PAS Power - the 2nd month.

(Please refer to past entry on PAS Power dated 1 July 2009).

1 July 2009 – OTK approach another of my friend and coax him to take over the Van Jenazah. My friend rejected and OTK negotiated with him to take over for fifteen days and the rest he covered. Flatly my friend rejected too. OTK seem to be stuck singlehandedly with the Van Jenazah and he simply cannot leave the Kampong. My friend told him to refer to the Ketua Kampong as he is not the person concern for OTK to air his predicament. It was of his own doing that he got into the mess. That’s the trouble when one decides without thinking of the consequences.

Ustaz Riduan Md Nor, PAS invitee Preacher supposed to preach between the Maghreb and isyakh prayer but he could not make it. He instead sends a replacement that nobody recognized, not even the PAS people. These PAS Preachers never want to miss the opportunity because they are paid in the region of RM 100 – RM 150 depending where they come from. Most of them were barred from preaching in the Mosque during BN era. The replacement Ustaz went home without preaching.

2 July 2009 – I noticed at the Notice board, the Friday prayer collection of 29 June 2009 was RM 1680.00. Wow, that’s good, doubling the amount of previous Friday and surpass the normal collection of between RM 1200.00 – 1300.00. I hope they did not include collectively the other funds as well. It used to be separated before.

4 July 2009 – I saw the photograph of the Marhaban Group was back at the Notice Board. Good, at least the Committee members know how to appreciate the Mosque activities. They had now come back to their senses not until they were confronted of their not so call smart action.

5 July 2009 – The dateline given by the Committee to the New Mosque Committee had surpassed but the hand over did not materialized. JAIS and OBD were consulted and were advised the New Mosque Committee would remain status quo. I would like to see what would be their next course of action. I suspect they would not just let their failure stood there.

I received the amended monthly activity list for July 2009. Listed are twenty seven Ustaz and one Ustazah. Out of the twenty seven Ustaz, fifteen are new faces, newly invitee of PAS, which constitute of more than 50%. There would be thirty six sessions altogether. An average of RM 100 per preacher, the total monthly cost would be around RM 3,600.00. I hope the Committee knows about budget control. By the end of the year if all the kuliah and the ceramah ugama are attended, one can become an Ulamak.

6 July 2009 – Committee Meeting after Isyakh - the salient agenda was about the failed handover of the New Mosque affair to the present Committee. The Committee Members except the four Imams and one member were utterly disappointed. The Committee would pursue legal action against the New Mosque Committee.

Many others issues were brought up mainly about the Ramadan “bubur lambok”, tahlil arwah, announcing of names pre tahlil, overcharging of kereta jenazah and Korban was also brought up which is months away. The priority should be on Ramadan program. I understand the Meeting was “cha cha marba” and was in complete chaos, bypassing of meeting agenda and the Nazir lacking proper meeting procedures. Some Committee Members were avoiding appointment as Bureau Chairman accorded to them. The Nazir and the Secretary happily appoint and allocate so that they can clean their hands off.

The Chief Imam requested that the normal program of the Mosque during Ramadan should continue as usual during the coming Ramadan. However some Committee member rejected the idea as certain program, so declared by them contravene to Islamic theology, bida’ah….where the Holy Prophet (pbuh) did not practiced. I hope they understand fully the meaning of bida’ah. Agreed, during the time of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) there was no bubur lambuk, but during our era, the bubur lambuk serves as a sedekah for Muslims who are fasting. Feeding a Muslims who are fasting would be rewarded with Allah blessings. Almighty Allah knows the nawaitu. Holy Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) spread Islam without any payment, just four dates and a grip full of wheat. He rode on a camel. Why is our modern Ustaz driving a Mercedes and get paid RM 120 – RM 150??? Is it not bida’ah? I beg to differ if I am wrong.

The Nazir confessed that he is not really well versed with Islamic theology and Imam No 4 warned him that as a Nazir it should not be case. To be a Nazir is not simple as its sounds. His knowledge of Islam should be at least quite near as an Imam or perhaps be an Imam himself during the Imam absence.

As advised by the Imam, heading the Korban Bureau should be the Nazir himself. The tasks require of the highest responsibilities and accountability. The Nazir appointed the representative from the Balai Bomba Surau but he declined. Then the Nazir turned to Imam No 2 but he too declined. As I see it, the Nazir would just like to delegate and any hiccup the fingers would be pointed at the Bureau Chairman.

