Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Part 1)

Somewhere Over the Rainbow by 'Iz' Kamakawiwo'Ole

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fahr069-fzE&feature=related

The view of Sydney Harbour from Taronga Zoo
http://www.nothinglikeaustralia.com/nz/accessible/entries/nsw/0020756.htm

       That's the closest image of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge that could capture the memory of my last evening in that fabulous city Down Under. 
       I had just caught the ferry at Mosman Bay in the nick of time, waved my new found friend Hamidah McGrath goodbye, and held my tears as the barge slowly moved away from the wharf.
       It had rained earlier that evening in the middle of the tour of the North Shore area which Hamidah had planned for me. Prior to that, we were on the free tour bus which arrived on the dot at the stand around the corner from her hill side apartment.

The conservation area shop fronts on Military Road, just around the corner from the bus station

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosman,_New_South_Wales

Contemporary home in Mosman  

Balmoral Beach

     The view up and down the posh harbour side suburb was splendid. We were on the bus for two complete rounds - the first for the magnificent view of the beaches on the right and the second to admire the breath-taking mansions perched precariously along the slopes on the left. In spite of the taciturn bus driver's chilly reception, we took in the sights with relish.   

A gun emplacement at Middle Head Fort

Another gun emplacement at Bradley's Head

      After the bus ride, Hamidah drove me around scenic side roads, stopping at a few popular destinations with stunning views of the harbour. It was then that it started to rain cats and dogs. By the time we dropped by her friend Mona's waterfront home, just a few houses away from the wharf at the end of the slope, the rain had petered out, forming tiny rivulets on our faces and surging streams on the sides of the street.   

A view of Balmoral and Manly beaches from
a waterfront residence in Mosman Bay 

Waterfront properties next to Circular Quay

View of the Bridge from the ferry to Taronga Zoo

Hamidah McGrath with her adorable LeRoy

View of the Harbour from Hamidah's balcony 

View of the Bridge & Opera House through the rain drops
on the ferry's windows

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      An Impulse Visit

       It was exactly two months ago when I landed in Sydney. It was a last minute decision, hence the late check-in and, as a consequence, my baggage was put on the next flight. I was told that it would arrive between early and late afternoon. I was given AUD100 and a zip lock bag filled with toiletries and a white t-shirt as consolation. 

       After purchasing a local phone card, I sat down at the coffee joint nearest to the exit and sent a text message to my local contact. Since it was Tuesday morning, I decided not to bother him. I told him that I've bought a ticket for the hop-on hop-off bus to kill time until my duffel bag arrives.     

       With a sling bag which was weighted down with a net book (yes, I've yet to acquire an iPad), a small cosmetic pouch and travel documents on one shoulder, and a shopping bag filled with sandals, sneakers, heels AND the squashed zip lock bag on the other hand, I took the train to King's Cross Station. 

King's Cross is known for its neon signs and billboards,
apart from its notoriety as Oz's red light district.

       I had to walk to and fro in my two inch boots, ankle length denim dress and matching 'hijab' to look for Highfield Hotel at Pott's Point. One look at the seedy accommodation which I had booked on line, I reasoned that it was best to confine 'boho chic' to fashion statement. The risque lingerie shops, strip clubs and "girlie" bars along neighbouring Darlinghurst Road confirmed my uneasiness about the area.

One of the stops of the hop-on hop-off bus
is opposite the El Alamein Fountain.
I did wonder if it get its name from a Mid Eastern patron.

       The first time I was in Sydney way back in 1996-97, I had received adequate funding as a paper presenter. I had just been inducted into the Oz communication conference circuit then. The AIMCR conference was at the Sydney Convention Centre and I chose a boutique hotel along the monorail route. Now that I'm a retired academic on a budget, I figured that a B&B or a youth hostel would suit me fine. Plus, the high exchange rate at the end of February had considerably weakened the ringgit's purchasing power. 
       Next: Free walking Tour, ferry to Manly

Seni Rupa Jiwa Melayu

Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah (DPSR) Mansor merasmikan Muzium Tekstil Malaysia, 17/4/2012

DPSR menikmati keindahan gelang tangan dan gelang kaki perak bersadur emas di Galeri Barang-barang Kemas di MTM, 17/4/2012
Gambar-gambar ehsan PMO
http://www.pmo.gov.my/datinrosmah/?dsr=photos:subid=view&num=598
Seronok juga hadir di Majlis Pelancaran Muzium Tekstil Malaysia (MTM) yang gilang gemilang pada 17 April 2012. Di bawah lembayung kanopi mewah putih dan jingga, DPSR disambut oleh pasangan penyambut tetamu yang berpakaian busana dari setiap negeri. Hadirin pula disajikan dengan bacaan doa, ucapan rasmi dan persembahan gambus serta tarian tradisional. Majlis perasmian diikuti dengan lawatan ke galeri-galeri MTM. 
Hadirin seterusnya dihidangkan dengan masakan dari setiap negeri - kerabu sotong, ayam percik, rendang daging, ikan siakap goreng masam-manis, sambal tumis petai dan udang, masak lemak ikan kurau kering dan nenas. Sambil menjamu selera, kami dihiburkan dengan majlis perkahwinan olok-olok Kerabat DiRaja Kelantan, persembahan busana tradisional, Dondang Sayang dan Joget Lambak.

