Oftentimes, it is necessary to remind yourself that though you may have collective responsibility in society, you are not the collective but an individual.
This becomes essential in maintaining mental and emotional stability, a sense of morality and ethics and personal direction, especially in a society that has become characterized by confusion and disorder. As an individual, you certainly do not wish to identify with the chaotic society, assuming of course that you had not actively contributed to it.
Our contemporary society, with respect, has become chaotic as it is seen to manifest confusion and disorder at many levels.
Let us look at the political situation in Malaysia.
The society is still, with the puerile belief, that politics alone will solve our fundamental problems. Hence, the media and our entire life is largely bombarded with political news.
Saya amat khuatir bahawa rakyat tampak mudah terpengaruh
dengan permainan politik dalam Negara sehingga hilang pertimbangan dari
pelbagai aspek.
Pertama, kita jangan lupa bahawa untuk Malaysia
maju dan jaya, kita perlukan perpaduan yang jitu diantara kita bersama. Kita tidak boleh dipecah belahkan
dengan isu-isu perkauman atau agama. Muslim yang mengetahui Al_Quran nya akan sedar
bahawa Allah telah memberi tunjuk ajar dalam Kitab nya bahawa akan ada manusia
yang akan gunakan perkauman dan agama untuk memecahbelahkan manusia. Apabila
Rakyat bercakaran bersama mereka, mudah lah bagi politikus yang tidak
bertanggungjawap serta rakus kuasa menjalankan ajenda jahatnya.
Keduanya, Rakyat wajib sedar bahawa kekuatan
mereka ialah kerjasama diantara mereka untuk kebaikan bersama Rakyat dan Negara. Didalam konteks ini, jangan lah
Rakyat yang sudah pun lemah melemahkan lagi diri sendiri dengan melebelkan
rakyat-rakyat dengan meletakkan mereka dalam kotak-kotak permusuhan. Sebagai
contoh, jangan kita mudah terpedaya bahawa mereka yang sokong dasar atau kerja
kerajaan semestinya tidak baik atau yang menyokong pembangkang semestinya baik.
Jelas, sebahagian pembangkang hari ini pun tidak semestinya bermatlamatkan
kesejahteraan Rakyat. Kita harus lihat pada apa kah yang di sokong dan apakah
kerja yang di buat. Saya percaya rakyat
yang ikhlas boleh menyumbang kepada kebaikan bersama dan Negara, dimana sahaja
ia berada, tanpa di kotori oleh proses politik ekstrim.
Ketiga, Rakyat harus mahu belajar berfikir secara
objektif dan tidak mudah di tarik ke hulu atau ke hilir melalui emosi mereka. Jangan yang dewasa di kanak kanakkan
kerana malas untuk berfikir atau cenderung kepada semangat kosong. Pihak rakus
kuasa tahu bahawa kelemahan manusia ialah ketiadaan kepakaran mengawal emosi.
Rakyat harus sentiasa berwaspada supaya kita tidak membakar kelambu kerana
marahkan nyamuk, apatah lagi apabila kemarahan kita kepada nyamuk itu tidak
bertempat dan telah drancang dengan licik oleh puak rakus kuasa.
Keempat, walau apa pun kaum atau agama kita, jangan kita lupa
bahawa kita ada lah manusia yang tertakluk kepada hukum atau undang-undang
alam. Dalam bahasa Al Quran, di sebut sebagai Sunnah Allah. Setiap tindakan
kita akan memberi kesan kepada keseluruhan masyarakat atau Negara kita. Ini
bermakna jika kita mencetuskan tindakan-tindakan, perbicaraan atau
fahaman-fahaman negatif, seluruh Negara akan tercalit dengan kenegatifan ini.
Lebih baik kita awas, muhasabah diri dan sabar dahulu sebelum membuat sesuatu
secara melulu.
NOV 30 -- Now, really, where is that courageous Malaysian leader who has the vision and fortitude to move this nation forward as one nation — not a nation fragmented into ethnic, religious or economic classes? Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak presented his 1Malaysia policy with a huge potential to truly unite this nation towards greatness but where is the impact and the “umpphh”?
It is dangerously comical that after 50-over years of independence achieved by the multi-racial front and celebrated by all the citizens of this blessed nation, we still hear the most bigoted and racist statements being made by supposedly educated people. I recently read that an NGO, which unfortunately is identified with Islam, allegedly made a statement: “The Chinese entered this country together with the British invaders as intruders. Who gave them citizenship and wealth until their intrusion is protected until today?”
If this was indeed uttered, why would anyone who is a Muslim and a citizen of this country want to make a statement like this?
I cannot see such statements helping to foster national unity nor present the compassionate and intelligent face of Islam. On the contrary, I find such a statement completely inconsistent with the principles taught by Allah in the Quran. Any Muslim who knows his Quran knows we are all descendants of Prophet Adam, the fact of diversity of ethnicity, culture and languages are signs of Allah and it is so willed by Allah as a blessing for us to learn from each other, not to hate and discriminate against each other. It is for this reason I have often said sometimes an ignorant and mala fide professed Muslim is more dangerous to the image of Islam then a professed non-Muslim.
Dari satu segi, kita bernasib
baik sebagai Negara kerana di uji oleh Allah dengan kejadian di Low Yat. Mana
tahu, kita sudah matang, sudah belajar bersyukur, sudah boleh mengenali
kelemahan dan kekuatan diri daripada menyalahkan seluruh dunia kecuali diri sendiri
....maka dengan kematangan dan kesyukuran kita mungkin dapat bertindak terhadap
apa-apa yang berlaku sebagai seorang Muslim yang bijaksana.
