Unexpected Guest.

Haji Hasbullah called me early morning while I was at the Jogging track informing that he is in town attending a wedding and he would call on me sometimes around noon. Haji Hasbullah is a Pensioner from Kota Kinabalu RTM and I would be more please to receive this unexpected guest from the Land below the Wind. We got acquainted when we did the umrah + Egypt tour in 2010. We became close since then.

After an errand at Putrajaya, he headed for Klang accompanied by his wife, son and daughter in law. We rendezvoused at Bukit Tinggi Tesco and immediately adjourned for lunch at Bukit Tinggi Asam Pedas Restaurant just behind Giant Supermarket. This Restaurant specializes on local kampong delicacies. Being a Kelantenese he was excited to find “tempoyak”, budu” and “siput sedut masak lemak” spread among the local kampong delicacies. The other name for “siput sedut” is “Belitung” and the English scientific name is “certhidea obtusa”. He had not eaten “certhidea obtusa” for the past thirty seven (37) years ever since he migrated out from Kota Baru, Kelantan, so he claimed. He really enjoyed the lunch and I was glad he did so. When I was in Kota Kinabalu he treated me and my wife at KK Seafood Restaurant beside Promenade Hotel. It’s now my honor to return the compliment.

We then adjourned to my house for coffee and joined by my immediate neighbor Haji Zakaria MZ the former Director of IPTAR (Institute Penyiaran Tun Abdul Razak). Haji Hasbullah and Haji Zakaria MZ were both from RTM. I called up to surprise Haji Amran Din at Bukit Sentosa an ex RTM Sabah and my former Hostel mates to talk with Haji Hasbullah. I was glad to bridge old friends.

Haji Hasbullah had to call off the day early as he is staying at a Hotel along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman KL where the Pasar Malam is, by evening. “Sambal ikan bilis Melaka” would fly along with him to KK reciprocating for bringing along Sabah local cookies for me. The next time I fly to KK, I would bring along “certhidea obtusa” and “sea cockles” which are rare in Sabah.

Friendship first developed at the Holy Land is Allah blesses. Distance between Borneo Island and Peninsular Malaysia separate by the vast South China Sea make near.