Sumpah Kuala Kedah

Peta ini (@google) menunjukkan pada satu ketika dalam sejarah negeri Kedah dijajah oleh kerajaan Siam.


Ramai yang bertanya kenapa Gapena membuat kembara Budaya dan Sastera hingga ke sempadan Myanmar (Burma) dan Thai (Siam).
Baru-baru ini saya terbaca sebuah cerpen yang berjudul "Sumpah Kuala Kedah" dalam isu Oktober 2011 majalah Dewan Sastera.
Ini saya petik beberapa perenggan dalam cerpen ini (karya Zurinah Hassan).

Pada pertengah tahun 1943, kelihatan pula pengawal atau polis berbangsa Thai meronda di pekan Alor Setar. Rakyat mendengar khabar bahawa Jepun telah menyerahkan Kedah kepada Siam. Kononnya sebagai hadiah tanda terima kasih atas budi baik Siam membenarkan askar-askar Jepun melalui negerinya untuk menakluki Malaya. Ayub selalu berkata dalam htinya, "Cantik muka dia. Negeri aku pula dibuat barangan haidah..."
Bagi Ayub sama ada Jepun atau Siam, kedua-duanya sama sahaja. Mereka ialah bangsa asing yang menakluki negerinya. Mereka tiada hak untuk membuat sesuka hati.

Pada pandangannya, Kedah menduduki tempat yang unik sebagai empayar tertua. Sejak abad ke-13, Kedah negeri yang berdaulat dan mempunyai pelabuhan yang terkenal di Sungai Bujang. Sejarah negerinya pernah tertulis dengan tinta gemilang. Tetapi warna kegemilangan mulai pudar apabila Siam muncul sebagai kuasa besar. Kedah mula terancam. Siam yang pada masa sekarang bernama Thailand mengamalkan dasar imperialistik meluaskan jajahan takluknya dan berjaya memaksa negeri-negeri di Utara Semenanjung menghantar ufti berbentuk bunga emas kepadanya. Pada tahun 1791, Siam telah menakluki Kesultanan Melayu Pattani yang merangkumi wilaya Pattani, Yala dan Narthiwat dan menukar namanya menjadi Changwat Pattani.
Pada pertengahan abda ke-18, tanah pusaka moyang mula didatangi oleh bangsa-bangsa dari Barat. Armada Inggeris dan Perancis mencakar luka perairan tanah ibunda untuk meluaskan pengaruh di Asia Tenggara. Pada tahun 1786, Sultan Kedah terpaksa menyerhkan Pulau Pinang kepada Syarikat Hindia Timur yang diwakili oleh Kapten Francis Light. Hal ini dilakukan kerana mengharapkan Britain akan melindungi Kedah kalau Siam menyerang. Tidak cukup dengan sebuah pulau, Syarikat Hindia Timur yang bertentangan dengan Pulau Pinang, 14 tahun kemudian. Tanah itu kemudian dinamai Province Wellesley. Walaupun pengambilan itu melibatkan bayaran sewa, namun hal ini tetap menjejaskan kedaulatan dan maruah sebuah negeri.
Pulau Pinang berpindah tangan, namu begitu apabila Siam benar-benar menyerang Kedah pada tahun 1821, Inggeris tida membantu. Inggeris telah mungkir janji terhadap negeri kecil yang tidak berdaya melawan. Maka, Kedah pun berada di bawah cengkaman Siam.

Bukan tidak ada percubaan untuk merungkaikan kuku penjajahan yang tajam dan berbisa itu. Negerinya juga mempunyai sederetan nama pahlawan yang berani. Antaranya ialah Tunku Kudin yang mengepalai perjuangan untuk mengembalikan maruah ngeri pada tahun 1831 dan Tunku Mohammad Saad yang mengadai nyawa dalam percubaan menghalau penjajah. Tunku Mohammad Saad pernah berjaya mengusi Siam keluar dari Kedah melepasi Singora atau Songkhla. Malangnya, kejayaan itu tidak kekal lama. Siam menyerang balas dan bertindak lebi ganas. Lebih menyakitkan adalah tindakan Inggeris yang tiba-tiba menyebelahi Siam kerana menyedari bahawa persahabatan dengan Siam lebih menguntungkan mereka.

