Why Look For A Job When All You Need Is Work?

The world is experiencing a great paradigm shift towards the predominantly
"dejobbed” work environment i.e. more and more organizations are getting work done without hiring full-timers for conventional jobs.

Dejobbing is fast becoming a global phenomenon and it is already happening in the developed world. It has already affected businesses in developing nations like Malaysia that have relatively just begun the industrialization process.

When Abdullah Ahmad Badawi first took over as Prime Minister, he was promoting the need for Malaysia to shift towards a K-economy. It is sad that now four years hence, he seems to have somewhat hopped off that bandwagon. Ours is an economy and business culture at a threshold and the government needs to be concerned with "the future of work" in the country in order to effectively guide Malaysia’s economic transition as it moves towards the knowledge-based economy.

The great number of foreign manual workers in the country is sure sign that Malaysia is no longer competitive as a manufacturing industry destination for MNCs. Malaysians need to be more competitive and competent in the services sector especially when its geographical location makes it an ideal logistics hub servicing a vast hinterlnd that leads all the way to China! The need for proper government policies in education and social/cultural engineering has never been more exigent.

Many businesspeople foresee a blossoming of 21st-century capitalism and greatly expanding prosperity with vast new markets developing (especially in Asia) but at the same time, we are heading into a very traumatic economic transition, and after the trauma subsides, most of us will find we are not working in jobs anymore.


Dejobbing and its Ramifications

It is getting more and more difficult for today’s traditional workplace to function effectively in our global networked economy. Changing technologies is rapidly consolidating familiar job functions. The Internet and other new forms of communication are creating the “virtual corporation” and “telecommuting.” The “death of distance” means that independent contractors can work in different time zones from their employers, a form of “distributed work.”

Major questions arise as to what this huge revolution means to workers and managers; will the virtual corporation disenfranchise the individual or open new pathways for empowerment? How will our psyches adapt to a world that offers surprising new definitions of work? How will we survive?

One thing is for certain though; there will always be enormous amounts of work to do, but the work will not be contained in the familiar envelopes we call jobs.

Losing a job is one thing but losing the very concept of the job as the way we organize work is another. Yet the world’s leading economies are increasingly being driven by the proliferation of digital technologies and are hurtling towards a time when working in jobs as we know them will not be the predominant way we get things done.

The new world of work is going to exist as much in cyberspace as it does in a physical place. In this Digital Age, we will still work. We will still earn livings. We will still produce things and provide services. But it is likely that the majority of us will not go off to “jobs” each day! Some people will of course. We will still need construction workers to build houses, truck drivers to make physical deliveries, nurses to tend to the sick, cooks to prepare food, park attendants to maintain the parks. Somebody will still have to pick up the garbage.

But the bulk of the economy will shift toward “knowledge work,” which will handle information rather than physical things. The precursors of these knowledge workers are those who today work in the realm of ideas-software engineers, research scientists, investment bankers, management consultants, and graphic artists-to name just a few.

These fields of knowledge work will expand, as more work becomes “mind” work and can be carried out by increasingly sophisticated digital technologies. But these technologies will begin to displace large numbers of service workers, such as travel agents, insurance agents, real estate agents and bank tellers, and even many professionals, such as accountants and lawyers, who may work with information today but still do tasks that digital technologies will do more efficiently.

In the prophetic words of management guru, Tom Peters; “90% of white collar jobs in the U.S. will either be destroyed or altered beyond recognition in the next 5 to 10 years.”

· Technology will let workers work independently of organizations

The transformations we see today are so large we have to go back almost 200
years to the coming of industrialization to find a comparable change. The means
of production of the Industrial Age were huge, expensive machines that took
great amounts of capital to build and needed many workers to run. These
favored greater and greater amounts of centralization, specialization and
standardization.

That led to hierarchal bureaucracies to control gargantuan operations as well as
vast economies of scale used to produce identical products for a mass market.
Almost all organizations in the society eventually emulated that form.

However, in the Digital Age, means of production will be inexpensive; small
computers and other digital technologies that very soon will be housed in
everyone’s home or will move with individuals. These technologies tend to
radically decentralize organizations and empower individuals. They lead to
flattened management systems that can quickly adapt to the leaner operations.
Indeed all the equipment you need to run a multimillion corporation – cellular
phone and pocket computer-can be crammed into an attache’ case.

The vastly empowered individual at a networked computer workstation will
soon command as much creative power as a factory tycoon of the industrial era
and the communications power of a broadcast tycoon of the television era. Such
is the power of emerging technologies.

This vastly empowered individual will be the basic unit of the new economy and
often will work independently of any formal organization, much as a consultant
or an independent contractor does today.

The majority of knowledge workers will be free to choose where and when they
want to work. Night owls will be able to work nocturnal hours. Those who like the
mountains or tropical islands will move there.

· The importance of large corporations will diminish

The traditional large corporation almost certainly will fade in its importance
and go through some transformation that will qualify it as a different life form.
Corporations serve three basic functions today: they provide the umbrellas to
bring workers of varied skills together, they provide the means to finance the
production of products or services and they carry the brand names that market
the products to the public.

It will not be long before information technologies serve those same three functions: they tie together workers of various skills. They connect those with the money with those with the ideas. And they soon will be used to communicate the value of the product to the public.

A crude prototype of this emerging economy of tomorrow can be seen in Silicon
Valley. The valley is filled with small, creative firms that rise and fall on the
strength of their ideas. The engineers and designers are constantly switching
companies and coming together for new projects. Almost none of the companies
gets too big or attains the status of a household word before more nimble
competitors supercede it.

It is obvious that although we certainly have not seen the end of the large
corporation per se, most large and medium-sized corporations will become
increasingly handicapped in a world that will play to the strengths of the small
and quick.

This is why we are seeing today’s corporations in such a panic to change. As
mentioned earlier, during the Industrial Age, work was packaged into “jobs” to
fit the demands of a new kind of workplace, and the numbers of those jobs grew
along with the appearance of large factories and bureaucracies.

In our own time, as those big workplaces are shrinking and being automated, the
work is once again being repackaged to meet the new economic realities. This
time the transformation represents nothing less than the “dejobbing” of the
developed world. This dejobbing takes two forms: the quantitative and the
qualitative.

· The quantitative and qualitative aspects of dejobbing

In the quantitative sense, dejobbing is simply a game of numbers: the same work
that used to require 100 workers a few years ago may be done by 50 today-and
maybe by 10 tomorrow. This of course is old shoe as we have been turning
manufacturing tasks over to machines for almost 200 years. In the 1950s, 33% of
the US labor force were employed in manufacturing. By the 1990s, that number
dropped to less than 17%.

Advanced robotics and the introduction of smarter digital machines eventually
will take over almost all the tasks on the assembly floor. Indeed, many
manufacturers may need almost no manual workers within 20 years.

The service sector will be the most affected next. Already, much of the repetitive
jobs done by clerical workers and secretaries are increasingly being done more
cheaply and efficiently with information technologies. A case in point is the one
of bank tellers vs. ATMs. An ATM can conduct 2,000 transactions a day, 168
hours a week compared with 200 transactions and about 40 hours for a teller.
The ATM’s annual cost of about USD22,000 is probably cheaper than a full-time
employee with benefits!

It is obvious that not just blue-collar jobs are disappearing. White-collar jobs
are disappearing even faster, and still more of them are at risk. The white-collar
folks are the common folk today. In the US, they represent six out of ten
workers!

