P KUBOR Fourteen-year-old Mohd Haniff Md Zamri was only nine when he showed an interest in the drum, which for him then was a pail and an empty paint can.

Today, the teenager is adept at playing all kinds of traditional drums, and is highly regarded even by adult drummers.

Mohd Haniff, of Kampung Masjid, has to thank his father, Md Zamri Yaacob, 42, a ‘dikir barat’ champion in his village, for having spotted his talent.

“At the age of nine, I used a pail and an empty paint can to play but my father noticed my talent and bought me a drum to practise.

“In fact, my father taught me how to play well, so much so that I was commended by several more experienced players,” said the Form Two student of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tumpat.

Bernama had approached Mohd Haniff after his 20-minute dikir barat performance with seven friends, aged between 11 and 14, at a special road-safety advocacy programme at Sekolah Kebangsaan Bunohan, Tumpat on Tuesday.

The programme, launched by Deputy Transport Minister Abdul Aziz Kaprawi, was also attended by Road Safety Department deputy director-general Abdul Haris Lakar; Kelantan Road Transport Department director Abd Ghani Che Kasim and State Traffic and Public Order Department chief Supt Azli Mohd Noor.  

The dikir barat performance by Mohd Haniff and friends, of the Sinaran Arena Pelangi Troupe, bowled over Abdul Aziz and the other guests.  

Mohd Haniff said he had to divide his time between his studies and playing the drum, which he said could produce more than 30 different beats that have to be mastered.

“Among the more difficult beats are those for the ‘Wau Bulan’ song, but I have mastered them after practising for months with the help of my father.

“It is difficult as the song has a variety of timings compared to other regular dikir barat songs such as ‘Juara’ or ‘Tukang Karut’," he said.  

The troupe, set up last year, is often invited to perform in various places in the state and has won several dikir barat competitions at the district level organised by the Kelantan Education Department.

The dikir barat traditional music form, which has its origins in Kelantan, is popular in Tumpat, Pasir Mas and at the Malaysian-Thai border near Tak Bai and Sungai Golok.

A must at each ‘ceramah’

In the Pengkalan Kubor state by-election campaign, the dikir barat is a must at each ‘ceramah’ (talk) organised by the contesting political parties to draw a bigger crowd.

The by-election is a three-cornered contest among Mat Razi Mat Ail of the BN, Wan Rosdi Wan Ibrahim of PAS and Independent Izat Bukhary Ismail Bukhary.

It is being held following the death of the three-term assemblyman, Noor Zahidi Omar of the BN, on Aug 20.

Noor Zahidi had retained the seat in the general election held last year with a majority of 1,736 votes, beating Saharun Ibrahim of PKR and Izat Bukhary.

PKR has allowed PAS to contest the seat in the by-election.

Polling is on Sept 25.

- Bernama

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