Home..sweet...home

My home sweet home...Sitiawan. A small and quite coastal town located to the west of Malaysia where Pangkor Island is located just off its coastal line. All my life, I've never wandered far, too far from this town with a humble beginning. All towns and cities birthed from humble beginnings, maybe not. I know more about my home any than other place in Malaysia, so it is only in my best interest to boast about her. After all I love this place. There is something about this place that no other place have. Something magical? Possibly. More precisely, something divine in nature.

The book "The Foochows of Sitiawan" by Mr. Shih, depicts the history of the beginning, from the conception of a brilliant plan to bring in the Foochows from China to Sitiawan, until where he stopped writting. I must say the author's efforts which spanned for more than a decade marks a revolutionary milestone in the history of Sitiawan, especially in the recordings of her life. It is a good, or must I say, excellent effort in preserving history. We may not see much of the historical landmarks which were mostly sacrificed for the sake of development. I would really like to urge the local council to preserve the remaining pre-war buildings and some of the oldest buildings within the vicinity of the town centre.

There are some historical landmarks that should be gazetted as heritage sites by the government. Our ancestors unknowingly passed on this heritage to us. Therefore, we should never make the same mistake of being unaware of what we are doing, building and passing on to our children. One day, this place would either be a tourism city or a city focused on heavy industries to generate her GDP. Maybe both, a diversified economy boast better stability and a sustainable growth. Undoubtedly, this place is developing-fast. I fear for the worst if development today cannot be sustained.

Divine-a big word many may not trully understand. Unless one has search near and far, high and low, it remains only a word describing powers migthier than ours. I believe Sitiawan did not come about by other powers but by the power of God. This is probably the home of the expansion of the Methodist Church. Also, probably the only place in Malaysia ever to come to mind when Christianity in particular Methodist is mentioned. I am proud of what God has done but not pleased with what 'we' have done, including myself. If we do not wake up from our slumber, this town will not in a thousand years experience revival. We must know what God wants to do in order that we do His will. It is as if the early settlers of Sitiawan had a covenant with God just as the Israelites had. If is broken and God's wrath is provoked, blessings would not flow. When blessings stop, it is like the land being cursed.

Development, be it physical, mental or spiritual all boils down to the questions-Do we have the stamp of approval from the chief architect? Is God the committee chairperson? I end by saying, a fading memory of yesterday is the result of unsustainable development...Is God the committee chairperson?