Memories...

20 April 1997, about ten years ago, Alain ‘Spiderman’ Robert managed to climb up the Yayasan Sabah building, albeit from level 6^th till the top floor (if I am not mistaken). But he did it twice though and this time, without the authorities stopping him. If you all still remember, Spiderman tried to climb Petronas Twin Towers previously, but was stopped when he was half-way up. His feat in Sabah was jointly organized by local organizations. One of the main objectives is to raise funds for charity. I read that they managed to collect RM400k. 90% goes to charity and 10% for Spiderman for his 'troubles'.

Spiderman was unable to climb from the ground floor because the structures of the external ceiling (I believe it was aluminium louvers) was deemed unsafe after inspecting it himself. I concur with him because the structures of ceilings are not normally built to carry heavy loads.

Some says he is ‘crazy’, because he likes to climb buildings, especially high rise ones. Others call him daredevil – ‘berani mati’. But I believe, he is just like anyone else. He’s just become very passionate in climbing. I remember when interviewed in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, he says he likes to climb even when he was a little kid and later becomes his hobby and perhaps, his lifetime carreer. Now, he even teaches his children in climbing.

Yes, I was there with my elder brother and late dad (maybe also my sis-in-law). I was on semester holiday at that time, so I was very curious to see someone like Spiderman with my own eyes. We manage to get a good spot to view all the climbings done by Alain.

There were a lot people who came to see Spiderman-show at YS that day. All are very curious and enthusiastic to see his exploits, which is also can be considered once in a lifetime happening in Sabah. I also overheard concerns like “what if he falls down…” kind of thing. But most, I believe, wish him good luck for the climb.

Well, he did manage to climb YS quite easily. Though he did say (on the paper the next day) that ‘although YS is not very high, but one of the difficult one’ because, I believe, of the vertical walls of the building and without any columns or windows sills or copings to hang on. Furthermore, the walls are glass walls. he has to 'clip' his fingers to the jointings of the glass walls.

Remembering that day, it was one of those rare moments going out with my brother and late dad. You see, my family is a ‘traditional old-fashioned’ family who do not express things like ‘I love you’, ‘I miss you’, etc openly, unlike most ‘modern’ families nowadays (including mine). But deep down in our hearts, we know those things, only that we don’t express it openly or regularly, for that matter. We know our parents loved us, and they know we love them. That’s why I call my family ‘traditionally old-fashioned’. Perhaps also because of my parents background. They are simple kampung folks and may not be very exposed to these ‘openness kind of thing’. Furthermore they are not very highly educated. My father did go to school but my mom was, well, in those old days, women are not very privileged to have an education. Maybe it’s the culture of the old days. Though, my parents value education highly and always encourage us to do better in school and put it first and foremost in our lives.

We do not have many outings like that, so that’s why I say its ‘rare’. Though, I remember vividly, my dad always brings me to many places, like the old Putatan town, even up to KK and many weddings receptions, when I was very small. In those days, there's no transport to Putatan, so we had to walk and make shortcuts. He must have carried me when I got tired...

Well, it just happens that this part of my memories of my late dad pops out. He passed away about four months ago. It still makes me sad, whenever I this kind of memories come by… I miss you dad.