There is a qualitative shift going on too. It is not just that fewer of the old-style
jobs are left. It is that the work situations encouraged by the new technological
and economic realities are not jobs in the traditional sense; and a great deal of
what is being done in today’s organizations is done by people who do not have “a
real job.” The emergence of these new work practices that were mainly in the
form of widespread use of outsourcing and the hiring of “independent
contractors” and temporary workers resulted in the severe layoffs suffered by
American factory workers in the 1980s, and white-collar office workers from the
early 90s to this day.

Corporations began to farm out much of their nonessential work to smaller firms
or individuals. They used consultants when they needed professional advice and
used temps when they needed assembly or clerical work done.

The “temping” practice has become so widespread that even as far back as 1993,
Manpower Temporary Services Inc. “employed” far more people (about
560,000), than General Motors (365,000), or IBM (330,000). And according to its
website, the company now “employs” more than 1,000,000 people and although
the figures for GM and IBM are not available, it can be inferred that they have
downscaled.

· Effects of Reengineering the Work

None of the changes in the past 20 years promises to have so much impact on the
workplace and jobs as the redesign of work processes, called reengineering.

Increasingly in recent years, new management theories have emerged and
executives began to adopt them with the fervor of a newfound religion. The
theories embraced several common themes: decentralized decision making,
empower workers, form flexible teams.

Alas, this “reengineering craze” is no coincidence. These management theories
simply could not be carried out without information technologies permeating
the workplace and allowing workers access to information they need to make
informed decisions.

The inevitable result of reengineering is layoffs although the purpose of
reengineering is seldom staff reduction per se. Saving time is just as important.
Nevertheless the “victims” tended to be the middle managers that previously
move information around organizations and kept executives informed. Recent
statistics on downsizing showed that middle managers made up more than 1 in 5
layoffs, though they only make up I in 10 workers.

Another statistic shows that corporate reengineering in the US has resulted in
the elimination of more than 20 million jobs in the last 20 years, at a rate of
between 1 and 2.5 million jobs lost annually. What is more significant is that
only a fraction of the total companies have begun this reengineering process.

· Jobs are change inhibitors

Organizations are increasingly forced to make continued and rapid changes to
navigate in the turbulence of the fast-moving currents of today’s marketplace.
These changes however, would not take so much effort if their organization
structures, procedures, values, and roles were more change-worthy. Peter
Drucker recently said that “rapid knowledge-based change imposes one clear
imperative: every organization has to build in the management of change into its
very structures.”

The difficulty is that the job itself is proving part of the problem, not part of the
solution. That little packet of responsibility (job description), rewarded in
accordance with a fixed formula (pay level), and a single reporting relationship
(place in the chain of command) is a roadblock on the highway of change.

We are witnessing a pressing search for speed in today’s work world: faster
product development, faster production, faster delivery, faster information
processing, faster service, and faster implementation of all the changes
necessary to keep up with changes in the marketplace. We are seeing the
emergence of change-driven style operations and recent events have simply
capped the situation. And jobs are also disappearing as a result.

Because conventional jobs inhibit flexibility and speedy response to the threats
and opportunities of a rapidly changing market, many organizations are turning
over even their most important tasks to temporary and contract workers or to
external vendors. That way, when conditions change outside the organization,
there is no turf guardian inside whose livelihood depends on not changing how
things are done. Though this strategy has its pitfalls, the fact remains that it
represents one legitimate response to a serious problem.

· The Twenty-first-Century Worker; A Career Guide

All jobs in today’s economy are temporary! The two reasons for this are:

(a) the work arrangements itself (the “job”) is a social artifact on the wane,
along with the conditions that created it; and so it is only temporarily a
significant part of the economic scene

(b) the work arrangements that are taking its place, whatever their details are
themselves temporary in the sense that they are created to meet the
productivity needs in an immediate but changing situation.

Thus, any so-called full-time job is only contingent upon a continuing need for
what the employee does. And needs can change overnight!

Employment security is being redefined. Security now resides in the person rather than the position, and in a cluster of qualities that have nothing to do with the organization’s policies or practices.

Ones security will increasingly depend on the ability to develop three characteristics as a worker and as a person:

1. Employability: A worker’s security will come primarily from him being an
attractive prospect to employers, and that attractiveness involves having the
abilities and attitudes the employer needs at that moment. Ironically, the
employers’ need is likely to be created by the very changes that destroyed
traditional job security!

2. Vendor-mindedness: Being a traditional, loyal employee is no longer an asset.
It has, turned into a liability. The time has come to stop thinking like an
employee and start thinking like an external vendor who has been hired to
complete a specific task.

3. Resiliency: Organizations today operate in such a volatile and turbulent
environment that no arrangement serves them for very long. What a worker
will need (both for the organization’s and worker’s sake) is the ability to bend
but not break, to let go readily of the outdated and learn the new, to bounce
back quickly from disappointment, to live with high levels of uncertainty, and
to find security from within rather than without.

These abilities will provide the worker with the only kind of security that exists
today, because they will fit the worker for what is going to be the work world of
the foreseeable future: the project and an organization built around a changing
mix of projects!

· The Twenty-first-Century Worker; The Profile

The worker of the future will need to be a “self-developing person,” “one who
uses personal agency,” or “one who can adapt to change.” The worker of the
future will need to be resilient and adopt an attitude of “positive uncertainty,”
thereby shedding obsolete beliefs and narrow views of the past in order to
develop a future sense. The following are considered the profile of such a worker
(Note how it reflects basic shifts in thinking and newly evolved modes of action) :
- Does not feel entitled.
- Assumes responsibility for the future.
- Assumes a lifelong learning responsibility.
- Dismisses obsolete beliefs about work.
- Does not take any job for granted.
- Assumes that personal involvement is the key to success.
- Depends on own initiative.
- Views the future with vision and imagination.
- Has little fear of change.
- Can deal with uncertainty and ambiguity.
- Believes creativity is a basic requirement.
- Believes good interpersonal relations is an employee’s responsibility.
- Is completely receptive to new ideas.
- Assumes that there are few guarantees for the future.
- Assumes that the organization does not owe anyone a career.
- Is very functional in basic skills.
- Creates effective changes in work assignments.
- Cooperates with teams of workers and supervisors.
- Recognizes desirability of being multi-tasking and multi-skilled.
- Develops methods to improve effectiveness of job assignment.
- Exhibits high levels of resourcefulness and imagination.
- Takes advantage of opportunities to develop skills and increase learning.
- Develops overview and knowledge of work environment and company purpose.
- Demonstrates how products can be improved.
- Assumes total responsibility for career development.
- Assumes responsibility for own social security and retirement planning and
funding

The Future Is Already With Us

The disappearance of jobs is, with every passing month, more and more a “change that has already happened.” Even if one is not innovation-minded, one still has to deal with this change, for it is one of those shifts in the socio-economic environment guaranteed to render obsolete the people and institutions that deny it!

Conversely, individuals and organizations that truly understand and embrace this change will be able to capitalize upon it.

Next: Worker social security and how it is achieved as opposed to "conventional" Employee Benefits

An Appreciation Letter: Giving Praise When Praise Is Due

This was e-mailed to NV Multi Corporation Berhad last week. It speaks for itself.

Of Born Idiots and Self-Creations (Re-visited)

It has been 18 days since Jeannie's passing and she continues to affect the lives of some who knew her. I am sure most have been positive but this one does the most far reaching good for grieving families yet to come. This is the case of Jeffrey Chee Yem Thean.

