Wisdom-oriented direction

1.       I’d like to achieve wisdom. The kind where I can read what this mat Salleh write, and I don’t go into automatic naivete mode thinking how great their research has been, but that it is merely a teaser to their greatest strength, which is to market and influence others to believe in their superiority. The internet does not help to overcome this inferiority complex.

2.       So what should happen is that the automatic reflex is to chunk up the information up to understanding people’s motivations, which are by and large driven by materialistic and capitalistic tendencies.

3.       Big question is, am I already afflicted? Take today’s call from a potential DF buyer. It was quite clear that I wanted the deal to be purely on price, but did I need to be unnecessarily harsh? Even with the agent? Where is my akhlak? It is in moments like this that I despair of what I have become after almost four years here. Nevertheless this is what I need to overcome. Ensure the automatic response is the ones not meant to impress the capitalists, but one where I can use the brief transactional exchange to further the image of Islam, to please Allah.

4.       It then becomes quite clear that I’d need to fill up my spiritual self with love of the Word of Allah, as that IS wisdom. How far apart have I gone? I need to come back. As it is, this already a poor influence on others in my family.

5.       Then it comes back to this Decision. The risks. The potential opportunities. All driven with sustaining the current lifestyle – but the real non-variable should be that family development will go by the rails / guidance that has been shown in light of this Wisdom. Hubbud-dunya wakara hiyatul mawut. Again, such a sensitive decision and how I need to deal with this with akhlak.

6.       Then the question is how do I deal with the naysayers, even those close to me? Challenge is to derisk all possible initiatives carefully, and to take care that it’s not about not taking risks, but to take carefully evaluated risks.

7.       But the other point is on courage and determination. And this comes from my relationship with Allah. The tawakkal part. While at the same time ensuring that I commit fully to the project. There is no shortcut. There is no exit. And realizing that the relationship with Allah is not because I have something that I want or need, but it is because He is the Almighty  Creator that I bow down to.

8.       And then again realizing how far away I’ve dropped off to. And how far is the distance that I need to close, but only then comforted by the fact that if I walk towards Allah, Allah will run towards me. I have had my share of the darkness. This is but one of those episodes. Do I then throw my hands up in the air or do I try to find a light?

Migration is a realistic option

Malaysia is going down the failed nation route

1. This country is eroding.
2. Utusan is a joke of a newspaper who thinks their agenda of helping malays by continuing unquestioning loyalty to UMNO will perpetuate the malays survival, even at the expense of dumbing down the malays. Their overzealousness to prove Anwar as the protagonist of all evil in the world is made with the assumption that the malays are emotional and unthinking, and by goign through the moral high ground they can guarantee Anwar's destruction. I'm no big fan of Anwar post-2008 after all the miscalculated political missteps, but when Wan Azizah says it isn't Anwar, that's good enough for me. I trust Wan Azizah understands the concept of loyalty, as it is taught in Islam, is predicated upon truth and goodness, not upon deception and political calculation. So Utusan - may your editors find peace in themselves, and may the once-proud newspaper forever die a slow, painful death through making themselves an irrelevant space filler in dirty drains. The expected reaction to this is that this is a treacherous thought to allow a powerful symbol of Malay power, but in truth, Utusan has been a traitor to the malay agenda by ensuring the continued ignorance, prejudiced, unprincipled and emotional views to be propagated to unthinking malays.
3. Seeing Tun's blog on how to develop a university town today is another revolting idea. Tun is brilliant, but a supernormal Einsteinic, Alexander the Great he is not. His brilliance should have been focused on institutional building for continued malay development, not for short-cut, original but ultimately untested ideas. Instead, he cultivated a sycophantic following forever asking his ideas on development and regarding it as unquestionable truth. Malays will only progress once they start taking responsibility for themselves, and not waiting for a supreme feudalistic ruler to bring them to success. The sooner Tun really retires, the better for the malays. Najib should outflank him, and outflank him now.

Malays, Chinese and other non-Malays II

10. Another day, another flip-flop. Or perhaps, a recalibrated and elaborated comment. At the end of the day, where is my position on issues? Do I trust or do I mistrust?

11. At the end of the day, we the Muslims, the Malays, the Malay-muslims, individuals, need to build our internal capabilities. We should not be dependent on handouts from the government, which equates to a handicap, not a permanent handicap but one we should grow out of. The Malays cannot be perpetual children depending on handouts and protection from parents, but slowly building up its own capabilities and maturity to take over the role of protectors.

12. Coming from that point of view, we should be wary. We shouldnt be naive. The Chinese has enormous organisational capability, so should we. The fact that we dont, the fact that we are so divided is the crux of the issue. The Chinese can sit down and agree on issues of common benefit to the community, like Chinese education. Even if there are disagreements, it is self-suppressed for the greater good. We should learn from this, not envy this unnecessarily, and invoke the fear that they will overcome and dominate us.

13. At the moment, many Malays are cowed into supporting UMNO. See Tun M's rant about Nik Aziz, deliberately pointing fingers at the inadequacies of his rival, exaggerating some of the views held by the some strains within PAS instead of looking at his strengths, not that I'm expecting him to do that. Tun understands the Malay psyche perfectly, that they sit back and look to see the winner in a duel, and then herd unthinking to the winner's camp. It's the classic feudalistic viewpoint. Deliberately sidesteps the fact that UMNO kicked PAS out of BN when they were already united back in the 70s. Ridiculing the Islamic state as a mindless cutting off hands brand of Islam without elaborating on the distributive justice, and therefore equating PAS's orthodoxy as some form of Talibanism.

14. I want the best for the Malays, the Muslims. It's not good to distinguish this identity, although in certain situations it needs to be done. But the best is for people to be educated, to be strong, to have convictions and to be firm. Not cower in fear.