Dengan sokongan Inggeris, Siam tidak takut apa-apa lagi. Rakyat yang cuba bangkit itu dipijak dan dilanyak, ditindas dan dipulas sehabis-habisnya. Mereka membalas kebangkitan rakyat Kedah dengan pelbagai rupa kekejaman yang tidak dapat dibayagkan, yang sanggup dilakukan oleh makhluk yang bernama manusia. Paling menyakitkan adalah gambaran yang diberikan oleh seorang pegawai tentera laut British yang dihantar untuk memerangi rakyat Kedah. Setelah tiba di sini, pegawai yang bernama Sherard Osborn mnjadi insaf apabila melihat sendiri penyeksaan yang dilakukan terhadap rakyat Kedah. Osborn menyanjung orang-orang Kedah kerana telah bangun mempertahankan hak mereka sendiri. Sherard Osborn telah mengabadikan segala peristiwa berdarah di muara Kuala Kedah dalam bukunya The Blockade of Kedah 1838.

Kesimpulan saya, jika telitikan catatan sejarah ini, tidak hairanlah masih wujud perkampungan orang-orang Melayu dan Islam di beberapa kawasan Myanmar dan selatan Thai.

*******

Kembara Ranung (Hari 2)

Inilah bas yang digantikan untuk kami menyambung perjalanan kembara ini selepas bas yang mengalami kemalangan itu ditahan oleh Polis Thai. Bas ini baru, luas, selesa dan bersih. Berkata dalam hati juga, mungkin ada hikmahnya. Kemalangan itu memberi kami kemudahan dan keselesaan untuk meneruskan kembara ini.


Ini salah sebuah masjid yang kami ziarah di Ranong. Kami berhenti sebentar dan dihidangkan dengan minuman ringan juga bersambung ke makan tengah hari setelah Seminar Budaya dan Bahasa dibentangkan oleh beberapa pensyarah dan para ilmuan.


Panel dari para ilmuan, pensyarah dari gedung-gedung pelajaran tinggi dan pecinta bahasa membentangkan kertas-kertas mereka.



Tuan Djamal Tukimin sebagai wakil dari Singapura turut menyertai Kembara Budaya dan Bahasa ini. Maklumat ini saya dapat tahu setelah dua hari dalam perjalanan ini.

Djamal Tukimin dilahirkan di Singapura pada 20 Oktober 1946. Sejak zaman persekolahan lagi Djamal telah menaruh minat yang besar dalam bidang kesusasteraan . Sekitar awal tahun 1960-an Djamal sudah memiliki buku puisi Setanggi Waja karya penyair Noor S.I. Penglibatan Djamal dalam sastera Melayu bermula ketika beliau menyertai peraduan menulis cerpen sempena Bulan Kebangsaan anjuran Kementerian Kebudayaan Singapura pada tahun 1963. Cerpen tersebut memenangi hadiah pertama dan dimuatkan dalam majalah Suara Belia terbitan Persatuan Persuratan Pemuda Pemudi Melayu Singapura (4PM) pada tahun 1963. Selepas itu beliau sering memenangi peraduan menulis dan baca puisi (sajak) .

Karya-karya Djamal telah dimuatkan dalam Gema Meblah Gema II (KL,1972), Puncak Sembilan (Singapura,1975) , Penyair-penyair Singapura Muda Di Tengah Forum Masyarakat (Singapura,1977), Puisi-puisi Nusantara (Kl, 1981), The Poetry of Singapore (Singapura, 1985) , Tiga Warna Bertemu (KL, 1987) , Dinamika Budaya (Singapura, 1991), Resan dan Kesan Kumpulan Makalah Sempena Bulan Bahasa (Singapura, 1992), Rhythm (Singapura, 2000) , Embun Tajjali (Yogyakarta, 2000) , Citra Minda (Singapura, 2003) dan Legasi – Antologi Puisi Nusantara (Shah Alam, 2006).


