WHAT'S MORE POWERFUL THAN THE PEN?

There are very few good reporter/critics/writers who really believe in what they are doing. Many are just doing their job i.e. makan gaji. Meet the dateline and please the bosses, is their motto. Don't bite the hand that feed you. Only the brave ones dare to stand firm for what they believe in and convince the bosses that these are in the best interest of the company and the people (readers). After all the papers are just like any other companies that must make profit for their shareholders.

We come to admire their courage in pursuing any issue that is of interest to the people and the tenacy and agressiveness of a pitbull (no offence meant) in going for the bone. Many other writers would just "Bark! Bark!" and retreat to the corner when their bosses/shareholders bring out the stick. Writers/reporters like R. Nadeswaran (The Sun's Deputy editor), Terrence Fernandez (The Sun), Dr. Syed Ali Tawfik Al-Attas (IKIM) and Shah Saleen Faruqi (UiTM Law Faculty) , to name a few, are the epitome of excellence in journalism. i am sure they are subjected to tremendous pressure by the powerful in office as well as having to face the many threats not only to themselves but also to their families. Hope there are enough of the up and coming reporters/writers who are brave enough and having the right character to follow in their footsteps.

So what is more powerful than the pen? It is the power of the SOUL.

POWER OF THE PEN

Some write to get the truth out. Others just to get their dendam out. While many write just so they can maki hamun people they don't dare do so face-to-face. And the new media allow them to do all these. Whatever the writers objectives, they must be held responsible for their action. Just like the college boy got for posting irresponsible comment on the web about our famous YB Karpal Singh.

Writers/reporters like to think they are doing some good for this world. If not why are they willing to spend all those hours (and at all unholy hours too) just to let us know all the juicy gossips, the hidden many secrets of politicians and the famous, the all too many projects that bleed the country dry while we cry and the gila antics of some. Thanks to these writers and reporters we get to know all these and maybe put the fear into those contemplating to go on these paths, if their religion do not.

SHOULD ONE BE FORCED TO TELL?

Should someone who wants to convert to Islam be forced to tell his / her family and close relatives? Isn't forcing someone to do something he don't want to do encroach on his/her rights? When a person make the most important decision of his life, he must have thought long and hard before taking this big step into a new life. One changes religion not because he/she wants to escape hardship, get married to a Muslim or run away from his/her duties and responsibilities. He/she willingly and conciously accept Islam because he/she believes Islam is the only religion that can save his/her soul after gaining knowledge and understanding about Islam. Changing religion should not be like one changes clothes.

In Islam, there is no compulsion. Therefore, nobody should force the converts to tell his/her family unless he/she wants to do so. The timing and place is for the convert to chose. Should he/she inform the family before or after his/her conversion to Islam is up to the person. Recently, the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (JAKIM) has announced that the senior Islamic leaders has rejected the proporsal to have non-Muslims to tell their families before converting to Islam, at a recent conference in Seremban, attended by state legal advisors, muftis, syarie judges and Islamic department directors. Personally, I think this is to prevent any pressure being applied to the new converts by the families and/or relatives. However,the records of new converts must be done more efficiently and kept up-to-date to avoid any confussion. The non-Muslims fear that their spouses might neglect his/her duties and responsibilities to the families should be tackled by JAKIM more vigoriously. More dialogues should be held with NGOs and non-Muslim organisations to explain the procedures, syariah laws, etc and answering addressing their apprehensions about Islam in general.

MALAYSIA IS A SECULAR COUNTRY OR NOT

Secular or not - that is the question. Now to find the answer. Easy as a,b,c. Just look up our country's Constitution. Don't have one? Get one now ( set you back Rm 10.00 for a paperback version) and look these up:

Part 1, Article 1: Name, States and territories of the Federation.

(1) The Federation shall be known, in Malay and in English by the name Malaysia.

Article 3. Religion of the Federation.

(1) Islam is the religion of the Federation; but other religion may be practised in peace and harmony in any part of the Federation.

(Note that it says "..the religion of the Federation.." and not "official religion of").

3.4. Nothing in this Article derogates from any other provision of this Constitution.

Article 4. Supreme law of the Federation.

(1) This Constitution is the supreme law of the Federation and any law passed after Merdeka Day which is inconsistent with Constitution shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void.

Part II, Article 8. Equality.

