HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY ONLY PRINCESS - NIK AMALIN HARISAH

Simple birthday celebration of our only princess, Nik Amalin Harisah (named in honour and with the grace from YAM Tengku Amalin A'ishah Putri binti Almarhum Al-Sultan Ismail Petra)

I still owe my daughter a present and a treat to a great lunch today.

The day that my daughter Nik Amalin Harisah met the YAM Tengku Amalin A'ishah Putri ibni Almarhum Al-Sultan Ismail Petra

She is the most precious person in our lives

A proud youngest brother with his elder sister

MY ONLY WISH ON MY 56TH BIRTHDAY, BE KIND TO OTHERS (NIK ZAFRI 4 SEPTEMBER, 2022)

 

TRACING THE ROYAL KELANTANESE LINEAGE - BY ALAN TEH LEAM SENG (NST 2018) - republished/edited by Nik Zafri

 

Credit : Alan Teh Leam Seng (Originally Published in NST 2018 :

Copyrights: All photos belongs to NSTP and Mr. Alan Teh. Any downloads or sharing of any materials herein shall be your responsbility.

"I'm most impressed with Alan; I as a Kelantanese; must say he is really good in writing memoirs. It's his memoir in conjunction with the coronation of Almarhum Sultan Yahya Petra ibni al-Marhum Sultan Ibrahim, The 6th HRM The YDP Agong and the 27th Sultan of Kelantan.

Of course there are some alternative versions of the story but again, it's the literary skills he has that struck a chord in my heart. He have a vast amount of great collections of photos that kind of brings me back to the nostalgic times of Kelantan Darulnaim"

(Nik Zafri)

p.s. Be nice when making your comments. Any unruly comments/views shall be removed and banned without notice.

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THE Pos Laju van pulls up in front of my house and I’m instantly alerted to the sound of its tyres grinding incessantly against the loose gravel on the driveway. "Finally!” I mutter while walking out to meet the smartly-dressed delivery man who has just alighted from his vehicle with a small cardboard box under his left arm.

After dispensing with the necessary verification procedures, I quickly head indoors and excitedly spill the contents of the box on the dining room table. The reason for my excitement is simple. The Ipoh vendor who sold me the item on social media merely described it as a collection of Malayan postal history from the 1960s and only appended a solitary photograph depicting a bundle of used envelopes. When pressed for more images, he haughtily gave the excuse that there were better things for him to do than attend to such a trivial matter.

The only thing that spurred me to complete the sale was his unbelievably low asking price. It was only after inspecting the envelopes did I finally understand his reluctance to provide more details. More than half of the covers had missing stamps! That imperfection alone decreases the value of the items by more than half. The perceived bargain purchase is fast turning out into a disaster.

Downcast, I start shifting my attention to the letters in the envelopes. Recalling stories heard from fellow collectors, there have been instances where descriptions of important historical events have helped to dramatically elevate the value of otherwise ordinary letters or postcards.

LETTER OF INTEREST

Two hours and 30 letters later, my eyes come to rest on a light blue envelope bearing the Kota Bharu Teachers' Training College crest on the top right hand corner. It’s addressed to a certain Yussof bin Dalin who was residing at the Malay College Kuala Kangsar at the time the letter was written on July 17, 1968.

The first paragraph begins with the sender, who merely signs off as Yong on the penultimate seventh page, congratulating Yussof on the successful apprehension of a thief at his college and at the same time advocating continued vigilance to prevent history from repeating itself.

My heart starts beating significantly faster by the time I finish reading the second paragraph. It tells of a joyous double celebration in Kota Baru to commemorate the coronation of Crown Prince Tengku Ismail ibni Sultan Yahya Petra and the birthday of Tengku Ismail's father, the ruling monarch of Kelantan at that time, Sultan Yahya Petra ibni al-Marhum Sultan Ibrahim.

ORIGIN OF KOTA BARU

The well attended three-day celebrations began on the morning of July 10, 1968 with the coronation of (HRH) Tengku Ismail and the awards presentation ceremony at the Istana Balai Besar in Kota Baru.

Constructed to replace the older Istana Kota Lama, Istana Balai Besar and the fort surrounding it was built in 1844 by Sultan Muhammad II using timber from Pasir Puteh and Ulu Kelantan. According to Yong, the monarch decided to call the place Kota Baru upon completion of his new fort. That name has remained ever since.

