KATA-KATA MANUSIA

Oleh - Hesmel Faznee Faisal

Dan berkatalah,
Daun-daun waktu kepada alam,
Manusia kini semakin alpa,
Dan hangus dalam waktu,

Bersuaralah mereka ini,
Dalam bingit kebisingan hidup,
Aku juara dalam kecewa,
Kecewa ini membelenggui rasa,

Hidup kian tersisih,
Waktu kian hampir,
Dan terpecahlah antara syuga dan neraka,
Jatuh jauh kita ke dalamnnya,

Berbatu batu menyusun bicara,
Tiada yang tiba seperti yang dijangka,
Mungkin sekadar lontaran kata,
Untuk mereka yang kian kecewa,

Maka,
Tersebutlah sudah episod dendam,
Menakluk bumi yang kian tertanam,
Di bibir hayat tiada dijangka,

Satu rumpun beribu aneka,
Itulah hamba bernama manusia,
Meringkuk di dalam penjara masa,
Persis lilin hilang habanya,

Manusia dipegang pada janjinya,
Janji terlerai kian terhakis,
Akhirnya kita yang terlena,
Pada malam enggan bersuara..

Kuala Lumpur, 08.08.08

the above poem was recited by Mr. Fazil Ismail a.k.a Fajer during the Sastera Sepanjang Rel programme, organised by KTMB/DBP. Fazil was paid RM50 for his recital and I got RM50 for this piece of work. SAPA NAK BAGI 50 HINGGIT TIME SESAK-SESAK NIH??!

FARDHU KIFAYAH

Oleh - Hesmel Faznee Faisal

Salam, kepada para bloggers dan pembaca blog Bacalah (Jose, as if there is any!)

Hari ini, penulis berada di Sentral, KL untuk kempen derma darah (Yes, Jose. It’s kempen derma DARAH and not DAAREE as pronounced by No Value previoulsy!)

Menarik untuk penulis nyatakan di sini. Ramai orang yang menderma. I was having an impression that Malaysians won’t be nice or tolerate to others. Thus, they won’t donate their blood for any reasons whatsoever!

Penulis tersalah. Ramai yang menderma. Ketika waktu penulis meninggalkan tempat tersebut dan balik ke pejabat, dianggarkan hampir 50-60 orang telah melakukan tanggungjawab mereka, secara tak langsung telah menunaikan tuntutan kifayah sebagai umat manusia. (Forgive me for the twisted tongue statement!)

Sebenarnya, berlaku baik kepada orang adalah salah satu daripada tuntutan fardhu kifayah. Lebih daripada segala perkara yang dilakukan sebelum ini. Menurut satu petikan di dalam Bible, dari surah Leviticus 19:18 yang berbunyi “treat people how you want to be treated." Jadi, tuntutan berbuat baik ini sebenarnya bersifat universal.

Namun, sekarang manusia lebih pentingkan fardhu ain daripada fardhu kifayah. Mereka lebih mementingkan soal-soal ibadat yang remeh di dalam kehidupan, daripada melihat konteks fardhu kifayah yang dilihat lebih meluas.

Sebenarnya, penulis sekarang tidak begitu berminat untuk menulis di dalam blog. Pertama, kerana penulis telah terlalu hooked up dengan Facebook.

Kedua, penulis “takut” dengan keadaan keselamatan sekarang. Salah tulis, kena tangkap. Penulis merasakan yang para bloggers seperti lembu, ayam, kambing dan kucing. Yang perlu ditangkap.

Entahlah, mungkin kerana Perdana Menteri Malaysia kali ini, adalah yang paling “bijak” di dalam sejarah kepimpinan Malaysia atau orang disekelilingnya yang “paling bijak”. Menurut bijak pandai, untuk kelihatan cerdik kita perlu duduk di dalam kalangan orang yang tidak bijak.

Kita Kan Tersesat, Pabila Malam Menjemput Bulan Semula Ke Sangkar Waktu – The Salam Connection.

BUKU WAJAH....

Salam...To my fellow bloggers and Bacalah readers (Kalau ada!!)

I've found a new way to express my feelings (Macamlah sebelum ni tak ada!)

It's in a form of a weblog or rather similar to that of Friendster, Myspace or the like.

It's Facebook and suprisingly, even our most "beloved" Prime Minister has an account in it!

Please go to this link to find out more ;

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1138482642

I would not be able to update this blog as frequent as possible as I've already hooked myself in the new found interest in Facebook..

Kita Kan Tersesat Pabila Malam Menjemput Bulan Semula Ke Sangkar Waktu -The Salam Connection

IRONI DI DALAM IRONI..

