A Brand New ERA for UiTM?

By Azly Rahman

We must congratulate the present leadership of Selangor for suggesting that Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) be open to non-Bumiputeras; a good suggestion indeed and UiTM students and alumni should in fact be proud that such a statement of hope and reconciliation is made public.

More than merely ten percent should be allocated for Malaysians of other ethnic groups. This is indeed and excellent way to begin restructuring our public universities so that they can become truly global and embrace multiculturalism as a pillar of intellectual pride.

This will be in tune with the spirit of the The Beijing 2008 Olympics in which there will be competition amongst the races. Way too long the Malay students in UiTM have been unfairly denied the opportunity to collaborate and cooperate with their peers from other ethnic groups in the learning process. They have been shackled in a place wherein the only ideology they know is one of “Ketuanan Melayu”; a concept that is a contradiction to what a university must aspire to become. The 3-4 years of their wonderful college experience should provide them the skills to work in a multicultural environment.

Many “Bumiputra-centric” institutions have opened up to non-Bumputras in order for us see a reflection of Malaysian-ness in diversity. Universiti Perguruan Sultan Idris, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, and Maktab Rendah Sains MARA are examples. There is no need for the administrators and students of UiTM to be upset over such a proposal.

Restructure leadership first

But a larger issue is we must first begin restructuring the leadership of all our universities to reflect our desire for Malaysians to be truly Malaysian, “truly Asian” as the slogan goes.We must begin by closely reading the philosophy and principles of affirmative action and translate these into practice and to monitor its successes.

Let us do a better job with our policies of diversity and affirmative action in order to find a peaceful solution to the dead-end issues of quota, meritocracy, dread, mundaneness, blind nationalism, cemented racism, closing of doors to the best and the brightest, and a spectrum of malaise in our public universities. Our vice-chancellors must enculturalise what is good, new, and true that they have learned from their alma mater in foreign lands, so that they can govern institutions with purity of thought. Most of them are US, UK, and Australian-trained and well-versed in the issue of diversity and affirmative action.

The problem is that many get afflicted by philosophical amnesia as soon as we are back in Malaysia after many years of studying abroad and learning about what worked in advanced countries. We let ‘this old house we inhabit’ define the culture that will intellectually disable us. The University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) in the US proclaimed its commitment to diversity in a statement issued on Sept 20, 1999:

“At UCLA, a public university located in one of the most heterogeneous regions in the world, diversity is an indispensable element of academic excellence. We are fundamentally committed to including and integrating within the campus community individuals from different groups as defined by such characteristics as race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic background, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, and intellectual outlook.

“This commitment requires efforts to attract to the campus members of historically under-represented racial and ethnic groups. However, to create a rich academic experience and intellectual and cultural environment for everyone, we extend our concern beyond representation to genuine participation. Our commitment to diversity entails devising strategies and programmes to realise its benefits fully in education, research and service. This commitment inevitably means an openness to change – indeed, to transformation.”

Einstein once said that we cannot solve problems from the same plane on which the problem was created. We would be going around in circles, looking for the door to equality, justice and wisdom in our collective hope of creating a nation of peace-loving Malaysians. The New Economic Policy and the problem of race in governance of our universities must be framed within the Einsteinian maxim.

Need for multi-cultural audit

Many would like to see a diverse team of top leadership in our public universities. Chinese, Indian, Iban or Kadazan Malaysian students would like to see a vice-chancellor or a deputy vice-chancellor of their ethnicity. Our foreign students are not lured here to learn more sophisticated political-economic forms of racism.

A multi-cultural mix of top leadership will ensure a good sense of student belonging to the university and will show the world that not Malaysia will not only has a ‘world-class’ image but also practises a ‘world-wise’ educational policy. Universiti Teknologi MARA, in this case, can be made less Malay and more multi-cultural, so that we may teach students to view success not solely in racial terms but through a transcultural lens. This university will benefit intellectually and culturally from a good composition of multi-cultural leadership. A multi-cultural university senate may help ease the migraine of the quota mentality and will educate the top leadership on the need to evolve wisely thorough good affirmative action policies that are also in line with the teachings of the great religious traditions and humanistic educational philosophies.

Islam, Christianity, Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and even atheism teach us to look at human beings not through the eyes of race alone. A good system will look at class as a basis of creating a just system that brings out humanism in all of us. The concept of democracy in education demands us to integrate all the diverse cultures so that each may learn to better respect, and next, help each other build better a vision of an ethical society.

Create a new varsity order

Borrowing the words of the American social reconstructionist George Counts, who wrote of the need to reconstruct society through education, I propose that we seriously engage in a national dialogue on the beauty of diversity in our public universities. It will be a guarantee that whatever we have set up as a multi-cultural nation will be achieved if we begin with this vision from the top of the ivory tower.

If we let the higher education minister restructure the culture and nature of who should constitute the leaders in the ivory towers, we will see discrimination being properly addressed and resolved. This may be painful in the beginning and the healing process will not be pleasant, but heal we all must. An all-Malay, all-Chinese or all-Indian educational institution will not educate well but will indoctrinate excellently.

Education in the broadest sense of the word should train people to become transcultural citizens able to build a strong foundation of radical multi-culturalism so that society will continue to be critical of governments that lie to their own people through policies that give new meaning to the colonialist policy of divide, conquer and rule.

How much have our universities progressed in the area of cross-cultural understanding? To what extent will our graduates be colour-blind in their work for national development and ultimately, for human liberation? How much do the universities perpetuate ethnocentrism through their hidden curriculum of excluding each other based on race matters? The 22-year policy of the previous administration has reached its ideological shelf-life.

The universities, especially UiTM need to evolve beyond the paradigm of blind nationalism which has never been healthy for this nation. We need the ‘sensor-fused’ technology of eliminating the vestiges of hyper-addictive neo-feudalistic educational pill we have been made to swallow en masse. We need to radically reconstruct the composition of our university leaders to put a stop to this conveyor belt of disabling and paralysing strategy of social reproduction.

