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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.


Saturday, November 20, 2010

Saying goodbye to Sharif Kedah

OK. When we first arrived at the island of Labuan Wednesday evening one of the first place we visited was the tomb of Sharif Kedah, a saintly religious master who was laid to rest at a cemetery not far from Labuan town.


On Thursday afternoon after having completed a trip round the island, we visited the tomb again to say goodbye.



Oh. We reached this place at around 1:30. Two hours later we're scheduled to return to Brunei by ferry. So I took the opportunity to recite the holyQuran's opening verses of Al-Fatihah followed by Surah Ya Sin in name of this saint and every holy person. May Allah almighty bless us upon the honour of His lovers. Amen...



The beach called Pantai Batu Manikar

From Tanjung Kubong we entered a road on to a beach called Pantai Batu Manikar.


From that direction it is the first beach to head directly to the open and vast South China Sea.









Next we moved slightly further down.



I don't know if this is also part of Pantai Batu Manikar or is it already the start of another beach.




But it is still part of the same stretch of beaches...





And this stretch only ends at the cape seen in the background.




A closer look at the cape.


Visiting the Chimney at Tanjung Kubong

Continued from The cape called Tanjung Batu...


If Tanjung Batu is the eastern-most tip of Labuan island then a place called Tanjung Kubong is almost the northern-most tip.


From here one could also get a good look at mainland Sabah albeit a few kilometres further.



However the main feature of Tanjung Kubong is a building called the Chimney.


It is a remnant of a time when this parts of Labuan used to be important for coal-mining and there's a museum to commemorate it.



Inside is a map showing the coal-mines all around the island.




There's even a replica of the tunnels inside a coal-mine.











The cape called Tanjung Batu

After more than a week of silence let us continue with the supporting stories on the trip to Brunei made before the fasting month of Ramadhan. Continuing from the article An early look at the town of Labuan.

Thurday 5th August 2010. After spending the night at a hotel in Labuan town it's time to go around the island. Here is a cape called Tanjung Batu. I believe it is situated at the eastern-most tip of Labuan island.


Looking at the maps and if I got my perspective right, we should be looking at the northern parts of Sarawak across the waters. From Labuan this is a look south-east...



Time to change position for another angle...


A look to the east and you should see an island with parts of the state of Sabah behind.



A look slightly to the north-east and it is apparent Sabah is much much closer to Labuan than Sarawak. That should explain why Labuan used to be part of Sabah before being made a federal territory of Malaysia. Then again both Sabah and Sarawak used to be parts of the kingdom of Brunei...