2 weddings and a late Raya.

Sun 28.5.23

Two weddings and a late Raya were squeezed into the weekend. Dekna's MVP saved them for me, because they straddled PJ, SA and PD. That's Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam and Port Dickson.

Lela & hubby personally came to the house to invite us to their daughter's wedding at Kota Damansara, PJ on Saturday. Husain couldn't find our house, but whatsapped his invitation to his daughter's wedding  at Kg. Lanchung, SA the same Saturday. This afternoon Maulad joined me to Tok Zahar's overshot Raya Haji at Pantai Gemok Beach, PD. Overshot ? Why, today is already 8 Zulqaidah, eight days past Syawal, the Raya month. And Dekna's MPV ? My 2 alternative transports are not ready to brave the traffic jams faced.

PJ and SA are 40 minutes apart, in addition to the 2 hours needed from Seremban. It's only about 60 km and should take one hour at 60 kph. The Saturday traffic took care of the additional hour. 

To allow for attendance of the 2 weddings on the same day, I had Sam pick me at Kota Damansara at 1.30 and had No 2 Son take Dekna's MPV to his house (taking Idah along). Sam got me back to take the MPV home at 4 pm. From Kota Damansara, we picked Misrun from Kelang to Husain's kenduri at Kg. Lanchung (but we went in Misrun's MPV). We were there with nearly 1 hour to spare from the 4 o'clock closing time. Get the drift ?

I was spared the exhausting driving between Kota Damansara and Kg. Lanchung. But the Seremban drives up and down had to be personally endured through traffic that was pure hell !

As arranged, I had to pick Maulud at the club at 10 am today. He was early. Again Dekna's MPV came to the rescue. We were at Tok Zahar's Tg. Gemok beach resort house before the appointed 11.30 time. Sunday PD traffic was, as expected, heavy, when we were going. It was heavier when we returned. This is Sunday, after all. Still, it was heavier than expected.

Tok Zahar spent his Raya holidaying in Europe with his family. He's missed the month of Syawal for his Raya celebrations here, as the result. But it's only 1 week off, and a celebration is a celebration. Maulud won't argue with that. That's why he was early. For our golf, though, he's always late.

Tok Zahar had a good turnout, although I thought the women outnumbered the men. His explanation was that his wife is active with their weekly prayer group. A number of Taman Guru people (Tok Zahar's neighbours in his Seremban house) came.  But I said to Maulud that Tok Zahar looked disappointed some of his Judges comrades had not made appearance by the time we were set to leave at about 1 pm.

We took the PD Garrison route returning to Seremban, just to see the picnickers on the beach. On the highway it started to rain. It's welcomed. The heat has been extra high the last few days.

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Salleh Hassan.

 Thurs 25.5.2023

Salleh Hassan came with Khamis back in 1976. Salleh was from Felda LBJ near Seremban. Khamis was from Felda Solok Menggong, Alor Gajah.  These two Felda settler dependents joined the Felda service for NS. This was 47 years ago.

Salleh, 66, succumbed to cancer yesterday morning, about 8.45 am, at home, after a long  treatment. Khamis passed away many years ago, from diabetic complications.  Here I'm looking at two former staff  I knew from their first day of work, and both, sadly, are no more.

Wahid, another former staff from the same Seremban HQ, took me to visit Salleh maybe a year ago, upon hearing that he was ill. He was still up and about at that time, but the cancer was already affecting his health. That was the last time I saw him.

Wahid called with the sad news yesterday around 10 am from KL, so he couldn't visit immediately. I had a hospital appointment, and similarly was unable to visit right away. So we agreed to visit the house together in the evening, once Wahid was back from KL.

It turned out that the nearby mosque was having a tahlil for Salleh after Isya'. Wahid and I were entering the mosque compound just as the azan was heard. 

There was a good crowd at the mosque. Wahid said this is normal because of the large surrounding community. Quite unsual, the tahlil was right after Isya' before the sunat ba'diah. First, the imam led in reading surah al Mulk, asking for relief in death of the believer, a first time for me. Then the tahlil and the supplication for Salleh, named.

We spoke to Salleh's two sons briefly, before going to his house, nearby, to see his widow. She knows Wahid well, of course. She was the one who called Wahid in the morning. The night before Salleh had lifted a heavy umrah bag, and had gasped for breath. The Police permit for burial and the other documents for processing Salleh's remaining worldly business are in hand, the widow said.

When Felda LBJ was sold to the developer, the settlers receive very big payouts. I remember talking to Salleh, advising him to invest the money in ASB, and using only the necessary amount to purchase a Proton Saga if he wanted to have a car. The millions paid out would be gone in no time if not invested wisely, I told him. Wahid said last night that Salleh had managed his money well. He's wondering how the inheritance would now be settled. I said his sons are well educated, and one has a very professional job with Rahim & Co, the real estate people. So this inheritance thing would be in good hands.

The Seremban Felda HQ is vacant now. I was among the first occupants when the building was completed in 1976. We used to rent the vacant bungalow owned by the Dr. Chong family. Then we moved to the shop house at Jalan Rahang, next. Our own office building, when vacated, used to be rented by MAINS, but they now have their own tall tower with the letters "Allah" on top, like the TH building in KL. The 3-storey Felda HQ was where Salleh, Khamis, Wahid and I were, the time I was in Seremban. The lake gardens is just next to it.  Felda had a different set of people, then, Wahid contended last night.

Everything is a memory now.

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Use "Allah" if you want to.

