Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Padah Urut

Astaghafirullahal adziiimm, apalah nak jadi budak-budak muda nih! Tengok pada umur tu, mungkin ada yang dah berbini atau dah jadi bapak orang...

Muka depan Harian Metro hari ini mengisahkan bagaimana empat anggota penguatkuasa imigresen dicekup JAIS (Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor) di sebuah pusat urut di Putrajaya di waktu umat Islam sedang mengerjakan solat Jumaat di masjid yang terletak hanya 100 meter daripada rumah urut tersebut.

Menurut laporan, keempat-empatnya yang beragama Islam dan berumur di antara 25 hingga 30 tahun, di tahan pada jam 2.15 petang dalam keadaan 'menanti sesuatu' di rumah urut yang terkenal menawarkan urut batin dan juga seks.

Sewaktu kena cekup, tidak dipastikan sama ada mereka telahpun menerima "khidmat" atau sedang menunggu habuan. Yang pasti ialah mereka dihurungi cewek-cewek Indonesia yang menjadi tarikan urut di situ.

Keempat-empat terbabit memberi alasan sedang memantau pendatang asing tanpa izin di premis berkenaan. Tetapi alasan itu diragui pihak berkuasa yang curiga dengan kehadiran mereka, terutama kerana terdapat laporan bahawa pusat urut tersebut menjadi tempat umat Islam melampias nafsu sewaktu orang Islam lain menunaikan sembahyang Jumaat.

Seorang pegawai JAIS memberitahu Harian Metro bahawa keempat-empat penguatkuasa imigresen tersebut tersilap anggap bahawa JAIS tidak menjalankan pemantauan sewaktu solat Jumaat, jadi mereka menggunakan waktu dua jam itu untuk kegiatan maksiat.

"Sebenarnya pegawai wanita JAIS mengambilalih tugas memantau di waktu tersebut dan penguatkuasa lelaki membuat serbuan sebaik sahaja solat selesai."

Turut ditahan dalam serbuan tersebut ialah seorang warganegara Indonesia yang sedang memberi 'urut ghairah' dalam keadaan bogel kepada seorang pelanggan, dan tidak sempat melarikan diri.

Hairan jugak;
1) macam mana rumah urut boleh beroperasi dekat benar dengan masjid? Huihh Putrajaya, kata tampok kerajaan; tak malu ka?

2) Mana pihak-pihak terbabit yang sepatutnya memantau keadaan dengan lebih tegas dan berterusan? Setakat occasional spot checks buat apa?

3) Kalau dah terbukti pusat-pusat urut ni bukan dok urut kaki saja, tapi urut punai dan juga lain-lain yang sewaktu dengannya sekali, kenapa tak dibatalkan aja lesennya? Kan ker tu dah menyalahgunakan lesen perniagaan?

4) Cewek-cewek Indonesia yang terbabit dikatakan hanya diberi kaunseling berkaitan kerja maksiat yang mereka lakukan. Isyy, takkan setakat kaunseling aja? Is that it? Hangpa ingat lepas dapat kaunseling depa balik kampung tanam padi ka? Kalau dah kerja uli 'benda tu' lumayan, mau depa nak tukar kerjaya...

5) Oh, satu lagi. Kalau umur baru 25-30 tahun dah meraban cari urut batin, kerat buang ajalah dik oii! 'Barang' bermutu rendah dan takder cop SIRIM tuh!

(You may want to read my past entry on "urut lunchtime special" here)

Monday, June 28, 2010

A Pain In The Heart



Down in the dumps since morning, the mind is not at peace. Never mind the whys...

So off I went to TTDI market and got meself some flowers to soothe this aching heart. Let's hope the dark clouds depart and the sun shines on this old self tomorrow...

Friday, June 25, 2010

"I Need To Be In Love"





Had she been alive today, Karen Carpenter would be 60, in all probability a grandmother. Sadly, this sweet-voiced singer died age 32 in 1983, of heart failure arising from aneroxia nervosa, then a little-known and understood affliction.

Together with her brother Richard, the duo formed The Carpenters, topping the American music scene in the 1970s, and recording many tracks that remain favourites until today.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Nine Years and Not Counting


Today marks the ninth year we got hitched. Last year we both forgot our own anniversary (don't snicker ok, you'll get to this 'mild nyanyok' stage too someday..hehehe) until a day later.

This year we didn't forget but had to celebrate (sort of) a day earlier to accommodate an annual golf championship that Pak Abu has been participating in for the past 13 years.

