Mistaking Sarong Pelakat For Samping Sutra

M. Bakri Musa and Din Merican

The recent flurry of toadying commentaries praising Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi remains unabated. We are of the view that when the emperor wears superb finery, there is little need for the courtiers to praise him. Indeed if they were to do so, he would be rightly offended for it implies that on other days his attire was wanting. You expect your emperor to have fine clothing every day and every time, anything less would be less than regal.

Recent punditry by Johan Jaaffar (A Prime Minister’s Fine Obsession – NST April 8th , 2006), A. B. Shamsul (Not Just a Mechanic But a Good Social Engineer – NST April 10th), and Kamal Khalid (Time For Real Work In the Plan to Begin – April 9th ) are a sampling of the embarrassingly effusive praises for Abdullah.

To them it is business as usual; they are oblivious of the fact that they are their straining their credibility. To us, it reveals something else: Put metaphorically, used to seeing their sultan with only a barked loincloth, when he put on a sarong pelakat (cotton sheet), they thought he is donning a samping sutra (silk cummerbund).

The Art of Positive Spinning

Johan’s follow up essay to his television interview with the Prime Minister was an attempt to put a positive spin on the Prime Minister’s less-than-inspiring performance. The Prime Minister’s body language on camera demonstrated anything but the “fine obsession” with his policies, in particular the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

Abdullah certainly would not have survived a tough grilling of a Stephen Sackur of BBC’s Hard Talk. The Prime Minister showed remarkable lack of conviction; he did not look directly onto the cameras when he responded to Johan’s soft questions.

Obviously Johan had structured his interview in consultation with RTM, Information Minister Zam, and the spinners in the Prime Minister’s office to ensure that the Prime Minister would not be embarrassed or taken off guard.

Despite that, Abdullah appeared worn out and unsure of himself. He could deliver only vague generalities on the Ninth Malaysia Plan, “probably the most important document in his tenure as Prime Minister,” as Johan put it.

Johan did not ask how the RM 220 billion for this “holistic” development would be financed, and the impact that would have on interest rates, inflation, the Government’s fiscal position, balance of payments, and the private sector.

At one time Abdullah’s spinners and apologists warned that the Government was out of cash, as Mahathir had exhausted it on the Petronas Towers, Multimedia Super Corridor, and Putrajaya. That assertion must just be cakap kosong (empty talk).

If there is any “fine obsession,” it would be that of a man desperate to depart from Mahathir’s Vision 2020. Thus Johan observed, “[A]nyone watching the program certainly agreed with me how passionate he [the Prime Minister] was on the 9MP. He was at ease articulating some of the minor points ignored by the media. He wanted the people to look at the Plan in [its] totality, so it was crafted not in thematic form.”

If by “minor” Johan means unimportant, then we agree. Abdullah is totally inept in comprehending the necessary details and technicalities on getting the economy moving again. Malaysia is paying for his benign neglect.

His administration is becoming increasingly bureaucratized. His answer to every problem is to form a committee! He now needs two national committees to help him monitor the Plan. We have long believed that the executive talent of a leader is inversely related to his penchant for forming committees. Abdullah demonstrates this dramatically.

What Malaysia desperately needs is bold and hardheaded leadership to chart its course in this rapidly changing and technologically driven world. Abdullah needs capable ministers and senior civil servants. His current team, which he essentially inherited from Mahathir, is tired, tainted, and ageing.

Praising in the Old Malay Way

A.B. Shamsul’s commentary was no less effusive. Thus, “…[W]hatever his detractors have to say, the 9MP is solid proof that Abdullah is a political inclusivist par excellence. He has even changed the DAP leadership’s viewpoint.” To Shamsul, changing DAP’s viewpoint is the height of political skills.

True to our Malay culture, of which he is an expert, Shamsul displayed fine skills in praising Abdullah. It is not enough for him to refer to Abdullah as “a good social engineer,’ surreal as that may sound. Shamsul has to denigrate Abdullah’s peers, in this case his predecessor, Mahathir, in order to make Abdullah look good. While referring to “our beloved Mahathir,” Shamsul then enumerated Mahathir’s alleged “collateral damages.” To make his point further, in case it was not grasped the first time, Shamsul intimated that Mahathir owed much of his achievements to his predecessors!

Kamal Khalid seems to be laying the ground work for the inevitable blame game, “The objectives are noble and the direction is correct. But weaknesses in implementation and execution of the Plan will be the Achilles’ heel that will undo all good intentions.” Abdullah is ready to shift the blame to the civil service should the Plan fail to deliver!

This comes right after Kamal praises Abdullah’s management style. Consider Kamal’s blatant attempt to liken Abdullah to the legendary Tun Razak: “His preference for giving coordinating implementation agencies his walkabouts around the nation, recalls the management style of Malaysia’s second Prime Minister.” Kamal may portray Abdullah as the great manager, but not great enough to wield control over the civil service. Even Abdullah would be embarrassed by that comparison!

We have been around long enough to remember similar toadying articles by Johan Jaafar, Shamsul A B and others in praising Mahathir when the man was in control. The passage of time may indeed temper one’s judgment, and one is certainly entitled to change it. Their revisionist versions of recent events may thus be understandable and even pardonable.

More incomprehensible however are the flip flops that occur in the matter of weeks or months. As late as a few days before Abdullah announced the cancellation of the crooked bridge to replace part of the Johore causeway, the mainstream media were carrying articles praising that wonderful project, dutifully listing the benefits that would accrue to the nation. Following the cancellation however, there was an immediate chorus praising the Prime Minister for his “brave” action.

Our first thought was that the likes of Johan and Shamsul have changed their views of Mahathir. On further reflection however, we concluded that these pundits have not changed. In fact they are revealing their true self: their ability and ingenuity to ingratiate themselves to the powerful. That is their core character, their constancy. To them, the sultan (or prime minister) is always wrapped in samping sutra, never in sarong pelekat, no matter what the reality.

These commentators and intellectuals may think they are being true to themselves, and we certainly to do not wish to disabuse them of their delusions. They are certainly not being true to the nation, our leaders, or their calling.

Personal note: The 12th of Rabi al Awal, the third month of the Muslim calendar, marks the birthday of our Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. This year it falls on Tuesday, April 11th. This event is marked with great fanfare in many Muslim countries, Malaysia included. Elsewhere such celebrations are frowned upon. I am fully aware of this controversy in the Muslim world.
In penning this essay, a tribute to our Prophet Muhammad s.a.w., I am not “celebrating” Maulud-ul Nabi as Christians celebrate Christmas, rather I am honoring him by reminding myself of the many exemplary qualities of this Last Rasul of Allah. MBM

Leadership Qualities of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.

Allah in His Wisdom did not choose His Last Messenger randomly. Long before Allah had chosen him, Muhammad had already demonstrated his noble and sterling character. He was Al Amin, the Trustworthy, to his community.

In Prophet Muhammad s.a.w., Allah had an uswatun hasana (“the most beautiful pattern of conduct,” Surah Al Ahzab, 33:21). There are numerous Quranic verses exhorting Muslims to emulate this exemplar of a human being. Exhortations from the Holy Book aside, a man whose teachings are being followed by one in five people on this planet deserves attention.

