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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 23, 2015

Going around West Kalimantan – Compiled

This in turn are compilation of links related to a series called "Jejak Kalimantan Barat" of which the main storytelling is done in the blogspot CATATAN SI MERAH SILU.



A journey covering a number of places in West Kalimantan 8-12 June 2015. This is the first time I arrived at this province which has an area bigger than Peninsular Malaysia. In 5 days me and a friend covered an area about the size of the state of Johor. We visited the old sultanates of Pontianak, Mempawah, Sambas and Landak.


1. Flight to Pontianak

2. On to Pontianak city and across...

3. Tugu Khatulistiwa (Equator monument)





8. Masjid istana Mempawah (Mosque of the palace of Mempawah)


10. Jejak Kalimantan Barat - Sejenak di Pontianak kemudian di Mempawah

11. The sea off a resort hotel in Mempawah

12. Mempawah river from Sebukit Rama

13. Makam (Tomb of) Daeng Menambon









































54. Landak river from Al-Muslimun, Ngabang

55. Memorial mangsa Jepun (Memorial for Japanese victims), Mandor 

56. Makam massal (Mass tombs of) Mandor










Pulau Pinang and Perak mission : The compilation



This series came to being following a trip to Pulau Pinang made to solve a case in court Monday morning 29th June 2015. At the time it was already the 2nd week of Muslim fasting month of Ramadhan, Since I had to go so far up north might as well take the chance to visit a number of places. On the way to return home via Perak I also visited tombs of previous Sultans of Perak and related places following the footsteps that must be taken by a newly-coronated Sultan of Perak. This is taking advantage of the coronation of the 35th Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah which was held early May. The tombs and places are all in tip-top condition with roads leading to it having been repaired in time for the coronation.


1. Masjid (Mosque of) Alimsah Waley

2. Misi Pulau Pinang dan Perak - Semalam di pulau, nasi kandar di 3 tempat











13. A quick look at Kuala Gula bird sanctuary

14. Misi Pulau Pinang dan Perak - Dari mahkamah ke Kuala Kangsar

15. Misi Pulau Pinang dan Perak - Menurut jejak ziarah pertabalan raja

16. Misi Pulau Pinang dan Perak - Melengkapkan jejak ziarah makam.

17. Misi Pulau Pinang dan Perak - 15 Ramadhan di Beting Beras Basah

18. Rupa terbaru makam Tok Temong (Latest look of the tomb of Tok Temong)

19. Rupa terbaru batu peringatan Sultan Mansur (Latest look of the commemorative stone of Sultan Mansur)

20. Rupa terbaru makam Sultan Ali al-Mukamal (Latest look of the tomb of Sultan Ali al-Mukamal)

21. Rupa terbaru makam Sultan Yusof Sharifuddin (Latest look of the tomb of Sultan Yusof Sharifuddin)

22. Rupa terbaru makam diraja Bukit Chandan (Latest look of the royal mausoleum of Bukit Chandan)

23. On to Pulau Semat, again 

24. Rupa terbaru makam Sultan Tajul Ariffin (Latest look of the tomb of Sultan Tajul Ariffin) 

25. Perak river from the right bank of Pulau Semat

26. Rupa terbaru makam almarhum Tepus (Latest look of the tomb of almarhum Tepus)

27. Rupa terbaru makam Sultan Muzaffar III Perak (Latest look of the tomb of Sultan Muzaffar III Perak)

28. Rupa terbaru makam Sultan Alauddin dan Sultan Ahmadin (Latest look of the tombs of Sultan Alauddin and Sultan Ahmadin)

29. Rupa terbaru makam Sultan Muzaffar II Perak (Latest look of the tomb of Sultan Muzaffar II Perak)




37. Rupa terbaru batu peringatan Raja Ahmad (Latest look of the commemorative stone of Raja Ahmad)

38. Jetty to the tomb of Sultan Mahmud Shah

39. Rupa terbaru makam Sultan Mahmud Shah (Latest look of the tomb of Sultan Mahmud Shah)

40. Jetty to the tomb of Sultan Abdul Malik Mansur Shah

41. What fate awaits the old mosque at Teluk Memali?

42. Rupa terbaru makam Sultan Abdul Malik Mansur (Latest look of the tomb of Sultan Abdul Malik Mansur)

43. Finally. Birch and minions got what they deserve

44. Perak river near Birch's graveyard...

45.  Jetty of the tomb of Sultan Alauddin Mansur Iskandar Muda

46. Rupa terbaru makam Sultan Alauddin Mansur Iskandar Muda (Latest look of the tomb of Sultan Alauddin Mansur Iskandar Muda)









55. Beting Beras Basah at dusk

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Two hours plus in Southern Thailand



After checking in at a hotel outside the town of Jeli and having a bit of rest we went to the town of Rantau Panjang situated near the border to Southern Thailand.


