Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Tuesdays With Bapak

Remembering Kampung Melayu - October 2 2007

After Bapak was detained under ISA in 1976, the Singapore Government declared him persona non grata or an unwelcome person, for an indefinite period.
I think that was the first time I actually ever used the words.

To us, his status, in the eyes of the Singapore Government, did not quite matter because he could not have entered Singapore anyway while he was being incarcerated.
But we know that it represented a statement by Lee Kuan Yew.

After his release in 1981, he remained persona non grata for the next 10 years.
In 1990 (or 1991), he was recipient of the Asean Communication Award for Journalism.
However, he was unable to attend the award ceremony because of his "unwelcome status".
I believe the hosts were informed about this.

The following year, the Singapore Government withdrew his status. Perhaps, they were embarrassed. Perhaps not.
Coincidentally, around that time, Bapak was invited to attend a Writers' Week at the National University of Singapore.
He accepted the invitation.

Finally, after 16 years, he was allowed to set foot in Singapore.

He was now persona grata.
Naturally, news of his imminent visit to his land of birth drew excitement and joy.
His sisters and brothers, nieces and nephews, grandnieces grandnephews -- heck...maybe the entire Singapore Malay/Javanese community, possibly -- were abuzz.

Plans were being drawn up to welcome him at the airport, at Cik Ah's. There was going to be a grand reunion of family and old friends (and foes).

The prospect of going to Singapore and visiting his family and old friends was a personal celebration for Bapak.

While everyone was excited about this, we had to gently remind him that his siblings, close relatives and childhood and old friends were no longer living in Kampung Melayu but were scattered in the Bedok and neighbouring areas.
Kampung Melayu where his family home stood and where he grew up, was no more.

"Ya-kah?", was his response.

I cannot remember whether we ever discussed with Bapak the relocation of our relatives from Kampung Melayu to the new housing areas.
Perhaps Mak did when Cik Ah, Bapak's younger sister, informed her some time in the late 70s about the relocation of residents and the compensation for the land by the Singapore Government.
Kampung Melayu was de-gazetted for urban renewal to make way for the construction of the Pan-Island expressway.
But there was no expressway where Jalan Yahya, Jalan Abdullah, Jalan Embok Solok and Jalan Sudin stood. What I saw there years later were high-end apartment blocks.

Cik Ah and her family built their home on Mak's piece of land at Jalan Abdullah in Kampung Melayu.
Her house was a short distance from nenek's (Bapak's mother) house which was the family home at Jalan Yahya.

Nenek's house was a typical traditional "family" home where extended families lived under one large, really large roof.

I remember Nenek's house. It would be the first stop whenever we visited.
It seemed huge to me. My uncles and aunts ( except for Bapak's two older sisters Wak Mah and Wak Lah) all lived there, until more children came and there was just not enough room.

Wak Aichon, Cik Din, Cik Jid and Cik Ah and their families lived there. Cik Jid moved out first, I think, to the house next door which was linked to Nenek's house via a passage near the kitchen.
And then Cik Ah moved out to the Jalan Abdullah house which Cik Din helped build.

Cik Ah's house had a huge compound-cum-badminton court beside it.
Aaah.... there was also that huge mango tree from which many spooky stories emanated.
That badminton court was necessary because Cik Salleh (Cik Ah's husband) and the children were terror badminton players. They might even have played for Singapore at some level.

If Nenek's house could talk, it would regale us with stories -- happy, sad and yes, gripping ones too.

I never always stayed at Jalan Yahya, preferring instead, to be with Ompong, my grandfather (Mak's dad) at Jalan Sudin.
This, I think, quite saddened Nenek. Of course, as a child I never understood why.
Kak Olin who was Wak Aichon's favourite, would be at Jalan Yahya because our cousin, Ana (Cik Ah's eldest daughter) was her best pal and playmate whenever we visited.
Mak would be at Nenek's and then later, at Ompong's.
But Kak Eda and I would always want to be at Jalan Sudin because we always had fun and could do almost anything we liked with our cousins, Yati and Ana and the neighbourhood kids.
Somehow, it was a little more formal at Nenek's. Perhaps, because Nenek exuded that aura of a no-nonsense matriarch.
Oh, she loved us a lot (and we loved her too) and she doted on us but I think, we felt we had to be on our best behaviour for her.

