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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, November 02, 2013

Second attempt at auction

Peace be upon you all. Over a month ago I've made an article called Pertama kali membida rumah impian in my Malay blogspot CATATAN SI MERAH SILU showing me and wife's first attempt at bidding for an auctioned house. Today I'd like to share another attempt, our second one at getting a bargain home sweet home.


Recently we went to an office close to the KLCC.


We were going for a house auction which was scheduled to start at 3. But we were so excited, we came and registered at 2.


We stayed on in the premise eagerly waiting for the auction to start. There were more than 30 houses/apartments to be auctioned. Here's the crowd by 3.






We were hoping no one else would go for the house we aimed for. Fat chance. By 2.30 there were already 6 bidders going for the same property. By 3 there were 12.




By then we were resigned to whatever that could happen. The property we aimed has a reserve price of RM80,000 and we've decided our ceiling is RM120,000.


As the auction was about to begin the sight of personnels staring out from a bunker like room gave me deja vu. I think it has been more than 4 months since I've had any.




Soon the auction started. While our desired property is 24th in the list, properties are auctioned in terms of getting most interest on to the least.


As it turned out ours was the hottest. So the auctioneer decided bid would start at RM85,000 instead of the advertised RM80,000 and increment is at RM5,000 each. Suddenly someone with a bidding card interjected : "Let's not waste time. I'm bidding at RM125,000". The auctioneer agreed. With that me and wife were already out of the equation.

It took less that a minute for the dust to settle. The final bid was at RM140,000 and the property was locked. Funnily the person who asked the bid to be started at RM125,000 did not follow up. We suspect he was not a genuine bidder. He probably worked for the bank and his job was just to up the ante, fast.