Copyright Notice

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the author, at the address below.

Sakmongkol ak 47

ariff.sabri@gmail.com

Sunday 14 December 2008

On Malay Leadership(1)

My blogger friend( whom I have never met and know), Jebat Must Die( JMD), has written a lengthy discourse about the rise of racism and the fall of Malay leadership. I am frightened by the passionate arguments contained therein. I am afraid, I shall be found wanting in this aspect. The part on the rise of racism has been touched by JMD and a few other bloggers, including the equally severe Deminegara. I have not been able to join in the discussion of this important issue simply because I have been preoccupied with some economic issues relating to our stimulus package. I still think the package of RM7 billion is just a loan from the government. The stimulus package should be around 4% of our GDP or something around 24bn.

Now, on this issue of Malay leadership:-

To me, Malay leadership must rest on the fundamentals. Espoused succinctly by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and perhaps practised best by Tun Dr Mahathir. The fundamentals are the ABC or in Jawi Malay, Alif, Ba, Ta. Malay leadership must represent and encapsulates –

1. their religion and expression of their religiosity;

2. those things dear to Malays- Malay language and Malay culture

3. and finally, country or nation.

The above to my mind, are the 3 pillars of Malay leadership or the ABC of Malay leadership.

As to the religion, that bit has already been well established by the constitution. Islam is the official religion and because of that, qualifies to get government financing. All other countries, official religions receive government spending.

As regards to its legal position, I shall not touch upon it. That leaves me to discuss the import of the meaning of Islam as the official religion on the Malay leadership.

How does the Malay leadership relate to Islam? The answer it seems, is the Malay leadership’s relation to Islam is as protector, preserver and expander of the religion. To conserve its integrity and its sanctity.

That demands that the sanctity and integrity of the religion be jealously guarded. Hence when Muslims are up in arm against perceived derision of the azan by Theresa kok and the actual parody and making fun of the azan and tudung by puberty-challenged Meng Chee, Muslim opposition and protestations are not in contradiction of the principle of freedom of speech. As long as that freedom of speech does not invade the principle of the sanctity of religion, he must be punished. And the Malay leadership which trivialises this impudence and effrontery on the Islamic religion fails in its responsibility to conserve the sanctity of their religion. If people of other religious persuasions find the Muslim protestation against the parody laughable, then that’s their business. It implies therefore if anyone were to soil and desecrate non Muslim religions, that’s Ok? Attack against other religion such as Judaism at once qualify Muslims as anti Semitic and against other religions as religious bigotry? But when it comes to Muslims defending their religion, that’s irrational and intolerant? If non Muslims regard the sanctity of their religion as subservient to the temporal reverence of freedom of speech, they are free to do so. But it would be wrong to impose that kind of liberalism and permissiveness of those of the Islamic faith.

Hence Malay leadership defines itself by way of asserting its role as protector and preserver of the sanctity of the Malay religion. It fails by this standard, if it trivialises this role or even be regarded as totally absent if it does not assert this role. Once it abandons this role, it deserves Malay rejection.

So when MCA and Lim Kit Siang came to the defence of Meng Chee, they are hiding behind the universal appeal of tolerance and freedom of speech. But Muslims cannot be faulted for perceiving their stout defence of Meng Chee as concealing the more insidious motive of racial and religious bigotry.

32 comments:

Unknown 14 December 2008 at 19:22  
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous,  14 December 2008 at 20:27  

fine line between "acceptable" criticism and belittling one's beliefs till they are made to be "stoopid" 'cos of believing what they believe...
like making fun of muslims' beliefs about pork's haram-ness as if the muslim is stoopid to believe it's haram to eat pork, etc

Ariff Sabri 14 December 2008 at 20:31  

jed yoong,
glad to see you back in one piece after the bicycle ride. now we know, people on bicycles are raving revolutionaries who can destabilize the govt.

Saya... 14 December 2008 at 20:38  

Betui tu Dato'.

Those who rise to the defense of Islam, are labeled "extremists" or perceived to be acting "self-righteous".

We are not imposing our beliefs on others, but others attempt to impose and mess with ours.

