CNY 09 Series - Happy Chap Goh Meh

First of all, Happy Chap Goh Meh and 元宵节快乐 to all Just Sharing readers!

Chap Goh Meh or the 15th day of Chinese New Year is a day to be cheers and at the same time feel a bit sad about. Why sad? Because it indicates the last day of Chinese New Year celebration of the year! :( It is indescribably nice to be in Chinese New Year, the feeling that make me feel so. Anyway, for the next Chinese New Year, the year of Tiger, we will need to wait for another 13 months!

Yes! You didn't read me wrong.. it is one year plus one month and not 12 months! It is because according to lunar calendar, there will be a leap month at the 5th month of lunar calendar this year. Meaning if you read the lunar calendar, you will see 5th month repeated this year. So, for the next CNY, it is 13 months of waiting.

The thing to cheer about? Well, Chap Goh Meh is one of the major celebration for Chinese families. When there is a celebration, there will be a "reunion" dinner. Yes, it is reunion with double-quote. This is because the dinner didn't actually serve the meaning of reunion anymore as most of those working far from hometown already back to their work places, yet I always feel that having time to sit down and take a great dinner with family members is one of the most happiest and blessed thing to be appreciate about.

Therefore, I wish everyone have a happy Chap Goh Meh with your family! Hope the year of golden Ox will bring us a lot of good fortune and health, and everyone will be as strong as Ox, as courage as Ox and as steady as Ox while waiting for the year of Tiger to come!

Flood Again N Again

If I ask, what is the recent hottest table topic or kopitiam topic on town? Some may not hesitate to say "BN took over Perak administration"! Yeah, maybe it is right, but not for Sibu people. The hottest table topic for Sibu people recently is "Sibu flood again"!

Nothing worried Sibu people more than flooding! Just like this afternoon around 4pm, a colleague of mine received a call from somebody telling him that water overflown again and some places already flooded. He then told us about it.

First listened, we were doubt about it as morning's flood just reduced drastically in the noon time. Nevertheless, we still took an observation from 5th floor of our office. We noticed that some roadside really covered with water already.

Then we took a look at the motorcycle parking place just below the office building... gosh! water raising!! Our motorbike was in the water! My colleague and I quickly went down to move our motorcycle to a higher place. No doubt, my shoes got wet but not a serious one thanks to my colleague Sparkish who lent me a hand!

Then, I discovered that the water kept overflown from the drain with shocking speed. Within 10 minutes or so, the road was covered with water. When I went back to the office to report about this situation, the whole office became a bit panic. Flooding already became a sharing nightmare to all of us.

Our manager was kind enough to let us go few minutes earlier than normal off time to avoid from trapped in traffic jam especially those driving car.

Before I went back, I stopped at few frequently flooded area in town to take a look at the situation over there. In Jalan Khoo Peng Long, I found this interesting scene. A father brought his son to play with overflown Rejang river water in the middle of the road!

Of course a typical kid from town was more than happy playing with such a huge pool of water! The photo proved how happy he was!

However the dad did take care of the son. He always keep an eye on him and when there was vehicle coming, he would bring his son to the roadside.

Haven't I tell you that Sibu Bomba building will never escape from flooding? Yeah! It's proved again! Whenever flooding, the fire engines have to be moved out and parked at the roadside. How pity!

Some fire brigades soaking in the water within the Bomba building compound chit-chatting about something. I think they already used to this kind of situation. Although flooded, they still have to standby for any emergency.

Jalan Central - one of the major road to town center also a frequent flooded area. As it is a major road, thus once flooding, it will cause serious traffic jam.

In the previous post, did I told you that I am not the only one taking flooding photo ? Ya! This time I caught a pretty girl busy snapping flooding photo at Jalan Central!

Some shops at Jalan Central were flooded and I guess they will have to close the shop earlier.

Flood! Shared nightmare for Sibu people!!

A Personal View About Sibu Airport

Sibu Airport is among the lousiest airport in the state of Sarawak. I am saying this by comparing it with airport in some major town of Sarawak, such as Kuching, Miri or even Bintulu. These 3 towns have new airport, either renovated or totally new one. If you happened to use airport in these towns, you will have "KLIA-feel" because of its design and the airports are fully air conditioned.

[Outside view of Sibu Airport]

However for Sibu Airport, it is still look like how it is since official opening in year 1995 by Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Yes! Anwar was still Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia at that time! I almost forget about that! Of course, I can't deny there were some changes done, but trust me, it's just a minor one!

[Sibu Airport was officially opened by Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim in 1995!]

[Left view at ground floor inside Sibu Airport]

[Right view at ground floor inside Sibu Airport]

Until today, almost 14 years after its official opening, Sibu Airport is still partially air conditioner. The air-cond part only available inside departure hall. Maybe arrival hall also has, but other parts of the airport are fully "natural air conditioner". That's why you can feel the heat when you are inside the terminal building. Although the heat wouldn't be too serious, yet sometimes it can cause sweating especially when the outside weather is hot.

