COVID19 : LAWS ARE NOT ENOUGH TO CHANGE PEOPLE’S BEHAVIOR.

Tomorrow is Israk and Mikraj and I hope our policymakers are prepared. 

While the army will be deployed by tomorrow morning at 12 01 am to help PDRM enforce the Restricted Movement Order (RMO), we need to find a solution which is more holistic that can target human behavior by helping them deal with their routines better. 

I would like to use this video about an elderly Indonesian who insisted that the mosque must be open for Friday prayers as a platform to explain my idea. The elderly man finds it hard to break his routine. The routine is likely one that he has been practicing for the last 70 years. We need to practice mercy and understanding and must not simply see him as someone who is foolish and unruly. There are more to the problem here than meets the eye. The elderly man is simply following his habit. 

A habit is an established, settled and regular tendency or practice,one that is especially hard to give up. Habits are choices we deliberately or unconsciously made in the past, but after a while stop thinking about but continue the practice. We act on them automatically – as our auto-responses or default settings. Habits follow the Cue-Routine-Reward loop. The elderly man is simply living out his habit.

Cue = Friday afternoon: Routine = Jumaat Prayer: Reward = at peace with God and Self. 

Until policymakers help with introducing another routine, like for example re-channeling the cravings through following prayers live over television, many like this elderly man will feel unfulfilled, cheated and angry. This will be repeated every Friday. Perhaps the Muftis may want to propose a temporary Fatwa allowing individuals to follow a Friday prayer from the home only limited to during this ‘keadaan darurat’ (emergency situation) and provide a special ‘Niat Solat Jumaat’ (declaration of Friday prayers) for the purpose. The Quran provides conceptual and specific examples for flexibility in prayers at Quran 4: 101-103.

We must take a more holistic approach and look at the bigger picture. To change people’s behavior, punishment and prohibition using law is a key component of action. But to help individuals and groups better, we need to give them another routine to deal with their cravings. 

This behavioral pattern is not the monopoly of the Muslims. In Sarawak, two of the COVID19 clusters are from two separate churches. In the USA, pro-Trump churches for example, are resisting to cancel their services.  Most organized religions set routines (rightly or wrongly) as routines provide stability and help the faithful anchor their hearts to a secure base. 

Tomorrow is a big religious day for Muslims – The Israk and Mikraj. Many may not follow the RMO as it is a yearly routine that has a strong cue and is perceived to provide them with a hefty reward. The Subuh period will see many thronging the mesjids as the Solat Sunat Israk and Mikraj is right after the Subuh prayer. Many will want to perform their prayers in a congregation especially in the mesjids, as the ‘reward’ is perceived as far greater in group prayers. What kind of strategy have the policymakers and religious leaders put in place to mitigate this? Can we have RTM and all of the other available media to provide another option to the Cue-Routine-Reward loop?

As I have suggested earlier, this is not the monopoly of the Muslims alone. April 4th is Cheng Beng (Ancestor’s Day or Tomb Sweeping Day). Are we ready for another mass exodus so soon after March 31st? Cheng Beng is a very important tradition among our Chinese brothers and sisters. Honoring one's deceased ancestors is a big Cue: Routine: Reward pattern that is hard to simply avoid. April 13th is Vaisakhi, the Sikh New Year and April 14th the Puthandu the Tamil new year where the tradition is to visit homes of family and friends and the temples. Imagine is Thaipusam is just around the corner! I believe you get my point.

I have confidence in our police and army managing the situation but they need help to make their job easier and less hurtful. I hope our policymakers and religious leaders will spend more time strategizing on how to alter human behavior by providing alternatives to the accepted routines. Look for the cues first, like important festivals and rituals. Understand the routines and reward system and provide an alternative. Please work with behavioral scientists. Get their guidance on how to help deal with human behavior better. The exodus to ‘balik kampung’ after the RMO announcement could have been mitigated if we did a proper potential problem analysis about the behavior of Malaysians when they are given a chance to not work at the office (that is why at zubedy, my outfit, anyone going back to the hometown would be considered as taking annual leave and not working from home and as such is required to fill up the leave form).

Individual habits are hard to change. Customs (group habits), are even harder. But traditions, the apex of these behavioral patterns, are the hardest to deal with. Policymakers will need all the help and advice they need. It is not enough to listen to the usual. Please think out-of-the-box and listen to more experts. We need to work harder at this.

Peace.

Anas Zubedy
Kuala Lumpur.

TAQWA KEPADA ALLAH, TAKUT KEPADA VIRUS COVID 19

Salam saudara-saudara dan saudari-saudari Islam. 