Malangnya sekali lagi,
nampaknya ramai yang di pertanggungjawapkan oleh Allah dalam kedudukan tertentu
telah gagal segagal-gagalnya. Dalam kita
menyorak “Allah hu Akbar” dan pelbagai lagi kata-kata yang kita sangka
bersemangat kita lupa untuk beriman kepada surah Al-Israa ayat 36 dimana Allah
mengajar kita supaya usul periksa sebelum mempercayai sesuatu berita.
Ketua Polis Negara telah
mengesahkan bahawa insiden yang berlaku berpunca daripada dua orang pemuda yang
telah mencuri talipon bimbit. (klik disini http://www.kinitv.com/video/20678O8)
Berita ini telah di putar belit oleh manusia-manusia yang tidak bertanggungjawap
dan lupa akan kewujudan Allah sehingga diwujudkan ketakutan dikalangan rakyat
dan kerosakkan kepada harta benda.
Kerakusan untuk berpolitik
didunia yang amat sementara ini telah juga melalaikan kita untuk membezakan
diantara suatu perbuatan jenayah dan rusuhan kaum. Apakah kita berdoa kepada
Allah untuk menurunkan musibah rusuhan kaum yang boleh merosakkan masa hadapan
anak- anak di bumi bertuah Malaysia ini?
Apakah kita begitu angkuh berpolitik sehingga kita tidak lagi takut
kepada azab Allah?
Apakah kerana matlamat
politik, atau sentimen perkauman atau atas sebab-sebab kepentingan tertentu
kita sanggup dengan sengaja kufur (enggan patuhi) kepada firman-firman Allah
dalam Al-Quran yang membawa maksud berikut:-
1)“Wahai orang-orang yang percaya, jadilah kamu orang-orang yang
menegakkan keadilan, saksi-saksi untuk Allah, walaupun terhadap diri kamu
sendiri, atau ibu bapa kamu, dan sanak saudara, sama ada orang itu kaya atau
miskin; Allah paling dekat dengan keduanya. Kemudian janganlah mengikuti
keinginan kamu supaya kamu tidak berbuat adil; kerana jika kamu
memutarbelitkan, atau kamu memalingkan, maka sesungguhnya Allah menyedari apa
yang kamu buat” (Q4:135)
2)“Wahai orang-orang yang percaya, jadilah kamu orang-orang yang
menegakkan di hadapan Allah, saksi-saksi untuk keadilan. Janganlah kebencian
pada kaum mendesak kamu untuk tidak berlaku adil; berlaku adillah, itu lebih
dekat dengan takwa. Dan takutilah Allah; sesungguhnya Allah menyedari apa yang
kamu buat” (Q5:8)
Sekadar berkongsi di bulan yang
kita sendiri akui adalah mulia.
Setiap kali kita dengar pemimpin politik mengatakan bahawa mereka mahukan rakyat Malaysia bersatu.
Tanpa segan silu pemimpin politik akan berceramah mengenai kepentingan patrotisme di kalangan Rakyat.
Apa yang pemimpin politik tidak sedar atau tidak mahu sedar ialah : Rakyat umumnya memang mahu bersatu dan memang menjalani kehidupan mereka sebagai satu keluarga Malaysia.
tetapi...yang gagal dan yang "jahat" ialah pemimpin politik yang sengaja mahu memisahkan dan memecahbelahkan Rakyat kepada suku-suku, kaum-kaum, agama-agama dan sebagainya.
Malaysia telah merdeka lebih daripada 50 tahun, namun apabila anak-anak Malaysia masuk sekolah rendah, dengan serta merta mereka di ingatkan dan diingatkan dan dingatkan bahawa mereka adalah daripada keturunan yang berbeza.
Setiap borang yang perlu di isi disekolah-sekolah perlu dinyatakan keturunan anak, ibunya, bapanya.
KENAPA?
kenapa nak tahu murid itu keturunan jawa ke, bugis ke, boyan ke, minangkabau ke, cina ke, india ke, dayak ke, kadazan ke, murut ke, dan lain-lain ke ?
Saya tahu, bugis, jawa, boyan di lungguk dalam kelompok "Melayu" dan kadang kala India Muslim dan Cina Muslim di lungguk dalam kelompok "Melayu" mengikut kefahaman terhadap Perlembagaan Malaysia oleh pegawai yang berkenaan.
KENAPA PERLU DI CATAT KETURUNAN?
Apakah kaedah mengajar akan diubah mengikut perbezaan keturunan?
Cina atau Melayu atau India atau Murut akan mempunyai cara penerimaan yang berbeza kerana keturunan mereka yang berbeza?
Bagaimana kalau kita tulis sahaja begini:
Keturunan : Adam. Boleh???
Bukan kah Negara kita banyak "islamik" itu dan ini dan masing2 nak jadi tuhan di muka bumi untuk "memperjuangkan" islam, so apa kata kita bagi jawapan "Islamik" iaitu dari segi keturunan kita adalah keturunan Adam!
Kenapa lah borang2 kuno dan rasis sedemikian masih digunakan disekolah2???? Adakah sengaja kita ingin besarkan perbezaan kita dari segi keturunan dan tidak mahu menegaskan persamaan kita sebagai rakyat Malaysia???
lain lah kalau doktor yang tanya - mungkin dia nak kaji asal usul sejarah pemakanan dan genetik. Ini sekolah pulak !