Later that evening, members of the public were treated to dance and song performances organised by Radio Malaysia Kota Bharu at the school field in Sekolah Kebangsaan Padang Garong. Among the notable artistes who took to the stage that night were M. Ibrahim, Norjanah Ayob, Junaidah Jaafar and Wan Salman. Yong and the other trainee teachers also joined in the festivities, contributing a dance number entitled Ayam Didek with the accompaniment of two singers and a popular local band called 'The Shean'.

Pausing momentarily to consult my reference books regarding the performance venue, I discover that the school was originally known as Sekolah Melayu Padang Garong. Until today, it holds the enviable honour of being the first Malay school in the state after it was established by the Kelantan State Government in 1904.

CULTURAL EXTRAVAGANZA

Returning my focus to the letter, I discover that the same air of merriment was also felt at the nearby Kota Baru stadium. Renowned artisans from all over the state showcased the best of Kelantanese culture on 11 specially constructed platforms. The crowds, together with officials from the Ministry of Youth and Sports from Kuala Lumpur, were treated to batik printing and weaving demonstrations as well as wayang kulit and menora performances.

The next morning, a boat racing competition was held at the Kelantan River. Response from the public was so overwhelming that many people, including Yong, had to leave disappointed. He failed to find standing room near the river bank and could hardly see anything from the roadside.

More stage performances were in store for the Kota Baru people on the third and penultimate night of celebrations. The main crowd puller was a police tattoo held at the Kota Baru stadium. Those who attended were treated to an elaborate show involving acrobatical theatrics and musical recitals.

The remainder of Yong's letter details the resumption of his practical training sessions on July 19, 1968. While reading about the various challenges faced by him as an aspiring trainee teacher, I suddenly remember having the actual installation programme of Sultan Yahya Petra somewhere among the boxes of books in my store room. Returning the letter back to its envelope, I head off to commence my search.

COAT OF ARMS

Half an hour later, I emerge with the booklet. It’s still in very good condition even though it was purchased more than 15 years ago at Penang's Lorong Kulit flea market. I love the intricate design and vivid colours on the front cover which also features the Kelantan coat of arms.

According to the text inside, the Kelantan coat of arms was introduced in 1916 under the orders of Sultan Muhammad IV. The monarch specifically requested for the inclusion of the crescent and star together with three sets of weapons, the keris, ceremonial spears and cannons to accompany the words 'Kepada Tuhan, Berserah Kerajaan Kelantan' (To God, the Kelantan Government Submits).

A pair of kijang (common barking deer) and coronet were added to the design during the reign of Sultan Ismail ibni al-Marhum Sultan Muhammad IV. The incorporation of the kijang was made in reference to the favourite pet of Kelantan's 14th century queen, Che Siti Wan Kembang.

QUEEN OF KELANTAN

The next section in the booklet, entitled The story of Kelantan, provides more information about Kelantan's only female ruler. Che Siti Wan Kembang was born a year after her father Raja Ahmad was crowned ruler of Kelantan in 1584. Raja Ahmad passed away five years later when the princess was only 4. As a result, Raja Hussein of Johor was named regent.

Che Siti Wan Kembang ascended to the Kelantan throne in 1610 upon the demise of Raja Hussein and ruled from her Gunung Chinta Wangsa base in Ulu Kelantan, which is approximately 40 km from Kuala Krai.

Kelantan prospered under her rule and was frequented by many traders including Arabs. The Middle Eastern merchants held the queen in high regard and often addressed her as Paduka Che Siti. It was also during this time that the people of Gunung Ayam in Gua Musang presented Che Siti Wan Kembang with a pair of magnificent kijangs.

Che Siti Wan Kembang never married and adopted the princess of the ruler of Jembal, Puteri Sadong, as her daughter. The people of Kelantan who watched Puteri Sadong grow into a beautiful maiden, affectionately called her Puteri Wijaya Mala. Eventually, the princess' beauty reached the ears of the King of Siam who immediately sent emissaries to ask for her hand in marriage. The Siamese ruler's advances were graciously rejected and Puteri Sadong eventually married her cousin Raja Abdullah.

