Archive for 2012
The 1 ‘S’Care scheme
— The Black Cactus
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 08, 2012
FEB 8 — In the last few weeks, there has been immense debate on the proposed national health scheme dubbed 1 Care in both the internet and the mainstream media. A collective conclusion shared by both the public and the very professionals alike (who play a major role in the system) is the uncanny ability to fully comprehend the confusing entity which remains an uncertainty till today.
This commentary was written to achieve the following objectives
1. To help the public understand why this system was proposed and what led to the genesis of this scheme;
2. If possible, to pressure the government to be more transparent in providing information on the 1 Care scheme to allay fears among the general public; and
3. To help the layperson understand the unaddressed policy issues but highly crucial perspectives surrounding the 1 Care scheme Read the rest of this entry »
A Critique of the ETP: Part 3 (ii) – Execution (ii) – The hothouse labs probably killed innovation
The ETP resulted from 12 ‘labs’. Each lab comprised 30-50 experts who had 8 weeks to research best practices and innovations, distill them in intense brainstorming sessions and support them with detailed analysis. The result was 131 Entry Point Projects (EPPs) across 12 National Key Economic Areas (NKEAs) that would maximise gross national income with minimal public-funding support. Such is the PEMANDU narration.
Truly transformative ideas may have had no chance. Much was made of the private sector participation. But large companies would naturally dominate. Start-up companies, even if invited, cannot afford to release staff for 8 weeks. Consider this example: Ten years ago, Microsoft, IBM and HP would have dominated any lab to transform the IT industry. Google was a cash-strapped start-up, Apple was in disarray and Facebook did not even exist. The incumbents would have been free to promote pet projects and stifle their competition.
Hothouse environment favoured incumbents with existing business plans. The tight time frame incentivised lab participants to select EPPs for which research was ready, rather than pursue alternatives. In addition, private sector participants would be expected to lobby heavily for their pet projects. Their duty is to maximise profits, not embark on public service ventures. Unless properly steered, the labs would be inclined to select heavily-promoted projects rather than the most transformative.
Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysian health reform socioeconomics (Part 2)
— Dr David KL Quek
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 08, 2012
FEB 8 — 1 Care health reform phases
In the 1 Care Health Reform plan, there are four proposed phases of transformation that could take anything from 10 to 15 years (according to officials), depending on the uptake of the various phases and programmes, as well as its implementation progress.
Importantly, the Health Ministry increasingly understands that it would require general public acceptance, as well as significant consensus and (if possible) seamless buy-in from as many stakeholders as possible.
There is recognition that if the public fails to accept this in toto or in part, then there might be need to re-tweak or re-design certain aspects of the reform plans. Just how much the bureaucrats or our political masters are willing to change and adapt remains to be seen.
Therefore, it is crucial, indeed essential, that the public and interested stakeholders take an active role in providing enough input to help make this reform the one that they want. We should not simply accept a top-down programme designed by bureaucrats, and selectively enacted by policy makers. Why? Because, it would be disastrous if this reform fails or runs into the usual gaffes, just a few years down the line. Health care is simply too unforgiving and vital to fail or be subject to arbitrary social experimentation, no matter how good the intentions! Read the rest of this entry »
The road to Malaysia is sometimes paved with grammatical errors
Posted by Kit in Farish Noor on Wednesday, 8 February 2012
— Farish A. Noor
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 07, 2012
FEB 7 — There are times when I can only assume that Malaysians have so much free time on their hands that they don’t know what to do with it. Today, as I was marking my students’ book reviews, I chanced upon an item on Facebook that caught my attention: A minor kerfuffle had erupted thanks to a naive and well-meaning, though poorly executed, attempt at political correctness and inclusivity. The JKMM Facebook page had announced a Happy Thaipusam, but to Buddhists instead of Hindus. Almost immediately scores of irate Malaysians wrote on the page, accusing the JKMM FB page administrators of being stupid and insensitive.
Now allow me to contribute my two cents’ worth here (I’m paid in Singaporean dollars now, so my two cents are worth five sen ok, don’t play-play … )
I find it difficult, if not impossible, to believe that anyone at the offices of the JKMM would deliberately set out to insult Hindus on the page of the JKMM. That would be so insanely counter-productive as to beggar belief. True there might be racists anywhere and everywhere (even in academia) but they seldom use official channels to insult others, what more in such a case where anyone responsible can be tracked down and eventually identified. Read the rest of this entry »
Another rural school mishap — but who cares?
