“This was in UK, 1992. I was working in a restaurant as a waiter. It was a popular place, and customers were lining up, in the cold winter, trying to get a table.
Outside, there was this tipsy group of five telling the customers ‘don’t go to this restaurant’. They got very upset with us (me and another co-worker) trying to tell them off. I was the only one with some skills (martial arts). Their coordination was not too good because they were tipsy but my skills came in handy. Yes, there was physical exchange between us then, and later, the police came but they had taken off at that time.
It was the only time I had to use kungfu. It was for self-defence and for the safety of the customers. I hope I don’t have to use it again.
The motions of martial arts, its discipline, the physical expression actually is introspective. It begins with what it apparently is – a physical training. It makes your stronger and faster. It makes an individual grow. The motion of martial arts, its discipline, its physical expression are meant to turn you inwards. You are really in a sense defending yourself. We hope to get more and more people to join. That’d be nice.” – Sifu Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin, Wing Chun Cheras – Kung Fu Centre.
Story by Christine Cheah
Photo by Irene Yap
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(This post was first published on February 20th 2018)
