KRF Najmi Automotive: Seeking Out a Second Hand Car

KRF Najmi Automotive: Seeking Out a Second Hand Car

KRF Najmi Automotive: Some Words of Advice in Dealing With a Car Dealer

KRF Najmi Automotive: Some Words of Advice in Dealing With a Car Dealer

K . TERENGGANU - JOHOR BAHRU - K . TERENGGANU - KOTA BHARU - K . TERENGGANU

Cuti-cuti Malaysia

That was a well planned trip to Johor Bahru for Jimi's (my eldest son) working interview with a company based in Singapore and having its branch at Taman Molek, Johor Bahru (JB).

My whole family...comprising of my wife Wan Azmiyah (Kak Mie), my mother in law Wan Semek, Najmi (my second son), Nami (my youngest son) and me were involved in sending Jimi to JB to give him unlimited morale support. After all, that was his first real interview for his job as an Assistant Naval Architect after finishing his study for a Bachelor in Naval Architecture and Ship Construction early this month. The interview is to be held at the company's branch office in JB and scheduled at 9.30 am on Friday, 24th December, 2010.

Photo of Johor Bahru

It has been very long time ago (more than 20 years ago) when I had first stepped in into Johor Bahru High Court to conduct a civil suit for a Plaintiff, a local friend of mine who engaged me to be his counsel in the matter of a breach of agreement under a contract. Our claims were for an Order for a Specific Performance under the contract plus damages as a result of the breach of the agreement. We won the case, but unfortunately the Judgment given by the Court was only for a matter of academic because the Defendant was subject to a winding up proceedings soon after that. We have no money for that case.

I knew a little bit about JB and its history which I can tell you briefly here.

Johor Bahru (also spelled Johor Baharu, Johor Baru, or Johore Bahru; abbreviated as JB) is the capital city of the state of Johor in southern Peninsular of Malaya. Johor Bahru is the southernmost city of the mainland which originally known as Tanjung Puteri founded in 1885 by Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim (Raja Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim), father of  Sultan Abu Bakar...the most remembered Sultan for Modern Johore.

Started as a Malay fishing village, Sultan Abu Bakar renamed Tanjung Puteri as "Johor Bahru" and proclaimed it as government's new capital in 1886 as a result of the shifting of the central government from Teluk Belanga in Singapore.

picture of the great Sultan Abu Bakar of Johor

Almost all of the Johor's prosperity today resulted from the success of Sultan Abu Bakar in persuading and convincing the British and Chinese merchants and traders to invest in agricultural industries in Johor. Many landmarks in JB were restored under his Majesty's name such as the Museum of Sultan Abu Bakar and Masjid Sultan Abu Bakar in JB. Today, JB is the house for 1.6 million of its population and was recognized as the second largest city in Malaysia after Kuala Lumpur.

Museum of  Sultan Abu Bakar, Johor Bahru

The Mosque of  Sultan Abu Bakar, Johor Bahru

Now, after so many years gone, I made a return trip to JB. This time with my whole family...6 persons altogether. But still with my old Toyota Avanza 1.3 Manual Transmission with a great help from my GPS (I GO Software system). And, at about 7.00am, 23rd December, 2010 we started our journey from Kuala Ibai, Kuala Terengganu heading towards JB.

Traveling with my mother in law for a long journey always make some differences because she can't take food from restaurants. So, we have to bring our 'Bekal'...sort of cooked rice together with the rice cooker itself, fried 'ikan selayang kukus', fried chicken, fried salted fish and boiled salted eggs. You have to obey and comply with this requirements should you want her to travel along with you.

My speed was about 100 km/hour though it was raining all the way. We stopped for first refueling at Paka Shell Petrol Station for RM50.00 for full tank.

Surprisingly, upon resuming our trip the GPS leaded us straight away to the famous Segamat Highway......meaning that we were not going at all through Kuantan, Pekan, Mersing or Kota Tinggi. Lots of arguments held between my mother in law and the rest of the passengers about the routes. She said the route through Mersing is the shortest one, whilst my sons agreed with the GPS. Being the driver, I just assured myself that the trip speedometer shall prevail when we headed home from JB to KT soon. I shall compare the mileages for the 2 routes.

Somehow or rather, I believed that the GPS is created for our use to ease our problem when traveling to unfamiliar locations. Just stick to its suggestions and follow the routes proposed by it and you will arrive at your destination safely as intended. We stopped quite late for our lunch at Masjid Kampung Cha'ah, Segamat and had our Jamak Ta'akhir prayer for Zohor and Asar. We have 40 minutes break there.

