descriptive thoughts

Da'wah - Melepas tanggung jawab dihari esok ...

2012-01-25T23:35:00.003+08:00

Dan (ingatlah) ketika suatu umat di antara mereka berkata: "Mengapa kamu menasihati kaum yang Allah akan membinasakan mereka atau mengazab mereka dengan azab yang amat keras?" Mereka menjawab: "Agar kami mempunyai alasan (pelepas tanggung jawab) kepada Tuhanmu, dan supaya mereka bertakwa". (al-A’raf [7]: 164).

Ada ketika mereka hairan mengapa seorang aktivis da'wah itu kesana dan kesini namun sering natijahnya tidak kemana? Apabila anda menyanya diri anda perkara yang sama, ingatlah potongan ayat diatas.

Congratulations Singapore!

2011-05-08T04:01:00.006+08:00

Few saw it coming.

Two weeks ago, many scarcely entertained the idea that they would ever witness history unfolding in the form of the Singapore General Election 2011. For many, to consider the potential of the opposition parties in Singapore posing its greatest challenge yet into the thick armor of the PAP’s polished war machine was unthinkable. But that changed, and tonight the election outcome speaks for itself.

While PAP still remains the ruling party, yet the mandate (60.14%) that they received tonight is the lowest ever in its history of elections. Along with that, the loss of Aljunied GRC and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr George Yeo, is a heavy loss to the ruling party. In addition, winning over Marine Parade, Tampines, Moulmein-Kallang by GRC teams led by key cabinet ministers against opposition that are considerably light-weights with very small margin is also an indication of ground sentiments of the PAP. Prior to this, the lowest mandate ever received by the PAP was 61% in 1991, under the leadership of Mr Goh Chok Tong. Immediately after that election, reforms were introduced to improve the public sentiment.

When announcement of the ensuing election was anticipated months ago, many considered, then, that the opposition parties were still to weak as far as the caliber of candidates are concern or that the opposition are seemingly to disperse and un-united to challenge the governing party that has been dominant ever since the independence of this red nation. Well, at least that’s what the mainstream media told us.

That perception changed once nomination day came, especially when the opposition offered very credible candidates in their line-up, one particular Chen Show Mao from the Worker’s Party certainly impressed me substantially along with the articulate Dr Vincent Wijeysingha from the Singapore Democratic Party. I was equally excited to know that Tony Tan Lay Thiam and wife, Hazel Poa (PSC scholars and all) were contesting at my constituency Choa Chu Kang.

Furthermore, aside for Punggol East SMC (with Worker’s Party, Singapore Democratic Alliance and People’s Action Party contesting), the other constituencies (GRC or SMC) saw only a two-party contest. This suggests that there is, in fact, coordination and fruitful outcomes from discussions by the opposition during the pre-elections.

In the last nine days of campaigning, we saw many ordinary (and not so ordinary) Singaporeans overcome the “fear barrier” that has insofar existed in Singapore by expressing their opinions and thoughts clearly on social media and other platforms. This most heavily contested election also saw massive crowds especially in opposition rallies. On average, the Worker’s Party pulled 30,000 participants for each of their rallies and who can forget Pritam Singh leading the huge crowd in reciting the Singapore pledge!

Interestingly enough, this election also saw PAP, for the first time, to be on their back foot and having to defend their policies (i.e. Mah Bow Tan, etc.) and even apologizing for some of the mistakes that the administration have made (i.e. PM Lee, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan). I can only imagine what would happen when there are more opposition in parliament. What sort of check and balance would that bring into the parliament? What sort of policy-making process and accountability of our leaders would we, Singaporeans, experienced?

So, the dynamism seen in this election bode well for Singapore and the maturing of its political scene into a more robust system of governance that is accountable to the people that it serves. Many “hot-button” issues were raised in this election and I am sure the PAP is taking down notes. With the lowest ever mandate in Singapore’s history, the PAP would do well to realize that it cannot be business as usual.

Things need to change. In addressing the lament of the people, policies need to be relooked; new fundamentals need to be identified and fresher performance indicators need to be agreed upon - which goes beyond economic growth. In fact a new economic model or approach that benefits the people need to be thought of (i.e. greater focus and emphasize on enterprise, more applicable research product, empowerment, etc.).

Today, Singaporeans have given a clear message that change must come. The leaders from the ruling party, in their speeches, leading up to election and after seem to have understood this. Now, we look forward to see all this in action.

I think, this election has reminded the leaders that it is the people whom these leaders serves and not the other way round. To ask the people to “repent” for their decisions or approaching them in an unreasonable and high-handed manner is not the way to go, anymore. For the next five years, the ruling party has all this time to make the changes mentioned above, otherwise, they will find it more difficult to receive the validation and legitimacy during the next election.

Majulah Singapura.

A housing matter

2011-04-26T00:07:00.007+08:00

One of the biggest talking point in Singapore, especially with the May election, is the inflation in the cost of living – specifically, the cost of housing. I am particularly affected since I have, in the last few weeks, been going around house hunting in the resale market.

I was shocked after visiting countless HDB flats to realize that the cost of a 4-room unit that is currently valuated at S$370,000 rose from S$270,000 within a period of eight years! In other words, the cost of a house in general rose by a S$100,000 in less than ten years! While my wife and I could potentially afford it still, but it is ridiculous how steep the cost of houses have gone up in a relatively short span of time. Further, I am upset at the lack of regulation to manage this. While others might consider it a good thing, that the cost of land in Singapore has rose in value, yet it is unfortunate that little can be said with regards to the pay and salary of the everyday person. When an economy sees a rise in the cost of living that is not in line with the cost of labor, I would think, something is wrong somewhere with regards to the distribution of wealth.

In addition, it is ironic that the very institution that was initially set to provide affordable housing for all Singaporean, is making it challenging for a middle class person looking for a basic 4-room unit.

To add things worse, the cash-over-valuation or COV requested by buyers is also skyrocketing. Contrary to recent reports in the local media, the COVs are not cooling off by any stretch of the word. To that end, it’s probably high time the local media should be responsible and practice basic investigative journalism when reporting local current affairs.

To give you an idea, places at Tampines and Yishun were asking for 50k and 40k COVs. Places at Admiralty and Pasir Ris, would not have anything lower than 30k.

The Middle Class

I would consider myself in the low-middle class rung (an executive with a PhD wife), which means I may still not see the first million anytime soon but should still comfortably afford a 4-room unit. Yet, with the current valuation and COVs, I might be in debts my entire life paying for a roof over my head in the form of a 4-room flat!

From a macro point of view, what will be the quality of live for the daily Singaporean?

So I can understand why one scoff and laugh at comments made by the authority with regards to attempts to improve housing prices – especially considering most of this folks whom are paid millions to make things better for Singapore are staying in comfortable bungalows – when nothing tangible is seen or felt in the horizon for you and me.

Low Population Count?

My biggest complain is that the housing policies fail to correspond with the government push for procreation. Of course, I want to start a family but many people in my situation find it hard to do so when we can’t even afford a house!

Hence obviously, a more productive approach to encourage more Singaporean couples to have more babies is to look into this thorny housing issue. A more intuitive way, I would say, other than promoting more dating agencies and couples night or whatever they call it.

Also, perhaps the authorities should consider extending the support for first time buyers who are also looking into the resale market.

Regulation or People Power?

Having said all this, the government is not entirely at fault here. The buyers and market speculation generally drive the high COVs. Therefore, buyers and brokers or agents representing these buyers must also be realistic when considering the COV amount. They need to understand that they are also responsible for the market condition in the resale market. Herein lies a dilemma for buyers, should I go for big profit because the person upstairs got a high COV for this unit or create an example by affording others the chance of having a roof over their head. I don’t really believe much about karma or know about it, but I think there is a saying that goes: “what comes around, goes around”?

Of course, there is a causal reason for this – the high cost of living.

In Islam, while Muslims are not discourage to gain profits but there are other elements to a transaction beyond monetary profit. And that is the social or communal element where there are intangible (at least in the short term) outcomes. I realize it is hard to say all this while not sounding hypocritical because of the condition we are going through (which is not that bad lah actually when we apply tawakkal) but the wife and I had spoke briefly that if we ever sell our house, we will sell it to someone based other considerations beyond the COV potential. We hope not to waiver from the consideration.

But here's the biggest thing on my mind, in the long run, what kind of society are or will we to become, economically or socially, when we are driven or measured by capital rather than values? How engulfed are we by the system that we created to the extend of not being able to see the long-term and short-term impact into our society if these conditions perpetuate?

God help us ...

Developing a Reality – the next big thing

2011-04-18T10:45:00.002+08:00

Augmented Reality (AR) is an emerging and fast-growing technology innovation that I think would be a core human-content interface element in the very near future. It’s potential is massive as indicated in James Cameron’s “Avatar”. By the way, I thought Avatars deserves the Oscar far better than “The Hurt Locker”. I guess Hollywood after all cares what the military generals and bureaucracy in Capitol Hill thinks.

Anyway, there is so much potential in AR – in terms of further improvements and applications. Imagine having a meeting with someone one the other side of the globe yet you feel as though they are in the same room and right in front of your very own nose! A possible radical idea, instead of sending troops to battle and killing each other let’s bring the fighting into AR – one opposing force will go against the other, and the winner takes the stake. Since all this happens in the AR scenario, only the avatar dies, so we preserve human lives! (yes, it would be better if we are able to manage and control emotions prior to the red alert scenario…but you get where I am going at) In health care, specialist could better prepare for surgery prior to operating on patients.

However, one of the biggest challenges of most of the developers or early adopters is actually to improve motion so that it looks as close to real world scenario as possible. That is to make the avatar in that AR to walk, run, and have facial expressions or other humanly action as natural and closest to reality. I realize how difficult it was to even program or capture that digital movement or motion. What is more challenging and keep researchers awake at the night is to figure out how best to replicate and extrapolate these recorded motions (data) into other scenarios within the “game-play”. As you can already imagine, the scenarios are infinite!

It strikes me how excellent Allah azza wa jalla is. Not only does He immaculately create us, but also every other thing that exists in this reality (last I checked there was 6 billion of us here on earth) And this is in 2011, imagine the many humans that have lived on this earth and all elements beyond this planet! At the same time, Allah arranges this real-space-time, that is a system or unit of measure that is relative to humans only, with myriad of scenarios and possibilities. Far from the first principle notion of Aristotle, Allah’s potential and presence ever exists, felt perpetually in space and time. More paramount is the free-play and decision-making processes of these humans that ripple consequences in their lives that affirms the profound brilliance of Allah swt.

Further, how ever clever or independent (or some would say arrogant) the human considers himself to be, he is yet unable to replicate the perfect and infinite reality that Allah has created, is create and will create.

The question here is, while human (and I hope you, the reader, consider how you can have a role in this, AR, co-space, etc.) develop other dimensions of reality, should we be absent of the very reality that we exists in and ponder as to who it is that has created all this?

Is it possible for natural selection to ever happen – as we do not expect the avatars in AR to just simply pop out one day? Yes, they may be a big bang, but who was the catalyst that creates the inertia that leads to what we are experiencing today?

Logic would demand, especially looking at the intricate matter of developing an AR, for one to consider the presence of another higher intelligence beyond our own – that administers every single thing or the Arabic term, Ar Rabb.

“And blessed be He unto Whom belongeth the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, and with Whom is knowledge of the Hour, and unto Whom ye will be returned.” (The Qur’an, Chapter 43 – Az Zukhruf, Verse 85).

“And the sun runneth on unto a resting place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise. And for the moon We have appointed mansions till she return like an old shrivelled palm leaf. It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit.” (The Qur’an, Chapter 36 – Yaa Sin, Verse 38-40).

“Allah is He who sendeth the winds so that they raise clouds, and spreadeth them along the sky as pleaseth Him, and causeth them to break and thou seest the rain downpouring from within them. And when He maketh it to fall on whom He will of His bondmen, lo! they rejoice;” (The Qu’ran, Chapter 30 – Ar Rum, Verse 48).

Don't Give Up

2011-04-10T17:13:00.017+08:00

“…This day, those who disbelieved have given up all hope of your religion; so fear them not, but fear Me. This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion…”

(Surah al Maidah, Verse 3)

Often we find ourselves giving up when things don’t come our way or don’t happen soon enough. We give up immediately in exasperation after not seeing anything desirable in sight. As a result, we give up, or stop reminding ourselves to make doa and certain question creeps in the dark corners of our mind - what did I do to deserve this? More fatal, we cease to consider alternative solutions and making any further attempt to get it right.

That raises a question - does that mean that God is cruel? Or should we resign assured that He will grant us that doa only in Jannah, a common view?

It’s amusing, at least for me, that despite the many shortfalls in our lives or the disability to act in the truest spirit of righteousness as we often find ourselves, we are yet confident, as if assured, of that place “in Jannah” and thus Allah (azza wa jalla) granting our hopes then. While not reducing that possibility yet if we are to glimpse into the chronicles of the beloved Prophet, Muhammad (saw), we will potentially realize that factors which leads to not overcoming ones goal is, in fact, a matter of our own procrastinations, short focus span and other personal factors. In orders words, we might need to look inwardly rather than outwardly for a solution.

The verse of the Qur’an above is considered by many scholars as one of the last few, if not the last verse of the Qur’an revealed. It was revealed on the Day of Arafah during Hajjatul Wada’ (or the final Hajj), the Prophet Muhammad (saw) was in his sixty-third year, his final year.

Most scholars are of the opinion that this verse is the final declaration of triumph to the Believers and the fulfillment of the message of Allah (that is the Qur’an) hence sums the successful mission of Prophet Muhammad (saw) which lasted for twenty-three years. A mission that saw him through countless of trials and tribulations by his people, relatives, former allies and many other elements.

What is remarkable here is that this final “triump” came only after twenty-three years. It took the Prophet that long! Armed with the most potent weapon of any believer could ever had - the doa - one could imagine the many doa and effort that the beloved Prophet (saw) must have made. Potentially, he could have just simply given up.

Yet, it was that perseverance and patience, along with Divine Help, characteristics inevitable of the Prophet (saw) that he succeeded in delivering the message that is Islam.

Looking back at ourselves, are we then to expect grand success after only weeks, or days, of asking and supplicating? Without trials and tribulations? Are we to expect any impactful outcome with only minuscule kilograms of effort, or worse these days, without hardly raising a finger beyond the keypad?

“Or think you that they will enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with sever poverty and ailments and were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who believed along with him said. ”When (will come) the help of Allah? …” (Surah al Baqarah, Verse 214)

What degree of hardship had the Messenger(s) of Allah and the Believers sustained to eventually causes them to whisper a desperate question and cry. To what extend was the pressure that was almost the final strand of that last straw almost breaking the camel’s back? Consideringly these were men and women whom when compared based on iman, amal and sacrifice would surpass any one of us today. Imagine that!

It was such trials that saw Ishmael, left as an infant, in the arms of Hagar in the middle of a desert without an oasis in sight. It is this sort of challenges that saw Yusuf (or Joseph) left in by his brothers to fan for himself. I can go on.

Yet the point here is obvious. In order to achieve our greatest ambition and hope would require something beyond the few weeks or days worth of doa and effort, It needs us to not give up after growing frustrated seeing no outcome close to our expectations in sight. Rather, it requires an insurmountable will, conviction and perhaps creativity to fulfill our very purpose, encouraged deeply with iman and taqwa, readying one to overcome challenges and fully anticipative of the pleasure that comes with tawakkal after the best of preparation, that may possibly lie our greatest hope for that better tomorrow.

“… Verily, Allah will not change the condition of a people as long as they do not change their state themselves …”

(Surah as Ra’d, Verse 11)

Thinking Big!

2011-04-02T16:27:00.009+08:00

"The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it." (Michelangelo)

One of the most important aspects of leadership is the willingness to dream big. That is, the aspiration to overcome the impossible and thus in that process create a bigger impact in the environment that it function, if not the world. I believe it is Adidas that came out with the tag line:”Nothing is Impossible”.

Void of this component (thinking big), many organizations or individuals will find themselves trap in the mundane and not in the forefront of the value chain. Very soon, other competitors would be able to catch up and overcome that particular organization hence render it irrelevant.

To that end, it will also find difficulty attracting high-performance individuals and will only find those who are mediocre or non-motivated working for them, which is the final nail into the coffin really.

This chicken and egg dilemma in the long run will leave the organizational wasted and dysfunctional, if not as we have already guessed, not sustainable and perishable. This example may also work for any individual or society of people.

“Most of us are trap in doing what we know rather than what we need” according to a certain Haji Zaid Kamaruddin, the head of Jemaah Islah Malaysia during my visit recently to Kuala Lumpur.

To do something what we need requires the ability to look at things from a macro point of view. It requires one to understand the environment that it operates and identify the gaps that exist. In order to do that, one need to step out from the ordinary day-to-day administration mode and look beyond the horizon. This, I believe, is crucial for the leaders of today’s organization to be relevant.

During a presentation by the National CTO of Korea and the former CEO of Samsung Semiconductors, Dr. Chang-Gyu Hwang, I was impressed by the forward looking and sense-making (which I am sure was the larger element of the former) that Samsung significantly invest and later implement through development of its product that aims “to serve humanity”.

This is a case in point of the ability to look beyond the day-to-day and understand emerging trends thus positioning oneself in the value or supply chain. In doing that, Samsung is one of the leading manufacturing businesses to date. It is one of two corporations that have achieved a net profit of over 10-billion dollars so far. Looking beyond the monetary achievement, the success that Samsung has enjoyed so far is a huge lesson for any organizations that aim to create huge impact.

The underlying philosophy behind Samsung’s growth is according to Dr. Hwang the ability to look at the human need broadly as it adapts to the environment – and asking “what else”. However the engine behind that is (1) risk-taking (2) creativity and innovation (3) investment in human capital (4) and lots of hard work. The last point is my own observation but I suspect is potentially the biggest element.

Today, the well-funded R&D laboratories of Samsung are in the process of new products that will allow humanity to adapt better to society and addressing global issues (i.e. energy renewal, better human interactions, etc.). In other words, the Galaxy Tabs, and others is merely a tip of the iceberg. Not bad for a semiconductor company in its early days.

As a Muslim, I can’t help but to ask where are we in all this? Are the Muslims in Singapore well adapted and ready to be part of this value chain? The earlier Scientific Renaissance of the Muslim world highlights the non-aversion of Islam for science and technology yet today we find ourselves lacking in these very areas. Are we today still stuck in the polemics between schools of thought that that becomes the primary focus of the day rather than re-establishing our roles as “khalifah”(s) – not a world domineering totalitarian element but one that facilitates and adds value to humanity. Have we given too much credit to colonialist element of the pass (or remnants of it in the present) to render us still unable to overcome it? We are not impressed by the billion of dollars earnings (because our worldview celebrate success with a different yardstick) but the impact into society, and the ability for such and impact, that by default should be the role of anyone Muslim that, I believe, is sorely lacking today. Think big.

Can the Modern Leader Please Stand Up?

2011-03-27T19:47:00.009+08:00

During the MIT Global Startup Workshop 2011 in Seoul that I attended a few days ago, one of the keynote speakers, Mr Nader Darehshori, talks about the importance of leadership qualities in entrepreneurs and how leadership differs from managerial aptitudes.

The content of Mr Darehshori’s keynote was not entirely new and we are fairly familiar with the differences that are obvious between a leader and a manager. Broadly, a leader is a visionary who sees daily problems from a macro perspective and yet, at the micro level, is able to inspire and communicate to the grassroots. Interestingly Mr Nader emphasized strongly on the former, the ability to inspire.

As I was chatting with the Dean of the NUS Business School (Professor Bernard Yeung), who presented in one of the sessions, he mentioned the importance of challenging the status quo or common mindset of students who simply want to finish school and settle down in contrast to having a (1) a passion of what he wants to change in society (2) a vision of the goal (3) an aspiration to fulfill it beyond all else, and I quote: “I agree with your observation (I was complaining about the common culture of graduating, find work, etc.), but as entrepreneurship educators we don’t accept and cannot allow our students (or participants) to accept the status quo”. On a side-note, I can’t help to say that, he reminded me of a former boss who is now the dean of a business school in the US. It was not just the words but passion and conviction in the manner he said those things.

It is in this light that we must have leaders who are capable to stand up and look beyond the micro details of society and address issues that are the “big rocks” (Stephen Covey, 7 Habits) faced by society. To forge a direction that uplifts the standard of society in economical, societal, cultural, religious and political sense. And thus inspires the everyday person to become more than what he thought he could. This is the role of the leader that we need today above and beyond the usual fire-fighting that we see within the current frame.

Hence, you can imagine the ignominy that I felt reading the Straits Times (Saturday, 26^th March) while on a plane, heading home, of an MP that was given a huge spread on what he did to address the over-crowdedness of a certain 176 bus that passed by his constituency. While, I admire his approach, of going down at 6.30am to see for himself the situation, and am very sure of his sincerity in improving situations, yet I can’t help but to be left wanting of more “big rocks” that he was able to have an impact on (ie. rising inflation, better education programs, enhancing multi-religious/ racial harmony, facilitating a civil society, etc.) or for the newspaper to write of achievements of our national leaders that are truly deserving of a “modern” state.

KR: Yes, I am pouring nuggets of wisdom again into this blog after a two years absence :D

In Singapore, a More Progressive Islamic Education

2009-04-23T21:12:00.002+08:00

By NORIMITSU ONISHI

Published: April 22, 2009

The New York Times

SINGAPORE — After starting the day with prayers and songs in honor of the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, the students at the Madrasa Al Irsyad Al Islamiah here in Singapore turned to the secular. An all-girls chemistry class grappled with compounds and acids while other students focused on English, math and other subjects from the national curriculum.

Teachers exhorted their students to ask questions. Some, true to the school’s embrace of new technology, gauged their students’ comprehension with individual polling devices.

“It’s like ‘American Idol,’ ” said Razak Mohamed Lazim, the head of Al Irsyad, which means “rightly guided.”

A reference to the reality television program in relation to an Islamic school may come as a surprise. But Singapore’s Muslim leaders see Al Irsyad, with its strict balance between religious and secular studies, as the future of Islamic education, not only in this city-state but elsewhere in Southeast Asia.

Two madrasas in Indonesia have already adopted Al Irsyad’s curriculum and management, attracted to what they say is a progressive model of Islamic education in tune with the modern world. For them, Al Irsyad is the counterpoint to many traditional madrasas that emphasize religious studies at the expense of everything else. Instead of preaching radicalism, the school’s in-house textbooks praise globalization and international organizations like the United Nations.

Leaders in Islamic education here rue the fact that, in much of the West, madrasas everywhere have been broad-brushed as militant hotbeds where students spend days learning the Koran by rote. Still, they were relieved that not one terrorism suspect in the region in recent years was a product of Singapore’s madrasas, though some suspects were linked to madrasas in Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries. That association deepened a long-running debate over the nature of Islamic education.

“The Muslim world in general is struggling with its Islamic education,” Mr. Razak said, explaining that Islamic schools had failed to adapt to the modern world. “In many cases, it’s also the challenge the Muslim world is facing. We are not addressing the needs of Islam as a faith that has to be alive, interacting with other communities and other religions.”

In Indonesia, most Islamic schools still pay little attention to secular subjects, believing that religious studies are enough, said Indri Rini Andriani, a former computer programmer who is the principal of Al Irsyad Satya Islamic School, one of the Indonesian schools that model themselves on the school here.

“They feel that conventional education is best for the children, while some of us feel that we have to adjust with advances in technology and what’s going on in the world,” Ms. Indri said.

Here, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, a statutory board that advises the government on Muslim affairs, gave Al Irsyad a central spot in its new Islamic center. Long the top academic performer among the country’s six madrasas, Al Irsyad was chosen to be in the center as “a showcase,” said Mr. Razak, who is also an official at the religious council.

