Adieu, Kampung Rimba Jaya!

Prelude: Sometime back when I visited AL of Harakah at his house in Ampang, we got into a conversation about land-grabbing in Selangor by a certain elected official in a high position. This officer, one we shall call Toyol for his dastardly treacherous acts, is a sleek politician with greed knowing no bounds. In short, this is how he would do it:

Being a high official, Toyol would identify the lands which he could swing his way. Once identified, he would instruct a Company Secretary-friend to provide him an off-the-shelf-company for Toyol to award the land to. Now, like most off-the-shelf companies, if not all, the directors named there are only temporary and usually those working for the Company Secretary. These honest and loyal workers know their names are being used to set up the company, but they know nothing else after that. In fact, their bosses would make sure these 'directors' sign an undated resignation latter. This is an act to facilitate the transfer of company's ownership. Nothing sinister there.

But what these people do, or rather, did not know, is that Toyol awarded several pieces of prime land to companies such as these! After a 'cooling-off' period of about 2 years, Toyol would then instruct the Company Secretary-friend to effect the transfer of company ownership to a new set of names provided. The former 'directors' were kept in the blind, until AL did some investigation. But by then, nothing could be done. And Malaysia being what it is, no matter how many police or ACA reports one makes, nothing came out of them.

Some of the lands grabbed, include the settlements marked as 'tanah teroka' or 'pioneered land'. What this was supposed to mean, is that the pioneers of such land would be given titles to the land they occupy. But if you noticed, I used the word 'supposed'. For in truth, these people had their land grabbed by Toyol.

This, is part of the story for Kampung Rimba Jaya, Kampung Berembang, and several more 'squatter' colonies in Selangor.



When I read the news about Kampung Rimba Jaya on the eve of 27 October, the first thing that came to my mind were the scene of Kampung Berembang when it was demolished earlier this year. Then, pictures of the residents - including women and children - vehement stand against the local authorities flooded my mind like nightmarish scenes of native American's stand against Custer's charge at Little Bighorn, and the slaughter of Palestinian in many refugee camps, mainly Shabra and Shatilla; have we come to that?

Though I was not present at Kampung Berembang, I literally cried reading about their plight. And when I read about Kampung Rimba Jaya, I vowed to stand by them.

The morning of October 27, I drove straight towards Padang Jawa, Shah Alam, and straight into a small lane hemmed in between 2 blocks of wooden shop houses. As I drove in deeper, the lane became narrower allowing the passage of a single car only. This, I asked myself, is the promised development in Klang Valley that has been extolled world over?

For a village that is about to face the wrecking-balls of the local authority, I was amazed at the calmness in which the villagers moved about. There were no frantic scenes I had imagined the night before, though many villagers were seen packing their belongings into their transportations. I noticed too, several people were on or about several houses. They, I was informed later, were contract workers engaged by the villagers to dismantle their house, plank by plank, and zinc by zinc. Rather than watch their property heartlessly demolished, the villagers were trying to salvage what little they could.

I parked the car on a cement flooring of what perhaps could have been the floor of a house or shed, with some of its wooden walls still standing, then walked towards a group of men who were busy dismantling a house. Though I was wearing my webtv8 vest, I introduced myself as from Lajnah Kebajikan Pusat, the parent organisation for Kelab Kami Perihatin. Alhamdulillah, the introduction put them at ease and I was soon informed of the situation, which I relayed back to Dr L.

The villagers had decided to abandon all hopes for Kampung Rimba Jaya. Though they once won a court decision, it had since been overturned by higher courts and the villagers have no other recourse to turn to. As such, most of the villagers have decided to move out, leaving several families who were still adamant about their rights having lived there for close to 40 years! But their brave stand was to no avail as the local authorities - to me - are akin to the brutalities against the Palestinians (click here for full story).

As the roads to Kampung Rimba Jaya was cordoned off, sympathisers had to park their car a distance away and walk in. I am ashamed to admit that I was not able to. Nursing a bad ankle and a text message from Raja Petra Kamaruddin had me going down to KL. At noon, the message read, the controversial Director of Commercial Crime, a Dato' Ramli, will be giving an explosive press conference. But Wak and I were late and missed the scoop. The PC however, we were told by other journalists, was not what they had expected.

