22.5.2026 Friday - Sean prepares for a talk

We prepare for dinner with the Japs, it is interesting how much I look forward to these little breaks in my routine. These two are warm, genuine and amazingly easy to get along with - considering that we only met in December last year. I am afraid I can't say the same of several of our 'older' friends; one has become secretive and small minded, another also steers the conversation back to herself, and the other is always complaining about something or another.

Sean leaves dinner early, we suggest that to him; he will be giving a talk tomorrow at the PAMSC Centre - form, function and delight.

23.6.2025 Monday - documenting local heroes

 Months ago, SY and I had the idea of producing series of documentaries recording the achievements of the architectural pioneers in Sarawak - they would 5-7 minutes long with interviews, archival material and perhaps a retrospective look at their projects. The conversation was triggered by PAMSC's announcement that they intend to celebrate the Chapter's 50th anniversary in January 2026.  So when IJ asked SY and I if we were able to help her in the production of the documentary (the original PIC withdrew from the team) - we said OK. 

This afternoon we sit down to listen to her plans, and to find out who are her internal team members, who she intends to engage as external support (videographers, art direction, etc) Since she has only recently taken over the reins, she does not have many of the answers neither does she have the experience of doing this - and is unclear about the role of the production companies. But she seems genuine interested in our ideas and promised to engage with her people and recruit more deputies from her committee. 

Later I speak to SY, and his tone is not optimistic (and he points out that neither was hers) - but he wants to be open and open-minded about this project. At the lunch, he pointed out something which I value - that if he and I set our minds to something we can usually make it happen. Let's see if she make it happen, if they revert to the original idea of the 'corporate' pet-yourself-on-the-back video, then our help is not needed. 

24.5.2025 Saturday - pasta carbonara

Thing to remember; use plenty of pasta water, and use the whole egg (not just the yolks) - that is the pleasant part of the evening. The not so pleasant part involves hearing about the goings-on in the PAM committee. How silly of me to invest energy on this - time to move on and not care about what folks think. 

Before I forget - another pleasant event is talking to Henry about potential collaborations and about using new computer software.

 

5.4.2025 Saturday - AGM

 

It is the PAMSC AGM and we go because we need the CPD points; Freddie, Rachel and Chloe - they collect me from the gym. I enjoy this morning's work out, the tee shirt feels tighter in the right places. I am going to start doing the basic lifting exercises; squat, bench and deadlift. 

A highlight at the AGM, KC Law recorded his appreciation of my efforts in featuring local projects in the Borneo Architecture Journal website every Friday. Glad that he did, I think this means it will be recorded in the minutes, and better from him than someone closer to me. Speaking of which, I wondered aloud to Sam, why my 'friends' did not think to record their thanks. Envy I think, or some misguided notion that this should have been done with PAMSC, although ultimately I am STILL doing it for PAMSC members amongst others. 

In the afternoon, I work from home drawing up the plans for the new school. Mom keeps interrupting and no matter how hard I try to go with the flow; she irritates me. I am sure there is some remnant of my childhood which makes me react this way. 

7.2.2025 Friday - lunch and dinner provided

I start especially early today, not for work but to publish a project on the BA.J website. I am keen to retain the 7 a.m. deadline, so I don't let the team down. And I succeed. My cough has improved slightly and I hope to clear this before the trip to Australia. 

I get a text from TY saying that he has received our Block 3 submission. He continued to chat about defects, he is worried because of what has happened at another project of theirs. I reassure him , and quickly relay the message to PH and Leong, sharing a potential problem with my partners. 

This is the benefit of having a tier of partners working with me, I can delegate planning, action and thinking to them. 

PH is very excited about his chat with a potential hospital client, TH as usual puts in some brakes as a reality check. I think this is a good thing, and 4 years ago, PH would have been annoyed by this but nowadays PH would agree that this is a good balance in the work partnership.

Lunch is provided by Tay when I eat with Suan and HJ; funny stories and good food makes 90 minutes go by in a flash. Dinner is provided by PAMSC, who hosts a CNY Open House.  

 

18.5.2024 Saturday - talking about collaborations with Taiwan

6.4.2024 Saturday - AGM

 

My last AGM, and I am relieved. I do not enjoy the short spell seated at the centre table, listening to questions from the floor; about budget, about government liaison, and so forth which the office bearers were unable to answer clearly. 5 of the present committee left today, replaced by young members which is a good thing provided that there is good leadership. Leadership that is sure about their planning with the ability to instruct clearly while able to let the young ones do their thing. It is a fine balance, and one which takes good leadership.

Poor leadership - my answer to Hulbert and Bong when asked if I was leaving the current committee, and if I were continuing the newsletter.

