A_2019G JUL-SEP

2019G

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2019G Diary

It's July Now

Dated 2019G Jul 7 Sun 4 Z-Kaedah 1440H

It's the second half of 2019. The heat of Shawal is cooling off, to be slowly replaced by the EID QURBAN in ca six weeks time. Jul 4 Thu 1 Z-Kaedah 1440H, the media has covered the beginning of HAJ operation. The first flight KT01 had took off from KLIA. MALINI-HANIEF are due to check-in Jul 22 Mon. ADIKJO deferred the rayuan offer because the cost of the rayuan is more than twice that of the normal turn. The WUKUF is expected to be on Aug 10 Sat.

MADI's final touch was seen the next day, Jul 6 Sat, high up on the roof, at the ridges. Every pieces of the cove tiles were cemented in place, securing against the blowing of the monsoon.

Jul 2 Tue, NA took ASRI to the GATEWAY for a bowling spree, she said to regain her skill for the TRG BAR competition.

Jul 3 Wed, made a visit to TH in the Diamond-LOTA. It was so calm and peace d-stair, but apparently all the routine daily activities of the rakyat were done u-stair. Very crowded in the confined space which included the staircase. Just wonder why it didn't come to their mind to switch the floor so the the over flow could spill outside to the corridor especially the mothers with babies as young as three months old to open new accounts. What security?

Jul 4 Thu, drove for a quick 'scan' in U-MALAYA campus while delivering NA for her meeting in the LAW FAC. For the first time, I drove into the loop of the 3rd, 4th, 6th colleges, passing through the ARTS FAC on the left, and the SCIENCE FAC on the right, a building of which I remembered perhaps in 1972, of UKM era, in one of the lecture theatres, the ANGKATAN KAJIAN SAINS (ANGKASA) was launched during which students from the vicinity schools were invited. It published a Megazine, RINTISAINS for students to learn writing Science Articles for publication, with the cooperation of the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. In 1972 - 1973 some of my writing were published in the megazine. Other places then in 1971 - 1974, U-Malaya was just as familiar as in U-KM, my Alma Mater. Masjid Ar-Rahman stood to the test of time. U-Malaya, although old, is still an elegant IPT. It had been holding its integrity over all challenges to change it. Unlike other later IPT which were all 'damaged' soon after establishment by either political menacing, or by personal ego-ing.

Jul 5 Fri 2 Z-Kaedah 1440H, a quick visit to Putrajaya after Jumaat in MPI, for an open house of NA's KIK buddy.

Followed by a DRVTGG with NA for usual matters in TRG. It was quite a traffic in KL in the evening. Waze made twice detour along MRR2. Once by TBS at Sg Besi. And another to Ampang Jaya between Pandan Indah and Flamingo junction. Even after Gombak toll, the traffic was rather viscous. And it was a congestion, from Paya Serai, for the Bentong toll. Only after Karak toll, the speed could be attained. But the RR and LB pitstops were swarmed by motorists stopping for a breath of fresh air. It was near m-night when we arrived HOME in W-TENGAH. Noted traces of MADI's last touch. The MIXER still in, the excess cement laid uncovered, and the water tank was left untended.

Pegged by the Paint

Dated 2019G Jul 17 Wed 14 Z-Kaedah 1440H

It's very calm in TRG. Even the sea was almost wave-less. Weather-wise, it's sunny in the morning, and thus hot in the afternoon. At night the air always with dead. Sporadically, in the distant, the sound of thunder, empty. Infrequently, downfall late evening. The streets began displaying stalls of DURIAN, apparently from Johor, and Pahang. Local durian needed another few weeks to fill the stalls.

The house of W-Tengah painting tied us to the weekend. Waiting for the paints to arrive was one thing. Another was that the painters needed overseeing for the works with regards to the pattern and fine detail, etc. Nonetheless, Jul 12 Fri night, CG Jamil tagged Dato Muhatar along for a refreshment in DATARAN TEMESU.