MURDER AND STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE

Despite having knowledge of the marriage, the King of Siam persisted and, under the threat of an all-out war, managed to coerce Raja Abdullah to allow his bride to travel to Bangkok. Upon her return from the Siamese capital, Puteri Sadong was utterly devastated to discover that her husband had remarried. A quarrel ensued and Raja Abdullah was stabbed to death with Puteri Sadong's hairpin.

After making arrangements for Raja Abdul Rahim to succeed her late husband, Puteri Sadong then made her way back to Gunung Chinta Wangsa via the Bukit Marak route and mysteriously disappeared, never to be seen again.

Intrigued by the stories involving the ancient rulers of Kelantan, I continue tracing the royal lineage until finally reaching the section reserved for Sultan Yahya Petra, the grandfather of the current Sultan of Kelantan and the then Supreme Head of Malaysia (HRM The YDP Agong) , Sultan Muhammad V Ibni Sultan Ismail Petra.

Sultan Yahya Petra was born in Istana Balai Besar on Dec 10, 1917. He was the second son of Sultan Ibrahim ibni al-Marhum Sultan Muhammad IV. The young prince spent four years at Francis Light School in Penang before leaving for England to further his education in November 1934.

Upon his return five years later, Sultan Yahya Petra was married to Tengku Zainab Tengku Mohamed Petra (Raja Perempuan Kelantan) in a ceremony steeped in tradition and custom on June 4, 1939. Two years later, Sultan Yahya Petra was elected Vice President of the Kelantan Islamic Religion and Malay Custom Council. He held that position together with several others in the Kelantan civil service from 1941 to 1948.

ROYAL DUTIES

During the Japanese Occupation of Malaya, Sultan Yahya Petra assumed the role of private secretary to his uncle, Sultan Ismail who was the then ruling monarch on Nov 12, 1943. He only relinquished the position after Sultan Ismail passed away from tuberculosis at Istana Jahar on June 20, 1944. The throne then passed on to Sultan Yahya Petra's father, Sultan Ibrahim.

The Second World War ended with the Japanese Imperial Army capitulating in August 1945. A month later, the British returned to initiate a period of rebuilding not only in Kelantan but throughout the whole of Malaya. The initial British Military Administration that held sway in the country was replaced by the short-lived Malayan Union on Apr 1, 1946.

Bowing to citizenship pressures from the Malays, the British agreed to the formation of the Federation of Malaya on Feb 1, 1948. That historic date also marked the proclamation of Sultan Yahya Petra as the Crown Prince of Kelantan. He executed his duties diligently as heir to the throne, putting his people and state above everything else.

Sultan Yahya Petra toured nearly every corner of the state in his armoured jeep and escorted by members of the security force throughout the 12-year Malayan Emergency which began on June 16, 1948. His regular visits to schools, new villages and voluntary organisations lent support to the people during those challenging days. During one of those trips, the crown prince traversed the remaining distance to Batu Melintang in Ulu Kelantan on foot when part of the track became completely impassable to motorised vehicles.

BECOMING KING

Sultan Yahya Petra became the ruling monarch of Kelantan a day after his father, Sultan Ibrahim passed away from cerebral haemorrhage at Istana Sri Cemerlang on July 9, 1960. After a year of mourning, the people of Kelantan took to the streets of Kota Baru to celebrate the installation of Sultan Yahya Petra on July 17, 1961.

The festivities, which lasted for five days, closely resembled the ones mentioned in Yong's letter. Among the notable additions were kite flying and top spinning demonstrations at Padang Jubilee as well as a series of football competitions at the Sultan Muhammad IV Stadium.

Sultan Yahya Petra served a five-year tenure as Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong from Sept 21, 1970 to Sept 20, 1975. A day later, he was elected Malaysia's sixth Supreme Head of State after the more senior Sultan Abu Bakar of Pahang and Sultan Ismail of Johor both declined to be considered. Sultan Yahya Petra passed away from heart failure at Istana Negara, Kuala Lumpur on Mar 29, 1979 and was laid to rest at the Kelantan Royal (Mausoleum) in Kampung Langgar, Kota Baru.

As I put the booklet back into its protective plastic sleeve, I decide to include Yong's letter inside as well. They both complement each other perfectly and, together, they tell the most amazing story about the bygone days in a state called Kelantan.

NOMA SWO CONSULT

http://nomaswo.com

 

A NEW GOVERNMENT OF MALAYSIA HAS ARISE

My heartiest congratulations to Pakatan Harapan, PAS and Barisan Nasional.

