No point

May Allah grant us the inner strength and peace to reach our true utmost potential...

May Allah protect us and guide us - for without it we would be fooled in this worldly maze that has no end... "Dan ingatlah kehidupan di dunia ini tidak lain hanyalah kesenengan bagi orang yang terpedaya" (Ali 'Imran 3:185)

17 times a day we ask The Most gracious the Most Merciful to guide us...ihdinassiratolmustaqim...

Yet sometime i loose track Ya Allah... i get off balanced...i fall down...please let me get back up... and be the person im suppose to be...

Allah is too kind..too close...too forgiving, too loving...but why do we ask and seek upon 'elsewhere' for contentment?

NIlai semula....Kuatkan minda...

Genggam bara sehingga menjadi api...

Lots of Love,
Dina

SUKA...RELA

I give tribute to people who do things voluntarily, not wanting any gain, any fame, any thanks, "anything" basically ...but just for the sake of doing good...because doing good makes them feel good...

I think this "value" is instilled very young not directly but indirectly buy non other than the people who influences your life the most - yes that's right.....the parents or guardian. If one was raised with ideas like "tak payahlah...menyusahkan diri sendiri buat apa" - it is subconsciously then engraved in ones head that indeed "helping for the sake of helping" sangatlah menyusahkan...

I know people like that..selfish (but they dont realize) dan sangatlah self centered. Memang tak suka menolong...kalau dah TERpaksa dan DIpaksa barulah nak tolong. Tak merasa NIKMAT menolong dan memberi. Tolong tu memanglah kena susah sikit, kalau senang dan tak susah tak menolong lah tu...

I thank god i was brought up by Ummi... Ummi yang gemar menolong dan memberi. Nampak orang berjalan lebih lagi yang mengandung dan tua ditumpangkan dalam mobil kecil kami. Baju lama tak pernah disimpan sampai berhabuk dan kepam. Duit dan makanan tidak pernah dikira dan dicatu, namun rezeki sentiasa ada. InsyaAllah Ummi, ill try to instill these values in my Amna, Azra and Imran along the way. My abi? never ever kedekut dengan ilmu... very extremely generous indeed...

I received a call from Abi who is actually in Dhaka, Bangladesh - poverty stricken country that needs many good souls to lend a hand... Abi is flying to arrange some micro-finance help to poor people over there. Abi also mentioned the team from Malaysia's MERCY diketuai oleh Prof Dr Ahmad Sukari Halim dari USM yang memberi rawatan pembedahan percuma kepada kanak-kanak yang mempunyai masaalah bibir sumbing. Mereka tinggalakan keluarga, negara, keselesaan dan tidak mendapat habuan wang walau sedikit pun.

Tertanyakah kita kenapa mereka sanggup melakuknnya? Kerana mereka insan berjiwa mulia. Saya berdoa saya dapat menyumbang sebegitu rupa, memberi sinar kepada manusia yang memerlukan.... Kerana apa? kerana saya pasti apa yang mereka peroleh kembali yang tidak berupa apa jua "kebendaan dunia" lebih memuaskan jiwa dan raga!

Tanyalah pada diri apa pula yang telah kita beri? dengan sukarela?

I personally think all university students should be made to join an NGO and volunteer.. it does wonders, social work... it needs to be encouraged and promoted to those who never even thought about it...it does change perceptions and views of life and values...

:) May Allah bless you all.... those who do good without wanting anything in return,may we fill ourselves with the same spirit....

END

Why is it do i feel so lonely?
Maybe because tonight its just me only?

Why is it that i am too busy?
Which causes me to get really-really dizzy...

Why is it that i need to do all that?
Because maybe i just don't want to be fat...
I don't want to fall with a spat...
Maybe i refuse to just sit and chat...

Ive decided to mend, fix and bend...
Never to continue that particular trend,
Because eventually, i know,where.......... its all going to end....

SAYA SANGAT MARAH...Tempat tisu pun boleh DIHIAS DAN BERHIAS - dengan kulit kerang lagi!

I was extremely disappointed..bukan dengan kotak tisu atau kulit kerang...but with myself, also with tv3 and the "ahli panel" invited during last Friday's al-kuliyyah...

The topic given was, of all things to talk about in this world ialah - "berhias"... I declined the invitation but was called in again to come..so i somehow obliged.. i thought i could do and spread some good...or be usefull, or learn something new...which i indeed DID!

Now i know berhias itu "sangat sinonim" dengan wanita..tapi perlukah kita menyempitkan pemikiran kita apabila berbicara mengenai "berhias" dan seolah-olahnya tiada apa lain di dunia ini berhias melainkan wanita...

