The Best Of Both Worlds

They Are Ill, Hungry And Thirsty

2012-01-20T14:50:00.000+08:00

On The Day Of Resurrection:

"Son of Adam, I fell ill and you did not visit ME."
"Ya ALLAH, how shall I visit YOU when YOU are RABBUL 'Aalamiin, LORD of the worlds?"

"Did you not know that My servant so-and-so had fallen ill?

Why didn't you visited him not?

If you did, You would have found ME with him."

"Son of Adam, I asked you for food and you did not feed ME."

"Ya ALLAH, how shall I feed You when You are RABBUL 'Aalamiin, LORD of the worlds?"

"Did you not know that My servant so-and-so asked you for food?

Why didn't you feed him?

If you did, you would surely have found the reward for doing so with ME."

"Son of Adam, I asked you to give ME a drink and you did not give ME."

"Ya ALLAH, how shall I give a drink when You are RABBUL 'Aalamiin, LORD of the worlds?"

"My servant so-and-so asked you to give him a drink and you did not give him a drink.

If you did, you would have surely found ME."

- Hadith Qudsi.

The Wise Man's Donkey

2012-01-18T17:15:00.000+08:00

A farmer took some grains to grind at the mill.
After grinding, he loaded the heavy grains on his donkey and started his journey home.

Nearing his best friend's house, a wise man, the donkey began limping and dropped to the ground.
The farmer knocked on the wise man's door, asking the wise man to loan him his (wise man) donkey, for it to carry his load for the rest of the journey.

The wise man treated his donkey well.
He made a promise to the animal, never to mistreat it.
So he told the farmer that he did not have any donkey.

As soon as it was said, the animal's bray was heard.
The farmer overheard the braying, and insisted on borrowing the wise man's donkey.

The wise man was angry, and scolded his good friend.
"Don't you know that donkey is the most stupid animal on earth?
Everybody knows I am a wise man. They listen to me.
We have been friends for fifty years, but you don't listen to me.
You listen to the donkey."

Another Vehicle Was Stolen

2012-01-18T02:00:00.000+08:00

I am always grateful that everyday, around 1 to 2pm, there is always a Balai Polis Bergerak, sort of mobile police post, passing by my house.
The policemen on wheels usually make their rounds, around the neighbourhood, while most people are indoors having their lunch, or taking their afternoon nap.

The owner of the provision shop in front of my house was twice robbed of their earnings.
The second time, his hand was severed, almost totally chopped off by the robbers.
Since then, the shophouse was always grilled.

A 24-hour restaurant at the corner of the street was also robbed.
Although the sign 'Restoran Kassim' is still displayed, it has since shifted its business to a nearby shophouse along a busy road.

My children had their motorcycles being stolen too, but not at home.

My son had his bike stolen at the parking lot of Giant Plentong.
Earlier on, when he was still studying, his bike was stolen in the gated compound of his friend's house in Shah Alam, in the month of Ramadhan.
Someone, using machinery, lifted it out of the compound during sahur time.

My daughter then sent her motorcycle to his brother, as he needed it more than her.
She had once had her bike stolen too, while parking at the U surau where she is still studying today.

******

This evening around 6.30, while I was transfering a plant to a bigger pot, a worried looking man was seen frantically running up and down the road.
With a flimsy paper, like a delivery invoice or quotation, in his hand, I assumed he was looking for the right address.
I kept seeing him walking neither here nor there, but at the extreme opposite side of the road where I was.

When it was 7, about time that I retreated, he suddenly walked in front of me.
He knew I was observing him all these while.

"Lori saya kena curi."
Then he hurriedly ran and walked away.

His lorry was stolen.
All I can say to myself, pity that deliveryman and lorry driver, for wanting to earn an honest living...

Wasn't It 'Abdullah Al-Mubarak During The Haj?

2012-01-17T12:01:00.000+08:00

Turkish descendent 'Abdullah bin Al-Mubarak, born 118 years after hijrah, was entering Kufa in Iraq.

On his way to Makkatul Mukarramah to perform his haj, he saw an old woman sitting on a rubbish-heap plucking a duck.
It occurred to him that it was indeed a carrion, dead and rotting, not fit for her consumption.
He stopped his mule, and asked the woman if the duck is slaughtered or already dead.

When she answered the latter,
he asked, 'then why are you plucking it?'
'So that my family and I can eat it,' was her reply.

'Abdullah Al-Mubarak told her that ALLAH Subhaanahu Wa Ta'aala forbid carrion consumption in a country of abundance.
The woman kept chasing and shooing him away, for being a busybody .

After a long exchange of words, he asked the whereabout of her house.
He then left the spot, and rented a proper lodging for him to stay.

At the rented lodging, he then approached a man.
He offered the man some monetary reward if the man accompanied him to the address given by the woman that he had earlier met.

Once reaching the place, 'Abdullah Al-Mubarak requested the man to knock at the door with a stick that he had.
The woman asked who was at the door.
When 'Abdullah asked her to open the door, she partially opened it.
He insisted that she opened it wide, all the way.

He got off his mule and hit it with the stick that he had.
The mule went into the house.
Then he said to the woman that the mule with all the provision on it, money and clothes are all hers.
For this world and the Next.

'Abdullah Al-Mubarak stayed behind.
He did not proceed to Makkatul Mukarramah, until the haj season ended.
He returned home when all pilgrims had returned after performing their haj.

******

Some of his country folks went to greet him.
They congratulated him for accomplishing his haj.

He told them that he was down with illness and did not go on haj.
But one of them said,
"Subhaanallaah!
Did I not leave my goods with you, while we were at Mina on our way to 'Arafah?"

Another person said the same thing.
He turned to them saying, he did not know what they were saying.
Once again, for himself, he did not go on haj that year.

*** 'Abdullah Al-Mubarak dreamt that someone was telling him,
''Abdullah, rejoice! for ALLAH has accepted your sodaqah.
HE sent an Angel in your form, performing the haj for you.'"

Chasing The Truth

2012-01-16T14:47:00.000+08:00

Chasing the truth: Anti-graft activists (left to right) Ronald Rofiandri, Apung Widadi and Roy Salam present their findings on irregularities at several House of Representatives’ renovation projects during a press conference at the Indonesian Corruption Watch office in Jakarta on Sunday. (JP/ Jerry Adiguna)

Source: The Jakarta Post - Sunday January 15, 2012

Placenta, Anyone?

2012-01-16T00:48:00.000+08:00

As appeared in Saturday's Star,

the above 35-year old accounts manager Mandy Chong, from Petaling Jaya, had in May last year, paid RM8,180 for four injections.
An assistant administered the injections, not a doctor, on her buttocks with what the beauty centre she went to, claimed to be sheep placenta from New Zealand.
The beauty centre spoke highly of the product during her treatment.

But when the injected area started swelling, she could not bear the pain.
She then went to a specialist hospital and discovered they had actually injected silicone.
She had to spend over RM15,000, double the amount she paid the beauty centre, to rectify the damage caused by the beauty procedure.

Since October last year, she had made six attempts to contact the beauty centre for a refund but was ignored.
She had been unable to work for over a month after the operation, as she is still suffering from pain.
She fears further side effects as doctors said the silicone has entered her bloodstream and there may be long-term effects.

In response, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, in cautioning the public against going for such treatments.
He said, the ministry’s National Pharmaceutical Control Bureau had not approved the use of any injectable placenta products.
As of now, only 31 oral health supplement products that contain placenta, 3 from deer and 28 from sheep, are registered with the bureau.
None of them are injectable.

******

It is known that not too long ago, the rich used to go to Switzerland to have US$20,000 placenta injections.

Placenta, found in the inside layer of the womb, helps foetus get its food.
Because of its nutritious qualities, placenta is hailed as an excellent skin healer, stimulating cell renewal function in the body.
Cell replenishment function helps to slow down the human aging process.
The once every two years injection in Switzerland, is known to have dramatic effect, in maintaining anti-ageing benefits and enhancing quality of life.

When used for skin care products, pig and human placenta are biologically similar to the human skin.
Studies had shown that the use of human and pig placenta extracts benefit the users.
But issues have been raised where Muslim consumers are concerned.
For them, it is sheep placenta, or more commonly known as ovine placenta.

Placenta usage strictly for the rich?
It used to be.
But today, the usage are for people of all ages and races.
There are plenty of placenta-based natural skin care products, from wrinkle creams and facemasks.
Users claimed it produce wonders for the skin.

******

Can the placenta be eaten? No? Yes?

Once, a father, after visiting his wife in hospital, brought home his baby's placenta meant to wash and bury it. Local culture greatly believe that the placenta needs proper burial.
But, his grown up daughter thought her father had bought organ of an animal.
Without giving much thought to it, she boiled, fry and cook for the family.
When the father asked where she bought the meat from, only then they realised they were eating the baby's 'friend'.

In April 2006, 43-year-old Tom Cruise told a magazine that he was going to eat his baby (Suri)'s placenta. 27-year old Katie Holmes was about to deliver their baby anytime.

In 1998, chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall fried a placenta with shallots and garlic.
He served it to the baby’s parents, along with other 20 guests.

During my earlier days in JB, a sister admitted that whenever she delivered her babies, their placentas would be buried.
But their umbical cords were cooked together with porridge, for their (at least ten) children's meal.
No rivalry, she said.
But as I see it now, after the mother had passed away, all of them are no different from other children who did not consume umbical cords of their siblings.

Of Clay And Polong

2012-01-11T12:02:00.000+08:00

I had, on many occasions, told Tina*, to 'berbakti pada tanah', do some good to the earth that we step on everyday.

'Macamana?' she asked,

'Macam tanam pokok, cabut rumput, sapu, bersihkan halaman rumah.'

'Kenapa?' she was curious at my suggestion.

'Kita ada interaction dan buat baik pada makhluk TUHAN yang tak pernah buat dosa, dia do'akan kita.
Makhluk yang tidak ada dosa, do'anya cepat makbul.'

******

My curiosity with the soil arose when I was in Bantul, Indonesia, after an earthquake.
After the sun had set, some traumatic old man and woman, barefooted, would climb up higher ground to spend their nights, sleeping among the graves.

Their close interaction with mother nature, walking barefooted, pricked the inside of me.
No wonder all of them are slim, no one store excess body fat in their bodies, unlike my civil servant relatives, whose sandals and slippers kind of creating that 'modern looking societies' - excesses in the body.

Mother earth will extract the 'unwanted' and toxin trapped in us.
That's the reason why in religion, we are needed to use clay, 'tanah liat', when in contact with 'najis mughallazah'.

Many written articles I've came across, about those cancer suffers who has had their miracle cure, when they spend their time doing gardening, sitting or lying on open fields...

******

Last Christmas, Tina's family was out.
Her mother brought her sister's family from Perak, picnicing at Desaru.

Tina called, asking me to accompany her.
She was being followed by polong the night before.

To entertain that family from Perak, they all went to Danga Bay for dinner.
Her uncle was smoking his cigarette.
Somehow, a stray polong, disowned by its owner, followed the trail of the cigarette smoke.

It aimed Tina amongst all, in her uncle's company.
Since many of the creature's friends are in Tina's body, the weakest among all, it followed her home.

Polong owned by someone, is said to be fed with blood.
But the strayed ones, I'm not sure.

Tina was possessed at 1am, and was sent to seek for a cure at that wee hour.
I've been blogging a lot about Tina, sincerely not to shame her, but to share the first time experience of being in an entirely different world.
Things happened are all an eye opener for me, realising the vastness of GOD's creation.
The realisation in me, being handicapped, with almost nil knowledge of HIS, makes the need in me more, to study more of his other beings.

******

The healer took some clay and rub on Tina, who was still under possession.
She scolded him, saying she's made of fire, and nothing will make her compromising herself with the dirty soil.

When the real Tina came around, she was asked to 'mandi selut', cover herself with clay, or any clean earth, it does not matter.

The topic of 'berbakti pada tanah', doing good to the earth we step everyday, now make sense to Tina.
But whenever she was covered with soil, there is an usual great resistance from the inside of her, always fighting with her inner self, often she found herself grasping to breathe.

Praying for the day when all those unseen beings will go away.

And We have certainly created you, [O Mankind],

and given you [human] form.

Then We said to the angels,

"Prostrate to Adam";

so they prostrated,

except for Iblees.

He was not of those who prostrated.

[ Allah ] said,

"What prevented you from prostrating when I commanded you?"

[Satan] said,

"I am better than him.

You created me from fire and created him from clay."

- Al-A'raf: 11 - 12

Snake No More

2012-01-10T15:57:00.000+08:00

There is a TNB's transformer room - Bilik Jana Kuasa - sprawled behind my kitchen.

In front of it, is a big ketapang, catappa, or almond tree.
Under that shady tree, it used to be a dumping ground - A real eye sore.

Few weeks before last year's Ramadhan, several men erected a new fencing around the transformer room. They gave the room a new coat of paint.
They needed water supply for their work, and got it from my place.

I seek their permission, and took that opportunity to clear the dumping ground under the ketapang tree.
I planted several tapioca plants and placed potted roselle around the tree.
Neighbours and public had been told, they are free to pluck the tapioca leaves,

and the roselle flowers.
The plants are all meant for everybody's use.

******

Laila*, whose father's restaurant is facing the tree, came to me, asking why I took the effort to clear the dumping ground around the tree.
A real eye sore, my answer.

"Don't you know, it's the house of a very big snake?" She asked.
"Is it?" I wasn't aware of it.

She said, that shady tree was once naked, without even a single leaf.
Mysterious wind kept blowing all of the leaves, into her father's restaurant - Not any of her neighbours shops and offices.

The mystery began to unfold when one day, Laila saw a very big snake.
It twirled its long body, round and round the tree trunk, from the ground, to the topmost of it.

The hissing snake kept blowing all the leaves into one direction - The restaurant.

That Flesh Eater, Now Dead

2012-01-09T18:38:00.001+08:00

There is an empty house behind Tina*'s in-law's house.
She 'saw', beyond description (she said), a horrible looking woman.
With long messy hair, she was sitting at the edge of the roof, with let loose and swinging legs, while enjoying eating a foetus deliciously.
Blood was all over her hands and mouth.
While describing that, Tina suddenly vomited, 'seeing' the eerie scenario while she was under therapy.

Ustaz then recited some verses, to which she said, the woman's long messy hair all stood up straight.
It's body swayed a little.
Tina thought it was going to fall from the roof top.

But no.
It flew away to a nearby cluster of bamboo trees.
Under that bamboo trees, villagers used to bury or discard their 'unwanted' belongings.

Once reaching the bamboo trees, the horrible looking woman perched on the tree top.
This time, it ate the carcass of a dead bird.
Tina vomited again, 'watching' the never seen before sight.

******

Once reaching Tina's in-law's house, she stood at the doorway, watching what Ustaz was going to do.
As usual, he threw generous amount of salt all around it.

Tina's legs went soft, aching all over.
She fainted again and again...

Acknowledgement From The Grave

2012-01-08T20:11:00.000+08:00

We gathered at my eldest sister's place for breakfast last Saturday, 31st December, 2011.
My daughter, her husband and their 10-month baby, flew in from Subang, that very morning to join in the birthday celebration of her cousin.
After zohor, they were sent to the airport to catch their 3pm flight home.

All those while, my brother-in-law did not get out from his bed, even when his and my siblings with their families, gathered together at his house.
He had been on the bed for the past few days.

"Lain kali, bawak pergi hospital,"
my auntie sound my eldest sister.

"Tak pe, dah tak de lain kali lagi."
I told my auntie.

The next morning, 1st January, 2012, Nora*, who is with my mother, called to say my brother-in-law had passed away at 8am.

My brother-in-law, who has only a son, loves my daughter as his own.
He himself, would stock the fridge with my daughter's favourite food, whenever she's in Singapore.
He was a very proud parent on my daughter's wedding day, as it was celebrated at his house too, beside Johor Bahru and Putra Jaya.

******

When my sister, my daughter and I attended a wedding in Shah Alam around 3 years ago, it was during that time that we knew, my sister's late principle's grandson is attending UM as my daughter.
My sister knew her late principle's family well.

Then as fate want it to be, although both are still students until now, wedding preparation was made for them within a short time frame.
My son-in-law is about to complete his Master, and my daughter, by pass it, is now doing her PhD.

For these, I am forever thankful to my daughter's parents-in-law.
They support them in persuing their studies.

The mother, a professor at a local U, renders her full support for their goals.
She had underwent that family live living oversea as student.
So, she understands well, how both of them are living their lives now.

They were in Singapore again the next day, 1st January, 2012, when they heard about my brother-in-law.

******

My eldest sister called last Thursday.
She said, she was still on her 'sajadah', when the late Ustaz Taha ( here and here ) appeared, offering her gift.

She asked him what it was, to which he said,
"Kan saya baru dapat cucu."

He just has had a grandchild.

Yes, my daughter is his grandchild-in-law.
Her grandmother-in-law is Ustaz's sister, the late Ustazah Sa'adah Suhaimi.

Al-Faatihah.

*** Marriage Consent From The The Grave here

The Not-So-Real Asatizah At Work

2012-01-07T06:06:00.001+08:00

"Kenapa ustazah tak tunjuk saya rumah kosong ni dari awal?"
I kept my silence to his question.

Ustaz was upset that the empty house, with rubbish strewn all around, is the dwelling place of many unseen beings.
"Mari masuk sini, ustazah.
Saya tunjuk mana tempat dia duduk."

The sun had settle down.
It was already dark, so I did not go beyond the front door with a big basin of salt in my hands.

"Tina pengsan lagi."
Tina's mother came to tell the condition of her frequent fainting daughter.
She lugged along another big bundle of salt.

After Ustaz did his work at the common big dumping bin placed not far from the entry into the house,
"Ada lagi satu rumah kosong sebelah dengan dapur."

Hearing that, he looked at the reduced salt supply and said, let the father do the same thing to that house.

******

I had told Ustaz many times, I am no ustazah.
Just a family friend who sees and shows support when another family being tested.
I feel out of place to be called ustazah, but he insisted calling me so.

******

I had, on many occasions, watching Tina being 'ruqyah' by Ustaz.
Although Al-Qur'an is in his heart, I was needed to check on his recitation.
He recited not from quotes of verses from the Qur'an, but the whole Surah, even if it is the 286 verses of the Al-Baqarah at one go.

His speed?
Faster than movement of my eyes to check the prints on the Qur'an.

******

Yasin used to be my daily Surah before I proceed to continue my reading during my free days.
Ustaz told me to continue Yasin with the first page of the next chapter, As-Saffaat.
When I asked him why, he said, just do as I told you.
If you ask again, I'll add more to your reading.
I stopped there and then.