15. For that to happen, people like Tun must be relegated to the background. His comments only inflame PAS's supporters, and further drive the wedge into the fractures. UMNO cannot continue in this 80s mode. If Tun really says he wants unity, it is by appealing to common interests. Economic strength, yes, but morality, justice and other human capital aspects are just as urgent and important, if not more. The common interests are that wealth is redistributed to middle-class and lower-class malays. The scholarships given out to outstanding students is the start of a dedicated, intensive program for the development of the malays - which perhaps must be a mandate for Teraju. No giving out of freebies to buy silence. Silly, crap cronistic businesses which drain life out of the community and the nation is killed off ruthlessly. No selective decisions based on you-know-who, but purely based on merit., starting with the malay community first if the political will is not there to implement it within the NEM.

16. Tun has done wonderful things as a PM. At the same time, the nation disintegrating in front of our very eyes cannot be rehabilitated with the same dosage that Tun has been dishing out. I am ashamed of the DSAI trials in 1999 as it is now. It is a sham trial, especially when RTC and CSL is walking around freely. This is gross injustice. Tun M doesnt recognise the damage this is doing to the nation, and insists that procedurally this was correct. If he cannot / will not recognise this as a defect, he cannot rectify it, and the damage to institutions and the national psyche this causes far outweighs his contributions. He should remain silent and let Najib do damage limitation, not that Najib doesnt have enough problems with models, NEM or Mongolian.

17. Malaysian politics is described as sham, colourful, interesting etc. In fact, it's a lie. It's too dishonest and it overshadows all the good work the government could have done. If Tun desists, PKR will probably shoot itself in its foot, femur and face. But right now, it's a reminder of how bad things were before in Tun's time. Probably, he is in fear of being painted in the same colours as Mubarak, Gaddafi and Ben Ali.

Malays, Chinese and other non-malays

1. Utusan went to town Saturday on PAS back-tracking and giving support to the Malay agenda. TERAS Chairman (?) said that the Malay economic issues must be addressed satisfactorily and not be glossed over by Pakatan Rakyat. In Primaya, there was this CNY celebration which was quite strange as it was the first time a Chinese celebration was held there after 3 years. Reading MI makes you want to knock your head against a wall when Chinese chauvinists go over the top in their criticisms of anything UMNO. (and you can sort of visualise the kid gloves when talking about MCA or other non-Malay partners in the BN)
2. There is truly a need to go to a common concensus on upholding basic principles. Addressing the truth for instance is a good start. So, call a spade a spade if you must, no covering up. (what was the word scully used again? obfuscation?) That goes not just to Chinese chavs, but also the more blinkered of all politicians.
3. Let's start by listing too many of the contentios issues and try to lay it down to rest once and for all. First, is UMNO a British stooge who won independence? To my knowledge, this is not true. Looking from the British perspective, once decolonisation became a policy due to the burden of maintaining far-flung colonies, there was only the question of who their preferred partner will be. Regardless of the fact that their insistence on the Alliance arose from the fear of "islamist" / left-leaning elements in Hizbul Muslimin or other less savoury alternatives, the due process was accorded and recognition must be given when there was support to the Alliance from the populace (through democratic elections) as well as the monarchs of the federated states. In the end, the federation model and its subsequent Constitution became the de facto model of the state. The question of a British stooge does not arise.
4. Social contract - citizenship in return for power, and later on the acceptance of Malay dominance through its monarchs and special position. That remains, and should not be questioned.
5. NEP was introduced, and was the right prescription for the issues of economic disparity amongst the races in the 60s. (It should have brought about greater social cohesion. The fact it does not means that the pendulum has swung too much the other way)
6. So now that I have affirmed UMNO's position, there is no issue right? Wrong. UMNO has made major mistakes - the vasectomy of judiciary prime amongst the loss of confidence in public policies. Malays are angry that the Malay-centric policies do not benefit the general classes, the non-Malays are angry at continued marginalisation due to the ineffective execution of Malay-centric policies as a whole. in 3/08, the Opposition made massive political inroads.
7. Then they started making a mess of things. Instead of taking on issues they were mandated to do, like becoming a more effective public administrator, they started to act like UMNO 2.0 and BN 2.0. Politicking about taking over the federal govt through the backdoor. Acting like schoolkids on the Perak takeover. Bleeding elected reps, members and supporters - no signs of coagulation yet. Talking daft things on changing State constitution, not recognising a Federally appointed State Sec, even when procedures have been followed etc. Token support for justice in the form of ISA etc, but full-blooded support when one of their own is "unjustly treated' - DSAI, TBH etc. If BN thot the voters are daft, PR acted like the voters are daft. At least, BN is actively wooing neutrals and fencesitters. PR acts as if the votes they gained in 2008 are their perennial property.
8. In the end, here we are. The Chinese electorate are invigorated. They are sophisticated, socially instinctive to safeguard their own interests and unwilling to take risks as regards to their self-interest. The Indians are too fragmented to impact on the political scene, so the stakes are between the large Malay electorate and the solid Chinese king-makers.
9. What of my personal view? The need to always speak the truth, stand up for truth. If anything, the issues are still issues of what people will bring to eat at the table. Looming global challenges are looming. Our politicians continue to squabble about the arrangement of the deckchairs on the Titanic after crashing into the iceberg. Chinese issues and Malay issues are different, but the solution is the same. Return to the needs of social justice and equality. The same concepts that Islam came to enforce. Let us not be too defined by the colour of our skin. Malays have progressed since 1969, we are no longer a race of fishermen and farmers. Many are now professionals. Unfortunately, the continued awkward execution of NEP means that we are now a race of government officers, GLC professionals, toll booth operators, bank tellers, and others. Create a level playing field. Let the Malays compete. Let them find the solutions. Let the government step back. Allow Islamists to dominate Malay society. At least we wont be reading daily news items of abandoned babies.

what's right with Malaysia

Continued from before:

11.    Understanding the weaknesses allows us to pinpoint the areas of our contribution, the priority points if you like.

12.    Education, first and foremost. Academic as well as inculcating characters. Academically, middle eastern universities are flourishing eg KAUST, Jordan U, even IIUM etc. Character building will have to be supplemented by usrah based on ukhuwwah and ilm. Hafazan schools with emphasis on sciences would be excellent.

