Idah going for the Hajj.

23.9.2010.

So, at the ripe (right?) age of 60, my wife will leave for Madinah and thence Mekah on or around 15th. October (Tabung Haji reserves the right to change this, as usual), that is in 22 days' time. 

This is the 5th Pillar of Islam ("arkan al din" - rukun Islam), and it should be her final religious obligation in her lifetime. I had always wanted to do the hajj before the age of 40.  I  managed to fulfill that "target" in 1983, one year ahead of time. But I went alone, and now she's going alone. 

I went alone because the 3rd boy, Memi, was only 1, and the other 2 were still small and at school. Anyway, she wasn't "ready". She says she is now. 

She's going alone without me because I feel that I had undertaken my 1983 trip with full spiritual satisfaction, having immersed myself mentally and physically in the preparations for it. 

I have been taught that this is the most "physical" of the compulsory  ibadah. I had to take care of my body so that I could perform the haj undistracted by ill-health, as I witnessed happened to many of my relatives. In fact Hamdan, a friend who went on the same trip, of my own age, was sick during part of the pilgrimage and had to be carried on a stretcher to do his "tawaf" and "sai". So, for about 45 days prior to leaving for the Holy Land, I jogged every evening for about 3 km to build up my stamina.

On my mental preparation, I joined my friends for the standard "kursus haji" and other related "ceramahs", but finally decided to read up more on the concept of the haj, and concluded that, other than the surahs from the Quran that I had already learned by heart from small, I should pray to God in the language that I know, Malay.  I can truely say what I really want to, with sincerity, knowing God Knows, anyway. And, thankfully, except for the cough that everybody had, I was in good health throughout, and I felt I was able to offer my humble supplications in intimate terms to my God. 

As I had expected, it was hard physically. But perhaps because I was prepared for it, I was able to endure the heat, the extreme crowding of all the places of worship, the 8-hour bus trip (standing !) from the Plains of Arafat through Muzdalifah to Mina, where the casting of the stones at the 3 pillars (jamrah) were performed, and even enjoyed the food throughout the entire stay. I performed the "tawaf" and the "sai", in spite of coming in the second last flight from KL, with relative ease, even when the jemaah in the Holy Mosque was at its peak of about 2 million, it being Haji Akbar that year, and me coming for Haji "Ifrad" - coming direct to Mekah in full "ihram" for 8 full days right through "tahlul" after Mina. Perhaps, among other things, doing the haj when one is younger and stronger  contributes.

Idah is in fairly good health for her age, the aching joints not counting. The slight hypertension she has is being controlled with prescription, and continuously, and I mean continuously ( the bp gadget makes a constant beeping sound ) checking the bp herself. She won't be alone because she's with several close friends like Imar and Mai, and some family members. And she has done the umrah before. So, I think she'll be all right. 

Dekna  has given her a brand new mobile phone so she could keep in touch, and all four kids will give her sufficient cash for her personal expenses, and that should also be ok, too. 

So I won't "naik haji" this time. But when she comes back I'll "naik hajjah !". 

We'll also give her a doa selamat on the 9th. and all send her off to the departure centre on the 15th. I'll wait out the 42 or so days alone here in Seremban, for her safe return. I pray that she remains in God's Safekeeping, and fulfil a virtous journey, Amin. 

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UMNO & PERKASA according to Najib.

18.9.2010.

Mainstream media today, 18th, September carry Najib's less than equivocal statement about UMNO and PERKASA not being at odds with each other. The fact that he has, again, to make this sort of statement, carries significance beyond the obvious. Obviously Najib has to say something to pour some oil over troubled water. His "1 Malaysia" stands confronted by PERKASA in all sorts of way. But obviously also, the Malay voice PERKASA clearly carries cannot be dealt with by Najib in a confrontational manner. That would be a disaster, and he better believe it, no matter what his advisers say to the contrary. 

The accepted need to refocus on racial issues in multiracial Malaysia is undeniable. But this has come about by the increasing stridence in the non-Malay complaints against special Malay rights which have been there all along. While the non-Malay voice has increased in tenor and frequency, the Malays have retaliated by saying basically the same things about their special rights duly legislated all this time.

