Double Trouble Big Day Out

Half of my heart is belongs to my family and another half for rock n roll. The rock concert and I are too intimate entities and people would reckon me as a rock n roll die hard fan and concert must-attendee.

This year a supreme rock concert will be held on the Christmas Day where the Santa's nightscape meet the Sunway's Rockscape.The country's most iconic rock outfits Search and Wings are back again and explode the Sun Surf Sunway Lagoon on Dec25, I mean last nite on Chrismas Day. While most christians are waiting for their Santa’s, the Klang Valley midrockers are hungry for the warm concert.
The concert, billed as Gemuruh DT (maybe the pronunciation sounds like Digi the main sponsor), is a tribute to their 1993 collaborative concert which gave rise to an album of the same name. It has sold over 180,000 units.Search, established three decades ago, and Wings, which is 23 years old, staged the Double Trouble 2 concert in 1998. Search will celebrate their 30 years next year and according to Amy, his age now is 53.Phh..my goodness...rock sampai mati.

The concert was emceed by Isma Halil, the so cliche rock DJ together with Faizal Ismail. The opening band was from Azlan & Typewriters who performed the evergreen mellowed Fantasia Bulan Madu and Intanku Kesepian and Azlan is the one who only deserve to sing those memorable songs as his soul-pitched might touch the F minor note. It was an unplugged session by Hillary Ang, Sham (x-gitaris Wings), Azlan Typewriter, an unknown bassist, Roxa (keyboard) who gives a great slow hand plucking with the high notes scream.
Amy rocked the stage with Pelesit Kota backed by Wings and soon later replaced by Awie backed by Search with some heavy numbers. The crowd were varies from the black t shirt’s rockers to the tudungs aunties and they looked enjoy the gig but some of Search rare numbers like Paranoid and Cakap Memang Murah couldn’t be attracted because may be they just fucking posers or it is too odd for typical rock listeners.
Okay back to the concert, where each group performed 10 songs, including Opera Hidup, Jerangkung dalam Almari , Paranoid, Orang Kita, Balada Pemuzik Jalanan, Cakap Memang Murah and Gothik Malam Edan . They backed on stage together with their hit numbers like Gadisku, Mimpi Syakilla, Rozana, Semalam Yg Hangat and sing together as in “double trouble” and not as single entity band. Some of the numbers were back-up by the strings and cellos like Pawana and maybe they going to produce in VCD and hopefully that.The lighters were hailed by most rock-smokers at that time and it was so melancholic moment.

The hard rockersphere bound from Sunway hospital to the Lagoon's boom gate and when Kid geared his Kramer, the ambience was so live and loud. Humpy and jumping I can feel the Surf beach is bumpy like a minor tsunamy had laid the Sunway township. But out of all ,I love the Les Paul's Joe riffing sound ,so cowboy and yes..so hell hardrocks magnetic. Dont blame on Yazid for the simple tone and percussion, as we all knew he is still under medication but his cowbell sound and the his bumpy tomb and lashing hi-hat is so concerto-oriented . Amy and Awie, they are as wild as their reputation and Awie with always with his slowdance while Amy performing slownumbers and his joke merried the crowd.

Music weight credit should goes to Wings as three piece band sound more gig-a- like, warm and raw rather than two guitars by Search was so progressive and compact. Imagewise , I like Nasir Search with the kilt , Amy with hood but not Awie’s short pant and it looked he’d so ratdaddy’s image.(macam Hantu Kak Limah). I am quite surprise with Joe’s new haircut and he just wear the polo T shirt …does it look too government officer …. What ever?

Oh yeahh before I forgot , the mineral water last nite were being priced up to RM 5.00 and bloody hell to Sunway for being devil capitalist to the cheap-rockers like us.
Soundwise, this the best concert of the year, discipline wise, credit should be given to this both two bands for rocking on scheduled and I guess this is the best organized but they should get the better venue because Sunway Surf Beach is too small and too naïve to handle some wild rockers who weed last nite. Hmmm my eye just blink-blinked at Zakiah Anas( Ohh ...baby) who stood behind Bond but after I snapped a photo of her, she just walk-off. Oh…dear. The crowd was approximately 15000 fans including posers, mat rock yg dah tua , aweks , all the real rockers ,banglas who carried mineral water here and there, Bond, Man Boroi, Zakiah Anas and me.
Those fans who failed to watch their 1992 concert (which brought by Salem Power Station _at that time) get "more than a glimpse" as it is the most rock n roll ever this year and it was "energetic and exciting" and a "trip down memory lane". Organised by Digi Double Trouble took fans of Search and Wings on a journey of "purely Malaysian rock".