Sedih. Amat Sedih. Kerajaan Barisan nasional tidak dapat menangani perkara semudah ini sejak merdeka sehingga kini dan mahu rakyat percaya bahawa mereka mahu pupuk perpaduan dikalangan murid-murid di sekolah..
Susah sangat nak kata kita ini Bangsa Malaysia????
Patutlah Allah tanya samada kita boleh dikatakan sebagai orang beriman sebelum di uji (Quran 29:2)
Dalam konteks borang-borang rasis ini yang dikekalkan oleh Kerajaan BN ujian ini, BN gagal - gagal dalam berusaha mengwjudkan bangsa Malaysia dan gagal dalam hayati prinsip Islam berdasarkan Al-Quran.
Satu Cabaran mudah untuk BN - hentikan raical profling di sekolah-sekolah kerajaan !
His message of reconciliation, not vengeance, inspired the world after he negotiated a peaceful end to segregation and urged forgiveness for the white government that imprisoned him.
"As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison," Mandela said after he was freed in 1990".
Kalau
betullah lapuran Utusan Online yang dipetik dari sini yang juga melapurkan seperti berikut:-
“Azran
menerusi akaun Facebook dan Twitternya baru-baru ini bertindak mencerca Utusan
Malaysia sebagai sebuah akhbar rasis hanya kerana menyiarkan artikel
berbentuk pertanyaan bertajuk 'Apa lagi Cina mahu' pada 7 Mei lalu.
Menerusi
akaun Facebook beliau, Azran menulis: "I am Malaysian. I am anti-racism.
I am disgusted by Utusan's editorial stance. (Saya rakyat Malaysia. Saya
antiperkauman. Saya meluat dengan pendirian pengarang Utusan),"
UMNO Veteran marah dengan pandangan dan kritikan Azran
terhadap artikel yang dimuatkan dalam Utusan Malaysia. Kritikan ini dianggap
sebagai satu tindakan biadab oleh Azran. Pendekata, bagi Veteran UMNO,
mengeritik Utusan Malaysia adalah satu tindakan biadab.
Bukan itu sahaja, tindakan Azran mengeritik Utusan Malaysia
juga dianggap sebagai “perbuatan Azran mencerca Utusan Malaysia bermakna beliau
menghina kaumnya sendiri ketika kaum Melayu turut ditekan dari pelbagai sudut”.
Dari pemahaman minda Veteran UMNO, kritikan terhadap Utusan
Melayu disamakan dengan penghinaan terhadap kaumnya sendiri. Disini lah cabaran
untuk memahami lonjakan logik bagaimana kritikan terhadap satu artikel yang
ditulis didalam satu surat khabar boleh dirumuskan sebagai satu peghinaan
kepada satu kaum yang besar yang semestinya terdiri daripada anggota yang
berlainan tahap pemikiran (dan pemahaman) serta pelbagai pandangan yang
berbeza.
Bukankah kepelbagaian pandangan terhadap satu isu itu
melambangkan kematangan satu kaum dan ekoran itu memuliakan kaum tersebut? Ini
menunjukkan bahawa Melayu berupaya untuk melihat kepada satu artikel atau satu
isu dengan pandangan dan kupasan yang berbeza. Pada masa yang sama, keupayaan anggota dalam
kaum itu untuk menerima dan berhujah berkaitan dengan pandangan yang berbeza
secara berilmiah dan berasaskan fakta juga melambangkan peningkatan ketamadunan
kaum itu. Mustahil satu kaum itu boleh maju kalau masih bergantung pada satu
pendirian, atau fahaman atau kaedah yang telah ketinggalan zaman.
Didalam dunia keintelektualan, ada satu ungkapan yang sering
diutarakan iaitu “those with brains can
argue in a civilised manner but those with brawn will just flex their muscles”.
Orang atau kumpulan yang yakin diri serta mampu berhujah balas tidak pernah
gentar dengan pendirian orang lain yang berbeza, apatah lagi menggunakan kaedah
pemikiran songsang dimana direspon balik dengan menggunakan taktik sentimen
perkauman dan tunjuk kuasa. JIka ada pandangan yang berbeza, haruslah kumpulan
itu memberi hujah balas yang boleh direnungi dengan akal.
Veteran UMNO harus berhujah dengan fakta dan logik mengapa pendirian
Azran terhadap Utusan Malaysia itu dikatakan sebagai “menghina Melayu”. Kalau
pun kita andaikan dia menghina Utusan, bagaimana ianya boleh ditafsirkan
sebagai menghina Melayu?
Jika benar Azran telah “menerusi
akaun Facebook dan Twitternya baru-baru ini bertindak mencerca Utusan Malaysia sebagai sebuah
akhbar rasis hanya kerana menyiarkan artikel berbentuk pertanyaan bertajuk 'Apa lagi Cina mahu' pada 7 Mei lalu” dan
jika ini dianggap sebagai satu tindakan memfitnah, maka Utusanlah yang
seharusnya mengambil tindakan undang-undang terhadap Azran. Undang-undang Negara kita mantap dan jelas
dalam hal ini. Dimana pula peranan Veteran UMNO dalam hal ini dan apakah locus
mereka bercakap bagi pihak Utusan kecuali mereka sekadar melaksanakan hak
bersuara mereka?
