My tour of duty on Pulau Bidong started in 1989. I was an English teacher for 6 months before I was tasked to setup business studies course (was it ‘Kế Toán Thương Mại) for the next 3 years. I still remember my Vietnamese teachers – Mr. Hung, Mr. Duc, Mr. Kiet, Ms. Pham, Ms. Phuong, and Ms. Ma, who lectured in my classes – Introduction to Economy, Account, Marketing, and Management.
We had a good time. I still remember how our open day was well organized by our teachers and the classes were fully booked within first hour. Then came the graduation ceremonies, filled with songs, dances and of course speeches. The surprised birthday party they threw for me and the hand-made embroidered pillow case still hung on my wall till today.
I still remember the melody of songs we sang during those formal and informal functions. I was given Vietnamese name by them – “Anh Giàu” (might misspelled) which means ‘rich brother’?
For your information, I went to Vietnam (Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City) many times since I joined this Salam Malaysia Foundation. We started with two projects; to build capacity of Art and Culture Department in Hanoi University and assist homeless children project in HCM City.
I wish I had Vietnamese speaking people to practice the language, I was once spoke.
By the way, how did you trace my existence? I have been wanting to get in touch with ex-Bidong, whether refugees or workers for old time sake and to know how they are doing. And if I can get some news of my former students, it would an answered prayer.
Ghani Ibrahim
ghani@salam.org.my
Posted with permission from the author.
Ghani sent the above article to Lamvi Dao on August 08th, 2008
14 Comments
i was was in bula bidong in 1987 went i was 5 so think i knew u
Hi Hang,
I am on facebook->www.facebook.com/people/Md-Ghani-Ibrahim/700810875. Please find me and connect!
i was in pulau bidong in 1986 til 87 i stayed at khu D i have a big sister name Van , big brother name Hai if u think u know us so email me.
Hello “Anh Giao”,
I was in Bidong for a long 14 months from 1978 to 1979. My boat was the 425th one the island and we had 295 people on it totally; 2 died at sea. My family moved a few times from Zone A, C, F…over the course of 14 months for various reasons. I left the island for the U.S. 30 years ago, but my memories of the island are still vividly fresh. Unlike my brother, I enjoyed exploring the island by myself a lot and I stumbled onto the trails to a secret white sandy beach which what they called the “Zone G Beach”. I do remember seeing a stream that you talked about, but I did not swim in it because I had to find my way back to then the “urban area”. I did not know that there were forbidden zones on the island because I was too young, around 9 years old, but I had climbed some sections of the mountain countless times for woods to burn for cooking for my mother. Now with the Internet, I could see the whole island on GoogleMap and know what parts of the island are forbidden. If time permits, I have a lot to write about my experience on the island; I will probably write more later. I have been thinking to see Pulau Bidong for a number of years now, but never really had the right time. I read your writing and people’s responses and I am quite happy to know that the island is being cared for in some ways. I cannot wait to see it again.
John Soe, San Francisco, USA
I was in Palau Bidong for a very long time from May 19th 1989 to 1991 and in Sungei Besi from 1991 to 1994. MC 471.wow .Terrible but sweet time.I hope i can connect you and friends .
Hi Trang Dung,
We might have met on Pulau Bidong! Were you attending any course at the Vocational School then?
Hello Trang Dung (and all others who shared your stories), sorry to hear that you had to stay that long. I hope that everyone in your family made it out of the Island safely and settled down in a country of your desire. What country are you in now? Frankly, I am not familiar with Sungei Besi because we were lucky enough to leave Bidong for the U.S. in May of 1980 after 14 months on the Island. After 2 or 3 weeks of “processing” in a temporary camp in Kuala Lumpur, we left for San Francisco in late June of 1980. Are 30 years residing in the U.S., I never forgot my days in Pulau Bidong because they were bitter as well as sweet. Sadly, I haven’t had a chance to return. However, I am very happy to read stories of former refuguees at Pulau Bidong. I particularly enjoy the videos of those returned and filmed their journeys. These days, I keep checking up on this website to see if more people posted their stories. I would never get tired of reading former refugees’ stories of Pulau Bidong. I look forward to read more people’s stories of their lives on the Pulau Bidong Island. Many called it a “Second homeland” and I agreed because we made it thru hell on the high sea before landing on forein soil and subsequently ending on an island Named Pulau Bidong. John Soe, San Francisco
Hi John,
Thanks for sharing your story here. I have a lot of Vietnamese friends then who I wish to reconnect and to rekindle our Bidong memories. I’ll keep coming back here to see more of ex Bidong. Cheers
Hi Anh giau
Toi toi bidong 1989 , so tau 501. toi di cung voi con trai ten la Nguyen Huu Hung Phi. Toi o khu F. toi o chung voi gia dinh Vu Nhu Cuong co con gai ten la Vu Thuong Kieu Nhi, ca hai cha con o tau 408. Thay Cuong day tieng anh o Trung Tam Phu Nu. Do co van Hong Bich trong nom. Thay Cuong cung day Maketing o khu D.
Toi nghi la toi co biet anh ..va anh cung biet toi.
Toi dang ky tro ve Viet Nam 1994.
Toi rat mung va rat mong tim kiem cac ban o tau 408 va tau 501.
Than chao Anh
Than chao Ms.Lan
Toi cung la thuyen nhan tau MC 501 day, toi ve VN thang 5/1994. Lau roi toi moi vao lai trang web nay xem, tinh co doc duoc nhung comment cua ban, toi mung lam. MC 501 luc do dong nguoi lam, hinh nhu toi 314 nguoi, toi khong biet het duoc. Toi cung song o Khu F11, rot thanh loc 2 nen phai dang ky tinh nguyen ve VN thoi, au cung la so phan ca thoi. Toi sinh hoat trong Gia Dinh Phat Tu LOng Hoa. Rat mong duoc lien lac voi cac ban gan xa nhe. Chuc cac ban luon vui ve va thanh cong.
toi ten trung di tau mc 187 .den dao bidong vao 11-1988 o long house 13. toi thuong sinh hoat o chua cao dai .xin chao cac o dao .
trungkhtran@yahoo.com
To Nguyen Thi Lan, Nguyyen Mai Quoc Bao and Tran Khanh Trung,
My command of the language is fading fast after 20 years. Those days on Pulau Bidong, I could speak tatter Vietnamese, but never could comprehend the script. I must admit am hopelessly at lost when it comes to tonal signs.
Recently I met a Vietnamese collegue at a Tech Summit in Colombo and to my suprise, she could understand understand my Vietnamese! We had interesting Viet-lish (Vietnamese mixed with English) comversation, as I struggle to recall Vietnamese words!
Akm mr.ghani. Mejar alias, camp supt. Ingat lagi ke?
chao cac ban .minh cung o pulaubidong day ,minh muon hoi cac ban nao co biet nhung anh chi em trong doan cai luong (HUONG VIET),cho minh biet voi vi minh muon tim lai cac anh chi em trong doan cai luong .CAM ON . mail cua minh kimla60@yahoo.com