Berjiran dengan Keling

Rumah parent aku kat Alor Setar memang berjiran dengan pelbagai suku kaum. Ada Melayu, Cina dan India. Kehidupan sangatlah rukun waktu itu. Rasanya tak pernah pun berlaku perkara-perkara yang kurang menyenangkan kami sekeluarga. Tolak lagi budak-budak main mercun dengan curi buah mempelam itu memang biasa laa..Tapi setiap waktu, kejiranan Taman Sri Mentaloon memang damai dan mendamaikan.

Bila aku mempunyai rumah sendiri di Springhill, Negeri Sembilan nie..ditakdirkan Allah aku berjiran dengan India. Dari minggu pertama berjiran lagi aku sudah pun merasa sedih dengan tingkah laku jiran baru aku nie.

Aku merasakan jiran aku nie beragama Hindu tapi bila ada perayaan agama lain, dia pun sambut jugak. Bila hari Krismas tiba, ada la pokok krismas kat rumah dia. Pada masa yang sama, rumah merah kecik (tokong cina) pun ada kat kawasan rumah dia. Tapi bila kita perhatikan dengan dekat, dalam rumah merah tuh ada tuhan gajah dia. Kan ka pelik jiran aku nie?

Dia dan isteri dia takdak anak, jadinya bila suami dia out-station (kerja bawak treler) isteri dia akan bermalam kat rumah abang dia kat kawasan yang lain. Memang rumah dia selalu tadak orang pun. Tapi bila ada orang pulak, memang membuatkan jiran-jiran tak tenteram. Terutamanya aku dan family la. Sebab tuh bila ada sambutan perayaan kat Malaysia nie, aku jarang ada kat rumah sebab pernah terkena sekali dan aku sangat serik. Bisingnya macam berpesta sekampung tapi bila ditinjau, cuma ada 10 orang ja. Mabuknya, berjudinya, sampah sarapnya, biadapya...semua ada. Bila ada tahun baru atau deepavali atau krismas dsb, aku akan bawa family aku tidur kat hotel atau bertandang rumah saudara-mara. Sebabnya, aku taknak sakit hati.

Malam nie rasanya akan jadi lagi kejadian yang mengganggu ketenteraman jiran-jiran. Ada tanda-tanda dia dan family dia nak ‘menurun’ malam nie. Sebelum nie pernah berlaku sekali. Bila dah masuk dek setan dalam badan tuh, habis bising jam 2 pagi. Mujur anak-anak aku tak terjaga. Bila aku bangun dan baca Al-Quran, senyap kejap. Sampai jam 3 pagi, aku pun amik keputusan nak tidur sebab esok nak kerja. Rupanya bila berenti sahaja baca Al-Quran, kejadian menurun tuh jadi balik. Sakitnya hati aku hanya Allah yang tahu.

Jadinya, malam nie aku buka MP3 baca Al-Quran kuat-kuat. Sengaja aku halakan speaker kat rumah dia. Bagi panas sikit setan dia tuh. Siap aku dah setting mode repeat lagi dalam player nie. Baik dengar orang baca Al-Quran sampai ke pagi dari dengar bunyi orang dok “menurun”. Lantaklah….

Sungguh, aku tak pernah berjumpa penganut Hindu yang pelik sebegini melainkan di Negeri Sembilan. Terus terang aku cakap, aku sebenarnya dah tawar hati untuk tinggal di Negeri Sembilan disebabkan jiran India aku ini. Aidai ada rezeki, aku nak cari rumah lain yang majoriti penduduknya adalah Melayu Islam. Walaupun aku izinkan dia beriman dengan apa pun agama yang dia suka tapi dalam hati aku sebenarnya tidak redha dengan kesesatan dia. Semoga Allah berikan petunjuk pada jiran aku suatu hari nanti.

Aerospace Alumni

Aerospace Engineering Alumni organized a dinner today in Shah Alam. After 9 years I left the school, I never joined any of USM gathering, dinner or alumni what so ever. This is going to be the first time.

Kirk (Kamarul), the first badge of School of Aerospace Engineering has become a Deputy Dean to the school that he used to earned his degree. Never realize time goes by so fast.

Kirk kat tengah-tengah

Prof Zaidi (Dekan)

Before the dinner, there was a speech from Deputy Dean about the current condition of the School. In the speech, we were told that the syllabus has evolved several times to make it relevant to the industry. This has been done with the collaboration with the industry panel such as Spirit Aero Industry and CTRM. When the slide about the syllabus appears to the screen, I can see a lot of different from what I used to learn during my degree studied. Astronautic subjects have lessened and have been made as an elective subject. Lots of lab practice including composite lab are introduced to enhance the student knowledge. This is so different during my era. We are more on theory because we don’t have adequate facilities at the time.

