Banjir (flood in) Kuala Lumpur 2007... Apakah ada yang tersirat? (Is there a hidden meaning behind it?)

Gambar kawasan mengambil wuduk di Masjid Jamek Kuala Lumpur. Perhatikan lumpur yang mengganggu perjalanan...

Picture of the area for taking wuduk (ablution). Note the mud in the way...

Assalamualaikum para pembaca sekalian. Siang tadi saya telah pergi ke beberapa tempat sekitar Kuala Lumpur terutama di pusat bandaraya untuk menyelesaikan beberapa perkara berkaitan buku "Berpetualang ke Aceh: Membela Syiar yang Asal". Dalam perjalanan, saya dapat melihat bagaimana banjir yang melanda beberapa bahagian kotaraya akibat hujan lebat tak henti lebih 3 jam malam semalam telah mengakibatkan banyak kerosakan barangan terutama di kedai-kedai. Kesan lumpur yang masih tinggal juga sangat nyata di merata tempat malah ada yang meninggalkan bau busuk seperti bau longkang atau tandas yang sudah lama tidak dibersihkan.

Peace be upon you readers. Today, I went to several places in and around Kuala Lumpur especially the city centre to settle a few things regarding the book "Berpetualang ke Aceh: Membela Syiar yang Asal" (literally translated as "The trip to Aceh: Advocating the true faith"). During travel, I witnessed how the flood that ravaged some parts of the metropolis due to the heavy non-stop rain for more than 3 hours last night had destroyed so many goods especially at the shops. The mud left was also very apparent at many places, in fact some left such a bad smell like that of drains or toilet that has not been washed for long.
Pada mulanya, saya tidak mahu mengendahkan kesan peninggalan banjir ini kerana sibuk memikirkan hal-hal berkaitan buku di samping membuat catatan apa yang patut di dalam komputer laptop yang sering dibawa bersama untuk ke mana-mana. Tetapi apabila melihat kesan lumpur dan kotoran di Masjid Jamek Kuala Lumpur ketika hendak menunaikan solat Asar, saya rasa terpanggil untuk mengambil beberapa gambar lalu mencoretkan kisah berserta tafsiran yang tiba-tiba muncul dalam kalbu akan kejadian ini.
At first, I didn't want to take notice of the flood's aftermath as I was busy figuring out things related to my book while making updates of what is necessary using the laptop computer that is often brought along everywhere. But upon seeing the amount of mud and dirt at Masjid Jamek (main mosque) of Kuala Lumpur while on the way to perform the Asar (late afternoon) prayers, came the urge to take some pictures and then write a story alongside the interpretation of events that came suddenly.

Jemaah terpaksa bersolat di serambi masjid, bukan di dalam ruang utama akibat kekotoran yang ditinggalkan banjir semalam...
The congregation was forced to pray at the mosque's verandah area, not inside the main hall because of all the dirt left by the flood overnight...

Perhatikan gambar di atas di mana para jemaah terpaksa menunaikan solat di serambi masjid. Ketika melihat lumpur dan kotoran yang dibawa air sekeliling kawasan masjid, tiba-tiba hati ini terbetik... Apakah ada makna yang tersirat di sebalik peristiwa ini? Kebetulan banjir malam semalam berlaku sehari selepas berlangsungnya perkahwinan Perdana Menteri ke 5 Malaysia, Pak Lah dengan seorang janda berdarah kacukan Jeanne Abdullah yang pernah menjadi adik ipar kepada mendiang isteri Pak Lah iaitu Datin Endon. Apakah semua ini ada kena-mengena?
Look at the picture above where the congregation was forced to perform the prayers at the mosque's verandah. While looking at the mud and dirt brought by the flood at the mosque's compound, suddenly there emerged a question upon the heart... Is there any hidden meaning behind all these? Coincidently the flood yesterday happened a day after there occurs the marriage of Malaysia's 5th Prime Minister Pak Lah (as Abdullah Badawi is fondly known) to a widow of mixed parentage Jeanne Abdullah who was the sister-in-law to Pak Lah's late wife, Datin Endon. Is there a relationship between all these?
Sebagai seorang Islam, walaupun saya bukan tergolong dalam golongan mereka yang warak ataupun alim, saya rasa sudah patut Pak Lah memilih seorang isteri yang memakai tudung. Ini kerana Pak Lah sedang membawa imej seorang pemimpin warak yang sepatutnya mengenengahkan kelebihan serta kesyumulan Islam dan dia berasal daripada keturunan para ulamak - Datuknya Haji Abdullah Fahim adalah bekas mufti Pulau Pinang dan dikira sebagai seorang ulamak besar. Jika allahyarham Datin Endon tidak mahu memakai tudung, harap-harap isteri baru ini nanti lebih rela untuk menurut syariat Islam, Insyaallah!
As a Muslim, although I don't belong among the pious and knowledgable ones, I feel it is high time Pak Lah choose a wife who wears the head-scarf. This is because Pak Lah is carrying the image of a pious leader who should forward the advantages and purity of Islam and he hails from a lineage of religious scholars - His grandfather Haji Abdullah Fahim was the mufti (head of religious matters) of Pulau Pinang and is considered as a very reputable religious scholar. If the late Datin Endon don't want to wear the headscarf, hopefully the new wife is more willing to follow the prescriptions of Islam, God willing!
Dalam hal pemakaian tudung ini, mungkin ada yang berkata itu hak masing-masing... Lebih baik tak pakai tudung daripada memakainya semata-mata untuk memenuhi kehendak orang lain. Dalam hal ini, saya rasa lebih elok memakai tudung untuk memenuhi kehendak orang walaupun akan dituduh tidak ikhlas. Mungkin kita sendiri tidak bersedia untuk menutup aurat tetapi Tuhan tetap akan mengambil kira niat baik seorang isteri yang sanggup mengenepikan kepentingan diri sendiri lalu sanggup memakai tudung demi menjaga nama baik suaminya dan keluarga lebih-lebih lagi apabila sang suami itu dikaitkan dengan para alim ulamak dan pejuang Islam.
Regarding the wearing of headscarf, perhaps some would argue that it is a matter of individual rights... It is better not to wear the headscarf than to wear it just in order to please other people. In this matter, I feel it is better to wear the headscarf to please people eventhough one will be accused of not being sincere. Maybe one is not ready to cover the aurat (body parts that should not be exposed according to Islamic prescriptions) but God will surely take account of the good intention of a wife who wears the headscarf in order to safeguard the good name of the husband and family especially when the husband is being related to religious scholars and those who fight for Islam.

