Roslan Hamid's Blog, page 188

‘Convey, even if only one verse…’

********************** In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful; blessings and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. ************************ Reflection *********************** The Declining Day (Al-'Asr) 1. By the declining day, 2. Lo! Man is in a state of loss, 3. Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance. ***************************** RECENTLY a friend who had resided a few years in a European country returned home and one day we met and talked about life over a cup of coffee. *************** One subject he mentioned that I thought worth to be discussed in this column was how lucky we are as Muslims. A knowledgeable Muslim knows his direction in life whereas many non Muslims especially those at old age seem lost; they keep to themselves and are busy mostly on worldly activities such as shopping and traveling around the globe. ******************* Consider this scenario: A knowledgeable and practicing veteran Muslim (for example a pensioner) frequents the ‘masjid’; the masjid has been his central point of activities. He prays five times a day there; he longs to die while praising his Lord or doing good deeds especially in the ‘masjid’. ******************* If he has extra money, he wishes to perform hajj and ‘umrah’ (small hajj); never mind if it would be the second, fifth or tenth trip. Some even long to die in Makkah, hopping their bodies would be blessed in the funeral prayers the Haram Masjid and buried in the Ma’ala cemetery. ******************** “A pious Muslim, what’s more during old age, longs to meet his Lord. He knows the direction he is heading for but in Europe I found old folks at a lost,” said the friend. “To kill time they carry out all sorts of activities such as shopping and getting involved in social gatherings.” ****************** If a person has no type of mental bounds then he is apt to adopt free ways to acquire whatever his goals and ambitions are, and to fulfill his desires by all possible means no matter fair or unfair. ****************** But the person who has some good knowledge about the reality of life, his attitude about life, and its goals and ambitions will be different and so will be the ways of fulfilling his desires. He will found himself bound to adopt only the fair and legal ways. ******************** I thanks this friend who had conveyed to me how lucky we are being Muslims. We should be thankfull (Alhamdulillah, praise be to Allah) and proud being Muslims. Being a Muslim and having His ‘hidayah’ (God’s guidance) is the biggest gift we have attained and we must thank the Lord. ******************** In this column I would like to pass some messages to readers in accordance to a hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him - s.a.w.). ********************* The Prophet s.a.w. ordained all his companions and, thus, every Muslim who possesses some knowledge -- even as little as one verse -- to disseminate what they know to others: He said, "Convey (what you learn from me) even if only one verse…" (Related by Bukhari) ******************** Regarding the conveying of knowledge, I must admit that I am not good at words and am also no ‘ustaz’ (religious teacher). My knowledge is very limited and I depend a lot on others for views. ********************* In this column I would like to quote writings from readers who had give encouragement so that I could continue slogging on on my work so that others would perhaps benefited from them. ******************** Dr Safiah Osman wrote: Dear Saudara (Brother) LanH. Thank you for your equally precious gift of ‘Travelog Wartawan Islam’ (Dr Safiah had sent me her book entitled ‘Let Us Remember Allah for the Gift of Love in Our Hearts’). **************** I am so glad that you liked my book and thank you for that brief write up in your column. Also, thank you for the write-up about my first book (Let Us Remember Allah for the Wonder of His Creation), complete with a coloured photograph of the cover. I showed it to a friend and she did not know I wanted it back and so I have nothing to remind myself about what you wrote. ******************* My husband passed away in Oct last year after a long illness. He underwent surgery for a massive brain tumour, made good recovery, but slipped into a coma for more than a month. Allah SWT freed him from a lot of pain and suffering. ***************** I am so very glad that you are continuing to write. After all the headlines I would read your article. I like your articles in particular about how your mother raised her children (Love you mother, mother and mother…). I know there will be bountiful rewards for you for taking care of her. ************** My third book will not be a coffee table books but just a compilation of short stories, heart-warming and inspirational, with Islamic values and teachings subtly embedded in them. I will edit what friends and accqaintances have written. Thus far I have written about 10 stories, the longest entitled "Portrait of My Mother". I would really be grateful if you would contribute a few articles. Would you like to read a few that I had written? Salam, Safiah Osman ***************** Siti Salwah Arshad from Myqisah.blogspot.com wrote: Take Time.....Give it a Thought - Recently I came across a poem in your column that seemed familiar that brought me down memory lane during my high school days in the late 70's. ***************** During those days, I often copied inspiring English poems and excerpts from books and newspapers and paste it onto the front cover of my notebooks. Eventhough I did not understand some of the words in the poem, it did inspired me especially during my stressfull, weary days. ****************** This is the the poem titled Take time that LanH (the article writer) found in a phamplet at the Melaka hospital recently that though not new to me have made me realised that it is time to slow down and make time for all these beautiful things before it is too late. *************** We tend to rush in doing things madly these days that we forgot that there are many other things that we should make time before our time is up. As Muslims we have to balance our daily activities so that we achieve our target; that is Jannatul Firdaus in the hereafter. **************** Thank you LanH for bringing foward this inspirational poem. ********** Take time...... ************** Take time to think.... It is the source of power *************** Take time to play...It is secret of perpetual youth *************** Take time to read... It is the fountain of wisdom ****************** Take time to pray..... It is the greatest power on earth ************** Take time to love and beloved..... It s God given priviledge ****************** Take time to be friendly.... It is the road to happiness ******************* Take time to laugh.... It is the music of the soul ***************** Take time to give... It is short a day to be selfish ****************** Take time to work.... It is the price of success ******************* Take time to do charity..... It is the key to heaven *************** She also commented on my other article (The Durian Lesson) ************** When I was young; when I could finish off two or three durian fruits in one go, at that time my wallet was thin, my purchasing power was not strong enough so I had to be satisfied by having a small portion of the fruit. **************** But sad to say when I grew older and my wallet became fatter and fatter each day, I could not each much of the fruit as I had now developed diabetes, have high blood pressure and my cholesterol level is too high. ******************* Question: So how can I accept this with an open heart, not blaming Allah for the misfortune that had befallen to me? ******************* Answer: If you wish to buy a basket or two of durians, please do so. But as you could not consume it what about donating all the fruits (except one for you to sample) to those who can eat them, for example to pupils of tahfiz school or to a group of children in your neighbourhood; they would gladly finish them off in a few minutes. **************** The lesson learnt: If you give something that you really love, Allah will reward you even more in the Hereafter. The reward even comes after you give ‘sedekah’ to those people in need or appreciate it especiallly when you see their smiling faces and words of gratitudes such as Alhamdulillah, Syukran or Thank you. You'll notice the reward is actually the feeling of satisfaction deep in your heart.

