Camerons Tea Plantation and Infront of our apartment
At the night market Brrrrr... so cold
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Cameron Highlands Family Holiday Trip
Camerons Tea Plantation and Infront of our apartmentAt the night market Brrrrr... so cold
Remembering Datuk Seri
This is an email from a family friend .. on her memories of ki
An Extraordinary Man
I've lost my grandfather when I was 7 and my paternal grandfather a year later. Such young age did not permit me to have large recollection of memories of them. Not having both grandparents whilst growing was never an issue for me. Well, I guess you don't actually felt the lost when you never own it at first place.
I knew Ki initially from Wan's stories; he was full of praises and was so proud when he talked about his grandfather. Of course, I would only able to play a passive part; listening without being able to share my side of stories.
I finally met Ki in person when I went for Hari Raya celebration...it was Hari Raya Haji, and Tah was still alive at that time. I couldn't avoid myself from having at the back of my mind the impression that he would probably be a 'typical Dato' Seri'-probably because I watched too much Malay dramas portraying as such.
It soon faded as my friends and I entered the mansion (apt description of the house-very big with huge compound); we were warmly greeted by him. He welcomed us in and Tah ensured that we were treated accordingly, quickly sent Wan to the kitchen to prepare drinks for us. 'Abang' (probably the biggest cat I've ever seen) tagged along with Tah as she came out from the kitchen with food. Both of them entertained us as if we came by their invitation. The fact that one of my friend was from MCKK added an extra topic of conversation for Ki. The impression I had totally shattered, Ki was totally the opposite! In fact, Wan was being very humble in his praises!
From thereon, it led to string of pleasant experiences with Ki. Not much do I know about Tah thus less I can say about her, only that she is a good cook-(I tasted her pajeri ambra and it was simply awesome!).
As for Ki, I had the opportunity to know him better, especially after the family moved to Kampung Buaia. To me, he will always be remembered as a person with an impeccable character. Despite his age, he would find his way to contribute to the society, whether it is through his writing or his social work. This is evident by his selfless initiative of teaching english language to the 'budak-budak kampung'. Once I visited him, he just finished teaching. He told me-"Ki cakap pada budak-budak kampung ni, jangan segan jadi budak kampung. You have to be proud of who you are. Tah orang kampung, tapi dia boleh bercampur dengan macam-macam orang. Siti Nurhaliza pun budak kampung, tapi dia boleh berjaya" (later I learned that Ki is a big fan of Siti-well, that is beside the point).
He even went to the extent of organising 'functions' and 'entertainment' for the local community. The house was never without guest, off and on there would be kampung folks visiting. Whenever there is a function, Ki would be very busy directing to ensure that everything was in its proper manner and his guests were well treated. He would repeatedly ask his guests-"Dah makan ke belum? Makan le, ambik apa yang ada". He had the remarkable ability of making his guests felt at ease, comfortable and at home, and I guess that is one apparent reason why his guests repeated their visits.
And he is a person full of jest! He would at times tease me, asking “Ni anak siapa ni?” or “Mana datang budak ni?” with a smirk on his face! Once I was making myself useful by sweeping the floor as at that time, there was a Rotary function preparation ongoing, when he came to me; in jest said “Ki tak de duit nak bayor Indonesia ni” I jokingly replied, “Mahal nak bayor ni Ki, ada degree ni.” To that, he laughed.
Another common topic for me and Ki was about my work since he knew Mr Tang (my boss), whom Ki referred as Khai Kit. He would advise me to work hard. He told me he was among the founder of POWA, a Rotary award appreciating the Rotarian’s staff for their assistance.
The joys were however short lived.
Ki then gradually became very sick, he would be in and out of the hospital and this limits his social work, which later crept to limit his movement. Ateh would be his 'walking stick' most of the time. Nonetheless, he couldn't help himself not to entertain his visitors even at the hospital. He was lying on the hospital bed but he instead he asked me how I am! He was a very caring person indeed.
When the doctor examined his heart condition, he was very calm whereas I was quite restless; I pitied him for having to undergo such procedure in his late age. He told others that I was very brave to accompany him in the examining room where in actual fact he was the brave one! He fought his sickness with great will power.
He was admitted in ICU and with great determination passed through the terrifying stage and later was discharged from the hospital.
Months later his health condition escalated and he was again in Hospital Pantai Puteri. After he was discharged, he managed to take a short trip to KL and upon returning, he was once again admitted to Ipoh General Hospital. Ki passed away on the hospital bed as a great fighter...
6.00 p.m 1st July- I went to visit Ki at the Ipoh General Hospital. Opah Chu and Rais, Ateh and Ijan were there when I arrived. Ki was sleeping most of the time, though he constantly turned himself. He sipped some yogurt drinks, and he slept again. Ateh later informed me he slept most of the times that day and had no appetite. He ate the kanji sum-sum Opah Chu prepared for him and nothing else.
2nd July- I wished Wan Yong, it was her birthday. Wan Yong reply was “Thx 4 yr thought. Ki pagi ni msuk CCU.”
2.35 a.m 3rd July-I received phone call from Wan. When he told "Ki dah tak ada," I was partially awake. The message took sometimes to sink in. "Innalillahi wainna ilaihi rajiun", I finally said and consoled him. I can't sleep after that.
7.30 a.m- I made the first journey to Kampung Buaia without Ki to greet me. The longest journey I ever had.
8.15 a.m- As I arrived at Kampung Buaia, I saw Auntie (Wan Chik) at the compund. She cried when we hugged, needless to say a word. I consoled her and later approached in where Ateh hugged me in tears and said-'Lily thank you so much'. I then sat near Ki's body-he looked as if he was sleeping, only pale and I recited Yassin for him. Nearing to the end of my recital, I realised that this is the first Yassin I recited for him. He would not be able to tease, joke or give me advise anymore. After the Yassin, I stormed out where I cried my heart out.
Ki was like a grandfather I never had. And I finally understand the feeling of losing a grandfather. And for the family of an extraordinary man, Dato' Seri Yang Rashdi, many thanks for allowing me 'menumpang datuk.' I really appreciated it.
Lily
An Extraordinary Man
I've lost my grandfather when I was 7 and my paternal grandfather a year later. Such young age did not permit me to have large recollection of memories of them. Not having both grandparents whilst growing was never an issue for me. Well, I guess you don't actually felt the lost when you never own it at first place.
I knew Ki initially from Wan's stories; he was full of praises and was so proud when he talked about his grandfather. Of course, I would only able to play a passive part; listening without being able to share my side of stories.
I finally met Ki in person when I went for Hari Raya celebration...it was Hari Raya Haji, and Tah was still alive at that time. I couldn't avoid myself from having at the back of my mind the impression that he would probably be a 'typical Dato' Seri'-probably because I watched too much Malay dramas portraying as such.