Masjid Jamek Kuala Lumpur dilihat daripada hadapan. Dalam gambar ini, lumpur dan kotoran yang dibawa banjir semalam tidak terserlah... Cuba pergi lebih dekat. Nescaya terlihatlah kekotoran yang mengaburi kesucian...
The Masjid Jamek (main mosque) of Kuala Lumpur as seen from the front. The mud and dirt brought by the flood last night was not apparent in the picture... Try going closer. For sure you'll notice the dirt that stains the purity...

OK... Berbalik pada apa yang tersirat. Apakah banjir yang membawa kotoran dan lumpur ke serata Kuala Lumpur itu ada kaitan dengan perkahwinan Pak Lah? Saya tak tahu. Yang saya tahu, hati ini berkata tentu ada makna kenapa semua ini berlaku... Ada makna yang menyebabkan jemaah masjid terpaksa bersolat di serambi, bukannya di dalam ruang utama masjid yang bukan tempat sebarangan - Kedudukannya di pertemuan Sungai Gombak dan Sungai Klang adalah tempat bermulanya asal-usul bandaraya Kuala Lumpur itu sendiri!
OK... Back to the hidden meaning behind things. Is there any relationship between the flood that carries dirt and mud all over Kuala Lumpur to Pak Lah's marriage? I don't know. What I do know, my heart keeps saying that there must be a meaning behind all these happenings... A meaning that forced the mosque's congregation to pray at the verandah, not inside the main hall of the mosque which is not just any ordinary place - Its position at the meeting of the Gombak and Klang rivers is the starting point of the origins of the city of Kuala Lumpur itself!
Seperti yang ramai tahu, pada zaman pentadbiran Pak Lah inilah berlaku banyak kes yang sebelum ini tidak pernah terserlah di Malaysia... Sekumpulan pemimpin bukan Melayu berani mencabar Artikel 11 Perlembagaan lalu menyentuh hak warga Malaysia untuk beragama. Si Lina Joy mencabar mahkamah agar orang Islam dibenarkan murtad melalui proses undang-undang. Selain itu, rasanya ramai tahu bagaimana syarikat-syarikat penting Malaysia sekarang telah mendapat "suntikan dana" daripada negara jiran. Melihat kesan banjir yang berlaku di sekeliling bandaraya terutama di masjid, hati saya berkata... Ini membawa makna yang tidak baik.
As many know, it is during the time of Pak Lah's administration that so many cases happens such that never took stage in Malaysia... A group of non-Malay leaders dared to question Article 11 of the Constitution touching on a Malaysian citizen's right to religion... Lina Joy (which took the limelights because of the gravity of the case) challenged the courts so that a Muslim may be allowed to leave the religion and convert using the process of law. Besides that, I'm sure many knew how the main companies in Malaysia have received "injections of cash" from a neighbouring country. Looking at the flood's aftermath all around the city especially at he mosque, my heart says... This means something is not right.
Adapun dalam ilmu firasat dan tafsir mimpi, air selalunya dikaitkan dengan duit dan rezeki. Maka mimpi di mana kita melihat air yang banyak seperti melihat sungai, laut malah banjir dikatakan adalah tanda kita bakal mendapat duit dan rezeki melimpah. Bagaimana pula kalau air itu membawa kotoran sehingga orang terpaksa keluar daripada masjid lalu bersolat di serambi? Apakah maknanya ini?
As it is, in the art of divination and interpreting dreams, water is often related to money and wealth. So, a dream where we see a lot of water like looking at a river, the sea, even a flood is said to be a sign that we will receive money and overflowing wealth. What if the water brings so much dirt that people are forced to get out of the mosque and pray at the verandah? What is the meaning of this?
Dalam pada itu, saya terfikir... Dari satu segi, "suntikan dana" yang datang dalam bentuk pembelian syarikat-syarikat utama di Malaysia oleh pihak tertentu di negara jiran boleh dikira sebagai kedatangan rezeki yang melimpah ruah sehingga berjaya menaikkan paras Bursa Saham Kuala Lumpur ke tahap tertinggi melebihi 1,300 mata. Betul, ia bagus untuk perniagaan tetapi apakah ia bagus untuk masyarakat marhain terutama bangsa Melayu Islam yang merupakan tunjang kewujudan negara ini?
At the same time, a thought occured... From one point of view, the "injection of cash" which came in the form of purchase of Malaysia's main companies (such as through buying of shares) by certain parties from a neighbouring country can be considered as the advent of overflowing wealth which managed to push up the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange to its highest gain above 1,300 points. Of course, it is good for business but is it really good for the man on the street especially the Malay Muslims who form the backbone of the country's existence?
Lihat pada Pasar Seni atau Central Market di mana menurut ceritanya, sewa ruang perniagaan telah dinaikkan daripada RM600 sebulan menjadi RM2,000 sebulan setelah ia diambil alih sebuah syarikat milik negara jiran. Perhatikan, di manakah letaknya para peniaga Melayu yang dahulunya menjadi sebahagian daripada identiti Pasar Seni... Di manakah kedudukan mereka sekarang? Rasanya seperti melukut di tepi gantang!
Look at Pasar Seni (literally translated as "market for arts") or Central Market where the rent for space reputedly has been raised from RM600 a month to RM2,000 a month after it was taken over by a company owned by a neighbouring country. Look, what happened to the Malay traders who used to form a part of the identity of Pasar Seni... Where are they now? Methinks, they've become like those sitting beside bags of rice but with no chance of having a taste of rice!
Hmm... Cukuplah luahan rasa yang timbul tadi. Sila lihat gambar-gambar di bawah untuk mendapat gambaran akan kesan banjir malam tadi yang berlaku sehari selepas berlangsungnya perkahwinan Pak Lah.
Hmm... Enough of letting out steam. Do look at the snapshots below to have a picture of last night's flood aftermath which happened a day after Pah Lah got married.

Gambar di hadapan restoran McDonald berhampiran masjid jamek. Perhatikan longgokan sampah dan barangan yang rosak akibat banjir. Ketika ini, sekitar jam 5 petang, kawasan itu juga sedang mengalami black-out.
Picture in front of the Mc Donald outlet beside the main mosque. Look at the piles of rubbish and goods damaged by the flood. At the time, it was around 5 in the afternoon, the area was having a blackout.

Jalan Melaka yang masih ada kesan lumpur, sebelah stesyen LRT Masjid Jamek.
Jalan Melaka with some parts still immersed in mud, just beside the LRT (Light Railway Transit) of Masjid Jamek.




