Insaf: Rabbani

And and Dan

srizals

The mastery of the English language is said to be declining in Malaysia. People had said this and that in explaining this phenomenon. I'm not really sure what kind of research or methods are they using in comparing the achievement of Malaysians in the English language compared with the then and now, but, currently, the talk of the town and media is the decline of the mastery of the English language among Malaysians, with Malays being the main concern. Strangely, 'main' in English is not the same with 'main' in Malay. Even though both were spelt in the same way, they sound entirely different. Main in Malay would mean play or not taken seriously or the inability to be serious when the need arises. 

Anyway, some had pointed out that English is being portrayed as a second language for Malaysians when in fact it is a foreign language for most Malaysians. It is not a second nature in the sense of usage and the need to use it in the daily lives, in terms of knowledge acquisitions or daily conversations. Not like others, I'm sure, most Malaysians didn't have the opportunity to have a real, living native speaker from Britain as their English teacher. What most had were Indian teachers that had heavy Indic accents and Chinese teachers with heavy Hokkien pronunciation that made learning a supposed to be a second nature to Malaysians, ended up being a totally foreign and hostile language to be learnt. Twenty years back, most had no need of learning the language like Malaysians living 6 to 7 years ago. These Malaysians have the urgency and the objective to learn and use English as a second language. They had to learn Maths and Science in English.

Some said that the British played a major part in the development of the English language in the then Malaya. Malays looked up to them and (or ‘dan’ in Malay), some of them actually had thought that  they were English in Malay clothing or an English wearing a Malay skin, or something like that. Some still do I think. So some drank and still drink alcoholic beverages to wet their tongues with something so synonym with the British, maybe when they were drunk enough, the hindrance of learning the language is no longer there and they can explore the language, unashamed and un-stunted.

Some say that in order to master the English language, one must be able to think like an English, which I think would shy away even more people in learning and mastering the language. Who would want to be something or someone they are not? Not many in this world who were born as natural pretenders. (Most were born as natural predators or like the Cuckoo birds). Something that has to do with inborn pride and honour or the natural dislike of becoming something that they are not, I think.

But none ever consider the effects of the doings or the activities of the native speakers have on the students of a second language. If many of the native speakers of an intended language to be learnt or the targeted language are seen as corrupters, invaders, manipulators, tormentors, oppressors and have a very strange interpretation or sense of justice and honour, can anyone has the tendency of learning such people's language?

This is the problem faced by English teachers in Malaysia nowadays. The motivation to learn English is simply not there. The students show high level of resentment to the language because of the current happenings in today's world done by the native speakers of English. Somehow these students have associated the language with the native speakers’ behaviours. They have failed to see the language as a language they learn as knowledge. They have lost the love of knowledge for English. One shouldn’t be surprised of this fact in seeing the native speakers of the language mercilessly invading and killing the helpless in their own motherland. Invading in an annoying, dominating manners. They were killing the innocents, not deadly criminals without any respect for dignity of the human race. Dominating and triumphing on the outmatched enemies without any sympathy towards the beaten foes.

In my own experience in learning English, from then and now, I had to turn to music, movies and comics in my journey of learning the English language. The teachers I had did try using my mother tongue in teaching English, but their mastery of the official and national language of  the country they were living in were very poor, so it only helped a little. The teachers did try their best but maybe they were not as good as a native speaker would or could have been.

As for the current generations of learners, the Internet is a very good media in acquiring English. Through the Internet we can communicate with native speakers from around the globe, provided that they are not also native in hate or suffered any kind of phobia. If they do, the experience in trying to contact these native speakers could be devastating to the keenness towards the language and indirectly, to its native speakers. 

So in an era of Islamophobic running loose in the Internet and the redundant fear caused by their own hands for daring to meddle in things they shouldn't have in the first place, it is hard to find a good native speaker that speaks in a plain and honest native English to be learnt by a learner of English. TV is good but interacting directly with these native speakers is crucial in grasping the true nature of the language. The essence of reality and spontaneous nature of conversation are important factors in helping a second language acquisition. There is a major difference in learning, in a sense of theory and using the knowledge in a practical sense.

In addressing the growing resentment towards English, some English teachers are trying to convince their students of English that not all English are bad. Not all English supported the evil and hideous ways of their governments, so it is not fair to judge them with such a blanketed opinion and judgement. Being man, in which diversity is the norm, each man and community differ from one another. Emphasizing the examples of well known English native speakers like Yusuf Islam, Marmaduke Pickthall (that even translated the Koran to English) and other well known figure of English native speakers that are not Islamophobic or allergic to Muslims, helps in changing the students’ views of the English native speakers and the language itself. The emerging nasyid singers from around the world are the best teaching aids needed by English teachers nowadays. But trust me, it is not easy.

Honestly, if possible, do end the invasions of other people's free countries and stop supporting selective tyranny while destroying the selected unfortunate few. It would be easier for the English teachers around the world to teach about the language and morality, the hidden agenda in knowledge acquisition. Happy belated teacher's day.

