Refreshing Dungun

It’s always good to be back in Dungun. The place where my family and I once called it home. The freshness of the air makes you feel good to be alive and the breeze that just sweeps your stress away. For me it claims a special place in my heart like a treasure chest, where all the good memories reside. The beach along the coast line isn’t fancy; but naturally beautiful. The waves and the sand give the same picture and the same sound as they used to twenty years ago. The natural beauty of Pantai Sura is diminishing by the erosion and the maintenance work, but I am glad to have this small opportunity to experience what is left. It was before 6 am when I stopped by the beach and had a sudden urge to feel the  wind and the cold breeze. The pine trees made a wheezing sound as if to welcome a long lost friend.  I crossed my arms as the wind chills my chest. I had a few minutes before the fajr prayers and it felt  so sad to leave the beach. I used to sit on the sand, sometime in the middle of the night, and looked out into the sea. Just stare into the horizon where the earth and the sky meet. When the azan for fajr prayers broke into the misty morning sky , the quiet kampong Sura Hujung came to life. After the prayers I met with Asri, he was just appointed when I left this place. We sat down and talked about everything.  I was a bit disappointed as I am no longer part of his story. That’s life , I guess, where people come and go.

 

The fact that I came back to Dungun for a faculty’s workshop didn’t stop me from making a few visits and meeting old friends. The sleepy town that Dungun once was, has become busy and lively. It was a good day when I drove back and forth along the main road like I used to and apparently for no good reason just for the old time’s sake. Why did I leave this place? The question that kept coming to my mind during this short going around Dungun. I guess how you live your life would have more impact than the place you’ve been living . The thing is that the place would remind  you how good your life was; or how bad it had been. In Dungun, I had an awesome life. Met Saiful and EZ for an afternoon tea by the Jalan Pantai. Having afternoon tea in Dungun is like a daily ritual; the atmosphere is phenomenal like an open air café in Paris. Besides, my two friends will update me with recent info of things and events in and around Dungun. I wouldn’t miss a thing. Thank you guys. And the keropok lekor and fried sotong were crispy as always.

The news that some of my friends in Dungun will be moved is brewing warmly.  The fact  that they will be moved is terrible. The ripple effects are beyond imagination. They have been here for most of their working life with big bungalows and beautiful gardens. Moving is the last thing on their minds. So sad. I wish the Rector could be more sensible with all these and offer a soothing comfort in the form of perpetual effort not to allow the move. Or at least giving some acceptable alternatives to cushion the crushing impact. None has been offered and no explanation whatsoever. Not a good move I reckon. I guess the admins are in terrible circumstances where nothing seems to be the right thing to do. So the easiest way out is not to do anything. Just ride on the brewing storm and hope for the best.

So in the end I had a refreshing visit, a good workshop and a new hope to come back and do this again. Awesome.