The Satay House - Almarhum Pak Jaffar Shawal

ole...Satay House.
My thought came rambling again after a retro visit to Jogja and Bandung last week.Have a personel survillence after the much publish cold shoulder given by some of our distant cousin dari seberang.
No issue in matter of fact.Traders welcome their distant cousins with open arms.
Pak Beca make a living with the guest volume.Tipping generously out of sympathy.Generous,yes we are to our much needed cousins.
Jogjakarta as hippish as ever and Bandung as trendiest as ever.
Its Paris Van Java and it sure does.

Adooooo !!!Sunda beauty dong !!!

I try to stay out of Jakarta.Indonesia is not Jakarta.
My network in Indo is good.
Good opportunities too.On that score,its the other side of the coin.

Again,I'm barking at the wrong tree,its not about Bandung or Bromo or Jogjakarta I wish to write about but about a man,a petit in size man,moustacho and very focus.
The quite Gentleman,I may say,a positive altitude with full vision on buisness.Aided or I would rather say together with his beloved wife,brave the storm and thunder on the battle field of Sussex Garden,Paddington,London W 1 till his last breath.

Pak Jaffar Shawal,arrive on shore of good ole England during the post 60's era.
Alone only on one mission,that is how could a Malay from Penang excel in buisness in the United Kingdom?
Rolling and tumbling leaving his beloved wife Aunty Zaharah,an I.O with our Police Force at home then.He succesed to open the very first Malay Restaurant in the middle of metropolis London,battling his buisness anchorman with guts and sheer determination.

The birth of Satay House serving the local dishes was an instant hit among the hungry student and Malaysian community population then.It serve as a joint,for us student far away from mother land and mother's cooking.For those who have,its the place to water down their tummy with The Nasi Kandar Uncle's Special and to those whom do not have like me serve as a place where extra pocket money comes in handy serving as a waiter or kitchen helper,helping Uncle,the main Chef and Mummy Zaharah in the kitchen either in summer or me all year round as a part time waiter.

It was winter 1980,I first work part time as a waiter at the Satay House.
Pak Jaffar and mummy (as I call Aunty Zaharah,together with the young one,Onn and Harun and Liza and Ikram the present Satay House chef was still in their infant.
The three Onn,Harun and Lisa was well train by both Bapak(as I call Arwah Pak Jaffar)and Mummy Zaharah,especially Liza the only daughter was taught from the very tender age of table arrangement and where folk,knife and spoon and napkins suppose to be set.Liza is the most focus as far as I could recall.
I remembered well,at her tender age,she taught me to knot the paper napkins,neatly folded shape like a fan.A serious little gal then.

The restaurant open its doors at 12noon for lunch time and last order at 2.30pm,opens its door again at 6pm till the last order at 10.30.
I work in the evening.I have to catch the last train at 11pm to Balham via Bakerloo line at Edgware Road tube station changing for Northern Line at Elephant & Castle.
Missing the last train means I have to take the Red Arrow Nite bus at Trafalga Square.

Kitchen staff then was Uncle Jalil,as I call him 'Unkelek',for what reason I dont know,an Indian Muslim origin.A long service staff and the first chef of Satay House.His curry mutton and rendang a class of his own.You find your hands licking after his curry,especially in winter.The sambal belacan and his curry goes together well to keep the hungry tummy and body warm especially in winter.

Asisting him then was an Indonesian immigrant but left after a few months and a few of my buddies whom work part-time during the long summer break earning jes to save up for a new set of Hi-Fi.
Kitchen staff keep changing.Kitchen staff pinching was normal then as between 1982 onward after the success of Satay House being the pioneer Malay Restaurant in the middle of west end,strings of so call Malaysian Restaurant sprang up through out the Soho up till Swiss Cottage/Hempstead Heath area,with various variation of curry and rendang.
Suddenly,the Malaysian population and Mat Salleh's has lots of Malaysian Restaurant as a choise.
It was Pak Jaffar anchorman and vision that make the Malaysian cuisine be known in the West End.He steps in at the right time with sheer hard work and determination.

Together with mummy Zaharah,the combination works well.
Mummy Zaharah , she's a hardworking,persistent strong lady.It must be tHe regimentation grooming in the force which make her one.
Working round the clock non stop.
I remember,the Malaysian economic boom in 1984-85 well.
Her porcelain rose buisness was blooming.There was porceline roses everywhere in her petit flat above the Satay House,where the family retire after closing time.
Small and charm but beautiful.I reckon that was the order of the day then.