Orang Islam di suruh berTaqwa kepada Allah yang besar ertinya. 

Malangnya pada masa sekarang kebanyakan orang Islam menyamakan Taqwa dengan hanya perkataan ‘takut’ dan dengan itu membawa erti makna Taqwa kepada tahap yang sungguh cetek. 

Selepas kita merendahkan konsep besar ini kepada hanya konsep takut, maka senanglah kita melaga-lagakan Allah dengan perkara-perkara yang langsung tiada tandingnya dengan Allah seperti virus COVID19. Wujudlah ramai antara kita yang megah buat kenyataan mereka lebih takut kepada Allah, tetapi tak takut mati di tangan virus COVID19 dan bersungguh-sungguh nak ke perjumpaan Tablig yang tidak diwajibkan dalam AlQuran mahupun Sunnah. Selepas di Malaysia, kini di Indonesia pula.

Tak tahukah haji ke Mekah pun tidak diwajibkan kepada semua? Tak tahukah bahawa pada hakikatnya dalam sejarah Mekah sendiri pun sudah berpuluh kali ditutup akibat pelbagai sebab seperti peperangan, kebakaran dan wabak penyakit dan proses baik pulih? Bukankah Nabi kita sendiri pernah rela tunggu satu tahun untuk menunaikan haji dengan Perjanjian Hudaibiyah yakni orang Islam hanya dibenarkan memasuki Makkah pada tahun yang berikutnya? 

Kenapa kita pula tidak rela menunggu beberapa bulan untuk perjumpaan tahunan seperti perjumpaan tabliq, sembahyang Jumaat, ceramah-ceramah agama dan selainnya? Bukankah salah satu dari 5 perkara asas Maqasid Syariah adalah “memelihara nyawa (Hifzu al-Hayah)”?

Konsep Taqwa adalah konsep yang besar, mendalam dan menyeluruh. Malangnya, dalam terjemahan ke Bahasa Melayu kita guna perkataan takut.

Apakah yang Quran ertikan mengenai Taqwa? Siapakah yang dikatakan orang yang berTaqwa (Muttaqoon)? Disini saya akan memberi 2 ayat Al-Quran yang muhkamah (jelas) mengenai Taqwa. Diharapkan saudara-saudara dan saudari-saudari buat renungan dan muhasabah diri.

“ Bukanlah perkara kebajikan itu hanya kamu menghadapkan muka ke pihak timur dan barat, tetapi kebajikan itu ialah berimannya seseorang kepada Allah, dan hari akhirat, dan segala malaikat, dan segala Kitab, dan sekalian Nabi; dan mendermanya seseorang akan hartanya sedang ia menyayanginya, - kepada kaum kerabat, dan anak-anak yatim dan orang-orang miskin dan orang yang terlantar dalam perjalanan, dan kepada orang-orang yang meminta, dan untuk memerdekakan hamba-hamba abdi; dan mengerjanya seseorang akan sembahyang serta mengeluarkan zakat; dan perbuatan orang-orang yang menyempurnakan janjinya apabila mereka membuat perjanjian; dan ketabahan orang-orang yang sabar dalam masa kesempitan, dan dalam masa kesakitan, dan juga dalam masa bertempur dalam perjuangan perang Sabil. orang-orang yang demikian sifatnya), mereka itulah orang-orang yang benar (beriman dan mengerjakan kebajikan); DAN MEREKA ITULAH JUGA ORANG-ORANG YANG BERTAQWA.”

Quran 2:177

Wahai orang-orang yang beriman, hendaklah kamu semua sentiasa menjadi orang-orang yang menegakkan keadilan kerana Allah, lagi menerangkan kebenaran; dan jangan sekali-kali kebencian kamu terhadap sesuatu kaum itu mendorong kamu kepada tidak melakukan keadilan. HENDAKLAH KAMU BERLAKU ADIL (KEPADA SESIAPA JUA) KERANA SIKAP ADIL ITU LEBIH HAMPIR KEPADA TAQWA. Dan bertaqwalah kepada Allah, sesungguhnya Allah Maha Mengetahui dengan mendalam akan apa yang kamu lakukan.

Quran 5:8 

Adakah kita bersikap adil kalau perbuatan kita dapat mendatangkan mudarat kepada orang lain termasuk keluarga dan ibubapa kita sendiri? 

BERTAQWALAH KEPADA ALLAH, TAKUTLAH KEPADA VIRUS COVID 19. 

