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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.


Monday, August 29, 2011

Compilation of the East Coast articles made over the last 4 months

All thanks to Allah. After taking a time of more than 4 months the series "Menjejak kegemilangan Pantai Timur" in the blogspot CATATAN SI MERAH SILU is finally completed early this morning. As it is a number of articles have been made in this blogspot to support the storytelling. So let the links for articles from both blogspots be listed for easy reading and reference. For the record this compilation forms the 848th article in this blogspot. Let me also take this opportunity to wish all my Muslim readers a very happy Eid Mubarak or happy Hari Raya... :]






1. The road from Simpang Pulai to Cameron Highlands




2. The highland stop 17km from Kampung Raja




3. Passing through the tip of Cameron Highlands




4. Downhill Kelantan from Banjaran Titiwangsa




5. On to Gua Musang




6. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Laluan Cameron Highlands ke Gua Musang




7. A quick look at the town of Gua Musang




8. The caves of Gua Madu




9. The river Galas at Gua Madu




10. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Pusing-pusing di Gua Musang sebelum ke Dabong




11. A foggy morning at Jelawang, Dabong




12. Sungai (river of) Galas from the Jelawang to Dabong town bridge




13. The cave called Gua Ikan




14. The Jelawang waterfall at Gunung (mount) Stong from many angles




15. The waters at Lata Kertas




16. Bridge over Sungai Balah




17. Bridge over Sungai Pergau




18. A quick look at the small town of Jeli




19. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Pusing sekitar Dabong sebelum ke Jeli




20. Al-Rasyid's first visit to Masjid (Mosque of) Kampung Laut




21. Rushing through Kota Bahru




22. The Kelantan river near the royal jetty at Kota Bahru




23. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Berkejar ke Kota Bahru




24. Kelantan river at the Kampung Laut jetty




25. Al-Rasyid dan abang serta kakaknya pusing-pusing di sekitar delta Sungai Kelantan




26. Kelantan river from Kok Majid




27. Going around the Kelantan river delta




28. Tomb of Tok Selehor revisited




29. 'Facing' death at Tok Selehor's special meditation hole




30. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Makam Tok Janggut, Kampung Laut dan masuk lubang kubur di makam Tok Selehor




31. A quick look at the town of Tumpat




32. Tumpat train station in daylight




33. The waters near Tumpat




34. Enjoying the breeze at Pantai Sri Tujuh




35. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Sekitar Tumpat ke Pengkalan Kubor




36. Sungai (river of) Golok at Pengkalan Kubor




37. Sungai Golok at 'Point 2'




38. Sungai Golok at 'Point 3'




39. Sungai Golok at 'Point 4'




40. Sungai Golok at 'Point 5'




41. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Menyusuri Sungai Golok hingga ke Rantau Panjang




42. An early look at Rantau Panjang town centre




43. Sungai Golok at Rantau Panjang town centre




44. Views from the tower of Masjid Beijing




45. Walking in the southern Thailand town of Golok




46. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Sekitar Rantau Panjang, Masjid Beijing dan Golok di selatan Thailand




47. The shopping stop at Bukit Bunga




48. A quick look of Machang town in the rain




49. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Bukit Bunga dan Machang terus ke selatan...




50. Besut river near Jerteh




51. A quick look at the town of Jerteh




52. Ombak mengganas dan gua-gua tepi pantai di Bukit Keluang




53. The beach at Bukit Keluang




54. The caves of Bukit Keluang




55. Views from the top platform at Bukit Keluang




56. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Jerteh dan keindahan Bukit Keluang




57. Morning walk at Tok Bali river estuary




58. The kids' turn to enjoy the embankment at Tok Bali




59. A brief look at Pantai Irama




60. A look at Sungai Pengkalan Datu




61. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Laluan pantai Tok Bali ke Bachok dan terus...




62. Tuan Guru Nik Aziz's humble house and Maahad Darul Anwar




63. Sungai Pengkalan Datu from Pulau Melaka




64. Sungai Pengkalan Datu about 2 km downriver from Pulau Melaka




65. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Menyusuri jejak Raja-raja Jembal dengan lebih teliti




66. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Malam di Saba dan Kubang Kerian




67. Tomb of Tok Kenali revisited




68. The place called Taman Serendah Sekebun Bunga




69. Revisiting the tomb of Kelantan's Raja Abdullah




70. The hill called Bukit Marak




71. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Dari Tanah Serendah Sekebun Bunga ke Bukit Marak




72. A quick look at the town of Pasir Mas




73. Pasir Mas train station




74. Masjid Brunei, Danau Tok Uban dan 1 Rejab




75. Masjid Brunei and Danau Tok Uban in the rain...




76. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Meredah hujan lebat dan banjir ke Masjid Brunei dan Danau Tok Uban