NATURE WORKS WONDER, the coconut was split into two halves with a strong blow of a parang. It was given to the chicken to peck the kernel. In the while the half that contain the bud grew into a plantlet. But, fretizen missed the img message by adducing that the coconut plantlet was menaced by the feral.

Jul 6 Sat 3 Z-Kaedah 1440H, had a chance to stroll MANIR. And met Hamzah Ngah who said, while having roti-canai, never miss the Saturday Manir.

Jul 8 Mon, ZAM et al resumed painting of the house, starting from the living area where he left ca 2014 Jun. And would continue to the outside to finish off the whole house. ICI had since been out of production. JOTUN replaced.

Jul 9 Tue, had a night strolling spree in BANDAR while waiting for NA having a briefing among her BAR colleagues. Stopping at ROTI-KEK KT of Jln Sultan Omar, my favourite during UDM time in KOTA. Then strolling the DATARAN SHAH BANDAR where in the FLEA MARKET, the so-called DURIAN AUCTION was held. And finally in Pulau Kambing on the way home, a stop in BIG TREE STATION, seeing a former student operating her stall. My last encounter with her was in 2018 Oct 27 Sat in THE KITCHEN, thence she said in six months time she'll be on her own with a partner.

Jul 13 Sat drove up to Jerteh in WIRA with the MOWING accs, to see the orchard. The last time we dropped by, Jun 24, the durian was at 'monkey-head' size. Noted some had fallen, but almost all were premature. MOWED a bit, especially in the area of rubber trees to facilitate the tapper. Local mowermen were also hired.

All in a Moment

Dated 2019G Jul 23 Tue 20 Z-Kaedah 1440H

Jul 18 Thu 15 Z-Kaedah 1440H, DRVKUL, after over a week deferred since the AK-anticipation of Jul 9 Tue due to being pegged by the paint delivery. They were eventually ready for collection Jul 17 Wed. With that ZAM could throttle in full speed while we were in KL. Most of the tasks were then outside of the house. Commenced the DRVKUL early in the morning, before ZAM arrive, thus home in Sg Merab shortly after 3. Weather-wise, and traffic-wise, especially in crossing KL were fine.

Jul 22 Mon, DRVTGG after taking MALINI-HANIEF to MOVENPICK in KLIA. Loaded in TAV were some drums of paint I bought, the cheated way, in a Sg Tangkas harbee, unlike the ICI I bought in Kajang Sin Tong for the Tok Jembal house. I would have not bought the paint had she honestly said that the 'stocks' were to be mixed in situ, not of factory pre-mixed. I missed the clue before I paid, that the max volume was 15-Lit, rather than 20-Lit the factory pre-mixed. Damn!! Harbee. Last week I was pegged in TRG waiting for the 20-Lit factory pre-mixed paints the desk-girl said she needed 10 days to acquire from KL. She honestly said I could have the inferior quality in-situ mix in half an hr.

It was a great congestion on the KARAK-KL H-way, right after paying RM6 at Gombak. A mass crawling, climbing, as though a sort of migration. Heavy haulers not excluded. The 'sembelit' was at the TEROWONG. The EAST-BOUND terowong was closed, thus sharing the west-bound terowong in a single pile traffic. Strangely the west-bound traffic was not congested. And no work was visibly seen being carried out. The misery was compounded by sporadic drizzling on the western side of Titiwangsa.

In W-Tengah house, ZAM had apparently just started, from the front, painting the SILING LAYANG. The WOODSHIELD. However, on close watch, the g-ceiling-beams had yet to be completed. Jul 23 Tue, ZAM hp-ed that he's on leave this week to manage matters of his younger sister who passed away on Sun.

Jul 19 Fri night, ank2 gathered, including ALYA et al from JB. The night after, managed to w-hp-ed with SB in Germany. He's struggling for an LI place which appeared most likely to be at home. But was intricate-ed by the visa span date which was made so by the passport expiry date.

