Di Bawah Rang Ikang Kering

MEETING OLD PUPILS

2015-05-09T15:53:00.000+08:00

My last post, in May 2011, mentioned that my ex-pupils might not remember me after all these years. I was wrong. Most of them do remember me still while I forgot most of them. One of them started a WhatsApp group and tracked down a few teachers including me.
I was surprised that there is a number of my ex-students living in the Klang Valley. Being a curious old coot, I suggested a meeting in the Klang Valley. One of the Klang Valley residence happens to be an event organizer thus he and our former Scout Troop Leader started the ball rolling.

We met at a hotel in PJ. I was overwhelmed by the love that exuded from my ex-pupils. They were all successful in their respective fields - top civil servants, top planters, top managers and top crime-fighters. One of them had a hand in creating Malaysia's first atomic clock (go here:mst.sirim.my and adjust your watches and clocks).
They all came not just from around Klang Valley but all the way from Terengganu , Pahang and negeri Sembilan.
Thank you ladies and gentlemen. I celebrated Teachers Day earlier this year. Alhamdullillah

Happy Teachers Day!

2011-05-17T13:59:00.002+08:00

I was a teacher once. I do not know whether any of my students remember me. It does not matter. I have done what I was supposed to do and that’s that.

I remember most of my “cikgu”.

I was short of the school-going age when I was in Merang but my father put me in school anyway. Most probably to get me out of my mother’s hair. I do not remember any of my teachers name in Sekolah Melayu Merang. What I remember is one of mother’s cousins, Pok Kob, who was in the upper classes, feeding me with cuklat nissang every now and then. I remember too going with him through the field looking for a kind of grass to wipe the papan slate. I guess the teachers left me alone. That was the reason I could not remember their names. But I do remember the headmaster, Cikgu Weil. Cikgu Weil, a wiry dark-skinned man from Pahang was the local UMNO leader. Then (in 1949), nationalism was spread by, among other groups, teachers like Cikgu Weil. He went around shouting “Merdeka” at every opportunity. The kampung folks would respond with a hearty “Deka!” or “Deko!” depending on the dialect they were used to. I was not sure whether it was the nationalistic fervour or their dig at Cikgu Weil’s physical impediment. Cikgu Weil could not straighten his arm – an affliction known in Terengganu as “deko” (or “deka” if you are from Besut).

When we moved to Kuala Terengganu, I was enrolled in Sekolah Melayu Paya Bunga and we had a few unforgettable cikgus. One was Cikgu Lebo, a short rotund man who never seem to smile. Cikgu Lebo went around the school ground during recess to debok (thump) the back of pupils drawing on the sand.

When I moved to Sultan Sulaiman Primary school after getting through the Special Malay Class examination, our favourite teacher was Mr. Lau Kuan Jin who drilled us in English with a litany of “ A man in a pan” or was it the other way around? Actually it was “A man and a pan”. I am getting old.

When we moved to Kota Bharu, I remember Mr. Henry in SIC. He took us on expeditions to a waterfall in Pasir Putih. Later when I moved next door to the secondary school, we had Ustaz Abdullah Nakula who always tweaked our brain with trick questions. We also had a Mr. Menon who was overcome with passion on reading a passage from Shakespeare.

In Sultan Sulaiman Secondary School, Kuala Terengganu I remember many teachers who undoubtedly played a part in my life. There was Cikgu Rahman who encouraged my infatuation with art and Mr. Gurunathan, our Scout Master. And then there were the ustazs , Ustaz Mahmood Salim and Ustaz Manan. They never failed to liven up the class while giving us the basics of Islamic Studies. Ustaz Manan was unfazed by our silly questions. An example:

Student: Apa hukum hisap kopek bini kita ustaz? (Whats the rule on sucking on your wife’s tit?)

Ustaz: Hukumnya sedaplah. (Feels good.)

There are many more teachers that I remember from those days. To them and to all the teachers past and present, Happy Teachers Day, Cikgu!

Happy Teachers Day!

2011-05-17T13:57:00.001+08:00

I was a teacher once. I do not know whether any of my students remember me. It does not matter. I have done what I was supposed to do and that’s that.

I remember most of my “cikgu”.

Student: Apa hukum hisap kopek bini kita ustaz? (Whats the rule on sucking on your wife’s tit?)

Ustaz: Hukumnya sedaplah. (Feels good.)

There are many more teachers that I remember from those days. To them and to all the teachers past and present, Happy Teachers Day, Cikgu!

