Aku ketakutan...

Semalam, genap sebulan aku mengikuti training di Petaling Jaya. Tinggal lagi sebulan sebelum aku 'khatam' dan insyaALLAH masuk kerja (sungguhpun mereka menjanjikan kerja, aku masih tak lekang daripada mencari kerja - kerja bidang kejuruteraan.

Dalam tempoh sebulan ini, walaupun aku kelihatan huha-huha, hakikatnya jauh di dalam diriku, aku ketakutan. Apa yang aku takutkan...?

"Mu'amalat" (Batasan pergaulan lelaki dan perempuan).

Ya...mu'amalat, yob. Teman takut benor tang situ. Asal ceritanya begini...

Selepas beberapa siri sesi pengenalan diri, maka aku telah diklasifikasikan sebagai 'alim' (entah mana datang idea tu...). Pada peringkat awalnya, aku ditakuti kerana klasifikasi itu. Namun, melihatkan aku bukan jenis menyepi, maka aku didekati.

Akan tetapi, sampai ke satu tahap, sebahagian daripada mereka seolah - olah tidak lagi menghormati aku dari segi batasan pergaulan.

Kadang - kadang aku naik seriau bila jadi hal ini. Seriau kerana, ada masa - masanya tatkala aku seolah - olah akan turut serta. Namun, Alhamdulillah, dalam aku leka, aku cepat sedar akan hakikat itu, dan mampu menarik diri.

Empat tahun aku duduk di dalam dunia UiTM, empat tahun aku berada di dalam pertubuhan agama, empat tahun aku berhampiran dengan orang - orang arif agama. Setelah meninggalkan semua itu, menempuh dunia ini berseorangan, aku telah lupa bagaimana keadaannya 'dunia luar'.

Aku telah lupa bagaimana suatu masa dahulu aku bijak berdepan dengan hal ini...atau adakah pada waktu itu aku masih mentah dan belum boleh membezakan antara baik dan buruk?

Entahlah. Mudah - mudahan Allah menunjukkan jalan bagiku.

PAS ada 'Baiah' elak lompat parti - Ustaz Hadi (HARAKAHDAILY)

(Artikel diambil dari laman web HARAKAHDAILY)

KEPALA BATAS, 23 Feb (Hrkh) - "Baiah merupakan akuan bersumpah di hadapan Allah s.w.t dan kepimpinan dalam parti ketika dilantik menjadi calon dalam setiap pilihan raya sama ada umum atau kecil."

Presiden PAS, Dato' Seri Abdul Hadi Awang mendedahkan, PAS nyata mempunyai rahsia tersendiri untuk menyekat Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) daripada mengambil sikap melompat parti kerana tindakan itu bukan sahaja membelakangkan kehendak Allah s.w.t bahkan meninggalkan amanah manusia yang mahu seseorang Adun itu melaksanakan tugas dengan cemerlang.

Katanya rahsia tersebut ialah 'Baiah' yang merupakan akuan bersumpah di hadapan Allah s.w.t dan kepimpinan dalam parti berbanding parti lain ketika dilantik menjadi calon dalam setiap pilihanraya samada umum atau kecil.

"Perbezaan kekuatan Adun-adun PAS ialah 'Baiah' berjanji dengan Allah s.w.t sekiranya kami menipu, khianat, menyeleweng kami akan dilaknat oleh Allah.s.wt, oleh malaikat dan segala yang melaknat.

"Itulah yang tiada dalam parti lain kerana masing-masing mengambil agama suku, politik suku, " ujarnya ketika berceramah di pekarangan Markaz Tarbiyah PAS Pulau Pinang di Pongsu Seribu, Kepala Batas baru-baru ini.

Beliau yang juga Ahli Parlimen Marang, Terenganu memberitahu, walaupun ada Adun atau kepimpinan yang melompat keluar parti, semua pihak boleh melihat di mana 'kedudukan' mereka tika ini.

Sambungnya, golongan terbabit kehilangan maruah dan kehebatan bahkan jika berada dalam parti lain hanya sekadar melukut di tepi gantang bukan lagi diberikan kepercayaan sebagai kepimpinan sepertimana dalam PAS sebelum ini.

"Kita tengok mereka yang lari dari PAS apa yang mereka perolehi sebagai hukuman di dunia.

"Mereka hilang maruah, hilang kehebatan dan tidak ke mana walhal golongan terbabit mempunyai pengetahuan agama yang tinggi. Itulah perhitungan antara dosa dan pahala, " tegasnya.

Justeru itu, PAS tetap berusaha mengajak parti lain untuk bersama PAS memperjuangkan kedaulatan demi menjaga maruah yang tinggi tidak kerana pandangan manusia sebaliknya kerana Allah s.w.t.

PAS katanya, tidak memaksa parti lain terutamanya bukan Islam menerima Islam semata-mata menjatuhkan Kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BN) yang sudah menyelewengan amanah rakyat dengan melakukan berbagai kekejaman dan kezaliman.

Menyentuh mengenai peralihan kuasa antara Perdana Menteri, Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dengan timbalanya, Dato' Seri Najib Razak sepatutnya belum lagi waktunya kerana Perdana Menteri tidak lagi 'selesai' dengan amanahnya terhadap rakyat sebagaimana janjinya sewaktu mula memegang tampuk pemerintahan daripada mantan Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad beberapa tahun lalu.

Janji Abdullah katanya untuk menyelesaikan masalah kehakiman, rasuah, polis, SPR dan pekerti kalangan kepimpinan Umno masih jauh. "Beliau seharusnya berusaha untuk tanganinya sehingga selesai bukan memberi jalan berundur kepada orang lain yang pastinya mempunyai agenda lain dalam pentadbiran baru kelak.

"Penubuhan Suruhanjaya Kehakiman, Suruhanjaya Polis, Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah tidak setakat itu sahaja malahan kena bersama parti lain di luar BN kerana ia bukan masalah Umno. Ia masalah semua rakyat dan ia perlu dengan sistem demokrasi yang betul, " Kata Ahli Parlimen Marang itu.

Beliau berucap di dalam program anjuran Dewan Pemuda PAS Negeri Pulau Pinang itu lagi.Turut berceramah pada malam itu ialah Ketua Dewan Pemuda PAS Negeri, Ustaz Hafiz Nordin dan Naib Presiden PAS, Haji Mohamad Sabu yang turur dihadiri oleh Pesuruhjaya PAS Negeri, Ustaz Saleh Man. - azm_

Rally @ U.M.

Today is Friday. As always, during lunch break I would walk to the Taman Jaya station 10 minutes away and take the LRT to Universiti Malaya for Friday prayers at Masjid Ar-Rahman.

Earlier, Gayathri said she will lend her car to me so that I can go to the masjid at Section 14, and be back in time for Kumaresan and Nadhir's birthday surprise which was to take place at Secret Recipe (which I missed), just across the road.

However, since she had other matters to attend to, I had no choice but go to U.M.. After prayers, as I was changing into my pants, I heard a chant of TAKBEER outside in the courtyard. I went out to see what it was.

It turned out that the students were holding a rally, stating that they have sent a memorandum to the Agong requesting him to act as the middle-man in the Perak case, and at the same time, chanting "Kuasa Rakyat", and promoting tonight's forum which will state the current Perak issue.

