Budak lari nampak `tok mudim’

GEORGETOWN: Gelagat ‘tok mudim’ menaiki basikal tua jenis Raleigh bersama beg peralatan berkhatan di Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, dekat sini, semalam, menyebabkan kanak-kanak yang berkumpul di kawasan itu bertempiaran lari.
‘Tok mudim’ persis era 1950-an itu mengayuh basikalnya sambil melambai-lambai ke arah sekumpulan kanak-kanak dan kadangkala bersiul mengikut irama lagu lama manakala kanak-kanak pula bertempiaran lari selepas gerun terkenangkan pisau tajamnya.
Itulah senario yang dapat dilihat di Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, lokasi Festival Georgetown yang diadakan bersempena ulang tahun kedua pengisytiharan Georgetown sebagai Tapak Warisan Dunia, semalam.

Tok mudim terbabit, Syed Ahmad Haidrus, 59, berkata dia adalah anak jati negeri itu, keturunan India Muslim dan berbangga dapat mengayuh basikal klasik di tengah bandar moden.
“Saya berpakaian begini semata-mata untuk memeriahkan suasana malah tidak pernah pun menjadi tok mudim,” katanya.
Katanya, sekali seminggu dia berpakaian seperti itu dengan menaiki basikalnya.

Penang Heritage Day

Syed Ahmad Haidrus astride his classic bicycle with the celebration committee members.

Syed Ahmad Haidrus atau Pak Syed (Mamak Penang) dari Pulau Pinang sempat menghantar berita mengenai basikal/gerek tua dari utara kepada penulis pada 24 Julai 2011 bersempena “Indian-Muslim Culture Celebration” yang telah diadakan pada awal Julai yang lalu. Nama Pak Syed yang sangat terkenal di utara dan di kalangan pejuang dan pencinta basikal tua merupakan salah seorang pejuang sejati yang berjuang bersama beberapa sahabat-sahabatnya iaitu Abg. Hamid dan Uncle Wong, mereka ini sering hadir mengikuti aktiviti dan acara kayuhan yang dianjurkan oleh penulis dan sahabat-sahabat di Melaka dan Johor.
Bagi mereka yang mengenalinya, Pak Syed sangat sinonim dengan gaya dan kelainan berpakaiannya yang beridentitikan “Mamak Penang” sering sahaja berjaya mencuri perhatian lensa kamera dan media jika ada event yang besar. Bukan itu sahaja, beliau bersama sahabatnya sanggup mengembara jauh beratus batu, keluar dari negerinya untuk bersama-sama hadir menyokong setiap aktiviti dan acara besar basikal tua yang diadakan di Malaysia dan seorang yang “pemurah” untuk berkongsikan pengalamannya. Ternyata daya juang dan semangat insan unik ini cukup kental dan bertenaga untuk melihat warisan ini terus dipertahankan kepada generasi muda.

Jutaan terima kasih khas buat Pak Syed kerana sudi berkongsikan pengalaman ini khas buat teman-teman basikal tua seluruh tanahair. Semoga berita dari utara ini memberi petanda baik bahawa basikal tua kini mula bangkit dan mendapat perhatian di mana-mana sahaja. Silakanlah membaca berita yang dikirimkan ini….

Ini dia gaya klasik "Mamak Penang" yang paling asli....

Pak Syed bersama peminat cilik gerek tua...bergambar sebagai bukti gerek tua masih diminati dan dihargai di sana...

Pak Syed bersama-sama sahabatnya masih kental dan bersemangat melestarikan gerek tua di utara...

Semangat 1Malaysia yang dibawa bersama basikal tua membuktikan basikal/gerek tua dapat menyatukan bangsa dan negara...

Syed Ahmad with Penang CM

Indian-Muslims celebrate culture

GEORGE TOWN: Come Thursday, the area surrounding Kapitan Keling Mosque in Lebuh Buckingham will be abuzz with activities, starting with the Indian-Muslim Culture Celebration. The celebration is in conjunction with Penang Heritage Day, which is part of George Town Festival 2011.
The Indian-Muslim Culture Celebration, which will be held for three days from Thursday, has various interesting programmes including the Indian-Muslim Museum Portraits of Penang, Heritage Ride — a bicycle ride within the George Town area with riders in traditional costumes, Heritage Drawing and Colouring Contest For Kids, Longest Non-Stop Teh Tarik and Roti Canai Demonstration, a performance by snake charmer Amjad Khan, Indian-Muslim Culture Show and free tasting of traditional Indian-Muslim food.
“These programmes are meant to promote the development of an Indian-Muslim community and culture, whose heritage, prosperity and wellbeing are important to the cultural diversity of the inner city of George Town,” said Kapitan Keling Mosque management committee chairman Meera Mydin Mastam at the announcement of the celebration.
Also present were George Town Festival 2011 programme director Joe Sidek, festival programme contributor Dr. Ooi Cheng Ghee, Indian-Muslim Culture Celebration 2011 programme coordinator Mohamed Rizwan Abdul Ghafoor Khan and celebration programme assistant-director Mohamed Rizwan Sharbudin.
Meera said the organising committee hoped the celebration would strengthen the role of Indian-Muslim youth as custodian and interpreter of their heritage and historic environment. “The local community and tourists will also gain better knowledge of Indian-Muslim culture and heritage,” he said.

Waiting to get signature from India Imam..

Vintage bicycle record-breaking feat

A 200-metre stretch of the main road entering the hypermarket was packed with the classic bicycles — setting a new record for the largest gathering of old cycles in Malaysia Book of Record.

SOME 426 vintage bicycle enthusiasts dressed up as characters from yesteryear converged at Mydin MITC in Ayer Keroh, Malacca, to showcase their rides.


The mass gathering of vintage bicycles was officiated by state legislative assembly speaker Datuk Wira Othman Muhammad with Mydin’s managing director Datuk Dr Ameer Ali Mydin in attendance.

“I am proud to be invited to witness a large congregation of classic bicycles,” said Othman, at the event which was jointly organised by Batu Berendam Classical Bicycle Association and Mydin.
Among the exhibits were utility, service and military bicycles that were more than a century old.
The hypermart’s manager R Apparavoo said he did not expect a huge turnout of vintage bicycle owners at the event.
“They came with zeal to display their collections which is not only a captivating sight for locals, but also visitors from neighbouring states, especially the younger generation.”

Vintage bicycles that were abundant in the early days of Malaya ranged from manufacturers like Raleigh, Hercules, Robinhood, Phillips, BSA, Sunbeam, Triumph, Hudson and Rudge.
Some 20 classic bicycle associations from Muar, Klang, Kota Tinggi and Johor Baru were involved in the gathering to commemorate Malaysia Day.
One of the participants, Zain Omar from the Army’s firefighting unit became the talk of town with his vintage fireman’s bike.
He said the special British-made bicycle was used in the 1880’s.
“I spend a fortune to refurbish the old bike which was purchased from an antique dealer, few years ago.

“The fire-fighting equipment which was mounted on the bike were sourced from various antique collectors domestic and foreign.”
Zain, a fireman at the Terendak Army Camp said his network of friends had led him to source for vintage firefighting equipment from England.

Two other cycling enthusiasts, Sak Abu Ali, 58 and Yakno Yapani, 35, from Batu Berendam had turned up in vintage police uniforms during the gathering.
Sak Abu said their uniforms were custom made while the rank insignias and service badges were ordered through the Internet.