I was waitering Satay House table before Satay House was renovated.
The cellar downstairs was converted into sitting of 10 extra table.
Up stairs,orginally it could only accomodate 10 tables only.
A sardine pack on buzy week-end,serving regulars mainly from the rich Brunei scholars then.
Harun and Onn was still at primary schooling age,not much aid they could give to their persisten,determine loving parents then.
Mummy Zaharah was heavy pregneant with Ikhram.
The operation of the restaurant was a team work effort.
The team at times was crumbbling due to staff pinching or untrain staff.

Uncle Jalil,the head Chef was having visa problem with the immigration authority.
At a stage,I could feel mummy Zaharah and Pak Jaffar was having tremendous pressure from the operation of the restaurant then.
High number of staff leaving in short notice was normal.
Mummy was force to be in the kitchen after delivery of Ikhram to see the operation goes through,no matter how,the doors remains open to the regulars 7 days a week to see the OD they have taken on the Restaurant renovation goes through without a pinch.

Allah with the persistent and the determination.
Allah the all hearing and are with the strong,the brave such as the one Almarhum Pak Jaffar and Mummy Zaharah.
The Satay House still stands tall among the listing of Malaysian Restaurant in the West End today.

To Liza and Ikhram,the present caretaker and the operator of the Satay House,this is what I have to say:

'Mana-mana organisasi yang dapat bertahan melebihi 30 tahun,ianya layak memerima anugerah Kahzanah Bangsa dan Negara,kerana Restaurant Tuan telah dapat meyakinkan kepada dunia bahawa "Tak Akan Melayu Hilang Didunia"


Al.Fatiha.

Tuan Jaffar Shawal
Pengasas Restaurant Melayu Pertama Di United Kindgom "The Satay House"

Old Vintage Wine -Tribute to all RTM's Vets

This post was first publish in Febuary 2006.
A Tribute to all RTM'S vet.

Thank you for the bringing my live more meaningful and all the lessons via your mono radio.

Up-Date:

Agak tidak keperhatian sekiranya nama-nama DJ-DJ diRTM Radio 1 dizaman-zaman 60'an dan 70'an tidak disebut akan kelicikkan mereka menjalankan tugas serta menceriakan lagi kehidupan kita.
Nama-nama Ibu Siti Hawa Zain,program diwaktu pagi bagaikan bergema kembali didengung teliga setiap pagi sekitar 6 pagi,mengejutkan kami untuk ke sekolah.Nasihatnya amat mendalam.Motivasi untuk kami,anak-anak rakyat mengejar,melayar sebuah impian.
Harus diingat Malaysia ketika itu masih ditahap pembikinan.
Harga Pasaran getah keping asap berbunga menjunam keparas 20sen sekati.

2.Pak Chik Jamal Muhammad dengan program Kanak-Kanak setiap Sabtu,menceriakan zaman anak-anak kami,walaupun ketika ianya disiarkan saya sudah dewasa,melihat akan kesunggohan adik-adik terhibur dengan program tersebut membuat saya terfikir,sunggoh amat banyak pengajaran.Ia melahirkan banyak bakat yang kini tersuhor,Ella,Mazuain dan abangnya Othman Hamzah yang popular dengan lagu 'Musliha',Gary Gedion pemain drum dan precussion dengan Orkes RTM memrupakan sebahagian product yang diketemui melalui program Pak Chik Jamal.

3.Pak Chik Karim Mohammad,orang Melaka kau!pantun dan gurindam mainan jiwa.Program 'Berbalas Pantun' menjadi medan senda gurauan.Tersenyum simpul bila mendengar pantun 4 keratnya.Mungkin ada diantara participant di programe Berbalas Pantun itu bertemu dipentas,bercinta dan entah apa seterusnya eeek...!

4.Mak Chik Wan Chik Daud,Mahani Ujang.Putaran lagunya dizaman-zamam tersebut penoh nostalgic.

5.Dan ramai lagi,Pak Chik Helan Abu,Di zaman-zaman akhir 70'an dengan bermulanya FM stereo didalam tahun 1978,DJ-DJ baru ujud.Srd.Noramin,Halim Din,Sazali,Omar Manan,Zainal Din Zainal,Mak Chik Prema dengan rancangan Belajar Bahasa Tamil di RMIK merupakan pengerak minda.

Terima Kasih di atas curahan hati.Memori mengamit diri.