On this Maulud al Nabi, the Prophet’s birthday, Muslims re-live the Seerah (the ways and sayings of the Prophet s.a.w.) to discern their meanings. As noted by the writer Adil Salahi, the best way for Muslims to demonstrate their love for the Prophet s.a.w. is by following his teachings, not by singing his praises.

Aping Versus Emulating

Some set a very low bar for themselves, content with imitating the superficialities of the man. Thus they are reduced to sporting long beards and unshaven faces, and wearing loose clothes and oversized turbans. That is the extent, nothing further. They are aping, not emulating, the prophet.

Others think they have set a higher standard by mimicking the prophet in acquiring multiple wives. They do not emulate him for his skills in trading, his reverence for knowledge, or his quest for learning. Suffice that they could imitate the prophet only in that one respect. We do what we can with what we have, so they piously assure themselves as they indulge in their worldly lust, all in the name of following the example of the holy prophet of course.

Alas, they are looking for lust in all the wrong Seerahs!

They conveniently forget that the prophet remained monogamous for over 25 years with his first wife, Khatijah. His subsequent marriages following her death were expressions of his charity, not lust. Thus his wives included single mothers and war widows. Other marriages were for cementing political relationships, as was the tradition then. As a leader with considerable following, he could easily have had his groupies, if lust were his intent.

Not satisfied with the limitations of four wives at a time, and fully aware of the severe penalty for adultery proscribed in the Quran, many Muslims ingenuously resort to “temporary marriages.” Temporary as in hours or minutes, depending on their prowess! Surprisingly, there are kadhis (religious officials) who would solemnize such “marriages,” for a fee of course. In my part of the world, such individuals are called pimps.

In their obsession with the superficialities of the Prophet s.a.w., his well meaning admirers miss the essence of the man. This was a man chosen by Allah and who emancipated the Arabs from their Age of Jahiliyah (Ignorance), and then spread the faith that today is adhered to by over a billion people.

Leadership Through Personal Example: Qudhrat Hassanah

The leadership qualities I find most admirable were his humility, his recognition of talent, and his ability to think counter-intuitive, or “outside the box,” as the current cliché would have it.

When the prophet received his first revelation, he trembled with fear. He was fully aware of the awesome responsibility. So fearful was he that he could confide only to his wife Khatijah. In an era where females generally and wives in particular were mere chattels of men, that he took her in confidence was remarkable. It reflected his inner strength and confidence in judgment, regardless of the prevailing norms. He trusted and respected his wife, a rare trait in that time and place.

It also reflected his deep humility. Lesser mortals who thought they had been chosen by God would undoubtedly proclaim that fact loudly for the world to hear, a la George Bush, Jr., or Pat Robertson.

True to his humility, he preached initially only to his close family and friends. He was fully aware that his message would literally turn his society upside down, transforming it for the better. He risked dividing his community in the process. He had no desire to destroy his community in order to save it, to use a Vietnam-era maxim.

Today’s leaders would do well to emulate the Prophet’s appreciation and recognition of talent – meritocracy in its pristine form. His closest companions, later to be Caliphs, were truly worthy of the appellation, Radhi Allah anHu (May Allah Be Pleased with Them).

Recognizing the beautiful voice of the hitherto slave, Bilal, the Prophet made him call the Azzan, a singular honor. The Azzan, beautifully executed, gives me goose bumps; simply hollered, it grates on the ears.

In the early days of his mission, to spare his followers persecution, he arranged for them to migrate to Abyssinia for their safety. That was uppermost in his mind, a true leader. In a pivotal battle at Taif when he had the enemy under siege, he could have easily annihilated them especially considering that they had been brutal to him years earlier. Instead, listening to the counsel of his lieutenant about the fox cornered in a hole, he left them alone. You could smoke out the animal and destroy it, or you could leave it alone and it would do you no harm.

The people of Taif later embraced Islam on their own volition. The prophet intuitively recognized that in fighting for your cause, first create no new adversaries. A simple lesson, but difficult to learn. This is a lesson the world desperately needs to learn in battling terrorism.

The Prophet s.a.w. may have received the blessings and revelations from Allah, but he was not above listening to advice from his young subordinates.

In preaching, the prophet was careful in ensuring that his followers memorized only the divine revelations, not his commentaries. He forbade what would be considered today as a personality cult. Had he not done so, every Muslim home would be adorned with his portrait, cities named after him, and statues erected in his honor. For added measure, Muslims would be sporting amulets bearing his name or likeness for protection and good luck charms.

The tradition of recording his actions and sayings (seerah) began long after his death. Bukhari, whose collections of hadith were deemed most authentic, was not even born till about 200 years after the prophet’s death. It is more correct to say that the hadith are what one man – Bukhari – deemed to be what the Prophet s.a.w. purportedly said, rather than what he actually said. The only authentic ones are those recorded in the Quran, the hadith qudsi.

The prophet was no ordinary mortal, but a mortal nonetheless. At the theological level, this means Muslims do not believe in the re-incarnation or the second coming. At the practical level, that too has significance. While Muslims duly and properly praise the prophet, we are careful not to deify the person or attribute perfection. Perfection is after all solely the attribute of Allah.

At the personal level, the fact that the prophet is a mortal means that his exemplary qualities are within the capability of every one of us to follow. That is the beauty of our Prophet s.a.w.

May the Blessings of Allah be Upon Him, His Family, and His companions as we honor him on this special day of the 12th of Rabi al Awal.

Allah’s Second Quran

The late Malay philosopher Haji Abdul Malek Karim Amirullah (HAMKA) once remarked that Allah blessed humans with two Qurans. One is open, which He revealed to Prophet Mohammad (May peace be upon him) in the seventh century; the other closed, this vast and wonderful universe.

Muslims are familiar with only the first Quran. Many neglect or are even contemptuous of the second Quran, dismissing it as “secular” knowledge.

We have an obligation to study Allah’s second Quran as much as the first. With the first, Allah generously provided us with an exemplary teacher in the person of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.

With the second, Allah has left that to our own. In His wisdom however, Allah did not leave us ill equipped for this pursuit. He endows each of us with akal (intellect), an ability to think and reason. This attribute differentiates us from the rest of His other creations. We must use this divine gift to pursue vigorously the secrets and wisdom of this second Quran.

The words, sentences (Ayat), and verses (Surah) of the Quran are finite, but their meanings and comprehensions are not. They have taxed and will continue to tax great minds. Those who declare with great certitude that the truth of the Quran had been fully uncovered reveal more the limitations of their intellect rather than the vastness of the knowledge and wisdom within the Quran.

These ulamas proclaim that all we need to do to be good and pious Muslims is to simply follow their dictates (taqlid). They would us be the sheep, and they, the shepherd. They would have us suppress that greatest gift Allah could bestow upon us, our ability to think and use our reason.

The Equally Infinite Second Quran

The second Quran too is infinite. In verse 27, Surah Luqman (31:27) (approximate translation), “If all the trees on earth were pens, and if the sea eked out by seven seas more were ink, the Words of God could not be written out unto their end.”

