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Sakmongkol ak 47

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Tuesday 16 December 2008

Malay Leadership and Islam(2)

Readers would have noticed that in my previous blog on Malay Leadership, I have defined it in terms of achievement norms. In particular, I define someone in terms of what he can do and contribute and not in terms of who he is( ascribed status). Thus a good Muslim to me, is good not because he is what he is, but because of his achievements. That is, I am more interested to define Malay leadership in terms of what it can achieve for the Malays and not solely by just being Malay.

In the first instalment of my essays, I have defined Malay leadership in its role as regards Islam being the official religion.

I want to see, what can they do with Islam. I don’t subscribe to the claim that being a Muslim must therefore, as of right, entitles one to privileges or special treatment. That fact alone should have been sufficient not to cause any umbrage or misgivings among non Muslims. The role of the Malay leader is to reassure the Malays of the true meaning of Islam and allay the fears of non Muslims.

Even in Islam, one is distinguished according to levels of piety . And it must be instantly appreciated that the state and levels of piety, requires a series in the act of becoming. Hence becoming a good Muslim is a continuous process of effort and exertions. One cultivates oneself to be a good Muslim. Levels of piety do not come as of right. You must exert yourself. Work for it. Just being a Muslim, does not count to anything.

Before I expand this interpretation of defining the Malays, let me quickly state what it should not be. Defining Malay leadership in its role as defender, protector and expander of the Islamic religion does not give the leadership an absolute licence to go on a messianic evangelizing mission, catching others by the throats and forcing them to embrace Islam. It must never sanction the brutish acts of destroying temples, synagogues and other places of worship. In as much as we Muslims make it incumbent upon ourselves to protect, defend and expand Islam, adherents of other religions have the same rights.

By this measure, I find it aberrant to see exertions of defending Islam are being regarded as a measure of bigoted intolerance. In defending Islam, Muslims are accused and judged guilty of committing an act that strikes at freedom of speech and so forth. Or for that matter, outpourings of disgust and calls for punishment against Wee Meng Chee, are regarded as irrational and bigoted response. Can we Muslims take that to mean, we need to apologise for defending Islam against unprovoked affront? Lim Kit Siang’s loquacity and biting defence and MCA’s overt support for Meng Chee, indeed resulted in a series of forensic dissection of everything Islamic and everything Malay. Now, may I ask, as an interested Muslim, does this imply, in the face of all these verbal abuses, the good Muslim, is a mute Muslim? .

The problem in Malaysia is that Islam is associated exclusively with the Malays. Perceived biases against the Malays therefore are imputed into this religion embraced by 1.3 billion humankind on this earth. The shortcomings of Malays are imputed into the religion, which is unfair and undeserving. Islam is embraced by more people than Malays. Indian Muslims in India outnumber Malay Muslims and Chinese Muslims in China outnumber our own.

That being the case, the perception that criticisms against the religion of Islam actually conceal hatred for Malays appear to be justified. Teresa Kok’s vituperative stance against Islam which is even visited upon the Jawi writing and Meng Chee’s venomous parody on Islam and everything Islamic actually conceal the fact that they are Malay haters. They have no valid quarrels against Islam other than the religion being professed by Malays.

11 comments:

Anonymous,  16 December 2008 at 11:55  

One has the right to be of the opinion that since the malays are hated, their religion, as proven by the west to be connected to terrorists, this religion is to be viewed with hate too.

Unker BMW

Saya... 16 December 2008 at 12:35  

"proven by the west"???

What's the proof? In Unker Sam's words?

US the God or kiblah (would be an insult to ours, actually to mention in the same breath) of the slobbering masses has been responsible for over 30 million deaths and counting all over the world in scores of nation, directly or by proxy wars to serve their own interests. Read up also on the various false flag operations initiated to elicit the exact responses expected from these Unker Islamophobes-types and create pretexts for wars and new fronts eg: the War on Islam

(nak cut and paste info nanti orang comatose pulak)

So I insert a help-the-fool links here for Unker-types to help them get started on getting information elsewhere other than their beloved western MSM. Maybe they can use their god-given intellect to sift through the treasure trove of info available and not limit themselves to the downside of the miracle of the web, ie only the explicit sites.

1. http://www.countercurrents.org/lucas240407.htm

2. http://www.antiwar.com/


Priceless lah Unker. Just shows how these people think. And how well propaganda effort works with little effort on the mindless.