Do we hear Muslims commenting on issues like the sikh serban and whether it will make the sikh more pious? Do we lecture the chinese to stop their deafening firecracker practices and burning of prayer items because we think it serves no purpose in 'halauing" bad luck and gets on our nerves?

No, we just keep quiet because Allah commanded us to respect the rights of others.

A weak leadership cannot be a protector. Weak leaders bend and break and allow us to be overrun.

Anonymous,  15 December 2008 at 00:19  

Kapada Saudari Malaysian Tigress, kenapa sikit angat contoh contoh toleransi tolak anasur owang melayu ?
Kite kena war warkan senarai yang amat panjang contoh ciri yang baik owang melayu sebab owang lain tak nampak contoh contoh itu sebagai sempandan kesabaran owang melayu.
terima kasih atas sumbangan anda, daun keladi ,kalau ade ,hebah kan lagi.
arjuna waspada

Prodigal Maestro 15 December 2008 at 06:20  

Sir,

1. This would be my initial and introductory posting/comments on your blog.

2. I have been following your blog for the past months and would say that it appeals to me the contents. The directness on discussing issues are a breath of fresh air where paradigm shift needs to be done for "us".

3. I would write again upon time permitting, insyaallah. Keep up the good work and i would be your formidable "ally"....

Salam

Saya... 15 December 2008 at 09:47  

I may sound naive here.

The main reason I support "ketuanan melayu" is due to the affiliation I feel in the common religion of Islam and my wariness of the PR alliance. I do not see it as a cohesive partnership especially with my own distrust of certain parties in that alliance and I can forsee the time when there will be a struggle for all demanding to be a "tuan" and pose a direct threat to the position of Islam in this nation.

The Malay leadership needs to examine the core of their identities. That as a Muslim first.

Only then could they (hopefully) realise their obligation towards Allah and the fear of being answerable to Him will lead to a deep sense of AMANAH from Him to protect and care for those under their administration, regardless of race and religion, and to sincerely strive to rout out the evils of corruption, inefficiency, apathy, lethargy, detachment and patronage that are still weaving their ever tightening tentacles around this beloved nation.

We have so much potential. We can't let it go to waste.

Where is that leader who can rise up to this critical occasion? Who is he? Do we have anyone of the stature needed?

Anonymous,  15 December 2008 at 11:00  

SAKMONGKOL AK47,

So U r into this Agama, Bangsa & Negara bandwagon?

I believe U can write in NEUTRAL as U so often do in other articles.

Pls DONT behave like JMD or DemiNegara when they start to censor countered comments, which r fair, non-partisan & constructive.

They DO that when they know that they have lost the 'arguments'.

For a start, WHY ABN & not NBA?

Is religion more important than country in the Psychic Development of the Malay M'sian.

Dont this feeling run in opposite to the concept of Bangsa M'sia. There r other religious followers within Bangsa M'sia, NO?

gwlnet

Anonymous,  15 December 2008 at 12:00  

gwlnet dearie,

Are you okay? Are you having high fever? Are you delirious from attending Lim Kit Siang's sermon last night?

Since when I censor countered comments? How dare you to accuse me of -

"Pls DONT behave like JMD or DemiNegara when they start to censor countered comments, which r fair, non-partisan & constructive.

They DO that when they know that they have lost the 'arguments'."

Show me proof la. I only censor profanities and spam. If some well behaved comments did not appear, I might have approved it late due to some reseacrh needs to be done in order to present an effective counter argument.

With that, I am incline to postulate that you Gwlnet is an idiot for telling a lie in public and smearing the credibility of the blogsite that I operate..

Kennedy once said - Too often we... enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.

Above all, I laugh at the notion which you stated that the disagreeing comments I received are "fair, non-partisan & constructive".

Hello! How many comments that you sent me fall into that category? To my recollection, I never ever get any comment from you Gwlnet!

Sayonara Gwlnet.

JMD-

Anonymous,  15 December 2008 at 12:16  

Put it whatever we may, we simply need a strong leadership. A leadership which has direction and vision. The rest shall come to place.

Sincerely and personally, I think alternative 'Tiga Abdul' Anwar-LKS-Hadi is as useless as Dollah is.

