Men in skullcaps drag cow-head in protest against Hindu temple

On Thursday morning I woke up to an sms from mom to say that our beloved cat Comot has died. I was devastated to learn the news, particularly since it was only three weeks ago that I last saw her, during my recent trip back to the family home. I will miss the way she would scratch my face as I incessantly kiss her, the way she bites my hand with her small set of teeth as I vigorously pat her head, unable to contain myself over how adorable she is. She grew tired of me after five minutes on my lap but I never tire of her.

As sad as it makes me feel, I take her death as an inevitable part of life, for despair is the matching partner of happiness. If we had never taken her into our home we would be spared this pain, but we would also be bereft of the joy her presence brought us. Other than the sad news, the first week of Ramadan has been a spiritually enriching journey for me, as I join Muslims the world over in our individual and communal effort to increase our good deeds and try to be a better person in the remembrance of God.

Therefore, it was with extreme outrage and disappointment that I read in the Malaysian news that earlier today, on the holiest day of the week in the holiest month of the Muslim calendar, a group of zealous Malay Muslims chose to protest against the relocation of a Hindu temple to their neighbourhood by parading a severed cow’s head during their demonstration after Friday prayers. Already there are suspicions that the demonstration is a perverted ploy by interested parties to stir racial unrest among the Indian Hindu and Malay Muslim communities in Malaysia, and that the protesters weren’t in fact residents of the neighbourhood known as Section 23. Regardless of whether it was a conspiracy or not, the protestors remain as Muslims and for that they should hang their heads in shame for publicly desecrating the Muslim faith in the holiest of months.

I am reluctant to comment about matters pertaining to Islam because I am neither a religious expert nor do I consider myself a pious Muslim. But to remain silent would be a betrayal of my conscience, for these vile actions affect me deeply as both a Malaysian and a Muslim, however flawed I may be.

The spokesperson for the protesters claim it is inappropriate to relocate the Hindu temple in a neighbourhood where 80% of the residents are Muslim. This argument is both disturbing in its simple foolishness and flawed outright. What is so inappropriate about building a house of worship for the remaining 20% of the residents who are not Muslim? If we go with the simple man’s logic, would it then be “inappropriate” to build a mosque in a predominantly non-Muslim neighbourhood? I would hope not. No one should be denied their right to perform their religious obligations, particularly when it does not intrude upon others. I recall this flawed argument being used by residents in the Sydney suburb of Camden against the building of an Islamic school sometime last year, with the rabid protesters deeply disturbed at the prospect of the Islamic school blemishing the Anglo-Saxon character of their locality.

It pains me to note the utter disrespect these Malay Muslim protesters showed to the Hindu community by dragging the severed cow’s head along the streets, wearing skullcaps and chanting “Allahu Akbar!” (God is great!) as if they were the last defenders of Islam. They were obviously aware of the symbolism, but have they forgotten that the cow is sacred in Islam too, as are all creatures created by God? They demand the meat they consume to be halal, that is, to be clean and pure, treated with dignity and respect from birth to the moment of slaughter, yet they parade the dismembered animal with the joy and enthusiasm of barbarians, thoughtless in the sanctity of animals from the Islamic perspective.

They may wear their skullcaps and parade their piety in full display, but I take heart that Islam does not condone such callous acts of disrespect towards those who do not profess our religion from these verses:

Say, O you disbelievers
I do not worship that which you worship
Nor do you worship what I worship
Nor will I ever worship that which you worship
Nor will you ever worship what I worship
For you your religion, and for me my religion

Surah Al-Kafiroon (The Disbelievers), verses 1-6
109: 1-6

Follow what is revealed to you from your Lord, there is no god but He; and turn aside from those who join gods with Allah;
And if Allah had pleased, they would not have set up others (with Him) and We have not appointed you a keeper over them, and you are not placed in charge of them;
And do not abuse those whom they call upon besides Allah, lest exceeding the limits they should abuse Allah out of ignorance. Thus We have made fair seeming to every people their deeds, then to their Lord shall be their return, so He will inform them of what they did

Surah Al-An’Aam (The Cattle, Livestock) verses 106-108
6: 106-108

Flip-Flopping in Malaysia: Should We Revert to Teaching Science and Mathematics in Malay?

In July this year, the Malaysian Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced a decision to reverse the 6-year experiment of teaching Science and Mathematics to school students in English, citing research findings which showed low levels of proficiency among both teachers and students, particularly those from rural or disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds. Teachers’ inability to communicate effectively scientific and mathematical concepts in English compounded the students’ difficulty in understanding said concepts, leading to low levels of participation and enthusiasm in Science and Math.