Sick

Allah

In Uttering It... Part 2

NJ

Remember Antares ? in the previous post, In Uttering It...... where the size of our mother Earth practically disappears ?

Here is VY Canis Majoris (click the last image), the largest known star..... whose physical size makes Antares disappears.

(Click to zoom the first image to refresh the memory on the previous "In Uttering It" post. Mother Earth already practically disappears in this first image. Click the 4th image to refresh the image of Antares. Click the last image to compare Antares against VY Canis Majoris. Then give a thought for one second on our physical size, just before we were about to utter "Allahu Akbar")

ALLAHU AKBAR !!!...

(click on each image to zoom it)

(unable to trace the origin of images for credit purposes)

Who are we, on the face of this Earth,
before the Yang Maha Agung....

http://nj-behindtheveil.blogspot.com/2010/06/in-uttering-it-part-2.html

http://nj-behindtheveil.blogspot.com/2010/04/in-uttering-it.html

Sniper: Inside History

srizals

Watched an interesting documentary on the History channel just now. And it isn’t pretty. The snipers looked like pretty boys and they sure are deadly. It depicted accounts of sniping 19 insurgents in Fallujah in a matter of minutes. Life that was created by multiplying cells in tiring 9 months and 9 days, killed and ashamed in seconds. Makes you wonder about life and death. How long it takes for creation to be perfected, only to be destroyed in such despicable ways in seconds.

I don't understand it, they say that they couldn't afford to show the remain of Osama or have him properly buried in soil that he was created from, in fear of escalating hate and terror, but they are not hesitant to show to the world how the native sons of their beloved motherland being killed like chickens on TV, outgunned and outnumbered. 

I'm sure like any TV shows, it's just TV. It is not real. I guess it won't affect much seeing those proud and smiling killers killing the bad evil guys, the same devils supporting the terror group that attacked the helpless Americans on one glorious date, being so weak, vulnerable and all. I guess they deserved being killed in such a way, just like their beloved country, torn to pieces for supporting such undeserving terror.

They deserved every cent of humiliation, torture, misery and death happening every day except on one special day, 9/11. Every day is just the simple, nothing fancy every day. As long as the death and the terror are not happening right on the backyard of our serene beautiful and peaceful home. We have never ever supported any terrorist group that used terror to achieve their objective. We do not know any terror organisations that blew up the British and the Arabs in order to inflict terror upon terror to create a lie on the carcass of truth. We wouldn't want any world super power to be invading us to catch our common petty criminals. We wouldn't want to be killing the bad evil guys for such a sorry excuse.

We have to cook up something sinister so that everyone and their children deserve to die in our saintly hands. Everyone else deserves the pain and agony for daring to support our enemies in such a mysterious way. We would never support the enemy of others so glaringly with tens of millions of money and fancy weaponry to steal others’ lands and country. We might have our assets frozen in some foreign lands.

 Everyone else is expendable. Everyone except the good and beautiful us, of course. Look what we did in Libya. We liberate and protect civilians from threats of tyranny. We sure did show the Libyans the consequences of moving deadly forces toward civilians. They shouldn’t have play around with white phosphorus bombs and DU ammunition on condensed civilian sectors. We sure did teach them a lesson for being such a proud killer and oppressor. What? What did you say just now? What Gaza? I don’t understand Arabic. Speak in Hebrew.

The Peaceful and Conscious Buddhists?

srizals

I am out of words. Malaysia would lose its irreplaceable indigenous wildlife in no time. Where have all the men with guns trusted to guard our precious forest jewels gone to? Where are all the good men? Have we run out of them? Could we please implement the Hudud and cut off these daring thieves' hands? The hands that have shamelessly destroyed and threatened our prosperity and livelihood with irreversible damages for years now. Or at least, could we move our slow moving hands and catch them once in a while instead of demanding salary raise higher than the rest of the Malaysians not entrusted with the safety of its priceless wealth of the forest. Do your job and then ask for a salary hike. Maybe then I would be more sympathetic. Where has the warrior’s code of honour gone to? Work less, earn more?

http://english.aljazeera.net/video/asia-pacific/2011/05/201158135015227298.html

Maybe something from Buddha himself can awake these non-practising Buddhists from devouring everything in their path, especially those that do not belong to them.

"On life's journey Faith is nourishment, 

Virtuous deeds are a shelter,

Wisdom is the light by day and Right mindfulness is the protection by night.

If a man lives a pure life nothing can destroy him;

If he has conquered greed nothing can limit his freedom."

And if you think that he had claimed to be the awaited messiah, think again.

"One of his students asked Buddha, "Are you the messiah?"
"No", answered Buddha.

"Then are you a healer?"
"No", Buddha replied.

"Then are you a teacher?" the student persisted.
"No, I am not a teacher."

"Then what are you?" asked the student, exasperated.
"I am awake", Buddha replied."

Go to the Orang Asli, enlist them on our side. Give them the much needed job and honour by making it their livelihood as the sole protector of the forest, with guns and the law at their side. We are losing tens of millions anyway in the hands of the ever hungry poachers, looters and loggers of our fragile and ancient forest. The Orang Asli has played their part well and effectively when we were facing the communist menace. They would be easily tempted to the dark side if left unintended and ignored. Just like you and me. Don't we love the glamorous life of the rich and famous?

