THOSE WERE THE DAYS : THE KAMPUNG LIFE

BY HJ ZULHEIMY MAAMOR

25 MAY 2024

Kampong in Malay refers to a hamlet or village. The old fashioned kampong in those days (60’s and 70’s) didn’t really have too much electricity, where every evening my grandfather would light the gasoline lamp for the night and the basic form and structure of most ‘kampong’ houses are similar, most have attap houses.

Life in a kampong those days was mostly harmonious and it was not uncommon for people to readily offer their neighbours food, help and support.

Although I grew up in the city of Kuala Lumpur, I still have my mother’s and father's village in Melaka and Negeri Sembilan. Growing in the 60’s and 70’s was simply epic, life was much different then. It is the day that you spend only 50 cents to school, where you can have a bowl of Mee Curry and drinks at school canteen. Those who brings 1 Ringgit to school was considered rich and gained plenty of ‘friends’. But that's not what I want to scribble here; what I want to write about is a life in the village in those days in the 70’s.

When I was a kid, we would go back to my Mom’s and my father’s kampong every Hari Raya or on special occasion. My father's village is in Lubok China Negeri Sembilan while my mother's is in Lubok China Melaka, bordering between the two villages.

Before the existence of the North-South highway, the journey back to my Kampong would take about 6 hours through the old roads passing the villages and towns around, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Melaka. Nowadays through the highway it takes about 2-3 hours only.

For me, Kampong life is still the best, people are much more relaxed in the kampong and life move much more slowly . I would miss the day when my cousins and I would run around the kampong and swim in the river, just a whole lot of outdoors activities.

And at night, before bedtime, we would gather and got horror stories to tell. There is no gadget and internet at the time and that is great. Yet another scariest part was , if you have a stomach ache in the middle of the night, particularly if no one was willing to accompany you to the external toilets, the toilet that was located outside the house at that time. Then, you have no choice but to go to the toilet alone at night. Later, one of your cousins will knock on the toilet door and make creepy noises while you are inside... you can imagine how you feel at that time.... hahaha

Man, do you know how much I miss those days at Kampung life in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. Unfortunately, I rarely been there since my grandparents and my parents passed away, but I’m glad I experienced it, unlike some friends of mine who were born and raised in big cities.

As you can see these days, children and teenagers today, their favourite pastimes are watching Youtube and playing video games on their handheld gadgets, not to forget surfing the internet and keeping themselves updated on social media. That’s what life is like for our children and youngsters, used to be different during our times in the 60’s and 70’s.

Gone are the days where children went to the river or stream to catch fighting fish and climbed up trees in the jungle to pick fruits. Some of them would feel embrassed to be labeled as Kampung kids, little do they realise that people who grew up in the era before the arrival of the internet and digital gadgets were generally resilient and independent, thank to their kampong life and upbringing which taught them valuable lessons, on how to fend for themselves and overcome challenges……

I remember Mary Hopkins with here song “THOSE WERE THE DAYS”… some of the lyrics that really touch my soul…

Those were the days, my friend

We thought they'd never end

We'd sing and dance forever and a day

We'd live the life we choose

We'd fight and never lose

Those were the days, oh yes, those were the days

Hj Zulheimy Maamor

Lembah Keramat, K.L

25 May 2024 :16 Zulkaedah 1445H": 10.59 a.m

PAHANG > OTHER DISTRICTS

BY HJ ZULHEIMY MAAMOR

15 MAY 2024

There are several other districts in Pahang that I have been to, most of these places I just pass by or stop for a while just to eat and drink or buy necessities along the way.

1987 - PULAU TIOMAN

Pulau Tioman is an island that we often visit while on duty with the Royal Malaysian Navy ship KD Panah based in Kuantan, Pahang.

We will rest in Tioman Island after a few days of patrolling in the South China Sea.

One of the few islands on the east coast of Malaysia that's popular with Westeners, Pulau Tioman has a reputation of being to party and dive. Located 32 km off the east coast of Rompin District, Pahang, it is 39 km long and 12 km wide and has seven villages. 

The island is accessed via ferry service from the coast town of Mersing and Teluk Gading as well as by air. 

24 APRIL 2012 - R&R GENTING SEMPAH, PAHANG

Genting Sempah is a transit town and also a mountain pass a border of Pahang and Selangor. Mostly know as a transit point to Genting Highlands. For me this is one of the best RnR with various foods the place is cleaned. 

Janda Baik is just nearby, the best place to stay on weekend. Escapes from the city and stay in a village. 

12 OCTOBER 2012 : KUALA LIPIS, PAHANG

We only passed through Kuala Lipis on our way to Kota Bharu, Kelantan in 2012 before the construction of the East Coast Highway.

Kuala Lipis is a mukim and capital of Lipis District, Pahang with population of 20,000. 

Kuala Lipis was a gold-mining centre before the British arrived in 1887. In 1898, it became the capital of Pahang during the British-Administered Federated Malay States. However, in August 1955, the state capital was shifted to Kuantan,Pahang. 

14 OCTOBER 2012 - HULU DONG, PAHANG

Hulu Dong or Ulu Dong is a mukim in Raub District, Pahang. Hulu Dong became widely known in 1993 when the story of the gruesome murder murder of Batu Talam state Assemblyman Datuk Mazlan Idris between July 2 and 3 1993, was among Malaysia's most heinous crimes of the decade. 