The policy of Teaching and Learning Science and Mathematics in English, known by its Malay initials as PPSMI, was initiated by then premier Mahathir Mohamad to arrest the declining proficiency of Malaysian students, partly caused by the earlier policy of designating Malay as the medium of instruction in national schools in newly independent Malaysia. Prior to Independence fought from the British, the primary language of instruction was English, thereby creating a preceding generation more fluent in the language than the current crop of Malaysians.

The most strident opponents of the policy of teaching Math and Science in English are the giants of the Malay literary scene, most notably National Laureate A. Samad Said and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, the Malay equivalent to France’s L’Académie française. Their grievance is understandable, for it is true that teaching and learning Science and Math in English would decimate any prospect of Malay as a significant scientific language. But common sense must prevail, and it is imperative for us to acknowledge that the Malay language never had a chance as a medium of the sciences. Even at its peak during the Malacca sultanate when Malay was the lingua franca of the Malay archipelago, its function was to facilitate trading between peoples, not to exchange scientific knowhow. That is not something to be ashamed of; we were and remain to this day a trading nation and our Malay language is a living testament to that proud heritage. But we cannot keep deluding ourselves into thinking that Malay can and will be a medium of the sciences when we are merely translating and borrowing hundreds of terms from English and creating none of our own.

Meanwhile, a small but vocal section of the Malay community, in a defiant display of misplaced arrogance and uncensored infantilism, continue to chastise those in favour of the English language policy by labelling them ‘celup’ (dipped, as in brown Malay skin ‘dipped’ in white Anglo-Saxon cast) and traitors of their people. It sounds preposterous because it is; a Western European doesn’t transform into an Indian simply by eating curry; likewise Malaysians don’t become less Malaysian just by conversing in English. This sort of narrow-minded logic is usually thrown aside as stupidity, but this stupidity is unfortunately extremely prevalent in Malaysian society and continues to shape public policy designed by politicians more interested in keeping the votes.

A more valid reason to oppose the PPSMI are rural parents’ and students’ real concern that their low proficiency in English will seriously impede their academic achievements in Science and Math, and in a worst case scenario, possibly hinder otherwise interested rural students from taking up tertiary studies in scientific and technical fields such as engineering and medicine. They further argue that the government is taking a hasty and haphazard approach in arresting the decline of English proficiency; rather than teach Math and Science in English, the best way to improve the standard of English is by increasing the time spent teaching English as a subject on its own. It is easy, this group asserts, for urban, middle-class Malaysians such as me to support the use of English in Math and Science since we would not be faced with the difficulties of having to learn not just a subject (Math or Science) but also a language at the same time.

I agree with their assertion to a degree and I sympathise with their predicament. But as a Malaysian and a Malay, I support the use of English in Math and Science not because it would be easy for people like me, but because not doing so would make it harder in the long run for everyone, in particular those from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Most of the world’s scientific references today are expressed in English, and the dominance of the Internet over printed publications means that it would be virtually impossible for Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka to translate even a fraction of the scientific knowledge that is out there. By refusing to learn in English, we are effectively limiting our ability to absorb and transmit scientific knowhow. By delaying the teaching and learning of English from school to tertiary level (because eventually Science and Math will be taught in English at universities), we are only making it harder for ourselves.

Postponing the challenge of acquiring a language only makes it more difficult later on. In any case, the previous generations of Malaysians had even lower levels of exposure to English to start with, yet they survived, even thrived, in the English-dominated education system brought on by the British. We Malaysians, particularly Malays, seem to make ourselves appear stupid by propagating this idea that we are perpetually unable to learn in English, but let’s face it, we’re not that stupid. We will become more fluent eventually. The government can make the transition easier by assigning additional tutorial assistance to rural students who have difficulty with English, and intensify the immersion of the language through various media – the Internet, video, television and print.

We are a small nation in an increasingly intertwined world. In order to succeed we need to be able to understand and communicate effectively with the world around us. Science and Mathematics are the fields which will ensure the continued prosperity of Malaysians, and if we continue to shelter ourselves from the tide of English for the sake of convenience, we risk drowning in the sea of globalization, with the world oblivious to our torment.

