Wednesday, August 27, 2025

Merdeka Short Stories

MERDEKA!

As we are celebrating our Merdeka MERDEKA!

As we are celebrating our Merdeka this coming 31 August, I have decided to compile some short stories for everyone to read - four to be exact.

While these stories might be fictional, it is the morale or the lesson from these stories that need to be taken into our hearts and be ingrained so that we may impart it to our next and future generation - forging the nation even closer and stronger!




Short Story 1: Cracker Eating Competition

At one school, Sekolah Rendah Haji Bakhil, to celebrate Independence Day, there was a cracker-eating competition. Participants flocked to the event.

This competition is quite popular among children because the method is quite easy and they can eat delicious food, of course crackers are a snack that is quite famous in Malaysia.

Once all the preparations were complete, there were 10 cracker hangers in each row. Each child began choosing which section they wanted to stand in. However, one child in particular attracted considerable attention.

Her name is Nadia, a first-grade elementary school student. She used a chair to participate in the cracker-eating contest, prompting the teacher to ask her a question.

Teacher: "Why did Nadia bring a chair, what for?"
Nadia: "Umi said that when eating we are not allowed to stand, we have to sit, besides being sunnah, it is also good and polite behavior."

The teacher began nodding, thanking Nadia for reminding us all. From then on, there was no longer a standing cracker competition, but a sitting cracker-eating competition.


Short Story 2: 31 August Has Arrived!

My name is Fakri, and I attend Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Batik. Yesterday, Teacher Farhan announced that the fifth and sixth graders must attend a ceremony in the village field.

Today at half past five in the morning, I woke up, took a shower, and got everything ready. When I started ironing my clothes, I accidentally got the iron in my pocket because I was ironing too fast, which caused the pocket to rip.

I was starting to get confused because this was my only uniform that was still in good condition. I wondered for a moment what could help me now. So I could get this shirt pocket back on.

I didn't want to tell my mother. I knew she was busy molding her tempe. And the price of ingredients for making tempe was skyrocketing due to impending Confrontation by Indonesia, so sometimes the meager wages from making tempe were barely enough to feed us.

I had no intention of changing my uniform. But now, due to my carelessness, the pocket of my shirt was torn. I couldn't stay silent because it was already 6 in the morning and I wouldn't have time to sew it, so I used double-sided tape from my pencil case.

Finally, that item was able to temporarily help me participate in the flag ceremony to celebrate Independence Day. This was the least I could do to participate, even though the meaning of freedom for my family, who had escaped poverty, was still far from over.

We are still colonized by soaring prices, we are still colonized by the difficulty of finding work, we are still colonized by the word poverty.


Short Story 3: Once Free, Always Free!

31 August 1957, that is our Independence Day.
The day of independence for our nation and homeland.
The birth of a new nation.

All the choir children sang with joy and enthusiasm. Our fourth-grade class was assigned to be the choir at the upcoming Independence Day.

We are proud to be a choir, our roaring spirit reflects our love for our homeland - Malaysia, then Malaya. We live every verse of whatever we sing.

"The meaning of independence for you as students is to fill your independence with things that are beneficial for the nation and state, to become students who excel, have good morals, and also become pioneers of the nation's progress."

Those are the words of Mrs. Aini, our fourth-grade homeroom teacher, that we always remember. She always encouraged her students. So on this day of the ceremony, our choir was so solid and enthusiastic, making the Independence Day ceremony a success.


Short Story 4: Class Cleaning Competition

Teachers at Sekolah Menengah Sungai Perak have announced that to celebrate Merdeka, all classes will hold a class cleaning competition.

When class Satu Cemerlang and Satu Harapam were busy preparing from a long time ago, namely from the 21 August, they had started preparing their classes in such a way.

However, there was one class, Satu Gemilang, that hadn't prepared anything yet, acting as if they were just watching the others busy. Venga was the class monitor for that class.

On 23 August, one of Venga's friends, Siang, started to protest to Venga as to why our class didn't take part in the competition like the other classes and Saiful answered.

"We'll clean it later when the date is near."

Siang: "Why is that? We can start from now"
Venga: "Because I don't want to throw out the trash every day even though it's not my duty day" in a slightly high tone.

Siang and his other friends began MERDEKA!

As we are celebrating our Merdeka this coming 31 August, I have decided to compile some short stories for everyone to read - four to be exact.

While these stories might be fictional, it is the morale or the lesson from these stories that need to be taken into our hearts and be ingrained so that we may impart it to our next and future generation - forging the nation even closer and stronger!




Short Story 1: Cracker Eating Competition

At one school, Sekolah Rendah Haji Bakhil, to celebrate Independence Day, there was a cracker-eating competition. Participants flocked to the event.