Jul 20 Sat night we went over to MALINI's place, as all other siblings of both Malini and Hanief, to see their preparation to go to HAJ. NA and I made an appeal to accompany, but, by ordinary post, with our standard of kerakyatan we were 'BOLAYAN'-ed. They're depending on Hanief's mother, CG ROS to take care of their five children, the youngest being ca fifteen months, and the eldest in SSAS hostel Putrajaya.

Jul 22 Mon 19 Z-Kaedah 1440H, first thing in the morning, we took Malini-Hanief to TH MOVËNPICK in KLIA, to commence the departure. This was my first time at the HOTEL. The place was opened since last year as the processing depot for the HAJ by LUTH. Including the immigration entry processing instead of in Jeddah or Madinah.

Twice in Tok Bugis

Dated 2019G Aug 4 Sun 3 Z-Hijjah 1440H

Jul 23-27 Tue-Sat were NA's day. The first two in KT. Thu in Besut with the Majlis. Fri in KL, day trip for the COUNCIL MEETING. And Sat in Dungun with YDSM. While in Besut, Kuala Besut Jetty was visited for the much-said roti-canai. It was my first time at the Jetty. And completing the Thu in Jerteh, peeked the orchard in Tok Bugis for some durian. And again Jul 29 Mon, felling down a 3-branch rambutan tree.

And Jul 29 Mon applied it in TOK BUGIS, felling down a 3-branch rambutan tree of the least economic value to make way for smaller trees to catch the morning sun light, and grow faster.

Jul 30 Tue, ZAM-SALAM turned up to resume the painting of the house. His last touch was Jul 21 Sun when he was hp-ed about her ill-fated younger sister. I was in Sg Merab. All materials were available for them to resume. Most of the tasks were out side especially the wooden ceiling, and those high up at the gables of the roof. Very little place that were needed to access from inside.

Nonetheless, after eight days in W-TENGAH, including twice to TOK BUGIS orchard, today was the DRVKUL day. Drove by Tok Jembal for the final audit. Plucked PISANG, the first major harvest from Tok Jembal. NA was behind the wheel on the LPT2. Then took over the wheel, skipped LPT2 took JJ-Route from Bukit Besi to Jabor. As always LPT1 was unavoidable. In Gambang RR, met the BATU-6 YB and Dr Abdullah Sipat he said ex-Kelantan. Weather, and traffic were favourable, even beyond Gombak in MRR2. Constipation in AKLEH-FLAMINGO, and in BTS-SG BESI were minimum. HOME in Sg Merab before dark. Apart from CB-ASRI, RUBY et Malini's kids sans Munief sans Ruby's kids were in. CG Ros was on a medical break, and her buddy CT too. The kids stayed with us during the weekend Aug 2-4 Fri-Sun. NA put up a lot of effort to 'acclimatise' to new experience. Including an experience of taking a 15-month old child to hospital for an asthmatic treatment.

With ZAM on emergency leave, painting was not in progress. In the while the house perimeter was audited. In particular contemplating to managed the discarded timber debris for later use.

While in DUNGUN Jul 27 Sat, rendz-ed with ZALI, reminiscing while having a R-C in a street off marketplace in Kuala Dungun. Hala balik, singgah PANTAI SEMARAK, Marang, noting the line BAZAAR. Singgah. But nothing was of interest. And at night, joined ANI's team in Gong Badak, accompany-ing POK NGOH HEIM who was leading.

Zulhijjah 1440H

Dated 2019G Aug 10 Sat 9 Z-Hijjah 1440H

1440H was in its last leg. Zulhijjah, the 12th month, beginning Aug 2 Fri, covering 30 days. Then 1 Muharram 1441H would coincide with Sep 1, 2019 and on Sun. And on the very Zulhijjah, dropped by SRKJ2, BANGI, the primary alma mater of all my eight children.

Aug 6 Tue, strolling. Searching for fresh fish along the beach of Tok Jembal to Ketapang, but not available. LAUT KUCAH. Ended in KALANG ARANG. Singgah rumah Raja Sulaiman, in front of the MASJID, after seeing the front part of the Masjid has a magnificent FACE-LIFT. The HOME of KALANG ARANG was just glanced. A short stop in DEK, noted that the cookies were not of extreme imbibing anymore.