Sementara karya perseorangan Puisi-puisi Muhajjir (Singapura, 1977) , Betapa Pun Begitu Nyanyian Rindunya Si Anak Geylang Serai (Singapura, 1999) dan Betapa Pun Begitu Pada hari Berkah Ini Cinta Masih Tersisa (Singapura, 2003). Sementara itu buku Arus Teater Singapura merupakan esei teaternya yang pertama. Karya yang lain adalah Sejarah Tidak Pernah Luka Kita Yang Berduka (kumpulan esei sastera 1971-2005), Imam (sebuah novel “kaum muda”), Seekor Kerbau Hitam Legam Dalam Mimpi Sang Pangeran Tomtom (naskah teater satira), Kulayarkan Bahtera Derita Di Atas Gelombang Air Mata (Surat-surat Ketulusannya Zaihasra Kepada Djamal Tukimin), Cinta Adalah Makrifat (kumpulan puisi), dan beberapa buah naskah buku agama.


Para pensyarah dari UPSI-Tanjung Malim. Di kiri adalah Prof Madya Dr. Abdul Halim Ali dan di kanan pula Dr. Khalid Ismail pensyarah Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris juga.

*******

Orang Kota Bharu

Orang Kota Bharu
I met this writer at the cafeteria of Dewan Bahasa just a few weeks before he died. He looked frail and weak when I saw him sitting and talking to another writer Darma Mohammad.
I got this book as a stock clearance sale from the National Library of Singapore.
It will be my constant companion during my Literary itinerary in Malaysia for this trip.

*******

Since 1st Nov. 2011

Sate Burger at Ali Cafe, Bukit Indah, JB.

Jurdiana's place Horizon Hills, Bukit Indah, JB.

I've been in Singapore since 1st Nov. When I said Singapore, it means I am around Johor Bharu, Melacca or KL as well. This time I've arranged some journeys with some writers groups and some courses with me as the instructor and some seminars. It will be a busy running around for me. I like to make journeys and trips but I feel very nervous alone on strange land.
Kuala Lumpur is strange. The inter-winding roads and highways, the fear of people in public are some phobia I carry around, worst of all, having to communicate with taxi drivers.
Photos show some shots with school pals and their hubbies.

*******

Bengkel Penulisan Haiku

Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) dengan kerasama Persatuan Penulis Negeri Sembilan (PEN) akan menganjurkan bengkel yang berikut:
Bengkel Penulisan Haiku

Bengkel Penulisan Haiku (puisi Jepun)
pada 26 November 2011 (Sabtu), dari 8.00 pagi hingga 5.00 petang
di Jabatan Kebudayaan dan Kesenian Negara, Negeri Sembilan, Jalan Sungai Ujung, Seremban.

Pembimbing: Puan Leyla Shuri (penulis haiku, menetap di Jepun).

Syarat
i) Penyertaan percuma, terhad kepada 15 orang peserta terawal sahaja
ii) Peserta benar-benar berminat
iii) Peserta mempunyai asas penulisan puisi
iv) Penganjur tidak menanggung kos perjalanan peserta
v) Peserta yang terpilih hendaklah menghasilkan karya dalam tempoh yang ditetapkan semasa bengkel nanti.

Pertanyaan; Sila hubungi Puan Hajah Mahaya Mohd.Yassin (06-6778359), e-mel mahaya_es@hotmail.com atau
YBhg Datin Sabarriah Shukur (06-6792597) e-mel sabarshukur@yahoo.com

*******

個人的な体験

個人的な体験

Getting ready for another project, I try to gather all material first. I need this book and first thing on my mind is Amazon. Japan. They have it on the second-hand book section for only US$2.50 (JY198) plus delivery charge at US$3.25 (JY250).
Not bad, I said. All in all, less than US7/-
So my fingers go clickety-clicketic.
Today, it came.
What shock me is the price itself on the back-cover (as all Japanese books have to publish the selling price on the cover).
For a clean and well-kept second-hand book with the original price at US$58 (JY4500), all I paid was less than US7/-

Beautiful.

*******

Singapurrr...

Yukihiro Live FM21 Okinawa

This week many people from Mainland Japan came to Studio FM21 to see Yukihiro live. Some from Tokyo, from Kawagoe, Saitama and the rest I couldn't catch quite well. It was already late for me (Live at 10 pm) but upon Youko's insistent, I drag myself to go with her.
When I arrived, I peeped at him from behind some audio equipment. seemed he was surprised to see me peeping, it almost choked him (affecting his speech).
He made everybody talked and with me he introduced Singapore. With his broken English, he joked around.
Yukihiro said Singapore like the Okinawan says Goya campurrr...as in Singapurrr.
Anyway, the Live is an hour.

