03 October 2013

A special note/request to visitors:
A visitor has emailed Pakcik of his problems to leave comments. If others find similar problems kindly let me know via email. Your emailed comments will be posted by me.I would also appreciate if someone would advise me where things have gone wrong and what I should do to rectify.  My email address:  almanar@pd.jaring.my

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This is the end

Two-and-a-half years ago Pakcik’s End of the Tunnel ( Pt 11 ) – No more nasi dagang (click here) - highlighted the marriage of ‘Neni’ the pet-name of a much-loved girl in a family which adopted us as part of them. Soon, and much to our disappointment, she was whisked off to a northern state where she and her husband have been working in a hospital. And she is now a mother, too, only to return to K Terengganu once in a blue moon to satisfy the longing of her parents for her and the grandchild.

Neni’s marriage temporarily ended her mother’s business –undeniably the best nasi dagang of this locality. To Pakcik it was not just the nasi dagang but a new deal struck between us; they were free to have coconuts from the many palms in the vicinity of Alamanar’s grounds. Accordingly, every few months they would arrange for a coconut climbing ‘specialist’ ( not a monkey in our case) to pick the nuts, about one hundred or so on each occasion. We were adamant that neither cash could pass hand nor free nasi dagang. Perhaps, on occasions we went to buy, our portions were slightly larger than what they would give to other customers. That was the deal - coconuts for them and for us, Almanar’s grounds clear of fallen nuts.

But this has finally ended. One day Neni’s father told Pakcik that they would now cease preparing nasi dagang on the insistence from their children to see them taking life easy. In our heart we know that the lonely couple yearn to be free to travel up north and everywhere else to be with their beloved daughter and grand-daughter and other children as well.

Yes, this is the end.

We have lost the special nasi dagang, and Almanar’s ground now sees fallen coconuts lying about, more coconuts than the two of us can consume in our life-time. At the same time Almanar is not having as many pupils as in the past. These recent developments give rise to a fresh idea. Almanar will stop functioning as it has been. Twenty years is long enough.

This is the end.




Look at our coconut palms 
And the cattle will be ours one day

We will start something fresh, as an entrepreneur.  New Almanar will be a supermart dealing with whole coconuts, young and old, canned coconut juice and coconut water. We will rear cattle as well, dealing in  whole cows, fresh meat and fresh milk. And once we have learnt enough cooking we will then have Almanar’s own nasi dagang on 7-to-11 basis with fresh young coconut water! Unemployed past Almanar pupils will be given employment priority.

50 years ago on August 28, 1963 
" I have a dream "  Martin Luther King 



Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan.

   

25 comments:

AoP 866929 said...

test

Al-Manar said...

Thank you.
it seems ok now.

naniasda said...

As Salam Pakcik,
You give me a scare Pakcik upon reading 'This is the end', I thought there will not be any new posts from Al-Manar and I can't bear it if another one of my favourite blogger is going into seclusion joining Kata Kama, Cat in Sydney..miss reading their blogs. Is it for real you are going into entrepreneurship? All the best Pakcik in your new venture, I can't help thinking of my youngest son who one day Insha Allah will be following your step but I am sure he won't be doing business with coconuts... hahaha. Take care Pakcik!

kaykuala said...

Dear Pakcik,
I like this tongue-in-cheek style. Hilarious! Yes, it's a whole new industry. It'll take KT by storm! The Petronas guys at Kerteh? will take notice! A new kid on the block making his mark! It'll be giving them a run for their money!

Afterall, oil is depleting in nature. Yes, why not! A coconut to take over from oil!

On a serious note, you can't be serious in calling it a day for Al-Manar! I don't want to think about it!

Hank

mokja said...

the last time in trengganu,I lunched with nasi dagang at the pasar.And back home in Perlis ,tried to find one but to my dismay none could be on par with the one I had there..maybe you could franchise out here . the coconuts too are welcomed.They are quite expensive here.
May Allah bless you pakcik.
Please do not end writing your thoughts..its a pleasure reading them.

abdulhalimshah said...

Dear Pakcik,
It will be a sad day to see the end of Al-Manar although for every beginning there will be an end. Your institution is a monument to humanity and it shall live as long as there are the needy who are the less-fortunates requiring a helping hand to face the challenge.
I have no problem when I click the right place. Sorry to draw your attention to my silly mistake.

Pak Idrus said...

Pokcik Hassan, Congratulation on your new enterprise of which I could only dream. Waiting for that Nasi Dagang.

Have a nice day Sir and take care.

Al-Manar said...

Naniasda,
Walaikumussalaam.
Don't you ever believe me being an
entrepreneur. I just do what Maakcik tells me to do! I am lucky as it is, not having to crack my mind to decide what to do.

I am sorry too having lost a few bloggers like those you have in mind. It is a pity to see them stop - perhaps just a kind of breather. They are people who have experience to write about in a casual and delightful manner.

Al-Manar said...

