UNMO PERLU INSAF

Baru-baru ini saya terbaca satu cerita dalam buku cerita moral oleh Mohd Nasaruddin Dasuki bertajuk " INSAF KERANA KATAK". Ceritanya lebih kurang begini:


Seorang ahli sufi bernama Syaqiq al-Bakhi berhasrat membeli sebuah tembikai yang lazat. Isteri beliau pun telah menyatakan keinginan yang sama sebelum beliau bertolak ke pasar di pekan berdekatan. Bila tiba di pasar tersebut ahli sufi ini telah bertemu dengan sebuah gerai yang mempunyai longgokan tembikai. Beliau mengambil sebiji tembikai dan membeleknya. Melihat ahli sufi itu sedang membelek tembikai maka tuan gerai tembikai pun berkata bahawa tembikai itu elok dan lazat rasanya. Syaqiq al-Bakhi pun bertanya sama ada dia boleh merasa tembikai itu. Tuan gerai pun membelah sebiji tembikai lalu memberi sepotong kepada beliau. Memang lazat rasa tembikai itu dan ahli sufi itu pun membeli sebiji tembikai lalu di bawa pulang.


Tiba di rumah dia memberi tembikai itu kepada isterinya. Syaqiq pun beredar ke tempat rehat rumahnya sementara isterinya pergi ke dapur dengan membawa tembikai itu. Sebentar kemudian isterinya keluar dari dapur dan dengan nada marah, berkata:"Tembikai yang dibeli ini busuk dan tak boleh dimakan! Penjual itu telah menipu kita". Mendengar kata-kata isterinya itu, Syaqiq al-Bakhi pun bertanya isterinya siapa yang dimarahi itu. Jawab isteri beliau tentulah penjual tembikai yang menjual tembikai busuk itu. Berpaling kepada isterinya, dengan muka yang tenang, beliau berkata " Saya hendak tembikai yang lazat. Kamu pun hendak tembikai yang lazat. Begitulah juga penjual tembikai itu hendak jual tembikai yang lazat. Tapi Allah s.w.t. yang menentukan yang kita tidak mendapat yang dihajatkan". Mendengar Syaqiq al-Bakhi berkata demikian isterinya terdiam dan insaf.


Apa yang diperkatakan oleh Tun Dr. Mahathir bahawa UMNO belum mendapat mesej sebenar yang hendak di sampaikan oleh pengundi dalam pilihanraya umum 2008 memang benar. UMNO tidak sedar segala-segala yang berlaku itu adalah satu peringatan kepada ahli UNMO supaya kembali ke jalan yang di redhai. UMNO perlu ingat segalanya ditentukan oleh Allah s.w.t. dan keputusan pengundi itu adalah satu cara Allah s.w.t. menyampaikan peringatanNya. Sekiranya UMNO masih tidak berubah dan merendahkan diri serta betul-betul berniat memberi khidmat membantu rakyat, maka saya percayai UMNO akan ghaib begitu sahaja dari hati rakyat. Insaflah semua ahli UNMO.


"Manusia itu seperti bahan galian emas dan perak. Mereka yang pilihan zaman jahiliyah, pilihan juga dalam Islam, selama mereka memahami ajaran Islam itu. Dan roh (jiwa) adalah bagaikan perajurit yang aneka ragam. Bila saling mengenal, bersatulah mereka, dan bila tidak saling mengenal, maka berpecah-belah". _ Dari Abu Hurairah r.a. (Sahih Muslim)

THE DAY OF MOB RULE

Look like there are people who take the Article 10 (Freedom of speech, assembly and association) of the Constitution to the extreme and think that it gives them the 'right' to totally disregard the laws of our country. For whatever reason they may have, right or wrong, the laws should be respected as the laws are there not just for a selected group but for law and order for all citizens of this country.

The Police were there to prevent the situation getting out of control as it is their duty and responsiblity. Should something happen and the Police wasn't there, then these very people will blame the authorities. With such a big assembly of people who are highly emotional anything can go wrong and go out of control in a split second. The so called 'leaders' of this illegal assembly will not be able to control the situation and will quickly put the blame on the authorities. -" Why wasn't the police there with enough personnel to control the crowd?".

