Friday August 13, 2010
Ex-sailor exhibits his life-long love for Jalur Gemilang
By MARTIN CARVALHO
malacca@thestar.com.my
MALACCA: His life-long love for the Jalur Gemilang started when he sailed around the world in ships bearing the Malaysian flag.
Now 51-year-old Mohd Aboo Baker Yaakob has turned his family home into an expression of his patriotism.
Mohd Aboo, a former sailor with MISC Bhd, has diligently braved the elements every August since 2006 to decorate his family home in Kampung Morten with the Jalur Gemilang, including painting the entire roof with patriotic motifs.
“I love my country and was proud to sail around the world for 12 years in ships carrying the Malay-sian flag.
“Because of this I started a yearly family tradition of decorating and painting my entire home with the Jalur Gemilang and representations of Merdeka,” he said.
The only one: Mohd Aboo (left) and his son Zaeed putting the final touches to the roof decorations.Mohd Aboo said it was a challenge to get the work completed with the fasting month falling in August.
“I started decorating and painting about a week ago and managed to complete it just in time for the first day of fasting,” he said, adding that he spends an average of RM1,000 on paint and other paraphernalia.
This year, however, he spent more than RM2,000 as he used better quality paint.
“It is not only 1Malaysia but the only one in Malaysia,” Mohd Aboo said proudly while putting the finishing touches to his roof.
Mohd Aboo, whose family home is located in the historic city’s only protected heritage Malay village along the banks of the Malacca River, said he hopes his 19-year-old son Zaeed Mohd will continue the tradition.
“It is hard to find others willing to help as they have to spend hours up on the roof under the sun.
“Luckily, my son seems interested,” he added.
One of his proudest moments was when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak stopped to take photographs of his home during a walkabout at his village in February.
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