I first started this blog at a time when I was really exasperated with a few characters around me and was trying to rationalize their behavior/mindset. Therefore, the first posting was entitled, "Of Born Idiots and Self-Creations" and I thought I had the measure of what temporary imbecility is about. In it I quoted an old friend, Jeffrey Chee who told me to not only be aware of my environment but to be consciously aware of it. Well, Jeffrey Chee forgot his own little piece of wisdom and behaved like a blur-head during the wake and eulogy for Jeannie. His is a case of a self-created idiot. For that, a negative needs to be turned into a positive; in the true spirit of how Jeannie lived her life.

Jeffrey's own public apology will serve as a constant reminder for him to be consciously aware of his own environment and be more sensitive to the feelings of others. In addition, I shall be meeting the Managing Director of NV Multi Corporation Bhd (owners of Nirvana Memorial Centre), Dato' Kong Hon Kong this week. I am confident there will probably be a new policy in place whereby NV agents (like Jeffrey Chee) would not be allowed to bother people who come to pay last respects, with sales pitches; let alone barge in uninvited during an eulogy. Knowing Jeannie's sense of humour, she would laugh that hers was the first eulogy with a commercial break! Nevertheless, I felt a lesson had to be taught.

Well, life sometimes has unexpected ways of teaching us its lessons. For Jeffrey Chee, this is a refresher of his own lesson. For me, this is closure to an issue that bothered me and a reminder that friends can be insincere.

For Jeannie, she is an Angel and continues to do good even in her physical absence!

Your Work Is Done, My Darling

Darling, your dear friend Jennifer Khoo told me something last Friday and she mentioned it was something you believed in too. She said, “Cheah, when souls decide return to earth, they would also have decided the time they would return to the celestial world. Anytime that the soul departs earth is a perfect time.”

Aye darling, I tend to agree with that too. Your sudden demise is difficult for me to reconcile; your earthly hopes, my hopes for you, and indeed our hopes as husband and wife have evaporated with your passing. You were a wonderful grandmother to Yi Wen’s Michelle and would also have been for Krystyn’s and JJ’s children. Indeed Darling, you would have been in your element as a mother-in-law! Though this will no longer come to pass, yet Darling, even the skies cried tears of joy as we sent you off on your journey home. For to have spent a short 48 years on earth, you have not only lived your life by your standards, you have also set standards! I can only believe your work here is done.

We were always concerned for the children when this day came, whether it was I or you who went first; we feared we could never prepare them well enough. You prepared each for today in your own special way. Darling, you taught them about life by teaching them about death. You taught them about going home. You taught them about how you wanted your farewell and therein lay the greatest lesson on life! Such was your wisdom. You never feared death but you did not welcome it; for you cherished life! You fought hard to live! By celebrating your life and not grieve for your demise meant that life was about living.

Darling, the children honored you by being stoic and delivering your every request to the T. The white, cheerful and bright theme, the white lilies, your chosen music, your mantras, the abundance of candles, the white casket, your chosen dress, your photos, the jasmine and sandalwood incense, your friends, your natural make-up, your perfume, your teddy, the teamwork, JJ’s eulogy, the responsibility; the ambience!

Darling, you taught them while you nurtured and protected them in ways that only you could. They in turn have learnt the essence of what life is about. Your loving ways and the tender moments you shared while you guided them ensure that you will live on forever in their hearts. The only beacon they need as they navigate through life’s pitfalls would be to remember what you would think. The training wheels are off my Darling and your work with our children is done.

My Darling, you meant so many things to so many different people. You were, mother, friend, sister, confidante, mentor, Master, student, healer, and many, many more. You had so many different circles of friends and you personified this diversity by the many different names you were known as to different circles. There was Jeannie, Jade, Jade Phoenix, Phoenix, Lady Jade, Soul-Voice, Auntie Jeannie, Tai Kar Cheh, Part Phor, COBRA Mummy, Leng Sou, Leng Phor Phor, Foong Cheh, Ah Foong, Mummy Cheah, Leong-Leong, Tigress, and many more that I have forgotten. But Darling, there is one thing common to all and that is the lasting impression you have left in each and everyone. Darling, your work with friends is done.

My Darling, so many things remind me of you but I see you most clearly in our children. Your passing did not make me a single parent for they continue to be guided by your presence in their hearts. You have made it easy for me and I merely need to continue in my role as their father. Yes, my Love, my work is yet undone.

Your Dar

COBRA Mummy, Jeannie Cheah - A Remembrance: By COBRA Club

The Tri-Nations/Bledisloe Cup decider between the All Blacks and the Wallabies will be played in Auckland on the 21st of July, 2007. The game starts at around 3.30 pm Malaysian time and by the grace of the "powers that be", it will be possible to watch the match live at the COBRA Club.

Jeannie was a diehard COBRA/All Blacks fan.

In respect and in celebration of Jeannie's life and for her "love of the game", the club has sought my permission to show a video of Jeannie's life in photo clips, before the game telecast. The family is honored and gratified by this request. We have scores of photos that chronicle Jeannie's fun times with COBRA and will include many of them in the updated video.

RE-POST & UPDATED-Requiem for My Darling Jeannie: She.......

This match was determined in another time, on another plane; testing the limits of even coincidence. The melding of two souls into one yet existing separately as He and She. This was She.......


The Beautiful You

My Darling,

As I look back over the 22 years we shared and I think of you, a smile comes to my heart. Memory takes me back to that auspicious Thursday which started it all and the times we shared since. My darling, it has been a wondrous path that I could never imagine walking with anybody else.

It must have been inspired insight that told me I had found a rare unpolished diamond but darling, what was even more important was that you were a diamond and had always been a diamond.

My good fortune had been to notice that sparkle which others seemingly had overlooked or simply would not believe…. or maybe I was blessed to be “passing by” when the great upheavals unearthed the gem that was to become my life.

We too have had our share upheavals together and whilst I could only hope that they had somehow brought us even closer, I regret to think I had too often risked losing something so precious to me.

The beautiful you my Darling, had always allowed love to soothe and heal open wounds even though some were inflicted in the name of love. It was inevitable that we both had to endure the consequences of insecurities and preconceived notions especially during our first half decade together but we weathered that storm.

Darling, the beautiful you, has been more than 2 decades of unconditional love you showered on me although I had often been guilty of judging you too harshly.

The beautiful you my Love, had been your strength in the face of adversity and your unwavering faith in Life. We drew from your strength in silent comfort knowing you would never hesitate to give us your all.

Your generosity had been the hallmark of the beautiful you for so long that many came to doubt its sincerity while there were those who had come to expect it as a right. And yet there were those who felt threatened by it. For Darling, there were not many who knew that your strong sense of loyalty was borne of this generosity.

Yes Darling, my heart smiles when recalling fond memories of you and when I think of you now. I am heartened by the way you always amazed me as you evolved and grew. I am convinced yours was more than just Light but a Brilliance that grew not only with the each wisdom you acquired but also each shadow you encountered. Darling, the sparkle was real as the diamond was genuine and my Love, you are priceless.

I would like to think that I found you and that is probably all that I can lay claim to. Alas, only a diamond can polish another diamond and Darling, I am no diamond.

Ling, I was content to be your partner for I cherished you as the jewel in my crown, the gem of my heart and foremost, the loving Mother to our children.

