“Kantoi” is a Malay urban slang which means busted or caught. Normally, it describes that someone is busted or caught (red-handedly) for doing something wrong. However, the word has been widely used as an expression in day to day conversation. For e.g.:

• “Paper English aku kantoi lah” … I failed my English paper.
• “Bapak aku kantoi aku hisap rokok” … My father caught me smoking.

A few weeks ago, while I was covering STM‘s concert, I met this petite pretty young lady, Shiela Ningkan from NTV7 during the media session. Call it coincidence, she’s also from Sarawak, an Iban and from the Ningkan clan. Does the late Stephen Kalong Ningkan rings a bell to you? Sarawak’s first Chief Minister.

Our initial conversation went on something like this:

Me: Hi! Are you from the press as well?

Sheila: Ya! I’m from NTV7.

Me: Nice to meet you. I’m Herman, from headsteadi.com. Small-time blogger.

Sheila: I’m Sheila, from the Breakfast Show.

Me: Breakfast Show???

Sheila: Yeah, Breakfast Show … it’s every morning on NTV7.

Me: Errrr … sorry never watch the show. Never even watch NTV7.

There I go …. kantoi !!! Further on, our conversation when on like this …

Sheila: What race are you then?

Me: I’m Bidayuh. Yourself?

There I go, kantoi again … Why do I ask what race she is, if I already knew that she’s from the Ningkan family. Actually I wanted to ask if she’s pure Iban or mix … that’s all.

p/s: Sheila, if you are reading this post, hehehe … I was double kantoi that night! Anyway, nice meeting you.

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