Friday, January 1, 2010

Salutation to Johoreans

(1) During my study time, I've went to few states. I've went to Terengganu for my matriculation, and then to Selangor for my undergaduate programme. Along the way, I've made friends with many other statesmen, from Pahang, Kelantan, Kedah, Perlis etc. I've also traveled to some other states too.

(2) Within these times also I've learned many differences in Malay culture between these states. Each community has its own culture, and of course different way of thinking.

(3) However, after analysing each states, I've got to salute Johoreans. Some of you may think I'm buyers for my state, but those who're in my shoes, whom travel a lot, may notice it too.

(4) From what I saw, we Johoreans actually have the most terrific and original Malay customs in Malaysia. We can see it's apply in most our daily lives, in marriage, architecture, family lives, our way of thinking and our phisolophy, the way we interact etc.

(5) Typical Johoreans especially in rural areas dominated by Javanese people, we like to beautify our houses, and its front yard. We usually divide our yards with our neighbours using flowers plant, being planted along the border. Eventhough our village houses design is simple, many of us like to paint it, thus bringing beauty and serenity inside our homes.

(6) Johoreans are typically moderate minded, and there's no such extremism inside us. Some will claim that sometime our moderation surpasses our religion view, but bare in mind that until the year 2000, Johoreans has the most sistematic and influential Islamic school system in Malaysia, which is standard for all districts. This moderation most probably why Johor was the most developed state in Malaya in the early 1900's until about 1940. Sultan of Johore was a good friend of her majesty Queen of England, bringing England systematic approach in good governance inside Johor, and asimilated it with Islamic and Malay tradition. When all other state palaces were still built using wood, Johor already has a palace build using stone, the Istana Bukit Serene, and beautiful mosques like Sultan Ibrahim mosque in Muar, taking English styles inside them.

(7) We are usually quite funny people, especially when we're chatting to each other. I laugh a lot when I spent my time listening to the senior people talking to each other. The 'old school' jokes for me are just hilarious..I laughed a lot. Even when their picking each other, they did it in hilarious manner so those whom being picked feel funny about it.

(8) Bringing English good governance also means education level of Johoreans increased significantly. This was also another factor why the ultimate tsunami of independence movement started at Johor, with Dato' Onn Jaafar leading it, until the establishment of UMNO in Johor palace. Of course, there were many attempted movement to free Malaya from British grip, however Johoreans were the first people to notice how to do it the correct way. With that, we are usually very patriotic, especially old timers.

(9) I've also learned that the actual 'Bahasa Melayu' is define as the language spoken inside Johor, Riau and islands around it.

(10) There are many other exciting cultural heritage that Johoreans posesses. It will take time to explain it all. In marriage, marhaban, potong jambul, zapin etc. A few people said we should leave our cultures since it is not 'Islamic'. For me this is wrong, except cultures that directly oppose our religion.

(11) Sesungguhnya Allah menciptakan kamu dari pelbagai bangsa untuk saling kenal-mengenali antara satu sama lain. Ini salah satu pengiktirafan mengenai budaya bangsa yg berlainan.

(12) It will be easy if we open our hearts to each other.

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Selamat tahun baru 2010

(1) Saya ingin mengucapkan selamat menyambut tahun baru kepada semua pembaca2 blog ini.

(2) Saya x la biasa membuat sebarang new year resolution, but since awal tahun ini saya akan berpindah kerja, maka new year's resolution saya ialah memulakan hidup baru, di tempat baru dgn penuh keceriaan dan harapan.

(3) Saya berharap akan mencapai apa yg sy impikan. Saya juga berharap anda semua berusaha bersungguh-sungguh mencapai cita2 anda! Kita usaha sama2 yek!

(4) Jgn lupa pula, sekiranya kita gagal mencapai apa yg diinginkan, bukannya bermaksud kita lemah. Kadangkala, apa yg kita mahukan bukanlah yg terbaik utk kita, itu bukan hak kita utk decide. Ar Rahman yg menetukan segalanya.

(5) Selamat tahun baru sekali lagi utk semua ;)

The actions which outlives you!

(1) Give Quran to someone and each time they read from it, you will gain hasanaat.
 
(2) Teach someone to recite a dua. With each recitation, you will gain hasanaat.
 
(3) Donate a wheel chair to a hospital and each time a sick person uses it, you will gain hasanaat.
 
(4) Plant a tree. Each time any person or an animal sits under its shade or eats from the tree, you will gain hasanaat.
 