Ini yang saya kerap tidak faham dengan ”perjuangan” beberapa
kumpulan dalam Negara ini. Utusan tidak mengambil sebarang tindakan
undang-undang. Lembaga Utusan tidak berkata apa-apa namun Veteran UMNO yang
tidak ada kaitan korporat atau undang-undang atau moral pula bertindak sebagai
pelindung Utusan!
Memang pihak-pihak tertentu boleh berhujah bagi pihak lain
yang dianiayai. Namun pembelaan haruslah berdasarkan hujah-hujah bernas,
munasabah dan yang tidak menghina akal orang yang mendengarnya. Dizaman ini,
ramai sudah kurang sabar dengan taktik-taktik yang menggunakan ungkapan sebagai “Melayu
dihina”, “tidak kompromi dalam isu Melayu” dan ungkapan-unkapan yang seangkatannya
yang tidak diiringi dengan hujah bernas atau fakta.
We have to evolve and
therefore we have to learn to present our case. It is becoming embarrassing to
use sentiments and superlatives to cover up our lack of thinking ability.
Saya berpendirian Veteran UMNO tidak perlu gusar. Melayu hari
ini tidak mudah latah atau mudah terasa terhina dengan pandangan orang lain
apatah lagi pandangan berbza daripada ahli kaumnya sendiri. Melayu hari ini
lebih bersenjatakan maklumat dan fakta serta mempunyai keyakinan diri yang
lebih tinggi. Mereka tidak perlu orang lain, apatah lagi orang-orang politik
untuk melentur emosi mereka. Yakinlah kepada keupayaan Melayu untuk menilai
sesuatu dan Insha Allah, mereka akan menilai dengan baik. Lagipun, kita bangga ada anak Melayu yang maju, kenapa pula kita nak taburkan pasir dalam periuk nasi Azran pulak kerana berbeza pendapat dengan dia?
This 13th General Elections in Malaysia (PRU13) is interesting for so many reasons. Clearly it shows that democracy is evolving and that incumbents cannot depend on their traditional logic for support from voters. There has been shifts in issues and shifts in mindset.
At the same time, it also presents various peculiar mindsets that I never thought is possible. One of which is the "apa lagi Cina mau" kind of mindset. I have been trying very hard to understand what it actually means and I suspect even the writer who wrote that does not know exactly what he meant. Maybe he didn't give much thought to it or maybe it was a result of past faulty thinking processes which has become a mental habit.
Let me explain why I have difficulty understanding what it really means and what it has now become to mean. If I am not mistaken, it means this "The Chinese has been given so much by the BN and now that a large percentage of them voted against BN, therefore what more do they want from BN"? I may wrong, but I think this is what it is supposed to mean. Whether it is a "Chinese" or "Malaysian" tsunami has been researched by many and I do not intend to go into it too. The researches generally show that it is generally an urban vote and Malaysian rather than racial.
Be that as it may, I find the "apa lagi Cina mau" very hilarious and illogical.
For the first time, BN lost the popular vote. BN got approximately 48% and PR got 51% of the popular votes ( I have rounded up). The total number of voters for Parliament is 11,257,147. This means BN got about 5.4 million votes and PR got 5.7 million votes (approximately).
It is said that Chinese make up about 27% of the total voters population. SO if we give ALL of these votes to PR (which is not the case in reality), PR will end up having 4.2 million votes.
So these 4.2 million voters are Non-Chinese. These are Malays, Indians, Sabahans, Sarawakian, etc. SO by the same peculiar logic, does it not sound hilarious to ask "apa lagi Melayu, India, Sabahan, Sarawakian yang tidak undi BN mau"?
Actually, this does not sound as hilarious as I thought it will be because putting a group of Malaysians together seems okey but isolating a race does sound ridiculously funny in the context.
In any event I do not think BN government is going to punish the 52% of Malays, Indians, Chinese, Kadazans, etc, etc that did not vote for it.
So the appropriate question for BN should have been: "Apa lagi 52% yang tidak mengundi BN mau?".
And for PR would be " "Apa lagi 48% yang tidak mengundi PR mau?".
Then we can grow up as a democracy instead of being trapped in primitive thinking.
“O humanity! We have created you from a single male and female and have made you into nations and tribes that you may know one another (not that you have pride over one another). Verily, the most honorable (أَكْرَمَكُمْ ) of you in the God’s Sight is the one most righteous. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).” (Quran: Al-Hujraat, 49:13)
Kool G Rap & Polo-Erase Racism Lyrics:
(feat. Bizmarkie, Big Daddy Kane)
[Intro: Bizmarkie]
Yo V, bring that beat in
Yeah that's aight
Ahhh man!
