Early exposures

Nowadays, the kids are very lucky indeed...quality of life has improved a lot since Malaysia was born...communcation technology has advanced so much and machines made travelling faster...which means the world has virtually become smaller and the remotest place on Earth is no longer so remote. As a result things chage very fast and the past is fast disappearing.

I wanted the kids to get early exposures and experience on life in other parts ofthe world, near and far...other countries, other kampongs or other continents. As described in past stories, they have been to Egypt, Mekah and Madinah...once for Faiz and Thaqif and twice fo Dini.

Where else have they been??? Faiz and Dini were once in Japan, when their uncle was working in Nagoya. They were there for 10 days and the uncle brought them around Japan...of course Tokyo Disneyland and around Tokyo. Of course we were not there!!!It was the best time to go to Japan....there is so much to learn from the people of the land of the rising sun.

All 3 had also experienced visiting Indonesia...Jakarta, Bandung & Puncak. It was during one of my working trips to Jakarta and we took the opportunity to see the country....chaueffer driven!!They visited the Ci Ater hot spring, Tangkuban Parahu volcanoe, the Safari at Puncak etc...loved the place and I'm sure they learnt different sets of values from that trip.

They had also visited southern Thailand during one of the visits to Nenek's kampongs. This include coverage of araes such as Haadyai, Songkhla, Pattani, Narathiwat, Yala & Betong. Again....there were different things to see and learn.




Apart from those family travel, Dini had also visited Turkey with the grandparents when one of the granduncle was an army attache in Ankara. That was the time when she performed her umrah when she was eight!

We will continue to travel and encourage travel...it has countless benefits. We've seen the hard lives of Thais and Indonesians....in December we plan to expose them to the luxuries of Singapore and we hope they will continue to learn about life, people and geography.

MTS in Harakah - Part 2

Sejak berpindah ke kampus tetap di sini (Tanah Merah), permohonan pelajar baru memasuki MTS terlalu ramai melebihi 1,000 pada tahun 2007 sedangkan tempat yang disediakan cuma 300 sahaja ketika itu. Ini menyebabkan 700 lagi pelajar tidak berpeluang memasuki MTS.

Sebab itulah pemilihan pelajar dibuat dengan syarat mendapat 5A atau 4A dalam UPSR, kata Mudir ketika ditemui baru2 ini. Syarat lain yang perlu dipenuhi iaitu lulus ujian kemasukan tingkatan 1 dan lulus ujian saringan MTS. Katanya, akademik begitu penting bagi memastikan pelajar dapat mengikuti pembelajaran dengan baik, memandangkan cara pembelajaran berbeza dengan sekolah menengah biasa.

Oleh kerana peluang belajar di kampus induk terhad, YIK turut mewujudkan 2 lagi cawangan MTS di Berangan Tumpat dan Kok Lanas khas untuk pelajar lelaki. Setengah pelajar2 juga ditempatkan di Maahad Amir Indera dan Maahad Yaakubiah Nipah di Bachok serta Maahad Saniah di Pasir Puteh. Mulai tahun 2010, pelajar baru juga akan ditempatkan di Maahad Muhammadi Gua Musang.

Jumlah keseluruhan pelajar MTS yang menumpang di sekolah2 lain adalah seramai 1,262 orang dan jumlah pelajar lelaki seramai 664 orang. Bilangan pelajar di MTS induk di Tanah Merah sahaja adalah seramai 680 orang di mana 435 daripadanya perempuan. Pelajar lelaki hanya memasuki kampus tetap apabila belajar di tingkatan tiga.

Pelajar MTS di kampus induk ditempatkan di 18 kelas dengan jumlah kakitangan seramai 70 orang iaitu 19 guru akademik, 6 guru arab dan agama serta 42 guru Al-Quran. Kurikulum yang digunakan iaitu KBSM membabit 12 subjek dan kurikulum arab dan agama mengikut Maahad Bu’uth Al Azhar, Mesir dengan 16 subjek dan Sains Al-Quran. Selain itu, pelajar juga mengikuti Kurikulum Tahfiz YIK dan 1 subjek tajwid. Bagi hafazan, pelajar tingkatan 1 dimestikan menghafal 6 juzuk, tingkatan 2 (6 juzuk), tingkatan 3 (6 juzuk), tingkatan 4 (7 juzuk) dan tingkatan 5 (4 juzuk).

Satu lagi perbezaan di MTS iaitu pelajar hanya dibenarkan naik tingkatan apabila lulus peperiksaan akhir tahun dengan purata markah 40 peratus and tamat 75% sukatan Al-Quran tahunan. Pelajar lepasan PMR yang mahu ke tingkatan 4 syarat minima 6A dan memenuhi 75% sukatan Al-Quran semasa PMR.

Apa yang menarik pencapaian pelajar sulung dalam SPM tahun lepas iaitu 100% di mana 2 orang mendapat 11A, 10A (3 orang), 8A dan 9A (14 orang), 7A ke 4A (20 orang) dan kurang dari 3A (30 orang). Lebih membanggakan, 61 dari jumlah pelajar terbabit tamat menghafal 30 juzuk. Berdasarkan pencapaian tersebut, kini seramai 9 pelajar melanjutkan pengajian di bidang perubatan dengan 7 pelajar di Mesir dan Jordan dan Ireland masing2 seorang. Seramai 17 lagi pelajar melanjutkan pengajian dalam bidang kejuruteraan, asasi sains, farmasi, undang2 dan TESL di universiti2 tempatan. Seramai 16 lagi pelajar mendapat tawaran di peringkat matrikulasi, Kolej (4), Darul Quran Jakim (11 orang) dan menduduli STAM (15).