— Andrew Aeria
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 08, 2012
FEB 8 — On the night of January 31, 18 young children, all students of a rural boarding school, SK Punan Ba in Sarawak’s Belaga district, were injured when their dilapidated wooden hostel (built in 1983) collapsed on them. According to the school’s headmaster, the “ramshackle wooden hostel” had been earmarked for renovation (see Borneo Post report).
Instead, for lack of repairs, five primary schoolgirls suffered “serious injuries” while 13 others had “minor fractures”. Luckily, there were no fatalities reported — although fatalities or permanent paralysis may still occur if any of the five ‘seriously injured’ schoolgirls do not respond well to medical treatment.
For those who do not understand medical parlance, a “serious injury” refers to the fact that the patient is bedridden after an accident and is incapable of walking. For those amongst us who have suffered “minor fractures”, we would all understand how painful, difficult and inconvenient an experience that can be. What more if the person is a child who is living in a rural and underfunded boarding school far away from family and loved ones, most of whom are poor and marginalised.
School buildings collapse and burn down regularly in Sarawak and Sabah owing to neglect and for lack of urgent maintenance funds. Read the rest of this entry »
When will Najib go into the den of the extremists to preach the message of moderation – especially Utusan Malaysia and UMNO Supreme Council?
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Media, Najib Razak, UMNO on Wednesday, 8 February 2012
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak preached the message of moderation to a Chap Goh Meh celebration at Fo Guang Shah Dong Zen temple in Jenjarom, Selangor on Monday night, invoking the Buddhist teaching of moderation.
Najib said: “Even though we may differ in terms of faith, moderation exists in almost all religions…Moderation points to an understanding of not practicing extreme, fanatical, militant or violent ideology among us.”
He urged all Malaysians to support the concept of transformation and not to let the opportunity to pass to lift the nation to be a fully developed nation by 2020.
I commend Najib for spreading the message of moderation but he should realize that he was speaking to a converted crowd – as the audience in Jenjarom was imbued by the Buddhist teaching of “Middle Way” and/or the Confucianist doctrine of “zhong yong”.
It does not escape notice that although the Prime Minister had been preaching the message of moderation at a few international forums, and hosted an International Conference on the Global Movement of Moderates only last month, extremism and intolerance have been rearing their ugly heads resulting in the worst racial and religious polarization in the country in the first three years of any Malaysian Prime Minister from Tunku Abdul Rahman to Tun Razak, Tun Hussein Onn, Tun Mahathir, Tun Abdullah and now to him.
Najib should continue to preach the message of moderation but it is important that he should not just spread the word to the converted like the Chap Goh Meh celebration at Jenjarom but must take the message to extremist groups and circles who need conversion to the message of moderation the most.
How can Najib expect the bona fides of his message of moderation, though repeated in international conferences or to selected audiences in the country, to be taken seriously if Utusan Malaysia, the official newspaper of his own political party, UMNO, is the daily personification of a shrill, irresponsible, extremist and intolerant Voice both on racial and religious grounds? Read the rest of this entry »
Umno’s right turn
Posted by Kit in Election, Hishammuddin, Najib Razak, UMNO on Wednesday, 8 February 2012
— Liew Chin Tong
Rocket/The Malaysian Insider
Feb 07, 2012
FEB 7 — As I walked from my hotel room to a meeting in Port Dickson in July 2005, I remember holding a newspaper with a photo of Hishammuddin Hussein brandishing a keris on its cover. At that moment, I knew Umno was kissing goodbye to its non-Malay support. (For reference, see the first part of this article here.)
Indeed, on hindsight, it was the pivotal moment of the decade: Umno had turned to the right permanently while the then-Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi lost control over his reform agenda. The demise of Abdullah’s premiership, arguably Umno’s last chance to reform, began in July 2005.
Today, unless Prime Minister Najib Razak can stare down the right wing of his party as effectively as Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Vision 2020 grand compromise and turn the clock back by seven years to restore its centrist credential, the events of July 2005 will culminate in Umno and Barisan Nasional’s eventual electoral collapse. Read the rest of this entry »
‘Trust’ Najib!
