I was in Batu Pahat on Friday night to celebrate the 98th birthday of the my brother-in-law, Ho Lai Chee, which was also a reunion for me with Lai Chee’s far-flung offspring from Sydney, Singapore, and London.

Early before dawn on Saturday, I spent two hours walking the streets of Batu Pahat, to smell the air and revisit the sights of the town where I spent my primary and secondary years, starting from Cheng Siu Chinese primary school to Batu Pahat English School and then Batu Pahat High School.

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