Congratulations to ALL the RAKYAT that have casted their votes democratically and in full decorum.

My highest "sembah" to all the Raja-Raja Melayu including HRM The Yang Di Pertuan Agong, and my highest salute to the armed forces and the police.

May our economy, social, politics, judiciary system, international relations be reformed. The Media should be given freedom of speech and the human rights must now be safeguarded.

The RAKYAT whether you're from the new Government or from Barisan Nasional - even from PAS - now need to contribute ideas on how to rebuild our country. There will be hiccups here and there but we will all work it out.

No more playing racial card, respect every religion/faith/belief, no more cursing, no more political inclination, no more dirty politics, no more kleptocracy, no more sufferings, no more unnecessary tax, no more supremacy, Stop calling the new Government - Opposition...they are NOW the Official Government of Malaysia....

I also hope that DSAI will be released as soon as possible.

Now let's all work together for a better Malaysia.

Let's show the world what we are made of

ADAKAH KITA DARI KETURUNAN YANG BAIK? CATATAN DIARI USANG : NIK ZAFRI

Tulisan asal : 30 Ogos 2010 jam 10.52 malam

Berikut adalah sebahagian pesanan seorang musafir pada suatu malam, yang pernah saya tolong/memberikan bantuan kepadanya pada tahun 1993 di Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur. Orang ini mendakwa saya adalah seorang keturunan yang baik namun tidaklah saya fikirkan sangat mengenai perkara ini, maka manfaatkanlah sekadar mampu pesanannya itu. (saya pernah cuba mencari kembali musafir ini tetapi dari apa yang saya diberitahu, beliau telah kembali ke rahmatullah)

Saya memohon izin untuk menulis setiap pesanannya  dan saya ingin kongsikan bersama  :

1) mempunyai atau memberikan nama atau gelaran yang baik kerana nama/gelaran itu adalah doa (katakanlah nama kita maksudnya kurang baik, maka letakkanlah gelaran yang baik sebagai gantinya)

2) melaksanakan dan menjaga hukum agama dengan penuh keazaman dan istiqamah,

3) sentiasa berdamping dengan ulama supaya tidak menyimpang dari ajaran agama,

4) menjaga dan menghormati ulama,

5) menjaga aqidah, syariah serta tinggi budipekerti dan akhlak,

6) berfikiran luas,

7) bersifat adil dalam menjalankan hukuman atau membuat sesuatu keputusan,

8) Apabila menyudahkan setiap kerja yang dilakukan, lihatlah hasilnya dan meningkatkan lagi mutunya di mana perlu, (tidak mudah berpuas hati dengan apa yang dilakukan)

10) sifat simpati kepada orang yang susah,

11) menegur atau memarahi atau menghukum (atas kebenaran) hanya setelah pasti perbuatan yang dilihat adalah salah dan terbukti

12) berusaha/berazam menjauhi kemungkaran dan sentiasa menggunakan akal bagi membungkam nafsu-nafsi yang merosakkan,

13) lidah yang fasih dalam berkata-kata supaya terang dan jelas maksud kata-katanya

14) tegas dalam mengingatkan sesuatu yang baik kepada seseorang,

15) tidak terlibat dalam perkara/majlis yang tidak berfaedah

16) memastikan majlis berfaedah yang dihadirinya atau dibuat olehnya dipastikan ada orang-orang yang mendoakan agar diberkati majlis berkenaan

17) tidak menzalimi manusia lain,

18) mempastikan kesejahteraan, kemakmuran, keamanan dan kemajuan persekitarannya terutamanya ahli keluarga, sanak saudara, rakan-rakan, anak-anak buah (termasuk kakitangan/pekerja kita) dan lain-lain,

19) tidak merampas harta dan hakmilik orang lain,

20) tidak terlalu mengikut suruhan nafsu termasuk makan-minum, tidur dll,

21) menjaga pandangannya,

22) ketawa tidaklah keterlaluan – sekadar lebih banyak senyum,

23) sentiasa bermuhasabah diri,

24) sentiasa berzakat, bersedekah dan menderma (bersifat pemurah) – jika atau sekadar mampu

25) apabila bersedekah atau memberikan hadiah atau menghulurkan bantuan, jagalah maruah si penerima supaya dia tidak aib di hadapan orang lain kerana terpaksa memohon bantuan,

26) bertabiatlah dengan suka menyembunyikan bantuan supaya hanya diketahui oleh Allah SWT,

27) jika berjanji, tunaikanlah, jangan tangguh-tangguhkan kerana orang yang kita berjanji, menanti-nanti akan janji kita, jika kita takut putus janji, sebutlah InsyaAllah di penghujung perkataan, "Saya akan cuba sedaya upaya" . Jika orang yang kita berjanji masih menanti dan janji kita masih tidak dapat penuhi, hubungilah dia.