Najib? Hmmm... I have faith in him but 'faith' is not enough. Substance wise, Najib cant even 'lead' his own life.

Now, its hunting season now in Malaysia. All fools and intellects can join in.

Good luck, Malaysia.

Anonymous,  15 December 2008 at 12:28  

JMD,

R u sure u r the JMD that always ended the comments with Thank You?

I don't smoke at all & don't drink alcohol in the morning. I've no handover from last night's merry indulgence.

The last that I checked, my medications r all having non-hallucinogenic compounds.

I write with civility & profanities DO NOT occurred in my limited writings, though I do sometime agreed with Aisehman's f-word utilization under the particular circumstances.

Yr counter-claims again mine CAN go down as yr words against mine. No end!

I don't maintain blog so I have NO proof of my own, while u can do what u want with yr blog. Just like Jeff Ooi's arrogant-ness!

I do read LKS's, some time, just like yrs. But I have VERY strong opinions about issues that I care. NO rubbishes CAN escape the filtering of my grey matter.

And I think rubbishes do go into yr writings, especially when it concerned TDM!

Remember now? Or the smoke that u last puffed this morning consisted more than tobacco?

So what takes?

BTW I do speak & write Japanese & some other languages. So 'Sayonara' in this context is wrong.

For a person like what u claimed, u should used 'jumpa lagi'.

Tsk...tsk... tsk!

gwlnet

Anonymous,  15 December 2008 at 12:56  

Datuk Sak,

Permit me to further indulge myself in straigthening out gwlnet.

Gwlnet, in that case, I shall look forward for your next comment in my blog. Since we have established here that you have never sent any comments to my blog in the first place (you did not state when and under which topic you sent your comments). Of which, it can validly be asserted here that you have no clear supervision and the authority to say that I 'censor comments'.

The last time I check, I am the only one operating the JMD blog. Unless you have the uncanny ability of clairvoyance, please refrain yourself from making bogus allegations without any unsubstantiated proof.

And also, if you think my opinion on TDM is rubbish, then please put forward your arguments logically and intelligently there in my blog. Hopefully with comments that are "fair, non-partisan & constructive".

You think you would be the only one that would have sent counter arguments to what I had written? Do not flatter yourself. I had a lot of arguments not necessarily in agreement with me. I do engage them. As evident in my blog.

Adios Gwlnet. See you around in my blog.

Btw, glad you understood what sayonara meant. Here, understanding what I am saying is more important than the usage of language itself.

Thank you Datuk Sak, I apologise for defiling your blog with unwarranted spats like these.

JMD-

Saya... 15 December 2008 at 14:16  

Gwlnet,

"Religion" and development are not mutually exclusive.

And yes, to a muslim, his/her faith comes first before everything. Allah is the sole reason of their being (and yours).

Nobody is talking about oppressing other minority religions here.

Neither do we want others to attempt to suppress Islam and relegate it to some "ritual" you practise in the house, in private as with the western secular nations.

There IS no separation of "church" and state in Islam.



(Islam and Development

By Sheikh 'Atiyya Saqr

Sheikh 'Atiyya Saqr is the former head of Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee.

Islam is a religion that calls upon all its adherents to adopt modern ideas and technologies that can improve life, as long as they are within the limits set out by Islam. Development, that is, change into a better form, is an innate inclination toward material and moral perfection.

First of all, it is a mistake to judge a principle according to the behavior of some of those who claim to practice it, for the practice may be wrong while the principle may be quite true. The enemies of Islam can judge Islam by the practice of people especially at the present time. Many of those who belong to Islam neglect its teachings or adhere to some slight matters that are not relevant to the core of the religion. Actually, this takes place at the present time, as there is an aggressive campaign against Islam, thanks to the behavior of the deviants who are involved in grievous mistakes under the name of Islam.

If it is desired to judge a principle according to the behavior of those who claim to practice it, it should be done according to those who apply it correctly. Islam is the true religion that brings people out from darkness into light. The early Muslims understood and applied it correctly; thus, they had authority and power. Allah Almighty says [Allah has promised those among you who believe, and do righteous good deeds, that He will certainly grant them succession to (the present rulers) in the earth, as He granted it to those before them, and that He will grant them the authority to practice their religion, that which He has chosen for them (i.e. Islam). And He will surely give them in exchange a safe security after their fear] (An-Nur 24:55).

