27 September 2009

A Special Note For Ex-Almanar

For the first time Pak Cik had a record book ready during the recent hari raya season for Almanar- associated pupils to jot down their phone numbers and e-mail addresses - a few having own blogs. Surprisingly enough there were about 60 of them arriving in groups at different times during the course of these few days. Some were on leave from their far-away places of work, such as the rural areas outside Tawau and Sandakan. But most of the sixty odds are still studying at various IPTA's and IPTS's. Only a handful of them were current pupils at Almanar - perhaps still too shy to muster their courage to show their faces; no doubt in good time they will.



One of your old friends proudly brought along her HUSBAND and a baby SON who was barely two-month old. Just like his parents and grandparents, the baby would have addressed me as "Pak Cik" too, if only he could talk! Of those who came around, Mak Cik and Pak Cik could hardly recognise a few girls ( young ladies, to be precise ) looking matured and beautiful, a far fetch from the shy little ones we used to see those years at Almanar - dengan hidung masih berhingus. Whreas the gallant boys, heavily outnumbered, were nearly swarmed to a swoon at the unexpected sight!



Some of you could not make it to Nuri this time around, simply 'kirim salam' through friends who turned up. Thank you for the thought. If any of you wishes to have contact numbers of your lost friends, check up with Pak Cik. I will give them to you - this time for a fee of course!



Apart from expressing our appreciations to those who remembered us through visits, salaams, SMS's, e-mail messages etc we must not forget to thank those who came along with ketupat, nasi dagang, nasi minyak, keropok, laksa, tapai, akak, cookies and so on and so forth - enough for the two of us to last till next Hari Raya had not our children, granfdchildren and our other guests helped themselves.



Thank you, children.



To those who will return to their work places, particularly schools and hospitals, please remember, it is now your contractual obligation to live uo to our motto:



Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan

26 comments:

ARZ said...

Pak Chik,

Not many couple are blessed with so many "children". People like me can only imagine the great feeling you and Mak Chik experienced when these children came visiting.

I honestly was hoping you would have some shots of these children during their visits.

Kak Teh said...

salam abang ngah, yes, i scrolled down immediately hoping to see some pictures. You are truly blessed to have so many wonderful extended families. salam to kak mah.

Anonymous said...

Pak cik,

Although many did not come to visit, i believe that they always remember your good deeds. You are always in our prays.

Umi Kalthum Ngah said...

Dear Pak Cik Hassan,

Am seriously considering paying a visit to Al Manar sometime in the near future with my other half.

Webmail at engineering server cannot be accessed outside of campus...very slow...

Will email you later once I get back to office after this loooong 'cuti raya'

Thank you for dropping your lines at my blog...

:-)

Al-Manar said...

ARZ

Do not expect to see photos like those you take on your cycling tours. However much in detail you describe your various journeys is never satisfying enough to depict the fascinating views. In my case girls are girls and boys are boys, the same everywhere!
I expect another cycling season to begin soon.
Salaam from Pakcik

Al-Manar said...

Kak Teh

Selain apa yang Abang Ngah kata diatas untuk ARZ, apa lah nak buat dengan camera pakai roll of film ! Jangan ketawa. Ainun dan yang lain lain sibuk layan kawan dan keluarga. Huru hara nak bergambar. Tapi gambar gambar family banyak. Nanti suruh Ainun hantar.
Kak Mah kirim salam. Seronok tatapkan gambar gambar Zaharah anak beranak.
Abang Ngah

Al-Manar said...

Umi Kalthum Ngah

You are not the only one with e-mail difficulties. I have problems communicating with those using certain addresses like @yahoo, @ycom etc.

Salaam from Pakcik

Anonymous said...

Pakcik

I agree with Nadirah. Although many did not come they always remember you pakcik.

Anonymous said...

Pakcik

Salam pakcik...I will always miss you .....I am going back to Tawau.. working again!

Al-Manar said...

Nadirah and Anonymous

Pakcik and Makcik are proud to have seen you around.Jangan lupa datang jumpa sebelum lawatan ke Kent university.

I guess Ana is one of the two Anonymous. Please keep visiting this blog but leave your name at the foot of your Anonymous comment.Then Pakcik will know who writes.

Selamat bertugas dan selamat belajar.

Anonymous said...

