[ABIM] Sekitar Muktamar Sanawi ke-34 2005

[Book] Tales of the Mahdi of Sudan

The Sword of the Prophet: The Mahdi of Sudan and the Death of General Gordon, Fergus Nicoll, London: Sutton Publishing, 2004. pp384

Fergus Nicoll's The Sword of the Prophet leads the reader into the land and times of Mohamed Ahmed Al-Sayyid, the so-called Mahdi, or "guided one", who led the Sudan against its British and Egyptian occupiers at the end of the nineteenth century and won, at least initially, a series of striking victories against them. The book poignantly recalls the Mahdi's brief period of notoriety, and, through a narrative that is both racy and captivating, constitutes a hard-headed, immensely knowledgeable account of how one man, the son of a Nubian boat-builder, mobilised his countrymen for long periods of war thanks to his dangerous and charismatic personality.

The Sudan, the "Land of the Blacks," became his playground, but, writes Nicoll, the Mahdi's aims were considerably wider than that: "His aspirations were extraordinary: nothing less than the overthrow of the Ottoman Empire and its replacement with a pure Islamic state along the lines of the Prophet Muhammad's first Muslim community in Arabia in the early seventh century. The seizure of Khartoum must be followed, as domino topples domino, by the fall of Cairo, Mecca, Jerusalem and Constantinople itself."

As befits such a tale, The Sword of the Prophet is studded with tales of treachery and religious intrigue, political acumen, melodramatic obsession and unflinching heroism. The characters, both Sudanese and foreign, are time- tested, and the Sudanese in particular play their parts by the book: armed only with spears, the Qur'an and blind faith, the Mahdi's followers challenged the might of Victorian Britain and its Egyptian proxy state in the 1880s, catching Britain, which had only recently occupied Egypt, unawares. A Taliban-like state was instituted in the Sudan that was notable for its religiously inspired rigour.

Nicoll's work explores the inner workings of the militant Islamist state that the Mahdi instituted in the Sudan and much about it has a contemporary ring. However, the book is far from being a hymn to Islamist militancy, and in a chapter entitled "A New Order" the reader is introduced to the grim realities of Mahdist-run Sudan. "The tariff punishments prescribed at Jebel Gadir were carried out strictly, as were new regulations governing behaviour," Nicoll writes. "Thieves had their right hands cut off for a first offence, their left foot for a second. To be caught drinking marisa, the local home-brewed alcohol, was to invite a merciless whipping. Married, widowed or divorced women caught having sex were executed by burying them up to their necks in the earth, where they were either stoned or horsemen galloped over them until they were dead."

In addition, for all its religiously inspired rigour the Mahdist regime was not notable for its probity. Corruption was rife, and the Baggara tribes, whose members formed a sizeable part of the Mahdi's following, saw in him little more than an opportunity for self-enrichment. Nicoll notes, for example, that oversight of the state's Beit Al-Mal (treasury) was entrusted to one of the Mahdi's loyal companions, Ahmad Suleiman Al-Mahasi, and that in order to cement this alliance the Mahdi took Suleiman's daughter Safia to be his wife. However, Suleiman was far from being a responsible administrator, and the full extent of the corruption that infested the Mahdist state's finances was only discovered after the collapse of the regime.

Suleiman himself was also a slave-owner, slavery being an accepted side-effect of inter- tribal fighting and acceptable in religious terms. On this prickly point, Nicoll notes that "for Muhammad Ahmad himself, slavery was part of normal life ... That acceptance reflects exactly the attitude of the Qur'an, which guided Muhammad Ahmad's every decision. The Holy Book may have sought to mitigate the effects of slavery but the several matter-of-fact references amounted to an endorsement that was quite satisfactory for him." Nicoll also puts slavery into its historical and economic context, noting that "long before the Egyptian invasion, the indigenous authorities in Sudan had made a tidy profit from the export of slaves over the Red Sea to Jeddah."

The Mahdi aimed to be an empire builder, though the intrigue that eventually killed him started in his own extensive family. Indeed, the Mahdi's followers, chief among them the Ansars, were bound to be defeated however fiercely they believed in the righteousness of their cause. The Mahdi's name and the movement he masterminded were eventually reduced to historical footnotes, and Nicoll's work documents the disintegration of the Mahdi's ambitions and of the religious movement he led. But before doing so, his book also examines the sources of its strength.

One source is to be found in the timeless rhythms of the Mahdi's childhood, and Nicoll describes the education he would have received as follows: "Heads bent over their writing-boards, chanting and rocking rhythmically, the boys embed in their memories the concluding verses of the sura. The most confident sings out the melodious verses in a strong voice, not even glancing at the text scribbled in jet-black ink across his wooden writing-board. When the verses are thoroughly mastered, they will be washed off and a fresh section of the holy text dictated." This portrait of the Mahdi's childhood sheds light on the forces that shaped his political outlook, as well as the stamina that later marked his adult life. Nicoll notes that "the life of a boarding-school student of the Qur'an was hard. The day began as early as 4am, with practice and recitation of the previous day's lessons." It also may help to explain why even the Mahdi's demise failed to shake his followers' faith and their belief in the sanctity of his mission.

The Mahdi began his campaign to expel all foreigners from the Sudan, whether British, Egyptian or Turkish, by establishing his movement's spiritual base on Aba Island ( Jazirat Aba ) in the Nile. Following a series of religiously inspired revelations instructing the Mahdi in the movement that he was to lead, "the final revelation ( zuhur ) came on 29 June 1881 with the public manifestation of the Mahdi at Jazirat Aba. Four days earlier, Muhammad Ahmad had marked his 38th birthday. This was the defining moment of his life, the open declaration of a hitherto underground ideological revolution against the government."

The movement began strikingly well, and Nicoll notes that for the Mahdi there was a stark choice: on the one hand there was holy war, or jihad, to expel the foreigners from the Sudan, and on the other there was the might of British power. "By setting out an alternative to the existing political and social system, an alternative that centred on an ideal proto-Islamic society governed by Sharia Law, he declared himself a revolutionary," Nicoll writes. The Mahdi swiftly attracted the Sudanese tribes to his banner, his warriors overwhelming the country dressed in full war regalia of the jibba, or traditional patched smock. As the jihad dragged on, warriors fired with religious zealotry passed their home villages without pausing and looked for more distant territories to conquer in the name of Islam.

The Mahdi added every available Muslim Sudanese man to his army, none staying behind in their villages except the very young, the very old and the infirm. From Jebel Gadir, the garrison town deep in the Nuba Mountains established by Mohamed Ahmed as his first headquarters and the spiritual heart of the Mahdist uprising until his demise, the Mahdi's armies overran the Sudan. Sweeping westwards, they destroyed whole villages as they swept through the African savannah. In the south, Bahr Al-Ghazzal and Equatoria fell to the Mahdi. In the west, Darfur capitulated. Word of the Mahdist advance then flashed north and into territories controlled by Egypt. The Egyptian government had long coveted the Sudan, then a sprawling and ill-defined territory stretching from the southern frontier of Egypt at Aswan into the heart of the African continent and from the Red Sea shores of present-day Eritrea to the hill country of Kordofan and the then independent Sultanate of Darfur. As the Mahdi's armies advanced northwards, the Mahdi showed himself to be no slouch in the propaganda game. Everything was pressed into service to show how popular the Mahdist revolution was.

General Charles Gordon, the British Governor-General of the Sudan at Khartoum and one of the Mahdi's most famous victims, is depicted in a sympathetic light in the book, but his death at the hands of the Mahdists threw both London and Cairo into confusion. Earlier, Gordon had described the Sudan as a "beautiful woman who gave herself to Egypt. She now asks for divorce." Yet Gordon was off the mark, for, as Nicoll points out, the Sudan had never "given herself" to Egypt. Rather, "she had been systematically raped for six decades" before the first stirrings of the Mahdist rebellion. Nicoll also gives a fascinating account of European views of the Sudan and of Khartoum before the Mahdi's campaigns. The name Khartoum means "elephant's trunk" since, with a stretch of the imagination, the junction of the two Niles near Khartoum could be seen to resemble the delicate cleft in the tip of this animal's trunk.