13.3.2024 Wednesday - the betrayal

 

3.2.2024 Saturday - Professional cover

Sam and I attend the Professional Indemnity seminar at the PAMSC Centre, meet up with Shamini and Madeleine - we have not known each other long but we seem to click; chatting about work, people and family. Sam bought them some local delicacies and offer them a place to stay when they visit with family. Madeleine has a special needs son, 15 years old - it must be challenging for them. We don't know the problems people face behind their professional demeanour - it pays to be kind. (and helpful).

We get on so well it prompts Ivy to ask 'are you guys old friends?'. Sam quips - we are their old friends. Sam is a good foil for me, I feel that together we are more than 2 personalities. (I want to say the sum of our parts but it sounds a cliched)

In the afternoon, I spend some time in the office - JY is in colouring the amended building plans for PD. I often tell her to get help with this task, but I think I know why she does this even though others might view this as boring repetitive work. She wants a bit of time to enjoy the finishing stages of a long task, and to assure herself of its proper completion. I do that as well, Sam too - serving the pasta we prepared; dishing it on to individuals' plates, sanding down a piece of woodwork I made and so forth.

23rd November 2023 Thursday - Curating PDF2023

I thought I would put this information on paper, as a record of what was needed to make PDF2023 work. There were some queries and 'wonderings' about how and why we did certain things - so here I explain, and record for myself. I put Si Yong's name to the piece as well, because he is more than half of the partnership of two of us.
 

Boon Boon left St Tom after Form 3 to continue Form 4 Science in Green Road, and I have not seen him since. It seems that he worked for a time in Kuching, and then KL before settling in Singapore.

9th November 2023 Thursday - a difficult evening

 

What was meant to be a early start to the day turns out to be a quiet morning of drawing, and talking to the young people. Sam takes me to a new TCM for my cough. He thinks it is an allergy; to all the things I like to eat - nuts, dairy, citrus fruits. He gives me a 5-day course, let's see.

I spend the afternoon designing new book shelves which I will build myself, since the carpenter is too busy. Liew has agreed to cut the members for me, I'll just assemble. 

Later that evening, I take the Doc to the sky bar after squash, I thought he's be tickled as he used to visit the place in the 80's. And he is suitably impressed, and he is rather a difficult one to win over. Willington is delightful, opening rooms to show us and explaining how they are charged etc. 

Later again, I attend the PAMSC November committee meetings and dinner, at what is definitely the worst restaurant ever; the Kapitan Nyonya. Dishes left on the side table, cooling instead of being served because the meeting is still going. They could have asked if we want to be served. 9pm closing time, but no drinks order at 845pm. It is incredibly stupid, others at the dinner are equally dense. I got upset at the stupid ones and also at the arrogant one who thinks he has done better. I will finish my duties this term; the design festival, the newsletters 10 more issues left plus a fat issue. After that, I step aside and let them take over. I'll miss these meetings and the fellowship of most of them in the committee but part of me wants to see if they can continue what I left off. 

8th November 2023 Wednesday - convocation

Tay and I go to the university this morning to see the graduating class; he is very accommodating. I dont think he shares my interest in seeing the graduating class as I did. I wanted to congratulate them and see them perhaps for one last time. Many are from out of town, and will start their lives elsewhere. 

I especially wanted to see those from out of town. We have not seen them for about two years now, since the end of their Year 2. Some have stayed in touch, I wonder about the others who have not - Joo Wei, Carol, Chong, etc. But I did meet some of the Malay boys, I love the way they salaam the elders when we meet. 

But we leave before lunch to meet with SY and SL to persuade SY to attend tomorrow's meeting to get answers for the centre carpet, ceiling, aircon; about the competition next year; about meeting the visitors from Sabah, Kalimantan. He agrees to come, good.

28th of October 2023 Saturday - 30th Anniversary

This is photo from our early DNA days - when we worked and dined like a family. We all worked hard and towards similar goals, easier then because there were only a few projects. I departed after 15 years and while the company still exists, we who left have found our footing and are doing well in our own ways.

This evening, I attend the KAISU's (named after the owner's uncle) 30th anniversary at the Hilton, filled with familiar faces. I sit with the PAM folks, I recently decided that I will leave the PAMSC committee after this term. I have been there too long; time to move on and let others take over and most importantly, I am not enjoying it so much anymore. The newsletter - it will likely stop for a while, and our fortnightly issues is a high benchmark for others to adopt. Someone might take up the challenge, change the format and frequency though I cannot think of who this person might be in the moment. Likewise PDF will stop as well, no one foreseeable to take over. After all, this year is under CW's care - it was postponed, then re-formatted, delayed and then nothing until SY and I took over. 

I don't mind doing it, it is not hard with a good team, the same people from the newsletter. 

