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HAJAH WAN ROHANI BT WAN HUSIN (Wae)
24 May 1948-26 November 2012
Monday, 26 November 2012
Obituary: Hajah Wan Rohani Wan Husin
My stepmother-in-law, HAJAH WAN ROHANI BT WAN HUSIN (Wae) , passed away this morning at her home in Tanah Merah, Kelantan. She never went to school and could not write her own name. She could not read romanised text but she could read the Quran. She had cared for her 5 stepchildren, her own 7 children and about 50 stray kids who have nowhere to go from entire Malaysia. This was the lady who taught me Malay values, life skills and how to cook good Malay dishes. She will be dearly missed by all. May her soul be blessed. Inna lilla hi wa inna ilai hirojiuun. Al-Fatihah.
Friday, 23 November 2012
Malay Ghosts
The Malay World as I know it is plagued with ghosts. The first time I heard about ghosts was when I was a teenager living in Malacca. You wouldn't believe it if I said that Malacca is haunted.
After I was born till I was 4 or 5 years old, I lived in a haunted house in Banda Hilir. I didn't know it was a haunted house till I had left the house and returned to visit it as a teenager and then heard the stories about the old house which was possibly more than 100 years old (it was built by my great grandfather). As a teenager, I also lived in a haunted government bungalow left unoccupied for 27 years after the Japanese war. Most Malays would tell me that double-storey bungalows are often haunted if left uninhabited for long. Similarly with single-storey houses if left unattended for long. It is because ghostly myths are high on the Malay agenda, I decided not to buy a second home but thought to take up the topic of Malay ghosts and myths under research, especially those that have to do with health and living.
I posted earlier about the ocean liner Kunak in this blog, entitled "Kunak and the Black Dragon". To my surprise, the hits to that post was rather high. It further alerted me into thinking that readers could be triggered by either the ship itself or the dragon. Dragons don't exist in real life nor in Malay beliefs or life but they are a big part of the beliefs and lives of the Chinese people. I therefore got the idea that maybe the readers that read that post were possibly mainly Chinese.
I posted two words about ghosts in Facebook on 17 November 2012 to see what the responses would be. It was rather unexpected that many FB-kians responded to "banyak hantu" (lots of ghosts).
Tonight I watched National Geographic Haunted Fridays Ghosts Ships. I then Googled "ghost ships" and read about all the phantom ships ever known in history. Then I saw a link at the bottom of the page that says "Malay" and I clicked that and got here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malay_ghost_myths
I then returned to my Facebook and copied the responses into this blog:
Faridah Abdul Rashid
17 November
banyak hantu
Aainaa Abdullah, Raudhah Jalilah and Daeng Andak Al Habrah like this.
Ana Abdul Razak hantu galah
17 November at 18:13 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid hantu = ?
17 November at 18:16 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid I've heard of hantu kopek
17 November at 18:16 · Like · 1
Ana Abdul Razak hahaha hantu kopek yang best tu....sexy :P
17 November at 18:17 · Unlike · 2
Faridah Abdul Rashid hahahaha.....!!
17 November at 18:17 · Like · 1
Faridah Abdul Rashid all hantoos are female?
17 November at 18:18 · Like · 1
Faridah Abdul Rashid there's also hantu lompat on tv
17 November at 18:19 · Like · 1
Faridah Abdul Rashid hantu lompat is always a male and chinese (very creative)
17 November at 18:20 · Like · 1
Ana Abdul Razak pocong you mean - bertahun dok depan jerat cina ngan kubur melayu tak pernah jumpa hantu kak, balik campfire selamba jek kami adik beradik hehehehe
17 November at 18:20 · Edited · Like · 1
Faridah Abdul Rashid it takes a hantu to see a hantu...
17 November at 18:20 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid I don't even know what a pocong is .... hahaha!
17 November at 18:21 ·
Ana Abdul Razak antu lompat le kak, hop hop hopping hantu hehehe
17 November at 18:25 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid I think Malays are superstitious and they have a lot of trust in the unseen. I'm learning about Malay beliefs and why they believe in hantu, etc.
17 November at 18:29 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid There is no definition for the Malay word "hantu". Try define that?
17 November at 18:29 ·
Ana Abdul Razak postive thinking kak.... syaitan jin memang ada menyerupai dan suka pada orang yang lemah...hantu memang takde.
17 November at 18:30 · Edited ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid The Qur'an mentions syaitan.
17 November at 18:31 ·
Ana Abdul Razak yes exactly...manusia yang bertuankan syaitan is the hantu....
17 November at 18:31 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid Pontianak (vampire) feeds on human blood. In the West, vampires were humans who had a blood disorder and there was no transfusion then, so they invented the term "vampire". In another case, they exhumed corpses of those who died "a strange" disease; today that disease is called TB. For the Malays, there must be a reason why we use the term "hantu".
17 November at 18:35 ·
Ana Abdul Razak tu kena tanya seekers kak hehehehe
17 November at 18:36 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid Seekers bertauliah or what?
17 November at 18:40 ·
Ana Abdul Razak hehehehe yg kat tv hari tu dah pencen kot.... sure there must be someone who can explain this.
17 November at 18:42 ·
Ana Abdul Razak the only way is to be near ALLAH, by reading Alquran and follow Rasullullah sunnah In Shaa ALLAH no such thing as hantu.... kan kak.
17 November at 18:44 · Unlike · 1
Faridah Abdul Rashid Seekers are specific for each community. One cannot be a Malay seeker and try to solve a Mat Salleh mystery. it won't work. Same with Malay saka (jin), it won't work in a Mat Salleh body. Mat Salleh are more superstitious than orang Melayu.
17 November at 18:45 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid A hantu has no physical dimensions but has a shadow or cast.
17 November at 18:47 · Like · 1
Ana Abdul Razak saka... is due to what actually
17 November at 18:47 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid A hantu can manifest (show itself) and usually this occurs when alone and in dim light (eg toilet).
17 November at 18:47 ·
Ana Abdul Razak teringat citer hantu askar jepun hehehe yang di citer oleh hostelite dulu
17 November at 18:49 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid Saka is an inherited jinn (jin). It is a slave of the human who acts as its master. it must be fed (sambal belacan, cili, etc). When the master dies, a new master needs to take over or inherit the slave (jin). The inherited jinn is called saka.
17 November at 18:50 · Edited ·
Ana Abdul Razak scary nye
17 November at 18:51 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid Most sites of Japanese beheadings are known to be haunted.
17 November at 18:51 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid Saka is unknowingly inherited by a person. When a person inherits a saka, she becomes insane (gila, mental) and appears crazy to those around her. When she dies, another person needs to inherit her saka. It is usually inherited by the prettiest child among her kids. Some saka are ancient, thousand years old, etc.
17 November at 18:53 · Edited ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid Depression is closely related to saka which is inherited. Depression is a big problem among Malay women.