Pada bulan Mac 2009, seramai lebih kurang 30 orang pelajar lelaki dari tingkatan 5 berjaya dalam "MISI KHATAM AL-QURAN DI PUNCAK KINABALU - menyusuri kembara sufi huffaz" di mana setiap seorang daripada mereka membaca 1 juzuk Al-Quran di atas puncak Gunung Kinabalu.

Profesional huffaz mulai muncul di Kelantan - Harakah isu 26-29 Okt 2009

Pernahkah kita menjadi makmum di belakang imam yang juga seorang doktor pakar, jurutera atau ahli sains? Mungkin ini jarang berlaku. Lebih2 lagi profesional itu seorang hafiz yang mampu menghafal 30 juzuk Al-Quran. Buat masa ini tentunya sukar untuk ditemui kes seumpama itu. Namun beberapa tahun lagi akan lahir doktor perubatan yang juga seorang hafiz. Inilah yang sedang dilakukan di Kelantan dan usaha ke arah itu akan menjadi kenyataan setelah MTS berjaya dijelmakan pada Februari 2004.

Mesyuarat Lembaga YIK pada 5 November 2003 telah bersetuju meluluskan kewujudan MTS. Ekoran itu pada 4 Febuari 2004, pelajar sulung MTS seramai 120 orang iaitu 60 lelaki dan 60 perempuan memulakan pengajian. Pada peringkat awal, mereka menumpang belajar di Maahad Muhammadi Lelaki dan Maahad Muhammadi Perempuan di Kota Bahru. Perasmian MTS disempurnakan oleh Tok Guru Nik Aziz pada 25 Januari 2004 bertempat di Dewan Teratai, Kota Darul Naim.

Selepas 2 tahun menumpang di Maahad Muhammadi, MTS berpindah ke Berangan Tumpat dan pada 2 Januari berpindah ke kampus tetap di Kampung Bendang Baru, Bukit Panau, Tanah Merah. Mudir MTS, Haji Tarmizi Said berkata, MTS merupakan aliran tahfiz kedua selepas Maahad Tahfiz Al-Quran Wal Qiraat di Pulai Chondong yang diwujudkan pada tahun 1992. Namun terdapat perbezaan di antara kedua-dua buah sekolah tersebut di mana MTS memberi penekanan kepada aliran pengajian sains di samping pembelajaran tahfiz Al-Quran.

Bersambung...

Thaqif Iman ~ MJ's No. 1 Fan!

We have not written about our youngest son in this virtual space so I thought that would make an interesting topic! So here we go....

His elder brother came back from school one day and told us....'cikgu kata adik malas dlm kelas, asyik2 Michael Jackson je...cikgu pun dah pening!!'

Can be both bad and good news...bad news because his interest is creeping into the class and the good news is at least he has an interest! It has to be managed in the best possible manner.
He's almost 9 now...a soft hearted plum boy growing up into the real world and during a time when Michael Jackson passed away and grabbed the news headlines all over the world......suddenly the world of Michael Jackson appeared before his eyes on TV 24 hours!!! He was amazed by MJ's dance moves and songs....his interest just kept growing, he even changed his ambition from being an archeologist (of course after watching IndianaJones) to becoming a superstar like MJ!! That's when he came to know Michael Jackson....before that, he had no idea at all. I had tough times answering all kinds of questions from the curious young man.

Since then MJ has been his idol...he learnt the moon walk and dance steps, bought CD's, read books and downloaded videos and songs from the internet into his handphone. He even created a blog full of MJ's pictures and songs! I love his dance moves....not that 100% MJ yet but when he does it, it's always funny....perhaps because of his size and shape!!! He has proven that he can sing too...nice voice, nice tone and follows the beat well....much better that the elder brother or sister!!!

'You're Not Alone', 'Black or White' and 'Billie Jean' are among his favourites. He even reminded his mom on 15th October 2009 to get the tickets to watch "This Is It" which will start showing on 29th this month. So, we will be watching MJ's movie this 31st at GSC, Pavillion. He is just so excited..

Encouraged by his voice, his bravery to take up challenge and his need to be acknowledged for some achievement, I threw a small challenge to him one day...'why not you take part in azan competition? You have a nice voice and I think you can do well.'...we can't expect him to do well in sports....so he took up the challenge and won GOLD medal for 'pertandingan membaca ikrar' (he is a Pengakap member) and SILVER MEDAL for 'pertandingan azan'. Not bad for a start and I'm pretty sure he had learnt a lot through the participation which can only make him better.

Thaqif and Cikgu Fifi as appeared in his school's blog

He was born a 4 kg baby and was on breast milk for 4 years and he has kept on growing since then. His weight and size is of concern but not too worrying...every generation in the family has one person who carries that gene...his uncle Bob is like him. Basically there is too much food and lack of exercise....both of which we now control, and he understands and cooperate

He was the only one of our three kids who has been admitted into hospital when he was about 3 years old due to dengue fever. The mom almost fainted when she got the news. We were terrified thinking how he would survive...the doctor took his blood three times a day and surprisingly, he did not cry every time the needle went through his skin . Even the doctors and nurses were amazed....kenapa this boy tak nangis.?? He infact enjoyed his stay at the hospital.

Being youngest probably has its sets of challenges...but the mom should have loads of experience which he can draw from. Before he completes his primary school, our challenge to him is for him to learn to be more responsible of himself, work harder and reduce weight. Of course we will put up suitable programs and support to help him achieve that goal.

We believe he has the desire and will to do it..."Adik, You're Not Alone".

Laman Nurani...

