Projek penyelidikan Azlansyah Aman

12 Mei 2017

Semalam saya ke Muzium arkioloji bersama seorang pelajar dan berjumpa dengan seorang pegawai muzium berkenaan projek penyelidikan itu.
Azlansyah membawa salam daripada beberapa orang kawannya yang kenal saya lewat blog ini.
Waalaikumusalam kepada kawan-kawan itu (Azlansyah ada sebut nama-nama kawan itu tapi sebutannya terlalu pantas, tak dapat saya tangkap).

Keris purba Okinawa.

Semoga Azlansyah berjaya dalam penyelidikan ini.

*****

Lawatan ke DBP Sept. 2014

 

Setiap kali saya balik ke Singapura, saya tidak lepaskan peluang menjengah syarikat penerbit yang mengusahakan novel-novel saya. Saya rasa ini satu-satunya cara untuk kami menjalinkan hubungan baik dalam dunia persuratan.
Selepas lawatan kami ke ITBM pada pagi Khamis 4 sept. 2014, kami teruskan ke DBP pula. Sudah 2 tahun saya kembali tetapi tidak berpeluang berjumpa editor novel saya Pagi Semerah Daun Momiji. Malang lawatan kali ini juga saya gagal berjumpa beliau.
Walau bagaimanapun, saya ingin berkenalan dengan Puan Zaiton Abu Samah dan kami meneruskan pertemuan itu berbincang segala perkara berkaitan Hak Cipta.

....Soalan-soalan seperti apa harus seorang penulis skrip drama lakukan jika dia ingin gunakan novel saya.
...Apa harus saya lakukan jika novel saya digunakan untuk seri drama TV, walaupun saya rasa novel saya amat sukar bagi penerbit drama untuk asimilasikan dalam aspek tempatan.
...Apakah yang penulis perlu lakukan untuk mengembangkan penulisannya tanpa melanggar syarat-syarat dalam Surat Perjanjian Penerbitan.

Kami diberi penjelasan yang cukup teliti oleh seorang pegawai yang pakar dalam Hak Cipta Persuratan. Pengharaan saya kepada Puan Zaiton Abu Samah dan En. Hafizi Ahamd.

*****

Padang Sebang

Ruang Tamu rumah kampungku

Ini rumah ambo usahakan sebelum ambo menjadi isteri orang. Rumah ini ambo buat untuk dihadiahkan kepada arwah emak. Segala alat moden diperlengkapkan di dalamnya seperti air mandi panas, tandas moden, dapur gas, peti ais tapi penghuninya tidak menetap di sini. Rumah ini dijadikan sebagai pension sesekali adik beradik ambo balik bercuti ke kampung.

Lihatlah kedamaian ruang ini
damai sungguh daun nyior yang melambai
damai juga burung kuning yang menghinggap
ke dahan rambutan
namum damai ini tidak kekal
di naluriku ini.

Adakala hujan emas melimpah dari langit
taburan emas itu menghampari rumput
dari pagar ke tapak pintu
namum emas itu bukan
hak milik
walaupun digenggamanku ini.


Kuhanya berlalu sebagai penumpang
Hargaku bukan pada emas di negerimu
bukan juga pada masjid yang bercandelier
biarlah solatku di tanah lapang
nun di pulau sana
kucapai hujan batu buat genggaman hidupku.

***********

Meals on the go

All the beautiful food I took while travelling in Msia and Spore, the last two months.

Tempoyak

If you are eating 20pcs daily of durian for the past 2 weeks and you are sort of bloated in the tummy, sort of having some slight headaches, be at peace.
Those of the after effect of too much durian, the shitty smell that the stomach have to work on.
So, after the pulut durian, bubur kacang durian, wajik durian, pengat durian...what do you do with the rest of the durians?



You peel the shitty, vanilla-flavoured, mellowing, yellowing pulp in a bowl, throw in some salt...



Keep in tight bottle, refrigerate...
Anytime of the year, any place in the world, give myself some good company and a dash of the shitty tempoyak and I am the happiest person on earth.

Bedok, Ansar Gardens.

