Chapter 14: Si Koncai

SI KONCAI

Mukadimah:

Tulisan ini dihasilkan melalui pengumpulan nota-nota yang dicatit oleh ayah Haji saya semasa beliau menunaikan fardhu Haji bersama ibu Hajah saya pada tahun 1435 hijrah bersamaan dengan tahun 2014 masihi. Sejak kembali daripada Kota Mecca ayah Haji saya kurang memberikan tumpuan kepada penulisannya; maka saya kumpulkan nota-nota tersebut (dengan izin) dan membuatkan satu tulisan dalam bahasa. Setahu saya ayah Haji saya tidak gemar menulis dalam bahasa Melayu, mungkin disebabkan oleh kerana beliau berfikiran dan berpendidikan barat. Tujuan saya dalam hal ini adalah untuk memberikan gambaran dan panduan kepada yang berminat mengikuti perjalanannya dan berhasrat menunaikan fardhu Haji, di samping merakam perjalanannya sebagai suatu kenangan.

Tajuk tulisan ini ‘Si Koncai’ mungkin merupakan tajuk yang dipilih oleh ayah Haji saya, disebabkan saya sering berhubung dengannya dalam masa beliau menunaikan fardhu Haji.

Si Koncai

Catitan 1: 09.09.2014

Ada hujan-tiada hujan

Tiada hujan ada hujan

Datang ke kota Madinah dan ke kota Mecca … memnuhi impian dengan niat beribadat,…… berbekalkan nawaitu dan amalan-amalan, dan juga doa-doa saudara-saudara dan rakan-rakan dan meninggalkan amalan-amalan duniawi. Inilah impian saya sejak puluhan tahun dahulu. Tetapi agak rumit memenuhinya, kerana rasa takut kepada Allah. Seperti saya katakan kepada rakan-rakan jemaah Haji yang lain, “saya bukan orang baik-baik, dan pernah dapat banyak gelaran diri.”  Semasa solat di Masjid Nabawi seringkali, saya dilangkahi, ditolak dan pernah juga terkeluar daripada Saf’ semasa menunaikan solat fardhu dan pernah juga saya terhidu wangian tetapi bukannya daripada orang dikeliling saya yang agak jauh. Seringkali saya berkata kepada Jemaah Haji yang lain bahawa saya bertinjak kaki di bumi Madinah ini menemui impian. Alhamdulillah dan apabila keluar dari Kota Madinah ini bonuslah. 

Catitan 2:

Jangan disebut nama Allah,

Jangan disebut nama Kawan

Jangan disebut nama Diri Sendiri

Tabiat saya, saya akan merokok setengah batang rokok dan memasukkan selebihnya ke dalam poket, dan bersama isteri saya akan berjalan sebelum waktu subuh ke masjid Nabawi untuk menunaikan solat. Suatu Subuh apabila menghampiri kawasan Masjid Nabawi, isteri saya menuju ke kawasan bahagian Jemaah Hajah di Masjid Nabawi sementara saya berjalan terus menuju ke kawasan Jemaah Haji. Demi untuk mengelak tersentuh dengan Jemaah Hajah saya berjalan perlahan dan ternampak seorang Jemaah Haji yang seolah olah memangil saya duduk dekatnya dan merokok, dan saya keluarkan rokok yang tinggal setengah batang tadi dan terus merokok. Kata-kata tersebut di atas adalah merupakan kata-kata daripada beliau yang merupakan pesanan guru beliau (kemungkinan Jemaah Haji ini daripada perguruan Pesentran dari Balik Papan, Indonesia).

Dengan terkejut dan dengan perasaan ditewaskan oleh Jemaah Haji muda daripada Indonesia, saya dengan tenang bertanyakan samaada beliau sudah berumah tangga dan punya zuriat. Beliau memberikan jawapan “sudah tapi belum punya zuriat dan tidak ada sebarang tanda”. Dengan secara spontan saya menunjuk kearah Masjid Nabawi, dan berkata, “Pergilah ke seberang sana dan apabila kamu sujud memohonlah kepadanya”. Dengan bersalaman kami pun berpisah dengan mengucapkan salam,”Jika ada umur kita akan berjumpa kembali”.

Sebelum Azan Subuh saya pun mengerjakan solat-solat sunat termasuklah solat sunat Istiharah dan kemudian berjemaah menunaikan solat fardhu subuh dan solat-solat sunat yang lain dan apabila setelah selesai berjalan balik ke tempat penginapan kami Hotel Al-Haram sambil merokok, dan memikirkan kata-kata daripada Jemaah Haji tersebut. Apabila sampai di bilik untuk beristirehat saya ceritakan kata-kata tersebut kepada Ustaz Tokimin dan bertanya, “Boleh diterima kah”.