Laman Nurani adalah nama yang kami berikan untuk taman kecil kami. Itu pun setelah lebih kurang 4 tahun kami mengusahakan taman ini. Oleh kerana komitmen kerja dan sebagainya, hal-hal penyelenggaraan taman ini bermusim-musim. Kadang2 ikut mood. Kalau rasa rajin, kita orang buat, pagi2 dah ke Sungai Buloh mencari pokok2 baru. Kalau datang rasa malas tu...kenalah ditangguhkan dulu.

Hari Ahad lepas, kami anak beranak bertungkus-lumus menyelenggara taman kecil kami. Kami bergotong royong membersihkan rumput2 dan lalang2 yang tumbuh segar di laman di luar kawasan rumah kami disebabkan hujan yang turun setiap hari kebelakangan ini. Memang mencabar tugas kami sekali ini kerana sudah 2 bulan kami tidak berkesempatan membersihkan laman kami disebabkan bulan ramadhan dan raya. Ditambah pula dengan ketiadaan pembantu rumah yang selalunya membantu kami membuat maintanence.

Antara pokok2 yang mendiami Laman Nurani termasuklah dari spesis bunga2 wangi seperti gardenia kuning dan putih, kenanga, melor, cempaka, jasmine, honey suckle, kemboja, melati, kerak nasi, rangoon creepers dan beberapa spesis lain yang tidak diketahui nama mereka. Kami juga banyak menanam spesis keladi, paku, palm dan pokok2 berdaun hijau. Antara pokok yang menjadi pilihan hati kami adalah sejenis pokok berbentuk pedang, yang tidak diketahui namanya. Ada orang panggil pokok tanduk kerana bentuknya yang panjang dan hujungnya yang tajam. Ada satu lagi pokok yang kami minati dari jenis menjalar. Namanya juga tidak diketahui tetapi kami hanya menggelar pokok "janggut" di sebabkan akar yang tumbuh dari dahan2nya yang berwarna merah jambu. Pokok ini sememangnya unik dan menarik kerana merambu2. Pokok ini adalah pemberian dari Abah yang bersusah payah mendapatkan anak pokok tersebut dari sebuah rumah di kampung.

Hampir setiap hari, tidak kira siang atau pun malam kami akan melepak di anjung rumah kami sambil menikmati kehijauan, bau wangian dan desiran air dari Laman Nurani. Sememangnya inilah tempat istirehat kami, ala-ala duduk di kampung sambil minum kopi O. Di sini juga lah tempat kami melayan tetamu kerana mereka lebih suka berbual di sini. Ada kala, bila dah keletihan, pangkin di anjung ni jadi sasaran. Dah lama kami berhajat nak buat sebuah kolam ikan beserta air terjun, tapi sehingga kini impian kami masih belum dapat direalisasikan.

Berbalik pada cerita hari Ahad lepas, setelah penat membanting tulang dan matahari pun dah tegak di atas kepala, kami pun berhenti sambil menikmati kerang rebus dan colek mangga.

MTS ~ Projek Bas Sekolah

Bagi mengumpul dana untuk membeli dua buah bas sekolah untuk para pelajar MTS, Ahli Jawatankuasa Projek PIBG telah melancarkan Masjid Makan Malam pada 22 Mei 2009 bertempat di Pusat Tarbiyah Islamiah Kelantan (PUTIK) di Pengkalan Chepa. Tok Guru Nik Aziz telah menyatakan kesanggupan beliau untuk menghadiri majlis tersebut dan melancarkan tabung bagi mengutip dana bas sekolah. Walaubagaimanapun, atas sebab yang tidak dapat dielakkan, Tok Guru tidak dapat hadir atas masalah kesihatan.

Walaupun tanpa kehadiran Tok Guru, majlis berjalan lancar dan dihadiri oleh ramai VIP and orang awam selain daripada ibu bapa dan pelajar-pelajar MTS. Sebanyak 100 buah meja berharga RM1,000.00 setiap satu berjaya dijual. Kebanyakkan Adun-Adun dan Ahli Parlimen di Kelantan turut memberi sumbangan dengan menaja meja-meja. Ibu bapa pelajar-pelajar MTS tidak ketinggalan menghulurkan bantuan and derma demi memastikan kemudahan bas dapat disedia untuk anak-anak mereka.

Kami turut menghadiri majlis makan malam tersebut dan bertolak dari Kuala Lumpur pada awal pagi Jumaat tersebut. Kami tiba di Tanah Merah lebih kurang pukul 11 pagi dan terus ke MTS untuk mengambil Dini, Ain dan Hanisah. Dalam perjalanan balik ke Kuala Krai, kami sempat singgah di Restoran Tepi Sungai untuk makan tengahari dan berhenti di Masjid Sg Durian untuk Solat Jumaat. Hanya selepas solat Asar kami bertolak ke Kota Bahru untuk menghadiri majlis tersebut.

Majlis dimulakan dengan ucapan alu-aluan oleh Pengerusi Majlis dan bacaan ayat-ayat suci Al-Quran. Sambil hadirin menikmati makan malam yang sungguh enak, pelajar MTS menyerikan majlis dengan persembahan nasyid. Hadirin dimaklumkan melalui tayangan slaid mengenai rasional and objektif membeli dua buah bas yang mana antara lain:
- mengurangkan bebanan kos pengangkutan yang terlalu tinggi oleh MTS
- melaksanakan program-program luar sekolah yang memerlukan kepada pengangkutan
- pengangkutan untuk pelajar lelaki menunaikan solat fardu jumaat
- status SBP (di bawah YIK)
- dapat membantu sekolah-sekolah YIK lain yang memerlukan kemudahan pengangkutan dengan sewa yang kompetitif.

