Impossible Condition for Strata Title Transfer.

I was very frustrated with the way the authorities handled the strata title issue for Prisma Perdana. For three whole years we (the resident association) were trying to get the strata titles for the owners of the apartment and we had such a hurdle to cross. Nevertheless, it was really an experience working with a group of dedicated volunteers from the residents of Prisma Perdana..............

To the Editor of The Star,

I am an owner of an apartment in Prisma Perdana, Cheras and was a former president of the Prisma Perdana Apartment Resident Association. For four years, the residents and committee members of Prisma Perdana have fought very hard for our rights to get our strata title and to manage our own apartment.

From having to get our certificate of fitness through the assistance of our Cheras MP, YB Tan Kok Wai, to seeking the professional advice from the National Housebuyers Association when our developer, Saraintan Development S/B, wound up and finally being in the process of our strata title transfers, we would have thought that the tough times are over.

It has been the dream of every owner to finally get his title and we even went the extra mile of engaging a lawyer to do the transfer collectively for the residents here in order to speed up the process.

Alas to our dismay, we realized that the conditions imposed by the Official Receiver before approving the transfer was impossible to fulfill. They required each and every owner to show proof that the first owner of the apartment has settled all outstanding amount with the developer. As a fourth owner of the apartment, how on earth am I going to get such document from the first owner when I don’t even know where on earth he is right now. On top of that, as our developer has already wound up, all their files and documents would have already been in the custody of the Official Receiver. Why do they require the document from us?

Besides, if the first owner had not settled his outstanding dues to the developer, how then could the second, third and fourth owner obtain the letter of consent from the developer to get their financing from the bank?
Please, someone from the authority, please change the conditions in the strata title transfer. It’s no wonder strata titles are almost non existent here in our country when the authorities themselves are making it difficult for the owners to do their transfer. No wonder it takes years for the titles to be transferred. So what can I do now????

Euro & Me

I remembered having to prepare my third speec(got to search my pc for my second speech) and i came out with this...........



ITL, BEF, FRF, DEM, ATS…… geez…. I can’t even remember all my nicknames. How can I even remember all this tongue twisting currencies……

Good evening fellow toastmasters and guests.

At the strike of the clock, at 12.00 midnight, in the evening of 31st December 1998, while I was happily hibernating away in my nice warm bed, dreaming about the ‘dim sum’ breakfast I was going to have the next morning, there was this group of people, over the other side of the EARTH, who are busy preparing for the birth of a new phenomenon …. The birth of EURO……

Somewhere in my mind, in a galaxy far, far away, at a time when I was more concerned with whether I should or not answer the call of the Toastmaster, I was sent to attend a course on EURO in July 1998. I had no inkling what it was all about except that it was supposed to make my live easier. You see, I am with the Treasury Department of a bank. And what my main job function is, it is to ensure that all the many different foreign currencies in the bank are well funded. That means all money going out should be matched with all money coming in.

We are talking about not just five, or ten…. but more than thirty currencies I am looking after…. More than all the fingers and my toes put together. Many times I had to scramble to call other banks to cover accounts which has insufficient fund. So in future, if any of you experience your foreign currencies demand draft has bounced or your counterparties overseas failed to receive their money, then you know its dealers like me who were sleeping on our job.

Anyway, back to EURO. With EURO, that means instead of having to deal with eleven currencies in the EMU, I am going to deal with only one. WOW…… close to 100% reduction in workload…. What a dream. So there I was happily waiting for the year end to come. Then, as days and months progressed, I began to hear not very encouraging news from my friends from other banks about their woes and miseries with EURO.

I got worried. No one, not even my boss was concerned about what we had to prepare for EURO. It’s like Armageddon is coming, it’s just beyond the horizon and we were having picnic right at the edge of the earth. A few of my colleagues and I got together and starting to make enquiries from other departments about EURO. We were assured, quite confidently by our processing department, they handle the payment instructions and all other relevant accounting entries relating to treasury, that they have everything in place.
Phew, with this piece of mind, we continued with our picnic. We were thinking … this is LIFE!!!!

