-----------------------

This blogspot is a medium to share my thoughts and adventures apart from promoting my books. Below are the books which have been written or authored and published by myself.


"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Mencari Diri dan Erti".

ISBN 983-42031-0-1, Jun 2006


"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Membela Syiar yang Asal"

ISBN 983-42031-1-x, May 2007


"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Sirih Pulang ke Gagang?"

ISBN 978-983-42031-2-2, November 2007


It is interesting to note that while these books were written in Malay it has gained enough attention to merit being part of the collections of the American Library of Congress and National Library of Australia. Look here and here.


While the first three books were published by my own company, the fourth titled "Rumah Azan" was published in April 2009 by a company called Karnadya with the help of the Malaysian national literary body Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. It features beautiful pictures along with stories behind selected mosques which could be related to the history of Islam and the Malays alongside the formation of the Malaysian nation. Look at the article A collaboration of old collegemates - the book "Rumah Azan".


My fifth book "Ahlul Bait (Family) of Rasulullah SAW and Malay Sultanates", an English translation and adaptation of the Malay book "Ahlul Bait (Keluarga) Rasulullah SAW dan Kesultanan Melayu" authored by Hj Muzaffar Mohamad and Tun Suzana Othman was published early 2010. Look here... My 5th book is out! Ahlul Bait (Family) of Rasulullah SAW and the Malay Sultanates... . For more information check out my Malay blogspot CATATAN SI MERAH SILU.



Like my fourth book "Rumah Azan", the sixth book "Kereta Api Menuju Destinasi" is also a coffee-table book which is published by the company Karnadya with the cooperation of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (the main Malay literary body in Malaysia). Coming out January 2011 it features pictures and stories on the adventure travelling by train to all of Peninsular Malaysia along with the interesting places which could be reached this way.


My seventh book "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah" in turn is a coffee-table book which is written, editted, designed and has pictures taken by me. Coming out of the factory October 2011, this book which combines family history with history of places such as Singapura, Johor, Batu Pahat, Muar and in fact the history of the island of Java and England has been reviewed with me interviewed live in the program Selamat Pagi Malaysia at RTM1. Look at the article Siaran langsung ulasan buku "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah" dan temu ramah di Selamat Pagi Malaysia. Some selected contents have been featured in Sneak peek "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah".


-----------------------


The "Berpetualang ke Aceh" series of novels could be obtained in e-book form. Enter http://www.e-sentral.com/, click general novel and go to page 4. You can also type the word "Aceh" at the search box. Or click straight Book 1, Book 2 and Book 3.


Saturday, July 28, 2007

In Yan to find the Aceh connection...

After leaving Merbok, I went staight to Yan.The Kedah town and district situated between the Melaka Straits (sorry... I refuse to use the Anglicised spelling Malacca) and Gunung Jerai was said to be opened my immigrants from Aceh. And being a person with ancestors coming from that land myself, I decided to go to Yan to look for some sort connections, physical or otherwise...


I arrived in Yan afternoon 18th January 2007. It was my first time there and I decide to immediately scout for the main mosque as a possible place to spend the night.
On the way, I saw this school... I was immediately struck by the name Langkasuka... Refer to Sultan Muzaffar Shah, the first king of Kedah? for a brief story of this ancient Malay kingdom... Is this the connection I'm looking for? It might not be immediately related to Aceh but it could be related to ancient Aceh under a different name... Just like Kedah was part of Langkasuka... So was Kelantan in East Coast Peninsular Malaysia and Patani ruled by the Thais, all part of the more ancient Langkasuka... Hmm...

There, the main mosque of Yan... Looks welcoming enough...


The pink-coloured halls... Why chose this rather girlish colour bringing aura of Barbie dolls to mind? Never mind... I have found myself a cosy spot for night. So its time to explore Yan...


I walked to Yan's very own 'beach'... At least there some stalls to have meals and drinks... Well, it is situated by the seaside but you can only call it a beach at certain times... Why? Just look at the pictures below...

Notice the mud? Maybe you can call it a beach during high tide but not at this hour... By the way, this is the view towards south...


The view towards the north shows an island the locals call Pulau Bunting... Bunting as in pregnant (not the English bunting as in big promotional posters and such) because they said it looks like a pregnant woman lying down.

I looked at it and try to 'find' the pregnant woman in question. Nope... I can't really see it. Either they are wrong or the woman in question is physically deformed, heh! Just kidding...

Anyway just look at the mud... Would you swim at this 'beach'? Yes, the place is pretty scenic but for one to take a dip and suffer the conquence of having mud smeared all over? Urgghhh!!!

Still, it is called Pantai Murni which literally translates as the 'pure beach'... Hmm... Somehow the words ring a bell but in a very unflatering way, hehe! :]


Anyway, I left the 'beach' at dusk... Look, the view of Gunung Jerai as night dawned...

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

congratulations, what a trip. good write up..... wish could join you... i'm from pengkalan bujang anyway. was told that my great great great grand father was from acheh, still looking for clues to reconfirm.

Anonymous said...

i have a friend, mohd noor, here,in johor (currently i'm staying in johor) whose ancestor was one of the achehis royal family. if not mistaken, sultan iskandar. he's planning to find his relatives in yan as well but not sure whre to start.

Radzi Sapiee said...

Hmm.... Just noticed these comments. There's a Kampung Aceh in Yan, maybe you can start searching from there, I'm sure you'll find something.

Maxalmina said...

Any of you guys want to visit Aceh, I would welcome, not be hesitate to contact me. Fikri Maxalmina, fmaxalmina@gmail.com