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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.


Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Bringing the baby to the megaliths at Pengkalan Kempas

Continued from Linggi river near the small town of Linggi.


From the town of Linggi it is not far to Pengkalan Kempas where lies a certain mysterious place.


The place houses a number of enigmatic stones placed in certain formations.


The one you see behind situated like a platform with stone chairs is said to be the tomb of a Muslim preacher who lived more than 500 years ago. But what about the other stones with some having symbols?


What about these megaliths which looks like it has been artfully carved. What does it signify?


Indeed this place is mysterious and enigmatic.


I have been here a number of times. If memory serves me right I have brought my two and a half-year old son Muhammad Al-Aminul Rasyid here when he was still a baby.


So it is only fair that I brought my other son, Muhammad Alauddin Johan who was barely two months old then. Like in the case of Rasyid I like to iniate Johan too into the mysteries of this place as a preparation for him to walk into my footsteps. Like father like sons huh? :]



Linggi river near the small town of Linggi

Continued from Rembau river at the Sungai Timun fishermen base.


Passing through the small town of Linggi I then came across the nearest bridge crossing the river Linggi.




A look downriver. Follow the curves of the body of water for about 6.7 km and you'll be at the small town of Pengkalan Kempas. Refer to the old article The Linggi river near Pengkalan Kempas. Go a further 4 km and you'll arrive at the point or rather, the area where the Rembau river joins the Linggi river.


Time to look across.


A view upriver. In the old days the Linggi river is used to navigate up to as far the Negeri Sembilan capital town of Seremban which is situated in an area called Sungai Ujong, Sungai meaning river, Ujong meaning its furthest reach. For the record this is the 929th article in this blogspot.



Rembau river at the Sungai Timun fishermen base

Continued from Pedas river near its estuary.


The journey then brought us to the fishermen base of a place called Sungai Timun.


Sungai is the Malay word for river. Thus the words Sungai Timun seemed to imply there is a river called Timun around here.


A casual look around shows this to be a recreational area.


The information reveals its historic and tourism value.


There is a sort of viewing gallery.


It sits beside a river.


Going for a closer look.


A check with Google Earth and some websites show this is actually the Rembau river. Perhaps there's indeed a river called Timun which flows into it but I can't see where.


A look downriver. Using Google Earth, I found that from here the Rembau river twists and turns for about 8.3 km before entering the Linggi river.


A look ahead.


A look upriver. The point where the Pedas river flows into this river is just 1 km away by water.



Pedas river near its estuary

Continued from Penajis river at Astana Raja.


Next we took a rural road towards Linggi and passed this bridge.


It crosses the Pedas river and here's a look downriver.


A look upriver. For the record the Pedas river flows into the Rembau river which in turn flows into the Linggi river.


A signboard nearby mentions this area as Kuala Pedas. Kuala means estuary and this indicates the point where the river flows into the Rembau river is not far.


After walking for about 100 metres downriver I could see a body of water near the horizon which could be the Rembau river. Back at home I checked with Google Earth and found the estuary of the Pedas river is around 200 metres from the bridge. So the body of water seen near the horizon should indeed be the Rembau river or the point where the Pedas river flows into it.



Penajis river at Astana Raja

On to a small trip made to Melaka a week ago with me and family later visiting a number of places including in Negeri Sembilan...


One of the places visited was the small town of Astana Raja where lies this bridge crossing the Penajis river.

It is one of the river with its water flowing into the major Linggi river.


I'm not sure if it flows directly into the Linggi river or another tributary first. This is a look downriver.


Next, a look upriver.


It is said that the first ruler of the state of Negeri Sembilan, Raja Melewar entered the Linggi river before emerging into this one on his way to be installed as the ruler. This happened more than 200 years ago. Just a kilometre or two upriver from here lies the site of what is believed to be his palace in the district of Rembau. A replica has been constructed there and turned into a museum.