Mera Naam Joker. My Name is Joker. 1997-1999

Our specialty in aquatic design incorporating eco-elements sometimes did draw laughter from ignorant clients.

1997. I was invited to meet the owner, a Dato’ and he was very proud to tell me what he intended for his park entrance. In front of a fierce eager crowd of other consultants, contractors and suppliers, he announced loud enough for everyone to hear his great ideas and unfortunately, the focus was on me alone and alone. With his hands spread wide opened into the air and he said to me, “Ng, I want birds everywhere in this park entrance. When I give a hand clap like this, I want all the birds to fly around me and landed on my hands and shoulder at my command! Can you do it?”

1999. Not long after that, I met another Dato’ CEO who was obsessed with over-crowding farming or technically we called it, high density aqua-farming. He had this project: farming catfish in controlled ponds. Guest what he wanted? “I want the catfishes (about 100,000 of them) to jump out of the water into air and flip back into the pond when I command by clapping my hands! Can you do it?” Again, the focus was on me alone and alone!

To both these Dato’ CEOs, I surrendered and said “No, I cannot do it.” That was the end of me as far as they were concerned. My 15 years of experience in aqua-subjects was not good enough for them. I wanted to tell them that I wasn’t running a circus but just an eco-lake consulting company. To the first Dato’, he can get his birds fly to him but he needs a magician from China and not me. For the second Dato’, he needs to rear mermaids and not catfish to make them jump in the air.

Mera naam nahin Joker. My name is not Joker.

Raj Kapoor in "Mera Naam Joker". One of my favourite movies.