Then, a week before the start of the new year, before EURO was officially traded, all hell break loose …. Like they say, when you are down in luck, it doesn’t rain, it pours …. My boss called an urgent meeting to discuss the practical implication of EURO. It was then, we realised that nothing was done at all to ensure the payment and accounting system were in place for EURO. And we had to get it done in one week what others, even the foreign banks, took months to get it running smoothly…..

Needless to say, me, who was doing the funding and my colleague who was also doing the covering, spent the first two weeks of 1999, walking around with bags under our eyes. My colleagues in the accounts and processing department suffered a more terrible fate. It gave them countless headache attacks but at least they had an avenue to voice their grievances. They called us and nagged at us for not thinking about this earlier.

Well, that episode was soon over. It has taught me a very important lesson. That in this world, there is no free lunch. I was planning to have it easy with my workload reduction. I realised my effort and contribution is needed to make that happened. It’s the same with many things in life. You have a dream and you want it realised. Then, you know you got to put in dedication and determination to achieve it. I never expect EURO to have such an impact in my life.

Write up on Humour contest

In Toastmasters Club, members get to write a lot......... and talk a lot too..... and we have a lot of contests and then write about them for the benefit of those who had missed out on the various events........................... I wrote this for one of the Humour Contest in Damansara Utama Toastmasters Club in 1998.....................


Armed with all ears and eager anticipation, I weaved my way through the Thursday evening traffic, praying I would make it on time for the much awaited ‘Battle of the Year’, the Damansara Utama Toastmaster’s Club Humour Speech Contest 1998. This year saw the participation of eleven Titans, consisting of both veteran generals as well as young heroic captains and sergeants. The event was definitely treated with marked importance with the presence of wise and well-respected toastmasters, blah, blah, blah with the honour of crowning the chosen one, the coveted throne of ‘Titan among the Titans’.

Being given the formidable task to be the first Titan to grace the floor, G Jayam did his utmost to warm the evening’s atmosphere with his creative British humour. As the evening progressed, the spectators were enchanted with amusing anecdotes and the ‘sunny side up’ tales (and no doubt reality too) of man and women relationship, travelling as well as culinary experiences, antics of politicians and last but not least, some hilarious ego bursting self-proclamation of character by the Titans. All woven with delicate care on the fabric of the toastmaster spirit. (though some sexual and political innuendoes were made, all is forgiven as the saying goes, ‘Ignorance is bliss’).

Vijayankumar succeeded in charming the judges with similar strategies used in casting his mesmerising spell on his wife. Tham Chee Wah’s lamentation of women did not escape the judges’ notice and he was awarded the first runner-up position, just a rung above Sharon Ng’s arty ‘No’ lesson.

Heartfelt gratitude and praises to the contest chairperson, Lee Wei Siong and his entourage of sergeants for their commendable effort in ensuring the smooth running of the evening.

Now, let’s not forget that though one battle is won, there are many more to go before we emerge victoriously in the war. As Vijayankumar carries our club’s banner into the next battle field, the Area 51 (opps, Area C5, I meant) Humour Contest, on 16th September 1998, show your patriotism for the club and your support for him by being there.

The Truth, The Way and The Life

This article was written in April 2007 and was published in The Sun. It was written in aid of Canossa Convent Malacca Building Fund and I was really glad it had evoked the nostalgic feeling of many ex-students of Canossa. 

@ Photo credit Siew Choo

I remembered vividly how I used to describe to my colleagues and university mates that my secondary school was like a lighthouse by the edge of the sea. The freezing cold morning air and the lapping of the waves were the sounds that greeted me every time I stepped into the school compound. Located on the highest floor of the school building, my classroom overlooked the sprawling houses in Portuguese Settlement and had a really magnificent view of the Straits of Malacca.  

Standing just merely five meters away from the sea, SMK Canossa Convent, metaphorically, has served as guiding light, as a beacon of hope, for the many lost ‘ships’ in their voyage through life be it spiritually, academically or socially. 