For tickets are priced at RM70 considered cheap but and the purchase station which is at Viva Sport in Pertama Complex considered hell to grab. The more I wanna leave rock n roll, the more good event laid to my head.. Rock N Roll Will Never Die...."Gua Jerit Sampai Perit, Pasal Tiket RM 70.....Yoo Yeea Yeeah......menilai LU PUNYA....!!

P/s : Viva La Malaysia ..3-0 Congrats to our yellowish Tiger for brutalizing killed the Garuda . Please don't win at Gelora Bung Karno, SERI just enough..

Ali & Associates: Family Day 2010

Never in my life I felt happy and enjoy like this where all of my family members get together and had fun. This is considered our third big family day which held on Dec 17th until 20th at Batu Feringghi. We stayed in a bungalow which can occupy 30 people and thanks to my eldest brother in law, Abang Zaini who accommodate us with good hospitality. Everybody was there except Wafi who still studying in Cairo. To expedite my journey, I decided to overnight at Taiping so that we can reach my sister’s house at Taman Sutera as early as 1.00pm. By the time I reached my sister’s house ,only Kak Chik’s family was not there and the good thing was everyone followed the schedule. We moved from the house to Bt Feringghi at 3.00 pm sharp.

By the time we reached the bungalow it was raining heavily and I start to worry about the BBQ , and I thought the plan would be gone but at 6.30pm fortunately it was slowly dropped so we can start the fire. Everyone seems so happy and Faizal is always jumped around and from his face looked he‘s so happy. Faizzal is my eldest nephew is the most memorable one as he was identified as an autism patient since born. Syafiq and Munawar was at BBQ pit while all the girls was instructed to preparing the dishes, wash and bla..bla..bla . My official duty is jaga anak besides that sembang-sembang to cheer-up the event. As normal, Kak Chik’s family always the remarkable one as their mulut qaypoh celebrates the event and everyone really enjoy their spontaneous joke.

The "guess what? " games was introduced by Syafiq and we had most fun and laughing to the max and surprisingly the joke “tikuih dalam tong“ from my father was extremely entertaining. We were so shocked , OMG...it came out from my father's mouth and finally we discovered the humor side of him.

After the BBQ session was the sembang- sembang time but I continued with poker games with my nephew and nieces they‘d seems happy play the bohong games and it might interrupt some relative who sleep at the living corner.

Morning session started with the jungle trekking at Penang National Park and it was pretty cool and fun but the journey was too short as my sister was too tired, I guess and it remind me to Grown Up movie. My daughter Yasmine seems so excited to walk but after few walks she asked me to carry her ...”Baba ..Kong” that’s the synonym sentence from Yasmine . After the jungle trekking then we went to market and suddenly a very familiar face just walk across right in front of me and it was Ustaz Asri, the most controversial mufti who being arrested in Selangor for unlicensed – teaching. Najib , my yo-bro in law and I had snap some photos with him.I felt so shy at that time because wearing the shortpant but Ustaz Asri quite sporting in that sense.

The evening session was beach sun-bathing. My daughters and their cuzzies were so busy with the sand castle forming and the other girls wetting themselves. All the guys enjoyed with the beach soccer and it was so enjoyable. All the carbos and proteins from the BBQ dishes turned sweat and we were tired like hell.

The night session was chit – chat and the confession things. I had a serious talk to my sister, Kak Lone who just divorced .I feel so pity with all Kak Lone‘s kids but they must realize it just their stupid father who discriminates themselves. I hope they can face all these and let the man gone and burn in hell. There’s nothing difference between is he exists or not. Life goes on and keeps joy the life and that's my advise to them
Another night session was road walk to night bazaar . the ambience is exactly like Night market in Chiang Mai and Patong Beach . I asked my mom “makk, nak beli apa” and she said “ jalan-jalan, syok nak tengok ja”. I bought Maher Zain, Air Supply and Robbie William cds for RM 10 and all considered belongs to the wifey.