12th October 2023 Thursday - my last term

 Another issue of FLASH, the offspring of INTERSECTION, our local chapter's newsletter which I have edited and help edit for the past 12 years. There was a break in the middle, when I handed the reins over to another architect. I returned as editor in 2019, and we reformatted it as two digital issues each fortnight; FLASH for projects, and NEWS for circulars and practice notes.

After last night's meeting, I confirmed my feelings about stepping down. This will be my last tern at PAMSC - I don't feel the spark of joy when fresh issues are released. It feels like a duty now, not yet a chore and I don't want to arrive at that point. Someone can take over and do it their way, or the newsletter will go to sleep for a period of time - it is alright, some chapters do not have newsletters. This means that someone will take over PDF as well, which might not be as difficult as SY is still in the committee. 

It is the word and text that most people find a challenge. PS thinks it requires a special talent to do what we do, HJ thinks it is not talent but a passion for words and architecture. I think it is the small sense of achievement that we feel each fortnight when we complete and release another issue to our members.

Lunch with intersection ppl - PS and HJ will also take a break from the newsletter next term, we have progressed this far because we enjoyed each other's company and working together. PAMKL contracts this work to companies, it is not done by volunteers 

5th July 2023 Wednesday - not 100 percent

I know you asked me to design a house for one of your sons, and since you didn’t tell me which son we decided that all your sons can have a new home; three villas with similar layouts organised around a courtyard to create a garden entrance into the houses. 

 Still coughing but better after a full night's rest - I expect a full day of work at the office because of my two days away. Sure enough - I was cornered by Peggy and her team about the masterplan once I set foot in the office.  Something about coordinating the plans for the various precincts and the various comments offered by team leaders. Soon sorted out by asking for a print out by the end of work, nothing like a tight deadline to coagulate a fragmented team (like making taufoofa)

We lost another team member when Sara decided to take a break to focus on helping her friend set up a event company. Nothing ventured, nothing gained - I thought as I was also mentally preparing for my meeting with a young man who wants to apprentice at our office. Perhaps it is for me to give him a chance; to learn, to find his passion when no one else will. Not even his family. Besides, it will not be me alone teaching him these things, but the whole village of us. Peggy calls it saving a 'life'.

2:30 a.m. I was surprised at how small he was; slight and simply dressed, a bit nervy. I took all talk about poor health off the table at the start, and we talked about goals, commitments, and family. After 45 minutes, we agreed that he would try out for a week; we are not a school, it is a job and work products are the paramount outcome. And after a week, we will talk again and decide there is a future in this. 

6:30 p.m. PAMSC meeting - the food at the Rock Road place was expensive and tasted mediocre (as it would if I tried to cook them). The company was lively as always with one person being particularly opinionated while not having done anything so far, annoying. In any case, I managed to convince them to have a couple of free CPD events, to encourage student and technicians turnout. 

I went home and worked until one a.m. to finish the sketch up, powerpoint and frame letters of rebuttal for Annie. 

7th June 2023 Wednesday PAMSC meeting

I will add a cover piece to protect the timber tops and add height to the recycled timber panel.

There was a phone call yesterday asking for an early morning meet up - I knew what the topic of conversation would be (or rather what the request from the person involved would be) He had not done his homework and is depending on us to do it for him). 

I decided to be gracious and share the information with him as JY had diligently done it already. 

At 1030am, I went to the Stampin site with Sean to meet RAK - the outcome is quite good though there are some areas to be improved. I asked Sean to take charge of the design element of the project and that improvements can still be considered at this stage. 

We agreed to meet on site again and view the mock up of the car port steel works. 

Nice living room window - deciding whether light or dark colours

RAK missed out a narrow RC ledge on the TV wall

Later that afternoon, a good design chat with Kamal about drain diversions and steel structures

 

PAMSC meeting no. 3

The day ended with our monthly PAMSC meeting, and as usual I felt that there is not much for me to report as our report is in the form of two newsletters monthly. But tonight I reported on the progress of the PDF, our design festival in November; 2 moderators are confirmed and 3 of the 6 speakers.

3 May 2023 Wednesday - Goodbye and thank you, Uncle Philip

It always comes as a surprise when tall timber falls. Especially in our profession where the Almighty seem to bless us with old age. Uncle Philip was only 71. 

In his passing, Sarawak lost one of her pioneer architects - founding director of United Consultants Architects Sdn. Bhd., former Councillor in Majlis Bandaraya Kuching Selatan (MBKS) and former Deputy Chairman of the Pending branch of the Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP). Philip has received many awards for his work as an architect, as a local councillor and as an educator. He was also PAMSC Chairman for several terms (1989-1991, 1999-2001), Deputy Chairman of Joint Technical Consultative Committee (JTCC) under the Ministry of Public Health & Local Government, LAM (Lembaga Akitek Malaysia) board member; actively involved in LAM Practice, Education & Disciplinary Committee.

