I Am In Labuan Again

It was in August 2008 that we bought our AirAsia ticket to Labuan. We had known by then that my daughter Azini who was undergoing her practical training in Labuan will be sending back my grand daughter Balkis to be looked after by us in Pasir Mas. This was because she will have to attend the final 2 months of her teacher training course popularly known by the acronym KPLI which stands for Kursus Lepasan Ijazah (Graduate Training Course) to qualify her as a teacher.

We flew into Labuan by the last flight which was scheduled at 6.00 PM but managed to take off only at 7.00 due to aircraft congestion at KLIA Airport Sepang. The reason was explained to us by Captain Haron after we had safely taken off and attained cruising height. I wonder how the congestion could still happen when we have two runways dedicated for take off and landing. It was understandable when the second runway was under construction.

Balkis with the grandma before boarding the flight to Labuan


Balkis behaved well most of the journey. Since it wasn't exactly a full load, we managed to secure a row of 3 seats for ourselves and thus Balkis had ample room to move about. She managed to work her charm into the small boy in the from seat and another middle aged couple behind us. They kept her occupied and she returned their nice gestures with her most charming smiles. Upon landing at Labuan airport the middle aged couple came to us to playfully pinch Balkis rosy cheeks. Balkis' father was waiting for us at the exit and we passed Balkis to his waiting eager arms. We rode back to his home at Taman Mutiara Labuan.


The next morning I called Hafizi a lecturer from University Malaysia Sabah (Labuan Campus) who was recently transported to Labuan. Hafizi had asked my assistance to help find him a place to rent after reading my post on Labuan. I had asked Hafizi to call my son in law Lokman for help. With Lokman's help he managed to find a place in the same housing estate where Lokman lives. He promised to come over to Lokman's place after had done some purchases of food.
We met Hafizi, his wife Nor and son at the Labuan Pasar Tani.

After breakfast we went to Pasar Tani Labuan to have a look around and I was surprised when somebody called out 'Pak Zawi'. I was then busy taking photograph of anything interesting at the Pasar Tani. At that instance I was taking some shots of a few persons doing 'bekam' (blood letting using vacuum induced suction bottles).
The lady wearing spectacles and her daughter will be taking care of Balkis when my daughter starts working. We bumped into them at the Pasar Tani.


A vacuum is created by sucking out the air from the cups. Blood will slowly oooze out through punctures done by using needles. This guy must be having neck ache and thus had it done on the neck.

This guy is using it on his back, presumably to cure hisw bachache.

He introduced himself as Hafizi. He too came to the same Pasar Tani with his wife Nor and 4 years old son. We struck up a small conversation and found out that Nor is also from Kelantan, with her mother from Pasir Mas and dad from Tanah Merah. Hey when a Kelantanese meet another in faraway land, we are immediately feel related.

At another corner of Labuan Pasar Tani I saw a crowd gathered. I was curious and went over to investigate and satisfy my curiousity.

A man in traditional garbs was selling medicine. His sales pitch was attracting the crowd. I wonder what medicine he was peddling aqs I couldn't understand the local dialect much.

We parted ways and moved on to Ujana Kewangan the financial complex on the other end of town where the other half wanted to indulge in some shopping. There she bought two pieces of silk cloth and 2 handbags! That is what I call indulgence. At another shop we saw some beautiful crystal pieces coated with 24 carat gold at the edges. Such beauties! Fortunately it was only something for her to feast her eyes on.

15 months old Balkis making her own choice of cloth at Ujana Kewangan, while her dad looked on.

The other half went into the shop and since the prices of the items she enquired were quoted at above RM500.00, she decided not to buy any just yet. Knowing her, if she wants something, she will get it.

The other half couldn't decide which handbag she likes better. She ended up buying both.

They were celebrating World AID Day at Ujana Kewangan. I waited long enough to see some aerobic dance excercises being displayed.

These dancers were demonstrating and aerobic excercise to inculcate healthy living via exercising while having fun.

At another corner I saw this pretty girl dancing to the same tune. When my camera flash exploded, she scuttled away to her mum. After that she posed again for me.

It was almost noon, so we decided to go to the wet market and buy some fishes. We bought some fish and crabs. The crab will sure induce my gout but since I came prepared with the medication including some pain killers, who cares. I will suffer if I have to suffer because I love seafood especially fresh crabs.

I saw ikan buntal (puffer fish) being sold at the Labuan wet market. It is being sold at RM8.00 for each of the big ones. I know some species of ikan buntal is very poisonous but they said this one isn't. Would you like to try it?

Another stall was selling ikan todak (sword fish). I guess it is better than the ikan buntal. Remember the story of how silly people of old Tumasik being attacked by sword fish in the story Singapura Di Langgar Todak? I call them silly because they could have easily stayed away from the beach and later harvest the fish for food instead of getting themselves injured. Later a smart Hang Nadim advised them to use banana stems to shield themselves. Later he was ordered to be killed by the Sultan who was ruling Tumasik then for being smart. It doesn't pay to be smart then. Now you must be smart to survive.

That evening we left Balkis at her minders and headed again for Labuan Town. My wife was not done with her shopping yet and she saw some shops selling more silk materials and she needed to buy some souvenir shirts with the Labuan emblazoned on it for the grandchildren in KL. She added another 2 pieces of silk clothing material to her collection too. Since she is charging everything to her credit card, why stop her from this one sin in her life? After all she will be paying for them.

Balkis was acting up tonight. We were at our wits end trying to get her to sleep. She was crying for no apparent reason. We took turn between the grandma, myself and her dad trying to get her to sleep but she kept on crying. We need to sleep ourselves as we had to wake up early for the 7.00 AM ferry ride tomorrow. Somehow I managed to lullaby her to sleep at 1.00 AM.

I will be leaving for Sabah at 7.00 AM today.

Since this will be my last post before Idul Adha, I would like to wish all of my Moslem readers Selamat Hari Raya Idul Adha.