Monday 5 December 2016

Iskandar Malaysia's 10th anniversary - a salute to Datuk Ghani (updated)

UPDATES

A friend from Irda shared this photo of Johor MB DS Mohamed Khaled Nordin and his predecessor TS Abdul Ghani Othman at a function in JB today to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Iskandar Malaysia.


I have to admit that I was touched seeing the two guys together again. It's probably their first public picture together after the 2013 general election.

Seeing it, I can't help but to remember this picture of them taken at the MB official residence of Saujana on the day Johor BN candidates for the 2004 general election was announced,


It seems such a long time ago....but those were the best days of Johor as I remember it.

ORIGINAL POST

A friend called just now telling me he was at a dinner function in JB to celebrate the 10th anniversary of

Iskandar Malaysia 


He called because the event reminds him of the good time we shared helping in our little ways efforts by former Johor menteri besar TS Abdul Ghani Othman in making the project a success.

Well, actually I still call him Datuk instead of Tan Sri. I'm too used to it.

I'm quite sure the event will be given a full coverage by the press as PM DS Najib Razak was among those present.

The PM was earlier today at the massive Petronas' integrated petroleum complex in Pengerang, another major project initiated during Ghani's administration.

The project was mooted by Ghani himself.

In fact, almost all the existing crucial development projects in Johor now was started during Ghani's time.

That includes even the many affordable housing projects for the rakyat in the state.

The ones I'm certain not started during Ghani's time was the larger portion of development along the Tebrau Straits such as Forest City and others targeting foreign buyers.

Well, that's how things are in Johor now.

I do get a bit nostalgic as I'm writing this post :)

Back then was indeed a good time.

We worked hard to help Ghani for Johor without expecting anything other than a clear conscience of doing good in what ever little ways that we could.

My friend said Ghani was at the function tonight.

It's the first time I heard he's back in JB after leaving the state in 2013.

Ghani will always be my favourite leader.

He did all he can for Johor and his beloved Umno.

No one should forget his last sacrifice, contesting an impossible fight against DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang in the Chinese majority Gelang Patah in a futile effort to stop the Chinese tsunami of GE13.

The guy is good and incorruptible, and the people who loyally works with him followed his examples.

That's why I admire him so much.

Well, I wish him all the best.

In honour of Ghani, I'm reproducing in full this post from the BIGCAT blog as a remembrance of how it all started.



Saturday, 19 November 2011

BIRTH OF ISKANDAR MALAYSIA

When Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman took up the mantle of leadership in Johor, he clearly displayed his balanced outlook, by introducing the holistic development approach in his first budget speech in 1996.
  
In essence, his holistic development approach ensures that economic development of the state must be balanced with the development of its people's well-being. 
  
With that, Johor embarked on upgrading its clean water processing and distribution to provide clean water to as many people as possible.
  
They also embarked on the rural road programme "Jalan Kampung" through state GLC KPRJ, that finally saw thousands of kilometers of rural roads getting the tarred treatment, creating better accessibility to rural produce and services.
  
The arts in the form of music and dance were also added to schools' extra curricular activities to ensure students with such inclination has an outlet within a controlled environment and minimise the truancy problem.  It brought "Zapin", a folk dance particular to Johor, into international attention such that Johor kids are now performing the dance internationally.  It is also in a way part of Ghani's effort to maintain the "jati diri" (identity) of the Johor Malays.
  
In balance, mosques throughout the state were also encouraged to hold frequent and regular community activities to ensure that they stayed relevant as part of the spiritual fulfillment for muslims and the communities they served.  State-sponsored religious education continued being strengthened with linkages to enable a promising advanced education and career options for students while more schools were built.
  
State-sponsored community colleges were also introduced throughout the state to equip less academically-inclined youngsters with employable skills that will improve their future potential.
  
A number of forest reserves and natural heritage sites were also identified and gazetted to ensure that the state's dwindling natural forests are preserved and allowed to grow back up to the 30% mark set by the state planners while natural sciences research centres were encouraged to set up operation in the state's national parks.
  
Despite the 1997/98 financial crisis which was highly detrimental to Johor institutions, and with a number of its public commercial initiatives facing ruin, Ghani managed to steer not only these Johor institutions out of bad weather, but ensure they continue to grow stronger in the aftermath.  
  
He was even more convinced that Johor's holistic approach towards development, will be the key sustaining factor that will be its defence against a recurrence of similar crisis as evidence in his 1999 budget speech.
  
Economics, afterall, consists of peaks and trenches, and no doubt that dips will happen again.
  
Johor and its people must be made fundamentally strong to ensure that it will be able to weather such crises with minimal damage and with that came the requirement to re-position Johor as a top investment destination that will rival the best in the region.
  
Core to the plan will be making the most of Johor's ideal location, existing logistics facilities, abundant resources and industrious locals to attract would be investors that will spur development of new industries, and ensure industrial resilience by re-structuring its economic growth drivers.
  