One Selangor executive councillor was quoted as saying that the disputed land belong to the state government (more on this in next blog) and that he has informed the police but the police, which is in control of the federal government, is not paying any heed. Now, why is the police being brought into this dispute which is between the state government, the housing developer and the highway concessionaire? As the Inspector-General of Police said that there should be no mob rule in this country. As the assembly (what ever the reason) is illegal and unruly at that, the police was there to conrol and prevent it from going out of control. Instead of cooperating with the police the mob decided to confront the authorities and charge at the police on their motorcycles. This puts the lives of the police personnels who is doing their duty in danger. Firing water cannon by the police at these people is within the rights of self defence. The policemen have their families to think about too. If they are to be maim by the dangerous action of these mat rempits who is going to be held responsible?

All this demonising of the police force has to stop now. The police do need to be looking into illegal assemblies and mobs, as they already stretch thin in fighting serious crimes like arm robberies, snatch thieves, child kinappers, murders, white collar crimes, mat rempits and car hijackings. Not to mention the petty crimes and road accidents. Majority of the policemen are good people and we must acknowledge their sacrifices. The too have families just like us and want the best for our country. They do their duties and responsiblites while we sleep peacefully and most of this is taken for granted by us. Just because someone didn't burgle our houses/properties that doesn't mean the robbers/thieves are not there. They are just afraid to burgle our houses/properites because they are afraid of the police who they know are out there, somewhere.

'CLICHES' NEVER CEASE

Some 'cliches' you read every day in the media, both main stream and alternative.

"rakyat" - meaning he/she is speaking for the masses (people). Who gives you the right? And don't the rural rakyat have any say in highlighting issues that concern their daily livelyhoods? Why certain issues that do not bring food and well-being for the rakyat hoarding the prime time news? Where are the people who all too often use the word "rakyat" in their speeches and writings?

"taxpayers" - meaning I and you in the private sector pay taxes. What? When did the public sector workers stop paying their taxes ? In fact these people are not the majority that evade paying taxes since they can't afford the costly tax accountants.

"the government" - meaning the ruling BN party. What about the opposition government? Kelantan government, which has been governing the state for decades now, is never subjected to such level of criticism as much as the federal and BN state governments. Is it a case of playing to the people's sentiment?

" private sector" - meaning only selected companies lah. And this sector never seem to be doing any wrong. Even when the private sector unreasonably raises prices of goods, the blame is always on the government.

" the police" - If a thief enters your house and steal your expensive fake Rolex, blame the government. When required to do Rukun Tetangga duties, send in fake medical chits. Let other do it lah. Summoned for traffic offences, go cry to your MPs/ADUNs and probably get a media interview. Don't be stupid and pay your compound on time. Wait for the inevitable discount offer or better still, get your state government to waive the compounds!

"freedom and rights" - meaning it is my right and freedom to speak or act as I deem fit, even if the majority people do not agree. To hell with their rights! Be famous, get yourself arrested.

"incompetent public sector" - meaning all the 1 million over workers who run the government machineries, guard the 'rakyat' lives and properties, plan the country's future, attacked by thugs and even die for performing their jobs well and wait for the political masters and columnists to kick the shit out of them for the few rotten apples that exist amongst them. The public sector makes a damn good punching bag and diversion. Pay 1 million to the public workers ten ringgit and you spend 10 million ringgit. But these workers get only 10 ringgit a family!

"corruption" - meaning it only happens among the public sector workers. Hey, private sector give entertainments to clients (all too often, including their wives and siblings/relatives). Entertainment, private sector style, can include the "expensive companions" and overseas trips to some exotic tropical islands with their families in tow. All paid for by with the companies workers wages and their shareholders. Fancy the latest Merc? Just write off the BMW and get the Board to approve it! Write it into the company budget and cut the profits. Evade taxes and give more perts to the executives. Increase profits - Just hoard the goods and raise the prices.

FINE LINE BETWEEN A CRUSADER AND A PERSECUTOR

One can start on a journey on the right path but still end up at the wrong destination. Why? Because as human beings, we are not infallible. Along the journey we are subjected to many , challenges, lies, corruption, threats and even praises, that affect and changes us, conciously or not. Investigative reporters, writers and columnists are humans and they have their own prejudices, build through years of experience and run ins with the powerful force they must deal with. Power as we know can corrupt not only those possessing it but also those that come into contact with it. Power do not mean only the rich. We see our colleague who is regard with high esteem for his work. We are jealous (in a good sense) of his/her success and want to emulate him/her and even try to surpass his/her achievements.