Scientists exploring the physical universe beyond and the living world within are in effect studying this second Quran. Allah has bountifully rewarded them – and mankind – for their efforts. Biologists diligently studying the viruses – that most elemental form of life – gave us lifesaving vaccines. Today smallpox is no longer a scourge, only a laboratory phenomenon, and perversely, also a potential lethal weapon for terrorists. Newton’s insights on physics gave us the jet engines, rockets and satellites. And from there we have cellular phones, MTV, and satellite television.

The Quran and the Sunnah (sayings and practices of the prophet s.a.w.) exhort us to seek knowledge and to use our akal. Having acquired that knowledge, we must act upon it to better ourselves and our fellow humans. If we do not, then we would be no better than a donkey carrying the Book of Knowledge on its back: an unnecessary burden, not a source of enlightenment.

With akal we have the capacity to decide between right and wrong, and even whether to believe or disbelieve.

On the Day of Judgment, Allah will judge us solely by our deeds. We cannot excuse what we did during our lifetime simply because we were merely following the teachings of this inspiring ulama or that mesmerizing mullah. Islam does not provide for “being a good German” defense. (In the Nuremberg trials Nazi operatives used the defense that they were merely “being a good German” by obeying their superior’s command.)

In Islam, it is us mortals and Allah, there being no need for an intermediary. We have no popes, bishops or priest to intercede on our behalf. Nor do we have a great savior who had sacrificed himself to save us all.

Yes, our faith has been blessed with great ulamas, from the Rightly Guided Caliphs and the Prophet’s companions (May Allah be pleased with them!) to many others following them. They have enlightened and guided us further. Ultimately however, we are answerable for own deeds.

This is the beauty of Islam. There is no great savior for me except Almighty Allah, and I am answerable ultimately to Him.

Ancient Muslims implicitly recognized the importance of this second Quran. Thus, they eagerly learned from the Greeks and Romans, and then went on to make their own seminal contributions. Muslim luminaries of the era were unencumbered by the fact that they were learning from infidels or that the Greeks worshipped multiple deities. Those Muslims implicitly recognized that all knowledge ultimately come from Allah.

Why Allah chose to reveal the mystery of the concept of zero to a Hindu, the insight on gravity to an Englishman, and the secrets of the atom to a Jew is not for us to question. That is Allah’s prerogative. Suffice for us to recognize that such knowledge and insight are for the benefit of all.

Those early Muslims did not distinguish between worldly and religious knowledge. This artificial division of knowledge between secular and sacred is just that – artificial. All knowledge is sacred, and must be respected as such. My knowledge of human biology could be used to save lives or perversely, to end or maim them. Allah has endowed me with akal to differentiate between the two.

The Prodigal Son

To me, Anak yang soleh (The prodigal son) is a broad concept. The engineer who builds dams that provide irrigation and better livelihood to thousands by ending the cycles of flooding is very much anak yang soleh. He studies the second Quran in the form of the physical world around him, and uses that knowledge to benefit his community.

The late Tun Razak used his knowledge to bring development to his people, and gave dignity and meaning to their lives. He too was a prodigal son. P. Ramlee, whose voice and melodies uplift the spirits of millions, was another. The gifted Sudirman brought smiles and happiness to many by honing his God-given talent in music and then generously sharing it with us. He too was a prodigal son personified.

It is Allah’s prerogative upon whom He would bestow such gifts and wisdom of the second Quran. It is also His sole prerogative as to whom He would admit to Heaven. To me, however, it would not be heaven without the likes of Tun Razak, P. Ramlee and Sudirman.

More Perspiration, Less Inspiration Required
Co-written with Din Merican

(Re-posted from Malaysia Today February 18, 2006)

Prime Minister Abdullah finally had his ilham (inspiration) to shuffle his cabinet. His “new” team, despite the hype, remains anything but new. Had he exerted greater effort in scouting for fresh talent instead of relying on his ilham, the results could have been, well, inspiring.

Now more than ever, Malaysia needs a crisp team to propel the nation into its next trajectory of development. Malaysians desperately need quality leadership at the top, leaders who lead through personal examples, and who empower, not control, the citizens. We need ministers who can execute, meaning, perform as executives, and not be content with being mere mini sultans of their bureaucratic fiefdom. We certainly do not need ministers who wait for directives.

Abdullah’s cabinet has two major problems: size and personnel.

Imagine a cabinet meeting with all 33 ministers present. If each were to speak for only a couple of minutes, the meeting would last well over an hour. And that would be just enough time for each to make the obligatory salutations, “Yang Berhormat Tan Sri….!” There would hardly be time for substantive discussions or robust policy debates.

The results showed. The recent unprecedented move by ten non-Muslim ministers in presenting outside of cabinet what essentially was an ultimatum to the Prime Minster over provisions of the Islamic laws is reflective of this dysfunction. Then there were the frequent conflicting statements made by various ministers, including the Prime Minster, over many issues. The most recent - coming right after the cabinet reshuffle - had Rafidah Aziz claiming that she still had control over the controversial AP permits. The very next day Abdullah had to correct her. These contradictory remarks make a mockery of the principle of collective cabinet decisions.

Incapable of Innovations

Unlike many, we are not surprised with Abdullah’s latest performance. He has neither the talent nor the temperament to make major changes, despite the strenuous efforts of his apologists and loyalists to portray him as otherwise. His experience was in the civil service, as an administrator. He conforms to the tradition of “Saya menunggu arahan!” (I await the directive!)

His “don’t rock the boat” approach served him well when he was in Mahathir’s cabinet. Mahathir was strong and decisive, and had no shortage of ideas. Now that Abdullah is in charge, there is no one above him to give him directions. This is an uncomfortable role for him, and he is lost and rudderless. His recent personal loss adds to his distraction.

The performance of Abdullah and his team has been anything but cemerlang (excellence). It would be hard to have a straight face in referring to them as gemilang (glorious). Only they fantasize terbilang (distinction). This new team, with its core members securely ensconced, is nothing but temberang (bullshit).

We are not disappointed as we do not expect much of Abdullah, but we do feel for the millions of Malaysians who gave him their overwhelming mandate. Malaysia is entering its pivotal Ninth Malaysia Plan period. It cannot be business as usual. We have to re-examine our assumptions, explore novel strategies, and have more effective executions. Otherwise this Plan will repeat the same mistakes of all earlier ones, with their incomplete projects, funds not expended, and the nation further away from its Vision 2020 aspirations.

Abdullah inherited Mahathir’s team. It is the same tired crew that gave us the loss-ridden MAS, Proton and other GLCs; the ugly AP scandals; decline in foreign investments; continuing blatant corruption; and the rapidly deteriorating education system. Good luck in expecting them to undo their own mistakes!

Securing Fresh Talent

The Prime Minister must be willing to exert himself and cast his net deep and wide to secure fresh talent. That is, more perspiration and less inspiration. By restricting himself to the same stagnant pond, he nets the same lethargic ikan bilis (anchovies) with pretensions of ikan pedang (swordfish).

His landslide electoral victory of 2004 presented him with a much wider and deeper talent pool. He did not seize that opening, another one of the many great opportunities he squandered.

