Bila UMNO bantah kuil… 19 August 2009

Apabila saya membaca berita ini, saya hanya boleh geleng kepala.

Saya tak faham mengapakah penempatan semula sebuah kuil boleh dijadikan isu.

Apa sudah jadi dengan negara kita?

Lebih-lebih lagi dengan kehadiran mereka yang suka menangguk di air keruh seperti Datuk Noh Omar dan UMNO Selangor-nya, yang begitu gah ingin menfailkan injunksi menghalang kuil tersebut.

Laporan Berita Harian:

UMNO Selangor mohon injunksi ketepi bina kuil di Shah Alam

SHAH ALAM: Umno Selangor akan mengemukakan permohonan mahkamah untuk mendapatkan perintah injunksi bagi mengetepikan keputusan kerajaan negeri membina kuil di kawasan majoriti Islam di Seksyen 23, di sini.

Timbalan Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan Umno negeri, Datuk Noh Omar, berkata tindakan itu wajar dan berasaskan alasan yang kukuh kerana bertentangan dengan konsep 1Malaysia dan Perlembagaan Persekutuan.

Katanya, Artikel 11 menyatakan rakyat Malaysia bebas beragama tetapi perlu dilaksanakan secara harmoni tanpa membabitkan pencabulan serta menyentuh sensitiviti kaum dan agama lain.

“Kita percaya apabila sesuatu rumah ibadat hendak dibina, kerajaan negeri perlu mengambil kira sensitiviti kaum dan agama yang tinggal di sesuatu kawasan itu.

“Dalam soal pembinaan kuil di Seksyen 23 ini, penduduk Islam mewakili 70 peratus daripada jumlah keseluruhan penduduk yang mana sensitiviti mereka perlu diambil kira.

“Kita akan bantu penduduk dan membawa bantahan mereka ke mahkamah untuk mendapatkan perintah injunksi bagi mengenepikan keputusan kerajaan negeri untuk membina kuil di kawasan ini.

“Keputusan kerajaan negeri boleh menimbulkan suasana tidak harmoni serta tidak menepati dasar yang termaktub dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan,” katanya kepada media selepas mengadakan lawatan ke tapak kuil itu, semalam.

Menteri Pertanian dan Industri Asas Tani itu berkata, beliau akan merujuk kepada Pengerusi Perhubungan Umno negeri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak bagi mendapatkan pandangan serta merangka persediaan yang perlu sebelum memulakan tindakan sedemikian berdasarkan bantahan yang dibuat kira-kira 500 penduduk Islam di kawasan itu.

Hentikanlah mengapi-apikan sentimen perkauman dan agama. Kami sudah muak.

Tak payah lah berkata-kata tentang Perlembagaan Persekutuan jika tidak memahami apa yang terkandung di dalamnya. Tidak ada mana-mana peruntukkan di dalam Perlembagaan yang menyatakan bahawa kuil tidak boleh dibina di tempat majoritinya Islam.

Bukankah rakyat agama lain juga punya hak?

*untuk penjelasan lanjut tentang isu ini, sila pergi ke laman blog YB Khalid Samad, ahli Parlimen Shah Alam.

Of Islam, Bahasa and the Herald 5 January 2009

Recently the Home Ministry ordered that the Herald, a  local Catholic weekly, to close down its Bahasa Malaysia section pending a court decision on the word “Allah”. In case you haven’t been following the issue, the Herald is seeking a court order to challenge a ban on the use of the word “Allah” in its publication.

Mr. Khalid Samad, PAS MP for Shah Alam recently articulated his views on the matter in the Nut Graph. I agree with his views therein and I urge you to read the article here. He says:

The negative and defeatist attitude upon which these “policies” are based will lead to restrictive laws for non-Muslims, curbing their activities for fear of Muslims being influenced and converted. Unfortunately, this would then lead to an impression of Islam being restrictive and oppressive, creating a very negative impression of Islam among non-Muslims.

I’m going to put aside the issue of the use of the word “Allah” in the Herald, for the simple fact that I am not knowledgeable enough to know the Islamic position in the matter. If you are interested however, you may read the view of PAS’ powerful Central Ulama Committee (Dewan Ulamak PAS Pusat) on the matter here. Instead, I am going to focus on the government’s decision on the Bahasa Malaysia section of the Catholic publication.

