Kecek-Kecek

The Menteri Besar of Terengganu hosted an event that I think was unique in our green and fair land, and I am saying this as a completely non-political person. Last week we had a marvellous event in a building that must’ve cost quite a few bob on the river, and I thought it would be attended by at most 50 people who have crumbs of beluda still on their sampin and relishing still their nekbat of sweet memory. I was wrong of course, as ever: there were 300 people in the hall, and after my long, boring speech (during which I had to pause twice to come to terms with a strong surge of emotion that was welling up in my breast) they came and waved 300 copies of GUiT at me for my thumbprint. And I am pleased to say that they also waved their copies of GUiT at the Menteri Besar who very graciously gave them his signature.

At the gathering I met again the man from the Persatuan Sejarah Terengganu (Terengganu Historical Society) who proferred me rokok arab and stuff at the launch of GuiT at the Keda Pök Löh Yunang. At this gathering on the river he appeared again with home-made beluda and much, much more. Thank you Cik Gu Mat, God bless you!

I say it was a unique event in Malaysia because not a few people stood up and reminded the MB that heritage is precious, and that what we call our warisan should not be destroyed but preserved. And I put in my voice too and said that development must not be only for the tourists but must also be for the people, and that we should raise not only shop houses but also communities in the Kuala Terengganu of now. I would like to thank Terengganu’s Menteri Besar YAB Dato Seri Idris Jusoh for hosting the event, and for keeping the dialogue going in such an admirable way. This is also the man who opens the door to his office to one and all every Wednesday to hear their grievances – and I hope they will learn much from listening to each other. And I say let’s all work together now regardless of party or colour and make Kuala Terengganu (and indeed Terengganu) a better place, especially for its people. Once the tourists have flown and the winds no longer blowing in the sails of those celebratory barges on the river, Kuala Terengganu is returned to its ordinary people who accumulate the garbage and dig the detritus of this all too disposable society. The tourists can look after themselves in their faraway haciendas of love and their altars to swift travel, but we have to plan wisely: let wisdom — not money — rule.

Since coming back I have re-connected with so many wonderful people: I met many former schoolmates, trembled again before two former class teachers (one, my English teacher, is now practicing law in KT; another, my maths teacher, travelled all the way from Ipoh to give me a hug and then expressed again those dreaded words, “Aku nök gi jjupe ayöh mung!” ("I'm going to see your father!", re my unsatisfactory maths homework), and I was told that Cik Gu Wan Chik is still there in wind-blown Tanjong and that P.Jalil is still among us (but no longer blowing), and that Mök Mèk of the Chee Sek ceranang shop is now still living, with her granddaughter in Kuala Lumpur (and if you must know, she’s 102).

In Six Degrees of GUiT I said how we are all inter-related. I have been re-connected with many more people. I had a very dear friend in Kampong Kolam, Sara Paul, who sadly passed on nearly three decades now. Now her niece in Penang has written in to say:

“I have just finished reading your book and its now in
my mother's hands and she wanted me to say hello to
you. Mum is Mary Emmanuel nee Paul whose family lived
along Jalan Kedai Hilir. I am told you went to school
with my aunty Sara.

“I so enjoyed the book and so is my sister Monica who
is still savouring each page ( i bought her a copy for
Christmas) We had no idea you were in KL for the book
signing or the Paul sisters (Elizabeth, Mary, Rose and
Ann) would have definitely dragged us to KLCC to meet
you. At any rate, we enjoyed the review which appeared
in the NST (which is incidentally, where I work ..
small world, eh?)

“My mum remembers your late father with great warmth as
he used to offer salams to my grandfather daily en
route to the mosque. And to bring this story to a full
circle, Mum tells me that my late father actually
replaced your dad as the Telegraph Master in Kuala
Trengganu ;-)

“Although it has been close to 25 years since we left
Trengganu (Dad was transferred to Penang in 1983) we
have standing orders for nasi dagang, keropok lekor
and roti paung (from Kg China - Capitol Electric)
whenever anyone from there is heading our way.

“Thank you so much for bringing all our childhood
memories alive and capturing them so vividly. Rest
assured that your book is fast becoming a must-have
for many of my cousins who also used to call Kuala
Trengganu home.”