Day 9 of my solo trip: Kulim - Taiping-Kuala Kangsar

Friday, December 2, 2010: Kulim, Kedah, Malaysia:

I woke up at my auntie's house in Kulim, as I was made to put up a nite by my cousin. She is my childhood friend and continues her father's (my late uncle, youngest sibling of my father) profession as a police sergeant at the place where her father retires. Three more of her 12 siblings end up in the police force. I used to spend my long school holiday in my uncle house at the old barrack of Kulim police station. My late uncle is well known as Tok Mat.Yesteday, I cycled through Baling and took the highway to Kupang and later divert to Kuala Ketil to meet with Jep KP, my fellow Pujmac team mate, who happens to be on the way to Langkawi for holiday. I also met my colleagues Izam and Zamzurina in Kuala Ketil as they went back to their hometown. From Kuala Ketil, I cycled through Merbau Pulas, Padang Serai and reached Kulim town at about 5.00pm. My cousin hauled me up into her car and took me to my uncle house. I had good diner.

Jep KP

Izam, bro  and sis

Baling, categorized as black area same as Pengkalan Hulu, even few years after emergency. In September 1955, the famous Baling Talk was held in Baling, the talked between our Tunku Abdul Rahman accompanied by David Marshall and Tan Cheng Lock with the Communist Party of Malaysia which was led by Chin Peng accompanied by Rashid Maidin and Chin Tian. Tunku made firmed and perfect decision as he dismissed all demands from Chin Peng. Baling also was known for the caused of student demonstration in the 70s, where there were rumors of people died in Baling due to famine that inflicts students in Kuala Lumpur to demonstrate and riot against the government. The student leaders at that time were Anwar Ibrahim, Ibrahim Ali and Hishamudin Rais. Both Anwar and Ibrahim were sentenced into ISA whereas HRais fled oversea to escape ISA. HRais, an undergraduate student of Malaya University, majoring in History returned to Malaysia in the early 90s after long stayed in middle east, Europe and India and remained as rebel without caused but giving no harm at all, like toothless tiger. Should he docked in the ISA, he would probably be somebody by now, just like the two asses (DSAI and Abe Ali). I called them asses as DSAI had been through enough trouble with someone's asses, whilst Abe Ali kisses someone's ass to rejoin UMNO. Another incident that happened in Baling was a demonstration led by a religous leader, Ibrahim Libya in 1982. The clashed with the police claimed many casualties among the peoples. Ibrahim Libya and many of his followers died in the incident. PAS claimed that the the act was jihad and those people who died are martyr. For me, only god knows. Baling remained calm and quiet, the town is equipped with loudspeaker at four corners and played music, probably the idea came the new state government. I continued my lone journey after having lunch at my auntie's place, it was Friday and I missed the prayer again, taking full advantage of privilege of being a 'musaffir' (traveller) heading to Junjong, Kg Valdor, Nibong Tebal , Parit Buntar, Bagan Serai, Gunong Semanggol  and Taiping. The ride through malay villages, rubber estates, rice fields, palm oil plantations on a very flat land. Its kind of monotonous as for the past few days I went through serious mountainous ground.

OTW

I pass through Taiping and just after Bukit Gantang, I experienced intense climbing at Bukit Berapit. It was not that long, but it steeped enough for me to make deep inhaled through mouth. The climbing end up once I saw the YTL cement quarry on my left and its busy chopping down Gunong Pondok. We cant really blame them, Perak has limited resources and probably the poorest state though the former Chief Minister's (MB) son was flying on private helicopter for a date with local celebrity. I reached Kuala Kangsar when it was about getting dark. Had myself a room the in the famous Double Lion hotel which cost me RM 50 per nite and shared bathroom.
.