The Sudan under Egyptian rule was changing fast, with "the few really lavish private houses built in Khartoum before 1860 [being] modeled, like the splendid mansions at Suakin on the Red Sea coast, on Arabian styles imported from Jeddah; after that date, European influences began to filter down from Egypt." Yet neither the Sudanese not the Egyptian authorities were ready for the sweeping changes then taking place in the country, and the Egyptian government in particular felt the consequences of the Mahdi's campaigns.

Indeed, "the disastrous timing of the Mahdi's uprising was compounded by the fact that Sudan, where expenditure consistently continued to exceed revenue, had helped drive Egypt into its financial crisis. The occupation had been launched on the assumption that Sudan would yield riches but, by 1882, most provinces consistently lost money," Nicoll explains. Furthermore, the Mahdist movement in the Sudan took place at a time when Egypt itself was undergoing profound political and socio-economic change. By an extraordinary coincidence of timing, Egypt was forced to neglect the revolution abroad because of revolution at home, which came with the British occupation of the country in 1882.

Imaginative and nuanced, Nicoll's book explores the psychological make-up of the man who was the Mahdi. He emphasises his pride and dignity: "The Mahdi reacted with stern dignity to Gordon's letter offering him the Sultanate of Kordofan," for example. "Had his enemies so misunderstood him that they thought he could be bought off with a meaningless title, granted rights over a territory that he already controlled? What kind of a man could make such a peremptory offer, tantamount to an order, when he came backed by no army, just a small contingent of officers and civil servants," Nicoll asks. His book also draws heavily on obscure primary sources, as well as on a range of secondary materials. In so doing, he makes it clear that there were a whole set of reasons why the Ansar eventually lost the war. One of them was the Mahdists' sense of fair play.

"You cannot beat the English without deceit," Nicoll quotes Othman Dinga, the celebrated Ansar general who had led the Mahdi's campaign in the eastern Red Sea hills, as saying. Dinga urged the Khalifa Abdullah, the Mahdi's stubborn successor, to surprise the British using darkness as a natural cover. "We fight in the morning after dawn prayers," the Khalifa retorted, and the fate of the movement was sealed. "His enemy was armed with artillery, machine- guns and repeating rifles. This disastrous decision was all the British could have desired."

The Mahdist forces were pitilessly quashed. "Of the Khalifa's 52,000-strong fighting force, an estimated 10,800 were killed and 16,000 wounded," Nicoll writes. Only 28 British troops were killed with 147 wounded.

Reviewed by Gamal Nkrumah

Livingstone to Sue British Government if Banning Qaradawi

Livingstone to Sue Gov't if Banning Qaradawi
Livingstone warned against banning Muslims who support the Palestinians' legitimate struggle.

LONDON, August 25, 2005 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Mayor of London Ken Livingstone has threatened to take the British government to court if it banned moderate Muslim scholar Yusuf Al-Qaradawi from entering the country under the new controversial terror guidelines. "If nobody else takes the government to the courts if they banned Dr. Al-Qaradawi, I would," Livingstone told BBC radio on Wednesday, August 24, reported Agence France Presse (AFP).

"I don't think he should be banned. He has opposed all acts of terrorism by Al-Qaeda around the world. He urged Arabs to donate blood after September 11," added Livingstone, a member of Prime Minister Tony Blair's Labour Party. British Home Secretary Charles Clarke unveiled Wednesday the guidelines of "unacceptable behavior" under which the government can deport and ban Muslim scholars accused of fomenting, justifying and glorifying acts of terror and violence. The banned views include those conveyed through written or published material, including Web sites, as well as public speaking.

The new guidelines are part of the anti-terror measures taken in the wake of the July 7 London attacks, which were carried out by four bombers, including three British-born Muslims. Qaradawi, head of the Dublin-based International Association of Muslim Scholars (IAMS), swiftly condemn the grisly London attacks as running counter to the tents of Islam.

Palestinian Struggle

Livingstone warned the governments against exploiting the new guidelines against the likes of Qaradawi who support the Palestinians' legitimate resistance against the Israeli occupation of their land. "…there will be very few Muslim scholars or leaders that will ever be admitted to Britain because the vast majority of Muslims identify with the struggle of the Palestinian people". The mayor of London went on: "I see real parallels between what happens in Israel-Palestine today with the bombing campaign run by the ANC (African National Congress) against the white apartheid regime 20 years ago in South Africa."

He was referring to former South African president Nelson Mandela who was imprisoned for many years after leading an armed struggle against the apartheid racist regime in his country. "Would the supporters of Nelson Mandela have been thrown out of this country because they were supporting the bombing campaign against the apartheid racist regime in South Africa?" Livingstone asked. "If so, the list should not be approved," he said on BBC television. In March, Livingstone wrote a piece in The Guardian accusing Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon of being "a war criminal who should be in prison, not in office."

Qaradawi, also a trustee of the Oxford University Center for Islamic Studies, repeatedly drew the line between the Israeli occupation and Jews. "We do not fight Israelis because they are Jews, but because they took our land, killed our children and profaned our holy places," the venerable scholar had said. Livingstone apologized in July last year to Qaradawi "on behalf of the people of London" for the media fuss that overshadowed his last visit to Britain.

He had further called on British media to apologize to the leading scholar over their hostile campaign that sought to blemish his reputation. Livingstone had criticized the Washington-based Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), which is led by a former Israeli intelligence officer, for fueling the hatred campaign.

Too Vague

Meanwhile, the government's new terror guidelines drew rebuke from leading British dailies. The Independent said the measures are "misguided" and will not help combat home-grown terrorism. "Yesterday's list was drawn up after two weeks of consultation. But the 'offences' presented are still dangerously vague. The concept of 'justifying' terrorism is too loose," said the daily. The Financial Times also dismissed some of the new measures as "vague and more alarming".

It stressed that Clarke's announcement that he is to consult on the creation of new powers to close places of worship used to foment extremism "should also be greeted with disquiet." "Closing down mosques is likely to alienate the very Muslim communities whose co-operation is desperately needed, while also impinging on religious freedom", said the paper.

[Malaysia] Gerakan Islam Diingatkan Tidak Perbesarkan Isu Remeh Temeh

Gerakan Islam diingatkan tidak perbesar isu remeh-temeh


Wednesday, August 24 2005, Harakahdaily

KUALA LUMPUR, 24 Ogos (Hrkh) - Gerakan Islam di seluruh dunia diingatkan tidak memperbesar isu remeh-temeh yang akhirnya akan mengganggu usaha dakwah, kata Naib Presiden Institut Pemikiran Islam Antarabangsa, Ahmad Totonji. Beliau berkata demikian dalam pertemuannya dengan saf pimpinan PAS di Pejabat PAS Jalan Pahang, 23 Ogos lalu.

Pertemuan itu bertujuan mengeratkan hubungan antara kedua-dua belah pihak dan bertukar-tukar pandangan. Turut hadir ialah, Setiausaha Agung PAS, Dato'Kamaruddin Jaffar; Bendahari, Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli; Ketua Penerangan, Ustaz Ahmad Awang: Pengerusi Hal Ehwal Luar dan Antarabangsa, Dr Syed Azman Syed Ahmad Nawawi, mantan Naib Presiden PAS, Dato' Mustafa Ali, Ketua Pemuda PAS, Salahuddin Ayub dan Pengarah Pusat Penyelidikan, Dr Zulkifli Ahmad.

Menurut Ahmad, mutakhir ini gerakan Islam di seluruh dunia terutamanya yang bersabit dengan politik terlalu banyak memberi reaksi terhadap isu yang remeh-temeh. Keadaan itu mengakibatkan matlamat utama perjuangan tidak dapat difokuskan, katanya. "Kadang-kadang sesuatu isu yang remeh-temeh itu mungkin dihasilkan oleh kerja jahat Barat untuk memusnahkan gerakan Islam, kita perlu berhati-hati. Kalau boleh ketepikan (ignore) sahaja," katanya.