Islam is the final of all [revealed] religions and Prophet Muhammad is the final of all prophets. Thus Islam is applicable in all times and places. It is not part of the mercy of the Almighty to leave His servants without a message until the Day of Judgment. Hence within its values and firmly established principles, Islam has all the elements that correspond to development. These values and principles never change by time or surrounding circumstances.

Development is an innate trend to change into a better form. This trend is the secret of inclining towards both material and moral perfection. In general, all religions acknowledge this inevitable and irresistible trend. The mission of religions is, above all, guidance. Moreover, religions carry many characteristics of development that can be easily noticed when we think deeply of the different revelations before Islam and seeing to what extent Islam came as a final revelation to complete them.

How Islam Corresponds to Development

1. Islam calls for adopting the best in all matters. Allah Almighty says [So announce the good news to My slaves. Those who listen to the speech and follow the best thereof] (Az-Zumar 39:17-18).

Furthermore, Islam encourages its followers to aspire for lofty goals and high aims. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said, "Indeed, the believer is never satisfied doing gooduntil he reaches Paradise" (At-Tirmidhi).

2. Islam glorifies strength in both material and spiritual matters. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said, "The strong believer is better and more lovable to Allah than the weak believer, and there is good in everyone, (but) cherish that which gives you benefit (in the hereafter) and seek help from Allah and do not lose heart" (Muslim).

3. Islam warns of adhering to the old principles if they are corrupt. Allah Almighty says [And similarly, We sent not a warner before you to any town (people) but the luxurious ones among them said, 'We found our fathers following a certain way and religion, and we will indeed follow their footsteps.' (The warner) said, 'Even if I bring you better guidance than that which you found your fathers following?'] (Az-Zukhruf 43:23-24).

4. Islam accepts using modern means within the context of the fixed principles. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said, "Verily, Allah will send for this nation at the head of every hundred years [could mean every generation] one who would revive for it (i.e. the nation) its religion" (Al-Hakim).

5. Islam encourages Muslims to seek and acquire knowledge, which is the basis of development and which benefits the individual and the society in the framework of the religion. Allah Almighty says [It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allah] (Fatir 35:28). Knowledge includes many branches such as astronomy, physics, chemistry, botany, geology, medicine, sociology, philosophy.

6. Islam orders Muslims to work and apply knowledge in all fields, such as agriculture, industry, and commerce. There are many texts that assert this fact, and you can refer to the whole subject in my book Dirasat Islamiyyahli Ahamm Al-Qadaya Al-Mu`asirah (Islamic Studies for the Most Important Contemporary Issues).

7. Islam acknowledges material development in the framework of religion. However, Islam calls for eternal spiritual development, for it prevents the material development from deviation and accompanies human beings in this worldly life and in the hereafter. Allah Almighty says [Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world. But the good righteous deeds, that last, are better with your Lord for rewards and better in respect of hope] (Al-Kahf 18:46) and [beautified for men is the love of things they covet; women, children, much of gold and silver (wealth), branded beautiful horses, cattle and well-tilled land. This is the pleasure of the present world's life; but Allah has the excellent return (Paradise with flowing rivers, etc.) with Him. Say: Shall I inform you of things far better than those? For the pious, there are Gardens (Paradise) with their Lord, underneath which rivers flow. Therein (is their) eternal (home) and purified wives). And Allah will be pleased with them. And Allah is All-Seer of the (His) slaves ] (Aal `Imran 3:14-15).

Through this development, Islam formed a great and strong empire. Many scholars witnessed Islamic development and asserted that its principles and the efforts of those who applied it greatly contributed to the development of human civilization in all fields.

Thus, we assert that those who want to judge Islam should judge it according to its principles and correct application. It is a mistake to judge it according to the behavior of deviants who have no knowledge of the teachings of Islam or who apply them incorrectly.)