Padang Sebang

The landmark that will tell me that I have reached my station,coming from the south.
Everytime we watch out for this, when this comes, we would dragged our luggage near the entrance to be thrown out during KTM very short stop.

Dari tingkap KTM, papan tanda baru. Kampungku Padang Sebang.

When I was 5, I used to watch trains passing by here. The dusty bus would stop at his traffic junction. I would wonder, where the trains would go. Would I be able to be on that trains someday, where does the trains ended?
This time, when this picture was taken, I was on that trains. Having not enough time to stop here, my kampung. I have to go back to my sick mother.
This time I wonder, how are the people over there, is my mother's house still standing strong, when will I be able to visit there again.


Ah, would time erase the name from this board, would they take away this old board to be replaced by the new, blue version?
Would you stay as you are, as when that 5 year-old girl pictured you when she waited to cross the light on that dusty, old bus?
Would you still be there, waiting for her to come back?

Found some more link:

http://www.esasterawan.net/esasterawan/1.asp?uid=131

Bedok, Ansar Gardens

Trains

Previous to this trip, my vacation time in Malaysia were short intervals. I would come in for 5 days and left or come in again and left.
Friends would ferry me everywhere in the cars. I would be passed from one house to another. I would sit in the car and looked out. Not knowing my position or the place I was in. My sense of direction is like going to the toilet from a food court. Further than this, I would be lost. I would turn around and get back to the same place, swearing inside quietly.
Its easy for anyone to torture me mentally. Just take my cash and put me on any pavement of KL roads and I would sit on the kerb, staring...not going anywhere, not thinking anything.

This time vacation in Malaysia gave me wider experience. The trains.

I prefer travelling by trains overland, rather than bus. Express buses give me the urinary stress. The feeling of not being able to have the toilet, would create anxiety stress, would create a chain of uretha cramps that leads to another chain of more phobic nervousness.
Just give me trains and I am happy to travel alone.

The first day, my feet step in Malaysia was at KL sentral station. I came by KTM from Spore, supposed to arrive at 2.40pm but ended up at 4.30pm (is that typical or what? 1 hr. 40 mins late).
Some dear friends greeted me. When up the main level and was surprised to see a small bazaar-like atmosphere.
Most of my meetings with friends from day one, were at KL Sentral. I would say happily with confident,
..."ok kita jumpa depan KFC kat KL sentral".
...Or "kita duduk sembang depan Nile Bookshop at KL Sentral".
...Or kita makan di Food Court at KL Sentral.

I saw the express and local bus terminal, bought some big, juicy Korean pears at the fruit shop there. Took light meals at the food court, some gatherings at KFC, browsed through some reading materials at Nile Book shop, did solat at the surau and best of all, the taxi services. You tell the counter staff your destination, pay at the counter, give the payment slip to the driver and he just carry you off. No hassling about meter or payment. No talking, peace.

If I am not mistaken (correct me if wrong), there are 5 lines going through KL Sentral. The lines that is ever too familiar for me is the KLIA transit to the airport. I port up at Putrajaya. This line is fast, clean, smells nice too and best of all, always empty. Mostly, I see people aboard with luggage, airport staff with their smart uniform, MAS fligh attendants and Putrajaya cyber-clone.
If any of you notice, the platform has only two kinds of writing on the signboard, Bahasa Melayu and Japanese!

I stayed a few days in Seremban and going to KL Sentral from here, I have to use the only line, KTM komuter. I can always get seat from Seremban because its the line starting point but as we get to KL Sentral, some people were hanging on the holders squeesed to the bones.
One time, on a Sunday, (I thought its not a working day and this train should be less crowded...I was wrong), I stood at the platform with people around me pushing left and right. I was just standing to get my queue right.
I was thinking, how would I get on the train without queueing. In that crowd, my mind went to the scenario at Mina in Mekah during the 250m walk to "lempar batu". I didn't moved, the crowd moved me.
I missed the first train. People were pushed in like boiled, red sardine in tightly packed tin.
I am not strong enough to withstand that battle, I have all the time in this world to wait before it became dark.
I waited for the next train, it came...but I couldn't get in. I was at the door. Imagine at the door of the train yet not getting in. I was stranded at the door. Can you imagine, at the door yet not getting in? Go, figure that out.