Setakat ini, pihak MTS telah berjaya mengumpul dana sebanyak RM130,000.00 dan jumlah keseluruhan untuk membeli dua buah bas adalah sekitar RM650,000 hingga RM700,000. Pada Mesyuarat Agung PIBG yang diadakan pada bulan Julai yang lepas, para ibu bapa telah bersetuju menyumbang sebanyak RM1,000.00 seorang bagi mencukupkan dana yang diperlukan. MTS masih mengharapkan sumbangan ikhlas dari para dermawan bagi merelisasikan impian 1,262 pelajar MTS. Kepada yang telah menyumbang, Jazakallahu khairul jaza’.

Firman Allah SWT di dalam Surah Al Imran (3):92 yang bermaksud:
Kamu sekali-kali tidak akan mencapai kebajikan (yang sempurna), sehinggalah kamu menafkahkan sebahagian harta yang kamu cintai; dan apa saja yang kamu nafkahkan, maka sesungguhnya Allah Maha Mengetahui tentangnya (dan kami akan mengurniakan balasan yang paling setimpal di akhirat nanti).

Sabda Rasulullah SAW:
Apabila sesorang manusia itu mati, segala amalannya akan terputus kecuali daripada tiga sumber: Sedekah Jariah, atau ilmu yang boleh dimanfaatkan atau anak soleh yang sering mendoakannya.

Untuk yang ingin menyumbang, amatlah dialu-alukan. sila hubungi kami pada bila2 masa.

Abah dan besan

Hanisah, Ain dan Dini

Dini and the geng

Bakal Tetamu Allah SWT

Hari Sabtu yang lepas, program kami dipenuhi dengan jemputan, tapi bukan ke raya open house tetapi ke kenduri doa selamat untuk bakal2 tetamu Allah swt yang akan menunaikan fardu haji ke Mekah pada tahun ini. Kenduri pertama yang kami hadiri adalah atas jemputan Cikgu Yazid, cikgu kelas Dini dari kelas 4 Geliga hingga ke 6 Geliga di SKTS. Cikgu Yazid juga adalah guru tuition Faiz untuk UPSR tahun ini. Terimakasih Cikgu Yazid atas segala usaha dan ilmu yang dicurahkan kepada anak2 kami. InsyaAllah, tahun hadapan Thaqif akan memulakan tuition dengan Cikgu Yazid. Cikgu Yazid dan isteri akan berlepas pada 20hb Oktober 2009.

Kunjungan kedua adalah ke Seksyen 7 Bangi memenuhi undangan Arif, kawan lama hubby di SKF Nilai. Arif dan isteri akan berlepas pada 21hb Oktober 2009. Walaupun hubby sudah hampir 4 tahun meninggalkan SKF, tetapi persahabatan yang terjalin semasa di Nilai masih berterusan dan makin erat. Kami sempat singgah beraya di rumah adik ipar di Bangi sebelum meneruskan perjalanan ke Shah Alam.

Kunjungan yang terakhir adalah di Alam Impian, Seksyen 35, Shah Alam. Ini lah kali pertama kami sampai di kawasan perumahan baru yang serba indah. Sekali ni memenuhi undangan dari Kak Leiza dan suami yang akan berlepas pada 24hb Oktober 2009 jam 1.30 pagi dengan KT15. K. Leiza adalah teman seperjuangan di Huddersfield, UK. Kami sama2 belajar di sana dan sehingga kini silaturrahim kami masih kukuh walaupun kami jarang berjumpa.

Kepada Cikgu Yazid dan isteri, Arif dan isteri serta Kak Leiza dan suami, selamat berangkat ke Tanah Suci Mekah. Tak lupa kepada sepupu kami yang tersayang Kak Ani dan Abang Man yang juga mendapat jemputan menjadi tetamu Allah swt pada kali ini, kami doakan agar semuanya selamat sampai, dipermudahkan menjalani ibadah haji dan umrah serta mendapat haji yang mabrur, insyaAllah.Doakan semoga kami juga diberi peluang menerima undangan menjadi tetamu Allah swt.

Pusing-pusing Malaysia ~ Part 2

Esok pagi setelah check-out dari hotel, kami ke Kedai Kopi White House di bandar Kota Bahru untuk minum pagi. Walaupun sudah bersarapan di hotel, kami masih teruja untuk ke White House yang sememangnya popular dengan kopi, roti bakar dan telur separuh masak. Memang best dan memang berpuas hati walaupun terpaksa menunggu lama untuk meja kosong. Our breakfast cost us RM24. Kalau ke KB, pastikan mencuba roti bakar White House. Ia terletak bersebelahan Muzium Lama dan Masjid Muhammadi. Dibuka 4 jam sebelah pagi dan 4 jam di sebelah malam. Sempat budak2 tu merayau-rayau sekitar Muzium Lama.

Seterusnya kami ke Nordin Batik dan Razali Batik yang terletak di Jalan Pintu Geng. Kalau kami ke KB, ini antara tempat-tempat yang selalu dilawati. Faiz kata “Kalau Aunty BJ datang sini mesti dia beli semua batik kat sini!". "Kenapa pulak?" "Ni kan kedai Mr Nordin” Kah, Kah, Kah!!!….Banyak lagi tempat-tempat yang kami tak sempat kunjungi kali ini sebab berkejar nak hantar Dini balik ke MTS. Biasanya kami akan ke Pasar Buluh Kubu, Pasar Siti Khadijah dan Pasar Lama MPKB (tudung2 memang murah). Kami juga singgah di Langgar untuk membeli serunding dan Jalan Telipot untuk membeli Murtabak frozen (memang sedap!)

