The durian season in Balik Pulau is in full swing. Wuan scheduled her leave especially to coincide with this event. We had for company during the four-day sojourn in Penang our best friends William and Cynthia and their lovely kids Emily and Henry. We drove up from Kuala Lumpur on Thursday and enjoyed the best of Balik Pulau durians, Penang hawker food, crazy traffic jams and mad drivers.

Balik Pulau durian – Ah Wong of Stall 808.
Photo by Wuan.

Three days prior to the trip, I had booked four durians from Ah Wong who runs the 808 stall opposite the Balik Pulau bus terminal. While durians are aplenty, the “ho bak” (good quality) durians are usually snapped up as they come in from the plantation. Wuan and I have been patronising Ah Wong for many years as we are related in some ways and are sure to get the best he has. Ah Wong is very deft in opening durians with just a pen knife. A few cuts to the bottom of the thorny fruit and the glory of the yellow flesh is quickly revealed.

Balik Pulau durian – Lin Feng Jiao.

The first durian that Ah Wong opened for us was Lin Feng Jiao, named after the famous Taiwanese actress of the 1970s. Why it was named so, I did not ask. Perhaps, the actress was the first thing that came to mind when this durian was being savoured. I certainly did not have that impression. It was a rather large fruit with firm and sicky flesh, so sticky that one cannot eat too many seeds without having to drink some water in between.

Balik Pulau durian – Cheh Puay.

Cheh Puay (green skin) is one of my favourites. Its flesh is what durian connoisuers call “koh liam” or bitter yet sweet. I never really found out why I always sneezed when I ate “koh liam” durians. Just like eating durians is an acquired taste, eating “koh liam” durians is also an acquired taste. Not everyone who likes durians likes the bitter ones.

Balik Pulau durian – Tiam Teng.

I have forgotten why I was not too fond of Tiam Teng which meant “lighting the lamp”. Wuan liked it very much though. She says the slight bitterness and creaminess was nice. The fruit is roundish. It is difficult to open with bare hands as it has a thick core that the locals call “tua sim”. I have seen people attempting to open such durians with parangs with little success even after mutilating the bottom of the fruit.

As for its name, I can only guess that it was named so because the planters had to wait for it to drop in the thick of the night with an oil lamp to make sure that the fruits do not get stolen. “Ho bak” durians sometimes get stolen as soon as they drop but woe betide the thief who gets caught as the punishment would be ugly and nasty.

Likewise, tourists should not pluck durians from the trees or pick up durians on the roadside along Teluk Bahang, Sungai Pinang and balik Pulau. Plucking the fruit would spoil the tree as it was believed that the fruits would no longer fall even after they are ripe. Picking durians resting on the roaside is considered stealing. Such durians would surely have dropped from someone’s tree waiting to be picked up.

Balik Pulau durian – Ang Heh.

Ang Heh is Hokkien for “red prawn.” It has a mild pleasant aroma, not overly sweet and has a smooth texture. Its flesh has hints of pink and resembles a big prawn, hence its name. I am adding this to my list of favourite durians. If there is a durian that I would recommend to the uninitiated, this would be the one. We wished we could savour a few more durians but we were totally stuffed. Some of my other favourites that I have had there previous times were Ganja (cannabis/marijuana), Susu (milk) and Hor Lor (gourd).

No thanks to Cheeky the naughty cat, I spent almost 2 hours at the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) Trauma and Emergency Department seeking treatment for injuries to my left arm. He was agitated by a neighbourhood cat that came into the compound. When I closed the door, he pounced on my elbow.

Cat claw injuries.

He sank his fangs into my elbow and clung on to my arm with his claws. I tried to shake him off but he held on fast. When he finally let go, he ran into the bedroom and left me bleeding profusely from a deep puncture wound. It was still bleeding 2 hours later at the hospital. My blood pressure was elevated. The doctor who attended to me said it could be caused by the trauma. I was given a tetanus toxoid injection and had the wound dressed.

Dressed cat bite.

The agony from that attack was not the superficial wounds but the aching muscles which I suspect was sustained when I tried to shake him off. 24 hours later now, it is still tender to the touch and swollen. Luckily, it is not my dominant arm. If not, I would not be able to drive and perform many of my activities of daily living.