The school’s 900 primary- and secondary-level students follow the national curriculum of the country’s public schools while also taking religious instruction. To accommodate both, the school day is three hours longer than at the mainstream schools.

Mohamed Muneer, 32, a chemistry teacher, said most of his former students had gone on to junior colleges or polytechnic schools, while some top students attended the National University of Singapore. “Many became administrators, some are teaching and some joined the civil service,” he said.

At the cafeteria, Ishak Bin Johari, a 17-year-old who wants to become a newspaper reporter, said the balance between the secular and religious would help the school’s graduates “lead normal Singaporean lives compared to other madrasa students.”

That balance resulted, like many things in this country, from pressure by the government. Singapore’s madrasas — historically the schools for ethnic Malays who make up about 14 percent of the country’s population — experienced a surge in popularity in the 1990s along with a renewed interest in Islam.

But that surge, coupled with the madrasas’ poor record in nonreligious subjects, high dropout rates and graduation of young people with few marketable job skills, worried the government. It responded by making primary education at public schools compulsory in 2003, allowing exceptions like the madrasas, provided they met basic standards by 2010. If they fail, they will have to stop educating primary school children.

“That forced the madrasas to shift their curriculum away from being purely religious schools,” said Mukhlis Abu Bakar, an expert on madrasas at the National Institute of Education, a teachers college.

A kindergarten class at Al-Irsyad Satya Islamic School, in Kota Baru Parahyangan, Indonesia. This school, which used the Singapore school as its model, opened two years ago.

Last year, the first time all six madrasas were required to sit for national exams at the primary level, two failed to meet the minimal standards, though they still had two more years to pass.

Al Irsyad, which was the first to alter its curriculum, outperformed the other madrasas. But neither it nor the others made any of the lists of best performing schools or students compiled by the Education Ministry in Singapore.

Mr. Mukhlis, who also was a member of Al Irsyad’s management committee in the 1990s, said the madrasas still had a long way to go to catch up with mainstream schools. While Singapore’s teachers are among the most highly paid civil servants, the madrasas have had trouble attracting qualified teachers because they rely only on tuition and donations to operate, he said.

“I think Al Irsyad has not achieved a level where I would say it is a model for Islamic education,” he said, “but somehow the system it has in place could become one.”

Still, it began drawing students who would not have attended a madrasa otherwise. Noridah Mahad, 44, said she had wanted to send her two older children to madrasas but worried about the quality of education. With Al Irsyad’s adoption of the national curriculum, she felt no qualms in sending her third child. “Here they teach many things other than Islam,” she said. “So Muslim students will have two understandings: the Muslim and the outside world.”

Al Irsyad said it was in talks to export its model to madrasas in the Philippines and Thailand. In Indonesia, Dahlan Iskan, the chairman of Jawa Pos Group, one of the country’s biggest media companies, opened a school modeled on Singapore’s. And a conglomerate, the Lyman Group, backed Al Irsyad Satya.

Poedji Koentarso, a retired diplomat, led the search for Lyman, visiting madrasas all over Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

“We shopped around,” he said. “It was a difficult search in the sense that often the schools were very religious, too religious.”

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KR: fancy reading this on the New York Times ....

the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/23/world/asia/23singapore.html?pagewanted=1&_r=3&ref=world

Spiritual Retreat :: Let's Rehlah! ::

2009-04-08T18:17:00.001+08:00

Summary Here

Rest Of It Here

Relite 2009 :: The Awakening Within ::

2009-03-30T17:18:00.002+08:00

Calling all Full-Time MADRASAH STUDENT (between Sec 3 - Pre Us)

Come and gain indispensable experience & be part of an enlightening awakening!

Camp Relite!09- Inflame: The Awakening Within

filled with Islamic knowledge packed with fun and thrills that would move you to another level of devotion...

What's in for you???

Water Rafting
River Crossing
Amazing Race
Campfire
Sharing session with Special Guest Speaker
And many many more ...

Date : 10 to 12 April 2009 (start at 5pm)
Place : Terror Sea Scout @ St. Helena Rd (Sembawang)
Fees : $20 ONLY! ( per pax, in group of 4), $25 for each individual

hatta yuhibbu li nafsi ..

2009-02-20T20:52:00.001+08:00

For those to whom much is given, much is expected (Luke)

2009-02-19T23:03:00.001+08:00

Thank you to all whom participated in every single way!

Jet Li :: He's the man !! ::

2009-01-31T16:55:00.001+08:00

Street Donation Drive :: Gaza Relief ::

2009-01-28T10:34:00.001+08:00

Saff Perdaus along with Mercy Relief and other student/ youth organizations are raising funds from the streets in the hope of providing support for the recovery and rebuilding effort in Gaza

This effort aims to pull together youth and and global citizens alike to garner our effort, energy and resources in harnessing support for the victims of the conflict.

Collection Points at this point will be at the following locations:

1. Perdaus Hong Kah (Blk 364 Bukit Batok St 31)
2. Perdaus Bedok (Blk 125 Bedok North Road)
3. TBC : Masjid al Falah

Areas of Collection:

1. Bugis
2. City Hall
3. Suntec Boulevard
4. Esplanade
5. Clark Quay
6. Boat Quay
7. Chinatown
8. Dhobt Ghaut
9. Somerset
10. Orchard Road
11. Tanglin Road
12. Tampines
13. Bedok
14. Simei
15. Geylang Serai
16. Bukit Batok
17. Jurong East
18. Boon Lay

Instrument:
Donation Tins

Join us and sign up with your friends today!

When a woman walks in the way of God

2009-01-27T10:18:00.004+08:00

"That one set apart in the seclusion of holiness, that woman veiled with the veil of religious sincerity, that one on fire with love and longing, that one enamored of the desire to approach her Lord and be consumed in His glory, that woman who lost herself in union with the Divine, that one accepted by men as a second spotless Mary - Rabi'a al Adawiyya, may God have mercy upon her.

If anyone were to say, "Why have you made mention of her in the class of men?". I should say ... "God does not look upon the outward forms ... If it is allowable to accept two thid from A'ishah the Trustworthy, it is allowd to accept religious benefit from one of her hand maids (ie. Rabi'a). When a woman walks in the way of God ... she cannot be called a woman"

Taken from: Margaret Smith's, Muslim Women Mystics: The life and work of Rabi'a and Other women mystics in Islam (2001) cited from Tadhkirat al Awliya (Farid al Din Attar)

How long shall they kill our prophets?

2009-01-14T19:57:00.004+08:00

Old pirates, yes, they rob I;
Sold I to the merchant ships,
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit.

But my hand was made strong
By the 'and of the Almighty.
We forward in this generation
Triumphantly.

Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom? -
'Cause all I ever have:
Redemption songs;
Redemption songs.

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
None but ourselves can free our minds.
Have no fear for atomic energy,
'Cause none of them can stop the time.

How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand aside and look? Ooh!
Some say it's just a part of it:
We've got to fulfil the book.

Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom? -
'Cause all I ever have:
Redemption songs;
Redemption songs;
Redemption songs.

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
None but ourselves can free our mind.
Wo! Have no fear for atomic energy,
'Cause none of them-a can-a stop-a the time.

How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand aside and look?
Yes, some say it's just a part of it:
We've got to fulfil de book.

Won't you help to sing
Dese songs of freedom? -

'Cause all I ever had:
Redemption songs -

All I ever had:
Redemption songs:
These songs of freedom,
Songs of freedom.

and we could call it peace

2009-01-08T19:00:00.007+08:00

There's a name for war and killing
There's a name for giving in
When you know another answer
For me that name is sin

But there's still time to turn around
And make all hatred cease
And give another name for living
And we could call it PEACE

Muslim Aid is supporting Trauma Centres to meet the escalating needs of people facing the daily deaths and/or injuries of family members, and the destruction of their homes and society.

Services provide psychological treatment to patients and counselling support for their families to sustain and build their resilience, through this current crisis, and likely future ones. Community Education pamphlets on coping in difficult situations will be distributed to families, along with their emergency food and non-food packages.

Implementation is well underway with the establishment of two units, one in Gaza city which extends to the Northern areas and one is located in the middle of the Gaza Strip in Al-Aqsa Hospital which will service over 200 families.

Families’ relief

Distribution of family food parcels to affected households throughout Gaza have been confirmed. Each parcel is made up of vegetable oil, sugar, rice, tea, cheese, lentils and sweets which will last for one month. Blankets to the internally displaced have also occurred.

An additional 500 food parcels (+blankets) are set to go!

Medical

Medicines and medical equipment have been procured and to be distributed to local hospitals.

We urgently call on your help to provide life-saving assistance to the people of Gaza.

Click here to make a donation.

Venezuelan President Chavez: Gaza operation is a Palestinian 'holocaust'

2009-01-07T19:46:00.004+08:00

By Reuters

Last update - 07:49 07/01/2009

Venezuela expelled the ambassador to Israel on Tuesday in protest over the offensive in Gaza only hours after leftist President Hugo Chavez called the attacks a Palestinian "holocaust."

The socialist Chavez, a harsh critic of Israel and the United States, in recent years has frequently withdrawn Venezuela's diplomatic envoys amid bilateral disputes and last year kicked out the U.S. ambassador over a conflict involving allied Bolivia.

The OPEC nation's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Israel's campaign constituted "flagrant violations of International Law" and the use of "state terrorism."

"For the reasons mentioned above, the government of Venezuela has decided to expel the ambassador of Israel and part of the personnel of the Embassy of Israel," the statement said.

The Israeli embassy did not respond to phone calls requesting comment.

Chavez in 2006 threatened to break ties with Israel over its military campaign in Lebanon in a war of words that led both nations to withdraw their envoys.

On Monday he accused Washington of poisoning the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to destabilize the Middle East and justify U.S.-backed Israeli incursions into Arab countries.

Israel is under international pressure to reach a ceasefire with Hamas militants and halt an offensive that has killed nearly 600 Palestinians, including more than 40 in a UN school sheltering civilians.

"The Holocaust, that is what is happening right now in Gaza," Chavez said in televised comments earlier on Tuesday.

"The president of Israel at this moment should be taken to the International Criminal Court together with the President of
the United States."
__________________________________________________________

KR: You can always expect Chavez to be the voice of the alternative. One cannot undermine the fact that this negative perception from Chavez or many individuals and leaders from South America is common especially after the US has often times (since the Reagan administration) in the past tried to make the continent as a part of its strong-hold and most always tried to maintain a hegemony (read Chomsky's Hegemony or Survival, or Huntington's Clash of Civilization) over it.

The effort in maintaining a hegemony takes place through military encroachments (Nicaragua, Chile, Bolivia, etc,) and also economic embargo which in the long run has affected the populace living in the region - not to dissimilar of a story in what was going on in the Palestine territories (or even Iraq).

It is certainly a very bold move though to expel the embassy of Israel from its country and perhaps highlight the resolve of Chavez. I have not known of any other country that has done that thus far.

On another note, it's public knowledge now that Obama is "deeply concerned" over the matter though one wonders in recounting his statement in AIPAC during the middle of the campaign of non-negotiating with Hamas - how would he move on with the issue? It is also interesting further to consider that Obama has mentioned officially far too often that he would be open to negotiate and speak to anyone in order to foster better relations, but why did it when it comes to AIPAC - he when 180 degrees?

Sure, perhaps it was the context, so therefore it would interesting what will be his resolve when his administration comes into power.

Did I even mentioned that the US provides about US$3.2billion worth of military aid to Israel, per annum? Guess who signs this?

While all this is happening, ground troops (as I had unfortunately predicted) are moving into Gaza. One seriously ponders and whatever positive outcome could all this turn into? Unless the idea is to remove every Palestinian person, this current military invasion would only cause more hostility in the long term especially for the countless orphaned child that has not other hope to look for.

Day 11 :: Gaza in pain ::

2009-01-06T11:23:00.004+08:00

MEDIA RELEASE

Monday 5 January 2009

MUSLIM ORGANISATIONS CONDEMN ESCALATING VIOLENCE IN GAZA AND CALL FOR A PEACEFUL RESOLUTION

A joint statement by FMSA, LBKM, Perdaus, PERGAS,

We, the Muslim Organisations in Singapore hereby strongly condemn the escalating violence in Gaza caused by the disproportionate and excessive use of force by Israel in their attacks on the Gaza Strip in retaliation for Hamas rockets fired at its Southern borders.

For the last few days, we are deeply concerned by the mounting casualties with over 300 Palestinians killed and thousands more injured, many of whom were civilians. To avoid further loss of innocent civilian lives, destruction to property and the likelihood of a humanitarian catastrophe, we urge both parties to accede to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and southern Israel.

Violence begets violence. We hope that both Israelis and Hamas will stop using force and violence against each other and instead, move towards a process of genuine peace and reconciliation in resolving the current conflict.

Joint Statement By:

Fellowship of Muslim Students’ Association (FMSA) Perdaus Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday Memorial Scholarship Fund Board (LBKM) Islamic Religious Scholars & Religious Teachers’ Association, Singapore (PERGAS)

_____________________________________________________________________________

Berita Harian (Singapura), 4 Disember 2009

Serangan Israel ke atas bumi Palestin tidak kurang hinanya daripada pengganas
Oleh Ismail Pantek
APABILA Mumbai digegarkan dengan serangan pengganas yang mengorbankan hampir 200 jiwa November lalu, dunia seolah-olah serentak mengutuk serangan tersebut.

Rasa marah meluap-luap terhadap penyerang itu. Kumpulan militan Islam dipersalahkan dan mereka dikecam sebagai pengganas tidak berhati perut.Dalam ruangan ini 30 November lalu, saya sendiri menulis dengan hati yang sedih berbaur geram dan marah yang teramat sangat mengenang tindakan pengganasan yang turut mengorbankan nyawa seorang warga Singapura itu.

Saya amat bersimpati dengan mangsa-mangsa yang terkorban itu walau apa pun kerakyatan atau agama mereka, baik Kristian atau Hindu, mahupun Yahudi.

Kini, satu lagi tindakan pengganasan sedang bermaharaja lela. Kali ini ia berlaku di bumi Palestin yang sedang bermandi darah dek serangan bom bertalu-talu dari Israel yang begitu mudah mengutuk negara dan kumpulan lain yang memusuhinya sebagai pengganas.

Sekurang-kurangnya 436 orang Palestin di Jaluran Gaza – termasuk kanak-kanak dan wanita– terkorban dalam serangan tersebut.Menurut Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB), sekurang-kurangnya 25 peratus daripada mangsa yang terkorban itu adalah orang awam yang tidak berdaya mempertahankan diri mereka.

Ini belum lagi termasuk kira-kira 3,000 warga Gaza yang cedera parah dan hidup sengsara dicengkam ketakutan dengan deruan enjin jet pejuang Israel yang melepaskan bom demi bom dari perutnya, bagaikan orang yang sedang cirit-birit.

Sedang saya menulis rencana ini, darah masih mengalir di Palestin. Menurut laporan agensi berita Perancis, AFP, secara purata jet-jet Israel melancarkan serangan setiap 20 minit.

Kemusnahan kelihatan di mana-mana dan kira-kira 250,000 orang hidup tanpa bekalan elektrik.

Raungan wanita dan kanak-kanak masih lantang kedengaran; cuma tidak tahu, setakat mana masyarakat dunia mendengar ratapan tersebut.Mereka menanti, dan menanti ihsan dunia untuk datang membantu mereka dan menghentikan serangan kejam Israel ke atas mereka.

Israel telah memberi amaran bahawa perang habis-habisan yang dilancarkannya itu boleh berlarutan sampai berminggu-minggu lamanya.

Ia telah pun menghimpunkan kereta-kereta kebal ke sempadan Gaza dan memanggil 9,000 askar kerahannya untuk bersiap sedia melancarkan serangan darat pula.

Pejuang Palestin, yang dicap sebagai kumpulan pengganas dalam media-media Barat, hanya mampu membalas dengan serangan mortar dan roket buatan rumah ke atas bandar-bandar Israel yang tidak mampu meninggalkan apa-apa kesan.

Bayangkanlah apa akan terjadi jika serangan-serangan Israel itu dibiar berterusan.

Semakin banyak darah akan mengalir di bumi Palestin dan kesengsaraan akan bertali arus.
Apakah reaksi dunia ke atas tragedi yang menimpa Gaza itu?

Saya amat-amati. Rasanya, kecaman yang dilemparkan terhadap Israel tidak sehebat kecaman terhadap serangan oleh mana-mana tindakan pengganasan yang kononnya dilakukan oleh kumpulan militan Islam.

Tidak pula kedengaran ada mana-mana kuasa besar yang hendak menghantar tentera bagi membasmi pengganasan Israel itu.

Tiada mana-mana negara kuasa besar, baik Eropah, Russia, lebih-lebih lagi Amerika Syarikat, berani melabel Israel sebagai Paksi Syaitan sebagaimana mereka melabel Iran.

Bahkan Amerika membidas pula kumpulan Hamas kerana kononnya mengambil tindakan provokasi ke atas Israel.

Tiada kuasa besar yang beriya-iya benar hendak merang Israel atau menyeru rakyat negara itu agar bangkit menjatuhkan kepimpinan negara mereka yang hauskan darah, sebagaimana yang mereka lakukan ke atas Iraq dan Syria.

Ada tidaknya kelihatan para diplomat di Majlis Keselamatan Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) sedang cuba membuat resolusi agar dihentikan serangan tersebut.

Libya dan kumpulan negara-negara Arab cuba mengemukakan rangka resolusi mengutuk tindakan Israel itu.

Ada tidaknya, kita melihat Perancis sedang mempelopori usaha mencari gencatan senjata antara Hamas dengan Israel.

Presiden Nicolas Sarkozy dari Perancis mengumumkan rancangan untuk melawat Mesir, Israel dan Tebing Barat esok dalam usaha melakar “peta perjalanan ke arah kedamaian’’.

Seseorang tidak perlu menjadi pakar untuk meramalkan apa hasilnya kelak.Berdasarkan pengalaman-pengalaman masa lalu, kesemua usaha itu berkemungkinan besar akan gagal.
PBB tidak berdaya menghentikan tindakan Israel ke atas Palestin.

Setiap resolusi akan ditolak oleh Amerika Syarikat yang mempunyai kuasa veto.

Akhirnya tiada apa-apa tindakan yang diambil ke atas Israel.Israel mendakwa ia melancarkan serangan tersebut sebagai balas dendam ke atas kumpulan Hamas yang menguasai Gaza.

Tel Aviv mendakwa ia perlu berbuat demikian untuk menghentikan serangan-serangan roket Palestin ke atas bandar-bandar Israel yang bersempadankan Palestin.

Memang mudah untuk Israel menggunakan alasan tersebut bagi menghalalkan tindakan mereka ke atas rakyat Palestin.

Namun bagi yang mengikuti sejarah pergolakan Israel-Palestin, serangan ganas askar-askar Tel Aviv sudah bermula sejak dahulu lagi, sejak sebelum adanya Hamas.

Jika ditimbangkan, rakyat Israel yang menjadi mangsa masih terlalu kecil jika dibandingkan dengan korban dan kesengsaraan yang ditimpakan ke atas rakyat Palestin.

Apakah dunia akan terus berdiam diri melihat serangan ganas Israel itu?

Sampai bila Amerika yang menjadi sekutu Israel akan buka mata dan bertindak tegas mencari huraian terhadap konflik tersebut?Saya bukan seorang pakar.

Namun saya cukup berkeyakinan bahawa serangan Israel ke atas bumi Palestin itu adalah satu tindakan pengganasan yang tidak kurang hinanya daripada serangan-serangan nekad kumpulan pengganas yang selama ini menerima kutukan demi kutukan daripada masyarakat antarabangsa.

Jika kita bersimpati dengan orang yang terkorban dalam serangan nekad kumpulan-kumpulan pengganas, kita juga harus bersimpati, bahkan lebih bersimpati lagi, dengan nasib rakyat Palestin. Ini bukan pertentangan antara Yahudi detara Israel dengan Palestin yang sedang berjuang mendapatkan kedaulatan tanah air mereka.

Masyarakat dunia, tidak kira Muslim, Kristian, Hindu, Buddha atau apa sahaja agama anutan mereka, harus mengutuk tindakan Israel itu. Mereka juga harus mendesak Amerika agar lebih tulus dalam mencari huraian damai ke atas sengketa Israel-Palestin itu.

Jika tidak, lebih banyak darah akan mengalir dan tindakan keganasan akan berleluasa di bumi ini.

Israel pula bagaikan mengata dulang paku serpih, mengata orang mereka sendiri yang lebih.
Mereka begitu lantang mengecap kumpulan-kumpulan Palestin dan kumpulan lain sebagai pengganas, sedangkan mereka sendiri lebih teruk lagi dengan tindakan ganas dan membuli musuh kerdil dengan senjata-senjata serba moden mereka.

...

2009-01-05T11:41:00.001+08:00

Military strategy 101

2009-01-02T17:53:00.008+08:00

The current missile fire into Gaza is a typical indication that ground forces will move in soon to sweep pockets of Hamas fighters left after the aerial bombardment.

Any person trained in military warfare (thank you SAF) can easily see that as soon as the hard infrastructure are liquidated and added with the swelling of ground troops in the form of the armored regiments that are building up at the borders of Gaza could only mean one thing: an all out offensive into the intended land mass.

This is made even clearer since there has been report of Israeli special forces reported in Palestinian territories exchanging fires with some of the Palestinian liberators. To further liquidate and also assess ground conditions before an offensive, such special forces provide early reconnaissance and as well take on acts of removing certain targets that would help in further dismantling the morale of the enemy troops (ie. Commanders, etc.). The removal of Nizar Rayyan is a case in point, along with other frontline leaders.

New Year's Eve in Gaza

2008-12-31T13:51:00.009+08:00

In recounting the current bombardment of Gaza by the Israeli authorities, it is important that despite the atrocities that have been shown - calm and rationality cannot be overshadowed by blind emotions and carnal anger.

This is especially since as what has resulted to the injustice that have been suffered by the Palestinian people initially are the result of those very blind emotions and carnal anger, more than calm and rationality. Hence, to react in such similitude is not dissimilar to the very criminals that began these strings of violence that has existed in the Palestinian territories for far too long.

It is also important to note, that the carnage that is presented are the result of the Israeli authorities and their supporters - the (radical) far-right and conservatives whom are not at all represented by the substantially larger and massive amount of the Israeli people and citizens, and Jews worldwide, that opposes the action of the Israeli authorities and their Zionist orientations.

Yet while, we urge calm it is indeed difficult to reconcile with the onslaught that results to the suffering endured by young children and other innocent collaterals. What is far worse is that besides demonstrating on streets and Arabic leaders, again, discussing endlessly without finding a common remedy - there seems no resolve to the dilemmas of the innocent.

This phlegmatism and its impact are amplified further when the so-called "superpower" of the world - the US have but reacted merely in supporting and backing their allies - the Israeli authorities.

Even the in-transition administration have not yet lived up to its promise of a better day for the innocent and the "silent many" - and the change that it promises have yet to materialize. While the Mumbai attacks have prompted statements of remorse and condemnation of the perpetrators, yet hardly a murmur could be heard from this administration in condemning the state terrorism that is so glaringly obvious - why the double standard?

Well, to be fair, there was a statement from the administration presented by its chief transition national-security spokeswoman Brooke Anderson: “President-elect Obama is closely monitoring global events, including the situation in Gaza, but there is one president at a time.”

While this monitoring is being done, the Israeli authorities are contemplating to ensue the military offensive with a ground assault as its readied battalion of tank regiments line up the border on the Palestinian side of the land. Bear in mind, that there are no security forces of the Palestinian to protect the innocents besides the pocket of "radical terrorist" and the al Qassam brigade - military wing of Hamas.

