Tag: Malaysia

  • Norshahril Saat: Tingkatkan Takrif Kesederhanaan Ke Paras Lebih Tinggi Lagi

    Norshahril Saat: Tingkatkan Takrif Kesederhanaan Ke Paras Lebih Tinggi Lagi

    Siapakah sebenarnya seorang Muslim sederhana? Menolak pengganasan atau pun sekadar menghormati orang lain dengan memberikan ucapan selamat tidak cukup untuk menunjukkan sikap sederhana. Menurut Dr Norsharil Saat, masyarakat Islam perlu pergi lebih jauh lagi dengan benar-benar menyerap nilai-nilai sejagat yang diajarkan Islam sebelum kita boleh menggelarkan diri kita Muslim sederhana.

    MASYARAKAT Melayu/Islam yang menetap di rantau ini sering dilihat sebagai satu kelompok yang mengamalkan Islam secara sederhana. Walaupun mereka kuat beragama, mereka masih memberi ruang terhadap budaya lokal.

    Orientasi kesederhanaan sedemikian mungkin natijah daripada cara Islam disebarkan ke rantau Asia Tenggara. Salah satu golongan yang memainkan peranan penting dalam penyebaran Islam di sini adalah golongan Sufi dan pedagang.

    Islam tidak disebarkan dengan cara paksa. Sebaliknya, kumpulan yang membawa Islam ke sini menitikberatkan soal akhlak selain soal ketuhanan. Mereka juga memberi masyarakat tempatan waktu untuk mengubah cara mereka berdagang, berkeluarga, bekerja, mengamalkan budaya atau adat istiadat, dalam masa yang sama mengaku sebagai seorang Muslim.

    Disebabkan peranan yang dimainkan oleh ulama-ulama terdahulu, banyak sekali aspek budaya yang masih kekal hingga ke hari ini, dan ia tidak dilihat sebagai bercanggah dengan nilai-nilai Islam. Misalnya, adat bersanding dalam majlis perkahwinan masih dikekalkan walaupun ia bukan berasal daripada Islam. Begitu juga dengan diet orang-orang Melayu, tarian Melayu, dan muzik Melayu; semuanya dikekalkan dan dianggap sebati dengan ajaran Islam.

    Tambahan lagi, kesederhanaan dinilai dari aspek masyarakat Islam yang tidak canggung bergaul dengan masyarakat bukan Islam. Prinsip ini diterapkan dalam perlembagaan negara-negara jiran kita yang majoriti Muslim.

    Perlembangaan Indonesia dan Malaysia menggaris-bawahi aspek menghormati hak-hak bukan Islam atau golongan minoriti. Ini adalah contoh bahawa pendiri-pendiri negara-negara tersebut percaya pada nilai Islam dan menghormati perbezaan.

    Merenung pada pengalaman peribadi saya sebagai seorang yang lahir pada awal 80an, dan belajar di sebuah sekolah kejiranan, saya tidak ada masalah bergaul dengan rakan-rakan sedarjah yang bukan Islam.

    Malah kita melakukan kegiatan riadah bersama, makan bersama di kantin sekolah, dan menurut serta dalam kegiatan luar darjah bersama-sama. Saya masih ingat apabila muncul musim-musim perayaan, seperti Hari Raya Puasa, Tahun Baru Cina, Krismas, atau Deepavali, pengetua sekolah kami akan menyuruh setiap pelajar untuk memberikan ucapan selamat kepada pelajar-pelajar yang lain.

    MRT bertema Krismas. (Gambar: Ernest Chua, TODAY)

    Tidak timbul pada masa itu bahawa saya seorang yang mengamalkan Islam sederhana kerana memberi ucapan tersebut, kerana itu adalah nilai universal yang dianjurkan bukan sahaja oleh agama Islam, tetapi agama-agama lain juga.

    Namun, gelaran “moderat” atau “ekstrim” dinilai dari ukuran yang berbeza hari ini. Semasa di zaman sekolah, persoalan sama ada saya boleh mengucapkan “Merry Christmas”’ kepada rakan-rakan beragama Kristian tidak timbul.

    Masyarakat Islam kita secara umumnya juga tidak meminta sebarang fatwa atau pandangan orang alim sebelum mengucapkannya. Tiada keraguan sama-sekali bahawa ucapan tersebut boleh menyebabkan saya kurang Islam.

    KONSISTEN DALAM PEMIKIRAN

    Bagi saya, hal yang lebih meruncing dalam mengamalkan Islam sederhana adalah bersikap konsisten dalam pendirian. Sikap konsisten ini perlu dinilai dari sudut pandangan terhadap dunia.

    Sebagai contoh, umat Islam tentu marah dengan sikap Presiden Amerika, Donald Trump, yang berbaur perkauman dan Islamofobik. Mereka marah dengan sekatan kemasukan imigran dari tujuh buah negara Islam.

