TPPA: '...air di tempayan dicurahkan'

***
Dengan Nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang, selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.

Renungan
"Dan janganlah kamu menghampiri zina, sesungguhnya zina itu adalah satu perbuatan yang keji dan satu jalan yang jahat yang membawa kerosakan." - Maksud Ayat al-Quran Surah al-Israa': 32
***

DARIPADA 12 negara yang bakal menandatangani Perjanjian Perdagangan Trans-Pasifik (TPPA), hanya dua negara majoriti umat Islam iaitu Brunei Darussalam dan Malaysia. Kenapa negara teramai umat Islam di dunia yang juga jiran kita Indonesia, tidak berminat? Dengan lebih 220 juta penduduk, bukankah Indonesia antara negara pasaran terbesar di dunia?

Sebagai Muslim, kita sering diingatkan supaya mengutamakan muamalat sesama orang Islam. Ini termasuklah urusan perbankan agar semua urus niaga kita bertepatan dengan syariat Islam - tidak terjebak dengan perkara haram seperti riba.

Pemimpin kita yang beriya-iya mahu menandatangani TPPA juga sering mengingatkan 'ikutlah Islam sepenuhnya'...waduh, tersangatlah 'indah dan manis' cakap-cakap mereka, tetapi apakah yang dapat dikatakan kepada mereka yang 'bikin tidak seperti cakap' atau 'cakap tak serupa bikin ini'?

Hari ini ekonomi orang Islam bukan berada pada tahap membanggakan. Perdagangan sesama negara Islam juga jauh daripada kedudukan menggembirakan sekalipun kebanyakan negara Islam dilimpahi pelbagai sumber kekayaan semula jadi, peratusan perdagangan sesama negara Islam kecil saja.

Tidak lama dulu, dilaporkan hanya enam dan tujuh peratus saja perdagangan negara Islam dilaksanakan sesama sendiri daripada sejumlah besar urusan perdagangan mereka. Kini angka itu dipercayai tidak lebih 15 peratus. Pusat Islam Bagi Kemajuan Dagangan (ICDT) melaporkan perdagangan sesama negara Islam tidak melebihi RM500 bilion. ICDT ini terletak di bawah Pertubuhan Kerjasama Islam (OIC) yang memayungi 47 negara Islam.

Dalam menempuh cabaran di dunia tanpa sempadan dengan adanya konsep langit terbuka, sewajarnya negara Islam memperkukuhkan perdagangan sesama mereka yang akan membuka jalan bagi membangunkan ummah secara keseluruhan.

Adalah penting untuk negara Islam yang kaya dan berpengaruh berkerjasama mengumpul sumber kekayaan bagi menyumbang modal untuk membiayai projek pembangunan negara Islam yang miskin. Diharapkan negara Islam memberi tumpuan terhadap usaha mewujudkan kekayaan dan menggalakkan pembangunan ekonomi di kalangan negara Islam yang mundur dan dibelenggu masalah kelaparan, serangan penyakit dan kemiskinan.

Pemimpin kita sering mendabik dada Malaysia adalah negara contoh dan terbaik di kalangan negara-negara utama Islam. Berdasarkan dakwaan mereka ini, sewajarnya Malaysia mengorak langkah untuk mengetuai usaha memajukan ekonomi negara umat Islam. Sekali gus mereka dapat mengubah dan meningkatkan taraf hidup rakyat di negara-negara terbabit.

Usaha untuk memajukan dan meningkatkan taraf hidup umat Islam (bukan di Malaysia saja malah seluruh dunia) adalah 'jihad' seperti yang sering dilaungkan-laungkan oleh pemimpin kita. Mereka kerap mengelak daripada memperkatakan 'jihad di medan perang' tetapi menekankan 'jihad ekonomi'.

Subhanallah, dengan keadaan umat Islam global (dari Syria ke Indonesia) terumbang ambing, sekarang ini adalah masa terbaik untuk Malaysia 'menjadi juara' meningkatkan ekonomi umat dan negara umat Islam. Walaupun dari segi 'pulangan dunia' tidak seberapa, inilah pengertian jihad yang mesti dibuktikan semua pihak - daripada individu hingga negara umat Islam.

Namun, sayang seribu kali sayang...pemimpin kita yang mendabik dada 'wira dunia Islam', mengambil pendekatan untuk meraih apa yang dakwa keuntungan daripada menandatangani TPPA yang 'dikuasai' Amerika Syarikat. Mereka bertindak bagaikan menepati bidalan, mendengar guruh di langit, air di tempayan dicurahkan.

Jika kita menghayati kisah negara dan bangsa besar dunia, jiwa dan pemimpin rakyatnya tersangat kental. Kita ambil contoh Iran dan bangsa Parsi (ketepikan Syiah yang menjadi pegangan mereka), tidak sekali-sekali tunduk kepada kuasa asing; mereka tetap utuh sekalipun dikenakan pelbagai tekanan antarabangsa.

