Saturday, July 27, 2013

The Nest Is Empty Now

31 Mei 2013 : 10.00 am - Majlis Khatam Quran.

Majlis dimeriahkan dengan kehadiran rakan rakan tadarrus dari sekolah lama diketuai Ustazah Nor Ana bersama beberapa orang kampung dan kaum keluarga. 

Seronok sangat. 

Lebih istimewa bila dapat peluang mentauliahkan anak sendiri. Walaupun tidak bersedia dengan teks tapi kata kata lahir dari perasaan tulus ikhlas.

ayong khatam quran

ajar ayong ngaji buat kali terakhir. tak tertahan airmata

Sedang mentauliahkan Ayong. Rasa sayu dan sebak.
Doa yang dibaca ustazah Nor Ana amat menyentuh jiwa
 


ummi doakan kebahagiaan ayong hingga akhir hayat








31 Mei 2013 : 9.00 pm - Majlis Akad nikah. 

Rancangan asalnya majlis ni untuk keluarga kedua belah pihak saja. Masak sendiri dengan bantuan adik adik dan Kak Som jiran depan rumah. Hidangan lauk pauk dan ulam kampung! 

Tak sangka Zalilah sekeluarga tiba dari Ipoh, Ira sekeluarga, mak dan bapa mertua Epit, serta beberapa orang lagi kawan kawan rapat Ayong dan Rahim serta saudara mara turut datang memeriahkan majlis. Walaupun hidangan tak seberapa tapi kemeriahan tetap terasa.


lafaz akad nikah
ayong tandatangan surat nikah
RJ 3009


expanding family


Zalilah & family came all the way from Ipoh
a big surprise from an old buddy

 :
special delivery of Gardenia waffles - thank you LinaH









1 Jun 2012 : Walimatul'urus. 

Tak menjangkakan kehadiran tetamu yang ramai sebab pertengahan cuti sekolah gini banyak kenduri. 

But ... surprise! surprise! Lauk pauk hidangan cukup cukup jer ngan tetamu yang hadir. Meaning I got it right ... [feeling a bit conceited, hehehe!]

Dan lebih special lagi bila seorang rakan maya dari Shah Alam sampai ke ceruk ulu ni. 


Eliza Hanis - rakan fb yang datang dari Shah Alam. Tak sangka! Tq for such a lovely surprise.
Syukur Alhamdulillah. Walaupun majlis kecil kecilan tapi rasa sungguh meriah dan bermakna bila dipenuhi dengan kehadiran saudara mara, rakan rakan dan jiran dekat.


geng mokcikZ - tak ramai kali ni tapi tetap meriah. Tq girls!
BUT ...

After everybody is gone ... the nest is totally empty now. 

It feels different. 

I thought I don't mind being alone. 

I have been alone all these years but with one expectation fulfilled - my brood would come home to me on raya. 

Now I cannot have any expectation. 

That leaves a big hollow in my soul.

Friday, February 22, 2013

Ayong Bertunang

 9 Feb 2013 - Majlis pertunangan Ayong.

Rombongan pihak lelaki dijangka tiba lepas zohor.

Order 40 ekor patin sangkar untuk dimasak tempoyak buat jamuan. Janji dengan pembekal seekor ikan potong dua aje. Yang sampai seekor ikan potong empat. Maknanya ikan yang dibekalkan tu melebihi 2 kg seekor. Anggaran tetamu tak sampai 100 orang. 

Kelam kabut membersihkan ikan. Tak muat periuk kerana jumlah ikan hampir 2 kali ganda dari yang dirancang.

Nasib baik nenek ada stok tempoyak lebih.

Cuaca mendung. Tiga hari lepas hujan tak berhenti. Risau. Takut rombongan tiba dalam hujan. 

Tayar kereta Rahim pancit dan kesesakan jalan kerana cuti tahun baru cina menyebabkan rombongan tiba hampir waktu maghrib. 

Tak sempat beramah mesra lebih lama dengan keluarga pihak lelaki yang datang dari jauh. Mohon maaf lah.

Ramai pulak yang tak makan ikan sungai.

:(

Maaf sekali lagi.


rombongan pihak lelaki sampai dari Kota Bharu hampir waktu maghrib
pak sedara kedua belah pihak jadi wakil
bakal ibu mertua menyarungkan cincin pertunangan
Ayong cium tangan bakal mertua
RJ 3009
hantaran kedua belah pihak
pulut semangat belah perempuan

peminang
dipinang
Alhamdulillah.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Belasungkawa - Eni

Khamis 7 Feb 2013.

Ayong: Umi! Makcik Eni sakit ... kanser ... kat hospital Temerloh.

Umi   : Bila?

Ayong: Dah seminggu masuk wad.

Umi   : oh! Nanti lepas kenduri kita pergi melawat lah.

Selasa 12 Feb 2013.


Ayong: Umi! Makcik Eni ada kat rumah dia.

Umi   : Eh? 

Ayong: Doktor suruh balik sebab raya cina.

Umi   : Ha? Pelik nya. Jom lah gi tengok dia. Telefon nenek kot dia nak ikut!

Di rumah Eni.

Nenek: Bila kamu mula sakit, Eni? 

Eni    : Bengkak kat bawah ketiak ni dah lama tapi bulan sebelas masa balik kampung untuk kenduri Reno, tetek mula bengkak.

Umi   : Bila kamu pergi hospital? 

Eni    : Minggu lepas. Jumaat 15 hb ni kena pergi hospital balik untuk scan. Pukul 8.00 pagi nak kena ada kat sana.

Umi   : Ayong boleh tolong hantar?

Ayong: Boleh.

Jumaat 15 Feb 2013 13:00

Ayong: Umi! Makcik Eni kena masuk wad semula. Sesak nafas. Tak boleh buat scan. Kena tunggu nafas stabil dulu. Petang ni saya kena pergi hantarkan baju dia. Nak ikut?

Umi   : Ok. Pakcik Syarul dan Hafiz tentu nak ikut sekali.