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak on Tuesday, 7 February 2012
— Sam Peh
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 07, 2012
FEB 7 — Why all this cynicism about Najib Razak’s “trust me and I can help you” statement? This is a man who can be “trusted”.
Let us examine the evidence since he became prime minister in 2009.
He can be “trusted” to keep silent when Perkasa bashes the Chinese and Indians and questions the loyalty of non-Malays.
He can be “trusted” to keep silent when supporters of Umno drag a cow head through the streets in protest against the construction of a temple in Shah Alam.
He can be “trusted” to pretend to be deaf when Umno politicians make all sorts of accusations against Christians and Christianity. (Note to PM: Not all Indians are Hindus) Read the rest of this entry »
Najib kata, ‘gua caya lu, lu caya gua’
Posted by Kit in Elections, Indians, Najib Razak, UMNO on Tuesday, 7 February 2012
— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 07, 2012
7 FEB — “Lu caya gua, gua caya lu!”….. itulah maksud kata-kata Najib kepada kaum India semasa melawat Batu Caves sempena hari Thaipusam pagi tadi. Najib menyeru kaum India supaya mempercayai beliau dalam usaha memperbaiki kehidupan kaum India dan memberikan beliau sokongan dalam pilihanraya yang akan datang. “Tuan-tuan tolong saya, saya akan tolong tuan-tuan” kata Najib lantang dan jelas.
Janji seperti ini telah dibuat setiap pilihanraya tiba sejak tiga puluh tahun yang lalu. Janji ini bukan sahaja dibuat kepada kaum India tetapi semua kaum termasuk kaum Najib sendiri, iaitu kaum Melayu yang merupakan kaum terbesar di negara ini. Janji ini jugalah yang akan ditabur dalam pilihanraya yang akan datang kerana kita tahu segala janji yang dibuat pagi tadi tidak akan kemana.
Tetapi kepada siapa yang masih yakin dan percaya kepada janji itu terpulang kepada mereka. Setiap rakyat berhak untuk memilih untuk dibohongi terus-terusan atau mengelak dari pembohongan tersebut. Sebagai seorang Perdana Menteri yang mengetuai Kerajaan Persekutuan, janji yang dibuat secara peribadi itu merupakan tindakan ‘desperate’ dan kata-katanya itu tidak melambangkan beliau seorang pemimpin yang ‘magnanimous’ yang memimpin rakyat yang berbilang kaum itu.
Orang Melayu telah dijanjikan bermacam-macam setiap pilihanraya, tetapi kita lihat apa yang berlaku sekarang ini adalah terlalu jauh dari menepati janji-janji yang telah dibuat kepada mereka. Umno telah menjadikan orang Melayu hanya sebagai dahan bongkok untuk ‘kera-kera’ meniti dan digunakan untuk memberikan sokongan dalam pilihanraya sahaja. Orang Melayu dan rakyat hanya diberikan RM500 upah sebelum pilihanraya ini untuk mendapatkan kuasa dan terus menjajah pemikiran bangsanya sendiri. Read the rest of this entry »
Warkah dari warga Felda
— Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 07, 2012
7 FEB — Ini warkah dari warga Felda yang saya turunkan secara verbatim. Tidak syak lagi, walaupun selesai penyenraian FGV kelak, isiu nya tidak akan reda. Mudah mudahan ianya akan meningkatkan kesedaran politik warga Felda yang lain. — Sakmongkol.
CUKONG BELIA FELDA JAMIN SELEPAS PENYENARAIAN BERIBU PEKERJAAN UNTUK ANAK FELDA DIWUJUDKAN? KAH KAH KAH…
Woit cukong-cukong mengaku pemimpin belia Felda! Dah buat homework belum apa yang berlaku di Felda Global Venture tentang peluang pekerjaan belia Felda akan datang selepas penyenaraian? Makin kencap kencup kempis dan terus kempis … Kah Kah Kah.
