POLICE CUSTOMER SERVICE

Much were said about the above and most of it were the negative kinds and we the general masses mostly just swallow it all. Most of the perception maybe, is attributable to the management of criminal offences. However The Police Dept is involved in most part of our life; from birth certificate to certificate of burial. The Police Report becomes a standard certificate to execute the process of justice, or enable certain process to take place.

I had an experience in dealing with the Police Traffic Division of Hulu Terengganu regarding an accident I had at the Tasik Kenyir Junction; the first in 27 years of drivng. I must say that I am totally impressed by the curteous, customer focus they showed regarding the matter.

The accident happened on 23.12.09 at 8.00pm when I was on the way back to Kota Bharu from Kuantan. A Myvi had suddenly made a U-turn right in front of me and trying my best to avoid, I hit the Myvi's rear bumper, causing damage to my right headlight, bumper, bonnet and side fender. Because it was late and I had another car trailing behind driven by my daughter, I decided to report the next day since I only had to report within 24hrs.

The next day I drove there with the damaged Waja. The lady officer at the Traffic Division was curteous and very helpful. She get the gist the complaint, asked me to draw the scenario. She then typed it out on the online report; precisely with all the details necessary and asked me to proofread and whether there is anything more to add before saving it. The inspector; Sarjan Alias came immediately after and without much ado straight away get on to investigation; asking me questions about the accidents and typing it out on the investigation sheet. After 10-15mins it was over and on exit from his office the Report was completed for me to take home. This is great. The whole process took just about 45 mins.

Last week, since I was on the way to Ipoh, I dropped by with a letter ready to hand deliver, aking for the result of the case, the other party report and the sketch of location plan; the std report asked by the Insurance Company. I was in for another nice surprise. I was greeted curteously by a coperal manning the Traffic Division before I even enter. I then showed him the letter. He asked me to hold one for a while as the case might already been wrapped up and I can just take it. After sometimes he informed that it was still with the IO and if I want he'll call the IO who was off duty so I dont have to take the trouble of coming back. I said, it's all right. I'm not in a hurry because the car is just being repaired. I will only need it before reclaiming my car. He said, he'll leave the letter with the IO and gave me the IO's number so I can contact directly with him. Thanking him, I proceeded with my journey.

Early next day, I received a call. It was the IO. He said the Report is ready and asked me how do I want it delivered? This is just great customer service. I thanked him profusely and said I'll have my driver come latter to collect it. If this is the standard Police Customer Service in Malaysia, I'd say show me anywhere in the world that practice a better standard of customer care. I had just recently experienced a lousy Customer Care from an International Chain Supermarket and it this service from a government agency leave me beaming with full satisfaction.

USAGE OF THE WORD ALLAH FOR GOD IN BM EDITION OF THE HERALD

A lot have been said about this issue and a lot of tensions have been created as a result. The issue also have pique my conscience such that I had made conclusions based not on factual information but on interpolation, ie; since The Herald is English, I had assumed it was used in English publication and have commented on numerous blogs based on this erred presumption. I have since then Googled through The Net and could now make a fairly good judgement on The Issue at hand.

We should from here seek to sieve through the facts from emotive write up. Here is some facts that I have come across;

1. The term Allah have been used for God in Indonesian Christian literatures,
2. The term have also been used by the East Malaysian Christians in their literatures,
3. The Bible was called Al Kitab as the Malay term of Christian literature (Al Kitab in Islam is The Qur’an and this name is used in certain parts of the Qur’an to mean the al Qur’an) – no issue was raised on this point.
4. The translation Allah was used by Munshi Abdullah in his interpretation of the Bible into Malay in 1852,
5. The word ‘Allah’ meaning ‘God’ and has been used by Christians in Arab-speaking countries,
6. Bahasa Malaysia Bibles and publications have been restricted for use only within the churches and have been prohibited from being available in public areas
7. The term Allah had been used by the pre-Islamic Arabs in describing their highest deity. They also pray to other deities beside Allah.

Those facts seemed to give credence to the claim by the Malay speaking Christians to use the term Allah for God in BM based on historical account and general acceptance in other regions apart from Peninsular Malaysia. The fact that it was standard term used in BM Bible named AlKitab (I’m having goose flesh here) and was not subjected to objections before (or was it objected but did not become controversial???) give less credence to its objection in periodicals.

However as a Muslim, I am very unhappy about this episode. The name ALLAH used in The Qur’an and Hadiths is NOT THE SAME as per Christian Faith. The term Allah means; Allah The One and Only God, the Eternal, Absolute, No Beginning and No End, None Like Unto Him (as per Surah al-ikhlas). Beside that Allah Has No Partners... This beliefs (Tauhid) is the Core of Islamic Faith and none can belief otherwise and still claim himself a Muslim. There is no negotiation in this. Belief in Absolute Unity of Allah is the very core of the Islamic belief.

