REMEMBRANCE 104: SHARING SUCCESS

When Ezman graduated with a Diploma in Accounting from the University Technology MARA (UITM) in 2001, he was offered to pursue a degree course of Bachelor of Business Studies with Honours (Finance) at Alor Gajah UITM Campus in Malacca. Accompanied by her sister, Nana, Ezman has approached the then Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) Professor Shahol Hamid pleading for a change of campus to UITM Arau, Perlis with the reason of taking care of his ailing parent. Beyond our expectation, surprisingly Ezman’s request was granted by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) UITM Shah Alam.

Meanwhile Ezman was also offered a permanent post as a financial clerk W 17 at the Kedah State Secretariat . Due to our insistence, he reluctantly accepted the offer although deep in his heart, I believed that he wanted to accept the offer from UITM. It was hard for Ezman to accept our argument that he should give priority to his career opportunity rather than to pursue for a higher qualification without the assurance of a career at the end of the day.

Our argument was that he should grasp the career opportunity that come first on his lap while he should also pursue his study for a degree through distance learning from any recognized university. For an advancement towards a professional degree, a degree of Bachelor of Accounting would be a better choice as compared to Bachelor of Business Study (Finance).

I searched high and low for the best choice of a distance learning programmes offered by the various higher learning institutions. Unanimously we settled for the Open University of Malaysia which offered the most flexible and practical study programmes for a working adult. Ezman then started his quest for a degree in Bachelor of Accounting with Honours in 2007.

It was a day of rejoice for our family when Ezman was conferred the degree of Bachelor of Accounting with Honours (BAC) by the Open University of Malaysia (OUM) at its 11^th. Convocation on Saturday, 10^th. December 2011 at Dewan Merdeka, Putra World Trade Centre. It was in fact a day of gratefulness for the whole family as we strived together to assist Ezman in obtaining his mission in tandem with our family motto: “Coming together, sharing together, working together and succeeding together”.

To achieve our spirit of togetherness, I booked in advance four deluxe rooms at the Seri Pacific Hotel, Kuala Lumpur with the sincere hope that all my immediate family members would be together to share the momentous occasion. Apart from that, the Merdeka Hall was only a walking distance of 5 minutes from our hotel. However, we are just the planner, but only Allah decides. My wish to have a full attendance did not materialized because my daughter in law, Marini could not join the family because of her tight work schedule with Air Asia in Alor Setar. However we were very pleased that Mr. Farly could join us and in fact he was a source of enjoyment for the grand children.

Nevertheless I was grateful to Allah because the entire family from both sides has contributed immensely to make Ezman’s convocation a very memorable remembrance for our family. On Thursday, 8 December 2011, on our way down to Kuala Lumpur, Pak Tam @ Nari gave us a treat of our favourite Nasi Bryani Tanam at Ipoh. The next day on our way to PWTC, my youngest sister Za treated us to a tasty breakfast at her quarters in Putrajaya.

Breakfast at Za's Putrajaya Quarters

On Friday night, 9 December 2011, we treated Mr. Farly to a modest birthday dinner at the Chicken Rice Restaurant at the food court of The Mall. As Mr. Farly has reached the quarter of a century mark, we wished him a very happy birthday with the following connotation:

Grateful to the blessing of the Almighty,

For the last quarter of a century,

Today is no more a choice but your duty,

To search for a competent sweet lady,

Competent to fulfill the needs of your belly,

Competent to satisfy the ideals of your family,

So we wish you a very happy birthday, Mr. Farly,

Don’t waste your time, please start early.

From Bin Saad family

Friday, 9 December 2011

Engrossed in choosing the menu

Adli handing over Bin Saad's birthday present to Pak Farly

Discussing who should unwrap the present

Farly reading the connotation to Adli

After the convocation ceremony on Saturday, 10 December 2011, I treated the whole family at the Japanese restaurant on the first floor, Seri Pacific. The location of the restaurant was very ideal for Ezman as he could move straight for the family photography at the studio on the same floor.

It was all O.K. for the grand children with the Japanese Restaurant

Japanese restaurant ready for our invasion




Enjoying the Japanese dishes

The dishes were promptly wiped out. I was wrong when

I assumed Mr. Farly was satisfied with the Japanese menu

when he finished his plate of rice in a zippy

Alia trying her tempura

Ezman handing his mortarboard to Afique

Nuraisyah handing our shared souvenir to her Ami Chik

Afique with the mortarboard on his head

Ezman overcame with emotions when we presented him with

our congratulatory message: Together we congratulate Ezman for

"Coming together, sharing together, working together and succeeding together”.

"Never forget your humble academic beginning , for winners never quit and

quitters never win."

Waiting for the post convocation family photograph

at studio adjacent to the Japanese Restaurant

Post convocation family photograph without Marini and Adli who was soundly asleep in the hotel room.