In trying to achieve our ambition we can cross the thin line between being a crusader for a cause into a persecutor. We begin to make a lot of presumptions and depend more and more on our sources that we find harder to verify the facts. The pressure to live up to your reputation or even worse, you begin to think since you are right and the other side must be guilty. They praise Caeser just before they murdered him. What I mean is that a lot of praises can kill us, from inside.

Our writing becomes more arrogant and intolerant of the smallest mistakes. It is I and You. No more We, as working together and seeing the other side from a positive stand. How can I be right and they are also right? One of us must be wrong. Why? Can't both be right or even both are wrong and right? Our soul is corrupt by all the praises heap upon us everyday and we are now the persecutors for good cause.

RAKYAT HAS BEEN OVERUSED AND ABUSED

Has you read the papers and blogs recently. Lately many political leaders, parlimentarians, bloggers, writers, lawyers, human rights opportunists and columnists are using the 'rakyat' (people) as their keyword. It is as if the word 'rakyat' will lend credence to what they are saying or give the impression that they are the voice of the rakyat. Maybe certain groups or sections of the rakyat but certainly not the vast majority of the rakyat, who may not even agree to what these people are saying on their behalf. It is pure arrogance to assume that he or she speaks for the majority rakyat just because the most vocal groups agree with you. What about the silent majority? Are your views representative of them.? Have you met the rakyat from across the country including Sabah and Sarawak.



The urbanites, especially from Klang Valley, may be highly educated and think their opinions and views are relevant to the country but what about the rural rakyat? How do you reach them for their opinions and views or is it they do not know better and therefore their opinions and views are irrelevant? If you want to speak for the rakyat, get it from the horse's mouth.

MARRY INTO ISLAM?

Lately there are leaders who call for a 'Muslim' who convert to Islam when he/she marry a Muslim, be allowed to revert to his/her former religion when his/her marriage do not work out. This shows the lack of understanding of Islam. In the first place, there is no compulsion in Islam. Secondly, you do not convert to Islam or any religion for that matters, just to marry another person. What sort of person are you to easily give up your religion for another person? Is religion a toy to play with? One chose a religion because one believes in it and conciously embrace the religion. Islam is for all but you cannot be born, inherit or marry into Islam, or forced to become a Muslim or even through operation of law.

Apostasy must not be seen from the human-made laws or civil rights, but from the religious point of view. You cannot just leave Islam without going through the provisions in the syariah legal system. In fact all religion should condemn the act of apostasy since it is the act of rejecting truth. "Apostasy will never happen to a true Muslim. It happen to one who has never been a Muslim." - Dr. Syed Ali Tawfik Al-Attas/Md. Asham Ahmad, the Star July 11 2006.

INSULTING THE SULTAN AS HEAD OF THE RELIGION OF ISLAM

To say that the Ruler of the State does not have the rights over the transfer of the State Director of Islamic Affairs is insulting, not only the Sultan of Perak, but all the other Sultans . For the Menteri Besar of the State, to transfer within 24 hours, the State Director of Islamic Affairs without the Sultan's consent or even the curtsy of informing His Highness, is downright rude and unbecoming of one who hold the post. Isn't the Sultan the Head of the religion of Islam in the state? The Ruler's function in this matter is of the higest importance that he is still responsible for the Islamic affairs in his state even after being appointed as Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia.

Article 34 of the Constitution reads: "(1) The Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall not excercise his functions as Ruler of his State except those of Head of the religion of Islam."

As Head of the religion of Islam, His Highness is responsible to see that the officer responsible for the Islamic Affairs in the State is capable of executing his duties and responsibilities, as in the end it will affect the Ruler, if anything is to go wrong. The MB may want someone whom he can trust to work with but that does means he can sideline or overrule the Sultan. This matter should be look upon, not just from the right of law, but also from the adab point of view. Being Asians, we cannot just overlook the peradaban when confronting matters that concern the Ruler. MBs should remember it is the Ruler of the State who is the Head of the religion of Islam in the State. And he, being an MB, is responsible to the Sultan in the matters of the religion of Islam. If the Sultan cannot trust and work with the MB, then maybe it's better to change the MB in 24 hours!