Hartal: The day Malaya stood still

Technorati tags: History, Hartal, Civil Disobedience, Mass Strike, Hari Hartal, October 20, 1947

Today marks the 60th anniversary of an important pivotal point in our nation's history. But it's not one of those events that is usally mentioned or glorified as part of our "official" historical retelling of Malaya's road to independence. As is often stated, history is written by the victors.

A mass strike unlike any other this nation's seen
(image taken from the Sepuluh Tahun Sebelum Merdeka blog)

October 20th, 1947 - sixty years ago today, Malaya virtually stopped in its tracks. Hartal - when the nation literally shut down during an unprecedented show of solidarity and protest.

Hartal - a term used in many Indian languages, meaning "strike action". It is a total shutdown of workplaces, shops, and businesses, and is a form of civil disobedience used often during the Indian independence movement.
(source: Wikipedia)

Brilliantly put together by young filmmaker Fahmi Reza, "Sepuluh Tahun Sebelum Merdeka" (Ten Years Before Independence) retells an alternate view of Malaya's struggle for independence, seen through the eyes of 5 individuals (now well in their 80's) directly involved with the political organizations that made up PUTERA-AMCJA, a multi-racial coalition consisting of an alphabet soup of political movements at the time (see the end of the post for a list).

Click image above to view film
(opens in a new window)

But it's an important film, breaking the hegemony of official history, giving those Walski's age and younger a glimpse into the other side of the UMNO/BN story-telling coin. What surprises Walski the most is that Fahmi is not even in his 30's yet. And that, to Walski, is heartening - that there is a yearning amongst the younger set to delve into history, and uncover the numerous untold stories.

And there are undoubtedly many of these stories.

Walski, while in school, never really had a passion for history (to his discredit) - he blames it on the rote learning emphasis of the when, who and where (but never delving deep enough into the why) that was prevalent in the teaching of history back then (perhaps now, still). Walski's interest in history is rather recent - fueled by a rebirth of his own yearning to know why some things are the way they are today - and history is perhaps the only possible avenue to find out why.

Produced with funding from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and debuting at the recent KOMAS 2007 Freedom Film Festival, "Sepuluh Tahun Sebelum Merdeka" can now be viewed online, for free (click on the second image above) on a few sites., accessible via the film's blog.

And it is a film that Walski feels is a must-see for all Malaysians concerned about where we came from, and more importantly, where we're headed.
(the film, the history, and more, in the full post)

Trying to change the official narrative of a nation's history, however, is no easy task. Amir Muhammad having both his films banned is a case in point (Lelaki Komunis Terakhir, and Apa Khabar Orang Kampung, being the two films). It's not difficult to understand why, though.

The official history of our struggle for independence from the British glorifies the role of UMNO and the Alliance, giving the impression that it was they alone that allowed for us to become an independent nation. But the real story is more complex, and Sepuluh Tahun perhaps sheds some light on a seemingly obscure event. Walski, to be perfectly honest, had not known about the Hartal prior to this.

In setting the stage for the actual Hartal event, Fahmi takes us through a period in history immediately after the Japanese occupation during the Second World War. Using interviews of the five individuals, it becomes apparent that there was bigger opposition to the UMNO-mooted Federal Constitution by the people at the time than the official retelling.

An alternative was drafted by PUTERA-AMCJA, a multi-racial coalition of political action left-wing parties of the day, and presented to the British administration then. The PUTERA-AMCJA coalition consisted of PUTERA (Pusat Tenaga Ra'ayat, or Center for People's Power) and AMCJA (All Malayan Council for Joint Action), each of which in themselves were coalition of Malay left-wing and non-Malay left-wing parties, respectively. As Walski indicated above, the overall coalition and the two sub-coalitions contained an alphabet soup of parties (see this book review from Malaysia-Today for context and details. A glossary is also provided at the end of this post).

But this alternate draft was pretty much rejected - worse, ignored - by the British administrators, who only chose to engage with UMNO. And it is this rejection that led to PUTERA-AMCJA taking a leaf from their contemporaries in India, and organizing the hartal 60 years ago today. The purpose was to show the British administrators the feelings of the people about their choice of engagement - that UMNO was not really speaking for the entire Malayan population.

The hartal, while successfully paralysing the nation for twelve hours on that day, was not enough to change the minds of the British. According to the film, 99% of businesses in the peninsular shut down that day. Instead, the repressive mode of governance from the pre-war days came back into force, reintroducing, for example The Societies Ordinance, which had absolute power to allow or disallow the formation of civil societies. The current Registrar Of Societies (ROS) has its roots in this ordinance (albeit a lot more screwed up, mired in the red tape of bureaucracy, control and numerous unwritten guidelines - some of which border on the ridiculous).

The country we have today could have turned out very different. That's Walski's guess, looking at what PUTERA-AMCJA proposed, via the People's Constitution (in full, The People's Constitutional Proposals for Malaya, or Perlembagaan Ra'yat). Perhaps, the coalition's ill-fate was in not realizing the extent of the British colonialists' desire to retain control, and the extent to which they were willing to go.

Ignoring the PUTERA-AMCJA's proposal altogether, the UMNO-spearheade Federal Constitution was implemented on February 1, 1948. Six months later, on June 18, 1948, they implemented the Emergency Regulations, which according to the film, was done under the pretext to combat communist insurgency. But not only were the communists fought against, the period of Emergency also saw a severe clampdown on dissenting voices.

The components that formed PUTERA-AMCJA were either banned, or eventually disbanded. Four out of the five persons featured in the film went to prison, for periods between four and seven years.

Apart from being written by the victors, it is also said that those who do not heed history are bound to repeat it. That, for Walski, is another reason why he feels "Sepuluh Tahun Sebelum Merdeka" is an important film. It gives us another view of pre-Independence Malaya, allowing us to form a more holistic picture, supplementing the official narrative.

With a bigger picture, God-willing, we are then in a better position to chart our future, as a nation. And not to go forward simply with a collection of limited self-interests as our guide.

~ o o o o o o o o o ~

Walski's Alphabet Soup Glossary
The two sub-coalitions making up PUTERA-AMCJA themselves consist of an alphabet soup. The following is a listing, based on information given in the film, and from "Malay Nationalism Before UMNO: The Memoirs of Mustapha Hussain" featured in this Malaysia-Today article.

PUTERA (Pusat Tenaga Ra'ayat or Center for People's Power)
1. PKMM (Parti Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya) - Malay Nationalist Party, led by Dr. Burhanuddin Helmy
2. API (Angkatan Pemuda Insaf) - Generation of Aware Youth, led by Ahmad Boestamam
3. AWAS (Angkatan Wanita Sedar) - Generation of Conscious Women, led by Shamsiah Fakeh
4. GERAM (Gerakan Angkatan Muda) - Young Generation Movement, led by Aziz Ishak & A. Samad Ismail
5. BATAS (Barisan Tani Se Malaya) - Pan Malayan Farmets/Peasants Front, led by Musa Ahmad
6. MATA (Majlis Agama Tertinggi SeMalaya) - Pan Malayan Supreme Religious Council (an early precursor to today's PAS)

AMCJA (All Malaya Council for Joint Action)
1. MIC - Malayan Indian Congres, led by John Thivy
2. MDU - Malayan Democratic Union, led by John Eber
3. MNDYL - Malayan New Democratic Youth League
4. MPAJECA - Malayan People's Anti-Japanese Ex-servicemen Comrades Association (referred to as MPAJ-ESCU in the film)
5. PMFTU - Pan Malayan Federation of Trade Unions

Click here for the full post......

