More on Teoh's Case - Taken from thesundaily.com

Boon Hwa to provide his DNA sample in 2 days: Gobind Giam Say Khoon PETALING JAYA (July 30, 2009): Kajang Municipal Councillor Tan Boon Hwa who failed to provide his DNA sample for the Teoh Beng Hock's inquest on Wednesday, will do so within two days, said his lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, who is also acting for Teoh's family. In a press conference today at the DAP headquarters, Gobind reiterated that witnesses Tan and Lee Wye Wing are willing do give full cooperation to the authorities in uncovering the truth behind Teoh's death. He clarified that Tan had to attend the inquest on Wednesday when he was summoned by the police to provide his DNA sample in the morning. He said once he can reach the investigating officer who summoned Tan for the sample, he will bring Tan to the police station for his DNA sample to be collected. As for Lee, an employee of the company that supplied flags to a state government project, Gobind said he is currently overseas and once he returns, he will get him to give his DNA sample. At the Teoh death inquest on Wednesday, government-appointed lawyer Tan Hock Chuan had told the coroner's court that two people, who he did not name, had refused to give their DNA sample to help police find a match for the DNA trace of an unknown male found on Teoh's body. (More later)

Updated: 02:50PM Thu, 30 Jul 2009

And the plot thickens..

TEOH BENG HOCK Teoh Beng Hock

I read this on my email this morning and extracted it from Bernama's website.. Click the link if you wanna see the real deal.

July 29, 2009 17:03 PM

Unidentified DNA Trace Found On Teoh's Blazer, Inquest Told

SHAH ALAM, July 29 (Bernama) -- The DNA trace of an unidentified man was found on the back of the blazer and belt of political aide Teoh Beng Hock who fell to his death at the Plaza Masalam here on July 16, the inquest into Teoh's death was told today before it was adjourned to Aug 5.

Government-appointed lawyer Tan Hock Chuan, who is assisting the inquest conducted by coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas, told the court the "mystery man" had yet to be identified although samples of DNA were taken by the Chemistry Department from 102 individuals.

Tan said that besides the DNA trace of the "mystery man", Teoh's DNA trace was also found on the blazer and belt.

"Samples were taken from 102 individuals to determine whether their DNA profile matched the unidentified DNA trace. The DNA profile reports of 90 of the individuals are ready while the remaining 12 have yet to be obtained.

"I was also informed by the investigating officer that two people had declined to have their DNA samples taken," he said.

Teoh, 30, political aide to Selangor state executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead on July 16 on the fifth floor corridor of Plaza Masalam here after having given a statement as a witness to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over allegations of misuse of funds by Selangor state executive councillors. The MACC office is located on the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam.

On July 22, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced that an inquest would be held to determine the cause of Teoh's death. He also said that a royal commission of inquiry would be set up to determine the standard operating procedure of questioning of witnesses and suspects by the MACC.

At the inquest today, Lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, who is holding a watching brief for Teoh's family, wanted to know whether the DNA profile of any of the 90 individuals matched the DNA trace of the unidentified man.

He said this was one more reason why the court should adjourn the hearing, pending the outcome of the whole process of DNA profiling. Tan said it would be better for the chemist himself to say whether any of the 90 DNA profiles matched the DNA trace.

Earlier, Gobind Singh had asked for an adjournment of the inquest for at least 10 days to allow time to study all the reports relevant to the case.

He had also said that the hearing should be adjourned until a reply from the prime minister to a request for the cause of Teoh's death to be determined by the royal commission of inquiry to be set up in connection with the case.

"If the prime minister accedes to the request, then there is no necessity for this inquest," he said.

Gobind Singh said the family was attending the inquest under protest, not with any intention to belittle the court but to convey the stand that the cause of Teoh's death should be determined by the royal commission of inquiry.

He also questioned why Teoh's family were not given notice of the inquest as legally required, which was at least two weeks from the date of death.

Outside the court, Gobind Singh commented on the matter of the two individuals who had declined to have their DNA samples taken, saying: "I don't know who they are. I can only assume because two people came to me today and said they were requested yesterday evening to go to the 'balai' (police station)."

He said he knew one of them but not the other.

"It is not that they did not want to cooperate but they could not make it (to the police station) as they had to attend court today.

"What importance is that they have found DNA traces on the body. I think it is very important for me to identify who it belongs to," said Gobind Singh, expressing the hope that the police would wrap up their investigation and send the report to him.