I Love You Darling and You will always remain my Ling. Rest in peace for I will care for our children until my time comes to join you in the Spirit World.

Your Dar

Condolence Message From Stanley

Dear Lady Jade,

Under both the bright sun and starry sky, you have said many Hellos to get you through the final Goodbye.

Your affection and dauntlessness to your family shall make them grow great and strong and free, which we felt you blessed upon us too.

Lady Jade, May you have smooth journey to the universe.

To the Cheah family, Lady Jade will always be with you...

Condolence Message From Joyce Lim

Jeannie will always be my one true friend and loving sister.

Looking through her beautiful pictures, I will always remembered the wonderful times we shared together and the long conversations we've had over the phone. Although we were separated by distance, we were always there for each other. My biggest regret is that I didn't have a chance to say goodbye although she has been preparing me to face this moment everytime we speak.

Uncle Cheah, Krystyn and JJ, may you have strength during this difficult time, may you find peace knowing that she is in a better place now and may you find faith that she is with us for all times. I will truly miss you dearest Jeannie...Love you forever

Condolence Message From Ninja

Lady Jade,

May u have smooth journey to the universe....Although u left without any words to us, but we know love is what you will say.

Condolence to the Cheah's family. Be strong. Lady jade will always beside you.....the memories and thoughts of lady jade will always be there to guide and to love.

Condolence Message From Sam

Lady Jade Phoenix,

You didnt say goodbye, but we know you had it prepared. Your departure is a great loss to us, but we would remember you as an angel who touched our hearts in our path of life and it was an honour to have known you. May you be free like a phoenix and finally home to universe.

To Mr Cheah, Krystyn and JJ, angel Lady Jade lives forever in your sweet memories. Take good care!

Condolence Message From Elita

I'm holding back tears when I read this post and listen to the accompanying music...Just this afternoon I was browsing this blog but left no comment. Now, here I am. Going thru it again..at 11.40pm on 12th of July. An hour after I heard the news. Jeannie, we may knew each other not long enough. But I knew you were one special lady. Very fun loving and warm. We will miss you especially when the 'gang' gets together again...May God bless you and bestow you happiness wherever you are..

To Cheah, Krystyn and JJ...she will always be with you...your guardian angel. Take care.

Some Condolence Messages From COBRA

Dear Fellow Members,

Please note that the lord has taken one of our die hard member's wife in the name of Jeannie Cheah, the wife of Tiger Cheah.. She passed away last nite.

Her funeral service will be held Today, after 4pm at the Nirvana Memorial Hall in Old Klang Road.

I surely miss her and I sincerely hope the rest of you who knew her well enough feel the same.

Rory Teng.
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Tiger Cheah and family,

My sincere heartfelt condolences to you and your family. I will always remember Jeannie as a happy, free spirited lady who used to accompany our Cobra rugby team during our tours to Melaka 10s, Taiping 10s and also SCC 7s in Singapore. I especially remember Jeannie at the Melaka 10s in 2001...her support and her 'shouts' at the sidelines played a big part in our semi-finals win over NS Wanderers and our final win against MCOBA. Jeannie and Tiger have always been very supportive of our rugby team not only in terms of their presence but also contributing financially.

Thanks for the memories, Jeannie....you will surely be missed.

Boon Hoon Chee
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Dear Tiger Cheah and Family,

My heartfelt condolence to you and the family . Jeannie was a truly amazing person. She will be greatly missed. I am sure the lord has a special place for her in heaven.

Regards,

Azhar Jamal
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Prayers For Jeannie By Fazilah

My Dear Faz,

Thank you so much for your prayer for Jeannie. Though you guys met only fleetingly, she really liked you. Wherever she is, I am sure she received your good thoughts and prayer.

If you do not mind, I will be posting your prayers in the her/my blog.

Best regards.

Cheah

From: M.N.T. [deleted] Sent: 17 July 2007 18:01 To: Cheahs Subject: A Prayer For jeannie

Dear Mr. Cheah,

I am equally sad of the unfortunate demise of your loving wife. I am happy to have known her. She had a happy disposition always. Mike and his RMC colleagues have their own religion. I am bored to tears. I am a Muslim and will remain so forever despite Mike's "secular humanist" belief. Its , perhaps, it little late but please accept my prayers:

"Ya Tuhan ku ampunilah Puan Jeannie Cheah dan angkatkanlah darjatnya ke dalam golongongan orang-orang yang terpimpin, gantikanlah dia selepas permigiannya, ampunilah bagi kami dan baginya. Wahai Tuhan ku yang mentadbir alam dan lapangkanlah baginya dalam kuburnya dan chahayakanlah baginya didalam nya."

Amin

Fazilah Tan Abdullah

A Message On The WWW: Specially Dedicated To Our Lady Jade.....

May U Rest In Peace....

Sonia... I Saw Your Msg Liao.... Then Once I Read The Star Paper Yesterday... I Know What Happen Liao... Our Leng Sou ( That I Always Called Her ) NOT With Us Anymore... Still Remember Sometimes Chat With Her On MSN With Few Other Ahmoi Members... She Always Invite Me To Yamcha Or Meet Her For Makan Makan...... But I Always Lari Kuat Kuat ( Run Away ) From This Topic... Thats Why No Chance To Meet Her Or Get To Know Her... On This Year CNY.... I Sent SMS To Her... Then She SMS Me Back.... Just Wan To Share With U All..... This What She Wrote To Me...

" Sweet Words Are Easy To Say...Nice Things Are Easy To Buy.... But Good People Are Difficult To Find.

"Life Ends When You Stop Dreaming....
Hope Ends When You Stop Believing...
Love Ends When You Stop Crying....
Friendships Ends When You Stop Sharing....

So Share This With Whoever You Consider As A Friend, As A Family.

To Love Without Condition...
To Talk Without Intention....
To Give Without Reason....
And To Care Without Expectation.

Even Now This Msg Still Save In My HP....

Bangsa Malaysia Condolence From Abang Pua

An e-mail exchange between two Malaysians of Chinese descent:

Abang Pua,

Terima kasih atas kata-kata yang amat menyenangkan hati. Permergian isteri saya secara tiba-tiba memang tidak disangka dan adalah satu kehilangan yang susah digantikan. Jeannie adalah satu manusia yang istimewa bukan untuk keluarga kami sahaja, malah untuk ramai kawan-kawan sekelilingnya.

Walau bagaimanapun, saya dan kedua anak saya mesti meneruskan perjalanan kami tanpa isteri/ibu kesayangan kami. Kami pasti roh isteri saya hidup dalam kenangan kami dan ajaran-ajarannya kepada kedua anak tetap dikenang.

Terima kasih.

Cheah

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From: pua hockchai [mailto:hcpua8@gmail.com] SentTo: cheah.keat.swee@gmail.comSubject: ucapan takziah

En.Cheah,
terlebih dahulu saya dengan hati yang sedih dan pilu mengucapkan takziah keatas pemergian puan.cheah baru baru ini,saya anggap ini adalah satu kehilangan yang amat besar kepada keluarga cheah khasnya dan sahabat karib amnya.Walaubagaimana pun kenyataan ini memang tidak dapat dielakkan,maka dengan ini saya berharap En.Cheah mentabahkan hati untuk menghadapi cabaran ini supaya memperjuangkan masa hadapan bersama sama kedua dua anak yang di sayangi.

Terima kasih.

An Eulogy By Jill Yeong

You can shed tears that she is gone, or you can smile because she has lived.