Lepas tu nak tanya... seorang wanita muslimah..yang sudah memakai hijab nak berhias banyak mana sangat...memanglah ada adabnya, ada syariat yang perlu diikut... tiada yang menyangkal... tapi sekiranya minda kita ini cuma menyampaikan apa yang HARAM..HARAM... TAK BOLEH..TAK BOLEH...takutlah orang dengan islam...dari nak pakai tudung terus tak nak pakai... menakutkan betul....

"HATTA NAMPAK JARI KAKI PUN TAK BOLEH"... (dahlah waktu tu saya memang tak pakai stokin, saja nak malukan saya ke uztaz?) Takkanlah tengok jari kaki wanita pun jiwa lelaki boleh tak tenteram???- kenapa nak kena cari jari kaki pun??? pandang muka jelah kalau nak cakap...)

dengan nada yang bangga seolah-olah merendahkan wanita... "tempatnya di rumah", (nak tanya......yang Saidatina Khadijah tu bukan buisness women berjaya??, beliau tak pula duduk di rumah saja kan?) "wanita itu sendiri adalah aurat", "mencabut misai dan janggut pun tidak boleh..HARAM".... Uztaz juga yang kata pakai stokin tu ada banyak pendapat....dan yang jelas aurat dan dipersetujui oleh semua ialah muka dan tapak tangan.... kenapa perlu fokus ke sana (jari kaki) dahulu...??? uztaz....orang yang sudah tinggi imannya bolehlah kita perincikan ke jari kaki...ini, masalah sekarang, kita nak pastikan tutup dulu yang atas kepala...kita nak galakkan wanita muslim bangga dengan imej muslimah..bukannya menakutkan mereka... ADUHAIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!

kenapa tak boleh positf sikit? macamna umat islam nak berepan dan berdiri di pentas antarabangsa, berjumpa , berdebat dan melakukan kebaikan bersama mat salleh dan mereka yang bukan islam sekiranya kita masih berfikiran sebigini????

Berhias....? AUrat....bila cakap pasal lelaki pakai emas dan sutera tak ada pulak nak cakap, HARAAAAMMMM...uztaz cuma kata begini - "TAK BOLEHLAH NANTI NAMPAK TAK GAGAH, KITA BERI PADA WANITA", hello, adakah wanita itu tidak gagah maksudnya.....lemah?

LEpas tu dia kata pada pembukaan al kuliyyah "kita tak boleh beri topik ini dibahas oleh wanita nanti di akan mengikut nafsunya..." (macam perli saya je uztaz)yelah wanita 99 nafsu ye uztaz? sebab tulah sumbang mahram jadi...bapa meratapi tubuh anak sendiri......

Maafkan saya, tapi saya sangat marah!!!! Kecewa sebenarnya...Pada saya, WANITA BERHIAS BIASANYA PUN UNTUK MENARIK PERHATIAN LELAKI..KENAPA LELAKI TAK MENEGUR WANITA...sebab dia suka????? jadi nak tanya nafsu siapa yang lebih sebenarnya?????? LELAKI YANG MENGEKSPOITASI WANITA walhal lelaki jualah yang sepatutnya bertindak sebagai pelindung......!

Aurat? cakap pasal aurat WANITAAAAAAAA JEEEEEE..... kenapa uztaz tak highlight...ayat 30 surah AnNur mengenai aurat itu diturunkan UNTUK KAUM LELAKI DAHULU! "Lelaki tundukkan pandangan!!!!!" bukan wanita first...LELAKI FIRST!!!!!!!

Uztaz, saya merayu, meminta dan mengajak uztaz membuka minda sikit uztaz...berhias itu bukanlah hanya milik wanita...kini MASJID PUN DIHIAS DENGAN MELAMPUI BATAS....yang patut dihias masjid itu adalah dengan jemaah yang ramai bukan chandelier yang berjuta harganya..... kenapa tak sebut?

Kenapa tak sebut mereka yang menghias rumah bagai istana walhal di tepi mereka ada teratak usang yang hampir roboh.....

Kenapa tak cuba POSITIF sikit mengajak manusia menghiaskan diri dengan ilmu...dan ilmu itu bukan tertakluk kepada ilmu akhirat tapi ilmu dunia!!!! Kita ingin bersaing dan mencengkam dunia di peringkat GLOBAL UZTAZ!!!!!!! bukan hanya di bawah tempurung yang kecil!!!!!!

Cubalah tukar sedikit cara kita melihat sesuatu perkara dan AJAK manusia MENGHIASI DIRI DENGAN AKHLAK YANG BAIK....itulah perhiasan yang paling indah..... berhias juga kan..tapi itu nada yang lebih POSITIF....