Mat Kie (kiri) jadi Panel Industry dari CTRM. Pak Nai plak dari SCOMI

The collaboration with industry also was another good thing that the School introduces. By this, students don’t have to bother about Industrial Practical because these companies are willing to take them anytime. Even better when the students complete their degree, they can just continue to work at the same company. This is proven when the dinner itself was attended by majority of Spirit Aero engineers. This is truly remarkable.

Yang baju-baju biru tuh budak-budak Spirit Aero la tuh..

My only concern during the Q & A session was, what are the different between Aerospace USM, Aerospace UPM, Aerospace UIA and Aeronautic UTM. The syllabus showed by Kirk was no different from the other 3 (I believe so…). Unless we can produce graduate with the right attitude and knowledge or we are just another statistic.

I got nothing against the new system and syllabus. In fact, I think I should support the effort. Finally the school found it ground and direction to move on. I was the second badge for the programmed and I don’t think the previous founder ever had any direction for School of Aerospace Engineering that time. We learned everything from relevant to irrelevant subject because our Dean does not know what to expect in the industry. This became worst when the student also does not have clearer view on what they’re going to be after they graduate. That’s why if we look at my badge today, we are scattered in all over industry. Only a few can make it to the real Aerospace Company.

I really hope that School of Aerospace Engineering USM will not repeat the same mistake like what they did to us. I really hope the student will excel. Insya Allah and all the best…

Nothing Much (part 9)

Time to get my car back

I received a call from Machang Workshop saying that my car has been completely repaired. Well, I did not expect that it’s going to be this early as from my friends and my own experience speak the opposite. I guess, the workshop is pushing their limits so that they can finish their work before CNY. It’s good news for me.

So, after mush of thought with my wife, we decided to balik kampung (Besut) by train. I used to take my family on a train ride to Alor Setar but I never had any experience going to east coast by train. Guess, this is the perfect chance to do so.

So we booked a first class coach that cost us RM190 from Seremban to Wakaf Baru. The train departs at 9.45pm and estimate to arrive Wakaf Baru at 9.15am the next day. The kids are so happy when hearing the plan. We can see the excitement in their face when they saw the train came that night.

The first class coach is cozy. The room is just sufficient for the 5 of us. After all, we can walk along the train from coach to coach, we can have drinks at the canteen and we can also use any of the clean toilets inside the train. Travel can be so easy when you have al the necessities that you want.

Ada budak tak pernah naik keretapi...Juan ngan Hadi dah pernah naik dah...heheh

Abah tidur kat katil atas

Mama tidur kat katil bawah

Main jer..nak bolehkan tidur, jenuh kena marah dulu

I always enjoy travel with train since I was a very small kid. I witnessed the evolution that KTMB implement throughout the last 3 decades. I even travel to Bangkok with train once in year 2002. The journey took me about 22 hours before I can reach Bangkok from Alor Setar but it was a pleasant journey and I wish to repeat it again if I got a chance.

Budak-budak, tidur kat bawah sekali..heheeh

Kat Stesen Kem Kasturi

Only one thing that remains constant with express train from KTMB…it never arrive on time. We supposed to arrive at Wakaf Baru at 9.15am but we decided to off board the train at Tanah Merah because it just too long already. By the time we reach Tanah Merah, it is already 12.30 pm. From Tanah Merah to Wakaf Baru, probably it will take another hour. We just couldn’t wait anymore.

But again, I’m used to that and it is excusable for KTMB because I enjoy travelling with train. I hope, with the construction of 2 railways one day can solve this problem effectively. Thanks KTMB..!!

Thinking about my previous counterpart

During the early days of my work as an engineer, I was assign to follow this senior engineer whatever he do or where ever he go. He is Scottish and probably somewhere around 55 years old that time.


Although, the age distance between us is huge but the Scottish guy is really cool and very experience both in life and work. He may looks like 55 at the outside but inside, he’ probably early 30s or something. I guess, the quote saying “don’t judge a book by its cover” suit him very well.

We discussed about a lot of things. From work to life, from life to religion, from religion to everything else. I actually learned a lot from these discussions. He likes to talk and I enjoy listening. One of our discussions happened to be in the month of Ramadhan when fasting is compulsory to every Muslims. Well, we’ve discussed a lot of things before so he become a bit outspoken to me when we talk. He said, “I think, the reason why Muslims is fasting today because your prophet (Muhammad pbuh) was a poor man during his time. He doesn’t have enough food to eat so he made fasting as part of religion obligation to Muslims.”

