Friends: Life Greatest Treasure

Be Happy when somebody leave the company

Being at my age, I would always encourage younger people to move forward and explore the outside world and even to enrich their life with more education. Today, I am very happy for one of my colleague will be leaving us by the end of next month for further studies in England. Being a very competent and hardworking staff in every way, Erna will be following this route.

Tonight, at Evergreen hotel, we are there to enjoy a good buffet and also sharing all our idea from how to date a girl down to being a good pregnant mother. Not to miss out the daily happening in the Planning Department. Laughter are heard at each corner and matchmaking idea are also encouraged. Secret of spending a company trip as a honeymoon trip are also exposed but yet to confirm.

Well, at the end of the dinner, good thought prevails and always be cherished by all of us. Cheers, Erna will be leaving us for a better future undertakings in her pursue for higher education. All The Best To You, Erna, from all of us.

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Good friends are hard to be forgotten

7/16/07 (Lunar date)

After the dinner, as all of us left, the sadness of my closest friend, Ng Ah Moi flashes through my mind and not to forget, tonight is her first death anniversary. Upon reaching home, I told my wife of the good food provided by the restaurant and reminded her of the Ah Moi's death anniversary. She mentions that nothing is published by The Star newspaper. Maybe her immediate family could have published it in the Chinese Newspaper. She will always be remembered by her love one. All of a sudden, something reminded me to call her 2nd daughter to check on her welfare. At the other side of the line, she sounds very happy and she told me that all of them are OK and her final exam will be at the end of this year. I make a note to remind myself to give her a call as a moral support at the examination time.

Why this call? Well, it is very hard to explain as one of my closest friend quoted,

"As a good friend you should have done it for I would have done the same."

Ah Moi and me during college day

Por Tor in Penang Times Square Site

Ivory "Por Tor" Day (All Soul Day)

edited on 27/8/07

Today, the day where all the Ivory's staff from every departments will turn up for the

Por Tor ceremony.

What is "Por Tor"? It is a word in Hokkien and this ceremony takes place on the 7 th lunar month (whole month) where it is believe that all the loose souls are allowed to come out to our present world to roam and enjoy all foods that are offered by we, the living people. This is what I was told seen young.
Arrangement for the ceremony started seen yesterday afternoon with one of our staff, Ah Khoon Chek, cleaning up the road beside where we would place all the stuff for the prayer. A temporary Joss Paper Oven was immediately constructed yesterday
beside it.

Look at all the foods

As early 8.30am, all the staffs started to place all purchased items and cooked food
on a temporary erected table using scaffolding. At around 10.00am all contractors
started to arrive and then followed by staffs from the Head Office at 11.00am.

At 11.30am sharp, our Boss turned to initiate the Por Tor Ceremony.

Hi, long Hi , long time no see. How is life at your site. You look prosperous


Oop, who took this picture of Obeiliao making the final prayer

When all staff has prayed, one of the staff has to make a final prayer to and ask permission to burn the joss paper. By using two coins and tossing them into the air , the coins will fall to the ground and if the the face of the coins are different. then we has a " yes' to proceed the burning of the joss paper and also to let the staff to eat the foods. The ceremony ended at around 12.30pm. Thank to everybody who in one way or another making this ceremony a successful one.

" Chut Jip Peng Ann, Peng Ann"

Not to forget , all the staffs also went over to the "Datuk Kong" shrine to pray since they are here.

A question pop up, any senses of a good number. Well, one of our workers was asking "Datuk"for a good number at the end of the ceremony and the number is 9999

Good luck to whoever view this blog

This number never turn up but 9699. Quite close Eh!

Well, the real number that came out on Saturday was 1406. Why this number? Well , on that day before we start praying, one of our staff mentioned to me that the "Huet Lor" was too small.

Immediately, our Senior supervisor search for an old stainless steel bowl and converted it by spraying it red on the external.

Obeiliao told everybody of this number ,406, but everybody forget about it. Well , one staff was lucky for he has purchased and striked it. ( a few hundred ringgit extra richer for him)

Penang Laksa ( updated 4th Sept 2007)

Ivory carnival

Hei, Obeiliao, we have decided that you will cook Laksa for our Ivory Carnival which will be held on 19th August 2007 at University Place, the first project that I and my team of competent construction staffs built along Jalan Gambier, Penang.
Turning my head I quickly answered the statement with these word, " Wait, who agreed with that, I have to check with my Chief Cook, Janet, whether she agreed to this idea. Alot of people thought that it is very easy to cook this dish.

Alot of work when you are cooking Laksa. I remembered that on one of my company function in Tanjong Park, the 1st project by Ivory Properties Group, she took off for that day just to cook for me. Not to forget all her friends who came over to help her to peel the fish meat,chopping the onion etc. Special thanks to Auntie Cheah who helped and mentored her with good advice which a mother would do.

As usual, one week before the event, at most every night, she would steam the fish and after dinner she would seperate the meat from the bone. Started to pack all the fish meat into the freezer by 12.00 midnight. As usual a little grumbling here and there. Dad, do not go into the kitchen for my son would advice me!!!. Ah Yah, better don't go into the Kitchen.