Catitan 3:

Di atas langit ada langit

Kebiasaannya selepas menunaikan solat subuh saya akan kembali berjalan dan berhenti di gerai-gerai berdekatan dekat kami menginap, minum Nescafe dan makan roti canai Arab sambil berehat. Ketika inilah ada seorang jemaah haji daripada Palembang Sumatera Indonesia yang menuturkan kata-kata di atas kepada saya. Ini disebabkan saya berkata “tidak ada yang hebat di dunia ini”.

Catatan 4:

Hari tetap berlalu hinggakan masa untuk berlepas ke Kota Mecca tiba. Dengan debaran dan menggenakan ikhram, giliran kami menaiki bas menuju ke Kota Mecca. Di separuh jalan kami pun berniat mengerjakan umrah. Sampai di Kota Mecca ramai Jemaah Haji telah pun berhimpun; berjuta jemaah Haji berada di kota Mecca ini. Setelah mengambil tempat di asrama Janaariah kami pun mengerjakan Tawaf dan Sai’e, lepas itu bertahlul dan balik untuk bertukar pakaian biasa dan dalam hari2 berikutnya meneruskan ibadat kami. Dalam pada ini Ustaz Tokimin Jemaah Haji sebilik saya yang membimbing saya dan Jemaah Haji lain, dari sebilik.

Semasa di Madinah Jemaah Haji yang sebilik dengan saya ialah Ustaz Haji Tokimin Haji Ahmad dan Haji Awang Matasan. Semasa di Mecca rakan-rakan Jemaah Haji sebilik dengan saya ialah Ustaz Haji Tokimin, Haji Ahmad, Haji Muliayadi, Haji Pangeran Omar dan Haji Azmi.

Catitan 5

Manusia dicipta oleh Allah dengan sifat-sifat sama seperti sifat-sifat pepohon kayu, ada yang keras dan ada yang lembut:

“Ustaz, esok kita mandi sunat dan kemudian mengenakan ikhram dan solat dua rakaat. Selepas itu kita menaiki bas menuju ke Arafah dan sebelum sampai kita berniat Haji. Di Arafah kita akan Wukuf, Solat, berdoa dan mendengar Kutbah Arafah dan kemudian mabit di Muzalifah untuk mengutip batu dan seterusnya mabit lagi di Minah untuk melontar. Kita melontar di Jamrah Kabrah dulu dan kemudian bertahlul awal. Selepas itu bolehlah kita menukar pakaian dan kemudian pada hari-hari berikutnya (selama 3 hari) kita melontar di Tiga Jamrah. Kemudian kita balik ke asrama dan lepas itu mengerjakan Tawaf Haji, Solat Sunat, mengerjakan Sai’e dan berdoa dan selepas itu bolehlah kita bertahlul akhir, betul?” , tanya saya kepada Ustaz Tokimin, dan beliau menjawab, “Betul”. “Ustaz selepas Tawaf, Sai’e dan Tahlul Akhir sampailah saya sudah ke Ishak dan selebihnya Sunat sahaja. Bolehkah saya menggunakan satu doa sahaja?”.”Boleh” jawab Ustaz Tokimin, “Setengah doa pun boleh, nanti banyak-banyak doa Allah tidak tahu mana hendak dimakbulkannya” jawab Ustaz secara bergurau. “Selepas sampai ke Ishak saya hanya perlu menunggukan satu rukun sahaja lagi, betul Ustaz?” Dengan kebingunggan Ustaz Tokimin berkata, “Rukun Islam cuma lima perkara manada enam.” “Ada” jawab saya, “kan kita ini miliknya, kalau dipanggil dengan seruan ‘piwit’ maka sampailah kita menunaikan rukun yang keenam.” Suasana di bilik menjadi riang.

                                                            

Kata-kata di atas adalah yang dikeluarkan oleh rakan Jemaah Haji daripada daerah Matunggung semasa kami wukuf di Arafah mungkin disebabkan saya tidak menindahkan untuk berbaring mengikut arah Kiblat, kerana saya berpendirian saya hanyalah Makmum.

