The Malays are offshoots of Dusuns in Borneo?

I revisited my blog post about the Bununs & Dusuns today because apparently, most visitors that landed to my humble blog came because of this post(according to Blogger stats). Apparently, some folks had been reposting that post in Facebook and Twitter hehehe.. I am glad they were entertained by it, it was done for amusement. However, it has generated a kind of buzz that got people sharing their knowledge etc. That is a pleasant 'by product' I did not expect.

Anyway, like I said, I was revisiting that post and checking on comments made about it and I found this link that someone has shared in response to someone else's post about my post hehehe.. 

So I am sharing it here. It says some scientists are conducting research and suggested that the Malays in Peninsula Malaysia are in fact, Dusuns who migrated there. And Yunnan China is again mentioned. Click on 1Malaysia for the link. 

Never Quit

The past 2 years, especially, have been tough! From a cushy job and air-conditioned building, I went to doing practically manual labour, under the hot sun no less sometime or most of the time. Being away from my wife and son is not helping either.

I keep getting the same question from friends and relatives, "Why don't you go back? You had a nice job?". Often asked with either a tone of pity or incredulity. Most of the time, I just give polite replies. However, silently, their reactions only bolster my resolve. To me, their reaction is a challenge to my ability and like any other challenges I have come across through the years, I will prove them wrong!

You see, about 3 years ago, I packed and left my wife and son in a metropolitan city and came back to Sabah. I had a dream, I wanted to give them a better live. I promised them it wouldn't be long before I invite them to join me. 

Well, in short, I encountered minor setbacks or some might say major ones depending on whether you look at the glass as half empty or half full. My endeavour proved to be tougher than I thought. Lack of funds make my 'project' even tougher to start. That is the first lesson I learned! If you have enough money, you can move mountains and don't have to break a sweat. Unfortunately for me, I don't have enough funding.

So what did I do? Improvised! I make do with what I have, I worked around the problem. Slower start but I will eventually get to where I want. I get my hands dirty and learn how to handle tools like handsaw, hammer and swinging the machette. It is a 360 degree about turn for me. I went from pencil pushing and computer in air conditioned office to manual labour with the open air under scorching hot sun as my office. 

I would be lying if I say that there were no moments when I felt like giving up while toiling under the hot sun but I hardened myself and refused to indulge in self pity. I started something and I promised my wife and son, and I will finish it even if I have to crawl and claw my way there, so help me God! Having said this, you see?! The past few years were not a total loss. It is character building! 

If my business do take off! I will be ready for success because now I appreciate the virtue of discipline and being committed.

3 years ago, I wouldn't have this kind of determination in doing things. When things are rough and you can't see any light at the end of the tunnel, just fight on. Keep on moving, one step at a time. This is not the first time I am in a significant juncture in my live. It happened once when I was in my 20s, I survived it and folks at home would think that I had an above average kinda successful live. After all, I left with only RM300/- in my pocket for a metropolitan city and armed only with an O level. No skills at all! Never even touched a computer before but I adapted. I rose through rank and file, married a wife there and has a son, owned a property.       

Now I am at another cross road and another challenge, I will persevere and see where this road leads me to.

The following is my favourite poem, 

Don't Quit - by Unknown author

When things go wrong as they sometimes will;
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill;
When the funds are low, and the debts are high;
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh;
When care is pressing you down a bit
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Success is failure turned inside out;
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt;
And you can never tell how close you are;
It may be near when it seems afar.
So, stick to the fight when you're hardest hit
It's when things go wrong that you mustn't quit.

What happened to living your advices?

When I was young, my elders lectured and emphasised the following:

1)      The importance of punctuality – Get to school on time, don’t make people wait for you (especially if they were adults),  the early bird gets the worm etc..

2)      The importance of finishing what you start – Don’t do things halfway, must be disciplined, if you always gives up half way, you’ll never be successful in live,

3)       Don’t daydream like Mat Jenin – Mat Jenin is a character who always have lofty dreams of making it rich but ends up screwing himself in the end because of his stupidity and complacency.  So I was discouraged from day dreaming and to put words into action. I don’t know how many times I was told not to be complacent that it became annoying because it came to a point when I think I was actually accused or was actually complacent. What was meant (the action) to be an encouragement and warning to me not to take the path of Mat Jenin actually became counter-productive because the way my elders were imparting their wisdom was wrong.

