AWANG GONENG'S OPUS

After 2 weeks of "something that could develop into pneumonia" I needed something to cheer me up. One SURE thing was dinner at Paulo's (SURE Pizza at Plaza Damas). The other was getting Awang Goneng's latest book which I put off getting simply because I was waiting for the KL Launch. Daud came from Kuala Terengganu bringing Po's plea for a copy of the book since he could not find it at Pok Loh Yunan's shop or any other bookshop in Kuala Terengganu. So I called up Times Bookstore, BSC who took some time to confirm that they had the last 2 copies left. I had wanted more copies. Maybe I can get them at the KL Launch.

I have read most (if not all) of the chapters in Awang Goneng's blog, Kecek-Kecek. But the book (or blook, if you want to be picky) had the advantage of an editor. Just imagine gems being polished to perfection. Brilliant diamonds of the first water are the results. Dr.Annabel Teh Gallop, Head, South and Southeast Asia Section, British Library noted that "Awang Goneng does with words what Lat does with pictures". Beautiful (and humorous) prose flows throughout the book so much so that even if you do not care much for Terengganu, you would still enjoy the book very much. I told Daud that if Awang Goneng were a singer, he could bring people to tears by just singing the telephone book.

Students of Terengganuspeak and lovers of anything Terengganu should not delay any longer. Go beli selalu (buy at once). This is a modern classic.

Labels: Awang Goneng, Growing Up In Trengganu

BELEBER (RANTING) TIME

We all have 24 hours in a day but we also have people who make us waste part of the hours.
I wanted to believe that after 50 years of nationhood, we would have gotten rid of "Malaysian Time" (also known in Indonesia as Jam Karet - the rubber time). It turned out that I am too optimistic. Malaysians still cannot be punctual.

It is not just weddings or kenduris that started late. Meetings and even airlines do not take off on time. Yet they chose one of this airlines as Airline of The Year. I forgot, airlines are never late. They are just "retimed".

Last Friday, DBKL called all the owners of the units in Vista Angkasa for a briefing on the forthcoming Joint Management Commitee. The letter clearly stated 8.00 pm. In spite of a bad fever, I hauled myself to the meeting a few minutes before 8. 30 minutes after 8, they were still positioning the projector screen. Drat, they made us penunggus again. The briefing finally started at 8.55 pm. Now, here is the thing that got my goat. Nobody seems to realize that they started late and nobody apologized. That's when I did something that I hate to do. I reminded them that they were late and nobody apologized.

I got my apology but I wasted 55 minutes of my time.

Labels: Malaysian time, punctuality

YESTERDAY'S DREAM

Yesterday RTM Veterans had a Hari Raya gathering at Puteri Restaurant at the end of Jalan Dato' Sulaiman, TTDI. One of the highlights was a sajak (poem) by Othman Zainudin "Mimpi Semalam" read with feelings by his wife, former broadcaster, Hajjah Mariammah Tijo.
MIMPI SEMALAM
Dulu daerah ini kecil
Jalanya sempit
Dan bangunannya kerdil
Tiada lampu neon yang benderang
Jalannya sempit dan suram
Hutan belukar di kiri dan kanan
Hendak menuju ke arahnya juga
Ramai yang tidak berkenan

Dulu acaranya juga mudah
Tiada konsert reality dan juara
Tiada pertunjukan yang gah dengan warna
Dan lagu yang memecah tinggi di awan
Dengan getaran muzik bagai genderang perang
Dan lagak senimannya yang kadang-kadang keterlaluan
Seolah-olah pentas itu tempat mereka melepas geram

Dulu suara kita syahdu
Sekadar mendengarkan lintuk lagu merdu
Dan memberi informasi seadanya
Menterjemahkan teks kedpada suara
Kerana kita diajar untuk sederhana
Dalam sebuah perjuangan yang baru bermula
Kerana itu maruah dan pekerti harus kita jaga

Tapi ketika itu kita akrab
Bukan sekadar bekerja, kita berjuang
Setiap tugas kita hayati
Dengan syahdu hati murni
Terhadap apa yang telah dititipkan
Bukan tanggungjawab saja yang kita julang
Bahkan rasa mempunyai kita martabatkan