After taking the Highway as suggested by GPS and paid RM10.10 for the toll, we arrived at our destination safely at about 5.00 pm. Surprise isn't it? It surprised me and everyone in the family for such an early arrival  with an average speed of 90 km/hour from Cha'ah to JB. We stayed at our relative house at the Immigration's Flat at Taman Melati and have visited the famous Danga Bay to view Singapore from JB after dinner. We took some photos there before moving closer to Marina Club. We have boarded an open air train which was driven around the Club facilities.....

picture of Jimi with my mother in law at Marina Club, Danga Bay

family picture with Woodlands as background

photo of my family with Masjid Sultan Abu Bakar as background

boarding the open air train at Marina Club, Danga Bay, JB after dinner...camera out of battery!!!

picture of Masjid Sultan Abu Bakar, JB taken with my N95 phone

It was a pleasant trip to JB and many many thanks to our host, Encik Amin  (my wife's second cousin ) for the hospitality. Apparently, the foods here (at Pasar Taman Melati) were good and tasty and affordable too.....especially for lontong, soto, laksa Johor and other local favorites. This information denied the rumors  which were saying that the foods in JB were very expensive or rather exorbitantly  priced or very costly and not affordable  to us. That was totally a very bad and wrong information. I am impressed. If you are searching for 5 star meals...then the stories are similar almost everywhere....not particularly in JB.

More important, Jimi's interview was conducted in such a nice way and we hope the company will take him as its employee very soon.

At about 1.00 pm we started our journey back to K. Terengganu....and this time via Kota Tinggi - Mersing - Pekan - Kuantan - Kemaman - K. Trg. Again, the GPS did tremendous job in showing us the route.

Now, I can make a comparison and decide the best route to choose for my next trip to JB from K.Trg. The total mileages are as follows:-

K.Trg - Segamat - JB = 510km

JB - Kota Tinggi - Mersing - Pekan - Permatang Badak - K. Trg = 525km

Hence, the GPS was right in choosing the shortest route from K. Trg to JB, ie via Segamat Highway.

Apart from that, you will have a pleasant drive when you take the free Highway from Sungai Ular, Kuantan and drive straight away to the junction of Segamat Highway. This Highway is a long straight road which will bring you to Segamat. You may use this Highway too for a trip to Nilai, in Negeri Sembilan where you may save a lot of cash for not paying tolls for Highways ( East Coast Highway, Karak Highway , Sungai Besi toll and etc. before you reach Nilai). This Segamat Highway is OK to me and I will choose it for my next trip to JB.

We arrived at Kuala Terengganu at 10.30 pm on the same day (24/12/2010). The actual cost for fuel was RM50 + RM50 + RM50 + RM36 = RM186 for to and fro (KT - JB - KT) and the balance of the fuel suffice enough to bring us to Kota Bharu tomorrow.

At about 11 am the next day (Christmas day, 25/12/2010) we shoot to Kampung Salor, Pasir Mas for a Kenduri Kahwin of my wife's relative. Again, with the help from GPS, we managed to save time a lot by cutting through the kampung road via Kadok - junction K.Bharu/ K. Krai. We took right turn to K. Bharu and then took left turn towards Pasir Mas. We found Kg. Salor in just below 20 minutes drive from the main road of Pasir Puteh to K. Bharu.

After kenduri, we headed straight away to KB Mall in Kota Bharu for some shopping perhaps, I may say. But the parking lots were full and we have to park the car at the parking lot at the top of the roof of the Mall. The Mall was so crowded with visitors and I felt as if I was somewhere in Sungei Wang Plaza or Mid Valley in KL. Next we went to Pasar Siti Khadijah and enjoyed some local cuisines and foods.

foto of Kak Mie & company taking escalator in KB Mall

view of Jalan Temenggong, Kota Bharu

view inside dry and wet section of  Pasar Siti Khadijah, Kota Bharu

Perhaps, my story hereof was one of the full traveling week for me and my family to be shared with you. I will write again for my next trips to anywhere in this my beloved country. Till next time then oopps......wait a minute..... I've got a message here from Jimi....INDONESIA 2 : 1 MALAYSIA....which means MALAYSIA WON THE FIRST EVER SUZUKI CUP FINAL by beating Indonesia with an aggregate of 4 : 2. Tahniah...Syabbas....Harimau Malaysia you are unpredictable yet amazing....., the proud of the Nations.

Great moment to be shared together....

Bye and salam from us.

KUALA TERENGGANU - SRI MANJUNG - KUALA TERENGGANU - 1 Day Trip

Yesterday, 16th December, 2010 I have a fantastic drive. At about 6.30 am and accompanied by my eldest son Abg Yu we started our journey from our house at Kg Kolam, Kuala Ibai, Kuala Terengganu...heading towards Perak Darul Redzuan with my 6 years old Toyota Avanza 1.3 Manual Transmission.