17 November at 18:55 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid maghrib
17 November at 18:55 · Like · 1
Ana Abdul Razak orang dulu2 banyak menuntut konon untuk jaga keturunan mereka, in this moden world masih ada ek bebenda ni
17 November at 18:55 ·
Ana Abdul Razak yes
17 November at 18:56 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid Di Kelantan, mmg banyak benda mcm ni.
17 November at 20:57 ·
Abdul Rahim Abdul Ramzy mereka juga hamba allah seperti kita
19 November at 12:48 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid This is a link for Malay ghosts: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malay_ghost_myths
After I was born till I was 4 or 5 years old, I lived in a haunted house in Banda Hilir. I didn't know it was a haunted house till I had left the house and returned to visit it as a teenager and then heard the stories about the old house which was possibly more than 100 years old (it was built by my great grandfather). As a teenager, I also lived in a haunted government bungalow left unoccupied for 27 years after the Japanese war. Most Malays would tell me that double-storey bungalows are often haunted if left uninhabited for long. Similarly with single-storey houses if left unattended for long. It is because ghostly myths are high on the Malay agenda, I decided not to buy a second home but thought to take up the topic of Malay ghosts and myths under research, especially those that have to do with health and living.
I posted earlier about the ocean liner Kunak in this blog, entitled "Kunak and the Black Dragon". To my surprise, the hits to that post was rather high. It further alerted me into thinking that readers could be triggered by either the ship itself or the dragon. Dragons don't exist in real life nor in Malay beliefs or life but they are a big part of the beliefs and lives of the Chinese people. I therefore got the idea that maybe the readers that read that post were possibly mainly Chinese.
I posted two words about ghosts in Facebook on 17 November 2012 to see what the responses would be. It was rather unexpected that many FB-kians responded to "banyak hantu" (lots of ghosts).
Tonight I watched National Geographic Haunted Fridays Ghosts Ships. I then Googled "ghost ships" and read about all the phantom ships ever known in history. Then I saw a link at the bottom of the page that says "Malay" and I clicked that and got here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malay_ghost_myths
I then returned to my Facebook and copied the responses into this blog:
Faridah Abdul Rashid
17 November
banyak hantu
Aainaa Abdullah, Raudhah Jalilah and Daeng Andak Al Habrah like this.
Ana Abdul Razak hantu galah
17 November at 18:13 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid hantu = ?
17 November at 18:16 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid I've heard of hantu kopek
17 November at 18:16 · Like · 1
Ana Abdul Razak hahaha hantu kopek yang best tu....sexy :P
17 November at 18:17 · Unlike · 2
Faridah Abdul Rashid hahahaha.....!!
17 November at 18:17 · Like · 1
Faridah Abdul Rashid all hantoos are female?
17 November at 18:18 · Like · 1
Faridah Abdul Rashid there's also hantu lompat on tv
17 November at 18:19 · Like · 1
Faridah Abdul Rashid hantu lompat is always a male and chinese (very creative)
17 November at 18:20 · Like · 1
Ana Abdul Razak pocong you mean - bertahun dok depan jerat cina ngan kubur melayu tak pernah jumpa hantu kak, balik campfire selamba jek kami adik beradik hehehehe
17 November at 18:20 · Edited · Like · 1
Faridah Abdul Rashid it takes a hantu to see a hantu...
17 November at 18:20 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid I don't even know what a pocong is .... hahaha!
17 November at 18:21 ·
Ana Abdul Razak antu lompat le kak, hop hop hopping hantu hehehe
17 November at 18:25 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid I think Malays are superstitious and they have a lot of trust in the unseen. I'm learning about Malay beliefs and why they believe in hantu, etc.
17 November at 18:29 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid There is no definition for the Malay word "hantu". Try define that?
17 November at 18:29 ·
Ana Abdul Razak postive thinking kak.... syaitan jin memang ada menyerupai dan suka pada orang yang lemah...hantu memang takde.
17 November at 18:30 · Edited ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid The Qur'an mentions syaitan.
17 November at 18:31 ·
Ana Abdul Razak yes exactly...manusia yang bertuankan syaitan is the hantu....
17 November at 18:31 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid Pontianak (vampire) feeds on human blood. In the West, vampires were humans who had a blood disorder and there was no transfusion then, so they invented the term "vampire". In another case, they exhumed corpses of those who died "a strange" disease; today that disease is called TB. For the Malays, there must be a reason why we use the term "hantu".
17 November at 18:35 ·
Ana Abdul Razak tu kena tanya seekers kak hehehehe
17 November at 18:36 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid Seekers bertauliah or what?
17 November at 18:40 ·
Ana Abdul Razak hehehehe yg kat tv hari tu dah pencen kot.... sure there must be someone who can explain this.
17 November at 18:42 ·
Ana Abdul Razak the only way is to be near ALLAH, by reading Alquran and follow Rasullullah sunnah In Shaa ALLAH no such thing as hantu.... kan kak.
17 November at 18:44 · Unlike · 1
Faridah Abdul Rashid Seekers are specific for each community. One cannot be a Malay seeker and try to solve a Mat Salleh mystery. it won't work. Same with Malay saka (jin), it won't work in a Mat Salleh body. Mat Salleh are more superstitious than orang Melayu.
17 November at 18:45 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid A hantu has no physical dimensions but has a shadow or cast.
17 November at 18:47 · Like · 1
Ana Abdul Razak saka... is due to what actually
17 November at 18:47 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid A hantu can manifest (show itself) and usually this occurs when alone and in dim light (eg toilet).
17 November at 18:47 ·
Ana Abdul Razak teringat citer hantu askar jepun hehehe yang di citer oleh hostelite dulu
17 November at 18:49 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid Saka is an inherited jinn (jin). It is a slave of the human who acts as its master. it must be fed (sambal belacan, cili, etc). When the master dies, a new master needs to take over or inherit the slave (jin). The inherited jinn is called saka.
17 November at 18:50 · Edited ·
Ana Abdul Razak scary nye
17 November at 18:51 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid Most sites of Japanese beheadings are known to be haunted.
17 November at 18:51 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid Saka is unknowingly inherited by a person. When a person inherits a saka, she becomes insane (gila, mental) and appears crazy to those around her. When she dies, another person needs to inherit her saka. It is usually inherited by the prettiest child among her kids. Some saka are ancient, thousand years old, etc.
17 November at 18:53 · Edited ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid Depression is closely related to saka which is inherited. Depression is a big problem among Malay women.
17 November at 18:55 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid maghrib
17 November at 18:55 · Like · 1
Ana Abdul Razak orang dulu2 banyak menuntut konon untuk jaga keturunan mereka, in this moden world masih ada ek bebenda ni
17 November at 18:55 ·
Ana Abdul Razak yes
17 November at 18:56 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid Di Kelantan, mmg banyak benda mcm ni.
17 November at 20:57 ·
Abdul Rahim Abdul Ramzy mereka juga hamba allah seperti kita
19 November at 12:48 ·
Faridah Abdul Rashid This is a link for Malay ghosts: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malay_ghost_myths
Kelantan
Book title: Kelantan: A state of the Malay peninsula (1908)
Download from Open Archive:
http://ia700401.us.archive.org/19/items/kelantanstateofm00grah/kelantanstateofm00grah.pdf
Download from Open Archive:
http://ia700401.us.archive.org/19/items/kelantanstateofm00grah/kelantanstateofm00grah.pdf
Tuesday, 20 November 2012
Haji Zul Tiger
The alumni of the King Edward VII School in Taiping, Perak call themselves Tigers. They also use Tiger as a prefix or suffix for their names when addressing their alumni members.