*******

Penantian...

PSDM

Rezeki itu dari usaha dan keberkatan usaha itu diiringi bersama doa tulus dan ikhlas menjadi limpahan rezeki dari Yang Maha Al-Razaq, amin.

*******

Kata Penerbit.

Majalah Pendidik

Terima kasih kepada puan Leyla Shuri juga kerana sudi menghantar karya kepada pihak KarnaDya... :)

Ya Puan Leyla Shuri... pihak kami memang ada menghantar buku-buku terbitan kami untuk diiklankan dalam Majalah Pendidik. Dan untuk makluman puan, hanya 4 bab pertama sahaja disiarkan di dalam majalah tersebut. Kepada yang berminat untuk mendapatkan novel Pulut Sakura Serunding Kasih, boleh dapatkan secara online di store@karnadya.com.my. Ataupun datang sahaja ke premis kami yang terletak di Puchong untuk mendapatkan diskaun sebanyak 45%... Tunggu apa lagi? :)

*******

Perjalanan novel Pulut Sakura Serunding Kasih

Majalah Pendidik

Seorang sahabat (pendidik) dalam Facebook berkongsi photo ini ketika dia melihat-lihat bilik perpustakaan di sekolahnya.

Mengguna ayatnya "Majalah pendidik. Untuk guru. Keluaran april & Mei 2010."

Baru hari ini saya tahu. Tak sangka novel saya menjadi bahan rujuk untuk majalah ini.

*******

The Translator's knife.

Translated version

I don't believe not knowing a certain language would prevent us from acquiring knowledge or would stop anybody from the enjoyment of reading itself.
The market in Japan for foreign books are overflowing but these books are not in their original version. All have gone through the translator's pens and savored under the translator's skill.

Pictures are some sample of foreign books (English) translated into the Japanese language. Japanese people are readers by nature and they translate many foreign literary works (any foreign languages) into their language.
Those books in the picture are motivational sort.
By Dr. Wayne W. Dyer:
-Real Magic-Creating miracles in everyday life.
-You'll see it when you believer it.
-Pulling your own strings.
-Your erroneous zones (not sexual at all).

Also by author Thomas J. Leonard: The Portable Coach.

The rest amongst them are written by Japanese writers.

*******

If tomorrow never comes.

This poem was translated in Japanese in 2007. This translated version becomes a best-seller after the Tohoko Earthquake on March 11, 2011.

If tomorrow Never Comes
-- By Norma Marek (used with permission)

If I knew it would be the last time that I'd see you fall asleep,
I would tuck you in more tightly, and pray the Lord your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time that I'd see you walk out the door,
I would give you a hug and kiss, and call you back for just one more.

If I knew it would be the last time I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise,
I would tape each word and action, and play them back throughout my days.

If I knew it would be the last time, I would spare an extra minute or two,
To stop and say "I love you," instead of assuming you know I do.
So, just in case tomorrow never comes, and today is all I get,
I'd like to say how much I love you, and I hope we never will forget.
Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, young or old alike,
And today may be the last chance you get to hold your loved one tight.

So, if you're waiting for tomorrow, why not do it today?
For if tomorrow never comes, you'll surely regret the day
That you didn't take that extra time for a smile, a hug, or a kiss,
And you were too busy to grant someone, what turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today, and whisper in their ear,
That you love them very much, and you'll always hold them dear.
Take time to say "I'm sorry," "Please forgive me," "thank you" or "it's okay".

And if tomorrow never comes, you'll have no regrets about today.

© Norma Cornett Marek 1989

*******

Berakar di langit

BERAKAR DI LANGIT

Daun-daun membuka tubuh
melebarkan saraf ke kulit embun
mencicip hidayah.

Pencari warna memintal dakwat
melakar makna urat-urat bunga
renik-renik lawamah.

Dalam kelongsong pucuk pisang
kelawar mencari hangat dinihari
melabuh tasbih.

Kupu-kupu menampal kepak
kurik segantang bunga-bunga
percikan zikrullah.

Penyair seranjung rabung hayat
mencari bindu pelarik kata
cinta mutmainah.


DARMA MOHAMMAD
Pasir Mas, 2011.

