Arghhh! it is the Chinese New Year again and we usher in a new year now the Year Of The Golden Pig or Fire Boar. For me hopefully this year will be good, touch wood. I am tiger so it is suppose to be a good year but then nothing should be taken for granted and there is no excuse for hard work although hard has never been in my vocabulary!!My Grandma was a dutiful daughter. She love her (adopted) mother to bits and after her studies to Juniour Cambridge level (the highest for a girl to attain to in school at that time) she was bethrohed. Before that she was ask to choose whether to be a Nurse or Teacher which was what was available to girls at that time. To futher their studies were still consider too odd at that time.So a beau was chosen for her, it was never love but duty. My Great grandma I suppose was trying to get the best for her daughter someone who comes from a religious family, tapi as I believe one family background doesn't make you a saint or a devil it is you who decides. This preoccupation with bloodline is a malady affecting the ruling class and the Mamak of Penang. Yes,that's why I find it a joy mixing with the Mamak of Penang.She married someone beneath her in terms of education.My Grandfather was a loafer, he would later on resign(dismiss I am not very sure of that) from his job as an orderly. It was my grandmother who toil for a living while her husband laze around. At least to my great gradmother's credit she make sure he got inspirited in politics. She install in him a spirit of nationalism and to channel all that energy into something productive but that doesn't mean he forget his penchant of ladies. My grandfather was a ladies man always have been.As the customs those days people of means like my Grandma we took in families who poor and sometime we adopt children as our own.It seems before the war one of her sister died and she took in her niece as her ward. This niece was already in the teens and she caught my grandfather's eyes. So when my grandma was at work the niece who was suppose to take care of the young ones would be having an amourous activity with my granddad in the room.I think for the niece this was her paramount amour and my grandfather did found her muse.It was a big scandal the niece was send to be married to Encik Yaakob (Pak Kok) from Teluk Anson and things were never the same after that.The love never ended for her as later after the war and when my Grandfather was captured and release from detention, she would seek my Grandfather and leave her husband. My Grandfather and her would cohabit together in Kampong Baru Kuala Lumpur until they got married in the early 60's and then they went to Haj together. They remain with each other until he dies in 1996.She is still alive and sadly alone. She has never has children but only memories. She is my Step Grandmother and also my Aunt.When I try to analyse I do not harbour any hatred, I do emphatise but I believe getting married for the sake of only duty is wrong and also to marry because of bloodline is wrong too. To marry only because of love is not the only one that is important because love do grow after a time if one is willing to let it grow.I cant blame my Grandfather he was spoilt brat. Always been taken care of hand and mouth by his parents and getting married to a woman who is working and much more intelligent than him is very difficult with a Mother in Law who is not a typical Malay Woman is unacceptable to him.It was from him that I know of the illicit affair of my Greatgrandmother with two farangs. He spoke about it with disdain although he himself committed that crime but he is the Man. At the end of the day he was the Man of that time where chauvinism were high.His wife hobby instead of cooking for him have servants to do that, she would spend her time reading especially she needs her paper everyday to read(not Malay, English). Even during my teens and when I took friends over they were amaze because she love doing crossword puzzle and jigsaw.I bought her books by Agatha Christie, Chandler etc. She devours them. No wonder they were not happy and if only one try to meet halfway the other won't it would never work. My Grandfather would never change and changing his view is anathema to him. I will continue soon!!!!!

* Above picture of my Grandfather confessing on the radio after he was caught by the British. He was appealing to his comrades to surrender. His political name is Wahi Anuar.