The RSF Downward Spiral 2 - Revenge of the Silent Mainstream

Technorati tags: Press Freedom, RSF, World Press Freedom Index 2007, Malaysia, Media Reaction

Related post: The RSF Downward Spiral

Well, as Gomer Pyle would have said: Surprise, Surprise, Surprise! Not, as Borat would probably add.

In the wake of Malaysia dropping 32 places, and 18.75 index points, in the recently released RSF World Press Freedom Index 2007, there has been deafening silence from the mainstream English language print media regarding this. With one exception:

The Sun - telling it like it is...
(click on image to download the story)

Kudos to The Sun. And Walski forgives you for burying it on page 7. At least you folks had the balls to run the story, factually, and not spin it to become something else. To be fair, though, Walski didn't check the print version of the mainstream papers. So, if someone did see anything in print, do holler back at Walski. As far as the online versions go - a big, fat, fucking zilch.

And speaking of online English and Bahasa Malaysia news sites - the major ones anyway - it goes without saying that it was only Malaysiakini that reported on the RSF index release, and how Malaysia fared.
(why the silence, and more, in the full post)

Click on image to read the full report (subscription required)

Earlier, just before Hari Raya, the Information Minister called in media representatives to "advise" them not to play up negative reports concerning the Government. ZAM essentially stated that the PM doesn't need to hear "the truth" from the media. Speak no evil, hear no evil, eh?

Could it be that the silence from the mainstream media was due to this? Or was it instructions from the infamous 4th Floor? Walski, unfortunately, isn't privy to these sorts of information, and doesn't have any little birds, insects or even amphibians lurking around to act as his informers... myAsylum's Cybernetic Remote Autnomous Pararoaches (CRAP) somehow have not managed to infiltrate this particular Fortress of Propaganda. So if you hear anything, you know what to do...

Meanwhile, Malaysiakini (yeah, who else) has also reported reactions to the nation's drop in rankings. Among the reactions reported came from the Center for Independent Journalism (CIJ).

"Although dropping to 124th place is a big plunge, RSF's survey correctly reflects the concerns that most of us have about media freedom in this country," said Gayathry Venkiteswaran of the Centre for Independent Journalism.

"We urgently need to have a government parliamentary committee review these outdated press laws so that the media can perform its role in a democratic counrty," she told AFP.
(source: Malaysiakini - subscription required)

The same news report also quoted a statement from Opposition Leader, Lim Kit Siang, stating that "Malaysia's worst placing in the RSF 2007 worldwide press freedom index joins a list of indicators that all is not right with Malaysia". He further stated that had Zam's statement been taken into account, the ranking drop could have even been bigger. Walski kinda has to agree.

And perhaps this time around, the gravity of the RSF index is so immense that any amount of spin by the 4th Floor wouldn't be able to alter the way the top has spun.

Walski reckons we'll just have to wait and see if the mainstream media even picks this up. And more importantly, how the story will be told - within the narrow bounds of whatever freedom and leaway allowable still.

Click here for the full post......

The RSF Downward Spiral

Technorati tags: Press Freedom, RSF, World Press Freedom Index 2007, Malaysia

By now, the bloggerhood should be well aware that Malaysia has dropped 32 spots in the Reporters Sans Frontières (or Reporters Without Borders - better known as RSF) Worldwide Press Freedom Index 2007. Among others, esteemed blogger mates Howsy, Jeff and Rocky (in order of posting) had quite diligently reported on this yesterday. As pointed out, this is the very lowest Malaysia has been ranked in the study, the sixth since its inception in 2002.

Just released: the 2007 RSF World Press Freedom Index

Instead of rehashing what's already been reported, what Walski decided to do instead was to tabulate and chart the rankings trend of a few select countries, Malaysia included, using data obtained from the RSF reports for the past 5 years (2007 included). He decided to omit the data from 2002, because it did not contain a ranking for Singapore, one of the countries Walski has decided to benchmark us against. (The RSF site also provides information on how the index is compiled, and the questionnaire used to gather the index)

And no, we're NOT better than Ghana. Not by a long shot. At least, not when it comes to Press Freedom. And the trend also shows that we're losing out to Indonesia in terms of freedom of the press.

Anyone with the notion that we're better than Ghana or Indonesia... guess again
(click on chart to view larger image)

While Walski doesn't wish to rehash what the other esteemed bloggers earlier mentioned had already stated, there is one area that is very much worth repeating. It has a direct effect on our freedom to express ourselves online (emphais by myAsylum).

The Internet is occupying more and more space in the breakdown of press freedom violations. Several countries fell in the ranking this year because of serious, repeated violations of the free flow of online news and information.

In Malaysia (124th), Thailand (135th), Vietnam (162nd) and Egypt (146th), for example, bloggers were arrested and news websites were closed or made inaccessible. “We are concerned about the increase in cases of online censorship,” Reporters Without Borders said. “More and more governments have realised that the Internet can play a key role in the fight for democracy and they are establishing new methods of censoring it. The governments of repressive countries are now targeting bloggers and online journalists as forcefully as journalists in the traditional media.”
(source: RSF - download the full release and index here)

A couple of notes about the chart above (and the country-specific ones in the full post). First, Walski decided to chart the trends using the index values, as opposed to ranking. These values have been derived from the criteria RSF has chosen to benchmark countries worldwide, and therefore gives a better indication of where a country stands year on year. Using the rankings alone can be a bit misleading, as the total number of countries surveyed changes from year to year - 139 in 2002 vs. 169 this year, with some changes in between. Second point - the higher the index, the lower a country's ranking is (but you smart cookies probably knew that already).

At a glance, though, it does appear that worldwide, compared to 2006, freedom of the press has suffered somewhat, basing on the index values. The general upward index shift from 2006 to 2007 says it all.
(index observations, and more, in the full post)

From the press release excerpt (download the full release here), the main reason why Malaysia plunged 32 spots is obviously the arrest of Nat Tan earlier this year, and the harassment of Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin (and wife), over alleged seditious postings on their respective sites.

Click on chart to view a larger image

What also doesn't help, in all likelihood, is the threatening rhetoric we hear frequently from our Cabinet ministers, vis-a-vis the press. ZAM for one, does us no favors in as far as the RSF index goes. But the question is why the sudden shift for Malaysia?

Walski can think of a few other factors, actually. For one thing, it's a sign of maturity within the Cabinet. Maturity, not in a good sense, but in how the idiocy of our ministers have really shone in the past year. That, and the inability to come to grips with the changing landscape of information flow. The old-school of information and control, still by and large practiced by our Government, is rendered ineffective due to the pervasiveness of the Internet.

Moore's Law - describing how density of computing electronics increases exponentially over time - is probably also applicable to the growth of blogging. Anyone who's attempted to keep track of how many Malaysia-related weblogs there are would have noticed this. And with blogs, everyone has a voice that can be heard, without the incumberance of the stringent media licensiing practiced in Malaysia. And this, perhaps is another factor why we've seen a sudden panic attack from within the incumbent political fraternity.