I simply do not see the rationale behind the Ministry’s decision in this matter. We are trying to strengthen Bahasa Malaysia (BM) as the national language and thus should encourage its use. BM is the language of the Federation, as provided for in the Constitution. It should no longer be the language of the Malays. Banning the use of BM is contrary to the efforts to ennoble BM amongst the rakyat. In East Malaysia, where a significant number of the bumiputera population are of the Christian faith, BM is their lingua franca. Are they expected to read the Tamil or Chinese section of the Herald?

The other issue is of course by denying the use of BM, the government is arguably curtailing the freedom to practice one’s religion, as provided for by the Constitution. And the reason? For fear that Malay-Muslims will become ‘confused’ and leave Islam. Really, are Malaysian Muslims that weak? When did we have so little faith in our faith?

I agree with Mr. Khalid Samad, decisions such as this give Islam a bad name. Already it is hijacked by terrorists, already it is portrayed negatively by the Western media, we now have the Home Ministry and by extension the government of Malaysia to worsen the perception on Islam.

We are constantly being told that Malay-Muslims are abandoning the faith in droves. We lament at the supposed moral degradation of today’s Muslim youth. We shake our fists in anger at the onslaught of ‘Western’ values or budaya kuning that is supposedly transforming the ummah of today. Yet have we, the Muslims of Malaysia, ever reflected upon ourselves? That perhaps, just perhaps, we ourselves are the cause of these so-called ’social ills’?

I mean, should we not ask ourselves why Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, despite the terrorism and the negative portrayal, but in Malaysia the situation is supposedly the opposite? Doesn’t that mean that there’s something wrong with Islam in this country?

Islam in this country would not be jeopardized by the use of BM in a Catholic weekly. Or by yoga. Or the internet. Or the West. Or whatever or whoever else we tend to blame for the state of our religion.

As a Muslim, I believe that Islam is the religion of strength, justice and equality. Not the religion of fear, oppression and discrimination projected by some so-called ‘guardians’ of the faith.

Yoga, yoga, yoga, yoga, yoga… 26 November 2008

Looks like this yoga issue is still hotly debated in the country.

It would seem that the Malay rulers are not too happy about the edict. HRH the Sultan of Selangor, and HRH Raja Nazrin the Regent of Perak has been especially vocal about the issue. And they have all the right to do so, as matters pertaining to Islam falls under the purview of the Malay rulers.

And when it relates to sensitive matters like this, its best to let the rulers voice their opinion. Politicians will shy away from such ‘hot potato’ subjects, for fear of alieanating support in one form or the other. UMNO politicians will not want to comment on it, they don’t want to be seen as ‘going against’ the Fatwa Council, even though I’m quite sure a lot of their wives are grumbling with discontent now that they can’t do yoga at their respective gyms. Pakatan leaders will also not want to talk about it much, because talking too much might end up the wrong side of their own coalition partners. So politicians, by and large, will keep mum on the issue.

Of course, muftis have no such limitations. That’s why Perlis mufti Dr. Asri Zainul Abidin has no qualms about giving his two cents worth on the issue. Which to me, made a lot of sense.

Retired politicians also do not have to worry about ‘losing support’. That’s why Tun Mahathir also saw fit to comment on the issue. He said that the fatwa thing should not be turned into a religious issue.

That’s why I disagree with Hindu Sangam commenting on the issue. It may merely be expressing its concern, but utmost care must be exercised regarding this issue. There are people waiting to capitalize on any inter-religious tensions.

Similarly, non-Muslim leaders should refrain from commenting on the issue. I read that Mr. Kayveas, PPP President, has commented on the issue in today’s Sinar Harian. He shouldn’t, for the same reason that Hindu Sangam shouldn’t. It causes unnecessary tensions.

No, I’m not saying that because this is an ‘Islam issue’, only Muslim should comment.  Muslims comment about other religions all the time, so we shouldn’t be arrogant in saying that other people can’t talk about ours. I’m just saying that its better for non-Muslims to refrain from commenting on it, at least for now. Go and pour your hearts out in private, in coffee shops or at the office. Just don’t issue an official statement on it.