Selain itu beliau juga menyeru supaya gerakan Islam tidak berkonfrontasi sesama sendiri dalam menghadapi cabaran dari Barat. Ini adalah kerana sikap berkonfrontasi akan hanya merugikan perjuangan dan menguntungkan pihak lawan, katanya. "Negara Barat seperti Amerika Syarikat sememangnya menanti akan gerakan Islam berkonfrontasi sesama sendiri.Ini akan menguntungkan mereka," katanya. Pada majlis yang sama Ahmad turut memuji sikap PAS yang dilihat terbuka untuk berdialog dengan golongan bukan Islam mengenai pelbagai perkara. – lanh

[Malaysia] Ruling on "50 Dalil"

Malaysia's Anwar says vindicated by million-dollar libel award

KUALA LUMPUR, (AFP) - Former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim said that a 1.2 million dollar damages award over a book that triggered his 1998 sacking had cleared his name and proved he was the victim of a conspiracy.

The author of "50 Reasons Why Anwar Cannot Be PM", Khalid Jafri, has already been sentenced to jail for accusing Anwar of sodomy, corruption and an extra-marital affair that resulted in an illegitimate daughter.

"The defendants' main purpose in publishing the book was to destroy the plaintiff's reputation and political career," said High Court judge Mohamad Hishamudin Mohamad Yunus in a strongly-worded decision.

The judge noted the book was distributed to delegates at the general assembly of the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in May 1998. "The defendants and others who conspired with the defendants achieve their purpose," he said. "The plaintiff's political career was ruined as a result of the publication of the book." "Faced with such a vicious and venomous public attack on his integrity, launched by the defendants in cahoots with others, the public humiliation and ridicule and the pain and mental distress suffered by the plaintiff and his family must be beyond description.

"A visibly happy and relaxed Anwar embraced his wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail outside the court and greeted supporters. "At last there is a judgement which finally takes full cognisance of the conspiracy to destroy my political career which has always been my position from day one," he said." The judgement clears my name. I have been completely vindicated.

"Anwar said he would discuss with his family and lawyers how to disburse the money to the needy." The quantum is not important, it's a matter of honour of truth and my vindication," he said. The award of 4.5 million ringgit (1.2 million dollars) included 4.0 million ringgit for defamation, 500,000 ringgit for "conspiracy to injure", plus all legal costs.

Hishamudin said awards of this size were unusual in Malaysia, but that it reflected the gravity of the charges against Anwar, his high position at the time, and the lack of apology from the defendants "who until today remain defiant". Anwar, heir apparent to then-premier Mahathir Mohamad, was sacked in September 1998 and subsequently convicted on corruption and sodomy charges which he said were engineered to prevent him challenging Mahathir for the leadership.

He was released in September last year after the sodomy charges were overturned. Khalid, 65, was found guilty last month of writing false information in his book. The court ruled that the child in question was the legitimate offspring of Anwar's former private secretary, Mohamad Azmin Ali.Khalid was freed on bail pending an appeal. However, early this month he was admitted to hospital for treatment for diabetes. His right leg was amputated and he was put on a life support machine.

His wife Rozihan Abdul Ghani was named as the second defendant in the libel case, in her role as publisher of the book. Khalid's lawyers said they had not yet made a decision on whether to appeal, but Anwar's legal representatives said they expected one to be lodged. The suit is the second Anwar has brought to court this month.

In early August he successfully won an apology from the former police chief who beat him after his arrest, as well as undisclosed damages, in a result he hailed as a step forward for human rights in Malaysia. Anwar is barred from holding political office until 2008 under regulations governing convicted criminals. However, in recent weeks he has revealed new political ambitions, centred on the opposition Keadilan party headed by his wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail which will contest general elections to be held in 2008.

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So finally Khalid Jefri is nailed to the coffin of criminality by his conviction. The infamous author of the venomous book edition of the ubiquitous poison pen letters, the legendary “50 dalil” faces possible jail time. He is now left in a lurch. He reportedly is in suffering. It is the book purported to have brought down Anwar Ibrahim. A flip through “50 dalil” reveals it as simply a collection of incredible and absurd accusations just to assassinate and destroy Anwar Ibrahim. On its own, the book just does not stand up to scrutiny for it was purely baseless and full of lies. There was even a legal injunction to stop its distribution. But other dark forces were at work and one after another events were orchestrated although haphazardly sometimes comical but firmly and objectively to accomplish its goal of taking Anwar down.

This is what the civil suit judge said:

"The defendants' main purpose in publishing the book was to destroy the plaintiff's reputation and political career," said High Court judge Mohamad Hishamudin Mohamad Yunus in a strongly-worded decision.

The judge noted the book was distributed to delegates at the general assembly of the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in May 1998.

"The defendants and others who conspired with the defendants achieve their purpose," he said. "The plaintiff's political career was ruined as a result of the publication of the book."

"Faced with such a vicious and venomous public attack on his integrity, launched by the defendants in cahoots with others, the public humiliation and ridicule and the pain and mental distress suffered by the plaintiff and his family must be beyond description."

Hishamudin said awards of this size were unusual in Malaysia, but that it reflected the gravity of the charges against Anwar, his high position at the time, and the lack of apology from the defendants "who until today remain defiant".

In early August Anwar Ibrahim successfully won an apology from the former police chief, Rahim Noor who beat him after his arrest, as well as undisclosed damages, in which Anwar hailed it as a civil rights victory.

Throughout the whole drama there was a mysterious and discreet power behind it, pushing in a haste, a gush of political momentum to force Anwar out of politics for good. We now know that every twist and turn that played out during those years of Malaysia’s maelstrom was a product of a lost of political nerves combined with delusions of paranoia as well as deep seated political vendettas and moral corruption. You can express shock, surprise, dismay, you may even be sick of the charade which reached the highest of proportions. But in the end the book became a live script to be played out lock, stock and barrel. The book’s villain, Anwar became the victim but the perpetrator of the whole tragedy will never be known. We can only guess!

abuomar abuomar_asia@yahoo.com
17th August 2005

[Kedah] Krisis Air di Kedah

Krisis air Kedah: Jelapang padi bakal menjadi 'padang jarak, padang tekukur'?

Saturday, 6 Ogos 2005, Harakahdaily

PADANG TERAP, 6 Ogos (Hrkh) - Tidak timbul sebarang kejutan seandainya selepas bulan September depan kawasan sawah padi yang bagaikan saujana mata memandang di Kedah akan berubah menjadi 'padang jarak, padang terkukur'.Ini disebabkan sumber bekalan air bersih di negeri yang bakal maju pada tahun 2010 ini kini berada di tahap paling kritikal.

Ini kerana, menurut Timbalan Pesuruhjaya PAS Kedah, Haji Mahfuz Omar, takungan air di Empangan Pedu, empangan air terbesar dalam negeri Kedah kini hanya sekitar 10 peratus dari tahap sedia ada.

Harakahdaily sempat merakamkan gambar keadaan terkini Tasik Pedu yang dilinkungi banjaran Bukit Kerengga dan Bukit Sempadan. Turut membimbangkan adalah tahap kandungan Empangan Ulu Muda turut rendah dan gagal kembali ke paras sedia ada sejak tiga tahun lalu.

Empangan Ulu Muda membekalkan air ke kawasan tadahan air Empangan Pedu dan juga menyalurkan air kepada negeri Pulau Pinang. Ketika mulai masuk ke kawasan Tasik Pedu melalui Kampung Pinang, kira-kira 35 Kilometer dari pekan Kuala Nerang, di kiri kanan jalan masih dapat dilihat berkegelimpangan batang-batang balak, ada yang terbakar, ada yang telah dipotong-potong, dan didapati, ia telah lama ditebang.

Kampung Pinang terletak bertentangan dengan Pedu Lake Resort, sebuah pusat percutian yang lebih dikenali menyediakan 'chalet-chalet terapung' kerana jika berada di dalam chalet berkenaan, lantainya seakan mencecah air tasik.

Hati cukup berdebar kerana rombongan yang turut disertai Haji Mahfuz, Setiausaha Sahabat Alam Sekitar (Asas) Merbok, Aziz Man dan Setiausaha Teras Penyupayaan Melayu (Teras), Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman telah mula menuruni kenderaan pacuan empat roda ke kawasan Tasik Pedu.

Dari gigi tasik, sehingga ke jarak sekitar 1000 meter, kami dapat melaluinya dengan kenderaan. Rekahan tanah dengan jelas dapat dilihat, pokok-pokok liar setinggi 30 ke 40 kaki yang semakin reput berada di kiri kanan laluan kami. Ketika turun dari kenderaan, hati masih berdebar dan seolah tidak percaya kerana lebih kurang empat tahun lalu, pernah ke situ dengan menaiki bot untuk memancing.