Oleh - Hesmel Faznee Faisal

Hari ini, penulis ingin menjenguk sedikit tentang ungkapan, “Irony of the ironies”

Menurut seorang Pak Kaduk di dalam akhbar Berita Hairan (Selasa, 5 Ogos 2008),

Cuai tugas beri imej negatif’
Oleh Wan Hazmir Bakar

PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi semalam mengingatkan kakitangan perkhidmatan awam bahawa ketidakcekapan melaksanakan tugas akan menyebabkan persepsi negatif rakyat terhadap pentadbiran kerajaan dan menimbulkan pelbagai masalah.

Tidakkah merasakan ianya satu bentuk “irony of the ironies” atau lebih tepat, “kata dulang paku serpih, kata orang…..(lu pikirlah sendiri!)

Ditambah lagi cerita,

Abdullah juga menegaskan pemuliharaan keselamatan dan kedaulatan negara serta penguatkuasaan undang-undang negara adalah tanggungjawab semua kakitangan awam walaupun ia bukan sesuatu yang mudah.

Kedaulatan negara? Undang-undang?

Pulau Batu Putih, terlepas ke tangan Sang Pura-Pura. The Golden Bridge, tinggal mimpi indah. Sekarang, bercakap pula tentang kedaulatan negara? Dan nak meletakkan tanggungjawab atas kakitangan awam? Bukankah tanggungjawab mereka ialah untuk served the public. Tanggungjawab dari segi kedaulatan negara itu adalah tanggungjawab penguatkuasa keselamatan di bawah Perdana Menteri!

Tanggungjawab seorang ketua tidak harus diletakkan kepada orang lain.

Berbalik kepada tajuk “Cuai tugas beri imej negatif”.

Disebabkan kecuaian yang dijalankan oleh pemimpin inilah, ia telah mengakibatkan parti pemerintah itu hilang 2/3 daripada kerusi yang sering dimenanginya sejak tahun 1955! Secara tidak langsung ianya turut memainkan peranan di dalam memberikan imej yang negatif, bukan sahaja kepada pemimpin itu, malah kepada negara secara amnya.

Malaysia dilihat sebagai sebuah negara yang dipimpin oleh seorang pemimpin yang lemah.

Apabila perkara ini berlaku, ia menunjukkan tahap pencapaian negara yang semakin menurun dan sukar bagi kita untuk hidup di dalam kenyataan ini. Negara sedang mengalami masalah kepimpinan di tahap yang kritikal dan mungkin juga, kita seperti sedang melalui proses menapous dari aspek kepimpinan.

Fikirkan balik, adakah kakitangan awam harus dipersalahkan secara amnya atau kepala pemimpin kakitangan awam yang harus menanggung kelemahan ini?

Kita Kan Tersesat Pabila Malam Menjemput Bulan Semula Ke Sangkar Waktu – The Salam Connection

PAK KADOK DAN TERKILAN..

Oleh - Hesmel Faznee Faisal

Semalam ada orang terkilan..

Bukan, bukan pasal orang mengandung tak dapat makan buah mempelam muda, Jose!

Tapi seorang rakyat Malaysia yang terkilan.

Shahrir terkilan Iskandar Malaysia pinggir peniaga tempatan

Oleh Arif Nizam Abdullah dan Kamil Maslih

JOHOR BAHRU 3 Ogos – Ahli Parlimen Johor Bahru, Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad melahirkan rasa terkilan terhadap projek pembangunan Iskandar Malaysia yang didakwanya masih tidak memberi keutamaan kepada penduduk bandar raya ini.

Menteri Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna itu menegaskan, Iskandar Malaysia sehingga kini tidak menampakkan impak secara langsung kepada rakyat tempatan khususnya peniaga-peniaga kecil di kawasan pembangunan baru seluas 2,217 kilometer persegi di selatan Johor itu.

Beliau berkata, keadaan itu menyebabkan masyarakat tempatan dan peniaga tidak menerima dengan baik program pembangunan tersebut.

"Kalau masyarakat tempatan dan peniaga di Iskandar Malaysia tidak merasakan ia satu konsep yang membantu mereka, pembangunan itu tidak dapat membawa kejayaan.

"Dan kalau berjaya pula, ia bukan milik kita," katanya yang mencadangkan diwujudkan konsep pemilikan bersama di kalangan penduduk tempatan di wilayah Iskandar Malaysia.

Beliau berkata demikian pada sidang akhbar selepas majlis dialog bersama Persatuan Peniaga dan Penyewa Terminal Awam Larkin di sini malam tadi.