LABORIOUS SUNDAY

2011-05-02T14:09:00.003+08:00

Whew! What a Sunday!
Early in the morning I was woken up from my second session of sleep by the phone. It was Pak Daud who said he was downstairs with Ani, his wife. After accepting with heartfelt thanks the sambal belacan that Ani pounded in her kitchen back in Tanjong, Kuala Terengganu and the inevitable kerepok, we let our guests head for hot showers.
We had to forgo nasi dagang for breakfast (they served nasi dagang at Tappers, Bangsar South) but opted instead for Western fare at Plan B, Bangsar Village. We had to attend a birthday party for my cucus and presents had to be bought while the Terengganu couple finished their eggs and lemon tea.
My daughter Dalia is usually a very good communicator but since leaving the tv station, she is a bit harried. So she forgot to tell me where the party was. I assumed that since previous birthdays were celebrated in their house, this year would be no different. So Pak Daud, Ani and I made our way to Kelana Jaya. We made a stop a few houses away from Dalia's house because Pak Daud wanted to drop off some kerepok for Hj.Shariff, a fellow cycling official.
When we arrived at Dalia's house, there was no sign of any festivities. There weren't any sign of anybody. A phone call cleared the misunderstanding. The party is at The Club, Bandar Utama.
At this time, Plan B's breakfast started to trouble Pak Daud's generally robust tummy. He needed a toilet for the big one. Is there a jambang ija equivalent around? None. Dalia's house was locked. Elisa's house nearby seemed to be locked too. Luckily the mosque was not locked.
Relieved, we set for the club. After the tunnel, I missed the turning and had to make a fool of myself by going into the road people use to exit, not to enter. I was told to look out for the Club signs.
I looked. Pak Daud looked and read out each sign. We ended up at the foot of the hill. No club in sight. We did see a police station. After another two attempts we finally got the club.
I promptly got shot by Akif with his newly acquired water gun.
We left at 2pm and had to get home first because Daud forgot his copy of A Map of Terengganu he bought in Kuala Terengganu earlier.
We made only one wrong turn going to Solaris but when we got to Block A. We found the door locked. We managed to find the proper entrance and found RA Gallery already packed with fans and guests. I managed to squeeze Daud to the front. He found a chair on his own though.
Alhamdullillah were not too late to catch the Syair Awang Goneng followed by Awang Goneng's raconteur of his school days and journalistic experience.
I was glad I came. I met the host Raja Ahmad, a very pleasant gentleman. I met Dina Zaman again. She was perky as always and a joy to listen to. I met Cat In Sydney, a faithful follower of my blog. She is not at all catty. When I was sneaking a cigarette, Blabs caught me. Havent seen her since she came back from Dubai. I also talked to bubbly Dato' Manja and wife for the first time. Although Puteri Kamaliah wanted to talk to me more because I left MPH early yesterday she did not get her wish. Too many people.
I did not want to rush for the food, preferring to wait. I didn't get to taste jala mas but managed to get the fabulous sekaya. Thank you Wan Asma. I left the remaining ropa to Adnan. He has stronger teeth. I have only gums.
My flash gun fell down and I did not take many pictures. See whatever I have here.

A MAP OF TERENGGANU-THE SIGNING

2011-04-30T17:13:00.005+08:00

Excuse the dust. I am clearing the cobwebs after neglecting this blog for a few months.
The problem with blogs with a specific subject/theme is you can run out of ideas sooner than expected.
Anyway, enough of excuses.
I am just back from MPH Mid Valley where my friend Awang Goneng had his book signing.

Awang Goneng skipped The Wedding and came to KL

with Zaharah,

their daughters and a very sunburnt friend (not in picture, too hot). The cats could not make it.

The Children's Section of MPH where the event was held was crowded with fans and friends

including our Sasterawan Negara.

Awang Goneng briefly disclosed how the book came about and generously shared some secrets of writing, publishing and blogging.
As with GUIT, Awang Goneng read a chapter from A Map of Terengganu before autographing the books.

The line was long. I was glad mine was signed earlier.

Among those patiently waiting were people from the families mentioned in the book.

The signature is going to be worth a lot some day.

I wanted to wait for Awang Goneng to finish and have tea with him but I saw that the line was too long and decided to go home. I will be meeting him again at Solaris, Dutamas tomorrow, insyaAllah.

TERENGGANU TAKES #4

2010-12-16T20:09:00.007+08:00

Most of my trips to Kuala Terengganu found me in Merang where I like to catch up on my fishing. Most of my classmates and friends are in Kuala Terengganu and they do not fish.
On my last visit, the weather was not conducive for fishing and I had the time to reconnect with my old friends. Take "old" in any way you like and it will be true.

Mat Nong, our class monitor insisted that we have tea at his house in Durian Burong. Ramli took his van and we picked up Hj. Hassan along the way. Daud, who was tending his goats chose to make his own way by motorbike.He did not expect the rain to be so heavy and he came soaked to the bone. We did not allow him to come to the table until he changed into some dry clothes provided by our host.
After enjoying the mee siam, keropok lekor and other Terengganu goodies, Mat Nong insisted on a group photo.
Prior to that, Daud wanted to show off his pawang skills by looking at Hassan's belly button. Nothing came out of it except maybe for some lints.

Later we caught up with Dato' Kadir Sulaiman at Permai Inn. Dato' Kadir was in Terengganu as a Labour Officer and later as the Legal Adviser. Now he has gone on to loftier appointment but found the time to meet old friends.
Unknown to me, Dato' Kadir also brought another mutual friend that day. Mr. Chua was my partner-in-crime during my madness for good hi-fi. He owned an electrical shop in Jalan Banggol and let me have all the equipment that I wanted even though most of the time I could not pay cash. It was indeed a pleasure to see Mr.Chua again. He told me that he is now retired. Looks like I have to get the Blu Ray player somewhere else.

TERENGGANU TAKES #3

2010-12-10T15:58:00.010+08:00

Kuala Terengganu in December might look gloomy. There are rain-clouds over the city.

On the ground, everyone is prepared for the rain, even the hardy usually waterproof "teksi" men. Trishaws are called teksi in Terengganu while what city folks taxis are called "kereta sewa". This particular guy made doubly sure he doesn't get wet.
Visibilty from my window is limited. The sea is misty but still gentle. It is still early in the morning. The sun is still not up.

Further inland as in this kampong in Darat Batu Rakit, the monsoon rain turned fields into lakes.
And the boats at Merang jetty take a rest from their daily runs to Pulau Redang and Pulau Lang Tengah.
The tourists instead flocked to Pulau Duyong. They saw a fiercer monsoon this time around.