Jumaat 15 Feb 2013 18:30

Hafiz tak dibenarkan naik ke wad melawat ibunya kerana belum cukup umor.  Eni amat lemah di katil dengan topeng oksigen.

Umi    : Doktor ... ini suami pesakit. Dia nak bawa pesakit balik ke Indonesia.

Doktor : Buat masa ini pesakit ada masalah pernafasan. Kami tak nasihatkan pesakit dipindahkan kerana mungkin timbul masalah dalam penerbangan. Biarlah pesakit stabil dulu.

Umi    : Syarul ... betul kata doktor. Mana larat Eni naik kapal terbang sensorang dalam keadaan begini. Tunggu dulu lah!

Syarul : Ya lah.

Ahad 17 Feb 2013 20:00

Nenek: Eni masuk wad? Nanti kalau pergi melawat, nenek pun nak ikut.

Umi   : Ok.

Isnin 18 Feb 2013 16:00

Ayong: Umi kat mana?

Umi   : Baru sampai rumah. Awak kat mana?

Ayong: Tengah jalan ke Seremban. Umi buat apa tu?

Umi   : Tak de apa. Kenapa?

Ayong: Makcik Eni dah tak ada!

Umi   : Innalillahi wainna ilaihiraji'un. Bila?

Ayong: Pukul duabelas lebih tadi. Saya nak kena balik ke?

Umi   : Eeh ... tak payah lah. Nanti saya jer yang pergi.

Ayong: Umi terus pergi ya. Diaorang tengah tunggu tu. Umi gi ambik nenek tak?

Umi   : Ya lah.

Nenek tak sihat. Tak larat nak ikut ke hospital.

Sampai di hospital, jenazah Eni dah dibawa ke bilik mayat. 

Susah juga mencari tempat tu sebab tak biasa. Silap masuk sampai ke bilik forensik yang sedang buat post mortem. Kelam kabut diaorang suruh saya keluar. 

Nampak mayat yang sedang dibedah.

Seorang lelaki yang pakai bib forensik tunjukkan tempat jenazah Eni diletakkan.

Syarul [suami Eni] dan Yanti [adik Eni] menangis sedih. Minta tolong saya berurusan dengan pihak hospital.

Syarul nak bawa jenazah balik ke Indonesia untuk dikebumikan. Pihak hospital sudah menghubungi agen yang menguruskan penghantaran jenazah.

Syarul dan Yanti minta saya berurusan dengan agen.

Bayaran urusan menghantar jenazah ke Padang ialah RM5800.00. Tiket penerbangan untuk pengiring berharga RM850.00. Malangnya tiada tiket untuk pengiring menaiki penerbangan bersama jenazah.

Tiket AirAsia ke Padang RM360.00. 

Jumlah RM6160.00

Syarul kosongkan dompet ... ada RM1200.00

Agen perlukan deposit RM3500.00 

Syarul menangis. Majikannya berada di KL.

Last kopek! Duit simpanan untuk hantar nenek pergi umrah.

Lepas maghrib, jenazah di suntik ubat pengawet dan dimandikan. 

Hafiz [anak bongsu Eni berumor 10 tahun] turut mandikan jenazah ibunya. Matanya merah tapi airmatanya tak kelihatan mengalir.

Tunggu agen sampai dari Seremban. Baca yasin.

Hampir jam 12 tengah malam agen sampai. Jenazah dimasukkan ke dalam beg mayat sebelum diletak dalam keranda yang kemudiannya dibungkus dengan kain putih dan ditulis butiran penerima.

Hantar Hafiz dan Yanti balik.

Sampai di rumah hampir 1.30 pagi.

Mandi.

Tak dapat tidur.

Jam 5.30 pagi bersiap ke sekolah.

Jam 10.00 pagi 19 Feb 2013, Yanti telefon bagitau Syarul selamat sampai di Padangawal pagi.

Hampir jam 4.00 ptg, Yanti telefon bagitau jenazah sampai di Jakarta.

Maghrib, Yanti telefon bagitau jenazah selamat tiba di Padang dan terus dibawa ke kampung dengan ambulan.

Hampir jam 10.30 mlm, Yanti telefon bagitau jenazah Eni selamat dikebumikan.

Agen hantar sms minta baki bayaran dijelaskan. Minta tempoh sehingga siang.

Jam 12.02 tgh 20 Feb 2013, baki RM2660 dijelaskan kepada agen.

Alhamdulillah. 

Innalillahi wainna ilaihi raaji'un.


Saturday, November 3, 2012

Empty Nest

After many unsuccessful attempts, managed to capture the full moon using a 5mp phonecam with very limited function.

 
Been awhile since I last enjoyed my cup of steaming black coffee under the moonlight accompanied by Kitaro's music.

Coffee gives me heartburn nowadays.

Switched to Bharat's white tea since my Midweek Break. [thanks to Ayong's friend]

I was getting concerned Ayong might be left on the shelf since most of her friends are married and have children. 

I was over the moon when her 'friend' paid me a visit on the fourth of last raya [eid-fitri] and have since proposed to her.

Still waiting for 'rombongan meminang' though.

In the meantime, my emotion goes on roller coaster rides.

The anticipation of receiving a visit from an engagement party and to eventually plan for her wedding is very exciting.

The excitement comes with sadness though, for I will be all by myself in not a very distant future.

The nest will be totally empty.

Offsprings will have their very own nests.

Except for occasional visits, I'll be all ALONE.

Though the thought hurts like hell, I can't be sad.

Damn these tears. How do I stop them?  

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Passing Away - Dearly Beloved Father

Baba - pic taken during Epit's wedding in June last year

This is my father. I call him Baba

Baba passed away last Thursday 27 September 2012 at the age of 79.

Baba has not been well for many years. 

During rambutan season in 2007, the ladder he climbed to pick the golden juicy rambutan for Ayong his beloved grandaughter fell down when the branch he leaned the ladder against, deflected after he cut off the fruits. Baba was thrown off to the ground and the heavy aluminium ladder fell on him and crushed his pelvic bones. 

He refused to go to hospital but seek a traditional healer instead . The broken bones must have healed but he was in constant pain. His health deteriorated slowly.