As the world looks on, leaders from the neighboring Middle Eastern countries yesterday ended an economic summit - yes an economic summit. While the summit in Oman ended with calls for the end to Israeli raids on Gaza yet divisions in the matter of addressing the crisis as always, hamper the resounding resolution.

In all this, at present, BBC reports "that 60 people have died in Israeli air strikes since Saturday. Four Israelis have been killed by rockets fired from Gaza."(BBC. "Growing calls for Gaza Ceasefire." 30 December 2008)

The UN also says that humanitarian agencies "are struggling to contend with both the air strikes and a lack of supplies."

"We have nothing in our warehouses," a spokesman for UNWRA, the UN agency in Gaza, told the BBC.

"There is a serious shortage of medical supplies. Hospitals in the Gaza Strip are not equipped at all to handle this huge number of dead and injured people." (BBC. "Growing calls for Gaza Ceasefire." 30 December 2008)

Gaza in pain - the world looks on ...

2008-12-30T18:54:00.008+08:00

When one talks about injustice, poverty and restrictions in densely populated areas in the world, it is almost impossible or simply absent minded on one's part should one ignore Gaza as one of those areas.

In very little places in the world, could one find such a highly dense populated place that faces not only scarcity of water but limited supplies for daily livings. Palestinians living in Gaza faces an economic condition that has for most times unlikely able to sustain itself, hence dampening the quality of live for its estimated populace of 1.5 million, due to political turmoil that has become a mainstay for the last almost five decades.

You see, Gaza is almost entirely sealed off from the rest of the continent, with virtually no way for Palestinians to move in or out, except for a couple land crossing points along its tiny border controlled by Israeli authorities (and one by the EU). Exports have been reduced to almost a trickle; imports are limited to essential humanitarian supplies.

These blockades are resulted by the Israeli authorities whom till this day determines the fate of the Palestinian populace. The irony here is of course that close to five decades ago, a majority of the Israeli's ancestry were from Europe and America and, on the other hand, the Palestinians had been living in the continent peacefully with other Jews and Christians for hundreds, if not thousand of years, as the natives, had never impose any restrictions on the people of other demographics then.

BBC reports that "as a result of import and export restrictions " by the Israeli authorities, most businesses had had to shut down and "95% of Gaza's industrial operations" have been suspended. As of March 2008, by modest estimate, unemployment is close to 40%. This causes "construction and agriculture (...) to a halt, 3,500 factories out of 3,900 have closed, causing 75,000 private sector job losses". (1)

The report continues that "Gaza's agricultural sector has suffered from repeated Israeli incursions destroying fields and greenhouses. Israel insists that no crop is allowed to grow over 40cm high, limiting farmers to cash crops which are costly to produce and heavily reliant on accessible export markets". (2)

Based on the same BBC report, sometime in March 2008: "More than 80% of Palestinians in Gaza rely on humanitarian assistance". (3)

Affirming this, in a joint statement of eight Israeli human rights organizations as far back as 2006, then, cited in B'TSELEM - an Israeli human rights information center for the occupied territories: "Some 80% of the population is extremely poor, living on less than $2 a day". (4)

Even so, the Israel government apparently controls and prevents even some of this essential humanitarian supplies by aid agencies. As a result, this causes rise in the cost of daily necessities like flour, baby milk and cooking oil which are extremely scarce hence eliminating what little accesses the population had to food, clean water and the ever more urgent medical supplies.

According to Amnesty International, in recent weeks UN agencies carrying food supplies have repeatedly complained about the Israeli authorities’ refusal to allow humanitarian assistance into Gaza. (5)

Besides that, this blockade has other repercussions - that it is destroying the public service infrastructure in Gaza. By prohibiting the import of spare parts, the Israeli government prevents the repair and maintenance of the electricity and water service infrastructure in Gaza - effecting more than 750,000 people throughout Gaza - three wells in Gaza were unable to operate at their full potential, leaving 140, 000 people with access to water for only 4-6 hours. (6).

The impact of this is amplified by Israel’s parallel punitive restrictions on fuel and electricity to Gaza. "Hospitals cannot generate electricity to keep lifesaving equipment working or to generate oxygen"(7)

As obvious, hospitals and lifesaving equipments are most important especially when the Palestinian children, everyday, grows up accustomed to flying Israeli jets and missile explosions - thus human fragility in Gaza can never be second guessed.

Of course in all this, as always, children, the hope of that brighter future that accounts to more than 55% of the population, are paying the biggest price.

The electricity cuts are disrupting teaching hours and shortening the school day and also school years started typically with shortages of textbooks and other crucial resources due to the blockade.

In January 2008 UNICEF reported that schools in Gaza had been skipping classes that were high on energy consumption, such as IT, science labs and extra curricular activities. (8)

In all this, one questions the Israeli psychology - surely the military actions and blockages that it carries out could never be the solution for a long-lasting peace. What would happen to the children whom have grown up seeing the death of their mother or neighbors? Whom have no other prospect of the future to look forward to besides more death and impending struggle?

Indeed, it is very difficult to reconcile when considering that, in the past, the Israeli stocks where descendants of nobility and people of character, and prophets, one questions where has all that nobility and sense of character disappeared to?

Surely there is more tolerance and mannerism in such a lineage, and especially after the experience in diaspora, would potentially live in its mind that the persecution of another race is injustice and unholy - yet today it has become the source of gloom for many innocent children and crying mothers.

(1) BBC. "Gaza's Humanitarian Crisis." last updated 6 March 2008. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7191359.stm).
(2) ibid
(3) ibid
(4) B'TELEM. "Gaza humanitarian crisis - a joint statement by Israeli leading human rights organization." 16 November 2006. (http://www.btselem.org/English/Gaza_Strip/20061116_Brief_on_Gaza.asp).
(5) Amnesty International. "Civilians must be protected in Gaza and Israel." 28 November 2008 (http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/news/civilians-must-be-protected-gaza-and-israel-20081228)
(http://www.oxfam.org.uk/resources/policy/conflict_disasters/downloads/gaza_implosion.pdf)
(6) UN: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). "Gaza Strip Humanitarian Fact Sheet." December 2007.
(7) Amnesty International UK, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, CAFOD, Medecins du Monde UK, Oxfam, Save the Children UK and Trocaire. "The Gaza Strip: A human implosion." 8 February 2008.
(8) UN: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). "Gaza Strip Humanitarian Fact Sheet." December 2007.

Israel air strikes spark protests worldwide

2008-12-29T09:57:00.004+08:00

Posted: 29 December 2008 0625 hrs

LONDON : Demonstrators in cities around the world Sunday marched in protest against the Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip that have killed nearly 300 people in the Palestinian territory.

British police made 10 arrests as a demonstration outside the Israeli embassy in London turned violent. Riot police moved in after people tore down the barriers keeping them back from the embassy.

Earlier Sunday, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband called for an "urgent ceasefire and immediate halt to all violence" in Gaza.

A call to "urgently halt" the military action also came from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov who spoke to his Israeli counterpart Tzipi Livni.

The top diplomats in Italy and Spain, Franco Frattini and Miguel Angel Moratinos, also spoke by telephone with Livni who said Israel would try "to limit the suffering of the people of Gaza," the Italian foreign ministry said.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose country currently holds the European Union presidency, told Palestinian Authority president Mahmud Abbas by telephone of his grave concerns about the escalating violence in the region and the need for both sides to stop their aggressions.

Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday denounced the violence between Israel and Hamas-controlled Gaza, and urged everyone involved in the "tragic situation in the Middle East" to strive for humanity and wisdom.

Around Euorpean capitals, Danish police arrested a man on the fringes of a protest march in Copenhagen after he threw a petrol bomb at officers. Police said the rally drew about 700 people, though organisers put the number closer to 2,000.

In Paris, about 200 people gathered on the Champs Elysees, while across the city in the northern district of Barbes, an area with a high concentration of north Africans, police said 1,300 others had joined an anti-Israel protest.

In Madrid, hundreds of people demonstrated outside the Israeli embassy, brandishing placards reading "Israel terrorist", "Stop state terrorism" and "No to the Palestinian holocaust."

The largest single protest of about 8,000 people took place in Egypt on the streets of the southern city of Assiut. Some 4,000 protesters rallied in the capital Cairo, while a demonstration in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria drew a similar number, a security official said.

Lebanese Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah urged Egyptians in their "millions" to take to the streets to force their government to open the country's border with Gaza, to help save Palestinians from the Israeli bombardments.

Another major showing of anti-Israeli sentiment was seen in Turkey where thousands of people joined demonstrations in about a dozen Turkish cities.

In Syria, protesters burned Israeli and American flags as thousands demonstrated in central Damascus. Security was tight around the US embassy, which lies some two kilometres (just over a mile) from the scene of the protest in the Syrian capital.

Demonstrators also burned Israeli flags in the Jordanian capital Amman, where hundreds of people led by Islamist lawmakers gathered to demand the closure of the Israeli embassy.

With Egypt, Jordan is one of only two Arab governments to have signed peace treaties with Israel.

The Israeli bombardment of Hamas targets in Gaza has killed more than 280 people since Saturday, the Jewish state's biggest offensive against the Palestinian territory since its capture in the 1967 Middle East war.

British aid agency Oxfam warned of a looming humanitarian crisis in Gaza if the Israeli bombardments do not cease.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said in a statement: "The influx of war wounded has put a tremendous strain on Gaza's already overburdened hospitals, which are in dire need of medical equipment."

- AFP/vm

Tzipi Livni defended her country's recent military action in Gaza: link

A Free Public Transport System ?

2008-12-27T20:34:00.011+08:00

I don't know about a pro-bicycle policy but to consider a subsidized (and even perhaps free though I am not pushing for it) public transport system is not all incredulous as was made out by our dear minister. I mean, I may not be a government expert monitoring the national budget and etc, but surely there are more than a dualistic variable involved as quoted (ie. taxpayer or public transport users). If the government is really keen to bring down the cost of the public transport system, surely there are more avenue or streams of resources that could be obtain - perhaps even from profits of whatever investments that is being done up with the public's money that we don't know (remember the mini-bond issue?).

So, the simplistic manner in putting the matter by the minister is simply childish and unsophisticated. Perhaps he was considering the fact that he was facing an audience that would not be able to understand the dynamics of public administration but the rest of Singapore watching it on the news must have been aghast by not only the talking down manner and tone of his explanation but the overly simplistic logic put into "educating" the matter.

For the sake of discussion, assuming if the public transport system are actually free, I am sure that the majority of Singaporeans would be more than keen for that additional levy (if we are accepting the schoolboy dualistic logic) since that would mean reducing on other costs (ie. cars, COEs, taxis, etc.). In fact, that would be the best idea to reduce congestion in certain areas and hence needing less ERPs which seems to be the only solution that the expensively-paid officers in the LTA could come out with (congestion?! more ERP loh!).

To put the facts straight, public transport operators, for the past two years, have very consistently linked reasons for hike in prices at intermittent periods as a result of increases in operational cost and increases in fuel costs.

In fact, not long ago as September, the Public Transport Council (PTC) mentioned the following in a press release: "The fare adjustment, which will yield $5.9 million for a full year, will only provide partial relief for the increased cost pressures the Company faces. Fuel and electricity costs rose by 64%, or $36.0 million, to $92.5 million in the first six months of this year." ( SBS Transit Increases Transfer Rebate; Receives Net Fare Increase of Less Than 1%, :)

Maybe I am misinformed but could someone double check if my knowledge serves me accurately that the buses we ride everyday run on diesel-oil?

Even a twelve year old knows that the fuel costs are closely tied with crude oil and natural gas, and thus their prices.

And when the Minister said "not directly linked" - what that's suppose to mean. It's a semantical game puzzle really.

Furthermore, in an article from " The Straits Time" dated March 2007: 1.8% cap on any bus, train fare hike this year cites the following glaringly: "In the past two years, the operators cited higher oil prices as the main justification for a fare rise. A senior transport analyst said GST had never been fully passed on to commuters, but added that ‘the formula will prevail because we are not in a deflationary economy".

Now, if the public transport operators mentioned that higher oil prices are the “main justification” for fare hikes, how could it then not linked?

And this is not a matter of politicizing the issue, but we do hope that Ministers could double check and be careful of any such slip ups when in public. Already, we are paying so much for buses that most often already need refurbishment and touch ups (have you ever tried sitting on any of the feeder buses from Boon Lay?) or MRTs that are always crowded - so what we would really need are less reminders of why price hikes should be tolerated or how the government subsidy is supposedly not the solution or that the "public that ends up paying" (and the government ends up with all the profit).

....

Pay up your fines ok

2008-12-26T16:22:00.003+08:00

If you have been to the National Library recently, you would probably find the image above very familiar. I took this at the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library @ Bugis.

I was laughing my head off when taking this photo. It's as if there is little need for any more convincing of what a "fine" city Singapore is. LKC Reference Library is a place where you could find non-Singaporeans and others doing their little research on things and imagine reading this.

On another note, I was also wondering if our library is in such tight budget that this becomes an important need to remind patrons of overdue over borrowing fines?

Haha, so weird.

Have a fine day everyone ...

Vocationalism and Higher Learning

2008-12-22T06:56:00.002+08:00

In 1936 (Robert Maynard) Hutchins published The Higher Learning in America, a set of lectures in which he presented his newly congealed idea about education to a wider public. These ideas were conservative in substances but radical in tone, because they called for a major reorientation of the institutions and values of the American higher education.

Hutchins begin his tract by vociferously attacking American colleges as vacuous sites that exhibited either ideals nor coherence. "The most striking fact about the higher learning in America," he declared, "is the confusion that besets it." He criticized the emphasis on fun, vocationalism, misguided ideas of progress and utility, and clumsy attempts to mold "character" directly, Furthermore, he decried the lack of standards, the total dependence on money, the hegemony of sports, the rampant anti-intellectualism, and the unexamined assumption that all individuals deserve an education, whether or not they choose to apply themselves to the task.

In the place of these false gods, Hutchins (...) called for an education that was centered on the nurturance of the mind. "An intellect properly disciplined, an intellect properly habituated, is an intellect able to operate well in all fields," he contended. Hutchins did not hedge. He asserted that the "unifying principle of a university is the pursuit of truth for its own sake." In confident, lapidary phrases he went on: "Education implies teaching. Teaching implies knowledge. Knowledge is truth. Truth is everywhere the same. Hence education should be everywhere the same. I do not overlook the possibilities of different in organization, in administration, in local habits and customs. These are details."

Building on a curriculum of great books - works that has stood the test of time-Hutchins endorsed a course of study that featured the art of reading, writing, thinking, speaking, and mathematics. Such a course of study would engender a common stock of ideas and common methods for dealing with them. The systematic thinker of the past, most notably Aristotle and Aquinas, emerged as the guiding light of this enterprise.

Most interestingly and most controversially, Hutchins argues that the curriculum had to be coherent and that the foundation of this coherence ought to be metaphysics. By metaphysics, Hutchins meant the are of knowledge that draws out the basic principle and causes underlying our world, our existence and our individuality. Waxing grandly, Hutchins pointed out:"Metaphysics then, as the highest, science, ordered the thought of the Greek world as theology ordered the Middle ages ... Without theology or metaphysics a unified university cannot exists." More concretely, through immersion in metaphysics, students would come to understand the various disciplines and their relationship to one another.

And so, whether they were studying physics or politics or poetry, students would come to grips with the principles that undergird concepts and practice in those disciplines, and perhaps even the discern the similarities and differences between a scientific and humanistic view of the world. Similarly, in comparing natural sciences, social sciences, and metaphysics, the student would learn that these areas "deal with the same propositions and facts, but with different ultimate references." Hutchins concluded that the "fundamental problem of metaphysics, the social sciences, and the natural sciences are, then, the proper subject matter of the higher learning"

Taken from: Leading Minds (Howard Gardner, 1995)
________________________________________________________________

Robert Hutchins was the youngest person ever to be named president of a university - before the age of thirty. What is remarkable further is that he was named the president, in 1927, of the University of Chicago - a well renown university till this day (controversial or otherwise, I will let you decide).

Nonetheless, an extraordinary feat by all accounts.

Hutchins conception of education as quoted above is very interesting since it lies very broadly congruent and at some specifically to the conception of academic or scholarly life of the early Muslim scholars the likes of Ibn Rushd, al Kind, al Farabi, Ibn Sina, al Ghazzali, al Khawarizmi and so many others in regards to knowledge or epistemology. In fact, Aquinas in many ways had manifest certain concepts quite similar to Al Farabi and Ibn Rushd - this is not surprising since the two were considered the most knowledgeable in the Peripatetic school of philosophy of their time.

In considering the "vocationalistic" attitude of todays university, even in Singapore, one wonders is there every a platform or institution that would truly be able to become the platform that trains individual to become thinkers and proponents of a society that values principles, ethics and the utmost "truth"? The answer to that would lead to repercussive conditioning into the society or humanity at large.

Guantanamo and Detention Cells

2008-12-21T07:01:00.002+08:00

Justice requires that every individual to receive fair trial for his or her alleged crime or misdemeanor. To put a person in a detention cell without trial is imposing the same injustice akin to terror radicals or far right fundamentalist groups.

In some way, it could be acceptable for such a low-life bunch, but is hardly the way to go for sovereign states and governments especially when the well being of the detainees are in constant jeopardy.

WE LIVE IN SINGAPURA

2008-12-20T08:15:00.000+08:00

Love it or hate it, this is where home is.

*grenade! exploded! charge! (aww! darn high window!)

Faster than we can change ourselves

2008-12-18T06:25:00.006+08:00

"We are shaping the world faster than we can change ourselves, and we are applying to the present the habits of the past." (Winston Churchill)

As humanity advance with technological trends and development yet it all seems of this "progress" have yet done very little to uplift the temperament and mood of the human race. It seems that especially with advances in technology mentioned earlier, we have only device better ways to cause destruction and carnage. Afterall, the greatest discovery in the early 20th century incubated from the laboratories of the Manhattan Project led by the stoic Robert Oppenheimer was not rather channeled for enhancement of an alternative source of energy but used as collaterals that eventually killed thousands of lives.

Till this day, half a century later, nuclear proliferation is still a matter discussed by World Leaders in summits and meeting yet without finding any resolve but rather use as leverage on negotiation tables.

In the case of the health industry especially in the US, medicine and new methods of curing diseases that causes fatality to say for example in Africa and other third world places - are still remotely available in those very places. And if are so available, marked at an incredibly high cost relative to what this massive population are able to afford.

Industries and factories that fabricates products, designer goods or accessories that eventually end up in shopping malls in developed nations - priced at incredibly exponential rate, by the way - only exploit the local populace that they operate in: they call this concept globalization and free trade.

In many ways, the economic order that we succumb to today merely feeds on carnal urges of consumers and, behind the curtains, feed on the even bigger carnal urges of the MNC owners and cooperations while exploitating the voiceless destitute and poor. There is little consideration these days when a technology is commercialized that it firstly meets the need of humanity - but rather what is most priority are market readiness and hence potentially massive financially tangible returns - all this ran, of course, by the "free and liberal" market. So much so, that when someone like Google stands up and says "we are doing to make life easier for the rest of the world" - it becomes a phenomenon.

Should this not be the default of humanity? What happened to "love thy neighbour" or "truly the son of god was not sent to be serve by man but to serve man" - all this coming from biblical sources.

The Islamic world and intellects have even yet to solve or even attempt to solve issues of humanity (poverty, environment, violence, etc) . In most cases, most of the Islamic governments or bureaucrats are either busy counting of profits they got from oil or through special incentives they get by closing one eye on certain thing going on in their country - we call this corruption.

So here we are, rhetorically claiming: khalifah fil ard and islam huwa al hal - when after 1400 years very little have been done to really begin to shape and sustain a humanity that is anchored on values and principles. This, keeping in mind that there are 1.6 billion that profess the Islamic faith.

....

UN Security Council backs Middle East peace push

2008-12-17T12:07:00.003+08:00

Posted: 17 December 2008 0413 hrs

UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council on Tuesday passed its first resolution in five years aimed at giving new impetus to US-sponsored Middle East negotiations at a time of transition in the peace process.

Resolution 1850, a US-Russian drafted text, received 14 votes in favour. Libya, the lone Arab member of the council, abstained.

"The establishment of the state of Palestine is long overdue, and there should be an end to the occupation that began in 1967," said US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, probably making her last appearance at the Security Council before president-elect Barack Obama takes office on January 20.

Rice said the significance of the text was that it "confirms the irreversibility of the bilateral negotiations" under the US-sponsored process begun in Annapolis, Maryland 13 months ago.

"There is no substitute for the Annapolis process, and stagnation is not an option," she told the council.

The vote took place at a high-profile ministerial session that also included Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, Chinese deputy foreign minister He Yafei and UN chief Ban Ki-moon.

Speaking before the vote, Ban described the meeting as "very important for the cause of peace in the Middle East, and for the central role of the Security Council in achieving it."

The text endorses principles underpinning Israeli-Palestinian peace at a time of transition with the arrival of a new US administration and early elections scheduled in both Israel and among the Palestinians next year.

It also calls on both parties "to fulfil their obligations ... and refrain from any steps that could undermine confidence or prejudice the outcome of negotiations."

Russia's Lavrov said the "adoption of the resolution is not an absolute guarantee... Much will depend on the ability of Israel and the Palestinians to honour their obligations, notably in the area of security."

The text urges stepped-up diplomatic efforts "to foster in parallel with progress in the bilateral process mutual recognition and peaceful coexistence between all states in the region in the context of achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East."

And it welcomed consideration by the Middle East quartet - the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations - of an international meeting in Moscow next year.

"The responsibility for a resolution of the Middle East conflict does not just fall to Israel and the Palestinians though they must lead the process," Miliband noted in his remarks.

"It falls to every state in the region, for the only sustainable peace must be a 23-state solution, not just a two-state solution -- 22 Arab states and Israel living side by side in security," he added.

France's UN Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert insisted on the "absolute necessity to respect humanitarian law."

He said the law bans "bans terrorist acts which blindly target civilians such as attacks and rocket firing against Israel" as well "any form of collective punishment" referring to the harsh Israeli measures against the people of Gaza in response to rocket attacks.

While deploring the council's inaction in dealing with what he views as a threat to international peace and security, Libyan Ambassador Giaddala Ettalhi voiced hope that the resolution marked "a reversal of the behaviour of the Council in the last few years."

He slammed the deterioration of the situation in Gaza, where Israel further restricted the amount of humanitarian and other basic supplies allowed into the territory since a flare-up of violence in early November.

On Monday, the quartet met here and called on Israelis and Palestinians to step up talks to end their conflict and establish a Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel.

The quartet has put forward a roadmap for the creation of a viable Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel.

But no tangible progress has been made on resolving the core issues of Jerusalem, the future borders of a Palestinian state and refugees since the Annapolis process was launched. - AFP/de
__________________________________________________________

Kalau cinta sudah di buang
Jangan harap keadilan akan datang
Kesedihan hanya tontonan
Bagi mereka yang di perbudak jabatan

ya bongkar
ya bongkar

Sabar, sabar, sabar dan tunggu
Itu jawaban yang harus kami terima
Ternyata kita harus ke jalan
Robohkan setan yang berdiri mengangkang

Penindasan serta kesewenang-wenangan
Banyak lagi teramat banyak untuk disebutkan
Hoi hentikan, hentikan jangan di teruskan
Kami muak dengan ketidakpastian dan keserakahan

ya bongkar
ya bongkar

Di jalanan kami sandarkan cita-cita
Sebab dirumah tiada lagi yang bisa dipercaya
Orang tua pandanglah kami sebagai manusia
Kami bertanya tolong kau jawab dengan cinta

(Iwan Fals, Bongkar)

...