Siaran Berita Minggu, 4 September 2011.

*******

Dewi Fujin

Dewi
Dewi Sukarno (Tokyo, 1940 - )
One of the most outspoken, and for many people probably one of the most hated, celebrities on Japanese TV is Dewi Sukarno. Usually referred to as Dewi Fujin (Madame Dewi), she can always be relied on to add a juicy bit of snootiness or slander to a variety show. The Japanese equivalent of Jacqueline Kennedy or Imelda Marcos, she's a vibrant and opinionated woman who has been at the side of a world leader, knows everyone worth knowing, and loves to tell you about it. In her own words, "I speak too directly. I can't speak diplomatically. I think people are afraid of what I am going to say."

Born Naoko Nemoto, she was working days in an insurance company and nights as a hostess at the Kokusai Club in Akasaka, a place for foreign VIPs. It was there that a fateful meeting with a powerful world leader changed her life. In 1959, at the tender age of 19, she left Japan to become the third of the nine wives of Achmed Sukarno, the president of The Republic of Indonesia. Her full married name was Ratna Sari Dewi Sukarno and the couple had a daughter, Kartika. Sukarno was ousted from power in 1967 and placed under house arrest the following year, where he remained until his death in 1970. After her husband's death Dewi became an international jet setter, living in Paris and New York before returning to Tokyo. She describes her time in Paris, with her usual modesty, "I was young, beautiful, I had a name, a certain wealth. People were so eager to invite me here and there."

In 1993, at the ripe old age of 53 she published a book of photos, many of them nude. The book was slammed in the mostly Islamic Indonesia for "violating eastern norms and insulting Indonesia's dignity" and was banned by the Attorney-General's office. Several years later, an Indonesian magazine published some photos from the book without permission. In 2002, Dewi testified in a Jakarta court in the property rights violation case. This was just one of several court appearances, on both sides of the dock. Most recently, she was ordered to pay damages to an actress she had defamed to the media.

She has certainly capitalized on her outspokeness. She has published several books, with titles such as "Allow Me to Say a Few Things" (2000), that slam Japan's lack of morals. She also has no qualms about criticizing fellow celebrities, something that is pretty much taboo. Her age and perceived social rank have afforded her a kind of special status that allows her to get away with things that not many others in the business can.

Though she may have been above the law in her heyday in Indonesia, this is not the case any more. In 2002, the Tokyo tax authorities ordered her to pay 50 milion yen in back taxes. Her public response was that she left the running of her considerable business interests to her office. I guess it's not easy to make ends meet when you have seven staff to support!

source: www.japan-zone.com

*******

Eid Mubarak 2011

Eid 2011-Aug.

Wishing all my Muslim friends and readers, "A victorious Eid Mubarak!" Celebrate it with joy and not to forget those who are suffering in another part of the world.

Every year, Eid sees different faces in my house. I figure it is the best thing to do. Just put up those faces and look over to trace the memory.
Eid this year sees many political turmoil, dying people, suffering people, hungry people but best of all justice is done when Gaddafi cruel regime has fallen.

Back to my personal business. I created a strict daily regime for the fasting month of Ramadan. I am going through my third draft and I want to be consistent in writing. One page a day is consistent enough for me. That may not be for writers who can sit down and write like their words flows from spring water gushing out of its hole. But I am not like those writers.
But I just find out that writing gives me inner peace. I was a "killer" reader during my younger days. Now I had the advantage of picking up all those that I read before to try on some design in writing style.
Anyway, much as I tried to take care of my health and time, there is an incident which caused a bit of a discomfort for me.
I have a habit of writing for long hours and becomes immovable. During one of these writing moments, I made a sudden move from my seat and bang. There is this tight squeeze on my bum. For the next couple of weeks. I was like waking double bend which reminds me of those 100 years old women walking to buy grocery on Japanese pavement.
Anyway, I went on a self-therapy. I dipped myself hours in the hot pool, go into boiling sauna rooms, paste the hot pad on the aching part and sleep with the stomach corset on. But, no pain-killer for me. No. No. For as long as I can take it and as long as I am able to take the pain, do not show me the paracetamol.
Anyway, on Eid Fitri what with the cooking and cleaning (which I think is the most minimal I had), my back beg of sympathy again.
After the crowd left, I was back on self-therapy, begging my hip to be good to me.
The consolation has some good impact.