******

I was supposed to follow Tina's family travelling northwards, back to their hometown, on the third week of December.
Ustaz wants Tina to lead a normal life once again.
She will pinpoint places where she often saw during her 'ruqyah' session.

Since my daughter was in Singapore and there were many weddings, I went downwards instead.

******

In Penang, Ustaz needed someone to check on his recitation.

Ustaz is not a real Ustaz.
I just called him so, as he has, and is imparting knowledge to me.
Whoever I get his or her knowledge from, they are my Teachers.
For that, I am forever grateful.
Al-Faatihah to these people after my prayers.

He did not attend any formal education institution, as I was told.
It is just that, he feels compelled to assist others in need.
He has been doing so for the past 60 years, just like his ancestors from Hadramaut, in Yemen.
It is in his blood.
He often check on Tina whenever he passed by Johor Bahru on his way to Singapore.

******

As he put it, others looked down on him, upon knowing of his educational background.
He was advised to be extra careful with his recitation and tajwid.
He said, about 5 or 6 'hafiz' who had studied in 'pondok' in Kedah was invited to witness what this Arab will be doing and reciting.

When the 'ruqyah' session started, these 'hafiz' took him lightly, because of his educational background, compared to them.
He is just another outsider trying to outwit Tina's family and those around him.

But when he continuously reciting one Surah after another at lightning speed, people began to come forward, volunteering to be scanned too...

Few days after he returned to Batu Pahat, I called him.
He was still without voice.
Too many 'ruqyahing' those in Penang.

Working Holiday In New Zealand

2012-01-06T10:30:00.000+08:00

The couple in their 20s, are both medical students.
The wife is presently attached with one of the government's hospital in KL.

An independent only child who hailed from Kedah, the husband, after his secondary education, went to Italy to work for few years.
He took the opportunity to backpack and travelled all over Europe.
When he felt he managed to put aside enough fund for his parents and his education, he returned to Malaysia furthering his education.
He is focused to become a specialist in heart surgery.

Now married, he had given a hard thought.
He decided to take leave from his study to finance and to let his wife finish with her study.
He will then continue where he had left.

The first time the couple spent their night at my place was during the recent Ramadhan.
They then went to New Zealand Immigration Office the next day at Ngee Ann City, only to be told that no more 2010's quota left for working holiday.
The husband wants to make enough $ for their parents and educations.

He wasted no time, this time around.
They were at Takashimaya yesterday, when visa application was available a day earlier.

They returned to my place with great relief, thanking GOD, things went smoothly.
He will be in NewZealand, InsyaALLAH, in February.

He is no son nor relative of mine, just another person HE sent to me.

Those interested, here's the link:
http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/work/workingholiday/malaysiaworkingholidayscheme.htm.

Good Luck.

The Salt, Clorox, And A Ball Of Fire

2012-01-05T03:43:00.000+08:00

It had been 2 months since I last visited this space.
I had not been going on silent mode though.
In fact, still full gear, but in another space, most of the time.

Few nights ago, at around 10pm, I spotted a big ball of fire flying across the night sky in Pelantik area, in Majidee.
My husband said it is a low flying aeroplane.
But with that flaming red-orange fire around it?

Despite his claim, he stopped at the roadside.
We both gazed up, witnessing the ball of fire flying southwards.
I recited Aayatul Kursi and kept repeating the last verse.
The size of the ball of fire was reduced considerably before it finally vanished.
We then headed home.

It was the first time I witnessed such incident.
I wonder what the ball of fire is, really???

******

Earlier, Ustaz was showing me what the toilets, the left and right empty houses, and garbage bins had to do with Tina*.
She kept fainting whenever Ustaz threw generous amount of salt and poured clorox to these areas.

After Tina* was her usual self again, Ustaz then asked me to recite any Surahs from the Qur'an for her.
I chose Ar-Rahman as I placed my right palm on her head.
Goodness, no adverse reaction from her.
The salt and clorox had helped to improve her condition tremendously.
Otherwise, her breathing, her facial reaction... She was not herself...

Before we left Tina*'s house, Ustaz asked me to read out aloud the translation of Surah Al-Jinn to about the ten of us.
Is the Surah really has to do with the ball of fire?

72.1: Say, [O Muhammad],

"It has been revealed to me that

a group of the jinn listened and said,

'Indeed, we have heard an amazing Qur'an.

72.2: It guides to the right course,

and we have believed in it.

And we will never associate with our Lord anyone.

72.3: And [it teaches] that exalted is the nobleness of our Lord;

He has not taken a wife or a son

72.4: And that our foolish one has been saying about Allah

an excessive transgression.

72.5: And we had thought that mankind and the jinn

would never speak about Allah a lie.

72.6: And there were men from mankind

who sought refuge in men from the jinn,

so they [only] increased them in burden.

72.7: And they had thought,

as you thought,

that Allah would never send anyone [as a messenger].

72.8: And we have sought [to reach] the heaven

but found it filled with powerful guards

and burning flames.

72.9: And we used to sit therein in positions for hearing,

but whoever listens now

will find a burning flame lying in wait for him.

72.10: And we do not know [therefore]

whether evil is intended for those on earth

or whether their Lord intends for them a right course.

72.11: And among us are the righteous,

and among us are [others] not so;

we were [of] divided ways.

72.12: And we have become certain that

we will never cause failure to Allah upon earth,

nor can we escape Him by flight.

72.13: And when we heard the guidance,

we believed in it.

And whoever believes in his Lord

will not fear deprivation or burden.

Source: Al-Jinn 1 - 13

Arafah Day, Today

2011-11-05T00:24:00.000+08:00

As the sun of 9th Dzulhijjah rises, most pilgrims already set their feet on 'Arafah.
Takbir, Tahlil and Talbiyah.

From noon, until dawn the next day
“Labbaikallaa Humma Labbaik”
O God, here I am answering your call, by nearly three million pilgrims from around the world.

The once in a lifetime journey of faith.
The faithfuls gratefully come to Makkah to discharge their owed duties to HIM.

Haj is ‘Arafah.
Immense spiritual congregation in 'Arafah during this sacred moments.
On the plain, and at hilly slopes of 'Arafah, is where pilgrims standing and supplicating to the ALMIGHTY s.w.t., seeking HIS Forgiveness and Mercy.
Not only to be physically presence in 'Arafah, but mentally too.
Believers are promised during these 'Arafah hours, HIS Forgiveness and Mercy are bestowed.
HIS Presence thus felt weather one is asleep, awake, lying down, resting, sitting, or even walking.

Men, draped in two white unsewn pieces of cloth, an extraordinary symbol of unity and equality.
Men and women formed a massive stream of white.
Getting to 'Arafah is not without difficulties for many.
Hardship aside, having reached 'Arafah is a dream come true, for all pilgrims.

'Arafah, peaceful, is where the connection with GOD takes place.
Dzulhijjah after Dzulhijjah, over and over again.
The beginning, the present, and the future.
All believers, from all corners of the world, come together to 'Arafah, to pray to GOD.
The feeling of wanting to be near to HIM, HE who Observes from above, the whole body shivers...
While in 'Arafah, wise pilgrims spend the day making supplications to ALLAH s.w.t.

Rasulullah s.a.w said,

“The best du‘a is the du‘a on the day of ‘Arafah.”

- Abu Dawud.

It is the ultimate day to ask for forgiveness of every single sin of us.
Rasulullah s.a.w. also said,

“There is no day

in which Allah s.w.t. sets free more souls

from the fire of Hell,

than on the day of ‘Arafah.”

- Muslim.

People spent the day in worship and supplication.
Pray for our needs.
Pray for the welfare of all.
Never mind wherever we are now, in Asia, Africa, America, Australia or Europe.
In this sacred moment, the 'Arafah day, HE opens the sky for all our prayers to directly reach HIM.
The day where HIS promise delivered.
Seize the opportunity.
Rasulullah s.a.w. spent his day at 'Arafah until almost sunset.

Unity in prayers itself has created a peaceful atmosphere, at the most peaceful place on earth.
"Labbaikallaa Humma Labbaik”,
reenacted again and again, since fourteen centuries ago.
Answer the call of ALLAH s.w.t. and pray for peace and tranquility.
Pray sincerely, spread humanity.
They set out, chanting that they have come to answer GOD’s call.

The endless sea of 'white' pilgrims, in their endless chants,
"Labbaikallaahumma Labbaik”
Ability to make connection with ALLAH s.w.t. is an individual experience.
Unexplainable...
No words can explain one's feeling, although everyone is on the sacred ground of 'Arafah is obviously with one intention - HIS acceptance.

Performing Haj is obviously about communication and connection to ALLAH s.w.t.
The spiritual faith.
The inner peace is felt by those whose Haj is accepted.
It is reflected in us, in our doings, in our daily life.
Mabrur...

The Road Less Travelled, Senai-Desaru Expressway

2011-11-04T01:45:00.001+08:00

A-G’s report lists faults and cost overruns for Senai-Desaru Expressway

PETALING JAYA: Despite the land acquisition costs for the Senai-Desaru Expressway project in Johor ballooning from RM365mil to RM740.6mil, the highway has been found to be unsatisfactory and a danger to road users.
According to the Auditor-General’s Report, among the reasons for the doubling of land acquisition costs were the compensation payment which exceeded market prices, high injurious affection and severance payments, and interest of 8% due to late repayments.
The completed 77km-Senai Desaru Highway, worth RM1.37bil, was also found not to be in accordance with specifications, resulting in damage to the road surface and endangering road users.
“Although the project for Package 3 was 100% completed in April, the road surface is undulating and river protection has not been built on the Sungai Selat Mendana, Sungai Layang, Sungai Papan, Sungai Semenchu and Sungai Chemaran.

Bad job: Despite its high cost, the Senai-Desaru Expressway was found it to be a danger to road users.

“Revetment protection has yet to be constructed along the Pulau Juling Highway causing soil erosion along the area and pollution to the mangrove swamps,” the report said.
The construction agreement for the project was signed between the Federal Government and the concession company on July 31, 2004, with the intention of linking Johor Baru to the Desaru tourist area, and to reduce the congestion on the Pasir Gudang Highway.
The report also found that the statistics prepared by the Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA), which regulates the project management of the highway, showed that the actual number of vehicles using the highway was less than the traffic forecast by the concession company (which was approved by the Road Planning Division of the Public Works Ministry in December 2001).
The actual traffic volume achieved was only 1.9% of the forecast for three months in 2009, and 8.3% in 2010.
The report also found that the concession company had failed to complete the construction work in the stipulated period and did not maintain the highway satisfactorily.
“The concession company has yet to take action to resolve the non-compliance reports issued by the MHA,” the report said, adding that delays in completing the project had resulted in delays for the Government receiving the income of 20% of the profits of the toll collection.
The report then recommended for MHA to review the feasibility studies done by the concession company to ensure that the facts presented were accurate, and to take into account realistic land acquisition costs to avoid unnecessary significant cost increases, and for the concession agreement to be reviewed thoroughly.
The Treasury Department said that, although the initial planning had been done thoroughly, the land conversion factor as well as the development order by the state authority had contributed to the spike in land acquisition costs.
“This is because the Government had to pay a high compensation rate on buildings which had already been built,” the Treasury said, adding that the acquisition cost was first estimated in 2002, while Valuation and Property Services Department had valued the land based on rates as at November 2004, which was higher than in 2002.
“To prevent this from recurring, allocation for land acquisition will be capped for highway privatisation projects.
“If the land acquisition cost exceeds the capped amount, then the additional cost for the land acquisition should be borne by the concession company,” the report stated.
On the issue of the undulating road surface, the Treasury said all 15 problematic locations had been identified and the report for the repair work had also been submitted to MHA on April 29.

Source: The Star - Saturday, October 29,2011

******

Motorists want extension of lanes
By DESIREE TRESA GASPER

KOTA TINGGI: Motorists have expressed their disappointment on the last stretch of the newly opened Senai–Desaru highway.
The last stretch spanning 27km from Cahaya Baru to Desaru includes a single plane cable styled bridge across Sungai Johor but most of the road only has two lanes.
Safety officer S.Amuldass, 50, said that the last stretch was more like a trunk road.
“Of course our travelling time is shorter by half, but we were puzzled as to why the road only has two lanes instead of four,” he said.

Only two lanes: The new stretch of the Senai-Pasir Gudang- Desaru expressway which was officially opened recently. Many users were disappointed with the new stretch of the expressway as it only has two lanes.

Factory worker Looi Hock Kiat, 44, who agreed with Amuldass said that it was the only flaw on the new highway to the dual passageway.
“If the road is not expanded, I foresee traffic jams in the future as many people will be travelling to Desaru especially during the holiday season,” he said.
Assistant manager Mohd Azman Emus Abdullah, 41, said that he was also surprised to discover new stretch with only two lanes.
“The only area along the stretch which has four lanes is the bridge itself but the moment you cross the bridge, you are back to a two-laned highway,” he said.
Desaru Tourism Association chairman Lt Kol (Rtd) Mohd Jamal Salleh however said that the opening of the highway was a blessing for the tourism industry in Desaru.
“Most of the resort owners and other tourism players here have upgraded their services and renovated their premises because we are all anticipating greater tourist arrivals with the opening of the highway,” he said.
Commenting on the matter Senai-Desaru Expressway Bhd (SDEB) chief executive officer Mustaza Salim said that the decision to build two lanes for the last stretch was based on earlier traffic forecasts conducted in the area.
“We will continue to monitor the flow of traffic and if needed we will widen the roads,” he said adding that so far he has received positive feedback from motorists.

Source: The Star - Tuesday, June 14, 2011

******

Drowning Sorrows In Bedok Reservoir

2011-11-02T23:22:00.001+08:00

Chinese national Lin Xiao, 23, had been missing since April 28.
On the day he went missing, mother and son left for work together that Thursday morning.

When 43-year old Madam Hu Ping Zhu, a hawker, returned home from work in the afternoon, her son's mobile phone was on the table.
She discovered he did not report to work as an apprentice at Kaki Bukit.that day, after reading an SMS from his colleague.
His divorced parents had paid $6,350 agent fee to get him a job here.
The university graduate arrived in Singapore last year in November, to live with his mother.
She married a Singaporean more than two years ago.

A quiet person with no other relatives and no friends in Singapore, Hu was worried that her son could have run away due to work stress.
He had once asked if the agent fee could be earned back.
Although the mother had never asked his son for repayment, she felt he could have been pressured to earn the money back.
For the sake of her son's safety, the mother was willing to let him return to China if he reappeared.

Described as diligent by a colleague, Lin found it tough being in Singapore.
His mother spent sleepless nights not only roaming the streets near their home, but forested areas in Kaki Bukit near his workplace too, searching for her only son.
She printed and distributed 30 fliers.
She also searched temples and churches, with hope that he had gone to the temples for the free meals that these places provide.
She searched relentlessly for almost two months for her missing son.

Lin's parents offered $10,000 to anyone for information leading to the son's whereabouts.
48-year old Mr Lin Zuliang, a plant nursery owner in Zhejiang, flew to Singapore from China on May 13 scouring the island for his missing son
In February, the son had reportedly sent an SMS to his father in China, stating that he (Lin) was useless, could not fit into society, could not speak well, did not have enough strength, and not smart enough.
The father did not think much of it.
Instead, he advised him to work harder.

The mother's hopes of her son's safe return was dashed on Monday, June 20, after 20 days of frantic search.
Her worst fears was realised.
The police had gone to her flat after a PUB officer made a report about the highly decomposed body found floating in the reservoir, 2 km away from their residence in Chai Chee.
The mother had earlier filed a police report after her son went missing on April 28.

A bunch of keys was found on the partial body discovered in Bedok Reservoir.
Police officers found the keys fit for the door.
Even before the police has the DNA test results, the depressed mother recognised her son's black Puma belt and the faded jeans she had last seen him wearing.
Undertaker Roland Tay handled the cremation for free.
He used a bamboo board to complete the body.

****** ****** ******

After two years of courtship, Tan Sze Sze and Willy Chin registered their marriage in 2006.
Not long after the registration, she found a condom in her husband's car.
He claimed it belonged to his friend.

While renting a flat in Ang Mo Kio, Tan became pregnant.
They returned to their respective parents' homes before their baby was born.

The 31-year old ex-secretary started suffering from post-natal depression after giving birth to her baby, but refused to seek help.
She then became temperamental..
She was increasingly short-tempered and irritable over the past year.

An introvert and easily depressed by nature, she was extremely protective of her son, whom she called "Baby".
Her relationship with her husband soured about two years ago.
She initiated the divorce proceedings.
She told her mother that life had become too much of a torture.

She was fiercely protective of her 3-year-old Jerald Chin Le Hui.
She spent most of her time looking after him.
She had frequent fights with her estranged husband over their son.
She became increasingly upset after being embroiled in a bitter child custody battle with her estranged husband.

Last year, Madam Tan had once allowed her ex-husband to take their son home.
But the then 2-year old came back with a nose that did not stop bleeding for two days.
He cried constantly.
From then on, the mother refused to let her son go with his father.
The boy was only allowed to see his father in the vicinity of their home with her, or his grandmother's presence.
53-year old Tan Geok Lai, claimed her ex-son-in-law would kick up a fuss at their home.
She admitted to yelling at him to go away.
The elderly mother use vulgar language to tell him off.
Once, he called the police when his mother-in-law use a shoe to hit him.

Things turned ugly when he threatened them with a lawsuit.
He had to call in the police and applied for a court order for access to the boy on weekends.

Once, when policemen came knocking at their flat in French Road, the mother grabbed her son and crouched in a corner, repeatedly saying that she was afraid.
They told her that if she did not comply with the court order, she would be fined.
She might have to go to jail, or punishment would be heavier the next time, if she could not pay the fine.

Tan had been fined earlier, for not allowing her husband access to their son.
She was worried that she would be jailed if she could not pay up.
She lived with her part-time fortune-teller mother, and four other family members in a one-room rental flat in Lavender area.
Unemployed, she lived on her mother's Central Provident Fund savings, as well as $300 monthly allowance from her husband.

The father would come to the flat every week for more than a year, pleading to see his son.
Often, the door would stay shut.
Or Tan would be chasing away her husband with a slipper and swearing at him.
The father had been seen waiting or squatting by the door and called out his son outside the flat, with a bag of diapers for him.

Tan was afraid that her son would be snatched from her.
Her son was her life.
Just before she went missing on Tuesday, September 20, Tan told her mother that she planned to kill herself and take her child with her.

