to search for alternative cars. I was in the plan to go for Local made MPV cars but the car has been implanted into my mine. It is so difficult to resist but for the sake of safe side, I would rather choose to drive my old damn car than putting myself into another trouble. Paying for the installment is way killing but if any of the parts or engine failure, I guess I can just forget about my meal and dump all my cash in just to repair the car. Now why would I stupidly put myself into that risk? But now can I forget the sensation and interest to buy the car?