2018G |
Jan-Mar |
Sekelip Mata |
2018, Hoping A Lot | Dated 2018G Jan 16 Tue 28 R-Akhir 1439H |
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The new year, JAN 1 Mon 13 R-Akhir 1439H, at home in SG MERAB, 3-beranak, sans NA, who just AK-hopped to TGG yesterday evening, and SB in Germany. The elder children were at their places, including ALYA in JB. It was raining in Sg Merab on the New Year day, concealing 3-beranak in the house. 
In the W1 of the new year, an auditing and servicing of the R-01 for healthier living was launched. The last time audit was perhaps before the 2015 Sep wedding. It took many days to settle the contents. Ostensibly NA's belongings began to warrant a substantial fraction of the space. 
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ALYA-FARHAN returned home for the weekend Jan 5-8 Fri-Mon, weaving with her final matter with KPT on her MSc sponsorship MyBrain. Perhaps this was the longest weekend since she settled in JB about ten month ago. NA continued in TGG, she said the days were full, but the itinerary was light, the eventuality in the office was more and more imminent. 
NA's first 2018 Sg Merab home was the weekend of Jan 11-14 Thu-Sun, after twelve days away since Sun the last day of 2017. During which Jan 13 Sat, ASRI started his driving lesson in NILAI-3 of IKMAS circuit, having run away from AMSA, even though at IKMAS there's no guarantee of a swift process. And with NA, sending off NA's sister, KAK-TI et al in KLIA for their Umrah trip. And on the way to KLIA2 Jan 14 Sun for NA's AK-hop to TGG, dropped by PUTRAJAYA hospital to pay a visit to ABG HADI who was warded on Sat evening. The rain of the beginning of 2018 year extended through out the weeks, not in downfall though, making the weather rather unusually cold for a tropical country. And it's throughout the country, even with flood in some places in Johor and Pahang. And in some other places the temperature was recorded as low as 20 degree during day light. The sky was cloudy all days, the sun shine was very scarce. It was an unprecedentedly cold weather, never before, unsimilar to the Monsoon cold, defying what's being drummed as Global Warming. The water from the tap was chilly cold that having shower was not a comfortable thing to do in the morning. |
A First Taste of Highway | Dated 2018G Jan 23 Tue 6 J-Awal 1439H |
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Into the second half of Jan of 2018 in Sg Merab. The cold weather continued, sans rain though. The cloudy and gloomy sky kept the temperature low. Sun shine was still very little, but progressing to show up again. 
Jan 22 Mon, DRVTGG with ASRI in Nissan, giving him for the first taste of steering a car. And it was from Lanchang to Jabor, then after a detour on non-toll JABOR-AJIL route, continued from AJIL right to HOME in TOK JEMBAL. His final test, as with his elders, would be ascending-descending to-and-fro the terowong SEMPAH, first during daylight, then night time. But that would be with a P in hand. 
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DURIAN has begun to make an ubiquitous appearance. Several month ago it asked for up to 50 rm/kg. Lately in the BAZAAR some asked for just 650 sen/kg. A kind was in DESANIKA, lately said to be available on daily basis, from late afternoon. Tempted, and unresisted. But both CB and ASRI were not as fond since both have tasted that of NA's P-PANJANG breed. 
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Dated 2018G Jan 31 Wed 14 J-Awal 1439H |
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While in TGG, and in Jerteh, I made a visit to UNIZA FARM in Pasir Akar. Jan 26 Fri. The cattle, and the goat were visited. My last visit was two years ago in 2016 Mar 9 Wed, during which I planted a DURIAN tree. The land for the farm was negotiated from Besut Land Office under my tenure as the Dean of the Faculty. The farm was officially opened 2011 Apr 25 Mon, by the then local ADUN, five years before the previous visit. 
The most of the visit was to see the DURIAN I planted during the visit two years ago. As ROHAIZAD had posted Jan 3, it has surprisingly fast grown. Perhaps I could see its fruit, as in the known, would be in three years time. 
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On the way to Jerteh, in Padang Polis Batu Rakit, while having b-fast 3-beranak with NA and ASRI, I stumbled with SARUJI, the NC driver of the KOTA time. He has retired, and after a couple of month "kilas kain" in his words, he was employed by a TGG Senator. 
Jan 27 Sat, DRVKUL, with ASRI behind the wheel all the LPT2 and LPT1, with things to watch out in LPT2, the makeshift petrol station and AES, and the frequent unexpected in LPT1. 