(5) Place a water cooler in a public place.

(6) Share constructive reading material with someone.

(7) Participate in the building of a mosque.

(8) Share a dua or Quran CD.

(9) Help in educating a child.

(10) Share this with someone. If one person applies any of the above you will receive your hasanaat until the Day of Judgement.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Mohd Shah's marriage (27th December 2009)

(1) Shah is my cousin. This wedding was held at his parent's house in Muar, quite near to my house. He is one year younger than me, the same age with his wife.

(2) Kenduri doa selamat, marhaban and potong jambul ceremony was held on Saturday night..







Saturday, 26th December afternoon
My uncle preparing cooking ingredients, and beingwatched by chef











Saturday, 26th December afternoon

In this picture: My sister and her husband, also my younger brother and sister were peeling onions and ginger to be cooked











Lamb beriani on the cook! ;-) Saya mmg minat beriani, especially kambing. Johor sbg kubu kuat beriani ni biasanya akan ade hidangan ni













Nak masak beriani ni susah..kene belajar drpd muda..and kene ade minat..kalau x x jadi...kata chef kita ni...org lama yg mantap!















Anak2 buah chef janggut kita sedang masak nasi beriani..sgt mantap..macam2 dibubuhnya...brader baju merah belang tu tgh tuang orange sunquick dlm nasi tu. Mmg best!!







Majlis marhaban and potong jambul, Saturday 26th December night
Gambar pengantin saya x dapat lagi...masa bersanding x sempat ambil sebab saya sibuk merewang, main kompang and layan tetamu. Nanti dh dapat saya uploadkan :)

Yang memerintah dan yang diperintah

(1) Kerajaan mesti diubah sekiranya tidak lagi menerima mandates of Heaven.

(2) Istilah ini digunakan oleh bangsa China sebagai satu cara utk menukar maharaja mereka. Sbg contoh, jika ada kemarau yg berpanjangan, kebuluran dan penyakit berjangkit yg gagal dikawal oleh empayar, itu adalah petanda maharaja tersebut sudah tidak lagi mendapat mandates of heaven, dan perlu berundur.

(3) Di Malaysia sekarang ini terbalik, rahmat yg diberikan tuhan yg berlimpah ruah ini menjadikan ramai org alpa, lupa diri dan tamak. Ramai menjadi 'busuk' bukan sebab kekalutan kesihatan atau kekurangan makanan, mereka menjadi 'busuk' sebab berebut kekayaan yg berlebih-lebihan tanpa mengira kesannya. Mandates of heaven yg sepatutnya menjadikan kita bahagia totally disalahgunakan.

(4) Apa yg perlu kita buat? Kita x dapat menolak tuah yg diberikan Ar-Rahman kpd kita. Namun, kita boleh ubah segalanya bermula dgn diri kita.

(5) Sekuat-kuat iman ialah kita mengubah kemungkaran dgn tangan dan kekuatan kita, dan selemah-lemah iman ialah sekurang-kurangnya kita despise kemungkaran dgn hati kita.

(6) Byk cerita2 rasuah kebelakangan ini yg memeningkan kepala saya. Mereka tanpa rasa takut 'makan' duit rakyat berjuta-juta ringgit. Timbul persoalan dlm kepala saya, kenapakah agaknya terjadi sebegini...sudah x takutkah org, hilangkah nilai murni manusia, terutama bagi kita yg beragama Islam ni?

(7) Seseorang pernah mengingatkan saya mengenai perkara ini. Katanya, apabila org kita mula meninggalkan agama..maka Allah akan menghantar pemimpin2 yg tidak adil dan zalim utk memimpin. Saya x tahu wujud atau tidak ayat Qur'an atau hadith mengenai perkara ini, tapi kita boleh nampak apa yg berlaku pada diri kita dan sekeliling kita yg menunjukkan telahan ini ada benarnya.

(8) Pendek kata, you reap what you sow. Kita perlu reflect diri kita, kenapa agaknya kita dapat pemimpin2 dan masyarakat yg teruk..mungkin sbb kita sendiri yg 'parah' dlm hubungan kita dgn pencipta dan sesama sendiri. Kita banyak tak endahkan hukum-hakam...demi kepentingan kita sendiri. Saya malas nak tulis apa salah kita, byk sgt...tepuk dada tanya hati...kita tahu, tapi kita ignorant, kita nak yg terbaik, tapi adakah kita berikan yg terbaik?

(9) God save us.