He said he was happy with the adjournment, and added that it would give time to prepare the case in greater detail.

"I think the granting of the adjournment set the right direction since we have just been given the documents, post-mortem report, forensic report, DNA report, chemist's report and, therefore, certainly we need time to consider these reports.

"We also need time to give these reports to our independent experts to give their independent opinion on it. It is necessary for one of our lawyers to fly overseas to meet the experts to get their opinion directly," he said.

-- BERNAMA

Never Look back and ask "why", but look forward and say "why not"

This I got from my email and thought I wanted to share with you all.

A very valuable lesson to learn...

Interesting quote from the movie "Why did I get married?"

In most cases, especially in relationships, you will only get 80% of what you NEED and you will hardly get the other 20% that you WANT in your relationship. There is always another person (man or women) that you will meet and that will offer you the other 20% which is lacking in your relationship that you WANT. And believe me, 20% looks really good when you are not getting it at all in your current relationship.

But the problem is that you will always be tempted to leave that good 80% that you know you have, thinking that you will get something better with the other 20% that you WANT. But as reality has proven, in most cases, you will always end up with having the 20% that you WANT and loosing the 80% that you really NEED and that you already had.

Be careful in deciding between what you WANT and NEED in your life.

Adultery happens when you start looking for what you don't have. "Wow, this girl in my office is a real looker. But it's not her Wynona Rider features that got me. I'm crazy about her because she's also understanding, intelligent, tender - so many things that my spouse is not"

Somewhere along the way, you'll find a woman or a man who will be more charming or sensitive. More alluring. More thoughtful. Richer. Have greater sex appeal. And you will find a woman or man who will need you and pursue you and go loco over you more than your spouse ever did.

Because no wife or husband is perfect. Because a spouse will only have 80% of what you're looking for. So adultery takes place when a husband or wife looks for the missing 20%. Let's say your wife is melancholic by nature.

You may find yourself drawn to the pretty clerk who has a cherry laugh no matter what she says: "I broke my arm yesterday, Hahahaha . . .."

Or because your wife is a homebody in slippers and pajamas, smelling of garlic and fish oil, you may fall for a fresh-smelling young sales representative that visits your office in a sharp black blazer, high heels, and a red pencil-cut skirt Or because your husband is the quiet type, your heart may skip a beat when you meet an old college flame who has the makings of a talk show host.

But wait! That's only 20% of what you don't have.

Don't throw away the 80% that you already have!

That's not all. Add to your spouse's 80% the 100% that represents all the years that you have been with each other. The storms you have weathered together. The unforgettable moments of sadness and joy as a couple. The many adjustments you have made to love the other. The wealth of memories that you've accumulated as lovers.

Adultery happens when you start looking for what you don't have.

But faithfulness happens when you start thanking God for what you already have.

But I'm not just talking about marriage. I'm talking about life!

About your jobs.
About your friends.
About your children.
About your lifestyles.

Are you like the economy airline passenger that perennially peeks through the door of the first class cabin, obsessed with what he's missing? "They have got more leg room! Oh my, their food is served in porcelain! Wow, their seats recline at an 80% angle and they've got personal videos!"

I guarantee you'll be miserable for the entire trip! Don't live your life like that. Forget about what the world says is first class. Do you know that there are many first class passengers who are miserable in first class -- because they are not riding in a private Lear Jet?

The main message???

If you start appreciating what you have right now, wherever you are, you are first class!

Qbar KK - The 'Girls' are at it again!

QbarrabQQbarrabQQbarrabQQbarrabQQbarrabQQbarrabQ

Back to school - Wondering what it would feel like to be in school uniform again.

Apart from the obvious fetish or a weird sense of dressing, no one would dare get back into those rayon slacks and crisp-ironed white shirts.

But the people at QBAR did!

Word on the event spread quickly. 'Everyone' was probably just dying to dress up, especially since Halloween is another 3 months away.

So when the night of the event came, it turned out looking like tear out of a Manga Page ; men, women, manwoman, womanman came in their old uniforms and old school ties.

I must admit, I was not there, but from the photo, I gather that it was a night of sizzling fun!

Dr. Birute Galdikas strikes again!!