Bagaimana para lelaki yang kini kita lihat lebih BERHIAS dari wanita....Banyak sangat Uztaz..atau Uztaz tak peka dengan isu semasa yang kini berlaku dan berleluasa...PLEASE talk about REAL issues

....tapi ini, dok cakap pasal dekat rumah pun kena pakai stokin dan baju lengan panjang walaupun bila basuh pinggan...macam nilah uztaz, saya ada cadangan...kalau dah duduk dengan ipar duai, suruh orang lelaki yang tak pakai lengan panjang tu je yang cuci pinggan.... atau cakap pada mereka jangan menggatal nak turun bawah, duduk diam-diam dalam bilik, sebab kita nak buat kerja.... (memang tak patut betul... uztaz macam nak menyalahkan wanita pula kalau sekiranya terjadi perkara tak diingini, sebab ..salah kita, kita tak pakai stokin... walhal orang lelaki yang gila sahaja akan bernafsu terhadap iparnya sendiri......eeee geraaamnyaaaaa)

Bagaimana pula lelaki yang meng"hiaskan" kereta mereka..berhutang untuk kereta dan jam mewah?

Bagaimana mereka yang berhias bukan secara fizikal tetapi dengan barangan berjenama harga puluhan ribu ringgit.... beg LV...Gucci..Prada..Channel...and whatever else...saya betul-betul tak faham...dan tak suka sebenarnya...what MODESTY are you talking about??? (ok saya mengaku, saya ada beberapa beg bejenama, 2 diberi...dua saya beli, itupun saya beli dah lama dulu, sebab terikut rakan..diajak sebenarnya....eeeeeee... tak nak beli lagi...i dont need it to make me feel good about myself)

kenapa ini tidak disentuh? kenapa sempitnya pemikiran anda? kenapa saya tidak bersuara? kerana tercengang dengan "kecilnya" fikiran serang uztaz yang sepatutnya berilmu.....


satu jam dok mencungkil kesalahan wanita dan bercakap mengenai kelemahan wanita...mengenai gincu dan pemerah pipi...how so very-very extremely shallow....!! its very easy to do that...talk about the MALE specis punya responsibility for a change why dont you....i didnt believe it!!!! i still dont..but like Ooi said "Dina let it go!" so i shall...after pouring this out!

sebaik-baik perhiasan adalah wanita yang solehah......... THE END

DOMES and DECISSIONS - 2 D's

Of decisions.... and the best ones to make...isnt it a daily pendulum in all?

Decisions we make, will bring about implications... implications will result in how the decisions then effect your life - now we shouldn't think of the short-term-benefit we would receive, rather the long term benefit that will then will make an impact on our journey and life...

Studies show that even if we do know that the short term 'pleasure' will indeed do us no use, but humans tend to opt for "instant pleasure" ... almost automatically... we would not think and care of the implications it brings...satisfy your innate desires.... so Freud was right...? NO..NO... well...in a way...but then thats a whole different story...

As i stare at this ridiculous blue dome from this huge glass window dressed with vertical blinds that is senget benget and oh so aesthetically bad... im thinking.. why is it that there is a need for domes? and blue roofs?

Can we do without it..the domes..it cost so much.. and serves no purpose... you have it everywhere... the domes.... were not in Saudi... its a symbol one might say...yeah were so stuck onto symbols... we dont need symbols... or do we?? the environmental factors like the wheather..... are not taken into consideration...decorative saje... macam tulah kat malaysia ni... semua nak di"bedakkan"...nak decorative, nak tunjuk baik, nak berlakon... urgh.... nobody spill the beans like how its suppose to...sweep everything under the carpet...

jangan cakap benda yang walaupun betul.... tapi tak elok....diam saja... SAMPAI BILA? The truth hurts...sooner or later it will come out....

BREAK jap - im so lega...i dropped one subject this sem coz by the look of it..i cant cope with it. I think i made the right choice... sangat lega tika ini...

Initially i thought, why not. just push myself..but there's so much one can do... Thank you Allah... exams on 10th and 11th April..wish me luck..... im soooooooooooo takut... sebab?

sebab im a woman who strives for perfection...and why is it when you do people think youre weird...mediocrity is very well accepted...

well we try to at least... strive for it...perfection i mean.... and NO, its not wrong....and yes, normal is boring!

ANother D, so make that 3....

-Dina-

-T- is for tomato and tired...

It was a loonggg tiring day, this week i pushed myself, my driving, my energy, my thinking, my time, my talking, my everything to the max....

I think i better go for a health check..pushing yourself constantly cant be a good thing... stress is not good... so many things happening, so many want a piece of me, yet theres only so much i can give...

I have my children who needs it more..and then theres Mr H...i mean I... oh me oh my... at least the meetings with ALaf 21 and telaga biru went on so well...

Buku saya akan dikeluarkan pada hari ibu ini InsyaAllah...tidak ku sangka, perjalanannya amat panjang...