Shahrir berjanji akan mengemukakan beberapa cadangan kepada Pihak Berkuasa Wilayah Pembangunan Iskandar (Irda) bagi memperjuangkan nasib penduduk Johor Bahru dan memastikan program pembangunan yang dirancang diterima baik oleh rakyat serta mencapai matlamatnya. (Utusan Malaysia, Isnin 4 Ogos 2008)

Mengapa perlu terkilan? Bukankah projek Iskandar yang dahulunya dikenali sebagai Wilayah Pembangunan Iskandar (yes, Jose..I don’t have a faintest idea why they must change it to Iskandar Malaysia only!) dianggap sebagai projek yang mampu menjana ekonomi negara, dan membantu Malaysia ke arah pencapaian yang gemilang.

Penulis hairan. Mengapa sekarang? Ada kemungkinan ianya masih belum terlambat, tetapi ada kemungkinan ianya sudah terlambat. Terpulang kepada persepsi masing-masing tentang melihat perkara ini.

Jika ianya terlambat, rasanya kita haruslah berputih mata. Melihat kesilapan pemimpin sekarang, yang beria-ia ingin melihat projek gergasi ini memakan diri.

Mujurlah Shahrir sudah nampak perkara ini. Penulis berharap satu perancangan rapi harus dilakukan bagi memastikan ianya tidak menjadi sedemikian.

Bukan apa, takut jikalau nanti ianya menjadi seperti cerita Pak Kadok. Menang sorak kampung tergadai.

Tapi, apa yang pasti banyak sungguh cerita-cerita Pak Kadok ini berkitaran di dalam masyarakat kita. Memang banyak. Selak saja blog, akhbar. Banyak cerita tentang Pak Kadok ini.

Wahai rakyat Malaysia, bangunlah. Sampai bila kita hendakkan Pak Kadok di dalam masyarakat kita. Yang amat menyedihkan dan menjengkelkan, Pak Kadok ini bernasib baik kerana dia telah menjadi Perdana Menteri di dalam negara kita!

Kita Kan Tersesat Pabila Malam Menjemput Bulan Semula Ke Sangkar Waktu – The Salam Connection

HARIMAU SUDAH MENGAUM..

Oleh - Hesmel Faznee Faisal

Harimau sudah mengaum,
Bukan tanda lapar,
Harimau sudah mengaum,
Itu tandanya dia menggeletar,

Bukan takutkan keadaan,
Jauh sekali gentarkan kebimbangan,
Harimau sudah mengaum,
Itu tandanya dia terjaga dari lena,

Harimau sudah mengaum,
Ngaumannya agak jelas,
Harimau sudah mengaum,
Sayangnya kota itu tidak terjejas,

Harimau sudah mengaum,
Ngaumannya bergegar bukan sebatu tapi berbelas,
Harimau sudah mengaum,
Gentarkah kita atau takut yang tak beralas?

Tidakkah ingin berfikir buat sejenak,
Ngaumannya itu berisi ataupun tidak,
Kerana semakin lama semakin terasa,
Kita tertawa terasa senak,

Harimau sudah mengaum,
Gentarkah kau atau tertawakah kau?
Harimau sudah mengaum,
Mungkin kerana manja mengaumlah ia,

Harimau sudah mengaum,
Bukan kerana tanyakan waktu..

Kuala Lumpur

1 Ogos 2008

WHY DID THE LATE TAN SRI MEGAT JUNID CRY TWICE BEFORE ME?

Matthias Chang
Future FastForward, Sunday, 27 July 2008 13:24

Where The Buck Stops!

A great leader never claims glory all to himself and ducks behind subordinates when ghastly mistakes are committed.

It comes as no surprise to me when Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad in his recent posting in his Blog – www.chedet.com - assumed total responsibility for the ghastly mistake of appointing Abdullah Badawi as the Deputy Prime Minister, following the disgraceful exit by Anwar Ibrahim upon his conviction. Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad had on a previous occasion, in his interview in BBC’s HARDTalk, admitted that he had made a mistake in choosing Badawi as his successor.

But on this occasion Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad was more explicit.

Notwithstanding the admission, the events leading to the appointment of Badawi as Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad’s successor is not as simple as Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad unilaterally picking Badawi as the next prime minister.

The Greatest Political Mistake

I have decided to make this exposé for two reasons, namely: (i) I want to dispel the myth that Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad was solely responsible for the ghastly mistake of appointing Badawi as the Deputy Prime Minister and therefore his successor and (ii) I believe that the late Tan Sri Megat Junid had entrusted the responsibility to me to reveal the truth regarding the circumstances of the appointment of Badawi as Deputy Prime Minister.

Tan Sri Megat Junid confided in me that the greatest political mistake in his entire career was his pivotal recommendation that Badawi be appointed as Tun’s successor.

I was stunned by his revelation as the purpose of my meeting with Tan Sri had nothing to do with that issue but to get Tan Sri’s perspective and further background information on the Anwar Ibrahim episode in the history of UMNO’s internal struggles in my research work for Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.