13.    To be on the lookout and prepare for meta-trends of permaculture as a sub-genre of sustainability and earth stewardship, Islamic finance as a viable alternative to shenanigans in the prevailing economics of financial ecosystems, to be foremost in self-promotion and relationship building in an age of narcissistic primadonnas utilising the latest disruptive technologies of the internet, and to be ready to participate in the growth of these sub-genres as a possibility of commercial enterprise and livelihood.

14.    To supplement these actvities with promoting, leading and thinking about societal needs in education and offering the products necessary to stem the flow of gradual but inevitable decline of the existing societal worldview in Malaysia, whose alternative and successor at this moment is still unclear. The void needs to be filled by an Islamic principle based solution especially in the fields of education and funding. It is within these two realms that applied dakwah and offerings must be focused on.

15.    To think of ways and means to participate in shaping the political thinking that can help to expedite the changes to push it to an environment, a paradigm that could help the country to flourish and society to co-exist peacefully.

 

 

To address what's right with Malaysia, we need to stocktake things that are wrong with Malaysia now

1.       Titled as above so as not to look like this is trying to rundown this little country, my country, our country. Granted that the following is a rant that probably needs a lot more thought in categorization and such.

2.       Gradual decline of societal values, rise of violent crimes, petty crimes everywhere, porn vcds (pirated some more) available by the roadside, liberalism competing against rising extremism, murders most foul of a group, individuals, and helpless and weak babies. The list goes on.

3.       Abdication of responsibilities by our political leaders allowing racism, inequalities and injustice to prosper for the sake of self-interest and extension of political might, leaving their constituencies (their amanah it must be said!) to lead in the fight for civil rights (GMI, etc), charity (Mercy Malaysia) and the media’s gross over-sensationalisation of poverty and suffering in favour of commercial benefits, overemphasis on rights and privileges over developing internal capacity and capabilities.

4.       Increasing polarization arising from number 3 above.

5.       Declining economic competitiveness. Forget the rankings, surveys and stuff. When a survey is constructed and aggregated at such macro-level it has no value to the human spirit of competitiveness and innovation. What matters is at the personal level, what is the output, contribution that can be expected from the individual. Looking at the outputs from our high-level academic institutes now, there can only be depression at the lack of apathy, inarticulate, lack of moral standards and such. Those who could escape such a damning environment find that in the work environment lack of role models amongst their superiors to teach simple character-building, strong, principle-centred mujahid dakwah, or at the very least, good mentors to lead. The system just fails to produce enough critical mass for nation-building and cohesive society building.

6.       As a result of 5, bureaucrats, employees and the labour force turn to their survival instincts in the face of insufficient income levels to match with growing needs and demands and the various offerings available to the upper crust of society. Inflationary pressures by itself has created a need for the ‘proletariats’ to supplement their income stream with earnings from mlm and various other moon-lighting jobs (foot patch, score A, zhulian, stuff). Who can blame them?

7.       A whole generation of Malays are just lazy fat cats rolling around waiting for their rights and privileges to fall from the sky. Perkasa is just so wrong, so wrong on so many levels. By extension, so is Tun M. His time has passed, and maybe he should be passing time, although some are saying he should be doing time. The present leadership should stand up, look him in the eye, say the above and politely ask Tun M to stand down. The other implication is to tell our children that nothing falls down from the sky if we don’t work for it. Let’s not blame our inabilities on the wrongs perpetrated by others, as we are responsible for our own fate. Allah will not burden us with things that we cannot bear.

8.       Economic policies, subsidies etc. Yes, these are the rights of society upon the government, as this is the essence of Saidina Abu Bakr’s proclamation speech on his elevation as Khalifah, … speaking about the rights of the weak, the responsibilities of the strong, the essence of a democratically elected “representative” of a “popular” vote on the basis that he is the best to carry out the functions and purposes of a just, strong government… The Government should stop talking about the need to reduce subsidies and conduct an investigation into where the revenues coming from Petronas has gone to. At the end of the day, is there leakage and misallocation? How much? Where is it flowing to? How should the network of dependencies and patronage be decimated, or at the very least reconstructed so that merit prevails, and not patronages and corruption.

9.       Restructuring of society, allowing for the flourishing of Islamic sciences and research, allowing for the creation and sustainance of a proper Islamic industry so that there are no undue concerns and fears of compromised halal-ness, be it for food or even for funding and financing. Allowing that Muslims and non-muslims, all Malaysians respect the cultures and traditions of religion, the ummatic principle, the rational and tolerant basis of religion and spirituality and not the rituals and fear-mongering of religious adherents. Agree with LKY on the percentages of new townships so that there are no longer Kepong or Cheras Baru, which are antiques and should be removed as such. To begin with the decimation of Chinese schools and the reconstruction of Chinese private schools with curriculum that emphasizes Malaysiana.

10.   The reconstruction of education curriculum that emphasizes objectivity and respect. No such thing as a 5,000 year old civilization being superior to those which are newer and such. Base everything on the basis of scientific inquiry, rationalisation, curiosity, evidence-based, and infused with God-given spirituality to compensate for the limits and boundaries of scientific knowledge. Infuse national schools with learning of scriptures, hafazan, and deen-based knowledge as the overarching philosophy that binds all bodies of knowledge at a philosophical, pedagogical level that leads to the above.  

11.   Priorities, priorities. Leadership needs to take stock of all these weaknesses. Leadership needs to understand the destination of leading society. At a lower level, middle managers, executives need to understand the big picture. We all have a role to play in this.

 

 

Malaysian Politics and Economy

An admission – I’m just a layman not used to talk about policy-level issues on a local scale, let alone national scale. But I need to get this off my chest.

1.       KPIs are so last century, but hurray GoM is now implementing this as part of their alphabet soup of governance, as advised by the alphabet soup consultants!

2.       Sibu shows the Chinese electorate are a pretty sophisticated bunch who move as one big mass of body politic

3.       Hulu Selangor shows that the Malay-electorate can still be swayed by short-term financial perks – RM50k anyone? Same for Indian-electorate.