28) tidak menakutkan kaum keluarga, sanak saudara, rakan-rakan, anak-anak buah dll dengan ugutan dan ancaman,

29) tidak meletakkan hukuman atau balasan ke atas perbuatan yang salah secara berlebih-lebihan,

30) syaitan dan seumpamanya adalah musuh yang nyata pada diri,

31) memastikan dijaga maruah diri, kaum keluarga, sanak saudara, rakan-rakan, anak-anak buah dll,

32) tidak mengeluh atau bersedih dalam tempoh yang panjang jika kehilangan apa-apa yang disayangi sebaliknya redha dan bertaubat,

33) menggalakkan  kaum keluarga, sanak saudara, rakan-rakan, anak-anak buah dll supaya menuntut ilmu dan sekiranya ilmu yang dituntut sudah tiba masanya untuk disebarkan – menyuruh ianya disebarkan supaya orang lain dapat memanfaatkannya,

34) apabila membeli apa-apa harta, jangan tunjuk-tunjukkan terutamanya di kalangan  kaum keluarga, sanak saudara, rakan-rakan, anak-anak buah dll, yang mungkin terasa hina kerana ketiadaan dan kedhaifan.

35) Sebelum membuat keputusan yang penting, merujuklah dahulu kepada pakar atau ahli dalam bab berkenaan tidak kira hal-hal dunia atau akhirat,

36) apabila berurusan, kenali manusia-manusia persekitarannya yang mungkin mempunyai kepentingan diri yang melebihi kepentingan orang lain supaya tidak berlaku apa-apa pengkhianatan, berilah pesan dan kata-kata nasihat.

38) Semasa dhaif - kita berdoa agar dianugerahkan rezeki atau pangkat oleh Allah SWT - semasa mewah atau berpangkat, janganlah lupa diri kita dan sentiasalah mengenang semasa kita susah dahulu, ingatlah hanya manusia yang biasa susah, akan mengenali orang yang susah.

"Orang yang susah ni Nik, dia tidak akan berani menyatakan kepada kita dia lapar, kitalah yang kena memahaminya"

39) Jika memberi hadiah atau berbuat jasa, kawallah diri supaya tidak mengungkit-ungkit pemberian atau jasa yang dilakukan itu,

40) Berhutang hanya ketika perlu, lunaskan hutang dan jangan lari dari hutang, maklumkanlah kepada pemiutang jika kita belum mampu membayarnya,

41) Memaafkan dan redha atas kesilapan dan kesalahan orang lain lebih baik dari tidak memaafkan atau tidak redha kerana sifat memaaf dan redha adalah sifat Nabi.

Apabila saya memerhatikan kembali nota ini, saya teringat persamaan pesanannnya dalam salah sebuah kitab ulama terkenal nusantara, rasanya baguslah kalau kita dapat menjadikannya tonggak hidup kita sekadar yang mampu.

Wassalam dan Wallahualam

It's not the car, it's not the house. It's the love and support, the ups and downs we share.

HALYCON DAYS - STORIES BY LEONG SIOK HUI (The Star)

A stone’s throw away from Kota Baru in Kelantan is Pasir Belanda Resort — a charming place that allows a glimpse into kampung living.

Someone once said: “Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day.”

Well, we certainly saw loads of “sunshine” during our two-day stay in Pasir Belanda Resort, Kelantan.

Pasir Belanda Resort, comprising a cluster of traditional wooden houses, sits on the banks of Sungai Pengkalan Chepa in Kg Banggol, a 15-minute drive from Kota Baru.

But Pasir isn’t your typical resort where you laze by the pool and sink into a comatose state under the glaring sun.