Midnight story was the guy session where we blues at Hard Rock Café. Najib, Syafiq, Munawar, Najib’s friend and I went out to watch the live band at HRC Penang. Thanks to Najib for paying all of our cover charges and I treat them the fries and that’s the only I can afford with. The band was quite good and they played mostly 80’s rock numbers from Bon Jovi, Aeosmith and Joan Jett. Sorry to Ateh and Faez as Pak Njang can't bring you guyz along because the age does matters in nightclub. The boring part was considered affordable crowd where we can’t see the nightlife hypocrites in the club so that the “land –fishing” won’t be enough success.

Sadly the next day would be the last dat for me as we had earlier Canaz’s appointment with the doctor. So that, after having “luncheon-talk” we moved to KL together with Wet’s family. We had snapped some photos ant HRC again as per my wife requested then straight to KL with the hectic jam from Juru until Bukit Berapit. As for me, I feel this is our best organized family day ever with the smile and laugh. Thanks to all my family members for the smile and supports . I am so proud of you guyz, not just because of the supports but the love among us . We are going to organize it again next year. Cheers

Tummy's Therapy

REPUBLIC OF FOOD
Food and I are just like sugar and ants. I love to travel as well as explore the food. Fortunately, part of my official job needs to travel all over the country and I had a chance to try good food recommended by the folks. From 2006 until now I had travelled almost every part of the country including the small town and it gave me a lot of visual experience and to explore the food. My eatery habit inherited purely from my father side where my mother is a bit choosy although she is a good chef in the house.

From South to North and East to West I would like to share my makan experience which I can say the orgasm to the max. You don’t need to switch on your Asian Food Channel because what ever I say here is definitely Sedap Giler

Kedai Makan Rahmat
Located in Kg Pasir Putih , Pasir Gudang and their specialties are Fried Siakap and fried Prawn with soy sauce. Introduced by the local council and the price is reasonable but you have wait for a long queue to get your seat. Try once , surely you will ask for nasi tambah.

Warung Kacang Pool Haji
Situated next to Balai Bomba Larkin, the stall is so underdog and low profile look but don’t underestimate the taste. Belongs to Haji Apa Ntah and this is the only place you can find Kacang Pool. Kacang Pool is a fusion of Singaporean – Arab food where bake bean melted with onions, meat and egg. Damn good and for the price at RM 5 it is damn worth. For the firs timer, odd and rare.

Restoran ZZ Mee Rebus, JKR Lama,
Just ask the government servant who always thrown to JB they will definitely transit to JKR Lama. If you passed by the KPJ Johor, mind your left and you will see Yayasan Warisan Johor. Follow the road until you reach the bamboo stalls. That's where it is . Mee Rebus with Sup Tulang is at RM 6 and accessorized with long straw made you easier to hit the deepest sum-sum part. Challenging but for those who bring along the high blood pressure just forget this. Stay calm in the hotel and just eat the Roti Gardenia with kaya.

Ayam Penyet Benafe – depan Hotel New York,JB
An Indonesian cuisine in front of New York , sound stupid and sarcastic but Benafe stall is exactly right in front of the New York Hotel at Jalan Abdullah Tahir, the most happening road in JB. Belongs to Betty Benafe's family and it is transit station to many JB's "butterfly".Besides of many ayams ( hookers) who laid at Groove Night Club, ayam penyet at Benafe stall is real good one and the taste exactly like the one in Chengkareng.

Auntie Aini ,Nilai
If you ask me how to go to this place, I also don’t know how to explain because the place is very isolated. Just beside the road but along the way you will see jungle on your left and right. The masak lemak here is the best in the world and I suggest for everyone who really love the Minang food here. Superlicious finger superlicking

Mee Udang Mak Jah ,Kuala Sepetang ,
Sedap but if you are kind of person who really think about hygienic and cleanliness then, walk off. Big prawn with different prices. Rare worth eating but flies does matter.