We always discussed about religion but that was the first time he ever said something about Prophet Muhammad pbuh directly. I felt the phrase was offensive and being a naive fresh graduate who is trying to change the world into a better place, I found myself trying to debate for what I believe. In the discussion, I try to compare Prophet Muhammad and Prophet Jesus but I just couldn’t find any clue at all. Then I realized, we Muslims are thought to love Prophet Jesus the same way we love Prophet Muhammad. We don’t even differentiate any of them because they are the messenger of Allah. To believe the Prophets is part of our faith as a Muslim.

If we browse through the internet about Jesus vs Muhammad, we will easily find more than a dozen of website about the title. Most of it will come from Christian, not Muslim. Then in the comparison, they will degrade our beloved Prophet Muhammad in such way that is hurting us as a Muslim. I could not understand this in the beginning. For me, this is not the way to find the truth. It is more like a method to win a campaign.

Then after I know about Ahmed Deedat, I begin to understand things in a bigger scope now. Instead of hating the website that degrades Prophet Muhammad pbuh, I actually pity them. Clearly when they made the comparison, they’re actually showing their lack of understanding about Christian and Islam at the same time. They use facts from their Bible as their ground but they neglect the purity of their Bible. History told us that Bible has gone series of revision for so many times already. The revision and translation has made the Bible irrelevant as an evident. At the end not only they degraded Islam as a religion but they also degrading their own religion with so many inconsistent facts from the Bible. Then, who is actually the winner..?? Nobody.

For me, there should be no reason at all to look down or humiliate any of these two great men. Both of them are the messenger of Allah and both of them created a great history until today. Hope everyone will found the truth someday. Insya Allah

The Choice - Dialog Islam & Kristian

The Choice – Dialog Islam & Kristian merupakan sebuah kajian dan penyelidikan betahun-tahun yang dilakukan oleh seorang pendakwah Islam terkenal, Allahyarham Ahmed Deedat (1918 - 2005). Jilid 1 buku ini telah melalui cetakan ke-22 dan telah tersebar luas ke Afrika, Eropah dan Amerika. Buku yang ada didalam gambar sekarang ini merupakan kombinasi jilid 1 dan 2.


Walaupun tajuk pada buku ini berjudul Dialog Islam & Kristian, namun cara penulisannya bukanlah seperti membaca dialog antara individu A dan B. Sebaliknya penyampaian dilakukan dalam bentuk kajian dan perbandingan serta penulis seolah-olah berinteraksi dengan pembaca. Mungkin inilah yang menyebabkan buku ini berjudul sedemikian.

Perkara yang menarik mengenai buku ini adalah, Allahyarham Ahmed Deedat telah menggunakan kandungan dari Bible dan Al-Quran untuk membuktikan kebenaran Islam. Pengetahuannya mengenai Bible adalah seluas pengetahuannya mengenai Al-Quran. Maka, apabila beliau mampu berdebat dengan banyak paderi Kristian sepanjang hidupnya dan membongkar segala penipuan didalam Bible, perkara itu adalah wajar.

Strategi yang digunakan oleh Allahyarham Ahmed Deedat dalam menghadapi perdebatan ini adalah dengan menggunakan kandungan dari Bible itu sendiri. Selepas terbukti segala kandungan Bible itu tidak konsisten dan bercanggah antara satu sama lain sehingga paderi dan mubaligh Kristian ini tidak mampu menjawab lagi, barulah Allahyarham Ahmed Deedat merungkai persoalan tesebut dari sudut pandangan umat Islam. Sungguh, dari perbandingan yang wujud ini secara tidak langsung membenarkan bahawa Al-Quran itu memang tidak mampu di tulis oleh manuasia atau jin ataupun gandingan kedua-duanya.

Isu-isu yang diketengahkan oleh Allahyarham Ahmed Deedat adalah isu-isu yang menjadi perselisihan antara Umat Islam dan Umat Kristian secara keseluruhan. Contohnya, adakah Nabi Muhammad itu Nabi yang terakhir? Adakah Bible itu kalam Allah? Adakah Jesus itu Anak Tuhan? Adakah Jesus di salib atau tidak? Itulah antara perkara pokok yang diperdebatkan oleh Allahyarham Ahmed Deedat. Perkara yang merupakan asas keimanan bagi umat Kristian.

