TAN SRI JASON GOH HOSTED HISTORIC CHINESE NEW YEAR DINNER FOR REIGNING KING, FORMER KING, REIGNING QUEEN AND 2 FORMER QUEENS

KEE@FSWMAG.COM

ON 29 JANUARY 2012 WHICH ALSO HAPPENED TO BE 'EVERYBODY'S BIRTHDAY' AS IT WAS THE 7TH DAY OF CHINESE NEW YEAR, TYCOON TAN SRI DATUK WIRA DR JASON GOH TECK CHAI HOSTED A HISTORIC CHINESE NEW YEAR THAT HAS ENTERED HISTORY.

NEVER BEFORE HAD A CHINESE NEW YEAR PARTY HOSTED BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL BEEN GRACED BY BOTH REIGNING KING AND FORMER KING OF MALAYSIA!

Not only that, also present were the reigning Queen of Malaysia and 2 former Queens of Malaysia!

Plus of course, members of high royalty, movers and shakers of KL and the creme de la creme of Malaysia. Truly a Hi-So Soiree! By the way, the term 'Hi-So' is my own new creation which stands for 'High-Society'!

I of course glittered like a Xmas tree with dragon jewellery and received endless compliments throughout the night. Hilton Kuala Lumpur at Sentral had never seen such a momentous event of epic proportions and stunned, speechless hotel guests got more than their room rates as they stood, gawked and photographed the red carpet trod on by a record number of Sultans, Sultanahs and high royalty.

Host with the most Tan sri Datuk Wira Dr Jason Goh Teck Chai welcoming His Majesty the King of Malaysia who arrived in a Maybach

Alexander, son of Tan Sri Jason is one lucky kid as he got to greet the King of Malaysia but I was allowed to stand 1 metre away from the Yang DiPertuan Agong XIV to take this close-up photo

Her Majesty the Queen of Malaysia being welcomed by Tan Sri Jason Goh

A floral bouquet from Puan Sri Pernile Goh to Her Majesty the Queen of Malaysia who smiled at me as we met just 2 days earlier at Tracy Ong's mansion

Brother of Sultan Selangor Tengku Panglima DiRaja Selangor Tengku Sulaiman Shah greeting Her Majesty

Their Majesties the King and Queen of Malaysia entering the lobby of KL Hilton

Tan Sri Jason Goh accompanied His Majesty the King of Malaysia and Puan Sri Pernile Goh accompanied Her Majesty the Queen of Malaysia Tuanku Haminah

Red was the favoured colour of the night

Arrival of former King of Malaysia, the Raja of Perlis

Arrival of former Queen of Malaysia, the Raja Perempuan of Perlis

Arrival of former Queen of Malaysia Sultanah Nur Zahirah of Trengganu

Sultanah Trengganu wore jade bangle from Elegance Club at Bangsar Shopping Centre and her crimson dress was the most beautiful

Victoria Goh had the great honour of shaking hands with the former Queen of Malaysia, Sultanah Trengganu

Smiles all round on this auspicious night

The din from the lion troupe drowned what Tan Sri Jason Goh was saying to HRH Sultanah Trengganu

Tan Sri Jason Goh welcoming the Raja Puan Muda of Perak Raja Mahani Raja Shahar

The Raja Puan Muda of Perak being welcomed by 2 golden lions

The Raja Puan Muda of Perak giving angpow to the lion as a palace staff held the tray on bended knees

Wan, uncle of Tan Sri Jason Goh, Kee Hua Chee in dragon costume and bling and Tengku Panglima DiRaja Selangor Tengku Sulaiman Shah Sultan Salahuddin Shah

Former Queen kissing reigning Queen

Tan Sri Jason Goh and Puan Sri Pernile Goh sembah their Majesties before taking their seat

Inside the holding room

Inside the holding room

Puan Sri Putih, God of Wealth and Tan Sri Azumi Mohammad

Colour, costume and cash as this was the God of Wealth!

More 'ong' or luck with the 2 lions!