Firstly, Johor is blessed with a coastline that continues from the east to the west of the peninsular.  It has three international seaports and an international airport, many industrial parks, in addition to being located on one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.  What is required is a good road network or highway systems connecting them all, that will also facilitate better east-west access to raw materials and open up new areas for development.
  
Secondly, Johor Bahru was also getting heavily congested and subjected to frequent flash floods while state buildings and housing occupy some of the most high-value real estate in the city.  A new seat of government similar to Putrajaya is required, away from the commercial hustle and bustle of the city, but within easy distance that will not be inconvenient to the public, which will also free high-value real estate for commercialisation and the transformation of Johor Bahru City Centre.
  
Thirdly, its proximity to Singapore should be capitalised to benefit Johor; instead of simply being Singapore's backyard or hinterland, Johor should aspire to build a city of equal stature socially, if not commercially, to the city nation.
  
Historically, Johor had not been very high on the list of Federal infrastructure development funding as states such as Selangor, Kedah, Kelantan or Penang, but this time around the state required Federal assistance to make this a reality.
  
It had always been a middling state, not poor enough to require attention, but not near enough to the seat of power like Selangor to require Federal infrastructure focus, or as historically significant colonial outposts as Melaka or Penang to attract tourism projects.
  
The state itself did not have the financial means to make all this happen within a time-frame that would make it meaningful, nor would it likely be able to raise the funds itself considering the many development programmes continuously being put in place to raise the quality of living for the rakyat.
  
But Johor must position itself for the new millenium, therefore Federal assistance was required to make the transformation in a timely manner and a proposal was worked out by the planners at Bukit Timbalan.
  
Ghani and his people had then drafted a comprehensive plan for it in early 2000s and when it was submitted to the Federal Government, was given the green light by then PM Dr Mahathir. 
  
However, by the time it was possible to implement the plan, it was Pak Lah at the helm.  Not only did the original plan became a "corridor", the crooked bridge was also cancelled, MRCB via its 4th Floor networkings made inroads through the EDL, and that legacy is now entrenched in Irda and JCorp.
  
Nonetheless, Iskandar Malaysia, is for now the only one of all the development corridors which still has the potential to meet its objectives.

66 comments:

  1. Ghani Othman political career was killed off by UMNO. You could not have two tigers in a mountain. Once it became clear that Khalid Nordin was going to be the MB, Ghani Othman should have quietly retired but instead UMNO pushed him into a political grave in Gelang Patah. This was a seat traditionally contested by MCA and that pissed off many MCA supporters. Add to that Malay suppport at best was indifferent. This can be seen at one of his ceramah at TUTA Stadium where there was hardly a crowd and even then it was the invited crowd. So, let us not deny that this was a classic case of Melayu Bunuh Melayu.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ghani was supposed to retire from politics after GE13. He was not supposed to contest, but Najib requested him to go against Kit Siang to try stop the Chinese tsunami and tie down the DAP supremo so that he couldn't campaign elsewhere than Gelang Patah. Najib admitted this himself in his speech at Southern College in JB a few days before GE13. As for the Malays' support for Ghani in Gelang Patah at that time, you can ask the current division chief there, who is now the political secretary of Johor MB DS Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

      Delete
  2. Ghani semua bagus sebab dia "diam"..
    cuba kalau dia BERSATU..Habis semua kena selak

    itu trend sekarang..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ghani is truly retired from politics. That's why he's not saying anything. As for "kena selak", there have actually been attempts to catch Ghani with wrongdoings after he stepped down as MB. People in KPRJ should know as a forensic audit was carried out there just weeks after GE13 to find out if Ghani had stolen anything. Thay found nothing.

      Delete
    2. They found nothing....doesn't mean he was so clean. Come on Annie. Wake up. This is UMNO-corruption-complex we are talking about. Gani was not that clean either.

      But the fact he retired from politics, with no political commentaries made whatsoever...very commendable.

      Tq Tok Ghani. Am from Muo, and really proud during his administration as MB. Tq Sir.

      Delete
    3. I stand by my words - Ghani is incorruptible. They really want to catch him but couldn't do so because there's nothing to pin on him. The guy is totally clean. Back then when people said Umno is corrupt, I would point to Ghani and said they were wrong. That's one Umno guy whom I know for certain to be corrupt free. That's what Ghani is to me.

      Delete
    4. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
    5. Sorry Cik Minah, I'm not even going to dignify that comment of yours about Ghani by publishing it here. Personally, I'm appalled that you let yourself be duped by such vile slanders. Thank you.

      Delete
    6. Maybe Ghani is as clean as Shahrir? Bagus kan.

      Delete
    7. Takpalah Annie, My Mistake for using the wrong
      AYAT. Tapi, kalau Ghani stat bermain politik,
      semua perkara yang U tak berani siarkan tu,
      akan muncul, regardless whether it was just
      a vile slander!
      Tengok apa jadi kat Tan Sri Mahyiddin.
      Siap ada surat AKUAN BERSUMPAH!!!!!