Baik pemimpin, baiklah orang dipimpinnya

********************* DENGAN nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. *********************** Renungan Hadis diriwayatkan oleh Ibnul Abdul Barr dan Abu Naim bermaksud: Telah bersabda Rasulullah s.a.w.;“Dua golongan daripada umatku, apabila mereka baik, baiklah manusia dan apabila mereka rosak, rosaklah manusia. Itulah dia pemimpin dan ahli fiqh (ulama).” ********************* Dewasa ini kita dapat saksikan betapa kroniknya masyarakat. Aneka jenayah semakin menjadi-jadi. Pembunuhan, rogol, memeras ugut, merompak dan rasuah sudah menjadi bahan biasa hiasan dada-dada akhbar dan media elektronik. *************** Daripada institusi keluarga sehinggalah ke peringkat tertinggi seperti pemimpin kerajaan semuanya bermasalah. Malah ada pemimpin negara mempamerkan contoh buruk dengan menggalakkan budaya asing K-pop. Jadi tak hairanlah jika anak muda kita pun terkinja-kinja akan K-pop, budaya songsang yang cuba diterapkan dalam masyarakat. ****************** Gejala songsang ini seolah-olah tidak mempunyai penamatnya. Lagi ditegur, lagi menjadi-jadi, laksana mencurahkan minyak ke dalam api. Nasihat pun tidak diendahkan, bagaikan mencurah air ke daun keladi. **************** Tentulah masyarakat tertanya-tanya mengapa hal ini terjadi. Di sini kita berharap masyarakat dapat membuka hati dan fikiran agar permasalahan ini dapat dilerai bersama. ****************** Kata pepatah Melayu, bagaimana acuan begitulah kuihnya. Kalau hendak melentur buluh biar daripada rebungnya manakala bijak pandai pula berkata 'kalau nak tahu masa depan negara, lihatlah pada generasi mudanya'. ******************* Demikianlah, kita percaya sebahagian daripada punca generasi muda kita semakin tidak terkawal adalah persekitaran yang begitu membingungkan. **************** Jika di rumah dan sekolah, segala keluhuran diterapkan tetapi apabila berada di luar, anak-anak hilang punca. ****************** Di luar sana pelbagai suasana negatif mereka saksikan dan hadapi. Misalnya, akhbar dan majalah lucah serta separuh lucah membanjiri pasaran. ******************** Apabila menjenguk gerai-gerai majalah, kira-kira 80 peratus daripada bahan bacaan, memaparkan gambar-gambar wanita dalam aksi keterlaluan. ******************** Sebaliknya pula, amat kurang sekali bahan bacaan bermutu yang dapat menyuntik minda generasi muda. Demikian juga pengaruh media massa lain seperti televisyen dan radio dan kini internet. Dalam akhbar pun disiarkan keputusan judi (empat nombor ekor). ***************** Jika dalam usia setahun jagung, anak-anak didedahkan dalam suasana kurang sihat, bagaimana mereka dapat membesar dalam keadaan bebas daripada gejala negatif? ******************* Di sini kita ingin bertanya, mengapakah Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN) begitu mudah memberi kebenaran kepada penerbit untuk mengeluarkan bahan-bahan yang boleh merosakkan masa depan generasi muda, seterusnya masyarakat dan negara? **************** Generasi muda juga mendambakan idola tetapi yang menjadi tumpuan adalah artis-artis dan dunia hiburan yang kerap benar terpesong daripada sempadan tuntutan agama. ******************* Sekali lagi generasi muda gagal mendapatkan contoh baik sebaliknya mereka terikut-ikut gaya penghidupan songsang. ***************** Pemimpin mempunyai tanggungjawab besar dalam menentukan masa depan generasi muda. ******************* Jika pemimpin gemar dengan agenda berfoya-foya dengan pesta yang tidak pernah habis-habis, maka tidak hairanlah generasi muda akan terikut sama. Agama rakyat adalah berdasarkan agama pemimpinnya. Ia bermaksud, jika seorang pemimpin itu patuh kepada agamanya, rakyat akan mengikutinya. Sebagai contoh, ramai daripada Khalifah Bani Umaiyah kaki hiburan, maka ramai rakyat kaki hiburan tetapi apabila Khalifah Umar Abdul Aziz yang warak naik takhta, maka rakyat pun menjadi taat kepada agama. ******************* Kita bimbang jika pemimpin kaki pelbagai noda seperti menjadi pembunuh, kaki perempuan, kaki rasuah, penipu, dan talam dua muka; rakyat pun akan berperangai sama sebab hal ini sudah diberi amaran oleh Rasulullah s.a.w. dalam sebuah hadisnya yang antara lain bermaksud “baik pemimpin baiklah orang dipimpinnya.” ******************** Manakala orang Melayu pula berkata, bapa borek anak rintik, kalau guru kencing berdiri, anak murid kencing berlari! Kalau pemimpin pembunuh, maka rakyat pun cenderung menjadi pembunuh. Inilah kita bimbangkan, nauzubillah!

Iktibar kisah nyamuk, lalat...

***************** Dengan Nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang, selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. ***************** Renungan ******************** Hadis riwayat Abu Hazim, daripada Abu Hurairah yang dikeluarkan oleh Muslim, bermaksud: "Tidak akan hancur dunia ini (kiamat) hingga ada seorang laki-laki yang melewati kuburan lalu ia berguling-guling di atasnya seraya berkata, 'alangkah baiknya sekiranya aku berada di tempat penghuni kubur ini.' Hal ini bukan kerana faktor agama tetapi kerana adanya musibah." **************** HIDUP tidak selalunya indah. Kadang-kadang, entah apa sebabnya, dalam menjalani kehidupan ini kita terasa bagaikan berada di bahagian bawah roda yang berputar; kita rasakan diri ini bagaikan tidak diperlukan. Kita dapat merasakan betapa sepinya diri sekalipun di sekeliling ramai orang. ********************* Bagi saya, saat-saat ini saya perlukan bahan inspirasi yang dapat menaikkan semangat. Tentunya pegangan agama yang kuat dapat membantu, misalnya jika kita fikir sesuatu derita yang kita alami itu sudah teruk dan tidak tertanggung, bayangkan derita berlipat kali ganda menunggu di alam kubur dan di akhirat sana. Jadi kita dapat rasakan sakit di dunia tiada apa-apa, ia akan berakhir jua tetapi derita di akhirat tiada penghujungnya sebab kematian sudah tiada lagi sedangkan di dunia kematian mengakhiri sesuatu penderitaan. ******************** Ketika membelek-belek sebuah buku, saya terjumpa kisah ini yang mungkin dapat memotivasi pembaca. Jika anda ingat diri anda tidak ada apa-apa (tidak dapat menyumbang sesuatu atau memberi kesan kepada orang lain), jadikan nyamuk atau haiwan halus lain sebagai iktibar. ************************ Sedang anda solat, seekor nyamuk mengnyiang-nyiang di telinga. Ia cukup mengganggu konsentrasi. Anda cuba menghalaunya tetapi gagal. Nyamuk itu berterusan mengganggu anda. Anda gagal khusyuk sehingga habis solat. Anda menyumpah nyamuk itu - seekor nyamuk kecil yang nampak tidak berdaya telah ‘menggagalkan’ solat anda. ************************* Anda dan keluarga sedang makan tengah hari. Lauk sedap-sedap belaka. Seekor lalat hijau terbang bagai roket, hinggap pada pinggan kari ayam kegemaran anda. Anda mengibas, cuba menghalaunya. Lalat itu pergi tetapi datang lagi, hinggap pula pada nasi anda. Anda geram. Kurang ajar punya lalat. Anda ambil surat khabar, memukul lalat itu. Tidak kena, sebaliknya terpukul pinggan kuah kari ayam yang terbalik, tertumpah menyimbah tubuh isteri anda. Wah, mengamuklah si isteri, jadi seekor lalat kecil yang nampak tidak berdaya telah menggagalkan rancangan anda untuk menikmati jamuan yang damai dengan seisi keluarga. ************************ Kisah dari Quran, menyatakan Raja Namrud (raja ketika zaman Nabi Ibrahim a.s.) menjadi tidak keruan sehingga mati selepas seekor nyamuk masuk ke hidung dan otaknya. Demikianlah jika nyamuk dan lalat boleh memberi kesan dalam kehidupan, apakah anda tidak boleh memberikan apa-apa sumbangan, termasuk membantu pihak berhak menewaskan penguasa batil berdasarkan perkembangan semasa. ************************ Sesuatu sumbangan itu mungkin nampak kecil, tetapi hasilnya, masya-Allah...Cuba pembaca hayati kisah ini... ************** Saudara LanH, ****************** Saya pernah terbaca pandangan anda di akhbar Harakah tidak lama dulu mengenai kelas belajar memandu kenderaan yang tidak ramai tenaga pengajar wanita dan keadaan ini menjadi kesulitan pada calon-calon pemandu wanita terutama yang beragama Islam. ******************* Selang tidak berapa selepas itu, saya mendapati hal itu benar-benar berlaku terhadap saudara mara saya sendiri kerana dua anak saudara saya enggan belajar memandu kereta lagi walaupun sesi latihan sudah dibayar oleh ahli keluarga mereka. Ini kerana lelaki Cina yang mengajar selalu memegang tangan mereka semasa menunjukan cara memegang dan menukar gear. Lama kelamaan, teknik cara mengajar lelaki itu sudah seperti hendak menggatal pula. ******************* Tidak cukup dengan adegan sebegitu, lelaki tadi berbahasa seperti mencarut pula bunyinya apabila menyebut perkataan “pantas, pantas... ” Maklumlah lelaki itu pun bersekolah tidak setinggi mana dan berbahasa Melayu pun ala kadar sahaja. ******************* Mengambil iktibar daripada kisah dua anak saudara saya itu, saya terpanggil menubuhkan sebuah pejabat mendaftarkan calon-calon memandu kenderaan yang mengutamakan wanita di No 10-A, Taman IKS Tangga Batu, Melaka dan mula beroperasi pada 1 Mei lalu. Alhamdullilah, sambutannya amat menggalakan terutama di kalangan wanita kerana institut memandu kami di kawasan industri Krubong, Melaka kini mempunyai ramai tenaga pengajar wanita Islam selepas kami menyedari keperluannya. ******************** Terima kasih kepada Saudara LanH yang telah membuka minda saya melalui celoteh anda dahulu hingga memberi peluang kepada Koperasi Bumijaya Melaka Berhad pimpinan saya membuka sebuah pejabat pendaftaran lesen memandu kenderaan, termasuk memenuhi keperluan fardu kifayah, pengajar wanita mengajar pelajar wanita bagi mendapatkan lesen memandu. – Haji Abdul Aziz Haji Othman, Klebang Besar, Melaka, tel: 019-6267887