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A Month Closer | Dated 2018G Feb 9 Fri 23 J-Awal 1439H |
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Asri started his driving lessons, in three consecutive days, started Jan 31 Wed, Feb 1 Thu, and Feb 2 Fri in IKAMS Nilai-3 circuit. And was listed on stand by for a P-Test on Feb 13 Tue. ALYA made a home weekend Feb 1-3 Thu-Sat. NA opted to stay in TGG, for the weekend, waiting for my return. And Feb 1 Fri was SB's final paper in OSNA semester exam, his 5-th sem, to be followed by a month break to Mar 4 Sun. With that my DRVTGG on Feb 4 Sun was alone, and in Nissan. 
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The DRVTGG on Feb 4 Sun was for the first time the W-TENGAH home. Arriving 2242 to the waiting NA. In Tok Jembal was only from Feb 7 Wed, the day after the DRV-KEMAMAN, the night before the reverse DRVKUL, and with NA. Two days in W-TENGAH, Mon and Wed, was not long enough, not much could be furnished. But a mobile cooker table-seat was shaped in form and usable, pre-decoration though. More to be done in the kitchen to make it imbibeable. 
While in Kemaman Feb 6 Tue, on accompany-ing NA, while having lunch at Stesen Bas lama Chukai, we were met by my ex-student in UNIZA. We have an anecdote in one evening before he quitted Animal Production and Health Degree Programme in 2010? to take up a Medical Course in Egypt. Currently he's waiting for his HO turn in HSNZ in a while to come. 
DRVKUL Feb 9 Thu was with NA going for the home weekend in SG MERAB home. Terengganu has returned to the heat of the coastal weather. But windy. The grasses were dry, and easily caught fire. The rain was just skirmishes. Plus the dew in the morning. |
A Scary Casted Future | Dated 2018G Feb 14 Wed 28 J-Awal 1439H |
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NA was in Sg Merab home since DRVKUL Feb 8 Thu and stayed for a while before AK-hopped back to TGG Feb 12 Mon. During which Feb 9 Fri she attended the opening of the new BAR COUNCIL home in Jln Raja KL which she said the event may be her last event with the BAR in KL. It was a double walimah Feb 10 Sat. The first attended was that of Dr Arisol in Sect-7 Shah Alam, Dewan Lavender of MBSA. Acquaintance with Dr Arisol was a long history, beginning in 1976 when I started my career as a lecturer, and he was my hons year student in 1979. But the closest was in the UKM 'imfamous' Chitosan Affairs of the 1990's. A 'congener', of equally acquainted, also present in the event, was Dr Ambar Yarmo, who narrated a bit of what 'remained' in UKM Chemistry. It was a long time ago, since my last day 11 years ago, in 2007. 
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Afterwards we rushed to Dewan Gemilang of Yayasan Felda in Kelana Jaya for the walimah of Dr Kassim, a colleague in the Faculty of Agriculture and Biotechnology, when we were in Universiti Darul Iman Malaysia (UDM) during our KOTA days 2007-2009. Dr Kassim lives in Kg Tunku in a community, pioneer wave, apparently with many I knew, one was Zawiah, also present in the event. Included obviously are CheGu Ghazali, and the late CheGu Hussein. Dr Kassim perhaps does not know my acquaintances in Kg Tunku. Not to mention that from mid 1971, to mid 1972, I stayed in Sg Way, next door, and I passed by Kg Tunku almost every day during its primitive development on my way to Pantai Valley for the lecture. 
ASRI's stand by P-test for Feb 13 Tue, in Nilai-3 Circuit, was deferred, because of too many candidates, to another opportunity date, perhaps on 24-h notice. And most probably after the CNY break of mid Feb. MAZRIS in Bangi, and later AMSA in Sg Merab, were all fully booked till Apr which made no sense for SPM leavers like Asri. Apparently driving licence business is rather lucrative this day. 
But WFV was finally home, after being away in DUTA PAKAR in FASA-4 since Jan 15 Mon, a lot better especially ignition and drive-wise, the raison d etre, but being aged, needed much attention, especially the engine cooling, the second raison d etre. As are the oil leaking from the steering, and the gear, although both had been treated, by separate POMEN though. 
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The First Throw | Dated 2018G Feb 23 Fri 7 J-Akhir 1439H |
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NA returned, Feb 15 Thu for the home weekend after an ETIQA meeting in BANGSAR. The weekend was the DOG CNY break Feb 16-17 Fri-Sat. And NA spent all of it in Sg Merab to Feb 19 Mon with a rare KULTGG MH-hop. 