TERENGGANU TAKES #2

2010-12-03T20:16:00.001+08:00

When I was in Kuala Terengganu last February, I found out to my dismay that most restaurants in town were closed on Friday. Some popular warongs too took Fridays off. On other days of the week however, you can feast on many Terengganu delights. On my latest trip back home I did not starve. I even had nasi dagang twice on the same day. Once for breakfast and when I went for the tahlil in the evening, nasi dagang was on the menu. This was on the second day. On the third day, my breakfast was laksam (East Coast flat noodle) bought at a warong in Tanjung. I would not eat laksam without toasted belacan so my good friend Pok Daud asked his wife Ani to toast some for me, crushed it and brought it lovingly wrapped in tissue paper.

Lunch on the first day was at Coffee Beans, KL Sentral. Nothing memorable. On the second day another bosom buddy Pak Ramli brought me to a popular mee bandung stall next to the former Cathay cinema hall. The owner refused to take my money. Turned out that she was Ramli's sister.

On the third day we drove up to Merang. Ramli wanted to check up on his boat and I was salivating thinking of the ebek fish that we wanted to have for lunch. Unfortunately, the owner of the warong told us he no longer prepares lunch. He said he was too tired. I suspected that he was too rich already. He only serves breakfast. We were lucky that there was some nasi minyak left. I grew up on Tengku Hussin's nasi minyak and found this version edible but not spectacular.

Before I left for Kuala Terengganu I promised Mimi to bring home some otak-otak. Mimi needs some convincing that Terengganu's otak-otak are far superior than those fish-flavoured paste they passed off as otak-otak in the Klang Valley. We found one place selling otak-otak somewhere in Mengabang Telipot. There were not many left so we bought all.

The place also sells sata (also fish-based). Sata are grilled on a bamboo skewer but we were not allowed to take the skewers. The sata from here were delicious but not as heavenly as those at Pak Man's place at the food court near Sutera Beach Resort. Unfortunately, Pak Man moved elsewhere already.
As the plane was landing in Kuala Terengganu, I, for some inexplicable reason, thought of fried bananas. So as soon as I could, I rang my classmate Hj. Hassan inviting him to a goreng pisang tea. I asked him where the best goreng pisang can be found. Three generations ago, I would not ask Hassan that. Everyone knew then that the best goreng pisang (and kerepok lekor) would be at Mok Nik Awang Itam in front of Paya Tok Ber. Even the istana bought fried bananas and kerepok lekor from her. Hj. Hassan told us to wait for him at LAN BANANA a short distance from the Simpang Tokku roundabout.
It was not even tea time yet but the there was already a queue even though the line was a bit ragged. Lan Banana sells fried bananas, fried sweet potatoes, fried fish in batter (or as Terengganu folks call them ICT -ikan celup tepung) and of course fried kereopok lekor. This would be a place your cardiologist warned you about.

There wasn't any place in the establishment where you can sit down comfortably and eat the stuff you have bought. Neither do they sell coffee or tea. So Hassan got the goreng pisang, kerepok lekor as well as ICT and we headed to his house where we enjoyed the crispy and cholestrol-laden items. After tasting the goreng pisang I can see why there was a queue. I even forgot that they should call the fried bananas pisang goreng.

BUNIANS AND HALLOWEEN

2010-10-31T14:58:00.002+08:00

Yesterday I read about a member of the Terengganu government telling people that Siti Balqis, the young girl from Besut needs to see a shrink. Interesting. Siti Balqis went missing from her house several times and was found, on different occasions, on treetops and other places too strange for a young girl to be. A few days ago Siti Balqis went missing again and there were reports that she was in Gunung Jerai, Kedah. Other reports said that she was in Negeri Sembilan.

Spirits, whether bunians or whatever should not be dismissed lightly. I had the same attitude years ago until I experienced them a few years later when I was teaching in Kuala Brang. There are things that rational minds just could not explain.

The idea to introduce Halloween into Malaysia is also inexplicable. Of course it is a ploy by the retailers to get more money just like on other "western" occasions like Fathers Day, Mothers Day, Valentines Day and such. Just to get more money to buy the new Merc SLK or a new mistress, you can transplant an alien culture. Don't you get enough money wringing Hungry Ghosts Festival?

I am sure that Halloween will not catch on in Terengganu. Terengganu people are wise enough not to waste their labu peringgi (pumpkin) by carving them into a lantern and let their kids dress up as hantu kekeng, hantu bungkus or whatever ghouls they chose and go knocking on people's doors crying out "Trick or Treat!". They will get a pailful of water doused on them instead of candies.

Anyway, to my friends in the US, Happy Halloween!

ROTI PRATA OR ROTI CANAI?

2010-10-24T18:40:00.008+08:00

Listen to this first. Use your BACK button to come back here.

(Photo by Dr. Kamaruzaman)

Above, in the foregound is a plate of roti prata/paratha. Further back is a bowl of mutton kimma that goes very well with roti prata.

In the song that you have just listened to, Zaharah Agus alluded that roti canai and roti prata are both made from flour and gave the impression that there is no difference between roti canai and roti prata. Apparently, there is.

I have never tasted roti prata before. There was no shop in Kuala Terengganu that sold roti prata, at least none that I can remember. There were (and still are) plenty of joints offering roti canai all over Terengganu. There were places that sold roti tempayan (naan)and there were places where you can get murtabak.