Imam No 3 brought up the issue of overcharging by OTK and the Ketua kampong promised to look into it. As a matter of fact the Ketua kampong was just bullshitting as he is very well in the know that OTK charged RM 200 and had handed RM 100 to him. Why need further investigation when the money of RM 200 was handed to OTK at the presence of Imam No 2.

Imam No 2 reminded the Committee that they had not received their monthly allowance for June 2009.

The Meeting adjourned way after midnight.

7 July 2009 – Immediately after the Meeting, between 0030 hrs and 0130 hrs, the Nazir and the Secretary instructed the removal of the New Mosque Notice Board. They were exhibiting their displeasure that the Committee did not get to handle the New Mosque affair. Someone pointed to me about the missing notice board pre Maghreb prayer. The obvious reason, it was posted on the notice board the “reply letter” to the Nazir of reasons why the handover could not be acted upon. It was stated in the letter, as per OBD and Pengarah JAIS the New Mosque Committee would remain status quo and the handover is not necessary. Since the Committee does not want the congregation to know the reasons, the whole notice board was removed. The Notice board is a cabinet like with glass pane and under lock and key. The key is with the Siak No 1. Lu fikir lah sendiri. This is childish. Someone commented that, it is better if they carry the Mosque away and I replied, no way Jose, this House of Allah does not belong to them. I patronize this Mosque since late 1977 and frequent since 1984 when I moved to the neighborhood. I doubt they understand the concept of a Mosque. In the House of Allah one must show patient, friendly, tolerant and positive perception with everybody. I regret that they do not realize the impact and perception of their own blatant childish action. If this type of behaviors they protrude, I doubt they could last their term.

Be a perfect Islamic gentleman, if there is any disputes take it to a muzakarah. It is written in the Al Koraan. The new Mosque still do not exist yet, why all the fuss and quarrel? On site, the construction pilings left abandoned and insyaalah work would resume soon. The Committee should just concentrate on the management of the current Mosque and leave it to the New Mosque Committee to do their job. After all, the New Mosque Committee is very well verse with the Mosque project from day one and they started from zero. Once the Mosque is completed and Pakatan Rakyat still the Master in Selangor, the completed New Mosque would surely be handed to them. I don’t know why they adamantly want to manage the New Mosque affair? My guess, there is about RM 300,000.00 under its account. That’s plenty of money to juggle around!!! My other guess, the Nazir and the Secretary want to get even with the former Nazir who is the current Chairman of the New Mosque Committee. I don’t need to go into details why. If the heart is full of malice, actions tend to be irrational and Allah forbids. As Leaders as well as staunch PAS members they should be exemplary. We can show strength at Kelab Dangdut but at the Mosque the approach should be Islamic diplomacy. They can’t even handle the Khairat Kematian and now they want to handle the New Mosque? They had robbed the Kereta Jenazah is good enough to reflect on their integrity. I hope someone tell them there are only 30 PAS members in the Kampong and don’t try to be the hero of the residents.

8 July 2009 – Ustaz Wan Hamidi Wan Mat, new Preacher of PAS invitee came to preach at the Mosque in between Maghreb and Isyakh. I prefer to sit outside the Mosque main hall as the public address system is clearly audible than the main hall. I noticed after the Isyakh prayer the donations box was not passed to the congregation for donations. Later someone told me that the donation box had moved around among the congregation in the main hall while Ustaz Wan Hamidi was preaching. That someone related to me, Imam No 2 was so embarrassed when the box came to him as he neither brought any money or no small change available, I think. He and the congregation in general did not realize that the Committee was going to implement the new system of collection that similar to PAS culture during their political campaign. Anything that the past Committee implemented had to be change. The new system – everybody would notice (if you sit in front) that you do not contribute when the box come to you. In other word, the new system compels you to contribute if you want to avoid embarrassment.