Back to Kampung Rimba Jaya, Alhamdulillah, with the grace of Allah s.w.t., the local representatives of Lajnah Kebajikan were able to find some accommodation for several families, and a small warehouse for the villagers to store their belongings. But this is only a temporary measure as Lajnah Kebajikan - both pusat and local - are hard strapped for cash.

To anyone reading this and my prior entry, I had promised to write about the conversations I had with several of the villagers. InsyAllah, I will fulfill this promise so that you, as a reader, may know the truth about the plight of Kampung Rimba Jaya residents, and not judge them based on the lopsided reporting of mainstream media in Malaysia.

Oh Citizens! Where are thou...?

Kampung Rima Jaya, a 4decade old village bordering Shah Alam and Kelang, is the latest to fall under the ruthless onslaught of the heartless regime of Khir Toyo.

Below, is a text message I have just received this morning (9.15am):

Polis, FRU, MBSA, MBPJ & Jentolak dah masuk Rimba Jaya semenjak 6.20 pagi. Road block di semua tempat masuk. Pengawalan Ketat.

The Police, FRU, MBSA, MBPJ & Bulldozers arrived at 6.20am. All entry roads have been cordoned with tight security surrounding the area. /end

InsyAllah, I will write about my meet and conversations with the residents of Kampung Rimba Jaya.

Let's Make History!

Jom, Kita Ukir Sejarah Negara!



Need More Be Said...

The Lion King

No, I did not see the movie. And nor is the video clip below about it too. What it is though, you have to see it to believe. Me, I had a nasty scare when the lion reached out for the man. The caption below came together with the video clip via email. Watch the video first, mind you.



"You got to see this video to believe it, the lion lovingly kisses and hugs the man who rescued him 6 years ago. The king of the jungle does have a softer side after all. The true power love..."

Sit, Botak! Sit!

Date: November 23, 2007
Venue: Puan Nuraina Samad's House
Occasion: Mee Rebus Tuesday
Scene: Botak Kena Marah!

Dialogue.

Kak Eton: Now Botak cakapaje, I believe you have had enough helpings already!
Botak: But ma'am....
Kak Eton: No buts, buts. I pegang amanah. Tokasid said when you go Raya-ing, you must watch your weight!
Kak Eton: But...but ma'am!
Kak Eton: No buts, buts, I said. Be a good botak and go sit beside Matsalo there! Go! Go! Otherwise...
Botak: Otherwise, ma'am...?
Kak Eton: Otherwise I'll call Cikgu to bring his rotan!
Botak: (Walk to Matsalo and thinking) Alamak! This is all kerp's fault! This is his plate! I've yet to have a bite and am hungry!


Off course, in truth, the above did not happen as the written script. But, that's Bolehwood! My apologies to Kak Eton if its misconstrued other than a joke. Thank you Kak Eton and Puan Nuraina.

Not Just a Lovers' Paradise...

This came via email, and honestly, though I once held romantic notions about the subject matter of the You Tube, I now no longer care. UFO, huh big deal! I mean, we've sent one up ourselves, and none of these UFOs ever greeted him. So, I couldn't give a care if they come visiting us here. Unless, off course, they happen to be of the female variety with looks like Patricia Valesquez, hehe. Then, I might be smitten and go googoo-gaga!

But honestly, when I look the the video-clip, somehow I was not impressed at all. Except for its incredibly low speed at low altitude, it looks like a flying Humvee. I mean, they sent us their flying saucers way back in what, the 1950's? Suddenly, after an absence of so many decades, they begin reappearing in the latest uptrend flying fashion. When I looked at it in slow-mo, they look very much like some VTOL jump-jets. Off course, I could be wrong and be whisked away to some distant stars tonight.

By the way, the video was supposedly shot in Haiti, a Lovers' Paradise as some would call it.

Now, The Raya-ing Begins...

Thursday, yesterday, on the 6th day of Syawal, emak and I went visiting in Melaka with her sister, makcik Yam and son, Azman. Though Melaka is a small state, you'd be surprised that there are many parts of it seldom heard or visited by not only people from outside the state, but within too! One of these places is a Felda settlement at Hutan Perca, quite near Alor Gajah town. For me, I know of only 2 routes leading this to this still lonely settlement: you either approach it from Gemenceh, Negeri Sembilan, or off a road from Alor Gajah town to Melaka Pindah, emak's kampung.