It soon faded as my friends and I entered the mansion (apt description of the house-very big with huge compound); we were warmly greeted by him. He welcomed us in and Tah ensured that we were treated accordingly, quickly sent Wan to the kitchen to prepare drinks for us. 'Abang' (probably the biggest cat I've ever seen) tagged along with Tah as she came out from the kitchen with food. Both of them entertained us as if we came by their invitation. The fact that one of my friend was from MCKK added an extra topic of conversation for Ki. The impression I had totally shattered, Ki was totally the opposite! In fact, Wan was being very humble in his praises!
From thereon, it led to string of pleasant experiences with Ki. Not much do I know about Tah thus less I can say about her, only that she is a good cook-(I tasted her pajeri ambra and it was simply awesome!).
As for Ki, I had the opportunity to know him better, especially after the family moved to Kampung Buaia. To me, he will always be remembered as a person with an impeccable character. Despite his age, he would find his way to contribute to the society, whether it is through his writing or his social work. This is evident by his selfless initiative of teaching english language to the 'budak-budak kampung'. Once I visited him, he just finished teaching. He told me-"Ki cakap pada budak-budak kampung ni, jangan segan jadi budak kampung. You have to be proud of who you are. Tah orang kampung, tapi dia boleh bercampur dengan macam-macam orang. Siti Nurhaliza pun budak kampung, tapi dia boleh berjaya" (later I learned that Ki is a big fan of Siti-well, that is beside the point).
He even went to the extent of organising 'functions' and 'entertainment' for the local community. The house was never without guest, off and on there would be kampung folks visiting. Whenever there is a function, Ki would be very busy directing to ensure that everything was in its proper manner and his guests were well treated. He would repeatedly ask his guests-"Dah makan ke belum? Makan le, ambik apa yang ada". He had the remarkable ability of making his guests felt at ease, comfortable and at home, and I guess that is one apparent reason why his guests repeated their visits.
And he is a person full of jest! He would at times tease me, asking “Ni anak siapa ni?” or “Mana datang budak ni?” with a smirk on his face! Once I was making myself useful by sweeping the floor as at that time, there was a Rotary function preparation ongoing, when he came to me; in jest said “Ki tak de duit nak bayor Indonesia ni” I jokingly replied, “Mahal nak bayor ni Ki, ada degree ni.” To that, he laughed.
Another common topic for me and Ki was about my work since he knew Mr Tang (my boss), whom Ki referred as Khai Kit. He would advise me to work hard. He told me he was among the founder of POWA, a Rotary award appreciating the Rotarian’s staff for their assistance.
The joys were however short lived.
Ki then gradually became very sick, he would be in and out of the hospital and this limits his social work, which later crept to limit his movement. Ateh would be his 'walking stick' most of the time. Nonetheless, he couldn't help himself not to entertain his visitors even at the hospital. He was lying on the hospital bed but he instead he asked me how I am! He was a very caring person indeed.
When the doctor examined his heart condition, he was very calm whereas I was quite restless; I pitied him for having to undergo such procedure in his late age. He told others that I was very brave to accompany him in the examining room where in actual fact he was the brave one! He fought his sickness with great will power.
He was admitted in ICU and with great determination passed through the terrifying stage and later was discharged from the hospital.
Months later his health condition escalated and he was again in Hospital Pantai Puteri. After he was discharged, he managed to take a short trip to KL and upon returning, he was once again admitted to Ipoh General Hospital. Ki passed away on the hospital bed as a great fighter...
6.00 p.m 1st July- I went to visit Ki at the Ipoh General Hospital. Opah Chu and Rais, Ateh and Ijan were there when I arrived. Ki was sleeping most of the time, though he constantly turned himself. He sipped some yogurt drinks, and he slept again. Ateh later informed me he slept most of the times that day and had no appetite. He ate the kanji sum-sum Opah Chu prepared for him and nothing else.
2nd July- I wished Wan Yong, it was her birthday. Wan Yong reply was “Thx 4 yr thought. Ki pagi ni msuk CCU.”
2.35 a.m 3rd July-I received phone call from Wan. When he told "Ki dah tak ada," I was partially awake. The message took sometimes to sink in. "Innalillahi wainna ilaihi rajiun", I finally said and consoled him. I can't sleep after that.
7.30 a.m- I made the first journey to Kampung Buaia without Ki to greet me. The longest journey I ever had.
8.15 a.m- As I arrived at Kampung Buaia, I saw Auntie (Wan Chik) at the compund. She cried when we hugged, needless to say a word. I consoled her and later approached in where Ateh hugged me in tears and said-'Lily thank you so much'. I then sat near Ki's body-he looked as if he was sleeping, only pale and I recited Yassin for him. Nearing to the end of my recital, I realised that this is the first Yassin I recited for him. He would not be able to tease, joke or give me advise anymore. After the Yassin, I stormed out where I cried my heart out.
Ki was like a grandfather I never had. And I finally understand the feeling of losing a grandfather. And for the family of an extraordinary man, Dato' Seri Yang Rashdi, many thanks for allowing me 'menumpang datuk.' I really appreciated it.
Lily
Monday, July 7, 2008
Then & Now....ABOUT ME & MY BARBERS
(Extracted from IPOH ECHO Apr 16-30, 2008)
http://www.ipohecho.com.my/ (issue 48)
Dato' Seri Yang Rashdi sadly passed away on 3 July, 2008 - ALFATIHA
It was his wish to see this blog lived on long after he is gone...
This morning I went to have a haircut in town. My grand-daughter Ijan is coming back from KL and she complains when my hair is unkempt and not properly trimmed. Day after tomorrow there will be an important event at Villa Indera. Somebody is getting married. We have not had a wedding in the family since 2005. But that is another story.
Today, I am preoccupied with memories of trips to the barber shop. My father had been pretty strict about haircuts himself. He made a point of supervising this regular cutting and trimming himself.
It was quite an outing, us packed like sardines in the small - we called it a "baby car" - Austin 7 (PK 2037). I had an older brother, two younger brothers and there were our two sisters, the last two additions in the family. Being "special" they always sat in front, beside our father who drove. Our mother, Akidah had died when the girls were mere toddlers. I am talking of a time in the 1920s.
GREAT FUN
We enjoyed getting our hair trimed except for Tum, the youngest. She would cover her face with her arms and needed much cajoling from both our dad and the Indian barber.
It was the protocol of the day that my older brother and I should be last in the haircutting queue. This gave us sufficient time to kill and be entertained. The barber's shop was one of six or seven little establishments - they were no more than shacks - at kedai bawah Gunung Pondok just at the foot of, yes, Gunung Pondok. Pekan Gunung Pondok was then a tiny, thriving world. People going to Kampong Lalang, Setor, Sungai Ati and Paya Ranggam and beyond to Laneh passed through these little village-shacks where they could buy local cooked food and vegetables. And, if they wished or needed one, they could drop and have their trim in the shop where two Indian barbers worked.