On Thursday, September 22, Tan was found floating face down in Bedok Reservoir, with her son.
When PUB officers found them, Madam Tan was hugging her son.
The pair were pronounced dead about 10 minutes later.

They were joined by red string at their wrists and wore red T-shirts.
Both mother and son's fingernails were painted red.

They were were last seen in Clementi Central on Tuesday morning.
The elder mother was at work in Clementi Central when her daughter arrived with Jerald.
She cried inconsolably, saying she was a disappointment.
She was unable to protect her son.
After they left, Tan switched off her mobile phone.
When the family could not reach her, they called the police, who then released a missing persons statement to the media at about 7pm on Wednesday.

Family members found Tan's house keys in the mailbox.
There was also a box with photo album in it, and the namecard of undertaker Roland Tay, who handled her father's funeral three years ago.
A suicide note was attached and instructions on what to do after her death.

The stress of her broken marriage, and fear of losing the custody battle for their son, pushed her over the edge.

******

Mr Willy Chin arrived at the wake early Sunday morning at 6.50am to pay his last respects to his wife of five years, and his son, for a short five minutes.
He was to avoid meeting the family.

He was earlier deprived by his wife's relatives from attending the funeral wake.
He had secretly gone to the wake seeing his deceased family on Friday night, but was angrily accosted by relatives of his wife.
They crowded around his van, tried to drag him, hurled vulgarities and accused him of causing double deaths.

He managed to escape, but was subsequently confronted at his house by Madam Tan's mother, sister and her husband and two other relatives.
The police were later called to the scene.
The sister's husband was arrested when he refused to leave.
On Saturday, Chin went to Roland Tay's office, crying and begging the undertaker to speak to his wife's family.

In life, Chin wanted to give his son the toys he had painstakingly collected - more than 50 of the Happy Meal toys, which only come out once a week.
That's more than a year's worth of toys.

In death, the colourful toys were his last present to his only child, Jerald Chin Le Hui.
He arrived at the wake with three shopping bags full of toys and clothes for his son.
But again, Mr Chin never got his wish.
The toys did not follow his son to the other world as he had wished.

His last gifts to his son were later stuffed in black trash bags and left at the rubbish collection area.
It was unceremoniously thrown away by Jerald's 8-year-old cousin and his maternal grandmother.
Madam Tan's grieving family members believe Chin's act was only a show.
They will never forgive hm.

Although this is the second incident of bodies found in Bedok Reservoir, it is the ninth case of dead bodies found floating in waterways and reservoirs in Singapore this year.

cont'd...

While Waiting For Eidul Adha...

2011-11-01T17:51:00.000+08:00

Praise belongs to ALLAH s.w.t.
Peace be upon Rasulullah s.a.w., his family and companions.

Dzulhijjah days are among the most magnificent days in Islamic calendar.
Dzulhijjah has many virtues, based on many things, particularly in its first ten days.
The first ten days of Dzulhijjah are the days of virtue and righteous deeds.
Quranic verses and Hadith indicate that the first ten days of Dzulhijjah are better than all the other days of the year.

The first ten days of Dzulhijjah have been preferred by ALLAH s.w.t. over all the other days of the whole year,
except that the last ten days of Ramadhan,
which are considered better than them for they include Lailatul Qadr
- the Night of Power,
which is better than a thousand months.

Celebrate the Praises of ALLAH s.w.t. during the appointed days:
Tasbih (Subhaanallah),
Tahmid (Alhamdulillah)
Takbir (Allahu Akbar) and
Talbiyah (Labbaikallah Humma Labbaik).

It is our duty to appreciate the blessed month of Dzulhijjah,
having more concentration in our prayers,
always on our very best.
Dzulhijjah is a wonderful moment
immersing ourselves as much Iba'dah, acts of worship, as possible.
Devotion and sincerity do have its reward.

Abdullah ibn Umar r.a., the son of Saidina Umar r.a.,
reported that The Prophet s.a.w. said:

"There are no days greater in the sight of ALLAH
and

in which righteous deeds are more beloved to HIM
than these ten days,

so during this time
recite a great deal of
Tahlil (Laa Ilaaha Illallah), Takbir and Tahmid."

- Reported by Ahmad

Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. commanded the believers
to recite a lot of Tasbih, Tahmid and Takbir during these days.

Ibn Abbas r.a. reported that The Prophet s.a.w. said:

"There are no days
in which righteous deeds
are more beloved to ALLAH

than these ten days."

The people asked,
"Not even jihad for the sake of ALLAH?"

He said,

"Not even jihad for the sake of ALLAH,

except in the case of a man
who went out to fight giving himself

and his wealth up for the cause,
and came back with nothing."

- Bukhari

These ten days are a great blessing from ALLAH s.w.t. to all of us.

Even for us, who are not undertaking the Haj,
the first ten days of Dzulhijjah are a special time to remember ALLAH s.w.t.
A great opportunity to sincerely correct oneself.
Bettering our deeds and seek HIM for forgiveness and guidance.

The Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.
encouraged people to do righteous deeds
due to the virtue of these days
and the Haj season during which the Haj season is situated.
The Prophet s.a.w. said that
the first ten days of Dzulhijjah
are a special time for devotion,
for during these ten days that most of the Haj rites occur.

i) - 9th Dzulhijjah is the 'Arafah Day (Yaumul 'Arafah),
the date when all pilgrims assemble on the plain of 'Arafah, six miles away from Makkatul Mukarramah.
Pilgrims perform the most essential part of the prescribed duties of Haj - Wuquf - the stay in 'Arafah.

Yaumul Arafah is the day when the Mercy of ALLAH s.w.t. descends in Abundance.
Yaumul 'Arafah is the day when sins are Forgiven,
and do'a Accepted,
all through HIS Compassion and Mercy.
Yaumul 'Arafah is the day which ALLAH sw.t. perfected one's Religion.

The Prophet s.a.w. was asked about fasting on Yaumul 'Arafah.
He s.a.w. said,

"It compensates for the (minor) sins of the past
and the coming year."

- Ibnu Majah

The 'Arafah fast has been emphasized by the Prophet s.a.w.
as a desirable act.
Fasting on these ten blessed days,
or at least a day, on the 9th Dzulhijjah, will bring us closer to HIM.

Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. has said,

"One fast during these days
is equal to the fasting of one complete year,

and the worship of one night during this period

is equal to the worship in the "Lailatul-Qadr".

For us not performing the Haj,
it is desirable to fast on this day.

ii) - Beginning from the Fajr of the 9th Dzulhijjah up to the 'Asr prayer of the 13th,
it is encouraged on us to recite the Takbir of Tashriq after each daily prayer.

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar,

La Ilaha Illallahu, Wallahu Akbar,

Allahu Akbar wa Lillahilhamd.

(There is no other God but ALLAH and ALLAH is the Greatest,

Allah is the Greatest and to ALLAH belongs all Praise).

iii) - 10th Dzulhijjah is Eidul Adha.
Unlike 'Eidul Fitr,
sunnah is not to eat before the 'Eid prayer.

iv) - The Qurban.
An act of total submission to ALLAH s.w.t.
and a complete obedience to HIM, without hesitation.
It is encouraged for all to make sacrifices for themselves and their dependents.
The sacrifice of animals - goat, sheep, cow or camel - during the 10th, 1lth and 12th of Dzulhijjah.

Looking beyond its mundane benefits,
it is to understand the spirit of most superior qualities so necessary
to keep humanity in a state of lasting peace and welfare.
Qurban is but a powerful symbol of the required human conduct
submitting to the DIVINE commands.
The spirit of total submission to HIM,
irrespective of difference in our economy or society.

Pine not, whine not, if we are unable to slaughter a sacrifice.
For general Qurban included all acts of charity too, all year round.
The purpose of charity is nothing,
but to seek ALLAH s.w.t.'s pleasure.
And, sacrifices are in many forms too.

Sincerity is always priorotised.
Verily, good deeds remove small sins.
A gentle reminder for the mindful, for those who accept advice.

Perform sincere prayers.

"And establish regular prayers at the two ends of the day

and at the approaches of the night:

for those things that are good remove those that are evil:

be that the word of remembrance

to those who remember (their LORD)"

- (Hud: 114).

Pray that HE Bless us with HIS Virtues.
Pray that HE Bless us with spiritual gains
Pray that we are all Blessed in these magical moments of Dzulhijjah.

Reflecting of our past doings will have great benefits for us:
People around us, family, neighbours, relatives and friends.
Pray for the very best.
For His Bounty of what's already in our possession.
His Reward, not a burden:

"On no soul do ALLAH place a burden

greater than it (the soul) can bear.

It gets every good that it earns,

and it suffers every ill that it earns.

(Pray):

"Our GOD,

condemn us not if we forget or fall into error.

Our GOD,

lay not on us a burden like that

which YOU did lay on those before us.

Our GOD,

lay on us not a burden greater

than we have strength to bear.

Blot out our sins,

and grant us Forgiveness.

Have Mercy on us.

YOU are our PROTECTOR,

Help us against those who stand against Faith."

- Al-Baqarah : 286

Our Children's Education, At Its Best ?

2011-10-31T17:55:00.000+08:00

Pilot project for vocational training
By NELSON BENJAMIN

SINGAPORE: A total of 50 schools have been selected to carry out a pilot project offering a subject on basic vocational training for students entering secondary school, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said.
Muhyiddin, who is also Education Minister, also said the subject would be offered to students in Form One to Form Three beginning next year and would be on a voluntary basis.
“We will issue them with certificates and if they want to continue after that, they can pursue vocational training until diploma level,” he said, adding that the subject would be taught during school hours.
He said the ministry had adequate manpower to teach the subject.

Quizzed: Muhyiddin (middle) asking hospitality student Michelle Yap (left) during his visit to the Institute of Technical Education.

Muhyiddin reiterated that this project was in line with plans to carry out a transformation of the existing vocational training model being used in the country.
He added that the ministry was keen to learn from Singapore’s model as, presently, 20% of those entering the republic’s schooling system opted for vocational training.
“At the moment, 70% of their vocational courses are based on practical applications while 30% involves theory.
“Although the Singaporean model is different, we are interested to learn from them as they started early,” he said during a press conference after his two-day official visit to the island nation recently.
While in Singapore, he visited the Institute of Technical Education College West to find out more about its vocational training.
During his trip, Muhyiddin had inspected the Tuas South Incineration Plant.
He said Malaysia would have to follow Singapore’s steps to build such incinerators as part of its long-term measures to manage solid waste in the country.
“Back home we have a lot of challenges, especially managing people’s concerns whenever we decide to build such a plant.
“But whatever system we use, it will be the best as in Singapore. They not only dispose of their waste this way, but also generate electricity with it,” he added.
On other matters discussed during the visit, Muhyiddin said all issues agreed by both countries, especially with regards to the handing over of KTMB land in Tanjung Pagar, the handing over of the Singapore water treatment plant to Johor and the development of property projects, were proceeding as planned.
“One issue that both parties have agreed to take to a mediator is the development charges imposed on certain pieces of land in Singapore,” he said.
Earlier, at dinner with about 250 Malaysians living in Singapore, Muhyiddin called for citizens to return home and contribute their skills to the country’s development.
He said the country was in need to professionals and those with these skills should think about returning to Malaysia.
“It is good that you have served the Singaporean community. Now it is time to think about Malaysia.
“There are many avenues for you, especially through Talent Corp,” he said in his speech during the dinner.
Muhyiddin added that talent is needed to fill at least three million jobs that will be created through the various economic and transformation models being carried out by the government.

Source: The Star - Saturday, October 29, 2011

******

Where we have gone wrong in education

DEPUTY Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has indicated a desire to learn from Singapore’s vocational and technical education.
May I point out that success in any field at higher levels does not happen in isolation?
A lot of work has to be done at the foundation so as to pave the way for such achievements to occur.
Trying to emulate whatever is happening at the top level without first scrutinising and doing the same at the foundation is bound to lead to failure.
As far as the Singapore model is concerned, it does not take much to see what they have been doing at the foundation.
At a very simplistic level and one that is obvious to all but those who refuse to see:
> HAVE only one national education system that caters to all;
> MEDIUM of instruction – English; and
> PAY the teachers well to attract the best to enter the profession.
Do we not realise that what Malaysia has done and is doing is directly the opposite to the above?
This is our situation:
> OUR education system is split: There exists national schools which are primarily Malay medium, national-type Chinese and Tamil schools, and private ones which cater to parents who want their children to have the advantage of learning in English.
> MULTIPLE mediums of instruction in school which multiply the difficulties for our children when they enter institutions of higher learning because of the lack of fluency in English, which is the medium used in most universities abroad.
And now with the imminent reversal of PPSMI, the problem of poor fluency in English in subjects for which a command of the language is of utmost importance in order to ensure progress will resurface.
> LOW and unattractive salary scale for the teaching profession.
The notion of trying to overcome problems by tackling the issue(s) at the wrong level is evident in the way the Government is trying to instill racial integration through programmes like National Service.
Does it make sense to tell the youth at age 17 or 18 to learn to live together with other races in harmony when they’ve lived out their entire formative years in racial isolation in schools which have segregated a majority of them by race?
Save the money currently being poured into National Service and use it to reboot the failing school system.
Put our children together in schools where, from a young age, they can interact with all races and a natural outcome of this will be racial integration.
Listen to the voices of Malaysians united across the racial divide, encompassing all ages, over the request to continue PPSMI for the benefit of our future generations.
Then maybe young Malaysians in future will instead have the upper hand and be able to teach the Singaporeans a thing or two about education instead of being condemned to lag behind them forever.
As a matter of interest, can the public be informed as to which schools the children/grandchildren of the politicians, who are against the PPSMI, are in?
If the PPSMI is not retained, can it be made mandatory for them to be enrolled in the national school so as to be able to get the “best” education possible for them?
H0OR YOU MEI,
Kuala Lumpur.

Source: The Star - Sunday, October 30,2011

******

Don’t tinker with PPSMI

I REFER to the letter “Where we have gone wrong in education” (Sunday Star, Oct 30). I cannot agree with her more.
The Education Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, on an official visit to Singapore, sang praises about the vocational and technical education system in Singapore.
Did he fail to realise that as a whole, parents in Malaysia are envious of the good education system in Singapore?
It is not only vocational education alone that is worth emulating. The schools in Singapore are well funded, teachers are motivated, the standard of teaching is high.
But more importantly, they teach in English, the language of science, commerce, and diplomacy of the 21st century.
The National University of Singapore (NUS) ranks consistently as one of the top 30 universities in the world.
Universiti Malaya, the precursor institution of NUS before the two universities split in the 1960’s, struggles to stay within the top 200, despite numerous attempts by many vice-chancellors to improve its ranking.
This is an example of how our education system has deteriorated. It is all because of meddling by our politicians since the early 1960s.
Now we know why there are bus loads of school children crossing the check point in Johor Baru at 4am every morning.
Not something that you would want for your children if you do not believe that studying in English gives them an edge in the job market.
I cannot understand the statement made by Muhyiddin yesterday, that it would be ‘kucar kacir’ (chaotic) if parents are given the choice to choose the medium of instruction for Science and Maths.
This situation arose only because of the Education Ministry’s weak position on Teaching of Science and Maths in English.
I could sense that the level of English among our teenagers was improving because of this policy.
Malay, Chinese and Indian kids no longer give you a blank look when you speak to them in English.
The children themselves agree that their English is improving. So what if we do not have enough competent English teachers for now?
The teachers’ English proficiency will definitely improve over time.
Do not underestimate our children’s ability to cope on their own, with the help of the Internet, tons of study materials are available in English compared to Bahasa, and also the fervour of the parents helping their children with school work. We need at least 20 years to see results.
An entire generation of school children will benefit if this policy is carried through with strong will.
Unfortunately, our Cabinet, together with the ministry, saw it fit to again tinker with something that works, pandering to grouses of a few short-sighted Malay and Chinese educationists and numerous obscure pressure groups who may not even have school-going children!
I also find it extremely hypocritical that our ministers and senior politicians have no shame when they mention that their children are studying in international schools instead of national schools.
Why the need to study in international schools? Is it not because they can learn in English?
Why is the future of our children less important than theirs?
I urge the Deputy Prime Minister and his colleagues in the Cabinet to think again for the future of other people’s children, and do not back track on this policy of teaching of Science and Maths in English.
It is the only semblance of a good education the average child can hope for in this country.
YAP BOON KAH,
Kuala Lumpur.

Source: The Star - Monday, October 31, 2011

Singaporeans Only

2011-10-30T23:39:00.000+08:00

Johor moots quicker immigration checks for Singaporeans
By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal October 29, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 — The Johor Immigration Department is now providing mobile counters to allow Singaporeans to register for a biometric system which will get them through immigration checkpoints quicker, the Singapore Straits Times said yesterday.
Introduced in 2009 to attract investors to the Johor Iskandar region, the Malaysia Automated Clearance System (Macs) was extended to all Singaporeans and permanent residents earlier this year.

A statue of the Merlion, a symbol of Singapore, is seen illuminated in front of the city-state’s financial district at dusk in Singapore. The Immigration Department is making it easier for Singaporeans to enter Malaysia. — Reuters pic

For RM30 (S$12), applicants for the biometric system will get a special sticker with a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip attached to their passport, valid for a year, which allows them to use dedicated lanes at immigration checkpoints and bypass filling out immigration forms. Registration would take only five minutes, state director Nasri Ishak was quoted as saying in the report.
The mobile counters, open between 10am and 10pm, are located in the City Square Johor Baru shopping complex, Giant Hypermarket in Tampoi, Jaya Jusco in Tebrau and Holiday Plaza and will be open till November 15.
Last year, tourists from Singapore made up more than half the 24.6 million visitors to Malaysia. Visitors from Singapore made some 13 million trips, an increase of 2.4 per cent from 2009.
The Johor Immigration Department made headlines on June 14 when two Singaporean women, who had intended to drive to Johor Baru for supper, were questioned by immigration officials, handcuffed, thrown behind bars and made to do squats while naked.
The two women claimed they drove through uninspected because the immigration lane was unmanned, and that no one answered the intercom.
Following their punishment, they were allowed to return to Singapore after 48 hours with a warning.
Both women have reportedly vowed never to return to Malaysia after the incident, which drew criticism from Malaysian opposition MPs who called the act “humiliating and ridiculous.”
The Singapore government has that it has not ended the probe into allegations that the two women were forced to perform nude squats by Malaysian immigration officers.
Singapore said it was told on September 9 by the Malaysian High Commission “that a thorough investigation of the case had been completed.

