Spekong

One of the first koleq words that I learnt by heart was SPEKONG (modified from the English word ‘speaking’, it refers to an act of speaking in thick state dialect). In my early days at Prep School, I identified myself with my fellow Terengganunese (if there is such a word), so Wong, Ja, Toje, Awie, Zahadin and I were marked as being in one clique by the powers-that-be and the rest of the batch (technically Shahrin Jaminan was also from Terengganu, but he was a Johorean residing in Terengganu, so he could not speak perfect or fluent Teghanung Kite).

Our main rival for a clique was the ‘Klik Utagha’, with Mpro, Epit, Sheppe etc. as members (later on a confused Johorean considered himself as part of ‘Klik Utagha” too – refer to M Sazali Said aka Bobo).

These cliques must have driven the prefects mad, for apparently when one is a Prep School prefect, one has the ability to predict what will happen five years down the line. After a while I got a feeling that the prefects were quite worried that this clique phenomenon would disrupt the batch’s harmony and unity (understandably so since as we go along people tend to align to certain groups, but then that’s human nature which you cannot reverse). I reckon the prefects made a conscious effort to break us apart, including (but not limited to) sending Awie, Ja, Wong and myself on an errand at around 3 am in the morning to ‘play’ volleyball and run around the Prep School field with the famous Nik Azhar (during the night when he was supposedly possessed! We all came back in one piece though, the only threat that night was the charging lembus which got really mad when they were disturbed in their sleep!).

Anyway, the prefects got their wish fulfilled too soon – after Form 1 we all drifted apart and by the time we were in Form 5 we hardly spoke to each other. Wong and I were still quite close since he was sitting in front of me in Form 3, but the rest drifted apart. I only spoke once to Zahadin after F2, that was a few weeks before SPM – and after a break of 10 years we did manage to say ‘Hi’ to each other (with his comment about my beer belly) during our last reunion. This is in spite of my being in the same kampung as his.

As for Ja, although we can be considered as still quite close throughout the koleq years (what with his pre-occupation with one of my F3s in 1994!), he went to Japan after SPM, got married and settled down there. I haven’t seen him since.

I met Toje during the last reunion, did exchange a few quick remarks and jokes (with Chodak being the common man between us), but it was a far cry from the time we used to congregate at his, or Zadin’s or Awie’s bed in Prep School laughing at stuff that other people did not understand.

As for Awie, he got married this summer and I failed to turn up (curse me!). It’s very sad if only to recall how close I was to him in F1, and coming from such a generous family, we budak Terengganu owed him a lot during our early days in MCKK.

But people move on, it’s only that once in a while you come across something that brings back the old memories, in this case the following exchange of e-mails:

Rough:
Ha ha this is classic, if you want to appreciate Terengganu (especially yg kerja kat Terengganu), you will enjoy this. Mujo aku dok Teghanung......

Mujo (exclusive for Trengganunese only)
MUJO
Saturday, October 23, 2004

Mujo or mujur in Standard Bahasa means "fortunate" or "lucky". In Terengganu it means more than that. Mujo is an attitude, a testament to the optimism of the Terengganu folks. I believe that Terengganunese are optimistic. I haven't heard of any suicides there yet. No news whatsoever of people jumping down from coconut trees or drinking expired budu (preserved anchovy thick sauce) neat in order to expire themselves. You must remember that Terengganu people lived with ferries, morning papers that came in the night and other things people in the West Coast take for granted. In spite of doing without 4D shops, discos, malls or Hot Spot-enabled coffee houses, they are surviving well without any mental hospital in sight. All because they have mujo.

Like I mentioned previously, mujo encapsulate a philosophy in itself. It means one should thank God that it is not worse.

Time for an illustration.

(Cut to a scene of 3 village ladies in their kemban washing clothes by the village well)

Mok Long Selamoh: Guane doh adik mung Mek?
(How is your brother Mek?)

Mok Teh Som : Bakpe pulok adik dia?
(What happened to her brother?)

Mok Long Selamoh: Laaa! Mung dok tau ke Som?
(You don't know Som?)

Mok Teh Som : Dok tau setarang baghoh kita.
(I don't know anything)

Mok Long Selamoh: Adik Mek ni kena langgor lori kemareng.
(Mek's brother was knocked down by a lorry yesterday)

Mek Beso : Bukang lori Mok Long, beng ikang!
(It wasn't a lorry Mok Long, it was a fish van)

Mok Long Selamoh: Mujo bukang lori!
(Lucky it wasn't a lorry)

Mok Teh Som : Pah tu? Terok ke?
(Then? Was he seriously injured?)

Mek Beso : Kaki patah sebelah......
(One leg was broken)

Mok Teh Som : Mujo dok patoh dua dua
(Lucky both legs weren't broken)

Mok Long Selamoh : Tu pong mujo dreba beng dang brek.
(It was lucky that the van driver braked in time)

Mek Beso : Mujo beng tu dok laju..
(Lucky the van wasn't going fast..)

(Fade to black.)

If both legs were broken, the response would be "Mujo dok pecoh pala"(Lucky the head wasn't broken). If the head WAS broken, the response would be "Mujo dok mati" (Lucky he didn't die). If the worst happened and the brother died, the mujo would still surface. "Mujo lah bukang adik kita"(Lucky it wasn't my brother). You get the drift.....

Mujo. A nice word. Adopt it. Embrace it. It will preserve your sanity.

Fazurin:
oh my god! what a riot! aku gelak kuat nak mampus sampai bos aku ingat aku dah gila.

Suri:
'mujo' ado oghe tganung hok ado maso buleh taip explaination for mujo...
kalo dok orhgang laing dok pahang menatang mende mujo tuh!!!

tapi bab budu tu kena investigate dulu... sensitive wooo...

Wong:
He...heee...natang berayok mok....!!! Aku pung sebenor nyer memang dok guna sokmo doh perkataan 'mujo' nie terutama kalu masa 'safety talk'... Cakap tentang 'risk assessment'.... Memang 'mujo' perkataang unik orang teganung........ So joke kelako nie boley tamboh dalam presentation next time aku kot.......

Gadap:
Kelakar la perkataan mujo ni....cam lucah jer......lagipun dekat dekat ngan perkataan muta...mujo= muta muta = mujo. Rough , muta tak de ke dalam kamus org terengganu?

Rough:
Last time aku check perkataan "muta" still tak de dalam kamus orang Teghanung, neither did the phrase "astaga wa glebek nyeng was stepek wek" although it is commonly used by younglings from Terengganu yang baru pi ke negeri orang....