REMEMBRANCE 48: MERRY GO ROUND

From left: Me and Haji Wahid of Siaran Printing Press

On Wednesday, 21.10.2009 while waiting for my medical examination at the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital, I received a call from a Department Director asking for my assistance in determining the mosque that the first Prime Minister has performed the official opening ceremony. The mosque which was located in Alor Setar was named as Ar Rahmah Mosque and the official opening ceremony was on 23.08.1961. The Kedah Religious Department could not furnish the information required by the department. As I was considered as an elderly resource person by the department, my service was required to assist the department in providing the clue to the jig saw puzzle. So the next morning, the Director’s deputy came to my house accompanied by the retired former director. After giving a treat of Tose at Pokok Cherry Restaurant , we started our discovery journey to find ArRahmah Mosque.

From the start, my sixth sense pointed me to the Alor Merah Mosque and so we started our discovery journey to the Alor Merah Mosque. The mosque failed to provide us with any valuable clue. Our second recourse person was Dato’ Sheikh Majid but he was not at home at Kampung Suka Menanti. Our next resource person was Dato’ Shaari Daud whom we met at his daily meeting place i.e. Gerai Pulut Udang at Bakar Bata. Dato’ Shaari did remember that he did accompany the First Prime Minister together with the first elected Kedah Menteri Besar, Dato’ Syed Omar to perform the mosque official ceremony. However, he could not remember the exact mosque.

Lastly we tried our luck with Tuan Haji Wahid who is the owner of Siaran Printing Press. As Siaran Printing Press is the sole Jawi Printing in the state, definitely Haji Wahid was actively associated with the official openings of any mosque in the state. Haji Wahid obliged us by looking at the photograph of the souvenir given to the First Prime Minister which was inscribed with the Jawi character. By using a magnifying glass, Haji Wahid could identify the wordings which was actually written as ‘Masjid Alor Merah’ and not as ‘Masjid ArRahmah’ which was transcribed by the department. So ended our merry go round with red faces. We were chided by Haji Wahid for not going to the basic of the whole problem and as such we have created unnecessary problem of our own making.

SIBLINGS 52: HAPPY DEEPAVALI

On Saturday, 17.10.2009 Zam and I attended a Deepavali reception held by Zam's SAS teacher, Mrs. Boon Soai Somchit and her husband, Mr. Perumal. Their residence is a dominating six rooms English Country home located on a 3 acres lush dusun land on Lot 1285, Pelubang, Kubang Pasu. Their house provides tranquality and serenity by the well spread and well manicured greenary compound full of fruit trees. It pleased the eyes and soothed the heart of every student of SAS who attended the Deepavali reception that morning.

Zam in front of the gate of Lot 1285 Pelubang

Zam opening the gate



Gravel road leading to the bungalow

From left: Mrs. Boon Soai Soomchit, her eldest grandson and her husband Mr. Perumal,

Mrs. Boon Soai Soomchit' daughter, who is a specialist doctor came back from Dublin, Ireland for the occassion

Chubby rosy pink six months old grandson from Dublin

Mr. Perumal's classmates admiring the fish pond

From left: Dato' Charent, Dato' Ahmad Zakiuddin and a local 89 years Pak Mat

SIBLINGS 51; CONFERENCE OF OKUS

Mak Teh cutting her 69th Birthday Cake flanked by the other senior citizens and OKUs

Without any food to consume, only the young could console the old soul

I was very fortunate for being able to participate in the conference of OKUs at Lorong Kelompang on the evening of 20.10.2009. The special occassion was to celebrate at a modest scale the 69th. birthday of Mak Teh on Tuesday 20.10.2009. It was an in prompt too arrangement between Zam and Mek Tet to put a surprise birthday reception at 5.00 p.m. with Zam buying a chocolate birthday cake while Mek Tet bought fried mee and beehoon from Restaurant Pak Syed.


Mak Teh was very jubilant about the surprise party and she also served us with compressed rice dish which is the favourite of Sara after the Aidil Fitri. Amalina who came back for her MUET test was also at the party before flying back to KLIA that very night. We did not care to prepare any special chosen food for our 75 year old Pak Teh since he was not the birthday boy himself . As such he did not consume any of the food for the evening.