A man of greater conviction and confidence would not hesitate in going out of the political arena in search of talent. Tun Razak used the Senate appointment route in search of new talent, as did Mahathir. Abdullah did that do, but his choice for the Senate was one Muhammad Taib, a man found with millions in cash in his back pocket, at an Australian airport.

Malaysian ministers are too preoccupied with and distracted by their non-cabinet duties. We would have thought that with all the pressing problems facing the nation, being a minister would consume one’s total energy, and then some. There would not be time to be in UMNO Supreme Council or be Chairman of the Football Association.

Decoupling party from government positions would solve this problem. Ministers would not then be in perpetual campaign mode to protect their positions in the party, and thus in the cabinet. Decoupling would have another salutary effect: it would diffuse power. This concentration of power is the prime factor for its abuse and corruption.

This does not mean that ministers should or could insulate themselves from the political realities. Make them answerable to party leaders and use the UMNO Supreme Council as an oversight committee to monitor the performances of ministers. That would keep them sharp.

Unwieldy Cabinet

The other constraint with Abdullah’s cabinet is its unwieldy size. Get rid of the five ministers in the Prime Minister’s Department. There is no need for a Minister of Information, Tourism, Sports, Women’s Affairs, Federal Affairs, Culture, or even Entrepreneur Development. Combine some ministries like Home Affairs with Internal Security, and have only one Minister of Education. That would reduce the cabinet to a manageable size.

With fewer ministers, Abdullah could spend more time vetting them, and he would be spared of a Kasitah Gaddam or Isa Samad, men implicated with major corruption. Abdullah would also be spared a Shafie Salleh or Leo Michael Toyad. Shafie briefly headed the Ministry of Higher Education, a new portfolio now in the midst of a major policy review. The change could only be disruptive, and avoidable had Abdullah been prudent with his initial selection. There is no assurance that the Prime Minster has learned his lesson.

We agree that Shafie Salleh was an inept choice. He clearly demonstrated this in his dealings with the Vice-Chancellors, and his appointing Nordin Kardi, a man with the slimmest academic credentials, to head Universiti Utara.

It was disconcerting the manner with which the Prime Minister announced his new cabinet. Shafie Salleh learned of his dismissal only through the media. At the very least, the Prime Minister owed both Shafie and Toyad the courtesy of a personal call ahead of time. Better yet, Abdullah should have met with his old and new cabinet members individually, apprising them of their strengths and weaknesses. That he did not, showed his lack of personal courage. Abdullah simply had no class.

As for keeping Rafidah Aziz, the Prime Minister obviously has not learned anything from the AP mess. That apparently is the kind of “experience” Abdullah values. Rafidah’s retention mocks his commitment to clean government. The arrogance of her to claim that it was God’s wish that she remains in the cabinet! Tomorrow she will claim to have daulat (mandate from God), just like a real sultan. Such hubris could only come from someone who has been in government far too long.

In a similar fashion, the collapse of our flyways and the shoddy executions of major public works projects contribute to the “valuable experience,” and hence the retention of Samy Vellu as Works Minister.

Abdullah pays a steep price for retaining these deadwoods. He deprives the nation of the services of competent talent. Abdullah should be encouraging and grooming the likes of Mustapha Mohamad and the Wharton PhD, Awang Adek.

Abdullah and his “new” team is prepared only to coast along. It is the same old tired crew, being led by an equally tired skipper who is clueless and rudderless. We would be lucky if we were not swamped in these turbulent times.

Din Merican is Visiting Professor (Business Strategy) and Advisory Board Member, Asia Economic Forum, at University of Cambodia, and Senior Research Fellow, Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Awal Muharram and Chinese New Year
M. Bakri Musa

To my Chinese readers, Happy New Year! May the new year bring you and yours peace, prosperity and good health. To my Muslim readers, let us pause and reflect on the meaning of Awal Muharram so we may learn from that seminal event of our faith – the Hijrah. To my Chinese Muslim readers in Malaysia, America, China and elsewhere, may the Blessings and Benevolence of Allah upon you and yours be doubled!

I have one other wish, but I will leave that to the end.

Yes, I do have readers in China! I was privileged to meet a special Chinese Muslim from there, the famous calligrapher Haji Noor Deen Mi Guangjiang when he was exhibiting his artistic works in America. His unique combination of Chinese and Islamic calligraphy was truly inspiring. I am filled with joy and wonderment every time I view his works. (You may view some of them on his website: www.hajinoordeen.com)

Physics of the New Moon

Both the Muslim and Chinese New Year begin with the new moon; theoretically they both should be on the same day this year. Yet, Chinese New Year will be celebrated on Sunday, January 29th, while Awal Muharram will be observed on Tuesday, January 31st. This difference in time is apparent, not real.

By calculation, the new moon will be on January 29th at 14 hours and 15 minutes Universal (Greenwich) Time. This is the new moon of the Chinese; thus they celebrate New Year on that day. This “new moon” needs clarification. It is the precise moment when the moon is directly aligned between the earth and sun (conjunction). At that brief instant, the moon’s shining part will completely face the sun, its dark side, the earth. The moon is completely dark and nothing is visible from the earth; hence the term “Dark Moon.” No telescope or other instrumentation can alter this physical reality.

To Muslims, the new moon is when the crescent (hillal) is visible. This can vary from 17 to 23 hours from the moment of conjunction. This variation is due to the variability of the velocity of rotation of the moon around the earth, as the moon’s trajectory is elliptical, not circular; hence it also changes with the seasons. Local weather conditions together with observer’s visual acuity also contribute to the variation.

Because of the physics of light in the atmosphere and the limits of human visual acuity, this hillal can only be seen when the angle of the earth-moon-sun is at least 9 degrees; hence the delay between conjunction and visualization.

By sunset on January 30, the crescent should be nearly 20 hours old in many parts of the world, and be readily visible. To Muslims, Awal (First of) Muharram has begun that very evening. In the Gregorian scheme, the Muslim new month (and year) begins the next day.

Acknowledging the New Year

The Chinese celebrate their New Year much like Muslims do Eid, in particular, Eid-ul Fitrah. Both festivities are joyous occasions for the renewal of familial and community bonds, together with tributes to God (or Gods), and remembrance of those family members who have departed before us.

The Chinese celebration goes on for ten days, with each day having its own special meaning. For Muslims, the tenth day of Muharram holds great significance. It is the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, grandson of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. Shiite Muslims reenact that sad and tragic moment in Islamic history. This particular tragedy is heightened by the fact that Muharam is traditionally a time of peace, when fighting and wars are prohibited. To the Shiites, the first ten days of Muharram are a period of mourning.

Hijjrah of the Heart and Mind

The Prophet’s Hijrah (migration) from Mecca to Medinah on 622 CE was such a pivotal moment in Islamic history that Caliph Omar decided that the Muslim calendar, and hence Awal Muharram, should begin on that day. Historically, the migration actually took place during the third month.

Awal Muharram is not so much celebrated as observed. On this day, Muslims pause and reflect on that signal event in our history, and ponder its meaning and significance.

Hijrah means to move away from oppression, a bad place or situation. The symbolism of the new moon is particularly apt, the emergence from total darkness to ever increasing brightness under the soft luminescence of the moonlight.

