MANAGING / CURING DIABETIC WOUNDS TO PREVENT AMPUTATION.

Diabetes sufferers need not worry about amputation of their limbs. We have a simple, cheap and yet effective treatment, without the use of medicine.

Read this link for further details. Please pass this to friends in need.

The link:  http://bioauracurativewater.blogspot.com/

Before treatment

Six weeks after treatment

The Awesome Beauty and Serenity of Temenggor Lake.

The construction of Temenggor Dam in mid 70s has changed a major portion of Belom Forest Reserve in Perak into a vast lake.                                                                                                                                 

I had my share in guarding the construction site and protecting the Japanese workers from the communist harassment, who saw the dam as a major threat to their existence. Their movements would be limited and would take many times longer. When the dam was completed and the area inundated, a couple of Orang Asli settlements were submerged. Many small islands were created. Some of these islands were given to major companies / conglomerate to develop into tourism attraction. A few did try but couldn't sustain the business and had to close down. Today, only an island called Pulau Sri Undangan belonging to the Army is still operating to cater for demands of those people who seek the peace and adventure Temenggor could offer.

There are 5 chalets. They could accomodate about 60 people. Bathrooms are provided with water from the lake. Cooking is done by a section of Askar Wataniah who also provide security. A generator provides the requirement for the lighting and music for the karaoke session. Be warned, swimming in the lake is forbidden and if you must, do it in the area designated as the edge of the lake is usually a sharp drop because the islands are tips of mountains/hills. Those interested to make use of the place can call 013 5231265 (SSjn Gus) or 019 4562890 (Major Kubra).                                                                                                

How to get there.
Transports will be provided to get you to the Temenggor Dam jetty. The journey will take approximately 1 hour from the town of Grik. From the jetty, boats will be provided to ferry you to the island. Safety of passengers are paramount and life jackets are provided for each and everyone. The journey back will be similar.                                                                                                                                                

What are the programs available?
Check with the persons above. Fishing is one popular outing and be sure you bring good and strong lines, hooks and rods. Baits will be provided but it will be an added advantage if you can bring extras. A visit to an Orang Asli village is also one popular program.

Sri Undangan Island is on the left of this picture.

Hauntingly and mystically beautiful sceneries like these will greet visitors.

Herbal Cure for Diabetes and Hypertension.

Warrant Officer 2 Idrus Ismail (Rtd) is one very enterprising ex-soldier since he retired from the Ordnance Corp eleven years ago. He has found his niche in the herbal industry and is renown to many major herbal traders in the country. He started small by selling a number of famous products for the cure of diabetes and high blood pressure. Today, he has his own brand of herbal cure for the same ailments - a joint venture has with a medicinal factory. Here he is seen with some of his products at one of his outlets in the Kamunting Sunday Market.This is one of his major product   - tea bags of Mahkota Dewa fruits, a cure for diabetes and high blood pressure.

His latest product - 3 in 1 coffee made from the Mahkota Dewa fruits.

The coffee powder in sachets of 15.

He supplies in bulk or in retail. Those interested can contact him at 05 - 891 6149 or 019 422 2458. You can browse his website.mahkotadewamonkisent.wordpress.com/

Dreaming Up a Modern Iban Long House in Sarawak.

During the 78th Army Day Anniversary in Kuala Lumpur on 6 March 2011, I met a fellow retiree. "Would I like to build a new long house for free for my folks back home?" I heard what he said and thought it was one big joke! Nevertheless, I was curious and decided to probe deeper.

"How much would this "good Samaritan" chip in to build the long house?" I inquired.

I couldn't believe it (I still don't) when he said "about RM5 million". That is a lot of money to part with - especially when there are no returns expected or demanded.

Still unbelieving, I inquired further, " What is this "good Samaritan" expecting to get out of this project?" I know, most people don't simply give anything out unless they get something in return.

" Nothing." was the reply.

