2008

Jan-Mar

Apr-Jun

Jul-Sep

Oct-Dec


We are Just Going To Be One of Them, After All

At least that was in every one's feeling in the faculty when the third batch began to flock the KUSZA campus, Jun 29 Sun, for a Diploma, and Jun 30 Mon, for a Degree. The night of which I attended the officiation of the Minggu Mesra by the Dato' NC. In the Hall of Al-Muktafi Billah Shah (DABS). More majestic than the DTC, as majestic as the DECTAR.

The spectrum had been peaking the lattice points. They were electrovalent rather than covalent. Calcite perhaps as it shined whiter but less sparkle. And unnoticeably corroded by the acid rain at a measurable rate. The NC was talking about the mined diamond. Which, I had seen, indifferentiable from the granite.

A colleague even expressed it explicitly in order to arrive speedier at the goal. But I was not unambiguous about the direction which the NC used to mention about the cometery of the gravity. UDM needed several more metamorphotic phases.


The Agrobiotech students began their "trial" in the Kota campus Jul 3 Thu, ninety eight of them. To whom briefings were given by the dean, the deputies, and all the four head departments about the three programmes. The longest was given to Dr Kassim to introduce his Animal Science Programme which was not listed in the UPU, and thus was to be persuaded to about one-third of the registrants. I took the last slot, 3-4 pm in which I deliberated in deep the "hole" of the PNGK phenomenon. Plus a "co-motivation" with the counter current of being "ordinary" which could be achieved by every body, rather than "excellent" which could be achieved by some body only.

Followed by the following Fri morning ascending of the Bukit Besar. They were all a bunch of high potential kiddos very receptive to any new input.

And at night the closing of the "Minggu Mesra". And as always, with their first "attachment" performance. I was simply stunned by their sheer talent, given the very short period of time, limited space and place to move about, but the resulted plenty of ideas to create a jovial mood to accompany their start here in UDM. Which with the girls prominence, reminded me of my short "rendezvous" in SESERI in 2005-06, through to early 2007.

Their July in UDM commenced on 6th Sun with the first academics encounter, together with the third year Agrobiotech (5th Semester, who just returned from their first Industrial Training), and second year Food Tech (3rd Semester). The first year (1st Semester) Animal Science was thus born in the faculty.

For sure, it would be going to be better. Especially with a better infrastructure in the college and campus. Unfortunately these were not dependent on the faculty staff. The HEP part of the University is in KUSZA campus. And they were very happy dealing largely with the diploma that they so used to.

The First Encounter of the Same Kind

It started 2008 Jul 9 Wed when it was communicated that the Fac students, after two weeks in the campus, had yet to register the courses because the System had not received the order from the AR Academic because the UJK had not ok-ed the (new) codes for the courses because it said the two-digits middle figure did not go well with the University agreed serialisation which I deliberated into smaller quantum of sub-desciplines with a deliberation of vacant slots for future evolution which were viewed by them as inconsistencies even though it was well acceptable to the TNCA to whom I deliberated the first thing in the early morning of the next day 2008 Jul 10 Thu in the late afternoon of which I rushed home at PA for the house was burglared in the early morning. About which the former arranged for an 'arbitration' 2008 Jul 13 Sun post mid-day, just after I arrived from the home weekend since Thu ninght. No matter how settled it was, Newton's classic third law had taken effect, and passed on to history for archive which would be referred to from time to time. And as always the entangling loose ends that were glaringly visible.

The weekdays of which were spent mostly with the students, especially those of Biotech 5th Sem to make sure that they had enough credits, and correct credits. For that I was suggested to move down on the ground floor to make easy access to the students. Which means tradng in with En Wan Musa who will share with a 'new comer' Dr Mohamad Abu Bakar, a soil scientist who had just finished his contract with IIUM, Gombak.