Allah commands us not to accept the evil around or perpetrated upon us. In Surah Al Nisaa (4:97 – Women) (approximate translation), “When the Angels take the souls of those who die in sin, they [Angels] say, ‘In what plight were ye?’ They [sinners] replied, ‘Weak and oppressed we were on earth.’ They [Angels] say, ‘Was not the earth of Allah spacious enough for you to move yourself away from evil?’ Such persons will find their abode in Hell – What an evil refuge!”

The Prophet’s physical Hijrah is well known. Less well appreciated is his non-physical hijrah, when he moved his people away from the Age of Jahilliyah (Ignorance) with his divine messages. His physical Hijrah was a matter of days; his other hijrah consumed his total life after he received that first revelation.

The prophet’s physical Hijrah saw the Anzars (the Medinah natives) warmly welcoming and adopting the Muhajirins (the migrants following the prophet from Mecca). Through their unity and shared identity in that first Muslim community, the faith spread beyond. There is a particular lesson in this for Malaysia.

The early Muslims’ other hijrah saw servants paired with masters, and the rich with the poor. It emancipated the Arabs from a culture where female infanticide was the norm to one where women like Khatijah and Fatimah (the prophet’s wife and daughter respectively – May Allah bless them) have a special place in Islam.

I too have undertaken my own physical hijrah by coming to America. As wrenching an emotional decision as that was, it was the easy part. Now I must continue with the hijrah of my heart and mind.

Living in the heart of capitalism, it is easy to be caught up with the unbridled consumerism. I must constantly remind myself that in giving I am indeed receiving, and that zakat (charity) means purification. It is a continuous hijrah for me to live up to those ideals.

As a society, we too must undertake our own collective hijrah. Through the blessings of Allah, Malaysians are spared the horrors of having to undertake any mass migration, as the Afghans now have to in avoiding anarchy and tyranny of their homeland. However, the evils of corruption, dependency, drug abuse, dysfunctional families, and breaches of faith among officials are still with us. We have to undertake a hijrah of our collective hearts and minds to rid and keep us away from all such ills.

Thus, my third wish upon myself and others, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, is to undertake this mental and social hijrah to move ourselves away from these evils.

A Pattern of Indecisions
A Review of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s Performance

This is the first full calendar year for Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi since his impressive electoral victory in 2004. Meaning, he has now stamped his brand of leadership.

His wife’s prolonged and ultimately fatal illness took a heavy toll on him. He has however, a long record of government service, and his pattern of leadership was established long before that sad episode.

After he secured that massive electoral landslide, many thought he would be emboldened to put his mark by revamping the cabinet he inherited from his predecessor. He did not, and the argument went that he was waiting for the then upcoming UMNO’s leadership conference before consolidating his position. That came and went, without his making any significant changes.

The pattern of leadership he has demonstrated thus far is his. We should not expect any changes from this essentially cautious and conservative former civil servant.

A Theory of Third World Leadership

I have a theory on Third World leadership. Briefly stated, the effectiveness of Third World leaders is inversely related to their exposure in Western media. The more effective the leaders, the less well known they are in the West. Americans may not know who the leaders of Singapore, Taiwan or South Korea, yet they have successfully transformed the lives of their citizens.

On the other hand, Robert Mugabe and Fidel Castro regularly grab the headlines in the West. Their achievements have been in making their citizens’ life miserable.

Abdullah does not register on Western media’s radar. On this score, he has acquitted himself. Is my theory still operative?

Another observation I have is that the executive ability of a leader is inversely related to his or her penchant for appointing committees. I have worked with dozens of hospital Chief Executives and found this to be true. For a national leader, royal commissions of inquiry serve essentially the same function as committees: a convenient and effective way to defer making the tough but necessary decisions.

Abdullah was widely lauded for appointing the Royal Commission to investigate the Police. The commission submitted its report earlier this year, and the Prime Minister duly responded by appointing a committee to study the report!

The recent furor over “strip ear-squat” of suspects should not surprise anyone who has read the Commission’s earlier report. The much earlier accounts of Kassim Ahmad, Syed Hussin Ali and Raja Petra Kamarudin, all detained under the ISA, reveal the same pattern. Then there was former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, beaten to unconsciousness by no less than the Police Chief.

These are the nonviolent detainees; imagine the fate of those whom the police deem to be violent or uncooperative.

It was initially assumed that the victim in the ear-squat case was a Chinese national, prompting a protest from the Chinese government. Imagine being lectured by, of all people, the Chinese on how to treat prisoners and respect basic human rights! How low can we go?

True to form, Abdullah’s response to this latest embarrassment was to form – you guessed it! – yet another commission of inquiry!

I have a third observation on leadership. A sure sign that a national leader is being overwhelmed by domestic issues is when he or she suddenly becomes more interested in the lofty matters of foreign affairs, and begins taking frequent trips abroad. President Nixon did it during the height of the Watergate crisis. It did not help him.

With the red carpet treatment, fancy state dinners, and the hosts sparing no superlatives in praising you, it is easy to dismiss those carping critics back home.

Indonesia’s Sukarno took this strategy to extremes. He had a Pan American 707 jet at his ready disposal to whisk him at a moment’s notice to exotic foreign capitals. All those impressive honorary doctorates he collected, as well as the Most Esteemed Leader title he garnered from Outer Mongolia, did not help him solve pressing problems back home.

I have not tally up the number of days Prime Minister Abdullah was away during 2005, but I am certain it was more than in 2004. I predict that next year will be even more.

Those foreign trips are valuable only if they produce tangible results. Malaysia chairs the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), yet it has proved impotent and thus being marginalized in the major crises afflicting the Muslim world, from the war in Iraq to the starvation in Sudan. Nor has the flow of foreign investments picked up following those trips.

Related to foreign trips is the local hosting of international gatherings. Abdullah has done more than his share, with the recently-concluded East Asia Summit a feather in his cap. Left unstated however, what exactly was achieved, apart from filling up local luxury hotels and the inevitable symbolic photo opportunities?

Pressing Domestic Issues

There is certainly no shortage of pressing domestic issues. The resignation of Isa Samad over “money politics,” together with the AP (Approved Permit) scandal, reflects pervasive corruption, in government and society. The continuing losses at MAS, Proton, Bank Islam and other Government-linked Companies (GLCs) owe as much to corruption as incompetence.

Our schools and universities are crying for reform, as evidenced by the widespread indignation over the recent the Times Higher Education Supplement ranking of local institutions. Members of our elite have long ago abandoned the system; likewise local employers, as evidenced by the thousands of unemployable local graduates.

Solving these intractable problems would tax the talent of even the wisest leaders. These problems desperately need the attention of the Prime Minister; they cannot be wished away. Our Prime Minister must lead by showing the way. Thus far he has not done so. His supporters attribute that to his basic cautious nature and tendency for due deliberation. To me it reflects lack of competence.

In the test for a driver’s license, passing one out of three questions would require a “re-take.” In the test of leadership, there are no re-takes.

The Folly of the Translation Institute and Dewan Bahasa

M. Bakri Musa

Tucked deep in the belly of the recent Auditor General’s Report is one obscure item: Millions worth of books unsold at the Translations Institute. A visit to Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (Language and Literary Agency) would reveal similar stacks of unsold books and publications warehoused in its expensive headquarters.