On good days he would take out the car and went for a short drive to the village health clinic to check his blood pressure. 

In 2010 he asked to be taken to a specialist clinic in Kuantan for gastric problems. [I blogged about it here The surgeon did a colonoscopy and found nothing serious apart from acute gastritis, inflamed pancreas and swollen colon. Baba had thought that all his pain can be removed by surgery. He was terribly disappointed.

He spend more time in bed.

Every now and then he would make my mother call us all and we would drop everything and rushed to see Baba.

After a while, we waited for weekend when we received such call.

Last Saturday, Ma called while I was in class, teaching. I rushed to see Baba, thinking the worst. Only to be told that he didn't want to go to hospital should he became too sick. I just said yes and went back to class.

Wednesday morning, another call from Ma. She asked me to come immediately. On the way, Ma called again and asked me to buy nasi lemak from Baba's favourite nasi lemak stall. Nasi lemak was sold out. I bought nasi berlauk. On arrival, Baba complained he had not been able to eat or drink since the night before. He managed to take a sip of water and a spoonful of the nasi berlauk. I went back to work.

At 3.00 pm, Ma called again. Baba had trouble breathing and suffering a massive chest pain. He asked to be taken to hospital. I rushed back. My youngest brother arrived to take him to hospital but Baba felt a bit better and asked to postpone going. 

At about 5.00 pm, he asked to be taken to hospital. I took him to the emegency room. Doctor checked his heart but found nothing abnormal. Baba was given the oxygen. After two hours he felt better and was released. Baba was extraordinarily happy about going home.

About 4.00 am my brother smsed telling Baba was warded. Turned out he was taken back to emergency room at 1.00 am

7.00 am I went to work as usual. Thought of going to see Baba in the ward during visiting hour at 2.00pm. Sister, son and daughter called to ask if they should rush home. I said yes.

12.00 noon, there was a jamuan for one of the colleague who was going for hajj.

Long speeches. My brother smsed telling he received a call from hospital.

At about 1.00 pm, I slipped away to go to the hospital.

As I stopped at the gate for the guard to raise the bar, my daughter called to ask if it was true that Baba had passed away. I was confused. I called my brother just as his call was coming in. It was true. Baba had passed away. 

I rushed to get Ma at home. She was just getting ready to visit Baba in the hospital. Fidgeting about finding Baba's glasses. Told her not to bother. Once she was comfortably seated in the car, I told her the news. Ma took it calmly. 

We drove to the hospital, comforting each other.

Reached hospital, my brother was waiting outside, apparently shaken up. I took Ma to see the body still on the bed in the ward. Wrapped and covered.

Colleagues arrived with advices on what to do. Thank god for them.

Ma, my brother and I decided not to wait further but proceed with what needed to be done. We decided to have mandi jenazah and kapan [cleansing ritual and wrapping in shroud] done at the hospital while funeral prayer was to be performed at the village's mosque.

One of the hospital staff arranged for the cleansing ritual. My son and my sister arrived from Kajang. Another younger brother arrived from Sg Buloh. So the four of us took part in the cleansing ritual. 

The village's head arrived to arrange for the funeral prayer and burial. My brother managed to get the hearse from the hospital. Ayong arrived with some friends and I told her to wait at home. Colleagues arranged for a bus load of students to take part in the funeral prayer.

By 5.30pm burial was completed. Scented water was poured on the freshly covered grave and all of us retreated home, physically and emotionally exhausted. 

We were sad, that's a given but at the same time relieved because Baba is now no longer in pain.

Rest in peace Baba. 

Alfatihah.

Ya Rabb, forgive my father and have mercy on him. Place him among those you love. Aamiin.


Wednesday, September 12, 2012

TEARS OF AN UNSUNG HERO -Zamkata

Read this on Zamkata.

It cuts very deep.

Brought tears to my eyes. I travelled many roads during the time mentioned in the story. One particular road was the Benta-Jerantut. Had to get "pass" from balai polis to travel the road after 6.00 pm.

It is very sad to read that "some of his friends who had retired from the army are living in hardship, in dilapidated homes and insufficient income to support them."

yet we have people who tunjuk punggung and pijak gambar our PM during Merdeka celebration. To me, such acts were not only disrespectful to the person of the picture but to the whole history of the nation kemerdekaan.
These people who cannot survive the equator's heat without air conditioning, without McDonald and KFC or coffee from Starbuck, who claimed the Malays would still be on trees had it not been for their TAX MONEY which develop this country, who CHOSE not to speak the TONGUE of this country ... they have different history book.

""The former soldier told me that as a member of the intelligence team, he entered the forest in a small group of four or five people after getting information on the communist movement.

He said they were ahead of the army team which had large number of people.

One of his bitter and sad memories was when his group bumped into a group of about 20 communist insurgents who immediately fired at them. One of the shots hit his friend on the head.

Another of his friend was shot at a coffee shop in Raub and a few others were left handicapped, with their limbs severed, from booby traps.

While recalling these incidents, his eyes became wet and he choked on his words when he said “our salary then was small, but our responsibility was heavy compared to now, big salary and light work.”

He said “When we went into the forest, we had to carry back packs which were very heavy as it contained the army kit and food for our long journey and the forest in the Cameron Highlands was very cold at night"

According to him, some of his friends who had retired from the army are living in hardship, in dilapidated homes and insufficient income to support them.

I saw him in tears, despite having been a brave and strong man, who could kill, but broke down in tears when recalling the huge struggle they had put up which now, is not remembered and unappreciated by some people. In fact they were further disgraced by pro-communist elements. ""

History
Work to build the East-West Highway started in 1967. Work was frequently interrupted due to the communist insurgents who launched attack on the workers throughout the Communist Insurgency War and the Second Emergency from 1967-1989, causing work to build the highway to take a long time. Even when the highway was opened, the army strictly monitored it and motorists were only allowed to use it during the day. The strict security system that was abolished after the communist surrendered in 1989. A monument was built by the Public Works Department in Pulau Banding in memory of the workers who were killed in the attack by the communist during the construction of the East-West Highway.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Midweek break

A picture tells a thousand words

Had wanted to do strawberry picking since forever. Never got the opportunity. Way back in Nottingham when friends with toddlers pushed strollers between strawberry rows during summer, I had to go gallivanting across half the earth tying to save thirteen years of marriage and lost miserably. 

