OHMS 21: CHALLENGE OF PULAU PERAK

THE VICTOR AND THE VANQUISH OF PULAU PERAK

Pulau Perak is a small rocky island which constitutes the westernmost extremity of Malaysian territory.  The island is a granite rock that rises from the Strait of Malacca.   Pulau Perak is part of the Kedah State and its size is less than 1 kilometer square which lies in the coordinates of 5 40’ 50” N  98  56’ 27’ E.

My knowledge on Pulau Perak is limited to the tale of my late grand father who used to tell me there was a shining silvery island just a few hours journey from Penang by sea.   During his pilgrimage journey to Mecca with the ship Chosun in the early sixties, he saw a marvelous scene of sea gulls flocking to the island which made the island appeared to be shining white in the morning horizon.

It reminisced my memory of Pulau Perak when Tan Sri Sanusi Junid, the then Menteri Besar suggested that we should put a sign on Pulau Perak that symbolized the island belongs to the State of Kedah.    The Director of Kedah State Economic Planning Unit was  assigned to prepare the appropriate sign board and other necessities for the intended epic  journey to reaffirm our State’ sovereignty on Pulau Perak.   LADA was very generous in  providing us with the Lada’s newest Catamaran which has an average speed of 35 knots.  While the Kedah Police agreed to provide a Police Patrol Boat escort for the journey.

At precisely 7.30 am on the stipulated day which was on Monday, 4^th. May 1998,  about 30 of us boarded the LADA’s Catarmaran at Kuala Kedah for our journey to Pulau Perak.  From my primitive calculation, as the distance between Kuala Kedah and Pulau Perak is approximately 120 miles,  with an average speed of 30 knots, then it would take us about 4 hours to reach Pulau Perak.  The whole entourage consisted of 30 relevant State and Federal Officers with an ample supplies of food and drinks.  The expedition was headed by Y.B. Dato’ Haji Ismail Shafie, the State Secretary who hailed from the District of Baling.  The other dignitary was Tan Sri Halil Haji Mutalib, the Chief Executive Officer of LADA. 

Another famous celebrity on board was Dato’ Mohd. Omar Mohamed, the Director of Land and Mines.  Knowing Dato’ Mohd. Omar Mohamed since 1970, ,  I naturally enquired from him whether he could endure the long voyage.  Dato’ Mohd. Omar Mohamed replied in the affirmative  that it was his holy duty to be on the island of Pulau Perak since the he was the custodian of  all lands in the whole State of Kedah.  Apart from that, he has also armed himself to the teeth with various precautionary medicines such as anti sea sickness pills, his favourite Panadol pills and also the biggest bottle of Axe Brand Oil.   I agreed with him whole heartedly on his assumption but  at the same time I prayed for the blessing of Allah for the success of his voyage.    

The sea was calm interspersed by rolling waves which hit against the star-board of the  Catamaran. .  The rolling waves swayed the Catamaran to the tune of Michael Buble’s Sway.  After one hour of our voyage, the well informed voice of Dato’ Mohd. Omar suddenly disappeared into thin air.  His prowess on the road with his jogging endurance together with his full arsenals of medicine proved futile against the gentle rolling waves of the mighty sea.     Then I realized that he has succumbed to sea sickness and he was  just lying down timidly  on the boat’s seat. 

When we arrived at the vicinity of Pulau Perak after four hours of voyage, I woke him up whether he wanted to have a look at the island or rather if he wanted to lay his stake on the island.  Dato’ Mohd. Omar replied politely that he was really down and persuaded us to  let him recuperate in peace  with his agony of sea sickness.  Everybody on the boat sympathized with the fate of Dato’ Mohd. Omar who has endured the long epic voyage but sadly he could not share the feeling of ecstasy of   having been to Pulau Perak with the rest of the entourage.     

Grateful to the blessing of Allah, the main mission of the journey was accomplished when the duo of Dato’ Haji Ismail Hamid (Distict Officer of Langkawi) and Mohammed Che Nai (Director of Kedah Sport Council) has managed to scale up the island and immortalized the sign board that stated that “Pulau Perak is a territory of Kedah until infinity”.  Congratulations to the victors  who has accomplished our main mission to reaffirm our State’s sovereignty on the island of Pulau Perak.  We sympathized with the vanquish but we all raised our hat to Dato’ Mohd. Omar for having the perseverance  to complete the journey back in one piece and was able to continue his daily jogging routine the next day.          