Untuk memulakan langkahan amat berdebar, sekalipun pacuan empat roda tadi lebih berat dari badan manusia, tetapi bila memikirkan dahulunya tanah yang dipijak itu adalah dasar sebuah tasik yang dalamnya sukar diduga kami memandang sesama sendiri.

"Ini Tasik Pedu, empangan paling besar di Kedah tau, kenapa boleh jadi kering sampai macam ni," kata Haji Mahfuz. Dari situ juga jelas dapat dilihat 'chalet terapung' yang digambarkan tadi, kini seolah berada di atas sebuah bukit. Nampak ia terletak di atas tanah tinggi, bukan lagi seperti yang pernah dikunjungi dulu, ia nampak terapung di permukaan air.

Dari seorang nelayan tempatan yang ditemui katanya, keadaan kontang itu sudah berlarutan sejak enam bulan lalu. Sebulan sebelum ini tanah mulai merekah dan rumput halus hijau mulai tumbuh. Katanya lagi, pokok-pokok kering yang ada di sekitar itu mencecah ketinggian sekitar 30 hingga 40 kaki. Sejak sekian lama, air tasik ada kalanya sama tinggi atau hanya kurang lima kaki dari pucuk pokok tersebut.

Mereka yang mengusahakan kolam ternakan ikan turut memberitahu, sebelum ini (sekitar setahun) jarak kolam ikan terapung dengan dasar tasik adalah sekitar 15 kaki, tetapi sekarang turun sehingga lima atau enam kaki sahaja.

Bagi Haji Mahfuz, ini berlaku kerana berlakunya kerja-kerja pembalakan di kawasan berdekatan kawasan tadahan hujan yang tidak terkawal seperti yang berlaku di persekitaran Empangan Ah Ning di Hutan Simpan Bukit Perangin sejak penghujung 2004 sehingga Mac tahun ini.

Isu pembalakan di Bukit Perangin, Kuala Nerang itu berlarutan sehingga memaksa pihak Badan Pencegah Rasuah (BPR) Kedah menemui pihak Pejabat Jabatan Hutan Kedah di Bangunan Sultan Abdul Halim, jam 9.00 pagi, 2 Mac lalu.

Menurut laporan sebuah siaran televisyen swasta, beberapa dokumen berhubung lesen pengeluaran balak turut diambil di jabatan berkenaan, siasatan dikatakan membabitkan pemberian konsesi balak berkenaan yang diluluskan kerajaan negeri tanpa tender terbuka.

Mengikut nilai taksiran Jabatan Hutan, jika kerajaan negeri membuat tender terbuka, nilai tawaran dianggarkan mencecah RM 1.5 juta. Laporan itu juga menyebut, Menteri Besar, Dato' Seri Syed Razak Syed Zain dilaporkan mengesahkan penerokaan hutan itu atas kelulusan kerajaan negeri.

Kata Mahfuz lagi, ini adalah satu keadaan yang cukup membimbangkan, walaupun tahap takungan air di Empangan Pedu masih tinggi, tetapi tahap takungan air yang bakal disalurkan ke empangan terlalu rendah,sehubungan itu beliau mengutarakan beberapa persoalan.

1. Kerajaan Kedah semestinya memaklumkan perkara sebenar ini kepada rakyat, bagi membolehkan rakyat dapat membuat persediaan awal menghadapi sebarang kemungkinan mengenai masalah gangguan bekalan air.

2. Kerajaan Kedah jangan menyembunyikan perkara sebenar di sebalik krisis air ini kerana Empangan Pedu adalah empangan air terbesar di Kedah dan air dari sini adalah untuk keperluan minum dan juga pertanian Kedah.

3. Jangan tunggu sehingga tahap menjadi terlalu kritikal barulah kerajaan mahu bertindak.

4. Mewartakan segera kawasan-kawasan tadahan air seperti yang diarahkan oleh Kerajaan Pusat selepas tindakan menghentikan projek Heli-Havesting di Ulu Muda.

Katanya lagi, keadaan ini amat merisaukan para petani yang berkemungkinan besar tidak akan mengerjakan sawah mereka bagi musim kedua 2005 bermula September ini, memandangkan bagi musim pertama enam bulan lalu telah berlaku pindaan jadual tarikh menanam padi.

Dalam perkembangan lain, Ketua Dewan Ulama' PAS Kedah, Ustaz Haji Zawawi Ahmad meminta kerjasama semua masjid, surau dan rakyat agar sama-sama menunaikan solat hajat memohon agar Allah menurunkan hujan bagi mengatasi kemelut yang semakin meruncing ini. - mks.

China Tahan Pelajar Baca al-Qur'an

Negara China Tahan Guru dan Murid-Murid kerana membaca al Qur’an


BEIJING, August 15, 2005 (IslamOnline.net & Agensi Berita) – Pihak berkuasa di wilayah Xinjiang, yang mempunyai majoriti penduduk Cina Muslim telah menahan seorang wanita Uighur dan 37 orang murid, ada di antaranya yang hanya berumur 7 tahun, kerana mengaji Qur’an, sebuah pertubuhan hak asasi melaporkan.

Aminan Momixi, 56, sedang mengajar Qur’an kepada murid-muridnya, yang berusia di antara 7 hingga 20 tahun, di rumahnya pada 1 Ogos apabila polis menyerbu masuk dan menangkapnya. Agence France-Presse (AFP) melaporkannya, memetik sumber daripada Kongres Uighur Sedunia yang berpusat di Germany.

Murid-muridnya, yang kebanyakan terdiri daripada pelajar sekolah rendah dan menengah, juga ditangkap dan ada yang masih dalam tahanan.

Polis merampas 23 naskhah al Qur’an, 56 buah kitab, manuskrip tulisan tangan dan lain-lain bahan agama.

Kaum Uighur adalah kaum minoriti berbahasa Turki dengan jumlah penduduk 8 juta orang, tinggal di tanah pertiwi mereka di Wilayah Autonomi Uighur Xinjiang yang kaya dengan hasil minyak di Barat Laut Cina.

Xinjiang telah mendapat autonmi sejak 1955 tetapi terus menerus di tindas dan diperlakukan oleh pihak berkuasa negara Cina, yang didakwa menggunakan tekanan ke atas agama atas alasan memerangi keganasan.


Momixi dituduh memiliki “secara haram bahan keagamaan dan maklumat sejarah yang subversif”. Dia juga telah dinafikan hak untuk berjumpa dengan peguam

Seorang pegawi polis mengesahkan penahanan-penahanan berkenaan.

"Ini urusan dalaman kami, kami tidak boleh mendedahkan sebab-sebab kenapa," katanya.

Negara Cina mengharamkan sebarang aktiviti keagamaan yang di luar daripada kawalan pihak berkuasa negara.

Jurucakap Kongres berkata bahawa ibu-bapa hanya mahukan anak-anak mereka belajar nilai-nilai akhlak yang diajar oleh al Qur’an.

"Mereka hanya inginkan anak-anak mereka mengaji al Qur’an, pengetahuan agama paling asas, semasa musim cuti," dia memberitahu AFP.

Dia menambah lagi bahawa beberapa orang kanak-kanak telah dibebaskan setelah ibu bapa mereka membayar denda di antara 7,000 dan10,000 yuan (863 dan 1,233 dollar).

"Ada ibu bapa yang tidak mampu. Mereka tinggal di desa dan terpaksa menjual lembu dan ternakan yak (sejenis kerbau) untuk mengeluarkan anak-anak mereka," dia tegaskan.

Jurucakap itu tidak tahu berapa orang kanak-kanak yang masih lagi ditahan.

Dalam laporan setebal 114 halaman yang disiarkan pada bulan April, Human Rights Watch berkata bahawa dasar Negara Chinese policy di Xinjiang "menafikan kebebasan beragama kaum Uighur, dan selanjutnya mengekang kebebasan berpersatuan, berkumpul dan bersuara ".

Into The Oil Trap

The Washington Post

Mile by Mile, Into the Oil Trap

By Fareed Zakaria, Tuesday, August 23, 2005

If I could change one thing about American foreign policy, what would it be?