Truly diverse administration

Monthly university senate meetings would be more vibrant if we choose to create a culture that will celebrate the diverse perspective that addresses the issue of class, the marginalised, and the criminalisation of the best and the brightest students. We may even discuss how to apply cutting-edge strategies to meet the diverse needs and intelligence of students. We will learn to become less suspicious of our ill-derived and acquired ultra-nationalistic sentiment. Our senate room will be a beautiful forum and may also in decades to come evolve somewhat like the “Conference of the Birds”, as the great Sufi Master Sheikh Fariduddin Attar would call it. In it, we will see the faculty seeking wisdom and truth rather than arguing their biases using politically-correct academic jargon.

We will see a beautiful senatorial culture in all universities. The common goal would be to celebrate humanism, not to dehumanise students and faculty through discriminatory policies. We will gradually free ourselves from the shackles of shallow politicking that has plagued our universities ever since Independence.

All voices will be heard and the voices of social justice and intellectual freedom will be the most celebrated. We can become like America and its insistence on diversity in its universities. Walk into a good American university and you will see a diverse faculty – white, black, Hispanic, Asian and Pacific Islander – all appointed on merit.

We can embrace such multi-culturalism and trumpet to the world how we truly value diversity. This will add more meaning to the idea of a truly world-class Malaysian university. Our university senators will spend more time discussing the philosophical and transcultural foundations of university education, rather than argue tediously over this or that quota and then go home scheming against one another and using their intelligence for less noble purposes.

UiTM will do even better

Let the rakyat insist on the diverse composition of our university leadership. Let us see which Malaysian university will embrace this idea of projecting a ‘world-class’ and ‘world-wise’ university. After all, aren’t we supposed to be a world model in racial harmony? Let us then quickly put an end to racial segregation in our ivory towers.

Let UiTM pave the way to not only prove that change is not only pleasurable, but also inevitable. As an educator who also had the excellent opportunity to be part of UiTM first as a student and part-time faculty albeit briefly in both instances ages ago, I truly believe that Malay students will be all the more enriched with all the races pursuing knowledge not necessarily to compete with one another, but to collaborate in the spirit of diversity and multiculturalism.

For too long UiTM has been dubbed a “universiti untuk Melayu sahaja” (a university for Malays only). It is time to create a new image. From an educational philosophy and psychology point of view, the current image is a misrepresentation. Ultimately it is the students themselves that will continue to be shortchanged. This is a form of oppression and structural violence on the Malay mind; especially when these same bright young minds are also subjected to mind-controlling programs such those created by The Biro Tata Negara and shoved into the brains of the participants. Who benefits from all these?http://azlyrahman-illuminations.blogspot.com/2008/02/155-malay-view-of-ketuanan-melayu.html

To UiTM alumni and faculty of whom are my best of friends and colleagues, do enlighten the students with the fact that to succeed in this globalized world of opportunities, one must embrace positive change and be pragmatic about shifting circumstances. Our job is to suggest the best for the leaders of the future. We cannot settle for anything less for the bright, young minds called Malaysians. We must create a robust multicultural environment to affect positive changes for us and our students.

To UiTM students known to be creative, street-smart, and good problem-solvers, there is a bigger world outside of UiTM that awaits those who are world-wise. If education is a gentle profession that promises progress and prosperity, you will not be victimized in your never-ending journey for knowledge and wisdom. Demand your university to provide you with a multicultural environment in order to have a better and rewarding university experience. Challenge yourself to be highly proficient not only in English but in Bahasa Malaysia and other languages. You do not live in a cocoon. You are not to be blamed for the environment created for you; one created for political reasons that no longer have the appeal nor the educational logic.

Universities the world over are taking pride in how multicultural and global their campuses are, making sure that diversity and affirmative action becomes the culture. In the United States, parents want to send their sons and daughters to colleges that have a truly diverse population. The key word is “global education and international experience”.

Universiti Teknologi MARA will have a brighter future with this new vision of multiculturalism.

Good luck in your Olympics of the mind, body, and spirit. My best wishes goes to the students of UiTM who are missing a major component of their college experience.

To help the Malays, set them free. This is the first ray of light for the dawn of this new era.

http://azlyrahman-illuminations.blogspot.com/

Apa akan jadi pendidikan kita?

Oleh : Faisal Idris
Semalam, ketika memberi ucapan di cermah umum di PJS 4, Kampung Medan, Anwar Ibrahim menyatakan betapa universiti-universiti di negara ini merudum teruk. Beliau menekankan antaranya ialah universiti nombor satu negara yang difahami umum, Universiti Malaya.

Dalam konteks ini, Anwar mengaitkan betapa teruknya kualiti Naib Cancelor Universiti Utara Malaysia, Professor Nordin Kardi, yang menjadi panel bersama Shabery Chik lewat debat isu minyak tempuh hari.

Dalam bidasannya, Anwar mengejek kedangkalan dan cara berfikir Nordin Kardi. Antara minyak dan gas pun professor ini tidak memahami. Dalam pada itu ramai pendengar yang berteriak ” professor kangkung, professor kangkung”, disambut senyuman Anwar.

Selanjutnya Anwar mendedahkan Nordin Kardi selama sepuluh tahun kerjanya menanamkan sifat kebencian terhadapnya dalam siri kursus Biro Tatanegara ketika dia menjadi Pengarah BTN. Antaranya Nordin sentiasa menuduh Anwar ejen Yahudi dan pelbagai lagi tuduhan yang bertujuan menjatuhkannya.

Cara Nordin cuba memerangkap Anwar dengan soalan yang “low class” seolah cuba meletakkan minda Anwar serupa taraf dengan peserta BTN dari UMNO atau pelajar baru yang mendaftar tahun pertama. Ketika debat itu sedang berjalan dan ketika Nordin menyoal jelas sekali audien yang hadir tertoleh-toleh tanda kecewa.