The increase in racialism is within the non-Malay voice. Up until the current fracas, the multi-racial surface of Malaysian politics had given a calm external demeanour, if not internal quiescence. The multi-racial family was somehow or other a working one. The imbalanced economic distribution of income, with its related sectoral and racial segregation imposed by historical design, was being gradually righted, and the wealth of the nation was being spread, at least superficially, more evenly among the major racial groups.

In depth, in fact, the Chinese businessmen and the Indian professionals have prospered more than the Malay administrators and government servants, and padi planters. All this was not necessarily in spite of the much maligned New Economic Policy, but in fact because of it. For how was the Malay administrator, or the Malay government servant, now with better income because of the Government policies, to spend that income but to go to his Chinese tradesmen for the goods , and the Indian professionals for the services, that make for the better quality of life aspired to ? 

This talk of scholarships for Malay students, and Government jobs for Malay graduates need an objective examination. Look at the number of Malay students attending universities and colleges, at home and abroad. Compare that with the number of non-Malay students in similiar situation. Look at the number of jobs available nationawide, both inside Government agencies and out of them. Without the scholarships the Malay students, already minuscule in comparison, would probably drop to nothing at all in abolute numbers. Without the hold out of government employment, how many would be given the same opportunity by the private businesses? 

If there are now claims of government discrimination for scholarships and jobs, how widespread is the real discrimination by private business toward the Malays ? The need is to move forward, not backward. 

Affirmative action has been good for the whole country because it was addressed at the historical mistakes of the colonial past. The progress that has been made the last half-century, however small, must not be negated by the spread of lies supplanting historical truth, for the sake of sounding liberated. What good is liberty if it means political tragedy ? 

And tragedy will be repeated by history, if national leaders give more importance to rethoric rather than the reality that exists for this small, troubled nation. UMNO was set up to fight for Malay rights, but not at the expense of the other races that make up the national population. Keeping the special rights of the Malays was the agreement struck by the nation's forefathers. It does not mean the downtrodding of the non-Malays. It has never been that way, and the proof is around us. Incidents and individual contradictions don't nullify the bigger picture, for they are the frailties of life. 

The noble effort must persevere. The balancing act continues. Najib has no choice. We all have no choice. 

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Thoughts in Syawal.

16.9.2010.

The month of Syawal came 6 days ago. The celebrations continue. The young 'uns are determined that the 30 days of fasting is balanced with at least 30 days of feasting. Ah, to be young and single-minded!  

The first of Syawal went the usual way, with the morning Eid il Fitri prayers at our surau ( I'm chairman, still ) followed with the lemang, rendang, kueh-mueh etc everybody contributed. In fact everything started the night before when we went around for the "takbir" from house to house. We broke up by street groupings, otherwise we'd have to do about 200 house. This year our group had 2 new additions - Adik & Calit. We did 10 houses and finished the last one before midnight.

After the Eid il Fitri prayers we were back in the house, and the children and those with their own brood came around for "salam Raya" and exchanges of money packets. My wife and I stayed home, but the rest went to their uncles' houses nearby.

For one whole month I kept clear of all political and similiar news, so now I was catching up with all the news breaks and the sensational stories that the local media carry. My word ! - the multiple murders, the racial mudslinging, the UMNO internal quarrels, and the natural disasters in and out of the country ! 

The multiple murders remind me of the murder of the Pahang State Assemblyman by Mona Fendi and her men many years ago. It was said that Mona wouldn't have committed so brazen a murder if not for the fact that she'd done it at least once before in Klang. Because it involved a nonentity, the first case didn't attract public attention, and she found that "this is easy, and I can do this again".

Similiarly this Susilawati case appears to me, after the additional facts reported, that it's a case of "I'd gotten away with it easily before, I can do this again", also.