Apa yang menjadi tanda tanya bagi saya ialah semasa mereka berinteraksi di udara,menyampaikan dan mempersembahkan kepada kami,mereka berinteraksi tanpa script.
Ianya dioleh secara live and natural,tanpa sebarang unsur pencemaran Bahasa baik didalam Bahasa English mahupun Bahasa Melayu,tidak saperti apa yang terdapat diprogram sekarang adakalanya pencemaran Bahasa ditahap kritikal.
Ianya berlaku disemua program baik distation swasta,lebih-lebih lagi diradio swasta.
Ada-kala sehingga ketahap 'meluat' bila mendengarnya.

Jasa-jasa mu dikenang.Bak kata pujangga kita P.Ramlee 'Tak mugkin dapat dipisahkan antara irama dan lagu'

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Hmmm........yes sir,
he sure does, together with his generation he does move us in the right direction.He was one of the early birds in Radio broadcasting during the Beatles hip era via his husky golden voice he taught us those 'solok' guys the proper English,right pronuncation,proper intonation plus the music of Nat King Cole to Bee Gees 'Staying Alive'.He done us proud I am sure his other half and children is dammed proud of his modest achievement.

Very well indeed,I patiencely waits for his weekly radio show every Sunday precisely at 10am for 2 hours.That old faithful A4 battery operated 'Singer' we had at home is mine for that particular hour.Me at that particular hour will be cleaning my white canvass 'Bata' shoes,yeap school the next day,has to be neat and tidy for Monday assembly or else, I get the best 2 or if it's my unlucky day it will be the best 4 from Mr.Kumara Dass at the Cadet Room.
Pick and choose the ammo,he surely do have an ample collection of yessss....'CANES ' I mean,yeap...the one which whack our backside when we had a discipline problems,it landed on me a few times.
Sure do learn my lesson well.

He taught us English via his chats in the radio.
New words and proper grammer usage.I pick it from him.
Listening tentatively to his husky voice every Sunday,the'Kee Huat Radio Show' he was the show host and it did survived a couple of seasons till I am able to write a love letter.

Yes, I learn to write my ever first love letter by listening to his show.
It was the S.W.A.K and the Jeremy era.The sweet face of the main child actor whom ran off with his girlfriend to Venice......alah I forgotten his name.I think it was Mark ...something!It was before Linda Blair and her Excoist mania.
That film really inspire Bollywood to produce another block buster movie of that era"Bobby". Not to mention Hawaii 5-o with that handsome looking Steve Megarrat and his assistent Danny or weekly sit-com 'The Brady Bunch' and that handsome David Cassidy on 'The Partridge Family'.

Me,a 'solok ' guy watching that show? Yes indeed.....!!!
Will be arguing with my sibs if the wrestling programme is on.I know that is not my t.v day then.One t.v for a couple of family to share.
That was how is was then!
Am I bragging about the post independence socio climate?
No not at all,but by back tracking, that is how we learned to sort our present. Anybody who doesn't? so be it!

Why did I write this yeh?
I am not too sure in pronouncing either 'TOKOK or Tokoh'?
That what his blogspot name is!!
Yes he is a Mister to me,
He is no other less our former RTM Blue Network DJ Sir Patrick Teoh.

To me Tokok means rambling, but, you sir... might have thought of probably the manglish meaning ie.'talk-cork' ie. idle conversation.
Tokoh is personality which definately, you has that.
You....a 'Tokoh' to me and a few others of my batch sir...... I can be sure of that!
You sir,you has that charm, inspiring our generation with those soft melody,
yeah... the clean cut sound, no distortion compared to todays MIDI gadget which most of todays musician used.With the aid of 'Cake Walk' a dump fool could sell his CD's at any back lane an claim it original....'inhouse made' lah brother!!!I am talking where music is played in a group.A joint effort of a team producing quality sound.Quality showmanship and quality master piece.There is a diffrence between 'evergreen and classic'.Stairsway to Heaven is classic but Green Grass of Home is evergreen.So do Carmilla by Ebiet that is classic and may more.
I know ...is not rock and roll but something of Lobo or Neil Diamond or Carpenters is 'ok' to our big brother.
Yes, I know our Big Bro is a bit of pain in the ass at times.
Back then, yes I know big bro is watching us.
I remember our big bro has a rubber stamp on Rod Steward 'Maggie Mae' or Stairsways To Heaven' Definate no play air time.
I dont understand why they censor 'The Revolvers'.They were great, instead every sunday we has to listen to the tune Beautiful Sunday,I forgoten the group name.
I am sure if our Big Bro then gave a lee way to our local group air time,I am positively a sure our Artist performersare as good as our regional counter part if not better.They even gave 'Heavy Machine' a hard time.To jazz freak like me 'NO' so call music of jazz in the air time.
Instead we listen to 'Seriosa' a version of todays Pavarroti?in TV2.

