Fast Food crave...

“My mama always said, life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get...” - Forrest Gump

(Makan dulu lah... lapar ni)

Seremban Street Arts...

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work...” - Steve Jobs

(Murals on the wall along Jalan Yam Tuan)

In conjunction with the Visit Malaysia Year 2020, several locations in downtown Seremban were decorated with murals. The street murals are located in Jalan Dato Bandar Tunggal, Jalan Yam Tuan, Jalan Tuanku Munawir up to Benteng Walk Seremban.

Unfortunately, because of the Covid19 pandemic and the MCO, we did not manage to visit these colourful sites. Recently, after completing our business at the lawyer's office we stopped along Jalan Yam Tuan and managed to capture some of the murals.

Next time we are in Seremban, we sure will find time to visit the other sites. 

(The starting point)

Selling off our Kebun in Pedas...

 "Never measure your life by possessions. Measure it by the heart you touched, the smiles you created, and the love you shared..."

(On time for our appointment)

In mid 1995, a few BNM colleagues and I decided to purchase a piece of land in Pedas, Negeri Sembilan. 

I took a loan from Bank Rakyat to partially finance the purchase. The rest came from whatever savings I had that time. The land was divided into about an acre each with varieties of fruit trees planted on the land. For a few years, we engaged someone to look after the land.

Our three children were still young then. Almost every other weekends we visited the kebun and had fun picnicking under the fruit trees and clearing bushes. Once the children left home and stayed in the hostels during their Primary School years, then to colleges, we visited the kebun less and less.

Busy with work commitments and travellings, we completely ignored that piece of land. A few times we tried to sell it off but could not find a genuine buyer. Until recently, someone came knocking at our door to ask whether the land was still for sale.

And finally, we managed to sell our Kebun in Pedas at a right price.

 

(The lawyer office in Seremban)

(Carefully checking the terms of the S&P)

(Contract signing)

Masjid Ahmadiah Kampung Kepayang, Perak -1905

"Never say mean words out of anger. Your anger may pass but your mean words can scar a person for life. So use kind words or be silent..."

(Masjid Ahmadiah Kampung Kepayang)

GPS: 4.518309, 101.13605
04°31′05.91″N 101°08′09.78″E

(Located by the trunk road not far from the toll plaza)

(A new signage of the mosque)

Masjid Ahmadiah or its original name Masjid Kampung Kepayang is one of the oldest mosques in Perak and Malaysia. The mosque was built and named after Toh Sedewa Domba bin Tok Tua. He was one of the Malay elders in this area and also the Orang Besar Enam Belas.

(Spacious parking area)

(An old surau next to the mosque)

(A corridor to the back in between the mosque and the surau)

The glory of tin mining in Kampung Kepayang and Simpang Pulai at the end of the 19th century triggered the construction of this mosque by Toh Sedewa Domba to unite the people in Mukim Sungai Raya which consists of traditional villages namely Kampung Kepayang, Kampung Simpang Pulai, Kampung Sungai Ular, Kampung Tanjong and also Kampung Sindu. Most of the residents of the villagers are Malays.

(A brief history of the old mosque)

(A view of the exterior Mihrab)

The construction materials such as wood are believed to have been obtained from the surrounding area and transported using elephants. The construction of the mosque was fully completed in 1905.

(A peek of the interior through closed glass door)

(A dining area at the back, stairs to the surau upper level)

A mimbar is also constructed at the same time. The mosque original building was rectangular in shape, surrounded by veranda. The main prayer hall has a mihrab and the three meters’ high mimbar was still preserved and intact. The unique 100-year-old mimbar is believed to have been made by a famous 19th century sculptor, the late Megat Ja’afar, a descendant of Megat Terawis, the first Orang Kaya Bendahara Perak during the reign of the first Sultan of Perak, Paduka Seri Sultan Muzaffar Shah I.

(An old surau adjacent to the old mosque)

(Sharing a common corridor to the back)

(Belalai gajah to protect from the rain)

The mosque is made of wood and timber, quite similar to the Masjid Kampung Laut Mosque in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. Next to the mosque is the old surau of Kampung Kepayang.

A wooden surau was built in 1925, next to Masjid Ahmadiah. The structure of the old mushola is still sturdy and is used for Muslimat religious classes and other communal activities.

(Built in 1925, still standing strong)

On March 1925, Masjid Ahmadiah Kampung Kepayang was gazetted in Perak Government Gazette. The name Masjid Ahmadiah is believed to be named after the name of the second Penghulu Sungai Raya, Toh Sedewa Ahmad bin Toh Sedewa Abdul Wahab.

(A ghost town along the old trunk road)

Masjid Kampung Teluk Memali Seri Bougainvillea, Perak – 1910

"Your apology needs to be as loud as your disrespect was..."

(Masjid Kg Teluk Memali)

GPS: 4.528835, 101.103507
04°31′43.81″N 101°06′12.62″E

(It was raining heavily)

(The sky is clearing a little)

(Relocated in a residential area)

Masjid Kg Teluk Memali is considered one of the oldest mosques in the Central Perak district. The mosque is now known as Masjid Teluk Memali Seri Bougainvillea, holds 1,001 stories especially about Kampung Bandar Baru which was once the Bandar Di Raja Perak.

(The mosque was abandoned for 20years)

(Built with chengal and jati wood)

(A separate building for muslimat)

(The main entrance to the main prayer hall)

(Beautiful carved wooden bannisters at the porch)

(Characteristics of a Malay house)

(One of the historical heritage legacy)

(A common corridor between two prayer halls)

The mosque was built since 1910 and was abandoned after Sungai Perak’s water rose and the villagers resettled to higher ground. Abandoned for more than 20 years, the structure of the mosque remains intact. The 108-year -old mosque was relocated to a new location at Taman Seri Bougainvillea in Bandar Seri Botani. Its Islamic architecture and carved motifs of Sumatran, Dutch and British and West Asia influences remained intact even after the mosque was relocated. The restoration works were carried out by expert architects, in collaboration with Ungku Omar Polytechnic and the mosque committee.

(A good conservation works)

(Side and back profile of the mosque)

(Relocated on a higher ground)

The architecture of the mosque is in the original Malay form with most of the structures use cengal and tualang wood. Masjid Kampung Teluk Memali may be related to the royal family, as Kampung Bandar Baru was once a Royal City before it moved to Kuala Kangsar.

(Wood carvings at the gazebo complimenting that of the mosque) 

The tomb of the 19th Sultan of Perak, the late Sultan Abdul Malik Mansur Shah and the tomb of the British Resident, JWW Birch, are located near the original site of the mosque.