Apparently, this was not the first trip to Perak because I have visited the state many times before. If you are driving, there are few popular routes from Kuala Terengganu to Sri Manjung. The first one is K.T - Pasir Putih - Jeli - Gerik - K.Kangsar - Beruas/Manong - Ayer Tawar - Sri Manjung/Lumut. This is my favourite route because it is the shortest one.

if you travel from P. Putih to Jeli, you will spot this unique view

The second one is K.T - P. Putih - Kuala Krai - Gua Musang - Cameron Highlands - Simpang Pulai - Tronoh - Seri Iskandar - Ayer Tawar - Sri Manjung/Lumut. This route is also good to be tried, especially when you are traveling with your family because you may stop at Cameron Highland for a while. Have some strawberries or local oranges for refreshment. You may try some local favorite such as steamed sweet corn known as 'jagung mutiara' or pearl corn. Though a little bit expensive compared to local sweet corn, the taste of pearl corn is good and worthwhile to buy.

ahh...strawberries

delicious pearl corns available at Cameron Highlands

Next, you may have to try some chocolate covered strawberries. In this case, strawberries are dipped into warm chocolate and packed after cool. Taste the sweet and sour of the contradicting ingredients between the chocolate and raw fruit of strawberries and reserve your own comment on that strange recipe. To me, the taste is just OK, but the price is not reasonable and extremely high. But, the freshness of vegetables and  colorful collection of flowers are amazing and unbelievable. Just drop by, and you will believe what I have said hereof.

The third route is KT - KL - Lumut, which is not practicable at all, unless you have some things to do in KL before going up to Perak.

one of the view taken just beside the trunk road of Tasik Kenyir - Felda Aring - Gua Musang

There is also another unpopular route, KT - Sungai Tong - Pengkalan Gawi - Tasik Kenyir - Felda Aring - Gua Musang and thereafter similar ways as per the second route hereof. However, this route is not recommended by me because the road conditions  are very very poor. You will have to waste your travel time a lot in Felda Aring.

So, on that day, I chose the 2nd route to Perak. My average speed is at 90km/hour. At 10.30 am we arrived at Gua Musang R & R and have nasi lemak as our breakfast. Our travel became much more easier with the help of GPS system. I have chosen the 'I Go' program for my trip this time though 'Garmin' software also available for use. The 'I Go' software used to be much more familiar and accurate with local roads and landmarks. 

My first refuel was at Shell R & R Gua Musang for RM47.50 for full tank.

a normal scene of Cameron Highlands

another view of Cameron Highlands taken just beside the trunk road

My tired Avanza is resting at one of the popular restaurants selling 'chocolate strawberries'

Next, we have a quick stop at Cameron Highlands for refreshments before proceeded to Simpang Pulai. Then we took a short Highway drive and exit at Jelapang before continued journey via UITM, UTP, Sri Iskandar, Sitiawan and Sri Manjung, finally.

We arrived at Sri Manjung around 2.45 pm and had our Jamak and Qosar pray at Masjid Salahudin, Taman Desa Bayu. Then we settled our jobs in my friend's house...ie, loaded in Abg Yu's personal goods and items into my Avanza. We were served with cup of tea by my friend and have a 15 minutes break over there. About 5.00 pm we went to Sri Manjung's Mac Donald and took away some burgers and drinks. Just about 2km away, we couldn't afford anymore to smell the stuffs and forced to stop beside the road to enjoy our meals.

We continued our journey home through the first route via Beruas/Manong - K.Kangsar where I refueled for 2nd time of the day...RM50.10 for full tank again. Then we continued our journey to Gerik, Jeli, P.Putih, Jerteh and stopped for the 3rd and final refuel for RM30 at Shell Petrol Station Chalok, Setiu, Terengganu and have some refreshments and prays. We arrived at home around 1.30am.

This is a story about my one man show for driving alone from KT to Sri Manjung and then going back on the same day to KT from Sri Manjung with just about 15 minutes actual rest taken for a cup of tea at my friend's house at Taman Desa Bayu, Sri Manjung (not to mention about energy gone for shifting goods and items belonging to Abg Yu from my friend's house into my Avanza which occupied the whole luggage area up to second row seats). Since Abg Yu is a new driver, I dare not to let him drive. Safety is prevailed.

Have you ever driven like me, to and fro KT - Sri Manjung on the same day with actual break for 15 minutes only?

kampungku, kuala ibai: Keropok/Fish Cracker Kuala Ibai

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Keropok/Fish Cracker Kuala Ibai

KEROPOK- How it is made?

Having eaten kropok? How does it taste?

Do you know how it is made?

Why not have your own made keropok?

First, get the ingredients: (i) 1 kg of fresh sea fishes such as Mackerel/Sardines; (ii) 1/2 kg of sago flour/starch; (iii) salt and sugar; and (iv) Chilly sauce or Thai Chilly Sauce if you prefer hot sauce.