A few yards away going into Pekan Padang Rengas, about a quarter of a mile away from the row of shops, was a railway gate that was closed whenever a train - a passenger mail train or goods train - would chug its way up north through the famed Bukit Berapit tunnels.
MY TURN
Waiting for my turn at the barber's, I was intrigued to watch the hugh locomotive-engines chugging away, white steam or smoke spiralling up and over their funnels. In those days, Padang Rengas Railway Station was a must for all trains going up north or south. The locos sometimes needed power to push them up Bukit Berapit or required "controlling" any long line of the mail or the good trains sliding down the rails from the hill after a very heavy downpour. This happened a few times.
Suffice to say I was never impatient while I waited to be called to have my hair cut. The barber shop of my childhood was quite cosy. It had only two hair-dressing chairs and when the kids came, a plank of wood was placed over the "arms" for them to sit on. Sometimes, I would doze off in the barber's chair. It was so pleasant having my face massaged. But there are occassions I would suddenly sit up with a jolt, thinking the barber might, out of the blue, lose his mind and cut off my ears or nose! This phobia remains with me to this day.
We had a different type of "air-conditioning" then. We had punkahs - a broad cloth attached to a frame with a cord operated manually by a man-servant called a punkawallah. It worked for many of us. In fact, it made one so drowsy. Later, a radio was added to the set-up and it naturally played Tamil songs!
TIME PASSES
In the 1960s, I worked in the big city's State Secretariat and found myself a barber that suited me. His shop was on a river bank, behind the Secretariat building. There was nothing posh about the establishment but it was tidy and everything was in order. The Indian music was perpetually on! This barber shop introduced me to Bay Rum, a hair tonic that was very popular in those days. It was French. Your head was massaged using this tonic; sometimes it was rubbed gently all over your face. It could last on you for as long as three weeks!. I paid the princely sum of between $1.50 and $2.00 each time I visited that river bank barber. An extra 50 cent was levied for a shave if you needed one and for the Bay Rum rub. It was cukup berbaloi sekali.
Later, when I was in the State capital, I frequented a barber shop known as the 'Hollywood Hair Dressing Saloon'. It reminded me a lot of the shop in the Federal capital years earlier. This Hollywood Hair Saloon was manned by two or three nearly middle-aged barbers. They were very experienced, very gentle and very courteous. When they saw me coming up, one of them would wait for me at the door and usher me gently into a seat. The Hollywood Hair Saloon also had its brand of 'in-house' hair tonic. It was not as potent as the genuine Bay Rum - its fragrance would last only a week - but satisfying enough.
RECENT BOUTS
A few years ago, I tried two different barbers in our small pekan. My visit to the Chinese one was never repeated. His shaving razor was blunt; it hurt! The Indian entrepreneur was OK professionally in the beginning but he developed the tendency to push my head about; also, he enjoyed chatting loudly (and endlessly) with a friend who was loittering about or talking to his wife who was in the kitchen.
More recently, I made a rewarding discovery when I visited Romeo Tukang Gunting in town. It was run by two youths from India both of whom confessed to me that they graduated from a Barbers' Academy to earn a Barber's Certificate!
I recall having a good look at the row of half-sized bottles arranged neatly below the big mirror in front of me. They contained a bright pink liquid very much like the colour of Bay Rum. I requested a splash. I was told by the barber that it was not Bay Rum - he quoted something about it in Indian! He had not heard of the long lasting fragrance. The hair-cut and the splash of liquid that was non-Bay Rum cost only RM7.00!
This brings me to my last memory of barbers and their shops. During the transition period called interregnum (the time immediately following the surrender of the Japanese and the period of the British Civilian Adminstration), I was, of course, jobless. One fine day my father handed me a box containing a set of hair-clipper, a razor blade knife and other paraphernalia a barber needs. He said, "Rashdi, while you are waiting for a job - and it may take time for the country to settle down for you to find one - why don't you learn to be a barber? There's money in it! Everybody needs a haircut. People have to see you sometime!".
My father meant well but I just could not understand how he'd want me to be a barber - why, I'd attended a very well-established and well-known institution in the whole country!. I was young and proud. At that time there were only two Malay barbers in the village-town. I would not mention their names here but in time the two would be remembered as the nucleus of the famous or as the infamous API Movement, forerunning of our modern Youth Movements!.
DATO' SERI YANG RASHDI BIN MAASOM
Termaktub di Villa PiJ Indera
Kampong Buiai, Padang Rengas
http://www.ipohecho.com.my/ (issue 48)
Dato' Seri Yang Rashdi sadly passed away on 3 July, 2008 - ALFATIHA
It was his wish to see this blog lived on long after he is gone...
This morning I went to have a haircut in town. My grand-daughter Ijan is coming back from KL and she complains when my hair is unkempt and not properly trimmed. Day after tomorrow there will be an important event at Villa Indera. Somebody is getting married. We have not had a wedding in the family since 2005. But that is another story.
Today, I am preoccupied with memories of trips to the barber shop. My father had been pretty strict about haircuts himself. He made a point of supervising this regular cutting and trimming himself.
It was quite an outing, us packed like sardines in the small - we called it a "baby car" - Austin 7 (PK 2037). I had an older brother, two younger brothers and there were our two sisters, the last two additions in the family. Being "special" they always sat in front, beside our father who drove. Our mother, Akidah had died when the girls were mere toddlers. I am talking of a time in the 1920s.
GREAT FUN
We enjoyed getting our hair trimed except for Tum, the youngest. She would cover her face with her arms and needed much cajoling from both our dad and the Indian barber.
It was the protocol of the day that my older brother and I should be last in the haircutting queue. This gave us sufficient time to kill and be entertained. The barber's shop was one of six or seven little establishments - they were no more than shacks - at kedai bawah Gunung Pondok just at the foot of, yes, Gunung Pondok. Pekan Gunung Pondok was then a tiny, thriving world. People going to Kampong Lalang, Setor, Sungai Ati and Paya Ranggam and beyond to Laneh passed through these little village-shacks where they could buy local cooked food and vegetables. And, if they wished or needed one, they could drop and have their trim in the shop where two Indian barbers worked.
A few yards away going into Pekan Padang Rengas, about a quarter of a mile away from the row of shops, was a railway gate that was closed whenever a train - a passenger mail train or goods train - would chug its way up north through the famed Bukit Berapit tunnels.
MY TURN
Waiting for my turn at the barber's, I was intrigued to watch the hugh locomotive-engines chugging away, white steam or smoke spiralling up and over their funnels. In those days, Padang Rengas Railway Station was a must for all trains going up north or south. The locos sometimes needed power to push them up Bukit Berapit or required "controlling" any long line of the mail or the good trains sliding down the rails from the hill after a very heavy downpour. This happened a few times.