 Fri 19.5.2023

 

Use "Allah" if you want to, whatever religion you practice. I don't understand all the furore now, and it's not the first time. Just like the first time, many years ago, it's the issue of the translation of a Christian book referring to God. It's the same God. We just call Him differently. "Allah" is just Arabic for the Almighty. Now Sarawak, with their new-found political clout because of the weak PKR PM, is exploiting the situation and reviving the old noise-making.

"Allah" is not the property of the Muslims. The honour and right of the Muslims are not contaminated because non-Muslims use the word.  They are not using "Allah" in an offensive way. They are bowing before their "Allah", their God, in the same way "Allah" is held by the Muslims.

The holy truth that Muslims hold to be contained in the Quran is not lessened by non-Muslims burning the Quran. What they destroy is a man-made book. They may even have spent money to get a copy to burn.  God's words remain intact.  The feelings of Muslims are of course hurt by the insult intended. Muslims have every right to object against it.  We are all supposed to be civilised, and respect the feelings of others. Otherwise we are uncivilised, uncouth and stupid.

The Quran says to each his belief.  There's no coercion in Islam. There is only One Maker. Islam says we live our own lives, and all return to Him.  The Day of Judgment determines the correctness of our chosen paths.

In the meantime, let's share the insight each of us receive, by whatever way. If we are good human beings, we spread the insight among our kind. Let's not get tied down to words misunderstood. Don't let our shortsightedness or short temper impair  true view.

Muslims believe it was Abraham who first brought forth the revelations of  the Scriptures recognized by the Quran as the Holy Books. Only the hands of men altered the contents over time. The Muslims believe the Quran, compiled in the times of the 4 Rightful Guided Caliphs, was saved from the same fate by maintaining the same exact version ever since. Let us read and try to understand the Quran from the learned jurists, and not get agitated by myopia, thin skin and ignorance.

Only God Knows the truth.

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FMC-PD Raya do 7.5.23

 Mon 8.5.2023

I came early. Naturally I left early,too. I had to. The borrowed car had to be returned before 4 pm.

So, after the painstaking preparations by the committee, the 2023 Aidil fitri celebration for "FMC-PD 1952-1961" at the OPA penthouse must be deemed a success. All who were supposed to come, did (except one or two, as usual). The food was great. The camaraderie was obvious.  The noise was loud. So loud that Halim the MC had to shout into his mike to be heard. The other speakers - Halim "Cina", Radzi and the current OPA President didn't do what the MC did, and their words were just drowned by the din. This was no disrespect. We just couldn't stop talking to each other, making up for the lost time since the last time.

The whole thing was scheduled for 1100 hours to 1500 hours, to use the military parlance. I was the first to arrive, resplendent in my baju melayu as instructed (I whatsapp a photo to prove to Hank). The parking area was still empty, but I chose to park on the road side facing the way out. I knew the place would soon be full, and I didn't want to be boxed in when I want to leave later. 

The reception area ground floor was just being readied. The roasted lamb and the rest of the food and drinks were just being unwrapped on the 3rd. floor. The tables and chairs were all ready, filling up all available space except the President's office and the small board room. But it was just me and the food people. Nawawi came immediately after me, without his baju melayu. He put them on later.

I even had time for a cup of tea, toast and half-boiled eggs at the Dengkil R&R. I asked the cleaning lady to clear a table for me. When my order came, I paid for it and gave the change to that Flores woman. She said she's a Christian. When I arrived at the penthouse, it wasn't 9.30 am. I was 1 hour 30 minutes early. I also beat Halim.

Hank couldn't make it, in spite of being in the thick of all the preparations right from the beginning. That's why I had to borrow the car to come. For a few days now, Hank has this bad cough that he doesn't want to spread to others, he says. Nawawi arranged for a nephew to replace Hank at reception.

Well before the crowd arrived, the mouth-watering smell of the roasting lamb wafted into the eating hall. One of the committee members told the caterers to close the glass doors,  to keep out the kitchen smell. I told the large woman standing near the door that the smell of the roasting lamb was nice and appetising and the door should remain open.

I helped direct the arrivals to their tables, all numbered by intake years and "VIP" grouping. In the end, except for the very senior grouping inside, everybody just settled with their old friends and enjoyed the food and cendul and continued with the incessant banter.

As Radzi said in his speech (which I could hear because I was seated just next to the rostrum) this was a Raya gathering continuation of past years. The change of venue was because of the declining numbers for the FMC-PD group. This was why about 9 years ago this group was formed. This was felt necessary, so that the old seniors would not lose touch with the continuing main OPA.  

The OPA President acknowledged the efforts of the FMC-PD group. In fact the museum project initiated has been taken up by the OPA and should become reality soon. He announced the OPA's contribution for today (I asked Halim Cina "berapa?" but he refused to say), the OPA's own Raya later this month, and the oncoming Annual Dinner.

Hank asked to collect from Abu Bakar Sulaiman 2 of his recently published books that he had ordered. When I asked how much, Bakar said "later lah". I glanced through both books. I thought they're heavy stuff.

Ahmad Ayob reminded me of his kenduri on 2.6.23 at the Flamingo Ampang. It's his granddaughter's wedding. Granddaughter ? You're old, Aba Jiwa !

Aziz Rahman was informed about his friend Ismail Kamat's condition. He said he'll  visit after I showed him the photo. I gave him the address.

Suki complained I didn't answer his call during Raya when he visited his uncle in Tebat Kering, near our old house. I said I'd have answered, but I missed the call. And I didn't go back to KP anyway.

I left without telling Nawawi. He'd stop me. But he caught me on the phone at 11 pm. I pacified him by saying next time I'll bring some durians. He said no. Next is the trip to Perlis for Radzi's harumanis. I said Radzi said this season his orchard had failed. Nawawi said we could go across the border.

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