Its been some so many years since I last visited Hutan Perca, the last some 10 years ago when we my mother's first cousin held a wedding reception for his son. Since then - apart from a new housing estate along the way, and a brand new district Police Headquarters - every thing's still quite the same, including the festival gaiety one would normally find a kampung. Hmm...before one misconstrue the meaning of 'festival gaiety', I do not mean music, bands and dance and what-have-you, which may be the norm in many cases. Here, it means the simple joy of meeting relatives you've not met for ages, and watching their children play games which are not attached by wires. Games, which their parents too once played with joy and gusto. One that helped to bond the children together, but only to be parted with childish stupidity and ego of being an adult, but not an adult wise with age.

Police and thief, Catch, Hopscotch, Batu Sembang, and a variety more, are surprisingly still being played in the backyards of a nation now serenaded as a space-age nation, even when the digital divide grows bigger and harder to bridge, and that there are still people living near Neanderthal-age. But the children knows none of this, or care none about it. The only thing that concern these colour-blind children at the moment I was watching, is how to have fun with their cousins and neighbours. How I envy them.

Soon later, having made our last stop at my uncle's house in Melaka Pindah, we found our way back to KL. Alhamdulillah, the North-South Expressway has been widened to 3 lanes on each side, making our journey back a smooth flow. I dread to think had it not. From the past years experience, traveling during any festive occasion can be a nightmare.

When we left Kota Damansara earlier in the morning, several neighbours had already made it back from their respective hometowns the day before. And by the time we arrived back at my house, we noticed several of the newly returns were already receiving guests. Along the way, we noticed one house in particular - with its door and french-windows wide opened - a group of children crowding a corner. We could not ascertain the reason, but suspect it must be due to an electronic game, or something related to it.

That particular scene we notice, had us in a small talk and laughing in the end. With most of the KL population expected to be back in full-swing by this weekend, many house will be hosting open-houses till the end of Syawal, and some, even spilling 2 weekends after! Ramadhan is now a forgotten memory, and Syawal a food festival than anything else, especially for the adult! For the children who tag-along their parents though, its BONUS TIME! - the time where real 'duit-raya' is collected in earnest. The real meaning of the month of Syawal, and the real joys of it, has been confined to only the the first morning. Now, the Raya-ing begins...

With A Little Help From My Friends

Sometimes, when a person is down and out due to an ailment, the last thing they need is for a visitor to give give their unqualified medical opinion on the matter. It seems every other visitor has a cure - either newly found or passed down for generations - for the ailment. Er, before I ramble on, this is, with due respect to Doc Tokasid and other similarly qualified professionals.

Yesterday, on the 2nd day of Syawal, I made a long delayed trip up north to Pekan Sungai Besar, somewhere near the Selangor-Perak border. I brought emak along as I could not bear the thought of her having to serve Raya guests all by herself. As I have not traveled up the coastal road for a very long time, I mistakenly took the wrong route via Bukit Raja instead of Sungai Buloh, which is so very near my house.

We made this trip especially to visit Pakngah, whose story I logged an entry last September, and to give him a small token of RM500 from Kelab Kami Perihatin, to help ease his financial burden. Admittedly it is a small sum, but KP is not a rich organisation.

I've seen it happen many time and have even been on the receiving end of well-intended advices. No offence meant to anyone, but if the patient is in already on his way to recovery, he may just suffer a relapse. All the poor fella need is some peace and quite assuredly, and not to be rested in peace.

Though the distance from my house to Sungai Besar is longer than it is to Melaka, we surprisingly did not feel it as such. Perhaps, due to the now wider road and the change in scenery of drab city life. Another possibility is that the absence of large traffic; we left before zohor and was back home by 6pm.

Along the way, we made a short stop by Bukit Melawati; one of the best place to stop and rest on this coastal road. A majestic hill it may not be, but amid the largely flat terrain of this route, it makes a great vista point for the coastline, the Kuala Selangor river, and the surrounding land area, which makes it an attraction for photographers from near and afar. Bukit Melawati too, has its own interesting history, one perhaps I'll write at another time.

