Aidiladha 2008.

Tomorrow 8 December 2008 is Aidiladha and at this very moment all Muslims who are performing the Haj is gathering in the Desert of Arafah. It was at this place, the Holy Prophet (pbuh) delivered his last sermon and also at this place up on a hill of Jabal Rahmah, Adam met his Eve after they were thrown to Earth from Heaven. This place is very symbolic to me and I would climb Jabal Rahmah every trip I made to the Holy Land.

Aidiladha is a grand affair in Mecca especially at Mina. About three million pilgrims would be camping at this site for the devil stoning rituals and the sacrifice of goats, sheep and camel. I seek the Almighty blessings that all my friends who are there now would be able to overcome all obstacles and able to perform all the rituals.

Back home in Malaysia, this year Aidiladha would be rather gloomy. The east coast of Malaysia is flooded and at the edge of the City of Kuala Lumpur there was a major landslide. Twenty bungalows swept away by the mud. Few lives succumbed and few injured. About 3000 to 5000 people had to be evacuated. There would be no Aidiladha for them, surely. The Prime Minister had issued a statement that there would be no more development on hill side. I welcome that but I think it was only political talk. Fifteen years ago when a condominium collapsed about two kilometer away, the same statement was issued. Something is definitely not right at the ground level. Year in and year out, the east coast is always flooded. Why don’t they do something? I remember when I was a small kid, every month a team of Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) workers would come down to clean the kampong river. I never heard or seen this thing is being done now. No wonder we get flood because the river is clog. Simple logic. The Administrators are happily sitting in their air condition office without bothering the plight of the poor people who live by the river. Come election, they would promise the moon and the stars.

There are also several deaths on the road on the eve of Aidiladha. Malaysian roads are the best in the world, so they claim. At the same time, Malaysia recorded the highest traffic accidents in the world. The reason is simple, Malaysian drivers are not afraid of the law. They can speed away, if they are caught, it can be settled out of court. Again, there is no problem and it is simple as that.

The gist of Aidiladha is sacrifice. From now on, I am going to sacrifice. I am going all out for justice.