Finally on 21st September I have the time to balik kampong to meet my folks for Aidilfitri. It was the eleventh Aidilfitri, after I was down with flu, friends paying an umrah homecoming visit cum Aidilfitri and two weddings over the weekend. I brought back for the folks back home about five (5) litres of zam zam water and several types of dates from the Holy Land.
Reaching Sungkai I decided to make a detour from the Plus Highway and visit my Aunty in Felda Sungei Klah who lost her husband on the eve of last year Ramadan. I could not make to the funeral then and had not visited her since. She insisted we stayed back for lunch and we insisted she prepared light as she was alone in the house. My wife gave a helping hand. I am the nephew and my wife the niece in law; therefore we refrained from being treated as Honorable Guests. I stayed with her in the kampong house before she was married and I told her to relate to my wife what were the daily chores then I was responsible with. Failing to comply, my late Grandmother would chase after me with a split rattan. That’s how my Grandmother taught me to be responsible, Allah fearing, learn to respect the elders and importance of all not to be “ill bred”.
At Tapah R & R I stopped to get some local fruits and its common, being Malay to upkeep the tradition of bringing “buah tangan” when we visit any one for that matter irrespective whether young or old, well or sick. It is the gesture that counts and the recipients would appreciate the kind thoughts. I bring it down to my children so that we forever remain as Malays.
Since the homecoming was unannounced, my Mother and sister expectedly did not prepare anything special for me even though I am the eldest of the clan from my Mother’s womb. After Maghreb I requested one of the nephews to stroll to the nearest Thai Restaurant and bought the family dinner. All of us enjoyed the “tapau”. After dinner we had family discussion over coffee and several latest issues were seriously discussed. Analysis, resolutions and ultimatum was unanimously agreed. It was an open discussion and all facts were gathered and opinions sought and heard from various sources.
The following afternoon one of the brothers joined us for lunch and I told him to oblige what I had told him to do. It’s about him to assist someone to accelerate the payment of outstanding debt.
I left for Lumut at about 1500 hrs as I wanted to rendezvous with Wahab (my umrah mate) and I wanted to visit his High Chaparral. He met me at Sitiawan CIMB Bank and invited us to his residence in Lekir. He then gave us a guided tour to Kampong Sungai Tiram and we saw how he breeds the 300 cattle at his 60 acre Farm. I was impressed with his concept and technology. He grows his own cattle grass (pasture) to feed the animals. He improvised the padi harvesting machine and innovated as grass cutting machine. Wahab even drilled his own water well and constructed water holes for his cattle. With zero engineering background and a simple “orang kampong” mentality, Wahab - I salute you.
We checked into Orient Star Hotel at the fringe of Lumut town facing the waterways to Pangkor Island and besides the TLDM Naval base. We enjoyed the Government staff discount. Wahab and family came after Isyakh and they entertained us for dinner at Muara Ikan Bakar.
The next morning, before we left Lumut for home we bought various varieties of seafood (dry). The journey home to Port Klang was slowed down by intermittent downpour between Bidor and Tanjong Malim.
Most of my Mosque mates were puzzled where I went missing in action. Haji Mus absent from the Mosque, everybody was inquisitive. His Magreeb tazkirah was not delivered for several days. The Shahiibulsamaah was missing.
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