4)      Don’t waster your time doing nothing – Sitting around doing nothing is discouraged. I must always engaged myself in productive activities.

Dedicated Page for links to Dusun & Sabah Cultures articles

History & Cultural Relations - Dusun : added on 28 May 2010
Dusun word was derived from a Chinese word "luisooun"? : added on 28 May 2010
Dusuns in Brunei? : added on 28 May 2010
Sindurang Balakang, a pioneer of defender of the Kadazan rights in North Borneo : added on 28 May 2010

Scholar opened can of worms on East Malaysia's position in Malaysia

Have to thank Prof Dr Manjit Singh for sharing his academic views on the position of Sabah and Sarawak in the federation of Malaysia. Over the past few days, Sabahan politicians, both in government and opposition has come out and  responded to his comments. This 'discussion' over the local paper Daily Express these past few days has given me a deeper and better understanding of our history. I think most young Malaysians including those born in the 60's and 70's like me are not aware of this part of the history. Hence, I agree with the call of a Sabahan politician to include this facts in our schools' history books.        

Disappointing to note that our national medias are not covering these exchanges which should be and is a national issue. SAPP's President, Datuk Yong Teck Lee, is perhaps right in his observation that Sabah and Sarawak issues are of little concern to the national medias. 

This is what I have 'gleaned' thus far (and I welcome to be corrected if I'm wrong) :

Quality time with family in dream

I chatted with my 6 year old son and wife via Yahoo! Messenger last night. My son initiated the chat, he called my home in Sabah and told me to go online and have a video conference.

He doesn't do that often(asked me to chat online), so I was pleasantly surprised. Boy, he has grown to a handsome young man and he is quite assertive these days. He said, "I love you but I don't like Sabah! You come back to Singapore or stay in Sabah?!". How to convince a young boy that sacrifices needed to be made.

We ended the chat early as it was a school night. The chat did nothing to satisfy my pang to be with my family, if anything, it only made me miss my son more.

I went to sleep and I dreamt the most beautiful dream I ever had. I can only say it was a gift from God, it is so just what I needed last night. In my dream, I enter my bedroom and there waiting for me were my wife and son! :D. I was surprise and I thought to myself(in my dream of course), "This could not be happening. They're here!". My wife was preparing the bed but there was only one single bed, so my wife put a mattress on the floor for herself. Then she asked my son whether he wanted to sleep with daddy like last time and he said yes and promptly climbed up into my bed. All this while, I was just standing there and looking at them with astonishment. The first thing that came to mind was I wanted to hug my son, I haven't hugged him for, as far as I'm concerned, too long a time. I got into bed and told my son to give me a hug and he did. It was so real and vivid! You know how they say a human touch can heal the soul, we're human, we're sociable, touching is a way of communicating what words cannot say. I swear I could feel him! Oh! I held him tightly.

Needless to say, this morning, I woke up feeling chirpy. Now I know the true extend of all those mushy mushy poems and songs about meeting someone in their dreams or dreams that quenches the yearning of the heart. Thank you God. You were smiling at me last night. This beauty I give thanks and credit to you.

Recurring Dream

I keep having this recurring dream, as far as I can remember, the same 'plot'. Different car and different people but always the same story.

In it, I'm driving, I put the gear to reverse, so I reverse the car, then the speed would get out of control. I would step on the brake repeatedly but it would not stop. Then I would shift the gear to first gear and hit the pedal to the floor but the car would still be reversing. As the car is reversing out of control, I would hit things and I try my best to avoid them. Then I either wake up or I move on to another dream!

It's not a scary dream but it's annoying. The sense of helplessness is annoying.

Last night I had the dream again, only this time, I'm driving my brand new Proton Saga. So today, to 'take revenge', I bought my car's registration number :P. One straight and one backward since the dream is always about me reversing out of control.

Can't wait for the lottery result to come out this evening hahaha