Positioning: NEM, Islam in the real world

NEM

1. Economists have a disproportionate sense of self-importance when they dish out policy opinon based on simplified quantitative tools, based on historical data, often followed with a diametrically opposite opinion from a fellow economist using a different set of tools. Sorry- I don't buy into opinions of those with the loudest voices- rationality demands that we test the impact of various decision pathways and evaluate using our understanding of risks and opportunities of the foresseable future. Ie a scenario analysis.

2. NEM is a remarkable document for its fresh and candid views of Msia's economic problems and challenges, distinct from other official views edited for 'spin'.

3. Its policy prescriptions are just generalisations tho, and even then we still have bickering as to degrees of various shades of reasons and rationale of various prescriptions. These are distractions we don’t need when we don’t have any execution capability to exhaust all policy options. Execution needs to be prioritised when a level of comfort with solution is identified. But the important thing is to allow a mechanism for continued reflection and improvement to take place.

4. Hence, it is incumbent for organisations to institutionalise a system for perpetuating a system for improvement. This is captured in quality systems such as ISO9000, tho its importance should be emphasised much more than merely following the spirit of the letter. Policy review is just as important as policy development and policy execution. And within this space, we can allow for the economists to have their day in the limelight for whatever they wish to say.

Islam and the current state of being

5. People with leading edge Islamic thoughts to watch out for:

Society: Tariq Ramadhan – a message for understanding between two diverse cultures based on their own philosophical foundations. It’s a tough job, and personal costs are high in that he has been criticised from both sides, but he’s an acknowledged leader in this field, and should be supported as much as possible. Interesting that he’s been publicly quoted as disowning post-1949 IM, although the reason for his US travel ban was his donation to the precursor to Hamas in 1998.

Finance & Capitalism: Mohamaed Al-Erian- PIMCO boss, reputedly with links to IM, has business book of the year while taking his year out managing Harvard’s endowment funds. I like the philosophy behind PIMCO’s foundation. I’m a bit edgy about PIMCO’s involvement with conventional finance though.

Politics: Abd Wahab Al-Effendi: Sudanese ulama’ debunking the objectives of the khilafah. His book is a source of great debate and will likely shape the intellectual philosophy for Islamic moral leadership, rather than regulatory and political leadership.

This should be enough for now and adequate resource for debate and dialogue.

People and their set ways - resetting is not easy

Bismillah

1.       Society is so badly fragmented these days, and any thoughts of leaving a permanent impact on positive change leaves such an immense sense of the gargantuan effort required. Take for example, brutal killing and murder of babies, for that is what they are. Try changing that, and immediately you get the sense of the hopelessness of change. Where is the hope? When people raise the moral code as a preventive measure, there is a general outcry deriding imposition of Islamic values on liberals and non-muslims. Yet, the initiatives of handing out condoms are seen as the panacea for rampant zina amongst teenagers. The general paralysis analysis is too great that any effort as those done by raudhatusakinah needs to be given fullest support. Cynicism must be dampened fo hope to flourish. The littlest contributions must be promoted to give hope that these efforts are not done in vain.

2.       Then you have Islamic finance – trying to build upon the ruins of a capitalist system that breeds unfettered greed. CDS, CDO, derivatives, arbitrage, etc – positive purpose of risk management offset by lack of regulations allowing speculators to build upon loopholes, seen as backed by the rigour of an intellectual analysis but in truth no more than gambling against uncontrolled circumstances. Islamic finance allows for the risk of participating in these transactions with an asset-backed capital as a solution, when you lose you lose your own pants, not as part of a leveraged debt now termed as OPM, the loss is somebody else’s. Obama chasing after the miscreants in Goldis is a fantastic piece of news of clear thinking. Let the investors shit in their pants. They have had it easy for far too long.

3.       NEM promoting innovation et al. Already cynics are moving out of the woodwork when this initiative should be supported and expanded where able. Such is the crisis that we have in Malaysia that a major crossroads such as this is being seen as mere sloganeering, but failure to execute could have dire implications. A slowing economy will leave powerful forces tugging at the fraying strands of social cohesion. IN a way, I agree with Dr Halili if the opinion he expresses are true. In this case, weaken the empty “sloganeering” opposition, and strengthen the forces to keep Malaysian society intact for as long as we can.

4.       Tech development isn’t easy. Tech transfer leakages are occurring where people see opportunities to benefit. The system needs to change. MOSTI are regulators, not beneficiaries.