As pr royal Malay tradition, Tan Sri Azumi Mohammad as de facto Grand Chamberlain went down on his knees to ask permission and beseech the King and Queen and fellow Ruler and royal consorts to assemble for a portrait

Permission granted!

Tan Sri Jason Goh, his mother Madam Pang Kar Gi, HRH Raja Perempuan Perlis, HRH Raja Perlis, His Majesty the King of Malaysia, Her Majesty the Queen of Malaysia, HRH Sultanah Trengganu, Raja Puan Muda Perak, Minister of Tourism Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen and Puan Sri Pernile Goh

Reigning King, former King, reigning Queen, 2 former Queens, Raja Puan Muda Perak, Minister of Tourism, Tan Sri and Puan Sri Jason Goh

Tan Sri Jason Goh accompanying His Majesty to the ballroom

Tan Sri Jason Goh and the King of Malaysia with the Queen of Malaysia and Puan Sri Pernile Goh

Tan Sri Jason Goh listening to His Majesty the King of Malaysia

His Majesty the King of Malaysia being greeted inside KL Hilton Ballroom

Former Queen of Malaysia the Raja Perempuan Perlis

Taking their seats in the Queen's Table

King's Table

King's Table with Tan Sri Jason Goh, His Majesty the King of Malaysia, HRH Raja Perlis and YTM Tengku Sulaiman Sultan Salahuddin Shah

The Queen's Table; I had to run from King's Table to Queen's Table!

Puan Sri Pernile with former Queen the Sultanah of Trengganu, Her Majesty the Queen, former Queen the Raja Perempuan of Perlis and Raja Puan Muda of Perak

Back I ran to the King's Table as no photos were allowed during the meal


The Chinese New Year dinner hosted by Tan Sri Datuk Wira Dr Jason Goh Teck Chai was a magnificent gala of historic proportions. Leading the 350 guests in ushering in the Year of the Black Water Dragon were their Majesties the King and Queen of Malaysia, Seri Paduka Baginda Yang DiPertuan Agong XIV Almu’tasi Billahi Muhibbuddin Tuanku Alhaj Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Badlishah and Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Hajah Haminah.

Not only were the reigning King and Queen in attendance, also present were a former King and 2 former Queens! The 12^th King of Malaysia who reigned from 2001 to 2006 and 7th Raja Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin ibni Tuanku Syed Jamalullail arrived with Raja Perempuan Perlis Tuanku Fauziah Tengku Abdul Rashid.

The 13^th King of Malaysia and 17^th Sultan of Trengganu, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin was unable to attend due to an equestrian event in Trengganu but Sultanah Nur Zahirah came with her children. Sultanah Zahirah of Trengganu was the 13^th Queen of Malaysia who reigned from 2006 till December 2011.If only the Sultan of Trengganu had attended, the record would be even more spectacular as there would be reigning King and 2 preceding Kings as the Sultan of Trengganu was the immediate previous King while the Raja of Perlis was the one before!

Then there would have been 1 King and 2 former Kings and 1 Queen and 2 former Queens and I would have passed out from such a glorious sight!

In accordance with protocol, the first royal to arrive was Raja Puan Muda Perak Raja Nor Mahani Raja Shahar followed by Sultanah Nur Zahirah of Trengganu, the Raja and Raja Perempuan of Perlis and His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen of Malaysia who came in a grand Maybach. Each royal personage arrived at 15 minutes interval like clockwork, allowing the first and earlier arrival enough time to be officially greeted, welcomed and escorted to the Royal Holding Room.

Naturally the order of precedence begun with the 'lowest' and concluded with the arrival of His Majesty the King of Malaysia and Her Majesty the Queen of Malaysia! I arrived around 7pm while the royals started arriving around 8.15pm.

Tan Sri Jason Goh, his Danish wife Puan Sri Pernile Villadsen-Goh and children Alex and Victoria greeted their royal guests as they emerged from their limousines. A pair of golden lions were also on hand to greet the royals rapturously. The Raja Puan Muda Perak and Sultanah Trengganu even ‘fed’ the beasts with angpows.

