PERHIMPUNAN KELUARGA HAJI JAMAK

5 BERSIH GATHERING 2008

A reunion is usually held after years of not seeing each other, when everyone looks different and sounded different. However, my form 5's reunion is hold every year - and twice this year. I suppose the word gathering is a more suitable word to use.

We hold gatherings every year since we graduated from high school in 2004 and most of the time the same bunch of people will come. Our gathering this time around is held at The Teh Tarik Place in The Curve Damansara at 9pm on the 13th of December 2008. From what I observed, nothing much has changed actually since the last gathering in mid-year. But, surely it was a pleasent meeting.

To Yazid, Leng Zhong, Nefin, Shahreez, Chee Meng, Wei Xiang, Murali, Weng Fei, Dicmun, Yue Weng, and Win Li; thanks for coming and hope we'll meet each other again during our next gathering next year!
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I'm Tagged!

This is the first time I've been tagged, thanks to Kak Hani Salwah Yaakup. The questions are quite long and I certainly need some time to think about the answers. Well, here it goes :-

Part One

1. How do you think the people around you will feel about you?

Hmm very interesting question indeed. I'm the sort of person that always worries about what others think about me. That is why im quite carefull about whatever I do and sometimes that makes me a bit reserved. However, I think people have this sort of presumption that im the kind of "good boy" type. Seriously, they don't have any idea.... haha!

2. The character of you for yourself is?

I always wanted to be the strong & silent type of character. However, my characteristics is easy-going, but not the happy-go-lucky type. I seldom got angry and don't really know how to scold people. Friendly is also part of my characteristics. Sometimes, I want to please other people too much.

3. On contrary, the character you hate of yourself is?

Laziness! haha. Who doesn't? I do have the motivation to do things that I want. But the thing is, it does not last long. Procrastination is also a character that I want to get rid of. Owh, not to mention my stubborness!

4. The most ideal person that you wanna be is?

Myself! Whatever that is positive and negative in me, I will always be myself. Of course, there are some persons that I would like to take in some of their personalities, but only some aspects of it, not all.

Part Two.

Each player of this game starts off with 10 weird things/habits/little known facts about yourself. People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 10 weird things/habits/little known facts as well as state the rules clearly. At the end, you need to choose 10 people to be tagged and list their names. No tags back!

1. I am very very stubborn. That is what my parents always say about me. Although I do not show my stubborness, it is silent. Im not stubborn in my actions, but stubborn in my heart, which is very not good. haha.
2. I started showing my interest in creative writing since I am 7 years old. I love to create my own songs with the lyrics written by me, the memorize it and sing it over and over again.
3. Im such a shy boy when I was a little kid. I don't really talk and voice out, until there is a point that my kendergarten teacher said to my mother that she wanted to spy me in my home to see whether I open my mouth or not!
4. I have the habit to lock the doors everytime I enter a room.
   
5. I only started to use "aku kau" with my friends during my form 4. Before that, it is "saya awak"!
6. I love to clean things up and see things properly in order. That is why I love to arrange my books. But the thing is, I never finish cleaning!
7. Taking up law in IIUM is my ambition and dream when im in form 5. Alhamdullillah, my dreams come true.
8. Sometimes Im afraid of the way I drive. So, if you guys want to ride with me, you'd better get ready!
9. Im the eldest child in my family, and the most manja grandson to my grandma. huhu.
10. What more? Im a huge Ebiet G. Ade fan! I have almost all of his songs in my collection. InsyaAllah one day Im going to make a special entry dedicated to him.

Alright, I think thats all. I'm gonna tag these people :

• Hafiizh Mukhtaruddin
• Nasriah Abdul Salam
• Nissa' Yusuf
• MF Kencana
• Sayidah Muizzah
• Ahzwad

PAK KADUK DAN KONSEP KETUANAN MELAYU

Aduhai malang pak kaduk,
ayamnya menang kampung tergadai,
ada nasi dicurahkan
awak pulang kebuluran.

Aduhai apalah nasib bangsaku ini. Konsep ketuanan melayu yang selama ini dipertahankan dengan sepenuh jiwa dan raga nampaknya semakin dicurigai dan diperlekehkan oleh bangsa-bangsa luar. Apakah kita akan berakhir seperti dalam Seloka Pak Kaduk yang diceritakan di atas? Ayam menang, tetapi kampung tergadai. Kita mungkin boleh bersorak-sorai dengan bergema melaungkan itu dan ini. Tetapi tanpa sesuatu apa pun yang dilakukan dan mungkin dengan langkah yang sumbang, negara ini yang menjadi pusaka tinggalan nenek moyang kita bakal tergadai! Sedikit demi sedikit hak dan keistimewaan kita semakin dipersoalkan.