Beware the du’a of the oppressed…

***************** In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful; blessings and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. ******************* Reflection *************** The Declining Day (Al-'Asr) 1. By the declining day, 2. Lo! Man is in a state of loss, 3. Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance. ************************* RECENTLY my newly found non-Muslim friend e-mailed me this SOS message. “My dearest comrade in PAS, this is a completely different type of message. I am crying out to you to please try to save me from my enemies. They have been sabotaging me quiet some time but their latest action against me is causing me to write this appeal to you." ******************* I guessed this friend had to encounter this problem after he became close to PAS. Perhaps he is now a member of 'Dewan Himpunan Penyokong PAS'. To lift up his spirit I e-mailed him with this message: ******************** “My dearest ………..; I am so sorry for the inconvenience that you are facing. I know it it is hard for you, but you must know that they were cowards and you are brave. **************** In the history of the Muslims during their first war with the Quraisy of Makkah, that was the Battle of Badr (Badar) the Muslim's army of only 313 people succeeded in defeated a sea of more than 1,000 armed warriors. **************** Then in todays world, in our context a Pakatan army with only our bare hands, insya-Allah (God willing), will defeated the sea of BN armies. ******************* So in Allah SWT, we trust, your computer mess is only the beginning, you will face more trouble ahead. Remember what one warrior had said - you could jail my body but not my SOUL, May God show you His true path!” ********************* Nowadays with the 13th general elections looming around the corner, we could see hundreds of BN (dacing) flags fluttering in public places through out the country especially near their 'bilik gerakan' (operations room). The local authorities seemed to have no power stopping BN fanatics from displaying the flags along roadsides and road dividers and to some extend even near schools and masjids compounds. ************************ It is not election time yet, but BN seem to have all the rights to do whatever it wishes to attract public attention, but different treatment would be given the local authorities to BN rivals if they make the same move. Of course it is double standard but who cares; some people says, "power and money could buy anything!" ************************** The BN leaders kept on repeating that "politics are out of bond in schools and masjids", but in reality this component party especially Umno had 'their hands full' on these institutions. They misused facilities in government building such as holding party gathering in schools hall and having meetings in 'suraus' (small masjid). ********************** Umno-BN leaders too are not happy if they know any government servants were members of the opposition groups; those who were active would be black listed and it was of no surprise if their names would be on the "waiting list to be transferred." *********************** Nowadays it is a common knowledge that the majority of government servants kept their distance from being associated with the opposition parties. For example they would be very careful not to be seen attending Pakatan Rakyat functions such as 'ceramah' (talks) and reading opposition news-letters such as Harakah and Suara Keadilan. *********************** In my hometown, at Melaka Sentral, alternatives papers are barred from being sold; officers from an agency of the state government would confiscated copies of the newspaper and gave warning to those concerned who rented and run the stalls that their premises would be sealed if they defied their orders. ******************* Talking about the oppressed, perhaps this development would give some insight to my new-found friend about challengers that he would face in the future as a person who was willing to fight for justice. ******************** A few weeks ago while driving along Jalan Bukit Katil, Melaka (near Masjid Bukit Katil); I noticed the building that housed Pasti Jaya Insan had been reduced to rubbles. ************************ In fact, the land had been flattened; the authorities concerned had cleared the area so that a road could be built on it that would be connecting busy Jalan Bukit Katil to a nearby housing estate. The Umno-BN led state government had used force to acquire the land by banking on ‘Akta Pengambilan Tanah 1960’ (Appropriation Land Act 1960). ******************* Yes, in the name of development, some Malay/Muslims were sidelined, they were being ‘chased’ out of their lands. They were told to vacate their lands and surrender their properties, paving the way for projects that benefitted those in power and a chosen few. ********************** Those in favour to save the Pasti, had tried their best including holding several demonstrations and distributing cards and leaflets to gain support from residents but finally they had to give way to ‘the powerful oppressor’. ********************* The demolition of the Pasti building is unjust and cruel actions of Barisan Nasional (BN) government upon the people especially children as their place of learning had been torn down. ******************* Prior to this, they did they carried out all sort of tactics including summoning the Pasti’s administrators to court, accusing teachers of preaching Islamic knowledge without permit from the Islamic religious council. But the cases are still pending, thus those in power have lost their patience in seeing that the Pasti’s activities ceased. ******************** Several other Pasti buildings in the state slapped with demolition orders by the city council, including those accused of not having Certificate of Fitness (CF). ********************* Regarding the demolition of Pasti Jaya Insan, former Melaka PAS State Chief, Ustaz Abdul Ghani Abdul Rahmanhad this to say: “PAS do not go against development but leaders must be fair to all. Our country is on the brink of collapsing because cronyism is flourishing, corrupt leaders are still being elected because the practice of cronyism. I do hope the people who have power to elect leaders through elections; wll get rid of these leaders who are very afraid of loosing power. Whatever their reasons (tearing down the Pasti building), we do not agree and we will fight to the end because their action is an act of cruelty to their political rivals with the misuse of government machinery in getting their dirty agenda fulfilled.” ******************* Regarding the latest development about Pasti Jaya Insan, I was told its operations had been shifted to a new building in Taman Merak, Bukit Katil. Insya-Allah (God willing), this Pasti would produce pious men and women in the future; they would know what is ‘halal’ and ‘haram’. ***************** They would also learn that the du’a (supplication) of those being oppressed would not be rejected by The Almighty for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had said to Mua’ad Ibn Jabal; “Beware of the supplication of the unjustly treated, because there is no shelter or veil between it (the supplication of the one who is suffering injustice) and Allah.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Pendidikan percuma matlamat Pakatan Rakyat

