dsuarang

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Julung Kali Ke Putrajaya

Assalamualaikum dan Selamat Sejahtera

Bersantai Ala Aii

Pada hari Sabtu 22 Mei 2010 aku bersama isteri (Alimah), anak (Marlyana), menantu (Noorshafini), dan anak serta menantu (Mazlyna & Royhai'zam) pergi ke Pejabat Pendaftaran Negara (JPN) di Putrajaya. Kami berhajat memperbarui kad pengenalan masing-masing yang sama ada telah rosak atau perlu digantikan 'chip' yang lebih terkini. Kesan utama aku rasakan ketika berurusan di sana ialah tahap perkhidmatan yang diberikan oleh staf di JPN itu jauh lebih baik dan bermutu berbanding masa-masa lampau. Mereka lebih berhemah dan cekap ketika mengendalikan tugas rasmi. Terima kasih dan syabas kerana bersikap demikian. Diharap sikap dan amalan sebegini berterusan.

Masjid Putra, di Putrajaya
yang tersergam indah

Urusan kami di JPN selesai. Perut pula terasa lapar. Aku dan ahli-ahli keluargaku pun mencari tempat makan. Kami pergi ke kompleks membeli belah Alamanda dan singgah menjamu selera di Foodcourt Rasa. Tidak disangka-sangka anak dan menantuku yang sepasang lagi turut membawa anak mereka Ahmad Iman Iskandar (Aii - cucu teman le . . .) berkunjung ke Putrajaya. Rupa-rupanya Mazlyn & Rashidi memang sudah lama berhasrat membawa Aii bersiar-siar ke sana . . . bersantai kata orang . . . sambil menikmati pemandangan yang indah di sekitar Putrajaya seperti yang dilakukan ramai pelancong dari dalam mahupun luar negara. Memang pada ketika itu sungguh ramai para pelancong dilihat berkunjung ke situ.

Aii bersama Emak (Alyn)

di tepi tasik buatan manusia, Putrajaya

Kali ini Aii bersama Abah (Shidi)
di lokasi yang sama

Di Pusat Rekreasi Air, Putrajaya
Aii didukung Emak (Alyn)

Mazlyn & Rashidi menjamu selera
di Foodcourt Rasa, Alamanda juga di Putrajaya.

Noorshafini, Royhai'zam, Alimah, Penulis & Marlyana

Roy, Aii, Alimah & Penulis

Alimah mengagah cucunya Aii

Alimah, Penulis, Yana, Fini & Roy

Anum & Roy

Fini, Yana, Anum & Roy

Roy & Aii

Pendek cerita kami semua bertemu di tempat makan tersebut di atas. Selesai menjamu selera aku dan ahli-ahli keluargaku sempat menunaikan solat di Masjid Putra. Selepas itu kami bersiar-siar di sekitar bandar 'moden' yang diilhamkan Tun Mahathir mantan Perdana Menteri Malaysia. Aku terasa amat tenang sekali. Aku tetap terpegun dan kagum dengan idea bijak pengstrukturan bandar Putrajaya walaupun ini bukanlah kali pertama aku ke sini. Aku hairan mengapa ada golongan yang mengajukan kononnya pembangunan tempat yang kini dipanggil Putrajaya . . . dengan persekitaran yang begitu indah . . . adalah suatu pembaziran! Entahlah. Aku teringatkan kata-kata Inggeris yang bermaksud lebih kurang begini, What is meat to one, might just be poison to another.

Aii, Atuk Majid & Opah Alimah

Aii & Penulis

Pak Uda, Aii, Atuk & Opah

Opah, Atuk (pangku Aii) & Mak Chu

-sama dgn atas-

Fini & Anum

Anum & Roy

Berbalik kepada kisah anak dan menantuku yang membawa anak mereka Aii ke Putrajaya. Aku tanya mereka mengapa pilih bawa Aii ke sana. Jawapan mereka mudah saja. Pemandangan indah kat sana . . . biar Aii belajar menghargai keindahan begini sejak awal kehidupan lagi. [Suka hati kome lah.] Sebenarnya inilah kali pertama Aii ke sana. Dari riak wajah Aii yang sentiasa tersenyum dan gembira ketika berada di Putrajaya, aku yakin dia juga senang di sana. Insya-Allah panjang umur, ini tentunya bukan kali pertama dan terakhir Aii akan melawat Putrajaya . . .