Looking back at the episode, I assumed that the environments of your origin is the main factor that determine your sea worthiness.  Dato’ Mohd. Omar who was bogged down with sea sickness hailed from the District of Sik  which has small streams’ (charok) environment.  Whereas  Dato’ Ismail Shafie and Mohamad Che Nai hailed from the District of Baling which has estuaries’ (kuala) environment which has a wider perspective on water bodies.   On the other hand, I hailed from the District of Kubang Pasu which has islands’ (pulau) environment.  To prove my point on the sea worthiness determining factor among the four of us,  please refer to the list below:.   

Sik District                            Baling District                     Kubang Pasu District

Charok Kit                             Kuala Ketil                            Pulau Nyior

Charok Damar                      Kuala Pegang                         Pulau Ketam

Charok Sireh                         Kuala Menora                        Pulau Timbul

Charok Padang                    Kuala Kuang                            Pulau Pisang

Charok Kemuning               Kuala Sedim                            Pulau Maharaja

Charok Tala                          Kuala Merah

Charok Tok Uban                Kuala Temekah

Charok Pelanduk                Kuala Cahaya

Charok Tualang                   Kuala Darak

Charok Tenang                    Kuala Samak

Charok Senduk                    Kuala Bakong

Charok Pisang                     Kuala Nau

 

FROM GOGGLES  PULAU PERAK: Coordinates: 5  40’ 50” N 98  56’ 27” E

                          Pulau Perak from a distance of 5 miles

SAHOCA 31: BON VOYAGE

Live wires of the night, The Three Stooges on the stage
From left: Haji Ahmad Fauzi Mohammad, Ahmad Rushdan Abd. Aziz
and Rosli Endut




Three College students rendering their melodious voices




Lady teachers rendering soothing song for Che Gu Morazuki




Their target was to make fun of their former Senior Assistant,
Che Gu Turin on stage.
However, the Javanese blood Che Gu Turin outsmarted the
Three Stooges by making them to dance to the tempo of the
Javanese folks dance accompanying Che Gu Turin's Javanese
song whose live music was only through his hand phone.





Not to be left out, Che Gu Morazuki also joined the Three
Stooges in rendering their favourite song, Masihkah Kau Ingat




Uztazah Hajjah Mariah Hj. Hitam reciting a poem specially
dedicated to Che Gu Morazuki with the accompaniment
of classical music from the Trios




The Trios from left: Che Gu Sheridean Zakaria on the piano,
Former Collegian Flutist and Che Gu Midred Tan Ker Shin with her
violin



Che Gu Morazuki delivering his farewell speech at 11.45 pm





Che Gu Morazuki receiving gifts as token of appreciation from
the staffs of College




Nostalgic farewell song for Che Gu Morazuki by the Trios
with the College Band lady singer


A JOURNEY OF CHE GU MORAZUKI

I was deeply honoured when I bumped into Che Gu Umar Bakhy Ghazali at the Jalan Sultanah Islamic Bank on Sunday, 25th. December when he invited me to a farewell dinner for the outgoing College Headmaster, Che Gu Morazuki Hashim to be held at Dewan Iskandar on Wednesday, 28^th. December 2011. Che Gu Morazuki’s last day at College would be the last day of the year that was on 31^st. December 2011. It was indeed a pity for Che Gu Morazuki or rather it was a blessing in disguise for him when he missed the implementation of the retiring age of 60 years by just a whisker.

As I was not visited by Miss Gout, I was able to attend the farewell dinner on 28^th. December 2011 at the College Dewan Iskandar which commenced at 8.00 pm. Apart from Tunku Munirah from the College PIBG, I was in fact an alien among the fraternity of teachers. The farewell dinner was entertained by the College Band which was also joined by the present and former College Music Teachers. To add colours to the show, former College Band members who were now accomplished musicians joineds hands in adding flavours to the show.

The whole farewell dinner lasted more than four hours into the next morning but time flew by effortlessly. The live wires of the night were provided by the humorous antics of the three seasoned Masters of Ceremony which I fondly labeled as the Three Stooges. There were old hands at the College namely Che Gu Haji Ahmad Fauzi Mohammad, Che Gu Rosli Endut and Che Gu Ahmad Rushdan Abd. Aziz. The three of them made the night merry with full of jokes and laughter when they produced slide shows of the life of Che Gu Morazuki accompanied by their live running commentaries.