You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back, or you can open your eyes and see all she's left.

Your heart can be empty because you can't see her, or you can be full of the love you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday, or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember her only that she is gone, or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back.

Or you can do what she'd want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.”

An Eulogy By Hui Sin

There was one day she told me about the story of an angel. She said that everyone has an angel to stay together with them.

2 months ago, when I was lying in the hospital, she came, and handed me a little bear, which I never tell anyone that I wish to have a bear to stay with me in the hospital. She can feel how I feel. We share, we laugh, and she is always there for me whenever I need her.

3 weeks ago, I was supposed to prepare a birthday gift for her, but I never fulfill the promise I made within myself. Until last week, I decided to pass her the gift during my birthday next week. Anyway, I gave her the gift today, which is a CD containing a movie clip that records her journey, her life, her family, and her friends.

I remembered she told me I can call her whatever I wish, as long as it is with love. Something was in my mind for the past 2 months, until last week I think it is the right time for me to call her, what I was hoping and wishing for the 2 months. She loves me like a mother loves a daughter. So, today I am here to tell her, Mummy, I love you. I can feel you whenever, wherever. Thanks for your guidance along my way, and may you will continue guiding me all the way along, in a different way, in my heart, and thanks for willing to take me as a student, you are always my dearest master. And thanks for being an angel of mine.


From
Hui Sin

An Eulogy By Teh Yoke Hooi

"Keat, Krystyn, JJ, friends, ladies and gentlemen.

I’ve known Jeannie for a rather long time, having spent many, many memorable holidays together, countless meals, and happy times. We watched our children grow from the terror toddlers that they were, through their awkward teenage years, to the young adults that they are today.

I thought that having known her for so long would give me plenty to say of her, but as I sat down last night to write, I was at a complete loss for words to describe Jeannie. She was so many things to me, and yet I could not find the words to pin down this woman. How do I do justice to this woman and describe her in a few minutes all that Jeannie was – she could be so hilariously funny, remember her seemingly endless supply of naughty and off color jokes? And her often outrageous comments – about situations, and people, and about our husbands, and kids and ourselves? Jeannie was gregarious and she was warm. She was understanding, she was deep, she was spiritual, she was compassionate.

She was certainly opinionated and not shy about it. Jeannie was one who lived her life without convention, without regret. She did not let fears hold her back, nor did she hesitate to live as she wished…… She lived her life always being true to herself, whatever it took…..


If Keat is a Tiger, Jeannie is without doubt the Tigress. She loved fiercely and passionately and would always be prepared to be up in arms to fight for her loved ones. How many times have we heard stories of how Jeannie would terrorize thoughtless people and authorities whom had dared to threaten and hurt her precious cubs, Krystyn and JJ, and even her friends???

And we all remember how Jeannie loved a good party, don’t we? Well we are all here for you Jeannie. I can just imagine you beaming down on us now, with a Virginia Slim in one hand and a coke in the other, basking in all the attention!

I expected Jeannie to grow old with me and the rest of our friends. She always talked about how we’ll spend our time living it up without kids in tow, about how we’ll grumble and complain about our daughters in law, and how we’ll compare medications.

Well, I won’t be comparing medications with you Jeannie, because you have gone on to where physical pains and ills will no longer plague you. I am happy and glad that your spirit is finally free to roam and soar as the bird that you are…..

I want to remember you, Jeannie for all the laughter that you gave me. For all the noisy boisterous times we spent, for the quiet talks we had, for the perspectives that you put on everyday situations and in our deepest emotions. I want to remember you for your wisdom, for your irrepressible spirit and your zest for life.

And I want to remember how you dedicated your entire life to Keat, and to your children, Krystyn and JJ, your greatest achievement and legacy.

Jeannie, I will miss you….We all will.."

An Eulogy By Loving Son, Cheah Jie Juan (J.J.)

Life is a cycle like the world and learning from mistakes than to regret from them is what my mother once advised me. Moving towards the journey of life is what makes me reconcile, whenever I’m in pain, she was always there for me.

Firm but with grace, she tucks me into bed every night when I was young. She thought me how to love when I was 14 and I didn’t have the right set of mind to realize or to give in love like she did.She inspired me to open up my mind and to feel free to speak my mind. My mother was like any other but with a superior guidance to help others to get through the hardships. And I knew she was a strong person in heart.

She guided me with her eyes which tell me about more than just right from wrong, but also about love without any vindication. She taught me everything. She taught me that immediate families are the most important and as a form of primary priority. I was naive to take it as a lesson, but she never gave up on me and she had faith by her side that I’ll be a better man as a young man my self today.

I still remember the time we had mother and son conversations which were most valued in my mind than just a mere memory. She had her heart opened up to listen and she advises me with rationalities in terms of what’s going on in my life, what are my hopes and dreams, just through out everything that every child wishes for. And I’m grateful to have given that chance to have a peaceful vowel exchange with my mother. So did my sister.I will never know myself if I never gotten her as a mother. That’s wonderful.

The stories she told me about herself, my father, my sister and I were fascinating and I’ll never forget her words which will ring in my head forever. Whenever I’m confused about life, she was there to guide me like a light shining a path to the truth.Love and light was which she said.

She may have left, be she is never gone. She’ll remain in our hearts and will guide us in our hearts whenever, wherever and whatever we are in this life. Mummy, this is for you.


Love, Papa, Krystyn, Prince and yours truly…

I Lost A Wife But Gained An Angel

I am still too upset to blog but felt I should at least post something about Jeannie's passing on the 12th of July, 2007.

My Darling, words cannot express how I feel. I will always love you and take comfort that you now rest in eternal peace.

I will continue the journey on earth we started together and look after our children until we meet again.

The following is an sms our friend David Wong showed me during her wake that was sent to him by Jeannie about one and a half years ago.

"A beautiful prayer to share wth u:

I prayed for Strength, n was given difficulties to make me Strong.
I prayed for Prosperity, n was given brawns n brains to work.
I prayed for Wisdom n was given problems to solve.
I prayed for Courage, n was given dangers to overcome.
I prayed for Love, n was sent troubled ppl to help.

I received not all that I wanted but EVERYTHING I needed to help me thru my hard times so that i would know how to walk my path with love......Jeannie"

IN LOVING MEMORY - Jeannie Cheah Koo Yook Foong

Rest in Peace, Darling

King Edward VII School Vs STAR

Was in Ipoh on Friday, 6th June and took the opportunity to stay back on Saturday to watch the Perak State Final of the Premier Schools U-20 Rugby tournament between King Edward VII School, Taiping and Sekolah Tunku Abdul Rahman (STAR), Ipoh. The winner qualified for the National Finals in Sabah of which KEVII School is the reigning champion.

It was good to see our boys this year are well built. They can match the Starians in size but somehow the KE boys had a leaner and hungrier look about them.

The game started with fast paced exchanges and both teams appeared to have good grasp of rugby basics. There were three Malaysian players in the KEVII backline and this was evident in the attacking moves; they are fast and handle the ball well! The KEVII first five eight was also the captain and he played a captain's game. His commanding presence both in attack and defence probably made the difference between the two teams.

KEVII led 5-0 at half time through a well taken try and the narrow lead was due to our kicker not having his kicking boots on. He missed the conversion and then a penalty virtually in front of the post.