Other VIPs included Tengku Sulaiman Shah Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah the brother of the Sultan of Selangor and his sister Tengku Puteri Zahariah aka Ku Yah, Tengku Zatashah the daughter of the Sultan of Selangor and French husband Aubrey Rahim Mennesson, Raja Zarina Raja Zainal, Tan Sri Azumi Mohamad, Puan Sri Che Putih and Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen the Minister of Tourism. A special guest was Tan Sri Jason’s personal guru, Swami Reshe Raj who flew in from Uttar Pradesh, India earlier in the morning.

Acting as Grand Chamberlain, Tan Sri Azumi Mohamad went down on his knees before His Majesty the King of Malaysia, Her Majesty the Queen of Malaysia, HRH Raja Perlis, HRH Raja Perempuan Perlis, HRH Sultanah Trengganu and HH Raja Puan Muda Perak to ask royal permission for an official portrait with Tan Sri and Puan Sri Jason Goh and his mother Madam Pang Kan Gi.

The Danish community in Malaysia were naturally well represented, headed by Soren Ravn, boss of Carlsberg Malaysia. The business and social elite of Kuala Lumpur turned up in full force, with many wearing red Chinese costumes emblazoned with coiling dragons.

There were two Royal Tables, one headed by Seri Paduka Baginda Yang DiPertuan Agong and the other by Seri Paduka Baginda Permaisuri Agong. The King and Queen initiated the festivities by tossing the ‘yee sang’ at separate tables on the dancefloor with the Queen energetically raising the ingredients the highest!

Lion dancers entertained the guests while Chinese and Malay singers like Lai Ping Seah and Celina Gan warbled traditional festive numbers.

Tan Sri Jason Goh was allowed to present gifts to His Majesty the King of Malaysia and Raja Perlis while Puan Sri Pernile Villadsen-Goh was given consent to offer presents to Her Majesty the Queen of Malaysia, HRH Sultanah Trengganu, HH Raja Puan Muda Perak and HRH Raja Perempuan Perlis who reciprocated by giving Puan Sri Pernile not one but two gifts in royal wrapping.

Meticulous attention to detail was everywhere, from the stunning cherry blossom tree at the entrance, giant golden ingot table centrepiece, sumptuous cuisine, wandering God of Wealth all the way to 7 sexy blonde Russian models in Chinese cheongsam acting as ushers!

The 29 January royal repast must have entered history as the first Chinese New Year dinner with reigning King, former King, reigning Queen, 2 former Queens and an extraordinary number of royals. On top of that, it was on the 7^th day of Chinese New Year which was ‘Everybody’s Birthday’!

If you need to know what we fed on, the menu started with salmon yee sang, sharkfin with aloe vera, scallop and seamoss, steamed pomfret, roast chicken, stewed scallops, fried rice with seafood and ginger syrup with dumplings.

The evening concluded with the Queen, former Queens, royal ladies, VIPs and Minister of Tourism Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen taking to the dance floor to dance the popular 'poco poco'. For some bizarre reason, I was not allowed to take photographs which is beyond my earthly comprehension as there was nothing wrongly or scandalous. Tengku Zahariah, sister of Sultan Selangor aka Ku Yah had earlier asked me to dance with her but I politely declined as this dance was decidedly for the ladies and I did not want to cause a fracas...

HAPPY NEW DRAGON YEAR!

THE END

CHINESE NEW YEAR IN KOTA BARU MY HOMETOWN

KEE@FSWMAG.COM

AS PER TRADITION, I ALWAYS RETURN HOME TO MY HOMETOWN WHERE BY THE GRACE OF GOD, BUDDHA AND JESUS CHRIST I WAS BORN, EACH CHINESE NEW YEAR.
ANYDAY NOW I EXPECT MY STATUE TO BE ERECTED BY THE GRATEFUL CITIZENS OF KOTA BARU BUT SO FAR SO BAD...

