7/4/10 REVISITING GUNUNG JERAI

The flight from Kuching to Kuala Lumpur with the AirAsia was sharp on schedule, leaving at 1255 hours. I was really hungry, and ordered Teh Tarik with Peanut Crackers, just a light refreshment to enable me to have good Nasi Lemak upon arrival at LCCT. One thing that really always touched me deep inside when taking AirAsia is that (all this while I have been observing) that as if AirAsia is nurturing a different type of Young Malaysian Culture: a rude culture. The on board staffs seem to be careless about the customers.

(2) I’m not comparing their hospitality standard with MAS’s, just appreciating it from the normal our tradition logic, theirs smile, their curteousy, their helpfulness, and among others that I always grumble is that when we paid for the service rendered, the way the money being return, by which they don’t bother to say thank you, not looking into your eyes with a smile and worst they just threw the money on your table, I began to feel as if the money that I used to pay for the goods are free monies that I collected from the garbage place. Our simple respectful Asian Culture seem being treated cheaply high in the air! Where do we go wrong, is it our because of too academeic oriented education system or are we being a too ‘modern parent?’

(3) Later I boarded AirAsia to Alor Setar, and just to cool myself down, I just took a nap. Half way, I took a rear seat to give way to a family whom struggling to keep their kids calm. While reading the book title; Rindu Andalalusia by Radwa Ashour, my mind and heart was at peace when both ladies to my left keep ‘donating’ their smile once a while when I glanced into their faces. At least they bother to smile when you glance at them, but not the AirAsia crew members, doesn’t matter where you meet them!

(4) The Rindu Andalusia book is about the suffering of the Andalusia Muslim once the Roman conquered the State. The Muslim heritage especially those treasures that had made the Muslims excel far a head of the West were destroyed: the books, the writings, the Muslims’ literatures were destroyed, burnt to ash. The Muslims were denied to excel based on the knowledge that they had accumulated. The women, the kids were made to suffer, after their men we taken as slave or brutally slaughtered. The down fall of Andalusia, despite the Muslim most precious contribution to mankind especially through the development of the Al-Hambra, the beautiful Garden City that had blended the moral, nature and human needs into a proper neighbourhood development, seem to signify the beginning of the Western suppression over the migrants Arab in Cardova and especially in Andalusia.

(5) I would suggest one to read this book, not to learn how bad were the West through their Christianazation had treated the Muslim, but to really understand, being a Muslim, and to be a good Muslim, one will be tested to 'death.' Only the one whom believe and really stand for the believe will stand as a man! Thus, what Allah have shown us, as long as we are clear, honest, and determine with patience and endurance in our struggle and our deed, we will be rewarded as an when He wish and as he promised. So much so, I don't see why we nowaday can't stand to our right and be firm with our right in the true Islamic way!

(6) Upon landing at Kepala Batas Airport, I took an immediate ride to Gurun and up the Gunung Jerai. Jerai is about an hour drive from the Kepala Batas Airport. After passing the real Gurun Old Town, one needs to take about 15-20 minutes ride up the about 10 kilometers winding small road to the 1,217 meters peak. A team of five officers were with me in this trip, and as we rode up at that very late afternoon (around 1800-1830 hours), and since Jerai is located not far from the sea, and surrounded by the flat paddy land, the confluence of the hot sea breeze with lots of vapour and the cooler forest air of Jerai, those water vapour then condense to form fogs. Jerai is a bit foggy around 1900-2000 hours.

(7) This is infact my revisit to Jerai, since my first one in 1976, when I represented my School, Sultan Abdul Halim on a nature-based drawing contest for the National Forestry Day. In those days, we walk up the hill and it took us almost six hours to reach the peak. Only Forestry Guest House was available in those day. We camped in the jungle and cook our own foods with the strict supervision of the Forest Rangers.