Hank,

We cannot be too serious in life, Hank. We stop and stare, leap and laugh. What do I do with my spare time without visiting blogs?

You mentioned Petronas and oil. Do you realise that I was involved in petroleum business before Petronas was conceived, years before birth?

One day there will be a haiku on cocont water, cooconut shell, even coconut head.

Panjang umur blog terus bersambung.

Al-Manar said...

Mokjadeandell,

That girl I wrote about is now living and working with husband in Perlis. Do not be surprised the parents will migrate and set up that special nasi dagang there.

Do you have a specially disguised blog somewhere? Please email me about it. I promise to keep it to myself. To my Almanar pupils I would say " I'll give you 5 cents if you can do the sum right,"

Al-Manar said...

AHS,

I was truly stunned by your message. I got hold of a person likely to help and told me that there seemed to be no problems, hence the 'test' message above.

As I said above I would not know what useful thing I could do with my spare time without blogging some of my thoughts.

Thank you your concert. A friend in need is a friend indeed.

Al-Manar said...

Pak Idrus.

I am, afraid I will have to continue if I ever dream of being as close as possible to your current blogging record - beyond my dream!

Carry on blogging, my friend.

Unknown said...

Assalamualaikum Pakcik,

It's been a while. Personally, I had mixed feelings reading this piece. You did gave me a scare! However, wishing you all the best in the new venture. You have given so much and the best for so many souls. May Allah protect you with the best always.

MamaTim said...

Assalam Pakcik, insyaaAllah whatever we set to do, so long as we're ikhlas, Allah swt will take good care of us, I truly believe in this.

And you being you, insyaAllah whatever you choose to do, you'll excel.

Al-Manar said...

Haslinda,

For a while I thought you had disappeared for good. As I said I will have to continue doing what I have been doing. My hope is to see your blog reactivated. Salaam to you

Al-Manar said...

Mama Tim,

No, I will not leave what I have been doing. I thought the way I put it was clearly a kind of a joke, nothing more.

By the way I find it difficult to leave comments on your blog. It could be just the old problem if you remember.

Uncle said...

Membaca mengenai nasi dagang mengingatkan saya sewaktu belajar di dungun dulu.

Al-Manar said...

Uncle,

Saya tak tahu yang Uncle pernah belajar di Dungun - munkin UITM agaknya.

Dimana mana pun ada Nasi dagang di pantai timur, cuma rasa munkin berlainan terutama antara Terengganu dan Kelantan. DiKL pun dah ada semua ini.

Al-Manar said...

Shakirin Al-Ikram

I must apologise for having inadvertently cancelled your comments.

You made an interesting suggestion that relates to Islamic Education and something like ‘P3M’ which I did not understand. Of course it will involve a lengthy explanations and questions which cannot be done through blog comment box. Would you please e-mail me about the subject you had in mind? My email address is on my Profile page.

Once again I must apologise for my hasty action resulting in your missing comments. This had happened a couple of times before, including deleting my whole blog.

Omong Mak Long..... said...

Assalamualaikum Pakcik,

I hardly write any comment on your blog but I love reading them .. whatever you wrote. "This is the end" hmmm are you serious?

A new coconut oil industry! I love the thought and idea.. You know, staying merantau away from home I use canned coconut milk imported from Thailand all the time in my cooking. I am not surprise one of these days I will see one that come from Trengganu on the market. Made in Malaysia!

Al-Manar said...

Omong Mak Long

Walaikum Salaam

There are times I like to be less serious, writing casually hoping my readers would take a break from my normal favourite topics - children, children and more children.

I value your visits and this particular comment. Thank you; and of course I would be flattered to see more. I do blog-hopping on as and when basis and ,as a rule, I leave commments where I often find interesting entries to read. It is a lkind of 'thank you'.

Living in two continents fadscinates me. A number of your entries leave me wondering, but I cannot reach you with qiuestions without your email address. Anyway, welcome to Almanar. You are free to seek more information by email (shown on my Profile page )

Al-Manar said...

Shakirin Al-Ikram,

Your comments touch on certain topics I try to avoid posting as a rule. Please do not feel offended. I talk about those matters privately with friends but as a rule I do not allow myself that freedom in my blog. Hope you understand. I will wait for your mail which you promised. You have the freedom to write freely there.

Your interest in charity work is quite exceptional, I must say.

Salaam to you.

zafi said...

salamz Pakcik,

I am sorry for not visiting your blog for quite some time.. :D Now back to blogging again.. haha

I have no opportunity yet to try nasi dagang since got back... I should go and visit you in Terengganu aiming to get the best one. :P

take care pakcik

Al-Manar said...

Zafi,

Waalaikum Salaam,

It is nice to see you back. I wonder if you have been away or just too busy. Yes, come to KT for a good nasi dagang, if you enjoy that. Not every one does.

ninotaziz said...

I miss the nasi dagang. And I would love some fresh coconut drink...