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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.


Monday, December 04, 2017

Checking out the PLUS highway viewing point near Negeri Sembilan-Melaka border

Continuing from Rawang bypass finally opened.


Yesteday afternoon Sunday 3rd December 2017 I brought the kids southwards to Muar via the PLUS Highway. Somewhere near the Negeri Sembilan-Melaka there is a small stop for rest which has stairs leading to the summit of small hill.


I stopped because I was feeling very sleepy. But upon seeing the stairs I felt like going up with the kids.


Soon we arrived at the summit...





Checking out views towards the highway...












Rawang bypass finally opened



Referring to the article Checking out the Rawang-Bypass made 26th October.  On Wednesday 29th November I found out the bypass was finally opened and decided to check it out (again) in the afternoon.


This time I started with a car from the northern entry point just before the town of Serendah...





As I go along I could see a number of road users also excitingly checking out the scenery...











On the the elevated parts...








Stopping by the roadside I had to a have closer look  on how the elevated parts could rise up to 60 metres above ground...




















Checking out the Expo Negaraku 2017

Continuing the storytelling from Johan's kindergarten graduation for 2017.


Saturday afternoon 26th November 2017 we went to Dataran Merdeka or the Merdeka Square to check out an exhibition.


It is called Expo Negaraku 2017.


A number of futuristic looking tents were erected for the month or so long exhibition.








The scene inside a dome-like tent...





We thought they were going to show a movie or so on the ceiling. Well they showed a rather cliche advertisement on solidarity at these shapes in front.


Frankly that advertisement spoiled my mood at the exhibition. I felt like many Malaysians were being intellectually insulted by it. Yet to be fair we went out to check out other parts of the exhibition.


As we came across displays such at this it was apparent that the exhibition was heavily politically motivated. There was a clear attempt to deny the 22 years of progress delivered by a former Prime Minister and false attempt to paint the current one as the father of the future...


Thank God there are exhibitions such as this at another dome.


It is a nice diversion from many of the exhibitions that I felt were heavily tinged with political propaganda.


At least this one featuring the rain forest is subtle, that is if it does have any political points to achieve.


Then there's one part where the viewers were visually and virtually whisked via a 'cable car' and an 'elevator' to view national progress.


But the most astounding visually is inside a dome which resembles a sort of planetarium...








And so future Malaysia was shown almost 3D on wide screen covering the whole dome.


The political flavour trying to paint the current Prime Minister as the master of development is still there. But at least one can forget about that while being engulfed in the visuals...


Johan's kindergarten graduation for 2017

This is from 10 days ago...


Friday morning 24th November 2017 me and wife went to our youngest son kindergarten for the year's graduation.


There he is standing on the left. Aged 5 going to be 6 Johan was asked to wear traditional Malay clothing.


Naturally there were many excited parents...


The kids aged 4 to 6 years old were asked to take stage and sing some songs...




















Gifts and presents were given for graduation and notable performance in school...


Then a small birthday celebration was held for those born in November and December before everyone was asked to eat and drink...