BACK TO BACK FESTIVITIES

By Anthony Dylan Anak Frankie Jurem

The past three months saw back-to-back celebrations as Christmas 2025 made way for the New Year celebration of 2026 and then the entry of Chinese New Year in February 2026. As we enter March, we would soon celebrate Hari Raya Puasa with our Muslim friends.

We would never get bored with an excuse to celebrate festivities. For Christmas, we made it back to Kuching to celebrate with my mother and relatives. After our normal flight with Malaysia Airlines from Terminal 1 of KLIA and the earlier self-tagging baggage drop experience, it was home to also help set up the Christmas tree.

We spent roughly over a week with the family and did our routine hunt for local delicacies. Yes, of course it included Sarawak Laksa, Kolo Mee, Tomato Mee, Belachan Bee Hoon, Kampua Mee, Kompia and even coffee fixes at Earthling and Black Bean. Croissantier and Jerald’s provided the pastries and cookie fixes. Family visiting was also one we did not miss.

The turkey made its way again but this time, it was hard to find. We got ours from Choice Supermarket and it was a French Young Frozen Turkey by DOUX. Church services at St Peter’s new year-old parish and visit to the columbarium to visit my father and uncles and relatives were also part of the time we had in Kuching.

Our New Year’s Eve on 31^st December 2025 and New Year’s Day celebration was back here in Subang Jaya. We went to visit Sunway Pyramid as we wanted to check out the book exhibition on the eve. We made our way back early as we wanted to enjoy the fireworks from a distance and avoid the maddening traffic snarl that evening.

New Year’s Day was spent visiting my good friend who owns Chong Kok Kopitiam. Mr. Foo Cher Ming, the 3^rd generation. People also call him Guang Ming. His sister is an impressive cook at his place in Central iCity Shopping Centre. This was his first location located within a shopping centre. The original is in Klang and just in front of the KTM Klang station.

His passion for eggs is extremely exciting. His use of technology and selection to make the perfect soft boil eggs were proof of passion. I am glad to have known him and his sister and the history of a lovely legacy which began in 1940 when we brought him to open an iconic modern interpretation which includes the legacy of a Hainanese kopitiam in Central iCity Shopping Centre in 2019.

He informed me that he would be closing just before Chinese New Year as he would be relocating to a new place to continue his adventure. I jokingly asked if he was going to recreate the China Hotel which was the reason the name stuck at its origin which he said….No lah!!!! It was a poignant moment as I came by as it was a year since I left Central iCity Shopping Centre after 11 years of service. Much so when I was the first employee for that iconic property.

I ordered all their selection form their butter and kaya toast, butter and kaya jagung bun, roti goyang, soft boiled eggs, egg tart, kopi and kopi C kosong and the exclusive Chicken Chop. I look forward to visiting them at their new location this year. Honestly, saying goodbye before I left made me teary eyed. The best people who you meet are those who are humble and enthusiastic about what they do. Many do not understand the history and the legacy of the arduous work of the past and become shallow. I appreciate them and my coming over to enjoy the company with the familiar un-adulterated taste really meant a lot to me.

This Chinese New Year, we made our drive up to Kuantan, Pahang on a lovely Saturday morning of 5am. The traffic was good though it was the last weekend before the Chinese New Year eve. We reached roughly around 845am. Immediately, after some errands with my father-in-law, we went about discovering modern kopitiams which opened in Kuantan recently. The menu was similar with what Klang Valley people would be familiar with when eating at Oriental, Rich, Heritage or Hock Kee Kopitiam. None come near to Chong Kok Kopitiam in my humble biased opinion.

My sister and brother-in-law came the days after and that included all the niece and nephews who added the lively cacophony of decibel levels which nearly rivalled the firecrackers! It was a season of delicious bak kwa, keropok, beers, shandy, wine and pork. Steamed fish, prawns and vegetables would be typical of the reunion dinners and luncheons.

This year, the 2^nd day of Chinese New Year coincided with Ash Wednesday where I had to begin my period of vegetarian period prior to Easter. My Muslim friends had their first day of puasa on the 3^rd day of Chinese New Year.

In total, this year, I had gone through 7 Low Sang with friends and family. That included the vegetarian ones. Our drive back on the following Sunday morning back to Subang Jaya was also smooth. We left just before 11am and reached home at around 3 pm.

The back-to-back festivities would not end soon as this month, the Muslims would be celebrating Hari Raya Puasa in the 4^th week of March. Before this, the Bazaar RamAdan would again come to life each day. Subang Jaya features several locations, with the most prominent and expansive situated in USJ4. It opens as early as 4pm based on observation.

Most people have probably already used up their one-time RM100 SARA allocation, which was available starting from 9th February 2026. The BUDI 95 subsidized petrol greatly aided outstation travel. Both require our identity card to redeem the use. Similarly, the monthly RM50 Unlimited Travel Pass can be used on the LRT, MRT, BRT, and Rapid buses that helped with the travelling.

The EPF announcement was rather a let down though. The 6.15% Dividend for the EPF paled in comparison to last year’s 6.3% when we expected better. Hardly much to celebrate despite economists saying the country fared better economically. This was the media report obtained on 28^th February 2026 at the announcement.

“The EPF dividend rate of 6.15 per cent for 2025 is slightly lower than the 6.3 per cent dividend rate for 2024 for both Simpanan Konvensional and Simpanan Shariah.

In a media briefing on the EPF dividend rate for 2025, Zulqarnain noted that EPF had a lower return on its investments for equities, based on two main reasons: the performance of domestic equities, and also the strengthening ringgit against the US dollar which impact the value in ringgit of EPF’s income from US dollar assets.”

Cheers Subang Jaya!