Look at the Africans. They have utilised their men with guns to the fullest, even in protecting their wildlife and forest from armed poachers and looters. Maybe we should be utilising ours in the time of peace and relaxation. Besides, jungle trekking is a good form of exercise anyway for our brave men with guns instead of letting them exercise by taking pictures with dead hornbill or other exotic wild beast. Where is the glory in that?

Rules and laws are made to be broken, amended, perfected or enforced. The choice, my good and wise friend, is ours. The future is in our hands. Let’s choose what is better for our future and let’s have the right attitude and the courage to do it, in the right and most correct way. Our fate and faith depend on it.

Updated on May 10, 2011.

Peace: Fareast: Aman

Yang dulu ramainya kita miliki bersama
Ke mana hilangnya hidup yang bahagia?

Once many of us had it in our possession

Where has it gone, the happiness of life?

Kelembutan dalam bermesra
Kemanisan dalam bicara
Seni pekerti insan dunia

Gentleness and warmth

Sweetness in conversation

The art of manners, the people of the world

Si kecil kini merana yang tua rasa sengsara
Dalam sedar atau lena tiada hidup bersama
The little ones suffered, the old ones in misery

Awaken or asleep, never to live in togetherness

Persaudaraan lesu, kasih sayang kelabu
Mencium berdebu menjadi candu nafsu

Whithered brotherhood, grey love

Kissing dust, becomes the opium of lust

Membangkai sanubariku tidak lagi cinta diburu
Yang ada cemburu melulu membunuh hatiku

Rotting my soul, love is no longer the objective

What's left is jealousy, killing my heart

Cintaku rinduku, jiwaku pada-Mu
Doaku pohon restu kasih-Mu sayang-Mu
Rahmat-Mu Tuhan Yang Satu

My love, my longing, my soul for You

My prayer I ask, Your love, Your affection

Your blessing, Oh the One God

Kurniaan-Mu untuk hamba-Mu oh...

Your gift to Your servant

Gegak gempita bila segala berubah hala
Sandiwara bermula bermadah kata nista

The thundering thunder when all changed their course, 

The play begins, reciting lies

Yang mana harus aku percaya?
Wajah yang jujur berkata dusta

Which one should I trust?

An honest face that speaks lies

Gila kuasa tamak haloba pengaut harta dan sakit jiwa

Crazy for power, greedy, looter of wealth and schizophrenic

Ikut ah... turut ah... ku sanggah...

Obeying?..following?..I refuse

Katamu janjimu tak perlu

Your promise is not needed

Aku sahut ku berpaut tidak hasut bukan takut 

I heed, I cling on, no I'm not instigating, I'm not afraid

Ku bukan pak turut!

I'm not a blind follower!

Kita harus bersatu, ayuh kita laungkan bersama
Suara keamanan sejagat manusia

We must unite, let's call it together

The voice of peace, the universality of mankind

Menyemaikan cinta, menyuburkan sayang
Agar dunia aman sentosa

Planting the seed of love, fertilizing love

So that the world would be in peace and harmony

Sayu satu sendu aku tahu itu mengganggu
Syahdu pilu jiwaku

One sadness, this anguish, I know it's disturbing

My soul cries in vain

Kerna cinta hanya tiba bila rasa kecewa
Hiba tanpa dirinya

For love only arrives when one is frustrated

Crying without the one

Usah resah rasa susah endah pada tak gundah
Tumpah darah tak kisah

Do not despair, feeling a burden, caring for those not depressed

Shedding blood without a care

Bukankah insan telah dicipta saling kasihan untuk teguhkan
Kemanusiaan dan peradaban bukan alasan?

Was not man created to love one another, to erect

Humanity and civilisation is not an excuse?

Bukan pengkhianatan tapi keikhlasan dan kejujuran
Bukan pergaduhan bukan peperangan

Not treachery, but honesty and sincerity

Not fights, not wars

Adakah mungkin? Ada pemimpin mampu memimpin?
Kami ingin dipimpin

Is it still possible? A leader able to lead?

We want to be lead

Dari yang pedih, perih dan jerih
Harapkan kasih, sayang bukan ditagih

From those in despair, oppressed and weary

Hoping for love, not pleading for it

Harap yang keruh juga yang rapuh menjadi teguh
Mampu kita berteduh

Hope the feculent and the brittle could be solid and clear

Able to provide shelter for us all

Kacau beralih kini berkasih, sayang beragih
Nikmat Tuhan pengasih
Kedamaian keamanan

Chaos is replaced, with love equally divided

The grace of the loving God

Kedamaian, keamanan

Peace and safety

Kita harus bersatu, ayuh kita laungkan bersama
Suara keamanan sejagat manusia

We must unite, let's call it together

The voice of peace, the universality of mankind

Menyemaikan cinta, menyuburkan sayang
Agar dunia aman sentosa

Planting the seed of love, fertilizing love

So that the world would be in peace and harmony