Kita harus rela menunggu sehingga masa yang selamat untuk membuat perjumpaan, sembahyang berjemaah di masjid dan pergi mendengar ceramah-ceramah.

Mari kita belajar dari Al Quran dan ikut contoh Nabi.

Salam,
Anas Zubedy

SALAH FAHAM MENGENAI PANDANGAN ISLAM DAN MASALAH COVID19.

MESEJ PENTING

Salam,

Ustaz2 dan penceramah2 beginilah akan menyebabkan ramai yg Islam dan bukan beragama Islam susah, sakit dan mungkin sampai hilang nyawa terutamanya warga emas dan mereka yang kurang sihat.

Pandangan mereka bercanggah dengan apa yang Allah telah wahyukan di Quran 13:11,

"SESUNGGUHNYA ALLAH TIDAK MENGUBAH APA YANG ADA PADA SATU KAUM SEHINGGA MEREKA MENGUBAH APA YANG ADA PADA DIRI MEREKA SENDIRI"

Jadi kalau kita tidak serious dan tekun berusaha menangani dan mengubah nasib kita sendiri dari COVID19, maka Allah tidak akan mengubah nasib kita dari menerima malapetaka dari penyakit tersebut.

Saya amat berharap DYMM YDP AGONG serta Duli-Duli YMM Sultan-Sultan dan Raja-Raja kita akan mengarah semua Mufti-Mufti untuk menegaskan bahawa mesej2 mereka ini harus tidak diterima.

Mereka juga mesti diharuskan menarik balik dan meminta maaf kepada rakyat atas kesilapan mereka.

Salam,

Anas Zubedy

UNITY GOVERNMENT: VOTE THE PERSON AND NOT THE PARTY

NO FREE RIDES

Ever since my tertiary days back in the eighties, I have been proposing that we must give more weight on the candidate than his or her party. In other words, choose the best candidates no matter which political party they come from. In fact, choose an independent too if he or she is the better person. I have written, spoken and publish work on this subject. The link above was the NO FREE RIDES – choose the best, screw the rest campaign during GE13. Thus, when Tun Dr Mahathir proposed a similar idea with his Unity Government alternative, I went crazy with excitement. I decided to comment about politics actively again, although I have stayed silence for some time - as I believe that we should allow some slack for PH as they are new in the job. I would have given them 5 years, to proof and in fact another 5 years too, because that is the only way they can overcome the deep state. To win 2 general elections. That will send a strong signal to the public service departments that these new bosses, are here to stay. UNFORTUNATELY, many Malaysians ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO TUN, AND NOT THE IDEA. Tun did not call it Unity Government, somebody else did. Let me quote from The STAR( Nathaniel Tan), “ It should be noted however, that Dr Mahathir did not technically use the term ‘kerajaan perpaduan’ in his speech; the words he used were ‘pemerintahan yang tidak memihak kepada mana-mana parti’, which may make ‘non-partisan government’ a more accurate term. Nevertheless, the term ‘unity government’ appears to be the one currently dominating public discourse. To quote Dr Mahathir:“Politicians and political parties prioritise politics too much until they forget about the country, which is facing economic and health problems. I am of the opinion that whether it is right or not, politics and party politics have to be set aside for the time being. If I am allowed to, I will form a government that will not side with any party. Only the interest of the nation will be prioritised. If I am given permission, this is what I will try.” Albert Einstein said that we can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them. Party politics have served us well the last many decades but have slowly but surely outliving its capacity. Tun has offered a new way. Unchartered. New ways have the tendency to level the playing field. This could be our game changer. But first, we must focus on the idea, and not the person. Peace, Anas Zubedy

CURBING THE CORONAVIRUS ----- WHILE TARGETTING CHINA

by Chandra Muzaffar

We are inundated with an avalanche of information on the novel coronavirus infection. Within this avalanche, there is a lot of “news” that is clearly false.

Those responsible for such news can be classified into two categories at least. The first comprises mischief-makers who derive some cheap thrill by generating and disseminating fake news that creates fear and causes panic among the people.  The law should deal severely with such individuals.

The second category may have a political agenda of sorts. The purpose may be to cast China in a bad light, to tarnish its image, to project the Chinese government as incompetent and even dishonest. The false information manipulated by this group may be very similar to the one utilised by the first category.

Both categories allege that the government lied about the number of fatalities which they contend run into thousands. They suggest that the authorities were slow in responding to the crisis caused by the virus. Attempts to reveal the “truth” about what was really happening in Wuhan the epicentre of the crisis by some doctors and journalists have been suppressed and the “whistle blowers” punished.