One Tiger who helped me to obtain photos of the historic school is Haji Zulkifli bin Zahari, better known as Haji Zul Tiger in Facebook. I have included those photos in Appendix 9 (pages 287-8). I recently mailed him a copy of my book. Here is a photo he posted to Facebook.
Haji Zul Tiger is well-connected to his relatives and friends. He is also linked to the descendants of Datuk Jenaton who are mainly from Perak. One interesting lady in the Datuk Jenaton group is Insun Sony Mustapha Fenner, who wrote many books about her father.
Insun Sony responded to Haji Zul Tiger's photo above in Facebook. An interesting clue came forth about two Tigers who were the early Malay doctors - Dr IM Ghows and Dr Abbas Alias.
According to Dr Abbas's daughter Dr Siti Fathimah, her father had joined the British administration just prior to the Japanese war. He followed the British till they surrendered in Singapore. Insun Sony informed that her father Mustpha Hussain had provided protection to Dr Abbas when the British surrendered in Singapore.
Insun Sony also informed that she had invited Dr Abbas to her book launch about her father in 1999 but Dr Abbas was frail and could not make it. Dr Stiti Fathimah had informed me and I wrote in my book that Dr Abbas had passed away in 2004. Dr Siti Fathimah also sent me a last photo of her father with Tan Sri Dol Ramli. Dr Abbas was in a wheelchair in that photo.
Dr Abbas is survived by his third wife and 12 children. She is a resident in PJ. Dr Siti Fathimah had retired from Hospital Melaka but continues to offer her services as a consultant radiologist. She is based in Malacca.
New info update:
One Tiger who helped me to obtain photos of the historic school is Haji Zulkifli bin Zahari, better known as Haji Zul Tiger in Facebook. I have included those photos in Appendix 9 (pages 287-8). I recently mailed him a copy of my book. Here is a photo he posted to Facebook.
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| Haji Zulkifli Zahari @ Haji Zul Tiger (from his Facebook, 20 November 2012) http://www.facebook.com/zultiger |
Haji Zul Tiger is well-connected to his relatives and friends. He is also linked to the descendants of Datuk Jenaton who are mainly from Perak. One interesting lady in the Datuk Jenaton group is Insun Sony Mustapha Fenner, who wrote many books about her father.
Insun Sony responded to Haji Zul Tiger's photo above in Facebook. An interesting clue came forth about two Tigers who were the early Malay doctors - Dr IM Ghows and Dr Abbas Alias.
According to Dr Abbas's daughter Dr Siti Fathimah, her father had joined the British administration just prior to the Japanese war. He followed the British till they surrendered in Singapore. Insun Sony informed that her father Mustpha Hussain had provided protection to Dr Abbas when the British surrendered in Singapore.
Insun Sony also informed that she had invited Dr Abbas to her book launch about her father in 1999 but Dr Abbas was frail and could not make it. Dr Stiti Fathimah had informed me and I wrote in my book that Dr Abbas had passed away in 2004. Dr Siti Fathimah also sent me a last photo of her father with Tan Sri Dol Ramli. Dr Abbas was in a wheelchair in that photo.
Dr Abbas is survived by his third wife and 12 children. She is a resident in PJ. Dr Siti Fathimah had retired from Hospital Melaka but continues to offer her services as a consultant radiologist. She is based in Malacca.
New info update:
- I asked Haji Zul Tiger to help locate Dr Burhanudin al-Helmy's family. He replied Dr Burhanudin al-Helmy's youngest brother is Drs. Norbit Mohd Noor, an active politician. Will try to obtain the whereabouts of Dr Burhanudin al-Helmy family.
Sunday, 18 November 2012
Greater India
Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indianized_kingdom
I feel we are more Indian today than before but our forefathers practised more Indian ways than they knew.
Today, young and old like to watch Indian movies, in particular, Hindi movies, even though the preference has shifted to Korean movies.
Today, we listen to more Indian songs and know a few more Indian words than 50 years ago.
Today, young men prefer the Indian way of dress, with hair made to stand using a hair cream made from coconut oil.
Today, with problems of hair fall from various life and work pressures, women have turned to olive oil (minyak zaitun) to rub olive oil into their scalps to reduce hair fall.
Today, we all prefer to eat nasi briyani as opposed to plain white rice.
We prefer brightly coloured clothers and bangles and decorations that make a sound (bells, beads, etc) as accessories.
We don't realise that maruku/meruku is an Indian delicacy and can be found at the time of Depavali. There is gulap jamun, vade, coconut candy, etc to name a few.
We may not realise it but we are becoming more and more Indian.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indianized_kingdom
I feel we are more Indian today than before but our forefathers practised more Indian ways than they knew.
Today, young and old like to watch Indian movies, in particular, Hindi movies, even though the preference has shifted to Korean movies.
Today, we listen to more Indian songs and know a few more Indian words than 50 years ago.
Today, young men prefer the Indian way of dress, with hair made to stand using a hair cream made from coconut oil.
Today, with problems of hair fall from various life and work pressures, women have turned to olive oil (minyak zaitun) to rub olive oil into their scalps to reduce hair fall.
Today, we all prefer to eat nasi briyani as opposed to plain white rice.
We prefer brightly coloured clothers and bangles and decorations that make a sound (bells, beads, etc) as accessories.
We don't realise that maruku/meruku is an Indian delicacy and can be found at the time of Depavali. There is gulap jamun, vade, coconut candy, etc to name a few.
We may not realise it but we are becoming more and more Indian.
Early History of Singapore
This site has many useful links on the history of Singapore:
http://worldblog.mitrasites.com/early-history-of-singapore.html
http://worldblog.mitrasites.com/early-history-of-singapore.html
Foyles
One book is also available at Foyles. It is classified under history-politics. However, my name is not quite correct as I am listed by half my father's name - Rashid, and my name now becomes Faridah Abdul (just like Paula Abdul). I am not Faridah Abdul.
http://www.foyles.co.uk/witem/history-politics/research-on-the-early-malay-doctors,rashid-faridah-abdul-9781469172439
http://www.foyles.co.uk/witem/history-politics/research-on-the-early-malay-doctors,rashid-faridah-abdul-9781469172439
Saturday, 17 November 2012
Restoran Seri Melayu
RESTORAN SERI MELAYU
No. 1 Jalan Conlay,
50450 Kuala Lumpur
Reservations: 03 - 2145 1833
Fax: 03-2145 1755
Email: enquiries@serimelayu.com
Website: http://www.serimelayu.com/restaurants/rsm/index.html
Map: http://www.serimelayu.com/images/map2.jpg
This is a good Malay restaurant. I first went there in the 1990s when we had a conference dinner hosted by one of the drug companies. I didn't expect to see a Malay restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. When I first walked in I was really thrilled as it reminded me of my home in Malacca. The interior featured real Malay decor. I think it was more of a royal Malay decor. I ate at one of the tables up on the rear deck opposite the stage. We had to remove our shoes to be seated there. The front side deck was for VIPs. There were dances that night, and the music was too loud (blasting). The roof was very high. The central hall area was packed with dining tables and diners. There was hardly any free floor space. The left hall area was where food was served, among the columns. One thing interesting was that they served delicious tiny Malay desserts on small plates - which I particularly liked. Even kuih lapis was 2cm x 2cm x 2cm (something like that). I remember talam kacang merah (I think it is called that). I had the Malay desserts first and then had some rice for the night.