Young People and Society(s)

2008-12-09T19:09:00.007+08:00

Margaret Mead was a well renown female anthropologist from the 1930s and was very much known for her deep research on South Pacific tribal societies the likes of Samoa and others around that particular region. Mead's research and work was extremely novel then since it brought plenty of new findings and discoveries of new phenomenon of the non-Western world to Mead's Western audiences, mostly in America.

One would need to remember that this was a time when Internet, global communication and traveling the likes of airplanes and such were non-yet-existent. Mead's discoveries and books brought an exotic novelty to many of her, then, "cosmopolitan" readers.

Although, Mead's research where she spent substantial period with the indigenous people whom she was studying had almost radically brought her to question the stereotype and hallmark of Western culture in view of individual-family-social development thus introduced the concept of cultural relativism which brought revolutionary ideas (revolutionary since this is a time when White supremacies was the rule of law especially since the Civil Right movement had yet to take place) - particularly - that no one culture was better than the other and that in reality certain paradoxes that occurs in a "progressive" West could find its very remedy in this indigenous societies. Obviously, this statements were astounding and brought fresh perspectives to the urbanized Western audiences.

In one of Mead's early and fundamental find was in regards to the subject of youth or the period of one's adolescence: "(Mead) rejected the idea (...)that adolescence had to be a turbulent period, and she characterized the Samoan experiences as 'freer and easier and less complicated' than in the West".

Furthermore, and to reiterate the initial point on youth: Mead indicated extensively that young children could assume roles of responsibility, while older individual remained capable of learning and of adapting to change. This is since the indigenous tribes that Mead studied had already utilize the young for important every day activities.

The significance of this is particularly in considering the common perception of youth or the general acceptance of society that the period of one adolescence is a period of experimentation and "having fun". This is made worse by certain developmental theorist whom asserts that ones adolescence as a period of where one only begins to organize or construct ones concept of self. I would argue that, most often, this organization or re-organization of the concept of self occurs throughout ones life with new experiences and social learning processes akin to Albert Bandura's social learning theory.

However as a result of this "have fun" mentality, which causes the emergence of a laisse fare attitude generally amongst young people and most often when tasked to do work or to better one self - would only retort to the typical: "I am still young, wait till I am old enough" or "nanti dah besar boleh taubat lah".

On the other hand, many high handed leaders or parents most often would simply remark: "he is just a kid - what does he know?" or "belum cukup makan garam", etc. Little wonder then that many young people are still seen merely as purely logistical help at certain organizations only for special occasions or, worse, are disenfranchised in the society they lived in thus relegated to shopping malls and video game outlets. Though, I must admit the experience praying behind a young imam (younger than myself!) in Masjid Al Falah some time ago was surreal. At the same time, several masjids have already gotten young imam to lead congregrational youth - which I think is a remarkable change. Perhaps, the paradigm shift is in its way - but more needs to be done especially in employing a developmental strategy for youth en mass.

The fact is, according to Howard Gardner (author of Multiple Intelligence) the human mind can already derive forms of logic as early as the age of 5 and only develops in cognitive sophistication as it progresses while facilitated by newer experience.

Hence, we can derive a simple conclusion that it is not a matter how one has age per se but rather the extend that ones mind has been developed.

The point in all this, if you are still wondering by now, is to put across a simple fact that there needs to be a better understanding of the immense potential that the youth has with them and when untapped only become opportunity cost for all stakeholders - a brief look into the human history would attest to this.

Though, I must warn that like anyone else, young people have their own idiosyncrosies that needs to be sort out but in general the common theme should be that: young people are not simply prospective leaders of tomorrow (waiting to take over the current flock) but far exceedingly are the change agents of today!

Question is: how do we begin tapping and recreating this paradigm shift that will translate to real change.

Hassan al Banna famously conclude and I love going around quoting this: antum ar ruhul jadeed tasyrir fi jasadil ummah (you are the new spirit that is flowing into the body of the ummah).

Thank You :: Saff Perdaus' Qurban 2008 :: For Refugees from Palestine and Darfur ::

2008-12-05T11:12:00.000+08:00

"If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich." (John F. Kennedy, Inauguration Speech, 1961)

Interesting choice of words from the former US President whom as we all know fell victim of a tragic assassination attempt.

In reflecting this quote, I would like to take this opportunity in thanking one and all for your civic-minded efforts and contributions to our humble cause.

May God except all of our ibadah and the efforts that you have made through inviting others to this cause and thus in that act creating more awareness not merely for this little cause but, far exceedingly, the plight of the millions whom till this day are living in a state of destitute in refugee camps across the globe due to the void of political resolution or change.

As of today, we have closed the registration for Saff Perdaus' Qurban 2008 "For Refugees from Palestine and Darfur". Insya Allah, our friends from Muslim Aid will carry on with the amanah and love to our brothers and sisters in the refugee camps of Central Africa and Sudan.

We are still short of the intended 5000 cans and were able to only secure about 3950 (or so) cans. Irregardless of that, I think what is more beneficial, in retrospection, is the process that we have all gone through rather than the numerical and tangible outcome.

In many ways, this cause has highlighted the compassion in all of you that was shown throughout this cause and I am especially heartened by some of you whom contributed few patches of dollars here and there - and a few 50 or so people later, was able to contribute to 2 sheeps (all this in the midst of university exams!). You amazes me.

"united there is nothing we cannot do" (JFK, 1961)

And again to the so many others out there that had called and sms in asking: how can we help? And so on and so forth.

You have our utmost gratitude and thanks - surely, only Allah could return the favor and may that favor come at the time when you need it most.

Barakallahufikum.

PS. let's carry on in our efforts to consider the conditions of the refugees around the world and constantly seeking ways how we could contribute to a resolution or, at least, improvement of conditions.

Council recommends lifting ban on party political films in phases

2008-12-03T09:10:00.003+08:00

By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 02 December 2008 1901 hrs

SINGAPORE: A committee looking into new media has recommended that Section 33 of the Films Act that prohibits the making and distributing of party political films be repealed but in phases.

It's one of the key recommendations made by the Advisory Council on the Impact of New Media on Society (AIMS).

The council also suggests that the scope of law be narrowed to target only those films that "intentionally mislead viewers" and that an independent panel be appointed to decide on this.

However, questions remain.

Choo Zheng Xi, editor, The Online Citizen, said: "It's very difficult to say if for example, I do cutaway shots of opposition party rallies, whether that is going to be slanted and misleading. Or, if I take snapshots of unflattering comments that the PAP ministers make, whether that is going to be a slanted and misleading film."

Choo, one of the Bloggers13 group consulted by the council, is in favour of an immediate repeal.

Cheong Yip Seng, chairman of AIMS, said: "Deciding on whether films are acceptable or not, it's not going to be easy. I think it's possible many of the films submitted will likely fall into the grey area. That is why we emphasise that it is important for the panel to have public credibility."

Mr Cheong acknowledges films deemed unacceptable by the panel can still pop up on YouTube, a free video-sharing platform.

He added: "I think it is reasonable to expect that film to appear on YouTube and when that happens, the public will judge whether the panel had made the right or wrong decision."

But both parties agree that the ban needs to go.

Choo continued: "One word they used is decriminalising the making of political films which I think is very healthy because we need to move away from the mindset that making these films and talking about politics online through a video medium is criminal."

One of the issues when it comes to political discussions online is that there are a lot of grey areas. Thus, AIMS report aims to strike a balance between a free-for-all and trying to give greater clarity on what the out-of-bounds or OB markers are.

AIMS also made three other major recommendations.

One of them is for the government to further actively engage citizens online and give civil servants space to voice their personal opinions.

The second recommendation is to protect minors by having a dedicated agency to implement cyber safety and an annual fund for such efforts.

And the third suggestion is to have laws to protect websites hosting content that may turn out defamatory.

The government said it will study the recommendations carefully and announce its position in about one and a half months' time. -CNA/vm
________________________________________________________

KR: Here's a thought - if the local government does its job well and that becomes apparent and transparent to the masses or the grassroot, clearly then, any sort of defamation from any group would as obvious be seen as that. But if, on the other hand, it slips up or fumble on certain issues or matter then shouldn't public opinion be taken into consideration?

Shouldn't the masses and the people (whom the government represent - democratically) be the check and balance for the government? Or is this form of relationship a remote concept in this little red dot?

Are the Singapore online savvy viewers so gullible that they could be easily "mislead" by certain political media? On the contrary, most Singaporeans are savvy enough to give critical opinions or feedbacks.

So thanks for putting your trust in the people ....

Qurban :: an answering to sufferings and pain ::

2008-12-01T09:57:00.003+08:00

Dear all,

As Singaporeans, we are all sadden by the news of Singapore's first casualty to international terrorism.

I am sure like many others, we were especially distraught by the revelation.

Violence and killing or all other conflicts are tremendous casualties that the human race needs to begin to do without though any student of history would attest that that is almost an impossibility. This is since, the history of the human species has shown that while there are those few that work tirelessly for peace and harmony yet there are many more others that decide to go for the emotionally quick fixed solution.

Having said that and as we mourn for the loss of the Singaporean live, let us also reflect on the many more lives that have become casualties in a conflict that has lasted more than 50 years through state or legislated terrorism.

This is equally wrong and far more de-generative since in such cases it displace more lives and what is made worse is the resources that are avail for a state as compared to a pool of under-resourced amateurs are far and deep.

As a result, refugee camps all over the world houses these innocent civilians in Central Africa, Lebanon and other parts of the world whom carries with them memories of violence and conflicts by the state or the very own authorities that were suppose to take care of them. Many of whom have also lost their love ones.

The closing date for Saff Perdaus' Qurban 2005 for Refugees from Palestine and Darfur is on: 5th December 2008 which is about 5 more days.

We are still far from our intended 5000 cans of meat but we do hope that with your encouraging support - the help we seek to offer, collectively, becomes a reality.

For order or more information, call Sis Nur Afifah (Saff Perdaus, Executive Officer) today at 6513 2305 or afifah@perdaus.org.sg

Thank you.

Khairu Rejal
Saff Perdaus
www.saff.org.sg

A Condolence ..............

2008-11-29T01:43:00.000+08:00

....

The body of Singaporean lawyer Lo Hwei Yen was confirmed by her husband earlier today. She was found on the 19th floor of the Oberoi hotel which (I think) is west of Mumbai. At the time of writing 146 innocent civilians have been killed and about 337 wounded. Along with that images of blood trail, smoke from buildings and frenzied crowds splashed across the Internet and all possible media platform in presenting these atrocities.

It is indeed a dark day for all Singaporeans and humanity in general.

This is absurd. What did those 146 people do to deserve this?

Which sort of cowardice opens fire at innocent and unarmed civilians?

What sort of reaction were they hoping from?

No you are not mujahideen and far remote are you from that sacred recognition. In fact to even suggest that you deserve such description is obcene. You are murderers and animals - filthy and cowardly at that.

And why does The Straits Times refer to this group in its front page as "Islamist Group"? I suggest the editors please get an education or be more sensitive! Please refer to them as "terrorist group" - for I am very sure that no one in this country would ever recognize this group as Islamist or Muslims though however they would like to be remembered as such (for whatever reasons).

As for the rest of us: do we need any more reminders for the silent majority (if assuming they are Muslims in the first place or even if they are not it doesn't matter as Earth's citizen) to stand up?

It is a sad day and I am very disturbed right now.

Condolences to the family of Ms Lo Hwei Yen. God bless her soul deservedly.

Peace, harmony and bla bla bla ...

2008-11-28T10:19:00.003+08:00

I think we need to be less obsessive with words or terms like peace, harmony and love to associate with Islam or anything Islamic especially in this small little island.

While it is certainly helpful in creating a more progressive image of Islam especially with whatever pluralistic values that is undoubtedly being actively advocated here (though I question the true motivation or purpose in such advocacy) yet obsessively spraying these themes around every banner and extensively-invested events could be problematic or, to say the least, not hitting it where it matters!

The problem with this, if it’s not already clear that it is seemingly apologetic as if walking around with a "guilty as charge" placard round our necks, is that it does not fundamentally address what is truly needed by the society at this point in time or in the wider perspective represent the fundamental message that is Islam that many Muslims fail to grasp.

This is not to say that we should ignore such themes totally but rather since too much of anything are excesses in itself hence recycling these concepts again and again (and only to appease the bureaucracy that potentially themselves suffers a disconnect from the grassroot or sentiments of the society) might cause if not a tiresome response from the very audience that one is reaching out to yet far worse creates a reductionist and narrow perpective of conceptualizing Islamic ideals.

Indeed, the aforementioned terms reflects a certain passivity and quietness that is remote to Islam (love, tolerance, harmony, etc) or are themes that do not articulate the bigger message of human progress thus the need for an emergence of agents that brings such progress. Now, if anything, Islam is all but passive. Instead, its primary purpose is one of a call to action towards change, development and progress – of the individual, society and humanity. And especially since these concepts are ironically remote to a large majority of Muslims in today's age hence is only logical that capacity building processes should be actualize towards this call to action(s).

What the society suffers now is the ailment of passivity. While there are significant amount of people whom are advocating progress and change in the society yet this pool of people are arguably not enough especially in view with the social ailments that circulate in our community. Hence, active “conversion” (for a lack of a better term) towards these massively silent majorities into active agensts of change (activism, volunteering, or the more traditionally colluqial terms: da’wah, islah, etc.) should be primary. Then, perhaps while in that process - themes like peace, harmony et al could then be by products of the learning or development as is normally would be the case.

In the current scenario to spend recources and even academic talent to research on pass examples of tolerance et al in the Islamic civilization is strange since such values should already be accepted as default. It’s like a grown man telling people that I can tie my own shoe laces! The question here is how low in self esteem can on get if one needs to go around telling people that?

Furthermore, the aforementioned themes can only be deemed rhetorical or lack of action if it is only recycled in seminars or “intellectual” (whatever that means) discourses. Instead, the best way to prove the critics about Islams tolerance and love and all those flowery cosmetics are through: action! How can we do that while there is still a largely (and I am reiterating this) passive or silent majority?

Yes, you might appease the one or two guest of honours coming for the event but the change could only be so much.

I have not even when on to touch on the fact that the “Islamic” civilization as commonly define especially among the academics had their own inner demons and one would find that “pluralism” were at most times not the order of the day. One needs to only read the later stages of the Abbasid or Ottoman “Empire” (I have mentioned this before the monarchies or empires are hardly in line with the Prophet’s message of Islam) to figure that out. Of course the same goes for other civilizations or society of people - Nihilistic, Secular or Faith.

So yes, let’s refocus on enlivening the spirit of the silent majority – since the age old cliché often goes: actions are louder than words.

Men are just happier people!

2008-11-27T15:42:00.000+08:00

Dear all!

Let's take a break for a while and appreciate the following I got from a friend through email.

(boy am I gonna get it)

...

MEN ARE JUST HAPPIER PEOPLE

NICKNAMES

If Laura, Kate and Sarah go out for lunch, they will call each other Laura, Kate and Sarah.
If Mike, Dave and John go out, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Godzilla and Four-eyes.

EATING OUT

When the bill arrives, Mike, Dave and John will each throw in $20, even though it's only for $32.50. None of them will have anything smaller and none will actually admit they want change back.
When the girls get their bill, out come the pocket calculators.

MONEY

A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs.
A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't need but it's on sale.

BATHROOMS

A man has six items in his bathroom: toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, a bar of soap , and a towel
The average number of items in the typical woman's bathroom is 337. A man would not be able to identify more than 20 of these items.

ARGUMENTS

A woman has the last word in any argument.
Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

FUTURE

A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.

SUCCESS

A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.
A successful woman is one who can find such a man.

MARRIAGE

A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't.
A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, but she does.

DRESSING UP

A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the trash, answer the phone, read a book, and get the mail.
A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.

NATURAL

Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed.
Women somehow deteriorate during the night.

OFFSPRING

Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears and hopes and dreams.
A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.

Qurban :: The work is not done yet ::

2008-11-26T23:23:00.001+08:00

"When thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth." (Matthew 6:3)

"Those who act kindly in this world will have kindness." (Qur'an 39.10)

“He who wished to secure the good of others, has already secured his own" (Confucius)

"Beneficence is a duty. He who frequently practices it, and sees his benevolent intentions realized, at length comes really to love him to whom he has done good. When, therefore, it is said, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself,' it is not meant, thou shalt love him first and do him good in consequence of that love, but thou shalt do good, to thy neighbor; and this thy beneficence will engender in thee that love to mankind which is the fulness and consummation of the inclination to do, good." (Immanuel Kant)

"As the purse is emptied, the heart is filled." (Victor Hugo)

As of today, membership of this cause has risen to 329 members. Strong support, heartwarming encouragements and kind endorsements have all been received with humble gratitude and in dept appreciation.

Saff Perdaus has insofar received a total of 110 orders for qurban sheeps for our Qurban 2008 :: Refugees from Palestine and Darfur :: which is an equivalent of 2640 cans. Though this is plenty indeed and thus our appreciation goes out to all that have contributed in one way or another - yet the number is still short of our target of 5000 cans.

Hence, we do hope that in the next 10 days till the closing date (5th December) for our Qurban 2008 :: Refugees from Palestine and Darfur :: the endearing support that we have been receiving will be pouring in.

And I believe with conviction that through your support and assistance, we can do it.

As aforementioned, your support will not only go to assisting Saff (www.saff.org.sg) to sustain our programs for 2009 but far importantly than all else, your contributions will also be channeled to Palestinian and Sudanese living in refugee camps in Lebanon and Darfur.

In many ways, your generous contributions will not only be one that merely accomplishes your own ibadah but at the same time you will be fulfilling the opportunity of upliftment for others whom are less fortunate than ourselves in living a life that is deserving for all citizens of Earth.

Your contribution, will be a token of support for these Earth citizens - a recognition of their suffering and grievances - so as they may find encouragement and hope of the fact that their voices are still very much loudly heard in the far corners of this world and that their pains, are ours too - that their want and desires for their children are in fact not as unsimiliar as ours especially when we cast a glance at our treasured own children and precious young ones whom carries with them our hope for the brighter future.

Qurban with us today.

We thank you.

Khairu Rejal
Saff Perdaus

ps. we appreciate any feedback or comments that you might have. we are on facebook (join our cause here).

Al Farabi and Psychology

2008-11-25T17:36:00.004+08:00

"When man comes into being, the first faculty to appear is that by which he is nourished, namely the vegetative faculty (al quwwat al-ghadhiyah). After that there develops the faculty with which he perceives the tangible objects such as heat, cold and the rest. This is also the faculty with which he tastes and smells, hears sounds, and sees colors and all other objects of vision such as light rays. Along with the senses is developed (the faculty) with which he yearns for the sensibles; he either likes or dislikes them. Then, after that, appears another faculty with which he retains the impression of the sensibles upon his soul after the sensible objects have disappeared from his senses. This is the imaginative faculty (al-quwwat al mutakhayyilah). This faculty combines some (of the impressions of the) sensibles with others as well as separates some from others, producing different combinations and separations. Some of these are false and some are true. Associated with this faculty is the power of desire toward the objects of imagination. After that there appears in him the rational faculty (al quwwat al-natiqah) with which he is able to perceive the intelligibles in order to gain possession of the arts and the sciences. There is also associated with this faculty the desire toward that which has been perceived by the intellect."

extracted from: Al Farabi's Kitab mabadi ara ahl al madinat al fadilah

Taken from Classification of Knowledge in Islam (Osman Bakar, 1992)
_____________________________________________________________

KR: In the above, one could find some comparison with the Freudian theory of psycho-sexual stages and/ or the general theory of developmental psychology from a cognitive developmental perspective.

One could be impress with the fact that Al Farabi articulated the early child-human developmental stages which is quite similar to the developmental concepts that Howard Gardner mentioned when he spoke of the cognitive development of the mind of a child in: The Unschooled Mind: How Children Think and How Schools Should Teach.

What is truly impressive from all of this is that Al Farabi lived in the period 890-950 CE where much of Europe were living still in the pre-middle ages and at that point the Muslims were rapidly "modernizing" and developing mathematics, natural sciences and philosophy.

A far cry if one would consider the condition of the educational level or value of knowledge by Muslims, in general, today.

Thus, this brings to the simple conclusion of the scholarship that is of Al Farabi - though sadly many psychology students hardly take heed or are less than familiar with his name and contributions while on the other hand are more accustomed to names the likes of Freud, Gardner, Lung, Carl Rogers, Erikson, Bandura, Cattell, Maslow, amongst others.

Al Farabi was also well regarded to have brought further the ideas of Peripatetic school of philosophy into the Islamic world studying from Greekian scholars and hence was the conduit between the early period and the age before enlightenment that had transformed Europe.

Al Farabi and many other scholars the likes in the past were the pace makers that set modern societies then ablaze with ideas and progress - today Muslims (even "Malay 2.0s") with the exception of a rare few are yet to even jump into the bandwagon let alone pacing the progress that leads to development!

(Sigh)

....

Madrasah PSLE results and hope of the better future

2008-11-22T00:28:00.006+08:00

Just when you thought that the madrasahs are about to crumble under the enormous pressure that looms especially with the "Compulsory Education Act" enacted in 2003 that requires madrasah students for the first time sit for the PSLE examinations this year - yesterday, our madrasahs assuredly responded with such an unexpected and audacious response thus showcasing hope yet for the future.

I was certainly surprised.

Now, I had never thought that it was impossible but the news in some ways was unexpected. It did brightened up my spirit for a moment and I am as always glad that my cynicism were proved wrong.

If you haven't still figure it out yet what on earth am I talking about: the much anticipated PSLE results are out and besides the top madrasah student to have emerge scoring 260 aggregate points (by the way I know the happy uncle whom smsed me early Friday morning asking me if I have read the news and as well the delighted grandparents) our madrasahs in general did encouragingly well and far better than expected.

It was heartwarming news.

Especially when in considering the anticipation that teachers and parents had been going through since a couple years ago when this initiative was first introduced or at least when the pressure of expectation began to take its toll.

These are indeed days of celebration for all madrasah students, family of madrasah students and teachers alike. I can only imagine the smiles and brimming faces walking along the old and time-honored Irsyad corridors or the new spirit that daunts over the enduring pink tudungs that colors the Ma'arif halls.

I remembered a couple years ago in an all madrasah camp - the Irsyad students seems the quietest of the whole lot. This is perhaps since Irsyad students had too often found themselves bottom in the pecking order of the rest of the madrasah, for some reason.

Perhaps, now, one could expect the tide to change, if it hasn’t already.

Now, we have already known what the Ma'arif girls can do when they appeared on The Arena last year impressing many. However, one did wonder: how the rest of the madrasahs would perform in such a national platform? This was the answer.

This piece of news brings a sense of optimism that is much needed. The madrasahs whom at one point in time were repositories for failing students or students whom could not find a place in government schools, today has emerge in a new light and wave - one of a coming of age.

Yes, we have arrived.

I certainly hope from here on, no longer can madrasah students be sidelined and considered secondary as compared to a student from the government school. No longer can they sit quietly in corners of rooms during discussions or unable to articulate anything beyond the religo-theological frame of mind or set of thinking but rather much would be expected and this result actually is the very confidence that is much needed.

Kudos to the dedicated teachers of these evergreen institutions that has been contributing so much for the community and the testament of that undying dedication manifesting itself today.

Kudos also goes to the mentors and tutors who have been involved in this process with that same spirit of passion.

Congratulations to proud parents and families.

However, having said all this, the work is not done yet and has only begun. Let’s celebrate the moment yet remember at the back of our minds that, in fact, this result shows that only with a right mix of hard work and dedication the madrasahs possesses the immense potential of producing exceptional individuals and leaders of the future whom are or would be ready to take on all challenges that the future brings hence being able to see through different lenses and perspectives (religious, economic, social, etc.).

