Heads Must Fall!

 Heads Must Fall !

M. Bakri Musa

 

The death of a young doctor in Sabah as a result of workplace bullying, the brutal fatal “ragging” at the National Defense University (NDU), and students at a MARA Junior College afflicted with food poisoning. Those grabbed the national headlines, and rightly so. All are but manifestations of a common underlying persistent pathology that has long been ignored. Ignored and thus not remedied. As such, expect more, and worse. 

 

The Agung felt compelled to comment on the death of our would-be warriors at NDU. As for the doctor’s fatal bullying, the Minister of Health is “closely monitoring all findings, accurate facts, and information.” Not to be outdone, Syraf Wajdi Dusuki, MARA Chairman, reduced himself to ketua mandul (foreman) when he visited MARA Junior College in Langkawi. There he was, banging on broken lavatory doors, wiping dirty trays, and hearing the students’ litany of complaints, with the camera rolling as he displayed the appropriate look of disgust.

 

All full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. As for solutions, continuing with Shakespeare, “tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow.” A local wit would put it as NATO–No action, talk only. That does not work with a young man pursuing his girl, and will not for a leader trying to make his administration crisp.  

 

The late Lee Kuan Yew was once asked how he made his team the model of efficiency. His answer? Make the top guy responsible and be answerable. “Heads must fall,” he famously added.

 

Had the director of that hospital where the young bullied doctor been fired, then all the other hospital directors would have taken note and initiated appropriate measures. The successor to the fired chief too would be more diligent in taking care of those under him or her. Little need for the Minister of Health’s press conference, except to announce the firing and naming the successor. 

 

Likewise, the head of NDU or MARA College should have acted decisively and fired the responsible personnel. As that was not done, the Minister of Defense should have fired NDU’s Vice-Chancellor (its chief executive), and MARA Chairman, the headmaster. Even if they were to file grievances or sue, that would not detract from the impact of your message and actions.

 

Syraf Dasuki should have taken a different approach. Have a private meeting with the headmaster and his senior staff following the inspection. Enquire how he, Dasuki, could help. If he were to receive the typical “More money!” response, then scrutinize past expenditures. How much were spent on ornate graduation ceremonies or entertaining visiting VIPs. Explore ideas on fundraising with affluent parents, or reducing costs through eliminating lower grades. 

 

Alas, Malaysian leaders and officers have not demonstrated their eagerness or ability to learn from others.

 

There is a glimmer of hope. The Agung in his previous capacity as the Sultan of Johore is close to the current crop of able post-Lee Kuan Yew Singapore leaders. It is significant that his first “foreign” royal tour was to that Republic. More symbolically, in 2015 at the funeral of Sultan’s son there was a huge contingent of top Singapore officials, reflecting the deep respect those second and third generation leaders had (and still have) for him. 

 

Sultan Ibrahim was a young man and off the royal succession radar screen when Lee was in his prime. As such I doubted whether he had any familiarity with Lee and his crisp management style. However, Lee had written much and had expressed his views on statehood administration in various media, all now readily available. 

 

Even the late Deng Xiaoping, the leader most responsible for transforming China and making young Chinese turn away from endlessly waving their Mao’s Red Book to instead learn science and technology, acknowledged his huge debt of gratitude to Lee. 

 

The Agung would do well to tell his ministers that “heads must fall” if they fail to solve the nation’s myriad intractable problems. That would be more effective than a thousand titah (royal lectures).

 

He also has a powerful tool. The constitution mandates that top federal appointments require royal assent. Have those nominees as well as ministers read Lee’s memoirs and many papers. Then hope some of Lee’s wisdom would trickle down to them. 

 

Regardless, Malaysian leaders and officials, from ministers down to the local police must be held responsible when they and those under them fail to perform. 

Bahasa Inggeris Bukan Lagi Bahasa Penjajah

  

 

 

Bahasa Inggeris Bukan Lagi Bahasa Penjajah

M. Bakri Musa

 

Kejayaan kaum pendatang ditanah ayir kita bukan disebabkan oleh nilai-nilai budaya atau pusaka genetik mereka yang mulia seperti apa yang difahamkan oleh Mahathir, sebaliknya kerana mereka berkebolehan dwibahasa. Begitu juga dengan keturunan mereka sekarang. Ramai antara mereka memahami dan fasih dalam tiga bahasa–bahasa atau dialek ibunda, Bahasa Melayu (BM), dan Bahasa Inggeris (BI). Apek di kampung dulu tidak mungkin berjaya menjaja sayurnya jika ia hanya boleh bertutur dalam bahasa Hokkien.

 

Pendatang semasa seperti mereka dari Bangladesh faham tentang kebijaksanaan ini. Bahkan mereka melebihi diri mereka dengan terus mengahwini gadis tempatan. Mereka tidak mungkin boleh berbuat demikian tanpa mengetahui bahasa tempatan, yakni BM. 

 

Kemunduran masyarakat Melayu di tanah air sendiri bukanlah kerana kita malas, kurang motivasi, atau taksub dengan agama. Tetapi sebaliknya disebabkan oleh kebanyakan orang kita fasih hanya dalam bahasa BM. Malangnya pemimpin kita mahu keadaan itu berkekalan. Dalam fahaman sesat mereka, itu menunjukkan semangat kebangsaan yang memuliakan bahasa serta kebanggaan budaya. Tetapi itu hanyalah kepura-puraan sahaja kerana ramai pemimpin Melayu sendiri fasih dalam Bahasa Inggeris (BI) dan terdidik dalam jurusan itu, bahkan mungkin di Britain. 

