Craving For Roti Canai From The Alpine Height

A Kadir Jasin

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WITH little thing to do, other than trying my best to serve the purpose I am here, which is visiting my three grandchildren -- two boys and an infant girl -- I have the whole day not to bother myself with the home politics.

But I did make a tactical oversight. Just before I left Kuala Lumpur I posted the story on the naming by the Barisan Nasional of Mohd Isa Abdul Samad as its candidate for the Bagan Pinang state by-election.

Thought I made no comment other than stating, “it’s sometimes better to leave our mouth shut,” the short post received considerable reaction.

I have not watched TV or read the newspapers since arriving here in this Alpine heart of Europe. The latter are mostly in German. Thank you, I can live pretty well without them.

The morning is spent sending my eldest grandson Omar to the kindergarten. Not that he needs sending but with us seeing each other so little, every waking hour is important. Call it a grandfather-grandson bonding.

On the afternoon that I arrived, I went to pick up his younger brother, Rashid from the krippe, the crib school. Here, parents have the option of sending their children as young as four months to one of these private nurseries for an equivalent of RM276 a day.

When Dinah is about a year old, she too will go to the krippe twice a week. Her brothers, at four and six, are pretty competent in German and English but their Bahasa needs some polishing.

Working parents would send for five days a week, but others for two or three days so that they have some time to themselves and to expose their children early to schooling.

Kindergarten starts at the age of five and is free. It is considered a formal part of the education system. The stress is on socialising and the development of mental and physical skills.

Writing and reading are not taught until the primary school a year later although most pre-school children seem to be very good at counting, recognising and remembering things.

I will not attempt to link these later skills to the fact that this country is famous for its banking and precision industries. But one thing is sure. The people here work hard, play hard and live well.

This is the nation of joggers, trackers and mountain climbers -- the home to motor racing aces and the current tennis sensation, Roger Federer. And Rolex is among the many famous brands made here. This is also the home of Nestle.

On the first evening I was here, Omar, Rashid, my son-in-law, the six-footer Daniel, and I took a five-kilometer hike through several farms on the outskirt of the city.

We went there to buy freshly plucked apples and homemade apple juice. The farms here are very modern and farmers are among the wealthiest people. Their land is worth the weight of gold, literally.

This is a nation of great irony and beauty. It is one of the most industrialised countries in the world and yet beautifully kept rivers, forests and farms are never very far away.

Trouts swims in streams that flow through industrial parks and cows share the village streets with tourists. The chocolates are heavenly and the people friendly.

But I still, as the proverb says, “hujan emas di negeri orang, hujan batu di negeri sendiri, lebih baik di negeri sendiri”, I miss the teh tarik, nasi lemak daun pisang, roti canai, chee chong fan and wantan mee.

So, I shall be back for them and, as I have said before and I am saying it again, over my dead body if you want to politicise teh tarik and roti canai.

In the meantime, so long and Auf Wiedersehen.