When I visited Singapore I found places that offer roti prata. Not just the garden variety but cheese prata, tomato prata , onion prata and sardine prata. Back home, I have tried roti canai sardine and roti telur. It is not until last Sunday that I got to taste roti prata at Pakistani eating shop along Jalan Ipoh (next to a RHB Bank branch and across the road from a Shell Station). The restoran is called MEHRAN. The signboard is Pakistan green.

The prata there is different from roti canai. On roti canai you can discern the "coils" of the dough but on this flatbread, it is flat. It is bigger too. You do not get dhall here but chickpeas (kacang kuda) in gravy, free. You have to pay for the mutton kimma though which is worth every sen. The prata is less oily than roti canai and I was told that they use a different flour too.

Prata, like naan, I have been told, came via the Muslim conquerors of India, the Mughals. It is higly likely that roti chanai originated in Madras (now Chennai). Somebody has to confirm that roti canai can be found in Chennai because my friends told me that they could not find air sirup Bandung or Mee Bandung in that city.

PESAT'S RAYA DO

2010-10-10T19:08:00.012+08:00

(SENIOR CITIZENS USING FIREFOX CAN PRESS CTRL and + TO ENLARGE THE TEXTS)
Adnang Osmang picked me up to join other "Anak Terengganu" celebrating Raya at the new PESAT HQ in Kota Damansara.

Adnan promptly got called to sing his songs accompanied by the unique band "Bale Bale". The band, in kain batik and terompah (clogs) kept the guests entertained with their superb showmanship. They even belted out Santana's "Black Magic Woman", albeit in a Malay vein. Sadly, "Bale Bale " is not from Terengganu.

There was laksa kuah putih Terengganu on the menu. There were other Terengganu fares like kerepok lekor and pulut lepa.

Of course there was nasi dagang. Otherwise there would be a revolt.

PESAT's President, Tuan Hj. Ramlan Ibrahim had every right to be happy. The new 4 million ringgit building was officially opened by SPB Yang Di Pertuan Agong on 4th October and the President announced that the ground floor will be rented out for RM15,000 a month. He even pointed out the would-be tenant in the crowd.

The first and second floor are still available for rent at RM3,000 each.
The raya celebration was a success. I enjoyed myself and would like to thank PESAT for a job well done.
(More photos here:)

GESEK, SESSEK & LESEK

2010-10-06T12:17:00.003+08:00

Now that the dust and cobwebs of this abandoned blog are cleared, let us begin where we left off.
First, congratulations to PESAT for getting a 4 million ringgit headquarters. I am not a member yet (waiting patiently for a sponsor) but I am happy for all my Terengganu friends who are members of the association.

If Pok Long Mok Aji Kiah were alive today, I would suggest that Hj. Ramlang (Presideng PESAT) invite this violinist to gesek his violin at the opening ceremony. Pok Long might not be as good as Idris Sardi but to the Geng Kayu hanging out in the shadows of Pok Long's house in front of Mesjid Putih, he gesek a mean violin without grating any of our teeth.

By now, non-Terengganu speakers would have guessed the meaning of gesek. Gesek is deliberate and premeditated. Sessek is accidental. Choose the appropriate word when you have a mishap parking your vehicle in crowded places like Pasar Kedai Payang or Batu Nang. In the event that you chose the wrong word and got hit by the wrong end of a walking stick or an umbrella and you find your nose or your face bruised, you might want to lesek the sore part with an appropriate ointment or oil like Minyok Pok Ali Yunang.

Now, you can use gesek, sessek and lesek in your own sentences. Go on.

MAIN PANTAI

2010-07-12T11:40:00.001+08:00

This is Pantai Batu Burok, Kuala Terengganu at sunrise. A long long time ago when I had all my teeth, after the "orang darat" were done mengetang (harvesting) their padi, there would be rows upon rows of attap or kajang huts erected on this stretch of beach. Every year in the 60s, we had this temporary migration of people and families from Bukit Payong, Bukit Bayas, Sungai Ular, Serada, Pasir Panjang and all the other places without access to the beach. They came for the annual festival known locally as Main Pantai. They and their family camped at the beach for 3 ari 3 malang (3 days and 3 nights). Since it wasn't convenient to bring their livestock along, the men had to occassionally return home to check on the kambing (goats), lembu (cows) or keruba (buffaloes).

Besides having fun on the beach and in the surf there were cultural presentations like the rodat, wayang kulit and sometimes even an ulik mayang presentation. The shows were not sponsored by any companies even though unlighted cigarettes were thrown at the mak inang rodat by appreciative members of the audience. Cigarette companies take note: The practice is still prevalent today in villages wherever rodat is performed.

Since cars were not aplenty yet in Kuala Terengganu at this time, the popular mode of transport was the bicycle. Our scout troop (1st KT) made money by running a bicycle park service. We were the only one with metal parking tickets. Our Scout Master, Mr.Gurunathan lovingly made them in the Industrial workshop.

The Main Pantai was also held at other beaches like pantai Mengabang Telipot or maybe pantai Tok Jembal. No cases of khalwat were reported.

If you remember Main Pantai at any of the beaches mentioned (or inadvertently not mentioned), do share the memories here.

CAUGHT WET

2010-07-05T11:37:00.005+08:00

News item from today's STAR:

10 couples caught naked daily on Terengganu beaches

KUALA TERENGGANU: As many as 10 couples are caught daily by anti-vice volunteers along the Tok Jembal and Teluk Ketapang beaches, which are increasingly becoming favourite haunts for sexual trysts.

Many of them are said to be students from institutes of higher learning.

