Why is the hill named after pineapples? When was the last tiger sighted? Come and join us for the morning to discover the answers as we take a walk around this interesting area, one that mirrors the changes and developments of the city.

Wear comfortable shoes and bring a bottle of water. Lunch is available at the end of the tour at members' own cost.

Question: Where do you go for lunch on Sunday?

Well, if you are a lonely Nepalese man, yearning for the taste of a home-cooked meal, searching for familiar faces and for the sound of your own language being spoken, then you must join the hundreds of men thronging the street outside and within the environs of the Nepal House Restaurant right in the middle of KL.

Last Sunday some 44 members of the MCG braved the congested footpaths of Jalan Silang and climbed two crowded flights of stairs to join charming host, Encik Bal Bahadur Rana, our speaker, for a very interesting talk and for a typical Nepalese meal of rice, chicken, dhal, and dumplings.

Bal Bahadur Rana, currently President of the Ghurkha Association of Selangor, spoke of the identity of the Ghurkhas in Malaysia. He welcomed the group on behalf of the Nepalese community and the Association, and explained that he had retired from the Malaysian Police Force and is currently busy running a security firm and the restaurant. He informed us that the youngest generation of Nepalese in Malaysia is the 5th generation, and whilst they are loyal Malaysians, they, like their parents and grandparents before them,

Our speaker, Bal Bahadur with MCG organiser Hilary Munro. (Photo: Shirley McLean)

still have a great love for Nepal. This generation is very well educated and travel widely, many studying overseas. The Association is instrumental in assisting students in their endeavours. There are approximately 150,000 Ghurkhas living throughout Malaysia, and they continue to meet for festivals, weddings etc, and to maintain their strong ties.

The Malaysian Government has recognised the invaluable service contributed by the soldiers of the Ghurkha regiments and by the loyalty of the Nepalese in Malaysia and has given (through Tourism Malaysia), an area of 11.2 acres of prime land at Rawang.

On this land the Ghurkha Association plans to build 82 houses, a temple and a community hall. The project is expected to be finished in 2007, and time and effort is now being expended on seeking sponsorships and donations towards the huge cost of the enterprise.

The Ghurkhas follow the Hindu religion (90%), and in the past a problem has existed as they have their own customs and rites within the religion, which are quite different from those practised in Malaysia. Consequently a Nepalese priest was bought to KL in order that weddings, funerals, etc, could be carried out in the traditional way.

The people of Nepal vary in features and dialects from the north to the south. The country is wedged between the super powers of China and India, an unenviable situation for any small country. Nepal is a country embroiled in internal strife, but according to our speaker, it is still a great place to visit. He maintains that the cities are safe and that the best time to visit is during September, October, or November (these months are festival times).

There is now a Nepalese Embassy in KL, where visas to visit Nepal are issued. Apart from the Nepalese residents in Malaysia, foreign workers are being brought here from Nepal on work permits of 3 years. After this time they return to their homeland and then usually re-apply to return.

The fighting prowess of the Ghurkhas is well known, and their skills are being utilised today in many countries around the world. The Ghurkhas have fought bravely and well for the British in many theatres of war, including World Wars I and II, the Malayan Emergency and in Borneo against the Indonesian Army, the Falklands War, Bosnia, to name a few.

The Ghurkhas remain one of the best fighting units in the world, and their skills with the Kukri (fighting knife) are legendary. It is understandable therefore why so many of the Nepalese turn to becoming security guards in their later years. Because many Nepalese strive in their own land in a relatively harsh environment as farmers and herdsmen, it is considered fortunate indeed to be chosen to join the army training squads run by the British. Ghurkha brigades are integral to the British Army and have been for many years.

At the conclusion of the talk, Hilary Munro, MCG’s organiser of the event, thanked Bal for his insights into the Nepalese community in Malaysia and for allowing us to visit his restaurant, one it is unlikely that many of us would have discovered on our own in downtown KL.
- Shirley McLean

Meeting Dato’ Shan has been one of the highlights of my stay in Malaysia. How often does one have the opportunity to listen to a man of his caliber, have morning tea with him then commence email correspondence?

Dato’ Shan is a world-renowned Malaysian short story writer and poet who scibes in the English medium. His works include ‘Free and Freed’ in Petals of Hibiscus, ‘Victoria and Her Kimono’ from The Merlion and the Hibiscus, and ‘His Mother’s Joy’ from Silverfish New Writings 2.

Throughout the morning in an informal fashion, Dato’ Shan succinctly illustrated how he has woven insights from his life into his stories. Dato’ Shan was born to strong-willed, independent thinking parents who at a time of arranged marriages, arranged their own. His father was “driven and driving” and Dato’ Shan was required to be a 4am riser. Early rising is a habit he has retained.

His mother was more cognizant of her son’s individuality, his interests and aspirations. She encouraged him to do what he enjoyed. His father required him to do his duty. He quoted his mother, “Don’t worry if he [father] loses his temper, I’ll find it for him.”

Doing his duty has been prominent in all aspects of Dato’ Shan’s life, to the extent that he answered the country’s call to become an economist rather than pursue his love of literature. Fortunately for Malaysia, Dato’ Shan’s strict self-discipline has enabled him to write reflectively on Malaysian interests whilst balancing other aspects of his life.

Dato’ Shan described with great enthusiasm how the stories originated, and treated us to extracts from his works. It was wonderful to hear the words spoken with appropriate deliberation, intonation and accent. I think the stories read with characterisations would make for compelling radio or book tape presentations.

The Q&A session was very lively with discussions about the suitability of the English language for expressing Malaysian thoughts, and in fact those of all non-native English speakers.

Recognition was another aspect discussed, and it seems that at present, Malaysian authors writing in English are not as highly regarded as those writing in Bahasa Melayu. These authors tend to seek recognition overseas.

Looking towards the future, Dato’ Shan indicated that this stance might change now that the English language has more prominence in the revived Malaysian high school curriculum.

In his presentation Dato’ Shan said he is very keen to receive feedback on his work, and invited the group to email their comments to mailto:shantri@po.jaring.my.

I would like to thank Dato’ Shan for being a very entertaining and knowledgeable speaker. I think the MCG members appreciated his informal style and his methods of including the group in the discussions. A short book signing session concluded the formal part of the morning.
- Bridget Tesch