    Kita mahu Presiden Amerika itu bersikap sederhana terhadap Muslim. Namun, apakah sikap kita terhadap pemimpin negara-negara Islam yang menghambur bibit-bibit permusuhan terhadap orang bukan Islam? Kita harus jujur tentang kelemahan pemimpin-pemimpin Islam yang bertindak di luar landasan Islam.

    Dalam masa yang sama, kita perlu muhasabah diri dalam memerhatikan tindakan kita terhadap golongan yang berbeza pandangan daripada kita. Sebagai contoh, kita seringkali mengecam golongan yang tidak berfahaman Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah (Sunni) dan terus mengatakan mereka kafir.

    Begitu juga dalam pertembungan Sufi dan Wahhabi, bila mana kedua-dua golongan sering mengatakan pendirian mereka sahaja yang betul.

    Tetapi sejauh mana masyarakat kita didedahkan dengan Deklarasi Amman, di mana tokoh-tokoh Islam terkemuka dunia bersetuju bahawa banyak sekali fahaman, Sunni, Sufi, Wahhabi, dan beberapa golongan Syiah adalah termasuk dalam golongan Islam? Seorang yang berjiwa sederhana harus berani menyatakan pendirian yang benar walaupun ia ia boleh menjejas populariti sendiri atau dikecam sebagai salah.

    (Gambar hiasan: AFP/MOHD FYROL)

    CIRI-CIRI SEDERHANA

    Di sini saya menyeru masyarakat kita agar menaikkan takrifan sederhana ke satu aras yang lebih tinggi. Isu seperti bolehkah kita memberi salam kepada penganut agama lain adalah perkara lama, dan saya tidak fikir seorang boleh digelar sederhana hanya dengan membolehkannya. Ia dibolehkan oleh majoriti ulama di merata dunia.

    Contoh yang kedua, seseorang tidak boleh digelar moderat hanya dengan mengutuk keganasan. Kutukan terhadap keganasan bukanlah ukuran bahawa seseorang berjiwa sederhana. Isu keganasan adalah isu yang jelas keluar daripada agama, bukan hanya bagi penganut agama Islam, tetapi agama-agama lain juga.

    Dalam erti kata lain, terorisme adalah masalah universal. Yang harus diberikan perhatian adalah sama ada golongan yang mengutuk terorisme ini berlaku adil terhadap masyarakat minoriti yang berbeza pandangan daripada.

    Yang lebih mendukacitakan sekali, kita hanya bersuara apabila sesuatu hal menjejas masyarakat kita atau kelompok kita, tetapi membisu apabila nilai-nilai kemanusiaan dicantas terhadap masyarakat lain.

    Kesederhanaan, pada hemat saya, adalah seorang yang benar-benar menyerap nilai-nilai universal yang diajarkan dalam agama. Ini termasuk prinsip keadilan, kejujuran, dan kemanusiaan.

    Sebelum kita menggelar agama kita sebagai sebuah agama rahmat untuk seluruh alam, kita perlu mengambil masa untuk fikirkan sejauh masa kita mendekati golongan berfahaman lain. Kalau masih ada bibit-bibit kebencian yang ditanamkan terhadap golongan minoriti—dari sudut agama, fahaman, dan gender — seseorang itu masih belum boleh bergelar moderat.


    MENGENAI PENULIS:
    Seorang pakar dan pengamat politik Asia Tenggara, Dr Norshahril Saat adalah Zamil di ISEAS – Institut Yusof Ishak.

    Source: http://berita.mediacorp.sg

  • Tun Dr Mahathir’s Advice To SG Malay Community: Be Resilient, Adaptable, And Never Stop Learning

    Tun Dr Mahathir’s Advice To SG Malay Community: Be Resilient, Adaptable, And Never Stop Learning

    I had the privilege to meet Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday to seek his views and advice. This is the second time I met him in person. As usual, I gained much from the meeting.

    Tun Mahathir is 92 years old but still as sharp. Very easy to talk to. His wife, Tun Siti Hasmah, 91 yrs old is still as cheerful and hospitable, making time to also chat with us.

    Although time is of a premium, we talked on many topics. From politics to social issues. The biggest takeaway from this meeting is the advice given by Tun Mahathir to our community.

    1. Be like the jews, resilient. They migrated during the period where they were persecuted, but developed their self-worth by learning and mastering the work they do and as a result? they are now able to control the world by proxies.

    2. Seek knowledge and skills that are relevant to the world economy so that we will be in demand anywhere we go.

    3. If we are an employee, worm our way to the heart of our employers. Not by flattery or apple polishing but by hard work, being dependable, trustworthy and ultimately indispensable.