Yesterday, someone very nice enticed me to take a break from work in the middle of the week to go pick strawberries in Cameron Highlands.

Heavy dark clouds hid the sun and light drizzlings dropped veils of mist on the highlands. Temperature of sixteen degree Celsius forced Ayong to bring out her pashmina. I boasted of thick layer of natural padding.


Thank you Rahim for a lovely day. Now I can shut my eyes tight when the time comes for me to go ...err let me do Istanbul first lah.

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Bundle Of Joy 2

Uzma at almost 4 months old
came back on raya the third

dah pandai sengeh
gusi merah senyum termeweh

what joy you bring this old lady
you lovely cutey baby

 

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Dr Chandra Muzaffar - APA MAKSUD IDENTITI MALAYSIA

I am reproducing this article written by Dr Chandra Muzaffar. Read it on Just My Thoughts.



Apa maksud identiti Malaysia? — Chandra Muzaffar

August 20, 2012

Selepas 55 tahun selepas Merdeka, rakyat Malaysia masih belum mencapai kata sepakat tentang identiti negara tercinta ini. Ia bukan sesuatu yang luar biasa. Kebanyakan negara lain, terutamanya yang berbilang kaum dan agama, menghadapi cabaran yang sama.

Bagi negara-negara yang mempunyai status berbilang kaum akibat daripada proses penjajahan, cabarannya jauh lebih rumit jika dibandingkan dengan negara-negara yang memperolehi ciri-ciri berbilang kaum melalui penaklukan atau integrasi wilayah mahupun penerimaan pendatang dari luar yang ditentukan oleh elit pribumi negara itu sendiri.

Sebagai contoh di Malaysia, para Sultan Melayu tidak terlibat di dalam membuat keputusan untuk menerima ratusan ribu pendatang dari China dan India dalam kurun 19. Pihak penjajah British yang bertanggungjawab ke atas penghijrahan ini untuk kepentingan ekonomi kolonial mereka.

Justeru, sistem ekonomi yang wujud dari kurun 19 memperlihatkan pengasingan kaum Cina dan India dalam gelanggang ekonomi masing-masing daripada bangsa Melayu yang terus terikat dengan ekonomi desanya dan sistem pentadbiran kesultanan-kesultanan Melayu. Pengasingan ini membawa implikasi besar kepada sistem pendidikan, corak hidup sosial dan alam budaya kaum-kaum yang menetap di negara ini. Kesan-kesan negatif daripada sejarah kolonial ini boleh dirasai sehingga ke hari ini.

Mungkin dampak yang paling serius adalah dalam sikap dan pandangan sebahagian besar kaum Cina dan India terhadap identiti diri mereka dan identiti Malaysia.

Untuk memahami cabaran ini, kita harus merenung kembali sejarah identiti kelompok-kelompok Cina yang berhijrah ke Tanah Melayu pada kurun 15 dan selepasnya — iaitu sebelum zaman kolonial British — dan cara mereka menyesuaikan diri dengan persekitaran keMelayuan.

Walaupun kelompok-kelompok ini kekal dengan agama Buddha, bahasa dan budaya tempatan mudah diserap kerana mereka mahu menyesuaikan diri dengan budaya dan masyarakat induk yang dikuasai sistem kesultanan ketika itu.

Pada zaman kolonial, sebagai bangsa terjajah, Melayu hilang kedudukan puncaknya.

Manakala, kelompok-kelompok Cina yang bermastautin di Melaka, Terengganu dan Kelantan pada masa itu adalah dalam jumlah yang kecil .

Latar belakang sejarah ini telah mempengaruhi sebahagian daripada perspektif tentang identiti negara dan penduduknya selepas kemerdekaan. Pada keseluruhannya, kita dapat mengenalpasti tiga perspektif.

Pertama, sebahagian daripada masyarakat Melayu menganggap Malaysia adalah sebagai negara Melayu. Dari segi fakta sejarah tidak dapat disangkal, kesultanan Melayu merupakan teras sistem Persekutuan yang dibentuk pada 1948.

Ini diperkukuhkan lagi dengan kewujudan dinasti kesultanan yang tertua di dunia iaitu kesultanan Kedah yang diasaskan pada tahun 1136. Tidak dapat dinafikan bahawa latarbelakang negara ini berhubungkait dengan sistem pemerintahan Melayu.

Tetapi, sekiranya Malaysia ditonjolkan sebagai negara Melayu dalam konteks semasa, ia akan menimbulkan kegelisahan di kalangan dua komponen rakyat Malaysia. Bagi Bumiputera Sabah dan Sarawak, khususnya Kadazan dan Iban, konsep identiti nasional sedemikian seolah-olah meminggirkan mereka.

Begitu juga bagi kaum Cina, India dan minoriti lain di Semenanjung Malaysia, termasuk, Orang Asli yang bukan Islam.

Kedua, di kalangan orang Melayu terdapat beberapa kumpulan yang berpegang pada idea bahawa Malaysia adalah sebuah negara Islam. Benar, majoriti penduduk negara — lebih 60 peratus — adalah penganut agama Islam. Malah, sebelum zaman kolonial, Islam merupakan asas perundangan di dalam sistem pemerintahan kesultanan Melayu.

Tetapi, sudah tentu 40 peratus masyarakat bukan Islam tidak dapat mengidentifikasikan diri mereka dengan negara yang mengisytiharkan dirinya sebagai negara Islam. Sekiranya, komponen warganegara yang begitu besar merasa terasing daripada identiti sebuah negara, usaha menyatupadukan masyarakat berbilang agama ini akan terancam.

Ketiga, bagi majoriti bukan Melayu pula Malaysia adalah sebuah negara berbilang kaum dan agama. Itulah identitinya. Deskripsi Malaysia sebagai negara berbilang kaum dan agama mencerminkan realiti masyarakat kita.

