Daily Archives: May 25th, 2008

Magic Bracelet

Perak Mufti Datuk Seri Harussani Zakaria is generally the one who brings out helpful information to help the Muslims, but not to be out done Zamri Hashim, the principal assistant mufti has his say on copper bracelets, which I know about, or magnetic bracelet as explained by him.

I hope my Muslim readers of my blog, don’t get infuriated with my comments, I being a non-Muslim, but when I see Muslims as fellow human beings, I cannot help but wonder why these religious leaders treat their followers as small children, unable to distinguish between good and bad. This pains me.

Bear with me as I try to explain, non of my religious leaders would want to comment on what I wear, how I wear it, and what ever suggestions he may have on this particular issue. Why, because I am going to question them, ask for proof of his assertion, as he is another human like me but perhaps with some theological study which I don’t have. A good example, I am Indian, I prefer wearing pants, but I don’t expect him to come around telling me I cannot do this but must stick to a ‘vesti’, you know the cloth which Indians wear like the sarong, although the tying tactic still beats me – unless some one helps me the costume will never stick to my hip or waist. This may not be the best example, but between two human beings, unless an authority is quoted, how could one convince the other, this is good and the other is bad. Have I not got brains of my own. And why am I being treated like a child.

Now wearing this bracelet, it is something that does not go back a million years. It is a new phenomenon and I am sure there are no religious edicts, to cover this.

Look at what Zamri says or what are the 4 criteria:

  • Wearer must not believe the benefits come from God and not the bracelet. If it is believed that God can heal why use the bracelet at all.
  • It must not be a show off for men, you cannot call it an accessory, or the stuff must not be made of gold. At the material time this man made the comment he must have had a fit that made thinking impossible. The man is looking for a cure by wearing the bracelet, if he wants an accessory I am sure he will choose gold, but gold does not possess healing powers and why the heck wear something that can be termed as an accessory.
  • Paracetamol or Panodol as we call it relieves pain. All of us take it. It has been scientifically and clinically tested. Good. If this Principal Assistant Mufti had thought about it, would he not just say, hold on guys, the bracelet has not been tested, once the test results come in you will be informed. Has a layman who just wants his arthritis or rheumatic cured got the means to look for an expert to do the testing.
  • The last criteria is a whopper. If shy, to wear one, hide it-lah under the cloth. This is like a father telling a child, don’t steal, but he grabs the lollipop the child is eating, and thus defeats the whole purpose of the advice.

We have just disposed of Munirah the other religious person who thought white brings rape. Sometimes I am not too sure, have the religious authorities so much of free time, that they can indulge in this type of nonsense to create an impression they are working.

The wearing of magnetic bracelet is ’harus’ (permissible in Islam) if it fulfills four criteria, said Perak principal assistant mufti Zamri Hashim.

He said firstly, the wearer must not hold the belief (tiqad) that healing power comes from the bracelet but from the Almighty.
Secondly, he said wearing the bracelet must not be intended for showing off while for men, they are forbidden from wearing it as an accessory (as accessories are meant for women) or if it is made of gold.
He said thirdly, the healing power of the bracelet in improving blood circulation must have been proven scientifically and clinically. The evidence must come from doctors or scientists who were trustworthy and not merely be information provided by salepersons, he said in a working paper published by the Perak Mufti Department here.
Zamri said fourthly, if wearing the bracelet could embarass the wearer, it should be concealed in a long-sleeved shirt or blouse.

The New Straits Times Online……

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Samy The Computer Man

There it comes, MIC is being computerised, I mean blogs, web sites and even chat corners. It is a worthy move. Check the MIC web site and the latest news was the one on March 3. Not to worry irritating issues like this will be taken care of soon. I am excited, though I don’t particularly care for the internal workings of MIC, but at least for the sake of supporting the bloggers, MIC bloggers belong to the same fraternity, I am sure I would like to bring out questions on the Maika, Telecom shares, and how long will Samy be there in MIC before a new man takes over. I have seen the comments raised by readers when anything is brought about MIC and now comes the golden opportunity to get the answers from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.