A volunteer, who requested anonymity, said most of the couples were caught “doing it” behind coconut trees, rocks, inside cars and even openly on the beaches.

“For non-Muslim couples, we could only advise them on the sensitivity of their action to the locals but Muslims caught will be produced before the Syariah Court,” he said.

He said anti-vice officers would go to places identified as “hot spots” to catch the culprits in the act.

“We listen for sounds of heavy breathing and kissing.

“We then move in and aim our torchlights on the couples. In most cases, they are caught naked.”

The officer said the procedure was to wait awhile before approaching the couples so as to get evidence for prosecution purposes.

“I have daughters and I feel sorry for the parents of these couples,” he said, adding that the youngsters had betrayed the trust of their folk who hoped their children would excel in their education.

The 48-year-old volunteer, who claimed to have caught 1,200 couples on the beaches since signing up as a volunteer in 2004, said he had had enough.

“I cannot take it any longer and am thinking of giving up this work. I have decided that enough is enough after six years as a volunteer,” he said.

Terengganu state executive councillor Rozi Mamat said he had received reports that “dozens of young couples” had been spotted in compromising positions at both the beaches.

“I have received numerous complaints from nearby villagers about immoral behaviour,” he said.

Rozi, newly-appointed as the state Youth and Sports committee chairman, said: “These activities could lead to moral decay among our youths if we keep mum on the matter.”

To address the situation, Rozi plans to suggest to the state government to light up both beaches and intensify patrols at “hot” areas.

This surely would give Terengganu Darul Iman a severe knocking. with the "Darul Iman" part severely dented if not totally caved in like the roof of the stadium.

Couples getting caught in flagrante is not uncommon in Malaysia. In KL years ago, the famous and feared "catcher" was Ustaz Dahlan while his contemporary in Kuala Terengganu was Ustaz Ngoh. What shocked me is the number. 10 in a day? I wonder if the Malaysian Book of Records would record this.

(Sigh). It was not that long when a boy and girl just holding hands would get disapproving glare (cerlong) from all and sundry with a few greheng (meaningful cough) from the older folks.

I wonder if the ICT (ikang celup tepong) stalls along the beach had anything to do with this phenomenon. The udang is an aphrodisiac and could give some people unbearable itches. It could also be the fumes from the planes landing or taking off at the airport just behind the beach. That could induce temporary insanity.

CONVERSATION AT BATU 6

2010-06-30T11:43:00.005+08:00

TV NEWS CRAWL: TERENGGANU TO PROMOTE BATIK IN SPAIN, FRANCE & ITALY
ESTABLISHING SHOT OF BATU 6 MARKET, LATE AFTERNOON
ZOOM IN, TO A KUIH STALL
MOK NOH AN ELDERY WOMAN WITH LOTS OF BANGLES ON HER ARMS AND HEAVY SUBANG BUNG EARRINGS IS SHOWN POINTING TO TEPUNG PELITA AND SEKKUT SAGU
SEMEK, A MUCH YOUNGER WOMAN ENTERS THE FRAME FROM LEFT, APPROACHES THE OLDER WOMAN AND TAPS ON HER SHOULDER
MOK NOH (STARTLED):Cokek kerepek sagu..sagu alah sagu, eh!
SEMEK : Banyok beli kuih ni Mok Noh. Nok bekwah ke?
MOK NOH: Dak eh. Cucu cucu balik!
SEMEK: Ya lah. Le ning tutup sekoloh kang.
MOK NOH: Nok beli tepung pelita jugok ke Mek?
SEMEK: Dak. Nak cari ruti paung.
MOK NOH:Mung ngidang pulok ke Mek?
SEMEK:Dak eh. Semang derumoh tu tak sedap mulut. Nak makang roti paung malang ning.
MOK NOH: Ruti paung beloh nung. Sekali dengang apit-apit. Mari kita gi.
CAMERA FOLLOWS TO TWO AS THEY WALK TO THE RIGHT.
CUT TO TWO SHOT
MOK NOH: Nok tanya sikit Mek...
SEMEK: Tanya banyok pong buleh Mok Noh!
MOK NOH: Mek gi doh ke Perancis?
SEMEK:Gi doh. Singgoh dua tiga malang je.
MOK NOH: Italy?
SEMEK: Italy dak gi lagi...
MOK NOH:Spain?
SEMEK: Spain, dak rajin gi lagi. Dengar cerita saja..Eh, Mok Noh tanya tanya ni, nok gi ke?
CUT TO C/U MOK NOH SMILING BASHFULLY
MOK NOH:Tanya je...
SEMEK: Haaa..Kerajaang pilih Batik Mok Noh masuk rombongan promosi batik lah ni!
MOK NOH:Dak tau lagi Mek..
SEMEK:Ada rezeki, nye pilihlah tu
MOK NOH:Guane gok negeri Peranchis ning?
SEMEK:Negeri dia luah Mok Noh weh. Luah daripada England, luah daripada Malaysia lagi.
MOK NOH: Cucu ambe kata orang Peranchis ni dak pandai main bola. Makanang dia kita buleh makang ke?
SEMEK: Tu kena tengok lah makanang apa. Di Peranchis ada ramai jugok orang Islam jadi adalah makanang halal.
MOK NOH:Italy pulok, orang dia guane?
SEMEK: Dengo kabonya orang-orang muda dia lawo lawo belaka tapi berahi cubit punggung orang!
MOK NOH:La! Tak kena igap Polis ke?
SEMEK: Polis dia pun cubit jugok!
(FADE TO BLACK)

MONKEYING AROUND

2010-06-17T11:58:00.007+08:00

I had a few days before my flight back to KL so I joined my eldest daughter and my grandchildren on their holiday in Terengganu. Terengganu was packed with tourists. The roads were jammed with traffic and there were weddings all over the place. I could not get a room in Kuala Terengganu or in Merang. Lesson learnt. Plan ahead. Way way ahead.
There was no sports channel in my mother's house so Adam , my oldest grandson and I requisitoned my cousin's house. It was currently unoccupied and it had all the Astro World Cup channels.