Kesan peninggalan banjir di kawasan Masjid India. Banyak barang perniagaan terutama kain baju yang rosak akibat banjir yang naik tidak kurang 2 kaki tinggi. Kelihatan dalam gambar ini satu jualan lelong yang diadakan di mana tudung wanita yang biasanya berharga RM10 sebuah dilelong dengan harga RM3 sebuah.
The flood aftermath around the area of Masjid India. Plenty of goods especially clothings where damaged becaused of the flood which went up not less than 2 feet deep. Visible in the picture is a sale where women's headscarf which normally cost RM10 each is being sold at RM3 a piece.
Di sebelah kedai ini (tiada dalam gambar) adalah jualan lelong kain buatan India. Kain yang biasanya berharga RM80 sepasang dijual pada harga RM20 sepasang, semuanya akibat barangan ini telah dicemari banjir maka perlu dibasuh balik oleh para pembeli.
Next to this shop (not visible in picture) is a sale for Indian-made silk. The silk normally cost RM80 a piece but now is being sold at RM20 each, all because it was spoiled by the flood and must be washed and cleaned by prospective buyers.

Kesesakan lalu-lintas di Lebuh Ampang akibat kerja-kerja membersihkan sampah-sarap tinggalan banjir.
The traffic jam at Lebuh Ampang caused by works to clean rubbish left by the flood.

Perhatikan bagaimana jalan ini terpaksa dihalang buat sementara supaya sampah-sarap dapat dipunggah lalu dibawa pergi.
Look, how the road is temporarily blocked so that the rubbish can be carried away.

Ini pula kotoran dan lumpur yang tinggal di sebuah lorong bersebelahan Lebuh Ampang. Bangunan tinggi di latar-belakang itu adalah bangunan Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur!
This is the dirt and mud left at a lane beside Lebuh Ampang. The tall building in the backgroud is the Kuala Lumpur City Hall building!

BKA II sudah keluar! (BKA II already out!)

Perhatikan gambar poster di atas. Lihat apa yang dikatakan...

"Berpetualang ke Aceh"

"Membongkar sejarah Melayu yang hilang serta rahsia kemunculan panji-panji hitam! Kenapa kebangkitan akan muncul daripada Timur?"

"Siri novel unik kisah pengembaraan mengenali asal-usul diri, menyusuri 1200 tahun kaitan bumi Serambi Mekah dengan Nusantara, dunia Islam, makna Melayu dan perjuangan akhir zaman"

"Dapatkannya sekarang!"

Agak-agak, faham tak apa yang ingin diwar-warkan?

Look at the picture of the poster above. See what is being said...

"Berpetualang ke Aceh" (literally translated as the trip to Aceh)
"Uncovering the lost Malay history and the secret behind the coming of the black banner! (said by the Prophet Muhammad SAW will appear from the East during the end times to signify the reestablishment of pure Islam). Why the uprising will come from the East?"

"A unique novel series on travel and adventure to find one's roots. going through 1200 years (of history) connecting the Verandah of Mekah (another name for Aceh) to the Nusantara (the Malay archipelago), the Islamic world, the meaning of Malay and the struggle during the end times"

"Get it now!"

So guess, can you get what is being publised here?

Baiklah, biar saya membuat pengakuan. Sebenarnya saya belum ada mood untuk menambah apa-apa maklumat baru di blogspot ini kerana di sini, saya telah meletakkan satu standard di mana setiap artikel mesti ditulis dalam dua bahasa iaitu Bahasa Malaysia dan Bahasa Inggeris. Maka saya perlu betul-betul bersedia untuk menulis sebelum menambah apa-apa maklumat. Tetapi apabila melihat bahawa blogspot ini tidak dikemas-kini lebih 2 minggu dan salah satu artikel terdahulu menyatakan bahawa buku BKA II akan muncul sedangkan ia sudah pun berada di pasaran, saya rasa wajib pula untuk membuat penulisan ini.

OK, let me confess. Actually I still haven't got the mood to add any new information in this blogspot as here, I had set a standard where each article must be written in two languanges, that is Malay and English. So I have to be really ready to write before adding any new information. But after realising that this blogspot have not been updated for more than 2 weeks and one of the previous article mentioned that the book BKA II (the second volume of the Malay novel series "Berpetualang ke Aceh") will appear when it is already in the market, I feel obliged to make this writing.

Hmm... Cukuplah ya... Saya rasa pembaca mesti faham apa yang ingin diluahkan di sini. Setakat memberitahu buku baru saya sudah keluar dan carilah ia di pasaran. Selamat membaca! :]

Hmm... Enough ya... I think dear readers should be able to understand what is being said here. Just to inform that my new book is already out and so find it in the market. Happy reading! :]

Siapakah Datuk Matsita? (Who is Datuk Matsita?)

Terperosok di satu sudut di belakang Jalan Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur, bersebelahan sebuah kawasan letak kereta, terdapat sebuah bangunan kecil yang menimbulkan tanda-tanya. Bangunan itu adalah sebuah tokong Cina di bawah rimbunan sebuah pohon jejawi, satu pemandangan yang agak biasa di Malaysia. Apa yang luar biasa adalah papan-tanda di tokong yang menyebut "Datuk Matsita"... Ait??? Timbul tanda-tanya besar apabila pertama kali melihat tempat ini sebulan lalu. Nama "Datuk Matsita" bunyinya macam nama Melayu. Kenapa pula dijadikan nama tokong Cina?

Somewhere in a corner behind Chow Kit Road, Kuala Lumpur, next to a parking lot, lies a small building which invites questions. The building is a small Chinese temple under a jejawi tree (a jungle tree with lots of roots and foliage), quite a normal sight in Malaysia. What is out of the ordinary is the sign-board at the temple bearing the name "Datuk Matsita"... Ait?? Came a big question mark when I first saw this a month ago. The name "Datuk Matsita" sounds Malay. Why is a Chinese temple named after it?

Sebelum meneruskan cerita, biar dibuat sedikit penerangan mengenai gambar di atas. Adapun gambar ini adalah gambar tokong tersebut. Petang tadi, saya tergerak untuk singgah di sana lalu mengambil 3 keping gambar. Malangnya, perkataan "Datuk Matsita" yang terpapar pada papan-tanda di tokong itu (lihat bahagian yang kelihatan berkilat) tidak melekat di dalam kamera digital murah saya. Saya cuba bermain dengan komposisi warna serta cahaya dan kontras melalui program Photoshop untuk cuba menimbulkan perkataan itu tetapi tidak berjaya. Sebaliknya apa yang terhasil adalah gambar di atas yang mungkin ada sedikit nilai seni pula!