Saya... 15 December 2008 at 14:22  

How about Bangsa Malaysia yang bernaung di bawah negara Islam?

Better or nor glwnet?

We already are, aren't we? Who are the raja2 then?

Wake up lor.

Anonymous,  15 December 2008 at 15:20  

JMD,

'...understanding what I am saying is more important than the usage of language itself.'

WaufffF!

Coming from someone like u really is a gem find!

So what's wrong with someone speak pasar Melayu & still get the messages across?

In the old days that was exactly how muhibbah was built among the various races in M'sia.

No? The current died-hard umno bigots will insist that all M'sians should speak perfect B Malaysia to the dot, just to claim the right to be M'sian!

& yet in the first place what's perfect B Malaysia? Kelate ni - Dato'? Or some other versions?

Thank u for the invitation to write in yr blog. The next time u have something to say about TDM, maybe I'll put in my 2 sen again.

Presently, I suggest we concentrate on the topic that Dato' has raised. After all this is His blog.

gwlnet

mekyam 15 December 2008 at 15:53  

dear tok sak and jeb (& gwlnet),

i think people like gwlnet who lump the blogs of SAKMONGKOL AK47 and Jebat Must Die with that other blog Demi Negara are not really very discerning.

the two former blogs are magnanimous in style, equitable in approach, and very respectful and fair in the way they play host to their visitors. they also make a real effort to stick to facts and not pollute their entries with ad hominem arguments and snide asides.

they cannot be more different than the latter. the only similarity they have with it is eloquence!

Anonymous,  15 December 2008 at 15:56  

Datuk Sak,

I assure you that this will be my last reply to Gwlnet :)

Anyway, gwlnet, my invitation to you was not limited to my future posting on TDM. You can still comment on my past articles relating to him.

As for the usage of the language, what are you raving about? My first comment in this particular article of Datuk Sak came about because you had suddenly accused me of censoring comments from my readers.

You had failed to retract your comment or at least apologise for unnecessarily trying to smear my name while trying to rebut Datuk Sak's article. If you do not have anything constructive to say to argue over what Datuk Sak's had written, please lah avoid throwing me into the argument. He has the right to say what he thinks as also it is within your right to rebut his article. But to suddenly trying to equate my name as someone who is afraid to publish dissenting views was really done in bad taste.

Hopefully you will understand where I am coming from.

And finally, what is up with the bahasa pasar issue? My argument with you is not about bahasa. Again, please look back on why this interaction between us had started.

Yes, presently we need to concentrate on what Datuk Sak had written. Therefore, please focus on what he is saying without accusing other bloggers.

Comprende?

Thank you.

JMD-

Anonymous,  15 December 2008 at 16:12  

Malaysian Tigress,

Indeed - "Religion" and development are not mutually exclusive.

In fact, too much religion brings down not only the empires but also the rapid progress of human civilization!

Just look at the past golden glories of all those bygone empires, built on the foundation of religions! Up-then-down all because of religion!

‘…a muslim, his/her faith comes first before everything. Allah is the sole reason of their being (and yours).’

This is an utopian idea at best. The fall of the Muslim Caliphates testifies to this fallacy.

Human greed is bigger than the promises of the ONE.

FYI, there used to be no separation of "church" and state also in the other old empires, too. Read histories of Hindu? Mayan? Chinese? Even histories of the 16th to early 18th European countries indicate that.

And only when the true separation of “church” & state comes about in the later half of the 19th century DOES human progress takes FLIGHT – without the man-made constraints of religions!

Do recommend u to read The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order: by Samuel P Huntington.

Nobody is judging Islam here – do set yr priority RIGHT!

So can u do a mirror looking - it is a mistake to judge according to the behavior of believers who have knowledge of the teachings or who apply them correctly.

Someone say – the coin has both side, most of the time u only look at the side that’s face up.

I say – u can only look at both sides when the coin is standing on its edge. Sadly that occurrence is almost statistically small.

Perhaps this is the way of the ONE!

‘How about Bangsa Malaysia yang bernaung di bawah negara Islam?’

1st - our constitution DOES not indicate that M’sia is an Islamic country, per sec. TDM said that!