'Uncle Philip' will be much more remembered as a mentor and guiding hand to young architects in the advancement of our profession, a sympathetic ear to his friends and colleagues, a generous soul to whomever seeks his advice about architecture, practice, education and art. In this tribute, some of his friends have recounts their favourite memories with Philip.  

 Philip was born in Singapore in 1952, his family moved to Kuching where he attended St. Thomas’s School until Upper Sixth, before completion his matriculation at Sydney Boy’s High in 1970. Philip studied Architecture in Sydney University of Architecture - where he blossomed and became active in student organizations and campaigns. This is perhaps a precursor to his involvement in PAM, LAM and the local council. During his studies, he worked first with Planning Workshop Pty.; a master planning and architectural firm under Darrel Conybeare, Bill Morrison and Peter Armstrong. Philip would later collaborate with Bill and Darrel on the Kuching Waterfront project in the 1990s. He later worked for Granada Homes; a builder and supplier of kit-homes where he spent a year as a builder on construction sites. Philip considers these as his formative years when he crossed paths with many influential lecturers such as Marr Grounds, Prof. Peter Johnson, and Lloyd Rees. Through the guidance of these lecturers, Ar. Chang was fuelled by the impressions left by them.

Philip returned to Kuching after graduating to join JKR where he worked with and formed strong friendships with many of his peers there; Johnny Sim, Vincent Jong, Sim Eng Miang, Sim Teck Hian, Chin Kim Yu, Simon Woon, Chew Chung Yee, Jon Ngui, Roland Tan, and Stanley Chai . In 1985, Ar. Chang and a few other architects worked to reinvent PAM Sarawak Chapter by working with PAMKL to amend and improve working policies. He would later serve as PAMSC Chairman for several terms (1989-1991 and 1999-2001); he was the driving force behind PAMSC’s Practice and Government Liaison sub-committee working tirelessly up to the beginning of this year. Ar Chang was Deputy Chairman of Joint Technical Consultative Committee (JTCC) under the Ministry of Public Health & Local Government; working closely with local councils and government agencies to standardise guidelines and policies, including revision of the Sarawak Building Ordinance (SBO).

He was also a LAM (Lembaga Akitek Malaysia) board member; actively involved in LAM Practice, Education & Disciplinary Committee., he was re-appointed as LAM board member in December 2022.

Ar. Chang set up United Consultants; a multidisciplinary firm in Miri in 1982, and United Consultants Architect Sdn. Bhd in 2008. Some of their significant projects include The Kuching Waterfront in collaboration with Conybeare Morrison and Partners, the Friendship Park along Jalan Song, Kuching as well as Curtin University in Miri with Perth-based JCY Architects.

Ar. Chang contributed 17 years as a Councillor in MBKS with the goal of amending the rules and procedures and to act as a conduit between architects and the Council. Between 2008-2011, he spent 3 fulfilling years teaching Architecture Drawings at LICT (LimKokWing Institute of Creative Technology). 

Philip leaves behind his wife, Tan Moi Moi and his children, Byron, Dwayne and Melissa. He is deeply missed by a community of architects who will always be grateful for his contribution to the profession.

8th April 2023 Saturday AGM

The highlight of the morning was the Office Bearers and committee's photo session

 

While the PAM Council AGM and Elections are often contentious events, our chapter AGM was uneventful verging on boring - we presented our reports, the members clapped, and we had morning tea. Shortly after that, we held the elections, some reshuffling, some new members, one former member returned, and we have a new Chairwoman; Noraini 'Annie' Narodden. 

And then we had lunch. And then we left.  
 

12th October 2022, Wednesday PAMSC meeting

I look forward to these monthly meetings, mostly to see this group of friends from the committee because I have very little to report since most of our sub-committee's reporting is in our fortnightly newsletters already. I am quite proud of the regular contribution which we make for our chapter. 

Recently the group who attends these meetings have reduced in number, and I miss those who don't show. There are a few who have not attended in person at all, I try to understand their reasons (COVID, family obligations, etc) but I fail to see why they cannot make one dinner-time free per month for the chapter. Perhaps these people will leave in the next term, they are not contributing much anyway. 

In the recent months, I have also noticed that there are those who talk and talk but do not walk the talk, and also others who can be quite set in their ways, especially when it comes to money; showing a mean side. However, whatever their flaws are, and no matter how little they contribute, it is still time which they have offered to the chapter as volunteers, so that needs to be acknowledged and appreciated.

Last night, I announced the first of the Design Lecture Mini-series on the 3rd of Dec 2022 showing two women architects. This is not really the role of my sub-committee but no one was doing this so with the permission of the CM, I did just that. Because it was not difficult and I thought the members would enjoy it as well as the speakers.

 

15 July 2022 Wednesday - housing ideas