Catitan 6

Tidak ada yang hebat disini

 Kami terpaksa berjalan sejauh lebih kurang 7km untuk pergi melontar dan melalui tiga terowong bawah tanah. Di sini kami tinggal dalam khemah dan Jemaah Haji berpisah dengan Jemaah Hajah. Jemaah-jemaah daripada Negara-negara Balkan seperti Afganistan, Kazakstan dan lain-lain tinggal di lereng-lereng bukit dan ada yang berkhemah di mana ada kawasan yang kosong, kerana sewa penginapan di sini amat mahal. Mereka mandi dan membersihkan diri di tandas awam berdekatan dengan khemah kami. Amat sukar untuk mandi, membuang air besar dan kecil , bersugi dan berwhuduk disebabkan kekurangan tandas. Tidur pun di atas pasir beralaskan kanvas dan sejadah kecil kami yang bewarna hijau dan di dalam khemah keadaan cukup panas, ‘air-con’ yang ada sedikit sebanyak membantu. Jemaah-jemaah yang hendak pergi melontar berpuluhan ribu dan oleh kerana usia saya sebegini tenaga yang ada tidak mencukupi berbanding dengan tenaga saya yang ada di tanah air. Disinilah saya hampir tewas kepada keadaan dan teringat saya kepada Arwah-Arwah orang tua saya dan bertanya sendiri macamana mereka boleh mengerjakan melontar ini. Saya bernasib baik kerana Hajah saya memimpin saya sepanjang perjalanan pergi balik melontar. Di hari kedua melontar saya terasa amat penat dan berperasaan sampai di sini sahaja tetapi, Allah masih memberikan saya umur mungkin atas sebab-sebab tertentu, Walahualam….

Catitan 7

Kita Tawaf mengelilingi Baitullah tujuh pusingan secara melawan arah jam.

Setelah selesai mengerjakan melontar di Minah, kami kembali ke Mecca dan setelah berehat kami pun pergi ke Masjid Al-Haram untuk mengerjakan Tawaf Haji dan Sai’e Haji. Saya dengan menggunakan serban bersama Haji Ahmad dan isteri kami terus mengerjakan bersama, tetapi kemudian berpisah. Selesai mengerjakan Tawaf Haji dan Sai’e dan setelah berdoa kami pun meninggalkan Masjidi Al-Haram melalui pintu lain dan kami berpusing-pusing di sekitar Masjid membuat saya naik marah kerana keletihan dan tidak dapat mencari jalan yang sebenar yang menuju ke asrama kami. Apabila tersedar saya sambil tertawa dan menyatakan kepada isteri saya bahawa Allah mahu kita Tawaf dikeliling Masjid Al-Haram. Alhamdulillah kami menemui jalan kami ke asrama.

Hari-hari berikutnya adalah sama seperti hari-hari lain selepas kami mengerjakan haji. Makanan juga sama, routine ibadat juga tidak berbeza, hanya setengah Jemaah Haji mengerjakan Umrah berulang kali. Oleh kerana usia dan kudrat, saya memilih untuk mengerjakan Tawaf Sunat sahaja dengan Nawaitu tertentu. Begitu juga salah seorang Jemaah Haji daripada Hulu Klang Selangor dan kata-kata tersebut di atas adalah kata-kata beliau.

Burung-burung merpati yang sering bermain-main di perkarangan depan hotel pun mulai berkurangan. Tidak menghairankan burung-burung merpati di sini agak berpasangan. Ada merpati jantan yang nampak gagah dikelilingi sampai empat merpati betina, sama gelagatnya dengan gelagat Jemaah Haji; berpasangan dan ada yang berbini lebih dari satu, saya difahamkan. Saya teringatkan Haji Zulkifli mungkin daripada Negeri Sembilan yang selalu bertutur dengan lembut dan juga kepada Haji Hassan yang seringkali bertanyakan soal-soal berkaitan dengan Mukhrifat, mereka lebih arif tetapi sentiasa merendah diri.

Kadangkala tabiat di tanah air kita, kita terbawa ke sini, misalnya, tabiat suka membuat aduan, di Kota Mecca ini tabiat tersebut juga terbawa. Saya selalu marah dan juga suka ‘window shopping’ dan di sini tabiat-tabiat tersebut agak nyata sama seperti tabiat merokok saya. Tabiat saya yang suka menegur dan tabi kepada orang juga terbawa ke sini dan setiap orang yang lalu atau duduk bersama saya sering kali member salam dan menegur saya, hinggakan saya berkata kepada Haji Shuib, “Kalah-kalah lagi Y.B” dan dengan ketawa beliau menjawab, “Kalah Y.B”. Pada pendapat saya di sini di Kota Mecca ini kekuatan kita adalah kelemahan kita.