Source: The Malaysian Insider

Thousand Years Later, A Letter, Rightfully Delivered

2011-10-29T18:19:00.001+08:00

When the people of Madinah, the Ansar (the Patrons), heard that Prophet Muhammad sollallaahu alaihi wa sallam was coming to Madinah from Makkah on His Hijrah in 622 AD, they started making preparations for his arrival.
The Ansar cleaned the streets and spring cleaning their houses.
All of them wanted Muhammad s.a.w. to be welcomed into their houses.

To overcome the generosity of Ansar, The Prophet s.a.w. came up with a proposal.
His camel was to rein free.
The camel was let loose.
Let his camel go its own way for the ship of the desert is guided by its CREATOR.

When the camel finally knelt, Rasulullah s.a.w. did not dismount.
Up on its feet, went down the streets ambling for some distance, it then turned back and knelt at the same spot as before.
Adjacent to the spot where the camel knelt was the house of Abu Ayyub Ansori rodhiallaahu 'anhu.

Abu Ayyub r.a. quickly lifted the saddle from the camel and took it home.
Rasulullah s.a.w., with his sense of humour, remarked that
'A man must follow his saddle,”
He followed Abu Ayyub r.a.
Masjidin Nabwi was then built on that very spot where the camel stopped.

Born in 576 AD as Khalid bin Zaid bin Kulaib, Abu Ayyub r.a. hailed from the tribe of Bani Najjar.
Aptly called Abu Ayyub, as an indication he's the father of Ayyub.

Rasulullah s.a.w. stayed in Abu Ayoob r.a.'s house for seven months until the erection of Masjidin Nabawi had completed.
Ironically, the house was built for Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. by the king of Yemen, Tab’a Awwal Hamiri, a thousand years earlier.

******

Muhammad s.a.w., saw the servant of the house was approaching him.
The Prophet s.a.w asked if the servant of the house is Abu Laila.
Abu Laila (father of Laila) was surprised, having his name mentioned by Rasulullah s.a.w. who had just came from Makkah.
But knew his name.

The Prophet s.a.w. continued that He's the Messenger of ALLAH.
He wanted to have His letter which was sent by the then king of Yemen, Tab’a Awwal Hamiri.
It was written a thousand years earlier.
Abu Laila was asked to bring the letter, which he had been entrusted to, for safekeeping.

He appeared before Rasulullah s.a.w. with the letter.
It had been passed down from generation to generation for over a thousand years from King Tab’a Awwal Hamiri.
After Rasulullah s.a.w was presented the letter, upon acknowledging it, He congratulated the pious GOD's servant Tab’a Awwal Hamiri.

The letter from King Hamiri stated that he pledged his faith in Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. and in the Book (Qur'an) that will be revealed to this Prophet.
He follows the path of Muhammad's religion.

If he is fortunate enough to see Rasulullah s.a.w., then it will be a great pleasure for him.
If it is not possible, he request Prophet Muhammad s.a.w for His intercession (Syafa'ah).
Not to forget him on Judgement Day.

The king believe in Muahammad s.a.w.'s Prophethood.
He pledged his spiritual allegiance (Bai'ah) in advance, before Rasulullah s.a.w.'s arrival.
He, Tab’a Awwal Hamir, swear that there is only one ALLAH and that Muhammad s.a.w. is HIS true Messeger.

****** ****** ******

About 2500 years ago, the king of Yemen, Tab’a Awwal Hamiri, went on a tour in his kingdom, and its neighbouring countries.
In the entourage of this rich king, with him, were 12,000 knowledgeable men ('Alims) and physicians, including 113,000 soldiers.
Wherever they went, people would gather and lined the roadsides to watch and welcome them.
There were much pomp and ceremony.
There were always great procession for these men and soldiers.

But when this entourage reached the outskirts of Makkah, no one came to welcome them to the valley town in the desert.
The king was greatly surprised.
He asked his chief minister,
'Where have all gone to, instead of gathering together in droves to welcome them?'

The minister replied that there is a house in the town Baitullah.
All folks have great respect for it.
The king's entourage has no comparison to it.
Not only neighbouring people, but from far flung places, came for their pilgrimage to Baitullah.
Everybody, poor and peasants, will show no importance to the wealthy or their rulers.
They show more importance, they have greater respect to the Holy House, Baitullah.

The king was furious when he heard the statement.
He declared that he will raze the House to the ground and will kill all the people living in Makkah.

Just after he said that, blood started oozing from his eyes, mouth and nose.
Men in his entourage kept their distance from their own king.
They wanted to stay away from the nonstop oozing blood.

He was sleepless nights after nights.
His condition worsened.
Doctors and physicians were unable to provide the best treatment for their king.
Nobody could help nor provide the badly needed treatment.
But the king wanted to be treated by any means and at any cost.

One of the GOD fearing physician amongst the king's entourage inspected him.
Upon taking his pulse, the physician claimed that the cause of the king's bad condition is about spirituality.
No other form of medicines will work on him.

If the king harbours evil intention, his condition will not improve.
But will probably worsened.
If the king abort his ill intention, he will be forgiven.
His misery will be alleviated.

The GOD fearing physician advised his king to take back his ill intention of wanting to destroy the Ka'bah and killing the valley's folks.
The king should repent, asking forgiveness from the Almighty GOD.

Taking the GOD fearing physician's advice, the king did what he was advised to do.
He needed treatment at any cost.

Soon after he repented, blood stopped spurting from his eyes, mouth and nose.
Miraculously, he was completely cured.

Happy with the recovery, he ordered Ka'bah to be covered with silk material.
He presented gold and silk clothings for all residents of Makkah valley.

******

The entourage continued their journey to Yathrib (Madinah).
The knowledgeable men, those 'Alims had studied Books that had revealed the Prophets who had come earlier before them, and the yet to come Prophet too.
Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.'s Hijrah from Makkah to Madinah is also indicated in these Books.

They went around Yathrib, the other Holy Land that is blessed.
They were overwhelmed with joy having stepped on the sacred land.
They wished to live their lives in Yathrib.
If opportunity arise, GOD Willing, they would meet the Beloved Prophet s.a.w.
Or, at least, The Prophet s.a.w. would visit their graves.

The king, after consultations and advice from his knowledgeable men, made his decision to build 400 homes for his men who wished to stay in Yathrib.
He left financial support for these 400 'Alims who decided to stay behind.
He asked for a house for Rasulullah s.a.w. to be built too.

He left instructions that Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. is to stay at that house, should Muhammad s.a.w. land in Madinah.
He requested the senior among his 'Alim to present his letter to The Prophet s.a.w., when He eventually comes to Madinah.

But should the 'Alim die earlier before Rasulullah s.a.w.'s arrrival, the letter should be kept and passed on.
The 'Alim's generation will present it to Rasulullah s.a.w.

Generation after generation of the Chief 'Alim, the letter was treasured.
From the initial 400, the number of these 'Alims families, children and their offspring had grown.
They now formed a large community in Yathrib.

Abu Ayyub r.a. (tomb above, in Turkey. Source: Today's Zaman) possessed the letter.
He's the descendent of the Chief 'Alim.
He handed it to his servant, Abu Laila for safekeeping.
Abu Laila then delivered it to Rasulullah s.a.w., the rightful owner.

The Haj - GOD, Accept Our Prayers

2011-10-28T14:52:00.000+08:00

Turkish pilgrims embark on Haj, pray for quake victims



Van residents who were about to leave for Haj make prayers for earthquake victims.

Turkish earthquake survivors drew strength from their Muslim faith as they set off on an annual Haj pilgrimage to Mecca, keeping in their prayers loved ones they had lost or left behind seeking shelter from the wet, wintry weather.

In all, some 900 pilgrims were expected to make the long pilgrimage from Van in southeastern Turkey, to the holy city of Mecca, despite the tremor on Sunday that has killed at least 534 people and left thousands homeless.
"We're going with a different feeling now," said Suat, a cleanly-shaved man in his late 30s, worried about his family now living in a tent, as he waited in the small departure hall of Van Airport on Thursday.
He was among a group of around 100 pilgrims writing to embark a plane for İstanbul, on the first leg of their trip. A frantic, noisy crowd of relatives filled the hall to see them off.
"We are overwhelmed, we will pray for our families. I will pray that the weather will not be so cold," Suat added, as those without shelter in the devastated towns and villages in eastern Turkey risked being drenched by freezing rain.
Having been lucky enough to have been allocated one of the limited number of seats granted to Turkey under a quota Saudi Arabia awards each Muslim country for the Haj, the pilgrims did not want to lose their chance.
They had planned their trip months in advance and what is already a special experience for all pious Muslims has gained extra poignancy for those who have witnessed the destruction in the last four days.
In contrast to the desperate and mournful expressions etched on the faces of people across Van province, the pilgrims had looks of hope and devotion in their eyes as they embarked on a journey which is one of the five pillars of Islam.
"My biggest prayer will be for Van and for my family left behind. I will ask God not to punish us anymore with these earthquakes," said Fevzi Gürkaynak, 61, whose house was damaged though not destroyed by the quake.
Survivors in Van pleaded for more tents on Thursday, fearing death from cold after the tremor left thousands sleeping in the open. Hopes of finding more survivors have faded.
A lot of the pilgrims were elderly, the majority men.
Many of the male pilgrims wore loose-fitting light brown trousers and jackets, bearing a badge emblazoned with the Turkish flag for identification. Once in İstanbul they will change into the white ihram garment which male pilgrims are required to wear.
Some female pilgrims wore white headscarves and long light-brown dresses.
Turkey's religious affairs directorate has arranged to take 500 people on the pilgrimage, with private companies taking another 400, Mehdi Kulaz from the Haj department of the local religious authority told Reuters.
He said three pilgrims had not been able to make the journey because they had lost close relatives or their homes in the quake.
Another pilgrim, Zait Sönmez, said his house had emerged unscathed but a nephew was missing.
"My nephew was under some wreckage and they haven't been able to pull him out. May God give strength to our state, our nation and rescue people. I will pray for my country. May God forgive us," he said.

Source: Today's Zaman - Thursday, October 27, 2011

Wicked Mother-In-Law At Work

2011-10-26T22:30:00.000+08:00

While placing one of his finger at Tina*'s neck, Ustaz recited his selawat.
Tina's facial expression showed she was cringing with great pain, her eyeballs looked up, her four limbs were all struggling.
She had started the opening of her silat, the Malay self defence.

"Engkau siapa? Siapa hantar engkau? Kenapa kacau Tina?"
Ustaz continued with her ruqyah verses.
Questions after questions, verses after versus from the Qur'an were recited.

The jinn inside Tina could not take the life threatening episode any longer.
It began to cry and promised to leave Tina's body.
Ustaz told the unseen being if it is to disturb Tina again, Ustaz will seek GOD's permission to kill it.

After Tina was better, she said she kept seeing the dukun who used to visit her mother-in-law.
As far as she knows, the traditional Malay healer is only a family friend.

But she was in a suspicious environment not long after marriage and staying with her in-laws.
Many frightening dreams and incidences had happened.
Worst of all, a great weight had blocked her breathing.
She was always at the brink of death.

The first night at her in-laws' house, Tina already had nightmare.
Sleep disturbances were frequent, until they moved to their own home.
If not, she would often feel the presence of her husband beside her, although she knew that he was still at work.

Tina was not allowed to prepare morning coffee for her husband, nor preparing dinner for the family.
She knew, she had seen without her mother-in-law's knowledge, that the mother would blow into the plate of hot rice from which her husband will then eat.
She found it odd upon checking the kitchen cabinet, there were portions of sugar and salt, tied in small plastics.

*******

The jinn inside Tina had agreed to become a Muslim.
After syahadah was recited for the conversion, it is not supposed to return to its master.
It will stay at the 'said' mosque where it will have to attend tazkirah, learning to become a better GOD's creature.
It is not to become human's slave.

******

"Ummie tak bawak balik ke air tu?
Dah puas cari dalam kereta. Tak adalah."
Tina asked about the water that Ustaz had asked her to bath with.
I knew I did not bring it home with me.

She called Ustaz asking about the matter.
He said that the jinn's owner had send 'someone' to take it away.
The owner was furious knowing her slave has turned against her.

In the meantime, Tina is to recite Ta'aawuz a thousand times daily, and
Laa Ilaaha Illallaah.Wahdahu Laa Syariikalah.
Lahul Mulku Wa Lahul Hamd.
Yuhyii WaYumiit. WaHuwa 'Alaa Kullii Syai'in Qodiir.

Tina knows her mother-in-law always wanted her dead.
Often her husband's nephews and nieces told her that their grandmother likes this particular someone to be her daughter-in-law.
Until today, all family members know that the grandmother still harbours her dream.

The Haj - We Are No Judges

2011-10-26T09:49:00.000+08:00

Sukisno aka Novi, a hajj pilgrim from Bojonegoro, East Java walked out from a rest room at the King Abdul Aziz Airport, Jeddah to perform hajj on Sunday night.
Sukisno, a beauty salon business person, admitted his transvestite status and planned to learn Islam totally after the hajj. (Antara/Prasetyo Utomo)

Source: The Jakarta Post - October 24, 2011

******

Before the scheduled date when I was to follow S back to her hometown in Lampung, Indonesia, she called to say she had to return home immediately.
Her father had passed away in Mecca.
So, her mother returned home at a much earlier date.
Neither her husband nor her children tagged along.

S had planned for me to meet her village teacher when her parents will be from their Haj last year.

******

The first time I met S, was at Masjid Raya not far from Batam Centre.
I was seeing my friend for the last time before she and her husband perform their Haj, in 2006.
S was sending off her father-in-law.

S was initially sceptical about Singaporeans.
Based on what she heard and read, Singaporeans are all about abc - abusive, being bossy, and cheaters.
What's more, her niece who had been working in Singapore for four years as a maid is yet to return home.
S believed the girl was abused, tortured, and her salary was never paid.

It was only after I brought S around, she was taken for an initial shock seeing Indonesian maids with latest handphones and fast texting fingers.
They gathered together, chatting their working hours away, while waiting for children at play.

We then went to hotspot City Plaza.
Many were dolled-up, many wore revealing clothing with jewellery.

S realised, these maids are not up to innocently nothing when many were accompanied by their male Bangladeshi friends.
After several trips to Singapore, and S get to know of married maids having relationship with not only foreign workers, but multiple Singaporean partners who support them, providing them cash, topping-up their phonecards, S realised her wrong perception of Singaporeans.

From then on, we became closer.

******

It was after two years of knowing S that she disclosed her father's predicament.

Her father had been the backbone of his family since he was able to carry loads.
The eldest in his family, responsibility was loaded on his both shoulders before he could understand the meaning of problem.
What's more problem solving.
Since her father became a man before he was even a boy, as a small built farmer, workloads he carried on his shoulder were usually more than any ordinary men able to handle.

Both S's parents were from the same village.
Her mother's parents married off their daughter (S's mother) to the man.
They knew their daughter will be in good hand, having a hardworking husband.

Too hardworking S's father was, until his body gave away.
He became a very old man in his 30s, and had lost all ability to work.
No energy left in his body.
He could not even sit down without being assisted, what's more to stand up.
Doctors just advised him to rest at home.
But as a farmer, there were 1001 things to be done.
They turned to traditional healer, who inserted susuk or charm needle, to support her father's body, for his health and mobility.

******

About 30 years on, the old man was advised to remove the foreign object before he reached the Holy Land.

On one hand, S knew it is religiously wrong to have susuk implanted in one's body.
But on the other, it is used for medicinal purpose, nothing to do for vanity.

I brought this matter to my eldest sister.
The susuk reminded her of a Singaporean female who had the object inserted into her knees, for health reason, after her long stay in hospital.

****** ****** ******

The susuk was not removed when the father left for Haj to complete the last pillar of his faith.
He had worked too hard to make a decent living.
Now, before his death, this ultimate goal needs a scoring too.
He wanted to step the spiritual path, the spiritual journey to reach HIM.
The journey that had been taken by just mere physical creatures who are all owned by THE ONE beyond the material world.

He wanted to see the Ka'abah.
Ka'abah is very inviting.
The very inviting Baitullah invites all sincere guests.
Its OWNER Selects HIS guests.
The father wanted to be one of them.

Baitullah is gravititional.
It has Its own unique pulling force.
That ALLAH's Possession was always in his mind, forever appearing in front of his eyes.

The father wanted to perform tawaf.
He wanted to be part of the whirling scene, like the obedient orbiting planets, never straying away from the designated path, before The CREATOR call off the day.

The father wanted to be present during wukuf, the world's greatest spiritual assembly.
Never mind the susuk inside him.
He wanted to be truthful to himself.
He wanted to lay bare his heart and soul for HIM to see.
HE Who Creates, Knows what's inside HIS mere creation.
The old man brought with him plentiful requests...

After performing their Haj, few days before the scheduled flight home, S's mother was doing her last minute shopping for souvenirs when news reached her that her husband had passed away in his sujud position while praying.

A new chapter in one of GOD's creation had opened.
His journey continues...

Gaddafi's Wealth And Harun Ar-Rasyid's Drinks

2011-10-24T19:29:00.000+08:00

69 year-old Muammar Gaddafi's 42-year rule had ended.
He was found and being pulled out from a sewage drain.

Reports suggest that Gaddafi apparently had an estimated over US$200 billion, spread in bank accounts, real estate, corporate investments and gold, hidden away around the world.
He has some US$125 billion more than Mexican businessman Carlos Slim, whom Forbes estimates to be the world's wealthiest person.
Gaddafi had an Airbus A340 private jet.
It was used to repatriate Abdul Baset Ali Al-Megrahi, upon his release from prison in Scotland in 2009.

Eight-month uprising in Libya is hoped to end, with the ruler's horrible death.
After his death, Gaddafi's body was laid on a mattress in a cold storage, in an old meat store on Friday.
The place was formerly used for meat and other produce in Misrata's old market area.

Gaddafi was discovered hiding in a drainage culvert under a roadway.
The fallen strongman was dragged, beaten, and pushed around, but very much alive when he was found.
He was losing a lot of blood and his aged body could not bear with it.
He was begging for mercy.
The desperate Libyan leader begged for his life by offering gold and money before he was killed.
He was willing to offer anything in exchange for his life - Money and gold exchanged if his life was spared.

Instead of talking about money, as a Muslim, he was told to pray for his soul to be entrusted to God before dying.
But he just kept saying he was ready to give away his lots and lots of money and gold.
He kept pleading for life despite being ridiculed.
He was reminded to pray like a good Muslim before dying rather than lowering his self-esteem.

******

Khalifah Harun Ar-Rashyid, born in Rey, Iran, between 763 - 766, was the fifth Abbasiyah ruler in Iraq, from 786 to 809.

He was intellectually, politically and militarily resourceful.