Later, when Cik Ah moved to Jalan Abdullah and after Ompong passed away, it would be at her house that we stayed during our visits.

Kampung Melayu was a Malay settlement and it was the Malay heartland of Singapore.
*A 240 hectare land area, it was off Jalan Eunos right from Geylang Serai and down to Kaki Bukit.
According to records, up until 1965, there were 1,300 houses there.

Kampung Melayu was Bapak's playground, his turf, his territory. He walked the paths and roads there, as a young boy and in adulthood.

Many Malay nationalists and literary figures lived there.
Budding actors and actresses from Malaya visited our Jalan Yahya home. And yes.... those British intelligence officers too. Later the Japanese army officers, and Lee Kuan Yew who was like a brother to Bapak in those days fighting the British.

In the 50s and early 60s, during the golden era of Jalan Ampas Studio, Kaki Bukit was a favourite film location because of its landscape -- hilly, rocky -- a very harsh appearance so perfect for "purba" movies.
I remember several showing familiar sights of Kaki Bukit. One had the late Nordin Ahmad in a silat duel scene.

Bapak never visited the site where Kampung Melayu once stood. He never asked to.
I think it would have been an emotional journey for him, as it was for me.

I know I silently wept when I saw what was once Kampung Melayu.
During one of our visits, Cik Jid took me for a drive to Jalan Eunos, years after Kampung Melayu was torn down. It had remained undeveloped for quite sometime after all the houses were demolished.

I sat in the car, and for some reason, I felt so acutely desolate. A throbbing ache in my heart. Tears streamed down my face.
I saw a part of my childhood completely wiped out.

There in front of me, was a huge vastness of land filled with nothing but lallang as far as the eyes could see,
I could not make out where Jalan Yahya was....

I couldn't stay there for much longer. As the car moved away, I turned around, imagining the houses, the neighbourhood shops, the road signs...

Bapak last visited Singapore in 2005 . He went there by car driven by Nina's husband, Mazlen. Mak Cik and Nina were also with him.
As always, he stayed at Cik Ah's place in Bedok Reservoir.

And that's where we all congregate whenever we're in Singapore which is usually a week or two after the Eid.

And Kampung Melayu? We'll always remember Kampung Melayu as anyone would their kampung halaman.

*For a little history, click here.

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Kak Ena

Sebak dada I baca this piece on this beautiful Ramadan morning...simply because for 15 years I lived at 9 Jalan Yahya, next to Nenek's 11 Jalan Yahya. Today i live just a 2-minute walk from there. A HDB multi-storey carpark now stands at where our house and Nenek's used to be. And whenever our car passes by that area, I would tell my kids, that was the plot of land where I grew up in the kampung. Up till now, whenever I have dreams it would always be at THAT house, not my current house or my mom's bedok reservoir's or my in law's. I think deep in my heart, the place still holds dear...and esp. the best times we had with Abah was in that house.Since all our aunts and uncles, with the exception of Arwah Wak Lah, lived in the same kampung, it was so fun with all the cousins nearby. The support system was great and we could always rely on Cik Ton next door (yes we could get to Nenek's house via our kitchens) whenever one of us had high fever. My mom would run to Wak Mah's house and get some sireh which Wak Mah would 'jampi'(if the fever persisted after medication) and she would get Cik Ton to 'sembuh' the sireh on the sick child's head. Miraculously, the fever always subsided after this ritual....

I also remembered the times when you and your sisters would pass my house on the way to your Ompong's place. As little girls, my sisters and I would tell each other how gorgeous you people are esp Kak Olin and Kak Azah.......

Thanks Kak Ena for bringing me back through memory lane.Hope you have a Blessed Ramadan

Lina Majid

Anonymous said...

That's Singapore democracy for you!