It was very exciting for me, as I've never experienced such an event back in UiTM. If there were any, it would be the infamous rally of August 2008, which I had to admit, internally exposed the 'stupidity' of some of its students.

I could not stay long, as I had to be back in PJ by 2.30; a 20-minute journey away.

When the smooth turns rough

Since late January this year, I’ve been commuting from home to Petaling Jaya via the LRT system. Hence, I was introduced to the early rush-hour scenario. One thing that caught my attention was the way commuters waited for the train.

In the ‘old days’, commuters were scattered throughout the platform. Nowadays, they just line up obediently. It seems to remind me of Japan. But, how effective is it in terms of the commuters’ disciplines? Let’s take a look at the scenarios that occurred whilst I was waiting for the train:

A train was due in a couple of minutes. People were lining up at where the train door should be positioned. Pregnant ladies and old folks were ‘excused’ and went straight in front to the platform edge. OK, nothing wrong with that. An advantage to them for being so.

The train approaches the platform. People were being distracted from whatever it is that they were doing; reading, text-messaging, day-dreaming. OK, normal reaction.

The train stops. Here’s where things start to go nuts:
1. Commuters from within the train had barely disembarked, already had the commuters-to-be from outside began to ram the entrance.

2. Despite the fact that commuters on the platform were walking in a line towards the train, psycho-maniacs arrived on the scene, cutting the line and overtaking those who have been queuing heading for the train, causing a bottleneck at the entrance.

3. The train car is packed to the neck. But, there are still those insisting on embarking the train, suffocating those already inside.

Such a procedure could have made travelling on the train smoother. But, when egoism conquers all, everything goes haywire.

Even though Malaysia is well developed, a large number of its nations still live in the third-world scenario.

As long as Malaysians are still conquered by the third-world scenario, as long as they are still be conquered by egoism, nothing in this country can go smoothly. Not only commuting trains and buses, but as well as driving. Because once idiots take to the road, no one can drive in comfort and peace.

What Do You Fear?

During one of my training sessions, we were asked of our fears. The general answers were hydrophobia, claustrophobia, and multiple phobias. Not to mention about God and death. My answer however was death... and fear itself.

However, it came to me recently that apart from the fears I mentioned, I found out about another fear, one that not many will tend to realise, even in full conciousness.

What fear is that? It is...

"To be successful beyond control"
("Mencapai kejayaan melampaui kawalan diri")

What does it mean?

It means that when you achieve a certain success, you come to a point where you start to lose control of yourself; you tend to forget those around you, lose humbleness, be arrogant, snobbish etc..

Alhamdulillah, Allah gifted me with the ability to master the English language; verbally and on-paper. This was acknowledged so by the trainers who made assessments on our presentations.

However, despite the fact that I was openly praised at certain times, I tend to be fearful every time I was complemented.

I feared that I would lose my identity, start acting high-and-mighty, and look down upon others who are less fortunate than me. To prevent this, I made use of Allah's 'gift', and used it to help and assist others.

Not only the abilities in the form of understanding, but even posts in societies can be a test on its successors.

I've heard of people of whom when they were told that they are next-in-line to hold certain posts, they start to daydream and wander off into Cloud 9. I do not deny the fact that I was possessed by this situation. But, when I came out of it, I felt so sick.

So, friends. Bear in mind that not only failure is a test from Allah, success can also act as a test, in which man will be tested whether he can remain humble, or go nuts.

Remember! No matter how hard you try to achieve something, by the end of the day, it is He who grants it to you. As how Allah rewards you with something, He has the power to repossess it from you.

And so, never be selfish with whatever it is that you bear. Be humble, and use it to benefit yourself and others.

Nizar perjelaskan sebab tidak melepaskan jawatan MB (Malaysiakini)

Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin telah mengutus surat kepada Sultan Azlan Shah menjelaskan sebab-sebab mengapa beliau tidak akan meletakkan jawatan sebagai menteri besar Perak.

Surat tersebut adalah reaksi kepada titah baginda yang tidak memperkenankan pembubaran Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Perak serta Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin dan barisan exconya meletak jawatan berkuatkuasa serta merta.

Manakala Setiausaha kerajaan negeri Perak, Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Hashim telah mengarahkan Mohamad Nizar dan semua anggota exconya mengosongkan pejabat mereka dengan segera.

Berikut adalah kandungan penuh surat Mohammad Nizar kepada baginda Sultan:

5 Februari 2009

Mengadap Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Sultan Azlan Shah Muhibbuddin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Yussuf Izzuddin Shah Ghafarullahu-Lah Paduka Sultan Negeri Perak Darul Ridzuan Yang bersemayam di atas takhta Kerajaan Negeri Perak Darul Ridzuan dengan beberapa amat kebesaran dan kemuliaannya.

Assalamualaikum

Ampuan Tuanku,

Dengan hormat dan takzimnya patik merafa'kan sembah dan berdoa kehadrat Allah Suhanahu Wata'ala, mudah-mudahan Duli Yang Maha mulia Tuanku sentiasa berada dalam keadaan selamat dan kesejahteraan.

Ampuan Tuanku,

MERAFA' SEMBAH MEMAKLUMKAN PERKEMBANGAN TERKINI DEWAN UNDANGAN NEGERI PERAK DARUL RIDZUAN

Warkah yang tidak sepertinya ini sebagai pengganti diri patik untuk menyembahkan kepada Duli Yang Maha Mulia Tuanku mengenai isu kedudukan terkini Dewan Undangan Negeri Perak Darul Ridzuan.

Patik merafa' sembah menjunjung kasih di atas perkenan Duli Yang Mah Mulia Tuanku pada pagi ini. Patik memohon izin untuk menyembahkan beberapa perkara:

1. Artikel XVl (6) Undang-undang Perlembagaan Negeri Perak menyatakan bahawa "If the Menteri Besar ceases to command the confidence of the majority of the Legislative Assembly, then, unless at his request His Royal Highness dissolves the Legislative Assembly, he shall tender the resignation of the Executive Council". Ini bermakna sokongan Menteri Besar itu perlu diputuskan oleh Persidangan Dewan Undangan Negeri.

2. Jumlah Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri Pakatan Rakyat dan Barisan Nasional adalah sama iaitu 28 orang. Adalah kurang tepat andaian Barisan Nasional mempunyai majoriti. YB Yang Dipertua Dewan Undangan Negeri Perak telah memutuskan bahaw Adun bagi kawasan Behrang, Changkat Jering dan Jelapang bukan lagi Adun. YB Yang Dipertua Dewan Undangan

Negeri Perak dan Kerajaan Negeri Perak juga telah memfailkan satu permohonan untuk satu perisytiharan bahawa ketiga-tiga Adun berkenaan bukannya Adun untuk kawasan-kawasan tersebut, di Mahkamah Tinggi pada pagi ini. Sewajarnya kita menunggu keputusan mahkamah dalam kes tersebut.

Ampuan Tuanku,

Atas alasan di atas dan berdasarkan prinsip demnokrasi dan Raja Berperlembagaaan, Patik dengan ini merafa' sembah memohon agar Dewan Undangan Negeri dibubarkan bagi membolehkan rakyat memilih semula kerajaan yang dikehendaki mereka.