Tetapi, bagi sebahagian besar bukan Melayu realiti ini terpisah daripada sejarah dan latarbelakang negara yang berakar-umbi dari sistem Melayu-Islam. Ini menyumbang kepada keengganan mereka mengiktiraf peranan istimewa bahasa Melayu dan agama Islam dalam pembentukan identiti negara.

Jelas, ketiga-tiga perspektif yang dibincangkan tidak menepati pencarian satu identiti nasional. Oleh yang demikian, apakah konsep identiti yang paling sesuai, yang peka pada sensitiviti semua kaum di negara kita?

Ternyata konsep yang termaktub dalam Perlembagaan Malaysia adalah konsep yang adil, sesuai dan menepati sifat-sifat identiti bagi negara dan rakyat kita.

Perlembagaan Malaysia mengiktiraf kedudukan Bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa kebangsaan dan bahasa rasmi yang tunggal. Islam juga dinobatkan sebagai agama Persekutuan. Ini adalah pengiktirafan dan penerimaan terhadap sejarah dan latarbelakang negara dalam pembentukan identiti Malaysia.

Dalam hubungan ini, peranan Bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa kebangsaan, khususnya, amat penting dari segi evolusi identiti nasional. Dalam masyarakat berbilang kaum walau di mana-mana, jika bahasa dapat memudahkan komunikasi antara kaum dan budaya yang berbeza, ia akan membantu proses interaksi dan integrasi.

Inilah peranan yang dimainkan oleh Bahasa Melayu sepanjang sejarah sebagai lingua franca (bahasa perantara) yang paling berkesan dalam mewujudkan identiti serantau Nusantara.

Kembali kepada Perlembagaan Malaysia, dokumen ini juga mengiktiraf kedudukan dan peranan bahasa-bahasa lain.

Pada masa yang sama, Perlembagaan kita menegakkan hak penganut agama-agama bukan Islam untuk mengamalkan agama masing-masing. Akomodasi bahasa-bahasa bukan Melayu dan agama-agama bukan Islam dalam Perlembagaan adalah pengakuan bahawa bahasa-bahasa dan agama-agama ini juga adalah sebahagian daripada identiti Malaysia.

Kepimpinan nasional — kerajaan mahu pun pembangkang — gagal menyebarkan kefahaman identiti yang adil dan seimbang ini yang merupakan kekuatan Perlembagaan kita kepada khalayak.

Sekiranya sistem persekolahan kita, dari sekolah rendah sehingga sekolah menengah, memberi tumpuan kepada perkara ini — mempertingkatkan kefahaman pelajar-pelajar tentang Perlembagaan sebagai asas identiti nasional — sejak Merdeka pada 1957 dahulu, mungkin suasana masyarakat kita lebih harmonis pada hari ini.

Sebenarnya, konsep identiti dalam Perlembagaan telah dikembangkan secara tidak langsung melalui Rukunegara dan Wawasan 2020. Oleh kerana identiti tidak terbatas pada soal kaum dan agama semata-mata, dua dokumen nasional yang penting ini memperkukuhkan lagi konsep identiti Malaysia yang juga merangkumi institusi-institusi serta nilai-nilai.

Sistem Raja Berperlembagaan, Keluhuran Perlembagaan, Kedaulatan Undang-Undang dan sistem Demokrasi Berparlimen, yang ditekankan di dalam Rukunegara juga mencirikan identiti negara kita.
Begitu juga nilai-nilai yang terkandung dalam Rukunegara seperti perpaduan, keadilan, pendekatan liberal terhadap kepelbagaian budaya dan tradisi masyarakat, dan sikap progresif terhadap sains dan teknologi merupakan dimensi-dimensi penting dalam usaha kita membentuk identiti rakyat dan negara Malaysia.

Wawasan 2020 terus memberi keutamaan kepada nilai-nilai murni yang sama. Malah, dokumen ini juga menyuarakan iltizam negara untuk mewujudkan masyarakat yang "berjiwa bebas, tenteram dan maju dengan keyakinan terhadap diri sendiri" dan melahirkan masyarakat beretika dan bermoral.

Nilai-nilai ini boleh dianggap sebagai nilai-nilai yang berpaksikan kepada Kepercayaan pada Tuhan iaitu, prinsip pertama Rukunegara. Dalam sebuah masyarakat dimana lebih daripada 80 peratus penduduknya percaya pada Tuhan, prinsip ini harus diterima sebagai ciri utama identiti bangsa Malaysia.

Untuk memastikan bahawa kepercayaan pada Tuhan adalah prinsip identiti yang benar-benar dihayati, adalah menjadi tanggungjawab kita semua untuk menegakkan keadilan, keihsanan dan kejujuran dalam kehidupan masyarakat Malaysia.

Perlembagaan, Rukunegara dan Wawasan 2020 yang menjurus ke arah identiti nasional pada hakikatnya termaktub dalam idea 1 Malaysia. Ini bermakna bahawa 1 Malaysia merupakan intipati identiti Malaysia.

Menegak dan mengukuhkan identiti rakyat dan negara adalah cabaran besar yang dihadapi oleh kita pada ulang tahun Kemerdekaan Malaysia yang ke 55, terutamanya akibat beberapa perkembangan semasa. Di peringkat domestik, sentimen kaum dan agama lebih ketara dan menjejaskan usaha ke arah identiti nasional.

Identiti nasional juga terancam akibat politik kepartian yang melampaui batas. Di peringkat global, proses globalisasi yang membawa impak pada hampir setiap budaya dan bahasa sudah mula menggugat bahasa kebangsaan dalam bidang-bidang tertentu. — Utusan Malaysia

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Tuah, where art thou?