 

Contoh yang paling jelas ialah Allahyarham Tun Razak. Sebagai Menteri Pendidikan pertama pada tahun lima puluhan, beliau menggesa ibu bapa Melayu menghantar anak mereka ke sekolah Melayu sementara dia dengan secara sembunyi menghantar kelima-lima anaknya ke sekolah Inggeris, dan di Britain pula! Bagaimana dia mampu membiayanya dengan gajinya yang berdasarkan mata wang ringgit tidak di persoalkan. Mungkin perangai anaknya Najib Razak dengan dana 1MDB ialah satu penunjuk. Pura pura pemimpin kita yang jelas terang ini terlepas dari pandangan masyarakat Melayu, dulu adan sekarang. 

 

 

Ilmuan BM Nik Safiah Ismail menegaskan bahawa murid Melayu tidak perlu belajar BI. Hanya lima peratus sahaja orang Melayu yang patut fasih berbahasa Inggeris. Yang lainnya boleh bergantung pada terjemahan. Maklumlah ini Tanah Melayu, dia mengingatkan kita. Yang tidak disebutnya ialah diantara mereka yang lima peratus bertuah itu mestilah meliputi anak saudara Nik Safiah. 

 

Ramai yang bersama fikiran dengan Nik Safiah, termasuklah pemimpin Melayu dan mereka di bandar yang sepatutnya lebih mengetahui. Tetapi walaupun pun para pemimpin kita menolak kepentingan BI, mereka dan anak-anak mereka terus belajar di institusi bahasa Inggeris. Terus terang kemunafikan mereka. Bukan itu sahaja, dengan cara demikian mereka menunjukkan fikiran kuno atau feudal mereka. Kami adalah pemimpin; kami perlu fasih berbahasa Inggeris. Kamu kaum marhaen dan petani, tak payahlah! Apa kau nak berhajat tinggi?

 

            Begitu juga pandangan masyarakat kita. Mereka yang cerah sedikit dan faham tentang mustahaknya BI di anggap sebagai petualang bangsa atau lebih teruk lagi, pengkhianat negara. Kemudian pemimpin kita hairan dan mustahil mengapa masyarakat Melayu masih mundur. 

 

Persefahaman ilmiah kita sekarang telah jauh majunya daripada ungkapan hipotesis Sapir-Whorf yang lama. Yakni, bahasa ibunda adalah seperti cermin atau kaca mata bagaimana kita akan melihat dan berfikir tentang dunia luas. Dari segi neurosains moden, banyak kelebihan kognitif dan lain-lain yang ketara bila seseorang itu fasih dalam berbilang bahasa. Antaranya ialah kelebihan daya saing yang jelas dalam pasaran. Dan lebih awal kita memperoleh keupayaan ini lebih baik.

 

Belajar BI bukanlah ungkapan rindu zaman penjajah dahulu atau ke negeri England. Sebaliknya, ia adalah realiti zaman moden yang perlu serta pragmatik. Pemimpin yang tidak mengendahkan itu dengan tidak sedar mencacatkan dan melemahkan rakyat khasnya pengikut mereka.

 

English No Longer The Language Of The Colonizer

 English No Longer The Language Of The Colonizer

M. Bakri Musa

 

When Hong Kong reverted to China in 1997, that effectively ended Britain as a colonial power. Effectively because she still has nominal sovereignty over its so-called 14 Overseas Territories, mostly in the Caribbean. When Bermuda, off the coast of North Carolina, held an independent referendum in 1995, over 75 percent of the voters rejected it. That was significant and may seem perverse as the majority were descendants of slaves brought in by earlier British colonizers. The descendants of those slaves were wise in refusing to be chained by history.

 

            Meanwhile back in mother Britain, she had seen pendatangs (non-natives) becoming Prime Minister, Chief Executive of Scotland, and Mayor of London.

 

            English as a language by contrast is on a very different trajectory. Even in China, a super power and with Mandarin already a major language, there are over 400 million English language learners and a million teachers of that language. Even though the 2024 Nobel Laureate in Literature Han Kang writes in her native Korean, she is fluent in English. There are no fewer than half a dozen non-native English-speaking Nobel Prize winners in Literature writing in English. Rabindranath Tagore, an Indian, was the first (1913), followed by Wole Soyinka, Nigerian (1986), Kazuo Ishiguro, Japanese (2017), and Abdulrazak Gurnah, East African of Arab descent, (2021). 

 

English is now the language of aviation, diplomacy, business, and most important, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). It is also the dominant language in cyberspace. 

 

Today the most advantaged intellectually, economically, and in so many other ways are those who are proficient in more than one language, with English being one of them. The most disadvantaged are those who are monolingual, and their language is other than English. Most Malays belong to this latter category.

 

I posit that the successes of earlier pendatangs were not due to their mysterious oriental cultural values or genetic make-up as per Mahathir’s half-baked theories, rather that they were bilingual, many trilingual; likewise, their current descendants. With enlightened educational policies Malays too could be trilingual, with Malay, English, and (most likely) Arabic. The old apek would not have been successful peddling his wares in the kampung if all he could speak was Hokkien.

 

More recent pendatangs from Bangladesh have discovered this wisdom too. They go beyond, to marry locals. They cannot do that if all they can speak is their native language.

 

The current relative backwardness of Malays in our Tanah Melayu vis a vis non-Malays is that we are handicapped by being monolingual. Perversely, Malay leaders would like their followers to remain that way in their misguided notion of language nationalism. That is also pure parochialism as well as misplaced cultural pride. It is blatant hypocrisy that those Malay leaders who dismiss the importance of English are themselves educated in English, many in England. 

 

Prime exhibit was the late Tun Razak. As Minister of Education in the 1950s he exhorted Malay parents to send their children to Malay schools while surreptitiously sending his (all five) to English schools, and in Britain to boot. Hypocrisy aside, there is the matter of how he could afford that on his modest ministerial ringgit-based salary. Just a thought; I wonder where his son Najib Razak learned the idea that the loot heobtained from 1MDB was but a generous gift. Current Malay leaders are no different. Their blatant double standard escapes them and their followers. 