The PAP Government just decided and in a blink of an eye, a Malay kampung 'disappear'. The strength of Malays had always been in a typical kampung lifestyle, with all the khenduris, gotong royongs, yasinans, the "borak kedai kopi" and the housewives do their gossipy "mesyuarat tingkap", in between chores. Lee Kuan Yew and PAP broke all that and made Singaporean Malays into a subservient lifestyle, for a fear of another 'Malay uprising', just like in 1964.

He destroyed all the Malay kampungs and scattered the Malays from Geylang, Kg Melayu, Bedok into far away new HDB development places within the Island, Bukit Batok, Jurong, Chua Chu Kang, Sembawang, Woodlands, et al.

The PAP Government also took away the heritage of Istana Kampung Gelam from the 'family', evicted them and made the surviving the only Malay Royal family of Singapore like pariahs.

Lee Kuan Yew has no qualms at all about crunching his comrades who were also PAP founders, like Lim Chin Siong and Fong Swee Suan. Both jailed under ISA. So not allowing Pak Samad to even come back to Singapore is actually a 'kinder' thing to do.

That is the "Singapore Story"!

zaitgha said...

Nuraina,

As usual, beautiful reading for my on Tuesday....

I too cried when i took a drive on Jalan Aman off Jalan Ampang a few years ago. It may not be my kampung but that was where i jogged in the morning when i was in secondary school when at times i had to do a 100 meter dash when a dog decided to do some chasing ha ha ha...my old house was where now one of the Putra lrt 'tiang' just after the tunnel right after Ampang Park station...

p/s if ever you decided to make a book out of your TWB, i would want an autograph copy pls....

Anonymous said...

Saudara BigGuyDotCom

In the midst of Ramadhan, do you think our response to "Singapore's democracy" would be to sow seeds of anger, hatred, revenge and bitterness

or to be agents of Allah S.W.T. who would build trust, improve relations, build bridges of relationships, be peace makers and understand the differences that divides us but unites each other with understanding and forgiveness, encourage goodness and kindness and promote pride in building others and one's good works and efforts.

Honour is what keeps the society alive. People who live righteous lives because they know that Allah S.W.T. judges them in this life and the life to come.

Now, what is your response? To sow seeds of hatred everywhere or sow seeds of goodness. To ask others to fear Allah S.W.T. or fear men? To implement judgment based on EGO or let the Just Judge carry out His punishments on those who deserve it.

49:12b Dan kamu takutilah Allah; sesungguhnya Allah Menerima Taubat, Pengasih.

49:13. Wahai manusia, Kami mencipta kamu lelaki dan perempuan, dan membuat kamu berbangsa-bangsa, dan bersuku-suku, supaya kamu mengenali satu sama lain. Sesungguhnya yang paling mulia antara kamu di sisi Allah ialah yang paling bertakwa antara kamu. Sesungguhnya Allah Mengetahui, Menyedari.

Rockybru said...

I grew up in West Coast, the "other side" of the island. I went to Jubilee Primary School for my secular education and to Madrasah-tul-Alsaidia-tul-alIslamiah for my Islamic upbringing. There was a Jubilee Malay Primary School, which stopped taking in students by the time I reached the Primary One age (my brother, two years older, enrolled in the Malay school and was later transferred to my school). During the 80s, when Kampung Eunos was brought down, Jubilee Primary School and the madrasah also gave way to development.

It wasn't just the Malay settlements that had to go. The Chinese farm owners lost considerably, too. The Malays had felt insecure for many years by then and the government's decision to take them out of their settlements ad sprinkle them all over the republic was disconcerting. Nonetheless, that was to be expected to Lee Kuan Yew and the PAP's government. I've always believed, though, that if Umno and Malaysia had not given up too easily against LKY, history would have been very different. Of course, LKY could have been PM of Malaysia along the way.

I still go to Jalan Mas Kuning in West Coast Road whenever I "turun" Singapore. Yes, it made me sad but a lot of things about Singapore moved me. I grew up when the the island was mangroves and swamps for miles in the west, and when the pristine, white beaches that Parameswara must have seen from afar were still there. But then again, even the places I was familiar with as a teenager are gone. There is no Jurong Park now, where I used to jog and watch anglers. And I was told that you can drive to Sentosa island, no need for the cable cars which we were so excited about back then!

