I migrated to this small place called Lutong in December 1976, 7 days after my late beloved mother departed this temporary world. It is a place where I settled and grown up before I continued my study at KL in 1981. Lutong is very significant to the Malaysian oil and gas industry. It has helped and contributed directly to the formation of Malaysian Oil & Gas Giant – the PETRONAS in 1974. Before that, since 1910, Royal Dutch Company – Shell, monopolized the oil & gas activities in Sarawak, Malaysia. I have shared this story before in this humble blog,….well, the point that I want to make is, since 1910, which is almost 100 years ago, million of barrels of oil had been siphoned out from this small place, but relatively speaking not much thing had been reciprocated to it.
The Lutong Mosque is one of the Lutong prominent features that was built 1982 and officially used in 1983. It has played a very important role in the development of the Malay or the Muslim community in and around Lutong. The management lined up many relevant programs and activities all the year round for the betterment of the people. They are well organized and this is obvious during Ramadhan or Eidul Fitri and Ediul Adha.
Another building that is well known to Malaysian, perhaps foreigners who are involves in oil & gas games, is the PETRONAS Carigali Office. The design concept of the building resembles the offshore platform, which is contemporary blended with the local nature. Honestly, I am not too sure when exactly the building was built. Whatever it is, the existence of this office has in one way or another contributed to the development of Lutong.
This is where I spent my secondary school life. There were only four Malays out of about 70 students in the two form 5 Science classes in 1980. Husnaini and Dayang Hasni hold managerial positions in PETRONAS, while Abu Zar is doing well with his business. In general, SMK Lutong has produced thousands excellent ‘products’ since its existence in the 60s’.
Woman selling local delicacies and 'cendol' in front of the Lutong Mosque. During good day, she managed to earn RM 100 profit!
In the early 80s, my friend Husnaini and I used to plant many things, such as, long beans, corn, red chili, watermelon, and other vegetables during our school holiday. The late successful entrepreneur, Hj Abdul Salam once utilized the land mass planting watermelons and I was one of his ‘worker’ then, earning about RM 3 per day depending on how many mounds that you prepared. In the 90s, it was left barren like no one’s land and not until the early 2K, where Nek Peman, an Indonesian veteran who had been staying in Sarawak for many odd years, occupied the deteriorated humble house and used the land to rear local goats. He finally passed away in the house and the goats gone with the wind. Today, when we visited the land, I saw at least a hundred of watermelon seedlings and rows of mounds covered with black plastic, another method of planting melons I believe. I was informed that, a hardworking Indonesian got the permission to add value to the land. An Indonesian?Now, the land shall revive its role again to unite the Yayasan Yusuf fraternity, InsyaAllah. May Allah swt give the best to them.
This necropolis, located one mile from the Lutong town, is one of the places that Allah swt asks us to visit, to be reminiscent about what life in this temporary world all about. It is a transitory place before the next awakening, the yaumil hisab – the judgment day. And, not for abuse for irreverent purpose. Human being, with its imperfect nature, always abuses all the good things given and created for them. Thus, reminders need to be transmitted to them consistently. The great messenger prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) says, a smart person is those who always remember the death. This cemetery of my late beloved mother-in-law - the savior of my life, the person who was once upon a time amid her underprivileged and meager life, sincerely fed and grown me up until who I am today, is a place that we never missed to visit when we are in Lutong, Miri. Also known as Nek Bol among her 36 grandchildren, she was an icon not only for me but also to many Lutongian, relatives, and friends. May Allah swt place you with the rest of the pious and wise people.
The Lutong Mosque is one of the Lutong prominent features that was built 1982 and officially used in 1983. It has played a very important role in the development of the Malay or the Muslim community in and around Lutong. The management lined up many relevant programs and activities all the year round for the betterment of the people. They are well organized and this is obvious during Ramadhan or Eidul Fitri and Ediul Adha.
Another building that is well known to Malaysian, perhaps foreigners who are involves in oil & gas games, is the PETRONAS Carigali Office. The design concept of the building resembles the offshore platform, which is contemporary blended with the local nature. Honestly, I am not too sure when exactly the building was built. Whatever it is, the existence of this office has in one way or another contributed to the development of Lutong.
This is where I spent my secondary school life. There were only four Malays out of about 70 students in the two form 5 Science classes in 1980. Husnaini and Dayang Hasni hold managerial positions in PETRONAS, while Abu Zar is doing well with his business. In general, SMK Lutong has produced thousands excellent ‘products’ since its existence in the 60s’.
Woman selling local delicacies and 'cendol' in front of the Lutong Mosque. During good day, she managed to earn RM 100 profit!
In the early 80s, my friend Husnaini and I used to plant many things, such as, long beans, corn, red chili, watermelon, and other vegetables during our school holiday. The late successful entrepreneur, Hj Abdul Salam once utilized the land mass planting watermelons and I was one of his ‘worker’ then, earning about RM 3 per day depending on how many mounds that you prepared. In the 90s, it was left barren like no one’s land and not until the early 2K, where Nek Peman, an Indonesian veteran who had been staying in Sarawak for many odd years, occupied the deteriorated humble house and used the land to rear local goats. He finally passed away in the house and the goats gone with the wind. Today, when we visited the land, I saw at least a hundred of watermelon seedlings and rows of mounds covered with black plastic, another method of planting melons I believe. I was informed that, a hardworking Indonesian got the permission to add value to the land. An Indonesian?Now, the land shall revive its role again to unite the Yayasan Yusuf fraternity, InsyaAllah. May Allah swt give the best to them.
This necropolis, located one mile from the Lutong town, is one of the places that Allah swt asks us to visit, to be reminiscent about what life in this temporary world all about. It is a transitory place before the next awakening, the yaumil hisab – the judgment day. And, not for abuse for irreverent purpose. Human being, with its imperfect nature, always abuses all the good things given and created for them. Thus, reminders need to be transmitted to them consistently. The great messenger prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) says, a smart person is those who always remember the death. This cemetery of my late beloved mother-in-law - the savior of my life, the person who was once upon a time amid her underprivileged and meager life, sincerely fed and grown me up until who I am today, is a place that we never missed to visit when we are in Lutong, Miri. Also known as Nek Bol among her 36 grandchildren, she was an icon not only for me but also to many Lutongian, relatives, and friends. May Allah swt place you with the rest of the pious and wise people.Lutong....walaupun jauh dimata, namun sentiasa dekat di hati.
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