On 25th.October 2008 I and wife left home for Segamat to attend a wedding .We once lived in Segamat for 6 years ( 1971 - 1977 ) . Our coming back to Segamat was in a way a come back to a place which had brought unforgetable memories to both of us . There I started my real life as a responsible man . Two of my elder children started their childhood lives there ,although they were borned in neighbouring Muar . That was because my wife felt safe to give birth near her mother who was then staying in Muar . Segamat was the place that has taught me and my wife the meaning of life , for it was there that we started our marriage life . I learned most of my policing work in Segamat where I served as a young energetic Investigating Officer . I served under three OCPDs , namely then DSPs Lau Yew Chong , Hj.Musa Hanafi and Tahir Jalil . Only Tuan Tahir Jalil is still alive today while the two formers had passed away . When I was transfered out of Segamat to Johor Bahru in 1977 , I almost cried , because I love the place so much .
The wedding which I was to attend was that of the grandson of former Sgt. Hamzah who was then the OCS ( Officer in charge of Police station ) of Segamat . Encik Hamzah served many years in Segamat till he retired as a Sub Inspector . Having a nice personality , he was well liked by many officers and men . I almost lost contact with him until a few years ago when he phoned me and came to my house in Shah Alam .He even came to my son Azman's wedding in our house in Klang . Since then he has been inviting me many times to come to Segamat . I had always wanted to come to Segamat but because the highway road that I normally travel was a bit far away from Segamat , made me bypassed it .Hamzah's wedding invitation was a good reason for me to be in Segamat again after almost 20 years .
We left Klang at about 9.00 am. using the highway road but on reaching Alor Gajah we swerved into the old road to go to Segamat passing through Tampin , Gemencheh and Gemas .We reached Segamat around 12.30 pm. and straight away went to Encik Hamzah's house in Jalan Pemuda .It was his new house a 1 1/2 storey bungalow . I remember when I came to his house in the 1970s , it was a two semi-D single storey houses one each for his two wives . We were seated at the VIP table and I had the opportunity to meet Hamzah's ' good friend ' , a timber tycoon whom we normally called him Ah Tong . This man had a colourful background .He started as a notorious gangster but turned to be a sawmiller and then a timber tycoon . His timber activities were mostly in Pahang but his sawmill was in Segamat . Today he is a respected Datok and a Tan Sri rubbing shoulders with all the VIPs . Just see how wealth play an important part in one's life . Hamzah maintained a good relationship with this man right from his gangster days and as such being indebted for all his ' asistances ' was given a certain amount of shares in the timber business . Thus he too benefitted from this man . Although I served for six years in Segamat I never had a good relationship with this man . I never liked his character and I never want to ' kowtow ' to people of that background .
After having our lunch we laft Hamzah's house . I then visited an old friend , Mr. Opin Kow at Bandar Baru Segamat .He is the only Chinese good friend that I still have in Segamat . He was also doing the timber business in Pahang but was not as rich as Tan Sri Datok Tan Beng Tong @ Ah Tong . Unfortunately , Mr Opin Kow was struck by a stroke and is now having difficulty to walk . We were there for about an hour . We then left for Muar where we intended to stay for the night .
The Segamat -Muar road was also a nostalgia for me because that was the road I used to travel for my Court cases in Muar . Those days driving on it was easy and we could race fast because there was hardly any vehicles on the road . I could reach Muar in an hour .From Segamat one has to pass through Jementah, Sagil ,Kangkar Baru and Sungai Mati towns . We reached Muar at about 5.00 pm. about a 1 1/2 hour . I had to go to Parit Pinang Seribu where my cousin, Sulaiman Hj.Abd.Samad whom I had not met for almost 30 years , lives .I had earlier SMS him that I would be coming to his house in the evening .It was probably fated for him to settle down in that place so far away from his home town in Teluk Intan, Perak . He is a retired Secondary School Head Master . Unfortunately he is not well for he is suffering from a range of diseases such as heart and kidney problems and diabetes .
We left his house at about 6.00 pm and checked in to Riverview Hotel in the town centre . At first we wanted to stay at the Rest House at Tanjong Mas but the complex was deserted and the business was no more in operation . We then came to the Muar Traders Inn but it was already full and had to content ourselves with the Riverview Hotel . I contacted an old friend Mr. Lim Keok who was staying nearby . He was obviously surprised that I really came to Muar because he thought I was just joking like before . At about 9.00 pm he came with Encik Hamdan , a Court Judge attached to the Housing Tribunal at the Ministry of Housing ,Kuala Lumpur .He was back in Muar for the week end and Deepavali long holidays . We went to an Ikan Bakar Food Court at Sabak Awor near Sungai Abong , just about a kilo metre away . My wife did not join us because she prefered to stay in the room . Any way I brought back mee goreng for her . The complex was built about 2 years ago . The food was superb and the place was nice and descent . I would certainly come to that place if I ever come to Muar again .
The next morning Mr. Lim Keok and his wife brought us to a 'makan shop' situated near to the junction of Jalan Sulaiman and Jalan Petrie , for breakfast . We had mee rebus and satay , a breakfast menu peculiar only to Muarians . We checked out from our hotel room at about 11.00 am. and proceeded to Melaka . We reached Melaka at about 12.30pm and straight away went to Taman Desa Baru at Bukit Baru where retired Chief Inspector Hj.Yahya lived . It was the wedding of his 31 year old daughter , a Doctor trained in Dublin Ireland . She is now lecturing at USM Kubang Krian and also doing her specialisation as a padaetrician .Hj. Yahya was with me in Port Dickson where I was then the OCPD . He was then OCS ( officer in charge of Police station ) Port Dickson . He was a good officer and active in social and religious works . There I also met my former subordinate officer in Shah Alam , retired Sub Insp. Aziz who is now living in Alor Gajah . It was he who recognised me first . I also met ASP Asuar Rahmat who was once with me when we were both Inspectors in Segamat . He is now seconded to the Majlis Keselamatan Negeri Melaka , under the Chief Minister's office . An enterpreneur ( he is rearing about 200 goats ) , is quite happy with what he has .
We left Melaka at about 1.00 pm . and reached Klang safely at about 3.30 pm.
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