Another possible factor - the who-knows-when General Elections. And although no one exactly knows when (save the secret chambers of the BN elders), what is known is that it will be soon. Couple that with the perceived increase in governmental ineptitude, a clampdown on the media is definitely not unexpected. Everyone, and their pet rabit, knows that the mainstream media is controlled by entities friendly to the BN-led government - but enter citizen journalism (via blogging) and web-based information and news services - kinda throws a big spanner into the info control works, if you ask Walski. The propaganda machine, therefore, finds itself unable to be effectively serviced, unlike before.

Anyhow, that's what Walski thinks of the why's... he's sure you lot can think of a few more reasons. If you can, drop a comment or three, won't ya?

Another interesting thing Walski noticed while charting the indexes over the last five years - you can pretty much group countries with equivalent media freedoms, based on what their index values are. Time, unfortunately, doesn't permit Walski to chart it for all the 169 countries. But what we'd see is that Malaysia and Indonesia, for example, fall within the same Media Freedom band. Similarly, Ghana and the United States of America.

Click on chart to view a larger image

Click on chart to view a larger image

Contrary to popular perception, the level of press freedom in the US of A, has actually deteriorated progressively over the last 3 years. Coincidentally, the steady slide has been during each successive year of the second George W. Bush administration (i.e since 2004) - but the reason provided by RSF is the continued incarceration of "Al-Jazeera’s Sudanese cameraman, Sami Al-Haj, since 13 June 2002 at the military base of Guantanamo and the murder of Chauncey Bailey in Oakland in August " (of this year). Then again, the inherrent rights of free speech and press in the US is the reason why their index stands at 14.5 versus ours (at 41).

Singapore, from Walski's chart, is in a league of its own - which is no big surprise.

Click on chart to view a larger image

Comparing to Indonesia, however, it is clear that the press there is freer. In many other ways, too, Indonesia is a more liberal country comparatively. Which is probably one reason why Beyonce decided to skip Malaysia.

Click on chart to view a larger image

A 4-point slip in the index for Indonesia is probably consistent with the general trend worldwide, as Walski mentioned earlier. A slip of 18.75 points, in Malaysia's case, on the other hand, shows that press freedom in Malaysia has definitely suffered since 2006.

And looking at the trend, if things stay on the same course, Indonesia can be expected to have a more conducive environment for free flow of information. Sure, they have their problems, too. But at least they have a bigger leaway to voice out their grouses, with less of a threat of being silenced, in comparison.

Of course, the media controllers on the 4th floor (as reported by Rocky), can claim that the press has never been freer in Malaysia. They did not, in all likelihood, include web-based citizen reporting and Internet-based independent media, in their spin. But there are factors, other than the ability to report freely, that go into the index - like the consequences of reporting freely.

And as the experiences of Nat and Raja Petra have shown, the consequences can sometimes be dire. Or at the very least, unpleasant.

Click here for the full post......

Burma: Caught between ASEAN and a hard place

Technorati tags: Burma, ASEAN, Malaysia, NATO, Free Burma

Related posts:
► The mess that is Myanmar
► Interfaith Prayers for Myanmar
► Free Burma

It was pretty disheartening when Walski read this Malaysiakini news report stating, for all practical purposes, where Malaysia officially stands, while speaking on ASEAN's behalf.

Gambar-ing with Gambari
(click on image to read full report - subscription required)

In Walski's mind, he almost could almost hear the headline being read outloud, followed by an evil supervillian "MUAHAHAHAHAHA" laugh...

The problem, among other things, is that it seems there is nothing in the ASEAN charter that allowsa member country to be suspended... Odd, if you ask Walski - imagine a club where no matter what you do, you will always be a member. Our Foreign Minister went on to say:

However, the minister said Burma's neighbours must work to prevent the impoverished nation from becoming even more internationally isolated, notably by fostering its dialogue with the United Nations.
(source: Malaysiakini - subscription required)

Don't know about you, but to Walski, this is nothing more than empty political rhetoric from an almost empty-headed politician, combined with his empty-headed counterparts from ASEAN, fully illustrating the concrete steps ASEAN has taken to get Burma's junta to behave like human beings - one big empty NOTHING.

Here's a country ruled by one mean bunch of SOB's, who couldn't care less about human lives, only how to remain in power. They pretty much have said "Fuck Off" to the rest of the world, in not so many words. And what does ASEAN do?

Talk. Lots of talk. Engage them, ASEAN says. Well, 10 years of ASEAN engagement seems to have had the grand sum total result of... umm, nothing to speak of, really. Not ironically, it was Malaysia that nominated Burma to enter the regional bloc in 1997. Perhaps Malaysia's (and ASEAN's) unwillingness to exert a sterner stand against Burma is telling of how important human rights is to the ASEAN member states.

Not important enough, it would appear.
(Gambari talks back, and more, in the full post)

Be that as it may, earlier today, Malaysiakini carried an AFP news report quoting the UN special envoy telling ASEAN to put the money where their mouth is (in not so many words).

UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari wants Southeast Asian nations to turn their rhetoric on Burma into real action to achieve reforms, a senior source briefed by the diplomat said today.

The diplomatic source said Gambari wants to "see what Asean governments are really prepared to do" to resolve the crisis in Burma (now renamed Myanmar) following its violent crackdown on anti-government protesters.

"It is not enough for Asean countries to make statements expressing concern. They must now work together with the UN, China and India," the source told AFP, referring to the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

"Gambari wants Asean to be really involved in monitoring what is happening in Myanmar, not just statements from conference to conference."
(source: Malaysiakini - subscription required)

The report went on to quote the special envoy to state that the current mode of engagement must be stepped up. To Walski, any action compared to none is definitely a step up. ASEAN has pretty much left Burma to carry out reforms without much supervision. It is pretty clear that the ruling junta, which doesn't give a toss about what the UN and the rest of the world thinks, have been paying lip service to ASEAN and not much more.

There's a popular colloquial saying here in Malaysia - No Action, Talk Only - or NATO for short. And left to Burma's own devices, ASEAN's NATO, if it carries on, will have one and only one loser in the long run - Burma itself.

Click here for the full post......

YB, or not to YB...

Technorati tags: Rant, YB, Misplaced Priorities, Tioman, Tragedy

... that is the goddamned question.
Whether it’s better to take this crap -
the hogwash and bullshit of outrageous protocol
Or dispatch the rescue team out to a sea of troubles.
And by opposing, lose my sorry-ass job?
(with apologies to Wm. Shakespeare)

Related post: Tioman ferry tragedy, and the Zen of Maritime Safety

Hat-tip to Jeff Ooi.

As if the circumstances and rammafications surrounding the Tioman ferry tragedy weren't bad enough...

Here's what my girlfriend told. She was told to head out to search either 8am or 9am(somewhere around that time). They wait for it and asked the marine police if they can head out already or not but the marine police said that they need to wait for the YB (Yang Berhormat) to come first.

The operation was delayed till the arrival of the FIRST YB and the YB with marine police head out without the victim's relatives. They said that they still need to wait for another YB which turn out to be late again. Again, they stranded at the dock waiting for the YB to arrive. One is from MCA and another is a malay women. The malay women still don't want the marine police to go out yet. Reason? Don't ask me. My girlfriend's sister cried infront of the malay women YB only she give permission and ask the marine police to head out for the search operation.
(source: Johnny's Blog)

What the hell is the matter with this country? Have our rationality and priorities gotten so fucked up that the status, and potential photo ops, of some political VIP's becomes more important than the lives of persons missing out at sea? This is beyond ridiculous... This is one of the (many) reasons why Malaysia will forever be in the backwater of 2020... wanna be an advanced nation, but run by absolute fucked-in-the-head morons.