The Cut on the Left Index Finger

It's durian time in Terengganu, 2008 Jul 15 Wed evening while preparing the adsorbent in the WLU boot for hauling a quite quantity of the king fruit, I got a cut; I think for the first time on the left finger that was inflicted by myself. I am a bihandric. I use my right hand only for writing and eating. And well, holding, carrying, supporting, and things like that which practically not for acomplishment. I had cuts on my right hand many times from some cutting things I hold with my left hand. One of which I remembered vividly was in late 1963 on the lower palm while using the "sadat" (or "sadak"?) to cut the grass to feed the cattle (local speak - "ccerut ruput"). Today I got a cut on my left finger from a knife I hold with my left hand. And it was the index finger.

The knife which I acquired in 2006 for the fishing trip apparently had its lock mechanism mulfunction. On the momentum it snapped to close after the blade went through the cutting (only the 'pelepah pisang'). And my index finger was waiting for it between the snapping blade and the folding groove.

In my kiddy time having a folding knife was a luxury. Especially the branded "Okapi" with the red handle. When I was a small boy, one of my dream was to own this kind of knife. It cost between 40 to 60 sen. Many of my contemporary buddies had this knife. Fishing, birds luring, etc were very much made easier with the knife. As well as making small toys like spinning top and push-carts. And collecting materials for rope making. Sharpening the knife was a skill thus accordingly acquired. The adults had bigger knives and very much sharper. My father was a carpenter. He had many tools that needed to be sharpened. And many of them to be sharpened every day. Unfortunately I missed the lessons because by the time I was big enough to hold the sharp tools, I was in the hostel of distant schools.

Inching Deeper Into The 'Wilderness'

The first time wee hours drive 2008 Jul 21 Mon to reach at 10.30, returning on the ticket of "Seminar Pengajian Tinggi" in PICC, Jul 17 Thu which preceded the rather long weekend which expanded to 20 Sun holiday in Terengganu for the His Majesty Sultan BDay. Taking the cue of Jul 15 Tue suggestion, even though along the thin border to Aug 6 expiry, I traded in the office 2008 Jul 22 Tue (while on a day leave) after coming back from a quarter-day trip to Dungun on a matter accompanied by a school buddy Razali. It was not so exclusive as on the third floor, but more 'well defined' to work to see. Exclusive, viewed through the lens of office scenery as four ladies of the faculty top managerial sentried outside. The first 'customer' was N Zaizuliana for materials she needed for the poster of the state organised "Science Week" exhibition in post-september. Since then colleagues dropped by every hour to say 'apa macam' or 'guane'. But before they began to swell into a congregation, I dashed to KL again, 24 Thu late afternoon, officially to 'revisit' PICC to catch the Anugerah Akademik Negara 2007, 2008 Jul 25 Fri which was VVIP-ed by the Prime Minister. Which was perhaps in serial with the Anugerah Sasterawan Negara, of which one of them, S. Othman Kelantan, I knew rather close. [Who as I was writing this piece was fighting for his life in Serdang Hospital. He did not make it, and passed away mid-night 2008 Jul 21 Thu].

As the award implied, Sasterawan Negara is for the Arts/Literature. And the Tokoh Akademik Negara appeared to be for the scientist, some kind of university ex-academic. As well as a few other acompanying titles. For the former award, I believed, carries the diplomatic regalia abroad. And he may harboured in any public academic institution he wished to. I am not sure about the latter.


2008 Jul 27 Sun, for the first time since reported for duty in UDM 2007 Aug 7, I visited the Faculty's Farm in KUSZA, while taking the Workshop facilitators (alas! from UPM) in the Fac Triton. The farm was Dr Abdul Ghani's sweat that changed the gelam bush into a baby farm. His attribution had unambigueously proven that he was a true agriculturist for the soil was invariably very "brissy", very different from that at UPM where he "raised" before his short transit at UDM from 2006 Jan to last May 2007.

