TREASURES BY THE WAYSIDES

Traveling around the country in between family, friend plus work related duties, we have often come across what  can be termed 'treasures': sites , buildings, art pieces and artifacts. They caught our eyes, perhaps because we strained to look for them and halted the very moment they come into sight. Giving them a miss would be a loss at a discovery of a kind. More over they may not be around the second time you come around. Discoveries too pleasantly open avenues that you hardly know before.The camera however is always close at hand.

1.0 Seen somewhere in Perlis

Take this small hut for example. It is solid, steady and protective by its constructive details. It stands a distance away from other buildings but not too far away for the owner to approach it. You may be lucky to come across one, that stands near the main road. This is a 'jelapang' a storage house or a store for keeping rice or padi that has been harvested: guaranteeing the owner sufficient 'subsistence' for the family  and security in times of scarcity and bad times. Of course presently you may find other things stored in it. 

2.0  At Pasir Puteh in Kelantan

Only last week we were at a village in the Pasir Puteh district of Kelantan and came across this ornate and well constructed 'mimbar' or pulpit translated for its usage rather than anything else. The Imam told me it was designed and constructed by the craftsmen of the village. A mosque in our area in Alor Setar is wanting one and its size or proportion is suitable for the mosque, not being too big or bulky.

 

3.0 In a village at Jeneri in the district of Sik Kedah

 

Old Malay houses surprisingly show many decorative features especially being wooden homes. Here the glass frames decorated with wooden panels stand out. 

4.0 Simpang Empat Alor Setar Kedah

Long and high stair cases. Malay homes would naturally have odd number of staircases.Thirteen or nine would be the correct choice

5.0 A wall in the sky at Singapore

An earlier visit to Singapore  during May 2011, saw us straining at two buildings, miles apart but designed by the same architect.We wonder at first, how could it be. A wall standing by itself but too high in the sky. Then there was another one, a much taller building and right in the centre of Singapore. It seems the architect  likes to challenge our perceptions and his design are as such.       

 

Notice the tall white building on the right.No not a piece of wall but an office building with the normal facilities, though the main building is hidden architecturally by design.

6.0 At Kampong Bunut Payong Kota Bharu Kelantan

This was a discovery indeed. a beautiful bungalow home was offered as a guest house or a home stay

                             

Intricate designed doors and a lounge that were welcoming

An opened courtyard with a grass verge that is pleasant to the eye and a guaranteed safe playground for the children right in the home.

 7.0    At Kuala Besut

  
A goldsmith shop next to a home for the birds at Kuala Besut Terengganu. Notice that the open window has been sealed with brick blogs but permitting a small entry. No wonder, because I have seen even a seven storey hotel building converted into one itself.

                                 8.0 At Langkawi


 It was a lucky day when I managed to photograph the two 'burung enggang' chattering and cracking their loud cry just outside the back porch of our home in Langkawi. The coconut and rubber trees seems to be their playing fields.

Thankful that we continue to be blessed with sights that grant the beauty and magnificence of nature and God's creativity.


 

Sekolah Menengah Sultan Abdul Halim (Jenan) Menyambut AidilFitri di Dewan Baru September 2011

Kerana dah memiliki gambar-gambar yang diambil semasa menghadiri majlis bersama bekas pelajar di sekolah lama saya muatkan untuk tatapan kawan-kawan dan khusus mereka yang tak sempat balik kampong.

Apa pun perjumpaan itu sangat meriah. Bagi Pengetua sekarang Che Gu Ahmad Din, bekas pelajar yang telah bertugas selama 10 tahun di sekolah ini, majlis itu tentu sesuatu yang mengembirakan dan menjadi 'farewell' yang susah hendak dilupakan. Saya ucapkan selamat 'Bersara' kepada Che Gu Ahmad Din.

Katanya satu Majlis sedang diatur dan akan diadakan di Kuala Lumpur sebulan dua lagi. Tentu ramai akan ke Majlis ini. Kalau dijemput InsyaAllah kami akan bersama.

 

Dihiburkan oleh pengganti M.Daud Kilau
Lihat tulisan di belakang. Malam itu dikenali sebagai
Majlis 'Tautan'

     Dewan baru, besar pula. Tapi hilanglah dua buah rumah banglo yang pernah menjadi rumah guru satu masa dahulu

      Abu Bakar Omar menyanyi lagu 'Hindustani". Dia bawa bersama seorang cucu ke majlis ini.