Classified

Kelompok foto di atas adalah bahan 'classified' yang tidak memerlukan pengenalan.

Apapun, bukan itu sahaja yang hendak aku sampaikan. Aku sesungguhnya ingin menyatakan bahawa ramai orang yang berfikiran rasional akan meghargai usaha memperindahkan sesuatu bukan mencacinya tanpa asas yang kukuh. Dan, Putrajaya adalah sesuatu yang indah dan . . . terus diperindahkan.

Lagi? Sebagai warga negara Malaysia, aku akan berasa bangga apabila anak cucu cicit bangsaku seterusnya akan terjamin dapat melawati tempat-tempat yang sebegini hebat dan menikmati suasana indah persekitarannya pada masa muka . . . dengan adanya perancangan memperindahkan negara yang dilakukan dengan bijak oleh para pembangun negara yang selari bijaknya!

Insya-Allah.

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Saturday, June 5, 2010

Buaya Mati Dua Kali

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Assalamualaikum dan Selamat Sejahtera

PFB's First Malay Reader

When I first joined Oxford University Press/Penerbit Fajar Bakti in 1980 I was immediately given "the bible". The Editorial Manual containing hard and fast rules and regulations for all OUP/PFB editors! I was also given the Press Publication List. I was indeed overwhelmed if not overawed by the huge number of titles flowing down the list. I thought it could go on and on and on . . .

But what actually caught my eye was one title "Buaya Mati Dua Kali" (BMDK) shown in the Publication List. I wondered what it was that this crocodile did until it died twice. He must have been a "sinner" I thought. Well, after a short while of pondering . . . the matter was just left at that.

PFB's First Malay ReaderBuaya Mati Dua Kali

Prelims
Title Verso

Every thought about the "buaya" was neglected and the situation went into oblivion. One can simply say I still did not understand at that time what "Buaya Mati Dua Kali" (BMDK) was all about.

Prelims

Title Verso (tv) & Contents Page

Prelims
Double Spread Illustration encompassing Title Page

The Pages

Many months lapsed. Then there was this thing about OUP celebrating its 25th Anniversary in Malaysia in a few months time . . . There was this talk about OUP/PFB Malaysia going into the celebration in a more than moderate manner.

Eye-catching Illustration

On 23 October 1982 OUP/PFB Malaysia indeed went into the act of celebrating OUP's 25th Anniversary in Malaysia in a big way. There was this big celebration held at the International Hotel, Kuala Lumpur in grand Malay Traditional style with the Bunga Manggar, Kompang, Busana, band and all.

Illustration facing verso page

The Big Nite
Malam Buaya Mati Dua Kali

After 25 Years in Malaysia

Though a new hand at OUP/PFB, I was given the task of taking care of food and venue for the big night. That was a challenge by itself! Every Department was asked to present an entertainment item for the occasion. Marks were given in some sort of a competition amongst the departments. There were about 8 departments in all. I cannot remember that clearly who actually won what . . . but looking back today I guess everyone was a winner that time then!

There was also this Talentime Competition and Award Presentation Ceremony. I featured in all the excitement. Every other staff enjoyed to the fullest the running of the occasion "Malam Buaya Mati Dua Kali" in conjunction with OUP's 25th Anniversary in Malaysia on 23 October 1982.

The Committee Members for MBMDK

That 1980 special do answered my curiosity . . . the title "Buaya Mati Dua Kali" was so relevant that it was chosen to highlight the big night "Malam Buaya Mati Dua Kali" marking a significant happening. And only then I came to know that BMDK was the first Malay Reader for PFB. It was actually, a translated version of Shamus Frazer English reader, "The Crocodile Dies Twice". The English version was published in 1954. The Malay translation by Asraf was first published in 1958. Abdullah Ibrahim was the illustrator for the translated reader.

Another interesting illustration

of the pirates

After that came the avalanche of Malay readers . . . leading to numerous quality titles taking up the columns in OUP/PFB reading list (and the space of shelves in leading bookstores) which became very popular and dominant in the local book market!

That's the true "colours" of . . .
. . . d croc that "dyes" too wise

Photo Gallery