End of the tunnel (Pt 11) – No more nasi dagang

Note: This is a belated posting with Pacik’s apology to Neni in particular.

The traditional 'telor merah' of Terengganu wedding.

“ Pakcik, anak anak tak beri kita berkedai lagi ( my children would not allow us to operate the stall any longer)”

That was uttered by a fine lady soon after the wedding of her daughter whom we all call ‘Neni’ lovingly - befitting her personality. Neni is no longer that shy little girl who joined Almanar tuition class twelve years ago. She is today not only a qualified nurse but also one lucky guy’s wife.


Neni’s mother was the best nasi dagang cook in our vicinity. For years and years she was the one who would prepare nasi dagang for our Hari Raya and our other special occasions. We would not dream of placing orders from another person. Until the intervention of her children she and her husband had been operating a road- site stall that we often frequented for her nasi dagang. We had to be early to beat the crowd unless, as we often did, we called their house the previous evening to keep whatever quantity we wanted.

Today this lady can draw a sigh of relief that her children chose to stop her and husband from working so hard. She used to be up at unearthly hours, as early as two to start cooking. Her main regret was their inability to attend the morning (subuh) prayers at a surau nearby together with their village community. Now that is all over. She and husband can enjoy the community life. With his husband’s pension and children’s contribution they are living a happy life which they deserve, having raised their children to be better educated than they were themselves.

We are sad to miss our best nasi dagang but our joy is greater, that the parents enjoy a leisurely life and, above all, our Neni has a career and has started to have her own family. Perhaps, her next visit to see us, as she often did, she not only bring her smiling face but her man plus a child. Insya Allah.

This is a typical joy that compensates for Pakcik’s occasional frustrations – to see that all is not wasted.


Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan

Awang Goneng Reminisces – (Pt 16) – True Life is Stranger than Fiction

As a comment on ( ‘Pakcik’s Number 3 Reminisces - Pt15) Awang Goneng chose to relate something personal, an incident that is common to all of us. We tend to dismiss a coincidence without a second thought. Awang Goneng says his new book (A Map of Trengganu) is devoted to what he claims as ‘strange phenomena of memory and strange encounter. I, for one, am sure to be looking forward this second book of his after the success of his first. Here goes what he wrote to Pakcik:

-----------------------

Dear Abang Ngah,

What a lovely story. But is this the Amran I used to know in Chapel Side, W2? If so I have some photographs of him taken even before he met his mother-in-law to be.

Coincidence and memory are wonderful things. Since I started writing I have seen them collide, shaping the way I think in many different ways. In fact most of the foreword to my new book (A Map of Trengganu) is devoted to this strange phenomena of memory and strange encounters.

About twenty years ago, when travelling on the Circle Line tube on the way home from work, I sensed that the person in front was studying me very closely. I ignored him and immersed my face in a book. He leant forward and asked, "Wan Hulaimi?" I looked up and said immediately, "Oh my God, it's you Ken!" Ken and I were in the same tutorial group at University about five years earlier. He gave me his card - he was now a solicitor - and we promised to meet again for lunch. We never did.

Two years later, I left my job and had to look for a new accommodation. We thought it would be cheaper in the long run for us to buy rather than rent. We needed a solicitor for the conveyancing work, so naturally I thought of Ken, phoned him up, and he took the task immediately. Time for the exchange of contracts. Ken phoned me up to tell me about the deposit (a few thousand in those days). "Give me a couple of days, Ken, " I said. "I'll send you a cheque."

"No rush," said Ken. "I've already paid it for you."

It has been many years now but looking back at it I still find it quite incredible. A person I'd not seen for many years suddenly appearing out of the blue, to give us a bridging loan, and we weren't even best buddies at university. Was it a coincidence or was he sent to us for that purpose?

------------------
PAKCIK’S COMMENTS.

Mi, it was not AMRAN you were familiar with in Chapel Side. That was indeed my Number 3 but was better associated with “ ------- pudding and pie” !

As for the photographs I myself would like copies to extort him with! You know that he has all daughters, three of them, whom he calls his ‘Charlie’s Angels’. There was an indication to that effect – meeting the would-be MIL first. So he can still hope for boys because he did meet his would-be FIL later.

Thank you for sharing this with us and I am sure many who have read Awang Goneng would welcome your ‘A Map of Trengganu’. Abang Ngah am more familiar with that TRENgganu than the artificial TERENgganu!

Incidentally, is Zaharah not doing something with her collections? Salaam from to her and the kids (which they are as I remember them) from Kak Mah dan Abang Ngah.

Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan

Pakcik's Number 3 Reminisces ( Pt 15) - True Life is Stranger than Fiction

Reading Pakcik’s reminiscence (Pt 14) my No 3 was reminded of an uncanny incident, noted it down and passed it to Pakcik as part of his comments. I am inclined to post this as a new entry. Here is what he wrote to Pakcik:

------------

1993

Seventeen years ago in 1993, Mdm Quah, who came from Penang, was in London for a short stop-over whilst on the way to the US to see her daughter. In London, she went to Flat 5, Queensgate Terrace to drop off a package for one of her friend’s daughters. When she arrived at the ground floor apartment, she found nobody home. So, she went up a flight of stairs and knocked on the door of the first apartment she saw. A malay boy happened to open the door. Mdm Quah explained to the boy that she was there to leave a package for someone living on the ground floor.