Dengan berat hati, kami terpaksa menghantar Dini balik ke MTS untuk dia meneruskan perjuangan menghadapi PMR yang tinggal lagi 2 hari. Kami bertolak dari Tanah Merah lebih kurang pukul 1 tengahari dan sempat singgah di Kuala Krai untuk makan tengahari di Restoran Tanjong. Restoran Tanjong memang popular dan menghidangkan lauk daging masak hitam berempah dan ayam kampong goreng. Dihidang panas2 berulamkan timun dan sambal belacan. Memang mengancam! Ada jugak lauk2 lain yang dijual tapi combination ini yang paling laris. Makan tengahari kami dengan teh O ais cuma RM14.50. Macam tak percaya!!!! Sempat jugak singgah di Econjaya (our favourite supermarket kalau balik kampung!).

Kami meneruskan perjalanan balik ke KL tetapi kali ini kami tidak menggunakan jalan biasa melalui Kuala Lipis tetapi melalui Cameron Highlands. Perjalanan dari Gua Musang ke Lojing memang mengerikan kerana hujan turun dengan lebat. Tidak banyak kereta yang melalui jalan ini dan keadaan kawasan cerun dan pergunungan dengan banyak kerja-kerja membaik pulih tanah runtuh yang sedang berjalan memang menakutkan. Kami sempat berhenti di kawasan lapang sebelum meneruskan perjalanan bila hujan sudah mulai reda. Kami tiba di Cameron Highlands pukul 6 petang dan waktu ni memang kebanyakkan kedai sudah pun tutup. Kami sempat singgah di salah sebuah kedai untuk membeli sayur-sayuran dan buah-buahan sambil menikmati jagung kukus panas.

Setelah berehat sebentar sambil menghilangkan lenguh2, kami meneruskan perjalanan ke Simpang Pulai dan sebelum memasuki lebuhraya Utara-Selatan, kami sempat singgah di Restoran Z-Karnain Tomyam untuk dinner lebih kurang pukul 7 malam. Memang kami mencari masakan panas setelah berhempas pulas mengharungi hujan lebat dan setelah lebih 8 jam berada di dalam kereta. Masakannya boleh tahan jugak dan kami membelanjakan lebih kurang RM33. Kami meneruskan perjalanan ke KL dan pada masa ini, yang masih berjaga cuma the driver. Yang lain dah dibuai mimpi sehingga kami dikejutkan di R&R Ulu Bernam untuk solat jamak ta'khir. Kami akhirnya tiba di rumah jam 11 malam setelah melalui perjalanan selama lebih kurang 12 jam.

Begitulah kisah perjalanan kami 3 dalam 1 (menghadiri kenduri kawin, menziarah Dini di MTS dan bercuti di KB) selama 3 hari 2 malam. Memang seronok berjalan mengelilingi 6 buah negeri (WP, Selangor, Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan dan Perak) sepanjang lebih kurang 1,000km. Banyak tempat yang sempat kami kunjungi, banyak barang yang kami shopping dan bermacam jenis makanan yang kami nikmati. Semuanya best-best dengan harga yang amat berpatutan. Ini memang hobi kami, jauh perjalanan, luas pemandangan dan banyak pengalaman.

Pusing-pusing Malaysia ~ Part 1

Last Friday we went to Kuantan for our cousin’s wedding. The wedding was held in Vistana and we put up a night there after the ceremony. We thought of having nasi kerabu the next day at a place seberang jambatan. IQ tried the nasi kerabu before and according to him it was excellent. The place is called Kedai Kopi Mie and Pak Loh Nasi Kerabu stall is adjacent to the shop. Nasib kami kurang baik kerana nasi kerabu sampai pukul 8.30 pagi dan kami terpaksa bertolak segera ke Tanah Merah. Sedih tak dapat merasa. So, kita orang cari kedai lain and along the way dekat Beserah, we stopped at one kedai makan for breakfast. Sedap jugak nasi dagang dia, panas sebab sentiasa dalam kukusan. Breakfast cost us RM16.

Memang kami sudah merancang untuk makan tengahari di Restoran Kuala Berang. Setiap kali kami melalui Terengganu, kami cuba melalui Kuala Berang untuk menikmati masak tempoyak ikan kelah. Cerita mengenai restoran ini ada dalam posting kami yang terdahulu. Alhamdulilah, ada rezeki kami untuk makan tengahari di sini walaupun ikan kelah yang ada agak kecil. Jadilah and we paid RM66 for the lunch. (1 kilo ikan kelah is RM80!). Kami sampai di Tanah Merah dan tiba di MTS lebih kurang pukul 2.30 petang. Dini sememangnya menanti dengan sabar kehadiran kami. Biasalah budak yang duduk asrama, memang tak sabar nak keluar dari "penjara"!

Dalam perjalanan ke Kota Bharu, kami divert untuk ke Pengkalan Kubor, ke duty free zone. Waktu kami tiba, hujan turun dengan lebat. Tapi itu tidak menghalang kami bershopping di sana. Pengkalan Kubor terletak di sempadan Kelantan-Thailand (Ta' Bai di seberang sungai) dan tempat ni sememangnya popular dengan barang-barang keperluan dapur seperti corelle, pyrex, vision, corning ware dan seribu satu macam pinggan mangkuk, cutleries dan periuk-periuk memasak. Memang gila kalau datang sini. Barangan dari Thailand pun banyak. Kami sempat membeli baju bola siap dengan nombor pilihan dan nama masing-masing tertera di belakang jersey. Memang setiap kali kami ke sini, kami akan membeli jersey bola especially Liverpool and Man U(bukan ori lah!). Harganya memang berpatutan di bandingkan di KL. Di Pengkalan Kubor, satu nombor cuma RM2. Seperti biasa, barangan yang kami beli mencecah RM500 dan kami hanya dikenakan cukai sebanyak RM30 sahaja. Bayangkan satu pinggan corelle yang dijual di Pengkalan Kubor berharga RM27 dan di Parkson, Kota Bahru harga pinggan yang sama RM47! Preassure cooker imported from Germany pun tak sampai RM200 kalau dibandingkan di KL yang mencecah RM500!