Anyway, wonderful thing was, I GOT A SEAT!
In that crowded coach, I got a seat! I must have done something good in this life to be able to get reward like that, masyaAllah.
Every stations on the KTM komuter, remind me of friends staying at those stops.
A lady with bad eyesight at Tasik Selatan, a top cyberman at Kajang, a very pious single girl at Bangi and many more.

Ah, those memories and good friends, I would never exchange any gold coins for it.

Alamanda

Image from Wikipedia
That is alamanda, a trumpet-like flower, yellow sometimes pink and I've seen blue one.
Most of my friends in Malaysia, be they from the bloggy society or from the writing group or from the in-course working classes, are young, career ascending, full of vitality in life and most importantly, they are girls.
I stayed with girls. Single and young. Its the freedom in the house that I prefer with these girls. No covering the hair in their houses, just loose butterfly one-piece in and out of the rooms.This trip to Malaysia, I made one of the houses at Putrajaya my port. Presint 9.

I came to love Putrajaya. Everyday, for about 3 weeks, I was alone in the daytime.
One time, after alighting from the bus by Alamanda Shopping Complex, I waited at the crossing for the green walking man to cross the road. Eventhough the road was cleared, I still waited for the walking green man, didn't come, waited again, didn't come, waited again....

How do I ever cross this road? I paniced!

I felt like my culture standard was broken when I dashed across the road, imitating some locals.There were long time alone in the house, I felt cooped up. I should just go out by myself and explore the area.

I did. I ended up in Alamanda Shopping Complex.Bought myself coffee-flavoured soya bean milk (cannot get this in Japan) and a piece of Roti boy with a book in my hands. Precious hours just went looking at people walking by. The book on my lap. The clean environment, the cultured surroundings, the peaceful air, the quiet manner everybody conduct themselves remind me of Naha, Nishihara, San-e, Jusco in Okinawa.
I can sit at Roti boy eating rotiboy by the buckets while people-watching for hours. One time, I went in Burger King, studied the menu and tried hot dog with minced meat (cannot get this in Japan). Again my people-watching session with that one hot dog for hours.
There was time when I wanted very much to open my blog but after inquiring, I found that there wasn't any internet cafe at Alamanda. That is strange. No internet cafe at Alamanda!This is about the only dissappointment for me. The Cyber hub of Malaysia and Alamanda do not have any internet cafe at all.

I ended up going into the Cinemaplex watching "Sepi" alone. Good plot, talented people acting, humourous, some poetic inclination, some heart pinching sadness when I cried at the ending minutes.

If, only if, I intend to buy a property, I wouldn't mind buying a piece in Putrajaya. Make it my home base. Once in a while vacationing in Malaysia, I can use it as my loading and unloading port.

Bedok, Ansar Village

Trengganu

The Masjid Kristal


Penarik, wild periwinkle with tall coconut trees

From Pasir Mas back to Putrajaya we have to take the coastal route to visit the new masjid, Masjid Kristal. Masjid Kristal was opened by the King and Queen Of Trengganu (I'm hopeless at remembering their titles) on Feb 8, 2008.

After a beautiful breakfast prepared by Mr. Darma's wife of nasi lemak and tapai nasi, we packed and head for the sea, leaving behind Kota Bharu, Pasir Putih, Jertih and straight into Trengganu. As we cruised, from Permaisuri onwards, I noticed every 3-4 km on the main road, were huge and beautiful masjid. Every masjid I passed, my heart ached and I doa that the people of Okinawa would get a masjid one day, even a small masjid will do for us. This luxury of beautiful masjid in Trengganu is the greatest gift of this coastal country.

We stopped at a sleepy fishing village in Penarik and saw the local cottage industry. Rows of ikan bilis, ikan tamban being dried up in the sun. There were some cats wondering around but they don't bother the fishes in the sun. I was told that those cats don't prefer those dried up fishes, its too common for them, they prefer those wet and flashy catches from the sea.