    4. If we are an employer or in business, work with honesty, hard work, integrity and shrewdness.

    5. We cannot single-handedly change the fate of the community. The community itself must want to excel and prosper as a whole. Only then are we able to change the condition we are in.

    Somehow, I left the place feeling sad. Time is not in his favour but yet, I think he has more to contribute positively to the society. I hope he continues to be blessed with good health and have many more good years ahead.

    Aameen.

     

    Source: Khan Osman Sulaiman

  • JAKIM: Celebrating Valentine’s Day Is Haram, Contradicts Teachings Of Islam

    JAKIM: Celebrating Valentine’s Day Is Haram, Contradicts Teachings Of Islam

    The Practice of Celebrating Valentine’s Day is HARAM & Contradicts the Teachings of Islam – Fatwa of the Research Panel of Faith and the Research Panel of Syari’a of the Malaysian Department of Islamic Development (JAKIM)

    Here are excerpts of the research paper, “Avoid Celebrating Valentine’s Day”, available at Islam.gov.my

    ✦ Avoid Celebrating Valentine’s Day

    The celebration of Valentine’s Day began to influence our society’s culture, especially among the youngsters, around the end of the 1980s along with the emergence of television broadcasts showing advertisements or films with the celebration as the theme.

    Valentine’s Day celebration becomes more popular among the younger generations due to the influx of foreign culture through various media channels either electronic or print. The celebration is known to them as a day to celebrate love, which according to them, is the most appropriate moment to express the feeling of love and affection towards their dearest or loved ones.

    ✦ 14 February was the Date Christians Defeated Muslims in Cordova

    Historically, the word Valentine was after a Christian priest during the reign of Queen Isabella of Spain which was Saint Valentine. His success in defeating the Islamic government in Cordova, Spain on 14 February 270 AD gave a deep meaning to Queen Isabella so much so that he was regarded as the lover of her beloved people. Hence, February 14 is celebrated every year by the people of Cordova to celebrate the victorious day with a celebration called Valentine.

    ✦ Valentine’s Day is a Christian Festival

    History has clearly shown that Valentine’s Day is a religious festival celebrated by the Christians. If we refer to the statements of the Christians today, they still regard Valentine’s Day as a ritual in Christianity.

    In the website Spiritrestoration.org: The Premier, Ecumenical Christian Website. A Resource for Mature Christians and Scholars under the topic Definition of Religious Holy Days, under the index of Saint Valentine’s Day, it is stated that:

    “Christian celebration of the love of God presented in Jesus and in the lives of Christian believers. St Valentine was a 3rd century martyr. This day is widely observed in the USA as a secular celebration of love”.

    Written in the Catholic Encyclopaedia’s website, the recognition and in any version on St. Valentine, was that all of them were regarded as martyrs. A quote stated: “At least three different Saint Valentines, all of them are Martyrs, mentioned in the early martyrologies under the date of 14 February”.

    Based on the above facts, it is clear that Valentine’s Day is one of the celebrations which have become a ritual practice of Christianity. This automatically contradicts a principle of Islam which does not allow its followers to imitate the identity of another religion or ways of life especially in the matters involving the faith of Islam.

    ✦ Muslims Must Have Distinct Identities

    Islam cares and desires for all Muslims to have distinct identities which are different from the people of other religions. Therefore, the appreciation of the Islamic faith, the execution of ibadah, muamalah and moral as well as other traditions of the Muslims should not be the same and similar to other religion followers. In other words, Muslims must not mix their own faith and devotion with the faith and devotion of other religions.

    Allah s.w.t. has said:
    Say, “O disbelievers, I do not worship what you worship. Nor are you worshippers of what I worship. Nor will I be a worshipper of what you worship. Nor will you be worshippers of what I worship. For you is your religion, and for me is my religion.” (Al-Kafirun verses 1-6)

    […]

    In this matter, the Research Panel of Faith and the Research Panel of Syari’a of the Malaysian Department of Islamic Development (JAKIM) have decided that “the practice of celebrating Valentine’s Day is haram and contradicts the teachings of Islam”. The 71st Fatwa Committee of the National Council for Islamic Affairs Malaysia Meeting which was held from 22 to 24 November 2005 concluded that: “The practice of celebrating Valentine’s Day has never been recommended by Islam. The spirit of the celebration has elements of Christianity and the practice, which is mixed with sinful acts, is contradictory and prohibited by Islam. Thus the practice of celebrating Valentine’s Day is not encouraged by Islam”.

     

    Source: Islamiq Sg

  • Malaysian Drug Money Behind South Thailand Uprising

    Malaysian Drug Money Behind South Thailand Uprising

    The arrest of a Malaysian national with links to Southeast Asia’s drug kingpin Xaysana Keopimpha is slowly unraveling and revealing the extent of the drug ring’s impact on the political upheaval in South Thailand.