“ I wonder if I could ask you to pass this to her,” pleading for a simple favour.

“ But of course, Madam. That’s no trouble at all,” replied the Malay boy, picking up the small package from the Chinese lady. With a smile she looked at the boy’s face and thanked him earnestly.

That evening the boy dutifully passed the package to its owner on the ground floor.

That was a little incident, an insignificant footnote in both Mdm Quah’s and the boy’s life; in anyone’s life for that matter. Two complete strangers meeting for a very fleeting moment, both in a place far far away from home

2009

Fifteen years later after a normal family dinner I was having a casual conversation with my mother in law. I had just returned from Chicago on business and so we were exchanging travel stories. She was reminded of her trip to the US many years ago. She had had a stop-over in London.

Then she began to reminisce of what she did in London, including a visit to a block of flats on Queensgate to pass a small package to a friend’s daughter.

“Oh,” I said, “what a coincidence, I used to live there when I was studying at Imperil College.”

She said that her friend’s daughter was not in. As it was not easy to get there again, she walked up the stairs and gave a knock on the first door she saw.
“Oh, “I said again, “I used to live on the first floor.”

She then said a Malay boy popped his head out. So, she thought it was safe to ask a fellow Malaysian to hand the package over to the girl, she went on to relate her story.

At that instance, it all clicked – London … Queensgate ….1993 ….. a Chinese lady from Malaysia …. a package … for the girl on the ground floor … ?”

Oh, I said ….. My mouth went agape as the realization hit me. “ So it was you, Ma! “

“ ..and you, Amran!” was all that my Chinese mother in law could say, realizing too what truly happened fifteen years ealier.

We looked at each other silently for what seemed a long few minutes. We both realized, at the very same instant, that we had met before.

I met my wife’s mother even before I had met my wife! I only met my wife-to-be a good two years later after I had graduated and returned back to KL.

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PAKCIK’S COMMENTS:

Is there such thing as coincidence, that a thing happens without a reason?
Here I referred my No 3 to the Quranic Surah Yunus in connection with the creation of the planetary system (ayat 5 , part of which is shown below ).




Muhammad Asad’s understanding of this was :

“ …………. None of this has God created without (inner truth). Clearly does He spell out these messages unto people of (innate) knowledge.”

Mohammad Asad added the following explanatory notes in relation to the above Quranic verse:

“ …………. implying that everything in this universe – whether existent or potential or abstract – is meaningful, and nothing is ‘accidental’ ……..”

Unfortunately, we do not possess the faculty to understand all the “messages”, but that should not stop us from thinking.

No 3 met his wife’s mother years before he met his wife-to-be and Pakcik met her much later. And all these ending with Malcik and Pakcik acquiring a charming daughter-in-law from a Chinese family, one I never dreamed of and bargained for but one we are all very grateful to Allah for. Who can we account for all these to have happened?


Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan

Pakcik Reminisces ( Pt 14 ) – With prayers in my heart

Today, Saturday 01. 01. 1011


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1956 diary

Pakcik can never look back to read certain entries in my old dairies without tears in my eyes. So much water has gone under the bridge and all has been well for me. How appropriate it was that I chose Quranic Surah 95 / Ayat 4 as the opening line for that year’s diary.

Sunday 1st January1956 – fifty-five years ago today

And the first line of the new year's entry reads:

Muhammad Asad gave the following interpretation :

“ Verily, We create man in the best conformation. ( ie endowed with all the positive qualities, physical as well as mental, corresponding to the functions which this particular creature is meant to perform )”

Having started the new page thus, Pakcik followed it with a personal prayer, in Arabic, which roughly means :

“ O God, please bless me in the coming year and the years ahead of me.
O God, please endow me with goodness, physically and morally.
O God, please let me be one of those who worship you with their hearts, not just in words.
Indeed you have created me, and so allow me to be one with faith, devotion and success.
And grand me an end after charitable work.”

-----------------
The following entry in English followed the opening prayers.

“ It almost makes me delirious when I think of Post School Cert Class. Late as it is for the result of the entrance exam to come, I am yet certain that it WILL come, and it will always be in my favour. It is always my feeling that the Almighty will never disappoint me, for my desire is pure..”

------------------------------

That was 55 years ago – I had just sat for the Cambridge School Certificate Exam ( the Form 5 exam ) followed by a much dreaded entrance examination for entry into the Higher School Certificate Class ( the Form 6 ).

How pleased I am today to be able to play back and listen to the old cries in my heart, of worry and hope. I realise today the prayers on my first day of new year 56 years ago were answered and I was able to successfully ride over my share of ups and downs in life.

And today, yet another new year, I wonder with humility why, 56 years ago, I chose to end my personal prayers, begging that HE would grant me the end of my term with servitude to humanity. It does appear what I have been doing the last 17 years is the realisation of what I prayed for 55 years ago.Praise be to HIM.

Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan.

P/S

To ex and present Almanar pupils.

It appear strange that I usually encourage you to reassess your year's performance and start a new year with a set of resolutions. Pakcik, on the other hand, sat back woth prayers in my heart on New Year's day. Either way, resolutions or prayers must be followed with continuous efforts in earnest without which it is just an exercise in futility.