Chinese Seafood Belakang BSN, Manjung
This is the food landmark of Manjung cooked by Chinese in Malay style. Awesome and damn cheap. Someone who stroke in my office believed a regular here.

Nasi Lelapan Depan SOHO Bar, Miri
Count first then eat and if its not eight dishes in your plate it won't be Nasi lalapan. Exactly like ayam penyet style but this one is fish and normally is Bawal. Great for travellers. It is highly recommended for those who work with Shell and Petronas buddies.

Nasi Beratur Masjid Kapitan, Penang
The name reflects the situation where the long queue to get your meal but worth it. Just be patient to get your meal and it worth but as an advice it doesn’t go with any drinks with lemon. Just get Ice Tea or even better with 3 Layer Tea to blend your nasi kandar. The mamak food rules in Penang.

Seri Meranti, Sibu
Umai and the Siakap Steam are their specialties and this is only food station I can eat in Sibu. The rest, I better eat BigMac or Dinnerplate here. Well by the name and reputation. Just don’t be confused with the name because there is another Seri Meranti by the roadside but it is a massage centre. Be careful when you ask the local they might misinterpret what do you want.

Mak Ngah Nasi Dagang ,Chendering
The most controversial stall had bomb shelled the country with the headlines “RM 80 is the price of ikang tongkol “past few years. An old lady just duduk bersila while serving the nasi to customers and I think she is Mak Ngah as presented by the advert. Delicious and worth but about the RM 80 thing I don’t deserve to comment because Majlis treat me on the meal.

Kopitiam Colliseum , Depan Sogo,Jln TAR
Old Town White Coffee and Papa Rich, walk off because you guys are posers. This is the origin of kopitiam and the rest are fabricated and fake. The real toast is here.

Warung M Hassan, Tanjong Pagar , S'pore
Right after you brush teeth in the train’s toilet, then you reach Singapore ,just let your saliva and throat taste the Mee Rebus here, damn awesome and the best in Singapore and some said in Batam. This stall brings the historical reputation and established since 1976 with Grade C cleanliness. Cheapilicious in Sin Dollar.

Warung M Nasir, Killiney Road,S'pore
If you find MNasir's song is nice , the food remain parallel with the song. Nasi padang in franchise where three stalls which located in Killiney Road, Clark Quay and Tempines. Sedap but cannot compete the Sari Bundo.

Sederhana Masakan Padang, Asia-Afrika, Bandung
Nasi Padang in Bandung is okay but if you rush for shopping then you wont enjoy the food much. The waiting will bring you all the dishes in small platesand one you touch you got to pay for it. Ayam Bumbu is the best but Ayam Pop suckz.

Sari Bundo, Jalan Mangga Besar, Jakarta
The cult of Nasi Padang . Most of Indon celebrities like Cut Tari and Ariel eat here..

Nasi Kandar Royal/ Kim Bee Chew ,
Located in front of Kompleks Aloria, Alor Setar and anything I list here, this is the best.

Aw-Deed - Awful

I am not rich so when a free honeymoon at Nilai Spring was offered, it is definitely agree. Well, the Concorde’s buffet dinner were just too common for us but that‘s her choice last two night anyway and I still owe the CIMB for that purpose. While waiting for my wife finish her course, I watched Channel News Asia calmly.

This morning I had another audit session in Nilai, so its quite convenience for me right after the session I just straight away check in.. The Mix FM “he says, she says “quite interesting this morning and they’d being discussed about the most remembering honeymoon. I wish the 6th celebration would be the one I most remembered.

Talking about the audit where I'd been hell the whole three weeks starting from Kuching and it would be the last one in Segamat. There are Sarawak tour, Perak and finally Johor. Stressful, hectic but republic of food. The question vs food and the document vs sweat and that's how I defined my audit session which would be last on this coming Dec 15th.

Here are some gists of the morning audit session. So many question being asked and I make myself not trapped into their question. Once I’d be asked about technical things from the auditor, I told them the most technical thing I knew in the world and they started forgetting the figure I explained before. One good lesson I learnt from my past lecturer was “ if you cannot convince people, confuse them”. Tell something they don’t even know and just let them know that the person they interrogating is the most clever person in the world but don’t trapped when they asked the same question twice. I just pretend smart and just don’t answer the second one if I forgot the answer before. I just said, you asked before don’t make it the second one then they knew that I am triggering them. One good lesson that I can share here is show them how smart are you and if possible outsmart them with something they cannot answer. Speak English with them and they will look at you higher especially for those who born in belachan pot.