Kini semuanya sudah terserlah. UUM mempunyai Naib Canselor yang memalukan para pelajarnya sendiri. Anak saudara penulis yang sudah tamat belajar di UUM menghempas botol coca-cola sambil mengeluarkan kata-kata yang tak patut disebut di sini akan bekas cikgunya, NC Nordin Kardi ketika menonton debat tersebut.

Persoalannya di sini, siapakah yang Nordin Kardi wakili dalam perdebatan isu minyak tempuh hari? Adakah ia mewakili dirinya sendiri? Adakah dia mewakili UMNO atau mewakili akademia? Adakah Nordin mendapat kelulusan dari pihak Kementerian Pelajaran Tinggi?

Apapun, di akhir perdebatan kesimpulannya Nordin Kardi hanya berjaya “mengkeldaikan” dan memalukan komuniti akademia. Lebih parah lagi jika Nordin Kardi perasan bahawa dia mewakili para intelek se Malaya. Beberapa rakan akademia dari sebuah universiti di Shah Alam geleng kepala , “what a blunder, man”.. klik video.

Beberapa waktu yang lalu, Nordin Kardi berjaya mendapatkan perintah mahkamah terhadap Raja Petra Kamarudiin kerana sebuah artikel yang tersiar berikutan satu isu ciplak. Dalam tuntutannya, Nordin menganggap dirinya mewakili intelek Malaysia dalam samannya terhadap RPK.

Nordin berjaya mendapat hanya RM4 juta dari jumlah tuntutannya sejumlah RM80 juta. Itupun kerana tuntutan itu diberikan secara ‘default judgement’ kerana RPK tidak pernah hadir di mahkamah malahan ketika mendapat penghakiman, RPK tidak ambil pusing malah mengtongsampahkan surat itu.

Persoalannya, apakah begitu ciput nilai para intelek seluruh Malaysia ini?? Jika RM 4 juta dibahagikan kepada beratus malah beribu-ribu intelek di Malaysia ini, maka nilai seorang intelek di sini hanya boleh dinilai dengan duit rupiah, baharulah dapat dinilai beribu atau berjuta banyaknya!

Pastinya ramai intelek tidak bersetuju dengan tindakan Nordin Kardi kecuali intelek-intelek yang ada kalung/tags “Professor Kangkung” atau intelek intelek yang mencapai taraf ‘professorship’ di atas tatangan dan naungan politik UMNO/BN.

Nordin Kardi sememangnya lebih dikenali sebagai BTN. Apabila dia dipilih sebagai Naib Canselor UUM menggantikan Allahyarham Dr Fauzi Basri, agak sukar untuk difahami matlamat sebenar pemilihannya. Yang jelas, Nordin lebih dilihat sebagai penyambung atau pewaris cengkaman kuku besi di UUM. Samada dia berjaya mengumnokan siswa UUM tidaklah diketahui sangat. Bagaimanapun, gerakan pelajar menentang AUKU tidak pernah kendur malah semakin menyala. [Rang undang-undang pindaan AUKU akan dibentangkan pada sidang Dewan Rakyat akan datang]

Sebagai contoh, tindakan keras mengekang siswa di UUM ialah dalam kes Rizal Mohd Anan yang menyaman UUM kerana menggantung pelajarannya selama 3 semester pada awal tahun 2000, hanya kerana terlibat dalam satu perdebatan. Mahkamah telah membuat keputusan yang memihak kepada siswa tersebut dengan penyelesaian RM70,000.

Tidak ketinggalan ahli akademia di UUM juga mendapat tekanan. Ketika syarat akujanji dipaksakan kepada ahli-ahli pendidikan, UUM adalah antara yang begitu keras dan tegas melaksanakanya. Bagaimanapun tidak semuanya setuju menerima syarat dan tekanan akujanji.

Terdapat seorang kakitangan akademik yang ditunjukkan “exit door’ kerana enggan menandatangani akujanji.

Daripada contoh-contoh di atas dan mengambil banyak contoh lain berlaku di pusat-pusat pengajian tinggi awam di negara ini jelas bahawa perkembangan pendidikan tinggi Malaysia ke arah ‘world class’ terbantut sejak sekian lama. Antaranya kerana mengikut telunjuk kebejatan politik pimpinan sekarang, yang hanya mahukan tukang angguk dan tukang sokong “ngeh,ngeh”.

Kronik. Tindakan radikal dan berani untuk merubah pendidikan dirasakan amat perlu.

Seandainya tidak bagi Malaysia, sekurang-kurangnya negeri-negeri dikuasai Pakatan Rakyat perlu menganjak paradigma baru, malah dalam tempuh lima tahun ini menampilkan kewajaran yang lebih tambah-nilainya. [Baca rencana bertajuk, mind schooling race untuk gambaran jelas akan senario ini].

Negeri-negeri Pakatan rakyat, perlu mendahului dan menunjukkan kepada umum bahawa pengekangan pendidikan tidak memberi kesan yang baik untuk mencapai jenerasi ‘e-knowledge’ yang berkualiti. Apatah lagi ketika dunia sedang mengharungi kepelbagaian liberisasi peringkat global.

Langkah pertama yang perlu ialah memberikan ruang kepada pendidikan untuk berkembang dengan lebih positif tanpa kekangan yang melampau dengan memberi ruang seluas mungkin kepada pakar-pakar akademia untuk berkarya dalam memajukan pendidikan.

Dengan kebebasan berkarya pastinya golongan akademia mampu menghasilkan produk-produk baru pendidikan yang mampu dijaja ke santero dunia. Maka baharulah kita boleh melolong dan melelong bahawa di sinilah wujudnya satu hub-pendidikan yang ‘world class’.

Ibarat besi semberani, seluruh mata dunia ditarik kesini. Anak Malaysia diluar negara pasti kembali ke sini. Bukan sedikit anak cerdik pandai Malaysia berada diluar, dan bukan sedikit yang ingin kembali ke negara tumpah darah.