                     Bekas pelajar dan kini VC UUM Sdr Mustapha Ishak dengan Abu Bakar Omar

Kenali mereka?  Che Gu Hj Omar Saad, Hj Norini dan Hj Nasariah Maghribi 

Pengetua Hj Ahmad Din bersama Che Gu Hj Omar Saad

WELCOMING SYAWAL ( AIDILFITRI) BUT NOT BEFORE REJAB, SYAABAN AND RAMADAN

 Four months in the Muslim Calendar (Hijrah ) one following the other instill their own significance and awaited by Muslims throughout the world. Ramadan of course is more observable and recognized  because of its own distinction when Muslims observed the fasting month. The atmosphere during the day and night time takes a change from the normalcy. Mosques and 'suraus' see their spaces filled with the devout who come forth for the jemaah prayers. Besides they too offer 'breaking of fast' for those who take the opportunity to be with their brothers at 'maghrib' or  time to break fast. In the city like Kuala Lumpur when traffic does not allow you to reach home in time, the mosques especially are better stopping venues when the 'azan' is heard at 'maghrib' times. In homes the atmosphere too take a  certain change when the lights are on in the hours before dawn when Muslims take their meals before beginning their fast. The women folks are awake much earlier to prepare the dishes. Alarm clocks and lately the telephones break the stillness of the night to awake the sleepers from the comforts of their sleep to perform their duties in the month of Ramadan. I have always felt the candour of Ramadan and like many its closing stages are saddening;leaving us wondering whether 'Ramadan' will meet us again.

On record are poignant moments or photographs of events recorded in the months just past. We usher activities involving neighbors, friends and relatives both at Putrajaya and Titi Gajah Alor Setar.   

              Before Ramadan began, we had a 'bacaan yassin' and 'tahlil' at our new home in Putrajaya. It was good to meet new neighbors and their families. Surprisingly the reception from neighbors and the Prescient  Community Association was extraordinary. All attended together with their families and those who can't forwarded 'sms' apologies.

                   We were at Putrajaya Prescient 16 and attended the Al Rahman Mosque for the 'majlis buka puasa' and 'terawith' prayers. during the earlier parts of Ramadan. The picture shows the attendance and the contributions during the 'breaking of fast'. 

Like others we too received invitations for ' majlis berbuka puasa' . This was from an ex - student who has done well in the motor industry. Earlier it was at Jalan Tun Razak Kuala Lumpur and a week later at Alor Setar. Naturally it was an invitation not to be refused. Opportunity and good luck permitted us to attend both functions.   

Back at Masjid Tuan Hussein Titi Gajah 10th kilometer of the Alor Setar Jitra road, opportunities allowed us to attend 'breaking fast' functions at the mosque most evenings and therefore enabled us to meet the community and neighbors especially.The 'gotong royong' spirit allows things to be organized and carried out especially during Ramadan with spirited vigor and understanding. The jemaah 'tarawith' prayers too were well attended.

When friends and families return home to the 'kampong; for the Aidilfitri break, many of course organized get-together or 'return to school' functions. Being a former teacher and Principal make you a favourite invited guest. My former students at Sekolah Menengah Darulaman ( 1973 - 1979) continue to ask our attendance and we accepted it with pleasure. It is gratifying to see them and heartening to know that they remember their teachers despite the strictness that we imposed then

          With my wife and students of SM Darulaman Alor Setar. Many distinguishing persons among them. bankers, entrepreneurs,TV personalities, Penang State Secretary and a Motor Vehicle Importer.  

 On the 4th day of Aidilfitri it was another invitation to a former school. One of the earliest in my career. It was Sekolah Menengah Sultan Abdul Halim Jitra Kedah. A premier residential school next to Sekolah Menengah Alam Shah Ceras ( the only two Malay Medium Residential Schools of the period).We were here in 1964 - 1968. Two distinguishing students being Dr Abdul Rahman Mustapha (VC UUM) and TV personality and actor Abu Bakar Omar as seen in the picture.

InsyaAllah at the later part of this month we will be visiting Brunei Darussalam and hopefully we will meet much elder ex school 'boys' and 'girls' when we were seconded to the oil rich Sultanate in 1960 - 1964.

No, no it was not to be the last of the celebrations and invitations that come especially during Shawal. Here we were at  Sdr Mansor ex KSDN director, an ex student of SMSAH Jenan; again an opportunity to know more people.  

THANK YOU ESPECIALLY TO ALL MY FORMER STUDENTS WHOM I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW SINCE 1959.