***************** DENGAN nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. *************** Renungan ************** Daripada Aisyah r.a., berkata: "Saya mendengar Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: 'Semua manusia dikumpulkan tanpa memakai alas kaki, telanjang dan belum dikhatan.' Aisyah bertanya; 'Apakah antara lelaki dan perempuan akan saling melihat antara satu dengan yang lain?' Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: 'Urusan pada hari itu lebih dahsyat daripada mementingkan hal-hal seperti itu.'" (HR. Bukhari dan Muslim) ************* Sepanjang Mei kita merayakan pelbagai hari istimewa seperti Hari Pekerja, Hari Ibu, Hari Guru dan Hari Jururawat yang semuanya membawa pengertian sangat besar bagi setiap insan. Bagi melahirkan sebuah tamadun hebat, sejajar dengan pengorbanan semua peringkat masyarakat daripada ibu bapa sehinggalah pekerja, setiap insan perlukan pendidikan terbaik sama ada dari segi keperluan keduniaan atau akhirat. ****************** Masa depan negara bergantung kepada generasi mudanya. Mereka wajar mendapat pendidikan terbaik termasuk bimbingan kerohanian bagi membolehkan generasi akan datang memberi sumbangan bermakna kepada agama, bangsa dan tanah airnya. Namun demikian, kos pendidikan semakin lama semakin tinggi, suatu hari nanti dikhuatiri tidak mampu ditanggung golongan sederhana sekalipun. Perkembangan ini sungguh membimbangkan kerana pendidikan sebenarnya adalah keperluan asas yang didambakan setiap rakyat. ************************** Mengapa kos yang dikenakan ke atas anak bangsa berterusan naik sedangkan negara didakwa sebagai paling berkembang maju dan dinamik di kalangan negara-negara sedang membangun? Malah ada pemimpin mendakwa Malaysia sudah mencapai taraf negara maju. Hakikatnya, di banyak negara maju seperti Britain, Sweden dan Finland pendidikan adalah percuma sedangkan ibu bapa di negara kita dikenakan bayaran yang berterusan bertambah pada sesi baru persekolahan. ********************** Kini pengajian peringkat tinggi di ambang menerima kemasukan pelajar baru dan kita difahamkan setiap pelajar dikehendaki membayar yuran yang berjumlah lebih RM500. Bagi meringkan beban ibu bapa, Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional (PTPTN) memberi pendahuluan pinjaman RM1,500 bagi setiap pelajar baru. Ertinya sebelum seseorang pelajar itu memasuki institusi pengajian tinggi, dia sudah mula mengumpul hutang; selepas tamat pengajian beberapa tahun kemudian, berapa agaknya hutang terkumpulnya kepada PTPTN? ******************* Hutang pendidikan begitu membebankan rakyat, terutama generasi muda yang baru menempoh dunia pekerjaan. Akibat terlalu banyak komitmen, pelbagai masalah termasuk dari segi sosial akan membelenggu sekali gus menjejaskan kemajuan dan kesejahteraan negara. Kini timbul desakan agar PTPTN ini dikaji semua termasuk dihapuskan agar diberikan pendidikan percuma kepada rakyat. ********************* Ketua Sekretariat Pakatan Rakyat, Salahuddin Ayub, tidak lama dulu berkata perkembangan ini membuktikan bahawa betapa pentingnya rakyat memberi kepercayaan kepada Pakatan Rakyat untuk mentadbir negara atau sekurang-kurangnya menghantar lebih ramai wakil Pakatan di Dun dan Parlimen bagi membolehkan suara dan kepentingan mereka didengar pihak pemerintah. ********************** Pakatan Rakyat memberi komitmen menyediakan pendidikan percuma kepada semua rakyat Malaysia, daripada peringkat tadika sehinggalah ke pengajian ijazah pertama, kata beliau yang juga Anggota Majlis Tertinggi Pakatan Rakyat. *********************** Salahuddin berkata pendidikan percuma itu adalah antara perkara terbesar akan cuba dilaksanakan Pakatan Rakyat apabila berjaya menguasai kerajaan Pusat; oleh itu seluruh rakyat perlu menyatakan sokongan kepadanya pada pilihan raya umum ke-13 nanti. ********************* Katanya, pendidikan percuma itu adalah berdasarkan Perkara 153 Perlembagaan Persekutuan yang mana antara lain menyatakan hak bumiputera untuk berdaya saing dengan kaum lain; salah satu carannya melalui pendidikan. ******************** “Kami di Pakatan Rakyat bercadang melanjutkannya kepada semua kaum; semua pihak terutama pelajar yang memerlukan akan dibantu sepenuhnya agar semua rakyat berpeluang mendapat pendidikan daripada tadika sehinggalah ke pengajian tingggi,” katanya. ******************** Salahuddin yang juga Naib Presiden PAS, yakin berdasarkan perolehan negara termasuk melalui pencukaiannya dan keuntungan puluhan bilion ringgit oleh Petronas, membolehkan rancangan pendidikan percuma itu dijayakan. Menurut beliau jika kerajaan mentadbir kewangan negara dengan telus, tidak timbul soal untuk memotong peruntukan dengan banyaknya dalam bidang pendidikan.