Setelah penat membeli belah di Pengkalan Kubor, kami terus check-in di Grand Riverview Hotel, Kota Bahru untuk bermalam di sana. Inilah kali pertama kami bermalam di KB. Memang pengalaman yang baru menjadi pelancung di tempat sendiri. Pada malamnya, kami makan di Medan Selera berdekatan Masjid Muhammadi. Memang tempat ni masyhur kerana banyak pilihan makanan dari negeri Kelantan. Ada bermacam-macam kueh, daging bakar, pilihan nasi - kerabu, dagang, berlauk, ayam, lemak. Ayam Percik Yati pun ada bukak branch di sini. Thaqif makan sehingga menjilat jari!!!Terlalu banyak pilihan sampai tak tau nak makan apa. Dinner kami memang memuaskan dan tak sampai pun RM50.

Lepas dinner, kami ronda-ronda bandar KB dan singgah di Gedung Parkson yang baru dibuka. Memang hebat bandar KB sekarang. Dah ada Tesco, Giant, Parkson, Mydin dan banyak lain pusat membeli-belah yang lain. IQ pulak sebok cari ubat di farmasi...driver selsema, kesian. Dah puas ronda, kami yang keletihan balik ke hotel tidur. Bilik yang kami duduk amat selesa dengan pemandangan sungai Kelantan. Memang besar dan warnanya tak ubah macam sungai teh tarik!!
Tidur pada malam itu sungguh nyenyak....mungkin penat tapi selesa. Maaf tak ada gambar-gambar menarik sebab camera tertinggal di rumah...

Bersambung.........

3 Syawal 1430H...Raya Ketiga

Raya ketiga started as any normal day..early, nice and cool. I planned for a gathering with my primary school friends at lunch today...last night one already dropped by...haven't met him for a long time and he's now with the Fishery Dept in Gua Musang (that can be interesting for kelah fishing and adventure into the Negggiri basin and Gua Cha).

So I had to buy the raw material and Kak Long had to do the cooking (we share the same primary school friends). It was a challenge trying to buy chicken early in the morning...high demand and low suppy so you can imagine people were scrambling for chicken. I was like...'Alamak! Macam mana ni???'. Went to another market nearby and it was also 'nil'...aiseyman!!!! Last choice, I went to the market in town and alhamdulillah...there were abundance!! Phew...lega sekejap....so it was a bit early actually!!

Then there was this thought in my mind, a decision to be made...whether back to KL later today or early tomorrow ....see how things go.

So we had the gathering during lunch time...friends like Azwan, Rashidi, Zulkifli, Ezuddin, Norakbari, Norazmah, Tuan Noor Laily etc ...turned up with their families, so there were around 10 of us, good enough for a small gathering. Although I was able to contact at least 20 and some of them after almost 30 years!!! Most of them no longer live in Kuala Krai...but their memories still do.

We decided to leave that day after the function and packed our things. We left kampung with a heavy heart at around 8pm and reached home around 2am. It was a smooth journey and as usual everyone slept all the way except the driver.

2 Syawal 1430H...Raya Kedua

Life was supposed to start early on day 2 Raya..but since everyone was very tired and exhausted, it started slightly late...panicky a bit because orang surau nak datang for upacara belah mulut & cukur jambul Farisya!! But it was early enough for Pak Ngah to cook the rice and fried the chicken. The rest have been prepared the night before. We anticipated about 50 people from surau plus nearby neighbours but the guests turned out to be more than that. Apa lagi, macam lipas kudunglah orang dapur to cook another round of nasi lemak. Our guests were patient enough to wait sambil berborak.

The majlis went on smoothly without a hitch and everyone enjoyed the nasi lemak...you can imagine nasi lemak on second day Raya and after Ramadhan...it was very tempting!

At about 7;30 to 8 AM, people started leaving after the ceremony ended and we started cleaning up...everybody chipped in and the task became light and easy. After all th guest left, we surprised Pak Ngah with a birthday cake. Pak Ngah celebrated his 40th birthday on 2nd raya. His anak-ank buah yang celebrated birthdays in September tumpang sekaki, termasuklah Cik Dini. The cake disappeared in a split moment!

After a while, the kids started to become restless... they need to have more fun... Raya la katakan, sepupu sepapat pulak ada.... that time depa tak kisah mak bapak dah!! Anyway... they did what they normally like best....mandi dalam pool (pool macam kolah besar je!!!). Hujan ka..panas ka...depa boleh mandi dalam kolam yg tak luas mana pun ie 8 ft (L) x 4ft (W) x 2 ft (D)...kecik je tapi boleh muat lapan orang!!! Tok abah la yg rajin top up 'air' every morning.

So I thought why not bring these people for a better fun?? Waterfall!! We normally go to waterfalls when we have the chance.... Raya would be one of them. So it was a beautiful day anyway....hot, sunny & breezy...perfect for a picnic at a waterfall. The idea was supported 120%...so without wasting much time, we were on our way...at about 10 AM. We settled for Lata Beringin because it is best for 'mandi & fun'... good area, beautiful water, relatively safe and not too far away.

After 30 minutes, we were at the entrance to the waterfall...looked rough and not properly maintained. We continued onwards...the plants were overgrown and were scratching the car... then we came to a stop!! There's a fallen tree blocking the road....Wow! this is getting challenging. We did not give up....we worked to cut the wood until a Naza Ria could pass through.... the passage was very narrow, deep ravine and the river borders the other side... we required a front guide to make it through!! Phew... one obstacle down!!

