The Dark Side of Malaysia

I was at a wedding in Kuala Lumpur during the week end. A guest at the wedding remarked that "Money Politics" in the coming UMNO gathering is part of UMNO culture rather than out right vote buying, in the same way wedding guests give a small sum of money to their host as present.

"Money Politics" is not confined to UMNO gathering at Kuala Lumpur only; it is also practiced during election and the "present" needs not always be in cash. It can also be in kind. I was once given a crisp RM100-00 bill. I grabbed it because money and voting are two different things. Money is what you spend at McDonald with the kids. And voting is the cross you make on the ballot paper. Thirty years ago my late grandfather used to get "Kain Pelikat" at election time. And during the recent Kuala Terengganu by election, my son in law was given cash and goodies for distribution. Of course I got the goodies too.

UMNO has a lot of money that comes as "presents" from contractors who got government contracts even small ones like resurfacing roads in the village or erecting fencing around village mosques

I am posting this to let UMNO know that we know their hanky panky. Do something about it before the next general election.

PAS and UMNO

Haji Hadi suggests that Pas should work together with UMNO in facing the current economic crisis but the other Pas leader, Nik Aziz is against the idea. In time of crisis, political parties, especially Muslim parties like Pas and UMNO should put aside their ideological differences and give attention to the thing that really matters - economic survival. Nik Aziz is supposed to be an Islamic scholar and he should know that Islam teaches "mesyuarah" or consultation with each other. Its really a shame when Muslims do not cooperate with fellow Muslims

NIK Aziz is 70 years old and so he knows what Muslims in this country were like 50 years ago. We have made tremendous progress since then. Present day Muslims are much better than those of yesteryear.

Haji Hadi who was educated in Cairo and Medinah has a more globalised world view unlike Nik Aziz who was educated in the Taliban country of Pakistan. I don't mean to belittle him. I am trying to say that Taliban philosophy has no place in Malaysia

Can we trust CNN?

In its broadcast on March 13, CNN reported that Americans were working to get the Afghan girls to school. That was good. The bad part was the remark that "Islam forbids giving education to girls". Its not Islam that forbids but the Taliban with their brand of Islam did. The part that the Quraan
forbids was allowing girls to leave home unescorted. The Taliban however, took this a step further, by forbidding girls to leave home to go school. Both the Quraan and the phophetic tradition encourage learning and look upon it as a process of unraveling God's creation. In fact knowledgeable people are amply rewarded in the hereafter. The West generally thinks that Muslim women are not fairly treated. Thats wrong. Its the Taliban,some Pakistanis and some Arabs too who do not treat the women well. Islam is not at fault. The Quraan deals in womans' rights much more than the Bible. One whole chapter in the Quraan "An Nisa" lays down rules on alimony, inheritance etc. in details. So much so that a bishop in England proposed that Muslim marriage laws be made a part of the common law in Britain.

When CNN talks about Islam, we know right away whether they are telling the truth or not. But when they talk about other things like Buddhism or Gaza, we have no way of verifying the reports.I suggest that the next time CNN wants to do a story on Muslim women, come to Malaysia. Women here form the majority in all universities and in some professions too

Are Americans Happy?

Recently somebody forwarded me a story written by a female American journalist. She was lamenting that Christian women in American were not as happy as their Muslim sisters in the comparatively poor countries in Asia. I would like to attest to that.

My sister in law lives in a riverine village about three kilometers from the town of Kuala Berang. Folks in that village are all related and they can trace their family tree right down to the tenth cousin so to speak. They are happy and contented, at peace with the world and with God. I think those villagers have the ingredient for happiness. They have a sense of belonging to a community which they consider their family. Without this familiness one would feel alienated and restless.

Americans on the other hand have small families and I can bet they don't know their tenth cousin. They are also alienated with God because they don't go to places of worship on regular basis as Muslims.

Revealation is every where

I look around me. There is nothing that is not created by God. Even the pen I am holding at the moment is God's creation. God created the material that is used in the making of the pen. Man does not know how to create matter or material or substance whatever you prefer to call it. Man only knows how to change the form of the matter into a pen. or other things. Since man is created by God, he cannot claim the credit of making the pen. Credit goes to God.

I think the pen can also be categorized as a verse one finds in the Quraan both the pen and the verse carry God's message in which He describes Himself and His creative power. So every thing is sacred and holy. God's message is every where. Even inside me and that includes the very idea that guides me into writing this story.

Revelation that begins with Moses and continues with Jesus and Muhammad has not stopped yet. It is on going, every where. Every thing is Revelation

Unity Government

Political parties in Malaysia have good ideas as well as ideas that are less good. Once candidates are voted into office, they should cross party lines and think of themselves as Malaysians - not as BN or PR- whose main job is to get this country going. Unfortunately this is not happening. Those idiots are still bickering on who should form the government and who should be the chief executive. while the country is in dire need to steer away from the looming recession. At this moment in time, politicians should consider of forming a unity government where every ADUN or MP should get together and put their ideas to test. I am sure if done with sincerity devoid of partisan politics, great things may result

Teaching Maths and Science in English

The failure of teaching maths and science in English is not because the idea is bad but because the teachers are incompetent.
1. The present teachers never had the experience of learning maths and science in English when they were in school. Those who had this experience have already retired.
2. Their first experience learning maths and science in English was when they were at the university.
3. The English used in some of the maths and science books is not suitable for school level. That goes for the spoken English used by the teachers too - a carry over of how they were taught at the university. To prove that students can be taught in English I once took history and Ugama classes from their regular teachers and conducted the lessons in English. Responses was good. Unfortunately I was unable to take over maths and science classes because of my unfamiliarity with the subject matter.
4. There are many benefits from teaching maths and science in English. Why discontinue it because of the incompetence of a few.