We are the by product of what we see,feel,listen and THINK!
No wonder it take ages for us to pick up the pieces?
Well......that was the rules back then.
Your comand of elementary English without any accent,straight and grammatically correct improved our written weekly composition tremendeosly.

During my High School tenure together with Nuruddin, we would sneak to a corner of the hostel block to listen to your programme tentatively.
Believe me sir,Nuruddin is another 'Solok' guy, his solok is much further then my 'solok',he is from Bukit Senggeh somewhere near Selandar our minister of 'Human Resources' constituency.
Belief me this guy he specks the 'Nogori English',but man...his written English is explict,belief me..... he got an A1 for English 121 of MCE 1976.
How do we 'The Solok Guys' pick up the language?
Simple answer...
......by tuning to your radio programme.
Its amazing the radio!! it teaches us to be an avid listerner not a watcher as tv does or what ever gadget we have now.
From the portable battery operated size A4 we diguest your word.
Yes sir the 'Solok Guys' made it,by learning how to learn.

Together with your generation of broadcaster namely Pak Chik Sulaiman Alias,Pak Chik Yahaya Long Chik,Kakak Rubiah Lubis,Abang Nornikman Dadameah,Pak Chik Helan Abu and of course our mum Auntie Faridah Merican,Auntie Constant Haslam,we learn the correct basis English,useage,pronunciation,expression using the correct process of 'Learning how to Learn' method that is 'Shut Up and Listen'

That is how we were taught.
We learn by listening and able listener, we are sir!
Thanks to your team back in the late 60's and early 70's era sir.
I commend you the very least an AMN to our YDPA,sir.
May god protects you and your family and those who does great contribution to the nation,be it DJ's,script writers,programme producers,audio technician,buffer,LP's runner at the Wisma Angkasapuri etc,etc.
Your positive contribution being part of nation building goes notice sir.

Bravo to all the RTM'S unsung heroes.

Al-Fatiha Papa Pok Teh Mohd Idris Hj.Abdullah

A man with highest man of principle,absolute trustworthly gentleman and firm in executing duties.

That is Pok Teh,ibu's younger brother,passed away at a ripe age of 70,on Monday 2th.Febuary 2009 at 12.30noon.
Papa has been staying with ibu since apak pass away 5 years ago.
Extreamly fond of all his sisters,Mak Nyah,Ibu and ibu Chik.
Remain a bachelor till death.As faith has taken it toll,his sudden death was a surprise to all of us in the family.

It was a long week-end hols due to Hari Wilayah Persekutuan.Most of my aunt and uncle came back to Malacca.All have a weekend home in Melaka,thus,that very Monday all of us was having breakfast together at a local stall and depart back to KL after breakfast.
He was his usual self,nothing strange shown.
Always with his cup of Milo and Roti Canai and his medication prescripe after breakfast.
However,he decided to finish a full plate of Kueh Teiow Gorang that wonderful morning together with Ibu Chik,Bak,Emi and family.plus Ibu.
It was a long depart breakfast table and his last.

We depart for KL,arriving Bangi,ibu call informing of the death.
Innalillahhirajiuun.
Turn back for Melaka right away.

Papa Pok Teh,was with the Singapore Police Force in late 50's.
A rank and file officer.The youngest Sargeant ever been promoted to the post and later absorbed to the Inspector and upon medical board retirement recommendation he was an ASP with the Singapore Police Force.
Retired on medical board recommendation in 1970.
I was disciplined brought up by him at home.
A stern teacher.
An English master,which of course shows his mark in his writing.
Love his nephews and neices like his own children.

Papa's credential indeed a colorful one.
It was from him I tasted my first rotan.
My very first lesson of the Penal Code and question of law.
He would narrate to me the Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code in a very precision and detail.
I was merely in my secoundary school days back in the 70's listening his oral narration of Singapore Internal Affairs.
The bricking between Malaysia and Singapore.
The sweeping of Singapore kongsi Gelap in the 60's.
The political espoinage.
Off course he was a S.B with the Singapore Police and answerable only to'THE BOSS'.

