 |
My hometown, my war, my life.A reply i posted here: This is also one of Malaysians youth bad culture. Suka bergaduh. For the Chinese, ader yg sampai masuk kongsi gelap. I still remember a friend of mine who in order to be out from the 'secret society' he have to chalk up nearly RM3000! Even then everywhere he goes, the 'otai' will call him up now and then. Once you are in, you can never really be out. that was nearly a decade ago when we were still in secondary school. Hmmm. Now he is somewhere in US. Wonder how is he. Anyway, this kind of attitude have been going long enough. The indians blame it on their films. Gang fights made them become more disunited. Been watching too much 'Vastav' and 'The Gang' maybe. While my people the Malays mostly are just posers. Hmmm... Everytime i went to Bangsar, and saw the police beatbase, i remember my juniors and friends who died in a squabble near 'Rainbow', the western stall. Even the 'otai' from flat sri pahang, who operates the stall there couldnt help my friends when Chinese Kongsi Gelap (believed to be from Sentosa or somewhere in PJ) slashed them to their deaths. Hence, few weeks later, the police beatbase was built. I never knew what really happened. It really doesnt matter who was at fault. All i know is, it was too late to save them. There were many fights before in Bangsar. Usual meeting place to 'settle things' would be belakang Mcdonald. As if anything was 'settle'. And yes, usual reason to fight, was girls. Childish!! Coming from a musician circle, i rarely mingle with these guys and posers. We have our own style of 'wannabe'. Hehehe. I knew few who is really in the 'society'. These guys wont bother you if you mind your own business. And they were really nice people if you just let them be. Wonder what happened to them now?! What i cant stand is these posers who mostly consist of Malays. Gangsta konon! Ceh! Cari kerja laa woi!!! If you really want to fight pergi masuk tentera laa!!
I really miss the old days when Bangsar was not as hip as it is now. It was a place for locals like us to enjoy a drink at the mamak stall. It was also a place for gatherings. The prices back then was 'normal' but not exorbitant as it is now. They were no clubs and discos. Just plain old bangsar. Now?! Humph!! Have to wait 1 hour to get parking space. Well, quite a price to pay for development. When all this 'hip' thing first started, many outsiders came. Fights and vandalisme become more frequents. The local youth started to gather and came out with their own gang, to 'reclaim our so call territory'. One of them was a groups of Singh led by some friends of mine. People call them the 'Bai group'. What happen to them was not as funny as their name... Their usual hangout was a pub named The Deep or something. One night they got into a fight. I'm not sure if anyone was dead. But i do know some of them got slashed real bad that the scars will remain until their dying day. The case is still open. Now some of them are living on the run. The last time i met one of them was 2-3 years back. He said one of them; a friend of mine; later travelled to US to further his studies. Or is it? Hmmm...
As Bangsar is getting crowded and pack, most locals tend to go to Uptown in D.U. Usual rendezvous point, Salleh! Uptown previously was just few stalls on an open field. Once, they built the place, the stalls was shifted there and it was then named Uptown! That is the history if I'm not mistaken... Besides the food, uptown also is famous for its illegal VCD's vendor. Name the movie, and you'll get it. It was from here, my brother started gathering all those superb Japanese Movies by Akira Kurosawa, and Japanese cartoons produced by Manga. Many customers were regular, that you can even order a movie that is not listed, and in a weeks time you'll get it. That is what i call, customer service. Hehehe. Seeing this, the 'underground power' that controls Bangsar, also try to create their own 'speciality'. Yes, they do sell VCD in their wet market. But, local knows Uptown was the real heaven besides Petaling Street and JB. So what did Bangsar came up with? Music! Name any music u want, list it down on a piece of paper, and they will record it on a casette. Hmmm, so much for copyright law... Still, history repeats itself. And this time it was
worse! As Uptown is getting famous, many badhats starting to appear.
Besides fighting, the drug culture is making a comeback from the
sixties and seventies. It hits Bangsar worse, with all its discos
and pubs. The Narcotics department, previously known as D8, is keeping
tab on all this activities. Most people who patronise this place
are youths. The youths consist of mostly locals from the middle
class and the upper class. Therefor, they have to be 'protected'.
As usual, some may call it bias. 'Selective prosecution' or in this
case 'protection' whatever the word. Some may argue, Well, this is life. The D7, bahagian Kongsi Gelap turun padang as well
seeing that some triads from Hong Kong is taking over the VCD ring
in Malaysia.
Under police scrutiny, Uptown lose its shine with
the locals. The crowd have gotten thinner after the VCD crackdown.
Previously, a lot of 'otai' musicians sat at the stall near the
staircase leading to Salleh. Now, jarang nampak. The place is also
getting dirtier. Lipasnya, mak oiii!! Berterbangan seindah rerama.