So while the madrasahs did well, more could be expected.

A tall order but if this recent revelation is anything to go by, there is certainly much optimism to expect in the future.

Alhamdulillah.

Qurban and Contributions

2008-11-20T19:54:00.005+08:00

(from Facebook Cause: Qurban 2008 for Refugees in Palestine and Darfur :: Saff Perdaus)

Dear all,

I certainly did not expect the membership for this cause to reach 260 facebook users!

Our ( www.saff.org.sg ) deepest gratitude goes out to all of you that has been exceptionally devoted to this cause by pulling friends from your network to our cause and thus enhancing awareness of this humble effort.

I'd like to especially thank our top 5 recruiters (of all times - round of applause please): Ust Hasrudi, Ms Siti Nooraishah, Ms Sue Abideen and Ms Aimah Sarbani!

Not to forget everyone else (Kak Erni - for your support!!) that has contributed in one way or another! Yes, You! .. thank YOU very much!

Our cause has not ended yet and in fact the closing date for order is on the 5th December 2008.

Thus, we hope that while the number of membership for this cause increases, the number of order for Qurban also increases. That can only be done with your kind support (which we appreciate).

On another note - has anyone been reading the news? Interesting isn't it that the economy does not look at this moment in time (or any time soon for that matter) too promising or bright yet there are a substantial number of Singaporeans rushing to the car showrooms to capitalize on the $2.00 COE.

I think this shows that Singaporeans in general have in fact deeper pockets. Definitely far more than say the poorest 60% of Earth's citizen (whom lives on less than $2.00 a day by the way! .. no prize for guessing the irony of that in view of the COE cost).

Considering this, I think we can afford to separate S$195.00 from our bank accounts to help those poorer 60%. Don't you think so?

In fact, this cause can also be participated by everyone (not necessarily Muslims). There is not limit to goodness. Remember, at the end of the day we are contributing to lives, human lives.

Let's think about that for a moment: human lives ...

May Allah (God) bless you.

Khairu Rejal
Saff Perdaus

ps. Join our cause on facebook. Click the link today! To order a lamb email to afifah@perdaus.org.sg or call us at (+065) 6513 2305.

Singapore Town Councils and the People's money

2008-11-19T10:16:00.002+08:00

SINGAPORE: The financial health of two Singapore town councils remains in the black despite their investments in failed Lehman-linked structured products. Holland-Bukit Panjang and Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Councils invested a combined S$12 million using their sinking funds.

Going forward, the co-ordinating chairman of PAP town councils, Dr Teo Ho Pin, said future investments will remain diversified but will be on the conservative side.

Just like thousands of Singaporean investors who have lost money on failed Lehman-linked structured products, the Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Council may lose its S$8 million investment.

The town council invested 6.7 per cent of its sinking funds available for investment in Lehman Brothers' Minibond Notes, DBS High Notes 5 and Merrill Lynch's Jubilee Series 3 Notes.

It had invested another S$3 million in Pinnacle Notes Series 6, but this investment was unaffected.

For Pasir Ris-Punggol, its S$4 million investments in the Minibond Series 2 and 3 amounted to 2.6 per cent of its funds.

Based on the 14 PAP town councils' latest financial statements submitted to the National Development Ministry, these investments amounted to 0.6 per cent of their total funds of S$2 billion.

Like many others, the town councils are anxiously waiting to see if the Lehman Minibond notes will be making dividend payments next month.

Dr Teo Ho Pin, chairman, Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Council, said: "If there is a credit event that occurs next month for the Lehman Brothers' Minibond, then that will be a default and... there'll be a loss on that investment."

Town councils can invest up to 35 per cent of their sinking funds in financial instruments like equities, corporate bonds and funds.

Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Council said while its investment income will be reduced as a result of the failed investment, its financial status remains in the black and improvement works will not be affected.

During a six-year period starting from 2002, the return on its investments totalled about S$24 million. As of March 31 this year, it also has a total kitty of S$118 million.

Over the last six years, the Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Council made a healthy investment return of more than four per cent every year. This is well above the average fixed deposit return of 0.9 per cent. With the investment income, the town council has been able to deal with the impact of inflation.

Dr Teo continued: "Our assurance to our residents is that the sinking fund is still intact. We have adopted a very prudent approach in terms of investing our funds.

"We have to continue to adopt a diversified investment strategy so we are able to achieve healthy returns for our town council funds, cyclical maintenance purposes and we have to balance between investment risk and returns."

Six other PAP-run town councils also have exposure to Lehman Brothers through their fund managers' investment portfolio.

These investments total some S$4 million and account for less than one per cent of each town council's funds available for investments.

The National Development Ministry said it has no plans to amend the investment guidelines it has put in place as town councils are in the best position to decide how to manage the funds.

Senior Minister of State for National Development Grace Fu told Parliament on Monday it was not practical nor desirable for the ministry to be overly prescriptive in enforcing the guidelines, which seek to achieve an optimal balance between reasonable returns and financial prudence.

Hougang and Potong Pasir Town Councils, the two that are managed by opposition MPs, have earlier said they do not have any investments related to Lehman Brothers products and their sinking funds are not affected by the failed financial instruments. - CNA/vm
___________________________________________________________________

KR: Wow! Talk about skeletons in the closet.

I am just curious what sort of check and balances were in place when these investments were made and were there any sort of measurable outcome of how would taxpayer's money be affected based on whatever financial risk management matrix? And shouldn't a "representative democracy" that is for the people by the people view all actions based on considering a better life outcome for the people they serve and not the bureaucracy instead?

In addition, how do town councils ensure itself when employing financial fund managers whom are not out to make quick bucks? Which then of course might cause bigger repercussions as we have seen thus far. In view of recent reports of fund managers whom may had misinformed investors of their life savings – it does strike some reasonable concern in light of the recent revelation. Having said that, credit to the government for sharing this out in the open.

However and frankly, I am quite surprise that the resident and taxpayers seems unaware of such investments in the first place – was it because of our own ignorance or should the authorities had been more clearer and more transparent with their or rather our finances?

On that note, I am quite surprise as well of the amount of “sinking fund” that the town council has – which then makes one ask how much money does the town councils actually have? Especially how much surpluses are in the banks? And if there are any massive surpluses should it not be channeled to helping reduce the rising demand of living especially for those low and middle income families in the heartlands?

Sure, town councils technically are authorized to make investment in financial institutions or instruments and what else to find alternative and prudent source of revenue. But when matters arise from it and especially when it deals with public funds or taxpayers’ money, therefore, I think some scrutiny expected. After all we are managing humans (thinking soldiers as according to the SAF - that reminds me of ATEC this year **arghhh) not robots (that reminds me of the education system - i know, this statement is way cliche) and especially when considering that the people whom are elected into office are amongst or if not the best paid government in the world.

Halimah Yacob said this of Jurong Town Council: "The position that we've taken is really to be very cautious with our investments because we're very clear that these are public funds, and therefore we decided to err on the side of being conservative in our investment policy. The public do not have to worry… there will not be enough funds in order to take care of their needs."

Now, I don't know about you but this statement seems to me a request for more faith towards the government - blind faith.

Question here is shouldn't a "representative democracy" that is Singapore (representative democracy - that's what we call ourselves by the way if you don't know by now) offers more check and balance in its management of the people's hard earned resources? This reminds me of the statement by the Secretary General for PAP last weekend of the need for one party regimes in Singapore.

Wow! Representative democracy huh?

A groom's aid and wedding paparazzis

2008-11-18T19:58:00.002+08:00

So the last time I talked about my bestman (or I'd like to use the term groom's aid from now onwards) experience was a year ago when with Hafiz and NurAfifah tied the knots. Alhamdulillah the couple is still going strong and in all sense (you read between the lines lah eh - heheh).

Anyway, last weekend was Farhan and Nazlin's and I must say though it was a tiring two days yet I walked away happy for the newly weds and very satisfied from the whole experience. I have known Farhan since ITQAN days and even before that when we both lead tertiary organizations of our own institutions. Nazlin was the first few person I met in NPMSS way back and looked up to. In fact, many sisters sees her as role model and motherly figure (ok lah sisterly ok). Farhan and Nazlin seems the oddest couple but I did sense a slight mist in the air sometime back when we had a meeting at Nazlin's place. For some reason, Farhan seems slightly light and rosy (for a lack of better words) in the ensuing discussions. And in some way and form, the two of them didn't seem to be the oddest couple afterall in fact I was even considering approaching both of their nuqabat (since they were in usrah though different organizations - but sefikrah insya allah) to suggest a certain pairing or at least suggest the idea to someone more senior in view of their congruent-ness (which at some point did drive me nuts).

A'la kulli hal, the good news came and was affirmed on a car ride when Farhan shared me his proposal was accepted (haha ok lah bro aku dah suspect lah sebelum tu pun) **confetti please**

Anyway, the two of them came together not through the typical first date-second date process but through assistance from close friends - in short a halal process - something one rarely sees today.

That said and onto the topic of discussion: my experience in this particular wedding has affirmed my suspicion of the existence of a new breed of social group that noticeably prey conditionally only during nikah ceremonies or should I say especially during nikah ceremonies. Yes - I can see you nodding your heads ...

The wedding paparazzis.

Wedding paparazzis? Well you know those (mostly) women (and I am not being in anyway sexist here and my past entries can testify to that - hah!) whom attend nikahs armed with the latest digital cameras that technology has to offer (aside the latest Prada bag or Gucci sunglasses .... of course). The highly-elite amongst these group would come prepared with cameras that has super powerful zooming capabilities (to the extend that they can zoom till the bride and groom's very noses!). Now, you can immediately spot them in such ceremonies - (besides the aforementioned Prada bags or Gucci sunglasses) they could be spotted cowering around the groom (as if he needs anymore pressure) at that highly anticipative moment when he is about to exchange the aqad or (and this is classic) when the groom finally puts on the mas kahwin onto the bride (at this point I must admit my surprise on the very fact that the bride and groom actually does still have eyesight after all those flashes - think night safari). Furthermore, you would be surprise to see that these paparazzis especially moves with extreme vigor and such lightning speed (think Usain Bolt without the chest thumping) and have the uncanny ability to timingly surge forward taking up positions all for that elusive shot (which reminded me of my Army days when the instructor shouts: CONTACTED!!). In addition, they do so with such flexibility that would put even the most professional of gymnast to shame in view of their prowess in contorting their bodies at several parts - that at normal circumstance would have been all impossible if not fatal!

What is most amazing here is for the fact that - the couple has actually invested some reasonable amount of resources into a wedding photographer! And the primary role of the person is to ... take photos! (wow yes! it's true). Hence, the presence of these paparazzis is perplexing and extremely confusing especially since the wedding photographer has a better camera!

Anyway that little muse was just something I needed to let off my chest - hope you don't feel violently hurt when reading it (yes you people of wedding paparazzis).

On a final note for all friends and newly weds, heres something I read in a song lyric (I post it up last month actually) that I though was most apt and extremely philosophical if one were to consider the meaning: it takes no time to fall in love but it takes you years to know what love is.

Let's find out what this Love truly is .....

Qurban and Compassion :: The tale of a father and his son ::

2008-11-17T11:30:00.002+08:00

Qurban is an Islamic act of worship held on the special occasion or day of "celebration" known as Eidul Adha literally meant "Day of Sacrifice".

It is a day in commemoration of an event rooted from old times as archived even in the Old/ New Testament: Abraham and his son - Isaac.

Although, the Islamic traditions believes that it was Ismael rather than Isaac that was involved.

The tradition goes that God had asked Abraham to sacrifice his son whom he loved so much. This obviously saddens the father as was clear when (based on the Qur'an) he had asked his son's opinion of this. Abraham was basically torn between fulfilling the command of God and the love for his son.

Consider if that were to happen today in the modern (or post modern) family - the possible reply would be: are you freaking nuts!

Hence, consider again the reply from the Ismael that was articulated by the latter in the most calmest of tone - of one who is as devoted and dedicated to the Divine as his father: "fulfill it my dear father, insya allah, you will find me as amongst those with patience".

After some time, Abraham brought his son to the ground where he was to fulfill God's command and at the moment he was about to strike his son - the intervention from the Divine came with the appearance of a lamb.

God's command was now clear: You have done profoundly well as to manifest your devotion to the Divine. Hear is the reward - strike the lamb instead (God is truly most merciful and kind towards the believers).

In commemorating this deed of devotion, Muslim sacrifice a lamb/ sheep/ goat (whatever you wanna call it) on the Eidul Adha from their own wealth in the name of God.

The meat is then distributed to the poor, those in need and close relatives.

In this similar spirit of devotion exhibited by Abraham and his son, let us today attend our focus to those in need in the refugee camps of Lebanon and Central Africa that houses Palestinian and Sudanese (from Darfur) whom till this day have very little resource for daily livings.

Fulfill your qurban with us: call Sis Afifah (6513 2305) or emails us at afifah@perdaus.org.sg

Insya Allah your Qurban does go a long way.

Much Obliged,

Khairu Rejal
Saff Perdaus

Qurban for Refugees from Palestine and Darfur

2008-11-09T21:15:00.008+08:00

Above are some glimpse of what life is for refugees living in Lebanon (from Palestine) and in Central Africa (from Sudan and Darfur) - both groups running from their land because of war due to unresolved conflicts, oppression and injustice.

The United Nations (2007) fact sheet mentions: "More than 200,000 people are estimated to have died and at least 2 million displaced from their homes in Darfur since fighting broke out in 2003 between Government of Sudan forces, allied Janjaweed militia and other armed rebel groups. Atrocities such as the murder of civilians and the rape of women and girls have been widespread and continue, underscoring the necessity for urgent action."

For the Palestinian, they are suffering from the occupation of a government and a radical movement whom are tyrants and have no care for the word justice or human rights - interestingly they are well represented especially in the US through AIPAC and other Zionist lobby group.

As a result, the only "Palestinian territories" left: Gaza and the West Bank have become highly overpopulated with very little resources left to be shared and refugee camps that shares the same fate or if not worse existing near Jordan and in Lebanon. This, while Israel thrive and prosper with plenty of space and resources for its population which by the way is lesser than the Palestinian living in the Palestinian territories and in refugee camps.

In addition, the killing by trained Israeli military personnel equipped with military equipments and tanks onto civilian termed: terrorists - whose only armor are the strength of their unwavering spirit and only weapon are the memories of their murdered relatives - are truly causes for a concern. Especially since in view of religious edicts or phrases from the scriptures with whom these people (Israeli) constitute their administration.

The Old Testament reads when God ask Cain after the first blood was shed: "Where is Abel thy brother?" And he said, "I know not. Am I my brother's keeper?" And the Lord said, "What has thou done? The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed ..." (Genesis 4:9-11)

Saff Perdaus is humbled to be given the opportunity in organizing a Qurban campaign where canned "qurban" meat from Australia will be distributed to the refugees from Darfur and Palestine. Since, there are lack of electricity thus proper refrigeration, canned meat are the best form of contribution from us to them.

As such, I implore you to join us in this cause. A sheep (S$195.00) is enough for 24 cans of meat which can help families to sustain for weeks if not months - something we take for granted here in Singapore.

For more information or to order - email to Sis Afifah (Executive Officer, Saff Perdaus): afifah@perdaus.org.sg or call us at 65132305.

Fulfill your ibadah qurban in the best possible way with us today!

Bali murderers

2008-11-08T19:36:00.004+08:00

"If anyone murders an (innocent) person, it will be as if he has murdered the whole of humanity. And if anyone saves a person it will be as if he has saved the whole of humanity."

(Al Qur'an, Chapter 5:32)

It is indeed saddening that the mother of the Bali bombers had defended the crime that her sons had committed. It shows how unremorseful these people are.

The reason given to defend the killing because these were non-believers whom were engaged in lewd acts and other "vices" is truly unacceptable!

Simply since based on the syariah and especially if one were to consider the shallow view of a syariah that is unchangeable from the last a thousand years which seems to be the case for these people hence even in applying that version of syariah: committing of murder requires the harshest sentence irregardless of whom was killed and especially after one had admitted to the crime hence the hudud and not the qisas (read Abdul Rahman Doi) requires to be carried out.

So thus from the viewpoint of the Islamic judiciary system based on that orientation - the act of this murderer requires the most heaviest treatment (not gonna elaborate the technicalities here but you may research on in under Fiqh or Islamic Jurisprudence).

A disclaimer here is necessary that the syariah according to contemporary and even traditional thinkers and scholars is in fact changeable in nature thus requires an anchoring of legislation to context hence the principles of istihsan, urf, istihsab, qiyas, amongst others highlights that.

Unfortunately it is only those few puristic orientations or even those uneducated bunch whom yet have to understand Islam but due to nafs (as according to Tariq Ramadan) and rash emotions or simply the inability to exercise the intellectual and rational faculty that have caused plenty of collusion to the rest of the bigger pool of Islamically uneducated masses hence manifestations of that in the Bali bombing.

Hence, what these murderers carried out are acts that are absolutely unIslamic and one fail to see how dying for such a cause could be constituted for martyrdom that had led the supporters of the perpetrator to believe. If any, the fear of what awaits the bombers after death is truly worrisome in view of the accountability that is looming when standing in front of the Almighty.

If one were truly motivated to see change and better social conditions then one should engage in da'wah activities or other initiatives - for a start, getting an education!

The Problem with Interest (Poverty and Tangible Driven Economic Order)

2008-11-07T18:48:00.000+08:00

The Prophet (saw): said that "Even though usury (may) be much it (thus) leads in the end to utter poverty" (Hadith Al Tirmidhi, narrated by Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud. Ibn Majah, Bayhaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab Al Iman and also transmitted by Ahmad.)

Got this in an email from a brother studying in the UK - thought it's an interesting sharing (thanks Jauhari).

The following was taken from: The Problem with Interest by Tarek El Diwany (1997). Another suitable read would be probably: The Return of the Gold Dinar by 'Umar Ibrahim Vadillo (1996).
________________________________________________________

"An Islamic economy cannot be built upon un-Islamic money, and to know why this is so requires a brief digression into monetary history.

The European goldsmith bankers of the seventeenth century are widely seen as the forefathers of modern banking. These men took deposits of gold coins from customers and issued paper receipts in return. Each receipt promised repayment of the underlying gold upon presentation at the bank, and the goldsmith would often charge a fee for his service of safe-keeping. In due course, the public began to trust paper receipts to the extent that they would use them in payment for goods and services among one another.

The goldsmiths' paper receipts had, for all practical purposes, become "money". This development was the key to the goldsmiths' future wealth. They gradually turned to society not as safe-keepers of coins but as lenders of money, and when borrowers came to take their loans they would be given not gold coins but newly printed paper.

The goldsmith had obtained the ability to manufacture money out of nothing, and charge society interest for the privilege of borrowing it. Loans would be secured against property or other assets of the borrower; collateral that could be seized and liquidated if the borrower fell into trouble.

The financing of poorer members of society therefore became the exception from the earliest days of banking practice.

The reason for the lack of profit-sharing in commercial banking emerges when we imagine an economy in which the banking system creates all of the money supply. Here, if a total of 400 units of paper money have been advanced to borrowers on a profit sharing basis, the maximum that all borrowers will be able to repay is 400. No opportunity exists under these arrangements for the banking system as a whole to make a profit. By charging 10% interest on the other hand, the banks may stipulate that 440 is to be repaid in one year's time, thus making the system commercially viable.

Such a stipulation leads directly to what is probably the most disturbing feature of the modern monetary system. If the repayment amount at the end of year one is 440, but there is still only 400 of money in existence, where will the extra 40 come from? The answer is that it has to be created, either under the authority of the state, or by the banking system.

Given that most of the modern money supply is created by the banking system, it becomes immediately obvious why repayment of yesterday's debt tends to leave society in even deeper debt today. If the commercial banks create sufficient money to repay yesterday's debt we enjoy a healthy or inflationary economy. If they don't, recession or deflation will eventually arise.

The former scenario is adopted as a policy target by almost all modern governments, but leads inevitably to an increase in both debt and money supply in the long term.

At a time when education, health and housing services are suffering financial stress in many countries of the world, an almost embarrassing bias in resource allocation towards the banking sector is encouraged by the interest-based monetary system.

In August of 2002, Fortune magazine ranked the top 500 global corporations of 2001 by revenue. Taking one example, 33 of those companies were in the UK, and among them were six banking organisations. These UK banks made $20.62 billion in profit during the year. All of the other UK corporations on the list, when added together, made a loss of $0.97 billion. 37 companies on the Fortune 500 were headquartered in France. Here, the five banks made $7.99 billion profit, and the remaining 32 corporations when added together made a loss of $2.41 billion.

Today, Islamic commercial banks indulge in money creation just as much as conventional commercial banks. This single sin is sufficient on its own to conclude that Islamic banking isn't Islamic but, as the earlier example demonstrates, it is a sin that requires interest-based lending in order to make it profitable.

Though Islamic bankers may not realise it, the business model of interest-based banking is forced upon them and it is putting true profit sharing beyond their reach. The crop of 'Islamic' mortgages that are now appearing in the UK are a clear manifestation of the fixed rate mentality that now predominates in Islamic banking. In not one of those mortgages does the bank contract to take capital risk. Even in the so-called Ijara mortgage, in which the bank is held to own the property and rent it to the client, arrangements have been put in place to pass capital risk to the lessee. Thus, if the client is unable to keep up with rental payments and the property is repossessed by the bank, the bank has recourse to the client if it realises a capital loss when selling the property on the open market.

(...)

In time, a fresh start will be made in Islamic banking practice. An entirely new methodology will be adopted, one based upon a surplus of money, not upon the artificial shortage that is maintained by the modern commercial banking system. Debt will no longer be the pre-requisite to every major act of spending or investment.

The time value of money will no longer dominate our view of how to manage the earth's resources, for the money with which we measure value will no longer bear interest as a condition of its creation. I believe that this change will occur either by force of reason, or by force of circumstance as the world grows weary of perpetual indebtedness.

The society that witnesses the change to interest-free money will recognise the new system as a pillar of true freedom. It will enjoy the release into productive employment of substantial human and physical resources, those that are presently engaged in the value-subtractive processes of the modern financial economy.

There will of course be much resistance to such a change, and the lobby that presently benefits from the interest-based monetary system will spend heavily in order to protect its future."

All men are created equal ... with certain unalienable rights

2008-11-06T17:06:00.005+08:00

Morning in America
By Eugene Robinson (Washington Post)
Thursday, November 6, 2008;

I almost lost it Tuesday night when television cameras found the Rev. Jesse Jackson in the crowd at Chicago's Grant Park and I saw the tears streaming down his face. His brio and bluster were gone, replaced by what looked like awestruck humility and unrestrained joy. I remembered how young he was in 1968 when he stood on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., moments before King was assassinated and hours before America's cities were set on fire.

I almost lost it again when I spoke with Rep. John Lewis(D-Ga.), one of the bravest leaders of the civil rights crusade, and asked whether he had ever dreamed he would live to see this day. As Lewis looked for words beyond "unimaginable," I thought of the beating he received on the Edmund Pettus Bridge and the scars his body still bears.

I did lose it, minutes before the television networks projected that would be the 44th president of the United States, when I called my parents in Orangeburg, S.C. I thought of the sacrifices they made and the struggles they endured so that my generation could climb higher. I felt so happy that they were here to savor this incredible moment. I scraped myself back together, but then almost lost it again when I saw Obama standing there on the stage with his family -- wife Michelle, daughters Malia and Sasha, their outfits all color-coordinated in red and black. I thought of the mind-blowing imagery we will see when this young, beautiful black family becomes the nation's First Family.

