Friday, January 30, 2009

HARIJADI

Hari ini Hari Jumaat 30hb Januari. Genaplah umur saya 59 tahun. Mudah-mudahan dipanjangkan umur dapat mengecap umur rasmi orang tetua di Brunei tahun depan. Saya looking forward untuk dapat pencen tua he…he.

Cucu saudara saya yang mula-mula hantar ucapan Selamat Harijadi. Pagi-pagi sudah ada sms. Mungkin dia di Pulau Pinang atau KL. Lama inda jumpa kerana ia dan keluarga bermestautin di Malaysia. Setiap tahun ia menghulurkan ucapan kerana pasti dia ingat kerana harilahir kami sama iaitu 30hb Januari.

Keluarga di Brunei juga ada acara potong-potong kek. Inda tau diadakan malam ani Petang ani ada undangan menggambar pernikahan ipar anak saya dan saya pula masih terikat dengan kerja-kerja pengarahan drama. Sebuk atau menyebukkan diri ada baiknya. Inda merungkui menunggu zaman tua.

TENTANG PENULIS

Maaf agak lama saya tidak menulis. Sedikit tersekat kerana tugasan yang mendesak. (saya sekarang menyelesaikan kerja arahan sebuah drama bersiri) Hari Khamis lepas 26hb Januari, saya di undang ke dalam rancangan bual bicara Rampai Pagi TB Brunei. Mereka bertanya tentang dunia penulisan. Undangan itu dibuat setelah saya memenangi tempat pertama dalam pertandingan menulis skrip drama radio. Saya dapat sebuaht lap top+ trofi dan wang. Syukur. Yang ditanya itu macam-macam. Presenter Sarinah tanya bagaimana menjadi seorang penulis. Kata saya dunia penulis ini sunyi bukan macam dunia penyanyi. Kena sabar kerana ada masanya karya kita diterbitkan. Nama Penerbit disebut. Juga nama pelakon. Tapi nama pengarang skrip tidak disebut. Presenter Sharizan tanya apa masa depan saya. Saya jawab ingin meng internasional kan karya-karya.

Friday, January 23, 2009

MEMENTO


From Great Eastern Insurance......


From National FM Radio Brunei.


I receive two mementos last week; one from Great Eastern which I’m a member as planner. The function was Annual Dinner of the Insurance group of whom I was selected as a most improved agent. Usually early of the year the company invited speakers from Singapore to give us motivational guide to improve our performance.

The other memento was from National FM Radio Brunei. My radio drama entitled Sayang Diri Sayang Hati was selected as the best script of the station’s competition. I received cash and a new lap top computer sponsored by an Islamic bank.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

ANOTHER TWO WRITING CERTIFICATES


Two more certificates, proving my involvement in writing; the first two for the year 2009


Me and some of the guest writers.





Haji Kifli Haji Tarsat was richer by $1,500 being interviewed by Brunei Times reporter. He won first prize in Sha'ir catagory.


I’ve add two more certificates to my writing certificate collection after winning Essay Writing and Poetry (shair) Writing organized by History Centre commemorating the 25th anniversary of the centre. I almost forget of my submissions when somebody rang me up and invited me to attend the prize presentation. The guest of honour was the Minister of Culture Youth and Sports Pehin Dr Haji Ahmad Haji Jumaat. I was richer by a few hundred dollars.

I quote here what Dr Mohd Hadi the deputy director said in his speech. “Without historical manuscripts, citizen of the nation would not be able to understand their own country’s development and history, thus creating a generation with no vision and inspiration based on local socio-economic system”

Well, at least I have done a bit to enrich and added the nation historical manuscript.
.500

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

BIRTHDAY

My birthday is approaching. To be exact I’ll be 59 years on 30th January 2009. Thinking of the day, I said to myself, why not write something about birthday. So this is what will be coming out on my Katak Atas Tempurong slot on 27 Januari 2009. Tune to Pelangi Radio Brunei at 7.30 am for the complete story.

Apakah sebenarnya sambutan hari jadi ini ? Apakah ia satu tradisi atau satu rotin tahunan ? Mengapa tarikh kelahiran diperingati ? Bagi kebanyakan orang ia seperti hari-hari biasa yang diselangi dengan ucapan dari mereka yang terdekat. Atau langsung tidak diperingati. Tarikh lahir berlalu seiring dengan air pasang surut di sungai atau masak ranumnya padi di bendang.

Legenda lama menceritakan, tradisi pesta ulang tahun pertama bermula di Eropah bilamana timbul ketakutan pada roh jahat yang mengunjungi seseorang ketika tiba hari ulang tahun kelahiran mereka. Untuk berlindung, diundanglah rakan taulan untuk mendoakan dan memberi pengharapan yang baik untuk tahun-tahun selanjutnya.