Murugesan one of the committee members made some effort to support his leader, compliments of Malaysiakini and the letter writing column, and I know his arguments were torn to pieces by another writer in Malaysiakini. I did do a posting on this.

With RM400.000, each of the 160 divisions will have a computer the least, and I will look forward to the day when 160 MIC bloggers go on line, trumpeting the goodness of MIC.

A matter of interest, has the communication system with graduates manning the information centres been introduced.

More the merrier they say, and I as a blogger, welcome the 160 additional bloggers of MIC and hope to interact with them soon.

IPOH: MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has urged party leaders to set up their own weblogs (blogs) in an effort to re-brand the Barisan Nasional component party.

MIC would be using the Internet more widely to increase knowledge and understanding of the party’s struggles and initiatives, he said.

“We will use it to reach out to professionals and youths. Our leaders need to teach themselves to use the Internet and if possible, create their own blogs,” he told reporters before opening the Perak MIC convention here on Sunday.

Samy Vellu said that the majority of leaders at division and branch levels were still not Net-savvy, so the party would teach those who were willing to learn.

“Soon, we will launch our own portal which would allow the people to take part in discussions.

“We will also make it compulsory for each state committee to have its own website and to update them daily,” he added.

MIC would be spending RM400,000 to equip some 160 divisions with computers and other equipment.

Blogging bandwagon for MIC

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Right royal politician Datuk Seri Tengku Azlan Sultan Abu Bakar

Datuk Seri Tengku Azlan Sultan Abu Bakar rejected the opportunity to be a Deputy Minister. This are his comments on various topics highlighting the politic climate in this country. I have just highlighted his comments to have just Barisan Nasional without the rest of the racial based parties. His long and frank comments can be read here in Malaysia Today.

Datuk Seri Tengku Azlan Sultan Abu Bakar has always been out of the Malaysian political radar. Thus, it was ironic that the name of this low-profile younger brother of the Sultan of Pahang was on the lips of many when he marked the beginning of his political exit by rejecting the deputy FOREIGN minister’s post. He talks to R. Nadeswaran and Terence Fernandez about this and his reservations about Umno.

You think so? Why can’t we just have Barisan Nasional?

Someone should suggest it. There’s nothing wrong. You see, if you are an Indian and you talk about strengthening your community at a platform full of Indians, if I am sitting there, I will not take offence. Depends on where you say it and how you say it. If I am a Malay speaking about uplifting the Malays and killing all these jealousies, it is okay, but you cannot say “I want you to be better than the Chinese or Indians, so we should suppress them”.

Why should I get offended if you are talking about uplifting the Indians? But if you say “go to hell with the Malays”, sure-lah I get offended.

We have co-existed for so long. Mana ada problem dulu? (There weren’t problems then). Look at Tun Tan Siew Sin, how he took care of the country’s money. I have full respect for him. I don’t hold a grudge because he is Chinese. He is one of the best finance ministers we ever had. Tun V.T. Sambanthan and Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam … they were great leaders.

How did we come about this communal thing? We had no issues before.

In my kawasan, I speak about strengthening Umno in front of Indians and Chinese. They have no problems.

When I go to the Indian area, I tell MIC “you must tell us what you want”, and if I have programmes with Indians, I go through MIC.

At the height of the Hindraf issue, I had programmes with the Indians. I asked them how many went for Hindraf? Only one person, and he is not even a voter from Jerantut!

I said “why didn’t you go? You should have all gone just to listen to what they had to say. Nothing wrong with that”.

If you are an open-minded person, there will not be any problems. These are narrow-minded politicians.

Malaysia Today: Your source of independent news – Right royal politician

Hishamuddin Blunders On

Our educated Education Minister has seen the light and feels strongly about white uniforms which Munirah says makes a docile man into a sex pervert and rapist. He says there won’t be changes in the colour. But wait, what colour blind experts has he got in his Ministry, do they experiment with different colours to ensure which colour gives them the libido and this is reported to Sham.