Anyway I balik kampong and spent a rather nice and peaceful Chinese New Year of the Black Water Dragon with parents and sojourns to Golok with the famous Golok King James Ng Kun Tek.

On Chinese New Year Day around noon I went to Crystal Lodge hotel in the heart of Kota Baru and an easy stroll from my house to pay Mr and Mrs Jayson Cheok Ka Hiang a visit and eat their excellent laksa, nasi bryani, mee goreng, nasi laut, nasi dagang, akok and all the local delicacies that make Kelantanese cuisine the best in Malaysia.

They usually hold it in the Ballroom with hundreds attending but this year it was held in the penthouse on the 9 floor which is large and airy with stunning views of Kelantan river and a bird's eye view of Kota Baru itself. I have never seen such spectacular vistas and even their toilet has a view to die for so you can do your business while enjoying panoramic views. I did and spent all of 20 minutes on the throne!

Crystal Lodge is one of KB's best hotels with very reasonable rates from RM 89 up to RM 600 so if you come to my hometown you must stay here. Tell the boss you my friend and Jayson Cheok will give you a discount!

This year his glam daughter Cynthia did not come home as she and hubby KY were stuck in Penang manning their new yoghurt cafe. Being a virgin, Jayson's wife gave me RM 5 angpow which is good enough I guess.

TEW NAI TONG---'A GOLDEN ERA' SOLO EXHIBITION AT KL LIFESTYLE ART SPACE

KEE@FSWMAG.COM


Datuk Gary Ganesan, Tew Nai Tong and Datuk Mohd Ysuof Ahmad


'A GOLDEN ERA' BY LEADING MALAYSIAN ARTIST TEW NAI TONG IS SHOWING NOW AT KL LIFESTYLE ART SPACE AT 150 JALAN MAAROF.

THIS SOLO EXHIBITION BY TEW NAI TONG WAS LAUNCHED ON 15 JANUARY 2012 BY THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE NATIONAL ART GALLERY OF MALAYSIA ON 15 JANUARY 2012.

THIS EXCITING EXHIBITION WILL END ON 29 FEBRUARY, AN AUSPICIOUS DATE AS IT IS A LEAP YEAR THAT OCCURS ONLY ONCE EVERY 4 YEARS AS NORMALLY THERE ARE 28 DAYS IN FEBRUARY.

I ALSO LIKE THE ARTIST'S SURNAME 'TEW' WHICH MEANS 'FUCK' IN CANTONESE SO HE IS OBVIOUSLY NOT CANTONESE! I WOULD BUY HIS PAINTINGS JUST FOR HIS NAME JUST AS PEOPLE READ ANY STORY WITH MY NAME 'KEE HUA CHEE' PLASTERED AT THE TOP!

TEW IS A GOOD ARTIST AND VERY COLLECTIBLE SO IF YOU ARE INTO MALAYSIAN ART, HIS WORKS IN 'A GOLDEN ERA' IS A VERITABLE FEAST. THERE ARE ENOUGH STYLES TO PANDER TO EVERY TASTE AS SOME WORKS ARE TRADITIONALLY, SEMI-REALISTIC, OTHERS ARE MODERNIST AND SOME VERY CUTTING EDGE. PERFECT FOR A COLONIAL BUNGALOW OR SKYHIGH PENTHOUSE!

KL Lifestyle Art Space is hitting a purple patch at the moment. A succession of master painters has been gracing the walls of KL Lifestyle Art Space’s galleries in Tropicana City Mall and Jalan Maarof, Bangsar with their masterpieces in recent months. Off the back of exhibiting some of the works of a group of amazing and talented artists with their “Mosaic ‘11” showcase, KL Lifestyle Art Space was given the honor of holding “A Golden Era”, a solo exhibition by Tew Nai Tong, one of Malaysia’s most revered and respected artists ever, within the walls of their gallery in Jalan Maarof, Bangsar.