Perjalanan Bersihku (4): Orang kampung pun mahu demokrasi

**************** DENGAN nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. **************** Renungan ******************* Daripada Aisyah r.a., berkata: "Saya mendengar Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: 'Semua manusia dikumpulkan tanpa memakai alas kaki, telanjang dan belum dikhatan.' Aisyah bertanya; 'Apakah antara lelaki dan perempuan akan saling melihat antara satu dengan yang lain?' Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: 'Urusan pada hari itu lebih dahsyat daripada mementingkan hal-hal seperti itu.'" (HR. Bukhari dan Muslim) ************* TERKEJUT saya apabila disapa seorang penduduk kampung saya ketika perhimpunan Bersih 3.0 tempoh hari. Ketika itu saya dalam perjalanan ke Masjid India untuk solat zuhur. Tak sangka saya dia sanggup bersusah payah datang ke KL sedangkan jika dia bercuti daripada bisnes kecil-kecilannya, pendapatan hariannya sifar! *********************** “Aku mahu saksikan dengan mata kepala ini sendiri. Selama ini aku bergantung kepada TV dan surat khabar, tetapi sekarang barulah aku tahu banyak bahan berita mereka ini temberang saja,” katanya yang baru pertama kali merasai ‘nikmat’ terkena gas pemedih mata dan air kimia. Dia saya ketemui sekali lagi di kampung seminggu selepas kejadian. ********************* ‘Hadiah’ gas pemedih mata itu benar-benar menguji seseorang sehinggakan di dalam Masjid India sendiri pun pada kira-kira jam 3.15 petang, saya saksikan seorang lelaki yang tidak tahan sabar, telah bertindak memaki hamun pihak berkuasa. Bayangkan begitu ……nya sang penguasa sehingga mereka yang mahu menghadap Allah dalam rumah-Nya pun dihadiahkan ‘kepedihan itu’. ********************** Dari luar masjid kedengaran beberapa bunyi tembakan dan apabila saya bergegas ke jendela masjid, kelihatan orang ramai memegang dan menenangkan seorang wanita pertengahan umur yang menjerit-jerit, mahu menerkam seorang anggota polis. Hebat wanita ini, mungkin dia sudah tidak dapat mengawal diri kesan hiduan asap dan air kimia, dia mahu mengamuk, tidak kira apa akan berlaku kerana mungkin semangat Hang Jebat sudah meresap dalam jiwanya! ********************** Ketika di dalam masjid, teringat saya akan cakap-cakap kawan sekampung saya temui sebelum itu. Ya dia mahu menyaksikan sendiri usaha rakyat menegakkan demokrasi di negara ini. Mereka mahukan pilihan raya yang bersih dan adil. Rakan saya itu sedar bahawa demokrasi di peringkat kampung pun sudah mati. Tidak bersih dan tidak adil. Malah tiada demokrasi pun. ************************* Dia ambil contoh pemilihan AJK masjid. Jika dulu bagi setiap penggal, akan diadakan pemilihan di masjid tetapi sekarang mana ada lagi pemilihan. Dia masih ingat, dulu pada mesyuarat pemilihan, jemaah akan mengangkat tangan memilih pengerusi masjid dan ahli jawatan kuasanya, sekarang semuanya sudah jadi sejarah. *********************** Semua jawatan dalam masjid adalah lantikan. Pengerusi masjid dilantik, timbalannya juga dilantik, demikian juga setiausaha dan bendahari serta AJK-nya. Ertinya semuanya ke jawatan itu adalah atas dasar perkenan pihak tertentu; orang kampung (ahli kariah) atau lebih tepat lagi jemaah masjid tidak berpeluang ‘mengamalkan demokrasi’. Apakah demokrasi sudah mati? *********************** Jika dulu orang kampung berpeluang memastikan hanya ‘kaki masjid’ memikul tanggungjawab besar di masjid, kini kesempatan itu sudah tertutup rapat. Kroni pula mengambil tempat. Ada kalanya orang tak ke masjid atau jarang ke masjid mengisi kedudukan tertinggi, aduhai alangkah malangnya…itulah sebabnya ada masjid dan surau ‘sudah mati’ atau ‘sedang menunggu kematiannya’. ********************** Demokrasi di peringkat kampung sudah mati. Jangan pula hendaknya demokrasi peringkat negara pun mati…maka sebab itulah kawan sekampung saya itu sanggup meninggalkan bisnesnya pada 28 April lalu…dia mahu melihat keadaan sebenar, adakah hal yang dialaminya di peringkat kampung telah merebak ke peringkat nasional; apakah rakyat tidak boleh bersuara lagi hatta mengangkat tangan dalam pemilihan pemimpin. ******************* Kita bimbang, jika hal ‘mengangkat tangan’ tidak lagi laku di masjid itu akan merebak sehingga rakyat tidak boleh lagi ‘memangkah’ di kertas undi pula, katanya. ******************** Mana tak bimbang kerana sudah ada rakyat mendapati diri mereka secara tiba-tiba tidak layak mengundi…kerana kad pengenalan mereka digunakan pengundi hantu…tetapi SPR berkata pengundian di negara kita adalah yang terbersih di dunia…jadi boleh ‘caya’kah berdasarkan apa yang berlaku di peringkat kampung tu?