As the Dutch owners Harry and Annemeike Mulder envisaged it, guests come to Pasir to savour an idyllic kampung stay, soak up Kelantan’s rich cultural heritage and mingle with the amicable villagers.

A whirlwind visit

The Star photographer Azman Ghani and I got our first dose of “sunshine” on the morning of our arrival.

As we sauntered around Kg Banggol looking for a warung to get a bite, locals on motorbikes flashed their smiles, kids waved and yelled hellos and a pakcik even stopped to offer us a ride in his van.

It helps that the resort opens its doors to the villagers. Local kids drop by to play on the swing and seesaw. The compound faces the main road that cuts through the village.

At Pasir, scarlet heliconias bloom on the grassy lawn while leafy palms, frangipani and coconut trees lend a tranquil ambience.

An idyllic scene as seen from Sungai Pengkalan Chepa.

A wakaf (rest pavilion) sits in the garden where guests can loll about.

The Mulders and their two kids, Jesse, 9 and Abel, 4, live in a 40-year-old, three-bedroom kampung house on the resort grounds.

Like the main house, the guest chalets sport distinctive Malay architecture with singhorra(terracotta) tiles, steep-tiered roofs with curved gable ends and sunbeam motifs on the roof. The sunbeam symbolises the beginning and the end of a day.

Harry was lucky to find a talented local carpenter, Pak Suji, to build the chalets from meranti wood.

Each chalet comes with a veranda where you can plonk yourself on a deck chair, get lost in a good book or just watch the world go by.

The rooms come equipped with twin or double beds, hot shower, air-conditioning, TV and tea and coffee-making facilities. The resort can accommodate up to 20 guests.

One of the best spots in Pasir is its jetty hut perched on the river bank. Guests can tuck into a breakfast of homemade bread served with jam and butter and fried eggs there, while indulging in bird-watching or gazing at a perahu gliding by.

Pak Soh showing the colourful wayang puppets he fashioned out of cowhide.

The Mulders’ good friend, Penang-based David Bakewell, finds the jetty an ideal spot to observe kingfishers, bitterns hunting for fish and the munias feeding on seedheads.

“I’ve also watched woodpeckers, orioles and malkohas feeding in the trees next to the jetty,” says David, an avid birdwatcher and photographer. Across the river, pond heron and mynas feed in the marshy areas, and the occasional rainbow-coloured bee-eater whizzes past.

But on our visit, the jetty was being rebuilt since it had collapsed during a monsoon in December.

Kak Yah, the neighbour

Other than breakfast, the resort doesn’t serve any other meal but Harry encourages his guests to dine at his neighbour’s.

Robayah Hassan, or better known as Kak Yah, whips up scrumptious lunches or dinners upon request. Guests who want to learn to cook Kelantan delicacies can also sign up for her cooking class.

Kak Yah’s husband used to trade textiles in Sarawak. Homemaker and mother of seven, Kak Yah, 51, cooks for wedding kenduri in the village to earn extra income. Nowadays, the regular stream of Pasir guests hankering for her cooking keep her busy.

Azman and I found out why when we requested for the “Special” package, the RM25 per person dinner. The sumptuous spread of Kelantan specialties was mind-boggling.

We had solok (fish blended with onions, shallots, ginger and grated young coconut stuffed into oversized green chillies and steamed), ikan percik, homemade acar, chicken curry with spices, pucuk ubi with sambal belacan and budu (fermented anchovy sauce) and stir-fried pucuk paku (ferns) with omelette.

batik-painting workshop for Pasir Belanda guests.

A local dessert called butih nangka, was a first for us. Little balls of glutinous rice flour are served with coconut milk, spiced with fenugreek, ginger and fragrant pandan leaves.

“Old folks believe that butih nangka helps release the wind in your body,” explains Kak Yah.

As we savoured dessert, she showed us a bunch of postcards and letters from the US, the Netherlands and other parts of Europe, raving about her cooking and congeniality.

Kelantan’s rich heritage

The next day, armed with Harry’s detailed map, we hopped onto the resort’s bicycles to explore the nearby villages. Our first stop was a kite-maker’s place on Pantai Cahaya Bulan (PCB) road.

His shop — which is more a wooden shack — was so unassuming that we almost flew past. But inside, a dazzling array of wau (kites) in different shapes, colours and sizes hung from the ceiling.