In the course of our conversation, he interjected and asked, "Matthias, as a former political secretary to another, and having served the same boss, would you like to know what was my greatest political mistake?"

I was dumbfounded by the question! In the history of Prime Minister’s political secretaries, he was a giant and a superb political craftsman. I was embarrassed by the question as I was not his confidante and tried to evade the question.

But Tan Sri repeated the question and with tears welling in his eyes, said, "My greatest mistake in my political career is to recommend Badawi as successor to Mahathir. Pak Lah was not his first choice. I was told by those who wanted Badawi as successor that if anyone could convince Mahathir, it would be me. At that time, I believe Pak Lah was the correct choice. So I recommended Pak Lah to Mahathir."

Tan Sri then exhorted me to be "loyal to Mahathir and defend his legacy" as there were ongoing efforts to destroy that legacy. His voice breaking, Tan Sri said that he cannot do very much in the circumstances, as he is getting old and had "retired from politics".

Seeing the pain and the anguish, I sought Tan Sri’s indulgence to be excused from continuing with the meeting and hastily departed.

The second occasion was equally painful, if not more so. Tan Sri was suffering from cancer and was at the Perdana Leadership Foundation for one of its events. While waiting for Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad to officiate the event, Tan Sri took me away from the crowd and unashamedly said:

"I just don’t know what to say to Tun. I am having treatment for my cancer and God willing I will recover. But right now I can’t do much. I never expected such attacks on Tun. I regret asking him to appoint Pak Lah ... "

Again, tears were welling in his eyes and rolling down his cheeks. His lips quivering, and voice breaking Tan Sri said, "Take care of Tun. We are the front lines. You take care and be vigilant."

I clasped Tan Sri’s hands and could not help the tears welling in my eyes as well and in that one special moment, sealed a promise – to fight together to the very end, come hell or high water!

This is the Tan Sri Megat Junid that I want everyone in UMNO to remember. Tan Sri could not right the wrong that he had committed but he has entrusted us that duty and responsibility. Although Tan Sri is no longer with us, it is his wish that you go down to the trenches to fight and restore the true glory of UMNO.

UMNO is being destroyed from within and only members of UMNO can restore UMNO and this can only come about if the present leadership of UMNO is changed right now, not in 2010.

God willing members of UMNO will right this wrong!

taken from - http://www.futurefastforward.com/

p.s - It's up to us to believe the story told by Matthias Chang, former political secretary to former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad. Maybe I would ask the question to Dr. Mahathir, if I meet him personally at the National Mosque after Friday Prayers.

ONE EYED JACK....FRUIT

By - Hesmel Faznee Faisal

Salam, to my fellow bloggers and Bacalah readers (Jose, kalau ada!)

Who had ever thought that one-day, we could import local fruit like jackfruit to overseas?

The jackfruit or its scientific name, Artocarpus heterophyllus (Jose, don’t ask me from where they got that name!) is part of the mulberry family species of tree from South and Southeast Asia. The fruit is well suited to tropical lowlands and it bore the largest fruit in the world, seldom less than about 25 cm (10 in) in diameter.

Even a relatively thin tree, around 10 cm (4 in) diameter, can bear large fruit. The fruits can reach 36 kg in weight and up to 90 cm (36 in) long and 50 cm (20 in) in diameter. The jackfruit is something of an acquired taste, but it is very popular in many parts of the world. The sweet yellow sheaths around the seeds are about 3–5 mm thick and have a taste similar to that of pineapple, but milder and less juicy.

I am sure some of my blog readers (Jose, kalau adalah!) would be wondering, why on earth do I started my column with a write up on the jackfruit tree.

Well, whilst reading the Utusan, I saw one interesting article about the innovation of the jackfruit and how it was been packaged. Usually, people seldom take the fruit, due to the difficulties of cutting the fruit to get its flesh. Yes, it is very difficult and quite a complex process.

Thanks to MARDI (Malaysia Agricultural Research and Development Institute) we have managed to reduce the difficulties of removing the skin in order for us to enjoy the sweetness of its fruit.

According to MARDI, there has been some effort in exporting the fruit to countries such as Dubai, Australia, Hong Kong and even to Europe.

It is also interesting to note that if a fruit can travel to countries as far as Europe or elsewhere, we could do the same. It is up to us to prove our ability and to convince others that we have the spirit of Malaysia Boleh and would be able to conquer the world with our own ability without depending too much on others as well.

Hendak seribu daya, tak hendak seribu dalih.

Kita Kan Tersesat Pabila Malam Menjemput Bulan Semula Ke Sangkar Waktu – The Salam Connection

the photo potrays a donkey, an animal which people usually called the JACKass..