Yo G, yo Kool G, yo
I'm doin this right here
We got Big Daddy Kane over there
We all gonna do just one part
Because you know, we came a long way
You know, from back in Martin Luther King days, Malcolm X
[Ain't hard to tell] You know, now now that we see
Nelson N-Nelson Mandela's free
We gonna talk about this, is e gonna talk about this racism
Stop that, you know what I'm sayin, we gonna stop that
So G, why don't you just do your rhymin part, and then I'll come on after you
(Aight, check it out, here we go, yo)
[Verse One: Kool G Rap]
I'm tryin hard to explore, I'm not sure
What all the racial war for
It's makin me more sore
I walk through a color blind corridor
Seekin, for peace in the people I'm meetin
Black white and puerto-rican men are greetin each other
Just like brothers, there's plenty and many of others
You can discover, kids fathers and mothers
A meltin pot, no one felt they got prejudice
Listen I could never assist someone diss this
A landscape, with a dark and a light handshake
Havin fun, without one bein a fake snake
So let's form a rainbow over the mountain
And let's drink from the same water fountain
Let's make our Earth Day a story of
people that walk through the same territories
Color or creed, is no need for a man to bleed
I beleive, we all breathe the same seed
Unless it's diluted, for somethin to intrude it
Then I see your family tree was uprooted
So don't be foolish if you're Jewish or Hindu
The racial manual is the evil that men do
I was raised in a nation of Asian
Hate shouldn't seperate Jamaican from Haitian
So if you're givin in your ears I hope your hear me and
Siberian's no better than Nigerian
I bring a rattle to a battle that you see me in
I'm no villian so why would I be killin indians Find More lyrics at www.sweetslyrics.com
My nationality's reality
And yo a prejudiced man is of a devil mentality
These are words of a wise man, wisdom
Take a taste and erase the racism
[Chorus: Bizmarkie]
The ink is black, the page is white
Together we learn how to read and write
People are black, got people that's white
Let's stop racism, and, let's unite
Verse Two: Big Daddy Kane
(Yo yo Kane, why don't you do your part
and then let me do mine and then we get outta here
go ahead, bet)
In the days of slavery
Some got to run away and many got done away
Inferiority is what some men say
But that shit played out with Kunta Kinte
Then again in the streets of New York
I think of Yusef Hawkins, and I see you'e still stalkin
And when I think of barriers like Bensonhurst
Huh, notice how I mentioned hearse
We got to better this world of prejudice
People, make peace, and learn to live equal
Cause I don't look at myself as a
Coon or a mooley that would have to say massa
You better believe that I'm an asiatic descendant
And I know what's been amended and intended
So let's fulfill and get real, and try to build
a united nation, eliminate segregation
I know there's different strokes for different folks
but I've also acknowledged what hatred provokes
So don't hate me or try to underrate me
Cause I collect ends drive a Benz and live greatly
And we can all live together in harmony
Without thinkin what color is harmin me
If I'm a slave I'm a slave to the rhythm
To E-R-A-S-E the racism
[Chrous]
[Outro: Bizmarkie]
To the black and the white
The red and the yellow
To all the nationalities
I'd like to say hello
And I hope they stop racism and it's comin from our hearts
Me, Kool G Rap, Polo, Big Daddy Kane, Cool V, and of course
The Diabolical Bizmarkie I hope ya stop racism
Peace
Form over Substance - Society of superficialities???
It is the malady of humankind that we get stuck in the pool of form rather than live with the flow of substance.
While form has its role, without substance it is as useful as a corpse - after a while you could almost smell the stench of its uselessness. However, the law of nature appears to be that over time, people may become accustomed with even the worse of stench.
Form however seems not only to pervade a large part of our lives in diverse ways but it has become sanctified. Take any part of our life and you will note that form is given predominance over substance.
Say we take religion. Hardly will we hear a whimper if a religious follower is a cheat, corrupt or oppressor. No one will jump on him alleging that he is irreligious. However, the moment a religious ritual is called into question, the entire band of the followers may even call for his blood. Similarly, it will not matter that the person is an honest, hard working and generally a decent person if she is not garbed in the form her religion requires. The mantra in a foreign language is more important than what it means. or the rationality of its meaning. Sanctification of form itself leads to an illogical state of mind that says: "There is something sacred in not understanding!" .
Grand titles of 'divinity" for the religious leaders overrides the substance of their speeches. It is no accident that most leaders of religions place the greatest emphasis on the form of the religion rather than its substance. This is evidenced by their dress code, personal appearances, hierarchy, the pomp and pageantry that accompanies their presence and so forth. Symbolism, which is totally form is a sacred tool in religions.
It may not be too far from the truth to say that religion is where form is given its greatest prominence over substance. Probably because symbolism and ritualistic behaviours are more effective in the identification /classification of groups than unique thinking persons of substance. Collectivism also helps to gloss over the existence of the many more that are endowed with lesser thinking capabilities. Maybe this explains the general insistence on "faith" as opposed to reason in many religions. Hence like the buffaloes' stampedes, the religious followers are prepared to cause untold damage to uphold form rather than substance. In fact, you may find that the call to think about substance is construed as sacrilegious and even blasphemous. (As in politics, the call for thinking about substance may be construed as seditious or security threat).
Politics is another horrific entertaining aspect of our lives where there is greater emphasis on form rather than substance. It is in the political arena that we find the greatest adjectives created to disguise the lack of substance - the number (and length) of honorary titles, fancy sounding official titles, pomp and grandiosity of ceremonies, etc. It all seems calculated to give the theatrical impression of being more than superhuman. It no wonder that despite centuries of so called leadership, human beings everywhere are still grappling to evolve into "enlightened" beings ! On the contrary, historical events globally actually seems to suggest that we have regressed into primitiveness.
Every single political leader promisingly speaks of bringing society to a better level since time immemorial. They wave the flag of hope and stoke the inherent fears in human nature to gain control and power. The people in turn unfailingly fall prey their game and get duped by the form that they are presented with without even evaluating the substance of what is promised. It seems to escape everyone’s attention that globally, political leadership as we know it has generally failed humankind. We soothe our irrational senses by looking at the overfed, the rich, and the accumulative society while blinding ourselves to the larger reality of the hungry, homeless, war-stricken, humiliating human conditions in other societies. Selective perception fueled by superficial thinking allows us to live proudly while substantive thinking will expose us for the miserable and ignoble parasites that we collectively really are by choice or through apathy.
