Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Things taken for granted.

Almost twenty years of Aidiladha in the east coast made me forget how its always been at home. Apart from the Aidiladha morning prayer, it's another break day, some years my parents would take off for a holiday, the rest spent like another weekend. 'Korban' are usually something you pay someone at the mosque to carry out for you or send money abroad to have it performed among the less fortunate Muslims communities. You don't see your sacrificial animal, let alone the whole ritual, all you know is that you've performed the deed.

Now, in the Pasir Mas it's a whole different thing, after breakfast of kuzi and 'roti jala', there's the 'korban' ritual where you are actually there from cow to dish. And the whole bingeing on 'tapai' while you wait for the men to cut and prepare the meat.

Later at home will be the portioning and of course my 'favorite', tripe and intestines cleaning (have you ever tried cleaning the type of tripe that has hundreds of layer? No wonder they call them 'perut kitab', it's like studying for your final!) before the distribution crew go on their route. Satay making will begin after maghrib, and it's always satay for second day of Aidiladha.

There's constantly something to do, entertaining guests and returning their visits, the many many weddings to attend and the constant feasting. Even though I've been a demi-vegetarian again for more than four years, there's always something for me to eat and enjoy, so all the meat and more meat don't bother me at all, in fact I enjoy cooking it for others.

It's the first Aidiladha since Ayah left us, and this year I have to stay back in Penang due to work commitments. We were all set to leave on Wednesday as we always do and the Friday before we found out about the trade show. So I decided to stay, as it's his duty to be there, now more so than ever.

So yes, Aidiladha is a big thing in the east coast, steeped in rituals and tradion, and I've always seen it as that it's as big as Aidilfitri there. It took me to be away from it all to see how meaningful it's been for me all these years.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidiladha everyone.

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Hari Ini Aku Sebahagian dari Sejarah : Himpunan Maruah Melayu 16 September 2015

Aku mengaku ada tikanya semasa berarak ke Perhimpunan Maruah Melayu semalam aku dilanda sebak yang teramat, adakala sehingga bercucuran airmata mencampuri keringat dek bahang matahari. Setiap langkah diambil mengingatkan aku akan perjuangan datuk nenek kita untuk mendapatkan kemerdekaan, betapa mereka dalam serba kekurangan di zaman itu sanggup melakukan apa saja untuk kesejahteraan anak cucu mereka. Kini, kita telah lebih setengah abad menikmati hasil  perjuangan tersebut, dan ada masanya kita juga alpa dari asas perjuangan mereka. Kita terlalu selesa dengan kesenangan dan keamanan yang kita miliki selama ini, kita angkuh yang semua ini adalah hak kita sejak azali. Kita lupa bakti usaha, darah dan keringat mereka dalam perjuangan yang kini hanya dikenang dalam lipatan sejarah, kita terlalu asyik dengan kesenangan. Kini semua ini bagai telur dihujung tanduk, kita dicabar, dikeji, dihina, pemikiran kita cuba diubah supaya sebahagian kita malu untuk mengaku kita adalah orang Melayu. 

Inilah masa kita. Kita juga perlu bangun untuk mempertahankan segalanya, kita mesti memastikan hasil perjuangan datuk nenek kita akan terus dapat dinikmati anak cucu Melayu yang kekal beragama Islam selagi ada Melayu di di muka bumi ini.
Perarakan dari PWTC didahulukankan dengan bacaan doa setelah selesai solat Zohor dan solat hajat. Sambil bergandingan tangan dan bahu, bendera dijulang dan sepanduk dijunjung, kami bergerak menghala ke Padang Merbok di bawah sinaran matahari terik, namun bahangnya hampir tidak terasa kerana semangat yang membara di dalam jiwa mengatasi segalanya. Cuaca agak cerah disulami redup bila awan berarak, keadaan berjerebu yang agak teruk melanda negara sejak seminggu lepas tiba tiba hilang sejak awal pagi, membuatkan perjalanan lancar penuh patriotisme. Laungan "Allahu Akbar" dan "Hidup Melayu" membuatkan semangat penyatuan serta nawaitu untuk membela maruah dan martabat agama, bangsa dan tanah air sebegitu membara, ratusan ribu turun tanpa mengira darjat atau umur, tidak juga berharapkan sebarang imbuhan, semuanya di situ demi masa depan generasi akan datang.
kerdilnya aku di antara ratusan ribu pejuang lain.
Aku bangga aku antara mereka yang memerahkan secara aman bandar Kuala Lumpur dalam perhimpunan penyatuan Melayu terbesar semenjak tahun 1946 dan aku berarak sambil menjulang panji panjiku, Jalur Gemilang.

Demi Islam. Demi Melayu. Demi Malaysia.

Tanah tumpah darahku. Sentiasa dalam jiwaku. Kedaulatannya kuperjuangankan ke titisan darah terakhir.

Friday, September 11, 2015

Why instant messaging is bad

9/11/2015

Instant messaging are bad when you are compulsive and get emotional at the drop of a hat. Email and letter allow you to rethink that angry retort, that 'I'm hitting below the belt because I am angry', that 'I'm saying the first thought that crosses my mind'. You'll use the backspace button a lot, think out the sentences before penning it down. Less people get hurt, less regret.

Saying that, I must start writing letters and emails again.  It pains me to see the number of casualties I find in my path caused by this instant messaging, thoughts and outburst.

~just a thought as I wait for my torture session~