Kami sempat menziarah Kota Jeddah yang amat moden dan melihat Laut Merah. Saya sangkakan Laut Merah airnya merah, tetapi tidak, ianya hanya merujuk kepada sejarah Nabi Musa yang merentasi laut tersebut. Apa pun kami sempat Solat Zohor di satu Masjid di pinggir Laut Merah.

Catitan 8

Tiada kelihatan bintang dan bulan dan matahari, tetapi ada Nur

Hari tetap berlalu dan seperti biasa kumpulan yang perokok termasuk saya antara ahlinya seringkali selepas Asar merokok di perkarangan hotel dan berbual sambil bertukar pendapat. Bagi Jemaah Haji yang dating daripada Kota Jeddah dan terus ke Kota Mecca untuk menunaikan ibadat Haji kebiasaannya mereka akan singgah di Kota Madinah selama beberapa hari sebelum balik ke tanah air. Kami yang dari Kota Madinah dan kemudian ke Kota Mecca untuk menunaikan Fardhu Haji akan kembali dari Kota Jeddah. Setiap Jemaah Haji akan menunggukan penerbangan atau bas yang akan membawa mereka ke destinasi masing-masing. Mengerjakan Fardhu Haji mengambil masa sekitar 45 hari hingga 60 hari, tetapi ada juga Jemaah Haji yang mengerjakan fardhu Haji sekitar dua minggu tergantung kepada kemampuan.

Kadangkala seringkali semasa kami berkumpul Jemaah Haji akan bertanyakan kampung halaman dan lain-lain dan apabila hendak balik ke tanah air mulalah berjenaka dan ramai yang berasa sedih . Haji Mat Panjang Jemaah Haji daripada Negeri Selangor bertanyakan kepada saya, “Haji, bila balik?”. Saya jawab, “24 hb bertolak ke Jeddah dan seterusnya kalau tidak ada apa-apa halangan akan tiba di Kota Kinabalu pada 25hb Okt.”. “Oh, saya dah keliling kampung Haji, naik motor, makan nasi lemak. Haji ikut KT32 lah tu”, sambil ketawa diikuti ketawa Jemaah-jemaah Haji lain.

Makanan di sini kurang sesuai untuk kami orang-orang tua, dan saya memilah untuk makan roti. Saya teringat kata orang tua saya semasa menunaikan Fardhu Haji dulu bahawa roti di sini jika dibaling ke dinding roti tak pecah, membuatkan saya ketawa kerana kebetulannya.

Semasa saya menunaikan Fardhu Haji saya tidak terlihatan bintang, bulan ataupun matahari tetapi cahayanya ada. Langit seringkali kelihatan cerah, ada juga hujan tetapi terasa titisan sahaja. Panasnya cukup makan tetapi pakaian tidak basah oleh keringat.

Masa tetap berlalu dan saya sudah sampai ke Ishak. Setelah mengerjakan Tawaf Wada kami pun meninggalkan Kota Mecca munuju ke Kota Jeddah dan seterusnya berlepas ke tanah air dengan membawa kenangan dan ramai yang berhasrat akan kembali menjejakkan kaki di Kota Madinah dan Kota Mecca.

Disusun oleh Edy Johariyz Bin Haji Said

21 Disember 2014

Chapter 13: LET IT BE

Chapter 13: LET IT BE

Years ago, I used to work for a timber camp in Tingkayu, Kunak, and I liked to watch the glimmers from lights of other afar camps. At least in darkness when looking afar, we saw lights though very faint. Similarly years before when I worked for the Chok Brothers at mile fifty-two Kalabakan, I experienced a similar case but those glimmers must had come from villages in Indonesia. These gave me some hopes since I was working in kalabakan, my daughter Siti Juliana attended varsity; and working in Tingkayu my son also managed to enter varsity and both later graduated. Again, I did worked in the plantation years later and again saw the glimmers from lights from a far away camp, and whereby my second daughter later enter varsity. All around working in camps, we used to be surrounded by either dense forest or oil palm trees and so dark at night when there is no moon and one could hardly find the way to anyway except going around in circles.

                All these years I have been travelling around and moving from places to places, just to earn a decent living so that my children could get education. And in working on the family heritance claims, I often travelled up and down Kota Kinabalu, Tawau, Labuan and Sandakan. So finally, the pieces come together and now I am tired. Throughout I learned that some relatives never change in attitudes and styles from generation to generation; what a pity.

