Malaysia achieves fame…..

Who doesn't know Malaysia today. It's already world famous for having a PM who's most controversial and yet most loveable and good-looking. His reputation varies from being a magnanimous giver of cash hand-outs to low-income people with his BRIM packages, to a kleptomaniac
on a national scale.We're talking billions of ringgit here, not stealing tinned food from a supermarket or a towel from a hotel.

Malaysia is famous for a PM who had no reason to steal from the nation's wealth for he comes from a wealthy family, born with the so-called 'golden spoon in his mouth', a man who would return
a RM2.6 billion donation to the donor, less only a few million ringgit. That's honesty and moral uprihgtness as uprightness can ever be.
luxury jet for official use
or pleasure

But, as they say, wealth is never enough. The more you have the more you want. Especially if you've a consort not used to unlimited wealth and glory, and a collector of priceless items in fashionable wears, gold and diamonds. Jet-setting around the world in luxury is also an unquenchable pleasure.
a luxury yacht
and a luxury smile
But hey, we're all human with the human weakness for glory, luxury, pomp and ceremony urging us on and hard to overcome.If the world is at your feet - at least a country- and you can call any shot you want for you've enough subservients and servants to execute your wishes, surely you don't want to become a recluse, live in a palace and let the world go by.

Malaysia is famous and will soon become a developed nation by 2020. People seem to be living in luxury too, at least those who count. There are still many poor people but all of them hidden behind the array of wealthy politicians, not businessmen.If the country owes a lot of money in national debts,we've a lot of assets to pay for them. Let's live up to our fame, like our political leaders.Of course, some feel that the fame is a shame for no PM in the world has been called by so many names - from a Chief to a you-know-what.

Post Aidil Fitri Reflection

I spent a whole week in my kampung this Hariraya, spending a few days before and a few days after the eid mubarak. My house is near the mosque and with a good PA system in use all the time I heard almost everything that happened in the house of Allah, even when busy in the bathroom.I did, however, attend most of the prayers, quran recitals lectures by various ustazs and tahlil (other recitals and homage to Allah).


But I must admit that I could not follow all the ibadah (prayers, recitals,lectures, tahlil etc) performed by the villagers. I've ghouts and other joint problems that prevented me from walking to and from the mosques effortlessly. Nonetheless, I was amazed at how the villagers could accommodate all the religious activities to fill the nights and mornings of the last 10 days of fasting, as taught by the Prophet PBUH. Even the Suraus and Mosques in my residential area do not do as much, They break their fast with a light refreshment, perform the Maghrib prayer, followed by a lecture, then perform the Tarawih followed by a quran reading session. They finished at about 10.30 pm.,starting the morning sessions at 4 am and ending it at 7.30.thus leaving about 4 to 5 hours for sleep.

And the mosque was almost always full. There were of course more elderly and old people than the young ones. But the dedication shown is just amazing.If all villagers in the country were as dedicated to their work and responsibilities in the daytime as they were at night during the fasting month, I think the productivity of the nation will double in no time at all.

What bothers me is whether the villagers can absorb the cermahs and khutbahs that seem to be endless. Certainly not many really understand the prayers and lengthy do'a delivered in Arabic by the various Ustazs invited to lead the ibadah sessions.I could see that some villagers actually dozed off during the talks. It was clear to me that the formality of the sessions was more reverred than the content.But they stayed in the mosque till late night and late morning very patiently.

It's a real experience which I had missed living in KL and balk kampung only two or three three days for the most. I wonder if some of the older citizens of KL had tried staying a longer period in the village especially in the month of Ramadhan. It could be very enlightening.