On the same evening, we dropped by at Ad’s Restoran Sajian Alor Setar at Ampang. We were fortunate to meet Ami Leh and Bibi at Ad’s restaurant. After consuming a plateful of rice at the Japanese Restaurant, Mr. Farly could still consume another plate of nasi Sajian Alor Setar. It was the first visit for Nana and Ezman at Ad’s restaurant.

Sitting from left: Ami Leh and Bibi sitting.

Stading from left: Dr. Hajjah Aminah, Ad, myself, Zam, Nana and Ezman

Farly waiting for his plate of nasi Sajian Alor Setar

We were also very fortunate that Abang gave us a treat at the Rebung Restaurant in Bangsar. Nami and Mat came all the way down from Shah Alam to join us at the restaurant. Malan also dropped by at the Seri Pacific to guide us to the restaurant. We were quite sad because Alin could not make the trip because of his fatherly duties. Otherwise the reunion of the original four musketeers namely Ezman, Malan, Alin and Farly would be completed. Apart from the boys who brayed the sound of lamb whenever they consumed grilled lamb, Mat really enjoyed his dinner that night with the attitude of ‘damn with the cholesterol, I am fully protected by my medicines.”

However Nami was still traumatised by the sight of the Melaka Fruits.

The entrance of Rebung Restaurant

Datuk Chef Ismail, Rebung's proprietor

Battle of the bulges

Very contented Mat joining the fray

Enjoying our dinner

Kak Teh assuring the total satisfaction of her guests

On our way back to Alor Setar on Sunday 11 December 2011, SBSK treated us to a farewell lunch at the Meru Golf Club. We were indeed very grateful to all the family members from both sides of the family (Bin Saad and Al Idrus) who has made our trip to Ezman’s convocation a very momentous occasion with full of love and affection in sharing the success of a family member.

One for the road with Mohd. Nasri Bin Saad






Mr. Farly inquired about the name of "Bin Saad". Bin Saad was the surname bestowed to the late Ku Ahmad Ku Saad (grand father of the late Mohd. Salleh Khir bin Haji Bahari) by the Siamese Authority in 1915 in recognition for his service as Finance Minister for Province of Satun, Southern Thailand beginning in 1896. All the descendants of the late Ku Ahmad Ku Saad could affix the surname of Bin Saad to their names regardless whether it was male or female. If ever Mr. Farly was the subject of Thailand, then he would be known as Wan Mohd. Fazli Bin Saad or his sister would then be known as Wan Amalina Bin Saad.


Alhamdullillah for the blessings of Allah.

The fountain of love and affection of the Bin Saad family

REMEMBRANCE 103: SAYANG SARAWAK

Di pagi hari Khamis, 3 November 2011 bersiap sedia untuk
bertolak ke Klinik Waqaf An-Nur (KWAN)




Dari Kiri: Ridzuan (Pen. Setiausaha Jabatan Zakat),
Dato' Haji Mohd. Noor Rafie (PTG), Dato' Syeikh Ghazali Yaacob
(Setiausaha Jawatankuasa Zakat) dan Y.A. Dato' Wira Syeikh Yahaya
(Ketua Hakim Syarie Kedah)



Jamuan pagi hidangan kuih tradisi Sarawak di Klinik Waqaf
An-Nur (KWAN), di Bangunan Mecchuma, Jalan Haji Taha, Kuching

REMEMBRANCE 102; KELUBIAN HAS GONE ASEAN

Fourth and Fifth Kelubians in the early eighties



Many has been recalled by Allah and many has also migrated out of Kelubi.
At present, not even one Kelubian in this picture faithfully residing in Kelubi.
My fear is that in a few years time, Kelubi will be folded in our history as the village
that once my ancestors has opened and flourished






The original Pak Long Ku Baharom's house before the make over




The new looked Pak Long's House that Ku Azmi has rebuilt





The three mangosteen pillars upholding the Sumatran roof structure




The arrival of the bride at Kelubi






Far left: the bride from Menado





The host, eldest brother Ku Bahador welcoming the guests
at the wedding reception






Ku Bahador who has led the groom's delegation to Menado welcoming his counterpart from Menado while his uncle, Ami Daud watching intensely

Ezman holding on to my late father's rattan walking stick while I was busy
snapping pictures of the reception. As the ground was still messy with recently
improvised crusher run tarmac, everybody has got the tread along cautiously in fear
of being injured.

From left: Kak Yeh, Asma (holding camera) and Zam waiting for the arrival of the bride





Smiling Ku Azmi with his new bride

After attending Fauziah Murad's daughter's wedding reception at Alor Setar on Sunday, 27 December 2011, Zam and I with Ezman at the driving wheels pushed north to Kelubi Luar. My second cousin Ku Azmi the youngest son of the late Pak Long Ku Baharom and Wa Lah has invited us to for his own recent wedding reception to a Menado lass from the Northern Sulawesi Province, Indonesia.