Before the story is continued, let there be some explanation for the picture above. Well, it is a picture of the temple mentioned. This afternoon, I feel like making a stop there and took 3 pictures. Too bad, the words "Datuk Matsita" on the sign-board (look at the shiny area) did not make it in my cheap digital camera. I tried playing with the colour composition, light and contrast using the Photoshop program in an attempt to bring-up the words but it didn't work. Instead, the result was the picture above which might have some art value!

Teringat sebuah gambar yang saling tak tumpah rupanya seperti seorang pahlawan atau Raja Melayu di sebuah tokong Cina di Teluk Intan, Perak. Memang rupa-paras yang kelihatan nampak seperti seorang pembesar yang memakai baju Melayu, siap duduk bersila lagi! Tidak jauh daripada tokong tersebut, terdapat sebuah tokong lebih kecil dengan gambar tiga orang tua, ada yang mukanya seperti orang Cina, ada pula seakan-akan orang Melayu. Kebetulan ada seorang nyonya Cina sedang menjemur kain di rumah sebelah. Saya pun bertanya gambar siapakah yang dipaparkan ini. Jawabnya mudah: "Saya pun tak tahu tapi orang kata ini gambar latok Melayu!"

This reminds of a picture that look no less like a warrior or a Malay king at a Chinese temple in Teluk Intan, Perak. For sure, the figure looks like an important official clad in Malay traditional clothings, sitting in a half-lotus postion ( a common sitting position for a Malay)! Not far from the temple, there was a smaller temple with pictures of three old men, with face looking like a Chinese, another almost like a Malay. It happened that there was a nyonya (an old Chinese lady) laying some clothes under the sun at the house next-door. So I asked whose pictures were these? Came the simple answer: "I don't know but people say these are pictures of Datuk Melayu (elderly important Malay officials of old)!"

Semasa bertandang di Sabak Bernam, Selangor, saya diberitahu bahawa terdapat kuil besar di situ di mana terdapat gambar dan patung yang terang-terang menyerupai rupa-paras seorang pembesar Melayu. "Memang orang Cina di sana kata, patung itu patung seorang Melayu, patung seorang raja. Katanya, orang itu banyak keramat dan penjaga kawasan itu!" seorang Melayu memberitahu.

While visiting Sabak Bernam, Selangor, I was told there is a big temple there where there was pictures and statues which clearly look like that of a Malay official of olden days. "So the Chinese there says, it is the statue of a Malay, the statue of a king. They say this man (the Malay) has many miracles and is the guardian of the area!" one Malay says.

Patung di tokong "Datuk Matsita" di belakang Jalan Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur ini lebih menyerupai orang Cina. Apakah "Datuk Matsita" itu orang Cina? Entah le... Sebab perkataan "Datuk" itu sendiri selalunya diberi kepada orang Melayu yang ada pengaruh. Tapi itu dahulu... Sekarang ramai orang bangsa lain dapat gelaran "Datuk" daripada Raja-raja Melayu. Tapi ada ke mana-mana Datuk Cina sekarang yang telah diangkat jadi dewa atau patung sembahan selepas meninggal dunia? Rasanya tidak... Rasanya yang dibuat tokong ini cuma watak-watak daripada zaman dahulu... Watak-watak yang dikira amat berpengaruh, ada keramat atau kuasa sekurang-kurang ke atas sesuatu wilayah.

The statue at the temple of "Datuk Matsita" behind Chow Kit Road, Kuala Lumpur looks more like a Chinese. So is "Datuk Matsita" a Chinese man? Who knows... As the word "Datuk" itself is usually given to a Malay with substantial influence. But that is in the olden times... Now, there are many from other races who got the title "Datuk" from the Malay royalty. But is there any Chinese Datuk of nowadays who have been elevated to become minor gods or venerated figures worthy of worship after they pass away? Don't think so... Me thinks, those who are worshipped at temples are those from days bygone... That of figures with much influence, with miracles or power at least over a certain province.

Jadi siapakah "Datuk Matsita" ini? Tiba-tiba teringat pula nama Matsushita... Tapi itu adalah nama sebuah syarikat eletrik Jepun. Bagaimana pula dengan nama ustazah terkenal yang telah menjadi seorang ahli politik Malaysia iaitu Datuk Dr Siti Mashitah? Apakah ada kena-mengena? Hehe! Gurau aje... Hmm... Mungkin majalah Mastika patut membuat penyiasatan, siapakah "Datuk Matsita" yang dimaksudkan?

So who is this "Datuk Matsita"? Suddenly one is reminded of the name Matsushita... But that is the name of a Japanese eletrical company. What about the ustazah (female religious teacher) who became a Malaysian politician that is Datuk Dr Siti Mashitah? Is there any connection? Hehe! Just kidding... Hmm... Maybe the Mastika magazine (a famous Malaysian monthly touching on mysterious things including ghosts and spirits) should investigate, who is "Datuk Matsita" as mentioned?

Akan muncul tidak lama lagi! "Berpetualang ke Aceh: Membela Syiar yang Asal" (BKA II). Coming soon, "The trip to Aceh: Advocating the original faith"