It is not just the Chinese authorities that have refuted these and other allegations. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has publicly commended the Chinese government for its “swift action” and its “extraordinary measures” in containing the infection. The government has attempted to be as transparent as possible from the outset and has provided accurate information to the people. It was the Director-General of the WHO, Tedros Adhanam Ghebreyesus,  who stated emphatically  that there was no need for other countries to restrict travel and trade unnecessarily. The coronavirus, he argued, should be combated with “ facts  not fear” 

And indeed some of the facts are simply amazing. Chinese scientists were incredibly fast in identifying the genome sequence. Together with their Russian counterparts a Russia-China vaccine is in the making.  Chinese architects and engineers have also built a state of the art hospital in Wuhan in just 9 days. Designed to tackle the coronavirus outbreak, the Huoshenshan Hospital has a thousand beds and medical staff drawn from the armed forces. The Chinese government is building another hospital with 1,500 beds which will begin functioning on the 6^th of February.    

Facts like these mean nothing to those with a political agenda. The motives that shape their agenda take precedence over everything. There is a primary motive out of which has developed a secondary motive. Discrediting China is part of a larger geo-political drive that seeks to thwart China’s ascendancy. The aim is to ensure that the present hegemon, the United States of America (USA) remains on top at all costs. A host of measures and moves --- some economic, some technological, some related to security and politics, others linked to culture and human rights --- have been adopted by those who are hell-bent on perpetuating their hegemonic power.  This is why some of the distortions about the current coronavirus threat should be seen in the light of disinformation about the alleged persecution of the Uighurs in China and the so-called suppression of the people of Hong Kong.  The name of the game is the same: it is the targeting of China.

This primary motive has now given rise to a secondary motive. In the course of fighting the coronavirus, groups in certain countries are displaying negative sentiments towards Chinese people as such. This impacts adversely upon inter-community relations both at the global and national level. At a time when China and the Chinese are leaving large footprints all over the planet, a deeper understanding of the civilisation and its citizens is what the world needs. It is not in the interest of inter-civilizational harmony to view a community in its entirety as an adversary and try to isolate it. Similarly, in multi-ethnic societies with Chinese minorities the checking of the spread of a virus should not be used as a justification to stereotype and stigmatize a community.

Seen against this backdrop, Malaysia, China’s neighbour with a significant Chinese minority has done well in managing the post coronavirus situation. It has accorded priority to the health and well-being of its people and at the same time handled this cross-boundary crisis in a calm manner without any hysteria. It has been sensitive to the feelings of China and its people. Once again, Malaysia has demonstrated that it is possible to protect our sovereignty while respecting the dignity and integrity of a dear neighbour whose friendship we cherish.                             

  

Dr Chandra Muzaffar is the President of the International Movement for a Just World (JUST)

Malaysia.

4 February 2020.

HAVE A MEANINGFUL CHINESE NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU ESPECIALLY MY CHINESE BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

WE NEED MORE ECONOMIC SURPLUS, NOT MORE PM CANDIDATES, PLEASE.

What we desperately need is a huge economic surplus, not the surplus of candidates for the position of Prime Minister.

Since GE 14, we spent so much energy and attention to when the current PM will pass the baton to the next person even though the initial agreement of 2 years has yet to be breached. Nay, not even after 6 months from May 2018 did, we start! We were busy with the transition as though a change of PM is key to our success. A utopia just waiting to arrive once we have a new PM in place. How naïve!

Economic performance and a handsome surplus should be our priority task. The top priority task! Our focus should be on the business people, big, medium and small. Are our business community doing well? Are they optimistic? Are foreign investments rushing to invest in our country? Is our stock market doing better than all the others are within our neighboring South-East Asian counterparts? Are we removing any uncertainties to make our business climate certain and seamless for investments and economic activities?

Sadly, the answer is no.

Let us refocus. Put priority to the economy and its performance. Focus on the business people. Make their work easier by creating the environment for business success.

Why?

Because all other social functions – education, religious, health care, public-service, defense … and almost all other human activities depend and hinges on the surplus of economic resources. Profits and savings that can only be generated by a successful economic performance. Furthermore, we are living in an era of the employee society. Is it not smart to focus on those who provide jobs in the first place?

What is to be done?

It does not matter if you are the king maker in the deep state, a super keyboard warrior or all other member of the Malaysian rakyat – pay attention to the business people. Focus your energy to make them successful because your success and the country’s victory can only take place if they triumph.

We need more economic surplus, not more PM candidates.

Peace.
Anas Zubedy
Malaysian Movement for Moderates