28 May 2010

End of the tunnel (Part 8) -Al-manar : Kenangan Terindah

One of the readers of Pakcik’s last posting, named Mohammad Khazaidi bin Kamaruddin, left a brief comment, almost subtly inviting me to visit his blog. Yes indeed, I did so out of curiosity. And what a surprise it was! Heading his most recent posting was :


So that was it, a posting that he began with “I would like to dedicate this entry special to Tuan Haji Hassan bin Abd Karim and all the family of Al-Manar “.

To be able to write what he did he must have done bit of research not to mention reading through my early postings and one in When Less Is More where he picked up a couple of photographs.

I could not recall anyone named Khazaidi, a rather uncommon name in this part of the world. I gave a hard knock on my memory bank. The best it could produce was that of a popular boy in my class. ‘Edy’ was what everyone called him. But of course, trust Terengganu people to butcher a name; the ‘aidi’ of khazaidi can be ‘Edy’, giving a bit of Englishness. To be sure I asked the person himself who confessed he was the boy I knew as Edy during the three years he was in my class. That was good 13 years ago.

In 1997, Edy ( let me go on using that name) came to Almanar with a group of about 30 pupils of Standard 4 from a local Primary. It was part of an experiment I agreed to do with a young teacher in English, Cikgu Azmi about whom I wrote in February 2009 ( see To Sir With Love ). I gave my help in English and Maths. At the end of the three years ‘Sir Azmi’, as he is fondly remembered today, declared that his school had never achieved as well as it did in the UPSR exam of 2000. Having performed well Edy was admitted into Sekolah Menegah Integrasi, one of the prestigious boarding schools in this locality. He performed equally well in his SPM that he was selected by Petronas into its university even before SPM results were known.

Today, Edy, the son of an Imam, is reading Petroleum Geosciences at the university. And, adding to my pleasure, he still remembers Al-Manar with tenderness.

Such gratitude as expressed by this young man may not make Pakcik’s day any less tiring but it does give a sense of joy and an added reason to keep on despite occasional frustrations.


My response:

Dear Edy, you have done yourself and family proud to have come this far. Keep it up to the end. Today it pleases us that you still remember Al-Manar, Makcik and that old man,Pakcik, but when it is all long gone, do remember that he expects you to give back something in return to your community. We pray and wish you success, and hope we have not heard the last of you.



Berkhidmat Kerana Tuhan untuk Kemanusiaan

16 comments:

Wan Sharif said...

Salam Haji,
Totally agreed with you that gratitude expressed by Edy give a sense of joy and an added reason for you to keep on despite occasional frustrations. It is the always the small action that bring us unlimited joy especially when someone from our past dropped by and pinpoint how we have touch their life.
Alhamdulillah we should give thanks to Allah for giving you courage, perseverance, tenacity and patience to come this far.
May Allah bless you,your Family and AlManar.

Anonymous said...

I know Edy too well,Pakcik. We were together in the same primary school.I can tell you a lot about him.
Azmiera

Al-Manar said...

A mixture of joy and frustration in life indeed! Kerja jual minyak gaz pun bukan senang. You are now venturing into ‘integrated farming’. I wonder if this has something to do with the 'taraf antarabangsa' development of Pulau Duyong. That too, I suppose, will have its share of joy and frustration. Would like to learn something about it from you one day.
Salaam to you.

Al-Manar said...

Azmiera,
How silly of me not to think of you. I should have guessed so and dug out some 'interesting' points to write about him.

Anonymous said...

Pak cik, thank you very much. U suprise me with this entry. -eddy-

Al-Manar said...

Eddy
That is the kind of 'you scratch my back and I scratch yours'!

Anonymous said...

Salam pak hasan.sir azmi sekarang bertugas di UNIKL-MICET melaka.saya ucapkan terima kasih kerana pernah ke sekolah saya SK Batu Rakit.saya cuba memberi kelainan dalam pemikiran pelajar.saya menghargai bantuan pak hasan kpd pelajar di sekitar.
Joni Mohd

norzah said...

It's always heartwarming, Pakcik, when an old student or officer who had served under you writes a note of thanks. What more if he eulogizes you as did Edy. He must be a very grateful and an appreciative person, the mark of a great man.

Al-Manar said...

Cikgu Joni,
Saya masih ingat dijemput memberi sedikdit taklimat kepada ibubapa disekolah SK Batu Rakit. Itulah penghormatan yang saya tidak akan lupa. Tidak ramai seperti Cikgu, mencari dan memberi kelainan. Saya ingin menyentuh dalam tulisan akang datang tentang kekeciwaaan saya terhadap tenaga pelajar. Gembira sungguh menerima lawatan Cikgu. Ingin saya menghubungi Cikgu kalau boleh - masih di Pulau indah itu?
Dengan salaam hormat

Al-Manar said...

Norzah,
Indeed it is heart warming for an older generation like us. A few minutes ago I sighted your latest posting which took me to another blogger, a General who wrote about someone I used to know ,'Jimmy' Yusof. That pleases me indeed.
I will come over later.

norzah said...

Most welcome, Pakcil Haji. You're a man of peace and tranquility and I would very much like to know how you see all the atrocities wjich now besiege the world, especially the Middle East.Salam.

Al-Manar said...

Norzah
I think our views are not dissimilar. Great men think alike!

Wan Sharif said...

Salam Haji,
Just read your reply.. came back from Trengganu last night.. That integrated farming thingy.. I am helping an Irish Muslim friend who found "Tropical Camel Ranchers berhad"- his name is Romni Yusof O'Toole.
I am learning from him.. and if Abang Hassan want to know just google Romni Yusof O'Toole.. insyaALLAH you will have enough to learn for one day..
Salam..Wan Sharif

Al-Manar said...

Wan,
I must admit total ignorance over TCRB projects. And you have your finger in it now. Perhaps we will meet one day so that I can hear more from you in person.I presume you know arwah Ustaz Hj Yaakob.

Wan Sharif said...

Salam Abang Hassan,
Kenal Allahyarham Hj Wan Yaakob.. tapi tak recalled Allahyarham Ustaz Hj Yaakob..
"Perhaps we will meet one day so that I can hear more from you in person" ..
Hmm, I love this.. I can always learn from you..
I could not handle my form 2 daughter.. the other one, the son baru join MMU, Cyberjaya.. Ya..betul tu..anak saya cuma dua orang, itu pun dak tak leh handle..

I got involved in cattle because I thought I can get land from Government cheaper and in bigger size by going into agriculture and intergrated farming.. Lepas tu nak buat tahfiz kat tanah yang berlebihan tu.. using hydrophonics for animal feed will allow us to use less land.

I was inspired by a group of people who came to the mosque and asked us to wakaq.. the ustaz has 4 acres of land in front of Hj Idris Jusoh (mantan MB Gganu), donate 3 acres for Tahfiz Qura'an..

Now dah terlanjur.. my friend talk about Jihad.. keluarkan/pelihara binatang yang akan di sembelih secara yang toyyiban halal..

So saya terus ikut aje.. nanti nak di gunakan ilmu ilmu kawan saya tu di Trengganu.. InsyaALLAH kalau masih ada tenaga dan duit..

Al-Manar said...

Wan,
My apology. I missed the 'Wan'. I meant Ustaz Hj Wan Yaakob, the same you know. He was my ustaz, a highly respected one at that.
I look forwards to meeting you one day. I am on 09 6699090, e-mail almanar@pd.jaring.my