::ThE BoULeVaRd oF BrOkEn DrEaMs::

Satuday, February 19, 2005

A day @ the ZOO

Today is 9th Singapore Infantry Division family cohesion at the ZOO. So.... we are made to report at 0845hrs wearing black on a scorching hot day. But in the end the event proved to be fun. BCTC(the guys in black polo shirts) are in our usual rowdy mood. Amleza was picked to dance on stage with some kids and our MC, Aileen Wee called him Ah Meng.... Amleza = Ah Meng hehehe. We had free KFC lunch and free flow of candy floss and orange juice.

Me, Zaki, Faizal, JI and DIDI are the early birds.. Zaki drove us there in his souped up nissan sunny which looks like a skyline now.

Group photo with our MC Aileen Wee.....

Sofian trying to dunk the gal....

With the Army formalities over, now over to see our relatives, I mean the animals :>

Wat you Looking at? I ain't got no food....

It cost $14 to get into the ZOO. A bit expensive eh... But we got in for free.. thanks to the SAF or more like thanks to the taxpayers :>

posted @ 05:18 p.m. | |

Friday, February 18, 2005

Battle Box, Fort Canning

In conjunction with Total Defence Day on the 15th Of February, BCTC organised avisit to Battle Box @ Fort Canning today. It was used as a command post during the 2nd world war. The bunkers are 9 metres underground. The 1,300 sqm complex is divided into 22 rooms. The rooms include: the telephone exchange room, which controlled all incoming and outgoing calls within the Battle Box, the cipher room, a high-security room where staff worked to encode and decode messages and Fortress Command, where Lt-Gen Percival discussed the progress of the British defence of Malaya with Fortress Commander, Major-General Keith Simmons, the highest ranking person in the Battle Box.

It is a bomb-proof structure capable of recycling its own air supply if all the doors had to be shut during gas attacks. The British completed the bunkers in October 1939.
The British soldiers occupied the Battle Box bunkers from 1939 to Feb 15, 1942, when Singapore was given up to the Japanese.
It served as an operations and command centre for the Malaya Command Headquarters headed by the General Officer Commanding, Malaya (GOC), Lt-Gen Arthur Percival. This was where the top British officers gathered to make decisions regarding the defence of Singapore.

Through the rooms, there are audio visual presentation of what really goes on in each of these rooms. No pictures could be taken within the complex, which is a pity. A re enactment of the meeting between all the to Generals was also shown. The Japanese who only had 30,000 soldiers in their quest to capture Singapore manage to fool the Brits who had 120,000 men into thinking that the Japs were far superior in terms of manpower. If only Lt - Gen Percival had hang on a few days more.. We would not have been conquered. From this visit we learnt that the defence of our country should not be dependant on another... We all have a part to play in the defence of our motherland SINGAPURA :)

posted @ 04:55 p.m. | |

Thursday, February 17, 2005

Daunting Task

Was assigned to teach 3 colonels today on SAR 21 technical handling. I only knew I had been given the 'honour' late yesterday evening. Hence, I had to rush and read up on the SAR 21 lesson Plan thoroughly. This big shots are bound to test my knowledge to the limit. Besides SAR 21, ITI commander, ACTC commander & my own BCTC commander would be revising on various types of other weapons such as Claymore Mine, Aces and Trip Flare which would be taught by Suriya and the M203 Grenade Launcher taught by Heng Huat.

The 3 of us were the 'lucky' ones to have been chosen. So this morning while the other trainers was enjoying the usual morning nap, the three 'lucky' ones had to made their way to Tg. Gul Camp at 7.15am. The irony was that we had arrived in ITI and LTA Mike received a phone call saying that the 3 Commanders were in BCTC looking for us. Aha, guess this big shots don't know how to follow the instructions given to them on the previous day.

At 8.30am they finally arrived, I was naturally feeling jittery as the highest ranking officer I have ever conducted a lesson is just an NS LTA. Seeing ACTC commander in S.B.O attire standing in front of me and following my every command feels so satisfying. Its not everyday that you get to command the ones that commands you :> As the lesson wore on, I feel more confident in delivering my lesson. The scorching hot weather and the initial nervousness was a combination that made me sweat profusely.

The 1st lesson with ACTC commander went smoothly. Next is ITI commander the full colonel. He was more versed in the weapon than my 1st 'student', so it took me only 15 minutes to complete my revision with him. I went for a break and was back to see Suriya and Heng Huat slugging it out in the heat, trying to deliver their lesson in the best possible manner.

Half a day is gone, now on to teach my commander LTC Adam. By now a much welcome downpour fell upon us. Cooling the atmosphere at the same time.. This is the third time I'm repeating the lesson and I'm kinda feeling what the malays would say 'Mendak'. hehehe. I'm just glad that I manage to deliver my lessons clearly to them and help them in their quest to gain the INFANTRY BADGE. It is a process in which a soldier have to complete a 32km route march, river crossing and to end it off live firing of the SAR 21.

posted @ 09:06 p.m. | |

Thursday, February 10, 2005

CNY Bowling

Met up with the OEPS gang today.. surprisingly today the turn is good as it is the CNY Holidays. For the 1st time more guys turn up than the girls... We had a bowling Session at Leisure Bowl East Coast. I was having a bad bowling day as I struggle to get to the century mark in the 1st two games. The other guys were striking like no tomorrow with HAfiz getting a Turkey at one point. So much for me bringing my own ball there... But I had a good time though. Kamilah had a good technique of throwing the ball but just couldn't get the ball to go straight. Something wrong with the targeting system I guess. Faizal is a power player.. he rolled the ball and stride forward as if he wants to bash the pins if it all doesn't fall. hehehe. Naziha celebrates her strikes like she won the bowling grand prix hehehe..

In attendance: Naziha, Marina, Kamilah, Dzul, Faizal, Hafiz, Luqman & Iqbal.

My high Score for the day... A real Suckey day for bowling...

After all the rolling.. we are natural tired and........... U guessed it HUNGRYYYYYY!

Mr Cina Bukit a.k.a Iqbal suggested we head down to KTM for dinner and have a sheesha puffing session there.. what a good idea..

Naziha looking lost at what to order for our dinner.....

We were too hungry to even bother to pose for the camera...

Iqbal showing us what a good sucker he is....

After all the food and smoke... we decided to chill out at the Esplanade...

When we got there look who we found having a good time together...

Come on iqbal.. don't give us the blur look.. You were caught red handed. hehehehe

Another group Photo......( More Pictures of this outing in the SNAPSHOTS section...)

posted @ 10:10 p.m. | |

Sunday, February 06, 2005

Hida's Engagement

Today is the engagement of my Dear Cousin Nurhidayah to my former SP classmate Afzal Huzairi. Its a small world isn't it? Well, I just would like to congratulate both of them on their engagement of 3 years. May it leads to a successful marriage. I was appointed to be the official photographer for Hida. So I get to talk cover in the air con room while the rest of the congregation sweat it out in the cramp hall. The discussion between the two wakils were draggy. Afzal's wakil even had a Tunang certificate with all the terms of the engagement written on it. For example the hantaran would be $8,000 and the period of engagement is 3 years. Here are some pictures from the event :

Me and Hidayah ( I look Damn Fat in This picture Sey )

The $786 Soo Kee Diamond Ring

While I do my job, I got to ogle at pretty ladies at the same time :> (Yang belakan Hida cbaju pink cam kenal gitu eh Si tembam tu hehehe)

The Gifts from Afzal side..... Alot of Chocolates so Tempting..

Family picture with Hida......

posted @ 09:29 p.m. | |