I am rambling .. but you do that when you reminisce.

Thank you for the memories.

Anonymous said...

From Segamat to Singapore...

Between 1975 – 1980’s, I used to spend my school holidays in Singapore. I would travel by bus (with my mum and sometimes alone) all the way from Segamat in the morning and reached Singapore around afternoon. My destination was Kg Melayu Kranji Road, Singapore.

My late sister Kak Ju followed her husband Abang Rosli to Singapore looking for a greener pastures. And they both ended up living with Abang Rosli’s relatives in Kranji. By then my brother, Abang Man had left kampung to try his luck in Kuala Lumpur. And I was left alone in Segamat, living with my mum.

Those days many Malaysians worked illegally in Singapore including Kak Ju and Abang Rosli. What most people did was entered Singapore with social visit passes (which allowed you to remain there for 2 weeks) and worked secretly. They will have to leave Singapore and go to Johor every 2 weeks to stamp their passport before entering Singapore again. At that time, Singapore immigration authorities were not very strict. So many people got away with it.

I really enjoyed the time spent in Singapore. Compared to where I lived, Singapore was haven to me. And those days the exchange rates for Malaysia RM to Singapore Dollar are RM1.10 to SGD1.00! You can see there will be few hundred thousands of peoples going in and out from Singapore to Johor everyday.

While staying in Kg Kranji, I became very close with Abang Rosli’s relatives whom I called Pak Andak and Mak Andak. They were around their forties. Pak Andak and Mak Andak is Abang Rosli’s Uncle and Aunty from his mother’s side. Mak Andak was born in Melaka before getting married with his Singaporean husband.

Pak Andak and Mak Andak have 3 daughters (Faridah, Rogayah and Asiah) and 2 sons (Zali and Zulkifli). I was specially close to Asiah because we were about the same age. Faridah, Rogayah and Zali were much senior, while Zul very much younger than me.

Kg Kranji was very close to the sea. Half of the kampung will be ‘flooded’ with water during high tide around noon. It was the best time for Asiah and me to play with some friends. We will play all sort of games but we always ended up swimming there. And when we were tired, we will run back home for Mak Andak’s Asam Pedas Melaka. I continued spending my school holidays in Singapore until around 1980’s. By then Kak Ju had moved to Johor Bahru and commuted daily to and from Singapore to work.

I lost contact with Pak Andak and Mak Andak after that. In 1985 I moved to Kuala Lumpur to further my studies in University Technology MARA in Shah Alam. Last August 2007 we finally met again in Kg Sungai Rambai, Melaka after more than 20 years. A lot of changes have taken place. Time has also taken its toll. Both Pak Andak and Mak Andak are in their 70’s now. And Asiah… she has grown up kids now and a husband who is always busy at work!!

Mat Salo said...

It was to be, no more.

They can tambak here and there and create future histories on thier 'tambak-ed' land... But rest assured Melayus will not fare in the future anymore...

Thanks for preserving the memories...

A Voice said...

Rocky said: "I've always believed, though, that if Umno and Malaysia had not given up too easily against LKY, history would have been very different. Of course, LKY could have been PM of Malaysia along the way."

Despite what ever rationale that have been presented, I too wish Tunku Abdul Rahman could have not given up so easily.

I know for sure, if Tun Dr Ismail had his ways, he would have dump the bloody Lee Kuan Yew in the slammer. LKY's short presence is attributed for igniting racial riots all along the West Coast throughout the 60s. In the NOC reports, the 1969 incidence had its roots in LKY.

For Tunku's easy way out of the unrest brought about by Lee Kuan Yew, I am disaapointed with him. I have my respect for him as Father of Independence but never had much affection for him.

I view him as a weak and lackadaisical leader not worthy to be made a national icon. In fact, I tend to think that Pak Lah is our TAR of the 21st Century.

Sorry, if I will offend many. This opinion is definitely a contrarian view but it is quite imbedded in me.

