by Julie Yee

From the usual annual buffet dinner held over the last 20 odd years, it was time for a change. It was not easy finding a big place and a conducive environment without comprising on the quality of food to host more than 400 employees to a Hi Tea party. Finally we opted for the Atrium Cafe inside the Sunway Pyramid, with many awards to its name. No wonder the crowd swelled to over 430 AARSC members and their families all clad in their best suites with the theme colors: Red & Black.

Besides the usual Initiative, Innovative and Dedication awards to deserving employees, there were also the Academic awards to children of AAR employees. There were games like Kotak Beracun, Quiz, Lumba makan, Treasure Hunt, guessed the number of peanuts and selections of the best dressed male and female. With more than a hundred of tempting and delicious dishes and desserts, it was difficult to control the crowd. Before the Sports Club president, Mr. Sim and Advisor, Dr. Kee could deliver their well-planned speech, hungry and excited members made a beeline to the sumptuous spread of food. It was all hell broke loose!. The speech can wait…

By 4.00 pm. the happy crowd had quickly disappeared into the shopping mall to look for bargains, watch ice-skating while the younger ones headed to the karaoke outlet to sing their hearts out.

Four bus loads of AAR staff and family members, including one bus from Paloh substation had the most enjoyable and memorable trip to Malacca and AFamosa Resort in Alor Gajah from 25-26 July 2009. What made it memorable must be when our bus got stuck on the slope just as we were leaving the office complex. We managed to scramble out of the bus quickly as the bus looked like it was overloaded and might just toppled over. Looked at the wheel near to the drain!

With the help from the other bus drivers, we continued our journey half an hour later. Well, it’s better late than never.

Hey, don’t you think you are standing a bit too close?	Drivers from the other bus lending a helping hand
Having arrived at the newly crowned World Heritage city around mid noon, we went our separate ways. Some to the historical sites, some scouted for their favourite food while others browsed the many stalls for souvenirs that lined the shops and streets.
We left Malacca at around 3.00 p.m and headed for Alor Gajah where we checked into our Condomium at AFamosa Resort. The rooms were clean and spacious with a large living area where we lazed around, drinking free coffee and sipping tea and watched Astro. Some went to swim at the swimming pool atop the condo or took a walk around the resort. Then it was time to head to the Cowboy town for our buffet dinner and a great night of shows and entertainment. Inside the cowboy town, there were also many interesting souvenir and food stalls, fun fair with games, kart racing, stage shows with traditional dances to keep us occupied in between the breaks. The shows ended with the letting off of fireworks. An explosion of colors lit up the starry starry night.
The next morning ….breakfast before the kill Dr. Kee giving a welcoming speech amidst a sea of reds, before the games kicked off at the AFamosa Sports and Recreational field.... the adults practising their winnowing? ……Come mon…..higher, higher. children having fun too. Waking up the Mummies n…n…. THE Return of the MUMMIES..
Look at the queue… they dont need to go to London for a horse-drawn carriage ride. and after all the fun, the shouting and cheering..all things must come to an end but….
In the afternoon: Encounters with the Wild Wild West at the Animal World Safari
Lastly, meet the AAR Sports Club Committee: Left from back to front: Sim, Zul, Noi, Masni, Soleha, Julie (Contributor)

Borneo Paradise Eco Farm Resort, Kunak, Sabah from 6-7/6/2009

How many of us would be game enough to put our life on the line of fire or face the likelihood of being abducted by some guerillas in some remote jungle? According to news report, in October 2003, a group of Abu Sayyaf gunmen stormed the Paradise farm resort and kidnapped six of its workers. Four were released eight months later after negotiations and a ransom of RM200,000 was paid out while two others died while languishing in their hands. There were also a few cases where fishermen off the Phillipine waters suffered the same fate.

Well, nearly twenty of our staff from Nak, Sri Kunak and KDC made that adventurous trip to Borneo Paradise Eco Farm Resort for their 2009 Sports Club activities.The farm is situated just 45 km from Lahad Datu.Smacked right in the middle of the rainforest, Borneo Eco Resort boasts of its natural beauty, vegetation and habitat- a great place for recreation and to enjoy the many outdoor activities such as visiting the deer & horse farm, fishing, kayaking, fox-flying, a game of sepak takraw just to mention a few.

Breakfast at the Wang Cafe before heading for their adventure (this owner knows what’s in a name)

An Aerial view of the Resort

Unspoilt nature – staff cruising along the river and kayaking – fishing for their dinner … – visting our animal friends

– fox-flying and a game of sepak takraw

Tucking into their food after a hard day’s work – a game of congkak to while away the time or head to the nearest “pub” to chill out The men & women’s dorms. Lights out please …. and Sweet Dreams .

Watch AAR team of bowlers tried to shatter the records of Malaysian woman bowling icon Shalin Zulkifli or Adrian Ang who won the Rollhouse Ankara Open 2009 for the European title recently!

For the first time, AAR bowlers had the opportunity to show off their skills in a Bowling Tournament held at the Perfect Bowl Selayang, Selayang Mall on 23/5/09. A record number of 31 members turned up to support and show their skills. They took up ten lanes with each bowler playing 2 games each. Mr. Sim, our Sports Club President officiated the tournament. Each player was given a 5 minutes free bowl before the games started.

Mokhan from main office and Faizal from TC lab both walked away with a mystery gift each for scoring a turkey strike (xxx) in a single game.

The Overall winners with the largest number of strikes go to:

Congratulations to the winners and all who participated. And to those who did not win, keep on trying and A Big Thank You for the Support and Participation.

part of the crowd in deep thoughts and planning their strategy? On right; Sim (with cap) briefing the
participants.

The Perfect bowl? Ooops!!!!