Lone and Deserted

Local@Jungle train seen leaving the station

I have going back and forth Kota Bharu during early November attending to my hospitalized mother. My normal route is the boring Bentong-Lipis-G Musang road. Chance upon this subject on those occassion before finally decided to stop and snap some photos. Merapoh Station Station, a dilapidated station warp in time.

Kuala Lumpur yang membosankan

The traffic jam in Kuala Lumpur can be very nasty. The only way out is to remain calm and patient. Watch out for traffic announcement over the radio and the electronic display board on major road. These mode of communication can be very effective when you have no other means to be informed.

Some might not be celebrating.............

Some unfortunate souls may not be 'there' anymore to celebrate Raya. It is either due to own fault or other people fault. I mean road accident. When few hundreds thousand of vehicles jostles for a tiny square called road, sometime we have to count on our prayer and luck to be able to get where we want to go this festive season.

This photos was captured on the faithful Saturday, 26 Ramadhan 1429 H, 10km before Raub town.

Welcome Syawal 1429H

After 11 days in Syawal, raya celebration doesn't seem to subside. I have been getting some invitation to attend open house during the remaining syawal either from individual/family as well from corporate/company/organization. Hariraya itself from 1st Syawal to maybe 3rd to 5th Syawal reserved to very private and family re union. Now time to re acquint with those you will not have the chance to greet during the actual raya itself. Not too late to Wish Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Maf Zahir dan Batin.

Ramadhan 1429H

Will bid farewell to our most beloved hijrah month, Ramadhan Al Kareem 1429H, may all of us be blessed and forgiven by the AlMighty Allah during and after Ramadhan. May we meet again in 1430H

Madrasah Muhajirin, Myanmar

Madrasah Muhajirin di Timur Laut Myanmar ini di pelopori oleh seorang Ulamak bernama Maulana Ghafur. Madrasah Tahfiz ini di biayai sepenuhnya atas daya usaha beliau secara individu juga sumbangan masyarakat. Para pelajarnye tidak di kenakan apa-apa bayaran. Mereka terus berusaha menghidupkan Ilmu dan agama Allah serta dakwah di bumi Myanmar. Negara mundur yg serba serbi kekurangan ditambah dgn tekanan oleh pemerintah rejim tentera Myanmar yg bersifat kuku besi terhadap umat islam, yakni mereka tidak memberi pengiktirafan kpd Ugama Islam.

Para pelajar di Madrasah ini hanya mampu makan nasik sekali sehari tanpa apa-apa lauk kecuali kacang Dal berkuah air serta garam. Pakaian yg tidak pernah mencukupi, sekadar menutup aurat serta keadaan madrasah yg separuh siap tetapi telah digunakan sepenuh walaupun hanyi berlantaikan tanah dan berdindingkan bata. Qurannya adalah naskah2 lama yg koyak2, namun madrasah ini berazam melahirkan ramai hafiz al quran dari peringkat kanak2 kecil lagi

Begitulah kesukaran mereka untuk mencari ilmu. Kami berusaha membantu sekadar terdaya memandangkan tempat ini agak terpencil dan negara Myanmar sendiri yg tidak gemar rakyat asing utk melawat negara mereka.

Kalau sudi bantulah!

Ramadhan and Rain

It's has been a cold Saturday. Not an ordinary typical hot and humid Malaysian weather. The sun has been elusive all day, the rain has been intermittently dropping from the sky. Overcast sky shows now sign of pulling away just yet, instead indicates more rain to come. Midday temperature was 24 celcius, uncommon. I m glad it happens on Saturday, and off day for the public. It is definitely a blessed and lovely Ramadhan day.

Parliment Batu KL

At 2.30 pm I received a phone call from a neighbourhood friend asking me to drop in around 3 pm at surau to welcome and receive Ramadhan aid from YB Tian Chua, Batu Parlimentary Batu. I said that I m expecting plumber at my house around the same time and just phone if YB gets there since my house is a few hundreds yards away. The phone never rang and I went to Surau for Asar and immediately after Asar I was greeted by an entourage of YB Tian Chua at the doorstep of the Surau complete with the gifts. Thank you YB!

SELAMAT MENYAMBUT RAMADHAN 1429H

SEMUGA ALLAH S W T akan melimpahi rahmat, keampunan, hidayah dan nikmat2 Nya yg berterusan selagi kita berusaha utk mendapatkannya. Semuga Ramadhan kali ini menjadi yang terbaik buat kita.

HAPPY 51ST BIRTHDAY MALAYSIA!

I was on the street of KL with my daughter on the early morning of 31st August 2008 squeezing amongst the crowd and participant of Merdeka Parade 2008. It would be afinal opportunity for out an out photography outing since tomorrow will mark the start of Holy month of Ramadhan.

Learning from previous years experience, we decided to begin our morning adventure with a walk from National Mosque heading towards Dataran Merdeka through the early formation of the parade.

We slip our way and managed to find a prime spot near the main grandstand where we have majestic view of the parade and show on the field.

I am happy to have renewed my merdeka spirit this year. God bless MALAYSIA!

Moving On

I have been employed by my company since 1992. In the course of 16 years, I have seen many changes, in many form, be it staffing, the way we do businees, equity holder, name sake etc. One of it is office premises. After 10 years, we are now moving to spanking new office building just a block away, the office which we literally seen its been constructed from bottom up. Eevryone is excited about new place, and for me this is a thrid office address ever since I joined Antah in 1992. Bon Voyage!

It has picturesque view of KL sklyline and, perhaps (I ve not witnessed one yet) , beautiful sunrise.