Ampuan Tuanku,

Patik dengan ini merafa' sembah bahawa pimpinan Pakatan Rakyat sebulat suara meminta patik untuk tidak meletak jawatan sehingga krisis perlembagaan ini diputuskan oleh Mahkamah atau Dewan Undangan Negeri Perak.

Ampuan Tuanku,

Patik akhiri warkah yang tidak sepertinya ini dengan sekalung penghargaan ke atas keprihatinan dan pertimbangan Duli Yang Maha Mulia Tuanku, mudah-mudahan Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala melanjutkan usia Duli Yang Maha Mulia Tuanku dan seluruh kerabab Tuanku dan semoga sentiasa berada di dalam kesejahteraan dan kebahagian yang berkekalan.

Amin Ya Rabbal 'Alamin

Ampun Tuanku,

Patik dengan segala hormat takzimnya; bagi pihak Ahli-ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri Pakatan Rakyat

YAB Dato' Seri Ir Haji Mohammad Nizar bin Jamaluddin
Menteri Besar Perak Darul Ridzuan

Perak people robbed, shortchanged (Malaysiakini)

(This article was taken from Malaysiakini)

'It can be assured that there will be serious repercussions come the next general elections if the BN is allowed to govern Perak in this way.'


On Perak gov't collapses - BN claims power

Meng: If this is the beginning of Najib's politics, it bodes danger for the country and the rakyat. It is obvious that this is a man familiar only with cloak-and-dagger politics.

From his meeting with Saiful the sodomy accuser to Jamaluddin the Perak rep, everything smells of a rat.

This latest move by Najib is nothing more than a coup and not a proper transfer of power.

The people of Perak have been robbed and shortchanged and I can assure you that there will be serious repercussions come the next general elections if the BN is allowed to govern Perak in this way.

It is hoped that in this darkest hour, the Perak sultan in his wisdom will call for the dissolution of the Perak state assembly to make way for state elections.

If His Highness does not, then the rakyat will surely protest and will return with a vengeance at the next general elections.

Either way, the Barisan Nasional government is nearing its end. They are about to be checkmated.

Vivian Lim: After losing in two free and fair by-elections, Najib finally claims victory in Perak by undemocratic means. I was born and grew up in Perak.

The people of Perak gave victory to Pakatan Rakyat on March 8. Now Najib has, with one shake of his witch's broomstick (and God knows what else) taken away from Perak a government led mainly by people who serve the rakyat.

I appeal to Hee, the ex-DAP state assemblyperson. Please think. If you left DAP because of the ‘bad' guys there, do you honestly think Najib and his cronies are better?

Some things are more important than money or revenge. Rightly or wrongly, you will forever be remembered as someone who denied Perakians true democracy, and delivered them into the hands of their corrupt oppressor.

Do you honestly think you will get much joy out of being a part of BN? If it were not for DAP, you would not have risen from clerk to deputy speaker.

I also appeal to all Perakians and Malaysians to stand up in whatever way you can, defend what little democracy we have left before it is all taken away.

As I am writing this now, I do not yet have news of the Sultan of Perak's decision. I pray that His Highness will do what is wise, just and courageous.

I will not appeal to Najib. We all know there is no point in that.

Prema Subramaniam: As a resident of Perak, it is really a disgrace for Barisan Nasional to pinch the Pakatan Rakyat state representatives.

We pray that our Sultan will cede to Nizar's request and immediately dissolve the state assembly. All the BN representatives will lose their deposits if a snap elections were to be held.

The three state assembly persons who defected to BN are capable of doing anything for their personal gain.

For them, their self interests are above party interests. PR, please vet all your candidates before letting them stand for snap polls.

Perakian: To our benevolent Sultan Azlan Shah. I am a born-bred Perakian. Batu Gajah was my home for the first four years of my life before my family shifted to Ipoh where we still stay in.

Hence, I plead to you, my dear ruler, that you will exercise your excellent judgment and discernment to hear the hearts of Perakians, your people.

Yesterday was indeed a dark day for Perak when we saw a power struggle being conducted instead of nation-building. We have hopes of a better Perak, one that is growing economically and in stability.

And I believe Perakians have seen glimpses of development since Pakatan Rakyat governed the state.

Verily, the PR state government is far from perfect, far from ideal, but I believe this government ought to be given a more significant chance to serve the people of Perak.

I am not a lawyer, hence, I do not know how to speak the lingua franca of law and legalities. But, I do know that the Perakians have spoken on March 8, 2008 and we have chosen the PR government to represent us.

At least, let us decide once again on who we believe can govern this state well. Let us have the government we voted for, not one that barges in through crossovers.

The time has come for nation-building to be the country's and the state's highest priority.

This responsibility and privilege has become even more significant under such trying economic times, where the man-on-the-street is hard hit and the poor become even poorer.

Peter Ooi: It is rather sad that the Perak government under Pakatan Rakyat has to dissolve after hardly having served the state for less than a year.

It had to dissolve not because of its incapability to govern or administer efficiently but because of a few its elected representatives found it fit to desert their parties.

But whatever reasons these reps may have to leave, they are not acceptable to the public.

They were elected using the manisfestoes of their parties. It is the ideals and principles of the said manifestoes that the voters believed when they cast their votes.

Any rep leaving the party after having won is no better than a dishonest salesman who hoodwinks customers into buying products only to find that product's quality does not measure up to what was claimed.

Besides, it is common that large amounts of money be involved in trying to 'buy' reps from the opposite camp.

If the government is serious in combatting corruption, this is one area that it could completely eradicate corruption. Pass a law forbidding party hopping. When party hopping ends, corruption ends.

As long as party hopping is allowed, no government can rule effectively and efficiently. Every one is a suspect.

Thus, the powers-that-be would spend most of their time keeping track or spying on the ‘suspects' instead of concentrating on the day-to-day running of the country.

If Najib is serious in combatting corruption, make party-hopping against the law. Right now the rakyat in Perak are suffering due to uncertainties in the government.

Francis Rozario: The Perak sultan has the prerogative to dissolve the state assembly or to ask for a vote of confidence and if the current Perak MB does not receive such a vote of confidence, the ruler may then appoint another person who commands the majority of the assembly.

It is not necessary to dissolve the assembly at all but if there is a stalemate, then the sultan will have no alternative but to dissolve the state assembly.

Whilst this is a burden on the taxpayer, it is nonetheless necessary. It will help the rakyat to tell Najib that he is not PM material as this whole issue smells of his own personal involvement.

It is time the peole speak and if Perak goes for elections, the people must speak loud and clear.

Andrew Khoo: So much for the immorality of party-hopping and switching of allegiances.

Not that BN held the moral high ground before, but it certainly cannot claim it now and in the future.

G-man: All I can say is how disgusted I am by the conduct of the three defectors from PKR. This goes to show it was all about money and never about the people.

The reps for PKR were voted in for the parties they represented, not the individuals.

And it doesn't surprise me to see two corrupt politicians join the rest of these corrupted as they say birds of a feather, flock together.

The right thing to do is to call for a fresh mandate from the people and let them decide again.

23PSI: The wresting of control of Perak is a hollow victory - one without the support of the electorate.

BN may have succeeded in swinging the representatives over, but the electorate it has not. This only serves to make BN more repugnant than it already is.