Memang saya teramat dukacita dengan kenyataan Timbalan Menteri MCA Datuk Chua Soi Lek dan kemudian disokong oleh Ketua Wanita MCA Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun. Tentunya jiwa dan sanubari Melayu seluruh negara terguris dan terluka dengan kenyataan tersebut. Ya, mereka tidak memandang kepada sejarah silam, kepada asal dan usul. Bak kata orang Melayu, di mana bumi dipijak, di situ langit dijunjung!

Sekarang ini konsep ketuanan melayu telah dipersoal. Kontrak sosial juga telah dicurigai. Selepas ini apa pula? Hak keistimewaan orang melayu? Kedudukan Islam? Apakah mereka sebenarnya faham akan soal konsep ketuanan melayu ini?

Ketuanan Melayu bukanlah suatu konsep antara "tuan" dan "hamba". Orang Melayu sama sekali tidak menganggap orang luar sebagai hamba. Tidak sama sekali. Tetapi ketahuilah orang Melayu sangat berat hatinya untuk memberi kerakyatan kepada orang luar sebagai rakyat dan warganegara ketika kemerdekaan Tanah Melayu pada tanggal 1957. Buktinya? Lihatlah kepada segala syarat-syarat yang harus diterima oleh orang-orang luar ini. Hak keistimewaan, agama Islam, raja-raja Melayu, bahasa Melayu.... semua ini menjelaskan bahawa orang Melayu sejak dahulu lagi tidak bersedia memberikan status kewarganegaraan secara total kepada orang bukan Melayu.

Tidak, saya tidak bersifat perkauman di sini. Saya sekadar ingin menganalisis kembali dan menyoroti apakah fakta dan peranan kita sama ada anda seorang Melayu atau bukan Melayu. Benar, walau bagaimanapun kita mencanangkan fakta sejarah, ia akan tetap tinggal menjadi sejarah dan ia sudah kita tinggalkan 50 tahun yang lepas, namun kesannya masih lagi terasa sampai sekarang.

Ketuanan Melayu harus tetap dipertahankan. Sebabnya? Mudah sahaja. Ketuanan Melayu adalah konsep yang menjadi tonggak kepada ciri-ciri tradisional dalam Perlembangaan Persekutuan. Seperti yang saya sebutkan tadi - hak keistimewaan, agama Islam, bahasa Melayu, dan raja-raja Melayu. Semua itu telah termaktub dalam perlembagaan kerana adanya ketuanan Melayu. Jika kita menolak konsep ketuanan Melayu, sudah pasti semua ciri-ciri ini akan secara perlahan-lahan terhakis daripada perlembagaan dan akhirnya ada kemungkinan akan dibuang terus. Kita tak mahu ini semua terjadi.

Saya percaya, rakyat bukan Melayu masih lagi menghormati hak-hak orang Melayu. Cuma dari segi Ketuanan Melayu ini, mereka takut dengan perkataan 'tuan' itu tadi. Ya, saya akui, frasa 'ketuanan melayu' itu memang boleh menimbulkan salah faham. Tetapi wajarlah konsepnya difahami dengan mendalam, kerana konsepnya itu yang penting dan diperjuangkan oleh orang-orang Melayu. Janganlah pula kita menjadi seperti Pak Kaduk:

Ada rumah bertandang duduk,
Rumah runtuh, awak menumpang!

Wallahu'alam.

Sumber foto : www.umno-reform.net

KOTA JOHOR LAMA & THE FISHERMEN'S MUSEUM

Last week I was away to Johor for a 1 night stay, particularly in Desaru. I went there with my parents and 2 younger siblings because my dad has a function to attend. So, we decided to make a short trip for a family holiday. On the night at Desaru, we went around the town of Bandar Penawar in Pengerang. The town is quite small and what I noticed is that the nightlife there is really quiet and dark. We couldn't find a nice little place to have dinner and instead decided to go back to the hotel to have our dinner there.

The next day, on the way back home after checking out from the hotel, we bumped into a signboard that shows the direction to Kota Johor Lama, or the Old Johor Fort. I was curious about the place and suggested we go for there for a visit. We weren't in a rush, so there is time for some sight-seeing. The road going there was quite isolated and narrow.

The Johor Lama Fort was the original centre of the state of Johor which was believed to be build during the reign of Sultan Alauddin Riayat Syah II. As you can read above, this is a very historical fort being used against the imperialists. The fort sits nicely beside the Johor River which we can see clearly from the fort.

The above picture is the remains of the fort. The fort has been dug previously, but was undugged back because of some reason.

The pakguard and mak guard at the information centre was really friendly and welcomed us with their warm hospitality.

A memory infront of the malay-styled information centre.

Next stop on the way, was the Fishermen's Museum in Tanjung Balau, near to a real life fishermen's settlement sitted facing the South China Sea. I wanted to enter the museum but when we arrived, it was during the lunch hour and the museum was closed. Well, taking pictures will do.

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MY LITTLE KITTENS

Today I got a wonderful addition to my family of cats. Oshin has just given birth to 3 cute little kittens. They were born at 10am this morning. Alhamdullillah. This is the second batch of kittens given birth by Oshin. I am blogging about this because I want to record the growth of the kittens. It has been a while since this house has welcome any new born cats. I have never recorded any of my other senior cats - not even their birthday. So, for this newly batch of cats, lets see them grow!

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SEMINAR KEBANGSAAN PUISI MELAYU TRADISIONAL 2008

Minta daun diberi daun,
Dalam daun ada bidara;
Minta pantun diberi pantun,
Dalam pantun ada bicara.

Sejak mengetahui bahawa DBP akan menganjurkan sebuah seminar mengenai puisi Melayu tradisional beberapa bulan lalu, saya menjadi begitu teruja dan cepat-cepat merancang dan memasang niat untuk menghadirkan diri. Kebetulan pula, tarikh seminar ini berlangsung jatuh sewaktu saya sedang menikmati cuti semester.

Pada hari pertama, saya telah ditemani oleh Nissa' Yusuf, MF Kencana, dan juga Kak Ila. Seronok juga apabila dapat berkampung semula di DBP untuk menghadiri sebuah majlis ilmu yang menjadi minat saya ini. Banyak perkara yang saya belajar, terutamanya mengenai pantun, syair, gurindam dan nazam.

Sewaktu seminar inilah juga saya telah didedahkan dengan pelbagai jenis irama syair dan gurindam. Sesuatu yang menarik untuk dipelajari, kerana selepas ini bolehlah saya pula mempersembahkannya. Rupanya irama syair yang kita selalu dengar itu, dinamakan irama Syair Siti Zubaidah ataupun Selendang Delima. Ada banyak lagi irama syair dan yang dibentangkan sewaktu seminar, ada 13 kesemuanya.

Kebanyakan yang menyertai seminar adalah para ahli akademik, pegawai DBP, guru-guru, dan juga penulis-penulis. Tidak ramai anak muda yang menyertai seminar ini. Jadi, memang ramailah orang-orang lama yang kita dapat lihat. Di tengah keramaian orang-orang lama itu, saya nekad untuk tampil ke hadapan dan memberikan pendapat saya juga bertanyakan soalan kepada panel. Agak gementar juga kerana itulah pertama kali saya berbuat demikian. Tetapi, ternyata saya menjadi begitu puas kerana telah berjaya mengatasi ketakutan saya. Saya memperkenalkan diri sebagai wakil anak muda dan menceritakan pengalaman saya menguruskan pasukan pantun di UIAM, kemudian disusuli dengan 2 soalan untuk para pembentang.

Kemudian, perkara yang membuatkan saya merasa teruja adalah apabila SN Prof. Muhammad Haji Salleh pula bangkit untuk mengulas kenyataan saya. Wah, sasterawan negara tu. Prof mengulas mengenai soalan "mengapa pantun?" yang sentiasa dibangkitkan oleh rakan-rakan saya ketika dijemput untuk menyertai pertandingan-pertandingan pantun. Prof menjawab kerana pantun adalah sebuah bentuk yang telah merentasi lebih daripada 40 bahasa di seluruh dunia, lebih 35 dialek melayu, dan juga merangkumi ke segenap aspek kehidupan. Tiada bentuk puisi lain yang telah menjelajah ke segenap pelusuk kehidupan seperti pantun.

Saya juga sempat bertembung dengan Bonda Ani, editor Tunas Cipta. Beliau telah mengajak kami untuk ke pejabatnya di tingkat 21 untuk mendapatkan majalah Tunas Cipta keluaran Disember 2008. Wah, sudah jimat belanja bulan Disember ni! Bak kata orang, sambil menyelam minum air. Kami pun telah menggunakan kesempatan ini untuk 'menemuramah' Bonda Ani tentang karya-karya yang disiarkan di Tunas Cipta. Memang puas hati sungguh.

MF Kencana, Azree Ariffin, dan Abang Ridzuan Harun.

Lagak Mantan MPR : MF Kencana, Nissa' Yusuf dan Azree Ariffin.


Sempat juga sekali lagi bergambar dengan Bonda Ani. Kali ini disertai dengan Kak Rozninah, Editor Dewan Sastera.

Sebelum balik, gambar kenangan bersama SN Prof Muhammad Haji Salleh.

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FESTIVAL PANTUN ANTARA KEMENTERIAN KALI KE-5 2008

Wahai awan jangan mendung,
Mana rumpun hendak melata;
Wahai tuan jangan termenung,
Mari berpantun bersilat kata!

Saya berkesempatan untuk mengikuti Festival Pantun Antara Kementerian kali ke-5 yang diadakan pada malam 24 November 2008 di Auditorium DBP. Pertama kali melangkah masuk ke tempat tersebut, saya merasa begitu kagum kerana Auditorium DBP tersangat-sangat cantik, setanding juga dengan Istana Budaya! Cantik dengan ukiran-ukiran kayu pada bahagian siling dewan yang begitu tinggi itu. Cuma mungkin ia agak sempit sedikit kerana tidak dapat memuatkan ramai orang.

Bertemankan MF Kencana, pertandingan akhir tersebut telah berlangsung dengan menyaksikan persaingan sengit antara Kementerian Pelajaran dan Kementerian Perpaduan, Kebudayaan, Kesenian dan Warisan. Hakim yang mengadili pertandingan pada malam tersebut ialah Prof Rahman Shaari, Puan Rogayah A. Hamid, dan Puan Hajah Halimah Hassan. Marilah kita saksikan gambar-gambar yang sempat saya ambil semasa pertandingan akhir tersebut.

Pentas pertandingan akhir terhias indah.

Pengacara DBP yang tidak asing lagi, Azimin Daud dan Norhasmanalinda Mustapa

Tarian Zapin daripada Kolej Matrikulasi Kedah.

Persembahan Randai - Syair Siti Zubaidah oleh Kumpulan Warisan Pujangga dari Kementarian Perpaduan, Kebudayaan, Kesenian dan Warisan

Jurupantun yang tidak asing lagi, Tuan Haji Chuari Selamat.

Pasukan KPKKW.

Pasukan Kementerian Pelajaran.

Tarian Nelayan dan Petani oleh kumpulan Gema Warisan Seni dari Kementerian Pelancongan.

Karyawan Seni Angkasapuri turut memeriahkan majlis dengan persembahan lagu puisi dan pentomin.

Dikir Barat dari Jabatan Perdana Menteri


Ucapan Penutup oleh YB Datuk Haji Idris Haji Haron, Timbalan Menteri Pengajian Tinggi Malaysia. Rupanya YB pun begitu arif dan hebat berpantun!


Juara Pertandingan : Kementerian Pelajaran


Tempat Kedua : Kementerian Perpaduan, Kebudayaan, Kesenian, dan Warisan

Bergambar kenangan.

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The Next Phase In My Life

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

There is a point in life when suddenly we realise that the world seems to be wider and bigger than before. Our eyes start to see things in a new perspective, in a different view . Our thoughts and feelings tend to be more matured and it is getting harder for others to hurt it. That is the point when we have arrived to the next phase in our life.

This blog marked the transition in my life. I have been blogging previously here since my high school years. It is hard for me to leave that blog, but I think to begin the next phase of my life, which I presume to be the stage of adulthood, I need a new space to to begin with. Hence, this blog is established. A new place, a new space.

Let us begin our journey to the next level in life.

May It Please The Court (1)

Tumbuh kesidang di laman rumah,
Penghias taman tanah membusut;
Peguam bersidang di kamar mahkamah,
Mencari jalan menghurai yang kusut.

"May it please this honourable court. My name is Mohd Azree Mohd Ariffin appearing as the junior counsel on behalf of the Appellant in this present proceeding."

That was the words that I first uttered as a formal introduction for my Moots 1. After weeks of preparation of the Bundle of Authorities and the Full Written Submission, it is time for the mooting itself. This is actually my first time mooting in a proper court surrounding, whereby the venue is at the mini moot court room. However, I once also mooted, eventhough it is only in a class room for the subject of Basic Legal Methods, during my law foundation year.

Being infront of a three bench judge is really a challenging task for me. Especially, when two of the judges are also my classmates alongside my instructor, Miss Aliza. The way of answering the judges questions are a must in getting good marks for the moot. For me, I thought that my answers needs to be more polished so that it will be more precise according to the questions given.

Whatever it is, I did overall a well-done job and I would like to thank my co-counsel and also the rest of my group members for all the help and support. The task has not ended yet. There are another mooting round next week that has a total of 40% from the whole assessment. InsyaAllah, I am going to give out my best.

Wassalam!