I was even more unconvinced but decided to play along. I was asked to come up with a plan of my new long house that retains the traditional facets while injecting the modern aspects for better comforts. Below are the plan.

Rear view

Front View. Notice the balcony and car porch.

A double storey long house. First floor is where the living room, dining and kitchen are. The second floor has 3 bedrooms with bathrooms attached and a balcony for extra comforts.

The "Ruai" - Common Verandah is maintained. This is an important part of a long house. It is here that festivities and other important functions are held.

Let's pray, this "Good Samaritan" keeps his promise. Other than extra works, I have nothing to lose - if this man decided not to keep his words.

An after thought: ANY CHARITABLE DONORS OUT THERE?

The Passing of My former CQMS of the 70s, SSgt (Rtd) Mohammad Rahmat

Everything happened so fast. Only a couple of months ago, when I last met him, he was very healthy and was going about his job (he was doing minor house repairs and renovations) as usual.                                         

A month ago he complained of being drained out after the day's job - something he had never felt before. The family suspected something was wrong when his skin began to turn yellow. They sent him to Lumut Naval Hospital but surprisingly it lacked the expertise and he was referred to General Hospital Selayang in Kuala Lumpur which diagnosed him for a 3rd degree cancer of the spleen.                                                 

He was given a 0% chance of recovery and after a week there he was sent home where he was cared for by his children. After a week, he seemed to react favourably to the medicine the Hospital gave him. His swollen legs had subsided and the yellow colour in his eyes had gone. He even could mumble some words and talk to his children.                                                                                                                                       

Upon a friend's advice, the children took him to an Islamic faith healer. It was upon his return that his condition took a turn for the worse. He was still very much with the Army - in his mind and spirit. Just before he drew his last breath, he told his children to call for me so that I could bring him to the hospital. "Quickly" he whispered, "there are many soldiers waiting for me." He drew his last breath peacefully at 13.30 p.m on 21 April 2011.                                                                                                                                         

Dear God, how he must had cherished the days and friendships when we were serving in 3rd Malaysian Rangers. Like me, and many of us, our short yet unforgetable lives in 3rd Rangers in the 70s were something that we will cherish till our dying days. Allahyarham SSjn (Rtd) Mohammad Rahmat (Mat Bond) had shown us. God bless his soul. Al-Fatihah.

Forming the Association of Bravery Awards Recipients.

The affairs of the recipients of the Malaysian and the British bravery awards had, largely, in the past, been left on their own. Only the recipients of Malaysia's highest bravery award - Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP), an equivalent of the Victoria Cross was given a monthly allowance of RM200.00. The Pingat Panglima Gagah Berani (PGB), an equivalent of the British's Military Cross (MC) was not given any. The promise of payment remained a promise for some 10 years. The Chiefs of the Army came and went and it looked like the promise had been forgotten. In 1998, 6 years after I had retired, I wrote to the Defence Minister, Dato' Seri Mohd Najib Abdul Razak (now the Prime Minister). I appealed to him to give the PGB holders the much-awaited-for allowance that had been promised to us. To my pleasant surprise, he answered my querry almost immediately with an assurance that he would table the motion to Parliament at the next coming sitting. A year later the PGB holders were given a monthly payment of RM300 while the SP holders were paid RM400 - an amount far beyond my expectation!!! And not only that; we were paid the backdated from 1976. I received a whopping RM65,000.00 which made me feel like an instant millionaire. In reality, that amount lasted only a few months. Where did it go to? I don't know. Then sometime in 2007, another recipient took the initiative and wrote to Dato Seri Najib for an increment to RM1000.00. Two years later, the caring government of Malaysia paid the recipients of SP and PGB RM2000.00 and RM1500.00 respectively. Again it was beyond our expectation. Not only that, the recipients of the British's George Cross, Military Cross and George Medal were also eligible for the monetary rewards. Thank you the government of Malaysia!!! The Government of Malaysia, the Armed Forces and the Army didn't forget us. We get invited to attend / witness the yearly Independence Day parades, Armed Forces and Army Day parades. So, really, we are quite busy! The recipients of bravery awards from the Army and the Police had met frequently at these occasions. We have had a number of informal discussions as well as formal meetings to find out the possibility of forming an Association of the SP & PGB. A Task Force was formed to look into the matter and to carry out the necessary works to register the Association with the Registrar of Society (ROS). I was made the interim Chairman of the Association. We had a final meeting on 9 April 2011 to finalise the many documents that are required to be submitted to ROS.