The story of General Albar,T.S Pak Samad,Ahmad Bostaman,Azahari etc.etc.
It was told on first account to me.
Knowing Papa Pok Teh,his seriousness and no nonsense approach I am assure the stories relate to me were real and indeed a first hand historical dvelopment of post Malaya political history.
Time given,Insyallah,I will document it in Memoir Note of the 'Unsung Hero Tales from the South'

He was a Law lecturer at the Singapore Police Training School.
He was so good at law and was recommanded by the Attoney General at the time,the late Almarhum Tan Sri Ahmad Ibrahim to be a lecture on Criminal Law at the University Malaya in Singapore but was turn down by the Dean of the Faculty because Papa Pok Teh do not have a law degree.

For being a P.O for the crown,his examplary service was noted by then the High Court Judge an later the Chief Justice for Singapore Rt.Hon.Wee Chong Jin with a gold coin which he proudly shows me when I was still a wee lad.

Running after gangsters in Singapore then was a real high profile drama.
The street cleaning of Singapore against graft is well noted in the 60's.
The gruelsome murder photos was shown to me when I was a wee lad and it was real dramatic murders.
As a college of his I meet in Mekah while performing my haj told me,
'...no body could escape from Idris cross examine introgation and I mean terror introgation'.

His articulate legal writing still stands today.
His neatness in dressing up, represent of the old school of 'The Officer and a Gentleman'.Not even a foul word would come from him even when he is extreamly angry.

They never groom those types of ole'good esquire any more.
He died a simple man,well taken cared by The Family,leaving behind his Pension book,a packet of Gudang Garam Mild,medication prescript, and a set of Britainica Encyclopiedia,read it cover to cover.

Al.Fatiha.Papa Pok Teh Mohd Idris Hj.Abdullah.

Shamsiah Fakeh - Al Fatiha

I pick up the news from tukar tiub.

Wirawati sejati perginya engkau
Pengerak sejati
Tanpa mengenal getar dan peduli
semarak lah cinta anugerah illahi
moga roh mu kekal direstui illahi
malunya situah,kental jati mu demi pertiwi
pantang ajal sebelum mati
perjuangan mu penduka mata
buat generasi kini dan selamanya.

Betul atau salah bukan pengukurnya
hanya tekad mu pembuka mata
dari kami anak cucu cicit tanah tercinta
ke pusara Bonda akan kami susuli.

Al.Fatiha Sri Kandi Shamsiah Fakeh.

***Both the sir nama are dear to me.
Shamsiah my mum and Fakeh is my arwah atuk aka Pak Tuo

-akusufi
20hb.Oct.2008
20 Shawal 1429

Teringatkan Sri Kandi Negara - Allahyarhama Katijah Sidik

"Sewaktu menulis memoir ini(1963) saya sudah berumur 45 tahun. Selama 30 tahun, saya berjuang untuk rakyat, untuk hak wanita, mementang penjajahan dan imperialisme. Saya tak akan berhenti. Saya tahu, setidak-tidaknya dua kali dalam hidup saya, sekiranya saya berhenti berjuang, saya akan menjadi orang berada dan lebih terjamin daripada segi material, tapi ini bukan jiwa saya.'

`Saya tahu beberapa tahun mendatang keadaannya sukar, mungkin lebih sulit dari sebelumnya. Saya tahu mungkin saya terpaksa masuk penjara semula, mungkin lebih lama dari dahulu. Saya mempunyai empat orang anak; umur saya juga sudah tidak muda. saya mudah letih dan badan saya tidak sekuat dulu. tapi, saya tak boleh berhenti. Saya mesti meneruskan perjuangan.'

- Khatijah Sidek 1918-1982 AL-Fatiha

Arus perubahan politik dan socio budaya kita makin kencang.Metamophosis alam semesta makin kental.Peranan dan perbezaan gender yang ketara tidak pernah menidakkan peranan yang dimainkan oleh kaum Hawa di dalam socio budaya kita.Persoalannya adakah kaum lelaki kita begitu lemah hingga gagal memertabatkan bangsanya?

Bak kata Sri Kandi Negara yang tidak dilagukan Allahyarhama Katijah Sidek

'...sekiranya lelaki Melayu gagal memertabatkan Bangsa Melayu maka tanggong-jawab itu jatoh kepada Wanita Melayu'

Fikir-fikirkan lah.Apa statement itu benar?Melihat daripada mata kasar situasi dini hari,nyata benar.
Apa kamu sedia memberi laluan?