5.       New neighbours seem to be a bit nosy too.

Media spin and benefits from improved US-Msia ties

1.       general comments first: this country’s media needs to improve its current spm-level reporting to something more incisive, critical and developmental. The whole country suffers when journalists and editors take a safety-first approach when reporting leadership activities. Cairo has a newspaper which is 8 pages thin, and Saudi not that much more.. an indication of an unwillingness to educate the public, as the risks of controlling an educated, demanding public could spiral out of control. This attitude is wrong, and more of emulating the attitude of “standing on the shoulders of giants” should be the norm.

2.       Najib was optimistic it would pave the way for “a new beginning” that could lead to a broad, multi-faceted development. =è Bloody spin!

“Economic and trade investment will be a key component of our bilateral ties as we move forward because the US is a big source, not only in terms of an export market for our manufacturing industry but also a source for new technology such as ICT and biotechnology. He pointed out that most fund managers and venture capitalists were US-based.” -  

Ha, this last remark is interesting. Are we looking to pave the way for greater networking and tech transfer with the US. Context is everything – and US is still reeling from its bloody nose from the last economic crisis. We’re actually in a good position and leveraged properly we could get great deals out of this collaboration. But if we go with the attitude of beggars and inferiority complex, we’re gonna get screwed long and hard by these buggers.

“Equally important to us is making the world a safer place.”

3.       And again, let’s not stoop to these buggers – detaining foreign students on Malaysian shores under ISA on the pretext of national security… was this a prelude to this meeting? Let’s first and foremost, build our principles, justice, and equality, and talk to these guys, head-to-head, shoulder-to-shoulder, and eyeball-to-eyeball if need be.

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Obama brings up topic of New Economic Model with Najib

14 Apr 2010

Local Source: The Star

By LIM AI LEE 

Date Published : 14 Apr 2010

 

WASHINGTON: Malaysia’s New Economic Model (NEM) was one of the issues discussed during the bilateral meeting between Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and US President Barack Obama.

Obama, who raised the topic, wanted to know more about the NEM’s implementation.

The Prime Minister said he informed Obama of the Government’s goal of transforming Malaysia into a high-income economy and its liberalising policy.

“I explained that although Malaysia has been successful in its development approach in the past, it does not mean we will continue to be successful unless we look at a package that is more in tune with the new environment and can spur further development,” Najib said at a briefing for Malaysian journalists on Monday night.

Najib added that he brought up the example of Coca Cola investing RM1bil to illustrate how Malaysia had managed to convince huge American firms to invest in the country.

On his meeting with Obama that was held on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit, Najib was optimistic it would pave the way for “a new beginning” that could lead to a broad, multi-faceted development.

“Economic and trade investment will be a key component of our bilateral ties as we move forward because the US is a big source, not only in terms of an export market for our manufacturing industry but also a source for new technology such as ICT and biotechnology.”

He pointed out that most fund managers and venture capitalists were US-based.

“There are thus a host of economic opportunities that we can leverage on if we have good bilateral ties with the US,” Najib said.

He also stressed on collaboration in terms of security, counter-terrorism and sharing of information under bilateral ties, saying:

“Equally important to us is making the world a safer place.”

Najib said he extended an invitation to Obama to visit Malaysia, adding that the last president to step into the country did so in 1966.

Apart from meeting Obama, Najib also attended a working lunch with US vice-president Joe Biden and later had a face-to-face meeting with New Zealand Prime Minister John Key.

Financial Impact on Liverpool Turnaround

1.       First off, the disclaimers: I have no insider information but what I do have are pieces of information that I can use to deconstruct the “business” of LFC. In this context, people who separate boardroom ownership to on the pitch issues are truly deluded.

2.       Historically, football clubs exist as a recreational and sports club, gathering people with passion for the game. Eventually, football tournaments are organised and victors are glorified. Liverpool historically, is the product of the glory years. Then, commercialism came, and the glories became inextricably linked to the financial muscle of each club, or in other words, buying the glories.

3.       The business model was probably constructed way earlier, but MU became the ones who perfected it. As telecasts were privatized by Sky on to cable channels, funded by subscribers, clubs with more games being telecast received more money. Gone were the days that money were solely sourced from conventional means ie match-day goers, merchandising and advertising channels alone. As MU’s increasing revenue coincided with Lorg Ferg’s successful football management, and MU began to scoop trophy after trophy, they could afford higher paid players, higher transfer fees and higher value squads. Mistakes in the transfer market could go unpunished as their financial muscle was enough to stave off the threat, and the footballing success also enabled MU to milk a greater global fanbase. You can also expand the stadium to increase matchgoers. Just off the top of my head: Veron, Kleberson, Djemba2x, Nani(? Though he may come good eventually), Berbatov, Carrick(?) are demonstrations of mistakes a great, but not faultless, manager has done.