Akhiri penjajahan sesama bangsa

***************** Dengan Nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang, selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. *************** Renungan *************** "Wafatkanlah aku dan keadaan Islam dan gabungkanlah aku dengan orang-orang saleh." (Maksud Ayat 101 Surah Yusuf) **************** KETIKA membaca fitnah media arus perdana mengenai gambar sekumpulan rakyat Malaysia yang berpakaian kuning dan mempamerkan kain pemidang sempena perhimpunan Bersih di seluruh dunia termasuk di Makkah dan Madinah, saya teringat sebuah hadis yang bermaksud: Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri r.a. berkata, Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: "Setiap penipu mempunyai tanda-tanda yang ditancap di belakangnya, setinggi tipuannya. Ingatlah tiada penipu yang lebih besar daripada ketua negara atau pemimpin rakyat." (HR. Muslim) - sumber kitab Riadhus Shalihin. ******************** Sebagai seorang insan yang sudah beberapa kali ke Tanah Suci, saya percaya apa yang digembar-gemburkan mengenai sejumlah kecil rakyat Malaysia yang berkumpul bagi menyatakan sokongan kepada Bersih 3.0, adalah terlebih sudu daripada kuah. ************************* Saya yakin aksi mereka tidak dipedulikan sangat oleh pihak berkuasa Saudi - kerana mereka hanya berpakaian kuning, kemudian ber'posing' dan membuka kain pemidang untuk diambil gambar; selepas itu semuanya selesai - mereka kembali beribadat di masjid atau kembali ke hotel masing-masing. Itu saja yang mereka lakukan, pihak berkuasa Arab Saudi pun tidak peduli sangat, lagikan kain pemidang pun dalam bahasa Melayu. *********************** Tetapi pemimpin di tanah air kita terlebih lagak, seolah-olah rakyat Malaysia berkenaan telah melakukan kesalahan sangat serius, mereka membuat aduan kepada pihak berkuasa Saudi (betulkah mereka telah buat laporan?) dan kemudian memaklumkan kepada seluruh rakyat melalui media massa pengampu mereka, kononnya pihak Arab Saudi begitu marah sekali dan mungkin mengambil tindakan drastik termasuklah menjejaskan kemasukan jemaah haji dan umrah Malaysia ke Tanah Suci. ************************ Saya umpamakan kehadiran jemaah berpakaian kuning itu bagaikan seorang makcik miskin peniaga kecil Melayu yang tiada lesen, dia menjual sedikit kuih-muih di tepi jalan; selama bertahun-tahun pihak berkuasa tempatan tidak mengambil peduli ke atas makcik itu tetapi suatu hari seorang Mat Dengki telah membuat aduan, menuduh yang bukan-bukan terhadap penjaja itu; jadi mahu tak mahu terpaksalah pihak berkuasa bertindak; sang penguat kuasa dengan berat hati terpaksa merobohkan gerai mak cik itu. Dalam kes di Makkah dan Madinah itu, mengapa dijolok sarang tebuan. Kata orang tak ada pasal, mengapa cari pasal. ***************** Tidak lama lagi umat Islam akan menyambut Israk Mikraj. Saban tahun umat Islam Malaysia dihidangkan dengan kisah israk dan mikraj Nabi Muhammad s.a.w., namun satu persoalan penting adakah iktibar kisah itu dapat diamalkan dalam kehidupan kita? ********************** Sewajarnya umat manusia - Islam dan bukan Islam - mencontohi Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. dalam kehidupan mereka. ********************** Bagi yang bukan Islam boleh mengambil nilai-nilai universal seperti keadilan dan sebagainya, lebih-lebih lagi Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. adalah membawa rahmat kepada seluruh alam. ********************** Kejayaan Nabi Muhammad sebagai pemimpin duniawi dan kerohanian diiktiraf dunia sehingga Michael H Hart dalam bukunya, ‘The 100, A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History’, menulis: “My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world’s most influential persons may be surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religion and secular level." ************************ Berdasarkan kemelut politik negara kita sekarang ini, adalah penting untuk merujuk Sirah Nabi termasuklah israk mikraj dan perpindahan baginda (hijrah) daripada kota Makkah ke Madinah dan kemudian kembali semula ke Makkah untuk membebaskan tanah airnya sendiri. **************************** Persoalan besar di sini mengapa Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. dan mengikutnya perlu membebaskan bangsa dan tanah airnya sendiri? Bukankah kaum yang menguasai kota Makkah adalah sama seperti baginda sendiri, suku Quraisy daripada bangsa Arab. Buat apa Rasulullah s.a.w. memerdekakan bangsanya sedangkan yang berkuasa adalah bangsanya sendiri? ********************************** Jika dibuat perbandingkan berdasarkan senario negara ini sekarang ini, buat apa dimerdekakan bangsa Melayu daripada kekuasaan orang Melayu sendiri sedangkan bangsa inilah yang berkuasa. Sebenarnya kemerdekaan bukan saja bermaksud mengakhiri penjajahan sesuatu bangsa ke atas bangsa lain atau kuasa asing ke atas umat yang lemah. ***************************** Kemerdekaan juga bermaksud mengakhiri penjajahan sesuatu bangsa ke atas bangsanya sendiri. Rasulullah s.a.w. berjuang untuk membebaskan bangsa baginda (Quraisy) daripada penjajahan mental ketua suku kaumnya. **************************** Hampir 10 tahun selepas berhijrah ke Madinah, barulah baginda dapat memerdekakan penduduk Makkah daripada amalan datuk nenek moyang mereka seperti menyembah berhala, membunuh anak perempuan dan menilik (sihir). Selepas pembersihan kota suci Makkah, barulah Islam dapat berkembang dengan pesat di seluruh Jazirah Arab. ************************** Bagi orang Melayu yang merdeka jiwanya, tentulah kemerdekaan itu tidak hanya bermaksud bebas daripada cengkaman penjajah British saja. Ramai yang berkata penjajahan dalam bentuk fizikal mungkin tidak berulang tetapi cengkaman kuasa asing dalam bentuk lain masih wujud. Contohnya penjajahan dari segi ekonomi dan budaya. **************************** Hari ini kita dapat saksikan kebenaran dakwaan ini. Dari segi ekonomi, kita masih bergantung kepada kuasa besar perdagangan yang bukan di kalangan negara membangun manakala globalisasi menyaksikan penduduk dunia amat mengenal KFC, MacDonald's, Coke dan sebagainya sehinggakan di kota suci Makkah pun terdapat premis perniagaan gergasi ini. ***************************** Kita juga amat dipengaruhi dunia hiburan Hollywood dan Bollywood, sekali gus mengesahkan kita sebenarnya tidak merdeka dalam erti kata sebenarnya. ***************************** Jika kita menghayati apa yang berlaku kepada bangsa Melayu sendiri, kita akan sedar dalam banyak segi kita masih jauh daripada maksud kemerdekaan itu. Orang Melayu masih hidup dalam kelompok-kelompok tertentu dengan kumpulan berkuasa menjajah kumpulan yang tiada kuasa. ***************************** Kumpulan tiada kuasa berterusan ditekan, hatta dalam menyatakan pandangan masing-masing. Itulah sebabnya ada guru dipindahkan jauh-jauh, pegawai kerajaan disekat kenaikan pangkat dan pelajar dinafikan hak mereka jika mereka dikesan menyokong pembangkang. Jelaslah bangsa dan negara, dalam sesetengah hal, belum merdeka lagi. ************************ Penindasan dalam bentuk apa didakwa golongan Umnoputera ke atas orang Melayu lain adalah hebat, jadi tidak tepat untuk menyatakan kita sudah merdeka. Orang Melayu menjajah orang Melayu termasuk dari segi mentalnya. Jika Rasulullah s.a.w. berjuang bermati-matian memerdekaan bangsanya daripada penjajah jahiliah, adalah penting untuk orang Melayu dibebaskan daripada penjajahan kelompok orang Melayu feudal yang mahu mencengkam bangsanya 'dulu, kini dan selamanya'. *************************** Berdasarkan senario ini, adalah amat penting untuk anak-anak muda menimba ilmu sebanyak mungkin serta bersemangat waja bagi memerdekan bangsanya daripada terus dijajah termasuk oleh bangsanya sendiri. Janganlah asyik-asyik hendak lompat atau keluar parti demi memenuhi nafsu sendiri. *************************** Penjajahan sesama bangsa ini kerap diungkapkan oleh seorang tokoh PAS, Mohamad Sabu yang berkata rakyat perlukan kemerdekaan kedua, membebaskan mereka daripada cengkaman penguasa feudal yang sebangsa dengan mereka. Ayuh, gerakan usaha bagi kemerdekaan kedua ini!