 

That queen of Malay language, Nik Safiah Ismail, asserted that Malays need at most only five percent of us to be proficient in English. The rest could rely on translations. This is Tanah Melayu (land of the Malays), she reminded us, and often. Left unsaid is that her children and grandchildren would be in that select small group. 

 

Many Malay leaders, even urbane sophisticated ones who should know better, share Nik Safiah’s language parochialism. Hypocrisy would be a more accurate term to describe their stand. Or a condescending feudal mentality. We are leaders; we need to know English. The rest of you peasants need not.

 

The few who recognize the importance of English are denigrated as petualang bangsa (national obstructionists), just a step before pengkhianat bangsa (traitor). Then these leaders bewail why we are still behind despite the ever-generous largesse of affirmative action. 

 

Although my parents were ardent admirers of the late Tun, my siblings and I are forever grateful that they had sacrificed a lot to send us all to English-medium schools in town, even though that put a severe strain on their modest income. Being Malay school teachers, that also took a lot of courage to buck the national trend. 

 

We have advanced far beyond the old simplistic Sapir-Whorf hypothesis of linguistic relativity, that is, our language influences how we view and think about the cosmos. Insights on modern neuroscience have shown the many significant cognitive and other advantages of being multilingual, quite apart from the obvious competitive edge in the marketplace. And the earlier we acquire this ability, the better.

 

Learning English is not an expression of nostalgia for the old colonial ways or of good old ye England. Rather, it is a pragmatic and necessary modern-day reality. Leaders who ignore this are unnecessarily handicapping their people.

 

Candu Dalam Belanjawan Negara 2024-25

  

 

 

 

Candu Dalam Belanjawan Negara 2024-25

M. Bakri Musa

 

Saya kagum atas kebolehan Britain, sebuah negara yang kecil, menguasai negeri China dalam masa sepanjangnya pada pertengahan abad ke-19. 

 

            Tujuan Britain di China dan juga di tempat lain ketika itu, seperti semua kuasa penjajah, ialah (sekurangnya pada pendahuluan) hanya untuk berdagang. Kemudiannya oleh sebab tidak upaya membayar dengan mas dan perak untuk mengisi selera Inggeris yang semakin meningkat untuk teh, sutera, dan porselin Cina, kaum British mencipta sistem pertukaran dengan menggunakan candu dari India. India semasa itu di jajah oleh mereka. Akibatnya amat nyata. Dalam masa satu dua keturunan sahaja, masyarakat Cina roboh.

 

            Saya akan mengetepikan bagaimana Britain dengan hanya mengadakan berapa ribu sahaja pentadbirnya boleh mengawal ratusan juta rakyat India yang berbagai suku dan agama, atau bagaimana pihak British berjaya menjauhkan candu daripada orang India.

 

            Renungan ini terlintas kepada saya semasa menyemak angka belanjawan negara tahun depan dengan peruntukan yang semakin meningkat untuk kegiatan Islam. Sebelum itu terdapat keputusan untuk menempatkan pegawai Islam di setiap jabatan kerajaan.

 

            Angka belanjawan itu tidak mengira pembiayaan di peringkat negeri dan juga kutipan zakat. Negeri Selangor sahaja mengutip lebih RM1.15 bilion bayaran zakat pada tahun lepas, manakala jumlah bagi 2022 pada semua ketiga belas negeri melebihi RM 2.2 bilion. Zakat di Malaysia adalah kredit cukai, bukan bayaran yang boleh ditolak ke atas penyata cukai pendapatan. Dalam lain kata, zakat menggantikan bayaran cukai pendapatan.

 

            Ahli falsafah Jerman Karl Marx (dia dikenali hari ini kurang sebagai itu) pernah menulis bahawa agama adalah "candu rakyat." Yakni, satu cara mereka yang berkuasa untuk "bukan sahaja menindas pekerja, tetapi menyebabkan mereka berasa lebih selesa apabila ditindas." Dan agama lebih murah daripada candu!

 

            Orang bukan Melayu merungut tentang pemberian yang berterusan mewah khas untuk kaum Melayu. Rakyat bukan Melayu patut melihat perkara ini dari sudut yang cerah dan mungkin mengguntung mereka. Dari pandangan sebaliknya, orang Melayu bernasib baik kerana orang bukan Melayu tidak seberapa cerdik seperti orang Inggeris dengan candu mereka di negeri China dahulu. 

 

            Maklumlah dengan lebih ramai orang Melayu mengejar jurusan Pengajian Islam, peluang untuk memasuki jurusan perubatan dan undang-undang akan menjadi lebih luas dan senang untuk penuntut bukan Melayu walaupun ada kuota. Dengan orang Melayu asyik di surau dan bersolat tahajud, orang bukan Melayu berpeluang berniaga tanpa tentangan untuk membaiki kereta dan alat rumah. Begitu juga peluang menjual nasi lemak selepas solat Jumaat. Adakan papan “halal” yang besar, sewa remaja wanita Melayu berpurdah untuk menjualnya, dan ambil seorang Melayu Ali Baba sebagai pemilik perusahaan atas nama sahaja, dengan syarat bayaran tertentu.

 

Perbezaan antara orang Melayu hari ini dan orang Cina semasa "Abad Penghinaan" mereka ialah ini. Candu Cina ketika itu adalah fizikal dan di jaja oleh syaitan kulit putih dengan niat yang paling jahat. Sebaliknya candu Melayu ini di jaja oleh pemimpin kita sendiri, dan dengan niat yang bernas, yakni dari sangkaan mereka dan pengikutnya. Kita puji pemimpin kita hingga ke awan tinggi dan mereka pula percaya bersungguh-sungguh bahawa apa yang mereka lakukan adalah kehendak Allah.