Richard Teo: Its sickening. Once again the will of the people has been frustrated by the BN government which has used their power and money to lure the required number of reps to take over the Perak government.

It does not take a genius to know where the Pakatan Rakyat weakness was centred. The two reps who defected were involved in a corruption case which was scheduled for hearing on Feb 10.

What was offered to them is a matter of conjecture but their disappearance during the first few days of the Chinese New Year holidays indicated some kind of deal was struck and the two PKR member was going to hop over to BN in order to save their skin.

It would be interesting to see how the corruption case will now proceed. Most likely the powers-that-be behind the BN government will arrange for some kind of show trial which will eventually exonerate them of any guilt.

The only way for Perak to have a government of the people and for the people is to have a snap election which will finally decide which coalition should have the mandate to form the state government.

This can only happen if the Perak Sultan plays a pivotal role by being non-partisan in his decision to call for a snap election. For a democracy to survive and flourish, the sultan must pay heed to the wishes of its people.

The March 8 election which swept Pakatan Rakyat to power was no accident. If BN is allowed to frustrate the will of the people, then change will not happen because they have deemed it fit to cast aside the aspirations of the people.

This is a testing time for our democracy and the Perak Sultan's decision will no doubt indicate which direction our fledgling democracy will be heading.

Dian Abdullah: Twist and turn, here and there. Well, now it is up to the Sultan of Perak to do the right thing. That is to dissolve the state assembly and let the people decide again.

The arrogant manner Umno had continued with will not last long. In fact, if fresh elections are permitted, I am very sure the people of Perak will teach and even shame Najib and Umno beyond repair.

The Perak people have benefitted much during the short period under MB Mohd Nizar. Though many obstacles were put in front of him by Umno, he never once lost his cool.

Instead, he continued dutifully with his work. This is what the people have observed and I believe the royalty has noticed that too.

Like all Malaysians, I truly believe many more people have become sick and tired of the way money had been used to purchase power and position.

Umno stands to lose all rights and positions in Perak for a long, long time. The people of Perak will do their ‘kung fu kick' and seal their fate.

Aliran Executive Committee: Aliran is alarmed that the duly elected legitimate government in Perak is being toppled through immoral party-hopping thus frustrating the will of the people.

These party hoppers do not represent themselves but they are the representatives of the people. In the last election, these individuals were not elected solely on their individual merit.

Votes were mainly cast for the Pakatan Rakyat in rejecting the BN. If the people had chosen to cast their votes on the merit and qualification of candidates, many of them would not have been elected.

It is very clear the votes were meant for the party. These individuals have no right to now nullify the electoral process.

It would only be morally right that the state assembly be dissolved and fresh elections be held. Let the people decide again who should form government.

An alternative government should not be allowed to emerge through defections under such questionable and dubious circumstances without seeking a fresh mandate from the people in line with their aspirations.

Michael: Nizar is still the MB of Perak. The existing state assembly recognises him as the MB to date.

He will only lose his post via a vote of no-confidence against him in the state assembly and not outside the state assembly ,in concordance with the laws of Perak.

Until the next state assembly meeting is conducted to sack him, he is still the lawful MB. This is different from the absence of a valid state assembly (as normally happens immediately after a fresh election) when the party with the simple majority is allowed to form the government.

Therefore, His Royal Highness, the Sultan of Perak will not be wrong should he decide to dissolve the state assembly upon the request by the current MB.

Unless, of course, our beloved sultan thinks that BN will be able to form a more stable and united state government.

Jamaluddin oh Jamaluddin...

Beberapa hari yang lalu, saya terbaca satu artikel di Harakahdaily, menyatakan bahawa Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi, ADUN Behrang, di dalam tempohnya sebagai wakil rakyat KEADILAN ada menyebarkan khabar angin menyatakan bahawa Menteri Besar Perak, YAB Dato' Seri Haji Ir. Mohd. Nizar Jamaluddin adalah 'patung boneka' parti DAP.

Seingat saya, Jamaluddin bersama - sama dengan Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham serta YAB Menteri Besar adalah calon - calon Menteri Besar Perak yang baru ekoran kemenangan Pakatan Rakyat di dalam Pilihanraya Umum ke-12 tahun lalu.

Jamaluddin oh Jamaluddin...mengapa dengan dikau, wahai Ludin?

Adakah engkau di dalam kesedihan yang teramat kerana tidak dicalonkan? Sungguhpun engkau hanya sekangkang kera daripada menjadi orang teratas negeri Perak?

Jamaluddin oh Jamaluddin...

Tidakkah engkau sedar? Andaikata engkau yang menjadi Menteri Besar sekalipun, nescaya engkau juga akan turut dilabel 'patung boneka' DAP.

Entahlah, Ludin. Aku malas nak layan perangai engkau.

Da'wah & Presentation

Yesterday was my third day of training under SCICOM (MSC). Our instructor was Ms. Salha, who was in charge of presentation. Since it was our first day with her, she asked each and everyone of us to perform a 5-minute presentation, talking about anything that crossed our minds.

Everyone was going to talk about their personal lives, favourite pets, favourite dishes.

"Nay, man! I can't perform the same range of topics. Nay, I'm a goin' to venture into other topics."

I suddenly recalled an advice I once gave to a few of my fellow companions back in Penang;

"Identify what you want to present. Identify and understand your spectators' background and mentality. Understand the situation."

In the same room with me were not only Malays (thank God to that...), but other races, and even other religions than that of Islam.

And then it struck me:

"Hey, nonny nonny!!! Why not talk about religion? It's worth a shot."

And so, I spent about 5 minutes elaborating a verse from Surah Al-Hujuraat:

"Truly We have created you from a pair of a male and a female. Then, We made you into nations and tribes so that you may know each other (not that you may despise one another)."

[Al-Hujuraat 49:13]

I've often talked about this particular verse, but this was the first time ever I elaborated in English. Alhamdulillah, it went well. No grudges, especially from the non-Muslims. In fact, I spent the whole day chit-chatting with others. One of them requested a more detailed explanation on one of the topics I brought up, regarding the racial oppressions of post WW-II.

Anyhow, this session has proved to me that one can talk about Islam to others, given the appropriate techniques; one that would be accepted by the current spectators.

Many tend to perform da'wah on to others, be they Muslims or non-Muslims. Not many succeeded this, due to the fact that they preach as if they were preaching scholars (ulama'), Islamists, when those standing before them are but ordinary, everyday people.

Spreading the word of Islam is a must. The only question is, how?

Simple. Use a method that is suitable to others, AND NOT THAT OF WHAT IS SUITABLE TO YOU!!! Think of yourself, and you'll never accomplish, except to those who are of your level.

The Return of Metropolis Life

Alhamdulillah, I was recently offered a two-month training course under MSC, plus allowances in the form of a scholarship, of which I was guaranteed employment upon completion.

The training took place at the Stamford College Jalan Persiaran Barat campus in Petaling Jaya, right next to PJ Hilton. And so, after a year of enjoying kampung life in Penang, I finally returned to the life in which I was brought up.

My day started by leaving home at around 6.50 am, and driving through the morning traffic of the Federal Highway towards the Kelana Jaya LRT station. Upon arrival, I would park and lock up my car, thus heading for the platform to await the arrival of the LRT train, which would then take me to Taman Jaya station about four stops away.