Tiada rasa ego dan prejudis
Kerana kita adalah hamba rakyat
Apa yang kita lakukan bukan untuk peribadi
Bahkan untuk kesejahteraan bonda pertiwi
yang kita sayangi sepenuh hati

Biar ganjaran tidak seberapa
Sekadar untuk sara hidup
Sekeping roti kita bagi anak isteri
Mimpikan kemewahan jauh sekali
Tiada kemewahan dijanjikan
tapi kita bersyukur kepada Tuhan
kita hidup dalam sebuah Negara merdeka
padanya kita serah jiwa raga
Kebersamaan menjadi prinsip hidup kita
Bak kata pepatah, terlukup sama membaham bumi
Terlentang sama mengadah langit
Air setitik kita lautkan
Tanah sekepal kita gunungkan
Menangis sama kita berduka
Tertawa sama kita gembira
Hati gajah dilapah
Hati kuman sama dijamah

Namun usia tidak mengira
Dalam pada kemesraan kita berama
Seorang demi seorang bermohon pergi
Akhirnya terpaksa kita berpisah
Dan meninggalkan tempat ini
Yang kita bina bersama
Dari rimba menjadi kota
Dari gobok kecil menjadi istana

Sekarang dalam gah warna kemenangan
Glamour neon gemerlapan
Daerah kecil yang kita teroka
Menjadi syurga
Tiada beza siang dan malam
Sentiasa bermandi cahaya gemerlapan
Dan sorak sorai peserta yang memanjang
Hilang informasi dan pendidikan
Tinggal hiburan dimertabatkan
Mereka yang kita titipkan Meneruskan perjuangan
Tenggelam dalam pesta kejayaan
Hanyut dalam arus kemenangan

Ada lagu lama yang diputarkan
Sekadar membujuk insan silam
Yang masih bertahan menongkat langit
Seperti kita yang berkampung ini
Yang masih belum dipanggil pergi
Suara P.Ramlee bagaikan sumbang
Nyanyian Saloma bagai tak berirama
Dendang Kamariah Noor bagaikan kabur
Dendang Rubiah terus berkubur
S.M.Salim bagaikan tersingkir
Begitulah lakonan hidup
Di pentas dunia insan berpura
Tipu daya mencapai maksud
Budi dan noda membalut dosa

Dulu sebut saja peranan kita
Seluruh negara tunduk memuja
Siapa tidak kenal Abu Bakar Ahmad
Kebun Pak Awang kraya yang hebat
Siapa tidak ingat Hashim Amir Hamzah
Yang menurunkan bendera Unnion Jack di malam merdeka
Siapa tidak hormat Yong Rafidah
Garang dan tegas membentuk juruhebah
Siapa yang tidak memuja Norazah Aziz
Sampai sekarang masih kelihatan manis
Siti Hawa Majid, Wan Chik, Siti Fatimah Noor
Kerana berita mereka tersohor
Azhar Ahmad, Baharin Tahir, Helan Abu
Zulkarnain Hassan, Mahani Ujang
Sampai sekarang masih terkenang
Sekadar menyebut beberapa nama
Yang ketika membaca berita
Gemersik suara di udara
Angin bagaikan berhenti bertiup
Dan setiap unggas berhenti terbang
Bagaikan ingin sama mendengarkan
Apakah berita disampaikan

Sekarang semuanya tinggal kenangan
Keindahan silam telah sirna
Bagaikan surutnya sang matahari
Ketika senja merangkak tiba
Dan sebentar lagi akan malam
Semoga datang mimpi semalam.

Labels: Othman Zainudin, PVRTM, veteran broadcasters

LITTLE MEN BIG ANXIETIES

No , I am not talking about the forthcoming UMNO General Assembly but about my grandson Arif and his kindergarten classmates. Yesterday was the year-end Graduation/Concert/Dinner and Arif and his classmates were to present their rendition of "Papa ku Pulang" as the opening act. Minutes before the performance, Arif (together with several of his classmates), like all first-time performers got cold feet and refused to go anywhere near the stage or even the dressing room.His class appeared without him at the start.
Brother Akif and Auntie Mimi naturally were disappointed.
But with patient coaxing from his mummy, Arif conquered his fear and jumped onstage.

Arif stole the show with his new-found confidence. After all, he loves cars.
His dad was proud of him.
And Arif enjoyed watching himself in the video that his dad took.
(To Dial-Up users, sorry folks)