Tew Nai Tong was born in 1936 in Klang. Ever since he was eighteen years old, he wanted to become an artist. He moved to Singapore to study at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) and upon graduation, he made Paris his next destination as he studied oil and figurative painting at the Ecole Nationale Superieure Des Beaux-Arts de Paris. These two periods in his life proved to be life-changing as his style evolved and matured, becoming the style that is uniquely Tew Nai Tong.

The launch of “A Golden Era” was held on the 18^th of January 2012 and it was greeted with much fanfare and critical acclaim. Many esteemed guests had made their way to KL Lifestyle Art Space’s gallery to witness the opening of what could be one of the best solo art exhibition by an artist for the year 2012. The likes of master painters Syed Thajudeen and Lim Ka Seng were in attendance to give support to one of their own, while other prominent figures within the art scene were present and accounted for, including art collectors and art gallery founders. The guest of honor for the launch was Datuk Mohd. Yusof Ahmad, the Director-General of the National Art Gallery Malaysia, or also known as the Balai Seni Visual Negara. This was not the first time that Datuk Mohd. Yusof Ahmad, an art lover and enthusiast by trade and by nature, was involved in an opening for KL Lifestyle Art Space as he himself helped in opening KL Lifestyle Art Space’s gallery as well as opening for an exhibition at the gallery in Tropicana City Mall.

After an introduction by Chief Executive Officer of KL Lifestyle Art Space Datuk Gary Thanasan, he invited Datuk Mohd. Yusof Ahmad to say a few words to the audience while Tew Nai Tong. Datuk Mohd. Yusof Ahmad was then given a memento by Datuk Gary Thanasan and Tew Nai Tong, a beautiful painting of an orchid which was painted in 1988. And with that, the “A Golden Era” exhibition had officially begun. Datuk Mohd. Yusof Ahmad was then brought on a tour of the exhibition by Datuk Gary Thanasan and Tew Nai Tong, as they went and had a look at each and every one of the masterpieces that were showcased while the master painter himself gave brief descriptions of his works to both Datuk Mohd. Yusof Ahmad and Datuk Gary Thanasan. It is safe to say that those who had made their way to the exhibition were left enchanted by the artworks of Tew Nai Tong.

As one of the most highly regarded artists in the region, Malaysia should be so proud to count Tew Nai Tong as one of their own. A professional painter, a lecturer and the founder and president of the Watercolour Society of Malaysia, Tew Nai Tong’s journey from the moment he decided to become an artist at the young age of eighteen until this very moment has been nothing short of extraordinary.

Born in 1936 in his hometown in Klang, Tew Nai Tong attended Peng Hwa Chinese School at the age of seven. By the time he turned eighteen, he decided that he wanted to pursue his dreams of being an artist, a proper artist. With his mind set on painting his way through life, he upped sticks and moved to Singapore, enrolling at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) and studied there for two very fruitful years. Focusing on sketching, watercolors and landscape painting during his early years at NAFA, he, along with his contemporaries, became part of the watercolors movement in Malaysia, promoting the art style to the people in Malaysia.

For alumnus of NAFA, it was customary and essential for them to further their studies in Paris. Thus, for another two years, Paris became his home away from home as he studied oil and figurative painting at the Ecole Nationale Superieure Des Beaux-Arts de Paris. From 1967 to 1968, Tew Nai Tong immersed himself in the kaleidoscope of arts and culture in France and across Europe, visiting museums and art galleries in search of inspiration, for new ideas. His time in Paris instilled in him a newfound creative energy, which he used to great effect as he went through an experimental phase on forms, compositions and colors, which shaped his unique art style: an interesting and beautiful combination of Oriental charm and Parisian elegance injected into dreamy watercolor on canvas, playful collages within oil paintings to geometrical abstracts depicting rural living, local culture and landscapes.

This combination stems from his time in Singapore and Paris, with his art being described as representing the tail-end of the old Nanyang (the Southern Seas of China) style as well as embodying the spirit of the new Nanyang style, a combination of stylised Balinese-Sarawakian figure types, the School of Paris chic and Chinese painting traditions. The amount of research that he always puts in for his art is exemplary. He visited Bali from 1996 to 2006, while also making a return to Paris from 1999 to 2002 in order to conduct research for his artworks as well as to look for inspiration, visits that have also played a part in moulding his unique style.