Why do you waver, why must every thing be referred to an expert, can’t you decide for yourself, is your Ministry over-staffed and you have experts on everything. For a start, check your syllabus, the horrid work books you provide, improve the teaching standards of teachers and the list can continue indefinitely.

And behave like a Minister, make decisions and stay with it. You don’t have to play to the gallery.

The white uniform goes or not – are you worried Munirah will be disappointed.

PALOH: The Education Minister dismissed talk that the current uniform worn by girls in government schools, which has been in use for decades, was too “sexy” and that it contributed to rape and other immoral acts.

Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Tun Hussein said the uniform would probably not change much in the next few years.

He said that he personally felt it was unfair to blame the students or their uniforms for sexual crimes committed against them.

“It is unfair to punish women and children for the clothes they wear for the act of the rapist,” he said, adding that he could not allow such stereotyping to continue.

“Clothing is not the main consideration for those who commit despicable acts like these,” he said, in reference to the National Islamic Students Association of Malaysia’s condemnation of the uniform for being too sexy.

The association said the uniform encouraged rape and pre-marital sex.

Hishammuddin said that although he believed that changing the uniforms would not reduce sexual crimes committed against schoolgirls, he would refer the matter to experts within his ministry before making a decision.

‘Sexy’ school uniforms to stay

Ex-Puteri Leaders May Weaken Umno By Contesting Top Posts In Wanita – Rafidah

Any one taking over a new group, especially if elected, will find it difficult to run the outfit if the former group now defeated does not hand over the records, files and other paraphernalia in an orderly manner. I have had this experience, once I was elected the Treasurer of a film and dramatic society. The losers in bad grace did not even hand over the minute book nor the membership list and the new committee had a tough time to run the affairs of the group.

But as far as the political parties in this country go, the elected want to hang on as a leech until they are removed forcefully or die in office. Why not write it in the constitution of the party that members are elected for life and they only go when they die.

This is what Rafidah Aziz is telling all former puteri UMNO leaders who join Wanita UMNO. Do not vie for any top posts but be happy as committee members she says. She is 65 years old and a grandmother, surely she must move on to give youngsters a chance. UMNO wanita does not belong to her in perpetuity, she is just a caretaker until she hands over the reigns to the incoming person. She is no better than Samy Vellu who is in office for 32 years and still will not give up the Presidency to some one else.

What parties like UMNO wanita want are members who are robots shaking their heads at a signal, but not humans.

ALOR STAR, May 24 (Bernama) — Former Puteri Umno leaders’ intention to vie for top posts in Wanita Umno may weaken the women’s wing and Umno, said Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz.
She said should there be contests, it could cause upheaval and splits in wing and eventually weaken the party.
“Do not be overzealous in vying for top posts in Wanita Umno because when we have two or three people contesting (a post), we will have two or three factions and this will cause problems.
“Wanita (Umno) is the backbone of the party and if we are saddled with problems, the party will eventually bear the brunt,” she told reporters after holding a closed-door meeting with Kedah Umno Wanita division heads at Ampang Jajar here Saturday.
However, Rafidah welcomed ex-Puteri members who had ceased to become members of junior wing who had passed the age-limit to be a member in it to apply for Wanita Umno membership.
“However, let me remind you that once you are accepted, do not be impatient by vying for top posts,” she said, adding that they should start by contesting committee member posts.
“I am proposing that Wanita division heads enlist ex-Puteri members who are contemplating contesting become additional committee members. “At least we can get the input from these youths who can assist us in reaching out to the younger generation.
“Some ex-Puteri members held important posts in the movement and this is the reason why they also want positions in Wanita,” she said.

Ex-Puteri Leaders May Weaken Umno By Contesting Top Posts In Wanita – Rafidah :: Bernama.com