The fellowship of good neighbours

Borneo Post

2 days ago

The host, John Lau (seated centre), with his neighbours at the gathering.
I HAVE lived within a small and close neighbourhood in the Kuching City limits since the day I was born, which makes me the longest inhabitant for more than seven decades there—and so has my younger brother Edric.
The road on which I still stay on today was named after my grandfather Ong Kwan Hin, who had, in 1956, decided to sub-divide it into 14 lots in order for his children to inherit their own properties.
They were to do with their inheritance in whatsoever way that they had wished.
My father Ong Kee Bian, No. 6 in the family, decided to build his own house, and in 1958, we moved in there. I was then eight years old.
Prior to this, we had stayed within Grandpa Ong's homestead, which was smack right in the 'heart' of the entire estate of seven acres.
Today, these 14 lots have mostly been sold outside the family—only four lots remain with the Ongs. Of the total, only 10 lots are occupied.
Last Saturday, our neighbour Dato Seri John KS Lau had hosted a first-time get-together for all those in the entire neighbourhood.
It was a pot-luck sort of affair, which commenced at 4.30pm and finished by 7.30pm. Thirty-nine of us had turned up.
The youngest among the guests was almost three years old, a smart handsome boy named Liam whose grandfather Andy Kho is a local personality; and the eldest was an 80-plus Foochow lady named Christina, whom I had first met 55 years ago in Sibu.
Christina's older brother Kung Chiew Tung was my co-worker and best friend in Sibu during my Borneo Company days there in 1970 to 1973. She now stays with her niece Datin Seri Ivy, who is John Lau's wife. It was such an enriching, enjoyable and exciting party.
Although we're all neighbours staying within a community with just 400m of a 'no through road', which one could easily complete walking within a four-minute stroll, for many, it was the first time meeting each other face-to-face, and being 'introduced' to one another.
We have had a 'Neighbourhood Watch WhatsApp Group' for some time now which we set up on Oct 10, 2015, and had only communicated among us via this group so far.
Our neighbourhood, from the time when I was born in 1950 until today, has evolved beyond imagination.
When I was a boy, Grandpa Ong's was the dominant house on top of the hill overlooking a vast orchard of fruit trees, small streams and jungle foliage.
His vast wooden mansion had housed three of his sons and two of his daughters and many grandchildren, some of whom were sent by his other children for 'board and discipline' as and when needed.
Right behind his house on an elevated slope was built a row of four wooden single-storey Chinese-styled longhouse that was rented out to different families.
One of the families was the original 'Ah Poo Chek', famous for his 'kachang puteh' stall at the entrance of Rex Cinema in downtown Temple Street between 1946 and the 1970s.
Facing Grandpa Ong's house at the T-junction of the road was a small Buddhist temple, which was occupied by a devout lady medium and her staff.
This was the early beginning of what would eventually become the Sarawak H'ng Nam Siang T'ng Temple at Jalan Sekama today.
On festive days, hordes of devotees, followers and their children would be seen to worship and pay their respects.
Joss sticks smoke and burnt paper offerings were common. As a kid, I would often play outside in the compound trying to befriend some of these youngsters.
One of the first lots to be sold outside the family (four lots were eventually allotted to be sold in order to finance the construction of the road itself) was built in 1957—it was to the Lim family.
Today, the Wrights occupy it. Erwin, Alice and Melanie Wright have been neighbours of mine for more than 45 years, making them the family outside the Ongs to have dwelled in that neighbourhood the longest. They had acquired the property from Vincent Teo in the 1980s.
Up on the hill on the southernmost part of the old estate was a house built by Dr Wee Kang Kee's father, and it had its own access via Crookshank Road instead of going through Ong Kwan Hin Road. It has since been sold to the neighbourhood's newest inhabitants, the Chin/Manyin family.
We are a very diverse and multiracial community; in fact, there's a history of a microcosm of Sarawak society within the neighbourhood.
Grandpa Ong had purchased this estate in the 1930s from a rather well-off trader of Indian descent, who had reared cows in the estate. Grandpa was to set up a Sarawak poultry farm in the early years, farming chicken for their eggs—probably a good reason why I have a lifelong love for them!
Today, my neighbours include the Chinese of Hokkien, Foochow, Hakka, and Teochew groups; the Malay and the Melanau, the Bidayuh, the Indians, and the Eurasians.
At some point during the history of the road, the dwellers had included the Iban, the English, the Danish, Australians, New Zealanders, Dutch, Indonesians and Norwegians.
Rather amazing, isn't it?
Within the larger circle of Sarawak's housing estate communities, I have heard of and read in the news in recent years of those living in 'enclosed neighbourhoods' forming what is termed 'Neighbourhood Watch'.
There were some who had organised formal meetings to set up committees to be in charge of such organisations. Others were more informal and 'makeshift', loosely formed to just help in time of need.
It is always a good thing for people who share common spaces and areas of inhabitation to come together to at least get to know each other, and to help out if and when the necessity arises.
I feel that it's something that we all should be a part of no matter where we live, and how big or small our neighbourhood community is.
Finally, I'd like to make my own personal observations as to what constitutes being a 'good neighbour': Friendliness: A good neighbour will always try to be friendly, available and approachable. This will help whenever you may need any assistance. Quietness: In the most basic sense, not playing loud music, or having the television on, or making unnecessary noise frequently. Respect: This includes accepting each other's profession, privacy, religion and personal choices without any bias. Maturity: As adults and being reasonable people, not to be oversensitive or take matters to heart over small irritants from time to time, as issues can be resolved by communicating each other's frustrations. Helpfulness: A willingness to lend a helping hand, maybe over a pet, or to collect a package in your absence, or to call you if they spot an intruder. Trustworthiness: A neighbour who can be trusted upon to help keep an eye on your house, your pet, property or the surroundings in your absence. Tidiness: It's a neighbour's responsibility to keep their surroundings clean, dispose of trash and keep a litter-free lawn, garden or driveway. Besides, it also gives the neighbourhood a well-kept appearance and increases the value of the property prices.
It is indeed a blessing to live in such a pleasant, and outstanding neighbourhood like mine, and I wouldn't think of ever living anywhere else.
May God continue to bless all of us who are living here, and I pray that you too are living in a nice and uplifting neighbourhood, wherever you may be.
* The opinions expressed in this article are the columnist's own and do not reflect the view of the newspaper. Kuching neighbours Sarawak