Apa bukti???? Tanya si cukong. Woitt!! Cukong-cukong tahukah apa maksud Outsourcing? Ini kata lebai Google “Outsourcing is the act of one company contracting with another company to provide services that might otherwise be performed by in-house employees. Often the tasks that are outsourced could be performed by the company itself, but in many cases there are financial advantages that come from outsourcing. Many large companies now outsource jobs such as call center services, e-mail services, and payroll. These jobs are handled by separate companies that specialize in each service, and are often located overseas.” Apa makna ini?? Maknanya anak dara Jengka melepas jadi kerani payroll … dara sunti Trolak melepas jadi receptionist … janda berhias Lok Heng tak ada can jadi sumber manusia … Kah Kah Kah. Mat-mat belia Felda lagi la melepas terus join PAS … Kah Kah Kah. Read the rest of this entry »
Is Myanmar the new Asian tiger?
by Pepe Escobar
Al Jazeera
07 Feb 2012
Despite some reforms, Myanmar remains a hardcore military dictatorship and lacks a civil society.
Bangkok, Thailand – While the big story of 2012 in south-west Asia is the increasingly lethal US-Iran psychodrama, there’s no bigger story in south-east Asia in the Year of the Dragon than the controlled opening of Myanmar.
Everyone and his neighbour, East and West, has been trekking to Myanmar since US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit last November. It’s virtually impossible these days to book a flight or a hotel room.
Like Ashgabat in Turkmenistan and Astana in Kazakhstan a few years ago, the new capital Naypyidaw (“the abode of kings”) – built from scratch with natural gas wealth halfway between Rangoon and Mandalay – is surging as a new promised land. Read the rest of this entry »
Shahrizat returning to her first Cabinet meeting tomorrow after her 3-week leave triumphant or chastened?
Posted by Kit in Auditor-General Report, Corruption, Najib Razak on Tuesday, 7 February 2012
Is the Minister for Women, Family and Community Development, Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil returning to her first Cabinet meeting tomorrow after her three-week leave triumphant or chastened?
All the signs are that Shahrizat has returned from her three-week leave completely unrepentant about the RM330 million National Feedlot Centre/National Feedlot Corporation (NFC/NFCorpn) “cattle condo” scandal which had plunged the 34-month Najib premiership to the lowest point in terms of public accountability and integrity and threatened to topple Malaysia’s Transparency International Corruption (TI) Perception Index (CPI) 2012 next year to a new low in both CPI score and ranking – even lower than the deplorable 60th ranking and 4.3 score in TI CPI 2011.
Shahrizat came back from her leave even more combative and truculent, as if challenging not only her known public detractors but the unseen forces in UMNO and Barisan Nasional to a battle royale to force her to relinquish her positions in both government and party over the NFC scandal – as Cabinet Minister and Umno Wanita chief!
The Cabinet meeting tomorrow will be the national focus tomorrow, whether the Prime Minister and the Ministers dare to state the obvious – that she should extend her leave as the rationale of her three-week leave to allow the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC) to clear her of any corruption, abuse of power or conflict of interests in the “cattle condo” scandal has not yet been achieved – or to be cowed by her triumphant return, although MCA President Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek had blamed her for the “poor handling” of “cattle condo” scandal, causing the public to perceive the NFC project as “real rotten”? Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysian health reform socio-economics
— David KL Quek
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 07, 2012
FEB 7 — Is the Malaysian health system really in trouble that it requires such a drastic revolutionary change? Is 1 Care for 1 Malaysia Health Reform the answer? Will this proposed radical change make our health system more efficient and effective as touted by officials?
Or, is this proposed reform too ambitious and sweeping that it could possibly lead to severe disruptions to our current health system that we are so used to?
More importantly, would this health reform plan become another government-linked corporate entity which, instead of benefiting the public, only enriches a few favoured cronies or insiders? The difference now is that this will be a humongous multibillion-ringgit exercise and the fattest cow to milk to date!
Sadly, at this juncture in time — in the name of social development, modernisation, and economic necessity even — there have been so many government-linked projects being scandalised and mired in corruption accusations and profligate leakages.
Thus, it would be foolhardy to implicitly trust the government to do the right thing despite the economic rationale or correctness, indeed despite even the most honourable intentions! We are dealing with the health choices and rights of the public, which could become severely disrupted and endangered if or when hurried reforms turn out to be another debacle of catastrophic proportions! We cannot afford a failed social experiment of this magnitude! Read the rest of this entry »
Shahrizat is Najib’s millstone
Posted by Kit in Auditor-General Report, Corruption, UMNO on Tuesday, 7 February 2012
Mariam Mokhtar | Feb 6, 2012
Malaysiakini
There was one serious flaw in the success story of Malaya: The emergent Malaysia bred generations of Malay politicians who, when caught with their hands in the public kitty, will do anything to hang on to power.
They continue nonchalantly because they are confident their peers will play along with the charade.
They delight in “proving their innocence” by swearing on the Quran. Some think that by seeking absolution from God, by going on umrahs, they are able to convince the god-fearing public, that the pilgrimage is a testament of their innocence.
The National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) scandal hangs like a millstone around the neck of the Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil. Read the rest of this entry »
PEMANDU, Oh PEMANDU
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, Pemandu on Tuesday, 7 February 2012
— Gomen Man
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 07, 2012
FEB 7 — Sorrylah, Mr Ong Kian Ming and REFSA. You are not the first ones to find big, big holes in PEMANDU’s ETP or, as you rightly pointed out, the alphabet soup.
I salute you because you have done what most Malaysians don’t do — sit down and actually go through the stacks of jargon and consultant talk the government throws at us.
But the first people who figured out Idris Jala and his salesmen were the people at Bank Negara and the Economic Planning Unit.
Our central bankers are privately calling the ETP and EPP a wish list of projects, and rubbish any claims that it is transformational in nature. They know more than most that it will take a proper eco-system to propel Malaysia to a high-income economy. Read the rest of this entry »
Ubah is on Blackberry!
Add Ubah to BBM (pin: 216F89DC) to receive updates directly from your BlackBerry as the 13th General Election approaches.
Add Ubah to BBM and recommend to your other friends today! Ubah is waiting…
Why BBM?
Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #99
Posted by Kit in Bakri Musa on Tuesday, 7 February 2012
Chapter 12: A Prescription For Malaysia
An Open Letter to the Prime Minister
[Note: There was a typo in the previous installment. The date of the letter should be May 13, 2002.]
May 13, 2002
(Cont’d) Embracing Globalization
I totally disagree with your characterization of globalization as a vehicle for Western hegemony or that it would destroy our way of life. We are more likely to maintain and indeed enhance our culture and heritage if we are successful economically. If we were to be marginalized economically, our culture and language too would suffer the same fate. If we do not climb on the globalization train now we will be left far behind. Individually, we are more likely to be tolerant and altruistic when we are prosperous and affluent than if we are poor and struggling. This applies to government as well.
Yes, globalization carries its own risks and problems. There are many shoals and reefs in the ocean of globalization. The best way to handle that is to train our citizens to be better sailors and navigators, not to remain in port. To extend the maritime metaphor, yes there will be swells and storms out there; our crew must therefore be adept at trimming the sails and battening the hatches.
Read the rest of this entry »
Kita memerlukan siasah, ‘ambience’ politik dan imej negara yang baru
— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 06, 2012
6 FEB — Sejak saya menyertai Parti Tindakan Demokratik (DAP) pada 8hb Januari yang lalu, saya agak sibuk juga berjumpa dengan ramai rakan-rakan lama yang saya sudah lama tidak temui. Setiap hari ada sahaja beberapa panggilan talipon dari sahabat-sahabat lama ini, ada yang sudah dua puluh tahun tidak bersua. Mereka berjumpa untuk bertanya khabar setelah mendengar berita yang saya sudah meninggalkan Umno untuk melalui wadah baru perjuangan setelah menyepi hampir dua dekad.
Sesungguhnya selama saya keseorangan di rumah bersama cucu-cucu, saya sempat berfikir dan membuat “soul searching” secara serius tentang isu-isu politik yang berbangkit dalam negara kita ini. Saya memerhatikan lagak dan laku pemimpin-pemimpin melalui TV yang kebanyakkannya adalah dari mereka yang saya kenal sejak berdekad-dekad dahulu yang kini sudah menjadi pemimpin, tidak dapat memahami dan menyelami perasaan ahli-ahli Umno dan rakyat amnya.
Ramai di antara mereka yang berjumpa dengan saya itu adalah ahli-ahli Umno serta pemimpin di peringkat rendahan seperti ketua-ketua bahagian Umno serta jawatankuasa mereka. Ada juga pemimpin peringkat yang tinggi memanggil bertanyakan kenapa saya menyertai pembangkang sedangkan saya telah menyertai Umno selama 40 tahun, lebih lama dari mereka sendiri.