The Yoga Fatwa

The National Fatwa Council recently announced that Muslims are prohibited from practicing yoga. Specifically, what is banned is the combination of physical movements, religious elements, chanting and worshipping which forms the foundations of yoga as practiced in Hinduism. The ‘yoga’ in its modern sense, which usually involves only the physical movement, is not actually banned but nonetheless discouraged as it is seen as aping an un-Islamic practice.

We at kampunghouse agree with the prohibition, in principal. Performing chants of another belief clearly goes against the norms of a practising Muslim, and so the ban on yoga practised in its authentic form is no different from the ban against similar pre-Islamic practices such as menurun, menilik and the like. However, we wonder whether the fatwa is directed at the right target. The ‘yoga’ that is being practised at gym classes is far removed from the original form, and instead focuses only on the physical movements, with emphasis on stretching, breathing and slowing down the frenetic pace of life. Most people at the yoga class have no interest in the religious aspect; some may not even be aware of its religious roots. For these people, a fatwa against yoga is like news that came out of nowhere.

It would be a foolish Muslim who chants Hindu prayers without realising that such action is out of step with his or her religious beliefs. For the majority of rational, clear-headed Muslims out there, yoga is no different than an hour of Body Pump, Body Step or Pilates classes – a secular, physical exercise. While we commend the National Fatwa Council in its thoroughness in defining what is and isn’t deviant behaviour, we would strongly condemn any punitive actions taken against Muslims who attend yoga classes that are clearly devoid of any religious elements. The fatwa should serve as an advice and guideline, that can be discussed and debated as is the norm in a healthy, intellectually-rigorous society. It should not act as a law to be enforced without question.

Kereta Elektrik Proton: Realiti Atau Hanya Omong Kosong?

Kami di kampunghouse rata-ratanya mengelak daripada membaca akhbar harian negara, terutamanya Utusan Malaysia, yang baru-baru ini didakwa Anwar Ibrahim sebagai “membodohkan orang Melayu”. Walaubagaimanapun, kadangkala perlu juga diteliti sejauh mana Utusan Malaysia, yang sepatutnya berperanan sebagai “Penyebar Fikiran Rakyat”, membutakan pembaca mereka daripada fakta yang sahih.

Baru-baru ini dilaporkan Perdana Menteri Abdullah Badawi telah mengarahkan pengeluar kereta nasional Proton untuk mengkaji kereta elektrik untuk dipasarkan dalam masa setahun. Utusan Malaysia, dalam keghairahannya melaksanakan peranannya sebagai pembesar suara kerajaan, telah meminta pandangan ahli ekonomi berkenaan pengeluaran kereta elektrik itu.

Sekiranya para wartawan Utusan Malaysia mempunyai akal yang berfungsi, sudah tentunya mereka akan meminta pandangan ahli saintis atau jurutera mekanikal yang pakar dalam bidang automotif elektrik, yang akan memberikan berita berat tetapi benar, bahawasanya pengeluaran kereta elektrik oleh Proton bukanlah satu perkara mudah yang boleh diselesaikan dalam hanya masa setahun. Kami rujuk sebuah laporan oleh Sistem Siaran Awam Amerika Syarikat (Public Broadcasting System), yang melaporkan usaha syarikat automotif terbesar dunia, General Motors Corp, untuk memasarkan kereta elektrik di negara termaju di dunia itu. Antara langkah yang diambil syarikat tersebut ialah kerjasama dengan 30 syarikat utiliti di AS bagi menyelesaikan masalah infrastruktur yang mungkin timbul apabila kereta elektrik dikeluarkan dalam jangkaan masa 2 tahun.

Sekiranya syarikat automotif terbesar di dunia, yang mempunyai khidmat pakar terbaik, hanya dapat memberi jangkaan 2 tahun, bagaimana Pensyarah Ekonomi Universiti Utara Malaysia, Haim Hilman Abdullah, boleh menaruh harapan Proton – sebuah syarikat kecil yang belum pun dapat meningkatkan kualiti kereta biasa mereka – akan dapat mengeluarkan kereta elektrik tahun depan? Menurut Haim, Proton juga disarankan agar meluaskan pasaran penjualan kereta bukan sahaja di negara ini malah di peringkat antarabangsa sebagai usaha meningkatkan pengeluaran yang akan dapat membantu mengurangkan kos pembuatan kereta elektrik itu. Mungkin Haim tidak tahu, tetapi Proton sebenarnya sudah lama cuba menembusi pasaran antarabangsa, baik di UK, Turki, mahupun UAE, rata-ratanya tanpa kejayaan yang memberangsangkan. Kalau kereta biasa pun Proton tak dapat jual, bagaimana pensyarah ekonomi universiti ini boleh yakin Proton dapat menjual kereta elektrik yang merupakan teknologi perintis?