With the gatherings of the OKUs and also with the blessing Allah, we did really wish to have a grand birthday bash for Mak Teh next year on Wednesday, 20.10.2010. Those who would still be alive on the significant date would be cordially invited to the grand birthday party wherever you are even if your are in the the insititutes of higher learning or domiciled in Perth Australia, New Zealand, Shah Alam, Sungai Merab, Labu, Ipoh or even in Jalan Kuala Kedah.

REMEMBRANCE 46: TIGA BERADIK SEPAKAT

Di sebuah rumah bernama Seri Pumpong, terdapat satu keluarga kucing. Ibu kucing bernama Kentoi dan tiga anaknya bernama Naruto, Kitty dan Boboy.

Ibu kucing Kentoi sangat sayang dan kasih kepada anak-anaknya sepertimana Ummi sayang kepada Aisyah, Alya, Afiq dan Adli. Tiap-tiap pagi dan petang Kentoi akan memastikan ketiga anak-anaknya akan mendapat makanan yang mencukupi


Kentoi akan sentiasa memerhati anak-anaknya sepertimana Ummi memerhati anak-anaknya makan. Ketiga-ketiga anak kucing amat sayang dan kasih di antara satu sama lain. Apabila di hadapan Ummi Kentoi, mereka makan bersama-sama dan tidak bergaduh sesama sendiri.


Anak kucing yang sulung bernama Naruto sentiasa menjaga adik-adiknya sepertimana juga Aisyah menjaga ketiga-tiga adiknya, Alya, Afiq dan Adli.



Namun adik Naruto yang kecil, Boboy sepertimana Afiq adalah anak kucing yang suka merajuk sekiranya kehendaknya tidak diikuti oleh Umminya

Selepas makan, biasanya Boboy akan terus lelap tidur. Ummi Boboy selalu meminta Boboy membasuh mulut sebelum tidur tetapi Boboy tidak pernah menurutinya

Oleh kerana kerap dimarahi Umminya, Boboy akan patuh juga kepada arahan Umminya untuk mencuci mulutnya. Itu pun selepas dia sudah pun puas tidur

Anak sulung, Naruto kerap juga dimarahi Umminya kerana asyik mengusik adik-adiknya Kitty dan Boboy

Naruto yang selalu dimarahi oleh Umminya akan merajuk dan membawa diri selepas makan

Atau pun Naruto akan sambung memakan makanan yang masih ada kerana sepertimana Aisyah, Naruto juga adalah anak kucing yang sangat kuat makan

Kalau makan tak ada di luar, Naruto akan mencari-cari di dalam rumah atau pun meminta terus daripada Ami Chik

Selepas makan, Naruto akan sentiasa mencuci mulutnya mengikut sepertimana yang disuruh oleh Umminya

Adik kucing yang kedua iaitu Kitty pula amat nakal orangnya sepertimana Alya juga. Dia akan lari menyembunyikan dirinya sebaik sahaja habis makan supaya ia tidak memberi peluang untuk dimarahi oleh Umminya

Kitty amat suka bersembunyi di atas sangkar jerangkap tikus yang telah rosak

Kitty yang sangat nakal macam Alya adalah anak kucing yang pertama melihat anak burung yang cedera dan tak dapat terbang.

Kitty terus memanggil abangya Naruto dan adiknya Boboy untuk melihat anak burung yang cedera . Mereka mula berebut-rebut untuk mengusik anak burung yang cedera itu.

Melihat anak-anaknya masih juga bermain dengan anak burung yang cedera itu, Umminya Kentoi memarahi mereka bertiga. Sebaliknya Ummi Kentoi meminta supaya mereka bertiga membantu anak burung yang cedera supaya dapat ia sembuh kembali dan boleh terbang semula ke angkasa.

Setelah dimarahi Umminya, Kitty pun cuba mengambil hati Umminya dengan cuba membantu penafasan anak burung yang cedera itu


Kitty juga cuba mengangkat anak burung yang cedera itu tetapi tidak berdaya. Abangnya Naruto dan adiknya Boboy melihat sahaja telatah Kitty yang nakal dengan nada cemburu

Ummi Kentoi memarahi Kitty supaya tidak lagi mengusik anak burung yang cedera itu. Kalau tidak, Kitty akan dihukum berdiri di atas dua kaki di penjuru rumah selama satu jam.