The problems at both agencies reflect a much greater issue, that is, the folly of governments when they meddle in what are properly the spheres of the private sector. Civil servants make poor businessmen and women; the civil service milieu is the very antithesis of good business climate.

The Auditor-General’s Report, though generally widely lauded, does not address this more fundamental issue. It duly reports the waste but ignores how those problems arise in the first place or how to solve them.

Imagine if we were to close both agencies. Then use the money saved, including the income that would arise from renting out their fancy headquarters, to fund grants to would-be writers, teachers and professor to write in or translate books to Malay. I would give RM25K to the writer and RM10K to the publisher, tax free (half the amount for translated works), for each volume produced. If the book sells well, the writer and publisher would get the additional profits and royalty.

In return, the publisher must donate a copy to every public library in the country. In this way, those published works would get the widest distribution and more likely to be read.

This would also encourage our woefully underpaid teachers and professors to write in order to supplement their income. What an excellent way to reward the more industrious and productive among them!

We could tweak the grants further by rewarding writers and translators of science and technical works more.

Thousands of titles (many are classics, both fiction and non-fiction) are in the public domain, thus there is no copyright issues. For those books and seminal works still under copyright, I would use the funds to secure the translation rights.

Such a scheme would encourage our teachers, authors and professors to write, and would substantially increase the number of published works in Malay. Certainly more than what both agencies are now producing.

Another benefit would be the spawning of dozens of new publishers. This would be an excellent stimulus to our would-be entrepreneurs.

When Dewan Bahasa was set up in 1956 and then vastly expanded in the 1960s, a little known casualty was the decimation of Malay publishers and printers like Sinaran Brothers. With Dewan becoming huge and dominant, it stifles the development of new and innovative publishers and writers. Writers have to toe Dewan’s policies in order to get their works published.

As for those translators and writers at Dewan Bahasa and the Translation Institute, I would send them to teach in our schools.

Meanwhile sell those unsold books now occupying valuable space at both agencies at a clearance sale, with all volumes sold at 50 percent discount during the first week of sale. The first day would be open only to teachers and students. On the second week, I would reduce further the price of the unsold volumes by a further 50 percent (making them at 25 percent of their presale price), again giving students and teachers the first crack. Any unsold items would be priced at 10 percent of its original price on the third week. On the last week, every unsold item would go for a RM1 each. Books left after that would be given away free.

Watch the inventory move and the space cleared!

Writers want their works read, not warehoused on some dark rooms. Imagine the rapid diffusion of knowledge in our society were we to adopt such a measure.

The current activities of Dewan Bahasa and Translation Institute could just as well be done more effectively and at minimal cost to the government by universities and the publishing houses.

Civil servants do not know how to move merchandise or aggressively price their goods. Bureaucrats do not know market realities or customers’ preferences. Regardless whether the books are selling or languishing in the warehouses, those civil servants get their bonuses and promotions. There is no incentive for them to do well.

With my scheme, if writers do not write and translators do not translate, they do not get their grants. If their books do not sell, that is all they would get – the grants – and nothing more. That should be an incentive for them to produce quality works.

Rest assured, there would be many more titles in Malay that would get published. The only loser with my scheme would be those bureaucrats. This is the big reason why my sensible scheme will not be accepted.

Entities like Dewan Bahasa and the Translation Institute have nothing to do with producing published works in Malay and everything to do with providing secure civil service jobs for Malays. The Auditor-General’s Report misses this crucial point.

A Budget Of, By, And For Civil Servants

The recently unveiled Federal Budget is a windfall for government employees. It is a budget of, by and for civil servants.

With this budget, the government continues to expand, with the number of civil servants ballooning close to a million. Its domination of the economy and marketplace continues unabated. This budget betrays the government’s incessant rhetoric of reinventing itself. It is business as usual, with more of the same. The government has learned nothing from past mistakes and experiences, in particular the 1997 economic contagion.

The only deference to that crisis was the government’s much-hyped reduction of the deficit, from over 5 percent of the GDP only a few years ago to a projected under 4 this year.

Anytime a government, especially a democratic one, can cut its budget deficit, that is indeed laudatory. America is having problems addressing its gaping deficits because of political realities. Democratic governments risk being voted out should they cut favorite programs or raise taxes. Deficits are nothing more than the government bribing its voters.

Nature of Deficit More Important

Reducing deficits and having balanced budgets may please the fiscally conservative, but this may not necessarily be wise. The nature of the deficits is more crucial.

If the deficits are for funding schools and health facilities, that is money well spent. It represents wise investment in the most precious asset of a nation, its human capital. Healthy and well-educated citizens will pay dividends way in excess of the investments, quite apart from the humanitarian merits of such endeavors. Similarly, those deficits are acceptable if used for funding infrastructures and other productive investments.

On the other hand, if those deficits arose from building grandiose skyscrapers, ornate palaces, and fancy headquarters for civil servants, then we have a major problem. Unfortunately, this is the usual state of affairs in Third World nations. Many also divert their scant public resources to risky commercial ventures.

Many Third World countries that have absolutely no expertise or trained personnel in aviation brashly start their own national airlines. These leaders just cannot get away from such prestige items.

Malaysia is not immune to such temptations. Its national airline, like other Government-linked companies, continues to drain the Treasury. This budget repeats the pattern of spawning new GLCs, including a colossal one with the initial price tag of RM2B to dabble in real estate. Others would engage in equally risky businesses like biotechnology and agro-business. Obviously we have not learned anything from the expensive lessons of Perwaja and Bank Bumiputra.

Generous funding for social investments alone is not enough. If through corruption and political patronage those precious funds were not spent prudently, then its investment value would plummet very quickly. By whatever measure (relative to the economy, overall budget or population) Malaysia expends huge sums on education, yet it has little to show for it. Experts, employers and parents all agree that the products of our schools and universities are wanting.

Through corruption, political patronage and sheer incompetence, considerable leakage occurs with public expenditure s in Malaysia. Yet this budget addresses none of these pressing issues. There is no increased funding for the Anti-Corruption Agency, for example.

Bloated Public Sector

I have no problem with rewarding workers for a job well done. This budget generously rewards civil servants with extra bonuses, increased pensions, better housing, and liberal allowances. There are also new agencies, meaning more civil servants, like the Health Tourism unit and agricultural attaches. We currently have education attaches abroad. It may be coincidental, but the enrollment of foreign students has declined! I would not count on those civil servants to increase health tourism or agricultural exports.

Paying, housing, and pampering civil servants consume a massive chunk of the budget. This will only increase with time; there is no restraint. I am against these allowances and special housings as they isolate civil servants from outside realities. Presently, civil servants know nothing about gyrations of interest rates, housing costs, and living expenses because they are insulated by their subsidized allowances.

Special housing for civil servants and the police are particularly pernicious, as that will physically isolate them from the community. Pay them the market rate and let them find housing like the rest of us. That will inject a dose of reality on them. Besides, having a policeman or someone from the Anti Corruption Agency as your neighbor will have a salutary effect on the community.

The huge size of government presents other problems quite apart from costs. When the government is a massive employer, it deprives the private sector of talent. One reason the Soviet system collapsed is that the party and government sucked up talent, with little left for private sector and society.

