REMEMBRANCE 71: AGONY

Adik ipar Fadil Yahaya (hadapan disebelah kanan) membawa keluar mendiang Ho Cheng Yuen dari dasar Sungai Kedah pada hari Khamis.30.09.2009.

Adik ipar Fadil Yahaya (tiga dari kanan) mengangkat keluar mangsa dari dasar Sungai Kedah pada hari Rabu, 24.02.2010.

Sungai adalah nadi kepada ekonomi sesuatu masyarakat disekitarnya. Sungai adalah laluan pengangkutan air dan sungai juga adalah sumber rezeki nelayan atau pun makluk Allah yang lain. Namun sungai juga adalah tempat persemadian mangsa-mangsa yang malang. Mangsa yang tidak dapat menghayati kekuatan dan keutuhan sungai sehingga akhir hayatnya.

Pada hari Khamis, 30.09.2009 Encik Ho Cheng Yuen telah menemui ajalnya apabila tergelincir ke dalam Sungai Kedah berhadapan Tongkang Yard dengan kerana hanya hendak menyelamatkan telefon bimbitnya yang terjatuh ke dalam Sungai Kedah.

Pada hari Rabu, 24.02.2010 , seorang mangsa lagi telah menemui ajalnya apabila beliau terjun ke dalam Sungai Kedah berhampiran kawasan rekreasi Taman Jeragan, Ampang Jajar. Mangsa telah terjun ke dalam sungai tersebut apabila dikejar oleh pengawal-pengawal keselamatan setelah beliau gagal di dalam cubaannya memecah masuk sebuah stor pembinaan di Taman Seri Indah, Ampang Jajar.

Kedua-dua mangsa nampaknya gagal menghargai nilai nyawa mereka berbanding dengan nilai sebuah telefon bimbit atau tahap hukuman yang mungkin dihadapi jika bersabit dengan kesalahan cuba mencuri. Walau bagaimana pun, saya amat menghargai dan mengkagumi di atas dedikasi anggota-anggota Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat yang perlu menghadapi cabaran dan risiko untuk membawa keluar mayat mangsa-mangsa ini dari dasar sungai. Oleh yang demikian, saya tabik kepada adik ipar saya, Fadil Yahaya yang terlibat secara langsung di dalam operasi mencari kedua-dua mangsa tersebut. Syukur kepada Illahi di atas limpah rahmatnya adik ipar saya dapat menyempurnakan tugasnya dengan selamat.

REMEMBRANCE 70: END OF A LEGACY

Kisah sedih telah menyelubungi keluarga Tam dan Kentoi di Taman Tunku Mahmud, Pumpong. Keluarga Tam dan Kentoi telah kehilangan semua anak mereka pada awal bulan Februari 2010. Tam dan Kentoi mempunyai tiga anak iaitu Naruto (jantan), Tumpok atau Boboy (betina) dan Kitty (betina). Bapa mereka, Tam telah mati pada 19.09.2009. Kitty telah menghilangkan diri pada musim cuti penggal sekolah yang lalu apablia trauma selepas Nor Alia mendukungnya apabila Kitty masuk ke rumah.

Pada hari Selasa, 2.2.2010 Tumpok telah menghembus nafas terakhirnya di bawah naungan pokok bunga Tok Man. Pada hari Sabtu, 20.2.2010 pula, Naruto telah menghembus nafas terakhirnya di tepi parit belakang rumah. Dengan kematian Naruto, maka berakhirlah jurai keturunan Tam dengan kerana semua tiga anaknya telah mati sebelum meninggalkan zuriat mereka.

Tumpok atau pun Boboy yang menjadi anak belaan Afique telah meninggal dunia pada 2.2.2010 di bawah naungan pokok bunga yang ditanam oleh Tok Man

Selepas kematian Boboy @ Tumpok, Naruto semakin lagi manja dengan emaknya Kentoi. Walau pun dah besar, namun Naruto anak belaan Nur Aisyah masih menyusu dengan ibunya, Kentoi

Naruto telah meninggal dunia pada 20.2.2010 di tepi parit belakang rumah. Sebelum menghembuskan nafasnya yang terakhir, Ami Chik telah membersihkan Naruto dengan shampoo supaya kelihatan segak apabila disemadikan.

Dengan rahmat Allah, maka Kentoi telah melahirkan tiga anak pada 19.2.2010 yang berbapakan Pak Abu. Ketiga anak comel ini menunggu kepulangan Nur Aisyah, Nur Alia dan Afiq pada cuti penggal persekolahan akan datang untuk memberi nama kepada mereka bertiga.