First to confirm declining Orang utan birth rate

PRIMATOLOGIST Dr Birute Mary Galdikas 63 is the world’s foremost authority on orangutans, having spent 40 years living among these creatures in the forests of Indonesian Kalimantan. Thanks to her research, man now has a better understanding of his closest cousin which may even have pleased Charles Darwin, who famously pondered on the origin of the species.

She is one of three western women to ded­icate their lives to studying apes, the others being Jane Goodall (chimpanzees) and late Dianne Fossey (gorillas) who was mur­dered by poachers. While both Jane and Diane worked in Africa, Galdikas turned to Borneo – and all looked upon Dr Louis Leakey as mentor.

Galdikas is Founder-President of Orangutan Foundation International (OFI) dedicated to the conservation of wild orang utans, and their rainforest habitat. Her research camp, dubbed "Camp Leakey", which she established in Tanjung Puting National Park (Kalimantan Tengah) 38 years ago is now a world centre for orang utan studies and tourist destination.

Now an Indonesian citizen, the Lithuanian-born Dr Galdikas' efforts in lobbying for the preservation of the tropical rainforests, in Kalimantan Tengah, resulted in saving close to two million hectares of forests for the orang utans.

She reckoned, her dedication to the orang utan cause also cost her first marriage with both her first husband and some who grew up with orang utans deciding to return to western civilization. She decided to stay on and has since remarried a rice farmer who is also a Tribal President. She has a son and daughter from him.

Dubbed by some as Mother Theresa of the Orang Utan, she recently visited Sabah where she talked to Daily Express Special Writer Mary Chin and Chief Editor James Sarda about how she ended up becoming best friend, spokesperson and saviour of these creatures.

­­­­­

DEALING with apes, particularly studying their behaviour the past 40 years in the forests of Kalimantan, afforded an opportunity to Dr Birute Galdikas to confront one of man's most pressing questions - did we evolve from apes as Charles Darwin theorised more than a century ago?

She recalls posing a question as an 11-year-old to a Roman Catholic priest in her class about evolution.

"Instead, the priest asked me a question. He said, 'if human beings descended from monkeys (as some believe), then why don't we see monkeys evolving into human beings right in front of our very eyes today?" '

When she went to study orang utans and learned about evolution and biology; that was one of the ques­tions that was in the back of her mind.

"I mean, other people would have answered that much better than I ever could. But that was the question that I asked and continued to ask, and that was what the Roman Catholic priest asked me.

"I was like an 11-year-old girl and I couldn't answer him. I knew nothing, but it was a legitimate question."

When pressed whether she is a believer in Darwinism or the story of Genesis as found in the Holy Bible, DrGaldikas has this to say.

"It's not a question of whether you believe in it or not. It's not a belief. It's a fact. It's a very fine fact that evolu­tion has taken place on this planet."

Asked if the evolution was coming down from apes to man, she suggested there must have been a proverbial missing link somewhere when this transfor­mation happened but that the information we need is not available.

"No, I think it's coming down from creatures who were our ancestors and also the ancestors of humans. So we share ancestors with the great apes but the creatures that were our ancestors, say 10 million years ago, weren't like the apes we find now and weren't like the people we find now.

"There was something a little bit different. But if we encounter them on the streets, we probably would say that they were apes. So, yes, we share a common ances­tor with the great apes," she theorised.

"We can't avoid saying so because if we examine our DNA, we share the same genetic sequences with chim­panzees.

"Ninetynine per cent of our genetic sequences are identical with those of chimpanzees. So the reality of evolution cannot be denied. The reality of our ancestry cannot be denied, but has nothing to do with religious belief."

According to her, even Darwin himself said some­thing to the effect that maybe God started the whole process off "but that process of evolution is a very viable one.

"It did happen and continues to happen but not in the macro ways that people suspected."

Dr Galdikas has in the course of her 40 years in the Indonesian jungle, also made some significant findings about orang utan behaviour that has contributed to the body of knowledge about these primates.

Firstly, the extreme birth interval of orang utan females.

"Before my work, people thought that orang utan females gave birth once every three or four years. After I had worked in Kalimantan for maybe 20 years, I was able to document the fact that orang utans have the longest birth interval of any wild mammal in the world.

"In Kalimantan a female orang utan gives birth once every eight years. When I first published this, people were surprised, saying then they are very vulnerable to extinction. Well, that's true."

