The Klang river that passes through Taman Melawati in Kuala Lumpur is beautifully lit up with kerosene lamps.
An initiative by Friends of Sungai Klang Taman Melawati River Three (FoSK TMR3), its members took turns to light the lamps daily during Ramadan.
And they will continue to do so every Thursday and Saturday throughout the month-long celebration of Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
FoSK TMR3 founder Kennedy Michael said the community wanted to do something extra special this year after two years of Covid-19 interruptions.
“Several volunteers and I took turns lighting up the lamps along the river trail. Each day, I replace the wicks and fill the lamps,” said Michael.
“Rain or shine, we are there. If anyone cannot make it, I will help to light them.”
Michael said he decided on the project as the residents could not travel to their hometowns for the past two years due to Covid-19.
As Michael and his volunteers had permission to move about as they were helping to clean the river, they decided to buy the battery-operated lamps to bring the ‘kampung’ (village) feel to the neighbourhood.
“This year we have made it even better by using the traditional kerosene lamps,” said Michael.
“I would like to thank all those who helped us make our community a true Malaysian one.”
The volunteers also helped decorate the gazebo and rest areas along the trail.
“We will organise a Hari Raya celebration soon to show our appreciation to the community.”
FoSK TMR3 is known for its community projects with its ‘Gotong-Royong Education by Action’ (GREduAction) programme ongoing since 2018.
GREduAction uses a STEAM-based approach – science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics – to clean up the rivers and educate the volunteers.
The group’s activities include upcycling old tyres, painting murals, photography, woodwork, biodiversity observation, multimedia communications, water quality monitoring, conservation, preservation and restoration (CPR) training, food waste compost, and used cooking oil recycling, and public outreach programmes.
For the record, this is the 100th weekly edition of this column. It turns two on June 13.
HECTIC HARI RAYA
The home minister and I were looking forward to the long weekend but little did we know it would fly by quicker than Superman rushing to rescue Lois Lane.
We met several friends we had not seen for quite a while and had a copious amount of delicious rendang.
It was the same for many others. I just wished there were 48 hours in a day as there are still several outstanding chores.
My heart goes out to all those stuck in the massive traffic jams.
I hope you had a great Hari Raya Aidilfitri and/or holiday.
ENCOURAGING NUMBERS
Malaysia recorded 9,467 new infections in the past week, including ‘only’ 922 cases on Tuesday. That was the first time we had less than 1,000 new patients since March 29, 2021 (941).
However, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah warned of a spike in cases after the Hari Raya holidays.
Until yesterday, we had 4,455,364 cases.
On the recovery front, 34,210 patients were cleared of the virus, bringing the total to 4,394,271.
There were 34 fatalities in the past week, including two on Thursday and three on Wednesday. The last time we had two deaths in a day was April 16, 2021. In total there are 35,576
Worldwide, there are 516,584,542 cases, but the World Health Organisation says Covid-19 deaths are three times the reported figure of 6,274,742.
KLANG HOCKEY FEST RETURNS
The Klang Hockey Fest returns for the fifth year. The Veterans Category is on May 28 while the Open Category is scheduled on June 25.
This year’s edition also celebrates the 20th anniversary of the organiser, Synergy Hockey Club.
The Open Category winner will receive the Anthony Ravindra Arulanantham Challenge Trophy. The late Anthony Ravindra played for Selangor and the national team.
GETTING OLD
A friend recently turned 50 and sent me this message via WhatsApp.
MERDEKARYA IS BACK
Having resolved its licensing issues, Merdekarya resumed hosting live performances yesterday.
The quaint little outlet in Petaling Jaya allows local musicians to introduce their music to the public.
Fellow journalist, Fabian Mark Peter, will perform on May 26.
DARK CHOCOLATE CHILLI CAKE AND PINEAPPLE TARTE TATIN
I love dark chocolate cake, either on its own or with lots of rum and raisins. I also love dark chocolates with chilli, so here is a recipe for dark chocolate chilli cake. As a bonus, the link also provides a recipe for a pineapple Tarte Tatin.
Enjoy.
A JAZZY HARI RAYA
There is a Hari Raya song I heard at a popular cafe for the past two years, but only at its Kota Permai branch. Coincidentally, I have only been there twice, during Ramadan, and on both occasions, I heard the ending of the song.
I searched for the song online but was unable to find it. But I did stumble upon the gem below.
Until next week, stay safe.