Now when christians refer to Allah, do they refer to Allah with exactly the same attributes? What is Trinity? Is it not acceptance of Jesus p.b.u.h as deity together with Allah??? Now how can that be an equivalent term??? Naming God as Allah and bundling in Jesus p.b.u.h and the Holy Spirit together into a partnership is like raping the name of Allah or pulling the name through a sewer pool. This is totally unacceptable to Muslims.

As such we need to look at higher objective. Is it such a crucial or of immediate need that the term Allah be used within the context of Christian Beliefs as opposed to Tuhan which is the direct translation of God into Malay. Why must Christians feel the need to use the term Allah which is a very specific term for Islamic concept of The One and Only God?

There are also suggestions that the term be only prohibited if used in respect of Trinity Concept and allowable if used as general term. However this will give rise to implementation issue and long, long, unease between Muslims and Christians alike. If so then every periodical will have to be vetted by JAKIM or other Islamic Authority which is definitely unacceptable to Christians. As such a clean break is best.

I would like to congratulate the Reverend Lawrence Andrew and those with him who have decided to NOT USE the term Allah in their future Malay publication. I hope this is true. Below is an exerp reported about the decision;

"Sebagai rakyat Malaysia yang cintakan negara ini, adalah menjadi tanggungjawab kami untuk membuat keputusan itu. Walaupun sedih dengan apa yang berlaku kebelakangan ini (tindakan membakar gereja), saya berasa tindakan kami boleh membantu untuk mengurangkan ketegangan dalam negara.

"Keputusan itu juga dengan mengambil kira sebarang huru hara boleh mengakibatkan rakyat terutama di kalangan miskin menanggung beban, selain menjejaskan ekonomi negara apabila pelabur bertindak untuk tidak meneruskan urus niaga mereka di sini," katanya ketika dihubungi di sini, semalam.

This I must say is a very responsible attitude from The Church. To those who haven’t heard of the Covenant between The Prophet Muhammad and the monks of St. Catherine Monastery in Mt. Sinai please checkout this link;

http://www.cyberistan.org/islamic/charter1.html

The Christians were deemed partners of Muslims and their right protected until Day of Judgement under Islamic Rule.

PESAN SEORANG AYAH

Assalaamualaikum anakanda,

Maaflah kerana ayahanda berbahasa sedikit baku, maklumlah ayahanda ni orang lama yang lebih selesa dengan bahasa ala P.Ramlee dan bukan bahasa sms golongan muda yang singkat dan 'street-smart'.

Dalam menyampai maksud, lisan agak tumpul; tak mampu menyampai kata, tak sampai ke destinasi harapan, tak tersentuh di sasaran kalbu. Dalam hal ini ayahanda tidak dapat menyalahkan sesiapa tetapi ayahanda sendiri yang terlalu taksub dengan metodologi pondok untuk golongan lepas sejarah (post history) dan tersasar jauh untuk golongan muda mudi zaman AF. Biarpun tak sebijak Luqmanul Hakim dan tak sepetah Tuah Iskandar mahupun sehebat Halim Othman dalam memintal kata untuk sampai ke benak hati, maksud yang diinginkan tetap sama. Malah sebagai bapa, mungkin harapan ayahanda lebih tinggi lagi kecuali berbanding bicara Luqman kepada anaknya yang dijadikan contoh oleh Allah s.w.t sendiri.

Walaupun cuak bunyinya dan berkarat mesejnya, ayahanda perlu juga sebut di sini bahawa setiap bapa yang normal inginkan yang terbaik buat anak-anaknya. Yang tak mahukan maksud tersebut adalah golongan songsang yang sudah terpesong dari landasan insani yang dikurniakan Tuhan kepada semua golongan bapa. Yang berbeza cuma penyampaiannya sahaja; ada yang terlalu keras, sederhana keras, lembut, berhikmah, penyayang dan pelbagai lagi bentuk untuk mencapai maksud yang sama. Dalam hal ini ayahanda tidak terkecuali. Corak yang telah ayahanda ambil mungkin terbawa-bawa dari pendidikan ayahanda sendiri sebagai orang kampung dari Beris Tangok; anak kepada Pak Ngah Haji tersohor yang tak lekat murid-murid mengaji Quran itu dek kerasnya didikan. Apapun ayahanda rasa ayahanda lebih lembut lagi walaupun anakanda tak kan perasan kerana anakanda tidak pernah melalui zaman silam ayahanda.