Pertanyaan-pertanyaan ini saya jawab hanya dengan meluahkan satu dua baris ayat jawapan. Yang paling selalu saya jawap ialah, Umno sudah hilang identitinya samasekali. Saya sudah tidak mengenali Umno lagi. Parti yang disebut sebagai Umno itu sudah tidak rupa Umno lagi. Umno hanya tinggal pada nama tetapi tidak ada rohnya lagi. Umno ibarat kucing dengan tikus. Dulu kucing makan tikus tetapi kucing sekarang takut pada tikus. Kadang-kadang saya menjawab dengan bertanya satu soalan; kenapa saya mesti kekal dalam Umno? Apabila soalan itu dijawab barulah saya boleh menjawab soalan kenapa saya menyertai DAP.
Pemimpin-pemimpin sekarang tidak memahami apa itu Umno sebelum mereka menyertai parti itu. Sampai sekarang mereka tidak memahami apa itu Umno dan mereka jugalah yang menjadi pemimpin parti itu dan mentadbir negara dengan cara yang kita lihat sekarang. Mereka menganggap menyertai Umno dan seterusnya menjadi Menteri dan sebagainya itu merupakan perkara yang “ultimate” bagi mereka tetapi mereka tidak pernah berusaha untuk menjaga apa yang terkandung dalam BAB3 Perlembagaan Parti itu. Read the rest of this entry »
Shahrizat returns from leave with all guns blazing – not slayed the ghost of the “cattle condo” scandal but reared more monsters
Posted by Kit in Auditor-General Report, Corruption, Najib Razak, UMNO on Monday, 6 February 2012
Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, the Wanita UMNO leader and Minister for Women, Family and Community Development, has returned from her three-week leave from Cabinet with all guns blazing but instead of slaying the ghost of the RM330 million “cattle condo” scandal, she has only reared more monsters.
When announcing her leave on January 12, Shahrizat said: “I hope the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will be able to investigate whether or not I was involved in any of the decisions made by the government on the NFC in which my husband, Datuk Seri Dr Mohammad Salleh Ismail, is the executive chairman.”
Has Shahrizat been cleared of any impropriety, abuse of power or conflict of interest in the RM330 million NFC “cattle condo” scandal by the MACC?
The answer is in the negative. As the purpose of her Ministerial leave has not been achieved, shouldn’t her Cabinet leave be extended until a clear answer is available?
In the absence of any unequivocal exoneration by the MACC, the only alternative open to Shahrizat is to rebut one by one the many specific allegations of abuses of public funds or her knowledge/complicity, for instance allegations like the RM13.8 million used for purchasing luxury condominiums in Bangsar, RM10 million to purchase a luxury condominium in Singapore, RM3.4 million for plots of land in Putrajaya, RM830,000 for holiday trips, RM530,000 for a luxury car, payment of RM600,000 credit card bill for Shahrizat’s family, etc. Read the rest of this entry »
Muhammad, a consistent protector of minority rights
— Moh Yasir Alimi
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 05, 2012
FEB 5 — During this month of the Islamic calendar, Muslims are celebrating the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. Muhammad was born in the sixth century in the middle of a culture of ignorance, when people fought because of their tribal affiliations and religious beliefs and women were treated like camels.
Amid such a poor condition for humanity, Muhammad came to teach humanity, tolerance, humility, equality, justice and compassion. He always emphasised consciousness of God and the divinity of human life as the gate of enlightenment, so that human beings would not enslaved by their own ego and bodily impulses.
Karen Armstrong describes Muhammad as a respectful and compassionate man who lived a decent life. She argues that although Islam has often been described in the West as violent and inherently intolerant, Muhammad taught tolerance and compassion toward other religions to all of his followers.
Tolerance is the foundation and the measure of Islamic faith. The faith of a Muslim is as much as his tolerance toward other.
Unfortunately, while most Muslims conform to the spirit of his message, others distort his teachings. Now, we see religion is used as reason to incite violence and intolerance.
Accordingly, in this celebration, it is time to comprehend the tolerant teaching of the Prophet in order to better understand one another in this global community of humanity. Muhammad’s life is about tolerance, tolerance and tolerance. Read the rest of this entry »
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