JJCM in KT #3 - The Battle of Kuantan

Source: Wikipedia

Prince of Wales (left, front) and HMS Repulse (left, behind) under Japanese air attack on 10 December 1941. A destroyer, either HMS Electra or Express, is maneuvering in the foreground.

On the 10 December 1941, “Force Z” consisting of two warships – the Repulse and the Prince of Wales supported by four destroyers but no air support were streaming towards Kuantan to prevent a Japanese landing. As fate would have it, the inappropriately named aircraft carrier the Indomitable (with 45 fighters) which was supposed to be part of the fleet had ran aground off Jamaica on the 3 November and was under repair in the US. The airfield in Kota Bahru had fallen to the Japanese on the 8 December which was attacked 40 minutes earlier than Pearl Harbor and the Philippines – the first major salvo of the Japanese in World War II. The sky in Malaya belonged to the Japanese.

At 1113 hours, waves of Japanese bombers attacked the fleet aiming for the two warships. They scored only one direct hit on the hanger deck of the Repulse causing a small fire. At 1140, the torpedo bombers dived in for the kill. The Prince of Wales took a catastrophic hit on the propeller shaft that effectively crippled it. A total of 86 Japanese aircrafts took part in the attack. The final waves of 26 torpedo bombers scored several major direct hits and the battle was over. The Repulse sank at 1223. And the Prince of Wales followed shortly at 1318. 840 British sailors lost their lives on that fateful day. The Japanese only lost 3 planes.

Families and relatives of these gallant sailors who lost their lives in the choppy waters off Teluk Cempedak still make pilgrimage there to remember their dearly departed. Not every one who came to TC went there to enjoy the sun and sea.

Let us follow this pathway to Teluk Tongkang. Before this was built, it was much more difficult to access this remote beach that is only known to the locals and avid campers. The wooden path snaked about 1 km along the sheer cliffs and large boulders before revealing a secluded bay.

Teluk Tongkang (Barge Bay) was so named because the Japanese landing boats looked liked tongkang to the locals. The secluded but opened space was ideal for the invasion force which from there made their way inland through the jungle and hills.

When the Japanese landed, the locals fled to a hidden coastal beach which they named Tanjung Pelindung or Refuge Cape. I am not exactly sure where the cape is as we did not have the time to even explore Teluk Tongkang. We will leave this for another day.

As we made our way back we were treated to a better view of Teluk Chempedak. I asked why is it named after Chempedak, a close but smaller relative to the jackfruit and reputed to be the next smelliest fruit in Malaysia after the durian. None was able to provide me with an satisfactory answer. I love the Chempedak when it is dipped in a batter and fried - crispy on the outside, juicy and creamy on the inside with an aroma and taste that I had no words for. You have to eat it to know. So the next time you're in Malaysia, remember to try the chempedak and of course the durian too.

Suddenly, a sea camel reared its head from the waves to look quizzically at us.

But my last view of TC was still a sad one. How useful this bridge must had been and how many feet must trampled over it to reach the order side. But it now lay broken, blocking the smooth flow of water to the sea. What a sad and ignoble end. Momentarily, it reminded me of all the soldiers (whether local, Allied or Japanese) who fought and died for this beach.

I shook this off for we were on a holiday and left TC and the ghosts behind. Follow us on to the next installment and see what we ate for our “third breakfast”.

To be continued...

"Jalan Jalan Cari Makan In Kuala Terengganu" (JJCM in KT) - Teluk Cempedak.

What can I show you about Teluk Cempedak (TC) beach that you’ve not already seen?

Practically, everyone who had been to the East Coast had been there. I gathered it would be the most visited beach maybe in the whole of Malaysia. Ah, but are you looking at things through the eyes of another? You may yet discover delights among familiar sights.

A gentle morning TC beach that has just shaken off the night welcomed us. The blues of the sea and sky soothed our tired eyes and the South China Sea lapping the sand sang us a soothing lullaby. The beach offered a great respite under the coconut and Casuarina trees for weary travelers from the West before their onward journey.

What is a beach without lovers holding hand?

That man with a cigarette stuck in his mouth was holding up a horseshoe crab by its spine with another crab attached to it. Hey! Leave them alone. How would you like it if a Giant held you and your partner up by your Achilles heel when you were making love for all to see. The blue blood of the horseshoe crab had saved many human lives and is very valuable in our search for remedies for drug-resistant diseases. Periodic blood extractions (without killing the horseshoe) make them the greatest blood donors for humankind. We should love and protect the horseshoe crab who were here on Earth before we were apes.

The beach is also popular with the locals from surrounding areas especially from Kuantan which is only 5 km away. Five members of a family sharing the morning papers, a sight seldom encountered in the city. Treasures such moments, don’t take them for granted. If your reaction is – “what is the big deal?” then I envy you. I for one had never experience such a moment in my entire life.

A young family with their children enjoying the swing. “Fly, little girl, fly. Take to the sky. You may be an astronaut one day.”

Dark boulders reflected on still waters trapped behind, contrasted with the free rippling water of the sea. A serene scene inviting inner reflection.

Boulder, sand and sea. I loved this part of the beach as it promise solitude far away from the crowd.

This rock giant holds more secret than Mona Lisa.

A father’s love, as vast as South China Sea.

All of us may look at the same scene but we see different things. I made no excuses for looking at life through the lenses of a romantic. I hoped you can see some of the beauty through the same lens.

My angle of beauty may seem strange to some like the back shot of my traveling companions. Four friends setting out on the walkway to where, they do not yet know. That is beautiful. They may not agree that is their best views though.

Follow us on this walkway to Teluk Tongkang where Japanese troops landed during the Second World War which will be coming up next.

