Made it good in KL.

It was on the first of May, 1980 when I first came to Kuala Lumpur in search of a job. I felt a certain apprehension about my interview the next day because I did not have a degree, not even a diploma! All I had was a Malaysian Certificate of Education (MCE). I was never an ‘A’ student. As luck would have it, I landed the job with a starting salary of RM510.00 per month.

During those days, that salary was reasonable and I could “pull through’ every month. Basic necessities were not so expensive and I managed to save some money at the end of every month. I was determined to make good in this city. I wanted more because I was going to start a family. So, I moonlighted! I sold newspapers and tit-bits. It was tough but I survived. Juggling between two jobs wasn’t easy. I had to sell the papers in the wee hours of the morning (at Petaling Street) and by 9.00am, I had to be in the office (at Jalan P.Ramlee).

To cut a long story short, I was retrenched in 1987 because the company went bust! But I was compensated. With the compensation and my little savings, I opened a small eatery in the city. My eatery still stands today, twenty-two years on. I considered myself luckier than most people and I thanked God for that!


Lady Boss and her helpers

A culmination of honesty, hard work and determination eventually paid off! I’m certainly not a millionaire but I am able to live in average comfort. Kuala Lumpur had been kind to me. Kuala Lumpur is a veritable goldmine for anyone interested in making an honest living. Opportunities are everywhere. It’s a matter of whether one knows how to look for them!

And, oh boy, how this city has changed! I would never have imagined in a span of only three decades, Kuala Lumpur had undergone an amazing metamorphosis from an ordinary city to what she is now; ultra modern, dynamic and vibrant. This city never ceased to amaze. You’d be amazed with her that’s for sure! A safe, fascinating and wonderful city! This is one of the “must visit’ cities of the world.


The oldest shopping mall (above) and the newest shopping mall (below)


It is the multi-racial composition that makes this city unique. The social integration of the three main races, namely, the Malays, the Chinese and the Indians is something every city dweller can be proud of. Take a leisure stroll in the city anytime, any day and you’d know exactly what I’m saying. From the locals to the foreign tourists, everyone agrees that Kuala Lumpur “is the place to be”. It is the “happening” city.

Kuala Lumpur never “stands still”! How true! How true! It’s business as usual. The morning rush to work and the usual “chaotic” scene on the roads are the daily norm! This is what makes this city exciting. Everyone is rushing, rushing! Welcome to Kuala Lumpur!


A typical morning rush

Another plus factor in this city is something that comes from the heart. There are many city folks who would go the extra mile to offer assistance unconditionally to the less fortunate. That’s the true spirit of 1MALAYSIA. And corporate companies too provide cash donations. We care for our fellow Malaysians just as we care for the foreigners who “dropped-by”. We, as always, play the hospitable host to these foreigners as they are our guests.

Tourists, from near and afar, are “pampered to the hilt!” We want them to have a pleasant stay in this city. There are many things to do and see here. They just have to discover for themselves. Take their time to enjoy. After all, I’m sure they have all the time in the world!

What would this city be like if it is every man for himself? So unity and peace is everything to us. Without these, we simply cannot progress further. And we are very lucky. We have both. We are people of diverse cultures living in harmony and are able to blend perfectly well! Our diversity is the envy of many nations throughout the world. We have to show the world our commitment, our determination and our desire to live harmoniously, to co-exists together peacefully in this country we so proudly called 1MALAYSIA. We placed great emphasis on the importance of unity among the races! And thanked God, we have succeeded! We cannot stop for a moment and falter! If we can do that, it would auger victory for us.

And we would be asking for trouble if we take unity for granted! It is not something that we can buy off the rack. Without unity, we cannot move forward, we cannot prosper! Many countries in the world failed miserably because there’s disunity among their people. We cannot let this happen to us at all cost! The stakes are high! We cannot gamble on it!

All Malaysians have to come together! We cannot let internal bickering get into our way. Do not be too quick to condemn or get embroiled in petty quarrels among ourselves! There must be a natural love and empathy between us. And everyone knows; an understanding approach would go a long way in fostering unity among the races! There’s no doubt about that!


Unity in unision

We can do it. Let’s prove to the world we’re committed and determined. There are many ways to foster a closer rapport with all the races. One such is through the stomach. Come, let’s go for teh tarik. It’s only 3.00 in the morning! 1MALAYSIA Boleh!