 

Walaupun rakyat Cina biasa dulu berpuas hati dengan candu mereka, tetapi para pemimpin dan intelektual mereka menyedari masalah dan petualang sosial yang terbesar ini. Tetapi mereka tidak berdaya menentangnya oleh sebab kuasa British yang jauh lebih unggul. Pemimpin dan cendekiawan Melayu sebaliknya masih tidak sedar atas bahaya candu metafora yang di jaja oleh pemimpin kita sendiri.

 

Jangan dikhuatirkan, candu Melayu ini tidak kurang bahayanya. Tak hairanlah bahawa negeri yang paling mundur di Malaysia adalah di mana golongan Islamis yang berkuasa dan berkawalan penuh. Begitu juga dengan pelbagai petunjuk kemerosotan nilai masyarakat seperti perceraian, anak yatim, penyakit HIV, dan buang bayi adalah tertinggi di sana. Walaupun ini nyata, pemimpin Melayu di tempat lain dan di dalam parti lain berlumba-lumba untuk mengayakan diri mereka “Lebih Islam” daripada pemimpin Parti Islam PAS. 

 

Peruntukan yang semakin mewah atas nama “perjuangan Islam” dalam belanjawan negara mencerminkan usaha hodoh ini.

 

Tidak kurang pula ialah isyarat simbolik yang lain. Terbaru ialah upacara gemilang yang di sertai oleh Yang Di Pertuan Agung untuk menganugerahkan kehormatan Professor Diraja kepada Dr. Syed Naquib Al-Attas. Syed adalah juara “Mengislamkan Ilmu” (Islamization of Knowledge-IOK) yang kini sudah basi dan diketepikan oleh sarjana semasa terutamanya di Barat. Malah ilmuwan tempatan juga sudah mengalihkan tumpuan mereka secara halus kepada "Integrasi Ilmu" (IOK – Integration of Knowledge). Singkatan (IOK) yang sama, dan usaha yang sama sia-sianya. Ilmu adalah ilmu; semuanya berasal dari Allah dan tidak ada corak keislaman atau kesetanan. Samada ilmu itu digunakan untuk membaiki keadaan manusia atau sebaliknya tergantung bukan pada Tuhan tetapi kepada umat Nya.  

 

Pemimpin Islam taksub untuk mencontohi Nabi Muhammad, s.a.w., sebagaimana diperintahkan oleh Qur’an kepada semua umat Islam. Walau bagaimanapun, mereka melupakan satu fakta unik. Yakni, Muhammad, s.a.w., dikurniakan oleh Allah secara unggul sebagai pemimpin rohaniah serta duniawi.  Allah tidak lagi memberi keistimewaan itu kepada sesiapa. 

 

Setiap pemimpin Islam termasuk empat khalifah, rah, menganggap diri mereka menerima petunjuk yang sama dan mencuba menjadi kedua-dua, yakni pemimpin duniawi serta untuk akhirat. Akibatnya? Banyak kerosakan kepada akidah dan ummah. Renungkan bahawa tiga daripada empat khalifah, r.a.h., telah dibunuh. 

 

Pemimpin Melayu taksub bahawa mereka dan pengikut mereka masuk ke Syurga. Mulianya niat ini! Tetapi mereka lupa bahawa itu tergantung hanya kepada Allah, dan hanya Dia yang boleh menentukannya. Pemimpin Melayu sebaliknya harus berusaha dan berpuas hati bahawa pengikut mereka tidak menanggung neraka mereka di bumi Allah ini. Renungkan kebijaksanaan Ibn ‘Ata Allah Al Iskandari: “Jika kamu ingin mengetahui kedudukanmu di sisi-Nya, lihatlah keadaan yang telah Dia letakkan kepadamu sekarang.”

 

Dari segi itu, Almarhum Tengku Abdul Rahman adalah pemimpin Islam yang paling hebat dan faham maknanya nilai murni agama kita. Dia membawa berkat terbesar–kebebasan (Merdeka)–kepada rakyat dan kemudiannya "membina sekolah dan bukan berek."

 

Beri rakyat keamanan serta pendidikan yang murni, kurangkan kemiskinan serta jaga kesihatan mereka. Itu adalah tanggungjawab dan beban seorang pemimpin, termasuklah pemimpin Islam. Oleh itu, belanjawan negara harus mengutamakan perkara tersebut. Jangan beri rakyat kamu candu. 

The Curious Silence of the Islamists On the National Budget

 The Curious Silence of the Islamists On The National Budget

M. Bakri Musa

 

The record 2024-2025 National Budget presented last week (October 18, 2024) elicited many responses from various groups, except for one. The Islamists were conspicuous by their collective silence. 

 

Perhaps they were content with the generous funding they received, from the already massive RM1.9 billion for the outgoing year to the proposed RM2.2 billion for the next. That figure grossly understates the true level of expenditure as it excludes the religious bureaucracies in the various ministries. Consider that each embassy has its own resident Imam. Then there are the Islamic schools under the Ministry of Education.

 

            With Islamic scholars fixated on their Islamization-of-everything fad, their silence on the national budget is not only conspicuous but also unfathomable. One expects them to have substantive views on this most critical aspect of governance. 

 

The Qur’an mentions zakat, tax on wealth with a flat rate of 2.5 percent. Modern income tax is based on income and is progressive, with increasing marginal rates. Zakat is levied only on liquid and movable assets. Homes are thus exempt. That is not equitable; consider the difference between a sultan’s magnificent palace and a teacher’s modest bungalow. Zakat’s flat rate also means that a billionaire sheik pays the same rate as a school teacher. Again, little equity there, and equity is the core of Islam. From that angle, income tax is more “Islamic.”