To Be Continued...

"Jalan Jalan Cari Makan In Kuala Terengganu" - I

(This Hari Raya (Malay New Year which fell on 13 and 14 October), 5 of us decided to take our chances with the traffic to drive to Kuala Terengganu which is approximately 500 Km (300 miles) from Klang. "Jalan Jalan Cari Makan literally translates as Traveling, Looking For Food.")

“What time should we start our journey?”

“4 a.m.”

“Can we do it at 5?”

I was glad we agreed to an hour later. (4 a.m. is when my brain is at deep sleep mode.) I was magnetically bound to the bed but struggled up at 4.30 am and had hardly done the necessary when the car was already at the gate. Punctual. I liked that. Oops. Forgot I had not done the “big business” – that will have to wait. Hope nature won’t come calling when we are traveling above 100km/hour on the highway “without a farm house near”.

Flashback - “What are you doing this Hari Raya?”

“Driving to Kuala Terengganu.”

“You must be crazy! Vying with all those cars on the road. Half the Malaysian population on the go – going home “balik kampung” and you’ve to add one more. Repent or Regret”

Ah. We were not as crazy as he thought. We were not mad dogs that went out on the mid-day sun. Firstly, we did not really choose the dates – the dates chose us. It was not easy to get leaves for the five of us, the public holidays helped. Secondly, we had a formula – see. We are leaving at an ungodly hour when all but the zombies and crazies are at peaceful slumber. We are not going on Thursday – that would be disastrous. We are not leaving on the eve either to avoid the stragglers. We are leaving on the big day itself when all who were supposed to leave had left and we should have the road to ourselves, we hope. Who said the best of plans can go awry? Choy! Touch wood, that won’t happen to us. We have those good luck charms from various temples for good measures. Sure to work or money back guarantee, the man sold me with a wink.


Starting our journey from Klang, we reached the majestic limestone outcrop “Batu Caves” by 5.55 am and reached the Gombak toll at 6.00 am. So far so good, there were few cars on the road and it was smooth sailing. Looked like our aim was straight.


At 6.30 am we stopped at the Petronas Petrol Station to do our “small business” and I had my “first” breakfast – a hot curry puff and cold milo in tetra-pack. We saw some fellow travelers sleeping in the cars under the bright light of the Petronas shop. Not a bad idea. When you are weary and need a rest before you go on, it is much safer in a large petrol station than in one of the rest area. We have already bought enough snacks and drinks to open a sundry shop but we bought some more. When we are not yakking, we will be snacking - creating music, “Yak Concerto in C Major”.


It was still dark when we left the station but light was beginning to impose itself. White mists billowed down intermittently obscuring the road that can only be made out by the dark looming shapes of trees and the limited range of our headlight. “With some imagination, we could be driving in Switzerland.” Everyone took warmly to the idea and we tried transporting ourselves to another realm with different level of success.

6.38 am. Not a good picture – not enough light and the car was vibrating but gave you an idea of how it looked like. Never knew white clouds can looked so threatening in the dark. They swirled and descended on you suddenly blocking your vision. But they were also beautiful.

But when the clouds lifted, you can see what a difference it made. Yes, morning has broken and you can see angels’ wings. Would you believe that the difference between the first and this picture was only 11 minutes apart?

3 minutes later, we were back in Switzerland under mist cover where the scenery was like a painting – mysterious and enchanting. Phua, the driver who traveled this road quite regularly said the heavy mist was abnormal.

How beautiful the highway was without cars. We were “king of the road”. Sitting in front, I easily imagined being an easy rider. “I’m an easy rider, easy and free. The wind behind me, the road in front. I go where the road leads, and leave my love behind. For I must stay - easy and free.” Then I thought of “Wild Hogs” which reminded that easy riding is for the young and crazy, not for the not-so-young and crazy.

Maran and 8.00 am is approaching but the mist lingered on.

As we were going to Kuantan, the state capital of Pahang; we took the exit at Gambang. If you just follow the sign on the highway you will be traveling north of Kuantan and then turned back costing you more petrol and toll money.

As we approached Kuantan, we saw the Malay folks in their best traditional clothing going to the mosque and the cemetery. I really liked this custom of theirs – going to cemetery on their New Year day to remember their dearly departed. There is a sense of poignancy and tenderness remembering the dead on that day of rejoice and celebration. It was difficult for me to capture a decent shot with the car traveling. I would love to show you a picture. Keep reading and next year, I will try to get you a picture. Promise with a wink.

We stopped in this Western sounding Chinese coffee shop “Leo Star” for Kuantan’s famous wantan noodles for my “second” breakfast. It was certainly popular with almost all the tables taken up this early on a public holiday and customers kept streaming in. I did not fell in love with the noodles. I felt it was too oily. The noodles was too thick and the texture too chewy for me. The wantan noodles I liked are thinner, elastic but having a “short” bite (clean cut by the teeth). It was just okay so was a disappointment. I understood that just a block down the same road, is a beef noodles shop that is quit good. I would have loved to try that but since some of my companions are Buddhists, beef is taboo. The coffee and noodles had now filled any remaining corners left in my stomach.

This is the price list of the Kuantan Coffee, Hotel and Restaurant Association which fixes the prices of the various drinks - RM0.90 for a cup of Kopi-O (black coffee) and RM1.00 for a cup of Kopi Susu (coffee with condensed milk). These are not Starbuck prices. After my second breakfast, we hit the road again. We only stopped to eat and shit (if necessary). Otherwise, we were always on the go. We were road warriors. If you are not impressed, wait till you hear about our third breakfast! Bet you couldn't do that - not on a full stomach. But Pantai Teluk Cempedak (Beach) coming up next.

To be continued...