#1 - MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, who made the announcement, said the Education Ministry has granted the approval to set up the private school there. "The wait is over. With support from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Chinese group leaders, we are glad to announce that the Education Ministry has approved the building of the school. It will be known as Sekolah Menengah Chong Hwa Kuantan or Chong Hwa High School," he told reporters when announcing the news at the Education Ministry here Friday. Education director-general Tan Sri Abd Ghafar Mahmud presented the approval letter to Chong Hwa Independent High School Kuala Lumpur board of governors vice-chairman Lim Yew Jin at the press conference. During the rally, representatives from 163 Chinese associations, guilds and non-governmental organisations gathered at the MPK4 field near here to pen their signatures. A total of 4,374 signatures was collected.
 Full news here

 #2 - Chinese educationists here collected thousands of signatures in support of a Chinese independent high school to be built here. Various Chinese associations, guilds and non-governmental organisations nationwide sent their representatives to a rally held at Kampung Abdullah field on Sunday to support the request for the school. Also present were MCA leaders including Jementah assemblyman Datuk Lee Hong Tee and several opposition local leaders. Lee said the MCA never forgot its duty to defend Chinese education and his presence with other party members proved it. “We hope the Chinese community especially the Dong Jiao Zong (the United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia) will work with MCA on this issue,” he said. Lee also urged the Opposition not to use the Chinese education issue for political mileage.
 from here

#3 - Six hundred undergraduates who attended the 1Malaysia Indian Student Summit have unanimously agreed that the quota system be reinstated to increase the enrolment of Indian students into public universities. 1Malaysia Indian Student Movement (1MISM) president D. Mahaganapathy said the students voiced that since the meritocracy system was introduced six years ago, the intake of Indian students into public universities dropped tremendously especially into high demand faculties such as the medical, dentistry, pharmacy and engineering faculties. Until recently, he noted that medical seats intake had increased from 55 seats last year, to 90 seats this year. "Under the previous quota system, Indian students were allocated nearly 10 per cent seats in the public universities. "However, under the merit system hardly two to three per cent were offered to the students (based on data obtained from the Senate) and Indian students are faring badly under the meritocratic system," Mahaganapathy told reporters after the closing of the 1Malaysia Indian Students Summit's Star Awards Night on Sunday. Reinstating the quota system was among the 10 resolutions passed at the gathering. "We would like to request the government to consider setting up a new mechanism to increase the enrolment of Indian students into public universities annually. "Currently, to seek enrolment in the public universities, students who sat for STPM will need to compete with the students who completed the matriculation and 'asasi' programmes. "We can generally conclude that a student who goes through the matriculation pathway has a better chance of securing a place in the public university compared to one who comes from the STPM pathway due to the high level of difficulty of the STPM examination," Mahaganapathy explained. Among other resolutions were the request to set up a multi-racial office, similar to Universiti Malaya, to handle students' needs and problems at universities, the need to set up 1Malaysia food cafeteria serving vegetarian food and a fixed grant to finance student activities. At the ceremony, Mahaganapathy also launched a RM30,000 grant for students to organise activities related to 1Malaysia concept and promoting unity among students.
from here

Monday, July 30, 2012

Ditelan Mati Emak ...




Lena tidur Uzma. Nyenyak di lengan nenek. Didodoi nyanyian murai. Nyaman lepas mandi pagi.

Sambil berbuka puasa tadi, terdengar berita perdana. Betapa rakyat Malaysia bukan Melayu selama ini menganggap perkhidmatan awam adalah hanya untuk orang Melayu.

Iye ke?

Betapa kini mereka juga berminat. Kerana gaji pun sudah naik. Ditambah dengan jaminan.

Nenek baca di sini kerajaan persekutuan meluluskan pembinaan Sekolah Tinggi Chung Hwa Kuantan selepas perhimpunan besar besaran masyarakat Cina di Kuantan pada bulan Mei lepas di mana penganjur berjaya mengumpulkan lebih 4000 tanda tangan bagi mendesak penubuhan nya.

4000 tandatangan dan kerajaan meluluskan pembinaan sekolah tinggi Chung Hwa. Sebuah sekolah cina yang menawarkan Unified Examination Certificate dan Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia.

Sebuah sekolah cina yang TIDAK mengiktiraf guru selain guru cina utuk mengajar.

Sebuah sekolah yang mengasingkan pelajarnya dari sosio budaya Tanah Melayu ini.

Nenek ini gusar mengenangkan masa depan cucunya yang lena tidur didakapan pagi tadi.

jika dengan 4000 tandatangan, sebuah sekolah menengah berbahasa penghantar cina terpaksa dibina ...

filem Tanda Putera yang mengisahkan kehidupan Allahyarham Tun Razak dan Tun Dr Ismail dipaksa tunda tayangannya kerana masyarakat cina rasa sensitif dengan peristiwa 13 Mei ...

buku teks sastera Melayu 'Interlok' ditarik balik kerana orang india rasa sensitif dengan SATU perkataan yang sememangnya telah sedia wujud berjuta tahun dahulu 

sudah habis tergadaikah setiap inci Tanah Melayu ini?

kemana nak ku bawa undi ku yang satu?

ditelan mati emak, diluah mati bapa

aduhai



Friday, June 15, 2012

Menentang Pembohongan

Kempen memburuk burukkan Gardenia yang berbaur perkauman.

Ini bukan kali pertama atau satu satunya barangan.

baca di sini

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Fact of Fiction?

I am finding this hard to believe.

The pain ... physical and psychological.

  London, May 20 (IANS) A team of doctors in Brazil accidentally tore off a baby's head as the mother struggled to give birth in a hospital. The headless body remained inside the mother and had to be removed through surgery, it was reported here Sunday. The incident took place at the Santa Isabel maternity hospital in Aracaju in northeastern Brazil, the Daily Mail reported. The 22-year-old mother -- who has three other children -- said later she knew something was wrong when she heard something crack. The team of five doctors had spent hours trying to deliver the baby. "She went through a lot of suffering, it was hours and hours and a lot of pain and discomfort, with doctors pushing on her stomach, trying everything to make the baby come out," the woman's cousin told Brazil's Globo G1 website. "Then at one point, she heard a loud noise and one of the doctors said, 'Marcos, are you crazyIJ'" The mother asked what was happening but did not get an answer. She was rushed for an emergency surgery in which the headless body of the baby was removed. The family will now sue the hospital for medical negligence. [from here]

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Taste Of The Medicine

What goes around comes around.