Demikian juga negara China atau Indonesia, semangat kebangsaan pemimpin dan rakyatnya tersangat hebat...jarang kita mendengar mereka akur kepada tekanan pihak lain.

Jika sebelum ditandatangani TPPA, kita dapat saksikan betapa dominannya syarikat gergasi Amerika seperti Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) dan McDonald's di seluruh dunia termasuk di negara umat Islam seperti Malaysia, tidak tahulah apa akan berlaku selepas perjanjian itu.

Malah, KFC 'sudah hadir' berhampiran pintu Masjidilharam. Ya, jika KFC dapat menembusi Tanah Suci orang Islam dan menjadi sebutan di kalangan jemaah haji, bolehkah syarikat-syarikat orang Islam mendapat pengiktirafan global dengan produknya aktif di pasarkan di negara maju dan kaya seperti Kumpulan G-7 termasuk Amerika Syarikat?

Kita harap boleh...kerana 'Malaysia boleh' dan melalui TPPA, Malaysia 'lagi boleh'...jadi selepas ditandatangani TPPA, akan wujudlah premis produk tempatan seperti 'Keropok Losong' bagaikan cendawan tumbuh selepas hujan di Amerika!

Derita warga emas era GST

***
Dengan Nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang, selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.

Renungan
"Dan janganlah kamu menghampiri zina, sesungguhnya zina itu adalah satu perbuatan yang keji dan satu jalan yang jahat yang membawa kerosakan." - Maksud Ayat al-Quran Surah al-Israa': 32
***

WARGA emas termasuklah pesara kerajaan mengharapkan hidup mereka tenang pada akhir-akhir usia, tetapi akibat tekanan hidup seperti kenaikan harga barangan keperluan asas dan perkhidmatan sekarang ini, ramai yang mengeluh.

Biasanya mereka yang kembali 'hidup berdua-duan' suami isteri kerana anak-anak meneroka hidup sendiri selepas bekerja dan mempunyai anak isteri, dapat hidup dengan selesa kerana sudah tiada tanggungan berat manakala untuk keperluan sendiri mereka tidak perlu berbelanja besar. 

Ya, 'orang tua' tidak banyak yang mereka makan, tidak lagi kerap bertukar pakaian cuma kos perubatan termasuk ubat-ubatan mungkin tinggi terutama bagi yang berpenyakit.

Namun kini, dengan pelbagai tekanan termasuklah Cukai Barangan dan Perkhidmatan (GST) yang menyebabkan harga barangan dan perkhidmatan naik, 'orang veteran' menjadi semakin risau. Mereka mula berfikir apakah duit pencen mereka cukup dan bagi yang tiada sumber pendapatan tetap, mereka menjadi cemas.

Seorang bekas pesara guru yang menulis surat kepada saya menyatakan dulu bil bekalan airnya setiap bulan hanyalah belasan ringgit tetapi kini sudah berpuluh-puluh malah beratus-ratus ringgit. Malah cukai tanah dan pintu sudah meningkat lebih sekali ganda.

Warga emas ini juga merintih, menyatakan anak-anaknya semakin kurang kerap balik kampung - mungkin kehidupan mereka di bandar semakin terdesak kerana serba-serbinya perlukan wang. Beliau sempat menukilkan sebuah sajak bertajuk 'Keluhan Si Anak Perantau' untuk sama-sama kita fikir-fikirkankan.

Bukan anakanda tak mahu balik,

Ayahanda, bonda,

Wang negara terapung seperti buih sabun,

Indah khabar dari rupa,

Seperti buah kuini,

Licin luar bau harum,

Ulat bersarang di dalam,

Benar, 

Pendapatan ribu-ribu,

Macam lumayan,

Perbelanjaan melebihi pendapatan,

Selepas bayar itu ini,

Nak balik kampung fikir dua tiga kali,

Cukai demi cukai,

Tol demi tol,

Alahai tol,

Petrol,

Aduhai petrol,

Naik selalu,

Sara hidup menajak bak kaduk naik junjung,

Kalau duit minyak duit tol,

Beri mak bapak di kampung,

Lepas sebulan belanja dapur,

Oh, inilah tanah airku Malaysia...

Apabila anak-anak kesempitan hidup, salah satu natijahnya mereka jarang balik kampung. Mungkin anak-anak sekarang ini semakin kurang kerap 'menghulur' (wang) kepada emak ayah. Jika 'menghulur' pun, mungkin jumlahnya dikurangkan - maklumlah untuk menampung kos tol dan harga barangan yang mencanak naik.

Jika seorang pesara guru berpencen meluahkan keresahannya, tidak dapatlah dibayangkan keadaan golongan veteran yang dulunya adalah penoreh getah, petani dan nelayan. Jika dulu mereka menepati peribahawa 'kais pagi makan pagi, kais petang makan petang', bagaimana agaknya kehidupan mereka sekarang?