4.       Innovation & Technology, the pivot around where the NEM is supposed to sway on to bring us to the high-income territory, is just so bloody far away that I just cant see it happening

5.       The PM has shown that he’s no statesman – u don’t go around explicitly bribing your electorate

6.       Brain Drain shows no signs of abating, and I fear that it may pick up steam after the next GE “when” BN still wins majority seats because of no. 3 above

7.       The Opposition, while showing some promise to reverse some of these deep-seated fundamental problems, have major issues of credibility and leadership. Let’s take a look at national leaders – there’s DSAI – who has funnyman Saiful being a pain in the ass, quite literally – but beyond him….? LKS or LGE – oh please! Let’s not trade a bigot with another. Dzulkifly Ahmad, Nizar, Khalid Samad are too far away from the national consciousness.

8.       Malays are at an important crossroad – they must choose their future – let go of the easy money and be competitive OR milk the nation till everyone starves. You think they’ll be able to make the right choice?

9.       Malaysian sportsmen are our hope for a common, united Malaysia, but are let down by weak mentality. So hockey, badminton, football – not much success there to unite everybody. Squash – too much on the fringes.

10.   The most articulate young politicians are not given the platform to shape or to move policy, institutions or society. Those given opportunities are betrayed by inexperience, lack of ability, easily outmanouvered politically and most importantly in my opinion, let down by an inordinate exaggerated belief in one’s own ability. Personal conviction of youth is our main hope, and when we don’t have enough competition amongst apathetic, rotten, amoral, unethical, ambivalent youth raised in an ineffective education system to produce young leaders– we have a major problem.

11.   oh – item 10 – our education sucks. We need more of the Musleh schools – perhaps in an English medium, which makes them Adni schools. And that needs to be opened to all public, without restriction.

12.   Then there is the teachers – overworked, underappreciated, overwhelmed, stressed and scope creep continues unabated. But they get a nice big Selamat Hari Guru card from the PM… isn’t that sweet?

13.   Financial management of the country sucks. We have a Madoff-like institution giving out high returns regardless of its portfolio performance, we have a provident fund which is so risk-averse that at your retirement age, the average Malaysian will still not have enough, Zakat institutions that are.. I reserve judgment.

14.   We have in inordinate sense of self importance – why do we still protect Proton at the expense of all Malaysians? Btw TM stands for Terribly Mediocre – unbefitting of its status as a national fixed line operator that will soon rollout triple-play and quad-play products. Practise meritocracy and see what Digi does with this. And VW to partner Proton. Btw what happened with Proton’s acquisition of Lotus – Lotus is now dragged down to Proton’s level! CK says we can source out other hydro plants from Sarawak, but which will still need the submarine cable, which was too costly. Oh yeah, he won the Best CEO award, so we should be comforted. Come to think of it, who are the major shareholders of these companies?

Positioning: Malay Supremacy No. 1

1.       The Quran and the Sunnah, the references from where Muslims take their guidance from, are race-blind. There’s a narration that is said to be the asbabunnuzul for Surah Al-Hujurat’s commandment for the taaruf between the various races and tribes, though I cannot verify its standard, that upon conquering Makkah, the Prophet appointed Bilal to call the prayers. This provoked racist comments from the Quraysh, and was dealt with by this aayat. On this account, and many others, the Quran and Sunnah has been proven to be ahead of its time.

2.       Purpose of leadership is for justice. In the light of a race-agnostic policy, how could justice work in an environment of a marginalised majority? To that end, when the NEB was formulated, it was the right thing to happen. However, execution failures have caused even the rationality of evening out racial income disparity as a means to quell resentment and covetousness. We are now at the stage of identifying the natural successor to this outdated NEP.

3.       Malay triumphalism accompanying political concurrence on NEP back in the 70s were so misplaced that what is seen as special accommodative crutches were then seen, or more gently put, packaged as Malay Supremacy as a reward for being the majority and for being an earlier immigrant. Let’s not get the historical facts in the way that the Chinese were muslims earlier and may have influenced and assisted early Malaccan rulers. Latter-day British immigration policies in the 18^th and 19^th century, in a period of weak Malay Sultan administration were blamed as the reason for general malay poverty and backwardness.

4.       I digress. Back to the NEP. Execution failures meant that the closely connected, proxies and undeserved obtained the lion’s share of wealth creation. The Malay wealthy class only needed to prepare a business plan for a concession business, monopolistic trade, or general contracts and they were set for life. Additionally, they could invest in a risk-free, high return investment plan called the ASN, with vague differences to Mr Madoff’s and Mr Ponzi’s investments plans. Oh yeah, ironically, they were also not Syariah-compliant and invested in non-syariah assets, thereby expunging muslims sensitive to these issues meant to adavantage Malay-muslims.

5.       Business and work practices stealthily advantaged connected people. In this way, professionalism and meritocracy were the first fatalities. Covetuousness transferred from the Chinese, who were gradually marginaliesd and had to find other sources of sustainable businesses from within their scattered Chinese diaspora, to the wealthy connected Malays. In any case, China is now the burgeoning economic force, unlike the pariah communist state that it was in the 70s, and probably played its part in strengthening the resolve of the Malaysian Chinese. But the malays did not have that many alternatives. This was the only country in the world that had a significant Malay majority, Malay political power and positive malay policies. The dilemma was that they were not doing that well that they could pack up and leave. Indonesia is probably another 10 years away from becoming that alternative provided they continue on the present growth curve.

6.       In 2008, the unthinkable happened. BN won, but lost an unprecedented number of seats. UMNO was still significant, but not by much. They’ve lost the Chinese vote, and the opposition milked the multiracial platform. Under this present state of affairs, Malay dominance will be permanently eroded. Is then justice served?

Recommended Article By flan: Jiwa ‘Kehambaan’ Melayu Menghalang Pembaharuan

Hi Flan,
Your friend, flan, has recommended this article entitled 'Jiwa 'Kehambaan' Melayu Menghalang Pembaharuan' to you.