We continued further...and stopped again hardly 5 minutes away....this time its for good!!! Landslide!!!! The waterfall is 1.5 km away...uphill....and we thought it was too dangerous to proceed any further with the Group that we have. So we decided to mandi at the spot where we had to stop.... it's a walk down a steep slope, slow but safe....and brought us to a private space at the river bank with rapids shooting on the background...good enough spot for adults and kids.

So the mandi manda began and again it was fun as usual...many were trying to conqouer the rapids....fast and rocky. While everyone was engrossed in the fun...suddenly someone noticed a moving 'wood' in the water...it was actually ular sawa!!!!!! Kelam kabut semua panjat tebing...it was six foot baby ular sawa....it did not disturb anyone so we did not disturb it either, it followed the flow downstream...and we continued to mandi. We were creating the loudest noise in the jungle...

After a good one hour...it was time to pack and climb the steep slope again, then a drive through the small passage, then it was smooth...good time to sleep for the kids. Sampai rumah...everyone was hungry..... you know what happen next.

3rd Raya is another story....

Raya Pertama...Hoorrey!!!

Raya has always been an eventful day. Iron baju raya, prepare breakfast, solat aidil fitri, bersalam-salaman, ambik gambar, ziarah kubur and of course makan2...the same activities year in year out.

Semuanya bangun awal dan ada yg solat di madrasah...later we had a light breakfast before solat aidilfitri. Thaqif wasn't sure if he could / should eat that morning and repeatedly asked us "Boleh Makan ke Tak Ni?".

After solat sunat aidil fitri, we had the bersalam-salam ceremony starting with the eldest and ended with the youngest in the family. Of course this is the time the kids have been waiting for....duit raya collection. We all had a good laugh when my kids tertipu with RM100 note with Mr Bean's face instead of the first Agung's face!!! kah!kah!kah!

After salam dan mintak ampun, the house was ambushed with Tok Su's family datang beraya. Tok's Su and her daughter, Kak Long stay next door to us.

After they left, we all closed the house and went to a Photo Shop to capture the family photos. We do this whenever we celebrate raya in Kuala Krai. The cost is so much cheaper than in KL. You could see a group of families wearing all red or purple or green...queing up at the shop. We all came in grey this year. For the first time, the whole family of Haji Danial was dressed in grey...the photos were great!

Later that afternoon, all of us went back to Labok, Machang (Tok Abah's kampung) and the males ziarah kubur arwah tok and nenek. Here, we met Pok Mae's (Abdul Rahman) family and Pok Tar's (Mokhtar) family and beraya with them...the younger girls had a fun time with IQ walking through a river near the house and learning about the ecosystem of the river...they loved it..."Uncle! Jangan la balik lagi!!!' Pok Tar called IQ the 'river man'.

It was short and sweet...that was the first time we met ramai-ramai after so long, we used to do this when we were kids. Of late normally mesti ada time lapse and we missed meeting each other and ended up having to travel to KB or K. Krai.

Traffic was not too bad on first day Raya but it can be really bad day two onwards. Not because of raya but the Kelantanese likes to hold kenduri during raya when everybody is around.

Later in the evening, we all went back home, tired and sleepy. Dinner was mee goreng and nasi goreng....pun licin!!! Then the mercun started to explode again!! I remember when I was a kid, letak mercun dlm tahi lembu...when it explode, the tahi lembu disappeared!!!! Of course....

After dinner, Pak Ngah, was busy preparing Nasi Lemak for Farisya's cukur jambul ceremony the next morning. It's a norm to have cukur jambul & marhaban after solat subuh in Kelantan. Nasi lemak is really good during Raya...sometimes roti cicah gulai pun jadi! Pity Pak Ngah having to prepare the nasi lemak ingredients when others were already in bed having sweet dreams.

Later we all layan English Premier League..Manchester United vs Manchester City...what an explosive game some more!!! IQ's cousin was also there...memang Raya sakan.

Habis la 1 Syawal 1430H and it was full of fun, full of activities and full of meeting people.

Nanti kita sambung cerita Raya selepas iklan ini...jangan ke mana-mana!

Bersambung.....

Maidless....Part 1

We are without maid now for at least two months! After Nenek left us, I immediately contacted my srikandi friend who handles maid agency for an Indonesian maid. We were so fortunate that there was an Indonesian lady available and we got ourselves a replacement almost immediately. But she was only available for a month as she already booked a flight back home on Merdeka day to celebrate raya with her family. In the mean time, we have to cope without a maid!!!

For someone who has not been in the kitchen for more than 12 years, it is not an easy task to acquire the skills back. It takes time and effort. It took me more than a week to refresh my memory on how to cook and prepare some of the dishes! Hubby is kind enough to lend a helping hand, assist me with washing, watering the plants and handles the rubbish. I used to love cooking before I got married and still remember going to various cooking/baking classes when other gals of my age then, enjoyed shopping and socialising. The first two weeks was disastrous what more with fasting month when you are expected to prepare dishes outside the ordinary complete with kueh-mueh. We had problems adapting to the indonesian style of cooking as we were so used to thai ways of cooking. What more, our x-maid, nenek is a real good cook. I'm trying real hard to do better than her or be at par the least! Because of that, I have to opt for flexi working hours from 7.30am to 4.30pm. Luckily my boss, a british is understanding of the situation. Everyday, by the time I reached home, I was able to cook with all the ingredients already prepared by the indon maid.

