May Allah forgive our past sins and lead all of us to a better year of 1403H. May this new Islamic year brings us more ‘barakah’ and ‘rahmat’ from Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala

To the uninitiated, today (28th Dec 2008), is the first day (1st Muharram) of Muslim calendar year 1403H. The start of Muslim year, Muharram, coincides with Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) journey from Mecca to Medina on the first of Muharram in 622AD.

Hijrah means migration. The Hijrah refers to the Prophet’s migration from Mecca to Madinah. This journey took place in the twelfth year of his mission (622 C.E). This is the beginning of the Muslim calendar. By Islamic law the word hijrah usually refers to leaving a place to seek sancturary or freedom from persecution or freedom of religion or any other purpose. Hijrah can also mean to leave a bad way of life for a good or more righteous way.

Source: Islamic Dictionary

In Islam, a new day starts in the evening upon sunset and not after midnight.

So, just before sunset on the last day of Zulhijjah, Muslims will read a special prayer (doa) after the evening Asar rites or prayers, to seek God’s forgiveness for sins committed during the year, and repentance for misdeeds.

And then after sunset ( it being a new year – Awal Muharram), Muslims will say another prayer (doa) immediately after Maghrib (dusk) rites or prayers, seeking God’s guidance and help towards a better spiritual and physical life in the new year.

Source: Pahang Delights

Image credit: Blog Penang, Malaysia

Post from: The Kuala Lumpur Traveler

This rare, brave UMNO Baru spesies had alleged that there were discrepancies in the recent Eurocopter deal (so obvious isn’t it?), and criticised both Pak Lah and Najib over the same issue. As expected, Zahar Hashim was subsequently suspended as division leader within UMNO Baru shortly after that but this man is not taking it lying down.

The retired army captain had submitted his application to join PAS and had been reported to be joining the PR in the upcoming Kuala Terengganu by-election campaigns.

Poor Pak Lah…. he is leaving in March and this is what he gets as present from Zahar. Poor Najib too…. he is taking over from Pak Lah and yet, not only an UMNO Baru division leader retaliated by joining PAS, the building that was housing the Petaling Jaya Selatan division office (owned by Zahar Hashim) was also reportedly handed over to PAS.

Pakatan Rakyat now should have good ammunitions to win the Kuala Terengganu seat but of course, Barisan Nasional will also not taking it lying down as well. Dirty tactics? Wait and see. Media propaganda? That one had already started.

Image credit: Malaysiakini

Post from: The Kuala Lumpur Traveler

Danau Golf Club is owned by University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and is located. of course, in Bangi. I find this course very interesting. The fairways are wider compared to some of the golf courses I have played but the disadvantage of this is that the buggy-on-track policy could make you walk miles more especially if you have tendency to hit the balls to the right.

The most challenging hole I think is the Par 4 248m hole number two. To get the ball to the elevated green, you will have to manouver your way along the bank of the hill which is very uphill to start with in the first place. To make it worse, there is a deep valley waiting on your right. Once you are on the green, it is not over just yet as the green is treacherously fast with steep slopes ready to let your ball roll back into the valley.

If you are playing 18 holes and pulling your cart instead of using the buggy, you should be very fit and start with the first 9 holes first so that you will finish the mostly hilly part of the course first. But seriously, I would not do it without the buggy.

Image credit: Danau Golf Club

Post from: The Kuala Lumpur Traveler

Wishing all Malaysian Christian friends, blog readers and the folks at b5media, a very Merry Christmas. To the rest, a very Happy Holidays.

Image credit: Glitter Graphics

Post from: The Kuala Lumpur Traveler

As far as Terengganu is concerned, there are already many completed and on going projects since BN’s worst general election ‘awarded’ to the people of Terengganu. Just take a drive from Kuantan to Kota Bharu along the coastal road and you will have to spend at least additional 2 – 3 hours on the road due to traffic congestion caused by so many development projects along that coastal road alone.

Kuala Terengganu, as it is, is already so developed but this coming by-election, will see many more projects suddenly becomes high priority. Which ones? It is for for you to find out and for us to know.

To the people of Kuala Terengganu… vote wisely!