Followed by 2008 Jul 31 Thu, chauffeured day-trip to UMK Pengkalan Chepa to permanently represent UDM Sci-Math in the meeting of the Council of the Science and Math Deans of the IPTA (there were several other similar councils established by the KPT). It was a re-cap all over again. Many were those I had met before, some of them very very familiar inside out, and many in it were the things that I missed and were made to be picked up. And many things of the deja vu too. Amazingly they were not the same from what I thought that they were different. For that, I grabbed the moment of my undifference as before, especially, unknown to others, under the shadow of the Chairman who I believed was then solicited to extract for more information. Including one from UTHM on UDM's pure science programme which he said he would like to cling his future. How undifferent they were on the confusion of the weakness in the subject competency which currently was deliriously shouldered on the english by misdiagnosed into the elusivity of the unsung job market. About which most of them showed ordinary linear interactiveness, implicitly or explicitly, as the laymen do, without putting any effort to dig deep into the mantle of the 'phenomenon'. Of which even if they do, would be as inert as helium on the fundamental level.

How delirious they were when come to going. Even paying themselves on top of the small subsistance for shouldering such a bearing-carrier say, like those of the primary school children who would return home to ask their parent for the fare. Because at the end of the day, they work for rather than they meet for.

And followed by a long drive in the same rather late evening to KL not only for the weekend but also to round up my remaining leave in the present contract which expired 2008 Aug 6 Wed. The day, on returning to Terengganu, I bid farewell to a piece of land in Pak Sabah, Gong Pasir, Dungun, which I bought in 1978 with a ca 12 times. Which had become the scar from a profuse heart bleeding during the trial of my brother's life after we 'parted' soon when I finished my study and he continued with what he had to. The piece apparently had undergone a quite tumbling up and down. Which on my farewell visit appeared so different from the image painted in my memory since I last saw it perhaps in the same year 1978. It was just destined to be so. PakDin's. Who is continuing to be a good neighbour to my late brother's survivors.

Together with the home that he built with the pieces of excess carpenteries in which five of six of his siblings grew before wandering to KT and ended in KTN. To his end 2007. Without having the courage to return even though practically the place was his home. Like my father and his brothers and sisters, and my mother and her brother and her close relatives, my brother and I kept memorable histories between us which narratively sounded like tales of the Clondyke. From the day we remembered we went to learn to read in Bukit Tunggal School and had a lot of fun. To the day my mother could feel we were tall enough.

The Second First Day

Which was 2008 Aug 7 Thu without a hitch, as many had expected, on which I chaired the fac meeting in the afternoon, followed by attending another in the late afternoon on the infrastructure needs in KOTA, in which Dato' VC deliberately joined us to make the pace more realistic.

The weekend of which in KL, I was taken to the 1970's memory lane of UKM precursor in Lembah Pantai, 2008 Aug 8 Fri where my acquaintances with UKM began. Including a "nasi lemak teh tarik" trip to the Amjal Restaurant which amazingly survived sturdily to this day, even though I failed to see the half-owner En Jamlus who was the operator in the UKM's FPI Sect 16, PJ.

The night of which I attended the walimah of Dr Ismail Maulud, the first batch UKM medical 1973, in FELDA Perdana, Keramat. During which many SAS-ian, mostly juniors, gathered, but only some of them were known to me. One of them was Dr Shahdan, the SAS HB 1973 who I mentioned during my 1995 SAS revisit, who during my time 1970 end was an F4 prefect that I endorsed. Surely on the first of his approach I could paint his picture by a mere past persistence, but I could not write his name on the image. I could feel his feeling of SAS HB covalency. I thus bid him a good bye on the occasion end.

Followed by a day-return drive to Segamat the following day for a similar occasion of Azizah's sister. which was repeated the following weekend for the walimah in their home.

In between the weekends, I returned to my office to chair the academic meeting. Followed by a trip of study tour to Kenyir "Santuari Kelah" of KETENGAH in Sepetang River, and of PERHILITAN in Cacing River. It was much more of a revisit. After the "expedition" 2006 May 19-23. But with the official regalia to practically open a new frontier for the faculty in the area of aquaculture. It was very much a very close look at the sanctuaries which revealed so much to be done and could be done.


