Jejak Awang Goneng / GUiT Trail

@ 8.45pm on Galeri Perdana, RTM1, nightly from Monday 28 January 2008 to Thursday 31 January 2008.

More details after I speak to KakTeh in the morning.

Update :

Just back from GUiT blog, Awang Goneng wrote:

"GUiT Trail on TV

Awang Goneng will be following the GUiT trail on Galeri Perdana, RTM1 starting Monday 28th January. It will be shown in 4 parts, on 4 consecutive nights. We did the trail over two hot days in Kuala Terengganu, looking for the beluda, meeting old friends and making new ones, and going back to old places that I once knew."

For Sir AG's full account, read here.

Don't miss it!

And that's my little "Uncle Fester" on his 7 month's birthday @ Mom's 49th's Birthday!

Snapshots of Growing Up in Trengganu

I got my GUiT!!!! I got Growing Up in Trengganu!!!

Tricked my other half into meeting some friends @ Gurney for lunch - reason? MPH apparently still have some copies of GUiT!

When I first asked for the book, the salesperson looked clueless, asking me to check with customer service insted. Then I remembered what Amir said about them being @ the Hot Pick shelves. There were only 4 copies left, we bought 2 (one a gift for a friend) and guess what I did next?

Hehehehe *evil grin* I moved the remaining 2 from the bottom shelf to the top shelf! Perfect eye-level. Moved some of Tunku Halim's too *more grin, sheepish this time*

The thrill of it all almost made me wish getting caught so that I can question why books by local authors are placed way at the bottom shelves, and we are talking about books on the best-seller list here!

Also got a couple of Tunku Halim's :) My friend swiped them both from the shopping bag while I was busy with the camera guy. Hey I want my books back!

I couldn't wait to start on the tales of Awang Goneng, dear KakTeh's partner in crime so I was flipping through it on the journey home, bad idea. I know perfectly well that I can't read in any moving vehicle, so I'm now feeling 'melugai'

The new camera been acting strangely. Whenever I attempt to transfer photos from the xD -card, only about half of the photos works while the rest of the files end up corrupted. After that, the card won't work anymore, I need to have it formatted. Lost lots of photos, mainly from the 2 events - the 'very secretive dinner' and the 'last minute sport event'! Alamak, I hope the others bothered to snap some shots during the 'do's

The camera guy offered to replace the card with a new one , we tried our luck and asked for an SD instead, and he agreed! And he offered a 2GB + 1GB SD Card in replacement to the 2GB xD-card, no extra charge! It must be our lucky day.

KakTeh, we are going to to Trengganu day after tomorrow, shall bring the book along to 'tayang'.

How he has grown in 150 days....

More updates later.

By the way, a belated Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri to everyone, I know it's kinda late but it's the thought that counts right?

Utusan Malaysia - 4th July 2007 (Page 4)

The funeral went without a hitch. Tearful congregation of his loved ones and former students sent him off with highest respect, very appropriate for a man of his stature.

One of his former students, a prominent religous figure in Penang was asked to say the 'talkin'. Pak Leh said that he can't read the 'talkin' for my grandfather, how can he tell this great man what to do, to remind him how to face God, there's no one worthy to do that for him.

Instead, he asked us all to join him in prayer for the deceased and then he addressed the group reminding us what a great man my grandfather was, the sacrifices he’s made in spreading knowledge in the name of glory of Islam, the ‘ilmu’ he has shared with the thousands lucky enough to be his pupil. He might be gone but his spirit lives on in a lot of us and it shall be passed on to our future generation. His passing is a great loss, but we all have to accept God's will of taking back what that has always been His.

Alhamdullilah, my grandfather at least got one of his final 'amanah', to be buried next to his wife of more than 40 years. The rest? Aahh well, we tried and we fought for him, but we lost. So there must be a very very good 'hikmah' that God didn't allow it.

La illa ha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntum minal zalimin.

This tiny sleeping lion shall continue his roar.

Shekh Mohd Hussen Bakar Rafie, born in the holy city of Makkah passed away shortly after 6pm on the 2nd of July, 2007 AD@ 16 Jumaada al-Thaany 1428 AH at the grand old age of 107.

He was the major strength behind AlMashoor Islamic School, counting many political & religous leaders as his students. Among them were Dr. Burhanuddin Al-Helmi, Datuk Dr. Hassan Din, a number of Muftis of many states plus numerous other well-known figures whose name just slipped my mind at the moment.

Tunku Abdul Rahman used to call him 'The Tiger of Malaya' for his fiery preaching during the fight for independence more than 50 years ago and they remained good friends until Tunku's demise many years later.

He lived such a full life, loved, respected and sometimes even 'feared' by those whose life he's touched. In those days, his signature confirms enterance to Al-Azhar University, there are a few very well known 'ulama' who got to where they are through this method - of course they were tested by him first, his standard's very high!

His wife Zaynab Salleh Azzahari who passed away in 1979 bore him 10 children, 7 boys and 3 girls plus an adopted daughter, the late Aunt Hayati who died on Mother's Day. He was also blessed with 28 grandchildren and 32 (I'm not exactly sure of this, could be more) greatgrandchildren, his namesake Hussen Allayth being the youngest.

He was my grandfather and I know he is in a better place now but nothing can describe how numb I feel at this moment. I pray for strength to face the funeral arrangement tomorrow. I have to try my best - for him, for my dad & mom and for all my love ones.

From God we came, to Him we shall return.