Amin Classic in Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club (KLGCC) is a day-long tournament so I won't be seeing the old man till midnight because the grand dinner (prize-giving et al) usually doesn't end before 'Cinderella hour'.

I'm fine with that. Let him have his cangkul bola enjoyment with his usual kakis on the course. As long as he's happy, I am too. For me, today is furniture-rearranging day (here). Aah, such delicious thoughts, this!

For our anniversary dinner, as usual we trudged to the same old place, that Italian joint called La Risatta in Medan Damansara, and ate the same old stuff; sauteed mushrooms, baked aubergine with cheese, seafood zuppe (their signature dish), topped with tiramisu and coffee.

It's like an annual pilgrimage and we like it the way it is. Viewed the other way, that's how boringly predictable we are. Maybe next year, being our tenth and if we are still around that is (ha ha), we'll try something new, Insyaallah.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Kursus Solat Al-Khaadem (revised)



KURSUS SOLAT AL-KHAADEM
(Sesi Bahasa Melayu)

Sabda Nabi Muhammad sallallahu 'alaihi wassalam yang bermaksud:

"Amalan yang mula-mula akan dihisab bagi seseorang hamba di hari kiamat ialah solatnya. Jika solatnya baik maka baiklah segala amalannya yang lain. Dan jika solat itu rosak, maka binasalah segala amalannya yang lain." [HR Thabarani]

"Solatlah kamu sebagaimana kamu melihat aku solat." [HR Bukhari, Muslim & Ahmad]


Tarikh
Sabtu, 10 Julai 2010

Waktu
8.30 pagi hingga 5.00 petang

Lokasi
Institut Al-Khaadem
Lot 1034, Jalan Cempaka
Kg Sungai Kayu Ara
Petaling Jaya

(view map)

Yuran
RM40 (dewasa), RM25 (Kanak-kanak dibawah 12 tahun)
(Yuran termasuk nota, minum pagi & petang & makan tengahari)

Penyampai/Speaker
Ustaz Hussain Yee
(Presiden Al-Khaadem & Pendakwah Antarabangsa)

Kandungan Kursus
- Thoharah (ghusul, wudhu' & tayammum)
- Adab-adab solat bersendirian
- Adab-adab solat berjemaah
- Adab-adab masbuk dalam solat (orang yang masuk lewat selepas imam memulakan solat)
- Adab-adab menjadi imam
- Solat Jenazah
- Solat Jamak & Qasar (Musafir)
- Solat sewaktu sakit

Tarikh tutup pendaftaran & pembayaran
6 Julai 2010

Pembayaran Yuran
Boleh dibuat secara tunai atau dimasukkan terus ke BIMB atas nama Pertubuhan Al-Khaadem 1204 7010 0145 23 (sila tulis nama & nombor telefon di salinan slip bank dan faks ke pejabat Al-Khaadem pada nombor faks di bawah)

Pejabat Al-Khaadem
Tel - 03-77264146
Faks - 03-7726 4149
e-mel - alkhaadem.my@gmail.com atau darshi_md@yahoo.com

Wakil-wakil Pertubuhan Al-Khaadem
Dzaki Rusman - 014 6690 196
Zul Ariff - 012 3544 014
Darsi - 019 2240 153

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Awang Oh Awang!

Picture taken just after she arrived home from the vet. She looked tired and lost.

Awang with big sister, Lillie. They are the best of friends. Lillie even tolerates a bit of bullying from her adik.

Our blue-eyed girl, literally..

Awang when she first came to live with the Abus four months ago.



LAST MONTH

Awwa (face scrunched up): I think this Awang is female la Ma. There's no teloq (testicles) down there. I dah check closely.

Ma: Maybe they have not descended yet? It happens in human too, you know.

Awwa: Maaaa.. now that she's big I can tell already la. How on earth did we make such a silly mistake?

Ma: We? Eh, keep me out of it! Who was it who checked her backside and announced her gender when we first brought her home ? It certainly wasn't me and your Pa never made it his business to scrutinise pungkoq kucing..

Awwa: Ok ok.. so it was my blunder (sighhh...) but she was soo small at the time I just couldn't tell for sure. So what do we do now?

Ma: There's nothing much we can do apart from changing her name. We can try calling her 'Awana' or something, but I doubt if that helps because she's already familiar with 'Awang'.

Awwa: Yup, and not only that, even her perangai pun boisterous macam jantan, compared to Lilllie who's so ladylike.