DPSR berjabat tangan dengan peserta persembahan budaya sebelum berangkat pulang 

http://www.kpkk.gov.my/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4808:majlis-perasmian-muzium-tekstil-negara-oleh-yabhg-datin-paduka-seri-rosmah-mansor-di-muzium-tekstil-negara&catid=16:cover-flow&lang=bm&Itemid=

Dalam keceriaan majlis perasmian, tak lupa saya pada rakan-rakan aktivis seni rupa Melayu yang gigih, contohnya Puan Azah Aziz dan Prof Dr Siti Zainon Ismail. Mungkin kesihatan Kak Azah tak mengizinkan beliau hadir sama, tapi ralat rasanya dengan ketidakhadiran Dr Siti.
Insya'Allah, kiriman akan dikemaskini bila mendapat gambar-gambar daripada sahabat handai yang turut hadir tempoh hari.

http://teratai-seroja.blogspot.com/2008/08/mengabadikan-busana-tradisi-bangsa.html

http://senirupasiti.blogspot.com/

  

My Father's Eyes

Alhamdulillah, my daughter finally posted a photo of her Atuk (my Baba/Father) on Instagram. 
He must have been in his mid 30s here. 
How young and carefree he looks. 
The glint in his brown eyes, the sparkle in his wide smile, the sense of independence, I guess they're mine now.
In my mind's eye, I imagine him as a darker, fuller, happier version of Chairil Anwar.*
But a fierce freedom fighter nevertheless.
The backdrop could have been a wall facing the back lane at Wak Aman's pre-War barrack house on Lorong 37, Singapura 14. Perhaps taken on 28 January 1952, after my Mak delivered my second brother after 36 or 72 hours of labour. 
When he finally succumbed to stomach cancer in 1992, I was on study leave overseas. It was a very stressful period for me then ... preparing for my prelims at UW-Madison's grad school, with two rambunctious kids in elementary school, no support group whatsoever. Although there was minimal contact after he married his secretary when I was 11, I felt the loss, the void in my being, nonetheless.   
For those with parents who did not see eye to eye on most issues, we tended to take our mothers' side, especially if we were very close to them. And the situation was exacerbated by our fathers' long absences and silent, dark moods whenever they were home ... 
May Allah bless his soul, pardon his sins and reserve a place for him in Jannah. Aamiin. 
Thank you for giving me the sense of pride in my 'bangsa' (race), 'bahasa' (language), 'budaya' (culture) and 'tanah air' (homeland).  
If not for you, I would never have felt the stirrings of the spirit of Pan-Arabism, Melayu Raya, Maphilindo, Nusantara ...   
* The iconic poet of the hungry and angry 1940s in the Nusantara.

* A poem by Chairil which captures Baba's spirit of liberation:

PRAJURIT JAGA MALAM 

Waktu jalan. 
Aku tidak tahu apa nasib waktu? 
Pemuda-pemuda yang lincah yang tua-tua keras, bermata tajam 
Mimpinya kemerdekaan bintang-bintangnya kepastian ada di sisiku selama menjaga daerah mati ini 
Aku suka pada mereka yang berani hidup 
Aku suka pada mereka yang masuk menemu malam 
Malam yang berwangi mimpi, terlucut debu...... 
Waktu jalan. 
Aku tidak tahu apa nasib waktu! 

(1948) 

Siasat, 

Th III, No. 96 1949 

http://chairil-anwar.blogspot.com/

Eric Clapton's My Father's Eyes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOkepY_Zj8c&feature=related

Selipar Jepun, Kasut Tumit Tinggi (Flip Flops + High Heels)