      Delete
    8. annie, skrg ni ghani belum lagi menentang najib, saya nak tengok sekiranya ghani mula menentang najib, adakah gambaran you tentang kebersihan ghani masih akan kekal? Contoh terbaik adalah ahmad husni, mengapakan semasa beliau masih lagi menteri tak pernah pun timbul mengenai kes cabul mencabul ini? mengapakah apabila dia muka mulut mengenai 1mdb baru lah bermula kisah cabul ni keluar dari bloger Umno? cuba fikir secara waras....

      Delete
  3. Dedicated to the folks who build Iskandar Malaysia

    You Were Right . . . . . . .
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Drk1Fv0-7gY

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. In say, 50 years time would we still be
      thankul to those 'dedicated folks' who built
      Iskandar Malaysia.........??????
      Imagine those 700 thousands of Chinese has
      grown 3 or 4 times bigger population, whereas
      the Malays, semakin hilang di dunia.
      Imagine those 4-5 millions of Chinese who
      are now BANGSA JOHOR, form their own party
      and win the PRU20.
      Where would we be........??????
      Boleh ke duit berbillion yang ada dalam tangan
      hari ni, masih kekal ada dalam tangan....???
      Jet, Yatch, kereta-kereta mewah semua
      semakin berusia dan kena jual satu persatu.
      Akhirnya, jadilah raja Hydrabad.
      Duduk dalam kemah.

      Delete
    2. Cik Minah, are you postulating that the Malays are not intelligent and sincere enough to compete with others on a level playing field?.... that Malays must stick to sustaining fishing villages and padi fields for the sake of Ketuanan Melayu?

      Delete
    3. Anon 16.20.I am NOT saying what U are
      saying.I am talking about the future,
      in 50 years time, when the Chinese
      population of the Forest City has grown
      triple or quadrilateral or berganda 5
      kali 5X700 ribu= 3.5 juta!!!!!!!
      U fikir sendirla, what will happen than.
      Sekarang dah ada MCA & DAP. MCA & DAP
      kira OK jugala, dapat berassimilasi dengan
      penduduk gtempatan, itu pun timbul juga
      tuntutan-tuntutan sumbang.
      Just imagine 3.5 million Guangzhou or
      Beijing origin jadi Bangsa Johor.
      Merek pun buat party sendiri - masuk
      pilihanraya dan menang!!!!!!
      The rest is up to your imagination,
      my fren. I malas nak elaborate.
      Lu pikirlah sendiri, Maaa.

      Delete
    4. Now I am going to talk about what U are
      asking me - Whether Malay can compete with
      others on level playing field.
      Tengok Najib meniga 1MDB - adakah dia
      berjaya...?
      Dia terperangkap dengan hutang berpuluh
      billion. Dia jual satu demi satu asset
      negara kepada Cina PRC. Bariu kejap tadi
      saya masuk blog Ameno World - Rafizi kata,
      Najib nak jual pulak salah satu daripada
      4 GLC terbesar Negara kepada CINA dgn rega
      30 billion untuk langsai utang 1MDB kpd IPC.
      U are asking me whether Malay can compete
      with others on the same level playing field.
      U jawablah sendiri.
      Di Johor, we sell satu demi satu piece of
      land to CHINA, PRC. According to Bloomber,
      sekarang ada 20 pemaju Cina developing
      hartanah di JB. Piece by piece has been
      sold, by 50 years time, WHAT IS LEFT....???
      Can we still play on the same level field?

      U answe me, OK.

      Delete
    5. Padang sekarang sudah tak level molek macam zaman Tun M... kini padang Ahjibgor tu penuh dengan lobang2 besar dan rumput berduri

      Delete
    6. Cik Minah,

      Kat Johor, pantaipun dah lenyap.

      Delete
  4. Hope Ghani more principled than KJ:

    "Speaking at UMNO Youth (AGM), Khairy Jamaluddin warned that youth wing will not play dumb or stay silent where there are allegations of corruption, fraud or abuse of power.

    Najib has resisted calls for him to resign over allegations of graft at (1MDB) and his receipt of RM2.6 b (nearly US$700 million) in what he claims was a political donation from Middle Eastern sources.

    “While we will observe party decorum and discipline, do not expect to stitch our lips,” said Khairy. “The probe on 1MDB must continue and the truth will prevail.”

    Khairy who is also Youth and Sports Minister said the party is facing a severe trust deficit and that it need its image needs to be cleansed in order for trust to be restored."

    That was PAU 2015.

    Now back in full jilat mode.

    And RM100 million is gone from KBS.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has been accused of being a "master of the art of misdirection" in a cartoon published by Myanmar independent news website The Irrawaddy.

