Note: See table C3 for actual figures and for a key to the classes of cultivators Note: See table C3 for actual figures and for a key to the classes of cultivators whose returns are described.
[Page 360]
TABLE C4 • Officers and Members of the Village Development Committee (JKK) of UMNO in Sedaka, with Income Rank of Family, 1979
Name Office in UMNO Income Rank of Family
Shamsul Head 66
Fadzil Ass’t Head 42
Taha Lebai Hussein Treasurer 35
Basir Exco member 64
Ghazali Exco member 65
Amin Exco member 72
Yunus bin Haji Salim Exco member *
Sofiah, wife of Tok Long Exco member 61
Daud bin Haji Jaafar Exco member 70
Sahil bin Lebai Pendak Exco member 73
Abu Hassan Exco member 57
*Son of extremely rich landowner (45 relong, two lorries, small rice mill) residing at edge of village. His father is the elected head of the UMNO committee for the federal parliamentary constituency (Jerai) that includes Sedaka.
Appendix D • Glossary of Local Terms
[Page 361]
Bang—To hear about, to overhear, to eavesdrop.
Belaga—To fight, to oppose.
Cam—To notice.
Dangau—Shed, covered lean-to, hut for crop watching.
Depa—They.
Derau (n)—An exchange labor group for planting or cutting paddy and, more rarely, threshing, in which equivalent amounts of labor are traded, with no money changing hands. The verb form is berderau.
Duit—Money, in standard Malay, but in Kedah it can also mean cents, as opposed to dollars.
Gagah—Brave, strong, in standard Malay, but in local usage, as in boleh gagah, it means “to get by,” “to manage,” “to struggle through.”
Gerek—Bicycle.
Habak—To tell, to let know (bagi tau).
Habis—Finished, used up, literally, but it can be used to make a superlative when joined to an adjective. Thus habis teruk means “the very worst.”
Hang—You, used colloquially in place of awak.
Jak—To flatter or to praise, usually insincerely, from the English verb “to jack up.”
Jelapang—Small barn in which paddy is stored.
Kat—To (a person), as in “give [it] to him” (bagi kat dia). Colloquial for kepada.
Keleh—To notice, to recognize.
Kerja kupang—To work for a fixed wage for a given time period (usually a morning).
Kot ’ni—Here, in this area, close by.
Kumpulan share—Share group, from the English, meaning a small gang of laborers (usually women) who contract to transplant or cut paddy for a negotiated price per relong, which is then divided among the workers.
Kut—Rotating credit association.
La ’ni—Nowadays, these days (la ini).
Main kut—To participate in a rotating credit association.
Menyorok—To eat a snack, small breakfast.
Se-kupang—Ten cents, from the name of an old coin.
Tak dan—Not to have time (to do something).
Timbun—Fat.
Tok—Term of respect for grandparents of both genders, and used as a term of respect for the aged in general.
Tok sah—No use. Don’t bother, as in tok sah pe (no use going).
Appendix E • Translation of Surat Layang
[Page 362]
NOTE: This copy of a surat layang circulated in the region of Sedaka in March 1979. Its form is similar to other such letters. They are distributed in the same way as chain letters in the West.
In the name of Allah, most
gracious and merciful.
[This letter has been copied sentence
for sentence from a letter coming
anonymously without changing its contents].
This letter, in the form of a will, from the holy land of Mecca is sent to all Muslims by Syed Ahmad. It was brought to Indonesia by Haji Malek, a member of [sect) Hara Baham Balanganum. Syed Ahmad, having fallen asleep at the grave of the Prophet Muhamad [blessings from Allah and peace be upon him], was spoken to by the Prophet in his sleep.
“I will no longer bestow blessings upon Muslims nor protect them from God’s punishment because many of them have committed grave sins such as adultery, drinking; who do not bother to pay the zakat; who always make their own selfish interest the object of worship; who are conceited. Syed Ahmad, I command you to remind all those who call themselves Muslims. Have undivided faith in Allah, the all pure, and be patient in confronting difficulties, and do not let the faithful betray Allah.”
Signs of the Day of Judgement (kiamat)
1. In 1971, there were many cases of
housewives leaving their houses without
telling their husbands.
2. In 1972, two stars were seen as big as hens.
3. In 1980, the earth will be in darkness
for three days and three nights;
the sun will rise in the west and set
in the north, and from that moment
Allah will no longer accept repentance.
Oath of Syed ahmad
I swear to Allah if I have lied about my dream, I will be cast out of the Muslim faith, and whoever does not believe in my dream will become an unbeliever and, when the day of judgement comes soon, will be put in hell.
Attention 1. To whoever calls himself a Muslim; this letter should be sent to Muslims in other areas. Read it carefully because this letter is a will and oath in the name of Allah from Syed Ahmad to all those of the Muslim faith.
Saudi Arabia
2. While reading the Koran at the grave of the Prophet Muhamad, Syed Ahmad fell asleep and had this dream. 80,000 Muslims have passed away but, of that total, [Page 363] not even one was of the true faith. Housewives do not listen to the advice of their husbands. Rich men do not have sympathy for the poor. Many do not pay the zakat, do not wish to do good works. This is why Syed Ahmad is sending out this testament to the faithful in order that they follow the right path because the Day of Judgement is coming suddenly. A star will rise in the sky and the door of repentence will be closed. All writings will decline and the sun will move closer [to the earth].
On reading a letter such as this whoever is poor will become rich. All wishes will be answered if thirty copies of this are printed and circulated. In two weeks, whoever has followed these instructions will be rewarded with good life. In Bombay there was a man who copied this will and made a profit in his business. On the other hand, whoever says this testament is false, his male son will die. Whoever, having read this will and having understood it, and who does not tell other people, will confront all sorts of difficulties in life. But whoever copies and circulates this letter will receive great profit.
It is only Allah who knows all
It is only Allah whom we can worship
It is only Allah who can protect and guide us.
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