Sibu Foochow Culture

Do you know where Sibu is? I think most of the West Malaysian don’t know where is it. I study in UTAR locate in Petaling Jaya for almost three years. Most of my friends they don’t know where Sibu is or they never heard it before. I think there is a mindset in your heart that I come from Sibu. That’s right, you guessed it!

Before I get into my topic, let me tell you a funny conversation that I heard in a lift at XXX shopping mall. “Dear, I will go for business to Sibu next week,” said the husband to his wife. His wife was surprised and asked, “What? Sibu is “ulu” area. Why your company send you there?” Her reply reduced her husband to silence. I felt impulse clarify that Sibu is not “ulu” area. Ultimately, I didn’t do so. She is “ignorant”, and there is an end for the conversation. 

Night Scene of Sibu Town

What a beautiful night scene of Sibu Town right? Sibu is a riverine town at the confluence of the nation’s longest river, the Rajang, in Sarawak. The population is mainly Chinese Foochow as well as indigenous Iban, Malay and Melanau. In Malaysia, Foochow people are referred as “Hockchiu”. There are a significant number of Foochow people mainly in Sibu, Sarawak; Sitiawan, Perak and Sri Jaya, Pahang. There is a saying that Sibu is “small Hock Chew province”, Sitiawan is “small Sibu” and Sri Jaya is “small Sitiawan”.

Sibu Mascot

Sibu is also referred to as the “Swan City”. Swan was chosen to be the mascot where the Foochow people were grateful when a famine ended with the appearance of a flock of swans flying through the sky. The swan signifies a new identity, spirit, solidarity and unity which would inspire the people to work hand-in-hand towards to meet its goal to become a city in the future. 

Live in cave?

or tree?

Until now, some of the west Malaysians or foreigners still think that the Sarawakian or Sabahan live in cave or trees. I still remember that one of my secondary teachers told us that if someday and someone ask where Sarawakian live, we should tell them we live on the tree but with lift! How high tech we are. Of course, it’s a joke.

Bungalow

As a citizen of East Malaysia, I’m here to clarify that we live in house same as you. We live in terrace house, bungalow and others.

Plain

Tossed with sweet soya sauce

For the budget traveler, Sibu is a best choice for you to travel as our food price and accommodation is cheap and affordable. Now, let me introduce you some of Sibu's famous dish. Kampua Mee is signature dish which is tasty, economic and loved by local people. The taste is available either plain or tossed with sweet soya sauce. It looks like Wantan Mee in West Malaysia but its taste is totally different and it was dry.

Mee Sua (Long Life Noodle)

The Foochow culture fills with food tradition and symbolism. Mee Sua, another Foochow favourite, is a customary dish for the Foochow community especially during special occasion such as birthdays and Chinese New Year as the noodles signify longevity. It's also referred to as "Long Life Noodle". Foochow people also say for long life noodles, the longer and the better. 

Ding Bian Hu

Ding Bian Hu is another popular dish normally taken by Foochow as breakfast or supper of this town. It's also called as "collection of noodles" as the batter mixed into the wok and collected together in the soup. It's neither noodle nor porridge which made of rice starch. It tastes like Pan Mee but softer, fresher and has the tastiest soup ever!

Kompia is baked in a charcoal oven

Fried Kompia with some minced meat

Kompia is one of the most famous delicacies of Foochow to buy by the dozens. Traditionally, Kompia is baked in a charcoal oven and today many will find the bun sandwiched with some minced meat. The hero Ji Guang invented Kompia as dry food for his soldiers to carry along during Anti-Japanese occupation war in China. It tastes like French bread but it has sesame seeds on top.

Hope I've awakened an interest in you to come visit Sibu. Swan City, Welcomes You!

Maybe you will ask me can you find the Sibu dishes in West Malaysia? Yes, you can! I will recommend  you to visit SRK Noodle House for a try. I have tried it before and the Kampua's taste is exactly same as my home town's Kampua. It is because the owner is from Sarawak. The noodles are made by the owner personally. I felt so glad when the first time I ate it in West Malaysia. I never found the words to say as I live in West Malaysia for three years finally I find it.

SRK Noodle House
Add: No.84, Jalan SS15/4B, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor.
Business Hours: Everyday 10am-3pm / 5pm-9pm
Tel: 016-9000978 / 03-56119516

A Boss's Three Advices

      A newly married couple is living in poverty. One day, the husband said to his wife: “Dear, I want to leave home. I’m going to find a job and work very far away until I can give you a comfortable and decent of life then I will come back. I don’t know how long I will work but I just can wish you one thing, waiting for me. When I’m not at home, please being faithful to me and I promise you I will also faithful to you.”
      After many days, he came to an ongoing recruitment manor and he has hired. “Please allow me to work at here as long as I want when I think it’s the time to leave, you will let me go. I usually do not want to draw compensation, please pay me the existence of an account. On the day I left then you give me the money.” Both sides reached an agreement. The man worked there for 20 years with no vacations and rarely rest.
      One day, he said to his boss: “I want to get back my money, I’m going home.” His boss said: “Well, we have an agreement and I will act according to the agreement but I have one suggestion, or I’ll give you the money, you leave, either I’ll give you three advices, don’t give you the money, and then you leave.” The man said: “I will be back on tomorrow. Can I give you the answer on tomorrow morning?” The boss said: “Sure.”
      The man did not sleep that night. In the next morning, he tells his boss he wanted the three advices. His boss reminded him and said: “If I give you the three advices, I will not give you the money.” He said: “I want advices.” Then, his boss said:

1) Don’t try to find a shortcut no matter what is going on. The convenient and unfamiliar road may bring you death so better keep your feet on the ground.