Seorang lagi pakar ekonomi, Pengerusi Pusat Dasar Kajian Umum, Ramon Navaratnam dipetik sebagai menyifatkan langkah yang diambil kerajaan sebagai satu kejayaan yang besar dan penghasilan kereta elektrik itu merupakan satu pengenalan baru yang bakal memberi kesan positif kepada rakyat. Kejayaan besar apa yang nak disifatkan apabila kereta elektrik itu belum pun dapat dihasilkan?

Setiausaha Agung Gabungan Persatuan-persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (FOMCA), Muhamad Sha’ani Abdullah dipetik sebagai berkata “pengeluaran kereta elektrik oleh Proton akan dapat membantu rakyat mengurangkan kos hidup yang semakin meningkat. Beliau turut mengingatkan kepada syarikat pengeluar kereta tempatan itu agar mengenakan harga kenderaan tersebut pada paras yang berpatutan bagi membolehkan setiap lapisan masyarakat mampu memilikinya.

Dalam laporan PBS yang sama, harga kereta elektrik General Motors dijangka dalam lingkungan AS$ 30 000 – AS$40 000, jauh lebih mahal dari kereta biasa. Apakah kemungkinan Proton – yang selama ini hanya dapat bersaing dengan bantuan tarif oleh kerajaan – akan berupaya mengenakan harga yang berpatutan, apabila kos kereta elektrik, seperti mana-mana teknologi baru, semestinya akan melambung tinggi? Inilah yang terjadi apabila akhbar seperti Utusan Malaysia tidak lagi tahu menganalisa dan mengkritik (mungkin juga tidak pernah tahu), tetapi hanya pandai menjaga hati mereka yang memegang kuasa.

Half-baked Ideas Only Fit For the Frontpage

One unscientific but fairly reliable way to gauge the newsworthiness of a region is to sample the frontpages of its newspapers. The frontpage of a credible newspaper in a global, influential city like New York would most likely carry news that impact even those living far away, while the frontpage of a small town in isolated New Zealand would consider itself lucky to report on the opening of a new grocery store across the road. We like to think of Malaysia as being a reasonably newsworthy entity, situated so centrally in the commercial cross-roads of Asia, a melting-pot of cultures, and all of that. But a sampling of two of its prominent daily sheets proves otherwise.

Electric is the way

Today’s frontpage of NST Online carries an article on the government’s latest fight against rising oil prices. Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, perhaps in an effort to stifle popular public perception that he is rather dull and sleepy, plans to introduce “unconventional ways and the latest technology” to tackle the skyrocketing price of petroleum.

This is all well and good. We always welcome unconventional methods. But when the so-called unconventional method involves the government’s ambition to introduce electric cars on the road, we can’t help but remain skeptical. Global carmakers like Ford and Toyota have been toying with the concept of electric-powered vehicles since the 90s, but the main obstacle with commercializing the concept is the prohibitive cost and limited life of the battery. Today, with the onslaught of climate change and rising fuel prices, the car giants are once again taking a serious hard look at electric cars, but even then, the earliest date for introduction to the American market, in a best-case scenario, is 2010. The reality is usually very far off the best case scenarios.

The NST article reports that national carmaker Proton Holdings has been given the green light to carry out in depth validation and testing of cars using electric batteries, and according to the Prime Minister, the “assessment can be done in less than one year. If it satisfies all Proton’s requirements, then it can be commercialized”. If the car makers of the world’s most advanced economy are unsure about the commercialization of electric cars, can we really be confident of being pioneers in electric-powered vehicles? Proton already has a hard time making sure its Perdanas don’t disassemble themselves. Would we really trust them to test electric cars? If this is the best “unconventional way” the government can come up with, then we’d prefer if they just stick to conventional methods like increasing public transport.

Road Signs in George Town

Meanwhile, the frontpage of the Star Online carries a report on Gerakan members’ tit-for-tat move against the DAP state administration by putting up Chinese road signs in the city. An accompanying photo shows a Gerakan member explaining the move to a tourist couple who pretend to be interested in Chinese characters.