This competition is quite popular among children because the method is quite easy and they can eat delicious food, of course crackers are a snack that is quite famous in Malaysia.

Once all the preparations were complete, there were 10 cracker hangers in each row. Each child began choosing which section they wanted to stand in. However, one child in particular attracted considerable attention.

Her name is Nadia, a first-grade elementary school student. She used a chair to participate in the cracker-eating contest, prompting the teacher to ask her a question.

Teacher: "Why did Nadia bring a chair, what for?"
Nadia: "Umi said that when eating we are not allowed to stand, we have to sit, besides being sunnah, it is also good and polite behavior."

The teacher began nodding, thanking Nadia for reminding us all. From then on, there was no longer a standing cracker competition, but a sitting cracker-eating competition.


Short Story 2: 31 August Has Arrived!

My name is Fakri, and I attend Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Batik. Yesterday, Teacher Farhan announced that the fifth and sixth graders must attend a ceremony in the village field.

Today at half past five in the morning, I woke up, took a shower, and got everything ready. When I started ironing my clothes, I accidentally got the iron in my pocket because I was ironing too fast, which caused the pocket to rip.

I was starting to get confused because this was my only uniform that was still in good condition. I wondered for a moment what could help me now. So I could get this shirt pocket back on.

I didn't want to tell my mother. I knew she was busy molding her tempe. And the price of ingredients for making tempe was skyrocketing due to impending Confrontation by Indonesia, so sometimes the meager wages from making tempe were barely enough to feed us.

I had no intention of changing my uniform. But now, due to my carelessness, the pocket of my shirt was torn. I couldn't stay silent because it was already 6 in the morning and I wouldn't have time to sew it, so I used double-sided tape from my pencil case.

Finally, that item was able to temporarily help me participate in the flag ceremony to celebrate Independence Day. This was the least I could do to participate, even though the meaning of freedom for my family, who had escaped poverty, was still far from over.

We are still colonized by soaring prices, we are still colonized by the difficulty of finding work, we are still colonized by the word poverty.


Short Story 3: Once Free, Always Free!

31 August 1957, that is our Independence Day.
The day of independence for our nation and homeland.
The birth of a new nation.

All the choir children sang with joy and enthusiasm. Our fourth-grade class was assigned to be the choir at the upcoming Independence Day.

We are proud to be a choir, our roaring spirit reflects our love for our homeland - Malaysia, then Malaya. We live every verse of whatever we sing.

"The meaning of independence for you as students is to fill your independence with things that are beneficial for the nation and state, to become students who excel, have good morals, and also become pioneers of the nation's progress."

Those are the words of Mrs. Aini, our fourth-grade homeroom teacher, that we always remember. She always encouraged her students. So on this day of the ceremony, our choir was so solid and enthusiastic, making the Independence Day ceremony a success.


Short Story 4: Class Cleaning Competition

Teachers at Sekolah Menengah Sungai Perak have announced that to celebrate Merdeka, all classes will hold a class cleaning competition.

When class Satu Cemerlang and Satu Harapam were busy preparing from a long time ago, namely from the 21 August, they had started preparing their classes in such a way.

However, there was one class, Satu Gemilang, that hadn't prepared anything yet, acting as if they were just watching the others busy. Venga was the class monitor for that class.

On 23 August, one of Venga's friends, Siang, started to protest to Venga as to why our class didn't take part in the competition like the other classes and Saiful answered.

"We'll clean it later when the date is near."

Siang: "Why is that? We can start from now"
Venga: "Because I don't want to throw out the trash every day even though it's not my duty day" in a slightly high tone.

Siang and his other friends began to look at each other, realizing their own mistakes in often forgetting to clean up the trash in the classroom on duty days.

Venga: "It's not that I don't want to compete like the others, but I don't want to be the only one cleaning it. Even though I'm the class monitor, why do I have be the one to keep cleaning the trash can?" he said, his tone starting to calm down a bit.

Friends: "Forgive us, Venga, we realize we were negligent and will not repeat our mistake. We promise to throw rubbish in its place and be on duty properly on duty days.

Venga: "I'm sorry for being silent all this time and not having courage to reprimand you. Well, anyway, let's start working tomorrow by working together."

Friends: "Okay!"

They finally got busy cleaning the class together and had fun. look at each other, realizing their own mistakes in often forgetting to clean up the trash in the classroom on duty days.

Venga: "It's not that I don't want to compete like the others, but I don't want to be the only one cleaning it. Even though I'm the class monitor, why do I have be the one to keep cleaning the trash can?" he said, his tone starting to calm down a bit.