Pakcik

Stop press – Partial PMR results

Right now I am out of town after telling pupil that Almanar would be closed for one week (Pakcik’s turn to have a break too!). All faces grinned at the announcement. And today PMR results were out. A few children have been in touch with Pakcik – naturally the ones with better results!

After enjoying that papaya, the ‘peace offering’ a few days ago, Pakcik am now riding on the cloud nine.

Results known thus far:

FIVE girls are known to have obtained 8A’s, and at least one with 7A’s. Syukur.

I have nothing more to say – not ashamed to admit that my eyes are literally brimming with tears - This is it, my share of joy, my rewards.

Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan.

--------------------------

P/S Note for Almanar pupils.

Pakcik ucapkan taniah kepada semua yang meduduki PMR. Janganlah kecewa kalaupun bilangan ‘A’ tidak memuaskan. Biarlah apa yang kita dapat kali ini menjadi durongan buat lebih berusaha. Bukan ‘A’ yang menentukan rezeki dan kebahgian kita dimasa depan.

Percayalah kepada NYA dan kudrat NYA.

And finally - A peace offering!

After class this morning I walked to my house just across the road to find a huge papaya waiting on the front doorstep and smiling at me. It was a huge one.



As the size was rather unusual I put it on a scale and, lo and behold, it weighed all of THREE kg. That should be enough for my three meals a day for three days!

Someone knew how to cheer me up, and that I needed it. It is unlikely that any one would confess to this attempted ‘bribery’!

Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan

They are coming back – Plus bonus

It has been raining on and on and the sea is very heavy. Some people in the state have been evacuated as flood water is beginning to rise. But this morning Pakcik had a pleasant surprise. Compared to just nine all-girls there were seventeen children in class this morning, 14 girls and 3 BOYS. Their faces lacked cheerfulness reflecting the gloomy sky outside.



And the bonus was a new boy, Armin.



Armin is very special to me, being the FIFTH in her family to attend Almanar. The first four are his elder sisters, three of which have gone for further studies. He is the only boy in his family and one with the best UPSR results – 5As. For the parents to continue the tradition of having their children attending Almanar, it shows a vote of confidence, making it a personal record for Pakcik, credited with five siblings going through this humble tuition class ; the previous record stood at four siblings.

So despite the heavy sea within sight of Almanar, it is class as usual. And Pakcik will plod on.

Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan.

With a sigh ( Pt 4 ) – Do I carry on or call it a day?

“O, no, … only NINE ….?” cried my first little thought when I stepped into my class at Almanar one day last week. Rising to their feet to greet me were just nine pupils, ALL GIRLS. What has become of all the boys?

These were children of 13+ who have completed their standard 6 (UPSR) exam and are waiting to be slotted into the various prestigious secondary schools (the like of MRSM, SBP, Sekolah Integrasi, Sekolah Elit, Sekolah Kelaster, sekolah agama negeri, not to name the private ones as well) or just into the nameless and humble one close to my home.

Almost 50 of these 13+ pupils have enrolled at Almanar for an interim class which I run during this long end-of-the-year school holidays with the aim of helping them to pass their free time in something useful. Of this number there were 15 boys, a creditable percentage.

But that morning there were just 15 and without a single boy!

What has become to the children of this vicinity? This seems to be the trend within the last few years, despite the known increase in population and the visible increase in the number of schools? Are the parents not interested to see their children spend some time usefully during these long holidays? The situation was far better during my earlier years with Almanar.

I say all these WITH A SIGH.

----------------

I had to put aside my feeling of dismay. Life must go on. Among the nine children present that morning were four girls with 5As in UPSR exam. The government of this state has been very proud of the UPSR results, topping other states for several years. So that morning I had a fair share of ‘pelajar pelajar cemerlang’ (excellent pupils).

In the course of doing some simple exercises in English, I asked if anyone could tell me the meaning of the word ‘these’ in a sentence that began with ‘ These words …..’. There was dead silence. Finally, one of the girls with 5As responded by saying that ‘these’ meant ‘berikut’.

What about the meaning of ‘this’ was my next question. All seemed to know ‘ini’. I followed that with the word ‘that’ and ‘those’. That literally drew a blank. At the end a couple of them plucked up the courage to say that they thought both words ‘that’ and ‘those’ meant ‘ini’ as well.

I can quote many examples of the above nature among pupils of higher forms attending Almanar. I may put a small posting on this one day.

Indeed, some may be proud to blow the trumpet over the improved performance of our children in English.

But I can only DRAW A SIGH.

Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan.

------------
P/S:
I may not seem to be doing justice to the children elsewhere, especially in the urban areas. But I say what I have been seeing the last sixteen years in the area where I am. The social ills among school children, mat rempit, stealing, house-breaking, drug addiction, birth outside wedlock etc keep gaining prominence, and they are very real and frightening indeed.

Moment to Reflect (Pt 2) - The FOAM - Truth or Vanity

The year 1431 is coming to and end. I ought to post something appropriate for the occasion.

I have just written a philosophical aspect of my coconut watch, the ageing and dying generation and the young ones ready to take over. How about the sea, the old timeless ocean? It has a lot to offer.

