The 65 Storey Komtar

While attending a dinner in Komtar.
Meeting of Old friends


Staff that work together.....and consultant friends too


Family friend.....................and gathering of some staff

What can you see from 59 storey.

I was instructed to see the last construction stage of this high rise (65 storey Komtar) by my former boss while constructing his Hotel Equatorial . The casting of the last few floors and also the dismantling of the Tower crane. Once a week , I would visit this building and observed every details of the construction methodology.

Well, I took some memorable photos of the completed Penang Times Square (Phase 1) from 59th floor. Normally, my son, XY, would repeat his comments :" Dad, you should have requested from your bosses some complimentary nights stay in hotels that you have constructed for them!!! Oop!, I have forgotten to tell him that I was invited for lunchs by them when return from my Oversea job.
Note: For my niece and nephew who are in USA . You can update this pictures in Google Map if you need them.



At 6.56 pm


At 7.01 pm



At 9.38 pm.
It would be beautiful when the advertisement boards around the building are set up.

Traditional Malay Wedding

A trip to Kuala Kurau, Perak on 21/12/2008


Azhahar, Azmi and me


Azmi, wife and youngest son, Aizad..
Azhahar,wife and his two children.

My Malay staff, Azmi and his brother invited us to his relative wedding and we reached there around 3.30pm after our lunch in Permatang Pauh. My wife has always wanted me to travel out of Penang Island but then I was always tired after my work. This Sunday was very exception and we definitely made this trip



Bersanding Area /........................................ and the Guest reception area


Where the wedding cermony and food was served


The Bridge linking Kuala Kurau to Kuala Gula



Villager fishing ( tangkul)along the small channel

Fish farming along the river#


The approaching of Kulau Kurau bridge......... Fish farming along the river

Bamboo Chicken

Jungle food

I requested this food and it was made and served.
Thank to the Chef, Colgate. It took him 4 hours to cook it and the only comment from him was that he could not find thinner bamboo section for cooking.

Anyway. Chin Na HoChiak.

The Auspicious Chinese Wedding

The Happily Married Couple on 8/12/2008.
(Chinese Lunar date 11/11/08)


Wedding Dinner in Nibong Tebal

In one of the Ivory project, there is a Aluminum Contractor that helped to finish our Project for us due to unforeseen problem. I received a Wedding invitation card from him. It stated that his younger brother was getting married. Well, recalling the event in our project, I was very grateful to both of them for not giving up the job and finally the project was completed on time.

I have attended many wedding dinners but for this particular one there were many extra events and one of them was the Dragon dance and also the singer who came down to our table dancing with my friends. Well, it started as a normal wedding dinner with speeches and Honorable host thanking the quest and dancing troupe and finally ended like a Contractor dinner with round and round of beer drinking for my table. Let the party beginning!!
I drank a glass of beer only for I have to drive all of them(4) back to Penang.



The Dragon Dance on this Auspicious Day ...........and the wedding car


The Bridegroom brother with me and my Senior Staff recalling the job we did



Not to miss the dancer visiting our table and the free flow of beer for our table

A Trip to Ipoh

Eat! Eat! Eat!.
Chiak! chiak! chiak

What? A trip by Molly's son with his girlfriend to Ipoh, one day trip just to eat the food over there? That is really crazy!!.. No dad, my son who was sitting behind with his friend answered immediately. He told us that many of his friends did that and this is life.
Crazy or mad, well, we were on our way to Ipoh and just because XY and my wife requested to eat the famous Ipoh Koay Teow . We were supposed to leave in the morning but due to uncalled events in the Site, we only left at 4.00pm from my house.


Wow, me on the wheel

Raining during part of our journey but we arrived there safely in 1 hour and 30 minutes. The toll cost was Rm 12.80/trip and Rm 5.60 ( only if you purchase your Touch & Go at the Penang Bridge office) for the bridge toll into Penang island.

Below are pictures of the Koay Teow Noodle
Many Ajinomoto Lah!!!!
Other than this ,we also went to Ipoh Parade Complex and Jusco and ended buying XY a phone to replace his spoilt W810.
Indeed, a Christmas present for him.



XY with me...............................................................and best friend Chin Liew



Chin Liew and XY 's mum.......................................The chicken



Koay Teow................................................................the cilli sauce



The meat ball, extra order.......................................the beam sprout

German Restaurant

Type of food

Beside where I am staying there is a German restaurant . Before entering this restaurant, I gave a call to my Xing Yi and asked for his advice and the answer was that they serve very tasty Pork Knuckle and sausages in this place. What type of food do this restaurant really serve? The only dish that I could recall was the Pork knuckle that was treated by my X boss in Thailand. Fortunately, they do not serve Pork Knuckle today and I was forced to taste one with the Pork sausage. At the end of dinner, all of us were very satisfied with the food served.

