Sunday, November 30, 2008

IT IS POSSIBLE ONLY IF WE WANT IT....

Don't look for a punch line, there isn't one. Read
it anyway. My question is: Would WE have made the same
choice? My other question: Can our warring political parties make the same choice?

Can they for a change seek common grounds expunging considerations of religion and race, to give the common man (Shay) a chance for one moment in time. The ordinary rakyat CAN, if the politicians WANT us to. Didn’t we vote them in? When did the rules change? And who changed them?


At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves children
with learning disabilities, the father of one of the
students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by
all who attended. After extolling the school and its
dedicated staff, he offered a question:
'When not interfered with by outside influences,
everything nature does, is done with perfection.
Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do.
He cannot understand things as other children do.
Where is the natural order of things in my son?'
The audience was stilled by the query.
The father continued... 'I believe that when a child
like Shay, who was mentally and physically disabled comes
into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature
presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat
that child.'
Then he told the following story:Shay and I had walked past
a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball...
Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?'
I knew that most of the boys would not want someone like
Shay on their team, but as a father I also understood that
if my son were allowed to play, it would give him a
much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be
accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.I approached
one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much)
if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and
said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is in
the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and
we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth
inning.'Shay struggled over to the team's bench and,
with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. I watched with a
small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my
joy at my son being accepted.In the bottom of the eighth
inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still
behind by three.In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on
a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits
came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the
game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as I waved
to him from the stands.In the bottom of the ninth inning,

Shay's team scored again.Now, with two outs and the
bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay
was scheduled to be next at bat.At this juncture, do they
let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the
game?Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew
that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't
even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect
with the ball.However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the
pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning
aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few
steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make
contact.The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and
missed.The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss
the ball softly towards Shay.As the pitch came in, Shay
swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to
the pitcher.The game would now be over.The pitcher picked up
the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to
the first baseman.Shay would have been out and that would
have been the end of the game.Instead, the pitcher threw the
ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach
of all team mates.Everyone from the stands and both teams
started yelling, 'Shay, run to first!Run to
first!'Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but
he made it to first base.He scampered down the baseline,
wide-eyed and startled.Everyone yelled, 'Run to second,
run to second!'Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran
towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the
base.By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right
fielder had the ball . the smallest guy on their team who
now had his first chance to be the hero for his team.He
could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the
tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he,
too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the
third-baseman's head.Shay ran toward third base
deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases
toward home.All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all
the Way Shay'Shay reached third base because the
opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the
direction of third base, and shouted, 'Run to
third!Shay, run to third!'As Shay rounded third, the
boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet
screaming, 'Shay, run home! Run home!'Shay ran to
home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who
hit the grand slam and won the game for his team'That
day', said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world'.

Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter,
having never forgotten being the hero and making me so
happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully
embrace her little hero of the day!


We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to
help realize the 'natural order of things.'So many
seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us
with a choice: Do we pass along a little spark of love and
humanity or do we pass up those opportunities and leave the
world a little bit colder in the process?


A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it's least
fortunate amongst them.


May your day, be a Shay Day



EVEN IF IT RAINS, IT IS ON.

Friday, November 28, 2008

FRIDAY GUEST BLOGGER: THE MAN FROM PAS

I read this Blog "From Malaysia to Scandalasia" last Sunday and commented:

The birth of an impactful blog for sure. Welcome comrade. With your craft our job will be more easy and effective.

24 November 2008 05:22

Two minutes later I informed "The MAN from PAS"

Sir, you are already on my blogroll.

24 November 2008 05:24

Yes 05:24am in the morning, but it was a spontaneous decision. I cannot miss his future threads. I do not know this Man from PAS, but have you to know him to KNOW him. Sufficient to say that my MAN from PAS writes from the heart. Go read him HERE.

Below is his latest posting:


Wednesday, 26 November 2008

After Malaysia, Turkey "bans" Yoga

In a surprise move, Turkey followed Malaysia in banning yoga. However, the move by Turkey's Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı (The Presidency of Religious Affairs) or Diyanet as popularly known in Turkey, was more of an answer on yoga than an official position that contradicting it lands one in trouble as the case in Malaysia. Furthermore, the Diyanet has no enforcement power and it is decisions are neither binding nor enforceable in most instances. The Diyanet handles all religious matters in Turkey and gets an annual budget of more than what 12-15 combined ministries get.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi clarified that "the physical regime [of yoga] with no elements of worship can continue" adding that "it is not banned. I believe that Muslims are not easily swayed into polytheism." More on Malaysiakini. While that should be applauded, one needs to know why does the PM interfere in the works of National Fatwa Council? Does that mean the Council isn't independent and Umno uses it to confuse the people during Umno's crisis? Methinks that's the case.

