The new year is coming and it’s time to take out a piece of paper and concentrate hard. New year resolution is often easy to make but not so easy to achieve. So this year, i’ll take small baby steps, one step at a time.

As a personal goal, i’ve set my mind to keep a healthier lifestyle in 2010. As for traveling wise, my new year resolution is to visit Bali in April and in June maybe to Cameron Highlands. Well, Bali isn’t a new year resolution because i’ve bought the tickets since early this year but i’m determine to go to Cameron.

I know i sound really pathetic but… ahem… i’ve never been to Cameron Highlands in my life. It’s in Malaysia, my own country and it’s so near but i’ve always missed the trip whenever friends were planning them. I think i must be the only Malaysian that has yet to be in Cameron LOL. So yeah! 2010 i’m definitely trying to make time for the trip.

*sigh…*

Ok. I’ve just checked my inbox and to my surprise there was an email from a blog visitor (SYL) regarding the post i wrote, “Pledge to Save Pulau Ketam Dogs“. The email had brought a new light over this whole rescue mission but it was somewhat a disturbing news. I’m shall not publish the email here as i do not have SYL’s permission and i think it’s not necessary.

Apparently i had made some mistake on the post i had published earlier on and i would like to appologize for my mistakes. I’ve learned that there is a conflict between SPCA and FFF (Furry Friends Farm) that i was unware of until today. I’m not sure how long has this so-called conflict been going on between these 2 organizations. Perhaps it started from the whole Pulau Ketam case. I don’t know and i’m not about to butt into anything that i’m not sure about. What is important is the effort agains’t cruelty to animals right? Right.

I’m sorry coz i’m really in a rush - to read all the posts regarding the rescue mission is somewhat impossible and tedious given the time i have and i had not noticed any updates on the English newspapers (yeah, i’m a banana, i can’t read Chinese). But i am concern about the whole case so what i managed to do is just scan briefly the articles that came about. And that is why i missed out on some important points and even made careless mistakes on my previous post.

To set the record right, i have to put credit where credit is. The youtube video i had posted belongs to FFF instead of SPCA and i am grateful to SYL for pointing out that it was FFF (not SPCA) that actually brought the case to light and initiated the rescue effort. In fact, kudos to FFF for the brave and tireless energy. Despite the reporting and claim from SPCA, i believe that it was Sabrina from FFF who had actually made this rescue mission possible and it was she who had brought in the media attention.

I salute Sabrina for her drive. I’m not being bias and this is not solely because of the email that i received. In fact, i first got to know about the Pulau Ketam dogs from the newspaper article about Sabrina’s trip to the island and now from reading detailed posting at http://pitch.pummkin.net. Don’t just take my words, read it yourself.

That being said, i am not opposed to donations to SPCA as i believe both FFF and SPCA needs all the help they could get, monetary or effort wise. In this case, especially FFF but’s it’s solely up to your preference.

For contributions to FFF:-

* To contribute or help, e-mail TV Smith at tvsmith@mycen.com.my or Sabrina Yeap at yeapwen@yahoo.com or

* Send contributions to Furry Friends Farm CIMB 1457-000-1182-05-6 (Current Account)

* For online interbank transfer, if it prompts for Recipient ID/Business Reg: Just type in 5766

* Contributors from abroad (and Malaysia) can also send by PayPal to tvsmith@gmail.com Please retain transaction record / slip for verification and audit purposes.

* (The Rescue Mission Secretariat at +6012 378 3730 (Janet) or +6012 320 8090 (Zalina) The Sec’s E-mail is dogrescue.pk@gmail.com

* (see updates page for info - *CLICK HERE*))

Just as SYL, i too am right now typing on my laptop with my mongrel sleeping soundly beneath my feet. A concern citizen who love dogs :).

Pulau Ketam is a small island located off the coast of Klang. It is one of the popular places for visitors to witness the natural fishing village and enjoy good seafood. However, news of Pulau Ketam had recently reached the media all for the wrong reasons.
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Dogs are man’s best friend. But look what men had done to them.

Updates:-
The article and information below is not entirely accurate. Please click on the link “FFF and SPCA on Dog Rescue Mission” for more information. However, the donation line for SPCA at the end of this post is correct)

SPCA & SAS Start Emergency Relief Efforts Today
Thu, 14th May 2009, 01:22am

4th May 2009, KLANG – SPCA Selangor Animal Inspectors and Save A Stray founder Jacqueline Tsang made another trip to Pulau Ketam and the neighbouring uninhabited island on Monday to check on the dogs that had been abandoned on Pulau Selat Kering.

What they witnessed confirmed their worst fear.

Upon approaching Pulau Selat Kering, the team saw approximately 10 dogs on the fringe of the island. When they moved closer, a horrific sight unfolded. Several emaciated dogs were crowded and hunched around something – they were hungrily feasting on the remains of another dog.

They were fighting amongst each other for a small meal. The stronger dogs dominated, while weak dogs sat at a distance and watched helplessly. Nearby, a weak dog was screaming because several dogs were trying to bite her. The sound of dogs fighting could be heard in the distance intermittently. The dogs were starving, and very skinny – they had not had a proper food source for weeks.

About 15 more dogs were seen resting among the mangroves. Inspector Murugan walked through the swampland and quickly emptied two 15-kilo bags of dog food onto the sand, and filled up a bucket with clean drinking water. The dogs immediately rushed out towards the food, and ate hungrily.

Upon reaching back to the main island (Pulau Ketam), the team met with the Sungai Lima village head (also facing a stray dog crisis), and Mr Loo (Secretary of Ketam Dogs Catching Committee). They agreed to cooperate with SPCA & SAS on emergency rescue and relief efforts for the abandoned dogs, as well as long-term plans sterilize the dogs and either rehome or relocate them.