A Voice said...

Enough of politics and back to humanity.

I spent part of my childhood in Kg Quarry Singapore. My parents used to teach at the Madrasah Irshad Al Attas of Bukit Timah which later had 2 more branches in Jurong and forgot the other one.

Ever since Kg Quarry leveled, I have alwasy been a reluctant visitor of Singapore and try at every possible reason to avoid it.

The few occasion that we travel as a family to visit family and friends in Singapore, or even JB, we would be swarmed by these ole ties.

Apart from the customary Singaporean bragging, these repeated story of forced diaspora on the Singaporean Malays have always been very heart breaking to listen to.

Menitis mata saya menulis isi hati ini. Dalam fikiran apa akan terjadi kepada Wilayah Pembangunan Iskandar.

Dengan keadaan fizikal kawasan Melayu yang lama macam Larkin, Majidi, Kg Melayu, Kebun Teh, dll dalam keadaan yang amat menyedihkan, haru memikirkan apa akan terjadi kepada orang2 Johor dengan ekonomi bebas sebebasnya yang akan di perkenalkan di WPI. Padahal di Singapura, ekonomi mereka adalah keterbukaan yang terkawal.

Tun Musa, Dolah Badawi, anak dan menantu ... satu hari kubur mu akan dikencingkan cucu cicit mereka mereka ini, kalau bukan saya sendiri!!!!
.

Anonymous said...

Hawaiichee - Do you believe in the Quran, in tandem with belief in Allah, Nabi and Rasul, Angels, Hereafter, and Qada and Qadar.

Unless you believe in all that explicitly and exclusively, stop politicising the Quran for your purpose?

Mior Azhar said...

Kak Ena,

I must say that I agree with your cousin Lina when she said:

"As little girls, my sisters and I would tell each other how gorgeous you people are esp Kak Olin and Kak Azah....... "

Even now I always cerita pada Yan yang when I joined NST I sort of intimidated by you and Kak Ton. Very confident meh....Anak Pak Samad pulak tu..
In fact come to think of it, and looking at your pix and your siblings (as in your earlier entries) all of you still look ooh so very very graceful.
Apa rahsia ya?

NURAINA A SAMAD said...

My dearest cousin Lina,

Kampung Melayu will always remain close to my heart. I remember little details of the kampung. I remember the ghost stories.
I remember my heart beating fast everytime our car turned into Jalan Yahya to reach Nenek's,
Strange, as a little girl the roads in Kampung Melayu seemed so broad. And then, later, when I was older, I found the roads to be so narrow.

I always remember going into Nenek's house via the kitchen because there was always food food food.... especially Wak Aichon's mee siam and the sweets in the bottles.

Yes, Lina.. those were great memories I will forever cherish. But each day, they seem to getting further and further away.

And gorgeous? My my my....just the other day I was browsing through old photos and there were some of me (when I was 15 or 16 with short hair and thick glasses) and you, Haidir, Linda and Aja. You were all so little and sooooo cantik..
didn;t you know we call you Lina anak orang putih and Aja Christin Hakim?

Ok.... take care and salam to everyone there...

NURAINA A SAMAD said...

BigDog,

you have a point, of course. but actually, there was very little choice...kampung melayu was out of place in a fast developing Singapore. In retrospect, it had to be done...if kampung melayu remained, i think it would be very rundown and possibly declne to become a shanty town.

But thanks for the point of view.

The Ancient Mariner said...

Ena, you are absolutely right. Kg Melayu was out of place in a fast developing Singapore and so is KG Baru KL now.

S'pore will always be the place where I worked for a stint, met my wife and married her and where my eldest child was born. But it wasnt home.

NURAINA A SAMAD said...

zai,
thank you for visiting.
one of my closest friend lived at Jalan Mesra, off Jalan Aman.. There is (or was) a surau there, I think.

You are BBGS, kan?
Isn't there a secondary girls' school around Jalan Aman..i think it's called Jalan Ampang Secondary School, or something.

Of course, Zai, of course... if and when TWB is turned inot a book...