We passed Sitiu and then we saw the Masjid Kristal from the highway. We had to make a big turn going towards the masjid ground.

Its more like painted glasses and most of the building are glassess.

We can do solat in this masjid and the neighbouring land is called Pusat Tamadun Islam where there are miniature copy of famous masjids of the world.

Kuala Abang beach
We saw a beach at Kuala Abang that is exactly like the beach in Okinawa. Clean, clear water, beautiful rocky beach stones and deserted, noone is around.

Real Kelantan food

After a beautiful spread of food for breakfast, we made our way to Pantai Cinta Berahi, which has changed to Pantai Cahaya Bulan recently. There were rows of small stalls selling coconut water. We sat by the beach and slowly sipped the coconut water with the South China breeze blowing from the sea.
We popped in the Bazaar Buluh Kubu but I didn't buy anything at all. I saw some tudung bawal but the materials for the scarf are too transparent and thin. I am worried, with the uncultured way I fashion my scarf, some part of this hair would show in the see-through material.

Then, I stepped in Pasar Siti Khadijah, which to me is like any wet market, only the things sold are quite new to me, like pickled sukun fruits and turtle eggs. I couldn'd stay long at the market because the most sensitive part of my body is my nose.

I had to run out of the market, practically. From there we went to Rantau Panjang, took some beautiful pictures at the Customs Point but I am too tired to upload now.



This is the lunch that Mr. Darma Mohammad's wife prepared for us.
Nasi kerabu with solok petola and lada, celur buah beko (very new to me). Buah beko reminds me of snake, with flat body, a head and a tail.

This is something we had for dinner, pulut durian and rice tapai and some keropok lekur. I can feel the heat building up in my body as I wrote this entry. If unavoidable, maybe I need to take a little shower before going to bed to night.

After the rest and the good lunch, we head to Kampung Geting. Mr. Darma said this village is designated officially as the cottage industry of dried fish like ikan bilis and salted fish. We saw rows of ikan selar kuning being dried in the salty air and sea breeze.

Dangar, Pasir Mas.

Pasir Mas

Sakura and I made our way to Putrajaya sentral early to avoid the early morning rush hour to be in time for our express bus that depart at 8.30 in the morning.

We needed to change to another bus at Hentian Putra in KL and at 9.30, we were on our way to Pasir Mas.

Our journey took us to Bentong, Raub, Gua Musang, Kuala Krai, Machang, Tanah Merah and at last Pasir Mas. Stopping for lunch at a deserted nowhere in the world sort of place named Merapoh for 45 mins.
The stop was good for my legs, we sat for 4 hours in the bus and walking during this lunch break was a relieve for me.
Anyway, after the rest we had to sit for another 3 hours to complete the journey.
Mr Darma was already there to meet us at the station and we were all taken to his house.
He has such beautiful home. First thing I did was to go around the house to pick some ilang-ilang blooming (bunga kenanga), some cempaka telur and some limau purut. He has many varieties of flowers and fruit trees growing all around the house.
For the first time in my life, I took burung puyuh(quail) for dinner, fried version.
Maybe the people here take burung puyuh like us in Japan take chicken everyday.
While we were at the taxi station, taking our luggage out, I saw something so beautiful. There was tamarine tree, (pohon asam jawa) and on the main dividing branch of the tree, grows a small variety of white, wild orchid.
Very white and small, fully bloom hanging down, spreading like an umbrella.
Have to finish up this entry now , its late at Mr. Darma's Resident.

Pasir Mas, Kelantan

Ziarah Putrajaya

Maafkan saya, saya sekarang berada di salah sebuah sibercafe di Putrajaya - Pusat Siber JFAI. Rumah teman yang saya menumpang tidur sekarang tidak punyai laptop dan rasanya dah lama benar tak menjenguk blog sendiri.

Rindu pada teman-teman siber sangat kuat sampaikan saya paksa kawan ini bawa ke tempat ini.
Terima kasih pada semua komen-komen dan maaf sekali lagi sebab saya tidak dapat membalasnya.