    The cartoon by Kyaw Thu Yein depicts a songkok-wearing Najib walking a tight rope and juggling balls which spell "Stop Genocide" while carrying a bag labelled "corruption".

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. From The Diplomat......

      Najib, it says, is under immense domestic pressure following allegations of corruption over the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal, including the latest protest by Bersih 2.0 for clean elections and clean government.

      The Malaysian government has also been accused of human rights violations by Laurent Meillan, acting representative of the UN Human Rights Office for Southeast Asia over the arrests of several activists involved in the Bersih rally.

      “In this light, there is little doubt that Najib’s statements are at least partly designed to shore up his human rights record and regain much-needed political capital.

      “State violence against the Rohingya in Myanmar has taken place since at least 2012, and it’s hard to overlook the particular timing of Najib’s unprecedented response.”

      Delete
    2. Is this the same Prime Minister who last year turned away desperate boats of Rohingya refugees away from Malaysia’s shores, leaving them to drown in the rough seas?

      Women and children, along with their husbands died.

      How can any leader posing as a good Muslim could do such a thing to people persecuted purely for sharing the self-same faith?

      But, Najib did do it.

      And now he tries to score PR points by weeping crocodile tears on their behalf and demanding other countries in the world take in these people, thereby saving him the bother of helping these neighbours of his own religion.

      What a hypocrite.

      Delete
    3. KIHKIHKIHKIH......He asked for it.
      Takda sapa nak buat rally to protest the insult?
      0r we could ask Khalid tangkap Kyaw Thu Yein
      under SOSMA.
      Kasi ajar sama dia.
      Jangan main-main sama Najib, HE IS GOD'S CHOICE.

      Delete
    4. For the record, Malaysia has never turned back refugees to drown at sea. There are currently over 56,000 Rohingya refugees in the country.

      Delete
    5. For the record, Annie, you are wrong:

      "Malaysia’s deputy home minister, Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, however, said his country would use tough measures, including turning back asylum-seeker boats and deportation in order to send the “right message”.

      “We don’t want them to come here,” the deputy minister said. His ministry oversees the police and immigration agencies.

      “We are not prepared to accept that number coming into our shores and those people who are already in, we are sending them home anyway.

      “I would like them to be turned back and ask them to go back to their own country. We cannot tell them we are welcoming them.”

      Were you overseas and cut off from the world in the past 3 years? LOL.....

      Can you guarantee that every boat passenger we turned away from our shores is safe now?

      Far from it.

      Look it up.

      Delete
    6. Very true Anon 13.19.Agree with your take absolutely.
      Annie also needs to dig up info about the way we treated the Vietnamese who were fleeing war and genocide.Annie needs to know about Pulau Bidong too.
      Our Navy was told to shoot dem people the moment they enter our waters, but after facing immense international condemnation.....we, as usual,flipped and flopped before telling the world that what we meant was to "shoo" them off our waters.The then foreign affairs minister got away with the help of the much maligned Inglis language.We cannot forget these matters lah Annie.
      The only significant and consistent stand that our Malaysia had taken right up to global level,right onto the faces of the Europeans,Jews, Americans was our stand on the Palestine cause.Everybody heard Malaysia then.We had the clout and others knew we can form strong alliances.
      But now....we send our Army guy to say sorry.What if Mynmaar pull out of the KL Sea Games next year ?
      What if Mynmar boycott the ISTL (Takraw League)
      Siapa malu....siapa rugi.Tak payah cerita pasal Aung Sang Syu Yi and her Noble Prize lah.Everybody knows the army pulls the strings in Mynmar. Sama macam Pakistan, Thailand.For namesake sahaja depa democracy.It is the army that is killing and burning these Rohingya people.So why ridicule her and her coveted prize.
      Anifah should have made attempts to meet the Army general after being turned down by Su Syi as alleged by our PM.Not reveal diplomatic talk to street crowd and cakap bukan bukan.
      Oh My Malaysia.What is happening to you ? Hope you tak pening !

      Delete
  6. Ghani is a testimony of successful Bangsa Johor. Like other mega projects such as Danga Bay, the Iskandar City is for the benefit of Bangsa Johor regardless of race and faith. Welldone!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Mega projects such as Danga Bay..l

      Yang tergadai Pantai Lido
      Yang terhilang Pantai Lido, siapa
      Yang akan tinggal sana siapa
      Yang Mampu Lihat siapa
      Yang Mampu Milik siapa
      Megah ke bila tanah tiada milik pribumi

      Delete
    2. 12:58

      Absolutely no reason to be upset since they are all Bangsa Johor. If he king can afford a jet as a birthday gift to his son then other people including pribumi can also do the same if they work hard. Very-very hard!

      Delete
    3. Blue,
      Agree, "If they work hard"

      For that the must have jobs but go to jobstreet and see berapa yang menggangur dan yang menganggur tu kebanyakkanya siapa.