The answer is easy, but it's not something most of us think of as foreign policy. I would adopt a serious national program geared toward energy efficiency and independence. Reducing our dependence on oil would be the single greatest multiplier of American power in the world. I leave it to economists to sort out what expensive oil does to America's growth and inflation prospects. What is less often noticed is how crippling this situation is for American foreign policy.

"Everything we're trying to do in the world is made much more difficult in the current environment of rising oil prices," says Michael Mandelbaum, author of "The Ideas That Conquered the World."

Consider: Terrorism. Over the past three decades, Islamic extremism and violence have been funded from two countries, Saudi Arabia and Iran, not coincidentally the world's first- and second-largest oil exporters. Both countries are now awash in money, and no matter what the controls, some of this cash is surely getting to unsavory groups and individuals.

Democracy. The centerpiece of President Bush's foreign policy -- encouraging democracy in the Middle East -- could easily lose steam in a world of high-priced oil. Governments reform when they have to. But many Middle Eastern governments are likely to have easy access to huge surpluses for years, making it easier for them to avoid change. Saudi Arabia will probably have a budget surplus of more than $26 billion this year because the price of oil is so much higher than anticipated. That means it can keep the old ways going, bribing the Wahhabi imams, funding the army and National Guard, spending freely on patronage programs. (And that would still leave plenty to fund dozens of new palaces and yachts.) Ditto for other corrupt, quasi- feudal oil states.

Iran. Tehran has launched a breathtakingly ambitious foreign policy, moving determinedly on a nuclear path, and is also making a bid for influence in neighboring Iraq. This is nothing less than an attempt to replace the United States as the dominant power in the region. And it will prove extremely difficult to counter -- more so given Tehran's current resources. Despite massive economic inefficiency and corruption, Iran today has built up foreign reserves of $29.87 billion.

Russia. A modern, Westernized Russia firmly anchored in Europe would mean peace and stability in the region. But a gush of oil revenues has strengthened the Kremlin's might, allowing President Vladimir Putin to consolidate power, defund his opponents, destroy competing centers of power and continue his disastrous and expensive war in Chechnya. And the "Russian model" appears to have taken hold in much of Central Asia.

Latin America. After two decades of political and economic progress in Latin America, we are watching a serious anti-American movement gain ground. Hugo Chavez in Venezuela -- emboldened by his rising oil wealth -- was the first in recent years to rebel against American influence, but similar sentiments are beginning to be heard in other countries, from Ecuador to Bolivia.I could go on, from Central Asia to Nigeria. In almost every region, efforts to produce a more stable, peaceful and open world order are being compromised and complicated by high oil prices. And while America spends enormous time, money and effort dealing with the symptoms of this problem, we are actively fueling the cause.Rising oil prices are the result of many different forces coming together. We have little control over some of them, such as China's growth rate. But America remains the 800-pound gorilla of petroleum demand. In 2004 China consumed 6.5 million barrels of oil per day. The United States consumed 20.4 million barrels, and demand is rising. That is because of strong growth, but also because American cars -- which guzzle the bulk of oil imports -- are much less efficient than they used to be. This is the only area of the U.S. economy in which we have become less energy-efficient than we were 20 years ago, and we are the only industrialized country to have slid backward in this way. There's one reason: SUVs. They made up 5 percent of the American fleet in 1990. They make up almost 54 percent today.It's true that there is no silver bullet that will entirely solve America's energy problem, but there is one that goes a long way: more efficient cars. If American cars averaged 40 miles per gallon, we would soon reduce consumption by 2 million to 3 million barrels of oil a day. That could translate into a sustained price drop of more than $20 a barrel. And getting cars to be that efficient is easy.

For the most powerful study that explains how, read "Winning the Oil Endgame" by energy expert Amory B. Lovins (or go to http://www./ http://oilendgame.com/ ). I would start by raising fuel efficiency standards, providing incentives for hybrids and making gasoline somewhat more expensive (yes, that means raising taxes). Of course, the energy bill recently passed by Congress does none of these things.We don't need a Manhattan Project to find our way out of our current energy trap. The technologies already exist.

But what we're searching for is perhaps even harder: political leadership and vision.

comments@fareedzakaria.com

My Advice - Ahmad Totonji

My Advice – Dr Ahmad Totonji

From the situational reports it seems that enemies are determined to uproot anything Islamic anywhere. Some of them say that the only good Muslims are dead Muslims. After 911, they can annihilate anyone.

Knowing that the circumstances are like these, this is not the time for confrontation. Our options and the results are limited. If we can save the lives of Muslims, it is an asset to the ummah. We cannot afford to have our best people to be sacrificed like this. If a strong wave passes round, we have to bend to let it pass. Do not face it directly. We need some time to think, to reorganize and recover. Some are dangerous, serious situations. Find other alternatives for it; if not we are annihilated.

We are guilty until proven guilty. This happens even in America. Dedicated young people are imprisoned. Al-Amoudi was given a 23 year prison sentence - just for visiting Libya without a permit and not declaring some income he had. These people are going for the kill. They have the means to do it. Therefore, please cool it down as much as humanly possible. It is as if you are in a jail and not being allowed to move. Any Muslim coming to the US expects to be and is harassed.

Many times we are acting without information. We need information to act in a wise manner. Our adversaries are willing to send lots of disinformation to destroy us. There are lots of peaceful ways if we can organize better. Find the ways and means. There are still a lot of people with good conscience: governments, officials, institutions, NGOs. Facilitate solutions.

We have to play low with the confrontations. If we look at Bangladesh a few years ago. They had no choice but to fight in the streets because they had to defend themselves. Now they choose more civil means, they won elections, negotiated with the political parties and formed a coalition. Now they are talking of nation building and no more confrontations. The recent events need to be handled with care and wisdom. They have seen the fruits of their work. We have to have examples of alternative ways and by doing so we are opening the avenues of da’wah.

When we come to a wall, don’t hit it. Try to go around it. No direct hits. Stay low. Be careful with the lives of Muslims.

We have to organize to get the best education. Educated people shall surely come to be decision makers of the future. Find ways and means to provide good education for them. Illiteracy among Muslims is enormous, it is much worst in ICT. Nowadays if we don’t work with computers, we are illiterate. We need modern gadgets, we need to surpass them. Consider Mindanao, generations have passed without schools, roads and basic amenities. The situation is not good.

We have to have people in the political aspects. We need political skills, training and information. Make surveys. Be vocal in helping our people. We need to develop negotiating skills. Only the best can negotiate, if we look at in the past, people like Amr al-‘As are amongst the best negotiators. Usrahs should introduce such literature on human skills. At least we have the basis for maneuverability. We have to upgrade and change the system of tarbiyyah of our halaqahs, to introduce new things.

Divorce in Saudi Arabia is more than 40%. This rate is just like any of our countries. This causes much destruction. People do not know what they are entering into. These are areas where we are weak. Put it in our halaqah studies. If someone is not happy in their families, the person will not be able to perform da’wah. Spouses must support each other in the cause of da’wah. Parenting ought to be made compulsory just like what they do in IIU.

We have to go out of our box, out of our bounds. 9/11 has changed a lot.

We are backward in our dealing on women in Islam. Local taboos influence our culture. Remember, women can go to the masjid and ask directly the Prophet s.a.w. Women can speak to and disagree openly with Omar r.a. We have seen that the IIU produces the best women graduates anywhere.

In the '40s, Hasan al Banna commissioned three eminent persons to study and work on three important issues respectively: First, Mahmud Abu Saud to work on Islamic Economics. His fine work enabled us to delve into this challenging field later on. Second, Sayyid Sabiq to work on Fiqh. He produced a magnificent compendium of fiqh entitled Fiqh Sunnah. Third, Abd Halim Abu Shu’qah to work on women issues. He took 20 years to produce the book. He was very careful and meticulous in his study on how Islam shows the way women are treated. We have to study this. There will be opposition from good and bad people in this issue. The Muslim Student Association MSA in Canada at one time had a lady president.

Do not remain isolated from our brothers and sisters. Use the available means of communication, the internet, have mailing lists. Alone we are weak and can be beaten. Our hearts must be together. Two Muslims who work together with full understanding will have a strong resultant force. If there are many then there will be a greater force. Rasulullah s.a.w. converted opposing forces and brought them together that even the super powers of that time could not stop.

