Hikayat Moden: Bahagian II (Si Luncai & Pak Belalang)

Baca Bahagian I di sini.
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Setelah beberapa lama Si Luncai beredar dari kedai makan tadi, Si Luncai bertembung dengan Pak Belalang dan anaknya Belalang.

Si Luncai terfikir dalam hati kenapakah dua beranak ini dikenali dengan nama si anak. Ini adalah terbalik dengan kebiasaan masyarakat Melayu. Biasanya, nama bapa lebih dikenali dan si anak akan dibinkan dengan si bapa. Tapi bagi Si Luncai ini hanya satu dari beberapa "keterbalikan" yang ada pada dua beranak ini. Si Luncai tahu rahsia-rahsia lain dua beranak ini yang dia hanya simpan.

Belalang mencari rezeki dengan mencuri kereta masyarakat sekeliling dan menyembunyikan kereta tersebut untuk seketika waktu. Dalam waktu tersebut, bahagian-bahagian elok kereta-kereta berkenaan dicabut dan diganti dengan bahagian-bahagian yang kurang elok dan hampir rosak.

(Hanya dua jenama kereta sahaja yang mereka tidak akan curi, iaitu BMW dan Alfa Romeo. Logo dua jenama kereta ini ada tanda silang dan mereka takut iman mereka akan tergugat jika mereka sentuh benda-benda yang ada tanda silang.)

Apabila kerja-kerja pencurian tersebut selesai, dia akan beritahu kepada Pak Belalang di mana kereta-kereta tersebut boleh dijumpai.

Pak Belalang akan memberi khidmat siasatan & penujuman kepada mereka yang kehilangan kereta tersebut. Dia meyakinkan semua orang yang dia boleh selesaikan masalah kehilangan mereka. Apatah lagi apabila dia mewar-warkan yang dia menggunakan khidmat jin baik untuk menolong dalam hal ini.

Masyarakat sekeliling yang percaya akan perkara ini mengupah Pak Belalang dengan harga yang tinggi. Kadar kejayaan Pak Belalang dalam menyelesaikan masalah ini adalah 100%. Masyarakat sekeliling tidak sedikit pun mempersoalkan akan kadar kejayaan yang sempurna ini. Mereka percaya ini adalah kerana jin baik yang Pak Belalang guna.    

Kerana kejayaan menolong masyarakat sekeliling ini, Pak Belalang menjadi sangat terkenal. Masyarakat mengangkat Pak Belalang menjadi pemimpin masyarakat dan Pak Belalang telah menjadi ahli politikus dan bertanding dalam pilihanraya untuk menjadi pemimpin negeri tersebut.

Untuk meraikan kejayaannya dalam pilihanraya, Pak Belalang telah belanja minum semua orang kopi buntut kuali Belalang yang sangat kaw kaw dan terlajak laris.


Bersambung di Hikayat Moden: Bahagian III bulan hadapan...

Ghosts & Jinns are racist: Part II

Read Part I here.

In the 70's, there was an academic paper written by a university professor on mass hysteria that happened in several schools in the Peninsular at that time.

He collected data on all the mass hysteria in order to study the common factors.
If you haven't guessed it already, the usual suspect emerged.
It happened at boarding schools and it inflicted mostly Malay girls only, even when the schools are a mixed race school and/or co-ed schools.

As usual, the Malay community blamed it on the supernatural.
They never asked the questions that I asked.
Why are these supernatural entities only disturbed Malay girls?

Like I asked in Part I, are they racist? And sexist?
If they have two genders like us, male and female, and both genders take part in the possession, then, the female jinns must be lesbians since they do not seem interested in disturbing the Malay boys.
They prefer to disturb Malay girls only.
It is almost as if the ghosts and jinns, or whatever they are, are xenophobic and sexist and may even be LGBT.
Oh, what horror!

I got hold of that research paper.
(The internet is a wonderful thing! You can find almost anything that has ever been written and/or published!)
If you are interested in reading it, you can download/read it here.

The professor used his skills and knowledge in psychology/psychiatry to study the matter and not "jinn"ology or demonology (are there such words?) Among all the cases, he studied one case in depth.

Unfortunately, I think he felt he needed to restrain himself when writing his paper, less he is accused of being racially and culturally insensitive.
Or maybe it was his professional ethics of not passing judgement before collecting and analysing more data.

Whatever it was, whatever data he collected for that one case, he put it in his paper matter-of-factly.

Reading the data he presented in the paper, it was so obvious what the situation was (at least to those who can see beyond their superstition).
A half baked psychology student, could draw the conclusion.

Let me summarize the data for you (and possible conclusion in brackets).

---

(i) a few months before the outbreak, there was a big flood across the Peninsular that also affected the school (presumably leading to stress).

(ii) there were reports of enmity and jealousies between the girls (psychological tension and stress).

