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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.


Friday, January 10, 2014

Casual walk (or not so) at Lebuh Aceh



Just before dusk we arrived at the street called Lebuh Aceh.


Once upon a time the street and its surrounding was a Malay majority area. In fact it was THE place to gather and spend nights at for Muslims from half if not all the Malay Archipelago before taking ships to do the haj or pilgrim in Mecca.


Now, one is hardpressed to find evidence of Malay or Muslim control.


Sure it has its own attractions like this second-hand market I came across.




But does this reflect any Malay/Muslim control over it, over a place with the name Aceh still resounding as a once strong Muslim nation in South-East Asia? You tell me...




Another attraction is this mansion turned into an Islamic museum. Casually one would not notice anything except happy looking on-goings. But on deeper introspection, Lebuh Aceh nowadays started to smell like Kampung Gelam in Singapura where the Malays and their values seemed to have become like museum items for show.

A look at the waters facing Pulau Jerejak

Continued from A visit to Telok Tempoyak.


Next I went somewhere towards the north of Pulau Pinang's east coast.


I wanted to have a good look at the island of Pulau Jerejak which lies within the waters towards the mainland.






From here you can see the first bridge.


Close-up. Its traffic burden would soon be shared with the second bridge which lies about 9 km to its south.


A visit to Telok Tempoyak

Peace be upon you this Friday morning. Continuing from The road from Teluk Bahang to Balik Pulau.


Sunday 29th December 2013. After attending a meeting at Bayan Lepas me and family went around the south-east tip of the island of Pulau Pinang. That's when we came across a place called Telok (or Teluk) Tempoyak.




The name could be literally translated as the gulf of Tempoyak. Tempoyak is a Malay flavour-enhancing paste made from the thorny fruit durian.


I want to find a place to have a good look at the second bridge connecting the island to the mainland.




I understand it has been completed waiting for the right time to be opened. Now let's just have a look around...






Tuesday, January 07, 2014

The road from Teluk Bahang to Balik Pulau



I wanted to stop at Teluk Bahang next but time was running short as we wanted to chase a function at Balik Pulau.


So we just drove through a part of Teluk Bahang passing by a man-made lake and a dam.


Then the road started to twist and turn going up a hill-side.


Elevation is quite high in later parts of the road. A check with Google Earth shows it reaches above 730 feet above sea level.










At certain parts I feel I must stop to savour the views better.










Too bad  I was in a rush and could not stop longer to enjoy better, not even to sit near a quite famous waterfall. Let it be noted that this is the 1,200th article in this blogspot.


Views from a cosy spot at Batu Feringgi



Our route that day must pass through the famous beach of Batu Feringgi. So we must make a stop.


From a cosy spot which was not busy, we relaxed and took in the views...










For the record this is the 1,199th article in this blogspot.



Views from the floating mosque of Tanjung Bunga



Next stop is a mosque at Tanjung Bunga, just before Batu Feringgi.




It was built on concrete stilts above water and became known as the floating mosque of Tanjung Bunga. From here one can get superb views of the surrounding.