And while yesterday, Walski was optimistic that because of SOLAS there might be some real investigations for a change, now he's not so sure.
(YB protocol bashing, SOLAS, and more, in the full post)

But really... this YB-must-come-first mentality is endemic. You see traffic get literally shoved aside - even in the most congested of traffic jams - so that VVIPs can get past. Interestingly enough, Farish Noor wrote this about the notion of "Government" when it comes to Malaysia, analyzing the Malay word for "Government" - kerajaan (emphasis by myAsylum).

We are often told that the Malay word for government is kerajaan. This, for those who are aware of the subtle semantic shifts and differences that are constantly at work in the Malay language, is of course a bad translation.

Kerajaan literally means “to be in a state of having a Raja”. The concept kerajaan harks back to the feudal era where Malay politics was very much centred in and around the court (istana or palace) and where power was concentrated in the office of the Raja himself.
(source: The Other Malaysia)

The only difference between then and now, it seems, is that we have many, many Raja's to contend with - the Little Napeoleons and Josephines that pollute our lives and well-being with demands of protocol and feigned respect. Not the noble-blooded Raja's, but the royal-pain-in-the-ass kind of Raja's - our YB's.

A commenter on yesterday's post, going by the nick Master Mariner, had this to say:

True, Malaysia is a signatory to the IMO SOLAS convention, but in inshore territorial waters the requirements can be less stringent, if the national authority deems fit (this authority in Malaysia is the Marine Department). Nevertheless the vessel and the lifesaving and fire fighting equipment must be adequate, and the vessel must be of a suitable design, to ensure that it is seaworthy and safe for the intended area of operation, taking into account local weather conditions, etc.

It goes without saying that there has been little or no enforcement by any of the maritime enforcement agencies (Marine Department, Marine Police and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency [Coastguard]) and that it is this closing of one eye, or even both eyes, which resulted in dereliction of duty and criminal neglect, which is the likely root cause of this dreadful tragedy.

To put it bluntly the apparent cause is as simple as ABCDEFGHI - Apathy, Bribery, Corruption, Doubtful Enforcement, Frightful Greed, Horrendous Indifference.

And because SOLAS compliance is lax (even as far as non-existent, probably) within Malaysian waters, and because the rule of the day is obfuscation of the truth - a thorough investigation, full disclosure, and more importantly, reform of the agencies involved may not quite see the light of day. Walski's optimism? Gone down the deep blue with the carcass of the burning ferry.

Especially when the Minister of Information himself states that the real truth is unnecessary. Only the sugar-coated truth from certain parties counts, as far as he is concerned.

Why? Because the YB's have to be guarded from shame and downfall. The new Rajas of the country... to whom protocol, photo opportunity and self-preservation are more important than the life of others. The very same others who probably were dumb naive enough to vote their sorry YB asses in.

And this sickens Walski to no end.

Walski's semi-optimistic endnote: In all honesty, Walski hates to end this post on such a sour tone. There is some positivity that has come out of this tragedy - two other vessels owned and operated by Seagull Express and Accommodation Sdn Bhd have been siezed. The PM, breaking his elegant silence, wants "all illegal ferries to stop operations". Nice - but wanting something and having proper regulations enforced are two totally different kettles of fish entirely. Last, but not least, the Chief Minister of Johor, going overboard as usual, wants "all ferries plying the Mersing-Tioman route to be thoroughly checked by the Marine Department before departure" - any ridiculous demand to look good, eh Datuk? And what did Walski just say about these motherfucking YB's??

Click here for the full post......

Tioman ferry tragedy, and the Zen of Maritime Safety

Technorati tags: Tragedy, Tioman, Seagull Express 2, SOLAS, IMO, Safety, Maritime Safety

No doubt about it, the marine incident that claimed the lives of four people last Saturday, October 13th, is tragic. As of today, 3 people are still missing. Frankly, Walski doesn't put much hope in the prospects of finding them still alive - this may sound callous, but let's be realistic about it, shall we?

Taken from The Star's report of the tragedy

Being someone whose work involves industrial safety, among other things, Walski acknowldeges the fact that accidents do happen. It's not possible to totally eradicate accidents. Best industry practice, when it comes to safety, though, dictates that while you cannot totally reduce the possibility of accidents to zero, there is something in the industry called "acceptable risk" levels.

In fact, when it comes to any sort of safety considerations, the objective is to reduce the risk of injury, death and damage to the environment to an acceptable level. In the case of the tragedy off Tioman, containing the fire to the engine room by utilizing automatic fire detection and suppression systems in place, having sufficient life jackets for the allowable number of passengers, and a crew trained in emergency response, would have been reasonable measures to reduce the risk to an acceptable level. The fire would still have happened (it was supposedly due to a short circuit), but the damage caused would probably not have been as extensive, and perhaps even the loss of life avoided.

So, what is the level of acceptable risk that the ferry operator Seagull Express and Accommodation Sdn Bhd tolerated in operating their service between Mersing and Tioman Island?

Eyewitness accounts, plus what was reported by Bernama, via Malaysiakini, have revealed a few interesting facts (emphasis by myAsylum):
► "... and police said they were still trying to determine the exact number on board"
► "Survivors accused the crew of abandoning them when the passenger cabin filled with thick, black smoke, and giving no help to the elderly and children on board."
► "... that the fire spread fast and within minutes thick smoke filled the passenger cabin, forcing them to take their chances in the sea without lifejackets."
► "A Marine Department official told Bernama the ferry's permit to transport passengers had expired in December last year and not been renewed." (Actually, more like two and a half years ago!! See the full post.)
► "Another passenger, Sybil Lucas, 30, said the ferry was old and no longer suitable to transport passengers."

Incidentally, part of Walski's responsibility at work is being his department's HSE (Health, Safety and Environment) representative, and so he is qualified to comment in this case. And you know what Walski thinks?
(findings based on the news reports, and more, in the full post)

What surprises Walski the most about all this is how the fuck could the vessel be in operation if its license had expired? Actually, this only confirms Walski's worst fears - that our civil maritime standards are either sub-par, or that the level of enforcement is next to zero. Between the two, Walski more likely thinks that it is the latter - and if that's the case, it's just par for the course when it comes to enforcement of exising laws and regulations. We have lots, but don't enforce 'em worth a damn.

As with many instances in the past, it takes a bloody tragedy like this before anyone takes notice. And that is perhaps what makes Walski fuming mad.

In this instance, the operating company, if found to be negligent, should be taken to task - to the fullest extent of what the law allows. And in fact, if it does operate other vessels, Seagull Express and Accommodation Sdn Bhd should have all their ferry services suspended, pending re-certification of their vessels. If the company has a single fiber of moral responsibility to the public at all, it should do so without having being asked to.

Reading thru some of the other news reports, Walski found the response from the authorities to be almost comical. On Monday, The Star carried a follow-up report on the incident (emphasis by myAsylum).

OCPD Deputy Supt Abdullah Sani Salat said police were only concentrating on the cause of the fire on board the ferry in their investigations, as the Marine Department is the proper authority conducting a thorough probe on the matter.

