Special Interview
Dato Nik Ishak Bin Haji Nik Daud
President
Persatuan Seni Suare Burung Ketitir (Merbok) Kelantan - Malaysia
with the advice from Rraaja Kota malaysia and Heng Bangkok
An exclusive interview direct from Malaysia with a very influential person of Malaysia vocal zebra dove world and even the most influential person of this region. A great honor to talk with him and nokkhao.com feel that he is generous and consider everyone is the same for every enthusiasts who are interested in studying art and culture and a competition. His excellency Dato Nik Ishak bin Haji Nik Daud - President of Persatuan Seni Suare Burung Ketitir (Merbok) Kelantan (Kelantan Vocal Zebra Dove Enthusiast Association) he's on this position over 30 years and the association is still strong and always standard to manage the grand competition from past to present.
About grand competitions in this region, many enthusiast would like to win a top prizes. Grand competition in Kelantan is one of goal for them to reach, the faith in their management and importance of the event. Even they have Grand Competition twice a year but many enthusiast always wait to send their high-end birds to join. All famous people, dealers and also established farms like to come together. A must for them to come here and wait for the association to rank their bird voice performance. These are a unique factor that nokkhao.com would like to talk with President about the Association for an exclusive article.
Dato Nik Ishak bin Haji Nik Daud - President of Persatuan Seni Suare Burung Ketitir (Merbok) Kelantan. In the association he has been being president for 25 years, before that he was a leader for ten years when the group was a form of club. Total he has been working on this for 35 years. It’s been 3 years that he retired from the government work and now he's 78 years. He lives in Kota Baru kelantan. Before he worked for Kelantan state he finished his degree from College from England, used to work as a teacher, used to work as a secretary to Chief Minister of Kelantan. It’s about 50 years that he worked for Kelantan State but he never join politics. The last position was Director of Finance - Kelantan State Malaysia.
Dato' welcome Malaysia former Prime Minister, Tun Seri Mahathir Muhammad (left picture) and the present Prime Minister, Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (right picture).
Second Commander of Recent Junta in Thailand paying a visit of respect to the Sultan of Kelantan with Dato' watching the signing of Palace Visitors Book
nokkhao.com - about your enthusiast background, how your excellency begin to raise vocal zebra dove?
Dato : when i worked with my boss, he was a chief minister of Kelantan . He has some ketitir at his home and i like to go to listen to them and was into this ever since. Many people thought me including a friend from Bangkok , he used to come to Kota Baru for 2 weeks and stayed here. He used to be judge and know a lot about ketitir. Now he's must be about over 80yrs, he also wrote a book about ketitir. What is his name? Mr. Prakob right? .. Yes he is a friend of mine. Do you know about him? (i told to Dato that mr Prakob passed away and he shows that he's sorry)
nokkhao.com - what is your excellency point of view in raising vocal zebra dove?
Dato : this bird is a special , here we call it "ketitir" your country call "nokkhao" right? It’s a special bird that sent to us. It’s a small bird that comes with good voice. Raising ketitir can give people work and many people can come together to trade as a legal business. Can gain income to many people, can turn poor to rich. Rasing ketitir is a very fine thing with art and tips. Many people here like to raise ketitir like the south of Thailand.
In Kelantan,It is true that two Grand competitions are arranged by the Association in a year, one is in celebration of the birthday of our Royal Highness the Sultan of Kelantan, held in early April and the other one is in celebration of our National Day, held in early September.
In addition to the above we do organise a monthly competitions to cater
mostly for our local enthusiast, though at times we see those from other
states taking part.
So far there is no activity or competitions that one State works with
another. We just exchange invitations to take part. Anyhow they look at us
as the center State in ketitir and always ask for our judges to preside in
their competitions. This also refers to Singapore competitions.
A virgin maiden carrying ceremonial bouquet of flowers to Dato' followed by other maids in 1983 Comp.
nokkhao.com -
Which year and which competition impress you the most. Would you please tell
us about this?
Dato : It was in 1983 when we put a Grand
competition to commemorate the 10th year of our Association. It was done
lavishly with full ceremonies fit for a king. Enthusiast came from all
States, Singapore and Thailand and as far as Bangkok. State dignitaries were
present and the main prizes were given away by our State Assembly Speaker.
During the night we had dinner and entertained by singers and folks dance,
including, which I never forget, a merbok dance.
At dinner time (1983 Comp) group of dancers doing 'The Lengok Ketitir'
nokkhao.com - What champ bird from Kelantan Grand Competition that show very good voice in your own perception? What class of ketitir voice that you like to have for your own listening pleasure?
