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This blogspot is a medium to share my thoughts and adventures apart from promoting my books. Below are the books which have been written or authored and published by myself.


"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Mencari Diri dan Erti".

ISBN 983-42031-0-1, Jun 2006


"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Membela Syiar yang Asal"

ISBN 983-42031-1-x, May 2007


"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Sirih Pulang ke Gagang?"

ISBN 978-983-42031-2-2, November 2007


It is interesting to note that while these books were written in Malay it has gained enough attention to merit being part of the collections of the American Library of Congress and National Library of Australia. Look here and here.


While the first three books were published by my own company, the fourth titled "Rumah Azan" was published in April 2009 by a company called Karnadya with the help of the Malaysian national literary body Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. It features beautiful pictures along with stories behind selected mosques which could be related to the history of Islam and the Malays alongside the formation of the Malaysian nation. Look at the article A collaboration of old collegemates - the book "Rumah Azan".


My fifth book "Ahlul Bait (Family) of Rasulullah SAW and Malay Sultanates", an English translation and adaptation of the Malay book "Ahlul Bait (Keluarga) Rasulullah SAW dan Kesultanan Melayu" authored by Hj Muzaffar Mohamad and Tun Suzana Othman was published early 2010. Look here... My 5th book is out! Ahlul Bait (Family) of Rasulullah SAW and the Malay Sultanates... . For more information check out my Malay blogspot CATATAN SI MERAH SILU.



Like my fourth book "Rumah Azan", the sixth book "Kereta Api Menuju Destinasi" is also a coffee-table book which is published by the company Karnadya with the cooperation of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (the main Malay literary body in Malaysia). Coming out January 2011 it features pictures and stories on the adventure travelling by train to all of Peninsular Malaysia along with the interesting places which could be reached this way.


My seventh book "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah" in turn is a coffee-table book which is written, editted, designed and has pictures taken by me. Coming out of the factory October 2011, this book which combines family history with history of places such as Singapura, Johor, Batu Pahat, Muar and in fact the history of the island of Java and England has been reviewed with me interviewed live in the program Selamat Pagi Malaysia at RTM1. Look at the article Siaran langsung ulasan buku "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah" dan temu ramah di Selamat Pagi Malaysia. Some selected contents have been featured in Sneak peek "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah".


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The "Berpetualang ke Aceh" series of novels could be obtained in e-book form. Enter http://www.e-sentral.com/, click general novel and go to page 4. You can also type the word "Aceh" at the search box. Or click straight Book 1, Book 2 and Book 3.


Thursday, July 16, 2009

An A Level ad-hoc reunion at Pelita Jalan Ampang...

This is a picture of a little ad-hoc reunion held by my collegemates from the A Level days, at the Pelita restaurant in Jalan Ampang during lunchtime yesterday. It was supposed to be a candid picture took just after I went out of the toilet. They were not supposed to notice this shot. But the coming of the flash from my camera alerted them. So they have time to turn around and smile.

Normally, regardless of the time of the day, little lighting and such I don't use flash. Even when taking pictures in the dark, I'd rather allow whatever little amount of lighting to built up inside the camera screen enough to differentiate the main objects to be taken against the background for a snap. So I always have the camera set with no flash.

However when this picture was taken, I didn't realise that my camera was in automatic mode meaning it would turn on the flash if it considers there is not enough lighting. Yet, this was in stark day-time... there should be more than enough light to make the subject clear enough. Still the flash was turned on and the rest was history.

The picture I intended to take should look like this - minus the people smiling and looking straight at the camera of course as it was supposed to be a candid shot. Anyway, this is how it looks like without flash. But the previous snap with flash has already alerted them to my attempt, so here we are, everybody posing for posterity except one. Hmm...

OK. Let me try to get the names right... or rather their nicknames in college ya. From furthest left going anti-clockwise or to the right is Johan Aris @ John followed by Din which I still remember as Din ... (the three dots refers to a familiar name which is not relevant anymore now. I only made the reference as that was always the way I have remembered Din, sorry ya bro!), Maisharul I think (he was the only one I couldn't put a face to in the gathering. I only knew who he is after looking at the exchange last night in our Yahoo group), Kawi, Iwe (which I remembered the face but only got the name when someone else called him out. Not from our batch but a senior very chummy with some of us). From right going to the left, the only girl in this little reunion was Rafidah Harun @ Fifi (I always remember her as a pleasant person, one who has tolerated my antics very well), Zahid Taib @ Apek (one of my room-mates at 51C), Tajul Aznam (apa ha lu punya nickname? Ada ka?) and finally the only person who decided to maintain a candid composure by staying put, Mumbra (your real name is Khairul ka?). Later came Raja Azlan from Batch 6 if I remember his name correctly. So he's not in the picture.

Unfortunately I didn't have much time to talk to many of them. They came for lunch and have to resume working after a time. While most have arrived by 12.30 pm, I only reached the restaurant sometime after 1.30 pm. What happened was my bike was making noises and it sounded like coming out from the gearbox. So I have to get it fixed first before joining the guys (and gal).