Suffice to say I was never impatient while I waited to be called to have my hair cut. The barber shop of my childhood was quite cosy. It had only two hair-dressing chairs and when the kids came, a plank of wood was placed over the "arms" for them to sit on. Sometimes, I would doze off in the barber's chair. It was so pleasant having my face massaged. But there are occassions I would suddenly sit up with a jolt, thinking the barber might, out of the blue, lose his mind and cut off my ears or nose! This phobia remains with me to this day.
We had a different type of "air-conditioning" then. We had punkahs - a broad cloth attached to a frame with a cord operated manually by a man-servant called a punkawallah. It worked for many of us. In fact, it made one so drowsy. Later, a radio was added to the set-up and it naturally played Tamil songs!
TIME PASSES
In the 1960s, I worked in the big city's State Secretariat and found myself a barber that suited me. His shop was on a river bank, behind the Secretariat building. There was nothing posh about the establishment but it was tidy and everything was in order. The Indian music was perpetually on! This barber shop introduced me to Bay Rum, a hair tonic that was very popular in those days. It was French. Your head was massaged using this tonic; sometimes it was rubbed gently all over your face. It could last on you for as long as three weeks!. I paid the princely sum of between $1.50 and $2.00 each time I visited that river bank barber. An extra 50 cent was levied for a shave if you needed one and for the Bay Rum rub. It was cukup berbaloi sekali.
Later, when I was in the State capital, I frequented a barber shop known as the 'Hollywood Hair Dressing Saloon'. It reminded me a lot of the shop in the Federal capital years earlier. This Hollywood Hair Saloon was manned by two or three nearly middle-aged barbers. They were very experienced, very gentle and very courteous. When they saw me coming up, one of them would wait for me at the door and usher me gently into a seat. The Hollywood Hair Saloon also had its brand of 'in-house' hair tonic. It was not as potent as the genuine Bay Rum - its fragrance would last only a week - but satisfying enough.
RECENT BOUTS
A few years ago, I tried two different barbers in our small pekan. My visit to the Chinese one was never repeated. His shaving razor was blunt; it hurt! The Indian entrepreneur was OK professionally in the beginning but he developed the tendency to push my head about; also, he enjoyed chatting loudly (and endlessly) with a friend who was loittering about or talking to his wife who was in the kitchen.
More recently, I made a rewarding discovery when I visited Romeo Tukang Gunting in town. It was run by two youths from India both of whom confessed to me that they graduated from a Barbers' Academy to earn a Barber's Certificate!
I recall having a good look at the row of half-sized bottles arranged neatly below the big mirror in front of me. They contained a bright pink liquid very much like the colour of Bay Rum. I requested a splash. I was told by the barber that it was not Bay Rum - he quoted something about it in Indian! He had not heard of the long lasting fragrance. The hair-cut and the splash of liquid that was non-Bay Rum cost only RM7.00!
This brings me to my last memory of barbers and their shops. During the transition period called interregnum (the time immediately following the surrender of the Japanese and the period of the British Civilian Adminstration), I was, of course, jobless. One fine day my father handed me a box containing a set of hair-clipper, a razor blade knife and other paraphernalia a barber needs. He said, "Rashdi, while you are waiting for a job - and it may take time for the country to settle down for you to find one - why don't you learn to be a barber? There's money in it! Everybody needs a haircut. People have to see you sometime!".
My father meant well but I just could not understand how he'd want me to be a barber - why, I'd attended a very well-established and well-known institution in the whole country!. I was young and proud. At that time there were only two Malay barbers in the village-town. I would not mention their names here but in time the two would be remembered as the nucleus of the famous or as the infamous API Movement, forerunning of our modern Youth Movements!.
DATO' SERI YANG RASHDI BIN MAASOM
Termaktub di Villa PiJ Indera
Kampong Buiai, Padang Rengas
Monday, June 23, 2008
Jinrikishaw @ The Lanca
Ipoh Echo July 1st-15th, 2008
http://www.ipohecho.com.my/ (issue 53)
When I was a little boy I had the choice of staying between the two of my beloved grand-parents. One was at Talang, a small home village just about three miles north of the town of Kuala Kangsar. The other was at Padang Rengas which was the home of my other grand-parents on my father's side. At times I used to be chided by one family or the other if I should overstay myself in one home especially during the festivals like Hari Rayas or during the long school terminal holidays. The discrimination, I thought, was logical to me. Kuala Kangsar was a coming-up town. It had already some big buildings like the Malay College, the Clifford School and of course the Istana Iskandariah at Bukit Chandan albeit its old version. Of course, there was already the Mesjid Ubudiah and others. One building of only wood and of zinc roofing I remember well to this days was the Empire Theater so much patronized by many of us kids for a "Tarzan" or "Laurel & Hardy" slap-stick comedian movies at 30 cents back seat, 20 cents middle area and 10 cents at the very front seats per one show!
Padang Rengas at that time was a very rural quiet kampong. The only consolation was that it was the home of the Tohmaharaja Indera's clans and siblings. Tohmaharaja Indera was my grandfather. At Talang it was always almost interesting especially at the prospect of going to town with Nek (Nenek - my great grandmother) to shop for Hari Raya or for other visits. In those days it was almost impossible to find plying taxis as we do today but we were very happy that the LANCAs were plying around in the town.