Then there's another kind of visitor, maybe some every other 3, who, out of sheer curiousity, would barrage the patient and/or his family, on how such an ailment or tragedy happened! And the poor patient and his family would have to - repeatedly - answer the questions until, as the Malays would put it "sampai kering tekak". But somehow, those well intended visitors do not understand this. Er...admittedly, I fell into this category yesterday.

Irrespective, I guess when we are down, we could use a little help from friends.



* For those well-wishers, pakngah's real name is Abdul Malek, and he can be contacted at 019-3463065

Pakngah too, has his own blog at Pak Ngah e-Book Centre and Koleksi Artikel.

Where are we going to?

Its 1.23am, early morning of the 1st day of Syawal, a date muslims world over celebrate for their act of abstinence from the nafs of their daily routine during Ramadhan, and their piety devotion to Allah s.w.t. As the norm has been for the past 17 years, I celebrate alone with emak only to be joined later by Emi and Din, if they are in town. The only major thing that is no longer part of the norm now, is that we no longer rush back to Melaka; we have not done so for the past 2-3 yearr.

The mornings of Syawal always bring mixed emotion of sadness and joy. For the pious, the sadness is mainly due at having to bade farewell to Ramadhan, while for the many, it is in remembrance of family members and close friends who are no longer around.

With emak already asleep, I thought I would like to reproduce an entry I made sometime back, one I previously would not admit to writing. But now the time of hide and seek is slowly but surely ebbing. Like a growing tree, it needs to shed the bark that protects for it to grow bigger. Further, with the availability of Imeem, I am now able to play the music and read the entry at the same time.

This entry which I dare not even call a poem, was marked as Part1, helped me then to influence and realign my political stance. Admittedly it is not perfect as it may have been intended not to be. But as it did me, I hope it will do the same for anyone reading it, insyAllah. PartII however, only Allah knows when it will be.


Theme From Mahagony Pt1

Do you know, where you're going to?
Dunia semakin tua. Pelbagai kekotoran meracuninya. Dan hari demi hari, ia terus diracuni dan dicemari oleh durjana durjana bernama manusia bersama syaiton dan sekutunya. Kemanakah arah tujuan kita?


Do you like the things that life is showing you?
Korupsi, maksiat, jenayah minda dan fizikal berluasa tanpa batasan. Adakah ini yang dinamakan kehidupan? Dan adakah ini kehidupan yang dicari?


Where are you going to?
Bukankah arah tujuan kita untuk kembali?


Do you know?
Tapi tahukah kita walau sekadar membaca kompas untuk mencari arah tujuan?


Do you get what you're hoping for?
Jauh di dalam hati, ramai yang bermohon dan berdoa walau untuk sekadar kedamaian dan ketenteraman, namun kesemua itu akan sia belaka


When you look around you there's no open door.
Kesejahteraan abadi tiada lain jalannya melainkan Ad-Deen


What are you hoping for?
Atau adakah kita meminta perkara yang sementara...yang bathil?


Do you know?
Namun tahukah kita di mana yang bathil dan yang Haq?



By Lekaran


***

A friend, Adiemad, later added the hadith below:

Abu Hurayrah (radhiallahu anhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allah
(sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: "Whoever believes in Allah and the
Last Day, let him say what is righteous or keep silent. Whoever believes
in Allah and the Last Day, let him be kind to his neighbor. And whoever
believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him be generous to his guest."

[Saheeh Muslim]

Just a few personal words...

Shoot! I really do not know how to do this! I mean, I've never been good at writing and sending greetings from day one! Somehow, when you're working in an office where all you need to do is just state the number of greeting cards you need, it was never that difficult! I mean, all you need to do is just sign at the bottom of the card and that's it! And if you need to get personal, all you have to do is add a few notes of your own and every one's happy about it. But, not now, not this present moment, and may be never again.

I've tried to get more personal of late, especially when emailing my friends. In line with the thoughts of an ustaz-friend, I even added "Kepada sahabat ku yang dikasihi...". You and I might think there's nothing wrong in that, but not some people - He never replied and I never received anything else from him from that date! Granted, he's a male like I am, but there were no sexual innuendos intended! But, some people...May be there's a heck of a lot more truth in Lukman Hakim's story about the boy, his father, and the ox they were bringing to the market: You just can't please everybody. Sad, but true.