Aug 7 Wed, another day-trip to JERTEH, popping in the orchard. This time more in P-RIMAU, NA's lots which was told that a DURIAN, which NA had not been aware of, started bearing fruit of super quality. Yes, it was there, with the fruit high up. We end up with only the RAMBUTAN. Tok Bugis, and P-Panjang were also visited like for the past few times.

Aug 5 Mon 4 Z-Hijjah 1440H, DRVTGG with NA. It was after the weekend relief of Zarief's agony in Az-Zahrah of his asthmatic regular. Hopefully by him staying at home all week, he would get strong again.

In the while the home in W-TENGAH was at the last stage of painting. The wooden ceiling of the POKNONG, and MOK sides were done, and the latter with the gable as well. Being continued were the DARAT side, and the MOKLONG side. Plus the GABLES. Then the touch up here and there, mostly inside of the house, which would take through to after RAYA HAJI.

Aug 8 Thu, DRVKUL. Opted the BEACH ROUTE, the very original route of reaching Kuala Lumpur from Kuala Trengganu. However, at Sg Ular detoured to Jabor to take LPT1.

And settled with getting to prepare for the eventual RAYA HAJI in three days time on Aug 11 Sun. CB helped buying a new Canon ISUS 185, red, replacing the exact black one which had gone screen-blank. Munif-Hasif-Wazif were arranged to stay with us, while Fifah-Zarif would go with their grandma CG Ros in Meru. NA furnished the things she needed for the kitchen in Sat Bazaar Aug 10 Sat.

Raya Haji 1440H

Dated 2019G Aug 15 Thu 14 Z-Hijjah 1440H

The Raya Haji 2019 (10 Z-Hijjah 1440H) was on Aug 11 Sun. NA and I were home in Sg Merab since Aug 8 Thu. ALYA requested to spend together, and the need to tend to Malini's children. With that, all ank-cu2 were in, except Ruby's boys in Trg, Malini in Haj in Mina, and SB in Germany. All went to SNR for the solat including Zidni et al. Muzani et al joined after solat. And the Raya Haji 1440H was just another day, except that the following day Mon was a public break day by veirtue that the Raya Haji fall on Sun. Aug 13 Tue, normalcy returned. However, the one-week school break was to the weekend. The school reopened on Aug 19 Mon.

Visiting neighbour is no longer a rhythm of Hari Raya these days. Neighbours were hi-ed when one is stumbled, be it any where. And normally it does not go beyond the answer of the question of where about these days. The lucky flock throw an open house, and we are told not to go if not formally invited.

The Paint Eventually Dried

Dated 2019G Aug 26 Mon 25 Z-Hijjah 1440H

Ostensibly, many Walimah were held after Raya Haji. One was in W-Tengah, the very neighbour Kamal, the wedding of his daughter, Mon 11 Zulhijjah. But I was in Sg Merab. Nonetheless an effort was made to make one in Kuantan, Aug 17 Sat 16 Z-Hijjah, that of Ibrahim Jusoh, the wedding of his son, his last. Exclusively on day trip from Sg Merab, despite the presence of Malini's kids who were taken care of by Ruby for the day. Incidentally Zidni, Muzani et al were also in Sg Merab to help.

Aug 20 Tue 19 Z-Hijjah 1440H, DRVTGG with NA. She had a few legal matters to sort out in TRG. In the DRV, made just one stop, and in PRASING RR to see how much it has 'developed' as an RR. It has not. Gambang was still the RR to stop for refreshment before coasting either LPT2, or the AJJ route.

Aug 26 Sun 25 Z-Hijjah, ZAM and all three of his staff, Salam, Mizi, and Embong, came in full dress for the last stroke of paint on the house of W-Tengah, especially the front gable, which eventually dried just after the mid-day. And thus DONE the PAINT stage. Next to come is tie-ing the loose ends of the electrical wire, then the stairs tiles.