 

Islam cannot claim originality with zakat. The ancient Greeks had their eisphora, asset tax levied on the super-rich. Two millennia later, French economist Thomas Piketty suggested a progressive global wealth surtax of up to 2.5 percent (zakat rate) to combat global inequity and climate change. In 2020 “Millionaires For Humanity” advocated a similar wealth tax to combat poverty, Covid-19, climate change, and meeting the UN Sustainable Goals. 

 

Imposing a wealth tax on all assets both local and abroad would generate far more revenue than tinkering with the current tax code. It would also be far easier to assess and administer. Its low rate (as with zakat 2.5 percent) discourages cheating.

 

The Quran also defines how zakat funds should be spent. With creative interpretations, all activities of a modern government including military spending could be placed under any one of the eight Qur’anic categories. 

 

The first two, spending on the poor and needy, are self-evident. Less appreciated is the building of infrastructures like roads and marketplaces. With roads, poor rural dwellers could bring their produce to sell in town as well as bring their sick to hospital. 

 

The first thing the Prophet, s.a.w., did when establishing his first Muslim community in Medinah was to build a marketplace so people could trade with one another. A trader before receiving his prophethood, Mohammad, s.a.w., knew the value of trading in enhancing social bonds. A businessman has to treat others not as “them” rather as potential clients, customers, and business partners. That brings a whole new and productive perspective on your relationships. 

 

Another zakat provision is freeing those in bondage. That may seem quaint or irrelevant in today’s world sans slavery and indentured servitude. However, stretching the concept, the greatest bondage faced by the ummah today is ignorance and poverty, no less crippling than physical bondage. Alleviate poverty and ignorance, and you liberate your people. 

 

Zakat mandates not more than 1/8 (12.5 percent) of the collections be spent on administration. Translating that to modern governance, that should be the limit for civil service emoluments. In the 2024-25 Budget, emoluments constituted 24.3 percent of the total, double zakat’s limit. The good news is that it is a substantial decrease from last year’s 31.5 percent. 

 

Failure to control emoluments would result in what my Minangkabau wisdom calls “Habih dek orang pangkar!” Translated, the host’s servants gobbling up all the food leaving little for the guests.

 

Zakat’s “spending in the cause of Allah” should cover anything that would benefit the ummah, from building schools to cleaning streets as well as unclogging drains and dredging rivers to avoid floodings. 

 

Ancient Muslims recognized that wealth, like water, is best kept circulating. Zakat achieves this. The concept of “velocity of money,” a measure of an economy’s vigor, also reflects this wisdom. 

 

Islam considers interests, and by extension debts, haram. Debt however, is a powerful leveraging mechanism. It enabled me to provide a house early in my career for my young family; for others, to secure their higher education. Both are good, and thus halal. As for the size of the national debt, Japan has the highest debt-to-GDP ratio and yet her people are prosperous. Problems arise when debts are foreign-denominated and the proceeds are used to build grandiose projects rather than productive infrastructures or investing in citizens.

 

Islamists should push for taxing all assets and incomes. Exempting foreign ones, the current practice, only encourages Malaysians to park (meaning, hide) their wealth abroad. Not only does that not benefit the nation, it also encourages corruption. As the Pandora Papers revealed, even the Minister of Finance has significant assets abroad. Such hypocrisy! 

 

Zakat is treated as tax credit in Malaysia instead of only being tax deductible as in America. However, zakat benefits only Muslims while non-Muslims pay the bulk of the income tax that benefits all Malaysians. Is that just? Further, as per the New Economic Policy, most government programs benefit Malays. 

 

This issue of equity and justice should concern all Malaysians, more so Muslims. Equity and justice are Islam’s core.

 

The Opium In The 2024-25 Malaysian Budget

 The Opium In The 2024-25 Malaysian Budget

M. Bakri Musa

 

I marvel at how Britain, a small island nation, could control China for a very long time in the mid 19^thCentury. 

 

            The British motive then (and elsewhere) was, as with all colonial powers, primarily economic, at least initially. Unable to pay with silver for the increasing English appetite for Chinese tea, silk, and porcelain, the British concocted a barter system using Indian opium. The rest is, well, history. Within a generation or two Chinese society disintegrated, their zombie citizens high on opium. 

 

            I dispense with the side issue of how Britain with only a few thousand civil servants could control hundreds of millions of cantankerous natives in that sub-continent, or how the British managed to keep opium away from the Indians.

 

            These thoughts come to mind as I reviewed the latest Malaysian budget with its ever-increasing allocation for Islamic-related activities. The figure of RM 2.2 billion in the budget does not include major expenses under other categories, as for Islamic schools in the Ministry of Education, or the earlier decision to place Islamic officers in every government department.

 

            Add to that the funding at state level as well as zakat collections. Selangor alone collected over RM1.15 billion in zakat last year, while the total for 2022 for all thirteen states was over RM 2.2 billion. Zakat payments are tax credits, not simply tax deductible.  

 

            The German philosopher Karl Marx (he is known today less as that) famously called religion the “opium of the people.” It is a security blanket used by those in power to “not only oppress the workers, but also make them feel better about being oppressed.” Religion is also cheaper than opium.

 

            Non-Malays again complained about this latest largesse for Malays. It would be more productive (and also enhance peace in the country) if non-Malays were to look at the brighter side. Malays should also be grateful that non-Malays are not like the Brits in China of yore. 

 

            Consider that with more Malays pursuing revealed knowledge and prophetic traditions, the competition for entry into law and medical schools is that much less, quotas notwithstanding. With Malays spending their time in solat tahujud, the market for car and home repair services is wide open. Or selling nasi lemak after Friday prayers. Have “halal” signs, a few Malay girls in purdah peddling it, and an Ali Baba Malay as the nominal owner of your enterprise, for a fee of course. 