I'm still amazed that there is a Malay restaurant in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.
Wednesday, 14 November 2012
Fatimah bt Hamid Don; Fatimah bt Hamidon
There are two ladies with almost similar names, Fatimah bt Hamidon and Fatimah bt Hamid Don. Both are related to Badariah Baba Ahmad (in Facebook).
Puan Sri Prof Fatimah bt Hamid Don (Prof Hamiddon in Facebook)
b. 10 July 1933 Batu Gajah
- married to Ishak bin Haji Pateh Akhir
- educated at Anglo-Chinese Girls' School (ACGS), Ipoh
- attended University of Malaya (UM)
- attended School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), London
- attended UCLA 1971
- career: worked as a lecturer at the Language Institute in Kuala Lumpur; Head of Phonetics Dept
- contributions to society: Member, Central Council Women's Institute; AJK Istilah Pendidikan (DBP)
- first Malay woman to have obtained a PhD degree
- recipient of the Eminent Woman Award 2012
http://www.nst.com.my/latest/fatimah-hamid-don-given-eminent-woman-award-1.151551
- recreation: represented SOAS (London) in inter-collegiate sports (badminton & table-tennis)
- recreation: cooking, reading, badminton, table-tennis, gardening
- address: 1247 Jalan Changkat, Petaling Jaya
- her daughter is Fawziah Ishak, whose daughters are Dr Dima Marlina (houseman) and Dima Naquira Mohd Rafi
b. 10 July 1933 Batu Gajah
- married to Ishak bin Haji Pateh Akhir
- educated at Anglo-Chinese Girls' School (ACGS), Ipoh
- attended University of Malaya (UM)
- attended School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), London
- attended UCLA 1971
- career: worked as a lecturer at the Language Institute in Kuala Lumpur; Head of Phonetics Dept
- contributions to society: Member, Central Council Women's Institute; AJK Istilah Pendidikan (DBP)
- first Malay woman to have obtained a PhD degree
- recipient of the Eminent Woman Award 2012
http://www.nst.com.my/latest/fatimah-hamid-don-given-eminent-woman-award-1.151551
- recreation: represented SOAS (London) in inter-collegiate sports (badminton & table-tennis)
- recreation: cooking, reading, badminton, table-tennis, gardening
- address: 1247 Jalan Changkat, Petaling Jaya
- her daughter is Fawziah Ishak, whose daughters are Dr Dima Marlina (houseman) and Dima Naquira Mohd Rafi
- she is an aunt of Badariah Baba Ahmad (she calls her Aunty Onn)
 |
| Biodata of Fatimah bt Hamid Don |
 |
| Prof Hamiddon in Facebook |
Hjh Fatimah bt Hamidon
b.1925-d.11 August 2005 (4 Jamadil Awal 1426 Hijrah)
I had mentioned earlier about a lady named Hjh Fatimah bt Hamidon in my previous post about the graves at Jelutong Timur in Penang. She was a relative of Badariah Baba Ahmad.
.
Pusara Hjh Fatimah bt Hamidon (refer caption below).
Pusara Hjh Fatimah bt Hamidon, a descendant of Ismail @ Nakhoda Kecil.
Contact Badariah Baba Ahmad in Facebook for family tree and info in Geni.
Tun Tan Sri Dr Fatimah bt Haji Hashim
There are two elite Malay girls' schools in Malaysia, Kolej Tunku Kurshiah and Sekolah Tun Fatimah.
Kolej Tunku Kurshiah
Tunku Kurshiah College (TKC)
Seremban, Negeri Sembilan
This college was named after Tunku Kurshiah. It accepts girls from families of the upper class. It also accepted girls from the poorer classes. Many who went there later joined the Malaysian work force as the country's top rung women, if not leaders.
The school moved from its old site in Seremban to its new site in Nilai in 2012.
Sekolah Tun Fatimah
Tun Fatimah School
Johor Bahru, Johor
This school was named after Tun Fatimah, Malaysia's most noted female leader at the time Malaya gained its independence. She was much respected as a Malay woman, the epitome of Malay civilisation.
A graduate of Sekolah Tun Fatimah is Prof Muhaya bt Mohamad, an eye surgeon and Islamic speaker.
BIOGRAPHY OF TUN FATIMAH BINTI HAJI HASHIM
She was born in Kampung Parit Kurma, Muar in Johor on 25 December 1924 to Haji Hashim bin Haji Ahmad.
She was educated at both Malay and religious schools. She was a housewife but was actively involved in politics. Her recreation included gardening. Her last known address was No. 36, Petaling Jaya, Kuala Lumpur.
She became the first female to become a Malaysian minister; she was a member of the Parliament for Jitra-Padang Terap in Kedah. She was President of Kaum Ibu UMNO Malaya since 1956. She was a Member of Council, University of Malaya, Chairman Hari Wanita, Committee Member of Assunta Hospital in Petaling Jaya, Committee Member of Women's Training School in Ipoh, Member of UMNO Executive Committee, Member of Supreme Alliance Council and Social Welfare Lotteries Board.
She married to Tan Sri Abdul Kadir bin Yusoff, PJK a former Malaysian lawyer and Minister of Laws. She passed away of old age on Saturday, 10 January 2009 at 11.35 pm and is laid to rest at Masjid Negara in Kuala Lumpur.
Kolej Tunku Kurshiah
Tunku Kurshiah College (TKC)
Seremban, Negeri Sembilan
This college was named after Tunku Kurshiah. It accepts girls from families of the upper class. It also accepted girls from the poorer classes. Many who went there later joined the Malaysian work force as the country's top rung women, if not leaders.
The school moved from its old site in Seremban to its new site in Nilai in 2012.
Sekolah Tun Fatimah
Tun Fatimah School
Johor Bahru, Johor
This school was named after Tun Fatimah, Malaysia's most noted female leader at the time Malaya gained its independence. She was much respected as a Malay woman, the epitome of Malay civilisation.
A graduate of Sekolah Tun Fatimah is Prof Muhaya bt Mohamad, an eye surgeon and Islamic speaker.
BIOGRAPHY OF TUN FATIMAH BINTI HAJI HASHIM
She was born in Kampung Parit Kurma, Muar in Johor on 25 December 1924 to Haji Hashim bin Haji Ahmad.
She was educated at both Malay and religious schools. She was a housewife but was actively involved in politics. Her recreation included gardening. Her last known address was No. 36, Petaling Jaya, Kuala Lumpur.
She married to Tan Sri Abdul Kadir bin Yusoff, PJK a former Malaysian lawyer and Minister of Laws. She passed away of old age on Saturday, 10 January 2009 at 11.35 pm and is laid to rest at Masjid Negara in Kuala Lumpur.
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| From Who's Who |
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| Text and pic from another blogspot |
Tuesday, 13 November 2012
Panglima Awang (2)
This is my understanding and opinions about Panglima Awang based on my reading of the links given in the first post by Ahmad Fuad on Panglima Awang.
- Panglima Awang was a Malay warrior at the time of the Malacca Sultanate when Sultan Mahmud was the ruler (sultan). This was around 1509-1511, before the Portuguese attack on Malacca.