From the station, which is adjacent to the A&W Drive-In, I would walk along Jalan Persiaran Barat towards the campus building, which is roughly about 10 minutes away, arriving at about 7.40 am.

I then had a light breakfast, bought a newspaper (The Star...to hell with Berita Harian and their alliances!!!), and pore over it whilst awaiting for my training session to initiate, which takes place at 9.00 am.

By 5.00 pm, my training session is over for the day, and I would walk back to the station, board the LRT back to Kelana Jaya, and drove back home, arriving around 6.15 pm, depending on the traffic conditions.

Why I left early, you say?

Well, firstly, I wanted to avoid heavy congestion on the highway. Secondly, I fear that the parking spaces at the station would be filled up. And thirdly, I still hold to my habit of arriving early. Among my colleagues are those who are of non-Muslims. And I, being a Muslim myself, must set up a good example of time discipline.

It is the softest of methods when performing dakwah, in which you preach others by form of attitude.

Palestin...

لا تَزَالُ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي عَلَى الْحَقِّ ظَاهِرِينَ لِعَدُوِّهِمْ قَاهِرِينَ لا يَضُرُّهُمْ مَنْ خَالَفَهُمْ إِلَّا مَا أَصَابَهُمْ مِنْ لَأْوَاءَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَهُمْ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ وَهُمْ كَذَلِكَ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَأَيْنَ هُمْ قَالَ ‏ ‏بِبَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ ‏ ‏وَأَكْنَافِ ‏ ‏بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ



"Akan sentiasa ada wujud sekumpulan dari umatku yang terus menegakkan kebenaran dan tegas mendepani musuh. Tidak memudaratkan perjuangan mereka walau dipinggirkan dan dirintangi kesusahan kecuali ujian (Ilahi) sehinggalah datang ketentuan Allah. Mereka akan tetap sedemikian."

Bertanya para sahabat, "Ya Rasulullah. Di mana mereka itu?"

Baginda S.A.W. menjawab, "Mereka berada di Baitul Maqdis dan di kawasan sekitarnya."



"There will always exist amongst my ummah, a group that will constantly uphold the truth and firmly face the enemy. Their struggle shall not be affected though reclused and resisted by hardship besides tests (from Allah) until Allah's will comes. They shall remain so in that way."

The companions ask, "Where are they, O Messenger of Allah?"

The Messenger (pbuh) replied, "(They are situated in) Baitul Maqdis and the areas that surround it."


SOURCE: THE MUSNAD OF IMAM AHMAD IBN HANBAL

Wanita & Durian

(Kepada si sahabat yang tak suka baca artikel panjang - panjang/suka baca sekerat jalan, boleh skrol terus kepada artikel berwarna hijau... :p)


Pagi tadi, sebelum berangkat meninggalkan Kuala Kangsar pulang ke Subang Jaya, aku sembang kejap dengan Opah, memandangkan semalam aku tiba menjelang Maghrib, dan terus masuk tidur selepas makan malam kerana memaksa diri memandu dalam keadaan baru kebah demam.

"Awak ni, apa kehe cepat benor nak balik. Duduk le sehari dua lagi. Batuk awak pun tak hilang lagi." kata Opah.

Aku balas,

"Bukannye tak mau. Dah Abah dok tanya bila nak balik..."

"Kat Pulau Pinang tu ye ler, awak dok rumah orang. Dok rumah Opah lain ceritenyer. Bukannya rumah orang lain pun; rumah Abah awak jugak. Ada ler kawan Opah kat rumah ni ha." kata Opah.

"Ate, urusan dengan UiTM Pulau Pinang dah selesai, yang kat Shah Alam tu tak selesai lagi. Tu yang berkejor sikit."

"Hmm, yelah. Kot ye pun, balik le belah petang. Boleh Opah masak tengahari."

"Karim kena balik pagi, sebab nak singgah Behrang jenguk tanah Abah tu. Dah lama benor tak jenguk. Nak ambik bil ayor, api kat rumah nu ha. Lagipun, kena sampai rumah sebelum petang. Kalau idak, sesak jalan orang balik koje. Lain ler masa dok Pulau Pinang dulu; bila - bila boleh bertolak."

"Ada berbuah ke pokok - pokok kat Behrang tu? Pokok - pokok durian tu?" tanya Opah.

"Entah. Takde dikenangkan deme (penjaga tanah) pun. Durian, yang pokok liar tu aje ler yang rajin berbuah. Lepas kena petir kemarin, tak merasa durian pun. Yang tanam tu, kata arwah tok Ibrahim kemarin, ada berbuah sekali, tapi dikoje kera, melepaslah."

"Pokok yang tanam tu, Opah yang semai dulu. Tapi, kat rumah le; tanam dalam beg hitam tu. Abah awak balik Kuala, dibawaknye ke Behrang bagi 'cik Ibrahim tanamkan kat sana. Pokok durian ni, tak boleh mesin kelilingnya. Rosak akar, tak berbuah le. Tu yang orang tua kata, tebas pokok durian. Kena jaga elok - elok etc. ...."

Tengah Opah dok cerita pasal durian tu, yang aku terkenangkan pasal satu ungkapan yang aku buat berasaskan kepada kerenah pokok durian.

Biasanya, di dalam mana - mana buku atau majalah sekalipun, bila menyebut perihal wanita, wujudnya macam - macam jenis ungkapan:

"Wanita ibarat bunga"

"Wanita penyeri kehidupan"

"Tangisan wanita adalah mutiara"

...dan macam - macam lagi.

Namun, bagiku, sejauh mana benarnya ungkapan - ungkapan ini sekalipun, by the end of the day, ianya berbalik kepada satu ungkapan sahaja:

"WANITA IBARAT POKOK DURIAN"

Mengapa aku kata begitu? Mari kita menyelami hakikat pokok durian itu tersendiri...

Pokok durian, mengikut orang tua - tua, adalah amat sensitif. Bagi memastikan ianya berbuah dengan baik, ianya perlu dibelai dengan 'penuh kasih sayang'. Batang pokoknya tak boleh ditetak.

Demikian juga akarnya. Kalau hendak buang lalang di keliling pokok, mesti ditebas. Tak boleh dimesin. Takut terkena akar. Pun juga, tidak boleh menggunakan racun. Jahanam beliau.

Pada masa yang sama, tidak boleh dinyalakan api bersebelahan dengannya (dibaca: membuat unggun api).

Kalau dilanggar pantang larang di atas ini, maka 'merajuklah' pokok durian, lantas tidak berbuah.

Demikian juga halnya dengan wanita. Secara kasarnya, Kalau jaga, baiklah. Kalau buat hal dengan dia, haa siaplah hang!

Secara mendalam, ciptaan Allah yang bernama wanita ini adalah amat fragile (mudah pecah). Nak jadi baik senang, jadi yang sebaliknya pun senang. Maka, untuk mereka menjadi baik, haruslah dijaga dengan baik, dipelihara dengan baik, dididik dengan baik.

Maka, jadilah kalian dari kalangan wanita yang baik - baik. Allah jadikan kalian sebagai contoh sebaik - baik insan, bukannya sebagai pelesit yang menggoda hati manusia yang lalai.

Jangan marah naa...