Besar lak tuh! Bak kata my younger brother, Bangsar however survived all this. Must be the Feng Shui or something. Hehehe. Some things have changed though. The music 'services' is no more there. At one time, the authorities have to tar the road where the stalls operates. They said it was because there are too many holes ect. Locals know better. It is not what's on the surface that matters, but what is below! Yes, lipas dan serangga yg sewaktu dgnnya. It was so bad that even as a chain smoker, i can smell those creepy crawlers everytime i went there to have a snack. I stopped all together. Not smoking mind you! But going there lah. Hehehe, get your facts straight... Seeing all these, again we all shifted to the next quiet place. Hartamas. At first, the best place to hang out for us was Devi's corner. Here, you have the view of the road, where sometimes accident happens! What to do, at that particular time the authorities havent decided about the traffic flow yet. Today, you may find it a two way, tomorrow one way. Typical Kuala Lumpur traffic! The opening of the new Hartamas secondary shool building from their old one makes matters worse. It was later sort out to be what you all see nowdays. Then, as usual my serene life was disturbed once again. Hehehe. Devi's Corner started as a small stall operating in lucky garden, bangsar. They were famous for its hot tosey and capati. They were local people, and one of their son attended our local school. Then, they bought a corner lot in Bangsar, and christen it Devi's corner. it was good business. They then opened a branch here in Hartamas. However, people tend to change once famous... It started when they acused some of us of not paying the bills. Once, ok. Twice, maybe the cashier had bad memory. More than that? Hmmm. Or how about that incident when they burn some incense all over their restaurant. Tangkal pelaris la nih. That was it. Luckily restaurant Bestari just opened at that particular time. We shifted there, and my brother and his friends told the owner not to make the same mistake like Devi's Corner. Our 'corner' no more. Bestari booms, and became our corner. When 7-11 opened just next to it, i truly believe 80% of their customers is regular at Bestari. We still go to Devi's Corner. The Bangsar one. The Hartamas branch still survive, and now it caters to the old folks. Veterans and the like. I guess they learn their mistake. The last time i went there was when the Kg. Medan incident broke down. Just to show that there is still unity in Malaysia, I went there with an Indian friend of mine. The waiters just smile at me seeing that i'm the only malay customer. Bestari was a mamak, but Devi's Corner is pure Indian. At that particular time, logic would say i should avoid going to these places if i dont want to be poisoned or something. Hmm. I smile back. Sometimes, we have to forget old feud for a bigger cause.
Uncle Don have the best sitting in town. it is comfortable and relaxing. The owner, the son of the late Tan Sri Taib Andak, really knows how to make business. However, not all of the food is delicious. Kalau nak sedap masak sendiri la ye tak? But it is still a good place to hangout. Now it became a place where the youth gather. Therefor, you can see the latest style and gossips here. The guys came here to scout for chicks and girls...well, girls just want to have fun! Hehehe. And i have to admit, I'm too old utk layan kerenah diorang nih. Hehehe. Macam famous! Hehehe. As a new place, there tend to be trouble. But i guess
the relevant authorities learn from their mistakes in Bangsar and
Uptown, Therefor u can say Hartamas is quite under control. Yes,
ader banyak 'mat kental' lepak. Now i have my own port. Not in Bangsar, Uptown nor in Hartamas. How about Jamal in PJ? Nope, been there done that. S 17, the kuda heaven? Nope, also been there done that. Taukey Kuda tuh pun dah meluat tengok muka nih. Have to admit though, the best milo ais is served here at the corner chinese shop. Then, where? Hehehe. Find me if you can. Some may ask, how do i know a lot of these? Do i live in Bangsar? Hmmm... yes and no. Now and then i eat my favourite mee curry at Berjaya Restaurant. The owner have been selling yong tau foo and mee curry for the last 15 years! Their old place was near Akhbar Syah restaurant. The same goes to the old man selling air kelapa in front of TMC. The tau foo fah vendor next to him is also the same. TMC jangan ceritalah. Memang dah lama. Quite sad though to see that it have change management. I do hope the new management knows to 'jaga' us, old customers.
Well, it seems i have divert from the main topic. Sorry about that. Ahhh, old memories. Hmmm. This is all my hometown. Everytime i go to these places, i remember my family. My mom, my dad, my siblings, my friends. Nothing like home eh? it seems i have been lost for quite a while. Time to get back home....
As teenagers, yes, most of you will want to prove yourself. Hence, gaduhlah, tunjuk macholah ect. But remember! Kalau dah mati camner? how about your family? Your mom? Your dad? You think you want to be like in the films, a hero coming from a poor family, no love, was forced to find his own living ect? What crap! Ramai antara you all yg suka gaduh ni tak bersyukur dgn aper yg parent you all kasi. Look at my friends, dah gaduh, dah mati, dah ader kes, last-last sekali balik mintak tolong kat family gak! Look at me! My friends semua dah ader kerja, kahwin, and i baru nak start study semula! Why? pasal dulu tak nak dengar cakap mak bapak! Joli sana sini, minum, main kuda, CS, pub disco semua! Orang belajar kat kampus, i went into students politics! Konon nak jadi hero cam anwar! Look at me now! Kawan time ketawa ramai beb, time menangis kau nangis la sorang2. But i was lucky. Damn lucky! I still got another chance. At one particular time i nearly went crazy. It took a few punches from my elder brother to make me sane. Orang lain tumbuk sakit badan. Abang sendiri tumbuk, your own blood, it hurts deep inside. But it was for my own good. Yes, it was for my own good. Now i start a new life. I'm still trying to improve myself. One of it is sleeping. It seems i still cannot sleep at night. i dont blame this forum. It is just me. But i have to try. I have to try to be normal. And normal people work during the day, and sleeps during the night. So, suka hati you all lah kalau nak bertumbuk ker aper ker. Its your life. But, remember this! Not everyone got a second chance! My friends who died in Bangsar is one of those people. Imagined his parents reaction when they heard the news! You may end up just like him. Another life wasted, just because he was too proud to admit that he love his family in front of his friends.... Wassalam.
|
|
 |