- When the Portuguese attacked Malacca in 1511, they also attacked the palace of Sultan Mahmud and captured the court officials (hamba raja = hambarajas/hambarajes/ambarajes).
- One of the captured court officials was Panglima Awang. If he was very dark, then he would be known as Panglima Awang Hitam. If he was slightly darker than the Portuguese Caucasians, then he would be just Panglima Awang. Awang is a common call name but it is uncommon to call a youth Awang in Malacca. Awang is used in Kelantan dialect to call a young boy, a youth, or a young man.
- Even though Panglima Awang was a Malay court official of the Sultan Mahmud's palace, as with many court officials, they could come from any of the nearby regions surrounding Malacca. Most Malay warriors were Bugis if they came from the east (Borneo, Moluccas/Celebes, Papua New Guinea side). Otherwise they would be Minangkabau from Paya Kumbuh, a popular origin of the Malays of Malaysia. However, the Muslim warriors of the Minangkabau palace of Paya Kumboh, Sumatra only arrived in Malaya after the Dutch forces attacked Malacca; ie, circa 1641. So it is most likely that Panglima Awang was a local man from Malacca, and who worked for the court of the Malacca Sultanate under Sultan Mahmud at the time of the Portuguese attack on Malaccca.
- The Portuguese forces defeated the Malacca Sultanate and captured Malacca and its people, including court officials, eg Panglima Awang. There maybe other court officials who were captured by the Portuguese but we may not have the entire history about the fall of Malacca to the Portuguese under Alfonso d'Albuquerque.
- European captors such as the Portuguese in Malacca made their captives accept their religion. In the case with Panglima Awang, he was either forced or freely accepted into a new faith, the faith of his Christian conquerors. If he was a slave, he would have been forced and that could be for his own protection and/or safety. If he was not a slave and treated just like a friend, he probably merely followed the 'religion' of his non Muslim masters but never converted to Christianity. Even though Muslims do not convert to any religion, in those times and in times of battle or after losing battles, captives have no choice and follow the instructions of their captors with a heavy heart.
- Did Panglima Awang accept Christianity and converted to Christianity? No. A Muslim remains a Muslim. Once a Muslim, always a Muslim. A apostate (murtad) would suffer grievous punishment.
- What language(s) did Panglima Awang speak? He definitely spoke Malay (Bahasa Orang Melayu).
- Why wasn't Panglima Awang able to communicate with the people in Cebu, Philippines? Cebuans speak their own language or dialect which is different from Malay. Tagalog contains common Malay words but Tagalog is a more recent language, arising from Malay.
- If Panglima Awang was a Malay Muslim, and if he had died after arriving in the Philippines or Malacca, or anywhere in the Malay Archipelago, where were his siblings? Where is his grave today? If he was a Hindu and not a Muslim, what was his Hindu name?
- Is it possible to have a small Filipino community in Malacca? Yes. There are Malacca Malay-Filipino marriages. One which I attended in Malacca was that of Mahani Mahabob's eldest brother who married a Filipino lady. She spoke English to us (Malacca children and teenagers).
- Is it possible to have a small Portuguese community in Malacca? Yes. There is Portuguese Settlement in Malacca today. This is some distance from my village in Banda Hilir. People form that Settlement have assimilated into the larger Malacca mixed society today. These Portuguese descendants appear more Indian than Europeans but they have Portuguese surnames and British first names.
- Could Panglima Awang come from any of the small communitites? Yes, indicating he was from overseas, most probably Sumatra, a large island in close proximity to Malacca. The passage from Sumatra to Malay is usually from Batu Bara to any of the ports on the Malayan western coastline. In this case Malacca, a popular seaport and famous trade centre.
- Panglima Awang was said to be derived from a Sumatran lineage and his descendants resided in Rembau, even today. Panglima Awang himself married a Pahang lady. This is common knowledge for people who are descended from the royal household of the Minangkabau princes of Paya Kumboh. There should be approximately the 10th generation or more today in Rembau itself and proximity.
- Panglima Awang was nicknamed Datuk Laut Dalam (Master of the Deep Seas) to avoid being found by the European captors. Much later, Mat Kilau did the same and used the nickname Mat Siam.
- Why did his captors name him Enrique or Henry the Black? He was made their affiliate and he worked for them.
- Was Palingma Awang a loyal servant to his Portuguese captain? Yes. Malay men, especially warriors, are loyal to their masters. They don't defect or they will die as traitors.
- Was Panglima Awang a traitor to his Portuguese master and his crew? No idea.
- Was Panglima Awang murdered in Mactan? No idea. Probably not. He was not an enemy of the locals so they wouldn't kill him. He did no harm to them. Malay communities do not kill unless it was a feud or battle or something they would stick their neck & life for. Malay men (warriors) are known to be loyal, rational and civilised.
- Was Panglima Awang the sole survivor of the Mactan Massacre where Magellan died of wounds from (poisoned) arrows? No idea. He was probably the sole survivor of that massacre.
- Did Panglima Awang plot Magellan's death? No idea. Usually no. It is a yes if the murder was for ransom.
- Did Panglima Awang collude with Raja Humabon to kill or murder Magellan? No idea. A Malay warrior knows whom to side with, and usually he is loyal to his Malay fellows or countrymen.
- Was Raja Humabon a Malay? Probably a Bugis and therefore the language was Bugis Malay. Humabon itself sounds like 2 words = Huma (tanah or land) + bon (a place or land called Bone in Sulawesi). I think this is old Malay.
- Did Panglima Awang meet any Sulu ruler while in the Philippines? No idea. The British Queen was said to have married a Sulu ruler. This could mean that the issues and descendants are all related to the British Crown and nobility. They could pass as locals with black hair or other hair colours, and with black (iris) eyes or with colourful irises (blue, brown, dirty green or hazel).
- Did Panglima Awang return to Malacca or his village (Rembau in Negeri Sembilan) to take revenge on his captors? No idea.
- Is Panglima Awang a hero? No idea. He was the first to circumnavigate the globe but this is controversial from the European quarters who contend that Magellan was the first to do so.
- Which nation shall claim the famous Panglima Awang as its national hero? No idea. He was a Malay hero shared by 3 nations - Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. He was a hero of the Malay World or the Malay Nation.
Monday, 12 November 2012
Panglima Awang (1)
The search for the real identity of Panglima Awang who accompanied Magellan on his first journey to circumnavigate the globe continues till today. Did Magallen circumnavigate the globe at all? No, he died in the Philippines before the last leg of circumnavigation was completed; someone else completed it. Was he the first person to circumnavigate the globe? No, he did not complete his mission. He died before his misison was completed. If no, who then was the first to do so? It is a mystery till today. There maybe a few names but only one shall concern us. He was known as Panglima Awang in the Malay World (Dunia Melayu). He was known as Enrique or Henry the Black in world history. He was probably of Sumatran origin. Black here may mean he had dark skin and hair; he was probably a dark Malay, a dark Indian or a Black African. We don't know. He was definitely Asian or African, not Caucasian.