As the history went, the Jinriksha or Lanca as we mostly called them in due course started in China or Japan. If I remember my Japanese well when I was in the Nihon-Go Gakko the lanca used to be called by the Westerners as the Jinrikshaw. In the Kanji characters Jin signifies man; riki means strength while sha is a vehicle or cart thus the "man labour cart" - so the Lanca! The Lanca was a very unique man-made innovation. It has a seat for two on a shaft attached to two huge wheels on both sides. The wheels may be four to five meters high each. The seat had a collapsible canvass cover in cases of inclemental weather. The cart had also a front cover. The front cover was very popular with the young Muslim maidens on a shopping out by themselves or with friends and generally to keep themselves off from the prying male human eyes! The cart had a foot rest floor; a small area to keep one's small shopping items. I enjoyed accompanying Nek to the town for her marketing but more specially for Nek's preparations for Hari Raya. For this purpose Nek would require the services of two of our regular lanca men "Panjang" and "Pendek" as we called them referring to their statures but Nek, always courteous, would at times address them as Taukeh, may be to the chagrin of our two friends! Of course, Nek did not know the real concept and significance if a Chinese man is addressed as Taukeh when he is doing only manual jobs. While riding on the lanca with Nek she would always warn me not to be too restless while the cart was being pulled because that would inbalance our lanca-men in doing the tasks! Nek would generally take half a day for our shopping and marketing for our Hari Raya. It was unlike today when one could find all kinds of goods under one roof as in a supermarket. Nek had to go to as many shops to pick the best prices despite the fact that she too had her regular shops but then Hari Raya was always different! When we returned home the two lancas were laden with our purchases with bagfuls of rice and flour, sugar, milk, coffee, and cooking oil and kerosene and all the barang-barang dapor needful for Hari Raya for which Nek only paid a total amount of about $10.00 to $12.00! Our lanca trips to and from Talang and Kuala Kangsar did not cost Nek more than a dollar. One way trip by the lancas would take them between 45 minutes to a little more depending on the weight carried by them. Some of the items purchased could at least last three weeks or the full month before Nek and the others would go for another round of one month's ration. Nyang Abas, Nek's spouse (my great grandfather) was a retired Penghulu and in time I got to know that our Nyang Abas's pension was only THIRTY TWO dollars per mensem! Over the many years I was in and out, as it were, of Talang, the lanca people and their riskshas seemed to have decreased in number. On a number of times accompanying Nek going avisiting to our relatives in Kota Lama Kiri, 3 miles south of Kuala Kangsar I remembered noticing an almost dilapidated shack with a big number of some rickshaw pullers gathering among themselves smoking away with their weird looking pipes and I used to see also a number of the rickshaws going under repair or just going to dust! For a long time these people were very needful to a number of people wanting their services. As a people they were very hardy and really hardworking although they would only keep to themselves! Maybe now they knew their days were numbered. The memory of the rickshaws or lancas was very nostalgic to me to this day. To this day we wondered where these people came from and from what provinces in China; their clans; their dialects they spoke or why they immigrated themselves here to this country.... It would be good to know the history of our past heritage. When I was later a young teenager I used to follow my Tok (my Padang Rengas grandfather) to Ipoh. Ipoh then was already a thriving town being in the midst of the richest mining field in the world and my grandfather was buying for himself a new Morris Eight after disposing off his old Morris Cowley and my grandfather paid only Eight Hundred Dollars for his new car at the Ipoh Motors which still stands to-day, I understand! But it was then some sixty years ago. It was intriguing to observe the number of motor vehicles in Ipoh already at that time. There were all sorts of cars plying over the whole town and some of them running as taxis but I could not see any sight of the Lancas anymore except for some stray remnants! Trying to improve myself of the various brands or makes of the many cars around there, there were of course the Morris Minor and Morris Eight imported from England and there were the Austin Seven and Austin Eight also from the U.K. Then we had the Overland Whippet exported from the USA and we also had a Fiat Orlando from Italy! The Japanese and Korean cars only came into the pictures almost half a century later!
In my later days I overheard the yarn about some of the modern millionnaires dealing in the motor businesses today who could be the descendants of some of the earlier immigrant people who eked themselves out for a living pulling the Jinkishas. Millioniare Boon Siew started his life and beginning as a small bicycle repairer! Today Boon Siew is well known name all over this region who owns the Honda Empire.
http://www.ipohecho.com.my/ (issue 53)
When I was a little boy I had the choice of staying between the two of my beloved grand-parents. One was at Talang, a small home village just about three miles north of the town of Kuala Kangsar. The other was at Padang Rengas which was the home of my other grand-parents on my father's side. At times I used to be chided by one family or the other if I should overstay myself in one home especially during the festivals like Hari Rayas or during the long school terminal holidays. The discrimination, I thought, was logical to me. Kuala Kangsar was a coming-up town. It had already some big buildings like the Malay College, the Clifford School and of course the Istana Iskandariah at Bukit Chandan albeit its old version. Of course, there was already the Mesjid Ubudiah and others. One building of only wood and of zinc roofing I remember well to this days was the Empire Theater so much patronized by many of us kids for a "Tarzan" or "Laurel & Hardy" slap-stick comedian movies at 30 cents back seat, 20 cents middle area and 10 cents at the very front seats per one show!
Padang Rengas at that time was a very rural quiet kampong. The only consolation was that it was the home of the Tohmaharaja Indera's clans and siblings. Tohmaharaja Indera was my grandfather. At Talang it was always almost interesting especially at the prospect of going to town with Nek (Nenek - my great grandmother) to shop for Hari Raya or for other visits. In those days it was almost impossible to find plying taxis as we do today but we were very happy that the LANCAs were plying around in the town.
As the history went, the Jinriksha or Lanca as we mostly called them in due course started in China or Japan. If I remember my Japanese well when I was in the Nihon-Go Gakko the lanca used to be called by the Westerners as the Jinrikshaw. In the Kanji characters Jin signifies man; riki means strength while sha is a vehicle or cart thus the "man labour cart" - so the Lanca! The Lanca was a very unique man-made innovation. It has a seat for two on a shaft attached to two huge wheels on both sides. The wheels may be four to five meters high each. The seat had a collapsible canvass cover in cases of inclemental weather. The cart had also a front cover. The front cover was very popular with the young Muslim maidens on a shopping out by themselves or with friends and generally to keep themselves off from the prying male human eyes! The cart had a foot rest floor; a small area to keep one's small shopping items. I enjoyed accompanying Nek to the town for her marketing but more specially for Nek's preparations for Hari Raya. For this purpose Nek would require the services of two of our regular lanca men "Panjang" and "Pendek" as we called them referring to their statures but Nek, always courteous, would at times address them as Taukeh, may be to the chagrin of our two friends! Of course, Nek did not know the real concept and significance if a Chinese man is addressed as Taukeh when he is doing only manual jobs. While riding on the lanca with Nek she would always warn me not to be too restless while the cart was being pulled because that would inbalance our lanca-men in doing the tasks! Nek would generally take half a day for our shopping and marketing for our Hari Raya. It was unlike today when one could find all kinds of goods under one roof as in a supermarket. Nek had to go to as many shops to pick the best prices despite the fact that she too had her regular shops but then Hari Raya was always different! When we returned home the two lancas were laden with our purchases with bagfuls of rice and flour, sugar, milk, coffee, and cooking oil and kerosene and all the barang-barang dapor needful for Hari Raya for which Nek only paid a total amount of about $10.00 to $12.00! Our lanca trips to and from Talang and Kuala Kangsar did not cost Nek more than a dollar. One way trip by the lancas would take them between 45 minutes to a little more depending on the weight carried by them. Some of the items purchased could at least last three weeks or the full month before Nek and the others would go for another round of one month's ration. Nyang Abas, Nek's spouse (my great grandfather) was a retired Penghulu and in time I got to know that our Nyang Abas's pension was only THIRTY TWO dollars per mensem! Over the many years I was in and out, as it were, of Talang, the lanca people and their riskshas seemed to have decreased in number. On a number of times accompanying Nek going avisiting to our relatives in Kota Lama Kiri, 3 miles south of Kuala Kangsar I remembered noticing an almost dilapidated shack with a big number of some rickshaw pullers gathering among themselves smoking away with their weird looking pipes and I used to see also a number of the rickshaws going under repair or just going to dust! For a long time these people were very needful to a number of people wanting their services. As a people they were very hardy and really hardworking although they would only keep to themselves! Maybe now they knew their days were numbered. The memory of the rickshaws or lancas was very nostalgic to me to this day. To this day we wondered where these people came from and from what provinces in China; their clans; their dialects they spoke or why they immigrated themselves here to this country.... It would be good to know the history of our past heritage. When I was later a young teenager I used to follow my Tok (my Padang Rengas grandfather) to Ipoh. Ipoh then was already a thriving town being in the midst of the richest mining field in the world and my grandfather was buying for himself a new Morris Eight after disposing off his old Morris Cowley and my grandfather paid only Eight Hundred Dollars for his new car at the Ipoh Motors which still stands to-day, I understand! But it was then some sixty years ago. It was intriguing to observe the number of motor vehicles in Ipoh already at that time. There were all sorts of cars plying over the whole town and some of them running as taxis but I could not see any sight of the Lancas anymore except for some stray remnants! Trying to improve myself of the various brands or makes of the many cars around there, there were of course the Morris Minor and Morris Eight imported from England and there were the Austin Seven and Austin Eight also from the U.K. Then we had the Overland Whippet exported from the USA and we also had a Fiat Orlando from Italy! The Japanese and Korean cars only came into the pictures almost half a century later!