Thank you Tomato for helping me discover, so many things... i cant help it, i really thank you.. and i constantly feel so great when i put you in my sald..without the red tomato, salad is so dull... i didnt really like tomatoes last time.. but after realizing tomatoes give you incredible benefits i love it now..yet selalu nak minta tomato masuk dalam salad bowl, saya segan, sebab saya tau tomato ada timun, dan saya ada celery... huhu..

In case you dont know by now... i love you tomato..in a nice healthy tomato way :)

Perbezaan

Saudara Faisal Tehrani,

Moga saudara dan Dr Asri boleh menjadi kawan baik selepas ini. Saya amat mengagumi beliau.Faisal Tehrani. Seorang insan yang mempunyai daya pemikiran yang "lain", seolah melangkau pemikiran normal insan biasa, ke satu alam yang dalam.... Ianya mungkin mengelirukan mereka yang biasa... tapi ini anugerah buatnya. The spade understands....

Pemikiran yang berbeza, amat saya hormati. Apa yang beliau fikirkan usah ditanya kerana mungkin anda akan menutup mata dan telinga. Saudara, banyak lagi buku saudara yang belum sempat saya baca, semoga InsyaAllah akan dicuri masa yang tiada untuk menyelak satu atau dua.

Biarlah kita berbeza pendapat, perbezaan pada saya harus diraikan. Uniknya dan indahnya manusia kerana kita berbeza. Hikmahnya jiwa kerana tidak mengharap semua mengikut kita semata.

Mana tahu satu hari apa yang kita rasakan benar ternyata dangkal sama sekali...Tiada paksaan dalam Islam. Cuma amalan terus menerus mencari kebenaran... Doa saya semoga kita semua menemuinya....

Selamat Maju dan terus maju! And that goes to all of you too!!!

Sendiri

Ilham yang ku cari,
Semangat yang ku ingini,

Juang dalam diri,
Untuk mengubah persepsi,

Kata Pakar psikologi,
Tidak ada apa yang lebih tinggi,

Dari kepercayaan sendiri,
Terhadap hidup dan diri.....

Selamat mencari,
Sehinggalah mati......

Ilham yang ku cari,
Semangat kan ku jumpai.....

Niat perlulah suci,
Sujud dan rebahkan diri,
menagislah di bumi... sendiri.....

hanya sendiri....

Ke mana kita?

Secara jujurnya saya tidak mahu memberi apa-apa komen lagi mengenai siaran akhbar membabitkan kenyataan saya mahupun perjumpaan dengan Tok Guru yang saya hormati. Didesak kanan dan kiri, diperkata itu dan ini. Ada yang suka ada yang benci. Lumrah hidup sudah pun saya fahami.

Beginilah saudara saudari semua, banyak lagi masalah dunia dan Malaysia yang perlu diselesaikan segera. Saya? cuma mampu buat yang terdaya. Manusia berbagai ragam berbagai rupa. Masing-masing berlumba-lumba...ke mana? saya tanya... mereka tiada pun jawapannya...

Thank you...A short note..

Thank you....
Even if it isn't real,

Thank you
For how it made me feel,

Delighted, inspired, humbled and that's a great big deal...
The enveloped is thus sealed........

May i know where to post it now...
May it get there somehow....

Inspirasi dan Imaginasi

Inspirasi...Imaginasi...

Cukup menggambarkan diri saya. Saya tak mahu dua I ini lari dari diri.

Inspiration di kamus bererti = "the act or power of moving the intellect or emotions."

I loved being inspired. A strong magical emotion will sweep all over me... My mind imagines the impossible. A strong current like an electrical shock goes through my body.

People inspire me, events inspire me, words inspire me, spaces and nature inspires me. Books and conversations....

"Feeling inspired is good, taking action on the inspiration is much greater"


I believe in being the best you can be. Giving all you've got. Change things you can. Do good without asking for anything in return...

Imagination.... you cant learn this skill from books for nobody can teach it. Imagination is developed through out your life especially during your early years of a child. If you fail to develop imagination you fail to develop a wholesome person. I find society today particularly in Malaysia, we lack the skill to imagine. Einstein said "imagination is more important than knowledge" - simply means to me, knowledge you are able to learn, open the book, search the net...there you go, the answers there. Imagination? You cant plagiarize it... you cant read it if its not already in you...


“In the 21st century, creative problem solvers, independent thinkers, and people with expert social acumen will inevitably surpass those who have simply learned to be efficient at getting the right answer……the individuals who make the most significant contributions – go beyond finding answers to already formulated problems.” - Pasek, K. H. et al (2003) Einstein Never Used Flashcards: How our children really learn – and why they need to play more and memorize less

How do you develop imagination? In children...? read for them. Talk to them. Train their mind that there is no correct answer... Anything is possible in this world. Let them tell you stories, don't laugh at them. Laugh WITH them.