Expanding on her findings, scientists who worked in northern Sumatra several years later found their com­bined data showed that over there the orang utans gave birth on average once every 10 years.

"I was the first person that brought this to world attention.

Dr Galdikas also found that wild orang utans gave birth for the first time once they are 16 years of age.

"I have also done work on reproductive behaviour of the males and the fact that you have two classes of males. You have males who are basically fully adult and. capable of mating but they like to have cheek pads.

And we have the cheek-padded branch males who tend to be more dominant."

According to her, it has been very interesting to see what are the conditions under which a sub-adult male basically desires to be a branch male or cheek-padded male.

"This is because in the lifetime of an orang utan it seems to depend on the presence of other males in the vicinity. So if you have a lot of branch males in the vicinity, then the sub-adult male isn't going to become a branch male.

"He is going to wait because the competition is too extreme. Now if you have just sub-adult males in the vicinity and not branch males, then sub-adult males are going to become branch or cheek-padded males very early," she pointed out.

She said the different kind of reproductive tac­tics by these two classes of males not only has consequences for individual orang utan life histories but it also has consequences for orang utan evolution.

"So, if as is happening now, branch males or cheek-padded males are being shut out because they are not visible, then that is altering the selection process for orang utan males in general," she said, adding she has done a lot of work on the reproduction of the males.

Generally, male orang utans are not successful in attracting sexually receptive females until they have developed large cheek pads. Female orang utans find these cheek pads attractive.

Extracted from the Daily Express Sabah, Sunday 26^th July 2009 Page 7.

Becoming Rich from the Internet

I received a mail from an old friend this morning and this is what he had to say: -

Hi,

We have all heard stories about some poor chap who started a business on the internet and went on to make an indecent amount of cash. Personally, I’m a skeptic but there are just too many such stories to ignore that there is a chance the internet is really a money making instrument.

So….I have decided to go on a quest to experiment and see if this might really work out. At this point in time, I have absolutely no knowledge about starting and maintaining a business online. Common sense tells me that I’ll need to find out and learn among others, the following

1. How to identify and workout deals to get products to sell
2. A business oriented website vs. conventional websites – how to setup and what are the differences?
3. How to get hits on search engines
4. payment methods
5. logistics…..the list goes on

I will learn all this and I will put it to the test. But first things first, before anything can happen I need to create something called an “opt in list” and here is where I’ll need your help. An “opt in list” is basically just a list of people who are interested in purchasing goods online. Sounds insignificant but for an online business, it is bargaining power to access online business communities. By being in a list, you indicate that you are open to receive ads and promotions via email.

For me, creating this list itself is an experiment. I would like you to be part of my “opt in list”. If you have doubts about buying and selling online, the 2^nd part of my email is my 2 cents worth about the subject. Here’s what you do to be included in my list.

1. Instead of replying to this email, write an email with the subject “Opt in list” and send to kevin.chiu76@gmail.com Try not to use your office time and email to do this as I do not intend to steal your company resources.
2. Preferably, you may indicate in the email, what you are interested to receive promotions on.
3. If you own an online business, I would appreciate if you could share your experiences with me.
4. Pass this email to some friends of yours (preferably someone I do not know) who may be interested. This is not a chain letter so if you decide not to do anything, nothing will happen to you. But wouldn’t you like to try and see what happens? After all, you’ve already read so much.

I cannot offer you anything for being on my list because obviously I haven’t made anything from this. I can promise you though that the email you give will not be abused. I also encourage that if you are interested to setup your own online business, I’ll share with you all my resources and whatever I learn from this.

The above 4 steps are necessary simply for the reason that I want the people in my list to be a little serious about this whole thing. Then after you’ve done it, allow some time for me to set it up properly.

So that’s that, as promised I’ll share with you my experiences on buying stuff online. I have only bought flowers, a rare electronic tool, computer parts and plane tickets off the internet…..so far so good. Delivery time is excellent and price is way below what I would have to pay if I bought the same items in a conventional manner.

For those who have never tried buying online, some benefits include

1. Access to goods not available locally
2. Lower price because there’s no need to cover costs such as rent and other overheads.
3. Goods delivered to almost any address and you shop from anywhere with internet access.
4. Unlike stores, there are no operating hours
5. No long queues at the counter and you don’t even need to take cash out of your wallet.

But just to be fair, there are some limitations to shopping online

1. Some online businesses only deliver to certain parts of the world
2. Although there are other payment methods, you almost certainly would need to have a credit card.

