Tulisan Shed Pele dlm Malay Mail 19.01.2009

Plant a dream
By Rashid Yusof
January 19, 2009 Categories: Opinion

Having sat through coffeeshop renditions by friends of their dream houses, only to witness them (and alas, me) plodding on with the mundane instead, I have a more sensible poser now; where and how would you like to live in semi-retirement?
"Semi-retirement", because this space is dedicated to promoting the life-long pursuit of causes (and dreams), which means choice of location shall inspire more wholesome work, not less … or worse, zero.
Before I could start with asking around, a few friends huddling over the usual dishes of politics and nasi lemak threatened to migrate should a (certain) motley of political parties come to power in the next general election.
Where are you guys headed? Bali, in unison. It is serene, apparently non-political, and cheap. EPF savings will earn you three domestic helpers to (help) caress those nerves, battered and frayed by years of fiery political chatter. How about death in the family? Dart back, of course, thanks to Air Asia, they chorused. Will you not miss laksa? Dreadful question. One of them is a celebrated chef in the circle.
Dispersal of KL population, another of this column’s central features, will have been partially realised if they relocate to Bali only to leave me morose. Everyone I know shall be asked to register as voters so that we can get on with our lives in-between elections. A cursory look at the mega-size of the unregistered voters torments the mind so. All the heated discussion, angry blogging and yet stay out of the process? Loss of faith in the system? Come on!
"Omar", who lives in a single-storey bungalow at a safe distance from the now-menacing sea in Terengganu, shall never lodge in the "undecided" column of any political survey, present or future. I met him there last week as politics and dazzling food were hotting up the place enveloped by "wintry conditions", which is what the monsoon throws out. He is fit, just completed a round of golf, passionate about work, comparatively youngish-looking, and was smiling endlessly (and impishly) at his two weary classmates. He never once mentioned about returning to his home State of Kedah.
At the spanking new Mesra Mall in Kertih, an equally slim and witty "HK" spoke of the bungalow lots going for RM40,000. The place is three hours from KL and is served by some fine schools, wide streets and boasts a very Malaysian population-mix. "HK" is perfect advertisement for life outside KL. A Kertih resident for 23 years now, he is in the higher echelon of the Terengganu Bowling Association. The children tend to be in the straight A’s-category. The eldest is in matriculation, poised to study medicine. Return to Kodiang?
Somewhere near this place in northern Kedah, Tok Adam, a KL-based architect, won an award and earned glowing stories in the newspapers for building a charming timber house for his mother. I accompanied him to Behrang two Ramadhans ago because a famed humanitarian was thinking of replicating the award-winning house amidst his fruit trees.
An emerging desire of keeping the family unit intact has entered the equation, something our parents were deprived of, by economic reasons. They suffered when the kids left and are mostly in solitude now, leaving us to wonder if they had ever been close to fulfilling their dreams.
"ZA", who will be 50 next year, has seized the moment. He built this Nusantara-inspired house in Shah Alam, a few minutes from UiTM, where his children are studying. "FR" is 59. He found a place across a surau with ample parking space and in the vicinity of his son’s workplace.
What about you, asked Bashir Hassan, a Felda-lad now completing his PhD in English and who wished to be charitable (and rich) and not overly preoccupied with the question of where to live.
I shall steer clear of those narrow, crowded streets and jaundiced views. I shall dream of waking up minus inherent prejudices, and to be in deep conversation with inhabitants of countless small Malaysian towns, talking about their hopes and aspirations …

● Rashid Yusof, on sabbatical from 24-hour journalism,
is looking to dredge up a range of arguments and
a smattering of ideas for the public domain.

Tinjau Pilihanraya Trengganu

Akum Semua..

Mengikut sahabat shed pele ke trengganu tinjau pilihan raya di sana. Dlm perjalanan banyak berbincang tentang malaysia. Shed terpegun dengan keindahan alam semula jadi sepanjang perjalanan ke pantai timur. Banyak sungai, pantai yg indah,tempat persinggahan yg sempurna dengan makanan tempatan yang enak ( keropok leko, laksam,ikan bakar,nasi dagang,gulai itik dan macam2 lagi) lantas memberi gambaran percutian keluarga yang sangat menarik. Cuti raya cina ni dia nak mai dengan keluarga dia melawat ke Trengganu. (Dia tak pernah mai) Jalan highway menjimatkan masa perjalanan...kebetulan kawan kita lama husin kambing berada d kertih ( kata chop husin nak jadi biri2 sebab rambut beruban) refresh kembali zaman kolej.

Perjalanan kami singgah di kertih jenguk husin kambing...(amboi tergelak-gelak dgr celoteh husin, tak berubah langsung). Dia nampak happy family di kertih, anak2 dah besar2 dah, (masing2 di universiti - hebat).

Di trengganu berjumpa dengan Umar Hassan ( Plantation Advisor TDM). Senyum sama, dah settle down di trengganu nampaknya ( dah beli bunglow)..Happy tengok kawan berjaya dalam hidup...

Satu perkara mengingatkan kita semua iaitu hubungan kita member kolej rasa macam baru meninggalkan kolej ( Hebat Pak Mihat mendidik kita - Ukhuwah Fillah). Bila berjumpa dengan kawan2 kolej masing2 bertanyakan dia ni dok mana? si ni dok buat apa? dan ramai lagi dok bertanya...Insyaallah akan paparkan perkembangan kawan2 kolej dalam masa terdekat ni.

Perkembangan pilihanraya di trengganu saya berpendapat 50 - 50. Yang akan menentukan ialah pengundi atas pagar dan pengundi muda. mereka ni golongan educated. mereka ni kebanyakan silent voters. kita tunggu lah 17hb jan ni....hehehe pendapat saya.

Ok..rakan2 kolej sekiranya dapat maklumat rakan2 kita kolej pls beri maklumat di ruangan komen untuk update data base kita...semoga Ukhuwah berkekalan sehingga ke akhir hayat.

Jumpa lagi wassalam.