During his reign, scientific, cultural and religious prosperity were significant.
Baghdad flourished into the most splendid city of its period.
He established the legendary library Baitul Hikmah, or House of Wisdom.

The ruler often asked for advice from his men, from time to time.
There was once when Khalifah was sitting in his palace court when he became very thirsty.
He asked for a glass of water.

An eminent preacher, Ibn Sammaak, who was then visiting Khalifah Harun Ar-Rasyid, asked the ruler,
'If he is in the heart of the desert anywhere in his kingdom,
and he is about to die from thirst
and is refused that glass of drink,
would he bargain for it with half of his kingdom?'

To that question, Khalifah said `Yes.'

After finishing the drink, Ibn Sammaak followed up with another question,
'If that water stopped in his bladder due to some sickness,
then Khalifah is unable to discharge the drink from his body,
would Khalifah be paying another half of his throne just to be able to extricate it?'

Again, Khalifah answered, `Yes.'

Ibn Sammaak then said,
"The kingdom is worth one glass of water.
So is the urine that is produced from it.
What use is it to be proud of immense wealth!"

When Khalifah Harun Ar-Rasyid heard this statement, he went silent before he cried out loud fearing GOD.

Khalifah should show gratuity, not pride,with the kingdom he was entrusted to.
Khalifah should not be deceived by his whole kingdom which he valued it to just his double glass of water.

What does Khalifah desires from his throne, when he himself, equates it to what he had drank and just relieved.

Nights and days, we drink and we relieve ourselves, without GOD asking anything in return.

The World, With Whatever In It, Has No Value

When It Is Devoid Of Faith.

When Faith Is Lost,

So Is Inner Peace.

If Inner Peace Has No Soul,

It Is Not Enlivened By HIM

WHO Enlightened Whoever HE Pleases.

Pleased With Living Lives

Living With Faith

The Very Substance Of Inner Peace.

Nyai Roro Kidul In JB ?

2011-10-22T18:15:00.000+08:00

N* had resumed her work.
She called me yesterday, promising to massage my feet for free.

She had been experiencing breathing difficulties for the past three months.
Even after several visits to the doctor, the breathing problem did not go away.
There is nothing wrong with her, according to the doctor.
She was not able to go to work, even to perform her daily prayers, for that three months.

Two weeks ago, she experienced suffocation.
Then she was not herself.

Nyai Roro Kidul painted by Basuki Abdullah

The spirit of Nyai Roro Kidul had entered her body.
Nyai Roro Kidul, that legendary 'Ratu Laut Selatan', Queen of the Southern Sea of Javanese mythology, is in JB?
Hard to believe, I said, during the first time I heard about it.

She claimed that the Sultan of Yogyakarta, Hamingkubuwono (1 - 10? Or only one of them? I did not ask) is her husband.

Nyai Roro Kidul has other different names too.
Sometime, she is referred to, as 'Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Kidul'.
To the royal palace, 'Keraton' of Surakarta, she is 'Kanjeng Ratu Ayu Kencono Sar'.

My Late Father used to tell stories of her, which I had mostly forgotten by now.
But N's incident reminded me of a documentary I watched few years back.

A group of university students went to make their own research on Nyai Roro Kidul.
They went to Samudra Beach Hotel at Pelabuhan Ratu in West-Java.
Roro Kidul's green room, numbered 308, is well kept.

They were supposed just to make a visit, without touching any items that is in the room.
But one of the student, just took the comb that was placed in-front of the mirror, and started combing his hair, without prior permission from the caretaker.

Not long after, putting on a green T-shirt, he told one of his friend that he was going for a walk into the sea.
The friend who watched him from the hotel room felt uneasy.
The said friend walked not along the beach, but he walked straight to the vast ocean, as if heading towards someone.
His dead body was later found by the search and rescue team in the sea.

It is a well-known legendary fact that Nyai Roro Kidul has always like green.
Men putting on green at the beach, most likely, will be pulled towards the sea and swept away by waves.
A number of them were never found, believed to have become her slaves.

******

Last Saturday, the spirit of Nyai Roro Kidul was in N again.

She came, accompanied by the beat of 'Kuda Lumping' or 'Kuda Kepang' as it is known here.
Claiming herself to be a Buddhist, many of her generations had become well-known, living their lives helping others.
One of them is now with a church, living his good and rich life in Jakarta.

Although N is a Muslim, it is ok for her, as N is her seventh generation.
She chooses N because of her good-heartedness, that makes Nyai wanted to help her to help others.

She warned N's husband, she would go after him if he is to mistreat N.
She touched many issues of N's marital lives.

She knew N wanted to return to Solo this coming Eidul 'Adha.
She named N's relatives back home, whom N has to meet.

She spoke at length non-stop, for more than two hours, of N's good deeds.
Now, Nyai will stay in N's body, never wanting to leave her again.
Nyai said, N has many known 'friends' who envy her.

******

It was the third time that the spirit of Nyai Roro Kidul entered N.
Whenever Nyai entered her body, it was almost deathlike experience for N with excruciating pain and suffocation.
She was unable to perform her daily prayers.

N just wanted to lead a normal life, massaging others.
It is all true what Nyai had said.
She did not deny that she is the seventh generation of Nyai Roro Kidul.

But N knows that whatever goodness had Nyai, her earlier generation, had brought to her - bear in mind - the spirit of Nyai Roro Kidul is a Buddhist.
Whereas N is a practicing Muslim.

Hajarul Aswad

2011-10-20T00:58:00.000+08:00

The Black Stone and its importance
By ADIL SALAHI

When we do the tawaf around the Kaaba, during the pilgrimage or the Umrah, or even as a sunnah, we always start and finish at the eastern corner of the Kaaba where the Black Stone is placed. It is recommended to kiss the Black Stone or touch it at the beginning and as we start every round, but if the place is too crowded, it is enough to just signal with one’s hand, observing what is recommended to do and say during tawaf. It is important, therefore, to know what significance, if any, the Black Stone has.

Umar ibn Al-Khattab, the second closest to the Prophet (peace be upon him) of all his companions, once stood at the Black Stone and kissed it as he was about to do his tawaf. He then addressed it saying: “I know that you are merely a stone that can cause neither harm nor benefit. Had it not been for the fact that I saw the Prophet kissing you, I would not have kissed you.” (Related by Al-Bukhari).

Thus Umar put the whole issue of the Black Stone and its significance in the right perspective. It is a mere stone that causes neither benefit nor harm to anyone. As a stone, it is not different from any other stone. Umar obviously knew that the stone could not hear him, but his words were meant for the people present, and indeed for all others. Saying them there meant that they would be communicated by other pilgrims to all their peoples throughout the Muslim world. Hence, the action of kissing the Black Stone or venerating it seeks only to follow the Prophet’s example, because the Prophet has taught us only what is good. Thus, it falls within the general requirement of following the Prophet’s guidance. The Black Stone has no significance other than its being the mark for the start and end of a particular ritual of worship.

It is useful to know something of the history of the Black Stone. It is well known that the Kaaba was built, on God’s instructions, by the prophets Abraham and Ishmael. It is reported that when they completed its building, Abraham said to his son: ‘Bring me a fine stone to but at this corner. He brought him this stone which was different from the rest of stones they used in the building. It is black with a touch of redness, and looked different in texture. There is no doubt that it is unlike other stones, because it has been there for several thousands of years, retaining its shape, form and color despite all sorts of weather conditions and the billions of hands touching it and lips kissing it. It resisted fires, floods and other turbulent conditions, as well as several cases of renovation and rebuilding. All those who renovated the building of the Kaaba retained it in its position. Some reports suggest that it is a meteor brought to Abraham by the Angel Gabriel. Even if this is true, it does not change its religious status we have mentioned, that it is a stone with no special characteristics or status. When we venerate it, we do so because it marks a ritual of worship, but it is not a part of that worship.

What is part of our worship is to follow the Prophet’s guidance. In this connection, he kissed the Black Stone at times, signaled to it with his staff at other times and signaled with his hand when convenient. Whichever of these is easiest for us when we do the tawaf is perfectly acceptable. We are rewarded for following the Prophet’s example. Anyone who thinks the Black Stone can bring him benefit or prevent harm is in gross error.

Source: Arab News - October 14, 2011

Too Young To Age

2011-10-19T02:20:00.000+08:00

This is the 2006 marriage photo of 21 year old Nguyen Thi Phuong.
She is married to Thanh Tuyen.

In 2008, she suffered allergy reaction.
It was itchiness all over her body.
She had to scratch, even in her sleep.

After a month, she stopped taking drugs as her body itched lesser.
She then switched to traditional medicine.

The itch may have gone, but her skin began to sag and fold.
Her face puffed and wrinkled over a matter of days.

Now, the above 26-year old Nguyen Thi Phuong always don a mask whenever she is out.

It is because of her carpenter husband that she persevered.
He built the confidence and the purpose of living in her.

Read More here.

Their Tomorrow's Marriages

2011-10-18T11:05:00.002+08:00

His siblings are all trying hard to find a wife for him.
When he was asked when he will be getting married, his immediate reply is usually, 'tomorrow'.

Successful in his career, he has more than enough finance for reasonable dowry.
Yes!
Even if that tomorrow is really tomorrow, the next day, he has no qualm of footing whatever reasonable bill that will come with that reasonable 'tomorrow's marriage'.

Yes, definitely he wants to enter the marriage world.
But he's patient enough to play the waiting game, even now entering his 40s.

A number of anon female callers had several times wanted to talk to him, to know him better, to get closer to him, and his closely-knit family.
But he had warned the maid not to ever pass the phone to him.
After much introduction, one after another girl, by relatives and friends, none seemed to be what he usually saw in his dream.

Yes, he had often dream of seeing a girl, wearing black but glittering all over, bangled arm-length, chaperoned by her mother.
In his dream, both mother and daughter were usually doing their shopping at and around Mustafa Centre in Serangoon.

No, he is not keen about the jewellery that adorned the girl's arm.
But he wants to know who the girl is, that often appeared in his dream.

"Move on, it's only a dream."
The big sister had often reminded him.

"No, I know, the girl will surely appear.
She's somewhere now."
The big sister is definitely worried about the brother.

The sister often told the brother of a man who often saw a very beautiful girl in his dream.
For many years, his mother was made to wait anxiously for her to meet her future daughter-in-law while her son lived in his dreamland.

When the actual day (actually it's mid-night) came, for him to meet her, he brought his mother along.
To recognise the girl, she was said to be the only person sitting at the bus-stop nearest to his flat in eastern part of Singapore.
She will be noticed with her fresh yellow, fully blossomed ylang-ylang or cananga (kenanga).

If he was to smile at him.
His smile is the indication that he accepts her into his life.
If not, then she will walk away.

Beside reminding her son, the mother prayed hard that her son will change his mind.
The mother prayed hard that his son will not smile at his dream girl.
It's OK for her to wait longer for another prospective daughter-in-law, not this very beautiful dream girl.

The mother knows, never in the world, that there is known to be any ylang-ylang or cananga (kenanga), its petals are fully blossomed.
Maybe, just maybe, it is planted in the world where mere mortals are not living in.

That Penanggal At The Window

2011-10-15T23:49:00.001+08:00

"Balik, balik rumah engkau."
Zah would often said to the penanggal whenever it looked into her house through the window.

"Tak takut Zah?"
I asked, during one of those many conversations of the unwelcome guest.

"Taklah, sebab dia mesti balik pada tuan dia dengan usus dia yang panjang berjela."
I could not believe that could take place in Singapore now.

Penanggal is said to be a female vampire but with only its upper body.
From chest downwards, it's said that its long intestine is exposed and left dangling.

******

"Emak ngantuk tau.

Tiap-tiap malam kena ikut bapak engkau.

Dah jadi macam pontianak pulak tiap-tiap hari balik tengah malam."

Zah scolded her daughter during one of those night as she had to follow her husband to Marsiling MRT station every night, to fetch her home from her second shift work.

It is understood, as Zah needed her sleep.
She had to go to school the next day.

The daughter was quiet through out that home journey to their flat in the northern part of Singapore.

******

Zah's policeman son was about to enter Qur'an reading competition.
So he often checked his reading with the Qur'an CD at home.

"Jangan bukak orang ngaji tulah. Aku tak suka."
The sister insisted that she dislike hearing Qur'an recitation.

The brother was using his strength to stop his sister's hand from reaching the player.

"Dah kenapa dengan engaku?

Kena rasuk hantu ke apa?"

The brother was surprised with the sudden change in his sister.
Never had he heard that she dislike the Qur'an.

"Aku dah cantik kan?

Dah lama aku nak cantik..."
As the sister was doing model-like act infront of her brother, he then suddenly remember that there was one night when he was talking to his uncle at 1am at the void deck, he saw a female figure who was lingering around them.
Although he found it odd for female to be alone in the wee hour, he did not think much about it.

When his uncle rode away, and he was reaching his second floor home, she was with him in the lift.
She exited the lift before him and was walking ahead of him at the corridor...

The brother held his sister tight, blast the player louder, and recited verses of the Qur'an that he could remember then.
He remembered the penanggal, the unwelcome guest that appeared almost every night at his window.

******

It was later found out that the night the mother scolded the daughter, the penanggal was already in her body. As she was unable to perform her daily prayers that week, her body was easily accessed by the evil vampire.

Zah had noted the changes in her daughter few days earlier before that scolding night.
The daughter wasn't herself.
She was more reserved, unlike her bubbly nature.
She cooped up in her room whever she was at home.

After the girl was healed, she asked to be permitted to stay in her grandmother's house.
Her jumbo flat, overlooking higher ground, there was once, an elderly Chinese man, hanged himself at the tree that can be seen from the window.

Those Former Occupants Of New Homes

2011-10-14T12:48:00.001+08:00

I was in Bertam, Penang recently.
The house owner had just moved into that new estate, which still has oil palm plantation to its right.

I like the house as housing price is cheaper in Penang than in JB and, it is the second house I saw, with space for air well, designed to promote ventilation.
The first time I saw a house with space for air well belong to the famed Singapore potter, Iskandar Jalil in Kembangan, whom we just visited this Eid.
He doubled the space usage for indoor gardening.
The Bertam owner doubled the air well space area too, but as a guest room.

She moved into the house just for a brief period before she decided to return to JB.
The house is now without its occupant.

According to her, she often saw the sight of an old man walking across the house.
At times, she would heard loud banging at the rear door, the kitchen area.
Even when she asked her mother for companion, the loud banging continued.

A number of residents had almost the same experience.
They would see the old man all over the place, sometime, on the street too.

******

For her, the first-time owner of a new home, for me, it is not unusual for such sighting.

During the late 70s and early 80s when we just moved to Bedok, a new housing estate then, a woman once said that she was about to go to the kitchen after midnight when she saw her empty baby's cradle, which happened to be in the kitchen, being swayed by a Chinese man with one hand.
His other hand, grasping his little hair that was holding his severed head.
That is to say, the Chinese man swaying the empty cradle is headless.

Bedok was said to be the execution and mass grave area for many, not only anti-Japanese groups, but those innocent civilians too.

A workmate in the 80s, Mary, living in Bedok too, had to ask for morning shift.
Whenever she was to start her work in the afternoon, and was home around 10pm, she would see a monk in a saffron yellow robe, sitting cross legged, perching on the wall of the topmost corridor of her block of flat.
Her husband, despite walking her home once she alighted the bus, was unable to see the monk.

According to the temple medium she went to, the monk she saw, used to appease the wondering souls that were tortured and died, but without proper burial.

******

We were house hunting about two years ago, when my husband decided to bring me to a new housing estate, with beautiful houses but few takers.
The price in that particular area was brought down, lesser by 30%.
Although similarly built, houses in the eastern side of the hosing estate were almost 100% occupied, even without the 30% discount.
But the western part of it...

As we approached, the place was sombre and eerie like feeling crept in.
That is usual, said my husband, as the area, apart from the new housing estate, was fully vegetated, with shrubs and trees.

"That's the row of houses that I mention..."
said my husband.

Before he continued, I interrupted,
"I don't want to live here. I'm seeing coffins, not houses..."

Calling Of The Penang Bridge

2011-10-12T21:18:00.000+08:00

"Where will I be if I were to jump off Penang Bridge? Heaven or Hell?"
She asked me this afternoon.

As her husband was approaching the 8.4km bridge, she started to have difficulties in breathing.

Daily activities kept rewinding in her mind:
Wake up early morning,
to the baby sitter to send daughter,
to work,
evening,
fetch daughter,
go home,
and the cycle continues forever...

How to run away from the cycle?
A lady suddenly appeared in front of her, pointing to the sea,
jump off the bridge...

Something black in her head press her with great pressure that it affected her breathing.
How to overcome the breathing difficulties?
Somebody had placed a knife on her chest,
commit suicide...

The cd in the moving car on Penang Bridge which was reciting Yaasiin made her hair stood up.
It gave cold sweat and goose pimples all over her body.

She was only herself when her husband azan, calling for prayer, loudly into her ears that she vomited, according to her, her saliva, but as thick as gum...

The Wonders Of Aayatul Kursi

2011-10-11T15:15:00.001+08:00

I have had my daughter in early 20s.

During my confinement period, I used to dream of an extremely thin vampire, pontianak, craving for my blood.
All the time whenever I suddenly woke up from having such dream, my mouth would still muttering Aayatul Kursi.

I had blogged earlier that the house that I rented during the 80s, its Javanese owner is said to possess a bad spirit right up until her death.

She refused to look at me even on her death bed.

But my then neighbour, who was with me visiting my landlord in hospital, when she held the old lady's hand, it was as if a very strong surge of current flowing into her body.
From then on, it was a long three-year battle of treatment from seeing her very own mirror reflection just skeletal frame without flesh and skin.

******

After I get to know and understand sickly S closer, beside the prescribed medication and the varieties health supplement she consumes daily, I encouraged her to find alternative treatment too.
That was more than ten years ago.

Her cave-in shoulders, acute asthma and other ailments is a great concern for me.

******

S is learning Qur'an reading from my friend.

Although her husband is a well known figure in the local community, S is a reserved individual, not opening herself to others, shy of others knowing and discussing her state of health.

It affects her head too.
She is extremely slow, that is fine.
But she is shy to let others know.
So she would go to my friend's house after others left.

My friend has great concern for her too.
She too encouraged her to find alternative treatment that GOD Willing, will improve her health, and her Qur'an reading.
She is still at the first few pages of the Qur'an when others had completed the whole Book and had started all over again.

After weeks of persuasion, at long last, S agreed on the alternative treatment.
But on condition, no one is to know of her undergoing such treatment.