(1) All persons are equal before the law and entitled to the equal protection of the law.

Article (11) Freedon of religion.

(1) Every person has the right to profess and practise his religion and subject to Clause (4),propagate it.

(4) State law and in respect of the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, labuan and Putrajaya, federal law may control or restrict the propagation of any religious doctrine or belief among persons professing the religion of Islam.

(5) This Article does not authorise any act contrary to any general law relating to public order, public health or morality.

Now that you have a copy of the Constitution hand, take time to read and digest it, if not all just he parts you think is relevant to know. That's the problem. Many of us just don't take the time to read the country's Constitution which governs our lives. We discuss issues but we are in the dark about the causes or root of the issues. Whatever others tell us, we just swallow them hook, line and sinker.

First, we should ask ourselves what "secularism" really means. Here, by "religion" we mean all religions - Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Jewism, Taoism, Sikhism, Confucism and others.

The word "secular" as define by The New oxford Dictionary of English, among others: denoting attitude, activities, or other things that has no religious or spiritual basis. Used in Christian Latin to mean 'the world' as opposed to 'the Church'. This means that the authority in the state is derived from the people and not from God through the clergy.

We believe in our religion, whatever it may be. We believe our religion is good on this earth and hereafter. All religion preaches goodness. We believe that our religion is good and fair for everybody on earth, believers and non-believers. If so, why do we want to separate religion from the governing of our country? Shouldn't it be the other way round? If we want "secularism" - meaning rejecting "religion" - it means we do not fully believe in our religion.

Now, ask ourselves, is our country Malaysia, a secular country or not. Malaysia is definitely not a theocratic country but it is also not a secular one. Malaysia is in between and that makes the country unique.

WeLcoMe aNd tHanK yoU fOr vIsitTinG mY bLog. THis is A straIgHt fOrwaRd fiRe frOm tHe Hip BlOg. AnY toPics goEs anD YouR ComMents WiLl bE MoSt aPprecIated.

SELANGOR RM 100 MILLION PIG FARM PROJECT

For starter, I find nothing wrong with the proposed modern pig farming project using German or Netherland technology. In fact, it is long overdue. If I am not mistaken a similiar project paper was submitted by the Veterinary Dept. to the Cabinet through the Minister of Agriculture, after the local pig industry was hit hard by the nipah disaster.

After announcing the 100 million ringgit modern pig farming project, the new Selangor Govt. must now go all out to get the correct information/facts to the affected people in Sepang, Selangor. Pig breeders using the traditional method are polluting the enviroments and possibly a source of diseases. It has also affected the source of income of the people living down river as well as the district's tourism industry.Not to mention the foul smelling problem to the residents in the vicinity.This problem must be address and and corrected immediately.

The first hurdle to be overcome is the mounting resistance of the people in Sepang. They have the legimate right to demand for an indepth explaination from the Selangor govt. about the proposed pig farming project as they are going to be directly affected by it. One can imagine the numerous questions on their mind which demand answers immediately:-

1. Where exactly is the proposed modern pig farm project going to be? Here the Selangor Govt. must not just show a map of the area concerned, but also an aerial photos of the present pig farms and the area for the proposed pig project.

2. Will the all existing pig breeders in Selangor, eventually be included in the project and close all their present pig farms. If not, the objectives of the project will surely be compromised. The pig breeding areas will grow larger than it is now but he problems faced by the people affected will remain.

3. Will the pork produced by the modern method be priced lower than the pork produced by traditional method?

4. How will the modern pig farming method work to prevent the pollution of the enviroment.

5. The modern pig farming method will dry all pig waste to be turn into manure and methane gas for cooking. Where and how will the pig waste manure and methane gas going to be utilised? Muslims cannot eat vegetables grown using pig waste manure or food cook using methane gas from pig waste.The proper Islamic bodies must be consulted to give their views on this issue.

6. How will the pork product be transported to the markets? Will there be new roads or will the vehicles pass through the villages and housing estates?

7. The EIA Report on the proposed project need be explain in plain, easy to understand terms, to the affected people over a period of time. Showing a thick EIA report is not going to do any good.

8. What will happen to the lands after the pig farms are located to the new modern farm? Are there plans to recover the lands for other uses?

These are some of the many questions that need answers before the proposed modern pig farming project can be implemented. Bull dozing the project will create racial tension.