ON HIS MAJESTY SERVICE 9: SS

ON HIS MAJESTY SERVICE: 100 YEARS KCS

ON HIS MAJESTY SERVICE 7:

SIBLINGS 20 : MADA ALUMNI

From Left: Hajjah Mariyah bt. Ahmad, son Omar and husband Haji Ramli Zakaria

Zam was very delighted today because her closest of pals from MADA came to our house on 17 May 2009 whereby Zam immediately took the opportunity of showing off her wakaf. Hajjah Mariyah and her husband Haji Ramli joined MADA with Zam in 1970. They were the pioneer staff members of MADA which was headed by the ever imposing Dato' Tamin Yeop. Zam opted for optional retirement in 1997 while Hajjah Mariyah and Haji Ramli served MADA until their compulsory retirement.

Three of them shared their happiness and sorrows together and there were were no physical and phychological barriers between them. They shared the same jokes and gossips together as well as very dedicated to their jobs. Ramli took his jobs seriously and his work places were always speck and span and his scheduled registered inventories under his responsibilty were always up to date. Due to his efficient hard works and dedication, Haji Ramli successfully retired as a clerk compared to his initial job as an office boy at MADA.

However Hajjah Mariah and her husband did not share common interests between them and were always contrasting to each other. Hajjah Mariyah is a vivid reader and a bookworm and fond of asserting her opinions on others. Whereas Haji Ramli is a workaholic as well a good cook whose ability could easily make your mouth watery with his aromatic cooking. He could cook nasi lamuni, nasi bryani and other dishes comparable to any chefs in the hotels. As such, during the fasting months, the lady staffs in MADA would always discuss with Haji Ramli on the proposed daily recipe for break fast rather than discuss with the ladies' affair with Hajjah Mariyah.

Anyway Hajjah Mariyah and Haji Ramli shares a blissful marriage because their diversity in interests were in fact the unifying factor that has bonded them together. Omar is also another solid unifying factor that compliments their happy marriage in their retirement days.

At the end of their visit, Zam took the opportunity of requesting the favour of Haji Ramli if he could cook the much anticipated delicious nasi lamuni to our family. We do sincerely hope that Haji Ramli would gladly obliged to our sincere wish to devour his skillful cooking.

True to the tradition of comradeship, Hajjah Mariyah and Haji Ramli came to our house the next morning with a freshly cooked nasi lamuni. It was very tempting for us and definitely the nasi lamuni was gone even before Hajjah Mariyah reach home.. Compared to the nasi lamuni being sold in the restaurant, Haji Ramli's nasi lamuni was far more superior in taste and appearance.

We were very grateful to Haji Ramlif for his immediate response to Zam's request for the nasi lamuni. We do pray for the blessing Allah so that Hajjah Mariyah would meet with the perfect solution for her ongoing medical complication. Insya Allah.

Tempting nasi lamuni delivered in person the next morning

REMEMBRANCE 16: KAK NAB THE SURVIVOR

I did not know that there is a wider flat world outside Sarawak

Its a super duper wakaf compared to our wakaf

Kak Nab peeling mangoes for her visitors

Enjoying a sip of local brewed kow coffee

Unripe mangosteens waiting for the arrivals of Ensteks residents

Kak Nab, the ever magnanimous lady would never allow us to go back empty handed from her house

The newly wed groom, Asri looking happy and contented

Choosing the perfect mangoes

We were allowed to depart only after our car boot was filled with fresh plucked mangoes

Kak Nab is my eldest cousin and she is the oldest grand child of the To Ku Syed Ahmad of Kelubi. I was very close to Kak Nab because I stayed with her family during my lower secondary school days from 1959 to 1961. She was responsible for the upkeep's of my domestic needs such doing my laundry and preparing my break fast in the early mornings.

She was married to the late Abang Dhir and was blessed with four children i.e two boys and two girls. Since Abang Dhir did not have a fixed income, so Kak Nab has to struggle along with Bang Dhir in bringing up their children. Through their handwork's, Kak Nab managed to bulid up a formidable family. Although Bang Dhir has gone a few years ago, yet Kak Nab now is enjoying the fruits of her labour. Her concered children really take good care of her and she is comparatively living a comfortable life.

She is a magnanimous lady and my grand children would always pester Zam and I to visit their Tok Bi Nab in Tambung Tulang, Perlis whenever they do come back to Alor Setar for their school holidays. The children were very thrilled in Kak Nab's home as Kak Nab would always allow my grand children to do what they liked best. They would chase the fowls all over the place or pick up any fruit that they like direct from the trees. Our visit to Kak Nab's house would always end up with a sumptious lunch. Kak Nab's simple cooking yet very delicious and tasty would always make our stay at her house very gratifying.

I am very grateful to Allah for being alive and enjoying life with the other cousins who are still alive. The eldest cousin is Kak Nab who is two years older than me, followed by Kak Yeh, Bang Mud and myself. Four of our younger cousins i.e. Bakar , Zaleha, Zahir and Hasnah has been called to meet Allah before us because of various illness and mishap i.e. diabetic, liver cancer, road accident and diabetic respectively . Alfatihah.

We are the third generation of Tok Ku Syed Ahmad and we are in fact holding the family fort. Among the second generation, only two of my uncles i.e Ami In and Ami Leh are still alive. So Kak Nab is the oldest survivor among the third generation of Tok Ku Syed Ahmad and we will always cherish the hospitality of Kak Nab at Tambung Tulang.

REMEMBRANCE 15: MIGHTY RYAN

Syed Arith Rayan Putra

Today, Zam, Shiwar, Marini and I paid a sosial visit to my sister, Hindon at Simpang Empat, Perlis. Since her retirement from the publis service, Hindon has become a full time daylight baby sitter to her only grand son, eight months old Syed Arith Ryan Putra. As we have not been to her house for sometimes, we were surprised with the rate of growth of her grand son. Ryan has outgrown his age whereby he is now a bubbly 16 pounder baby.

His sheer body weight has deprived Zam and Marini of holding Ryan for a longer period of not more than 10 minutes per duration. His acrobatic agility also made it difficult for them to hold Ryan peacefully. However it was indeed a great pleasure for Zam and Marini to play with Ryan as he was always very jovial and very responsive to their gimmicks.

Congratulations to Bang Daus and Fairuz. Our deepest sympathy to Hindon as she has to cope up with her strainous baby sitting but I am sure her happiness to be with her grand son outweights her accepted burden.

REMEMBRANCE 14: TEACHERS DAY

Wisdom to a teacher is knowing
When to speak your mind,
And when to mind your speech.

The best teacher is the one who suggests,
Rather than dogmatises,
And inspires her students
With the wish to educate themselves.

So, thinking well is wise,
Planning well is wiser,
But teaching well is the wisest and best of all.

Families back home wishing a happy Teachers' Day
to our Che Gu Nana .

16 May 2009