L to R: Kol Roslan PGB, Major (Rtd) Sameon PGB, Me (Interim Chairman), Major (Rtd) Hanafiah PGB (Interim Secretary), Sub-Inspector (Rtd)Mashkor PGB and Major Dato' (Rtd) Sallehuddin PGB.

The Ex-Service Association office at Jalan Bellamy which we had used on a number of occasions was unfortunately closed that day and we had to use the restaurant next to it.

Realising my book on the Iban Trackers and Sarawak Rangers

Writing and documenting the history of the famous Iban Trackers and Sarawak Rangers is closer to becoming my reality. About a year ago I had planned to make my researches in the archives in the UK. However, due to the H1N1 epedemic, the hugh cost and non-availability of good Samaritans / sponsors, the plan had been shelved. But my dream of writing the book lives on. My interest in the affairs of these elite warriors keeps me going in the direction I intended to move. What had happened in the last few months had definitely helped me in making a firm decision to go to Sarawak to meet and interview the remaining 60 of them still alive today. I must see them before they disappear completely from the face of this Earth. Looking at their ages, time is not on my side. Even now, a few of them are fighting for their lives in the government hospitals and two had died in the last few months. A few days ago, another body, Ex British Soldiers Association headed by Che Onn Neamat, has unknowingly joined me in looking after and highlighting the affairs of these elite fighters. I have about 60 names of the surviving members of the Sarawak Rangers living across Sarawak. God-willing I will see and meet all of them. I will be writing to the General Officer Commanding 1st Infantry Division, Major General Awie Subuh, based in Kuching for administrative and logistic supports. I am keeping the month of April 2011 in mind and meantime I am doing the necessary preparations required. Update No. 1 (12 March 2011). On 5 March 2011, in conjunction with the 78th Army Day celeberation in Kuala Lumpur, I met the Deputy Army Chief and the Chief of Staff and confided in them about my plan. They were supportive and had asked me to write to them officially which I did on 9 March 2011. Looking at the number of the ex-soldiers I would like to see and interview, and the locations they are in now, I will most likely spend more than two weeks in Sarawak. As they are stretched right across Sarawak, I will definitely need a 4 x 4 vehicle that the Army may be able to provide me. Accomodations and food in the camps certainly would help lessen my financial burden. I am excited at the opportunity to see and travel right through Sarawak - especially into the interior which are only accessible by long boat. I see plenty of amazing and beautiful sceneries for my camera. Update No. 2 (12 April 2011) I checked with the ADC to the Army's Chief of Staff yesterday as to the status of my letter that I had sent him a few weeks earlier, whereby I had requested for the Army's logistic support in my quest to locate and interview the 60-odd living members of the Iban Trackers and Sarawak Rangers living across Sarawak. I was told the letter is still with the C of S. Except for my concern that time may not be on the side of these gallant fighters. I'm not in a hurry to embark on the journey. A couple of days ago, I received a call from a FINAS (National Film Association) official who is interested to interview me on the Iban Trackers. Apparently, their search in the internet had led them to my blog PGBWARRIOR. Why not? I will contact them when I go to Kuala Lumpur on my next trip in a week or two. I told them about my intended trip to Sarawak and they sounded keen in tagging along. The more the merrier. Some of my schoolmates/classmates in Sarawak might be interested to come along as well.