  Online attacks on the Chinese expatriate who drove the Ferrari in a fatal Bugis accident on Saturday have underscored simmering anti-foreigner sentiment in Singapore. Ma Chi, a financial investor from Sichuan, China, smashed his million-dollar Ferrari into a taxi, killing himself on the spot and claiming the lives of cabby Cheng Teck Hock and Japanese cab passenger Shigemi Ito in hospital afterwards. Netizens in Singapore have swamped local websites and forums, with majority of comments attacking the 31-year-old and inevitably foreigners in general, while those who expressed otherwise were slammed for their views. Wolfie Densetsu, who commented on our Facebook page, believes Singapore needs to attract the right kind of foreigners, saying in one of the milder comments, ”Genuine foreign talent are always welcome, but not troublemakers." Another user, Sin Kiang Chua, added, “A lot of foreigners are earning much much bigger bucks than locals, thus able to afford luxurious cars & housings. Not fair to locals!” However, not all the comments were indignant. Yahoo! Singapore reader Sam Ang said, “Accidents like this happens every day in the world, so let's not get upset about it. It is not a matter of whether he is from China or local, it is about being responsible to our loved ones. Anyway he has died, so have the other two. I feel sad for them. Another reader, One, argued, “I think the issue here shouldn’t be about him being a PRC, but against speeding and drinking. If he was a Singaporean, the entire situation would probably be in a different light.” So the question is: As tension between locals and foreigners continues to grow - with the latter being blamed for pushing up living costs, straining public transport and stealing jobs - are Singaporeans in danger of becoming xenophobic? [source here]

The 'locals' took over the island from the 'original locals' less than six decades ago using the very same modus operandi which is exporting foreigners from mainland.

And now they are becoming 'xenophobic'?

Medicine is bitter, ain't it? Even one's own.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Bundle Of Joy


 
she arrived on the dot
but the tiny tot
has not enough strength
to make it
through the canal
doctors had to help 
delivered her through c-sect
just couple of hours short 
of May 13 day of the riot
[oldies like me
would know what the date means]
 

Friday, May 11, 2012

Bodoh Piang

Nonton video ini [sini] made my blood went upstairs lah.

Politik kita belum cukup masak. Harapkan kekuatan pembangkang mampu mematangkan politik tanahair tapi hampeh ... kokok berderai derai ekor bergelumang tahi.

Penyokong Bersih 3.0 bermati matian kata niat mereka bersih murni. Mereka hanya berarak aman menuntut pilihanraya bersih. Mereka yakin penuh bahawa setiap manusia atas dunia ni punya hak kebebasan individu. Bebas untuk berkumpul di mana mana bila bila masa. Segala sampah yang mereka buat masa mereka melaksanakan hak mereka tu adalah tanggungjawab kerajaan kerana mereka ialah pembayar cukai. Begitu juga dengan keselamatan mereka. Sekiranya ada samseng tak puas hati, maka polis kena lindungi mereka. Jika perlu tembak pengacau yang mengganggu. Kurang dari itu, maka hak mereka dikira terjejas.

Penganjur Bersih 3.0 tidak dapat kebenaran berdemo di Dataran Merdeka tapi buat jugak. Jadi apa nama nya 300 000 orang [kata deme lah] yang berkumpul 28 April 2012 lepas? Bukan babi [dibaca:HARAM] ke?

Ada polis tembak diaorang? Tangkap? Pukul?

TAK DE!!!

Habis tu apahal pulak mamat ni [sini] dengan sopan santun lembut gigi dari lidah MENUNTUT polis buat siasatan.

Sapa yang nak di bodohkannya?

Bersih 3.0 yang haram tu ditamatkan dengan RASMI pada jam 2.00 ptg 28 April 2012.

Kekacauan berlaku pukul berapa?

Polis tembak gas pemedih mata dan sembur meriam air pukul berapa? Sebelum atau selepas kekacauan bermula? Saja suka suka nak dera orang atau ada sebab munasabah?

Kalau lah mamat ni dan suku sakat dia tak buat apa yang mereka buat SELEPAS Bersih 3.0 diTAMATKAN dengan rasmi dan peserta Bersih haram di suruh bersurai, ada polis nak buat apa yang mereka buat?

Babi haram di makan oleh orang Islam. Kalau disembelih pun babi tetap haram di makan.

Bersih 3.0 tidak dapat kebenaran berdemo di Dataran Merdeka. Walau 300 000 orang menyertainya tidak menjadikan ia HALAL.

Kedua, isu kezaliman polis.

This FB posting is an interesting read [here


Ketiga, video [ini].

Tertinggal keretapi



 

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Orchestrated Gambit

Read this on an fb acquaintance's wall.

 In a repeat of last summer’s protests, yellow-shirted mobs calling themselves “Bersih” have taken once again to the streets in Malaysia demanding “clean elections.” Their tactics and demands mirror similar movements that have come out into the streets in Russia and across the Middle East, and just like in Russia and across the Middle East, they are entirely funded, directed by, and working for the interests of Wall Street and London.

Bersih’s rank and file are responding to legitimate concerns regarding inequities that exist across Malaysia’s diverse population. Ethnic Malaysians are perceived to be receiving more benefits and upward social mobility than Malaysia’s large groups of ethnic minorities. Likewise it is perceived that Malaysia’s ruling government has an unfair advantage come election time. However, the movement’s demands and tactics seek simply to destabilize Malaysia politically and return known Western collaborators, and in particular Wall Street proxy and International Monetary Fund (IMF) functionary Anwar Ibrahim, back into power.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=M7u2xKtjihk

Video/Image: NED and Soros organized mobs clamor around Malaysia’s embassy in Bangkok, Thailand – with SEAPA executive director Gayathry Venkiteswaran explaining to a crowd why Western proxy Anwar Ibrahim and his opposition’s involvement in Bersih should not be condemned and for Bersih supporters to vigorously deny that the movement is “opposition run.” SEAPA  s funded by convicted criminal George Soros, and the US State Department’s warmongering, corporate financier-lined National Endowment For Democracy and Freedom House. Both within Malaysia and beyond, the Bersih mobs are demonstratively led by Western proxies insidiously manipulating impressionable, youthful crowds. 