Feb 18 Sun 2 J-Akhir 1439H, my 14-th Datuk 'conferment', of RUBAINI, her 6-th, the 4-th girl. And NA's third, she admittedly said. My 13-th was last year, Nov 2 Thu 13 Safar 1439H. And the 15-th to come in ca three months time, each respectively from three daughters. 
And while in Putrajaya after welcoming Siti Aishah in Putrajaya Hospital, we caved in the BOWLING ALLEY in Alamanda. It was NA's idea, and it had cheered up ASRI untold, and a relief to CB. I never realised that the game is so much fun for a family outing, rather costly though. And for the FIRST TIME I threw the ball to the aligned pins. NA obviously was not a novice. She had told her interest in this since before we were together. 
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During which many walimah were arrayed, including in TRG. But I was in only one. That of Mohd Embong, Feb 17 Sat in the Dewan Komuniti, Taman Ibu Kota, Gombak. Ostensibly the event was swarmed by the ASAS6770, some of them I knew very well. One in particular was Dr Izzudin. I don't mind at all if many of them don't remember me at all. And also present to a certain extent were of Padang_Midin_SPM68, some of them are very dear from our very tender age of teens. Wan Muhamad Musa, and Yusof Said were two of them. 
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End Exactly Four Weeks | Dated 2018G Feb 28 Wed 12 J-Akhir 1439H |
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Lingering in Sg Merab, and BANGI vicinity, watching somewhat slow degradation of life. Fortunately they didn't realise that they are in the degradation process because they had never been before the better life, the life their parents and fore-parent, relatively primitive though, enjoyed. Been observed this one since last year Oct with a predictable destiny. 
Feb was indeed very short, an exactly four weeks, 2018 is not a Leap Year. The heat of the tropical country returned, with a lot of sunshine, after a short comfortable rarely cool in Jan. Noted on the wall, the eventuality of PRU-14. The continuing price increase, not excluded in the Barber Shop for no reason, from 10 to 11 rm, leveled for a pause during the Election time. Indirectly related, NA was asked to defer her retirement a month to after Mar. |
The so-called JLN-6 was the first place where BB BANGI grow. It was meant for lower strata citizen, and remained to this day. For the higher strata, the growth is a distance away. But Jln-6 saw how the M-yu culture of Majlis-Citizen is preserved. That had made Bangsa-Asing when they come, grow wild and 'nurtured', slowly cancer-ing the Bumi. 
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A Trying March | Dated 2018G Mar 13 Tue 25 J-Akhir 1439H |
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ALYA-FARHAN returned for the home weekend Mar 1-3, Thu-Sat. NA AK-returned, Mar 2-4 Fri-Sun for the home weekend to attend her Insurance colleague wedding reception of his daughter in Selayang, Batu Cave. An I-dian reception, Mar 3 Sat. And thus RUBY et ank2 for the first time since #6daughter delivery, returned home for the week end. Zidni et al, and Muzani et al, just popped in. Nonetheless it was a belated "Potong Kek" for CB's BD last Feb 27. 
Mar 6-7 Tue-Wed, overnight in W-Tengah house. Mar 7 Wed, a half day in Jerteh, accompany-ing NA to her office. Spending the time strolling the MASJID HADARI, then GIANT, observing the surrounding. And at night a short meeting with POK SID in SYAKIRIN, to book for his time to fix the sink outlet in SEPETIR house. |
Mar 4 Sun, DRVTGG in WFV with NA, with a scare that it's exposure to a prolonged congestion idling would make the cooling insufficient. Otherwise it drives comfortably. Plus the hot weather lately, both in the west and east coast. ASRI stayed with CB in SG MERAB, waiting for his re-test date. On the BYE, RUBY et ank2 were with them. 
Mar 8 Thu, the DRVKUL with NA who stayed at home in Sg Merab throughout the weekend (and the weekend before) to his MH-hop Mar 11 Sun. WFV was fine, in both DRV_TGG_KUL, except that the threat of the heating on idling in a prolonged congestion, or jam, which was averted by targeting to join MRR2 by night. The fine weather (both ways) had made it possible to enjoy the non-toll citizen route of AJIL-JABOR, and obviously with intermittent 'race' with giant haulers. |
A Very Varying in March | Dated 2018G Mar 20 Tue 2 Rejab 1439H |
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Apparently the National Car is the PERODUA. Not the PROTON. In desperation, Perodua is always the answer. Once upon an era, Perodua Kancil was the Terengganu Car of the Rakyat. They so-observed that when you landed in a foreign land, and when you are swarmed by KANCIL, then you must have landed in Terengganu. What a sarcasm. 