Jiwa 'Kehambaan' Melayu Menghalang Pembaharuan
Posted By admin On May 3, 2009 (6:00 am) In Dakwah

Dr Mohd Asri b. Zainul Abidin: “Raja Adil Raja Dia...

Article taken from Minda Tajdid - http://drmaza.com/home
URL to article: http://drmaza.com/home/?p=601

Kartika, Whipping and Malaysia’s Image

1. This case has now brought about an international frenzy, and everyone seems to have something to say about it. It’s fair to say this is now an emotional issue and is being as a litmus test on Malaysia’s positioning and posturing on Islam and the basis of a Syariah-based administration. The PM is on record on saying it’s best to emphasise more on tarbiyyah rather than punitive punishment.
2. Let’s tackle the various concerns head-on, which are a) this is ‘barbaric’ and does not educate (b) this will create international outrage, (c) more intangibly, Syariah-law is subservient to civil law, and at the first opportunity to run it down, let’s all bloody do it!
3. For point (a) I suppose there could be an argument for this. Umar r.a. himself was reportedly had softened hudud laws where it would be more advantageous to do so. Here, what is the educational value that we seek to bring about here? Under the current circumstances, society at large will reject this punishment, and vocal Muslims will be at the forefront of this opposition and bring about a clarion call for non Muslims who abhor Islamic restrictions on their way of life an amplified voice against Islam. We’ve seen a similar dynamic, but on a much greater scale, with 9/11, and suicide bombings without a cause as seen in Jakarta.
4. As for international outrage, I would think there is very little to be worried about here. People have raised this issue of the backwardness of Taliban-style Muslim leadership when a Chief Minister wears his white turban and tunic for the past 19 years in the form of Nik Aziz, but yet this did not prevent them from hailing Nik Aziz as a paragon of virtue if it fits their political aims. Hypocrisy at its worst!
5. And going on from point 2(c) and point 3 is the ultimate danger in this. There is nothing wrong with Syariah law. But perceptions cloud our mind.
6. I would think that had this not been the punishment, it wouldn’t create this controversy, as once it has, there is no other option other than to execute it. Backing down would create impressions that we are not serious about Syariah law to regulate the lives of Muslims, although in its present form too, it is not reflective of the Syariah justice as it was intended to be. Khalwat cases are nothing more than soft slaps on wrists, rather than the heavy punishment meted out for zina, although in no way am I equating khalwat to zina here, just a comparison of the various forms of punishment which we take.
7. Kartika wanted it. Let’s not question her intention to do that. In the best of cases, she wants to repent and clear her conscience in this world. And if this is how she views her religious beliefs, then so be it. We don’t stop kavadi carrying devotees to self-mutilate themselves, although the trance-like state apparently prevents pain or scarrings to occur, but that is their religious belief and we will have to respect that. That should be the essence of Islam, and furthermore Islam in a multi-racial society.
8. Let’s prevent this frenzy to develop any further.

The unravelling of the fabric of society... what is Gen Y's motivations?

1. There is no real point when discussing society nowadays, except that individualism has created a soulless society, unable to see beyond ourselves, and without faith, has nothing to look forward to. It’s very depressing, but, there is some semblance of truth to it, and it’s something to take heed.
2. Internet, PS2, Cable TV. Accessible porn. Free newspaper. Gazillions of songs to suit your mood and reinforce your attitude to any given issue. What else is there for a Gen Y to need outside of these? Generally, wealth – even for middle-class families – ensures there’s food on the table, a school to go to no matter how reluctant you may feel as there is inadequate equitable return to the child’s feelings relative to the emotional sacrifice to attend it, so really there are no basic human necessities to ponder over.
3. Society’s needs should be handled and managed well by the Government of the day, failing which we shall change them as it is now our democratic right.
4. A bit hedonistic these values if I may say so. But the thing about values is the relativeness of it all. What’s right for you isn’t right for me. Might is right, and hence political power determines who decides on societal values.
5. At the end of the day, these are all driven by values. And judging by headlines of babies chucked in refuse chutes or flushed down toilets, Mongolian models being blown up, illegal racin

PAS at crossroads

A superb encapsulation of the challenges facing PAS – inclusive-Malay-centric or exclusive-Islam equality for all, legalistic-fiqhiyyah vs openness-ijtihadiyah, comfort zone vs discomfort? In many ways, too many parallels to the various shades of dichotomies I seek to resolve now. Abu Iman’s impact on the direction PAS has been heading into in the last 10 years has been tangible – and the sincerity of what he stands for is all too obvious for those who could see. Definitely someone to watch out for and follow his thoughts.

==============================

From: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/opinion/breaking-views/28362-persediaan-pas-untuk-menggantikan-umno-dr-dzulkefly-ahmad-

Persediaan PAS untuk menggantikan Umno — Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad

JUN 2 — Sesungguhnya Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS), sedang berada di tahap paling baik dalam 58 tahun sejarah jatuh-bangun perjuangan politiknya.

Natijah dari pelbagai dinamika politik nasional dan hasil kesediaan kepimpinan memposisi kepentingan perjuangan, PAS kini berada sekali lagi di kedudukan penting yang sekaligus menuntut parti Islam ini terus membuat beberapa pilihan strategik.

Paling kritikal, atas pilihan strategik ini pula akan ditentukan keupayaan dan kelangsungan PAS, samada untuk terus mara menempah kejayaan yang lebih besar atau berpatah balik seumpama yang disaksikan pasca-kejayaan PRU ke-10, yakni keputusan PRU ke-11 April 2004 yang mengembalikan PAS pada garis sokongan tegarnya, tidak lebih dan tidak kurang dari itu.

Maka di ambang Muktamar ke-55 ini, punya cita-cita besar bagi meletakkan seluruh kepimpinan parti, aktivis, pendukung dan pencintanya, supaya sedar dan insaf, bahawa sekali lagi, kita berada di persimpangan kritikal ini.