 To understand why, it helps to understand just who is financially and politically supporting Bersih’s leadership in the first place. The Malaysian Insider reported on june 27, 2011 that Bersih leader Ambiga Sreenevassan “admitted to Bersih receiving some money from two US organisations — the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and Open Society Institute (OSI) — for other projects, which she stressed were unrelated to the July 9 [2011] march.” A visit to the NDI website revealed indeed that funding and training had been provided by the US organization – before NDI took down the information and replaced it with a more benign version purged entirely of any mention of Bersih. For funding Ambiga claims is innocuous, the NDI’s rushed obfuscation of any ties to her organization suggests something more sinister at play.
 
Bersih is indisputably serving as a political vehicle for Anwar Ibrahim and Malaysia’s opposition front “Pakatan Rakyat,” to return to power. That Anwar Ibrahim himself was Chairman of the Development Committee of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 1998, held lecturing positions at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, was a consultant to the World Bank, and a panelist at the Neo-Con lined National Endowment for Democracy’s “Democracy Award" and a panelist at a NED donation ceremony - the very same US organization whose subsidiaries are funding and supporting Bersih – casts irrefutable doubt on their official agenda for “clean and fair elections.” Claims by Bersih members that Anwar Ibrahim is “hijacking” their movement ring especially hollow when looking at both his and Bersih’s entwined foreign financial and political backers.

Unlike during their 2011 protests, Bersih is now taking to the streets with the full knowledge of what “pro-democracy” protests have yielded in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, and Syria – chaos, destabilization, violence, and the inevitable installation of overt client regimes bent in service to Wall Street and London. They are now openly the recipients of convicted criminal George Soros'  Open Society Institute, which is quickly losing its luster as its vast global ties are exposed by an ever-expanding alternative media. ...

...

 Clearly it is not “democracy” that the US through its National Endowment for Democracy and criminal Wall Street speculator George Soros’ Open Society are spreading – but rather corporate-financier hegemony by destabilizing nationalist regimes and replacing them with client proxies. The recent wave of “pro-democracy” uprisings worldwide are a carefully orchestrated geopolitical gambit - neo-imperialism through 4th generation warfare. That the leaders of Bersih are demonstratively recipients of both the US State Department’s National Endowment for Democracy and Soros’ Open Society, and with opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim being a functionary of the IMF, it is certain that no matter how genuine Bersih’s rank and file may be, the fruits of their efforts will be the destabilization and neo-recolonization of of their nation – a nation that has fought long and hard to work its way out from under Western imperialism in the past.


The damage is done ... again!

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

CINA BUTA 2

Mula mula baca artikel ini [di sini] setuju jugak lah dengan pandangan penulisnya.

Tapi bila sampai di sini , terkedu pulak ... 

"I did not hear any anti-Lynas or anti-corruption slogans or anything against UiTM’s rejection of non-Bumiputera students nor about the pathetic academic standards of our universities today."

Masih tak reti reti jugak anak merdeka ni.

Bahawasanya, biasiswa ke, MARA ke dan yang sewaktu dengannya adalah termaktub dalam perlembagaan negara sebagai hak istimewa anak peribumi ini.

Malangnya tiada lagi lelaki Melayu di bumi ini. 

Yang tinggal hanya lah sida sida yang telah dikasi. [now wondering kasi semua ka kasi telur je]

Haihhhhhhh! [makcik tua hanya mampu mengeluh menghitung hari]

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Hoorayyyyyy! Long Live 1Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 — Chinese vernacular education is guaranteed under the Barisan Nasional (BN) government, Datuk Seri Najib Razak vowed tonight following recent accusations from Chinese educationists that his administration was conspiring to end the use of Mandarin as a medium of instruction.

The prime minister also said on ntv7’s Mandarin talk show, “Chat Time With...”, that his administration was committed to ending the teacher shortage in Chinese primary schools and would consider recognising the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), the Chinese school’s SPM equivalent.

“It (vernacular education) is provided for in the (Federal) Constitution that parents have the right to choose. I don’t think there is any need or cause for Malaysian Chinese to fear that we will close down Chinese schools.

“If we didn’t amend the Act, maybe there could be a reason. But the amendment is a clear manifestation of our commitment that Chinese schools are here to stay and education in Chinese schools is an integral part of the national education system,” Najib said, referring to the 1996 amendment to the Education Act when he was education minister.

The amendment had removed the controversial Section 21 (2), which stipulated that the minister could convert a vernacular school into a Malay-medium school. The section also specifically provided for vernacular education as part of the national education system.

“It once and for all removed fear about (the) future and survival of Chinese schools... it was a landmark decision we made,” he said on live on national television.

Vernacular education has been a longstanding issue, with Chinese educationists accusing the government of sidelining Chinese education for the past four decades despite being fully aware of the shortcomings.

During its March 25 rally, the United Chinese School Committees Association (Dong Zong) accused the government of compromising Chinese education by “deliberately” not training enough Chinese school teachers, resulting in a shortage that has lasted for up to 40 years.

Dong Zong president Yap Sin Tian told a crowd of over 5,000, who had chanted for MCA’s Deputy Education Minister Datuk Wee Ka Siong to resign, this was so the government could send in those without SPM Mandarin qualifications to fill the gap.

The MCA Youth chief was forced to defend himself last week by insisting that, when he joined the Education Ministry in 2009, there had been a shortage of 4,991 teachers in Chinese schools. This has been reduced each year to 1,870 this year, Wee added.

Najib also said tonight he was aware that “little Napoleons” in the government were a stumbling block towards solving Chinese education problems such as the shortage of teachers.

“We are aware of that... we have made a commitment... to see to it this problem is addressed once and for all,” the Umno president said.

Asked if the government would now give accreditation to the UEC since it recently recognised 146 universities from China, he said “we need to engage both sides” to discuss to what extent the curriculum can be made to be more Malaysian and the need for teachers to be proficient in Malay. [from here]