One of the Committee members closed the preaching session by words of encouragement to all attendees and hopes that sooner more Muslims would be wearing the white skull cap. Is the white skull capping the symbol of Islam? You don’t have to wear a white skull cap to be a true Muslims. It’s all in the heart and deeds. This particular chap usually wearing a pointed skull white cap which normally worn by “Sufi Member” in Medina. These people are Islamic scholars and experts on “tasawuf” and Islamic theology. Is he qualified to wear the same as the Sufi Member? Islam should not be a Photostat machine, just can copy anything. In Islam, you must be knowledgeable when you want to do something. In Malaysia the symbol of a white skull cap is PAS. To them wearing a white skull cap make them more Islamic than any other Muslim?? I have noticed a rapist and a murderer wearing a white skull cap appearing in court for trial. The morale of the story: You must know what you are talking about, especially in the House of Allah.

9 July 2009 – The Imam was handed their allowance and they got only RM 75.00 per Imam compared to the previous Committee the Imam got RM 200.
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10 July 2009 – Friday prayer – Haji Sabtu placed the donations boxes at alternate three rows for contingency if the boy did not turn up to collect the Friday collection. On seeing this, the Nazir went and collect the boxes in the midst of Ustaz Ghazali Sirat delivering his pre Friday prayer preaching. He sent back the boxes to the Azan Room. To me, he has no respect for the Ustaz.

11 July 2009 – Committee Meeting: During the forthcoming Ramadan, the solat sunat terwikh would be only 8 rakaat instead of 20. After the 8 rakaat, tazkirakh would be conducted. Though the Imam wanted to continue with the usual practiced of 20 rakaat, the Nazir adamantly insist on only 8. The announcement of names for the nightly tahlil would be abolished. There is a possibility; bubur lambuk would not be available. During previous years the former Committee collected RM 3 per head per night for the tahlil and the money collected was to expense the cost of cooking the bubur lambuk for the distribution to the kampong people as sedekah, feeding people who fast during Ramadan. The present Mosque Committee claim they are short of finance but then why so many Ustaz came calling at this Mosque to preach? Every Ustaz is being paid.

13 July 2009 – Immediately after the Maghreb prayer the Imam conducted a tahlil and I saw the Nazir and one of the Committee Member (the white pointed skull capper) left the jemaah and proceeded with their sunat Maghreb. You call these people Leaders of the Mosque?? Is tahlil also bida’ah?

14 july 2009 – Immediately after the Maghreb prayer the Imam conducted a tahlil again but this time the Nazir stayed put with the Jemaah. Probably he felt embarrassed to leave because yesterday some of the Jemaah were looking at him when he prayed the sunat Maghreb and the Imam was conducting a tahlil upfront.

I noticed before the Maghreb prayer, the Nazir was busy arranging the children where to pray. Hello….that’s not the Nazir job. The Mosque has three Siaks. Where are they? That’s the Siak job to arrange the children. The Nazir don’t even know the job specification of his own Committee. I doubt he even know his own function as a Nazir.

15 July 2009 – The New Mosque Committee once wrote to the Mosque Committee for permission to use the Mosque Meeting Room to conduct their Meeting but was flatly rejected and permission not granted. This is a blatant miscarriage of the purpose of a Mosque. All Muslims are free to use any of the Mosque facilities provide ample formalities are met and the usage do not detrimental to Islam. Very much regret, they think the Mosque belong to them or to specific individuals.

16 July 2009 – I met Imam No 4 at the Pasar Malam and disappointingly told me he had given up and let the Committee proceed whatever they want to do regarding Ramadan Mosque activities.

Normally on Thursday Maghreb (the night of Friday) the Chief Imam would conduct a Yasin recitation followed with tahlil arwah as requested by certain individuals. Tonight a new PAS Ustaz on invitation delivered his preaching instead. I saw the Chief Imam left immediately after the sunat Maghreb prayerand came back later. During the tenure of the previous Committee only the first Thursday night of the month they invited a Preacher.

17 July 2009 – I was away in KL during the Friday prayer and what I gathered from my friend who attended the prayer, copy letter from the New Mosque Committee to the present Mosque Committee was distributed to the congregation. Now the congregation understands why the Nazir and the Secretary instructed the removal of the Notice Board.

No more schoolboys collecting the Friday prayer donations. Now OTK and Bilal 3 did the collecting job during the khutbah. Didn’t they know that khutbah is a rukun in a Friday prayer? Instead of listening to the khutbah they are busy collecting donations.

I understand, all the Imams got back their normal monthly allowances. Good…..at least the Nazir, the Secretary and the Acting Treasurer have come back to their senses.

