Nearly 70 enquiries were received for this trip but the trip leader had to limit the number to only 50 participants for logistic and safety reasons. Rest assured another trip will be planned for the future.
The first batch of 13 went in 4 vehicles at 9.00 a.m. and arrived at the United Plantations research centre where we were met by Dr. Gurmit Singh, head of the Research Centre, Mr. Loh and Ms. Ho, manager of tissue culture research. Mr. Liew Chee Weng, OCBC Teluk Intan branch manager and MNS member who acted as our main contact man and co-ordinator for the trip joined us a short while later followed by three other Teluk Intan members. After briefing us, Ms. Ho gave a very informative and well-presented talk cum tour of the million-ringgit facility set up 15 years ago. Outside along the walkway the products of research and work at the centre were well-displayed which gave us a very good picture of the work done at the station. The tour which ended at about 1 p.m. gave members a very good idea of what is tissue culture is all about – the work and facilities required, the products, the management and the economics involved.
After the tour Mr. Liew took us to a small restaurant in Hutan Melintang for a delicious seafood lunch. The tab came to about RM10.00 per head which I thought was very reasonable considering we had medium-sized buttered prawns, a fresh white snapper steamed Szechuan style, fried crayfish meat and 2 vegetable dishes. After the meal we left for the Hutan Melintang wet market cum boat terminal. Although we were supposed to stop only to have a look around but it turned out to be quite an interesting place. With the noisy (and nosy) MNS members around and the hawkers and other sellers peddling their goods the group saw a collared kingfisher, a few black-crowned night herons, scarlet-backed flowerpeckers, mangrove whistlers, the yellow-vented and another unidentified bulbul, a common tailor bird and pink-necked pigeons. Mr. Liew said he saw a pied hornbill flew past.
On the way back to Teluk Intan we stopped at the Caelygirl factory to gawk at the workers (mostly male Bangladeshis!) sew lingerie and other undergarments! Well how can we reconcile our stated mission of appreciating nature with visiting this factory except to consider it as an effort to appreciate man’s (or women’s) efforts in protecting his/her natural assets. Actually we wanted to see the operations of a small-town girl who made it big from humble beginnings without the trappings of high-level education. What was needed was sheer determination, the right product with right marketing, smart work, realistic ideas and perhaps a little luck (just what the MNS Perak branch need). Around this time Liew Chee Weng’s phone kept ringing to announce the arrival of the second batch of participants. By 4.30 p.m. all except one participant were grouped at the Caelygirl factory for the tour of the operations and later a briefing for the night’s trip and accommodation.
Accommodation was a double-storey semi-detached house converted into a rest house which was just right for the group to stay the night. After the evening rest and freshening up everyone (46) proceeded to a nearby seafood restaurant for dinner arranged earlier by Liew Chee Weng. I think this is the biggest branch MAKAN event other than the AGM and Fellowship Night. We had almost the same dishes except that we had a hot-plate tofu, fried squid and crabs. The bill came up to only RM9.00 per head.
The group left for the boat terminal at about 8.30 p.m. Jimmy Phuan Kok Leong, the other Teluk Intan member co-ordinator brought his small brood and Edward Yong to join us at this point. It was the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar so the moon could hardly be seen. The boats started at about 9.00 p.m. As we cross to the other side of the Perak River towards Bagan Datoh we saw the glittering lights of the fireflies. Some trees had more while some had less. The children as the adults were elated at the flickering lights. About 15 minutes into the trip it started to drizzle. Later it poured so heavily that the boatman decided to anchor under the bridge to Lumut and wait out the rain but after a while we decided to go back, keeping close to the banks for a last minute glimpse of these wonderful creatures. Many fireflies were seen fluttering in the water due to the strong wind and rain. At one spot one firefly was blown into the front of the boat. I nudged the poor insect into my cupped hands to show to the enthusiastic children. How bewildered they were, looking and touching such a wonderful creation of nature which is really a sight to behold.
Though we were feeling a bit frustrated because of the rain cutting short the journey, some members concluded it could rival the Kg. Kuantan fireflies colony although it may not have the spectacular synchronous flashing display. Personally I feel this can be turned into a good tourist product and the State Government should seriously look into this matter, especially in providing the necessary infrastructure and the technical input in the form of research into the life cycle of the fireflies and a well-thought plan for control of the whole scheme to allow for sustainability, overall economic gains and avoidance of any undesirable incidences and practices that may bring about bad publicity and loss of goodwill for the trade/industry, people/officers involved, the State and federal government and maybe, even the MNS.
While some went back ot Ipoh, the rest went back to our rest house and after a short while, Dr. Chan Kai Soon, Liew Chee Weng and Jimmy led the rest of the gang for a round of owling at a nearby oil palm estate. Only a civet was spotted while something that looked like an owl flew off. The rain must have dampened the spirits of the Teluk Intan wildlife so we called it off. As it was almost 12 midnight I went back to our rest house to retire for the night but a big gang went for supper to taste the famous Teluk Intan "chee-cheong-fan" (Makan Non-Stop Syndrome).
Early next morning while the rest were getting ready for Liew Chee Weng to show us around in Teluk Intan at around 9.30 am., I went off with Dr. Chan and Kuan Yaow to Hutan Melintang again for a spot of birding. We saw the same birds as the day before although it was even busier with all the people busy bargaining and walking around. However we saw something else we missed the day before – five long-tailed parakeets nibbling at the leaves of a mangrove tree. They flew off after a while. It was also time for us to return to the group. On the way a roadkill was spotted – a white-breasted waterhen.
Liew came and took us to the Pekan Baru market for our morning breakfast. After that he led us to a shop which produces the "fragrant" biscuit (heong peang) and other snacks which the MNS members promptly bought. The shop owner must be quite a "nature lover" as he has a few iguanas in a cage outside and a large aquarium of marine fishes. After the shopping Phuan Kok Leong led the group to see the last remnants of a peat swamp forest which had been reduced to only about 3,000 acres. However the group was disappointed as the entrance was locked – it was a Sunday.
This was the signal to end the trip and we decided to go separate ways. One group went by the Teluk Intan-Lumut bridge while the other followed the normal route back to Ipoh. Overall, the members enjoyed themselves during the trip although the rain dampened their spirits slightly. Anyone for the next trip? Cheaw Hon Ming