Poor Awang was in heat for the first time last week and drove the entire Abu clan bonkers with her ceaseless howlings and overly affectionate rubbings, against our legs and the table's.

With forelegs bent and rear quarters raised, Awang had been treading all over our small living quarters with that pitiful mating call of hers that we decided it was time to have her spayed.

So off she went to Christie's Ark at Damansara Uptown yesterday for a date with our favourite vet, Dr Christine. She had to be boarded for a night and was operated on today.

Everything went well and we took her home this evening. Oh Awang.. you poor thing!

PS: This wasn't the first time we got our cat's gender wrong. We even started on the wrong foot; our very first cat was named Mimi who grew up to be a handsome young man...!

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Miskin Susah, Kaya Pun Susah

Setiap kali saya membaca tentang perebutan harta yang menyusul berikutan kematian seseorang Islam yang kaya, saya yang takder kena mengena dengan kes tersebut turut terkilan.

Apatah lagi kalau kekayaan yang menjadi rebutan itu banyak sekali, hingga beratus juta ringgit nilainya, perasaan sedih saya juga turut berlipat ganda.

Mungkin naluri saya terlalu sensitif kerana sudah berabad saya berdepan dengan berbagai kepincangan masyarakat melalui penglibatan saya dalam beberapa pertubuhan amal.

Nak sumbang duit saya bukan orang berada, yang saya mampu hanyalah menyumbang masa dan tenaga setakat yang terdaya.

Tulisan saya ini tidak memihak kepada sesiapa, jauh sekali menjadi kaypochee, yakni menyebok dan menjaga tepi kain orang. Ia sekadar nukilan hati seorang pemerhati yang ingin mengambil iktibar daripadanya.

Saya baca dan ulas sebagai peringatan kepada diri saya sendiri, supaya sentiasa sedar dan mensyukuri akan nikmat kurniaan Allah swt, dan supaya Allah jauhkan saya daripada perasaan tamak haloba.

Di dalam akhbar-akhbar utama hari ini membawa cerita tentang permohonan caveat yang dibuat oleh Syed Gamal bin Syed Kecik, anak kepada Allahyarham Tan Sri Syed Kecik Syed Muhammad Al-Bukhary berhubung harta pusaka berjumlah RM400 juta.

Sebagai wartawan pada tahun-tahun 70an dan 80an, saya masih ingat akan Tan Sri Syed Kecik Al-Bukhary kerana beliau adalah salah seorang usahawan Melayu yang berjaya, walaupun di akhir hayatnya perniagaan beliau agak merudum.

Bangunan pejabatnya terletak di Bangsar, tidak berapa jauh dari pejabat The New Straits Times di mana saya bertugas. Dan saya juga pernah meliputi satu dua 'assignments' berhubung dengan Allahyarham.

Berbalik kepada kes, permohonan difailkan oleh Syed Gamal terhadap ibu tirinya Puan Sri Sofiah Moo Abdullah @Moo Nyok Yin, 67, dan adik-adik perempuannya, Puan Sri Sharifah Zarah, 44, dan Sharifah Munira, 42, untuk menghalang mereka daripada menguruskan harta pusaka tersebut tanpa merujuk kepadanya terlebih dahulu.

Syed Gamal adalah anak lelaki tunggal Allahyarham Syed Kecik dengan isteri pertamanya Zainab @ Eshah Abdullah. Difahamkan perkahwinan ini tidak kekal lama dan Syed Gamal dibesarkan oleh ibunya tanpa campurtangan bapanya.

Memetik laporan akhbar, kemelut perebutan harta pusaka keluarga ini bermula selepas kematian Allahyarham pada 10 April 2009 pada usia 80 tahun kerana sakit jantung.

Syed Gamal membuat permohonan caveat berikutan ibu tiri dan dua adik tiri pempuannya itu memfailkan petisyen pada 15 September 2009, memohon surat kuasa mentadbir harta tersebut.

Dalam petisyen tersebut mereka mendakwa Syed Kecik tidak meninggalkan wasiat dan dengan itu mereka memohon surat kuasa mentadbir diberikan kepada mereka sebagai isteri dan anak-anak yang sah di sisi undang-undang (seolah-olah Syed Gamal ni bukan legitimate heir pulak).

Susulan itu, pada 9 November 2009 syarikat Syed Kecik Holdings Sdn Bhd, Sharifah Zarah dan Sharifah Munira memfail saman pemula bagi mengisytiharkan Syed Gamal tidak mempunyai hak atau kepentingan dalam aset syarikat tersebut sehingga pentadbiran dan pembahagian harta itu selesai.

