RAMADHAN

Everytime Ramadhan month approaches every year, i become excited as this month offers opportunities for Muslims like me to test my spiritual and mental strength and rewards for good deeds during the whole month. Of course, one must not wait only for this month to do good deeds and improve one's spiritual level. Nevertheless, it is the month that has been blessed by the Almighty and rewards for good deeds and religious ritual will be multiplied thousand times.

For me, it always a challenge to better my achievement in the previous Ramadhan. It has been eight days so far and i have not missed a single fasting day, and i performed Terawikh prayer almost everyday.

The most challenging thing to do is not to think of negetive things and control my anger or say bad things as sometimes they come out instantaneously maybe because of old habits. Opening my fast in moderation is also a challenge as after a long day of fasting, shopping at pasar Ramadhan with all the delicacies sold there is very tempting. Most of the times we end up buying more that we can eat and the leftovers become wasted. Despite all that food, i am happy that so far i have lost 5kg just in eight days of fasting. Funny, some ladies have to pay thousands of ringgit at slimming centers just to lose that kind of weight and yet i can lose easily just by fasting. Fasting also give our bodily organs a chance to rest and recuperate, and to reduce accumulated toxin in our bodies. Our bodies will be lighter and easier on our joints.

But the most beneficial outcome of fasting is the improvement of our mental and spiritual strength. Our minds will be trained in resisting hunger and the binge for all sorts of unhealthy food. At the same time, it will make us realised how lucky and blessed we are that we are only experiencing this only one month of the whole year, not like the poor who have to endure this almost everyday in our country and across the world. It is God's intention to impress upon us this feeling so that we will be humble and open up our minds to other people's problems that we can find kindness in our hearts to help them by donating whatever we can afford to alleviate their suffering even for a day. Muslims are asked to pay the compulsary tithe ( Zakat Fitrah) during this month but before the Eid to be channelled to the unfortunate.

Spiritually, fasting is a mean to test one's faith in carrying out God's instruction. How much can Muslims endure to carry out his/her duty to practice one of the five pillars of Islam. Once human can overcome the hunger and thirst by giving up their most common bodily needs from sunset to sunrise for the sake of his/her faith, then he/she has gained a higher level of spiritual development. Of course, there are those Muslims who do not fast comes Ramadhan and will find all sorts of excuses to avoid it. To these Muslims, we hope they will change as they are only fooling themselves but not God. It also sad that this group of Muslims is giving Islam a bad name through their behavior. One can only call himself/herself a Muslim by practicing the teachings not through birth right, as Islam means surrender oneself to God and his commands.

As we go through this holy month of Ramadhan, i will pray that we can do it in peace and harmony, among Muslims brothers and sisters, and other citizens of Malaysia. I call for all Malays from all political parties to stop bickering, name calling, throwing sensitive statements regarding other races and respect this holy month. By the same virtue, other races should do the same and diffuse this unnecessary tension that goes around gathering strength. Lets not be like some countries where their citizens have to live in hostility.

Happy Ramadhan and Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, maaf zahir dan batin.

Drive home carefully, the best part about the long journey is the journey itself, take it easy.

31 August 1957 - Malaysia Independence Day

Two days from now when the clock ticks to 12.00 midnight, cheers of merdeka (independence) will echo across the country followed by fireworks shows and concerts that will last until early morning. Like the previous year, thousand of people will line up the road waving the Malaysian flags in selected locations all over the country watching independence day parade, air show and cultural dance which becomes a feature for would be tourists in this time of the year.

Such are the ways the government and the people celebrate their country's independence from the British on 31 st August 1957 every year. It has been 51 years since the proclamation of independence by the late Tungku Abdul Rahman in the Merdeka Stadium, how we fared so far?

Well, for a young country we have fared quite well considering the steep learning curve we have to go through in shaping this beloved country. Of course, with the multiracial composition and probably one of the highest density of political parties per country in the world, it is not an easy journey. Along the way, there were hiccups, flu and fever, there were the insurgency war with the Malaya Communist Party (PKM) guerillas, Confrontation with Indonesia in 1963, racial clash on 13 May 1969, big flood in 1973, various political controversies up to today, and so on shaped up the history of this country. At the end of the day, with enough tolerance from all parties, our country is still intact and matured. We should keep it that way.

In economy, our industries have grown and become one of the major players internationally in electronics, petroleum, agricultural products and other fields. Malaysia has become respected in international political arena with regular contribution of peacekeeping force wherever is needed, and has led various organisations like NAM and OIC. Our voices continued to be heard in the UN on various issues.