“We will help in the efforts to retrieve the wreckage of the ferry that is submerged in the sea. Efforts to look for the three missing passengers are still on going.

“Our main investigations will focus on whether there was any foul play involved in the death of the four passengers,” he said.
(source: The Star)

Umm... barking up the wrong lamp post again, PDRM? They should probably just allow the Marine Department to investigate, and not make unnecessary (and somewhat silly) statements. But should the Maritime Department even be allowed to conduct investigations on their own? More to come on this later in the post.

The four who perished were elderly (between 52 to 68 years of age), and from what Walski's read, unable to swim. Walski also understands that at least one body was recovered in an extremely burnt state, indicating that the victim was overcome by smoke and probably didn't even make it out of the ferry.

Anyone that's been through basic Sea Survival will tell you that threading water (even in sea water) is something that even the fittest amongst us will find difficult to do for extended periods of time. Hence, the need for life jackets and other flotation assistance devices.

But Walski digresses... he is simply pissed off that this tragic incident happened... the focus of this post is on the safety and safety regulation aspects.

In Walski's view, the operator of the ferry service, Seagull Express and Accommodation Sdn Bhd, should indeed be found guilty of negligence. But not just them - probably the Marine Department as well. And here are his reasons for thinking so:

1. The fire and ensuing smoke spread rapidly - indicating that there was no automatic fire detection and suppression system in the engine room area. The vessel is not that old (The Star reports that it was constructed in 1991). Walski would also be curious to know if there were operational hand-operated fire extinguishers on the vessel or not. Walski happens to know that there should be fire suppression and detection systems (more on this later in the post).

2. The crew allegedly abandoned ship to save their own asses - indicating to Walski that the crew was not trained to handle emergency situations, if this were the case. For a crew on such a vessel, this is a definitely no-no. Again, how could the Maritime Department allow for this?

3. The vessel's licenses had expired - The Star reported that "A Marine Department spokesman said the licence for the Seagull Express had expired on March 16 last year, while its passenger certificate had an expiry date of March 18, 2005". The first question that came to Walski's mind upon reading this - what checks do the Marine Department conduct to ensure that passenger vessels are sea-worthy? And which statutory body issues the so-called "Passenger Certificate"? How on earth could a vessel be allowed to operate for 19 months without a license - the biggest joke here is that this information came from the Marine Department itself. What the fuck were they doing about it for the last year and a half??

4. Passengers had to ditch the burning vessel without a life jacket - Where there sufficient life jackets to cater for all the passengers and crew? If there were sufficient life jackets, were the passengers aware of where these were stowed, either via signages or verbal briefing from the crew? Okay... scratch that last part - Walski's been on one of these ferries (not to Tioman, but elsewhere), and no, the passengers are not told where the life jackets are located. Blogger Shanghai Stephen has his own horror story about ferries and lifejackets that you can (and should) check out. In his post commenting on this tragedy, he's labelled the tragic fire as a tragedy waiting to happen (in not so many words). The question here is, are Malaysian civil Maritime regulations at par with international standards, and are they diligently enforced? Particularly when it comes to crew and passenger safety.

In conclusion, on the part of the operator, Walski is of the opinion that they did not reduce the risks to an acceptable level. And by that, Walski means a level that complies with international maritime safety best practices, and not what Seagull Express and Accommodation Sdn Bhd thinks acceptable levels are. Like with many business in this country that deal with passenger carriage, their concern is probably more on making money. Fortunately, air travel is subject to stringent international standards in order to operate. Probably not so true with road and sea public transport.

Secondly, the role of the Maritime Department in ensuring that passenger vessels in this country are safe. If the Tioman ferry tragedy is any measure, it would appear that the Malaysia Maritime Department is either enept, or have not kept up with international safety standards. Worse, if someone paid them off to "close one eye".

Come to think of it, perhaps the Maritime Department should not be tasked to do the investigations alone, since there is a good possibility that they, too, are party to negligence.

On Sunday, Malaysiakini reported that "Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said an investigation would be conducted to determine the cause of the fire, whether the operator had followed safety standards and whether the crew had done its best to save passengers."

Yes, Walski would definitely be interested to find out the outcome of this investigation. But what the DPM did not mention is this - are our Maritime safety standards up to snuff in the first place? And it also goes back to the perennial problem of enforcement. What are we going to do about enforcement, Najib?

To Najib's credit, however, the stated purpose of the investigation at least makes reasonable sense. The PM, as usual, was elegantly silent, and was more saddened by his inability to wish our astronaut Selamat Hari (Angkasa) Raya. Sigh...

Now comes the really interesting part, and this pretty much makes it mandatory that a thorough investigation be done. And if heads need to roll, heads need to roll. Let's hope that Najib's word given on this is his bond - because nothing less than Malaysia's reputation in the maritime community is at stake.

Malaysia happens to be a signatory to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, otherwise known in the maritime industry as SOLAS. The convention was adopted on November 1st, 1974, and came into effect May 25th, 1980.

Not only is Malaysia a signatory, but we actually have ratified the convention, which means that there are laws legislated to take into account the regulations, resolutions and protocols contained within SOLAS. In other words, any party contravening SOLAS contravenes Malaysian law.

Chapter II-2 - Fire protection, fire detection and fire extinction of SOLAS "... includes detailed fire safety provisions for all ships and specific measures for passenger ships, cargo ships and tankers". This portion of SOLAS has been updated a few times over the years, but having ratified it, Malaysia is obligated to keep up with the requirements as and when they change.

So, there are international standards that are in place, and by Malaysian Maritime Law, are required to be followed. The question now is, in the case of the Seagull Express 2, how could have the operating company gotten away with not having the vessel properly licensed? If there were any fouls that got played, this would be one.

In the meantime, some of the survivors of the disaster have indicated that they will sue, as reported by Malaysiakini earlier this evening.

Three couples who survived the last Saturday’s ferry tragedy in Tioman are considering legal action against the ferry operator as well as the government for alleged negligence, after two relatives drowned.

At a press conference today, the couples insisted on compensation from the Transport Ministry, Johor government, Marine Department, a local tour agency and the ferry operator - Seagull Express and Accommodation Sdn Bhd.

“We want (Transport Minister) Chan Kong Choy to compensate us for allowing such a tragedy to occur,” Ng Soon Tiong, 41, and a father of three, told reporters at the DAP headquarters in Petaling Jaya today.
(source: Malaysiakini - subscription required)

And so we now wait for the outcome not only of the investigations, but also of the pending lawsuit. Although Walski doesn't have a crystal ball, and he's not a clairvoyant, he can forsee that a lot of blamestorming and pushing of responsibility is going to happen. For starters, BN is probably going to say that the DAP is opportunistic in taking up the cause of the victims. Then the statutory bodies are going to go at each others' throats...

But in the end, there's no escaping SOLAS, and the commitments already made by Malaysia in ensuring the convention is followed. We've ratified it, and therefore are obligated to enforce it. The biggest problem here is that the Maritime Department, the very ones whose responsibility it is to ensure the regulations are enforced, could very well be a prominent party in at fault.

As far as this tragedy is concerned, the days ahead are definitely going to be interesting ones...

Walski's footnote of condolence: myAsylum wishes to extend our deepest heartfelt condolences to the familiies and friends of those who perished in the tragedy. Let's hope something really positive will come out of the ensuing investigations (one can still hope), so that no such tragedies will happen, ever again, in the future.