Now, Hari Raya is expected to fall on Saturday, October 13. Saying it does, alhamdulillah. But, on the unexpected twist of event which is becoming more rampant in this Bolehland we are citizens of, you can never tell. I mean, the Bolehland Premier, jubilant about the launching of our first astronaut (should it not be cosmonaut, since they were launched from Kazakhstan, a Russian satelite), he might just, out of sheer joy and want of celebration, decide to declare Friday, the 12th, as 1st Syawal! Now, that would certainly lead to a very large headache, to say the very least, to almost every one, would it not?

I mean, the chickens are a day full from prime, the lembu's and kerbau's are still having a field day on, well, the field, where else. Then, the ketupat casing has not been woven yet, and even the kelapa has not been shredded for the parut and perah santan processes! Looking at it, in fact, it would be a total chaos!

Off course, this does not take into consideration that we will be fasting one day short - only 29 days of Ramadhan, when even learned muslim astronomers say it should be 30 this year! But, the powers that be, in wanting to show they are the powers that be, care hoots about it! Or, even the people's quandary.

So, in view of all that, let me take this moment to wish every one a "Selamat Hari Raya Eidulfitri! Semoga kita mendapat keampunan dari Nya di hari yang mulia ini".



My apologies for the colour of the card as it was the only I could find.

Mohon Maaf Zahir dan Batin.

Streets of Kota Damansara - Text

Sigh...I tried but could not put the text onto the entry with the song. Where did I do wrong? Er...that's not Sinead O'connor singing, mind you. So, please scroll down, click play then only read this text below.


The Streets of Kota Damansara.

I was reading Roslan SMS's entry on October 8, and was immediately reminded of some people, many of them who may not be as fortunate as I am or we are.

The streets of Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya, may not be known to many people outside. It is unlike the song Streets of London. But like the streets anywhere in the world, it too has its own stories.

Eve, a name I shall give this lady who lives several houses down the road, is a pious muslimah living alone in a 2story house. Yet, if you were to meet her, then you might easily think she is a lady of 50's or 60's. Formerly a medium scale public servant, she lives off her pension with the house paid for by one or two of her 7 children.

Formerly known as Bandar Baru Sungai Buloh, the market value of the area increased dramatically when the name was changed to Kota Damansara and made part of Petaling Jaya. A mixed development of low, medium, and high-end housing, it is by no means an affluent neighbourhood.

At her age, Eve, shows none of the physical frailties of many of her age group. Surprisingly, she is still a keen gardener, working every morning on her small plot measuring some 10 by 5 foot, except when is not well. Then, kindly neighbours would knock on her door to check on her wellbeing.

To fend off crime and undesirable elements, many of the landed property areas have engaged security companies and erected barriers. This move, though noble in intention, is not well received by certain quarters, more so when it is seen as a segregating the residents of the low cost and not.

I know that at least 3 of her children are well off as I've seen them driving expensive cars when ever they visit Eve. This, however, is a scene that does not repeat itself with the frequency one would have thought between children and their mother. This Ramadhan month itself, neighbours have taken noticed that Eve breaks her fast almost alone. The only time when she has company is when one of her sons return from a neighbouring country.

But somehow, when you compare the kinship between the low cost and not, it seem the residents of the low cost areas have theirs more tightly woven; with the exception of perhaps one or two, they seem to honestly enjoy the company of their neighbours where each death or birth, is shared equally with sorrow or joy by all.

Seeing her living alone, I am left to wonder whether she could be lonely. But the mornings when she does her gardening, she always has a smile on her face but her eyes speaks differently. The several times emak ask me to send her kuehs or dishes, her face would really glitter with joy at having guest, even if the visit is for a moment or two.

I may be wrong in my observation, but the residence of the low cost areas are actually living a new definition of the old kampung spirits that the Malay - Asian - community is once famed for.

As we approach Aidil Fitri, again and again I ask myself on the duties and allegiance of children - any children - towards their parents. In Islam, there are numerous ayats and hadiths where the children are to honour their parents above anyone else, with the exception of the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. Would it then, suffice for Eve's children to give financial support and - it seems - not affection as well? I dare not say more less I become that what I fear.



* Thank you Doc for teaching me to use imeem, and thank you Cikgu for opening the door leading me here. Off course, not forgetting Sofian who created my blog and left me in a lurch.

Streets of London

And streets of cities on Earth.