Navi 16 December 2008 at 15:33  

I find your repeated allegation of YB Theresa Kok being a Malay hater amusing. Despite her vehement denials and the admission by the mosque committees in her non-interference, there is a group in UMNO out to demonize her, of which you Dato', seem to be one.
You are however correct not to equate Islam with Malays. As an Indian and a Muslim, I too take exception at those who ridicule the religion and often show their bias without inhibitions. I brush off such demonstrations by the ignorant as trivial and not of importance enough to harp on, the result being heartburns and stress.
Instead, the Muslims should try educating the non-Muslims and what better way than by example. We will not succeed unless the Muslim community and in case of Malaysia, the mainly Malay community do away with acts of corruption, adultery and the other vices which are haram to Islam yet practiced unhindered,more so among the ruling elite.
Won't such acts of clean living prove the virtues of Islam better than demonstrations and threats against the non-believers? Why is it that Nik Aziz is well-revered by all communities while idiots like 'Mahaguru' are viled against.navinachendra

Anonymous,  16 December 2008 at 16:04  

Shrill this. But battling those menacing punches thrown by Unker Bas Mini shall precipitate the dumbing-down of conversation.

The Malay leadership encounters a proliferation of segments, a slice of which was featured by Huzir Sulaiman. Arguments tend to be muddied when erudite souls wade in with their universalist traditions. A handful seems condescending, above all.

The Malay leadership will have to keep making sense and not be distracted by sniping and third-grade ridicule dressed in high-browed prose.

Anonymous,  16 December 2008 at 16:30  

Dato’ Sak,

I’m walking a thin line of sensitivity here. Yet I strongly believe that de-sensitised we must if we need to progress as a nation. Even though we might be taking baby-steps here. The process of de-sensitisation can only be activated if we discuss openly & regularly about these sensitized issues - LOGICALLY & WITHOUT EMOTIONS!

Someone said this & I quote

“If this cannot say, that cannot say, and the Chinese political parties fuss about Mukhriz and Ahmad, the Malay political parties fuss over Karpal Singh and Teresa Kok, then the grievances instead of ironed out will be merely swept under the carpet. Our carpet has gathered so much dust that to lift a corner would surely give folks from Gong Badak to Pasir Salak a collective big sneeze.”

And sneeze we did for the past 30+ yrs.
For us to mature as a country, meaningful debate — whether it is on the special position of the Malays, vernacular schools or Islam & Malay — must be allowed to flourish. We must also accept that dissent is healthy, and start to build on our diversities.
So my takes,
‘They have no valid quarrels against Islam other than the religion being professed by Malays.’
OK – they don’t dislike Islam. Point established.
Then the next question that has been missing is WHY r they been defined as Malay haters?
“When did these Apeks, Ah Sohs, Ayyas and Appus have nice thoughts about the Malays anyway? That’s their default mode – to hate, to irritate, to unravel and bring into disrepute anything even remotely associated with the Malays.”
R they born to be like that (default mode)? Or is the shortcomings of Malays caused them to be like that (me-layu)?
Where is the truth?
To look for the truth perhaps we should seek the proverbial up-stand coin. Can we REALLY be looking the coin at both of its sides? An up-stand coin is statically rare BUT not impossible.

So now the question of why the Malays r ‘the others’ haters?

Religions? Could Dato’ Sak assumption is wrong? There comes a teacher who tells the kids not to mix with the kafirs.

Social steorotyping? The illogical & yet deep-seated fear of Malays - about the Chinese/Indians r going to ‘do-them-in’ by always talking in vernacular languages that majority of the Malays don’t understand & speak

Past atrocities? Now is the pay back time. R we going to pay for the ‘past sins’ as claimed now, just to pop up the weaklings?

What r the causalities for these ‘hates’?

Only & only when we r able to clear this first hurdle r we on the way to a Bangsa Malaysia.

And yet this is where the leadership comes into play. After identifying the causes – r the leaders from both spectrum ready to do the RIGHT THINGS & do them RIGHT?

That’s should be the ultimate question of leadership!

gwlnet

Anonymous,  16 December 2008 at 17:54  

Gwlnet,

Take a course in english first before attempting to even write one word. We can bare understand what you are babbling about. It is so incoherent, what more with your "sms" language usage of "r".

Jebat Fan

Anonymous,  16 December 2008 at 17:55  

"barely" sorry...

Jebat Fan

Ti Lian Ker 16 December 2008 at 19:53  

Actually Muslims in msia had given Islam a bad name..they focus so much on the don't and forgot about the exceptions...everything is so forbidden and unforgiven..this is not a true reflection of Islam...and i agreed with you statement ' holding them by the throat and forcing them to convert....i have heard so many stories bout conversion as an easy way out for being in close proximity with a Muslims..what bout those who converted to get license and bizness from the Government...all these are real and rampant..I had someone who confided to me his conversion is purely a biznes decision...and he continued to eat pork and pray in the temple...better for them to murtad or allow them to be apostate..but the pride and the ego forbids..