During the first treatment when Aayatul Kursi was read to her, she put out both hands, and another voice in her suddenly shouted and demanded: "STOP!!!"
S said she felt extreme heat in her body...

This morning, when I called my friend asking about S, she is delighted.
GOD willing, S will very soon catch up others with her reading...

Purge Them Out !

2011-10-10T18:02:00.000+08:00

Indeed, it is from Solomon, and indeed, it reads: 'In the name of Allah , the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful,

Be not haughty with me but come to me in submission [as Muslims].' "

Source: Qur'an.com

******

Ustaz recited the above two verses from Surah An-Naml (Ants) in getting rid one of the stubborn jinn in his patient's body.

The patient is a young 24-year old mother, who suffered severe depression that needed strong medication.

She admitted of readying herself anytime, to be admitted to mental institution.
She admitted to have gone mad.

Her depression reached the most critical period when she received the news of her father-in-law's death four months ago, in June.

At that time, she said, she was no longer herself.
Her shrouded-in-white soul was dangling in thin air, she was seeing death all around her.
Worst still, she felt her plump body seemed weightless as she felt her feet were not touching the ground.
She was floating, not walking.

Although at the last count there were 14 jinns that were purged out of the patient one by one over several days, not all were stubborn, though.

******

This afternoon, an ustaz on television recited the same two verses forcing out a jinn called 'Asyik, from staying in a married woman's body.
'Asyik is known to like, idolise and love human beings.

The 'Asyik in the woman's body admitted to have fallen in love with her, and have had ten children with her.

According to the woman, she used to hear a voice saying 'I love you' in English, and they used to communicate with each other...

Visually Impaired Guiding The Normal Being

2011-10-10T02:14:00.000+08:00

"You like writing?"
asked Ustaz two days ago.

"Of course I do."

"Then write about my experience of healing others."

"Ustaz, the Internet connection at my place is really bad.
It is one of the reason I'm now taking a break, eating many kitkats during that interval."

"Never mind, let it take its own sweet time and you can prolong your time too.
I thought of compiling my experience into a book.
But since I can no longer see, you take over from me."

"InsyaALLAH..."

******

I used to hear Ustaz's name since more than twenty years ago and heard him giving tazkirah (reminders) from the surau in our then neighbourhood.
From my house, I would follow his tazkirah as it struck deep in my heart.
But for some unfavourable reason, his position was replaced by others...

******

It all began when I called a friend informing her of my intention to make an Eid visit to her house.
Instead, she directed me to Ustaz's house where a healing process was taking place.
After more than twenty years of 'knowing' Ustaz, it was only during the recent Eidul Fitr that I saw his face for the first time.

I was following Ustaz's Qur'anic recitation closely during that first meeting.
After several times seeing Ustaz called out for the patient's husband to assist Ustaz placing his hands at several parts of the body, I thought he was just being courteous.

But it turned out that Ustaz is blind.
So Ustaz is a blind hafiz, a person who memorise Qur'anic recitation with all It's words etched in his heart.

******

During these trial periods, rendering moral support, especially when I was asked, is the least I am able to do to a good family.
So I often accompany them to Ustaz's place...

"Ustaz, I want to learn from you."

"Alhamdulillah, another person for me to pass on my knowledge."
Thank GOD, Ustaz was delighted, never hesitated.

******

"Did I ever see Ummie before?"
Ustaz asked his neighbour.

He became blind after an eye surgery went wrong performed by those not supposed to do it (need to check out with him when was that).

"Never."
His neighbour, a friend of mine too, answered him.

Although my husband and him used to meet, it was precisely the very reason that he had never seen me, that I wanted to be his student.

But, at the back of my mind, I felt ashamed that although Ustaz, his eyes may not be able to see the Qur'an, but his heart is crafted with 114 Chapters from Verses of the Al-Qur'an.

You Think The Prophet Is Not Knowing?

2011-07-15T15:16:00.002+08:00

Prior to my last year's Umrah Syawal, strange thing happened.
I would see vision of main road, highway and the side of a flyover whenever I recited my selawat and salam.

Whenever I feel like wanting to be close to Prophet Muhammad sollallaahu 'alaihi wasallam, beside selawat and salam, it would be the last two verses of Surah At-Taubah

Verily,

there has come unto you a Messenger (Muhammad )

from amongst yourselves

(i.e. whom you know well).

It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty.

He (Muhammad ) is anxious over you

(to be rightly guided, to repent to ALLAH,

and beg HIM to pardon and forgive your sins,

in order that you may enter Paradise

and be saved from the punishment of the Hell-fire),

for the believers (he is) full of pity, kind, and merciful.

But if they turn away,

say (O Muhammad ):

"ALLAH is sufficient for Me.

La ILAHA Illa HUWA (none has the right to be worshipped but HE),

in HIM I put my trust and HE is the LORD of the Mighty Throne."

. ******

My late sister never failed herself to recite Maulid every Monday, and everyday when Rabi'ul Awwal was around.
She stood up when she reached the marhaban page, to welcome Rasulullah s.a.w., even when she just recited it all alone, just by herself.

Maybe that's part of the reason why she could sense the time had come before her final day.
She was all prepared to meet Izrael, the death angel, asking to be bathed with Zamzam water a day before her death.
At any time of the year, Zamzam is well stocked at our homes.

******

I used to increase my selawat and salam when there was sudden urge is in me to visit Baitullaah and Rasulullah s.a.w.

As usual, I did what I usually did last year, increasing the frequency of selawat and salam.
But the vision of main road, highway and the side of a flyover kept recurring.

What was really happening?

When I was in 'Arafah in 2001, after reciting Maulid, the smell of fresh citrus engulfed the whole tent.
There were only two jema'ah in the tent, myself and another sister, a new Chinese Muslim.
The rest of the jema'ah went to the washroom preparing for Maghrib.

The Chinese sister, just two years into Islam, was amazed by the new experience.
The tent openings was as if blown with misty air fresheners.
But that was not the case as we were in Ihram.
No perfume what so ever.

It was only after the swish swashing of a person wearing a like long robe walking past inside the tent, then could the sister refreshed what she had just recited in the Maulid book.

******

On another occasion, while waiting for Subuh, sitting outside Masjidin Nabawi in 2005, I took pity of an old Turkish pilgrim who was massaging her legs with crucial pain shown on her weathered face.

Using lemon grass oil, minyak geliga I brought from home, I massaged the old woman's legs.

She kept praying, lifting both hands high up, thanking GOD of lifting the pain she had to bear.
At last she could smile.

Very soon, one after another old Turkish women, a small pre-dawn crowd outside Masjidin Nabawi was built in no time.
These old Turkish women, old they were, but definitely they were raring for a quarrel.
I was not used to the scene of pushing and shoving their way for just an ordinary massage.
I just pushed the minyak geliga into the hand of one of them, then I exited out of the scene.

The quarrel intensified as I left the scene.
Now, who has had the right to the small bottle of ointment...

I used to bring many bottles of local ointment for my Haj and Umrah.
But on that morning, there was only one bottle in my bag.

I thought nothing of the pre-subuh incident.
But the dream I had that night, carved an eternal memory in me.

Three men, one of them with henna red beard, were searching for the person who massaged the legs of an old jema'ah.
They were hurrying to the person who massaged the legs of an old jema'ah, infront of Rasullah s.a.w. in the early morning...

******

It was only after I walked down Suqul Lail, the night market, [but Malays usually called it Pasar Zink (?)] last Syawal, I could fully understand my dream of main road, highway and the side of a flyover.

The first time I was in Mecca in 1996, we stayed at Ar-Reem Hotel in the area of Suqul Lail.
It was the place where day or night, we could see men eagerly volunteered carrying dead bodies on their way to Ma'la cemetery.
We never fail to pass by Ar-Reem whenever we were in Makkatul Mukarramah.

But walking down memory lane last year, we were not able to find the place, due to the many constructions took place all at once around Masjidil Haram.

Even to Pasar Zink was no easy access for us.

There were just too many blockages.

But we were sure that the access to the library of Makkatul Mukarramah was not blocked.

It is now a very big open space.

To safeguard the historical place from being neglected, a library was built, but now demolished.

The library, located on Al-Qashashia Street used to be in the Maulid District, is the birth place of Muhammad.

by Mir Meharullah Talpu…

Photo Source: Panoramio

The small library was the original home of Sayyidina Abdul Muttalib's foundation.
We had many times tried to visit the place since 1996, but it was closed most of the time.

My eldest sister told me, before the sacred place was made a library, Maktabat Makkatul Mukarramah, the house in which Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. was born, it was razed and turned into a cattle market.

In 1990, the matrimonial home of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. and his wife, Saiyidatina Siti Khadijah rodhiallaahu 'anha was paved over.
It was the spot where the Revelation descended upon The Prophet s.a.w. from GOD.
The site was buried in concrete and covered in marble.

Enough indication of the demolished blessed house with just a public toilet now stands nearby!!!

Nenek In Her Mystery World

2011-07-11T06:03:00.002+08:00

Seeing Japanese soldiers around Nenek's house in Kempas was a usual sight during Japanese Occupation as these soldiers used to ask her ( Nenek's ) mother, to cook for them.

But there was once, when one of these soldiers while walking past Nenek's house, he saw a Chinese woman, into her late pregnancy.
One of the Japanese soldier caught the woman, tied both her hands to her back.
Both her legs were tied too.

Then, without showing any sympathy, the Japanese soldier thrust his long sword into the woman's big belly...

Nenek pre-schooling age then, ran into her house.
She told her mother of what she had just saw: The Chinese woman's belly oozing blood...

Her mother without further delay, quickly bundled her.
They ran further into the deeper jungle of Kempas, to Lukud.
Lukud was the third place of residence for the family of two in Johor Bahru, since Japanese landed in Tanah Melayu, Malaya.

Before, they were staying in Stulang Darat.
Their house was bombed by the invading force.
The only house in the village that escaped the bombing, despite all surrounding houses flattened and on fire, was that belonged to Haji Rashid's.
But that was with his family's rituals safeguarding it.

Often, the young Nenek saw Haji Rashid with his children would sit around the house.
Then ritual prayers were recited.

When Nenek could feel the earth trembling and wobbling, she knew that the very big and very tall giant guard that looked after Haji Rashid's house, was walking around his compound.

******

For the past few nights, the Japanese soldier who strike the pregnant Chinese woman's belly with his long sharp sword appeared in Nenek's sleep.
He brought along the woman with him.

He went to Nenek, asking for rice for him to eat.

"Tak mau, tak mau kasi engkau. Engkau setan."

Nenek refused to give him any food.
He was a satan to her.

Both the soldier and the woman appeared in Nenek's sleep for a few nights, before Nenek prepared a handful of rice grains mixed with turmeric and rock salt.
She mixed them together and throw it around her house.
Then the dream stopped.

******

That was what was being said by Nenek when my daughter and I visited her in her new house in Kempas.

The girl was very close to her Nenek.
The grandmother used to be our next door neighbour.
She treated my daughter as her own grandchild, always showed the girl her greatest concern, always preparing her favourite asam pedas kepala ikan sembilang, whenever the girl was around.
The grandmother was forever willing to stretch her limited finance that she had, for her granddaughter.

I knew that Kempas used to be a black area.
It is only recently that housing development in Kempas took place.

I had heard of communist activity in Kempas area.
One of my husband's friend, his brother disappeared for good in the jungle.
Until today, there is still no trace to his alive or dead body.

My husband's cousin was caught, beaten and thrown into jail.
All of my husband's siblings and relatives, except him, went to Chinese school.
The cousin was suspected to be a communist as one of his friend had vaguely linked to the jungle party.

My husband said, being Chinese and staying not far from forested area, they easy fall prey into becoming one.
So, any Chinese then, could be suspected to be a communist.

The cousin however, was freed from jail.
Alive and kicking today, thriving in his automobile business.

******

It was only yesterday that I knew Kempas had its own story of Japanese Occupation to tell.

Life has almost comes to a complete circle for Nenek.
Her house she lives in, today, is around the place where she fled after seeing the Japanese soldier with the pregnant Chinese woman.

The peaceful river in front of Nenek's house, with spring water flowing down stream, she said yesterday, its water used to be red.
It was where can easily be found, many Chinese heads and bodies... separated.

In the meantime, Nenek is till mixing a handful of rice grains with turmeric and rock salt.
She is still placing the mixture all around her house.

The Maid - Boyfriending @ Geylang (2)

2011-07-09T19:17:00.002+08:00

The suggestion of granting domestic helpers a rest day every week has literally made many employers jumped.

Singapore was among 63 voters which abstained from voting on the new International Labour Organisation convention in Geneva from granting domestic workers greater protection from exploitation.

Yet Madam Halimah Yacob, the Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports said Singapore should consider legislation that makes employers give their domestic helpers a weekly rest day.

She said giving maids their weekly offdays might help to minimise stress and overwork issues.
They are just like other workers who need to rest, should not be made to work excessive hours that could affect their health and well-being.

Madam Halimah expressed hope that Singapore would 'take stock of its laws and policies and progressively make changes' to be in line with the convention since the country takes its international obligations seriously.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in the meantime, is reviewing the call for the government to implement a weekly rest day as MOM recognises the benefits of rest days to the well-being and productivity of foreign domestic maids.
It will consult with various stakeholders including employers, employment agencies and non-governmental organisations.
Members of the public are advised to email their views and suggestions to mom_fmmd@mom.gov.sg.

MOM would continue to review the rights and responsibilities of employers and workers, and would sign the new treaty when it was sure it could implement it here.

******

Should the suggestion turn into law?
Then it becomes one size law fits all employers' policies.

Imagine getting paid at least six times higher than back home...
Free lodging, amenities, food, toiletries ...
Free weekends...
Free compulsory six-monthly medical check up...
Free return home with air ticket paid for...

Can't imagine what's the next best thing in life beside free...

******

Although it cannot be denied that some of these maids were abused and some tend to overwork, but not all of them are squeezed dry of their energy.

While their government impose all kinds of rule for their 'daughters' welfare working abroad, but bear in mind, we also travel to their country, went to their households to see first hand, how their 'daughters' in their own country are usually the lesser mortal.

******

Those with domestic helpers in their house, should know why.
Those with helpers for many years, know it best.

Although some Indonesian house-helpers have no off day, their nationality are all over the island.
They will often meet and get together with other domestic workers while sending and fetching their employers' children to schools.

I had once came across newspaper article, reminding these domestic helpers, not to take up the whole area of available spot at mosques while waiting for their employers' kids in kindergartens.
That shows their big presence.

Once, a six-year old came up to Me, saying he was absent from class the day before, because his father suddenly wanted to return home.
Upon opening the front door, the maid was asked to put on her clothing in her room, while the Bangladeshi man, who was then doing the painting job at his block, remained at the hall.
The boy claimed he could see the Bangladeshi's legs...

******

My friend had a hard time telling her maid not to feed her baby, of all place, at the bus-stop.
My friend was not too sure what the maid was up to, but given her friendly nature...

Some employers always want to be different from the rest.
They often feel sorry for their maids' living condition back home.
Thus they wanted to provide the best for their employees.

But it is not few employers that their trust were betrayed, their sympathy exploited.
Especially when these maids are provided with handphones, and they are unable to self control of using and abusing it.
The phone is a great distraction.
And even without off days, these maids can still managed to get boyfriends.

******

A brother had no other choice except to get a helper when his wife met an accident.
The helper's main duty was to look after their six children, especially the youngest, who was less than two years old then.

The helper, married with children, claimed did no know how to cook despite being married with children in Indonesia, and in her late 30s.
The brother cooked whatever he could for his family.

But there was once, when he was in a hurry to go to work, that he just put aside the ingredients for the helper to fry rice.
He did not believe his wife when told that the garlic and onion used was not peeled off the skin...

Luckily he believed his own eyes and ears when at his in-laws' place, the maid went downstairs to make a phone call to his wife's younger brother, wanting to know the young man better...

******

Suri* was given the choice of enjoying her once a month off day outside home, or be paid to stay home during her off day.
She chose the latter.

But in the end, she get to go out every weekends for the whole day attending classes in Orchard Road.
Every Ramadhan, she went to the mosque alone nightly for her terawih.

She had travelled to many states in Malaysia.
She had been to Batam, China and Thailand.
And, she is one of the 88% Indonesian domestic helpers who do not enjoy their off days.

Who cares?
She did not care.
She could not be bothered too.

Not all employers are without sympathy.
And employers who trust their maids, they can make a wise decision concerning off days.

But to make compulsory and lawful weekend offdays, the government is waging more social ills in our already colourful society.

******

A survey by non-governmental organisations here has found that few Indonesian maids get days off, with only 38 per cent having at least one day off a month. This is in contrast to 85 per cent of Filipino maids getting at least one day off a month. -- PHOTO: COURTESY OF MUNIFAH

Those employers who had experience enough nonsense brought by their one after another problematic maids would definitely choose to OFF the OFF day.
The risk is simply too high.

Most employers treat their maids well.
Despite that, give these workers an inch, they expect a foot.
Before long, they jolly well demand a yard.

******

An acquaintance's Indonesian maid was given once a month off day, just like her friends from her home village.

But there was once, she was requested not to take or to postpone her off day, as it was the first day of Hari Raya.
Better for her celebrating the festival with the family and usually, she will receive packets of monies from relatives.

But the maid, in her 30s, with children back home, insisted as she had planned a picnic at Sentosa.
If all her friends can have their off day, why not her?

But all her friends were working for Chinese families.

After all, it was not appropriate to celebrated the first day of Hari Raya at the beach.

******

Imagine...
A just arrived maid is given her off day in her first week.
She goes out looking for friends...

Big groups of migrant workers, men and women gathering at shopping centres on weekends, the government must really think of the social impact and its consequences.

Just walk down Peninsula Plaza in North Bridge Road, a favourite spot for Myanmar, Lucky Plaza in Orchard Road for Filipinos, the Little Thailand Golden Mile Complex at Beach Road, Katong Shopping Centre at Mountbatten Road for Chinese national and City Plaza at Geylang.

All these foreign workers just know where is the next best spot to spend in Singapore beside working place.

******

I was once asked by a Batam friend to find her niece living in Lampung, on the southern tip of Sumatra that borders Bengkulu, who had worked in Singapore for four years.
She called her mother staying in their village, informing her she worked in Bukit Merah.

My Batam friend believed her niece was being abused and tortured as that was the only upon arrival call she ever made.
She insisted since we are the best of friend, sure I will 'save' her niece by knocking at every doors at all the blocks of flats in Bukit Merah.

To show her that indeed we are the best of friend, her persistent request led Me to bring her here to see things with her own eyes, as did not believe that Singapore law is always pro-maids rather than their employers.

