From the Land Below the Wind to the Land of Words

My journey to the Land of Words began a day earlier, which was on 23 September 2022. The journey that I took was very long. From my home in Tuaran, it was a one-hour trip to Kota Kinabalu, a two-hour flight to Senai, Kulai, a 40-minute trip to Johor Bahru and another 40-minute trip to the heart of Singapore city excluding immigration, customs and health checks at the border checkpoints and and the walking time from Queen Street to Bugis MRT Station and from Telok Ayer MRT Station to the accommodation.

I spent a night in Chinatown before continuing the cruise to Tanjungpinang in the following morning. The trip to Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal took about an hour by foot, MRT and bus. The ferry cruise to the Land of Words took two hours. The weather on that morning was quite cloudy and occasionally rainy. However, the sea seemed so calm. Under the ensign flags of Singapore and Indonesia that flew on the ferry majestically, the ferry cruised across Batam and Bintan islands very easily.

The Land of Words is a nickname for Bintan Island or the municipality of Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands, Indonesia in precise. Like the previous four series, Tanjungpinang Municipality is the host of the Mount Bintan International Literary Festival (FSIGB) 2022 which was held from 24 to 26 September 2022. FSIGB 2022 was made successful by the Jembia Emas Foundation in collaboration with the Riau Islands Provincial Cultural Department, the Riau Islands Provincial Language Office, Raja Ali Haji Maritime University (UMRAH) and Bintan Regency Government.

I was one of 23 Malaysian poets who had the chance to participate in FSIGB 2022. However, I was also the only poet from the Land Below the Wind who had the chance to represent the state in such annual festival. The Malaysian delegation led by Mr. Mohd. Rosli Bakir from the Johor Writers’ Association (PPJ) was among 300 poets from the Southeast Asian region whose poems were published in a Malay-Indonesian poetry anthology named ‘Jazirah Sebelas: Laut dan Kembara Kata-kata’ (Eleventh Island: The Sea and the Journey of the Words) published by Indonesia’s Jembia Emas Foundation.

Their names were all announced by the Chairman of Jembia Emas Foundation Board of Trustees, Dato Seri Lela Budaya Rida K. Liamsi, on 16 June. Other than me, Sabah poets whose names and works were also included in Jazirah Sebelas anthology were Mabulmaddin Shaiddin and Rozeline Vitalis, both are members of the Sabah Writers’ Association.

My arrival at Sri Bintan Pura Port, Tanjungpinang Kota was warmly welcomed by local residents, including one of the FSIGB 2022 organising committee members, Mr. Moel Akhyar who was willing to drive me to Comforta Hotel and Resort, Batu X, Tanjungpinang Timur. Dato Rida, Mr. Irwanto Daud and other committee members also welcomed me and other participants warmly at the hotel.

As the series of FSIGB 2022 events only started on the night of 24 September, I took the free time in the afternoon to go around Batu X town near the hotel together with my senior friends, fellow members of the Malaysian entourage who arrived earlier than me such as Mr. Sahar Misron (Samsa Harris), Mdm. Salimah Shamsuddin (Eima Shams) and Mr. Roslan Madun.

FSIGB 2022 started with a welcome dinner held at Dapoer Melayoe restaurant in Tanjung Unggat, Bukit Bestari. The banquet that hosted by the owner of the restaurant who is also the winner of the Jembia Emas Award 2022, Dato Wira Teja Alhabd, featured authentic Tanjungpinang dishes including Sekanak Coffee which containing 11 types of herbs. Apart from that, committee members and participants were also treated with poems performed by some of them including the Tanjungpinang Municipality Attorney General, Mr. Joko Yuhono.

The event became more meaningful and livelier when the Governor of Riau Islands Province, His Excellency Mr. Ansar Ahmad was willing to attend the event. He had just finished attending another event in conjunction with the 20th Anniversary of Riau Islands Province but he was pleased to attend and enliven the event. Mr. Mohd. Rosli and I were among seven participants who were given the honour to read poems in front of the Governor.

In addition to reciting a poem entitled ‘Senyumlah Duhai Tanah Airku' (Smile O My Motherland) in Malaysian and Bruneian Malay languages, I was pleased to present two books namely ‘Catatan buat Teman Setia’ (A Note to Close Friend) and ‘Suara Bayu di Puncak Biru’ (The Sound of Wind at the Blue Peak) to the Governor. The hospitality that Mr. Ansar offered to committee members and participants of FSIGB 2022 has cheered up the surrounding of the event even though it was getting late at night.

FSIGB 2022 was contained with an International Literature Seminar at the Auditorium of UMRAH Dompak Campus, Tanjungpinang throughout the day of 25 September. In addition to the keynote speech delivered by the Director of Cultural Development and Utilization, Ministry of Education and Culture, Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, Dr. Restu Gunawan, the seminar which raised the theme of 'Malay Literature and Maritime Traditions' also featured nine speakers including the Secretary General of the Malaysian National Writers Association, Dr. Shamsuddin Othman.

This hybrid seminar was also followed by participants from outside Tanjungpinang through the Zoom application and live broadcast on YouTube. Poems were also recited by several poets in the side of the seminar, including Singaporean poet Hamed Ismail.

