Kassim Ahmad finds his way home.

Note: The Malay version of this book was already out in 2008.

Like all of us, who’s taken the road less travelled, those who got caught in a “traffic jam” (philosophically) on crowded highways and byways, who had veered right or left, according to the winds, whims or fancies, will someday return to the chosen path on a straight road home. Usually that happens at the end of our lives.

So it is with Malaysia’s foremost thinker and philosopher Kassim Ahmad, a smart Malaysian son born in 1933 and now lives in Kulim.

Kassim is probably best known for his controversial religious analysis in his book “Hadith, A Re-Examination”. 

However, in his 196-page book, The Road Home,  Kassim explains his search for the way home in his poem (page 134): I am a wonderer/ On my journey home/ Like the sun, the mountains, the seas, the trees/ and the stars/ choosing the straight path/among the deviant parts/ to return home.

This clearly reflects his academic, political and spiritual journey from socialism to the ‘true’ Islam he found, not one that is “inherited” as it is with most Muslims.

To know more about the thinker’s “interesting adventure” on this, buy Kassim’s book and read! I was thankful to receive a complimentary copy from Lori Lee of ZI Publications, the book’s publisher.

Kassim is a brilliant personality, but I will always remember him best as my employer whom I worked briefly for in the 1990s, doing translation work for his company, Syarikat Terjemahan Nusantara, in one of the old offices in Beach Street.

More about his colorful life can be found in his blog here. We must be grateful that he has documented his thoughts here, for we so lack critical thinking in this land.

I’ve started reading today his autobiography which he begun writing in 1997 as I am intrigued with Kassim who is always bold and courageous in speaking his mind. This boldness earned him almost 5 years in ISA detention in the 70s!

He was released by former premier Mahathir Mohammad, who told Kassim that it was unlikely that he was a Communist! Kassim joined Umno several years later, but is somewhat disappointed with the party as well, as he is with the opposition. (Read page 119).

It’s strange for Mahathir  to say this – about Communism – when in 1987, he threw 106 people in ISA detention, during Ops Lallang. Umno, which he ruled with an iron fist, was weak at that point in time. The country was in a havoc state as it is now.

Interestingly, Mahathir wrote the introduction to his book. He quotes George Santayana: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”. But isn’t Mahathir guilty of the same? I remember that he had suffered from “selective memory” many times!

A more current thinker/writer/film-maker Hishamuddin Rais had a different view of the book, when he read its Malay version. Hisham says, rather disappointed, in the Edge June 2008 and reproduced in Kassim’s blog which he rebutted :

“The engaging Malay intellectual I once thought I knew does not sum up his life experience by making coherent the events that mattered to him. This is the writer who reedited the Hikayat Hang Tuah and brilliantly introduced Jebat as the icon for a progressive Malay society, but he does not reevaluate and to furnish us with the participant’s details of what really happened while he was the main player in the Malaysian political landscape”.

Nevertheless, Kassim’s book comes to me at the height of turbulence in our current academia. Dr Aziz Bari from the International Islamic University has just been suspended, pending sacking from his employer for speaking his mind and sharing his expertise in constitutional law!

This is a weird country we live in! It seems there is little space, if at all, for smart people, let alone, smart Malays! Yet, every cloud has a silver lining. Aziz’s predicament kind of injected some spirit into the student and academia movement with many sectors – activists, students, and politicians – throwing their support behind him, at great risk of their personal freedoms and careers.

But I am comforted by the beautiful and meaningful words from the Quran which I found in Kassim’s book as he journeys through his philosophical, political and religious life.

I wish many of our political leaders would ponder on these words and take stock of what they are doing:

“Show us the straight path, the path of those whom You bless; not of those who have deserved wrath, nor of the strayers”.

“This is the truth, and the truth is all that I utter” (Quran, 38:84).

“On that Day God will pay back all their just dues, and they will realise that God is the very Truth that makes all things manifest” (Quran, 24:25).

With such lovely and inspiring words, any wanderer, even those who have lost their ways, would be able to return home.

(ends)

Happiness is…Books from ZI Publications!