Bagaimanapun, suasana yang tidak kondusif untuk mereka berkarya disini, tekanan-tekanan politik yang membabi buta membuatkan pintu hati mereka tertutup rapat.

Bagi mereka yang berada di sini pula besar kemungkinan hanya menjalankan tugas memenuhi syarat perkhidmatan dan mengambil jalan ‘non-confrontational’ dengan cara berdiam diri.

Seandainya terus-terusan begini, tidak hairan jika satu waktu nanti pendidikan tinggi negara ini akan terus merudum kerana dikuasai oleh “kangkung-kangkung” dan pemanas-pemanas kerusi empuk berhawa dingin yang sudah beku dan jumud kreativitinya.

Lebih dari itu, maka seruan-seruan untuk memertabatkan pendidikan akan hanya tinggal seruan dan cakap-cakap politik yang tidak terpakai dan beransur-ansur menjadi bohong. Paling tidak ia akan hanya menjadi album kenangan ketika pelancaran pelbagai program pemimpin bersama rakyat!

Akhirnya yang akan kerugian negara ini sendiri. Ia akan mengalami ‘brain drain’ dan mengimpot tenaga asing sama seperti sektor buruh dan ladang. Kesannya, esuk atau lusa kita akan meratapi kesilapan semalam apabila jenerasi baru meludah ke muka kita.

Keyakinan Anwar untuk mengangkat mertabat pendidikan negara ini sekiranya Pakatan Rakyat mengusai Putrajaya perlu di beri perhatian serius. Andaikata menjadi realiti bahawa Malaysia ini boleh menjadi hub-pendidikan bertaraf “world class”, perlukah kita bimbang bila negara kehabisan sumber petroleum?

Musa: Kepala anjing di logo PDRM

Inilah logo yang menyebabkan Penarik Beca ditahan polis. Komen Editor : Tak patut logo polis dibuat ubahsuai begini, kerana kita maklum polis kita adalah antara yang terbaik di dunia. Kita yakin tidak akan berlaku lagi perkara sebegini.

Aug 8, 08 2:38pm
Dari Malaysiakini.

Ketua Polis Negara Tan Sri Musa Hassan berkata tindakan meletakkan gambar anjing pada logo Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) dalam laman blog ‘Penarik Beca’ adalah satu percubaan untuk menghasut orang ramai membenci polis.

Polis telah menahan penulis blog tersebut, Abu Bakar Mohd Rashid, 50, Selasa lalu.

Bercakap kepada pemberita di ibunegara hari ini, Musa berkata polis yang memandang serius cubaan itu akan mengambil tindakan tegas terhadap pihak yang cuba mencemar imej dan kredibiliti pasukan itu.

Penulis blog “Penarik Beca” itu ditahan di rumahnya pada pukul 10 malam Selasa lepas di Taman Koperasi Polis bagi membantu siasatan mengikut Seksyen 4(1) Akta Hasutan 1948, demikian menurut laporan Bernama.

Penulis itu, yang juga dikenali Bakar Haq, kemudian dibawa dan disiasat di ibu pejabat polis bahagian jenayah perdagangan, Kuala Lumpur.

Difahamkan, Abu Bakar yang ditahan reman semalam, akan dibebaskan petang ini.

Musa juga ditanya mengenai dua dakwaan kes penyelewengan dalam PDRM yang kini disiasat Badan Pencegah Rasuah (BPR).

Musa berkata ia adalah satu proses biasa bagi mencari kebenaran.

Beliau berkata kadang-kadang aduan yang dilakukan itu berbentuk tohmahan.

Bagaimanapun, katanya, sebagai sebuah organisasi yang berperanan sebagai penguatkuasa undang-undang dan menjaga keamanan, setiap aduan itu perlu disiasat bagi mencari kebenarannya.

“Biasalah, ada yang tak suka polis ni buat tohmahan macam-macam, ada tohmahan yang betul dan ada yang tak betul. Kalau betul akan dibawa ke mahkamah,” katanya.

A must read : Breaking the rule of whose law?

“Bagaimanapun, saya hendak katakan, doktor itu (dari Hospital Pusrawi) didera berhari-hari (supaya) menukar keterangannya. Ini negara apa? Ini hukum rimba namanya.” – DSAI

By Yusmadi Yusoff MP Balik Pulau

AUG 7 — We have been incessantly reminded by government leaders that we should abide by the law. That, in order for justice to prevail, we should uphold the rule of law. The Prime Minister again reminded us that we should be fair and that the law must allow a complainant to seek legitimate redress. – Question is whose law??

Terbaharu – Ikat jamin RM20 Ribu untuk Anwar.

“Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is granted a RM 20 personal bail by the session court here pending hearing on 10th Sept. 2008. Todays event is just to embarrass him”. I’m in court now with DSAI.

Datuk Seri Anwar di benarkan ikat jamin RM20 ribu sehingga kesnya didengar pada 10 Sept. 208. Acara Hari ini hanyalah untuk memalukannya sahaja”, Saya di mahkamah bersama DSAI”.

Mesej diterima jam 10.26., 7 Ogos 2008 – Mahkamah Sesyen Jalan Duta Kuala Lumpur

Penasihat PKR, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dibebaskan dengan ikat jamin sebanyak RM20 ribu sehingga kes didengar pada 10 September 2009.

Anwar didakwa melakukan sodomi terhadap Saiful Bukhari Azlan melalui aduan yang dbuat pada 28 Mei 2008 lalu.
Dengan ikat jamin ini, ia memberi ruang kepada Anwar untuk terus berkempen dan bertanding dalam pilihanraya kecil Permatang Pauh.

Usaha Memalukan Anwar – Tindakan Jijik dan meloyakan.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim mengaku tidak bersalah di mahkamah Sessions hari ini diatas tuduhan meliwat bekas pembantunya Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 23 tahun.