Orang zaman dahulu tidak mengetahui hari kelahiran mereka. Waktu itu takwin berpandukan pada bulan dan musim. Sejajar dengan peradapan manusia, diciptalah kalender. Hitungan kalender memudahkan manusia untuk mengingat dan merayakan hal-hal penting setiap tahun. Ulang tahun merupakan salah satunya. Banyak simbol-simbol yang dikaitkan dengan ulang tahun seperti penggunaan kek. Salah satu cerita mengatakan, waktu dulu bangsa Yunani menggunakan kueh untuk persembahan ke kuil dewa bulan, Artemis. Mereka mempersembahkan kueh berbentuk bulat seperti bulan purnama. Di Jerman kueh itu disebut “Geburtstagorten” iaitu sejenis kueh yang mempunyai beberapa lapisan. Rasanya lebih manis dari kueh diperbuat dari bahan roti.

Melihat sejarah hari jadi ini maka membuatkan saya berfikir dan mengajukan soalan samada merai’kan atau tidak tarikh lahir saya pada 30hb Januari. Atau adakan juga tapi dibuat dalam versi Islam dengan membaca doa kesyukuran terhadap nikmat yang dikurniakan oleh Illahi. Tentu saja memperingati harijadi itu sebagai penggerak atau motivasi bagi terus maju di tahun-tahun mendatang dan kita tidak tinggal di takuk lama. Tidak bagitu saudara ?

Monday, January 5, 2009

FIRST WEEK OF BONUS DAY

Story on government bonus maybe sudah basi. It almost two weeks now when government staff and officers received the one and half of their salary added to their pay cheque. People were so busy in the shopping centre and now some friends ask me what was my subject in the previous Penulis Orang Pencen (POP) column. The simple answer is bonus.

Not that I want to tell you how people spend their money. This was my real experience. On 2nd of January, I intended to fill in my stomach before going for Friday prayer. The shop nearby the mesjid was so full of people. Waiting for some table to be emptied, I chat-chat with the mamak. Here is his remarks. The mamak said almost everybody paid by hundred dollars note though the spending on the food was only three dollars. Banyak orang kaya sekarang. Tapi satu minggu saja . People felt so rich. But this was only happen on first week of bonus day. Later on the week it went to normal using five, ten and one dollar.

“Bila tiba musim bonus kedai minum ani menyediakan usin pacah yang banyak.”
“Tantu sudah tu. Pelanggannya ramai” seorang teman mencelah.
“Nanti dulu. Dangar dulu ceritaku” Dengan ketegasan itu rakan-rakan yang ingin mencelah hanya diam.
“Kata India atu, bila tiba taim bonus, masing-masing membayar dengan note basar; usin seratus walaupun untuk minum tiga empat ringgit”
“Taim loaden tu tuan haji. Barangkali usin atu karau, baru keluar dari bank”
“Menurut India atu lagi, keadaan ani berlarutan dua tiga hari sampai seminggu. Lapas atu usin seratus bertukar menjadi usin seringgit.”
“Taim sekolah tu. Mesti ada usin pacah bata kanak-kanak. Inda kan bis sidia bebata usin lima puluh ringgit. Lagipun not seratus sudah susut”

“Sampai cam atu bis sidia bebelanja. Tapi lapas atu baru tah melangui kasau.” Di peringkat atu ada jua yang alum melangsaikan hutang piutang. Maka cerita lama bertaut kembali. Hutang kembali mengelilingi pinggang waimapun baru seminggu menerima bonus.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

END OF THE YEAR 1429H/2008M/HAPPY NEW YEAR

I wish every reader a happy new year irrespective which year ur’re celebrating. Hijriah 1430 or Masihi 2009. In two weeks time Chinese community also celebrate New Year.

It was a quite a busy weeks at the end of 2008. I counted and it was almost 3 weeks from my last posting. I had a few subjects to write. Actually I wanted to wrap up whatever writing assignments I had to do in 2008. But seeing a last minute request from some TV and Radio producers, I had a few balance and had to carry forwards in 2009.

I managed to attend Majlis Doa Akhir Tahun and Awal Tahun during 1 Muharram 1430. Originally, I intended to go to Asr’ Hassanil Bolkiah where national celebration was held with HM was at attendance. With time constrain I just went to Mesjid Lambak Kanan. At least with other jemaah we managed to berdoa at the end of Hijriah 1429 and after Maghrib the doa of new year 1430. I wished I still have a strong brain and good health to help me do more writings.

I did’nt go anywhere the night of 1 January 2009. In front of me was a thick TV script to edit. (I’m directing a comedy series now and have to edit the script in line with the screenplay)
Occasionally I glance at a new year TV coverage. Sharp at 12, blossom of fire works mushrooming at the location (Kuala Lumpur). The sound was so strong and I thought somebody put up a high volume on the TV sound system. But alas, actually the booms were coming from outside my house. The sky was bright with fireworks. People were celebrating here as well. Selamat Tahun Baru.