Once an al-manar, will always be an al-manar.
My first class at Al-Manar was about 8 years ago, when I was in standard 5. I went there after a series of persuasion from my classmates but I quit after my first class, as I clearly did not understand what this class was all about. But, as people said “kalau dah jodoh, tak ke mana,” I joined Al-Manar again in 2004, and Alhamdulillah, it is among the thing that has made my life better. One thing that my father had always said to me, “when you are ready, the teacher will come to you, (or in other words, Allah will send someone to guide you)” and it is indeed true, He shows me the path through you. Distance may do us apart but my heart will always be at Al-Manar, the place where my life began, and with you, my greatest teacher ever.

Selamat Hari Raya and send my regards to Mak Cik.

p/s : There is something that had been dwelling my mind in these recent weeks, and I will write to you about it in the near time. Aliff,UTM.

Anonymous said...

Pak Cik,
I'm Diana, the one with TESL degree.
I'm thinking of furthering my studies at Master level. I plan to apply to one of the univs in peninsular although I'm in sandakan. Do you think it is possible for me to do that? What's your opinion? Can you suggest any topic for my project work?
-diana salim-

Al-Manar said...

Aliff,

Thank you for expressing your inner thought openly. Yours is one exemplary case I often quote to make others ‘insaf’ ( Can you remember how this word was expressed gleefully and with laughter when one of you suddenly decided to put in some extra effort?) You turned down an offer to join form 4 at one of the more established top boarding schools in the country, no matter how hard I tried to persuade you. You succeeded nonetheless and, Insya-Allah, with the kind of determination you possess, you will continue to. Do write Pakcik what has been bugging you.

Pakcik

Al-Manar said...

Diana,

It is good to hear that you aspire to progress further. I am sure there are means of achieving that.Pakcik will communicate through the e-mail address you left me.
Selamat bertugas
Pakcik

Anonymous said...

Dear Babah n Mummy,

One can only imagine the feeling you both felt inside each time they pay a visit to Almanar... May Allah swt bless you with more and much much more, insyaallah.

Aini Hajar

Al-Manar said...

Aini,

Thank you Aini. We have had no chance to thank you for the chocolate cake of an exceptional quality. When are you planning to visit us? Then Mami can see how you do it.

Love from us.

Asnija said...

Salam Pakcik,

Love your N3...
Me too, just want to be remembered...
There must be some sense of purpose to live our life...to answer why we exist...

ARZ said...

Pak Cik,
Reading all those comments from yr extended family is such a joy that I need to put in another comment to say how much it touches me. I've lost count how many times I've said that you and Mak Chik are a blessed couple. You do not need to respond to this comment. I just want to express my feeling at this very moment. Salam

Al-Manar said...

Asnija
You write a lot about family. I enjoy seeing successes in a family. Those from poor backgrounds inspire my work as I occasionally post them in my 'end of the tunnel' series.
Hope your eldest one will carry the family torch. ARZ blog above writes fascinating cycling exploits, and he heads a successfful family as well.I enjoy visiting blogs which have elements of inspiration.
.... to answer why we exist ... as you said.
Pakcik

Al-Manar said...

ARZ
Ramli,I hope you do not mind my referring to you in my comment to Asnija above. I can now picture in my mind your future entries of your European cycling tours with your two kids in Dublin? One day you will call at Nuri cycling en route to KB with your kids so that I get to know them.
Pakcik Hassan

Memorable trails... said...

Salam Pak Cik,
I am sure you are now a proud "father" to so many successful "children".Tahniah...
Surely your years ahead wont be as lonely and empty as most warga emas nowdays.
May you be in good health always to continue doing the good deeds.

Al-Manar said...

Madam Gold
Last night I visited your site but refrained myself from making some silly commeents about ghost drivers.
I have truly been wondering which high school you are teaching and where your two elder children go to. There is a good SMS in Machang and also MRSM Pengkalan Chepa. The number of pupils at Almanar is really small.Your contribution is to a far greater number of pupils in several parts of the country. Above all you have a lot more time ahead for your own and those children.
Pak Cik

Anonymous said...

I do not know what to write but I totally agree with Aliff.Pak cik and mak cik are always in my heart,person who I regard as my own parents.I love you both.
~AZMIERA~

Al-Manar said...

Azmiera,

You will never understand how pleased both of us are when you come visiting.
Good luck to you in your studies.
Pakcik and Makciik

snas! said...

i will always come to your house with my friends pak cik.

Al-Manar said...

snas

I hope so.Thank you
Pakcik