When we buy or sell on the internet, it is a whole different business platform. In retrospect, we are buying from and selling to the whole world! Every year it is estimated that an additional more than 200 million people world wide get connected. So the market size itself is growing at an exponential rate. Even if a miniscule portion of that number shows interest in what we’re selling, it’s a lot. But you probably knew that already.

As you can see, my knowledge now is rather shallow. But I intend to change that……Let’s find out what happens

hmm... very interesting

When the Old are young again

Coming Soon - A new feature on the recent event at QBar..

FOOOOOOD - KK's Thien Thien Restaurant

The Marketing, Admin and IT team had the opportunity to try out one of KK's better known HALAL Chinese Restaurants, fondly known as Thien Thien Restaurant to the locals. Located on Jalan Pantai, adjacent to the City Hall HQ, this restaurant would quickly fill up for lunch and dinner.

Susan and the Boys

The Girls

The most popular item on the menu would of course be the quickest to prepare such as Chicken Kon Low Noodle and Spicy Chicken Rice. But being savvy (and discerning?) diners, we were there because we wanted to try out several of its recommended dishes.

Beancurd and Bamboo Shoot

Chicken in Black Vinegar Sauce

Bak Choy with XO Sauce

Seaweed and Seafood Soup

One thing was certain, when the food arrived, our table went silent.

Why?

Because everyone was happily eating.

The food was good and engredients were fresh, plus it wasn't pricy for a popular restaurant.

Can't wait until the next lunch outing..

Bunga - Flower , Raya - Big

Savour one of Borneo's best in services and facilities.

A great experience just minutes away from the hustle and bustle of Kota Kinabalu Sabah

Bunga Raya - This tropical genus of 220 species of plant produces brightly colored flowers, some with flamboyant petals that could liven up even the most listless of souls.

My story is directed towards Gayana Eco Resort, in their ever expanding horizon has succeeded in coming up with the Bunga Raya (the local malay name for the Hibiscus) which is a high-end Island Beach Resort like no other.

This exclusive retreat offer packages that matches its 5-star service reputation, and to top that, personalized facilities that could make most beach resorts envious.

The timber villas are nicely tucked away in the tranquil and hidden Polish Bay on Gaya Island, with a 1-km stretch of white sandy beach fronting it. Each villa is built to reflect the simple but elegant architectural style that is unique to Borneo, and blended-in carefully with the natural surrounding vegetation for the aesthetic pleasure of discerning guests.

The launch in August 2009 sees the completion of 2-years of hard work and planning, and the simultaneous start of operation for its 47 units of accommodation, which ranges from Standard Villas to Royal Villa. Facilities at the resort includes an Infinity Pool, a Jungle Spa, Trekking Course, a Dive Centre, Water Sports Centre, Conference Facilities for 200 people, a Fitness Centre, a Wine Cave and a Beach-Bar & Grill aside from the Clubhouse which commands a grand view of the South China Sea.

By the way, the resort is for grown-ups only! Children under the age of 12 are not allowed. This we were told was set in to conserve the pristine conditions of the island which is far from the hustle, bustle and stress of the city.

When you're old, go for a facelift...

I was pleasantly surprised the other day, while walking along Wisma Merdeka. The old food court is going through a facelift and looks great! For those who don't know where it is, it is on the 2nd floor, old wing of Wisma Merdeka.

Just to tinkle your senses, here's what you might see when you get there..

Sukau (pronounced as SoooooCow)

Now as I am writing this, a tiny bat brushed past my face twice. The area is serene, while the air is clean and the environment – almost magical. As if the air itself is infused with vigor and life.

Not 5 minutes after Winston came up to me to hand me my room keys, Saat the Lodge Manager pulled me away from the growing crowd that was congregating around Mr. Teo, the Managing Director of the Sukau Rainforest Lodge.

"Good!" I thought.

This would give me the opportunity to empty my bladder which has been retaining fluid for the whole 2-hour overland journey from Sandakan to Sukau.

But then again, odds would always play cruelly against your will. I was brought to the Information Gallery instead.

"Macaques.." Saat said.

I looked at him oddly and then asked him why, after several seconds of uncomfortable silence.

He pointed to one of the hanging Coconut Pots which barely had a living plant in it, and explained that a troop of long-tailed macaques have been hanging around the lodge and eating the flowering orchids. Apparently they have acquired the taste for orchids, especially the bright succulent ones.