Umum bahkan dunia, sedang memerhatikan penampilan serta pengolahan ‘Risalah Perjuangan Parti Politik Islam’ ini, dalam persaingan mendominasi kuasa abad 21 Masihi-15 Hijrah.

Khususnya di persada pertarungan politik sebuah negara-bangsa yang punya demografi cukup plural atau majmuk, di segi pertentangan pelbagai tuntutan agama, etnik dan budaya yang bersifat 60:40 Islam:Bukan-Islamnya. Cabaran inilah yang cuba digarap dalam penulisan ini, bagi menyambung penulisan lalu “Meniti Tuntutan Perjuangan Pasca Muktamar ke-55”.

Penulis ingin pertama-tamanya merakamkan perasaan terkilannya, bahawa polemik kepimpinan Ulama-Profesional telah menelan waktu, tenaga dan penumpuan yang agak keterlaluan.

Yang lebih penting dari kesemua itu sewajarnya ialah menekuni serta mentakrifkan tuntutan perjuangan yang bakal dipikul kepimpinan yang akan dipilih.

Dengan kejelasan itu, akan terserlah gandingan pasukan kepimpinan yang diperlukan bagi memantapkan lagi kepemimpinan Presiden memacu dan melonjakkan parti ke garis prestasi ke keluk yang seterusnya.

Maka membicarakan pilihan strategik di ketika ini adalah satu yang ‘dhoruri’ dan paling tidaknya sangat dihajatkan parti dalam rangka tuntutan kebijaksanaan perjuangan.

MENGGANTIKAN KEPIMPINAN UMNO BAGI KELOMPOK ISLAM MELAYU

Seperti yang ditegaskan kepimpinan tertinggi parti umpama Pengarah JK Pilihanraya PAS Pusat, waktunya telah tiba untuk mengambil alih kedudukan Umno selaku parti politik pilihan nombor satu untuk kelompok demografi pengundi Melayu-Islam di Negara ini.

Meski pun telah acap disebut termasuk salah seorang calon Timbalan Presiden, belum ada satu kejelasan strategi yang pernah dilakarkan kearah itu.

Sementara PAS berada di tahap paling kukuh dan kuat, Umno sebaliknya sedang berada di tahap paling lemah dalam laluan usia politiknya. Sebelum kita dikatakan berkhayal, PAS (dan Pakatan) perlu mengalahkan Umno dalam pertandingan 72 kerusi parlimen yang memiliki 2/3 majoriti Melayu-Islam dan 42 kerusi di mana yang majoriti mudahnya adalah pengundi Islam-Melayu. Selebih 51 kerusi parlimen yang lain adalah kerusi majoriti Bukan-Melayu, di mana 18 adalah kerusi majoriti 2/3 dan 33 adalah kerusi majoriti mudah Bukan-Melayu.

Jumlah kerusi pertarungan di Semenanjung ialah 165. Nah, perhatikan baik-baik apa maksud untuk menumbangkan Umno sebagai parti untuk orang Melayu-Islam.

Penulis, seorang optimis tegar seperti didakwanya, yakin bahawa objektif tersebut mampu dilakukan.

Telahan para ‘pundit’ politik meramalkan Umno tidak akan dapat memugarkan atau ‘reengineer’ kembali perjuangan sehingga parti Melayu terbesar itu mengalami kekalahan kuasa di peringkat Pusat dan belajar semula selepas menjadi pembangkang untuk satu jangka waktu.

Menarik tesis tersebut. Tidak mustahil kerana kemenangan disilih gantikan Allah SWT. (al-ayat).

Pun begitu, di segi perhitungan politiknya PAS perlu mengalahkan Umno dalam pertandingan pilihanraya umum akan datang. Untuk ingatan, PAS bertanding dalam 64 kerusi parlimen di Semenanjung, sementara memenangi 27 kerusi.

Umno sebagai perbandingan, menguasai 78 kerusi di Semenanjung. Sebutan mengambil alih kedudukan Umno sebagai parti pilihan orang Islam-Melayu wajar menyedari tuntutan realitinya.

PAS dalam ukuran politik hari ini sudah melepasi kekangan prestasi tradisinya. Dulu, PAS hanya mampu menang dalam pertandingan kerusi-kerusi yang berada dalam ‘Malay Belt’ atau Kawasan Melayu di Utara dan Pantai Timur.

PAS telah memecahkan tembok ini dalam pola Politik Baru dan bersedia memenangi kerusi-kerusi campuran 60:40 bahkan lebih ‘mixed’ dari itu seperti kerusi Kota Raja. Tegasnya PAS telah menemui formula dan resepi kejayaannya.

Persoalan buat kepimpinan kini ialah: Apakah yang perlu dilakukan kepimpinan parti untuk seterusnya merealisasikan cita-cita mengambil alih kedudukan Umno? Apakah yang bakal menghalang pencapaian objektif ini?

BERSAMA MENGGANDINGKAN KEKUATAN MENJATUHKAN UMNO-BN

Muktamar ke-55 ini juga membawa erti besar untuk parti Islam yang terbesar di negara ini, sekali lagi mempertegaskan komitmennya untuk menyaksikan tumbang kuasa yang telah memerintah negara selama lebih 5 desawarsa.

Lanjutnya kuasa ini telah menafikan negara dan rakyat mengecapi kesejahteraan hidup sebenar sesuai dengan kedudukan negara yang memilikki sumber per kapita antara tertinggi di dunia kerana pelbagai kebobrokan gelagat segelintir pemerintah yang sarat rasuah, kerakusan dan mementing diri.

Amalan demokrasi rosak sementara institusi kehakiman terus reput dan badan legislatif dicekik kuasa Eksekutif.

Media Baru memerdekakan rakyat dan pengundi. Tekanan ke arah pertanggungjawaban dan ketelusan menuntut kerajaan mendedahkan segala kecurangan yang dilakukan pihak pemerintah. Terkini skandal besar PKFZ yang bakal menelan RM12.8 bilion, sebagai ‘mercu tanda’ pengurusan sarat rasuah Umno-BN.