Then, when Michelle's mother, brother and extended family came out, I thought about "the black family" as an institution -- how troubled it is, but also how resilient and how vital. And I found myself getting misty-eyed again when Barack and Michelle walked off the stage together, clinging to one another, partners about to embark on an adventure, full of possibility and peril, that will change this nation forever.

It's safe to say that I've never had such a deeply emotional reaction to a presidential election. I've found it hard to describe, though, just what it is that I'm feeling so strongly.

It's obvious that the power of this moment isn't something that only African Americans feel. When President Bush spoke about the election yesterday, he mentioned the important message that Americans will send to the world, and to themselves, when the Obama family moves into the White House.

For African Americans, though, this is personal.

I can't help but experience Obama's election as a gesture of recognition and acceptance -- which is patently absurd, if you think about it. The labor of black people made this great nation possible. Black people planted and tended the tobacco, indigo and cotton on which America's first great fortunes were built. Black people fought and died in every one of the nation's wars. Black people fought and died to secure our fundamental rights under the Constitution. We don't have to ask for anything from anybody.

Yet something changed on Tuesday when Americans - white, black, Latino, Asian - entrusted a black man with the power and responsibility of the presidency. I always meant it when I said the Pledge of Allegiance in school. I always meant it when I sang the national anthem at ball games and shot off fireworks on the Fourth of July. But now there's more meaning in my expressions of patriotism, because there's more meaning in the stirring ideals that the pledge and the anthem and the fireworks represent.

It's not that I would have felt less love of country if voters had chosen John McCain.

And this reaction I'm trying to describe isn't really about Obama's policies. I'll disagree with some of his decisions, I'll consider some of his public statements mere double talk and I'll criticize his questionable appointments. My job will be to hold him accountable, just like any president, and I intend to do my job.

For me, the emotion of this moment has less to do with Obama than with the nation. Now I know how some people must have felt when they heard Ronald Reagan say "it's morning again in America." The new sunshine feels warm on my face.

___________________________________________________________

KR: This reminded me almost of the speech Kevin Rudd gave in the Australian parliament just after he came into power that was dedicated to the Aborigines in apologizing for pass oppressions and unfair treatments from the white community in Australia.

This are the sort of leadership the world needs right now - gone are the failed politics of Bush, Blair and John "the quack" Howard.

Now, let's see if Obama walks the talk. As it is, he is already nominating a pretty controversial guy as his Chief of Staff.

Thank you for the moments ... (si se puede)

2008-11-05T22:21:00.006+08:00

It has been great Georgie. Thank you for the moments and we are gonna miss the laughter and light hearted moments you gave us when listening to you after a long day's of work in search for comic relief.

You may not be the best US president but hey - you are one heck of a comedian!

On another note - I am still waiting for whatever change that is to come from this new American leadership but if there is anything that we can take away from this is that in all oddness and unlikelihood - hard work, rationality, dreams, passion and the hope for a better tomorrow prevails.

Si se puede ...

Let mercy comes ..

2008-11-04T14:12:00.001+08:00

Let Mercy comes to wash away what have been done ...

Wake up, think and ACT !!

Obama and "non-pluralistic" conservatives

2008-11-03T18:58:00.005+08:00

So two more days to the US presidential election and the following is just some of the narrow and shallow minded perception that still exist in the US especially in view of diversity and pluralism.

Now in considering with what some of the "public intellectuals" or ideologues imageries of a West that is pluralistic, civic minded and accepts diversity thus should be exemplified - especially by the Muslims - the following news report throws plenty of weight to counter such claims and statements.

The reality it seems is that the West or in this case the US as any other civilization (West or otherwise) have yet to address the ideas of pluralism (in its broadest senes), civic mindedness and diversity as clearly seen in these last crucial moments prior to perhaps one of the most important presidential election in recent times.

In reconciling this, let us consider the fact (as any sociologist will highlight) that there are groups or fractions of any society that tend to disrupt the overall homeostasis of that particular community or society. So therefore do we judge the society based on these fractional bunch or rather to review based on the principles and values that it promotes? So hence do we judge the Taliban or al Qaeda (if they not a US products in the first place) as representation of Islam or rather accept the inevitability of dynamics in society? Going further - how then do we convert the passive majority as forces to regain homeostasis back into the community?

Finally, let us consider clearly the next time we hear someone says that we should embrace pluralism just as the West has - perhaps it is not as green of a pasture that is made out to be.

Otherwise, Obama would not have such a tough time ...

Ini Nasi Yang Kusuap ...

2008-11-02T01:03:00.001+08:00

Ini nasi yang kusuap
pernah sekali menjadi padi harap,
melentok dipuput angin pokoknya
kerap
tenang berisi tunduk menatap.

Ini butir nasi yang kukunyah
sedang kutelan melalui tekak basah.
jadi dari darah mengalir
dalam badan gerak berakhir.

Angin kencang mentari khatulistiwa
membakar raga petani di sawah
panas, hujan, dan tenaga masuk kira
dan nasi yang kusuap campuran dari
semua.

Ini budi yang kusambut
pemberian lumrah
beranting dan bertaut,
ini nasi hasil dari kerja
kembali pada siapa yang
patut menerima.

Jadi yang kumakan bukan
berasal dari nasi
tapi peluh, darah, dalam isi
mengalir pasti,
jadi kutelan bukan
berasal dari padi
tapi dari urat, dari nadi
seluruh Pak Tani

(Dalam Merenung Dalam, Masuri S.N, 2006)

This Rice I Eat (translated)

This rice I eat
Was once hopeful padi,
Its stalks solemnly laden,
bowing their heads,
Continually swayed by
the blowing breeze.

This grain I chew -
I am swallowing it down my wet throat;
So from flowing blood
In my body an action terminates.

Gusty wind and equatorial sun
Scorch the body of the peasant
in the field;
Heat, rain I eat is a mixture of them all.

This good deed I receive
Is a common gift, like many branches
growing together;
The rice is the product of the labour
Returned to those who deserve it.

So what I eat is not originally from rice
But from sweat,
blood constantly flowing;
So what I swallow is not
originally from padi,
But from all sinews,
the pulse of all peasants.

Translated by Oliver Rice and Asraf Abdullah Majid, The Poetry of Singapore)

KR: Halus bukan? Tetapi tajam maknanya?

.....

Tell it like it is my brather !

2008-11-01T19:22:00.003+08:00

Bill Maher's "Real Time with Bill Maher" with guests: Cornel West (Academic, Princeton University) & Mos Def (Hip Hop Artist) in the houze y'all (wassup wassup!)

**listening to Cornel West and Mos Def kinda brings out the hip hop in me y'all - wassup wassup my brather!

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3 (can skip some part of this)

Part 4

Firstly, I can understand how Bill Maher thinks and articulates in many of his criticism of Islam being unprogressive. Unfortunately though, he fails to see that fundamentally it is not Islam that is unprogressive per se but the mindsets of the Muslims that has become unprogressive - through taqlid, fatalism, mysticism, amongst others.

Thus, for Bill Maher (who is a well known and a declared Atheist) to generalize that Islam is unprogressive may not be accurate totally since an idea needs to be address by the philosophy behind that idea rather than the deeds of the people who holds to that idea whom at times could be imbeciles that cannot see anything beyond their very own noses - but one could understand how that impression of unprogressiveness could be constructed in his rhetorics.

Question here is: what are the Muslims gonna do about it - and I do hope demonstration down TV stations or other counter intuitive and myopic means does not fall under that category of "doing something about it".

Second, the hip hop or rap form of music have for so long been a form of liberation type of expression for the black people living in the ghettos (ghetto music) - the essential message in the early days is to get African Americans off their bums and stop licking their wounds thus start looking at the big picture to really improve the situation - because ain't no KKK gonna do anything till we get off our bumbs and get dirty y'all (yo yo).

The irony here is this: when many of our Malay kids listen to this sort of music and somehow begin to dress, behave and talk like the African Americans from the ghettos - what they are really getting are only a sadly superficial understanding of the concept - acting it out only to the extent of being cool, standing out in the crowd and being fashionably unique or "special".

However, the bigger picture that they fail to understand is the liberation ideas behind this ghetto music that they so religiously download into their MP3s brainlessly. To knock the final nail into the coffin, the very concepts of this idea are still the essential maladies that we face especially when so many of the Malay family an youth are still trap in the ghetto psychology of learned helplessness and myopic visioning.

Mos Def clearly has some good rationale and surely he reads adequately as proven from the interview though he may articulate it in the non-usual style of phrasing but he has substantial content that could only come after some thorough reading and understanding of the society at large and current affairs. He is not alone, many other African American hip-hop artists also are as well verse with politics and other major issues, and importantly, are active in their community to improve the lives of the African Americans.

So now howabout our Malay kids who starts to slap one another's wrist whenever they meet each other with some secret or trademark handshake? Unfortunately, they are only hearing the nice "bounce" superficially but fail desperately to go deeper into grasping the message or philosophy in the music. How sad is that?

It ain't all about the bling bling so stop posin' and rise up fools! (word - yo yo)

..........

Reflection on Iqbal's "The Reconstruction" and us today

2008-10-26T01:48:00.019+08:00

"‘Muhammad of Arabia ascended the highest Heaven and returned. I swear by God that if I had reached that point, I should never have returned.’

These are the words of a great Muslim saint, ‘AbdulQuddus of Gangoh. In the whole range of Sufi literature it will be probably difficult to find words which, in a single sentence, disclose such an acute perception of the psychological difference between the prophetic and the mystic types of consciousness. The mystic does not wish to return from the repose of ‘unitary experience’; and even when he does return, as he must, his return does not mean much for mankind at large. The prophet’s return is creative. He returns to insert himself into the sweep of time with a view to control the forces of history, and thereby to create a fresh world of ideals. For the mystic the repose of ‘unitary experience’ is something final; for the prophet it is the awakening, within him, of world-shaking psychological forces, calculated to completely transform the human world."

Taken from The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam (Muhammad Iqbal, 1930)

_______________________________________________________________

This was one of my early read in the effort to enhance a deeper appreciation of the Islamic world view. Essentially, it is a collection of (I think) lectures and essays from a man who was one of the pioneers in the conception of Pakistan as an Islamic state. Though, I don't share the ideal of that end result and consider that conception then more as a sort of liberation from colonial imperialism and towards self determination hence one need to concede that such context has changed. However, Iqbal's work remain as an important literature in understanding the role of Islam and Muslims viz. a viz. how we have diverted from the role and as Pak Syafii Ma'arif puts it "shahidan ala naas".

In this morning's session (which I thoroughly enjoyed and was far better that the night before - perhaps since he spoke in a language that would have better sense of clarity between the audience and the speaker and as well as the "close door" nature thus a more frank and transparent discussions), Pak Syafii quoted the above and in many ways recollected in me the profoundness that I had had experienced then when I first read that paragraph in view of the Prophet's character.

A mutasawif's (or a Sufi, mystic) prime motive in his activities and exercises of mainly seeking an altitude of closeness to God can never be compared to the par excellence of a or the Prophet (saw) especially with respect to enlightenment as define (in this case) by one who understands the true purpose of existence. This is mainly since, according to Iqbal - a mutasawif (or Sufi) only seeks that altitude of Divine station but yet has little of concern for anything else. Perhaps one may argue that (and especially in contemporary times) the Deobandi or Naqshbandi group are less passive thus the last statement would be anything but fair however I would consider that in the general sense the fundamental motive of the Sufi is congruent with the former point.

In other words, the Sufi enjoys nothing better than to bask in the light or presence of (as claimed) the Essence (Zat) - and he could remain in that position (drunken or otherwise) be it if the entire humanity collapse - yet he would not have cared any less since the light of the Rabbani is enough, for him.

The Mi'raj (or ascension of the Prophet saw) is a paramount event in history essentially because it was then that a man or a nabi or (as literally quoted from the Qur'an) an abd came to an avenue of closeness to the Omnipotent that then any other man has ever received - which is the pursuit of all mutasawif. Especially and since as quoted from Abdul Qudus - if it was him, he would not have returned from that "maqam".

Which is fair. Why would one return to this troublesome planet with all its turmoils and cumbersome worries and toils? It is in fact illogical to have done anything but to stay and bask in the Divine presence and perfection. Well at least, it would be from the lenses of a mutasawif.

However, it is mainly because Muhammad (saw) is Muhammad (that personally, to me, represents a symbol of compassion and progressive change or reform to humanity) - a Prophet that understood his purpose of existence and the purpose of this existence (read up al Farabi's psychology on revelation and intellect) - that he returns after that "unitary experience" to this troublesome planet, despite its cumbersome worries and toils.

In short, the Prophet (saw) concern was primely of humanity and not mainly of himself or even his own family as has been highlighted so often if one were to review the Hadith(s). His fundamental activities was not to dedicate in searching the high "maqam" as skewedly understood - through introverted "spiritual exercises" and radical practices not congruent to the Sunnah as shown by the Prophet (saw) - but his main activities was rather of the salvation of others and society, despite all odds and hardship which entails - hence his return from the comfort of the Divine station only emphasizes the conclusion that thus therein (concern of others and humanity) lies the truest maqam and grandeur.

To sum, (in reiterating Iqbal) the journey of the Sufi ends at the maqam of closeness to the Divine and hence his mere salvation but, on the other hand, the journey of the Prophet ends at the salvation of humanity, of others.

"Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger (Muhammad SAW) from amongst yourselves (i.e. whom you know well). It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He (Muhammad SAW) is anxious over you (to be rightly guided, to repent to Allâh, and beg Him to pardon and forgive your sins, in order that you may enter Paradise and be saved from the punishment of the Hell-fire), for the believers (he SAW is) full of pity, kind, and merciful." (9:128)

Therefore, in considering that the Prophet (saw) is our prime and best of example (uswatun hasanah), shall we then not consider to strategize our own time and efforts to this very cause that he had dedicated his life for and importantly begin to bask ourselves in the spirit of compassion towards humanity (and others) that the Prophet (saw) exemplified?

Allahumma salli a'la al Mustafa Nabiina Muhammad - al Imamul anbiya wa Saiyidul mursaleen - Basyira wa Nadziraa wa Da'ian ilallah bi iznihi wa Sirajam muneerah ...

Haya bina!

Hate to talk about this: the P-word

2008-10-24T22:58:00.009+08:00

Pluralism.

The word has become such a buzz perhaps because of certain commendable (alhamdulillah) efforts that has opened a window which, in stimulated fashion, and in recent times, gushed not-really-new-to-Islam ideas to refresh (or at times challenge) the minds of individuals in the Muslim community in respect to what it means to be Muslim.

While the motive is commendable and the imperative of such is crucial yet at times the delivery perhaps, as always the case, needs to be re-look.

Anyway ..

The P-word: in general, I think (which is fallible as always: the default, and a constant disclaimer in all of rantings in this little blog) the concept of pluralism is very congruent to Islamic perspectives but at the same time, to caution, one probably would need to understand or clarify the term in itself and its very usage or application before employing the term further in conversation or discussion. This is simply because this term entails plenty of subjective understanding and application of it in all aspects of life.

For example, to simply say the concept of pluralism suggest a religious transcendence of unity is quite wrong however to commit that pluralism does not equate to religious transcendence is not accurate as well since some have tried to explain it in that light. Thus therein lies its fundamental and very problem (sigh).

Therefore, a definition of orientation is prudent otherwise clarification is required - of course sometimes the issue is how you go about seeking that clarification (at this point I must admit, a tendency to jump to mis-explained terms like pluralism needs to be reduce to say the least).

In the broadest sense, pluralism suggest diversity and a means to manage this diversity that thus leads to harmony amongst the variables involved.

Now, the big headache here (at least for me and for now) is this: do we adopt terms and ideas which are technically from a philosophy that comes through a non-Islamic origin wherein, on the other hand, that very concept (harmony through diversity) is readily available though, not literally termed, within Islam?

Hence, why are Muslims or Muslim NGOs talking (or promoting) about pluralism per se when we ought to talk about Islam which encompasses wider values and principles? Or are we already promoting Islam when we talk about pluralism?

...

So what's the big deal about an Islamic state?

2008-10-21T23:39:00.006+08:00

" What we can learn from this bleak lesson of history is that the mere existence of the Islamic state, in and of itself, will not solve the modern problems of the Umma. If we advocate that there existed a Caliphate until 1924 the point surfaces itself: many of the problems that we as an Umma face today, existed in spite of there being a Caliph to enforce the hukum of the shari'ah. Issues such as foreign occupation and domination, cultural imperialism (in all its modern guises) nationalism, secularism and th neglect of the Muslim of their Din, were all eating away at the Umma throughout much of the nineteenth century. Muslim lands were being occupied and dominated by the French, Russian (KR: Russian?), British and then later by the Americans, despite there being an Islamic state (KR: I don't think the last statement sounded quite right though) (...)

Whilst having the protection of an Islamic state, Muslims were far away from being in an Islamic state of mind. Muslims have adopted alien ideals, concepts and paradigms - much as we have adopted today (...)

They changed from something that which was a fitra state, to that of a somewhat cosmetic state; their outlook changed from viewing everything through the eyes of the Qur'an and Sunna, to that of understanding their environment only through the material science; their aspirations changed from advancing in their studies of Islamic sciences, to that of the adoption of the secular sciences en masse (...)

Muslims need to be re-educated and become re-cultivated into understanding and adopting once again the Islamic way of life completely, at a grass root level."

Taken from The Broken Chain - Reflection upon the neglect of a tradition (Aftab Ahmad Malik, 2nd ed., 2002).
______________________________________________________________

KR: Didn't thought the book had any extensive research done, noted of disclaimer from the author that this is a "limited interim" edition.

Nonetheless, I found the references very limited and not substantial to be considered a worthy piece of work (or at least for the price I paid for it - shucks!). At times, I thought (though I could be wrong), the author seems to contradict himself in certain critique of ideas.

All in all, it's very Sufi oriented and I was quite disappointed of the "weak" and "questionable" narrations that were quoted. At times, felt I was reading a work by Naquib al Attas (on loss of adab et. al. - at some point) and Hisham Kabbani (the irony, I know).

Anyway, having said all that, I thought that specifically the note (quoted above) on an Islamic state is relevant in view of recent rhetorics from groups such as Hizbu Tahrir and the likes - seeking a syariah express but forgetting the fundamentals. Or of other politically driven rhetorics of political parties accusing falsely seeming "Islamist" political parties of endangering national interest due to quest of implementing syariah, thus manifesting an Islamic state, though no such mention was ever made in the very first place.

Yes, this is potentially a Pandora's box. Looking forward to comments (if any, though I think it's hardly in view of recent posts - hah).

Wallahua'lam.

Khair .. Khair .. Khair

2008-10-20T18:07:00.014+08:00

As I took the cab down from NTU to Masjid Sultan, I noticed that it began to drizzle slightly on the PIE as the cab drove closer to the destination - I immediately thought: Rahmat from the heavens accompanies Allahyarham's Ruh.

I did not know Allahyarham Ust Embek Ali personally aside an encounter or two though then not having the courage to speak up to the community icon merely smiling sheepishly and meekly as I remember. For many of us or those of my generation, Ust Embek is a name from the history books but to many of our own seniors, Ust Embek was one of those that had helped to shape (in many way and form) our Muslim community today - and even shaped them to whom they are today.

His biggest contribution, amongst many others, was the founding of Perdaus which of course led to the founding of Saff Perdaus in 1993, which is close to my heart. Perdaus has changed plenty from its very inception but still till this day organizes madrasahs and plenty of enrichment programs that reach out into the fabrics of our community - and Saff still continues to reach out to the youth in the effort to mold leaders of tomorrow.

In one article that I then read about Saff and Perdaus in my exploration for something "higher" than 3 days and 40 days (leave you to figure that out), terms like islah, tarbiyah and "penkaderan" (I'll leave you to figure out what it means too) were used as congruent vocabulary akin to Saff (and Perdaus). I was surprised that such ideas were available though then introvertly in the local Singapore environment. Some might disagree to this, but I for one find this extremely relevant in today's youth climate especially in line with the call for change and tajdid (reform).

Of course, we have met our stumbling blocks along the years and yet encounter, only with the grace of God, little successes that we could show for - but the motive and ideals still remain close to many of us (perhaps this is the time yeah?).

In considering all the individuals that were shaped and touched by Saff Perdaus, Madrasah Perdaus, Tarbiyah programs, Diploma classes and many others - Allahyarham Ust Embek Ali would have a fair show of credit to all these and I wonder how magnificently he would stand in front of The Almighty (swt) then.

In articulating the deed of his old time friend, Mufti Sohibus Samahah (whom prayed over the jenazah) held back tears when telling the jemaah (which had filled half of Masjid Sultan) that his friend was one who had so much love for Islam and that he was a good man.

I return back to the office from Masjid Sultan, asking myself recurringly: what then would be of me when I return to You? What would I bring?

A sister recollected this of Allahyarham in an email a few hours ago:

"Same thoughts and feelings I had when I was deep in thoughts after getting an sms about his departure this morning.

I was recollecting how he looked like, how he was, my conversations with him. For one, I am very surprised when he remembers me although I know I was like very insignificant then. He remembers some of us as from the perdaus madrasah and very active in Saff (of course this was like 8-10 years ago). And he has always been very supportive and encouraging for Saff; never fails to ask about Saff. He always said it makes him feel young and energise being with us the young ones.

Allahyarham is someone who believes truly in the potential of youth. Apart from that, I was just noting on Allahyarham's peninggalan; his contribution to the community.... which one of it is Perdaus. With his belief in Perdaus and the young ones, he roped in the young blood in Perdaus to uplift it into the next phase and how it grew from being just a persatuan specialising on ajaran sesat to an organisation offereing developmental program from young to old. He was someone who is vey open with ideas. With his vision and hope and of course the sacrifices made by past leaders, drivers, movers, workers, activist of Perdaus, it is a huge responsibility/amanah on the current to continue the work/perjuangan.

Having said all this, the biggest question that is stuck in my head... what would I leave behind for the ummah when I leaves the world........"

Indeed, that very question still run through my mind at this moment in time.

May the community find many more of "Embek Ali" to guide the community in the time to come.

Khair .. Khair .. Khair ..

Tired of this silly liberal (or neo modernist) ideologues

2008-10-18T20:45:00.006+08:00

I am not a big fan of Syed Naquib Al Attas but, at some point, his criticism of those whom he termed as "modernist reformers" (which yes is a label that is subject to our own understanding of it in the very first place) is very relevant and requires more attention and consideration.

Attended a seminar today where one of the "academics" presented what I though to be very liberal ideas (or its sexy term: neo modernist) - I don't know about you but I am growing tired of hearing rants of this liberal interpretations and ideas that hides behind the veil of ijtihad (and tajdid) but in truth is far from the concept of ijtihad akin to its fundamental methodologies of deriving to matters(maqasid syariah, usul fiqh, etc.).

Clearly, this so called academics have very little reliance on the "traditional methodologies" - which had served us well so far by the way - and tried rather pathetically to deliver their arguments based on Western philosophies, Orientalist ideas and subjective rationale.

To quote: is the issue of Ahmadiyah (disclaimer: I am not implying directly that these people, the Ahmadiyahs, are "apostates" as I dare not venture to accuse others of kufr - but rather prefer to choose to allow the evidences viz. their Aqidah, etc to answer for itself) raised by the academic that based on pluralism (in the religious sense) which he claims as Islamic would be something that the Prophet himself would have accepted thus implying that the Ahmadiyah movement is congruent with the Islamic faith thus does not require any harsh address (to say the least).

However, in the following hadith (which is one out of the many others that one could produce to rebuke the point on religious pluralism within Islam) clearly highlights the importance of maintaining a "welstanchaung" and paradigm that is akin to the Prophet (saw) that whom the Qur'an has maintained as "uswatun hasanah" (the best of example - in the most generic term).

