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Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Faith & Modernization

Hudud, Fatwa, Quran, Bup- Kudus, Holy Bible, Yoga, Haram, Hindu Temple, Hindraf and the list goes on. Let me write some of the quotes from Davos World Economic Forum on Faith & Modernization forum. “Religion is a quest of meaning and a desire to become fully human”:- Karen Armstrong. “Religion is a powerful force for good; commitment to social order, peace and stability for human being. According to Karen, every religion teach the golden rule – do not do to others what you would not want to do to you.

Perhaps, this will be my last post for this year (summary of the year) on religion and respect in Malaysia. Malaysia is a developing country and it is a modern country but somehow the religion value is shaped by many religions as Muslim is the dominant. Somehow, the religion value has lost its value as there is less respect to the other religion. The Muslims are separated by Hadhari, PAS and UMNO while the Hindus are separated by Hindraf and MIC. The same story happened to other religion as well but it is not quite obvious because they are minority.

We are lucky enough as we have never experience any religion and racial eruption as what was happening in Sambas, Ambon and Southern Thailand. Nevertheless, there are certain issues that the government should deal with. The freedom of religion and respect to others diversities; religion, culture, value and dignity. PAS has proposed for Hudud to punish those who are found guilty of crime. We have many laws and there are amended every day including fatwa, temple location, cross in school and so forth. And this has becoming an irritation or uneasiness to those who believe in freedom of religion.

How far can the religion modernize a country? Muslim country development are prototyped by many rules and regulation such as in Malaysia but they cannot fight their tame enemy; corruption. There is no room of freedom of assembly to discuss on the religion and social development as they are made illegal including gathering to stand for human right and to criticize the way the Muslim governing the country.

The political maturity is measured by the religion maturity of the leaders. I may be wrong but most of the world leaders practice a very good religion practice. This including the west and the American leaders, Putin and so forth. With a strong religion value that a leader has, they will learn to respect others dignity and humanity and therefore he or she will serve his or her people with respect and sincerely.

Infact, we have seen religion discrimination such as temple demolition, Holy Bible issue and the use of Allah for the Muslim the Christians which never existed in the country history. What went wrong? Are our leaders not religious enough? We can pretend to tolerate with others but do we respect our differences? Yes, for some, this may be a very sensitive issue but it is time to get back to our religion value and teaching to sustain the modernization of our country.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Merry Christmas


I would like to greet all the Christian Malaysians a Merry Christmas. May God bless your life and your family. Let us continue to visit each other during this holy celebration and bless each others.


Sincerely,
The Lost Aborigine

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Tough Criticism.

What Is the different between Jabu and Mugabe?

More Marginalization

Every Dayak “bloggers” are slammed by the Sarawak Assistant Chief Minister for addressing the SALCRA and NCR Land issue to the net instead of public media. Indeed, the Dayak mentality toward politic have changed year after year. They are no more becoming the only listener but to be listening by their leader.

More Cholera

Jabu criticism on the Dayak blogers ( the awakening community) on the Borneo Post Press was a childish act of a matured and intelligent leader of the Dayak. Jabu should appreciate the Iban, Bidayuh, Selakau, Penan, Kayan, Orang Ulu, Chinese, Malay and Indians that form a “strong” government in Sarawak where the Bully party is ruling right now. What heve the bloggers done for the Dayak? It is not about how many percent of fund they contribute to the state development but how far they can accept all the lies and marginalization by his (Jabu) party.

It is time for him to step down from politic if he refuses to listen to the very and only Dayak voice. He should know that Robert Mugabe as is failure to African Union and to the Zimbabwe itself. What Jabu has done to prosper the Dayak? They can be counted with fingers since his contributions are for his master, Taib as for his political survivor. Longhouses have been ruined in the name of plantation. In the name of development, PBB refuse to give land title to the aborigines as quarries, palm oil estate and dam must be construction in the name of the betterment of the Dayak.

The Dayak must be during the next coming general election. We must vote not because of how old is the candidate but his charisma and ability to cater the need of the people and not to be a running dog to the bully party. We have made mistake for yeas and it is time to give them lesson and advice that politic is about power sharing and co-operation where give and take is practice all the time. Yes, it is hard to entertain every request of the people but here must be understanding and appreciation by the leaders. They are voted and not appointed and this means that democracy must be respect. As Barrack Obama said, we cannot solve a problem unless we come together to solve it. That is the leadership value that I never seen in the Dayak leaders. The political dominant has made them arrogant and naïve of the people problem. As such they are free to misused the native right to gain wealth. This is including plantation and construction project given to them as the reward for being in the bully club.

Who are we ( bloggers) to say this and that? We are made to be equal and therefore, we are free to express our point of view and opinion unless we are made dump and ignorance. Jabu should stop undermining the Dayak NGO’s and community and resign from PBB for the sake of the Dayak future. If he cannot solve the NCR land issue, plantation, poverty and Dayak position in the eyes of Pak Lah, he should take a humble step to retire and get back to longhouse to live as an ordinary Dayak and feel the struggle.

Friday, December 5, 2008

What's Next??