Bagi penoreh getah dan petani tua yang mempunyai kebun dan bendang bolehlah mereka 'membanting tulang tua' mereka bagi mendapatkan sesuap dua nasi, tetapi bagaimana pula nasib mereka di kawasan yang dilanda musibah seperti banjir tidak lama dulu?

Misalnya di sejumlah daerah di Kelantan seperti Gua Musang dan Kuala Krai, pokok getah mati manakala di kawasan tidak dilanda banjir dilanda kemarau pula. Dilaporkan daun getah gugur dan susu getah amat sedikit sekali. kerana daun muda. Hasil pekebun kecil kira-kira RM250-350 sebulan dengan harga getah serendah RM1.80-2.50/kg.

Itu kisah di luar bandar; bagaimana keadaan di bandar pula? Nampaknya tiada istilah pencen untuk orang yang telah pencen. Ramai yang masih bekerja, seorang rakan saya sudah lebih 70 tahun masih 'setia' dengan 'kerja keduanya' sekarang (selepas pencen pada usia 55 tahun) sekalipun kudratnya seperti sudah 'dipulas' habis. Ya, apa nak buat, kehidupan di kota segala-galanya memerlukan wang, hatta untuk ke tandas sekarang ini pun bayarannya sudah naik 50 sen!

Selain 'kerja biasa' sebagai 'guard' (pengawal), semakin ramai 'warga pencen' saya perhatikan cuba-cuba berniaga - ada yang buka bisnes nasi lemak, pisang goreng dan air minuman (mereka letak meja di tepi-tepi jalan)...tetapi kalau penjual sudah macam cendawan tumbuh selepas hujan, beratlah persaingan yang akan mereka hadapi bagi mencari sesuap dua nasi. Demikianlah warga emas pun terpaksa bersusah payah menyambung kehidupan dalam 'era GST' ini!

Longing for the law of Allah...

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful; blessings and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.

Reflection

The Declining Day (Al-'Asr)
1. By the declining day,
2. Lo! Man is in a state of loss,
3. Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort 
one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance.
***

A FEW weeks ago, a stallholder in Terengganu, Mohamad Zulkifli Ismail, spotted robbers in his house and in a struggle, killed one of them. He faced a murder charge for allegedly stabbing a man to death. Overall, is it self-defense or murder?

Legal experts argue that there is a fine line between self-defense and murder eventhough the law says a person has a right to defend himself/herself when he/she encounter a criminal and in the process unintentionally kill the attacker.

What's Islam has to say about this issue? During several 'tazkirah' (Islamic lessons) and after the talks at 'masjids' near my house, I managed to ask a few 'ustazs' (religious teachers) including those who practice law at 'syariah' courts regarding the matter. 

An 'ustaz' who gave lessons on 'Fiqh Jinayat' at a 'masjid' on a weekly basis, explained that Islamic criminal laws comprises of 'hudud' (hodoud), 'qisas' (quisas) and 'ta'zir'. 'Hudud' is prescribed by Allah SWT in the Qur'an and 'hadith'. 'Hudud' is His Law and His Rights. In Ayah 229 Surah Al-Baqarah Allah SWT says with the meaning: "For whoso transgresseth Allah's limit: such are wrongdoers." 

Examples of 'hudud' are punishment to those who committed illicit sex (zina or adultery), accusing people of illicit sex but failed to bring four witness (qazaf), taking alcoholic drinks, stealing, robbing, being apostate and fighting against an Islamic government (bughat).

"Ta' zir' is punishment for crime not measuring up to the strict requirements of 'hadd' (hudud) punishments, although they are of the same nature, or those for which specific punishments have not been fixed by the Qur'an. 

Punishments range from the death penalty for espionage and heresy to flagellation, imprisonment, local banishment, and a variety of fines. Determination of punishment is left to the judge or chief executive, who can vary the punishment according to a number of criteria including who has inflicted the crime and upon whom.

'Qisas' means retaliation, in the case of murder, it means it is the right of their heirs of a murder victim to demand execution of the murderer. 'Qisas' literally means "'pursuing, seeking or to return like for like." From this it also acquired the meaning of "retribution, requital and punishment." The basic rules of 'qisas' are mentioned in the Qur'an.