The next day Elida found rooms in a resort in Penarek, about 15 minutes drive from Merang. The rooms were rather cramped but they had decent bathroom with heater. The room has TV with only one channel - RTM TV1.

They also have a resident monkey who is over-friendly. The monkey would jump on anyone that she sees and climb up to the victim's shoulder.

I kept the monkey at arm's length

Aisyah did not mind the monkey grabbing her hair

The monkey getting comfortable with Aisyah, Adam and Aliya. The cat is taking a breather after sparring with the monkey.

When on the ground, the monkey would have a running battle with another resident, a cat. The monkey would try to get close to the cat but the cat would spit and snarl and swiped the monkey with drawn claws.

Aliya asked me why I didn't let the monkey come close. I told her I could not let the monkey get familiar with me because we have not been properly introduced yet.

Later, the monkey climbed up on Aliya and peed all over my cucu. Aliya stopped liking monkeys.

I could not tell you the monkey's name. We were not introduced.

HIGHEST NASI DAGANG IN THE WORLD

2010-05-27T16:33:00.006+08:00

Nasi Dagang will go far and high beginning this June. Our national airlines, MAS today gave a sample of "The Flavours of Terengganu" as featured in "Kulit Manis: A Taste of Terengganu".

The event was held in the Mock Up hall at the MAS Academy, Kelana Jaya with a replica of a Boeing 747 as the backdrop.

(One of the chefs transferring the food to the plates)

It took a lot of thought and R & D before a selection of dishes were selected. As mentioned by Hayati Dato' Ali. Malaysia Airlines' GM In-Flight Services in her opening speech everything has to be considered since MAS customers come from many parts of the world and from many cultures. The food and the ingredient too will have to withstand the rigours of freezing and re-heating without losing the taste when served in pressurised cabins many thousand feet above the clouds. Thus the Terengganu dishes selected were Daging Masak Gulai Kampong, Gulai Ikan Tongkol (Ikan Aya), Nasi Dagang, Kikan Masak Pudding Lada, Kerutuk Ayam and Nasi Telur. Kerabu Laksa was chosen as an appetiser while the desserts were Hasidah and Lompat Tikam.
Chefs from MAS, led by Chef Razak and the catering partner LGSB hunkered down with To' Puan Rozita and Tengku Zainal Abidin to perfect the quality and taste of each dish. I must say that they succeeded. The nasi dagang changed texture a bit after freezing and re-heating but I am sure work is already underway to rectify the small problem.

Nasi Dagang and Gulai Ikan Tongkol

Nasi Telur with Kerutuk Ayam

To' Puan Rozita showing the dishes to Tan Sri Dr. Munir.

The Terengganu dishes will be offered to MAS passengers travelling from KL to East Malaysia, ASEAN destinations, Jeddah, London, Australia and Amsterdam from 1st June to 31st July. The lucky passengers can tell their grandchildren that they had the highest nasi dagang in the world.

ANOMALOUS AZAN

2010-05-15T13:21:00.000+08:00

Growing up in Terengganu, I got used to the azan (the call to prayer). One of the illustrious bilal (muezzin) was Tok Bilal Said. I have yet to hear a better azan.

Apparently, the bilals in Istanbul did not fare as well as Tok Bilal Said. The people in Istanbul complained and Istanbul acted.

How I wished the Majlis Ugama Islam in all the states in Malaysia have a similar program. I am sure you all have endured anomalous azans lots of times. The first muezzin was Bilal, a former slave. He had a good and strong voice and I am sure he hit the right notes. Today we have a lot of voluntary bilals in suraus all over the country. Some are good. Most are bad. Some got the melody wrong. Even P.Ramlee, our famous singer could not get the melody right. Some shrieked the azan as if they are trying very hard to purge something out of their system. Some are so tuneless that instead of waking us up, they put us back to sleep.

There are good bilals all over the country. My friend Razak told me about a bilal in Taiping who inspired every muslim who heard him to quickly prepare for prayers. Bilals like him are far and few in between so it is time the bilals are given voice training. Discourage or even ban those with tin ears from grabbing the microphone. Do not let them make Bilal or Tok Bilal Said turn in their grave.

PULAUKAN PULAU REDANG?

2010-05-05T11:27:00.002+08:00

Yesterday I read something about Terengganu that I can blog about.
The Terengganu state government feels that there are too many people visiting Pulau Redang. For the newsreaders out there Redang is pronounced as ray-dung. Remember that you ignoramus.
Somehow, Redang has become famous. 40 years ago, when I first stepped foot on Redang. There was no chalet or resort. I had to do my business in the bush. 10 years ago, when I brought my cucu to the island, there were resorts and chalets all over the place. There is even an airstrip to bring rich tourists to the island. At Kilau's resort (the former Redang Government Rest House) I met a few Chinese from Perak. They were tradesmen and they were not rich. They scrimped and saved to get to the island. They heard about the beauty of the island and they had to come. So how do you discourage people like these?
One way I guess is to promote other islands. In case you forget, there are many more islands in Terengganu. If you want to relax and snorkel, you can do that at Pulau Kapas and Pulau Perhentian too. Honeymooners can choose Pulau Gemia. Serious scuba divers know that the islands for them are Pulau Tenggol and Pulau Lang Tengah. I have been told that even Bidong has some nice diving spots.
Promote these islands and you can ease the strain on Redang. Otherwise some form of control has to be introduced and enforced. This is easier said than done. I think it is more difficult than bringing married couples to the island to reignite their passion and romance.
I shall wait for the detailed plan of action. In the meantime, you are welcome to offer suggestions.