Secondly, wash fish and remove flesh from fish bone, blend the meat/flesh. Remember that the traditional way is to crash the fish with locally made equipment called "lesung batu" or "lesung kayu" or mortals perhaps I can describe. This method is used to crash the fish without adding water, not like the one using blender as it reduces the original taste of the fish.

ikan selayang and ikan tamban (far right) are suitable for making keropok lekor

Thirdly, add 1/4 of sago into the crashed meat. Crash them together using the lesung batu or hand mortal. Add some sugar or salt accordingly. You can taste the stuff to ensure it suit yours. Squeeze and roll the blend to ensure all ingredients mix together and create its pastry in a cylinder type looks for 1 feet long each and about 1 inch thick. You may have up to four or five rolls, depending on the length and the thickness of each roll.

raw fish roll/keropok lekor

Fourthly, boil about 5 liters of plain water. When the water is boiled, put each and every rolls into the pot for at least 1/2 hour. Move each of the rolls to ensure all of them are really cooked.

Fifthly, take out all rolls, let them cool and dry. You may eat the rolls now. This stuff is locally called "keropok lekor". Cut some small portion of the roll, deep it into the chilly sauce and have your own made keropok lekor. 

cooked or boiled fish rolls ready for meals

You may fry the roll and this stuff will be called "keropok lekor goreng" or fried keropok lekor.

fried fish rolls or fried keropok lekor

Sixthly, you may have the boiled rolls ready for slicing. Slice it into thin pieces or layers for all rolls. You may have plenty of pieces which locally known as "keropok keping" or pieces of keropok.

Next, dry it under direct sun light for couple of days until it is hard and dry. Now you have a small stock of keropok keping ready to be fried to become a fish cracker.

keropok keping or dried fish cracker ready to be fried

Now, you can bring it to anywhere. Just fry the stuff and you may serve you guests with fish crackers of your own brand.

fried fish crackers or keropok keping goreng for high tea

Remember, the percentage of sago and fish flesh are very important. Less sago more fish will make the taste of the roll a bit fishy and to me, it is good. However, this mixture is not good to be a keropok keping because it is not expanding much after being fried. Less fish more sago will make the keropok keping expanding or size up to double of its original size. But the taste is not as good as the one with more fish. So, may be you know now, why some fish crackers are tasted differently. For business purposes, they have to reduce fish in the mix to cut cost because sago is very much cheaper than fish.

Having learned how to create keropok, you may try it with your own paste now. It is cheap and worthwhile to try at home.

Perhaps, one day you may become a manufacturer for keropok, who knows?

Selamat mencuba and good luck.

kampungku, kuala ibai: Keropok/Fish Cracker Kuala Ibai

kampungku, kuala ibai: Candat Sotong

Monday, October 18, 2010

Candat Sotong

Perfect Location For Candat Sotong?

Some people have to locate a good area for candat, some just do not bother about location. But Abu is very particular about this. He needs a perfect location for anchoring and at the same time it is perfect for candat too.

His thinking is quite reasonable because he does not want to start the engine and move the boat and re-anchor again at somewhere else. This is wasting time. What he did is just torching the light into the water and concentrate with what he saw down there. Then, based on experience he will decide whether to stay or find some other places.

Thumb up!

That means we have got a perfect location for candat. Now, throw your mata candat into the water. Let the string loose until you feel that the mata candat has reached the sea bed. Then pull it up slowly about 3 to 5m and start making your own rhythm of movement up and down. Soon you will feel something has disturbed your rhythmic dance. Something strong, fighting to free itself from your mata candat. Now, pull up your string rampantly. Just pull it up even though you see something like a transparent alien is surfacing. 

captured squid

If you stop pulling it at the moment it reaches the surface, then you will be squirted with black fluid direct to your face or you body...Trust me, you don't have time to avoid the attack. Never mind then, because it does not hurt you. You may pull up the transparent creature and unhook it from the mata candat. Take a photograph of it. Then, take another photograph of it when it becomes no longer transparent.....meaning that, it is dead already.

collection of captured squids

Repeat the procedures for many times as you wish until you are satisfied with the number and the size of squid you have caught. Place it in the container which I have marked it for your catch of the day. Since the luck is always with you, you have beaten me my dear friend. You have a 3 feet long squid, which is enough to declare you the champ tonight. Even Abu also a bit jealous with what you have....Now, we have to wait until Abu has satisfied himself....catch squid longer size than what you have....because a pro surely will not happy if an amateur have beaten him!

Looks like Abu has small kitchen inside his boat. So, why not we have our fresh cooked cuttlefish right here now?

What a night to be remembered then!

See you in next trip my dear....

kampungku, kuala ibai: Candat Sotong