Our consumptive culture too is largely dictated by form that is turning us into superficial beings. We look at 'things' rather than the "person". We measure the success of a person by the things he possesses regardless of how he came to possess them. To assist us in further evolving into beings who lack substance, we have created the ultimate "form-maker' called 'branding". Hence with branding, instead of developing our inner selves, we are taught to develop our image rather than build character. The frightening aspect of this "form over substance virus" is that we even tend to lose sight of even our own selves when our "form" that we are busy creating does not match our "substance" that we have neglected. This, I believe is responsible for many depressive tendencies in this so called modern age.
We seem to be in a hurry to accumulate perishable things to satisfy our perishable lives such that we are useful to mother earth as manure only when we die. Somehow, we seem to have overlooked the fact that the nature of form itself is perishable and when perishibility sets in, disappointments and depressions are in order.
The manner in which we prefer to treat each other is probably dictated more by form rather than substance. We have become comfortable, for example, with the classification of human beings into “races” though in many instances it makes little sense substantively. By race, we define or group human beings according to certain similarities such as common social settings, language, “culture”, dietary habits and so on. However, once so classified we lose our flexibility in labeling a person other than the “race box” into which we have put his fathers into. For example, a person is still considered Malay even though he has lost most of the characteristics that initially classified him into that box. Likewise, an English is forever English even though he may have acquired most of the characteristics that would describe a Malay. Again these are results of lack of substantive thinking.
Lack of substantive thinking, for instance prevents people from perceiving each other in terms of blood groups instead of “racial groups” though in many instances, blood groupings seem to make scientific and biological sense. What use for example, is a Chinese with blood group AB to a Chinese of blood group O in a life threatening situation where immediate blood transfusion is needed? When you start thinking substantively, you will realize that there are several ways of classifying human beings for various purposes. However, politics seem to prefer only one sort of classification - that of “race” and society whose main concern is that of form, readily accepts this.
Even in our everyday communications, form seems to take precedence over substance. We have invented all sorts of pleasantries that represent merely form and totally lack substance. For example, we ask simple questions that we do not really mean like “How are you?” and expect nothing more than “I am fine” response. It will be a shocking day for us if the person responds by sharing all the problems he is actually facing for the day!
On 2nd September, one of our regular readers posted the following comment which I thought I will publish it here and respond since it raised what I consider a "typical mind set" symptomatic of a few in Malaysia. I had just returned to the country and hence, this delayed response.
"Salam bro,
Why don't you open up your eyes and see that in Malaysia everything is based on race no matter how hard people like you are trying to deny- politics, education, social and the list goes on...don't try to be so naive or rather ignorant. And please don't play with your religion card (emm..makes me wonder if you belong to a particular race or you'd rather be known as Muslim/Islam under your race column)..Please enlighten me bro if you really want to project your deep sense of piousness to the deny the important of race, then why the Chinese Muslims are requesting for their own mosques (which everything in it including the sermons will be in Chinese?)I'm waiting bro...Jimizul
Firstly, I want to thank you for being the conduit to inspire me to write something of significance in these trying and evolving times of our country. At least writing this article may allow me to “cleanse” my heart further.
Let me tackle the easier items in your comments first.
1. I have never, at any time in my life, denied that generally, the socio-economic and political framework in Malaysia is race-based. Having said that, however, I disagree with you that everything in Malaysia is race-based. If you open your eyes, you will see that there are many relationships, be it friendship, marriages or pure neighbourliness are not race-based.
2. Obviously all of us on earth are classified into a social construct which we term as "race" or "ethnicity". There are usefulness and weaknesses in such a classification. I will explain this below.
3. You accuse me of "playing the religious card". Obviously you have not read my articles. I believe you may have mistaken my considered respect and passion for the Quran as being religious. It is the politicians and religious bigots and their unthinking hand-clappers that shamelessly use the religious card. In our country, we had seen some "religious" people mysteriously "protest" in support of the ISA under the cry that it protects Islam! There are even some who use religion as a cover to promote racist interests. You should be targeting your accusation and opposition to them, not me.
4. As to your statement that I want to project my deep sense of piousness, this is my response: I did not know that I came across as such to you. I have never seen myself as pious and it has never really been important to me to determine so. What is more important to me is to live this temporary life causing as little damage as possible. In any event, the concept of "piousness" itself is something that have to be dealt with in another article.
5. Chinese seeking Chinese mosque complete with sermons in Chinese. It is just amazing that you should raise this because the exact thought came to mind while I was in Beijing. I will cover it below.
Jimizul, I hope the following article which expresses my thoughts on the matters that you have raised will be useful.
Racial versus Racism and Religious versus religious bigotry
Actually Jimizul, your comment requires firstly a discussion between what is "racial or "ethnic" considerations against what is "racism". The two are completely different. Many unfortunately are confused between the two. Secondly, it also requires an understanding of the Quran's position on "race" and "racism". Thirdly, we have to understand the difference between being religious and being a religious bigot.
Racial versus Racism
Few ideas have been so fraught with controversy, or have provided as much occasion for discussion and debate, as that of race. Race is a highly contradictory notion. I am of the view that “race” is nothing more than a social construct to describe groups of people with certain similarities.