77. A quick look of the Kelantan river from the Kota Bahru bridge




78. A more relaxed look at Kota Bahru




79. Friday prayers at the Muhammadi mosque




80. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Antara Long Sulaiman dan Long Deraman




81. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Chik Siti Wan Kembang dan Tuan Tabal




82. Revisiting Kuala Besar




83. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Bermalam Tahun Baru di Kuala Besar




84. Waking up to the new year at the Pantai Che Latiff mosque




85. Semenanjung kuala Sungai Kelantan




86. The sand hill and peninsular at Kelantan river mouth




87. A bay of sorts




88. Kelantan river from the Kedai Buluh food court




89. The Batik cottage industry at village of Tok Panjang




90. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Tahun Baru di sekitar kuala Sungai Kelantan




91. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Legasi Long Yunus




92. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Dari Limbat ke Salor... sedikit tentang Long Ghaffar




93. A better look of the mosque of Tokku Paloh




94. A quick look at the city of Kuala Terengganu




95. The new mosque in Chendering, Kuala Terengganu




96. A look around the beach called Pantai Pandak




97. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Mencari tamadun awal Terengganu?




99. Terengganu river from Kampung Pulau Manis




100. Bringing the baby to the tomb of Tok Pulau Manis




101. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Jejak keluarga Tok Pulau Manis




102. The beach called Teluk Chempedak




103. The walkway to Teluk Tongkang




104. The black sand of Teluk Tongkang




105. A quick look at the town of Kuantan




106. Kuantan river from the town's riverside




107. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Santai di sekitar Kuantan




108. The views at Tanjung Lumpur




109. Pahang river at Kuala Pahang




110. Revisiting the royal mausoleum at Kampung Marhum




111. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Dari Tanjung Lumpur ke Kuala Pahang




112. Pahang river just outside Pekan




113. Pahang river from Tanjung Agas




114. Pekan at dusk




115. Rasyid's first visit to Makam Chondong




116. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Kesan-kesan sejarah di Pekan




117. Lake Chini from the resort




118. Lake Chini from Kampung Gumum




119. Pahang river somewhere near Kampung Pejing




120. Pahang river at Bera




121. Pahang river near the Temerloh bridge




122. A quaint look at Karak town




123. Menjejak kegemilangan lama Pantai Timur : Lagenda Tasik Chini


Sunday, August 28, 2011

A quaint look at Karak town

Continued from Pahang river near the Temerloh bridge.



My next stop was the town of Karak.



Avoiding the town of Temerloh altogether I immediately took the trunk road towards Kuala Lumpur and Karak is a popular stop along the way.


For me the town has its own allure as my late grandfather, my father's father used to work here.


While it is just a small town its name is immortalised on a major highway. Malaysians would surely know Karak highway as the main route to pass through from the Klang Valley to the east.



It also offers an alternatively route to cut through to the state of Negeri Sembilan. So here's one to Karak, a town that always evoke quaint memories to me...





Pahang river near the Temerloh bridge

Continued from Pahang river at Bera.


Once again I can't help stopping to take pictures when the river Pahang appeared very close to the road. Seen here is a look downriver.

A look across. Here we were getting close to more urbanised areas.




A look downriver. For this place is beside the bridge of Temerloh. The bridge lies on the main trunk road connecting the city of Kuala Lumpur to the Pahang capital, Kuantan. And it's less than 2 km from here to the town of Temerloh.



Pahang river at Bera

Continued from Pahang river somewhere near Kampung Pejing.



Another place which offers good views of the Pahang river is Bera.



Here the Pahang river which overally runs east to west from Pekan starts to veer up north, that is if seen from downriver to upriver. Here's a look downriver.



A look across.



A look upriver.





Pahang river somewhere near Kampung Pejing




From Lake Chini we took the trunk road leading west. At many parts the road practically follows the twists, turns and straights of the Pahang river and at times it is very close.



Having made this trip 7 months ago it is hard for me to remember where exactly these pictures were taken if not for a fact that a previous picture shows we stopped to eat at a place called Kampung (village of) Pejing which I understand is within the district of Maran.



A check with Google Earth also confirmed this. The river goes straight for a distance with the road very close to it just after an area marked as Kampung Pejing.



While I did catch views of the Pahang river from a number of places along this route I think this part offers the best and closest view.



A look to the left or downriver.



A look across.




A look upriver.





Lake Chini from Kampung Gumum

Continued from Lake Chini from the resort.



We then went to another part of Lake Chini where lies this wooden walkway.



The place is called Kampung (village of) Gumum and the walkway leads to a jetty.







A look to the left.



Turning anti clockwise to look ahead...







A look to the left shows there's a bridge connecting to some sort of island.



So we went looking for it.



Apparently it is called the Sunset Bridge.



There it is. The path leading to it was submerged.



But we still went on.



A look towards the jetty.
Now, let's just enjoy the views.