Nah Sri Kandi yang tak dilagukan,hidup dalam kedaifan,bisa mengoncang minda anda,
apa sebenarnya itu KUASA?

Kamu lali atau tuli?
Kamu gah atau tawa?
Kamu terlalu manja
Pasarana hype jadi pilihan
bukan lorong-lorong orang-orang bunian lagi.

Kamu leka atas nama kemanusiaan
Kamu pasrah sebulat ada
lupa esok bukan kepunyaan kita lagi tapi kepunyaan semua.

From Zero to Hero - Allahyarham Tuan Hj.Abbas Bandung

**Atuk Pakeh and Hj.Abbas Bandung on sarung in the middle and Buya Hamka,ayah far end right.

More info on the vist of Buya Hamka then, visit here.

It was two years ago I wrote in the blog about 'The Minang Connection'(Dec.2005 archives)
The early 'sawo matang' immgrant in Malacca.Malacca or 'Maaalako' with a a thick minang accent as prounounce by my late grandad Hj.Pakeh Temenggong aka Pak Tuo as he is affectionaly know among the minang community in Malacca back then.
He pass away peacefully in 1983,the most remembered is how he was call by his Lord,fell down and rush to home in unconsious state,after locking the last wooden door of his shop preparing to call it a day as usual.
It shows how deep the love for his shop and job .As his shop advertisment written,as I remembered then, 'PAKIH TEMENGGONG MENJAHIT SONGKOK AND CAPAL'.

How I wish I could have that zinc made advertisment both enscript in Malay and Jawi or the very least a photo of it.
That his life proffession and yes if you have met him you would definately fall in love with the wise old gentry.
Man with few word and all day his eye's down to earth,concentrating on what he knew best,on the sewing machine,his only techno gadget and a transistor radio as his companion.
Remain a Bachelor till death after the dismiss of my beloved grand-ma Nenek Sayan in 1968.How many of us still do 'till death depart'with our other half?
How I wonder!!

This written blog is not about him,but about a man who stood on firm ground and remain a loyal friend to Arwah ATUK.
He left a legacy in Malacca and much remembered by all fellows Old Guru-Guru Melayu of Malaccans.
As his name stood High and Tall among the contributors of the development of Malay Interlectuals in post independence era.
He is not a politician,neither do a nationalist but a visionary buisness man which put all his skill of hard work,determination and persistence will WINS.
Malacca in the pre and post Merdekah days was a sleepy hollow.
It slips away being the centre of trade and commerce because largely due to the fact,that Kuala Lumpur the new adminstritive city was laid and shift in 1923.
Since than Malacca lost its centre point.
Thanks to Yap Ah Loy the Chief Capitan MAFIA Cina'.
(If one wants to dispute those facts, pleased clarified it with Prof.Zainal Keling or Prof.Khoo Kay Kim,they are able to clarified futher)

One of the main legecy left by the Brits,is the 2 tiers Education system,the English schools medium and the Malay Medium.As a result of this diversity two set of text books are need and written in Bahasa Melayu and in English.
Without a single doubt,the problemmatic of logistic issues arise in the newly independency nation.
We want Malay schools but no text books writers in Bahasa Melayu,we do not have ample and capable writers in Maths,Science or vocational subjects in Bahasa Melayu and worst of it, we do not have able and qualified teachers to teach in Bahasa Melayu Maths,Science ot technical subject to our children.
As a result,the Kementerian then import Indonesian teachers to teach our children Maths and Science because most of the Malay teachers then,were only capable of teaching sejarah and ilmu alam or Bahasa Melayu then.

Thus,the question arise,where do we get those Malay text books?
In Malacca those days two prominent text bookshop are monopoloised by Lim Brothers and Tai Kuang Bookshop.
They only sell English Text books and mag.
Even me, gets my weekly Beano and Danny comics from Lim Brothers or the Uncle's Aneh shop junction of Jln Bunga Raya.The Hole in wall type of shops.