18 July 2009 to 20 July 2009 – I was away in Indonesia.

However during a Forum in the Mosque (israk mikraj) as related by my friend the pointed skull capper was the Chairman. The joke was he was referred as Ustaz by the visiting member of the Panel. Ustaz?? Oh my God! Doesn’t he felt shy? An ordinary man with a pointed skull cap and a beard is address as an Ustaz?? I would love to wear the pointed skull cap and I do have beard so that everybody can address me as Ustaz. BUT….I knows who I am and I know how knowledgeable I am on Islam. I know where to put myself.

21 July 2009 - Before the Maghreb prayer I saw my friend and neighbor Capt Bakar, MAS Pilot was busy in the Mosque as he was supervising the fixing of a new PA systems in the Mosque. I understand he is sponsoring the installation. Good for him and good for all members of the congregation. Thank you Captain, for sponsoring RM 13,000.00 worth of public address system and May Allah bless you for the good deed. However, I fail to see the rationale of changing the PA system as it was still good and functioning well. Moreover, a new Mosque would be completed within two years, insyaalah. The money could be reserved to install the PA at the New Mosque. Perhaps, Captain Bakar was coaxed to sponsor as the Committee wanted to change everything all from the previous Committee. I just hope the Committee does not change the rukun in praying at the Mosque. Who knows, they might want us to sujud three times instead of two?

Ustaz Yusri was the Preacher for the night. This Ustaz was an old timer from the regime of the former Committee. The crowd was small; PAS members did not interested to attend. The Nazir was missing and the present Committee that present sat outside. The pointed skull cap, suppose to be the Chairperson who does the introduction was also missing. This is the problem……PAS followers would only come to the Mosque only with the presence of PAS nominated Ustaz.

23 July 2009 – At the Pasar Malam, I met Raja Nazri the Chairman of the saham wakaf kampong and the former in charge of the Kereta Jenazah. I asked him what the latest is and he told me the Ketua Kampong came to his house and declared that he would return the Kereta Jenazah but up to date he did not realized his words. It is well proven here that the Ketua Kampong tongue is like a snake. His words cannot be trusted. He even declared the same to the former Nazir.

It is malam Jumaat and no Yasin recitation. Instead the Committee brought in Ustaz Badrul Amin to preach. I saw two tables full of CD on sale in the Mosque and some are political CD. I happened to ask the Chairperson (the pointed skull capper) whether it is all right to do this CD sale in the Mosque and he said no problem. This is obviously a new culture in this Mosque. I just walked away.

24 July 2009 – During the Friday Prayer, the new PA system was put to use. Unfortunately the speakers adjacent to the Main Hall were either not switched on or somebody did not know how to operate the new system switches. Thus the congregation who prayed outside the Main Hall did not clearly hear the Imam delivering the khutbah and the praying recitation.

The best joke, OTK one of the donation collectors during Friday prayer dare not passed in front of me. I don’t care a damn about this Ahli Majlis Fatwa cum Robber/Driver of Van Jenazah.

Before Asar prayer none of the Bilal turned up at the Mosque to call for the azan. Imam No 2 instructed Haji Sabtu to call the azan. OTK was seen unhappy but Imam No 2 took all responsibilities as no Bilal was around. Bilal No 3 only turned up when Haji Sabtu had started calling the azan. That’s the problem; they want position but neglect their responsibilities. A Bilal should be available at the Mosque way before prayer time. The Nazir should tabulate a SOP (standard operating procedure) or job specification and distribute to all concern.

Before Maghreb, I saw the New Mosque Donation Safe hole was blocked and locked. The motive is not to allow any one donating to the New Mosque. We asked Siak No 1 and he said he was instructed by the Nazir to lock it and the key is in his custody. We don’t blame Siak No 1 for he was only doing his job as instructed by the Nazir. Ya Allah, we still have this type of human being in this world? Preventing someone from doing a good cause for the House of Allah in the House of Allah? My vocabulary exhausted to describe this type of man. Is he a Muslim?

Haji Sutrisno is teaching tajweed in the Mosque. The Chairperson, the white pointed skull capper was missing and so as the Nazir. Imam No 2 had to act as Chairperson. As I see it, this is the problem; there is no consistency on Pas members’ attitude. They would only actively participate only when the Ustaz is from their clan, from PAS.