His reputation as one of the most important artists that have come out of the South East Asia region was confirmed when he was awarded the grand prize of the prestigious Asia Art Award 2009 to recognize over 50 years of tremendous contribution to the local and international art scene at the Asia Invitation Art Exhibition in Seoul, Korea. Many from his almost 2000 pieces now adorn many private and institutional collections all over the world. For everything that he has done in the name of art, Tew Nai Tong is an inspiration to look up to for all of us.

For further information, please call 019-333 7668 or visit 150, Jalan Maarof, Bukit Bandaraya, Kuala Lumpur.

Website: www.kl-lifestyle.com/artspace

Fishing Village 1981, oil on canvas. RM 36,ooo

Landscape 1982, oil on canvas RM 45,000

Temple Kuala Lumpur 1999, oil on canvas. RM 36,000. 80cm by 70cm

Ubud's Fruit Corner, oil on canvas. RM 43,000. 90cm by 90cm

Golden Time 9, oil on canvas RM 138,000. 136cm by 228cm

Reflection 1977 oil on canvas

THE END

DATIN SU DAY TAKES UP CORDON BLEU COOKING!

KEE@FSWMAG.COM

WHY DATIN SU WAI FUN, WIFE OF DATO STEVE DAY OF VISION FOUR MEDIA GROUP, VISION KL MAGAZINE AND ORGANISING CHAIRMAN OF MALAYSIAN INTERNATIONAL GOURMET FESTIVAL HAS SUDDENLY TAKEN UP CORDON BLEU COOKING!

WHY SHE HAS DONE SO IS BEYOND ME AS SHE, BEING SO RICH, HAS A BATTALION OF SERVANTS AND CHEFS TO PAMPER TO HER EVERY NEED, ESPECIALLY CULINARY ONES AND ALL THE FOOD AT HER HOUSE PARTIES WERE USUALLY CATERED SO SHE NEVER HAD TO LIFT A FINGER!

I CANNOT COOK TO SAVE MY LIFE AND EVEN I WOULD NEVER CONTEMPLATE TAKING UP COOKING SO I CAN DISH UP A DECENT BOWL OF MAGGI MEE.

Still, stranger things have happened so this is not the weirdest.

This is the inaugural course by Sunway Le Cordon Bleu Institute of Culinary Arts so it is a historic event. This is a proper course and does not take all of 1 afternoon or even a weekend but a whole 9 months! Yes, the same length of time as a woman takes to get pregnant and give birth! 9 months to learn how to bake a cupcake and cook noodles! But this is a highclass French cuisine course so Datin Su Day will soon be dishing out truffled delights, cavair compotes and creme brulee. I still think it is easier to order from Lafite at Shangri-la KL and cheaper too as this course is for professionals but who knows, maybe Datin Su Day is contemplating opening a restaurant since she and hubby Dato Steve Day are already running Malaysia International Gourmet Festival so she might as well promote her own eatery during the month long gorging.

Datin Su Day is the oldest participant though she looks all of 35. Even her teachers are younger than her let alone her fellow students but so what, age is just a number although the smaller the better!

This is a labour of love as she has to get up at 6am to make it on time for classes. "This is something I have always wanted to do so it is now or never!" enthuses Datin Su Day. " I am determined to complete this course and so far it has been everything I expected."

At least next year she can bake my birthday cake for me so good for you, Datin Su! I am all ready to attend your graduation feast!


Datin Su Day in chef's toque in front row second from right next to lady wearing spectacles

Dato Steve Day (extreme right) was there to give wifey support who is in chef's uniform next to him

Arms crossed for luck. Datin Su Day is front row sandwiched between tall, handsome young man and tall girl with glasses

Briefing; Datin Su Day is seated extreme right in white shirt

Getting to know each other session; Datin Su Day is second from left in white shirt