And as I nodded in comprehension, we reached the information gallery which was at the other end of the verandah. It was rather cool, like a scene out of a jungle movie, with shaded areas complimented by warm lighting and Borneo motifs, quite fashionable as it had the minimalistic décor effect that everyone was after nowadays.

Strolling further down, I realized that we were already walking along a covered pathway, apparently 1.45 km which looked pretty mysterious.

I had to remind myself constantly that I am in the rainforest of Borneo, the real thing, not museum stuff that we are all used to. The sounds, the darkness, the dampness, the smell….

Wait a minute! What about the 'Sights'?

Well, this was explained to me in detail by Saat that unlike the grasslands of Africa, animals in the deep rainforests are masters of camouflage. You may smell them, you may hear them, but don't be disappointed if you don't see them. They're there alright, perhaps calmly looking down at pale-skinned bipeds (humans) walking past, just occasionally croaking, or chirping, or hooting to get us all excited every once in a while. And to think that we rule the world. SHEESH!

One thing is for sure though. It is pretty obvious why this piece of heaven is called a rainforest. The very air that you breathe in causes your nostrils to go damp. My bed is damp, my shirt is damp, the floor is damp, and even this notebook that I am writing on is limp from the moisture in the air. Scanning the parameters of my room, a bible sits all crinkly on the nightstand, while my bed-side lamp flickers from the surge in electricity, which gives it the effect of candlelight, but brighter.

Don't get me wrong about the dampness though. It's surprisingly cooler here than in the bustling city, and obviously quieter, evident from the efficiency and speed of my writing. Finally, for once I can hear myself think again.

Recalling the rest of the evening that just went past, I think I should have taken the boat up so that I could ride the Kinabatangan to spot wildlife, and now I am jealously admiring the excitement felt by the guests that witnessed an Orang Utan and a troop of Proboscis Monkey during the afternoon boat trip. I promised myself that I'd be on the first boat out for the River Safari in the morning.

I am hungry. The faint smell of garlic sweating over a hot stove from the nearby kitchen has enticed my appetite. Oh dear! Now I am thinking of the superb lunch I had with a couple of friends at Sim Sim Market in Sandakan earlier; juicy and flaky grilled fish and rice, with a generous helping of Calamari and vegetable ala Java. There were 3 of us eating but I only paid RM 25. BARGAIN!!

Back to reality. Apparently dinner is an experience on its own here at Sukau Rainforest Lodge. Firstly, I have never seen that many people in batik sarong, and secondly dinner is served on the jetty, under the stars. Best of all is, at the sound of 3 gong beats, dinner is announced 'served', just like at a western country farm, except with Borneo Class added to it.

Dinner was delightful, about 1 hour after everyone has taken their meal, Brett (the workaholic Ozzy) and I finally sat down to have ours. The meal was buffet style with a mixture of local delicacies and western favorites, but what astounded me was the soup which was super-super good and made me want to go for second or third helping, if only pride wasn't an issue.

Oh! I almost forgot. Before we sat down, while comparing our prowess at alcohol consumption, Stinky the Fishing Owl came splashing into the water and then bounced onto the river bank. To be honest with you, I thought Stinky was a dog at first and wouldn't believe it when Brett told me it was a fishing owl. As far as my eyes could see, it was a brown thing moving about in the grasses and was pretty big. And then Brett explained that the Fishing Owl is one of the biggest of its kind and are pretty common along the Kinabatangan. Hmm.. I am more motivated to go on the morning river cruise now.

Realizing that I was one of the last at the jetty (Brett left earlier as someone was looking for him), I slowly made my way back to the lounge. I could see that the slideshow was already on, but what really caught my attention were two enormous geckos on the wall. Looking more like miniature dinosaurs instead of tiny lizards, these animals could apparently grow up to 1 feet in length, compared to the 3 inches for the common house gecko and 1.5 inches for certain forest geckos. The giant Borneo Gecko emits a 'Tok kay' shrill repeatedly as a mark of territorial dominance. I was awed as I've never seen geckos this big in my life. Wish I had one at home.