A boat ride from Petang Island Resort to Sanctuary Gate of Sg Petang, then another ride to the Entry. Jungle treking for 1.2 km up the hill down the hill, uphill again, downhill, to Lubok 2 (Kelah), and another 0.3 km to Lubok 3 (Kejor) where one could practically frolic with the fish, in thousands of them.

PERHILITAN Sanctuary in Sg Cacing was of completely different concept. Naturally wild, on their own. Undisturbed.

Pic 2002 Aug 18 Sun, in my home Sg Merab, on the occasion of the wedding of my #1 and #2daughters.

During which on the exit day 2008 Aug 14 Thu my h/set was jammed with the msg to get in touch as soon as the line was available along the Pulau Petang - Pulau Herba route, ca. 9.30 am. That MakTehPah passed away at the strike of the Thu clock in TNZ Hospital. Who I last saw 2008 Aug 12 Tue on the same bed she last alive, while being tended by her youngest and eldest sons. She knew I was beside her; with her usual smile even though the eyes closed. I hold her hand, hugged her on the bed and gave her the last kiss on her right forehead. Asked her forgiven. Asked her permisson that I had to go. She gave all what I asked. And I had to leave. It was about one three quarters in the afternoon.

MakTeh was my father's youngest sister. The youngest and youngest brother was the late AyohLi. She was the last in my father's brothers and sisters. Mak Teh stayed with my father during her young days when their parents passed away. Until she got married. She moved to stay in the vicinity of her husband PakTehMat's place. I gathered and noted that my father had a strong 'heart-trust' on MakTeh, like he would to her mother. And MakTeh knew that my father was in so state. Especially during the last phase of my father's life. He would go to MakTeh's place from time to time to find a solace. Perhaps seeing MakTeh had made my father felt that a day was always the day before tomorrow, the day he would come to see MakTeh Again.

MakTeh had the affection to both my father and my father's children. MakTeh indifferentiated between her own children and my father's children. PakTehMat's sincerity had made both of them two human of rare creation. Their marriage were truly made in the heaven. Both had a significant bearing in the making of my father's children's life. As much as of their own.

I never heard my mother said anything about MakTeh that could have made my father felt uneasy. Even after my father had passed away. In fact my mother, being relatively very young, was always in the affection of my father's sisters. Going to MakTeh's place, even staying for the night, was always the place my mother would never object. MakTeh's place after all was a walking distance away.

A Matter of Marketing

Exactly, does not matter the quality. I learned this long time ago while in the saturn journey of chitosan. 2008 Aug 17 Sun Dr Abdullah and I detoured at Jabor to Kemaman for a curiosity sake at the much talk about "Kedai Kopi Kemaman". A wisma by itself. The shop on the ground floor. Two other residential floors. And a usable flat roof.


The shop a few meters from the Kemaman main traffic light. Very impressive number of customer considering the time was ca 10 am. Sun is a weekday in Terengganu, but a weekend for Pahang a few kilometers across the border.

The meal sold and ordered were breakfast meals. A few packed dishes on the table to be self-served. Grilled mini bun to be ordered. Tea, and the much talk-about was the black coffee - "kopi O".
A 'blank' milo, a tea, a packed 'nasi dagang', and a pair of grilled mini-buns. 6 rm. Not bad, not much higher than at the stall. I tasted its much-talk-about black coffee in its branch in Tanjong. I think I had this taste before. Since I was a little boy. This was the taste when one asked for a "kopi O" in ordinary coffee stalls in the old days. The coffee stalls that lined the Batu 6 streets. The Syed Ali, the Junoh etc, all provided this taste of "Kopi O". It tasted the same as that from the pack 2-in-1 widely available in the supermarkets. Only when necafe arrived the traditional taste disappeared for a while because the local appreciated so much the 'imported' taste. Then many other instant coffee came in.