I AM BACK

2010-04-17T10:24:00.003+08:00

Alhamdullillah I am able to update my blog. Pak Idrus would be happy.
There were letters in the papers recently unhappy with the announcement that no more "bed and breakfast" chalets would be built on Pulau Redang. Some of the writers thought that only the rich would be allowed on the island. I do not think that this is true. So I phoned a few people who earn a living from people visiting the island. They told me that they would not be affected by the announcement. It is just an announcement, not a pronouncement yet. What they know is that from now on, only NEW 5 star resorts would be allowed to be built on Redang. I guessed that these resorts would have to be built with anti-pollution and other measures to preserve the ecology of the island.
So, go ahead and plan to spend a few days on Redang. Try the resort where the old Redang Rest House was. The beaches there have no dead corals to irritate your bare feet.
If you want exclusivity, go to Pulau Gemia (next to Pulau Kapas). There is only one resort there and it is without karaoke. The owner does not want off-key renditions of Widuri or My Way driving away the turtles of which Terengganu is famous for.
Another thing that made Terenggany famous (or infamous, if you want to nitpick) is complexes falling down. It was debated in the State Assembly recently. My friends had a good laugh. A few phoned me and asked me what's Terengganu's Arabic name. I told them "Darul Iman". They said no, it is not. Iasked them what is ist now?
They told me it is "Darul Runtuh".
Ha ha.

ANOTHER FEW DAYS IN TERENGGANU

2010-03-09T11:51:00.006+08:00

I must apologize to the few regular visitors of this blog for being a little bit tardy in updating. I was busy teaching (Internet to fellow pensioners and BM to a non-Malaysian), correcting printed English in factories and preparing presentations for a couple of companies in Johore. My veteran association got a shot in the arm and consequently there were a lot of activities that I could not be absent from. Some of the aforementioned activities involved catching a plane before the sun rises and it made me very very tired.

Recently I made two trips to Kuala Terengganu. One in the middle of February to celebrate the 70th birthday of a relative (and a very dear friend too). The celebration was very grand and I was part of the show. So there were rehearsals upon rehearsals and by the time I got back to the hotel, I was too tired to even take photographs. I came back last Friday and managed to take some pictures. Here is the scene from the hotel balcony:

I also managed to get to Merang and a river cruise. As you can see from the picture below, the kuala (river mouth) is being dredged. Good to know that Merang is not sidelined.

For the two nights I was in Kuala Terengganu, I had free dinners. The first night I bumped into a classmate who was with his rombongan from Taman Ehsan, Kepong. He invited me and my friend Razak to a barbecue on the beach. We enjoyed the barbecue very much. We were also entertained by the karaoke and the games organized by the city folks.
The second night, my 70 year old relative (and a dear friend) took Razak and me to Ri-Yaz Hotel and Resort for dinner. The food was good and the entertainment was even better. A group from Aseni ( I guess it is short for Akademi Seni Terengganu) performed for the diners and they were unique. They added a violin, a flute and what looked like a big kompang drum to the electric guitars. The lone singer, Aizat was good. I was told that he competed in Akademi Fantasia but did not win. With groups like this, we do not need to import musicians from abroad to play at our hotels.

The only complaint that I have about Ri-Yaz Hotel and Resort is when I visited their washrooms next to the restaurant (The Verandah). There is a sign on the washroom for the handicapped that says "DISABLE TOILET". I would be much happier if it says "DISABLED TOILET" or "TOILET FOR THE DISABLED". I am sure we do not want foreigners visiting the place for every Monsoon Cup to laugh at our standard of English and going home telling their friends that Terengganu people do not know English. If you are not sure, just use the handicapped logo alone.

Below is the resort viewed from Pasar Kedai Payang. While on the road in Kuala Terengganu I saw roadsigns with both Pasar Kedai Payang and the annoying Pasar Payang. I wonder what they will call the market once the renovation is completed.

TRAVESTIES

2010-01-19T12:01:00.004+08:00

A few days ago, I read the crawler headlines on TV and there was a headline telling me that the Terengganu State Government has appointed a consultant to tell them (the govt.) what infrastructure is required by the state.This was followed by another headline telling me that Kuala Nerus might be turned into a district.

The problem with crawlers is that it doesn't tell you much. Terengganu folks would say dak tau pala ekor (Wouldnt know head or tail). Was the consultant appointed to determine what infrastructure Terengganu needs? I am not sure. So I searched BERNAMA. Typing "Terengganu Appoints Consultant" and "Terengganu Infrastructure" did not come up with any news item that assuage my curiousity. Typing "infrastructure" gave me the news that Bukit Besi Iron Mine would be reopened. I heard that 2 weeks ago at a dinner. The only relevant news I could dig up was this.