Beliau dituduh melakukan kesalahan itu dibawah Section 377B Anwar dituduh mengikut Seksyen 337B Kanun Keseksaan yang membawa hukuman penjara sehingga 20 tahun dan sebat.

Anwar dituduh melakukan kesalahan pada masa antara 3.01pm 4.30pm di unit 11-5-1 Desa Damansara Condominium 99, Jalan Setia Kasih, Bukit Damansara pada June 26 2008.

Hakim SM Komathy kemudiannya membenarkan Anwar diikat jamin diri tanpa penjamin. Katanya, Anwar juga tidak perlu menyerahkan pasportnya kerana yakin mantan timbalan perdana menteri itu tidak akan melarikan diri.

Anwar diwakili oleh pasukan pembelaan yang diketuai oleh Sulaiman Abdullah. Peguam lain termasuklah Sivarasa Rasiah, Sankara Nair, Saiful Izham Ramli, Amer Hamzah, Edmund Bon dan Leela J Jesuthasan.

Monolog untuk Anwar

6 Ogos 2008.

Oleh Zamlan Arabi.

Hari ini saya berpeluang mengikut sahabat saya Saudara Arshad Abu Bakar bersolat Maghrib dan terus Solat Hajat di rumah Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Kami sampai tepat pada waktu Imam meluruskan saf diruang tamu rumah DSAI. Maka kamipun masuk ke saf ke tiga yang masih ada dua atau 3 ruang. Kesemuanya lebih kurang 150 orang berjemaah maghrib pada hari itu.

Saya tidak perasaan selang seorang jemaah bersebelahan saya adalah DSAI sendiri. Saudara Arshad betul-betul bersebelahan DSAI. Selesai Maghrib diikuti doa dan tahlil, saya mengambil kesempatan merenung wajah DSAI sambil mengaminkan doa tok imam.

Wajahnya tenang setenang air dikolam, seperti tiada apa yang melanda dirinya. Jelas terpancar di wajahnya satu aura yang gemerlap. Bermonolog saya, “mana mungkin manusia ini bermasalah, mana mungkin dia sedang dilanda durjana ciptaan manusia”.

Renungan kedua saya menyusul dengan benak berkata-kata, “manusia kental, manusia teruji, tak akan patah oleh pukulan rapuh kuasa manusia”, terus saya bermonolog sambil menadah doa. Kebencian saya meluap apabila kerlipan flash kamera oleh jurugambar akhbar yang datang, anak melayu, Islam pastinya tetapi tidak bersembahyang sama.

Biadap dan tidak kira masa untuk menyuluh orang dengan lampu kamera. “Patutlah ada jurugambar yang kena pukul”, kata hati saya.

Tamat doa dan tahlil, terus disambung dengan solat hajat. Anwar bangun untuk ke saf hadapan. Saya perhatikan pergerakannya penuh keyakinan dan mantap. Dia tidak kelihatan letih walaupun penuh dengan program yang padat dan penuh cabaran.

“Sepanjang ranjau yang dilaluinya, dia mendapat doa seorang isteri yang solehah. Doa isteri yang solehah, itulah yang akan mengiringi kegemilangan seorang suami”, teringat saya pesan arwah ibu jika mahu mencari isteri.

Selesai solat hajat, DSAI berangkat untuk menghadiri mesyuarat parti di Tropicana. Menghampiri Isya’ ruang halaman rumah DSAI sudah dipenuhi oleh pencinta keadilan dari pelbagai kaum. Jamuan diberikan kepada yang hadir ala kadarnya.

Berkata saya kepada diri sendiri, ” aku akan berada di Permatang Pauh untuk memberi pertolongan yang sedikit ini kepada manusia bernama Anwar Ibrahim.

Esuk kita jumpa di Permatang Pauh, selepas itu kita berjumpa pula dilobi Parlimen, akhirnya kita ramai-ramai kita bergerak ke PUTRAJAYA.

Sah, laporan HKL – DIA MASIH DARA…

KUALA LUMPUR, 5 OGOS (SK)- Ketua Wanita KeADILan yang Juga Ahli Parlimen Ampang, Zuraida Kamarudin semalam menghadiahkan sejambak bunga kepada pihak Hospital Besar Kuala Lumpur (HBKL) kerana mengeluarkan laporan keatas dakwaan liwat keatas Ketua Umum KeADILan, Anwar Ibrahim.

Dalam sidang medianya selepas pertemuan bersama pihak Pengarah HBKL, beliau berkata 10 Jambak bunga yang dihadiahkan beliau mempunyai mesej tersirat dan pihak hospital agak terkejut dengan kehadiran beliau.

Katanya, beliau telah mendapat tahu isi laporan yang dikeluarkan oleh HBKL yang menyatakan bahawa tidak ada unsur-unsur liwat oleh Anwar Ibrahim keatas Saiful Bukhari Azlan.
Ianya selaras dengan laporan terdahulu oleh Hospital Pusrawi.

“Menurut sumber sejurus laporan perubatan rasmi telah di keluarkan ternyata DSAI tidak bersalah namun Pihak Kerajaan berusaha untuk menukar fakta dengan menyuruh Pihak Hospital untuk menukar kembali laporan tersebut. Namun malang ianya sudah terlambat,”. Laporan blog P99 Ampang.

Tambah tulisan blog berkenaan lagi, “salah seorang pegawai di hospital berkenaan sudah tidak mahu terlibat serta bersubahat untuk melakukan jenayah tersebut. Walau selicik mana sekalipun jika pekara itu benar walau di sorokkan tetap akan timbul kebenarannya.”

Peliknya Khir, Noh dan Reezal Merican

Khir Toyo Langgar Fitrah Semulajadi Kejadian Manusia.

Menurut bekas menteri besar Selangor, Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo di blognya yang bertajuk ‘Impian Saya’, beliaulah orang yang bertanggungjawab membawa pemimpin-pemimpin tertinggi PAS bertemu perdana menteri selang beberapa hari selepas keputusan pilihanraya umum 8 Mac.