The STAR side was a good well balanced side and was unlucky to have KEVII in the same state. I am certain both teams would be able to do Perak proud against any schools U-20 side in the country. They had a very good (and heavier) forward pack and had us pegged in our own half for long periods of the second half. Nevertheless, our forwards, while not as tight were able to match them in the rucks and mauls. There were many occasions when the were within 5 yards of our tryline but just could not barge through. Both sides showed great determination.

The score stood at 8-0 before STAR managed to cross our line for a converted try after sustained pressure. We managed another try at the far post after that to make the score 13-7. It was nail biting stuff after that and the obviously biased referee should not be allowed to referee schools games! Those kinds of values should be kept away from schoolboys; at least 70% of his decisions went against KEVII. Kudos to our boys for maintaining their cool.

The superior fitness of the KEVII side became apparent late in the second half as STAR players began having cramps. This resulted is a breakaway try under the post by KEVII from deep in our own half.

The final score was 20-7 and judging from what I saw, I am confident our team will do well in Sabah. This was a major final and it is a pity there were no busloads of supporters from the school like those days. Also conspicuously missing was the headmaster. Rugby put the school on the map but it appears the successes on the pitch has been taken for granted these days.

2007 Tri-Nations Championship Thrown Wide Open

The Tri-Nations championship this year has been thrown open by the Wallabies victory over the Boks. The Wallabies managed to squeeze maximum points from home ground advantage and will be severely tested when they play away. The following is a match report from the All Blacks website:

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Wallabies trounce White's 'B-side' 'Boks
08/07/2007
Sydney Telstra Stadium


The Wallabies have overcome a spirited Springboks side to record an unconvincing 25-17 victory in their Philips Tri Nations clash at Sydney's Telstra Stadium on Saturday night.

South Africa raced to a 14-0 lead with two tries in the first seven minutes before the Wallabies pulled a try back to make it 17-10 at half-time.

Australia was then able to control the match in the second half as it ran in two more tries to send veterans George Gregan and Stephen Larkham off as winners in their final Test match on home soil.

The Springboks opened the scoring in the sixth minute when flanker Wikus Van Heerden took a deft pass from halfback Ruan Pienaar off the back of a ruck close to the Wallabies line and crashed over. First five-eighths Derick Hougaard added the extras for a 7-0 lead.

Just moments after the kick-off, wing Breyton Paulse picked a Nathan Sharpe cut-out pass to Stirling Mortlock and raced 50 metres to score untouched and celebrated with a cartwheel and backflip. Hougaard slotted the conversion to make it 14-0.

The Springboks continued to hold a territorial advantage and a missed long-range drop goal by Pienaar was countered by a successful penalty to Hougaard after Sharpe was caught in an offside position almost directly in front of Wallabies' posts 30m out.

Hougaard missed another one from 45m out just three minutes later after George Smith was caught not releasing the ball.

A penalty that forced hooker Adam Freier to the bloodbin saw the Wallabies finally good in an attacking position in the 21st minute and made the most of it with a slick backline move to see wing Mark Gerrard scoot over for a try.

Gregan took clean lineout ball and drifted across the face of the defence before linking up with Larkham, who popped a ball back on the inside to put Gerrard on an angled run to the tryline. Stirling Mortlock slotted the conversion to make it 17-7.

With the try and some added possession, the Wallabies backline started to look threatening, creating a number of half breaks but were unable to capitalise on the pressure until Mortlock kicked a penalty following a ruck infringement five minutes before half-time.

The Wallabies levelled the scores just after the break when man-of-the-match Stephen Hoiles ran into a yawning gap off a deft Larkham pass.

Mortlock converted to make it 17-17.Mortlock kicked the home side into the lead with a penalty in the 51st minute after another ruck infringement and when Gary Botha earned the referee's whistle three minutes later he was sinbinned.

Just a few moments later the Wallabies scored their third try after they worked play to the wing and inside the Boks' 22m. Gerrard chipped back inside where Giteau sprinted onto the half-volley and dived over for a five-pointer. Mortlock missed the conversion to leave the score at 25-17.

Both sides wrung the changes in the final 20 minutes as the game developed into an arm-wrestle and a missed Hougaard penalty was the only scoring chance.

Wallabies 25 Tries: Gerrard, Hoiles, Giteau
Conversions: Mortlock 2Penalties: Mortlock 2
Springboks 17 Tries: Van Heerden, Paulse
Convsersions: Houghaard 2Penalties: Hougaard

Crowd 51,174 @ Telstra Stadium, Sydney

Only For Diehard All Blacks Fans

This was posted in the COBRA eGroup site after the All Blacks defeat to the Wallabies last weekend. It would give you an idea how a true blue (black?) AB supporter thinks.


Subject: With golden soil and stealth for toil

Forget it if you think I'm going to panic about a loss to Australia in June. Sure it hurts, but pain heals.

After flying almost fifty hours in a week, with the Springboks in Durban as a stopover, the All Blacks with a rearranged midfield were ambushed at the Melbourne Cricket Ground by fifteen fresh Wallabies, a South African referee and a groundsman who painted the lines on the pitch yellow instead of white... three days after the reinstatement of John O'Neill as Australian Rugby Union CEO.

The stars just weren't aligned. Anyone who'd underestimated the Wallabies in such a situation, thinking that power up front is a guarantee of victory, was foolish. We are forced to acknowledge the everpresent danger of loss. One reassuring thing is that not even a World Cup final can equal the physical difficulty of the task they faced. Paris in October might surpass it for mental pressure, but the Springboks and Wallabies as successive opponents on separate continents two weekends running is as gut-bustingly tough as it gets.

Throw in a legendary cricket venue that only one current All Black has played at, with the ground painted camouflage green and gold. For good measure, get the Aussie media to character-assassinate their own representatives for a full year beforehand, and you have the perfect recipe for upset.

The fact that Marius Jonker sin-binned All Black scrum lynchpin Carl Hayman for a superb piece of rugby was almost incidental. These are the fixtures where at least one game-turning decision by a shaky official should almost be taken for granted, and the cruelty of the penalty against Hayman was just the flavour du jour... who cares if a mouthful of roadkill has too much salt? Hayman dispossessed the ball-carrier with a piledriving hit, plucking the ball loose and placing it perfectly with one hand as he cushioned his own fall with a couple of yellow-upholstered lungs. It was hard to imagine a bad angle to view this from. The whistle came immediately though, and the card hard on its heels, Jonker having already warned the All Blacks for repeated infringements. Strangely, all three tight five replacements had already been made at the forty five minute mark. Now with tighthead Hayman removed, blindside flanker Jerry Collins had to make way for the other prop Tony Woodcock to return. Previously the All Black effort had been energetic and pretty much irresistible.

Two tries had already come, one low-gear shunt by Woodcock and one stylish flourish on the right wing by Rico Gear after Luke McAlister had broken the line. Another lightning quick attack had put the All Blacks in a position to close out the game before half-tie, but number eight Rodney So'oialo had grassed the final transfer. The All Blacks already led 15-6, and this would have sealed the deal. As it turned out, they needed a bigger comfort zone. Our two perceived weaknesses, lineout and midfield, were working as well as could be expected. McAlister at centre hardly looked troubled by the predations of Stirling Mortlock and Matt Giteau in the Wallaby midfield. We contested their lineout successfully as often as they spoiled ours and the general impression was that New Zealand was playing most of the rugby, but there were too many tired-looking errors (kicks out on the full, lazy offsides and going alone with unmarked men outside sprinkled amongst the scintillating attacks.