                This year 2014 Hari Raya, we as a family spend ours in Kuching; the first phase of my final journey which began with a long drive. For all intends and purposes I took the opportunity to ask for forgiveness. There was a time my tears dropped heavily and some thought I was just play-acting in a drama. No, they got it wrong, and they realized nothing. On the way back from Kuching to Kota Kinabalu, I did stop by to visit many of my relatives in Lawas, Sipitang, Pimping and even in Lumut, Brunei to say, “Hello”, to an old friend, Daniel Wan. No body took me serious.

                The second phase of my journey is from Kota Kinabalu to Lahad Datu, and Tawau where I tried to close the inheritant claims, and also to pay respect and asked for forgiveness. Here, there were many fingers pointed at me and many unwarranted words and unbecoming were directed at me. So, I did not pay respect to the graves of my ancestors or set foot on any of the places I inherited. Perhaps this is fate, let it be, for I did not lay a finger nor taken what is not mine.

                The third phase of my journey was to Labuan where I did managed to visit relatives and friends and also the graves of my mom and dad, as I did in Sipitang (Nek Salleh) and Lawas (Nek Ganti), but Nek Ganti grave again was not visible. Maybe I am not worthy. Seeking forgiveness is a must while we are still alive, is my stand.

                At this point in time, as I se it, many underestimated me, maybe because I am so simple and a common side-walk person and so many had taken advantages of me. Some will say that I took advantages during the inheritant claims that I excert my influence, and I tend to take advantage; whatever, for I did not lay a finger nor point, no taken what is not mine. But I am thankful, for many times I set foot in the dawn in Tawau, I would first get a pack of cigarettes, then walk to the nearby mosque to pray; for my works to be done in a simple manner, and to pray for me and my wife, friends and relatives to be able to perform the Haj. It has been my practice ever since. Alhamdulillah, works came to an end. For whatever and whoever my relatives are not satisfied with, it is their rights; let it be, it is all fun to me and let time tells. But a little advice here, those who will carry on with my works will have to be vary of relatives especially from those cousins from Pg. Hatta and the late Pg. Hashim especially their in-laws and one by the name of Roslan Bin Ali. From the Syariah point of view they tend to inherit nothing but because there were among the elders they tend to exert influence. They however are of course my cousins, let it be. Me and my children and decendents will no longger be involved, enough.

                When I paid my respect to Kak Asiah (Kak Geok) in Sungai Bedaun, Labuan, she told me that our late grandfather, Hj Drahman @ Hj Abdul Rahman had other decendants in Labuan, and the descendants are those of the present Yang Berhormat and among others, those of the late Dr Hamdan Bin Mohamad. I am not sceptical, since my late great grandfather Hamzah bin Khamis and his wife were buried in the Muslim Cemetery at Tanjung Keramat. These descendants could possibly be from that of his other wife. I could not pay respect to my cousins especially Kak Dg. Maznah Mouzzni and even did not set foot on my late mothers house, but paying respect to my Aunt Aisah in Pimping is a must and this phase of my final journey ended as I reached Kepayan, Kota Kinabalu, I leave behind books of memories.

                Due to my age and tight schedules, I could not do any in depth research of the Labuanites as I promised to an old friend Peter Lee that I would write something of them. How to be called a Labuanites is not the issue, I suppose, but here I am referring to those who spend times in Labuan from their childhood especially during the late colonial era and during the early independent days, and who went to one of the three schools, GES (SMK), St. Anthony or the St. Ann.

                There were many seniors before me. Tony Lamert who even recollect the cendol seller, of course he must have referred to the Hassan’s father who used to sell his cendol at the small wharf near the main central market facing across the water villages of Babuloh and Patau-Patau. The other cendol seller was Hup Ping’s farther who used to have a stall near the Liberty wharf. Both were good cendol and only ten cents at that point of time.

                Peter Lee and Daniel Wan were those whom I know little about, I guess they must be ‘kaki-bangku’ and low-profiles like those Anuar Mansor, Charlie Mohamad and many others. Of course I remember Koh Chin Kian, Talochan Singh, and his brother Ranjit and his other brother Dilbagh a sportsman like Abdul Rahim, Hassan Sani, Zainuddin Wahab and another Olympian sprinter (Ahadiah Jamil’s brother in-law). Koh Chan Lee, Hj Parno Wangso, Robert lee, Anuar Nordin, Azman Abdal, Ghani Paijan are those who knows ‘life’.