One thing for sure that differed from other breakfast stalls. And I think this is the key that had attracted the customer: The SERVICE was very fast. And I think the workers were trained and were demanded to do so. A condition stipulated for a continued employment at the place. Within that crowd of customers, one would get his order within ten minutes after sitting down without any reminder to the waiter(ess). I think this is the secret. Not the "kopi O". After all, I saw very few of them took "kopi O". Neither did I.

Psychologically then, the customer helped marketing the re-appeared "kopi O" as the object, because "fast service" is intangible to market. Nevertheless, the cup-sauce-spoon to hold the 'kopi O' or tea was that of the 1960's which in no way many of the customers gave a focus on. In the old days, these trio cup-sauce-spoon were the classic utensils in a "Kedai Kopi" which every small stall tried very hard to emulate. Equally original was the "nasi dagang" which was conically packed fully in the banana leaf ('kelongsong daun pisang'), and clipped with the "lidi". A full re-appearance of the 1960's items on the table of a "Kedai Kopi". A small imperfection though: the disposable plastic spoon rather than the reusable metal spoon.

Contemporary of 2008 Aug 23 Sat. The fuel price reduction from 2.70 to 2.55 rm, a 0.15 rm down per litre. It worth a note because every one tried to recall the last time the fuel price had ever gone down. Every one remembered though the price always gone up.

The price 2.70 was from the recent rise 2008 Jun 5 from 1.92 rm. Which had 'legalised' the harrieric take-off of practically every item in the trading wikipedia, which directly inflated the cost of living phenomenally. Crenating every body.

Unambiguously the blended background event was the Permatang Pauh by-election 2008 Aug 26 Tue in which DSAI was one of the three candidates.

In the by-election, the votes were 31195, 15524, and 92 respectively giving a majority of 15671. DS Dr Wan Azizah, won the seat with a 13388 majority in the March 8 GE. Turnout 47528 (81%), spoilt 447. He was sworn in Aug 28 Thu. Reportedly 10.05 immediately after opening 'doa' of the House, took the seat vacated by the previous 'owner', which was opposite the PM. Thus a re-entry into Parliament after being expelled ten years ago in 1998 Sep. He was instantlay made the 'Ketua Pembangkang'.

On the polling day the Fac gave a lunch in Paradise Deluxe Restaurant, Jln Bukit Besar, to the Fac members, including the cleaners. It was organised by the Fac Welfare C/tee which I chaired. It was unfortunate that, the place would be the last place we would go again in the future. A dinner on ICIH was two nights previously in Primula's Gamelan I, Aug 24 Sun. In which I saw an unmistakable former figure in UKM who was with United Nation University, but I did not want to gamble my pride with the stake of not knowing whether he remembered me or not from just a couple of ICT central c/tee meetings on the 6th floor which he chaired. And another one, the day after the fac lunch, in Primula's Gamelan II Aug 27 Wed, a dinner talk on contemporary global phenomena, with the former Trg MB upon his return from a 4-weeks course in INSEAD, Fr. In which collection of 'scholars' in town were "invited". But the most I met was Prof Azmi Ambak of UMT, after nearly 33 years since I last met him in 1975 in Salford, England.

Ayu Fariha Closed the Book and Opened a History. Allah Loved Her More Than Anyone Did

It was while I was in the ICIH dinner, 2008 Aug 24 Sun in Primula's Gamelan I. The pre-news of which that she was admitted in SNZ Hospital was relayed to me at ca six in the car enroute home who was then transfered to ICU. She passed away ca. 10. Roslan took me to the hospital, ca. 11. But I could only saw she was whisked to be met at her home in Tertak Batu, Marang. In the early afternoon, 2008 Aug 25 Mon. Where she was laid to rest beside her father who led her about four years ago. In the nearby graveyard.

Ayu was my mother's last 'legend'. Had she were there to 'accompany' she would fight herself with her falling tears, as she did when Ayu's mother passed away in 1987. The history began in 1966 ...