But this issue really needs to be sorted out. Again, I do not feel that I can legitimately question the fatwa, but something needs to be done to sort out this mess. I suggest that the Fatwa Council make representations to the Council of Rulers (Majlis Raja-Raja), who will deliberate on the matter and issue a decree on the matter or something.

Meanwhile, I wonder if anyone told Micheal (Mikail?) Jackson that plastic surgery is a big no-no in Islam?

Pentingnya PAS dalam Pakatan Rakyat 15 October 2008

Satu ketika dahulu, PAS dilihat sebagai sebuah parti ‘ekstrimis’. Parti yang kononnya berniat untuk membawa ‘era-Taliban’ ke negera ini. Satu ketika dahulu, orang Melayu sendiri takut untuk mengundi PAS, apatah lagi orang bukan Islam.

Betul atau tidak andaian itu, terpulang kepada masing-masing untuk menilainya. Akan tetapi, selepas kekalahan teruk yang dialami oleh parti tersebut pada pilihan raya umum yang ke-11, PAS telah melakukan pelbagai usaha untuk ‘menjenamakan’ semula imejnya di mata rakyat. Parti itu sedar bahawa sekiranya ia mahu diterima sebagai sebuah parti alternatif kepada pemerintah yang ada sekarang, ia harus diterima oleh setiap lapisan masyarakat, tak kira kaum, bangsa mahupun agama.

Maka terciptalah slogan ‘PAS untuk semua’. Ditubuhkan ‘Kelab Penyokong PAS’. Para pemimpinnya juga sedikit sebanyak diganti dengan mereka yang mempunyai ‘broad appeal’, dan pada masa yang sama, masih mempunyai teras perjuangan berasaskan Islam yang dikehendaki oleh ahli-ahlinya.

Penjenamaan semula parti tersebut terbukti berjaya, dengan kemenangan yang dikecapi ketika pilihan raya umum ke-12 yang lepas. PAS berjaya membentuk kerajaan campuran di Selangor, Perak dan Kedah dan mempunyai dua mentri besar dari kalangan mereka. Malah, di antara parti-parti Pakatan Rakyat, PAS mempunyai bilangan mentri besar yang paling banyak. Lebih menakjubkan lagi, PAS telah menang di kasawasan-kawasan ‘mixed constitutuency’, di mana komposisi pengundi di kawasan tersebut adalah terdiri dari pengundi pelbagai kaum yang sebelum ini amat sukar untuk ditembusi.

Kini tidak janggal lagi melihat anak-anak muda yang bukan beragama Islam memakai baju PAS, ataupun mengangkat bendera PAS. Di samping itu, PAS juga berjaya menarik golongan professional Melayu yang jijik dengan korupsi parti pemerintah untuk menyertainya.

Manakan tidak? Dua orang ahli Parlimen PAS mengunjungi gereja di kawasan masing-masing, perkara yang tidak pernah dilakukan oleh mana-mana pemimpin Melayu sebelum ini. Pemimpin PAS menolak serangan media dan UMNO ke atas ahli Parlimen DAP, saudari Teresa Kok. PAS konsisten dengan pendiriannya memerangi akta zalim ISA. Malahan, Presiden PAS sendiri telah mempertahankan hak penyokong HINDRAF untuk mengunjungi rumah terbuka Perdana Menteri.

Ini semua jelas konsisten dengan persepsi yang ada pada PAS sekarang, bahawa parti tersebut mahu membina Malaysia yang lebih adil dan lebih baik. Percubaan UMNO untuk mengaitkan parti tersebut dengan isu muzakarah PAS-UMNO juga tampak tidak membawa kesan yang begitu mendalam kepada persepsi umum terhadap PAS.

Terbaru, the Star melaporkan:

PAS leaders condemn UMNO over Cheras over libel suit fund

KOTA BARU: Three senior PAS leaders have condemned the Cheras Umno division for setting up a fund to help the Utusan Malaysia newspaper defend itself against multi-million libel suits, saying their intention had racial undertones.

PAS vice-president Datuk Husam Musa said it was unbecoming for politicians to be defending newspapers that by virtue of ethics, was an independent organisation, a watchdog acting on behalf of society.

He wondered why Cheras Umno was going after Seputeh MP Teresa Kok who was at the centre of allegations that she petitioned a mosque in Puchong to reduce the volume for azan (a call for prayers) as everyone named in the allegations, from Kok to the mosque committee, had denied this.