Namun takdir telah menentukan bahawa 2 ekor anak kucing tidak dapat melihat wajah Nur Aisyah, Nur Alia, Mohd. Amir Afiq dan Mohd. Amir Adli pada cuti penggal persekolahan nanti dengan kerana seekor telah meninggal pada 05.03.2010 dan seekor lagi telah meninggal pada 06.03.2010ma

SIBLINGS 64: CHINESE NEW GRAPES

Enticing grapes at Ah Sim's garden when we visited her house on the Chinese New Year.

Earlier in the morning, we visited Ch'ng, another of Zam's closest friend. Ch'ng's health has also improved tremendously as she could relate to us interesting stories about their long relationship. She wished that she could prepare the Penang laksa for Nana for the next Chineses New Year or even she could request Ah Sim's help in preparing the Penang Laksa under her tutelage in the near future.

Most Chinese couples believe that Valentine’s Day which coincided with the first day of the lunar new year on Sunday, February 14 was not a good date for marriage as it represents anger, argument and conflict. However I wish to convey my heartiest congratulation to my peer who has taken the marriage solemnization or akad nikah on Sunday February 14. I pray for Allah’s blessing that the couple would have a blissful marriage comparable to the blossomed grapes of Zam’s Chinese friend’s garden at Lorong Shariff, Alor Setar. Insya Allah

SIBLINGS 63: BENEVOLENT MOKHTAR

REMEMBRANCE 69: YA THE MAGNIFICIENT

REMEMBRANCE 68: UNKIND HILLS

All the five siblings enjoying our lunch at a Thai Restaurant in Kuah.

I was very jubilated when Wan informed me that there was a potential buyer for Lid’s hill plot at Padang Lunas, Langkawi. Although the stipulated asking price for the 0.8489 hectare plot of land was 50% of the valuer’s price, I agreed to the request because two of my sisters were planning to have their children’s wedding in March and June. Surely they must be in need of the money for the wedding feasts..

When I contacted my sisters, they totally agreed with the price that Wan has mentioned. Based on consensus, the five of us agreed to converge in Langkawi for the legal documentation of the intended sale on Wednesday, 10.02.2010. My youngest sister Norliza flew down from Kuala Lumpur escorted by her two daughters Najwa and Nadia. .Zam and I boarded the ferry al Kuala Kedah. Meanwhile Hindon. Norlia and Norin boarded the ferry at Kuala Perlis. Norlia brought along her husband, Abdullah and her two daughters Siti Shuhada and Siti Solehah.

I rented a 11 seater Fergio Van for my sister’s convenience during their stay in Langkawi. Za has got to fly back to Kuala Lumpur at 8.50 pm that very night by Air Asia. Whereas Hindon, Norlia and Norin decided to spend a night at Langkawi just to rekindle their memories of Langkawi with our late parents.

As fate was not with us, our dealings on the hill plot of land could not be settled with our prospected buyer as there were some miscommunication mishaps. Anyway we were thankful to Allah for blessing us with the conclusion of the distribution of the estate of the late Saari Sirun.

However with all the set backs we have got ton encounter, yet all my sisters were happy to be in Langkawi on that day as it brought back fond memories of their childhood in Langkawi. The five of us unanimously agreed to return to Langkawi to search for Lid’s friends such as Pak Chin Kati and others.

REMEMBRANCE 67: LEGACY OF SAARI SIRUN

REMEMBRANCE 66: LAST OF THE MOHICANS

Fadzilah (skull cap with red T shirt)

Che Gu Aziz Khamis (far right) and Tuan Haji Razak (second from right)

Far right: Mansor Osman, the Deputy Chief Minister of Penang.

On Tuesday, 2.2.2010 I was informed about the demise of my late father’s colleague, Haji Zainol. Haji Zainol was the last of the Mohicans when all Lid’s colleague has passed away before him. One of Haji Zainol’s sons in law is Mansor Osman, the Deputy Chief Minister of Penang. Before furthering his post graduate education in University Science Malaysia (USM), Mansor Osman has served as a clerk at the Land Office of Kubang Pasu.

Mansor Osman’s in laws especially Din K used to tell me that Mansor Osman has still vivid memories of the staffs of Land Office in Kubang Pasu. When I approached Mansor Osman at Pak Haji Zainol’s last rites at the Mustakim Mosque, I was taken by surprised that he failed to recognize me at all. So all this while, his in law Din K has taken us for a ride.

Nevertheless I was very happy that I have the opportunity to meet my senior retirees such as Che Gu Aziz Khamis and Tuan Haji Razak who were blessed by Allah with longevity ..