Sayang, bakat teater tempatan sukar mendapat tajaan

Suatu lagi lembaran nostalgia tentang Geylang Serai ...
Kali ini diungkapkan dalam teater persembahan Studio Svarnabhumi dan Map Publika.
Arahan dan skrip nukilan aktivis seni, Dr Zulkifli Mohamad aka Zubin Mohamad.
Skrip pernah dicalonkan untuk Hadiah Cameronian 2007 untuk kategori Skrip Melayu Terbaik
Kisah tentang dua insan dari generasi yang berbeza tapi sama-sama berada di pinggir masyarakat.
Seorang Mak Andam 'merentas gender' dan seorang bekas penari Mak Yong, bertemu di dalam bas ekspres Kota Bharu-Singapura. Masing-masing menggunakan pertemuan itu untuk menilai dan mengimbau kembali kehidupan mereka. Yee 'redha' dengan keadaan fizikal dan naluri femininnya. Che Aminah memendam rasa dengan nasibnya yang sering dirundung malang.
http://svarnabhumi.blogspot.com/2012/02/selipar-jepun-kasut-tumit-tinggi.html
Some gems from the translated script:
Yee: That day I went shopping for myself in Geylang, I met someone named Kamilah, from Klang, but grew up in Singapore. Her real name is Kam Ai Loh.
Che Aminah: Oh, is she Chinese? Can she speak Malay well?
Yee: She invited me to eat Rojak Singapore. Kota Bharu does not have this type of rojak, since this one is rather a luxury, with prawns, crabs, a bit expensive but not so much that I can't have it once in a while. After that she brought me to her shop, which was nearby. I went along with her, she has a clothing boutique, it was really pretty, with clothes for rent and for sale. The clothes were glamorous like those belonging to Malay film stars. I asked her if she had met any Malay movie star, she said that they have all grown old and most of them moved to Kuala Lumpur in 1965. The Malay film world is dead in Singapore.   

Dari 'Kampung' ke 'Wisma'

The Malay Village will be making way for the new 'Wisma Geylang Serai' civic centre.
AsiaOneWednesday, Apr 04, 2012

Akhirnya, 'Malay Village' di Geylang Serai yang 'hidup segan, mati tak mau' diberi nama baru. 

Ternyata, seruan untuk mengekalkan perkataan 'Melayu' dalam nama baru tidak dilayan. 

Apakah ini petanda awal "Melayu akan hilang" di Geylang Serai?

Mengutip kata-kata seorang rakan:
"The govt wants an edifice without a soul, a name without meaning, and a people without an identity. It's fully consistent."

Civic centre is named Wisma Geylang Serai

by Channel NewsAsia

04:45 AM Apr 05, 2012

SINGAPORE - The civic centre in Geylang Serai, which will be completed by 2016, will be known as Wisma Geylang Serai.

The name was finalised by a panel chaired by former Member of Parliament Yatiman Yusof, after taking into consideration the vision and intended uses for the centre, as well as the results of the online public voting in February from a shortlist of 10 names nominated by the public.

The panel felt that "Wisma" reflects the distinctive cultural identity of Geylang Serai, and is also forward-looking and cosmopolitan.

Mr Yatiman said: "The panel had considered the fact that 'Wisma' had been used as the working name for the civic centre. However, we decided that this should not prejudice our choice, as the final chosen name should be based on what best represents the civic centre as a distinctive and progressive cultural and community hub in Geylang Serai.

"This process has also unveiled the deep interest that the Malay community has in the cultural identity of the civic centre. I hope that the Malay culture and heritage will be expressed through the architecture and streetscape of the Geylang Serai precinct when it is fully developed."

The 10,000 sq m centre, which was first announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong last August, is expected to house a Malay Heritage Gallery, the Geylang Serai Community Club, South East Community Development Centre, as well as some arts groups. 

http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC120405-0000055/Civic-centre-is-named-Wisma-Geylang-Serai

http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20120404-337764.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Petisyen yang menuntut supaya perkataan 'Melayu' dicatitkan baru meraih 33 undi. Entah bila boleh mencapai sasaran 10,000 undi.   

Incorporate the word 'Melayu' in the naming the proposed civic centre in Geylang Serai

Dear Mr President

I just signed the following petition addressed to: The President of the Republic of Singapore.

"Incorporate the word 'Melayu' in the naming the proposed civic centre in Geylang Serai."

None of the 10 short-listed names have the word ‘Melayu’ (Malay) incorporated.

1. Hab Warisan Geylang Serai

2. Kampung Geylang Serai

3. Kampung Seri Geylang

4. Medan Warisan Geylang

5. Mutiara Geylang Serai

6. Pusat Sivik Geylang Serai

7. Sri Geylang

8.Wisma Gemilang Geylang Serai

9. Wisma Geylang Serai

10. Wisma Seri Geylang

The Chairman of the selection panel, Yatiman Yusof, explained that the new civic centre will house Geylang Serai Community Centre (CC), South East Community Development Council (CDC), a Malay Heritage Gallery, cultural art galleries and other community-related facilities. The redevelopment project seeks and hopes to preserve the strong Malay heritage of the precinct. Thus the 10 short-listed entries are deserving for consideration.