Rasulullah taxied, had a low profile for up to 13 years of the Makkah period until that critical point. Concerning the sulh Hudaibiyah, the treaty, even the best sahabah were unhappy with the terms. But it was proven that under peaceful conditions, we work best for da’wah. It is not the matter of the essence of the Qur’an and the Sunnah but our understanding of it is inadequate and limited. So, if we say that the solution is the Qur’an and the Sunnah, we have to look at it wholly. Someone has to be articulate in order to save the ummah, to articulate in all the Islamic aspects and fields.

In the case of Rohingya which is without resolution since 1962 (as in other situations of oppressed minorities), we need to articulate the problems. Bring another dimension to it. Aung Sung Su Kyi articulated effectively her plight. Find some other method or find people in the West. There are good people in the West who want to help, to liberate and to alleviate the problem. These people in the West want justice. We can join up with the others in opposition to the regime. We enter into a dialogue to help the cause. If we can articulate our case, if it is for human rights, for values and humane interests, we can convince them, even the non-Muslims. This is human nature. Build bridges. Don’t conclude that there are no bridges with other people. Tap the resources. The American Civil Liberties Union ACLU is doing a wonderful job in defending Muslims in the US.

Find a way of dialogue with the extremists. We need some kind of understanding. Don’t cut off but find the bridges. Not all of us should go crazy.

As a final word: In the Qur’an it says that those who believe and do not cloak their iman with injustice, they are entitled to security; they are the ones with guidance. If people continue with the injustice, they cannot achieve security and they have to deal with it themselves and not make us as scapegoats.

Notes of the roundtable discussion by Dr Ahmad Totonji at ABIM’s 34th Muktamar Sanawi 20/8/2005. Dr Ahmad Totonji is the Vice President of the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT). He was the first Secretary General of the International Islamic Federation of Student Organization (IIFSO). He is also a founding member of WAMY, MSA and Islam Online.

by AbuOmar abuomar_asia@yahoo.com

[Book] Islamic Thought in the 20th Century

ISLAMIC THOUGHT IN THE 20th CENTURY

The first of its kind, this book provides in-depth discussions of Islamic thought across the twentieth century, encompassing the breadth of self-expression in Muslim communities world-wide. It explores key themes in modern Islamic thinking, including the social origins and ideological underpinnings of the late 19th- early 20th-century Islamic reformist project, nationalism in the Muslim world, Islamist attitudes towards democracy, Muslim perceptions and constructions of the West, and aspects of Muslim thinking on Christians and Jews.

It examines these themes in terms of the historical, political and social conditions of the Muslim world, and its ongoing interactions with the West. An excellent source for students of modern and contemporary Islam, politics and international relations, and the modern history of Islamic societies, this book is essential reading for all professionals dealing with the Muslim world, whether in the media, in governmental and non-governmental agencies, or as politicians and diplomats.

[Malaysia] IKD To Sue UM

Think-tank to sue UM over libelous circular

Fauwaz Abdul Aziz, Malaysiakini, Aug 18, 2005

The Institute of Policy Studies (IKD) will take legal action against Universiti Malaya (UM) over an allegedly libelous circular proscribing its students from attending the think tank’s annual seminar.

At a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today, IKD executive director Khalid Jaafar said their lawyers have determined that there are grounds to seek legal redress against the university’s Student Affairs and Alumni Office (HEP) and will serve the notice next week.

The circular, posted in various places in the university’s campus, described IKD as “a tool or agent of an opposition party set up for the purpose of spreading propaganda, defamation, libel and to incite hatred of the government.”

The circular also warned students against attending the seminar, which the university claimed had the capacity to “corrupt their thinking and behavior”. It also stated that those who did not heed the warning could be punished under the Universities and University Colleges Act 1975.

The IKD seminar, held on Aug 6-7 to commemorate the upcoming anniversary of Malaysia’s independence, revolved around the theme of ‘Reviving the Meaning of Malaysia’. It featured former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim as the key speaker as well as notable local and international literary figures such as Prof Muhd Salleh and Indonesian poet WS Rendra. At the seminar, Rendra had noted the visible lack of university students and commented that such an event in Indonesia would have been overflowing with students, who would sit on the sides and both ends of the stage.

‘Contemptuous attitude’

Meanwhile, Khalid said there might have been other verbal directives in the past to prohibit UM students from attending an IKD programme but this was the first time it came in a written form. “We regard (the statements) as very serious because it comes not from a small party division but one of the oldest universities in Malaysia that have given rise to many leaders and intellectually influenced and shaped our minds.

“The statements are reflective of their rashness, intellectual backwardness, and contemptuous attitude against critical thinking,” he added. Khalid (photo, right) also recounted the international recognition accorded to IKD for its programmes to discuss issues relating to democracy, fundamental rights, communal and religious conflict which are in line with universal values and principles.

He also asserted that IKD had never advocated partisan politics in any of its programmes, although critical views have been expressed therein.Critical of government policiesThis did not mean, however, that views critical of government policies are to be dismissed as merely ‘oppositional’, he said. “Since (IKD’s inception) in 1985, we have organised a lot of programmes where we have invited international leaders such as (then Philippine president) Fidel Ramos and programmes to Vietnam, Thailand Indonesia and other places in the region.

“We have never organised programmes that espoused partisan politics. There were some (participants to our programmes) who are from the opposition parties, and we have also held discussions on issues of democracy and the media,” he said. “Sometimes, there have been views (expressed in the programmes) that are critical of the political leadership. But critical views cannot be lumped together as merely being oppositional views,” he added.

Speaking to malaysiakini later, Khalid said international statesmen had been invited and attended programmes organised by IKD. They include former US secretary of defense William Cohen, former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger and Brigadier General George Yeo of Singapore. In 1996, he said the Philippine Congress relayed its official appreciation to IKD for its recognition of Philippine national hero Jose Risal in the programme ‘Jose Rizal and the Asian Renaissance.’

[Malaysia] Dr M Not Ready to Make Peace

Dr M not ready to make peace with Anwar

Malaysiakini, Aug 18, 2005


Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad is not yet prepared to smoke the peace pipe with his ex deputy-turned-nemesis Anwar Ibrahim.

In an interview with the Singapore-based Channel NewsAsia (CNA), he said Anwar had damaged his reputation beyond repair "Anybody writing about me never fails to mention as if I caught him by the scruff of his neck and threw him in jail," he was quoted as saying in a Bernama report on the interview.

Mahathir was also asked whether the notion that there was no permanent enemy or permanent ally in politics applied to him and Anwar, to which he replied: “We haven't come to the stage of impermanency yet". The former premier had sacked Anwar in 1998 on morality grounds. He was later charged and convicted of corruption and sodomy.

Anwar, who was released from prison last year after his sodomy conviction was quashed by the Federal Court, had always claimed to be the victim of a political conspiracy.

The Proton saga

Meanwhile, Mahathir in the CNA interview also dismissed the notion that he was still "pulling the strings" in the current administration. However, he said that he had to come out in the open when he was drawn into an issue. "I'm a retired person....I made a resolution on stepping down that I would not bother the government unless of course somehow or other, whatever I am doing...like the present Proton issue...I was drawn into it," he said in the 30-minute interview aired last night.

Elaborating on the Proton controversy, Mahathir, who is Proton advisor, said he took a protective stand of the national car as it was facing an unfair competition. He had alleged that the uncontrolled issuance of Approved Permits (APs ) to import cars by the International Trade and Industry Ministry had caused the entry of relatively cheap foreign-made cars into the country as well as the malpractice of under-declaration which had jeopardised the sales of the national car.

The former prime minister had also questioned why the APs were monopolised by certain bumiputera businessmen. As a result of his remarks, the Prime Minister's Department issued a list of AP recipients between 2004 and 2005. Coming under fire because of the issue was International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz.

There were calls for her to resign while certain quarters demanded that she apologise to Mahathir. Unfair competition Asked about how serious his exchange was with Rafidah, Mahathir said: "Not serious...I only want the facts to be known because I claim that the issuance of APs has got a damaging effect on Proton because it creates an unfair competition".

"I'm not asking for an apology. All I'm asking is to give the facts and figures," he added He said Proton would be able to compete with foreign-made cars had the competition been on a level playing field. "For example, these cars are brought into the country and under-declared to the customs so they are very cheap and because of that, they are able to give discounts and promote and sell these cars against Proton,” he added.