Sebelum itu, pada 14 September 2009 Mahkamah Syariah memberi Syed Gamal ex-parte injunction yang menghalang ibu tiri dan kedua-dua adik tiri perempuannya menjual atau melupuskan haknya sebanyak 44%, menurut hukum syarie, dalam peninggalan itu.

Yang menariknya, peguam bagi pihak ibu tiri dan adik-adik tirinya, Datuk N. Vijay Kumar, memberitahu mahkamah bahawa Syed Gamal tidak layak menguruskan peninggalan tersebut "as he has total disregard of the Civil Law. (here)

Tambah peguam itu lagi: "He thinks the Syariah Court supersedes the Civil Law," hanya kerana Syed Gamal "is persistent with his case at the Syariah Court."

Selama ini saya beranggapan hukum Allah mengatasi segalanya bagi orang Islam dan dalam pembahagian harta orang Islam pula, hukum faraid itu digunapakai. Tidakkah begitu?

Berikutan perceraian seorang kenalan saya, beliau mahu memfail tuntutan harta sepencarian di Mahkamah Sivil kerana judgement daripada Mahkamah Syariah memakan masa bertahun-tahun lamanya.

Tetapi beliau dinasihati peguamnya supaya memfail di Mahkamah Syariah kerana menurut peguam, keputusan Mahkamah Syariah mengatasi Mahkamah Sivil dalam perihal ini.

Di sini, Datuk peguam yang bukan Islam ini berkata hukum pembahagian harta menurut Islam tak boleh diterimapakai kalau bertembung kes di antara Mahkamah Syariah dan Mahkamah Sivil. Jadi yang mana betul?

Walau bagaimanapun, dalam kes perebutan harta di atas, saya amat berharap common sense prevails di antara ketiga beradik dan balu Allahyarham.

Seharusnya dibawa berunding secara baik, terselindung daripada pengetahuan umum, kerana berebut harta pusaka sebegini mengaibkan. RM400 juta satu jumlah yang amat besar. Jadi, bermuafakatlah.

Menulis perihal ini mengingatkan saya kepada anak-anak di Rumah Amal Limpahan Kasih di Puchong (here) yang kian kehabisan beras. Ya Allah, bagai dihiris rasa hati ini...

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

19th Hole Caddies


I don't understand what is it with some Malaysian golf clubs wanting to hire (a few already have) female caddies from Thailand or Indonesia, when we have a lot of unemployed local youths who could be trained to do the job.

To my mind, this is nothing more than a marketing strategy that panders to the wiles of golfers, majority of whom are males with deep pockets who have reached a certain station in life.

Unpleasant as it may sound, most male golfers are lecherous by nature and lording it over a bevy of young women on the course is a turn-on. It's akin to having one's own harem.

With the exception of some Asian countries (Thailand and Indonesia come to mind), the caddying ratio is one to one (one caddie to a golfer), although some clubs do allow caddie-sharing in a flight.

But where caddying involves women, a golfer in all likelihood will have at least three hovering around him; one to carry his bag, one to carry a stool for him to park his royal arse on and one to carry a hand towel to wipe his sweaty brow.

Women caddying is very much an Asian phenomenon (you can thank or thump Thailand for this). In other parts of the world you won't find such 'golf handmaids' at your beck and call.

I was given to understand that women caddies are graded through their looks; the common-looking ones end up doing the real caddying job of lugging the bag, cleaning the balls etc.

The eye candies are assigned to the more lightweight tasks of wiping his sweat and picit dan urut (massage) him where and when necessary.

These are the ones who stand a better chance of making some extra cash by fondling a different type of balls later on, courtesy of arrangements made on the course during the game.

Of course the clubs involved will absolve themselves from any knowledge of what goes on in the women caddie fraternity by saying "what they do after-hours is none of our concern."

But the fact remains that it's they who provide a window for such an opportunity.

Whoring is not a difficult thing to do if a similarly-inclined woman is placed smack among horny golfers with no scruples about indulging on the side.

This sort of thing is rampant when golfers group together to organise trips abroad, purportedly to experience different courses. What's left unsaid is that they also gear up to sample new 'dishes'.

Philandering is part and parcel of such trips. Our northern and nusantara neighbours are favourite destinations because they reek of easy, relatively cheap sex.