As I was glued to my seat for the whole duration without much movements, I was embedded for the next four days when Miss Gout really visited me the next day. Anticipating that the Three Stooges would pull a prank on me, I did prepare an in prompt to poem for Che Gu Morazuki if ever the Three Stooges would invite on the stage. My sixth sense proved me right when Che Gu Rosli Endut did invited me to the stage. My poem “A Journey” was in fact a manifestation of my deep appreciation for Che Gu Morazuki who has successfully helmed the journey of the College during its Centennial Years Celebration. Von voyage to Che Gu Morazuki and may Allah bless you in your future endeavours

SUATU PELAYARAN

Masa berlalu tidak dirasa,

Umur tidak menurun, tapi meningkat setiap masa,

Pejam celek, buka dan tutup mata,

Tiga hari lagi menjelanglah tahun baharu pula.

Di tahun kelahirannya, seribu sembilan ratus lima puluh tiga,

Che Gu Morazuki lah yang paling termuda,

Kini Pengetua yang sentiasa bersopan, kemas bergaya,

Pelayaran Che Gu Morazuki sudah sampai di muara,

Sudah tiba masanya untuk Che Gu Morazuki bersara,

Bersara pula tepat pada masa dan ketika,

Ketika sihat dan ketika ramai yang masih suka,

Terhadap kepimpinan dan jasanya seluas alam semesta.

Walau pun kita selalu mudah lupa,

Hanya ingat apabila bencana menimpa,

Namun Allah jua yang tidak pernah alpa,

Mencucuri rahmat yang tak terhingga,

Kepada diri Che Gu dan seluruh warga Kolej kita,

Merahmati pelayaran mengharungi badai samudera,

Pelayaran untuk melahirkan insan yang berguna kepada Negara,

Saya dan anda semua tentulah berbangga,

Bahawa pelayaran yang Che Gu Morazuki sebagai nakhoda,

Telah diiktiraf dengan anugerah berbagai rupa.

Walau pun Che Gu Morazuki sebagai Pengetua,

Bukanlah dilahirkan oleh Kolej kita,

Namun dedikasinya kepada Kolej adalah di luar prasangka,

Justru saya tabik Che Gu Morazuki dengan lapang dada,

Bahawa Che Gu lah Collegian sepenuh jiwa dan raga,

Che Gu Morazuki, selamat bersara,

Semoga sentiasa dirahmati Allah Subhanahu Wataala.

SAHOCA 30: FINER POINTS OF LIFE

SIBLINGS 88: THE THIRD GENERATION

 


One Malaysian Faces of the third generation
embraced lovingly by the first generation grandmas

SIBLINGS 87: HAPPY NEW YEAR

2012 Chinese New Year on Monday 23rd. January 2012 at Pn.
Ch'ng house at Taman Golf.
Pn. Ch'ng and Mr. Kang were very elated with the birth of her grand son
whose father is the only child of the couple .





Mr. Kang happily showing off his only grand son.




2012 Chinese New Year on Monday 23rd. January 2012 at Pn.
Teh's house at Lorong Sherff.



Since all the three boys of Pn. Teh are still singles, so Pn. Teh
and Mr. Yeoh could not show off their third generation but at least
they could boast off their three full grown Japanese Carps which
also enjoy affections from the couple at par with their three boys.

For the last 38 years, Zam and I has never failed to attend the Chinese New Year open house of her Mada friends namely Pn. Ch’ng Yang Ngoh at Taman Golf and Pn. Teh Cheng Sim at Lorong Datuk Sheriff. I used to bring along my children but for the last four years we could only bring along my youngest son Ezman since Nana and Shiwar has got their own homes. Ironically both their husbands are Collegians namely Mr. Kang and Mr. Yeoh. Mr. Kang was senior to me by a year while Mr. Yeoh was junior to me by a few years. Like wise, both the families of Pn. Ch’ng and Pn. Teh would reciprocate with their visits for our Hari Raya open house. The spirit of One Malaysia has already entrenched in our hearts since we could remember and we hope that this cordial relationship would perpetuate forever.