Anonymous,  16 December 2008 at 20:06  

Ti Lian,

I think the examples you gave as not of Muslims? But Chinamen taking advantage of the leniency of Islam?

Where got people force you to convert by knife.

Bullshit la these fellas.

Dato Sak,

Forget about these jokers. Let them say what they want.

Yang penting kita betulkan diri kita, bersihkan kepimpinan kita and work together to bring Malaysia up.

Don't waste time lah on this issue.

Kita dah memang Tuan.

Let us work on being successful and feared and respected.

Let us show these jokers what integrity is all about.

Yang penting kita berlaku adil pada semua seprti yang Allah tuntut. Tak payah lebih2.

AnonIsMe

satD 16 December 2008 at 22:45  

And you know what the Chinese vent their anger in the "Malay-Proxies" aka Indonesia Foreign Workers like their maids, their construction workers....sedih....

Out here in Jakarta, the kind of news that is being filtered from our KL MSM is sad...so many unfortunate cases....

Fact is our constitution in spirit encompass the religious freedom which is central to Islam, our problem is always in the institutions and they people tasked to undertake the functions.
There are some critical issues such as A Chinese Man who wants to take away the children from the Wife could simply “convert” into Islam...even though he carry on living as a non-muslim...same goes for the huha over bodies of “Muslims”........who gives a damn about them....even if u bury a Muslim with all the Hindu rites...God still know....

As for the conversion issues, again if it is merely to change the data attribute in the Government Database of the Most Profiled Nation on earth...who cares...let them be.....

The Quran says this....

“Say the truth from your Lord. Now whosoever will, may believe and whosoever will, may disbelieve” (Kahf, 29).

“If your Lord so willed, He could have made mankind one nation, yet they do not cease to differ.” (Hud, 118)

“If it had been your Lord’s will, all who are in the world have believed altogether. Will you, then, force the people to become believers?” (Yunus, 99)

“There is no compulsion in religion.” (Baqarah, 256)

“O Muhammad! Invite to the path of your Lord with wisdom and kindly exhortation.” (Nahl 125)

“To you belongs your religion, and to me mine.” (Kafirun 6).

Now back to the original issue at hand ...Malay leadership......
...first what is our perjuangan going forward?

Walla (not bad for a one hand typist...get well soon ya) mentions of the Evolving search for an Identity that can represent our past and our future...a moving target indeed especially with the lack of understanding of true Malay history..we need to understand how we got here...especially after 51 odd years of nationhood...

Our struggle of independence is a lame one...i read somewhere that Tunku was inspired after he got pissed off with his leaking roof in the quarters provided by the Brits......post Hiroshima...every nation in the region ‘fought’ for their independence and chased the incoming colonist back where they came from....and yet we knowing the strategic weaknesses of the Brits did not have the will power to sacrifice our lives for the Tanah Air tercinta.....Instead the non-Nationalist negotiators represent the aspiration of the nation.....they simply applied the similar principle in which the Brits have been very very good at .....Divide and Rule........same formula for the next 51 years...once in a while throw in the religious and race bogeyman to ensure that power stays within the confines of the ruling elite..

Going forward a formula that can embody the struggle of the Malays together with the spirit of Nationhood of all Malaysian must be something that future Malay leaders should subscribe to. As to what this struggle is.......haven't got a clue yet....... my little puny brain of is still in a continuous mode of iteration of the various environment variables in to find out the potential equilibrium that can satisfy the formula above....

No more divisive vote buying tactics, think bigger if you want to lead the Nation, as for Islam it is already a task for all Muslim and in Malaysia a Constitutional duty every Malay must uphold...

gwlnet welcome back, agree with you on the need for greater understanding among the various religion in Malaysia..i see this as a fundamental step which we need to take ...for details check out my post

http://satdthinks.blogspot.com/2008/12/ugama-lu-ugama-guaback-to-basic.html

take care folks...

Anonymous,  17 December 2008 at 14:27  

Dato Sak & everyone else,

I want to categorically say that imitation Unker Bas Mini/BMW is NOT me the original Unker Yew.
Sad to say so many cheap imposters are floating around using my trademark!

The true Uncle Yew was brought up by strict parents not to touch on matters pertaining to race, religion & creed with total strangers or acquantances. This had worked very well for me.

Thank you,
Unker Tommy Yew.

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