Within these couple of weeks what is more prominent is the incessant sound of waves beating the shore day in and day out. This is a normal annual event and as I have already settled down here for nearly two decades, the sound from the sea no longer bothers nor disturbs me and my sleep. Instead it becomes a welcome background to this otherwise quiet environment. It is music to the ear to wake up in the middle of the night hearing the rhythmic sound and imagining the rollers rushing ashore unleashing themselves with force onto the vast expense of the sandy beach, sweeping it smooth and clean.

Accordingly, armed with my small camera I walked over to the beach at the back of my home to watch the wonderful, at times fearsome scene of the marvel of nature, the magic of His creation especially when the Monsoon wind blows hard from the vast South China Sea. I was fully aware that somewhere down town, twenty odd kilometers away, some people were absorbed and excitedly watching the glory of man-created Monsoon Cup battle now being held off the coast of the City of Warisan Persisiran Pantai.

As expected the sea was rough, not as rough as it should be when the time comes, but a far cry from one’s picture of a peaceful scene on the beach. There I stood all alone watching the ocean drama. I was not disappointed. Each time a series of waves unrolled themselves at full speed the end result was a vast sheet of white foam covering the whole stretch of the beach - yes, the FOAM. Think about it, the beautiful clean white foam, the froth, the bueh. What has Quran got to say about his?







From my copies of Quranic tafsir I picked up two, one of Pustaka Imam Asy-syafi’i’s Tafsir Ibnu Kathir, and the other of Abdallah Yousuf Ali. I had the verse I wanted written on a white and photographed it. It is part of ayat 17 from Surah 13 ( Al Ra’d )





Pustaka Imam Asy-stafi’i’s Tafsir Ibnu Kathir :

“…..Demikianlah Allah memisalkan kebenaran dan kebathilan. Dan adapun bueh itu akan hilanglah dengan sia-sia, adapun yang memberi manfa’at kedapa manusia, maka tinggallah dia di bumi. Demikianlah Allah membuat perumpamaan-perumpamaan.”

Abdallah Yousuf Ali’s :
“ ……Thus doth God (by parables) show forth Truth and Vanity. For the scum disappears like froth cast out; While that which is for the good of mankind remains on the earth. Thus doth God set firth parables.”

This is what I wish to leave to my readers to see and sleep over. Watch the beauty of Quranic parable of truth and vanity (Yousuf Ali ), kebenaran dan kebatilan (Ibnu Kathir) – the momentary beauty of fresh, white foam (froth or bueh) adorning the beach.

Happy maal Hijrah. May the New Year ,1432 be a rewarding year to my dear visitors and ex-Alamanar pupils, wherever you may be.

Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan.

Pakcik Reminisces (Part 13) - Generations

This picture was taken on the recent Hari Raya Qurban showing a grand old lady and one of her great grand children - the most senior and the youngest in my family.

She is 87 and the little girl is just two, making them 85 years apart, spanning four generations. In the Merdeka year of 1957, my mother-in-law lost her husband. She was 34 and the father-in-law I never met was 39. And since then, for 53 years, she has lived a single mother, raising her four children, and now enjoying seeing her great grandchildren howling and shrieking around. How I wish I had met the man she loves all her life, the man who left a simple book TIGA BERADIK Di-ENGLAND, publishe in 1954, recording in simple children’s language, the family’s sea voyage to England where he was among the first lecturers at the Malayan Teachers’ Training College, Kirkby.

I have gone through materials left by my father-in-law ( the person I never met) and I cannot help feeling certain that I would have loved this man as I love my own father. We have many things in common. But life is never that simple. Who are we to have all the wishes we fancy. I have often told my other half that had her father lived long enough the chances were that I would have never met her at all, and the life we cherish today would never have been there in the first place.

That is life, perfectly destined, sculptured and shaped by the Greatest Creator.

-
How often I look towards the sea from our bed room window, watch the old and young coconut palms and philosophise on life. The old trees are truly very old. A number have rotted away beginning from the top, first losing their leaves followed by sections of their stems blown down by the wind. And finally the bottom section would just fall to the ground. They have served mankind in so many ways.

I cannot imagine there is another plant on earth which can equal a coconut palm. Its uses and usefulness are so numerous and varied from its stem to leaves; from making a temporary bridge for crossing to brooms for sweeping the floor and ground; from preparation of foods and drinks to medicine. Indeed it is a plant created for service, for life.

---------------

Every so often I ask my pupils to watch a coconut tree and think of the answer to a simple question. How on earth so much water can rise all the way up the solid trunk to as high as 160 ft or more to fill up the nuts? An engineer would have to work out the size of a pump to send water to the top of 16 storey building and can never be sure the pump will never fail. What is the perfect mechanism we take for granted used by this palm? Look at the stems and watch how they bend in the strongest of wind - and I have never seen one break. Look at the roots and see how they grip the sandy beaches to remain anchored.


The picture above shows an old plant, without its top. Coincidentally it is about 87 years old, the age of my beloved mother-in-law. At the end of its life a years ago its height was not less than 170 ft, higher than its younger sister standing nearby.

By comparison look at the small figure of a form 5 girl standing at the base. The tree is about 17 times taller, still healthy, occasionally throwing down a nut or two.

Not far from the dead tree a section of its fallen stem lies not far from a young plant, a new generation ready to grow and take over the duty.

