Today 6th October 2008 I celebrate my 4th anniversary in Papua New Guinea. I remember vividly when I first posted to work at the Malaysian High Commission as Second Secretary. Prior to my first posting, I was called by Datin Rashidah , SUB PSM to ‘mengadap’. She told me that the Ministry is planning to send me for posting and enquire myself if Im ready. Of course spontaneously I said I was and to my surprise she said that I would be posted to PNG. Im speechless yet composed hearing the country knowing all my Arabic lessons learned during my 4 months stint in IDFR would go down the drain. I have to think positively about it and never ever reject your first posting assignment. Days before I left, I called my ex-bos Dato Kamilan telling him that I would come to PNG. He keeps asking me whether I volunteered myself to come to PNG…duhhhh.
Anyway, everything has to be prepared from packing to administrative matters. It was only 2 months prior to my wedding in December 2004. My flight was suppose to leave via Sydney on the 4th October but was delayed due to technical difficulties. I was put on flight to Port Moresby via Singapore with Air Niugini which left the next day. Damn…what a start to my first posting. Prior to landing at the Jackson Airport in POM, hearing all those horrible stories been told by my seniors, I hide all my moneys in my underware believing nobody would dare to search for it…hehehe. Arrived early in the morning at 6 am with Nazri, Dato’s PA patiently waiting for me outside the arriving hall. Went straight to Holiday Inn to get some rest and during lunch time Nazri pick me up and went to the office. My first observation of the country is filthy and dirty. Anywhere you go within the city, on the road you can see all those local people spitting red betelnut juice….arrghhh..and one more the smell…arghhh…stink as hell. Anywhere you go, restaurants, hotels, shopping centers you would definitely know the smell. I have to carry sweets with me all the time to avoid puking.
My first year was quit bored but sometimes interesting. I miss my friends from those days Kevin and Charles. We always went to Lamana (the only nightclub that can be considered as safe) for clubbing or just hang around at the roulette or black jack table. When my wife came in January after we got married, I cooked for her my special nasi goring at our place in Islander village…hehehehe. The place was nice but the landlord (Both the husband and wife should be shot at the head)…no water (the water tank always have problem with the pipes.Until I left the house, I still could nor figure how the hell to operate the water pipes), no generator (installed after one year but never used it coz it could not accommodate for the house electrical appliances…generator pasar malam!!!!).
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Our previous house. The tent was for our raya celebration
My second year, was alright. I was instructed to go to New York for the UN General Assembly just a week after Izkey was born. Fuhhh…what a relief going out from POM for couple of months. My wife and Izkey joined me later in the big apple. After I came back to POM, Dato has to go back to Wisma to take charge of the ASEAN meetings. So I became the Charge d’ Affaires for couple of months until he comes back. Just before he left for good in Jan 2007, I decided its high time to move to another house. Thanks to Dato’ Manaf we managed to secure a good house with private pool at our backyard. This is the house we’ve been staying until now.
Our house now.Note the barb wire
For almost 2 years now I’ve been the Acting High Commissioner here in PNG and I think (hopefully) my time has come to move on to other place. I would go back in the next 2 weeks for my wife delivery of our third child and meet up with Dato’ TKSU3 (emailed him and his promise to inform me in due course…) to enquire more about my status here. Desk has informed me that my ex-boss in Wisma would be appointed new High Commissioner here. I hope it’s a sign that I would move probably anytime now….
Our latest family pic with Ezhan Danial