The huge, half-empty continent down under is another, for those with a yearning for 'white meat' (their term, not mine).

And then there's those almond-eyed, porcelain-skin dolls awaiting in the 'Old Country.' Socialism and communism notwithstanding, the flesh trade still flourishes.

No matter how golfers spin it, golfing trips sans wife almost always conclude with the same 'adventure' at the 19th hole, to which many adjourn with gusto.

Maybe not all succumb to such temptation, but it's only because the fear of AIDs, even with the 'topi' on, overrides the fear of God.

I know they have no fear about their indiscretion being discovered by their spouses because the brotherhood closes rank and protects their own, always.

Having vented my spleen, I now have to make amends with the many good, respectable golfers that I an acquainted with (else I can't show my face in KLGCC anymore!), and I do know quite a few.

They are good family men who frown upon such hanky-panky but choose to close one eye in the spirit of golf brotherhood. Why upset the status quo?

When asked, they'd wring their hands and give a plaintive "But, but, what can I do?" cry. Nonetheless, they are still the decent ones.

They do their Zohor and Asar solat between putts and swings, they don't bet, they go straight home after each game (no hanging around the bar/karaoke/trysts with girlfriends or mistresses), and they usually take their wives along on trips to avoid temptation.

Okay, now that I have covered both grounds, I don't feel too guilty about tarring all golfers with the same brush.

Like it or not, golfers are usually amorous, ageing Lotharios with money and it's the money that these materialistic young women have their sight on, not the decrepit old men themselves.

Be that as it may, these young women are not blind to the fact that it's a package deal where you can't have one without the other.

As such, these pliable girls in low-cut dresses and even lower morals will gladly suffer the indignity of coping with hanging guts and wrinkled skin of men old enough to be called 'Dad' or even 'Grandpa', if there's money to be made between those folds.

So stop kidding yourselves, fellas; she's not in it for your looks or your swing, not even for that Viagra-aided boner of yours. It's your padded pocket that matters.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Raba'ah's Plea

Ustazah Raba'ah Abdul Aziz who, together with her husband Ustaz Zawawi Ramli, co-founded shelter home Rumah Amal Limpahan Kasih in Puchong, Selangor Darul Ehsan in 2006.



Frankly, it was an insignificant effort on my part. All I ever did was write about it, which was nothing to shout about since the article also served my own admittedly selfish interest of filling my blog pages.

I had not expected the cascading effect from such a trivial (to my mind) post. I only learned about it after a recent meeting (our fourth in just as many years) with the gutsy lady in the thick of it all, within whose slight frame dwells a heart overflowing with love and compassion.

Comely ustazah Raba'ah Abdul Aziz cut a pretty picture, which was hardly surprising considering she once owned a boutique. But from a house of fashion to a house chockful of orphans and destitutes, that was some incredible journey she had made.

In 2007, whilst serving Tan Sri Muhyiddin Charity Golf (here) as its public relations consultant, I had singled out Rumah Amal Limpahan Kasih (here) as one of the beneficiaries of TSMCG's annual donation drive.

Last year, our paths crossed again when a close friend informed that the shelter home needed rice to feed its 100 inmates. Ramadan was then around the corner and the home was running on empty.

In this land of plenty, with Baitulmal (here) dragging its feet despite having half a billion ringgit of zakat (property tax/tithe) money that ought to have been disbursed quickly and evenly to help the needy, this orphanage's lack of rice was particularly galling to note.

The problem faced by the home was further compounded by the fact that it also provided assistance to some 100 single mothers and mualaf (Muslim convert) wives abandoned by their husbands.

To these unfortunate women and their children, Rumah Amal Limpahan Kasih was their lifeline. It was to the shelter they turned to when they ran out of food and money.

We brought TV3 into the picture and the story appeared on primetime news not long after. Almost immediately, Bernas dispatched a truckful of rice to the home. Many generous Malaysians also came forward to help. Syukur, Alhamdulillah.

Two months ago this blog highlighted a company that markets an American-manufactured cleaning device called FilterQueen (here), for the simple reason that I was impressed enough with what the contraption could do to remove dust mites.

Last month, the FilterQueen management requested a meeting with yours truly to convey their appreciation for the blogpiece and to ask for help in identifying a suitable charity for a monetary donation.

Visions of solemn-eyed boys and girls of Rumah Amal Limpahan Kasih immediately came to fore. I placed a call to Raba'ah to convey the good news from FilterQueen and we met a few days later to hand over the cheque.