Saya sampai di KL dengan KTM dari Singapore pada Jun 16, 2007.

Malamnya saya menghadiri majlis perjumpaan dengan dua orang pendaki FUJI (MBA dan Aahar), selainnya yang datang ialah ahli-ahli forum BashoHut. Mereka ialah sdr ep dan isteri,
sdr Darma Mohammad, sdr TabirAlam, sdr sakura, sdr teratai dan sdr erisya.

Hari kedua (Jun 17, 2007) di Putrajaya, saya memziarah ITNM (Institut terjemahan) untuk sesuatu tugas rasmi dan terserempak sdr Wan A. Rafar, seorang penulis dari Pasir Mas. Sempat juga kami bergambar.

Hari ketiga (Jun 18, 2007), saya dibawa ke DBP untuk pertemuan dengan salah seorang pegawai di sana atas urusan peribadi. Sempat juga kami bergambar lagi. Tapi gambar-gambar itu saya tidak dapat upload sekarang.

Esok, mungkin saya akan adakan perbincangan haiku dengan salah seorang ahli di Putrajaya.
Di sebelah malamnya, saya akan bertolak bersama 4 orang teman lagi menuju ke Kelantan.
Hari Jumaat, Sabtu, Ahad (Jun 21-23, 2008), saya menziarah tempat-tempat indah di Kelantan dan Masjid Kristal.
Kami juga dijemput menziarah keluarga sdr Darma Mohammad di Pasir Mas.

InsyaAllah, saya balik semula ke PUtrajaya dan hari isnin (Jun 24, 2008) saya akan bertentang mata dengan Mak Andeh dan Kak Yan buat pertama kali sesudah beberapa tahun mengenali mereka dalam blog.

Slot untuk hari selasa dah penuh dan saya balik ke Spore pada hari Rabu. Tapi cerita di KL belum habis lagi, saya akan kembali ke KL buat kali kedua, insyaAllah.

Some pictures http://mba.fotopages.com/

Presint 9, Putrajaya, Pusat Siber JFAI.
Jun 19, 2008

Thumb print

Had to cross over to JB today to update some stuff, to activate some cards. My brother-in-law didn't want to send me since the filling up on gasoline at Johor stand is not worth anymore. I took the JB-Spore taxi. Getting in, I immediately asked for the "white card" and to my surprise, no more white card is needed.

Ini semua pasal itu satu orang sudah lari keluar jail, the driver tried to explain. What orang?
what jail?
apasal dia sudah lari?
that were my questions.
Kakak, apa pasat lu tak dengar kah? Kakak mana mari?
I kept quite, don't want to tell anything but the talkative driver still carried on talking.

Then at the immigration point, the thumb print scanner was passed around in the car for each of us to scan. Well, I like this thumb print thing, at least I don't have to scribble on that white card and sometimes misplaced it on the return trip.

The driver dropped us at some designated drop-off-point and immediately I took the local taxi. Its about 1km away to my designation but the driver told me the fare is rm10 and the meter is broken. Suka hati engkaulah.
He overshoot the bank front entrance and told me he didn't realized it...hey brader, you are the local driver, don't shit me.
Maaf ye, saya tak perasan tadi...
malas aku nak layan...
get out and bang the door.

During some fund-transferring at RHB, this counter girl, sweetly tell me.
Kakak boleh tak tulis cepat sikit, saya nak keluar makan!

I, too with my sweet voice told her,
"awak nak makan, pergilah makan, takkan orang lain tak boleh ganti"?
I cannot even swallow this situation...a bank counter girl telling me, the bank customer to hasten the form writing.
Of course, nothing would change my life and when I turned to the counter again, I still see her there.
With some sarcasm, "kata nak keluar makan, kenapa ada lagi"?
Feeling guilty, she said, "saya tunggu kakak habis"...
tahu pun-tolol!

I observed and I am happy to have the chance to compare, only after comparing do I know how beautiful the other side of midnight is.

Taman Pelangi, Menara Pelangi, Johor Bahru, Malaysia.