For that special occasion, Ku Azmi, a businessman has hastily erected a new addition to their original ancestor's home. The new wing has an Asean flavour whereby the workmanships were from Indonesia as well as from Thailand. the new extension has a unique architectural design which was in fact very difficult for a simple layman like me to comprehend. Ku Azmi has even cut down an old mangosteen fruit tree from their inherited orchard in Kelubi Dalam and used them as decorative pillars of on the frontage of the house.



Ku Azmi who is also referred as Pak Su is the youngest son of the late Pak Long Ku Baharum, my late father's cousin. I did not know in depth on the present nature of business Ku Azmi in involved, but he used to sponsor the service of an Indonesian maid to his late mother, Mak Long Lah in Kelubi when her physical condition deteriorated. Ku Azmi has four other elder siblings namely:

1. Ku Bahadur, retired Public Health Inspector residing at Sik Dalam, District of Sik.
2. Ku Kassim, an Ipoh businessman (deceased due to cancer).
3. Ku Muhammad, a Police Sergeant in Penang.
4. Ku Asma , attached to the National Sport Council residing in Kuala Lumpur.




By his daring action in successfully wooing a Menado lass and brought her home to Kelubi , Ku Azmi, a fifth generation Kelubian has followed a tradition of Kelubian going Asean. The first Kelubian who has gone Asean from our extended family was Akashah, the eldest grandson of Ami Leh. Akashah has married a lass from Palembang, Indonesia last year. If I am not mistaken, I was made to understand that one of Ami Daud's sons has also married an Indonesian. Their actions was in fact symbolised our small contribution towards the assimilation of Asean bond of friendship between its people.



However when Ku Bahadur's delegation was In Menado for the wedding reception of bride's family , they did not dare to come out from their hotel room when the final Sea Games football match between Indonesia and Malaysia was shown life on the TV screens in the hotel. They were afraid of being lynched alive because Indonesia has lost the game. So much has been said about Malaysian and Indonesian bonding relationship as a big brother to another younger brother.


Congratulation to Pak Su Mee with the hope that he would not tarnish the good name of the Kelubians. Insya Allah.

REMEMBRANCE 101: MEMORIES OF PAK MURAD

84 YEAR OLD MAK SIAH




From left; Ismail, Syed Zain and Muhammad

It was a very sentimental wedding feast for me on Sunday, 27 November 2011. A week before Ezman brought home a wedding reception invitation from his Collegian friend Muhd Fuad bin Rahim. Ezman was bewildered because he did not his friend’s family. However his friend told Ezman that the invitation was from his parent especially his mother Fauziah. Muhd Fuad advised Ezman just to mention to me that it was from the daughter of Pak Murad and Mah Siah. He was very confident that I would remember that special bond of relationship between our two families.

When I received the invitation card, old memories came cascading down my head. The late Pak Murad was the Forester Grade One which was in charge of the Langkawi Forest Range just before Merdeka. My late father was his subordinate holding the rank of Forester Grade Two. The late Pak Murad thought my late father the technique of sea fishing and both of them together with the boatman the late Pak Hussain would always out at sea after their office hours. We seldom bought fresh fishes from the market since their catches would be sufficient enough for our three families.

The late Pak Murad has 9 children whereby his sixth son Muhammad and seventh son Sulaiman were in the same age group with me and my cousin, Syed Mahmud. As such we spent our school holidays together in Langkawi and I really enjoyed their companionship. We lost contact with each other after the late Pak Murad and my late father were transferred out to the mainland. After 1959 when I entered the secondary at Sultan Abdul Hamid College Alor Setar, my acquaintance with Muhammad and Suleiman faded away because of the lack of communication facilities.

.

After a lapse of nearly 52 years, it came as a surprise to me but it would naturally provide a golden opportunity for us to rekindle old fond memories of teenage relationship during the late fifties. Muhammad has joined the Police Force and retired as a Superintendent Commanding a Field Force Battalion but we have never crossed path during our service in the government. As such I told Zam that I must attend this at whatever cost. Although I have not met Muhammad for the last 52 years, yet I managed to recognise Muhammad the instant I met him at the wedding reception at Pusat Aktiviti Pejabat Daerah Kota Setar, No: 1331, Lebuhraya Darulaman.

I exchanged pleasantries with Muhammad’s siblings that were present at the reception especially his elder brother Ismail who was my chief clerk during my stint as the Land Administrator at Sik District Office in the early seventies. Grateful with the blessings of Allah, I did not expect to see Mak Siah who was present at the reception. Mak Siah is already 84 years old but sad to say Mak Siah did not recognise me or even remember my late mother, her closed confidant during the Langkawi tenure.

Compared to my four siblings who are still alive, three of Muhammad siblings has passed away namely:

1. Ramli (deceased)

2. Marzuki (deceased)

3. Hahsim

4. Ismail

5. Fatimah

6. Muhammad

7. Sulaiman (deceased)

8. Fauziah

9. Ghani