 

The difference between contemporary Malay society and that of the Chinese during their “Century of Humiliation” is that with the latter, the opium was peddled by white foreign devils with the most-evil of intentions. The modern metaphorical Malay variety is pushed by our own leaders, and with the best of intentions, as perceived by both leaders and followers. We praise our leaders sky high for doing that; they in turn believe fervently that they are doing God’s work.

 

While the Chinese peasants of yore were content with their opium, their leaders and intellectuals were very much aware of this social blight but were helpless in the face of much superior Western power. On the other hand, Malay leaders and intellectuals, still trapped in their collective euphoria, are oblivious of the dangers of the social opium they are peddling.

 

Make no mistake. This opium is no less destructive. It is not coincidental that the most backward states in Malaysia are where the Islamists are in full control. Likewise, the various indices of social dysfunction like divorces, HIV infections, and abandoned babies are also highest there. Rest assured that little of that budgetary largesse would be spent solving those problems. Each entry in those horrifying statistics reflects the tragedy of not only the present generation but also the next, and possibly subsequent ones. Malay leaders, intoxicated with their glittering edifices, and Islamic leaders using private jets undertaking their umrah, remain oblivious.

 

Those stark realities notwithstanding, Malay leaders elsewhere and in the other parties are vying hard to “out-Islam” those in the Islamic Party. The ever-increasing spending for presumed Islamic causes reflect this foolish pursuit.

 

Equally distracting and non-productive are other symbolic gestures. The latest, the elaborate ceremony honoring nonagenarian Dr. Syed Naquib Al-Attas with a Royal Professorship. Syed was the champion of the “Islamization of Knowledge” (IOK) fad, now dismissed except by local scholars. Even they have subtly shifted to “Integration of Knowledge.” Same initials, same futile effort. Knowledge is knowledge, and it all originates from Allah, with no Islamic or satanic variant.  

 

Muslim leaders are obsessed in emulating Prophet Muhammad, s.a.w., as the Qur’an commanded every Muslim to do. However, these later prophet wannabes forget this unique attribute of Muhammad, s.a.w. He was singularly blessed by Allah to be both spiritual as well as secular leader. Allah has not seen fit to ordain another. 

 

Every Muslim leader from the Rightly Guided Caliphs who tried to be both ended up inflicting much damage to the faith as well as the ummah. Consider that three of the first four caliphs had untimely deaths. 

 

Malay leaders are obsessed that they and their followers end up in Heaven. Touching! However, that is the exclusive prerogative of Allah, and only His. Malay leaders should instead strive that their followers not endure Hell right here on earth. Heed the wisdom of Ibn ‘Ata Allah Al Iskandari: “If you want to know your standing with Him, look at the state He has put you in now.”

 

The late Tengku Abdul Rahman was the greatest Muslim leader in that respect. He brought the greatest gift – freedom (Merdeka) – to his people and then “built schools instead of barracks.” 

 

Bring peace, alleviate poverty, educate your citizens, and keep them healthy. Those efforts would spare them from a hellish existence here on earth. Those are the primary burdens and responsibilities of a leader, Muslim ones included. As such the national budget should reflect that. Do not narcotize your people.

The Malaysian Malaise: Last Excerpt: On The Title And Added Features

The Malaysian Malaise:  Corrupt Leadership, Failing Institutions, And Intolerant Islamism

M. Bakri Musa © 2023

 

Excerpt #6 (Final):  On The Title And Added Features

 

The phrase “The Malaysian Malaise” was the title of an Op-Ed piece in the New York Times September 20, 1990, by its conservative commentator Wllliam Safire. He was castigating then Prime Minister Mahathir (as well as other Asian autocrats) for their super sensitivity and intolerance to criticism. This was soon after Mahathir had jailed his erstwhile Deputy Anwar Ibrahim and later, the conviction in Malaysia of long-time Asia correspondent Murray Hiebert of the now-defunct Far Eastern Economic Review. That was the malaise Safire referred to, not only Malaysians’ tolerance of these autocrats but also the acquiescence of their Western enablers in London and Washington, DC. The same title (and theme) was repeated in a subsequent commentary by his colleague, also long-time Asia hand, Phillip Bowring on April 12, 2006.

 

            The shift in content but with the same title appeared later with Elizabeth Segram’s “Letter From Asia” (Foreign Affairs, October 2013). She was commenting on the general political malaise following the 13^th General Elections of May 2013. The Najib-led coalition then won the majority of Parliamentary seats, but the opposition Pakatan Harapan garnered the majority of the popular votes.  The malaise there was the huge letdown with the unfairness of the electoral process.

 

            On April 22, 1915, Global Gaming Business magazine used the same title for its editorial on Malaysia’s affirmative action programs favoring Malays. Why such a topic would appear in such a magazine beats me. Presumably because affirmative action and Malay Special Privileges was a huge and ultimately losing bet. A few more subsequent commentaries amplified on the same theme but with slightly altered title, such as Kuala Lumpur-based freelance journalist E H Imrantski’s “The Malaise of Malaysian Malays” (Newnaratif.com, March 8, 2018) and Chandra Nair’s in The Diplomat (“Malaysia’s ‘Malay-First’ Malaise,” March 4, 2020).

 

            Imrantski’s piece would be closer in theme and content considering that most of my commentaries deal with Malay leadership and Islam, the Malay version. With demographic and thus political dominance of Malays, the malaise of Malays is also that of Malaysia. Hence my title. The pun is intentional. 

 

I have added two new features in this collection. One, a brief introductory background material (in parenthesis) preceding each essay to put it in perspective, time and content-wise. Two, I have included readers’ ratings and a sampling of their comments. 