In adults? Go and be inspired and talk to inspiring people....

Now good night! I seriously need to be inspired...anyone? Nights as silent as tonight brings such serenity to my soul... a tad lonely... but actually i just have to finish my work!

ASSIGMENT LAMA.....tapi bermakna....

Introduction

“Form and function are a unity, two sides of one coin. In order to enhance function, appropriate form must exist or be created.”
Ida P. Rolf
Every Malaysian has the image or at the very least knows the narrative of Tunku Abdul Rahman leading the nation and shouting ‘Merdeka’ seven times on the 31st of August in the newly built Merdeka Stadium as a symbol of Malaya’s independence. However, Malaysia as we know it today did not exist until Monday the 16th of September 1963 when the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, British North Borneo and Sarawak joined together to form a 14-state federation.

The formation of Malaysia created a unique nation of diverse races -- Malay, Indian, Eurasian, Chinese, Nyonya, and the indigenous people from Borneo. With such a diverse population, now numbering almost 25 million, it is no surprise that unity and diversity are two sides of a coin of immense importance to all. The 6th Prime Minister, Dato' Sri Mohd Najib Bin Tun Hj Abd Razak himself has said that his lifelong dream is of a united, peaceful and prosperous Malaysia, with abundant opportunities for all citizens. After becoming Prime Minister he proposed his concept of 1Malaysia which has already been introduced on his website on September 17th 2008. According to Dato' Sri Mohd Najib:
“Kita berdiri, kita berfikir dan bertindak sebagai bangsa Malaysia. One People. Dan kita mengambil tindakan-tindakan berdasarkan kehendak semua kumpulan etnik dalam negara kita;Ini bukan bererti kita mengetepikan dasar afirmatif, dasar untuk menolong kaum Bumiputera asalkan dasar itu dilaksanakan dengan cara yang adil dan memberi pertimbangan kepada golongan Bumiputera yang layak mendapat sesuatu pertimbangan daripada kerajaan.Kita keluar daripada cara bertindak dalam tembok etnik yang kita amalkan sejak sekian lama”.
“We stand together; we think and act as a unified race of Malaysia. One People. And the actions we take will be based on the desires of all ethnic groups in our country; in doing so this does not mean we will put aside affirmative policies, policies created to help Bumiputera for as long as these policies are implemented fairly and give due consideration to those Bumiputera who rightfully warrant consideration from the government. We will move away from past practice of basing our actions on an ethnic-based framework”.


Five decades of hegemonic rule by UMNO was broken when the opposition coalition DAP, PKR and PAS took over the state governments of Penang, Kedah, Kelantan, Perak and Selangor in the March 2008 election. The blow of losing their two-thirds majority in Parliament for the first time in history was not as shocking as was the realisation that voters were breaking away from ethnic-based politics, reflecting the people’s concern over the ruling government’s racially-based policies. What followed was a drawn out period of what proved to be quite controversial political rethinking within UMNO. This eventually resulted in the present Prime Minister, Dato' Sri Mohd Najib Bin Tun Razak succeeding Tun Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi. The birth of 1Malaysia in the aftermath of the BN defeat could be seen as a reaction to the rejection of BN by the people.
1Malaysia claims to aspire to preserve and enhance the unity in a diverse Malaysia. Conceptually it still accepts the basic principles of the National Economic Policy (NEP) posited on the eradication of poverty irrespective of race and economic restructuring ironically launched by the Prime Minister’s late father as a consequence of the May 13 race riots.

The Prime Minister, hoping to regain the confidence of the Malaysian public has now added “People First, Performance Now” to his 1Malaysia concept. Fundamentally, 1Malaysia is meant to signal that not a single person in Malaysia would be sidelined because of race or religion but at the same time the policies related to affirmative action will be continued.




Interview Background

The selection of candidates for the interview consisted of five upper middle class Malay Malaysians between the ages of thirty to sixty five. The age bracket was selected in order to obtain candidates with above average economic status and education level. The selection of Malay Malaysians was a conscious choice in order to present the view of the dominant majority in Malaysia’s demographic mix and within this group the socio-economic group with most impact on public thought at least in the urban areas. As there were only five persons interviewed it was not possible to get a sample representing all the ethnic and socio-economic groups in the country. This survey then assess the perception of Malaysian’s Malay upper middle class on 1Malaysia and how it affects them as a majority as well as the perceived consequences for the different racial minorities.

The interview can be classified as an open-ended Information Giving type of interview used to obtain information on the beliefs, opinions, attitudes and feelings of those interviewed as well as their knowledge of the facts behind these issues.