(iii) the hostel are managed and run by a male headmaster who had voyueristic tendencies (leading to fear of exposed modesty).

(iv) he conducted surprised visits day and night (leading to constant state of fear of the above).

(v) the girls feared he may caught them in a state of undress during these surprise visits (again constant fear and shame).

(vi) many of the affected girls have anxiety problems and other "negative" personality traits (anxiety problems).

Not stated in the paper, but can be inferred by logic, are the fact that the girls are separated from their families for long period of time with no direct communication. Remember, this is the 70's - no mobile phones and landlines are expensive. (Possible depression or kemurungan and lack of familial/emotional supports).

---

So, we have tension, stress, fear, personal space violation, personal shame, anxiety, depression.
Cumulatively altogether, these are enough to make even some grown men "crazy", let alone teenage girls at the onset of puberty and raging hormones.

Some of you will say that I am not a psychologist or psychiatrist, and that, I do not know what I am talking about.
And you are right.
I am not a psychologist or a psychiatrist.
I would love to hear what actually happen from a real psychologist/psychiatrist (assuming they are given access to investigate these cases fully without fear of reprisals from religious dogmatists).

Still some others would say that I am not an expert, but instead of pointing to psychologist/psychiatrist as possible experts, they point to other people which they claim have expertise in "jinnology" or demonology.

If your narrative is that they are possessed by ghosts or demons or spirits, then I ask you again, why are the ghosts and jinns being racist and sexist and possibly practising lesbianism?
(Refer to my Part I here.)

I would love to hear that explanation...!
#sarcasm
 

Trans Arong, Mersing Hiking Trip: Second Hiking Trip 2020 (15th Feb 2020).

Gunung Arong is located in Mersing, Johor.
It is part of the "Hutan Taman Negeri Gunung Arong" (Gunung Arong Recreational Forest).

The hiking trek started at Masjid Tg Resang, traversing the forested rocky hilltop along the coast, towards Pantai Rekreasi Mersing, to the south.

The trek is easy for seasoned hikers, and the view is breath taking, especially on a clear sunny day, just like on the day of the hike.

The waters simmered from light emerald green to minty lime to sapphire green to blue azure, aquamarine and turquoise.

The white cotton candy cloud that seems glued to the deep blue sky made the view even more perfect.

The tiredness from the steep climb were forgotten when we encountered the view. The half heart-shaped bay was a sight to behold.

 

The highest point of the climb provided us with a 360 degree view of the bay and the forest.

All in all, it was a rewarding hike.
A definite recommendation to all hikers and nature lovers.

The hike started at dawn.

Sunrise over Arong.

Sunrise silhouette.

Half heart shaped bay.

Full heart bay now after some edit.

Fajar menyinsing...

 

Gunung Arong elevation 240 metre.

  

Blue & green.

 

"De Hemel Is Dichtbij"

 

Enjoying the view...

 

Breath taking...!

 

Cotton...

 

...candy...

  



...cloud.



 

Peace...

 

...and quiet.

 

The twig and the horizon.

 

Not for the faint-hearted.

 

Top of the world...(almost).

 

Where the sea meets the land...

 

At the beach after the descent.

Resting the feet.

 

View at the finish line.

Relic.

  

YOU DID IT!

 

 

 

Yesterday When I Was Young...

"Yesterday When I Was Young" by Charles Aznavour.

 

 

 

I don't know a thing about love...

"I Don't Know a Thing About Love" by Floor Jansen.





Lyrics:

I asked my mother what she knows about love.

She said: girl, not that much but I do know,
that my heart led me to make honest choices,
Who to go to, who to live with, with whom to share.

I asked my father what he knows about love.

He said ask your mom please, but I can say
that my heart led me to make honest choices,
Who to go to, who to live with, with whom to share

For I know much about riches, and I know more about bliss.
And I also feel the sting when once again it’s hit and miss.
And I know all about joy, and maybe more about mourning,

but about love, about love, I don’t know a thing

So when you asked me what I know about love.

I said darling, not that much but I do know,
that my heart will lead me to make honest choices,
Who to go to, who to live with, with whom to share

For I know much about riches, and I know more about bliss.
And I also feel the sting when once again it’s hit and miss.
And I know all about joy, and maybe more about mourning,

but about love, about love, I don’t know a thing

I only know, I only know,

Only when you’re with me. 2x

 

Sebana Cove Marina & Resort, Pengerang, Johor.

Sebana Cove Marina & Resort, Pengerang on 01st Feb 2020.




When it is dark and
the light seems far away...



  

...and the darkest pit is
between you and the light...

 

Do not be afraid.

 

Remember the power within you.

Be calm.

 

 

Remember your true North.

 

  

Move forward, do not look back.

Leave the rusty
old baggage behind.

 

 

Follow your heart.

Until you reach home...
wherever it is...
as the cliché says,
home is where the heart is.