2nd – I would NOT mind if u can resurrect someone with the HUMANITY of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.a.w) to be the head of Bangsa Malaysia yang bernaung di bawah negara Islam. Under the current bunch of umno bigots – NO!

3rd – The raja2 under Islam r historical coincident. They can very well be under Hinduism, IF the Arabs didn’t bring Islam to the Malay Archipelago. So what’s yr point?

BTW writing like this really make one falls into sleep!

gwlnet

A.John 15 December 2008 at 16:46  

Dato,

Malay leadership in this country, should safeguard all articles as stated in the constitution; nothing more and nothing less. Malay leadership should encompass all citizens, and not exclusively for malay muslims alone; cos,Malaysia is home to citizens of different faiths and cultures. Much as i agree to the many things you have stated in your post, I think the time has come for Malay leadership to lead the country and her citizens in total, instead of "compartmentalizing" the citizens into the various races and leading them as individual groups!

Saya... 15 December 2008 at 17:01  

Gwlnet...

Coma (not deep sleep) hopefully?

Hehehe...

Letih la...Just face it lah. This IS a Muslim Nation. Of Course Tun didn't want to state it because people like you will be jumping up and down like...what ah? Popcorn? Or kera kena belacan ah? He also smart lah...but now we have to remind everyone OPENLY!

Anonymous,  15 December 2008 at 17:25  

Malaysian Tigress,

'yawn'

zzzzzzz....zzzzz...ZZZZZZZZZ....

..---------...----------........

gwlnet

Saya... 15 December 2008 at 17:40  
This comment has been removed by the author.
Saya... 15 December 2008 at 17:41  
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous,  15 December 2008 at 19:24  

what is wrong with this gwlnet. i hate to generalize but this is typical DAP bull****. it is abundantly clear that gwlnet did not even rebut on the argument. he/she was more interested in finding minute faults within JMD or Msian Tigress's writings. and of course in denigrating UMNO too. it seems that these DAP twats wont rest until there really is a racial riot. i just cant fathom his/her stupidity and arrogance.

KHA

Saya... 15 December 2008 at 23:27  
This comment has been removed by the author.
satD 16 December 2008 at 01:38  

How in the world did a post on Malay leadership went into a mini off-topic sparring between 2 anonymous commenter...one claiming to be JMD with his trademark ....JMD- sign off and the other your typical lost in cyberspace MT worshiper.....(bro JMD have a wordpress id please if u don't mind, people might think its not u due to the "different" style u have in ur comments in other blogs)

Dato Sak.....how come u not going for any big post in UMNO?

I was back in KL for raye and meet up an old fren who have received enough nominations for pemuda exco..he's in a dilemma on whether to go forward or not(awaiting letter in Jan)...the typical "bagi salah tak bagi kalah" dilemma ..i asked him is it really that bad...and he said wholeheartedly its a bloody mess ...so far he has not "paid" for any nominations but delegates are already asking for this and that....

At the same time he is being approached by PKR...with all the wonderful story bla bla bla..lah

I asked him what is it that u believe in? What do u want to fight for? and listened to him..all good n dandy...until at the end he mentions BUT the delegates wants to hear rhetorical arguments on "Melayu this Melayu that"

How can we upgrade this thinking process? Candidates will always sing to the sweet tune that can ensure electability...what are we left with then........"closet" reformist?

Anonymous,  16 December 2008 at 08:27  

satD strikes a chord - how do we upgrade the thinking process?

Let me try and type this with one hand only (sak knows why).

Sak has pinned down the three pillars as religiosity, culture and nation. I think they dovetail to one foundation - identity.

The basic challenge for the Malays today is identity. Why has that become important? It has become important because too many of them have found themselves in no-man's land. You have only so many malay words you can use before foreign words have to intrude in order to convey the mood that wasn't around before when life was simpler then. You have only so many P Ramlee movies to play around before you need to script another which somehow misses the engaging essence of those classics. There are so many arguments you can put forth to keep to the exact letter of the religion before someone or other will say something in 'good faith' which however turns out to be seemingly dissonant from what was recorded. You can stamp your feet that much about nation and belonging before someone who hasn't seen a coconut tree grow from seedling to full height come forth from some horizon and say there's a bigger world out there and it changes every nanosecond. The time-frame of reference has changed.

