Old Town Petaling Jaya

My father bought a corner wooden house in section two near the wet market, bus station in 1954. However it is still a walking distant of about 10 -15 minutes to my school in which study till standard 6. I manage to get a grade B which at time not good enough to be accepted into form one as to move up to form one a student must get grade A.A little bit of luck the Ministry of Education allow B grade to study in form one because to many young children cannot continue their school studies due to the ruling. Most of my other friends (children) drop out of school after standard 6 and they are just too young to work or get a works at all. During early 60 to 70 there wasn’t many factories or companies providing job opportunities.
In was only after independence in 1957 that the first then Malaya Industrial Park was started at Mederka exhibition area which Jln Penchala from the end right the round about turning into Jln Templer right to the end reaching the Federal Highway. Later another industrial area was developed at section 13 & 14 &19
PJ old town at that time cover a small area section1, 1A, 2, 3,4,5,6,7,8,9 &10 the bordering road was Federal Highway a small one lane road and old Klang connecting Jln Gasing and Jln Railway running parallel along the railway line that connect Jln Penchala connecting Jln Templer that also connect old Klang Road with a railway gate at the junction. This gate will close when the train passes through on the way to Port Klang. There wasn’t any development on the opposite of Federal Highway as it was a forming mining area. The development started during the 1960 for section 51A &B,14, 11,12 with Jln Utara the famous horse shoe sharp curve connecting Federal Highway at two end with one end connecting Jln Timor and other connecting opposite(current PJ Hilton) and Jln Sultan. The BBB secondary school was the first building in Jln Utara which ready in 1962 where I attended after completing my form one at borrow class rooms at the BBB primary at section 8.
There was no school buses like now a days the students mostly take public buses, walk to school, cycling with only a few students from the rich being send to school by parent. For me I cycle from old town PJ to school and it was very safe as no many cars on the road. Crossing the Federal Highway was easy even with out any traffic lights at the cross junction. I was at the bottom of the class due to after school it was going out to play immediately and continue after dinner till late in the night. There were plenty of various games to play with group of friends sometime up to 30-50 especially during the weekend.
I stop playing that much starting from form three onward due to my mother went to work as a maid to support my younger sister and me for our secondary education because my father gamble all his life saving. Fortunately the house was in my mother name otherwise I suppose my father will sell the house since he already sold his Triumph motor bike and his Fait car. I also went to work as a helper in some of the wet stalls during weekend to earn some pocket money for my school lunch. However it was too late for me to improve my English, Science and Math but I manage to score distinction (grade A) continue up to form 5.
Three of my best close friend failed and leave the school and started to work.
Yeong Chong and Chew Boon Wah went to work in the famous Antonia bookstore as sales promoters where they met their wife. Ng Joon Keng work in the University Malaysia as lab assistant but unfortunately he very young at the age of 19 after being knocked down by a car that ran away. Nobody saw the accident and later someone send him to Assunta hospital. He regained conscious after two days. We all think the worse was over but on the fourth day he suddenly become unconscious again and die a few days later. I cry for a few days and missed him very much because we always went out together in his bike.
A few months later some very ghostly accident happens to me that nearly cause my life.
Believe it or not this was happened during that night.
My mother due my father gambling habit after saving some money working as maid extended the house side and back portion for renting out. The back portion was rented out an Indian operating a small sundry shop. The garage after converting to a small shop was rented out as car workshop due it big vast compound at the side of the house. The house is located near the market and the side road was a major road beside Jln Othman.
I used to help out at the motor workshop during the weekend also thinking that after form 5 I will continue to learn motor cars repairing and become a mechanic.
It was here that I learn to ride motor bike and some minor repair as well. On the night after a Yamaha Twin jet 1000 cc was repair the mechanic and us just took our for joy ride. I was carry another mechanic behind me and was enjoying the speeding on Jalan railway upon reaching the end turning a bend at the agriculture park. I suddenly saw NG standing at the corner waving me to stop the bike just fall throwing me out of the bike. My head knock against the road sign post but I could still stand up and across to a corner house opposite and then fall on the verandah. Fortunately the mechanic was not hurt he ran to my house which quite near to inform. My brothers ran to the place and with the help of others carried me home stop the bleeding of the head and also finally get a taxi to send me to Assunta hospital. I was hospitalizing for three weeks before discharge but still very weak and was given MC for another 2 weeks. There is a big scare on my forehead due to the cut was about 8 inches long and the bone was dented but fortunately did not crack otherwise it will be very worse.
My parent and NG family went to pray and asked the ghost not to disturb me again. After this accident I never ride a bike again and not till when I open a travel agency company in Vietnam in the early 1990.
At that time there was no taxi or any public buses etc and my staff will take me around on bike.