As Pakcik ‘struts and frets his hour upon the stage’ he looks at the coconut trees and wonder how, blown and forced to bend in all directions, they keep serving mankind ‘to the last syllable of recorded time’. Yet we despite being the best of creation ( .. ahsani taqwim... of Surah 95, ayat 5) often fail to observe and learn to be a little selfless.

Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan

Pakcik Reminisces ( Part 12 ) – Oh my God, what am I eating - Section (i)?

News from
BUSINESS TIMES
Published: 2010/09/07
-----------------------------

JOM MAKAN TO OPEN THIRD OUTLET AT UK VARSITY

By Sharen Kaur
Jom Makan, will open its third outlet in the UK on September 27 at the Loughborough University.

The opening represents a major coup for the Malaysian restaurant brand as it will be the first full-fledged Malaysian food outlet to operate in a PRESTIGIOUS CAMPUS in the UK.

With an annual STUDENT POPULATION of 25,000, Jom Makan will introduce the Malaysian dining experience that will impact the future international working population for Malaysian cuisine.

Jom Makan serves fast, fresh Malaysian food of the traditional and hawker vendor styles with a fusion touch.


It will offer HALAL MEALS to the students, the Muslim community and general public in the Nottingham, Liecestershire and Loughborough areas.

Mohd Zuhri Abdullah, the managing director of Jom Makan in the UK, said he is proud to open a third outlet in the region and serve healthy and tasty Malaysian meals in a prestigious campus.

"(The) Loughborough University is an exciting new site for us and great news for the thousands of students who will be given the opportunity to sample real Malaysian food at a great price right on campus," Mohd Zuhri said in a statement.

"With the third outlet, we believe it will open up spin-off opportunities," he said.

Mohd Zuhri said pricing of the Malaysian dishes at the university will be more affordable than at commercial restaurants in London.

The first Jom Makan outlet opened at Pall Mall East near Trafalgar Square in June 2008, followed by the second outlet at Westfield Shopping Centre in White City in October 2009.

--------------------------

Business Times had the above item published but I do not read Business Times. In my part of the world if I need to read the nst daily, I would have to drive to a newsagent who only gets his supply by about 11 am – sorry, no home deliveries available! Fortunately, knowing that this news item would be of interest to me, a close friend had it e-mailed.

Having read the news I am pleased to see that Loughborough is, first of all, regarded as a perstigious campus with an annual population of 25,000. During my time it was not as populous 55 years ago. But it had the pride of having students from 52 countries in the world, for which reason the Club of International Students played a role then. I know that because I had the honour of being its Secretary for two years.

Then, secondly, Loughborough now has a Malaysian restaurant serving Halal meals.

Yes my memory flashed back 55 years, yes indeed, back to 1956/57. As I am putting this down I see in my mind’s eye the campus, the cold foundry where I was made to work in the freezing winter, the heated swimming pool where I enjoyed my swim in mid-December, the many tennis courts, the town hall, the beautiful falling leaves in the park, the early spring cherry blossoms along Forest Road, the famous bell making factory in town, the forest up the Beacon Hill where the young went loitering in summer.
And the misery of not having Malayan food.

And today, half a century later, Jom Makan is serving HALLAL Malaysian meals!

And I remmber today how I struggled to suppress my craving for what resembled Malayan. For that, every so often and all alone, I would board a bus to take me to Leicester city about 25 km away. Two shop corners away from the bus station was an Indian restaurant. Did it serve hallal food? I did not wish to know as it did not matter if what I wished to have was simply some rice and prawn curry, none of the exotic chicken and meat dishes. I wanted some real rice (not the English rice pudding) and the taste of spices. Then, half an hour later, satisfied, a lonely young man I was, walked back to the station and boarded another bus home - until the next time, I promised myself.

Then the opening of a Chinese restaurant in this very English town was news among the Hong Kong students – the first oriental restaurant, can you believe it? They all talked and were excited about it. To me it meant rice for certain. Feeling somewhat generous I pulled my friend from Nigeria aside.

“Paul, how about some fried rice for lunch?” I knew Paul Emirinini was game for anything. When he grinned, the set of white teeth would seem whiter against the shiny dark face, a charming fellow.

So it was to be simple Chinese fried rice with egg and marshroom. I was certain that, without asking too many questions, it should be ‘safe’ enough. Yes we sat down comfortably talking and enjoying the dish when among the egg pieces a few fine cubes of pale reddish substance caught my attention.“Oh my God, what am I eating?” I asked myself, yet knowing it too well even without beeing told what those fine pieces were; and without alarming my guest I stopped, calling the waiter for some desserts to follow.

No I will never ever forget that incident` half a century ago. Living in that kind of environment I learnt to rationalise in order to console myself and to survive - Prophet Muhammad asked the Arabs to travel all the way east to China to seek knowledge, and I took the opposite direction, but for the same purpose. Surely God is most forgiving.

( to be continued in part ii )

Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan.

Awnag Goneng Kita Pulak Buat Pasa - His comment on Halloween or Monsoon?

