I came back from the SUKUM34 tournament in Terengganu already. Both UTeM’s ladies and mens volleyball team didn’t make it past the group stages. But at least the mens won a match, which puts us third in our group. We put on the best performance we could, despite being the only team without a formal coach and a limited number of available players, especially for the men. While other teams were comfortable with 11 or 12 players, my team had to be content with 8. And from that 8, only 7 can actually play. So we had only one substitution available (A playing team consists of six players). During our last match, almost everyone was sweating up to their knees. A key player had a swollen thigh, but he fought through the pain till the very end.

Which is why I love my team.

We were a team with no stars, and we are undermined and down casted by friends and foe alike. But we played as a team. We had fun. We enjoyed ourselves. We valued each other. I hope this is the beginning of a good team in the future.

*****

UNIMAP won the overall tournament. Congratulations to them. Even so, there are strong rumours that say they employ state and national athletes as contract workers 3 months prior to the games so that they could represent them in SUKUM. This on its own does not violate the rule, since contract workers who worked for at least 3 months are allowed to represent the university. But, if it’s true, may as well violate the spirit of the game all the same. I mean what’s the point of having University Staff’s Sports Tournament if the athletes are not ‘real’ staff to begin with? Then again, it’s just rumours…

*****

Food at stalls and restaurants in Kuala Terengganu are expensive. Even local people admit it. You might feel justified if it tastes good, which is true at some places. But what if the food sucks? I ate a Nasi Ayam Hainan which is more of like Nasi Ayam Kuah Air Paip, which costs me RM3.80. The soup is like tap water sprinkled with some herbs and cooked onions. The chicken is like one miniscule piece, cut into two. It feels tempting to actually throw the plate at the waiter in disgust, but being the ‘polite’ Malay, I decided against it. I just paid, ate and vowed never to set foot into that restaurant ever again.

*****

I am told by a friend who live here that if you want to buy keropok lekor here to not go to Losong anymore. They have commercialized the product so much so that the taste and quality weren’t what it used to . Instead, I was advised to go to Seberang Takir and find local shops there which still stuck to the traditional method of making it. There you’ll find the original sumptuous taste of the chip.