 

Based on the responses on my Facebook and elsewhere, I assign one point for “Like,” two for each comment, three for sharing my article, four if the essay were to be picked up by other outlets (print or virtual), and five if I were to receive direct personal comments from readers. The five-star articles would have over 500 points; one-star, under 100. Unlike in my freshman class scoring, there is no Bell curve distribution to the ratings. The highest-ranking articles were those on corruption among Malay leaders; the lowest, religion. Within each section I have arranged the essays in a sequence that would make sense instead of chronologically.

 

I have included the four video conferences that I had participated in, rendering my oral presentations as essays. One was in Malay (Isu dan Cabaran ke Arah Kesetaraan Dalam Pendidikan). I have put the English translation (“Issues and Challenges Towards A More Equitable Education”) in the main body while the original transcript appears in the Appendix.

 

            I thank my California friend Amir Razelan for introducing me on-line to Dr. Rozhan Othman of LeadUS Malaysia for the invitation to be on a panel with Professor Tajuddin Rasdi on the webinar “Does The Malay Mind Need To Be Liberated?” An American-trained architect and thus the beneficiary of Western liberal education, Tajuddin has not been afraid to swim against the current socio-political trends. He has given his erudite and contrarian views on fields far outside his profession, in the best tradition of a public intellectual. 

 

            Beyond his American liberal education, Tajuddin had attended a Chinese school in Malaysia. That was a rare phenomenon at the time. 

 

I am also indebted to another public intellectual, the academic cardiac surgeon Dr. Ahmad Farouk Musa of the Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF), for inviting me to the other three virtual seminars. His active involvement in affairs outside of medicine reflects the modern “T” intellectual, deep involvement in a narrow discipline (he is the still-rare, at least in Malaysia, MD-PhD surgeon) combined with a broad interest as reflected by his leadership of IRF. 

 

I treasure the exchanges with my fellow panelists Dr. Sharifah Munirah Alatas of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia; Dato Dr. Madeline Berma, Fellow Akademi Sains Malaysia; and Prof. Zaharom Naim of University of Nottingham Malaysia, together with moderators “Uncle” Shamshir Alam and Nageeb Gounjaria, IRF’s Senior Research Fellow.

 

            Again, a big thank you to husband-and-wife team Jason and Su Pittam for the wonderful cover design. Su is a graphic arts graduate; Jason an IT wizard. They have designed the covers of almost all my books. Jason was indispensable and a balm to my nerves as I negotiated yet the latest quirks and updates of modern publishing software. To my wife Karen, my first and very critical reader, I thank Allah for blessing me with her.

 

January 2023

Morgan Hill, California  

 

Kaum Islamis Sonya Tanpa Mengulas Belanjawan Negara

  

Kaum Islamis Senyap Tanpa Mengulas Belanjawan Negara

M. Bakri Musa

 

Belanjawan Negara 2024-2025 yang di kemukakan pada minggu lepas (18 Oktober 2024) mendapat berbagai sambutan. Yang hairannya ialah kebisuan dari pihak Islamis. Mereka tidak berminat langsung untuk memberi pandangan dan nilaian mereka. 

 

Mungkin mereka senyap dan senang hati sebab peruntukkan yang amat besar di beri ke Jabatan Islam, meningkat daripada RM1.9 bilion untuk tahun yang sedia kepada RM2.2 bilion yang di cadangkan untuk tahun depan. Angka itu tidak mencerminkan tahap perbelanjaan yang sebenarnya kerana ia tidak mengira birokrasi agama di pelbagai kementerian. Maklumlah setiap kedutaan mempunyai Imam pemastautin sendiri. Kemudian pula perbelanjaan sekolah Agama yang di bawah Kementerian Pendidikan.

 

  Cendekiawan Islam sepatutnya menyuarakan pendirian serta pandangan mereka ke atas belanjawan negara. Itu adalah satu aspek tadbir urus negara yang paling utama.

 

Al-Quran mengenalkan zakat dengan kadar rata 2.5 peratus. Cukai pendapatan moden berdasarkan pendapatan dan kadarnya progresif, yakni meningkatkan dengan pendapatan. Zakat dikenakan hanya pada aset cair dan yang tidak boleh di alih anjak. Umpamanya, nilai rumah dikecualikan zakat. Itu tidak saksama; bandingkan antara istana mewah sultan dengan rumah sederhana seorang guru. Kadar rata zakat juga bermakna syeikh bilionair membayar kadar yang sama seperti guru sekolah. Itu tidak seimbang, jauh daripada saksama dan keadilan. Kedua nilai itu adalah teras asas Islam. Dari sudut itu, cukai pendapatan lebih dekat ke nilai Islam.

 

Zakat, atau cukai harta, bukan berasal dari Islam. Orang Yunani purba mempunyai “eisphora,” cukai harta yang dikenakan hanya kepada mereka yang paling kaya. Dua ribu tahun kemudian, ahli ekonomi Perancis Thomas Piketty mencadangkan cukai kekayaan global yang progresif sehingga kadar 2.5 peratus (kadar zakat) untuk mengatasi ketidaksamaan global dan perubahan iklim. Pada tahun 2020 “Millionaires For Humanity” (Jutawan Untuk Kemanusiaan) mencadangkan cukai kekayaan yang serupa untuk memerangi kemiskinan, Covid-19, perubahan iklim dan memenuhi Matlamat Lestari PBB.

 

Mengenakan cukai kekayaan ke atas semua harta – dalam dan luar negeri – akan menjana lebih banyak hasil daripada mengubah cara cukai semasa. Dengan kadarnya yang rendah (seperti zakat - 2.5 peratus), itu akan memudahkan mentadbirnya dan juga tidak menggalakkan kita menipu.