The funniest part of this audit session was we met a Bangla mingled around the park with suit at 11 pm. Yupp full suit means long pant, white shirt, neck tie and blazer . I called him and asked why did he wear such thing in the hot sunny day and he may be didn’t understand my question. He works at KLIA with Mas Catering. The audit session turned joke. Everyone was laughing and they loss on focus. Ha ha ha … good one I guess. Just unofficial the official and joke the serious. It will make things better because the life is not that serious.

From Miri With Love

You are deep inside my heart and in my thought you dwell and our togetherness keeps life blooming. Remember the yesterdays, plan our tomorrows and we celebrate it today, our 6th Anniversary.

SAIFUDDIN ALI,
Kopitiam Malaya, Miri International Aiport

-composing the text on the 3rd of December and

will be arrived KLIA on the 4th.after announced

flight delayed.

Bapaku P Ramlee

I had born with Rock N Roll in my blood and never give any room to others. According to my sister , I was full printed with eagles and Pentagram tatoo when my mother delivered (Ozzy Osbourne would cry listen this), and that's shows how stubborn rock n roll I am now.On the other hand, the melancholic part of me is I do watched P Ramlee’s movies but never pay attention to all his songs all this while .That’s sometimes have made my father angry when I always keep condemning P Ramlee as muzik orang tua-tua and it is outdated during my school time. Maklum lah darah muda. Yes the ratdaddy young at heart

True enough, P Ramlee is not Marty Friedman or Jimi Hendrix but after watching The Bolshoi Ballet Theatre Orchestra of Tashkent who covers P.Ramlee's song at Philharmonic Hall , then I changed my mind. It was awesome and the bigband had really dig my ear to listen the quality songs. Since that, I beleive his songs is supposed to be crowned as the masterpiece of the archipelago region. Then I start to compare that P Ramlee actually is may be equal to Paul McCartney or also maybe equal to Frank Sinatra or may be better. But now I can say, all rock n roll superstars all over the world, are just dust and nothing compare to him.

While waiting for Miri for boarding, I transited to Wisma Sanyan, Sibu. After finishing my Nasi Lelapan, I went to Popular and the Bapaku P Ramlee which sat next to Karim Raslan's Ceritalah Malaysia 4 had captured my eyes. I grabbed the book and flipped as I find so many untold stories being described from his only blood son. It is in malay authored by Nasir P Ramlee who untalented in writing .But the way he write the book ,shows it is a very true , sincere and justified everything. Of course it won’t be as good as Jack Higgin or Kadir Jasin's writing but Nasir is the only living encyclopedia who only deserves to describe the his father. P Ramlee once made a film entitled Anakku Sazali (My Son Sazali) for his son and now the son Nasir P Ramlee has written a book titled Bapaku P Ramlee as a dedication to his father and all the words are based on his personal relation and experience.

Most stories here are being untold in any media. P Ramlee in his glory time is quite rich according to Nasir. He owned good cars,good house (given by Shaw Brothers),servants and everything but the fact he never save those thing for the rainy days is everybody knows. The words here are quite simple and that’s sound sincerity of Nasir as a son related to P Ramlee. The mahjong story is like an open secret to Malaysian as we 'd being told before that P Ramlee was God of gambler and that’s make he suffered till his death. P Ramlee is totally born as a great performer, good composer, film maker and what ever you name it but personally bad in running his own life and cash flows as well.

From, Nasir version described P Ramlee is a total fatherhood and he wants all his kids well educated. He hired three private teachers teach all his kids and at that time that’s considered expensive where not all people can afford to pay personal teachers to come home and give tuition. But Nasir is spoilt and school dropped out. Nasir is just like Sazali in Anakku Sazali except he never have a gun to shoot and rob people. He quitted studies at the very young age and starts his music career which considered gray and not many people can appreciate his music.

