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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, July 24, 2007

The Penang part of Kuala Muda

The time have come to return to the mainland... And so back to city and then to the jetty where the ferry awaits to get one across...

The city of Penang seen from the ferry. And as usual, there's the Komtar building in the picture, the tallest building in Northern Malaysia...


Suddenly an artistic feel came... Breathing the windy air watching the waves and the going-ons as the ferry ply the route can make one rather creative with the angles. So how? Not bad eh?


Another attempt to be artistic. Perhaps the picture would look better if both men are of the same height?


After arriving at the mainland, I got the bus to my next destination which is Kuala Muda, a place said to be among those affected by the November 26th Tsunami of 2004 although not as bad as that in Aceh. No sir... Here in Malaysia, there is no human casualty what more to run to as much as 200,000 deaths as at that country on the northern tip of the Sumatera island... Only the difficulty caused by destruction of infrastuctures including homes. Anyway, as it turns out, the Kuala Muda which I went to that day is still within the confines of the state of Penang. Seen in the background is the island of Penang.


Look to the north and one would see Gunung Jerai in Kedah, a beacon that 'lights' up the way of traveller for ages...


There, the Sungai (river of) Muda. This place is located at the estuary (the Malay word is Kuala), hence the name Kuala Muda. The river also serves as the Penang-Kedah state boundary. And so, the other Kuala Muda is situated across this river.
Notice the many colourful boats in the background. For information, this is a fishing port. The locals did show parts of the area said to be affected by the Tsunami in 2004 but most have been repaired by the authorities leaving little thrace of the calamity. Anyway, they said this part of Kuala Muda didn't suffer much... It was the Kedah part which got the main brunt of the waves gone mad...


The fishermen's landing point across the river... The Kedah part is also pretty idylic seen from here...


An artistic angle of the estuary, at least that's what it looks to me and as can be snapped using a cheap digital camera without wide view...


Hmm... This sort of scenery never fails to remind me of my childhood in Muar... Sigh...


And of course the boats. Never fail to have a look at the boats and the landing points when in a fishing village. Beats the point of going to one when you have not seen the activities around.

Ah... This piece wraps up the stories on Penang and also a session of writing in Ipoh, Perak starting yesteday that covers a total of 7 stories on parts of a rather long travelling session which started December last year. Ah... The relief of letting out. Now I'm ready to go to my next destination for the current travel, Teluk Intan, my father's hometown.

Hmm... Maybe I should add a story or two on my bi-lingual blospot SENI LAMA MELAYU (MALAY OLDEN ART) too. As for further additions to this blogspot, wait for my next wave of inspiration ya, take care!

3 comments:

Don Balon said...

Salam Radzie..

" Here in Malaysia, there is no human casualty what more to run to as much as 200,000 deaths as at that country on the northern tip of the Sumatera island..."

This is the birthplace of my late grandfather Tengku Daie ibn Tengku Saleh. And some people did die in the tsunami in that area. Kg Tepi Sungai had several casualties, as a kenduri ceremony was swept by the waves..

Thanks..

Radzi Sapiee said...

Wassalam Don. Thanks for making the correction. That's why the comment section exists. Often I just have too much on my plate as I shift from place to place and write about it while juggling with other things.

If there is better information or I've made a mistake I'm glad to be corrected. If I don't agree, I will double check with other sources or even the same source one has quoted and see if I've made a mistake. In this case I've obviously missed the fact that Malaysians have died too. Thank you again for pointing this out. :]

Don Balon said...

Thanks Radzie..

It's always good to be in contact with people who research things academically. In case of non-consensus, we don't swear to each others. My experience with fairus of jejakwaris has been also very good.

Hope to maintain the academic and open approach among all of us the 70+ gen in search of our roots and our own selves....

I might be a descendant of Long Gaffar from my great grandfather Tengku Saleh and of Kedah's line from my great grandmother, reinforced when my grandfather married my grandmother of Tengku Desa family. The Kedah's line has been confirmed..still working on the kelantanese part.. although some recent findings have been pointing very signifivantly to the Long gaffar family.

You could check some of the "scrambled" data in my blog, alamak, quite shameful as mine is not even 1% of yours.. :)