1/8/10 A DAY BEFORE RAMADHAN

As usual my biological clock woke me up at 0530 hours. By 0630, as I walked to my pickup, the Mamak who is my long neighbour greeted me: " Morning boss, you are early to work today!". I smiled with a reply: "Today is a fine day. Surely you'll make good sell. Further more, tomorrow you have to start business late!". Then I sliped to my pickup and head down town crawling along the early busy drive to office. The morning sun just risen on the eastern horizon, sparkling the redish-copper skyline, glaring my sight.

(2) My mind pray to Allah, may this calm, warm, bright day a sign of a good tomorrow and thereafter. Since last Quarter of 2009 untill now, Sarawak had been experiencing lots of rain. Planters and constructtion people have been worried as lots of works are behind schedule. The rain, despite, a bless from Allah had alway been blame for human inability to meet their target!

(3) Upon reaching the Office, I scrambled over all those works that need my immmediate attention. Since I was early, I could cleared all the corespondences before the others start their tasks. At least I have one to two hours lead time to do what extra that I need to do.

(4) I picked up a Socio-economic Report of a not really remote area somewhere along the Sibu-Selangau Road. This region, once in the 1970s was inflitrated by the Communist subversive that, the late Tun Razak had to declare such area into a KESBAN. People staying from the remote areas were resettled and guarded into a special settlement area. Thereon, they being promised a safe, secure and better living quality of life. Today, about more than 30 years of their misery past, they seem to remain socio-economically marginalised.

(5) In fact, this was among the first place that I visited more then 20 years ago when I join the State Service. I even issued a letter to get a Government agency to develop this area. Reading through this Report, made my mind wonder, these were the population that have been scarificed for the good of a Nation during those difficult days, and yet they remain so despite the Nation had prosper passing over the time? Why?

(6) Is it always the case that someone had to sacrifice and continue to scarifice for the good of others?

(7) Later, I chaired a meeting among friends. In this meeting, I was in fact mad, to continue to see that our Bumi working culture had never change. Once given fund to do a Project, we seem to continue to ask for money, rather start thinking how to make more money out of the money given. Basically, we continue to behave: minta sedekah, minta kasian! I have been advocating that Bumi Lead Organization must act like a true business entity. I have been very hard to push, the Bumi must be a business oriented societies.

(8) My reasoning for all these are simple. As a muslim, did we ever learnt that Prophet Muhammad before he preached about Islam, he started as a business person. When he went on Hijrah to Madina, firstly he developed a commercial society among the natives Medina: Al Anzar and Khawarij hand in hand with the Jews. He even brouhgt in the strong Quraish of Mecca to help build up the business community surrounding his Masjid Nabawi. Muhammad seem to know that if the economic strength of the Al Nansar and Khawarij is weaken, definitely the Jews will be right to their neck.

(9) In both, the historical development of Medina and Mecca, Muhammad introduced the concept of Bazaar, a trading place within the vicinity of the worshiping place: the Masjid Nabawi and Kaabah. In fact, if one study all of Muhammad deciples, except for Ali, all the rest were sucessful business person. Even, the person he most love, Khatijah was a successful-wealthy buisness lady. Muhammad, know, though never being said in the Al Quran, the muslim must do business to be strong!

(10) My advocacy about business is nothing to do with whether I want to copy cat Muhammad, I don't claim to be Muhammad, I can't be like him. There was only one Muhammad, and he was the oly one. It is stupid for anybody, doesn't matter who you are to argue over this!

(11) I have been observing, only if one have a business mind will one be strategic minded. A business minded person will alway be looking for opportunity, a business minded person also would dare to take risk. The speed of thinking, working, action, courage, etc of a business minded person will greatly differ from those who don't. But, must we be firstly a business person before we could be a business minded person? It is for you to think, I can't be thinking for you! You got brain, use it optimumly for the good of Ummah!

(12) Later I took off for KL. Upon landing at KLIA, heading straight to Bandar Baru Bangi, in the cap, a far distance to the west, I saw slowly the sun set to sleep. The nigth is falling. The day is closing. Through the cab window, I saw two bright stars appearing far in the sky, and deep in my heart, I believe, tomorrow Ramadhan is coming. I wonder, since the last 10 years, I have never have my first Ramadhan at home. I have to travelled.

(13) I recalled, as I went down the lift from my Office, Ramadhan had not started, but the Hari Raya Songs had been loundly broadcasted! Jokingly, I passed a remark to a lady who was together with me in the lift:" Siapa Puasa, Siapa Raya, Siapa Bergaya, Siapa Kaya, Siapa Papa!"

(14) Quietly seated, I prayed to myself, God, Ya Allah, may this Ramadhan bring all your Ummah to realise the human-practical life of Muhammad, your messenger. I do hope, their minds, their hearts are not blinded by those stupid and narrowly defined of Islam as an Adeen, by whoever that had claimed themeselves being Tok Guru, Ustaz, Alim Ulama, Kiai, Mullah, etc though truely they are not learnered!

(15) Wishing all, may Allah bless you all, and to dear 'fine' friends, Ramadhan is wajib, Raya is sunat. Let be clear of the two. Ramadhan called for sacrifice, purification, and determination yet don't kill all those great effort by Raya! For the Malay, let us now change the term Raya with Aidil Fitri because I believe the two really mean different thing.

(16) Raya: Bergaya: Papa; kalau ada, Tak Apa; but for Yang Tak Ada: Ikut-ikutan: Apahal?

Bandar Baru Bangi
10 August, 2010