Thanking the donor profusely, she said the money was timely. "Every year it's the same, Kak. We would have enough to get by when the new year began but our coffer would dry up a month or two before Ramadan.

"Things usually got back on track after Hari Raya when money came in from Muslim well-wishers who paid their zakat direct to charitable bodies like ours."


Despite the ever-present challenges, Raba'ah and Zawawi persevered. In fact, they had just established another shelter, Rumah Sentuhan Budi, in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur.

The orphanage, located in two adjoining semi-detached units rented at RM2,000 per month, currently houses 20 underprivileged children, mostly orphans.

"If we keep thinking about obstacles, we would never get anywhere, Kak. We would rather get started and deal with the problems as we move along. Kepada Allah kami berserah."

Raba'ah and her team now have 140 orphans, wargamas (old folks) and destitutes under their wing at the two homes, and this number does not include the non-residential dependents.

Nearly 100 single mothers and 10 abandoned mualaf wives, as well as two cancer-stricken mothers (also abandoned by their respective husbands) also latch their hopes on Raba'ah and Zawawi.

One of the two ailing mothers is now completely bedridden and depends entirely on Rumah Amal Limpahan Kasih to survive. Although very sick, she is raising six children on her own.

Raba'ah said the single mom does receive welfare support but it isn't enough, because her medication alone costs almost RM100 a month.

She reiterated that the shelter never turned anybody away, no matter how straitened its own circumstances. She said the poor was always at their door, mostly for beras (rice).

"People need to eat, that's reality. We need foodstuff and household items, Kak. If only we have people who could sponsor fish, chicken, eggs, flour, detergents .... everyday stuff, we'd be very grateful indeed."

For the new shelter in Sentul, among its immediate needs are a grass cutting machine ("the yard needs constant trimming to avoid snakes"), a photocopier ("we do a lot of printing & photostating for the children' s schooling and lessons") and some computers.

Please let me know if there are any available for donation. Alternatively you can contact Puan Nora, who manages the Sentul shelter, at 016-3079287.

Rumah Amal Limpahan Kasih
Lot 115, Lorong Bistari 5
Kg Sri Aman, Jalan Jurutera
Batu 13, 47100 Puchong

Tel: 03-80618050
Fax: 03-80607514

Ustazah Raba'ah Abdul Aziz (019-2227339)
Ustaz Zawawi Ramli (016-3627913)

Bank Account:
Maybank 512343531956 under "Rumah Limpahan Kasih"

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Winter Sonata (Original Version)



NAE GE OL SU OB SUL GO RA GO
I JEN KU ROL SU OB DA GO
JE BAL KU MAN HA RA, GO, NA RUL DAL RAE JI

JONG MAL IJ JO BO RI GO SHIP PO
DA SHIN BOL SU OB DA MYON
NA RUL JAB GO IT NUN, NO AE MO DUN GOL

NAE GA UT GO SHIP PUL TAE MA DA NON
NA A RUL UL RO BO RI GE MAN DU NI KKA
O NU GOT HA NA DO NA AE TUT DAE RO
NON HAL SU OB GE MAN DU NON GOL

NI GA BO GO SHIP PUL TAE MA DA NON
I ROH KE MU NO JYO BO RI GO MA NI KKA
A MU RI IJ JU RYO GO AE RUL SSO DO
IJ JUL SU OB GE HA NI KKA

JONG MAL IJ JO BO RI GO SHIP PO
DA SHIN BOL SU OB DA MYON
NA RUL JAB GO IT NUN NO AE MO DUN GOL

(REPEAT 3 & 4)

TAN HAN SA RAM MUL
SA RANG HA NUN GE I TO ROK
HIM DUN NIL LIN JUL NAN JONG MAL MOL RAS SO

(REPEAT 3 & 4)

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Bing

"Bing kena cancer." The words were harsh, unforgiving. And they hung in the air like a foul odour that refused to drift away. Oh God ...

Shaken, I looked up at Pak Abu, bearer of such bad tidings. "It was detected six weeks ago when he went to the doctor about his persistent coughing," added Pak Abu.

Tears welling up, I said, "No wonder he's been rather quiet lately. We have to go see him."

Bing, whose real name is Rahmat, is a dear friend of ours. We met online as chatters some six years ago and our friendship blossomed into a close one over time.

Older than the both of us, Bing is like an elder brother more than a friend. Always thoughtful and caring, he never failed to bring back oleh-oleh (gifts) for us wherever he went; jade stone from Makkah, ikan pekasam from Kedah...