Media reports on Indonesian maids are quick to report about abuse, violence and death.
So stories of these girls and women of not only meeting friends, but boyfriends, are but all sounds alien and great distant away from her.

Singaporean females to her, are all bossy, fierce lots and proud of themselves, including Myself.
We are just too proud being Singaporeans.
That's the reason to her, why there are many Singapore men buying terrace houses around her residence, staying with their young Indonesian wives.

Yes, I used to see households in her neighbourhood was usually void of men on weekdays.
Not only daytime, but nighttime too.
But come weekends, Singaporean husbands aplenty in her neighbourhood.

She even encouraged Me to get a house opposite hers, since we are the best of friend...

******

I fetched her from Batam to go to Bukit Merah on one Sunday last year.
We went to a playground.

She was taken for an initial shock seeing all maids with handphones gathering together while waiting for children at play.
A number of them were with fast texting fingers and some with ear pieces.

She went to them asking for her niece but nobody ever heard her name before.

She asked them if was possible for her to find her niece in one of the households.
One of them said, she must be out of her mind - Walking a block of flat is like walking around a whole village in Indonesia.
She was asked to count how many blocks were, just in front of her...

******

We then took a taxi to City Plaza, a hotspot for Indonesians, since about five years ago.
I requested the driver to drive slowly, and to make double turning around the shopping centre.

City Plaza was like a shopping centre in Jakarta to my friend.

These mostly domestic helpers, supposed to be simple-minded, many were all dolled-up, with make-up, and many were with revealing clothing with jewellery.
She realised, these Indonesians are not up to innocently nothing with their what she think of them, being simple- minded.

They were transformers.
They went all out for their elaborate physical transformation.

Most sit on the steps or grass patches outside the mall to chat or having a picnic with their friends and male Bangladeshi construction workers.
She was told, male workers from Indonesia, Myanmar, and Sabah frequent the place too.

Their public behaviour awed my Batam friend and left her speechless.

She went up to few maids who were standing around in the nearby shopping place, Tanjong Katong Complex.
She asked them of their feelings after leaving families behind.
Many answered, although they missed them, but there was not much they can do.
They have to stay focus in their job, and own families back home could not swayed their minds.

Some preferred not to return home even after their three to seven years in Singapore.
Some even claimed families had faded in their memories.

Some sent home part of their salary, and a few she talked to, had broken their links.

******

We then walked pass Lion City Hotel.

I told my Batam friend, it was at the traffic light in front of the hotel that when I was waiting for the green man to cross the road, I saw an Indonesian woman crossing the road from Tanjong Katong Complex, outstretched her right hand to shake hand an old man directly in front of Me.

The man was shocked when the woman's left hand went behind his waist, holding him tight.
I stopped Myself from crossing the road, to see what she will do to the man.
He was then led to a bench in front of Lion City Hotel where the woman talked softly into his ears, and he kept nodding his head, with her left hand remained tightly behind the man's waist...

******

We then walked in front of the Haig Road Hawker Centre.

Although social divider with locals is strictly enforced by the law, forbidding foreign maids from marrying Singaporeans, we saw many old Malay men, chico pek men with Indonesians...
These Indonesians did stand out, their facial features and dressing gave way from local residents.

Just too bad that Haig Road lies between Joo Chiat and Geylang.
Haig Road has been attracting seedy characters for quite some time.
Bad influence had crept in.
The housing estate has earned a reputation among foreigners too.

There is the open display of affection showing how bold these women can be.
Sometimes, residents can even catch occasional illicit, passionate moments in full view...

Just walk across behind it, Joo Chiat, many Indonesians were standing around the hotel wall although solicitors for prostitution can be fined up to S$1,000 or jailed up to six months.
They enticed local men and... youths.
Now, some refers it as ‘Little Batam’.

The nearby Joo Chiat Complex, especially the nearby eating place behind it, is a favorite spot for old, old local men and their young foreign partners.
I used to pass there, never fail to purposely staring at these old, old men with their odd partners.
These old, old men did not mind letting these as young as their daughters and granddaughters to sit on their lap...

******

The seeing is believing, been there, seen up close of not all maids in Singapore are facing what's printed in papers, led to many more trip of My Batam friend to Singapore.
And she kept exploring Geylang and its neighbourhood.

She knew now, being housemaids in Singapore is not about working 24/7.
She knew now, maids have had their own lifestyle to maintain.

She get to know of married maids having relationship with Bangladeshi workers.
She get to know maids from her own country having affairs with multiple Singaporean partners who could support them, providing them cash, topping-up their phonecards...

******

Then, one day, My good Batam friend said she wanted to become a study mama.
She wanted her eldest daughter to study here.

I reminded her sternly, since we are the best friend, she is not allowed to appear at any of My Siblings' doors should one day, she truly become a study mama...

Yes, Singaporean females are all bossy, fierce lots and proud of themselves, including Myself.
We are just too proud being Singaporeans...

The best of friend indeed...

The Maid - Unholy Acts In The Holiest Place (14)

2011-07-09T03:32:00.000+08:00

Another Indonesian maid dies in S. Arabia
Mustaqim Adamrah

“Sister, I’m sick. I cannot stop vomiting blood. If I die, please do me a favor. I entrust father and mother to you.”

It was the last text message from 18-year-old Ernawati binti Sujono Konderin, an Indonesian migrant worker in Saudi Arabia, sent to her family on Jan. 26 before her final contact by the phone with her older sister, Yenni Larasati, on Feb. 1.

“I was really sad when reading her fi nal text message. I rushed to Jakarta on Jan. 31 from Tanjung Pinang [Riau Islands] to report Ernawati’s situation to the Foreign Ministry,”
Yenni said on Tuesday in a press conference at Migrant CARE Headquarters.

“On Feb. 1, [Ernawati] said over the phone that her employer’s son had tried to rape her. She was crying. After that, there were no more calls or text messages from her.”

Yenni said Ernawati was forced to kneel while her employer often slapped, punched, kicked, threw things at her or whipped her with a hose.
The employer’s lover allegedly followed suit.
She never received her salary, Yenni added.

Ernawati died on Feb. 10, 10 days after Yenni filed the report, from injuries allegedly sustained from physical abuse at the hands of her employer and his lover, according to Yenni.

“Every time I asked a ministry employee about my report, they told me it was still being processed — until my sister’s co-worker called our family on Feb. 10, saying she had died.”

Yenni said she was finally convinced of her sister’s death on Feb. 13, when someone at a hospital called her on Ernawati’s cell phone after Yenni’s numerous text messages and phone calls went unanswered.

“The guy at the other end said there was an Indonesian who had died and had been at the hospital for three days. I got all this information on my own, not from the ministry or the embassy,” Yenni said.

In a letter the Indonesian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Gatot Abdullah Mansyur, sent in February to the foreign minister, the manpower and transmigration minister and the head of the National Agency for Placement and Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (BNP2TKI), he said that the Al-Muntazah police in Hail had received a report about an Indonesian migrant worker who was being treated for swallowing rat poison.

“How can the ministry and the embassy say my sister died from rat poison while at the same time they tell me an autopsy on her body is about to begin?” Yenni said.

She also said the ministry and the embassy insisted they could not reach Ernawati’s workplace in time because it was in Hail, 700 kilometers from the embassy.

“Was it really that hard to get there? I flew from Tanjung Pinang, more than a thousand kilometers from Jakarta, to seek justice and it took only one hour and 20 minutes,” she said.

“Had they immediately followed up on my report and evacuated my sister, she might still alive now.”

Foreign Ministry spokesman Michael Tene and the director for legal aid and protection of Indonesian nationals overseas, Tatang Budie Utama Razak, could not be reached for comment.

University of Indonesia international relations expert Hariyadi Wirawan said embassy staff did not arrive in time possibly due to diplomats’ reluctance to travel that distance or a lack of financial and human resources.

Only two weeks ago, an Indonesian maid named Ruyati binti Satubi was beheaded by Saudi authorities after being convicted of murdering her employer, who had mistreated her.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono met Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Indonesia Abdulrahman Mohammed Amen al-Khayyat at the latter’s request at the State Palace on Tuesday.

However, instead of expressing displeasure, Yudhoyono hailed Saudi Arabia for “giving aid” to an Islamic organization.

Migrant CARE executive director Anis Hidayah said she had reported the ministry, the embassy and the BNP2TKI to the Ombudsman Commission, which receives complaints of poor public service, for alleged “negligence that led to Ernawati’s death”.

Source: The Jakarta Post - June 30, 2011

****** ****** ******

Divorcee Ruyati binti Satubi became a migrant worker for the first time in 1999.
She returned to Saudi Arabia again and worked for six years.

Her children asked her to change her mind when she was about to leave for the third time.
She was adamant of not wanting to see her three children facing bleak future.
One of them is in nursing school.
And she wanted to buy her son a car.

She insisted to fly to the Holy Land seeking fortune yet again, only to meet bitterness.
After a year and four months, she was beheaded.

From information that the family gathered, the grandmother of seven was tortured a lot from the very beginning of employment.
She had broken her leg during the initial three months, because of torture.
She was not admitted to hospital, but was treated by one of her employer’s children was a doctor.

Although Ruyati was a victim of violence by her employer, during trial, Ruyati confessed murdering 64-year old Khairiyah Majlad on 12 January, 2010.

She was not paid her three-months salary of SR 2400 despite being asked many times.
She was found guilty of of ruthlessly killing her employer, by repeatedly stabbing her.

For her offense, the 54-year old housemaid was executed by decapitation in Saudi Arabia.
One more Indonesian worker was beheaded in Saudi Arabia, on June 18, 2011.

The Indonesian embassy had not been advised beforehand about the execution.
The government saw the beheading as an unfair decision.
The execution over Ruyati is a great shock for many, irritated a lot of parties.

Migrant Care, an NGO that works for the rights of Indonesian migrant workers stressed that the government has failed to protect its citizen.
It had earlier reminded the government about Ruyati’s legal process in March 2011.

But the government denied it had been slow in preventing the decapitation penalty.
The execution has left Yudhoyono's government on the defensive as critics said there was not enough protection for Indonesian workers overseas.

Indonesia had summoned the Saudi envoy to express its "disappointment and deep regret" over the execution.

"We respect their legal system, but in this case, we feel they have failed to fulfil the Geneva convention on how to interact among countries," Teuku Faizasyah, the presidential spokesman for international affairs told Reuters.

"(The Saudi government) are being disrespectful of convention, they should have informed the embassy on any occurrence involving our nationals, especially in such cases where they are planning to execute our nationals," he said.

******

Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Indonesia Abdulrahman Mohammed Amin Al-Khayyat on Monday, June 20, had apologised for the execution of Ruyati.

He expressed regret that Indonesian Embassy was not given prior notice of the execution.
He assured Indonesia that it will not happen ever again.

******

Through RI Consulate General in Jeddah, the government has fought hard against the death penalty.
It had requesting the Saudi Board of Pardon (lajnatul afwu) to release Ruyati.

But the deceased family did not forgive her act.
The family did not forgive their 54-year old domestic helper Ruyati binti Satubi.

Indonesian government could not break the rigidity of death sentence in Saudi Arabia.

******

Ruyati’s three children in Bekasi, West Java, were initially informed by Migrant Care of Ruyati’s first hearing session on May 17, 2010.

In January 2011, they were told that the case was still on-going.
The family was then notified by the Foreign Ministry about the schedule for the next hearing that would take place in May 2011.

They had been struggling hard to find news about their mother's condition in foreign land.

Before long, a verdict was delivered, followed by an execution without them ever knowing anything about it.

Four hours before the mother was to be executed, one of her daughter saw the sight of 'her' in their kitchen.

Later, Migrant Care called to inform the mother had passed away.

******

The only person who had knowledge of the violence that led to 54-year-old Ruyati murdering her employer was Warni.
She is a fellow Indonesian worker who was hired by Ruyati’s employer too.

She knew a great deal about what Ruyati had to endure prior to the murder as they slept in the same room. She witnessed how the grandmother was punched and kicked.

Warni was reluctant to discuss Ruyati’s ordeal as it was Ruyati’s own request.
The grandmother had told her not to tell the children about what she saw.
She only revealed the truth after local police in Mecca moved in to arrest her.

******

Irwan Setiawan, the youngest of Ruyati’s three children, remember his mother as “a quiet and well-adjusted woman”.
She was reluctant to talk much about hardship she endured as a migrant worker.
She only talked about the good things in Saudi Arabia.

Irwan expressed his disappointment towards the role of the Indonesian government in helping his mother’s cause.
He felt neglected.

Ruyati’s family said they were let down by PT Dasa Graha Utama, a labour recruiting company which arranged Ruyati’s employment in Saudi Arabia.
At her age, Ruyati should have been ineligible to be sent abroad as a domestic worker.
The company had falsified information about the grandmother's age by registering her as 11 years younger.

Both the government and PT Dasa Graha Utama have responded to the grievances from Ruyati’s family by offering Rp 90 million (US$10,440) in compensation.

The family would wait until they have their mother's body home, despite information from the government that she was already been buried in Mecca, not far from the body of Saidatina Siti Khadijah, the wife of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.

There are 216 Indonesians overseas facing execution, including 26 in Saudi Arabia.

Currently, there are 2.2 million Indonesians working in Malaysia and 1.5 million in Saudi Arabia.
Around 90 percent work as house maids and drivers for individual employers.

The Maid - Chosen Over Mate (2)

2011-07-07T14:25:00.000+08:00

Picking Maid Over Mate

Is it a fetish?
THOMAS Jefferson was alleged to have sired several children with Sally Hemings, a slave at Monticello. Famous politician senator Strom Thurmond went to bed with his African-American maid and kept it a secret until he was 100 years old. Though one would assume this age-old practice of having sex with the "help" has long passed since the days of slavery, this is not the case at all.

Be it a fetish for French maid costumes and feather dusters, or a series of power trips, men are still turned on by their maids, as revealed in the recent case of former California governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Last month, the 63-year-old Terminator star finally came clean about his affair and the "love child" he had with a two-decade-long household employee.
While his story is shocking, some countries have taken the maid fetish to another level.

In Japan, meido kafe (maid cafe) is the hottest trend in town. Designed to look like private homes, establishments like Tokyo's Cure Maid Cafe feature young waitresses dressed in French maid costumes.

They treat diners like masters and mistresses, sometimes offering massages and even kneeling by the table to stir cream and sugar into beverages.

Fuelled by sexy maid-themed anime, the trend is now taking off in Asia, too.

Are Malaysians spared from being enamoured with the help? Apparently not.

Growing trend in maid-employer affairs
A maid agency operator in Klang says he is noticing a growing trend in husbands taking a liking to maids.

"I've run a maid agency for more than six years without any problems. However, for the past two years, there's been a rise in husbands hoping to 'bed' their maids.

"Since most of the maids I provide are young Filipino girls, who clean apartments on an hourly basis, many employers assume they can get away with taking advantage of them."

Florence, a part-time maid, was lured to Malaysia by a man whom she met on the Internet. She was hoping to start a new life in Malaysia and earn a decent living.

"I was happy when my boyfriend told me to meet him in Malaysia. He said there were good jobs here and I would earn a decent living.

"As soon as I arrived in Klang, my boyfriend introduced me to a maid agency boss. He said I had to work for about four hours in an apartment, cleaning and doing the laundry. The boss was willing to drop and pick me up from the apartment guardhouse.

"My first few jobs were simple; I only had to deal with the 'maam' of the apartments.

"One day, I was asked to clean a new client's apartment and was shocked to find only the husband there. I did my work as usual.

"But, when I went to make the bed, I heard someone entering and locking the door. I was scared to see the husband in the room. He said he wanted to make sure I was doing a good job.

"But when I felt his arms around my waist, I started yelling. He told me not to worry because he would pay me a lot of money to have sex with him. I pushed him aside and screamed even louder.

"He got scared the neighbours might hear me, so he left the room. I quickly packed my things and left."
Because of her harrowing experience, Florence is planning to return to the Philippines as soon as she has enough money.

Victims choose silence
Ananda S.P., who runs a maid agency in the Klang Valley, believes such cases are rampant but most victims choose to be silent.

"There are no statistics to show how many of these cases exist because most of the maids are threatened. They only talk about the problem when they're about to leave the country or have already left. Only about one in 50 cases is reported to us during their contract period.

"Generally, this is a problem with Indonesian and Filipino maids. This could be because there's a higher ratio of them here and many of them are also attractive."

Ananda believes there are two sides to the coin: if there are no givers, there won't be any takers.

"These days, most wives spend less time at home and more at work. Men, on the other hand, hold higher positions and have the flexibility to be in the house more.

"Most of the time, these men strike a conversation with the maid. They ask about the maid's background and financial situation before feigning sympathy. Before long, they tempt the maid with extra cash and goodies.

"From the maid's perspective, since she's already married, this is similar to 'servicing' another master. Although this is far from being acceptable, most maids give in to temptation because of their financial situation back home."

Ananda says although most of these sexual advances are consensual, the marriage is at risk.

"In many instances, the maid will try to break up the home by finding favour with the husband. This is where trouble begins because once a wife starts to be suspicious, she will want the maid to leave. In the end, the maid will lose earning a living in Malaysia.

"Sometimes, the maid gets pregnant and is afraid to go home. She usually seeks an abortion. If this happens, we ask the husband to pay compensation to the maid to enable her to return to her country. More often than not, this breaks up the marriage and the couple get divorced.

"However, if the maid is forced to have sexual relations with her employer, we act in the best interests of the maid. We lodge a police report unless the maid is agreeable to the compensation."

Ananda says employers should realise that when they employ a maid, they're inviting a guest into their home, who probably has no money or contacts. They are responsible for her safety and well-being. She's not there to be a sex slave.

HELP University College vice-president and psychologist Dr Goh Chee Leong believes the strength of a marriage is the predictor for whether affairs happen.

"The will and discipline of either party determine the strength of a marriage. When a party is weak, that's when you give in to temptation.

"Wives or husbands who encounter situations like these should not blame themselves; the fault lies with the party who has cheated.

"Human beings are people with will and have the freedom to make their own decisions. No one is forced to cheat because as human beings, we pride ourselves in controlling our instincts and impulses. When we feel tempted, we have the strength to resist that temptation."

Source: New Straits Times - July 3, 2011

The Maid - Chosen Over Mate

2011-07-06T19:17:00.000+08:00

When Men Choose Maid Over Mate

Caught in the act by young son
ADAM (not real name) is a househusband who takes care of his two children while his wife works as a lawyer.

"It was simple at first. After our second child was born, I couldn't handle the additional workload. When I suggested we get a maid, my wife didn't hesitate.