Zimbabwe declares national health emergency

By ANGUS SHAW
The Associated Press
Thursday, December 4, 2008; 5:00 PM


HARARE, Zimbabwe -- Zimbabwe declared a national emergency over a cholera epidemic and the collapse of its health care system, and state media reported Thursday the government is seeking more international help to pay for food and drugs to combat the crisis.

The failure of the southern African nation's health care system is one of the most devastating effects of the country's overall economic collapse.

Facing the highest inflation in the world, Zimbabweans are struggling just to eat and find clean drinking water. The United Nations says the number of suspected cholera cases in Zimbabwe since August has climbed above 12,600, with 570 deaths, because of a lack of water treatment and broken sewage pipes.

Cholera is an infectious intestinal disease that is contracted by consuming contaminated food or water. Its symptoms include severe diarrhea.

More...

Be Prepared

If you travel along Padawan, Serian, Bau and Lundu road, you will see something changed at Black Pepper, Cocoa and Rubber Three farm. People are no more working at that farm as the downfall of the commodity price in the global market. The black pepper cultivating cost is now higher that it price in the market. 50kg of fertilizer is now up to RM 200.00 per sack and the price of herbicides and pesticides are even worst.

The small farmers now have to abandon their farm, the place where they get a little money. Black pepper is now at about RM 3.50 per kg and the price of oil palm is now RM 200.00 per ton compare to RM 700.00 few years. It’s economic recession and everyone is restraining their productivity as the market demand on CPO, Rubber, Black Pepper, and Cocoa are declining.

The alternative way to earn a little bit of money is by selling farm product at Sunday market which is two days a week. Last night I visited my fellow friends at Batu Kawa community market. I saw cucumbers, sour brinjals, local barley, baby bamboo, tapioca, sweet pumpkins displayed for the walking customers.

Life changed tremendously during economic recession and so to the lifestyle. Salary has been cut down due to slow cash flow. Overtime is no more pay as production must be at optimum level. The government servant works as usual but the dept is increasing as the price of good is rising up. Fortunately, the Minister is convincing the people that Malaysia is not affected by the global economic recession as the government is wise enough and ready at any time. Ringgit was decided not to be floated as USD is loosing it value. Hopefully, the government has plenty of reserve in term of gold and not currency.

The Bidayuh will celebrate Christmas in a moderate way this year. The only good thing to hear is that there is no rising price of good before Christmas and the disaster strike only before Raya and Gong Xi Fa Cai. This including meat, poultry, vegetable and flour and other good. They have no commercial crops and commodity to sell but at least they have the spirit of gratitude and self-contain. Those who works at peninsular and Sabah will be back on Christmas with different feeling as money is no more valuable though the wages is much bigger than in Sarawak.

My advice is that, be prepare for the next worst economic recession. Spend less than what you earn and save money for the next school term. Merry Christmas in advance.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

It’s Politic

For some aborigines, politic is sensitive and some make it a norm lie. I used to be exited when it comes to the Dayak politic but now it good to tone down the excitement. According to Price Charles, it is good to get further from politic to maintain your mental health and I think that he is right. Some people live better with politic and some are not. Politic is now becoming bitter as the Dayak are marginalized by the dominant in the coalition and get bullied. Better still, they have to toil to the utmost to supply their family and household.

The Dayak contributed 90% seat to the UMNO and BN on last general election. As such, they hope that there will be full minister post to be “awarded” to them as they won their constituency even straight two or three terms. As the cabinet line-up released by the BN chairman, none of the “great winner” to be appointed instead of “recycle” ministers and even those who were convicted to crime also appointed.

Will there any hope in Pakatan Rakyat for the Lost Aborigines? They have lost their power sharing with the Chief Minister (PBB) and Pak Lah (UMNO) for decades. Anwar Ibrahim invited Tajem to their function as according to the Broken Shield but will it be the new political strategy for the Dayak or just to fish sympathy from the Barisan Nasional. Masing denied that he is working close to Pakatan Rakyat during the press conference last few week.

The MCA Vice President, Chua Soi Liek has “questioned” the special right and the supreme power of the Malay and he got scorned for “disrespect” the Malay and the kings. However, in Sarawak we seldom heard such grievances as their mouth has been muted by the press and the chief minister. Nobody dare to speak their mind and thought as they are always wrong in the eyes of the leaders. There is no freedom of speech in the coalition as the absolute power must be respect by the members.

In TV we see a lot of plan everyday. Millions of Ringgit will be allocated to this and that project and surprisingly, Sabah and Sarawak are included. Somehow, these two states are still the poorest thought that “packages” has been allocated since 50 years. It’s a true lie by the Barisan Nasional. Sarawak and Sabah have lost their rainforest and animal habitat to develop their town and villages. The number of hard core poor family in increasing as the plan to achieve zero poverty has been implementing on the day Pak Lah was appointed as the prime minister.

The Lost Aborigines are always the good listener and not the receiver. They listen to the radio and watch TV and wait for the development plan and packages to come to their bazaar, schools, and village but it is just a long wait. The road will be paved soon after the General Election but getting worst and some has to walk on foot as the road is dented by the rain.

It’s just a politic game by the politicians to gain personal benefit and not to care for the rakyat. It’s a 50 years of jokes to play and the Dayak is still playing the same game to dissolute it community. On the next State Election, the Dayak will still vote for Barisan Nasional, the weakest government and play the same joke over and over again.