Umar ibn Abdul Aziz

"Rulers usually appoint people to watch over their subjects. I appoint you a watcher over me and my behaviour. If you find me at fault in word or action guide me and stop me from doing it."

One of Umar ibn Abdul Aziz quote that made him a great man. So what about this man that make him a great leader.

His works and words have widely quoted by the Chief Minister of Penang, YAB Lim Guan Eng. In many occasions including in one of his maiden speech in Parliament YAB Lim made mentioned of him. Even Ustaz Abdul Ghani, the homnourable Commissioner of PAS Melaka met me in the Court canteen one fine day spoke to me about the CM of Penang praised of this great leader and told me if I be CM* one day (haha, like I would) elaborate and follow this great leader, Umar ibn Abdul Aziz.

And so I am, learning and reading about this great leader.

Thanking the net, Umar ibn Abdul Aziz was an Umayyad caliph who ruled from 717 to 720. Umayyad caliph would mean the ruler from the Umayyad dynasty whom historically the second of the four Arab caliphates establish after the death of Muhammad the prophet. Caliphate would mean the Islamic form of government representing the political unity and leadership of the Muslim world. It is based on the notion of a successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad's political authority.

As a leader, He is known to be estremely pious and is disdainful of luxuries. He preferred simplicity depositing all assets and finery meant for the caliph into the public treasury. He abandoned the caliphal palace to the family of Suleiman and instead preferred to live in modest dwellings. He wore rough linens instead of royal robes, and often went unrecognized.

His modest lifestyle, gave me a finest impression of the lifestyle and mannerism of YAB Tok Guru Nik Aziz, the Kelantan Menteri Besar who lives in a modest kampung house in Jalan Melaka, whom I had the opportunity to visit two years go. In fact, my chinese and Christian friends in Kelantan was not only supportive but love their Menteri Besar who was and is seen not only pious but fair and just. That makes him "the big of a man".

Though Umar ibn Abdul Aziz had the people's overwhelming support, he went as far to publicly encouraged them to elect someone else if they were not satisfied with him but nevertheless no one ever took him up on. That equal check and balance and democracy of the state.

Historically, Umar ibn Abdul Aziz confiscated the estates seized by the Ummayad officials and redistributed them to the people, while making it a personal goal to attend to the needs of every person in his empire. This make him the people's leader. Understanding the need of the welfare of the people and seeing that the needs of the people is taken care of. The fighting of corruption and bribery was another area which Umar ibn Abdul Aziz practices by promptly depositing to the public treasury any gifts to him. This endears him amongst the people but at the same time, I believe, enemies within his courts.

He was not even encouraging war but prefered negotiations like when he faced Kharijite uprising and in fact, personally holding talks with two Kharijite envoys shortly before his death.

Interestingly, Umar ibn Abdul Aziz method of governing through Sharia, emphasizes the need to be fair, just, competent and with the full of integrity and accountability. YAB Lim Guan Eng had many time insists that the state government in Penang practices C. A. T. the acronym of Competency, Accountability and Transparency. But what about "Amanah Bersih dan Cekap" founded by the Barisan Nasional federal government in the 80s which dwindled to be of just lip services and words where corruption had become a core and a MUST in the civil service.

Anyway I am still having hopes with the recent enforcement and arrest by the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) but then again what happen to the incident of alleged police brutality that caused suspects killed/murdered during police custody like Francis Udappayan and 21 years old Kugan and the many more. There are so many questionable conduct by those in authorities. What about our judiciary and it's legal system?

What about the hillslope projects that was authorised by the managers of our states? What about the extragavant expenditure of mega projects that cost millions of Malaysian ringgit? What about the failed EPF losses? Or what about the rise of our crime rates where cities like JB has become notorious for criminal activity. Or what about the simply arrest and later charged of those participating in so-called illegal assembly. Or in short what about our basic democracy and human rights? What about ISA and the other preventive and emergency laws that making a mockery of our constitution?

Or what about the standard of our educational system whether in our secondary schools or undergraduate universities which unfortunately we are no where close with our neighbour universities. What happen to the closing down of schools? What about the illegal immigrants in East Malaysia? What about the oil royalty to deserving Terengganu? What happen to dengue (denggi)? What about sexism by our ultras? What about racist and the keris factor? Or the racism of every race notwithstanding Malay, Chinese or Indian? What about Malay supremacy or ketuanan Melayu? What about Mat Rempit compare that to JERIT? What about the privatisation of government agencies?

Now, should there be a cry for Umar ibn Abdul Aziz core values in our system and administration. Remember, that Umar ibn Abdul Aziz was poisoned and murdered by a member of his court.

Fair Play?

How unfortunate. Below is a letter written by Gan Hock Ming on the Majlis Agama little Napoleon behaviour

The Majlis Agama officers came and attempted to snatch the dead body, all our family members more shocked and angry, we resisted and strongly protested against the removal of our father’s body.

