It was a good busy week for me the whole of last week. Early Tuesday morning (10 July), I took off for Sibu to help in some media matters wrt some accusations of the Company involvement in downstream processing in Australia. The Company was accused as the prime mover for the destruction of the Native Forest in Tasmania though by the fact, the Company was not at all involve in any logging activities and the main activity is a mere processing to all those Tasmanian Forestry certified logs. The Company in fact strictly helping the Tasmanian Forestry to add value to their timber, otherwise more areas would be felled if better strategy not employed. But due to local political infighting, the Company was dragged into the conflict to no reason. In Malay proverb, this is what I would say: Pukul anak, sindir menantu dan atau ada politik di sebalik balak.
(2) Interestingly, the accusation against the Company spilled to our activities in the State particularly wrt peat soil, Stateland and NCR land developments. The Company is being accused of causing the depletion of the Orang Utan population, grabbing the native land without proper compensation, depriving the Penan of their traditional roaming and hunting activities, and contributing to global warming. Well, that how, when closed minded people judge the others by mere inferences without really understanding the facts. In Islam, Khalifah Umar Al Khattab had made it clear that whoever are in certain business, he must have deep knowledge of the matters. Umar used to chased away or wiped traders whom didn't have good knowledge on the Islamic Trading Etiquette. He even stripped off his high respected governors and military commanders whom were ignorance of simple details.
(3) After going around with the Special Australian Reporter, without good rest, I then flew to Kota Bharu on the Friday night (13 July) to accompany an investor whom want to make some investment there. I reached Kota Bharu rather late and fallen asleep immediately upon check in. In fact since September, 2011 I had been frequencing Kota Bharu to help our Muslim brothers there to realise what they dream as Kota Bharu Islamic City. To me, the Kelantanese have a beautiful dream, yet they are short of determination to get the dream realize. After reading so much Islamic-based socio-economic development initiatives since the Prophet Muhammad SAW to those great Islamic Empires, I feel compel to contribute to where I could. As many times I have said, Nik Aziz of Kelantan, had implanted a great roh into his people, but the bodies that carry the roh are not well constructed. To me it is much easier to construct the body once the roh is there, as compared to firstly construct the body and later searching for the correct roh for the body.
(4) I'm taking Selangor and Kelantan state socio-cultural scenario as my thesis. In Selangor (particularly Klang Valley), the bodies were well built, but their roh are mixed up of the the good, the bad the ugly. In Kelantan, the good roh are there, but bodiless. It is very important that to achieve perfection, the body must be perfected before the roh could be commission. Allah created man to His perfect creation, then He blew his roh into the creation. In short, in His creation, Allah made both human physic perfect to carry His dignified soul, the roh. Both are made to the equal beauty and perfection, which warrant their unification be called human, theologically called the highiest degree of creation or zoologically called the highest degree of living creature.
(5) The next day (Saturday 14 Julai), running from Tumpat, then Tanah Merah to Rantau Panjang then Machang, Pasir Putih and Tok Bali, we made a good loping that gives the over view of the Greater Kota Bharu. We then landed at Kubang Krian, where schools, higher learning and medical institutions and new potential growth areas are clustered but haphazardly done. We visited all the higher learning institution which are half baked. To some extend, I quietly said to myself: no wonder our kids are now half baked generation. We want to be crazy to find ways on how to facilitate the complete development of these institutions. To me Kelantan has high prospect to generate huge population of highly intellectual Malays, but the Malay tradition of high affinity to the concept of PhD had killed their potentials and talents. Najib and whoever there at the present political paradigm will never work to the concept to fear and do things only for the sake of Allah and grandeur of His ummah. The present system favor the favorite!
(6) My personal interest to help build a great Islamic State in Kelantan is not due to my inclination to any political drive. I just see that Kelantan had all the prospects to acquire such status if we could consolidate our effort in doing so. Firstly, Kelantanese love to learn. Name any higher learning institution in Malaysia, don't we not see the Kelantanese are the majority? Equally important to notice, in any key Federal institutions, would not the Kelantanese made the majority of the high raking personnel? In all those Malay lead public and private companies, are not the Kelantanese the majority top management group? In fact the success of Umar Al Khattab in developing a great Islamic Empire was due to his far sighted to developed such centers as Mecca, Madinah, Kufa, Basrah, etc into a Center of Educational Excellent. He made all his governors among the knowledge companions and dispatched nobles to assist them to educate their subject. It is saddening if don't learn from all these just because we are to incline to the PhD doctrine. The Malays, where else should we turn for the trusth and the right course?