Subhanallah! Setelah lebih 11 hari membiarkan blogspot-blogspot saya senyap tanpa penambahan apa-apa cerita ataupun berita baru, baru timbul gerak untuk berbuat sesuatu. Maka biarlah "kesenyapan" ini dipecahkan dengan berita gembira daripada pihak saya... Sukacita dimaklumkan bahawa buku "Berpetualang ke Aceh: Membela Syiar yang Asal" atau BKA II sudah masuk ke kilang percetakan dan jika tidak ada aral melintang, akan siap untuk dibaca 18 Mei ini. Bilakah ia akan masuk ke kedai-kedai berdekatan? Saya pun tidak dapat memastikan ini kerana proses pengedaran masih dalam perbincangan. Yang penting, bukunya siap dan sedia untuk menemui para pembaca sekalian dalam masa terdekat.
Praise be to God! After more than 11 days leaving my blogspots quiet without any additonal story or news, recently came the urge to do something about this. So let me break the ice by presenting a good news… That I’m very glad to inform the book “Berpetualang ke Aceh: Membela Syiar yang Asal” (literally translated as “The trip to Aceh: Advocating the original faith”) or BKA II is already in printing and if there is no problem, should be ready for readers by May 18th. So when will it arrive at your nearest bookshop? I myself can’t say this for sure as distribution is still within negotiation. What’s important, the book should be ready to meet dear readers soon enough.
Adapun posting ini adalah posting ke 89 dalam blogspot ini. Ingat tak, saya pernah menyebut dalam posting lepas di “Catatan Si Merah Silu” bahawa blogspot ini (pada masa itu le...) telah memiliki 88 posting, blogspot berbahasa Inggeris "Berpetualang ke Aceh" ada 44 sementara blogspot Inggeris campur Melayu "Seni Lama Melayu (Malay Olden Art) ada 22? Saya merasakan nombor-nombor itu cantik, lalu kesemua blogspot ini dibiarkan tanpa apa-apa penambahan baru. Sekarang, biar saya kemas-kinikan kesemuanya dengan berita tentang bakal kemunculan buku BKA II.
Anyway, this posting is the 89th in this blogspot. Remember, I mentioned in the last posting at “Catatan Si Merah Silu” (that is if you care to look) that the blogspot (at that time k…) already have 88 postings, the English blogspot “Berpetualang ke Aceh” have 44 and the English plus Malay blogspot “Seni Lama Melayu (Malay Older Art) 22? I thought the numbers look nice, so that is why I left the blogspots without any updates. Now, let me furnish all three with the news on the coming of the book BKA II.
Oh... Sesuatu yang saya rasa menarik tentang proses penulisan buku ini hingga siap... Sejak buku "Berpetualang ke Aceh: Mencari Diri dan Erti" atau BKA I keluar di pasaran Jun 2006, macam-macam cabaran dan dugaan berlaku yang menyebabkan proses penulisan BKA II terasa sangat berat. Ada masanya saya terasa hampir jadi gila kerana gangguan semangat serta kesihatan yang terpaksa ditempuhi… Nasib baik ada pihak yang sudi memberikan sokongan moral dan kerjasama sehingga ia mampu disiapkan juga.
Oh… Something I felt interesting about the writing process of this book until it is completed… Since the book “Berpetualang ke Aceh: Mencari Diri dan Erti” (literally translated as “The trip to Aceh”: Searching for self and meaning” or BKA I reached the market in June 2006, all sorts of obstacles and tests came my way making the writing process of BKA II felt so heavy. At times, I felt like going mad because of the spiritual and health disturbances I had to face… Luckily there are those who’s willing to give the moral support and cooperation needed to make it possible to complete the book at all.
Proses terakhir dalam penulisan BKA II adalah untuk menyediakan pantun yang akan diletak pada kulit belakang buku. Bayangkan, ketika BKA I dibuat, pantun di kulit belakangnya adalah salah satu bahagian yang paling awal siap. Segalanya muncul dalam ilham yang memerlukan masa tidak sampai 15 minit, ketika pertama kali bermain-main dengan program Adobe Photoshop untuk membuat rekabentuk kulit buku tersebut, ketika pertengahan tahun 2004 begitu.Tetapi untuk BKA II, saya perlu menunggu hampir setahun untuk mendapat ilham yang sesuai, itupun setelah segala proses penulisan yang lain siap.
The last process in writing BKA II is to provide the poetry for the back cover of the book. Imagine, when BKA I was made, the poetry at its back was one of the sections that was the first to be completed. Everything appeared in an inspired moment that took less than 15 minutes, during the first time I played with the Adobe Photoshop programme to create the lay-out for the book cover, sometime in the middle of 2004. But for BKA II, I had to wait almost a year before getting the right inspiration, even then after the writing process for the rest is completed. I had to go out at night and have coffee at a stall in Ampang, Kuala Lumpur with a piece of paper and a pen in hand. Thank God, the next day the book BKA II is ready to go for printing!
Maka di sini, biar saya kongsi pantun tersebut... Semoga saudara dan saudari akan mendapati buku BKAII ini amat bermanfaat, Insyaallah!

Adam, Idris, Nuh dan Salih,
Zaman berzaman siang dan malam,
Membawa risalah selagi boleh,
Intipatinya sama, Tauhid dan Islam.

Ibrahim, Ismail, Ishaq dan Ya’aqub,
Zaman pertengahan keluarga Nubuwwah,
Di Surah Baqarah firman termaktub,
Inilah keturunan pemimpin yang amanah.

Yusuf, Musa, Daud dan Sulaiman,
Nabi Bani Israel termasuk Zakaria,
Sampai ke Isa berubahlah zaman,
Peralihan risalah ke Khatamul Anbiya.

Muhammad Mustapha penghulu Nabi,
Sempurnakan risalah untuk sekalian beramal,
Ahlul Bait dan raja menabur bakti,
Di Nusantara ini membela syiar yang asal

So here, let me share the poetry mentioned… May you dear readers find the book BKA II of much benefit, God willing! Here goes a rather loose English translation though I can’t guarantee it ryhmes like the original in Malay. For you information, the names mentioned in the poetry are the names of the prophets as mentioned in Arabic and Malay…

Adam, Idris, Nuh and Salih,
Ages and ages, night and day,
Conveying the message as best as they can,
The gist is the same, Tauhid (oneness) and Islam (submission and peace)

Ibrahim, Ismail, Ishaq and Ya’aqub,
The middle period of the family of Prophets,
In the verse of Baqarah (in the holy Quran), it is mentioned,
This is the linage of thrustworthy leaders.

Yusuf, Musa, Daud and Sulaiman,
The prophets of Israel including Zakaria,
Came to Isa so the time changes all,
The message shifted to the Seal of the Prophets.

Muhammad Mustapha the head of all Messengers,
Perfecting the message for the benefit of all,
The Ahlul Bait (the Prophet’s family) and kings doing their bit,
In Nusantara (South East Asia) advocating the original faith.

Bertandang ke makam diraja Langgar, Kedah (A visit to the royal mausoleum at Langgar, Kedah)