      Delete
    4. Di Johor Bahru sekarang, banyak restoren Melayu dan lain pakai orang dari Batam pakai PAS Pelawat. Masuk 28 hari kemudian pulang dan masuk balik lepas 2 hari.

      Tak caya, pi Terminal Feri Batam dan lihat berapa ramai yang masuk JB nak kerja. Knapa "urusan syak" berlaku dalam Feri, kemudian berjalan kekaunter tertentu.

      Di Batam, calo-calo boleh bisa atur.

      Delete
  7. Since Tan Sri Ghani is so good,clean Umno should nominate him to be PM. Certainly a much much better choice than M01

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Some technical specs about the crowd around Malaysian Official One:

      Q: What do you get when you cross-breed a loonie and a macai?

      A: A looncai that swindles sovereign wealth funds...hehehe

      Delete
  8. Anon 16:56

    Your anger towards Najib, UMNO, Melayu.. itu lu punya pasal lah. But just imagine if you treated like the Rohingyas.. sent out on the dingy boat to the high seas.. all bcos you are 'immigrant'.. and nobody else really care much either. In fact the opposition leader (nobel peace prize winner) who now helms the govt doesnt say anthing bcos she has no power.. really? But before she braved lengthy house arrest etc.. all in the name of justice and democracy..
    Will your comment still the same Sir/Mdm?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Read the rohingya history. Be friend with them. Ask police how they organize. Then re-evaluate your comments.

      TQ

      Delete
    2. Anon 01.10......Not angry lah bro....just ASHAMED !

      Can you please remove your blinkers to see the gardens ?
      Hey no...no mention of your allegations about UMNO,Melayu blah blah.Be calm and look at the big picture.
      As a nation we are ashamed to have done what we did out there challenging and belittling someone.
      Did you see the caricature about our PM spalshed in their newspapers ? Now Myanmar calls our PM corrupt. Kenapa cari pasal dengan third world country?

      The prize was awarded not because of Rohingyas.It was awarded because she managed to loosen the stranglehold of the junta and brought them to the table for a democratic roadmap for her people.Of course she had lots of support from abroad and finally the army gave in but, assured itself almost 30 % seats in the democratically elected govt.Guess you need to read up a little bit more about the powers extended by the army to the wing clipped leader.Mind you, their constitution was drafted by the army bro.....the new leader is struggling to make changes to these encumbrances.She is not given an opportunity to discuss the Rakhine issue in parliament.Just like our Speaker and IMDB.
      Just because she went thru house arrest (again it was the junta that kept her under surveillance)you feel she should lock herself up and raise the Rohingya flag ? Common bro, you can think better than that.
      Govt to govt steps must be taken....Asean must meet....next step should be UN....lepas itu boleh buat trade sanctions.Asean countries can stop hiring Mynmar people until the Rohingya issue is dealt with
      Or due you expect all Asean leaders to demonstrate in front the UN ? And cabar and ridicule all.
      For your information, Singapore rolled out a red carpet for Aung San Su Syi's visit on the eve of our protest.Now what does that say about our friendship with our southern neighbours?
      My comment and take is and shall be the same till the army in Myanmar is dismantled from parliament and sent back to their rightful barracks.
      If time permits you....please watch the atrocities carried out by the army towards their citizens that included university students, monks and just about anyone they deemed dangerous for asking freedom.It is all in Youtube.

      Delete
    3. 1:10,

      "Your anger towards Najib, UMNO, Melayu.. itu lu punya pasal lah. But just imagine if you treated like the Rohingyas.. sent out on the dingy boat to the high seas.. all bcos you are 'immigrant'.."

      Can you read?

      The commenter was pointing out IT WAS MALAYSIA WHO FACED MASSIVE UN BACKLASH FOR NOT ALLOWING THESE PEOPLE TO LAND.

      Nothing to do with Najib, UMNO, Melayu, except that Najib & Umno were responsible for 4 years of indifference and not caring, endangering the lives of the Rohingyas turned away.

      You get it now?

      Delete
  9. Out of topic... My apologies, Annie.

    1. If Najib & Hadi are sincere, they would have passed a motion in Parliament to condemn the Burmese, its military, monks or that fake Nobel laureate. Or a least supported the opposition's idea to debate what the government should do to make the Burmese stop treating the Rohingyas like vermin.

    2. If Najib & Hadi are sincere, they should have condemned Saudi Arabia. Unprovoked and with the help of its allies, Qatar, US & the West, they bombed Yemen, its poorest neighbour which could not even afford an Air-force, killing thousands of innocent civilians.