Khir juga menyatakan, jika PAS bersetuju untuk membentuk kerajaan campuran bersama Umno di Selangor, jawatan menteri besar, timbalan menteri besar dan empat jawatan exco negeri akan diberikan kepada parti Islam itu.

Doktor gigi tersebut menyalahkan Anwar atas kegagalan Umno memancing PAS membentuk kerajaan campuran di negeri itu.

“Malangnya, pengaruh Anwar dalam PAS, melalui setiausaha agungnya Kamaruddin Jaafar telah menggagalkan usaha tersebut. Saya yakin selagi Anwar memainkan peranan penting dalam Pakatan rakyat, muzakarah tersebut tidak akan memberi sebarang kesan,” kata Dr Khir.

Mat Tempe yang selama ini menjadi musuh PAS malahan tidak keterlaluan jika di label sebagai musuh Islam kerana kerjanya yang menutup surau. Tindak tanduknya yang merubah wajah juga tidak selari dengan amalan kehidupan serta fitrah semulajadi kejadian manusia.

Entah bila Mat Tempe ini menjadi penganalisis politik PAS dan Anwar? Kononnya hendak bermain saikologi. Nah kini Khir akan diuji dalam pemilihan bahagian Sungai Besar. Apakah Nasib doktor gigi @saudagar tempe ini?

Terbaharu, Khir Toyo diberitakan masih dalam mood shopping spree, dengan memiliki hartanah-hartanah bernilai sekitar Shah Alam.

Gabungan Pelajar Mamak Semenanjung.

Presiden Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS), ketika mengulas perletakan jawatan Wan Azizzah untuk memberi laluan kepada Azwar Ibrahim di Permatang Pauh, menyelar bahawa tindakan Wan Azizah tidak bertanggungjawab.

Ingatan pendek dan cetek Reezal Merican Naina Merican, meletakkan rendahnya tahap kecapaian minda nya serta ceteknya ingatan sejarah dalam kotak minda Setpol Dolah Badawi ini.

Lupakah bagaimana satu waktu dahulu Datuk Shahril Samad berhenti dari UMNO, meletak jawatan Parlimen Johor Bharu dan bertanding atas tiket Bebas cap kunci? Apakah tindakan Shahril kunci ini lebih baik dari tindakan Wan Azizah?

Apakah yang boleh dibanggakan oleh Reezal sebagai Presiden GPMS? Pemilihannya sebagai Presiden GPMS begitu kontroversi. Buat pertama kali GPMS mempunyai dua Presiden, Suhaimi Ibrahim dan Reezal.
Masing masing mengaku mereka adalah Presiden. Akhirnya melalui perundingan bilik tertutup, Suhaimi melepaskan jawatan dan terus senyap sampai kini ibarat ular sawa yang baru menelan seekor anak lembu yang sihat.

Apakah sejumlah wang menjadi penyangga kepada persetujuan dipihak Suhaimi? Mungkin ada seseorang yang boleh memberi jawapan.

Jika dibuka laman web GPMS, sejarah penubuhan GPMS yang dicatatkan amat berbeza dengan sejarah catatan arkib Negara. – http://hids.arkib.gov.my/doc/2006/ogos/15_08_1948_2006.htm

Catatan dalam arkib menggariskan sejarah penubuhan GPMS dengan lengkap namun laman web GPMS tidak.

Kita berasa hairan bagaimana kualiti yang sebegini layak untuk memimpin GPMS? Mungkin Reezal Merican Naina Merican ini hanya layak memimpin Gabungan Pelajar Mamak Semenanjung!

Noh Omar – Anak Jantan.

Dalam ulasannya ketika Anwar mengesahkan untuk bertanding di Permatang Pauh, Noh Omar, Menteri Pembangunan Usahawan dan Koperasi dengan pantas mengejek tindakan Anwar bukan tindakan anak jantan.
Noh Omar telupa dia pernah menghalau pelancung asing , “ kalau tak suka polis Malaysia jangan datang ke Malaysia”. Waktu itu Noh Timbalan Menteri Dalam Negeri. Maka terpaksalah Dolah menghantar delegasi ke China memohon maaf atas tindakan bebal Noh Omar. Tindakan Noh boleh dianggap derhaka kepada Negara kerana, boleh menjejaskan beribu juta hasil Negara jika pelancung tidak datang ke Malaysia. Tup-tap, gambar wanita yang dibogelkan itu rupanya Melayu bukan Cina!
Noh berakhir dengan diturunkan pangkat duduk di bawah ketiak Hishamudin Hussein sebagai Timbalan Menteri Pelajaran. Sesak nafas Noh buat beberapa waktu.

Bagaimanapun Noh masih bernasib baik naik sebagai menteri penuh tetapi bukan kerana dia layak atau sangat pandai tetapi ketandusan pemimpin yang berwibawa dalam UMNO lebih-lebih lagi dizaman Dolah “tidurlah” ini.

Bila berbahas di Parlimen, marapu tak tentu hujung pangkal, menyampuk tak kena tempat.

Jelas, UMNO sememangnya sudah mereput!

Mazlan Haron Lapor Dolah ke BPR

Ahli politik veteran, Mazlan Haron, bekas exo pemuda UMNO Malaysia, bekas ADUN LIndungan membuat laporan kepada BPR akan salahlaku rasuah yang di tujukan kepada Abdullah Badawi dan Najib.

Mengikut Mazlan, laporan itu dibuat bertujuan mengelakkan pemilihan UMNO akan datang bebas dari rasuah. Sebelum itu Kapten Zahar, Ketua UMNO PJ Selatan mendedahkan surat salahlaku Abdullah mengamalkan rasuah politik dengan janji jawatan kepada Najib Razak.

Dalam surat yang di terbitkan, Dolah disebutkan menggunakan JASA, sebuah agensi kerajaan di bawah Kementerian Penerangan sebagai platform berkempen.