Assalamualaikum para pembaca sekalian. Sudah hampir sebulan saya tidak membuat apa-apa posting baru dalam mana-mana blog kelolaan saya, mungkin kerana malas atau tiada apa-apa gerak? Untuk pengetahuan, beberapa hari kebelakangan ini saya banyak berjalan tetapi bukan seperti dahulu di mana saya selalu menaiki bas dan membuat hitch-hike iaitu menumpang kenderaan orang yang ditahan di tepian jalan, kali ini saya mengembara lebih selesa dengan menaiki kereta bersama ahli keluarga.
Greetings dear readers. It's been almost a month since I made any new posting in any of my blogs, maybe because of laziness or there's just simply no move? For information, these recent few days, I've been busy travelling but unlike before when I often take the bus and hitch-hike any vehicle on the way, this time I travelled in comfort by car with family members.
Minggu lepas saya tergerak untuk kembali ke kampung ibu di Muar kemudian pergi menghadiri majlis perkahwinan sepupu di Johor Bahru... Sempat singgah di Batu Pahat untuk menziarahi saudara-mara di sana sebelum kembali berehat beberapa hari di Muar. Setelah itu saya "terpanggil" untuk pergi ke Pulau Besar di Melaka dan keesokannya ada kenalan menawarkan diri untuk membawa berjalan ke beberapa tempat menarik di Melaka termasuk Perigi Hang Tuah, Masjid lama Duyung, Masjid Kampung Hulu dan makam Sheikh Shamsuddin Pasai di Kampung Ketek.
Last week, I was moved to return to my mom's kampung (village) in Muar then attend a cousin's wedding function in Johor Bahru... Stopped at Batu Pahat to visit the relatives there before returning to Muar and rest for a few days. After that, I was "called" to go to Pulau Besar in Melaka and the next day, a new friend offered to take to some interesting places in Melaka including Hang Tuah's well, the old mosque of Duyung, Kampung Hulu Mosque and the tomb of Sheikh Shamsuddin Pasai at Kampung Ketek.
Adapun saya baru sahaja 2 hari kembali daripada Pantai Timur. Pada penghujung minggu lepas, saya telah pergi ke Kuantan untuk menghadiri majlis perkahwinan sepupu yang sama (majlis pihak lelaki pula) dan merancang untuk ke Janda Baik, Bentong selepas itu. Tetapi sepupu saya pula mengajak menemani dia dan isteri pergi melawat rumah kakaknya di Kertih, Terengganu. Tanpa dirancang, 2 hari kemudian sampai pula ke Kuala Terengganu.
Just to inform, I've just returned 2 days ago from the East Coast. Last weekend, I went to Kuantan to attend the same cousin's wedding function (for the groom side) and planned to stop at Janda Baik afterwards. But my cousin asked me to accompany him and the wife to visit his sister's place in Kertih, Terengganu. Without any prior planning, 2 days later we arrived at Kuala Terengganu.
Kalau ikutkan, sepupu ini mahu saya mengikutinya berjalan sampai ke Kelantan pula. Dalam pada itu, dia ada rancangan untuk membawa isterinya berbulan-madu ke Pulau Redang. Kalau begitu, apakah saya perlu menunggu di KT atau turut ke pulau itu sekali? Saya pula yang jadi serba salah kerana seorang kawan memerlukan saya kembali ke Kuala Lumpur pada hari Khamis pula.
The cousin actually wanted me to follow him up to Kelantan. At the same time, he plans to bring his wife for honeymoon at Pulau (island of) Redang. If that is the case, should I wait in KT or hop on to the island too? I was in a quandary as a friend wanted me to return to Kuala Lumpur by Thursday.
Akhirnya hari Rabu malam Khamis saya pun membuat keputusan mengambil bas jam 10 malam untuk kembali ke KL. Biarlah sepupu itu pandai-pandai belajar menangani hidup perkahwinan dengan sendiri. Takkan semuanya perlu ditunjukkan ya tidak?
So on Wednesday at night, I decided to take the 10 o'clock bus back to KL. Let the cousin learn how to tackle married life on his own. Is it right to show him all that he needs to know?
Apapun, baru hari ini saya tergerak untuk menambah sesuatu di dalam blogspot saya, setelah melihat signal wi-fi Internet yang ditumpang daripada jiran sebelah ternyata terang tanpa gangguan. Gerak hati inipun menyuruh supaya meletakkan beberapa gambar yang diambil di Kedah, ketika perjalanan ke Utara yang dilakukan 2 bulan lalu...
Whatever, it's only today that I feel the urge to add something to my blogspots, after finding out that the next door neighbour's Internet wi-fi signal with I often hitch on is crystal clear without interference. So my insticts told me to put some pictures taken in Kedah, while on a trip to the North made 2 months ago...
Hmm... Banyak sebenarnya gambar yang saya ada, menunggu masa sahaja untuk dikongsi bersama. Buat masa ini biarlah dikongsi beberapa gambar yang diambil sekitar makam diraja Kedah di Langgar, Alor Setar ya...
Hmm... Actually I've got lots of pictures, just waiting the right time to share. For the moment, let's just share some pictures taken in and around the Kedah royal mausoleum at Langgar, Alor Setar ya...
Oh... Mungkin ada yang tertanya-tanya, kenapa posting kali ini ada tanda persoalan pada penghujung tajuknya? Jawab saya, sebab sebelum memulakan penulisan ini, saya pun tak tahu gambar mana hendak diletak. Setelah menulis separuh jalan, barulah timbul gerak untuk meletakkan gambar-gambar berkenaan makam diraja Kedah di Langgar.
Oh... Perhaps some would ask, why the question at the end of the title of this posting? My answer, because before this writing was started, I had no idea which picture to put. Only after writing half-way then came the gut feeling to put the pictures related to the Kedah royal mausoleum in Langgar.
Lagi satu, semasa di Langgar lah saya mengalami perasaan deja vu paling lama sepanjang ingatan dalam hidup ini... Dalam perjalanan masuk daripada jalan besar ke makam, saya dapat merasakan apa yang berlaku dan pemandangan yang terlihat adalah sama dengan satu mimpi yang pernah berlaku lebih 10 tahun lalu... Sama kesemuanya dalam tempoh 15 minit, tidak ada lebih, tidak ada kurang! Pelik bukan?
One more thing, it was in Langgar that I had the longest sense of deja vu as far as I can remember in my life... While walking from the main road entering towards the mausoleum, I can feel that whatever happened there and the surrounding view were the same as that seen in a dream more than 10 years ago... Exactly the same for a period of 15 minutes, no less, no more! Weird isn't it?
OK... Tanpa membuang masa, tataplah gambar-gambar di bawah... Silakan!
OK... Without wasting more time, have a look at the pictures below... Come!

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Beberapa rumah tradisional Melayu di Langgar
Some traditional Malay houses in Langgar









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Lorong masuk ke kawasan makam diraja Kedah
The road leading to the Kedah royal mausoleum


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Makam diraja dilihat daripada luar
The royal mausoleum seen from outside

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Masjid lama berdekatan makam diraja. Gerak hati saya menyuruh solat Zuhur dan jamak Asar di masjid ini dan berehat sebentar sebelum ke makam.
The old mosque nearby the royal mausoleum. My gut feelings told me to do the Zuhur and Asar prayers (combined under one period as allowed in Islam for long distance travellers) and rest a little before going to the mausoleum

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Papan maklumat (sebenarnya batu) mengenai makam diraja Langgar di dalam kawasan kompleks permakaman. Kawasan ini terbuka kepada pelawat waktu siang.
The information board (or stone?) on the Langgar royal mausoluem within the mausoluem complex. This area is open to visitors during the day.

