Page 17 - MDOS2_Final

My Early Days

in Almaty

Agus Salim Yusof

It was in December 2000 when I f rst arrived in Almaty, a strange city to
most Malaysians who do not even know where on earth it is. I arrived there
by Air Kazakhstan from Bangkok.

As I was seated in the second last row, I was among the last passengers to
reach the airport’s immigration hall. I had nothing to rush for, after all.
My passport was scrutinised longer than usual by the immigration of cer
who posed some questions I did not understand. I could not speak a word
of Russian except for spasibo (thank you), and neither could he speak any
English. I sensed trouble. All the other passengers had left the counters,
except for me. T e Embassy’s Second Secretary, Abdul Shukor Hussain, was
waiting for me at the arrival hall. He must have been wondering why I
had not appeared as everyone else was about to leave the luggage collection
area. (It was the only f ight arriving at the time). Finally, Shukor appeared,
introduced himself to me, and saved me from the ordeal. T e of ence was
that my visa, issued by the Kazakh Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, showed
that I was supposed to arrive the day before. Apparently, this is one of the
“technicalities” often practised by immigration personnel in some countries.

I was accommodated at the Regent Almaty, supposedly the best, international
standard hotel in the city. As it was at the height of winter, the hotel received
very few guests and it was nearly empty. Furthermore, it was Ramadan. I
requested the hotel to convert my complimentary breakfast to pre-dawn
meal (sahur) and to send it to my room. I think the hotel staf who handled
my food must have found it strange to have a guest who was fasting, and I
was pretty sure that no one else among the guests was fasting. Back then, it
was dif cult to get halal meat in the country. I had no choice but to indulge

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