PERAK YOUTH FRIENDSHIP TOUR - KUNMING, YUNNAN

Day 1 (17 Aug. 2009)

Today is the first day the Perak youth delegation in Kunming. With the assistance from the Malaysia Consulate General in Kunming, 3 official meetings were arranged.

Meeting with CPC Kunming

The first meeting was at 9.30 a.m. with Ms Zhang HongPing, Member of the Communist Party of China Standing Committee, Yunnan Province and Director-General of Department of Publicity, CPC Kunming Committee. The Perak youth was represented by Hang Tuah Din, Ng Kah Choong, Ahmad Ansor, Pervaiz Akhtar, Mohd. Abdul Aziz, Ahmad Taufik, Halim, Tan Wee Tion, Hajjah Faridah and A. Sabramani. Tuan Ruseli Abdul, the Consulate General accompany the delegation. The Secretary General of the Yunnan Youth Federation, Ms Cai JiaYu and the Secretary General of the Kunming Youth Union, Ms Meng Jie were with the Chinese party. Ms Rose Li from Malaysia Consulate office acted as the translator for Perak youth. The meeting lasted about 30 minutes.

The Kunming Youth and Children Activities Centre

Showing the centre

The swimming pool in the centre

The Perak youth delegates later tour the Kunming Youth and Children Activities Centre. Ms Gloria was the translator for the centre. The centre consist of 2 auditoriums, an Olympic size swimming pool, an art gallery and a few training centres. There is a folk dance centre where children were trained. They performed for the delegates; later the delegates joined the children to dance. The delegates also been given a chance to do arts i.e. drawing on a "hu lu". It is a nice experience although it is simple. I have drawn one for my lovely wife! We spent about 2 hours touring the centres.

The children dancers

The tae kwan do class

Our art work

After lunch, the delegates left to New Asia Sports City. It is a new township developed by the Shinning Star [Xingyao] Group. The Group Chairman is Mr Yan Yu who is the Kunming Youth Union Vice Chairman. The Group use 4 years to complete 4 phases of residential and commercial areas. The Group also built a sports complex which consist of a 20,000 capacity football stadium and indoor games i.e. squash, badminton, ping-pong, futsal, basketball etc. There is a 5,000 capacity multi-purpose hall too. The delegates was told that there was a concert by the latest Chinese idol last Saturday. The delegates tour the sports town by buggy.

Visit New Asia Sports City Complex

Prior to that, there is an introduction of Xingyao Group by Mr Yan Yu and a meeting with the Yunnan Youth Federation Chairman, Mr Lu Ping. We spent the whole evening in this impressive township. Xingyao Group currently in progress of developing the "Little World" project in Tianjin. It is a futuristic project!

Before the delegation left for New Asia Sports City, the Consulate General brought the delegation to Lake Dian. It is the largest lake in Yunnan Province and the water source for Kunming. It is believe that Cheng Ho learned sailing in this lake.

En. Azmi, the Immigration Attache in Consulate General office shown us verbally to a Muslim restaurant nearby Sakura Hotel. Everybody were in the lobby by 7 p.m. We intended to walk to the restaurant as I was told that the restaurant is very near. Frankly, I remembered En. Azmi said that just walk straight turn cross the road, the third lane.

However, Taufik told me that walk straight and turn right. I taught he knows the place as he is confident. We walked about 20 minutes, I felt amused as the route we took was the way Ansor and I walked last night! Rashid told me to keep quite and lets walk. He said he know the way. We walked about an hour, can't find the restaurant. A. Subramani started to crumbled and the rest of the delegates already tired sitting by the roadside.

I asked a few people, they shown me directions. Just followed as they told. Later on we reached the Tuadong Sports Complex which is visible from the hotel. A couple said just walked straight, the restaurant is just across the road. We walked. Later I asked another couple and they leads us to the restaurant as they are going to the same direction. We reached the restaurant at about 9 p.m. Almost 2 hours walk. The restaurant is just across the hotel!

Well, it is a good experience .... walk to see Kunming at night! Deep in my heart, I guessed all the delegates were cursing me!