I had a pleasant surprise today when I received the package. I immediately tore the envelope open, knowing they are my favourite things – books! Not just any books, but two sent from my favourite publisher – Lori Lee of ZI Publications. Oh, I do love you!

As a birthday gift, Lori sent me Found in Malaysia Vol 2 (The Nut Graph). And today, she sent me The Rest of Your Life (O Thiam Chin) and The Road Home (Kassim Ahmad).

Kassim’s book will have a special place in my heart. The man was a famous Malay socialist – very rare in our part of the world in the early days – and later was controversially known as part of the anti-hadith group. Whatever he was/is, I know him best as one of my first employers. I used to work with him as a translator at his little office down in Beach Street called “Syarikat Terjemahan Nusantara”. Those were the days we struggled with typewriters, and since I didn’t have one, not yet, I did the translation work in writing. Unforgettable!

I fell in love with the books Lori sent me even before reading them because ZI comes up with really nice front covers. You’ll really have to purchase them – hey, support local/asian talent, ok!

Thanks for the early Christmas gifts, Lori. For you know I love books, I love them madly, next only to my Bobby. I have a stack of them next to my bed, yet to be read – the titles are adding and the list is getting longer. So far I have these to complete reading by this year, other than the three I received from Lori:

1. The Picture of Dorian Gray (Oscar Wilde) – TQ Joselyn!
2. The Book of Night Women (Marlon James) – TQ Joselyn!
3. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte) – TQ to me!
4. Lady Chatterley’s Lover (DH Lawrence) – TQ to me!
5. Arte Latino: Treaures from the Smithsonian American Museum – TQ to Karen!

Looking at these lovely books, I promised myself to set aside time this November and December to complete my list. I think I can do it. I will cease my other loves for now – like painting and try to focus on reading.

Wish me luck! Wish me love.

Santa Claus is here! Where is Merry X’mas?

Not one but two! There is only so much a Malaysian mind can take but in a span of only one week, we had two of them spreading their cheer. Neon lights are blasting that Christmas is nigh for my fellow country women and men!!!

Yesterday, Prime Minister Najib Razak unveiled BUDGET 2012. It was the talk of the town, second only to the various things said about Apple icon Steve Jobs who passed away on Thursday (may his soul rest in peace). After revealing his budget, Najib became none other than Santa Claus splashing his goodies around. It was clear for all to see that the ones who stand to benefit benefit most are: civil servants, pensioners, army personnel, teachers and Felda schemers.

BN fellas are already thumping aloud, saying that this is a wonderful piece of work; and tomorrow I will experience serious nausea or vomitting after reading the usual mainstream papers, who will act as if they had multiple orgasm as they MUST say good things about the goodies. I must make a mental note to stay clear of the papers but…I do that everyday, anyway…hahaha!

To the critical eye, the groups who stand to gain most from Najib’s budget form the largest support base for his ruling party, Umno, and in a broader sense, the governing coalition – Barisan Nasional. They’re mostly bumiputeras, and Najib thinks the Malays are definitely behind him since Pakatan Rakyat, or more precisely DAP, can’t take care of their interest.

I hope he is in for a rude shock!

Many are caling it a ‘populist, election’ budget, indicating that our 13th General Election may just be – tomorrow!!! It is as close as that, so better be prepared. But seriously, we are looking at November, or early January, when most people are too busy to take leave to go home to their hometown to vote. For BN, they do not need the urban voters as much as they do, rural folks, pensioners, and old timers?

What about after Chinese New Year holidays? Not likely. By this time, the Chinese are restless since money all spent liao…so time to coffee shop talk about how much the government is stealing for them and that they’re not getting anything even after working so so so hard.

One hard look at the budget and people can see that it is mostly short term measures to appease, to lure ex-voters back into the fold. Not a nice thing to do and it is so blatantly done in this budget. The critical mass is asking: where is the long term measures to address brain drain, unemployment and sustain competitiveness of the country’s business sector in the global market?

In the budget, there are no measures at all for the manufacturing sector, which takes care of brain drain issues and employment. Our corporate tax rate stands at 25%, sky high compared to Singapore, at 17%. Thailand is planning to cut theirs from 30% to 23%, and after the Jul3 election, it may be further reduced to 20%.  Where do we stand in terms of competitiveness in the region? Business people are kind of disappointed the goodies bag are empty when it comes to them.

