A NEW PLACE FOR LUNCH DISCOVERED IN TAMAN TERATAI

   31st AUGUST 2026    ~ Today was the National of Malaysia, celebrating its 69th year of Independence. My regular gastronomic adventure buddy and I decided to go for lunch outside.

He managed to find a restaurant on TikTok and we drove to Rantau Ikan Bakar Restaurant located in Taman Teratai. We arrived at about 2:15 p.m. and there were not many diners already. Fortunately, a lot of dishes were still available at that time.

It was a new eating place discovery for us. Now, we have found a good restaurant if we want to eat Nasi Campur - rice with dishes of our choice for lunch. I will be returning to try its other traditional Malay dishes.

ATTENDING THE WEDDING RECEPTION OF MR. AMIN SHAMSUDDIN

    30TH AUGUST 2026    ~ The second wedding of the day was of an ex-student of SMK Taman Universiti, Mr. Mohd. Amin Samsuddin. The venue was at Bricks Cafe & Homestay in Kempas, which accidentally near to the first reception attended before [READ HERE].

I met a few ex-students, an ex-colleague and parents of ex-students.

Fortunately, I managed to meet the groom and his lovely wife as I was leaving the place.

Wishing the lovely couple a blessed and happy married life ahead.

ATTENDING A CHESS PLAYER'S WEDDING RECEPTION

   30th AUGUST 2026    ~ Once in a while, I received invitation to wedding receptions from ex-students but those whom I did not teach in school. One example was those students from other schools who played chess at district and state level. I saw them almost every year as I was one of the teachers in-charge for the district players. Not only that, I also got to know their parents as well.

I was invited by Mr. Hisham and Puan Fazleen to the wedding reception of their daughter, Miss Sabrina Hisham. The event was held White Hall Event Space, somewhere in Kempas.

Unfortunately I did not get the chance to meet the bride and groom as I had to rush to another reception right after.

However, two of the bride's siblings who also played chess, Mr. Hafiz and Miss Nadia, were there.

Thank you the the parents for inviting me to the reception. Hopefully I could see the chess players family again in a similar event in the future.

ATTENDING AN EX-STUDENT'S SON AQIQAH EVENT

    29TH AUGUST 2026    ~ Apart from wedding invitation, I also go to Aqiqah event - now of my ex-students' children. I feel so old already.

Today's Aqiqah event was of the son of an ex-student's [of SMK Taman Universiti], Mr. Syarifuddin Wahid. My friend and I were a few of the early birds who arrived at his father's house in Taman Universiti at about 5:00 p.m.

Aqiqah refers to the Islamic tradition of sacrificing an animal (usually a sheep or goat) to celebrate and express gratitude for the birth of a child. It is a recommended Sunnah (practice of the Prophet Muhammad) that serves as a symbolic welcome for the newborn.

source: AI Overview

Other than Mr. Syarifuddin, his two other brothers and sisters are also my ex-students. I have been attending many events at his house, like Eid open houses, his father is not a stranger to me.

Thanks to the family for the kind thought of inviting me again to their house. May I will have the opportunity to see the children of these ex-students grow up when I come visiting next time.

ATTENDING THE WEDDNG RECEPTION OF MS. NORASHIKIN SURATMAN

I drove to Mysuri Hall in Senai today to attend the wedding reception of Miss Norashikin Suratman, an ex-student of SMK Taman Universiti.

The invitation actually came through her elder sister, Puan Suhana Suratman, an ex-colleague who was also teaching in the same school.

Then I met Mr. Nizam Suratman, the younger brother of Puan Suhana who happened to be my ex-schoolmate of SMS Muar, and he was one year junior than me.

I also saw another ex-student at the event, Mr. Asyraf, who happened to be related to the groom.

The last time I met the family members was in November 2025, during another wedding reception event. [READ HERE]

Congratulations to the newlyweds and wishing them a blessed and joyful married life ahead. There might be other similar events in the future in the family for another meeting up opportunity.