Play was also divided into these verses by the chorus of Jonker. Roll away Black, Hands off Black he sang... somehow also finding fault with the scrummaging technique of Hayman and Woodcock although their markers were tunnelling at every engagement and George Gregan didn't actually manage to feed a scrum cleanly until the thirty-first minute.

Defence was a highlight from both teams. Prior to the Hayman binning All Black tackles were wonderfully committed and organised. Lote Tuqiri got a hospital pass from a team-mate that arrived at the same time as Collins, Hayman and Keven Mealamu... I am Joe's spasming back muscles. But after the yellow card and pack reshuffle Gear, Richie McCaw and Chris Jack all failed to stop a jinking Adam Ashley-Cooper. Giteau slotted the conversion inside out from the left hand touchline, whereas Dan Carter had missed similar shots and some considerably easier.

Mortlock stepped into the breach as always in the dying minutes and made McAlister's grasping tackle look weak, then wrong-footed McCaw to slice the All Black defence wide open. A hook pass put replacement wing Scott Staniforth in under the crossbar, and the MCG erupted. We can't just shrug the loss off, we must closely study the errors and learn from them in order to eliminate them eventually. One day soon this very team is going to play the perfect game, and perfection is rarely an accident.

We do not need to count on attacking ball from lineout if we have a dominant scrum platform. All we need to do is not surrender any more of the touchline than necessary with bad kicking. We don't need to play so close to the offside line at the tackle if our flankers are already more mobile and our midfielders are more highly skilled at the breakdown. We already know the referees are trigger happy, so we need to trust the law of averages rather than the average law enforcer. And while we should back ourselves to execute in any situation, going to ground with possession cradled is just as often executing correctly as offloading a spectacular pass in traffic is, the commendable inclination to play expressively notwithstanding.

It's hard to put the 15-20 loss into context historically. In 1999 we got a spanking by Australia in the last test before the World Cup, then went on to lose an infamous semifinal to France who we had already thrashed that same year, and in 2003 we put half a century on the Wallabies at Stadium Australia before losing a World Cup semifinal to them on the same ground... so the psychological effect of a close loss in a hellishly difficult fixture is almost impossible to gauge with the World Cup casting a giant shadow again.

It must be especially beastly for my expatriate subscribers, trapped in Australian offices this week. Amongst all the obligatory sheep noises, that tired old routine about choking when it counts will be heard amongst other readings from the Book of Fellatians, and the All Blacks mean too much to displaced New Zealanders for small beer like Greg Norman or Lay Down Sally to count as ammunition for throwing back in their faces.

Even the aphorists are no help for once. Thomas Fuller tells us that a stumble may prevent a fall, while W.H. Auden says we are history-making creatures who can neither repeat our past nor leave it behind. Comforting only the spiritually unsure, such old beards always left their wisdom open-ended... of no use except to those of little faith simply casting about. Better to be strong of heart and cultivate a vengeful way of thinking. The scar tissue left after a wound is tough for a reason. As much as I was prepared to explain away this test as an always-likely loss, I am equally determined that its minutiae be studied for future reference, in order for the come-uppance we're on the verge of delivering to be handed down that much more righteously.

So if you're an All Black and you've just been hijacked in the bowels of sporting Australia, or if you're a New Zealander going to work in downtown Oz on the Monday after such a horrible result, poofters like Fuller and Auden should not be setting the tone. That is better left to mensch like Planes, Trains and Automobiles' Neil Page, who in the face of unendurable hardship roared at the heavens, You're messing with the wrong guy.

Email this newsletter to your most annoying Aussie employee, the litle milquetoast with the whiniest twang. Yell out Check your blackberry you chain-clanking yuppie ponce, then go to lunch and have an extra Steinlager.

Until next week, Inky remains at your service. Inky is proud to be associated with EXIDE Batteries, the all black power pack: Australia 1800 800 811 New Zealand 0800 651 611

First All Blacks Defeat Of The Season

As I said earlier, the Wallabies cannot be written off so easily and this weekend, they proved exactly that. They inflicted the first defeat of the season on the All Blacks in the Bledisloe Cup/Philips Tri Nations match in Melbourne last weekend.

The loss would take the pressure off the All Blacks in this World Cup season as going into the RWC unbeaten for the season would be counter-productive. The following is the match report from the All Blacks official website:

All Blacks Silenced By Resurgent Wallabies
30/06/2007

New Zealand paid dearly for the loss of prop Carl Hayman in the middle stages of the second half of a torrid Bledisloe Cup/Philips Tri Nations contest against Australia in Melbourne and suffered its first defeat of the season 20-15.

(All Blacks captain, Richie McCaw baing taken down)

Hayman was sin-binned for playing the ball in the tackle and the Australians pounced to score two tries and snatch the lead from the All Blacks.

Earlier, Australia had seemed bereft of ideas of how to breach solid All Blacks defence.

But suddenly it found the loss of Hayman created the space it needed and it scored through wing Adam Ashley-Cooper and replacement back Scott Staniforth to take the lead with 10 minutes left in the match.

At that point Hayman returned and New Zealand tried to regain the control it had lost at his departure. But it had given the Australians too much leeway and was unable to find the openings that had been more available earlier.

Skipper Stirling Mortlock gave an outstanding display for the Wallabies and set the crowd of 79,322 alight with his decisive line breaks.

The first try, to Ashley-Cooper, was the result of intense movement of the ball from the penalty that saw Hayman dispatched, but the second came from centre Mortlock's second backline bust of the evening.

He beat makeshift centre Luke McAlister with disarming ease and kept racing toward the goal-line, finally unleashing the try-making pass to Staniforth.

New Zealand could look back at numerous lost opportunities due to handling chances in the first 60 minutes of the game that should have seen it well in front.

The play, in the first half especially, was frenetic at times with several of the New Zealanders making powerful surges with the ball in hand. Captain Richie McCaw and prop Tony Woodcock were outstanding, with McCaw giving his best display of the season to date.

At the first lineout, moments into the game, No 8 Rodney So'oialo secured clean ball to flanker Jerry Collins, who then set up skipper McCaw for two powerful surges at the line.

Fullback Mils Muliaina set up the maul when fed an inpass and then it was Woodcock who drove over to convince the television match official that he had grounded the ball.

From the re-start Australian lock Nathan Sharpe took Troy Flavell out and the penalty was awarded. However, Australia secured the lineout ball and mounted a series of assaults at the New Zealand line, but fine All Blacks defence saw the Australians fail to get past the advantage line.

Australia came back with some well-directed play from first five-eighths Stephen Larkham. He fired a well-placed kick to the corner and flanker George Smith did well to follow up and secure.

While no try was forthcoming, the All Blacks backs were penalised and Mortlock made no mistake with his second attempt.

Moments later, however, the Wallabies on their own 22m line interfered with halfback Byron Kelleher as he attempted to clear the ball. Carter made no mistake with the goal after 16 minutes.

Mortlock kicked a second penalty after 19 minutes when the All Blacks were penalised at the scrum.

The Australian scrum came under pressure, twice conceding penalties and on the second occasion after 25 minutes, Kelleher took a quick tap and the ball was moved quickly with Woodcock prominent again charging ahead.

Then with the quick turnover, McAlister, who had set the whole momentum with his superb intercept and run into the Wallabies 22m, took the tackle and fed right wing Rico Gear in for the second try.