2) Don’t over-curious although you know it is not a good thing, it may bring you death.

3) Don’t make any impulsive decision; otherwise the decision may make you regret it forever.

      The boss gave him some money and three slices of bread before he left and told him only can eat the biggest bread when he reached home. After that, he hit the road. He walked for several days. He has eaten half of the first bread. Soon, he arrived at a junction. He asked the passersby which way is near to his hometown. “You can take the shortcut, it is quite near,” said passerby A. “I suggest you take the main road because it is more safety,” said passerby B.
      He was bursting to meet her wife so he decided to take the shortcut. It wasn’t long he heard some passersby said that there are bandits nearby. Then he remembered his boss’s first piece of advice: Don’t try to find a shortcut. So he turned back to the main road. Again, he walked for a few days.  The second bread has half eaten by him. He found a cheap inn to stay a night.
      In the middle of the night, he heard a woman crying. He couldn’t sleep. He decided to take a look. In the moment, he thought of the second piece of advice: Don’t over-curious although you know it is not a good thing. He was asleep. When the next day of departure, the boss of the inn felt surprised and asked: “You still alive?!” He felt puzzled then he asked for the reason. The boss said he had a crazy daughter, when the onset she will cry to lead out the guests and killed them. He was the only lodging guest who alive.
      He continued walked for a few days. When he had finished the second bread, his home is not far away anymore. He was even more excited. He arrived his village when the darkness fell. When he was going to knock the door, he heard a man’s voice from his house. He was in a rage and picked up a slasher and ready to burst into the house to kill the man. But then he thought of the third piece of advice:  Don’t make any impulsive decision; otherwise the decision may make you regret it forever. He tried to calm down and sat outside the house overnight.
      In the next early morning, he knocked the door. His wife was pleased to see him back. But he was apathy and said: “I’m loyal to you but you betrayed me.” His wife was surprised and said: “What? I have never betrayed you; I waited for you for 20 years.” He said: “Then who is that man?” His wife laughed and said: “That is our son. It wasn't long when you left the home, I found out I was pregnant and our son is already 20 years old.”  He found this young guy look similar with him. They met for the first time and mingled their tears. After a while, the man took out the third slice of bread and wanted to share with her wife and son. After he had cut the bread, he found out the 20 years of wages was inside the bread.
      This story tells us that we have to think clearly before we do anything otherwise we will regret a lifetime. Everyone will have this kind of experience in the future. If you face it, you should think about the boss’s three advices and learn the man don’t be tempted by the money and confused.

Hand Shadow Commercial

 

 

             The commercial is manufactured by hand shadow to express the handmade car. It is impressive and made people to remember it. This kind of commercial is seldom use by the commercial factory. I like this commercial because hands can make different shadow. It is fantastic for me. It inspires me that we can use body language to express our idea. In our lifestyle, we can use different sources to create many creative things.

Reference : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jY7v-VvBD0U

Special Rain Cover

   

             Most of us use umbrella when it is raining. But it is not perfect enough. We also can get wet when the rain is heavy. The rain cover in the above can cover in front of our body and do not get wet of it. We can use the handphone in the rain. But I think it also has shortcoming. It is because it only can cover half of our body. But anyway, it is also a creativity item. Maybe it can modify a bit to be more better.

Creative Staircase

             This creative staircase is designed for the people who don't like to walk on staircase nowadays. It is because most of us prefer to use escalator than staircase. So, they think of the idea to let more people choose to walk on staircase. Walk on the staircase can play a piano sound. It can make the people feel fun and like to walk on it. It shows that 66% more people than normal choose the stairs over the escalator. Fun can obviously change behaviour for the better. It inspires me that creativity can use in our lifestyle that can make us more healthy. We should spread out so that can benefit benefit others.

Reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP-eXxOpQU8

Creative Ways to Reuse Old Things

             Nowadays, no much people think of reuse the old things. They only want to use the new things and throw the old one. This is the reason why the rubbish become more and more in the whole world. It can cause the air pollution after burn the old rubbish. For me, I am appreciate of the people who use the creative ways to reuse the old things. It can also save our environment. In the above, there are some sample of reuse the old things such as use old computer tower as a mail box, turn on old piano into an outdoor water fountain, turn old credit cards into giutar picks and others. It inspires me that reuse the old things can also in a creative ways. It can be an art and beautify our environment.





Creative Bicycle Slot

             This creative bicycle slot is designed by a Japanese man. In Japan, there are many people riding bicycle. This design is for rider who want to have a rest. In the above, it has a small table. You can have a drink or snack on the table or even reading. It has a wide range of response from rider. Many rider want to get try of it. For my opinion, I think it should place under the shady tree or cool places. It can make more people to enjoy it. It inspires me that creative that can facilitate people and can make our country around with art.