Our celebrated modern writer on old/ancient Terengganu, Awang Goneng, himself enjoying the beautiful autumn far away from his monsoon stricken state, has chosen to send the following comment. I am sure many would want to share his genuine Terengganu-speak. This time he goes poetic, perhaps the fore-runner of his future works. It would be interesting to see our readers, the like of Ninotaziz, try translating this into English. I am sure many would like to have the following ‘translated’ into ‘bahasa baku’ in the first instance. As usual this blog encourages healthy exchange of views. I welcome volunteers.
-------------------------

Comment By Awang Goneng ;

Muséng jo'ong mari döh O Mèk,
bila burong ciök dök bbunyi cèk-cèk
pasir rebih ttepi pata, ömbök parök
Ikang pong takdök ssèkör d'lauk

Döh nök wak guane O wok aku sayang
Kita makang pucok je lah cicöh garang
Takdi Mök mung gi ppasör Keda Payang
Cari ikang takdök ssèkör sebutér harang

Tohok gök ubi setököl ddalang bara tu Song,
Biar garing ddalang api ceröh museng jo'ong
Kita minung kawe denge ubi cicöh gula
pah tu kita dengör bangsawang d'udara

Ggininglah bila hujang turong ssining
Habis ketör anak beranok, laki bining
Mung batok köh-köh, aku pong bereséng
Dengör sayu anjing nyallok Ppula Kambéng

Nök ccöcök ttanang pong aku dök reti
Badang letéh aku dök rök göhék tèksi
Kita gi ppanggong Sultana bila malang
Ada nasib buléh tèngök cerita hindustang

Ggitulah le ning basöh jjerok
Dok ngökkör bbawöh atap nipöh burok
Nök bèkki takdök ppitih setarang habok
Tunggulah bila ikang mari balik d'lauk
Tue Nov 02, 09:18:00 PM
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Pakcik's Response

Pakcik cannot let this go without a response. I am afraid I have none of the skills to produce anything creditable, let alone in genuine Terengganu-speak.

Aku pegi Pasar Batu Nang
Nak cari ikang
Oloh Mok Mu nok tahu
Semme ikang bbau

Ikang kerapu mate merah nynyala
Penoh lalak ijaa atah ppale
Aku tanye bakpe jjadi ggitu
Die rowak molek tahang seminggu

Keda hak se lagi jjua kembong
Semme napak perok bucik kembong
Aku tanye die jawab sombong
Tu sebab panggey ikang kembong

Kalu mu nak hak molek
Ambik hak dalang kotok pelastik
Buke tudong aku nok tengok
Ikang jerok bbau macang orang berak

Aku teringak pulak Pula Kambing
Lerni ade tepak jjua ikang
Dulu dulu aku tekenang llaki ppuang
Jalang jalang maing ujang.

Orang ppuang bawak payong
Belah atah Kering kkutong
Bawah basah sampa ppunggong ttonggeng
Orang llaki ketawe pecah keng

Mu Awang Goneng dudok jauh di inglang
Mari balek Ttanjung
Lame sangak dok ngeri orang
Habih rumah ambik kerajaang

Kata orang
Ujang mah nggeri orang
Tak same nggeri tngganu
Ade Aer bah ade budu


Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk memanusiaan

From Teng Teng Teng to Wan Toteng - Halloween Or Monsoon ?

Yes, from Teng Teng Teng ( 10.10.10) we move to Wan Toteng (01.02.10)

Pakcik Googled to get what Halloween is. Here it goes:

‘Halloween (or Hallowe'en) is an annual holiday observed on October 31, primarily in Canada, Ireland, the United States and the United Kingdom. It has roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian holiday All Saints' Day, but is today largely a secular celebration.
The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.’

I am not in the least interested in the Haloween. But during my younger days I happened to be among the community who celebrated the Halloween night., the end of summer and the beginning of winter. So in a way Halloween is not altogether something foreign to me.

Right now, however, I want to write about Monsoon, the end of a hot spell and the beginning of rainy season with wind and salty air. That is as far as the similarity goes between HaloWEEN and MonSOON – from summer into winter, from hot spell into wet season.
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Just past midnight I woke up from my sleep last night hearing the sound of window panes vibrating in the wind, and the continuous droning sound of waves hitting the sand. I knew too well what that meant, the arrival of monsoon ( musim tengkojah )on the East Coast of peninsular. If tonight is the Halloween, last night seems to herald the arrival of our wet season.




True to my expectation the sun never showed its face all day today. The sky was totally covered in layers upon layers of grey clouds and the rain came down in drizzles all day long. In between the drizzled I ran out through the gate of my backyard to take some shots of the grey sea. Waves, moving with increasing speed, unrolled themselves onto the sandy beach spreading sheets of white froth far and wide. I turned to look to the tops of coconut palms lining the beach. As expected their leaves were being swept landwards in the wind which was blowing hard from the north east direction - the forerunner of the famous North East Monsoon, my winter without snow.






While I now enjoy the cool wet weather of monsoon my heart bleeds for the men whose livelihood depends on the generosity of the sea. I know for sure some of them are fathers of my pupils. It is a painful time for them. And tonight, after more than nine months of hot weather, I will not have to switch on the aircon in my bedroom to enjoy my sleep. And the ghosts of Halloween are enjoying themselves playing and singing in the rain.

Such is life.

Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan

End of the tunnel (Pt 10) - With love from Bandung - Fara

I sat wondering what subject should be chosen for my next posting when the following message appeared on the screen:

“ Salam …….
Pakcik, just dropping by to share some good news. Yesterday was the day I officially graduated with a degree, alhamdulillah, after 4 years. I’ll be heading home by December, looking forwards to meet you and makcik.
Lots of love from Bandung.”