A few celebrity UMNO leaders are condemning PERKASA, while other leaders, including its President, are not quite taking similiar lines. It's not helpful to the majority of ordinary members who have shown sympathy to the message that PERKASA is carrying, one that everybody thought UMNO itself should be carrying. There's confusion, and that's no good for Najib. PERKASA, like DONG ZONG and the banned HINDRAF, is an NGO, not a political party. But the movement is clearly politically motivated, and what's implicated cannot be ignored. Notwithstanding the rights of the Chinese and the Indians, the special rights of the Malays, already ensconsed in the Federal Constitution , are the vital mainstays of a racially stable Malaysia , which in turn is a prerequisite for the future of this country as an economic entity of any worth. I don't think the Malays will negotiate from any other starting point.

The BN-concocted formula for at least a superficial peaceful multi-racial political co-existence is being dismantled by the forces that were unleashed by the glaring weaknesses of the Dollah regime. Fortunately, that incredibly confused leadership was cut short, but the damage was already done. The lid to the pandora box was opened. An alternative formula to civility has to be found, and real quick, or you can say good bye to "1 Malaysia" and whatever good that that still not totally accepted slogan was meant to achieve.

Najib says he's very proud of the groundwork of nation-building laid by his father, and rightly so. And this country owes a great deal to the man for the high road that it has taken. But Najib has to be very careful, so that he doesn't become tragically the son who buries the noble work of the famously tireless father. 

Najib has to listen to the right advice, and to steer away from the politics of the insidious. The good and tested leaders are still around, and good and tested ideas need not be wasted by casting aside for new and untested ones, just so that a new "look" is achieved. Changing politics need not mean changing political values, like changing shirts. The wisdom of the ages and of wise men past is not nullified just because a new turn of phrase and a new voice has been found. Soothsayers and sychophants are the bane of leadership. 

Least of all, but no less harmful, Najib shouldn't get distracted by personal vendattas, and dissuaded by petty acrimony around him. We rejoice in our good health and fortune. But we should appreciate life more when we hear many others, far away, who are less fortunate. They suffer from hunger and ill-health because of the frailty of their state economy, and the fury of their climate and weather, and we should feel sorry. 

So, in the spirit of the Celebration of the Grace, we should pray for compassion for mankind. 

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Thoughts in Ramadan.

9.9.2010.

To-day is the last day of my 65th. Ramadan, though clearly it does not mean that same number of months of fasting. It seems appropriate that the news on the proposed burning of the Quran by a Christian pastor in the US "to commemorate" the 9/11 aircrafts attacks of the NY WTC has caught my attention, and I share my thoughts here.

The Quran has had desecretions right from the times of the Righteous Caliphs who compiled the Surahs down to the present day. So this burning of whatever number of copies of Quran is not by itself disasterous , much less fatal, to the Quran. The Word of God, as Muslims believe the Quran to be, surely cannot be destroyed by the physical act of burning printed copies of it, any more than the content of the Bible can be erased in like manner.

The teachings of the Quran is to-day held absolute by almost a third of mankind who profess by it, and many more who respect its message. These are the numbers that must be obliterated from the face of the earth  for the Quran to be erased from the knowledge of man. 

The contents of the Quran have been propounded for more than 1,400 years, and its principles tested and practised, with success, throughout the world. The Quran mentions the frailties of man, and human history bears  ample examples of them. The Quran puts a high value to life of any form, and condems unreasonable killing of any kind. 

What the perpetrators of 9/11 did was not from the tenets of the Quran. Christianity and Judaism have as many examples of crimes committed in the name of religion as Islam.  In as much as the terrosist act of a Christian Northern Irishman in recent times cannot cast total condemnation upon Christianity, nor can it be said that some misguided acts by Muslim individuals, ipso facto, have the sympathy of the Muslim community. 

Instead of burning copies of the Quran, as many as possible should be distributed among the non-believers, so that they can try and find out what it really says. If they are true believers of their own God, they should find the content of the Quran not abhorrent to their own religion, because the Quran disallows forcing religious belief, but says to each group is its own belief .

Notwithstanding the  popular Western perception to-day, Islam signify peace, tolerence and the "middle way." The facts of history bear proof also that Muslim communities from the days of the Prophet Muhammad to the  long reign of the Ottomans have been more tolerent of the Jews and other religious groups than  contemporary European states. 