 

Al-Quran juga mentakrifkan bagaimana dana zakat harus dibelanjakan. Dengan tafsiran yang moden dan tidak terikat kepada zaman, semua aktiviti kerajaan moden termasuk perbelanjaan ketenteraan boleh diletakkan di bawah satu daripada lapan kategori dalam Al-Quran.

 

Perbelanjaan untuk kaum fakir dan miskin sudah tentu jelas. Begitu juga pembinaan infrastruktur seperti jalan raya dan pasar. Dengan adanya jalan raya, penduduk luar bandar yang miskin boleh membawa hasil mereka untuk dijual di bandar serta membawa keluarga mereka yang sakit ke hospital. 

 

Antara perkara pertama yang dilakukan oleh Nabi s.a.w. ketika menubuhkan komuniti Islam pertama di Madinah ialah membina pasar supaya orang ramai boleh berdagang antara satu sama lain. Sebelum menerima kenabiannya, Mohammad, s.a.w., adalah seorang peniaga. Oleh sebab itu dia faham bahawa berjual beli adalah cara untuk meningkatkan ikatan sosial. Seorang ahli perniagaan perlu melayan orang lain bukan sebagai "mereka" sebaliknya sebagai bakal pelanggan dan rakan kongsi perniagaan. Itu membawa perspektif baharu dan bermanfaat serta produktif pada hubungan antara manusia. 

 

Satu lagi peruntukan zakat ialah membebaskan mereka yang berada dalam keadaan perhambaan. Itu mungkin dilihat sebagai aneh atau tidak relevan dalam dunia hari ini tanpa perhambaan. Namun, meregangkan konsep itu, perhambaan terbesar yang dihadapi oleh ramai umat hari ini ialah kejahilan dan kemiskinan. Itu tidak kurang ikatannya untuk melumpuhkan jiwa seseorang. Kurangkan kemiskinan dan kejahilan, dan rakyat akan bebas serta menikmati kemerdekaan diri yang tulen. 

 

Zakat juga mewajibkan tidak lebih daripada 1/8 (12.5 peratus) daripada kutipan dibelanjakan untuk pentadbiran. Menterjemahkan itu kepada kerajaan moden, itu bermakna perbelanjaan perkhidmatan awam patut juga tidak melebihi 12.5 peratus. Dalam Bajet 2024-25, emolumen (atau gaji perkhidmatan awam) ialah 24.3 peratus daripada jumlah keseluruhan, dua kali ganda yang di hadkan pada zakat. Berita baiknya ialah penurunan yang ketara daripada 31.5 peratus tahun lepas. 

 

Kegagalan mengawal emolumen akan mengakibatkan apa yang disebutkan dalam pepatah Minangkabau “Habih dek orang pangkar!” Maknanya, pelayan tuan rumah memakan semua hidangan dan meninggalkan sedikit sahaja untuk tetamu.

 

 

“Perbelanjaan untuk jalan Allah” meliputi apa sahaja yang boleh memberi manfaat kepada ummah, daripada membina sekolah hingga membersihkan jalan serta membuka longkang dan mengorek sungai untuk mengelakkan banjir. 

 

Orang Islam purba mengakui bahawa kekayaan, seperti air, patut beredar. Jika bertakung, banyak bahayanya. Zakat mengatasi masalah ini. Konsep ekonomi moden "halaju peralihan wang," (velocity of money) sebagai petunjuk kehebatan sesuatu ekonomi mencerminkan kebijaksanaan ini. 

 

Islam menganggap bunga, dan dengan itu hutang, haram. Walau bagaimanapun, hutang adalah satu mekanisme tuas atau jongket (leverage) yang memberi banyak manfaat. Hutang membolehkan saya membeli rumah pada awal kerjaya semasa anak saya kecil; untuk orang lain, untuk mendapatkan pendidikan tinggi mereka. Kedua-dua akibat itu adalah baik dan manfaat. Oleh sebab itu mestilah halal. Dari segi tingginya hutang negara, Jepun mempunyai nisbah hutang kepada KDNK tertinggi dalam dunia, namun rakyatnya makmur. Masalah hanya timbul jika hutang dengan mata wang asing dan dana hutang digunakan untuk membina projek megah seperti istana dan bukannya infrastruktur yang produktif seperti sekolah dan hospital. 

 

Kaum Islamis harus mendesak kerajaan supaya mengenakan cukai atas semua harta dan pendapatan dan tidak mengecualikan yang berasal dari luar negeri seperti amalan semasa. Itu hanya akan menggalakkan rakyat Malaysia meletakkan (bermaksud, menyembunyikan) kekayaan mereka di luar negara. Itu bukan sahaja tidak menguntungkan negara, malah menggalakkan rasuah. Seperti yang didedahkan oleh Pandora Papers, Menteri Kewangan pun mempunyai aset mewah di luar negara dan tidak dikenakan cukai. Munafik betul! 

 

Di Malaysia bayaran zakat dianggap sebagai kredit untuk cukai pendapatan dan bukan hanya sebagai satu perbelanjaan yang boleh ditolak dari jumlah yang dikenakan cukai seperti di Amerika. Sebaliknya, zakat hanya memberi manfaat kepada orang Islam sahaja manakala orang bukan Islam membayar sebahagian besar cukai pendapatan negara yang memberi manfaat kepada semua rakyat, Islam dan bukan Islam. Adakah itu adil? Selanjutnya, mengikut Dasar Ekonomi Baru, kebanyakan program kerajaan memberi manfaat kepada orang Melayu sahaja. 

 

Masalah kesaksamaan dan keadilan ini harus dipertimbangkan dengan teliti oleh semua rakyat Malaysia, lebih-lebih lagi orang Islam. Kesaksamaan dan keadilan adalah teras agama kita.