"Although our Cambodian maid was not drop-dead gorgeous, I was attracted to her petite figure and demure character."

After a couple of months, Adam's attraction towards the maid grew.
"I wouldn't say I am a pious man but neither would I have expected to be a cheating husband.

"It all started with an innocent brushing of hands when she passed me a cup of tea.

"I could see that she was not the type to say 'no' to requests. So, when I asked her politely if she would sleep with me, she said okay.

"We started having more and more afternoon 'sessions' while the kids took their naps."

Adam's wife didn't suspect anything. In fact, she felt at ease staying late at the office, knowing that someone was at home to take care of her family.

Adam said: "As much as I tried to stop, I couldn't. Soon, I found myself taking more and more risks. I would even try to get the maid into bed while the kids were watching television in the living room. I knew we could get caught, but that was part of the excitement.

"However, the baffled and confused look on my eldest son's face when he walked in on us one day was all it took.

"It was a good thing my son didn't say anything about it to my wife. But from that day, I stopped sleeping with the maid. I realised that I was hurting two innocent victims."

When the maid's bed broke
Shana (not real name), 33, first suspected her husband was having an affair with the maid when the maid's bed broke.

"I always knew my husband had a roving eye and would constantly get attention from his female colleagues. But I expected him to have some standard in choosing his affairs.

"Don't get me wrong, I never condoned it but I was willing to put up with it for the sake of the marriage and kids.

"When our first maid confessed that she had slept with my husband, I accused her of lying.

"I packed her bags and asked her to leave. I was under the impression that she only wanted to 'divide and conquer' the family.

"But when our replacement maid's new bed broke, I got suspicious. She was a skinny and small-sized girl and it didn't seem possible for her to break a bed on her own."

Shana's suspicions were confirmed when she caught her husband sneaking out of their bedroom in the middle of the night one day.
"A part of me didn't want to accept what that might mean, but I had to know. After a couple of minutes, I opened my maid's bedroom door and found him on top of her.

"Needless to say, he was dumbfounded and could not weasel his way out of it.

"I filed for divorce and am now happily remarried to an honest, loyal and trustworthy man."

Expert tips on "affair-proofing" your marriage
UNITED States-licensed marriage and family therapist Dr Johnben Loy, who is also Taylor's University visiting fellow, provides some tips on affair-proofing your marriage.

Q: Why do you think some men find maids sexually appealing?

A: There is a host of factors to be considered before a man finds a maid appealing, not just for the care she provides. For example, the age and the look may be important.
A maid who is older and more matronly can provide care, but can be perceived as a mother figure.

Q: What warning signs should wives look out for?

A: One of the main contributors to extramarital affairs is prolonged emotional and physical distance between spouses. Often, the stress of having a second or third child, together with a busy career, can lead to couples growing apart from each other, thereby, creating a tendency towards extramarital relations.
Wives who are concerned can monitor the "emotional temperature" of the relationship to make sure it is warm and the connection is vibrant.

Q: When it comes to maids, how can couples safeguard their marriage?

A: If a couple is concerned about safeguarding the marriage, the couple can agree to let the wife be in charge of the maid. The husband can request household needs from the wife, who can then instruct the maid to execute the requests.

In addition, the couple needs to make sure not to involve the maid in their personal conflicts, for example, complaining to the maid about the wife or the husband.
Although the maid may be living in the house, it is important to exercise proper boundaries with her and to treat her with the same respect that one would treat a local employee.
Doing these things can help protect the boundary around the husband and wife.

Q:Should wives take on a more nurturing role in terms of cooking and cleaning for their husbands, instead of leaving these tasks to the maids?

A: In marriages with more traditional role patterns, wives can instruct and manage maids in such a way that the maids are seen as assisting them in their nurturing roles.

The couple can agree to treat the maid as the employee of the wife so that subsequently, even though the tasks are carried out by the maid, the instructions and intentions come from the wife, thereby, strengthening the couple's relationship.

Source: New Straits Times - July 3, 2011

The Maid - Boyfriending @ Geylang

2011-07-05T01:00:00.003+08:00

Nora*'s soft laughter as she talked, was to hide her blushing face.
She regretted hiding the paper that My Elder Sister was searching.
But she was ashamed to let My Sister read it.

There was a picture and story of an Indonesian maid and her boyfriend.
She felt ashamed looking at it, without even reading the paper.
She was ashamed because it involved her nationality, and it revolved around the work she is doing, being a domestic worker.

I did not know which paper and who was Nora talking about.
In My head, it was because of boyfriend issue that led Me to want her to follow Me to City Plaza.
It was not exactly because of remittance.

The second time she remitted some money, it was My Elder Sister who did it for her.
With that money, the mother had bought storage for water for Singaporeans' (???) usage, when they will be at her house soon.

******

Stories of maids had been hogging headlines lately.

27-year old Indrani arrived in Singapore last year, in March.

In July, she ran away from her employer and prostituted herself to earn money.

In October, she discovered her pregnancy without knowing who the father was.

She dug a 10cm hole to bury her newborn, his umbilical cord attached, on April 18 in Eunos Crescent in a rooftop garden.

Her baby's mouth, alive when found, was stuffed with mud and dried leaves.

The baby is now under foster care.

She was arrested near Eunos MRT Station on April 24 after overstaying here for 273 days.

She was jailed for 10 weeks and fined S$2,000 for abandoning her newborn baby.

****** ****** ******

Ruliyawati, married with a son, entered Singapore in July 2010.

A month later, Md Repon Mostafa befriended her.

Her body was discovered on Monday morning, in a 2-meter water tank atop the 15-storey Housing Development Board block of flats in Woodlands, serving residents of Block 686B, Woodlands Drive 73 on May 16.

The 27-year old Bangladeshi cleaner Md Repon was charged with her murder between 7:10 a.m. and 9:54 a.m.

****** ****** ******

An Indonesian domestic worker was about to finish her two-year contract.

She was asked to continue her service.

The four and two-year old toddlers she looked after, are too attached with her.

The maid laid down her term for extension.

She needs off days, which the employer agreed.

The employer received a police call at her working place to pick her maid at the police station.

Her domestic worker was caught with a Bangladeshi man at the beach not far from her house.

The employer was shown compromising and intimate photos of the maid with her boyfriend.

The maid gave the worst shock to the employer last February - Her two small kids were locked at home.

Just the two of them, to fend for themselves.

****** ****** ******

29-year old Anis Dwi Rianawati had told her employer that she was pregnant and would work for another two to three months before quitting.

A week later, she was missing from her bedroom at about 8am.

Her wallet, jewellery and some notes was on her bed.

It was a suicide notes.

The pregnant Indonesian maid had jumped from her employer's flat through the 18th-floor kitchen window on October 24, 2010.

Her body was found on a second-floor parapet shortly afterwards.

Her 45-year old Malaysian married boyfriend refused to stop seeing another girl in Batam.

****** ****** ******

Another Bangladeshi worker, 35-year old Kamarul Hasan Abdul Quddus, met 25-year old Yulia Afriyanti at a social gathering in 2005.

They became intimate a year later in January 2007.

In September, she told her employers and friends that she would be marrying Kamrul in Indonesia.

But a month later, the marriage was called off as Kamrul was already married in Bangladesh with two children.

Early October, a Filipino construction worker, 25-year old Joseph Guerzon Corpuza, was given Yulia's number by his close friend, Aunt Annabelle.

He called her and they made plan to meet on Sunday, October 14.

She told him that her boyfriend had returned to Bangladesh.

Their relationship blossomed, became intimate, planned to marry but she never broke up with Kamrul.

Joseph would sometimes travel from Boon Lay to Grange Heights to meet her when she walked her employer's dog at 8 pm every night.

They had intimate relationship in November despite Yulia's fear of getting pregnant again.

Her previous pregnancy was aborted without knowing who the father was.

When Joseph saw the last of Yulia on Dec 9, she told him she and Kamrul Hasan were getting married in January.

On the evening of December 15, she called Joseph telling him she was going to Changi Airport with Kamrul to welcome his mother and brother.

He then tried to contact her many times but failed to do so.

When he finally managed to phone Yulia, a police officer answered, saying his former girlfriend was dead and that the police wanted to talk to him.

******

In mid December, upon Kamarul's return from Bangladesh, he met Yulia.

He then returned to his dormitory in Kaki Bukit but at 11.30pm, he took a bus to his worksite.

Less than eight hours later, a construction worker found Yulia's body in the cardboard box.

His fingerprints were found at the crime scene and DNA test showed they had sexual relationship within the 12 hours before she was found dead.

He was found guilty of strangling his girlfriend on December 16, 2007.

Her naked body was found at about 9.50am, in a big 1m long and 3/4m wide cardboard box in the bomb shelter of a third-storey unit at a condominium construction site in Queensway, near Holland Road, where he worked.

Police found Yulia's phone and jewellery in his Kaki Bukit dormitory locker when he was arrested on December 19.

He was sentenced to death in early January 2010.

****** ****** ******

24-year old Umi Umiroh was plagued by dreams of a crying baby in her employer's semi-detached house along Hillside Drive, a month into her job in July 2008.

She told her friends about her dreams whom she usually met at the old age home, Ling Kwang Home in Serangoon Gardens.

She took her employer's mother for therapy sessions twice a week.

The friends said it was the ghost of the previous maid's baby.

Kirun had confessed to them she had secretly given birth to a seven months baby girl in the toilet of her employer's house.

She did not know what to do, so she just killed the baby, and buried her in the backyard.

While trimming grass in the garden later in theday, Umi smelled something foul.

She related her fears to her employer of what her friends told earlier.

A police report was made and the next day 9am, the police with four sniffer dogs, spent three hours in the garden.

Then they digging up something buried about 15cm deep into the soil.

Some small bones, born prematurely, wrapped with a yellow batik cloth, were recovered and analysed by the Health Science Authority.

Kirun, married with two children, was employed in June 2006, was always seen wearing loose-fitting batik dresses or oversized T-shirts.

Her main job was to take the employer's 82-year-old mother for physiotherapy sessions twice a week.

They spent about seven hours from 8.30am to 3pm.

Umi Umiroh arrived at Ms Goh's house on 6th June, spent two weeks with Kirun before she returned home on June 22.

Kirun, before her departure, had told Umi that she had at least two boyfriends in Singapore.

She also told Umi about having aborted her three-month foetus, fathered by the Bangladeshi boyfriend.

Her Bangladeshi boyfriend gave her $10 each time they met.

Before she met the Bangladeshi, she was seeing a Myanmar national.

She was able to meet them while waiting for the therapy sessions to end.

Three days before she left Singapore, she took Umi to meet her Bangladeshi boyfriend.

He asked her to be his girlfriend after Kirun returned home.

******

I brought Nora to City Plaza to show her the popular hang-out for Indonesians on weekends.
It's Orchard Road's Lucky Plaza of the east.

I wanted to show her how her folks are clothed, what some of her people are doing and behaving here - shopping, friending and boyfriending.
The partners are usually from Bangladesh.

But last Saturday afternoon, there were none to show her.
City Plaza was a desert, not a single maid's soul.
(to be continued)

The Maid - The Loan

2011-07-04T00:18:00.001+08:00

Nora*'s mother had just secured a deal with a sugar factory when it offered Rp13,000,000 (S$1,880) for Nora's two-year old quarter acre of sugarcane plantation.

The mother will use the money to renovate part of their house as she had the feeling that very soon, Singaporeans will want to visit her family.
Time is running out before these Singaporeans appeared at their front door.

Since Ramadhan is next month, it is better that the mother start renovating the house now.

Nora could not said no to her mother, as what the woman was earlier assured by her daughter, come July, Nora will receive her first salary of about Rp3,500,000.
But the mother did not know that Nora had spent two months idling in Batam before her first employer employed her to work with his family in the western part of Singapore.

And, Nora knew that she was cheated by her Indonesian agency.
Since she paid her own passage to Batam, she knows salaryless working in Singapore will be reduced to six, and at the most seven months.
Not nine months as she is facing now!

Nora's family was at the most critical period when her father met with an accident and their failed chilli plantation due to erratic weather that I had blogged earlier, exhausting all financial resources.
They were left totally dry but her children have to be in school and life has to go on.

So, Nora took drastic and unwavering step leaving her 3 young children with her aged mother and bedridden father to be in Batam last Ramadhan.

When others working in faraway land all converged home in Ramadhan to be together for the festive Syawal, Nora left home during the fasting month, leaving her children not only without their father who had simply left his family to pursue his own living, but without their mother too.

To reach Batam, Nora desperately went around asking for loan.

Normally Rp800,000 (about S$116) would be more than enough airfare.
But it was the peak period Ramadhan.

Since demand was more than supply, ticket prices went spiraling, that Nora had to ask for another loan of Rp500,000.

I used to fly to Jakarta from Hang Nadim Airport in Batam to Jakarta.
It costs less than S$100 for return ticket.

But last year, when I offered to pay a family of four's passageway to return home to Semarang from Batam, to spend their Syawal with their aged parents, whom they had not for met more than ten years, ticket price was already Rp1.2 million (about S$170).
And it was around two months away from Syawal.

The husband's mother was always in tears, longing for her only son and never before seeing her two granddaughters, when the couple called home.

Bear in mind, it was after a field day running counter after counter for wanting to secure the cheapest price.
Bear in mind, it was weeks before Ramadhan, in July, not August, and the ticketing girl said, ticket price went up each passing day.

So, I understand Nora's predicament.

******

The loan had been bothering Nora.
It was really a heavy burden on her shoulder, the biggest stone she ever had on her shoulder, as there was no such thing as to wait for nine months to earn her first salary working in Saudi.

And to tell her mother that her first salary will only be in September, she did not know how to create sentence from the limited words she has.

******

The cruel maids' world, she only knew and encountered after her two years in Abha, Saudi Arabia.

After her two years of working abroad, after repeatedly hearing others kept saying, she was one of the exceptionally lucky maid, it led her to make a nazar, a promise to slaughter a goat and holding a feast for her village folks after completion of honouring her another two years with the same employer.

When her second two-year contract was completed, upon landing at the airport, immediately after exiting the immigration counter, another maid who returned home together within her group from Jeddah, was struggling and gripping tight, holding Nora's baggage from being pushed away by unknown and suspicious men, hovering around the airport preying from victims.

These vultures, as if being tipped-off, always knew the schedule of return-home maids and many had fallen to become penniless victims, robbed of belongings upon stepping on homeground.
These maids often return to their families not only financially broke, but with shattering brokenhearted too.

The goodhearted maid refused to let Nora charted her home journey with just her and the driver.
Since it was almost nighttime, despite her children and family were all eagerly waiting for her, she was dragged to follow the goodhearted maid home, in Surabaya too.
She was forced to spend her night there.

The 'saint' maid personally chose reliable transportation for Nora to safely reach her waiting family.

******

Before Nora embarked in search of greener pasture in Singapore, she made a prior nazar, to do the same as what she did before.

But when she worked with her first employer here, she often complained to HIM, what HE gave her was not what she wanted.
She told GOD, her nazar is no trivial matter to look into.
She will do more when HE Gives her more than she had asked for.

As what she told Me, this time, upon completion of her two-year contract, she will qurban, slaughtering a kibasy.
She will ask someone to find the best mountain goat with good meat, the biggest mountain goat yet to be found.
She hope all Nyai's Children will be able to join in the feast she will be going to offer to all her villagefolks.
GOD willing.

******

I had told My Husband of Nora's loan since March.

To Him, just get the heaviest stone off on her shoulder, just pay up for her.
After all, it costs Us less than RM400.

Yes, I'll pay up, but not then, in March.
I'll wait until July.
No wonder the zakat, the tithe, He handed Me to give away early this year, I kept postponing.

******

Yesterday, I told Nora, since it is already July, the promised time has come for her to honour her loan payment.
The promise will be fulfilled when we reached City Plaza.

Nora quickly closed her mouth with both hands when she heard herself shouting loudly
"Ibu..."

Upon signing the transfer slip, she claimed weightless on both shoulders.
The heaviest stone had automatically slipped away.

Marriage Consent From The Grave

2011-07-01T18:36:00.002+08:00

I just fall for the girl.

I knew she was the right person.
But to get her, I had to go through the mother.

So, I became one of the widowed-mother's best friend.

The girl, eldest of four sisters, felt she had to leave school after her A-Level.
She had to help her mother to put her three sisters in school.

I asked a lot about the family.
I popped the question of remarriage to the mother.

She said, it was unlikely to happen.
Sometime, before her sleep, she had the feeling that her husband was watching her from over her head.
Often she dream of him, came back to visit his family, and observed his daughters' well-being.

******

Our relationship elated the mother more, as her late husband was my mother's classmate.
And, my late grandfather was her late father's best friend.

When her family was staying at Kampung Wak Tanjung, my grandfather used to go to her place.
He went to visit her father, who was an imam at the Wak Tanjung Mosque.

******

I told my eldest sister that I had found the right girl for my brother.

When she asked about the age, and I said 19, she said that the girl was way too young for my brother, who was already in his late 20s.
Age was never an issue to me, but yes, to my eldest sister.

In the meantime, I prayed hard then, that the girl will be my sister-in-law.

Then, one day, when the girl was around 20 or 21, the mother said a man had asked for her eldest daughter.
The man looked pious with his serban, a turban, on his head.
There was nothing more that the mother could asked for.
Since the man looked religious, he sure knows how to be the head of his family.

The news shattered me, as I still harboured hope in the girl.
Although my sister knew of my intention, but not the mother.
I had not made the proposal yet, even after around two years.

But, the mother continued, her late husband appeared in her dream, rejected the serban man.
The father said, his daughter will marry a man staying just few blocks away from them.

It was until then that I knew of my sister's refusal.
Sure, HE Knows Best, by episodes in our lives yet to unfold.

******

Not long after that, the mother had a great surprise.
Her few blocks away neighbour whom she already knew for more than twenty years, asked for her eldest daughter.

The mother did not know the neighbour's son had came back to Singapore after studying in Madinah.
He was sent to work in one of the mosque in the eastern side of Singapore, which had just been built.

******

The girl and her neighbour is now married.
After more than ten years, I knew they have four children, maybe more, now.

I wonder if I can navigate my family from my graveyard.
Although the girl's father had long been dead, but, he still wants the very best for his future generation.

The girl's father-in-law is just an ordinary noja, an ordianry caretaker at his neighbourhood mosque, but all his children, as I see it, turned out to be all super extra-ordinary.

They are not only in Singapore, but Malaysia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and sure, more countries which I knew not.
They can be heard over the radio, watched on tv, seen at MUIS and ...