I started writing about the Mayans and Malayans in Facebook, and the similarity of the plants they shared. The discussion then moved to Panglima Awang.
http://www.yucatanadventure.com.mx/yucatan-flora.htm
Help on this big maritime mystery was provided by Ahmad Fuad, Dr Abdul Ghani (Pak Din) and Abidin Hussin in the Medicinal Plant Interest Group in Facebook. Here is a re-post of the discussion thread:
Abidin Hussin Maybe Ulam is a Mayan word. Our language is a mixture of many languages. Or it can be by chance.
Ahmad Fuad Haji Morad The Malays seafaring adventures definitely more extensive. Thot' Henry The Black atau Enrique (Panglima Awang) played a pivotal role navigating after Magellan's death to complete circumnavigating the globe.
Faridah Abdul Rashid I don't have the full biography of Panglima Awang to be able to appreciate his panglima role in ournaval maritime history.
Ahmad Fuad Haji Morad Google the keywords Panglima Awang, Enrique or Henry the Black and you will find some lead about him. In fact there's a novel, Panglima Awang (1957) written by Harun Aminurrashid. "Historians and trivia buffs have often speculated that Enrique was the first to circumnavigate the world" not Sebastián Elcano after Magellan's death in the Philippines.
Here's some links to appreciate him:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enrique_of_Malacca
http://www.sabrizain.org/malaya/port3.htm
http://tulahan.blogspot.com/2011/09/sejarah-panglima-awang-atau-henry-black.html ;
http://ulasbuku.blogspot.com/2007/04/panglima-awang-1957-harun-aminurrashid.html .
Faridah Abdul Rashid Thanks. Will follow the links. He maybe a Sulu Malay.
Ahmad Fuad Haji Morad Claimed from Sumatra, and if you run thru the Malay Annals the whole Malay archipelago were interconnected w' many Sultanates and regarded all alike.
Faridah Abdul Rashid Yes, I saw the illustration where the sea level was lower than that today, and one could walk throughout the Malay lands. Sailing & boat-building came much later when the water level rose.
I started writing about the Mayans and Malayans in Facebook, and the similarity of the plants they shared. The discussion then moved to Panglima Awang.
http://www.yucatanadventure.com.mx/yucatan-flora.htm
Help on this big maritime mystery was provided by Ahmad Fuad, Dr Abdul Ghani (Pak Din) and Abidin Hussin in the Medicinal Plant Interest Group in Facebook. Here is a re-post of the discussion thread:
Abidin Hussin Maybe Ulam is a Mayan word. Our language is a mixture of many languages. Or it can be by chance.
Faridah Abdul Rashid I don't think it is by chance. A lot of the Mayan fruits are the same fruits we have in Malaysia. Even the flowers are the same ones. Only the people are different. I think the Arabs came to Malaya, and then went to Spain, and then the Spaniards went to Yucatan peninsula, and the Mayan people learned from us in that way. There must be something that we did in the past that we are now in Mayan territory.
Pak Din Prof., my take on this is that the Malays are seaferers by nature and we colonised the tropical belts and build communities along the places we stop over. I study the distribution of plants and found that the Periwinkle is one important plant in our society in the past. The distribution is widespread throughout the tropics from Madagascar to Hawaii and probably across the Panama strip into the Carebbean Islands. The features of the people along this belt is very strikingly similar and the language too contains words almost similar to each other with similar meaning. We were once a great nation and our language was the language of trade through out the tropical belt.
Faridah Abdul Rashid > Pak Din, Yes, the Malays have always been the greatest seafarers and shipbuilders since time immemorial. The Malays have always had the greatest civilisation and an exhaustive materia medica. So most probably, they sailed the equatorial belt and brought along their medicinal plants. Even the Chinese respected the Malays for their skills working with wood, esp intricate carvings of flora. That is how important and great the Malays were and are even today.
Faridah Abdul Rashid > Pak Din, Yes, the Malays have always been the greatest seafarers and shipbuilders since time immemorial. The Malays have always had the greatest civilisation and an exhaustive materia medica. So most probably, they sailed the equatorial belt and brought along their medicinal plants. Even the Chinese respected the Malays for their skills working with wood, esp intricate carvings of flora. That is how important and great the Malays were and are even today.
Ahmad Fuad Haji Morad The distributional range of the Malayo-Polynesian race stretches from Madagascar to Easter Islands on the western coast of South America. Ain't that far to have some influence.
Pak Din But Che Mat, I think we went further than that, to cross over Panama and into the Caribbean Islands too.
Pak Din But Che Mat, I think we went further than that, to cross over Panama and into the Caribbean Islands too.
Faridah Abdul Rashid I don't have the full biography of Panglima Awang to be able to appreciate his panglima role in our
Ahmad Fuad Haji Morad Google the keywords Panglima Awang, Enrique or Henry the Black and you will find some lead about him. In fact there's a novel, Panglima Awang (1957) written by Harun Aminurrashid. "Historians and trivia buffs have often speculated that Enrique was the first to circumnavigate the world" not Sebastián Elcano after Magellan's death in the Philippines.
Here's some links to appreciate him:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enrique_of_Malacca
http://www.sabrizain.org/malaya/port3.htm
http://tulahan.blogspot.com/2011/09/sejarah-panglima-awang-atau-henry-black.html ;
http://ulasbuku.blogspot.com/2007/04/panglima-awang-1957-harun-aminurrashid.html .
Ahmad Fuad Haji Morad Claimed from Sumatra, and if you run thru the Malay Annals the whole Malay archipelago were interconnected w' many Sultanates and regarded all alike.
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| New Bedford, MA, USA (photo by Alan Tan, 13 Oct 2012, Facebook) |
Sunday, 11 November 2012
Prof Aishah bt Abdul Latiff
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| Prof Aishah bt Abdul Latiff (from Tripod Sept 1998) |
Biography
N/A
- her name was mentioned to me by 2 people, my father and my uncle (both deceased)
- she maybe connected to the early Arabs who arrived in Penang (I can't quite remember the details)
- noted as an intelligent Malay female
- married
Achievements and Contributions to Society
- Malaysia's first female pharmacy lecturer
- Established Doping Control Centre at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Penang which became a reference and doping testing & control centre for the Commonwealth Games.
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| From left: Prof Aishah Abdul Latiff, Prof Dzulkifli Abdul Razak and Prof Asma Ismail at USM Doping Control Centre, Penang. (USM photo 2010). Prof Aishah is the Director of Doping Control Centre in USM, Penang. Tan Sri Prof Dzulkifli Razak was Vice-Chancellor USM. He left to join Albukhary University in Alor Setar, Kedah. Prof Asma Ismail is Deputy Vice Chancellor R&D. She is related to the first Malay doctor, Dr Abdul Latiff bin Abdul Razak. Prof Asma's father, Ismail bin Abu Sittee, had worked with Tan Sri Dr Raja Ahmad Noordin bin Raja Shahbuddin in Jitra, Kedah. Ismail bin Abu Sittee then worked in Penang, alongside Dr Che Lah bin Md Joonos. Both Dr Che Lah and Tan Sri Dr Raja Ahmad Noordin were early Malay doctors. Tan Sri Prof Dzulkifli's father, Cikgu Razak was a Malay schoolteacher who survived WWII. He was a sponsored student at the time and miraculously survived the Hiroshima atomic bomb in Japan. He was at the epicentre. He lived to tell his story. |
http://bcme.tripod.com/sept98/isibcme1.htm
USM DOPING CONTROL CENTRE
Prof Abdul Rashid bin Abdul Rahman
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| Prof Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman |
Biography
N/A
- born in Singapore
- migrated to Malaysia
- medical lecturer in Pharmacology
- initially led the usrah group for USM medical school lecturers in Kelantan
- moved to head the USM Advanced Medical and Dental Institute (IPPT) in Bertam, Penang
- later moved to head the Cyberjaya Medical College
Photo source: http://bcme.tripod.com/sept98/isibcme1.htm
Friday, 9 November 2012
Business card
I made this business card with a software which I downloaded from Giveaway of the Day.