Post from: The Kuala Lumpur Traveler

The cabinet has decided to postpone the controversial sale of the National Heart Institute (IJN) to Sime Darby, according to MCA president Ong Tee Keat at a press conference in his Transport Ministry in Putrajaya.

[...]At a press conference this evening, Najib said the deal has been postponed until an in-depth review is undertaken by the relevant ministries.

Source: Malaysiakini

As clear as crystal, and admitted by no less than a Deputy Prime Minister, this government has again and again showed its true color of lack of planning in many of the decisions affecting the people.

How a government that claimed to be sensitive to the people’s needs could announce such a deal without an in-depth study is beyond anyone’s comprehension.

IJN is the last frontier of affordable specialist treatments for the Malaysian population. We can forget about any pledge by any interested party that they will take care of their social responsibility, IJN’s sale to any private business entity would only lead to one thing…. increasing medical cost… period. Low to middle income groups will be the most to suffer.

For once, I agree with Tun Dr Mahathir on IJN privatisation…

Post from: The Kuala Lumpur Traveler

With so many unfortunate incidents involving hillslope developments that had claimed so many lives, NOW IS THE TIME to point fingers…. and make those responsible to pay the price of their negligence.

Yes, I agree with Anwar that the focus now should be on finding out the cause of the tragedy but what would that achieve if there is no one responsible to follow up on the remedial steps to ensure similar landslides does not happen again. And due to the severity of the issue at hand, those who had failed to carry out their duties should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Bukit Antarabangsa is one case where those who had not carried out their duty should be identified and punished accordingly for their incompetency. The residents of the surrounding areas had been fighting for their cause for a long time but as we all know there has been lukewarm response from those who could have done everything within their power to avoid the tragedy.

Granted, landslides are not really within our control however mind you, hill-slope property developments are common throughout the world but in most other countries all parties involved are responsible lot especially those who enforce related laws and regulations to ensure the safety of the public. But knowing how things work in this Bolehland, we have no choice but to start pointing fingers and prosecute them, hopefully that would make others learn their lessons in the future.

Post from: The Kuala Lumpur Traveler

My belated condolescence to the deceased family of Bukit Antarabangsa landslide victims and I hope those who survived will be patient and thankful to the Almighty for having escaped such a tragedy.

Bukit Antarabangsa tragedy could have been avoided if not because of indifference attitudes of relevant Malaysian authorities and greed of Malaysia property developers who see money more valuable than the lives of Malaysian property buyers.

They should have learnt enough from the Highland Tower tragedy way back in 1993 but unfortunately… the ‘hangat-hangat tahi ayam’ attitude of Malaysia Government agencies and its enforcement officers had caused another catastrophe… in the same area where the Highland Tower had collapsed.

Despite the government directive to stop high hill property development projects, local authorities kept approving new projects in the area so when you look at what happened last Saturday in Bukit Antarabangsa, it is clearly the result of negligence by some government agencies…. someone must pay the price for this grave ignorance and failure to carry out government directive.

But the question remains, would the present BN Government at the federal level and the PR Government at the state level had enough gut to bring those responsible for this catastrophe to book? Let’s us wait and see while other developers are having field day on other parts of high hills making their millions or billions.

Malaysia Boleh?

Post from: The Kuala Lumpur Traveler

For those who are performing Haj, and performing sacrifice or ‘korban’ this year, may Allah accept our sacrifice, ibadah, good deeds and reward us with His forgiveness and Jannah in the Hereafter.

To those who are traveling to their home towns for Eid Adha holidays, please drive safely. Enjoy your holidays!

Post from: The Kuala Lumpur Traveler

[...]admitted his plan to sign up defecting lawmakers had been a “headache”.

[...]“It is not easy to explain why we couldn’t form the government as there are some matters that I still cannot talk about,” he said.

Source: Malaysiakini

Wait… did he say he has some matters he still could not talk about? If yes, then shouldn’t he just do not talk about it?

Anyway… I am sure not a lot of people are as enthusiastic anymore to hear about his whatever plan to take over. Not after what he did with September 16. Didn’t he also say that he was now in no hurry to take over the federal government?

I am still hopeful for it to happen but sorry to say this time, but let’s not be too crazy about it and be disappointed 2nd time. Once bitten, twice shy…. I’d rather he just do it.

Post from: The Kuala Lumpur Traveler