TO BE A POET

Writing poetry has been in my life for a long, long time. I write poetry in Bahasa Melayu @ Malay language (my mother tongue). I started writing at the age of sixteen  when I was still in the Form 3 at St Thomas's School, Kuching. Earlier than that I did write pantun and was published in a magazine called Perintis (back in 1968 or so).

          My first poem was published in a local Bahasa Melayu Newspaper, Utusan Sarawak in 1969 under the title 'SATE TETAP NUNGGU'  or in English " Satay Will Be Waiting. Motivated by the publishing of the poem I kept on writing and in 1971 my poem was published by Dewan sastera , a national magazine on literature.

          Why poetry? Why do we write poetry? I think by wriiting poetry I am able to talk to the world a large. I am saying what is in my mind. What I think of the world and it's surroundings, the people, the love, the forest flora and fauna. Writing poetry keeps me feeling young and energetic and always at high spirit.

        Poetry taught people to understand the feeling, to appreciate the world and to love. Poetry is the language of loving. Some said poetry is a weapon but I said poetry is a flower given as a sign of love. The words of poetry are the words of compassion, loving and not hatred and bickerings. 

        Oh how I love to see poetry came to be loved by everybody and I hope one day, in the near future poetry would play its rolls for the better world of tomorrow.

 Reciting an anthology NUZENTARA by a poet friend, Mohd Farez

enjoying a poem and a roti canai: Mary Hayati Lam, Saiee Driss, Capt Mohd Saiful

Dr Kamil Salem engrossed with his gadget, looking on  Noor Aishah Salleh and mary Hayati Lam

 Encik Japri Bujang from Pustaka Negeri Sarawak with his copy of Sanjak Si Renta

 a copy of Sanjak Si Renta for a friend

 Sarawak's own poet, Maslina Mahbu reciting a poem

 Prize giving to the champion of poem recital

        

A TIME TO CYCLE (3) : BICYCLES IN MY LIFE

I fell ini love with bicycle and cycling since 2010 after my son bought a second hand bicycle from spare part shop in Kuching as a present to his youngest sister, Nurul Hakimah. I called that bicycle, Ros Kalas (it means pink rose).Not long after that I went to the same shop and get myself a Japanese postman bicycle for RM780.00. I named the bike, Pak Lurah. But bicyle actually has been in my life for a long, long time. As far as I can recalled, I had my first taste of bicycle in 1959. I was 6 years old then. My father put me in a basket at the back of the bicycle. There is a rack at the back of the bicycle where my father placed the basket. It was used to put the bread for sale.

In 1961 my family moved to a village across Sarawak river called Kampung Pulo Hilir. I went there with my eldest brother who carried me with his bicycle. Going down the hill from Kampung Panglima seman Ulu to Kpg Panglima Seman Lama, we fell off the bicycle andI've got scratches here and there on my hand.

I sat for Sarawak Junior Certificate examination in 1969 and passed. A Chinese towkey, the owner of Ting & Ting Supermarket at that time was a friend of my late father. He was so happy with my result that he gave me a bicycle that belong to his son. The bicyle need to be refurbished and after the repair walla..I have a bike of my own for the first time.

In 1972 I was offered a government job at Education Department Headquarters, kuching. The office situated at the Textile Museum today. My father bought me a racing bicycle for my transport to the office. Yes, I have to pay him after that...after receiving my first pay.. hehe

In 1973 I was transferred to Simunjan  and the bike followed me. Pity the bike it had problem with the road/path in Simunjan that I have to send it back to Kuching to be repaired. I just thought may I a the first to ride a racing bike in the town of Simunjan. (a fact that can be argued). The bike did not last long in Kuching. It was stolen after a few months there.

In 1976 I was transferred back to Kuching. To enable me to go to work, I bought another racing bicycle. I used it for a few months and it received the same fate as my earlier racing bike. It was stolen. So I have to use a bus to work before turning to motorcycle and then motor car.

Between 1976 to 2010, I have no bicycle in my life. A bicycle came back to me after I retired from my government service. I bought the red bicycle that I called Pak Lurah in 2010. After that I kept purchasing a bicycle as part of my collection. Now I have 7 bicycles with their unique names; Pak Lurah, Mak Honey, Ros Kalas, Bujang Cheby, Minah Jepun, Mat Kona and Bujang Pantai.

Cycling is actually good. It is good for your waistline, lifespan, coordination and mental health. Why not start cycling now. You cycle to the office, to Gym or to anywhere you want to go. It is economical too. It is one way to beat the oil price hike. Now lets cycle and say adios to oil.

Me and Mak Honey

Bujang Cheby (Chevrolet)

Me, Nurul and my bike called pak Lurah

With Bujang Pantai, a beach cruiser bike.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN SIMUNJAN (9)

The mighty Sadong river. Simunjan lies at the bank of this river.

Crossing Sadong river using  ferry that would take 12 minutes to reach the opposit bank

Last month I went to Simunjan with my wife, daughter-in-law and grandson, Mukhtar. I went there to send back my DIL and grandson to their house at a palm oil plantation where my third son worked. It was an interesting journey. It has been quite some time that I have not visited this peaceful town of Simunjan, or can I say  its just a bazaar.  A place left out by time, slow in its development, rich in its natural resources before, especially timber. But today most timbers are gone. Land are being planted with palm oil by big companies.

Simunjan has always been in my heart. It is a place where I spent most of my bachelor life back in 1973 to 1975. In November 1975 I got married and brought my wife along to Simunjan. I was one of the staff of the only secondary school there ie Simunjan Government secondary school. I stayed there until May 1976.

After 37 years the bazaar still remain as it is. Development were slow. The problem of water supply that I faced back in 1973 -1976 still existed. It really need some strong hearted leader to lead Simunjan back to its aged-old glory. And the search is still on...

I will not be fair to you when I said there are developments going on, but it is not enough to change the face of Simunjan. Will Simunjan existed in future or become the ghost town that will disappear from the map of Sarawak. Mighty Sadong river are ever ready to change the landscape of Simunjan. I have seen the changes from 1973 till today. It will very much depended on the people of Simunjan. I pray to Allah that Simunjan will prosper . Simunjan is one place that remain as a memory of my life.My hope: Simunjan remain in existence for there are memories that is hard to foget and it all started in simunjan.