Dataran Tanjung Chali

Tanjung Chali is situated by the river at Pekan Cina, it used softscape but now has been upgraded with viewing tower and proper walkway and become an square or known as Dataran Tanjung Chali.

I was there during the upgrading works but since they complete the job, I never set foot yet.

Normally in other urban area, public space like this are fully utilised and people know how to appreciate them. I'm not sure about this one because from observation spaces along the river bank are only occuppied by mat gam and such..what a waste of space and money.

On going upgrading works


View towards an old building..there was a surreal feeling ..or a dejavu..coz I feel like I was somewhere Harpers building and Hereen House in Malacca..if you are familiar with this old town, you might get what I mean.

Kuih untuk 'Chain'

He lived in a small wooden house with attap roofing near the river and infront of Siti Aishah's house, he was alone...living his life with people's sympathy..

There was a 'putat tree' at the back of the house with flowers dangling beautifully and young shoots are great to go with gulai ikan temenung and sambal belacan.

That wooden house was dim and looks like rumah pak belalang..just a simple plain house with one door and window.

I don't know much about him..I was still small..I only knew his name as 'Chain'..

And one day, Abang Azam went to send him kuih and found his body lying cold on that timber floor..dying alone

No one knew what really happend ...all I could remember is the kuih and his house near the nipah trees.

Al-Fatihah

Rumah Mak dan pokok jambu air Nek

We are not from a rich family, they have nothing to pass on to us, no boxes of jewelleris, diamonds or pearl, no antiques except this piece of land that shared among three siblings and the most important is the MEMORIES...

I spent most of my childhood time at my grandma's house which is just next door, I call her 'mak' and my mom as 'mama'..Nek was still alive when I was in primary school, she left us at almost 100 years old with small build and skinny and grey eyes due to age and poor eye sight, I still remember her wrinkle skin and her grey hair, how she sit on timber floor in a small room with fixed louvered timber window overlooking the river

This is the spot where she planted pokok jambu air..it was a big tree covering the whole compound, there were money plants creeping on its trunk and roots that sprawling her piece of land...sometimes we peel off its bark while eyeing for a ripe fruit. Everything was green around this area, this compound was bigger back then even though there are many houses with staircase facing this tree. Everytime after the rain, I might rushed and collect jambu air...I don't know how to explain but the sight of the fruits make me happy, for a little girl it was as simple as that.....I like to brush the bark after the rain when its still wet and fresh..some part of it was covered with mossess..it make a great combination with the cracked bark..

Nek died sometime in the 90's when I was in primary school, I did not feel sad the moment I heard about it..it only made an impact few months later and now it still is..especially when the tree is no longer in the compound....but I could draw it anytime, I remember the spot where I plucked the money plant...miss her....

Nek is Mak's mother, Mak is a single mother who is tough and strong..I don't know much about it, it was not an issue back then...this is the house where she lives forever...until now

There is a door on the left of this picture, and there was a timber staircase facing the river, most of this house was made of timber and attap roofing, sometime Mak weaved these attap and I watched her doing it closedly and sometimes I got a chance to try it...

Rumah Mak is a typical traditional house with rumah ibu, beranda, separation of private space and semi private and well ventilated. My uncle ,Arwah Pak Teh used to have a built in 'tabung' which was covered with plywood on his bedroom wall..

There were line of pokok puding along the house and one lime tree..everytime the image flashed, I will remember Nyonya Eng's house, and with that will come this song..'nyonya bangun pagi, siram pokok bunga'....

Restoran Bunga Tanjung & Alhamdulillah Store

Just came back from Alor Setar and the town is almost the same except for some planning that are exhibited for public viewing and feedback.

Brought hubby to Poliklinik Hidayah and stopped by to get some bread and mineral water at this store where they have been here for more than thirty years now, still going and getting bigger with new sotre opposite the road. When I was in school, this is the place to buy 20 sen stamps when going to the Post Office was a tiring task :-) This shop is biger than it used to be, but the ambience is still the same.

The traditional house next to shop is still in a good condition except for the main drain that has been covered. Kedai Gunting Rambut Muthu was actually Kedai Pak Mid - Restoran Bunga Tanjung which is now located opposite the street.

It was like highlight of the week whenever we came back from Pekan and stop by for some ais kacang and mee goreng, sitting on a laminated chair with the environment that brought back the era of P.Ramlee's movies...

View at the junction leading to Jalan Pegawai, Seberang Perak on the right, Market Sbg Perak and Kilang Ais on the left...

Back then when beca Pak Harun passed by this area, we will feel the mist from this high tower..The road is smaller and no divider, cars are not many as now but it always congested at the start of the bridge.. Making a turn to Jalan Seberang Perak was a tough one for me either on beca or bus (of coz as a passenger) where the road is only one lane for each way and no proper turning radius...

Decaying Waterfront

Sometimes people can't relate themselves to place where they live until they move out and live in a different place. Then only the former place will become significant in their lives.

Seberang Perak might be a decaying waterfront village in an urban area but any development should be based on a thourough research and consideration. Any new idea that will be implemented should blend in with its original character otherwise the history will gone forever.

Abandoned old building not far from the river..it might be an eyesore to some, but if you really look at it in a different perspective you'll see the history, the shadow, the pattern of the branches making an arch, the leaves falling and then flowing smoothly on the water body...Anyone who have been to European country could imagine or relate this ambience....there is something about this place that need to be revived.

Rowers practising for Sultan's Birthday Celebration.

During my childhood time, Sultan's Birthday was a big thing for us, not because we were specially invited to the Palace but simply because of this water activities that goes about one month including the training session, the sounds of pedals flapping the water, the voice of the rowers and of coz the cry of the family members who lost their proud rowers due to this are something that is so significant.

Land Consolidation / PTB

Pembangunan Tanah Bersepakat - Seberang Perak & Limbong Kapal:

I don't know much about this program, Land Consolidation or pooling or locally known as Pembangnnan Tanah Bersepakat (PTB)

But its about time for me to sit down and study about it NOW...proposal has been tabled in Langkawi sometimes last year and now they are displaing this proposal at Majlis Bandaraya Alor Setar- weekday during working hours.

I'll find my way there and allocate my time to do whatever I can...

For now, its the ground work that need to be done.

Such a 'waste' issue.....

It seems like this problem is getting worst, before it was a small green garbage bin and now they took it away and let the garbage left on the ground. Don't tell me they are expecting self decompositing or something...

Location plan showing the hotspot of garbage area


What is the problem with Majlis Bandaraya Alor Setar..? or is it under others jurisdiction..?

Whoever is resposible they should think practically and wisely, back then it was a green metal dumper but still the size could not accomodate the amount of garbage per day, later they changed it to a mini version and proudly claimed that they only collect those inside it and the rest will be left on the ground...and now to make other people's life messy they took everything away and let it be just like this...what a shame..!! for a town that is trying and struggling for 'bandaraya' status, a small issue like could be resolved without cabinet approval.





But don't blame this current government because these issue arise long before they came in...

The only rumuors that we heard was not enough salary given to the workers..ohh come on, what a lame excuse..how to Kedah Sejahtera if we live and seeing all the waste and smell the flavour or stupidity all the time...

Okay la folks I don't want to 'waste' my time with this 'waste' issue...MBAS should do something...