In one corner, a small and wiry man was bent over his kite, busy putting on the finishing touches.

Sapie Yusof, 61, has been fashioning kites from buluh duri (bamboo) frames and paper for 36 years. His kites cost between RM30 and RM11,000. Sapie actively takes part in various kite competitions around Malaysia.

Though Sapie was finishing up his kites for the Pasir Gudang International Kite Festival which was in a few weeks’ time, he obliged us with a chat.

Sapie’s wau shop is a modest shack filled with colourful and impressive kites.

A short five-minute ride from Sapie’s shop is a keropok (fish cracker) factory in Kg Kedai Buloh.

Engku Noraini Yaacob, 49, and her husband run a small cottage industry churning out keropok lekor and dry fish crackers for the local market. When we dropped by, the factory was idle due to the shortage of fish supply because of the rainy season.

Engku Noraini dished out some tips on how to choose tasty crackers. Tamban fish (Sardinella albella) is the best and a good keropok lekor (chockful of fish and not flour) shouldn’t be oily when fried.

The usual self-guided bicycle tour includes hopping on a ferry to Kg Laut and dropping by a well-known Tok Dalang’s (master puppeteer) panggung (theatre) cum workshop.

Yusoff Mamat or Pak Soh has been playing wayang kulit (shadow puppets) since he was nine.

At the workshop, visitors learn how the puppets are created from cowhide and how the Tok Dalang brings the puppets to life via characters from the Ramayana epic.

Aside from performing nationwide, Pak Soh, 59, has also travelled to Tokyo, South Africa and Indonesia to showcase his traditional art.

Engku Noraini Yaacob runs a keropok factory near Pantai Cahaya Bulan. — AZMAN GHANI/The Star

Our final stopover was at a batik “factory” run by Zahari Haji Daud.

A 10-minute stroll from Pasir Belanda, the shop — housed in a wooden shed — produces good quality hand-drawn batik priced from RM100 and above. 

At Zahari’s, visitors can also sign up for a batik-drawing workshop.

Dutch tourists Hendrik Jan de Ru, 60, and his wife, Anke Noorts, 53, took the same bicycle tour as us the day before.

“Staying at Pasir and in the village really stimulates your senses — different smells, sounds and sights and easy contact with friendly people,” says Hendrik.

“Places like Langkawi and Kuala Lumpur are beautiful but they’re too touristy. What we like is the feeling of authenticity, a real village with real people.”

Yes, for urban Malaysians like us, we too relish the down-to-earth village folks with their copious amounts of “sunshine” living in the heart of Kelantan.

Making a home in Kelantan

Pasir Belanda opened its doors to its first guests at the end of 2005.

Owners Harry and Annemeike Mulder from the Netherlands wanted to live outside Holland for a while and decided on Malaysia.

“I first came to Malaysia in 1989 for a six-month internship. During my travels around the country, I found that I liked Kelantan best. I told myself I would bring my future wife to see this beautiful place,” says Harry, 40, a former mechanical engineer.

The couple settled in Penang in 2003 because they had friends there and started a travel agency to bring Dutch tourists over. It took two exhaustive years before they found their dream house in Kelantan.

The house was built in 1969 by an Englishman, Datuk Howard Foster Biles (1916-2003). Biles came to then Malaya as a marine officer in World War II and was later appointed the Protector for the Orang Asli in Kelantan and Pahang.

After he retired in ’69, he became the supervisor of the Kelantan Royal Household. Today, the Mulders lease the house and land from the home’s Malay owner.

“There’s something special about it,” gushes Annemeike, 40. “It’s a wooden kampung house on stilts. It has a great view, breeze and nice neighbours. 

Since we liked it, we thought others might like it too.”

The couple’s son, Abel, 4, was born in Kelantan and today, the family has blended in comfortably with kampung life. The children attend international school in Kota Baru. Harry and Annemeike speak Malay with a Kelantanese dialect and share a great camaraderie with their neighbours. A primary schoolteacher in Holland, Annemieke now teaches English to the local kids whenever they request a class.

What are the Mulders’ long-term plan?

“We just live day by day, year by year,” Annemeike chuckles.

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(Nik Zafri's comments "Sometimes I wonder, is it a coincidence that they name this place "Pasir Belanda" (Dutch Sand) and the Mulders are from Netherlands?")