1966,... During the second term break in July - August, I had another little sister. She was Akmam, and she came in the time we were in the deepest misery. During her pregnancy my mother did every thing she could to prepare for her long "lay-off", she was waiting for whatever would happen to us. In the meantime, AyahLi was solicited by a childless distant relative, TokTeh who lived in Teluk Pasu. Feeling obligated to my father he talked about it; obviously my father gave full liberty to my mother to say the single word. I was crying very loud in silence for somebody to take care of my little sister while I was going away. I went back to the hostel when the word had yet to be said. I was told only when I returned home for weekend break that Akmam was in her home then. My mother narrated to me all that had happened. She was loved more than we were. The SRP exam was in October. I was more than ready for it, with my index number 6-LF/LF 1060.

So Akmam lived in a home very much loved by her 'parents'. And she got married to Mat Amin, 1986 Feb 21 Fri, followed by Rubaiah, Akmam elder sister, admission for her first baby Feb 24. In the period my mother began to get home ridden. Ayu Fariha was born to Akmam, 1987 mid-Mar. The name she herself chose for her daughter. But ...

1987,... And again on Thursday April 2, at wee hours I drove to Trg in Num's car with him and Zaid MakTehPah; this time for a very sad news: that Adik Ma passed away last night in KTGH of weak heart, twenty five days after she gave birth to a baby girl. I actually had not seen her since her marriage last year, perhaps it was the last time I saw and I talked to her. My mother was very sad, but invisibly I think I was sadder because I did not know what Adik Ma wanted from me during her days end, and I believe she did not dare to tell any body else, even her own husband.

So Ayu repeated her mother's 'journey', after twenty one years, in the same home. When my mother passed away 1989 Sep 13, Ayu was barely two and a half years old. Naturally she could not comprehend what was going on. Her father remarried then, and led a happy life in Tertak Batu, Marang. His wife was always prepared to have Ayu with them. But only at about ca 2000 when her mother's bothers and sisters went to see to have her 'grandmother' taken care of. In 2003 Feb 14, during the reception of my youngest brother wedding in PA, Ayu and her family came for the walimah. Unfortunately that was the last time I saw Ayu's father, Mat Amin. He passed away about a year later, leaving Ayu in the fingers of a good step mother, growing together with their sons and daughters. Ayu never knew her mother, had a faint memory about the 'grandmother'. She barely knew her father, and just started to live in a family.

2007 Okt 5 Fri was my first Friday spent in Trg since my return Aug 7. I took this opportunity to visit Ayu in Marang. Together with my sister Ani et al, and Mek et al. I hugged her on ending the visit. Unfortunately, that was my last hug that she remembered. At twenty she then perhaps started getting confused. The good woman in the house was not her mother. Her father had gone. She had only half sisters and brothers. And the more she surfed the deep of the nights the more she felt she missed many things. At this junction Allah intervened. She began to show unwell in Jun 2008. Detoriated very fast. She got the last hug from my sisters who visited her in Jul. And my last hug for her was on her burial minute, the seconds before she was fully covered. I sprayed the 'air mawar' on her, lifted into the coffin, joined the 'solat', and was whisked to rest beside her father in the graveyard of Kg Tertak Batu, Marang. 2008 Aug 25 Mon. 1429H Syakban 23. She was 21, as was her mother.

A Marathon Drive

2008 Aug 28 Thu, 29 Fri, 30 Sat, 31 Sun, from Kuala Terengganu to Kuala Lumpur, to Parit Buntar, to Penang, back to Kuala Lumpur, and eventually back in Kuala Terengganu. Respectively, with a change of WFV to WLU in KL. My first 'mission journey' to Penang was in 1973, during my student days in UKM. During "Penang Ferry" time. It was a Chemistry Department study tour to several educational related sites. Then several trips and peeks with the family members. As well as on works matters with 'Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka', chitosan matters, Matriculation Division, etc, etc. My last crossing drive to the island was 2004 Jul which digged deep into the memory of the first visit.