In my later days I overheard the yarn about some of the modern millionnaires dealing in the motor businesses today who could be the descendants of some of the earlier immigrant people who eked themselves out for a living pulling the Jinkishas. Millioniare Boon Siew started his life and beginning as a small bicycle repairer! Today Boon Siew is well known name all over this region who owns the Honda Empire.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Our Dusun Durian
MUSIM DURIAN DI KAMPONG Cerita 1 (27.07.07)( Sebutan “dusun kita” dalam tulisan ini bermaksud dusun keluarga asalkami Datin Seri Shamsiah di seberang sungai)Semalam sedang aku melihat program TV, Man ( Yah ) datang cuba mengajak aku ke dusun “kita” kerana katanya nak diadakan Doa Arwah di dusun pada malam itu. Malam itu? Bila aku tanya sesiapa akan datang ke majlis, katanya “ramai!” tetapi tak tahu sesiapa orang yang disegani akan datang !Yang tentunya “Ustaz Shadat” akan datang untuk membaca do’a arwah. “ Willy-Nilly”, kata phrase dalam bahasa Inggeris , aku rasa nak turut hadir di majlis itu sungguhpun kesihatan aku terlampau mengganggu untuk ikut sama tetapi oleh kerana, kononnya, majlis ini majlis membaca doa selamat untuk Shamsiah (Allah Yarham ) dan juga Ohm (anak ku yang juga sudah tiada) aku pasang niat akan hadir yang akan bermula, kata Man, selepas Solat I’sya , kira-kira jam 9.30 malam. Aku menunggu Lahn balik daripada sesuatu diluar kampong yang beliau cuma sampai balik hampir jam 9.30 malam itu! Aku dihantar oleh Ju dengan kereta Myvi kecil kami hingga ke laman rumah Halimah (kenalan dan sepupu jauh Shamsiah) dan Man sudah menunggu dengan motornya untuk membawa aku ke dusun terus. Seksanya untuk menaikki motor kerana tubuh badan ku sudah tegang sakit tua! Alhamdulilah dari jauh laman dangau (pondok) sudah nampak terang daripada jangkaan aku kerana sudah dipasang lampu torchlight besar batteri! Aku lihat begitu ramai dihalaman dangau , tidak kurang daripada 30 orang dewasa , yang baru sudah makan dan juga yang sedang menjamu selera mereka! Di atas lepor dangau “tetamu khas” kita (Ustaz Shadat dan anak-anaknya ! ) juga sedang menjamu selera mereka.! Aku tanya Lahn dan diberitahu mereka yang ada pada malam itu adalah “budak-budak kampong” yang menjaga dusun di musim durian disekitar dusun kita dan juga penjaga-penjaga kebun durian disekitarnya! (Man menjaga dusun kita) Membaca do’a pun sudah selesai cuma berehat-berehat selepas makan. Nampaknya Lahn begitu mesra dan ramah dengan mereka atau “gengnya”(almaklum sudah jadi orang kampong (begitulah hendaknya!)Aku terkejut pada jamuan tersebut seorang dua daripada mereka sedang membakar BBQ kambing , sebahagian daripada jamuan malam itu, selain daripada nasi minyak, gulai daging kambing, dan daging panggang bbq kambing; itu sahaja! Pada diri aku lazat makan malam itu. Secara berseloroh bila aku bertanya siapa tukang masak mereka pada malam itu mreka mula tunjuk menunjuk sesame sendiri masing-masing menyebut nama si-anu si-anu ; semua tidak mahu mengakui diri hingga ramai mengatakan “Pak Razak!” Memang sedap sungguh masak “Pak Razak”utamanya gulai kambing malam itu. Tukang masaknya yang sebenarnya memanglah Pak Razak dan gengnya.Selepas beberapa waktu secara bergurau aku bertanya kepada Pak Razak mana manisan selepas makan; mana kudap-kudapan kampong Buaia, masing-masing gelak ketawa dan menyatakan “Tahun depan!!!”. Bila aku terus bergurau “apa program selepas ini, siapa penyanyi dan band siapa” mereka juga semua mejawab “ Tahun depan!!Aku selidiki daripada Man jamuan malam itu adalah sumbangan kutipan daripada semua ala kadar antara $10.00 hingga $20.00 masing-masing siapa yan mampu! Jumlah kutipan untuk jamuan pada malam itu dikatakan lebih kurang $300.00. Daging kambing sebelah potongan badan kambing itu sahaja berharga $100.00 ! Tetap jamuan malam itu begitu berselera dan alam sekitarnya juga begitu nyaman. Rasaku semua orang telah rasa puas hati dengan majlis “makan malam” itu. Semua bercadang dimusim tahun depan akan diadakan jamuan seperti malam itu lagi; Insyaha allah!Sebelum aku dibawa balik aku dapat memerhatikan bahawa tukang bakar BBQ masih lagi membakar dagingnya sementara yang lain sedang membukus habuan lauk-lauk dan daging paggang dan juga nasi minyak dalam bungkus plastic untuk mereka balik ke rumah untuk mereka yang menuggu dan yang dikasihi. It was a “great night” for me. Malangnya melainkan aku dan Razlan dan Ju yang ada dirumah seorangpun tuan-punya nama tanah dusun kita TIDAk datang atau tidak ada balik pada musim durian tahun ini. Bebal rasa hatiku! Keadaannya zaman “ubanisation” sudah mula mengikis nilai-nilai murni zaman silam; sudah banyak yang mula akan hapus atau luput. Selalu aku dengar sebutan diantara mereka yang mengatakan “dibandar kames pun sudah banyak durian djual. Murah dan tak payah balik kampong!” Entahlah aku akan tak tahu lagi. Umur aku dan zaman akhirku sudah agak sudah sampai”Sebelum aku menutup ruangan ini aku diberitahu Razlan tidak balik malam ini kerana memburu landak( atau bersukan atau ke membunuh atau ke menimbak binatang yang tak berdosa!) Itulah gembira dan seronoknya tinggal dikampong!Aku akan menurunkan diruangan lain cerita menjaga kebun durian dimasa remajaku Insya AllahCatitan: jam 11.30 malam
Posted by TOH MAHARAJA
Posted by TOH MAHARAJA
Pantai Putri and the Royal Visit...