Click here for the full post......

The path less travelled...

Technorati tags: Politics, M. Bakri Musa, Essays, Commentary

There is this notion that the only way to do good for your community and country is to enter into politics and be elected to (some) office. M. Bakri Musa (left), Malaysian-born surgeon currently living in California begs to differ.

And for damn good reasons, too.

In a recent post, Doc (as Walski fondly refers to him) replied a reader's letter to him, which questions why Doc only writes and doesn't take up the challenge and come home to contest in the political arena.

Apparently, this happens to be typical Melayu (Malay) thinking, says Doc. A mindset with which he disagrees, as does Walski:

"As for my joining UMNO or any political party and contesting the elections as you suggested, we Malays must disabuse ourselves of the silly notion that the only way to contribute is through politics. I do not blame you for suggesting that, for some of our brightest Malays feel the same way as you do. And they end up wasting their precious talent."
(source: M. Bakri Musa)

In fact, many have tried - and failed to achieve much that can concretely be called "successes".

You see, Walski has this theory, which he calls the political Theory of Diminishing Integrity. It has proven itself time and time again. And it is for this same reason that Walski doesn't think it wise for him to enter into politics.
(Theory of Diminishing Integrity, and more Doc Bakri, in the full post)

In short the theory is this:
One enters politics with the noble intention of contributing to society. But to get anything accomplished, one has to rise up through the ranks of his/her political organizations. In trying to rise up thru the ranks, there is a very good chance one must compromise certain personal principals. The higher one rises, the more compromise one has to make, until one has reached the pinnacle of one's traversal (subject to The Peter Principle) - but by the time you get there, the compromises you've had to have made kinda makes you forget why you entered politics in the first place. Rising up to the top has inevitably taken a life of its own, and becomes its own raison d'etre.

So, to answer those who've asked him about it in the past, don't expect to see Walski in politics any time soon. Actually, make that ever. Just like Doc.

Doc Bakri goes on to quote anecdotal experiences of those he knows personally, who mistakenly thought that their great talents could be put to better use in politics.

One of my classmates in secondary school once headed a thriving and (at the time) the biggest medical clinic in Malaysia. I was so excited at his prospects that I thought of giving up my practice here in America to join him. He had the potential of creating a Malaysian Mayo Clinic. Alas, my friend, anticipating your advice, caught the political bug. He ended up nowhere politically. He did however reach the state “Exco” level and get his Datukship. To some, those are achievements enough. As for his once promising clinic, it is now a shamble.

I now look askance at another young Malay, a brilliant entrepreneurial lawyer who successfully created the largest law firm in Malaysia, all before his 50th birthday! That is a solid accomplishment by any standard! However, he too got caught up politically. The last time I read about him, he was found guilty by UMNO on some trumped-up charges of “money politics!” At least he could be comforted that it was not some framed-up sordid sex scandal!
(source: M. Bakri Musa)

Don't get him wrong - Walski doesn't doubt the sincerity of those who have entered into politics one bit. Like Jeff Ooi, or Tony Pua. And perhaps, Walski's theory only applies to political parties that are incumbent. Or, only to Malaysia-based incumbent ones.

It is, after all, just a theory - but one based on personal observation, mind you. And one that Walski believes in personally, but which he does not expect anyone else to. He's just liberal in that way...

And so Doc rebukes the notion that good can only be done via participation in politics. Doc also believes that in the current political environment, his own personal safety may be in jeopardy if he does return. For context, you should go read the entire post on Doc's blog.

There's an old adage that says "there's more than one way to skin a cat" (although why anyone would even consider skinning a cat is another question altogether that shall go unanswered here).

For Doc Bakri, and Walski, though, getting into politics actively is not one of those ways to achieve change. Cat, or no cat.

Click here for the full post......

Truth and Inconsequence

Technorati tags: Humor, Politics, ZAM, Propaganda, Truth, Half-Truths

Just before Malaysia went on an extended weekend holiday for Hari Raya, Malaysia's Minister of Propaganda Information was reported in the media - or at the very least, Malaysiakini - giving license to the media to put yet another nail in their own credibility coffin.

In essence, Zam says Pak Lah's pledge to "hear the truth" doesn't apply to the media.

Click on image to read full report (subscription required)

The media, in other words, cannot report the whole truth - only parts of the truth (if at all) that have some wonderful feel good factor. Or parts that make the Government look good. Or both. And as expected, the English language media at large did not report on this revelation - except for Malaysiakini.

Zainuddin then explained that Abdullah's often repeated pledges of "listening to the truth" were only restricted to government officials and Barisan Nasional leaders so as to assist the cabinet in making decisions.

Based on the account by a well-placed source, Zainuddin said Abdullah's pledge did not mean that the media have the green light to practice unrestrained reporting because certain topics were considered highly sensitive.

Zainuddin added that the cabinet often scrutinises media reports and have noticed that at times, Abdullah’s statements have been misconstrued. However, the minister did not elaborate on this.

The information minister also ticked off two television stations, warning them to stay away from reporting with a racial slant as this could trigger another ‘May 13' riots.
(Source: Malaysiakini)

And as usual, nothing underlines a threatening statement more than the spectre of May 13 - the intellectually bankrupt Malaysian politician's favorite bogeyman - that anything deemed sensitive by the Government has the potential to trigger another similar incident.

These days, though, nothing much that comes out of this man surprises Walski anymore. But this latest statement does confirm the fact that the Malaysian media is psychologically controlled by the Government. Report only the positive - or be prepared to pay the consequences. All print media is strictly controlled and licensed by the Government, who can yank the licensing at any time, and pretty much for any reason it wants to.

And anyone who still refuses to believe that the Malaysian Government has the media's ball in the clutches of their grimy hands, after this, is pretty much an idiot in Walski's book.

The truth, it seems, has too much potential to set us free. And that, boys and girls, sends shivers down the spine of this mismanaged government.
(more untruth in the full post)

So, let's disect what Zam has to say about the sources of truth for Pak Lah's consumption. The only source of truth, true enough for Pak Lah, is the truth that comes from Government officials, and of course, BN politicians. Truth from any other sources, therefore, are just not true enough for Pak Lah.

Why? Probably because these other sources have the inconvenient tendency to contain more truth, in all likelihood. Truth, after all, doesn't promote the "feel good" factor, especially when the truth is, shall we say, sucky.

And of course, everybody knows that BN politicians and Government officials don't have any vested interests, and are totally objective, right?

Oh, look... a flying pig!

Already, the mainstream print media has little credibility left with the Malaysian public - or at least the urban ones, and those with Internet access. And perhaps this news report explains why Zam has a problem with bloggers.

On bloggers, Zainuddin told the media professionals not resort to information provided in blogs.

"They (bloggers) are citizen journalists. If you use (materials from) their blogs, then you are no longer a real journalist," he said.
(Source: Malaysiakini)

In other words, to be real journalists, potential propogation of untruths and half-truths, as long as they are positive to the Government, is a prerequisite.

The All-Seeing/HearingSleeping PM doesn't need more truth to disturb his slumber
(poster stolen from Mob1900)

One bit of embarassing truth that came out recently is the 2006 Auditor General's report. Or more accurately, some details in the report that indicated mismanagement. And, interestingly enough, Malaysia has to be one of the few countries where an Auditor General's report can mysteriously cause fires.