The night of 25 September was filled with the Opening Ceremony of FSIGB 2022 at the Riau Islands Provincial House, Tanjungpinang Kota. On the Governor's behalf, the Covering Deputy Secretary of Riau Islands Province for economic administration and development, Mr. Misbardi officiated the ceremony. Mr. Roslan was one of the FSIGB 2022 participants who performed a poetry song in front of VIPs made of provincial and municipal leaders.

The participants then returned to UMRAH Dompak Campus on the morning of 26 September to witness the launching of 100 poetry books by FSIGB 2022 participants and the inauguration of Bustan al-Katibin (Writers' Park) at the Terrace in front of the UMRAH Rectory building. The ceremony was jointly officiated by the Rector of UMRAH, Professor Dr. Agung Dhamar Syakti and the Riau Islands Provincial Director of Culture, Dr. M. Juramadi Esram.

My book, 'Catatan buat Teman Setia' (A Note to Close Friend), was among 100 poetry books introduced in such launching ceremony. This was another launching ceremony for this book after the initial one done on 15 September 2022 at Kota Kinabalu Industrial Training Institute in the presence of its Director, Mr. Sudirman Hammade. The Rector of UMRAH gracefully accepted from me a copy of such book at the end of ceremony.

More participants came forward and recited poems at the venue, including Ustaz Shairazi Muhammad from Kelantan who recited a poem in Malay and Arabic. The event turned special because Omar Ancqasa, 3, was also featured by his father, Mr. Rudi Rendra from the neighbouring Karimun district. They recited a poem entitled 'Omar dan Mobil Patroli Polisi Italia' (Omar and Italian Police Patrol Car) in front of the congregation.

Also reciting poems besides them were young poet from Selangor, Mr. Arif Hardi Japri and veteran poet from Singapore, Mr. Yatiman Yusof. On the side of the event, Mr. Mohd. Rosli and his colleagues from PPJ handed over several copies of books written by Johor writers to the Jembia Emas Foundation and the UMRAH Library.

The participants of FSIGB 2022 were also invited to witness the Presentation of the Certificate of Appointment of Members of the Board of Directors of the Indonesian Historical Society (MSI) Riau Islands Branch at the UMRAH Auditorium. The ceremony, which was held in a hybrid way, saw for the first time a historical association formed in the Riau Islands Province. They were all inaugurated by the President of MSI, Dr. Agus Mulyana who followed the ceremony online.

The afternoon of 26 September was planned for a walk around Tanjungpinang city in lieu of visit to tourist attractions in the neighbouring Bintan district. However, the weather did not permit the plan to go on. Pouring rain drenched Bintan Island. 

When the rain subsided, Mr. Arif Hardi invited me to buy souvenirs in several places around the city. He planned to give them to his friends in the homeland. Fellow writers such as Ustaz Ahmad David Kholilurrahman from Jambi, at the other side, visited other fellow writers in neighboring districts, precisely in Kijang, Bintan.

The night of 26 September was contained with a closing dinner at Sarang Sembilang Coffee Shop, Tanjungpinang Barat. The participants were served with seafood dishes, including boiled snails which can be eaten with green pepper. The participants were also entertained with songs performed by local and international singers. The writer himself had the opportunity to perform two songs namely 'Bahtera Merdeka' (Independence Ark) originally sung by Dato' Wan Aishah Wan Ariffin and 'Titip Rindu buat Ayah' (Missing Father) originally sung by Ebiet G. Ade.

FSIGB 2022 closed with a ceremony held at the Aisyah Sulaiman Building which is located not far from Sarang Sembilang Coffee Shop. The closing ceremony, which was officiated by Dr. M. Juramadi Esram, was also graced with poetry recitation from local figures such as the Head of Tanjungpinang Municipality Library and Archive Office, Mr. Wan Samsi and the Head of the Representative Office of the Ministry of Religion in Bintan Regency, Ustaz Erman Zaruddin Usman. Interestingly, another Malaysian poet from Kelantan, Mr. Ezani Daud sang a poetry song titled 'Kolek Usang' which he created.

While I am waiting for my journey back to my homeland, my friends and I had the opportunity to attend the 'Run with Peppy' event led by Dato Rida himself at Tanjungpinang Kota's waterfront. Interestingly, this event took place together with a community service organised by the Riau Islands Provincial Tourism Department, Tanjungpinang Municipality Culture and Tourism Office and Bintan Regency Culture and Tourism Office.

In addition to meeting officers and staff members of the three departments, my friends and I also had the opportunity to meet with the Deputy Secretary of the Province for general administration, Luki Zaiman Prawira and Head of Tanjungpinang Municipality Culture and Tourism Office, Meitya Yulianti.

Approaching 8.15 am West Indonesia Time, 27 September, without having time to enjoy a Mie Lender meal at a coffee shop near Jalan Bintan, I prepared to leave Bintan Island on a ferry to Singapore. Although I feel sad because there is much more I want to experience in Bintan Island, I am also grateful for being able to travel to Indonesia for the second time after traveling to Belitung Island in the Bangka Belitung Islands Province at the end of 2019.

This trip is the second for me since Malaysia allowed its people to travel abroad after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic phase. Last March, my whole family travelled to Makkah, Taif and Madinah, Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah and do religious visit. I successfully travelled to four countries outside of Malaysia since 2017 and aspire to travel to other countries in the future.