Dengan rasa sedih yang amat sangat dan dengan kerana takut pada Umminya Kentoi, buat sementara waktu ketiga-tiga anak kucing tidak lagi menganggu anak burung yang cedera itu

Untuk memuaskan hatinya, abang sulung Naruto memeriksa anak burung yang cedera itu untuk kali terakhir

Kitty yang nakal masih tidak percaya pada Naruto dan dia terus juga mencuba untuk mengusik lagi anak burung yang cedera walau pun dimarahi Umminya


Kitty tak mahu pergi jauh daripada anak burung yang cedera itu walau pun disuruh lagi oleh Umminya

Abang sulung Naruto amat marah kepada Kitty yang begitu degil dan terus menerkam kepada Kitty yang masih tidak mahu melepaskan anak burung yang cedera itu

Ummi Kentoi memarahi semua anak-anaknya supaya berbaik-baik sesama adik beradik dan jangan bergaduh sesama sendiri. Kalau ketiga mereka dapat berpakat dan berkerjasama di antara satu sama lain, sudah tentulah mereka bertiga akan dapat menyelamatkan anak burung yang cedera itu.

Tauladan dari cerita benar ini ialah apabila ketiga beradik Naruto, Kitty and Boboy tidak lagi bergaduh dan berebut-rebut sesama mereka, mereka bertiga pun dapatlah berpakat untuk memulihkan anak burung yang cedera itu. Dengan izin Allah maka akhirnya anak burung yang cedera itu pun dapatlah terbang semula ke angkasa raya.

Sebelum terbang jauh, anak burung itu pun hinggap di ranting pokok nangka sambil mengucapkan terima kasih kepada ketiga anak kucing yang telah menolongnya.

Kemudiannya anak burung itu pun terus terbang tinggi daripada pokok-pokok yang ada untuk mencari ibunya.

Akhirnya anak burung yang sehat itu pun dapatlah bertemu semula dengan ibunya yang menunggu di atas tiang letrik depan rumah Mak Nina.

Alhamdullillah, itulah hasil daripada kerjasama ketiga beradik anak-anak kucing, Naruto, Kitty dan Boboy yang menerima baik nasihat Ummi mereka, Kentoi. Ketiga mereka pun menunggulah dengan sabar lawatan empat kawan karib mereka, Aisyah, Alya, Afiq dan Adli yang akan pulang ke Seri Pumpong sempena Hari Raya Aidil Adha nanti. Oleh kerana anak burung telah pun terbang semula, maka bolehlah mereka bermain-main pula dengan empat beradik dari Enstek Negeri Sembilan.

REMEMBRANCE 45: OPEN HOUSE TRADITION

SIBLINGS 50: AQIQAH

On Friday, 9.10.2009 with Shiwar at the driver’s seat, we proceeded to Ipoh to attend the Aqiqah ceremony for Syun’s youngest grand daughter, Sofea . Sofea is the Perth born daughter of Adik An and Intan. Mek Tet and Wan Mansur were in their car with Mak Teh and Pak Teh tagging along.


Since Syun has agreed to give all of us a lunch treat at Meru, we scheduled our arrival to be before the Friday prayer. We were very lucky because we were served with a dose of Meru Beef Rice. The lunch has really tested our endurance to the limit. Only the stead fast could hold to his principle to the end. Only Pak Teh has passed the acid test by sticking to his white rice diet.

Wan Mansur and I failed miserably because we have deviated from our diet principle because we wanted to appease the mode of the lunch. Wan Mansur has even consumed the Tropica dessert covered by cream which he has been despising all this while. I even consumed the tender beef rice

which I am not fond of.

Anyway it was a very entertaining lunch which has been certified by the senior member of our delegate Mak Teh who is also a superb chef and Mek Tet who is also a good cook of beef rice herself. We were very thankful to Syun for giving us the opportunity to enjoy the lunch and also to accommodate our two days stay at Meru.

We went down to Ipoh one day earlier because I wanted to try my luck for the treatment of my consistent spinal back pain at the Klinik Law at Jalan Lim Bo Seng, Ipoh. After lunch at Meru, Nari brought me straight to Klinik Law and with the blessing of Allah, I really felt a tremendous improvement on my ailment. I did not stop to stretch my legs during my return trip to Alor Setar. I do hope that Mak Ngah would try her luck at Klinik Law.

That night, we joined Syun and his in laws for a genuine Ipoh Nasi Kandar Mamak. I really enjoyed the dinner but I did felt very sad because I could not join the Aqiqah ceremony as well as Syun’s Open House the next day. I have got to rush back to Alor Setar the next day to deliver a lecture to the Kedah Justice of Peace Association members..