Now, I am back to my strict routine again.

*******

Under the tatami...

Many people see tatami flooring, sleep on it, sit on it. But have you ever wonder what's under the straw mat?

The recent typhoon was so strong and the gusty wind seeped in the drainage pipe of our air conditioning. The rain water got trapped and dripped on the tatami flooring. Two or three of the block mat was drenched and if we don't take it to shine, the musty smell remains for long.

So, dear handy man at home, took it off the floor and put those mats under the sun. I took those picture to show what's happening under the plank.
You can see the straw mat is sewn onto a thick board and lay on a wooded plank.
By the way, when calculating the size of houses in Japan, they count it by the amount of the tatami block.
Example: My house is 40 tatami. Or my room is 6 tatami.
Even when making a house, the size of the house is counted by how many tatami.
Example again.
If one tatami block cost JY25,000.
If the house is 40 tatami, you can do the counting here.

So if you have a double-storey house, you count the tatami up there as well.

*******

Overboard!

Guestroom

This room is supposed to be a guest room. But it has been transformed after I decide to invade. On some bad days, the double bed becomes a dumping station for all my books. Trust me I still consider at the time when this photo was taken, the bed to be quite ok. I can hear people tsk, tsk all the way over New Zealand and Ireland.
Ok, I promise to be more tidy. Maybe I should use the floor huhuhu.

*******

Hanging on thin life...

This year, the 9th typhoon is called the Noro-noro kaze because of its slowness. It took 48 hours to cross this island going towards mainland China. Normal typhoon moves at speed 40km/hr takes, takes about 12 hours to cross but this noro-noro kaze is at 10km/hr with the strength of 130-150 km/hr gust of wind.
We lost our power line for 15.5 hours but we have water and cooking gas for the kitchen. So, its not so much as a panic for us.
But the winds were very disturbingly strong. My fruit garden is gone and look at the picture. After the storm what's left are some bitter gourd hanging for life on it thin branches.

The strange thing is, the bitter gourd are surprisingly strong in such wind at 150km/hr lashing for 48 hours. Look how it hang on the tree.
But also after the storm, the leaves turned brown and dry. Like somebody has burnt them when all the time the rain was pouring like elephant's pee for 48 hours with the gust.


Here are some bitter gourd that we collected after the storm. We managed to pick those orchid flower before the storm.

******

Natsumeyashi (Kurma)

dates
I don't feel complete without dates during Ramadan. Ramadan started yesterday and I have friends sending these dates a month earlier. These are dates from Makkah, Madinah, Iraq. Those attached with branches are so fresh and so very sweet, that I have to control myself popping them in my month.
These are gifts from special people and they come from Singapore, Malaysia and Qatar.
Every piece of these dates goes with me saying doa for the givers, after all they took all the trouble to send it to me.

Ramadan is here, may we be in ibadah better that the years before and may we be rewarded. Amin.

Ramadan al-mubarak.

******

Kin-chan

Kin
This is Kin. His is ginger and his eyes are yellowish-ginger as well. He left home a week ago and never return. He is a good listener. See how he followed our instruction. He can only sit on the white towel and he did. He never moved anywhere else. He would sit on the cloth for hours watching us do our things in the house.

Kill
This summer, he started to kill many mice. He went around the house, picked a mice here and there. Played around and when the creature is gone, he brought it back to let us see his catch. He loves to steal the golf ball when his boss do putting. He would rolled the balls here and there, and then he would sit on the balls waiting for the boss to come and picked it from under his body.
Best of all, Kin never nagged for his food. He wait patiently for us to fill his food bowl everyday.
But now Kin is gone. Don't know what happened to him. All kind of weird thoughts came to my head. He was kidnapped. He fall down a black hole and cannot escaped, and died a quiet and slow death. Or maybe ...whatever. Anyway, I do missed my Kin-chan.

Pigeon
But when Kin is gone, things changed very fast around the house. Of course, I don't see the mice moving around at night. But the pigeons and other birds are having some feeling free times around the house.
Here this pigeon has made it a habit to visit our front pouch even when we are nearby. Of course, Otto is happy. Way, way happy...he is.

******