An early morning fire on Saturday destroyed a portion of a RM11.2mil abattoir and meat processing centre at Kinarut, about 20km from the city.

The Sabah Meat Technology Centre was opened last October and was among the state projects queried in the 2006 Auditor-General’s report.

Auditor-General Tan Sri Ambrin Buang questioned various aspects of the facility including the manner in which project’s contract was awarded and why it was under-utilised.
(source: The Star, September 24, 2007)

Yes, folks - truth can have serious consequences - including mysterious fires. And perhaps it's because Zam is a concerned individual, and doesn't want further mysterious tragedies that he's called upon the media to be careful with what they report. Especially if it contains the truth.

Oh, look... another flying pig!

Click here for the full post......

Amnesty in time for Halloween...

Technorati tags: Halloween, Hari Raya, RayaLoween

... or in the spirit of Kongsi Raya, and since it falls during the Aidil Fitri season, HariRayaLoween.

Being released to a neighborhood near you...
(pix courtesy of Lord Panda)

And while Walski can't attest for the other devils, ghosts and goblins, the Demon of Hunger Overindulgence definitely got released...

Speaking of being ludicrous, certain parts of India is only celebrating Eid today (via The Times of India)! Something has gone totally awry with the Muslim world, Walski tells ya...

Click here for the full post......

Eid Mubarrak - Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri

Technorati tags: Eid, Hari Raya, Greetings

To all myAsylum readers, in particular the ones celebrating...

To all readers of myAsylum wherever you may be...

... regardless of whether you celebrate it today, or celebrated it yesterday in some countries.

As this is one of the times of year when the country (almost) shuts down for a week, Walski hopes that if you're travelling during this festive season, do exercise care and patience. Traffic is probably gonna be the pits, particularly along the North-South Expressway. The last thing Walski wants is for you to be an Ops Sikap XIII statistic...

So drive safe, eat sensibly and have a great Raya!

Click here for the full post......

Eid is in the eye of the beholder...

Technorati tags: Religion, Islam, Eid, Calendar

First off, Eid Mubarrak - Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri.

And unlike certain zealot mutant mullahs who shall remain unnamed, this wish goes out to ALL. No exclusivist crap in this blog... and the wish goes out regardless of whether you may be celebrating it today (Friday) or tomorrow.

Once again, when celebrations fall becomes a subject of dispute (via Al-Jazeera)

Now, you may be wondering why the differing dates for this, perhaps one of the important of days for Muslims - the end of "Ramadhan". And yes, there is a reason why Walski has put the name of the holy month in quotes... read on to see why.

But first, a little bit of information about calendars.

Calendars are generally systems to keep track of time, and are either solar, lunar or lunisolar based. Every calendar system uses a reference point, which in the bigger scheme of things, are quite arbitrary points in time. There have been numerous calendar systems in use over the vast history of man, but today the generally accepted standard calendar worldwide is the Gregorian Calendar system, which uses the traditional point in time of what is thought of the birth of Jesus, as a reference point, and uses the cycle during which the Earth orbits the Sun as a measure of years.

The Islamic Calendar, on the other hand, relies solely on the cycles of the Moon, as perceived by man on planet Earth, and disregards the Earth's movement around the Sun altogether. Again, the reference point is arbitrary - the flight (or Hijrah) of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medinah, then back-dated to the traditional (i.e. pre-Islamic) start of the year, which is Muharram, making the actual hijrah approximately 66 days after the first day of that year, 1 AH. Ironically, the name of the months in the Islamic calendar denote seasonal references, which are today totally irrelevant, since the Islamic year prances around the solar year (hence the seasons) lagging by about 11 days per each Earth orbital cycle. There already was a functional lunisolar calendar used by the Arabs, which was in sync with the seasons. What the Arabs of the time did not have, however, was a system of numbering the years, opting instead to name the years according to significant events during that particular span of time (example: Year of the Elephant, during which Prophet Muhammad was born).

So okay, the Hijri (or Islamic) Calendar takes care of numbering the years, based solely on 12 lunar months. But is God's calendar system solar, lunar, or lunisolar? We'll look at this a little later on.

Phases of the Moon

And then you have the problem of determining the beginning of the month. The traditional method used is to visually detect the new crescent moon, after sunset of the 29th day of the month.

Traditionally, the first day of each month was the day (beginning at sunset) of the first sighting of the lunar crescent (the hilāl) shortly after sunset. If the hilāl was not observed immediately after the 29th day of a month, either because clouds blocked its view or because the western sky was still too bright when the moon set, then the day that began at that sunset was the 30th. Such a sighting had to be made by one or more trustworthy men testifying before a committee of Muslim leaders. Determining the most likely day that the hilāl could be observed was a motivation for Muslim interest in astronomy, which put Islam in the forefront of that science for many centuries.

This traditional practice is still followed in a few parts of the world, like India, Pakistan and Jordan. However, in most Muslim countries astronomical rules are followed which allow the calendar to be determined in advance, which is not the case using the traditional method. Malaysia, Indonesia, and a few others begin each month at sunset on the first day that the moon sets after the sun (moonset after sunset). In Egypt, the month begins at sunset on the first day that the moon sets at least five minutes after the sun.
(source: Wikipedia)

In other words, because the hilal can be obscured by clouds or haze, Eid is literally in the eyes of the beholder. And the folks in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Sudan, and Libya have apparently beholden today, as the beginning of Shawwal, hence... Eid Mubarrak to you folks there!
(straying from God's system, and more, in the full post)

Now, here's what the Quran has to say (emphasis by myAsylum):

2:189 They ask you regarding the new moons, say, "They are a timing mechanism for the people as well as for the Pilgrimage." Piety is not that you would enter a home from its back, but piety is whoever is aware and comes to the homes through their main doors. Be conscientious of God that you may succeed.

Now, relating to the phases of the moon (see picture above), which is the "most obvious" phase - one that doesn't require sophisticated optics and can be seen by the naked eye? Keep that thought for a bit while we look at the next question.

Is the year, as far as God's system goes, lunar, solar or lunisolar? Again, we refer to the Quran:

17:12 We made the night and the day as two signs, so We erased the sign of night and We made the sign of day manifest, that you may seek bounty from your Lord, and that you may know the number of the years and the count. Everything We have detailed meticulously.

As is common knowledge today, the phenomenon of night and day has to do with the perceived movement of the Sun across the Earth's sky, and the Moon plays no part. Therefore, the scriptural reference above means that we have to rely on the Sun to count the number of days, which in turn allows us to count the years.

Incidentally, there is a mathematical structure in the Quran, and the frequency of certain references and words are seemingly obvious clues. For instance, the singular noun "day" (yawm in Arabic), occurs 365 times, the plural form (ayyam, yawmayn) occurs 30 times, and the word "month" (shahr) 12 times. Coincidence - or meant to tell us something?

10:5 He is the One who made the sun an illuminator, and the moon a light, and He measured its phases so that you would know the number of the years and the calculation. God has not created this except for truth. He details the signs for a people who know.

9:36 The count of the months with God is twelve months in God's book the day He created the heavens and the earth; four of them are restricted. This is the correct system; so do not wrong yourselves in them. Fight those who set up partners collectively as they fight you collectively. Know that God is with the righteous.