It is not so much the size of government that matters rather what it does with the resources and personnel. Scandinavian countries all have big governments and large public sectors, but their citizens are competitive and economies robust. That is because those governments use their resources for productive public services like healthcare, education, childcare, and generous social safety nets. No wonder their citizens are contented with few emigrating, despite their long winters and short summers.

India has an equally large public sector, but its public servants are busy checking and issuing permits, and otherwise making a pest of themselves to producers and entrepreneurs. As a result, unlike the Scandinavians, Indians flock out of their country given a chance.

The public sector in Malaysia is more like India than Scandinavia. We have our share of “Permit Rajs.” A large chunk of the religious establishment (it too, like others, is getting increased allocation with this budget) is devoted to such non-productive pursuits as ensuring Muslims do not hold hands in public.

This being Malaysia, there is the ugly racial element. Governments are always less efficient and less responsive than private enterprises. Unlike businesses, governments are spared the rigorous discipline of the marketplace.

As the public sector in Malaysia is almost exclusively in Malay hands, its inefficiencies and sluggishness are viewed not as inherent deficiencies of governments but as another defect of Malays. Unfortunately, this important facet of public perception is lost on our mostly Malay civil servants.

When an American civil servant like the former FEMA Director Michael Brown fumbled, it was seen as another typical incompetent political appointee, and nothing more. When the Director-General of Customs in Malaysia had a binge of gala retirement parties, that was viewed as a deficiency of the Malay character.

Of course, that is unfair. Given that reality, I would expect Malay civil servants to perform better in order to eradicate this unjust stereotyping. Unfortunately, many them are oblivious of this and bent on living up to this ugly characterization.

This budget also reinforces another Malay stereotype, of being utterly dependent on big government. The rhetoric of “glokal Malays” and “New Malays” notwithstanding, this budget represents business as usual.

The Curious Silence on Endon’s Health

[Reposted from www.Malaysia-Today.net, September 24, 2005]

The sudden announcement of Prime Minister Tun Razak’s death in 1976 stunned the nation. Malaysians had no inkling that their beloved leader was ailing. The medical professionals who took care of him and the Tun’s close associates did a superb job in protecting their man’s privacy, but they failed the nation. Malaysians were completely unprepared for the tragic news.

We now accept that the physical and mental wellbeing of our leaders is the rightful concern of citizens. The public must be appropriately informed. As the health and wellbeing of the Prime Minister’s immediate family also affects him, the nation is also entitled to such news.

It is common knowledge that Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi’s wife, Endon, has breast cancer and undergoing intensive chemotherapy in Los Angeles. Our prayers and thoughts are with her and her family during their difficult ordeal. I have treated many such patients and can appreciate the turmoil they and their family undergo.

We do not know the extent of her disease or the prognosis. The public is not entitled to her complete medical records; that would be a breach of patient confidentiality. On the other hand, bland reassuring statements are not adequate either.

When Nancy Reagan had breast cancer while her husband was president, her physicians gave a full public accounting, including the stage of her disease and details of treatment. We knew for example that she declined chemotherapy and opted for total removal of her breast, a therapy that was then rapidly losing acceptance.

The same full disclosure occurred with Mrs. Betty Ford. As an aside, both Mrs. Reagan and Mrs. Ford are today doing well as their disease had not advanced. Malaysians have not been assured that this is the case with Endon.

The details of President Bush and Vice-President Cheney are also released, right down to their cholesterol levels and pulse rates.

Impact of Health on Decision Making

The nation’s chief executive makes many consequential decisions. The public has a right to know the elements that could bear on that important process. His personal as well as that of his immediate family’s mental and physical health is one such element.

This has not always been the case. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s paralysis was hidden from the public, as was President Kennedy’s dependence on steroids. We will never know to what extent their medical conditions influenced their decisions.

Soon after declaring the First Gulf War, President George Bush, Sr., was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, a medical condition that among other things makes one irritable and impulsive. Was that an unrecognized factor in his making that fateful decision?

History is replete with examples of how an illness in the first family affects the fate of a nation. The last Czar of Russia, Nicholas, and his consort, Alexandra, were consumed with the illness of their only son Alexis to the extent that they neglected the affairs of state.

When there is a personal problem, especially within a loving and close-knit family, all other matters become secondary. If it were the first family, then matters of state are neglected. There were many reasons for the collapse of the Russian Empire and the success of the Bolshevik Revolution, but it certainly did not help that the Czar was distracted by and consumed with his son’s sufferings.

The health of leaders and that of their immediate family definitely has an impact on the leaders’ ability to make decisions affecting the state; hence the right of the public to be informed of such matters. That is not all, however.

During the Watergate crisis, with President Nixon preoccupied with possible impeachment, there were contingencies in place should the old man succumb to the pressure and make erratic decisions. This was especially critical as the world then was in the midst of the Cold War.

This full disclosure extends not just to matters of health but also to business and other affairs. Currently there is great scrutiny over the financial dealings of Kofi Annan’s son. When Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister, there were similar inquiries on the business affairs of her grown-up children. Back in Malaysia, there were concerns recently over the involvement of one of the companies (Scomi) associated with the Prime Minister’s son. It was suspected of selling parts that could be used in making nuclear weapons.

When one of Prime Minister Blair’s children had a brush with the law, that too was duly reported, likewise when one of the Bush’s twins used a false ID to secure a drink at a local bar. The purpose of such disclosures was not to embarrass the first families (although that did happen) but to inform the public of a potential element that could affect the state of mind of the leader.

The underlying assumption is that what happens to members of the first family (or any family) have an impact on the head of that family. This in turn could adversely influence their decision-making process elsewhere.

Few leaders could compartmentalize their lives as well as President Bill Clinton did. While facing impeachment, he could continue with the affairs of state as if nothing had happened to him. At least that was the impression he was trying to create. The reality was far different. He was fast losing his effectiveness as well as presidential authority, moral and otherwise.

Paucity of Information on Endon’s Health

Malaysians are blissfully unaware of Endon’s personal battle with cancer. We all wish her well and pray for her recovery. She has been away from her husband for months now and that alone must surely place a strain on her and the Prime Minister. The emotional stress must be intense.

Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi appears restless and distracted. He makes frequent trips abroad, and when he is at home, he is out of his office frequently. There is no follow through on his major initiatives, like combating corruption and reform of the police force. His Minister for Federal Affairs, though found guilty for “money politics,” is still on the government payroll. The Royal Police Commission had long submitted its report, but there is nothing much happening beyond that. These are all symptoms of a man whose mind is preoccupied elsewhere. This is not amateur psychoanalysis on my part, rather simple common observation.

Sadly, Malaysians are unaware of this important matter of his wife’s illness and the extent it affects the Prime Minister’s state of mind. Should a personal tragedy occur, are the citizens assured that there is a viable contingency plan to cover such an eventuality?

While our sympathy then would naturally go to the Prime Minster and his family, the overriding concern of those entrusted with the affairs of state is that the nation’s business and security must not in any way be compromised. Malaysians must be assured of this.

Acknowledging and facing this sensitive issue right on is the first step in reassuring the citizens that we are indeed prepared.