    In a trickle, the arrests are revealing the role played by the Malaysian wing of the Laotian network in the region.

    The Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) of Thailand said Malaysian police have arrested a suspected major drug dealer allegedly linked to Lao drug kingpin Xaysana Keopimpha, who was arrested at the Suvarnabhumi airport on a flight from Phuket.

    What we know is Kamarudin bin Awang, a Malaysian national, was arrested in Kelantan on Monday.

    An investigation led police to believe Kamarudin is the son-in-law of Marining Jako, the leader of a drug network which receives drugs from the North and Northeast of Thailand.
    Thai police is said to have been monitoring Kamarudin for five years, leading to his arrest in Kelantan.

    The Thai narcotics bureau chief said he believed the money from Kamarudin’s drug trade have partially been used to sponsor the unrest in the insurgency-plagued South in Thailand.

    The arrest was not reported in Malaysian newspapers, but the information was given to Thai based newspapers by NSB chief Sommai Kongwisaisuk. He cited information he received from Malaysian authorities.

    So far, there is no comment on the Thai police accusation that Kamarudin is suspected to be the Malaysian linchpin in the Laotian drug network.

    Malaysia has also refrained to comment on the case since the arrest of Xaysana.

    More than 30 million baht in cash was also found stashed in pipes at Kamarudin’s residence, Thai police said, who said the Malaysian received drugs from the North before shifting them further to Malaysia through southern Thailand.

    Reports indicate he was also involved in the drug trade with one Usaman Salaemaeng, who is on the run, wanted by Thai authorities on drug charges in the warrant issued in 2012.

    Kamarudin is said to have three homes in the Muslim-majority far South in Thailand.

    However, Thail Police says they are checking with their Malaysian counterparts to determine to what extent the suspect is linked with Xaysana.

    Following his arrest at the Suvarnabhumi Airport on Jan 19, the suspected Laotian drug kingpin Xaysana Keopimpha, or “Mr X” as he is more commonly known, has become the subject of wide media fascination across the region.

    Authorities are now working round-the-clock to uncover the vast narcotics cross-border network that spans Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore.

    Thailand’s narcotics chief Sommai Kongvisaisuk, was quoted by Malaysian news agency Bernama as saying that police have gathered information on Mr X’s connection with Malaysian drug syndicates and were looking to unearth the inner workings of his network.

    “All the (big) cases involving a Malaysian syndicate trying to smuggle drugs from Thailand into Malaysia pointed to the involvement of Xaysana.

    “The Malaysian syndicate got its drugs from Xaysana’s network,” he said, adding that the arrest was the result of over five years of investigation.

    Several media reports said the 41-year-old alleged drug baron was arrested at the airport in front of many passengers as he disembarked a flight from resort island Phuket along with a man and two women who were not identified.

    Thai police have obtained a warrant for another five suspects.

    With the arrest, Thai and Laotian police seized 74 items, including two residences, 14 land titles, 14 luxury cars, 11 motorbikes, two farm vehicles, 29 bank accounts, gold jewelry and cash in U.S. Dollars and Thai Baht equaling THB1.5 (US$42,000).

    The total haul was valued at roughly THB100 million (US$2.8 million), according to the Laotian Times.

     

    Source: www.theindependent.sg

  • Revealed: Malaysia “New Evidence” In Pedra Branca Row Against Singapore

    Revealed: Malaysia “New Evidence” In Pedra Branca Row Against Singapore

    Malaysia’s “new evidence” that it has sovereignty – and not its southern neighbour Singapore – over the rocky outcrop called Pedra Branca comprise a letter by Singapore’s top colonial official in 1958, a naval incident report the same year, and a map of the Lion City in 1966, This Week in Asia has learnt.

    These three documents would likely overturn the decision by the International Court of Justice in 2008 to award sovereignty to the disputed island to Singapore, Malaysia claimed in court documents filed on February 3.

    “This application is not an appeal against the 2008 judgment. On the contrary, it draws to the court’s attention what has only recently become known to Malaysia, namely, that even after the 1953 correspondence, and at a point at which Singapore had become a self-governing colonial territory, Singapore, at the highest levels of its government, did not have the view that it had sovereignty over Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh,” said court documents seen by This Week in Asia.

    “Singapore subsequently carried this appreciation into its federation as part of Malaysia in 1963, and, as it necessarily follows, that appreciation remained controlling on Singapore’s independence in 1965,” the documents said.

    “It is Malaysia’s contention, informed by a close reading of the judgment in 2008 and its accompanying opinions, that the court would have been bound to reach a different conclusion on the question of sovereignty over Pedra Branca had it been aware of this new evidence.”

    Malaysia on February 3 filed for a revision to the International Court of Justice’s ruling in 2008 that the isle of Pedra Branca, a football-field sized rocky outcrop, belongs to Singapore.

     

    Source: www.scmp.com