The situation might have been even worse for the Australians had the All Blacks not left the ball exposed at the back of a ruck which allowed the Wallabies to clear out, but then when the All Blacks recovered, a superb build-up created by Muliaina broke down when So'oialo dropped the ball.

But at the resulting scrum, the All Blacks powerhouse destroyed the Wallabies scrum and turned the ball over.

Mortlock made a superb break, went through Muliaina's tackle and set up the chance but the opportunity was lost as prop Guy Sheperdson drove to the line, but was ruled to have made a double movement.

New Zealand then replaced Woodcock, hooker Anton Oliver and lock Flavell with Neemia Tialata, Keven Mealamu and Ross Filipo.

Clearly the coaching staff were looking to counter the possible effects of the travel associated with the return from South Africa but ultimately, the New Zealanders were unable to finish at the pace they achieved to come from behind in South Africa last week.

Scorers:
Australia 20 (Adam Ashley-Cooper try; Matt Giteau con; Stirling Mortlock 2 pen)
New Zealand 15 (Tony Woodcock, Rico Gear tries; Daniel Carter con, pen)
HT: 15-6

A Tiger Weekend In Taiping

I was in Taiping over the weekend from Friday, 29th June to Sunday, 1st July. It was supposed to be a trip to watch the KEVII Old Boys versus Present Boys rugby game on Friday, attend the KEVII Annual School Sports on Saturday afternoon and the Annual Alumni Reunion Dinner in the evening, before attending the OE Association AGM on Sunday morning.

It was supposed to be a weekend with fellow Tigers. A busy weekend was planned; coupled with the fact that on Sunday I had an appointment at 4.30 pm in KL with a house-owner to view his property and Tiger Captain Azmi's daughter's wedding at Subang Sheraton was at 7.30 pm, it was expected to be hectic. Hmmmm..............Plans!!!

Friday, 29th June:

Was supposed to be in Ipoh by 4.30 to meet Tiger Mariappan after coming from KL with Tiger Patmanathan so that we could be in Taiping by 5.30 pm, in time for the rugby game. By the time Pat found the workshop in Klang that his car was being repaired in, it was already 3.30 pm. That put paid to the game as we only managed arrive in Taiping at around 7.00 pm.

After a quick dinner it was time to ceremoniously go off to the Taiping New Club bar. The usual bunch of Tigers would be there. They were there! The "tani" session which ended at 3.00 am was followed by the compulsory supper at "Siang-malam" (or "Burung Hantu", as it is sometimes referred) near the market. The latest OE "Datuk", Tiger Datuk Shalimin was at the club and though he was supposed to be the guest of honor at the Sports the next day, he was with us till the end. That speaks volumes for his Tiger Spirit.

Saturday, 30th June:

(Tiger Mohaideen in his office)

The previous night, I had picked up a "straggler"; as is very common and has virtually become a tradition in trips like these. Tiger Randhir (our ex-Olympian hockey player & coach) was in need of a bed for the night and I obliged since I had another single bed to spare in my room at the Panorama Hotel. I must admit this is the first time I slept with a Baii!!

(Gowdh & Randhir)
After breakfast we visited Tiger Mohaideen at his shop and found our Tiger Dr Gowdh already there discussing plans for the 125A. Interestingly, Mohaideen explained the points raise in the Edwardian_Tigers eGroup regarding the 125A. I now have a better picture of what is happening. Gowdh also presented some of the artwork for car stickers, souvenir T-Shirts and caps, etc.After breakfast we visited Tiger Mohaideen at his shop and found our Tiger Dr Gowdh already there discussing plans for the 125A. Interestingly, Mohaideen explained the points raise in the Edwardian_Tigers eGroup regarding the 125A. I now have a better picture of what is happening. Gowdh also presented some of the artwork for car stickers, souvenir T-Shirts and caps, etc.

(CK Loh, Teck Boo, Michael & KS)
Tigers C.K. Loh, his brother, Tiger Michael and Tiger Teck Boo arrived at around lunch time and after lunch at the Casual Market, we went to the school at about 2.00 pm. The weather was bloody hot and there was no sign of the infamous Taiping afternoon showers. We did not stay for long and was soon off in search for refreshing famous Taiping cendol.

(Tiger Datuk Shalimin)
However, we did manage to catch Tiger Shalimin's speech and the march pass. It was an obviously pissed-off Shalimin as the Headmaster, Haji Yahya Liman was absent because he had to accompany his daughter to UTM or something! This was bloody ludicrous and typical of the headmaster. Shalimin showed his magnanimity by donating RM7,000 to the alma mater.

(Saluting the VIP)
We also managed to go round the school grounds taking photos of buildings that had changed so much in our memories and also in reality; much renovations had been done in the past 3 decades. The school hall somehow looked and felt smaller but then again, it was probably because we were now much bigger than we were then. The plaques on the walls looked the same apart from having 30 or so more names.

(Head Prefects through the years)
The "red and black" school colors seem more pronounced throughout the school grounds yet I had a feeling that most of the students I came across did not know the actual meaning of being part of the great Tiger tradition. All the signs were in red and black, as were some motorcycles, most T-shirts, posters, etc.

The basketball court had been refurbished but sadly the great hockey pitch we used to have has been reduced to a patchy turf with two broken down hockey goalposts at both ends. This is a far cry from my days when the pitch was the best in the state! It is such a waste!

Though the appearance of the school had changed somewhat, there was no mistaking the feelings of belonging, as were went around the school. We left the school premises after taking more pictures of the Sheffield Block and as we were about to walk though the main gates, the sign below probably sums up what KEVII School has become today; "neither here, nor there"!

A call and a commitment to improve the command of English through speech. Unfortunately, the sign must have been approved by an English teacher and I think the emphasis should not have been on the "THE".

With that, we decided to go further back in time by visiting the Primary School building on Station Road.


The primary school buildings and grounds (including the Angsana trees) were immaculately maintained and credit must be given to the headmaster, whoever he is. Though C.K. and Teck Boo were never in KEVII Primary, I am sure they too felt they belonged there. The "tiger spirit" was seemingly pervading the air surrounding the premises.

The OE Dinner that evening was the usual fare but I was surprised to see only about 22 tables of which 2 were empty! The guest of honor was former police officer, Datuk Hairuddin and Tun Ling Liong Sik was also present. Somehow, the atmosphere was drab and I get the impression that most people, especially those at the main table were just waiting for the occasion to be over. But then again, I could be wrong.

For a last dinner before the 125th Anniversary Dinner in August next year, very little was said about the programs for next year. The only things positive about the evening were the speeches by Tiger Datuk Hairuddin and Tiger Datuk Salimin that acknowledged the sorry state of the school; the two have made a commitment to do something. Tiger Salimin mentioned that there was no school in Malaysia which has produced 4 Education Ministry Director Generals and yet, the way the school is today does not reflect that. He wonders why.

(Tiger Lian Tai Teong, 2nd Left; Tiger Raja Lope, Far Right) On a personal note, I got to meet an old family friend, Tiger Lian Tai Teong after more than 20 years. He has now settled in Sydney. I remember him as one who was so sure he would not live past 40; I think he is wrong by quite far.

Sunday, 1st July

The OE AGM was held as scheduled but I did not stay behind to attend. It appears those who are supposed to be voted in would easily get voted in. Sunday was a day fraught with miscommunications and by the time I got back to KL, I was too late and too tired to attend Tiger Capt. Azmi's function at the Subang Sheraton. Looks like I missed the wedding of the decade!! I think next time, I shall drive to Taiping myself.