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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".


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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, January 26, 2008

Historic Kota Tinggi, once the seat of the Johor Empire...

Greetings dear readers. Lately I've been sidetracked by recent developments. By right, I should be posting articles across my 3 blogspots about my recent travelling in Johor until it is fully completed before venturing into other topics but circumstances made me travel to Kedah on Sunday where I started a whole new range of adventure and now I'm Perak where another range of stories unfolded.
Thus consider these posting as an attempt to get right back on track. It is now late at night and I've just returned from a one-day 260km plus round Perak trip visiting the tombs of 10 Sultans and many more members of the nobility and also stopped at a number of mosque. So let me just get this over and done for yaa... Consider this a continuation of the article And now, a quaint look at Johor Bahru! made almost 2 weeks ago!

27th December 2007. I left the city of Johor Bahru for Kota Tinggi taking a non-express bus which regularly made stops. Nearly 2 hours later and by lunch-time I arrived there. First thing I looked for was a place to have lunch. Then I saw the restaurant above, the name "Batu Sawar" is the name of the one of the capitals of the Johor Empire, a thriving remnant of the grand Melaka Empire which practically existed for almost 400 years, starting with the fall of the city of Melaka to the Portugese 1511.


Actually, Batu Sawar was a place located within the present-day district of Kota Tinggi. The name itself was enough to arose my curiousity. I went nearer and saw a lot of historical information hanging on the walls. So I thought it should be a good place to start my exploration of Kota Tinggi...


I took a seat and ordered lunch. At the same time my mind was plotting on how to spend the day and the next day. Which historical places to visit et cetera...

As I've already made some postings regarding the places in the blogspot SENI LAMA MELAYU (MALAY OLDEN ART) , let me just get ahead... You could read about some of the places I went to by clicking these...


Makam (tomb of ) Bendahara Tun Habab
Makam (tomb of) Sultan Mahmud Mangkat DiJulang
Makam (tomb) of Laksamana Bentan


While waiting for lunch to be served, I studied the writings on the walls. It's not just about the history of Johor, there's also pictures of Kota Tinggi (and many parts of Johor) suffering from a big flood about a year ago... The kind of flood said to only happen once in a 100 years... Considered strange by many as it happened when the wet season should have flooded the East Coast. Instead it was almost dry there while Johor suffered from a very unseasonal attack of excess rain...

Strange more so in Kota Tinggi as the name, literally translated as "The high fort" made many thought that the whole town is located on high ground should be safe from flood. Who would have thought the water rose up to as much as 2 floors of shops and houses... For many it seemed absurd! Anyway it has already happened and thus give rise to much news. Hmm... To think again, you could consider the flood as very historical event indeed...


The picture above is actually taken after lunch is finished... Inside a shopping complex right in front of the Batu Sawar restaurant.

I thought it rather odd and funny at the same time... To think that they even advertise pictures and CDs of the Kota Tinggi flood for sale, with the advertising board right next to a record shop! Should be worth a food for thought. That's all ya! :]

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