If you are a non-Muslim you may ask, “What’s the big deal?”. Well it is a big deal to a large segment if not the majority of Muslims; rightly or wrongly. It hits the core of being a Muslim. To a Muslim the Quran is God’s Words and swearing with a lie is like “Going out of Islam.”
That is why if Anwar Ibrahim fails to swear with the Quran to proof his innocence, most Muslims except hard core Anwarites will perceive that he is guilty. This may cost him his Permatang Pauh seat and maybe even the Prime Minister-ship too. He may just lose the election this Tuesday as the Malay votes will be the determining factor.
But if I am Anwar and I am not guilty, I would swear just a day before the election.
What is more interesting is that there are Ulamas who say that the action of swearing with the Quran is Islamic while others say the contrary. This only shows that Islam is not as hard and fast as some like to make it to be. That is good. We can agree to disagree. Stop making it as though there is only one way to look at Islam, thank you.
Social Contract?
Was there a social contract? Malaysians do not seem to agree if there was a social contract or otherwise. The UMNO side and many Malays perceive there is one while many non- Malays perceives otherwise. The subject is connected to a bigger issue of Ketuanan Melayu. Well whether there is one or not, why not agree on one now? Let us write a contract based on the Merdeka Constitution, Rukun Negara and Wawasan 2020.
Permatang Pauh By-Election?
So many pundits wrote to argue with much emotions and bravado on who will win and who will not. Why not just wait for the results this Tuesday? It is more important that we should stop suggesting that the other side will cheat to win. Any party that suggest so and won anyway should vacate their sit and apologise to the Malaysian public.
Bar Council’s recent forum?
“It is not what you say that got you into trouble, but how you say it.”
Note : Read Roger Tan’s comment in NST today http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Sunday/Columns/2329994/Article/index_html
Leadership of Malaysia – are we in a crisis?
UMNO
When an organization lacks a strong and powerful leader to lead and make everyone toe the line, opt for a “team based” approach. That is what we do in the business world. Put your egos aside and work together. Perhaps PM Abdullah can call for all relevant parties currently interested in becoming the leader (yet not strong enough to win with pants down). This will include Ku Li, Muhyiddin and better still Tun Dr M (get him back into UMNO). Make sure all these individuals have a real important role to play ( for example Ku Li to return as Finance Minister).
Please understand that what we want is a leadership that can remove uncertainties. And if it takes a ‘team based’ one, so be it. We Malaysians are kind of fed up.
PAKATAN
The problem is that Anwar, Ustaz Hadi and Guan Eng too are no PM material yet. They cannot command the respect of a big enough number of Malaysians. They cannot remove the uncertainties of the various groups of people in “ rojak Malaysia”. And Anwar too busy wanting to overturn Barisan and be a PM does not seem to be interested in forming his Top Management Team. Who is really the number 2 in PAKATAN? The mild mannered and respectable Syed Husin Ali? Guan Eng? Hadi? Where is the Pakatan? While BN is not really a functioning Barisan, PAKATAN is also not a real functioning Pakatan. Can we have a BN and Pakatan that is really functioning right to the grassroot level? Alamak... we cant even have one that is fuctioning at the top level...
So are we in a leadership crisis? If we are not careful and if things do not get better and really get out of hand, perhaps we will see another round of the need of a NOC styled leadership. A sort of forced “team based” approach?
Good thots, Anas.
ReplyDeleteTo my mind as a non-Muslim who's very close to Muslims, swearing is a really big deal, more so swearing on the Quran.
Swearing is intended to prove "one's innocence", rightly or not. I still can understand why is Anwar so reluctant to swear just like Saiful. It's an admission of guilt? By not swearing, he's guilty to the public perception. If I were him, I would have sworn. Only Saiful and him know who's innocent and who's guilty. One of them will go to Hell, if it warrants.
Can't agree with you more on the Social Contract, Permatang Pauh by-election and Bar Council's forum.
On the leadership crisis, your idea for collective leadership in place of weak leadership is good but not practical in Malaysia 'coz these nuts are politicians who live, sleep, eat, drink and smell politics 24/7. They don't trust each other. They back-stab each other. This applies to both Barisan and Pakatan.
abROcadabRO @ http://just-mythots.blogspot.com