4.       Liverpool are laggards in every respect of the financial administration, and abetted by Souness in the early 90s, deconstructed a fairly good but aging team to a horrendous one just as the Sky money was flowing in. Evans, Houllier and now Benitez needs to perform a miracle to turnaround fortunes on the pitch while having one hand tied when compared to MU.

5.       But Liverpool was still much better off than many others, Southampton, Leeds, Portsmouth, all tried to change their fates by buying their way to success, and in the case of Leeds by introducing innovations such as player derivative transfer fees, but when the gamble fails, the club then falls away without trace. And the objective very much becomes survival and a long term future and eventual return to Premiership, rather than the chase of glorious trophies.

6.       It is when expectations are on winning trophies that Liverpool would then be judged against Chelski, MU and Arsenal, and latterly with City and Spurs. And with the first three, for different reasons are why the turnaround would be very difficult to sustain. Chelski has a wealthy benefactor that could afford star names since 2004, but may now be more stringent with his pursestrings, although the momentum allows them to maintain their upward tangent for the foreseeable short term, perhaps for the next 1-2 seasons more, MU with their aforementioned financial muscle, despite Glazers financial incompetence, as long as Lord Ferg’s there will still be there or thereabouts when it comes to trophy accumulation, although with his advancing years, will have to find a suitable candidate very soon. Arsenal, very well maintained financial ship, and very good manager though restrained by his idealism, may still bea fierce competitor in the coming years, but they too face a managerial succession challenge very soon. City has a wealthy benefactor that could catalyse them just as Roman had done with Chelsea, and a very good manager in Mancini may just pull off a title challenge next season, and shock people in the CL provided player power is subordinated to the glory beckoning them. Spurs have always been a suave financial operator, but Redknapp has done a tremendous job to allow them a tilt into the CL, but it must be said, so did Jol a few years back.

7.       What this does show is that the managerial choice is a supremely crucial one to make, and especially so when you lack financial firepower.

8.       Benitez has shown he can compete with the best. Twice La Liga winners, FA Cup, CL and UEFA Cup winner on his CV. No doubt, he has his weaknesses even in his tactical strengths, and Hiddink showed them up when we lost 3-1 at Anfield last year, though we gave them a real scare in the last 5 mins before Lampard leveled at 4-4 in the return leg. So, the argument that his replacement shoud be just as worthy is a good one, though that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any – Hiddink, Mourinho, Ranieri are all good candidates – but all with their own set of flaws. I’d go with Alex McLeish, cheap, Scot and has done a very good job at Birmingham despite City thrashing them 5-1 over the weekend.

9.       But the job at Liverpool is much more. Instead of financials backing up his job, he needs to thrash all his rival teams while generating revenues to shore up his side. While others have sufficient squad cover to chase in all directions for glory, he has to do so with limitations, and there has been a good job at shoring up the reserves and academy sides to secure the long-term future, while also challenging with the first team. And let it be reminded that he won the CL with Traore, Dudek, Warnock, Pongolle, Le Tallec in the squad, and what a difference now!

10.   So, whither Liverpool? Slipping out of CL for next year could be good as it gives Benitez time to reorganize his side for PL matches, provided he prioritises PL over Europa. What happens in summer will be interesting – I’m presuming that Babel, Riera et al, perhaps Aquilani will be shipped out, some cheap transfers to come in, but more interestingly, reserves will be brought into the first team.

11.   Implications to the on-field play? More disruptions as they try to bed-in, inconsistent results for next season though we may end up with a cup or two, Lucas and Masch growing as a midfield pair. If the new style of play exAlonso gels together, we could be a fairly interesting team to watch, but I wonder though seeing how the defence has struggled this season if that really is the antidote in the PL.

12.   Conclusion? Until the ownership issue is settled, I’m lowering my expectations for next season.

13.   For a corporate manager, and an entrepreneur, the message is stark. If you take care of the finances, the rest will take care of itself.

Indicinelive review

1.       Context: I don’t have that much experience in the artsy type social scene, but I do love a good jokey skit once in a while. Having experienced Harith live before, I decided Indicinelive was worth a shot.

2.       Not having any expectations was kind of good, though I did take Ad’s warning there will be indecent parts upfront.

3.       The location is kind of difficult to find at night, but the crowd and the location in the middle of YTL’s Sentul park did remind me of London’s artsy scene. I was sort of looking forward to the performance by the time the doors were opened at 8.20.

