Kindred Kuala Lumpur

We flew to Kuala Lumpur
From March 25th to 27th tour
To renew our passports that’s due
We’re excited and trembled too.

It was “Air Asia” Nan and I boarded together
The budget airline of Malaysia
Easy, cheap, punctual and dasher
Plane and hostesses are all red colour!

We drove from airport to Myanmar Embassy
In the fastest taxi in a hurry
To catch the officials for submission of money
Let they finish passport renewal handsomely.

We saw tens and twos of Burmans here and there
They are waiting for their assignments to be clear
So, they loitered inside Embassy to be near
When the officer would grant favour with an answer!

Officer accepted our application and passports
But he said we come next day for official rappport
They have hundreds of them for daily report“This is a favour!”, he retort’d.

We went back calm, cool and collected
We window-shopped and inspected
All the roadside shops and restaurants
We intend to buy gifts and goodies for presents.

We gave a dinner at night
To Burmese medical teachers at sight
Who have left Burma for its worsening plight
Now, they think they’re right.

There was ‘A beauty and two laughs”
Who trained “Mr Donald Dharma” to be tough
Who bullies” Mr High” since Mandalay
That was not lost to Physiologist “Nyunt Way”.


His better half is smart too
She was the “Queen Pin” in the pool
Even the “Flower Brother” and her darling cooed
To let kindly “Khin“ Win and her hubby blew.

We talked, joked and shared gossip
We did not know even the time slip
Yes, this may be the last we meet
We may not see each other in the next trip.

The dinner was memorable too
It has Chinese roasted duck cut in two
Skin first and meat mixed with vegetable stew
Then we ate seaweed soup, pork ribs and “Tofu”.

The “Si-Chuan” tea was strong and aromatic
It refreshed our memory and romantics
Not to say any thing of our appetite witch
We ate the last fried rice with relish.

Friends saw us in our “Hotel”
They bid us “Fare Well”
Not just by words, but by heart
It really hurts.

Next day at breakfast we met a lady
She was the head waitress in the lobby
She spoke to us in Burmese
She was modern, modest and motherly.

We met Burmese all around us
In the hotel, wayside vendors, restaurants and clubs
There are Burmans, Burmans every where
They are working and establishing new lives in Malaysia.

I was excited with their encounters
Happy to see the Burmans employed here
But, it evokes a sense of nostalgia
Who would strive and struggle for poor Burma?

Dr Maung Maung Nyo
28.03.2008