Hj. Jamaluddin Hj. Ibrahim.

Tues Nov. 14, 2023.

At about 11.30 am just now I stood with the others in our funeral prayers in Mesjid Sendeng, Ampangan, Seremban, for Hj. Jamaluddin. He was 89.

He was my brother-in-law's brother-in-law, of the Hj. Ibrahim, Ampangan, clan.  He died in Jalan Kent, KL, yesterday, but the family wanted him interred here, in the Hj. Said maqam in Seremban. The entire vast family considers this ancient cemetry, now officially closed, their own - Hj. Said, the religious teacher, was a close relative.

I also came because of Idah. She couldn't come because of the 3 grandchildren in the house. The youngest, 2,  is in hospital right now because of lung infection. He's on breathing machine, in fact. Our daughter is with him. Idah would have come, otherwise.  She worked for Hj. Jamaluddin for a few years until I married her. The office was in the MARA building on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, KL.

I would send her in the morning, and picked her back after office, when we were engaged. That was for almost a year in 1971. I got to know Hj. Jamaluddin then. We even went to his one-storey bungalow in the Bukit Belachan area, Ampang, I think. I met the late Khatimah, Hj. Jamaluddin's younger sister, there. Ari's marriage to Wira, another much younger sister, came many years later. The late Khatimah went on to become an Exco in the State Legislative Assembly. Ari's family fortunes emanated from that. 

I lost contact with Hj. Jamaluddin after my marriage, but after Ari's marrage to Wira, Idah would somehow reconnect with his ex-boss. So, his life's progression was in Idah's knowledge, right until the health issues because of age. I did meet him a few times, during family weddings etc. He remembered me well.

Hj. Redha, ex YB, led the final prayers just now. I think 80% of the congregation was family, but even so, it was a large enough crowd.

As usual, while waiting for the remains to arrive from KL, we met old friends and family members at the mosque. The usual banter and catching-up got everybody talking simultaneously, despite the somber occasion. Hj. Ishak even managed to talk of the "Bintang Tiga" communist incident in Rantau. I wonder where that came from. But I think it's history lesson that shouldn't be lost. I have a few similar stories  in Bukit Temensu - one relating to Tengku Fakharuddin; another to "Ah Ting" the coffee-shop operator.

Most followed the hearse to the cemetry, but I took my excuse. I had in fact gone there first, because that was Ari's message. But there was a change in plan that brought everybody to Sendeng mosque just now.

Farewell, Che Jamal, God Bless you.

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