    3. If Najib and Hadi are really sincere, they should first condemn and break-off ties with the Talibans for bombing and destroying the giant Buddha Statues in the Mountains of Bamiyan, Afghanistan, in March 2001.
    NB:
    The Buddhas of Bamiyan were in 4th and 5th-centuries monumental statues of standing buddha carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamyan valley in the Hazarajat by Hazaras region of central Afghanistan. Construction started: 544 AD ... Wikipedia

    Before 2001, Buddhist the world-over are quite sympathetic to the Muslims, especially towards the Palestinians cause. It's the extremist action of the Taliban that had caused Muslims minorities, such as in Thailand, China etc, to be subjected to prejudice and suspicions, hence escalating hatred towards them. The Talibans have 'successfully' multiply Muslims' enemies.
    To add salt to injury, 6 month later, whether staged or not... Sept. 11, 2001 occurred... which enabled the US, unilaterally bombed Iraq, Libya & Afghanistan, while Veto-powered Russia & China, tight-lipped... after Islam was successfully being branded as 'terrorist'.

    I'm Malay-Muslim and I do not take side in Sunni-Shiah killing each other for the benefits of Zionism, the US & the West.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RD,

      //The Talibans have 'successfully' multiply Muslims' enemies.//

      In Malaysia, that job has been subcontracted to PAS and JAKIM.

      The subcontractors have been doing a great job and it looks like they are expanding the franchise to include UMNO.

      Why, we now have divine revelation by Zahid Hamidi that Mohamad is no longer the last prophet, and in fact, Najib Razak is now the Chosen One.

      I would not dare to contradict Zahid Hamidi as he is a very powerful man who can make my life a misery.

      I suppose Hadi Awang must be rather disappointed that he was not chosen by Allah to be the new Nabi despite his many years of dedicated service but I am sure Hadi Awang will understand that it is the will of Allah, according to Sahabi Zahid Hamidi.

      //I'm Malay-Muslim and I do not take side in Sunni-Shiah killing each other for the benefits of Zionism, the US & the West.//

      I am sorry but that is where your mistake is - blaming somebody else for a problem which was created entirely by the Muslims themselves.

      Shia and Sunni were killing each other well before there was Zionism, well before America was even discovered by Columbus and well before the concept of the West was even envisaged.

      Pls permit me to introduce you to two very important events in the history of your religion.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Siffin

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Karbala

      There are other defining circumstances but I am too lazy to think for the time being.

      But I do understand your problem - you are easily led astray by others whom you trust, albeit blindly.

      Most Malaysians are strongly discouraged from seeking knowledge on their own.

      For these unfortunate Malaysians, ALL knowledge MUST come only from a very specific group of select people.

      For that, you have my commiserations.

      Gladiator

      Delete
    2. 'I'm Malay-Muslim and I do not take side in Sunni-Shiah killing each other for the benefits of Zionism, the US & the West.'

      Nor do I.

      There are bigger enemies than other Muslims.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous @ 7 December 2016 at 16:35,

      //There are bigger enemies than other Muslims.//

      Pray tell, who might those bigger enemies be?

      Science?

      People who do not believe in unicorns and fairies?

      Gladiator

      Delete
    4. Dear Glady.

      Where did I blamed anybody when Muslims started killing each other, about 2 hundred years after the death of Prophet Muhammad?

      I only mention that the Zionist, US and the West.... benefited or took advantage from Sunni-Shia conflict.

      You must have read a lot of OSTB that you've made-up your mind that all Malays 'believe in unicorns and fairies'.

      Anyway I'don't believe war stories, especially which occurred thousand years ago. Mat Sabu would have different version of what transpired in Bukit Kepong. Mat Indera might be the hero if Mat Sabu became PM. And that was 'history' from... about 75 years ago.

      Delete

  10. PAS hari ini berkata kunjungan panglima Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM) ke Myanmar untuk memulihkan hubungan kedua-dua negara bertentangan dengan sikap tegas Datuk Seri Najib Razak terhadap Muslim Rohingya pada Himpunan Solidariti Ummah.

    Naib Presiden PAS Datuk Iskandar Abdul Samad berkata perdana menteri perlu memberi penjelasan kepada rakyat mengapa Jeneral Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zin hadir untuk memulihkan hubungan Malaysia dan Myanmar.

    “Akhbar Myanmar Times melaporkan Panglima Angkatan Tentera itu berada di negara itu untuk memulihkan hubungan kedua-dua negara.

    “Ini amat bertentangan dengan sikap tegas beliau pada himpunan di Kuala Lumpur Ahad lepas,” katanya dalam satu kenyataan, hari ini.

    Najib ketika berucap pada Himpunan Solidariti Ummah menganggap masalah Muslim Rohingya sebagai isu kemanusiaan yang wajib diperjuangkan.
    Malah, perdana menteri juga tidak kisah jika ketegasan Malaysia dalam isu Rohingya akan menjejaskan hubungan dengan Myanmar.

    Bagaimanapun, Iskandar berkata sikap ditunjukkan panglima ATM yang ingin memperbaiki hubungan kedua-dua negara itu tidak akan memberi tekanan pada Myanmar, malah dilihat tidak serius memperjuangkan nasib Rohingya.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kihkihkih pas pis pus kena main dgn umnogok

      Delete
    2. PTD ke Burma dengan membawa 'message' supaya pihak Tentera mereka harus behati-hati terhadap tindak-balas dari masyarakat Islam dunia, terlebih lagi, Negara Islam yang berjiran dari mereka. Puak-puak extremist dan militan seperti Daesh atau Taliban mungkin akan masuk-campur & bertindak-balas jika pembunuhan etnik Rohingya terus berlaku.

      Dalam aspek ini, Najib dan Hadi mesti mengutuk sekeras-kerasnya perbuatan Puak Militan Taliban, mengebom semua Patong Buddha di Bamiyan pada March 2001.

      Delete

  11. PAS may be right also probably wrong(?) Sdr ANON 12:52
    and as pointed out by Sdr ANON 16:56 nothing gets by the Myanmar generals despite democratic elections. After so many years as rulers before, do we really understand how they think and act now?

    No surprises?
    Better all gravely concerned parties work the various means including diplomatic. Having an army 'hotline' will surely help better understanding all round and if not yield a solution, will in-sya-Allah prevent military escalation, kan?


    M Zin
    Alor Gajah DPH


    ReplyDelete
  12. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CzDm_vLXAAEv2qo.jpg

    He is our former Prime Minister for goodness sake. This is unbelievable. Kesipuan apakah ni.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Re: 17:22

      Here is a better link.

      http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2016/12/07/invites-for-dr-m-siti-hasmah-to-royal-ceremony-retracted/

      Delete
    2. My opinion is that... the New YDP Agong have the right or at least the courtesy to give his opinion on who should or should not attend His Highness coronation. If not, the Rakyat might think that The Agong is at the mercy and disposal of the Government, hence eroding the Institution's dignity.
      After-all, the YDP Agong are suppose to be apolitical.

      I'm definitely sure The Yang The Pertuan Agong needs the support, respect and loyalty from everybody, including PPBM's politicians and supporters.

      Delete
    3. Betul RD.

      Lihat pula mereka ni meroyan menghina TDM.

      http://www.mynewshub.cc/utama-sensasi/mahathir-meroyan-jemputan-dibatalkan/

      Semoga rakyat dapat memerhati dan menilai dengan mata hati.

      Delete
    4. If there is any doubt about the Malaysian Government Ceremonial Protocol here is a good read:

      https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysian_order_of_precedence

      No big deal for Tun no doubt. But big deal for the rakyat who are watching. He is not perfect. Nobody is. But tiada siapa suka bapa negara mereka diperlaku sedemikian cara.

      Delete
    5. Nothing to hide, eh Jibby?

      1 Malaysia Coward!!!

      Running from a 91-year-old frail man!!

      Like my little son if he did something naughty. Run and hide to avoid me.

      Guilty Jibby. Big talking at PAU, now tapau when face to face with Tun M.

      Delete
  13. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Please try to be a bit less vulgar so that I can publish your comment. Thank you.

      Delete
  14. I would share Annie's optimism if there were stronger checks and balances with regards to governance - right now, it is impossible to tell how much is skimmed as graft or the debt loads on the populace.

    ReplyDelete
  15. RD @ 8 December 2016 at 10:25,

    //Where did I blamed anybody when Muslims started killing each other, about 2 hundred years after the death of Prophet Muhammad?//

    From your statement @ 7 December 2016 at 11:05:-

    //I do not take side in Sunni-Shiah killing each other for the benefits of Zionism, the US & the West.//

    You did not specify a timeline nor clarify what you meant.

    You have now clarified that you do not not mean the first two hundred years.

    //I only mention that the Zionist, US and the West.... benefited or took advantage from Sunni-Shia conflict.//

    Again, you are not tightening up your time frame, so I will try to provide a general view.

    Zionists, the US and the West are not the only ones who can benefit from any Shia-Sunni conflict today.

    Powerbrokers in the various Sunni and Shia factions also benefit from the Sunni-Shia conflict.

    The argument can be made that even in Malaysia, there are Sunni Muslims who have benefited from the Sunni-Shia conflict.

    It seems rather unfair to just point the finger at the Zionists, the US or the West when there are also Sunni Muslims and Shia Muslims who benefit.

    //You must have read a lot of OSTB//

    Syed Akbar Ali has taught me more about Islam than I can ever thank him for.

    By using the Quran as the starting base for my understanding of Islam, even a novice like me, a non-Muslim to boot, has been able to demolish a so-called learned student of Islam from Abu Dhabi.

    To me, it was proof that to understand Islam, one MUST start from the Quran, gain a solid foundation in understanding the Quran, before moving onto the hadiths, etc.

    //Anyway I'don't believe war stories, especially which occurred thousand years ago.//

    Well, those "war stories" do have good basis in history from what I understand.

    But I do appreciate that much of history is hearsay.

    I have the exact same view towards the hadiths.