This weekend pre-'51-merdeka' visit, specifically to Kg Baroh, Bayan Lepas, apparently was to make the visit to Penang to be open-ended. Like it was in Yan, and Jitra, Kedah. The 'meeting' was straight forward, fast, and facilitating. Every one was in the pro-mode. It was just another one after the Kuala Selangor last year Dec. Which also had a bearing in Kedah. Making my survivors appeared to polarise to the northern states, rather than returning home to the eastern states.


1429H Ramadan 1 : 2008 September 1 Mon

They fall on the same day together. Monday, after the country's Sun celebration of 51-Merdeka (2008 in Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur), in the evening of which I drove to return to Trg. And they were both ninth month of the respective Hijri and Gregory year. Ramadan these years meant more to the Bazaars. Not so much the fun of fasting and breaking the fast like it used to be. So Ramadan Bazaars were every where. The one in Tanjung where I frequented last year, appeared to have been moved to Taman Shahbandar perpheral along the main road. On the first day 1429H Ramadan 1 2008 Sep 1 Mon, it did not appear to take the advantage of the migration by performing better than that of last year. Too many people with too many vehicles. Too less variants. Too insufficient taste. And with last May tsunamic fuel increase, the price of items in Ramadan Bazaar were equally tsunamic. So far not worth a close up in Tanjong. Missing was this magnificent stall of Terengganu goodies. The faces of Ramadan have not changed since I last observed.

Cabang Tiga did better. As did Batu 6. At least both of them maintained. Including the never-ending CD stall.

Food Tech Batch #2 students, whose Chemistry lecture FDS3013 I took over from Asmaliza, from 2008 Sep 2 Tue.

A bend, a few km north of Air Putih junction, on the Jabor - Bkt Besi Route. The place where a couple of weeks back we stopped to collect some strayed palm-oil fruits to be shown to the students, because many of the students had not seen the fruits before. They named this bend "Selekoh 5 Beranak" - quite recently a family of 5 in a Kancil, all died after the car skidded and crashed at the bank. Even a C200 get skidded, 2008 Sep 4 Thu ca 3 pm. It was a close one, at ca 110 to bring to zero velocity. The F/R tyre peeled off from the rim. A close look at the place indicated a slippery bend. It was just after a drizzle. Palm-oil fruits could be seen on the road side. A bunch strayed on the opposite side. A fifty metres away from where the car stopped, was the palm oil fruits collection station.

Once upon a time, Terengganu was known for its delicacies. And cheap too. But not any longer. The microbiological content was only the 'apetizer'. The main 'content' is the price. They are dearer than in Kuala Lumpur. Astronomic in some places. And invariably in variance. Even the locals could feel the accelerated rise. They talk about it every time and every where. The travellers could very well tell the matter.

"Keropok" and "nasi dagang" were ubiquitous that they are no longer characteristic features of Terengganu because they were made by non-characteristic people.

Some locals were very quick to point out that these were expected, judging by the favouring activities which had been promoted and catalysed to take place. It was even faster than they expected. The EXPOSURE. The east that met the west. The normal newer comers who were equipped with the instinct that they were better than the predecessors, countering the natural entropy.

Something pinging in the distance. 2008 Sep 10 Wed ... uuh! From a constant buddy back in Bangi for a two days old local news. Not so sure of any interest in it any more. Or even anything to do any more. Send an e-card? Or Raya card? That once my playground had turned into an alien land. Never mind. Let's move on.

Waah, uuh! So fast one aah... In exactly a week, one more gone. Better keep a close watch for the third one. Might be very soon. Who may 'die' of the loneliness like those of the legendary "budak hitam". Which would end a history of a generation. Not so sure who was luckier. The first one to abandon, or the last one to watch the sinking into the deep ocean. That was the much that was deserved for a trio "kadok", "kudung", and "kera". Just a generation - a million miles away from a civilisation.

