The Star Online: Metro: South & East
The Star Online: Metro: South & East |
- Many believe Xmas should be celebrated the old fashion way
- Sukma Games preparations in Pahang gathering momentum
- Polytechnic director urges students to adapt to job challenges
| Many believe Xmas should be celebrated the old fashion way Posted: 19 Dec 2011 04:45 PM PST MALACCA: Ask 68-year-old retiree Joseph D'Costa about Christmas at the Portuguese Settlement in Ujong Pasir and he will vehemently stress that the religious and traditional traits have been overshadowed by numerous commercial aspects and merry-making. "It's time we move away from the Christmas festival to a truly Christmas feast and appreciate the significance of the season while approaching it as a step in one's growth and development of Christian lives," said Joseph, a part time mango juice trader and long time resident of the setlement which was established in the 1930s. His words and views were shared by Stephen Nonis, Jerry Alcantra and his wife Fendora. An odd job worker, Stephen who takes time annually to put up his home crib, depicting the Nativity scene, said "Christ came at Christmas to bring joy. We should live this Christmas message through our involvement in the community, society together with the cares and concerns of our fellow brothers and sisters. It is Christ who brings joy, peace and blessings to the world". Jerry and Fendora believe that sticking to traditional elements when it comes to Christmas would help the younger generation understand the true meaning of the festive season. "Christmas is about bringing joy, love and happiness to those around us. We pass this message through our involvement in the community. Christmas must always indicate the presence of Christ in the world at all times including with our lives' sorrows, disappointments, failures and moments of joy," he said. The couple in recent years has grouped 30 young children including their own residing at the settlement to sing popular Christmas carols from home to home. The group, tagged as 'Santa's Crew' wear red outfits and also perform at major hotels and shopping centres in Malacca Raya. "Usually, the young are associated with merry making during the season and we have brought back traditional practices like carolling in spreading the season's joys. "Traditions of old, like carolling and going to church seem to be dying out but we are making sure our young come to know of these practices and preserve them for the generations ahead," added Fendora. Christmas at the settlement, is like no other place in the country. Having hosted the national Christmas open house celebrations twice, the season to be merry and jolly is observed with much gusto and fervour. No expense is spared where decorations and lighting up of Christmas trees in homes are concerned. With multi coloured bulbs, miniature and fancy lightings and related decorative paraphernalia both inside and outside homes, the setlement invariably turns into a large fairyland. Even trees, potted plants, porches, balconies, fences, gates and compounds outside are not spared the illumination. Large plastic toys and even moving ones depiciting everything from Santa Clauses, Santarinas, sleighs, snowmen, reindeers, ginger bread houses, bells of all shapes and sizes complete with wreaths, gold and silver tinsel balls, fancy trimmings, buntings and still more varied lighting illumination are all part and parcel of the Christmas makeup that envelopes the settlement. Christmas is also when women folks bake and cook up many Portuguese cakes, delicacies and curry dishes using traditional home recipes preserved from bygone years. Among the traditional foodstuff are bolukoku, a cake made with coconut scrapings and agar agar, a type of jelly made from seaweed. Another seasonal cake is bluder, a butter-flour delicacy that is heavily spiced. Also on the menu is the famed feng, a spicy combination of liver, pig's tongue, intestines and pork, all finely sliced, while a beef preparation called semur is a must during family reunion dinners and lunches. The settlement's regedor Peter Gomes puts it "The overall atmosphere is simply spontaneous and the community revels in the festivity as if Christmas was made just for them. Also, the period is like homecoming with family members, relatives and friends returning from outstation and from abroad like Singapore, Australia and New Zealand to be with the community folks". Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
| Sukma Games preparations in Pahang gathering momentum Posted: 19 Dec 2011 04:46 PM PST KUANTAN: Seven new sports complexes are under construction and 20 current premises are being renovated for the Sukma Games, to be hosted by Pahang next year. State Sports, Youth and Culture Commitee chairman Datuk Wan AdnanWan Mamat said the agencies implementing the projects were the Works Department (JKR) and Kuantan Municipal Council (MPK). "The new facilities are a petanque court in Balok, an equestrian centre and a football field in Tanjung Lumpur, a shooting range, mini hockey stadium and lawn bowl court in Indera Mahkota and the main media centre in Darul Makmur Stadium," he said here recently. He added that among the sports centres being upgraded included the swimming pool, stadium, gymnasium, indoor stadium, golf course, sports village,public amenities and telecommunication networks. He also said the Sukma Games' secretariat had identified 14 colleges that would be used as acomodations. "Eleven are located in Kuantan, two in Temerloh and one in Pekan,"Wan Adnan said. On preparations by the state's athletes, Wan Adnan said everything was proceeding smoothly. Among the events which the state have targeted gold medals are shooting, archery, petanque, cycling and track and field, he added. Sultan of Pahang Sultan Ahmad Shah, who visited some of the facilities undergoing renovation works, wanted all the works to be completed by May next year. "The works should be completed by May next year and be of international standard. "We not only provide good facilities to our guests but also first class treatment and services to athletes and officials," he added. He also said the Pahang team would need to produce first-class performances. The Sukma Games will begin on July 5 with 9,000 athletes and officials expected to be in the state. Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
| Polytechnic director urges students to adapt to job challenges Posted: 19 Dec 2011 03:24 PM PST MUAR: Johor Mara wants its polytechnic graduates and trainees, who have completed specialised courses but cannot find suitable jobs, to become entrepreneurs. Its director Razali Nurdad said there were many businesses with economic potential which they could venture into instead of waiting for jobs. He said those who had completed electrical engineering, motor mechanic or even tailoring courses could open up their own workshops or boutiques. "We have to adapt to the present challenges where even academic excellence does not always guarantee jobs. "We must look beyond working and venture into the entrepreneurship sector," he said when launching Malaysia's first Poly Boutique outlet on Saturday. Razali said many polytechnic graduates and trainees had mastered the necessary working skills and knowledge to enable them to set up their own businesses. For example, he added, the Poly Boutique specialised in making dresses, handbags and other items, was set up by a former polytechnic student. He said NorAdlin Abdul Rahman, 27, who operated the store studied tailoring at Sultan Ibrahim Polytechnic in Johor Baru for two years. He said today NorAdlin had become an entrepreneur, operating her own tailoring shop at Maras Maharani Riverview Arcade in the Muar town. Razali also said Johor Mara, which had about 55 business arcades and bazaars in the state, hoped more former polytechnic students would follow NorAdlin's footsteps. Mara has special funds to assist those interested in entrepreneurship and we also have business outlets to rent to them in every district. "If possible, we want every Mara arcade in Johor to have at least one former polytechnic student conducting business," he said. Meanwhile, NorAdlin said she studied at the Sultan Ibrahim Polytechnic in Johor Baru for two years for her Diploma in Dresses and Fashion Designing. "After I obtained my diploma in 2002, I went to London to learn more about fashion designing before I decided to open a boutique here," she added. Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
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