Issue

The goal of this project is to determine the extent a group of Malaysians understand the 1Malaysia concept. This project is significant because 1Malaysia is directed towards the inculcation of the value of universal citizenship and civic commitment in Malaysia. Following a major change in the political landscape, it would seem that Malaysia’s Prime minister felt that 1Malaysia would be the solution to earn the trust and confidence of the people, particularly the non-Malays who seem to have rejected UMNO. The ambitious goal of 1Malaysia is perhaps more of a symbol than a practical programme as, according to recent surveys Malaysians see themselves as members of either their ethnic group -- Malay, Chinese or Indian -- and many Malays in particular, place their religious identity before citizenship. Thus, the interview would be a moderately good source of information regarding the understanding of 1Malaysia by Malay Malaysians.

Interview Summary

Each interview, lasting approximately thirty minutes, was carried out in an informal manner; unstructured answers and a free discussion of the issues was encouraged. Each interview was based on a series of questions.

1. Where did you first see or hear the one Malaysia slogan/concept?

Every respondent was aware of 1Malaysia and who created the concept. Respondents obtained information regarding 1Malaysia from the mainstream media particularly in the television and newspapers. One respondent illustrated how extensive the plugging of 1Malaysia was when she noted: “I even see it on Facebook”.

2. Are you aware of the fact that 1Malaysia has 8 principles it seeks to address?
1. Budaya Kecemerlangan Culture of Excellence
2. Ketabahan Perseverance
3. Rendah hati Humility
4. Penerimaan Acceptance
5. Kesetiaan Loyalty
6. Meritokrasi Meritocracy
7. Pendidikan Education
8. Integriti Integrity

Yes or No?

Out of five, only one respondent was aware and able to describe in detail the 8 principles of 1Malaysia. Others were not aware of all the 8 principles but deduced that there would evidently be values put forward to represent the concept of 1Malaysia. A particularly interesting observation was on the order of the 8 principles and it was highlighted by one respondent who pointed out that the first principle should be the last for the reason it would not be possible to achieve a culture of excellence without adhering to and comprehensively implementing the other seven principles.



3. Do you feel Malaysians understand this concept?
Yes or No? Why ?

To this question, every one of the respondents answered a resounding No. None of the respondent felt that the 1Malaysia concept had been explained adequately. This particular question offered an interesting perspective into the perception of the respondents. It indicated that they were cynical about the aims of the government and pessimistic about its implementation.


4. Do Malaysians understand, accept and tolerate other races/religions?
Yes or No? Why ?

No respondent could answer a definite Yes or No and opted to explain their stand on the issue of tolerance and acceptance. One interesting response likened it to the relationship between a father, mother and the child, “each one has its place yet each one has to give in to the position of the other”.

Another respondent offered some valuable insight. He stated:
“Since independence among certain sections of society there seems to be less and less acceptance and toleration and understanding of other races and religions, particularly among certain groups of Muslims and some evangelical Christians but on the other hand there is a growing number of all races who are becoming more tolerant”.

“We need to remember that are more than 60,000 non-Chinese in Chinese primary schools. There is no racial discrimination in these schools but the UMNO Minister of Higher Education told the UMNO general assembly a few years back that as long as he was the minister, he would not allow a single non-bumiputera to be admitted to UiTM. The government school system is dominated by one racial group. Is 1Malaysia going to change this?”

It seems that interracial issues of acceptance and understanding only become a concern or interest so long as it does not personally affect them. If it touches on areas which are sensitive, tolerance and understanding no longer have a place.



5. What do you understand about the Chinese, Indians, Kadazandusuns and Ibans in terms of religion, culture and such? Please elaborate.


Almost all respondent understood the diversity of Malaysia which they saw as encompassing the Chinese, Indians, Kadazandusuns and Ibans. A few respondents through personal experience and encounters understood the cultural practices, values and beliefs of other races. The other respondents on the other hand offered no insight and had only a superficial idea of the other races limited to holidays, celebrations and what they saw as the superstitious beliefs of the other races.

A particular comment from one of the respondent was alarming. When asked about the Kadazandusun and Ibans he responded: “They are a minority, even more so than the Chinese and Indian so their cultural practices are not as significant.”

Ironically another respondent highlighted the fact that “the Kadazandusuns' biggest problem now is the fact that their percentage within the enlarged population of Sabah (now 3 million) has been seriously reduced, and the fact that they have actually become a minority. This is causing tension”

Perhaps it is the lack of sensitivity and the comfort of being within a confined race group that hinders the inter relations between Malaysians. One other respondent highlighted in a similar context that Malay Malaysians hold strongly onto the ideals of Raja Melayu. This ideal equates the supremacy of the King or ruler to the Malay race and nation thus reflecting on the position of Malays within Malaysia and the concept of Ketuanan Melayu.