Mazlan menegaskan bahawa jentera kerajaan telah digunakan, wang kerajan telah digunakan untuk kepentingan diri.

“Semua orang mahukan ‘clean election’ dalam UMNO”, kata Mazlan. Semua bukti telah diserah kepada BPR kata Mazlan apabila ditanya. Tonton Video

Ketika dihubungi melalui telefon Mazlan berkata bahawa ini adalah usaha terakhir untuk menyelamatkan UMNO yang sudah mereput.

Abdullah dan Najib diberitakan bertemu dengan pemimpin UMNO pelbagai peringkat di KUala Lumpur dan memberikan wang aku, kain pelikat dan penginapan kelas 4 bintang.

Menurut sumber Kuala Lumpur nilai pemberian yang berupa “door gift” adalah kira-kira RM250 seorang. Jumlah keseluruhan dikatakan mencapai jutaan ringgit. Pemberian “door gift” ini diberikan melalui syarikat pengurusan event yang mengatur program tersebut.

Apa yang mengejutkan, syarikat tersebut diberitakan milik kaum kerabat terdekat Dolah. Siapa yang membayar syarikat tersebut?

Dalam satu perkembangan lain, keputusan Rafidah memberikan jawatan Ketua Wanita kepada Shahrizat Jalil juga dikatakan serupa dengan modus operandi Dolah-Najib. Dengan janji ini, Rafidah tidak akan ditentang dalam pemilihan akan datang, sama sebagaimana janji Dolah menyerahkan kuasa kepada Najib.

Jual PAS demi Dolah??

Oleh Amin Iskandar

“Dalam mana-mana gerakan ataupun pertubuhan, pasti ada yang berwatak “Si Kitol dan Raja Mendaliar”. Umno sudah lama tahu siapa “Si Kitol dan Raja Mendaliar” dalam PAS yang mereka boleh kudakan untuk menjayakan agenda mereka.” Baca seterusnya

Ezam – The Chameleon

By Khalid Jaafar

“In the media he made innuendos on a particular person who was rich and comfortable while other Reformasi activists were slogging to make ends meet. But very few know that he received salaries from at least three companies, pocketing a salary equivalent to a CEO of a listed company. He was always being chauffeur-driven in fancy cars, and moved around with unproductive auxiliaries, reminiscent of the habits of Umno politicians.” Read the rest

Malaysian prostitute in London jailed for murder

The brutality and savagery shown by Xing Xing’s killers is something I have not come across before Detective Chief Inspector Carl Mehta

Woman & Boyfriend jailed for beheading rival

A jealous girlfriend has been jailed for life for murdering a young Chinese graduate whose headless body was found floating in a marina in south London.

Xing Xing Xie, 23, was decapitated while alive and her body dumped in the River Thames at Rotherhithe.

Noor Azura Mohd-Yusoff, of Ealing, west London and her boyfriend Trach Lon Gian, of Deptford, south London, were convicted of murder at the Old Bailey.

Another man wanted over the murder in April 2007 has fled the country.

Modh-Yusoff, a 22-year-old Malaysian prostitute, was sentenced to serve a minimum of 15 years while Gian, her 27-year-old Belfast-born boyfriend, must serve at least 22 years.

Gian was also found guilty of perverting the course of justice by disposing of the body.

Jailing the couple, Judge Giles Forrester said: “The attack was vicious and cruel. Not only was she stabbed twice in the neck, she was indeed decapitated whilst alive.”

The court heard during the trial that Modh-Yusoff was jealous of Ms Xie and sent a text message threatening to kill the victim just days before her death in April 2007.

In late March, Modh-Yusoff returned to the couple’s home in New Cross, south east London, to find Ms Xie there following a 36-hour pornography and cocaine-fuelled party.

Two weeks later her corpse was discovered by a couple who lived in a house boat in the South Dock Marina in Bermondsey.

Seven weeks later the victim’s head was found wrapped in black plastic bin liners in an adjacent dock.

‘Beggars belief’

Tests showed Ms Xie had her head cut off while she was still alive and was intoxicated with a potentially lethal level of cocaine.

A post-mortem examination showed 37 separate knife wounds.

Chanh Ngo, from Vietnam, is also believed to have participated in the murder but has since fled the country.

Detective Chief Inspector Carl Mehta, who led the investigation, said: “The brutality and savagery shown by Xing Xing’s killers is something I have not come across before and beggars belief.”

Mr Mehta said Ms Xie came from the Sichuan province of China, from a well respected academic family background and was a successful student at Liverpool University after she came to the UK in 2002.

“Her family have had to suffer the loss of a daughter many thousands of miles from home, in an unfamiliar city, and in the most harrowing and tragic circumstances.”

Remembering Ijok, reminding Permatang Pauh

By Dr. Azly Rahman

In Ijok, did the people vote wisely? Or did they vote for the continuation of the use of totalitarian instruments such as the Internal Security Act, Universities and University Colleges Act, irrational preferential treatments, unsolved mysteries of massive corruption cases, rise of dynasties, political violence, postponement of trial of hideous political murders, abuse of “at-risk youths”, political-economy of controlling interests, age-old vendetta, hideous nature of the separation of power between the executive, legislative, and judiciary, and an ever-growing range of complex “rational” acts that have become our “political culture”?

What does “wise” mean? Is the level of wisdom dependent upon the levels of consciousness of the different “class” and “caste” of people?

Looks like the middle class is co-opted to support the dominant political group, the lower-class is busy making ends meet, and the lowest class is now the unsung heroes of the postmodern indentured slavery.

We do not have yet have a critical mass that can think critically to effect critical change.

Beginning or end?

Is Ijok the end or the beginning of a better evolution of a system of check and balances? Is it a Hegelian-styled emergence of political consciousness that saw the power of sophisticated blogging and Prime Media spinning and raw kampong-styled voting realism as a creative play of election hypocrisy?

