The World of Tai Tai

Last Wednesday, a colleague and I had a falling out over the proper usage of two words. I have a habit of asking the colleague to proofread any model compositions I have written for my students. When we are certain that a writing is error-free, I will ask my students to copy it into their exercise books. That morning, I seek her advice as usual. She scanned through the paper and returned it to me after scribbling something on it. I glanced over the composition and found two words had been underlined as incorrect. They were: * He wanted to go there for recreational purposes . * He was running through the rain. Surprised and confused, I asked her to explain why the words were wrong. " The first one should be 'He wanted to go there for recreational purpose while the second one should be He was running in the rain." "But I am sure both words are correctly used!" I remonstrated. "No, you do not show the correct subject and verb agreeme...

Two days ago, YB Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr. Chan Hong Nam, Deputy Chief Minister of Sarawak visited my school. His arrival was welcomed with pomp and gaiety. Also present were some top echelons of the civil service. All the welcoming performances by students were spectacular. They showcased an eclectic mix of style and talent: The marching band belted out adrenalin-pumping music with verve. The Kompang or frame drum troupe infused more animation into the occasion with their cheerful drum ensemble. Pretty dancers swayed and turned their slim bodies to every beat and rhythm of beautiful Iban traditional music.Their graceful motion was liquid and mesmerizing. The visiting dignitary and his men clapped their hands in acknowledgment of the brilliant performances. Then, he shook hands with the Principal and the teachers. He exuded incomparable dignity, amiability and flamboyance. After that, everyone proceeded to the ornately-decorated conference room. The Deputy Chief Minister was invite...

The proprietor and head coach of the King’s Archery Sports Centre, Mr. David Ting, and his assistant coach, Mr. Wee, were invited to conduct an archery display in the hall of my school at 10 a.m. on 18 February. Since the centre’s inception in September 2000, both men have been actively promoting the precision sport in Miri. Their outreach programmes in 2001 saw the formation of archery clubs in many secondary schools including my school. To exploit the full potentials of all members, a well-structured intensive training is given after school hours and during school breaks. The effort has produced a crop of promising young talents and contributed to the rise of Sarawak as a leading powerhouse in Malaysia. The display had two goals in mind: to introduce archery to the students, and to scout for fresh talents among them. In the eye-opening session, Mr. Wee explained the nature of the sport by showing different types of commonly used bows and arrows. He had four archers of my schoo...

One Friday last month, I asked my school principal to certify a set of my photocopied academic certificates. I sounded as polite as possible. He flipped through the documents cursorily and put them on his table. Instead of signing the documents, he asked me to tidy up his office. I had no choice but to do his bidding. I swept the floor, put up framed certificates on walls, and rearranged books on shelves. It took me nearly thirty minutes to get all these menial jobs done. I went back to his table and reported that I had completed everything. He smiled and beckoned me to sit down. I was hoping he would sign my certificates immediately but out of the blue he took out his laptop from his bag and did some typing. My jaw almost dropped. Just as I was about to remind him of certifying my documents, there was a knock on the door . How unbidden and untimely the interruption was! A neatly-dressed man came in and greeted the principal in a deep,booming voice. The principal stood up and aske...

My Chinese New Year celebration in Brunei is memorable. I would like to attribute everything to providence. For the first time in her life, Mum was able to celebrate the annual festival in a place entirely hers. Eleven months ago , the government of Brunei had granted her 15-year-long application to own a house under its National Housing Scheme for Landless Indigenous Citizens.The God-bestowed gift has boosted her confidence and strengthened her faith in him. Pa, thanks for taking all of us to Brunei for the blissful celebration. Though you were the quietest, your love spoke the loudest in each of our hearts. I have always been proud of you. The presence of Yan Yee, Pa and Mum's first and only grandchild, added more significance to the festive occasion. My youngest brother Weng Weng and his wife Cosyn had brought her all the way from Kuala Lumpur to Brunei to share their infectious family joy with us. Her babyish chuckles, cries and antics brought warmth to everyone's h...

Flashes of lightning streaked across the sky. Thunder could be heard rumbling like a drum roll in the distance. Dark clouds were gathering. A heavy rain was imminent. Against a headwind, I weaved hurriedly through a maze of parked cars towards Bank Simpanan Nasional, the place where I receive my monthly salary. Chinese New Year was around the corner and I needed to withdraw some money for my parents to use. When I reached the ATM booth outside the building, I self-consciously combed my tousled hair with my fingers to make it neat. Then,I fished out my card from my bag and inserted it into a teller machine. A lady was standing next to me, running her hand over the keyboard of the other machine for seemingly the same purpose of withdrawing cash. As usual, the first thing I saw on the screen of the machine was the instruction ' Key In Your Pin Number'. I did as instructed and pressed the button ‘Enter’. Next, a table of figures ranging from RM100 to RM1000 appeared and I se...