On top of this, they are asked to add 1% to the Employment Provident Fund (for workers earning RM5k and below). Thank God, I’ve ‘stayed hungry and foolish’ (according to Steve Jobs) and have remained poor enough to enjoy this little goodie.

But wait! One of the salient points that nudged me most in the budget is this” RM220 million for modern policing, RM440 million for PDRM (Royal Malaysian Police) development including housing, upgrade of police station and training centres “. Seriously, does this amount include tear gas shells and allowances to go chase/harass citizens at peaceful rallies which are not inclined to the ruling parties (read Najib’s) thinking?

ARGHHHH !

But if Najib thinks that by showering senior citizens or pensioners with cash alone, he would see their votes cast his way, he might be in for a little surprise.

Although my mother, a pensioner and senior citizen, is jubilant that she would be getting a windfall this year – with 2% increase in her pension, a RM300 montly (?) as she is over 60, RM500 (min) bonus and another RM500 (min) allowance at the end of the year. But she says her votes are not for sale. That her vote is not that cheap. And that her heart is already taken, and she has made up her mind who to vote for! Many pensioners and senior citizens I know are THAT hard-headed and hard-hearted!

My 13 year old niece under my care is happy too as she will be getting a one-off RM100 for students. We’re telling her to take us to Pizza, but she says she wants to put her money in the bank! Then the budget also says that there would be no school fees to pay next year. Bullshit actually, because parents/guardians are expected to pay for a lot of stuff like t-shirts and society activities, etc, which are not categorised under school fees. Get rid of these, please.

Do read www.malaysiakini.com for more reports on the budget. You’ll at least get a fairer view. I guarantee that you will not be puking.

But Najib is not the only Santa Claus in town! On Tuesday, the Pakatan Santa Claus rode into Parliament,   bringing a load of it own brand of goodies. This budget was also trashed as a “populist budget”.

Are our leaders incapable of thinking of long term measures to address the country’s core problems: FDI, housing, low income, etc?

Gerakan Youth vice chief H’ng Khoon Leng who I know personally has very kindly summarised the gist of the goodies for us in his Facebook, and I would like to share them here:

- An annual allowance of RM1,000 for mothers to encourage them to enter the workforce.

- A universal minimum wage of RM1100/month.

- An across the board increase from RM300 per month to RM550 per month for welfare recipients

- Bonus to senior citizens that earn less than RM1500 permonth. They will be given RM1000 per year

- A ‘top-up’ allowance for low-income earners to RM550 monthly and many, many more.

His criticised the Opposition’s budget as being  not sustainable, that some of the stuff proposed had been promised but not carried out under the Pakatan government in Penang, for example, the promise to give low income earners RM550 per month.

That giving a RM1,000 bonus to senior citizens are a waste of money because there already exist a kind of special welfare scheme that provides RM300 a month for those qualified in this sector; that an increase in welfare money from RM300 to RM550 was not prudent as it increases the welfare department budget by 83%.

And many, many more criticism.

However, the comment that takes top spot or icing on the cake comes from none other that former premier Mahathir Mohammad, who says Pakatan’s budget is an ‘empty pocket’. Where will all the money come from?

Well, the same thing is said of Mahathir’s fave PM Najib. Where is the PM going to get all the money? People are already bracing for a price hike in many sectors after the general election. After splashing around so much money, surely the government must get it back, right?

Pejo Ung, a Facebook friend has this to say: “Do you know that out of total budget of RM232.8 billion, RM64 billion or 36% goes to wages and pension in the bloated civil service? It is indeed a huge sum to the nation. More mega projects to appease the cronies and rent seekers but no money for public transportation development. It is a pre-election budget with goodies all round”.

My cousin Chong Cheng Hai says on Facebook, too that “That’s why there are so many grants and funds set up … so that the leaks can benefit cronies…there should be a Rent-Seeking Control Act” !

I guess that pretty much sums up what I think of this bruhaha of an election budget. Please do not insult us and think we are of small minds. Najib, my ‘cool’ PM, you need to do better. But I do not think you have the time.

(ends)