Ok, they are studying the possibility of setting up a new district and they have appointed a consultant for that purpose. Asking the people in the soon-to-be-new district what they want is not mentioned. I guess the consultant will do the asking. I can only hope and pray that the consultant would not recommend the razing of historical mosques and other buildings just for the sake of development. It happened in Kuala Terengganu, let it not happen anywhere else. If you do not learn from your mistakes, you are a bloody fool and it takes a wise man to know what are your mistakes.

Another travesty that I discovered, albeit one that can be forgiven (over time) is to mess with nasi dagang. There is a spanking new restaurant, The Tappers in The Sphere, Bangsar South (where Kampung Kerinchi used to be) where you can have nasi dagang with gulai ikan aya (tuna curry Terengganu style) or with chicken (Kelantan style). The travesty? The chef added boiled egg and kerepok to the dish. The nasi dagang purists would choke on the kerepok and the egg. The rice is nice though and so is the service, the ambient and the price.
Go and try and see if you can forgive them. It would be easier than forgiving all those idiocy being done in our beloved state in the name of progress or tourism.

SAME RIVER, DIFFERENT WATER

2009-12-31T13:12:00.005+08:00

This is Sungai Keluang in Besut, Terengganu snapped just a few yards from where it meets The South China Sea. The river is almost at the end of its journey from its source deep in the heart of Bukit Bintang. You read right. Terengganu does have a Bukit Bintang although the debauchery (if any) is considerably less than the other more well-known Bukit Bintang. The streets around THAT Bukit Bintang will be closed tonight so that all the merry-making (and maybe the debauchery) will not be marred by the screams of merry-makers being run over by the assorted Kancils or other lethal vehicles.

Back to the river. When I viewed the pictures of the river as part of the test for my new wide screen monitor, I did something that I do not do often. I began to think. The river is as old as Terengganu itself. The water is not. Same river, different water. You can prove this by pouring some eco-friendly dye of different colours into the river at different intervals. Then you run to the spot near the kuala (river mouth) where I took the photograph. Watch the dye being swallowed by the South China Sea, one colour after another.

Terengganu, I hope, is like the river. The ever-changing water refreshes the river. The water also nourishes the banks (no puns intended). We hope there will not be any undue erosions and the river will never be stagnant. Let the crocodiles remain benign and out of sight.

You are welcome to add your metaphors, whatever either for Terengganu or for Malaysia (either 1 Malaysia or 3 in 1 Malaysia). Thinking gives me a headache.

ROKOK ARAB

2009-12-22T13:25:00.008+08:00

It is always sobering to realize that you do not know or do not remember everything.
I always thought that rokok arab (see pic above) is a rolled up version of apit-apit or kuih kapit (love letters). Boy, was I wrong.

I bought the rokok arab at the bazaar in conjunction with the launching of Kulit Manis: A Taste of Terengganu's Heritage. The launch was a resounding success although some might want to complain about JW Marriot's version of the Terengganu nasi dagang and the "diving midwife" older MC's lack of teeth. This Christmas, he would want more than 2 of his front teeth.

Anyway, the rokok arab is softer than the rolled version of apit-apit. I suspect that the minyok sapi (ghee) used had something to do with that. While the apit-apit is hollow inside, the rokok arab has a sweet filling. Coconut maybe? You, the rokok arab expert would have to tell me. Tell me too where in KL can I get a regular supply of rokok arab because this batch is fast depleting and I need to replenish.

PULUT LEPA

2009-12-11T17:07:00.005+08:00

( Pic from mamawandiha, terima kasih!)

Long long ago when I was young and growing up in Terengganu, I had to walk to the only 2 cinema halls in town - Capitol and Sultana. My cousins and I usually caught the afternoon shows. Our route would take us through Kampong China. When we reached the titian (the short bridge) that spanned the big drain and the river, we would often came across a balding middle-aged Chinese man in shorts and Pagoda singlets carrying a bamboo tray on his head and crying out "Pulut lepa juak juak!".

One of my cousins insisted that "juak juak" is the Chinese equivalent of "jual, jual" (for sale). Indeed the man was selling pulut lepa because we saw him stopping at several shops along Jalan Kampong China/Jalan Bandar where hungry customers were waiting with fistful of coins. Later on, when I got to Merang, I found out from my Tiah and Ee (they sort of adopted me) that "juak, juak" is the Hokkien equivalent of the Malay "panas panas".

Most food should be eaten hot. But chances of getting pulut lepa hot off the grill in KL is quite remote. It is a different story if you are in Terengganu. There is a place in Sungai Rengas Kuala Terengganu, near the jurunikah's house where you can wait for the pulut lepa to be grilled. And what wonderful pulut lepa they are. The generous filling is made of fish. The colour is whitish. If it is orange, it is not Terengganu's pulut lepa. There is ginger in the filling but never turmeric. Do not confuse pulut lepa with pulut udang or even pulut panggang. The filling should be fish and not some curried coconut. Note too how the daun pisang (banana leaf) wrapper is fastened. The real MacCoy uses sharpened lidi NOT the office staples.

If you are curious to see and taste the real pulut lepa, you are in luck. Come to the foyer of Mayang Sari Ballroom, JW Marriot KL on Sunday 20th Dec between 11 am and 5 pm. There will be limited pulut lepa for sale as well as rokok arab. Awang Goneng and Kak Teh will be in line to get rokok arab, which, in spite of the many Arabs in London, are scarce. There will be songkets and other Terengganu stuffs too at the bazaar in conjunction with the Official Launch of "Kulit Manis: A Taste of Terengganu's Heritage". Come and enjoy yourself. Get the book and get the tastes of Terengganu too. Admission to the bazaar is free. A handshake with Awang Goneng is free too, if you smile nicely.