                Of course, there were beauties like those of the Kurniajil sisters, Zain sisters, Doris chin, Chua Soi-Soi, Roslin Chew, Stella, and another Doris and not to forget the ever green Doreen Tai and Aini Mohamad, Tan Siew Choon, Koh Liam Hua, Jenny Lee, Asiah Sulaiman and the list could go on. Some whereabouts are unknown and I hardly remember their faces.

                The best part is most Labuanities leave the island at one time or another, and some never come back, while others did come back and finally settled on the island. Some did pay a visit to the island like me but never stayed long as I liked to say “melawat jerat ja”. Perhaps some left the island in search of adventures and greener pastimes, and also may be trying to find out what is beyond the horizon like I used to say, “chasing dreams”. I remember my old Segama friend Barrak used to say, “Jika sudah terminum air Segama, Pasti balik ke Segama”. And I used to joke with him and said, “ saya ta minum air Segama tapi air Televas, yang saya tewaskan”. There many Labuanities, who are proud that they see the world and they hold that spirit and most important of all the spirit of friendship.

                The final phase of my final journey is to begin soon. The most difficult I should say and for reasons known only to me, I may not survive, but whatever Allah has been good and kind to me, perhaps other than knowledge, experience, and answers I am looking for peace as I hope if ever I survive, I like to move on and the name Said Basman I say should stay forgotten among from those of my mother’s side.

                ‘Let It Be’ the the title of this chapter reminds me of the song sang by the Beetles, I like it just like I like to hear the song ‘Berita untuk kawan’ with lines….. ‘perjalanan ini, rasa sangat menyedihkan, seperti janji……ooouu… Barangkali di sana ada jawabnya….

Chapter 12: That's Life

Episode 1: The Wind Blows Again

                This year of 2014 began with not so many events except for the Chinese New Year being celebrated with a moderate atmosphere perhaps because of the rising cost of living which tends to overshadow the strategies of the present government. In trying to control it, the government comes up with unpopular and untested financial strategies. With the 13th general elections over, the government is confident of running the country and tries to boost the economy with a view of sustaining growth which could be costly due to the high deficits. Over spending as I look at it and with a likely crash around the corner, making the scenario a very risky undertaking, but it could not be helped as people are crying for developments.
                Just as we are undergoing business as usual, Pakatan comes up with a missile, to declare and go for a by-election on its state consistency of Kajang. Not much do I know of Kajang except for its famous 'Satay Kajang' which during my college days at ITM Shah Alam in the mid-70's would cost about thirty cents a stick, and now may be a stick would cost more than double, a number which could laugh at the distorted CPI.

                So Datuk Seri Anwar will stand as a candidate against the mighty herculean BN. In my mind the BN with its logistics, finance and trained hardline campaigners could easily drown and humble any no-name candidate standing against the BN's choice. As I look at it the BN lacks issues to use, and quick to capitalize on the cheap issue of cost of the Election Commission to undertake the by-election. The Election Commission of course and backed by many governments’ sympathizers highlighted the issue further but why worries as they are paid for their job done anyway. Having a longer time frame for carrying out the by-election could be seen as an advantage to the BN which is, as I look at it was not prepared. For all intends and purposes, Datuk Seri Anwar as I look at it will be set to win the by-election and the majority here will not be an issue as his win will alter the political equilibrium marginally, but more to draw attentions to Malaysians of the Pakatan struggles as we are now going into a new momentum. A highly calculated undertaking at this point in time and the BN could try to soften this challenge by choosing a humble MCA underdog against a born and skill orator, but that is not the point, as this point does not work well in urban areas for BN. Win or lost as I look at it, damages has been prescribe to the BN, and of course like primary school going children the BN will come up with excuses.