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When we moved to our home in SG MERAB, 1987 Sep 27 Sun from 31, Jln 1/3C, BBBangi, the only grocer around was here, a lot in a row. The Jajang. Over the years it progressed in many stages, towed by one of them. The YB. Today it is a 2-Storey Complex, with many shop lots, but as today only the corporate type, with charity attributes, managed to survive the sky-rocketing rent. A lot more are vacant. 
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A Blessed March | Dated 2018G Mar 24 Sat 6 Rejab 1439H |
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Mar 16 Fri 28 J-Akhir 1439H, a DRVTGG with ASRI the day after he received his SPM results. The NO SMOKING campaign had been an attractive item to talk about which appeared to have conceded to the motorists for the very reason to have a break in an RR. 
Terengganu in the past was about the beach. Life on the beach had changed dramatically. The monstrous sea they once tamed is being taken away from them. The hinterland life is similarly changed. 
Mar 22 Thu, DRVKUL in Nissan, with ASRI, and NA. It was a fine ride through both LPT, in a nice weather, with ASRI partly behind the wheel, like in the DRVTGG last Fri, even through the Rakyat route of JABOR-AJIL, from Karak right to AJIL-RR. |
One walimah to attend. That of HASMAH CHE MAT in Kubang Parit, a school batch mate of 1964-66 in Padang Midin. Unfortunately no other alumni that I encountered. The host said a few had come, and had already left. 
Kenyir was revisited, Mar 18 Sun, an impromptu decision. Noted that Kenyir had undergone a phenomenal change, since my last visit ca ten years ago, 2008 Aug 13 Wed, but not worth an unload. If it was given to a corporate, a change of beyond recognition might have taken place. 
Mar 21 Wed 3 Rejab 1439H, took ASRI to visit an EXPO of IPTS in TTI, to give him some exposure of the opening he could have after SPM. He has several options, but all were in the vicinity of Business Administration and IT. The former would invoke the Accounting again which Asri said rather heavy for him. 
In this DRVKUL, it was until we paid the Bentong toll at 1753. The crawling started. The longest was on climbing the Bukit Tinggi in reaching the TEROWONG at 2026, after 2h 33min. There after, every body was shooting like a meteorite to cool the heat of being in the congestion at the sun set. The strangest was that no sign at all that an accident had happened after the terowong. Nothing at all on the road. Not even a piece of broken part, in contrast the the Wasap saying that a major accident involving a tanker with a massive oil spillage. We were HOME in Sg Merab, 2214, instead of targeted 2000 plus-minus. It was a nightmare indeed. |
The Marched March | Dated 2018G Mar 31 Sat 13 Rejab 1439H |
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Mar 24 Sat, attended the walimah of Dr Ibrahim-Tini, an acquaintance since student days from late 1970's, in Hotel Bangi Putrajaya (ex Equatorial). Unexpectedly we met Uniza former colleagues. Prof Mohd Zakaria Ismail, my successor, Dean #3, and Dr Ungku Azahan who joined Uniza at the time when my contract was about to end. NA was at home in Sg Merab during the weekend of Mar 23-25 Fri-Sun, joining, and MH-hopped back to TGG Mar 25 Sun. 
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And buddies since in England 1980's time. Dr Khalid, Dr Che Seman, Dr Osman Hassan, Dr Kadderi, and the late Dr Zini's Sham. And some other UKM ex colleagues. 
PRASING is the first north-bound RR on LPT2. The same premise is the last on south-bound. One-for-Two. Just like the Restoran Jejambat in PLUS. Glaringly it promotes KEROPOK, in particular of Kemaman origin. Is LPT promoting one RR one product? In particular in LPT2, what is the product in PAKA RR, and AJIL RR? 
Mar marched away very fast, consuming NA's intention to start retiring. Some steps inched on though in her RYP with regard to the SEPETIR office which would diffuse into Apr. SB had been in Germany for exactly three years, had three times returned home for breaks, twice in 2017 alone, once for ALYA's wedding and a semester afterwards for ASRI's SPM. In mid Mar, SPM 2017 results were announced. It was quite a drive to chart the new path for ASRI's next move, from both ways. Himself and his card. Compounded by my obsoleteness in ICT, and the contemporary E-APPLICATION, in every corner. Even with ALYA's flash home weekend Mar 29-31 Thu-Sat. |
2018G |
Jan-Mar |
Sekelip Mata |