@Photo Credit Karen Lee

I had schoolmates who were Portuguese, Chinese educated Chinese, English educated Chinese (they were from Chinese Medium Primary Schools and Primary Convent Schools respectively), Malays, Hindu Indians, Christian Indians, Baba Nyonyas etc. You named it; we were truly a melting pot. And through this melting pot, we learnt the lessons of racial tolerance to the extent that each festive season was the highlight of our otherwise ordinary school life. We would organize cycling expeditions through the kampungs and paddy fields as we visited our schoolmates and enjoyed the delicious delicacies prepared by different races. It was also this ‘muhibbah’ spirit, which spurred us on as we made it a point to have festive concerts in our school hall come every festive season. 

Canossa Convent Class of 1989

@Photo Credit Karen Lee

While we did not have many students with strings of ‘A’s, what we lacked academically, we made it up by excelling in sports and extra-curricular activities. Our school’s volley team was one of the best in Malacca. Coached by the ever popular and charismatic Mr. Lee, though the going was tough, the team players played their guts out at every match and tournament. Not forgetting the huge turnout by the cheerleading students from all age group, we had so much fun supporting our favourite team. 

I remembered we were champions in the Malacca English Drama Competition for three years in a row. All thanks to teachers like Mrs. Joan Marbeck, Mrs. Koh, Mrs. Doris Tan and many others who poured their hearts and souls making diamonds from rough stones like us. Many of us students also sacrificed our time forgoing all other engagements and spending days getting all the lines ready and preparing our props and costumes. I wonder how is the situation like now in my alma mater? 

I was in the science stream and my, my classmates and I were really an outspoken lot. We made our presence felt in school by being vocal about a lot of things. We were quite a notorious lot and no one wanted to be our form teacher, fearing that we were too much to handle probably. Which was all the more why we respected Mrs. Seow because she gave us the benefit of the doubt. She didn’t see us as a bunch of misfits but rather like a bunch of youngsters enjoying the emancipation of women to the maximum. Mrs. Seow, may you rest in peace. 

But to me, the person I revered the most was my former Principal, Sister Esther Thomazios. I was really touched by her undying effort and her utmost commitment in bringing out the best in us. She displayed such uncanny ability in making something out of nothing, making Canossa Convent one of the best-kept and organized schools in Malacca. 

Sister Esther Thomazios, Karen and two other guests at the photo exhibition in the Heritage Room                 

@ Photo Credit Karen Lee

Two years ago, Canossa Convent celebrated its 100 anniversary of the arrival of the Canossian Sisters in Malaysia. We had a huge gathering amongst the ex students of the school. We also invited the Canossian Sisters from all over Malaysia (Kluang, Malacca, Monfort Boys Town etc) and Singapore to grace the event. No words can described the feeling of being able to meet our former teachers again and catching up with old classmates and friends, looking at how some of us prosperous horizontally (pun intended) with growing families and sadly, some who had left us to be with God. 

I was moved to tears when I saw many of the Canossian Sisters I knew like Sister Dorothy, Sister Geraldine and Sister Esther and how they have made a lifetime commitment to the betterment of the unprivileged. 

Committee Members of the Canossian Alumnae Association 2022 

@ Photo Credit Karen Lee

Mdm Chin, Mdm Goh, Sister Geraldine, Sister Theresa and Mdm Indra (Mdm Goh was an ex teacher of Canossa, 

the rest were all ex principals of Canossa)

@ Photo Credit Madam Chin Siok Hoon

Mr. Lee, Sister Geraldine, Sister Stella, Mr. Wong

@Photo Credit Siew Choo

Mrs Devarajan, Miss Juan, Mrs Tan, Puan Fatimah, ex teachers from Sacred Heart

@Photo Credit Siew Choo

Sister Stella, Sister Angeline and Mdm Joan Marbeck at the back. 