                However, Datuk Seri Anwar may not find the answer to the rising cost of living as he is not in the positions nor an economist to chart the ways to overcome it. But the Selangor state government could perhaps show the way by interfering with the forces of supply and demand, a very basic prayer to restructure the economy, as we are more an export oriented economy and why not try domestic oriented for a change and let the people like me enjoy decent living. Malaysian corporates entities are more of giant conglomerates and supported by the government policies of monopoly and oligopoly at the least tend to dictate prices and fuel by speculations can be critical to the economy and eventually as I look at it could lead to a social disorder if not properly checked. 
                To win Kajang as in any urban or semi-urban areas, campaigners would have to look at local issues, such as the rising cost of living, public utilities, the transport system, and local buisness opportunities such as trading and other agricultural activities. Semi-urbans are turning into urbans, therefore congested, and hazards for traveling from points to point, and on the other hand people are starting to live in flats or condos similar to that of pigeon homes which are at escalating cost due to speculations. Urbanization has resulted in the emergence of the urban poor because of the rising cost of living and unequal opportunities, due to the policies of cronyism and nepotism and segregation of races.
                Rising cost of living are mostly due to the withdrawal of subsidies of fuel, sugar and other essential items. The withdrawal of the fuel and sugar subsidies cost a chain reaction. Fuel is an essential element in the cost of productions of goods and services and therefore production cost, transportation and administrations tend to increase, but on the other hand Petronas and Tenaga Nasional will tend to benefit most and like the federal Government will have excess fund at their disposal but the people expense. Tenaga Nasional on the other hand tend to pass the increase in cost of production of electricity to the people by introducing new electricity tariff.
                Beside raising cost, other issues of interest will be transparency, the GST and what the present Selangor Government can do to help the urban poor. Perhaps, by giving them more opportunities and turning the economy to more of domestic oriented might chart a new path. Datuk Seri Anwar on this aspect is seen as a force to bring about changes in transparency, a political force as an alternate to the BN, and with all his aids will try to bring about changes to the present economic system which tends to favor more to the upper elite.
                Anyway like it was in Ijuk, Kajang will experience a lively, temporary celebrated economy due to more demands and supplies, and 'satay Kajang' will be on the main menu and of course a stick will cost more as sellers tend to capitalize. More visitors will arrive in Kajang and it could spell a danger to Datuk Seri Anwar, since the demographic pattern does not ensure his win. The advance voters could work against him and he could be lucky to get ten percent of the votes cast from them which numbers slightly more than one thousand two hundred. The Malay and other voters (except for the Chinese) will be split as the majority will tend to succumb to goodies and propaganda of the BN. So it will boil down to the Chinese voters who have nothing to lose. If we see the Chinese voters come out in great numbers then BN chances will be less. So let us see how popular Datuk Seri Anwar is among the Chinese. It will also be an acid test to the newly elected MCA leadership even if its choice is not the candidate. 

Episode 2: When Old Friends Meet

            Finding an old friend is a very hard thing to do but with the technology today such as Facebook, sometimes our old friends coincidentally appear and after 40 years, the stories of our experiences seem endless. A story of one of my childhood friends Hj. Parno Wongso does not differ very much from that of Gregory Reauterns, a traveler in his younger days. So a typical islander is I should say curious of what is beyond the rainbow or what is beyond the distant horizon. Their stories painted their life like a picture. In Malay we called them ‘perantau’,  so over a cup of coffee, at this point in time in our late 50’s (me 60 years old) we meet again and tell stories, our stories and recall friends like Roselly Ag. Besar, Ajamain Hamzani, Wahid Hj. Idris and also Morsidi and Yap Chi Han who are no longer with us.

 

Episode 3: Cries of Dawn

It is hard to get by the days at this point in time, perhaps because of the heat from the dry season or perhaps because of the heat from the rising cost of living. So much so even for a pensioner like me with grown up children find it so hard. Perhaps the blame should be on me not to struggle so hard during my younger days. But then, if I took the easy way I could end up being interrogated by the anti-corruption agency, as they always concentrated on small guys like me who could not afford a lawyer, while the jaws mostly escaped loaded. On the other hand our local civil service regulations are of draconian in nature, I should say only suited to a group of staffs; the elite who are the chain link group who are normally known as the inner circle.

Whatever, the choices I have is few but I am far better off now than during my teenage days where I could not afford ‘Nasi Lemak’ at 10 cents a pack, let alone buy a pair of school shoes. Now I have no choice but to help purchase the shoes of my school going son costing more than ten times then in those days, of course there are aids, but for any given RM100 ringgits I have to add more than RM400 ringgits to maintain him in school, which have been going on all these years. What is going on, I often ask myself in disbelieve, perhaps because I am quite naïve of the market forces and rusty I should say. However, like Dato’ Seri Anwar, I am not much of a economist and I regretted of not doing a double major then which only required an additional 15 semester hours to complete. But the way I look at the scenario is maybe partly due to the interference to the market forces through the government policies and I here would prefer to focus on the class struggles. For fifty years I struggle to make a decent living, day in, day out, and so are those rural people in the interior of Sabah and Sarawak. It is rather unfortunate that in the formation of Malaysia people of Sabah and Sarawak are categorized as indigenous and although synonym with the term native it could be taken as derogatory. And for all intends and purposes help to create a low class of the society. Some part of our interior are without electricity, clean tap water, and roads, etc., but in so far support the current government unlike many urban and semi-urban dwellers. Imagine one have to walk for many kilometers to get medical aid, attend school and get their products to the market. So here we have where basic infrastructures are at the very minimum, we have the low class, the poor, who will not afford to make ends meet.