I am now back home after full two weeks at the Pantai Puteri Medical Centre as you know and came back home to my dear kampong only last 9th June , past week or so ago. I am not fully recovered yet. I feel I may take another month or so to be part of my normal self again. As you you know I am such a restless person thus I am trying on my computer writing to you again!
If you are attending the Kelab meeting at any time soon please extend my most grateful thanks to all my dear friends who came to visit me at the hospital. Tan Sri Azizuddin visited me very early when I was in a very crucial and critical condition that I could barely say a word to him but to sign off to say “sorry” to him from afar. He fully accepted my situation. I remember those others who came a visiting…Dato’ Syed Azman and his Datin , Dato’ Ahmad Ismail, Dr Ameen(?) , our dear Secretary Haris and family, my great friend Dato Mohamad Hamzah who together with Razalli, our artiste, brought me a very valuable gift on behalf of the Club that of a “robotic” hospital bed! (I heard it cost the Kelab almost a fortune!)!! But I feel that I will NOT be that bed-ridden as long as I can, Insya Allah!
But one of the greatest gifts in all these many years of my life was the “surprise” visit of our beloved Tuanku Raja Azlan and Tuanku Bainun to me at the hospital. A day or two earlier I heard rumours of the impending visit but I totally ignored about it. Who was I to be so visited? I am just an ordinary kampong boy. I was told that those in the know did not want it confirmed to me earlier for fear of “upsetting” me. NO way , Dato’ Ariff , I l never would! Only earlier that afternoon when I saw four or five chairs being set up in my room, I thought the family was arranging for a makan for us at dinner time until I was informed that Tuanku and Tuanku Bainun would be arriving a-visiting me at the hospital and the room clock showed that it will be in about another 45 minutes or so! I knew it was all agog outside; the doctors, nurses and staffs trying to make the hospital cleaner when it is already more than clean!
Waiting for the Tuankus I was already seated on my “relaxed” plastic reclining chair by the hospital bed and both the Tuankus were to be seated on both sides of me!. Tuanku entered seemingly cheerily and and asked me, I think in jest, “what are you doing here?” The two doctors took up this matter up to Tuanku. While doing so I mentiond to Tuanku that the doctors were looking after me well and Tuanku quipped “They are doctors and they have to be good!”
My chit-chat with both the Tuankus took a full 40 minutes! Can you believe it? The chats were nothing serious. Tuanku Azlan queried about my age again and compared my age with our Tun Bendahara’s age! Of course, our Tun is about 4 or 5 years senior, I am 83. Then Tuanku asked me about my College contemporaries and I rattled off…late Sultan Idris, late Sultan Selangor, Tuanku Jaafar Yang Dipertuan Besar ,Negeri Sembilan (my Head Boy ) his brother Tunku Abdullah ( a big corporat - my classmate), Hamzah Abu Samah once a Minister (another class-mate ) and then Tuanku added a few names himself to confirm or not! Then we rambled away over other matters like my sporting days and I gladly mentioned to Tuanku that once I was a good hockey player and perhaps wanting to check on me Tuanku asked me what position I played and spontaneously I replied that I was a “right winger” which in fact I was. I said further to Tuanku that I was once “quite a nippy hockey player”. After a few seconds of silence came again from Tuanku “apa lagi cerita?‘ So I had to continue build up something to talk about to Tuanku and Tuanku and I talked about Scouting in which we both were solidly ingrained even to-day! Tuanku was a 2nd Patrol Leader during his days!!! I apologized to Tuanku that I have not been to Tuanku’s Birthday Celebrations these few years. Tuanku understood my conditions but I told Tuanku I never missed watching the ritual ceremonies. I myself have gone through the rigid ritual when I was given myself the gelaran Orang Besar as Toh Maharaja Indera. I settled with Tuanku that the Istiadat is almost sacred when the recipients were accompanied by the Nobat unlike almost all other datoship ceremonies when such pingats are just serahan by Tuanku! Tuanku added that the accompaniment of the nobat is really keturunan and it will continue to be so! I said I fully concurred with Tuanku specially with the non-Muslim observers at such rituals showing the strength of the adat istiadat dalam kewujudan kesultanan Raja-Raja Melayu. ….”Apa lagi cerita?...we talked about the “political” situations in the State but it was Tuanku more than me voicing his feeling of the uneasiness among the rakyat! Tuanku enquired from me about my time at leisure at home. I mentioned to Tuanku I helped support Ju in her efforts to alleviate the problems of the “Ibu Tunggals” in Kampong Buaia and around. Tuanku and Tuanku Bainun complimented Ju on her efforts. Ju also mentioned her efforts encouraging the Ibu Tunggals to be on their feet through various government agencies in which Ju is getting a good support other than the very supportive NGO’s i.e , the RCs of Ipoh , KK and Kelab Bakti. Hearing about this topic both the Tuankus appeared to have perked their ears especially Tuanku Bainun! Ju was very fluent in her discourse with both the Tuankus. We mentioned to Tuanku that our own family has just started our very own a small agro-project planting SERAI on my own land around the house and when I mentioned it is only 5 acres, just a small attempt as an example to the Ibu Tunggal, Tuanku exclaimed that it is BIG! Then “apa lagi cerita?” and I was almost out of topic now but I mentioned about my interest in writing and now I have my own blog but the blog is only for the family and the inner clans. I mentioned to Tuanku that one of my “articles” was picked to be published in the Ipoh Echo No 47 about me and my brothers when we were young kids in the kampong and enjoying our very happy lifes. Tuanku was impressed and goaded me on! (KBGKs , come and visit my new kampong set-up and try look up my article in the Ipoh Echo series 47 although it is only on a small scale in Ipoh and for its surrounding districts).
My four anak-anak i.e Ida, Lahn. Ju and Shima ++ Rais smartly in samping after Jumaat were at hand to give me a booster when I fell out over some points. Both Ida and Ju attended to Tuanku Bainun who was so very sweet, homely and friendly. However, Shima panicked a bit informing me afterwards that she was so struck by Tuanku's charms that she was speechless! Ya-Ya , Ida's teenager daughter was “assigned" to take some photos at the “session" but last minute lost her courage and so we lost a treasure box of pictures! When the Tuankus left our Sultan Azlan left some words to my anak-anak i.e never ever allow your father to be lonely. He said your father is still OK!