Didalam buku ini juga, Allahyarham Ahmed Deedat memperbandingkan versi-versi Bible yang ada dalam umat Kristian sekarang ini. Di dalam perbandingan tersebut, banyak bukti menunjukkan kandungan Bible telah dipinda dari satu versi ke satu versi yang lain sehingga hilang keaslian kitab tersebut. Ini berlaku dibawah pengawasan pederi-paderi Tertinggi Kristian yang terpelajar.

Dalam Jilid 2 pula dilampirkan “Combat Kit” sebagai satu panduan untuk menghadapi serangan dari pihak mubaligh Kristian. Dengan menggunakan Combat Kit ini, kita dengan mudah dapat menunjukkan kepincangan maklumat dalam Bible itu sendiri. Satu usaha yang sangat murni.

Buku ini sesuai dimiliki oleh sesiapa sahaja dari kalangan umat Islam bahkan didalam buku ini juga, Allahyarham Ahmed Deedat menyarankan agar diberikan salinan buku ini sebanyak yang mampu kepada rakan-rakan tidak kira Islam atau Kristian. Agama Kristian sudah tidak mampu bertapak lagi di Barat, makanya mereka mula mencari pengaruh di Asia pula.

Semoga mereka yang rajin dalam membuat rujukan terlebih memahami dan mengingati isi kanduangan buku ini berbanding saya yang hanya membaca semata-mata.

Non-School Holiday

Finally, everything is back to normal again. The last school holiday, really changed Port Dickson to some sort of wonderland. There were a lot of people here...well there were always a lot of people during every weekend but weekend + school holiday is just extra ordinary. It made Port Dickson cramped with people and cars.

This is taken today. Waktu cuti sekolah bebaru nie, pukul 12 tghari pun penuh orang mandi-manda kat Pantai Saujana (Batu 4) nie. Gilo,,

During non-school holiday (ordinary day), Port Dickson is just nothing but peaceful and calm. The traffic condition, the public facilities, the dining place etc. is just sufficient for the population here. But when the population increase by triple/quadraple, Port Dickson just couldn’t coop with the situation. When Port Dickson couldn’t coop with the situation, you’ll see a lot of traffic jam everywhere, restaurant can only entertain your order only after an hour of waiting, police roadblock are everywhere and mat rempit or teenagers with unidentified kind of trend spoiling your view. That’s why, most of the time when school holiday arrived, I will spend less time in Port Dickson compare to any other day.

Don’t blame me yet. This is just my personal opinion and I know some people might beg to differ. Businessman here for instance, they made a lot of profit during school holiday in Port Dickson. No matter what kind of business they are into, they can get a huge portion of the cake when school holiday come. I’m happy for them. At least, they can get the best school uniform for their kids when school is open again. It’s what a father can give to makes their child happy.

The other thing during this particular time, people that I know will always ask my opinion on lots of hotel in Port Dickson. Does it make any sense that I have to know every hotel in PD..?? Does it..?? I mean, think it this way, I live in PD. I have my own house in PD that I share with my family. Why in the world people think that I know every single hotel in PD when I can just stay in my own house for free..?? Does it make any sense..?? A decent hotel room in PD can cost me RM3++ per nite and even higher during school holiday. It just not worth it to spend my money that much when I can choose not to spend at all. But still people come to me years after years to hear me saying something about hotel in PD. I just don’t get it.

Back to normal again. Budak bertiga nie, mandi pantai dengan penuh rasa privacy sampai mandi pun tak pakai apa-apa. Tak malu betul

Anyway, I think Port Dickson is dynamic and unique. Some place has 4 seasons in a year and the changes of environment give the people new life for every new season. For me, Port Dickson has something else that can offer the same outcome even without those 4 seasons in a year.

Sedikit susah

Tahun baru dah seminggu berlalu. Sekolah pun dah start jugak. Sekarang, agak sukar nak berbloging nie sebabnya, kalau si abah tak tidur..maka anak-anak juga tak akan tidur. Jikalau tidur lewat, makanya liatlah si anak-anak bangun pagi esok. Jadinya, kena slow sikit sekarang.

Sampaikan gambar passport pun buat sendiri ja pakai Photoshop. Tergelak cikgu tengok gambar bebudak nie. Siap ada lencana Ultraman lagi.

Ada buku baru yang nak dicatitkan dalam blog ini. Buku yang agak menarik isi kandungannya tapi tergolong dalam kategori bacaan berat jugak. Anyway, book review has to wait....