@Photo Credit Siew Choo

Canossa Convent is located right in the heart of Portuguese Settlement. Unlike now where many dwellers of the settlement are much more affluent, twenty years ago, the main source of income for most of the Portuguese families came from the sea, as most of them were fishermen. Many families could hardly earn enough to sustain a living. Low literacy rate and high dropout rate were common among their children. Not to mention, there were many social problems in the community like alcohol and drug addiction, gangsterism, marital problem etc. 

The Canossian Sisters from Canossa Convent were there at a time when the community needed them most. They had been like the light at the end of the tunnel, a beacon of hope when all were in despair. Mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers alike respected the Canossian Sisters. Masses were conducted weekly at the school hall for the community. Fund raising projects were organized to keep the poor fed and clothed. Extra tuition classes were held for the weaker students. Counseling sessions were conducted to improve relationship and more importantly, all were welcomed with open arms by the Sisters. 

Regardless of race, religion and status, the Canossian Sisters have shown that what God has provided for us, we need to give it back to the community. 

Sacred Heart and Canossa school badges from the past. 

@Photo Credit Amy Lee

Via, Veritas, Vita. The Truth, The Way and The Life. Canossa Convent’s motto. My school’s motto. I finally realized what it meant.

Ice-Breaker : My Box Of Chocolate

My very first Toastmaster Club's Speech. I will never forget this and am so glad i still have this copy even though I crashed my harddisk a few months back...........................

‘Life is like a box of chocolate, you never know what you are going to get’.

Definitely, my mum didn’t know what she was going to get when she had me.
Imagine, nine whole months of an excess baggage limiting her freedom, getting morning sickness and getting an occasional acrobatic kick in her tummy.

I didn't have much recollection of my life during my infant years. I was told, in my later years,my granddad was a wee bit disappointed that his prayers for a grandson went unanswered. That had not made any impact on my parents. To them, their child is a joy and reward of their commitment of love towards each other.

I was’t born with a silver spoon and I was taught that money did not grow on trees. My dad enrolled me in a missionary convent school. It was there where I experienced my first taste of academic education and my appreciation of religion.

I had my fair share of fun and laughter in school. Me being pint-size, together with a few outspoken friends, we would ‘terrorise’(in inverted coma), our classmates with our cheeky antics and mischievous pranks, making sure that school weren’t all books, notes and theories only. In order to keep up with the school syllabus and being a Malaccan, the streak of kiasuiasm’ left me no choice but to go for additional tuition classes in the evenings. Young as I was at that time, I was quite a ‘gung-ho’, spending most of my afternoon in school participating in numerous extra-curricular activities. With such hectic school life, it was no wonder I had learn to appreciate sleep as one of the more precious commodity. So much so I had learnt to cultivate sleeping as an art.

Chapters of my life in college and in University was liken to the movie Braveheart, the final part where Mel Gibson cried,‘FREEDOM’. Being away from home made me understood what ‘dusk to dawn’ meant, I can go out at dusk and come back at dawn, no question asked. Considering the amount of time and money Malaysians spent in mamak stalls, Well at least I did, I often wonder
why no one thought of listing mamak stalls with the KLSE. Many of us would have been filthy rich shareholders by now.

Perth, Western Australia was where I had the chance to breathe foreign air on foreign soil. I was quite a health fanatic at that time. While my course mates attended lectures armed with books, notes, tape recorders etc. and I’ll be armed with a different armour, a tennis racket, tennis balls and sports shoes. Before Perth, I was totally hopeless with cooking but I came back a new person, at least I can hold my fort, cooking a meal for six. I was very eager to start claiming my place in the society. I figured, life should be quite a breeze since I am now able to earn my living. Then reality bites. After so many years of working, I realised I am just a statistic.

I guessed that’s what life is all about. It’s a journey of struggles and challenges added with dashes of emotions, perspiration and more importantly, HOPE. I can’t find more truth in what Forrest Gump had said, 'Life is like a box of chocolate, you never know what you are going to get.' For all the whinings and grumblings I had made about life,
...............................I still love my box of chocolate.