Friends: "Forgive us, Venga, we realize we were negligent and will not repeat our mistake. We promise to throw rubbish in its place and be on duty properly on duty days.

Venga: "I'm sorry for being silent all this time and not having courage to reprimand you. Well, anyway, let's start working tomorrow by working together."

Friends: "Okay!"

They finally got busy cleaning the class together and had fun. coming 31 August, I have decided to compile some short stories for everyone to read - four to be exact.

While these stories might be fictional, it is the morale or the lesson from these stories that need to be taken into our hearts and be ingrained so that we may impart it to our next and future generation - forging the nation even closer and stronger!




Short Story 1: Cracker Eating Competition

At one school, Sekolah Rendah Haji Bakhil, to celebrate Independence Day, there was a cracker-eating competition. Participants flocked to the event.

This competition is quite popular among children because the method is quite easy and they can eat delicious food, of course crackers are a snack that is quite famous in Malaysia.

Once all the preparations were complete, there were 10 cracker hangers in each row. Each child began choosing which section they wanted to stand in. However, one child in particular attracted considerable attention.

Her name is Nadia, a first-grade elementary school student. She used a chair to participate in the cracker-eating contest, prompting the teacher to ask her a question.

Teacher: "Why did Nadia bring a chair, what for?"
Nadia: "Umi said that when eating we are not allowed to stand, we have to sit, besides being sunnah, it is also good and polite behavior."

The teacher began nodding, thanking Nadia for reminding us all. From then on, there was no longer a standing cracker competition, but a sitting cracker-eating competition.


Short Story 2: 31 August Has Arrived!

My name is Fakri, and I attend Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Batik. Yesterday, Teacher Farhan announced that the fifth and sixth graders must attend a ceremony in the village field.

Today at half past five in the morning, I woke up, took a shower, and got everything ready. When I started ironing my clothes, I accidentally got the iron in my pocket because I was ironing too fast, which caused the pocket to rip.

I was starting to get confused because this was my only uniform that was still in good condition. I wondered for a moment what could help me now. So I could get this shirt pocket back on.

I didn't want to tell my mother. I knew she was busy molding her tempe. And the price of ingredients for making tempe was skyrocketing due to impending Confrontation by Indonesia, so sometimes the meager wages from making tempe were barely enough to feed us.

I had no intention of changing my uniform. But now, due to my carelessness, the pocket of my shirt was torn. I couldn't stay silent because it was already 6 in the morning and I wouldn't have time to sew it, so I used double-sided tape from my pencil case.

Finally, that item was able to temporarily help me participate in the flag ceremony to celebrate Independence Day. This was the least I could do to participate, even though the meaning of freedom for my family, who had escaped poverty, was still far from over.

We are still colonized by soaring prices, we are still colonized by the difficulty of finding work, we are still colonized by the word poverty.


Short Story 3: Once Free, Always Free!

31 August 1957, that is our Independence Day.
The day of independence for our nation and homeland.
The birth of a new nation.

All the choir children sang with joy and enthusiasm. Our fourth-grade class was assigned to be the choir at the upcoming Independence Day.

We are proud to be a choir, our roaring spirit reflects our love for our homeland - Malaysia, then Malaya. We live every verse of whatever we sing.

"The meaning of independence for you as students is to fill your independence with things that are beneficial for the nation and state, to become students who excel, have good morals, and also become pioneers of the nation's progress."

Those are the words of Mrs. Aini, our fourth-grade homeroom teacher, that we always remember. She always encouraged her students. So on this day of the ceremony, our choir was so solid and enthusiastic, making the Independence Day ceremony a success.


Short Story 4: Class Cleaning Competition

Teachers at Sekolah Menengah Sungai Perak have announced that to celebrate Merdeka, all classes will hold a class cleaning competition.

When class Satu Cemerlang and Satu Harapam were busy preparing from a long time ago, namely from the 21 August, they had started preparing their classes in such a way.

However, there was one class, Satu Gemilang, that hadn't prepared anything yet, acting as if they were just watching the others busy. Venga was the class monitor for that class.

On 23 August, one of Venga's friends, Siang, started to protest to Venga as to why our class didn't take part in the competition like the other classes and Saiful answered.

"We'll clean it later when the date is near."

Siang: "Why is that? We can start from now"
Venga: "Because I don't want to throw out the trash every day even though it's not my duty day" in a slightly high tone.

Siang and his other friends began to look at each other, realizing their own mistakes in often forgetting to clean up the trash in the classroom on duty days.