9:37 Know that accelerating the intercalary is an addition in rejection; that those who have rejected may misguide with it. They make it lawful one calendar year, and they forbid it one calendar year, so as to circumvent the count that God has made restricted; thus they make lawful what God made forbidden! Their evil works have been adorned for them, and God does not guide the rejecting people.

Based on the above references, therefore, we can surmise that a year is measured in terms of the Earth's orbit around the Sun, whose span (approximately 365 - 364.25 to be more precise) is then divided into 12 months, each containing 30 days (which is also the mean Lunar cycle), measured starting from the first day after a Full Moon (and not the crescent). In other words, it is lunisolar, using both the Sun and the Moon as guides.

The last scriptural reference above (9:37) prohibits the intercalary month, the practice of adding (or subtracting in the case of the Pre-Islamic Arabs) one month to the lunar year to get back in sync with the solar year - this was done with the Pre-Islamic Arabic calendar, and is practiced today with the Chinese Calendar.

The reason for this prohibition is that with the practice of intercalary months certain periods would be lawful one year, and unlawful within other years. In other words, God's system follows certain preset markers that are observable year after year (like the two solstices and two equinoxes), preordained and orchestrated with the participation of the Sun and the Moon.

So, what have Muslims done instead? We now prance around the solar year using a lunar-only year, which really makes the reason behind the prohibition of the intercalary month seem really trivial. Muslims have, in effect, so wronged themselves, it's not even funny. And for over a millenium, too. No wonder the ummah, at large, is in such a state. And yet, what do we hear the clarion call to be? Islamic state, Islamic laws, God's laws... we can't even get the friggin' calendar right.

The Earth orbits around the Sun, in a predictable manner, according to God's laws - ignoring this is really going against what God has ordained. Blatantly going against it, as we are today... well, you can fill in the blanks...

There is also Quranic evidence to suggest when the actual year should start, when Ramadhan actually is, and how long the fasting period is supposed to be (hint: it's not one month). You can find all this and more in an article found at the Free-Minds.org website. Much of what has been written in this post is based on the article Walski just mentioned (and also this one, from the same site).

And so, until Muslims get their act together - starting with the calendar, for one thing - we'll continue to see Muslims in different parts of the world celebrating important religious dates on different days. Like obersving Eid ul-Fitr today for most of the Middle East, and tomorrow for most of the rest of the world...

Regardless, Walski once again wishes everyone Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri - Eid Mubarrak - and may your time off with the family be a joyous and safe one... even if we've gotten it wrong - again.

Click here for the full post......

Spaced Out...

Technorati tags: Humor, October 10th, Space Travel, Angkasawan, Destiny, Coincidence

Well, boys and girls, Malaysia finally sends a citizen into space. On October 10th, 2007. Let's face it - Malaysia is not a space-faring nation, and will not be for sometime to come. Sending an astronaut into space may be considered by some as a first step, but the proof of that pudding comes with what happens after that first step... But an analysis of the what-after is not the focus of this post.

Apparently, October 10th holds a lot of significance. Besides the obvious, of course, being the day the first Malaysian blasted off into space. Walski managed to catch the tail-end of the live telecast, having left the office later than expected.

One observation that Walski made about the telecast - we have a long way to go in terms of having competent commentators when it comes to technology. Like at one point... "oh, look... the pen is floating!" Yes, doofus... that's what pens do in zero gravity. We sometimes seem to have the knack of pointing out the blatantly obvious.

And one thing that Pak Lah asked... after being told by former astronaut Captain Robert “Hoot” Gibson that the astronauts would be able to move around - "Will they have to stay that way (as in strapped into their seats) throughout the trip?" Hmmm... he did seem awake, though.

But the goofiest person on TV last night must have been Datuk Seri Dr. Jamaluddin Jarjis, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation. The man actually has a PhD in Electrical Engineering - which goes to show what politics can do to the human mind... 'cause boy, did he ever look goofy and totally out of place...

Malaysia now proudly joins the ranks of 38 nations that have had their citizens launched into space. Despite any brickbats anyone may have (probably Walski included), it is an achievement that every Malaysian should be proud of. Granted, most of these 38 are not exactly big names in space-faring (like Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Afghanistan).

But anyways, back to October 10th... it was truly an auspicious day for a space launch, even if not many people realized it.

Did you know....

(1) The Outer Space Treaty was entered into force
on October 10th, 1967? The treaty was signed earlier that year on January 27th, and forms the basis for international space law. Essentially, the treaty states that no one nation can lay claim to any part of space, the Moon, or any of the planets (Article II). Well, that kind of puts a damper on the sloganeering TV promo ".. Malaysia bakal menguasai angkasa lepas.." (Malaysia will one day control space.. loosely translated) that they've been broadcasting. Malaysia is a signatory, but has not ratified the treaty (like we've not ratified a lot of other treaties).

Any research, according to the treaty, should be for peaceful purposes (Article IV). While our own astronaut will be doing research (several, according to news reports), what's really questionable is the extent of the research, since our Angkasawan will only be on the ISS for 8 days. Sounds more like a PR exercise, if you were to ask Walski, averting claims that he's merely a "space tourist".

But be that as it may, it's rather a cool coincidence that the launch date, October 10th, is when the Outer Space Treaty came into force 40 years earlier.
(more October 10th auspiciousness, in the full post)

(2) The birthday of a good many stars
just so happens to have fallen on October 10th. Like the late Anita Mui (who would've turned 44), has-been rockstar David Lee Roth, Ultravox's Midge Ure, legendary B-movie filmmaker Ed Wood, and jazz legend Thelonius Monk (there are quite a few others, by the way). So, it's kind of fitting that Malaysia started it's quest for space-faring on this date - first the orbit, then the stars... provided, of course, that there's going to be more to the Angkasawan program than PR, insignificant "experiments", and merely piggy-backing on someone else's rides, rather than developing our own propulsion technologies, like Japan and China.

On another musical note, October 10th, 1969 is also the date King Crimson's debut album, In the Court of the Crimson King was released. Perhaps the only band that produced some pretty spaced out music, without believing in actually being spaced out.

And speaking of being spaced out...

(3) Space-out of Muslims
also coincidentally happened on the same date, October 10th, 680. Okay, we're not talking about the mental kind of space-out, the kind which goes well with King Crimson, but the physical kind. What Walski is on about here is the Battle of Karbala - the historical event that led to Muslims being split into Sunni and Shi'ite factions. Muslims, of course, know the date as 10th of Muharram - or Aashurah - the killing of Husayn bin Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad.

Since such a big hoo-ha has been made about the first Malaysian in space being of the correct race and religion, this coincidence is too big for Walski to ignore. Wonder if anyone else connected these dots... that the day Muslims spaced out, is also the day that Malaysia spaced out...

~ o o o o o o o ~

So, October 10th goes into the record books - at least the Malaysian Book of Records, to be sure. As providence would have it, this year's October 10th follows a few other historical October 10th's as far as space travel is concerned.

Destiny, or coincidence? Who knows, really... perhaps down the road, more cosmic occurences may happen on the same date. Or perhaps not. And where does Malaysia go from this space ride, in as far as being a space-faring nation goes?

Again, who knows... maybe on another October 10th in the future... Only time, and Malaysia's future plans for Sukhoi purchases, will tell.

Click here for the full post......