26 July 2009 – Afternoon I was invited by Imam No 2 for khenduri tahlil at his residence and the Secretary of the New Mosque told me that after subuh this morning he requested from Siak No 1 the key to the New Mosque Donation Safe and he unlocked the lock. The Secretary is now keeping the key. If the Nazir is not happy the Secretary can be referred to. The confrontation is nearing the boiling point. My gut feeling, the Nazir would find a new lock and key and lock back the New Mosque Donation safe.

Committee Meeting: Terawikh prayer as usual 20 rakaat (no change). Tahlil would be immediately after Isyakh and before Terawikh prayer (change). There would be tazkirah after Maghreb prayer (change). No specific charge for tahlil (change). Expenses on bubur lambuk are from sponsorship and the tahlil sedekah (half change). Announcement of names for tahlil abolished (change).

27 July 2009 – After Maghreb I was informed by one of the New Mosque Committee that sometimes last week, the Nazir, Secretary and the Acting Treasurer went to Bank Muamalat in Klang and requested the account of the New Mosque to the transferred to the existing Mosque and they claimed that they are the New Mosque Committee. There was no letter of Resolution and no Minutes of any Meeting confirming of any changes pertaining to the account. The Bank flatly rejected and they went home empty handed. The Acting Treasurer was once a Bank Officer (as claimed) who recently took VSS. Does he not know the banking procedure regarding transfer of an account? He must be plain dumb not to advise the Nazir and the Secretary that without proper documents and procedures the transfer would be impossible. What was he in the banking entity? I can now derive an opinion that the Mosque Committee is only interested after the about RM 300,000.00 in the coffer. If this money falls into their hands, God knows what would happen?

My suggestion making everybody happy: Transfer the account under the custody of JAIS and I bet you, they would be no more interested to take over the New Mosque.

I saw the New Mosque Donation Safe hole remain accessible to Donaters. Well and good and I hope the Nazir would not sealed it again.

28 July 2009 – The New Mosque Committee Meeting held at OBD Meeting Room in Klang. The New Mosque Committee was barred from conducting any meeting at the Mosque Meeting Room as per Nazir instruction.

The new list of August preaching sessions circulated. There would be a total of 31 sessions including 3 for Women. Four (4) of the sessions would be tazkirah after the Maghreb prayer during Ramadan. I wonder how many people would attend as majority are breaking fast at home and congregate at the Mosque when the Bilal call the Isyakh azan. The tazkirah after Maghreb prayer during Ramadan was never ever practiced at this Mosque.

When I looked at the list, I noticed something that was wrong. The Chief Imam signature looked very peculiar and the Chief Imam did not put on his usual official stamp. Was the signature forged? I don’t know and not pointing fingers but it’s indeed strange.

29 July 2009 – It was after Maghreb and I had completed the sunat Maghreb prayer when YB Badrul walked in with a camera (handphone?) and took the photograph of the table full of food items on sale in the Mosque. The reasons why YB Badrul took the photo, I don’t know.

Ustaz Abdullah Iraqi was the Preacher of the night. Before the Mosque being taken over by the Committee, Ustaz Abdullah Iraqi was only preaching at Markas PAS. Now that the PR Government had taken over Selangor, Ustaz Abdullah Iraqi status had been upgraded and now allowed preaching in the Kampong Mosque. PAS followers from other Mosques came to hear the preaching and the congregation was exceptional large. Towards the end of the preaching, Ustaz Abdullah Iraqi called on the congregation to stand up, saying praise to the Holy Prophet (pbuh) and simultaneously to embrace each other and apologies to each other. This reminds me of the motivational seminar I used to attend when I was serving a corporate entity. I reserve my comment on this but let me say one…..if this behavior is really practiced and implemented by the Malays, there is no such political party such as PAS and UMNO exist today. PAS and UMNO would not be at loggerhead and the Malays are united in this country. If one is reading this blog meticulously then, one can follow the sequence of events where PAS is at vengeance with UMNO at this Mosque in particular. Ustaz Abdullah Iraqi should educate his PAS mates how to live harmoniously with fellow Muslim irrespective of political ideology, eradicating vengeance and exhibit the exemplary character of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) in human relations.

31 July 2009 – The Van Jenazah has not been returned to the Amanah Saham Kampong. It’s been two months since.