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Pintu gerbang bagi kawasan dalam kompleks yang mengandungi makam. Mengikut ceritanya, pintu itu cuma dibuka kepada pelawat pada Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Aidil Adha dan Hari Keputeraan Sultan Kedah. Selain itu, cuma kerabat diraja terdekat dan mereka yang diperkenankan sahaja boleh masuk ke dalam.
The main gate for the area within the complex which contains the royal tombs. According to locals, the gate is only opened to visitors during the festive celebrations of Aidilfitri, Aidil Adha and the Sultan of Kedah's birthday. Beside that, only close members of the royal family and those granted audiance can enter.
Alhamdulillah, dengan kuasa Allah, kunci pintu gerbang sudah terbuka ketika saya sampai sedangkan di sekeliling tidak kelihatan walau pun seorang manusia kecuali saya sahaja!
Thank God, with Allah's permission, the lock for the main gate was already opened by the time I arrived although I can't see a single person anywhere around except myself!

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Gambar-gambar makam para Sultan dan kerabat diraja Kedah. Saya pernah diberitahu bahawa ini kawasan larangan... Kalau tiada izin boleh ketulahan dan gambar yang diambil tidak akan melekat di dalam kamera.
Pictures of tombs of some Sultans (Kings of Kedah) and royal family members. I was told that this is a restricted area... Without permission, one can suffer ketulahan (some sort of royal curse) while pictures taken would not lodge inside the camera.
Apapun, saya sajikan di sini untuk renungan para pembaca sekalian. Di dalam kawasan ini terdapat banyak makam yang ditanda dengan batu nesan Aceh... Mungkin sebab itu saya boleh masuk ke dalam tanpa sebarang halangan? :]
Whatever, I put these here for readers to reflect on. Inside, there's many tombs marked by Aceh-type gravestones... Perhaps that is why I can enter without any obstruction? :]

Berpetualang ke Aceh: Membela syiar yang asal (BKA II)

Assalamualaikum para pembaca sekalian. Hari ini sudah masuk 1 Rabiulawal 1428 Hijrah, bulan Islam yang akan membawa kepada tarikh kelahiran junjungan besar kita Nabi Muhammad SAW 11 hari lagi. Maka timbul pula gerak untuk berkongsi gambar kulit hadapan buku terbaru saya yang akan datang, "Berpetualang ke Aceh: Membela syiar yang asal" atau BKA II.

Greeting dear readers. Today is 1 Rabiulawal 1428 Hijriah, the Islamic calendar month which includes the birthdate of the prophet Muhammad SAW 11 days from now. So came the urge to share the picture of the front cover of my coming novel, "Berpetualang ke Aceh: Membela syiar yang asal" (literally translated: "The trip to Aceh: Advocating the true faith) or BKA II.

Adapun buku ini saiznya sama dengan "Berpetualang ke Aceh: Mencari Diri dan Erti" atau BKA I, jumlah mukasurat pun sama iaitu 300 muka, campur 4 mukasurat kosong kerana jumlah mukasurat buku dijilid dalam gandaan 16 (set 4 kertas dilipat 2 lalu menjadi 16 mukasurat), dalam kes ini 16 x 19 = 304. Ia adalah kesinambungan cerita dalam buku I dan akan membawa pembaca pergi lebih jauh ke dalam dunia pengembaraan serta pemikiran Muhammad Al-Aminul Rasyid. Maka akan ada lebih banyak perkara yang melibatkan hal-hal pelik dan ghaib, juga pengajian ilmu Tasawuf.

The book is the same size as "Berpetualang ke Aceh: Mencari Diri dan Erti" (my first book, "The trip to Aceh: In search of self and meaning") or BKA I, so are the number of pages which is 300 plus 4 empty ones, because the number is a multiply of 16 (set of 4 pieces of paper folded in half to become 16 pages) in this case 16 x 19 = 304. It continues the story from book I and will bring readers further into the world of travelling and thoughts of Muhammad Al-Aminul Rasyid. So it will involve more weird and mysterious happenings, including studies in Tasawuf (Islamic spirituality).

Untuk pengetahuan, buku ini baru siap diedit dan layout menggunakan perisian Pagemaker kemudian InDesign pada Khamis 15 Mac 2007 sejurus sebelum masuk Subuh. Tapi saya perlu melakukan satu lagi proses editing untuk memantapkan isi... Kulit buku pun belum 100 peratus siap kerana belum mendapat ilham untuk pantun yang perlu diletakkan di belakang.

For information, the editting and layout for the book using the softwares Pagemaker then InDesign was completed on Thursday 15 Mac 2007 just before Subuh (the Islamic early morning prayers). But I must do another layer of editting to strenghten the contents... The cover is also not 100 per cent completed as the inspiration for the poem at the back has not arrived.

Setelah siap proses editting pada hari Khamis, gerak hati saya menyuruh supaya menunggu bulan Safar tamat. Hari ini sudah masuk bulan Rabiulawal, maka proses seterusnya akan disambung hari ini dan sebab itulah saya mendapat gerak untuk meletakkan gambar kulit buku di sini dan berkongsi perkembangan terbaru BKA II dengan para pembaca sekalian.

After completing the editting on Thursday, my heart tells me to wait until the month of Safar is completed (the previous Islamic month). Today, Rabiulawal has entered, and so the following process will be continued today and that's why I got the urge to put the picture of the book's cover here and share the latest development of BKA II with dear readers.

Apapun, doakan segalanya berjalan lancar OK... Jika tiada aral melintang, insyaallah buku ini akan berada di pasaran bulan May. Baiklah, saya perlu menyambung kerja ya... Teruskan membaca! :]

Whatever, please pray everything will turn out smoothly OK... If there's no interference, God willing, the book will be in the market in May. Well, let me continue with work ya... Go on reading! :]

Gambar-gambar di Muar 3 (Pictures in Muar 3)

Assalamualaikum. Di sini, saya ingin meletakkan beberapa buah lagi gambar-gambar di Muar untuk tatapan semua. Sebenarnya ini dilakukan supaya saudara pengarang akhbar tabloid Kencana boleh terus masuk ke blogspot ini untuk memilih mana-mana gambar yang sesuai untuk segmen terbaru "Laksamana pulang ke Perak" akhbar itu... Kira buat kerja cara on-line le ni. Apapun, silalah tatap bersama. Adapun kebanyakan gambar ini diambil di sekitar Bukit Treh, lebih kurang 5km daripada pusat bandar Muar... Ada le sebabnya tu...
Peace be upon you dear readers. Here, I want to place some more pictures of Muar for all to see. Actually this is done so that my dear friend the editor of the Malay tabloid Kencana can just enter this blogspot and choose whicever pictures he deems fit for the latest segment of "Laksamana pulang ke Perak" (Admiral returns to Perak) in the publication... Sort of doing work on-line eh? Anyway do have a look. Most of the pictures are taken in and around Bukit Treh, some 5km from Muar town centre... For a reason though...

