My Gazan friend wrote...

"Bro, I went out with friends the other day and one of them was talking about his friends and other people he knows and telling their stories. None of them made it alive through this aggression. The Israeli army destroyed their houses and killed them one by one.

It used to ache more before, but we developed our emotions not to feel anymore. He is doing okay and speaks about them like they are not even dead. He stopped caring. I stopped caring. Everyone did! Cuz if you do, you will drown in an ocean of sorrow. So, we choose to man up and put our feelings aside and continue our lives as if nothing ever happened.

How sad it is to lose friends and act like it is okay because we’ve lost many of them before! I have become afraid to get attached to anyone even my family members so that they don’t grief later…

And then…we are called terrorist and the entire world is watching us getting killed and don’t give a damn!

Screw this world! I say, screw this world!”

(…and I am speechless again)

Just Imagine....

Just imagine that moment when the Israeli armies call and order you to evacuate your home in order for them to shell and destroy it within ten minutes. Imagine that! Just ten minutes and your little history will be wiped off from the earth: your gifts and photos of your brothers and sons; the stuff you like: your chair, books, the latest divan you read; a letter from a migrant sister; memories of moments with whom you loved; your habits of petting gardenia on your window; your old clothes; your wife’s gold; and the money you saved throughout your life. Oh! Everything come to your mind and astonish you! And then, you take only your identification papers from the candy tray and go out to die a thousand... 

- Mohammed (Gaza, Palestine)

Letupan demi letupan di Gaza..

Rutin wajib saya setiap hari sekarang adalah untuk sekurang-kurangnya menghantar pesanan ringkas 'hi' atau 'how are you' kepada sahabat saya di Gaza dan saat dia menjawab 'i'm fine'... kalimat pertama yang keluar dari mulut saya adalah 'alhamdulillah'... 

Sesungguhnya sesiapa sahaja yang merasakan orang-orang Gaza itu adalah saudaranya akan mengharungi hari-hari yang penuh mendebarkan saat ini... Allahurabbi..

Gambar berikut menunjukkan kesan letupan bom berhadapan rumah sahabat saya semalam...syukur beliau dan keluarga masih selamat...alhamdulillah..

Spekulasi penyebaran video letupan bom di Gaza: siapa yang merakamkan?

Menurut pemerhatian saya, ramai yang tertanya-tanya bagaimana video-video letupan bom di Gaza dirakamkan. Pelbagai spekulasi timbul ekoran perkongsian video-video tersebut. Siapa yang merakamkan? Bagaimana ia boleh dirakamkan? Seolah-olah orang yang merakamkan ini tahu pula bom akan gugur pada tempat-tempat tertentu.

Untuk pengetahuan semua, Gaza sebenarnya adalah sebuah kawasan yang sangat kecil. Pada ketika ini, bom gugur di mana-mana dan pada bila-bila masa sahaja. Berdasarkan pengalaman saya sendiri bervideo call dengan sahabat di Gaza, dalam tempoh tidak sampai dua jam, saya sendiri dapat mendengar letupan-letupan bom dan bunyi roket yang bersahut-sahutan. Ngeri….

Jadi saya kira, untuk merekodkan video seumpama itu tidak lah sesukar mana. Mereka hanya perlu meletakkan kamera, fokus pada satu-satu kawasan tertentu. Mungkin kurang dari satu jam, mereka akan dapat merekodkan letupan bom seperti yang kita lihat dalam video-video yang dikongsi ketika ni.

Isunya sekarang, tidak kiralah siapapun yang merakamkan…tetapi kita tahu tujuan penyebaran adalah supaya kita mendapat maklumat tentang apa yang sebenarnya terjadi di sana seterusnya cuba untuk melakukan sesesuatu mengikut kemampuan masing-masing.

Semalam, saya berkesempatan lagi bervideo call dengan sahabat saya yang ketika itu berada di dalam bilik di rumah beliau. Gambar berikut adalah pemandangan biasa dari tingkap bilik tersebut….

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

* Oh sahabat… kagumnya aku denganmu…saat jantungku berdegup kencang seperti hendak pecah mendengar bunyi bom dan roket silih berganti…engkau terus tenang dan mampu pula memberikan senyuman ikhlas buatku…bahkan engkau pula yang menenangkanku dengan ayat standardmu… ‘its ok…we are used to it’

Arghhhhh…aku menahan air mata lagi…..mengenangkan betapa hebatnya engkau dan lemahnya aku wahai sahabat…Allahurabbi… -SI

What would be your respond if your good friend tells you this...

“Today we will be breaking our fast while hearing the violently monstrous voices of the Israeli raids all over Gaza. We have nothing to do but praying for Allah to protect us during these unsecured days…”

(….and I am speechless again -SI)

The conversation with my Gazan brother...

Me: btw where are u now? at home? hmm hows Gaza now bro?

Him: Yes, working on a battery. Gaza is lacking everything. Electricity, fuel, food, etc

Me: I heard about the bombing recently. Is it true?

Him: Yes, of course. Bombing happens almost on daily basis

Me: Allahuakbar….was it near ur place?

Him: Yes. But don’t worry. We are ok. Atleast for now.

Me: Alhamdulillah… I thought d bombing is over

Him: Israel will never stop defending itself from the people whose land they have stolen. The bombing never ends.

Me: hmm how about d gate bro? i meant rafah?

Him: Closed as always. Border.

Me: still d same? so people cannot leave Gaza?

Him: It gets opened maybe three days every two weeks and not all the travelers get to travel. We don't 

live like humans anymore.

Me: I am sad dat d world do not c this. :(

Him: Everyone is busy having fun.

Me: I meant…they may c but they do nothin

Him: Too bad for us

Me: Allahu akhbar. (started to wipe my tears)

Him: Its ok bro. We are used to it.

Me: I hope jannah awaits all Gazan including u my brother!!

Him: Inshallah…and u too

Me: Ameeen….I know living there is never easy.

Him: Bro…living in Gaza is not living. It is surviving

Me:  Bro…I am so sorry that I cud not do anything to help...

Him: Hey…its ok.. no prob. 

(and I continued wiping my tears - SI)

Melancong ke Phuket, Phi Phi Island dan Krabi

Kuala Lumpur International Airport. MAS flight bound to Phuket.

Phuket night view - from Patong Tower Condominium

Hard Rock Cafe Phuket

Phuket Town at night

The famous Bangla Road

Phuket Town - night clubs

Morning view from the room.

On the cruise to Phi Phi Island

Phi Phi Island

Phi Phi Island (Jetty)

Phi Phi Island - the fishermen boats

Phi Phi Island

Phi Phi Island

Phi Phi Island

Phi Phi Island

Phi Phi Island - the beach