Duane mane pong ujong2 tu misti die

Aku kate so'mo ddoh. Tado' orang laing. Napok macang dok ssaboh. Seba' ssining ya kate ggitu tuh. Kalu dinung ssaboh sanga' la. Inga' ke gi ah ke ppala tu ke ppala ni. Uh, hok leka' cceloh gg dapa' la. Hok paro' ggini ke sape lagi. Tu pung ta' kang cemo' tu je. Kang sakang lagi tu. Pah kuane hok lagi2.

Pasa nngece' dok leh lawang. Mung keleh sdiri ah. Lima plasti' die wi mole' mole' ada suroh makang. Ceroh nnerang pulo' tu. Bukang ddalam gela' gelema'. Pero' teri' dok atah pare, temiko kerah kketong mole' mole' ada gi semboh mitok pitih.

Padang ggitu doh kite niii. Kece' dorang so'mo. Aku inga' mung rajing cerita ka'ku tahong 70 dulu masa mung nak maso' U. Mung nak gi fotostet sijil kkeda gambor di jalan Mesji'. Dohla 20 sen sela, dia kata dua hari baru sia'. Pada ha, mesin tu ccokoh dok bbawah tangga. Macang kite dok rajin kelih mesin fotostet.

Doh baru2 ning aku dengor kih melaming tu guane? Kkabo go' sikit, doh mung nngaji nnatang tu kang. Cih! Mung, reti pende. Aku ngoya' kang nneleh air lio basi mung, dok ngeti bende satu. Ye uboh nnatang tu ddalang susu die nak keche' orang nak suroh kata susu die banya' proting. Wa' pe nnatang tu proting ke? Do'. Nnatang tu bukang proting. Nnatang tu racong. Nnatang tu, kalu uboh ddalang susu, meta bace machang proting. Seba' die banyak naitrojeng. Nnatang ape naitrojeng tu. Aku kate doh. Mung dok tahu kale. Mung tanye ano' mung hok nok ambil espieng bulang seblah ni ah senang.

A Long Weekdays

2008 Sep 7 Sun - 16 Tue was one of the long weekdays I stayed in Terengganu which included the infrequent Friday in my old mosque Pengkalan Arang. The cap was actually the 17 Wed which was the country break for some states for the Nuzul Quran which could be configured into a long weekend to 20 Sat. In the middle of it, 11 Thu the faculty was sponsored for an iftar. Students especially, and the staff on the plain of Kota Cafe. Followed by 12 Fri, merrying CheGu Jamil at his home in Kg Bukit Besar K Terengganu who gathered all the students who took his courses for an iftar. And his buddy lecturers too in the Lang Fac. And 13 Sat I felt like strolling and wandering the streets of K Terengganu. It started in the office at late morning for the pax to be delivered in the folowing short weekdays. Stayed long enough. Iftar in the office. Then out for a "nasi malaya" at Hiliran AZ Selera. After which via Cabang Tiga, back to Kedai Binjai for an FC-pax for my sister Hah et al in Kg Batin, whose place was the last destination for the night before returning home at ca 10.

The University's own occasion was 20 Sat in the Kusza Mosque, during which, the public close by were also (I believed selectively) invited. Obviously, I missed it for a rather long indispensable weekend in Bangi, which ended on the same date 2008 Sep 20 Sat.

Ramadan and Sep ended, as it began, together, on a smooth landing, with the schools all over the country began the break 2008 Sep 27 Sat for a week. So did all the universities. The Eid of the first Shawal was thus celebrated in a more relaxed atmosphere in the middle of the break week.

I remembered I read some where. Old people are not something adorable objects. You need to have a pre-condition of being their sibling to be able to love them, or to like them, or even to have the feeling of undistasteful to them. They themselves had been thro a lot of courage to stay on being old people. It took two 'old' souls of a pair to stay on being old people. Which are about how they were through when they were young.



Dated 1429H Ramadan 30 Tue 2008 September 30