Ivory Cares

Today is the day where all of us, staffs of Ivory Properties Group put through our best effort in raising fund for Ivory Cares. The whole committee of Ivory Cares were there very early but was shocked to see that tent for the stage was blown off during yesterday heavy downpour. From information ( Phaik Har and Alex), all of them get reconstructed the stage before the guests arrived at 9.00am

By the time I arrived , everything was in order. My assignment today was to assist my wife to sell Laksa. Very fortunately my staff ,Ah Mei and my Senior Project manager and his family were there to assist us. Not to forget, my wife truth friend , Ah Tan and Noor were there to cut and chop up all the remaining ingredients which have to be done at that time. WHY? Peppermint leaves to wash before selling. If you wash it over night , it would get spoilt. Next were the cucumber. they get very watery also if chop up one day before the event and blur blur blur..........................
Well by 10.00am we make our first sale to our General Manager's wife, Yee Hun, for she has to
go home due to her child. Comments coming from public, Ho Chiak!! Male and female gave the same comments. Today, a special person turned up and I would like to introduce her to you, THE CLOWN. Behind this beautiful and cheerful mask made up was a smart girl from University Sains Malaysia student. I did not ask her for further details but then the chemistry click. My wife saw her picture and told me as I was posting her picture, she is very unique and beautiful. I told my wife that she could speak many dialects and languages even Japanese!
such a talented girl, the Cheerful Clown.



Hi, my tast bud tell me it is tasty................................................ Gau Chiak lo...........



Laksa ......................................................................................More soup please.

Tears falling. Now you know lah!!

Always agreeing to people to cook Laksa.

What happen to the cook after the carnival?

When she arrived back home, she started to wash all the cooking utensils and went straight to the hall and dooze off. Wah, lucky lah, I quicky went over to my computer and started to upload the event at my blog. Well, when she woke up around 7.00pm she came to me and ask this question,

" Any good show in Gurney? " With that surprised question, I quickly surf the net for info and told her that there is a good show and we landed in the cinema watching a Cantonese Police Show.

Smooth throughout that night. He! He!

Installation and Celebration for the Datuk Kong (updated 22/08/07)

After prayer, all staff would gather and have a big feast

Food arranging for prayer at Datuk Shrine

Island Resort Project. Penang

In construction, whenever we start a new project, we would start installing a new Datuk Kong Shrine at a suitable location in the site. After a few problems regarding the location, we finally agreed to a new location. When erecting the base slab earlier,I have checked with our Feng Shui master on its location but still there are objection and a further clarification by him cleared the doubt of the first location. No doubt the Shrine is facing the sea, as long as there is a piece of land in front, the future development below it, then the location would be fine. The most important is the compass direction.
Well, the installation was done on an auspicious day about two week ago, the day when the Heaven door was opened and today,big prayer celebration was for all involved with this project to come forward and offer a prayer to the Datuk Kong.

Believe it or not the "Chai" that was hanging at the door came out. Unlucky nobody buy it. He!

Hatyai,Thailand

Sunday trip

As a normal Sunday, after clearing the garden, my wife ask whether we are still going for a short trip to Hatyai. We woke up our son who is around for his semester break.
The journey is very smooth and upon reaching Kayu Hitam ,on the Malaysia side, we parked our car at the Duty free complex and just walked over to Danuk, Thailand border town. Took the local van in front of 7-eleven costing each of us RM5 for the trip to Hatyai. It was not very crowded at this time for most the tourist normally arrived at the border at around 6.00am local time. Why so early? Well, some want to be there early so as not to waste precious time. For us the local,Thailand time is almost 11.00am when boarding the van. We reached Hatyai almost 12.00 noon. We went straight to Lee Garden to buy toiletries for my younger son at Boots Pharmacy .His regular product is FCUK and recently bought one Bontanical product for him to try..
After that we went down to Basement to check whether the Japanese restaurant sold there were cheap as claim by one of my Japanese friend during my last trip with him over here. I did not follow him for lunch during that trip for my wife and I always enjoy the buffet at the restaurant on top of Lee Garden hotel.
As usual, my wife decided to go to the local coffe shop behind Lee Garden for our lunch. Well, the Thai chef cooked the Tom Yam very well. and also not to misss the Pat Si Yu, Kao Pat, Pak Pak Rom Meet. Total cost for lunch was Baht 210.
After our lunch , we proceed to the Central Supermarket situated below Noveltel
Did not but anything and we left for Hatyai central market. Upon arrival we went over to the store where we normally purchase our dry staff. ( dried grape, ikan bilis, and fish stomach. after asking her to pack, we went to the back where we normally purchase our leather bags, shoe,T Shirt and blah blah .........

We left Hatyai at around 4.00pm and upon reaching Danuk, we went into the Duty Free complex for final shopping but still did not get items from there.
Drove through the Malaysian Custom. Nothing to declare at all due to only foods stuff.
Arrived back to Penang at around 8.00pm and again stop at Teslco, along the Jelutong Express Highway. Bought the breakfast stuff for my son and finalised arrived back home at nearly 10.00pm.

Total 4 hours in Hatyai. WELL THIS IS OUR NORMAL TRIP TO THAILAND BORDER TOWN when we want to take a short break out of Malaysia.