Anyway, if the Council is truly independent, then it should issue a Fatwa against ISA today and not tomorrow. The Council should explain to Muslims if Islam allows detention without trial. There are some prisoners who are languishing in Kamunting for almost one decade and their loved ones tormented. There are men who are detained and their wives subjected to untold suffering. They are neither freed nor judged. The Council will have no credibility whatsoever if it keeps its deafening silence on this matter and only comes to the fore to confuse people during Umno's crisis.

Before we look for a panacea to a certain problem, or take a decision on a certain matter, we need to know what ails the society. I want to ask: is yoga what ails the Muslims in this nation? Does yoga constitute a grave danger today that we need to sap the energy of the nation and cause confusion so much so that the Royalty screams in disagreement? Fatwa on yoga faces opposition from sultans-Malaysiakini




What about ISA and injustice? What about the legalised corruption and the looting of state coffers in the name of commissions and Ketuanan Melayu? What about the Muslim men who derelict their marital duties and torment Muslim women? When will the Council issue a fatwa so that they are ISA-ed? What about the misuse of Islamic aothing? What about the total collapse of the judicial system and the appointment of ghost judges to issue ghost judgements? Doesn't Islam encourage only impeccable people to be appointed to positions of influence? What about all other pertinent issues that threaten the dignity Islam and human beings?

The Counil's sweeping condemnation of yoga and smallness reminds me of the sad story about the grandson of the Holy Prophet (pbuh)- a person from the region where the terrible atrocity occurred, was discussing the Shariah ruling of the blood of a mosquito with a scholar, and was told something like: "You, who comes from the people who brutally tortured and murdered the beloved of the beloved of God, now while the blood of the Prophets grandson is still flowing in the streets, you are more concerned about the blood of a mosquito!" Now, don't we have other crisis when we are dealing with an issue like this?

Just few days ago in my first blog post, I quoted celebrated Bengali poet Kazi Nazrul who 50 years ago said:

'While the world is reaching for the moon,
We remain too busy,
Thumping through the Quran,
Debating fatwas about Talaq'.


50 years down the line after he recited that poem, India landed on the moon. In Malaysia, we are arguing about issues that don't pose any danger while ignoring the root cause of Muslim collapse. Sir, our problems revolve around injustice, oppression of fellow Muslims and human beings, remember, it is not part of God' creation order to sustain an unjust nation. That's why Al-Imam Ibn Taymiyyah said: "God upholds the just state even if it is unbelieving, but does not uphold the unjust state even if it is Muslim."

Dear Council, our problems and "un-Islamness" revolve around corruption, dead hearts that are fed on lies and hatred, mismanagement, pettiness, laziness, jealousy and many other greater ills. If the Council can't face these issues and stand up to the powers that be, then there is no need for it to confuse the people about "mosquito blood."

This hullabaloo reminds of a young Egyptian Muslim man who wanted to stab an Azhari Imam who was supposed to deliver the Khtubah on a given Friday last year in Cairo. The young man had a sick mother. He sought help from Muslims but no body cared. Later, his sick mother was ejected from the hospital after he couldn't pay the bills. He went around begging but he was looked at with utter disdain. Defeated and demoralized, he went to the mosque and sought help but there was no help.

When the Imam stood up to deliver the Khutbah and started talking about Taqwa (God's fear), the young man who was wielding a dagger stepped forward and menacingly rushed to the podium. He was overpowered and made to sit and the dagger taken from his hands. He screamed that the Muslim Imams of today are the ones who are destroying Muslims.

The young man narrated his ordeal. He said his sick mother who is in coma needs help. However, fellow Muslims who are obliged to help him have ignored him. He said the Imams don't tell fellow Muslims that they should care for one another. That the sick should be visited, that the wayfarer should be helped, that the poor should be attended to, that the meek should be lifted up. He said they talk about God's fear while not telling people the real Taqwa which is helping one another and attending to each other's needs and understanding the higher purpose of life.