Reading the Holy Quran

I had to admit that in the past, I recited the Quran on occasions. However, as I grew up, I started reading the Quran more frequently, from once a week, to once every few days, and finally to at least once a day.

And upon completion of reciting, I felt lightheaded, calm, and on occasions, came up with a solution for whatever glitches that I was facing.

Eversince a couple of weeks ago, I was frequently away from home, with the first week within mastautin range, and the following week being a musafir (traveller) in another region.

During the first week, I returned home quite late, and the only thing on my mind was "up, up, and away!!!" (flop on the bed).

When I travelled to another region, I left my copy of the kitab at home, thus not reciting the Quran.

A few days ago, I noticed a change in my personality; I became less calm, nervous, lost, and can not control my senses. Why, this afternoon in Perai, I openly cursed a driver for being pigheaded (between you and me, looking at the chap himself, a concious person would have agreed that he's not worth being tolerated).

Seriously, as I am a chap that travels frequently, be it for leisure or official purposes, I need to get myself a small Quran that is suitable for mobility purposes.

It is true, that when a man recites the Quran, he is at peace...

A Middle Class Malay Perspective

(Artikel ini diambil dari laman The Star Online edisi 14 Disember 2008)

IN the strident and unnecessarily unpleasant debate over the concept of ketuanan Melayu and the Malay community’s political future, the quiet voices of urban middle-class Malays have yet to make themselves heard.

As a partial corrective, I spoke to several members of a tribe that, while small in number, is intriguing from a social anthropology perspective.

The Malays of the anak Datuk class – the children of senior civil servants and technocrats whose parents’ careers in public service predated the Mahathir era – are interesting in that their values and ideas about Malaysia must have been formed at least in part by their families’ experiences of nation building.

As their parents made the country, it stands to reason that they would have a considerable emotional stake in how it develops in the future.

Even within this rarefied sub-caste of children of the Establishment who are not themselves involved in politics, however, their feelings about ketuanan Melayu show a marked diversity.

Fahmi Fadzil, 27, is a writer and performer. He is the son of Datuk Fadzil Yunus, the former director-general – and later general manager – of the Felda group of companies, and Datin Fauziah Ramly, a senior civil servant who was most recently a Commissioner with the Public Service Commission.

I asked him what he makes of the concept of ketuanan Melayu.

“I never grew up thinking about it very much. My parents never spoke to me about it. Even when I was in college the whole matter was never really present in how I saw things.

“I think because I live in KL – and especially because my parents came from that group of earlier middle class Malay civil servants – I don’t think I would subscribe to ideas of ketuanan Melayu.”

But does he subscribe in any way to the idea that the Malays are the natural leaders – or in some way the owners – of Malaysia?

“No. On my father’s side I’m the fourth generation born on this peninsula, on my mother’s side just the third generation, so I see myself as a pendatang too. I don’t subscribe to the idea of a natural leadership role for the Malays.

“More than that, as a Muslim, I don’t see the need for this. There is no such thing as one group being ethnically superior to another.

“The thing I remember most from school, from kelas agama, (is that) from the early days of Islam there was a clear message that you were all the same. Whether you were Arabs or not, you are all the same now.

“We should be talking about values and principles held by people rather than subscribing to simplistic ideas of certain ethnicities being the owners of the land. I don’t subscribe to that, and even if I did, I think the rightful owners would be the Orang Asal.”

Datuk Zahim Albakri, 45, the director and actor, is the son of Datuk Ikmal Hisham Albakri, the first Malay architect and the first President of Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia, who designed the National Library, Putra World Trade Centre, and the Bank Bumiputera headquarters in KL.

Zahim’s grandfather, Datuk Seri Mustafa Albakri, of the Malayan Civil Service, was the first Commissioner of the Election Commission and the first Keeper of the Ruler’s Seal.

For Zahim, coming to grips with the concept of ketuanan Melayu means dispelling ambiguity: “There seems to be a confusion between the bumiputera policy (the New Economic Policy) and the idea of ketuanan Melayu. The bumiputera policy was a reaction to the riots of 1969, whereas ketuanan Melayu, in the Constitution, I don’t think is particularly giving special privileges or rights to the Malays, it’s to ensure that the Malay Rulers have a certain place, to ensure that those institutions continue.

“I grew up in a family where we were brought up with the understanding that the Malay rulers are there, and this is our history, our culture.

“I grew up with my granddad being proudly Malay, and proudly Orang Perak. There was this sense of being proud of our culture. But never were we made to think that being Malay gave us a right to something beyond.

“I was brought up (to believe) that every citizen in Malaysia was equal. I was never brought up believing that Malays should have more than everyone else.”

How would he feel about a non-Malay Prime Minister?

“I have no problem with a non-Malay PM. It should be about their competence. It should be the best person for the job.”

The composer Datin Saidah Rastam comes from a family steeped in public life. Her maternal grandfather was Perak’s 14th Datuk Panglima Kinta, who held 56 public service posts at the time of his death. Her father is Datuk Rastam Hadi, the former managing director of Petronas and former deputy governor of Bank Negara. Her husband is the urbane lawyer-turned-banker Datuk Charon Mokhzani (who, with exquisite politeness, declined to be interviewed for this article).

Says Saidah, “I think the races should be treated equally and the biggest thing that makes me uneasy about the concept of ketuanan Melayu is that it’s increasingly being used in fascist ways.”

She believes that the NEP “was a necessary thing at the time, given the racial tensions, but that’s different from the concept of Malay supremacy”.

She points to the historical record: “Tun Razak said that that was only for that time, and this NEP thing would end at some point, so that’s different from the notion that there’s an inherent Malay supremacy that can’t be questioned, which I’m very uneasy with.

“I’m somebody who benefited from the policies which favoured Malays – at the outset I’m happy to admit that. But looking at things today, my personal view is that we should give everybody equal opportunities because the policies favouring Malays haven’t been used properly.

“And given that the people who are supposed to safeguard the correct implementation of the policies are the same ones who benefit from them, I’m not optimistic that those policies will be correctly implemented.”

Dain-Iskandar Said is a writer and film director. His father was Datuk Mohamed Said Zain, a diplomat and intelligence officer.

He sees the concept of ketuanan Melayu as “outmoded, out of step with the times we live in, when the world is becoming more and more global. The world over, people are bringing down barriers of race, yet we are trying to instill and install those outmoded values.”

In his eyes, there are many aspects to the problem. “First, what is a Malay? Most Malays I know are some kind of mix, so who defines being Malay? Who are the guardians of the definition?

“The definition of ketuanan Melayu seems to be Umno; it always seems to lead back to Umno’s agenda.

“I’m not saying that outside of it it’s not valid; it may be valid to a lot of people. I can understand that. The main problem is the way it’s implemented. The tone of it is fascistic.”

For him, the promotion of the tenets of ketuanan Melayu “exposes deep insecurity, because if you really believe you are leading this country, what are you so scared of? I don’t think any of the other races want to take that away from you. They can’t, because in the Constitution are enshrined certain precepts.”

Dain argues that our debate is impoverished. “While many of us middle class Malays can be liberal and open, there’s never been any kind of infrastructure that supports ideas or traditions of openness.

“So on the one hand you have people who are willing to be open and liberal, but on the other hand it is so easy to destroy it, because there is no critical, intellectual or educational infrastructure to support those ideas.