There are also certain activist who wish to literally call it ‘Malay Town’, without any official billboard signs or writings or even a landmark. A simple endorsement of the panel’s decision.

The Malay community are divided and wish to petition for the word ‘Melayu’ be incorporated.

The historical heritage of Geylang Serai as the heart of the Malay community. The Malay community suggested some names be considered for the upcoming civic centre in Geylang Serai.

1) Serambi Melayu @ Geylang Serai

2) Teratak Melayu @ Geylang Serai

3) Desa Melayu @ Geylang Serai

4) Nadi Melayu @ Geylang Serai

5) Wisma Melayu @ Geylang Serai

6) Medan Melayu @ Geylang Serai

7) Hab Melayu @ Geylang Serai

For fair argument and comparison, let us visit the LITTLE INDIA & CHINATOWN heritage in Singapore. What difference would it make if there isn’t any landmark for both these two historical places? Why cant the Geylang Serai redevelopment have a landmark with the word ‘Melayu’ incorporated into it.

The selection panel headed by Yatiman Yusof should have considered the majority's view rather than to subscribe to a narrow technicalities of the project concept or usage and refusing the simple 'identity' name to be embedded. It cause no harm for Singapore identity to be identified on a landmark of the area.


Sincerely,

Citizen of Singapore

[Your name]

"Out, damned spot" (The bloodshed in Yala and Hatyai)

In my blissful ignorant days, Hatyai was just a border town where men sowed their wild oats, or made their unions legal, 

without fear of having the religious police at their hotel door or the need to get their older wives' permission. 
Before I learned about the independence struggle by the four southern provinces, I thought Sungei Kolok was a smugglers' den 
and Pengkalan Kubor was a knock-off paradise. 

Then fate presented me with knowledge about the inextricable links between Kota Bharu and Bangkok through the legend 
of Puteri Sa'adong and her cheating husband. 
As I grew older and wiser, I learned more about the history of civilisation along the Isthmus of Kra. 
About 'Seeking Langkasuka' from a passionate researcher of its history - Zubin Mohamed. 
About the beautiful Queens of Langkasuka who were named after the colours of nature and the universe - 
Hijau (Leafy Green), Biru (Sky or Ocean Blue), Unggu (Royal Purple or Violet) and Kuning (Golden or Sunny Yellow). 

Juxtaposed between the images of overt sexuality, crass consumerism and the yearning for a glorious, romantic past, 
is a region simmering with anger and discontent, rearing its head in sporadic bombings countered by violent military repressions 
(such as the Massacre at Takbai). 

The search for solutions to the on-going conflict between the Separatist Movement and the Thai Government have been the 
subject of summits and academic papers e.g. http://www.ukm.my/jebat *. 
Yet the simple and sound suggestions by a regular blogger to 'prosper thy neighbour' appear to be more realistic and attainable. 
http://syedsoutsidethebox.blogspot.com/2012/04/malay-kingdom-of-pattani.html

Patani Darussalam The Queens of Langkasuka Bunohan - a slice of life in a border town  * Che Mohd Aziz Yaacob (2011) Isu dan penyelesaian: konflik pemisah di selatan Thailand (Separatist Conflict in Southern Thailand: Issues and Resolutions). Jebat: Malaysian Journal of History, Politics and Strategic Studies, 38 (1). pp. 13-34. ISSN 2180-0251

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Every time I step out, I'm reminded of the reasons why I'd rather stay home.
If it's not some lackadaisical counter persons, it's inconsiderate 'aliens' who jump queues with no qualm at all. I've stopped lining up for the soya bean curd outside the neighbourhood park after an unpleasant episode on an otherwise beautiful Sunday morning. No amount of reproach will elicit an apology from these species from outer space.
And just when I thought it was convenient to pay at the outdoor cubicle at the petrol station, out pounced a sallow Panda from a Naza Ria behind me and shoved her 50 ringgit note and member card right under my very nose!
"Pam 9, 50 ringgit".
She spoke Malay, but she sure was not schooled in Malay culture.
Before I could find my voice, she was back again at the counter for her receipt or something.
I might as well have been invisible!
"Don't your parents and your teachers ever taught you manners? Or you've never gone to school?" I asked, shaking with anger while filling up my tank.
"Do you even know how to apologise?" I persisted.
All she did was swivel her head left and right condescendingly, as if SHE was the one who was wronged, a 'victim' pressing the pump from some moral high ground!
After she drove off (FIRST, of course), I drove and parked under a shady tree by the road shoulder in front of the station. After a bowl of iced cendol, I walked over to the counter boy and asked him why he did not tell her off. He gave some lame answers. I silently wished that I had migrated to the US, Oz or Oman.