Could not recall the food name but they were very tasty and delicious. Hoh Chiak

The Surprise Gathering

The lucky man

Leaving the company for an Oversea Job will have the full blessing from us. Time for us to wish him all the best and also to enjoy the food in that restaurant. Very surprised to me, we have most the departments here tonight to celebrate this special occasion : QS, Construction, Purchasing, Marketing, Advertising, Legal, Account and  Procurement

Life in the Construction Industry.

Done
What made you enter this line?

I do not really remember why I took this profession but it just took off straight after my Form 5 examination. But this might possible link to my present job, building assembling toy bought by my Eldest sister to me on my birthday ( If I am right) . what is the toy. Most of us know Lego set is made of plastic but this set that I have been given was made of wood.

Well, my sister was always telling my parent that I could not be academic sound but maybe in practical work. She was right and here I am working through many companies for the passed 31 years. These were the projects that I have gone through: 1) Highway, Kuala Lumpur 2) Chemical Plant, Singapore 3) Substation (Iran) 4) Oil and Gas, Indonesia 5) Asian Bintulu Fertiliser Plant, Sarawak, 6) Hotel Equatorial,Northam Suite, Gurney Hotel, Penang 7) Inventec, Penang 8) True telecoms Tower, Bangkok 9) Highrise Buildings: City One, Leader Garden, Univercity Plaza 10) Logistics factory, Penang. 11) Star publication, Penang and etc Well, most of the projects except Hospital. I am consider very lucky to learn engineering through all these projects: civil,mechanical works, building works , chemical plants, light and heavy industries , oil and gas and power sub station. The most important was that all the Project Managers in all these projects were good trainers and guidance and through them I gained the habit of teaching my present staff.

"Obeiliao", (hokkien dialect meaning keep on learning) from one project to the next
In construction we have many stories to tell you all and what you are about to hear are true happenings in the our life.

The Gambler
Staying in Iran for 3 years would seem to be very tough but then this was not so for the camp facilites were good and even for meals, breakfast to dinner, we have a chef from the ship that cooked very well. We have nothing to worry except for our job even though the civil war was just over.
Daily working hours start at 8.00am and end at 7.00pm. We will rest every alternate Sunday and sometime we would all go to the nearest town called Chalous.. to be with the civilization!!..
What recreational activities do you have in the camp? let me tell you all about my first..
My Daily activities :
1. Woke up at 7.00am. Took my radio( the best camp at that time Sony ICF 2001) to the toilet and fixed the aerial that was installed by electrician. Turn to BBC world news and then locked myself in the cubicle toilet. There were 8 cubicles toilet in one 40 foot long container. Normally, I could hear somebody calling me to on the radio louder for they also wished to hear the new. In Iran this is the only source of gathering information from the outside world. Well, everybody was very happy of my radio!!!.
2. started work and finished at 7.00pm
3. took our dinner in Mass hall and then only to the bathroom for our bath.
4. At around 8.30pm we would assemble in the camp and watched our movies of the day.
5. For some staff they would go to any room and started to gamble., THE DOMINOS,
("pi KOA") . At this point, I would like to introduced you all to the Habits!!! of construction workers.
One of their best hobby is GAMBLING.

There is this man whom we called the man from China. We called ÄH LEE". Why we called him the China man. According to some workers whom have known him for many years, they told me that he was an escapee from China. He swam from Mainland China to Hong Kong when he was s small boy and then took a boat to Singapore. Wow, great lah and a very humble man at this age, around 35!!
He controlled the concrete Batching Plant and it was from him that I learned all the tricks ( good one) of Testing concrete cubes,repairing the Plant and also not to forget the 3 No of concrete truck from Japan. As for the concrete mix design, He would firmly asked me to go to my Project Manager for advice.


be back tomorrow or later of his habits, that his earning ,Sin 20,000 and losing it in just single night........... what does he do when he went back for his R & R in singapore......
A binocular .............. and where to ................

Type of games that construction people play

1) Domino ("Pi Kao"in Hokkein dialect)

The domino game

2) Cards ( "Pa Kao")

3) Four Match Stick ("Si Ki Ya")

4) Chap Or (in hokkien dialect)

5) Mahjong

The rest of legal games are

1) Horse racing (the worst)

2) 4 D ( Magnum, Da Ma Cai)

3 Loto, 4D (Sportstoto)