Are we our brother's keepers ? Do we answer for the misguidance of our kin ? The fabric of society is surely many textured, and the spectrum of mankind many hued. That is why all the religious scriptures of the world, as does the Quran, teach man to " enjoin the good and forbid the wrong".  And how surprisingly similiar their injunctions are. 

The pastor in the news clearly is not even following his own religious teaching. 

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Arsyad.

24.7.2010.

It's been a frantic and worrisome week for my No. 2 Son & spouse, and equally so for me & the wife, with Arsyad, our eldest grandson, committed to the ICU at SDMC Subang Jaya Tuesday for pneumonia. It was only Thursday when the danger passed and he was moved to the normal ward. 

Idah  kept telling her friends and relatives who called that our grandson was having a serious case of asmathic attack, until I corrected her, and described the seriousness of pneumonia compared to asthma. 

I was particularly touched by the sms on Wednesday at dawn that our son sent  about his sadness and grave concern for Arsyad's condition and his weakness in fighting the infection.  So we rushed back to the hospital from Seremban. 

Lately my wife has been telling those around her who would listen how clever Arsyad has become since he started kindergarten this year. He's such a good speller ! So the first time we got to his hospital bed Tuesday evening she cried quietly as she stroked his hair, lying gravely sick with the tubes in his nose and arm and finger. I just stood and watched, my heart heavy with grief. 

Since then we have been at the hospital daily except Thursday when he had improved and I fasted puasa sunat Syaaban.  When Tiong Meng called, having found out earlier, I couldn't control the  sob in my throat. I don't know what religion he practices, but I said please pray for my grandson. He'll be 5 next month.

This afternoon we didn't visit because of various social committments in Seremban. But  Arsyad has improved tremendously except for the lingering slight temperature. But my son said that he'll probably get discharged tomorrow.   I said stay on if he's not fully recovered.

This will cost him a bundle, SDMC being private and all that. Fortunately there's the insurance Ija has so wisely invested in. Still, at times like these, costs seem hardly relevant. 

Get well, my dear grandson ! We love you.

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Lawmakers.

19.7.2010.

I was at Parliament recently, but not to watch the debates in the House, rather for a meeting at the adjacent Parliamentry Offices regarding, of all things, a golf tournament planned by the Muhyiddin's  group this 25th. July. In the meantime, I was lingering outside the Assembly Hall and watched the agitated Bung Mokhtar entangling with the DAP from Ipoh Timor or Barat or something, and the DAP Sec Gen Kit Siang.  I didn't  know that my meeting about half-an-hour later would be chaired by the very same Bung Mokhtar. 

I also passed by the Press Con, with a sullen-looking Anwar Ibrahim. What a waste, I thought. A rare Malay personality with the gift of the gab, but totally imbued with his own self-importance ,  and using all his craft to wrangle all those connections from overseas to promote his major cause - himself ! 

I was thinking, how many voters really follow what their respective parliamentarians actually do in Parliament. I saw many empty seats on the cctv. The hallways and the Members Bar and the cafeteria were well patronised, while all makes of cars were coming and going outside. 

I was thinking what was the government thinking when they decided to buy the two submarines for 2 billion. Are they thinking we're going to war with Singapore, or Indonesia, or Thailand perhaps. I heard that one of the subs has some serious technical problems that are going to cost some more hard-earned public money. They could have spent the 2 billion to beef up the army and that would have been more strategically meaningful and practical, if not downright cheaper.

Najib should get some right advice, and real quick. The good thing is the next GE is at least 24 months away. The bad news is UMNO is not ready  for any real fight if it's now.

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Followers.

19.7.2010.

Great ! 2 followers already ! They shouldn't count as followers, actually. One, they're kin, so they would have followed, anyway. Two, they're lost souls, so they may not realize what they're doing. 

"Awe" (Usop's husband) is lost because he thinks the only real car is a Citroen. Well, he's  wrong. After the 1970's "boat" Citroen, the French carmakers have lost their imagination, sacre bleu !!

Ashraf is lost also because of the car he drives. It's mine !!

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