4.       Thereafter, it was a madcap type of sketch after sketch, skit after skit.. and before I go into deep analysis, I must say I did enjoy the hour I spent there. Though there were questions on the liberality worldview of the cast and writers when they came up with sketches, I’d say for a fun night out willing to be poked fun suspended the need for any indulgent serious perspective on things.

5.       Would I recommend it? If people can be excited at slapstick Western comedy movies and had no such qualms to support those endeavours by buying movie tickets, there should not be any hesitation for recommending this light hearted parodying of Malaysian society and politicians.

6.       We could learn a few things as well on how we look like from the outside in. If a bit tight on the wad, then use your money on your own identified priorities and save your criticisms.

Laying the little pebbles in the foundations of a strong building

Bismillah

1.       Striving for perfection

We can strive, as the numerous sanctions from Quran and Sunnah asking us to forth and fastabiqul khairat, and to improve every single day and such, though we can never attain the perfection of the angels or Ar-Rasul, we should never stop trying to emulate the best role model for mankind, with guidance from the best guidance of the Quran, the Divine Word. To that end, it was a start, but I found it to be of the most benefit to put in the car radio Ust Hayei's mp3 tafseer cd, bought almost a year ago but hardly used, and I could feel the understanding of the Ayah streaming into the soul and knocking on my hardened heart. It's still a bit of work to feel the fear in Allah's Words, but it is my doa that this is eventually the state of mind.

2.       "Senang, Tenang dan Menang"

Was just trying to think through the essential steps to live life, and in its practical form I think it's best described by the X(enang) words. Perhaps, this also means we should be living in Penang.

Senang is to have the most optimal resources of life, that is in terms of family relations, monetary and resources. My own experience teaches me that prior to Primaya, things were in such flux that there is no looking beyond a short horizon of getting to the next paycheck, and being on guard to the next blowup of some sort. A peaceful abode is of critical importance, and that can only be achieved through obtaining sufficient material resources. This should be conunterbalanced by the fact that this is merely a bridge and not the overriding purpose. Ust Hayei's exposition of the ayat in Al-Baqarah 2:254 espousing infaq of resources given by Allah out of His mercy is referred.

Tenang – is to obtain As Sakinah – where AsSakinah of muttmaienul qulub is the greatest prize one should be striving for. And the Sakinah that the Umrah visit has endeared upon us is to be prolonged as long as could be. So, familial events should be maximized as much to remind of this wonderful God's gift upon us.

Menang – is where the display of leadership is not the means of self-glorification, but as an aspiration to an unwavering focus of righting the gaps from standards defined by the lofty standards defined in Islam. A return to sincerity, a return to maqasid as-syariah is important.

And hence is how I define how I view a tagline not unlike that of a Mesra card.

3.       Da'wah is an essential element of Menang

What are our key priorities? I propose looking here: http://www.zaharuddin.net/content/view/50/95/

Economics has proven that with limited resources, at this holds true even at a personal level, prioritization should be done to maximize the effects of ibadah. I copy-paste some of the more pertinent ones from the link above:

KEFAHAMAN KEUTAMAAN DALAM BIDANG AMAL 

1)           Keutamaan amal istiqamah dari amal yang terputus-putus.

2)           Keutamaan amal yang menyeluruh manfaatnya dari amal yang hanya terhad manfaatnya individu.

Ertinya : Adakah kamu ingin aku sebutkan apakah amalan yang terlbeih baik dari darjat solat (sunat seorang diri) dan puasa dan sedeqah? , itulah usaha pemurnian kefahaman Islam dalam ahli keluarga& sahabat handai, sesungguhnya kerosakan kefahaman mereka adalah pencukur .. Nabi SAW menjelaskan kemudian : Ia adalah pencukur agama(kiranya tidak diperbaiki) . [18]

3)           Keutamaan amal yang lama kesannya dari amal yang pendek kesannya.

Sabda Nabi : إذا مات ابن آدم انقطع عمله إلا من ثلاث ... Ertinya : Pabila mati anak Adam, terputus semua amalannya kecuali 3 perkara.. [19] 

4)           Keutamaan bangkit dan beramal untuk kebaikan masyarakat dari duduk diam ( ketika musim fitnah dan cabaran) .

