"'I)*I+, # M#)#- %.

'/0

Figure 26. The entire house is made from timber and atap only and no metal is used although the carpenter docs use simple metal hand tools to cut and shape the timber.

The Malay carpenter stresses the importance of self effort in the carrying out and finishing of his work. In the construction of the house, the Malay carpenter uses a timber jointing system to connect one part of the house to another. Traditionally, nails are not used. Instead, baji timber wedges! are used to strengthen the position of the joints. "y using baji, the loose joints are made firm and the structure rigid. #s well as baji, ijuk kabung a type of string! is used to lash $arious members together. Ijuk kabung can withstand rain and sun and is made from the kabung tree, which is plentiful in the jungle. %ouses using only baji and tied with ijuk kabung ha$e stood for a hundred years. "efore the Malays began using the imperial system of measurement, they had their own system of measurement. Their system followed the measurement of parts of the hand and body and the units included buku, ketak, jengkal, hasta and dapa Figure 2&!. 'sing this system, the measurements are not standardi(ed but change from one person to another.

F..TI+,/, 1..F/ #+* T..)/ ,

IP

-ft

Figure 2&. The Malay system of measurement. 2! Bukti: The measurement between the first and second knuckle of the first finger. 2! Ketak: The measurement between the first knuckle of the first finger and the tip of the thumb. 3! Jengkal: The measurement between the tip of the thumb and the tip of the second finger. 4! Hasta: The measurement between the tip of the second finger and the underside knuckle of the elbow. c! Dapa: The measurement between the tips of the fingers of the outstretched arms. 73