In June last year, DAP Youth illegally put up Chinese road signs to pressure the previous government to install signs in Chinese, which it claims could boost tourism by attracting tourists from China. And all this while we thought tourists come to George Town for the history. We’ve seen a similar move in Kuala Lumpur with road signs in Arabic, to assist Arab tourists. Do they really assist foreign tourists, especially in our current globalised world where many more people are now familiar with the Roman alphabet, if not the English language? What happens if we experience an influx of tourists from Russia, with its Cyrillic-literate citizens, or Korea, India or any other country with its own alphabet script?

These petty news items might have been funny if not for the desperately static state that our country is in at this moment. Chinese road signs and electric cars might give glossy photos for the frontpage, but at the end of the day it is serious news that makes a newspaper worth reading.

Just Average Malaysia

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has designated Thaipusam as a public holiday in the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, a move we suspect has less to do with goodwill than a politically-motivated panacea to the recent headache caused by disgruntled Indian protesters. Although we welcome the move, we are somewhat frustrated by the Prime Minister’s preference for feel-good initiatives over more serious matters such as the increasing crime rate, a sluggish economy and Malaysia’s diminishing role and influence in the world stage (which was never that great to begin with).

Our initially enthusiastic reception to Abdullah Badawi’s rise to the premiership has turned into a desperate longing for the good old days of the Mahathir era. For us to reconsider what would otherwise be an autocratic administration plagued by institutionalized cronyism and contemptuous disregard for free speech speaks volumes of our desperation. Yes, things may not be that bad in our country, but we’re not exactly a shining beacon to the world, either. We are instead, stuck in a disinterested state of mediocrity, where being pretty average is considered totally acceptable. It is not.

Our public education system is disorganized and languishing, thanks to a Minister who prefers to come up with cheap shots rather than concrete solutions. Malaysian universities continue their strident march towards global oblivion. After 50 years of Independence, our controlled media is still spewing out propaganda instead of sharpening its journalistic integrity, to the point where Malaysians are left to depend on each other’s blogs for their fix of intelligent opinion and critical debate on the state of the nation. A Thaipusam holiday for Hindus may be a welcome relief for some, but what we as a nation really need is a break from this putrefying state of mediocrity.

Crime Soars in Malaysian Suburbs

In the wee hours of this morning, my younger brother was confronted by a car of masked Indian youths while he was filling up petrol in Taman Tun Dr Ismail. One of them came out of the car and threatened with a heavy steel pipe, having the luxury of no witnesses in sight. Miraculously, my brother managed to escape unharmed and hid in a drain while frantically calling mum on the phone for help.

A quick browse through the newspapers and one would be inundated with reports of people getting bashed, robbed, raped and murdered all over Malaysia. This has been going on for years, yet we as a society merely shake our heads in feigned disbelief and hapless indifference. Our best response have been to cage ourselves in heavily-grilled houses, or move to one of the many gated communities sprouting all over Kuala Lumpur. This is at best a passive defence and one which only gives a sense of security without actually combating the threat to security itself.

Many Malaysians seem to have resigned ourselves to the lawlessness, due in part to the inability of the police to restore order to what is fast becoming a crime-ridden society. How long are we going to tolerate this nuisance? Are we supposed to simply sit back and pray that the next target of a robbery or rape is some other family? Can we really be proud of having the world’s largest court complex, the grand Palace of Justice, when our roads are being audaciously taken over by criminals? As the country marks the start of a new year, my family and many others across Malaysia, will instead have to come to terms with the sad fact that our neighbourhoods in which we grew up are no longer safe to live in.

How Many Damansaras Can You Count?

Driving around the multi-tiered highways of west Kuala Lumpur these days, it seems every other suburb is a derivative of Damansara. It’s hard to imagine there used to be only one Damansara in town, the hilly suburb of Damansara Heights, which has since given rise to Damansara Utama, Jaya, Perdana, Damai, Impian, Kota Damansara, Bandar Damansara and even a Pelangi Damansara. Half of Kuala Lumpur wants to rename itself Damansara, as property developers cash in on the name and middle-class Malaysians seek to elevate their social status by living in the ‘right’ residential area.

It’s not our intention to spoil other people’s real estate aspirations, but isn’t it a bit confusing when neighbouring suburbs are all variations of the one name? Sure, the mere mention of ‘Damansara’ evokes exotic images of unparalleled elegance and unmatched wealth, but there must be other Malay-Sanskrit words that do the job equally well? In the interest of confusion minimization, let’s apply a moratorium on the word Damansara (and for that matter, Kiara as well), and urge our property developers to come up with another cash-cow-name for the burgeoning suburbs of west Kuala Lumpur.