Dato : In the first
place ketitir of the old times are better than the present ones, in the
sense that their good voice last longer. They were Champs after Champs for
years. Take for example A birds named Kubang Buaya and Sri Besut, they were
Champs for over five years, while the current ones just come and go within
the year.
They were even Champs at least once in Yala Asean level and many times in
West Coast. B birds of same standard were Sri Kelantan and Mas10. As for C
birds there were Sri Malaya and Anak Tangot.
I like to hear all classes of ketitirs but prefer most the A bird, as A
birds have bigger voice and their kong are like the sounds of thunder.
nokkhao.com - Have your enthusiast group from Kelantan
participate competition in Thailand? Please tell us about that
competition.
Dato : It was in the
late 70' and early 80's when the interest in ketitir competition was on the
rise both in Kelantan and in South Thailand. To promote more enthusiast on
both sides, we worked closely with each other. We invited the Thais to come
to our competitions and we received them with maidens placing round of
flowers on their neck and followed the maidens carrying arrangement of betel
leaves and various flowers to the main stage. The ceremony was accompanied
by old drum, percussion and gong music as that of Makyong and Wayang Kulit (shadow
play music). In return, the Thais invited us to Asean Competition where the
Thai police escorted us from Golok all the way to Yala. At the competition
ground their maidens also hang flowers by our neck and accompanied us to the
center stage. I was given the honour to make a speech.
Those were the good days between us. Sadly such receptions on both sides
lasted only for few years as the competitions became so regular and more,
especially in Thailand. Furthermore there are enthusiast going for
competition in Thailand or coming to Kelantan from West Cast States and
Sigapore. To carry on the ceremony would be unfair to them. These days those
who go or come for competition do it on their own. Gone were the special
reception ceremonies.
the Sultan of Kedah, second from right, and the Sultan of Kelantan, third from right, accompanied by Dato' Hj. Nik Ishak, first on the right visiting a Ketitir Farm in Chana - South Thailand.
Dato' in Chiang Mai on SEAGAMES .
nokkhao.com - this interview seems too short unlike the long history of Kelantan Association and a legendary enthusiast like Dato, his love with the voice of ketitir is still remain, together with his friendship too many people that come to Kelantan for competition. A grand competition in Kelantan always show greatness and grand with their standard and trustworthy to all enthusiast. Everytime when they have a big competition, there always be many enthusiasts like to participate.
In the real world Kelantan is a big city for trading and a big capital in this region. In the world of vocal zebra dove there has no boundaries between enthusiast, Kelantan is also a capital city for them to come together just because the voice that drive their spirits to search for meanings from promised land and meanings of peaceful world .
nokkhao.com would like to
take this opportunity to pass the news of a Grand
Competition in Kelantan on
an occasion in celebration to the Sultan of Kelantan. A big
event that often held for many years, meet famous enthusiast and their high-end
bird versus a high-end birds from many established farm from this
region. An event that open for every enthusiast to have
their birds ranking by Persatuan Seni Suare Burung Ketitir (Merbok) Kelantan
under the management from Dato Nik Ishak bin Haji Nik Daud.
This competition more special that the association have
a trophy from his
Royal Highness
Sultan of Kelatan State, the prizes will give away by
the Crown Prince Yam Yengku Mahkota - State
Regent. The
big prize from ticket lucky draws will be Proton Car and other prizes for enthusiasts
who join this competition.
Vocal Zebra Dove Competition
in birthday celebration of
the Sultan
of Kelantan
by
PERSATUAN SENI SUARE BURUNG KETITIR (MERBOK) KELANTAN,
Date : Wednesday 2nd
April 2008
Time : 8.30 am
Venue : Lubok Jong, Pasir Mas, Kelantan State, Malaysia
Fee : 30 RM
Prizes :
CHAMPS = Trophy + Certificates + Additional Appliances.
1ST - 5TH = Trophy + Additional Appliances.
1ST Shati = Trophy + Additional Appliances.
Other Rank = Appliances.
LUCKY DRAWS: CAR (BRAND NEW RELEASE PROTON SAGA) PLUS OTHER
PRIZES.
Booking : first come
first serve.
Contacts :
HASSAN BASRI: (Secretary) 019 9583740.
PAKME: (Treasurer ) 016 9224050.
Picture from Grand Competition 2006
2006 Poster
the Crown Prince Yam Yengku Mahkota - State Regent
An Honorary Prize - a trophy from the Sultan of Kelantan. winner accept from the Crown Prince Yam Yengku Mahkota - State Regent
