Page 29 - BOOK inside pages as at Aug 8

My Journ Forewardey Begins

Chapter 3: My Journey Begins

OR A SMALL town boy like me from a rubber estate, Kuala
FLumpur was a whole new world. Everything seemed
strange at first, but there were also plenty of opportunities for
a young man to earn a living. The city was fascinating – the
flashy cars, latest fashion, sexily dressed girls.
Unfortunately, I got off on the wrong footing. I was trapped
in a lifestyle of gangsterism. My gang was attracting more
members, but it was not easy for me to remain as the leader
– I had to fight for everything. Deep down, I felt hollow and
helpless.
The worldly attractions were a great temptation for a
young man. I had only one thing on my mind: I wanted to
earn big money fast and to have everything in life. Others
who were doing the same job as me drew higher salaries
because I was from a small town and easily taken advantage
of. I was determined to make it big and never be poor again.
I was quite a rolling stone, and went through a string of
jobs. In the early years, I worked as a waiter in a Chinese
restaurant at Jalan Chow Kit. I was quickly promoted to be a
kitchen staff and spent more than two years as a sous chef.
My interest in cooking probably had its roots in my childhood
days when I would cook my own meals. I have retained some
of the culinary skills picked up in that kitchen. My favourite
dishes were the tai chow or wok-fried variety.
I loved fashion and was soon attracted to the world of
hairdressing, which I indulged in for over two years, enjoying
my work. From there I moved on to pick up the art of tailoring
and learned skills like cutting, tacking and sewing. I was a
trend setter in the 70s and my fashion designs attracted many
clients.
Most people, however, were unaware that I was involved
in less savoury activities. My favourite pastime was selling
‘black market’ cinema tickets at the Capitol and Federal

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BOOK inside pages.indd 29 08/08/2018 05:44 PM