Love your mother, mother and mother…

**************** In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful; blessings and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. ***************** Reflection ***************** The Declining Day (Al-'Asr) **************** 1. By the declining day, ******************* 2. Lo! Man is in a state of loss, ******************** 3. Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance. *************************** MOTHER’S day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May. This year the celebration falls on the 13th May. In this column I would like to pay tribute to all mothers especially that special woman who had moulded me into what I am today. She’s none other than my mother. ****************** Since a few years back I was responsible for her well being, almost every Wednedsday I had to take the day off to take her to the Melaka Hospital for her weekly consultation and appointment. Nowdays she needs to go to the hospital or community clinic almost daily and that this was one reason I decided to opt for an early retirement at the age of 50. ******************** After retiring, several readers had SMS and called me asking me not to abandon my column and this gave me encouragement and strength to slog on. ********************* My mother is a full time housewife; very busy in bringing up her children – eight of them, I am the second in the family. Almost all my siblings including myself went to residential schools; I must admit during those schooling years I was not too close to my mother because time spent at home was limited only to school holidays. ********************* To be able to enter secondary residential schools, one had to pass with flying colours at primary level. During those primary years, I witnessed how my mother who was very young (she married at 14 and perhaps at that time she was not even 25 years old) toiled to prepare the food for my siblings and me to take for the afternoon session school. ********************* During those years, my family did not have a gas stove. Cooking was done by using firewood. It was difficult to start a fire especially when the wood was wet during rainy days or seasons. I witnessed how my mother scrambled to do her work – washing the clothes, cleaning and sweeping the house and then do the cooking at the same time attending to the needs of my younger siblings who were toddlers and babies. ******************** Yes, it was very difficult to start a fire during the North East moonson season as strong winds (my kampung folks called it ‘Angin Utara’) blew into the village. My mother lighted pieces of old newspaper or rubber cut from old bicycle tubes and tyres and put them under the firewood. *********************** But it was no easy work to make the wood burn, so my mother had to blow and blow the stove. One morning I saw her face blackened from her work. It was hard work just to boil water, cook rice and fry fish or eggs and mould them with ketchup or ‘sambal’ (gravy) so that her children would be able to bring coffee and rice to school. The food had to be readied early as the school bus came at 11.00 am. We would be at school until 6.00 in the evening. ********************* When I was in Standard Two, one day my rice ration which was kept in my school bag overturned; ketchup made marks on my books. I tried hard to wipped off traces of the ketchup marks but was in vain. So for the whole year in Standard Two almost all of my books had ketcup marks on them. *********************** Looking at the ‘ketchup books’, I could not help but kept thinking of my mother. I knew she had sacrified a lot for her children, so to make her happy I thought why not I study hard to please her. It worked, and Alhamdulillah (God willing), I scored 5A’s in the Standard Five Assessment Examination, and a year later I enrolled at the prestigious Malay College Kuala Kangsar. ************************* As regarding to Mother’s Day, I called upon men whose mothers are still alive to devote energy and time to give the best of help to them. It is common knowledge that majority men would give priority to their wives rather than to their mothers, what’s more if they are beautiful and do have in terms of worldy prossessions. A scholar had risen out this point beautifully: “Nowadays, a husband is allowed to witness his wife’s labour when she is delivering. Some husbands video-tape the event; they could witness great pain of their wives’ suffering. But do not only think about your wife’s suffering, remember your mother too experienced the same pain when was delivering you decades ago. ********************** “Please men out there; there should be no doubt or uncertainty that your mothers experienced and endured labour, giving birth with a great deal of difficulty, a great deal of labour pains, a great deal of suffering and pains. ******************* “So you should knelt at the feet of you mother, seeking forgiveness for you had always sided your wife, giving priority to her above your mother!” ****************** A few days before writing this piece, I received by post ‘a precious gift’ (a book entitled ‘Let Us Remember Allah – For the Gift of Love in Our Hearts) from the writer herself, Dr Safiah Osman, a government servant retiree from Petaling Jaya. She signed the book with a note; “Sdr (Brother) LanH, may Allah SWT richly bless you and your family.” *********************** Alhamdulillah, I was very lucky indeed to have received that gift a few days before we celebrated Mother’s Day. In her book which was published by Muslim Aid Asia Sdn Bhd, Dr Safiah who was a Professor of Language Education at the University of Malaya and also a Professor of Language Education and Director for International Relations at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) Tanjung Malim, discussed 39 topics on love beginning with ‘Love for parents’ and ending with ‘Love for those who are not greedy and miserly’. ******************* Dr Safiah said the aim of her writing the book is to create awareness, especially amongst the young people of the world, of the need to thank Allah SWT for His clear reminders that there must be love, fondness and kindness in our hearts. ***************** Regarding ‘Love for Mothers’ which is timely during this special celebration of Mother’s Day, among others Dr Safiah wrote: “There is nothing which can measure the depths of a mother’s love. Her love is endless, boundless, and limitless without boundaries. When all around us there is a great deal of grief and misery, a great deal of heedlessness, carelessness, thanklessness and inconsiderateness, a mother’s immense love shines through the darkness, glowing with her cheerfulness, kindness and goodness. ****************** “Truthy, there is no greater love than a mother’s love. It is a love wich restrains us from walking off alone into the wilderness, into life’s wilderness and dreadful darkness. ******************* Let us keep in mind what Prophet Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him – pbuh) said: “Love your mother, love you mother, love your mother and then love your father.” ******************** The complete version of this hadith which was narrated by Abu Hurairah is: A man came to Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) and said, “O Allah’s Messenger! Who is more entitled to be treated with the best companionship by me?” The Prophet (pbuh) said, “Your mother.” The man said, “Who is next?” The Prophet (pbuh) said, “Your mother.” The man further said, “Who is next?” The Prophet (pbuh) said, “Your mother.” The man asked (for the fourth time), “Who is next?” The Prophet (pbuh) said, “Your father.” (Al-Bukhari – Hadith No. 5971) **************** Happy Mother's Day. 'MAK', I love you! And 'PAK' too!

Perjalanan Bersihku (3): Kebangkitan anak muda cemaskan penguasa

****************** Dengan nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. ****************** Renungan ***************** "Dan jika kamu menghitung nikmat Allah, tidaklah dapat kamu menghitungnya." (Ibrahim:34) ******************* KETIKA panas mentari membakar kulit, saya tidak boleh bersabar lagi duduk dalam kumpulan ribuan orang ramai yang berhimpun di atas jalan raya di sisi Dataran Merdeka itu. Saya pun bangun, menguak laluan; baik isi perut sebelum saya pengsan, maklumlah saya penghidap kencing manis dan darah tinggi, nanti menyusahkan orang ramai pula, fikir saya. ******************** Saya pun berjalan-jalan di lorong belakang Masjid India; eh, di bahagian belakang beberapa kedai (restoran mamak) mengapa ada orang beratur panjang? Apabila dekat, barulah saya tahu mereka beratur untuk masuk tandas. Ah, terasa situasi macam di Makkah (termasuk Mina dan Arafah) serta Madinah pula; orang yang hendak menggunakan tandas terpaksa beratur panjang, satu barisan ada lebih 10 orang. ******************* Selepas lega menunaikan hajat, saya pun makan di restoran mamak itu. Oiii, pelangan terlalu ramai. Kaya mamak berkenaan hari itu. Bisnes sangat laris. Saya ‘pekena’ nasi briani, seekor sotong dan acar; harganya mak oiii – RM11 tanpa air! Kalaulah ramai peniaga kreatif untuk berniaga seperti mamak ini, insya-Allah mereka akan untung besar, tidaklah merungut-rungut seperti sesetengah peniaga yang terus tutup bisnes. ********************** Saya amat-amati muka-muka orang yang makan di restoran itu. Banyak orang muda. Ini satu perkembangan sangat menarik. Pada rapat umum Bersih 1.0 dan Bersih 2.0, orang muda tidak seghairah Bersih 3.0 ini. ******************** Pada pandangan saya yang dangkal ini, kehadiran ribuan anak-anak muda inilah yang menyebabkan kelangsungan perhimpunan boleh bertahan lama sehingga jam 8.00 malam sedangkan pada perhimpunan lalu, pada jam 4.00 atau 5.00 petang sudah bubar, peserta terutama yang ‘tua’ macam saya ini siang-siang lagi sudah ‘cabut’ selepas dihadiahkan 'ciuman' gas pemedih mata dan disimbah air kimia. ********************* Kehebatan anak-anak muda ini saya saksikan sendiri dari platform LRT Masjid Jamek antara jam 6.00-7.00 petang ketika saya mahu balik. Di bawah stesen itu (Jalan Tun Perak) mereka berkumpul beramai-ramai (mencari kekuatan selepas perhimpunan disuraikan secara paksa dengan tembakan air kimia dan gas pemedih mata sejak jam 3.00 petang), kemudian bergerak ke Dataran Merdeka. Seketika kemudian mereka dalam lingkungan 500 orang melarikan diri dikejar kira-kira 50 anggota polis. ******************* Adegan di kawasan berkenaan pada waktu itu menarik hati saya. Sejurus polis berundur selepas pemuda-pemuda berkenaan ‘cabut’, mereka berkumpul kembali dan bergerak sekali lagi ke Dataran Merdeka. Kemudian mereka dikejar lagi oleh polis. Mereka berkumpul kembali, bergerak lagi dan dikejar oleh polis. ‘Drama kejar-mengejar’ ini ‘panjang dan lama episodnya’ – ini satu pemandangan yang tidak pernah saya saksikan dalam mana-mana demonstrasi yang pernah saya hadiri. ****************** Ketika berada di stesen itu, saya berbual-bual dengan beberapa anggota polis (ramai juga polis berhemah, mereka juga manusia biasa macam kita), yang mendakwa sebahagian anak-anak muda yang melakukan tentangan itu adalah pelajar universiti dan mereka yang baru tamat pengajian. Mereka orang muda, tenaga mereka ‘membuak-buak’ jadi dapatlah mereka melakukan tentangan yang berterusan. ***************** Menurut mereka, ada ‘budak-budak itu’ sudah lama ‘duduk-duduk’ di Dataran Merdeka; mereka membuat bantahan dalam isu PTPTN. Kali ini mereka bergabung pula dalam himpunan Bersih, jadi bertambahlah kekuatan tenaga Bersih 3.0 ****************** Petang itu orang ramai bebas masuk stesen LRT Masjid Jamek; orang ramai dikawal oleh beberapa anggota polis. Sistem pembelian tiket (token) tidak berfungsi. Hairan saya, ke mana perginya kakitangan perkhidmatan kereta api ringan itu? Polis suruh masuk, apabila kereta api sampai, penumpang disuruh masuk, tanpa perlu tiket atau guna kad prabayar. ***************** Pemandangan di stesen Masjid Jamek petang itu menyentuh hati saya. Polis baik, orang awam pun baik; polis bersedia membantu orang awam, inilah yang rakyat dambakan, bukannya seperti adegan yang berlaku di bawah stesen berkenaan – polis kejar rakyat (pelajar) yang mara menuju Dataran Merdeka. Bukankah dataran itu ‘sudah merdeka’, kalau belum, lebih baik namakan ‘Dataran Penjajah!’