Gambar bandar Muar diambil daripada sisi kawasan medan selera berdekatan stesyen bas di Bentayan.

Picture of Muar town taken from the food court area near the bus station at Bentayan.

Inilah dia Bukit Treh yang agak terkenal di kalangan orang bandar Muar, satu-satunya bukit yang wujud dalam sekitar 5km daripada pusat bandar Muar. Tak tinggi mana pun, mungkin tak sampai 100 kaki tingginya. Perhatikan, di sebalik lindungan pepohon rimbun di sekelilingnya adalah bentuk bukit seperti kapal tertangkup. Mungkin benar kata orang tempatan, cerita lagenda Si Tanggang (atau yang sewaktu dengannya) di mana kapal seorang anak derhaka serta segala yang berada di dalam disumpah menjadi batu pernah berlaku di sini?
This is Bukit Treh which is quite famous among the Muar town's folks, the one and only hill within 5km radius from the town centre. It is not that high, perhaps not even 100 feet tall. Watch closely, behind all the bushes and greenery is the shape of an overturned ship. Perhaps it's true what the locals say, the legend of Si Tanggang (or another character with similar storyline?) where a son who betrayed his parents was cursed to stone along with the contents of his ship did happen here?

Loji air di kaki Bukit Treh.

The water treatment facility at the foot of Bukit Treh.

Runtuhan tembok lama di kaki Bukit Treh.
Ruins of an old wall at the foot of Bukit Treh.



Runtuhan dilihat lebih dekat.
A closer view of the ruin.

Paip yang menghubungkan loji air lama zaman British di puncak Bukit Treh dengan kawasan sekitar.
The pipe connecting the old water treatment facility (from the time of the British colonialisation, pre Malaysian-independence of 1957) at the top of Bukit Treh to the nearby area.

Loji air Bukit Treh serta runtuhan tembok dilihat daripada lereng bukit.
The current Bukit Treh water treatment facility and the old wall ruins seen from the hillside.

Tangga untuk naik ke puncak Bukit Treh yang bermula selepas mendaki bukit itu separuh.
The steps up Bukit Treh which began halfway on top.

Bangunan loji air lama zaman British di puncak Bukit Treh.
The old British era water treatment centre on top of Bukit Treh.

Bangunan loji dilihat daripada sudut lain.
The water treatment building seen from a different angle.

Menara bangunan loji air lama.
The tower of the old water treatment facility.

Sebuah makam lama di kaki Bukit Treh. Tidak ramai, walau penduduk tempatan sekali pun yang sedar akan kewujudan kubur lama yang dikatakan milik seorang puteri raja dahulukala. Adapun puteri itu dikatakan isteri ketiga kepada watak Si Tanggang yang derhaka terhadap ibu-bapanya. Puteri ini seorang yang baik hati lalu menasihati Si Tanggang supaya menerima ibu-bapanya walau seburuk mana (baca balik cerita Si Tanggang)... Malangnya dia turut menerima bahana sumpahan akibat Si Tanggang tidak mahu mengaku dua orang berpakaian buruk yang datang merapati kapal mewahnya adalah ibu-bapanya yang sebenar.
An old tomb at the foot of Bukit Treh. Not many people, not even the locals knew of the existence of the old tomb which is said to belong to a princess of olden days. The tale goes, the princess is the third wife of the character called Si Tanggang who betrayed his parents. The kind-hearted princess advised her husband to accept his parents regardless of how ugly or unkempt they looked or their poor origins (read the story. Si Tanggang was born in a jungle to poor parents. He left them to see the world and became rich and famous. That's why he is ashamed to acknowledge his roots). Too bad, the princess also had to suffer the curse inflictied on Si Tanggang for his refusal to acknowledge the two poor-looking folk who came to his ship as his real parents.

Masjid Kampung Bukit Treh. Di belakangnya, di sebalik rimbunan pepohon di belakang menara masjid ini terletak makam lama yang dikatakan milik seorang puteri raja.

The mosque of Kampung Bukit Treh. In the background, near the bushes seen behind the mosque tower lies the old tomb said to belong to a royal princess.

Masjid Kampung Bukit Treh dilihat daripada sudut lain.
The mosque of Bukit Treh seen from a different angle.

Masjid Kampung Temiang yang terletak lebih kurang 1km daripada Masjid Kampung Bukit Treh. Adapun kedua-dua kampung ini terletak sebelah menyebelah tetapi Bukit Treh pula terletak di dalam lingkungan Kampung Temiang.

Kampung Temiang adalah kampung ibu saya. Adapun ia juga pernah dikenali sebagai Kampung Tok Raja sempena nama seorang bangsawan yang membuka kampung itu seabad dua dahulukala. Nama jalan utama di kampung ini masih dikenali dengan nama Jalan Tok Raja atau Jalan Tok Raja Temiang.

The mosque of Kampung Temiang which is situated some 1km from the mosque of Kampung Bukit Treh. The two villages lie side by side but Bukit Treh itself is situated within the perimeters of Kampung Temiang.

Kampung Temiang is my mother's village. It was also known as Kampung Tok Raja (Tok - a respectable call for an elder, Raja - a royalty) to commemorate a noble who opened up the vilage a century or two ago. The name of the village's main road is still known as Jalan (the road of) Tok Raja or Jalan Tok Raja Temiang.

Sungai Muar dilihat daripada satu sudut berhampiran Bukit Treh.

Muar river seen from somewhere near Bukit Treh.

Di bawah ini pula adalah gambar-gambar peta lama kota-kota Portugis, satu di Muar, satu di Melaka sekadar untuk hiasan, tatapan dan renungan pembaca. Adapun gambar atau lukisan kota di Melaka yang juga dikenali sebagai A Famosa itu dibuat tahun 1630 sedangkan yang di Muar itu dikatakan dibuat tahun 1604, wallahualam...
Below are the picture of the old Portuguese forts, one in Muar, another in Melaka for exhibit and point to ponder. The illustration of the one in Melaka, known also as the A Famosa was made in 1630 while the one in Muar is said to be made in 1604, God knows best...