A Stink is Brewing?

I got this is in an email recently.

Written by columnist Wong Choon Mei, it was originally published in The Harakah Daily online newsportal.

Names such as KJ, Najib, Muhyiddin, and Mahathir are all mentioned. This article might throw some light in making sense of all that's going on now in the country right now. And the stakes are very high. Which would explain a lot of the rhetoric, inaction, double-speak, etc. etc we have been subject to lately.

We are not at a crossroads. We crossed that point on 8 March 2008. What we are experiencing now are the after-shocks of that tremor. The past 20 months have shown us to what extent and how bitter the struggle for power continues in the aftermath of that GE.

At this point in time however, there seems little to hope for from a government bankrupt of ideas, innovation, and political will to turn the ship around. The question is how much longer can the nation sustain such a flawed system.

Something's Up

There certainly seems to be a pattern to it. The latest desecration of places of worship. Malaysia Insider reports here of pig-heads being thrown into two mosques in K.L.

Anil Netto picks up the trail here.

I have to agree. Somebody is trying to deliberately create tension. Which means that all right-thinking Malaysians must not get caught up in this grand scheme. Because if we do, then we ALL lose. The only winner will be those shadowy figures.

What Are We Teaching Our Children?

Oscar Wilde is deemed to have quoted in The Decay of Lying: "Who is incapable of learning has taken to teaching."

Which is why I think in the last couple of weeks here in Malaysia, we learned more about ourselves, others, events, thinking patterns, belief systems and goings on around us than we would be normally accustomed to. We probably know now who NOT to listen to, and we heard from moderate, fair-minded voices too. We also were privy to double-speak and flip-flops coming from leaders at the very highest of public office. In the midst, we too would have vented our thoughts and feelings based on our own perceptions and understanding.

If I were to compare the whole of life as one big lesson, then I could also say that we are all teachers and learners - at the same time. Every time we speak, we are teaching. And every time we teach, someone is listening. Like my 8 year old son who asked what the fuss was all about regarding the "Allah" word.

A friend whose son is in a sekolah bestari in KL said that one of the teachers there complained to him that more and more kids seem to be using derogatory words at other children of another race or ethnic group. Can it be just coming from the kids? Or, as I suspect, the adults are failing them?

My son's bas sekolah man shared another story. He's a 36 year old Malay who put his two sons in a local Chinese school. I asked him why. He said... "so that they will study...if I leave them here (the local sekolah kebangsaan), they won't... there're too many of their own kind here..."

Ironically, I am quite happy with the sekolah kebangsaan! The teachers seem dedicated, they don't go MIA from classes, they are strict when needed, my son seems to enjoy studying there and he's got a good crowd of friends.

What then do we teach our children?

Dorothy Law Nolte wrote the following poem - "Children Learn What They Live".

Looking at the long and winding road Malaysia is heading on, I think we could all, as adults, take heed and emulate these classic values in our lives and teach our children the same:

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.

If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.

If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence

If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.

If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.

If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.

If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

Church Arson: Update 3

A couple of pieces worth reading:

1. Bakri Musa's "It Happened Under Your Watch, Najib"

and,

2. Anwar Ibrahim's statement following a meeting with Church leaders in Petaling Jaya:

On Sunday January 10th I attended a gathering of Church leaders in Petaling Jaya to express our solidarity with the Christian community where I read the following statement:

We are outraged by the tragic attacks on our Christian brothers and sisters and reiterate our unequivocal condemnation of the bombing of churches in Malaysia. Today’s attack on the oldest standing church in Malaysia, the All Saints Church in Taiping, is an attack on our nation’s heritage.

As a nation we struggle to uphold the spirit of unity that our founding fathers envisioned at independence. We must hold fast to Article 11 of the Federal Constitution which guarantees freedom of religion and the right of religious groups to manage their own affairs. In such times the spirit of engagement and dialogue must transcend those voices that would seek to sow discord and enmity across our land.

The people of Malaysia must unite against those who exploit race and religion to incite hatred for political gain. We must renew our commitment to religious understanding and religious freedom.

This is a time that tests the resolve of all religions for peace and mutual respect. We must remember that the God who we worship is in fact the same God, the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe.

With respect to the use of the word Allah, for example, it cannot be disputed that Arabic speaking Muslims, Christians and Jews have collectively prayed to God as Allah throughout the last fourteen centuries. While sensitivities over its usage have arisen in Malaysia, the way to resolve these conflicts is not by burning churches and staging incendiary protests but by reasoned engagement and interreligious dialogue.

Muslims must recall the memory of our own tradition’s remarkable commitment to understanding and coexistence with the People of the Book. Islam clearly grants respect to Christians and Jews. In the Quran’s second chapter, God says:

Say: O People of the Scripture! Come to a common word between us and you: that we shall worship none but God (Aal-Imran, 3:64)

And in the 29^th Chapter He says:

And dispute not with the People of the Book but say “We believe in the Revelation which has come down to us and that which came down to you…our God [Allah] and your God [Allah] is One, and it is to Him we bow (al-Ankabut, 29:46)

Jesus is himself revered as one of the greatest prophets whose noble example should be followed. The Caliph Umar, who visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in 638 AD, was careful to ensure that the Muslims respect the sanctity of Christian places of worship. What then of our own Police’s hesitation to offer an assurance of safety and security for Malaysian churches?