1. Our father was seventy four (74) years old. He suffered a severe stroke in 2006. He was as immobilized, bedridden, mentally unsound, cannot speak, partially deaf and has very poor vision.

2. We transferred him to stay with one of our brothers in Klang. Our aged mother looked after, bathed and fed him. She also helped to look after our nephews and nieces.

3. Our father died on 20th Jan 2008. As Gan Hock Seng (the eldest son) is a member of the family, we informed him of our father’s death. He was then told us that our father is a Muslim, we were shocked and did not believed him. So we continue to perform the wake service as our father have never led a muslim life. The Majlis Agama officers came and attempted to snatch the dead body, all our family members more shocked and angry, we resisted and strongly protested against the removal of our father’s body.

4. We obtained his alleged conversion papers from Majlis Agama the second day.

5. We were advised by our solicitors that there are serious irregularities in the said conversion papers especially the Declaration of Conversion into Islam.

a). The declaration was before a Pegawai Ukhuwah. His rubber stamp was on the paper but that officer did not sign.

b). Further there was no signatory at the certification column.

c). There was an illegal alteration on the date to 3rd July 2007.

d). The thumb print was questionable as we are certain that our deceased father was in Klang and not at the address No. 451, Taman Megaway, 70400 Sikamat, Seremban as stated in the application form.

e). His address stated in the Borang Perakuan Memeluk Islam is No: 1272, Jalan TBK 6/2, Taman Bkt Kepayang, 70200 Seremban, the residence of the eldest son. We wish to state that our father has never resided at this address.

f). The Majlis Agama Authorities claimed that our deceased father made an oral declaration in Arabic accepting the Muslim faith. Our family has medical confirmations from three doctors that our father was unable to speak.

g). We were asked to appear before the Syariah Court Seremban, we believe the Syariah Court is for Muslims only.

h). We refused to attend at the Syariah Court on a matter of principle as non-Muslims. We refused to submit to the jurisdiction of the Syariah Court.

i). The Syariah Court made a unilateral declaration that our father is a Muslim and is to be buried in accordance to Muslim rites.

j). We filed an application at the High Court Seremban to adjudicate on the validity, authenticity, veracity and legality of the conversion paper especially the declaration of acceptance into Islam.

k). The High Court Seremban dismissed our application on the ground that he has no jurisdiction to hear this matter as the subject matter falls within the purview of the Syariah Court. We beg to differ.

l). We were indeed shocked and aggrieved at the simplistic way the High Court disposed off this matter. We only seek justice, fair play and to find out the truth on his alleged conversion.

10. The eldest son Gan Hock Seng converted to Islam years ago. Our father and mother had strenuously opposed his conversion.

11. This eldest son had allegedly converted our father without the knowledge of our other and all other seven siblings.

12. Further, the eldest son had NEVER taken care of him physically and financially. He hardly visited him too.

13. Even if the eldest son had converted our father, we like to ask:

i). Why is it that he did not take care of him and brought him to stay in his house to lead a Muslim life?

ii). Why did he allow our father to continue living in a non‐Muslim home in Klang ? Our father had never prayed and continued eating pork and other non‐halal food. He never revealed to anyone that he has converted to Islam.

iii). Why he as a Muslim, did not ensure that our father (if he had been indeed converted) led a Muslim life ?

iv). Why is it that the Agama Islam authorities did not visit and follow up with our father – the alleged new convert, after his conversion?

14. We believe we have been unfairly treated by our eldest brother and the Agama Islam authorities in this alleged conversion of our father. If there had been a conversion, we firmly believe that the Agama Islam authorities should have informed all members of the family. There should not be a fight over the body of dead person. There should be dignity and respect on the dead person.

15. We hope the PM and the higher ups in the Islamic Authorities review this case and to ensure that the truth is unravelled. We hope that all conversions to Islam is fair and transparent and made known to all the next of kin of the convert.

We Seek Justice, Fair play and Truth in this matter.

From,

Gan Hok Ming for and on behalf of the family members of Gan Eng Gor (deceased)

Unreasonable and Unwarranted

I just read Uncle Kit's blog titled "JAWI raid on Indian restaurant for public display of Hindu deities - PM should stop the “Little Napoleons”" and I felt so disgusted and angry of such high handedness of these "Little Napoleons" What is happening to Malaysia? Are we moving into the likes of the Talibans? Aren't we living in a multi religious and multi cultural Malaysia that suppose to not only tolerate with one another but actually living in harmony? I don't understand what is the problem with this fanatical religious authorities trying to push their own agenda on us, the non Muslim.

The government must do something about it. Acts by these religious authorities must stop and should not be tolerate at all. There must be further investigation on their acts. Who give them the right to go to a non Muslim restaurant and tell them what ought to put. If that Indian restaurant put a deity that is his right. They are Hindus and what is so wrong for them to put their Gods. Acts such as this are unwarranted and unreasonable. It should not be accepted in countries like Malaysia.