If the Opposition actually brought “instant and irrational development projects” to Ijok, will this trend continue? Will the presence of the Opposition drain the ruling party of goodies – just like how the American Empire is drained off of resources with the presence of massive, subaltern forces of resistance in the case of Iraq?

These are some questions that we will need to answer, as a nation. Ijok was a beginning of an end – end of an ignorance of how campaigning work, of how politicians behave, or how promises are made, and how many millions are spent to buy votes.

Our road to political wisdom is long and winding. Man is defined by the economic condition they are in, Marx would argue. Could this be the definition of the voters in Ijok? In this electorate we read so much about instant political gratifications given by the government, as if the regime is spending its last dollar to appease the masses that have actually learned what a “protest vote” means. Very sophisticated voters we have who now know how to play with authority and to counter-hegemonize.

But where does ethics and morality lies both in the giver and the receiver? What have all the slogans – from “bersih, cekap, amanah” to “bukan harta dunia yang ku cari ” – done to the masses when elections such as Ijok come? Where are we going as a nation when we no longer have any shame through all the sleek, sophisticated, selfish, soul-less, and slimy strategies we read concerning the choosing of a leader in a sleepy-constituency-turned-case study of the semiotics of power/knowledge and signs, symbols and signification of “Boleh-land”?

Where is truth?

What was that by-election about? Can we ever know the truth? Is this “truth”, like the “Butterfly Effect,” that will multiply in the next General Election?

Any changes in the system, however random and small it is can create major shifts in the ecosystem, as such as the flap of a butterfly wing in the Amazon some ten years ago that will have created hurricanes and thunderstorms in New Orleans – such is a “Butterfly Effect”. Of the impact of randomness and chaos in creating turbulence.

Apply this notion of Complexity Theory to Ijok and we may predict what the Malaysian general election may look like. Will there be utter chaos in Ijok – a battleground to settle old scores?

More of Azly’s thoughts at http://azlyrahman-illuminations.blogspot.com/

PAS’ faith wavering in face of Umno’s money

A letter by One Malaysia

Jul 31, 08 5:02pm

I refer to the Malaysiakini report, Najib: Take Umno-PAS merger step by step.

We know that Umno is trying to convince PAS to join them under the pretext of Malay interest and Islam. But really, Umno is not interested in both.

When Umno itself does not practice Islam but only in outward rituals, can you expect a crab to walk straight? All the nonsense filling the media is just indicative of Umno’s hypocrisy.

Umno is not interested in ordinary Malays but its own Malay cronies and elites. Unfortunately, some gullible PAS people took the bait. In reality, only half-past-six PAS leaders who aren’t going anywhere politically and are covetous of wealth and power, would snap at Umno’s bait.

Remember, these PAS people are also Malays and their faith is wavering in the face of all that ringgit. When the money dangles, only the genuine can resist. So what to do now? MCA should ditch BN. As for PAS, fire all your leaders who talk to the devils and stick with PKR.

And if you are a true Muslim, you are not going to be able to establish Islam in Malaysia by pursuing your tendency for a Taliban-like approach.

Take the Quranic verse “There is no compulsion in religion” literally. Don’t try to force Islamic values on others (Muslims and non-Muslims alike). I am a Malay and Muslim but I’m a bit skeptical of PAS’ approach though I do aspire for an Islamic nation where justice and equality irrespective of race, religion or creed exists.

I want the people in power to serve the rakyat and not themselves. I want openness and ability to criticise.

It is understandable that DAP is fearful of an Islamic state and has been resisting that. But take that as a failure of communication between PAS and DAP and in wanting to implement things which the people are not ready to accept.

I, as a Muslim, would like to have hudud laws. Then we won’t have plenty of corruption. Let’s make the hudud applicable to Muslims only. As a Muslim, if I steal (for no dire reasons like hunger), I must be prepared to get my hands chopped off.

Likewise, I shall claim protection under the same law if Ahmad (a Muslim) robs me, he gets the chop too just as in the case of Ah Chong or Ramasamy (non-Muslims) if they rob me. They too get the chop.

So, as a Muslim, I can live in peace because nobody dares to touch my belongings. Only criminals should be concerned about all this. The majority of us earn our daily bread honestly so this hudud ruling is of no consequence. But it is a big insurance for our safety and peace.

Imagine if Kassim (a Muslim) were to rob a non-Muslim, he gets the chop. It will boil down to non-Muslim communities being protected too as no Muslim will dare to touch their belongings. Isn’t that heaven?

If a non-Muslim robs another non-Muslim however, then you fall back onto the current provisions in the civil law. If we have this simple hudud law introduced, we will see a lot of crimes disappearing and we don’t have to put up ugly steel barricades in our homes and business premises.

Some Malays have an animosity against DAP because of DAP prevented the Malays from having what they want- a true Islamic environment. Many Malays (except those in Umno) are not too concerned about material wealth but rather in spiritual wealth in being able to live the good Islamic way.

Many of us Malays, however, do not want a Taliban-style Islam. PAS should stop those irritating pursuits against dresses, high heels and lipsticks because that shows Taliban-like tendencies.

Look around for we have better things to pursue. Malaysia is fast sinking in a sea of crime and corruption. The rakyat has no freedom of expression and we are being treated like idiots across the board. Investors are running away.

Malays, Chinese and Indians alike will all suffer when Malaysia goes under. Get real. God has allowed us to follow the faith of our choice. If you think your religion is better, be a model of that religion. People will then take notice and adopt your ways.

If the Malays practice Islam truly, we will not have any Malay drug addicts, Malay criminals or Malay prostitutes. The Malays are supposedly blessed with the true religion and they owe it to others to lead the way.

Unfortunately, the Malays are not getting anywhere because they don’t practice Islam truly. Many Malays are worshiping the ringgit and not Allah. That’s the crux of the problem. And being a ‘Tuan Melayu’ will not solve anything. Ends