An Australian lady here told me that she had always wanted to visit Borneo ever since she first heard of it when she was 13. Now, 45 years later, she finally fulfilled her dreams. I asked her, what made her want to visit Borneo and she replied "the animals, the tribes, the rainforest, the name Borneo". It made me feel blessed to hear this from someone else. I now realize that a place that so many people call home, and sometimes take for granted, is a fantasy to many others, an ambition and even a lifelong dream. I am truly humbled to be living in such a place.

(The Morning After)

"Yang.. Bangun Yang…" my alarm clock went off.

The time on my mobile phone indicated 5:30 am, but I know better that all my timepieces are set 15 minutes faster, so this would be a good time for a short snooze… zzzzzzzz…….

"Knock Knock!!!" two loud raps on my bedroom door suddenly pulled me out of dream state.

Morning cruise!

Took a quick shower, rushed out and was greeted by Fernando the river guide. He asked whether I wanted to join the early morning ox-bow lake trek, which I said yes to, and so he looked at me from top to bottom, which made me self-conscious for a moment until I realized that everyone else were in trekking gear, while I was in my Joseph Aboud shirt and Rip Curl Denim shorts. I SEE!

"Hahahaha.. Stupid me!"

I am not dressed appropriately for the trip; even I wouldn't approve myself trekking looking like this. Trekking the damp forest with leeches crawling up my pants? No way Jose!

*Sigh* Another 1.5 hours until breakfast. Well, this would be a good time to look around the lodge, and perhaps go back to the room for a quick shave.

7:15am rush-rush to the jetty. Mr. Teo was already having breakfast with Saat and we are supposed to ride up to Bilit to drop Mr. Teo for a dialogue session with other operators in the area. I'm relieved that the ideally relaxed condition gave me enough time to grab some marmite on toast and coffee before catching the boat.

I was told that the Sukau Rainforest Lodge has several tree planting sites along the mighty Kinabatangan. Mr. Teo mentioned that the company is continuously searching for barren patches of land along the river to replant trees for forest regeneration. Well, based on what I see, the idea seems to be working. The pilot project which started in the year 2000 has trees over 15 feet tall now, while there are several other sites for replanting which has been granted to Sukau Rainforest Lodge by the Government. What a great way to give back to the environment I thought.

As we were leaving Bilit, I could hear Mr. Teo talking passionately about his experience setting up the lodge, and how in all his effort, tried to bring the local community out of the 'poverty' state of mind through job and business opportunity, and training. 15 years down the line and he is still strongly fastened to his ideas and efforts. I like the idea that one should believe in the power of persistence as it will always pay off in the end. Although progress in terms of human resource development is slow in these parts, the fruits of efforts put in all these years are also beginning to show.

The trip back was a breeze. It was already mid-morning and I didn't expect to spot wildlife as most have retreated back into the coolness of the forest canopy. So I just laid back a little to catch up on nap for a minute or two… or twenty..

Kari Boardwalk connects the jetty to the lounge, and was named after the original owner of the 7-acre land that SRL is on now. As a matter of fact, room number 3 was also named after Kari. Come to think of it, other rooms are also named with the likes of Dr. Dale Straughan (room 1), Dr. Dino (room 2), Dr. Junaidi (room 4), HRH Prince Henrik (room 10, Arq. Hector Caballos (room 11). All of which have visited the lodge once or twice, or 23 times like Dr. Dale.

Just to share with you about an SRL personality, Winston Marshall. He's a white, 60 something man who works as a naturalist here and apparently been living on Borneo for the longest period of time learning about our plants and animals. Witty but deep in knowledge, Winston organizes talks, or walks after breakfast at 10:30am and never ceases to amaze people with his know-hows on local plants which he conducts along the Elephant Walkway (aptly named as a section has been left open to allow elephants through).

As usual, Winston was in the lounge talking to a group of people. He always seems to attract a crowd as he weaves his knowledge into stories. Looking at him, this thick-glassed, heavy framed chap doesn't seem like the type person that would impart knowledge, but looks can be deceiving. Never judge a book by its cover people always say. Winston speaks fluent Malay too By the way, so he sure knows his way around.

"Doooong…. Doooong…Doooong"

Three sounds of the gong temporarily drowned forest sounds to announce that lunch was served. Today's menu included Chicken Curry, Butter Prawn and Sabah Vegetables. It was good and wholesome, cooked all the way through Malaysian style. I had another long chat with Brett about today's happenings. 10 guests checked out this morning and 19 more are on their way up, expected to arrive at 3 pm. This place is always bustling with people. Good sign!