Apa yang ayahanda ingin terapkan ialah nilai Agama dan disiplin. Dunia akan berkecai tanpa bukit bukau yang memegangnya, lautan dan segala-gala di dalam dunia ini akan bertaburan tanpa graviti dan manusia akan gila tanpa akal budi. Inilah pentingnya nilai agama sebagai paksi untuk kita terus terpijak di alam nyata; alam yang dijadikan Tuhan yang kita imani kewujudannya. Tanpa agama kita ibarat lembu yang dicucuk hidung; hidup untuk makan dan dimakan, tak lebih dari itu. Atau lebih hebat sedikit; macam harimau yang garang membaham mangsa kerana itulah fitrahnya dan sang harimau tidak bebas mencorak hidup yang lain dari fitrahnya.

Kita manusia beragama Islam adalah semulia-mulia makhluq kerana kita dibekalkan akal untuk berfikir sebelum bertindak dan mampu menundukkan gelojak nafsu atau pengaruh-pengaruh yang songsang yang datang. Kita juga dapat mencorakkan hidup kita mengikut Jalan yang ditunjukkan Rasul. Jika selepas dibekalkan akal dan ilmu kita masih terikut dengan pengaruh yang menyimpang dari arah Agama, kita menjadi lebih rendah dari sang harimau tersebut yang tidak bebas menentukan corak hidupnya selain dari jalan hidup tabiinya.

Apa yang telah ayahanda lakukan adalah untuk menjadikan anak-anak ayahanda anak-anak yang soleh dan solehah, yang melapangkan dada bila dilihat, menyejukkan hati bila dipandang, melegakan rasa bila ditatap; rahmat bagi insan sekeliling dan disenangi oleh semua. Wanita solehah umpama permata yang bernilai, menyerlahkan sesiapa yang memakainya, menambahkan seri kepada siapa yang mendampinginya. Tidakkah anakanda teruja untuk menjadi insan sedemikian? Wanita Solehah bukan makhluq lemah kerana dia telah berjaya menakluqi bara nafsu dan mampu menundukkan pengaruh Iblisi; perkara yang belum tentu berjaya ditawan oleh pahlawan terbilang.

Wanita solehah bukan makhluq selekeh yang berhias dengan kain buruk buat mandi di jemboran atau baju kelawar carek buat menjemur kain di hampaian mahupun senantiasa berjubah apron buat teman di dapur sahaja. Itu semua adalah kerja-kerja amah yang telah dengan rela hati dilaksanakan wanita. Ianya bukan tuntunan agama. Wanita solehah adalah srikandi penegak maruah, pranita handal pendamping sang satria, benteng dan penyeri rumah tangga malah tiada batas sempadan yang tak mampu diterobosi. Bertentangan dengannya adalah Wanita Dholalah yang ibarat daun kering dihembus angin; terbawa ke mana saja tuju hembusan. Dihembus ke laut, lemaslah ia, dihembus ke api terbakar diri, dihembus ke tandas terpalut najis. Alangkah buruk nasibnya tanpa pedoman, tanpa iman.

Iman bukanlah terletak pada pakaian menyapu lantai dan bukan juga pada dahi yang lekuk tetapi bersemadi di hati yang suci murni. Walaupun begitu pakaian adalah petunjuknya, amal ibadat adalah petandanya. Iman di hati perlu diserlahkan dengan penampilan kerana taat itu adalah buktinya. Tidak bermakna suatu taat jika objek taat itu diperlekehkan. Tidak bermakna secebis iman jika tidak disusuli taat.

Ayahanda harap kehadiran coretan ini tidak mengganggu mimpi anakanda, tidak menggusar perasaan dan tidak mengkerut dahi yang licin. Besar gunung besar lagi harapan ayahanda, luas lautan luas lagi impian ayahanda. Masa yang terlepas tidak akan kembali, laksana silam tak dapat dirungkai. Apa yang ada hanya di hadapan, apa yang di belakang sudah tidak relevan. Tak guna tangisi apa yang lepas, tak wajar diungkit apa yang silam. Peluang di hadapan terbentang untuk direbut. Jangan lemas di kolam mandi dan jangan mati di kepuk padi.

Tanah warisan keemasan.
Pusara moyang membajai.
Semangat nenda bersemadi.
Tanah gersang tidak lagi.
Yang diwarisi adalah peluang.
Tak wajar dibuang dek dangkalnya kesumat
Tak harus di sisih dek amarahnya runtunan.

Inilah amanat ayahanda. Dengarlah. Fahamilah. Hayatilah. Mut'mainnah tempat dituju. Abadi sudahnya. Wassalam.