Anyway I feel so grateful to Allah SWT for having seen them yesterday. There are guys which I haven't seen since we left college 20 years ago, so I must admit there's plenty of nostalgic feeling welling inside me as I chomped down my food while listening to their banterings and such. And I am also grateful that a previous meeting with Kawi just a few days earlier after having not met for 20 years or so (I don't think we've bumped in England and after, correct me if I am wrong) led to the discovery on my part that our batch's Yahoo group have been very active in the last few months. That is how I started getting back into contact with them and that is how the lunchtime ad-hoc reunion was made to happen.

While we are still on the subject of reunion, let me put the link to a reunion me and my room-mates at 51C held last year. Here it is... Reunion bilik 51C "A"Level Batch 7 (tahun 1988).... And let me just display again the links to a series of articles written about the A Level days ya.

To Din, regarding our later meeting at Decanters when you asked what happened to me all this while, the last article linked here should succintly explain it all (except for the spiritual part and matters regarding royalty I told you about). Cheers! :]

Remembering the "A" level college days some 20 years ago! Just to get the juices flowing...

Remembering the "A" Level college days. How I got the nickname Fly!

Monday, July 13, 2009

The Chamang waterfalls in Bentong, Pahang

Last Sunday, on the way back from Raub to Kuala Lumpur, I felt like making an excursion to Chamang...


The actual intended destination lies 8 km ahead...

One have to take a winding path down (or rather up?) the jungle...


And there, the destination is almost at hand...



But first park the car...



The hint of what's to come is already there...

Nice huh?



Actually, the real attraction could already be seen from the carpark...




Welcome to Chamang waterfalls, one of the more impressive waterfalls I've seen my whole life anywhere. For the record this is my second time here. The last visit was made probably 7 to 8 years ago....





While the waterfalls are very impressive, it is considered off limits to the public. It is very dangerous and has cost a number of lives...





Nevertheless, visitors can enjoy safer areas like this not far away...




Another look at the main waterfalls...



This video should put the places in perspective. For the record this is the 343rd posting here. Cheers! :]






Abolishing terrorism between races...

OK. Let's take a break from the Aceh articles. Here is another translated article from the website http://www.shiar-islam.com . As for the subject, I just followed the order of Malay articles there. So nothing to do with the current world situation ya or is it? I leave it for you readers to judge...


ABOLISHING TERRORISM BETWEEN RACES

By Ustaz Syed Hasan Alatas
http://www.shiar-islam.com/
Translation by Radzi Sapiee

The injustice which is rife in all parts of the world, oppressions among mankind, all undue actions and such have caused terrorism among races to rise. I am always right, you are always wrong... if such an opinion continues to be one’s belief in themselves, then do not hope to end all the terrors plaguing the world.

It is because of unbearable oppressions where countries are invaded, the inhabitants treated like animals, belongings destroyed that terrorism persists. Don’t be perplexed if there are men who dare to blow up themselves. They are bent on destroying themselves as they are too disappointed, looking at how their families were killed, houses blown up or ran down, their fathers, mothers or brothers and sisters mercilessly tortured or killed, the plants they have painfully cultivated over many years razed down. They have no choice because such oppressions keep on continuing. And they could not find a place to solve all this justly. Thus the time have arrived for all nations to cooperate to solve the problems of the oppressed in a just and intelligent way.

The time have come for all the world to work together to solve mankind’s problems based on the loving principles shown by the prophets. Look at the teachings of prophets Moses AS, Jesus AS and Muhammad SAW. Study how they advocated love and caring among the creations, just actions, being tolerant and solving problems of terror by looking at its root cause, who are involved, where are they, how they act and what is the reason behind their actions.

Solving the problems of the community is no mean feat, what more when it involves terrorism. Terrorists exist everywhere in any country but remember, the fight for what is right and just should never be equated with terrorism. The fight for what is right and just like freeing men from oppression and unjust is an honourable fight. Such a fight have been carried out by many freedom fighters at any nations, whether in the east or in the west.

Besides that there exist the real terrorist since the time of Prophet Adam AS. Remember his son Cain who murdered his own younger brother Abel because of jealousy and following his own whims and fancies? The history of Islam itself shows how three caliphs (successors to the Prophet Muhammad SAW in leading the Muslims), Saidina Umar RA., Saidina Uthman RA and Imam Ali bin Abi Thalib KWJ were killed by terrorists. Such is the case with many descendants of Rasulallah SAW, like his granchildren Saidina Hassan who was poisoned to death and Saidina Hussein who was mercilessly killed by power-crazy terrorists.

Therefore in trying to abolish terrorism we must look at the types of terrorists involved, then only we move in integration combining all our means. Act justly and intelligently, God willing we will find the real terrorists and face them together. With such we could at least diminish terrorism if not abolish it all completely.

Terrorists exist everywhere and they also come in the form of wild uncontrolable urges in our own psyches. We must abolish the terrorists inside ourselves before we tackle the ones outside. The prophet SAW has reminded Muslims that the fight against evil passions in ourselves is a big holy war. Thus let us cleanse ourselves from the wild urges which have long taken root and then decorate ourselves with love and caring, being forgiving and acting just to everyone regardless of where they come from. God willing terrorism will be diminished while mankind will be at peace and prosper with the powers of heaven also pleased.