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WHERE IS MY KAMPUNG? |
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"Where are you from?" or "where is your kampung?" is always the
standard question asked by someone whom you have just met in
a conversation.
The Wikipedia defines the term "kampung" as "a Malay hamlet
or village in a Malay-speaking country" In other words, a
kampung is defined today as a village in Brunei, Indonesia
or Malaysia. |
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The Wikipedia continues to say that in Malaysia,
a kampung is determined as a locality with 10,000 or
fewer people. Since historical times, every Malay
village came under the leadership of a penghulu
(village chief), who has the power to hear civil
matters in his village. A Malay village typically
contains a "masjid" (mosque) or "surau" (Muslim
chapel), stilt houses and paddy fields. Malay
villagers practice the culture of helping one
another as a community, which is better known as
"joint |
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bearing of burdens" (gotong royong), as well as being
family-oriented (especially the concept of respecting one's
family, particularly the parents and elders), courtesy and
believing in God ("Tuhan") as paramount to everything else.
It is common to see a "kubor" (Muslim cemetery) near the
mosque, as all Muslims in the Malay village want to be
prayed for, and to receive Allah's blessings in the
afterlife
.
Having said that, a kampung is therefore our origin, where
we were born probably and also where we grew up and spent
most of our early schooling years there. A kampung is also
where our parents settle down for good. Whenever we have the
opportunity, a kampung is where we return to spend the time
with our parents, relatives and friends, who grew up and
played together with us in the kampung. There is no
preferable way to spend the time during the holidays than to
"balik kampung" (return to our parents' house in the
village) whether we were at college, university or working
somewhere else at that time. A kampung can also be said to
be the focul point for "silaturrahim" (maintaining close
relationship amongst friends and relatives), where all the
brothers, sisters and close relatives get together as often
as possible, especially during festivals like the Aidil
Fitri, Aidil Adha or marriage ceremonies of those very close
to the family. For as long as one of the parents is still
alive, the "spirit" of the "balik kampung" still remains,
that is, the joy of looking forward to return to the kampung |
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Now, back to the question of where my kampung
is. You see, I was born in Singapore at the customs
quarters at Kampung Bahru Road. Later on my parents
rented a house in Kg. Bukit Kasita. I studied at the
Radin Mas Primary School from Standard 1 to Standard
5. So it can be said that my kampung at that time
was Kampung Bukit Kasita in Singapore. |
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In 1963, my late father was transferred to Johor Bahru.
At first, we were staying in the Government's quarters at
Jalan Larkin. Later on, my late father bought a house at
Jalan Kasawari, Larkin Lama, Johor Bahru. I continued my
studies at Sekolah Rendah Temenggung Abdul Rahman. At the
end of 1964, my class teacher, Mrs. Maniam recommended me to
sit for an examination for selection to study at MCKK (Malay
College Kuala Kangsar). I was one of the successful
candidates to be selected, the other one being my classmate,
Abdullah bin Abdul Hamid. |
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So whenever I was asked where my kampung was during my
5-year study period in MCKK, I would answer that it was
Johor Bahru. Fellow Johoreans at MCKK thus thought that I
was a pure Johorean.
In 1970, I was given a scholarship to study for a diploma in
Brighton Technical College in the United Kingdom. Two years
later, I went to London to study for my enginering degree at
King's College (University of London). While I was there,
whenever I was asked by any Malaysian about
my kampung, I would say that it was in Johor Bahru. |
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While I was studyng in London, my late father was
transferred to Lumut in Perak. Subsequently my late father
bought a piece of land at Kampung Kurnia in Tronoh, Perak
and built a house there. "It's going to be my retirement
place." said my late father. So after that, Lumut and
subsequently Tronoh in Perak became my kampung. In the
meantime, my mother continued to stay in the house in Johor
Bahru. So technically speaking, I had two kampungs at that
time, one in Perak and the other one
in Johor. It wasn't very long thereafter that the house in
Johor Bahru was sold and therefore Kg. Kurnia at Tronoh in
Perak became my latest kampung. |
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My late father was born in Lubok Merbau in Kuala
Kangsar, Perak. My late mother was born in Batu
Berendam in Melaka. My late mum was a "baba nyonya"
which explained the Chinese look in me. So by right
I should have a kampung in Melaka too. But it was
not to be that way for the story as was told by my
late mum was that she was "disowned" by her parents
when she married my late dad. She never returned to
Melaka to meet her parents again after that except
to visit her two elder brothers, Pak Long and Pak
Ngah, who had also embraced Islam at |
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the same time as her. I still have some relatives residing
in Melaka who are descendents from my late Pak Ngah. Until
today, whenever I meet a nyonya-baba or baba-nyonya from
Melaka, I wonder whether he or she is related to my late
mother. |
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When we grew, we got married and have children. We
eventually establish our own kampung by buying a house of
our own. We spend lesser and lesser time to "balik kampung"
after both our parents had passed away.
Almost all of my brothers and sisters have committed
themselves to have their own kampungs by buying a house at
the place chosen by them. Therefore, during the holidays,
their own childen visit them, just like they visited their
own parents when their parents were still alive. |
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As for me, I do not have a house to settle down
yet. All my life I had
been travelling and working at different places and
I was never at a
place for more than 4 years. However, my wife and I
are building a house in Dungun and most likely we
will settle down in Dungun for good and call it our
kampung. |
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So in the meantime, what shall I say if someone is to ask me
where my kampung is? :-) |
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