NURAINA A SAMAD said...

Hawaiichee : Ayoh....fierce-lah that.

Basree: goodness...you had an interesting childhood...
have you not written about it?

Mat Salo : It's in the stars, bro

Voice: of course, you are entitled to your opinion and views.
your opinion is yours to make.
There will be people who will agree and there will be those who won;t..
thanks for sharing your strong views with us.

bedok boy: paging hawaichee. Lu sudah kena soal-lah.

Mior; Alamak...apo nak di kato, ek?
tak pernah pulak terpikir pasal tu.
mior gitu di NST? Dah kita senior, kan....mesti nampak confident.

anyway, Mior, terima kasih for the sweet words.
Rahsia? Mana ada?
Mior dah lama tak jumpa Kak Ena, kan? Those lines that weren't there dulu....Hah...sekarang.

Take Care. Salam to Yan and your lovely daughters.

Ancient Mariner (Captain): Hear hear!

zaitgha said...

Nuraina,

yeap the school is still there i think and across the road is Ampang Road Boys School. My older sister and older brother went there, and from the other extreme end of Jalan Aman we could see a boys' hostel Asrama Dr. Latiff which most students went to St.John i think he he...the surau is still there and from one of the road near the surau we could go to the famous Pasar Keramat...my younger brother used to sell cakoi there during ramadhan.

your good friend still staying there?...

BaitiBadarudin said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Dear Nuraina,
Kampung Melayu-Kaki Bukit is also a precious part of my chilhood. The 'air pancur' across the road from my family home at 38, Jalan Damai; the big house at the intersection where we used to spy the late Roseyatimah and other actors strutting their stuff; the 'masjid' at the top of the hill; the 'klinik desa' with its white-and-black blinds; the 4PM where the youths and local thespians congregate ...
Memanglah sebak dada dan berlinang air mata; bak kata P. Ramlee, "Barang yang lepas jangan dikenang ..."
Ramadan dan Eid Mubarak to you and your good-looking family!

NURAINA A SAMAD said...

Rocky (ahirudin attan),

Gosh, i know of those places but never been there.
you grew up in singapore. i grew up in PJ.
and you even attended madrasah. that explains your talent in berzanji.
mengaji pun sedap and merdu, i dengar.

yeah...so much has changed. i remember running along Elizabeth Walk as a kid...and there was a Changi beach, you know...

NURAINA A SAMAD said...

QueenB: sungguh... berlinangan airmata pabila mengenang kampung halaman...

thanks and Ramadan and Eid Mubarak to you and your family!

Knights Templar said...

Cik Ina , there was only one guy who could make me reminisce about my kampung halaman di tepi sungai batang padang , and thats non other than the evergreen Lat.Guess you're the other now .Endearing piece.

Anonymous said...

Nuraina, QueenB......


Jangan Bedeklah!


Hehhehehehehehehehhehehehehehe :)

Anonymous said...

Another classic down-memory-lane piece, thanks Nurina. I'm sure many of us have their own "Kg. Melayu", and not many of these survived the passage of time... (and/or human greed, sometimes disguised as "development") for various resons of course... here in Dhahran, the Saudis too have lost many of their version of "Kg. Melayu or Kg. Badwi"... making way for the malls, etc... I could hardly experience the "desert nights" here anymore (too much light pollution) its inevitable... as human population expands, something will give way, including the kampungs... Luckily my "Kg. Melayu" in Kelantan is still a kampung (I hope?), though it is no longer the same as it was 30-odd years ago. Thanks for the reminiscense & Rammadhan kareem to you & family.

A Voice said...

Nuraina

Dalam cerita Labu Labi II, marsila usik bapaknya yang sedang mengempit cikgu murni.

Marsila: Wah bapak dah pandai berpeknek dan bertransistor ...

Sebutannya bukan pinic tapi pek-nek.

Teringat di pantai changi dulu ada pokok jambu yang besar. Sapa2 pergi pek-nek di pantai changi akan tebarkan tikar dan makanan di situ.

