-----------------------

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".


-----------------------


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.


Saturday, July 31, 2010

Putrajaya from inside the steel mosque...

Go to the newly-opened Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin mosque and you could get spectacular views of Putrajaya...


Graced with thousands of tons of steel hence the 'nickname' the 'steel mosque', it has an open concept which provides wide vistas towards the outside.


Using pools of water as mosque boundaries, the sides seemed to blend well with the lakes...


Coupled with Putrajaya's other astounding buildings, it seems to pave the highway into the 21st century AD...




Putrajaya from one of its bridges

From Cyberjaya we went to Putrajaya and took this bridge.


I can't remember its name. It is located in front of what should be the Finance Ministry building... if I'm not mistaken that is.

To the left from where I'm heading could be seen the newly-opened Masjid Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, also known as the "steel mosque"...






To the right is the Putra mosque which has been opened since Putrajaya started operating more than 10 years ago.


Friday, July 30, 2010

Cyberjaya lake garden

From Perak we return to Selangor and on. Come...


Last weekend I brought the wife and baby to Cyberjaya.
While I have been to the adjacent Putrajaya many many times, this is the first time I went here and check its lake garden. It is also the first time for my wife and baby. For the record both Cyberjaya and Putrajaya used to be part of Selangor before being made federal territories.

I must say the lake here lacks the charms of that in Putrajaya...


Then again Cyberjaya is supposed to be a technological city, so don't expect too much art out of it...






The gulf called Teluk Rubiah

The last place we visited in Lumut is a gulf called Teluk Rubiah...

It is situated about 13 km southwards from the town of Lumut.


I don't know why. Everytime I'm here I could feel a certain mystical vibe about it.


All I know, at the coastal rocks seen ahead is an indentation said to be a footprint left by a woman named Rubiah hence the name Teluk (gulf of)Rubiah. Alongside is a bigger indentation said to be her well...

Note: This is the 550th article in this blogspot. It happened that the second picture in this article, the one which shows the only island off Teluk Rubiah looking sandwiched between a shady tree and a coconut palm has the filename P5300550. Is this a sign of something?

The new jetty for Pulau Pangkor

Continued from The river Dinding from its bridge.


Soon we arrived in Lumut. While going around seeing the town and its vicinity from different angles we found this place...


First we have to cross a bridge...

Welcome to Marina Island Pangkor, a man-made island...


A view inland showing the Lumut naval base and the bridge we've just crossed. The last time I checked these parts of Lumut was probably more than 10 years ago and if remember correctly there were only a bunch of concrete appendages jutting out from the mainland just before the bridge.



A view towards the hills along the way to the beach of Teluk Batik. This should give a better idea of the distance of the man-made island from the mainland...




A view towards what used to be open waters separating the resort island of Pulau Pangkor from the mainland. In the background are the hills on that island.





We noticed there's a new jetty complex...






So we decided to check it out.















One for the album...








A closer view of Pulau Pangkor.








To the jetty...






The island is only about 2.5 km from this jetty. Compare that to the 8.3 km journey or so from the more popular old jetty in Lumut.






They also have what seemed to be much classier ferries here. It's just that not many people know about the existence of this new jetty and the fact it has gone into operation for at least a month. I understand that publicity has been hampered. It seems there are parties which don't want the this jetty to be made known, most probably because they don't want the old jetty to lose business. Hmm...


The river Dinding from its bridge

From Pasir Panjang we drove towards Lumut...

One point have to pass this long bridge to cut the journey short...





It crosses the wide river of Dinding...



For the record, the bridge is about 11 km from the river mouth and spans almost 1 km of water...










Here's a look towards the river mouth...











The wide river has depth to allow big ships to come in far. That's why you could see the Lumut port nearby.

Pasir Panjang turtle sanctuary

After Teluk Senangin we went to the turtle sanctuary at Pasir Panjang.

If I'm not mistaken it is the only such facility on the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia.


Here's a look at one of the turtles...


It is among the few stationed in this pool.



There's a smaller pool for tuntong, the local word for terrapines.




The best attraction should be turtles in the biggest pool...





Baby Al-Rasyid having a closer look...














Then there's these pools for baby turtles.








Ain't they cute little critters? :]