I remembered well this geniune smiling face Pak Aji.
Short and stout in nature.Always with a 'Songkok Hitam'.
Very loving in nature.Each time I goes to the shop I will always gets a sweets of 'Halls'Lemon in flavor from him.
His shop only stocks Malay book either novels,magazine and the main distributor for Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka in Melaka.Under his wings and supervision the mushrooming of small petty bookshop scattred in Melaka all over.
In Mesjid Tanah,Melimau.Jasin till the far fetch the boundry of Malacca states.The provisional schools are mostly of the Malay medium thus,TOKO BUKU ABBAS BANDUNG provides the missing gap of malay text books to the provisional schools.
The story of success of Tuan Hj.Abbas Md.Yatim has a long history.It is rather not discuss of how he built the book empire in Malacca.He was a dear friend of arwah datuk Pakeh.According to family ledgend,he arrive from Padang,atuk's kampong in view of being a teacher,which he was in Padang.
He teachers Quranic lesson in Kg.Banda Kaba.A pios man,He stays with arwah datuk in Kg.Banda Kaba together with nenek Sayan and ayah in the beginning stage and the rest is history.
I remembered well during my schooling days,when I have free time,I begin with Lim Brothers browsing for the latest Beano and Dandy and next the Tai Kuang ended up at his bookshop browing for latest Antrologi cerpen or novels.My early collection of Grand Pa (Dato'Samad Said)Salina etc...were all from his bookshop including Tongkat Warrant (Usman Awang),Keris Mas,Salmi Manja,Pram Meodya Anantantor,W.S Rendra,Khatijah Hashim,Latif Mohiddin (He is more of a painter),Fatimah Busu including Mastika,Dewan Masyarakat,Salina,Diskusi,Dewan Pelajar etc are still in my home library.Those where the first edition copies and I am proud owner of the first edition copies.

Without a single doubt Tuan Hj.Abbas Hj.Md.Yatim contribution to the malay community is well acknowledged.His buisness acuman without doubt set a precedent to the young new Malay interlectual breed in Malacca.
It is only via his bookshop the accumulation of knowledge grows among the Malay are noted.As the sahih Hadith "seek knowledge till China'

From my logic thought 'seek both knowledge and wealth as Tuan Hj.Abbas Bandung did"
I suppose it is full of barakah on 'hijrah'
and make the Awal Muharram 1429 more meaningfull

Al.Fatiha.
Allahyarham Tuan Hj.Abbas Hj.Md.Yatim pengasas 'TOKO BUKU ABBAS BANDUNG'

Orang Kedil Berjiwa Besar - Al Fatiha

Berani...Tabar dan Bijak....Prammoedya Ananta Toer.

"Ilmu pengetahuan semakin banyak melahirkan keajaiban. Dongengan leluhur sampai malu tersipu. Tak perlu lagi orang bertapa bertahun untuk dapat bicara dengan seseorang di seberang lautan. Orang Jerman telah memasang kawat laut dari Inggris sampai India! Dan kawat semacam itu membiak berjuluran ke seluruh permukaan bumi. Seluruh dunia kini dapat mengawasi tingkah-laku seseorang. Dan orang dapat mengawasi tingkah-laku seluruh dunia" (Bumi Manusia, p.316).

[Scientific knowledge brought into being ever more wonders. The legends of my ancestors were shamed into silence. No longer did one have to meditate for years to be able to speak with someone across the sea. Some Germans had stretched a sea-cable from England to India! And wires of this sort were proliferating from here to there all across the face of the earth. Now the whole world could observe the actions of a single person. And one could watch the activity of the whole world.]

Pramoedya Ananta Toer - 'Earth of Mankind p.316)

An Old Vintage Wine......hmmm...Yes Indeed!!

Hmmm........yes sir, he sure does, together with his generation he does move us in the right direction.He was one of the early birds in Radio broadcasting during the Beatles hip era via his husky golden voice he taught us those 'solok' guys the proper English,right pronuncation,proper intonation plus the music of Nat King Cole to Bee Gees 'Staying Alive'.He done us proud I am sure his other half and children is dammed proud of his modest achievement.

Very well indeed,I patiencely waits for his weekly radio show every Sunday precisely at 10am for 2 hours.That old faithful A4 battery operated 'Singer' we had at home is mine for that particular hour.Me at that particular hour will be cleaning my white canvass 'Bata' shoes,yeap school the next day,has to be neat and tidy for Monday assembly or else, I get the best 2 or if it's my unlucky day it will be the best 4 from Mr.Kumara Dass at the Cadet Room.
Pick and choose the ammo,he surely do have an ample collection of yessss....'CANES ' I mean,yeap...the one which whack our backside when we had a discipline problems,it landed on me a few times.
Sure do learn my lesson well.
He taught us English via his chats in the radio.
New words and proper grammer usage.I pick it from him.
Listening tentatively to his husky voice every Sunday,the'Kee Huat Radio Show' he was the show host and it did survived a couple of seasons till I am able to write a love letter.