-------------------------

That is from Fara Waheda who hails from the fishing community of my neighbourhood. Here is another lass I admire and am proud of. She will now return to Malaysia as a graduate in pharmacy, a pride for her family and the community as a whole.

In response to her message I have this to say to her:

Dear Fara,

Makcik and Pakcik congratulate you on your success.

It does not seem such a long time ago when you first stepped into Almanar. You were not happy with the facility at the boarding school you enrolled yourself a couple of months earlier. You had a mind of your own and decided to join a day school instead. Almanar was more than happy to accept you for extra tuition.

I do not easily forget how you strived to be among the best.

I do not forget that easily when you were faced with personal problems and accepted a shoulder to cry on.

And after all these difficult years you are leaving Bandung behind to return home qualified, hopefully ready to serve. You are an asset to your family in the first instance and to the community at large. Challenging times are ahead. Life is never that simple. Bur I know you have learnt that over the years. Perhaps one day Batu Rakit may yet see its first chemist’s, owned and managed by one belonging to its community.

We look forwards to seeing you, Fara.

Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan

P/S

I regret not having your photograph to accompany this entry. We will put it right when you are home later. We will record you cheerful smiling face.

Teng Teng Teng – My mission accomplished

The newly wed couple - Hazrilullah and Zuriana

Hazri, the subject of my series, End Of The Tunnel (Pt 2) series, sent the following comment:

“ Pakcik,

Teng Teng Teng . At last, my mission has been accomplished.

Hazri Hazmi ”



Yes, indeed, this qualified mechanical engineer has accomplished his mission – acquiring himself not just a career but also a life partner.

Pakcik and Makcik attended their wedding reception last Saturday, Oct 16th. The whole kampong were there to celebrate the occasion. Sadly the one who most wanted to see his son end the family’s fisherman saga was not there. Ironicall, his grave lies a stone’s throw from the house. To him we offer Al-Fatihah, and to the newly married couple we wish a happy and successful married life with equally successful children to start another mission.


Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan

Teng Teng Teng - Mission accomplished

It is ten, ten, ten ( 10/10/10) with a ‘g’

When the bell tolls, time is up and we have to drop our pens. We did what we could and now we wait to know what there is in store for us.

--------------------------

On hearing the death of her father I drove to their house barely five kilometers away to join the ‘sembahyang mayat’, the last thing I could possibly do for someone I had known for several years. His eldest child, Syuhada and a younger brother are ex-Almanar pupils.

I arrived somewhat early. As I was waiting for the rest to come I sat quietly looking at the plants in the grounds of the house. A clump of banana trees caught my sight. Some ten years earlier the man of the house gave us a young plant from that clump. I had it planted near our house and that had grown, multiplied many times over, giving us beautiful Pisang Abu, especially good for frying and making‘pengat’. I remembered admiring this clump of banana plants the first time I was in this house. Today the same spot still had banana plants. The old ones had long gone replaced by younger ones. Funny, I thought, how banana plants kept generating themselves. But the one I brought home had not produced healthy young ones like the ones I was looking at now. Perhaps the man of the house knew how to do it and I did not. But today he had gone. I wondered who would now take over to look after the many plants around the well fenced grounds of this house....

Suddenly I was awakened from my reverie. It was time to say our prayers for the deceased man of the house, the owner of those flourishing banana plants.. Yes, there he was lying motionless and all of us stood in rows to say our prayers, knowing it too well that each and everyone of us would have to go through this moment, no matter what we were, rich or poor, among the proud or trodden low, the lot of us without exception.

I will now continue to have him in my memory with Alfatihah in my heart and a lump in my throat.

------------------

Only four days earlier Syuhada dropped in at Nuri to tell Pakcik and Makcik that she had been called to report for duty on the following Monday. Din of my earlier post was to report for duty as well on the same day and at the same university hospital. Like Din, Syuhada had successfully passed the final exam at the University hospital, a coveted place to work, and she was now a qualified a nurse and din in radiography. More than three years had passed and it seemed not very long ago I sat with her, guiding her how to go about the interview, which she ultimately went through successfully.
We were happy for her and for her family that come Monday she would start working - never for a moment it ever crossed our minds that it would be a fateful Monday.

The Monday came and I told myself that it was truly a memorable day for two of ex-Almanar pupils, reporting for duty on the same day at the same place. There could not be many teachers who could boast of having two ex-pupils achieving this. And this was not all. There were two other ex-Almanar girls who reported for duty here two years ealier, making a total of four ex-Almanar pupils working here. If that is not enough, the fifth one has just been accepted to do a course there (a likely subject of my future posting.)

It was late in the evening of that Monday when I was shocked to receive a short sms from Syuhada – her father had just passed away of a heart attack. Subhanallah. How HE had planned to take away a man at the end of the very day he was happy to know for sure that his beloved daughter had safely reported for duty - satisfied his mission accomplished.

Such is life.
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Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan.

p/s: Unlike Din of my ‘End of the tunnel (pt 9)’ series, Syuhada, for reasons of her family background, does not quite qualify to appear in that series. She belongs to a home in which children have what it needs to develop themselves without handicap.