Proton, on the other hand, was burdened with conditions imposed by the government, he said. "Proton is asked to develop vendors, to create bumiputera agencies in the country. All these cost a lot of money to Proton and because of this, it is unable to compete on a level playing field with international products. "If Proton is allowed to build the car without regard for whether the components come locally or from elsewhere, if Proton is free from having to support local vendors, free from having to create bumiputera (businesses) then it can compete with international cars, no problem," he said.

When asked whether he would allow foreign companies to take over Proton, Mahathir replied: "(If that is the case) then it will not be a national car". Not being a national car, it need not carry any burden that is national, he said, adding that the matter was for the government and not him to decide.

[Malaysia] Urban woes due to profit emphasis

Urban woes due to profit emphasis, says prof

Fauwaz Abdul Aziz, Malaysiakini, Aug 20, 2005

Kuala Lumpur is ‘a city in crisis from pollution to poverty’ as a result of many public amenities no longer being seen as social services to be provided by the government but as purely economic commodities to garner profit, an anthropology professor observed today.

“Roads used to be a government responsibility. Now everybody has to pay toll. The only way you can make roads is if you make them into a business and make them profitable,” said Professor Emeritus Clive S Kessler.

“Now, the way roads are built up is not the way what drivers need or what the public needs. They are built up based on what the concession-holders require and the level of profitability to be maintained,” he said. Public health facilities were similarly affected as illnesses are ‘not sexy’ from the economic point of view and those diseases that are not going to make a lot of money do not get research funding.

“The effect is that we no longer live in a society that has an economy. The society is there to serve the economy rather than the other way around,” said Kessler. He was speaking to malaysiakini after delivering a talk to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Universiti Malaya’s Institute for Malaysian and International Studies (Ikmas) which made him an Overseas Fellow following his retirement from University of New South Wales, Australia.

Dominant discipline

Expounding further he said from pollution to poverty, problems plaguing societies - including Malaysia’s - derive in large measure from the way economics and its technocrats have been allowed to determine the world view and rules which shape our lives,. He said as long as such technocrats and economic considerations maintain their hold over the formulation of social policies, distortions will continue to affect us. “In different ages, there have been dominant disciplines.

In different ages, religious theory and theology was the dominant discipline and everybody had to reconcile their thinking to what theology allowed or didn’t allow,” said Kessler. “At a later age, philosophy became the dominant discipline. Now, economics has that role and economists in our age are the priests and theologians of the earlier ages.”

Although economics provides powerful and valuable tools and techniques by which to measure one aspect of human activity, many people forget that this is merely one dimension of society which should not determine the other areas, Kessler expounded. “Economics tells us how society works. We have economists saying society needs to work the way markets do, that if theories can help us to explain markets, then our economic theories would also be our social theories,” said Kessler.

“They think that laws of economics are built into the structure of the universe and part of human nature, but they are not. The problem is that the longer economists have this political power, the more they force us to act in the way their theories require of us. “Economic theories, in this way, have distorted social policy,” he noted.

Book launched

In his lecture, delivered as part of Ikmas’ Bangi Public Lecture series, Kessler paid tribute to former Ikmas director the late Professor Ishak Shari. Ishak and his work, said Kessler, represented a ‘third way’ of approaching economics and society ‘not as dichotomous or even integrated but as identical, as a complex and ultimately undifferentiated unity’. The event also saw the launch of the book Elections and democracy in Malaysia, which looks at the objectives and effects of elections and the electoral system in Malaysia within a broader historical and socio-cultural context. Its editors, Mavis Puthucheary and Norani Othman, are senior fellows at Ikmas.

[Malaysia] The Ling-ering dynasty in MCA

The Ling-ering dynasty in MCA

Beh Lih Yi, Malaysiakini, Aug 20, 2005

Political dynasties are common around the world. This is what former MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik said when quizzed on two of his sons being voted into the new party line-up. “It happens all over the world, for example the Gandhi political dynasty in India,” he told reporters when met at the sidelines of the MCA annual general assembly today.

Asked how he felt about his sons’ victories, he replied: “I have no emotions about that. I can only say congratulations to them and that their work start now.” The former transport minister, who led the party for 17 years until his resignation in 2003, also denied that his lingering influence in the party had a poignant role to play in his sons winning their respective posts. Yesterday, his eldest son Hee Leong was elected as the new MCA Youth deputy chief while his brother Hee Keat won a seat on the wing’s central committee.

No advice

Responding to a question, Ling said his sons decision to contest would not stop other talented leaders. “They were voted in because it was the choice of the delegates, it was not because their own choice. This is a democratic process,” he stressed. Asked if he had any words of wisdom for his boys, Ling replied that they are “over 21 and can make their own decisions”.

Political dynasties have also extended to another Barisan Nasional (BN) party. Gerakan president Dr Lim Keng Yaik’s son Si Pin had earlier this week won the party’s Youth deputy chief post uncontested.One of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's sons, Mokhzani, was the top-most vote getter in Umno Youth's exco committee election last September.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin is Umno Youth deputy chief. On the opposition front, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang’s son Guan Eng is now the party’s secretary-general.

[Malaysia] New watchdog?

1984: New watchdog aims to check Big Brother

Fauwaz Abdul Aziz, Malaysiakini Aug 22, 05

Concerned that the government tightening control over the private aspects of citizens' lives, a group of lawyers and social activists are seeking to set up a watchdog body to spread awareness on civil liberties as enshrined in the federal constitution. From laws passed by Parliament to local directives issued by municipal authorities, the group, tentatively called the Malaysian Civil Liberties Society, will attempt to protect the basic rights of individuals by allowing the judiciary to have a final say in such disputes.

By forwarding cases of such violations to the courts, the society aims to stop what its members perceive as an increasing trend by the state to spread its control to cover a citizen’s individual sphere. Meeting last Saturday, the group elected lawyer Zaid Ibrahim and constitutional law professor Shad S Faruqi as pro-tem president and vice-president, respectively. Through its public awareness efforts, the society also wants to promote racial understanding and tolerance.

Equal treatment

“In most countries, you have civil liberties groups and they have been very successful in promoting civil rights by taking up these issues to the courts for determination,” said Zaid when contacted today. “The courts serves as the guardian of the liberties of the people. We feel that if we bring these issues to the courts here, they can make decisions on the matter,” he added.

The society was formed, said Zaid, in response to what the group perceives as an increasing tendency by the government to exert even more influence and control over lives and activities of the citizens. ‘There are boundaries that have been set in the constitution, norms that have been established and which we recognise,” he said.

“But within the constraints, we still can widen the scope for individuals, we still can highlight the transgressions or violations that have taken place whether vis-a-vis freedom of belief, immigrant workers, or while in police custody,” he said. “Citizens are entitled to equal treatment, among the other principles that many other countries ascribe to. We want to make sure that they do not remain as principles but are recognised and protected (by the courts).”

University students, apostates

Membership is open to all Malaysians, and he said that it was hoped that legal professionals and lecturers would also become involved as the focus is on legal and constitutional issues. Giving some examples of issues that would be taken up by the society, Zaid said many people felt that the University and University Colleges Act (1974) infringed on the constitutional rights of students to associate.

Zaid also recounted the tendency of the courts in the country to disallow Muslims to revert to their previous religions. “If we feel that such things are unconstitutional, we will bring these up,” he said. The New Straits Times on Saturday reported that among those elected to the body’s pro-tem committee were Malaysian Aids Council president Marina Mahathir and Women's Aid Organisation executive director Ivy Josiah.

Contrary to the report, however, human rights lawyer Haris Ibrahim clarified that though he agrees with the objectives of the society and is interested in working with its members, he is not a member of the pro-tem committee.

[ABIM] Let us do it, it can be done – Dr Ahmad Totonji

Let us do it, it can be done – Dr Ahmad Totonji

It is a great pleasure and a privilege to be here with many brothers and sisters in Islam. The people that we work with. In those days, there were difficult days, but we knew that we could change the world.

Malaysia today is not the same as in 1970. When I arrived at the airport then, Anwar Ibrahim and the brothers came on scooters. Then we had a simple room in one of the professor’s house. In one of the lectures organized by Anwar at University Malaya, there were around a thousand students, half male and half female. There were only about 50 women who were wearing some sort of hijab. But now masyallah!