Making Peace, Piece by Piece
M. Bakri Musa

[Portions of this essay constitute my welcoming remarks at the recent Piece Process 3, an exhibition of works by Arab, Jewish, Israeli and Palestinian artists at Gavilan College, sponsored jointly by the local Muslim and Jewish communities, and the college.]
Reposted from www.Malaysia-Today.net, September 15, 2005

As President of the South Valley Islamic Community, one of the co-sponsors of today’s event, I welcome you all. I am very excited this afternoon to embark on this journey of discovery through this Piece Process 3, an art exhibit of Israeli and Palestinian as well as Jewish and Arab artists. *

Today is September 11, a time for us to pause and reflect on the tragedies that struck four years ago, and to keep the victims and their loved ones in our prayers and thoughts.

As I pause and reflect, two observations keep recurring. One, all faiths have the same purpose of bringing peace and order in this world. The other is that since time immemorial, religions have been invoked to justify killings and destructions.

The recurring refrain in the Quran is, “Command good and forbid evil!” I am certain that all the other Holy Books bear this same theme, or variations thereof. Another manifestation of the same idea is the “Golden Rule,” to do unto others what you would want done to yourself. Again, all the Holy men and Books preach this message. I have yet to come across a religion that commands its followers to create havoc.

Today, violence and terrorism are being perpetrated in the name of my faith, Islam. That is a reality. The followers of this great faith are invoking it to kill and maim not only non-Muslims but also fellow believers. The Sunnis and Shiites are slaughtering each other in the Middle East. Less publicized are the continuing persecutions of the Ismailis in Pakistan and elsewhere.

The other reality less well acknowledged is that this is unique neither to Islam nor to our current period. One needs only look at the continuing sectarian strife in Northern Ireland. History is replete with many more ghastly examples.

Potential Enemies Becoming Real Enemies

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir once made this observation of China. One sure way to make that great nation your enemy, he said, is to treat it as a potential one. A wise remark!

In labeling a nation, faith, or anyone for that matter as being prone to terrorism and violence, we are in effect making that faith, nation or someone our potential enemy. From there it is merely but a few short steps away from becoming a real enemy. We then would have fallen into our own unwary trap, and unwittingly create our own feared future.

The West must never fall for the trap of considering the Islamic world as its potential enemy. The clash of civilizations may be the forecast of brilliant minds, but the fate of human society is never preordained. More often than not, we create our own future.

We must remember that those violent Muslim extremists and terrorists, like their non-Muslim counterparts, are the enemy of all peace-loving people, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Muslims and non-Muslims, Westerners and Easterners, have a common mission to get rid of the extremists in our midst.

Just as a journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step, then embarking on the journey for permanent peace must begin with a small piece of peace at a time. The peace process is indeed a piece process, taken a piece at a time in order to achieve the whole. It is an appropriate theme for this event.

Today we gather not only to understand each other but also a troubled region dear and critical to us all, the Middle East. It is a region thirsting for peace. We are constantly being showered with news, commentaries and polemics on the issues so much so that we feel inundated rather than illuminated.

Today and in the subsequent six Sundays, we get to view the landscape not from the rarified macro plane of the policy wonks and pundits, rather at the micro level of the participants, in particular the artists.

Artists have a special talent that I admire – and envy – of making us view the familiar as well as the unfamiliar in ways we have never thought of before. As a bonus, they do so in ways that are artistic, meaning, esthetically pleasing. We thus satisfy our intellect as well as gratify our senses. We thank them very much for allowing their works to be displayed here today.

This exhibition has already achieved something remarkable even before it has started. First, it has further increased Gavilan College’s involvement in the community. An ivory tower Gavilan is not. What is remarkable this time is that Gavilan is reaching out to the Muslim and Jewish communities. Both are small minorities. I congratulate the Gavilan College community for its effort.

Gavilan has a special place in my heart. Not only have I taken many courses here for personal enrichment, but my wife Karen also taught here. This afternoon’s exhibition continues on Gavilan’s mission of enriching the lives of the members of the community.

Second, and equally important, this event has brought the Jewish and the Muslim communities closer together again. Shortly after 9-11, jointly with St. Catherine Church of Morgan Hill, we had an inter faith service to remember the victims of that tragic event. That singular service was a balm on our collective wound; it reinforced the theme that we are after all part of the same family.

We have some other exciting collaborative plans with South Valley’s Emeth Congregation. We hope to see their fruition soon.

Islam and Freedom

The Muslim community here is small, about fifty families. We came together only a few years ago. We gather in a converted barn at one of our member’s property for our congregational prayers and other activities.

Our local Muslim community, like the greater American community, is incredibly diverse. At last count we have members who come from all the continents and claim no less than a dozen native languages, from Malay to Mandarin and Swahili to Singhalese. Since this is a college audience, I will not insult you by asking you in which countries these languages are spoken!

We are equally diverse theologically, from the ultraliberal Ismailis to the conservative Wahabis. The only commonality is that we identify ourselves as Muslims, meaning, we subscribe to the five basic tenets of our faith.

Ethnically and culturally too, we are equally diverse. I need not dwell on our political views!
We can accept and celebrate this diversity and make it an asset, or by default, it becomes a liability. What a liability! Today’s headlines carry unending tales of woes of those who do not consider this diversity an asset.

As a Muslim, I am blessed to be living in this great country. The egalitarian ideals as well as that of freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness crafted by the founding fathers, also represent the ideals of my faith. This freedom, enshrined in our constitution and validated daily in our lives, enables me to practice my faith. We take this precious freedom for granted. For those who migrated or escaped from countries where such freedoms are indeed precious but for a very different reason – its scarcity – we are forever thankful for the privileges afforded here.

It is this freedom that enables me to learn about the other great faiths as well as the various traditions within my own religion. From the conservative Wahabis I learn to value the anchoring stability of rituals and traditions, from the Ismailis, pragmatic accommodation and communal charity. I also learn from non-Muslim scholars of Islam. Alas, this freedom of intellectual and spiritual exploration is nonexistent in many Muslim countries.

I came from Malaysia, a country by the prevailing standards of the Muslim world, free and developed. There I would end up in jail if I were to read Shiite literature. Imagine if I were to make references to the Bible or the Torah. I do not have to wait for the Hereafter, I will suffer my own Hell right here on earth!

Islam flourishes only when there is freedom, and America amply provides this. This led Osman Bakar, a Malaysian scholar at Georgetown University’s Center for the Understanding of Christianity and Islam, to declare that America will be a second Mecca.

In his book, What’s Right with Islam, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf marvels at the splendid opportunity that America provides for him to practice his faith. He boldly proclaims that America is “Shariah-compliant” meaning, it is living up to the ideals of Islam. I agree wholeheartedly with him.

Let us then seek the blessings and guidance of The Almighty as we embark on this journey of discovery, and may peace be upon us all.

* The artists participating are: Granite Amit, Doris Bittar, Tom Block, Rajie Cook, Hanah Diab, Michele Feder-Nardoff, Nick Fox-Gieg, John Halaka, Kanaan Kanaan, John Pitman-Weber, and Amie Postic.

I will post some of the exhibits later.MBM