Venga: "It's not that I don't want to compete like the others, but I don't want to be the only one cleaning it. Even though I'm the class monitor, why do I have be the one to keep cleaning the trash can?" he said, his tone starting to calm down a bit.

Friends: "Forgive us, Venga, we realize we were negligent and will not repeat our mistake. We promise to throw rubbish in its place and be on duty properly on duty days.

Venga: "I'm sorry for being silent all this time and not having courage to reprimand you. Well, anyway, let's start working tomorrow by working together."

Friends: "Okay!"

They finally got busy cleaning the class together and had fun.

Tuesday, August 26, 2025

🎒 Loceng Pertama 🔔

🎒 Loceng Pertama 🔔

Anita menggenggam beg galas barunya seperti sebuah perisai. Warnanya biru terang, dengan gambar roket dijahit di hadapan - kata ibunya, ia membuatkan Arif kelihatan berani.

Tapi, keberanian terasa jauh ketika dia berdiri di pintu pagar sekolah - dikelilingi wajah-wajah asing dan bangunan tinggi yang berbau kapur dan pengilat lantai.

Ayahnya berlutut di sebelah. “Nita, hari ni Nita akan belajar benda-benda hebat,” katanya sambil membetulkan tudung Anita. “Dan mungkin jumpa kawan baru,” katanya lagi.

Anita mengangguk, walaupun perutnya rasa seperti ada semacam yang berguling-guling.

Di dalam kelas, semuanya bising - kanak-kanak ketawa, kerusi diseret, dan guru yang suaranya seperti gendang ceria. Anita duduk di hujung bilik, mata terbuka luas, tangan digenggam erat.

Tiba-tiba ada yang menepuk bahunya.

“Hai,” kata seorang budak berambut kerinting dan gigi depan yang hilang. “Saya Zaki. Nak duduk sebelah saya?”

Anita dengan matanya yang berkelip. “Okay.”

Sepanjang hari mereka melukis dinosaur, mengira guli, dan berbisik tentang snek yang dibawa. Semasa rehat, mereka berlari di taman permainan seperti angkasawan di planet Marikh.

Apabila loceng terakhir berbunyi, Anita berlari kepada ayahnya, tersenyum lebar. “Nita dapat kawan baru harini ayah,” katanya, tercungap-cungap.

Ayahnya tersenyum. “Kan ayah dah kata - kamu akan belajar sesuatu yang hebat.”

Monday, August 25, 2025

Mistika Muthu

Muthu Kumaran terdiam sejenak, matanya terpaku pada sebuah kotak kayu tua yang tampak lusuh di hadapannya. Ia menemukannya di loteng lama milik datuknya—terlindung debu tebal dan jaring labah-labah yang menggantung. Rasa ingin tahunya membuak, mendorongnya untuk mengangkat kotak itu dan meletakkannya di atas meja.


Dengan hati berdebar, dia membuka penutup kotak perlahan-lahan. Di dalamnya terletak sebuah cermin kecil berbingkai perak yang telah pudar warnanya. Namun, cermin itu bukan sembarang cermin—permukaannya tampak beriak lembut, memancarkan cahaya samar yang menenangkan. Saat Muthu Kumaran menatap pantulannya, bayangan seorang budak lelaki muncul, tersenyum ceria sambil menggenggam sebuah kapal mainan.


Di bawah cermin itu, tersembunyi sebuah pembaris kayu. Ia tampak biasa saja, tanpa ciri istimewa. Namun, Muthu Kumaran teringat akan kisah-kisah datuknya tentang benda-benda ajaib yang mampu mengubah kenyataan. Dia meletakkan pembaris itu di sisi cermin. Tiba-tiba, pembaris itu bersinar terang, dan cahaya dari cermin pun semakin memancar.


Cahaya itu membesar, menyelimuti seluruh ruangan dalam kilauan magis. Muthu Kumaran menutup matanya. Saat dia membukanya kembali, dia tidak lagi berada di kamarnya. Di hadapannya terbentang padang rumput yang luas, dengan sungai yang mengalir tenang di kejauhan. Pembaris di tangannya terasa hangat, dan cermin itu memantulkan dunia baru yang belum pernah dilihatnya. Muthu Kumaran tersenyum, bersedia untuk mengukur dan menjelajahi setiap sudut dari realiti ajaib yang kini terbuka di hadapannya.

Today is a Happy Day

 Today is a happy day because it is the first day ever I attend a Book Writing Workshop in Penang.

It is a 5-day workshop held and organised by local professional writers in the country. 

Merdeka Short Stories

MERDEKA! As we are celebrating our Merdeka  MERDEKA! As we are celebrating our Merdeka this coming 31 August, I have decided to compile some...