Everyone who was in attendance agreed with the young man. Now, the National Fatwa Council ignores the government's oppression, misappropriation, ISA, injustice, inequality, misuse of Islam by the government, oppression of Muslim women by some Muslim men and they concentrate on petty issues. I want to tell the National Fatwa Council that it is you who will chase people out of Islam if you continue with this approach. Talk about the real Taqwa. (Allahuma Fashhad)







Thursday, November 27, 2008

KHALID, WHERE DID YOU LEARN HOW TO LIE?

DCP Khalid was defending accusations that the Police had two sets of rules re assemblies. Of course he was always right and his reasons were always right, his decisions were equally right, he always does the right thing and nobody should question his right to be right, because he is always right. HOWEVER, he was not right this time and he did not lie the right way.....that is intelligently...
He said to the Sun daily:

He cited the case of the anti-Internal Security Act (ISA) gathering in Petaling Jaya where the group dispersed soon after being told to do so for the first three weekends they got together and none were detained. But in the fourth week, they defied orders and kept regrouping, forcing police to act.

Dang, I was there at all those vigils. I spoke at those vigils and as such would be responsible for the safety of the participants. We knew the police were on the fringe watching and recording the goings-on. Sir, I will call you that, thru respect for your office, but if you continue this lying, I may call you some unsavory name befitting your actions.) AT NO TIME ON THOSE THREE NIGHTS DID ANY POLICE OFFICER TELL US TO DISPERSE. WE DID IT ON OUR OWN. WE WENT TO THOSE VIGILS IN PEACE, AND WE DISPERSED GREETING EACH OTHER "PEACE BE WITH YOU".


HOW CAN YOU LIE SO EFFICENTLY, SO EFFORTLESSLY?

AS SUCH YOU QUALIFY.........




People, notice something different.....bottom (as in position) extreme right....the OF on the rump. Reader Old Fart has pledged to be permanent "contributor" to this chamber.
This chamber is now open for other permanent contributors.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

MAKKAL SAKTI

OUR MALAYSIAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS
ARE GATHERED IN THEIR TEMPLES
AS I POST THIS DEDICATION
OF HINDU DEVOTIONAL MUSIC
TO THEM.


Monday, November 24, 2008

TAN SRI, MILDLY PUT, YOU ARE PATHETIC.

I read this in Malaysia Insider:

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 - Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said today that an agreement has been reached with state police to facilitate demonstrations.

Tan Sri MB, what demonstration. The CPO Selangor CONVINCED you that for 7 weeks there were demonstrations by the people in Selangor. Evidently you don't read blogs, so inmportant that the desperate MB of Pahang is paying retirees to blog for him. For 4 Sundays people held candlight vigils to SAY NO TO ISA. The police never harassed nor warned us that we were holding illegal assemblies. The fifth Sunday, because we incorporated our vigil with remembering the anniversary of the yellow wave - the BERSIH MARCH, Police blocked all entrance to Jalan Timor, attacked the participants whilst they were singing the national anthem (all captured on Video which I hoped Nik Nazmi showed you. Nik, if you didn't then you better buck up!). It was uncalled for and that was why this morning when the 23 arrested showed up at the PJ Police HQ they were told that no charges were made against them. There never, I repeat, never was any demonstration like how your PKR goon Zulkifli Nordin orchestrated at the Bar Council.

Before the 9 Nov. Vigil/Bersih gathering a press conference was held in Parliament House and the reps requested your presence and that of your exco to come join us to say NO TO ISA. You did not turn up. Only PAS and DAP aduns and MPs turned up. PKR absence was CONSPICUOUS. Throughout the weekly Sunday vigils we had PAS and DAP YBs lending their presence and support with speeches on the ISA. It was always no show by PKR until last night, when YB Sivarasa lent his support.




Through the initiative and good office of Councillor RICHARD YEOH, a permit was given, a permit loaded with 12 conditions...one or two reasonable the rest comical and childish....like, you can have a cnadlight vigil, but you must not light the candle.

If a demonstration was intended, you think parents would bring along these children? Let me remind you that YOU are the Numero Uno in Selangor. We put you there and we can put you somewhere else. As our State leader, you cannot be dictated to by the Police. If the CPO makes another stupid move, you as MB should recommend him for transfer to some place if he cannot handle peaceful people making a stand against the ISA. Get him out to some BN states where the people are FOR the ISA.