6. How can this 1Malaysia concept become a reality when many Malaysians don’t even understand or seek to understand each other? What should be done?

One respondent answered: “If the Prime Minister is serious to sell his People Come First, One Malaysia Concept, then UMNO and all the constituent parties of BN should be dissolved and a new party formed so that all races can join and policies will not be race-based but provide equality, fairness and justice for all”

Another respondent tried to approach it from a non-political perspective: “Look at what unites them…. Malaysians love food, so perhaps food could be the way or at least a start.”

An obvious problem with the understanding on inter-racial and cultural relationship presented in this interview is the lack of understanding on Malaysian history. This was evident in all except two respondents who were older and evidently had some knowledge and interest in history. The other respondents knew nothing or at the very least little and held unsubstantiated historical facts. This was reflected in the suggestion of what should be done.
“We are all fine and happy together, there is no need to get technical about it”
On the contrary another respondent stated: “Until and unless more Malaysians wake up to the reality that this nation cannot progress on sweet talk and nice sounding slogans alone, this country will continue to fall behind other competitors in the region.”
“How can there be One Malaysia when UMNO still holds on to race politics where policies implemented have racial overtones and marginalization of other Malaysian races and also the marginalization of many Malays and native people of Sabah and Sarawak?”

One respondent quoted Gomez "Malaysians have failed to integrate in any meaningful fashion, even after almost forty years of independence.” – Edmund Terrence Gomez in the book “Ethnic Futures – The state and identity politics in Asia”



7. In your opinion are Malaysian policies 'fair' to all their citizens in line with the 1Malaysia slogan? Such as the NEP, the government bonds, the quotas awards of scholarships and etc?

There was only one respondent out of the five who felt that the policies are fair. He stated
“We have to respect the special privileges – who founded the place... the country?” He believes that 1Malaysia would foster understanding and with that understanding, the maintaining of current and future affirmative action policies would be accepted by all.

Others stated:
“It will be difficult to have 1 Malaysia when there are discriminative policies in areas like education (scholarships, entry quotas), bank loans, NEP, AP, contract distributions. 1Malaysia will only show if equal rights are practiced and not the illusion called “special” rights. The excuse of hypocritical BN that non-Malays are threatening the “special” rights of Malays is rubbish. What’s the basis? The only threat is globalisation. Nothing else.”
“Where is 1 Malaysia when you have a newspaper like Utusan Malaysia? A newspaper that is so racist, so pro-UMNO, & consistently publishes articles to incite racial hatred among Malaysians. Newspapers like Utusan that are hindering unity.”
A particularly cynical statement was: “It should be; ‘May the best man win’, and not ‘your best friend wins.’ Unfortunately this is how it is in Malaysia. I believe rights and policies should be awarded based solely on merit.”
“Power and responsibility should be given to those who are the most all-round capable and trustworthy and who can perform. Malaysia must not consider meritocracy a bad word. We must not sweep failures, big and small, under the carpet to protect those of a certain race as this actually rewards fiascos and penalises successes. Performance must be objectively and tangibly assessed and well-rewarded regardless of race or religion. Decisions need to be made and implemented in a timely, informed and considered manner, not based on political considerations.”



8. Is 1Malaysia simply a political ploy or slogan?

There was a unanimous “Yes.” to this question.


“Yes, every national day we have a slogan… well it doesn’t mean if the slogan is gone … no longer being recited the impact of the slogan goes away with it… I suppose if it is a good cause perhaps a little change from the slogan would be better than nothing”

“Yes!!...Slogans are just so Malaysian... What would we do without slogans? How would we get attention?”

“Yes, I remember when Mahathir became PM, he came in with the slogan Bersih, Cekap, dan Amanah but his administration was neither bersih nor cekap nor amanah. Similarly, when Badawi became PM, he introduced the slogan Cemerlang, Gemilang dan Terbilang but under him, BN suffered its biggest loss ever and he was the most underperforming PM yet.”

It is evidently clear that for the respondents, 1Malaysia is purely a political slogan; be that as it may, none of the respondents rejected the concept. They felt that if a slogan was consistently and sincerely implemented there it would be good but, based on past performance; they were pessimistic of it having any lasting and significant impact.

Interview Interpretation

The interview went well, respondents were comfortable and responsive. Each respondent expressed personal views, suggestions and concerns. In accordance to the subject of the interview; the 1Malaysia concept, most respondents were aware of it on a superficial level mainly due to the massive endorsement and the barrage advertising pushing the concept in all the media, be it television, radio or the press. Out of the five, only two respondents really understood the details of 1Malaysia.

It was apparent throughout the interview that their socio-economic status made most of the respondents indifferent to the 1Malaysia concept and what it entails as it did not affect them on a personal level and therefore most of the respondents were not actively involved or concerned about it.