Yet Cheras Umno was pushing the issue without realising the sensitivities of race and religion, said Husam.

“This is unhealthy for a country with a strong multi-ethnic and multi-religious composition, it can lead to unsavoury tensions,” he said.

Husam was speaking at the Kota Baru PAS “Hari Raya Aidil Fitri” gathering at the state Chinese Chamber of Commerce where the guest of honour was Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Kota Baru MP Datuk Wan Abdul Rahim Wan Abdullah who hosted the event said most inhabitants in the country particularly the Malays were descendents of migrants either from parts of the Malay archipelago or from the Yunan province in China with some later coming from India.

PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat urged Umno to come out with a fund to salvage Malays from following the secularism form of Islam that they imposed after learning from the British.

He said it was dangerous to use racism in an age where people are fighting for justice and equality around the world.

Lim who launched his book here about experiences of prison life to the early formative days of a DAP-dominated Penang Government, urged MCA and Gerakan to leave the Umno-dominated Barisan Nasional.

Kritikan pemimpin-pemimpin PAS ini amat disambut baik. Tindakan UMNO Cheras, dengan senatornya, yang jelas ingin mendapat publisiti murahan dengan nama Islam seharusnya dikecam. Dan PAS, dengan kredibiliti yang ada pada mereka sebagai parti Islam, adalah pihak yang terbaik untuk menolak cubaan UMNO untuk mencari publisiti murahan atas nama agama.

Kehadiran PAS sebagai anggota Pakatan Rakyat amatlah penting. PAS adalah parti yang paling lama di kalangan ketiga-tiga parti Pakatan, dan mempunyai bilangan ahli akar umbi yang paling ramai. Ini terbukti ketika pilihan raya kecil di Permatang Pauh. Saya tidak fikir bahawa saudara Anwar Ibrahim akan meraih majoriti yang sebegitu besar jika ahli dan penyokong PAS tidak turun untuk berkempen untuknya.

Lebih dari itu, apa yang PAS bawa ke dalam Pakatan adalah ‘Islamic credentials‘ yang dapat menumpulkan segala serangan UMNO yang kononnya di atas nama Melayu dan Islam. Pada persepsi umum, di antara orang UMNO dan orang PAS, orang PAS lebih arif bercakap tentang isu agama berbanding dengan orang UMNO. Tidak lama dahulu, seorang ahli Parlimen UMNO-BN telah menceritakan sebuah ‘hadis’ yang kononnya menjustifikasikan penggunaan ISA. Dengan pantas, ahli-ahli Parlimen PAS membidasnya kerana menggunakan ‘hadis’ yang tidak diketahui kesahihannya dan juga menggunakan cerita tersebut untuk perkara di luar konteks.

Katakanlah kritikan terhadap UMNO Cheras itu datang dari seorang dari PKR atau DAP, sudah tentu ia akan dilabel sebagai kritikan yang datang dari seorang ‘liberal’ ataupun ‘chauvanist Cina’. Tetapi yang mengkritik adalah PAS, dan sukar untuk ditepis oleh UMNO. Begitu juga dengan isu azan yang dikaitkan dengan Teresa Kok. Mungkin ramai yang akan mempercayainya sekiranya beliau tidak dipertahankan oleh pemimpin-pemimpin PAS. Malah, ahli Parlimen Kota Raja, saudari Siti Mariah Mahmud dari PAS, telah membuat laporan polis terhadap saudara Khir Toyo yang memulakan isu tersebut. Dan di antara orang PAS dan saudara Khir Toyo, saya lebih cenderung untuk mempercayai orang PAS dari bekas mentri besar tersebut.

Begitulah pentingnya PAS kepada Pakatan Rakyat. Oleh sebab itu, ketika isu muzarakah hangat beberapa bulan yang lepas dan ada di kalangan penyokong-penyokong Pakatan Rakyat yang meragui parti tersebut, saya mempertahankan mereka. Saya dapat perhatikan bahawa ahli PAS kebanyakannya genuine dalam perjuangan mereka. Samada anda menyokong atau tidak ideologi mereka tidak menjadi isu. Apa yang penting adalah PAS setakat ini konsisten dan kelihatan berusaha untuk membina Malaysia yang lebih baik dan lebih adil, bebas dari pemikiran asobiyah dan berpuak-puak yang telah lama membelenggu politik dan pemerintahan negara. Dan mereka yang turut ingin membina ‘Malaysia baru’ ini harus menghargai usaha PAS bagi menjayakan aspirasi tersebut.