(7) Though I was dame tired, but upon my deep interest to be a retailing force in MyKampung and its environ I then took a cab rushing to Rantau Panjang. The driver demanded RM350.00 for the round trip. Along the way, I then began to interviewed him on some matters in Golok. With such, I'm signaling to him, that I'm not an alien to Kota Bharu, Rantau Panjang and Golok. I reached Rantau Panjang around 2200 hours Malaysian's time (2100 hours Thai time), I discharged the driver by only paying him RM70.00. Then I crossed the border by the sampan and then registered my entry at the Golok, Thai Check Point. I was alone in this Golok notorious cowboy town. My stand to be such daring especially under the current insecure situation was based on my intent to serve the ummah the best. I believe, Allah will never betray anybody with a good intent and deeds. I believe I just want to serve His ummah to my best ability. I then took a motorcycle ride to the Night Market and helped myself to a nice Sup Perut and fried quills. My military instinct taught me to distance myself from being too close to the security personnel on guard. Later I met some friends whom are organizing cheap but quality products that I would think good for the MyKampung folks. My interest is basically wanting to offer good affordable products to MyKampung mates.
(8)After making some sampling selection and promise to come back to get all those organise the next day, I then crossed back the Golok river and looking high and low for a cab to return to Kota Bharu. It was 0200 hours in the morning, and I can't get any. Earlier I had enquired whether will there be a cab to return to Kota Bharu, and I was informed that the cab will always be there at any time needed. I then just sat feeling hopeless at the taxi stand in the cold night. At a distance, a group of youngsters were having great fun. I approached them. I was then invited to have some bite to their smoke chicken. I did but refused their coca cola drink as I doubt of the actual content. Then one of them volunteer to drove me back to Kota Bharu, with his old saga under condition of reserve fuel. I reached Kota Bharu around 0400 hours and set my alarm for the dawn pray at 0630 hours.
(7) The next day (Sunday, 15 July), since most of the shops in Kota Bharu would only begin their business by 10.00 hours, I invited a friend of mine, Daud Musa whom just landed from KL to Rantau Panjang then to Golok. He was interested to get some materials for his Boutique. I just want to introduce to him the Thai Taste which I found is much versatile as compared to the Bandung or Jakarta. While strolling those messy streets in Golok, I could see his nervousness when passing all those military personnel guarding the market places. At his age of 55, he has all the reason to be worried. But, I just make it to a simple point to him: Here we are, senior citizen, whom used to lots of luxuries, now we want to fight for our longer private lives. So what is life without a test of endurance? What thrilling experiences are we going to tell our next generation for them to learn from? Muhammad SAW didn't achieve his glory without him being tested to his bone!. I then took him to all those friends whom I made the trade dealing and paid them accordingly. He was amazed in deed on the way I did my trading ie paying the foreigners without a feel of doubt on the delivery issues. My notion is very simple: There is no way I'll be cheating them, and they are the one who have all the luxury to breach my trust. I believe, my intent is good ie to help low income MyKampung folks to afford good products, as well as to helps these friends whom are Muslim whom are badly affected by all these insecure issues of the Southern Thai.
(8) As brother Muslim, I'm duty bound to assist wherever I could to lessen the burden of my other brother Muslims. As Muhammad SAW had said: To love me is to love the orphan, the poor, the needy and.. those being suppress... I hope to help to increase the purchasing power of MyKampung folks as well as to enrich those poor Pattanese. At least, I have some battle to fight in the course of my small jihhad. In Islam, the fundamental of the Islamic pillar is praying and accordingly, Umar Al Khattab said, whatever good deeds are prays. I'm now researching on this great statement and hopefully in the very near future I could present it for all to think. May Allah help me in all my good intents and deeds and block me for otherwise
(9) Later we rush back to Kota Bharu in a taxi driven by an old man. His saga is probably as old as Tun Mahathir the creator. With no aircon, the jourtney from Rantau Panjang to Kota Bharu was really another test for us. Worst, the day was raining. Well, that was in fact my first travelling with Daud Musa, and I believe he has agood crazy story to tell his wife if his kids. Hopefully one day we will make it to the border of Cambodia-Thai to look at the ASEAN biggest bundle trading there.
(10) I flew back home in the late night flight, and alhamdullillah I did managed to get some good affordable staff for MyKampung folks and now are on sale at MyStore. At least now I'm happy to follow the foot step of Umar Al Khattab: travel to foreign places, bring back things, and do trade then and don't simply made an easy sadaqah, make people to work hard and earn their pride.
Terasi, Pendam
17 July, 2012
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