In 1977, when Anwar was released from prison for the first time, at the South East Asian Da’wah conference, he used the term “the rising tide of Islam”, “the blessings of the water had come”. And they did.

I like to congratulate ABIM for enduring the past difficult years. The past, once you put your commitment to Allah s.w.t. and make the best ijtihad, it will indeed show your work. In the work of da’wah and the political world, it was wise not to involve ABIM in the political turmoil. Please pass down this wisdom to the generation to come. Da’wah has its own principles. The guiding spirit is Islam. Politics is the art of the possible. That is why we find some brothers being in opposing parties using the best ijtihad. May Allah bless them all.

Today the challenge is more difficult then before. After September 11, every Muslim is guilty before he is proven innocent. This is in the US and elsewhere. Before, Islam was never attacked directly as a religion, nor Muhammad s.a.w., nor the Qur’an. Now they attack everything that belongs to Islam.

Don’t look behind unless to learn lessons for the future, always look forth. Make a better world for Muslims and humanity.

The Qur’an says that non believers are supportive of one another, that unless Muslims support one another and work collectively, there will be chaos, mischief and corruption on earth. The entire wellbeing of the world entirely depends on the cooperation of Muslims with one another. This is a statement from Allah s.w.t. and not from us.

One of my criticisms was that this was an organization for the youth. The leaders should be around 30 years old maximum. I am delighted to see ABM now going back to the youth again. But when someone leaves the leadership, we should not forget him, we should not ignore him, we cannot afford to lose his experience. Past leadership is more important then before.

I suggest the graduates of ABIM to take the lead and initiate, we need an organization to lead the unity of the ummah. Form the basis and the working committees. The time of false accusations –fitnah- is over, the leaders of ABIM have been exonerated. We have seen slander even directed at the Prophet’s noble household in the past. The survival of the ummah depends on our effort to bring unity and to eradicate fitnah.

The entire message is our responsibility now. Even the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. had to flee Makkah, only to return victoriously ten years later. We have to have patience. We go for this uswah – this model and not take short cuts. Some of the sahabah were in a hurry and hasty, only to be reminded by the Prophet s.a.w. Let us read the seerah in this manner. Please distinguish between the concepts of war, battles, da’wah, and other affairs in the seerah.

Unity of the ummah is a cause, it needs a vision, a mission, methodologies, strategies and it needs a lot of work. Insyallah, we can do it and we will do it.

The challenges of today are different in nature. The internet, books, media, the pictures coming out of the West can be categorised into three:

Islam is no good. The Qur’an is no good. Muhammad and Muslims are no good. These come from so called self appointed experts, scholars etc. They throw filth at Islam. The type of literature coming from America, millions of them attacking Islam. And unfortunately, at all times, the munafiqin – the hypocrites, ride the wave and join them.

The work of Zionists. They are organized, have full time staff, systems. Such people as Daniel Pipes, parasites to human resources. They say ‘Islam as it is is not acceptable to us’ – ‘therefore you must make the changes to make Islam accepted by us’.

If we refer to the Qur’an, this has already been attempted and refuted. These things that they raise are nothing new. They are not intelligent enough to attack us. We can refer to al Isra’ 73-75, al Ma’idah 49.

If we were to do some compromise, nothing can help us to face the wrath of Allah s.w.t.

Good and progressive literature about Islam.

ABIM has to face the challenge; it has to do this, to be the prototype for the ummah. In the 70’s we brought the rising tide, the whole sahwah –the renaissance- has come to the whole world. The awareness is there but it needs a collective cooperation in the form of a great force to save humanity. Participation in the renaissance should be for everyone not any particular leadership or group. Rasulullah s.a.w. emancipated every sector of society: slaves, women, children, rich, poor, orphans, the elderly, tribes and races, all of society. Everybody participated.

Can we do it, can we repeat it? Remember the hadith concerning the ‘ikhwani’, the ones who were not sahabi, the ones who never met the Prophet s.a.w. but worked for his Sunnah and the religion, theirs is fifty times the rewards. Don’t underestimate your worth, your effort. We can do it, insyallah, let’s do it.

The sahwah, the renaissance gave us a real awakening and we see it all around. We feel, we realise the possibilities. These are reminders for this generation. Let it be in our hands, done with hikmah, with wisdom: with plans, strategies which are sciences by itself. For instance in the year 2020, how do we want to see it. We have to sit down with our minds.

There are certain prerequisites for people to understand each other. We first discuss on better cooperation (not unity), we start of with a pack of honour – mithaq al sharfs. A draft of cooperation, although simple, we can start somewhere. Maybe the usrahs, the study circles can study this.

We also forget that we accepted the dictators that are unjust and mistreat us, the despots. We ought to learn from the history of the Pharaoh and the enslavement of his people through their own failings.

The problem of ‘love of this world and the fear of death’. Let us examine this thing that dominates our lives that we cannot take off with our mission.

We have to tolerate each other. We have to learn how to tolerate. We go out of our ways to tolerate non-Muslims but we forget ourselves. Let us not be unjust to ourselves. Let us at least forget for a few years our differences. Revive the ‘ruhama u baynahum’ – mercy and kindness among Muslims, among ourselves.

We have to bear in mind that it is the youth who takes the bigger challenges. A very young Zaid was once leading the army where the senior sahabi were just foot soldiers.

We have to live up to the Qur’an – akhlaq, ihsan. We have to modify our character to live up to the Qur’an. The success of all of the followers of the Prophets a.s. was ‘we listen and we obey.’ We have not even been tested like that of Ismail a.s.

Remember ‘al quwwah minal haq’. Strength comes from the truth; strength comes when we have justice. But some people feel that when they are strong, they have the right. The Qur’an says be just and do not waiver for that is closer to taqwa.

Do not complain especially about others. Can you make plans and do something yourselves? Form informal think tanks and act instead of complaining and not doing much work. Think of others such the Muslim Students Associations in the US campuses who are under much pressure.

There have been hundreds of conferences held on the unity of the ummah. Resolutions are filed but are never implemented. We must go beyond this stage. Let us form groups around the resolutions and take actions.

Conclusion

We are behind many of the other nations whether we like it or not. For us to be able to reach, catch up and overtake them, we have to work harder. Let us work longer hours 8½ to 9 hours at least. Nobody’s life will be shortened by working harder then before.

Whatever we do, no matter what position we are in, we aim for excellence, perfection in our work. ‘Itqan’ as the hadith calls it. No more ‘sorry its 5 minutes to lunch’ and so we stop what we are doing before finishing it. Can we do it better for our families, habits, da’wah or our organizations?
There has to be creativity and innovativeness. ‘al ibda’ - Think to do it better, faster, cheaper and more efficient. There has to be research and development work.

We should not be obsessed by despising each other. Remember the hadith when Rasulullah s.a.w. mentioned to the sahabi when one of them was leaving a gathering, he pointed to that person who was one of jannah –paradise. Ali r.a. followed him for three days to find out his qualities. He did not find anything different so he asked him. The person answered that when he got to bed, he slept without any little bit of ill-feeling towards any other Muslim.

We have to train ourselves to tell what Islam is and not what Islam is not. Our enemies wish to detract us with trivialities. It is not worth going for these trivialities. The pandemonium over Salman Rushdie and Amina Wadud’s women leading prayer are such trivialities. We have to put on the positive side. After we held dialogues on the positive aspects of Islam with the Elijah Muhammad’s son, he and 90% of his followers (Nation of Islam’s Black Muslims) embraced the true Islam.

911 caused many thousands to embrace Islam but it also led to millions more hating Islam. We need to have an ummatic way of looking at things and not turmoil.

Institutionalise our work and not be individual. Respond to the challenges. Be organized. There has to be more think tanks, institutions which study things in depth and not to give out quick fatwas.

Let’s do it and it can be done!

Sketch notes of the keynote address by Dr Ahmad Totonji entitled Civilizational Challenges for the Muslim Ummah at ABIM’s 34th Muktamar Sanawi 20/8/2005.

Dr Ahmad Totonji is the Vice President of the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT). He was the first Secretary General of the International Islamic Federation of Student Organization (IIFSO). He is also a founding member of WAMY, MSA and Islam Online

by abuomar_asia@yahoo.com