Ertinya : "Serulah kepada kebaikan dan laranglah dari kemungkaran …dan sesungguhnya akan datang satu masa kelak, mereka yang bersabar (dalam menghadapi fitnah) seperti pemegang bara-bara api, manakala mereka yang bekerja (untuk Islam) di ketika saat itu mendapat ganjran 50 kali ganda pahala amal seseorang . Sahabat bertanya : Adakah ganjarannya lebih dari  50 ganda seperti amalan sesama mereka atau berbanding kami? , berkata Nabi : Bahkan , lebih 50 kali dari amalan kamu" [20]

5)           Keutamaan pemurnian amalan hati dan amalan anggota.   

Ertinya : "Allah tidak melihat kepada tubuh kamu dan rupa kamu ( dalam hisab amal) , tetapi dilihat dan ditelitinya hati kamu"  [21]

Ertinya : " Ketahuilah, di dalam jasad ada seketul daging, bila elok eloklah seluruh jasad, jika rosak, rosaklah seluruh jasad, ketahuilah ianya adalah HATI" [22]  

6)           Keutamaan memahami keutamaan sesuatu amalan berubah menurut suasana dan keperluan. 

There is a need to master this art of prioritisation.

4.       Street smart AND book smart

Street smart: Allows to convince the general Joe Public, and there is now a whole bunh of individualistic peoples out there that makes customization of messages practically impossible. This knowledge enables us to right the wrongs and to exercise leadership in the middle of society. This will also eliminate stupid and crass acts of charitably giving RM53 to people like Samsudin. We must do good, but we must Never be stupid.

Book smart: allows is to identify truth, amidst competing dogma and rationality.

5.       Concerns are greater than resources – and a crisis-mode paradigm is necessary. If I only knew what I cold be responsible for, for sure, I'd be losing sleep, not able to enjoy Liverpool's matches. There needs to be a paradigm shift!

Thoughts and reflections on da'watuna fi majmu' ar-rasail

Da’wah and Islam

1.       we spent last night going through Da’watuna from Majmu’ al-Rasa’il, a collection of writings from Hassan Al-Banna. An interesting du’at borne out of the chaos enveloping Egypt in the early 20^th Century, where muslims were under severe pressure from European colonial influences, loss of Khilafah Uthmaniyyah (though interestingly, in my readings, the idea of a centralised Khilafah may not be as widespread throughout Muslim history as thought before). His collection of thoughts formed strategic imperatives for the muslim personality and character, muslim organisation and amal jamaie and Islamic political thought. No doubt, he has left a lasting legacy, and may he be given the blessings and forgiveness of Allah for his contribution towards Islamic awakening towards the rightful path of Islam throughout the world.

2.       Also, implications are – what are the strategic imperatives for society racked by confusion and materialism as we are seeing now in Malaysia. As HAB himself lost sleep thinking of the direction of his society, what of Malaysian society where in extremis, we are seeing babies disposed, children killed, widespread zina and identity confusion, political and societal fragmentation. What of our responsibilities and activities? Are we also confusing the issue by separating our da’wah into muslim and non-muslims? Has not Ibn Khaldun pointed out Islam’s role as savious of mankind?

Knowledge and execution

3.       NN has various threads of beneficial knowledge- some contemporary, some classical Islamic text and tazkirah. I’d need to make full use of this existing repository, and utilise this for ummah’s benefit. More importantly, the ability to change personal direction, opinions and position based on what the truth is. After all, is not Islam purely based on what is Haq? Ref: Saifulislam’s blog on Laura’s journey to become a new revert.

Thoughts swirling!

Not arranged in any order of importance, but just need to get all of these off the top of my head and then to think through this bit-by-bit…

1.       Liverpool on the brink…

If there was a point where we can trace where it all went downhill, it was the point where Alonso decided to pack up. One of the most elegant midfielders I have ever had the pleasure of watching, once he left, there was no more interconnection between front and back in the first 11. G&T left to forage on their own have not been as good as before, and perhaps due to injuries and a lot more than purely the loss of Alonso, the back can pass their way out of trouble and lacks another portion of the screen in front of them.

And now, potentially loss of CL for 2011, poor form and performance, Aqua and Lucas just inadequate replacements, and a spiraling financial blackhole in front.. it feels mid 90s all of a sudden…

2.       Protecting the iman, preserving the character…

Preserve and erect the barriers to prevent slippage into Jahiliyyah and sin.. I’d need to focus greatly into preventing myself into falling into calamity. Thought processes should be to reinforce positivity into enhancing iman.. read ma’thurat, quranic studies, preserving strong character. Managing of personal time is absolutely essential. Concerns are always greater than time available.

3.       Planning for next stage…

2 year, 3 year, 5 year plans.. most importantly, where do I want to be?