There has been no water supply since early yesterday. According to the recorded message at the toll free number (1-800-88-5252) at Puspel, Customer Services Department of Syabas, there would be a disruption of supply for 15 hours on Wednesday from 8am to 12am. Affected areas were large parts of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. This was due to the upgrade and maintenance of the Sungai Langat water treatment plant.

I called the toll free line at 6am just now when the taps were still dry. The call went unanswered for 10 minutes. 24 hours without water is a great inconvenience. Not knowing when the supply will be restored is even more disconcerting. I have to wash up after catheterising every 3 hours. Wuan could not cook this morning. It is ham sandwich for lunch today. She bought two bottles of drinking water when she came back from work yesterday. We did not bathe yesterday. Flushing the toilet is like playing Russian roulette, not knowing whether the water reserve would run out the next round. Our daily routine is greatly affected.

Syabas and Puspel could do better managing this matter. Since they are already in Twitter and Facebook, the least they could do is to provide regular updates on the progress of water supply restoration. Keeping customers in the dark by announcing the disruption and keeping quiet after that, and not answering calls to the toll free number is sure to raise the ire of many. I am going back to sleep in a while. Hopefully by the time I wake up, water will be flowing from the taps once again.

Affected areas as listed at SYABAS website:

Wilayah Kuala Lumpur Taman Connaught; Taman Taynton View; Taman Segar; Taman Gemilang; Taman Bukit Segar; Taman Mutiara; Taman Supreme Jaya; Taman Bukit Hijau; Desa Tun Razak; Taman Jaya; Taman Mulia; TUDM Sungai Besi; Jalan Lapangan Terbang; Jalan Lapangan Terbang Lama; Jalan Sungai Besi Batu 4 ½ (JKME dan Kuarters JKR); Jalan Chan Sow Lin; Kampung Batu Kong; Jalan Wisma Putra; Jalan Bellamy; Jalan Bukit Petaling; Jalan Kerayong; Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka; Wisma Putra; Wisma Perwira; GAPENA; Jalan San Peng; Dataran F&N; Persiaran Syed Putra; Persiaran Putra; Jalan Robson; Taman Seputeh; Taman Desa Seputeh; Taman Bukit Seputeh Heights; KL Sentral dan kawasan sekitarnya; Taman Midah; Taman Cantik; Taman Pandan Hilir; Taman Angsana Hilir; Taman Desa Aman; Taman Rajawali; Taman Cheras Makmur; Taman Bukit Ria; Taman Pertama; Taman Ikan Emas; Taman Tenaga; Taman Maluri; Taman Ampang Putra; Taman Bukit Pandan; Taman Pandan Pertama; Kampung Cheras Baru Bukit A; Kampung Sungai Kerayong; Kampung Pandan Luar; Kampung Pandan Dalam; Jalan Tenteram; Jalan Salak Selatan; Taman Billion; Taman Cheras Makmur; Taman Bukit Mewah; Taman Sri Bahtera; Taman Supreme; Taman Mutiara Timur; Taman Mutiara Barat; Cheras Hartamas; Taman Bukit Segar Jaya; Taman Orkid Desa; Taman SPPK Bukit Cheras; Alam Damai; Taman Bukit Anggerik; Taman Len Seng; Taman Suria Jaya; Taman Cheras Mewah; Taman Bukit Angsana; Taman Seri Bahagia; Taman Minang; Taman Damai Indah; Taman Cheras Baru; Taman Koperasi Polis; Taman Desa Baiduri; Taman Cheras Utama; Taman Desa Cheras; Bandar Damai Perdana; Taman Desa