(8) We have dinner at around 2000 hours at the open restaurant of the Jerai Regency Resort. The cool Strait of Malacca's air was blowing soothingly. The sound of the insects and birds add to the tranquillity of the evening. At a far distance, the stream and spread of glittering of lights from the villages and housing estates are just like jewels being dusted over the dark black night. Once, those villages and the poor olden day paddy farmers gave Shanon Ahmad the idea of writing Ranjau Sepanjang Jalan, but today, we know as we travel along those roads crossing all those paddy fields had past the era of Ranjau Sepanjang Jalan, and now we would see KFC and Pizza Huts 'bertaburan'. Thanks god, how the North South Highway had changed all these into a better life forms.

(9) Deep in my heart, I have seen how bad was Kedah in 1975-79, and how Mahathir had transformed Kedah into this fast developoping State, and yet in the last Leadership era, Mahathir contributions being treated as if is nothing to them, which, I believe, the Kedah people had made that clear to them by voting out Barisan Nasional for their bad-arrogant manner to Mahathir. Jerlun, Kodiang, Tunjang and even Naka are now no more 'ulu'! And judging from the way PKNS Kedah is developing their Bumis entrepereneurs, I would have the confident PAS will continue to be managing Kedah forever, if and only if (IFF), BN could transform its image into 'Successful and Humble' of which I believe, right now the PAS Kedah is 'just do and be humble' leadership style. Kita buat je no, tak payah nak belagak! Tak payah nak menunjuk-nunjuk. Jadi MB, dok rumah papanpun tak pa! Janji rakyat senang!

(10) Early in the morning at about 6.45 hours, I took my photographic equipments and head for the Telecommunication Tower up hill. I passed the Organic Farm and the Telaga Tok Sheik, the site believe to be a ritual place of Tok Sheik upon his embarrassment to Islam in the 15th century. The uphill is really a tiring journey especially when you are loaded with 20-30 kilos of equipments on your back pack.

(11) The walk up is great. The fresh wet air, the slow warming of the sun rise, the early sounding of the birds, and surely the fresh green tropical jungle with blocks and blocks of green ‘paddy’ carpet at the far backdrop created a very rejuvenating feeling. My sweat profuse non-stop, followed by heavy breaths as I dragged my body load higher and higher up the hill. I could feel the calories of the metabolism burning over my skin.

(12) At about 0900 hours I chaired a meeting and was smoothly ended by 1030 hours. Later we rush to Alor Setar and have a nice Mee Kari at Alor Setar Regency Hotel, a real nice RM12.50/bowl rich coconut (forget about the colesterol) curry noodle.

(13) Later at about 15.30 we departed to Bukit Kayu Hitam, and guided by 'one kaki', we managed to pass through the Check Point without the necessary documentation. Thereon we headed for Danok, the nearest Thai border town, then passed through Sadao, and after about 90 min nice Highway Drive we arrived at HatYai by about 18.00 hours. Along the way, I could appreciate the nice Muslim Thai Villages with lots of Rubber garden/Estates. Southern Tahi seem to be perfect for Rubber Crops and they are now the largest rubber producer in the World followed closely by Indonesia. From these scenes, now I could visualized back to 30-40 years ago, how these regions had been flooded with poverty and thus became the strong hold of the socialist and communist ideology of Mao Tze Dung, headed by Chin Peng!

(14) HatYai is great for lady. A friend of mine, Su shown me various type of handbeg of various brand of which were too difficult for me to pronounce. All are branded brand and could easily being highly 'appreciated' if the one who use them drive in a BMW....and I joke...what about if she drive a Kancil? I remember few shoe brands: Miss Sui (Amoi Cantik), Ana Sui (Gua Cantik), etc. For me, I was more interested to have 'Sup Perut @ Sup Babat Sapi' and 'goreng burung puyuh', but I was frustated of not having any, and at the end, accompanying both Yanti and Su, pushing through the small hot alleys of shoes and handbags. What a day for me.

(15) HatYai is a lively town at night, same goes to Danok. What are there, well, Thailad has everything that either men or women, good or bad guy wants ande needs. All are yours.

(16) We rushed back to Alor Setar by 11.00, and we missed our ealier plan to have Laksa Pokok Cherry and Cendol Pulut at Kokdiang. Tak apa noh, kita mai lain kali! Teliok sungguh nak pekena Cendol Kokdiang eh!

Alor Setar, Kedah
18 April, 2010