“When you attack something that has no support, it is so easy to play to the rural Malay masses, to instill that kind of fear, and make people feel extremely powerless.

“There’s no tradition of talking critically about race and identity politics. You’re almost suspended in a vacuum.”

This is a vacuum that we need to fill with the plurality and diversity of our opinions. It has always been the position of Wide Angle that Malaysia’s many problems and tensions should not be ignored; they need to be addressed by continued, forthright yet respectful debate by citizens, and the issue of ketuanan Melayu is no exception.

Ir. Nizar & Khutbah 'Eidul Fitr

Tadi, aku pergi menunaikan solat Isya' di masjid berhampiran dengan rumah aku. Dah lama tak solat berjemaah di masjid. Tambahan, waktu malam tak ada kerja, nak keluar...keluar ke mana? Aku ni bukannya gemar sangat merayau di shopping complex yang bertimbun - timbun di sekitar Subang Jaya dan Petaling, melainkan kalau ada benda yang hendak dicari, atau kalau nafsu makan satu macam.

Anyhow, lepas solat Isya' tadi, bertakbirlah sekalian jemaah masjid. Dan sedang bertakbir inilah aku kenangkan kampung, dan di situ aku teringat satu peristiwa. Peristiwa yang mana aku menyaksikan khutbah 'Eidul Fitr yang tercantik setakat ini.

Ianya merupakan 'Eidul Fitr tahun 2006, juga raya terakhir buat almarhum Atok (meninggal 7 bulan kemudian). Tahun itu, giliran beraya di kampung Mak di Kampar, Perak. Sepertimana semenjak dahulukala, kami akan menunaikan solat di Masjid Jamek Kampar (beralih kepada Markaz PAS Kampar...tahun berapa, aku tak ingat, gara - gara tindakan majlis ugama islam Perak yang menarik balik status masjid, melarang kuliah - kuliah, serta tiada saluran kewangan).

Adapun Masjid An-Nur yang lebih dekat dengan Taman Melayu Jaya yang lebih baru (est. 1989), kami lebih rela ke Masjid Jamek, kerana kawasan sekitar itu tempat almarhum Atok dilahirkan membesar. Tambahan, Atok, aku, Abah dikenali oleh kariah masjid, sebahagiannya pernah menjadi anak murid Atok.

Khatib jemputan adalah seorang insan yang mana setahun setengah kemudian diberi gelaran Menteri Besar Perak. Ya, beliau adalah Ir Mohd. Nizar Jamaluddin, anak jati kampung di mana terletaknya masjid tersebut.

Pada waktu itu beliau, kalau menurut YDP PAS Kampar, masih merupakan jurutera di Pulau Pinang. Di dalam khutbah beliau, khutbah pertama menyentuh tentang hal ehwal semasa yang melibatkan umat Islam (IFC, SIS, Lina Joy, Amina Wadud, Astora Jabat dll.).

Khutbah kedua yang menarik perhatian aku, yang mana beliau menyatakan (lebih kuranglah...),

"...pada hari ini, takbir raya hanya dilaungkan oleh tekong - tekong muzik yang merdu suara mereka. Umat Islam sudah lupa asalnya takbir raya itu..."

Hakikatnya, memang itulah yang berlaku. Ramai yang sudah lupa sebab asalnya kita diseru bertakbir pada kedua - dua hari raya. Ada yang menganggapnya sebagai budaya Melayu, sepertimana tuntutan berpuasa itu. Kerana tidak tahu, tidak memahami, dan tidak menghayati asal - usul takbir itu, maka tidak menghairankan apabila bertakbir, semua pakat buat suara lesu, macam nak tak nak aje bertakbir. Semua pakat tidak bersemangat.

Takbir tak bersemangat, maka wujud keinginan nak balik cepat, terkenangkan lemang dan ketupat di rumah, nak bypass khutbah raya (walaupun aku tak nafikan sesetengah khutbah memang cukup memualkan). Kalau khutbah raya pun 'ponteng', sia - sia aje kau keluar rumah ke masjid menunaikan solat.

Maka, apabila kita bertakbir, janganlah kita bertakbir sepertimana orang baru bangun tidur. Takbir itu melambangkan kemenangan umat Islam. Kalau menang pilihanraya, arak bendera satu pekan. Semangat pulak. Apa kurangnya dengan mengenangkan kemenangan Islam?

Fikir - fikirkanlah sendiri...

Memandu: Sebelah kanan, atau kiri?

Di dalam dunia ini, ada dua kaedah memandu kenderaan; memandu di sebelah kiri, atau di sebelah kanan. Negara - negara Komanwel dan beberapa negara lain memandu di sebelah kanan, manakala yang selebihnya memandu di sebelah kiri. Mengapa berlaku begini?

Al-kisah...kalau tak silap lah...

Pada zaman kerajaan Rom, apabila tenteranya berjalan, mereka berjalan di sebelah kiri jalanraya dan memakai pedang mereka di sebelah kanan. Ini supaya mereka lebih bersedia andaikata diserang di tengah - tengah perjalanan.

Sementara itu, kerajaan Perancis di era Napoleon Bonaparte melakukan perkara yang sama, tetapi berjalan di sebelah kanan, pedang di sebelah kiri. Ini menjadi asas kepada sebab sesetengah negara memandu di sebelah kiri, dan sesetengah lagi di sebelah kanan.

Sewaktu menetap di United Kingdom dahulu, kami sekeluarga kerap menyeberang Selat Inggeris ke negara - negara Eropah. Pada waktu itu, tidak ada masalah bertukar dari sebelah kiri ke sebelah kanan, kerana feri menjadi pengantara...tahu - tahu sudah berada di sebelah kanan jalanraya.

Secara umumnya tiada masalah memandu kereta Britain di Eropah, kecuali kalau memandu di jalan kampung, dan hendak memotong lori. But then again, potong - memotong jarang berlaku.

Di Malaysia, kita tidak berdepan dengan proses bertukar dari kiri ke kanan, kerana satu, melainkan ke Singapura dan selatan Thailand, rata - rata rakyat Malaysia jarang memandu memasuki negara jiran. Dua, negara - negara jiran yang berkongsi sempadan memandu di sebelah kiri sepertimana Malaysia.

Pagi tadi, aku ke Shah Alam untuk membayar bil air dan zakat harta abah. Selesai membayar bil, aku teringat...belum sarapan daa... Jadi aku singgah di Cold Storage untuk membeli air tin Green Tea, dan makanan untuk disantap di dalam perjalanan pulang ke Subang Jaya.

Namun, bila tiba bab makan, memang leceh, sebab aku berada di sebelah kanan, makanan di sebelah kiri. Maka berlakulah siri perpindahan makanan dari bungkusannya ke tangan kiri, dihulurkan ke tangan kanan, dan seterusnya ke dalam mulut. Nasib baik dari tangan kanan tak terlepas ke tangan jurutol...kalau jadi...tobat lain kali aku balik ikut Jalan Glenmarie.

Pada waktu itulah baru aku terfikir,

"Kalau aku memandu di sebelah kiri, banyak sunnah yang aku boleh accomplish dalam kereta..."

