4-month mosque break.

Sat 25.9.2021.

Yesterday I went for my first Friday prayers in 4 months. I couldn't believe it when I counted the months. My golf record says it was sometime in early May when the government reimposed the tougher movement control order because of resurgent cases of Covid 19 in Seremban and most other districts in NS.  September 24 was the phase 4 implementation that eased life back to some semblence of normalcy.

In that period I lost close family members and old friends to the pandemic. In almost all cases I couldn't even visit to show condolence. Sad. Family life as I know it had disappeared. Only the new-fangled devices kept us in touch, thankfully. Now many quarters are saying we should get used to it. The situation may last years. God Help us.

I couldn't stay away from one dismal news after another, peering at my pc and smartphone day after day. Topping everything is the political mess, in or out of Parliament. This is the 3rd. government in as many years. The frog-jumping and the blame-game are as crazy as the pandemic-control. The big-guns embroiled in the high courts are bending the letters of the law even in their imminent "gone cases". Then the big-guns in the administration are getting away with stolen money in the most incredible stories of high misdemeanours  being exposed weekly. Next, the state agencies are sleeping on their jobs, at least here in NS. Water and power disruptions are incessant. Counter services stopped through these times. You can't pay your road-taxes, your water bills and your municipal dues - they ask you to go "on-line" but keep the appointment-time off-line. Today I read the police is suggesting senior citizens' driving licences be withdrawn unless they go for medical and other tests. The argument is that many old drivers are involved in accidents. What about other drivers - women, youthful, handicapped etc ? Look at the statistics. Look at other countries. One old man has an accident and you ban all old men from driving ? One policeman breaks the law and all policemen are lawbreakers ?

In spite of the enforced break from mosques and religious activities, or maybe because of it, everyone is becoming ultra-religious now. Dresscodes and religious restrictions are fodder for the pseudo-ulamaks and bigots.  I say read the Quran. Read the Sunnahs. Look at history. Islam put society and public interest right there on top. There's ibadat and there's muamalat.

Meanwhile, old golf kaki's are crying for my scalp. The club has reopened, and my ankles are still swollen with "chikugunya". I had to sit on a chair at Friday prayers yesterday. I hope I can get back on the golf course at the end of the month. You buggers watch out!

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Making it 12.

 Tues 7.9.2021.

Yesterday morning, Monday 6.9.21, Dekna gave us our 12th grandchild, the 10th. boy, in a heavily lopsided sex balance. As I write this, both mother and child are still in hospital. We expect them to come home tomorrow. Everything seems ok, so far.

Looking at the numbers, I see 12 is more than one football team, with one to spare. Dekna's now 4 would add to the din in the house.  The other 8 would turn everything upside down when they come together, once this sop thing goes. Even with 3 before this, my room had been the target for depositing all the toys and foodstuffs. No amount of threats worked.

The oldest is now 16. At my age I'm behind Tok Mail, some of whose grandchildren are already out of university although he's only 6 years older than me. Arshad has at least 2 more years to enrol into any college.

So the gap is 16 years between the oldest and the youngest. But 10 of them are in school, leaving only 2 who have many more years of staying home.

Happily, the kids seem blessed with good health, except for Arshad's early scare with asmathic symptoms which have been overcome. He's now taller than his mother, who's not short for a Malay. His uncles on that side are tall, as also on my wife's side, so he might grow tall, too.

Looking at their birth dates, they all seem to be evenly spread out. Only Safar and Jamadil awal record no birth, and Rejab and Sha'ban record 2 each. The other Hijri months show one birth each. Combining the parents on my side, and with Idah and I, Rejab and Sha'ban are the most prolific months, with 8 of the total 16 birthdates (50 %).

All the kids have their own houses now, and all are gainfully occupied. I have no real worry for the grandchildren's upbringing. Only the questionable schooling system evades my comprehension. I hope to live long enough to see some of these little rascals making it through college. They're always in my prayers.

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Pin.

 Sat 4.9.2021.

Pin died at about 8.30 Friday morning at HTJ after nearly 2 months in a coma, from pneumonia and subsequent massive organ failures. He was not quite 53. Friday is considered a holy day by Muslims.

I first met Tajul Ariffin when his parents and I were staying at Jalan 4C Ampang Jaya, way back in 1969, not long after the May 13 riots. Later they moved to their own house, "Juwita". just down the road. I forget the number, but it's just 100 yards away. It was at 4C that I met again with Pin's auntie, my future wife, and that's why I remember.

Pin was a hyperactive, naughty boy who would greet guests to his house with a wide grin and a stare. Bang Piei one time jokingly remarked "nak terokam ko?" when he came visiting.

Ari was also staying with Idah and Pin's family at 4C. I would see Ari sometimes with a blue jacket on in front of the house. 

Once Pin fell into the large concrete drain in front of the house and had a bad cut on his head, but otherwise was ok. Time flew, and I remember Pin went to UiTM Kuantan for his accountancy. Years later, when he had set up his own accountancy firm near Kg. Baru, KL, when I asked him how did he fare at his exam, he said "cukup makan je". We all went to his wedding in Kuala Selangor or somewhere there, I think, and through the years saw him being successful in his work, and more than successful in enlarging his brood. At the last count he had 8 kids, I think. By now Pin had become the quiet, well behaved one. His parents remember him as the good, quiet son.

When his parents moved to Seremban in the 90's, Pin stayed at "Juwita" until a few years ago. They bought the house just behind Pin's parents' house and sold off "Juwita". Ever since, the TDS house kept on being renovated, the last one being the outdoor parking opposite the road. But to me the house has remained a mystery because the tall, heavy metal gates have always remained shut, and the view is completely blocked. Even when Pin joined our takbir Raya group (before covid 19) that went to all the members' houses, Pin's house always got bypassed. Pin wouldn't say why. We didn't ask why.

When I was the surau chairman, I asked Pin to join our committee as treasurer. Bang Dik asked not to take him, but Pin agreed. When I left I don't know if he remained.

Somewhere along the way, after marriage, Pin joined the tabligh movement. And today his children are also in this, but they have not neglected their studies. In fact they have done very well, with several outstanding performances, not just "cukup makan" like their father. Pin had gone overseas with his missions, including to Mekkah, India and New Zealand. I know these are taxing on the purse and family life, but Pin seemed to have managed them, somehow. Md. Noh Jidin said public accountants must participate in their annual conferences and courses to maintain their licences, and wondered how Pin handled those, with his extended tabligh trips. Bang Sudin also told me that once he asked Pin why he didn't try to get more accounts to audit, and Pin said he was happy to maintain RM 30 K a month.  If that is nett, then he was very ok, because Memi told Idah he makes about that now, and he's an employee only.

 

Idah took Pin's passing badly, and Dekna said her mom was crying a lot. I told her your mother took care of Pin when small. She related how kind Pin had been to some members of the extended family. When Sumaiyah was hospitalised for her long sickness, Pin gave Bal RM 1K, and no one else knew this. Sham said Pin was the first family member to visit when she moved to Seremban from Singapore.

Before Covid 19 I would have Raya gatherings on the 3rd. day for family members. Pin's large entourage never missed these. He'd ask my wife "buat apa Mak Idah?" She'd say "datang je lah !" Now we'll all miss him. God Bless you, Tajul Ariffin.

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