Allah SWT says, "O you who believe, retribution is prescribed for you in the cases of killing; if a freeman is guilty then the freeman; if a slave is guilty then the slave; if a female is guilty then the female. But if something of the murderer's guilt is remitted by his brother then this should be adhered to in fairness, and payment be made in a proper manner. This is alleviation and a mercy from your Lord; and for him who transgresses after that is a painful chastisement. People of understanding, there is life for you in retribution that you may guard yourselves against violating the Law." (al-Baqarah 2:178-179)

'Qisas' is primarily the right of the family of the victim. Allah says, "...whosoever is wrongfully slain, We have given power to his heir, but let him not commit excess in killing. Lo, he will be helped." (al-Isra' 17:33)

Regarding the case of Mohamad Zulkifli Ismail, an 'ustaz' said, parties concerned must first look at the 'kertas pertuduhan' (charges). Unfortunately he was charged with murder which many people criticized saying that he had only been acting in self-defense.

The 'ustaz' said eventhough in Islam, one has the right to defend his safety, his family, his property and most importantly his 'agama' (religion) and 'nyawa' (life) but he must alert to act accordingly to the dangers posed by the intruder. If a person 'crashed' into a man's house without carrying any weapon, it would be wrong for him to pick a knife from the kitchen and stab the stranger. But if he uses a hockey stick to hit the intruder and in the event, the man dies, he would amounted to 'membunuh tanpa sengaja' (killing without intention).

The 'ustaz' cited examples of killing without intention such a person who throws a 'karipap' (curry-puff) to another person's head but unfortunately he dies or a hunter aim and shot his gun at a deer but instead his friend was killed - then the 'killers' are all subjected to 'hukum qisas' with the 'diat' applicable.

In the case of Mohamad Zulkifli, the 'ustaz' said he could be charged with killing without intention (depends on the charge) and he had to proved in court. He could be freed of the charge (if he only defended himself and his life in danger) or he have to pay 'diat' as killing unintentionally falls into category of wrongdoings that needed to do so.

In Islam, if a person is murdered, then according to the Shari'ah, it is the duty of the society and the state to purse the murderer and to bring him/her to justice. Once the murderer is found and it is proven beyond any doubt that the murderer is found and it is proven beyond any doubt that the murderer killed another person knowingly and offensively, as a premeditated murder, then he/she will be given capital punishment.

However, the nearest relatives or heirs of the victim have a right to make monetary compensation instead or to forgive the murderer. No one else has the right to forgive accept the nearest kith and kin of a person.

Since murder, according to the Shari'ah, is not only a crime against a family, but a crime against the society at large, the Muslims jurists have explained that even his the victim's family forgives the murderer, the Muslim judge is allowed to prescribe some punishment (other than the capital punishment) or imprisonment, if the judge sees that the offender needs that for his/her own correction or as a deterrence for others in society.

According to the Shari'ah, no one can forgive the murderer except the victim's family and nearest kith and kin. The state cannot forgive a murderer, but the state is allowed to punish the murderer if it is necessary to maintain the safely and security of the society, even if all the relatives of the victim are ready to forgive the murderer.

The Qur'an specifies the principle of qisas (ie, retaliation), but prescribes that one should seek compensation (diat) and not demand retribution.

What is actually diat? 'Diyya' (plural: diyyat; Arabic) is a compensation paid to the heirs of a victim. In Arabic the word means both blood money and ransom. The Qur'an directs us to pay diat just according to this law both in case of intentional as well as unintentional murder. A variation of diat was present in pre-Islamic Arabia, where it was paid in terms of goods or animals rather than cash.

Under Sharia law, diat should be paid in terms of cash to avoid possible fraud on the part of the criminal. In Islamic and Arab tradition, blood money is the fine paid by the killer or his family or clan to the family or the clan of the victim. It is unlawful for a believer to kill a believer except if it happens by accident. And he who kills a believer accidentally must pay diat to the heirs of the victim except if they forgive him.

The tradition finds repeated endorsement in Islamic tradition; several instances are recorded in the hadith, which are the acts of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. According to the ustaz, the rate for diat is based on the number of camels that is the most priced belonging. The full rate is 100 camels. Paying diat of 100 camels is no cheap said the ustaz. If a camel costs RM5,000; those who kill unintentionally had to pay RM500,000.

Killing intentionally was subjected to qisas and diat. Diat is only applicable if agreed by kin. If not qisas would be honoured.

Unfortunately and sadly, the 'ustaz' said the Islamic law mentioned are only for discussion, the truth is that Mohammad Zulkifli was charged in the civil courts...Subhanallah, are our leaders prepared to implement Islamic laws, which according to the ustaz are perfect on human beings because He who creates knows what's best for His subjects!

But based on events in our country, there was clear and positive indicator that human beings long for the law of The Most Powerful Allah SWT when they feel helpless just like the call for help to Allah SWT when one is thrown into the open sea when his/her ship capsizes.

But the sad part of it, when he/she is saved; his/her ‘clinging’ to Allah SWT vanishes and when he/she could stand on his/her own with ‘the world at his/her feet’, then Allah fades from his/her mind. But the longing of the practicing Muslims to see Allah's laws shine in this land must be nurtured and the struggle for it to be implemented must go on until we die or the world ends (Qiyamah)