To Nasir, his entire father’s marriage failure is not because of him. It’s all being fated but the most reason is jealousy and the celebrity lifestyle. To what his words, his life at young when his fathers glitter’s time is considered rich and damn wealthy but they never save for the rainy days and that’s the result of Ramlee mati miskin and also fated to his anak- anak. Same goes to Saloma who was also kaki mahjong extreme.

P Ramlee is a failure bussinesmen and he never charge people on using his name for the bussines purpose. The not so stingy person have made him suffer a lot when he moved to KL where the globalisation of movie market have started in the early 70's. I can’t imagine if he still alive and understand what mass communication all about is, the open sky market of celebrity advertising and what is music campaign in capitalist open market.Well at least if he is not as wealthy as Ananda Krishnan, he must owned a production house . From what Nasir said in early page, his father only take two or three boxes of Lucky Strike's cigarettes as a commision for the billboard advertising. Just imagine it, if that happens now, Lucky Strike would be bankrupt by making fraud of product's ambassador deal. The key word I learn from this book is :- save your money for the future, teach the good lesson to kids,dont pampered them with money, expose them to religious and the most important thing, no matter how big your talent is, at the end money does count your life. Okay that’s it; I took only one hour from Sibu to Miri to finish the book. Sincere, sad ,awesome and four stars. Well at least I got a better impact rather than read Charles Dicken.

C-BU

Tired but at the same time I hate to see someone stupid in my office. No matter hell is to answer the audit session, I’d rather to be here rather than seeing someone who always devilish other people and big mouth. To answer the audit’s question is killing me and maybe I presume it’s even easier to answer the death angle but to see our Mr. Tired in the office, I better die here. I’ve been here since last Sunday and today will be the fifth day and I have another visit in Miri to accomplish my Sarawak audit session. But Sibu is real tough and I try my best to save the unsafe.

As a so called the makan gaji officer I was instructed to handle the audit session and fronting the devil but it doesn’t puzzle me much and here the Sarawak parks are all in my schedule for this whole freaking week. There are four of them who made my life hell this week.2 subordinates , 1 officer and 1 devil officer. I better not mention their name here but their boss was damn terrible and she might asked odd things and something out of the universal.

With her long hair like a chinese vampire in Wong Fei Hung story,she keeps pressuring question one after another . I haven't finish to answer the first question here comes another one. But the silly thing about the guy auditor who vormitted one hour after the site visit. Nak sangat audit , sampai muntah ...baru dia tau. Well according to his colleagues, he had BP and diabetic but a medicine phobia.The way he asked as it is he wants to eat my tummy , but the moment he puked, I knew his ego had been flushed out. Hahahaa .....(evil laugh)

Right, Sibu has a few urban and suburban parks for the leisure activities of locals and tourists and it is situated in Caribbean? Why? It is located next to Bermuda Triangle and what ever things we tried to erect here we will face the sink and hang problems later. Just like Bermuda kan, anything pass through would be disappeared.

Okay this is something academic and you might yawn reading this copy paste text and it is related to my work. Lake Garden, located about 1km from the town centre, is one of the ideal places in Sibu to escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. It is also the most-sought out place by remote-controlled powerboat enthusiasts who show off their skills on the lake every evening and on weekends. But still we can see the odd things here especially the swamp and sink things . For those who undertstand, Sibu park should be known as the hanging garden as everything here hanged between the beam and earth.

Enough for that and this Foo Chow town is known for its delicious and affordable local cuisine. The most famous dishes include umai (shashimi la kot) , nasi lalakan (mcm nasi timbel kat Cengkareng), laksa sarawak and satay here ( I find it ok lah at Sibu Pasar Malam)and the most favorite makan place is at Sri Meranti (the makan place not the spa one) Okay you can still get the cheap stuff in Sibu as I heard everything here is tax unpaid. Lee Loong is running the business well I guess and say Sorry to Big AK because the Sibu residents don’t really rely on Astro. So Trans TV is just okay as Insert is adorable ones.

Dah la , gua ngantokk,, next Miri session. I missed my family damn much now.

p/s : I dont care , this is my personal blog, I can write whatver I want to write.Uninvited..just walkoff..!