Mazlan's murder was orchestrated by former pop-singer turned bomoh Maznah Ismail alias Mona Fandey and her husband, Nor Affendy Abdul Rahman, and helped by their assistant Juraimi Husin. Mazlan's body was dismembered into 18 parts and buried in an uncompleted house on a property owned by Mazlan in Kampung Lata Jarum, Hulu Dong, Raub, Pahang. Mona, Affandy and Juraimi was hanged in the early morning of 2 November 2001 at Kajang Prison. 

Reference:

NST : The gruesome tale of Mona Fandey

My friend and I once stopped at Hulu Dong on our way back from Kota Bharu, Kelantan to Kuala Lumpur after completing the Health Screening Program in Ketereh on 13 October 2012. We stopped for lunch at Patin Sangkar, Hulu Dong, Raub, Pahang.

SMK Dong, Raub, Pahang, is where my late uncle, Cikgu Win Bin Yasin, used to be the Headmaster. In the 70s, we used to spend the night at his house, which is located inside this school compound.

KARAK HIGHWAY

Karak Highway is famously known in Malaysia as the most haunted highway in Malaysia and in the world (refer Wikipedia). Rumors has it that the highway is filled with urban legends and strange accidents on the same particular place. Opened to traffic back in 1977, the interstate highway was constructed to provide road users with an alternative route when travelling on Federal route 68, or Jalan Gombak. 

This route is frequently used by us to reach the East Coast. As long as we go through this route, no strange things ever happen to us, maybe because we pass through this route during the day, rarely at night.

LEBUHRAYA PANTAI TIMUR (LPT)

Lebuhraya Pantai Timur or The East Coast Expressway is an interstate controlled-access highway running parallel to the northeastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia. 

Phase 1 (Karak-Jabor > 2001-2004) - opened on 1 August 2004

Phase 2 (Jabor - Kuala Terengganu > 2003-2015 ) - Opened on 31 January 2015.

Phase 3 (Kelantan) : Kuala Nerus to Kota Bharu

Phase 4 (Pahang and Johor) : Gambang to Johor Bahru.

TEMERLOH

Temerloh is a town located at the junction of the Semantan River and the Pahang River.

The Temerloh District was created on 1 July 1889 with E.A. Wise appointed as the first "Collector and Judge". The position was later renamed "District Officer".

W.L. Conlay was the first Temerloh District Officer in 1898.

(See Wikipedia)

I attended a Program Coordination meeting with members of the Temerloh District Youth Council held at McDonald's, Temerloh on 27 October 2016.

My best memories of Pahang....

Home to the famous Taman Negara (National Park) and the largest state in Peninsular Malaysia. Most of Pahang's land area is covered by wide stretches of ancient rainforests and beautiful national parks, that houses the longest mountain range and tallest mountain in West Malaysia, Gunung Tahan. 

Hj Zulheimy Maamor

16 May 2024 > 8 Zulkaedah 1445H: 19,17 p.m

    

TEMERLOH, PAHANG

BY HJ ZULHEIMY MAAMOR

15 MAY 2024

TEMERLOH BANDAR IKAN PATIN

Temerloh, the city of catfish, formerly known as Kuala Semantan,located about 130 km from Kuala Lumpur along the Kuantan-Kuala Lumpur trunk road.Temerloh is the second largest urban area in Pahang after Kuantan, the state capital city. It is situated at the confluence of the Pahang and Semantan Rivers. 

I don't have much experience in the city of Temerloh except for having attended a Health Program Coordination meeting with the Temerloh District Youth Council at McDonald's, Temerloh on 27 October 2016.

S.M.K ABU BAKAR, TEMERLOH

Temerloh is famous for its catfish. The catfish is a native to the rivers of Pahang, particulartly in the town of Temerloh, which is where it got its name. The Temerloh catfish is a popular ingredient in many local dishes, and it is considered a delicacy by many Malaysians.

There are 4 types of Patin, namely, River Patin (P.Nasutus), Mucung Patin (Helicophagus waandersii), Champion Patin (P.micronemus) and Patin King. 

Temerloh has been rebranded as "Patin Fish Town/Silvercat fish Town" on April 16, 1999 by the then Culture, Art and Tourism Minister, Datuk Sabaruddin Chik. 

I had the opportunity to taste the very popular Gulai Tempoyak Ikan Patin in Temerloh, which is Pak Usop's Patin stall near Temerloh River on November 28, 2015. At that time, we had an event at Kg Bolok Hulu in Lanchang. We do not want to miss the opportunity to go to Temerloh, which is only 33 km from Lanchang.

R&R TEMERLOH

In the past, while working, I often traveled outstations throughout all the states in Malaysia, from Perlis to Sabah.

When we travel to the East Coast states, we always make a stop at R&R Temerloh because it's our favorite place for rest and relaxation.

Temerloh city holds a place in our memories. It has many popular attractions, including Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary, Kuala Gandah National Elephant Conservation Centre, Esplanade Temerloh etc. 

Visit the Pekan Sehari Temerloh, a weekly bazaar happened to be on Sunday held at Lurah Semantan from as early as 7.00 a.m until 1.00 p.m. 

Whenever you are in Temerloh, don't forget to eat Ikan Patin Masak Tempoyak and Chicken Rice at Temerloh Old Town. 

There are many more places that you can explore at Temerloh..just go to the website and check the travel Guide to Temerloh. 

Hj Zulheimy Maamor

Lembah Keramat, K.L

15 May 2024 > 7 Zulkaedah 1445H: 7.37 p.m