Article 160 of the Malaysian Constitution supports the idea that “race” is nothing more than a social construct. According to Article 160, a Malaysian citizen is defined as a “Malay” if he speaks the Malay language habitually, follows the Malay custom and is a Muslim. By this definition therefore, the “ethnic Chinese” is a “Malay” if he fulfills this criteria. Likewise, a Malaysian Javanese is a “Malay” in Malaysia while an Indonesian Javanese is not a “Malay” in Malaysia. This is what racial classification is all about – a social construct. If we take the definition of “Malay” in the Constitution technically, possibly many elite Malays may not qualify as constitutional Malays!
Anyway, as I mentioned earlier, "race" or ethnicity are social constructs. They are terms created by human beings to refer to a group of people sharing similar characteristics which other groups do not have. Ethnicity or race therefore is a term used to describe people in terms of their common culture, language, social and dietary habits and such.
In this sense, therefore if you look at China or India, it is indeed multi-religious multi-racial and mutli-cultural. In China, while the Han Chinese is the largest ethnic group, it has 55 other minority ethnic groups. China has over 290 languages and for this reason, the Chinese government try to unite them by introducing Putonghua or Standard Mandarin as the common or national language.
Similarly, India has displayed varied hues of culture, religion, race, language, and so on. The Constitution of India has recognised 22 different languages that are prevalent in the country, out of which, Hindi is the official language and is spoken in most of the urban cities of India. Other than these 22 languages, there are hundreds of dialects that add to the multilingual nature of the country.
Malaysia too is multi-religious multi-racial and mutli-cultural society. However China and India are huge countries with much much bigger and more diverse population than ours. They have greater challenges than us at national integration and unity. I doubt if any of our politicians have the calibre to govern those countries seeing how they have governed our much smaller country with much lesser challenges. But that’s a different point!
Jimizul, I am sure the above examples should suffice to demonstrate that one cannot deny the existence of these “racial classifications”.
Surely one cannot deny that knowledge and identification of ethnic origins does have its relevance. For example, if you identify someone as an orang asli, you will try to study his ethnic background to understand him. If you are a responsible government, you will try to understand the orang asli's culture, ethnicity and religion when you want to plan any development programmes for his community. You cannot for example, remove the orang asli from their "racial or ethnic environment" and suddenly throw them into towns. This has happened in our country and it is cruel. With our knowledge of the racial makeup of the orang asli, we should prepare them for the different kind of challenges that living in developed towns will entail.
Another example is that of the Indians in the estates. When we removed the estates, we never prepared these Indians for living outside the estate. Again we have been cruel. The point is this: we use the knowledge of a particular social construct or ethnic origin or race for the purposes of improving that particular ethnic group or solving problems that appear to be peculiar to that particular ethnic or racial group. Such an approach may require a “racial approach” in which there is nothing wrong. There is nothing racist when we say that the orang asli community is still generally backward after 52 years of merdeka. It is racist if we accuse them of being inherently backward.
A study of ethnic characteristics may also be relevant to understand the community in the effort to formulate policies or action plans to improve that particular community. For example, in our country, we have so much superficial talk about the creation of “human capital” but I have yet to see any indepth study on “ethnic obstacles” to progressive thinking. If the thinking or the ability to think of the population is not addressed, how do you improve them? There could very well be parts of the culture of some ethnic communities that hinder their progress. These things ought to be addressed.
Another example where the classification of race becomes relevant. For example, we may conduct the study on the occurrence of diabetes among the different racial communities and may arrive at a conclusion that diabetes is high among certain communities. Such a study may reveal that lifestyles of certain ethnic groups actually increases the chances of getting diabetes. The data may be useful as a basis to formulate behavior alteration programs to arrest the diabetic problem.
We can go on giving examples where information about the ethnic origin of person is relevant and sometimes necessary. Such “racial approaches” may be legitimate.
However, if a social construct such as race or ethnic origin is used as the sole basis to sustain only itself to the exclusion of the rest of the world, then it becomes racism. The notion of “racial supremacy” is racist and an affront not only to the intelligence but to humanity. The apartheid policy for example which extols the supremacy of the “white Africans” and discriminates the “black” Africans and non-whites is racist and shameful to humanity. Merely because it was in existence for years did not stop Ghandi from opposing similar racist discriminations.
If a certain race claims that it is the only chosen race of God to the exclusion of the rest of the world, then that is racism. The zionists are racists.
If a certain race claims that all other races except its own race are lazy and stupid, then that is racism.
If your choice of expressing compassion, kindness, justice, opportunities and such turns solely on the basis of someone’s ethnic origin, you are not only a racist but in my view a manifestation of Iblis. I believe the Creator will deal with you in His merciful way.
The Ku Klux clan in America which "fights" for "America is only for whites" and the others can go back to their country of origin are racists. They do not want the presence of other non-white Americans whose forefathers have migrated to America. They have conveniently forgotten that their forefathers too were immigrants unlike the Red Indians. They are angry that the Americans of immigrant parents have worked hard and are economically well off. To me, these shameful right wing small group of Americans are mentally deranged people who use other people’s success and hard work as a scapegoat for their failures and laziness.
One of the worst manifestations of racist ideas took place in Germany under the command of Hitler where he promoted the idea of the “German race”. Hitler believed that in the world, only one race was fit to survive; the Aryan race. Aryans were tall, with beautiful facial features, white skinned, and blond hair, so the myth goes!
