The Beauty Of Life

Had the good fortune of taking a lone drive up to Tanjung Tuan or Cape Rachado across the Linggi-Negeri Sembilan border about 80km from the city to cover Malaysian Nature Society's Raptor Watch Week. It was a double bonus for me just to be in Tanjung Tuan as it is one of the most scenic sites in the country which is truly unique in every sense of the word.

Though some15km across the Negeri Sembilan border, Tanjung Tuan, covering about 100hectares, belongs to Malacca. It has been that way for as long as anyone can remember with the Portuguese, Dutch and British recognizing this since the 1500s.

It is the only coastal hill forest in the West Coast of Malaysia which is a protected forest reserve and a bird sanctuary. Besides this, it is also the site of the country's oldest light-house built by the Portuguese in 1520s over a much earlier structure of unknown origin or date.

Each year, between mid Feb to mid April, more than 20,000 various species of birds of prey fly overhead Tanjung Tuan on their migratory route from Asia to Siberia, China, Japan and Russia. The large birds ride the thermal drafts near the coast to propel them higher for their long spring-winter migration. To see an eagle fly is sight to behold but to see flocks of majestic birds of prey circling high above is truly one of nature's wonders.

Though there were only four sightings at Tanjung Tuan for that particular Saturday, I was fortunate enough to spot a flock of them between Linggi and Tanjung Tuan.

The view from the sea from the cliff next to the light-house was breath taking. It is a humbling experience as I stand in awe of God's creation, knowing how insignificant my pettiness becomes when compared to the beauty of life and its blessings.

To None I Wish Ill But To All I Wish Peace and Love.

A Story Lost In The Mist Of Time

Malaysia's history has always been a fascination to me. By that I don't mean 15th Century Malacca Sultanate Empire but a time dating back to pre-history.

It is interesting to note that Peninsula Malaysia was once part of a large landmass called Sundaland that included Borneo, Indonesia, Thailand and parts of Vietnam and Myanmar. This landmass was made possible as sea levels at around 18,000BCE when sea levels were between 80meters and 120meters lower than present day level owing to water locked in during the last Ice Age.

There was abundance of life here as the landmass was sparred the ravages of the Ice Age. However, this began to change when the ice thawed between 12,000BCE causing sea levels to rise rapidly by up to 5meters above present day levels before stabilizing 7,000BCE.

There have been scientific evidence that humans have inhabited the Malaysian Peninsula as far back as 30,000BCE during the neolithic period following the discovery of the Perak Man. There is also evidence of iron-age settlement dating back more than 2,000 years based on recent discoveries in Kedah.

However, it is unfortunate that our country's rich past isn't being appreciated or studied closer. It seems that we only choose to see our history going back 500 years to 800 years, whether for political reasons or otherwise.

There are some artifacts that are undeniably older than their assumed age or origins. One such are the only known standing stones found in the Peninsula at Pengakalan Kempas in Negeri Sembilan after the Linggi River that bear strange carvings.

There are wave or flowery patterns, animal motifs including what seems to be a solar disc carved on two of the stones, suggesting pre-Islamic origins. Islam prohibits representations of animals in art work including fashioning stones as objects of veneration such as indicated by the Penkalan Kempas stones.

The controversy centres around the Islamic 'kalimah Allah'or name of Allah found carved on one of these stones. It is therefore assumed that the stones are the work of people who had converted into Islam and later Islamized the stones.

No consideration had been given to the possibility that the stones may have been the work of ancient seafarers or much earlier settlers whose date and origin are unknown. It was only the last few hundred years when migrating Muslim Indonesians from Sumatra and Java arrived here and subsequently 'added' on the 'kalimah Allah'.

Such is the case where ancient standing stones in Europe where Christianized with symbols of crosses at a later point in time. Incidentally, Muslim graves are usually located near these stones as they were initially assumed to be graves. However, archaeological excavations have proven that the these were not used as grave markers. This mistaken assumption can also be found in megaliths sites in Europe where christian graves are located nearby.

So my question is...who the heck were the people responsible for the Pengkalan Kempas decorated megaliths and the several hundred other plain standing stones found scattered between the Malacca and Negeri Sembilan borders? When were they erected and what were their purpose?

I strongly believe that the stones were erected eons ago by a people lost in the mist of time.

To None I Wish Ill But To All I Wish Peace and Love

The Truth Will Set You Free

Though I am a believer in the word of God and His promises, I am still human and have erred in more ways than once. Often times, my fall from grace is due to my willful blindness of the 'truth'.

"I have always believed in Him who is the Word

Who came down not to teach profound doctrines

But the simplicity of Truth

And how it can set one's soul free"

~Martz Carvalho~

"Those who see wrong where there is none,

and do not see wrong where there is,

follow false doctrines on the downward course.

But those who see wrong where there is wrong,

and see no wrong where there is none,

follow true doctrines on the upward course."

Verses 338-339 The Dhammapada

To None I Wish Ill But To All Wish Peace and Love

Fire In The Sky

Have several things to blog about but will only do so when time permits. Just thought I post this photo which I took at dusk on Saturday.

Was on the way home after covering Malaysian Nature Society's annual Raptor Watch Week in Tanjung Tuan and had swung by Pondok Kempas, Negeri Sembilan to take a few shots of one of the most mysterious megaliths in Malaysia.

Was driving towards the city at about 6.55pm along Tanjung, near Pantai Kundor when a bright glare cuaght my eye from the rear view mirror. It was this really odd looking shimmering cloud in the sky.

Pulled the car to the side of the road and took several shot my G9 before the cloud dissipated. Got home and showed my nephews and bro-in-law who were down for the weekend. Though it was merely a cloud, it did look like a UFO. Even So, it was one of the weirdest cloud I have ever seen.

To None I Wish Ill But To All I Wish Peace and Love.

An All Indian Affair

Phew...its beeen quite a while since my last post. Been rather busy and also educating myself on the world of Facebook. Its been the usual humdrum routine until early Monday morning...and I mean really early in the morning.

Was suppose to be off on account of the public holiday but nevertheless decided to put in some work. It was to do with the Hindu annual Marsimaham festival. It involved a 12km procession from the country's oldest Hindu temple, the 18th Century Sri Poothya Temple in the heart of the old city to an equally old temple located in the outskirts of the city in Krubong.

It was slated to start at about 5am. With it being so early, I did not want to assign any of my stringers to cover it (with such nice chilly weather to snooze) so there was only me left to 'volunteer'. Being afraid that I would sleep through the event, I decided to stay awake the entire night instead.

I must admit that I am still blurr from lack of sleep but it was worth the while covering the event. It gave me the rare opportunity to experience the practice and belief of another faith up close...I mean really up close. (So close, that I almost stepped on a devotee's offering at the temple)

To each his own, they say and so be it. Being human...all of us have our own beliefs and faith. At the end of the day, I guess its how we live our lifes that really matters most.

To None I Wish Ill But To All I Wish Peace and Love.