Because of the unique origin of our friendship, we call each other by our respective chat names; I am Cage and Pak Abu is Ash to him just as he is Bing to us, from his humorous chatroom nick Mr Sumbing.

Bing's retired, in his 60s and a grandfather. A lifewire if ever there was one, you could always count on jovial Bing to provide comic relief during our infrequent chatters' gatherings.

This morning, at the Oncology Ward of Damansara Specialist Centre, we caught up with Bing again. He was there for his second session of chemotherapy.

Looking very frail, Bing smiled wanly upon seeing us. I hugged and kissed his wife, who revealed that Bing had lost more than 50 pounds since the cancer was detected. Already of slight frame under normal circumstances, Bing appeared sunken.

He was unable to speak, thus communicated by writing on a notepad. He was not limiting himself to just western medicine, he scribbled, but was also exploring alternative healing.

The wife lamented that Ustaz Harun Din's Islamic healing centre Darussyifah had a four-month waiting list. "A long wait..." she sighed resignedly.

Bing's lung cancer is at stage four and is inoperable due to its close proximity to his heart. Chemotherapy remains the best option for now.

Today my heart is doubly heavy. My blogger friend Dalilah and niece Amirah are still tenaciously fighting the dreaded 'Big C', and now Bing...

"Ya Allah, ringankanlah beban mereka, peliharalah kesihatan mereka dan berikanlah mereka yang terbaik dariMu, kerana hanya Engkau Yang Maha Mengetahui."

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Untuk Renungan Bersama





Al-Ustaz Hussein Yee, Pengerusi Pertubuhan Kebajikan Al-Khaadem dan juga pendakwah terkemuka, bercakap tentang "Amalan Kita Ikut Siapa?"

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Go Charlie Go!




Charlie Green is a 12 year-old born to an English father and a Filipino mother. He wowed judges and crowd with a superb rendition of "Summer Winds" in the preliminary round of "Britain's Got Talent 2008."

Charlie made it as a finalist but didn't win. An adorable young man with such an amazing voice, I hope he makes it as an entertainer. Go Charlie Go! You've got 'it!'

Friday, June 4, 2010

Roast Chicken


The Abu household is currently keeping carbo-laden rice at bay. This drastic menu change is actually long overdue; we had been talking about eating healthy for a long while, but had never followed through.

The trouble with Malay cooking is that it is incredibly rich, especially because santan (coconut milk) is used extensively. Curries and masak lemak demand santan and santan helped pile on the pounds. Using dairy milk as a substitute somehow didn't cut it for us.

Matters were made worse with my sweet tooth, from my East Coast heritage no doubt, where even curries get a pinch of sugar thrown in. It didn't help that traditional sweetmeats were mostly sugar-laden.

Still, I could never seem to get enough of them, especially the ones originating from Kelantan and Terengganu like akok, cek mek molek, butir nangka, jala mas, nekbat, lompat tikam...

Of course, when you sin you pay and sinners, almost always, pay dearly. In my case, my middle is paying the price. I decided some time back it was time we stopped paying this modern-day ufti to our waistline.

Out goes nasi lemak and fried rice for breakfast (haven't had them for a long while now). In its place is bread and oats and the occasional roti canai. Sometimes I make cucur udang/ikan bilis (prawn/anchovy fritters).

Hot drinks is sans sugar. Condensed milk is a complete no-no; in its place is the creamer. Mamak's teh tarik is like a bad dream; we don't 'do' them anymore. Also consigned to the heap of history is supper, once our favourite pastime.

Yesterday Nawwar, a devotee of Astro's Asian Food Channel, prepared roast chicken for dinner based on an AFC recipe. Here's this no-frills, easy-to-make recipe. Do give it a try; it's simply delicious.

Roast Chicken
Marinate 4 quarter-chicken pieces with light soya sauce, a dash of sesame oil and sunflower oil, garlic and ginger (grated), salt and black pepper (pounded), for three hours. Roast at 400*F for 90 minutes.

Baked Potatoes
Pound one teaspoon of black pepper together with 2 cloves of garlic. Add a knob of butter to the paste. Clean 4 potatoes. Cut each potato into three or four slices and smear them evenly with the pounded paste.

Arrange the potatoes in tinfoil (do not enclose the potatoes completely but keep the tinfoil open at the top) and bake for 90 minutes at 400*F together with the chicken pieces.