Astro Ceria 2nd Birthday Bash

My daughter entered Astro Ceria contest online and won an invitation to Astro Ceria
2nd Anniversary celebration in Midvalley. Parents and immediate family members were invited. All the kids including mine were drowned in excitement meeting their favorite TV personalities such as Aznil Nawawi, Abg Zoey and Mat Kacau. I m sure all the kids were went home hugely satisfied and will surely become the talk when school open nxt week.

Malaysia International Fireworks Competition 2008

My first attempt at shooting fireworks. The spot where I had chosen was too closed, as a result, most pictures are covered with too much smoke. In addition, the land mark of Putrajaya is not visible in the picture. Nevertheless, I am quite happy with the result and the family were happy with the show.

The Present - Kota Bharu yang ku tinggalkan IV

My son was amused looking at the buffalo and the birds that occupies the vacant land, prseumably unused paddy filed. He had problem to differentiate between bufalo with cow. I suddenly became a veterinar as I have to answer all sort of questions about this animals.

The Present - Kota Bharu yang ku tinggalkan III

Sun rising above the hyper Mall beneath the Sutan Yahya Petra Bridge. This place down below (bowoh lemboh) now attract thousand of shoppers since the Mall was opened earlier this year. This area before was very fertiled and usually planted with all kind of short term crops such as honey dew, watermelon and corn and it is formed part of Kelantan Delta. Year end monsoon and the swelling and sweeeping tide from upstream will replenish this land with natural fertilizer, and the cycle goes on.

It was quite unlikely to go down here before unless you are local and involves with agriculture or rearing of goats or cows. Part of this land below before was cut off by Kelantan river.

Now the land looks set to become big in different way. The area now is easily accessible for morning breeze and it is becoming a new attraction of sorts.

I help myself for a shot under the bridge. A bridge that faithfully serve Kelantanse for over 45 years and has seen it better days.

The Present - Kota Bharu yang ku tinggalkan II

View from the single lane bridge that connects to Sabak Beach from the main road. The area is far cry from the time I frequented 20++ years ago. Gone was the scenic view that greets visitor as you approach the bridge. I don't want to mention about the dumping ite nearby. Only a few houses left that is so closed to the bank of the Sabak Beach. A few dilapidated warungs are in business serving the poorly tasted satar and otak2. You hear the wave pounding against the shore but you cannot see the sea as it it blocked by rocks that is piled on th shore to stop the erosion. I stretching my self to find a reasonable space for a decent shot. The following is what I have taken. A silhoutte from the bridge and a picture of my son againt the rocky bank of Sabak Beach, Kota Bharu.

The Present - Kota Bharu yang ku tinggalkan

Gambaran Kota Bharu Water Front saat senja menjelma. Sekita Tambatan d Raja, bukan lagi tempat yg kita kenali suatu masa dahulu bahkan berubah menjadi up market zone for those who wish to dine in style whilst enjoying the soothing breeze of Kelantan River.

The Present - 8/8/08 .......

8/8/2008, 8/8/08 OR August 8th 2008, whatever you want to put it. A nice looking date. I want to find the significant of this date. Ok, Beijing Olympic starts today, many would probably get to tie their knot today, someone might knock into your car or yours into another, yesterday 7 August 2008 DS Anwar Ibrahim was against charged for sodomy very few people believes he had committed it.

Tomorrow my father in law will be in town. Tonite I have to attend Parents Teacher Assc. program, PTA which I m now heading. What else? This morning I had breakfast of nasi lemak and telor mata, just like any other morning. A telemarketeer called me asking me to buy product I never even want to consider. Friday prayer in the afternoon follow by lunch. Life looks customarily normal today, friday 8/8/2008. Let's decide that 8/8/08 is just another date, one of those days uneventful day.

OK let me decide the significant. Since today is 8/8/2008, For the 1st time there is no photo for my posting. Just this dull note. Happy eerr...happy weekend.

The Present - Hujung Minggu di Kuala Terengganu II

An old 'floating mosque' seen from across Losong Feri. Beautiful to my eye than the lavishly done Glass Mosque nearby. I just wonder what would happen to this mosque during the flood season. I m sure the folks there have good reason why it is built so close to the water or actually over the water

The Present - Hujung Minggu di Kuala Trengganu I

Terlihat sepasang suami isteri berjalan pulang ke pantai saat matahari melabuhkan tirai.

The Present - Hujung Minggu di Kuala Trengganu

Sesudah subuh, Pantai Batu Burok, Kuala Trengganu. Matahari menjenguk agak lewat diselimuti oleh awan tebal di ufuk timur. Laut beralun tenang bersama memulai hari yang baru.

The Present-Bloodsucker

Went down the slope to pick up some durian along the water trail and this little monster creep on and stuck to the skin like a leech. It is indeed a leech. Despite applying some repellant on the boot and kept a watchful eye on the ground a few did find their ways. Enough to sent the whole house to frenzy.

To get rid of it, you need a machete and tenderly 'skin it off' from the skin.

The Present-The Durian

Need no elaborate description. I ll leave it to your imagination.

The Present - Fruit Season is back

A little too early, perhaps a week early for Durian. The falls has been scattered just enough to meet our craving desire for this king of fruit. These bunch came from a decades old tree, still faithfully bearing fruits for the 3rd generation of the family who planted the seed hopefully for more generations to come. The rambutan is screaming in red and a bonnet of a 4WD alone doesn't seem to be enough to fill the rambutan from the whole tree.

The Present - Fraser's Hill

Located along Malaysia main mountain range aka the spine of the peninsular, still like like the old days. Physically Fraser's Hills is still kept away from the savage of commercial development. Traffic is much lesser in comparison to the other highlands retreat and the mountain air is cool and crispy. I was there on a day trip with bunch of friends in what was my first bird photography trip. Though the end result was far for what I have expected, it was a quantum leap in terms of gaining new experience in photographing bird.