THIS IS MY LIFE -21

21 – HAPPY FAMILY IN KUALA LUMPUR
I went to England for the Centenary Congress on a Malaysian passport but not long after my return to Penang, Singapore seceded from the union and I became a Singaporean again!

Whilst we were stationed at the Penang Boys’ Home, my husband was told to scout around Kuala Lumpur to find a suitable place to start an Army Corps in the Capital of Malaysia. He used to travel by night train, walked all over the city during the next day, and returned by another night train. He did this a few times, till he discovered a new housing estate, off Old Klang Road, called United Garden. It was between the capital and Petaling Jaya. Not far from the main road were three rows of shop houses. The end units of each row were separated by a narrow lane. He identified the last unit of the first row along Jalan Pertama for Kuala Lumpur Corps.

The General Secretary, Colonel Thelma WATSON arranged to meet my husband in Kuala Lumpur to sign a two-year lease with the owner. Brigadier B. TJEERTES, officer in charge of the Lee Kuo Chuan Home for the Elderly at 500 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore raised the money for the rent at $380.00 ringgit per month for that period.

Our stay in the Boys’ Home was about one and a half years only when the family was on the move again. The Officer Commanding Lt-Colonel George ENGEL, was very keen to get the corps started. Almost immediately he and Mrs. Lt. Colonel Florence Engel came one day in August 1966 to officiate the opening. Beside our family, there were only three other people - Brothers Neo Ah How and Chau Chin Lye, originally from Penang, and Jimmy Lim from Singapore, all were working in the city.

The front of the shop house served as our hall. Backing the road and pavement were 30 wooden upright chairs, arranged in 5 rows. Facing the congregation was a Mercy Seat donated by the Ipoh Boys’ Home under the charge of Captain Ken and Mrs. Betty SPIKiN. There was no elevated platform, only a lectern and three chairs behind the Mercy Seat at the back of the hall.

The back portion of the building downstairs had two small rooms on the left. The space on the right was opened to the sky so we had a little garden of pot plants. At the far end was a toilet; a back door led out to the back lane. We had planned to start a kindergarten in the corps, but our premises did not
meet the criteria. This project was shelved till The Army moved to the present location, Overseas Union Garden.

Our home was upstairs with two front bedrooms, and a sitting room at the top of the staircase. A doorway from the lounge led to a narrow corridor running to the back of the building. On the left side of this passage were a bathroom, the kitchen, and a small room we used as the dining area. The right side of the corridor opened to the sky, corresponding to the space downstairs behind the hall. Right at the back was another small room with a a toilet and a bathroom. However there was no back stairs to exit the building.

Poh Ai attended a Government Primary School with English as the medium of instruction and Bahasa Kebangsaan as the second language. A private pick-up taxi came for her each morning and brought her home, to and from Old Klang Road. Stephen started attending a kindergarten not far from home, always walked there by himself. They were good children, stayed home and played on their own when we were out on business. They also helped after meals, she did the washing up and he did the drying of the crockery and cutlery.

A former resident of the Ipoh Children’s Home was working in Kuala Lumpur. She had kept in touch with Captain Moira WRIGHT who was at one time looking after her. Judy was getting married at the registry because Ken HAMMOND from UK was not attending any church and she thought there was no Army corps in KL. The Captain quickly introduced us to her and we lost no time in visiting them. Within a few weeks of the opening of the corps, my husband conducted the first Army Wedding in the shop house hall! We brought down a small red carpet from our quarters which served as the pulpit! Everyone loves a wedding. This was no exception. Curious neighbours crowded outside the hall to watch.

A reception was held at the Cricket Club in the city. Major Agnes MORGAN (the first corps officer I served under) the then Divisional Officer, happened to be passing through KL corps, helped to keep an eye on our children. She was asked if they were her grandchildren; after a slight hesitation she answered in the affirmative!