How You Can Help

SPCA and SAS are appealing to the public to contribute to their Pulau Ketam fund, to aid the emergency rescue and relief efforts over the next several weeks. Funds will be utilized to hire boats for transportation of the dogs, purchase dog food, medical supplies and cages. The start-up fund is RM1,300 – proceeds from a networking event SPCA organized last Sunday.

We also appreciate donations in kind – 3’ x 3’ multipurpose cages, dog biscuits and canned food, food and water bowls, towels, water storage containers, and flea/tick spray. All donated items can be sent to the SPCA Animal Shelter in Ampang Jaya.

Donate Online

Please click here to make a donation through our ipay88.com account. Please indicate that the donation is for the Pulau Ketam Project.

Fund Transfers & Cheques

You can bank in the payment to our RHB account (Account No: 2-12273-00021583). Please call or e-mail us at enquiries@spca.org.my to notify us of your bank-in donation and transaction details.

Please make all cheques to the Society For The Prevention of Cruelty To Animals (please write Pulau Ketam fund on the reverse), and mail to ;

SPCA Selangor
Jalan Kerja Ayer Lama
68000 Ampang Jaya
Selangor Darul Ehsan

Enquiries: 603-42565312 (8am - 4.30pm), 4253-5312 (10am – 6.30pm)

Come on, show some compassion.

I learned a thing or two from my short trip to Sitiawan. The first is Fuzhou/Foochow people loves to eat and second they can’t live without their beloved red wine, red rice wine or ang jiu to be exact. One of their signature dish is the red wine mee sua which of course contains red rice wine. The more wine the better. The rich and concentrated red rice wine tastes sour but with a little sweetness, a bit too weird for my taste bud but Fuzhou people swears by it.

Bottling red rice wine

What is interesting though is it’s backyard industry in the small town. I had the chance to help bottle up the red wine but unfortunately i didn’t get to witness the wine making process unless i spent the whole month lazying around coz it takes a month to be fermented.

I shall not reveal the location though coz i’m not sure it’s legal to be making it at home and selling the wine even though it’s totally harmless with a slight alcoholic content. It’s for cooking purpose alright? Nobody is going to die intoxicated by eating mee sua.

Place into jar to ferment - taken from http://gregwee.blogspot.com/ -

Making the traditional red rice wine isn’t difficult at all. I found a few blog with detailed instruction on the how. However, there are some steps that you have to take note of such as making sure the utensils used are dry so that the moisture does not spoil the blend. To summarize things, there are 4 steps.

1) Cook glutinous rice and let them cool.
2) Mix glutinous rice with blended red rice bran.
3) Add in crushed wine biscuit.
4) Place in urn or jar.
5) Let it ferment for 30 to 45 days.

For full instructions refer to http://gregwee.blogspot.com/ or http://roosterricebowl.blogspot.com/.

Now you’re all ready for some mee sua :P.

Continuation from:-
Trip to Sitiawan
Stroll Around Manjung District

Sitiawan, Perak is not much of a tourist attraction (although there are some interesting activities if you are up for it) but more of a Fuzhou food haven. People all the way from city would gladly pack their bags for a road trip to the sleepy town just to have a taste of the authentic Fuzhou culinary.

As Fuzhou/Hock Chiew culture is prominent in Sitiawan, it is only natural that their signature cuisine are sweet and sour cuisines that is simply delightful. Although there are other sweet and sour dishes in different type of Chinese cuisine, Fuzhou food is simply unique to the taste buds. You either love it to pieces or you don’t.

*CLICK HERE* to read more about sitiawan food (fish maw, kompiang, fuzhou fish ball, etc…)

Fish Maw Stew

Besides the divine sweet and sour fish or chicken or pork ribs, Sitiawan boast of it’s famous “goroow” (fish maw) stew. The delicious stew has a combination of sweetness, sourness and an itsy-bitsy spiciness to it and the small pieces of fish maw’s smooth and sponge-like texture does a great job soaking in the taste.

Making kompiang

Then there is the popular “kompiang”. What is more fascinating than the tasty and crusty traditional biscuit is it’s traditional process of making the biscuit. Go to any shop selling “kompiang” and you will find it hot and stuffy and full of smoke.

Clock wise from left: Traditional oven, Sin Lay kompiang shop, kompiang

To make the biscuit, the dough is kneaded by hand before rolled. Onced it’s flattened, it is stuffed with fillings and rolled again. Then, the dough with fillings are slapped onto the wall of the traditional Chinese oven, much like those they use to make tandoori (tandoor) where it’s baked over hot charcoal fire. The oven is like a deep pit .

Kompiang filling

The hard work put into making the “kompiang” is worth all the effort considering how savory it is.

For those looking for something sweet and refreshing, there is the famous James cendol. Situated right outside the entrance to the Indian temple, many boast that it is one of the most delicious cendol in Peninsular Malaysia and while many others will make comparison against James cendol.

Clockwise from left: James cendol, Indian temple, Famous Sitiawan cendol

If you’re ever in Sitiawan, get yourself a bowl and have a try. If not for the cendol, then just to catch a glimpse of the owner in his famous chef uniform and a red bow tie. You know, Mr James Muniandy (owner) was summoned by the Sultan Perak to prepare his much loved cendol for 250 guests in the palace.

Mou mou

Other must-have in Sitiawan is the “Mien Siang” (red wine mee sua) and loh mee which unfortunately i did not get to try. Nevertheless, there are other good snacks or food in Sitiawan such as the “mou mou” (pau with layers of peanut fillings) and the very popular Fuzhou fish ball. It’s certainly something different from the city!

From left: Fuzhou fishball, fishball with filling