Bersih: Spreading the message of love

***************** In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful; blessings and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. ****************** Reflection ****************** The Declining Day (Al-'Asr) 1. By the declining day, 2. Lo! Man is in a state of loss, 3. Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance. **************************** ATTENTING rallies such as the just concluded Bersih 3.0 in Kuala Lumpur recently, did not give participants any material gains. In fact one would have to fork out extra money to pay for transportation, food and drinks (28th April was really a hot day) and sacrifice one's precious time especially to those who were self employed; they would not be having income on that particular day. ******************** Participants from far away places such as Kedah, Kelantan and perhaps Sabah and Sarawak had to be away from work at least two or three days; they had sacrificed their family, work and other commitments. ***************** But what made people from all walks of life ready to scarify their time, energy, money and ‘body’ (remember some were beaten badly on that fateful day and not to talk about the thousands who had to gasp for air and had irritation eyes and skin after the police showered them with water laced with chemicals and tear gas) just to be present at the gathering? ******************** There must be reason and purpose for it, the people could not be simply be there just to create havoc as claimed by certain quarters especially top guns of the ruling party. In Islam, every action is considered a good deed and would be rewarded handsomely by Allah SWT the Almighty. If the ‘niat’ (intention) is line with what He told us to do and what we should abstain from then there will be rewards. If the intention to attend the rally was to please and fulfil what God told us to do, then it would bring us benefit in the world and in the Hereafter. ************************ During the ‘big day’, I arrived early (about 8.00am) and have ‘a seat’ (remember the theme of the gathering was ‘Duduk & Bantah’ – Sit and Protest) on the road (the entrance of Jalan Raja) leading to Dataran Merdeka. Of course I could not just sit in one spot for hours but roamed around freely and one time, I took the oppourtunity to speak to a Chinese middle aged man who was seating next to me. ************************* Vincent said he was there because of his love to the country. He wanted to see the country administrated and in the safe hands of leaders upon whom the ‘rakyat’ could trust. “You see, it is the right of the ‘rakyat’ to gather and speak out their minds to those in power. But why must we being denied of this right? If this ‘small issue’ could not be fulfilled, then what’s the point talking about bigger things?” ******************************** He then pointed about the demands of the group called ‘Bersih’ (a Malay acronym for ‘Gabungan Pilihan Raya Bebas dan Adil’ - Coalition for Free and Fair Elections) which the government (specifically SPR), were reluctant to comply with. ************************** Vincent did not talk about the demands but in front of us, many participants were wearing yellow ‘Bersih’ T-shirts with eight demands of the group printed clearly on them – a thorough review of the electoral roll; reforms to the postal balloting process, marking voters who have cast their ballots with indelible ink; a minimum 21 days campaign period; equitable access to media by participating parties; strengthen institutions which enforces election laws; eradicating electoral bribery; and putting a stop to dirty politics. *************************** “I don’t understand why they are against all these good things (Bersih’s demands)? It is good for the future of the country and the young generation. Could you tell me if any of the demands are against or contradict in the process of nation building? Why they are afraid of these demands if they are trustworthy and clean?” ******************* Vincent talked about the love for the country. Then during the gathering especially after the police fired tear gas on the public beginning at about 3.00 pm, I witness ‘the message of love’ here and there. ***************************** Malays, Chinese, Indians and even the indigenous people of Sabah and Sarawak were seen helping each other. A Chinese youth offered some salt to a Malay man; a group comprising Malays, Indians and Chinese were seen coaxing and restraining a Malay woman from running amok (she was cursing on top of her voice) to attack a policeman after the latter fired tear gas near Masjid India compound. ************************* Yes, the people had love for each other; forgetting the differences in the form of races, language, religion and so on. Perhaps they had one thing common in their minds – fighting against the brutality of ‘this regime’. *************************** Mind you, some people from the crowd especially the youth only put in some form of 'resistance’ after the police had showered them with tear gas and chemical-laced water. At about 6.30 pm from the platform of the Masjid Jamek LRT station, I could see clearly ‘the war’ between a group of about 500 Bersih youth and about 50 policemen below the station. ********************** At one time, some policemen were chasing the youths but the next moment after gaining momentum, the youths were running after the men in uniform. That scenario kept on repeating a few times; why must there be ‘war’ between the youths and policemen? ********************* The men in blue (or black?) were there to maintained order but sad to say they were involved in an ‘undeclared war’ with the Bersih youth. From far I noticed the policemen were without pistols and guns, if not I was afraid the situation might be out of control because when ‘young people take laws into their own hands’, the consequences would be fatal for the country. ******************** In my opinion, the country’s future would be in jeopardy if the two sides (protestors and the men in uniform) lose their ‘love’ for each other. The protestors should have respected the policemen and the men in blue should have mercy on the protesters. ****************** Both sides should know their limitations; the men in blue were only carrying out orders from their top bosses who wanted to be in power ‘dulu, kini dan selamanya’ (before, now and forever). Remember we are fighting against the regime and not the men in blue! ******************** Perhaps some insights into events in other countries such as Indonesia (during the fall of Suharto) and USSR (the fall of Kremlin) where the men in uniform suddenly turned sides in a 180 degree turn to be with the people could give inspiration to our ‘rakyat’ – the men in blue included! ******************* Only the ‘message of love’ could topple the regime, a fierce resistance may only be met by a much fiercer one; a general or a prime minister does not fall in wars but becomes tame in the soft hands of a lady! ******************** To cut a diamond you need to use water. Hard and precious rocks too are cut by using water to turn them into usable item such as tiles! ********************** Remember love melts people, not war. So send the message of love throughout the country if we wanted to end the rule of this regime!