Yes, I learn to write my ever first love letter by listening to his show.
It was the S.W.A.K and the Jeremy era.The sweet face of the main child actor whom ran off with his girlfriend to Venice......alah I forgotten his name.I think it was Mark ...something!It was before Linda Blair and her Excoist mania.
That film really inspire Bollywood to produce another block buster movie of that era"Bobby". Not to mention Hawaii 5-o with that handsome looking Steve Megarrat and his assistent Danny or weekly sit-com 'The Brady Bunch' and that handsome David Cassidy on 'The Partridge Family'.

Me,a 'solok ' guy watching that show? Yes indeed.....!!!
Will be arguing with my sibs if the wrestling programme is on.I know that is not my t.v day then.One t.v for a couple of family to share.
That was how is was then!
Am I bragging about the post independence socio climate?
No not at all,but by back tracking, that is how we learned to sort our present.

Anybody who doesn't? so be it!!

Why did I write this yeh?
I am not too sure in pronouncing either 'TOKOK or Tokoh'?
That what his blogspot name is!!
Yes he is Mr............ to me I call him Sir Patrick Teo.

To me Tokok means rambling, but, you sir... might have thought of probably the manglish meaning ie.'talk-cork' ie. idle conversation.
Tokoh is personality which definately, you has that.

You....a 'Tokoh' to me and a few others of my batch sir...... I can be sure of that!
You sir,you has that charm, inspiring our generation with those soft melody,
yeah... the clean cut sound, no distortion compared to todays MIDI gadget which most of todays musician used.With the aid of 'Cake Walk' a dump fool could sell his CD's at any back lane an claim it original....'inhouse made' lah brother!!!I am talking where music is played in a group.

A joint effort of a team producing quality sound.Quality showmanship and quality master piece.There is a diffrence between 'evergreen and classic'.

Stairsway to Heaven is classic but Green Grass of Home is evergreen.So do Carmilla by Ebiet that is classic and may more........

I know ...is not rock and roll but something of Lobo or Neil Diamond or Carpenters is 'ok' to our big brother.
Yes, I know our Big Bro is a bit of pain in the....at times.
Back then, yes I know.....big bro is watching us.

I remember our big bro has a rubber stamp on Rod Steward 'Maggie Mae' or Stairsways To Heaven' Definate no play air time.

I dont understand why they censor 'The Revolvers'.They were great, instead every sunday we has to listen to the tune Beauatiful Sunday,I forgoten the group! opphs sorry, either!

I am sure if our Big Bro then gave a lee way to our local group air time,I am positively a sure our Artist performersare as good as our regional counter part if not better.They even gave 'Heavy Machine' a hard time.To jazz freak like me 'NO' so call music of jazz in the air time.

Instead we listen to 'Seriosa' a version of todays Pavarroti?in TV2.

We are the by product of what we see,feel,listen and THINK!!

No wonder it take ages for us to pick up the pieces?
Well......that was the rules back then.
Your comand of elementary English without any accent,straight and grammatically correct improved our written weekly composition tremendeosly.

During my High School tenure together with Nuruddin, we would sneak to a corner of the hostel block to listen to your programme tentatively.
Believe me sir,Nuruddin is another 'Solok' guy, his solok is much further then my 'solok',he is from Bukit Senggeh somewhere near Selandar our minister of 'Human Resources' constituency.
Belief me this guy he specks the 'Nogori English',but man...his written English is explict,belief me..... he got an A1 for English 121 of MCE 1976.
How do we 'The Solok Guys' pick up the language?
Simple answer...
......by tuning to your radio programme.
Its amazing the radio!! it teaches us to be an avid listerner not a watcher as tv does or what ever gadget we have now.
From the portable battery operated size A4 we diguest your word.

Yes sir the 'Solok Guys' made it,by learning how to learn.

Together with your generation of broadcaster Pak Chik Alias,Pak Chik Yahaya Long Chik,Kakak Rubiah Lubis,Abang Nornikman Dadameah and of course our mam Auntie Faridah Merican,we learn the basis English,useage,pronunciation,
expression using the correct process of 'Learning how to Learn' method that is 'Shut Up and Listen'
That is how we were taught.
We learn by listening and able listener, we are sir!
Thanks to your team back in the late 60's and early 70's era sir.

I commend you the very least an AMN to our YDPA.
May god protects you and your family and those who does great contribution to the nation.Be it DJ's,script writers etc,etc,etc.etc

Your positive contribution on being part of nation building goes notice sir.

.......Bravo to all the unsung heroes.