Narrated Sahl bin Sa'd (ra):

I heard the Prophet saying, "I am your predecessor at the Lake-Fount(Kauthar), and whoever will come to it, will drink from it, and whoever will drink from it, will never become thirsty after that.

There will come to me some people whom I know and they know me, and then a barrier will be set up between me and them."

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri added that the Prophet further said: "I will say those people are from me. It will be said, 'You do not know what changes and new things they did after you.'

Then I will say, 'Far removed (from mercy), far removed (from mercy), those who changed after me!' "

(Sahih al-Bukhari)

This hadith comes in several variation specifically in the reason why the people would be turn away (I was considering to use the past tense at this point, nvm), which I think is really a matter of semantics since the essential point is of one who deviate from the sunnah of the Prophet (saw).

Even after sharing this hadith and highlighting that it is a mutawatir (hadith that is related by many sahabat with clear isnad)- the academic still utter softly that there is a potential weakness (dhaif) in the hadith. Hilarious!

Thus, to sum: be criticial of what you hear from people whom are termed "academic" (or anyone else for that matter ie. con artist, investment bankers, etc.) and at the very least remember that based on a tajdid point of view: all except the Prophet (saw) are not infallible, however, to disclaim that, it is no one's role to be the judge of any but the point is to consider carefully what you hear and based it on traditional methodologies (for yourself!). Not all fancy ideas are good and progressive ideas.

If at this point you are wondering how do you go about doing that? My suggestion is to sign up for a nearest DPI (Diploma Pengajian Islam atau yang sekawasan dengannya) near you or attend classes on Fiqh, Usul Fiqh and Maqasid Syariah (at the very least). And read up.

Wada'an

2008-10-16T21:33:00.006+08:00

Selamat tinggal wahai dunia duka
Dan selamat datang wahai dunia iman
burung yang patah sayapnya
Takkan mati karena lukanya

Wahai hatiku yang sedih perangainya
Sungguh kesedian itu telah meninggalkan diriku
‘Kan terbang aku kedunia cinta
Karena aku seorang muslim
yang membumbung dengan iman

Gelarku adalah muslim dan itu cukup bagiku
Aku termasuk kedalam tentara keimanan
Al Qur’an adalah cahaya dan sinar
Islam adalah kecintaan dan kerinduanku

Dekaplah wahai dunia kesucian
Sehingga sentuhan kasihmu menemui perasaanku
Temanku adalah kebersiahan dan kesucian
Pahlawan tentara ar Rahman

Dibawah naungan agama aku hidup
Untuk menebus keislamanku yang nyaris sirna
Sehingga aku menjadi khalifah di dunia
Dan mengibarkan tinggi - tinggi panji Al Qur’an

(Izzatul Islam)

Wadaan - Izzatul Islam

Kangaroo T-Shirt Joke

2008-10-14T15:33:00.000+08:00

By S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 14 October 2008

SINGAPORE : Singapore’s Attorney—General (AG) has applied to the High Court to commence contempt proceedings against three individuals who are alleged to have impugned the reputation of the country’s judiciary.

They are John Tan Liang Joo, Isrizal bin Mohamed and Muhammad Shafi’ie Syahmi bin Sariman.

According a statement from the AG’s Chambers, the three appeared in the new Supreme Court building wearing identical white T—shirts bearing a palm—sized picture of a kangaroo dressed in a judge’s gown.

A kangaroo court or trial refers to a sham legal proceeding or court.

The incident occurred in May this year while a hearing to assess damages for defamation payable by Chee Soon Juan, Chee Siok Chin and fellow members of the Singapore Democratic Party was taking place in the building.

The defamation action had earlier been brought against them by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.

If the High Court grants the AG’s application, the three respondents will be officially notified of the proceedings against them and a hearing date will be set for them to make their arguments in open court. — CNA /ls

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"Representative Democracy" for you - what possible damage could 3 person in a white t-shirt with the image of a kangaroo in a judge outfit could do in terms of disrupting the stability of this red dot or to quote:"impugned the reputation of the country’s judiciary"? Get real people.

Does the Supreme Court or the power behind it actually take the Singapore populations as children or imbeciles without the faculty to think as to put up such a ridiculous reason for summoning these jokers to court?

Apparently in this democracy, it's our way or the supreme court way.

Sure, they are regular faces that has been involved in "little demonstration" recently but come on, surely, the Attorney General has plenty of other paper work to do (considering Singapore's low crime - ouh hey maybe that's precisely why .. hmm) then to spend his time addressing these 3 clowns.

Did anyone catch Blog TV last night? Sothey were saying Singaporean should complain less (viz a viz government not doing enough for the people in this economic downturn) so thus spend their time in more productive matters. Hey - it's not that we enjoy whining and complaining about things but, look, what other options do we have? Unlike in other countries we can't change our government or choose our political parties since all political parties are squashed like cockroaches from their very inception. So don't tell us stop complaining - in some parts of the world it's called public opinion. I don't know about this one, but some governments take public opinion seriously.

Welcome to Singapore everyone ...

The War on Democracy

2008-10-13T15:05:00.002+08:00

"there is nothing so powerful as an idea whose time has come" (Victor Hugo).

'The War on Democracy', directed by John Pilger & Chris Martin, won Best Documentary at the prestigious One World Media Awards in London on 12 June 2008. It beat a field that included the documentary Oscar winner, 'Taxi to the Dark Side'.

The citation read: "There are six criteria the judges are asked to use to select the winner of this award: the film's impact on public opinion, its appeal to a wide audience, its inclusion of voices from the developing world, its high journalistic or production standards, its success in conveying the impact of the actions of the world's rich on the lives of the poor and the extent to which it draws attention to possible solutions. One film met every one of these. It was the winner of the award: John Pilger's 'The War on Democracy'."

Watch the documentary.

UMNO Top Posts Election

2008-10-12T20:32:00.010+08:00

“I humbly and sincerely wish to offer myself as a candidate for the Umno presidency,” announced Najib at a Hari Raya Aidilfitri reception with Terengganu Umno liaison committee members and community leaders at Hotel Primula here. (Kuala Trengganu, The Star Online)

Ten years ago, one would never expect a Najib Tun Razak to take up candidacy for the highest executive role in any country - or a particular UMNO (for that matter). For some or many reasons, Najib seems at most times out of touched with many of the middle and lower income population which essentially makes up a large stake in Malaysia. Many Malaysian graduates or undergraduates then and now too would hardly consider Najib even as dark horse for the position let alone a prime contender. Should Najib succeed the "throne" (yes throne in congruent definition to an earlier post), there would be very little reform or change in Malaysia - especially in terms of solving the issue of corruption.

In a brilliant show of democracy, Najib with all his "charisma" stands alone - unchallenged. Better yet, Najib's offer of candidacy was immediately supported by all UMNO divisional leaders - of course - after all this is (again) a democracy, remember? Join our ranks or we will throw you into the ISA.

And in flurrying fashion, many top names have rushed to compete or "getting nominated" (if you check all the reports - you'll find only 2 constituencies that keeps nominating for the secondary top posts) for the vice-presidential position. The Star reports:

... with incumbents Muhyiddin and Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam announcing their intentions to go for the deputy president post.

Kimanis (KR: one) nominated Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar and Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim for the party vice-president posts, while Machang (KR: two!!) named Hishammuddin, Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin and Tan Sri Annuar Musa.

A number of others also expressed their intentions for the vice-president posts - so far they are Datuk Mohd Zahid Hamidi, Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Datuk Dr Abdullah Mat Zin, Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal and former vice-president Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad.

I don't know about you but I am getting dizzy just reading these names! In an "Islam Hadhari" Malaysia, apparently, one rush to become leaders - as compared to allowing the voice of the people (note: people not crony) to nominate you because of (oh i donno say perhaps) your past deeds or aptitude that has manifested into actualization of real change?!

After all, isn't a common definition of leadership is : one who has the ability to source out opportunities to challenge the status quo (The Leadership Challenge, Kousner & Posner) - change?

I guess those stuff are kind of too old-school for an Islam Hadhari.

Gaza's Tunneling Underground Economy

2008-10-11T19:37:00.001+08:00

(Extracted from Al Jazeera)

Sami Abdel Shafi, a Gaza-based business analyst, said: "These days, most of the anecdotal evidence we hear is that the tunnels are being used to bring in very human items, for lack of proper medicine in the Gaza Strip.

"They are used to bring in shoes, chocolate and 7-Up, things like that.

"Then again, all of the quantities being brought in are being blown out of proportion I feel, 1.5 million people deserve a lot more than having to operate under ground, they deserve a much better chance at operating an economy above ground."

Abu Mohammed lost his son and a brother when the tunnel they were digging fell in on them. Since then, he has stopped his other children from going down the tunnels.

Young Palestinians continue to dig tunnels despite the risk of collapse: "What can we do? We have to eat and they were making money for the family. But now, I won't allow them to work no matter how poor we are. It's just not right," he told Al Jazeera.

Egypt is under pressure from Israel to crack down on the tunnels, some of which are in sight of the border police.

Cairo says it is making efforts to halt the trade, and the UN says that during a two-day period in August, 28 tunnels were destroyed by the authorities.

Mohyeldin reported that some Palestinians even boast that the Egyptians will never be able to shut all the tunnels because it is also a lucrative trade for many Egyptians.

But Abdel Shafi warns that longer the tunnels remain a lifeline, the more it will undermine the chances of a proper Palestinian economy being developed.

"It will have catastrophic consequences in the long term, even if it does provide or alleviate some of the need for the moment," he said.

"The Gaza Strip cannot be sustained on the operations of the tunnels."

Power to the People :: JBJ ::

2008-10-10T19:34:00.000+08:00

"I have, as a result of going into politics, lost everything. I have no bank account to speak of and do not own any property in Singapore nor hold any stocks or shares in any company. My practice has suffered as a result of my entering into politics way back in 1971. I drive a car but it is one that my son has lent me. I count it as the Grace of providence that I have not been detained and made to spend long years in prison like Mr Chia Thia Poh who spent 23 years in prison and often in solitary confinement.

This book is my humble presentation to the people who in any democratic society are the final judges of what is good for the society they live in. The speeches have one constant theme running through them. That in any democratic society it is the members of the society - the people - who matter.

That they should determine collectively the good of the society and not have it determined for them by anyone above them, however benevolent.

That the society as a whole should take responsibility for its affairs and participate in the making of decisions that affect them.

That power belongs to the people and the government only exercises powers delegated to it by the people.

That the people are the masters and not the government which is only a servant of the people.

That if this does not obtain in any society it ceases to be a democratic society and the people are reduced to being slaves in their own country. Slaves have no say in what their master ordains for them.

It follows that in every democratic society, the individual matters, however lowly he may be. The dustman is as much entitled to his dignity and the rights to preserve that dignity as the highest person in the land is.

These rights which have been termed human rights are inalienable and no person should be deprived of them even in the supposed interest of the community. It is a blot on the community even if one person is deprived of his rights.

It is only by protecting the rights of every single individual that the community as a whole is protected.

The rights are those that are necessary to the full development of the individual's dignity as a human being.

The rights to housing, education, medical care, food and clothing. Besides these material rights, are those inalienable rights but no less important. The right to liberty, freedom from arbitrary arrest, to think, to speak his mind, to associate with his fellow beings in speaking together, to move freely and the right to live his life without fear under the law.

To know what the law to which he has agreed through his elected representatives prohibits him from doing and to live his life fully without transgressing the law. That he can only be deprived of any of his rights after it has been proven to him that he had broken his contract with his fellow members of society.

Deprive a human being of these inalienable rights and you make him less than a human being however well off he may be materially.

A person loses his dignity if he is not allowed to think and give utterance to his thoughts whether alone or in the company of others. I am a passionate believer in all these. We are at the highest level of creation when we have taken on the image of God.

The speeches scan the period from June 1997 to November 1999. Although a full Parliament was in place in January, Parliament did not meet until the end of May. The government functioned without Parliament. In a parliamentary democracy government takes its authority from Parliament but in Singapore the government was constituted and exercised power before Parliament was sworn in. This was also the position after the 1988 and 1991 elections..

The right to justice is an integral part of human rights. Indeed it is justice that protects and safeguards human rights. I am concerned at some unhealthy trends in Singapore in the administration of criminal justice - the part of justice which protects human liberty and freedom. It is a concern that many lawyers in Singapore share.

It is my hope that Singaporeans may find some inspiration in my speeches. Although, as I said, I have lost everything. I have no regrets.

My reward has been the esteem I have met everywhere I go in Singapore and that is something no amount of money can buy.

I thank God that he has given me the health and strength to render such service as I have tried to from 1971."

Taken from Make It Right For Singapore (Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam, 2000)

**J.B. Jeyaretnam (1926 - 2008)**

Article extracted from www.singaporerebel.blogspot.com

The Filth that is Racial Discrimination

2008-10-09T13:06:00.002+08:00

Racial discrimination is about the most disgusting thing on earth. As long as man has populated this earth - one's skin tone, ethnicity, tribe has almost at every single time been the fundamental cause of wars and feuds. In recent times, right-wing conservative especially in Europe have emerged to pronounce their blind allegiance to their own race while considering everyone else second grade. Neo-nazi and Facist ideologies have also emerged in Western and Central Europe especially in propagating superiority of the Aryan race and as well as white supremacy.

The UN defines racism or racial discrimination (the former to be precise, though I find the differences as mere technicalities): the term "racial discrimination" shall mean any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.

While Europe or the West might be seen in this post-modern era (or even as early as the modern era) as societies that emphasizes on the value of human rights, justice and equality (thus perceived as progressive) yet the reality highlights that among many things: racial discrimination is yet an issue that Western societies have yet to solve. From as down under as Australia to Europe and the US - racial discrimination does exist which unfortunately restrict human activities of minority groups.

In recent times, South Africa have only recently removed itself from the clutches and tyranny of ethnic supremacy in the Apartheid regime through political change and reform in the form of the ANC (African National Congress) and Nelson Mandela (by the way they were successful partly through an arm struggle - something like what Hamas or Hizbullah are doing for the Palestinians .. hmmm).

In a report, Amnesty International mentioned the following:

A large number of deaths in custody, including the deaths of foreign nationals. A number of investigations have failed to be conducted with the required thoroughness, promptness and impartiality.

Undocumented women immigrants have been particularly vulnerable to torture in the form of rape or sexual abuse while in custody.

Incidents of ill-treatment and inappropriate use of restraints during expulsions from Spain. Immigrants subject to expulsion procedures have not been treated with dignity or transparency.

Unaccompanied children have been removed from Spanish territory without adequate legal protection and care. Many of them have been ill-treated while in detention and in transit, or at the Moroccan border in the hands of the Moroccan police.

Impunity is perhaps one of the greatest challenges to resolve this problem: victims of ill-treatment are often immediately served with counter-complaints, many victims are unable to present a complaint through fear, lack of adequate legal aid or the apathy and bias of the judicial authorities.

Police officers with criminal records, or against whom disciplinary proceedings are still pending, have not only been allowed to continue to work, but have been roundly supported by the political authorities.

Personally, I think not enough effort has been done by the world government to eradicate this issue.

I am somewhat than reminded of the iftar(s) in NTU organized by NTUMS where during the sessions Muslims from various nationalities and I remembered looking somewhat at aw in considering the breathtaking color that stood by one another in solat - Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, French, Arabs, Malay, Indonesian, etc. All in a unison and solidarity connecting to the One God. Perhaps therein lies the solution?

Leadership and its excesses

2008-10-08T12:22:00.012+08:00

To be a leader (or selected as a leader) in an organization or amir of a jemaah should not be viewed as a vocation of authority or understood in monarchical term as a throne. In using such terms, only highlights the cognitive processes of one in view of such concepts. Freudian theologists term this as Freudian slips. Bits of unconscious that manifest unconsciously into consciousness.

In fact, to use of terms like throne in describing leadership is draconian and simply unprogressive. Mainly because the term drags along concepts of leadership akin to a monarchy. From an Islamic point of view, one would hardly be able to classify monarchy as anything but Islamic since the Prophet (saw) himself had never established a monarchy and had declared that the best of man is not measured through one's lineage but rather piety (which could also be expanded into ability and etc.).

It is interesting then to consider that within the Islamic world itself, there still exist monarchies which still maintain draconian tradition and mannerism. To make matters worst, one such monarchy have even decided to name the country after itself. No prize in guessing the "kingdom" that I am referring to (psst: it has four letters and starts with "s").

At the same time, terms like throne also brings one to consider images of grandeur and splendor. Of power and submission of others. Of dominance, freedom of authority, supremacy and status. All of this which are not congruent with the Islamic values of piety since these values brings ones into (as mentioned by Naquib al Attas) overindulgence and thus disconsecration of the Tauhidic paradigm akin to the reality of Man and The Omnipotent.

Such is the lure of power - like all things, leadership has its own excesses which may cause one to slip away from the very fundamental and intention that one has initially set (though telling one self time and again of high altruistic intentions, but yet not really coming to terms fully with the former, only to cling on - ever so slightly - to the seductive allure that ever clings at the back of ones mind reminding of the warm embrace of personal fame, recognition and glory however with the faint hope that all this is for an altruistic and/ or "divinely" purpose - but where does that really leave us?).

However, to love a hermit's reclusive on the other hand is not an option especially since the responsibility of khalifah that is upon us. Leadership is crucial in any collective towards change especially in the framework of amal jama'ie. The need for this change and its imperative has been laid out time and again in this blog therefore the question here is: how does one remove oneself from the deception of power and control?

The probable answer would likely lie in the fact that: it is a constant struggle - against one's nafs (desire, ego, "id") and hence replacing a sense of sincerity which could only be derived through tarbiyah (in the most general sense of the word). Indeed, it is never easy but perhaps precisely because of the difficulties that such endeavor brings about a grandeur and recognition (that is only worthily sort after) from the Most Merciful. In fact, it this very struggle that the Prophet (saw) upon returning from Badar has reminded the companions (ra.hum) of a greater jihad to come.

To keep this in check, one in leadership should always establish syura as his fundamental process of decision making. Some thoughts of syura had been discussed some time back in this blog. However, essentially a leader should always at all time except that there is no monopoly of knowledge or ideas and in fact be open to ideas and alternatives set out by others - co-leaders or citizens/ members alike. In some way, this process of syura represses the id (I know this goes beyond the convention of Freudian theories viz. a viz. defense mechanisms) and removes the virtue of "I" and brings in the values of "Us".

Wallahua'lam

Blog Action Day 08 :: Get Involve ::

2008-10-08T10:35:00.001+08:00

Blog Action Day 2008 Poverty from Blog Action Day on Vimeo.

Qurban for Palestine

2008-10-07T07:17:00.000+08:00

Saff-Perdaus annually organizes a Qurban project where members of the public could purchase a lamb (from Australia). The meat from these lambs would be tinned into cans and ship to Palestinian Refugee Camps in Lebanon, Palestine. We also send this canned meat to Darfur, Sudan. Since these refugees have no form of refrigeration, canned meat is the best option.

On behalf of Saff-Perdaus, I implore you to offer your qurban with us so as to allow those who are in real need to receive you kindness, generosity and compassion.

For more information you may contact us directly at: (+065) 6513 2312.

Allahumasta'an.

Ayna ummatil muslimeen?

Head of Skate :: Sarah Palin ::

2008-10-06T12:35:00.002+08:00

I gotta post this up! Laughed my socks off!

And here's John Stewart. I tell you if John McCain wins, Sarah Palin will do comic runs replacing George W. Bush Jr. Hilarious!

The Economic Miracle and the Income Gaps

2008-10-05T02:31:00.003+08:00

"Tightly controlled media". (Haha) Don't you love that!

I would hardly think that this Al Jazeera report is anything but totally accurate and especially incorporating Chee Soon Juan hardly throws any credit or weight in the issue - as far as Singaporeans are concerned.

But however, it does struck one to consider how this "economic miracle" yet faces in its own reality issues of a widening income gap.

Sure, income inequality is not exactly a novelty in Singapore, but the last two years (prior to 2008) of blistering economic growth not to mention the government's policy of attracting wealthy expatriates (MNC, foreign talents, investors, etc.) have created a new class of super rich. Thus a natural phenomenon of rising food price from everything: Oreo biscuits to bus fares. Unfortunately, this trend had only made life harder for the low-income population.

According to Reuters report in Nov 2007: "Singapore’s economy is firing on all cylinders, with a booming construction sector, record tourist arrivals and a fast-growing financial sector all contributing to a gross domestic product set to grow nearly 8 percent in 2007".

Sure, the PM has announced a rare gesture of financial handouts "to rough out the tough times" yet one would hardly consider a one off of $300 would suffice a year's income need? Especially with a rising cost of living? I am no economic student and to consider myself a novice is already in fact a compliment but yet would it not make more sense to sustain the soaring cost of living then a one off handout which only causes a potentially more consumer spending?

In a Singapore knowledge economy where skills are crucial in making it - what then happen to the growing aging population many of whom cannot keep up with the trend of a knowledge economy? Singapore boast of meritocracy as a measurement of one's ability yet this has created a blind side: a low margin of tolerance for error. Hence, the income gap widens with a wider middle income pool whom are already feeling the pinch of the cost of living. What then of the low income and the aging population?

Strangely enough whomever I speak to in regards to government shortcomings in this fundamental issue many would be ever so quick to defend the government and it's PAP. Let's look beyond the sweet talks shall we?

More importantly what call to action could one initiate or NPO/ NGO consider in improving the condition?

Progress, Modernization or Westernization?

2008-10-04T01:23:00.004+08:00

It seems that the Arabs are not creating a whole new renaissance in the 21st century, they are buying this very renaissance! All with the income generated from the massive oil fields discovered as early as the 19th and 20th century.

Kudos to the Arabs that in all this years they were able to retain control of this highly valuable natural resource without much physical foreign interference or dominance. The shackles of colonialisms and tyranny of imperialism of foreign or Western domination were seemingly matters that the Arabs had gotten rid of. However, one does question to what extent does this Western domination has truly been removed as far as hegemony and influence are concern?

In our reality today we see a massive "modernization" in the Middle East ironically what was once only an arid and dry continent that hardly any Western aristocrat would want to be found in. Yet today hotels and buildings of Western brands or MNC are littered in competing fashion to resurrect each their own piece of architecture.

Any logical mind would argue that this are signs of progress that has come to the dessert people or the bedouins. When once they were merely nomads living in tents on windy dessert with merely camels as medium of transportation yet today they enjoin the very best that modernity has to offer - with tall skyscrapers, fast cars and man-made islands, among many others.

Yet one questions, is this seeming manifestation of progress a form of "modernization" or merely a mask of "westernization" thats rolls in Western values, principles and its typical excesses and indulgence? What does progress truly means? With what yardstick does one measure progress?

Tariq Ramadan has argue very often on the differences of these two concept and perhaps Samuel Huntington, of all scholars, articulated well in his well-read literature: The Clash of Civilization viz. "“The third alternative is to attempt to “balance” the west by developing economic and military power and cooperating with other non-western societies against the West, while preserving indigenous values and institutions, in short, to modernize but not westernize.”

The question that lies here: is it possible to modernize but yet not to westernize? This question is fundamental as it is key in accepting the concept of Islam huwa al hal.

Another interesting point to note from this phenomenon is in considering the prophetical nature of hadith(s) that the Prophet (saw) had clearly mentioned of the Last Day.

"When the shepherds would vie with one another in constructing buildings, it is one the signs of the Last Hour." (Sahih Muslim)

In considering today's Hijjaz (Riyadh, Jeddah, Mecca), Dubai, Doha and so many other Middle East cities littered with tall skyscrapers - one cannot help but to shudder at the prospect of this prophecy of the Prophet (saw).