Umno-BN sudah sampai ke penghujung usianya. Mereka wajib di kalahkan dalam PRU ke-13 bagi mengangkat martabat, maruah dan daya saing negara.

Tidak ada kemungkaran yang lebih jelek dan membinasakan watak negara-bangsa ini amnya dan ummat Islam khususnya dari kehidupan yang menjauhkan manusia dari fitrahnya untuk memakmurkan bumi dan mensejahterakan kehidupan bermasyarakat dan bernegara.

PAS bergandingan dengan komponen parti Pakatan Rakyat, KeADILan dan DAP, berupaya melakukan sesuatu yang ajaib dan bijak dalam Politik Permuafakatan atau Tahaluf Siyasi (Coalition Politics).

SINDROM TAKUT KALAH UMNO, TAKUT MENANG PAS

Di persimpangan ‘Politik Transisi’ yang serba tidak menentu ini, Umno jelas telah dihinggapi ‘Sindrom Takut Kalah’ atau ‘Atichyphobia- Fear of Failures’, sehingga sanggup memberi laluan mudah di Penanti. Umno akan terus dihantui ketakutan dahsyat ini sehinggalah dapat menjalani rawatannya.

Namun PAS juga ditanggapi menghadapi satu fenomena yang sama tetapi sedikit berlainan. Apa yang dialami PAS kini ialah ‘Sindrom Takut Kejayaan - Fear of Success’.

PAS bukan takut dikalahkan tetapi lebih takut kejayaan akan mengakibatkan parti Islam kehilangan aAl-Asolahnya’ atau ‘Ketulenan keIslamannya’ lantas curiga serta khawatir untuk menempuh ‘jalan-jalan’ yang ditanggapi bukan lebuhrayanya bahkan didakwa sesetengah pihak berpotensi membawa kelunturan, pelarutan dan penyimpangannya dari cita-cita perjuangannya.

Penulis memerhatikan bahawa di sebaliknya polemik Ulama-Profesional, tersirat secara lebih mendalam tekanan sindrom ini, khususnya kepada golongan tertentu yang tidak dapat mentasawurkan proses dan gelagat perubahan yang wajar di pacu PAS dalam persaingan di gelanggang politik pluralis yang punya matlamat yang saling bertentangan dan bersimpang-siur.

PAS sangat berhajatkan dirawat dengan tekunan ilmu yang lebih mendalam dan keberanian ijtihad para ulama harakinya untuk keluar dari bahana sindrom ini.

KESIMPULAN

Di persimpangan kritikal ini juga, PAS perlu tahu bahawa Umno bukan kawan tapi lawannya. PAS wajar menegaskan bahawa Pakatan Rakyat adalah wasilah paling bijak bertepatan dengan tuntutan waqi? dan fiqh siyasi serta berpadanan dengan maslahah perjuangannya.

PAS sangat perlu menekuni kebijaksanaan untuk menampilkan terus ‘tag-line’ – ‘PAS Untuk Semua’ dan ‘Islam Untuk Semua’ melalui program-program perjuangan yang lebih ‘Inklusif’ menggamit serta melebarkan tapak sokongan, sementara memperkukuhkan kemurnian agenda Islam bagi sokongan tegar Melayu-Islam.

Sebagai contoh kecil, sedikit waktu lalu beberapa tokoh muda ulama PAS cukup berani membicarakan tentang zakat yang harus dipanjangkan kepada golongan ‘asnaf muallaf’ termasuk yang bukan-Islam seperti yang pernah dilakukan oleh Rasulullah s.a.w.

Tegasnya, PAS wajar keluar dari kotak pemikiran terlalu ‘fiqhiy’ (legalistik) kepada paradigma pemikiran ‘Usuliy dan Maqasidiy’ (Prinsip dan Maksud) lantas berani memposisi Islam dengan lebih mantap lagi dengan hujjah tekunan ilmu Islam yang lebih ‘daqiq’ (mendalam) dan intelek yang lebih peka dengan realiti semasa.

Terlalu banyak yang perlu digarap termasuk hiburan, mua’malat kewangan-ekonomi, pembangunan sosial, pendidikan dan pertentangan perundangan itu sendiri.

Inilah antara pengisian agenda “Penampilan Agenda Politik Islam PAS” dalam persaingan era baru. PAS mengongsi Keadilan serta Kesejahteraan sistem Islam kepada semua dan Aqidah Islam kepada yang meyakini.

PAS tidak wajar mengulangi kesilapan pendekatan terlalu ‘eksklusif’ dan ‘centrik’ yang meminggir rakyat dan pengundi dan dalam kedudukan yang tidak difahami kecuali penyokong tegarnya di kawasan-kawasan tradisinya.

Kesemua ini adalah agenda kepimpinan yang wajar diperbahaskan dan dicermati dengan lebih mendetail dalam Muktamar yang mempersiapkan parti untuk menempah kejayaan yang sama-sama di ingini dan diperjuangkan.

Memang benar kejayaan bukan segala-galanya, namun segala-galanya menantikan kejayaan bagi melakasanakam cita-cita perjuangan! – harakahdaily.net

* The writer is the head of research for PAS

Islamic finance faces legal tussle

No bed of roses is cosy, certainly not for implementation of
syariah-based financial system. Let's hope that this serves to inculcate
a greater amount of resolve amongst the practitioners of the system. A
successful implementation of an Islamic-based financial system, and
thereby creating an alternative system to the interest-based,
material-oriented capitalism which overrides ethics and morality in its
decision flow, could signal a viable alternative political and social
order also based on a Syariah orientation.

Any which way, my sparring session with Fadzlan over lunch, gave this
nugget upon reflection of several PAS personalities. If you want to
handle and lead people, see how best you can lead yourself.. Ie your
self-discipline. Do you smoke, do women, treat others kindly, solicit
sex inappropiately, flirt, etc?

=============================================
From: http://www2.themalaysianinsider.com/lite/articles.php?id=26195

Legal wrangles to test Islamic banking as boom fades

KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 - A wave of debt defaults is set to hit Islamic
banks as deals sour amid the global slowdown, testing the legal
framework and stability of an industry already facing the biggest slump
in its 30-year history.