Many anecdotes took place in this vicinity of Kuantan in the 70's, beginning in 1967 Jan. Another major one was in 1972 Feb. The importance of the vicinity began to reduce when the Jalan Pintasan, Batu8-Gebeng was opened in late 70's. And now with LPT1-LPT2 in full swing, going to Kuantan is a detour.

it was a rather packed days in W-Tengah. Aug 21 Wed, took the mower to Padang Air for the service, it didn't start the last time to mow in Tok Jembal. Aug 22 Thu 21 Z-Hijjah 1440H, accompanied NA to Tahfiz ASSABIQUN in KUBANG JAMBU in TRG BAR social event of SOLAT HAJAT for UPSR, PMR, SPM, STP etc.

Aug 23 Fri, spent the whole day in Tok Jembal, as well as in Sepetir, even overnight Tok Jembal, auditing the perimeter of both premises. The former was a routine. The following day, Aug 24 Sat, a DRV to Jerteh, gathering whatever available reminder from the orchard. All were for the Aug 25 Sun. NA's Office Warming in Sepetir, among her close buddies, acquaintances, and colleagues. My only guest was limited to only Dr Che Lah. Pok Sid and Dr Abdullah Sipat were not available.

Merdeka-62

Dated 2019G Aug 31 Sat 30 Z-Hijjah 1440H

Aug 27 Tue 26 Z-Hijjah 1440H, DRVKUL with NA. Failing for the second consecutive time to drop by MOK NGOH in Cenering, we end up in MARANG, the Water Front. The vicinity I had a very memorable anecdote in 1964 Dec, I was then still a timid boy.

Aug 31 Sat was MERDEKA-62, coincided with the last day of 1440H. Ostensibly, many Walimah were still around. One that NA insisted to go on Aug 31 Sat was in the nearby PLPP hall. The host was NA's KIK buddy. However, NA didn't expect that not many would turn up for spontaneous reunion.

But the most on Aug 31 Sat 30 Z-Hijjah 1440 was the return of HAJ KT-35 group, in which Malini-Hanif were in. On the way to KLIA, made a short visit to Abg Di in Salak Tinggi who we have not seen since Ramadan. As always in KLIA it was quite a waiting, it took more than an hr for the Jemaah to emerge to the waiting relatives ex-C-gate where the plane docked. Took Malini-Hanif to their home as quickly as possible to the waiting CG Ros et ank-cu2 for every one to express the excitement.

1441H

Dated 2019G Sep 8 Sun 8 Muharram 1441H

2019 Sep 1 Sun was Hijriah new year, 1 Muharram 1441H. And opening the new Hijriah year was a walimah of NA's KIK buddy, in the GATEWAY. Unexpectedly NA was met with quite a number of KIK buddies. One, she said was her only mate through to UM LAW, currently practicing in her native land, in JB, staying in Tampoi.

Sep 2 Mon, 4-beranak, visiting Putrajaya Botanical Garden, FLORIA EXHIBITION. Singgah RASA ALAMANDA for the lunch, and the AEON for the kitchen sundries.

Sep 8 Sun, a Walimah in MPI a.k.a. Institut Pendidikan Guru, Kampus Pendidikan Islam. The wedding of a daughter of Zainuddin, a son of the late En Ahmad Keromo of Sg Merab, an elder whose family I was hosted to in 1972 May in a PMUKM working camp during student time. The marriage was with the son of Noraina, Zainuddin's younger sister. The couple thus technically cousins.

CORIANDER, was said to be an elusive herb to grow. Of late it appeared in the bazaar in mass, with inflated price, said to be heavily consumed by the sub-continent-ians who kept on flocking this country, like no immigration in operation at the border.

And another, Sep 6 Fri. The HALAL FEST 2019, in The MINES. The exhibition (read: promotion) was on the b-ground of BM-First, and was mentioned in the speech by the Minister during the opening when we arrived.