Contoh:
1. Makan/minum dengan tangan kanan
2. Masuk kereta dengan kaki kanan, keluar dengan kaki kiri

Aku teringat suatu ketika dahulu, ada seorang tabligh yang selalu solat di surau sekolah lama aku (masa cuti SPM, aku selalu lepak situ solat Maghrib dan Isya' bersama rakan - rakan alumni Badan Kebajikan Surau). Sungguhpun tempat duduk pemandu di sebelah kanan, beliau tetap akan melangkah masuk menggunakan kaki kanan.

Aku pernah cuba sekali, tobat tak nak buat dah! Tersimpul kaki aku.

Entahlah, yeop. Bak kata orang putih,

"Live life as it is."

"Live and let live."

The Hammer, Its Flexibility & Relationship With Da'wah

After four months, I finally returned to my hometown in Subang Jaya, Selangor...this time driving, as I was coming home for good (hopefully, with Allah's blessings), the car itself being in Penang for almost a year, as I usually take the train or flight (one time only...) home during certain holidays, if not returning only as far as my granny's in Kuala Kangsar, Perak.

But, enough of that. Let's get to the real story...

Upon returning home, the first channel I watched was Channel 551 (Discovery Channel). I have a craze on television documentaries, usually physics, history, engineering, but excluding biological documentaries...not me line, mate!

By coincidence, the programme that was currently being aired is Mythbusters; a documentary where they test legendary myths using scientific, and most of the time...wacky methods. On that particular programme, they were conducting an experiment based on a myth stating that when two hammers collide, it emits a spark...an explosive spark.

They used two types of hammers; a modern hammer, and an old-fashioned hammer. The deviation between these hammers is that the old-fashioned hammer is very hard, as it is mixed with carbon compounds (not initially purified before being moulded), whilst the modern hammer consists of only pure steel, therefore being slightly soft.

I was not interested in the results obtained from the conducted experiments...it was the hammers that caught my attention.

The old-fashioned hammer, being physically hard...and brittle, had no flexibility characteristics, and therefore...according to the laws of physics...can not absorb any given impact towards it (impulse).

The modern hammer, on the other hand, has flexibility characteristics, though not visible to the naked eye. Therefore, it is able to absorb any given impact towards it.

In the old days, blacksmiths were injured, usually by the old-fashioned hammer. How was it possible? Well, lacking the ability to absorb impacts, the impact energy "attacks" the molecular structure of the hammer, breaking the bond, creating metal chips and debris that bounce blindly into mid-air, ocassionally hitting the blacksmiths on the cheeks, forehead, anywhere possible.

Relationships with da'wah? Well, to be honest, it ain't the hammer, chum. It be ye olde flexibility characteristics and effects.

Basically, when referring to the term da'wah, it is the process of delivering knowledge, advice from one who knows, to another who knows not, from a preacher to a preached (mad'u).

Ocassionally, the da'wah is performed, but it does not reach the mad'u. Usually, one who is referred to as a preacher, forgets that he/she and the mad'u are different in many ways; they do not have the same level of understanding, they do not have the same method of understanding, they are not previously exposed to the same environment(s) which played a role in building their personalities.

When the preacher does not understand this fact, he/she tends to preach based on his/her level of understanding and methods, at most times not synchronized to that of the mad'u.

Therefore, it is important that a preacher be flexible when it comes to preaching, so that the preacher can regulate his/her method of preaching to suit the level of those who are around him/her, thus easing the flow of knowledge, advice into them. In some communities, unorthodox methods are required, provided they do not override the guidelines introduced by Islam. But hey, man was designated to be different from others in characteristics, so that they have the urge to learn from one another.

Remember the impact received by the hammers, and its effects? Well, consider the impact as the mad'u. If you are as flexible as the modern hammer, you are able to 'absorb' them. But, be the old-fashioned hammer, and not only do you not successfully pass on knowledge, you destruct yourself, as how the hammer chips itself.

True, many scholars remain constant wherever they preach. But then, unlike us, they are renowned nationwide. Everywhere they go, they are known to the public; streets, avenues, lanes, mews, alleys, towers, masjids, corporations. People are familiar with their methods of preaching, and have naturally adapted to it.

Therefore, be flexible in whatever you do, at any given time, as you must know and acknowledge that the people around you have almost no similar characteristics compared to yours, and therefore must understand their characteristics so that you can communicate effectively with them.

Rehlah @ Sedim, Kedah

Pada awal pagi Selasa, seangkatan rombongan terdiri daripada 18 orang sahabat (termasuk seorang yang ponteng praktikal...ceroi punya budak) berangkat meninggalkan Permatang Pauh di dalam 3 buah kereta, dan 4 buah motorsikal memasuki Lebuhraya Butterworth-Kulim menuju ke Lata Sedim, kira - kira sejam perjalanan.

Setibanya kami di tapak perkelahan, kami meredah tebing sungai menghala ke hulu bagi mencari kawasan yang lebih sunyi, kurang atau tiada orang. Kawasan yang kami temui, terletak bersebelahan dengan tapak "Flying Fox". Arus sungai boleh tahan derasnya. Kalau angkat kaki dari dasar sungai, boleh hanyut.

Aksi paling mencabar yang dilakukan, adalah cubaan membuat satu halaqah (bulatan) di dalam sungai, bermusuhkan arus deras Sungai Sedim (lihat klip video). Hatta, beberapa kali terputus talian manusia di dalam usaha mencapai satu bulatan. Namun, yang paling berjaya ialah semi-halaqah :).

Amat menyedihkan bagi salah seorang sahabat, apabila cermin mata beliau hanyut dibawa arus sungai kelior (arah hilir). Nasib baik beliau bukan salah seorang dari kalangan pemandu, dan nasib baik kuasa cermin hanyalah 200+.

Selesai meronyeh di dalam sungai, kami naik ke tebing dan menjamu selera (dibaca: melahap, mentekedarah) spaghetti semangkuk dua. Selesai makan, niat baik nak terjun semula ke dalam sungai. Namun, mengenangkan perut berisi, takut termuntah - muntah dan merosakkan suasana bagi orang - orang yang sedang barmandi - manda nun di hilir sungai. Maka, kami pun menyalin pakaian dan bersiap untuk pulang.

Sedang kami berkemas, seorang ranger datang bertandang lalu bertanyakan siapa ketua di kalangan kami. Maka jari - jari ditudingkan ke arahku (mangkok!!!). Lalu, bersembanglah aku dengan sang ranger, dan mendapati bahawa kami berkelah di kawasan larangan (kawasan reserve Flying Fox), dalam ertikata lain, telah menceroboh.

Aku menjelaskan bahawa kami datang melalui pesisiran sungai, dan bukannya melalui kaki lima yang disediakan pihak taman. Setelah mendengar penjelasan aku, barulah beliau faham macam mana kami boleh terlepas pandang notis larangan yang terletak di tepi kaki lima, yang terletak nun di atas bukit, lantas menjelaskan sejarah wujudnya notis larangan itu.

Selesai berkemas, bergambar, dan memasukkan barang - barang ke dalam bonet kereta, kami berangkat pulang ke Permatang Pauh. Kami tiba di rumah serentak dengan berkumandangnya azan Zohor. Sungguhpun letih, namun rehlah ini amatlah bermanfaat, khususnya di dalam mengeratkan silaturahim si antara kami yang akan meninggalkan Pulau Pinang, dan mereka yang masih belum tamat pengajian.