Teringat peri peknek masa kecik2 bersama rombongan sekolah arwah bapak. Budak, sekali2 jumpa air, macam jakun, punya seronok.

P/S No wonder rocky sing a great m nasir and jamal abdillah song.

Husin Lempoyang said...

Dharan Sea - Di Malaysia kg badwi yang satu pun akan pupus, kerana anak kepala batas dah jadi kepala bana. KAlau dia pencen, dia akan pindahkan kg badwi ke perth, australia.

BaitiBadarudin said...

BigDogDotCom said...
Nuraina, QueenB......
Jangan Bedeklah!
Hehhehehehehehehehhehehehehehe :)
3:38 AM
Awak cakap kita orang bedek, kita orang debik awak baru tau, heheh!

Anonymous said...

I was born at 307 Jalan Eunos(paternal grandparents home) then and basically grew up there till 1984. My father has occassionally talked of your wellknown father(never negative issue)I remember all those roads you mentioned, my grandparents(maternal)were also from Jalan Sudin nearby bidan Rahmah's house. I remember there are 2 midwives in our Kampung; the other at Jalan Pagak, Midwife Sapiah(she has a big sign board outside her gate). I don't know if you've been to the football field near the Community Center(Balai Rakyat)at Jalan Pagak then. There's a Japanese spring(air pancur)I think at the end of Jalan Yahya? water leads to 2 big man made, along the ftballfield ,pools built by the Japanese then one of them full of eels. I was quite an adventurer then for I was schooling then at Kaki Bukit. Walking to school was the best experience. There was a time my parents lived at Jalan Kluang later at Omar Samad. Did you heard of the tale about big footprints at Kaki Bukit then...it was assumed then to be a giants? Wat do u tink of dat? Kampong Melayu hold a strong connections to me too and it was nice to know others who remember it as fondly as I do.

Dada said...

33 Jln Pagak. Poets said that 'love is the letting go.' I was born here, bread, margerined and sugar-coated. Bidan Mak Piah (who's daughter i tutored for a short period,) delivered me into flesh and blood. Of course, i loved kg melayu rotten. It had left us all lost or p'rhaps feeling sequestered. But nothing feels as complete as being found after such emotional void. Like an aftermath of those recently marooned at Christmas island, your blog offered to me a unique emotional refuge. For some years, many will agree to have been rendered soulfully scarred by the scabbards of Singapore government's method in social dismantling. Systematic or otherwise, i can't bloody care. So thank you Nuraina A Samad. Good wishes, Razak Ahmad

Razak Ahmad said...

33 Jln Pagak. Poets said that 'love is the letting go.' I was born here, bread, margerined and sugar-coated. Bidan Mak Piah (who's daughter i tutored for a short period,) delivered me into flesh and blood. Of course, i loved kg melayu rotten. It had left us all lost or p'rhaps feeling sequestered. But nothing feels as complete as being found after such emotional void. Like an aftermath of those recently marooned at Christmas island, your blog offered to me a unique emotional refuge. For some years, many will agree to have been rendered soulfully scarred by the scabbards of Singapore government's method in social dismantling. Systematic or otherwise, i can't bloody care. So thank you Nuraina A Samad. Good wishes, Razak Ahmad

Anonymous said...

Salam , are you all related to Wak Din and Wak Yah Bidai residing at 22 Jalan Yahya .. I used to have relatives dari Rumah Pertama Jalan Yahya sampai penghujung Jalan Yahya sampai Jalan Kluang pusing ke Jalan Sudin keluar ke Jalan Ambohsuloh tembus the Jalan Adam naik ke Jalan Abdul Manan balik ke Jalan Eunos Tangki turun ke Jalan Pagak merentas padang Bola dan akhir berjalan ke Jalan Abdullah dan berehat d kedai Din sebelom berehat makan Mee Kuar kedai Samad di Jalan Amboh Soloh. Tak lupa juga kalau panas singgah kedai Ah Chong makan Ayer batu kepal sebelah kedai Arang ... akhir sekali kalau petang saya minat sangat makan Rojak petis sebelah rumah Pak bakar ..