very good point. temasick truly became a sick place until the arrival of the british. admiral zhenghe skipped it because there was "death" everywhere in pulau blakang mati, or so the guide was alluding to avoid "swayness".

also, the arab, persian and ah neh sailors cumming from the west were stopping by batam instead to get their happy endings. :p
but very critically, it was lky who turned the ugly duckling into a beautiful swan in a space of 15 years, while it took the british over 150 years to turn a sick child to an ugly duckling and to lose it too to the japs towards the end of their rule. :*: