Balakot: A Lesson to learn part 1

Landslide at Muzaffarabad

I have just got back from Pakistan. "Thank God, I'm out of that place" said one of the volounteer. It is it not easy travelling or working in Pakistan. Firstly, most of the population cant speak Malay or English. In the villages, its just like 'itik bercakap dengan ayam' with the hands and legs moving actively for sign language. Secondly, the personality or attitude of the people. Thirdly, the administration. Fourthly, the harsh weather and lastly, missing home.

Balakot lies in the North Western Frontier Province, tribal area where the law is decided by the tribe leaders. Over these mountains and valleys dwell the Pashtun or the Pathan. The Pathans are conservative, traditionalist and supposed to be steadfast to their religion, Islam.

Landslide at Muzaffarabad with houses destroyed

The earthquake that hit Northern Pakistan on October 8, had caused a lot of destruction along Neelam, Balakot, Batagram and Alai Valley. Building collapsed, inhabitants burried alive, dead bodies everywhere, those who survived are exposed to cold, hunger, injuries and illness. Many survivors are without shelters.

Those in the mountains took days to walk down seeking aid which eventually end up with only food supply but without tents. The authority concerned was unable to meet the demands in supplying enough tents and blankets. The NGO's and foreign units had given invaluable help in terms of search and rescue, medical relief, tents, blankets, sanitation, clean water, communication, transportation, etc. Without them, the rescue operations would lag far behind. Even then more help is still needed for the homeless victims to survive the coming winter. Without proper shelter, they will be left dying in the cold.

An old man from the mountain

Pleading for a tent

Let me tell you my story. My team consists of 3 person, myself, Dr Wan Mokhzani from medical department HKL and Tuan Haji Hani a retired hospital assistant. We were under Global Peace Mission (GPM), mission 2 sent to relief the earlier group sent on 13 October 2005. Our destination is Balakot, a city in Mansehra District in North West Frontier Province, Pakistan.

We left Kuala Lumpur International Airport(KLIA) at 1.20 pm on 20 th October 2005 to Bangkok. The flight was quite tiring and challenging. We were given warm towels which was very soothing and refreshing to wipe our oily, sweaty face, soiled hands and fingers.

A few minutes later, our fasting were challenged by a sweet deliciuos smell. We looked into each others face with wicked smile. We refused the meal politely teling the air hostess that we were fasting. We then started to search around for 'muslim face' and saw a few. "Musafir", said one of us smiling. "Cabaran... tapi sedap bau lauk tu ye!", another person added. We reached Bangkok International Airport 3 hours late, local time 3.20 pm (time zone 1 hour later than Malaysia). It was a long transit, 5 hours with iftar about 3 1/2 hours to go. We grouped ourselves with a Pakistani whom we met in the plane.

Mr. Mahmud's family is in Mansehra where we will be heading to although he is a Thai citizen. He lived in Golok, married to a Kelantanese Malay and without any children. We 'jamak' our Zohor to 'Asar and started to look for a 'surau'. We were told that thre was no surau in the terminal. Hmm, this is a Buddist country, not a Muslim country to provide us with a surau. We started to walk around hunting for a space to pray and alhamdulillah, there was a space with lots of boxes not far from the lavotary. We opened a few boxes turning them to prayer mats.

There was about another 1/2 an hour before iftar and now we had to search for hallal food. The hunters were Dr Wan and Mr Mahmud. They brought us fruits and sushi. We have no choice but to swallow the non appetizing dish.

At 8.00 pm we said goodbye to Mr Mahmud and we depart for Lahore at 8.30 pmflight.

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Salam dari Balakot

Assalamualaikum,

Tak sempat nak update blog. Sekarang masih di Balakot, pekan yang 99% musnah akibat gempa bumi. Saya bertugas sebagai anggota sukarela di bawah GlobalPeace Mission. Bantlah mereka yang memerlukan. Anda boleh melayari laman ini untuk maklumat lanjut dan menyumbang.
http://www.keamanan.net

Wassalam

EARTH QUAKE

Brought to you by Global PeaceMission Malaysia

Sumbangan kewangan dialu alukan ke akaun Bank Islam
14-023-01-002922-4

http://www.keamanan.net/

Light house at Kuata Terengganu

A lighthouse at kuala Sungai Terengganu

We used to travel to Kuala Terengganu when Muhammad Ibrahim was at MRSM KT. Astaka was one of the places we used to go shopping. During on one of our visits we noticed there was an old light just behind the shopping complex. On old light house which aided seafarers years ago, now becomes an interesting mark at kuala Sungai Terengganu, at least for photographers.

Lighthouse has alway been an interesting object of photography . A white color monument with a blue sky, brown or green cliff, huge rocks, eagles, osprey, ships/boats/yatch in the background. Mine is just a simple composition with the blue sky and white clouds.

What i have learned from this session is that its not easy for us to get what we dream or wish for. We can dream or detail for a perfect scenerio but that is just theoretical. Even if what we hope for is in front of our eyes, do we have the means or the right moment to capture it. It applies to alot of things in our daily life.

Wallahu 'alam.

My Seven

Maman and his friend; "one evening by the river"

Seven things I plan to do, insh'Allah

1. Travel around the world, revisit Acheh/ Riau
2. Bengal breeder in 9 yrs time
3. Complete my Family Tree research
4. Go for Hajj again and travel middle east/ jejak Rasul
5. Complete my garden project/ Hang all the hangable things on the wall
6. Win another photography contest
7. Partial retirement in 10 years

Seven things I can do, subhan'Allah

1. Take good photos (hmmmm)
2. Cook better than my wife
3. Plan, lead and motivate
4. Jack of all trades
5. Sports; games, atheletics, martial arts, hunting

6. Constructive critics and debates
7. Skip rope 100 times in 30 sec non-stop!

Seven things I can't do, astaghfrallah

1. Play takraw, I have no problem with other games
2. Sing (I am tone deaf) or dance (I have got two left feet)
3. Mengampu. I detest pengampu
4. Make fast money/investment(It will make the whole scheme collapse; BSKL pun boleh jatuh)
5. Carpentry although I love it
6. Deny beggers /promoters with pleading eyes
7. Mengurat. How did I get married. eh! ;)

7 things that scare me:

1. People slandering me
2. Eating haram food (I have a list of non –halal emulsifiers in my wallet)
3. Bapuk, even looking at them ... ngilu
4. Women making advances at me
5. Small spaced room
6. Losing competition; as a competitor or my team
7. Pushing me to be a politician

7 random facts about me:

1. Adventurous; jungle tracking, gone backpacking once to Pakistan, India and Kashmir, ALONE, have climbed few mountains: Tahan and Ledang and nor forgetting Jabbal Nur
2. Love physics and computer technology.
3. I love eating Lamb very much. Enjoyed Nasi Mandi: rice with lamb roasted in ground oven whilst in Madinah
4. I have been in Millitary (wataniah), a captain by rank. I was a ‘sharpshooter’ and won trophies
5. I love animals, any animals and they love me too,J
6. I hate queing up, traffic jams. That’s why I opted not to live in KL
7. A leader wherever I go/group I joined; I used to be one of Pahang top Youth leader, and still a VIP.

Seven things I say most often:

1. Somehow or rather
2. Stay focused (directed to my kids)
3. I nak makan kambing laa
4. Call semalam sibuk betul, patient tak henti
5. Apa tu... aaaaa?
6. You cakap la dgn budak, I malas dah
7. Bebaik, jgn langgar lubang tu!

Seven people that I want to tag:

1-7. None; not to burden friends with indirect resposibility.

Note: Thank u for those who helped me to finish this entry. Without them i could never even start.

Ramadhan yang dinantikan

Sunset with a kayak in Tioman

Ketibaan Bulan Ramadan disambut dengan meriah sekali oleh umat Islam. Bulan yang dinanti-nanti ini tiba juga akhirnya. Ramadhan Al Mubarak, dengan penuh keberkatan, ketenangan dan kegembiraan. Menjelang maghrib di bulan Ramadhan dan menjelang Syawal adalah saat-saat yang ditunggu tunggukan.Soalnya mengapa?

1. Ia adalah bulan yang Umat Islam berpuasa dan ganjarannya ditentukan sendiri oleh Maha Pencipta.
2. Amalan dalam bulan ini digandakan.
3. Terdapat satu malam yang dinamakan malam Lailatul Qadr yang kelebihannya umpama 1000 malam beramal.
4. Bukanya pintu langit/syurga dan terbelengunya syaitan yang membawa kepada ketenangan.
5. Solat Tarawikh yang hanya boleh dilakukan di bulan Ramadhan.
6. Bulan yang turunnya Al Quran ke Baiyul Makmur dan kesempatan ini diambil untuk katam Quran untuk kesekian kalinya.
7. Kelunakan hati untuk bermaaf-maafan dan mengikat silaturahim sesama keluarga dan sahabat handai

8. Pasar Ramadhan, dan di sinilah terdapat pelbagai jenis makanan yang sedap-sedap termasuk yang tak pernah dijumpai
9. Berkenalan di pasar ramadhan atau di perhrntian bas kerana gadis dan teruna keluar beramai-ramai sebelum berbuka.
10. Jualan murah dan peluang untuk membeli belah. Cheap Sale!
11. Masakan biasanya lebih istimewa dari biasa. Kembung perut untuk 'cover' lapar siang.
12. Masa untuk peniaga kedai makanan siang bercuti 1 1/2 dan berihat sepenuhnya.
13. Raya selepas berpuasa. Boleh berpesta dan bersukaria.
14. Peluang nak dapatkan baju baru dan 'acessories'. Masa ini nak 'ketuk' parents or hubby/wife.
15. Duit raya, dah congak berapa akan dapat.
16. Jualan mercun dan bunga api 'black market'.
17. Masa untuk berihat dengan MC, sukar majikan nak persoal kerana masalah 'gastrik'.
18. Berpeluang mencari malam-malam 'special' untuk menghapus dosa kerana kejam dan zalim di bulan-bulan yang lain.
19. Boleh buat jamuan berbuka untuk bertemu pengundi dan penyokong tanpa dipersoal oleh jawatankuasa disiplin parti.
20. Biasanya boleh dapat sebahagian dari bonus tahunan. kalau tak dapat, boleh 'pressure' majikan.

Jadi, this most awaited month depends on Iman dan kesedaran sejauh mana kefahaman tentang Islam. We talk about fasting, the pahala but at the same time we indulge ourself in indirect calloboration with the syaitan because of swayed or unclear intentions and practice.

So watch our words, action and be focus.

Wallahu 'alam.

Cat Sanctuary

Mayo and Putie

Maman was down with sinusitis and had sinus washout done last Tuesday. He was tough and recovered fast. On the next day the worst news arrived. An advice fron the doctor that he had to avoid animals with fur. Maman is very fond of animals; cats, fish, insects, reptiles, birds and you just name them. In fact, he wants to be a vet.
However Maman took the news calmly.

Talking about cats, I could still recall when I was still at preschool, we had a white cat with blue eyes called Nikki. Nikki was a smart cat and she could open doors and obey commands. Do you know that a small percentage of white cat with blue eyes are deaf?

Later in Kuantan, our mother brought home a persian. Make a guess of the name... Kitty in rememberence of Nikki that died years back.

Kitty was an intelligent female , recognised people of the house, will run to the owner when called, wont go beyond the gate and will run inside fast if there were strangers, will wait at the door, hate toddlers crying and in fact she slapped one of the youngest siblings for crying loudly, love and watch after babies(human babies), even watch tv with the family, able to open doors, determined which of her offsprings can enter the house when reaching puberty, eat at the table with proper manners(only 2 hands on the table) and hate people touching her with their foot.

Kitty died of old age (age >10 yrs). At present, we have 7 cats; Mayo(Persian), Nikki(Bengal), Runchang(Bengal), Inai(Bengal), Angelo(semi long-hair), Mocel(semi long-hair), Mocot(semi long-hair).
We lost Putie our Turkish Angora 4 months ago.... possibility being kidnapped. Rufus and Totti (both semi long-hair) died 2 months ago of unknown cause. I could still remember when Runchang was still a baby, he called all night if left alone and Maman volountered to sleep downstairs on the sofa with
Runchang. At present Runchang only allows Maman and Aliah to stroke his coat.

Maman and Runchang

We also have wild pigeons nesting on our roof, large beetles, moth and other weird looking insects , black lizards, normal lizards visiting. Beavers crossing the road about 25 metres from our house from a nearby stream, a wild black cat joining the beaver's pack and 'chirping' at night calling our bengals,
feral cats eyeing our long hairs. A few weeks back, i got to know that our house was an attraction as a mini zoo with the neighbourhood kids and even parents stopping by with their children. I am wondering why when there are lots of
ferals roaming; short tail, broken tail, long tail, stout, normal built, sturdy, different coat color or and pattern, short hair, semi long hair and yet our home became the viewing spot.

Runchang at 6 months

As for Maman, for now, he can only watch and call the cats from a distance. Loving them from afar, the only way allowed to show and receive love from them after being advice to avoid touching, stroking and playing with them.