Home

I love my home in Bintulu . I would not have moved if the company my husband worked for had not transferred him .

The home in Bintulu . The spacious yard was our
badminton court .

We bought the house in 1999 . Its quite an old house . After some repairs here and there ...we finally moved in 2000 .

Spacious living room .

It was in a nice quiet neighborhood . Our neighbors are those who take care of their lawns , some with pretty gardens ........and they certainly had pride in their house and garden .

The numerous family gatherings were held here .

Ours was the typical Malaysian neighborhood with Malays , Chinese , Ibans , Melanaus , Bidayuhs ....some indians as well as a scattered number of Orang Putih ( Whites ) .

The rooms at the top of this staircase .

I don't really mind who my neighbors are . I don't particularly care about their ethnicity or religion . These are external attributes and does not have any bearing on whether someone is a good or bad person .

Mukah River . Will my descendants see this " sampan "
in the future ?

My husband and I have a large family . Seven brothers and sisters on his side while ten on my side . " Home " to my husband is his hometown in Mukah which is about 200 kilometers from our house in Bintulu .

A pose at Mukah River . I must remember to ask them
to take another photo at this place together should we be home
in Mukah again .

" Home " to me is my kampong house in Miri .....another 2 t0 3 hours drive . So ...to my children and myself ......home is everywhere .........Bintulu , Miri and Mukah . When time permit we travel " home " . Its a time for family bonding .

Amir and Yasmin will certainly remember the happy times
in Mukah .

As for my children they have fond memories of the neighborhood in which they grew up . Its certainly a unique place ....they told me there is a haunted house in the area and once pointed out the house to me . They said each time they passed by that particular house , they would run as fast as they could . Probably its true......as that house had been empty for so long .In the compound , just next to the house ....is a huge tree that certainly adds a creepy feeling when one walked by the house on a windy and quiet evening ....where the only sound you hear is the pattering of the soles of the shoes you were using .

My eldest son has his own hangouts and his own " gangs " .......and my two younger children love the number of playgrounds available in the neighborhood . How they would cycled and at times walked to the playground ....enjoying childhood and the presence of their cousins .


I encouraged them to explore as I hate to see them tied down to the attractions available on the computer / video games and televisions . Of course , I am aware of the dangers too........sexual predators , gangs and drug dealers . And I constantly remind my children to be aware of the surroundings they are in .

Mukah Waterfront . In front of my mother in law's food stall.
Yasmin And Amir ......happy to roam .

I just want them to roam free ........like I once did in my hometown ........and these experiences are now great memories for me . Now that we are far away from " home " , to travel " home " during the holidays incurred much expenses ...........its going to be quite seldom to be home .

For me this only increases the importance of family bonding , family values and family traditions . After all " Home " .........in Bintulu , Miri or Mukah was once home to me and my family .