There was not a strong conviction of being able to form a united Malaysia despite the belief in the value of tolerance. Perceptions regarding other races by the Malays are still based on stereotypes and have not changed. However, towards the end of the interview sensitivity towards the minority races began to surface when hypothetical situations were briefly discussed.1Malaysia perhaps is an attempt to build a bridge where there is no river

Conclusion

“We can never solve our significant problems from the same level of thinking we were at when we created the problems.”
Albert Einstein

The subject of 1Malaysia is no doubt thought-provoking; it seeks to address unity and equality. The fact of the matter is that 1Malaysia is not a new concept, it has existed since or even before the formation of Principles of the Nation ‘Rukun Negara’ in 1969. It is unfortunate that up to this day this concept has yet to be achieved.

1Malaysia though noble in its aims, is an ambiguous method of reaching the public. It draws a fine line between equality and the rights of the Malays and Malaysians. In a country where inequality of race is reflected in income level, health care, education, land ownership and employment, it is almost absurd to present the notion of 1Malaysia.

A united nation is a confident nation and Malaysia has yet to achieve confidence or trust in each other. One ethnic group or race would evidently cling to its particular set of beliefs, detaching from other ethnic group or race in its values, beliefs and practices. Perhaps it is the lack of sense of belonging and loyalty in a country where finding trustworthy and uncorrupted leaders is difficult.
1Malaysia cannot become a reality unless there a radical rethink of the things which stand in its way; if there is no confidence in a government and the marginalization of minority races is used merely as political leverage without real solution or improvements. There is a need to listen and create dialogue in order to understand and appreciate the plight by listening to the voices of the other races by the Malay-dominated government. When race no longer becomes the criterion, only then will those who are deserving gain. Thus for those who are not up to the standard, would have no choice but to improve themselves. I would like to end with the wise words of Sir Winston Churchill, "However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results."

TV oh TV!

The most important thing we've learned,
So far as childen are concerned.
Is never, NEVER, NEVER let
Them near you TV set....

IT ROTS THE SENSE IN THE HEAD!
IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD!

IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND!
IT MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND!

HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND
A FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND!

HIS BRAIN BECOMES AS SOFT AS CHEESE!
HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE!

HE CANNOT THINK--HE ONLY SEES!

"All right!'ou'll cry. 'All right!' youll say,
'But if we take the set away,
What shall we do to entartain
Our darling children? Please explain!

Well answer this by asking you,
'What used the darling ones to do?
'How used they keep themselves contented
Before this monster was invented?'

"Have you forgotten, dont you know?
Well say it very LOUD....AND sssslllloooowwww.....

THEY...........USED.........TO..........READ!!!

I talked about this at the conference! Limit TV... its a BAD-BAD one way interaction.....

The kids cant reply back..the TV imagines FOR them.....if you want to let them watch TV,
watch it WITH them, so they can TALK about the show WITH you...

Children who watch too much TV have what they call 'the 2 minute mind'
Because 'pictures' on the screen changes every 2 second...they have problem then to concentrate...

When they read they're mind imagine faaaaarrrr away..as long as they like....THe TV imagine FOR them!!! Bad....Cartoon network in my house is LOCKED!!! only limited amount of TV...bila kecemasan sahaja....

budak yang banyak tengok TV ada masalah membaca...sebab tak boleh concentrate...akibat the two minute mind effect....THAT GOES FOR PS 2,3 and uneducational games too....limit it parents....
best to not even introduce it!
KIDS need to let the energy out DAILY...not weekly or 'bila parents free'..... TV builds all the energy inside them, and they cant let it out...tu pasal bila tutup TV, diorang lompat2, tak leh duduk diam!!!!

TV IS BAD! fullstop! In US there is a strng warning to bann TV for children under 2...and that includes all that MOZART crap that has NO EVIDANCE it increases a childs intelligence...

But more EDUCATIONAL toys and plan activitiesfor hem! NO TV PLEASE!!! :)

....It came from YOU......

I found something NEW....
how it came about i dont have a clue....
the strength, the spirit, no longer blue.....
I would like to believe it came from YOU....

I believe in giving all ive got,
though little not a whole LOT!

I would like to share with the world....
Even if not as valuable as a pearl...
the ideas and thoughts of this girl....
i hope will cause some kind of twirl....

The twirl comes i hope not for us to drown,
but for us to think and put on a tiny frown,
We plan red but it will end up brown,
the cobweb should never pull us down....

YOu..Ya Allah...give me hope....
You My Lord....even if im in a rope....
My God, i always feel im near a slope....

But i climb that rope, get back on the slope and continue to hope...
Thank you Allah...


-Dina-