[Check-in scanning machines]

[Check-in counters]

In departure hall, there are only 2 immigration counters for immigration checking. 2 counters certainly not enough especially during peak period and you will see very long queue in front of the counters. I suggested more immigration counter should be set up during peak period, but I guess there is not much space for that... how sad!

[Air-conditioned departure hall with 2 immigration counters]

Another problem of Sibu Airport is that there is too few seating inside the airport compound. This can cause difficulty especially during peak period. Just like this afternoon where I happened to go airport again, I could see a lot of people hardly found seats to sit down and chit-chatting with their family members or friends before they leave to their destination.

[A lot of people couldn't find seat while waiting]

[Few rows of seats only inside the building]

I don't understand, there is actually a lot of spaces inside the airport area which is let emptied. Perhaps the authority should consider to put little more chairs so that people can have a place to sit down while waiting for their flight.

[View from 1st floor]

Just now did I mention about there is some minor improvement done on the airport? Ya.. first of all is this 2-floor lift! It was added to the airport building forgot in which year. Honestly, it doesn't have much help to normal people, but it's helpful for disabled or old people who having difficulties climbing staircases.

[The 2-floor lift]

The most recent improvement of the airport is the departures and arrivals information monitor which are now bigger, clearer and using flat screen.

[Latest flat screen departures or arrivals information monitor]

[Arriving hall]

[Emptied information counter]

[Restaurant which look normal and typical yet the foods cost double!]

I HEARD some RUMORS said Sibu Airport suppose should be renovated to "KLIA-feel" just like Kuching airport, but because of some conflict between some local politicians with some tycoon who may have contract for the renovation or rebuilding, thus "KLIA-feel" and fully air-cond Sibu Airport is just remain a dream for Sibu people.

[A view on 1st floor of Sibu Airport where AirAsia and Surau are located]

[A candy store at 1st floor]

[Taxi drivers occupying cafe's tables at ground floor]

[MAS stewards and stewardesses were changing shift]

Flood On 6th Day of CNY

Oh NO! Sibu flooded again and this time is on the 6th day of Chinese New Year! In fact, there were floods from the 1st day of CNY till today, but today one is the "highlight"!

Major roads were quite heavily flooded and caused serious traffic jam especially at Brooke Drive and Kampung Nyabor area. Luckily today is Saturday and some companies are off this day, otherwise the jam will be even worse!

[Flood causing serious traffic jam @ Jalan Kampung Nyabor]

[Flood scene @ Jalan Kampung Nyabor]

[Some shops were flooded and couldn't do business]

As I told in the previous post titled "Oh No! Flood!", the major cause of frequent flooding in Sibu nowadays is the shallowed riverbed of Rejang river resulted from illegal logging upstream. The yellowish water covered the roads are from overflowed Rejang river. This is a fact!

[A view of Rejang river - main cause of frequent flooding in Sibu]

Yet, local politicians refused to believe the fact and don't want to open tender for riverbed clearing. Everytime when serious flood occur, they will tell the press that they already acquired millions worth of allocation and efforts will be taken to solve this problems.

[My former primary school will never escape from flood because of its geographical location]

However, not much improvement we can see until today. Yet, Sibu people need to bear the consequences of the shallowing riverbed of Rejang river. Can you imagine one day you drive out from your house, then when you are at a one-way road and you notice that the road is flooded but you can't make a u-turn back? Will you just stop your car or continue your journey? If you continue, you will be having risks such as missing car plate number or the worst case, your car engine died at the center of the flooded road!

[Flood in front of Sarawak House]

I guess those politicians never worry about this, because they are sitting in big car and staying in big house with the house compound properly cemented few inches above the road level. But do they ever think of those poorer facing the water overflowed into the house and caused furniture damage? Who gonna bear their loses? Come on!!!

[Flood at Foochow Lane - over the knee]

Flooding in Sibu is a very serious issue that all Sibu people are facing today. I know sometimes we cannot against mother nature, but I am sure some prevention can be carried out in short term to lower the frequency of flooding in Sibu such as proper drainage management and Rejang riverbed clearing thus give back the peaceful day to the people of Sibu!

Here are some random flooding photos to share:

[Daesim Mart staffs were busy building temporary "bridge" for pedestrian.]

[Bomba building never escaped from flood]

[Random flood scene]

[Random flood scene near Sarawak House]

[Random flood scene @ Jalan Khoo Peng Long]

[Can you differentiate where is land and where is river?]

[Taking photo in the river?]

[Walking on the river?]

[Riding motorcycle in the flood]

[I am not the only person in Sibu taking flooding photo! ;p]

[Did you notice anything strange about the wharf?]

[Eating kampua between the flood - ever try before?]

[No! The shop is flooded! Somebody help!]

[Temporary bridge near Daesim Mart]