When met by reporters in Parliament for his comments on the Internal Security Act demonstrations held yesterday, he said that Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar has agreed to a process which allows the public to gather in private halls.

Tan Sri, vigils are universally done alfresco. What halls....in police station? Whose suggestion was this, the hall thing? I hope it is not yours. Your past corporate captaincy will not allow you to make such mundane and bland decisions for the rakyat.


"For those held in halls, meaning multipurpose halls and the like, the police will not take any action," he said.

Everything is about the Police. Why not YOU tell the police what your people want. When people in your position give in to them, the police force turns into a brutish machine instead of being our guardians.

"If there is a desire to make their feelings publicly known, then it must be done as quickly as possible so as not to become a hindrance to others," he added.

Like 15 minutes. How can you hold anything meaningful in 15 minutes. How can people of all races that come to the vigils, mostly total strangers, bond. We hear testimonies, we sing and sometimes dance. Malaysians have come to these Sunday vigils from Singapore, Ipoh, Penang, Seremban and Johore. Is that a hindrance as in police-speak?


According to the head of the PKR-led state government, it has been suggested that such public protests should last no more than 15 minutes before the group returns to the hall to continue with other items on the agenda such as lectures or discussions.

This definitely is the icing on the stale cake. Where is the law that says public protest must not last more than 15 minutes. Again you allow the police to dictate to you? What lectures? What discussions? Its a vigil, not a Forum lah.Sir, send that CPO bugger out of the state, cannot meh

Khalid, who is also Bandar Tun Razak MP, refused to be drawn into the issue of double standards with the handling of demonstrations organised by opposition as compared to those by Barisan Nasional.

AND WHY NOT SIR?
AFRAID OF UMNO?









Sunday, November 23, 2008

NO! THIS CANNOT BE TRUE! NOT IN THIS COUNTRY!

==============================================================

Officer Abdul Kadir Che Kob describes homosexuals as “shameless people” and homosexuality as a “sin worse than murder.”

====================================================================

Even the gods are angry: A clap of lightning flashed and there was a distant thunder grumbling its displeasure at such uncouth pronouncements. It started as a lazy Sunday afternoon read of my blogroll....and I chanced upon this posting by the SJSTEAM.


Abdul Kadir is head of education and research at Malaysia’s Islamic Affairs Department, which operates as the morality police with 50 enforcement officers across the country. These officers are empowered to arrest Muslims — including unmarried couples, homosexuals, transvestites and transsexuals — suspected of breaking Islamic laws. Last year, 111 men were arrested in Kuala Lumpur for “attempting to commit homosexual acts.”

Abdul Kadir spoke to TIME contributor Mageswary Ramakrishnan. Excerpts:


TIME: How does Islam perceive homosexuality?

Abdul Kadir: Homosexuality is forbidden in Islam. It is a crime worse than murder.

TIME: What do you think of homosexuals?

Abdul Kadir: They are shameless people.

TIME: Can it be wrong for two people to be in love?

Abdul Kadir: Love? How can men have sex with men? God did not make them this way. This is all Western influence — and the gay people expect us to be open- minded?

TIME: Your department made 111 arrests in Kuala Lumpur last year compared with 165 in 1998 and 166 in 1997. Is this an indication that the number of gays is decreasing?

Abdul Kadir: No, I don’t think so. Perhaps they have become smarter in avoiding us. Maybe the department received fewer complaints. We only act based on complaints. It is difficult to act otherwise. How would we know what is happening? We don’t know what is happening behind closed doors.

TIME: What do you do when you receive a tip-off?

Abdul Kadir: Usually people give us precise information like where these men are. We then go to the place, say, a hotel room. We knock and force them to open the door, but they are usually fully clothed by then. We still charge them for attempting to commit homosexual acts.

TIME: What about those who say that people have a right to choose who they want to be with?

Abdul Kadir: What right are you talking about? This is a sin, end of story.

Wow, like he is speaking ex-cathedra.....end of story, my God!

But definitely not the end of this interview: Read more HERE.


THAT WAS IN 2001!
NOW IT IS TOMBOYISM AND YOGA.
WHAT NEXT?
BOOM, RODI, CHRIS,MABEL....NOW YOU KNOW WHY I WANT TO BE A LESBIAN IN MY NEXT LIFE?