A Tribute to Classical Rock.

Since downloading limewire, I've sort of gone haywire a wee bit. Prior to this when I do my online work, I have been able to do so in calmness and total control of my thoughts and actions. But, not now. Well, at least not for the given moment. Now, at this very moment, I what you may call a 'beruk kena belacan'!

My online work is another one of those voluntary thing which I, well, volunteered. Part of the work involves skimming from one blog to another, looking for interesting political writings, digest them, and send them for mass circulation. All was working fine, till I downloaded limewire; every once TOO often, my head and body would go swaying and shaking like an ecstasy junkie. Soon after this, it will get worse...

Now, again in the line of work, I found this blog. And whoa, if anyone's a great fan of Classical Rock, then surely it must be this guy TJ Classic Rock. Check him out, but be prepared to have your peace blown away!

The Way I Feel Tonight.

I should not have but I did. Now that I have, this strange emotion has begun to envelop me again, soaring me to heights I once felt when I was younger; the age where emotion control the very thoughts in your mind, and not the mind controlling the emotion.

But its a lovely feeling. False as it may be, it is a small consolation to this existence where truth and fallacy of life mingles more densely than the gaseous particles that surround our very being.

Were I now as young as I was then, I would listen to my heart and begone with the consequence that would surely follow. But I am not. Would I then, at this age, find what I could not before? Surely, only He the Most Wise know and that I a mere mortal not.


Somewhere Out There - James Ingram
Somewhere out there, perhaps another mortal too is searching what I search.

Could it Be Magic? - Barry Manilow
That perhaps we shall meet where the moment will be hold nothing but a magical feeling.

The Way I Feel Tonight - Bay ity Rollers
For such an emotion I do feel now.

Lovely Day - Bill Withers
And the lovely day we do, it shall be forever cherished.

Honesty - Billy Joel
A true moment of emotion and thoughts

Cavatina - John Williams
And surely we would be silent as a mute, engulfing us with the beautiful sound of life.

Time and Again - David Coverdale
Where time and again we shall reflect on this very moment with joy and thankfulness.

Fly Me To The Moon - Diana Krall
And that moment shall take us to greater heights we have never even thought of.

All By Myself - Eric Carmen
For neither of us shall be alone again.

Just The Two of Us - Bill Withers
To face the joys and adversities of life togerther

Just Once - James Ingram
And if I could, I surely would ,even if it be just for a moment in time

Time In A Bottle - Jim Croche
For us to be together in eternity

You Raise Me Up - Josh Groban
For your mere presence gives me strength I know not I have

When I Fall In Love - Josh Groban, Celine Dion & Luther Vandross
Strength of a man deep in love

Hati Emas - M Nasir
With a woman as beautiful as you

She Believes in Me - Kenny Rogers
A virtuous woman of iman

Stairway to Heaven - Led Zepelin
Heavenly sent from, and to.

Is It You? - Lee Ritenour
For such is what I behold of you

Kau Ilhamku - Man Bai
The very inspiration I seek

You Can't Hurry Love - Phil Collins
And the love I long sought

Knocking On Heaven's Door - Randy Crawford, Eric Clapton & David Sanborn
And the dreams I have

I Just Want To Keep On Loving You - REO Speedwagon
You.

You Are My Everything - Santa Esmeralda
You will be everything I have

Don't Let Me Be Misundertood - Santa Esmeralda
But kindly do not misunderstand my meaning

The Air That I Breathe - The Hollies
For the very air I breathe belongs to Him and Him alone

Forever and Ever - Demis Ruosos
And for eternity we belong to Him

Back to Life, Back to Reality - en vogue
And the words I write are ramblings of a romantic fool

Desert Rose - Sting
Mere words of a dream approaching the impossible

Red Red Wine - UB40
Drunk with songs newly downloaded with limewire

Stranger On The Shore - Acker Bilk
Courtesy of former strangers now fast becoming friends

Let's Celebrate - Rare Earth
And my way of saying thank you to them.

How Will The Wolf Survive? - Los Lobos
For without them, I may have not continue blogging my simple thoughts here

Bus Stop - The Hollies
But tis here then I shall stop, to let them rest their weary eyes.


The End.

ps. Chal Chaiya Chaiya
Chal Chaiya Chaiya