Walking back to the lounge after our meals, Brett showed a group of Australian guests a DracoDraco – or a flying dragon which was hardly visible, unless you looked really hard and closely. It actually changes colours, and this specimen has taken on the colour of the bark it was on, so to the untrained eyes, it may look like another twig.

This reminded me of something I wrote earlier; "you don't see them, they see you".

But, then again all morning Brett has been spotting these creatures which are supposed to be Masters of Disguise. Maybe Brett has special eyes, or maybe he is a gecko incarnate. Whatever it is, he is doing a wonderful job of keeping the guests on their toes with his reptile encounters.

I need to remember "bring a flask of coffee for the Bilit Cruise later". Hopefully wildlife sighting would be good.

The lounge rumbled as the wooden floors started shaking. Lodge staffs were running back to pick the laundry as the first droplets of rain pattered on the roof.

No wonder it was very warm earlier. The warmth was tell-tale sign of the impending rain. Rain is good, rain is cooling. Hang on!! Rain for 2 minutes?!

"Hahahaha… My wish was short-lived." My consolation would be the overcast of clouds, so still it has gotten slightly cooler.

The lounge is bustling all over again. In-house guests have started appearing for afternoon tea. Nothing like a hot cup of locally roasted coffee with freshly made 'Pisang Goreng' or Banana Fritters. An SRL ritual apparently. I LIKE!

The group of 19 guests just arrived, all looking fresh and happy, apparently from the excitement of seeing a herd of Borneo Pygmy Elephants along the boat ride from Sandakan.

Hmm… Yeoh Siew Hun, a prominent media figure just walked past along with the group of people that just arrived. I checked with the in-house boat schedule and I was assigned the same boat as her for the trip up to Bilit. This would be good. Looking forward to my first boat Safari.

(A few hours later)

Well, I need to ask you. Have you seen an Elephant in the wild before? Better yet, have you ever seen a Borneo Pygmy Elephant in the wild before? No? Well I have and there were lots of them. 3 bulls, countless cows and 3 calves as far as my eyes could see them. I love elephants! And seeing calves was a good sign that the population is growing.

Ok, I'd have to be fair here.

We also spotted several troops of Proboscis Monkeys, lots and lots of Long-Tailed Macaque or Crab Catching Macaques, many bird species including the Rhinoceros Hornbill, the Storm Egret and a couple of Fishing Eagles. Oh dear! I can't even remember all of them now as the excitement took over my emotion. And best of all, I got pampered on this boat ride as local coffee and pisang goreng was served by Hamit our guide and boatman.

"This is too much..Just too much" Siew Hun said with a contented tone in her voice. Diana and Tim smiled in agreement.

This place is simply amazing. The number of animal sighting was tremendous. This fact only dawned to me when I saw Siew Hun recording our sightings on the board within a span of 6 hours. Although we couldn't catch a glimpse of the Reticulated Python or Orang Utan along the way, what we saw made-up threefolds in terms of experience. I can't wait for tomorrow's early morning cruise. Hamit, our superb guide said our quest would be to look for Orang Utans. I'm excited!

We finished the evening off with late dinner, where Saat had so kindly arranged to separately prepare it, along with a bottle of Red Wine and under the moonlit sky, in the middle of mystifying Borneo, above one of the greatest rivers in Asia. We chatted the night away talking about the elusive Borneon Clouded Leopard, and local legends of the Orang Sungai. Nothing could be more perfect.

(The Morning After)

"Oh well…" I sighed.

No Orang Utans again this time. But we got to see many other animals including the Smooth Otter, the Oriental Darter, several troops of Proboscis Monkeys, 4 Pygmy Squirrels, one Mangrove Snake, and a crocodile and so on. Such a great experience! It is a wonderful feeling to be able to get close to nature again. It is a wonderful feeling to be able to hear myself think again and it is a wonderful feeling to be able to smile from the heart again.

As I leave and bid my thanks and goodbyes to Saat, Brett, Asmudi, Winston and Zilah, I cannot help but feel sad that I am leaving this place. Only two nights here and already I feel very much at home. I will miss the gibbon calls, I will miss the sounds of the insects, I will miss the yellow waters of the Kinabatangan, and surely I will miss the people that have made my stay here so great! I wish I could stay here longer. I wish that I could return here one day.