This did not last long when she left us on 8 Ramadhan. To make things worst, Faiz was due to sit for his UPSR and PSRA exams in October. Syukur my parents were kind enough to lend their thai maid to us over the weekdays. When she finally went back to celebrate raya, situation was back to square one. My parents had to come all the way from Ampang to wait for the boys to return from school around 1pm and sent them to sekolah agama at 2pm. That was their routine everyday. We are now trying to get the indon maid back but the process is just too complex and costly. Too many conditions and restrictions with so many ways and means to escape these restrictions. We are still looking for the best solution to resolve this maidless problem.

I have gradually improve on my cooking and manning the house and the garden. I look forward to cook now and stay at home over the weekends. Now, after two months, my interest slowly changes from interior decoration/reading to cooking/baking. All raya cookies are home made. Majalah Anjung Seri and Impiana have now been replaced with Rasa and Saji. Hope this feeling remains... and thanks to my hubby, parents and the two boys for the endless support during this trying time.

29 Ramadhan....Malam Raya

Hari ni, 29 Ramadhan 1430H, tengok anak bulan...by 8 pm we should know esok Raya atau tidak tapi the feeling was that ...esok Raya! True enough...esok memang Raya.

Walaupun gembira menyambut Aidil Fitri...sedih dan pilu melihat Ramadhan 1430H berlalu pergi... telah kami lalui malam 23 Ramadhan yg berbeza dari malam2 lain...insyaAllah.

Sebelum pengumuman penyimpan mohor besar Raja2, iftar 29 Ramadhan ini sungguh istimewa. Adik beradik sekeluarga berkumpul untuk berbuka puasa bersama...seronok dan dapur pun dah tak muat, kena la hampar seperah di ruang tamu....lagi la seronok. Bermacam juadah yg ada... yg dimasak dan yg dibeli di bazaar Ramadhan. Faiz sampai sakit perut....pasal pandai sangat minum 1.5 bottles of carbonated drinks lepas berbuka....kena la pergi klinik ambik ubat. Klinik pun dah nak tutup, maklum lah malam raya...

Setelah berbuka and solat Maghrib...kesunyian kampung hilang dek letupan mercun...dam!dam!dum! kabooom!!... macam medan perang....ada mercun yg terbang, yg melompat, yg berpusing, yg dah masuk angin (stok lama)....dan ada yg bunyi macam kentut dan ada pula yg bergegar macam bom / pertunjukan bunga api (macam mercun KLCC). Nak main mercun biar berpada2 la...mesti ada adults supervision and ingat sampah kena buang dalam tong!!!

While budak2 (and some orang2 tua juga) seronok main mercun...ramai juga yg menapak ke masjid bagi solat Isya', solat sunat Tasbih dan bertakbir.....Allahuakbar! Allahuakbar! Allahuakbar! Lai-ila-hailallah, huallah..huakbar, Allahuakbar wallillahilhamd.... ucapan dan bunyian yang syahdu menggetar jiwa....Selesai solat, bapak2 sebuk membakar satay. Dah jadi satu kebiasaan, Tok Abah menjamu satay tiap-tiap malam raya sambut anak cucu dan jiran yang balik beraya di kampung. Ibu2 pulak, seperti biasa sebok di dapur. Menu pagi raya selain rendang, kuah kacang, lemang dan nasi impit ada soto resipi Pasir Mas.

Esok raya.....bersambung

MTS - Menjana Para Huffaz - Part 3

MTS was officially opened by Sultan Kelantan on 24 May 2007. We were there to witness the auspicious ceremony. Tok Guru Nik Aziz was there too. When we first sent her to MTS in January 2007, I remembered Tok Guru came and led “solat hajat” prayers with all the teachers and parents. That was the first time I saw Tok Guru personally and heard him speak. I was touched with what he is trying to do, to set up a school to produce professional huffaz. His aim is for each house in Kelantan to have at least a hafiz/hafizah. Similar to our government campaign of “One House One Computer". He wanted to produce new generations who are professionals like doctors, engineers, accountants, lawyers but with strong Islamic principles. That way, it is hoped that the future generations and future leaders would lead the country better (free from corruption!).

This type of school is very scarce in Malaysia. We do have sekolah menengah agama and some of them are fully residential but the syllabus on the religious subjects is limited. I have not come across any government secondary schools that offer both tahfiz and academic. MARA has set up one in Terengganu called MRSM Agama which offers similar subjects like MTS. The difference between the two is of course the facilities. They have everything unlike MTS which has only the basic. Selangor, under the new government has set up 3 similar schools called Maahad Integrasi Tahfiz Sains & Teknologi in Kg Jawa, Juru and Puncak Alam. The demand for this type of school keeps increasing that it becomes difficult and challenging to send your kids to study in these type of school. Of course there are many small private tahfiz establishments but you might have second thoughts in sending your kids there. Although MTS is offered to “anak Kelantan”, orang luar masih berpeluang menghantar anak mereka. Kuota pengambilan orang luar mungkin dalam 10%. We were lucky because Dini’s Abah is a true kelantanese.

My hope is for the government to treat the state schools equally regardless if the state is ruled by the opposition. As Malaysian, we all pay taxes and we deserve to be given the same treatment. The kids shouldn’t be penalised for wanting to pursue their studies in these schools. I sincerely hope the students and the teachers will continue to strive to achieve its vision of “Menjana para huffaz yang berketerampilan dalam semua bidang menjelang 2010” regardless of any obstacles. InsyaAllah, ganjaran dari Allah swt menanti mereka yang berkorban memelihara Al-Quran.

If you are interested to send your kids to MTS, please obtain the application forms from MTS or YIK (RM5 per form) and submit to the school within 10 days after UPSR results are announced. Good Luck!