The global economic downturn that punctured Islamic banking's growth
bubble is also expected to bring many shariah financing structures under
the legal microscope for the first time in centres such as Dubai,
Bahrain and Malaysia.

But the expected increase in commercial disputes raises questions about
whether conventional legal systems can deal with the highly specialised
niche industry which has evolved into a US$1 trillion (RM3.52 trillion)
industry handling government and corporate debt.

It could also test the foundations of the Islamic banking system, which
the Asian Development Bank estimates is growing by 10-15 per cent a
year, but which some bankers and lawyers say stills lack a strong
cohesive regulatory and legal framework.

Judges will have to weigh conventional law and sharia (Islamic law) used
in contracts, and legal uncertainty over key contract provisions could
hurt the industry's ability to bounce back when the global economy
recovers.

"The industry will be watching to ensure any legal disputes are settled
in a transparent manner which gives certainty to the contract terms
entered into," said Davide Barzilai, a London-based Islamic finance
lawyer with Norton Rose.

"If there a string of cases which result in contracts being overturned
by the court for breach of sharia alone, then this could have a material
impact on the growth of the industry."

Fuelled by a recent rush of oil money, Islamic bankers innovated on the
basic financing model, taking it beyond sale and profit-sharing
contracts to more complex derivatives which are harder for courts to
deal with.

Islam's rules on transparency kept shariah banks from subprime mortgage
loans that mauled Western banks, but their vast exposure to the property
sector, especially in the Gulf, is taking a toll as global real estate
markets slide.

Gulf Arab companies deemed most vulnerable to the downturn include large
United Arab Emirates (UAE) real estate developers, such as Dubai-listed
Islamic mortgage firms Amlak and Tamweel.

CRUNCH TIME?

Defaults and litigation are expected to jump as the ailing world
economy, tough financial markets and stalled projects make it harder for
firms to repay banks and asset values plummet.

Over half of the residential and commercial property projects due for
completion in Dubai between 2009 and 2012 have been cancelled or
suspended, Jones Lang LaSalle said in March.

But Islamic banking's legal framework is as fragmented as other aspects
of the industry, with little case law to guide judges. Many judges are
also unskilled in shariah, and the relationship between Islamic and
secular law is unclear.

"It's a contest between shariah law and common law," said Islamic
banking lawyer Mohamad Illiayas.

"Cases have gone to court where there is a problem of conflicts and
inconsistencies but the English courts have always ruled in favour of
common law."

He cited a 2004 case involving Shamil Bank of Bahrain where an English
court refused to apply shariah law to a murabaha contract (a popular
contract of sale). The court said two systems of law cannot govern one
contract.

In Malaysia, home to the world's top Islamic bond market, only a handful
of cases have come before the high courts in almost three decades, with
most involving basic home loan cases.

Judges' expertise has been in focus after some courts questioned the
validity of the bai bithaman ajil contract, a type of deferred payment
sale, sowing confusion in the industry.

The contract was recently declared valid by an appellate court, but
Malaysian authorities now plan to force judges to refer to national
shariah advisers when handling Islamic finance cases.

"Looking purely at the formal qualifications and experience of judges,
it would be hard to expect them to be fully aware of all the relevant
intricacies of Islamic finance," said Megat Hizaini Hassan, an Islamic
finance lawyer with Zaid Ibrahim.

In the Gulf Arab region, law firms have started to build up Islamic
finance expertise but their skills is almost exclusively limited to
consulting banks on deal structures and drafting contracts, and most
have yet to see a court room from inside.

Islamic finance disputes can be referred to arbitration by specialists
but many Malaysian cases still go court. In Bahrain, such cases have
mostly gone to dispute resolution committees staffed by judges and
specialised central bank officials.

But arbitration is not problem-free, either.

"We will still have to resort to common law at one stage or the other,"
said Illiayas. "Even after the arbitration award is given, if you want
to enforce that award you still have to go to court." - Reuters

Stocktake in tangents

It’s stocktake time – and it seems this is the best way to come up with a clear agenda of what needs to be done. It’s also good training seeing as it were here how much everyone loves the sound of their own voice.

There are still outstanding things in Primaya, and funds are running dry. It’s time to prioritise the key issues and then complete it.
I also need to prioritise the relations issue – Mak, kids school. Raya plan is a good lightning rod to integrate most of these issues and overcome it at one go.
Work-wise – I’m prepared for a busy week this week..
Personal-wise – scheduling still lousy, and uncertain of the key deliverables a major hindrance towards being effective. Managing own time has become so much much more important now. Perhaps allocating chunks would be better. I also need to focus on my own resources 0 the stuff I need to get things going – planning-wise and also the stuff I need to get going til next month at least.

Overall, the external situation isn’t getting any better. Politically, DSAI is making his final push to get into Parliament, but his chances of taking over the PM-ship is receding daily. And the power of the media should never be underestimated in influencing rural voters, especially in a by-election. It looks like a strategic error – instead of consolidating the Pakatan – having a strong pact, forming a shadow cabinet to focus on Malaysian issues, by pushing for the PM-ship he has shown that he’s power-mad and just another alternative to BN. What this does is increase cynicism and where previously undecideds gave their vote to him, they will now be back as undecideds, and the undecideds before will now go back to the status quo of backing BN. I predict a smaller majority btw 6,000 – 10,000– though I hope to be proven wrong. This outcome reinforces BN and will further weaken the PR pact, though DSAI’s presence in Parliament will give them a bigger boost. Perhaps, this has been the calculation after all – strategic error? Perhaps, but I do acknowledge DSAI has now overtaken TDM’s mantle of politician supreme. He did have the best mentor.

Also thought of the implications of the definition of Malay-Muslim. What if the Malays do not exhibit Islamic behaviour, though not renouncing Islam – and is not the best model or the best supporter of Islam. Is the decoupling of the definition an option? What are the outcomes of the decoupling? Whats in the best interest of Islam and its ummah?