Much of the blame for the recent attacks can be placed at the doorstep of the UMNO-led BN ruling party. Its incessant racist propaganda over the Allah issue and the inflammatory rhetoric issued by government controlled mainstream media especially, Utusan Malaysia, are reprehensible. Such wanton acts of provocation are indeed criminal and demonstrate the duplicity of the 1Malaysia campaign.

I am encouraged by the swift condemnation of the attacks issued by Muslim organizations and leaders. I likewise applaud our Christian leaders for their strong statements calling for calm and forgiveness and resisting revenge and retaliation.

The need for interfaith dialogue in Malaysia is an idea whose time is long overdue. We must now advance the spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood which is inherent in our religions and enshrined in our Constitution. Pakatan Rakyat will collectively take steps to ensure that the necessary dialogue and discussion take place throughout the country. Our fellow Christians must feel safe and secure in this country knowing that their freedom to worship is protected.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

Opposition Leader

Church Arson: Update 2

Kudos to Marina Mahathir for taking the initiative and and proposing a few timely and uplifting responses to the attacks on churches. From her Rantings blog:

1. Some young Muslims have have volunteered to go clean up the after effects of the fire mess at the Desa Melawati Metro Tabernacle Church;

2. Another person has suggested a 1-3 minutes time for prayer every hour on the hour to give people some time to pause and reflect;

3. Many are taking time to refute malicious rumour sms-es that have been circulating since yesterday.

Read more at Rantings.

Marina has also uploaded an online petition addressed especially to the silent Malaysian Muslim community to stand up and condemn any act of violence toward people of other faith. View and sign the petition here. As at 0725 hours, a total of 118 persons have done so. We could all do likewise and tell others to do so too.

"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it with religious conviction" - Blaise Pascal, French mathematician and philosopher.

Church Arson: Update

There has been at least 1 sms circulating now "advising" Christians to refrain from having rosaries and other religious articles in their vehicles as there were mobs attacking such cars in and around Bangsar, Petaling Jaya and Shah Alam.

A quick check shows no evidence of such attacks taking place. Most probably this is another false sms.

The Facebook community Malaysian Catholic Christians has updates and suggestions as what and how to respond. It also recommends everyone read an article by the Rev. Eric Matsumoto from Dharma Ohana titled "Bamiyan", on the Buddhist response to the destruction of the Bahmian Buddha statues in Afghanistan during the Taliban rule. An edited version is available here.

It may be difficult, confusing, mad times right now especially for the religous minority in Malaysia. But Carl Jung, the Swiss psychologist once said:

“The most intense conflicts, if overcome, leave behind a sense of security and calm that is not easily disturbed. It is just these intense conflicts and their conflagration which are needed to produce valuable and lasting results.”

In the Name of Allah

I've stayed away from blogging for the past few months, both for personal and other reasons.

However, this latest episode of torching churches with regards to the usage of the word "Allah" by The Catholic Herald has got many people riled up for different reasons and wanting more information on the subject. Already there have been sms-es flying around. Not all of which are true. Maybe a little clarity will help. A little bit of understanding by all parties can calm hot-heads down, and hopefully reduce the danger of mob-incited violence, as what happened in the early hours of today in KL.

Some interesting blogs and news items to check out:


1. PKR media statement

2. Anil Netto's ongoing updates

3. Bishop Paul Tan talks about a "political" ploy.

Meanwhile the Prime Minister has denied allegations that the ruling party UMNO was responsible for the current tense situation. Malaysiakini has the Bahasa Malaysia reports here.

Malaysia Insider also has the story.

In the midst of all thls, the words of St. Francis of Assisi probably never rang more true:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury,pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.


O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

Update: PENANG CAREER & POSTGRADUATE EXPO 2009

For more information on the 6th. Penang Career & Post Graduate Expo 2009 from 14-15 November at PISA (Penang International Sports Arena), check out the following links:

1. Penevents

2. Star Online

And, it's on Facebook too.

PENANG CAREER & POSTGRADUATE EXPO 2009

It's all happening at the Penang International Sports Arena
from 14-15 November 2009, 10.00 am - 6.00 pm.

67 prospective employers and counting.

Pass the word around.

160909: Hari Malaysia Update

The first Penang gathering of the Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia initiative in Penang drew 10 people to the Pelita Nasi Kandar restaurant in Jalan Macalister last night.

Lucia Lai has the details.

Meanwhile, the Center for Independent Journalism reports that more than 50 civil society groups have endorsed the "New Nationalism - Freedom with Empowering Peace" statement that was released in conjunction with the Malaysia Day celebrations yestrerday.

The CIJ press release in full.

One of the things that most disturb governments, entities or individuals that wield power is the right of others who may not agree with them to dissent. Henry Thoreau has another view, something which I think is closer to the truth:

"...as most legislators, politicians, lawyers, ministers and office-holders, serve the state chiefly with their heads; and as they rarely make any moral distinctions, they are as likely to serve the devil, without intending it, as God.

A very few, as heroes, patriots, martyrs, reformers in the great sense, and men, serve the state with their consciences also, and so necessarily resist it for the most part; and they are commonly treated as enemies by it" - in "Civil Disobedience".