Friday, February 12, 2010

OUR STATE OF ART SUBMARINE CAN'T DIVE

Just when you had giggled your arse off at the jet engines which went missing and wondered what next, as if on cue comes the next joke. Apparently, our spanking new state of art Scorpene submarine KD Tunku Abdul Rahman has developed problems that make it unfit for diving. Yes, a submarine which cannot dive !

According to Minister of Defence Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, “ the submarine can still dive, but when we detected the defects, we were advised not to dive”. Mmm…don’t they do test drive, I mean test dive as in this case to confirm that the submarine purchased can submerge and dive before taking delivery. Instead, we are now relying on the warranty clauses and defect liability clauses.

I hear Singaporeans are laughing their heads off !

Monday, February 08, 2010

THE MYTH OF THE SECRET AGENDA OF CHRISTIANS

The objection to Christians in Malaysia using the word Allah is premised on the two argument. Firstly, that the use of the word Allah could cause confussion or cause Muslims to be confused and secondly, that Christians have a hidden agenda and a secret motive in insisting to use the word Allah. Thus, like a broken record, Zulkifli Nordin and other like minded ilks and minions are unrelenting in their zeal that Christians cannot use the word Allah as in their view it is exclusive to Muslims.

Pray, may I ask, if there is any proof that Christians in Malaysia have been confusing Muslims in Malaysia by using the word Allah or that Muslims have become confused by Christians using the word Allah.

Empirical data shows that the oposite has been happening and it is not the Christians who have been confusing Muslims or having a hidden agenda trying to convert Muslims. Milenia magazine, February 2010 edition refering to Jakim's portal lists out 55 deviant groups. They are (at pg.29): Nasrul Haq, Budi Suci, Al-Watan, Budi Suci Sejati, Jawa Faradin, Silat Sunda Pukulan Ghaib, Tusuk Hikmat, Ilmu Kebatinan, Potong Maya, Naluri, Kaula, Haqqullah Syahadah, Rampai, Wali Suci, Kalimat sakti, Silat Pukulan Jarak Jauh, Ilmu Tenaga Dalam Hikmat, Zikir Sha'ban Islam Haq, Asala wujud Garis Laksamana, Al- Maazat, Trancendentral Meditation- Maharisi Mahish Yogi, Ilmu Kebatinan, Abdul Manan Bin harun menolak Hadis, Ilmu Mentauhidkan Allah oleh Nasrun ST Qahar, Kumpulan Ikhwan/Al-Mas, Kuasa Ghaib, Mohd Nordin Putih, Nasrun ST Qahar, Roslan Katimum atau Ajaran Wali Sembilan, Tarekat Naqsyabandiyah Kadirun Yahya, Wali Sembilan, Khatijah Binti Ali, Syed Mutalib Bin Syed mohd Nordin, Ajaran Mohd Seman Al-Banjari, Al-Arqam, Golongan Anti-Hadis, Ajaran Juruzon Bin Abdul Latif, Syiah, Ajaran Haji Ghazali Othman Hulu Kelang, Ajaran Haji Kahar Ahmad, Ajaran ilmu Tajali Ahmad, Ajaran Ilmu Tajali Ahmad laksamana, Ajaran Ilmu hakikat @ Dumin Hulu Langat, Tarekat Mufaridah, Ajaran Hassan Anak Rimau, Tarekat Aurad Ismaiiliah, Ajaran Martabat Tujuh, Tarekat Samaniah Ibrahim Bonjol, Ajaran Sulaiman (Bahtera Nabi Noh, Ajaran Ilmu Hakikat Hassan Bin Jonit, Ajaran Ahmadiah, Ajaran Mohd Nor Seman, Ajaran Ayah Pin, Al-Maaunah, Ajaran Azhar Wahab, Ajaran Haji Banuar.

These movements which according to Jakim are deviant groups and are out to confuse Muslims. Don't these groups who have and or are confusing Muslims pose a greater threat and actual danger to Muslims than the misconceived perceived danger by Christians and which ought to concern Zulkifli Nordin and his merrymen?

According to Milenia (at pg.22), some of these movement have redefined themselves. For example, Al-Arqam have redefined to Al-Rufaqa and now as Global Ikhwan. Infact, according to the Mufti of Selangor, even learned professionals are involved in these movements. According to him (at pg.13) ".. guru ajaran sesat berselindung disebalik agama dengan menyebarkan dakyah yang apabila diselidiki ternyata bercanggah dengan Al-Quran dan Sunnah serta mempunyai motif yang tersirat."

Thus, it begs the question, who is actually confusing Muslims and who is having hidden motives or motive?. The Herald for example dutifully, complies with the Home Ministry's requirement to place in its masterhead that the newspaper is "For Non-Muslim's Only". Clearly, the Herald cannot cause confussion since its target audience is Non Muslims and no one else. Since the Herald is for Non Muslims, there is no reason for Muslims to read the newspaper.

Similarly the unfounded allegation that the ultimate motive and agenda of the Christians is to convert Muslims is also without any basis. Christians know very well that it is an offence to evangelise to Muslims. Still, it does not stop some miscreants making allegations of thousands of Muslims becoming apostates. The Mufti of Perak once caused a national sensation claiming that 100,000 Muslims had apostasised, while 100,000 more have sought to do so. Naturally, the immediate focus was on the Christians. But the truth revealed, when Dr Mohd Azam Mohd Adil of Universiti Teknologi Mara said that his studies showed that based on the figures by National Registration Department, for the period between 1999 and 2003, there were only 220 changes of names from Muslims to non Muslims and not the 100,000 that had apparently converted and 100,000 awaiting to do so, as was sensationalised by the Mufti of Perak. It is worth knowing that, Jakim's statistics show that between 1990 and 2001, 11,818 Sabahan's and 9,603 Sarawakians converted to Islam and by far the two states with the highest number of Muslim converts.

In fact any perceived danger to Muslims in truth does not come from the Christians. On the contrary, it is deviant Muslims groups which gives concern. The Malay advocacy group Teras head in 2006 said that the leader of Ariffin Mohamed's Ayah Pin sect had between 5,000-10,000 Malays. Just imagine what may be the number of followers for al-Arqam/ Rufaqa/ Global Ikhwan or other deviant groups which are regularly exposed.

So, what is the secret motive or agenda of the Christians which Zulkifly Nordin and his ilks and minions continue to sensationalise and cast false aspersions that Christians are proselytising to the Muslims and planning to convert Muslims. To prove his point, Zulkifly Nordin has even waved in the air some written material purportedly by Christians to show proof of the Christian agenda. Those written pamplets could also be someone's mischief making against the Christians, as proven in the recent surau burning incident in Muar when the perpetrators who did the act were not (thankfully) Christians.

So, the argument that Christians of trying to confuse non Muslims or that there is a secret agenda and motives by the Christians to convert Muslims is nothing more than seeing ghost where there is none. If only Zulkifli Nordin and others like him care to realise.