Tahun 2022 yang Menghiburkan

Segala puji-pujian dan ucapan syukur ke hadrat Allah swt. Salawat dan salam ke atas Junjungan Besar kita Nabi Muhammad saw.

Berlalu sudah tahun 2022. Apa yang boleh kukatakan. Tahun 2022 amat menghiburkan. Terlalu banyak anugerah dan nikmat yang tidak terhingga dari Allah swt. 

Secara ringkas, biar ku singkap sedikit highlight:

Januari

Tahun baru 2022, bagi ku ianya sama saja dengan tahun-tahun sebelumnya. Layan melayan kawan-kawan di PETRONAS dengan cadangan dan usulan teknologi canggih 5G.

Same old same old

Februari

Aku telah membulatkan fikiran. Akan ku lepaskan jawatan Ketua Jabatan dan fokus kepada bidang kepakaran yang sedia ada minyak & gas. Jujurnya, aku tidak mahu membuang masa untuk bertanggung jawab dengan ketidak-cekapan dan ketidak-mampuan sebahagian dari ahli pasukan.

Mac

Aku mengambil cuti tak bergaji satu bulan, sebelum masuk balik dengan tugas baru. Sungguh seronok dapat ku mengambil sedikit masa untuk benar-benar beristirehat. Mulanya, singgah melawat SEMESTI  dan Bagan Datoh. Seterusnya menyewa van Hyundai Starex ke Pulau Pinang, Ipoh dan Manjung bersama-sama adik beradik. Belanja mereka semua. Ke Muzium Negara, Zoo Negara, mencuba-cuba Flight Simulator di Subang. 

Sireh pulang ...

April

Kembali dengan tugasan baru. Sedikit underdog.

Mei

Bulan Raya. Setelah lebih 2 tahun, baru dapat naik pesawat ke Singapura. Kemudiannya ke KK dan Sipitang.

Kembali ke Kota Singa

Jun

Urusan kerja di Melaka. Sambutan baik dari PETRONAS tentang 5G.

Pesisir Selat Melaka

Julai & Ogos

Biasa-biasa saja.

September

BMW F44, syukur. Pengembaraan ke Istanbul, Bursa, Merve (adik angkat yang comel), Clio (teringat Nicole & Papa), Uludag menyegarkan.

Alp yang rendang

Oktober & November

Layan-melayan MNC: Dell, Infosys, HPE, IBM, Nokia, Cisco, Red Hat, Honeywell, Schneider etc.

Goreng sikit-sikit

Disember

Perjalanan seumur hidup. Menziarah Nabi di Masjid Nabawi dan ibadah umrah di Makkah. Semoga dipermudahkan Allah untuk kembali ke sini lagi. 

Diri ini tak sama pun macam debu-debu kaki kuda para Sahabat r.a.

Istanbul (dan Bursa) Aku Datang ...

I have been to Istanbul now and again, still I haven't have enough of this beautiful city. 

Its architecural sights and sounds. And, as if one had but a single glance to give to the world, one should gaze on Istanbul. 

The stunning glimpes of Golden Horn, Marmara Sea and the Bosphorus.

... and Bursa.

Blue Mosque at the backgroud

Catamaran to Mudanya

Galata Tower behind

Clio to Söğüt

Ertuğrul wannabe

Mount Uludağ in Bursa

Tramways

Çamlıca, the largest mosque in Turkiye

Getting Used to being Used - Part 2

Previously I narrated some anecdotes of what I thought would be, some parts of my life constructs. That I am, like you, are just assets and tools for the higher beings, with additional roles meant for much bigger purposes.

The story continues ...

Aci, Aci Ketuk Pintu:

Unlike P Ramlee's memorable 'Aci Aci Buka Pintu' masterpiece, where Nana was home late and asking Aci to open the door, assuring her not to be fearful of owls or jembalang with slit eyes and striped nose. According to Nana, he had a semambu cane (famously ackowledged to be useful to disperse all the jembalangs and jins) and a short machete to scare the hantus and syaitans ...

... one fine late evening, I was about to start my car at Citta Mall, when suddenly an Aci (term used for an elderly Indian woman) knocked on my car. As I lowered the window glass, she started mumbling in some incomprehensible words, was very animated and using a lot of hand gestures (just like the previous Aci at IOI Mall). 

From what I gathered, she wanted to go to the Subang Skypark area (the opposite direction of where I'm heading), and at that particular moment, transports seemed very difficult to get as the traffic was very heavy. By looking at her work attire, she's probably working as a cleaner at the mall's McD restaurant, and she's clearly in need.

As if instructed by the higher beings and without hesistation (off course), I opened up the door for her, and offered to sent her there. What else I could do, at that instance as I neither have magic semambu cane nor short machete, to disperese the heavy traffic.

I made sure that she's comfortable, adjusting the air-cond blower and setting just the right temperature, as well as reducing the radio volume (normally with loud 80's songs). She's with a rather small stature, snugly sit in the lower-than-normal sports car opulance leather seat. She said nothing throughout the journey.

To be honest, I had mixed feelings. My eyes watered and I'm almost breathless. 

• Am I an earthly guardian angel chosen by the higher beings to help Allah Almighty's creature who was in distress? 
• Just how many of my untold sins have been wiped out because of this very small deed? 

Arriving at her destination, I asked her, "Aci ada duit?" While quickly handed over few fifty notes. She extended her skinny hand to shake mine. To my surprise, she kissed my hand.

"It's ok Aci, take care"

As I headed home from Subang Skypark, my eyes still watered and I was still breathless.

Another Day, Another Aci:

One fine day, as I was driving into the last corner road to my house, together with my wife, I saw an Indian lady with a cute dog, waving frantically at my car. As I stopped the car and lowered the window, she said,

"Uncle, thank you Uncle."

Dah sudah, what was it this time. Anyway, why did she called me uncle.

"Thank you Uncle, itu pagi ada worang jahat kejar saya, dekat itu temple. Nasib baik kereta Uncle ada tolong halau itu worang jahat."

"Terima kasih banyak."

Ohh that. That day during my routine early dawn driving to the mosque, I saw a woman running frantically towards the temple. I slowed down my car just so that she could reach the temple safely. I had no premonitions whatsoever. But I did realised that there was a nondescript car stopping and moving on the other side of the road. It was about 5.25 am and still very dark.  

"Itu worang jahat mahu kidnap saya Uncle, thanks Uncle." 

Ok. 

Still, you could have addressed me as Abang / Ane or something.

Tika dan Saat Ini

It is the 3rd of August 2022.

With the Grace of Almighty Allah, yours truly still alive and breathing, still have the gift of iman, still being blessed with the cability to perform the fardh amal and sometimes the non-obligatory ones, still healthy and able. Still being employed and do not have any major ailments. Have enough earnings, for food, shelter, mobility and other necessities. In fact I have more than enough. Whenever there is an opportunity, I shall share it with others.

Thank you Allah, syukur Alhamdulillah.