Thank goodness, PAS, part II 31 July 2008

In my previous post, I have stated that I am not a PAS member nor supporter. Yet, I have a great deal of respect for the party.

So over the past week or so, I found myself having to defend PAS’ integrity and trustworthiness after it was revealed that some of its’ leaders had spoken to Pak Lah and UMNO, purportedly over the issue of ‘Malay unity’ and Islam.

Pakatan supporters, especially the non-Malays, were quick to denounce the party, saying that PAS had betrayed the people’s trust that were vested upon them by the March 8 tsunami. In fact, a senior Pakatan politician, Mr. Karpal Singh, has even questioned PAS’ membership in the loose PKR-DAP-PAS coalition, a move that I thought was very foolish.

It seemed to me that the very people who usually dismiss the media’s biased reporting and story-spinning had in this instance, believed the very same publications that they have shunned. In Malaysiakini (a news portal that I consider to be the most independent in the country), many letters and opinions were put forth, accusing the Islamist party as hypocrites and betrayers and this view was echoed by many bloggers.

In fact, a friend of mine who claims to be a die-hard Anwar and Pakatan supporter had told me that PAS had betrayed the non-Malays and he declared that he will not vote for PAS again (when in fact, he didn’t even register to vote in the last election).

I think it’s because to most non-Malays, PAS is an unknown entity that they were only acquainted with in the last elections. Before that, the Islamist party has been portrayed by the media as extremists, fundementalist and Taliban-esque. I think that the ‘PAS-bias’ within some of us is too strong to shake off completely. All the media had to do was play the issue to the hilt, and before long, some of us started to turn against the party.

To me, it is unfair and premature to judge PAS as betrayers and hypocrites, especially when there were no political co-operation that ever took place between the two parties. Yes, there were ’secret’ meetings, in which offers were made, especially in Perak and Selangor, but at that point in time, ‘Pakatan Rakyat’ has not been formed. Between the three parties, there was only an understanding with regards to seats. Thus PAS had all the right to listen to whomever they wish. The fact of the matter is, even though offers were made to form coalition governments in Selangor and Perak, the Islamist party had rejected them. That is why we have the Pakatan Rakyat governments in those two states. Yet, many people seemed to have conveniently disregarded this very important fact.

And these PAS accusers have not even bothered to find out the story from PAS’ side. If they had, they would know that despite the efforts by a small minority of leaders within PAS, the majority of its supporters and leaders strongly reject any co-operation with UMNO. All the news that they received on the issue came from the mainstream media.

PAS is a principled party. I believe that it will not abandon its principle simply for the sake of power and positions. PAS had fought the unjust UMNO-BN regime for a very long time. It’s grassroots had sacrificed  time, money and effort, to help out in campaigns and rallies. Do you think that these ‘battle-hardened’ men and women can ever ‘kiss and make up’ with their arch-enemies?

When some of us sympathized and did not believe the allegations against Mr. Anwar Ibrahim 1998, we do nothing but shake our heads. Yet PAS supporters showed their support to Mr. Anwar by helping his cause.

When most of us who bicker and complain about unfair elections, PAS members turned out in droves onto Kuala Lumpur to demand free and fair elections during the BERSIH rally.

When most of us bitch about the high cost of petrol but we do nothing and let the government milk us for all we’re worth, PAS helped organize a rally to protest against the fuel hike.

And all of a sudden, because UMNO started courting PAS, we accuse the party of being hypocritical.

But aren’t we the real hypocrites? Hypocrites who want PAS to fight for us, yet do not even allow them to explain themselves over this whole muzakarah issue?

Taken from news portal Siasahdaily:

PAS tolak sebarang kerjasama dengan UMNO

KUALA LUMPUR, 31 Julai: Selepas bermesyuarat selama lima jam, PAS memutuskan tidak akan mengadakan sebarang kerjasama dengan Umno samada di peringkat negeri atau pusat tetapi sedia berjumpa dengan mana-mana pihak di negara ini.