Ida escorted both our beloved Rulers to their car. What a day for the family! Thank you Tuanku!
Dato' Seri Yang Rashdi bin Maasom
Kampung Buaia
Note :
(Sadly missed by the family. Dato' Seri Yang Rashdi passed away on 3 Jul, 2008 at 2.05am. Alfatihah)
If you are attending the Kelab meeting at any time soon please extend my most grateful thanks to all my dear friends who came to visit me at the hospital. Tan Sri Azizuddin visited me very early when I was in a very crucial and critical condition that I could barely say a word to him but to sign off to say “sorry” to him from afar. He fully accepted my situation. I remember those others who came a visiting…Dato’ Syed Azman and his Datin , Dato’ Ahmad Ismail, Dr Ameen(?) , our dear Secretary Haris and family, my great friend Dato Mohamad Hamzah who together with Razalli, our artiste, brought me a very valuable gift on behalf of the Club that of a “robotic” hospital bed! (I heard it cost the Kelab almost a fortune!)!! But I feel that I will NOT be that bed-ridden as long as I can, Insya Allah!
But one of the greatest gifts in all these many years of my life was the “surprise” visit of our beloved Tuanku Raja Azlan and Tuanku Bainun to me at the hospital. A day or two earlier I heard rumours of the impending visit but I totally ignored about it. Who was I to be so visited? I am just an ordinary kampong boy. I was told that those in the know did not want it confirmed to me earlier for fear of “upsetting” me. NO way , Dato’ Ariff , I l never would! Only earlier that afternoon when I saw four or five chairs being set up in my room, I thought the family was arranging for a makan for us at dinner time until I was informed that Tuanku and Tuanku Bainun would be arriving a-visiting me at the hospital and the room clock showed that it will be in about another 45 minutes or so! I knew it was all agog outside; the doctors, nurses and staffs trying to make the hospital cleaner when it is already more than clean!
Waiting for the Tuankus I was already seated on my “relaxed” plastic reclining chair by the hospital bed and both the Tuankus were to be seated on both sides of me!. Tuanku entered seemingly cheerily and and asked me, I think in jest, “what are you doing here?” The two doctors took up this matter up to Tuanku. While doing so I mentiond to Tuanku that the doctors were looking after me well and Tuanku quipped “They are doctors and they have to be good!”
My chit-chat with both the Tuankus took a full 40 minutes! Can you believe it? The chats were nothing serious. Tuanku Azlan queried about my age again and compared my age with our Tun Bendahara’s age! Of course, our Tun is about 4 or 5 years senior, I am 83. Then Tuanku asked me about my College contemporaries and I rattled off…late Sultan Idris, late Sultan Selangor, Tuanku Jaafar Yang Dipertuan Besar ,Negeri Sembilan (my Head Boy ) his brother Tunku Abdullah ( a big corporat - my classmate), Hamzah Abu Samah once a Minister (another class-mate ) and then Tuanku added a few names himself to confirm or not! Then we rambled away over other matters like my sporting days and I gladly mentioned to Tuanku that once I was a good hockey player and perhaps wanting to check on me Tuanku asked me what position I played and spontaneously I replied that I was a “right winger” which in fact I was. I said further to Tuanku that I was once “quite a nippy hockey player”. After a few seconds of silence came again from Tuanku “apa lagi cerita?‘ So I had to continue build up something to talk about to Tuanku and Tuanku and I talked about Scouting in which we both were solidly ingrained even to-day! Tuanku was a 2nd Patrol Leader during his days!!! I apologized to Tuanku that I have not been to Tuanku’s Birthday Celebrations these few years. Tuanku understood my conditions but I told Tuanku I never missed watching the ritual ceremonies. I myself have gone through the rigid ritual when I was given myself the gelaran Orang Besar as Toh Maharaja Indera. I settled with Tuanku that the Istiadat is almost sacred when the recipients were accompanied by the Nobat unlike almost all other datoship ceremonies when such pingats are just serahan by Tuanku! Tuanku added that the accompaniment of the nobat is really keturunan and it will continue to be so! I said I fully concurred with Tuanku specially with the non-Muslim observers at such rituals showing the strength of the adat istiadat dalam kewujudan kesultanan Raja-Raja Melayu. ….”Apa lagi cerita?...we talked about the “political” situations in the State but it was Tuanku more than me voicing his feeling of the uneasiness among the rakyat! Tuanku enquired from me about my time at leisure at home. I mentioned to Tuanku I helped support Ju in her efforts to alleviate the problems of the “Ibu Tunggals” in Kampong Buaia and around. Tuanku and Tuanku Bainun complimented Ju on her efforts. Ju also mentioned her efforts encouraging the Ibu Tunggals to be on their feet through various government agencies in which Ju is getting a good support other than the very supportive NGO’s i.e , the RCs of Ipoh , KK and Kelab Bakti. Hearing about this topic both the Tuankus appeared to have perked their ears especially Tuanku Bainun! Ju was very fluent in her discourse with both the Tuankus. We mentioned to Tuanku that our own family has just started our very own a small agro-project planting SERAI on my own land around the house and when I mentioned it is only 5 acres, just a small attempt as an example to the Ibu Tunggal, Tuanku exclaimed that it is BIG! Then “apa lagi cerita?” and I was almost out of topic now but I mentioned about my interest in writing and now I have my own blog but the blog is only for the family and the inner clans. I mentioned to Tuanku that one of my “articles” was picked to be published in the Ipoh Echo No 47 about me and my brothers when we were young kids in the kampong and enjoying our very happy lifes. Tuanku was impressed and goaded me on! (KBGKs , come and visit my new kampong set-up and try look up my article in the Ipoh Echo series 47 although it is only on a small scale in Ipoh and for its surrounding districts).
My four anak-anak i.e Ida, Lahn. Ju and Shima ++ Rais smartly in samping after Jumaat were at hand to give me a booster when I fell out over some points. Both Ida and Ju attended to Tuanku Bainun who was so very sweet, homely and friendly. However, Shima panicked a bit informing me afterwards that she was so struck by Tuanku's charms that she was speechless! Ya-Ya , Ida's teenager daughter was “assigned" to take some photos at the “session" but last minute lost her courage and so we lost a treasure box of pictures! When the Tuankus left our Sultan Azlan left some words to my anak-anak i.e never ever allow your father to be lonely. He said your father is still OK!
Ida escorted both our beloved Rulers to their car. What a day for the family! Thank you Tuanku!
Dato' Seri Yang Rashdi bin Maasom
Kampung Buaia
Note :
(Sadly missed by the family. Dato' Seri Yang Rashdi passed away on 3 Jul, 2008 at 2.05am. Alfatihah)
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