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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.


Thursday, October 07, 2010

From Malaysia's Palais de Justice to the steel mosque

OK. From the wedding celebration stories we move on to something else...


The following day (refer to The lavish night reception at Shangri-La), after taking care of some things in Negeri Sembilan, me and wife stopped at Putrajaya and had a look at this building, the Istana Kehakiman. Translated into English this means Palace (istana) of Justice. Actually a direct translation of the word Kehakiman should be 'judgement' as it comes from the Malay word Hakim (judge). But within context of use it is better translated as Justice of which the direct Malay word would be 'keadilan', from the word 'adil' (just).

Anyway it is a court of justice and therefore the English translation is officially given as Palace of Justice. However, whenever I hear these words I can't help but think of the equivalent Palais de Justice in Paris. So why the fascination with this place? Well, it has something to do with the design of the building which reminds me of a similar place I saw in a dream more than a decade ago, mainly the 3 big domes...


That made me parked the car and decided to walk from the building on to this gate directly in front. I wanted to see if this walk would gave birth to some idea or something... something that should elucidate more on the meanings behind the dream...


Mine you, when I had the dream none of these buildings exist. So I was wondering did I actually dreamt about the then up and coming Putrajaya or I just happened to saw an ancient building with the design replicated for the Malaysian Palais de Justice.


Anyway the gate leads to the newly-opened Tuanku Mizan mosque, also fondly known as the steel mosque.

Then there is the gate leading to the compound of the mosque...


In case you don't know the mosque is known as the steel mosque as it was built mainly with steel structures...








Just look at the mosque itself.





I first went inside this mosque some 2 months ago. That's when I realised that it is situated directly to Malaysia's Palais de Justice.






Since then I vowed that one day I would take a walk from the court building to the mosque...






Here's a look back towards the Palais...





I have yet to get an idea what this walk really means. Hopefully something will emerge after making this story. Have a look at the article Masjid (Mosque of Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin), Putrajaya in the blogspot BERPETUALANG KE ACEH. :]


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