From Russia With Love - Just a picture

Yes, that is the picture of Hairie, the one sitting on the left. Hasn't he the likeness of a Russian boy ?

For whatever reason I had in mind Pakcik took that picture. The other boy is Faizal about whom I intend to post something shortly. They form a good pair. And I wish them both success, and they will live up to :

Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan

Ninotaziz’s Comment – From Russia With Love

Our visitor, Ninotaziz left a comment to which Pakcik responded. Typical of her, a talented poet, she sees ordinary words and phrases as having special messages. Following that response she left a second comment. Here it is:

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“ Dear Pakcik,

I haven’t heard the phrase Jauhari mengenal manikam for a long long time … it inspired a little pantun here …

http://pantundanselkaninotaziz.com/2010/10/jauhari-mengenal-manikam.html “

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With Ninotaziz’s permission, here is her short pantun in three languages:

“ Jauhari mengenal manikam

Jauhari mengenal manikam
Bersinar di atas baldu
Kaca memancar lagi manikam
Menyusuk hati palsu

Jauhari tidak tertipu

The Diamond

The diamond bedazzles
Upon dark velvet
Yet the shining crystals
Hoaxed all wallets

But not the king’s jeweler …

Le Diamant

Le diamante brille
Sur de velours sombre
Pourtant, les cristaux aussi
Berne tout le monde

Mais ce n’est pas le roi bijoutier …”

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Thank you, Ninotaziz. Fifty years ago Pakcik might have tried to put that into Arabic!


Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan

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From Russia With Love

There was a call on my h/p. I picked it up, looked sat its face, and wondered at the number, 0127966xxx1127, an unusually long one.

Before I could open my mouth the voice from the other end came through loud and clear, “Pkcik, kenal sapa ni ?”. And as I was just about to pick out his name from my memory bank the very familiar voice continued excitedly, “ Hairi ni . Dari Moscow,Russia Pakcik. Saya dah sampai …..” (“ This is Hairi from Moscow, Russia. I have just arrived ….”
Yes indeed it was a very pleasant ‘From RussiaWith Love’. It made my
day At the end of the brief conversation he promised to send an e-mail the moment he got his computer and things sorted out.

Hairi, who will feature in my ‘End of the tunnel’ series, was a star performer in last year’s SPM exam, obtaining straight 10A’s. He is today in Moscow, having lost his mother not very long ago, leaving behind a sick father who had just gone through an emergency operation of a burst appendix; and he is determined to be a doctor.

-------------------
That was two days ago. When I opened my laptop this morning I noticed a short message from Hairi, just as he promised.

Salam,,,pak cik,,,
I miss u a lot,,,mak cik also,,,
How are u now???
Now,I am in Moscow, Russia,,,,studying medicine at the First Moscow State Medical University,,,
It is really cold here and I can say that I trembeled like a leaf,,,
the class will start on 15th oct,,,and now,all of us spend our time shopping and visiting somewhere,,,,
Moscow is a beautiful city i....now it is auturm season...so beautiful,,,
Hairie, Moscow..
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Pakcik’s note to Hairi:

How I appreciate your communicating with me so soon.

I know, because you have told me, that in your heart you have a place for Makcik and Pakcik.

Whatever we have done for you is never as important as the value we hope you have learnt of being compassionate and caring for others. You will need this when you have a career of your own one day, insya Allah.

We will always pray for your success, Hairi.

Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan.

Hold on - Is this a hoax?

A regular visitor to this blog kindly forwarded to Pakcik from USA,certain views found in a website called ‘hoax-slayer’. In particular, the circulated message contained in Pakcik’s post under ‘Medical Advice – Pending a heart attack’ was commented upon by a couple of parties, namely the American Heart Association and the Resuscitation Council of UK.

I am duty-bound to mention, even in not so many words, the gist of what the two parties said. Firstly,reference was made to the American Heart Association that "the usefulness of 'cough CPR' is generally limited to monitored patients with a witnessed arrest in the hospital setting".

Secondly, the Resuscitation Council in UK "knows of no evidence that, even if a lone patient knew that cardiac arrest had occurred, he or she would be able to maintain sufficient circulation to allow activity, let alone driving to the hospital".
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I am somewhat relieved that no party implied that the simple method prescribed was wrong or dangerous. The stress was on getting professional help. Yes indeed, we all want professional help. But do we all have access to medical help that readily as in those developed countries?

A doctor I consulted felt that one should not stop trying something after initiating 999, while being driven to hospital or while waiting for the ambulance. “What else is there to do apart from ‘mengucap’ – especially when we still a little bit more time on God’s earth?”

Hasma, a visitor to Pakcik's posting (also a doctor) stressed in her comment the importance of knowing how to dial 999 in emergency situation.

Pill Pusher ( I suspect he is in medical line as well) left the following comment at the end of Pakcik’s posting:

“jgn lupa kunyah dan telan 1 biji aspirin 300mg jugak mase tu (kalau ade kat situ)
Insya-Allah.”

Indeed why shouldn’t we do something recommended by certain people, something not known to be harmful, rather than ‘mengucap’? I am of this view and now I will make sure some aspirin is kept readily available at home as suggested by Pill Pusher. Then, after ‘berikhtiar’ we sit ‘mengucap dan berdoa’.( try all what we can do and rest to say our prayers.)
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