Monday, July 24, 2006

The Day That Social Justice Died

Just got back from Hiatus.

It was just been 4-days, and there are so much news, bad and disgusting news to hear about, about a country that prides itself as a democratic nation which is multi-ethnic and have a track record of peace and supposely with solid fabric that could withheld social integration among the races.

While being away, I didn't have time to read the local news and was shock when Anak Merdeka prompted and asked me of my views on the fracas that happened at UPM. I didn't know nor hear of anything and only when she direct me to peep at Howsy's Rant did I realise that the country has finally driven itself to the dogs; and what more, the supposely future leaders of tomorrow, the university students of the "prestigious" University Putra Malaysia, at one time called, the Agriculture University of Malaysia had been transformed into beast.

Viewing the videos, it bewildered me that in fact, what we are seeing is the potential clash of civilisation. It cross my mind, that finally, the civilised and God loving children had evolved and transformed themselves into the age of uncivilisation, probably aided by the system itself. I just wonder whether the lecturers in UPM have done a great job in churning out such students of "great behaviors" such that we now can parade to the world what type of professionals we will be producing which will one day be manning our civil service and possibly, be the potential elected legislators and law-makers of this Boleh Land.

What had gone wrong? Did the education system educate or breeds gorrillas and pythons? What perplex me is that the group of students growls like wild animals and uses his extreme size to intimidate fella students.

I have thought that Pak Lah had introduced Islam Hadhari which preaches and teaches us the "Civilizational Islam", a theory of government based on the principles of Islam as derived from the Qur'an. It consists of 10 fundamental principles: Faith and piety in Allah; Just and trustworthy government; Freedom and independence to the people; Mastery of knowledge; Balanced and comprehensive economic development; Good quality of life for all; Protection of the rights of minority groups and women; Cultural and moral integrity; Protection of the environment;& A strong defence policy.

It saddens me that those who claim to believe in Allah and who had to follow the teachings of the Holy Qur'an are acting as if they had been possessed by evil spirits that symbolises the manners that Syaitan would had acted.

Islam Hadhari teaches the believers to be good in bahavior, to protect the rights of minority groups and women and to respect freedom and independence of humans. They were to show the world the differences and enlighten non-believers to partake the truth as enunciated in the Holy Qu'ran.

It doesn't seems to reflect the idealism of Pak Lah and his Islam Hadhari at all! Is there something wrong with the teaching or is there something wrong with the teachers and lecturers of UPM? Aren't most of the lecturers and the V-C himself a good Muslim? What would the Prophet had said if he had seen the incident?

What had happen to social justice and the rule of law in Malaysia and what had become of the ability of the government in upholding them? Social justice seems to have been wipe off the surface of this land of ours. Islam reflects Natural Law phenomena and the institution of social justice. Social justice must reflect the conceptions of a just society, which gives individuals and groups fair treatment and a just share of the benefits of society. Social justice as a general concept is based on the idea of human rights.

Herbert George Wells enunciated a series of principles of social justice, the first of which deserves to be repeated since it captures the essence of social justice:

"Every man is a joint inheritor of all the natural resources and of the powers, inventions and possibilities accumulated by our forerunners. He is entitled, within the measure of these resources and without distinction of race, colour or professed beliefs or opinions, to the nourishment, covering and medical care needed to realise his full possibilities of physical and mental development from birth to death. Notwithstanding the various and unequal qualities of individuals, all men shall be deemed absolutely equal in the eyes of the law, equally important in social life and equally entitled to the respect of their fellow-men."

This view is exemplified in the United Nations assertion that: Human rights are based on respect for the dignity and worth of all human beings and seek to ensure freedom from fear and want. Therefore social justice is a belief in the pursuit of human rights for all people.

Is the nation going to the dogs? I pray not!

The Prime Minister seems to have said nothing about the incident. The Education Minister seems to be more interested in sweeping the issues below the carpet and probably, I am afraid, the innocent would be punished and the recalcitrants allowed to roam free to pound again some other time. UMNO Youth and UMNO don't seem to be interested as to imply subsciption and concurrence.

Maybe, maybe, Mahathir would and could provide the solution to the problem. Whatever is said about him, during his 22 years at the helm, he had done a better job to keep those hooligans at bay and caged. Now, the new regime had unlock the doors of hell and let the ruffians wander to places that caused great concerns and anxieties.

Why is Khairy so quite about it? He use to preach equality and justice and fairness? He used to be a human rights activist? What had happen to him? Is it because of riches and material wealth that had changed him? I don't know and I hope not so!

1 comment:

Arena Green said...

Frankly Mave, why should all of us be so surprised at what happened in UPM?

When THE Education Minister himself waved the dagger (keris) in front of a Malay crowd (which is supposed to represent the Malay Islamic youth of this country) shouting the battlecryfor Malay supremacy - THIS is in effect the sort of message he is sending to the youth of his creed.

Monkey see, monkey do. No suprises at all.

And you are right. I too believe that such nonsense would not have been allowed to fester under Dr M's rule. For this alone, Pak Lah can be accused of being weak in nipping this in the bud.