Dubai today boast to have and in the midst of further construction the highest building in the world: Al Burj Dubai - which currently stands at about 700m with plans to extend it to 900m (that's half the distance you run for your IPPT by the way). In the last couple of months the Kuwaiti government has revealed plans to build yet another building that would surpass Al Burj. This time coined Burj Mubarak Al-Kabir, the building will reach the height of 1001m. Of course, not wanting to be left out, the Saud government only recently announced plans to build yet a building in its capital that would surpass all previous tall monuments or plans.

Subhanallah. And this in consideration that a few miles east of the Gulf area (the distance of almost similiar to the height of the tall buildings) lies a continent that is in need of basic daily living conditions.

Which brings back to the initial question of this humble entry - modernization or westernization?

....

The Truth about Iraq :: Sanctions and Genocide ::

2008-10-03T17:46:00.006+08:00

UNICEF data showed “that the rate of mortality more than doubled” among children under five years in the fifteen governorates of central and southern Iraq, “from 56 per 1000 births in 1984-89 to 131 per 1000 during 1995-99.” The result was an estimated five thousand “excess child deaths” every month above the 1989 presanctions rate. Writing in the summer of 2000, Garfield (note: Richard Garfield, Professor of clinical international nursing at Columbia university and chair of human-rights committee of the American Public Health Association) gave 300, 000 as a conservative estimate of ‘excess deaths’ among children under five.” Even worse, of those alive, more than 22 percent of young children were chronically malnourished.

Even in this age of mass murder, the gravity of these figures should not escape our attention. Noting that “even in cases of extreme economic decline like the Great Depression in the United States, there would was no increase in the rate of mortality,” Garfield underlined the gravity of the Iraqi disaster as “the only instance of a sustained, large increase in mortality in a stable population of more than 2 million in the last two hundred years.”

Where death stalked, life was miserable: Iraq’s ranking in the UN Development Program (UNDP) Human Development Index fell from 55 out of 130 in 1990 to 126 out of 150 in 2000.

By 2000, there was a consensus in both the UN and the human-rights community about the excess child deaths directly linked to sanctions: the June 2000 report to the UN Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights acknowledged that the total deaths “directly attributable to the sanctions” ranged “from half a million to a million and a half, with the majority of the dead being children.” Even in the minimum estimate was three times the number of Japanese killed during the U.S. atomic-bomb attacks.

The moral indefensibility of the sanctions regime was clear as early as 1996, when Madeleine Albright, U.S. ambassador to the UN, was asked by Lesley Stahl on the TV program 60 minutes about the price of “containing” Saddam:”We have heard that a half million children have died. I mean, that’s more than died in Hiroshima, and you know, is the price worth it?”

Madeleine Albright responded:”I think this is a very hard choice, but the price, we think the price is worth it.”

Taken from Good Muslim, Bad Muslim - America, the Cold War and the Roots of Terror (Mahmood Mamdani, 2005)

Here's something for the American Christian Lobby groups: "thou shall not kill" (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17)

Reminiscing Ramadhan

2008-10-02T12:54:00.006+08:00

I need to complain that masjid should open up or allow ikhtikaaf for not only the last ten nights of Ramadhan but every night of Ramadhan. However, congregational nafill qiyamul lail could begin on the last ten. Just another way to optimize the blessed month.

Words cannot express how much I am missing Ramadhan already. Besides the fact that my waist line has reduced tremendously and I am now 5kg (or more) lighter! - Ramadhan came and passed by too quickly. How I long to be with the month colored with submission, devotion, spiritual upliftment, remembrance and worship - tears and prayers.

I love the fact that the masjid are filled with people attending the congregational prayers - it reminds me of the importance to "imarah" the masjid even in other months.

I love the fact that it is so easy to pluck out a smile to a stranger and exchanging salaam or even a handshake - it reminds me of the ukhuwwah of brotherhood and humanity that goes beyond nationality and color.

I love the vision of seeing people flock to the neighborhood masjid for qiyamur ramadhan or terawih - it reminds me of Allah's mercy (whomsoever stands in the nights of Ramadhan, with conviction and hope of mercy - their past sins shall be forgiven). I wonder have I been forgiven yet - how will I stand before You tomorrow? What do I bring?

I love it when there would be some few whom would stay behind longer after prayers raising their hands in supplication or someone contemplating quietly in corners of masjid - it reminds me of my own handicap in my submission.

I love hearing the tadarrus of the Qur'an in halaqahs after terawih prayers - correcting one another as and when. It reminds me of our own imperfection and constant search for mardhatillah through that imperfection.

I love to hear the words of Allah being read - verily these are signs (verses of the Qur'an) for those who thinks.

I love attending iftar and sahur together with brothers and family. It reminds me further of the bond we share. When we sit on a meal - it doesn't matter what your orientations or madhab are.

I love standing in prayers and making sujud while reciting doa to Him. This month of tarbiyah as always has rejuvenated a spiritual connection to the divine. I wonder if I would be able to istiqamah with this connection for the rest of the year?

I love the fact that the hunger that I filled at about noon would be nourished by istighfar. I wonder if at every moment from now forth, this tongue would be busy with zikrullah?

I love simply to talk and complain to Him. I felt a companion to talk to in the nights of Ramadhan and shoulder to lean on. (And Allah is the best of companion - wali) (when My servant ask of Me - verily I am near. I answer the prayers of those who make prayers) Would I be amongst those who are close (muqarabeen)?

I love the fact that during this month, one is constantly filled with His remembrance in silence or through action. I wonder with the coming of Syawal and subsequently - would I begin to forget the remembrance of Thee?

Ramadhan as any before was too fast. How I wish every month is Ramadhan.

Oh Allah let me not walk away from this only with hunger and thirst.
Nor with tiredness and lack of sleep.
Oh Allah thank you for the audience that you have granted me.
And for still being in your Hidayah.
Oh Allah grant our dua and grant us steadfastness in our amal.
Seeking nothing but Your Redha.
Oh Allah let us not forget the lesson we have learnt.
Let this Tarbiyah strengthen us through.

Taqaballahu minna wa minkum. Kullu am wa antum bil khair.

Eidul Mubarak

Sang Murabbi

2008-09-28T11:56:00.003+08:00

Ladang dakwah terhampar luas
Kewajiban kita untuk menyirami tanah-tanah tandus
Menyemai benih-benih unggul
Agar tumbuh pohon-pohon kejayaan Islam
Dakwah ini akan terus mengalir menuju ridho ALLOH
Jangan bersedih
Dimana kita berada, disitulah dakwah disebarkan

(Sang Murabbi)

اللهم انك تعلم أن هذه القلوب قد اجتمعت على محبتك، والتقت على طاعتك، وتوحدت على دعوتك، وتعاهدت على نصرة شريعتك، فوثق اللهم رابطتها، وأدم ودها، واهدها سبلها، واملئها بنورك الذى لا يخبو، واشرح صدورها بفيض الإيمان بك، وجميل توكل عليك، واحيها بمعرفتك، وأمتها على الشهادة فى سبيلك، إنك نعم المولى ونعم النصير.

semoga kita diampunkan atas kemalasan diri kita sendiri.

....

Largest air war in military history

2008-09-27T19:44:00.001+08:00

"As the Vietnam war intensified, troops and supplies from the north made their way to battlefields in the south, often via the jungles of southern Laos. The American strategic objectives was to close this route-dubbed Ho Chin Minh Trail by the US military. Toward the end, the United States cultivated a proxy of local mercenaries and reinforced them with massive airpower.

For more than a decade, the CIA led a secret army of thirty thousand Hmong mercenaries against Communist guerrillas in the mountains of northern Laos. As opposition to the Vietnam War mounted back home, the advantage of proxy war became clear: waged in secret, it was at the same time removed from congressional oversight, public scrutiny, and conventional diplomacy.

Even at the end of the war, few Americans knew that the U.S. Air Force had fought "the largest air war in military history over Laos, dropping 2.1 million tons of bombs over this small, impoverished nation - the same tonnage from allied powers dropped on Germany and Japan during World War II."

The Laos model combined proxy war on the ground with a fierce and relentless American air war."

Good Muslim, Bad Muslim - America, the Cold War and the Roots of Terror (Mahmood Mamdani, 2005)

In my name ...

2008-09-26T19:16:00.003+08:00

The current world order only serves to protect the rich minority and to keep the silent majority silent. "That's democracy for you" (Noam Chomsky)

If a government could spend a budget of 50 billion dollars for a 3 weeks sport fiesta - shall that same amount not be use to prevent fatalities such as HIV AIDS or Malaria in poor countries?

11 billion dollars would ensure every children to free primary education - a fifth of 50 billion dollars.

Government of the world, keep your promises.

As for the Muslims, US4.1 billion was splurge to build a 900m high building in the middle of the desert in Dubai. The family of the Dubai group that just brought that football club in Manchester is worth 1 trillion dollars. I say again: 1 trillion dollars.

What are we doing?

In Search for the Night(s) of Power

2008-09-24T17:02:00.002+08:00

Lailatul Qadar is within these ten days and many are ever so rigorous to ensure that they encounter this night that is better than a thousand night - thus, staying vigilant throughout the nights or waking early in the mornings to spend the precious hours in prayers and devotional acts.

However, it is a considerable trend especially in masjid that there are far lesser crowd on even nights as compared to odd nights - perhaps due to higher likability that based on authentic narrations that lailatul qadar could be found on odd nights. Even so, this very concept of making devotional efforts on odd nights or doing devotional act purely for lailatul qadar's sake mainly - needs to be revised.

I am not saying that there is anything fundamentally wrong with hoping to meet the night of qadar but let's remember that our nights in worship should not be only for the sake of lailatul qadar but rather it should be raise to a higher order: that is for the sake of seeking God's love.

There is a sufi story (disclaimer: me reading widely does not equate to having a tendency for any orientation of read) that tells of a man whom had won the favor of a king. Thus, the king invites him to his castle and offers him to have anything that he desires in this castle. This in mind that the castle was full of vast wealth and richness beyond one's imagination. As such, the man after viewing carefully at everything, ponders and ask: "Your highness, am I to have anything that my heart desires?". The reply given was: "Whatever you hold on to, that is yours".

Thus the man when up to the throne and held on to the king and said: "I wish for nothing but thee".

Moral of the story? Lailatul Qadar is just one of the many bounties from Allah's wealth which are immeasurable. But why settle for one of the bounties when you could have the favor of the one to whom belongs all of the bounties?

If one seek for Lailatul Qadar it is in one of the nights of Ramadhan, however if one seeks for Allah - He is in every night. Hence, especially in Ramadhan: let's spend every night in this quest and search.

Wallahua'lam.

Raja Petra to be detained 2yrs under ISA (updated)

2008-09-23T12:56:00.004+08:00

Tuesday September 23, 2008 MYT 11:55:48 AM (The Star - Online)

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamarudin was served with an order last night that would see him detained in Kamunting for two years under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

The detention order was signed by Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar last night.

He will be held without trial under Section 8 of the ISA, reporters were told by his lawyers, who were at the High Court hear to argue their habeas corpus application on Tuesday.

He was detained under the ISA on Sept 12. Two others detained that day, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok and Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Choon Heng, have since been released.

Raja Petra had filed a notice of motion through Messrs Mathews Hun Kandiah last Tuesday citing the grounds that his detention was unlawful and contravened the Federal Constitution.

His lead counsel at Tuesday's proceedings was Malik Imtiaz Sarwar. The Deputy Public Prosecutor was Abdul Wahab Mohamad.

The Court set Oct 28 to hear further submissions.

Islamic Finance could have prevented subprime crisis

2008-09-20T09:01:00.008+08:00

The global economic crisis sparked by the US subprime mortgage meltdown would not have occurred if Islamic principles were applied in international financial markets, an Islamic scholar said.

Defaults in the US market from risky mortgages have caused major global credit turmoil, as massive US losses led to a squeeze on international credit markets, and subsequent fall in global equity markets.

However, Mohammed Mahmud Awan, a scholar at Malaysia-based International Center for Education in Islamic Finance (INCEIF), said the mortgage crisis was "unthinkable" under Islamic principles regarding debt, Arab News reported on Thursday.

“A crisis such as the mortgage one would technically be unthinkable in the Islamic capital markets sector because it would be against Sharia principles to sell a debt against a debt.”

The subprime mortgage crisis had seen trillions of dollars traded without the backing of assets, he said.

“If such transactions followed the Islamic finance model it would have easily prevented the current economic crisis.”

Speaking at a globalization conference at the University of Bahrain, Awan said the global economic crisis could be stabilised by the use of Islamic finance principles.

“Islamic bonds, carrying unique structure features, cannot fall foul of a crisis such as subprime mortgage crisis. Subprime mortgages are backed by dubiously rated collateralized debt packages which subsequently precipitated a global credit crunch.”

Awan said that it was time for Islamic banking industry to present solutions to the global economic community in the wake of the crisis.

Islamic finance assets are growing at an annual pace of 20% and are set to hit $2 trillion in 2010 from the current $900 billion, fuelled in part by a flood of petrodollars generated by the rise in energy prices.

Islamic finance principles stipulate that deals must be based on tangible assets and require tight controls on debt levels, features analysts say offer some protection to investors and ensure corporate accountability.

However, earlier this month a senior Islamic finance expert warned the sector was in danger because both banks and Sharia scholars were not providing solutions which are Sharia-based.

Abdulazeem Abozaid, member of the Sharia department in UAE-based Emirates Islamic Bank, told ArabianBusiness.com banks only aimed to maximise profits.

"They know that there is no real difference between conventional banking and Islamic finance," Abozaid warned.

Article take from www.arabianbusiness.com. Written by Amy Glass (24 Apr 2008).

The Solid Edifice .. and a plea

2008-09-19T12:17:00.011+08:00

The last post was a sort of reaction to some blog entries of brothers and also my discussions or comments on discussion forums(that have left some unhappy) on this whole salafi-sufi debate.

My personal stand have been always one of collectiveness - that whatever differences, we need to come together for the greater good - if we were to create the positive change and impact that this religion (which we argue and debate about) aspires for its followers.

Fundamentally, we need to realize that the root of all things is diversity and unity is an acquired state (through efforts or reforms).

In psychology, understanding the concept of individual difference is key in understanding behavior and personality - which essentially talks about the differences in personalities and, hence, varied pattern of behavior manifested in every one of us. According to the idea of individual difference, no two person are alike due mainly to personal disposition and circumstances that facilitate a sort of conditioning in us all.

In team or group development - and especially in this - one learns about the process of forming, storming, norming and, thus, performing where at the storming stage - conflicts are expected because it assumes that essentially every one is different especially in the way one look at things. Therefore what someone bring into discussion might not find coherence with another - the question here is how do we overcome that to reach a stage of productivity and performance?

Even society is made up of different resources, profession and roles - can everyone be the doctor? If so, who will become the patient? If everyone becomes the teacher - who will then become the student?

As such diversity is natural in a society, and one needs to accept and even embrace diversity - if we were to not only live in harmony but progress ourselves as that very collective society of rahmah lil a'lameen (mercy for others).

In the corporate world of business management, plenty of academics have already acknowledged the importance of diversity in a working group, team or unit as a crucial phenomenon in achieving productivity. In fact, special emphasis are being placed to ensure diversity in a working force.

This is purely because, whilst different perspectives may clash - but, when manage properly these very ideas could create that very new progress through revolutionary ideas and also a knitted or dynamic working team in solidarity that propel us all forward. Thus, a solid edifice.

Ironically for Muslims, we have been slow to learn this (as always) and what is even sad is that the Qur'an has mentioned this that we have even let it slip from under our very own noses.

"And Allah loves those who strive in His Path in ranks, as if they were a solid edifice" (61: 4).

... ka annahum bunyanum marsus ... bunyanum marsus .. a solid edifice .. let's consider that for a moment and let's consider our state.

Yes, bigotry is potentially the issue - but knowing is only half the battle. Applying it is another. We need to begin to accept these differences and move on in search for the common platform we could come in agreement - which by the way are plenty. Ironically, the very thing we debate about are those small proportion of differences within the Islamic sphere that we forget the bigger chunk of commonalities. We have been to consume to proof that our point is right and others need to submit to our believes - our reforms and etc. How ignorant have we become.

**Kalau orang bukan Islam yang ingin menhancurkan umat Islam melihat keadaan kita - mereka akan ketawa sambil berkata: our job is done let's leave them to themselves.

After decades of decolonization, we are still colonized because the very fabric of our society are still divided, and thus, conquered.

Let's look at the fundamental role that the race of man has been set on this earth to achieve - khalifah fil ard: vicegerent/ steward on earth. How much have we accomplished that?

Instead of debating in endless arguments, let's focus on the very things that we are counted for as the ummah of the Prophet (saw) thus quantify as amongst those who will drink from the Kauthar with the Prophet (saw).

Are we to say then, when we meet him that: "we were not able to achieve much unlike the earlier people because during our age we were busy proving each other wrong"?

Allahumasta'an.

It's the last 10 nights and Ramadhan is slipping away from our very fingers ever so rapidly - let's embrace it and ask in these last nights for forgiveness and guidance. Not only for ourselves - but all of us - in a collective ... the final ummah ... the ummah of al Mustapha (saw).

....

Tali Allah

2008-09-18T19:47:00.003+08:00

Ramai yang mengatakan Mufti Perlis ini salafi/ wahabi kerana isu-isu yang dia bawa. Mungkin ada kebenaran di dalam pemikira-pemikiran begitu, namun kita tida boleh menafikan tajdid yang beliau bawa malalui manhaj beliau adalah progresif dan bermanfaat. Pada masa yang sama kita juga harus persoalkan - adakah bahaya sangat ke apabila berpegang manhaj tersebut hingga terkeluar daripada aqidah? Penulis rasa jawapannya adalah tidak.

Dengan itu, tidak sesuai lah kalau ada sesiapa yang juga berfikiran progresif mengecam beliau (Mufti Perlis) tanpa memahami dengan betul manhaj yang beliau bawa.

A'la kulli hal, Mufti Perlis masih lagi melihat-lihat toko-toko tajdid seperti Hasan al Banna, Jamaluddin Afghani dan lain lain sebagai toko agama. Lain lah kalau secara am mereka yang juga bermanhaj salafi/ wahabi (ramai di Singapura)tetapi menuduh tokoh tersebut diatas sebagai khawarij kerana kononnya mereka membawa pemikiran yang memerangi daulah Islamiah.

Sebenarnya, perkara ini tidak senyata hitam/ putih.

Dalam klip diatas, Mufti Perlis memanggil kepada konsep wahdatul ummah - juga laungan yang dibawa oleh Hasan al Banna, Sayyid Qutb dan lain lain.

Dengan wujudnya fikrah yang berbeza-beza di Singapura ini - namun itu marilah kita mewujudkan konsep wahdatul ummah ini.

Tidak ada untung bagi mana-mana pihak pun untuk terus bertengkar antara satu sama yang lain.

Bersatulah.

Allahumasta'an.

(the reason I failed my Malay composition is now apparent)

Macam Biskut ...

2008-09-17T12:41:00.004+08:00

*English translation: like (an Oreo) biscuit ~~ now you see it, now you don't!

_____________________

SELANGOR, Malaysia: Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad is expected to officially rejoin the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) later Wednesday, according to his son, UMNO Youth executive council member Mukhriz Mahathir.

Mukhriz said his father took the decision to rejoin UMNO after being persuaded by several quarters who wanted him to return and help strengthen the party.

He said they managed to persuade the former prime minister that his services were needed within the party and not outside it.

Reports said a simple ceremony will be held at the government capital of Putrajaya to welcome him back into the fold.

Mahathir had led UMNO for many years before quitting in May, a move designed to pressure his hand-picked successor, current Malaysian Prime Minister, Abdullah Badawi, to step down.

Mahathir had earlier said he would agreed to return as he was concerned about developments in the party.

- CNA/BER/yb

Better than a thousand months .

2008-09-16T12:24:00.004+08:00

**teringat pulak arwah nenek (sigh)

As this blessed month is reaching to its final last 10 days, let's increase our efforts in the nights to seek His Pleasure and Maghfirah.

As such Saff-Perdaus will be having iftar and qiyam on the 20th Sept (this Saturday). Join us.

....

Thoughts on leadership and qualities

2008-09-08T14:48:00.006+08:00

Leadership is crucial in many aspect of life. Especially in our efforts to incubate change in a society through organizations and movements - where hierarchy of management are crucial - and as such, thus, good leadership or good leaders are fundamental.

The question here is what makes a good leader or what are the elements of a good leader? You will agree that that's the million dollar question.

The following are just something I got in some meeting at work today and in reflection of certain observation in recent days and weeks that it seems quite apt to share the following:

1. Practical Intelligence

Many of us have intelligence, but it comes in different ways and form ala Howard Gardner and his theory of multiple intelligence. However, a sort of practical intelligence is also crucial in analyzing or assessing events and coming out with strategies to meet up with these chain of events or outcomes in ensuring the desirable result.

There are those whom are able to tinker and generate thoughts but unfortunately don't have enough iron to put the putt into the final hole.

On the other hand, there are those with breadth of energy but unfortunately do not employ this god-given ability timely in establishing the right decision towards progress.

Ironically - thinking is a rhetoric that the Qur'an so often explicitly and implicitly call out for: that you may think, do they then not think, and they are the people of intelligence, etc.

2. Purposeful passion

Perhaps, this is idealism but marinated with a tint of realism and understanding of ones surrounding or circumstance thus understanding its limitations.

Too often we are caught with a weave of idealism that perhaps came from reading certain inspirational stories (qisasul sahabah, for example) or growing up with that but unfortunately suffer a lack of ability to discern the reality to make the necessary adjustments. Some might call this blind passion or idealism - this could be dangerous as it does not only demoralize or turn off others but potentially oneself in that quest for the impossible utopia.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with reading inspirational stories but like all things, do take it with a pinch of realism and contextualization.

3. Timely discernment

The ability to interpret and capture from the surrounding patterns or elements that would lead to good decision making. One simple was is to consider or listen to advice and thought of others at the appropriate moments and time in an objective manner without the feeling of a lack of self assurance of oneself.

For many who are in leadership, we often think that our was is the high way or feels easily threaten when some else comes in to give his or her opinion. Why?

Do we not see that everyone is on the same page or the same team in quest for the same goal?

Ironically, this is the essence of the term "syura" or "musyawwarah" to seek consultation from others especially as fallible human beings whom are expose to blind sides and does not have a monopoly of knowledge.

4. Emotional strength

Which is crucial to see us through the marathon. Yes, it is a marathon not a 100m sprint. As such, prepare yourself internally for the long and arduous route and bends ahead.

You may ask, why bother then? Perhaps one answer would be - is anything that is valuable ever cheap?

A certain mental preparedness is also crucial - preparedness: for most of us this word is treated as a default without realizing it is an acquired state. Sadly, as such many of us falter or weaken mid way in our projects or organizational management - especially in the final stages.

....

The items mentioned above are some elements or aspects crucial in one undertaking a mega project or leading an organizational team. Surely, there are many others. Perhaps if any, I look forward to comments or sharing to elaborate the abovemention.

Happy fasting!

So that others may see

2008-09-07T08:51:00.002+08:00

Beautiful ad by Petronas (who else?) for Deepavali celebration a few years ago. I thought the message in the video was extremely profound.

A blind man carrying a lantern as he walks so that others may see.

Something to ponder and act upon? Especially apt as we are in this month of Ramadhan.

Let's carry our lantern(s) so that others may see.

...

Ramadhan - I'm Fasting

2008-09-04T17:16:00.000+08:00

For Mister Budi Phua :D

Of Passion and Love

2008-08-15T22:02:00.001+08:00