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

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.


Tuesday, May 10, 2011

The Singapura Malay 'heritage' that is Kampung Gelam

Continued from Special treat at the tomb of Habib Nuh.



Later we went to the area of Kampung Gelam close to Singapura (Singapore) city centre where lies an old Malay ruler palace which has been converted into a heritage centre.


Once, this whole area was a traditional Malay centre of power. The Sultan (Malay ruler) who presided at the palace used to rule an empire which extends over half of Peninsular Malaysia, Singapura, the islands of Riau and parts of Sumatera.



Now it is just a favourite watering hole for party-goers and those who think the night life and liberal attitude and thoughts are the signs of high civilisation, ultimate meaning of life.




No sir. This is not the place anymore for people who cerish traditions and like to protect their people from the invasion of the capitalists and their satanic values. Instead this is a place where so-called liberal 'Sufis' would love to converge. Forget the traditional Sufis and their 'closed' traditional minds. Who needs to pray and fast right? Who needs to take care of values and modesty. Who need to mind what you eat and drink? Who needs to worry about other people trying to convert your people to their ways under the guise of democracy and pluralism. Once you 'know' God you can drink and have sex as much as possible with however you want right? Hey... let's party and 'remember' God with a bout of Kamasutra...




It is ironic to me that an area which used to be a main traditional centre of Muslim Malay power could become such a night place. It is more ironic when one of the streets is called Arab Street... when the Arabs who came to Singapura more than a century ago used to be very religious people who would risk anything to travel all over the world to spread Islam. Now the word Arab here seems to refer to the distant time of Jahiliyah, the ignorant period before Prophet Muhammad SAW came to bring them light 1,400 years ago. Then again I'm just an 'ignorant sore' person who 'don't know' what religion and Sufism is all about. Otherwise I would be drinking till I drop and try to screw every good-looking woman worth chasing right? Hehe... :]




4 comments:

5th_E Taib said...

Assalamualaikum,

pernah tahun lepas saya ke Kg Gelam dan Arab st. Mmg sedih bila melihat keadaannya kini, Masjid sepelaung, tapi belakangnya, adui....

thanks for you write up on this matter. Hope it would enlighten the younger generation of their heritage and HOW to upkeep the heritage.

Radzi Sapiee said...

Wassalam. Tu le. Apa yang berlaku di Singapura kita tidak berkuasa mengubahnya. Tetapi kita masih mampu menghalang perkara yang sama berlaku di Malaysia. Kalau kita tidak berhati2 dan memberi pihak yang tidak bertanggungjawab peluang untuk memerintah negara begitulah yang akan terjadi. Hati komunis, semua benda akan diperdagangkan. Masjid dan tempat warisan kalau dipertahankan pun sekadar jadi semacam muzium untuk tontonan ramai gitu...

Fida Anggun said...

Salam,

Website dari seorang sahabat yang berhijrah ke Yaman. Minta share ye Kak Nana.

http://gamitanbumiwali.weebly.com/program-bulanan-baalawi.html

ahmad said...

Salam,
Sejarah Singapura. Sang Nila Utama terjumpa seekor Singa di atas pulau. Mengambil sempena peristiwa tsb maka Singa dan Pura menjadi Singapura? Atau Temasek?

Cuba renung sejenak sekiranya peristiwa ini yang berlaku..

Zaman dahulukala sebelum manusia memerintah dunia.. dunia dipenuhi tumbuhan dan haiwan..

Raja mereka?
Singa??

Di Temasek.. manusia terjumpa/ternampak seekor Singa.

Atau mungkinkah seekor Singa mengadap berjumpa manusia???