From credible sources of information, I believed that it was quite an enjoyable occasion for the Haji Yaacob’s descendants at Syun’s residence the next day. 5/6 th. Hajjah Rodziah’s descendants attended the function together with the other descendants of Wa Nor, Mak Ngah, Mak Chik Sayang, Pak Teh and Pak Su. As with the customary of Haji Yaacob’s descendants tradition, whenever they were together surely the occasion would be very hilarious indeed. Surely the personalities of Puat, Mek Tet, Nayah and Sarah would always add much flavour and spices to the occasion.

Being an ardent member of the Hajjah Rodziah’s family, I felt miserably upset for being not able to participate in the function. Ati Wa Nor and Puat Mak Ngah made the day trip to Ipoh on Saturday just to grace the aqiqah and open house function. As such, Zam managed to hitch a ride back to Alor Setar with Puat on the same night and arrived at Alor Setar at 1.00 am on Sunday.

As age is catching up with us and time is also running short, I believe we should spare more of our quality time with our families. As Syun is also in the same age as mine, I strongly believe that Syun is sharing my feeling on our quality times. Syun has an abundance of resources but limited in his free time. Whereas I have an abundance of free time but with very limited resources.

As such, to show our appreciation and our sincere affection to the family togetherness, Zam and I would grab any opportunity that Syun initiated for any family gathering. On my part, I could not emulate Syun’s initiative towards his family togetherness with my side of the family because of my resources constraints. With this in mind, I will try my best to make every Syun’s family gathering as a memorable occasion to be cherished by every family members.

However I was not lonely for there were two other son in laws of Hajjah Rodziah who could not also make the cut. Mat Nami also shared the same fate as mine for he has got to lead his younger brother’s marriage proposal enquiry (merisik) party at Puchong which took place on the same evening. Whereas I believed Mokthar was somewhere in Bukit Mertajam for his usual official business.

I pity Mat Nami who has been caught by surprised because he unknowingly did not prepare himself well for his mission. Mat Nami and his entourage who were only clad in batik attire were received by the host family fully dressed in the traditional Malay attire accompanied by the proper number of gifts (hantaran) for the requirements of the engagement ceremony (adat meminang). Whereas due to some miscommunications, Mat and his entourage only prepared for the enquiry (merisik) ceremony level requirement with only a sole gift.


I think Mat and his entourage was in a quandary because they did not anticipate that the ceremony was upgraded to the engagement ceremony level. From my CNN source, I think Mat and his entourage turned the table back on the host by scoring a hat trick when they managed to increase the amount of the bride family’s proposal of the hantaran by one ringgit. This episode brought back the fond memory of Hashim, Syun’s buddy who increased the amount of hantaran stipulated by the bride’s father by such an amount that even astonished the bride’s spokesman who has never experienced such a voluntary addition to the stipulated hantaran amount.

My advice to Mat is to be always well prepared for the next level of the marriage ceremony which would be the akad nikah or otherwise Mat must make himself scarce for the occasion. Any way, I consider Mat was very unlucky because he could not share his embarrassment and predicament with Nami who did not accompany him for the ceremony..

So my principle of to be well prepared one step ahead of your opponent for any traditional ceremony still hold water. Lastly, kudos to Mat who could still held his head high even after the embarrassing episode and if you need any supporting hand, I would be ready to do so.

The serenity at Meru's Apartment at dusk and in the early morning with a lot amenities for the children.

Even with single handicap, Mak Teh could make it to Meru

Waiting for transport to Tiger Lane


Kak Fuzna and Zam on the island of fantacy


Under the watching eyes of Syun the supremo




How do you feel when you are alone and lonely in the middle of the night

Discussing about tomorrow's ceremony

Adik An jealously guarding his girl

I was allowed only a glimpse of Sofea

Sofea's decorated swing cradle raedy for action


The same Syah as he was ten years ago


You must follow your big brother's advice


From left: Haji Mohd. Zuhuri, Shiwar, Jan, Wan Mansur, Shah, Me and Syun


Is it Hans Isaac or otherwise

Swimming pool waiting for swimmers


Wan Mansur delivering the morning break fast at Meru

Getting ready for the Aqiqah ceremony

Off to the Aqiqah ceremony