Bukit Cahaya; Taman Damai Impian; Taman Alam Jaya; Taman Emas Cheras; Taman Mudun; Taman Hijauan Residen; Taman Sunway Cheras; Taman Wangsa Cheras; Taman Cheras Permata; Taman Cheras Awana; Taman Masria; Taman Cuepacs; Taman Fern Grove; Kem PGA; Kem FRU; Taman Cheras Zen; Segar Perdana; Bukit Hartamas; Kampung Cheras Baru; Taman Muda; Taman Mawar; Taman Mastika; Taman Putra; Taman Pandan Mewah; Taman Lembah Maju Taman Teratai; Taman Saga; Taman Melur; Taman Seraya; Taman Mega Jaya; Taman Maju Jaya; Taman Bukit Permai; Taman Kencana; Taman Pandan Indah; Taman Pandan Perdana; Taman Cheras Utama; Taman Cheras Indah. Wilayah Hulu Langat Taman Desa Budiman; Taman Ikhlas; Taman Makmur; Taman Rakan; Taman Bukit Permai; Taman Seri Kenangan Sungai Long; Taman Suria Sungai Long; Taman Cheras Idaman; Cheras Perdana; Batu 10 (Jalan Puyuh, Nuri, Cecawi, Balam); Taman Damai Indah; Taman Murni; Taman Megah; Taman Megah 2; Taman Sri Cheras; Taman Seri Cheras Jaya; Kuari; Bukit Dukong; Jalan Suasana Seksyen 1, Bandar Tun Hussein Onn; Taman Cheras Permai; Pekan Suntex; Putri Jaya; Sungai Ramal Dalam; Sungai Ramal Luar; Desa Meringin; Taman Ramal Indah; Taman Sri Kenari; Rumah Murah PKNS Sungai Ramal Luar; Kampung Sungai Ramal Baru; Desa Surada; kawasan industri Bukit Angkat; Bandar Sungai Long; Taman Sejati; Jalan Suasana 2, 3, 4; Suasana Damai; Jalan Suakasih, Sri Tanming; Koperasi Maju Jaya; seluruh Puncak Perdana; seluruh Taman Kota Cheras; seluruh Taman Tun Perak; Saujana Impian; Impian Murni, Impian Indah; Inpian Gemilang, Impian Jaya; Taman Sri Aman; Taman Rasa Sayang; Taman Cheras Mas; Taman Lagenda Mas 1; Taman Lagenda Mas 2; Taman Uda; Jalan Kuari Sungai Long; Taman Lagenda Suria; Kampung Sungai Sop; kawasan industri Sungai Tekali; Kemacahaya; Taman Pinggiran Delima; Taman Wawasan; Taman Perkasa Fasa 1; Taman Perkasa Fasa 2; Taman Sri Nanding; Taman Putri (Venicehill); Rancangan Peringkat 1, 2 dan 3; Taman Perkasa Indah; Sungai Michu; Taman Impian Den; Felcra Semungkis; Sungai gahal; Taman Desa Pelangi; Taman Impian Langat; Taman Langat Ceria; Taman Desa Raya; Jalan Dusun Taman Bukit Raya; Kuarters Loji Langat; Sekolah Dusun Nanding; Lorong Serai 5; Kampung Bukit Kudang; Kampung Kenanga; Flat Sri Kundang Dusun Tua; Taman Titiwangsa; Kampung Sungai Kapor; Kampung Sungai Makau; Kampung Kenangan 18; Taman Indah Jaya; Lestari Indah; Taman Sungai Sering; Taman Orkid; Bandar Mahkota Cheras; Jalan Sungai Lalang; Kampung Pasir; Jalan Kacau; Kampung Sungai Pening-pening; Kampung Pasir Baru; PLKN Sungai Lalang; Rumah Murah Sungai Lalang; Taman Impian Semenyih; Taman Semenyih Ria; Taman Aik Ann; Taman Utama; Taman Hiew Piow; Kampung Baru China Semenyih; Taman Gembira; Taman Desa Semenyih; Taman Baiduri Jaya; Taman Semenyih; Taman Paling Jaya; Taman Manikavasagam; Pekan Semenyih; Kampung Sungai Buluh; seluruh Taman Sri Haneco; seluruh Industri Villa Raya; seluruh Taman Desa Mewah; seluruh Sunway Semenyih; seluruh Industri Kajang Jaya; seluruh Tasik Kesuma; PKNS Beranang; seluruh Taman Pelangi Semenyih; seluruh Beranang; Universiti Nottingham; seluruh Pekan Beroga.

Puspel Twitter update at 10:29am
@Hiphog Now water resume by stages and expect will fully recover by 12am (3/6). Thank you.