Without doubt, racists are mentally sick people who have a warped perspective of human nature. The larger majority of normal people are not racists. Racists seem to have, among others, the following traits:
a) They always look for scapegoats for their deficiencies or failures in life.
b) They have a deep sense of inferiority complex and they try to overcome this with aggressive behaviour or a false sense of superiority complex;
c) If these racists have larger numbers, they will deride or make fun of others from different ethnic origins with the objective of bolstering thier own lack of self confidence or to attempt to attack the others sense of self confidence.
d) Even anyone from their own racial grouping who disagrees with their racist outlook will be immediately accused as being a traitor to their race;
e) They have very little respect for the sanctity of life;
I find it completely difficult to comprehend that people who truly believe in God or consider themselves religious can be racists.
If you say you are a buddhist, you must know that Siddhartha Gautama was an Indian Prince. If you are a Chinese Buddhist and you are prepared to receive enlightenment from a Prince of another ethnic/racial origin than yours, why would you find it difficult to share dharma with the rest?
If you say you are a Christian, you must know that all are the children of the Lord.
If you say that you are a Muslim, you must know that all the Prophets that are mentioned by name in the Quran are neither Malay, Chinese, Kadazan or Indian. The Muslim must know the following verse from the Quran which is supposed to be their daily guide:
“O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of God is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things)". [Quran: 49:13]
The Quran does not say that a particular race or nation is the most honoured. It is the one that is most righteous that is most honoured.
If you are a Hindu, you must believe in karma or rebirth and know that good begets good and evil begets evil irrespective of racial or ethnic construct.
If you are an atheist, then surely you must know that values are either good or bad, that either you are a good person or a bad person irrespective of racial or ethnic origin.
Why are we letting social constructs like “race or ethnicity” demean our humanity?
Jimizul, even if you are the only one standing in a crowd of billion racists, you must not deny humanity. This is because, ultimately, you and you alone will be answerable to the creator – none of the billions will advocate on your behalf.
Peace!
Next: Jimizul, Religious and Religious bigotry – surely there is a difference? - God willing.
I tried very hard not to write about this. I have more important things to do and trials are really taking up my time. But, I find it so annoying that I have pen down my thoughts. I am talking about a statement apparently made by “Wira” Datuk Ibrahim Ali, the Perkasa President.
“Amat wajar kerajaan tangguh dulu apa jua peruntukan dan kelulusan kepada masyarakat kaum Cina, terutama desakan-desakan MCA dan Gerakan kerana jelas masyarakat Cina di Hulu Selangor serta India tidak menyokong BN.
“Mereka langsung tidak hargai apa yang diberi oleh kerajaan BN walaupun kerajaan BN terpaksa mengguris hati orang Melayu dan Bumiputera,” kata Ibrahim yang juga Ahli Parlimen Bebas Pasir Mas mengulas keputusan malam tadi yang memihak BN tetapi majoriti cuma 1,725 undi.
In fact the Perkasa website proudly publishes his statement:
“It is necessary for the government to delay any allocation andapproval of projects for the Chinese community,” said Ibrahim in a statement responding to the by-election result”.
If you know Ibrahim Ali personally, it is not mind boggling that he may say something like that. However, since he is the President of Perkasa and Perkasa markets itself as representing the “interests” of Malays, such a comment cannot go uncommented. Malays are Muslims or at least they are supposed to be constitutionally.
So, here you have a Malay Muslim leader of an NGO which is largely made up of Malay Muslims asking the Government to delay allocations and approvals to the Chinese community of Hulu Selangor. When Ibrahim Ali made this statement, was he thinking of the following (maybe he can clarify if he is reading this blog):
1)The withholding of projects to the Chinese community – does that include the Chinese Muslim too, if any? Or does that not matter?
“O you who believe! stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety: and fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with all that you do”. (Quran: 5:8)
2)Does he not know that the Honourable Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib is working hard at his 1Malaysia policy, which this blog supports? Was he trying to throw a spanner into the policy which in principle is consistent with the Quran???
“And hold fast, all together, by the rope which God (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude God's favour on you; for you were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace, you became brothers; and you were on the brink of the pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus doth God make His Signs clear to you: That you may be guided”. (Quran:3.103)
3)Where in the Quran does it teach to discriminate against people based on race and political affiliations?
“O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other (not that you may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of God is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things). (Quran: 49:13)
4)Does he not know that the Government’s money is the Rakyat’s money? It is not any political party’s money? And if it is approved, that means there is a promise made. Promises must be upheld right?
“God does command you to render back your Trusts to those to whom they are due; And when you judge between man and man, that you judge with justice: Verily how excellent is the teaching which He gives you! For God is He Who hears and sees all things. (Quran: 4:58)
5)I wonder, if the Chinese community are considered “ungrateful” because according to him, they did not support the Government…he left UMNO to contest as an independent ! SO…that makes him….???
“So eat of the sustenance which God has provided for you, lawful and good; and be grateful for the favours of God, if it is He Whom you serve”. (Quran: 16.114)
6)Is it not possible to fight for “Malay rights” without being unjust to non-Malays? I am sure it is very possible.
I am sure the majority of the Perkasa members, being Muslims will not support his strategy of denying Chinese families and their children, mothers, fathers, grandmothers, etc what is due to them. I know many of my friends in Perkasa did not like this statement. As expected our Prime Minister did not find Ibrahim Ali’s statement persuasive at all !