Perhaps this is due to the policies of focusing on growth to gear the economy more towards exports rather than domestic oriented. Our exports are very much dependant on exports of commodities which are subjected to price fluctuations in the world markets. When our Ringgits are at lower level then demands will increase causing increase in supplies and at certain point an over supply will cause prices to go down. Similarly with a contraction in growth of the economy of the importing countries, demands will decrease and followed by a decrease of the value of Ringgits. Sabah which is regarded as the biggest supplier of crude palm oil suffers on this, and the absent of a downstream processing mill will cause unnecessary high prices for household cooking oil. The other danger is obvious due to the rural being underdeveloped with basic infrastructures, the rural to urban migration is the only option, while leaving bigger space for giant conglomerates to take over the lands and there by employing foreign labors leading to worse consequences of social disorder and thereafter changing the demographic pattern. But to catch up to promises of rural developments the choice is to go on a deficit budget, thereafter causing a spin of not only to the Ringgit value but to inflations. Now the government will be facing a number of haunted fronts; rising cost of living, aspirations to make Malaysia as a develop nation with a distorted income per capita,  the economic and political uncertainties and the emergence of social conflicts between those who struggle and those who have too much where the gap is too wide.

While I do not share the Marxist ideology as I see it does not served any purpose in this modern era, I should say we should address the disease after noting the symptoms, meaning corrections should be focused on the people aspirations rather than of the elite and the upper class. Members of the elite and the upper class earn millions of Ringgits compared to a pensioner like me and those rural people who have to share the household expenditures, and what not have few options and we are subjected to unequal opportunities. It seems governmental policies and the laws are left in the hands favoring the elite and upper class of the society. The emergence of the elite and the upper class in my opinion are due normally as representatives of politicians who do business and also to control the government related businesses. These captains of industries in order to execute control often use management jargons and an example is management by objective (MBO) which is a debatable subject. An ethical policy should be passed where these captains should not siphon the millions of Ringgits through high salaries, perks and incurred expenditures in the expense of the poor people.

                And speaking of Dato’ Seri Anwar, the way I look at it he is a victim of a political agenda orchestrated by hidden hands and I should say at this point in time he is a political agent of change. The Appeal Court however halt his intends to stand in Kajang but the Pakatan choose his wife Datin Sri Wan Azizah as replacement giving weight to the challenge from the Barisan National, and if she wins this could pave the way for the first woman Menteri Besar in Malaysia, making history, replacing Tan Sri Khalid, whom I see as one of the best Menteri Besar because of being transparent not fearing to change and had prepared the state administration for better governance. But Pakatan must move on in order to achieve greater heights. But in the long run in order for Pakatan to form the government at the federal level, they would have to capture a few rural parliamentary seats where the rural poor would listen, but this as I see it is a different ball game, where logistics, finances and spirits will be tested to the limits.

                I believe that to attain a political stability we must first moves towards an economic stability with a balanced and surplus budget. With a surplus budget our assets and monetary values will increase and thereafter easier to move towards an advanced economic status. To avoid unnecessary expenditures and inflations we must move away from traditional budgets and rely on zero base budgets. It is useless to owe to spend more than what we can earn which will eventually lead to disaster and similarly opening the economy to more direct foreign investments on the premise of providing more employments and increasing revenues is not far from exploitations. If we are to focus more on domestic, then the domestic business institutions would have to be more competitive and innovative making imports less attractive. Large scale productions must be exploited in order to bring down prices.

                We should focus on the society aspirations rather than on status. The society is being divided into classes of the rural and the urban poor, the middle class, and the elite and the upper class. The income gaps are not being narrowed but stretched further apart. The rural and the urban poor, started the day much earlier, before the rays of dawn begin to light the day, and so are those of the middle class. Some return home after the sunset, a very hard life especially for those who grow paddy and fished in nearby waters. But some foreigners supported by politicians are taking over as middle man exploiting available lands, the streets and markets where local enforcements turn their eyes away.