Hazy 'Season' All Over

Dated 2019G Sep 22 Sun 22 Muharram 1441H

Sep 9 Mon was Malaysia break day. DRVTGG with NA, bye-ing CB-ASRI in Sg Merab. The weather was hazy, all the way, which otherwise was very fine. And the traffic was very light, even in MRR2 which has no constipation point even in Sg-Besi-BTS and M-City-Flamingo-AKLEH. TRG was also hazy, but signs of post-torrential rain. Some area were still wet. Arriving in TRG, home in Tok Jembal to see that the house was in order, in case it was menaced by the torrential storm. Arriving home in W-Tengah is now with a different experience than during the past five years.

UMT-UNIZA were in the middle of 'commotion' of unification, a thing which was heard from time to time since UDM started its first session in 2006. UMT, UNIZA have their own historical development, but most of it were political in nature. In the media, many opined the unification as a short-sighted measure to a saving. The logic behind the unification was not apparent.

With the excess paint from W-Tengah, Tok Jembal house was patch-repainted, done by the same ZAM-MIZI-EMBONG. The GABLES on the roof had been extensively eroded by sunlight, as well as the doors facing the late afternoon sun together with their frames. The paints were of 2011 ICI. ZAM took three session-days to accomplish the task.

While in TRG, NA had a busy schedules. She had engagements related to BAR almost every day. On top of TRG BAR C-TEE meetings, and meetings with her clients, she gave a talk to TRG BAR members on the Civil Law Amendments related to injuries in accident on Sep 12 Thu. Sep 19 Thu, she represented TRG BAR in the event of BAR ADMISSION of Chambering-grad lawyers. Sep 20 Fri, she hosted a talk by a neuro-specialist from HSNZ, K TRG.

With that, Sep 22 Sun 22 Muharram 1441H, DRVKUL after two Fri-s, both in Masjid Telipot, two weeks in TRG. Traffic-wise it was a nice drive, both in LPT2 and LPT1. But not the weather. Not the rain, but the HAZE. All the way from the start to finish.

Sep 14 Sat 14 Muharram 1441H, walimah in ATAS TOL of HASNAH ISMAIL, a Form 3, 1966 class-mate in Padang Midin. It's the wedding of her son. Several alumni of SMKPM-SPM68 were present. Razali was for sure, all the way from Dungun. And one, I last met in 1966 SRP time 53 years ago was ABDULLAH SALLEH, a form 3 class-mate. The occasion was with a pre-rendz in the home of NORIAH AZIZ, with the presence of NORIAS EMBONG, both I could not paint their pic during the school days. Similarly the 'boys' HJ ISHAK, and HJ M RAZALI ISMAIL, because they were in different class. But GHANI CM, and YUSOF SAID, were familiar. Others were expected to turn up. Many were talking about a repeat of Kijal 2017 Apr.

Sep 15 Sun 15 Muharram 1441H, a day trip to Jerteh. In the orchard this time it was DOKONG. DUKU to follow. Durian is just off the season. I've said something about TERENGGANU DUKU twelve years ago in 2007. Sep 21 Sat 21 Muharram 1441H, made another return to Jerteh. This time, it was just in P-PANJANG orchard for the DUKU.

Gone September

Dated 2019G Sep 30 Mon 1 SAFAR 1441H

The price of nasi lemak has been an index of local cost of living, with the congener teh-tarik. An RM1 nasi-lemak had disappeared a long time ago. Six years ago in 2013, I made A Catalogue of Nasi Lemak while moving around. Obviously the price varied according to locality. A recent invocation was in Jun.

SEP 26 THU 26 MUHARRAM 1441H, this year 2019, is our 4th ANNIVERSARY. By Hijriah, four years ago, it was 12 Z-Hijjah.

Sep 26-28 Thu-Sat, ALYA et al returned for a home weekend. And it was a gathering, obviously sans a few, Sep 27 Fri night.

It was sandwiched between several times of morning leisure-walking in TT-Chempaka, accompanying NA. A few times CB-ASRI accompanied. And gone is September.