LATELY, I am beginning to feel that the world is no longer safe to live in. War and unrest seem to be everywhere. In Afghanistan and Iraq, for example, there is continuous turmoil and chaos.
The Muslim world is still remorseful over the bloodbaths in these two countries where thousands of innocent lives have been lost. My blood boils every time I see the sufferings of the Iraqi and Afghan children and women in the media.
Now the invaders say that they have to remain in Iraq for another four years in order to stabilise the war-torn country. Don’t forget, they are also still in Afghanistan after so many years of supposedly hunting down Osama bin Laden.
While we are still waiting for the discovery of the huge pile of weapons of mass destruction, suddenly the whole world is shocked by the revelation that America and Britain had actually exaggerated, lied and used fabricated intelligence information to justify the invasion on Iraq.I am still having trouble trying to understand why people need to bring themselves down that low to achieve their objectives. If children in America and Great Britain deserve a better and peaceful place to live in, so do the children in Iraq, Afghanistan and the rest of the world. I think they do not deserve to be bombed day after day.
Now, the same aggressors are beating the war drum on Iran. This new development should worry all of us because the trend is to invade and stay. This trend is evident in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Why on earth is physical colonialism still needed today? In the past, people like Francis Light or Alfonso de Albuquerque travelled and conquered other countries for spices and natural resources.I don’t think that we need to follow their footsteps in today’s civilised world.If they want oil we can sell oil to them. If they need rubber or palm oil, we are more than happy to meet their demands. But they don’t have to attack and invade us. They already managed to push the cleverly crafted concept of globalisation down our throats. Despite the benefits brought about by globalisation, it will always benefit the developed nations more.
Believe me, small and less developed countries do not have the same advantages as the more developed nations. At the same time, if we believe in democracy, it is democratic to allow other countries to have different types of government. Should I suffer or should my children be hurt just because you do not like my government?Is it justified to kill and amputate thousands of civilians just to overthrow a disliked leader or regime?
As for our country, the headlines for the last few weeks focused on murders and other tragic incidences. Could these be the side effects of development?The more developed you become, the more unsafe it is for you. The kidnapping and killing of the unfortunate Canny Ong and Tan Wee Chee really put the chill in our blood.
When I was a child, which was so many years ago, I used to play hide and seek with my friends in an area covering a few miles radius from my kampung. We even took bus rides to town and enjoyed nice ice-kacang so that the opponents could not find us.But today, I can’t even let my child go to the nearest grocery store without having to worry about his safety. Another matter of great concern is the flash flood that hit the capital city recently. It did not only cause damage to properties but also posed a serious threat to lives.
Even though, no one could stop the downpour, we could prevent flash floods from happening. If we are prudent enough in the process of development, such a mishap could be prevented. What can we learn from these? We are actually desperate for a better world to live in.
God created this world for us to know each other and learn to co-exist in peace. This is, in fact, very much in tandem with the teaching of Islam.In the Quran, Allah says to the effect: “O Mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other).
“Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of God is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well-acquainted (with all things)” (Chapter al-Hujurat: Verse 13).
As for our duty to create a better world to live in, Allah says: “But seek, with the (wealth) which Allah has bestowed on thee, the home of the hereafter, nor forget thy portion in this world: but do thou good, as Allah has been good to thee, and seek not (occasions for) mischief in the land: for llah loves not those who do mischief.” (Chapter al-Qasas: Verse 77).
It is fair to say other religions will go along these lines. If this is true, definitely US President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair did not comply with their own religion.
The fact that Bush claimed that God had asked him to attack Iraq should really be a major concern to all of us.
I think, in a way, Kapt (Rtd) Abdul Kudus Ahmad is more honest than Bush and Blair. At least he admitted he lied about his financial situation when he first took the job as the head f the enforcement unit of the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council.
No confession was recorded thus far from the two so-called world leaders with regard to their lies about Iraq.
I believe all the problems that we have today are the result of three deficiencies that exist in mankind.
First, we have difficulties in differentiating between right and wrong. Second, we lack guilt in our own wrongdoings. Third, we are short of the sense of humanity towards fellow mankind.Finally, one thing for sure, I would like to see my future generations live in Malaysia’s Malaysia and not in the US’ Malaysia.
The last thing we need is to have the Americans to police the world and tell us what to do.