Indeed, the Malay world is challenged by a dilemma. But is it still Tun's Malay Dilemma, or has it become something else?

The dilemma itself has its own problem, if it can be so personified. Its own problem is that there is no common mode of communication to accurately articulate it within the context in which it sits, for while the situation has obviously changed from long ago, there is no accurate device to pinpoint the situation today for an audience which has also changed.

Or, need to.

The present coterie of Malay leadership and its aspirants speak with only one tongue. They think they speak for the masses and the heartland. They think they speak to safeguard the interests and future of the Malays. They speak for a malay 'identity' in their heads that they think represent the template which they should use to defend the actions and thoughts that they need to push in order to achieve the objectives that they think those actions and thoughts should carry.

Like a cat trying to catch its own tail.

Sometimes it is useful to prove x by proving y and then correlating back to x.

What is racial identity nowadays?

Something fizzles out on your american-brand computer. You call a hotline. Someone answers you and troubleshoot the problem with you over the phone. The person speaks english with a lilt and she is in another city, Mumbai or Manila, perhaps. Would his speaking lilting english working on american format to a customer he will probably never see in his entire life make his appreciation of his Upanishads or Olahing any less?

And then there's the case of the young worker in Zhejiang who assembled a handphone; it travelled across the globe, landing in the hands of a London owner. When he switched it on for the first time, he found her pretty picture in the handphone. Somehow the production process captured her picture into the phone's camera. Her image was not only pixellated in his machine, it was also etched in his mind so much so he wrote about it in a forum and the news spread and suddenly there was a calling that makers of hand-phones should signify their images - to bring humanity together.

In the first phase of his three-phase leadership program, Tun moved change. I'll reserve my personal opinion about his later two phases but my message is why not reproduce his motive force in his first phase in the new change program to seek out the new identity of the Malay that is needed to accurately pin down the context in which the Malays must identify with in order to exercise a higher inclusiveness not only with the others but also with EVERYTHING else on this moving planet?

It's all about moving targets.

That's what the new Malay leadership should be addressing.

ps: sorry if this doesn't come out well; masih sakit...

Anonymous,  16 December 2008 at 10:21  

satD,

Walla has encapsulated my question of Malay leadership as stated under ABN & why not NBA.

I would have thought that u can at least sense that tenets.

Unlike that wannabe 'meow'! Whose 'intellectual challenge' C&P write-ups can really comatose a brain.

Tigress she is not. Neither is she a Schrodinger's cat!

Its just unfortunate that JDM & I has a off-topic sparring on Dato' Sak's blog. But that's water under the bridge now.

BTW, '..the other your typical lost in cyberspace MT worshiper...'

I'm not into 'cyberspace MT worshiper' or whatever u called it.

I used anonymous because I dont write very often & I dont maintain a site. BUT at least I have an unique call sign! So I'm not that 'anonymous' after all.

gwlnet

Saya... 16 December 2008 at 10:38  

gwlnet,

I never claimed I was an intellectual (i think I already told Dato that, didn't I, sir?).

Cut and paste pertinent/relevant information... so what?

I just want to share what I feel is important. Maybe others like walla, dato etc can build up on certains ideas.

I thought you were already comatose??

Back from the dead ah?

Must tell the doc to pull the plug on this insulting little humanoid.

Which hospital ah?

satD 16 December 2008 at 10:43  

gwlnet

sorry for my "hasty" generalisation

Folks dah la tu....upgrade sikit la this blog got no moderation one so exercise self censorship

back to the topic plse

Ariff Sabri 16 December 2008 at 10:52  

yes, ladies and gentlemen. i think moderation is in order here. as you notice, i dont moderate comments because i think we can all exercise self censorship.
pls consider that offering comments is a privilege not a right. thank you.

Anonymous,  2 March 2009 at 17:34  

I recently came accross your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I dont know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep

visiting this blog very often.


Alessandra

http://www.craigslistpostingonline.info

  © Blogger templates Newspaper III by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP