SOALAN ’SEJARAH’ BUAT RENUNGAN SEMUA

POSTED BY ADMIN ON SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2011

Tongkat Bahaman

1. Benarkah Umno tidak pernah berperang dengan British dan pemimpinnya hanya berunding untuk mendapat kemerdekaan. Jadi Tunku adalah perunding atau pejuang?

2. Sebelum merdeka British begitu terancam dengan PKM selepas merdeka Umno pula, walaupun sudah berdamai (1989) tetapi tetap gelabah. Apakah mereka bimbang mengenai hakikat sejarah yang akan terbongkar?

3. Benarkah ramai tentera British telah menjadi korban gerila Tentera Pembebasan Rakyat Malaya (TPRM) yang terdiri dari seluruh bangsa rakyat Malaya yang bergabung tenaga bersama PKM?

4. Bilakah semboyan merdeka bermula dan siapakah pemulanya?

5. Benarkah ramai perajurit TPRM juga telah terkorban menentang tentera penjajah Inggeris sejak darurat 1948 hinggalah merdeka. Apakah maksud pernyataan ini?

6. Kalau merdeka tanpa pertumpahan darah kenapa begitu ramai nama-nama askar Inggeris yang yang mati direkodkan di tugu negara kita. Kenapa mereka mati? Mempertahankan siapa – tanah jajahan atau rakyat Malaya?

7. Benarkah Darurat 1948 adalah perang terhadap rakyat yang berjuang bersemboyankan merdeka. Mereka ditangkap, dipenjara dan dibunuh yang terlepas menyusup ke hutan bergerila membentuk TPRM.

8. Akta Darurat 1948 adalah demi keselamatan negara atau keselamatan imperialis Inggeris di Malaya?

9. Benarkah darurat 1948 ini diisytiharkan sesudah kuasa penjajah Inggeris melihat PKMM, AWAS, API, PKM, BATAS, Kesatuan Buruh dan lain-lain telah berjaya mengumpulkan berjuta rakyat Malaya di bawah PUTERA-AMCJA untuk mengusulkan negara merdeka berpelembagaan.

10. Benarkah darurat 1948 diistiharkan bagi mengekang tekanan dan suara merdeka di bawah PUTERA-AMCJA pelbagai kaum rakyat Malaya ketika itu.

11. Benarkah HARTAL yang dilancarkan pada 1948 adalah antara penyebab kuasa imperialis Inggeris melancarkan akta darurat 1948… dan kenapa?

12. Siapakah yang sebenarnya dalam keadaan darurat – imperialis Inggeris atau rakyat kerana kebangkitan seluruh rakyat ketika itu?

13. Benarkah akta ini adalah muslihat untuk British tidak mengisytiharkan perang sedangkan ia suatu perang terhadap rakyat yang berjuang menuntut Merdeka dengan membawa masuk 400,000 tentera dari tanah-tanah jajahannya ke Malaya ?

14. Kerana akta ini ramai pemimpin PKMM, AWAS, API serta lain-lain parti yang berjuang untuk menuntut merdeka telah bersama PKM dan berjuang dengan senjata menentang Inggeris dan kenapa ?

15. Jika mereka tidak memilih hutan dan gerila apakah pilihan yang ada untuk mereka kerana seluruh parti-parti progresif telah diharamkan. Apakah mereka perlu memilih rumah pasung Inggeris (balai polis), penjara atau tali gantung (Umno sahaja yang tidak diharamkan ketika itu kerana ia ditaja oleh British).

16. Kenapa perang dalam negeri terus berlangsung selepas merdeka. Bukankah ini antara syarat yang dikenakan Inggeris untuk merundingkan kemerdekaan? Apakah signifikan syarat ini? Tidakkah untuk memberi masa kepada British bagi mengelak “premature withdrawal” dan apakah signifikannya terhadap soal perniagaan senjata jangka panjang ke Malaya oleh British serta kepentingan mempertahankan harta mereka (kolonial) yang masih ada?

17. Benarkah Inggeris memberi kemerdekaan kepada Malaya kerana mereka hormat orang Melayu yang mereka pernah tulis sebagai bangsa yang tinggal di atas pokok (1786) atau kerana mereka sudah tidak dapat tahan terhadap ribuan serangan bertubi-tubi dari gerila PKM yang menyebabkan beribu-ribu askarnya cedera dan terkorban.

18. Setujukah kalau kita katakan bahawa kita hanya ada sebelah buku sejarah iaitu versi Umno sedangkan Inggeris mempunyai buku sejarah tentang negara kita yang lebih lengkap yang tersimpan di London.

19. Bolehkah wira-wira Melayu silam seperti Tok Janggut, Datuk Bahaman, Mat Kilau, Datuk Sagor, Datuk Maharajalela dan yang lainnya yang dituduh oleh British sebagai pengganas itu diterima sebahagian dari pejuang kemerdekaan.

20. Benarkah pada tahun 1948 Umno hanya sebuah parti (gerombolan) kecil minoriti seperti PERKASA hari ini ?

21. Kenapa semboyan Umno adalah hidup Melayu dan bukan Merdeka, adakah ini kerana mereka pada awalnya memperlekehkan gerakan untuk merdeka atau takut atau ingin mengambil hati Inggeris?

22. Kenapa rundingan Baling 1955 gagal. Tidakkah Tunku di bawah tekanan David Marshall yang merancang untuk menggagalkan rundingan ini? [Said Zahari (17 tahun pernah merengkok dalam penjara) Ketua Pengarang Utusan Melayu ketika itu - adalah penulis cerita ini masih hidup serta boleh diwawancara].

23. Kenapa Rundingan Baling II yang dijanjikan oleh Tunku tidak menyusul bagi menamatkan perang dalam negeri. Apakah kesannya, jika berdamai bukankah tiada tentera kita yang terpijak periuk api dan menjadi korban perang yang sia-sia?

24. Ramai pemimpin-pemimpin Melayu termasuk ulama telah ditangkap dan dipenjara kerana mereka tidak sealiran dengan Umno. Mereka telah dicap sebagai pengganas kemudian ditangkap – kenapa?

25. Di manakah pemimpin Melayu yang progresif seperti Dr Burhanudin al-Helmi, Mustapha Hussein serta Pak Sako, Ahmad Boestamam, Ustaz Abu Bakar al-Bakir dan lain-lainnya telah menghabiskan usia mereka kalau bukan dalam penjara sedangkan mereka adalah nasionalis?

26. Jika PKM adalah anti agama dan tuhan, bagaimana ulama seperti Ustaz Abu Bakar al-Baqir dan ramai pemimpin progresif Melayu boleh berjuang dalam satu pasukan yang sama menentang Inggeris.

27. Kenapa di setiap daerah (province) di China terdapat masjid malah jumlah orang Islam di China lebih dua kali ganda dari penduduk Islam di Malaysia? Begitu juga penganut agama lain bebas mengamal agama mereka.

28. Kenapa orang Melayu selalu ditakut-takutkan dengan fikiran lapuk terhadap komunis yang dituduh tidak percaya kepada Tuhan serta anti agama sedangkan Umno menjunjung sistem ekonomi riba sedang Allah menganjurkan perang terhadap riba dan memberi ancaman dengan api neraka (al-Baqarah: 279 dan 275).

29. Kenapa ulama-ulama upahan Umno lebih gemar menyerang socialism yang anti riba daripada menyerang capitalism yang mendukung sistem ekonomi riba?

30. Kenapa dalam setiap ulang tahun perayaan kemerdekaan Umno tidak menonjolkan pejuang-pejuang lain yang sepanjang abad bergerila menentang kuasa penjajah Inggeris seperti Tok Janggut, Datuk Bahaman, Mat Kilau, Datuk Maharajalela, Datuk Sagor serta yang sebelumnya. Adakah hanya Tunku sahaja yang berjasa kerana dia dipilih oleh Inggeris menjadi wakil untuk berunding?

31. Kenapa Umno sangat benci dan memusuhi pemimpin progresif Melayu hingga sanggup melebelkan mereka sebagai komunis agar mereka dijauhi oleh masyarakat dan tidak mengganggu tahta kuasa yang sedang berada di tangan Umno.

32. Siapakah yang menggerakan gerakan menentang Malayan Union 1948 sedangkan pada waktu itu Umno hanya gerombolan dan sangat kecil jumlahnya.

33. Benarkah PUTERA-AMCJA telah menggerakan seluruh rakyat Malaya keluar menentang Malayan Union pada 1948? Kenapa tidak nampak satu pun bendera Umno ketika itu sedangkan terdapat ribuan kibaran bendera yang lain?

34. Pernahkah Umno menjelaskan tentang makna merah dan putih benderanya dan dari mana mereka telah menciplaknya ?

35. Betulkah MCA itu berasal daripada Parti Kuomintang (bukan PKM) yang pernah mengganas selama 14 hari ketika Jepun tewas pada tahun 1945 ?

36. Kenapa rakyat Malaysia disuruh mendewakan Tunku Abdul Rahman sahaja dan tidak boleh menghargai pejuang-pejuang kemerdekaan yang lain yang telah menyumbangkan bakti menghalau Inggeris keluar dari negara ini?

37. Kenapakah Umno terus memusuhi PKM walaupun mereka sudah berdamai pada tahun 1989? Adakah ini suatu cara untuk mereka terus menipu rakyat?

38. Adakah mana-mana rekod jenayah yang pernah dilakukan oleh ratusan bekas-bekas perajurit PKM yang dapat kita jadikan bukti bahawa mereka adalah spesis pengganas selepas 22 tahun mereka bersama rakyat?

39. Kenapa Umno perlu gelabah apabila kisah sebenar Bukit Kepong didedahkan. Jika versi Umno benar kenapa perlu gelabah kerana kebenaran tetap kebal?

40. Kenapa tidak diadakan perdebatan, forum secara terbuka mengenai perkara ini?

41. Kenapa orang yang berbeza pandangan tentang sesuatu kisah boleh dituduh pengganas hanya kerana dia tidak bersetuju dengan kerajaan.

42. Jika kisah ini tidak betul kenapa ianya tidak dibetulkan sahaja melalui pembentangan fakta-fakta dan bukti yang sahih?

43. Adakah rakyat semakin kelihatan cenderung untuk tidak mempercayai sejarah yang ditulis oleh Umno – apakah dosa Umno hingga ia semakin dibenci?

44. Adakah ini tanda awal bahawa kuasa dan sejarah sedang mengalami perubahan?

45. Kenapa Umno masih memaksa rakyat melihat sejarah dari perspektif penjajah – tidakkah ini suatu kecurangan yang besar terhadap rakyat?

46. Adakah rakyat akan menolak kenyataan bahawa Tunku itu adalah salah seorang perunding untuk kemerdekaan di samping itu terdapat juga ramai lagi tokoh dan pejuang yang lain yang juga berjasa?

47. Adakah salah kalau kita menerima orang lain juga berjuang dan mereka juga perlu diberi sanjungan kerana jasanya sama ada besar atau kecil.

48. Peristiwa Bukit Kepong berlaku pada tahun 1950 (sebelum Merdeka) yang menggariskan pertentangan di antara anak tempatan dengan penjajah – kenapakah Umno terus-terusan mahu membela penjajah ? Adakah kita masih belum merdeka?

49. Kepada anak muda Malaysia sesekali pergilah melawat tugu negara dan fikirkan fakta-fakta yang terpahat di situ kemudian cuba fikirkan dari siapa kita merdeka. Dari Inggeris atau PKM?

50. Tidakkah sejarah negara bangsa kita begitu comot, kotor dan curang, hingga amat sedikitdaripada rakyat Malaysia (termasuk professor, guru sejarah dan pelajar serta pemimpin dan ahli-ahli Umno) yang benar-benar faham dan dapat menceritakan rentetan sebenar perjuangan menentang penjajah dan mencapai kemerdekaan?

51. Tidakkah ia bagai seorang gadis yang telah disolek sesuka hati hingga tiada yang dapat mengenalinya dari kalangan anak muda Malaysia hari ini?

52. Abdullah CD pernah bertemu Jins Samsudin mengenai fakta filem Bukit Kepong yang jauh terpesong namun beliau telah mengelak diri untuk janji temu kedua yang telah dipersetujui untuk membetulkan fakta ini. Kenapa Jins mengelak kalau bukan kerana Jins sebenarnya berniat memesongkan sejarah kerana ini adalah projek untuk menipu rakyat oleh Umno?

53. Benarkah kita sudah merdeka sedang kita boleh saja masuk penjara hanya kerana kita memakai baju kuning sesudah dituduh komunis atau subversif oleh pemerintah.

54. Jika sejarah kita umpama seorang gadis, apakah harus dia disolek sesuka hati hanya untuk mempertahankan kuasa yang diperolehi hasil dari perjuangan orang lain?

http://www.kl-today.com/2011/09/soalan-sejarah-buat-renungan-semua/

BLOGGER MELAYU ANTARA SERTAI DAP

POSTED BY ADMIN ON SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2011

DAP sedang aktif mempelawa beberapa blogger kalangan orang Melayu untuk menyertai parti komponen Pakatan Rakyat itu, kata pemimpin pusatnya Loke Siew Fook.Difahamkan pengumuman kemasukan mereka, dilihat sebagai perkembangan terbaru di sebalik peredaran landskap politik semasa, dijangka diumumkan secara rasmi dalam waktu terdekat, kemungkinan bulan ini.“Memang kita aktif mempelawa beberapa blogger kalangan masyarakat Melayu… tetapi masih dalam perbincangan, kita hanya dapat membuat pengumuman selepas cuti sambutan hari raya,” kata Loke yang juga Ahli Parlimen Rasah ketika ditemui baru-baru ini.

Tanpa memberi butiran lanjut Loke, ketua Pemuda Sosialis DAP berkata, “kita sedang berbincang dengan beberapa individu, memang ada mendampingi mereka untuk menyertai DAP.”

“Sudah ada perbincangan awal dan mereka juga sudah menunjukkan perkembangan positif untuk menyertai DAP. Kami berharap kemasukan mereka akan memberi semangat untuk lebih ramai menyertai DAP,” katanya lagi.

Loke berkata ia sebahagian daripada pendekatan parti itu untuk membawa masuk pemimpin-pemimpin kalangan kaum Melayu dan Bumiputera menyertai DAP.

“Usaha ini dilakukan secara aktif, khususnya selepas pilihan raya umum 2008,” kata Loke sambil menambah, perundingan itu yang bertujan menarik pemimpin pelbagai lapisan dalam masyarakat Melayu untuk menganggotai parti itu.

Malah kata beliau, selain landskap politik baru negara memerlukan keperluan itu dipertingkatkan, malah kalangan orang Melayu dan Bumiputera sendiri melahirkan hasrat untuk menyertai parti berusia lebih empat dekad ini.

“Kami mengundang mereka yang boleh memberi tenaga kepada perkembanagn DAP daripada kalangan orang Melayu, dan di Sarawak Dayak… ini merupakan dua etnik khusus, yang DAP beri perhatian buat masa sekarang,” katanya.

Loke, antara pemimpin yang secara aktif terlibat dalam proses itu membawa masuk ahli-ahli kalangan Melayu dan kaum Dayak berkata, DAP tidak berhadapan masalah mendapatkan keahlian kalangan kaum India di Semenanjung dan juga masyarakat Kadazan di Sabah.

Majoriti ahli DAP buat masa sekarang adalah orang Cina.

Katanya, walaupun musuh-musuh politik mereka melabel DAP sebagai “parti kaum Cina”, tetapi umumnya “kami bangga untuk mengatakan bahawa DAP adalah sebuah parti rakyat Malaysia.”

“Kami sentiasa berjuang sebagai sebuah parti rakyat Malaysia… perkara ini sudah mula disedari oleh orang Melayu sendiri,” katanya yang memberi alasan sebab pihaknya mula diterima oleh kaum Melayu dan Bumiputera dengan terbuka – perkembangan yang dilihat sejak selepas pilihan raya umum 2008.

Katanya, DAP pernah ada pemimpin-pemimpin Melayu sebelum ini, antaranya Allahyarham Ahmad Nor, tetapi selepas kematian beliau, penekanan membawa masuk lebih ramai orang Melayu sebagai pemimpin ‘agar perlahan’ buat satu tempoh tertentu.

“Jadi, sekarang usaha ini dipertingkatkan dan diaktifkan di seluruh negara… sebab itu kita ada program ‘outreach’,” kata Loke lagi sambil menambah, “di peringkat Semenanjung, kami perlu berusaha untuk mendapatkan lebih ramai pemimpin Melayu.”

Katanya, pendekatan sejak kebelakangan ini merupakan satu hala tuju baru yang tepat dan “saya juga memainkan peranan aktif untuk bertemu dan sama-sama menjemput mereka masuk ke dalam DAP.”

“Saya fikir bahawa sudah sampai masanya, DAP, kita berharap yang ini akan menjadi satu usaha berterusan terutama dengan kemasukan golongan cendekiawan Melayu… masuk ke dalam DAP, kami berharap proses ini akan menguatkan, dan memberi satu suntikan baru ke dalam DAP,” katanya lagi.

DAP menerima penyertaan terbaru iaitu tokoh akademik dan pakar sejarah budaya Prof Dr Ariffin Omar awal bulan lalu.

http://www.kl-today.com/2011/09/blogger-melayu-antara-sertai-dap/

WHAT IF GOVT CANNOT REPAY EPF?

POSTED BY ADMIN ON SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2011

With a RM290 billion debt hanging over its head and with continued overspending, the government is on a reckless path to self-destruction which could well eat into the people’s Employee Provident Fund (EPF) contributions.According to a research group although the country has been running on deficit since 1998, it has however not stopped the government from spending beyond its means.

The group pointed out that the government has overspent by RM290 billion in the past 13 years.

According to Research for Social Advancement (REFSA) executive director Teh Chi-Chang, the deficit could pave the way for more cuts in spending on other important areas such as education and healthcare.

“The last time we had a surplus or savings, where we spent less than our income was in 1998.

“By end of this year, our total over-spend would reach about RM290 billion.

“It means all Malaysians would be in debt by an average of RM10,000 each,” said Teh raising concerns over the impending content of the 2012 national budget.

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, who is also Finance Minister, would be tabling Budget 2012 come Oct 7.

Many quarters are expecting Najib to announce several goodies in the upcoming budget to cater for snap polls, rumoured to be held sometime late this year or in early 2012.

Barisan Nasional is said to be facing its toughest ever battle in its political history going into the 13th general election.

In the 2008 polls, the ruling coalition lost five states – Perak, Penang, Kedah, Kelantan and Selangor – to opposition Pakatan Rakyat.

BN later wrested Perak in a reverse takeover. In the recent April Sarawak state elections which was seen as a litmus test of approval, BN lost an unprecedented 16 seats, a clear indication according to analysts of fast dwindling popularity.

Going into the 13th GE, BN is expected to blow hundreds of millions to secure its grip on Putrajaya and such excess spending will mean more borrowings.

EPF funds under threat

Explaining the economic scenario, Teh said people should understand that when the government runs on deficit, it means having to borrow money to pay for the excess spending.

“And the lenders are normally the EPF, banks and fund managers,” said Teh.

He also said that as long as the government continues to borrow to pay for its dues, interest rates in the country would eventually soar.

Teh said with substantial amount of borrowing, there would come a time when lenders would be unwilling to lend anymore which would force government to cut its spending.

“Lenders may be forced to take ‘hair-cuts; that is accepting lesser payment than what is owned by the government.

“Imagine if the government can’t pay back its dues to EPF, the contributors will have lesser savings in their account,” said Teh.

The NGO then offered a solution to the government.

It urged the government to focus more on sustainability and balance in its budget rather than dishing out goodies and handouts in order to reduce spending.

Like an individual, Teh said, the government has finite amount of money at its disposal and must understand that in order to get more of something; the people must be prepared to receive less of something else.

“For example like last year, we spent RM50 billion for education, RM22 billion for defence and internal security, RM16 billion for healthcare and RM2 billion for housing.

“So is the mix right? Should we spend more on healthcare rather that defence or otherwise? These are the issues we must be deliberating on,” he said.

http://www.kl-today.com/2011/09/what-if-govt-cannot-repay-epf/

SAH PELURU TENTERA PENGAMAN AFRIKA

POSTED BY ADMIN ON SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2011

Tembakan yang membunuh jurukamera Bernama TV Noramfaizul Mohd Nor dan mencederakan seorang lagi jurukamera TV3 telah dilepaskan oleh tentera pengaman Kesatuan Afrika, lapor beberapa media Barat dan Afrika.”Fakta sekarang agak kabur, saya telah bercakap secara peribadi dengan presiden Somalia mengenai kejadian itu dan saya secara ikhlas memberi jaminan bahawa siasatan penuh akan dijalankan. Tindakan sewajarnya akan diambil terhadap mana-mana askar yang didapati telah bertindak secara melulu, ” lapor akhbar New York Times yang komander tentera pengaman Australia Mejar Jeneral Fred Mugisha.
Maklumat ini, bagaimanapun belum disampaikan dalam kenyataan kepada kerajaan Malaysia yang masih berusaha menentukan punca serangan dan dalang yang harus dipertanggungjawabkan di sebalik kejadian yang berlaku Jumaat lalu.

Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak berkata beliau telah menghubungi kerajaan Somalia mengenai isu itu dan telah dijanjikan laporan penuh insiden berkenaan oleh Presiden Somalia Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, sebaik sahaja sisatan selesai.

Pihak pembangkang, ahli keluarga dan badan-badan bukan kerajaan, sebelum ini mengecam penganjur misi bantuan kemanusiaan kelab Putera 1Malaysia ke Somalia, yang mana Najib adalah penaungnya.

Ini kerana mereka didakwa gagal memberi perlindungan dan latihan yang mencukupi kepada kumpulan waratwan yang dibawa ke Somalia bagi membuat liputan berkenaan.

Wartawan yang membuat liputan itu telah memaklumkan bahawa mereka tidak dibekalkan dengan jaket kalis peluru, mahupun diberi latihan khusus tentang apa yang perlu dilakukan bagi menghadapi bahaya zon pertempuran.

Najib pula pada sidang akhbarnya, semalam berkata bukan masanya untuk menuding jari dan menyalahkan mana-mana pihak berhubung kematian jurukamera BernamaTV yang terkena tembakan peluru sesat Jumaat lalu.

“Ini merupakan sebahagian (daripada bidang kewartawanan). Kamu boleh mengambil langkah keselamatan tapi tiada jaminan sepenuhnya (mengenai keselamatan) sebaik anda berada di kawasan konflik,” katanya.

Pemakaian jaket kalis peluru tidak dapat menjamin keselamatan jurukamera BernamaTV itu kerana saiz peluru yang digunakan adalah besar dan mampu menembusi jaket tersebut, kata ketua pasukan perubatan misi bantuan kemanusiaan Kelab Putera 1Malaysia ke Somalia Datuk Dr Alwi Abdul Rahman.

Beliau berkata peluru yang mengenai Allahyarham adalah besar, dan menjejaskan dua organ penting mangsa iaitu jantung dan paru-paru.

“Walaupun pakai vest tapi masih boleh tembus. Peluru itu memasuki grey area… masuk dari armpit dan tembus ke bahu. Selepas terkena tembakan itu dia langsung tidak sedarkan diri,” katanya kepada pemberita selepas tiba di Pangkalan Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia (TUDM), Subang, dekat sini Ahad.

Dr Alwi merupakan salah seorang daripada 55 anggota misi kemanusiaan Kelab Putera 1Malaysia ke Somalia termasuk Allahyarham Noramfaizul yang maut Jumaat lepas akibat terkena tembakan curi semasa membuat liputan di Mogadishu.

Beliau berkata pelbagai usaha dilakukan untuk menyelamatkan jurukamera tersebut termasuk bantuan awal oleh pasukan paramedik Australia yang berada di hotel penginapan Allahyarham.

Dr Alwi berkata beliau tiba dari tempat penginapannya kira-kira tiga minit sebaik dimaklumkan, dan mengambil alih tugas merawat mangsa yang kritikal dari pasukan paramedik tersebut.

“Kita beri bantuan pernafasan dan lakukan apa saja untuk menyelamatkan Allahyarham sedaya-upaya, tetapi peluru itu telah menembusi paru-paru dan jantung. Kita juga menerima kerjasama yang baik daripada paramedik Australia,” katanya.

Semasa rawatan, Allahyarham langsung tidak memberi sebarang respons dan tidak bergerak, katanya.

“Dia tidak sedarkan diri dan hilang banyak darah. Kita dah sedia nak derma darah jika perlu sebab kita dah kenal pasti jenis darah anggota misi. Peralatan kecemasan yang kita ada di situ pun mencukupi tapi kita memang tidak dapat buat apa-apa,” katanya dalam nada sebak.

Katanya usaha menyelamatkan Allahyarham berlangsung dalam suasana pilu memandangkan arwah adalah sahabatnya dan mereka pernah mengikuti beberapa misi kemanusiaan Kelab Putera 1Malaysia sebelum ini.

http://www.kl-today.com/2011/09/sah-peluru-tentera-pengaman-afrika/

How long before the dominoes fall?

Robert Fisk / The Independent

August 25, 2011

The remaining Arab potentates and tyrants have spent a second sleepless night. How soon will the liberators of Tripoli metamorphose into the liberators of Damascus and Aleppo and Homs? Or of Amman? Or Jerusalem? Or of Bahrain or Riyadh? It's not the same, of course.

The Arab Spring-Summer-Autumn has proved not just that the old colonial frontiers remain inviolate – an awful tribute to imperialism, I suppose – but that every revolution has its own characteristics. If all Arab uprisings have their clutch of martyrs, some rebellions are more violent than others.

As Saif al-Islam Gaddafi said at the start of his own eventual downfall, "Libya is not Tunisia, it's not Egypt...It will become civil war. There will be bloodshed on the streets." And there was.

And so we gaze into the crystal ball. Libya will be a Middle East superpower – unless we impose an economic occupation as the price of Nato's "liberating" bombardment – and a less African, more Arab country now that Gaddafi's obsession with central and southern Africa has disappeared. It may infect Algeria and Morocco with its freedoms. The Gulf states will be happy – up to a point – since most regarded Gaddafi as mentally unstable as well as mischievous.

Already, the West is offering lessons in democracy to New Libya, indulgently telling its unelected leadership how to avoid the chaos which we ourselves inflicted on the Iraqis when we "liberated" them eight years ago. Who will get the backhanders in the new regime – democratic or not – once it is in place?

But unseating tyrannical Arab rulers is a dangerous game when unelected Arab rulers join in. Who now remembers the forgotten 1977 war in which Anwar Sadat sent his bombers to pulverise Gaddafi's airbases – the very same airbases Nato has been attacking these past months – after Israel warned the Egyptian president that Gaddafi was planning his assassination? But Gaddafi's dictatorship outlived Sadat by 30 years.

Yet like all the others, Libya suffered from the cancer of the Arab world: financial – and moral – corruption. Will the future be any different? We have spent far too much time honouring the courage of Libyan "freedom fighters" as they scurried across the desert floor, far too little time examining the nature of the beast, the glutinous Transitional National Council whose supposed leader, Mustafa Abdul Jalil, has still been unable to explain if his own chums connived in the murder of their own army commander last month.

Already, the West is offering lessons in democracy to New Libya, indulgently telling its unelected leadership how to avoid the chaos which we ourselves inflicted on the Iraqis when we "liberated" them eight years ago. Who will get the backhanders in the new regime – democratic or not – once it is in place?

And just as all new regimes contain dark figures from the past – Adenauer's Germany as much as Maliki's Iraq – so Libya will have to accomodate Gaddafi's tribes. The scenes in Green Square yesterday were painfully similar to the crazed adoration on display at the same location for Gaddafi just a few weeks ago. Recall, then, the day De Gaulle was asked by an aide how the crowds greeting him after the 1944 liberation of France were as large as the crowds applauding Pétain a few weeks earlier. "Ils sont les mêmes," De Gaulle is said to have replied. "They are the same."

Not all. How soon will the world be knocking on the door of the supposedly dying Abdulbaset al-Megrahi, the Lockerbie bomber – if indeed he was guilty of the crime – to discover the secret of his longevity and of his activities within Gaddafi's secret service? How soon will the liberators of Tripoli get their hands on the files of Gaddafi's oil and foreign ministries to find out the secrets of the Blair-Sarkozy-Berlusconi love affairs with the author of the Green Book? Or will British and French spooks beat them to it?

And how soon, we must ask, before the people of Europe demand to know why, if Nato has been so successful in Libya – as Cameron and his mates now claim – it cannot be used against Assad's legions in Syria, using Cyprus as a territorial aircraft-carrier, devastating the regime's 8,000 tanks and armoured vehicles as they besiege the country's cities. Or must we heed the neighbours; Israel still secretly hopes (as it shamefully did in the case of Egypt) that the dictator will survive to be a friend and make an ultimate peace over Golan.

Israel, which has been so skewed and immature in its response to the Arab awakening – why on earth did its leaders not welcome the Egyptian revolution, opening their arms to a people who showed they wanted the democracy which Israel always boasts of, instead of shooting dead five Egyptian soldiers in the latest Gaza shoot-out? – has much to ponder.

Ben Ali gone, Mubarak gone, Saleh more or less gone, Gaddafi overthrown, Assad in danger, Abdullah of Jordan still facing opposition, Bahrain's minority Sunni monarchy still suicidally hoping to rule for eternity. These are massive historical events to which the Israelis have responded with a kind of appalled, hostile apathy. At the very moment when Israel might be able to claim that its Arab neighbours are only seeking the freedoms that Israelis already possess – that there is a brotherhood of democracy that might go beyond frontiers – it sulks and builds more colonies on Arab land and continues to delegitimise itself while accusing the world of trying to destroy it.

But the Ottoman empire cannot be forgotten at so critical an hour. At the height of its power, you could travel from Morocco to Constantinople without papers. With freedom in Syria and Jordan, we could travel from Algeria to Turkey and onwards into Europe without so much as a visa. The Ottoman Empire reborn! Except for the Arabs, of course. Be sure they will still need visas.

We are not there yet. How soon will the Shiites of Bahrain and the listless Saudi masses, sitting atop so much wealth, ask why they cannot control their own countries and press on to overthrow their effete rulers? How gloomily Maher al-Assad, brother of Bashar and commander of Syria's infamous 4th Brigade, must have listened to al-Jazeera's last phone call to Mohammed Gaddafi. "We lacked wisdom and foresight," Mohammed complained to the world before gunfire broke across his voice. "They are in the house!". Then: "God is great." And the line went dead.

Every unelected Arab leader – or any Muslim leader "elected" through fraud – will have pondered that voice. Wisdom is certainly a quality much lacking in the Middle East, foresight a skill which the Arabs and the West have both neglected. East and West – if they can be divided so crudely – have both lost the ability to think of the future.

The next 24 hours is all that matters. Will there be protests in Hama tomorrow? What is Obama to say on prime time? What is Cameron to say to the world? Domino theories are a fraud. The Arab Spring is going to last for years. We better think about that. There is no "end of history".

http://en.harakahdaily.net/index.php/articles/analysis-a-opinion/3400-how-long-before-the-dominoes-fall.html

Surah Yasin - the heart of the Qur'an

Sayyid Qutb

This Makkan sūrah (ie. revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in Makkah) is characterized by short verses and a fast rhythm. Composed of 83 verses, it is slightly shorter in overall length than the preceding sūrah which contained only 45 verses. Such short verses together with the fast rhythm give the sūrah a special outlook.

Its rhythm sounds successive beats, the effect of which is increased by the numerous images it draws, all leaving a profound impression. It shares the same main themes of all Makkan sūrahs, aiming to lay the foundation of faith. At the very outset it dwells on the nature of revelation and the truth of the
message: “Yā Sīn. By the Qur’ān, full of wisdom, you are indeed one of God’s messengers,
pursuing a straight way. It is a revelation by the Almighty, the Ever Merciful.” (Verses 1-5)

It relates the story of the people of the township to which messengers were sent, using the story to warn against rejection of the message and denial of the revelation. It shows the end that befell the people of the township to emphasize the message the sūrah wants to deliver.

Towards the end, the sūrah picks up this point again: “We have not taught the Prophet poetry; nor is it fitting for him to be a poet. This is but a reminder and a Qur’ān making all things clear, to warn everyone who is alive, and that the word of God be proved against the unbelievers.” (Verses 69-70)

The sūrah also discusses the oneness of the Godhead, giving the voice of denunciation of polytheism to the man who came from the farthest end of town. It is he who argues with his people about their denial of God’s messengers: “Why should I not worship the One who has brought me into being? It is to Him that you will all return. Should I worship other deities beside Him? If the Lord of Grace should will that harm befall me, their intercession will avail me nothing, nor will they save me. Indeed, I should clearly be in error.” (Verses 22-24)

The same point is emphasized again towards the end of the sūrah: “Yet they have taken to worship deities other than God, hoping for /their] support. They are unable to support them; yet their worshippers stand like warriors to defend them.” (Verses 74-75)

Resurrection

The issue that is most strongly emphasized in the sūrah is that of resurrection. Mention of this is first made at the very outset: “It is We who will bring the dead back to life. We record whatever Needs] they send ahead, as well as the traces they leave behind. We keep an account of all things in a clear record.” (Verse 12)

Resurrection is further alluded to in the story of the township as it mentions the reward given to the man arguing the case of faith: “He was told- Enter paradise. He said Would that my people knew how my Lord has forgiven me my sins, and has placed me among the highly honoured!” (Verses 26-
27)

In the middle of the sūrah resurrection is once again referred to: “They also ask: ‘When will this promise be fulfilled, if what you say be true?’ All they are waiting for is a single blast that will overtake them while they are still disputing. No time will they have to make bequests, nor will they return to their own people.” (Verses 48-50)

And at the end of the sūrah, it is stated in the form of dialogue: “He comes up with arguments against Us, forgetting how he himself was created. He asks: ‘Who could give life to bones that have
crumbled to dust?’ Say: He who brought them into being in the first instance will give them life again. He has full knowledge of every act of creation.” (Verses 78-79)

Scenes and images

These fundamental issues of faith are repeatedly discussed in Makkan sūrahs. Each time though they are tackled from a different angle, brought under new focus, and given effects that fit the overall ambience of the sūrah, maintaining harmony with its rhythm, images and impressions.

These effects vary in this sūrah. Some derive from the scenes of the Day of Judgement, the scenes in the story and the positions taken in it and the dialogue it includes as also the end suffered by earlier communities.

Other effects are derived from the numerous images given of the universe, each of which imparts its own message. The dead land as life begins to emerge in it; the night stripped out of the day to spread total darkness; the sun running its course up to its point of destination; the moon moving from one phase to another until it becomes like an old date stalk; the boats laden with the offspring of old human generations; the cattle made subservient to man; the gamete being transformed into a human being who argues and quarrels; and the green tree made into a fire from which they light their own fires. It is by using all these scenes and images that the sūrah emphasizes its message.

Alongside these there are other effects made to touch our hearts and alert our minds. One of these is the image of those who deny the truth when God’s judgement befalls them. No longer can they derive any benefit from the signs and the warnings given them: “Around their necks We have put chains, reaching up to their chins, so that their heads are forced up. And We have set a barrier before them and a barrier behind them, and We enshrouded them in veils so that they cannot see.” (Verses 8-9)

Another is the fact that whatever they harbour inside their hearts and whatever they leave open are known to God; nothing is hidden from Him. A third effect is the description of the mechanism of creation as involving nothing but one short word: “When He intends something to be, He only says to it, Be,’ and it is.” (Verse 82)

The sūrah can he divided into three parts. The first begins with an oath God makes by the expression of two separate letters, Yā Sīn, and by the Qur’ān, which is full of wisdom, to emphasize the truth of the Prophet’s message and that he follows a straight path. This is followed by describing the miserable end of those who pay no heed to the message and deny its truth. They will never find a way to guidance because this is God’s judgement. It explains that the warning only benefits those who follow the revelations given by God and who fear Him despite the fact that their faculties of perception cannot reach Him. Such people open their hearts to receive the evidence of divine guidance and the pointers to the path

of faith.

In this part, the Prophet is asked to cite the example of the people of the township who denied God’s messengers and the end they suffered. It also shows the nature of faith and how it affects the heart of the man arguing its case.

The second part begins with a call of sorrow for those people who continue to deny every messenger God sends them, ridiculing them and their message, paying no heed to what happened to earlier communities who denied the truth, or to the great many signs God has placed all around them. This part includes the universal images we have already mentioned as well as a long and detailed scene from the Day of Judgement.

The third and final part sums up all the themes of the sūrah, starting with a denial that what Muhammad recited was poetry, and emphasizing the fact that the Prophet never had anything to do with poetry. It portrays a number of images confirming God’s oneness. It decries the unbelievers’ practice of having deities to which they pray to give them victory over their enemies, when in fact they themselves have to protect those alleged deities.

It discusses the issue of resurrection, reminding them of their origin and how their creation starts with a gamete. This should enable them to understand that giving life to bones that have crumbled into dust is barely different from their first creation from a gamete. It reminds them of the green trees and how they become fire fuel, although the two concepts seem to be far apart.

The creation of the heavens and the earth is also mentioned as a reminder that God is able to create them in both stages of their life.

Finally, the last beat that concludes the sūrah is: “When He intends something to be, He only says to it, Be,’ and it is. Limitless, then, in His glory is He in whose hand rests the mighty dominion over all things, and to Him you all will be brought back.” (Verses 82-83)

http://en.harakahdaily.net/index.php/articles/the-quran-explained/3396-surah-yasin-the-heart-of-the-quran.html

PR welcomes BN's belated awareness of neglected Malaysians

Pakatan Rakyat

August 22, 2011

Media statement by Pakatan Rakyat MPs Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, Liew Chin Tong and Tian Chua

The Pakatan Rakyat Alternative Budget Committee welcomes the Barisan Nasional’s belated realisation on the importance of helping those who earn below RM3,000 per month.

Behind the façade of the massive, impressive infrastructure projects favoured by the Barisan Nasional government is a much more modest Malaysia. Hundreds of billions have been spent on showcase projects and masterplans but:
· More than half – 60% – of Malaysian households earn less than RM3,000 per month;
· Nearly half – 43% – of Malaysian households get by on less than RM1,500 per month. Of this, ¾ – 73% – are bumiputra.

The most important aspect of Pakatan Rakyat’s Alternative Budget for 2012, aptly entitled Kesahjeteraan Untuk Semua, is:
· The focus on developing Malaysians, not projects; and
· Emphasising dignified jobs, fair wages and opportunities for all, and especially, the common Malaysian, not just well-connected elites.

If given the opportunity by the rakyat, a Pakatan Rakyat Federal Government will radically overhaul policies to ensure they boost the disposable income of the vast 60% of Malaysians, so that they live a dignified life while their improved financial position will boost domestic consumption in a sustainable manner, resulting in a positive “rising tide for all boats”.

Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah announced yesterday that Performance Management and Delivery Unit (PEMANDU) has been tasked to study new measures to help ease the rising cost of living for those earning less than RM3,000 per month.

This is the third time within a month that the Barisan Nasional Government has responded to economic pronouncements by Pakatan Rakyat. The other two occasions were the announcement of a new National Key Result Area (NKRA) on cost of living after Pakatan Rakyat held a roundtable chaired by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on inflation; and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s blog post on 10 August 2011 on cost of living after the inaugural media conference by Pakatan Rakyat’s Alternative Budget Committee on 5 Aug.

The admission by Husni and the Barisan Nasional Government that those who earn below RM3,000 need help is a clear indictment of Barisan Nasional’s failure to create a high income society.

A new policy framework is needed to help the majority 60% of common Malaysians living on less than RM3,000 per month. Mere tweaking by PEMANDU would not result in much changes. And we expect mere tweaking – PEMANDU has a tiny 2 week time-frame to deliver.

BN’s crony economy must give way to a people-centric economic framework. Pakatan Rakyat’s “Kesejahteraan Untuk Semua” framework includes dealing with the following policy challenges:

1. Raising incomes and productivity

· To help workers upskill and to introduce a minimum wage to break the vicious cycle of low-wage, low-skill and low productivity;
· To help industries move up the automation and mechanization curve while curbing unskilled foreign labour and increasing real wages for workers;
· To craft policies for the self-employed in informal sectors (such as taxi drivers, small businesses, petty traders);
· To unleash the entrepreneurial and innovative potentials of Malaysians.

2. Raising disposable income

The Pakatan Rakyat Alternative Budget will look into the four big-ticket expenditures for struggling families and to study the role of government in enhancing disposable income through better public service delivery:
· Health;
· Transport;
· Housing;
· Household debts and servicing of debts.

3. Curtailing monopolies, oligopolies and cartels

To boost disposable income and to create a rising tide that lifts all boats through domestic consumption from private citizens is to introduce competition in areas currently dominated by monopolies, oligopolies and cartels.

Pakatan Rakyat Alternative Budget Committee has articulated our framework on the rice monopoly by BERNAS, sugar oligopoly and the MAS/Air Asia airline cartel facilitated by GLCs. More details on other sectors will be highlighted in September with the full details to be released the final budget document.

Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (PAS)
Liew Chin Tong (DAP)
Tian Chua (PKR)

Awang Adek taken to task over highway remark

Harakahdaily

Sep 5: Kelantan PAS has slammed deputy Finance minister Awang Adek (pic) over his remark that the state government could never solve traffic congestion issue, describing it a vile and shallow attempt to discredit the PAS-led government.

Kelantan PAS Youth chief Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman reminded Awang that Federal government was responsible for highway infrastructure across Malaysia.

“Has Awang Adek just woken up from his slumber or deliberately trying to collide with Kelantan UMNO's state liaison chief (Mustapa Mohamad) in this issue?” he asked, referring to the International Trade and Industry minister who said Kelantan would not able to build highway on its own as it was the responsibility of the Federal government.

On August 24, the state government agreed to take over the long-delayed construction of the Kota Bharu-Kuala Krai highway, following the Federal government’s failure to complete it as promised.

The state said it would cost some RM1.9 billion, lower than the RM2.3 billion quoted by the Federal government.

Kelantan state Exco in charge of Finance, Husam Musa, said the allocation had been withdrawn from the 10th Malaysia’s Plan.

Husam said the highway was extremely important to the people.

“Kelantanese working outside the state have always faced traffic jams especially during school holidays or festive seasons. Due to this, the state government has to prepare a new initiative to ensure the completion of the highway by open tender to private companies,” he said.

Latiff meanwhile said the state government was forced to take over the project because the Federal government was not interested in helping a Malay-majority state despite claims by UMNO of championing Malays.

He added that alongside Awang's support for gambling when he suggested that sports gambling be legalised, his latest statement would further erode his chances of becoming the next Kelantan Menteri Besar.

http://en.harakahdaily.net/index.php/headline/3438-awang-adek-taken-to-task-over-highway-remark.html

'Bullet-proof vests for Dato T, not for journalists in line of fire?'

Harakahdaily

Sep 5: UMNO's Kelab Putera 1Malaysia has continued to draw flak for its obsession with media publicity to the extent that it failed to take necessary measures to protect its crew, including slained Bernama journalist Noramfaizul, killed two days ago in Somalia.


PUBLICITY HUNGRY ... UMNO's Kelab Putera 1Malaysia head Azeez (2nd from right, in black jacket) posing for the camera during a mission to 'rescue' Malaysian students stranded in Egypt at the height of the revolution

PAS vice president Mahfuz Omar said its chief Azeez Abdul Rahim should have focused on the mission's real objective of helping Somalis overcome their famine and the safety of its entire crew.

“Why did Putera 1Malaysia not provide bullet-proof jackets and other safety gadgets? Not only Allahyarham (Noramfaizul) was not provided the safety jacket, the entire crew were also not protected.

"But Eskay Abdullah could wear a bullet-proof jacket when he came to the mosque for his oath, even when there was no threat at all,” said Mahfuz, referring to one of the 'Dato T' trio behind the sex video which they claimed was of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.

READY FOR SHOTS ... Rahim Thamby Chik, Eskay and Shuaib Lazim, at their oath-taking ceremony last April. All three were wearing bullet-proof vests.

“The safety of members in the mission especially the journalists are more important than the media limelight,” added Mahfuz to Harakahdaily.

It has been revealed that Noramfaizul did not wear any protective gear including bullet-proof vests. Noramfaizul was also said to be travelling in a vehicle which was not identified as belonging to the media.

In his response, prime minister Najib Razak dismissed criticisms over the incident, telling those who were afraid of taking such risks to simply stay at home.

“Many international journalists have also been killed in many parts of the world. You can take precautions, you can put them on courses and all that for safety, but there’s no absolute guarantee once you’re in (areas) of conflict. As I said, no one can guarantee anything. If you’re not prepared to take risks, then stay at home,” he was quoted as saying.

Noramfaizul’s uncle Abu Bakar Md Yasin however demanded Putera 1Malaysia to take full responsibility over his nephew's death.

“They cannot evade responsibility. They should have done prior intelligence. Don’t just barge in. This is a foreign country,” he was quoted as saying by The Malaysian Insider.

Mahfuz meanwhile said Azeez should admit his negligence and resign as Putera 1Malaysia's head.

Anger over Noramfaizul's death was also expressed by UMNO's Zaini Hassan, the deputy chief editor of the party's mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia.

“Mercy Malaysia also carry out welfare work in foreign countries, but they did not make much publicity, and do not bring so much media... Oh well ,” he wrote in a Facebook posting.

http://en.harakahdaily.net/index.php/berita-utama/3439-bullet-proof-vests-for-dato-t-not-for-journalists-in-line-of-fire.html

My mother, Abang Mat and true patriotism

Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud

September 4, 2011

COMMENT My late mother was a great fan of Mohamad Sabu. Whenever she came home from attending one of Abang Mat’s ceramahs, I could see her elated and satisfied because Abang Mat drove the points home - "hit UMNO on the head", as she would put it - things which she had in her mind but could not articulate like Abang Mat did.

My mother was also a fiery orator and even men commended her ceramah in those days when PAS's woman leaders did not address the crowd in a public setting, but in closed groupings meant for the women.

She was sometimes nicknamed “Mat Sabu Tino” (the 'female Mat Sabu') in Kedah PAS circuits. Prior to being an active PAS member, I had never heard Abang Mat’s ceramahs. I only heard about his oratory skills and that he always condemned UMNO. I was never happy that a ceramah had to be about bashing your opponent. I considered myself a professional, bred and trained in medicine to evaluate things objectively and to separate facts from fiction and also to keep emotions away from any decisions.

But in this case I was neither objective nor professional. His “image” precedes him. So without even knowing him, I had once disliked this man.

What is so great about him that whenever he was among the speakers in a ceramah, the police would be sent to erect roadblocks leading to the venue? Abang Mat is able to generate so much excitement. His fans would travel from far just to listen to him speak. Ceramah organizers too will not be disappointed with the donations collected.

One has to listen to him to understand how he can deliver critical evaluation of UMNO/BN and current issues in an entertaining manner. You would be holding your abdomen for fear you would be laughing out loud! Now I understand why my mother was such a great fan of Abang Mat. For those of you who have yet to hear him speak, let me say that it is worth listening to him.

Which side of history?

Now Abang Mat has caused a tornado. Admittedly this issue has given ammunitions to UMNO/BN who will spin this Bukit Kepong issue to the hilt to potray PAS and Pakatan Rakyat negatively in the eyes of the Malay constituents and the police force.

UMNO's so-called 'Patriot' even announced they were going on a roadshow to "strip Mat Sabu bare". Let not this issue be clouded and turned by UMNO and pro-government historians into an issue about communists and Mat Indera. This issue provides us a great opportunity, especially to the younger generation, to unearth our Malaysian history.

I do not agree that one should ignore the past and move forward, to forget what happened more than 60 years ago. If we do not set straight our national history now, it will always be an issue come every Merdeka Day.

The police force and the families of those killed in Bukit Kepong may feel that unearthing the issue is like desecrating their loved ones. We respect these sentiments, but we also acknowledge that policemen and the army took their command from the government of the day.

We appreciate their sacrifices and they will always be heroes of any nation. Similarly, Americans welcome their army home as heroes even after invading Iraq, causing thousands of deaths among both Iraqis and American peoples. To the Iraqis they are invaders. So is the case with the Vietnam war. It all depends on which side one is. The recent Bersih rally too illustrated how the police were used by the BN government against our own people. The government historians will picture the demonstrators as "trouble makers" and "provocateurs". However, the pro-Bersih population will always remember it as a day when Malaysians came together for a noble cause.

I remember the impression I got during my secondary school days, when the Histroy syllabus would brand Maharaja Lela as “bad” because he killed JWW Birch. But now our children are being taught that he was a hero for killing a colonial officer.

'Combat' series and Bukit Kepong

Coming back to the Bukit Kepong incident, if it were the Japanese colonial policemen or British mercenaries (Nepalese, Benggalis, Indians and Chinese) killed, Mat Indera and his insurgent comrades would have been hailed as a hero. Remember the 'Combat' series we all grew up with? Remember how the Germans were depicted as cruel, killing 'innocent' Americans? The American soldiers were the heroes in that television series. How I hated the Germans then!

UMNO can go on politicising this issue and Pakatan Rakyat may lose some or many Malay votes, but in the long run Malaysians will be more objective about their history and move to becoming more inclusive.

The real issue is the recognition for our past freedom fighters who had struggled to kick out the colonialists and imperialists, from the day they set foot in Melaka through a 400-year struggle that culminated in our independence. Malaysians especially the younger generation must be taught about true patriotism, that is the fight for freedom.

If this issue is not debated thoroughly, it will come again next August 31. We should not allow only a single interpretation of history to dominate, in spite of the fact that history is written by the victors. We have to be open to other interpretations so that we can make reconciliation, and so that the celebration of Merdeka will be more meaningful.

Otherwise, we will see only UMNO supporters flying the Jalur Gemilang on Merdeka Day. Just observe how Sabahans and Sarawakians are more enthusiastic about September 16, and not August 31.

* The writer is deputy head of PAS's Muslimat Wing, and member of parliament for Kota Raja, Selangor.

http://en.harakahdaily.net/index.php/berita-utama/3436-my-mother-abang-mat-and-the-importance-of-true-patriotism.html

Eid al-Fitr greeting from Lim Kit Siang

Lim Kit Siang August 29, 2011

Aug 29: Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Maaf Zahir dan Batin to all Muslims in Malaysia.

The coinciding of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, the 54th National Day and the 48th Malaysia Day should be a special triple occasion of joy and celebrations for all Malaysians.

It must be a matter of concern to all Malaysians, however, that this is not the case with the recent irresponsible and incessant ramping-up and incitement of race and religious hatred and tensions through baseless and incendiary allegations by certain media.

A call must urgently go out to all Muslim and non-Muslim Malaysians to dedicate themselves to promote the values of justice, freedom, love and compassion on the triple occasion of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, 54th National Day and 48th Malaysia Day – values which are common to all the great religions which have found a home in the country.

Whether we are Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, Ibans or Orang Asli, whether Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Taoists or Sikhs, let us unite as one Malaysian people first and last to give real meaning to the triple occasion of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, the 54th National Day and 48th Malaysia Day.

http://en.harakahdaily.net/index.php/berita-utama/3420-eid-al-fitr-greeting-from-lim-kit-siang.html

A Hari Raya built upon taqwa

Harakahdaily

August 29, 2011

Eid al-Fitr messages from PAS Murshidul Am, Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, and President, Abdul Hadi Awang.

MESSAGE FROM TUAN GURU NIK ABDUL AZIZ NIK MAT All praise is due to Allah, for giving us the opportunity to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, 1432 Hijrah.

Having undergone the month-long training in Ramadan, with all its acts of worship such as fasting, qiyam al-layl (night prayer), recitation of the Qur'an, i'tikaf (retreat in mosque) and so on, we are commanded to observe the Eid to celebrate our victory over our desires, in the hope that the just-concluded Ramadan has transformed us into people who fear God, in line with the objective of fasting.

Taqwa (the fear of Allah) act as a shield from Hell-fire. When Ramadan succeeds to bring about a society fearful of God, insha Allah, there will not be corruption, bribery, breach of trust and other such crimes, because it is due to the absence of the fear of God which drives a person to commit such crimes. It also means having inhibitions from the people around them to commit crimes.

Similarly the crime of faith, such as apostasy, which we have been hearing quite often nowadays, is because one is not inculcated with the fear of God. I urge everyone to make taqwa as a basic part in every sphere of our lives.

This year, Hari Raya is celebrated almost simultaneously with Merdeka Day. As such, let us hope that the Merdeka celebration is observed by understanding its true meaning, by being free from our vain desires, and by acting upon our fear of Allah in all our actions.

Eid Mubarak to Malaysians of all walks of life. Let the month of Shawwal become a turning point in our resolve to make the Qur'an and Sunnah as the genuinely truthful guide.

Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat
Murshidul Am

MESSAGE FROM TUAN GURU ABDUL HADI AWANG On behalf of PAS, I extend Hari Raya greetings to all Muslims and pray that we have accomplished the fast of Ramadan, the month which acts as a training ground for mankind to have taqwa (fear of God). It is not enough for us to have completed the obligatory act of fasting as well as other rites of worship during Ramadan, but more importantly, we have prepared ourselves to carry out our human responsibilities on earth.

Fasting brings us closer to Allah, so that we obey Him as do the ever-obedient angels, and ultimately makes us human beings who have the strength of soul and spirit which is what differentiates us from animals.

When we successfully reap the fruits of Ramadan, it follows that we will hold on to the religion that makes a distinction between truth and falsehood, the centrepoint of conflicts from time immemorial.

Fasting makes us stronger in fighting our desires, not only our base desires. It also trains us to defeat the enemies of Islam, and to achieve victory for Islam by upholding justice to all mankind in this world.

In celebrating the Eid which has been bestowed upon us, let us glorify Allah, not indulge in mindless entertainment forgetful of the Hereafter. If we can realise this in our lives, especially on this Eid, we will meet Allah in a state of joy. Selamat Hari Raya.

Abdul Hadi Awang
President

http://en.harakahdaily.net/index.php/berita-utama/3419-a-hari-raya-built-upon-taqwa.html

Umat Islam kehilangan ulama tersohor

M Faqih

Umat Islam di negara ini kehilangan seorang tokoh ulama tersohor apabila Tuan Guru Datuk Hashim Abu Bakar, 88, kembali ke rahmatullah pada petang 1 Syawal lalu.

Allahyarham yang lebih dikenali dengan panggilan Ayah Sim terlantar sakit hampir dua tahun lalu merupakan anggota jawatankuasa Dewan Ulamak PAS Kelantan, Pengerusi Pusat Pembangunan Pondok Berhad (PPPB) dan mudir Pondok Pasir Tumbuh.

Lebih 2,000 warga pondok dan penduduk tempatan menunaikan solat ke atas jenazahnya yang diimamkan Menteri Besar, Tuan Guru Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.

Turut berangkat menunaikan solat di Masjid Pondok Pasir Tumbuh kira-kira jam 6 petang iaitu Sultan dan Tengku Mahkota Kelantan.

Jenazahnya kemudian disemadikan di Tanah Perkuburan Islam berhampiran pondok terbabit.

Setiausaha PPPB, Adam Abdullah berkata, Allahyarham disifatkan sebagai generasi terakhir ulama tersohor dari Malaysia yang pernah mendalami pelbagai kitab di Makkah.

“Sekarang boleh dikatakan sudah tidak ada lagi ulama yang pernah mendalami ilmu agama di Makkah secara halaqat terus dengan ulama-ulama besar di Masjidilharam.

“Pada pandangan saya boleh dikatakan tiada lagi ulama besar seperti Allahyarham Ayah Sim di negara kita yang pernah menekuni pelbagai ilmu agama di Makkah,” katanya.

Menurutnya ulama yang belajar secara berkitab di Makkah berguru dengan ulama-ulama besar dan mengetahui lebih banyak cabang ilmu.

Setiausaha Pondok Pasir Tumbuh, Sairozi Atiqullah berkata, warga pondok benar-benar merasakan suatu kehilangan besar setelah kembalinya Ayah Sim menghadap Ilahi.

Katanya, Allahyarham satu-satunya pengasas Pondok Pasir Tumbuh yang ada sebelum ini selepas kematian Tuan Guru Haji Mustafa dan Tuan Guru Haji Abdul Aziz Abu Bakar.

“Ayah Sim mengajar di Pondok Pasir Tumboh bersama dua orang iparnya. Dan selepas kedua-duanya meninggal beliau menggantikan tempat sebagai penguasa I atau mudir sehingga sekarang.

”Allahyarham juga dilantik sebagai Pengerusi Pusat Pembangunan Pondok Berhad sejak 1995,” ujarnya.

Tuan Guru Hashim dilahirkan di Seberang Pantai Johor, Alor Setar, Kedah pada 1923. Mendapat pendidikan di Darul Ulum ad-Diniah, Makkah (1936 – 1939).

Pernah juga belajar di Madrasah Irsyadiah Tuan Guru Haji Abdul Rahman Abdullah Merbuk, Sungai Petani; Pondok al-Marhum Tuan Guru Haji Ghazali Batu 26, Bagan Datoh, Perak; Pondok Lebai Idris Hitam, Kampung Air Hitam, Jitra dan Pondok Bunut Payong Kota Bharu.

Ayah Sim juga pernah dianugerah Tokoh Hijraturrasul 1428 Hijriah peringkat negeri Kelantan dan mendapat anugerah Datuk Paduka daripada Sultan Kelantan pada 2010.

Beliau meninggalkan lima anak. Isterinya meninggal beberapa tahun lalu.

Timbalan Ketua Penerangan PAS Kelantan, Ahmad Baihaki Atiqullah berkata, kehilangan Ayah Sin begitu dirasai rakyat dan kerajaan negeri Kelantan kerana kehebatan ilmu yang ada padanya.

“Sepanjang hayatnya Allahyarham sering menjadi rujukan dalam pelbagai bidang berkaitan permasalahan agama,” ujarnya.

http://bm.harakahdaily.net/index.php/articles/edu-spective/5210-umat-islam-kehilangan-ulama-tersohor

Mohamad Sabu tak sebut komunis

Kenyataan Media Pakatan Rakyat

Winston Churchill pernah berkata bahawa "sejarah ditulis oleh pihak yang menang". Di Malaysia, bukan sahaja sejarah malah berita semasa juga ditulis mengikut skrip mereka yang berkuasa. Beberapa hari kebelakangan ini, media milik BN telah menyerang Timbalan Presiden PAS, Mohamad Sabu secara berterusan sebagai seorang simpatisan komunis. Mereka telah memfitnahnya sebagai mengagung-agungkan pengganas komunis yang menyerang polis di dalam tragedi Bukit Kepong.

Kedua-dua dakwaan ini adalah tidak benar sama sekali. Kami percaya Saudara Mohamad Sabu tidak berkata demikian dan secara tegas mengutuk putar-belit yang tidak bertanggungjawab oleh pimpinan dan media UMNO. Pertama sekali, Mohamad Sabu tidak sekali-kali menyebut tentang komunis ataupun PKM. Kedua, usahanya untuk menarik perhatian terhadap sejarah sebenar yang luas telah diputarbelitkan.

Justeru kami menegaskan bahawa kami tidak mempersoalkan sebab mengapa Mohamad Sabu cuba menimbulkan persoalan terhadap naratif sejarah negara. Tetapi kami secara serius mempersoalkan laporan cuai dan berniat jahat Utusan Malaysia, yang sekali lagi menggunakan hujah palsu dan tipu helah dengan niat yang jahat.

Kami juga mempersoalkan naratif sejarah yang ditulis oleh 'pihak yang menang', yang dalam kes ini ditulis oleh Kerajaan UMNO-BN dan perkakas propaganda mereka. Dalam hal ini, kami ingin memberikan kritikan tegas terhadap usaha sistematik berdekad-dekad lamanya untuk 'memalsukan' sejarah Malaysia, agar hanya sumbangan UMNO dan sekutu mereka yang diiktiraf sementara sumbangan jelas dari nasionalis Malaysia dan pejuang kemerdekaan yang lain dipadamkan.

Apa sudah jadi kepada tokoh-tokoh seperti Dr Burhanuddin al-Helmy, Ahmad Boestamam, Ishak Haji Mohamed (Pak Sako) dan ramai lagi?

Bagaimana dengan pertubuhan dan gerakan seperti Kesatuan Melayu Muda (KMM) dan Parti Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya (PKMM)? Mereka merupakan peneraju sebenar aktivisme politik Melayu. Kita juga mempunyai Perlembagaan Rakyat yang terhasil 10 tahun sebelum Merdeka oleh Pusat Tenaga Rakyat (PUTERA) dan All-Malaya Council of Joint Action (AMCJA).

Usaha PUTERA-AMCJA ini bukan sahaja bersejarah dari segi usaha mereka, malah merekalah pakatan politik pelbagai kaum pertama negara.

Harus diingat perjuangan kemerdekaan bukanlah usaha Perikatan semata-mata. Perjuangan murni ini berlangsung di pelbagai medan dan lapangan, dipimpin pelbagai tokoh dan menerusi pelbagai cara. Bukankah pengorbanan tokoh-tokoh menentang penjajah seperti Tok Janggut, Abdul Rahman Limbong, Tok Ku Paloh dan ramai lagi juga mesti disertakan?

Tetapi pemimpin UMNO tidak mampu menerima kepelbagaian ini. Sejarah yang ditulis UMNO ialah hanyalah satu versi yang tiada ruang untuk berbeza pandangan.

Hakikatnya, jika kita membaca sejarah Malaysia menerusi tokoh-tokoh seperti Dr Burhanuddin, Boestamam, Pak Sako dan lain-lain lagi, kita akan mendapati kisah aktivisme sosial, pejuangan kebangsaan, anti-kolonialisme dan kemudian ketakutan institusi dan penindasan yang menyaksikan mereka dan ramai lagi ditangkap dan ditahan di bawah ISA oleh Kerajaan Perikatan / BN setelah difitnah, antara lain, menjadi talibarut komunis.

Buku-buku sejarah kita bukan sahaja kehilangan satu atau dua bab, tetapi satu sejarah yang selari tetapi telah berjaya dipadamkan daripada rekod rasmi negara.

Jelas sekali lagi bahawa UMNO mempunyai kepentingan untuk mengekalkan versi sejarah mereka memandangkan ini menjadi asas kepada pemimpin serta kekuasaan mereka, malah menutup tipuhelah mereka untuk menindas pihak lawan dan penentangan sah setelah lima dekad berkuasa.

Sekali lagi kami menegaskan bahawa Mohamad Sabu tidak salah dalam usaha mempersoalkan persepsi yang wujud tentang sejarah negara. Yang menjadi kesalahan ialah hakikat bahawa rakyat Malaysia telah dimanipulasi sekian lama oleh perkakas propaganda Kerajaan UMNO-BN.

Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, PAS

Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, KEADILAN

Liew Chin Tong, DAP

2 September 2011

http://bm.harakahdaily.net/index.php/articles/depth/5191-mohamad-sabu-tak-sebut-komunis

Madrasah Ramadhan menafikan tunduk pada makhluk

Anwar Ibrahim

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِيَ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِّنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ يُرِيدُ اللّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلاَ يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُواْ الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُواْ اللّهَ عَلَى مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ (2:185)

Masa yang diwajibkan kamu berpuasa itu ialah) bulan Ramadan yang padanya diturunkan Al-Quran, menjadi petunjuk bagi sekalian manusia, dan menjadi keterangan-keterangan yang menjelaskan petunjuk dan (menjelaskan) perbezaan antara yang benar dengan yang salah. Oleh itu, sesiapa dari antara kamu yang menyaksikan anak bulan Ramadan (atau mengetahuinya), maka hendaklah ia berpuasa bulan itu; dan sesiapa yang sakit atau dalam musafir maka (bolehlah ia berbuka, Kemudian wajiblah ia berpuasa) sebanyak hari yang ditinggalkan itu pada hari-hari yang lain. (Dengan ketetapan yang demikian itu) Allah menghendaki kamu beroleh kemudahan, dan Ia tidak menghendaki kamu menanggung kesukaran. Dan juga supaya kamu cukupkan bilangan puasa (sebulan Ramadan), dan supaya kamu membesarkan Allah kerana mendapat petunjukNya, dan supaya kamu bersyukur.

Pada ayat 185, Surah Al Baqarah itu termaktub perintah untuk umat Islam menunaikan ibadah puasa dan ayat tersebut juga mengsiyaratkan keutamaan bulan Ramadhan, antaranya ialah yang padanya diturunkan Al Quran sebagai petunjuk. Al Quran atau gelar lainnya iaitu Al Furqan menjadi keterangan buat umat manusia membedakan antara yang hak dan batil, antara kebaikan dengan keburukan, dan antara cahaya dan fasad.

Merenungi pesan Allah Yang Maha Pengasih dan Maha Penyayang sepertimana yang terkandung dalam ayat tersebut pasti mengetuk nurani kita betapa dikaitkan perintah untuk berpuasa dan keutamaan Al Quran sebagai pedoman menunjuki jalan yang lurus. Ternyata terkandung dalam ayat tersebut bukanlah Allah SWT mahukan suatu kesukaran buat hambanya dengan mewajibkan ibadah puasa bahkan juga ianya keterangan bagi Rahmah Nya, Kasih Sayang Nya yang melimpah ruah dan seperti yang ditunjuki dalam ayat sebelumnya, ayat 183 Surah Al Baqarah, agar kita menjadi umat yang bertakwa.

Menjalani ibadah puasa sepanjang bulan Ramadhan merupakan suatu ujian kepada umat Islam, ujian melawan nafsu, menundukkan musuh utama dan sekiranya menang, dianugerahi Alllah SWT dengan petunjuk serta ampunan dari Nya. Maka tidak hairanlah kita mengapa perintah melaksanakan ibadah puasa dipintal bersama dengan keutamaan Al Quran. Kedua-duanya menjadi suatu kesempatan buat umat untuk menghayati, merenungi serta untuk dimaanfaatkan, dengan tujuan dilimpahi petunjuk untuk membedakan antara yang benar dengan yang batil, menafikan ketundukan kepada makhluk dan bersaksi bahawa kekuasaan hanya milik Dzul Jalal Wal Ikram (Yang Maha Memilki Kebesaran dan Kemuliaan).

Kini Ramadhan sudah sampai ke penghujungnya. Sepanjang kita menjalani ibadah puasa ianya umpama sebuah madrasah yang mendidik erti kerendahan hati, erti sabar menanggung ujian, senantiasa membesarkan Allah SWT dan bersyukur kepada Nya. Tibanya satu Syawal semestinya disambut dengan rasa gembira dan bersyukur. Apatah lagi sekiranya bersama sahabat handai serta sanak saudara. Moga kesempatan memperkukuh hubungan antara kita dengan Sang Pencipta sepanjang bulan Ramadhan itu berterusan. Izinkan saya, Azizah dan keluarga mengucapkan selamat menyambut Eid ul-Fitr kepada seluruh muslimin dan muslimat dengan lafaz Minal Eidin Walfaizin wal Maqbulin.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

http://bm.harakahdaily.net/index.php/articles/depth/5166-madrasah-ramadhan-menafikan-tunduk-pada-makhluk

Kerajaan Johor iktiraf ketokohan Mat Indera

Mohamed Hadi al-Majwi

Sebelum kita disesatkan lebih jauh lagi oleh media-media parti pemerintah, eloklah kita semua kembali ke pangkal jalan, mengkaji dan memahami semula sejarah. Sebetulnya tatkala kali pertama saya menonton klip video ceramah Mohamad Sabu (Mat Sabu) mengenai tragedi Bukit Kepong itu, hati saya telah terdetik "Apa sajalah yang UMNO akan merapu lepas ni". Dan memang saya mahu saksikan, label apakah yang hendak dicop kepada Mat Sabu rentetan daripada ceramah beliau. Sememangnya ucapan Mat Sabu telah diputarbelitkan oleh Utusan Malaysia dan kalau salah bacaan, kita juga akan terperangkap dengan permainan Utusan Malaysia. Mat Sabu tidak pernah menyebut komunis, tetapi hanya menyebut nama Mat Indera, pejuang yang telah mengetuai serangan ke atas Rumah Pasong Bukit Kepong pada 23 Februari 1950. Inti ucapan Mat Sabu ialah ketokohan Mat Indera sebagai pejuang kemerdekaan yang peranannya digelapkan oleh parti pemerintah, tetapi di tangan Utusan Malaysia, tiba-tiba Mat Sabu pula yang sokong komunis!