However, there are still a lot of work to be done to appreciate the independence that we have. We need to change our mindset to think and do things our way and cleanse our minds from the effects of colonisation. The new generation nowadays lack focus on obtaining knowledge and skills to compete with others at local and international stage. Opportunities given by the government were not used fully and they seem contented with their current levels. The youths spend a lot of their time on entertainments and time wasting activities. Some of those given the scholarships to study at local universities are not doing well as their focus are misplaced on entertainment and political activities. We need to change all this so our human resource is fully developed to support our country's vision of becoming a developed nation by 2020. We cannot forever rely on foreign workers to build this nation as this will bring other problems also like social ills and crime problems.

In political arena, we spend too much time bickering about who are the better political parties, or leaders and less time looking into issues which matter to the people. Those who cannot achieve their political agendas went overseas to complaint to their previous colonial master as though our independence means nothing! They have no qualms in sacrificing this country's interests as long as they achieve their political goals. The fate of this nation should be decided by the people who decided to have a system of parliamentary democracy with a Monarchy Institution. It has worked so far for the last 51 years of independance and it should work also for the future. What is required is for every citizen to give a bit of sacrifice of self-interest to protect and nurture our independence for years to come. Leaders who are no longer able to serve and lost touch with the people inspirations should voluntary make way for the new and younger ones to inject new blood and ideas to formulate new policies that help the people. Do not cling to your posts forever just to protect your interests because it is not healthy for the country.

For those fallen heroes of early independence, i salute all of you for your contributions, and for the young generation please do not waste it.

Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!

TAX RELIEFS

The PM is going to table the new budget soon in the Parliament in the next couple of days. I take it the budget will not be satisfying to everybody i this trying time of world economic slowdown and uncertainty of local politics.

However, i like any other tax payers in this country would wish for certain things to be revised in our favor. One of the main grouses is the tax relief of RM1000 per children per year. For so many years i could not comprehend how in the world the government come up with this figure which translated into Rm83.33 to take care of a kid per month! Did they use parameters from the 70's era for prices related to kid's food, clothing, diapers and medical treatment or they just plucked it from the sky and hope for the Rakyat not complaint about it? Yesterday's news announced that inflation has risen to 8.5% thanks to the petrol price increase as the main culprit which caused the domino effect on the rest of the items. Back to the cost of taking care of a kid nowadays without a maid involved, i am sure is more than RM250 a month which works out to be RM3000 a year! It is very easy to calculate and does not take a rocket scientist to do it.

Basically, a kid needs at least four cans of 22 ounces(medium size) per month, each costs around RM20 plus minus, and 4 packs of 32 or 2 packs of 60 pieces diapers per month which costs around RM60 to RM80, medical costs for clinic visit twice a month for about RM50 for basic treatment, clothing and miscellaneous cost around RM50 per month? This is applicable for kids up to maybe 4 years old. When they grow up, cost of clothing will increase as kids clothing are very expensive compares to adults. Then the cost for kindergarten, school uniforms, fees, books and so on.

Which brings me back to the RM83.33 per kid per month of tax relief given by the government, how in the world they came up with it? Did it come from a lonely economist who never married and experienced the headache of bringing up a kid, or an accountant firm who are not in touch with reality, or some smart politicians who prefer to have big saving in the government coffer regardless the hardship experienced by the Rakyat? Which is it? Dont they know that more money available for the people would generate the economy, help businesses which in return increase corporate tax collection by the government? I think this time they should consider revising the figure seriously, because if the cost of raising a family is deemed to be too expensive, Malaysia will one day end up like Singapore, because the new generation will be more comfortable with a small family size that they can afford. There will be shortage of local human resource eventually, and Malaysia will end up importing more foreigners to feed its industries. More foreigners means more headache with social ills and crime rate increases.

While at it, the government should also review personal relief of RM8000 per year per person, especially with the inflation rate has increased to 8.5% this year. Those living in big cities suffer the most with over dependency on personal vehicles to commute to work as the public transportation system still not at its best. The petrol price hike is a killer, eventually the rental rates for housing accommodation will go up along with food items. Some have gone up already the day after the announcement. They also have to put up with numerous tolls just to come to work. Some companies give COLA to cope up with this, but if the COLA amount is also taxable what is the use? With the average salary increase of 5% per year in most companies, it is becoming more stressfull for those who work in big cities like KL to make ends meet. So, maybe the government should introduce a zone system whereby those who live in KL will get more tax relief than those who lived in small towns where the distance for commuting to work is closer, less toll to pay, cheaper parking rates and so on.

I think it is time for the goverment to feel the pain the people on the streets feel instead taking care of the big corporations interests only.