Universiti Malaya
I first heard of the word 'varsity' from my aunt, Mak Bedah @ Zabedah. I was probably in primary school. She was one of my 2 aunts who could speak English. She told me about the schools and universities during her time. She said girls didn't go to school during her time. She was one of the few Malay girls who went to school, breaking the Malay taboo of not letting girls go to school. She was my mentor when I was young till I started working and could think for myself. I also borrowed 4 sets of her clothes to go to work for the first time. It was from her that I learned the words Lembah Pantai and Masjid Varsity, Kolej, etc. I had thought she was a strange woman, talking about something I had not seen nor visited. She took me for a drive past the university mosque but I found it strange that a mosque was a university (I didn't see other buildings but just jungle). I was really confused. She was talking to my mother and Lembah Pantai was mentioned. I didn't see a beach at Lembah Pantai, just dry land! For a long time I didn't know what Universiti Malaya was about. I didn't know what a university was.
In 1974/75, I visited Universiti Malaya for the first time as a class excursion. We visited the library and bookshop and the Physiology Dept. I was happy at the library and bookshop but I felt intimidated at Physiology Dept - I didn't like the spirometer.
In 1982/83, I wrote to Univeriti Malaya to ask about the possibility of lecturing there. Universiti Malaya re-posted by letter back to my Vice Chancellor's office. The Vice Chancellor's office returned my letter. I was 23 and felt upset about the way Universiti Malaya handled my letter.
Computers invaded Malaysia in late 1990s and I went into computers for the sheer reason that computers didn't have to do with people and attitude. I didn't have to face people. So I stuck to computers, trying to adjust to a better life. Universiti Malaya always stuck in the back of my mind for what it did to me. I got busy with Teleheath. At the time too research grants were big and the amount was in the millions. I too got a RM3 million grant but I shared that with others and worked with just a small amount to buy 10 PCs. Telehealth was doomed from the beginning for many things but I was focused on laboratory computerisation, which was manageable and feasible in Malaysian hospital labs.
When I started researching and writing on The Early Malay Doctors, there were many contributors from Universiti Malaya. They were good and supporting. However, it did not change my stand on Universiti Malaya and its administration. I was bitter about Universiti Malaya.
There was a call for setting up the Primary Care Database by Universiti Malaya. The minute I saw the Universiti Malaya logo on the letterhead. I put down the letter and forgot about it till I was contacted to ask for input. I helped out by supplying data as it was part of my JD (job description). Furthermore, I was in charge of Telehealth operation for my university.
One fine day, I put up at one of the hotels in Kuala Lumpur with my family, just to see how things have changed in Kuala Lumpur. We visited Universiti Malaya (my second time). We first arrived at Dewan Tunku Chanselor, a big dirty grey building with a strange architecture. I had heard of the fire that destroyed it long ago. A colourful mural covered the damaged part. The hall is adjacent to the chancellory. All the words I saw were in Malay. I asked my husband why Universiti Malaya used Malay words when I knew it was a university that chose English as its medium of instruction, and for which another university (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM) was build by then prime minister, Tun Abdul Razak. I looked at the nearby building up on the hill and it too had a Malay signboard. That didn't make me happy because I had expected to see everything in English to fit its British Malayan history. We also drove around a bit but we didn't see a tourist info centre or a place we could ask our way around on campus. We returned to the hotel, totally upset about our visit to Universiti Malaya.
This morning, I was looking for a Blogger logo and reading about Kerabat diRaja Kelantan. I chanced to click and read about Universiti Malaya in Wikipedia (Malay version). The Universiti Malaya logos are copyrighted even in Wikipedia. I'm just wondering why official logos are copyrighted. There is also blue-yellow logo for the King Edward VII College of Medicine. I haven't checked that against other documents published with the KE VII logo. I didn't have this KE VII logo when my books went to print.
http://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universiti_Malaya
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Malaya
http://www.um.edu.my/
http://www.facebook.com/UniversityOfMalaya
In 1974/75, I visited Universiti Malaya for the first time as a class excursion. We visited the library and bookshop and the Physiology Dept. I was happy at the library and bookshop but I felt intimidated at Physiology Dept - I didn't like the spirometer.
In 1982/83, I wrote to Univeriti Malaya to ask about the possibility of lecturing there. Universiti Malaya re-posted by letter back to my Vice Chancellor's office. The Vice Chancellor's office returned my letter. I was 23 and felt upset about the way Universiti Malaya handled my letter.
Computers invaded Malaysia in late 1990s and I went into computers for the sheer reason that computers didn't have to do with people and attitude. I didn't have to face people. So I stuck to computers, trying to adjust to a better life. Universiti Malaya always stuck in the back of my mind for what it did to me. I got busy with Teleheath. At the time too research grants were big and the amount was in the millions. I too got a RM3 million grant but I shared that with others and worked with just a small amount to buy 10 PCs. Telehealth was doomed from the beginning for many things but I was focused on laboratory computerisation, which was manageable and feasible in Malaysian hospital labs.
When I started researching and writing on The Early Malay Doctors, there were many contributors from Universiti Malaya. They were good and supporting. However, it did not change my stand on Universiti Malaya and its administration. I was bitter about Universiti Malaya.
There was a call for setting up the Primary Care Database by Universiti Malaya. The minute I saw the Universiti Malaya logo on the letterhead. I put down the letter and forgot about it till I was contacted to ask for input. I helped out by supplying data as it was part of my JD (job description). Furthermore, I was in charge of Telehealth operation for my university.
One fine day, I put up at one of the hotels in Kuala Lumpur with my family, just to see how things have changed in Kuala Lumpur. We visited Universiti Malaya (my second time). We first arrived at Dewan Tunku Chanselor, a big dirty grey building with a strange architecture. I had heard of the fire that destroyed it long ago. A colourful mural covered the damaged part. The hall is adjacent to the chancellory. All the words I saw were in Malay. I asked my husband why Universiti Malaya used Malay words when I knew it was a university that chose English as its medium of instruction, and for which another university (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM) was build by then prime minister, Tun Abdul Razak. I looked at the nearby building up on the hill and it too had a Malay signboard. That didn't make me happy because I had expected to see everything in English to fit its British Malayan history. We also drove around a bit but we didn't see a tourist info centre or a place we could ask our way around on campus. We returned to the hotel, totally upset about our visit to Universiti Malaya.