We were scheduled to meet a contact person from Southern Thailand in Rantau Panjang. As it turned out he missed the last border pass to enter Malaysia for the day and so we have to enter Thailand. to see him.


Luckily we were prepared to do that and brought our passports along.





Passing the town of Golok we then followed the contact towards a smaller town.











After getting out of Golok we noticed there were plenty of road blocks. We were told Thailand is currently under martial law. And Southern Thailand is well-known for sporadic acts of terror due to the ongoing fight between the local separatist movement and the central government.


Soon we arrived at our destination, the town of Waeng.








At a house within the vicinity seen, we spent time discussing details of a shooting trip covering a number of provinces in Southern Thailand. Oh, by shooting, I mean camera shoot ya, not violence.


Our contact asked us to spent the night at his place. But we have to turn it down because we already took rooms in the hotel near Jeli. Most of our stuffs were left there.


Besides, we were scheduled to return to the Klang Valley the following day, after 4 days having been on the road on long hauls. We surely don't want to prolong the trip as the festive Muslim celebration of Eid Mubarak was only a week away.


From Waeng it is better to return back to Jeli via the border check at Buketa. It's just this check is opened up till 6 pm Thailand time (an hour behind Malaysian time).


Thus we could not spent much time discussing things in Thailand.


We arrived at the border check around 6.19 Malaysian time. We still have 40 minutes before it closes down.


With the contact present, we got to spent some time looking around.



That's the Golok river, the natural border between the countries of Thailand and Malaysia.


Entering Malaysia at 6.24 Malaysian time. The entry point is at Bukit Bunga...



All in all we spent about 2 hours 20 minutes in Thailand...

The temporary public jetty at Tasik Banding

Returning back to the travel in Kedah as mentioned in the article Enjoying the views from Gunung Jerai resort... again presented six days ago. The travel actually extended to parts of Perak, Kelantan and Southern Thailand before it was completed 11 days ago. Continuing the storytelling from Muda river from the bridge at Jeniang.


Friday 10th July 2015. We left Kedah via a road which connects to Grik in the state of Perak to reach Jeli in Kelantan. On the way we passed the Tasik (lake of) Banding and decided to make a stop.


This is at the temporary public jetty. The regular public jetty as can be seen in the article Entry point to the Royal Belum forest presented 3 years ago was still under renovation.


This place lies about 650 metres north of the regular jetty...













Going down to the lakeside for a better view of the surroundings...


















New visit to the actual Lubuk Pusing



According to local legend Lubuk Pusing used to be part of the rather wide waters of the river Bernam.


The word Lubuk refers to a deep water part of a river (also for shoreline). Pusing means to whirl.


So according to legend there used to be whirlpool sucking things into the deep waters of a wide river around here.


But the portion of the river containingthe whirlpool was turned to land following the prayers of a religious master.


What's left of the whirlpool are small pools with waters that regularly bubbles. Look at the videos in the old article The 'Bermuda Triangle' that is Lubuk Pusing in Sabak Bernam...








As such, these parts of Lubuk Pusing used to be some sort of tourist attraction. But it now looks abandoned...








Views from a tower of the Marzukiah mosque at Lubuk Pusing



Leaving the state of Perak by entering the state of Selangor via Sabak Bernam I decided to take a rural road on to the Marzukiah mosque at Lubuk Pusing.


I have been to this mosque at least once before to visit the tomb of a prominent religious master behind it. Look at the articles Masjid (mosque of) Marzukiyah, Lubuk Pusing, Sabak Bernam and Makam (tomb of) Sheikh Sayyid Ahmad Marzuki in the blogspot SENI LAMA MELAYU (MALAY OLDEN ART) .


This time I decided to climb one of the towers...


Then it's time to enjoy the views...