Yayasan Warisan Johor iktiraf Mat Indera

Saya tidak perlu membuat rujukan daripada pelbagai sumber untuk membuat pendirian bahawa Mat Indera ialah seorang pejuang kemerdekaan, seperti yang disebutkan oleh Mat Sabu. Saya hanya merujuk kepada buku biografi Pengukir Nama Johor yang diterbitkan oleh Yayasan Warisan Johor pada tahun 2004. Di dalam buku ini terdapat 22 biografi ringkas tokoh-tokoh ternama Johor dan salah seorang daripadanya ialah Mat Indera sendiri. Jangan tak percaya, Yayasan Warisan Johor meletakkan nama Mat Indera sebaris dengan Almarhum Sultan Ismail dan Tun Sulaiman Ninam Shah, bekas pengerusi tetap UMNO. Malah foto Mat Indera juga menjadi sebahagian daripada kulit hadapan buku ini. Buku ini adalah hasil karya pelbagai penulis, tetapi biografi Mat Indera ditulis oleh Ismail Adnan, bekas guru kanan yang pernah menjadi Timbalan Pengarah, Institut Kepimpinan dan Latihan Semangat Dato' Onn. Buku ini juga telah disunting oleh Profesor Datuk Abu Bakar A. Hamid, bekas Profesor di Jabatan Pengajian Media, Universiti Malaya dan Md Ismail Zamzam, Tokoh Guru Berjasa Johor 2002. Prakata buku ini pula ialah daripada Menteri Besar Johor sendiri, Dato' Abdul Ghani Othman. Pendek kata, penerbitan buku ini mendapat restu kerajaan Johor. Nah, saya tak pasti adakah selepas ini nama-nama ini pula akan dilabelkan sebagai pengkhianat tetapi merekalah yang bertanggungjawab mengangkat ketokohan Mat Indera sebagai pejuang kemerdekaan.

Siapa Mat Indera

Mat Indera, atau Ahmad bin Indera lahir di Kampung Gombak, Peserai, Batu Pahat, Johor pada tahun 1920. Beliau pernah bertugas sebagai guru agama di Parit Setongkat, Muar pada tahun 1937. Diceritakan juga Mat Indera pernah berguru dengan Haji Yassin, ayah kepada Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yang menggesa Mat Sabu supaya bertaqwa baru-baru ini. Di dalam peperiksaan Darjah Khas untuk guru-guru agama, Mat Indera pernah menerima anugerah butang perak daripada kerajaan Johor di atas kecemerlangannya di dalam peperiksaan tersebut. Selepas lulus peperiksaan Darjah Khas, beliau bertugas di Sekolah Agama Bandar Pontian sebagai guru agama.

Sewaktu pendudukan Jepun, Mat Indera bekerja sebagai peniaga beras. Setelah British kembali, Mat Indera bertugas pula sebagai ketua pengangkut beras di Pelabuhan Muar. Di waktu inilah Mat Indera membabitkan diri di dalam perjuangan menuntut kemerdekaan. Pada awalnya, Mat Indera dilantik menjadi Setiausaha Angkatan Pemuda Insaf (API) daerah Muar sewaktu API dipimpin oleh Ahmad Boestamam. Ketika British menguatkuasakan undang-undang darurat pada tahun 1948, semua parti politik berhaluan kiri diharamkan, termasuklah API (UMNO masih halal ketika ini dan hanya pernah haram sekali sahaja pada tahun 1988). Secara tidak langsung, Mat Indera menjadi buruan penjajah British. Oleh kerana hanya komunis sahaja yang berjuang menentang British di dalam hutan, tidak dapat tidak Mat Indera terpaksa menjalinkan hubungan dengan komunis. Tindakan Mat Indera bersatu tenaga dengan komunis mencetuskan kemarahan British yang menawarkan hadiah sebanyak $25,000.00 kepada sesiapa yang berjaya menangkap Mat Indera. Ibu bapa Mat Indera, adiknya Johan Shah serta datuk dan nenek Mat Indera terpaksa keluar masuk penjara selama beberapa bulan kerana disoal siasat oleh pihak British, namun Mat Indera masih gagal diberkas oleh penjajah.

Mat Indera dan Bukit Kepong

Peranan Mat Indera di dalam tragedi Bukit Kepong juga hangat diperdebatkan. Banyak teori yang dikemukakan, ada yang mengiyakan, tapi tak kurang juga yang menafikan. Namun hampir kesemuanya bersetuju Mat Indera terbabit secara langsung menyerang Rumah Pasung Bukit Kepong. Misalnya, anggota polis marin yang terselamat di dalam tragedi itu, Abu Bakar Daud menafikan bahawa Mat Indera turut menyerang anggota polis, sebaliknya Mat Indera melindungi dan menyelamatkan keluarga anggota polis daripada menjadi mangsa pihak komunis. Seorang komunis Melayu, Shahran Abdul Ghani yang pernah aktif di kawasan Yong Peng mengesahkan bahawa serangan ke atas Rumah Pasong Bukit Kepong diarahkan oleh Mat Indera. Adik Mat Indera, Johan Shah pula mendedahkan bahawa abangnya mengaku bahawa beliau (Mat Indera) bertanggungjawab mengarahkan serangan ke atas Rumah Pasung Bukit Kepong tetapi tidaklah sehingga ke tahap membunuh dan membakar balai polis. Apa yang berlaku ialah orang-orang bawahannya yang berbangsa Cina telah melanggar arahan Mat Indera dan membuat pakatan rahsia tanpa pengetahuan Mat Indera.

Apa pun peranan sebenar Mat Indera dalam tragedi Bukit Kepong itu, pihak British telah melabelkan Mat Indera sebagai pengganas dan tawaran dinaikkan kepada $75,000.00 untuk sesiapa yang berjaya menangkap Mat Indera. Rancangan demi rancangan diatur, akhirnya pada 1952, Mat Indera tertangkap setelah diperdayakan oleh rakan yang dipercayai olehnya. Beberapa pemimpin Melayu, antaranya Kadi Haji Ahmad Shah Haji Abdul Jabar cuba memujuk Mat Indera supaya bertolak ansur dengan penjajah sewaktu perbicaraan di mahkamah untuk melepaskan diri daripada hukuman mati, tetapi semua ini ditolak oleh Mat Indera. Akhirnya, Mat Indera didapati bersalah dan dihukum gantung sampai mati pada 30 Januari 1953.

Tafsiran sejarah bukannya pengkhianatan

Buku ini turut memuatkan biografi tokoh yang terlibat secara langsung menangkap Mat Indera iaitu Bajuri Haji Siraj atau Sarjan Bajuri. Beliau merupakan pegawai yang terlibat untuk memberkas Mat Indera dan menerima habuan $75,000.00 seperti yang ditawarkan oleh pihak British. Beliau pernah memegang jawatan sebagai Ketua Pemuda UMNO Pontian dan pernah bertanding sebagai calon bebas setelah tidak terpilih sebagai calon Perikatan di dalam pilihanraya kecil Dun Pontian Kecil pada tahun 1961.

Di bahagian Pendahuluan buku ini, Profesor Datuk Abu Bakar A. Hamid menyifatkan bahawa kedua-dua versi cerita (Mat Indera dan Sarjan Bajuri) merupakan subjek yang amat menarik untuk terus diperbincangkan dan dibuat kajian lebih lanjut. Ada yang menganggap Mat Indera sebagai wira dan ada pula yang menganggap Sarjan Bajuri sebagai wira. Menurut beliau, sejarah ialah apa yang ditafsirkan dan dikemukakan oleh para sejarawan berdasarkan bukti yang mereka dapati. Katanya lagi, "proses pembuktian dan pentafsiran ini berjalan terus menerus tanpa henti selagi manusia mampu menggali dan berfikir untuk mencari 'kebenaran'".

Kebenaran inilah yang dicari oleh setiap pengkaji sejarah. Apa yang dipohon oleh Mat Sabu ialah pihak parti pemerintah memberikan gambaran yang seadil-adilnya kepada para pejuang kemerdekaan dan tidak hanya memberi fokus kepada UMNO sahaja. Golongan kiri, golongan alim ulama' dan golongan yang "bukan UMNO" turut terbabit memperjuangkan kemerdekaan, hatta Dato' Onn Jaafar yang pernah dicop oleh UMNO sebagai boneka British juga turut berhasrat memperjuangkan kemerdekaan. Berikanlah kepada mereka penghormatan yang sewajarnya berdasarkan neraca intelek, bukan bidasan jelik. Tidak dapat difahami mengapa tafsiran sejarah yang berbeza berasaskan hujah-hujah akademik boleh dilabel sebagai pengkhianatan, petualang dan entah apa-apa lagi.

Rasional bukan emosi

Apabila seorang tokoh politik seperti Mat Sabu memberi tafsiran sejarahnya (yang bukannya tiada asas), mengapa reaksi-reaksi yang timbul langsung tidak ilmiah malah disulami kecaman demi kecaman yang penuh emosi? Berfikirlah secara rasional dan selak kembali lembaran-lembaran sejarah yang mungkin kita terlepas pandang.

Bacalah biografi Mat Indera di dalam buku ini, betapa keperibadian Mat Indera disanjung. Latar belakangnya juga mengagumkan. Secara jelas Ismail Adnan menukilkan bahawa "Pihak Inggeris telah berjaya mempengaruhi pemikiran rakyat Tanah Melayu bahawa seorang manusia Melayu beragama Islam yang kuat pegangan agamanya bernama Mat Indera itu adalah seorang penderhaka kepada negara, membelakangkan ajaran agama Islam serta menjadi pengganas komunis yang kejam dan tidak berperikemanusiaan". Di akhir biografi ringkas Mat Indera, penulis ada menyebut "Adakah Mat Indera seorang petualang atau pejuang? ...Dia tidak mempunyai kepentingan peribadi. Dia juga tidak mempunyai niat jahat terhadap bangsa dan negaranya. Dia rela mempertaruhkan nyawanya demi memperjuangkan hak kedaulatan sebuah negara yang terbelenggu oleh rantai penjajahan. Justeru Mat Indera sewajarnya diabadikan namanya sebagai seorang pejuang, bukan seorang petualang". Kenyataan ini saja sudah membuatkan saya tertanya-tanya, adakah Yayasan Warisan Johor juga mahu menjadi pengkhianat seperti Mat Sabu? Bilakah pula agaknya Utusan Malaysia ingin mengisytiharkan Yayasan Warisan Johor sebagai pengkhianat?

http://bm.harakahdaily.net/index.php/articles/analysis-a-opinion/5201-kerajaan-johor-iktiraf-ketokohan-mat-indera