This Little Teddy Made Some People Unhappy

Just as we thought nothing else could top the inanity of the recent Saudi court case which sentenced a rape victim to 200 lashings and six months in jail for meeting a man unaccompanied by a male relative, here comes another incident to add further shame to the Muslim community. A British teacher is being charged in Sudan with insulting Islam for allowing her class of 7 year-olds to name a teddy bear Mohamed. Anyone in their right mind would appreciate that this is not an attack on the sanctity of the Prophet, but more likely, a reflection of the popularity and mass appeal of the name itself, which also happens to be the most common first name in the world.

A disturbingly increasing number of Muslim communities are applying archaic laws and passing ridiculous judgments against innocent people, both Muslims and non-Muslims alike, misusing the name of religion to justify what is essentially a lack of sound reason and intellect. These rulings would be laughable but for the very grim fact that it is often a matter of life and death for the innocent people involved. We play the role of victim and accuse the rest of the world of a global conspiracy against Islam, but is it any wonder that people become a tad suspicious and develop fear against Muslims when a section of us are eagerly whipping and lashing people, with the full authorization of the judiciary?

Thousands of enraged Muslims protested – some very violently – across the world at the publication of the senseless and degrading caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad. Yet we don’t see that sort of numbers or outpouring of emotions when we hear news of women being systematically discriminated against in many Muslim countries. Is it not an insult to Islam, when women are being unfairly treated by men who use as an excuse for their behaviour, the very religion that seeks to preserve and champion women’s right to equality in the first place?

Before we start invoking the name of George W. Bush, America, Israel or any other of the usual suspects of the Muslim blame-game, we would do better to peer into our own communities and take a hard look at the rot that we have allowed to develop through complacency and an unreasonable tolerance for radicalism. The teddy named Mohamed is not blasphemy, but the response by Sudan could very well be.

Rakyat Malaysia: Pakar dalam Menyambut Hari Raya dan Hari-Hari Lain

Rasa-rasanya tiada bangsa lain yang lagi pakar dalam menyambut Hari Raya Aidilfitri di dunia ini dari bangsa Malaysia. Kemeriahan Hari Raya memang tidak boleh ditandingi, maklumlah setelah sebulan terpaksa menahan makan, kita, yang memang kaya dengan segala jenis lauk-pauk, mestilah menunjukkan kehebatan kita di meja makan. Walaupun makanan seperti lemang, rendang tok dan dodol mengambil masa berjam-jam untuk dibuat, dan kena pula dikacau-kacau, macamlah orang takda kerja lain, ia tetap dihidangkan dengan bangganya di hari istimewa ini, yang setahun hanya datang sekali.

Walhal di masyarakat Islam lain, baju yang dipakai di hari mulia ini selalunya putih ataupun hitam, masjid-masjid di Malaysia menjadi ceria dengan seluruh pelusuk warna baju Melayu dan sampin, ada pula yang coraknya berpetak-petak, berbulat-bulat, dan berkilau-kilau sampai sakit mata memandang. Songkok yang resminya hitam, pun telah ditukar menjadi berwarna, begitu sukanya orang Melayu kita dengan warna selain hitam putih. Televisyen kita berkumandang dengan takbir raya yang sedap betul didengar, mengingatkan kita keistimewaan hari ini. Inilah hari untuk kita bersuka-ria bersama keluarga dan kawan rapat, hari untuk kanak-kanak kecil berpura-pura kaya dengan mengesek kocek mereka yang penuh dengan duit raya syiling seringgit.

Orang Malaysia saja agaknya yang betul-betul beraya sampai sebulan, mengadakan rumah terbuka pada hujung minggu. Hari Raya bukan sahaja disambut orang Islam, tetapi orang bukan Islam di Malaysia pun turut serta memeriahkan bulan Syawal ini dengan bertandang sama ke rumah-rumah terbuka. Rakyat Malaysia, baik Melayu Cina India Melanau Kadazan Iban mahupun “lain-lain”, memang handal dalam bab raya-meraya. Walaupun kita suka betul mengkritik negara dan bangsa sendiri, tapi sebenarnya kita bersyukur sangat yang majoriti orang Malaysia sebenarnya gembira hidup di sisi satu sama lain, tak kisahlah warna kulit dia putih ke, coklat ke, kuning ke, hitam ke, mahupun tuhan yang dia sembah.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri kepada semua. Di sini kampunghouse ingin meminta maaf zahir dan batin ke atas mereka yang telah tersinggung dengan tulisan kami sepanjang ini. Sorry ya?