Baked Tomatoes
Slice the top off 4 medium-sized tomatoes. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper and bake for 30 minutes. if you want, you can add a dash of oregano or mixed herbs.

Vegetables
Cut baby carrots, cauliflower and french beans accordingly and blanch in hot water. Alternatively, steam them for no more than 15 minutes. You can vary the vegetables with asparagus and broccoli.

This recipe serves four. Happy trying!

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Dahil Sa iyo (Because of You)








DAHIL SA IYO, NA IS KONG MABUHAI
DAHIL SA IYO, HANGGANG MAMATAI

DAPAT MONG TANGTUIN, WALA NANG IBANG GILIEW
PUSO KO'Y TANUNGIN, IKAW AT IKAW RIN

DAHIL SA IYO, AKO'Y LUMIGAYA
PAG MAMAHAL, AY ALAYAN KA

** KUNG TUNAI MANG AKO, AY ALIPININ MO
ANG LAHAT SA BUHAI KO'Y, DAHIL SA IYO

Translation

Because of you, there's a joy in living
Because of you, life is heavenly

I never lived before, never felt a single thrill before
My heart stood still before, darling I'm in ecstacy

Because of you, love is sweet and tender
And this my love, I will offer you

If you will care for me, all things to you I'll be
My heart is ever true, because of you

Reporter Cabok

Our bachelorboy reporter peeling potatoes to cook all-time favourite, shepherd's pie. He's also an old hand in making pasta dishes...


It's been an eventful week thus far, tempered with some grief over the demise (two days apart) of two matriarchs (both of whom my grand-aunts); one in Rawang, the other in Narathiwat.

On the homefront, youngest daughter Nawwar who took a brief respite from her job late last year is returning to the world of advertising by mid-month.

She feels the need to earn her keep, thus the decision. Her Arabic studies will continue as and when time permits. At the moment her Arabic teacher is abroad.

The elder girl, Ann, recently received her promotion to assistant news editorship, thus joining her brother who's been a news editor for a while now. Ann is a chip off this old block; she's very meticulous as a writer.

I'm glad the kids are slowly but surely making it in their chosen profession. I can't help but smile in remembering what the late journo extraordinaire Pak Samad, with a twinkle in his eyes, used to call us; Reporter Cabok!

The lowly, useless reporter, that's what it means. But coming from Pak Samad and knowing him as well as we did, that was one hell of a compliment!

He hardly praised but you instinctively knew when he did, in his own special way, of course. But cross him, and you could hear the string of curses a mile away!

Second son Joe is down in Singapore meeting agency client. Over the weekend he was busy in Seremban for another client's event. The guy's on the move always; such is life in the world of A&P.

Last night the eldest, Naj, got me on edge when he called asking for his passport details. In the wake of what has been happening in Gaza, I was nervous as hell.

After all, he did spend almost a month in Acheh days after the tsunami, living in the rough amongst daily tremors and indescribable destruction, just so his paper could get a firsthand account of the tragedy.

"You nak pi mana pulak, mintak passport details nih?" asked Mom nervously.

"Err, nak book cheap tickets to Bangkok, now ada major promotion!" replied Son sheepishly, with a chuckle.

Laaaa ... But that's a mother for you, always worrying, always fretting, most times unnecessarily, but she'll continue to do it, regardless.



Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Dewi Yull Sings 'The Blues'






Lovely songs (and among my karaoke favourites) by Dewi Yull. This Indonesian songstress used to be the choice duet partner of the late Broery Marantika. I simply love their beautiful rendition of "Karisma Cinta" ...

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Remembering Mak

Beloved Mak with four of her six daughters. From left: Kama, Ani (Zahana), Mak, Izah (Hanizah) and Idah (Zaridah). Absent: Zanariah and Norliza.

Yesterday, 31st May 2010, marked the second anniversary of Mak's passing. In the midst of my niece Reta's aqad nikah (solemnisation of marriage ceremony) that morning two years ago, Mak drew her last breath in Kuala Terengganu General Hospital.

Three of her children were with her till the end; my family and I were still enroute to Dungun to attend the kenduri, blissfully unaware that Mak's condition had taken a turn for the worse hours before.

Her body was brought back for burial that afternoon, just as guests arrived by the hundreds to attend Reta's wedding kenduri. "A Wedding and A Funeral" that homecoming trip turned out to be.

It's been two years since you left us but memories of you remain vivid in our hearts. May you finally find peace, Mak, and may Allah swt keep you in His blessings forever. Till we meet again..." Amin.