This morning, I was looking for a Blogger logo and reading about Kerabat diRaja Kelantan. I chanced to click and read about Universiti Malaya in Wikipedia (Malay version). The Universiti Malaya logos are copyrighted even in Wikipedia. I'm just wondering why official logos are copyrighted. There is also blue-yellow logo for the King Edward VII College of Medicine. I haven't checked that against other documents published with the KE VII logo. I didn't have this KE VII logo when my books went to print.
http://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universiti_Malaya
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Malaya
http://www.um.edu.my/
http://www.facebook.com/UniversityOfMalaya
Tuesday, 6 November 2012
Approach to MPH
This is the first time I visited MPH Clicks in Facebook, and also saw my former classmate's name (from 1972/3). I also visited the website tonight.
http://www.mphclick.com
http://www.twitter.com/mphclick
http://www.youtube.com/mphclick
http://www.mphonline.com
http://www.esp4u.com
I stayed up after Isya' until now, just to study MPH, both the physical store and its online MPH Clicks. The store displays book covers and has all the terms laid down. Meanwhile, MPH Clicks is more interactive with its customers, and often they are registered MPH members. The level of interaction is casual. The MPH moderator is good and the language used is good too.
After 2.5 hours, I think I have learnt something from MPH. Something I could not have learned from elsewhere. Here's what I learned about MPH and its approach to its book sales and customer relations. The CRM (customer relations management) is good, for a Malaysian company. Thumbs up for MPH Malaysia.
MPH Clicks has these as its strong points:
I guess MPH is strategically located in Penang, Klang Valley, Malacca and Johor. Even USM sells its books via MPH (but I didn't see any USM titles on the monthly favourite list).
Update 7 November 2012
MPH replied and asked that I get a distributor. It asked me to contact its sister company MPH Distributors Sdn Bhd at 03-7958 1688.
Update 9 November 2012
I forgot to contact MPH Distributors. I am not in the business line and I am unsure how to proceed or deal. I would appreciate if someone can help me here so my books can be available at MPH bookstores and online at MPH Clicks, apart from Xlibris.com, Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.
Update #2, 9 November 2012
Because as an academic, I am not allowed to do business transaction, I wrote to the USM lawyer to ask. The lawyer advised: "Yes, it is ok for you to contact the distributor. No problem at all. The main thing you can't do is to establish a distributorship's business to distribute the book. That is not allowed."
So that's clear.
http://www.mphclick.com
http://www.twitter.com/mphclick
http://www.youtube.com/mphclick
http://www.mphonline.com
http://www.esp4u.com
I stayed up after Isya' until now, just to study MPH, both the physical store and its online MPH Clicks. The store displays book covers and has all the terms laid down. Meanwhile, MPH Clicks is more interactive with its customers, and often they are registered MPH members. The level of interaction is casual. The MPH moderator is good and the language used is good too.
After 2.5 hours, I think I have learnt something from MPH. Something I could not have learned from elsewhere. Here's what I learned about MPH and its approach to its book sales and customer relations. The CRM (customer relations management) is good, for a Malaysian company. Thumbs up for MPH Malaysia.
MPH Clicks has these as its strong points:
- Facebook current account (ie active)
- high level of MPH-customer interactivity
- several approaches used:
- book fairs (pesta buku)
- meet and greet the authors for signing/autograph (author appearance; also saw Awang Goneng)
- features book launch
- interesting book titles
- books cover all age groups (Islamic books included and current)
- children are welcome
- books and activities for children (colouring, FIMO clay modeling & play, reading)
- storytelling for autistic children
- English vocabulatory and grammar books, English language activities highlighted
- featured images of book art, paper models, book racks (some for laughs)
- talks, seminars, courses are advertised
- string a story (everybody continues and contributes to a given story)
- read & reap contest
- book giveaway
- great giveaways (eg iPhone 4)
- many Malaysian titles
- many good foreign books
- authors are highlighted (birthdays, deaths, visiting authors, etc)
- authors are highlighted with their books or inventions (eg AA Milne for her Winnie the Pooh)
- real stories are brought to the fore (eg the female author who helped the poor in San Francisco)
- good deeds are highlighted and hammered into the minds of readers
- important dates are noted, made known to readers and celebrated (eg World Book Day)
- has a bunch of die-hard readers/fans; they respond actively and comment on everything, big and small
- quite relaxed ambiance, not upsetting the reading mood of its readers
- only 1 negative comment from someone who responded to Tun's book
- only a few irrelevant remarks in Malay
- its readers are generally civic-minded and polite
- not using abusive language; the ones who commented used good language
- very good book summaries (I love these; eg Kay Hooper's book)
- the fans also highlighted their favourite authors, and slowly I began to see who the good authors are
- many different offers, great discounts and unbelievable freebies
- gadgets are advertised (e-book reader, handwire cable manager and e-reader promo, Harry Potter book rings, pop phone bear)
- free gift wrap service (with MPH paper)
- free delivery on many occasions (eg Merdeka Day) and seasons (school holiday, school begins, etc)
I emailed MPH to ask whether it would sell my book. I gave some lead to my 2 books. I have to wait for it to reply.
I don't know where the MPH stores are exactly in Malaysia but the ones I saw while going through MPH Clicks are:
- MPH Megastore 1Utama
- MPH The Curve
- MPH Subang Parade
- MPH Mid Valley
- MPH Bukit Raja
- MPH Alamanda
- MPH @ KLIA
- MPH Johor Bahru
- MPH Gurney Drive, Penang
- MPH Mydin Mall, Malacca
I guess MPH is strategically located in Penang, Klang Valley, Malacca and Johor. Even USM sells its books via MPH (but I didn't see any USM titles on the monthly favourite list).
Anyway, I will need to wait for MPH's reply. Then I can inform readers where in Malaysia they can purchase my books on The Early Malay Doctors.
I have not had any detailed discussion with Singapore. I will inform in this blog if there is a bookstore that is willing to take up my books there.
I have not seen MPH in Kota Bharu. There is Popular Bookstore in KB Mall, Kota Bharu but I have not searched that.
Update 7 November 2012
MPH replied and asked that I get a distributor. It asked me to contact its sister company MPH Distributors Sdn Bhd at 03-7958 1688.
Update 9 November 2012
I forgot to contact MPH Distributors. I am not in the business line and I am unsure how to proceed or deal. I would appreciate if someone can help me here so my books can be available at MPH bookstores and online at MPH Clicks, apart from Xlibris.com, Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.
Update #2, 9 November 2012
Because as an academic, I am not allowed to do business transaction, I wrote to the USM lawyer to ask. The lawyer advised: "Yes, it is ok for you to contact the distributor. No problem at all. The main thing you can't do is to establish a distributorship's business to distribute the book. That is not allowed."
So that's clear.
Boxbe Ends
Notification
To all TEMD readers,
Boxbe has sent notice that it will end the Boxbe service. I will therefore remove my Boxbe email at all my blogs. You can write to me in the Blogger Comments under each post or in my Facebook.
Prof Faridah
http://www.facebook.com/faridah.abdulrashid
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To all TEMD readers,
Boxbe has sent notice that it will end the Boxbe service. I will therefore remove my Boxbe email at all my blogs. You can write to me in the Blogger Comments under each post or in my Facebook.
Prof Faridah
http://www.facebook.com/faridah.abdulrashid
http://www.facebook.com/EarlyMalayDoctors
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Research-on-the-Early-Malay-Doctors-1900-1957-Malaya-and-Singapore
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