“Oleh itu, tidak berbangkit soal PAS menerima tawaran dari Umno,” kata Presiden PAS, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang kepada sidang media selepas mesyuarat khas Jawatankuasa PAS Pusat dan Majlis Syura Ulamak di Pejabat Agung PAS hari ini.

Beliau dengan ditemani oleh Setiausaha Agung, Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar dan Ketua Muslimat, Nuridah Salleh membaca keputusan tiga perkara dalam mesyuarat itu hari ini.

Keputusan itu adalah:-

1) PAS tidak akan ada sebarang kerjasama dengan Umno.
2) PAS terbuka untuk bertemu dengan semua pihak, NGO atau parti politik.
3) PAS akan kekal bersama Pakatan Rakyat dan akan bergerak secara aktif dan positif dalam Pakatan. Untuk itu PAS akan berusaha untuk memujuk anggota Parlimen Umno untuk menyertai PAS atau PKR dalam Pakatan bagi membentu kerajaan baru.

Ketika menjawab persoalan dari wartawan, Abdul Hadi berkata, selepas ini jika ada sebarang pertemuan tidak akan dijalankan secara sulit lagi.

PAS juga, katanya, menghargai sokongan orang bukan Islam dan akan meningkat pengiktirafan kepada mereka selepas ini.

PAS juga, katanya, menyokong penuh Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dan mencadangkan kerajaan menghakimi kes dakwaan terhadap beliau menurut hukum Islam.

“Jika tidak ada, Umno bertanggungjawab untuk membolehkannya,” kata Abdul Hadi dalam sidang media yang berlangsung hanya kira-kira lima minit bermula jam tiga petang itu.

I feel vindicated when I heard the news.

There should be no more confusion after Mr. Hadi Awang’s firm statement of PAS’ stance regarding the issues plaguing it recently.  PAS has firmly rejected UMNO’s offer and has re-affirmed its commitment to Pakatan Rakyat. After this, there should be no more talks of PAS-UMNO co-operation and no more baseless accusations against the party.

Some of us might not agree to PAS’ proposal for an Islamic state. Some of us might not agree with certain  actions by the party that we consider as ‘conservative’. I have no problems if you were to disagree with PAS’ stance on these issue.

But I hope after this, before we accuse PAS of being all sorts of unsavory things like backstabbers and betrayers,  we should at the very least, give them a chance to state their stand.

Breathe easy. PAS has not and will not betray our aspirations as manifested in the last elections.

That ‘Islamic’ Label 11 February 2008

According to a report in the New Straits Times, a so-called ‘Islamic hotel’, the first of it’s kind, will be built within 2 years in Kuala Terengganu. The report states that the RM20 million hotel will include such ‘Islamic’ facilities like separate swimming pools for both genders and rooms with copies of the Quran as well as prayer mats.

Apart from the segregated swimming pools, I do believe that these days hotels in Malaysia come equipped with the Quran and prayer mats. In fact, certain hotels in Western countries even provide for such facilities. If such is the case, then what separates Hotel Wakaf (as it will be known) from other hotels? What gives it the right to use the moniker ‘Islamic hotel’?

It’s like the supposed ‘Islamic car’ that Proton plans to produce. What in the world is an Islamic car?! Well, it appears that an Islamic car is a car with a compass and extra glove compartments to store your head scarves, prayer mats and other religious apparels. Viola! We have a halal car.

Seriously, I know that we’re supposedly at the forefront of Islamic nations, in terms of development, tolerance and diversity, etc… but I do believe that we’re going overboard with this whole ‘Islamic’ concept. Trying to capture the international halal market with the ‘halal hub’ is one thing, but slapping the Islam tag on every other thing like it was some cheap moniker is just too much for me.

If we truly want to produce an Islamic car or build an Islamic hotel, why not do something that can truly make Muslims proud? A car built from scratch by Muslim engineers, perhaps. A building, rivaling the splendor of the Taj Mahal, designed by a Muslim architect, maybe? Heck, come up with a workable plan to eradicate poverty in Muslim countries or something. You don’t even have label it as ‘Islamic’, it will speak for itself. Do not simply use the tag Islam as an advertising tool, hoping to cash in on the lucrative Middle Eastern oil-money.

What’s next? An Islamic political tagline? Oh wait, we already have hadhari, don’t we?