    I did not know whether to laugh or cry the first time I heard the story of the two wings on a fly, where one wing carries the "poison" and the other wing carries the "cure".

    Because I like the Bangladeshi guy who told me the story of the fly, I was very very gentle with him.

    We know today that there is no way the story of the two wings on the fly could be true but there are many who will just blindly believe in such hearsay.

    From what I have heard, there are many such outrageously ridiculous hadiths which we (normal people in the normal world) know are plainly nonsensical and should not be attributed to Mohamad.

    This is why I concentrate on the Quran and only the Quran because that is a document which can be traceable back to someone, in this case, Mohamad.

    Incidentally, I read somewhere that there were several versions of the Quran until Caliph Uthman decided to do something about it.

    http://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/17107/has-the-quran-the-recitation-been-preserved-since-muhammad?rq=1

    The copy held by the University of Birmingham is rather interesting but unfortunately I don't read Arabic so I cannot tell you if the script is exactly the same as the Uthmanic Quran.

    //you've made-up your mind that all Malays 'believe in unicorns and fairies'.//

    No, not all Malays but certainly many of them do :)

    Muslims in Malaysia are discouraged from searching for knowledge on their own - for example, how many Muslims in Malaysia would dare to discuss the above matter of "how many Qurans are there?" or go look for the answer?.

    All their knowledge MUST come only from a small group of people who jealously guard their exalted status - they cannot be questioned and must be obeyed.

    I do not believe that it is healthy to force people to think in a particular way - it can create mental issues for some people.

    Apologies for a long long post.

    Gladiator

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. Read tafsirs because al-Quran revelation is often contexual, Sdr Gladiator
      ( Asbabun Nuzul)
      and even for ulama, not all conversant with Arabic literature of the period

      Tafsir Ibn Kathir is conveniently Android available in Play Store
      ( suggested this before)


      M Zin
      Alor Gajah DPH

      Delete
    2. M Zin,

      //Read tafsirs because al-Quran revelation is often contexual//

      So you are saying that just reading the Quran is not enough?

      OK.

      Gladiator

      Delete

    3. Yes tafsirs are what ustazs refer to for individual verse

      Tafsir Ibn Kathir is a classic that is of course available on the net. There are other more contemporary tafsirs
      but not found the energy to check.
      ( our masjid use Tafsir al-Azhar HAMKA)


      M Zin
      Alor Gajah DPH

      Delete
    4. M Zin,

      How interesting.

      So, for someone to read the Quran by itself to understand the message within seems to be a waste of time without the tafsir.

      The tafsir seems to be more important than the Quran itself!

      Amazing.

      Gladiator

      Delete

    5. No al-Quran must be read and understood in its original Arabic language of its time, Sdr Gladiator
      What you read I guess are what(?) English translations which will not make much contextual sense.

      Not only us but ulama read Tafsirs al-Quran to understand each verse


      M Zin
      Alor Gajah

      Delete
    6. M Zin,

      //al-Quran must be read and understood in its original Arabic language of its time//

      And which version of Arabic would that be?

      And which version of the Quran are you refering to?

      You do know that there are several different versions of the Quran?

      //What you read I guess are what(?) English translations which will not make much contextual sense//

      Especially the publication by the Saudi government.

      From what I can tell it contains a false translation of the Quran.

      //Not only us but ulama read Tafsirs al-Quran to understand each verse//

      Yes, as I previously said, it appears that to some Muslims, the tafsirs are more important than the Quran itself.

      Instead of trying to understand the Quran itself, these Muslims seem to prefer somebody else's view about the Quran.

      To these Muslims, what the Quran says is not important - what somebody else says is more important.

      Very strange.

      Gladiator

      Delete

    7. My question again, can you understand the original text, Sdr Gladiator?
      ( vs whose translation that you read)
      Strange? Unless you have the time for a PhD in al-Quran period Arabic, do what most ulamas do refer to the tafsirs.

      Tafsirs do however differ over certain verses which is alhamduli 'Llah area for lively debate throughout history


      M Zin
      Alor Gajah DPH

      Delete

    8. My question again, can you understand the original text, Sdr Gladiator?
      ( vs whose translation that you read)
      Strange? Unless you have the time for a PhD in al-Quran period Arabic, do what most ulamas do refer to the tafsirs.

      Tafsirs do however differ over certain verses which is alhamduli 'Llah area for lively debate throughout history


      M Zin
      Alor Gajah DPH

      Delete
    9. M Zin,

      What is the original text?

      Which version of the Quran contains the original text?

      The Uthmanic Codex? The Saa'na Manuscript? The Hadi Bawang copy?

      Which original text?

      Gladiator

      Delete
  16. "In fact, almost all the existing crucial development projects in Johor now was started during Ghani's time."

    Are you sure? Cause, during my schoolday, TSMY's administration mooted the future development of Johor negeri maju 2005.

    ReplyDelete