Musim Aidilfitri: Kesesakan di Persimpangan Guchil

Seperti kelaziman musim perayaan yang besar di negara ini, Lebuhraya Gua Musang-Kuala Krai selalu menjadi jalan penghubung pilihan masyarakat negeri Serambi Mekah untuk pulang ke kampung halaman mereka.

Bahkan, bagi menyambut hari lebaran tahun ini, lebuhraya tersebut tetap dipenuhi kenderaan terutamanya mereka yang bertugas di Lembah Kelang, Melaka dan Negeri Sembilan yang mula bercuti pada hari Sabtu, 27hb September 2008.

Kesesakan di pekan Guchil

Seawal petang Jumaat lagi para perantau sudah mula bertolak pulang bagi memastikan mereka dapat bersama keluarga mereka di kampung menjalani ibadah puasa lebih panjang.

Persimpangan Guchil (kira-kira 72 kilometer dari Kota Bharu dan 115 kilometer dari Gua Musang) sudah pasti sesak sepanjang hari dalam tempoh ini.

Kelihatan kenderaan yang tidak putus-putus melalui pekan Guchil, yang menjadi penghubung di antara ibu negeri dan ibu kota.

Penduduk tempatan mengambil peluang berniaga

Sebelah malam

Polis Trafik Daerah Kuala Krai dilihat mengambil inisiatif bagi mengawal lalulintas di sini terutamanya pada sebelah siang hari.

Kelihatan kenderaan berpusu-pusu dari ibukota

Polis Trafik Mengawal lalulintas di persimpangan

Pengalamanku di Ihya Ramadhan Bandaraya Islam

Alhamdulillah.. Setelah pulang ke kampung di negeri Serambi Mekah dua hari yang lalu, aku masih berkesempatan mengisi jiwa ini dengan amalan kerohanian sempena bulan yang barakah ini di Kota Bharu malam tadi.

Kunjungan bersama keluarga dari Kuala Krai ke Kota Bharu (kira-kira 72 kilometer/satu setengah jam perjalanan) cukup bermakna kali ini. Kami bertolak selepas solat Zohor.

Destinasi pertama kami apabila tiba di Kota Bharu ialah Bangunan Pejabat Perhubungan PAS Negeri Kelantan (lokasi yang menjadi medan Tok Guru menyampaikan Kuliah Pagi Jumaat beliau sejak sebelum menjadi Menteri Besar lagi).

Suasana di butik pakaian berhampiran Pejabat PAS

Di sini kami mula meninjau pakaian untuk persediaan hari raya di butik bergerak disekitar bangunan tersebut. Gudang Jaafar Rawas juga turut menjadi tarikan kami di mana pada setiap tahun, di sinilah tempat kami mendapatkan pakaian.

Pengunjung sedang mencuba pakaian

Selain itu, kami juga berkesempatan membeli-belah pakaian 'kontemporari' di bazar sekitar Pasar Besar Siti Khadijah. Bazar ini dipenuhi pelbagai butik pakaian, 'accessories' yang bermula di hadapan Supermarket The Store hingga ke Bazar Buluh Kubu.

Kami juga dapat menikmati juadah berbuka puasa di Medan Selera MPKB (sebelum ini dikenali Padang Bas) berhampiran Sekolah Maahad Muhammadi Perempuan. Pelbagai jenis makanan dijual di sini yang kesemuanya memang kelihatan menyelerakan.

Selepas solat Maghrib di Masjid Muhammadi, kami segera berangkat ke perkarangan Stadium Sultan Muhammad Ke-4. Di sinilah kami dapat menghayati suasana sebenar penghayatan Ramadhan Al-Mubarak di negeri ini.

Pintu masuk kedalam Khemah Terawih

Kami diberitahu Khemah Terawih di sini sentiasa dipenuhi oleh ummat Islam sehinggakan ada yang datang dari Singapura serta beberapa pelancong Muslim dari Perancis. Tok Guru serta beberapa pemimpin besar negeri juga turut mengambil kesempatan untuk menyampaikan tazkirah di sini.

Suasana Khemah Terawih yang dipenuhi para jemaah

Khemah Terawih ini telah dibina oleh MPKB-BRI yang dilengkapi kipas serta penghawa dingin yang bernilai RM100,000 tajaan DiGi Comminication. MPKB-BRI turut meng'import' dua imam dari Timur Tengah untuk mengimami Solat Terawih.

Tikar turut diletakkan di belakang Khemah Terawih

Suasana di dalam Khemah ini cukup tenang dan dingin di samping disediakan juga juadah untuk para jemaah berbuka puasa serta bersahur di sini.

Sebahagian jemaah yang berehat sambil minum di luar Khemah

Selepas solat terawih, Majlis Tadarrus Al-Quran turut disempurnakan oleh kedua-dua imam ini. Pendek kata, aktiviti ibadah di sini sentiasa penuh sehinggalah waktu Subuh.

Liga Perdana Inggeris 2008/09: Musuh setempat dibenam

Everton..2 Liverpool..0

English Premier League 2008/09 - Match 6

Goodison Park, Liverpool

[Penjaring: Torres (2)]

Torres meraikan gol jaringan pertamanya

Dua jarungan Fernando Torres dalam separuh masa kedua di Goodison Park telah cukup untuk memastikan kemenangan skuad The Reds dalam perlawanan keenam Liga Perdana Inggeris.

Jaringan tersebut merupakan jaringan sulung peribadi Torres untuk Liverpool semasa menentang musuh setempat mereka ini.

Apa yang menarik adalah ketenangan Torres mencari penjuru gol lawan dengan tenang sambil membiarkan Tim Howard terpaku memerhatikan sahaja bola menerjah masuk ke dalam gawangnya.


http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/

EVERTON 0 - 2 LIVERPOOL
Saturday 27 September 2008 12:45 , Barclays Premier League

TORRES BRACE SEALS DERBY TRIUMPH

Fernando Torres fired home an explosive double as Liverpool ran riot in the 208th Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.

The Spanish hot-shot blew the Toffees away with two goals in four second-half minutes to clinch a 2-0 win for Rafael Benitez's side and ensure the Reds equalled their best start to a Premier League campaign since the 96-97 campaign when they took 14 points from their opening six matches.

It means Liverpool are now in joint-second place in the table following Chelsea's win at Stoke. Prior to kick-off the Reds had failed to score in the first-half of each of their last seven league matches and that stat now stands at eight after the first 45 ended in stalemate.

That's not to say it was not full of incident as both sides fought tooth and nail to make the breakthrough in what proved to be a typically full-blooded encounter.

The home support love nothing more than to see their heroes come out on top against the Reds and there was certainly an increased sense of expectation in the stands as David Moyes' men went in search of their first home win of the campaign.

They could have made the perfect start too, but Tim Cahill somehow contrived to miss his kick from eight yards out after Mikel Arteta's 14th minute corner had evaded everyone at the near post.

The chance came on the back of a good spell of possession for Rafael Benitez's side and they responded to the let off by carving out a good chance of their own, when Fernando Torres' close range shot was brilliantly blocked by Joseph Yobo after great play down the left by Albert Riera.
For all Liverpool's good approach play it was Everton who continued to create the more clear-cut opportunities and the Reds - and Pepe Reina in particular - were left to breath a huge sigh of relief on 28 minutes. The Spanish stopper flapped at a hoisted cross from the right and presented Marouane Fellaini with a great chance to mark his derby debut with a goal.

The Belgian midfielder did everything right, lashing a low drive towards goal, but he was brilliantly denied on the goal-line by Jamie Carragher - only for the defender to see that referee Mike Riley had generously blown for a free-kick to the Reds.

The remainder of the half was a scrappy affair with neither side able to manufacture a serious goalscoring opportunity although Xabi Alonso should have done better with a 25-yard drive that flew harmlessly into the stand.

There was a sense throughout the ground that there was much more to come from the 208th Merseyside derby and it proved to be the case for those in red. As the half wore on it looked more and more likely that Liverpool's purposeful approach play would pay dividends and the Gwladys Street faithful were almost 'treated' to the sight of Steven Gerrard's 100th goal for the club on 52 minutes but the skipper's 25 yarder dragged just wide of Tim Howard's far post.

Ahead of the match Benitez had given derby debuts to Alvaro Arbeloa, Andrea Dossena, Albert Riera and Robbie Keane - and the latter two marked the experience by playing a decisive part in Liverpool's opening goal.

Riera showed great feet to create space down the left and when he sent Keane racing into the area, the Irishman crossed for Torres to expertly volley home his second of the season on 58 minutes.

It had looked like being a frustrating afternoon for El Nino after the Spaniard was booked for dissent five minutes after the restart, but having grabbed his first since the opening day of the season win at Sunderland, he duly set about adding his second.

Once again it was some superb approach play by Keane that saw the forward feed the ball into Dirk Kuyt and although the Dutchman was challenged out of a shot at goal, Torres was on hand to nonchalantly steer an effort into the top corner.

At this point it looked like the latest in a long line of great Liverpool number nine's could possibly go on to emulate the incredible feat of the legendary Ian Rush, who memorably struck four goals in a Goodison derby 25 years ago last November.

He may have had a chance too, but his stunning drive form an acute angle was harshly ruled out on 65 minutes for offside. The hosts were now showing signs of serious frustration and it was no surprise when Cahill saw red for a late challenge on Alonso - game over.

All that was needed now was for El Nino to cap the afternoon with his treble - but it wasn't to be. Not that the travelling Kop were complaining as they happily performed the 'Torres bounce' while the Reds extended their run of Goodison triumphs to seven from their last nine visits.

Teams

Liverpool: Reina, Dossena, Carragher, Skrtel, Arbeloa, Riera, Gerrard (captain), Alonso, Kuyt, Torres, Keane. Subs - Hyypia, Aurelio, Babel, Leiva, Cavalieri, Agger, Pennant

Everton: Howard, Lescott, Yobo, Jagielka, Hibbert, Osman (captain), Neville, Fellaini, Arteta, Cahill, . Subs - Vaughan, Valente, Saha, Baines, Rodwell, Nash, Castillo

Referee: Mike Riley

Conditions: Sunny

Attendance: Unknown

Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Fernando Torres