Sat 25.9.2021.
Yesterday I went for my first Friday prayers in 4 months. I couldn't believe it when I counted the months. My golf record says it was sometime in early May when the government reimposed the tougher movement control order because of resurgent cases of Covid 19 in Seremban and most other districts in NS. September 24 was the phase 4 implementation that eased life back to some semblence of normalcy.
In that period I lost close family members and old friends to the pandemic. In almost all cases I couldn't even visit to show condolence. Sad. Family life as I know it had disappeared. Only the new-fangled devices kept us in touch, thankfully. Now many quarters are saying we should get used to it. The situation may last years. God Help us.
I couldn't stay away from one dismal news after another, peering at my pc and smartphone day after day. Topping everything is the political mess, in or out of Parliament. This is the 3rd. government in as many years. The frog-jumping and the blame-game are as crazy as the pandemic-control. The big-guns embroiled in the high courts are bending the letters of the law even in their imminent "gone cases". Then the big-guns in the administration are getting away with stolen money in the most incredible stories of high misdemeanours being exposed weekly. Next, the state agencies are sleeping on their jobs, at least here in NS. Water and power disruptions are incessant. Counter services stopped through these times. You can't pay your road-taxes, your water bills and your municipal dues - they ask you to go "on-line" but keep the appointment-time off-line. Today I read the police is suggesting senior citizens' driving licences be withdrawn unless they go for medical and other tests. The argument is that many old drivers are involved in accidents. What about other drivers - women, youthful, handicapped etc ? Look at the statistics. Look at other countries. One old man has an accident and you ban all old men from driving ? One policeman breaks the law and all policemen are lawbreakers ?
In spite of the enforced break from mosques and religious activities, or maybe because of it, everyone is becoming ultra-religious now. Dresscodes and religious restrictions are fodder for the pseudo-ulamaks and bigots. I say read the Quran. Read the Sunnahs. Look at history. Islam put society and public interest right there on top. There's ibadat and there's muamalat.
Meanwhile, old golf kaki's are crying for my scalp. The club has reopened, and my ankles are still swollen with "chikugunya". I had to sit on a chair at Friday prayers yesterday. I hope I can get back on the golf course at the end of the month. You buggers watch out!
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